Thriving Matters Podcast

Our guest this episode is Helen von Dadelszon who is a communication coach, speaker and vocal trainer who helps people show up with clarity, courage and confidence, whether they're leading meetings, speaking on stage, or navigating tricky conversations. Listen in as Helen shares what gets her out of bed each day - that her dog and helping smart people communicate with clarity and confidence are her motivation. Their conversation began by exploring how both Carrie and Helen's career paths in communication were influenced by their parents' encouragement. Helen shared her journey with Toastmasters, explaining how she initially viewed it as intimidating but later found a community and passion for public speaking and communication. She discussed how communication can be affected by external factors like stress or distraction, and mentioned her focus on managing the nervous system, particularly for leaders who need to speak to larger audiences. Public Speaking Skills Management Helen and Carrie then discussed strategies for managing nervousness and improving public speaking skills. Helen shared insights from her book "Courageous Action," which covers practical techniques including breathing exercises, body awareness, and mental preparation. The discussion highlighted how nervousness can be managed through action rather than waiting for confidence to develop naturally, with Carrie noting the importance of addressing common speaking challenges like fillers and voice modulation. They also spoke about communication strategies for speakers and leaders, focusing on understanding the audience and defining clear objectives before crafting a message. Helen advised recording presentations to analyze both audio and visual elements, suggesting specific areas to improve such as vocal tone and body language. They also discussed the importance of finding authentic role models closer to one's professional context rather than looking up to famous speakers like Obama or Oprah. The conversation concluded with Helen emphasizing that communication skills can be developed as habits, encouraging listeners to practice reflection and improvement in their communication practices. If you have enjoyed this conversation with subscribe and share with your colleagues, family and friends. To Connect with Helen: LI: linkedin.com/in/helen-von-dadelszen URL: academy.presentpotential.ch Email: [email protected]   To Connect with Carrie: LI: linkedin.com/in/carriebenedet URL: carriebenedet.com  Email: [email protected]

Our new episode of "Thriving Matters" podcast, Carrie interviews Bronwyn Coulthart about her AI-powered business consulting services. Bronwyn shares her journey from traditional IT consulting to developing an AI tool that helps entrepreneurs identify and monetize their professional skills through a 22-question expertise assessment. Bronwyn discussed how the tool was inspired by helping a friend who cares for two children with autism navigate the NDIS system, transforming her from someone who claimed "I can't do tech" to someone building her own consulting business. Bronwyn explained her service offerings include a free assessment tool that generates a custom report within 10 minutes, paid companion workbooks, and full business audits, with the goal of helping professionals transition from corporate roles to independent consulting without abandoning their existing careers. The conversation also covered the importance of recognizing employees' transferable skills and the strategic challenges companies face when losing experienced staff. The conversation showcased Bronwyn's background in IT and law, the market changes that drove her business evolution, and her philosophy that technology should support professionals rather than complicate their work. If you enjoyed this conversation, share with your colleagues, friends and family. Don't forget to subscribe! To connect with Bronwyn: LI: linkedin.com/in/bronwyncoulthart URL: seybienne.com.au Side Hustle Interview: https://interview.seybienne.com.au/interview-details To Connect with Carrie: LI: linkedin.com/in/carriebenedet URL: carriebenedet.com  Email: [email protected]

Today on The Thriving Matters Podcast, Carrie welcomed Carly Shorter, founder of Communicate Powerfully in New Zealand. Carly brings more than two decades of experience across radio broadcasting, leadership, facilitation and professional development. Her passion is helping leaders find the clarity, confidence and courage to have the conversations that matter, especially the ones we’re tempted to avoid. As a Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach and Brain-Based Coach, Carly brings together practical communication strategies, neuroscience and a deep understanding of people. Today, we explored how powerful communication can strengthen relationships, build trust and help leaders create workplaces where people and performance, can truly thrive. Carrie and Carly dived into communication skills and leadership, where Carly shared her journey from radio broadcasting to founding Communicate Powerfully, a company focused on workplace communication training for senior leaders and CEOs. Carly shared key communication techniques including the importance of genuine hellos with follow-up questions, the power of meaningful pauses, and the concept that every conversation builds either trust or breaks it. They explored how AI is impacting communication but emphasized that human skills remain essential, particularly for difficult but "vital conversations" that leaders must have. Carly recommended self-development and curiosity as key advice for aspiring leaders, also featuring the "Below the Surface" card game designed to help people build deeper connections through meaningful questions.   If you enjoyed this conversation, share with your colleagues, family and friends - don't forget to subscribe! Catch you next time and don't forget that your are precious and your thriving Matters! To Connect with Carly: LI: linkedin.com/in/carlyshorter URL: communicatepowerfully.com Email: [email protected]   To Connect with Carrie: LI: linkedin.com/in/carriebenedet URL: carriebenedet.com  Email: [email protected]

This episode, Carrie's guest is Tracey Ezard, a highly regarded global educational leader, speaker, author and creator of Ferocious Warmth, a human-centred leadership approach that brings heads and hearts into powerful alignment. Carrie and Tracey have known each other for a number of years and they hope you will listen in as they weave between a few different aspects of thriving in life and work! Enjoy. Tracey and Carrie discussed the importance of creating a learning collective culture in schools, emphasizing the need for "challenger safety" where robust debates can occur within high trust environments. They explored how leaders can balance "ferocious warmth" - combining strong performance expectations with emotional connection and support - to drive excellence while fostering a positive culture. The conversation also covered the strategic implementation of AI in education, with Tracey advocating for schools to proactively learn about AI while maintaining ethical standards in its use. They also talked about the importance of self-awareness and holding space for others during times of uncertainty and change. They explored how connection with oneself and others can help maintain balance and resilience, particularly in challenging situations. Tracey shared her upcoming silent meditation retreat and her approach to supporting leaders in holding difference constructively. They also touched on the value of holding generative dialogue and creating safe environments for diverse perspectives in educational and leadership contexts. If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to subscribe and share with colleagues, family and friends.   To Connect with Tracey: LI: linkedin.com/in/traceyezard URL: traceyezard.com Email: [email protected]   To Connect with Carrie: LI: linkedin.com/in/carriebenedet URL: carriebenedet.com  Email: [email protected]

In this episode, Carrie connects with Dr Ramandeep Saini. Listen in to their conversation that moved between her personal and professional journey and approach to leadership, emphasizing the importance of learning from different generations and adapting to new perspectives in her role as a business school director. She shared her philosophy of reflecting on experiences weekly to identify lessons and growth opportunities. Dr. Ramandeep also shared her approach to leading a team of 95% female staff, emphasizing the importance of patient hearing and understanding their challenges. They explored strategies for future readiness, with Dr. Ramandeep advocating for balancing global skills with local relevance and emphasizing the need for continuous learning and adaptation to technological changes, particularly AI. The conversation highlighted the importance of curiosity, wonder, and being open to new learning for both young people and leaders in today's rapidly changing world. We also covered the importance of using AI ethically to enhance performance rather than relying on it completely, as this helps maintain human creativity and wisdom - using AI only for refinement. Of note, we also discussed the impact of AI on education and employment, particularly in India. Dr. Ramandeep explained that India's 2020 National Education Policy aims to bring more flexibility and skill-based learning, allowing students to combine different subjects and acquire specific skills. Key to the overall conversation was the importance of human connections, communication skills, and teamwork in adapting to technological changes, noting that while technology can enhance performance, human collaboration remains crucial. They agreed that interpersonal skills will continue to be essential regardless of AI advancement, and Dr. Ramandeep expressed enthusiasm about their current discussion as an example of successful human connection facilitated by technology. If you enjoyed this episode, share with your colleagues, family and friends, and don't forget to subscribe. Go gently, you are precious and your thriving matters.   To Connect with:   Dr. Ramandeep LI: linkedin.com/in/drramandeepsaini Email: [email protected]   Carrie Benedet: To Connect with Carrie: LI: linkedin.com/in/carriebenedet URL: carriebenedet.com  Email: [email protected]