I love the c-words. Not that particular four-letter one though. More specifically, I love ‘co’ words. Not that Covid one though.

Right now, two co-words are shadowing and shaping us everyday - Covid and collective responsibility. We all have to work together on this but we’re struggling with uncertainty.

So, in the time of COVID 2.0, here are am&co’s Top Five C-words for effective communication:

1. Connection: As human beings, we connect with other human beings - not facts. Make every statement, every conversation, every word matter. Your audience will get it, because they’ll feel it.

“People will forget what you said. People will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” - Maya Angelou

2. Conviction: Own it. Be it. If you don’t believe in yourself and your content, how do you expect your audience to?

3. Concise: Less is more. Cut to the chase (especially on Zoom). People will love you for your consideration. They’ll respect you more and they’ll get it. It also is more authoritative.

4. Collaboration: Communication is a collaboration. You can’t do it on your own. Be open but be respectful. Seek other’s opinions and input to build trust.

5. Compassion: Be empathetic. Now more than ever - we need it. Listen and really hear. Put yourself in other people’s shoes and consider what’s meaningful and relevant to them.

My ‘co-crush’ began when I started amandamillar&co nearly 12 years ago but I know for the last 40 years, my life has revolved around the word ‘communication’.

Seems a mad time to expand a business but that’s what amandamillar&co is doing in these challenging times.

My dream was always to have a ‘co’, as in company...as in collaboration… as in a co-operative, a collective, as in connoisseurs of simple language and commanders of concise communication… Do you see where I’m going with this?

At the core of this, I wanted co-stars to share the mission of helping others and share the fun. After more than 30 years as a TV current affairs journalist and presenter, I was used to working in a team.

I was no business woman (then) but I knew a lot about story-telling and what makes a compelling storyteller. I also knew I wanted a compact team of like-minded but complementary thinkers and doers around me.

In a period of contraction (I don’t like that C word), amandamillar&co is going for expansion. It’s colossal. Well for us anyway.

We’ve expanded our team and the range of what we can do for you.

This has come about through demand and because we recognise that to deliver all the many specialist parts of compelling communication we needed to build a complementary offer.

We know through our work supporting CEOs and executives, that being a leader is complicated and demanding with massive pressure.

It’s scary. It’s threatening. It’s isolating. Leaders must have their game face on. However, too often many are fighting or ‘flighting’ or freezing.That means they’re not representing themselves or their organisations well.

As well as our standard training in media and presentation, the new team has skills in leadership, strategy, writing (especially simplifying complex language) and stress and anxiety management.

To put it in context: amandamillar&co’s commitment is to counsel, communicate, and convey what counts. AND … with more of us, we'll be even more compelling and collaborative with our congruent, committed and cool collection of communicators!