Adam Outland

Welcome to The Action Catalyst. Today's guest is Michael Chad Hepner, the founder and CEO of GK Training, a firm dedicated to giving individuals, companies, and organizations... the communication skills to reach their highest goals in work and life.

Welcome to The Action Catalyst. Today's guest is Michael Chad Hepner, the founder and CEO of GK Training, a firm dedicated to giving individuals, companies, and organizations... the communication skills to reach their highest goals in work and life.

He's a coach, a professor, and a curriculum designer at Columbia Business School, as well as the author of the new book, Don't Say Um, How to Communicate Effectively to Live a Better Life. Michael, thank you so much for making the time. I was really looking forward to this conversation for many reasons, one of which is that both my parents were opera singers.

He's a coach, a professor, and a curriculum designer at Columbia Business School, as well as the author of the new book, Don't Say Um, How to Communicate Effectively to Live a Better Life. Michael, thank you so much for making the time. I was really looking forward to this conversation for many reasons, one of which is that both my parents were opera singers.

Wow.

Wow.

That's amazing. You can tell your parents that I was temporarily dedicated to the cello until we moved to Boone, North Carolina. And my parents decided to relocate our house about a half mile from where the bus would drop you off uphill. And in order for me to practice, I had to slug that thing all the way. home and quickly lost my inspiration. Time to switch to violin, right? Exactly.

That's amazing. You can tell your parents that I was temporarily dedicated to the cello until we moved to Boone, North Carolina. And my parents decided to relocate our house about a half mile from where the bus would drop you off uphill. And in order for me to practice, I had to slug that thing all the way. home and quickly lost my inspiration. Time to switch to violin, right? Exactly.

Or the triangle. The triangle sounded like that would have been a good choice. Well, that's amazing. So yeah, you know, I can relate a lot to what it's like to grow up with music. And there's part of your story I was really curious about, which is, you know, what was your initial inspiration to become one day actor?

Or the triangle. The triangle sounded like that would have been a good choice. Well, that's amazing. So yeah, you know, I can relate a lot to what it's like to grow up with music. And there's part of your story I was really curious about, which is, you know, what was your initial inspiration to become one day actor?

Yeah, quite a wide range. I remember the first time I encountered a challenge speaking. If I wasn't in a good headspace, my vocal cords would constrict or something, and I'd have to clear my voice seven times. Super annoying.

Yeah, quite a wide range. I remember the first time I encountered a challenge speaking. If I wasn't in a good headspace, my vocal cords would constrict or something, and I'd have to clear my voice seven times. Super annoying.

And so your process is often to try and work through the, I don't know if you call it psychosomatic part, but the emotional response, the nerves, before diving into maybe more of a tactical approach.

And so your process is often to try and work through the, I don't know if you call it psychosomatic part, but the emotional response, the nerves, before diving into maybe more of a tactical approach.

Hmm. Sometimes you have to act your way into proper thinking instead of trying to think your way into proper acting, right?

Hmm. Sometimes you have to act your way into proper thinking instead of trying to think your way into proper acting, right?

So almost an anchoring and through your physical actions. One of the things I just not to do a perfect segue here, this will just kind of take us a different road, but I have to ask for our listeners, the five P's of vocal variety. I'd love to hear what the five P's of vocal variety are because I've learned how important vocal variety is.

So almost an anchoring and through your physical actions. One of the things I just not to do a perfect segue here, this will just kind of take us a different road, but I have to ask for our listeners, the five P's of vocal variety. I'd love to hear what the five P's of vocal variety are because I've learned how important vocal variety is.

It's amazing. And as you keep going, I just, you know, I do actually a lot of interpretation of these lessons with my kids because it's so relevant right now. Yeah. And, you know, your voice and communication is like one of the most essential things that I want to make sure they can do because it's so critical to human relations.

It's amazing. And as you keep going, I just, you know, I do actually a lot of interpretation of these lessons with my kids because it's so relevant right now. Yeah. And, you know, your voice and communication is like one of the most essential things that I want to make sure they can do because it's so critical to human relations.