Communication: Changemaking In Your Own Words

About the Author

ERIN F. MCCLAIN graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences in Climate Science and Creative Writing. At Penn she received the 2024 LPS Award for Academic Achievement in the Natural Sciences. In 2021 Erin graduated Summa Cum Laude with an A.S. in Mathematics from the Community College of Allegheny County, and that year she was named the Two Year College Student of the Year by the Northeast Regional Honors Council. Her professional interests are in sustainable housing and food and agriculture policy with regards to climate change. Erin works with the Changemaker Training team and formerly co-led the congressional and corporate outreach team.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Overview

In this module you will learn ways to improve your communication skills that are beneficial for you as a changemaker and as an individual. This module focuses on writing, editing, listening, speaking, and creating content to better communicate with people about your cause and within your group. Overall, this module aims to guide you through many methods of communication that can be used to further your work as an environmental changemaker.

Key Learnings

Upon completion of this module, you will have:

  • Learned the importance of multiple forms of communication.

  • Developed your writing, editing, and speaking skills.

  • Explored ways to become a better listener.

  • Discovered resources to further increase your skills in the future.

Required Content (1.5 hour estimated commitment)

To complete this module, you must:

Supplemental Content

The following articles / videos / resources are recommended but not required:

Introduction: Why Work On Communication Skills?

Communication is an essential part of our everyday lives, but is especially important to life as a changemaker. There are several ways to get a message across and make your voice heard, but effective communication is a skill to continuously hone, so that it remains a powerful tool in your arsenal. Communicating your thoughts and beliefs is important for any changemaker, because it is how you convey your goals, spread your message, and connect with others. Good communication skills underlie effective activism and help provide a solid foundation for all interpersonal relationships. This module will help you amplify your voice and build vital skills to be a good listener, team leader and member.

Listening Skills

In your work as a changemaker, listening is like a superpower that can allow you to connect with and relate to others. Whether talking with a decision maker or a new volunteer, your ability to listen can impact your success as a changemaker. The exciting thing about listening skills is that they can be practiced and developed by anyone. By taking the time to grow as a listener, you are one step closer to becoming an effective changemaker. 

Good Listening Makes People Feel Heard and Builds Trust and Connection

We have all done it. While someone else is speaking, we are jumping ahead in the conversation, only thinking about what we will say next. When we do this, we effectively shut down any communication that may be taking place. Learning to listen before coming up with a response is a key part of active listening. By tuning into the other person, you open up the door to communication. Here are some tips on how to be a good, active listener.

  1. Do not give your opinion or judgment.   

  2. Repeat back a few words that they just said.

  3. Match their tone.

  4. Sometimes, name their feelings: “You sound excited.”

  5. Do not ask questions that direct the conversation.

  6. Let them lead the conversations.

It’s important that you cultivate the skill of good listening so that you can hear and process concerns, praise, and even diffuse tense situations as they arise. Not all communication flows smoothly, but with these skills you can navigate difficult conversations. Watch the following video that builds on some of these ideas.

“I Hear You” - What Comes Next

Effective listening can take many forms. When it is done well, it can provide you with vital information that can be used to develop your purpose and content. By listening, whether in person or online, you gain a better understanding of your audience. Knowing who you are talking to and being able to relate your message to things that they care about is a powerful strategy for promoting systemic change. Review this Communication Guide when you are preparing a speech, important conversation or some form of written communication. Don’t feel like you need to master all of these elements at once, becoming an effective communicator is something that is developed over a long period of time.

Storytelling Revisited

Think back to when you developed your changemaker story. Did you consider the message you wanted to get across when you shared your story? Storytelling can be used to build relationships and inspire action. Central to this is the message you are trying to communicate. Watch the following TED Talk by John Francis who shares his story writing about oil spills while taking a 17 year vow of silence. As you listen to his story, think about what his key message is and how it relates to effective listening and communication.

Public Speaking

Presenting your message to groups or people in public can be daunting, but it’s a skill that any changemaker can develop. Effective public speakers are simply practiced at it, so remember that you have to practice any speech before you give it. This is one of those times when it’s best to work with someone else, at least once, to make sure that you look confident giving the speech and that everything you want to say is included and understood by your audience. With someone else to help you, have them check for places where your speech is unclear, if you’re mumbling or being too quiet, or if any slides or visual aids aren’t working with the speech as a whole. 

Watch the following video by Ramona J. Smith, the 2018 World Champion of Public Speaking. Hear her discuss five tips for speaking with confidence and think about which of these tips you find most valuable. The more you work at public speaking, and the better you know your subject, the more often you’ll be able to speak about it without practice. Even if your nervousness never fully disappears, you can choose to project enthusiasm, confidence and expertise in public speaking by regularly practicing and speaking up.

Elevator Speeches and Pitches

An Elevator Speech, or Elevator Pitch is a short speech you can develop and memorize to convey your issue in a short, clear way. It’s name comes from the length of time it takes for an elevator ride in a building: it should be short enough for you to tell someone on an elevator your message before they leave for their destination. Ideally, this means it’s something you can say in sixty seconds or less. An elevator speech is an important tool in your toolkit as a changemaker; it’s a way to quickly inform others on who you are and your topic without taking up too much time. Being concise not only makes it easier to explain, but it displays familiarity with your subject and is a great way to grab peoples’ attention. If you can’t explain a topic quickly, you don’t know it that well.

Always start with an introduction for yourself and what group you represent. Once you’ve decided on what your role is as a changemaker, be sure to work on an elevator speech that summarizes your issue and how your role as a changemaker addresses it. Work on it at home, and be able to give it by memory. You should think of your elevator speech as part of your introduction to new people. Once you’ve decided on your path, work on your own elevator speech and develop one that’s short, compelling, and natural for you.

There are many ways to make an elevator speech. Whether you’re stating facts, talking about your goals, or using humor to get your message across, remember to be passionate, honest, and concise. The idea is that your listener won’t forget you or your work at the end of the speech, and will hopefully engage more with you afterwards. You can include an ask about how to follow up with them. . 

An example of an elevator speech is: Hi, I’m Joan Does, a member of Student Health Activists. We’re a group of local students from Three Area Colleges who want to end the health issues stemming from dirty energy production in Kings County. We work with businesses, legislators, and health officials to make our combined voices heard to improve the quality of life in Kings County. Just reducing emissions by half in the next five years could decrease rates of COPD in the area significantly, and we’re committed to holding the energy sector accountable to improve public health. I know you are working on this issue and we would like to have a quick follow up conversation with you to share our resources and ask you a couple of quick questions. What is the best way to reach out to you for this follow up?

Portfolio Entry: Elevator Speech

You will now create your own elevator speech and submit it in the evaluation form at the end of this module. Keep in mind your audience and tone as you create your short speech. Try to use elements from the other exercises in this training (your changemaker story, vision of the future & commitments) Practice it aloud and make sure that it feels natural and that you don’t stumble over the words.

You can use the following template as a guide for your elevator speech. 

Hi, I’m (insert name), and I am involved with (Insert organization/group, if you don’t have a group, you can just say your name). I am an environmental changemaker because (Insert key motivation from your changemaker story). I am trying to create a future where (insert one key element from your vision of the future). To do this I have made a commitment to (insert commitment here). I am interested in talking with you more to share (insert info here such as resources, outcomes, future plan that intersects with your work). How can I best follow up with you?

Remember–You want your elevator speech to be short and sweet. 

SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Submit your elevator speech (video or written text) to the course facilitator (via google form) at the end of the module.

    • If submitting a video, your pitch should be 1-2 minutes long.

      • We aren’t looking for a polished video with special effects, just something that communicates your experience with the exercise. 

    • If submitting a Word doc or handwritten elevator speech, it should be 50-150 words.

  2. Use your elevator speech in real-life situations such as during a job interview or during a meeting with a decisionmaker (Optional)

Communicating With Decision Makers

When we work on big problems, we also have to talk with community leaders, legislators, group leaders, and other important decision makers. This can be intimidating, but shouldn’t be a big hurdle, and it gets easier with some practice. While there isn’t always a chance to build a relationship with people in leadership positions, you can leave a good impression whenever you do encounter them. 

Ask them for a one on one meeting, if appropriate, and thank them for their time. When in doubt, be polite, clear, and specific about your intentions for the conversation. If you have an ask to make, tell them exactly what you need from them and the reasons why. Be prepared for a conversation--they may have questions for you about your requests--but also don’t be disappointed if you don’t have a conversation or achieve your goals on the first try. People in positions of authority can be busy and may need more than one meeting to understand an issue or come to a compromise.

If you are feeling unsure where to start, consider revisiting the elevator pitch you developed in this module. Use it as a template for the conversation and update it to take into account any specific information that will help make the meeting successful. By tailoring your pitch to the person you are meeting with, you increase your odds of success. For example, if you are meeting with a local school board regarding an environmental issue, it would be powerful to emphasize how you grew up in the area because it helps to show your relationship to the issue.

Above all, don’t be intimidated simply by their rank or title. We are all people of consequence and action, and you deserve mutual respect with any leader. If you appreciate their work, you may want to mention you have been impressed by their work during the conversation. Be open to listening to their suggestions or speaking with a subordinate or assistant to follow up on your request. Be clear and consistent in what you need, and conscious of their time. Within your group or organization, work to foster relationships with leaders that will allow you to call on them and their expertise in the future. As you cultivate relationships you will begin to feel less intimidated by them as you recognize that you are both working towards the same goal.

Module Summary: Connecting with Other Changemakers

Congratulations on finishing this section! You are the change we need! This course was designed to bring changemakers together. Without community and the support of groups, changemakers are less effective. We want to encourage you to connect with each other, communicate, share tips and skills, and ask questions.

If you haven’t already, join our group here to talk to other changemakers from this course. We also have a sustainable talent group on LinkedIn, where we regularly share job and career connections and information. Join our Sustainable Talent LinkedIn Group and check out this list of continually updated opportunities to get more involved. You may be nearly complete with this training but your journey as a changemaker is just beginning!