Effective communication is at the heart of so many successful projects, relationships, and endeavors. Given its magical ability to make things happen, we thought it would be helpful to bring some of the best communicators we know together to share their stories and insights around how they developed their ability to communicate effectively.
Elio Chen
My ability to communicate effectively has developed over the course of my academic and professional journey, particularly through my work in design and creative coding. During my studies, especially in my MFA at ArtCenter, I focused on complex projects like my thesis, which involved modernizing the I Ching fortune-telling system through creative coding. This required me to convey intricate ideas and technical concepts to both academic peers and audiences unfamiliar with these subjects. Read more>>
Cheryl Quatrano
I feel that communication is the key to all success. It is through years of trial and error that I developed my listening skills, which are essential in knowing the right questions to ask people how they feel and how they would like to address anything in their life that comes along. This does not happen overnight and as years go by, one learns on a daily basis how to hone this skill. I started as a classroom teacher and found academic and social emotional success in my students because of our excellent communication with each other. Read more>>
Sara Royf
I became an effective communicator through trial and error – and by studying what worked for others. From a young age, I wanted to communicate what I was working on with others – whether that was a jewelry sale, youth group event, or volunteer effort. I knew that I needed to understand psychology to communicate with others, so I started reading books on psychology before I went to bed. I then applied what I learned to my next communications and projects, fine-tuning my approach along the way. Read more>>
April Evans
It’s been a journey, to say the least! As someone who thrives on bringing order to chaos, I quickly realized that communication is at the heart of everything I do, both on and off the stage. Early in professional and personal spaces, I learned that effective communication isn’t just about speaking clearly—it’s about listening with intention. Whether I’m delivering a keynote or guiding clients through the intricacies of event planning, I’ve found that creating space for others to be heard is just as important as the message I’m delivering. Read more>>
Leyira Gininwa
That is a great question. Well, the road to communicating effectively for me was paved with some of my most prominent weaknesses. One of the biggest flaws of my past self was thinking I had the answers to everyone’s questions. My conversations did not consist of me listening, but rather of me hearing and trying to come up with a response that sounded the best. There is a very significant difference between the two. Many of my most humbling moments came at the end of my jewelry sales interactions when I realized that as the “professional” talking to the customer, I truly did not understand what they wanted. Read more>>
Ariella Lee
My communication skills have developed through a combination of personal experiences and continuous learning. Over the years, I’ve realized the value of being clear and direct in expressing my thoughts. I’ve improved by listening attentively, observing how others respond, and adjusting my style to fit different situations. Each interaction, whether casual or professional, has been an opportunity to refine how I communicate and make connections more meaningful. Read more>>
Jeff Carroll
I was little growing up and I’m only 5’7″ now, but I had to learn to be creative with the things I said and people needed to understand me. I believe I had a natural gift of getting my message across. Of course that had to be developed. Long before I decided to write fiction and entertain people with my written stories I told stories orally to my friends. We didn’t have a storytime or anything formal. We just told stories about our weekend or our vacations and trips. I lived in New Jersey, but I hung out in New York with my cousins. Read more>>
