On a recent Wednesday morning at the Lakeway Activity Center, members of the long-standing Lakeway Men’s Breakfast Club gathered as they have for decades—for coffee, donuts, camaraderie, and a guest speaker. Active since 1974, the weekly gathering has become a cherished local tradition for many Lakeway men, offering both fellowship and opportunities to learn from speakers representing a wide range of professional backgrounds and community leadership roles.

That morning’s guest speaker was Stephanie Threinen, founder of Cool, Comms, Collected, who many members already recognized through her work in communications for the Lakeway Municipal Utility District, a local water utility. For this presentation, however, Stephanie joined the group in her role as a professional communication coach, sharing insights from her Cool, Comms, Collected workshop series—a series of five community workshops she hosts at the Lake Travis Community Library.

Condensing the key ideas from the multi-session series into a single interactive presentation, Stephanie discussed with participants practical strategies for becoming more intentional communicators in everyday conversations. The discussion focused on several core topics, including:

• The 3 C’s of Effective Communication – emphasizing clarity, curiosity, and connection as guiding principles for productive dialogue.
• Active vs. Passive Listening – understanding the difference between simply hearing words and fully engaging with a speaker’s message.
• Reading Non-Verbal Clues – recognizing how body language, tone, and facial expressions often communicate as much as spoken words.
• Mindfulness in Conversation – staying present and attentive rather than thinking ahead to what to say next.
• Asking Better Questions – using thoughtful questions to deepen understanding and encourage meaningful dialogue.

True to the format of the Cool, Comms, Collected workshops, the presentation was highly interactive. Members of the Men’s Breakfast Club—many of whom are highly educated retirees with diverse professional backgrounds—were quick to engage in the conversation. Throughout the session, they asked thoughtful and practical questions, often drawing from their own life experiences in business, leadership, and community service.

Several participants posed real-life scenarios and asked how Stephanie would handle particular communication challenges. In response, she emphasized an important principle: there is rarely a single “correct” way to communicate. Effective communication, she explained, often requires observation, experimentation, and adjustment. Each person and situation is different, so communicators must be willing to try an approach, read the response, and adapt as needed.

This perspective resonated with the group, sparking further discussion about how communication skills evolve over time and how intentional listening can strengthen both personal and community relationships.

The morning concluded in the spirit that has sustained the Lakeway Men’s Breakfast Club for nearly four decades: neighbors learning from one another, sharing ideas, and enjoying thoughtful conversation over a cup of coffee. Stephanie’s presentation offered practical tools and fresh perspective, reminding attendees that communication is a skill that can always be refined, no matter one’s age or experience.