S6 E12: Mastering Communication Skills with Sarika Singh

In this episode, Bart is joined by Sarika Singh, host of a top communication skills podcast in India and a seasoned coach with 25 years of experience. Sarika shares her journey from her early career to becoming the Chief Operating Officer of an Indian artisanal sugar company, driven by her passion for communication. She coaches a diverse audience, including children, young adults, and corporate teams, focusing on written and spoken communication through her bespoke programs in creative writing and public speaking. Sarika’s podcast, inspired by listener questions, addresses communication challenges in both personal and professional contexts. Together, Sarika and Bart explore the communication challenges faced by Indian professionals, the common queries she receives, and the critical role of communication in India's STEM-driven landscape. This insightful discussion highlights the universal power of communication. Visit her website, www.communicate101.com, to find out more and listen to her podcast, Communicate101: Speaking Writing Tips here: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sarika-singh88 Show Notes 00:28 Standard intro 01:05 Introducing Sarika Singh 02:09 Why are young Indian professionals seeking communication skills? 03:28 Largest % of youth in the world 04:05 Bart re-asks about youth and demand for leadership communication training 05:34 Sarika's career journey 06:07 An introvert who learned to love communication 06:30 Fear of public speaking 07:55 Entering the corporate world 09:13 The impact of podcasting 10:23 Starting a writing program for children 10:42 Children are the best teachers 11:18 Honesty and simplicity is supreme 11:34 The power of non-verbal cues 13:58 Building the writing program 15:24 How kids gained confidence as they learned to write 16:20 The curriculum in India 17:47 New generation careers 18:48 Launching her podcast 22:01 Her podcast gets a lot of interaction/audience involvement 23:13 Story of her daughter traveling and hearing someone in the airport listening to her podcast 24:31 Insights into what young Indian professionals want to know 25:07 The challenges people are having with communication 25:11 Difficult conversations 25:50 How to persuade/convince people 26:52 How to be comfortable on the stage 30:33 3 key pieces of advice 30:55 Clarity, empathy, collaboration 31:23 Clarity is like aiming for a basket 32:18 Empathy 33:27 Collaboration 35:32 Doing business in the Indian context 36:51 Embrace India 37:04 Indian business is relationship-driven 37:46 Be patient and build trust 39:57 India is welcoming to everyone 40:38 Thank yous 40:42 How to find out more