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Damona Hoffman

@damonahoffman

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Communication Expert: Decoding mixed messages since 2012
Keynote Speaker ✨ Bestselling Author
TV Personality @thedrewbarrymoreshow
Book me to speak👇🏽

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We have more ways to connect than ever before… and we’ve never been more disconnected.

That’s the communication crisis I speak about on stages across the country.

I’m Damona Hoffman, a communication expert, keynote speaker, and regular on The Drew Barrymore Show. I decode the mixed messages in the relationships that matter most: the people we love, the people we lead, and the people we work beside.

My keynotes help teams:
→ Communicate across generations (yes, including the thumbs-up emoji debate)
→ Read the nonverbal cues everyone else misses
→ Navigate Slack, Zoom, texting and AI without losing the human connection
→ Reduce conflict and build cultures where people feel truly connected

If you’re booking a speaker for a conference, leadership retreat, or company event and want a session your audience keeps talking about long after, let’s talk.

📩 Tap “Book me to speak” in my bio to check availability.

#keynotespeaker #workplacecommunication #leadershipdevelopment #communicationskills #communication by @damonahoffman

6 Things I learned from 6 Years on The Drew Barrymore Show

1. Say Yes to the Unexpected - When I got the call to do one episode of the show in September of 2020 all they said was it was a new talk show on CBS. I still said YES and that one episode turned into many more with the amazing Drew Barrymore

2. Dream Bigger - 7 years ago I was approached to host a talk show. Shooting the pilot seemed like a dream come true. That show never got made but an even better show came along

3. Give More Than You Take - Every time I work (whether with hosting on TV, coaching clients, or keynote speaking) my goal is to give, support, and be of service. It’s never about being in the spotlight, it’s always about the audience or the person I’m helping.

4. Make Friends - I’ve worked in TV for 25 years and many of my opportunities have come from relationships I formed long ago. Also, when you’re working with good people, it makes every day feel like an adventure.

5. Be Prepared - When people tell me that “I’m a natural” on TV, I laugh. What you see as effortless is actually hours upon hours of preparation. You see the finished product but the ingredients of knowledge, practice, and work ethic were baked in long ago.

6. Have Gratitude - Every time before I step on a stage, I say an internal mantra of gratitude. I thank all the teachers, mentors, advocates, and even adversaries who shaped my path. I don’t know where the next chapter will lead, but I always take time to be grateful for the season I’m in and the experiences that led up to the present moment.

🎉Cheers to Seasons 7 and 8 of The Drew Barrymore Show. Thank you @drewbarrymore for having me along for this wild ride and for being the kindest, funniest, and most thoughtful host on TV by @damonahoffman

Drew Barrymore asks, why is dating so hard?!

Our dating pools have expanded exponentially.

And while it allows us to meet many more potential matches, it can feel overwhelming at times.

Remember, this is your love story. Write it at your own speed.

Slow down and let your ability to choose empower you.

How do you ease up when dating feels overbearing?

#datingtoday #datingtips #datinglife #damonahoffman #drewbarrymore by @damonahoffman

Your “lol” is telling everyone how old you are 😂

The same laugh looks completely different depending on which generation is typing:

😂 Gen X
🤣 Millennial
😭 Gen Z
💀 Gen Alpha

So if your Gen Z coworker replies to your joke with 😭they’re not crying. You’re funny. And if your kid sends 💀nobody died. They’re laughing.

Which one do you send? Be honest 👇

#emoji #instareel #trendingreel #communication by @damonahoffman

4 years of loyalty, undone by 1 text thread.

“Read” isn’t a “yes.” Being single doesn’t mean you’re always available. And a threat sent by text stays in writing forever.

This is your reminder: if a conversation is getting heated, stop texting and pick up the phone.
What’s the worst text you’ve ever gotten from a boss? 👇

#Leadership #Manager #Workplace #keynotespeaker by @damonahoffman

You think a heart is just a heart? Your coworker might disagree 🖤

The same emoji can mean “great job” to one person and “I have a crush on you” to another, and the difference often comes down to who is sending it.

So here’s your cheat sheet 👆

Do you agree with my definitions? Drop your most-used heart below.

#emoji #instareel #trendingreel #communication by @damonahoffman

Someone asks you a question in front of everyone, and you can tell they’re hoping you’ll stumble 😬 Here’s what to do…

In 1967, a 17-year-old Twiggy was asked on live TV who her favorite philosopher was. She didn’t have an answer, so she asked him the same question back. Turns out, he didn’t have one either.

That’s the first of 3 ways to handle a question that makes you uncomfortable:

1️⃣ The reciprocal question: “Great question. What’s yours?”
2️⃣ Call it out: “What a strange question to ask.”
3️⃣ Pivot: “I’d rather talk about XYZ instead.”

Works in meetings, at family dinners, and in the comment section 😉 The key is your tone. Stay light and curious, never defensive.

Which one are you using first? 1, 2 or 3? 👇 by @damonahoffman

Someone told her that her natural hair didn’t look “appropriate for an expert.”

She tried it their way for about five years. Blow dryer, flat iron, every time the cameras rolled.

Then one morning she woke up and decided she was done. Damona Hoffman’s episode is out now. Link in bio. 🎧
#lifeinparallel #dolovers #naturalhair #authenticity #tvindustry podcast by @damonahoffman

She lost her grandmother, and her boss asked for proof 💔

Every one of these texts could have been one kind sentence: “I’m so sorry. Take the time you need. We’ve got it covered.”

Before you hit send on a message like this, try the out-loud test. Read it out loud as if they’re standing in front of you. If you’d never say it to their face, don’t type it.
What’s the most outrageous message you got from a boss👇

#redflag #workplace #boss #texting by @damonahoffman

Gen Z isn’t losing jobs because of their résumés. They’re losing them because of a translation gap 🗣️

In one survey of nearly 1,000 hiring managers, 6 out of 10 had already fired a recent grad they’d hired that same year. Poor communication was one of the top reasons.

But here’s what nobody’s saying: this generation learned to communicate through screens first. They’re fluent in texts, DMs and group chats. Then they walk into an office that runs on a completely different language. That’s not a character flaw. It’s a skills gap, and skills can be taught.

The good news? 9 out of 10 hiring managers agreed training can fix it.

So I want to hear from both sides 👇

If you’re Gen Z: what’s the most confusing unwritten rule at work?
If you manage Gen Z: what’s the one thing you wish they knew on day one?

Send this to someone starting new to the workforce💜

#etiquette #manners #workplace #genz #keynotespeaker by @damonahoffman

Gen Z stopped answering the phone. Gen Alpha wants to pick it back up 📞

In one survey, 1 in 4 people aged 18 to 34 said they never answer phone calls. Now the kids coming up behind them are calling texting cringe and choosing voice and FaceTime instead.

Why? Because they’ve figured out what texting takes away: tone and context. And tone confusion is where most mixed messages start.

Big thanks to @presilah for sharing what her students said 💜

So tell me 👇
Are you team text or team call?
And if you have kids, are you seeing this shift at home?

Follow for more on where communication is headed.

#GenAlpha #ModernEtiquette #DigitalCommunication
#peopleskills #confidencecoach by @damonahoffman

Okay but... is this a green flag or a lot babes? 👀
We’re unpacking the same-day confirmation debate with Damona Hoffman, and it got spicy 🔥 Is it a reasonable ask or a red flag in disguise?

New episode is live now, watch on YT and comment your verdict below! Subscribe babes so you never miss an episode 💜

#HBCWT #EmotionalIntelligence #EmotionalSafety by @damonahoffman