How do you feel about Q&A sessions? I’m referring to YOU being in front of a room, answering questions from the audience. Do you dread the Q&A? I realize I am an anomaly here, but I love being on the firing line of a Q&A! I never know what someone’s going to ask. It’s so … Read More
Andrea answers nine communication skills questions from Talk About Talk listeners, including how to deal with negative people, how to network when you’re working from home, gender differences in communication, and more. Resources: “Smart Brevity” book by Jim VandeHei, Mike Allen & Roy Schwartz “Your Brain at Work” by Dr. David Rock (S.C.A.R.F. model) … Read More
Thank you to everyone who voted on our podcast cover art options. YOU are the first to see it! Here’s the new Talk About Talk cover art: Slowly, you’ll see this cover art rolled out on Apple, Spotify, other podcast players, the Talk About Talk website, and everywhere… Now I have another question for you. … Read More
Power is everyone’s business. In this episode, Andrea interviews Professor Tiziana Casciaro, author of POWER FOR ALL. Learn 3 fallacies or misconceptions we commonly believe about power, how we perceive power, and how we communicate or signal power. Power For All Book: Audible Paperback Tiziana’s Top 3 Podcasts: The Ezra Klein Show Science Vs … Read More
Almost immediately after last week’s communication newsletter went out (focused on what the research says about interruptions), “Sue” emailed me: Hi Andrea – I could really relate to this topic….so interesting that it occurs in business and in personal relationships. Why is it that those who interrupt seem to be so oblivious to how frequently … Read More
Andrea shares what the research says about interruptions, how to respond to being interrupted, and advice for how you can effectively interrupt. (REPOSTED DUE TO UPLOADING ISSUE) Resources Sally Farley “Nonverbal Reactions to Conversational Interruptions” (2010) Connect with Andrea & Talk About Talk: Website: TalkAboutTalk.com LinkedIn: Andrea and TalkAboutTalk Weekly Communication Skills Newsletter: https://talkabouttalk.com/blog/#newsletter-signup … Read More
Someone tapping your shoulder. A notification chiming on your phone. The crash of thunder. What do these have in common? They’re all INTERRUPTIONS. Interruptions are often annoying and unproductive. Are you ready to talk interruptions? 3 things to Talk About this week: 1. Not all interruptions are created equal 2. What the research says about interruptions 3. … Read More
Andrea shares what the research says about interruptions, how to respond to being interrupted, and advice for how you can effectively interrupt. Resources Sally Farley “Nonverbal Reactions to Conversational Interruptions” (2010) Connect with Andrea & Talk About Talk: Website: TalkAboutTalk.com LinkedIn: Andrea and TalkAboutTalk Weekly Communication Skills Newsletter: https://talkabouttalk.com/blog/#newsletter-signup YouTube Channel: @talkabouttalkyoutube TRANSCRIPT Wow. Do … Read More
In this BONUS episode released on #BellLetsTalk Day, Nicole German, founder of The Maddie Project, shares her experience and thoughtful advice to parents, family members, coaches, teachers, anyone who interacts with youth. Youth mental health concerns such as anxiety and depression are common. We need to step-it-up with awareness, empathy, and advocacy. “Anything we can … Read More
Andrea shares best practices for texting, email, phone, virtual and in-person meetings. This is beyond the basics! Of course, you need to be courteous and punctual. These tips will elevate your communication effectiveness across various media. RESOURCES “COMMUNICATION MEDIA: Which medium is best for your message?” PODCAST EPISODE: https://talkabouttalk.com/118-which-medium Talk About Talk Website: TalkAboutTalk.com … Read More
Do you know when to text versus email versus pick up the phone? What about virtual versus face-to-face meetings? Andrea encourages you to think beyond your default media and consider the WHO, the WHAT and the WHY when choosing the ideal communication medium. RESOURCES “MEDIA” or “MEDIUM”? https://grammarist.com/usage/media-mediums/ Dr. Andrea Wojnicki & Talk About … Read More
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
When it comes to our professional lives, the difference between advancing in our careers or feeling stuck often comes down to one thing: our COMMUNICATION SKILLS. Whether your goal is to land a new role at a new company, be considered for a promotion, or to flourish in your current role, communicating effectively is key. Image by abluecup … Read More
NETWORKS: We all want a strong network, but most of us hate networking. Jamie Millar of SkyBridge shares tips for building a strong network, options for how to curate your LinkedIn connections, and why we should distinguish between networks and networking. RESOURCES James Millar LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie-millar-3033/ SkyBridge & Associates – https://skybridge.associates/ Newsletter Recommendations: … 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. RESOURCES Introvert vs Extrovert INC magazine – https://www.inc.com/melanie-curtin/are-you-shy-or-introverted-science-says-this-is-1-primary-difference.html Forbes – https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffboss/2015/09/10/6-facts-you-should-know-about-introverts-that-have-significant-leadership-implications/#390621e2182d FastCompany – https://www.fastcompany.com/90232763/5-things-youre-getting-wrong-about-extroverts “QUIET: The Power of Introverts in a … Read More
The Secret to Successful Networking Successful networking is not sales-y or awkward. I have a confession: Until recently, the notion of NETWORKING made me cringe. Networking is sales-y. Selfish. Awkward. Right? image unsplash @ neonbrand WRONG. Last year I interviewed executive recruiter Sharon Mah-Gin about NETWORKING. That episode quickly became the most downloaded Talk About Talk episode! … 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
On the tension of PERSONAL BRANDS: There’s a real tension here: Do you bring your whole self to work? How can we be authentic without sharing TMI (too much information)? How can we be transparent without appearing unprofessional? image: Unsplash @ loicleray Read on to learn: why navigating this authenticity-TMI tension might be easier for … Read More
How can we be authentic without sharing TMI (too much information)? How can we be transparent, bring our “whole selves” to work, without appearing unprofessional? Copywriter and messaging strategist Tom Megginson encourages us to be authentic, but focus on our audience. Code-switching and filtering are two ways to maintain authenticity without compromising professionalism. RESOURCES … Read More
These days, we’re all NETWORKING ONLINE. Read on to learn: general networking advice reasons you should be optimistic how to approach people when you’re networking online tips for following up with people when you’re networking online Let’s do this! ? THE PODCAST For this timely podcast, I interviewed Sharon via Zoom. Sharon has so much positive energy! Sharon … Read More
Online networking is the only networking these days! Executive recruiter Sharon-Mah-Gin shares advice on how to approach people when networking online, how to follow-up, as well as general networking advice. There are many reasons to be optimistic! Just remember: “With true networking, it’s really not about you. It’s really about building relationships with like-minded people. … Read More
On GIVING as a means of communication – It’s the season of GIVING! Have you ever considered: GIVING = COMMUNICATING We say a lot when we give gifts, advice, compliments,… Think about the implicit communication associated with what we give, to whom, and how. Read on to learn: 5 different ways we give (beyond gift-giving) what science says about giving 3 ways to … Read More
This week we focus on two specific leadership contexts, CRISIS LEADERSHIP and leading VIRTUAL TEAMS. How’s that for timely? Whether you’re managing a corporation, leading a project, coaching a sports team, or parenting your children, chances are you can improve your leadership effectiveness. ? The Podcast: CRISIS LEADERSHIP & VIRTUAL TEAMS Executive coach Heather Stark is back to … Read More
Are you leading a virtual team? Learn how to lead a virtual team and excel in a crisis. During a crisis, everything is magnified, including leadership skills. Executive coach Heather Stark shares her “5C’s of creating a virtual culture” framework to help leaders navigate and excel in the new normal. (This is part 2 of … Read More
This week it’s all about LEADERSHIP. My Dad always had a sign on his desk that said, “LEAD, FOLLOW or GET OUT OF THE WAY.” It’s not quite clear who said this first, but we all need to know our role, right? If you ever play the role of LEADER, this blog is for you. … Read More
Effective leaders are effective communicators. Executive coach Heather Stark shares how to improve our communication skills and why leaders need to be good listeners, authentic, proactive, inclusive, intentional and mindful. REFERENCES & LINKS Heather Stark & Stark Coaching Email – heather@heatherstarkcoaching.com LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/heatherestark/ Recommendations Berkeley Greater Good – https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/ Laurie Santos & The … Read More
Recently I had the privilege of interviewing an academic researcher about an important communication-related topic: EMOTIONAL EXPRESSIONS. So I’ve got your head ? and your heart ?covered this week. Unfortunately for some people, expressing certain emotions may be taboo. But have you noticed that people (including political leaders) are slowly starting to express their emotions … Read More
Managing our emotional expressions is critical to effective communication. Emotions researcher Tatiana Astray helps us optimize our relationships and negotiation outcomes by taking responsibility for our emotional expressions. Learn about the difference between feelings and emotions, why we should express enthusiasm, how to manage negative emotions, and all about the positivity ratio. REFERENCES & LINKS … Read More
This podcast ?episode is focused on ONLINE LEARNING and COMMUNICATING WITH OUR CHILDREN and specifically our role as parents or guardians in our children’s education. We are very fortunate to have learning strategist & parenting coach Kimberley Acres with us for this episode. Kimberley is a career educator who has worked with students around the globe, be it in the … Read More
Learning strategist & parenting coach Kimberley Acres helps us in this time of physical distancing and online schooling with parenting philosophies and online learning tactics, including optimizing our children’s workspace, setting boundaries, and celebrating! REFERENCES & LINKS Kimberley Acres LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberley-acres-1793a0104/ Email – kjacoaching@gmail.com Books & Resources The Journey of the Heroic Parent … Read More
Are you good at networking? Executive recruiter Sharon Mah-Gin shares her advice on how to be a better networker, including why it’s critical to attend events, how to thrive at small talk, how to leverage LinkedIn, and the ideal networking mindset. References & Links Sharon Mah-Gin LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharonmahgin/ Executive Search Alliance – http://www.execsearchalliance.com/ … Read More
Do you know how to be a good networker? I remember when I was in business school, I kept hearing how we all need to become a “good networker.“ What exactly does that mean? Coincidentally, my personal New Years resolution for 2020 is to “get out there with real people in real life.” Apparently, that … Read More
This week I thought we would focus on “the Generations.” Is it just me or are we all talking about “the generations” lately? I keep hearing complaints about “Millennials,” and then there’s the “OK Boomer” thing… Given this cultural discourse, I thought we could all use a generational primer…. Let’s do this! To Which GENERATION Do YOU … Read More
This week we focus on TELLING OUR STORY – as in writing fiction and non-fiction, the power of metaphors, talking to the media, and why we all need a personal 60-second infomercial! Let’s do this! ? This Week’s Podcast: TELLING YOUR STORY I just released this week’s ?podcast, focused on TELLING YOUR STORY with best-selling author, consultant and … Read More
Do you know how to tell your story effectively? The story you tell could be at work in conversation with your boss, in a job interview, or perhaps you seek to write a novel? Best-selling author and legal veteran Norman Bacal shares how stories are impactful because they connect us through our emotions and life … Read More
Listen here… I hope you had a good week. Did you have a chance to INTRODUCE anyone – using the skills we learned about last week? This week’s newsletter theme and ?podcast is on LISTENING. I can’t wait to introduce you to our guest expert – author, consultant, and legal veteran Norman Bacal. But before we get … Read More
Listen, as Norman Bacal, author, consultant, and 35 year legal veteran, shares his insights and stories about how active listening can help you not only learn, but also improve your relationships with co-workers, clients, family, and friends. You will learn strategies for active listening, including the ideal mindset for listening, what to project, how narcissists are … Read More
On saying thank you! Did you have a chance to listen to last week’s podcast on GIFT-GIVING yet? If not, I encourage you to do so – especially in this season of giving. Are YOU a good gift-giver? Whether we are conscious of it or not, the gifts we give symbolically communicate things about ourselves, … Read More
Hello Talkers! It’s that time of year… ? Regardless of whether you celebrate Christmas, we communicate a lot with our gifts, don’t we? Here’s a Q: How confident are you with your gift-giving? In this email, you’ll get help with both: GIFT-GIVING and CONFIDENCE ! You can skim this email or click on the links to earn more. Let’s do this! … Read More
Gift-giving is a highly symbolic form of communication. Are you a good gift giver? In this podcast you will learn how to think about gift-giving more rationally, with research-based tips about what matters and what doesn’t. Here’s a hint: We should worry less about how much money we spend. It’s typically the “low substance, high … Read More
It’s November! I hope you enjoyed the extra daylight-savings hour last weekend! ⏰ Did you have a chance to listen to last week’s podcast ?TALKING MONEY? If yes, had you had any conversations with your parents or your partner or your children about money? Thanks to guest expert Kelly Harper for sharing her advice to make … Read More
Youth mental health concerns such as anxiety and depression are common. Nicole German, founder of The Maddie Project, shares her experience and thoughtful advice to parents, family members, coaches, teachers, anyone who interacts with youth. We need to step-it-up with awareness, empathy, and advocacy. “Anything we can do is goodness.” Doing little things and doing … Read More
Happy Halloween!!! This week we’re talking about a very spooky topic: MONEY! ? You can skim this short email or click the links to learn more. Let’s do this… ? The Podcast: “Let’s Talk About MONEY with Kelly Harper” Andrea & Kelly For this week’s ?podcast episode focused on “TALKING MONEY,” I interviewed Kelly Harper, an … Read More
Why is it so difficult to talk about money? Does your family have a budget? Do you have an updated will? What about a power of attorney? Listen and learn as experience strategist Kelly Harper shares strategies for talking to your partner, your parents, your children and your friends about money. PODCAST: https://talkabouttalk.com/35-money References & Links … Read More
Positive self-talk can make you healthier, happier, and more successful! Tosca Reno, Eat Clean founder and master wellness coach shares her advice for positive self-talk, including the Three Es of Wellness (Eat Clean, Exercise and Emotional self-care), her rituals, her mantras, and even her tattoos! References & Links Tosca Reno WEBSITE – ToscaReno.com FACEBOOK … Read More
Here we are with the 3rd & final episode in our Talk About Talk ? series on SELF-TALK: (Self-Talk 1of3 Ep.25) – Two weeks ago, we focused on BUILDING RESILIENCE with Tosca Reno (Self-Talk 2of3 Ep.26) – Last week I summarized some research on SELF-TALK & 5 MINDSETS we should seek to adopt (Self-Talk 3of3 Ep.27) – This week, Tosca Reno is back with us, with POSITIVE SELF-TALK … Read More
I hope you had a chance to listen to episode #25: “BUILDING RESILIENCE: Sets & Reps – with Eat Clean founder & master wellness coach Tosca Reno! A few of you told me that you’ve read her books and even participated in her wellness programs. She is so inspiring, isn’t she? Well GUESS WHAT?!? Tosca … Read More
Self-Talk – we could all be more mindful. Positive self-talk can significantly affect our life satisfaction. Let’s start by adopting five positive mindsets: optimism, perseverance, self-control, focusing on relationships, and being grateful. Then, there are five things we can do right now to improve our self-talk: we can practice gratitude, we can start journaling, we … Read More
I hope you had a great week. Over the past two weeks, we’ve Talked About “Supporting our Grieving Friends” and “Friendships.” This week, we focus on ourselves, and learn about HOW TO TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR. (You can skim this short email or dive in to the many links to learn more!) ? PODCAST #20: HOW TO TALK TO … Read More
Dr. Joshua Tepper, CEO of North York General Hospital, shares advice on how to talk to your doctor, including: come prepared with a list; ask lots of questions; if you’re Googling your symptoms, consider the quality of your sources; and lots more! We have all felt unsure, and some of us have felt awkward around our doctor. Here is … Read More
I hope you had a great week! Following last week’s podcast on “Supporting your GRIEVING Friends,“ I thought we would focus this week’s blog on Talking with our FRIENDS!(You can skim this short email or dive in to the many links to learn more!) ?♀️5 FASCINATING FACTS ABOUT FRIENDSHIP ? TYPES OF FRIENDS ? According to Aristotle, there … Read More
I hope you had a great week! In this week’s Talk About Talk email blog, we talk and learn about HOW TO SUPPORT OUR GRIEVING FRIENDS. (You can skim this short email or dive in to the many links to learn more!) ? PODCAST #19: HOW TO SUPPORT OUR GRIEVING FRIENDS with psychotherapist & grief counsellor Andrea Warnick At the … Read More
Beyond condolences, how can we best support a grieving friend? Grief counsellor Andrea Warnick tells us what to say and do, and what to avoid. For example: yes, use the “D” word; and do not try to “fix” it. The grieving process is not linear. Rather, it is like a squiggly line. So what should … 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 Coaching! ?FIRST – THE PODCAST Getting an hour of Elite Camps founder Stephanie Rudnick‘s time for a podcast interview was a coup. Stephanie agreed to do the interview when our sons were practicing basketball at a high school. We looked for an open classroom in the high school, but alas, the … Read More
Good coaching means effective communication. Elite Camps founder Stephanie Rudnick shares advice about ego, consistency, managing the ups-and-downs, and playing favourites. For parents, we learn about the ill-effects of helicopter parenting and how young athletes prefer to hear about our epic fails. Whether you’re a coach, a teacher, a manager and/or a parent, Stephanie has some … Read More
