Get Real Communication - Janeen Sonsie

Hi everyone — Margarita here from the Canadian Cosmetic Cluster.

One of the unexpected gifts of living in France has been the people. Between seaweed pilots, trade missions, and trying to remember whether I sorted my recycling correctly in Vieux Nice, I’ve had the chance to meet some incredibly sharp minds. And honestly? I don’t gatekeep good people. Today I’m introducing you to Janeen Sonsie, founder of Get Real Communication. She is a leadership and communication facilitator who works with leaders and teams to sharpen how they communicate, influence and lead with clarity. That’s something every needs to understand when running a company can feel like translating five different languages at once, while running a marathon.

Our industry includes founders, formulators, executives and entrepreneurs; women and men who carry a lot of responsibility. Effective communication isn’t just a “soft skill” anymore; it’s an essential leadership tool, a negotiation strategy and can make the difference between burnout and momentum. Janeen brings a perspective that blends practical leadership experience with deep insight into how people actually relate and work together.

So let’s get real.


1. You chose to build part of your life and business in France — what drew you here, and how has that decision changed the way you see leadership and communication?

I had a soul calling to live in France – since my 20’s. As I got older the call became stronger and stronger until I finally said ok, I’ll do it. So I sold up in Australia and moved here as a permanent move. I am happy to call France home and build my business here. 

Living in a country where I don’t speak the language very well has certainly challenged my communication skills, but it is amazing what you can convey through body language. I now need to listen and observe more intently than I did in Australia. This is also important in leadership, because even when we are speak the same language, we may not be speaking the same words and meanings, for example technical speak versus executive speak. Living here has made me even more aware of the challenges in good communication … and given me a few embarrassing moments too. 

2. Many women in business feel pressure to be “perfect” communicators. What’s the biggest misconception you see women holding about leadership communication?
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Let’s take a step back here to the core of this issue. Women feel pressure to be perfect in everything, to be accepted. Often our biggest barrier to our own communication is ourself – in particular, our belief in ourself. Especially women will tend to defer to others, even when they know what needs to be said, or they won’t stand up for what they know when they should. Even as successful women leaders we can still be haunted by imposter syndrome and not believing we are good enough. That is what I see as the biggest misconception about women in leadership.

This is a result of what has been ingrained in us as we grew up and the, still, overpowering patriarchal attitudes we can find in men- and to be honest in some women too. My advice is don’t aim to be perfect – you will only disappoint yourself. Instead aim to be honest and strong and say what you know needs to be said. 


3. You work with ambitious professionals who are already high performers. At what point do most people realize they need support with communication or mindset?

This is a very interesting question and not really an easy one to answer as our life journeys are all different. Most people, men or women, have a breakdown in life before they realise they need to change. This could be the good old mid-life crisis or it could be that you aren’t getting the results you want from business or life. I think the most common point is when they ask – is what I have really what I want it to be, especially in all relationships.  If your relationships in your private and your business lives aren’t giving you the results you want, then it’s time to question why. The answer is usually your attitude, your self-belief and the way you communicate with others. The 3 all affect each other. 


4. For founders and executives juggling teams, clients, and personal life — what are two or three communication habits that create immediate impact?

I just wrote social media post on what I think is the first and most important – engaged listening with an intent to really understand what the other person/people are saying. As soon as others feel you are really hearing them, the culture around you will start to change and trust will build. And it’s amazing what you learn when you listen deeply to what someone is saying, and also to what they are not saying. 

Always speak with respect and empathy for others, and yourself. No matter how stressed and pressured you feel, make sure this is your priority. Don’t take your stress out on others. When people feel understood and respected is when you will get the most out of them in performance and loyalty. 

The third is, be open and honest with integrity. When people realise they can depend on you and what you say, they will respect and trust you. As a leader this is critical behaviour to motivate and inspire your team.

5. In your experience, how does authentic communication influence business growth — not just personal confidence, but real results like partnerships, opportunities, and visibility?

Firstly, let’s talk about the term Authentic Communication. It’s about being true to yourself in how you communicate but that is often not truly understood. People who live behind subconscious masks, are often not aware that they are not being authentic to themselves. But what happens in their communication is that others pick up on that energy and can feel that something doesn’t quite fit, or that they can’t connect. So the first step is to know who they are as their authentic self and that takes personal development. Then we can communicate authentically. 

The 3 tips above are the next steps in communicating authentically. Be true to who you really are and people will connect with your integrity in that. This is when you will be most confident and visible too, because you will be real and confident in your own skin and that is a great energy that people want to be around and do business with. Then you will be the best person you can be to pursue opportunities and build partnerships … any relationships. 

6. If someone in our community feels stuck — maybe they’ve lost their voice a bit or feel disconnected from their leadership style — what’s one practical step they can start with today, and how can Get Real Communication support them?

My first advice is to look inside and ask themselves in what way do they feel stuck – how is that showing up for them- and then go deeper and ask why that is happening for them. This may require meditation to quiet the mind and allow answers to just come, or maybe a coach who can help them delve in what ‘s going on for them – like me hehe. I do have 2 powerful programs that help people who are feeling this. 

Unlock Your Next Chapter – a 1 month program to decide what’s next in life - The Reinvention Journey – a deep transformational program over a year to guide you to your answers to these questions – it 4-6 months deep dive with weekly sessions and then a maintenance program to support the new rewiring of the brain. 

I offer a free coaching session as a Clarity Call for anyone who’d like to talk to me about where they are at. You can book in https://meet.brevo.com/janeen-sonsie/discovery-call-with-janeen-sonsie

Or via my website for more info https://getrealcommunicatin.com or find me on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/janeensonsie/
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Visit Her Website Here