Acknowledgments

My kids will tell you that my most frequently said phrase is, “Guinns are grateful.” To no surprise, I feel enormous gratitude writing and publishing this book. I am thankful for the process and to the many individuals who helped me along the way. My list of “thank yous” is quite long because the content of this book is not only the result of a recently finished project but also a collection of insights discovered, rediscovered, and refined over a lifetime. My own life experiences, including years of study, teaching, and executive coaching, have enabled me to write this book for you.

I’ll begin by thanking my mom, better known as Coco, for constant inspiration and endless love. I owe her and my entire family a debt of gratitude for countless interactions that served as my first and formative lessons in communication essentials. Likewise, Castle Hills, my childhood home away from home, surrounded me with teachers, youth leaders, and friends who helped me to stay grounded while still growing.

Baylor University is where I discovered the exciting field of communication and met lifelong mentors and friends. I am forever grateful to such wise leaders as Chris Wommack, Dr. Mark Morman, Dr. Eileen Hulme, Dr. Dub Oliver, and Dr. Frank Shushok—all of whom guided me then and inspire me still today. Baylor is also where I formed lifelong friendships with Banes, Fredo, Pete, and Porge. I’ve managed to make their homes my writing retreats during the production of this book!

I arrived at The University of Texas at Austin for doctoral studies like a sponge and did my very best to soak up every lesson and experience possible. Faculty like Dr. Anita Vangelisti, Dr. Erin Donovan, Dr. Rene Dailey, Dr. Tiffany Whittaker, and Dr. John Daly trained me to think more critically and opened countless doors for me to teach, research, and more. My years at UT-Austin shaped and sharpened me for the journey ahead, and I will be forever grateful to the good people there who afforded me such opportunities.

I was then fortunate to receive a professorship at the University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) in my hometown of San Antonio, Texas, where I am grateful to be part of a learning community that is rich in heritage and mission-driven. UIW is a gem, and having a dean and friend like Dr. Sharon Welkey has made my career all the better! Working with students like Susanna Alford inspires me to give my best every day.

The brief words of gratitude to the aforementioned institutions and people I met within are like glancing at the tree rings of my life. Each ring has been a progressive step in my journey thus far. The friends, family, teachers, mentors, clients, and students I’ve gained along the way have helped me better understand, teach, and write about the communication essentials.

The actual work of writing and publishing this book introduces a few more essential players. First, I am so grateful to the good people at McGraw Hill. I am inspired by brilliant leaders like Justin Singh who work tirelessly for the good of learners everywhere. I wish every writer the great fortune of working with an editor like Cheryl Segura who has been my perfect dance partner for this project. Cheryl made all my moves look better while simultaneously making all her moves appear effortless. I also owe a debt of gratitude to Ruth Mills who masterfully spotted my weaker writing muscles and showed me how to grow them. Working with Cheryl and Ruth has been a writer’s dream.

My secret weapons have been right here at home. My loyal coffee maker desperately deserves a day off. My neighborhood streets endure my daily jogging and give me much needed time and space to ideate. My dear wife, Shannon, is the hero in my story. She loves me unconditionally, sees the very best in me, and cheers me on while I peck away at my keyboard. By now, she has read this manuscript twice as many times as I have, and each time she smiles in awe as if she has stumbled across hidden treasure. It may be years before our kids actually read this book, but their sweet voices and hugs lifted my spirits and found their way to every page. I hope to live my life in such a way that makes Joy, Evy, and Oli proud to call me Dad, because I am over the moon about being their father.

Lastly, I am grateful for you. Let’s learn together and continue becoming the best versions of ourselves.