In this episode of the Soft Skills Salon podcast, host Diana Kawarsky converses with Dr. Charles Michael Austin, also known as Dr. Chaz. They discuss leadership, the importance of understanding different cultures, and providing constructive feedback in the workplace. Dr. Chaz emphasizes the need for leaders to create a safe space for their teams, genuinely listen to their ideas, and implement them when possible. He also shares his philosophy on leadership and management, stressing the importance of focusing on results and problem-solving efficiency. The conversation also covers the concept of situational leadership and the value of consistent and constructive feedback in fostering a positive work environment.Today's Selected QuestionsWhat does success leading others look like to you?How do you provide feedback to others?Visit The Soft Skills Group to explore all our workshops to help you and your team in all aspects of communication.Social Media Links The Soft Skills Group | LinkedIn The Soft Skills Group | Twitter The Soft Skills Group | Instagram Diana Kawarsky | LinkedIn

In this Soft Skills Salon podcast episode, host Diana Kawarsky talks with speaker, leadership coach, and author Billy Anderson founder of The Courage Crusade. Diana and Billy discuss the significance of self-confidence and self-belief in personal growth and the role of emotions in this process. Billy shares his insights on the importance of pushing beyond one's comfort zone. He also delves into the value of personal values in resolving conflicts and addresses the unique challenges of remote work.  The conversation wraps up with a discussion on Billy's personal symbol of emotional openness and authenticity.Today's Selected QuestionsHow do you define confidence?What is your favourite way to solve interpersonal conflicts or problems on either your team or a team?Visit The Soft Skills Group to explore all our workshops to help you and your team in all aspects of communication.Social Media Links The Soft Skills Group | LinkedIn The Soft Skills Group | Twitter The Soft Skills Group | Instagram Diana Kawarsky | LinkedIn

In this podcast episode, Diana Kawarsky speaks with Ilana Ben-Ari, a toy designer turned social entrepreneur. They discuss the controversial nature of soft skills and the undervaluation of these skills compared to hard skills. Ilana shares her experiences with her learning and development toy company, Twenty One Toys, and the challenges of convincing adults that toys can be valuable tools for learning. They also explore the importance of confidence in entrepreneurship and the role of tension and friction in creativity and design. The conversation touches on vulnerability, self-awareness, and the significance of intuition and emotional awareness in personal growth and entrepreneurship.Today's Selected QuestionsDo you use the term soft skills, why or why not?What does success leading others look like to you?How do you define confidence?What have you done or seen during your career that develops a person's professional presence?Visit The Soft Skills Group to explore all our workshops to help you and your team in all aspects of communication.Social Media Links The Soft Skills Group | LinkedIn The Soft Skills Group | Twitter The Soft Skills Group | Instagram Diana Kawarsky | LinkedIn

In this podcast episode, host Diana Kawarsky has an insightful conversation with renowned leadership strategist and author Dan Pontefract. They explore the meaning of confidence and its relationship with feedback and recognition. They highlight the limitations of annual performance reviews and employee engagement surveys, proposing a more effective approach to having frequent and meaningful conversations about performance and engagement. Dan emphasizes the value of empathy in building confidence and suggests using data and surveys to evaluate empathy levels within organizations. They also delve into the significance of trust and empathy in the workplace, especially in the context of the hybrid work environment. Dan introduces his innovative concept of the "four-day hybrid way," which combines a four-day workweek with a hybrid working method. Overall, they emphasize the importance of timely feedback, trust, and empathy in nurturing confidence and achieving success.Today's Selected QuestionsHow do you define confidence?Where have you seen or experienced empathy in your career?Visit The Soft Skills Group to explore all our workshops to help you and your team in all aspects of communication.Social Media Links The Soft Skills Group | LinkedIn The Soft Skills Group | Twitter The Soft Skills Group | Instagram Diana Kawarsky | LinkedIn

In this episode, host Diana Kawarsky speaks with Alan Middleton, an independent author, speaker, and consultant with Sage Management Advice. The conversation centres around soft skills in the workplace. Alan shares his insights on how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the need for soft skills and the importance of listening to frontline employees. The conversation also covers the significance of complexity theory in planning and decision-making, building trust with customers and employees in the banking industry, successful leadership, developing mobility systems, and recognizing and understanding cultural differences in the workplace. The episode highlights the importance of soft skills and cultural awareness in the workplace, especially in the current global climate.Today's Selected QuestionsHow do you compare pre-COVID soft skills to what we frame as moving beyond COVID soft skills at work?What does success leading others look like to you?What have you seen or done on the job to develop a person's professional presence?Visit The Soft Skills Group to explore all our workshops to help you and your team in all aspects of communication.Social Media Links The Soft Skills Group | LinkedIn The Soft Skills Group | Twitter The Soft Skills Group | Instagram Diana Kawarsky | LinkedIn

In this episode, host Diana Kawarsky interviews Douglas Squirrel, an executive coach and consulting Chief Technology Officer. Diana and Squirrel discuss the importance of aligning technical teams with business goals and using a common language for effective communication and productivity. They also delve into change management, resiliency, confidence-building, empathy, and difficult conversations. Squirrel shares techniques for promoting understanding and open-mindedness, including coherence-busting and genuine questioning. Overall, the episode offers valuable insights and practical advice for improving soft skills in the workplace.Today's Selected QuestionsWhat does success leading others look like to you?How do you define confidence?Where have you seen or experienced empathy in your career?Visit The Soft Skills Group to explore all our workshops to help you and your team in all aspects of communication.Social Media Links The Soft Skills Group | LinkedIn The Soft Skills Group | Twitter The Soft Skills Group | Instagram Diana Kawarsky | LinkedIn

In this Soft Skills Salon podcast episode, Diana Kawarsky speaks with leadership speaker and coach Stephen "Shed" Shedletzky about soft skills and leadership. Shed emphasizes the importance of teaching and helping others to succeed in leadership roles, promoting from within, and building solid relationships through empathy. The conversation also touches on the difference between leadership and management, the importance of safe and effective use of self in building trust with others, and the need for deliberate courage to step into discomfort. Shed and Diana conclude that recognizing patterns and being open to feedback can lead to growth and success in leadership.Today's Selected QuestionsWhat does success leading others look like to you?Where have you seen or experienced empathy in your career?Do you use the term soft skills? If yes, why? And if not, why not?Visit The Soft Skills Group to explore all our workshops to help you and your team in all aspects of communication.Social Media Links The Soft Skills Group | LinkedIn The Soft Skills Group | Twitter The Soft Skills Group | Instagram Diana Kawarsky | LinkedIn

In this Soft Skills Salon podcast episode, Diana Kawarsky speaks with guest Steve "Mr. Pineapple" Mathieu about his philosophy on living a positive and authentic life. They discuss the importance of emotional batteries, positive curiosity, and self-awareness in communication. Mr. Pineapple emphasizes the significance of daily self-reflection and recharging to maintain positive energy and emotional balance. He also suggests that success is about leaving a positive legacy and making others feel their best. Finally, Mr. Pineapple's philosophy emphasizes the importance of being present and appreciating each day as it comes.Today's Selected QuestionsHow do you have a conversation with someone who has their facts wrong?What does success leading others look like to you?Visit The Soft Skills Group to explore all our workshops to help you and your team in all aspects of communication.Social Media Links The Soft Skills Group | LinkedIn The Soft Skills Group | Twitter The Soft Skills Group | Instagram Diana Kawarsky | LinkedIn

In this episode of the Soft Skills Salon podcast, host Diana Kawarsky sits down with David Chapman, a seasoned trainer and executive coach, to explore the fascinating world of purpose-driven teams. Through their engaging conversation, Diana and David delve into the roles of entrepreneurs, leaders, and managers, highlighting the importance of purpose in inspiring and securing results. They discuss David's visionary framework, the vision triangle, which offers a fresh perspective on creating a sense of purpose and aligning teams towards a common goal. The episode emphasizes the power of asking meaningful questions, embracing vulnerability, and developing the confidence to lead with purpose. Join Diana and David as they uncover the crucial role of soft skills and purpose in fostering effective teamwork.Today's Selected QuestionsWhat does success leading others look like to you?How have you created teamwork during your career so far?Visit The Soft Skills Group to explore all our workshops to help you and your team in all aspects of communication.Social Media Links The Soft Skills Group | LinkedIn The Soft Skills Group | Twitter The Soft Skills Group | Instagram Diana Kawarsky | LinkedIn

In this episode, we are joined by Garima Gupta, the founder and CEO of Artha Learning - an award-winning, e-learning design firm providing custom and off-the shelf learning solutions. Diana and Garima begin by discussing how confidence really has two distinct forms namely an external perception that we present to the world, and a second, deeper form of confidence rooted in our values, self-worth, and sense of belonging. They conclude their conversation with the idea that an evolution of authenticity in leadership requires a willingness to be vulnerable and genuine with one's team, while also maintaining a level of professionalism and projecting confidence. By embracing growth and striving for authenticity, leaders can inspire their teams to do the same and achieve greater success.Today's Selected QuestionsWhat does success leading others look like to you?How do you define confidence?Visit The Soft Skills Group to explore all our workshops to help you and your team in all aspects of communication.Social Media Links The Soft Skills Group | LinkedIn The Soft Skills Group | Twitter The Soft Skills Group | Instagram Diana Kawarsky | LinkedIn