UpSkill Talks

Inclusivity is an essential part of leadership.  But how do you ACTUALLY be inclusive in your day-to-day life, as a leader?  In this episode, Michel shares 5 tips on how to help people feel included in social settings, particularly in conversations, to help them feel seen and heard.  At UpSkill, we are building a community of UpSkillers, learning and growing together. Please listen, subscribe and...

In this episode, we discussed why you should set a THEME instead of a New Year's resolution to achieve your goals in 2024.  Michel shares reflections on her word for 2023 -- clarity. Flora shares her theme for 2024. UpSkillers share their stories about persistence, designing life systems, and getting set up for success in four easy steps. At UpSkill, we are building a community of UpSkillers,...

This is a flashback of episode 64, published on January 22, 2023.  It's a new year, new journey and new opportunities abound.  Are you Set for Success? Step 1: Choose a theme for your year - a word or phrase. Make this year, a themed year for you. Choose a theme. That's going to make a big difference in your life. Whether that's a verb, that's going to tell you the action that...

This episode is about Ben the bottleneck leader. Ben handles all the clients and finds his work piling up, while the people he manages are sitting there twiddling their thumbs with no work to do.  To make matters worse, all the clients come to Ben, not the people who are supposed to be managing the clients.  What can Ben do?  In this episode, we discuss... 1. WHY IS THIS HAPPENING? - A lack of con...

In this episode, Michel and  Upskillers delve into Adopting a System-Focused Approach to Life. Why do we need to laying a solid foundation in forming habits in our lives? Because they are the building blocks of every system. They share  insights about: The process of laying the groundwork for a successful system. The role of communication: Why everything revolves around effective communication. Ha...

In this episode, Michel and UpSkillers discuss: Work-Life Integration vs. Work-Life Balance: The evolving concept of integrating work into life rather than trying to balance the two as separate entities. Managing Burnout: Identifying the signs of burnout, understanding its causes, and strategies to prevent or mitigate it. They offer key insights about: The role of accountability partners  Mindfuln...

Mastering Behavioral Interviews: we dissect case study questions! In this episode, we provide sample answers, critique, and feedback for how to expertly answer challenging behavioral interview questions like:  Think of a time where you demonstrated good communication skills? Tell me about a time when you had a disagreement with a team member What sets you apart from other candidates applying for t...

At UpSkill, we are building a community of UpSkillers, learning and growing together. Please listen, subscribe and share! With decades of combined leadership experience, team of coaches, facilitators and subject matter experts can help to UpSkill your organization.  We offer corporate training, coaching, e-learning courses and consulting services for: Inclusive Leadership Diversity, Equity & I...

This is Part two of Time Management 101 Q&A with Michel Shah, lead UpSkiller, president and founder of UpSkill : 🕰 Key Takeaways : Understanding Discipline:  Discipline is not about being iron-fisted or micromanaging Address the common misunderstandings about discipline Disclipline as a form of self-love and integrity Understanding oneself and managing time and activities effectively Collabora...

Time Management 101 Q&A with Michel Shah, lead UpSkiller, president and founder of UpSkill : 🕰 Topics Covered:  Juggling Multiple Responsibilities: Learn strategies to balance work, family, and multiple projects  Eisenhower Matrix: The power of this prioritization tool  The Driving 'Why': Explore how a clear understanding of your 'why' can guide decision-making, prioritizat...

In this episode, UpSkillers Michel, Flora, Mimi and Sylvia discuss the keys to creating and maintaining healthy, inclusive, organizational cultures.  Topics covered include: Psychological safety  Netiquette: how we behave in hybrid and virtual situations People versus team versus outcome orientations Rewards, recognitions and evaluation programs Performance management At UpSkill, we are building a...

It was Peter Drucker who said culture eats strategy for breakfast.   This episode, lead UpSkiller Michel Shah, joined by Upskillers, Mimi, Flora, and Sylvia, dive in and talk about:  what is organizational culture  what contributes to organizational culture  how to cultivate it  how important is organizational culture for us today importance of shared values The ABCs - the rudimentary pieces to mo...

Upskiller Flora Xue chats over a Q&A session with Michel Shah, President & Founder of UpSkill, about overcoming presentation anxiety. She gives her advice on: language barriers online vs in-person presentation practice tips the HBLT method  Over the last few weeks, we have been talking about pitching: how to prepare a pitch and how to deliver a pitch. Check out the series in previous episo...

Upskiller Flora Xue chats over a Q&A session with Michel Shah, President & Founder of UpSkill, about overcoming presentation anxiety. She gives her advice on: overcoming fear of judgment decentering the HBLT method  Over the last few weeks, we have been talking about pitching: how to prepare a pitch and how to deliver a pitch. Check out the series in previous episodes 86-89: 86. 5 Step Met...

Welcome to part three of our personal and professional branding series on LinkedIn with Donna Serdula, world-renowned LinkedIn expert.  In the previous episode, we delve deep to understand the balance between passive and active engagement on LinkedIn, especially when you're first starting out. We talk about how to advertise your product or service (or yourself) on LinkedIn, without turning it...

Welcome to part two of our personal and professional branding series on LinkedIn with Donna Serdula, world-renowned LinkedIn expert.  In the previous episode, we started exploring the secrets of LinkedIn, and how it translates into success online. Today, we delve deeper to understand the balance between passive and active engagement on LinkedIn, especially when you're first starting out. We t...

In this conversation, we will be diving deep into the world of LinkedIn -- from learning how to create impactful posts, optimizing your SEO through keywords and becoming a recognized industry expert, to effectively building a personal brand and empowering your employees to become brand ambassadors.  This three-part episode series is a gold mine for anyone looking to make a powerful impression on L...

This week, lead UpSkiller Michel Shah shares strategies to boost your presence to deliver powerful pitch presentations, both online or on a stage.  This is part (2/2) of B) Delivery, in the three-step series of perfecting your pitch: A) preparation, B) delivery, and C) refinement.  Michel provides practical tips to help you captivate any audience: Maintaining professionalism Exuding confidence in...

This week, lead UpSkiller Michel Shah shares strategies to boost your presence to deliver powerful pitch presentations, both online or on a stage.  This is part 1 of 2 in part B) Delivery, in the three-step series of perfecting your pitch: A) preparation, B) delivery, and C) refinement.  Michel provides practical tips to help you captivate any audience: Maintaining professionalism Exuding confiden...

This is part one of our two-part series on perfecting your pitch for founders, storytellers,  entrepreneurs, or anyone looking to elevate their ability to sell themselves or their ideas.  This episode, lead UpSkiler Michel Shah delves into the "who" and "why" of preparing your pitch.  We guide you in asking the right questions like: What is allowed with your pitch? Can you use...

This is part two of on step A) Preperation for perfecting your pitch for founders, storytellers,  entrepreneurs, or anyone looking to elevate their ability to sell themselves or their ideas. Next week, we delve into B) pitch delivery and C) refinement.  Last episode, we delved into the "who" and "why" of preparing your pitch. In this episode, lead UpSkiler Michel Shah takes you...

Last week, the UpSkill team attended and hosted a booth at the renowned Collision Tech conference in Toronto. With 40K participants, this conference was a big deal for us -- but it was our first conference ever.  In this episode, we share the triumphs, blunders, and most importantly, lessons learned from rubbing shoulders with tech titans and promising startups. Tune in for our whiteboard session...

Feeling bored, stuck, or doing the same thing on repeat at your job? Mastering effective workplace communication is the key to asking for more meaningful work. We delve into the 'Five Ws and an H' framework, a simple yet powerful approach to finding fulfillment in your work right now.  At UpSkill, we are building a community of UpSkillers, learning and growing together. Please listen, su...

This episode is a flashback of the first episode of Upskill Talks, one of our most important episodes. Lead Upskiller Michel Shah shares the most transformative experience of her career that forever changed her professional journey.  As leaders, we are often measured by our results. Yes, but when we focus solely on the metrics and the measurements that determine success, we lose sight of the perso...

In this episode of UpSkill Talks, we delve into the art of networking! Our host, lead UpSkiller Michel Shah, and guests discuss the importance of networking, the misconceptions around it, and how to effectively cultivate relationships.  Highlights from this episode: Networking as a process: Emphasis on viewing networking as a continuous process of cultivating relationships, not a one-time event. M...