The latest free Knowledge Hub webinar featured public speaking expert and SCS instructor Adam Lazarus, who shared valuable insight into how anyone can begin to improve their presentation and communication skills. 

Lazarus kicked off the webinar by asking participants to picture someone who they think of as an excellent communicator and then share or make a note for themselves about what makes that person great at communication.

“It’s very important to articulate for yourself what you think is great so that you have a measure for yourself of what you want to emulate,” he explained. 

“I’m going to take a guess and say somebody picked Obama. And I’m going to also say, I’m sorry, you cannot be the next Obama. You can only be the next you. I’m not interested in who you choose, but why you choose who you choose. So you can take those qualities and figure out how you present them.”

Lazarus then asked participants what stands in the way of excellent communication and questioned how many people feel nervous speaking publicly, whether in one-on-one interviews or speaking in front of a boardroom full of people. 

“It’s considered the number one fear amongst human beings, even above death, according to The Book of Lists,” he said.

“Now I hope it’s not your case that you feel like you’d rather be dead than communicating,” he added.  “And I don’t say that to diminish the experience of feeling really bad and uncomfortable, anxious, sweaty and tired – all the things that happen…but the good news is that public speaking and communication is a skill that can be learned.”

Lazarus went on to share his approach to effective public speaking and communications, which includes, five main aspects: 

1. Pleasure: “You need to enjoy doing what you’re doing, and if you don’t it reads. Something in you needs to stand behind what you say or the audience will turn off,” Lazarus explains. “Often what happens because we’re nervous, is we diminish our own enthusiasm towards what we say. We can’t begin there.”
2. Complicité (or connection): Lazarus says that despite advice some people may have received to look above the audience instead of directly at them to alleviate nerves, it’s actually important to do the opposite. “We need to look at the audience and read what’s happening back.” When you’re paying attention to your audience and their feedback, you can adjust to keep them engaged.
3. Authenticity: You are who you are and you cannot be anyone but who you are. You are dynamic in front of somebody in your life, whether it’s your partner, your dog, or your friends, where you light up and sound like you care. And what we want to do is pull that person up in front of the room, appropriately.”
4. Mistakes or failure. “I promise you, you are going to make mistakes,” Lazarus said. But he explains the important thing is not to get hung up on mistakes or convince yourself the audience has been greatly upset by a fumble you might make during a presentation.
5. "Today I was good, tomorrow I hope to go on. Today I was bad, tomorrow I hope to go on.” Inspired by a saying from a teacher Lazarus studied under, the quote refers to the idea of communication improvement being a lifelong process. Lazarus says we don’t need to limit working on these skills to when we have a formal presentation or communication to prepare. We can take everyday communication as an opportunity to practice and improve our skills. He says: “We’re always working at communicating, getting our message across, being impactful, and dynamic.”

See the full webinar recording, including a follow-up question and answer session, below.

Visit our Workplace Communications page for more information about our courses related to communications and presentations.

It seems Daniel Fadelle was meant to work in the world of online business and ecommerce. 

The Merchant Success Manager at Shopify Plus says he loves being at the forefront of the latest technology and trends; connecting with the entrepreneurs and business owners behind the brands whose accounts he manages; and solving complex business problems where he can meet merchants at the intersection of business and technology. 

So when he came across the School of Continuing Studies (SCS) Ecommerce and Online Business Management certificate, he knew the courses would be right up his alley. 

“The course material was relevant to the work that I was already doing and the fact this it was remote was great. I started in September of 2020 during pandemic lockdowns,” he says. 

“It seemed like a good time to upskill.” 

Right from the first course in the certificate, Ecommerce/Online Business Fundamentals, Fadelle found the material was indeed relevant to his work. 

“Every day I get to apply what I learned,” he explains. 

“It started with an understanding of the fundamentals, and moved on to identifying pain points using Analytics, data, understanding what businesses may be focused on outside of the Shopify platform, and using KPIs to tell a story to form strategies that can be impactful in a positive way. Case studies from the program really prepared me for this.”

Fadelle says his that in addition to sharing their own expertise, all his SCS instructors were excellent at creating a learning environment where he and his classmates also had opportunities to learn from each other. 

“All the instructors made room during lectures for us to participate,” he says. “It was a space where there were professionals from different industries, so hearing the varied perspectives was valuable, especially around open discussion on case studies.”

The biggest challenge Fadelle faced in completing the courses was simply carving out the time to get readings done in between the classes, but he said the online format of the courses really worked for him. “If you were on the road, at dinner, in a study, felt sick, you could show up however was comfortable for you. Speak up, or not, whichever,” he explains. “So whatever your style of learning, you had a chance to participate.”

Fadelle says he thinks the courses in the Ecommerce and Online Business Management certificate would be helpful for anyone who has some basic knowledge of ecommerce and digital marketing, or for anyone who has worked in the field in some capacity but wants a more well-rounded education, to build their confidence, and to formalize what they’re learning on the job. 

He advises anyone taking these, or any other SCS courses to approach their learning with a clear objective in mind. “I don't think achieving any certificate or degree automatically gets you a job,” he says. 

“But it certainly equips you to better understand the requirements of what employers are looking for, or what you may need to consider when starting or operating your own business.”

SCS recently launched a new season of free Knowledge Hub webinars. Presented in partnership with the school’s new Blueprint Career Services, the first webinar delved into some of the keys to identifying your strengths and designing the career you want in 2023.

Panelists Career Development Officer Yoyo Eto and Career Strategist Ann Park introduced some of the basic concepts behind Blueprint’s new in-depth, interactive workshops: CliftonStrengths and Designing Your Life’s Work. 

Park kicked things off by pointing out that Canadians are currently experiencing an “employees’ market” with plenty of opportunities for people who are hoping to change or pivot in their careers. 

She went on to illustrate the natural tendency people can have to focus on their weaknesses, rather than their strengths, by asking webinar participants to compare what it felt like to write their names with their dominant and non-dominant hands. By changing this mindset and focusing on our strengths, we can achieve greater results and personal satisfaction, she explained. She noted that this is where concepts developed and inspired by Donald Clifton can help. 

“Donald Clifton was the father of positive psychology,” she said. “And he posed the question: What would happen if we studied what was right with people instead of what was wrong with people? In the 1950s he conducted a series of interviews with highly successful people to find out what made them successful. Were they born into certain circumstance or privilege? Was it just luck? What was going on? What quickly became evident was that these people used their greatest strengths and talents, things that were natural, to achieve excellence.”

Beyond reflecting on and identifying your innate strengths, something Park said the SCS CliftonStrengths workshops can help learners to do, it is also vital to take actions that will allow you to harness and express those strengths effectively. 

Park said first it is important to focus on what you enjoy most and do best. 

“Don’t waste your time trying to do things because other people say ‘Oh you should do this. If you do this you’ll make more money or there’s more prestige.’ No. Focus on what you do best and what you enjoy.”

Next, Park said, you must take an active role in individual development. 

“So this means it’s not just about recognizing your strengths. It’s about seeing that this is just the beginning,” she explained. “Real change takes place when you nurture and cultivate those strengths. Don’t passively wait for things to happen to you. Go out and engage in activities which elevate your strengths.”

Thirdly, Park said it is important for those who are currently working, to engage in active dialogue with your managers about your career and skills development.  if you’re currently working, engage in dialogue with your manager about it. 

“Ongoing dialogue such as quick check-ins create a perfect setting to set expectations, review successes and recalibrate processes. And ask for feedback! That’s how we learn and we grow,” she concluded.

Eto joined the conversation to share how, in addition to Park’s tips, people can use the principles of design thinking to advance their careers. 

“Design thinking is commonly used when we are working maybe in the tech industry, designing a product or a program…It involves problem-finding so you can understand what the problem you’re trying to solve is, and then prototyping your way into better and better solutions in little steps. So in essence design thinking, or building your way forward, is a way of thinking and approaching problems.”

In design thinking, once you have defined a problem’s scope and its shape, it is time to move on to ideation, the phase of the process where participants are encouraged to brainstorm any and all ideas to solve the problem. 
No idea is too impractical, explained Eto. “Designers use this technique to get past our brains’ tendencies to block good ideas. In life design it’s the same thing. Coming up with as many ideas as we can to solve our problem and then we can choose.”

Once you’ve selected one or two of your best ideas, it’s time to pick a prototype, said Eto. “In product design this looks like a sample. But in life design prototypes are designed to ask questions, test things out, get a feel for what things are,” she added. “So they require questioning, talking to people, gathering data to figure out will I like this career? Will I like this role? Will I like retirement?”

Eto also highlighted that acceptance of where you are now, and reframing problems are important aspects of life design. “So for example, when the pandemic first started a belief a lot of people had was ‘I spent the last few years preparing for my dream career but COVID-19 sent me on a new path and now I have no idea what to do and I’m absolutely stuck,’” she said. 

“A reframe of that would be ‘Yes COVID-19 has required me to pivot from my original career goal, but what does this provide me? Opportunity to reflect, reorient, better understand my values, and come up with what my life purpose is.’ So it really does look at what does a pivot look like, where do I go next, now that there has been a change or I want a change.”

See the full webinar recording, including a follow-up question and answer session, below.

While Paulina Morgan’s focus in her undergraduate program was economics, she was always interested in the world of marketing. So when she graduated in 2018, that’s the direction she struck off in. Initially diving into a job as a marketing analyst, she quickly moved into the field of marketing automation. 

She enjoyed the combination of technology and creativity her work demanded, but she wasn’t content to settle in for the long haul. “My motivation has always been to keep learning,” she says. 

When she discovered her company at the time had a budget for employee learning and development Morgan jumped at the opportunity to register for a Customer Experience Management course at the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies. 

She was drawn to the course because while it had some overlap with the marketing automation work she was familiar with, it also offered a new, complementary set of skills and knowledge she knew she could use to propel her career forward. 

“I use marketing journeys in my own role for planning campaigns from start to end for the customer, but I realized that that can also be applied to customer experience as a whole within companies to help look at the customer’s journey from becoming aware of a brand to purchasing to becoming a loyal customer,” she explains. 

“So I was like this isn't exactly what I do, but I wanted to learn more because I saw a lot of overlap with the marketing that I was doing,”

Even with the overlap between customer experience and her own marketing automation work, Morgan says she was surprised to realize just how pervasive customer experience is. 

“It’s mind-blowing how much customer experience is in everything from a streaming platform testing out their content with their audience to a big bank looking at how they can increase loyalty and increase retention among their customer base,” she says. 

“This class really did open my eyes to something that I don't think I would have been aware of, even though it was touching all aspects of my life the whole time.”

Morgan also recognized that in a constantly rapidly evolving field like marketing, she would need to keep learning to keep up. 

“It is an area that's developing all the time with all these new technologies. We really don't know what it's all going to look like in 10 years,” she says. 

“Marketing now is very different than it was before, and it's going to keep changing.”

To that end, she was pleased to be learning from instructor Sandra Pacitti, who not only teaches, but currently works in the field. She also found that her classmates had valuable insight and experience to share. “It’s kind of rare to find yourself sitting in a group of people who think about the same topics, because think about your friend group. You're not likely going to be friends with a bunch of marketing automation people or customer experience professionals,” she says. 

“So it was really cool to have that community to bounce ideas off of and learn from. A lot of us worked in different areas and had different experience and I think that kind of diversity of people within the group is definitely a strength.”

After her course ended, Morgan kept in touch with her classmates via LinkedIn and reached out to Pacitti when she was ready to take the next step in her career. She wanted to continue to work in marketing automation, but was also eager to continue exploring the customer experience industry. 

Her strategic job search paid off and she now works for Alida, a customer experience management platform, where she was able to apply the knowledge from her SCS course immediately. “The company deals with customer experience, employee, experience, brand experience, and product experience. So it provides what we call Total Experience Management,” she says. 

“During our onboarding, they were teaching us about customer experience, and I was so excited to realize this was literally what Sandra taught us! This is one of those moments where what you learn in school actually applies to what you’re doing at work in the real world.”

Aside from the new skills and knowledge she acquired in the classroom, Morgan says her SCS experience reinforced her instinct to make learning a continuous part of her life, and that she would recommend other recent grads take the same approach when thinking about how to advance their career or take it in a new direction. 

“I would say, never stop learning. Stay curious and be open-minded. Even if something isn't directly exactly what you're already doing, if it interests you, or you see some overlap, try it!” she says. 

“Go ahead and pursue it, because you never know where it's going to lead.”

In her twelve years of healthcare administration, Haleh Rahimi has never been short of projects to keep her on her toes. 

Over the years, colleagues who recognized her skills encouraged her to work towards earning her Project Management designation. Haleh knew that honing her instinctive project management abilities would be the key to propelling her career forward. She just needed to find the time. 

“The reason I decided to finally do this was because I found the SCS Foundations of Project Management course and it was so flexible. The whole program was doable while working full time and managing my other responsibilities,” she explains.

Haleh was also thrilled to find that when she shared her plans to take project management courses at SCS, her employers at Sinai Health were happy to invest in her professional development by helping to fund her tuition.

She began her first course during a pandemic lockdown, and so was limited to online classes, and she was impressed to see that once in-person classes returned, they took place in the evenings, making it possible for her to attend after work. 

“I couldn’t believe it, how flexible it was,” she says. 

“I did my first two project management courses online and for me it was even better than being on-site. The lectures are recorded so even if you miss them you can go and watch them after. I didn’t miss any lectures but I did go and watch some of them twice even just to get a good, in-depth understanding of them.”

It took no time for Haleh to begin using what she learned in class at work. 

“We’re working in a society now that it doesn't matter what industry you're in, whether it’s healthcare, marketing, or finance, project management is in high demand,” she says. 

“So project management has always been a part of my job, and I started applying these tools, techniques, processes, and strategies on the spot.”

Haleh’s instructor, Peter Monkhouse, also ensured there were plenty of opportunities for her and her classmates to put what they were learning to the test in class. “He gave us in-depth, hands-on experience so I felt like a project manager right from the foundations course,” she explains.

“We were in teams working on actual projects and came away with a good understanding of the different approaches to project management. Not all the approaches are going to work well for all the projects that you are given. We learned how to decide why one is better than the other one and how you can use a combination of approaches.”

In addition to sharing his expertise during class, Haleh says Peter took the time to explain the 11 different certificates students could apply the Foundations of Project Management course to, and was always happy to go above and beyond to answer learners’ questions and share expert advice when asked. “You’d email him and have a response back before you’d even hit send,” she jokes. 

As she continues to work towards her project management certificate at SCS, Haleh’s new skill set is already having a positive impact on her career. She is currently the executive assistant for medical affairs at Mt. Sinai hospital; the dept of obstetrics and gynaecology at Women’s College Hospital; and Toronto General Hospital, in affiliation with U of T medicine. And recently, she shares, her managers have taken note of her increased efficiency and ability to streamline processes within her department. 

Haleh has even used her newfound skills to help a colleague manage a home renovation project, which she says just highlights how useful project management skills can be to anyone, regardless of the field they work in. “This is the course you want to take if you want to get a good, in-depth understanding of project management. The skills you learn in the Foundations of Project Management course can be applied to any industry. Whether you’re doing construction, working in retail, or in a hospital setting, it doesn't matter,” she says.

“Everyone can benefit from this course.”

Workplace harassment investigators have a mandate to investigate complaints, make factual determinations about what likely happened, and decide whether those facts add up to a violation of the company’s harassment policy. It’s an important job with serious ramifications. After all, at the end of the investigation, the investigator will decide whether one employee likely harassed another, and significant consequences will attach to whatever conclusion the investigator reaches.

The success of such a high-stakes process depends in large part on the investigator gaining trust and establishing rapport with participants. Research shows that people provide more detail when the interviewer is encouraging, and people actually remember events better when they feel comfortable with their interviewer. Here are 5 top investigator strategies for doing just that:

1. Be respectful to every investigation participant throughout the process. Workplace harassment investigations are not criminal investigations and the investigator’s job isn’t to browbeat someone into a confession, cross-examine or make moral judgments. Not only is the old adage about honey and flies appropriate here but, even when harassment is found to have occurred, parties often have to work together again later. This will already be a difficult ask without adding the indignities of being treated poorly by the investigator into the mix.
2. Check your neutrality, check it again, and keep checking it throughout. It’s essential that the investigator is neutral. This means a range of things. It means that the investigator should never be in a conflict of interest as it relates to the investigation and the people it involves. It also means that the investigator must not be biased, nor should there be a reasonable apprehension of bias. This includes hidden prejudices and unconscious and psychological biases. If a participant doesn’t experience and perceive the investigator as neutral, they may be less forthcoming and detailed, negatively impacting the quality and reliability of the information the investigator gathers.
3. Create safety. Investigations are hard on all participants. They are stressful, sometimes trauma-triggering and scary. By starting interviews with a polite greeting using a pleasant tone of voice, eye contact, leaning in and open body language – whether in person or in virtual interviews – investigators can create a sense of safety and comfort for participants.
4. Demonstrate active listening during interviews. Investigators can do this with their body language, including maintaining eye contact, as well as with their questions. Periodically repeating back to the participant what the investigator has heard them say in order to confirm understanding also shows active listening.
5. Be transparent throughout. Most participants have never been through a harassment investigation before and have no idea what they are in for. Investigators who spell out the process clearly and transparently throughout, provide status updates to the parties, and check in with them during the course of the investigation build rapport and trust. Investigators should carefully introduce themselves, their role and mandate, and clearly explain the investigation process. Investigators with excellent training and/or fulsome experience can anticipate the likely questions that the parties will ask at an interview. By pre-empting those questions and supplying clear answers in advance, the investigator demonstrates their knowledge, experience and commitment to process; provides an opportunity for the party to settle in; helps put participants at ease, and improves the overall process.

Jennifer Wootton is a lawyer, workplace investigator and speaker. She has more than 28 years of experience in the workplace human rights law field in Canada. Jennifer’s law practice focuses on the proactive and compassionate resolution of internal workplace complaints through investigations, assessments, training and policy development. She is a pioneer in the field of workplace harassment investigations in Canada and has investigated thousands of workplace harassment, bullying and violence allegations as an external investigator since 2000.

Learn more about how to successfully conduct workplace harassment investigations in her upcoming course, Conducting Workplace Harassment Investigations. 

Smit Patel’s focus on supply chain management began with an unexpected twist in his career journey. After earning a bachelor’s degree in engineering in India, Smit came to Canada and began working on a diploma to become an auto power technician. “While I was earning my diploma-still focused on engineering- I was working part time at a juice company, managing their shipping and receiving,” explains Smit. “It came quite naturally to me, and I was promoted to a manager position, overseeing the logistical side of the business. This is where the supply chain seed was planted in my mind. I wanted to learn more about the theoretical side of supply chain management and grow my skills, so I came to the School of Continuing Studies (SCS).”

Smit began pursuing a Operations & Supply Chain Management Certificate, and appreciated the opportunity to learn from instructors with real-world supply chain expertise. “My instructors- Ammar Ahtisham, Ash Gude, and Anil Mislankar-were experts with deep industry experience, which made my learning very relevant and applicable. All my classmates were there with a motivated and curious mindset, just like me,” he recalls. “What really made this certificate great was the flexibility of online learning. I was able to make it happen with my work schedule, and for me it was just the right amount of time, commitment, and challenge.”

After earning his certificate in June 2022, Smit began interviewing for a new role. “My instructor Anil really helped me prepare for an interview, and I landed the role. I’m now leading supply chain management at a new company, and using the skills I learned at SCS daily,” he says. “At first, I was a bit nervous about managing work and study, but within the first week I knew I would be ok. I had the freedom to do things at my own pace, and learning fit well into my life, not the other way around. Next, I want to study Lean Six Sigma at SCS, and earn a green and black belt. I think that continuing education can mean different things to different people; to me, the ability to upskill while still working was a powerful choice, and the benefits have been very clear from day one.”

It was early in the days of the pandemic when Kara Stelfox began dreaming about a career change. She was working as a corporate trainer, and also freelancing as a consultant working with athletes on mental skills in sport. 

While her resumé and educational background in kinesiology might not have made for a linear path to becoming a translator, she had attended French immersion schools for 13 years, and languages had been her hobby ever since. 

“I suppose I’m a confirmed language nerd, and my French had been lurking in the background, waiting to leap back into the spotlight! Furthermore, having first studied in other areas besides translation gives me a lot of subject matter expertise I wouldn’t otherwise have had, so I see the quirkiness of my path as an advantage,” she says. 

The online format of the School of Continuing Studies translation courses allowed Kara to continue her freelance business as she studied, and the small class size made it easy for her to get to know classmates, who she is still in touch with after completing the program.  

Kara says that there were opportunities to put her skills to the test right from the first course in the Translation: French to English certificate.

“Our instructor, Pamela Lipson, got us translating relevant, real-world materials early on so that we could test the translation techniques we were reading about. We experienced a variety of source texts from diverse sources such as press releases, codes of ethics, marketing, speeches, and more,” she shares. 

“The diversity of the texts we were exposed to helped set the stage for understanding our strengths, building our knowledge, and preparing for the world of translation outside the classroom.”

Kara quickly discovered that she loved the puzzle of translating the meaning of one language to another as well as the variety of subject matter involved. 

“It’s always different and mentally stimulating. Although I have favourite topics to translate, one of the best things about translating is that you get to read about a lot of different topics. As someone who is a lifelong learner, I find that very rewarding,” she explains. 

Despite quickly realizing she was on the right path once she got going, Kara says she did have some reservations before starting the translation certificate. For one, she wondered whether her love of language learning would mean she would enjoy translating. 

“Will I be any good at it? What jobs should I apply to once I finish? Should I go freelance or try to work for an agency? You get the picture,” she adds. “However, to quote Winnie the Pooh from The Little Things, a charming book for children (and adults!): ‘Questioning yourself can be good. Doubting yourself rarely is.’ Fears and concerns can spur us to learn and prepare, which helps us succeed, but they should not be allowed to run the show.”

When the time came to apply for translation work, Kara went back to her instructor Pamela for advice on job applications and interviews in the translation industry. With her help, and armed with her new translation skills, Kara was able to secure her first, full-time position as a translator with a Quebec-based firm just a few months after completing her translation certificate. 

For anyone else looking to launch their career in translation, Kara has plenty of sound advice.  

“Learn ravenously and continuously. Use the SCS certificate as a wonderful jumping-off point for even more learning about translation and the language industry. Take translation-related webinars and short courses that complement what you’re learning in the SCS courses. Sign up for newsletters and blogs related to translation topics you want to know more about! Ask questions, both during and outside of class, to maximize your learning,” she says. 

“We learn by engaging, not by osmosis. Finally, leverage your peers in the SCS program – they and your translation instructor are your first translation network!”

Alexa Posliff has always been interested in employment law. A lawyer, who opened her own firm with two partners in 2021, she decided that one of the things she would like to be able help her clients with was resolving workplace harassment complaints through an effective response including complaint management and investigation. 

Geared towards lawyers, human resource professionals and business owners, the School of Continuing Studies Specialized Certificate in Managing, Investigating and Resolving Workplace Harassment Complaints gave her the ability to do just that. 

“One of the areas that I practice in is labour and employment law,” Alexa explains. “Through speaking with my clients and other lawyers, I have learned harassment complaints are often handled internally without much guidance as to best practices in the industry (or even without consideration that there is an industry focused on workplace investigations). I am now able to guide my clients through an investigation process and help them come up with creative solutions when there is a conflict at their place of business.”

Having been in the workforce for several years, this was Alexa’s first time returning to the classroom as an adult and she was glad to find that her course instructors were very understanding of the fact that she and her classmates were balancing school with full-time work and full schedules. 

“For me, the most challenging part of taking this course was time management. As I was starting my own firm at the same time, I felt sometimes I was pulled in a lot of different directions. The instructors were very understanding about that and were supportive when I advised them what I was doing in my professional career,” she says. 

“It was also clear that everyone in the class actually wanted to be there because we all were interested in the subject matter.”

Alexa says that the safe learning environment fostered by the instructors was key to tackling sensitive subjects in class. 

“I felt my instructors were completely free of judgment. Some of the topics we discussed in class were personal and, at times, sensitive; knowing that my instructors were not going to judge us for how a situation was handled or how we would react in hypothetical situations made class a fun and safe learning environment,” she explains. 

This was a vital aspect of the courses as it allowed Alexa to learn about the experiences of her classmates across different industries. “The dialogue in class was productive and thought-provoking.” She says. “My peers had a lot of unique professional experiences, and learning about how things are done in their own industries was incredibly interesting.”

Alexa says one of her most valuable takeaways from the Specialized Certificate in Managing, Investigating and Resolving Workplace Harassment Complaints was that being creative and listening to all parties involved in a conflict is key to  coming up with an effective solution, and adds: 

“My advice for students taking this course would be to keep an open mind and stay curious. Asking questions and actively participating in course discussions made my experience a happy and fruitful one. I felt like I got a lot out of the course because I was genuinely open to all ideas presented, even though they might not be consistent with my own professional experiences.” 
 

The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the level of uncertainty, complexity, and change in our workplaces. Teams have faced numerous new challenges, from reduced team building and knowledge transfer due to prolonged work from home, to increased burnout rates due to physical and emotional depletion. The first report by Mental Health Research Canada on Psychological Health and Safety in Canadian Workplaces indicated that one-third of Canadians are feeling burned out at work. In the new work environment, psychological safety is becoming increasingly important. Making the environment safe for open communication about ideas, concerns, and challenges is becoming a key leadership skill.

In her book Fearless Organization, Amy Edmondson defined psychological safety as ‘a belief that one will not be punished or humiliated for speaking up with ideas, questions, concerns, or mistakes, and that the team is safe for interpersonal risk-taking'. Improving psychological safety can be the key to creating a work environment of the future, and promoting new ideas and sustainable solutions to current challenges. 

Psychological safety can foster team innovation in five important ways: by improving authenticity, boosting creativity, promoting learning, encouraging interpersonal risk-taking, and increasing collaboration.

1. Improving authenticity

Being authentic means being true to oneself and acting according to our own values, personality, and spirit. Every individual is unique and has a specific set of traits, strengths, and talents that make us distinct from others. Creating an environment that is psychologically safe is important in uncertain times because it enables us to contribute in unique ways and challenge the status quo to create new solutions. This implies a degree of autonomy – the right for self-government and to be guided from the inside. When we can connect to our deeply held values as individuals, we are also more able to act according to the basic values that we all share as human beings, such as tolerance, appreciation, respect for others, and generally holding life meaningful and valuable. This can help reduce judgement and inspire team building and true collaboration.

2. Boosting creativity

According to the RBC report Humans Wanted: How Canadian Youth Can Thrive in the Age of Disruption, creativity is among the foundational human skills essential for the future of work. Science of creativity shows that creative individuals don’t necessarily have a specific set of skills, but have a high degree of adaptability and are able to apply whatever skills they have in different ways. Creative individuals also have fluid attention and a high degree of openness to experience, a trait that is crucial for dealing with uncertainty and adjusting to changing circumstances. An environment that is psychologically safe is open to new ideas, which boosts team creativity and helps long-term innovation and growth. 

3. Promoting learning

In the past, it was commonly believed that ‘effective performers do not fail’. Research on psychological safety, however, shows that effective performers produce, learn from, and share lessons from mistakes. The ability to re-frame failure as a natural by-product of experimentation can contribute to promoting fast learning and innovation in psychologically safe environments.

4. Encouraging inter-personal risk-taking

A moderate level of interpersonal risk-taking is necessary for high-performing teams, as it allows us to confront differences with others in ways that lead to learning and change. Unwillingness to take interpersonal risks can destroy value in an organization. Being able to speak up, give and receive feedback, ask a co-worker to clarify a particular point, or raise a different point of view in a meeting can all lead to improved innovation and better solutions.

5. Increasing collaboration

The key to psychological safety is to approach conflict as a collaborator, not an adversary. Engaging in exploration and brainstorming, not making assumptions about what other people think, and asking for feedback to illuminate blind spots can all be beneficial for innovation. Speaking human-to-human and working to achieve mutually desirable outcomes can positively affect the entire organization, as well as the success of its clients and their customers. 
The topic of psychological safety is becoming increasingly important in today’s changing work environment. Creating a place where people feel safe to be themselves and work creatively together without fear of being punished can have exponential effect on collaboration, learning, and innovation. It just may be the key to creating a better world.

Milena holds a PhD in Integral Health from the California Institute for Human Science. Milena’s work explores prevention-oriented methodologies for mental health, sustainability, and well-being. She teaches her experiential mental resilience and psychological safety programs at University of Toronto’s School of Continuing Studies and provides seminars to organizations and educational institutions. Milena’s programs have helped individuals build resilient minds and have contributed to the reduction of common mental disorders and stigma. For more information, visit www.nondualperspectives.com.

Her upcoming course, Psychological Safety, starts this Fall.
 

Here are three networking hacks to help you develop and make the most of your professional connections. 

1. Take advantage of networking apps and websites

Apps and sites like Bumble Bizz, Lunchclub and Ten Thousand Coffees can help you make professional connections, and find career inspiration and opportunities. Job seekers new to Canada may also want to check out Arrive, which offers advice and networking opportunities specifically for newcomers. 

2. Get out of your comfort zone

One way to shift your perspective and ensure you are open to the learning and growth that comes with networking is by regularly doing other things that take you outside of your comfort zone. Learning something new can feel foreign and uncomfortable, and you can’t be sure of the outcome, but the more you do it, the more confident you become. Getting used to getting out of your comfort zone will help you be a more confident, successful networker too. 

3. Balance your fear

If you find yourself feeling nervous during a networking event or opportunity, recognize that your fears of worst-case-scenarios are exaggerated. Focus instead on the wonderful opportunities that could come from acting despite your fear. 

Superconnector and SCS instructor Jean Chow is currently focused on her successful professional coaching practice, aptly known on social media as @MsBizWiz. Naturally inquisitive, her professional career began in auditing and then pivoted to international development. This life-changing career decision required her to be on the move.  Always being in new situations with unique social challenges in developing countries in East and Central Africa and Southeast Asia, Jean had plenty of opportunities to practice her networking skills. Jean knows instinctively what could be and is excited by the prospect of connecting people, ideas, and projects to get things done or to create something bigger and better.   If she’s not on the squash court or climbing wall or behind a camera lens, Jean enjoys spending time as a volunteer mentor helping youth recognize and realize their potential.  
 

As seasoned marketers, small-business folks, and advertisers alike know, when used wisely, words can locomote a company forward at unbeatable speeds. This is especially the case in our digital age, where both compelling copy and strategically placed keywords can skyrocket you to the top of a search engine’s results page, or front and centre on a social media platform. 

As a burgeoning or veteran copywriter faced with an intimidating (and growing) list of competitors-and a dwindling reservoir of effective copy-you may be wondering: is it even possible to make your copy pop in a sea of sameness? How can your copy stand out online? 

Fear not: it’s possible. 

As Joe Sugarman aptly puts it, “Every product has a unique personality, and it is your job to find it.” That is, the best way to make your copy sing and attract new business, is to differentiate yourself from the rest. It, dear reader/writer, is your sole mission as a copywriter to excavate the unique qualities that tell your audience you are indeed a unique snowflake in a blizzard of competitors. It’s your responsibility to let them know about how you dare to be different across your Google ads, websites, direct mail, social media posts, and beyond. 

Whether you’re a big business promoting a holiday sale, or a small non-profit looking for life-changing donations, it’s possible to use copy economically to showcase what makes you special - be it cost, return on investment (ROI), company ethos (sustainability, for example), your customer service standards, or your trustworthiness. Or, it’s still possible to differentiate purely using a distinct brand voice (think dead-serious brand voices like Nike, or more light-hearted lingo like Poo-Pourri!). 

We certainly see trusted brands taking these differentiation approaches with their copy time and time again - it’s a timeless tactic that likely won’t die. For instance, Mattress company Endy takes some time in its copy to tell its sleep-hungry audiences: “One Mattress, With a Purpose. We at Endy set out to design, make, and deliver an amazing mattress for a fraction of the cost of other major retailers.” So, in this case, the quippy differentiators are the dazzlingly less expensive cost and its multiple features. Or, take meal kit delivery service HelloFresh, who states, “We save you serious time: Now with more choices every week and meals starting from just $9.69.” The differentiators in this case are competitive pricing as well as product choice and the ability to customize. 

Audiences care about saving time, saving money, and getting as much benefit as possible out of a purchase. It’s the language they speak. Here are eight tips to help you speak it loudly in your copy.

8 Ways to Differentiate with your Copy

But how have successful online-powered companies uncovered their most important differentiators? How have they leveraged these differentiators powerfully in their copy? What kinds of processes help them arrive at a place where their copy speaks loudly and clearly about how special they are? These considerations can help you, and your audience, understand just how special you are. 

1. Start with the differentiation test. Veteran copywriter and School of Continuing Studies instructor Steve Slaunwhite suggests first taking the differentiation test, which in essence puts your own brand under the microscope and lets you know where exactly your differentiating copy can use some TLC. First, visit your company’s website and cover the logo. Then read the copy. Ask yourself: can you tell yourself apart from your competitors from the copy alone? Is the brand voice strong, and are the features and benefits strong and more unique? If the answer is a firm ‘no’ to all of the above, this is where to start working on your differentiation.
2. Make some room. Before going any further, know where you (and your differentiation copy) are going. Carve out some space to insert copy that differentiates, whether that’s a headline, a blog, or a stand-alone social post. In a longer document or on a website page, you could reserve a special space to promote what makes your particular brand, product, or service different, such as at the very top of your homepage, on an About page, in your social media bio, or on the bottom of a print document. 
3. Ease their worries with an unbeatable guarantee. A good risk-free guarantee or an iron-clad Service Level Agreement (SLA) can set yourself apart from more rigid competitors, and can demonstrate that your brand takes a customer-first approach. Try emphasizing an offer they can’t refuse (i.e. “Try us out, risk-free, for 60 days. If you’re not satisfied with us, you can cancel at any time in a matter of seconds.”).
4. Remind them that you’re, like, a known and trusted brand. If you’re a beloved business that has earned the confidence of consumers and/or business communities, this makes you special in a sea of sameness. Try penning copy that emphasizes your beloved status in the community in order to build confidence in your audience (i.e. “We are that friendly neighbourhood photo printing place backed by the most trusted names in the business.”).
5. Long in the tooth? Let them know. If you’ve been kicking around for more than a blink of an eye, your longevity certainly makes you a snowflake. Not every business can survive for years, and so your long track record is an immediate standout and signals to your audience that, hey, you must be doing something right.
6. Show off those glowing reviews. One of the great benefits of an online world for businesses is the ability to hunt and gather online reviews and comments from satisfied (and not so satisfied) customers, whether that’s a Trustpilot testimonial or Google review, or an Instagram or Facebook comment. If you have some gems, use them in your copy (i.e. “Join 80,000 other customers who trust us to do it right”) as part of website testimonials, success stories, or social posts. This is evidence that sets you apart, legitimizes you, and demonstrates the value of the voice of the customer (and that you value their approval). It makes you look a little human, which doesn’t hurt either.
7. Prove it with … proof. Firm evidence and concrete numbers and statistics unique to your business can certainly go a long way in building confidence in a potential customer. Using a simple headline followed by any data that demonstrates how well your product or service performs, and the logos of companies who trust you, are also easy on character count but effective in getting the message across. 
8. Hit them over the head with what makes you better. Do you know in your heart and soul that you offer the best customer service? Do you know that your prices are unbeatable? Are you bursting with pride over your company ethics (supporting local, using sustainable fabrics, donating to a cause with every purchase), or your more flexible payment plans? Great - tell them all about it in your copy, early and often.

Looking at your competitors won’t hurt, either: go after paid or organic keywords that your competitors use, and then some - differentiate by adding in more keywords variations that more exclusively target specific audiences so you’re easier to find on this vast and ever-growing world wide web.

All this being said, the best approach to writing copy that differentiates? Know yourself and your audience. Find out exactly how you’re special through a semantic strip-down: flesh out your brand identity, list out all its features and benefits, understand the profiles of the audiences you appeal to and the platforms they use (i.e. are they an online or in-store crowd), and really get to know yourself.

Samantha Mehra (MA) is a senior copywriter and content strategist in Toronto, and an instructor at The University of Toronto's School of Continuing Studies. With a diverse background in technology, history, and arts journalism, her writing credits include The Canadian Encyclopedia, Feathertale, Oxford Journals, and Routledge Encyclopedia of Modernism. She is a National Magazine Award nominee, and enjoys puns. Samantha instructs courses in our Strategic Copywriting Certificate.