Let's talk about Impactful Communication!

EricaBarnhart · March 2023

Hi Compass Community,

Let’s talk about communication!

Whether you work with a nonprofit organization, community foundation, grantmaker, or scholarship provider, the key to maximizing your impact is the same: building meaningful relationships through effective communication.

As founder and CEO of Claxon Communication, I teach purpose-driven leaders, teams, and organizations to communicate with clarity and confidence in ways that are good for themselves, their teams, and the world. I’m on a mission to change workplaces and the world…one word at a time.

I am excited to collaborate with Foundant’s team on their upcoming learning series: Impactful Communications. I will launch the series with a webinar on April 19th —Communicate For Good: Raise Awareness, Revenue, and Impact...One Word at a Time. Please join me, the Foundant team, and your purpose-driven peers and colleagues by register here:

https://www.foundant.com/impactful-communications/

Discover Your Communication Style

Before joining the webinar, please take a short 5 to 10-minute communication quiz to learn your communication style. We will be exploring this—and doing a series of interactive activities!—so please be sure to take it in advance to get the most out of the webinar.

To kick off this conversation, share your communication style after you take the quiz. Are you Action-, Process-, People-, or Idea-Oriented?

I'm also curious to hear your communication-related questions or learn about communication techniques that work well for you and your organization. Please share below!

teridmcclanahan · March 2023

I was not surprised by my outcomes: I'm split between process oriented and idea oriented. I probably lean more toward being process oriented. I'm rational and rely on facts. I'm task oriented. But I am also usually the go-to for problem solving. I am bold and can be off-putting to management types. The fact that I am also tall (5'9") doesn't help. I have learned techniques to temper this - like sitting when discussing with a person shorter than myself. It's complicated! LOL

EricaBarnhart · March 2023

@teridmcclanahan Sounds like you are very self-aware about how you communication--verbal and non-verbal--is received and have come up with thoughtful ways to communicate effectively, e.g. sitting (brilliant!). I'd like to hear more about why being bold is off-putting to "management types". If you're open to sharing, I'm all ears (or rather eyes as I'll be reading your post)!.

teridmcclanahan · March 2023

I communicate with my whole body. Not only am I tall, but very expressive visually - I don't have a poker face. I carry myself confidently and present myself professionally. People know when I enter a room. As a Black woman I have to be careful about how I present myself in conversations so as to not threaten. I can be assertive. I know that my White counterparts with similar traits have similar issues, but it is heightened for me. It's very easy to slip and be perceived as the "angry Black Woman" or "aggressive Black Woman" when in debates or discussions about opposing issues or matters of strategic directions. I've learned to accommodate to the situation. I often sit in the back of the meeting room, so my face is not readily visible. Or if I am upfront, I'm usually taking notes and writing about what I perceive is going on in the room. I think before I speak - "is this going to add to the conversation in a positive way?" I've been known to surf the internet, so my facial expressions are not visible. Unfortunately, this whole dance I do doesn't result in me adding to the dialogue. When I am called upon to give my opinion, I usually do so in a very quiet voice and chose my words carefully. It's all very taxing.

EricaBarnhart · March 2023

@teridmcclanahan Thank you for expanding on your experience, Teri. Editing to that extent would be very taxing, to say the least. So much energy to keep others comfortable. I hope to have the opportunity to meet you and talk more about this (if you want) in one of the follow-up sessions to the webinar. It raises questions re: who gets to be authentic, in which settings, etc? Again, thank you for sharing your experience--I appreciate it.

teridmcclanahan · March 2023

Wow, I guess it read like I was unloading on you. You caught me at one of those moments when I was full and needed to unload so I could replenish my cup. It would be nice to meet and discuss further. Blessings to you.