In The News
Open Line Director, Sarah Neville, is a frequent contributor to media on a range of topics including diversity and inclusion, gender equality and professional communication.
Virtual Meetings: Fight Loneliness, Foster Belonging, Cultivate Inclusion
This article was originally posted on Forbes on April 24, 2020
In a difficult time of imposed isolation, any human connections are powerful and meaningful. Enter the virtual meeting; making space for powerful human connections and creating a sense of belonging.
Why Inclusion Means Getting Comfortable With Discomfort
This article was originally posted on Forbes and Ellevate on December 30, 2019, and on Thrive Global on January 14, 2020
While diversity can surely pave the way to increased innovation and creativity, it’s vital to acknowledge that is comes with the challenging potential for tension and possible friction. When we’re working with people who are very different than ourselves, we run the risk of committing micro-aggressions, of causing offense, of crossing an unseen line.
How to Take Control When You’re Interrupted in Meetings
This article was originally posted on Forbes, September 19, 2018, and on Thrive Global on September 28, 2018
You’re in a meeting, about to give an update on a big project. You take a breath, and launch in. You share the context, some key data, and are just getting to your recommendations when Steve-from-marketing, interrupts with a comment – and you lose your train of thought. You respond, resume, and build up to your final point. He interrupts again, this time taking the floor – while you quietly fume. Been there?
How to shut down microaggressions while keeping your cool.
The Huffington Post, January 24, 2018
It’s safe to say that the story of 2018 is the continuing momentum of the #metoo movement, and the remarkable cultural moment that seems to be taking place, not just in entertainment, but in every sector. But a workplace can begin to feel unsafe, disrespectful or just downright uncomfortable long before there’s outright harassment taking place.
Hillary Clinton still walks the tightrope faced by all female politicians
The Ottawa Citizen, October 13th, 2017
Why I’m joining the Women’s March in Washington
The Ottawa Citizen, January 18th, 2017
I hate crowds and I’ve never been able to sleep on a bus. I’ve got looming client deadlines, and my family’s weekend is packed: hockey games, birthday parties and piles of laundry. So why would I opt to spend two restless nights on a charter bus with 53 strangers, headed to the Women’s March on Washington?
Does your organization’s power structure enable abuse?
The Globe and Mail, May 14, 2016
The statement that former CBC producer Kathryn Borel read this week on the steps of Toronto’s courthouse should send a chill through many organizations. Even companies that don’t employ high-profile entertainers need to get serious about tackling workplace sexual harassment and examine how power is organized and shared.
The Terrifying Effectiveness of Trump’s Communications
(co-authored with Shari Graydon)
The Huffington Post, August 18, 2016
As professional communicators who advise others on how to improve their ability to connect with audiences, Shari Graydon and Sarah Neville have watched the astonishing ascension of political neophyte and insult-machine Donald Trump with dropped jaws. Here’s their conversation about the lessons to be learned from his fearless communication style.
Is the Choice to Wear a Niqab Really a Women’s Issue?
The Huffington Post, October 11, 2015
Ladies: are you wondering what to wear? Fear not, Canadian politicians have got your back. A national dress code is on the way. No details yet, but rest assured, you’ll be free to wear your crop top, thong underwear and six-inch heels. Just don’t cover your face.
Are race, gender at the heart of Chow’s perceived communication problem?
The Toronto Star, October 20, 2014
Rolling yourself up in carpet is one way to avoid your political foes. In Cleopatra’s case, the young queen had supporters smuggle her past hostile guards in a rug to build an alliance with Caesar against her brother. The rest, as they say, is history. Olivia Chow might well be wishing for similar cover. The attacks on her during this campaign have been variously vicious, personal and irrelevant.
Follow-up treatment scarce for those with concussions
The Toronto Star, August 23, 2014
I thought of Sid the Kid when I first woke up in St. Michael’s Hospital, unable to sit up without vomiting. After his infamous blows to the head on the ice, I wondered, did he experience extreme vertigo and fatigue, memory loss and mood swings? Did he worry not only that his career was over, but that he might be physically dependent on others for the rest of his life?
Media coverage
St. Clair College event entices girls to consider skilled trades, science, tech and engineering careers
The Windsor Star, November 11, 2016
Sarah spoke to employers at the Build a Dream conference in Windsor about the business case for gender balance in their organizations. Getting more women into skilled trades, law enforcement and STEM means reaching girls before they make decisions about post secondary education.
It’s time to provide alternative strategies for sexual harassment victims
Forbes, May 15th, 2019
Sarah offers strategies for speaking up to address inappropriate behaviour at work, including “low-intensity” forms of harassment such as “microaggressions, patronizing language, sexist comments or general condescension”, in this article by Kim Elssesser, author of Sex and the Office.