Strategic Communication
On this page, I share two communication case studies from my mission—one focused on written communication and one on interpersonal communication—to show how I adapt my message to different audiences and goals.
Interpersonal communication
Interpersonal communication—often called “people skills”—is essential for building trust, conveying ideas clearly, and helping others make informed decisions. During my mission, I saw that even the most driven, knowledgeable people struggle to create impact if they can’t connect with others in a warm, clear, and respectful way.
One transfer, I served with a companion who had previously worked in a Spanish-speaking assignment, and together we taught people from a wide range of cultures and languages. He had invested heavily in developing strong “first contact” skills—the way we approached and engaged people in initial conversations—and his example pushed me to elevate my own interpersonal communication. Because our area was so diverse, we relied on active listening, empathy, and clear, simple explanations to make sure our message landed. In our leadership role, we also used these skills on exchanges with other missionaries, coaching them on how to adapt their communication style to different personalities and backgrounds. With one family in particular, we had to be especially thoughtful and patient in our conversations with the father, who was initially opposed to his children moving forward. Over time, our consistent, respectful communication helped him feel heard and eventually reconsider his position.
Later in my mission, I had a contrasting experience that highlighted an area for growth. I served in a congregation with many new members, and the leadership team was divided about how to support them given a high turnover rate. During a council meeting, the discussion became tense, and my own reaction and comments made the conversation less productive. The local leaders were already cautious about involving missionaries, and my approach didn’t help build trust. Reflecting on this, I recognized the importance of emotional restraint and constructive dialogue—skills I’ve since worked to strengthen, including through focused learning on managing emotions in difficult conversations.
Overall, these experiences reinforced that interpersonal communication is foundational in both everyday and professional life. Whether as a missionary or a business professional, the ability to listen well, adapt your message, and communicate with respect is critical to building relationships, resolving differences, and working together to solve problems.
Written Communication
Written communication wasn’t a primary focus for me early in my mission, but one experience highlighted how critical it can be. Our mission leader relied heavily on weekly email reports from each missionary to understand our work, wellbeing, and training needs. In a virtual meeting, he emphasized how much he depended on these letters—he needed to know what we were thinking, studying, struggling with, and the progress we were seeing so he could make informed decisions.
From that point on, I treated my weekly report as a priority task every Monday. I focused on clearly summarizing key successes and challenges, sharing what I was learning, and keeping the tone neutral to positive so the information was both honest and constructive. I also made a point to briefly but specifically report on any exchanges I had led, highlighting how they went, what I observed about the other missionary’s strengths, and what I learned myself. This gave our leader a unique, on-the-ground perspective that supported his decisions about assignments and development.
In contrast, my written communication with family and friends was less effective. My emails home were infrequent and often rushed because I hadn’t taken time to think through what I wanted to share. Looking back, I see that if I had outlined key experiences and takeaways in advance, my writing would have been more focused, polished, and meaningful. This experience reinforced that strong written communication requires both intention and preparation—skills I continue to develop for professional contexts.