About Us
What comes to mind when you think of a great communicator?
Most people envision a fearless public speaker or the life of the party, but communication prowess runs much deeper than charm and charisma. We are more interested in the often-overlooked qualities that lay a strong foundation for effective communication in any situation.
What We Believe
Effective communicators are empathetic, collaborative, adaptable, confident, and strategic. They listen intently and ask for what they need. They encourage others to speak out and create a comfortable and safe environment to do so.
We know anyone can be an expert communicator under any circumstance, no matter how big, small, simple, complex, general, nuanced, or inconsequential the opportunity may seem. It’s a lofty goal, but trust us, it’s within reach.
We aren't here to sell you expensive packages or make your team feel better about themselves for a week before slipping back into old habits. We are as passionate about your long-term success as you are about achieving your goals.
Our Approach
Just because anyone can learn to communicate effectively doesn’t mean that it’s easy. That’s where we come in. We stay on top of the latest peer-reviewed research, best practices, and industry trends to bring you the approaches that work so you can leave the noise behind.
Your time is valuable and money doesn’t grow on trees, so we individually structure every client’s process to achieve sustainable outcomes as efficiently as possible. That means we will never have you build towers made of toilet paper rolls or do trust falls with your coworkers unless there is a REALLY good reason. We promise.
Our focus is on developing the core competencies essential for effective communication within organizations and teams and between individuals: emotional intelligence, agility, intention, and accountability.
Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence (EQ) is all about our relationship with emotions; more specifically, how we recognize, understand, manage, and respond to our own feelings and the feelings of others. Our understanding of EQ has grown significantly in recent years, and some experts suggest that it may be a better predictor of long-term success than cognitive intelligence (IQ).
Agility
Life would be much easier if it were predictable or we always had ample time to adjust to changes. In reality, many factors are out of our control, requiring us to adapt or change course completely. Agile communicators have the skillset and foresight to remain effective, relevant, and impactful in the face of unpredictable circumstances.
Intention
No matter the storm building around them, intentional communicators stay rooted and resilient. This skill set helps us pare down goals to their most fundamental parts and use communication strategically to achieve them. Conflict becomes less emotional and collaboration flourishes, allowing us to make progress with relationships intact.
Accountability
Systems, cultures, and relationships require meaningful and multi-way accountability for stakeholders to engage, relationships to deepen, and innovation to flourish. It requires us to put aside our egos and be transparent in the service of collective goals. Without personal and organizational accountability, meaningful change simply is not possible.
Hey, I’m Katie!
I’m the driving force behind FlipRock Communications. I've got a knack for helping clients improve their communication skills and systems, hold truly collaborative discussions, manage conflict productively, and implement lasting solutions, all served with a generous dose of humor and levity. If you are a consultant cynic or team-building skeptic, you might change your tune after working with me!
As your consultant and certified coach, I am keenly focused on client and participant buy-in. If they aren’t invested in the process, new skills or organizational changes won’t alter the long-term trajectory. You can count on me to be honest, direct, and outcome-oriented.
My professional background is in high-conflict facilitation, community engagement, and corporate communications, and I have an M.A. in organizational communication from Gonzaga University. I am also a certified Emergenetics associate, which I use to help clients better understand their communication preferences and how they engage with others. Every day is a chance to learn and grow, so be assured that I am integrating the most up-to-date research and trends with industry best practices to improve every client’s experience.
When not nerding out on communication or history podcasts and books, you can probably find me skiing (if it’s sunny), hanging out with my dog, Bubbles, or perusing a nearby thrift shop.