Fairly or not, life is a first impression business, and as the saying goes we rarely get a second chance to make a first impression. Part of this is how we speak, especially in front of groups and how we rely on “fillers” or “crutch words” such as “Um, “Ah”, “You know” and many others which communications experts call ‘disfluencies’, “that… [Continue Reading]
The Care of Our Time
July 31, 2018 by ·
Benjamin Franklin once challenged a friend, “Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that is the stuff life is made of.” You’ll love your time more once you realize how much of it you are wasting. Start buying back some of the only resource you can’t buy more of by considering whether the routines… [Continue Reading]
Own the Phone, or be Owned by it
July 9, 2018 by ·
Good habits are hard to acquire and bad habits are hard to break…and our dependence on smart phones doesn’t seem to helping in getting rid of the bad ones…until now. This short HBR article provides some great insights into habits good and bad, and offers some interesting technology options for dealing with both. Spend a few… [Continue Reading]
Quiet Ones in Charge
June 11, 2018 by ·
One trait we don’t normally associate with great leaders is introversion. Instead, leaders are often chosen for a winning, outgoing personality, which, sadly, sometimes is all that disguises an “empty suit.” Recent research from the Harvard Business Review may give cheer to introverts and a new perspective to those hiring C-Level positions. This short article summarizes… [Continue Reading]
IQ, EQ and AQ
May 29, 2018 by ·
For decades, the Intelligence Quotient (IQ) was the metric most focused upon in assessing one’s chances for success. In the 1990’s, the Emotional Intelligence quotient (EQ) took on increasing importance as a predictor of career success. Now comes “AQ”. A short Wired Magazine article provides a good overview of how AQ along with IQ and EQ may… [Continue Reading]
The After 40 Effect
May 1, 2018 by ·
The importance of emotional intelligence has been documented for years. However, there are some very important traits that, while required for success, don’t have a visible effect on one’s career until later in life. This short HBR blog post outlines research that identifies the three personality traits that SIGNFICANTLY affect lifetime earnings, but only after 40. Do you have… [Continue Reading]
Bill and TED’s Excellent Playlist
April 10, 2018 by ·
Microsoft Founder Bill Gates not only revolutionized, some say invented, the personal computer industry as we know it, he is also making a significant impact on the world through the Gates Foundation run by him and his wife Melinda. Whatever his endeavors, he has learned to rely on facts. To wit, this short article from Inc… [Continue Reading]
Are Leaders Born or Are Leaders Made?
March 12, 2018 by ·
My own view is Leaders are like professionals (sports, arts, etc.): Some have more natural talent than others, yet it is the growth in this talent that propels them into a level of mastery. The most important point is we have to want to grow our talent at an emotional level, not a cognitive level, to achieve… [Continue Reading]
The Leadership Journey: How to Communicate so People Will Listen
March 5, 2018 by ·
I have been hanging around the leadership arena for many years, and I can’t tell you how many mistakes I have made along the way with my communications. Why is this so? I know what to do, but my mind races ahead. I recognize I have the words to say what I want. The only… [Continue Reading]
Alchemy for CEOs
December 18, 2017 by ·
In the Middle Ages, Alchemists labored mightily, but in vain, to turn lead into gold. One Vistage member, speaker and author suggests that CEOs can be modern-day alchemists and achieve a transformation that yields even more value; turning employers into owners. Scot Hunsaker is a ten year plus Vistage member and award-winning 2016 Vistage Breakout Speaker who bought a small… [Continue Reading]
