Tina Varughese

An Indo-Canadian daughter of first generation East Indian parents, Varughese says her cultural background allows her to find “the best of both worlds” and shed light, knowledge, and, most importantly, universal humour into the changing workplace. Her highly entertaining, interactive, and practical keynotes leave attendees inspired to think, behave, act, and communicate with intention.

For fifteen years Varughese worked with immigrants in her roles with the Province of Alberta’s immigration office. She also ran her own successful relocation and settlement firm. Varughese draws from her experiences as an entrepreneur, mother, daughter, wife, sister, and friend when delivering keynotes on diversity and inclusion — topics that resonate with her both professionally and personally.

Varughese has been named one of “Canada’s Top 10 Notable Speakers” by Ignite Magazine for her ability to break down barriers and create a comfortable, inclusive, and fun space for attendees. She was the face of diversity, literally, having been chosen to participate in Dove’s campaign for Real Beauty, representing beauty in diversity.

The past-president of the Canadian Association of Professional Speakers (Calgary), Varughese is a contributing writer for the Human Resource Institute of Alberta’s Network magazine, Calgary Real Estate News, and Home to Home magazine. She was also profiled in Alberta’s Venture Magazine.

VIRTUAL & KEYNOTES:

What is Unconscious Bias? Making a First Impression in Seven Seconds or Less +

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.

Audiences will learn:

• 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.

This virtual presentation via Zoom runs 60 minutes, including both a keynote and an interactive Q&A. A virtual full- or half-day workshop format is also available. --

Sales & Service to All Cultures +

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. --

Virtual Leadership: When Communication, Collaboration, and Compassion Intersect +

With the sudden onset of COVID-19, organizations were forced to pivot, adapt, and enter 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, it is imperative to lead with compassion, transparency, integrity, and, most of all, resiliency.

Audiences will learn:

• How to create respectful, communicative, inclusive, and collaborative virtual teams.
• Four key steps to inclusive and effective virtual meetings, virtual sales, and virtual social inclusion.
• How to actively listen, empathize, and empower others towards a positive paradigm.
• How to immunize 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.
  
  This 60-minute virtual presentation via Zoom, includes a “hands-on” inspirational keynote, live polling, group chats, slide shares with video, morale-boosting activities, and an interactive Q&A. A virtual full- or half-day workshop format is also available. --

50 Shades of Beige: Communicate with the Cross-Cultural Advantage +

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.

Audiences will learn:

• 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) using the cross-cultural advantage.

This virtual presentation via Zoom runs 60 minutes, including both a keynote and an interactive Q&A. A virtual full- or half-day workshop format is also available. --

Recruiting & Retaining Foreign Workers for Success & Sustainability +

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.

Audiences will learn:

• Why Canadian hiring practices sometimes inadvertently “screen out” suitable candidates.
• Effective interview techniques with individualistic and collective cultures.
• Effective day-to-day communication when English is a second language.
• Workplace conflict resolution across all cultures.
• How mismanaged global teams waste time and money.
• Non-verbal communication.Constructive feedback across cultures.

This virtual presentation via Zoom runs 60 minutes, including both a keynote and an interactive Q&A. A virtual full- or half-day workshop format is also available. --

Gen Zen: Communicate, Collaborate & Cooperate in the Changing Workplace +

Successful leaders understand that 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 employees. Everybody wants to be seen, heard, and acknowledged. Learning how to communicate and cooperate in the workplace leads to a healthier, happier, motivating, and inspiring workplace where everybody benefits.

Audiences will learn:

• Are you generationally ‘savvy’?
• Does your leadership style reflect “gen zen”?
• Team building through collaboration and understanding.
• How to empower introverts in the workplace.
• Individualistic and collectivist cultures: How values change the way we communicate.
• The difference between monochromic and polychromic cultures and why it matters to the workplace.

This virtual presentation via Zoom runs 60 minutes, including both a keynote and an interactive Q&A. A virtual full- or half-day workshop format is also available. --

Inclusive Leadership: From Silos to Solutions +

Creating a great organization isn’t just about breaking down cultural barriers; it’s about building a workplace where everyone works towards a common purpose and feels included despite title, rank, or position. Successful leaders understand people do not leave jobs, people leave people. Today’s successful leaders believe not only in investing in themselves, but encouraging others to grow, to learn, and to develop in order to build inclusivity and trust, breakdown silos, foster employee engagement, encourage open lines of communication, promote creativity, and create a healthy, happy, and inspiring workplace.

Audiences will learn:

• How to break down silos and create respectful, communicative, inclusive, and collaborative teams.
• How to deliver constructive, influential, inclusive, and solution-based feedback.
• Five key steps to inclusive and effective meetings.
• Inclusive personal and organizational purpose: How recognizing others’ contributions gives you a stronger sense of purpose.
• How to actively listen, include, and empathize to change negative behaviours at work.
• The importance of stress management for leaders.

This virtual presentation via Zoom runs 60 minutes, including both a keynote and an interactive Q&A. A virtual full- or half-day workshop format is also available. --

Ctrl-Alt-Del: Give the (Re)Boot to Work-Life Balance +

Only 23% of working Canadians are highly satisfied with life. In fact, one-third of Canadians feel they have more work to do than time permits. Work-life balance is not a gender issue. Men have the same issues balancing career and family as women do and also struggle with obtaining work-life balance. With technological advances coupled with more women entering the workforce due to economic pressures, work-life balance can seem evasive and unobtainable. But with essential tools, tips, and strategies, employees can minimize stress, maximize efficiency, improve productivity, and boost positivity both at work and at home. Increased work-life balance leads to lower employee absenteeism and turnover rates and higher levels of employee engagement.

Audiences will learn:

• 168 hours = 168 hours: Why more time does not mean more balance.
• Five key stress busters that are essential for a healthier, happier, and more balanced life.
• Tips and tools for difficult conversations at work and at home.
• Increasing your work-life balance score with the Japanese concept of “kaizen”.
• Cultural differences in the perception of work-life balance.
• The high cost of always saying “yes”.
• How to retrain your brain for positivity.
• How to prioritize your life the way you want your obituary to read.

This virtual presentation via Zoom runs 60 minutes, including both a keynote and an interactive Q&A. A virtual full- or half-day workshop format is also available. --

Represented by K&M Productions. For more information on Tina Varughese's virtual & live speaking presentations, as well as fees, date availability, and booking Tina Varughese contact us.