One thing that always helps us to stand out in life and in business is when we appear to have ‘made the effort.’ This simple concept can be applied in a myriad of ways to a million different circumstances. I learned this lesson when I was a young girl from my mother, as her advice…

Many of my clients are running and enduring their own business marathons. Some are considering a change of career. Others are navigating challenging and often disillusioning job hunts. A few are managing politically challenging projects. Several face often what appear to be insurmountable sales quotas in this recessionary period. No one has the corner on the market…

Recently, I came across a resource I am so bullish on, I am actually using one of my daily blogs to post this reference. Patty Azzarello and I met only once many years ago; yet we have many mutual mentors and friends in the industry. She has recently published a book entitled, RISE,  which I believe is…

As most of you know, I am an avid reader of Adam Bryant’s The Corner Office in the Sunday New York Times. This Sunday’s article was succinct, powerful, and rich in information. If you are interested in building your skills and attributes as a leader  – this article is worth the time to read through completely. In…

The best thing to give to your enemy is forgiveness; to an opponent, tolerance; to a friend, your heart; to your child, a good example; to a father, deference; to your mother, conduct that will make her proud of you; to yourself, respect; to all men, charity. ~ Francis Maitland Balfour   What are we…

There is a time and a place for emotion. I have had clients of late share their experiences where emotions, either their own or their partners, colleagues or suppliers, have clouded their judgment and their ability to conduct business in the most effective way. A few thoughts on this: Sure, we are human beings and we…

Ok, I’ll admit it, I love American Idol. This year’s season has been strange. The talent is amazing, and yet to think that Pia Toscano would be voted off is simply shocking. I have always loved Michael Jackson’s rendition of “Man in the Mirror” and this past weeks performance by Jacob Lusk was fabulous. As…

How many times have we been a part of a team or the leader of a team, where behaviors are disruptive to the success of the team? These behaviors can be anything from classic passive aggressive behavior to constant interruptions by a certain person when in meetings to someone always being late. This can be super frustrating and discouraging.…

In a letter to her husband, John Adams, Abigail Adams said: “We have too many high sounding words, and too few actions that correspond with them.” I imagine we have all been there at one time or another: when folks say much, yet do not live in integrity with their words and actions. It can be…

A lot has been written about the use of silence in selling, negotiating, and in all sorts of business scenarios. There is a good reason for that! There comes a point in almost any sales pitch or negotiation when the other person should be talking AND there comes a point when no one should be…