maripat | Varga & Associates

Strategies to engage the socially awkward: parlor game questions to break the ice

Jun 20, 2022 | Communication, Effective meetings, Employee Engagement, facilitation, Interpersonal Skills

Small talk is challenging for most of us – and yet, we are faced with times at work and in social situations that require us to participate. Personally, I’d much prefer to jump into a deep discussion about events of the day...

Mother’s Day: Say the best of what you see

May 5, 2022 | Communication, Mother's Day

In the final episode of Pamela Adlon’s Better Things – the most authentic and life-affirming exploration of mother/daughter relationships I’ve seen – there is a simple moment that I just loved. The title character, Sam Fox, is...

How to demonstrate EQ when you are ready to blow your top

Apr 13, 2022 | Communication, Interpersonal Skills, Listening, Personal Development, Persuasion

I like to think of myself as an empathetic person and someone who has a fair amount of emotional intelligence. However, those innate attributes are constantly challenged in the polarized world we live in today. We are left or...