For the better part of my life, I have been a musician. For all its complexities, music has always come easily and felt so natural to me. So much so that at the ripe old age of 29, I enlisted in the military as a musician! I could talk all day about how amazing Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto is, or how Beethoven’s 5th Symphony is one of the greatest works ever written, or how Barber’s Adagio for Strings can make even the strongest of us tear up with its intensity…but I won’t. I will save those conversations for my fellow music friends!

Being a musician has taught me many things over the years. Not the least of which is that music is a form of communication. Like music, communication (more specifically, conversation) is made up of many moving parts. These include phrases, ideas, themes, emotions, and silence. All of these components are parts of any musical piece and any conversation.

Phrasing and emotion are inherent in our ability to communicate. The...

It’s amazing isn’t it? At the touch of a button we can instantly (and constantly) be connected to hundreds, maybe thousands of people simultaneously. We can like, share, and comment on information from people from miles and miles away, most of whom we have never met. We can learn from teachers at institutions across the country, we can network with people across the globe, we can stay in touch with friends and relatives we don’t see very often…

All this connection, all the time…yet we are more disconnected than we likely have ever been.

In the modern era of communication, everything is virtual or e-communication. An email or text message in place of a letter, a voice mail instead of a conversation, zoom meetings instead of physical meetings.

So much is lost in the constant use of e-communication. Tone, body language, non-verbal cues, intention, and emotion are all missing in this type of communication. Hence the disconnect. Too often when we write or...

Every day we have to do things that make us uncomfortable…it’s called living. I try to live by the notion that without discomfort, there is no growth. Today, I took the opportunity to get uncomfortable and I spoke on stage…a virtual stage.

I’m one of those weird people that actually enjoys being on a real stage, speaking to and with others, but being on video is a whole other ball game. However, I couldn’t pass up the chance to speak at this event and since it was all virtual, I had to reach out of my comfort zone to make it happen!

Every coach, mentor, and teacher in the world says we should “get out of our comfort zone” in order to grow. I’d like to challenge that idea and instead think that we should expand our comfort zones in order to grow.

If you think about it, stepping out of your comfort zone implies you are leaving it behind. However, you need some level of comfort in order to feel confident moving forward and trying...

There is no “I” in team, but there is definitely “YOU” in commYOUnication. Communication is a process that begins with you, and no one can do it exactly like you do. We all have our own communication style, quips and quirks that are unique to us, and ways of saying things that set us apart from the crowd.

Communication is a huge umbrella that covers a variety of skills, topics, and practices. Perhaps this is why so many people feel inadequately prepared to communicate confidently. In school, we only have so much time to learn how to format an essay or story and we usually pick up new words for our vocabulary toolbox along the way. But these are very basic skills, and we all absorb them at different levels. 

It is the not-so-basic skills that we really need to be taught. Today I am going to share a few of those with you. Now, these are all aspects of communication that we have discussed before, so there’s nothing new here, but the importance of...

Have you ever received an email asking you to do something that you thought could wait a while, only to find out you needed to do it sooner? What was it about that email that led you to believe the task or request could wait until you remembered to come back to it? On the flip side, when you get an email or a phone message that is asking you to complete a task and you do it immediately, what is it about that message that causes you to comply with the request as soon as you receive it?

Last week, a friend of mine was talking about an experience she had with the elementary school her daughter attends. A few weeks back, she received an email from the school office that went something like this:

Dear Parent,

In reviewing your child’s vaccination record, we see that she is due for her Polio vaccine.
Please let us know when this has been completed.

Thank you,
Elementary School

Being the busy mom, wife, and business owner that my friend is, she filed this task in her...

Last week I touched a bit on the importance of knowing your audience. This is a deep topic that can’t be covered in one or two blog posts, but we can touch on the basics to help get you started in the right direction!

Once you have taken the time and put in the work to learn who your audience is and what they need and want, the next step is determining HOW to reach them.

When you identify your audience, part of that process should include figuring out the ways they prefer to communicate and receive content. You must determine which media will have the greatest reach and what ways your audience will best receive your information.

You might be wondering how you can figure out the best way to reach your audience. I’d be lying if I told you it was a quick and easy process, but with a little time and research you can figure it out!

You want to start by asking yourself a few questions about your audience:

1. How does my audience consume information?
2. What kind of media do they...

Communication is the basis of all interpersonal relationships. Business relationships are no exception, and the success of those relationships relies heavily on the communication between the business and its target audience.

Great communication skills are one of the most valuable assets you can bring into your business. When you speak (or write) with confidence and clarity, conveying the right message in the right context, you build credibility and rapport with your audience. This is the difference between success and failure.

Business communications must be centered on the customer, therefore, messages used in business communication should be centered on the customer. Messages are much more effective when they are client-centered versus when they are business-centered. People want to know how they will benefit from using your product or service, not how their patronage benefits your business. 

When your messages reflect the interests and concerns of...

Have you ever been in one those situations where you later realized that you could have had a much better result if you had used different words? I know I have. I would bet that most of us have been in a situation like that. Sometimes we get so caught up in what we are trying to achieve that we just bulldoze our way into it without thinking about how to most effectively get there.

This post will shed a little light on how using the right words may help lead you to clearer communication and greater success not just in business, but in everyday life!

Back to bulldozing our way to an objective. Let’s say you need some documentation from someone, perhaps a signed contract or a copy of an invoice. Let’s also say you need said documentation yesterday, so it is urgent that you receive it as soon as possible. In this digital age, you might type up an email as your first method of obtaining the information. Email is terrific because it allows you the time to think about what you...

Do you have trouble saying what’s on your mind? Some people seem to be able to say what they need to say so flawlessly while some of us fumble and stumble over our words. Some of this fumbling and stumbling can be attributed to lack of practice or training, but a good portion of it is due to a lack of confidence and fear of how others will interpret what you say.

While there are multiple ways to say things, there’s usually one or two ways that are better than others. In professional settings or in client relations, you need to be direct but also considerate. Sometimes it is easy to be direct, but the consideration of the other party may get left out.

Today I want to share with you 7 ways you can say what you need to say in the best possible way and get a better response!

1. If you are late or a meeting is delayed - Instead of saying “Sorry for the delay” or “Sorry I’m late” try saying “Thanks for your patience.”

2. When setting...

I talk a lot about building confidence in your communication. I know it is easier to talk about confidence than it is to build it, but hopefully you are finding it a little bit easier each week as you stop by to see what we are up to at 10-4!

This week, I want to take a step back and break down my free guide for you. This guide (click HERE to grab it if you haven’t already!) outlines some of my top ways to help you easily build confidence in your ability to communicate and will have you communicating greatly in no time! Today I’m going to highlight 3 of those tricks you can use immediately!

1. STOP SAYING “UMM” We all do it. It isn’t something we think about, it is just a sound that comes from our voice when we can’t figure out what to make it say. When you are communicating in a professional setting, “umm” can be detrimental to your message, your credibility, and your business. If someone asks you a question or says something that...