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About Barbara
I have lived in foreign countries and been a non-native speaker of a language I had to communicate in every day. I have personally experienced that sinking feeling at the end of a presentation or conversation, knowing that I didn't get through to my audience.
Effective communication is a combination of language and culture. Successful communication requires developing an alternative communication style that works with the language you are speaking. In global business that language is usually English.
I have been privileged to teach and coach hundreds of global managers from more than thirty-five countries how to deliver professional presentations. As a result of all that listening, I developed the ability to hear what is not clear and what’s not being said. Whether it’s incorrect grammar, inaccurate vocabulary, or scrambled message structure, I know what will make your message clear.
I have an M.A. in International Relations from The University of the Pacific in Stockton, California, and a B.A. in Nutrition from the University of Iowa. I taught at the Swiss Federal Technical Institute of Lausanne, Switzerland (EPFL) for sixteen years and was awarded Best Teacher of the Year six years in a row. After living abroad for nineteen years, I now live with my life partner in Southeast Michigan.
My Approach
My passion is making you shine!
What does it take?
1. A solid desire to communicate better.
2. Commitment to do the difficult work of overcoming years of cultural conditioning.
3. Time and freeing up the mental bandwidth to do the work.
How I Help:
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I help you identify your core communication issues.
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I coach you to overcome them.
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I give you direct, honest, actionable feedback.
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I hold you accountable.
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I cheer you on!
What's it like to work with me?
I am rigorous and compassionate.
I expect a lot, but I also give a lot.
I have a wicked sense of humor ;-)
Your success is my success. Let's get there together.
My Process
1. Initial Phase (2 - 3 weeks)
You create and submit a 3-minute video on a topic of your choice
You watch the video; I watch the video; we both make notes about what we like and don't like
Schedule a 90-minute kick-off workshop in which we:
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Share notes about the video
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Define areas of focus for improvement
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Establish Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
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Go over foundational information about Intercultural Communication
First session - deep dive into your business
You "put me in the picture" and bring me into your world.
2. Intensive Phase (at least 3 months)
We get down to work on your goals
We work with material that is relevant to you.
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A presentation you've already given
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A new presentation you need to create
We iterate the same presentation several times, recording and feeding back, focusing on your key issues each time.
We move on to new material, and you apply what you have learned.
You begin to feel more confident enacting your new communication style.
3. Integration Phase (2-3 months)
We meet less frequently, but the work is the same.
We continue to work on the material you need to prepare and deliver
We continue to record and give feedback.
Your confidence grows; you can enact your new communication style "on demand."
By the end of the engagement, you are flying solo!
