Speak Up & Lead with Sahar Mandi

To continue last week's conversation on introversion, this week, I dive into the simple two-step process I use to manage my  energy levels in order to be the social butterlfy my business requires me to be.

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For a direct link to this episode, visit saharmandi.com/episode36

You can also find and subscribe to Speak Up & Lead on iTunes, Spotify, GooglePodcasts, Stitcher, and iHeartRadio.

There is a lot of talk about what it means to be an introvert and with that comes a lot of false assumptions.

In this episode, I dive into what it actually means to be an introvert and how we can overcome the limiting beliefs we assign ourselves to make sense of our introversion.

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For a direct link to this episode, visit saharmandi.com/episode35

You can also find and subscribe to Speak Up & Lead on iTunes, Spotify, GooglePodcasts, Stitcher, and iHeartRadio.

Last week, I missed my weekly episode upload and I came down pretty harshly on myself for it.

Luckily, a pre-scheduled therapy session gave me a more nuanced understanding of self-compassion so I could apply the same care I show other people to myself as well.

In this episode, I share my new learnings on self-compassion with you. If you want to evaluate your own level of self-compassion, you can use this widely-accepted scale:

The following statements describe how you act toward yourself in difficult times. To the left of each, indicate how often you behave in the stated manner on a scale of 1 to 5.

For the first set of statements, use the following scale:

Almost                                                 Almost
Never                                                   Always
1              2              3              4              5

____ I try to be understanding and patient toward those aspects of my personality I don't like.

____ When something painful happens, I try to take a balanced view of the situation.

____ I try to see my failings as part of the human condition.

____ When I'm going through a very hard time, I give myself the caring and tenderness I need.

____ When something upsets me, I try to keep my emotions in balance.

____ When I feel inadequate in some way, I try to remind myself that feelings of inadequacy are shred by most people.

For the next set of items, use the following scale (notice the endpoints of the scale are reversed from those above).

Almost                                                 Almost
Always                                                Never
1              2              3              4              5

____ When I fail at something important to me, I become consumed by feelings of inadequecy.

____ When i'm feeling down, I tend to feel like most other people are probably happier than I am.

____ When I fail at something that's important to me, I tend to feel alone in my failure.

____ When I'm feeling down, I tend to obsess and fixate on everything that's wrong.

____ I'm disapproving and judgmental about my own flaws and inadequacies.

____ I'm intolerant and impatient toward those aspects of my personality I don't like.

How to score your test: Total your 12 statement scores and divide it by 12

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For a direct link to this episode, visit saharmandi.com/episode34

You can also find and subscribe to Speak Up & Lead on iTunes, Spotify, GooglePodcasts, Stitcher, and iHeartRadio.

In this episode, I am excited to sit down with Adrienne Dinkelacker, who is the older sister of Loreen Dinkelacker from episode 27!

In addition to being a seasoned recruiter, Adrienne is also a certified coach who has been leading meditation practices for the past 5 years. Together, we discuss key strategies candidates can implement to manage their stress and reduce their anxiety, so they can show up as the best versions of themselves throughout the interview process.

You can find and connect with Adrienne via email or Instagram. You can also learn more about her recruiting firm and the many services they offer job-seekers at theatlasgroup.co

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For a direct link to this episode, visit saharmandi.com/episode33

You can also find and subscribe to Speak Up & Lead on iTunes, Spotify, GooglePodcasts, Stitcher, and iHeartRadio.

The past few episodes have been heavily focused on how we can overcome our fears and thoughts of self-doubt so that we can speak up confidently in front of our peers. But why is speaking up such an important skill in the first place?

There are two big reasons why speaking up is directly tied to the level of success we experience in our career — and that's what we explore together in this episode.

If you'd like to join Nawal and me in our 4-week course dedicated to making you an all-around better communicator, Sunday, September 20, 2020 is your last chance to register. Please visit saharandnawal.teachable.com to learn more and to enroll.

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For a direct link to this episode, visit saharmandi.com/episode32

You can also find and subscribe to Speak Up & Lead on iTunes, Spotify, GooglePodcasts, Stitcher, and iHeartRadio.

As an addendum to last week's episode, I invited Nawal Mustafa (aka @thebraincoach) onto the show this week to continue our discussion around confidence.

Nawal has a B.Sc. in Behavior, Cognition and Neuroscience and an M.A. in Clinical Neuropsychology. Currently, she is a PhD candidate and does research in the area of psycholinguistics – how humans process language in their brain.

To learn more about a 4-week program we put together, to specifically help you become a more confident, assertive, and powerful communicator, visit saharandnawal.teachable.com. Please note, registration is only open until September 20, 2020.

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For a direct link to this episode, visit saharmandi.com/episode31

You can also find and subscribe to Speak Up & Lead on iTunes, Spotify, GooglePodcasts, Stitcher, and iHeartRadio.

In this episode, I share an audio clip from Nawal Mustafa, who is a neuroscientists PhD candidate working on becoming a clinical psychologist. In it, she shares some simple and effective strategies for boosting your confidence when you feel nervous or anxious to speak.

Nawal and I did a joint webinar together all about how to be a more effective communicator and combat self-doubt. This audio clip is part of what Nawal discusses during this virtual event.

To watch our full webinar, please visit saharandnawal.teachable.com. Please note, this  replay will only be available until September 13, 2020.

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For a direct link to this episode, visit saharmandi.com/episode30

You can also find and subscribe to Speak Up & Lead on iTunes, Spotify, GooglePodcasts, Stitcher, and iHeartRadio.

In this episode, I sit down with licensed therapist, executive coach, and founder of Run Walk Talk, Sepideh Saremi to discuss the pivotal role mental health plays in determining our success at work.

Tune in for an insightful conversation around:

• How to instantly boost your mood + maintain that feeling throughout the day
• How we may be harming our mental well-being by unconsciously engaging in very common everyday habits
• How to incorporate rest as part of "the grind" (and not feel guilty about it!)
• Tips on managing our inner critic and navigating Impostor Syndrome
• A deep dive into how to work through and process difficult emotions
• Ways to adopt and benefit from self-compassion

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For a direct link to this episode, visit saharmandi.com/episode29

You can also find and subscribe to Speak Up & Lead on iTunes, Spotify, GooglePodcasts, Stitcher, and iHeartRadio.

A question I get all the time is whether or not I can help someone get rid of their accent. 

Many people think their accent makes others not like them... or not take them as seriously... or not want to listen to them.

Some even think their accent prevents them from becoming good public speakers. 

But the truth is — none of the above is your accent's fault. 

In this episode, I share 4 perspectives on your accent that you may not have considered before. These "thought nuggets" could help you feel more confident in your accent, and make your connections so much more genuine as a result.

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For a direct link to episode #2 all about how to not care what others think about you, visit saharmandi.com/episode2

For a direct link to this episode, visit saharmandi.com/episode28

You can also find and subscribe to Speak Up & Lead on iTunes, Spotify, GooglePodcasts, Stitcher, and iHeartRadio.

In this special Ask A Recruiter episode, I sit down with seasoned tech recruiter, Loreen Dinkelacker, to get her insights and advice on every step of the interview process.

Together, we explore:

Pre-Interview

• How to best position yourself as a candidate to get noticed by recruiters
• Tips on crafting a resume that stands out and tells a story
• Whether or not cover letters are needed (and if recruiters even look at them!)
• If you should apply for a job that you only partially qualify for 

During Interview

• What to expect when interviewing with the recruiter v. human resources v. the tech team v. the CTO/CEO (and how to best prep for each)
• How to avoid unusual mistakes during a video interview

Post-Interview

• The correct etiquette and best strategies on sending thank you notes
• How soon to follow-up on a position you've interviewed for
• How to approach discussions around compensation & negotiation

Tune in for an in depth behind-the-scenes look at the hiring process. This episode is jam packed with valuable information from a recruiter's unique point-of-view.

You can find and connect with Loreen on LinkedIn and Instagram. You can also learn more about her recruiting firm and the many services they offer job-seekers at theatlasgroup.co

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For a direct link to this episode, visit saharmandi.com/episode27

You can also find and subscribe to Speak Up & Lead on iTunes, Spotify, GooglePodcasts, Stitcher, and iHeartRadio.