Soft Skills Salon
Welcome to the Soft Skills Salon: an audible think-tank on soft skills with your host, Diana Kawarsky. This podcast is where you learn how soft skills make a difference to your work, your teams, and your organization. Here, you will listen to international and diverse voices, both novices and experts, discussing their real-life perspectives, strategies, and insights. Learn how, when, and where our guests have experienced soft skills having a positive impact on-the-job. Each episode is a conversation based on our Soft Skills Impact Questionnaire. Join us for a dynamic and informative chat because “Conversation is the Currency of Communication”.
Episodes
35 episodes since 2022
Building trust and rapport in a hybrid work environment with Renée Walkom
In this episode of the Soft Skills Salon podcast, host Diana Kawarsky and guest Renée Walkom, COO at Foxquilt, discuss the evolution of soft skills in...
June 05, 2024
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Episode 35
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39:36
Mastering self-confidence techniques for overcoming doubt with Michael Teape
In this podcast episode of the Soft Skills Salon, host Diana Kawarsky talks with Michael Teape, the co-founder and lead trainer of
March 20, 2024
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Episode 34
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37:02
The secret sauce for surviving office drama with Keren Castelli
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 workpla...
January 25, 2024
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Episode 33
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35:54
Strategies for fostering teamwork and boosting confidence with Shoko Masuda
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, infl...
January 11, 2024
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Episode 32
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36:35
The most effective ways to support and empower your team with Dr. Chaz Austin
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 understandi...
November 23, 2023
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Episode 31
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38:15
The most effective strategies for building confidence in your career with Billy Anderson
In this Soft Skills Salon podcast episode, host Diana Kawarsky talks with speaker, leadership coach, and author Billy Anderson founder of The Courage...
November 09, 2023
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Episode 30
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40:02
Exploring the power of soft skills and toys with Ilana Ben-Ari
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 th...
October 17, 2023
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Episode 29
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44:03
Why Annual Performance Reviews and Engagement Surveys Fall Short in Building Confidence with Dan Pontefract
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 w...
September 19, 2023
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Episode 28
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39:18
The secret sauce to winning friends and influencing people in the workplace with Alan Middleton
In this episode, host Diana Kawarsky speaks with Alan Middleton, an independent author, speaker, and consultant with Sage Management Advi...
September 12, 2023
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Episode 27
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45:21
Unleashing the power of conversations: transforming teams and organizations with Douglas Squirrel
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 t...
July 11, 2023
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Episode 26
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41:31
Challenging traditional notions of soft skills and leadership with Stephen Shedletzky
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 impo...
June 12, 2023
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Episode 25
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44:18
The power of emotional batteries and positive curiosity with Steve “Mr. Pineapple” Mathieu
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 d...
June 05, 2023
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Episode 24
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40:01
The power of asking questions in leadership and team building with David Chapman
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-dri...
May 29, 2023
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Episode 23
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35:37
The evolution of authenticity: A key trait for today's leaders with Garima Gupta
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 of...
April 17, 2023
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Episode 22
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34:50
The importance of empathy, leadership and assertiveness in policing with Lorelle Luciuk
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 a...
March 20, 2023
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Episode 21
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35:59
Unlocking the power of empathy through storytelling with Marsha Shandur
In this episode, we are joined by Marsha Shandur, a storytelling, communication and sales coach and trainer who founded Yes Yes Marsha, a company t...
February 24, 2023
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Episode 20
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36:02
Confidence and accountability with Audley Bell
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...
February 17, 2023
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Episode 19
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34:58
Finding clarity through listening with Cian Donnelly
In this episode, we are joined by Cian Donnelly, who, among many things, is the founder of Diamond Dog Coaching, a company...
February 10, 2023
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Episode 18
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44:28
Self-awareness, leadership and teamwork with Una Wright
In this episode, we are joined by Una Wright, the founder and executive director of YouthSpeak, an organization promoting mental health and well-...
December 21, 2022
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Episode 17
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37:45
Being assertive and confident with Kelly Shannon
In this episode, we are joined by Kelly Shannon, an executive coach and development strategist for female leaders. Kelly is the founder of Wome...
December 14, 2022
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Episode 16
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40:01
Feedback and employee empowerment with Dr. Konstantin Tskhay
In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Konstantin Tskhay, the Vice President of Organizational Effectiveness at Top Hat, an online teaching platform headq...
November 23, 2022
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Episode 15
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47:50
Soft skills and students with Albina Mamonkina
In this episode, we are joined by Albina Mamonkina, an inquisitive and hardworking student currently completing the
November 02, 2022
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Episode 14
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43:56
Soft skills and the holistic approach with Dr. Jenny Brockis
In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Jenny Brockis, an award-winning speaker, best-selling author, medical practitioner, and board-certified lifestyle-medicine physician located in Perth, Australia. Dia...
October 26, 2022
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Episode 13
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51:07