It’s one of the hardest things to do in business. If you’re an executive, you never say no to your boss and you’re afraid to say no to your peers. Your team, it’s easy — except if you’re a pushover. If you run a business, you never say no to your clients and you’re afraid to say no to your vendors/distributors. Your team — again, pushover.
Creating A Life Plan . . . Today.
First Impressions Define Your Success.
Are You A Super-Connector?
Keith Ferrazzi uses a term in his book, Never Eat Alone, called the 'Super Connector'. His definition (paraphrased from his book & site):"Super Connectors are people who maintain contact with thousands of people in many different worlds and know them well enough to give them a call. Restauranteurs, headhunters, lobbyists, fundraisers, public relations people, politicians, and journalists are the best super-connectors because it's their job to know EVERYONE."
The Best Way To Grow Your Business & Career.
Ask someone. That's it. Go out there into the world, and ask people what they think. Sounds too simple, doesn't it? But most people don't do that. They're afraid that they might be told something that they don't want to hear. Or they'll be talked out of their dream or strategy. Or that stronger personalities might co-opt their idea, mold it, and it will look totally different from when they started. So they just stop and talk to no one.
$17.14 Can Change Your Thinking. Guaranteed.
As I frequently say, most business books SUCK. But there are some that matriculate to the top and it's my job to keep up on the constant volume of new tomes shoved out into the marketplace and decide who makes the top 5%. Where Good Ideas Come From: The Natural History of Innovation by Steven Johnson makes that cut.
There's No Such Thing As A Free Lunch.
"There's No Such Thing As A Free Lunch." A powerful quote by Milton Friedman, a prominent American economist in the 20th century. I first heard this saying at my introductory orientation as a freshman at Ripon College with Dean Harris, Dean of Men. He was speaking to the entire male freshman class (the ladies were in another room in a similar talk with the Dean of Women — boy would I have liked to have been a fly on that wall!). Dean Harris was a wonderful man who reached out to me at different junctures of my college career — giving me sage advice (and reprimanding me when I stepped over the line). He's a special person in my life.
How To Start Fresh In 2011.
We humans are a wily bunch nervous animals. We sometimes let our thinking and facts guide us and sometimes we let our gut and emotions guide us. At this time of the year, many of us look back at the preceding year and become very critical of our status, behaviors, actions, and results. We kneel and shake our fists to the sky and promise we will change for the better.
Want To Be The Best? Study Pixar.
Ask one of my clients. Or one of my friends. I can't stop talking about Pixar. From their first movie, Toy Story, in 1995, to their latest, Toy Story 3, in 2010, ask yourself, has any filmmaker or filmmaking collective had a run as glorious and uninterrupted as Pixar's? They've never missed. Never. Why? In my observable opinion, because of a few rules:
What's Wrong With Your Life?
There is a 'must-see' movie coming out in February 2011 called 'I Am', by director Tom Shadyac. It centers around his journey to answer two simple questions: "What's wrong with our world?" and "What can we do about it?"
He meets and interviews a variety of thinkers and doers — remarkable men and women from the worlds of science, philosophy, and faith. Here's the trailer:
2011: What Do You Want To Change?
Buckle Up — this is going to be a fun ride. Answer these three questions with fast, (1-2 word) specific responses . . . don't just write 'work', write 'client calls', or 'Penske Project'. Don't just write 'business', write 'BNI connecting' or 'new website', or 'product expansion'. I'm looking for you to blurt out items without a lot of introspection. I want your gut responses:
Is Your Boss A Psychopath?
You’ve probably worked for or with one sometime in your career. I’m not using this word lightly — I really mean psychopath — a person who exhibits a cluster of distinctive personality traits, the most significant of which is an utter lack of conscience. They also have huge egos, short tempers, and an appetite for excitement — a dangerous mix.
This is a tough post to write, but I usually have 2-3 clients a year who describe their boss with a certain set of characteristics. For me, it sets off a series of alarms and I help them decide to stay where they are or move on. Because at the end of the day, you cannot change a person’s behavioral makeup.
3 Ways To Believe In Your Ability To Succeed.
Well — Do You? My family and I just watched the film, 'The Polar Express' last night with Tom Hanks. It’s a wonderful movie — great story, wonderful animation, and the acting is top notch.
One of the themes is the main character’s ability to ‘Believe’ in the existence of Santa Claus. It’s all focuses on hearing one of the sleighbells from Santa’s sleigh . . . oh . . . I’m getting off course here.
3 Steps To A Perfect Presentation.
I'm asked frequently by clients and colleagues alike how I construct my presentations (see a typical slide to the right). Here's my secret: Step One: Who Is Your Audience & What Do You Want Them To Take Away
This is the most important step that most executives and speakers forget. The usual process is to pick a topic and brain-dump into Powerpoint until you hit the requisite 75 slides. You’re done!
How Do You Coach Your Team?
I'm a coach. I've been working with executives and business owners for over 10 years. Prior to that, I managed large teams in Fortune 500 companies throughout the nation. I found early in my career that it was easier to motivate my staff with carrots rather than the stick. Get them to see the big picture, how they are contributing to it, and how together, we can best leverage their strengths and talents.
Why Networking Is Dead — Part One.
10 Gifts For You To Succeed In 2011.
3 Ways To Stay Connected.
It's hard to stay connected with friends, colleagues, clients, and key people in your industry. Why? Because most positions force you to focus on production and not development. Get to work and don't worry about new connections. Here's three ways to gently sneak in a little contact to help your career health, grow your business, and ensure your success.
5 Tips On How To Treat New Employees.
Whew! After a phlanx of interviewees and resumes, late nights, early mornings and lost lunches, you've just hired that new team member. Now you can sit back and focus back on work. Not so fast. It's important as they're new boss to make this transition period in their life bump- and trouble-free. It will not only behoove you, but will also ensure that your new hire is happy, engaged, enthusiastic, and motivated.
Be Bold In Life.
You know when you get so caught up in your career and life you forget things? Well I did. I was going through some papers that take me back to 2001-2002 and I saw this phrase, "Be Bold In Life". That was my original coaching 'theme' that I communicated on my business card, website, and throughout my coaching.