Leadership | Varga & Associates

Exuding Main Character Energy when it Matters

by maripat | May 16, 2024 | Communication, Engagement, Leadership, Main character energy, Presentation Skills, Storytelling | 0

You may have come across the term “main character energy.” Most recently I heard Charlamagne tha...

Rising Up with the Women and Girls of Guatemala: Leadership in Action

by maripat | Mar 19, 2024 | Leadership, Uncategorized | 0

Have you ever been lucky enough to have a travel experience that was transformative? I spent this...

Martin’s leadership, learning, and sharing journey

by maripat | May 23, 2023 | Career Development, Coaching, Communication, Employee Engagement, Influence, Leadership, Personal Development | 0

I met Martin in the test kitchen at #fgf and the first thing he said to me with a laugh was: “I...

What you highlight is worth another look

by maripat | Apr 6, 2023 | Communication, Leadership, Personal Development | 0

In the new documentary series “Pretty Baby” actress and model Brooke Shields described her quest...

Do leaders need to show they like their job and us?

by maripat | Apr 10, 2021 | Communication, Employee Engagement, Leadership, Personal Development | 0

When someone attains a leadership position – whether in politics or business – we assume they’ve worked hard to achieve that role and are likely being compensated well. Should we expect them to like the job and us? I say yes.

In his new book An Effort to Understand David Murray’s essay “We deserve leaders who act like they like us” caught my attention. We’ve all had the experience of working with or for individuals who look like, sound like and feel like they’d rather be doing almost anything else than leading. It can show up in any number of ways:

I Miss My Colleagues and the Room Where it Happens

by Varg_Admin | Sep 8, 2020 | Communication, Employee Engagement, Influence, Interpersonal Skills, Leadership, organizational culture, Personal Development, Teamwork | 0

Lamenting this past weekend, I took liberties with Aaron Burr’s line in Hamilton and thought, “I...

Be Your Own Best Spokesperson – now more than ever

by Varg_Admin | Sep 6, 2020 | Communication, Influence, Interpersonal Skills, Leadership | 0

Recently my daughter turned 24 and we discussed the perils and privileges of being an adult. One thing she said struck me: “As an adult, you become your own spokesperson.” She went on to say that as a child or adolescent you find that other people are often speaking for you and interpreting what you say into messaging that may be more socially acceptable or conform to the sensibilities of the situation or even the preferences of the adult present. “What she means to say is…” or “She is attempting to communicate …”

It got me thinking about the world we inhabit right now in which we are flooded with conflicting and contradictory messages from innumerous pundits, experts, authorities, and let’s face it, a fair number of charlatans. In a time when political and social turmoil has reached a fever-pitch and true dialogue has seemed to virtually disappear – how do we find our own voice and become our own best spokesperson?

Be in the Conversation about Racism – even if it is uncomfortable

by Varg_Admin | Jul 16, 2020 | Communication, Interpersonal Skills, Leadership, Personal Development | 0

Be in the Conversation about Racism – even if it is uncomfortable. I’ve always thought that the problems of the world could be solved if we would just be willing to enter into deep, meaningful conversations about them. The wise Fred Rogers once said, “Anything that’s human is mentionable, and anything that is mentionable, is manageable.” We are living through times none of us could have imagined. From the pandemic to racial justice protests to political turmoil – these have left many of us tongue-tied and unsure of how to articulate all that we are thinking and feeling. All of this is compounded by the fact that we are more isolated than ever before and yet communication – conversation – has never been more essential.

Shackleton: Crisis Leadership Lessons for Today

by Varg_Admin | Apr 14, 2020 | Communication, Leadership | 0

I find it instructive to look back and review ‘profiles in courage’ that describe leaders who acted with bravery and integrity in times of crisis. These stories remind me that no matter how bleak things may get we can be blessed with leaders who stand strong, speak the truth, and care deeply about those they lead.

One of the most captivating crisis leadership stories I have ever come across is that of Ernest Shackleton’s ill-fated Antarctic Expedition in 1914.

Persuasion in action during COVID-19

by Varg_Admin | Apr 7, 2020 | Coaching, Communication, Influence, Leadership, Personal Development, Persuasion, Presentation Skills | 0

On a call this week with a not-for-profit organization I work with we discussed everything from...

Communicate to Engage during COVID-19: 9 ways to make lemonade

by Varg_Admin | Mar 30, 2020 | Coaching, Communication, Digital Communication, Employee Engagement, Interpersonal Skills, Leadership | 0

Communication has never been more important than it is now as we navigate our way through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Leaders are now recognizing that keeping their teams engaged and focused during this time period is essential – and for the most part, it must be done remotely. It’s time to make lemonade. Here are 9 strategies.