THE GREEN ROOM
If you’re a theater geek like me, you probably know the term green room as the place backstage where performers wait before they go on. It’s that space where the nerves settle, the energy builds, and you take a breath before stepping into the spotlight.
So when I was walking through the new terminal at the San Diego airport recently and saw a sign for “The Green Room,” my theater brain immediately went there.
But the definition on the wall was not what I was expecting.
In surfing, the green room is the inside of a wave. It’s the moment when the water curls over you and you’re riding inside the barrel. Water above you, water beside you, the outside world disappearing for just a few seconds.
Surfers chase that moment.
Because when you’re inside the green room, you’re completely present.
You can’t think about the last wave you missed.
You can’t worry about the next one coming.
You can’t be distracted.
You are calm.
Focused.
Aware of everything around you and nothing that isn’t.
Standing there reading that description, I immediately thought about something we talk about all the time in BREW.
The B stands for Be the Moment.
And this is where most people struggle.
In conversations, especially in sales or leadership moments, we’re often only halfway there. We’re thinking about what we’re going to say next, how we’re going to respond, or where the conversation needs to go.
But when you step into the conversation the way a surfer is in the green room, everything shifts.
You hear more.
You notice more.
You feel the energy of the moment.
You pick up on hesitation, excitement, confidence, concern. Things that are easy to miss when your brain is already racing ahead.
Great communicators don’t force conversations.
They read them.
They stay curious.
They stay aware.
They stay present.
The best surfers in the world aren’t fighting the wave. They’re moving with it, adjusting to every shift in real time.
Great conversations work the same way.
So at your next meeting, networking event, or client conversation … think about the green room.
Slow down.
Be where your feet are.
Because the people who make the biggest impact in a room are the ones who are actually in it.
THE CONVERSATION TOOLKIT
Every great communicator is always learning. The Conversation Toolkit is where we share things that sharpen how we show up in conversations; books, podcasts, questions, research, and the occasional unexpected gem we’ve stumbled across lately. Sometimes it’s a negotiation strategy. Sometimes it’s a leadership insight. And sometimes it’s something a little more fun or offbeat that we just can’t stop recommending. Because great communication isn’t built from one perfect technique; it’s built from curiosity, experimentation, and collecting ideas that help you see conversations differently.
Book: The Power of Moments — Chip & Dan Heath
A great reminder that the moments people remember most are often the ones shaped by presence and intention.
Podcast: Think Fast, Talk Smart
Short episodes packed with practical communication advice from Stanford’s Graduate School of Business.
Something We’re Loving: Walking meetings
Sometimes the best conversations happen when you step away from the desk or table and take a walk.
WHERE TO FIND US
MAR 26 Virtual Client Meetings / Trainings
Amy is here there and everywhere for Connect To Close PR including 4 podcast interviews!
