





Taboo topics are sacred or prohibited based on morals, religion or social norms. Learn how to respond to taboo topics and the significance of context when it comes to taboos. What’s considered taboo depends on the time in history, the generation, the person, the setting, even the medium. People seem to feel more comfortable reading or listening and less comfortable talking about taboos!

TABOO SUMMARY
DEFINITION of TABOO

* Taboo topics are “unacceptable,” “prohibited,” “disallowed,” and/or “forbidden.”
* Taboos are words or behaviours that are sacred or prohibited based on morals, religion, or norms.


CONTEXT IS KEY FOR TABOOS
What’s considered taboo depends on the time in history, the generation, the person, the setting, even the medium.

* Time in history: Consider how racism evolved from being a taboo topic altogether, to being something that is commonly and explicitly discussed. (Other previously taboo topics: living together or having a child outside of marriage, phone calls after 9pm, girls wearing pants, tattoos, sexuality and particularly LGBTQ+,…)
* Generations & people: Consider what’s sacred to talk to our kids about vs what’s sacred in conversations with our parents.
* The setting: Consider what’s sacred to talk about at work versus what’s sacred in conversations at the dinner table.
* The medium: We might feel more comfortable reading or listening, and less comfortable talking about taboos


20 COMMONLY REFERENCED TABOO TOPICS

* ABORTION
* BODILY FUNCTIONS & EXCREMENT
* CANNIBALISM
* CO-WORKERS
* DEATH & DYING
* FOREIGN POLICY
* GOSSIP
* INCEST
* JOB-CHANGING
* MARITAL ISSUES
* MEDICAL/HEALTH PROBLEMS
* MENTAL HEALTH
* MONEY
* PROFANITY
* POLITICS
* RELIGIOUS BELIEFS
* SALARIES
* SEX & SEXUALITY
* SOMEONE ELSE’S SPOUSE
* SUICIDE


4 RESPONSES TO TABOO TOPICS

* Smile and nod…
* Call it out
* Listen and learn
* Change the subject! 


 

RESOURCES
Talk About Talk Podcast Episodes on Taboo Topics

* Profanity (clean version) – https://www.talkabouttalk.com/23s2-clean-profanity-talking-taboo-with-linguistics-professor-darin-flynn/
* Profanity (explicit version) – https://www.talkabouttalk.com/23s2-explicit-profanity-talking-taboo-with-linguistics-professor-darin-flynn/
* Personal Branding, Authenticity & TMI (taboo topics across the generations) – https://www.talkabouttalk.com/71-personal-branding-authenticity-tmi/
* Youth Mental Health – https://www.talkabouttalk.com/36-youth-mental-health/
* Money – https://www.talkabouttalk.com/35-money/
* Death & Grieving – https://www.talkabouttalk.com/19s2-supporting-our-grieving-friends-with-psychotherapist-grief-counsellor-andrea-warnick/
* Talking to Your Doctor – https://www.talkabouttalk.com/20s2-talking-to-your-doctor-with-north-york-general-hospital-ceo-dr-joshua-tepper/

 

#81 Talking TABOO Topics

Dr. Andrea Wojnicki is a Harvard-educated executive communication coach whose research focuses on interpersonal communication and consumer psychology.   Learn the communication mindsets and tactics that will help you accelerate your career trajectory. Based on her research and guest interviews, Andrea will coach you on topics including: • overcoming imposter syndrome and communicating with confidence  • developing executive presence and leadership skills • communicating with precision • building your personal brand  • how to leverage storytelling  • improving your listening skills  • how to Introduce yourself and more!   Focusing on your COMMUNICATION SKILLS means elevating your confidence, your clarity, your credibility, and ultimately your impact.  Subscribe to the Talk About Talk podcast and don’t forget to sign up for the free communication skills newsletter –  it’s free communication skills coaching in your email inbox!

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Self-Improvement

How can you become your best possible self? Andrea interviews The Possible Self author, Professor Maya Djikic. Learn two false assumptions that will change how you tackle self-improvement, plus, the “Wheel of Self” model that will help you make real change and achieve your goals.
 
MAJA DJIKIC RESOURCES

BOOK: “The Possible Self – A Leader’s Guide to Personal Development” by Professor Maja Djikic – https://amzn.to/4aMBXMJ
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/majaDjikic/
Faculty Page – https://discover.research.utoronto.ca/11970-maja-Djikic
Maja’s Recommendation: Book – “The Body Keeps the Score“ by Bessel van der Kolk MD

CONNECT WITH ANDREA & TALK ABOUT TALK

* LinkedIn Andrea –  https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreawojnicki/
* LinkedIn Talk about Talk – https://www.linkedin.com/company/talkabouttalk/
* Website: TalkAboutTalk.com
Communication Coaching Newsletter:  https://talkabouttalk.com/blog/#newsletter-signup

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@talkabouttalkyoutube/


TRANSCRIPT
At Talk About Talk, we spent a lot of time thinking – and talking – about our strengths and our passions. Particularly when it comes to our respective personal brands. We focus on our strengths and our passions, because these are the things that we want to reinforce. But what about our development areas? Or “”areas of opportunity””? Our – dare I say it – our weaknesses?
Recently I had the privilege of being invited to a book talk at the University of Toronto where Professor Maja Djikic spoke about her new book, called the possible self – a leaders guide to self development. This is a book focused on how to overcome your weaknesses.
It was standing room only, and notably, a significant proportion of the audience was comprised of her faithful and loyal students from various programs at the Rotman school of management at the University of Toronto.
Just a few minutes into professor Djikic talk, I decided I need to interview her for a Talk About Talk podcast episode. And here we are.
In this episode, you’re going to learn, about 2 widely-held false assumptions that many of us hold when it comes to self improvement. You’ll learn what the research tells us, and what Professor Djikic recommends we do instead of relying on these false assumptions. Here’s a hint: she calls it the wheel of self.
Welcome to Talk about Talk podcast episode #157 “Self-Improvement & The Possible Self with Professor Maja Djikic”. In this episode, you’re gonna learn how to step it up in terms of your self improvement efforts.
In case we haven’t met, my name is Dr. Andrea Wojnicki please just call me Andrea. I’m your executive communication coach. I coach executives like you to improve your communication skills so you can communicate with confidence and clarity, establish credibility, and ultimately achieve your career goals. Sound good? If you want to learn more, check out the website, talkabouttalk.com. There are lots and lots of resources for you there. There’s one-on-one coaching, boot camps, online courses, information about corporate workshops… I recognize that people learn in different ways. Are you an auditory learner?

Self-Improvement & The Possible Self with Professor Maja Djikic (ep.157)

There are infinite ways that we can reinforce our professional identity or personal brand. Here are 5 of the most direct and specific ways that you can reinforce your professional identity starting right now. Let’s start with the most direct: (1) your self introduction. There’s also (2) speaking up in meetings, (3) demonstrating thought leadership, (4) mentoring, teaching, and learning, and (5) being active and visible. 
 
 
CONNECT WITH ANDREA & TALK ABOUT TALK

* LinkedIn: 

* Andrea –  https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreawojnicki/
* Talk about Talk – https://www.linkedin.com/company/talkabouttalk/


* Website: TalkAboutTalk.com
Communication Coaching Newsletter:  https://talkabouttalk.com/blog/#newsletter-signup

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@talkabouttalkyoutube/

 

TRANSCRIPT
This episode is going to be a little different from most of the other Talk about Talk podcast episodes that you may have heard. The topic of today’s episode was inspired by a question that I received at a Q&A; question and answer period that I held just earlier this week. This Q&A; was hosted on LinkedIn Live and the topic was establishing your professional identity and your personal brand. Some of my favorite topics right? Let me tell you what this particular question was. The question from one of the viewers was. Andrea. How do I broadcast my brand? Pretty simple question, right? I had an answer immediately and this answer is the truth. It’s my truth and it’s this. I am obsessed. Listing categorizing infinite number. Broadcast. We’re communicating directly through our words and interacting. We’re also communicating constantly online and in person. The number of ways that we broadcast. Looking for something? And that’s when I decided to listen to the podcast episode today. Podcast episode, I’m going to answer the question. I’m gonna share with you 5 specific and significant ways you can reinforce your personal brand or your professional, starting right now. Are you ready? 
Welcome to Talk about Talk Podcast Episode #156 Five ways to reinforce your Professional identity. In case we haven’t met, my name is Doctor Andrea. Wojnicki please just call me. I’m your executive communication. I coach and business executives like you to improve their communication skills so you can communicate with confidence and clarity. Credibility. And then you can create impact, ultimately achieving your career goals. Sound good? If you want to learn more, check out talk about talk.com. I’ve got lots and lots of resources for you there. I’ve got one-on-one coaching. There’s boot camps, information about corporate workshops. Archive of this bi weekly podcast and when you’re there, I really hope to sign up for my Body weekly newsletter. There is an archive of this biweekly podcast, and while you’re at talkabouttalk.com, I really hope you’ll sign up for my e-mail newsletter. That newsletter is your chance to get free communication program from me. Sound good? 
Alright, let’s get into this. Here’s how this episode is going to go. Then I mean a lot on my original answer to this question of how do we broadcast our brand And then I’m going to share with you 5 specific. And significant ways that you can reinforce your personal brand. So we’re going to get a little more actionable here. 
Alright, first defining a personal brand. If you’ve been following the Talk About Talk podcast or receiving ...

5 Ways to Reinforce Your PROFESSIONAL IDENTITY (ep.156)

Gratitude is a communication skill that can build loyalty, serves as a catalyst to connect, and it releases endorphins! Andrea interviews The Currency of Gratitude author Michele Bailey, who shares insights on how to express gratitude in a professional context, how gratitude relates to brand ambassadors, how gratitude relates to reciprocity, whether expressing gratitude makes you sound weak, and some provocative thoughts about work-life balance. 
 
RESOURCES

* BOOK: The Currency Of Gratitude: Turning Small Gestures Into Powerful Business Results by Michele Bailey – https://amzn.to/434Vqpe
* Michele Bailey on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michele-bailey-a111b6a/
* Michele’s agency is BLAZING: https://blazing.agency/
* Recommended podcasts:

* Tim Ferriss – https://tim.blog/podcast/
* Smartless – https://www.smartless.com/
* Happier – https://gretchenrubin.com/podcasts/
* On Purpose – https://www.jayshetty.me/podcast
* Huberman Lab – https://www.hubermanlab.com/podcast
* Voices of leadership – https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/voices-of-leadership-insights-and-inspirations/id1710435149



 
CONNECT WITH ANDREA & TALK ABOUT TALK

* LinkedIn: 

* Andrea –  https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreawojnicki/
* Talk about Talk – https://www.linkedin.com/company/talkabouttalk/


* Website: TalkAboutTalk.com
Communication Coaching Newsletter:  https://talkabouttalk.com/blog/#newsletter-signup

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@talkabouttalkyoutube/

 

TRANSCRIPT
I have a question for you. What are you grateful for? Who are you grateful for? How often do you explicitly express your gratitude? I mean beyond a simple THANK YOU.
 
Welcome to Talk About Talk Podcast Episode #155, where we focus on the power of gratitude. My guest for this episode is an expert on Gratitude. In fact, she literally wrote the book entitled, The Currency of Gratitude. Her name is Michele Bailey. I can’t wait for you to meet her. 
 
You’re going to learn about the benefits of gratitude, how exactly you can express gratitude in a professional or work context. How gratitude relates to brand ambassadors. And how to think about gratitude and reciprocity. And lots more. Including whether expressing gratitude makes you sound weak, and some provocative thoughts about work life balance. 
Are you ready? 
 
Welcome to the Talk About Talk podcast episode number 155, The Power of Gratitude
 
In case we haven’t met, let me introduce myself. My name is Dr. Andrea Wojnicki and I’m your executive communication coach. Please call me Andrea! 
 I’m the founder of Talk About Talk, where I coach communication skills to ambitious executives like you – to elevate your communication, your confidence and your clarity, so you can establish credibility and then accomplish your career goals.
 
If you go to the TalkAboutTalk.

The Currency of GRATITUDE with Michele Bailey (ep.155)

Andrea coaches you on 5 quick fixes to boost your communication effectiveness: How to avoid upspeak, establish eye contact, focus on others, communicate with precision, and control your narrative. Where should you focus to get traction and improve your communication skills?
 
CONNECT WITH ANDREA & TALK ABOUT TALK

* LinkedIn: 

* Andrea –  https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreawojnicki/
* Talk about Talk – https://www.linkedin.com/company/talkabouttalk/


* Website: TalkAboutTalk.com
Communication Coaching Newsletter:  https://talkabouttalk.com/blog/#newsletter-signup

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@talkabouttalkyoutube/

 

TRANSCRIPT
Lately, when I’m in coaching sessions, I’ve been noticing a few common mistakes that many executives make. Sometimes it’s a bad habit.  Sometimes it’s just not knowing better. It almost always negatively impacts their credibility. Fortunately, there are quick fixes that can significantly improve their communication effectiveness, and ultimately boost their credibility. 
 
So I thought it might for an impactful episode if I shared with you 5 quick fixes to boost your communication effectiveness. Are you curious what these 5 quick fixes are? Let’s do this.
 
Welcome to the Talk About Talk podcast episode number 154, quick fixes to boost your communication effectiveness. Yes, this is going to be a productive episode.
 
In case we haven’t met, let me introduce myself. My name is Dr. Andrea Wojnicki and I’m your executive communication coach. Please call me Andrea! 
 I’m the founder of Talk About Talk, where I coach communication skills to ambitious executives like you – to elevate your communication and your confidence, so you can establish credibility, and accomplish your career goals.
 
If you go to the TalkAboutTalk.com website, you’ll find many resources to help you out. There’s information there about one-on-one coaching, online courses, bootcamps, corporate workshops, the archive of this bi-weekly podcast, AND, I really hope you’ll sign up for the Talk About Talk newsletter. That newsletter is your chance to get free communication coaching from me. 
 
This is going to be a relatively short episode, but it’s going to be valuable for you. I encourage you to think about which one or two of these five things where you can get the most traction to improve your communication.
 
I encourage you to carefully listen to the definitions, the examples, the stories, and the solutions that I will list for you here. Don’t worry about taking notes. As always, I do that for you. I’ll summarize what the five points are at the very end, and I encourage you to go to the talkabouttalk.com website where you can access the full transcript of this episode.
 
Alright let’s get into this.
 
The first quick fix that I recommend is this Avoid upspeak.
 
1of 5 Quick FIxes: Avoid Upspeak
Upspeak is the habit of ending sentences with a rising intonation, as if posing a question. Kind of like this? It’s a common feature among many speakers?, particularly women and younger individuals,? but it’s not exclusive to them. 
Recently I’ve noticed an uptick in Upspeak. Yeah, got that. And uptick in upspeak.
It’s like upspeak might be a trend.  But this is not a trend you want to join. When you sound as if you’re asking a question, even when it’s not a question,

5 QUICK FIXES to Boost your Communication Effectiveness (ep.154)

Should I share my personal life at work? This is about boundaries and navigating your professional identity. Andrea shares 3 real risks to sharing your personal life at work, then 3 levels of benefits. The balance between sharing personal information and maintaining professional boundaries is delicate and can significantly affect workplace culture, individual well-being, and even your own career trajectory.
 
CONNECT WITH ANDREA & TALK ABOUT TALK

* LinkedIn: 

* Andrea –  https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreawojnicki/
* Talk about Talk – https://www.linkedin.com/company/talkabouttalk/


* Website: TalkAboutTalk.com
Communication Coaching Newsletter:  https://talkabouttalk.com/blog/#newsletter-signup

Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@talkabouttalkyoutube/

 

TRANSCRIPT
Whenever this topic of sharing your personal life at work comes up, I always think of this experience I had about 10 years ago. I was serving as an advisor for a small private firm. I respected the CEO very much. He sent an e-mail out to all of the advisors asking us to submit to him our corporate bios for the website. At the bottom of his email request, he said something like, “Please make sure you include some personal details at the end. We all know that people tend to like us better when we add some personal details to the bottom of our professional bio.”
 
I remember thinking:  Is that true?  Seems possible. I want to see the research!
 
I get this Q a lot in the workshops and coaching I do.  Men and women both ask me about this. Should we talk about our hobbies? Should I mention that I run ultra marathons?? Should I mention that I do stand up comedy on the weekends? Or that I look after my partner’s elderly parents? Should I mention that I have a newborn at home?
 
In this episode, I’m going to share with you what the academic research says about specific reasons that we should or perhaps should not share our private or personal life at work.  The advantages and disadvantages, if you will. 
 
The answer to this question of “should we share our personal life at work?” does not have a simple yes or no answer. I would think of it more as a checklist or a series of considerations. My goal is to help you make informed decisions about whether and what to share about your personal life at work, depending on your PERSONAL context. Sound good?
 
Welcome to the Talk About Talk podcast episode number 153, sharing your personal life at work.  
 
In case we haven’t met, let me introduce myself. My name is Dr. Andrea Wojnicki and I’m your executive communication coach. Please call me Andrea! 
 I’m the founder of Talk About Talk, where I coach communication skills to ambitious executives like you – to elevate your communication, your confidence, and your clarity, so you can establish credibility, and accomplish your career goals.
 
If you go to the TalkAboutTalk.com website, you’ll find many resources to help you out. There’s information there about one-on-one coaching, online courses, some amazing bootcamps that I run every few months, corporate workshops, the archive of this bi-weekly podcast, AND, I really hope you’ll sign up for the Talk About Talk newsletter. That newsletter is your chance to get free communication coaching from me every week. 
 
Alright let’s get into this.
 
A few years ago, at the beginning of COVID, I was doing small group personal branding workshops for se...

#81 Talking TABOO Topics

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