When Kraig Kann asked me to write this blog, our first course of action was to determine what expertise I would share. Kraig and I have been doing presentation trainings together for several years now, and while that is where I spend much of my time with clients, Kraig has been at it longer, and he has a robust client list. In other words, he’s got this.
Kraig Kann leading Kann Advisory Group’s “Elevate Workshop”
So what could I bring to this exercise that would be unique to my skill set? I suggested sharing nuggets from my upcoming book, Overcommunicate: A Guide for Business Executives and Aspiring Leaders, which we agreed upon immediately. The book is scheduled to be released in early 2026. I have just finished the rough draft, and I have plenty of content related to executive leadership and next-level communication
First of all, let me set the parameters; in other words, my definition of overcommunication. As I mentioned in the introduction and whenever I discuss the book, overcommunication ensures that you have communicated thoroughly and intentionally with your team, thereby achieving complete alignment and understanding of the team’s goals and objectives. It is NOT micromanaging or sending your team dozens of emails they will never read.
The chapters of the book are built around communication techniques that I admire. Techniques that I have witnessed in my years of journalism, consulting, and podcasting. I then couple those expert interviews with extensive research, which drives home the point that the techniques are not new concepts and are central to business success. I also draw upon my own experiences with clients and business associates to put overcommunication in the proper context.
Kraig is featured in the chapter titled “The Elevator,” which is what Kraig calls himself. He elevates others. In the book, he describes it this way, saying, “So in elevating somebody, I think one of the biggest things that I try to do is change their mindset about what’s possible, as opposed to in their mind, what’s probable. That’s important to get people to feel that about themselves. The bottom line is…I feel like the fastest way to climb the corporate ladder is not by your knowledge, but it’s by your ability to connect.”
Part of elevating one’s performance is overcoming the fear of speaking in front of an audience. Have you heard the story about our biggest fears? The story goes that our #1 fear is Public Speaking. #2 is Death. What? People would rather die than get in front of an audience? That’s why one of the things I focus on when trying to elevate the performance of my clients is to remind them that the difference between nerves and adrenaline is ever so slight. Instead of dreading it, I tell them they should be relishing that opportunity. As I write in the book, “When consulting my clients, I point out that they both exhibit similar symptoms, such as butterflies, a dry throat, and a racing heart, for instance. The way to turn anxiety into adrenaline is confidence. Confidence that you are a subject matter expert. Confidence that you can communicate effectively. If you believe that, then you have been elevated, and you will be seen as a leader of men and women.”
I hope you have found this helpful. It is an honor to share some of the leadership concepts I have been thinking about while working on the publication of this book.