Understanding and Overcoming Communication Fears

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My guest today is Bridget Sampson who is an author, leadership coach, and the founder and CEO of Sampson Coaching and Consulting. She is also a professional public speaker at TEDx and has written a book, Communication Secrets for Success. 

Now, before you dismiss this episode as something that's 'not for you' because you're introverted like me, I want you to understand that effective communication is essential for building relationships and expanding your network. In our conversation, Bridget and I explore how the fear of putting yourself out there is not only experienced by introverts like us but by everyone. Bridget even shares her own journey from being terrified by early public speaking experiences to becoming a confident communicator. Bridget and I break down the mindsets needed to overcome that fear. More importantly, she reveals the process of crafting a thoughtful, meaningful message to share with the world.

If you find yourself struggling to communicate effectively to build relationships, I highly recommend listening to my conversation with Bridget. The insights she offers are incredibly valuable for developing your communication skills and achieving success.

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Here's What You'll Learn:

• How Bridget overcame her fear of public speaking and pursued a career in communication
• Why people are ‌afraid of public speaking and how to overcome that fear
• The three steps to coming up with a 'point'
• How important are the words that you actually use
• What you should focus on more when you want to deliver a message
• KEY TAKEAWAY: It's easier to deliver a message with a lot of energy if you actually care about what you are talking about.
• The importance of emotions when conveying a message
• Professional speakers also experience the same pressure as everyone else when preparing to speak publicly
• How to start believing that you can put yourself out there
• The first steps you can take to develop your communication skills
• Bridget's journey of having a transgender daughter revealed to her just before the pandemic happened
• Bridget and her daughter's Transgender School podcast
• The thin line between therapists and coaches and knowing which one you need

Useful Resources Mentioned:

Communication Secrets for Success: Sampson, Bridget

Prof. Albert Mehrabian and The 7%-38%-55% Rule

Transgender School Podcast

Managing & Alleviating Chronic Pain with…Creativity? | with Anna Holtzman

Sampson Coaching & Consulting

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Building Skills, Relationships, and Weathering Industry Storms | with Shie Rozow

Building a Career Beyond Your Job Title, Strategically Crafting Your Story, and Diversifying Your Career Portfolio | with Jeff Bartsch

How to Master “Offline” Networking at Live Events | with Camille Virginia

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How to Find the Right Type of Mentor For You (and When You Should Seek the Best)

Guest Bio:

Bridget Sampson

As the Founder and CEO of Sampson Coaching and Consulting (SCC) for over 25 years, Bridget Sampson and her team have been designing and delivering transformative training, retreats, keynote addresses, and coaching programs on communication, mindset, leadership, and much more. SCC clients include Google, Mattel, Capital Group, several nonprofit organizations, and six universities. Bridget’s TEDx talk, How Public Speaking Will Change Your Life, is described as the most powerful TEDx talk on conquering public speaking anxiety. Her book, Communication Secrets for Success, has received rave reviews on Amazon.

Bridget is also a Professor Emeritus, having retired from 28 years of teaching Communication Studies courses at California State University, Northridge, where she was honored to receive the Excellence in Mentoring award from the Educational Opportunity Program and Polished Apple Teaching award. Bridget is certified as a professional coach with The International Coaching Federation and The Life Coach School, and a True Colors personality identification facilitator. She and her daughter Jackie are also the co-founders of Transgender School, an LGBTQ advocacy & education program. Bridget is the host of 3 podcasts: Growth & Gratitude, The Right Questions, and Transgender School. Currently, Bridget is in her second year of Tara Brach and Jack Kornfield's 2-year Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program.

Show Credits:

This episode was edited by Curtis Fritsch, and the show notes were prepared by Debby Germino and published by Glen McNiel.

The original music in the opening and closing of the show is courtesy of Joe Trapanese (who is quite possibly one of the most talented composers on the face of the planet).