Why does one startup succeed wildly while another with a similar model and talented team fails miserably? Case studies might highlight the winner’s flexible business model or responsive community management. They might point to the failure’s wasted budget or poor product planning. But, in the end, all of that boils down to communication. No matter what, the fate of every company depends on the team’s ability to communicate clearly and constructively. This might sound obvious. But according to well-known executive coaches Ann Mehl and Jerry Colonna, there’s a vast difference between talking and speaking so that you can be heard. With experience training senior leaders at companies like Kickstarter, Etsy, SoundCloud, and more, they’ve emerged with concrete tactics for fixing and establishing great communication. Emphasizing awareness, responsibility and empathy, this method has been termed “nonviolent communication” — and in this exclusive interview, Mehl and Colonna explain how it has helped hundreds of tech professionals elevate their game.