Solve complex issues with simple drawings, says 'human-skills' communication expert

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario - April 22, 2022 - PRLog -- Solve complex issues with simple drawings, says 'human-skills' communication expert

MISSISSAUGA — Simple sketches can solve complex business problems, says a professional engineer with magic markers and flipcharts filling her toolkit.

Emily Nichols helps technical people build their human skills, helping them grow into better team players and leaders. Creativity and communication begin when someone picks up a marker and starts drawing instead of reading another boring PowerPoint slide.
"If you take hold of the marker, you've got control of the room," Nichols says.
"As soon as you stand up and go to the flip chart, that person is the leader."
People complain they can't draw, but Nichols is ready to prove them wrong with her Tell-A-Vision workshop at the Toastmasters District 86 Conference on April 22-24 in Mississauga. (https://toastmasters86.org/events/district-86-spring-conference/)
The Dundas resident has a B.Sc. in Systems Engineering from the University of Guelph and an M.A.Sc in Chemical Engineering. After 15 years as a process engineer at PepsiCo, PPG, Janssen and Henkel, she's learned the power of "soft skills," like empathetic communication and simple, hand-drawn images that take shape in front of a team. She's delivered her Human Skills for Technical People (https://emilynichols.com) workshops and keynote speeches across North America and South Africa.
Nichols offers tips and tactics to share in her workshop that encourages collaboration, communication, and creative problem-solving. And she promises to teach anyone to draw.
"It's incredible, the power of images created in front of you. Think of a caricature artist on the street. Everybody stops to take a look and see what's happening. It's tough to get people on the same page if you just use words."

Conference information

The "New Chapter, New Beginnings" conference runs online only Friday and Saturday, while Sunday, the Conference will unfold at the Hilton Mississauga Meadowvale and streamed online for a total cost of $105. For a three-day, online-only experience, registration is $15.
Expert-led conference workshops Friday and Saturday evenings offer leadership communication and personal growth tactics. Watch powerful communication skills in action in public speaking competitions.
Keynote speakers are ready to inspire personal and professional growth through the weekend:

• Roger Caesar, who took third at the 2021 World Championship of Public Speaking
• Lark Doley, 2018-2019 President, Toastmasters International
• Jennifer Jones, 2021-2022 President-elect of Rotary International
• Margaret Zanel, Founder and Partner, Strategy and Leadership, Wentworth Strategy Group Inc.

Toastmasters District 86 represents the heartland of Ontario, comprising 135 community and corporate clubs with more than 2,000 members. The district supports clubs from London in the southwest to Owen Sound in the north: Waterloo Region and Guelph; and Niagara, Hamilton and parts of Mississauga. Thttp://www.toastmasters86.org/