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 [email protected] 

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 [email protected]

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 [email protected]

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/    

In this show we discuss the skill of Self-Assessment. Before you know where you are heading in your career, you must know where you are. You must know what moves you, what you are good at. My guest offers a comprehensive approach to gain clarity on this. Dr Gary Crotaz (https://garycrotaz.com/) is a mindset coach and author of the IDEA Mindset book. In this episode he talks about the step-by-step approach of this IDEA mindset framework and actionable steps you can take to achieve a fulfilling life. If you are ready to improve on essential skills like communications, productivity and team management, you now have the opportunity to work with host Yadi Caro. With 15 years of experience working with major consulting companies in tech and defense in software and engineering teams, Yadi’s credential also include Organizational Behavior Graduate certificate from Harvard, Masters in Mass Communications, and certifications such as Project Management (PMP), Scrum, Lean Six Sigma and Knowledge Management. To get started, contact her at [email protected] 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 [email protected]

-------- As remote work becomes a new kind of normal, we cannot assume that the same skills to manage a team in an office will apply for virtual teams. As a worker, you have the ability to work from the comfort of your home. As a manager though, how do you keep employees engaged, create trust and manage the day to day? This is why I invited Hasnain Rizvi (https://www.linkedin.com/in/rizvi/, http://www.rizvis.ca/) to my podcast. He is a Senior Agile Coach who focuses on helping teams and companies manage complex projects. He is a trainer and among his specialties is dealing with remote teams. Today we spoke about practical advice you can implement now if you are or planning to be a manager for remote workers. 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 [email protected]

While it may sound sexy to call ourselves innovators, we have to really consider how are we promoting innovation in our work life. Is it because we think we have brilliant ideas? Is it because we enable others to be innovative?  My guest today considers that being an innovator is not reserved for the Elon Musks and Steve Jobs types. We can all help cultivate innovation and most importantly, this is a group effort. Braden Kelley (https://bradenkelley.com/) is  innovation speaker, and a two-time best-selling author on the topics of innovation and change.  Today we spoke about different roles of innovators (https://bradenkelley.com/offerings/nine-innovation-roles/) and you will learn the formula to get a innovation initiative to really work.  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 [email protected] 

This episode originally aired in December 2020.  ------------------------ Curiosity is a very important skill which gives us a competitive advantage. According to research people with high curiosity are more inquisitive and generate more original ideas. Curiosity can also help us have more positive engagement with our teammates. My guest today is driven by curiosity and inspires others to cultivate it as well. Dr.  Deborah Berebichez is the first Mexican woman to graduate from Stanford University with a PhD in Physics. She also completed two postdoctoral fellowships at Columbia University's Applied Math and Physics Department and at NYU. She uses her education and background to make science approachable to a wide range of audiences. Debbie was co-host of Discovery Channel’s Outrageous Acts of Science TV show. She also appears as an expert on the Travel Channel, NOVA, CNN, FOX, MSNBC and numerous international media outlets. Currently she is the Chief Data Scientist at data science training company provider Metis where she leads the creation and growth of data science training opportunities. She is committed to help women and minorities follow STEM careers. When you hear her story, you’ll realize how her curiosity drove her to confront adversity and follow her calling. In today’s episode we talk about her fascinating story, her work and she gives us specific lessons to start cultivating curiosity. To know more about Debbie visit her website: http://www.sciencewithdebbie.com/ For resources and updates, visit our website https://hardcoresoftskillspodcast.com/ Follow us on LinkedIn(https://www.linkedin.com/company/hardcoresoftskillspodcast/ )  and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/hardcoresoftskills/)

You probably have heard the term FOMO (Fear of Missing Out). How about the term FOBO (Fear of Better Options). Today I speak with the creator of both terms. Patrick McGinnis (https://patrickmcginnis.com/) coined the term FOMO in a 2004 article in the student newspaper of Harvard Business School. FOMO has since been added to the dictionary and FOBO has become an increasingly popular framework to describe choice paralysis. You can view his TED Talk here. In this episode, he talks about his approach to decision-making and specific practices we can implement to avoid decision fatigue. 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 [email protected]

Resilience is a skill we can develop over time and in our guest has shown an example of persistence to achieve his dreams. Jesse Iwuji (https://www.jesseiwuji.com/) is a race car driver and member of the US Navy Reserve. He is also a big supporter of NASCAR diversity and inclusion, and speaks to many audiences about leadership and resilience. In this episode he talks about his career, and his family who migrated from Nigeria with barely anything. We also discuss how you can also overcome adversity. 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 [email protected]

In this episode we will talk about Humor with Andrew Tarvin. He is a Humor Engineer. While he started his career in the world of computer science, he is a now a speaker and coach who teaches people and organizations how to use humor to be more effective while having fun.  In this episode we talk about this transition in his career, the steps you can take to apply humor and the different personas you will find in the workplace. You can find out who you are via the website humorthatworks.com.  You can see his TEDx Talk here.  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 [email protected]  

In this episode we discuss a skill many of us want to improve at: Persuasion.  In the book Persuade, Andres Lares  and Jeff Cochran gives very practical advice, including the building blocks to create persuasion. Andres Lares is a Managing Partner at the Shapiro Negotiations Institute and his expertise is in dealing live negotiations with major sports clients. He has lectured on the topic of negotiation and influence at various universities.  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 [email protected] 

Do you consider yourself a motivated person? How about a person who can motivate others?  Motivation is not a matter of getting the right speech for your team or about reading motivational quotes. It takes understanding yourself and others, it is about dealing with change.  In this episode you will learn about Motivation with Clinical Psychologist Dr. Bobbi Wegner (https://www.drbobbiwegner.com/) . She is an author, international speaker, and lecturer at Harvard. She discusses about the right and wrong ways to motivate your team members.  Dr. Wegner is also the founder of Groops (https://joingroops.com/ ), an online service which provides virtual support groups for work-life, relationships, parenting and self-care.  Use promo code 4HEALTH to get a month free.   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 [email protected]

Welcome to Season 5 of the Hardcore Soft Skills podcast.   Today we talk about Body Language with an expert who has been voted as a number one body language expert. Mark Bowden (https://truthplane.com/home/people/mark-bowden/ )  is a bestselling author who has been featured in CNN, CBS, the Dr. Phil Show, and many others to share his expertise on body language and human behavior. You should take a look at his popular TedX talk ‘The Importance of Being Inauthentic” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rk_SMBIW1mg  Also take a look at the show The Behavior Panel to learn more: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheBehaviorPanel?app=desktop  Our conversation today focused on what is really involved with developing your ability to understand body language and that of others. After this episode you will have taken a very important steps on your journey to understand body language for your advantage at work and life.  For bonus materials and updates, subscribe to the newsletter via the website https://www.hardcoresoftskillspodcast.com/ Connect with Yadi via LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/yadiraycaro/ or email her at [email protected]  

Season 5 is coming up soon! In the meantime, you can practice all of the skills we have discussed in the podcast with teh 30 Days 30 Skills guide.  Get it via https://www.hardcoresoftskillspodcast.com/ Connect with me via LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/yadiraycaro/ or email me at [email protected]  

This is the final episode of Season 4. In this episode we republish an interview from the podcast Innolatino https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/innolatino/ hosted by Gonzalo Pena https://www.linkedin.com/in/gonzalopena/.   ------------------ Do you feel stuck in your career or organization? This episode will help your breakthrough! This episode features Tech Consultant Yadira Caro. She's the creator behind the Hardcore Soft Skills podcast, and her expertise will help you take your career, team and organization to the next level. 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 [email protected]

This episode originally aired in July 2021. ------------------ In this episode we will talk about what you need to do make change happen. My guest is the authority on change. John P. Kotter (https://www.kotterinc.com/) is a best-selling author, award winning business and management thought leader, business entrepreneur and Harvard Professor. One of his books Leading Change was selected by Time magazine as one of the most influential books ever written. We talk about his 8 step process for leading change, how you can become a better change agent and the opportunities we have after the pandemic. 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 [email protected]

This episode was originally aired in February 2021.  ------------ Negotiation is not about winners or losers, playing tough or misleading. It is about seeking a deal where everyone can benefit. In this episode we learn how to become better negotiators from Diana Buttu, a lawyer specializing in negotiations, international law, and international human rights law. Buttu worked as a negotiator on the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, serving as the only female negotiator during her five-year tenure. She also currently teaches at the Harvard Extension School. For bonus materials, subscribe via the website https://www.hardcoresoftskillspodcast.com/ Connect with Yadi via LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/yadiraycaro/ or email her at [email protected]

The book Getting Things Done, by David Allen, was published over 20 years ago and today is it as relevant as ever.  The book, has which been published in 30 languages, has turned into a whole methodology called GTD and it is now being taught by coaches all over the world.   This episode originally aired in March 2021.  ----------------- I spoke with David about the origins of GTD, and he shared specific actions you can take now to enjoy your life. For more information about GTD go to https://gettingthingsdone.com/ 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 [email protected]

This episode originally aired in February 2021.  -------------------- Networking is an essential skill which can determine the success in our careers. However, many of us neglect it or do not know the correct way to do it. In this episode, Jordan Harbinger (https://www.jordanharbinger.com/), Wall-Street attorney turned podcaster, shares how networking has driven the success of his career. To access Jordan’s free Networking course, go to https://www.jordanharbinger.com/courses/ For bonus materials on this theme, subscribe via the website https://www.hardcoresoftskillspodcast.com/  Connect with Yadi via LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/yadiraycaro/  or email her at [email protected] 

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 [email protected] 

My guest today realized how essential mentoring is and create a whole network to help both potential mentors and mentees. Dr. Deborah Heiser holds a degree in Applied Developmental Psychology and she is also the founder of The Mentor Project (https://mentorproject.org/) which connects mentors in science, technology, engineering, the arts, mathematics, with the community. Today we talk about what drove her to create this network and the steps required to become a good mentor and mentee. 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 [email protected]

Hardcore Soft Skills Podcast was launched a year ago! Therefore, we are re-broadcasting a recent interview from the Empathy for Breakfast podcast with Mimi Nicklin which features an interview with Yadi Caro. Yadi shares more about her career and the importance of cultivating soft skills. 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 [email protected]

In today’s episode we will talk about Meeting Management. No matter if you work in office, at home or if you have your own business, you must attend meetings. Seems like a lot of our life is spent in these and oftentimes these are not productive at all. Today you will learn how to be the person that creates meeting people want to actually attend. We will learn about scientifically proven methods. My guest today has been studying meetings for many years. Dr. Steven Rogelberg (https://www.stevenrogelberg.com/) is an Organizational Psychologist and his work is quite well known around the world thanks in part to his book The Surprising Science of Meetings. Today we talk about dos and don’ts of meeting management, and specific lessons to improve your experience, especially in world where virtual meetings are simply the norm. You can find resources shared by Dr. Rogelberg here: https://www.stevenrogelberg.com/speaking-consulting-outreach 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 [email protected] 

In todays’ episode we talk to author and TedX speaker Mark Metry (https://www.markmetry.com/). He was one of the first guests we had on this podcast (https://www.hardcoresoftskillspodcast.com/self-awareness/) and during that episode he shared his story about growing up with social anxiety. how he fostered the skill of self- awareness and take steps towards becoming a better version of himself. Today we had a great conversation and talked about his new course where he shares with others various methods to help overcome social anxiety. If you do consider yourself to suffer from social anxiety or know someone who may, you will learn a lot in this episode. Also its very important to remember to seek professional help if necessary. 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 [email protected]

This episode marks the end of Season 3. We have learned about skills such as curiosity, agility, mindfulness, change management, writing, grit and others. One skill that for many of us is quite difficult to master is personal branding. 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 (needless to say I love the title). 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. 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 [email protected]

In this episode we talk about Mindfulness. My guest Jon Macaskill (https://macaskillconsulting.com/ and https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonmacaskill/) is a a retired Navy Seal Commander who served in Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia and Panama. He is now co-host of the podcast Men Talking Mindfulness (https://mentalkingmindfulness.com/) and he is also a mindfulness and meditation teacher. Jon talks how mindfulness and meditation helped him deal with the experiences in combat zones. He discusses some of the myths of meditation and gives us some key steps to improve on the skill of being mindful. 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 [email protected]

Today we will talk about Confidence. Have you felt at any point in your career that you were underqualified for a role? Or perhaps you fear that at any moment someone will find out that you don’t really deserve that position? Impostor Syndrome is very real and frequent among many of us. My guest has focused his career studying this and providing solutions for people on how to beat self-doubt. Dr. Richard Orbe-Austin is a psychologist and career coach (https://www.dynamictransitionsllp.com/). He and with his partner Dr. Lisa Orbe-Austin wrote the book Own Your Greatness which addresses specific techniques on overcoming impostor syndrome and gaining confidence. They also have a great Ted Talk (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2zbcZBI0Do) on how it affected their own lives In this episode we talk about some of those techniques in the book, the misconceptions about impostor syndrome and how you can take cation today.

Today we will talk about what you need to do make change happen. My guest is the authority on change. John P. Kotter (https://www.kotterinc.com/) is a best-selling author, award winning business and management thought leader, business entrepreneur and Harvard Professor. One of his books Leading Change was selected by Time magazine as one of the most influential books ever written. We talk about his 8 step process for leading change, how you can become a better change agent and the opportunities we have after the pandemic. 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 [email protected]

This week’s interview was one I had wanted to do for a long time. I work as Product Owner working closely with software developers creating apps at a military organization. We use the Scrum framework, which is one of the multiple agile approaches focused in delivering solutions quickly to customers. The approach is not just about being technically savvy, but on making good use of those critical skills like teamwork, listening and management. 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. (www.scruminc.com) , 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.

In this episode we talk about Curiosity. This time we talk about the scientific research on Curiosity with Dr Alison Hostmeyer (https://www.dralisonh.com/). She is a humanistic researcher and talent development consultant. Her research focuses on curiosity and associated mental, emotional, and motivational attributes. Dr Hortsmeyer is also adjunct faculty for USC Marshall School of Business Executive Education and the inaugural Research Fellow appointed to USC Annenberg Center for Third Space Thinking. Today we talk about science says on curiosity and what can we do to cultivate this skill. You can read some of her work here https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WZvA_lhtY8GoXzkFrS1fUa4vlop8wmLeq8os2s9yl8s/edit  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 [email protected] 

Today our focus will be not on the concept of skills but attributes. If you are a frequent listener of this podcast you know I really enjoy talking with current and former members of the military because they have great insights learned on the field which we can apply basically anywhere. I was very happy to have this guest on the show to share his lessons as a Navy Seal Commander and which he captures in his book The Attributes (https://theattributes.com/buy/) Rich Diviney  draws upon over 20 years of experience as a Navy SEAL Officer where he completed more than 13 overseas deployments – 11 of which were to Iraq and Afghanistan. Since retirement a few years ago, Rich has worked as a speaker, facilitator, and consultant with the Chapman & Co Leadership Institute and Simon Sinek Inc.  We talked about attributes and you will learn how he differentiates these from skills. The attributes he talks about are quite similar to those we address here   These are grouped into the categories of mental acuity, drive, leadership, teamability and grit. You can take the Attributes Assessment here: https://theattributes.com/blog/about-the-assessment/ You can get in touch with Rich via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richdiviney/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rich_diviney/  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 [email protected]

In this episode we talk about one of the skills most difficult to master: good writing.  My guest is Leslie O’Flahavan is a get to the point writer and experienced instructor. She is the owner of the company E-write (https://ewriteonline.com/) and she has provided customized writing courses for Fortune 500 compnaies, government agencies and non-governmental organizations. She is also a LinkedIn Learning instructor with courses on writing for social media, chat and others.   This is one of the episodes where we will really delve into some tips we can use right now. We also talks about why she is not a fan of the term “soft” skills. You can get in touch with Leslie via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leslieoflahavan/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/LeslieO 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 [email protected]  

Tech- savviness or being Tech-Savvy is not just about knowing a ‘how to,’ but about cultivating the desire to always be learning more. This is what we will talk about today with my guest Bob Fabien Zinga (https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobfabienzinga/)   Fabien is a cybersecurity executive and US Navy Reserves Commander with 23 years of experience in Information Technology and areas such as leadership, business operations, and project management. He is also part of the Forbes Technology  Council of Experts panel. You can see his contributions here: https://profiles.forbes.com/members/tech/profile/Bob-Fabien-Zinga-Head-Director-Information-Security-Information-Warfare-Commander-Directly-Inc-U-S-N/fcf91616-0afb-4518-94aa-93103b562d3c I invited him because he is always sharing great information both to the tech experts about the latest trends and about the fields we must learn more about. We talked about his fascinating life story, and his views on why we should educate ourselves in business.   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 [email protected]

Today we will talk about Grit and our expert is former Army Colonel David Fivecoat (https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-fivecoat-b5860b75/ ), who served twenty-four years as an infantry officer, leading men and women during contingency operations in Kosovo and Bosnia, three combat tours in Iraq, and a combat tour commanding a battalion in Afghanistan. He culminated his service by overseeing the gender integration of the US Army’s Ranger School. David is now retired from military life but has now launched the Fivecoat Consulting Group (https://www.thefivecoatconsultinggroup.com/) with the mission of helping leaders, managers, and organizations be the grittiest leaders that they can be. We will be talking about some of the key lessons from his book Grow Your Grit: Overcome Obstacles, Thrive, and Accomplish Your Goals (https://www.thefivecoatconsultinggroup.com/books) Connect with me via LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/yadiraycaro/  or email me at [email protected]  

This is the final episode of the season two. This season we have featured mini master classes from well-known experts so listen to the previous episodes from Season 1 and Season 2 to learn more. In this episode we discuss Emotional Intelligence. In my IO Psychology classes this semester we talked a lot about this concept which was by the coined by Peter Salovey and John Meyer, but popularized by Daniel Goleman. It refers to the idea that just as we have cognitive intelligence or IQ, we also have EQ or ability to manage our emotions and those of others. My guest today wrote a book which addresses EQ and other non-technical skills like self-awareness using a highly technical approach. Gilbert Eijkelenboom wrote the book People Skills for Analytical Thinkers (https://www.mindspeaking.com/book). What I love about this book is that it uses very relatable language for those of us who work in tech and provides very pertinent advice. Gilbert is a former Data and Analytics Consultant and founder MIndspeaking (mindspeaking.com),  a company which helps data scientist and analysts develop soft skills for business . We talked about his career as poker player, his own journey to become more emotionally intelligent and he gives specific steps you can apply as well. You can view some free training here: https://www.mindspeaking.com/free-course Connect with me via LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/yadiraycaro/  or email me at [email protected]  

In today’s episode we will talk again about the skill of Creativity. (You can listen for the previous episode here: https://www.hardcoresoftskillspodcast.com/creativity-natalie-nixon-phd/)  Noah Askin (https://noahaskin.com/)  is an Assistant Professor of Organizational Behavior at INSEAD business school, located in France, where he teaches Organizational Design and Leadership. Noah is interested in social and cultural networks, creativity and innovation. His current research is focused on areas such as music chart and industry dynamics, and what factors contribute to creativity. I met Noah during one of his 15-minute office hours (https://noahaskin.com/office-hours/) Since the pandemic started, he decided to open the calendar to anyone to chat about anything for 15 minutes. We will talk about this experience, his research in music and elements for creativity. For bonus materials of this and other episodes, subscribe via the website https://www.hardcoresoftskillspodcast.com/ You can see her TEDx Talk here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTS95OchFOE Connect with me via LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/yadiraycaro/  or email me at [email protected]