You’re in a team meeting, someone starts talking… and keeps talking.
They lose their train of thought, fill the air with “likes” and “ums”, and before long, the point is lost.
Sound familiar? We’ve all been there. Because here’s the truth: verbal communication isn’t innate—it’s a learned skill.
And this week’s guest has spent 35 years helping people master it.
Meet Ruth Milligan. Ruth is a 35-year communication veteran. Her career has included being a speechwriter, press secretary, marketing consultant, and, for the last 15 years, communication coach and trainer. She is the author of Motivated Speaker with her co-authors and colleagues, Acacia Duncan and Blythe Coons.
In this episode, Ruth shares why speaking is a learned habit—not a natural gift— and why catching habits early in low-stakes settings sets the stage for success when the pressure is on.
You’ll learn why filler words, overtalking, and disorganized thoughts sabotage your message and how to fix them with practical, proven tools for you and your team.
Plus, in the extended episode available to Podcast+ members, Ruth breaks down how to stop saying “um” and reveals the six threshold concepts for learning to speak well.
Join the conversation now!
Conversation Topics
- (00:00) Introduction
- (01:39) Common mistakes people make when communicating
- (07:18) Why listening to yourself is the best feedback tool
- (13:58) Handling slow speakers and ramblers: what actually works
- (18:28) Pre-meeting coaching that helps your team speak better
- (25:03) The power of practicing before you speak (and what to rehearse)
- (27:57) A great manager Ruth has worked for
- (29:31) Keep up with Ruth
- (30:55) [Extended Episode Only] How to finally stop saying “um”
- (33:09) [Extended Episode Only] The six threshold concepts for learning to speak well
Additional Resources:
- Read the full transcript
here- Follow me on Instagram
here - Visit my website for more
here- Subscribe to my YouTube Channel
here
Keep up with Ruth Milligan
- Follow Ruth on LinkedIn
here- Grab a copy of her book,
The Motivated Speaker, here
5 Book Giveaway
Ruth is giving away five copies of her book, The Motivated Speaker: Six Principles to Unlock Your Communication Potential, to members of Podcast+. In this book, you will discover practical and accessible approaches that will help you establish powerful habits in your speaking practice. You’ll understand what’s preventing you from being influential and persuasive, and build a new foundation toward being a highly effective communicator.
---------------------
The Modern Manager is a leadership podcast for rockstar managers who want to create a working environment where people thrive, and great work gets done.
Follow The Modern Manager on your favorite podcast platform so you won’t miss an episode!
What is The Modern Manager?
Practical management skills you can use this week. Host Mamie Kanfer Stewart helps managers close the gap between knowing what good management looks like and actually doing it.
Each week brings either a short solo lesson with one tool you can use right away, or a conversation with an expert on topics like feedback, difficult conversations, delegation, meetings, strategic thinking, team culture, collaboration and using AI at work.
Get new episodes and one-page takeaways by email: https://www.themodernmanager.com