Summa Sessions

Today is the 4th Summa Session about communication! Johnny led us off with how not to apologize, which is to bring up excuses of why the mistake was made and instead own up to it and hopefully provide a solution. Next up, Chris talked about the difference between extroverts and introverts, and how you need to understand who you’re talking to and how they communicate. Ryan then discussed a pet peeve that many of us share, which is talking to someone who is paying all their attention to their phone. Sure, they may be nodding along to what you’re saying, but they are almost always much more interested in what’s going on on their phone. Danae brought up the 10 ways to love (or the 10 ways to be a good friend and coworker), which included things like “Answer, don’t argue” and “Promise, don’t forget.” Nick ended us off talking about his favorite number, because we’re in Q4! This is where legends are made, this is where games are won. And he also brought up how you’re 95% more likely to accomplish your goals if you say them out loud, so we chanted “half a milli, 50 reviews” to end the session.

On today’s hump day Summa Session, we’re talking communication. Johnny led us off with some horror stories about communication failures at hospitals, which were extreme examples of the importance of communication. Ryan then discussed a very relevant quote, “Assume the person speaking knows something you don’t.” Our team is constantly talking to experts in their field, so every conversation should be treated as a learning opportunity. Danae then brought in the 5 love languages of graphic design and this sparked an idea of talking to clients about how they want to use each of the love languages in their projects. Chris then gave us 5 reasons why effective communication is important, and Nick finished us off talking about the importance of the other types of communication other than words- body language, tone, speed, enthusiasm. These account for 90% of the communication we have, while words are just 10%!

On today’s Summa Session, we’re still talking about communicating! Johnny led us off with a Forbes article on using storytelling in your business to connect emotionally to your clients, which’ll help retain them for longer. Danae then came in with a quote from the book Boundaries, which talked about responding instead of reacting. When you react, the control is with the other person, while responding keeps you in control. Chris then brought up some tips for being an engaged listener- did you know you should favor your right ear? Ryan talked about how communication has evolved throughout the years, from cave drawings to the smart phone, and how our connection with the world has gotten easier and easier. Nick finished us off with a discussion on the internal dialogue you have with yourself and how that affects your mindset.

On Monday’s edition of Summa Sessions, we’ve got a new topic for the week: communication. Johnny led us off with the top 5 reasons that communication is a must for a small business, a fitting topic for our team. Danae then discussed the positive benefits you get when you have open communication, such as improved mental health and greater work and personal relationships. Chris brought in the questions for launching a product - who, what, how, and where are you going to communicate to be effective. This led Ryan to talking about the 5 C’s of communication- be clear, be concise, be compelling, be curious, and be compassionate, and then Nick ended us with talking about how no communication is still communication- if you don’t show up and don’t tell anyone, you are actually telling them that you do not respect their time. He then finished with the 10 benefits of effective communication and discussed how these benefits can and will play out for Summa.

On today’s Wednesday edition of Summa Sessions, we’re still winning. Johnny kicked us off with a story of Gene Hammett, a man who lost $3 million dollars and his business in one day and had to learn the lessons from his loss to start winning again. This led to Chris talking about a favorite saying around here, “Win the day!” Chip Kelly brought it to Oregon when he became the football coach of the Ducks and brought the total mindset along with it. Danae then talked about a quote, “Life is 10% what happens and 90% how you react,” which ties very nicely with a lot of the mindset talk we’ve been having. Ryan then talked about measuring your wins for yourself and not against others, because everyone moves at different speeds. Nick finished our conversation off with the 3 things to bring to every dream- enthusiasm, imagination, and perseverance.