Inclusivity is an essential part of leadership.  But how do you ACTUALLY be inclusive in your day-to-day life, as a leader?  In this episode, Michel shares 5 tips on how to help people feel included in social settings, particularly in conversations, to help them feel seen and heard.  At UpSkill, we are building a community of UpSkillers, learning and growing together. Please listen, subscribe and share! With decades of combined leadership experience, team of coaches, facilitators and...

In this episode, we discussed why you should set a THEME instead of a New Year's resolution to achieve your goals in 2024.  Michel shares reflections on her word for 2023 -- clarity. Flora shares her theme for 2024. UpSkillers share their stories about persistence, designing life systems, and getting set up for success in four easy steps. At UpSkill, we are building a community of UpSkillers, learning and growing together. Please listen, subscribe and share! With decades of combined...

This is a flashback of episode 64, published on January 22, 2023.  It's a new year, new journey and new opportunities abound.  Are you Set for Success? Step 1: Choose a theme for your year - a word or phrase. Make this year, a themed year for you. Choose a theme. That's going to make a big difference in your life. Whether that's a verb, that's going to tell you the action that you need to do. Whether that's an adjective, that's going to describe how you go about it, whether that's an...

This episode is about Ben the bottleneck leader. Ben handles all the clients and finds his work piling up, while the people he manages are sitting there twiddling their thumbs with no work to do.  To make matters worse, all the clients come to Ben, not the people who are supposed to be managing the clients.  What can Ben do?  In this episode, we discuss... 1. WHY IS THIS HAPPENING? - A lack of confidence in his team  - The company is lacking a system, or not using their system. Ben IS...

In this episode, Michel and  Upskillers delve into Adopting a System-Focused Approach to Life. Why do we need to laying a solid foundation in forming habits in our lives? Because they are the building blocks of every system. They share  insights about: The process of laying the groundwork for a successful system.The role of communication: Why everything revolves around effective communication.Habit Formation: The core of every successful system. At UpSkill, we are building a community of...

In this episode, Michel and UpSkillers discuss: Work-Life Integration vs. Work-Life Balance: The evolving concept of integrating work into life rather than trying to balance the two as separate entities. Managing Burnout: Identifying the signs of burnout, understanding its causes, and strategies to prevent or mitigate it. They offer key insights about: The role of accountability partners Mindfulness and ReflectionThe Role of Rest: Different ways to rest Resources and ToolsSetting...

Mastering Behavioral Interviews: we dissect case study questions! In this episode, we provide sample answers, critique, and feedback for how to expertly answer challenging behavioral interview questions like:  Think of a time where you demonstrated good communication skills?Tell me about a time when you had a disagreement with a team memberWhat sets you apart from other candidates applying for this role?Want to join us LIVE and get your questions answered? Register for UpSkill Live, online...

Want to join us LIVE and get your questions answered? Register for UpSkill Live, online every Thursday at 7PM EST. Free to register, limited spots available. More From UpSkill Go to UpSkill Community to review show notes and join a community of leaders devoted to UpSkilling Subscribe to our Linkedin Newsletter for weekly insights Watch the video presentation for this episode on UpSkill's YouTube Channel At UpSkill, we are building a community of UpSkillers, learning and growing...

This is Part two of Time Management 101 Q&A with Michel Shah, lead UpSkiller, president and founder of UpSkill: 🕰 Key Takeaways : Understanding Discipline:  Discipline is not about being iron-fisted or micromanagingAddress the common misunderstandings about disciplineDisclipline as a form of self-love and integrityUnderstanding oneself and managing time and activities effectivelyCollaborative Time Management:  Time Management and Self-ManagementImportance of reflecting about your...

Time Management 101 Q&A with Michel Shah, lead UpSkiller, president and founder of UpSkill: 🕰 Topics Covered:  Juggling Multiple Responsibilities: Learn strategies to balance work, family, and multiple projects Eisenhower Matrix: The power of this prioritization tool The Driving 'Why': Explore how a clear understanding of your 'why' can guide decision-making, prioritization, and help in keeping the main thing the main thing.Clarity in Goals & ProcessesDefining Work-Life BalanceSMART...

In this episode, UpSkillers Michel, Flora, Mimi and Sylvia discuss the keys to creating and maintaining healthy, inclusive, organizational cultures.  Topics covered include: Psychological safety Netiquette: how we behave in hybrid and virtual situationsPeople versus team versus outcome orientationsRewards, recognitions and evaluation programsPerformance managementWant to join us LIVE and get your questions answered? Register for UpSkill Live, online every Thursday at 7PM EST. Free to...

It was Peter Drucker who said culture eats strategy for breakfast.   This episode, lead UpSkiller Michel Shah, joined by Upskillers, Mimi, Flora, and Sylvia, dive in and talk about:  what is organizational culture what contributes to organizational culture how to cultivate it how important is organizational culture for us todayimportance of shared valuesThe ABCs - the rudimentary pieces to move your organizational culture forwardStay tuned for part two of the conversation next week! Want to...

Upskiller Flora Xue chats over a Q&A session with Michel Shah, President & Founder of UpSkill, about overcoming presentation anxiety. She gives her advice on: language barriersonline vs in-personpresentation practice tipsthe HBLT method Over the last few weeks, we have been talking about pitching: how to prepare a pitch and how to deliver a pitch. Check out the series in previous episodes 86-89: 86. 5 Step Method To Prepare A Perfect Pitch For Founders, Leaders & Storytellers...

Upskiller Flora Xue chats over a Q&A session with Michel Shah, President & Founder of UpSkill, about overcoming presentation anxiety. She gives her advice on: overcoming fear of judgmentdecenteringthe HBLT method Over the last few weeks, we have been talking about pitching: how to prepare a pitch and how to deliver a pitch. Check out the series in previous episodes 86-89: 86. 5 Step Method To Prepare A Perfect Pitch For Founders, Leaders & Storytellers (Part 1) Want to join...

Welcome to part three of our personal and professional branding series on LinkedIn with Donna Serdula, world-renowned LinkedIn expert.  In the previous episode, we delve deep to understand the balance between passive and active engagement on LinkedIn, especially when you're first starting out. We talk about how to advertise your product or service (or yourself) on LinkedIn, without turning it into a sales platform.  In this final episode, we cover... How engagement on LinkedIn goes beyond...

Welcome to part two of our personal and professional branding series on LinkedIn with Donna Serdula, world-renowned LinkedIn expert.  In the previous episode, we started exploring the secrets of LinkedIn, and how it translates into success online. Today, we delve deeper to understand the balance between passive and active engagement on LinkedIn, especially when you're first starting out. We talk about how to advertise your product or service (or yourself) on LinkedIn, without turning it...

In this conversation, we will be diving deep into the world of LinkedIn -- from learning how to create impactful posts, optimizing your SEO through keywords and becoming a recognized industry expert, to effectively building a personal brand and empowering your employees to become brand ambassadors.  This three-part episode series is a gold mine for anyone looking to make a powerful impression on LinkedIn.   Donna Serdula is the founder and president of Vision Board Media, a professional...

This week, lead UpSkiller Michel Shah shares strategies to boost your presence to deliver powerful pitch presentations, both online or on a stage.  This is part (2/2) of B) Delivery, in the three-step series of perfecting your pitch: A) preparation, B) delivery, and C) refinement.  Michel provides practical tips to help you captivate any audience: Maintaining professionalismExuding confidence in yourself and your messageShowcasing genuine passion and enthusiasmUsing physical space and...

This week, lead UpSkiller Michel Shah shares strategies to boost your presence to deliver powerful pitch presentations, both online or on a stage.  This is part 1 of 2 in part B) Delivery, in the three-step series of perfecting your pitch: A) preparation, B) delivery, and C) refinement.  Michel provides practical tips to help you captivate any audience: Maintaining professionalismExuding confidence in yourself and your messageShowcasing genuine passion and enthusiasmUsing physical space and...

This is part two of on step A) Preperation for perfecting your pitch for founders, storytellers,  entrepreneurs, or anyone looking to elevate their ability to sell themselves or their ideas. Next week, we delve into B) pitch delivery and C) refinement.  Last episode, we delved into the "who" and "why" of preparing your pitch. In this episode, lead UpSkiler Michel Shah takes you on a deep dive into the "what," "where," "when," and "how" of planning a pitch that will command attention and...

This is part one of our two-part series on perfecting your pitch for founders, storytellers,  entrepreneurs, or anyone looking to elevate their ability to sell themselves or their ideas.  This episode, lead UpSkiler Michel Shah delves into the "who" and "why" of preparing your pitch.  We guide you in asking the right questions like: What is allowed with your pitch? Can you use visuals? How is it timed and structured? Furthermore, she emphasizes the importance of defining the desired outcome...

This is part two of our two-part series on perfecting your pitch for founders, storytellers,  entrepreneurs, or anyone looking to elevate their ability to sell themselves or their ideas.  Last episode, we delved into the "who" and "why" of preparing your pitch. In this episode, lead UpSkiler Michel Shah takes you on a deep dive into the "what," "where," "when," and "how" of planning a pitch that will command attention and drive results. She guides you in asking the right questions like:...

This is part one of our two-part series on perfecting your pitch for founders, storytellers,  entrepreneurs, or anyone looking to elevate their ability to sell themselves or their ideas.  This episode, lead UpSkiler Michel Shah delves into the "who" and "why" of preparing your pitch. The next episode, we take you on a deep dive into the "what," "where," "when," and "how" of planning a pitch that will command attention and drive results. We guide you in asking the right questions like: What...

Last week, the UpSkill team attended and hosted a booth at the renowned Collision Tech conference in Toronto. With 40K participants, this conference was a big deal for us -- but it was our first conference ever.  In this episode, we share the triumphs, blunders, and most importantly, lessons learned from rubbing shoulders with tech titans and promising startups. Tune in for our whiteboard session reflection and discover four key takeaways you can apply not just to conferences, but to any...