Whenever you read the newspaper (remember those?), how often do you really notice the headlines? Headlines are designed to solicit interest: the editor who wrote them is trying to let you know what the article is about, while at the same time "selling" you on the importance of actually reading [More]
Clients, prospects, friends, family, co-workers, your manager, and recruiters: It's easy to assume that everyone thinks precisely like you do. But they don't. They each have their own experience, education, training. We know this instinctively, yet still we make mistakes based on this premise. Then during a presentation, in an [More]
When was the last time you considered your craziest, wildest dreams of professional success? For many people, it was probably a very long time ago. Others do so more often, but consider these dreams ridiculous, unattainable, and beyond their station in life. In both cases, the end result is the [More]
In many old movies, and particularly westerns, there is a scene where the tracker listens to the ground, and pronounces the enemy coming from "that" direction. Or they look at footprints and pronounce that the person is two days ahead of them. In more modern movies, everyone knows that Superman [More]
Whenever you are considered for a new relationship - as a supplier, client, or investor - the "buyer" needs to check you out. This is especially true when it comes to applying for a new role. The dreaded reference check (or background check) need not be that stressful, if only [More]
When it comes to networking, the focus seems always to be on quantity. How many cards in your rolodex? How many names in your computer? How many LinkedIn Connections? Unfortunately, in our quest to supersize our network, we often forget about the importance of its quality. Let's face it: a [More]
Most people have no problem doing tomorrow what could have been done today. In fact, many people spend their entire professional life getting good at procrastinating. We know this isn't healthy, so we do what we can to improve - we invent motivating slogans: Get it done! Just do it! [More]
When you think about negotiations, what comes to mind: The pricing on that new proposal? Management vs Labor? Salary negotiations? Too often, negotiations are rife with conflict, winners and losers, and power-plays; it is no wonder that many people find them uncomfortable, and very often avoid them. (Or get taken [More]
Have you ever wondered why some presentations seem to grip the audience, and others are beyond dull? The reason is simple: an entire generation of people have been raised on PowerPoint and an outline-style presentation mode. Think about it: most business presentations are lists of points, sometimes with cheesy clip-art, [More]
Have you ever been asked whether you had a particular skill, and struggled to answer when the answer is clearly in the negative? While no one appreciates spin, there are a number of ways to answer, each with a unique nuance: Answer: Yes: If you are part of the Fake [More]
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