Soft Skills Salon

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of the Soft Skills Salon podcast, host Diana Kawarsky and guest Renée Walkom , COO at Foxquilt , discuss the evolution of soft skills in the post-COVID workplace. They explore the challenges of building rapport in hybrid environments, the role of technology in communication, and the importance of empathy and vulnerability in leadership. The conversation also covers...

Send us Fan Mail In this podcast episode of the Soft Skills Salon, host Diana Kawarsky talks with Michael Teape , the co-founder and lead trainer of  Teape Training International . Diana and Michael dive deep into the world of self-confidence, discussing the essential strategies for overcoming doubt and enhancing personal and professional growth. Through a comprehensive exploration of soft skills,...

Send us Fan Mail In this podcast episode of the Soft Skills Salon, host Diana Kawarsky has a conversation with change management expert Keren Castelli about the critical role of soft skills in the workplace, especially during the pandemic-induced shift to remote work. They discuss the misperceptions of soft skills as less valuable than hard skills and advocate for terms like "emotional quotie...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of the Soft Skills Salon podcast, Diana Kawarsky speaks with Shoko Matsuda , an executive coach and leadership trainer, as they delve into the essence of self-assurance, influenced by Eleanor Roosevelt's insights, and explores Shoko's experiences with English as a second language. Diana and Shoko also examine the dynamics of teamwork across cultures, emph...

Send us Fan Mail 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,...

Send us Fan Mail 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....

Send us Fan Mail 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 valu...

Send us Fan Mail 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...

Send us Fan Mail 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 t...

Send us Fan Mail 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 diffic...

Send us Fan Mail 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...

Send us Fan Mail 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 po...

Send us Fan Mail 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 resu...

Send us Fan Mail 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 va...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we are joined by Lorelle Luciuk, a platoon staff sergeant with over 27 years of experience in Ontario's policing community. Diana and Lorelle discuss how the policing community has undergone a shift in culture towards empathy as a form of communication. The traditional military-based approach has given way to a more empathetic approach that allows officers to...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we are joined by Marsha Shandur , a storytelling, communication and sales coach and trainer who founded Yes Yes Marsha , a company that has helped thousands of executives, entrepreneurs, and professionals gain storytelling skills for ethical influence. Diana and Marsha begin by emphasizing the significance of empathy in effective storytelling. Through well-crafted...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we are joined by Audley Bell , a retired Chief Audit Executive, most recently with World Vision, a humanitarian aid organization helping children, families, and their communities overcome poverty and injustice. Diana and Audley begin by discussing the importance of taking an inventory of oneself to determine strengths and areas needing improvement as a way of impr...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we are joined by Cian Donnelly , who, among many things, is the founder of Diamond Dog Coaching , a company that provides training, development, and coaching for artists. Diana and Cian begin their discussion by exploring the importance of empathy in conversations where just listening can offer people a safe space to analyze and make difficult decisions. They cont...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we are joined by Una Wright , the founder and executive director of YouthSpeak , an organization promoting mental health and well-being to increase the resiliency of youth facing challenges. Diana and Una begin their discussion by examining how self-awareness and accountability are the first steps toward empathy. They continue their conversation by suggesting that...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we are joined by Kelly Shannon , an executive coach and development strategist for female leaders. Kelly is the founder of Women Lead Daily , a platform developed to inspire and engage women on their path to leadership. Diana and Kelly begin their discussion by examining the synergy between performance evaluation and professional development to successfully lead o...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Konstantin Tskhay , the Vice President of Organizational Effectiveness at Top Hat , an online teaching platform headquartered in Toronto, Canada. Diana and Konstantin begin their discussion by defining feedback, questioning when and where feedback is appropriate, and how to foster feedback in organizations. They continue their conversation by...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we are joined by Albina Mamonkina , an inquisitive and hardworking student currently completing the JD/MBA program at Osgoode Hall Law School and Schulich School of Business at York University in Toronto, Canada. Diana and Albina begin their discussion by reflecting on the student experience during the Covid-pandemic lockdown and its impact on the social aspect of...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Jenny Brockis , an award-winning speaker, best-selling author, medical practitioner, and board-certified lifestyle-medicine physician located in Perth, Australia. Diana and Jenny begin their discussion by defining what soft skills are, what they actually mean, and how they are essential for our post-Covid era. They continue their discussion by...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we are joined by Chris Graham , the founder and principal of TellPeople , a communication and presentation skills training firm in Toronto, Canada. Diana and Chris begin by examining different aspects of successful leadership. They continue their discussion by looking at the best ways to engage with someone who may have incorrect facts by asking questions about th...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Murat Kristal , an Associate Professor of Operations Management and Information Systems at the Schulich School of Business at York University . Diana and Murat begin by exploring the ways confidence can be defined. They continue their discussion by examining the importance of one’s vantage point, whether entry-level employee or CEO, on its imp...