We were lucky to catch up with Craig Greiwe recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Craig, thanks for sitting with us today to chat about topics that are relevant to so many. One of those topics is communication skills, because we live in an age where our ability to communicate effectively can be like a superpower. Can you share how you developed your ability to communicate well?
Too often, people think about communication as what they want to say. It’s the wrong question. What do you want your audience to hear, and what will make them hear it? The words and topics that matter most to you might mean nothing to the person you’re talking to. Communication starts not with listening – it starts with understanding the person you’re about to speak with. Then listen, then speak. Phrase your words in ways they will understand. Make your passion feel like their passion. Build bridges. It’s not about the message you convey, it’s how you convey it.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I am the Chief Strategy Officer and President of Marketing for a privately held holding group – a company that owns other companies. My job is not just to stitch together the companies we own to drive return, but to make sure every executive and every business leader and every employee is empowered to be their best. I only win when they win. We have the #1 Latino media outlet in the US, the largest independent music distributor, the most trusted fitness brand, two retail brands. Before that, I was the chief strategy consultant to a top-3 wireless carrier, a financial services giant, one of the largest social media platforms in the world. It’s not about the subject matter, it’s about what I brought to the table: an inexorable ability to plan, architect, and engineer bold solutions to the most complicated problems.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
1. Stop crying. No really. I don’t mean that in an insensitive way. Ingest and feel your feelings. Own them, be you. But don’t do it at work. Focus not on what pains you but on what you can move forward with – while still honoring how you feel and recognizing how you feel has nothing to do with anyone but you. 2. Read as much as possible. Of the most irrelevant things you can imagine. Tree frogs in the Amazon? Go for it. Obscure politics in Memphis? Go for it. Broaden the base of understanding to put yourself outside your bubble. It will come in handy, you just don’t know where.
3. Never stop. Don’t be abrasive, but never stop. Regroup and understand why you got a no at work, and figure out how to earn a yes. If you believe, you can convince anyone else to believe – provided you have your facts right.
What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?
Make a list. Start with the little things. One by one, conquer it. Oh, and understand if you’re not doing something, it’s your choice, and you’re making it for a reason. So many times, I’ve had an assignment and wondered why I was late. But I was late because I unconsciously wanted to be. I was avoiding it because I didn’t understand it, I didn’t have a solution, I didn’t know how to start. Just start.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://craiggreiwe.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/theworldatcraig
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cgreiwe/
Image Credits
Craig Greiwe
