Interpersonal Skills | Varga & Associates

Loose Ties Lead to Unexpected Benefits

by maripat | Sep 4, 2025 | Communication, Engagement, Interpersonal Skills | 0

If we are lucky, we’ve got a few besties and some close ties with family. I am discovering another...

Are you impressionable?

by maripat | Jul 15, 2025 | Communication, Interpersonal Skills, Listening, Personal Development | 0

When I was young, I would sometimes hear people describe me as...

They never asked about me

by maripat | Jun 29, 2025 | Communication, Engagement, Interpersonal Skills, Listening | 0

Recently, a friend called me immediately after a first date with someone she had met online. Her...

What I learned as a Flight Attendant

by maripat | Jun 18, 2025 | Brand You, Career Development, Customer Service, Engagement, Interpersonal Skills, Leadership, Storytelling | 0

When I was in my mid-20’s I took a job as a Flight Attendant for American Airlines. I had already...

Words of Wisdom for 2025

by maripat | Jan 1, 2025 | Coaching, Communication, Engagement, Interpersonal Skills | 0

As we usher in a new year, I find immense value in the wisdom shared by others — thoughtful...

Are you up for an exquisite interaction?

by maripat | Sep 20, 2023 | Communication, Digital Communication, Interpersonal Skills, Listening, Personal Development | 0

My mother raised me to be a curious, inquisitive person. I am much more comfortable finding out about another person than talking about myself – having said that, I’ve gotten rusty.
I had the opportunity to put my post pandemic introversion to the test on my recent vacation. I went on safari in Botswana with my sister. It’s one of those trips in which you are immersed in another culture and surrounded my locals and fellow international travelers – strangers.

While I have spent a lifetime talking to strangers it can be awkward and uncomfortable – and with ever-present digital channels and the isolation we experienced during the pandemic, that interpersonal communication muscle has gotten weaker. And you know the saying, “if you don’t use it, you lose it.”

Bring story-telling into your living room – build friendships and develop skills

by maripat | Mar 31, 2023 | Communication, Interpersonal Skills, Presentation Skills, Storytelling | 0

If you are a fan of The Moth Radio Hour (https://themoth.org/radio-hour) as I am, you know the...

Jumping The Gun – 5 Ways to Avoid a Communication False Start

by maripat | Mar 6, 2023 | Communication, Effective meetings, Interpersonal Skills, Presentation Skills | 0

There is always the intense excitement when you see runners in the starting blocks waiting for the gun to go off to signal the race is on. There is also the heartbreak of a runner who ‘jumps the gun’ which is also called a false start. There is absolutely an equivalent of the false start in communication and five ways to avoid it.

Personalize your Presentation with a One Sentence Story

by maripat | Dec 19, 2022 | Communication, Interpersonal Skills, Presentation Skills, Storytelling | 0

When you hear a speaker share a brief snippet from their life, you instantly feel more engaged and connected to them. “That’s just like me!” “I have kids too!” It may be a simple reference to where they grew up, a sport they played, or how many children they have. When you share a bit of your human experience with an audience, you instantly become more relatable, and in turn, the point you are trying to make is better retained. Can this be accomplished in just one sentence? YES!