Image by pixelshot via Canva 2022 is almost over! It’s easy to get caught up in the end-of-year stress, isn’t it? I try my best to focus on some of my favourite things: LISTS and GIFT GIVING! LISTS Are YOU a list maker? I definitely am! (Thank you, ❤️ Mom!) Image by @glenncarstenspeters via unsplash This … Read More
Whether you celebrate Christmas or not, the end of the year is another time in our calendar when gift-giving is rampant. There are corporate gifts, teacher gifts, and on and on… For some of us, GIFT GIVING is a beloved tradition that brings us much joy. But it can also bring us stress! Image by alexkich via Canva … Read More
Gift-giving is a highly symbolic form of communication. Gift-giving can also create a lot of stress! Whether it’s a client thank-you gift, a birthday gift, or Valentine’s day, gifts communicate things about the giver, about the giver’s beliefs about the receiver, and about the relationship between them. Gifts can reinforce important relationships, take them to … Read More
QUICK! What are your pet peeves? What type of learner are you? Are you an introvert or an extrovert? What communication media do you prefer? Do you have any podcast recommendations? How would YOU answer the 5 rapid fire questions that Andrea asks her guests at the end of every podcast interview? Hear Andrea’s answers … Read More
Beyond jumping around like a hooligan, what do you think communicating your ENTHUSIASM looks like? Image by Monkey Business Images from Canva Communicating enthusiasm can involve a combination of actions, depending on the context. (You probably wouldn’t communicate enthusiasm to your boss in the same way you would to a 5 year old, am I right?) In the … Read More
Negotiations. Job searches. Teaching and learning. Sales. Have you ever wondered if there is something you could do to improve the outcomes of situations like these? Well, there is! The thing you should be doing? Show some ENTHUSIASM! I was first introduced to the power of enthusiasm by my friend, Dr. Tatiana Astray, whose … Read More
Communicating enthusiasm can improve outcomes in many contexts, including negotiations, sales, job-searching, and teaching and learning. Learn why enthusiasm is so impactful and how to communicate it through your body language, your tone and your words. SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST CONTENTS Summary Resources Transcript SUMMARY What is Enthusiasm Enthusiasm is an intense expression of interest, … Read More
Strategic Principles of Personal Branding Before we shift to the 3 STRATEGIC PRINCIPLES of PERSONAL BRANDING… let’s review the most common mistake that people make in terms of their PERSONAL BRAND. Do you remember what it is? COPYING OTHERS Instead of copying others, I urge you to focus on your unique traits and qualities – … Read More
STRATEGIC PERSONAL BRANDING CONFIDENCE is still the #1 most common communication-skills-related topic that I get asked about from listeners and clients. PERSONAL BRANDING is a close second. Interestingly, when we take the time to define and communicate our PERSONAL BRAND, our CONFIDENCE is elevated. So focusing on your personal brand is like a double-whammy! image: unsplash … Read More
How to Overcome IMPOSTER SYNDROME Need some advice on how to overcome IMPOSTER SYNDROME? Let’s back up. Did you take the IMPOSTER SYNDROME TEST that I sent you last week? (Here’s the LINK.) It’s a fun exercise. But it turns out most of us feel like imposters! image: Unsplash @ Jon Tyson Here are 3 … Read More
Do you suffer from IMPOSTER SYNDROME? Most of us do! Learn exactly what imposter syndrome is, how to avoid or alleviate imposter syndrome, and some good news: how the discourse (talk) about imposter syndrome has evolved. Link to printable shownotes:https://www.talkabouttalk.com/podcasts/#shownotes CONTENTS Summary Resources Transcript SUMMARY DEFINITION of IMPOSTER SYNDROME Psychologists Pauline Rose Clance and Suzanne … Read More
MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT INTROVERTS & EXTROVERTS Last week we defined INTROVERT, EXTROVERT, and AMBIVERT. This week we cover common misconceptions about these terms. We already covered the first of our 3 misconceptions: We’re all one or the other, an introvert or an extrovert. NOPE! As I mentioned last week, it’s a continuous scale. In fact, most of us are in the … Read More
“Are you an INTROVERT or an EXTROVERT?” This introvert or extrovert Q is question #3 of the five rapid-fire questions that I ask Talk About Talk podcast guests: What are your pet peeves? What type of learner are you? Introvert or extrovert? What’s your media preference for personal conversations? What podcasts or email newsletters do … Read More
Introvert or extrovert – which one are you? Learn 3 common misconceptions about the introvert/extrovert scale and how to leverage this personality dimension to help you manage your energy and your relationships with others. Link to printable shownotes: https://www.talkabouttalk.com/podcasts/#shownotes CONTENTS Summary Resources Transcript SUMMARY Image: Unsplash @liydanada DEFINITION of INTROVERTS vs EXTROVERTS INTROVERTS are … Read More
IMPLICIT COMMUNICATION & YOUR PERSONAL BRAND We can think of communicating our PERSONAL BRAND both EXPLICITLY and IMPLICITLY: EXPLICIT as in the words. Overt, direct, unambiguous messages. This includes your resume and how you introduce yourself. IMPLICIT as in signalling or sending queues. This is less direct, but critically important communication, as in your body language, your style, and lots more… … Read More
Personal branding is more than just the words we say about ourselves. Learn to reinforce your personal brand through consistent implicit communication, ranging from your personal style, possessions, affiliations, how you show up for meetings, and more. Find your printable “Personal Branding Checklist” HERE (ep.77) CONTENTS Your Personal Branding Checklist Resources YOUR CHECKLIST: Reinforcing … Read More
PERSONALITY TESTS Let’s talk about personality tests. This week it’s all about YOU! As in your individual, unique, very own PERSONALITY… (image: Unsplash @ georgeprentzas) I know this is a popular topic. We are intrinsically wired to seek to understand and learn about ourselves. PERSONALITY is one of the most searched terms on the TalkAboutTalk.com website! … Read More
GENDER DIFFERENCES IN COMMUNICATION Certainly, gender differences exist: “Men are direct. Women are emotional….” “Men are from Mars, women are from Venus.” You’ve probably heard the comments and perhaps you’ve witnessed differences between how men and women talk. Recently a few people asked me about the differences between how men and women communicate. Like you, I’ve … Read More
Top 3 lists from Andrea and Talk About Talk, including the top 3 Talk About Talk podcast episodes and newsletters, Andrea’s favorite podcasts, plus communication insights from 2020 and focus areas for 2021. Printable shownotes with links: https://talkabouttalk.com/podcasts/#shownotes CONTENTS • Summary & Resources • Transcript SUMMARY & RESOURCES Top 3 most downloaded Talk About Talk … Read More
This week we focus on another aspect of our personal and professional IDENTITY: our NAME! Over the past month we’ve covered ARCHETYPES 101, ARCHETYPES & FEMALE POP STARS, and PERSONALITY. Are you getting the theme here? It’s all about IDENTITY. What does YOUR NAME say about you? Read on to learn: What your name means How our names affect us … Read More
Let’s talk PERSONALITY. Are you a leader? A risk-taker? Funny? Charismatic? Read on to learn about: Personality Tests Can We Change Our Personality? Brand Personality This concept of personalities is closely related to ARCHETYPES. Have you listened to last week’s podcast ? on ARCHETYPES? If yes, let me know what you think! If you haven’t listened yet, think of this short (23min) ?episode as your “Archetypes 101” … Read More
This week we focus on the Introvert/Extravert scale. When I asked Dr. Nadine Kelly, the guest expert from last week’s podcast, “Are you an Introvert or an Extravert?”, she said, “I think a good solid mix of both. I used to think I wasn’t extraverted but I don’t think you can be a podcaster and … Read More
This week we’re talking about a topic that was suggested by several of you: “How to Deal with Difficult People.” You know – the difficult ones, the grumpy guy, the trolls, the “NO man,” the toxic-types… You can skim this short email or click the links to learn more. Let’s do this… The Podcast: “How to deal … Read More
Working with difficult or negative people can be stressful. Learn reasons why people act so negatively and what you can do about it. Human Resources expert Tamara Finlay suggests diagnosing the issue using the SCARF model, then shares specific Do’s and Do-Not’s, depending on whether it is your peer, your subordinate or your boss. ?Printable … Read More
This week – it’s all about being FUNNY… I know I’m not very funny. Maybe I can be clever sometimes – maybe. But I would like to be funnier. And I love comedy! Let’s do this! ? PODCAST #22: FUNNY TALK with stand-up comedian & business school professor Hillary Anger Elfenbein So in this podcast episode, we learn some … Read More
Yes, you can learn to be funny! Do you appreciate humour? Do you ever imagine what it’s like to be on the stand-up comedy stage? Listen as stand-up comedian Hillary Anger Elfenbein (also a fully tenured business school professor) shares her insights on learning comedy, and compares that experience to her experience teaching in the … Read More
I hope you had a great week! Based on last week’s blog & featured podcast (“Artificial Intelligence”) – Did you ask your virtual assistant any of the 10 entertaining Qs? ?? For the record, YES, we have tried all of these Qs (and more) in the Wojnicki household. Nerds in paradise, I say! In this week’s … Read More
What’s your personal style? Carolyn Quinn, executive director of Toronto Fashion Week provides us with insights on fashion trends, environmental sustainability in the fashion industry, and tips on purchasing clothing and pulling together a great outfit! SHOWNOTES Contents 3 Key Learnings References & Links Andrea’s Commentary Interview Transcript Conclusion 3 Key Learnings Two main themes: … Read More
I hope you had a great week. Based on last week’s blog – Have you taken opera-singer Bradley Christensen’s advice and used your “inner smile”? Have you ceased all whispering? Personally, I have been saving my podcasting voice by whistling for my kids’ sports teams! In this week’s TalkAboutTalk email blog, we talk and learn about Siblings, Birth … Read More
Are you the bossy eldest? The troubled middle child? The baby of the family? Or an only child? Does your personality fit with your birth order stereotype? What about your kids? Listen as Dr. Andrea and her brother, musician and sound producer Brian Campbell, talk about birth order effects, how the stereotypes fit with their … Read More
This week we Talk About COLOUR – colour theory, trends, how we communicate with it, five fascinating facts, colour of the year, and quotes! (you can skim this blog or click on the many LINKS to learn more) ?FIRST – THE PODCAST For this week’s podcast focusing on COLOUR, I interview three talented guest experts whose careers all … Read More
What are you saying with the colours you wear? How do the colours on your walls affect you? Learn about how colours affect our moods and perceptions, our purchase decisions, and even our level of aggression. Listen as Dr. Andrea and the three experts she interviews (quilting store owner Daryl Aitken, decorator Jenn Purkis, and … Read More
This week we Talk About BRANDS (your personal brand, brand management frameworks & the top brands!) ?FIRST – THE PODCAST For this week’s podcast, I had the privilege of interviewing CEO and team performance expert Michael Boydell. Sounds intimidating, right? But Michael is very down-to-earth and honest–AUTHENTIC. He describes several exercises that anyone can run through … Read More
Are you actively managing your professional and personal brand? Can brand management frameworks help us manage our own careers? CEO & team performance expert Michael Boydell suggests we start with a blank sheet of paper. If it feels uncomfortable, we’re on the right track! Ask yourself: Where & with whom am I most joyful? What … Read More
