Communication Skills as a Wildlife Conservation Tool

by Steve Mandel

Recently, I traveled to Kenya on behalf of Mandel to conduct a joint training workshop for people who work with the wildlife conservation organizations Ewaso Lions, Grevy’s Zebra Trust, and Save the Elephants — all member organizations of the Wildlife Conservation Network.

The wild African lion, African elephant, and Grevy’s Zebra are vanishing.
Consider these facts: Every year, more than 33,000 African elephants are killed. During the past 40 years, two-thirds of wild lions have disappeared. Today, there are fewer than 2,500 Grevy’s Zebras left on earth.

All of these creatures could be extinct within 20 years – due to poaching, over-hunting, and competition for resources.
The work of wildlife conservation organizations is critical to their continuing survival.

The organizations I worked with in Kenya focus a lot of their conservation efforts on global education, outreach, and collaboration with governments and local people. And, the success of their efforts depends on their ability to communicate exceptionally well.

_{Image © 2014, Steve Mandel, All Rights Reserved}

One of the trainings took place in the airiest conference room I’ve ever had the pleasure to work in — four wooden posts and a thatched roof.

The setting may have been different. The food was different. The context was definitely different. Despite these differences, the training went as well as programs we’ve run for the world’s largest corporations.

Wildlife conservation is a cause near and dear to my heart. It was my honor to be able to do this work for these organizations.

At the end of the workshop, participants told me what they’d learned will help them save the lives of endangered animals, as well as the livelihoods of the people who live in those communities. When I heard that, I beamed from ear to ear.

Just as it is for many of you, it’s especially gratifying for us at Mandel when we can contribute the same skills we offer our corporate clients to smaller non-profits, or communities of individuals who might not otherwise have access.

If you’d like to learn more about Ewaso Lions, Grevy’s Zebra Trust, or Save the Elephants, I invite you to visit the Wildlife Conservation Network online at www.wildnet.org.

Steve Mandel

Steve founded Mandel Communications in 1983. He is a renowned presentation skills trainer and coach and the author of the highly successful book Effective Presentation Skills. In addition to serving as a key Mandel company executive, Steve thrives on working directly with clients in one-on-one coaching and group workshop settings. He has a deep understanding of the communication challenges faced by professionals and executives in high-stakes settings and works with clients to pinpoint and address mission-critical communication needs. Steve's business success and his avocation as an accomplished amateur astrophotographer have earned him special recognition in Forbes magazine.