Grin and Bear It
Smile when you pick up or click on the phone and continue as you talk regardless of who’s calling or what the conversation is about. The person on the other end of the line can hear a smile, she can also hear a frown, smirk, and rolling of the eyes. Your articulation improves when your …
You Can Not Over Prepare
So few people make the extra effort; if you do, that’s really the reason you’ll get noticed.
In an age of instant response, slow down and think things through. It’s nice to be fast, but instant responses can prove to be disastrous. Consider others’ questions and interests, then plan a response. Yes, I know you …
Make Doing the Right Thing Your Personal Brand
The true test of character is doing the right thing even when no one sees.
Eight days a week you will encounter temptation to break your personal code of conduct of doing the right thing. One college conducted a sting to test cheating. Of the 600 students who took the test one-third cheated. When a …
A Good Brand is that of a “Solid Citizen”
Having upright character is entirely self-serving: You feel good about yourself and you sleep soundly. You don’t fear how your actions will look in the newspaper or in the blogosphere. You need not agonize over how your kids, partner, parents, friends, classmates, neighbors, and co-workers will view you. Being a solid citizen is the ultimate …
Real Personal Branding: Tattoos
The good news is tattoos aren’t reserved for sailors, warriors, or rock stars anymore. For these reasons and many others, 1 in 3 people under forty has at least one tattoo. (They are actually an ancient art form dating back to the Egyptians who used them to control the supernatural.)
In the future younger executives …
Networking is Necessary to Support Your Personal Branding
In college, it’s called socializing; in business it’s called networking. You do the same thing; it’s just that your clothes aren’t as sexy.
One CEO told me, “My wife encourages sleepovers for the kids and sports so that they learn to network from the start.”
So a few tips to do daily:
-have the goal …
Your Personal Branding Can Start at a Young Age
At thirteen my mother found me secretly reading a movie star magazine. She kindly explained, “you aren’t pretty enough to be a movie star so you should develop your personality.” Now, do not take her words as insulting. I didn’t and I don’t. Till her dying moment she was my biggest fan. She did not …
Surviving (Inevitable) Rejection
Rejection is inevitable in life, especially if you’re making an effort and putting yourself out there. Here are some thoughts I use to make it less painful when I get it.
First, try not to expect to get it before you actually do. Most of the negative situations you worry about will never happen. If …
Trust Yourself; You’re Not Just Lucky
Yes, timing and luck contribute to your success. But you also contributed to your success.
One of my early mentors, a long time member of Young Presidents Organization told me that he and his fellow YPOers had to learn to trust their competence — just like everyone else does.
He taught me that the first …
Caution: Car Wrecks and Human Wrecks
When you drive you may be the one who stays at the speed limit at all times, stops at stop signs and red lights, remains in your lane, and signals well before changing lanes. Even though you are doing everything right, someone in another vehicle rams through the stop light at break neck speed, blind …