Work From The Inside Out 247: Don't Just Talk About Doing It. Do It. with Chris Fenning
Chris Fenning makes it easier for us to communicate at work. He helps experts talk to non-experts, teams talk to executives, and much more. Chris's practical methods are used in organizations like Google and NATO and have appeared in the Harvard Business Review. Helping people retain and apply what he teaches led Chris to write the book 39-ways to Make Training Stick: What to Do After Trainees Leave the Room. He has also authored multiple books on communication and training that have been translated into 15 languages.
Chris grew up in what he describes as a traditional nuclear family in the UK. As our podcast interview unfolded, he shared that his parents worked hard to provide sufficient food for their family. As a child, Chris was unaware of how careful they were to ensure there was enough food. He thought all parents put dates on their canned beans. At age 7, he was awarded a scholarship to attend a private school. Chris saw the distinction between his life and that of his classmates. Adding to his experience of differences, he was elevated two grade levels to a class with students who were 9-years-old.
Chris always did well in school without much effort. Then his perspective changed. At 15, he was struck by a car, sustaining serious injuries. After that, he took nothing for granted. Attending university, he majored in aeronautical engineering, and worked 2 to 3 jobs to support himself.
Throughout his engineering career, Chris leveraged his problem solving skills by applying them to challenges wherever he saw a need. He was especially drawn towards translating communication between technical and business teams.
Chris’s ability to translate and communicate is the common thread in his work today. When he left full-time employment to start his own business, Chris moved into communication, bridging the gap between technical and business teams and between experts and non-experts.
In this week’s Work From The Inside Out podcast, learn more about Chris’s journey:
- Chris attended flight school with the intention to join the Royal Air Force, but he realized he did not like being told what to do.
- When he was a university student, he also competed in target rifle shooting, an expensive sport, which he supported by his multiple jobs.
Learn more and connect with Chris here:
Stay Connected:
- Connect with Tammy on LinkedIn
- @TammyGoolerLoeb on Instagram
- Work From The Inside Out Website
- Subscribe to newsletter