Focus is Everything
There’s a myth in innovation that creativity means letting go and throwing out the box. Everyone needs to open their mind completely and let possibilities flow in from everywhere. There’s no structure – just openness. That’s how you get the good ideas.
It’s a myth because it’s not true – innovation sessions without structure rarely …
What Successful People Know About Anger
Anger evolved from the eruption of terror that early man experienced when he encountered a saber tooth tiger, at least that’s the current neuroscience on it. Actually, the latest thinking on all emotions is that they stem from our most primitive response mechanism. That is: every emotion has the potential to stimulate approach behaviors (fight) …
Build Your Brand By Building Your Team
How to create your own personal brand dream team and accelerate your professional growth.
Whether you’re a business professional or a business owner, having a solid team is imperative to building a strong brand. If there is one thing I would go back and tell my younger self, it is that constructing a solid team …
Workplace Drama Structure Similar to Hollywood Drama Screenplay
A good friend of mine and former college roommate studied film and screen writing. He’s had a number of his screen plays picked up on option by hollywood producers over the years.
So, when I began investigating drama in the workplace I reached out to him to learn about how dramatic movies are structured. He …
What is a Platform?
This weekend I attended a book festival that offered a session on platform building for authors. The panelists launched into a discussion of the importance of platform to sell books, but it wasn’t until an audience member asked for the definition of platform that they actually attempted to explain what it was. The definitions varied …
10 Ways for Women to Lean In
In April 2013, I wrote a blog called Why Now Is a Great Time to Lean In. It was a month after Sheryl Sandberg’s game-changing book Lean In came out and now it is almost a year later. If you haven’t heard about it, quite a lot has happened in a mere 12 months.
I …
Present Your Personal Brand on LinkedIn for Job Searches
When it comes to presenting your personal brand to employers you might miss the opportunity to create a stellar LinkedIn profile. It’s not enough to just add your relevant information – it is critical to write an online profile that stands out in addition to showcasing your accomplishments and skills.
So what is the best …
Give Kick-Butt Public Talks—Even If You’re Terrified
Whether you are a salesperson, aspiring public speaker, or college student, chances are you will have to speak in front of a group. Are you afraid of speaking in front of people? If so, you’re not alone. In …
Open Door Policies Don’t Work
In interviewing a client at the end of our project I learned how ineffective “open door policies” are by organizational leaders.
My client said, “Before we started our work together I couldn’t understand why employees who knew I had an open door policy, didn’t come to me when they knew another employee was doing things …
Why Every Professional Should Have a Personal Marketing Plan
Successful business owners leverage marketing plans to gain clarity on market conditions, their brand positioning, and to create sound marketing strategy. The end results of a solid marketing plan are clear-cut goals with date-specific action items.
As we observe the shrinking U.S.workforce and greater job competition, savvy career professionals should invest time in creating personal …