Commcademy

For some of us, when we hear a problem, we want to help solve it.

But, we start to learn that not everyone wants a solution. They may just want to offload to someone else...

Save yourself time.

Ask for clarity: “Do you want advice or a sounding board?”

That way, you avoid unasked-for fixes.

Want a practice opportunity for building your effective listening skills?

> Mirror what you heard with a quick summary.

Colleague: Went over several updates with you including a top priority and a soft deadline.

You: “So the priority is X by Friday—correct?”

> Proof you truly listened.

Want an easy way to command attention at work?

It's counterintuitive...

When you're in conversation, try the 3-second pause before you reply. It turns “waiting to talk” into real listening. #listening

Common Belief: To switch industries you need a new degree (and a step down).

Real-world Reality: Skills-first hiring is rising; degree screens are dropping.

Your Opportunity: Share a 1-page skills-adjacency case + 60-day ramp to de-risk your pivot.

For me, it has been:

Actionable iteration.

Why?

• Once I have posted or shared something, I recognize that it probably wasn't perfect or earth-shattering.
• That recognition allows me to think of changes and improvements.
• Action + iteration > rumination.

So simple but so powerful.

What is the best small habit you’ve built this so far in 2025?

Instead, use this dead-simple 5 step framework:

1) Create routines before or after a career disruption
2) Draw on your core values and identities
3) Maintain and use your networks
4) Reframe the disruption or challenge
5) Focus on postive actions

Follow for more specifics on each step!

"What degree do I need to keep my career from stalling?

Because it seems like everyone has a Master's degree..."

Luckily career resilience is simple, if you know where to start.

And unlike going back to school, this won’t cost you $20K+

Career resilience doesn’t happen overnight.

But…

If you start practicing these 3 tiny habits on a daily basis, you’ll start to feel like it’s just around the corner:

1. Listening for opportunity.
2. Noting places or events where you can meet new people.
3. Auditing your communication practices.

• Send 2-sentence follow-up emails summarizing key decisions

• Practice explaining complex topics in 30 seconds or less

Strong communicators get promoted, retained, and recruited first.

2/2

Master these 4 communication skills to future-proof your career:

• Record yourself in meetings - fix filler words and unclear explanations

• Ask "What questions do you have?" instead of "Any questions?"

1/2

Get More Done In 12 Weeks Than Others Do In 12 Months The 12 Week Year book will walk you through the proven step-by-step system for achieving more in 12 weeks than others do in 12 months.

If you’re interested in skill building for career resilience, here’s another helpful resource I recommend checking out:

https://12weekyear.com/

You will learn to prioritize key goals.
You will create a framework for productivity.
You will accomplish more in 12 weeks than ever before.

Bookmark it.

I have watched at least dozens of videos here, all in an effort to learn:

• Where to share valuable insights online.
• How to build AI writing skills faster than everyone else.
• How to get out of my own way (yep, always work to be done here).

Highly recommend to anyone who wants to do the same.

Ship 30 for 30 - YouTube Ship 30 for 30 is a cohort-based course teaching you the fundamentals of writing on the internet. Subscribe to our channel for free digital writing tips, fra...

What’s the best YouTube channel you subscribed to so far in 2025 (yes, we're half way through the year!)?

For me, this YouTube channel changed my life:

Ship 30 for 30: https://www.youtube.com/@Ship30for30

Reminder to self:

Career resilience doesn't "happen" ... it can be learned.

This gives me 2 realizations:

1. Resilience doesn't just happen, you can "enact" it.

2. By using communication to enact it, you build the skills over time.

Working on developing both of these each day.

For non-profit fundraisers and executive directors, thinking through how you communication and engage (and when!) with your constituents is critical to the success of your organization. I've built something to help:

To learn more, check out my FREE email course: www.nonprofitstewardshiproadmap.com

Some insights on public speaking (from experience):

The fear goes away (eventually... and with practice).
When you practice over and over, you build confidence.
When you speak confidently, people sometimes think you're superhuman.

Practice and apply long enough, and you’ll learn these to be true.

If you want to be a successful non-profit fundraiser, these are the skills you need:

1. Ability to truly listen.
2. Empathy.
3. Creative thinking.
4. Ability to collaborate.
Bonus: Killer organization skills.

Ignore everything else.

Just focus on building these.

People think building a resilient career is:

Going back to school,
Looking for a new job,
Increasing your salary.

What it actually is:

Comfort with uncertainty,
Confidence while navigating challenges,
Creating new narratives about your opportunities.

That’s literally it.

4. You can tell your new narrative as you navigate uncertainty and serve as a guide to others.
5. Mentor someone just starting out and help them save 10 years of trial and error through communicating what you've learned concretely.

Every person should (and can) become a communication superhero.

Unexpected ways improving communication skills makes your life better:

1. Give a presentation with utter confidence.
2. Make a connection that gets you that next promotion.
3. Help someone by truly listening...

My first month writing online (again) was filled with uncertainty.

I was overthinking what to post and waited until the end of the day before I would hit publish.

If I was starting over, the first thing I would do is trust my gut and just hit "go" before it was "perfect."

This solves everything.

Career Resilience 101

Pause and take stock of where you are and where you've been.
Turn reflection into planning...
Turn that into goal setting...
Into action...
Into habit...
Into identity anchor...
Into resilience.

Start small.

And build from there.

Big non-profit career mistakes you’re making:

Treating fundraising like sales.
Not cross-training in useful skills.
Not following up with your constituents consistently (share value!)

What other mistakes have you seen friends & family make?

3. I set up systems that allow me to free up a lot of mental space and time. I don't wake up wondering what I should do next or whether learning something new will make a difference. I scan the opportunities available and select what makes sense for my goals without feel overwhelmed and burnt out.

2. I handle uncertainty with curiosity. I like to have plans in place, but the reality is that we have very limited control of all of the variables in our lives. When I learned to approach problems with curiosity, it created confidence and a sense of peace no matter what comes my way.

But these are the unexpected ways building communication skills for 15+ has led to massive personal growth:

1. I can navigate any networking event. Don't get me wrong, at first I wasn't sure I was doing it "right," but I learned to listen, engage, and offer value while building relationships.

I have been working in higher education fundraising since 2007.

I have been practicing communication skills (mindfully) every day since 2010.

Most people complete professional development because they want to be next in line for a promotion.

3. I leaned into the narrative I could tell myself about being reliable and consistent.

Just like sharing ideas here consistently... These thoughts might not be perfectly polished, but for someone reading, it might be the "aha" moment they need to take the next step.

1. When I shipped before I was ready, it felt uncomfortable, but there was also instant relief to have met the deadline.

2. Despite worrying about "perfection," in most cases, after years of experience, my version of a "draft" had become something most people would confidently hang their hat on.