Hi!

It’s January again 😊

I hope you had a restful break and are ready to jump back into the swing of things.

Right now you might be full of energy…

Or… coming back to work may have you feeling more like this…

No judgment here! After all, no two holiday breaks are the same.

If you’re feeling a bit sluggish, this article from Harvard Business Review might give you and your team a pick-me-up.

https://hbr.org/2023/07/keeping-your-spirits-up-when-you-really-need-a-win-at-work

A couple of insights that stand out are:

Celebrate a (tiny) win – “recognising a tiny victory can change the trajectory of your work and lift your spirits”.

Set firm boundaries around whom you allow into your space – “only spend time with people who make you feel good (even if it’s just one person)”.

True, we’re talking about work here, but if you can, make an effort to limit your exposure to naysayers or, view a challenging relationship as an opportunity to learn and grow (see more on this below).

And in the spirit of giving back, if you have team members who need a boost, supporting them may give you the lift you need.

WHAT’S BEEN HAPPENING BEHIND THE SCENES?

Last quarter was active and enjoyable. There were keynotes in Athens, Amsterdam, The Hague and around the UK.

We also developed some new talks, requested by clients, including ‘Embracing a Speak Up Culture’ and ‘Strategies for overcoming Resistance to DEI Initiatives’. So it was great to enjoy some q-u-i-e-t time over the holidays including being in bed before midnight on New Year’s Eve. It’s the latest trend, don’t you know?? 🤣

During part of last year, we had an unfortunate technical issue with our email service. Our newsletter goes out to both our mailing list and LinkedIn following, so the issue resulted in us not sending newsletters as often as I’d have liked.

We plan to email and publish at least monthly from now on with content that explores and provides insights into:

1. emotionally intelligent leadership
2. communication
3. inclusion

And their areas of overlap. I hope you’ll stay with me for the journey! 🤗

INSPIRE INCLUSION

Elon Musk suggested that DEI should DIE, but I don’t think it’s going anywhere any time soon, despite challenges.

So what’s the DEI outlook for 2024?

This article is well worth reading and contains plenty of implementable ideas and suggestions.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/juliekratz/2023/12/31/the-2024-dei-outlook

My team and I are excited to serve clients old and new, and this quarter, we’re getting ready for International Women’s Day and International Women’s Month, which is always a busy time for us.

This year’s theme is ‘Inspire Inclusion’. If you’re looking for a practical, high-vibes keynote to celebrate IWD at your company, here’s our brochure: https://sholakaye.com/iwd24 with four different inclusion-themed talks to choose from.

COMMUNICATION CORNER

On a more serious note, it’s difficult to ignore the extent of conflict and division in the world at the moment. Anything that helps us acknowledge our diversity while maintaining respect, kindness and warmth towards each other is a huge benefit. It may not bring about world peace, but let’s all be the change we want to see. That’s why I’ve selected this article from Forbes about keeping a positive relationship with colleagues, even when you don’t see eye to eye.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/theyec/2021/05/13/nine-tips-to-politely-disagree-with-a-colleague-and-keep-a-positive-work-relationship/

Nine members of the Young Entrepreneur Council discuss strategies for dealing with disagreements in the office, and how these methods can help the conversation move forward.

1. Make Them Feel Seen And Heard
2. Try To Stay Impersonal With Facts
3. Avoid Absolute Statements
4. Approach From A Different Viewpoint
5. Pause And Come Back To It Later
6. Make Disagreeing Part Of The Creative Process
7. Listen To Them Without Interruption First
8. Assume Innocence
9. Try To Find Common Ground

Work is one of the few areas in life where we’re in regular, prolonged contact with people who might test our patience and have views diametrically opposed to our own.  Instead of resenting this, let’s use it as an opportunity to develop our human skills of tolerance, empathy and finding common ground.

I hope something here has been useful to you.

Have a great January, and please reach out anytime. Maybe you have content suggestions for this newsletter, or news of your own you’d like to share 🙂

Warmly,

Shola

Here are a few things you might want to do after reading this newsletter:

• Book a call at https://calendly.com/sholakaye/15 to discuss keynotes and training for your organisation.
• Request our brochure – email heather@sholakaye.net
• Check out our website for a partial list of Shola’s keynotes at https://sholakaye.com/speech-topics
• If you think this newsletter is useful please go ahead and share it with a colleague.

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Hi, I’m Shola and I help you create a people-first culture. My work sits at the intersection of Inclusion, Communication & Emotional Intelligence.

My keynote talks and workshops help your leaders and employees create high-performing work environments where people feel a sense of belonging and psychological safety. Sessions are high energy, interactive, and every participant walks away with at least one practical framework for connecting and collaborating more effectively.

Sound good to you? Please reach out and let’s discuss your next event! 🙂🎤✨