Get ready for "The Performance Review" - that time of year when emotions run high and the impact on your organization and employees is significant. In this episode, we delve into how you can make this meeting engaging, clear, and respectful, ensuring it has a positive ripple effect. With the evolving work environment and the rise of hybrid setups, the performance review holds even greater weight. How the review is conducted determines the effectiveness. This is the opportunity for a manager to p...
Jul 11, 2023•15 min•Ep. 50
Have you been trying to get your teams from good to great? Improve how they collaborate, communicate, and achieve goals, plus balance productivity and morale? Wondering what’s the best way they can use Microsoft Teams? What team building activities and skills can help? You’re not alone. That’s why we created this episode, the combination of technical and soft skills to guide you in bringing out the best in your organization’s teams. We’re thrilled to have as our Guest Host Jon Neuhold , Co-Owner...
Jun 27, 2023•33 min•Ep. 49
Picture this: The team is getting together and… stuff is getting done! The team members (including you) feel heard, respected and want to contribute. This team is not only being productive, but they are also collaborating with ease. This episode is “Three Ways to Improve Team Communication”. Our host, Joel Silverstone, shares with you the strategies and activities to better understand yours and others’ communication styles and needs. How does improved communication impact teams? 86% of employees...
Jun 13, 2023•15 min•Ep. 48
The focus of business leaders has been shifting from task- or objective-driven to people-driven. That means soft skills such as effective communication, understanding, and collaboration have become increasingly important to leaders’ abilities. In this episode, we have a great discussion with our guest Jennifer Lennox, a highly experienced HR leader on why soft skills are crucial in organizations and what leaders can do about it. Jennifer also shares how she found her voice to communicate and inf...
May 30, 2023•29 min•Ep. 47
As a leader, what can you do to find and grow the talent that’s right there in your organization? As an individual, how do you raise your hand to be seen? Discovered? To grow? This episode could have also been called, “We need to be able to take a chance on people”, as we explore the topic of finding and nurturing talent both as a leader and as an individual. Our guest, Nupur Khandelwal, draws on her extensive experience as a leader and as someone who has had advocates for her growth within an o...
May 09, 2023•28 min•Ep. 46
In today’s business world, you need to differentiate yourself, to bring to life your experiences and your growth - but how do you do that without listing tasks? This episode, we’re talking with Dr. Adrienne Shnier on how to showcase your value. Whether it’s a performance review, or you’re seeking a promotion, job or school interview, how can you share your story and be the advocate - for you? You are so busy in your role that if someone asks you what makes you valuable, an asset, you might just ...
Apr 25, 2023•26 min•Ep. 45
Do you remember why you keep going back to that restaurant… or not? It probably was your first impression, how you were welcomed, warm bread or stale bread, the interactions, the aesthetics, that first bite…. Those first impressions that we unconsciously hold onto are called imprinting beliefs, meaning that first impressions stick. In this episode, we discuss with Amy Davies on why first impressions matter and the impact people, leaders and organizations can have on improving employee retention ...
Apr 11, 2023•35 min•Ep. 44
Can you persuade another without feeling pushy or manipulative? Short answer… YES! In this episode, you’ll uncover easy ways to persuade, whether you’re writing or speaking. Your emails, communications and interactions motivate others to action. This episode is “How to Be Persuasive from Writing to Speaking”. Our host, Joel Silverstone, shares with you the strategies and insights to make persuasion simple and respectful. You will find the ideas and tips to balance emotions and logic that connect...
Mar 28, 2023•20 min•Season 1Ep. 43
Empathy is one of the most important leadership skills you should be using more often. The research says that 76% of people who experienced empathy from their leaders reported they were engaged, compared with only 32% who experienced less empathy. Empathy is a crucial business skill because it enables collaboration, motivation, and feeling respected. You create a ripple effect where people’s perspectives and emotions are acknowledged - it doesn’t mean you have to agree with them, but they feel h...
Mar 14, 2023•22 min•Ep. 42
When leading a complex project, how do you get to the desired outcome? How do you lead and communicate to motivate and engage towards the outcome? In this episode, Leading Complex Projects with Clarity, we discuss the importance of the human factor, the people that are going to make this successful. According to our guest, Nada Darwiche, projects are not linear lines and where we get stuck is the ‘on time, on budget’ result. A successful project focuses on the people – making sure they understan...
Feb 21, 2023•24 min•Ep. 41
Have you committed to making a change, or are currently dealing with a change? Maybe it’s your resolution to get fit. Or maybe at work you’re navigating a hybrid environment; your team is having to do more with less and navigate new technology and new roles. Change can be exciting, stressful or a combination of these heightened emotions. Logically, you understand all this – so why is change difficult to implement? In this episode, you’ll find some ideas that can help with change and relate to th...
Feb 07, 2023•24 min•Ep. 40
For 2023, it’s not just a ping-pong table that’s going to keep employees (and you) motivated and feeling appreciated. HR trends for 2023 say that organizations will need to focus more on the well-being of employees. A Forbes article shares that 20-50% of all employee attrition is attributed to burnout. This episode we’re discussing how to win the retention game through the idea of renewal. How do we make people more resilient against burnout? The importance of quality short breaks moves us to a ...
Jan 17, 2023•31 min•Ep. 39
Have you missed an episode? Do you want to strengthen your leadership and communication styles and are looking for the star highlights from the past 6 months? Get ready to take notes, as we bring you the Shared Experience Extravaganza #3 "Connecting the Dots in Leadership." In this episode, we reflect on the 'Greatest Hits' from our guests and our own experts on leadership and professional skills. These are the themes you can take away from this episode: How we think and deal with change How we ...
Dec 20, 2022•33 min•Ep. 38
Are you in a new role? New team, responsibilities, skills? Many are changing roles and having to do more with less but still be a leader - so how does one adapt? It starts with ‘You don’t have to know it all’. In this episode we discuss with our guest Caroline Cohen how to adapt, build trust and delegate - without having all the answers! Caroline went from a learning and development leader to the NEW Head of People & Culture at a new company, industry, and role. Not to mention, this is happe...
Dec 06, 2022•28 min•Season 1Ep. 37
Are you getting ready to do a presentation soon? You got this - but you would like some more tips and techniques just to feel more confident. In this episode, we’re sharing 12 minutes of our top ten tips to feel ready and confident to not just show up, but to show up as an insightful, engaging and more assured presenter. This is the final episode of our significant 4 podcasts series on Presentation Skills. Our host Joel Silverstone will be sharing his experiences as a speaker and presenter to va...
Nov 22, 2022•13 min•Ep. 36
Do you have a fear, or feel anxious when it comes to public speaking? You’re not alone - we’re all nervous to speak publicly. In this episode we discuss the tips, techniques and mindset you can use to get past those nerves. This is episode 3, as part of our significant 4 podcasts series on Presentation Skills. Where do the nerves come from? Or, as our guest Melina Nacos asks, “What makes you tick?”. What behaviours or beliefs have kept you stuck with your doubts about speaking in public? We cert...
Nov 08, 2022•33 min•Ep. 35
Have you been trying to get your presentation from good to great? Wondering (ok, struggling) with the best way to use MS PowerPoint? And present it with a confident and engaging delivery style? You’re not alone. That’s why we created this episode, the combination of technical and soft skills to guide you in bringing out the best in your presentations. We’re thrilled to have as our Guest Host Jon Neuhold , Co-Owner of Great Canadian Training, interviewing Senior Software Instructor Christine Iron...
Oct 25, 2022•38 min•Ep. 34
Presentation skills are not easy, but you can get better. It’s a combination of mindset, intention, and the tools to get from good to great, whether you are presenting at a meeting or to hundreds. This is episode #1, as part of our significant 4 podcasts series on feeling more confident, engaging, and prepared with your Presentation Skills. This episode, we’re thrilled to have Rhonda Scharf share how someone from a small town - outside a small town - became an in-demand speaker. We discuss: How ...
Oct 04, 2022•31 min•Season 1Ep. 33
What does the future look like? Will we be using Virtual Reality…And how is this used to reinforce soft skills? In this episode, we are curious how virtual reality (VR) can connect to our soft skills and be used in training. We discuss the thoughts and skills that we can take from these VR scenarios and put them into real world practice in how we interact with each other in business, and maybe in life. We talk communication, empathy, giving feedback and …Presentation Skills! Virtual reality has ...
Sep 13, 2022•31 min•Ep. 32
Are leaders born that way? Probably not! Your business card may say ‘leader’ but that doesn’t mean you are one…yet. What if we took those leadership buzzwords like integrity, visionary, etc. and made them into tangible skills? What if we looked at other behaviours of leadership and made them into skills you could develop and practice? This is part 2 of the 9 behaviours of leadership – these are traits, sometimes clichés – that we can make into clear skills you can develop. In this episode, we ex...
Aug 30, 2022•26 min•Season 1Ep. 31
Are leaders born that way? Probably not! Your business card may say ‘leader’ but that doesn’t mean you are one…yet. What if we took those leadership buzzwords like integrity, visionary, etc. and made them into tangible skills? What if we looked at other behaviours of leadership and made them into skills you could develop and practice? There is a wealth of information here – so much that we made this into a 2-part episode. In both parts, we explore the 9 behaviours of leadership – these are trait...
Aug 16, 2022•24 min•Ep. 30
Are you using storytelling in business to motivate, inspire or persuade your audience(s)? Are you thinking, “Sure, I’d love to try, but where and how do I start this?” This episode can help! Rance Greene gives us a masterclass on how we can create and design relevant stories to connect, inspire, guide or persuade others with a clear call to action. Our guest Rance Greene is a Story Designer, Author, Speaker, and owner of Needastory.com and the School Of Story Design . Rance formed these companie...
Jul 28, 2022•47 min•Season 1Ep. 29
What if you could feel more confident for your next presentation, meeting, or pressure situation? In this episode, learn ways to have more control over your thoughts, and not vice versa! How does this help us to be more confident? It starts with learning how training your brain to grow and to be challenged is pivotal to building your new levels of confidence. Are you challenging your brain? When you create new experiences, you are getting out of your comfort zone and on your way to growth and be...
Jul 12, 2022•34 min•Ep. 28
Have you missed an episode? Looking for quick notes on giving feedback, communication styles and tips on leadership actions? In this episode, we reflect on the 'Greatest Hits' from our guests and answer your questions on effective communication styles, giving feedback, time management, thought leadership and tough conversations. It’s the Shared Experience Extravaganza - Summer Edition. You can’t have an extravaganza without special guests: Joy Neuhold , Co-Owner of The Great Canadian Training &a...
Jun 28, 2022•32 min•Season 1Ep. 27
How do you bring out your best when under pressure? And what if that moment is in front of millions watching? What do you do? What do you focus on? This episode can help as we talk with Michael Varga on how he handled the pressure of being in the spotlight, the importance of vulnerability and why not trying to please everyone was key. We also discuss how he deals with recently being promoted into a leadership role and the transition from being a part of the team to now leading it. Where it used ...
Jun 14, 2022•30 min•Ep. 26
Inspiring others sounds great - so how does one do that? And how do you share your vision? This is the challenge. When you hear the words ‘inspire’ and ‘vision’, it’s hard to grasp, it feels abstract. In this episode, our guest Arminda Gonzalez Dumpierrez is here to deconstruct the abstract, to make it real and tangible. She clearly shows us the ways you can inspire and share your vision, and how important this is as the next step in leadership and communication. Arminda Gonzalez Dumpierrez has ...
May 24, 2022•36 min•Season 1Ep. 25
If you have to sell an idea or a product, do you immediately think, “I don’t want to be pushy!”? For most of us that’s a firm YES! Fair enough, we’ve all had salespeople and leaders overwhelm us with facts and features, yet not even take a breath, let alone ask us a question. If you are a leader or anyone trying sell a new behaviour, idea or product, finding the best way to connect and influence can feel daunting. In this episode, our guest is Kira Callahan, an expert in sales conversations, who...
May 10, 2022•30 min•Ep. 24
Are you ready to confidently deliver thoughtful & actionable feedback? Um, not quite? This episode will make it easier for you. “When giving feedback, it’s not what you say; people get defensive because of why they think you’re saying it”. We share the strategies you need to deliver feedback that is motivational, not confrontational! And isn’t it more fun when giving feedback that is helpful, focused on recognition and growth of the other person? As always, we have our 3 stars at the end AND...
Apr 26, 2022•18 min•Ep. 23
Presentation jitters? How can you feel more comfortable and confident when presenting? This episode can help with some tips and techniques to communicate your thoughts in front of an audience from 1 to millions. Our guest is John Horn, who shares 20+ years of sports broadcasting experience on what it takes to be prepared, ask the right questions and share your story in a way that engages an audience. John Horn is a veteran in the sports broadcasting and sports production industries working in Ca...
Apr 12, 2022•29 min•Season 1Ep. 22
“I have no time!” Sound familiar? Is this you? This episode can help with tips and strategies to manage your time and the stress that comes with it. When you fail to manage your time, there is a feeling of loss of control which causes stress. If you want to break this cycle, the answer lies in great time management skills and the behaviours to get there. Because being busy is not the same as being effective. Take a few minutes to listen in as our host Joel Silverstone shares some simple techniqu...
Mar 29, 2022•11 min•Season 1Ep. 21
