Tina Varughese

Featured Keynote Programs

Are issues like these causing stress, conflict, confusion, time and money in the workplace?

Why does this client/co-worker constantly interrupt the conversation? Is he not interested in what I’m saying?
He never looks me in the eye. Clearly he does not respect me.
Hua said she’d complete the proposal last week yet she still hasn’t. Does she not understand it’s important?
Gustavo never has an opinion during meetings. Was he the best candidate for this job?
Why this topic?

Successful organizations understand that being able to communicate cross-culturally in the workplace leads to enhanced productivity, performance and employee engagement. Managing diversity drives profitability, leads to innovation and promotes an inspiring workplace culture.

Target audience

Everybody and anybody! Everybody can benefit from communicating more effectively, however, when 20% of Canada’s population is foreign-born (and much higher in urban centres), communicating with the cross-cultural advantage is arguably one of the most important types of communication to understand and benefit from in the 21st century. Any organization with a culturally-diverse client base or increasingly multicultural workforce would benefit greatly from this topic.

Key takeaways

Cultural differences in communication: Indirect vs. direct speaking styles
Individualistic and collective cultures: How values change the way we communicate
Effective day-to-day communication when English is a second language
Non-verbal communication: Why the “unspoken” word is the most important of all
How global companies lose millions in revenue due to a lack of understanding of cultural differences
How to use the VAK model of Communication (visual/audio/kinesthetic communication styles) using the cross-cultural advantage

Are issues like these causing stress, conflict, and confusion in the workplace?

Emily is 30 years old. This role involves a lot of travel — should she promoted? What if she decides to have children?
Manuel has such a strong accent that I’m just not sure if he’s a good cultural fit for our organization.
As an ambitious white male, I am the minority these days! I can’t check any of the boxes. Will I be passed over for this promotion yet again? I’m ready to quit.
Should Morton really lead the charge of the IT department? He just seems ancient to me.

Why this topic?
First impressions, positive or negative, are made in seven seconds or less. We all make quick assessments of others without even realizing it. We are not born with bias. Biases are formed by past situations, experiences, background, and culture. Unconscious biases typically exist towards gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, age, disability (both physical and mental), and weight. Most of us will say “I see people for who they are” but do we? Unconscious biases affect and impact decision making both professionally and personally with real impact. Recognizing, managing, and mitigating unconscious bias promotes diversity and inclusion; diversity and inclusion drives innovation, increases productivity, and stimulates creativity while promoting a healthy, happy, and engaging workplace culture.

Target audience
Anyone from any organization wanting to increase productivity, stimulate creativity, drive innovation, and create a healthier, happier workplace by promoting a more diverse and inclusive environment, would benefit greatly from this topic.

Key takeaways:

The neuroscience behind Unconscious Bias (“No blame, no shame”).
Managing and mitigating Unconscious Bias in recruitment, retention, and employee engagement.
Breaking bias — strategies for gender, maternal, affinity, and ageism.
Sesame Street 2.0 — one of these things is not like the other, one of these things just doesn’t belong... or does it? How diversity drives innovation, creativity, and productivity.
Why creating a culture of inclusion affects positivity, profits, and purpose.

Are issues like these causing stress, conflict, and confusion in the workplace?

Trevor is always on his iPhone? How does he get any work done!?
I wish Mei-Wen would contribute more in meetings. When I hired her she seemed so bright.
Jacqueline is so shy. How can she take on the role of VP of Marketing? Who would respect and listen to her?
George is always in my office. We have Outlook for a reason. He’s seriously wasting my time.

Why this topic?
Successful leaders understand today’s increasingly multigenerational, multicultural, and multifaceted workforce brings both opportunities and challenges if not managed effectively. To create trust, collaboration, and creative work environments, inclusive leaders need to effectively communicate, understand, and listen to their fellow employees. Everybody wants to be seen, wants to be heard, and wants to be acknowledged. Learning how to communicate and cooperate in the workplace leads to a healthier, happier, motivating, and inspiring workplace where everybody benefits.

Target audience
Leaders, managers, skilled professionals, or anybody that works in a multigenerational, multicultural, and multifaceted workplace.

Key takeaways:

Are you generationally ‘savvy’?
Does your leadership style reflect “gen zen”?
Play nice in the sandbox — team building through collaboration and understanding.
Empowering introverts in the workplace.
Individualistic and collectivist cultures: how values change the way we communicate.
What time is it? The difference between monochromic and polychromic cultures and why it matters to the workplace.

Are sales, negotiations, and customer service suffering due to issues like these?

• Vikram continues to negotiate on the house price even though we have a signed contract. How do I explain I cannot reduce the price anymore?

• This client shook my hand like a “wet noodle”. Is he not interested in buying insurance through me?

• My entire team is Caucasian. How can we increase business in multicultural markets?

• Jennifer is my top performer, yet many prospective male clients won’t look at her. Is it because they do not respect women?

Why this topic?
The population in general is becoming increasingly multicultural. One-fifth of Canada’s population was born outside of Canada (much higher in urban centres) — making it one of the fastest growing niche markets today. Second and third generation immigrants are highly influenced by parental values, beliefs, and cultural nuances. With diversity comes opportunity and potential for growth in sales, brand loyalty, and profitability. By building trust and rapport through understanding, recognizing, and respecting cultural differences, successful companies can capitalize and profit from this often untapped market.

Target audience
Sales and service professionals from any organization with a culturally diverse client base would benefit greatly from this topic.

Key takeaways:

• Work less, sell more: Increase repeat and referral business cross-culturally.
• Are we speaking the same language? Successful cross-cultural negotiations.
• When yes means no: How communication styles differ across cultures.
• Multicultural marketing: Spending dollars strategically in multicultural markets.
• Non-verbal communication aka “The Seinfeld Syndrome”: Are you a loud talker and losing business because of it?
• What women need to know to succeed cross-culturally.
• I don’t understand: When strong accents inhibit communication and what to do about it.
• Million-dollar mistakes: How global companies fail due to a lack of understanding cultural differences.

Are issues like these causing stress, conflict, and confusion in the workplace?

During the interview this foreign worker couldn’t engage in small talk and won’t address past achievements and accomplishments yet seems highly qualified. Is he?

Zeeshan’s accent is so strong that I can’t understand him when he calls me with off-site with questions.

I often offer Pierre constructive feedback, yet he never implements it.

Vilma continues to speak Tagalog with Caridad around patients. Will patients feel anxious and confused?

Why this topic?
Successful organizations understand that being able to attract, recruit, and retain a qualified worker with appropriate skills, personality, attitude, and motivation can be challenging at the best of times, let alone when chronic labour shortages exist in both skilled and non-skilled occupations.

A shortage of skilled labour limits the ability to increase sales or production, which is why many successful organizations recruit foreign workers. The top source countries for foreign workers are India, China, Pakistan, and the Philippines, all collective in nature. Collectivists often recommend suitable candidates because of their commitment to family and community, giving employers access to a rich database of potential recruits. However, managerial hiring practices are not standardized globally. Religious practices coupled with English as a second language can also affect productivity and profitability if not managed effectively.

Target audience
Sectors experiencing critical labour shortages including but not limited to oil and gas, healthcare, agriculture, hospitality, tourism, information technology, and trades.

Key takeaways

Why Canadian hiring practices sometimes inadvertently screen out suitable candidates.

Effective interview techniques with individualistic and collective cultures.
Face to face, phone, and email: Effective day-to-day communication when English is a second language.

Workplace conflict resolution across all cultures.

Death by meeting: How mismanaged global teams waste time and money.

Non-verbal communication: To shake hands or not to shake hands... that is the question.

Are we speaking the same language? Constructive feedback across cultures.

Are issues like these causing stress, fear, confusion, inefficiency, insomnia and productivity in the work from home space?

I am lacking focus and motivation while working? How can I make my day more productive, efficient and even energizing?
Fear, ambiguity and negative thoughts continually creep into my head. I feel deflated, angry and immense sadness. When should I be concerned if I’m situationally depressed, anxious or both? What can I do to protect the mental health of myself and my family?
I do not know how to effectively connect with clients in a virtual environment? Can I still build trust, authenticity and continue to strengthen relationships with clients, customers, suppliers and team members or is everything on hold?
Covid-19 feels like a living nightmare. How can I become purposeful, passionate, mindful and meaningful controlling what I can for a stronger and more resilient outcome for all
Why this topic?

With the sudden onset of Covid-19, organizations were forced to pivot, adapt and plunge into uncharted waters while facing overwhelming uncertainty. Despite title, rank or position we are all leaders at work and at home and have the capability to impact, influence and inspire others through intentional actions. Virtual leadership begins with effective communication, collaboration, empathy and understanding. With employees becoming increasingly demotivated and disengaged coupled with mental health issues such as depression, anxiety and addiction on the rise be-cause of the pandemic situation, it is imperative to lead with compassion, transparency, integrity and most of all resiliency as we stand together apart.

This is a virtual interactive, ‘hands-on’ inspirational keynote utilizing Zoom where attendees will participate in live polling, group chats, slide shares including videos, morale-boosting activities and Q and A to promote social inclusivity, engagement and unity

Key takeaways

Standing Together Apart: How to create respectful, communicative, inclusive, collaborative virtual teams
Death by Virtual Meeting: Four key steps to inclusive and effective virtual meetings, virtual sales and virtual social inclusion
When Fear Takes Over: How to Actively Listen, Empathize and Empower Others’ Towards a Positive Paradigm
Immunizing our Mental Health
The Power of Surrendering to Circumstance: Why Letting Go Strengthens Resilience
The Transformative Power of Servitude: Why Serving Others Provides Purpose During Difficult Times

With the onset and ongoing turbulence of COVID-19, organizations were forced to pivot, adapt, and plunge into uncharted waters while facing overwhelming uncertainty. Despite title, rank, or position we are all leaders at work and at home and have the capacity to impact, influence, and inspire others through intentional actions. To put people first effective communication, collaboration, empathy, inclusion, and understanding is imperative.

Employees are becoming increasingly demotivated and disengaged coupled with experiencing a lack of work-life balance. Mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and addiction are on the rise hence it is integral to lead with compassion, transparency, integrity, and most of all resiliency as we stand together apart. Additionally, with remote work companies need to lead inclusively where they realize diversity reflects who’s on the team, yet inclusion reflects who gets to play. Great organizations recognize operating in silos create cultural barriers. Creating a sense of belonging promotes healthier, happier, inclusive, and innovative workplaces.

Key takeaways

How to actively listen, empathize, and empower others towards a positive paradigm.

Retraining the brain for positivity for optimal work-life blend.

Balanced boundaries: You are not required to set yourself on fire to keep others warm.

Psychological safety: The key to diversity, inclusion, and creating a sense of belonging at the workplace.

Cultivate inclusion at virtual and in-person meetings.

The power of surrendering to circumstance: Why letting go strengthens resilience.