D'lor Academy

27/07/2025

Let’s be honest, meetings can feel like a performance. Some people dominate.

Others shrink. And most leave wondering, “Did I even contribute anything valuable?”

But what if you could walk into your next meeting and win trust, without being the loudest voice?

Active Listening is one soft skill you can use to achieve that, not the “nod-and-smile” kind, but the kind that makes people feel heard, and safe to share.

Let’s assume you're in a team review meeting, Instead of waiting to speak, take one moment after a colleague shares their update and reflect back on what you heard:

For instance you can say:

“So just to clarify, you’re saying the client needs two more iterations before sign-off right?”

That tiny moment prevents misalignment and shows maturity.

In the workplace, the loudest voice isn't always the most respected.

But the one who listens well? That’s the person teams trust to lead. Active listening is a career accelerant disguised as a soft skill.

And it’s one you can start practicing at your very next meeting.

At D’lor Academy, we care about helping professionals like you grow not just with hard skills, but with the human skills that make you indispensable.
All week, we’ll be sharing simple, practical communication tips to boost your confidence and performance at work.

Stay tuned. Follow us. And share this with a colleague who needs the reminder.

27/07/2025

One of the oldest pain points of product managers is being stuck in the middle of two different languages between designers and developers.

Why does this happen?

Because too many PMs act like messengers instead of facilitators.

They relay feedback but don’t create shared understanding.

They schedule meetings but don’t manage energy, egos, or expectations.

Here’s what great PMs do differently:

🔹 Before the first Figma screen or line of code, they make sure everyone is clear on the problem and success criteria.

🔹 They moderate creative tension.
They don’t run from conflict. They guide it so tech feasibility and user desirability don’t become rivals.

🔹 They build context bridges.
Designers think in empathy. Developers think in logic. PMs must think in both and communicate in ways each side resonates with.

If you’ve ever been caught in this crossfire, there’s hope and help. As part of our corporate social responsibility, D’lor Academy is hosting a free 3-day masterclass on Team Communication for Product Managers.

This course is designed to help product managers lead with clear communication.
Save your spot now, send a D.M to register

26/07/2025

Imagine you’re in a meeting.

Everyone’s talking and suddenly, eyes are on you.
You know you should contribute but your brain freezes.
You overthink. You stay quiet.

And then you leave the meeting thinking, “I should’ve said something.”
Here’s the truth: You don’t need to have the perfect answers before you speak up, you just need to be present with purpose.

Let’s walk through 3 simple ways to speak up even when you’re unsure:

🔹 1. Summarize What You’ve Heard
You don’t need a big idea to add value. Try:
“Just to clarify, what I’m hearing is that we’re prioritizing X because of Y. Is that correct?”
This helps the team align and shows you’re engaged.

🔹 2. Ask a Clarifying Question
If you don’t understand, there’s a good chance someone else doesn’t either.
Try: “Can we revisit what success looks like for this feature?”

🔹 3. Share Your Thinking, Not Just Conclusions
Don’t wait to be 100% sure.
Try: “This might still be half-baked, but what if we…?”
That openness invites collaboration not judgment.

At D’lor Academy, we’re committed to helping brands and individuals master the art of effective, human-centered communication across customer service, leadership, and team dynamics.

26/07/2025

Every product manager knows the pressure

Multiple stakeholders. Conflicting priorities and Tight deadlines.

But why do some PMs rise with clarity while others constantly feel behind?
It often comes down to soft skills, the underrated tools that determine how you lead

Here are 3 that make all the difference:

🔹 1. Emotional Intelligence
Great PMs don’t just listen, they tune in.
They understand team dynamics, read the room, and manage conflict without creating more.

🔹 2. Assertive Communication
They speak clearly, ask the tough questions, and say “no” without burning bridges.

🔹 3. Strategic Empathy
They see the product through the user’s lens and the team’s challenges.
They balance vision with feasibility and make people feel heard along the way.

No one gets promoted for doing the job alone. You grow by mastering the human side of product work.

As part of our corporate social responsibility, we’re hosting a 3-day FREE masterclass for entry-level Product Managers.

In just 3 days, you’ll learn how to:

✅ Communicate with clarity across teams
✅ Build trust with stakeholders
✅ Manage pressure without losing your voice

Our spaces are limited. Send us a DM to secure your spot.

26/07/2025

Customer service is how people feel after talking to your brand.
Just changing a phrase can turn a frustrating moment into a loyal customer experience.

If you or your staff finds yourself in a situation where you could have said any of the following below, check the better version to improve that situation and thank us later.

Example 1
Instead of saying “That’s our policy.”
Try:
“Here’s what I can do within our current policy to help you in this situation.”
This softens the boundary while focusing on solutions.

Example 2
Instead of saying “I don’t know”
Try:
“Let me find out for you.”
In this case, you’re still being honest, but you’re also showing ownership and care.

Example 3
Instead of saying “ “You’ll have to…”
Try:
“The next best step is…”
The first one sounds like a command or an obligation, the second sounds more like guidance.

At D'lor Academy, we’re committed to helping brands master the art of effective, human-centered communication across customer service, leadership, and team dynamics.
If you want your team to speak with clarity, empathy, and confidence, Follow us for more practical tips, or reach out to learn about our communication training for organizations.

25/07/2025

You’ve scoped the product. You’ve aligned with teams.

Then a stakeholder drops the classic line: “Can we just make it simpler?”

And you’re sitting there thinking, How? " We're already juggling 13 features, 4 deadlines, and 3 different ‘priorities.’”

Here’s what’s really happening:
1. They don’t mean less work, they mean “clearer experience.”
Most stakeholders aren’t asking for fewer features, They’re asking for less friction.

2. Feature overload usually means clarity underload.
When you say “yes” to every request, the product loses focus. Simplicity is about intentional design, not random removal.

3. Simplifying starts with the PM.
Your job is to ask: What’s the user really trying to do? Which features support that and which distract?

Then you can:
✅ Translate noise into structure.
✅ Translate “Make it simple” into actionable trade-offs.
✅ Protect the user journey even when it’s hard.

At D'lor Academy, we teach entry-level PMs how to communicate priorities, manage stakeholder requests, and lead with clarity not chaos.

Follow us for more tools to help you grow from overwhelmed contributor to confident communicator.

25/07/2025

Most people don’t listen.
They wait for their turn to speak.

But if you’re in Tech, client service, or any leadership role…
How you listen determines how you lead.

Here are the 5 levels of listening
1. Ignoring – You’re physically present, but mentally out of the room.

2. Pretending – You nod, smile, say “Got it,” but you’re not actually tuned in.

3. Selective Listening – You pick out what interests you and miss the full picture.

4. Attentive Listening – You focus on the words, but not the emotion or intent.

5. Empathetic Listening – You hear what’s said, how it’s said, and why it matters.

Empathetic listening is the level that gets you promoted.

Why? Because people trust those who truly understand them.
And trust equates influence. With Influence comes leadership.

At D'lor Academy, we train professionals to master soft skills like this because in today’s workplace, listening is strategic.

Follow us for more real-world communication tools to grow your career.

24/07/2025

As a Product Manager, Have You Ever Left a Meeting More Confused Than When It Started?

You walked into a meeting hoping for clarity but you walked out with 7 new opinions, 3 conflicting priorities, and no clear next step.

This is one of the most common (and frustrating) things we hear from entry-level product managers and it usually comes down to one thing; Communication gaps.

Let’s break this down.
- No one defines the goal of the meeting, so the team talks around the issue, not through it.

- PMs feel pressure to ‘just nod’ instead of asking clarifying questions, so assumptions go unchallenged and confusion multiplies.

Now, how do you leave the meeting with more clarity instead of less?

- Go in with your own mini-agenda, even if one wasn’t shared, write 2–3 things you need clarity on.

That’s your anchor.
- Ask, don’t assume,
If you hear 3 different versions of the same idea,

Say: “Just to be clear, here’s what I understand, is that right?” This small move saves hours of rework later.

- Close meetings with “What happens next?” If no one does it, do it by saying “Can we quickly summarize next steps, owners, and timelines before we wrap?”

It’s not about being the smartest person in the room. It’s about being the one who brings clarity to the chaos.

At D'lor Academy, we help product managers strengthen these core communication habits so they can lead confidently even when things feel messy.

Follow us for more practical tips that help you move from “I don’t get it” to “I’ve got this.”

24/07/2025

Let’s talk about Emotional Intelligence, not as a buzzword, but as a real skill that plays out daily at work.

Here are 2 common scenarios and how emotional intelligence makes all the difference:

Scenario 1: Receiving Feedback That Stings

You present your idea at a meeting and a senior manager shoots it down in front of everyone

❌ Without emotional intelligence:
You go silent. Defeated and Defensive in future meetings.

✅ With emotional intelligence:
You process the feedback without personalizing it.

Here’s an intelligent example: “Thank you for the feedback, Can I better understand your concern so I can improve the approach?”

The outcome is, You grow. Your reputation strengthens. You stay coachable.

Scenario 2: Working with a Difficult Colleague.
There’s that one teammate that is always negative, always dismissive.

❌ Without emotional intelligence:
You avoid them. Resentment builds and Collaboration suffers.

✅ With emotional intelligence:
You stay respectful and direct:

Here’s an intelligent example: “I’ve noticed we sometimes clash. I’d like us to work better together, what’s the best way to communicate with you?”

The Outcome: Misunderstandings shrink. Boundaries form and Teamwork improves.

At D'lor Academy, we teach professionals how to recognize and apply emotional intelligence especially in high-stakes environments, because real growth isn’t just in what you know It’s in how you handle yourself (and others) under pressure.

Follow D’lor Academy for more real-world communication tools to grow your career and your confidence.

23/07/2025

At D’lor Academy, we believe that communication is a career-defining advantage.

As part of our commitment to giving back and building stronger professionals in the tech ecosystem, we’re excited to launch a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative tailored specifically for emerging product managers:

This is a 3-Day Masterclass titled Team Communication for Product Managers

A free, immersive learning experience to help early-career PMs become confident communicators and collaborative leaders.
This masterclass is our way of equipping Product Managers to lead with clarity not chaos.

What You’ll Learn

✅ How to build alignment across cross-functional teams

✅ How to run meetings that energize (not exhaust) people

✅ How to prevent costly miscommunications before they spiral

✅ How to speak the language of tech, design, and business

✅ How to earn trust and influence as a new PM

This course is for Entry-level Product managers, aspiring PMs preparing for the role, junior professionals working in product-adjacent teams

At D’lor Academy, we’ve trained hundreds of professionals across industries and we’ve seen one truth repeat itself: “The people who grow the fastest are the ones who learn to communicate the clearest.”

This free 3-day class is our way of giving back, creating access, and leveling the playing field for passionate product minds who just need the right support.

Spots are limited. Send a DM to secure your place.

Classes start on the 15th of August

22/07/2025

Let’s be honest, the job market in 2025 is no longer impressed by skills alone.

Your technical skills open doors, but once you're inside, it's your communication, leadership, adaptability, and emotional intelligence that keep you in the room.

At D'lor Academy, we’ve seen this play out over and over again:

- Talented professionals struggling to lead teams.

- Technically sound individuals misunderstood at work.

- Brilliant ideas lost in poor communication.

So let’s break this down:

- Hard skills prove you can do the job.

- Soft skills prove you can work with people.

In 2025 and beyond, you need both.
It’s not about choosing one. It’s about mastering the balance.

That’s why every course we create at D’lor Academy is designed to strengthen your technical communication, emotional awareness,

and real-world application especially for those in tech, management, and service roles.

If you’re only investing in hard skills, you’re building half the bridge.

Let’s complete it together.

Follow D'lor Academy for practical tips, training, and tools to grow your communication edge.

21/07/2025