Zarina Amadi: Communication is your superpower

I used to struggle, or should I say I am still struggling, with communication, so you are not alone. The irony of it all is that I am in the communication field but still a work in progress. To be a better communicator, I take courses, do training, take practicals and read widely. However, we keep learning and growing.  The goal is not to maintain the status quo but to keep getting better with one's craft. 

It was a joyous moment when Communication Specialist Zarina Amandi accepted the invitation to feature on Omote Ro Dhe. She is a Podcast host and global speaker, among many other things tied to communication. She is passionate about elevating women's communication skills...hmmm. I love the way she carries this 'communication thing' as her matter. This learned communicator has many awards to her name notably-the Chevening Scholarship, a scholarship funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). In this piece, she demystifies communication ( It is not as complex as you may think), like she is talking to a 5-year-old in this our encounter.

All the way from Ghana (I actually thought she was Nigerian), Zarina shares how one can communicate effectively in this piece. Life is full of surprises. She once battled with speaking up as a child. The light bulb moment came, and it changed her story and outlook on life.

After all is said and done, human connection is built on communication. No one can live without communicating because it is the lifeblood of relationships. Some of us struggle with it, and that struggle takes many forms. Whether it is your body language, tone, or appearance, communication is not only what you say but also how you say it. 

Omote Ro Dhe enjoyed this exclusive chat with Zarina in a relaxed mood. So get your popcorn or zobo, or just let your hair down and enjoy... Before this, here is a communication guide checklist from her LinkedIn via here. 

Read excerpts of Zarina's nuggets on communication below:

For people meeting you for the first time, who is the woman behind the work?

I will start by saying I am here to experience the world to its fullest and give it the best that I can.

In terms of my background, I’m a Ghanaian woman with a strong interest in self-improvement. I am constantly striving to support women and young people to improve in various parts of their lives. I work as a communication specialist and have spent nearly two decades in this field, studying and working in communications. I’ve practised in different capacities in international development, higher education, non-profit organisations and the startup space. I also love exploring new things and places, and I am constantly finding ways to learn. A fun fact about me is that I love nice coffee shops and bookshops; I also love local markets in new places where I can discover hidden gems.

You describe communication as a “superpower”. What does effective communication mean to you?

Effective communication, to me, is sending out a message in a way that the recipient understands as intended. If anything distorts the meaning of the message, then the communication is not effective. This is why clarity is at the core of effective communication. Poor communication can cause conflict and lead to unintended consequences, both significant and otherwise, depending on the situation.

I describe communication as a superpower because being a strong communicator can transform how we see and feel about ourselves, which influences how others see and feel about us. This means that knowing who we are and being confident in ourselves influences how we feel about ourselves and how we show up and communicate with the world. The beauty of effective communication is that it can help us navigate the world intentionally, through the way we speak to ourselves on an intrapersonal level, and the way we communicate with others, interpersonally.

For this reason, when I use my unique framework to help women communicate with authority, clarity and confidence, I start by working with them on their identity and self-image. This is an area you ordinarily wouldn’t imagine has anything to do with communication skills, yet it’s one that anchors how we show up and communicate.

When did you first realise that the way you communicate could affect the opportunities that come your way?

It wasn’t one thing in particular that led me to this realisation. Much of everyday life revolves around communication. From interacting with a panel at an interview and pitching to investors to learning a new skill or engaging with people in a social setting, we leave impressions based on the way we communicate.

For example, when you go to an interview, your body language and ability to speak clearly and convincingly about your background often determine whether you are given the opportunity. Undeniably, factors such as your confidence and the way you carry yourself are assessed by the people you are interacting with, even if they do so subconsciously. All these are picked up through your verbal and non-verbal communication.

Essentially, we leave trails wherever we go, and those trails are built on the cues we send out. Those cues are a result of the way we communicate. Therefore, our ability to communicate with authority builds trust in others about our expertise, which can lead to the opportunities we get access to.

Was there a time when you struggled to communicate confidently or make yourself heard? What changed for you?

Growing up, I was a very quiet child, partly because I was afraid of speaking up. Somewhere at the back of my mind, I might have thought that my voice didn’t matter and that, to be respectful and stay out of trouble, I needed to stay quiet. I was scared to speak up in certain settings, and this influenced how I communicated with people, especially in those spaces.

What inspired the change for me was seeing some women I came to admire communicating confidently, especially on television. Seeing that made me know what was possible. I then developed some self-awareness about the way I communicated with people, although, at that young age, I didn’t have the term to describe it. Interestingly, for some reason, I developed an inherent refusal to keep being quiet and continue moving through life that way. So, I found my ‘safe space’ for speaking up, and that was in school.

This meant that I started working on improving how I communicated from a pretty young age by actively engaging in activities such as taking up student leadership roles that required me to speak to fellow students, representing my school in debating competitions, and generally pushing myself and putting myself in spaces where I had to develop and strengthen that skill.

This is primarily why I am committed to helping women communicate with authority, clarity and confidence. I have observed that my experience is not unlike that of many women and girls globally. Across a lot of cultures, many women grew up in spaces where girls were expected to say less, with being respectful made synonymous with being quiet. This continues to affect women professionally even today, and it is something I guide women to work on and move beyond.

The key message for anyone reading this who resonates with my experience is that it is possible to change the way you communicate if you want to. You can show up and speak with authority, regardless of your background, story or the limitations society might have placed on you, especially as a woman.

What are some of the biggest communication mistakes you see people make professionally?

There are a number of mistakes I see people make when it comes to how they communicate, but I’ll highlight three that I am most concerned about.

Firstly, people often assume that their personality dictates their ability to communicate with authority. Particularly among introverts, people automatically count themselves out when it comes to speaking in public, asserting themselves or exuding confidence in the way they communicate. They assume that they either ‘naturally’ have the ability to communicate confidently or they don’t, but that is not correct. Just like most things, good communication skills can be learnt. It comes with intentionality, learning and practice. That is why I believe that excellent communicators are not necessarily born; they are made. So, regardless of your personality, you can become a good communicator if you take the time to learn how to communicate effectively, with clarity and authority.

Secondly, people often do not realise that the way they see themselves plays a role in how they show up. As a communications specialist, I know that there are a myriad of tips and tricks people use to help them improve their verbal communication skills and sound more articulate, eliminate filler words and more. These are the things most people tend to focus on when it comes to communication. While some of these techniques do work and are helpful, I think that, in many cases, they address only a portion of the challenges people face with communication. A key part of how you communicate is hinged on how you perceive yourself, and this comes across in your speech, as well as in the cues you send out through your body language. Once you get a hold of this, you can transform the way you communicate significantly.

Another mistake I see people make is not knowing how to give feedback the right way. Especially in professional settings, this can affect teamwork, trust, morale and overall output. Therefore, it is important to learn how to give feedback in a way that is fair, balanced, clear and inspiring. This is something a lot of people tend to gloss over professionally, and it affects not only the work they do but also their relationships. I believe that the way we communicate has an impact on our wellbeing, and the way we give feedback can either nourish or deplete our wellbeing and that of the person or people on the receiving end.

Can someone be soft-spoken and still command a room?

Absolutely! People who are soft-spoken and struggle to command a room can learn how to do so through learning and practice. A soft-spoken person can command a room once they master the ability to embody and exude confidence in how they communicate verbally and non-verbally. They can learn to elevate the way they communicate through their body language, message and things like voice projection. I must add that the way they perceive themselves is also crucial to making this improvement sustainable.

A key advantage for introverts, ambiverts and soft-spoken people is that we have a tendency to listen more intently and observe a lot more. This is part of our superpower because it helps us key in and respond appropriately to the audience or person we are speaking to. Also, soft-spoken people can have a lot more control over how they speak and what they say, and this comes across very deliberately.

Regarding non-verbal communication, once a soft-spoken person learns how to move and carry themselves with confidence, they can command a room even before opening their mouth. And when they do speak, they can communicate with authority and definitely make a lasting impact and impression.

What are some subtle body language habits that can make a person appear less confident than they actually are?

There are a number of habits, but I will highlight some common ones:

Poor eye contact

Keeping your head down

Slouching

Making yourself smaller, as if you were cold.

What is one opportunity you wish more young people knew existed?

There are several opportunities out there, including training programmes, scholarships, leadership development and skills development opportunities. While these are all excellent ways to grow and develop, mentioning just one would be limiting because we all have different aspirations and goals.

However, one thing I believe every young person can benefit from is developing self-belief and a growth mindset. I believe this is one of the greatest opportunities you can give yourself, regardless of your starting point.

What you believe you can achieve, where you believe you can go and the opportunities you are willing to pursue are all influenced by your mindset. When you have a mindset focused on growth, progress and development, you are more likely to embrace learning, take bolder steps, seek out mentors and build relationships with people who can support your journey. These actions can open doors to opportunities you might otherwise have overlooked.

I am a firm believer that although we may not all have the same starting points, backgrounds or access to opportunities, we can take intentional steps to help create opportunities for ourselves.

Ultimately, the opportunity I wish more young people knew existed is the potential they can unlock by believing in themselves and remaining open to growth. Your mindset is not the only thing that determines what is possible, but it can influence what you are willing to pursue, the steps you take and the possibilities you allow yourself to explore. For me, that is a great starting point for anyone.

How can a woman communicate her achievements without feeling like she is bragging?

Often, the fear of feeling like we are bragging as women comes from a fear of being seen, acknowledged or even judged. Sadly, women often think about these things a lot more than their male counterparts. This can come across as incompetence, insecurity, indecisiveness or self-doubt, or even be interpreted as a lack of leadership potential.

To communicate your achievements, you should know that once you are certain of your expertise and the message you are sharing reflects your achievements, there is no need to feel like you are bragging. You are simply communicating with confidence about yourself and owning your expertise. As long as the information is true, you should not feel like you are bragging.

Context is also important. If for example, you are only talking about your achievements and dominating a conversation when you are out celebrating a friend and their achievements, it might be inappropriate because you are doing so at someone else’s expense. Be measured and let that occasion be about your friend. This is not to say that you cannot speak about yourself in such a situation. It simply means not dominating the conversation or making it all about you when you are there to recognise and celebrate someone else and their achievements.

So, while I believe we shouldn’t make ourselves smaller, reading the room and being mindful of social etiquette and awareness are also important.

Outside of that, there is really no reason to feel like you are bragging. If you constantly feel like you are bragging every time you communicate your achievements, you are probably not talking about them enough and are most likely minimising your achievements.

One-on-one conversation or public speaking?

They both have their benefits, but if I had to choose, I would definitely go with a one-on-one conversation. This is because it gives me more insight into another person’s perspective. While public speaking is great for reaching and communicating with larger audiences, communication is often mostly one-sided in these settings.

The thing about one-on-one conversations is that they offer a more interpersonal touch. I can listen to another person’s point of view, ask questions and interact with them in a more engaging way. I love to learn as much as I love to share, and one of the best ways to do both is through a one-on-one conversation.

One thing you cannot tolerate?  

Respect is one of my biggest values, so one thing I cannot tolerate is disrespect. I believe respect should be mutual, and I make it a point to give others the same respect I expect in return.

Eye contact or a warm smile?

A warm smile! When you give someone a warm smile, your eyes smile too!

Finally, if someone reading this wants to become a better communicator, what is the first thing you would tell them to do?  

I would say, start by working on your identity and self-image. This might be uncommon advice from a communications standpoint, but I strongly believe that how we communicate with ourselves and others is influenced by how we show up, and how we show up is shaped by how we feel about ourselves.

For instance, if you believe in yourself enough to know that you belong in a room, you are more likely to carry yourself with confidence, and your non-verbal communication cues will reflect that. Similarly, if you believe in yourself and your expertise, you are more likely to communicate with confidence when giving a presentation.

Once you start working on your identity and self-image, the other aspects of communication become easier to develop. I work with women to help them communicate with authority, clarity and confidence, and this approach has consistently proven to be a powerful starting point.