By Alaina Coats
Published April 14, 2025
Do you want to know the secret to being an excellent communicator? The trick is to be both adaptable and vulnerable. Great communicators know how to adapt and speak the language of others.
According to motivational speaker and author Brené Brown, “Being self-aware and spending time developing language skills is key to creating meaningful relationships,” she said in an interview on OWN. We have to be willing to be vulnerable with others in order to truly be seen and heard.”
When we don’t have the right words to accurately articulate our experiences and feelings, our world becomes limited and our opportunities to connect with others are lost. Opportunities are not about having an elaborate vocabulary but more about having a truthful and genuine spirit. Be honest with yourself. Think about your words before you speak them. “Trust has to be built for authentic relationships to blossom,” Brown said.
Brown is a research professor at the University of Houston, a TED Talks regular, and a social media counselor. The scope of Brown’s work focuses on vulnerability and courage. On all of her platforms, she coaches her followers on how to engage with others. “Courage over comfort” is her motto. Being vulnerable means having the courage to bravely stand in your truth and share yourself and your story with others.
Her message is simple: Show up as yourself. Don’t be extra or feel the need to add meaningless words to your story.
