Hardcore Soft Skills Podcast

Lets talk about AI, Artificial Intelligence. You are probably using itn right now to make your life easier, create transcripts, products, images… but are you really using it to make yourself a better person? Today you will learn how in this conversation with Camilo Rojas, Ph. D. Camilo is the CEO and Founder of ProjectUs.ai, a venture capitalist backed MIT Media Lab spinoff that created an AI tool that seeks to help people become the best version of themselves.  Camilo did his postdoctoral research at the MIT Media Lab, focusing on the ethical use of AI to help people develop complex skills that we talk about on the podcast such as e.g., empathy, self-awareness, effective communication, etc.), and to help teams and organizations become more creative, cohesive and productive.  Today, you will learn how Project Us AI was developed and how it works, misconceptions about AI and possibilities for the future. Iy yoiu want to learn more, click on this form.   

  How do I  help my team become agile?   Hello and welcome to episode 100 of the HSS.  If this hapesn to be the first episode you lsten to, in each episode I discuss a difefernt essential skill with the help of an expert. I have spoken to globally recognized authors, Harvard professors, military leaders, psychologists, pscyhitiatrics, people who have done scientific reserahc on how to become better at the so called "soft" skills to help you thrive in your career. I want to thank you for being with me in this learning journey. I started this alongside my graduate studies in Organizational Psychology at Harvard, and through my own career journey which at this time involves working with multiole technical teams to help them become high perfoming, and create an agile organization.  This is why today I chose to highlight this topic of agility because it embodies what soft skills are about, how to integrate human dynamics to deliver a solution.  In this episode I'll play some excerpts from some of the folks who co-created the famous Agile Manifesto, the base document for all things agile. Let's listen to Jeff Sutherland talking about what makes a great team, Jon Kern, on what we really need or don't need, to get things done faster, and Arie van Benekum on the essentials of collaboration. 

It is time to take an inventory of your year, figure out what do you eally want: a new job, a new career, growth.  So I will replay an excerpt of my interview with executive coach and author Dr Gary Crotaz. He is considered one of the top coaching leaders in the world.  Listen to his model based on his book The IDEA Mindset where he breaks down how to conduct a good self assessments and define our true path.     

This season I am officially lunching coaching opportunities for us to work together so you can master skills we discuss here, become a high performer in your career and lead ahigh performing team.  To get the details first of these limited opportunities, go to hardcoresoftskillsppodcast.com and sign up to my newsletter.  The feeling that management or even team members do not realize how much we contribute to a team is something I hear often. We usually hear the advice of ‘just put your head down' do the work and it will be noticed.' But this is rarely the case and we just need to be more strategic about it.  This is why when I read the book Impact Players: How to Take the Lead, Play Bigger and Multiply Your Impact by Liz Wiseman, I knew I wanted her on the show. In the book and as she discusses in our conversation, she describes what disnguishes good employees vs those that really make an impct and seemed to be relied upon the most.   

This season I am officially lunching coaching opportunities for us to work together so you can master skills we discuss here, become a high performer in your career and lead ahigh performing team.  To get the details first of these limited opportunities, go to hardcoresoftskillsppodcast.com and sign up to my newsletter.  If there is a skill I need help with, and I am sure you do to, is how to deal with difficult people. People who either may come at you screaming, or be condescending or whom we may simply be consider plain crazy. Sometimes we may be the crazy person in a situation.  So I had the honor to speak with a psychiatrist about it. Dr Mark Goulston gave critical techniques on how to act during a moment of heated conversation.   

This season I am officially lunching coaching opportunities for us to work together so you can master skills we discuss here, become a high performer in your career and lead ahigh performing team.  To get the details first of these limited opportunities, go to hardcoresoftskillsppodcast.com and sign up to my newsletter.  In the podcast we talk a lot about communication skills and using our body language is a skill we neglect. We need to learn how to properly read our bodies and use them to send a message as well.  I had the pealsure of talking with Mark Bowden, who has been featured on major TV shows, he has written books about body language and one of the most popular TED talks called ‘The Importance of Being Inauthentic'.    

This season I am officially lunching coaching opportunities for us to work together so you can master skills we discuss here, become a high performer in your career and lead ahigh performing team.  To get the details first of these limited opportunities, go to hardcoresoftskillsppodcast.com and sign up to my newsletter.  One of my favorite guets was Peggy Klaus, and as you may know she is the author of multiple books including ‘Bragg: The Art of Tooting Your Own Horn Without Blowing It.'  The main challenge for many people, especially in tech, is how can we really promote ourselves when we do not want to look like complete a…holes. To distinguish between both, let's listen to an excerpt of my conversation with peggy where she also shares how to do proper bragging.   

This season I am officially lunching coaching opportunities for us to work together so you can master skills we discuss here, become a high performer in your career and lead ahigh performing team.  To get the details first of these limited opportunities, go to hardcoresoftskillsppodcast.com and sign up to my newsletter.  'Getting things done' is a motto I love and a book I enjoy from David Allen. He even created a whole method based on the book. So every time someone asked me ‘how can I become more productive' I tell people to read the book and even better, if you are short on time now, just listen to my interview with him: https://www.hardcoresoftskillspodcast.com/category/productivity/  In this episode he summarizes his method.   

This season I am officially lunching coaching opportunities for us to work together so you can master skills we discuss here, become a high performer in your career and lead ahigh performing team.  To get the details first of these limited opportunities, go to hardcoresoftskillsppodcast.com and sign up to my newsletter.  The key question that seems to come up regularly how can we be better leaders?  I have spoken about this to various guests in my podcast  and on of the epiodes that resonated the most was from L. David Marquet. He was the commander of a nucelar submarine and author of various leadership books including the classic Turn the Ship Around.  For more resources, sign up for the newsletter at https://www.hardcoresoftskillspodcast.com/  Connect with me via https://www.linkedin.com/in/yadiraycaro/   

This season I am officially lunching coaching opportunities for us to work together so you can master skills we discuss here, become a high performer in your career and lead ahigh performing team.  To get the details first of these limited opportunities, go to hardcoresoftskillsppodcast.com and sign up to the newsletter.  One of the questions I get asked is how do I deal with confrontation?   One simple change we can apply is how we use our vocabulary. Listen to an excerpt from interview wiht author Sam Horn. To listen to the rest of the interview go here. https://www.hardcoresoftskillspodcast.com/verbal-communications-sam-horn/   For more resources, sign up for the newsletter at https://www.hardcoresoftskillspodcast.com/   Connect with me via https://www.linkedin.com/in/yadiraycaro/ 

This season I am officially lunching coaching opportunities for us to work together so you can master skills we discuss here, become a high performer in your career and lead ahigh performing team,     To get the details first of these limited opportunities, go to hardcoresoftskillsppodcast.com and sign up to the newsletter.  A key question you may have is “how do I demonstrate my soft skills in my job search?'   Thea Kelley will answer this question. Thea Kelley is a job search and interview coach serving job seekers nationwide for more than 15 years. Her Amazon best-seller Get That Job! The Quick and Complete Guide to a Winning Interview has been praised as "Excellent" on Forbes.com.  For smart job search tips and a FREE GIFT, subscribe to Thea's blog at https://jobsearchandinterviewcoach.com .   Today we talked about how to demonstrate our soft skills, especially during the interview process.  Connect with me via LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/yadiraycaro/   or email me at yadi@hardcoresoftskillspodcast.com   

Decision-making is a very necessary skill we need as leaders. In this episode, you will learn the best approaches to decision-making with a decision-making expert.  Cheryl Strauss Einhorn (https://www.areamethod.com/) founded Decisive, a decision sciences company that trains people and teams in complex problem solving and decision-making skills using the AREA Method. AREA is an evidence-based decision-making system that uniquely controls for and counters cognitive bias to expand knowledge while improving judgment. Cheryl developed AREA during her two decades as an award-winning investigative journalist writing for publications ranging from The New York Times and Foreign Policy Magazine to Barron's and The Stanford Social Innovation Review. Cheryl teaches at Cornell University and has authored three books: Problem Solved, A Powerful System for Making Complex Decisions with Confidence and Conviction, about personal and professional decision-making; Investing In Financial Research, A Decision-Making System for Better Results about financial and investment decisions; and new book about Problem Solver Profiles, Problem Solver, Maximizing Your Strengths To Make Better Decisions.    If you want to receive more information, subscribe to my newsletter via https://www.hardcoresoftskillspodcast.com/  Connect with me via LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/yadiraycaro/  or email me at yadi@hardcoresoftskillspodcast.com 

If you lsten to this podcast, you are definitely into improving yourself. You read boks, listen to podcast, seek mentors, and you are loking for answers to help you get to a next level. You need coaching. Even if you have not yet hired the help of an actual coach, you can take steps to coach yourself. Coach Yourself us the title of the book of my guest Antonia Bowring (https://www.ab-strategies.com/ ). Antonia is a highly credentialed, top New York executive coach. She works primarily with founders, C-Suite executives, and leadership teams. One of Antonia's areas of expertise is helping neurodiverse leaders, especially those with ADHD. Today you will learn various frameworks addressed in her book and setps you can take to start coaching yourself.  Connect with me via LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/yadiraycaro/ or email me at yadi@hardcoresoftskillspodcast.com 

This is a replay of an interview which aired in Nov 2021.      ---------------- My guest today, Oscar Trimboli (https://www.oscartrimboli.com/ ), shared some fascinating data that made me realized, we are barely listening to each other. Oscar is the author of Deep listening and Breakthroughs, professional speaker and host of the apple award winning podcast Depp Listening. This episode is a master class on listening. We talk about some fascinating concepts including listening villains and really simple steps you can take now to become a better listener and save you significant time on your work week. If you want to receive more information, subscribe to my newsletter via https://www.hardcoresoftskillspodcast.com/  Connect with me via LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/yadiraycaro/  or email me at yadi@hardcoresoftskillspodcast.com 

Curiosity can save help your team and your job. In this episode, you will learn why this skill is so essential and how to master it.  If you want to receive more information, subscribe to my newsletter via https://www.hardcoresoftskillspodcast.com/  Connect with me via LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/yadiraycaro/ or email me at yadi@hardcoresoftskillspodcast.com  Quick LinksGet Embed PlayerShare on SocialDownload Audio File  

One of the most popular episodes was the interview with John Kotter, author of multiple books and the authority of change management.  You can listen to it here: https://www.hardcoresoftskillspodcast.com/managing-change-john-p-kotter/  In this episode, we will review the 8 steps for change management from John Kotter.  If you want to receive more information, subscribe to my newsletter via https://www.hardcoresoftskillspodcast.com/  Connect with me via LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/yadiraycaro/ or email me at yadi@hardcoresoftskillspodcast.com 

This is the last episode of season 8 until we return in a few weeks.  I have been fcusing a lot this season on the topic of agility since this is a central skill to the way we work, even though  this concept is regularly associated with software or tech. Today, we will dig deeper into the skill of agility for our everyday life. The Joy of Agility is the title of the book written by my guest Joshua Kerievsy (https://www.industriallogic.com/people/joshua/)  We will talk about the true meaning of agility and you will learn mantras you can use every day to help develop this skill. For more resources, sign up for the newsletter at https://www.hardcoresoftskillspodcast.com/       Connect with me via https://www.linkedin.com/in/yadiraycaro/  

Today we feature Jon Kern (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonkern/) , one of the co-authors of the Agile Manifesto. His career has spanned jet engine R&D and flight simulators, to being an object-oriented and lightweight process evangelist through the 90s, authoring books, and contributions to Unified Modeling Language.  Jon also enjoys speaking and evangelizing about being agile at conferences around the world. Tday we spoke about his fascinating career, how agile came about and key lesson you can apply today to bet truly agile by doing less.  For more resources, sign up for the newsletter at https://www.hardcoresoftskillspodcast.com/      Connect with me via https://www.linkedin.com/in/yadiraycaro/ 

In this episode I speak with Julie Jungalwala, a leadership instructor at Harvard, the founder of the Institute for the Future of Learning. Today we speak about her research on reinvention and what you can do to reinvent yourself in a competitive market.     For more resources, sign up for the newsletter at https://www.hardcoresoftskillspodcast.com/     Connect with me via https://www.linkedin.com/in/yadiraycaro/ 

Today you'll hera my interview with Aarie van Benekum (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ariev3/ and (https://arievanbennekum.com/bio ), one of the co-signers of the Agile Manifesto (https://agilemanifesto.org/)  His career in software development started as developer and technical designer, and in the 90s, he switched from traiditonal development to RAD or rapid application development, and DSDM, or dynamic system development method.  After becoming one of the cosigners of the agile manifesto in 2001, Arie has focused on business tranformations towards agile.  You wil learn today why he is an agnostic when it comes to methods, what is the most important skill you need and how can you work towards making changes today.  For more resources, sign up for the newsletter at https://www.hardcoresoftskillspodcast.com/    Connect with me via https://www.linkedin.com/in/yadiraycaro/  

This episode is a podcast collaboration with the Team Coaching Zone Podcast (https://teamcoachingzone.com/team-coaching-podcast).   Dr. Krister Lowe is Co-founder and Chief of Innovation at www.6TeamConditions.com. He is the pioneer of the Team Coaching Zone Podcast and the Co-Editor of The Practitioner's Handbook of Team Coaching. Dr. Lowe is an Organizational Psychologist by training and has deep expertise in coaching top and mission critical teams We talked about the fascinating field of team coaching, what makes great teams and practices you can apply now to make yours a high performing team.  For more resources, sign up for the newsletter at https://www.hardcoresoftskillspodcast.com/   Connect with me via https://www.linkedin.com/in/yadiraycaro/ 

This episode originally aired in July 2021.    -------------------------------------------   As many organizations are talking today about becoming “agile” it is important to know what it really means. Dr. Jeff Sutherland (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffsutherland/) is the ideal person to discuss this. He is the chairman and founder of Scrum Inc., a signatory of the Agile manifesto, coauthor of the Scrum Guide and the creator Scrum@Scale. He is also the coauthor of the best selling book Scrum: The Art of Doing Twice the Work in Half the Time. Today we talk about the misconceptions of Agile, the origins of the Scrum framework, and how his military experience and his work doing scientific computer modeling influenced him. For more resources, sign up for the newsletter at https://www.hardcoresoftskillspodcast.com/  Connect with me via https://www.linkedin.com/in/yadiraycaro/  

When we think about leaders we think of those who have just the right answer to every situation, those who can move crowds, who can make or break a team. But what if we are looking at leadership the wrong way? Is a leader a creator of followers or is a leader a person who creates other leaders? My guest today knows what it takes to lead others to become leaders. L. David Marquet (https://davidmarquet.com/my-story/) is a retired United States Navy captain and the bestselling author of Turn the Ship Around and Leadership is Language. He was the commander of the submarine USS Santa Fe. He turned the submarine from the worst in the fleet to the most successful by using a "leader-leader" model of leadership. He became captain of the submarine in 1999 and, since his retirement, the submarine has continued to win awards. Since then he has worked as a leadership expert and speaks to audiences globally.    For more resources, sign up for the newsletter at https://www.hardcoresoftskillspodcast.com/  Connect with me via https://www.linkedin.com/in/yadiraycaro/ 

Dr. Mark Goulston (https://markgoulston.com/about/)  is a psychiatrist and one of the world's leading experts on listening with his book, Just Listen, becoming the top book on listening in the world. He is also the author of Talking to Crazy and Get Out of Your Own Way.  He was selected to the World's Top 30 Communication Professionals for 2023 by Global Guros. He is a Marshall Goldsmith 100 Coaches member and hosts the My Wakeup Call podcast. In this eoisode we discussed various topics including his fascinating story about why he pursued psychiatry. You will also learn techniques on how to deal with difficult people AND become a better listener.  For more resources, sign up for the newsletter at https://www.hardcoresoftskillspodcast.com/  Connect with me via https://www.linkedin.com/in/yadiraycaro/   

This week features an episode for the podcast Because You Need to Know with Ediwn K. Morris (https://www.linkedin.com/in/edwinkmorris/)  This podcats is focused on sharing with ideas about knolwdege management. We talked about the future of KM, the key soft skils we need to succeed and other topics. 

Today we talk about Building Impact. We often go through out careers expecting others will tell us what to do and to give us permission to take on any particular initiative. It is not until we realize that if we just find opportunities and take action, our job experience will be much more enjoyable and impactful. My guest today will tell us how we can become impact players. Liz Wiseman (https://thewisemangroup.com/who-we-are/our-team/liz-wiseman/) is a researcher and executive advisor who teaches leadership to executives around the world. She is the author of the New York Times bestsellers Multipliers, The Multiplier Effect, and Wall Street Journal bestsellers Rookie Smarts and Impact Players.   She is the CEO of the Wiseman Group, a leadership research and development firm headquartered in Silicon Valley, California.  For more resources, sign up for the newsletter at https://www.hardcoresoftskillspodcast.com/  Connect with me via https://www.linkedin.com/in/yadiraycaro/ 

In this mini-episode, learn the do's and don'ts on using assessments to hire new people in your  team.  For more resources, sign up for the newsletter at https://www.hardcoresoftskillspodcast.com/  Connect with me via https://www.linkedin.com/in/yadiraycaro/ 

Today we talk about hiring with Dr Paul Spector (https://paulspector.com/), specifically the role of assessments when it comes to assessing skills. If you have a team or company, what are some of the considerations to take when assessing if you have a capable candidate. Also, what areas should you avoid? And, if you are not hiring, what are some ways to cultivate talent from within.  My guest will provide answers to these questions. Dr Spector is an Industrial Organizational Psychologist who has studied topics such as the impact of jobs on the behavior and well-being of employees, counterproductive work behavior, job satisfaction, and job stress,. He's written books on both methodology and content, including an I-O psychology textbook Industrial and Organizational Psychology: Research and Practice.  For more resources, sign up for the newsletter at https://www.hardcoresoftskillspodcast.com/  Connect with me via https://www.linkedin.com/in/yadiraycaro/ 

In this mini-episode, learn the steps to manage a crisis from the lens of a meta-leader.  For more resources, sign up for the newsletter at https://www.hardcoresoftskillspodcast.com/  Connect with me via https://www.linkedin.com/in/yadiraycaro/ 

My guest today has dedicated his career to help executives and crisis workers on how to manage crisis. Eric McNulty (https://ericmcnulty.com/)  is one of the co-authors of the book You're It: Crisis, Change, and How to Matter When it Matters Most. He is also associate director of the National Preparedness Leadership Initiative at Harvard University. Today we discuss steps to manage a crisis effectively.   For more resources, sign up for the newsletter at https://www.hardcoresoftskillspodcast.com/  Connect with me via https://www.linkedin.com/in/yadiraycaro/ 

In this mini-episode, learn how to manage conflict, do a better pitch and answer the question "So, what do you do?" For more resources, sign up for the newsletter at https://www.hardcoresoftskillspodcast.com/  Connect with me via https://www.linkedin.com/in/yadiraycaro/ 

Don't you feel now that as we mostly engage our lives online that it is very difficult to communicate verbally?  We can be misunderstood, we have to deal with angry customers, pitching our ideas, or how to say no to others. We address all of these issues with Sam Horn (https://www.intrigueagency.com/).  Sam Horn is a top speaker, a coach and the CEO of the Intrigue Agency, a branding, positioning, and messaging global company. She is the author of 9 award winning books including Got Your Attention? and Tongue Fu.   Today you will learn how to become a better communicator and why elevator speeches do not work.  For more resources, sign up for the newsletter at https://www.hardcoresoftskillspodcast.com/  Connect with me via https://www.linkedin.com/in/yadiraycaro/ 

In this short episode, learn 3 steps to help you achieve self-leadership and be able to lead others.  For more resources, sign up for the newsletter at https://www.hardcoresoftskillspodcast.com/  Connect with me via https://www.linkedin.com/in/yadiraycaro/ 

In this episode we talk with Lisa Jaster  (https://deletetheadjective.com/about-lisa-jaster/) , an American soldier, combat engineer, and one of the first three women to graduate the elite United States Army Ranger program.  We discussed how to achieve self-leadership and how to lead others.  For more resources, sign up for the newsletter at https://www.hardcoresoftskillspodcast.com/  Connect with me via https://www.linkedin.com/in/yadiraycaro/ 

In this short episode, learn the steps to get rid of impostor syndrome and learn confidence.  For more resources, sign up for the newsletter at https://www.hardcoresoftskillspodcast.com/  Connect with me via https://www.linkedin.com/in/yadiraycaro/ 

In this episode we welcome back Dr. Richard Orbe Austin (https://www.dynamictransitionsllp.com/dynamic-transitions/) a psychologist, executive coach, organizational consultant, and a speaker. Dr. Orbe Austin and his partner Dr Lisa Orbe Austin co-wrote the books

This episode marks the end of season 6. Today I intend to answer a question: how do we become more agile? Here are three reasons why Agile initiatives fail and what skills to use to address this.  Here are some of the resources shared on the show: Agile Manifesto: https://agilemanifesto.org/ Storytelling episodes: https://www.hardcoresoftskillspodcast.com/category/storytelling/ Agility episode: https://www.hardcoresoftskillspodcast.com/agility-drjeff-sutherland/  Change Management episode: https://www.hardcoresoftskillspodcast.com/replay-managing-change-with-john-kotter/ For more resources, sign up for the newsletter at https://www.hardcoresoftskillspodcast.com/   

If hearing the expression “let's have a meeting” makes you cringe, you are not alone. Why? Because you and I have been part of some terrible, terrible meetings. Meetings which should have been an email, long meetings where only one person is talking, meeting that seem to go and on…  Should we ban meetings altogether? Not at all. In this episode I share the top reasons why your meetings suck and how to fix them.  Please leave me a review via your favorite podcast app and sign out to my newsletter for more resources via hardcoresoftskills podcast.com.  

If you are a regular listener of this podcast you know that beyond the learning you do for your work related skills to get you in the door, the “soft” skills are the ones that will truly make you succeed. Especially transitioning careers or planning the way ahead, honing your “soft” skills is extremely important.  Thinking of that interest in advancing in your career, or switching gears, here are 5 skills you need to practice and some advice on how to get started on each.  Self-Assessment Productivity  Communication and Listening  Networking Negotiation Please leave me a review via your favorite podcast app and sign out to my newsletter for more resources via hardcoresoftskills podcast.com.  

What makes a tech team successful? The great teams and the really good team members integrate their non-technical skills to ensure they deliver good products. To talk more about this, I invited Harry Haralambiev and he's a teamwork and soft skills trainer in Bulgaria.  You can find him at https://softskillspills.com/. Hari talked about the key skills tech teams need and the, and how to effectively coach on these essential skills.  Please leave me a review via your favorite podcast app and sign out to my newsletter for more resources via hardcore soft skills podcast.com.   Resources shared on the show: A Leader's Tale Newsletter https://softskillspills.com/tree/  

In this episode, Yadi Caro is featured on the podcast Biz Help for You with Candy Messer. Here is the video version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqVLccKCp4E  In her podcast, she interviews experts in multiple topics to help you thrive as a business owner. In this interview Yadi shares essential skills to learn and how to evaluate new hires based on these “soft” skills.  For bonus materials of this and other episodes, subscribe via the website https://www.hardcoresoftskillspodcast.com/   Connect with me via LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/yadiraycaro/     or email me at yadi@hardcoresoftskillspodcast.com 

In this episode we talk about Negotiation. You will learn 5 steps I learned at Harvard University to become a better negotiatior.  Listen to our previous episode on Negotiation here: https://www.hardcoresoftskillspodcast.com/category/negotiation/  For bonus materials of this and other episodes, subscribe via the website https://www.hardcoresoftskillspodcast.com/  Connect with me via LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/yadiraycaro/    or email me at yadi@hardcoresoftskillspodcast.com

In this episode we talk about Productivity. You will learn key steps to manage your productivity in 5 steps. This is a framework you can use, including if you have Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).  Listen to the episode with David Allen here: https://www.hardcoresoftskillspodcast.com/replay-productivity-with-david-allen/ For bonus materials of this and other episodes, subscribe via the website https://www.hardcoresoftskillspodcast.com/ Connect with me via LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/yadiraycaro/   or email me at yadi@hardcoresoftskillspodcast.com

In this episode we talk about Skill Stacking featuring Hala Taha, CEO of YAP Media and host of the Young and Profiting Podcast  https://www.youngandprofiting.com/  We talked about:  - What is skill stacking? - How can we build a network?  - Which skills are important to focus on now? For more resources, subscribe to the newsletter via https://www.hardcoresoftskillspodcast.com/ 

In this episode we talk about Self-Assessment.   - Why is it important to conduct a self-assessment?  - Why should we focus on our Strengths?  This episode also includes a replay of Dominate Your Day with Dana Williams, in which she interviews Yadi about how her strengths have shaped her career.  For more resources, subscribe to the newsletter via https://www.hardcoresoftskillspodcast.com/  

In this episode we begin a series focused on providing actionable advice you can use to cultivate essential skills.  This week, we review: - Why do we use the term “soft” skills? - What are the most effective way ways to learn soft skills? - Find out how “soft” skills were intended to be trained in military organizations.  For more resources, subscribe to the newsletter via https://www.hardcoresoftskillspodcast.com/ If you are ready to enhance the skills you need to advance your career or the performance of your team, visit  https://www.hardcoresoftskillspodcast.com/support/  

In this end of season 5 my guest is Fran Racioppi (https://www.linkedin.com/in/francisracioppijr/) who had also been podcasting interviewing many other experts and fascinating people in the Jedburgh podcast (https://talentwargroup.com/the-jedburgh-podcast/)  He is going to share a lot of the lesson he has learned in his podcast and as a leader himself.  He served 13 years in the United States Army as a Green Beret, deploying three times to Iraq and spending several years operating across Africa. We focused on the topic of leadership. We delved into what are the key traits of great leaders.  We also talked about the differences on skills vs character and specifically address if soft skills are trainable. This was such a great conversation and I certainly know you will take away a lot of key advice.  For more resources, subscribe to the newsletter via https://www.hardcoresoftskillspodcast.com/ If you are ready to enhance the skills you need to advance your career or the performance of your team, visit https://www.hardcoresoftskillspodcast.com/p/coaching/  Connect with me via LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/yadiraycaro/ .  

This episode originally aired in August 2021.  ----------------- How can we make this less uncomfortable or basically how can we just feel better about promoting ourselves? In this episode you will learn each step to do so. My gust Peggy Klaus (https://peggyklaus.com/ ) is the author of two best-selling books BRAG! The Art of Tooting Your Own Horn Without Blowing It and The Hard Truth About Soft Skills. For more than two decades Peggy has shared her vast expertise in leadership and communication with C suite executives, and managers. Today we talk about the right way to do personal branding bot in person and virtually. We also discuss office politics and why this should not be considered a dirty concept. For more resources, subscribe to the newsletter via https://www.hardcoresoftskillspodcast.com/ If you are ready to enhance the skills you need to advance your career or the performance of your team, visit https://www.hardcoresoftskillspodcast.com/p/coaching/  Connect with me via LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/yadiraycaro/ .  

In this episode we talk about Leadership. While we think some people are born leaders, I believe in most cases leadership is something we develop as time goes on. We may not even be aware of our leadership skills or we think we are just great but we simply suck.  My two guests today will discuss their journey on leadership. Bailey Parnell is the founder and CEO of Skills Camp (https://www.skillscamp.co/),  a soft skills company that works with business and professional institutions. She is also an award winning digital storyteller. Hamza Kahn (https://www.hamzakhan.ca/) is the co-founder of soft skills camp, speaker and author of the books burnout gamble and leadership reinvented.  We spoke with this couple about their leadership journey and advice on how to become better leaders.  For more resources, subscribe to the newsletter via https://www.hardcoresoftskillspodcast.com/ If you are ready to enhance the skills you need to advance your career or the performance of your team, visit  https://www.hardcoresoftskillspodcast.com/support/  

Today we talk about Optimism. No, I am not referring to how to be all positive all the time and all that stuff. I am referring to how you as tech leader, expert, consultant, can approach the future with a different lens. A lens of possibilities.  My guest is Tech Humanist Kate O'Neill (https://www.koinsights.com/). If you are asking what a Tech Humanist is then listen to this episode as she will explain. She is also the author of the books Tech Humanist, and A Future So Bright. Her goal is to help humanity prepare for an increasingly tech driven future.  Today we talk about how to prepare to become more optimistic about this future and if you already are, then how do we inject this optimism to others.  For more resources, subscribe to the newsletter via https://www.hardcoresoftskillspodcast.com/ If you are ready to enhance the skills you need to advance your career or the performance of your team, visit  https://www.hardcoresoftskillspodcast.com/support/  Connect with me via LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/yadiraycaro/ .  

In today's episode we will talk about Presenting, specifically how can we captivate audiences through our message and to be truly understood. Today you will lean from keynote speaker Tamsen Webster (https://tamsenwebster.com/). For over 20 years Tamsen has helped experts communicate their ideas through storytelling. She is a former TEDx executive producer and the author of the book Find your Red Thread.  We break down a step-by-step approach to tackle a presentation and after this episode you will be ready to put these into action.  For more resources, subscribe to the newsletter via https://www.hardcoresoftskillspodcast.com/ If you are ready to enhance the skills you need to advance your career or the performance of your team, visit https://www.hardcoresoftskillspodcast.com/support/.  Connect with me via LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/yadiraycaro/