Personal Development | Varga & Associates

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.

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...

Make your deficit your greatest asset

by Varg_Admin | Jun 27, 2018 | Career Development, Communication, Interpersonal Skills, Job interview skills, Jugaad, Leadership, Personal Development, Pitch, Presentation Skills | 0

Have you ever struggled with identifying what unique qualities and characteristics you bring to...

Notice: 5 ways to improve your observation skills

by Varg_Admin | May 22, 2017 | Coaching, Communication, Customer Service, Personal Development | 1

I do my best to take daily walks in the park near my home. This past week I happened to walk by a father with his two young children on a couple of occasions as they traveled the same path as me. One thing that struck me was...

Are you a Decathlete or Specialist at Work?

by Varg_Admin | Aug 21, 2016 | Brand You, Career Development, Coaching, Interpersonal Skills, Leadership, Personal Development, Teamwork | 0

At work, do you do one thing really well or have you developed the ability to do many things with a high level of proficiency?

I look forward to watching the Olympics every four years – not only to watch the amazing athletes who have trained so hard to get to this point – but to also observe how the athletes manage the pressures and intensity of the competition. How they express “the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat”. While locked in battle, how well do they work together and demonstrate respect?

This past week I was glued to the track contests and noticed the difference between what I would call the specialists (athletes who train solely in one sport) and the decathletes (who are required to master 10 different sports).

Improve your Presentations with an Actor’s Moves

by Varg_Admin | Jun 29, 2016 | Brand You, Career Development, Communication, Effective meetings, Personal Development, Presentation Skills | 0

When we go to the theatre and see actors on the stage communicating a story we get wrapped-up in the action and forget that the lines that are spoken are scripted and the movement on stage is choreographed. If the production and talent are good it all looks and feels organic and yet it was orchestrated well in advance.

Ali: The Go Big or Go Home Communicator

by Varg_Admin | Jun 7, 2016 | Communication, Personal Development, Pitch, Presentation Skills | 0

Muhammad Ali was a triple threat. He had personality, passion and principles – an unbeatable knock out punch in any ring. I grew up in Louisville, KY. where Muhammad Ali was an ever-present reminder of the impact of...

Passion Re-boot & Reclaiming your Game

by Varg_Admin | Apr 16, 2016 | Coaching, Leadership, Personal Development, Uncategorized | 0

My sister Ellen has been kicking some serious butt lately. She re-booted her passion for tennis after abandoning it for several decades. Ellen grew up playing tennis. Between the ages of 13 – 18 she was on the tennis court,...

Leadership Lessons from the Boy Scout Handbook

by Varg_Admin | Mar 26, 2016 | Career Development, Coaching, Communication, Effective meetings, Leadership, Personal Development, Teamwork | 0

Sometimes what is old is new again. The Boy Scout Handbook was first published in 1910 and it has recently been used to turn around a troubled school and transform boys into men.

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In a recent episode of 60 Minutes that aired on March 20th, St. Benedicts Prep School in Newark, New Jersey was featured. The school, once a mostly white, prestigious prep school had fallen on hard times. Today the all-boys school is 50% African American and a third Hispanic – with the remainder white. The majority of the student population live in poverty and gangs, violence and drugs rule their neighborhoods. The odds are against these kids.

Bryan Cranston on How to Fake It

by Varg_Admin | Jan 11, 2016 | Career Development, Coaching, Communication, Job interview skills, Personal Development | 0

You’ve all heard the expression, “Fake it ‘til you make it.” In essence it’s a technique to avoid the trap of a self-fulfilling prophecy related to a lack of confidence. For example, you are getting ready to deliver a big speech at your company’s conference. You are nervous but that won’t help you. Instead, you “pretend” to be confident. You “act as if” you’ve got this one nailed! To accomplish this you might reach out to a mentor or coach to get some last minute advice.

Professional Presence is just a Tweet Away

by Varg_Admin | Sep 18, 2014 | Brand You, Career Development, Communication, Interpersonal Skills, Job interview skills, Personal Development, Uncategorized | 0

You are new to the organization. You are learning the ropes and trying to figure out the culture and the politics of the company you are now working for. You wonder how to fit in while standing out. You begin to find yourself in networking situations, company meetings and hallway conversations where it is important to be your authentic self while also demonstrating your professionalism.

Resuscitate your interpersonal acumen in the digtal age

by Varg_Admin | Aug 3, 2014 | Coaching, Communication, Digital Communication, Effective meetings, Interpersonal Skills, Personal Development | 0

Over this past weekend, visiting with family friends, I noticed my friend David’s 10-year old son, Carter, immersed in his iPad during the entire afternoon’s get-together. Carter sat in the living room surrounded by guests but in his own separate world playing games on his device, never really interacting with the group. In an attempt to engage him, I presented him with a good-natured challenge – for every thirty minutes he did not engage with his technology, I’d give him a dollar. Excited to earn some money, Carter took the challenge and by the end of the afternoon, devoid of the temptation of technology, he was interacting with guests, played outside with friends and even managed to do some homework. He earned five dollars and remarked that it was “more fun than I thought it would be.”