Communication as a Leadership Practice

lead by Michelle Ramseth

Communication isn’t just a skill—it’s a practice of integrity. Every conversation is an opportunity to lead with clarity, presence, and intention.

In the Yoga Classroom and in Your Life

Great leaders aren’t simply great speakers—they know how to listen, respond with intention, and create trust through the way they communicate.

In this 30-hour course, you’ll explore communication as a leadership practice, learning to shift from automatic reaction to conscious choice. Through live discussion, practical tools, experiential exercises, yoga philosophy, reading, reflection, and real-world application, you’ll develop greater awareness of the stories, assumptions, and patterns that shape the way you speak, listen, and lead.

We’ll explore concepts such as avidyā (misperception), the power of language, deep listening, and the ways our internal dialogue influences every conversation. You’ll practice communicating with greater clarity and intention while noticing where assumptions, habits, and the desire to be right can get in the way of genuine connection.

Whether you’re leading a yoga class, facilitating a meeting, navigating relationships, or simply wanting to communicate more authentically, this course will help you build trust, clarity, connection, and greater freedom in the way you communicate.

Topics include:

• Choice vs. Reaction
• The Language We Use—and the Stories Behind It
• Listening to Understand
• Avidyā: Seeing Clearly Instead of Through Assumption
• Creating Trust Through Communication
• Leading Difficult Conversations with Presence
• Speaking with Clarity, Intention, and Integrity
• Communication in the Yoga Classroom and Everyday Life

Course Format

30 total hours

15 hours live on Zoom
Five 3-hour sessions

Mondays, 5:00–8:00 PM ET

• November 2, 2026
• November 9, 2026
• November 16, 2026
• November 30, 2026
• December 7, 2026

No class Thanksgiving week.

The remaining course hours include reading and reflection, recorded video submissions, practical communication exercises, and written essays designed to deepen and integrate the work. Selected writing may also be developed into polished pieces suitable for a professional website or personal blog.

Required Reading

The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz

This accessible exploration of language, assumptions, personal responsibility, and integrity will serve as a companion to our work throughout the course. We’ll use the Four Agreements as a framework for examining how our words, interpretations, assumptions, and reactions shape our relationships and our leadership.