Most business problems that land on a consultant's desk get diagnosed as a strategy issue, a revenue issue, or a leadership issue. Underneath most of them, according to Sana's guest today, is something simpler and much harder to fix: people aren't actually saying what they mean, or hearing what's actually being said. Sana sits down with Lynn Neillie, principal at Neillie Leadership Group, to dig into what real communication looks like beyond speaking well.

Lynn shares her path from self-described shy bookworm to coaching Michael Dell himself, why rehearsal is the step most people skip, and why staying silent a beat or two longer than feels comfortable might be one of the most underused tools in business.

About the Guest:

Lynn Neillie is a communication skills trainer and coach based in Austin, Texas, and principal at Neillie Leadership Group. Her background spans Fortune 500 marketing and communications at Dell, technology public relations for firms like Tektronix and AMD, and 15 years running her own PR consultancy before moving into sales and leadership coaching 25 years ago.

Key Takeaways:

• Being a strong communicator isn't just about speaking well, active, curious listening and genuinely caring about the other person's perspective are just as central
• Translate technical or specialized expertise into "so what" language, what this actually means or matters for the other person, rather than assuming your knowledge speaks for itself
• Rehearsing your pitch, questions, or key messages out loud, not just thinking through them mentally, is what most people skip, and it's often what separates a prepared communicator from an unprepared one
• Most people can only tolerate about 10 seconds of silence before feeling compelled to fill it, staying quiet a beat or two longer after someone finishes talking often invites them to share the detail that matters most
• Know your own communication style and lean into it rather than forcing yourself into someone else's, a quieter, more understated communicator can be just as effective as an outgoing one

Connect With the Guest:

Website: https://neillieleadershipgroup.com

LinkedIn: Lynn Neillie

Email: [email protected]

Episode Chapters:

[00:00] Why Most "Strategy Problems" Are Actually Communication Problems

[00:53] Meet Lynn Neillie, Principal at Neillie Leadership Group

[02:48] From Shy Bookworm to Professional Listener

[08:55] Credibility, Genuineness, and Why Rehearsal Still Feels Awkward

[19:24] The Fear Behind Not Wanting to Hear Your Own Voice

[22:32] Practice the Fundamentals So You Can Just Be You

[24:02] Silence: The Most Underused Tool in the Room

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