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When Australian media want insight into what’s really happening inside workplaces, they turn to Communication Skills Academy. Founders Vikki Maver and Veronica Rustica work hands-on with leaders and teams every day – giving them a front-row view of the breakdowns, tensions and turning points unfolding in Australian businesses.

Women spent years learning not to apologise – now AI is undoing it all

July 2026: Women have spent years learning to strip unnecessary apologies, hedging and softening language from their workplace writing. Now AI inserts and injects those habits right back in.

Writing for Women’s Agenda, Vikki challenges readers to question whether AI tools are improving their message – or simply making it more deferential.

The friendship powering a working partnership

June 2026: Vikki and Veronica were featured in The Age on a story that explores how friendships can form across different ages, career stages and life experiences.

Veronica brings pace, experimentation and an appetite for change – while Vikki brings caution, perspective and a steadier eye on risk. As Veronica puts it, ‘My appetite for change keeps us evolving. Her caution protects what we’ve built.’

How AI has slipped into small businesses like a bad habit

May 2026: A quick AI-drafted email might feel harmless. So might a proposal that’s ‘polished’ in seconds. But when every message starts to sound the same? Clients notice what’s missing.

In this Business Builders op-ed, Vikki explains how AI writing can erode trust – and why businesses still need clear standards, stronger writing skills and human judgement.

The AI illusion: Everyone’s a ‘copywriter’ now

May 2026: AI-generated copy is getting convincing. Too convincing. Emotive words and phrases? Tick. Catchy headlines and CTAs? Tick.

So why should brands pay for copywriters? Why carry that cost when AI can churn slick words out in seconds? In this op-ed for Content Marketing Mag, Vikki builds a case for human copywriters in the age of AI.

Women keep teams aligned – so why aren’t they leading them?

March 2026: We love to say communication is a defining skill of great leadership. And yet women – who disproportionately carry the communication and emotional labour within organisations – rarely move into the top jobs.

In this International Women’s Day editorial for Startup Daily, Vikki addresses the imbalance and outlines a path forward.

Why we trust women to steady the ship, but not to captain it

March 2026: When organisations face pressure, women are often trusted to manage the tone and hold teams together. Yet that same capability is too often treated as support work, not leadership.

Writing for HR Leader, Vikki examines why women are trusted with communication and culture – but rarely recognised for the strategic leadership those responsibilities require.

Managing tensions in a 4-generation workplace

March 2026: Writing for HR Leader, Amelia McNamara explores the practical challenges leaders face when managing four-generation workplaces.

She draws on commentary from Vikki to unpack how communication styles, expectations and career motivations vary – and the importance of moving beyond stereotypes to build respect and clarity.

This founder says a ‘no’ is just a ‘not yet’

February 2026: Vikki spoke with Yajush Gupta from Dynamic Business about building a second business, backing her instincts and why a ‘no’ often means ‘not yet’.

She also offers her thoughts on how scaling a business sustainably means letting go – and why she shares her expertise generously.

More flexibility and automation – but workers are still burnt out

February 2026: In this editorial for HR Leader, Vikki argues that burnout is increasingly caused by the changing nature of work and the significant communication challenges that come with it.

‘It’s the ultimate irony,’ says Vikki. ‘The very things designed to make work easier – flexibility and automation – have also introduced new pressures.’

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