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
