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Tena Pick
Founder, Project Kal, India
Tena is a gender & development expert passionate about women empowerment, community development and social impact measurement. She is the Founder of Project Kal and has mentored startups from the Caribbean, Gaza and the Middle East.
Tricky workplace situation handled
By this mentor in various human skills
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- - Freeing up time for strategic decision making - Instilling a sense of ownership and accountability in your employees - Gathering new ideas and fresh perspectives
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- - Identify employees to delegate certain projects to based on their skill sets - Open channels of communication to ensure employees feel comfortable coming forward and sharing their ideas - Taking a back seat and leading others drive certain projects
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- Creating a better, more holistic on-boarding process and establishing team leaders and managers to report back on their strengths and interests. Allowing the employees to volunteer for certain projects based on their availability and capability. Creating a feedback loop to make sure I stay in touch with them throughout the project.
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- He let the stress get the better of him! Remember, you know your business best. Even if you forget exactly what you wanted to say, do not let that get the better of you. Be prepared, but also be prepared for worst case scenario and have a plan B.
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- If you forget exactly what you wanted to say- and that is highly likely- it will completely throw you off your game. It also seems too rigid and often it is not engaging enough. The sweet spot lies in being so prepared that you can improvise and tell the story in your own words.
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- Identifying what the customer needs allows us to design a product or a service that responds to that need rather than wasting time and money or developing something no one needs and that has no market. It allows us to test our products faster and pivot based on what the customer needs or wants, as well as design customer care and experience that corresponds to the customer needs.
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- By conducting interviews, focus groups, online questionnaires, creating crowdfunding campaigns and testing out the minimum viable product, as well as conducting market reserach.
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- You do not have a business without your customers.
- You have to ask your customer what they want.
- Customers choose you because you offer something they need or want.
- You have to identify the market segment you are advertising to.
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- Janet. Tim is too focused on working hard and being productive, but the stress he puts himself under makes him incapable of making hard decisions. When challenges arise, Janet is more likely to respond to them in a sustainable matter due to her focus on her health and positive outlook on her business. Her working closely with her team and partners means she has support and she knows how to use it in times of crisis.
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- Without taking care of our body, we cannot take care of our mind. To prevent burning out and being unable to successfully run our business we need to take care of ourselves. Research has shown positive links between exercise, sleep, nutrition and our mental capacity. To ensure we can be the best entrepreneurs we can be, we need to find time to take care of ourselves, which will in turn increase our resilience to all of the challenges that come with running a business.
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- I make sure I incorporate healthy habits into each and every day, no matter how stressful the day is. That can be as simple as having a piece of fruit for a snack instead of pastry. I workout in some shape or form three days a week and take one long walk a week. Each evening, I meditate on my day and write a gratitude list. I could do better with my eating habits- I tend to eat fried food when I'm stressed. I would say I am on a solid 7 on a scale of 1 to 10. I found that for me, regular sleeping patterns are crucial for dealing with stressful work decisions- I am of no use to anyone if I didn't get enough sleep!
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- Target market is the subset of the market in general that wants or needs your product or service. Those are the people you want to reach through your channels and who you want to purchase your product. Instead of trying to reach everyone, we need to clearly define our target market so that we do not waste resources. It is a particular and specific group of customers to whom we are aiming our product or service.
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- - Waste of time and money trying to attract the wrong customer who is not interested in our product - Dilution of the marketing message and confusion around who our product is for - unfocused social media messaging that doesn't reach the right consumer - Drop in income and profit - Financial loss
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- It is better to be a great solution to a limited number of people than to just be okay for a lot of people. If you are just okay for a lot of people, you will always be bested by someone else who understands their niche market better. The better you understand what separates you from others in the same area and why the people who love you truly love you, the easier it is to target them more efficiently. Add your secondary passion to your business so that other people with the same interests can better connect with you. Any market you're in is competitive, so it is important to connect with your consumer so that you can be seen as the expert for your niche.
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- Strategic planning allows entrepreneurs to focus on the bigger picture, anticipate trends and be proactive rather than reactive. Instead of focusing and getting lost in daily, time-consuming tasks, strategic planning gives us a birds eye view of the business, as well as the market. It makes the business more adaptive and more resilient to crisis.
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- We want to become the leading gender leadership consultancy in South India, as well as the leading research and policy advisory consultancy for gender equity and equality. We want this to happen over the next five years and for that, we need to build strategic partnerships and hire the right talent.
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- - To see if there is any real demand for them in the market - To see if they are workable from a time and money constraints perspective - To scope the size of the market and competition
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- - Feeling of always chasing the next task rather than being in control of your own time - Stress and burnout - Poor work environment - Important tasks get lost in the mix - Wasting too much time on tasks that can be done in bulk or delegated
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- I lose time when I focus on smaller tasks first, like answering emails. It feels like being productive, but in the end it contributes nothing to the business.
- Luckily, not too often! I make sure I have clear to do lists for the day/week/month
- Never- I have daily to do lists with tasks in order of importance.
- Very rarely- I make sure that the most important things are done by the end of the workday and everything else can wait.
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- - Emails and phone calls - Meetings that could have been done over phone - Commuting to and from far away venues - Events that end up not being relevant or useful
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- The employees have not been properly on-boarded and guided through what is expected from them in their new roles. They are confused and overwhelmed because they have no guidance and have no one to turn to to ask questions and figure out what is expected of them. They are stressed and keep making mistakes because there is too much pressure on them but no system in place for them to get explanations of what they should be doing.
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- - Have a better on-boarding process where the roles and expectations are clearly defined and explained - Have someone as a point of contact for employees to ask when they get lost or overwhelmed - Create clear set of guidelines and deliverables for employees to know what is expected of them - Create a training program for new employees
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- - Increases staff retention and productivity - Opens dialogue for questions and suggestions - Reinforces company qualities (employer branding)
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- Currently, we are at a 7. We are a very small team and have a very horizontal work environment, with existing team members helping new ones with daily tasks and familiarizing with the system. We put a large focus on corporate culture and creating a sense of openness and transparency, where everyone feels comfortable asking questions and getting feedback.
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- The purpose of building an MVP is to get the maximum amount of feedback on the most essential parts of your product or service without spending too much time or money on it. It allows us to respond to the needs of our target audience faster and more efficiently. It is important to note that the MVP is not perfect and does not look like what your ideal product looks like in your head- it is just the first of many iterations of your product!
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- Lack of face to face training on gender sensitivity during COVID-19, especially for underprivileged kids
- It can be very useful if it ties into their culture and daily challenges they see in their surroundings
- To build their soft skills, get ahead in school and to prevent GBV before it happens
- Learn about gender and gender sensitivity
- - real life examples, video content, 24/7 chat support, group forum
- Must have: case studies, videos. Nice to have: group forum. Not necessary: 24/7 chat support
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- It allows us to respond to the ever-changing business landscape in a strategic manner, by being proactive rather than reactive. It also makes us more competitive, due to the fact that if we adapt faster than our competitive we can better serve the needs of our clients. It builds a more resilient business and more resilient teams that do not get caught up in change, but rather anticipate it and respond to it in the best possible manner. It allows us to grow, instead of being caught up in the "but we have always done things this way" thinking.
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- - Tech failures. What will you do if your presentation doesn't work? Have you prepared other tools and are you confident enough to be able to get through it without visual aids? - Different stakeholders present. Maybe you were told you will only be presenting to your team, but your manager decides to include other stakeholders on the day. Are you prepared to answer questions from other points of view and other perspectives? - Unconvinced audience. What if your manager is not convinced by your plan? Do you have the numbers and the data to back up your proposal? - Questions you do not have answers for. How will you manage the questions you do not know the answers to?
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- A client deciding to change the entire workshop on the spot. Instead of 4h, I was given 2, and instead of having 20 people attend they decided to open it up the whole team. We quickly decided to change the format and making it more of a talk rather than an interactive workshop. 2020 plans changed due to COVID. Instead of on-boarding five new schools to work with, we had to move all of our workshops online in a matter on months. Video pitching in the middle of a sudden power cut. Luckily we came prepared with a Wifi hotspot! How I can enhance my adaptive skills further: - keep an eye out on global trends in my industry - train my team on using the newest tech platforms to deliver content - regularly connect with others in the industry to learn from the challenges they face
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- Entrepreneurs need to be prepared to approach the times of crisis with mental flexibility, be willing to change their business models and plans based on the bigger picture, as well as channels used to reach their customers. They should keep an eye out on the available data and trends and respond to what is happening around them without any bias or a feeling of resentment. It is also important to build personal resilience and avoid burning out in these times of crisis.
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- - surround yourselves with employees you trust and who are experts in their fields - don'y focus on making the perfect decision by waiting to have all the perfect information - understand that it's not the end of the world if everything doesn't work out perfectly
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- I find Roshan Paul, founder of Amani institute inspiring, because: he is working for the greater social good, he trusts his team to deliver programs without micromanaging, he has a good overview of the global market situation and he always finds ways to adapt.
- I think I am at a solid 8- I have a very positive outlook on life and a strong support system. I am very decisive and do not get too stressed easily. I think I could be moving faster in times of crisis but I do not allow myself to get overwhelmed thinking about worst-case scenarios.
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- It is more difficult to feel like a part of the team and the company's mission when you are working remotely and not in constant touch with the rest of the business. That is why it is important to put systems in place so that remote workers feel inspired, connected and valued.
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- - He micromanages his employees; - He has no concern for their time zones and makes them work too late or too early; - He gives them too much to do; - He gives them deadlines that are too close and unmanageable; - He doesn't care about their well-being .
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- We don't have a big turnover issue, we make sure that everyone feels valued and that the workload is manageable. The deadlines are realistic and if we are really on a tight schedule, we all pull together to get it done. My employees know their time and health are valued and that not every small misstep is fatal. I make sure lunch breaks and vacations are honored and we rarely work outside of regular office hours.
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- It clears up time to focus on making strategic decisions about the business rather than getting bogged down with the day to day tasks. It also shows the employees that the entrepreneur trusts them and it builds a sense of ownership and pride in their tasks. It helps entrepreneurs avoid burnout by clearing more time and makes them more effective in their decision making and planning.
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- 1. Designate time to check your phone and email and then unplug 2. Manage your accessibility 3. Decisiveness is a time saver- don't wait to have 100% of information
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- - Buying and topping up office supplies, making coffee for the team meetings, checking the team's WhatsApp group.
- - Leam meetings can be done once a week instead of daily, newsletter can be send out monthly instead of bimonthly and accounting can be done monthly instead of bimonthly.
- - Answering emails, answering phone calls and having a set time of the day for face to face meetings
- - Online social media schedulers, automatic email replies
- - Doing our social media, responding to queries coming through the website, managing the events calendar
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- Melinda should have made sure that is she choosing the right team members for right tasks, as well as deciding what takes priority and needs her constant attention. She also has not checked in with Kimberly for two months to see how she is doing, which would have prevented the company from getting to this situation. She should have thought more carefully about where the priorities lie and which tasks can be delegated without such huge risk.
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- - Management that is not willing to listen and look at the data - A belief that "we have always done things this way" so we can continue in the same way - Fear of the unknown - Waiting to have all the possible information and fear of making the wrong decision - A belief that adapting to change is too difficult or too expensive - Lack of trust in the staff - Slow internal processes make it difficult to respond quickly
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- - Losing your customers - Losing your market segment - Becoming obsolete - Losing your best staff as they move on to better adapted companies - Ultimately going bust
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- By being open to listen to data and observe the trends in the market. Companies need to understand that change is constant and inevitable and the only way to survive is to adapt. That means embracing new technologies, building internal capacities, investing in the right people and being quick and flexible enough to implement changes at a right pace.
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- Making sure we are hiring the staff that has the right skillsets for the new normal, such as technical capabilities and investing in them to make sure they stay. By staying continuously in touch with our customers and building a community around our brand, which will make it easier for them to stand by us in though times. By listening to what the data says and not be stubborn about it.
- Yes- we are small, agile and have no ego, and as such are open to changing and collaborating with other players in the ecosystem, which builds our own internal resilience in turn.
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- - Having people who know how to do something better and more efficiently than you - Creating teams of experts that can develop products and services that fit the market needs - Easier delegation because you have a team that you can trust - Talent retention lowers the cost of on-boarding and training - Better reputation of the company as an employer
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- - Create brand awareness and build new relationships - Build a community around your business - Stay in touch with your customers and gather feedback - Increase your exposure - Generate leads for your business - Reach new customer segments - Save on marketing
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- We can reach new customers while significantly cutting down our marketing cost. By creating a social media buzz, our message can spread via word of mouth and reach new market segments that we would have previously been unable to reach. It also allows us to stay in touch with those consumers and gather valuable feedback about our product or service.
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- Creating a short video with high potential for being shared by as many Facebook users as possible demonstrating how the product works in real life and the benefits it has.
- Partnering with home chefs and having them do a Instagram stories takeover where they show how they use our fruit cutter in their own kitchens.
- Adding our light up toilet seat to as many infographics of cool products and gifts lists, making it easy for people to pin and share on their boards.
- Having care enthusiasts tweet about our new car using a specially designed hashtag
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- - Making coffee at home and taking it to work - Putting money aside from each month into a voluntary pension fund - Buying more second hand options when available These are simple steps that lead to big results- we could make sure we stop all unnecessary printing and change to more eco-friendly light fixtures. We can cut down on business dinners and corporate gifts and focus on other ways of building our client relationships. We already reinvest most of our profits into the social impact goals.
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- You can rely almost fully on digital formats and files, there is no need to print and copy everything
- You can email them to your staff
- Everyone can be in charge of their own schedules and answering their phones
- Everyone on the staff will be taking care of their own needs, including me
- There are other options, such as co-working spaces and working from home that can be as efficient
- If possible, some staff will work from remotely and we can hold meetings and conferences in a co-working space for less money
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- - Alignment with company's values - Transparency - Trust - Cost/benefit balance - Good customer service - Open communication channels
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- Focus on the company's problems rather than on the issues of the costumer, lack of empathy, lack of offering a solution. It sounds like they have given up and want the customer to offer a solution, instead of the other way around. The customer understands it is difficult for you, but it is also difficult for them and they want to feel supported.
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- Why do you do what you do? What is your purpose, cause and belief? Why does your organization exist in the first place and why should people care? The "why" inspires the customer and instills a feeling of loyalty in them.
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- - Responsibility for employees, salaries and financial performance; - Meeting deadlines; - Meeting targets; - Chasing payments; - Work-life balance; - Long work hours; - Managing teams and employees.
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- - Healthy eating habits; - Healthy sleeping patterns; - Working out and meditating; - Learning how to delegate more efficiently; - Having a support system outside of work; - Hiring the right staff; - Taking efficient breaks; -f Focusing on the bigger picture.
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- Inside the company: - meeting financial targets - making sure salaries are on time - managing customer relations - getting enough new business - meeting deadlines - managing teams Outside the company: - uncertainty in the time of COVID - general state of the market- global crisis, no one paying on time - being away from friends and family and not knowing when travel will be possible - working long hours and not having time for hobbies and things I am passionate about
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- - Delegating more; - Carving out time each day to meditate and workout; - Make sure I don't burn out by carving out time to do the things I enjoy outside of work; - Join an industry support group; - Be open and honest about the challenges I am facing and not afraid to ask for help
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- By finding the right target market, we are not wasting marketing resources on trying to attract people who have no interest in our product. Rather, we communicate directly to our target, which makes the communication more personalized, tailored and relevant. It allows us to respond to the needs to those what we serve and not just stick to plan that has been set in stone. It allows us to put the customer at the centre of our marketing efforts, as opposed to putting the company at the centre. It allows for a more personal approach with immediate feedback loops put in place.
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- - newsletters - SMS - phone marketing - social media - newspaper ads - word of mouth - outdoor print like billboards
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- - Do you have the effort to develop your presence? - Can you build your following organically? - Do you have the resources to stay active and post on the daily basis?
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- The core idea it to be prepared for changes and challenges around you by gathering clear information without any bias and being prepared to make difficult decisions based on the data, while ensuring that the implementation takes place across all levels of the organizations. By doing that we can respond to the challenges in a more prepared way and across the board.
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- - Where are we right now and where do we need to get? - What is the situation outside of our organization? What is the data showing us? - Which is the best course of action based on the data? - Who is in charge of making that decision? - How will we communicate the need for action across the organization? - Who is in charge of implementation?
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- Since we are a small and agile company we have been able to adapt to the COVID crisis relatively quickly by changing our business model and moving on line. We have been closely monitoring the global situation before the crisis hit India and used those learnings to prepare for what was to come. We could have been quicker with the "Act" part and it could have been done in a more collaborative manner, so I would say a 7 out of 10!
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- is a resource
- is money
- is important to be managed properly
- management should be a priority
- is closely tied to successful completion of goals and tasks
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- If we do not manage our time effectively we will not be reaching our goals and targets. We will be wasting too much of it on doing small or unimportant tasks, while forgetting about the strategic bigger picture. We will also become more easily overwhelmed and stressed out and constantly feel like we are falling behind. This will cause us to leash out on our employees and create an unhealthy work environment.
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- To successfully manage your time, you need to have discipline. That means not procrastinate when you need to get something done, set timelines for yourself and actually keep them, understand what is the order of importance of what needs to be done and not avoid things you do not feel like doing till the last minute.
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- I have to say there are days when time manages me. I am generally good at making to do lists and making sure I rate my tasks in order of importance, but I am prone to procrastinating and have to make sure I keep a tight schedule and don't allow myself to be easily distracted. I need to make sure I have a set time for my emails and phone calls because I tend to waste quite a bit of time on that.
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- Tech might fail or you might experience technical difficulties. It is more difficult to read body language during a virtual interview. You can conduct more virtual interviews in a day than in-person interviews. It is more cost-effective to conduct virtual interviews.
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- - More cost-effective - Allows you to interview people in other geographical locations - More time-effective - You can record the video interview and share it with other decision makers in your company - You can conduct the interviews from anywhere in the world
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- Tony should have send Jasmine guidelines on how to use the technology and Jasmin should have tested it out before the interview.
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- Convergent
- Divergent
- Because 5+5 has only one right answer and ?+? has an infinite number of answers
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- By using divergent thinking, we can go off on tangents and explore areas we didn't even think about previously. By allowing our team the freedom to think in a non-logical, non-linear way, we might stumble on a great market opportunity which we previously didn't even think about. On the other hand, if we use convergent thinking, we can zone in one on one particular problem in depth and find new ways of solving it, which in turns opens up new, untapped markets.
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- - Working with slum children on gender-based violence - Creating an online database of videos and resources - Creating video content in local Indian languages, as many as we can - Creating a traveling gender sensitivity school that will go to all the remote villages - Creating a gender sensitivity academy for all the teachers to go through - Creating a feminist parenting circle - Creating a feminist parenting website
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- The best speeches are those where you can tell the speaker is an expert in their field, comes prepared, but is also fully comfortable in their own skin and connects with the audience by letting their personality come through. No one is interested in listening to a robotic speech that just grows through the facts- the best speakers find a common ground with the audience and show their passion for the topic. They are confident and you feel like you want to be in on the ride with them. I learned to not hide my personality and come fully prepared for all kinds of things going wrong- from tech issues to an unprepared audience.
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- - Practice! It is okay to be afraid of public speaking, but the only way to get over it is by practicing as much and as often as you can. - Record yourself to see your own body language - Ask for feedback from friends and family - Find speakers you like and learn from them. How can your incorporate the things they do well in your own speeches? - Practice breathing techniques - Be prepared with plans B and C
