Jenna Dominique opened her session – Flight Plan for Connection – with a bold wardrobe change and a trip back to the 1990s. But behind the retro flair was a profound message about a revolutionary concept: Social Prescribing. Originating in East London, this movement realised that what many people needed wasn’t medicine, but connection.
As Jenna noted, connection is not just a “nice-to-have” in sales or life; it is a fundamental human need. Yet, in our era of hyper-efficiency, we face a modern irony. While AI allows us to send messages faster and smarter than ever before, truly connecting with another human being has never been more difficult.
The Communication Crash
Why do so many sales meetings end in a “horror show” instead of a spark? According to Jenna, it’s usually because we are traveling at different speeds and on different tracks than our clients.
“You might be speeding off in a Ferrari while your client is on a cart trotting in the opposite direction,” she explained. To bridge this gap, Jenna introduced her Travel Matrix, a diagnostic tool based on two axes: Speed (Liftoff vs. Steady) and Style (Structured vs. Exploratory).
The Four Modes of Travel
By plotting speed against style, Jenna identifies four distinct communication “travel modes.” Understanding these is the key to building rapport:
1. The Train (Slow & Structured)
Trains love a clear track and a detailed itinerary. They are the reliable, methodical “safe pair of hands” who turn up on time and read the agenda.
The Spark: Build trust with trains by slowing down, providing a clear roadmap, and backing up every point with data.
The Plane (Fast & Structured)
Planes are destination-obsessed. They are efficient, fast-moving, and lead with their gut. Many senior leaders operate in this mode because they have to trust their team with the details while they focus on the horizon.
The Spark: Lose the fluff. Hit planes with short, sharp, and concise headlines.
2. The Balloon (Slow & Exploratory)
Balloons are the visionaries. They are relationship-driven and empathetic, preferring the “story behind the spreadsheet.” They want to see the view and explore possibilities.
The Spark: Be visual. Focus on the “Three Ps”: People, Purpose, and Possibilities.
3. The Rocket (Fast & Exploratory)
Rockets operate at “ideas per minute.” They are high-energy, exciting, and thrive on challenges. However, a brilliant idea today might be forgotten 24 hours later.
The Spark: Meet their energy. Give them the freedom to bounce ideas, but help them focus to keep them fuelled.
Planning Your Flight
The goal of the Travel Matrix isn’t to change your authentic self. Instead, it’s about adapting how you travel with others. “AI can automate the follow-up, but it can’t change how you make a person feel,”
Jenna reminded the audience. When a customer feels seen, heard, and understood because you met them at their speed and in their style, trust takes off.
Great communication isn’t about saying more—a classic error Jenna calls “talking until they get it.” It’s about saying it in a language that relates to the other person. To find out which mode your client is in, Jenna suggests using targeted diagnostic questions during the initial discovery phase.
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