Communication Intelligence

Leverage Your Strengths and Optimize Every Interaction to Work Best with Others

De: Claude D'Val Morgan

Narrado por: Jim Denison

Now, more than ever, Communication Intelligence is essential for workers at all levels. The good news is that you can learn to develop and master this vital competency. If you're interested in being your best through effective communication, that's exactly what you will find in this book.

With more than four decades of study, research, and coaching in the field, C. D. "Hoop" Morgan III has built on the original premise of The Forte Institute: That assessing an individual's communication style should start with a focus on their strengths—not their weaknesses. Communication Intelligence guides you to identify your unique strengths based on the Forte Communication Style Profile and will help you discover: your personalized communication strengths—the first step on the road to Communication Intelligence mastery; how you're currently adapting in your workspace and how you're "most likely" coming across to others; and how to understand others' communication style preferences and strengths to communicate even more effectively, and more.

In this book, you will learn how to adapt and understand how others perceive you while being introduced to the ten CQ essential attributes and dozens of strategies and tips to build on your strengths to enhance your Communication Intelligence.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2023 Claude D’Val (Hoop) Morgan, III (P)2023 McGraw Hill-Ascent Audio

𝐌𝐲 𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐨𝐧 CQ

Let me just start by saying: I know Hoop personally—he’s a friend, a colleague, and definitely one of my go-to mentors when I need a fresh perspective on communication and leadership. So when I picked up his book, 𝐶𝑜𝑚𝑚𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝐼𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑖𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒, I already had high expectations. And I’ve gotta tell you: it exceeded them.
If you’ve ever wondered how to not just handle but 𝑜𝑝𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑖𝑧𝑒 how you connect with people—even that coworker who replies to your emails in ALL CAPS and the relative who only communicates in cryptic texts—this book offers a roadmap. Hoop doesn’t do fluff; he’s direct, insightful, and surprisingly down-to-earth, given his expertise. Below are my top five takeaways, along with some personal reflection:

𝟏. 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐃𝐍𝐀

Hoop lays out a framework to identify your natural communication strengths and weaknesses. Think of it like a “communication DNA test.” We all have distinct traits we bring to every conversation—some are obvious, some are lurking under the surface. Hoop shows you how to tease those out and use them for good instead of evil.

+ 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐢𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬: Sometimes it’s our subconscious style that gets in the way of real connection. Being aware helps us avoid stepping on people’s toes.

𝟐. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐓𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡

One size never fits all in conversation (seriously, not even in socks). Hoop teaches you how to adapt your communication style to match whoever’s on the other side of the table—be it your boss, your best friend, or that skeptical client with a million questions.

+ 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐢𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬: Tailoring your approach isn’t about being fake; it’s about meeting people where they are so you can both get something valuable out of the exchange.

𝟑. 𝐒𝐞𝐥𝐟-𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 = 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐆𝐨𝐥𝐝

Hoop hammers home the point that self-awareness fuels better connections. This isn’t rocket science, but it is the key to not sabotaging yourself with blind spots. You know that moment when you catch yourself talking too much—or too little? Hoop’s got strategies for that.

+ 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐢𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬: Because if you can’t see what you’re doing, you won’t change it. And change, in this case, can mean the difference between a sale closed and a partnership lost.

𝟒. 𝐑𝐞𝐞𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝟑𝟎 𝐃𝐚𝐲𝐬

This was a game-changer for me. Hoop suggests a 30-day communication check-in: basically, you pause and reflect on what’s working, what’s not, and how your circumstances (and your responses) are evolving. I can’t stress how important this is. We’re not static beings; life throws us curveballs, and we handle them differently over time.

+ 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐢𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬: Because your communication style 𝑡𝑜𝑑𝑎𝑦 might not work 𝑡𝑜𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑟𝑜𝑤—or for that new coworker you just met. Regular recalibration keeps you on your A-game.

𝟓. 𝐋𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐁𝐞𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤’𝐬 𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤

As much as I love Hoop’s model (and I really do), I also nudged him to weave in elements from other popular frameworks—things like Myers-Briggs, DISC, and emotional intelligence (EI/EQ). Sometimes you want that 360-degree view of yourself and others, and tapping into multiple tools can shine a brighter light on those hidden corners of our psyche. Btw, Hoop's response to my nudge? He's already working on it and I just know it's gonna be epic! Always ahead of the game as usual. 🙂

+ 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐢𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬: Combining different approaches can help you spot patterns and adapt more swiftly—pretty crucial in a world where everyone has a personalized communication “fingerprint.”

𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 (𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐤)

I’ll admit, as someone who literally lives to mitigate biases and spark genuine connections, this book had me nodding my head more times than I care to admit (I probably looked like a bobblehead figurine). It’s both practical and deep, which is not an easy combo to pull off. Hoop writes like he’s giving you the inside scoop over coffee, and that authenticity shines through.

𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤? Anyone who’s ever found themselves thinking: “I wish I knew how to get through to this person.” Managers, team leaders, parents, partners, that one friend who can’t figure out group texts—basically all of us.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫? I’d love to see Hoop expand on the integration of other assessments. People are complex, and sometimes we need more than one lens to truly understand ourselves and those around us. But hey, maybe that’s the sequel—no pressure, Hoop.

𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐢𝐭? Absolutely, yes. If you want to sharpen your conversations, dodge miscommunication disasters, and actually 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑛𝑒𝑐𝑡 with others on a meaningful level, grab a copy. Then, do what I do: set your calendar reminder for 30 days and check back in with yourself. Rinse, repeat, grow. The results might surprise you—and your coworkers, your family, and possibly the barista who finally pronounces your name right.

So there you have it: 𝐶𝑜𝑚𝑚𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝐼𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑖𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 in a nutshell, from someone who’s seen firsthand just how powerful Hoop’s insights can be. Your communication game is about to level up—trust me.