Copyright © [Surabhi Parashar] [2026]. All Rights Reserved. ¹

Communication!!! Lately, there has been a lot of buzz about communication skills on professional networking websites and job boards. It seems like industry leaders and career coaches are really emphasizing the importance of developing people skills these days. As more of us head back to the office, the days of fully working from home are gradually coming to an end. Many people are noticing that after spending a couple of years remote, their people skills and communication have gotten a little rusty.

I got intrigued by this topic when a couple of my friends brought it up casually while chatting. One of my friends wanted to enroll her kids in public speaking classes. And another friend, who recently pivoted to a teaching career, said she feels less capable of managing her classroom.

I am not an expert on interpersonal communication or people management, but I am confident in public speaking and making conversations with strangers if needed. I have always worked in team settings and managed people, and I like to think I have found a comfortable balance, getting things done without being overly strict or overly casual. Empathy has always been at the heart of my approach to leading. Another advantage I had growing up was participating in various school competitions. My parents, both teachers, also helped me build a bold and confident persona.

Now, as I navigate the North American education system with my son, I can’t help but notice how different it is from the Indian system I grew up in. The opportunities to participate in individual competitions are way fewer. And it also doesn’t help that all the kids are encouraged to focus more on group activities, where everyone walks away with a certificate of “Most Valuable Participant”. It kills the competitive spirit in my opinion.

Kids are naturally fearless; they don’t care much about appearances or other people’s opinions. With just a little prodding, even our shy little ones can easily step up and perform on stage. Children often absorb their parents’ qualities, so if you are a parent who wants a bold and fearless child. Be that example for them. Have conversations with the cashier at the grocery store. Make friendly small talk with neighbours or even strangers when your kids are around. Being comfortable with ourselves is the key to feeling confident in the outside world.

Now I want to share a little bit about my friend who recently became a teacher. I am not sure if she is going to read this blog, which makes it easy to praise her here😊. Actually, it is difficult to say nice things in person to our near and dear ones. I really admire her since my university days, we did our bachelor’s together and lived in the same hostel. This loving friend of mine has kept in touch over the years, even though we live on different continents now. 😊. Friendship is a two-way street, you see.

She was unlike most girls I knew in my twenties. On the surface, she looked like a happy-go-lucky, goofy person who likes to dance a lot. But very few people knew she was doing part-time jobs to support her family. She once told me, “Making money is not a problem for me, I can do that. But I want to do something more meaningful and satisfying with my life”. Over the years, she did jobs in sales and retail and managed her kids and family. Whenever life threw a curveball, she changed her course. Now she works as a teacher with a non-profit organization. I am again awestruck.

I am sure she will find her grounding in the field of teaching as well. My suggestion to anyone who wants to improve their people skills is to take one small step every day and slowly step out of their comfort zone. Integrity and empathy are at the core of my professional etiquette and leadership approach.

I learn from my mentors and friends. I do get discouraged at times, and it’s difficult to find motivation from within. In those moments, I like to borrow motivation from others. I look up to my role models and get inspired.

Whether you are a teacher, a tech team-lead or a newly promoted director. All you have to do is go by precedent. Look at someone who has done it before you; your colleagues, seniors, and mentors have already paved the way. Try to think and act like your role models. What would they have done in a certain situation?

We all need a crutch at times to stop us from falling. We just have to take a few steps, and before we realize, the crutch stays behind, and we start running our own race.

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