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Professor. Trainer. Consultant. Coach.
I fell in love with the study of human communication when I took Introduction to Communication my freshman year of college. That is when it clicked for me. I realized that communication, no matter your background or culture, was one of the few constants in our lives. It plays the leading role in all of my successes and all of my failures both personally and professionally (this is true for all of you too).
This realization is what motivated me to become an expert and earn my Ph.D. in Human Communication. I’ve dedicated my life to studying how humans use communication to connect, create, understand, motivate, innovate, and change the world. What excites me most about communication is it is something we all can do well because it is skill-based. That means, everyone has the capacity to continually improve their communication skills no matter their current competency. There is no such thing as a perfect communicator. There are only competent communicators who are always working to sharpen their skills and abilities. When you work to improve your communication skills, you are not only benefiting yourself, you are also benefiting everyone around you and everything you do.
I love bringing the classroom to industry. I have had amazing learning experiences with companies and people from all over the world. Whether it is working cross-culturally at the Olympic Games with the Today Show (I have worked 7 Olympics) or sitting one-on-one with an executive who has to give the biggest speech of their career, I love helping my clients, aka students, improve.
Coach. Culture and Leadership Enthusiast. Professional Right Hand Man.
When I think of the phrase “it factor” I think of someone who is well spoken, can effortlessly perform speeches, and are supportive leaders. I always thought that these folks had something inherent or unique about them. I thought, you either had it or you didn’t. But, I was wrong.
During my Masters program, under the leadership of Dr. Burns, my perspective on the “it factor” was flipped. I realized that the “it factor” was actually strong communication skills and just like any other skill, communication can, and should be, constantly enhanced. I found that the successful leaders I was exposed to earlier in life were not born with some unique personality trait. Rather they saw the benefit of learning and understanding the human communication process and committed themselves to perfecting it.
After years of industry work in marketing, recruiting/human resources, sales, change management, training and development, and leading people and culture, I have noticed how little companies invest in communication skills. Even at the executive level, under-developed soft skills are the primary barrier for leaders and businesses from reaching their full potential.
My goal in Burns Learning is to assist Dr. Burns in re-humanizing the way that we communicate and do business. Communication skills are not common sense, they are practicable skills that can and will enhance every part of your life.
We collaborate and work with diverse leaders to re-humanize their businesses and lives through the study and practice of impactful communication skills. Focusing on communication produces motivated people, cohesive teams, innovative and dynamic cultures, improved business practices, and higher profits. Burns Learning provides the long term solution to this widespread and evolving problem.