Like many effervescent people, Ohio-based Austin Sussel has little trouble connecting even with strangers, and even at work. He got great at it, actually, as an international account manager of Fortune 100/500s. But even Austin struggles at times when the connection's not there. Or worse, the receiver of your attempts to converse stone walls you.

"In those moments, sales leaders told me I ought to compliment them on their shoes they're wearing," he laughs.

"But I find what works best is simply asking about their day--or what's happening next." The key, he says: "Be curious. Be kind. And keep it short, simple, and about them."

Learn tips and tactics on listening and human connection from two conversationalists who love it. Also hear about active listening and comfort with pause and silence in conversation, especially what I learned from certifying as a Master Certified Coach last week, something Austin asks me about. (Because he's curious, and that kind of friend.)

You can reach out to Austin Sussel on LinkedIn here.

Debbi McCullough has written for the Economist, FT, and Guardian and serves as a Master Certified Coach and communications coach to leaders at Fortune 500s/100s including Google. Find her on LinkedIn. Book her for a consult on small talk, job interviews, or the communication challenge irking you most. Join her next active listening workshop for leaders: Listen Like a Boss.

We're welcoming back to the show Harvard student athlete, Nick McCullough, now on his second semester at Harvard as an Econ student and defensive tackle player for the Harvard Crimson football team. [Listener note: Nick is also my oldest son.]

We hear from an 18-year-old first-year student and footballer all about networking and what that means at Harvard: Getting in with people you like and want to grow with for your "block" (the dormitory wing for your second year). Making connections for internships and your hopeful work, after the studies are done.

And building trust, and camaraderie, important especially for student athletes at Harvard who can pull 60-70-hour weeks when the sport season is underway. The friendships formed help support and pull you through.

Follow our first Sage Sayers interview on Nick's communications strategy (from age 15) which helped him find his way to Harvard. And you can follow or support Nick on LinkedIn here.

D G McCullough has written for the Economist, FT, and Guardian and taught business communications and journalism at UNC Chapel Hill. She runs Hanging Rock Coaching and serves as a communications coach to leaders at Fortune 500s/100s, including Google. Find her on LinkedIn. Or book her for a consult on your communications challenges bothering you the most.

Happy New Year, dear Sage Sayers listeners. Welcome back. 2026, Year of the Fire Horse, will be awesome.

If you're stuck on how to approach goals this year, or even to bother with them, British tech marketer and coach, Malvika Joshi, joins me for episode 1, season 5, with her approach, and how to communicate goals (to ourselves, and others.)

(Popular data tells us 80-90% of professionals abandon their resolutions, and usually by mid-January, highlighting the need for clear plans, new approaches, and accountability.)

Malvika likes to see her goals compound interest over time and to let curiosity vs strict structure lead the way. She creates themes to her goals, like health and growth, and pledges daily write ups on her progress. So far, two weeks in, she's maintained this flow.

Public building of goals is another strategy, one I've played with on LinkedIn, which helps with accountability and brings interesting opportunities with communicating our success and failures.

If you’d like to find Coach Malvika, reach out to her on LInkedIn.

D G McCullough has written for the Economist, FT, and Guardian and taught business communications and journalism at UNC Chapel Hill. She runs Hanging Rock Coaching and serves as a communications coach to leaders at Fortune 500s/100s, including Google. Find her on LinkedIn. Or book her for a consult on your communications challenges bothering you the most.