Before you even realize you’ve misread the tone of that email from your boss, Erica Dhawan has already clocked it, named it, and written the book on how to fix it.
Well, not literally, of course. But this leadership speaker has built an entire career on exposing the blind spots that make modern communication so messy.
“For as long as anyone can remember, human communication relied on a delicate dance of verbal and nonverbal cues,” she explains in her Mindvalley program, Digital Body Language. However, the minute that work became virtual, we were “thrust into a world where the old ways just didn’t work.”
And so, somewhere between the lost cues and the endless Zoom calls, a new kind of guide stepped forward. One who could show you what really gets lost in translation online, and how to finally get it back.
Who is Erica Dhawan?
Sure, you’ve got “Erica Dhawan, the Mindvalley trainer.” But there’s also “Erican Dhawan, the speaker,” “Erica Dhawan, the best-selling author,” and even “Erica Dhawan, the Harvard University-educated thinker.”
The name “Erica Dhawan” might not be on your radar (yet), but it will be soon enough. Why? Because this highly respected keynote speaker is tackling a problem you’ve probably felt yourself: how to communicate like a human when most of your conversations happen through a screen.
I became fascinated with human connection and I’ve been studying 21st-century teamwork and collaboration.
— Erica Dhawan, trainer of Mindvalley’s Digital Body Language program
Her story starts long before the TED stages and Harvard degrees, though. Raised in an Indian-American family, she grew up navigating the invisible codes of belonging between cultures. That early experience gave her a sharp eye for how we read between the lines. And it also showed her how trust can be built, or broken, without a single word being spoken.
“I became fascinated with human connection, and I’ve been studying 21st-century teamwork and collaboration,” she explains in her Mindvalley program.
That obsession turned into a career that’s taken her everywhere from the World Economic Forum to boardrooms at Deloitte and Cisco. Along the way, Thinkers50 dubbed her the “Oprah of Management Thinkers.”
Billie Jean King, the former world #1 tennis player and founder of the Billie Jean King Leadership Initiative, too, endorsed Erica’s book Digital Body Language. She writes, “Erica offers a profound look at how to foster inclusion and better leadership in our digital world.”
And when leaders like that are paying attention, you know there’s something here worth leaning into.
Here’s what people are saying about Erica Dhawan:
How Erica Dhawan’s Connectional Intelligence™ is changing the way we work
You’ve heard of the intelligence quotient (IQ). And you’ve probably heard of emotional intelligence (EQ). But Erica wants you to know about another measure that might just determine the future of your career: Connectional Intelligence™ (CxQ).
It’s the basis of her first book, Get Big Things Done. At its core, it’s the ability to take the relationships, ideas, and resources already around you and use them to create results that actually matter.
For instance, G.E. tapped into thousands of people across industries to generate new ways of cutting carbon emissions. And Starbucks opened up a digital suggestion box that led to customer-inspired products you probably order today.
All these are CxQ in action. And it’s based on five core capabilities:
- Contextualization: Seeing the bigger picture
- Community: Bringing people together
- Combination: Mixing different ideas into something new
- Combustion: Igniting momentum fast
- Courageous conversation: Having the tough conversations that move things forward
What makes CxQ so powerful today is how fast it can spread. In the past, even big ideas moved slowly. Now, with instant access to information and global networks, CxQ can spark across communities and create change quickly.
Here’s the surprising twist, though: it’s not just CEOs or Silicon Valley disruptors who are good at this. Often, it’s the youngest people in the room, the digital natives who instinctively know how to move from a WhatsApp chat to a global campaign.
That shift is what’s changing the way we work, from who leads to how teams build ideas to how quickly progress spreads. And you can see it most clearly in the words, replies, and signals we trade in digital spaces.
Erica Dhawan’s four laws of digital body language and how they can transform the way you connect online
While CxQ is uber important, how we communicate with each other is just as crucial. That’s why in her second book, Digital Body Language, she zooms in on how meaning is carried in the smallest digital signals.
And this isn’t just about office jobs anymore; entire careers now depend on digital communication. Like an influencer building trust with followers, a freelancer pitching work through emails, or a remote leader running a global team. With so much happening online, it’s easy for things to get lost in translation.
Once we started working virtually, we were thrust into a world where the old ways just didn’t work.
— Erica Dhawan, trainer of Mindvalley’s Digital Body Language program
Think about it: the sting of a curt “noted” in your inbox, the misread LOL you thought meant “lots of love,” or an emoji that left you guessing what it really implied. That’s how fragile digital communication can be.
In fact, research shows that nonverbal communication, including tone, expression, and even the pauses we make, carries much of the meaning in human interaction. When those cues vanish online, it becomes easy to misinterpret messages. And that’s exactly why Erica’s law to communicate carefully is so timely.
“Just like in-person, body language has rules, so does digital communication,” she explains. And there are four laws that are “designed to help you communicate clearly, build trust, and avoid misunderstandings in our digital world.”
Here’s how she breaks them down:
1. Value visibly
In person, we naturally show respect with simple signals: eye contact, a nod, even a smile. Those little gestures let people know they’re seen and heard.
But in digital spaces, those cues disappear. Which is why, according to Erica, when you’re online, “you have to be extra mindful of making others feel seen and appreciated.”
Even research shows that when people don’t get feedback, confusion and conflict can grow. Clear feedback, on the other hand, helps communication run smoothly and keeps teams steady.
So a quick “thank you” in an email, a clear reply in a Slack thread, or even responding with a full sentence instead of a single “k” can make the difference between someone feeling invisible or valued.
2. Communicate carefully
Without tone of voice, facial expressions, or gestures, digital communication can be a minefield.
A short “fine” can sound annoyed. A thumbs-up emoji can feel dismissive. Even a message in all caps can give off the impression that you’re shouting.
That’s why the second law is simple but powerful: practice mindful communication.
One of her students on Mindvalley, Faraaz Ali, jokes that Erica’s insights were like finally “getting subtitles for the digital world.” Suddenly, a “…” in a text wasn’t just passive-aggressive, and a thumbs-up emoji stopped being a potential insult.
“Make sure you’re using the right language, punctuation, and emojis to communicate the intended tone,” Erica points out. “Slow down and double-check that your words match your intentions.”
These small habits might feel minor, but they’re the building blocks of strong interpersonal skills in today’s connected world.
3. Collaborate confidently
Working remotely can tempt anyone to over-communicate. You don’t see what your team is doing, so you send another follow-up, drop reminders into Slack, or hover in inboxes. Sure, it’s well-intended, but without realizing it, you’d often end up micromanaging.
The third law is about resisting that urge. “This law is all about trusting others and being trustworthy yourself in digital spaces,” says Erica.
Here’s how that can look like:
- Give others the space to do their work while staying present as a source of guidance and support.
- Instead of chasing constant updates, set clear expectations upfront and agree on how progress will be tracked.
- Then step back and let your team deliver.
When people feel trusted, they usually rise to meet that trust.
4. Trust totally
Trust online isn’t built in the same way as it is face-to-face. As Erica highlights, “without those small everyday interactions that build trust in the office, you have to be deliberate about creating it online.”
She advises closing the gaps that distance creates. That means…
- Showing up when you say you will, replying when someone reaches out, and being consistent in how you communicate,
- Being open in your feedback and clear in your appreciation, so no one is left guessing, and
- Creating room for the conversations that aren’t about tasks or goals at all, the ones that remind us that behind every message is a real person who wants to feel safe and understood.
Psychologists call this psychological safety, the sense that you can be yourself without fear of judgment. Studies show that when people feel safe, they share more, connect more deeply, and strengthen the bonds that keep relationships alive.
Trust totally means making those choices on purpose. Every time you do, you replace doubt with confidence, and that’s what keeps digital relationships strong, no matter where they live.
Erica Dhawan’s books and courses for stronger communication and teamwork
It’s likely you know the frustration of a message gone wrong, a team that can’t get aligned, or an idea that dies because the right people never connected around it.
Erica has spent her career solving those problems. Her books and courses hand you the playbook for more transparent communication, stronger collaboration, and results you can feel proud of.
Books
- Get Big Things Done: The Power of Connectional Intelligence introduced a new way to think about success. Instead of depending only on titles or personal talent, it showed how ideas grow when people use their networks wisely. If you’ve ever had an idea stall because you couldn’t reach the right people, this book guides you to turn connections into real results.
- Digital Body Language: How to Build Trust and Connection, No Matter the Distance is a Wall Street Journal bestseller written for anyone who spends more time behind a screen than in a meeting room. You’ll learn how to bring warmth and clarity into emails, chats, and video calls, and how to build real trust with people you may never meet in person.
Courses
- Digital Body Language. Coming soon to Mindvalley, this 10-lesson program helps you master the unspoken rules of online communication. You’ll learn how to make your messages clear, avoid common pitfalls that cause confusion, and build trust in every digital interaction.
- Leading Authority Mastermind. Available on Erica’s website, this six-week course and coaching experience is designed to position you as a recognized thought leader in your industry. The program covers branding, speaking, content creation, and monetization strategies, while giving you a proven workflow to grow your influence without burning out.
What students say about Erica Dhawan
When people experience Erica’s teaching, the feedback is strikingly consistent: her ideas are clear, practical, and transformative. Here’s what some of her students and clients say:
- “Even though [Digital Body Language] is designed for a business setting, the value of it goes beyond the workplace, as I have applied most of those tips in my everyday communication with friends and clients. Definitely worth looking at this one if you want to be communication savvy and never face misunderstandings again!” — Despina Charavgi, energy healer
- “By implementing the tips and tricks Erica taught in [Digital Body Language], being more mindful of the tones in my messages, as well as sending out messages with kindness, I successfully negotiated a contract with bonus services and upgrades that were not included in the original version of the contract.” — Dao Lam, life coach
- “I’m now significantly more aware of how I communicate digitally, resulting in clearer, more empathetic exchanges across all relationships.” — Monica Ducu, leadership coach
Awaken your unstoppable
Your career deserves more than guesswork. You need resources that give you clarity, skills, and the confidence to take your next step forward.
That’s exactly what you’ll find in Mindvalley’s free career hub, a collection of tools created to support you in becoming the kind of professional others trust and follow.
Here’s a taste of what’s waiting for you:
- Expert-led classes like The Transformational Leader with Monty Moran and Amplify with AI. You get access to a selected lesson pulled directly from full Mindvalley programs (a real taste of what you’d experience if you took the whole course).
- Webinars, including The 7-Figure Creator with John Lee or Becoming Focused and Indistractable with Nir Eyal. With each session, you’ll feel like you’re sitting in on a private workshop with actionable tools you can put to work immediately in your career.
Every one of these resources is designed to help you unlock new opportunities, sharpen your communication, and grow into the leader your career is calling you to be.
Big opportunities like this don’t wait, and neither should you.
Welcome in.
