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  • The Opportunity of Unscheduled Time

    The Opportunity of Unscheduled Time

    I am writing this as I'm sitting in an airport terminal, enjoying yet another flight delay. In particular, I am sitting in a seat where I can survey all of my fellow passengers. It is very rare that I find an entire three hours (and counting) where I can spend [More]

  • Networking Three-Step

    Networking Three-Step

    Networking is probably the most important skill you can learn. It is a prerequisite for professional success, meet new friends - and even meet your spouse. Yet strangely, this key skill is rarely taught in school.  We all seem to learn by happenstance. At its core, networking is actually very [More]

  • Freakonomics

    Freakonomics

    I just finished reading another fascinating book: Freakonomics by Steven Levtitt and Stephen Dubner. This pair of authors (one an economics professor while the other an accomplished journalist) have probably done more to explain economics than any of the two-dozen-odd economics textbooks that I have in my library. Levitt's area [More]

  • Winning the Interview Beauty Contest

    Winning the Interview Beauty Contest

    How can you do better at job interviews? It's not about being "lucky", nor is it about winning a beauty contest, it's about preparation, presentation, and perseverance: Fish where the fish are: Only apply for those positions where you have a strong chance of success. Energy wasted with pointless applications [More]

  • Closing the Expectations Gap

    Closing the Expectations Gap

    Expectations matter.  I recently had the pleasure of spending time in Houston, Texas. The people were friendly, the weather was great, and the event was a success. I stayed in one of the nicer hotels, The Westin, which was convenient, but also because of a great prior experience there. They [More]

  • Trust but Verify

    Trust but Verify

    Recently someone asked me to discuss how to choose interview questions, and specifically how to look for for people with a great work ethic. Here's how I answered: If you are of the mind that past performance is an indicator of future performance, then part of what you want to [More]

  • Stick to your Strengths

    Stick to your Strengths

    Have you ever wondered how a professional athlete chooses their sport? While they may have some natural ability, this isn't the whole story. Their path to stardom likely looks like this: They started early, They practiced relentlessly, They found a coach who cared, They loved what they did, and They [More]

  • Don’t Focus on Results

    Don’t Focus on Results

    Did you reach your quota? Have you completed that report? Did you win your case? How many people did you serve today? While you might be measured on different criteria, there is one common thread: each of these statements focuses on results. And focusing on results... results in, well, results. [More]

  • Good Job

    Good Job

    When was the last time your boss said "good job"? Of course, good leaders understand the importance of praise, and we always feel motivated when this happens. But is there a connection between doing a good job, and getting a better one? There is - but not in the way [More]

  • The Enemy of Great is Good

    The Enemy of Great is Good

    Recently, a client sent me an email with the title of this blog posting in it. He was decrying the problem of another vendor who was not responsive, and who was only giving "good" service. I've certainly read that other great book, Jim Collins' Good to Great, which speaks to [More]

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