The Communication Guys Podcast: Communication Excellence | Professional and Personal Success

Why do park rangers lob explosives onto a mountainside to purposely start an avalanche? Answer: Because the avalanche you start yourself is the easiest one to control. In this episode The Guys explain how to deal with disagreements while they’re still minor grievances and before they erupt into full-blown battles. This episode is a replay of one of our most-downloaded episodes, and was originally released as Episode 104.

Do you suffer from a “brain bias?” We all do. A brain bias is a faulty way of thinking that’s hardwired into every human brain. They’re common to all of us, and they can lead us to make some very bad decisions about the way we communicate. In this episode clinical psychologist Dr. Tom Barrett explains how a brain bias works, and describes 5 common brain biases that lead us all to some bad decisions. This episode is a replay of one of our most-downloaded episodes, and was originally released as Episode 114.

Your current skills allowed you to land the job you have now, but what are the skills that will allow you to hold on to that job in the future? What are the skills that future employers will value most—the skills that will allow some to advance, while others remain stuck where they are? Today The Guys describe 5 increasingly important business skills that no successful person can afford to ignore. This episode is a replay of one of our most-downloaded episodes, and was originally released as Episode 102.

Do you know how to tell a great story? Some do, most do not. Everyone agrees that stories are able to connect powerfully with listeners, but only if you know how to tell your story well. Today the Guys share 6 commonly overlooked principles that will help you shape and polish your stories for maximum impact. This episode is a replay of one of our most-downloaded episodes, and was originally released as Episode 123.

Have you ever had a discussion where the stakes were high, opinions varied, and emotions were running strong? Master trainer Justin Hale from VitalSmarts, the organization responsible for the best-selling book, “Crucial Conversations,” explains how you can have a productive discussion even when passions are high. This episode is a replay of one of our most-downloaded episodes, and was originally released as Episode 76.

When a conflict begins, what role do you naturally play: Victim, Persecutor, or Rescuer? According to Dr. Nate Regier, a conflict is like a drama that follows a predictable script, and we each play one of three roles in that drama. By understanding those roles and refusing to play them we can reduce the unpleasant drama that comes with conflict. In “Avoiding Drama in the Workplace,” the Guys continue their interview with Dr. Nate Regier, CEO of Next Element and author of the book, “Conflict Without Casualties.”

Are you sick and tired of conflict in your workplace? Do miscommunication and strained relationships drain your creative energy and keep you from being more productive? According to Dr. Nate Regier, CEO of Next Element, the average employee spends two hours of every workweek dealing with conflict. The solution? According to Dr. Regier, it all comes down to compassion. In “The Compassion Mindset,” the Guys interview Dr. Nate Regier about compassion: what it is, how to develop it, and how to use it to reduce the amount of conflict where you work.

What are the habits that all great communicators have in common? Andrew Blotky should know. His career has taken him from the White House to Facebook, and he’s seen the best. In his new book, “Honestly Speaking,” he describes the techniques they all seem to practice. In “25 Things All Great Communicators Do,” the Guys continue their interview with Andrew and discuss his list of essential habits for every effective communicator.

What does it take to communicate clearly, honestly and effectively in a business setting? Ask Andrew Blotky. For five years he led global employee communications at Facebook, at a time when Facebook was expanding its workforce from 5,000 to 30,000 employees worldwide. Business communication doesn’t get more challenging than that. In “The Golden Rule of Communication,” the Guys talk with Andrew about his new book, “Honestly Speaking: How the Way We Communicate Transforms Leadership, Love, and Life.”

Modern audiences place a high value on the quality of authenticity. But how can you be open and authentic without revealing too much—or the wrong thing? What makes the difference between an authentic moment and an awkward moment? How do you strike the delicate balance between “authentic” and “too much information?” In this episode, the Guys discuss the risks and rewards of authenticity, and explain how to make sure your openness and honesty work for you, not against you.

With all the criticism and negativity that surround us today, it can be hard to maintain a positive attitude. But when we tune out all negative-sounding comments, we risk cutting ourselves off from even the constructive criticism we desperately need to grow and improve. When that happens, you’ve become “bulletproof.” In this episode, the Guys discuss the reasons we all need to remain open to criticism, and explain how to tell the difference between constructive criticism and useless negativity.

Why are some people able to turn their great ideas into successful realities, while others allow their similar ideas to fade into distant memory? What marks the difference between a mere dreamer and someone who makes their dreams come true? Episode 158 of the Communication Guys podcast is “Give Your Idea a Chance to Live,” where the Guys discuss the reasons that we often ignore or reject our best ideas, and why your ability to communicate might make the difference between a good concept and a great reality.

At Stanford University’s prestigious Graduate School of Business, the most popular elective in their MBA program focuses not on business, but on Emotional Intelligence. Stanford’s best and brightest are taught that mastering this topic is crucial to their success in both business and relationships. In “5 Qualities of an Emotionally Intelligent Person,” the Guys describe 5 essential principles of Emotional Intelligence and explain its importance in our everyday lives.

In business as well as relationships, we sometimes make the mistake of focusing on the larger issues and forgetting that there are small things that have the power to make a remarkable difference. In this Communication Guys podcast, the Guys describe 6 simple, easy, but commonly overlooked practices that can greatly increase our ability to connect with others. This episode is a replay of one of our 10 most-downloaded programs, and was originally released as Episode 100.

Do conversations feel like a boulder you’re trying to roll uphill? Do your interactions with others seem like a fire that’s always about to go out—and it’s up to you to somehow keep the fire going? Do you feel like you’re always the one who has to carry the conversation? In this episode, The Guys give 5 practical tips for keeping a conversational fire burning and turning an exhausting burden into an effortless delight. This episode is a replay of one of our 10 most-downloaded episodes, and was originally released as Episode 103.