The Zen Quotient

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Swetha Reddy, motivational speaker and educational consultant talks to Richa Tilokani about her innovative workshops for students and about her dedication to helping people.

Swetha Reddy was always interested in helping people, so when she came accidentally came across Jack Canfield’s training program on Google, she was instantly hooked. She traveled to US to train under Jack, who is the author of ‘Success Principles’ and ‘Chicken Soup for the Soul’ series and is also one of the best motivational speakers in the world. She came back a certified trainer and in 2013, founded Kaizen which means “Change for the better” in Japanese

Shares Swetha on her incredible journey, “I hold a Master’s degree in Sociology and am a certified motivational trainer. This gives me a unique opportunity to offer focused guidance to help kids realize their true potential.” Swetha loves to work with kids; being a mother of two teenagers, she knows first- hand their challenges and aspirations and her workshops are tailor- made to address their concerns.

Rewarding Work

Elaborates Swetha on her work, “My work is my reward. When I receive positive feedback from my students, I feel very lucky to have helped them in my own way.” In her three hour mentoring workshops designed specially for teenagers, Swetha touches upon multiple areas that are crucial to their overall development. These include goal setting, confidence building and embracing feedback.

Adds Swetha, “In goal setting, I help the students discover what they are passionate about through introspective exercises and interaction and set a breakthrough goal with steps to follow every day in order to realise the goal. I then alter their responses if they do not achieve the desired outcome.”

To build their confidence, Swetha recognizes their strengths and help them develop a confident self-image. She also helps them develop clarity of thought and a belief in themselves. Through responsibility and social interaction, she guides them to assume personal responsibility and gently inculcates in them a sense of appreciation and gratitude for people around them. She also helps them embrace feedback by teaching them how to handle rejection with the right attitude and by being open to positive as well as negative feedback.

Achieving the goals

Swetha’s workshops are effective as they are simple and highly participative. Each workshop is limited to 20-24 participants to make them more personal. Participants are given workbooks that are designed to help them pursue their individual goals, in the weeks following the workshop. A subsequent follow- up is done to check on individual progress. She has even done corporate workshops for clients like Sundaram Fasteners. The other services offered by her include educational orientation sessions for students seeking to attend undergraduate colleges in the U.S. These can be facilitated by prior appointment.

In the near future, Swetha is planning to hold a women’s training workshop but she has not yet finalized the model or content. Ends Swetha as she says, “I am a workshop leader, so I always look for new way to create a difference. The topic is the same whether it is a workshop for teenagers or adults, it is just the content which changes. My goal is to help my participants by building their confidence and by teaching them organizational skills. I do not advocate perfection. I focus more on helping people learn from their mistakes so that they can work better, have more meaningful relationships and are able to lead fuller lives.”

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