Great communication starts before you say a word.

In this episode of Communicast, Scott D’Amico sits down with career coach Michelle Shafer to explore why intentionality, clarity, preparation, and listening play such important roles in how we communicate at work.

Michelle shares lessons from helping professionals navigate career transitions, including why communicating your impact matters more than simply listing your responsibilities, how to tell your professional story more effectively, and why networking conversations often fall flat when people aren't clear about what they're asking for.

Scott and Michelle also explore the power of the pause, how preparation can make you a better listener, the unspoken messages leaders send when they're distracted, and why transparency and the willingness to say “I don't know” can strengthen trust during uncertain times.

They also discuss interviews, relationship-building when starting a new role, communicating through organizational change, and why some of the most effective communicators focus less on what they're going to say next and more on truly understanding the person in front of them.

Whether you're navigating a career change, leading others, or simply looking to communicate with greater clarity and purpose, this conversation offers practical ideas you can put to work immediately.

Additional Resources:

► Follow Communispond on LinkedIn for more communication skills tips: https://www.linkedin.com/company/communispond
► Connect with Scott D'Amico on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottdamico/
► Connect with Michelle on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelleschafercoaching/
► Learn more about Michelle’s work: https://mschafercoaching.ca/
►Get a free chapter of her book: https://mschafercoaching.ca/cultivatingcareergrowth/
► Subscribe to Communicast: https://communicast.simplecast.com/
► Learn more about Communispond: https://www.communispond.com

Today, I’m joined by Grant Ballard, an engineer, business leader, climate finance expert, and author of The Zero-Sum Illusion.

Grant brings a fascinating perspective to communication, shaped in part by growing up in South Africa during apartheid and witnessing firsthand what can happen when people move beyond division and find ways to engage with one another.

In our conversation, we explore what strong leadership communication really looks like and why it has far less to do with charisma than many people think.

Grant shares a great analogy about communicators being thermostats rather than thermometers, why the success of a message should be judged by how it is received rather than simply how it is delivered, and how empathy and curiosity can help us navigate difficult conversations.

There is a lot to unpack in this one.

Let’s dive in.

Additional Resources:

► Follow Communispond on LinkedIn for more communication skills tips: https://www.linkedin.com/company/communispond
► Connect with Scott D'Amico on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottdamico/
► Connect with Grant on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/grantballardtremeer/
► Check out his book: https://www.zerosumillusion.com
► Subscribe to Communicast: https://communicast.simplecast.com/
► Learn more about Communispond: https://www.communispond.com

Today, I’m joined by Carlo D’Amore, a professional actor, director, writer, producer, and founder of Live In Theater, an immersive theater company that has evolved from its off-Broadway roots to delivering interactive team-building experiences for organizations around the world.

Carlo brings a fascinating perspective to communication because so much of what makes a great actor also makes a great communicator.

In this episode, we explore what the theater can teach us about listening, presence, authenticity, storytelling, and audience engagement. Carlo shares why great actors listen with more than their ears, what happens when we focus too much on what we are going to say next, and why your audience should be treated more like a scene partner than a group of passive observers.

Whether you’re presenting, leading a team, meeting with a client, or simply having an important conversation, there are some great lessons here about being present and making a genuine connection.

Let’s dive in.

Additional Resources:

► Follow Communispond on LinkedIn for more communication skills tips: https://www.linkedin.com/company/communispond
► Connect with Scott D'Amico on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottdamico/
► Connect with Carlo on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlodamore-creator/
► Learn more about Live in Theater : https://liveintheater.com/
► Subscribe to Communicast: https://communicast.simplecast.com/
► Learn more about Communispond: https://www.communispond.com