Soft Skills Salon

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 quotient" to represent their importance better. Keren...

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, emphasizing the importance of clear objectives in forming...

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 ...

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 ...

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 importa...

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 engag...

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 d...

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 pro...

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 o...

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 suggest...

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, t...

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 conclu...

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 build better relationships with the people they ser...

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 narratives, people can connect with and gain insights...

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 improving their soft skills.  They continue their talk on...

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 continue their talk by examining how the conversation is t...

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 successfully leading others is looking for someone&ap...

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 others. They continue their conversation by discussing ...

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 examining ways to manage interpersonal conflicts by fo...