Get ready for "The Performance Review" - that time of year when emotions run high and the impact on your organization and employees is significant.

In this episode, we delve into how you can make this meeting engaging, clear, and respectful, ensuring it has a positive ripple effect. With the evolving work environment and the rise of hybrid setups, the performance review holds even greater weight.

How the review is conducted determines the effectiveness. This is the opportunity for a manager to put on their coaching hat and see this review as an opportunity to build for the future of the employee, the team, and the organization.

Join our host, Joel Silverstone, as he equips you with the necessary tools to conduct a motivating and actionable review that benefits both sides. Learn the strategies, dos, and don'ts, and have the confidence to deliver a performance review that leaves a lasting, positive impression in this episode: "Performance Reviews Can Be Great…Seriously".

Do you have a question or comment about the podcast? We’d love to hear from you and appreciate your thoughts - email us at [email protected].

Thank you for supporting the podcast. Please leave a rating or review and subscribe so you don’t miss our upcoming episodes.

Check out more free resources on software and soft skills with webinars and tools. Also, check out our list of over 25 instructor-led Professional Skills Courses at The Great Canadian Training and Consulting Company.

Have you been trying to get your teams from good to great?  Improve how they collaborate, communicate, and achieve goals, plus balance productivity and morale? Wondering what’s the best way they can use Microsoft Teams? What team building activities and skills can help?

You’re not alone. That’s why we created this episode, the combination of technical and soft skills to guide you in bringing out the best in your organization’s teams.

We’re thrilled to have as our Guest Host Jon Neuhold, Co-Owner of Great Canadian Training, interviewing Senior Software Instructor Christine Irons and Senior Professional Skills Facilitator Joel Silverstone.

There is a gap in using technical capabilities of Microsoft Teams – but technical skills on their own aren’t enough. You need team building skills to match them.

This episode is part of our podcast series on Teams, helping you to be engaged and respectful in collaborating and working together towards a common purpose and goals.

We discuss:

• The elements to successful teams.

Our Guest Christine Irons is Great Canadian Training’s lead software instructor and courseware designer. Christine worked in Human Resources at York University in Toronto for over 20 years as an instructional designer, trainer, and learning specialist. As a certified master Microsoft instructor, Christine brings an extensive knowledge of Adult Learning Theory to her work, whether it’s designing and delivering live classes or creating e-learning that truly teaches. ​

Our Guest Joel Silverstone is the regular host of the Great Canadian Leadership Podcast. When not hosting, Joel is the Senior Professional Skills Trainer & Coach at Great Canadian Training. For over 20 years, he has helped leaders and their teams feel more confident and impactful with their communication and leadership skills in live and virtual sessions, from small businesses and government agencies to Fortune 500 companies in Asia, Africa, Europe, and North America. Joel is also a speaker at HR, Learning, Leadership and Professional Services Conferences across North America. 

Great teams are not easy, but they can get better. It’s a combination of mindset, intention, and the tools to get from good to great.

Speaking of Teams… At Great Canadian Training we are offering our unique GREAT Series: “Become a Great Team with MS Teams and Team Building Skills”.

In one day, you will learn powerful skills and tools to connect and engage your teams by developing and mastering MS Teams and Team Building skills.

Email [email protected] and mention ‘GREAT’ to get more information about our GREAT Series and how you can become a Great Team with Microsoft Teams and Team Building Skills.

Picture this: The team is getting together and… stuff is getting done! The team members (including you) feel heard, respected and want to contribute. This team is not only being productive, but they are also collaborating with ease.

This episode is “Three Ways to Improve Team Communication”. Our host, Joel Silverstone, shares with you the strategies and activities to better understand yours and others’ communication styles and needs.  

How does improved communication impact teams?  

• 86% of employees and executives cite the lack of effective collaboration and communication as the main causes for workplace failures.

Listen in, take notes, share the activities with your team (such as designing your own user manual), build your ability to connect quickly with others, and start implementing the three ways to improve team communication.

This is episode 1 of our series on the skills teams need for 2023. The next episode is: What Makes Great Teams? Best Ways to Use Microsoft Teams AND Team Building Skills.

Do you have a question or comment about the podcast? We’d love to hear from you and appreciate your thoughts - email us at [email protected].

Thank you for supporting the podcast. Please leave a rating or review and subscribe so you don’t miss our upcoming episodes.

Check out more free resources on software and soft skills with webinars and tools. Also, check out our list of over 25 instructor-led Professional Skills Courses at The Great Canadian Training and Consulting Company.

The focus of business leaders has been shifting from task- or objective-driven to people-driven. That means soft skills such as effective communication, understanding, and collaboration have become increasingly important to leaders’ abilities.

In this episode, we have a great discussion with our guest Jennifer Lennox, a highly experienced HR leader on why soft skills are crucial in organizations and what leaders can do about it. Jennifer also shares how she found her voice to communicate and influence others and how her leadership career took off from there.

One of the major challenges for leaders is that they often find themselves multitasking and handling different priorities, but what's essential now more than ever is for them to put people first and adopt a whole new leadership style that is people-driven.

Finally, as a leader, your presence lingers, and your behaviour is often a topic of discussion at the dinner table. Therefore, it's crucial to be fully present and aware of how your people feel when they are in your presence.

Our guest: Jennifer Lennox is an experienced HR professional and the Vice President of People, Culture and Learning at AutoCanada a senior leadership position where she collaborates with the Senior Executive team, HR Team, and AutoCanada General Managers to create a world-class company culture. With over 20 years of experience in people development, talent acquisition, training, executive leadership and HR strategy, Jenn is a certified HR Executive (CHRE) and has worked for organizations of different sizes, including small business tech startups, large corporations, and the private sector such as CIBC, Home Depot, Alcumus and four years as the Head of People and Culture with the Humberview Group.

As with every episode, our guest Jennifer Lennox shares her ‘Failure... Ta-Da’ moment, and at the end we share the three stars and the next step you can put into practice from this episode.

Do you have a question or comment about the podcast? We’d love to hear from you and appreciate your thoughts - email us at [email protected].

Thank you for supporting the podcast. Please leave a rating or review and subscribe so you don’t miss our upcoming episodes:

• Our series on Teams - Collaboration and Technology

Check out more free resources on software and soft skills with webinars and tools. Also, check out our list of over 25 instructor-led Professional Skills Courses at The Great Canadian Training and Consulting Company.

As a leader, what can you do to find and grow the talent that’s right there in your organization? As an individual, how do you raise your hand to be seen? Discovered? To grow?

This episode could have also been called, “We need to be able to take a chance on people”, as we explore the topic of finding and nurturing talent both as a leader and as an individual. Our guest, Nupur Khandelwal, draws on her extensive experience as a leader and as someone who has had advocates for her growth within an organization.

We discuss topics such as complacency, mentorship, progress, and perfection. Additionally, we delve into the importance of candor and commitment and explore the mechanisms one can use to be an advocate for others.

And find out Nupur’s ‘Ta-da’ moment on the significance of a CN Tower climb in reframing your thoughts.

Our Guest: Nupur Khandelwal is helping people and organizations deliver human-centric programs and was nominated for Canada’s Top 40 under 40 Awards. At the LCBO, Nupur is the Director of Talent Management, where she leads enterprise-wide initiatives. Nupur is the co-founder of SheRocks! and contributes as a Board of Director member with the HR Professional Association’s Toronto Chapter.

Nupur presents to diverse groups at conferences, seminars and workshops and is seen as a recognized learning leader in organizational development, people management, training, and development, as well as diversity and inclusion initiatives to enhance the employee experience.  

As with every episode, our guest shares their ‘Failure Ta-Da’ moment, and at the end we share the three stars and the next step you can put into practice from this episode.

Do you have a question or comment about the podcast? We’d love to hear from you and appreciate your thoughts - email us at [email protected].

Thank you for supporting the podcast. Please leave a rating or review and subscribe so you don’t miss our upcoming episodes.

Check out more free resources on software and soft skills with webinars and tools. Also, check out our list of over 25 instructor-led Professional Skills Courses at The Great Canadian Training and Consulting Company.

In today’s business world, you need to differentiate yourself, to bring to life your experiences and your growth - but how do you do that without listing tasks?

This episode, we’re talking with Dr. Adrienne Shnier on how to showcase your value. Whether it’s a performance review, or you’re seeking a promotion, job or school interview, how can you share your story and be the advocate - for you?

You are so busy in your role that if someone asks you what makes you valuable, an asset, you might just ramble off tasks but not your value.

Your experiences, how you deal with challenges, your growth - nobody knows this better than you. Listen in as we share how you can communicate this and why that matters.

Our guest, Dr. Adrienne Shnier, is the CEO and founder at Apply Yourself: The Advancement Spot Inc., teaching students and professionals to level up their game by showcasing themselves and developing compelling, authentic, academic and professional applications based on her years of experience as a Member on Admissions Committees, Job Search Committees, and Tenure & Promotion Committees. She is a lawyer and founder of Shnier Mackenzie Law & Policy Consulting, PC. She is also a Toronto-based Adjunct Professor in the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Faculty of Health at York University, and Health Law Faculty at Osgoode Hall Law School. 

As with every episode, our guest Dr. Adrienne Shnier bravely shares her ‘Failure Ta-Da’ moment, and at the end we share the three stars and the next step you can put into practice from this episode.

Do you have a question or comment about the podcast? We’d love to hear from you and appreciate your thoughts - email us at [email protected].

Thank you for supporting the podcast. Please leave a rating or review and subscribe so you don’t miss our upcoming episodes:

• Our series on Teams - Collaboration and Technology

Check out more free resources on software and soft skills with webinars and tools. Also, check out our list of over 25 instructor-led Professional Skills Courses at The Great Canadian Training and Consulting Company.

Do you remember why you keep going back to that restaurant… or not? It probably was your first impression, how you were welcomed, warm bread or stale bread, the interactions, the aesthetics, that first bite….

Those first impressions that we unconsciously hold onto are called imprinting beliefs, meaning that first impressions stick.

In this episode, we discuss with Amy Davies on why first impressions matter and the impact people, leaders and organizations can have on improving employee retention by 82%. We also discuss why 1 in 3 employees will leave their employer within 12 months, typically for reasons that are preventable.

Our guest Amy Davies is the founder and CEO of First30, offering employee onboarding and outplacement services to businesses. She is the author of A Spark in the Dark: Illuminating Your Path to a Brilliant Career in a Reorg World. Her next book, What Employees Want: 5 Proven Strategies to Attract, Retain and Engage Talent, is set for release in September 2023.

As with every episode, our guest Amy Davies bravely shares her ‘Failure Ta-Da’ moment, and at the end we share the three stars and the next step you can put into practice from this episode.

Do you have a question or comment about the podcast? We’d love to hear from you and appreciate your thoughts - email us at [email protected].

Thank you for supporting the podcast. Please leave a rating or review and subscribe so you don’t miss our upcoming episodes:

• Showcasing Your Value

Check out more free resources on software and soft skills with webinars and tools. Also, check out our list of over 25 instructor-led Professional Skills Courses at The Great Canadian Training and Consulting Company.

Can you persuade another without feeling pushy or manipulative?

Short answer… YES! In this episode, you’ll uncover easy ways to persuade, whether you’re writing or speaking. Your emails, communications and interactions motivate others to action.

This episode is “How to Be Persuasive from Writing to Speaking”. Our host, Joel Silverstone, shares with you the strategies and insights to make persuasion simple and respectful. You will find the ideas and tips to balance emotions and logic that connect with the other to be persuasive.

Because persuasion is making it easy for the other person. Join us on how you can do this with your writing and communication skills.

This is part of our 4-part series on the soft skills you need for 2023: Empathy in Business, Leading Complex Projects with Clarity, Change - Turning Resistance into Resilience, and How to Be Persuasive in Your Writing and Communication.

• Do you have a question or comment about the episode? We’d love to hear from you and appreciate your thoughts - email us at [email protected].

And don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss our upcoming episodes:

• Great First Impressions - Why They Matter to Employee Retention

Check out more free resources on software and soft skills with webinars and tools and our list of over 25 instructor-led Professional Skills Courses at The Great Canadian Training and Consulting Company.

Empathy is one of the most important leadership skills you should be using more often. The research says that 76% of people who experienced empathy from their leaders reported they were engaged, compared with only 32% who experienced less empathy.

Empathy is a crucial business skill because it enables collaboration, motivation, and feeling respected. You create a ripple effect where people’s perspectives and emotions are acknowledged - it doesn’t mean you have to agree with them, but they feel heard and understood.

In fact, 67% of people with highly empathic managers report often or always being engaged, compared to only 24% of people with less empathic managers.

In this episode, you’ll find some ideas that can help with building your awareness of empathy and how to make this soft skill a business behaviour.

This episode is called “Empathy in Business”. Our host, Joel Silverstone, shares with you the strategies and insights to make empathy your opportunity to engage and collaborate in your professional (and personal) settings.

This is part of our 4-part series on the soft skills you need for 2023 – Change - Turning Resistance into Resilience, Persuasion in Your Writing and Communication Skills, and Leading Complex Projects with Clarity.

Do you have a question or comment about the episode? We’d love to hear from you and appreciate your thoughts - email us at [email protected].

• Check out more free resources on software and soft skills with webinars, blogs, and tools

And don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss our upcoming episodes:

• Our series on soft skills - Change, Empathy and Persuasion

When leading a complex project, how do you get to the desired outcome? How do you lead and communicate to motivate and engage towards the outcome?

In this episode, Leading Complex Projects with Clarity, we discuss the importance of the human factor, the people that are going to make this successful. According to our guest, Nada Darwiche, projects are not linear lines and where we get stuck is the ‘on time, on budget’ result. A successful project focuses on the people – making sure they understand the message being delivered and why it matters to them, their team and the organization.

This is part of our 4-part series on the soft skills you need for 2023. Our other three parts are: Change - Turning Resistance into Resilience, Empathy in Business, and Persuasion in Your Writing and Communication Skills.

Our guest, Nada Darwiche, is a Principal at NDC Group and a Sr. Lead Consultant with Optimus SBR. She has more than 20 years of business experience consulting for Fortune 1000 companies in the areas of change management, strategy, project management/implementation, process improvement and pitch development. She has led many client engagements focusing on key strategic initiatives, delivering sustained, bottom-line benefits as well as enhanced key partner relationships.

Listen in as Nada shares her experience as Project Leader #3, how she had to switch hats from project management to change management, and how she dealt with the resistance of teams to get the project back to ‘on time and on budget’!

Check out more free resources on software and soft skills with webinars, blogs, and tools from The Great Canadian Training and Consulting Company.

Do you have a question or comment about the episode? Send us an email at [email protected].

And don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss our upcoming episodes:

• Our series on soft skills - Change, Empathy and Persuasion