The COVID-19 Pandemic has shifted online public speaking to the focus. Many of us breathe a sigh of relief as the anxieties of speaking in front of an in-person audience are dissipated. No more stage fright, no more terrifying eye contact and no more bored faces to distract or intimidate us. Phew! But does...
READ MOREHow to use university services to advance your professional network connections
Back in my school days, students were often told, “Study hard: good employment will eventually come following good academic results.” As an international student on scholarship, I held on to that belief strongly until the graduation of my undergrad degree. Unfortunately, the top results on the academic transcript did not make it any easier...
READ MOREStorytelling: How not to kill your audience by death of PowerPoint
If 2020/2021 has taught us anything it is that we can’t leave our private lives outside the door. We are whole human beings, not corporate robots. We lead complex and often messy lives, and we have stories to share. Every single one of us. So why do we create presentations as if we were...
READ MOREHow to write a professional email with a great message and a nice tone
You are sitting in front of your computer screen thinking about how you will respond to a recent email that you received from your boss or even your coworker. You are a bit upset regarding the email that you’ve just received. You want to respond; in fact, you want to respond in ALL CAPS,...
READ MORETwo tips on how to be successful in online learning environments
As a result of the pandemic, learners were forced to transition their learning to online formats. However, online learning is not the preferred mode of learning for many students, especially from various cultural backgrounds. Although there were challenges faced with moving classes to fully online formats, several gains made from this mode of instruction...
READ MOREDon’t fake it till you make it – Confidence tips from an actor
What is the secret to being truly self-confident? And what can a professional actor of over twenty years tell you that is different from what you would get somewhere else? You’re probably reading this and thinking to yourself. “I don’t need tips about confidence. I’m already a confident person.” And you’re probably right. At...
READ MOREHow to lead when you hate small talk
People often wonder if leaders are born or developed. But, as a former Golden Key Chapter President and long-time leader in a national professional development organization, rest assured: leadership skills can be developed. One of the primary leadership skills to hone is communications, specifically small talk. Yes, public speaking is a common phobia, but...
READ MOREPregnancy and the workplace
How two words will change everything at work for you… For many professional women finding out they’re pregnant provides mixed feelings. Delight that you are about to become a mum but also shear dread as you know your world is about to change in more ways than one. As soon as the words “I’m...
READ MORETreating all conversations like an interview
Early in my career planning stage, I would watch Law films, several news channels and listen attentively to radio interviews as a family. At no point in this learning experience did I understand the importance of communication until I took up an opportunity to be a debutant for the Cancer Association for South Africa...
READ MOREPink Flags: The ignored flags in relationships
We hear the phrase “watch out for the red flags” all the time. Now, recognizing red flags is important, but usually, once we recognize red flags, it is already unhealthy—maybe even toxic. Something I rarely hear people talk about is pink flags. Pink flags are very similar to red flags with one big difference:...
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