Browse Executive Coach and Executive Coaching

Just like a fingerprint, you have a unique sound. You vocal cords developed during puberty to a certain length and mass which gives you the pitch that you use. The shape and mass of your vocal tract (the back of the throat, the tongue, the lips, etx) is where the sound is configured. You are limited in how much you ...

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Did you know that the number one desired outcome of communication skills coaching is to increase self-confidence speaking? Whether the situation is to speak to the boss, a roomful of people or a large massive crowd, having the self-confidence to deliver the message in a way that resonates is priority. Leaders know ...

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When I first started road biking in 2016, I loved the feeling of freedom when the air passed my wet skin and became a natural air conditioner. I also loved to ride downhills at a very fast speed. It was an incredible thrill to let go and fly down those hills. It was truly exhilarating!

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Recently I was engaged to provide speakers’ training for a group of prestigious physicians launching a groundbreaking new therapy in Europe. Each member of the group was extraordinarily committed to the success of the launch, and their approach made an indelible impression on me. Why?

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"As a presenter, how do you make sure you’re ready for the 'big leagues' and poised to make a positive impact in a high-stakes environment?"> This question came from Carolyn, a long-time client, as we were reviewing 100+ speakers at an annual trade show — a marquee event for this leading industry association.

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I recently had the opportunity to spend several hours working with professional horse trainer Dee Janelle and it reminded me of the powerful lessons in leadership and communication horses offer us if we take the time to listen and truly connect. Working with horses is a lifelong journey of self-discovery as we strive to understand the equine mind. It is no wonder that many of the greatest leaders throughout history were as gifted in their connection with horses as they were with people. Alexander the Great, George Washington, Joan of Arc, Robert E.

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As companies claw their way out of the doldrums of The Great Recession the time is rapidly approaching to prepare for the next wave of growth. Traditionally, this means ramping up the hiring process, investing in new technology, or a combination of both. As we attempt to catch the upswing out of the trough of the most recent business cycle, many enlightened companies are looking in another direction to increase their productivity and capacity. They’re looking inside of their companies for the resources they’ll need to drive growth in the coming years.

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Authenticity. You've seen it preached here countless times as a vital component to a home-run presentation. But what if the material you're delivering isn't your own? A colleague recently auditioned to become a certified trainer for a well-known sales guru, delivering customized versions of his popular seminars under a licensing arrangement.

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"People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing - that's why we recommend it daily." ~ Zig Ziglar For the CEO, it is always a challenge to motivate his employees and also keep them motivated. Motivated employees are at the forefront to take up new challenges, adapt new ideas and deliver results. A self-motivated employee also contributes by sharing his own innovative ideas and encourages his colleagues to do the same. This article showcases some effective strategies for a CEO to motivate his employees. 1. One-on-one Approach

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Are you frustrated with the results you’ve been seeing from traditional live networking events? Well, did you know if you run a strong online campaign that will help you convert more prospects who you meet offline? That way, the people you do meet face to face at live networking events have many ways to stay connected with you and to learn more about your area of expertise. Here are 5 key ways to help you double your networking results: 1.) Make sure you’re networking with your target market or referral partners

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Owning and developing your own business can be a stressful endeavor, which should come as no secret to most people. Even those who have never owned their own company will acknowledge the stress and headaches that can come with being the person at the top of a business. You are responsible for not only your own livelihood, but many of you also for the livelihood of employees who work for you.

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Does marketing ever feel to you like you’re bothering people? Does marketing make you feel uncomfortable because you feel like you’re “selling”? People’s lives today have become so incredibly inundated with an avalanche of information, commercials and advertisements, so it is no wonder that as business owners and service professionals you can often feel like yet another unwanted interruption or worse, spam in your attempts at prospecting and marketing.

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Giving presentations, typically PowerPoint, is mostly a routine matter for CEOs and top managers Business leaders extensively use PowerPoint for a multitude of purposes including showcasing their strategies, presenting their business plans, declaring their financial results, persuading investors to put their money in their business or conducting different training sessions.

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Finding the right person to create your résumé can be a tricky process. It’s important to know the facts about résumé writing before you make your decision. Below are 7 secrets for making the right hire. 1. Be willing to pay more for a better résumé. If you call up a résumé writer and ask them how much a résumé costs and they actually quote a price, hang up and run the other way! This means they charge a one-price-fits-all and you’ll get a one-size-fits-all, generic résumé. That won’t do for serious job seekers today.

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Does your business feel like a roller coaster ride where sales are either at an exciting high or they’re at a panic level low? This pendulum is stressful on your cash flow. It’s also highly stressful on your mindset.

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Success isn’t being able to do 5,000 things really well. Success is being able to consistently do a few things really well – 5,000 times. The New Year is almost here! A time for excitement and new beginnings! For me, it never loses its “newness” or luster. I’m an optimist and always look at the cup as half full. I honestly think I enjoy the thought of new beginnings, goals, and the possibility of reaching new heights (and all that comes with each New Year) more than any other part of the holiday season. I tend to dream big.

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In the old days I used to drop $30,000 a year to be listed in 5 different Yellow Pages and Super Pages phone books. Like so many other business owners, I did that because it used to be that most people would pick up the phone directory when they were looking to hire and fill a need. The sad part is that in 10 years I spent $300,000.00! — which turned out to be a tremendous cost (not a worthwhile marketing investment at all). You commit to one ad which you cannot change for a full year — not a smart offer by the phone books.

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First off, it’s not your fault! Have you ever heard impatient bosses ste ly demand that their people get out there and “MAKE IT HAPPEN!“ … OR ELSE…? Or, perhaps maybe you’re that boss. After all, as Peter Drucker so famously said, “Nothing happens until someone sells something.“

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According to Wikipedia, “Customer satisfaction is defined as the number of customers, or percentage of total customers, whose reported experience with a firm, its products, or its services (ratings) exceeds specified satisfaction goals." Customer satisfaction is a great indicator of customer response to your products and services and your brand identity. While figures pertaining to sales or market share reflect company’s current performance in the market, the level of customer satisfaction defines the sustainability of your brand in the market.

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Question: “Do performance reviews really work?” — Avril Balderson, CPA Firm in Australia Yoon’s Answer: Avril, my short answer is YES!!!!! They do work! So, why do they don’t work so well for some companies? …What I see is that many companies have performance reviews that just are not specific enough about what the tangible actions and behaviors they want to see more of and which they do not tolerate. This can be slippery if the company does not have a job description written out that clearly describes what the expectations are on specific tasks, results and behaviors.

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Whether you are a small business owner generating a modest half a million dollars a year or the President of a $50 Million company or the CEO of a $500 Million company you probably at one time or another throughout the year have suffered from feeling inadequate. No matter what level of success you have already accomplished your eye is always aimed at the next level of success you are striving to conquer. As Marshall Goldsmith’s popular book has so well articulated — What Got Your Here, Won’t Get You There.

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6 Powerful Leadership Principles to Bring Out the Best in Your People As a business growth coach I am often asked the question, “What’s your advice on achieving fast business growth?” My one line response, “Never try to do it alone.” Whether you are the CEO or a key manager, the quickest road to fast business growth is through having a team of committed people. Strong development is what will allow you to laser focus on your core areas of competencies and not fall into the trap of wearing too many hats, which will only slow you down.

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Last week I shared my one line response to a popular questio I am often asked — “What’s your advice on achieving fast business growth?” “Never try to do it alone” is always my response. If you enjoyed reading about the 3 powerful leadership principles that helped operations manager Beth to bring out the best in her people, here are 3 more powerful leadership principles from my coaching work with Bob. Case Study #2. CEO continues to get pulled into every problem that comes up.

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Running a small business is by no means an easy feat. I always say that people with white collar desk jobs in large corporations get it easy. Everything has been laid out for you; there are company manuals, standard operating procedures, a communication hierarchy and you can always ‘go to’ somebody to help you with work or resolve an issue.

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Here’s an interesting questio I received on Linkedin from Richard Sink who asked: “What lessons can you share with us about strategies when trying to turn your ideas (be it for social good or professional gain) into a reality?” Hi Richard, Great question. I work with start up’s on launching new ideas as well as established companies on re-inventing themselves in the marketplace. I’d like to offer you a great format I use with my clients through this process. It’s the 8 stages of a start up which should be followed in this order: Stage 1: Identify the Who, What and Why?

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Did you miss this? If you are a business owner, sales professional or rainmaker in your firm, I hope by now you have a LinkedIn account and a basic profile set up. However, if that’s about all you have, then chances are that you’re not really attracting a steady flow of new clients on LinkedIn. In fact, if you’re not generating at least 6 figures in new business from LinkedIn, you need to learn the inside strategies on how to play the LinkedIn game. See, once you learn these strategies, tips and techniques, the game of LinkedIn becomes a lot of FUN!

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Remember the movie The Devil Wears Prada? In case you don’t, it’s the one where Meryl Streep plays the single minded magazine editor. She lives for her power within the fashion industry. She can make or break an upcoming designer’s career as well as the ones of her subordinates. Self serving and arrogant, she epitomizes the “bad boss”. She demeans her staff with a withering look and expects them to do whatever it takes to please her quixotic requests. Get a yet unpublished copy of J.K. Rowling’s latest Harry Potter tale by 3 p.m. today?

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93 percent of large enterprises had a security breach in 2012 while 87 percent of small businesses faced a security breach in the same year which is up by 11% over the last year, says a UK-based PwC survey. This article discusses the ways in which you can protect your database from hackers. Businesses these days can’t do without Internet. From business promotion to employing cloud services for online transactions, Internet is an essential element of information, data handling and operational infrastructure.

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During these economic times, when the unemployment rates are too high people opt for starting and running a small business, for various different reasons. Running a small business can be a profitable and successful endeavor. But you need appropriate skills and ideas to make it one, without which it can create a lot of hassle and can turn to be quite stressful. Doing business is about increasing sales and profitability and if you do not meet these goals, the business is not worth the effort.

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Q: What are the most effective lead generation strategies for health care consulting companies? Dr. Kennedy Ononaeker Managing Consultant and CEO, Winning Edge Consulting, Ltd. Lagos, Nigeria A: Most, if not all, business managers in the service industry are wondering the same thing. We all want to attract more new clients to our businesses, but are unsure of the most effective strategies for lead generation. And who has time to waste on ineffective marketing?

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The best marketing ideas or business development strategies won’t help you grow your business if they don’t get executed consistently. The most common marketing problem I find happening with small business owners is that the business development plan was just not consistently implemented. The biggest reason why entrepreneurs struggle with execution is largely because the marketing strategies were not systematized. A great definition of S.Y.S.T.E.M.S. is - Save - Your - Self - Time - Energy - Money and - Sanity! How do you systematize your marketing strategy?

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At the end of June 2003, I chose to leave a very secure job in banking to start over as an executive coach. Although I’d been in business for myself prior to joining the bank, it had been almost five years. During my time there, I had the privilege of working with a great team that cared deeply for their clients and believed in the direction we were heading. But it wasn’t enough for me, and I knew it was time to become a full-time executive coach.

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The Art of Using Notes I’m often surprised that many speakers still fall prey to the fallacy that preparation means memorization — and that bringing notes to the podium might make you appear ill-prepared in the eyes of your audience.

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Imagine for a moment the struggle and doubt the Wright brothers faced as they made attempt after attempt to create a “flying machine”. They financed their scheme with the proceeds from their bicycle shop, they toiled after work hours in oblivion. Later, when the brothers started to have some success with their flying efforts and gained notice from the press, Europeans accused them of lying. Others ridiculed them. It was a harebrained scheme and there were plenty of others with far more resources than they. What gave them the audacity to think they could out maneuver Dr.

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It’s great news if your business is growing quickly! But will things move so fast that you’ll struggle to keep pace? It’s a real possibility – so we better give it some thought. Knowing the potential pitfalls in advance and understanding how to mitigate them can go a long way in writing a successful growth story. Pitfall #1: You may hire too many bad employees or misfits

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As we approach the final week of wrapping up another year we will soon (if not already) assess how well we did in achieving our business goals. If you hit a home run this year in your business, it’s not hard to be joyful in this season of Christmas. However, if these last twelve months reflected nothing more than a disappointing series of strike outs, I know it’s pretty tough to feel joyful even during this holiday season. If that’s you, here’s where the psychology of success matters now more than ever. In fact, Christmas can teach us a critical lesson on that psychology of success.

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Imagine the patience Thomas Edison must have had. He reputedly failed 10,000 times before he perfected the incandescent bulb. For 13 years he feverishly worked on it.

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In my business consulting practice there has been quite the uptick recently of business owners struggling to find the right talent. It sure is tough to start the new year off with a charge when you’re so completely frustrated from the paltry results of your people. It is a painful feeling to see that you have poured so much of your time, money and energy trying to improve the performance of employees who you now realize just aren’t the right fit. If this is you: RESIST the urge to throw in the towel only to revert to being the one-man show (or one- woman-show).

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From Paper to Podium: Rehearse your way to prime time Think back to the last conference you attended. While an event’s keynote or session speakers may be subject matter experts, most are not professional speakers. If you’ve ever wondered what makes one presenter sparkle while others fall flat, I’d bet you the difference is the time each speaker spent rehearsing. Many speakers believe that their presentations are ready for prime time the moment the toner's dry on their PowerPoint printout.

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You may be surprised to learn that, with rare exceptions, your audience is rooting for you. Every time you step up to speak, they want you to succeed. If you’re ever witnessed a comedian bomb or a singer hit a “pitchy” note, you’ll know exactly what I mean. The audience shudders with embarrassment for the performer. They want the person on stage to be entertaining — that’s why they came. The same holds true for a speaker giving a presentation.

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LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional social network with an astounding 165 million users inside a targeted audience of business professionals. And yet, only a tiny fraction of LinkedIn users are leveraging this free online social network to successfully generate leads and new business. If you are currently not generating $100K in new business from LinkedIn you need to hear my message this Wednesday on this first time ever complimentary webinar. In this power-packed 60 minutes I will show you how to use LinkedIn to:

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“Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.” ~ Sun Tzu Strategic thinking is a systematic draft of steps or actions that help company not only sustain its current position but also achieve its growth targets at the end of a specific period or duration. It involves strategic planning, operational planning, managing resources effectively and identifying your target audience.

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As the CEO, do you at times find yourself spending a critical portion of your productive hours in resolving conflicts among your team members? In other words, the time which could have been invested in more result-oriented jobs is spent on the rather unproductive and at times even frustrating job of resolving conflict.

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For a sports team to be successful it takes more than just a superstar player, a strong roster of talented young backups or even state-of-the art training facilities. While all of those can be important factors, none of it would result in a winning unit without the help of one person: the head coach.

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Remember the time you decided to take a 15 minute coffee break from work and sat down reading a newspaper in the cafeteria? Later on you got up feeling very well informed about current affairs but realized an hour had passed and you had to rush back to your desk to complete the tasks on your to-do list. Or the time you decided to clean your drawers on a weekday to search for a piece of paper and ended up redecorating the entire room with your son?

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Your Mission Critical Business Growth Plan There are many roadblocks and obstacles that stand between you and success. Running a business isn’t easy, but one thing that is for certain is that defeating your demons and overcoming those gremlins that stand in your way can be the hardest part of growing a business.

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If they didn’t notice you before... THEY'LL NOW FIND YOU IMPOSSIBLE TO IGNORE! Here is the entire secret weapon in just one phrase: To turn your resume into a secret weapon that cracks the job search code, make it appealing – magnetically appealing.

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The first Presidential debate I asked . . . what will win over the American voter, substance, style or possibly both? And the answer is BOTH — at least for Romney. First, let me state that I observed the presidential debate from a non-partisan point of view. As a speaker coach, I was listening for clarity of thought as well as how each man expressed himself. So, what exactly did Romney do that projected a presence that said, “confident, credible and congenial”? What happened to the dynamic and engaging persona that has contributed to Obama’s popularity?

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Pet peeves. Those mundane (yet infuriating) habits that get under your skin and drive you crazy! We all have them. Perhaps your pet peeve is drivers who don't use turn signals. No? How about someone cracking their knuckles...or noisy eaters? Admit it, you've got at least one. As 2012 comes to a close, I’d like to share three of my pet peeves -- presentation peeves, of course! Each is remarkably easy to fix and each an ideal resolution for sharpening your skills in the coming year – transforming a presentation peeve into presentation presence. #1. Avoid the weak “thank you” opener.r

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While visiting a friend recently in Chapel Hill, NC, we attended a lecture on the University of North Carolina campus. When the speaker started presenting, I noticed that the audience — which ranged in age from 6 to well over 60 — was completely enthralled (including me!) from start to end. Intrigued, I decided to take a step back to see exactly how this presenter was creating such a powerful experience for his listeners. To tell you the truth, he wasn’t doing every single thing right — and somehow it didn’t matter.

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Small businesses often fail because of their inability to take into account the actual competition. The competition is usually tougher in fields where a number of small businesses are jostling for space and have more or less similar products or services on offer. To survive in that competition and rise ahead of competitors is a real challenge for small business owners. To do this, you need to study and analyze your competition right from the beginning. Here are a few tips that will help you beat your rivals: 1. Do market analysis

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Setting up an office isn’t as hard as it is made out to be! Or is it? On the face of it, you think it couldn’t be much of a trouble because all you need to do is get hold of decent space, set up some furniture and workstations and get your guys in. But when you actually get around organizing it, you find it requires meticulous planning and budgeting to create just the right kind of set up required for your business. Let’s look at some essential points to keep in mind while setting up a new office for your small business.

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Trembling hands. Dry mouth. Weak legs. Your mind is racing and so is your heart. Sound familiar? Welcome to the very popular “glossophobia” club, more commonly known as stage fright. If you suffer from speaker’s anxiety, you’re in excellent company. Fear of speaking in public still ranks as one of the top — if not the number one fear — in the western world.

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Every business has its ups and downs. This article talks about how you can do your business continuity planning (BCP) in a better way as it is the BCP that allows you to continuously deliver your products or services even under adverse conditions. Business Continuity Planning prepares an organization for the internal interruptions – power failure, technical problems – and exte al threats like natural calamities, supply chain problems and more.

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You spent hours polishing your presentation, making sure it was clear, well organized and easy to follow. It even included an inspiring call to action. After delivering it, you thought it was a home run — only your audience didn’t hear much of what you said. In fact, it was as if your audience wasn’t even in the same room. How could that be? What distracted them? The question isn't so much “what” as it is “who” distracted them. And the answer just might be “you.”

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Imagine facing a room full of skittish investors and analysts to present your company’s management plan for the next quarter. Talk about high stakes! That was exactly the scenario recently faced by a client’s company. While they brought me in to rehearse with them the day before, in this type of meeting — one that’s likely to be packed with detailed data and statistics — it’s also likely that audience members will be focused on note taking or reviewing handouts rather than keeping their eyes on the presenters.

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Business meetings, tight schedules, business development activities, conferences, product launches and a heap of other responsibilities leave the CEO and associated management team exhausted, stressed and wanting for some relief out of physical and mental stress. Here we discuss some ways and techniques that can help the CEO to relieve stress and tension: Beautify the Surroundings

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A client recently asked, “How do I control my urge to give more information than my audience needs?” Great (and very mindful) question! Consider this answer from authors Dan and Chip Heath in Made to Stick. They say that in an effort to be complete, we often feel obligated to share every single thing we know rather than considering just what our listeners need to get the point (called “The Curse of Knowledge” by the authors). When “cursed,” we keep going and going; as a result, little sticks with our now-overwhelmed audience. Sound familiar?

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“To stimulate creativity, one must develop the childlike inclination for play and the childlike desire for recognition.” rn~ Albert Einstein Growth – an ever-evolving and continuous process – is an outcome of a successful innovation. As a thing of creativity evolves from an Idea, the organization should welcome new ideas and suggestions. The CEO should invite and appreciate the participation of everyone – from top to bottom in the hierarchy – throughout the organization when it comes to innovating and implementing practices to accomplish the organization's goals.

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Hopefully, you enjoyed some relaxing downtime with your family and friends during the holidays. For me, it was a welcome break to go to the movies with my daughter-in-law Jill and watch her all-time favorite story, Les Miserables — starring Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe and Anne Hathaway.

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In this age of information overload, the window of opportunity to keep your audience’s attention gets smaller by the tweet. How bad is it? It has been reported that we are bombarded by the equivalent of 174 newspapers of data a day. No doubt about it; we constantly battle a tidal wave of information demanding our attention. The question is, “what can you do to capture the attention of your listeners?” Here are eight ways to “disrupt” the barrage of noise so your message is heard. 1. Tell a story.r

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The tension was palatable as the 2012 Presidential Town Hall meeting concluded. Following the debate, both men greeted their families and then continued campaigning — signing autographs and having their picture taken. Neither candidate turned to greet the other, neither acknowledged the others family. To me, this was a natural reaction to the animosity that was expressed during the debate. And in fact, if they had greeted each other I would have questioned the authenticity of the gesture.

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The pressure was on, each candidate striving to deliver the knock-out punch that would leave a lasting impression, swaying undecided voters. Two evenly matched candidates, this debate felt like a tug-of-war … one moment one candidate winning until the rebuttal, when his opponent would take the lead. While I thought Obama was closer to his second-debate performance tha Romney was to his first round win, all in all I’d say it was a draw. Why? Quite different in their styles, both men projected the confidence, credibility and connection that is critical to presidential leadership.

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Watching the presidential election coverage I wondered, how the two candidates felt as the returns streamed in? How would the "loser" prepare himself for his final speech? And how would the "winner" present himself as he delivered that all-important acceptance speech to the American public?

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Miracles show up in the most ordinary of circumstances. In the smallest of ways we can see the greatness in others and ourselves. I believe to declare the desire to coach, to make a difference in the world, first requires us to make a difference in our own lives. We must know without a doubt ...

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Watch any skilled speaker on TV - a celebrity, news commentator, or political leader - and chances are, much of their seemingly "effortless" delivery is due to practiced use of a teleprompter. It's also likely that, at some point in your role as a professional communicator, you'll be called on to use a teleprompter, if you haven't already done so. Teleprompters are valuable tools, there's no doubt. But like any technology, their use shouldn't distract you from your primary goal: connecting with your audience.

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My good friend Jay Niblick, founder of Innermetrix International, recently completed a study called The Genius Project. His study became the basis for his latest book, What’s Your Genius? The Genius Project grew out of a desire to better understand two things: 1. What was the cause of the ...

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Before we talk about what my good friend Mr. Jay Niblick did find in the Genius Project, let’s look at what he did not find because it’s actually quite important as well. After crunching all of that data, and conducting all of those interviews, what he did not find was a single attribute, or ...

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Deep within all of us lies the desire for ultimate happiness in every part of our lives. For years it seemed as though true happiness was out of my reach. Despite all I had achieved, something was still missing: Something was not right. Why wasn’t I happy? The more I focused and the harder I ...

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Ah the struggle. Certainly we have all, at one time or another experienced “the struggle”. Regardless of age, race, sex, religion or socio-economic status, everyone has experienced the struggle. Like good and bad angels on either shoulder pulling us in opposite directions, we are ...

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Now that you have committed to achieving your goals and have determined if you require an accountability partner to reach them, it is time to develop your course of action. Exactly how do you plan to get from your current location to your blissful life? What course must you chart to achieve it? ...

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Now that you understand the struggle you are experiencing, you must accept it, unconditionally, with all you heart and soul. Embrace your struggle. It is one of the things about yourself that makes you a unique individual. Millions of people around the world, just like you, are currently in the ...

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Ah the struggle. Certainly we have all, at one time or another experienced “the struggle”. Regardless of age, race, sex, religion or socio-economic status, everyone has experienced “the struggle”. Like good and bad angels on either shoulder pulling us in opposite directions, we are torn. Many ...

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Congratulations! You have now defined “Your Blissful Life” as it pertains to you. It is your unique blissfulness, so no one will have exactly the same definition as you. You have reached a milestone that most people never do. Notice how good you feel at this moment. Revel in it for this is how ...

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Now that you have specifically defined your blissful life, you must take the first step in the walk toward what you want. This step toward the life you desire so greatly requires making a personal commitment to achieving it. Doing this is much more than simply stating you are committed to ...

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Now that you have specifically defined your blissful life in my prior article Your Blissful Life: Your Discovery, you must take the first step in the walk toward what you want. This step toward the life you desire so greatly requires making a personal commitment to achieving it. Doing this is ...

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Now that you have learned what your struggle is, and accept that you are dealing with it, it is time to take action to resolve, discover the solution for, or feel better about, your struggle. You can decide to take action, or not. Most of us want so much to be at peace that dealing with our ...

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Now that you understand that you are made up of various parts and have identified those parts and what they mean to you, it is time to focus on them and yourself on a deeper level. This is where the real fun begins! It is important to note that some individuals have found that their spiritual ...

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Now that you understand that you are made up of various parts and have identified those parts and what they mean to you, it is time to focus on them and yourself on a deeper level. This is where the real fun begins! It is important to note that some individuals have found that their ...

Published · 966 views

Ah the struggle. Certainly we have all, at one time or another experienced “the struggle”. Regardless of age, race, sex, religion or socio-economic status, everyone has experienced “the struggle”. Like good and bad angels on either shoulder pulling us in opposite directions, we are torn. Many ...

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Let’s say you’re preparing to speak to your board of directors, present a budget for approval, launch a new initiative or rally the troops in the office. And let’s assume that each of these endeavors requires a persuasive conversation. Like most business people, you approach this task as a straightforward process, consisting of:rnï§ A clear statement of what needs to be accomplishedrnï§ A strong statement of a solution with data based supporting argumentsrnï§ An assumption that the audience will readily agree with an understanding of “the facts”rnï§ A confident and engaging delivery

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“Surround yourself with the best people you can find, delegate authority, and don't interfere as long as the policy you've decided upon is being carried out.” Ronald Reagan An entrepreneurial CEO is responsible for ensuring smooth progress of everything from the marketing to finance, along with creating the end product. For achieving this Herculean task, he has to make choices about delegating the work to a right set of employees.

Published · 2,133 views · Rated 1/5 from 1 votes

Every businessperson wants to grow their company. Growth can be defined in many ways; revenue, profit, market share, asset value, strong team that lets you take more time off, increased happiness and contentment. Not every businessperson wants more money. Interestingly enough, virtually ...

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You must have heard of the phrase, 'It is lonely at the top'. Well, this phrase holds so true for CEOs and other top ranking people of an organization. When you own a business it is highly unlikely that you will share your fears or challenges in front of your employees. And even if you do so, it is unlikely that your employees will provide you with genuine suggestions. This leads to frustration where you desperately search for guidance over your business strategies and decision making process.

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Reveal the “Why" Behind These days, almost every company is scouring the balance sheet, looking for savings. The value of business meetings, for example, is seriously scrutinized and presenters are asking themselves: “How can I create a presentation that delivers real bottom-line results?” For an answer, first imagine a presenter who says the following: “We need to develop an optimum contract agreement with our South American distributor in support of our 2016 subsidiary conversion plan.” Would that motivate you to get the job done?

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Just watched the October 19th special event, filmed live at the Apple campus in Cupertino, Califo ia where Apple celebrated Steve’s life. What a legacy that man leaves behind, just awesome. From a business and executive coach’s perspective (yep, that’s me) a few thoughts: Only great leaders create great companies. Great leaders will challenge and inspire their people in their quest for excellence. People will only experience a feeling of pride when they worked hard for their success. If success comes easily, ove ight, without too much effort, pride will not enter the equation.

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Companies, big, medium, small or startups, have one thing in common – try as hard as they might, they can be, at any point of time, get hit by a crisis. The crisis or problem can strike at any time, in any form – be it product-related, financial, human resource, public relations, legal, market driven or internal.

Published · 2,951 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

Change in today’s turbulent business environment, is a constant and a regular experience. It [change] is endemic, rapid, and often has significant implications. Change has become the norm rather than the exception and leading organizations through fundamental change processes poses a major challenge to management.

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Talent shows are back on U.S. television and bigger than ever. One of the newest is The Voice, where vocalists compete for a recording contract and $100,000. What makes this show unique is its innovative “blind audition,” in which judges select contestants based solely on their voice. How would you measure up if your entire presentation was judged solely on your voice? Once you’re comfortable with your content and organization, it’s time to enhance your delivery using these techniques to make the most of your unique voice.

Published · 1,512 views · Rated 5/5 from 1 votes

Employee disengagement is a malaise that can strike any organization at any point of time and it is best to stem the rot at the inception rather than end up fire-fighting. In the first part of this series "The Warning Signals of Employee Disengagement", we looked at the factors that incite employee disengagement. Let's take a quick recap: 1. Performance graph of an enthusiastic, efficient employee dipsr This is a warning sign. Take remedial measures before it is too late. 2. Proactive employees become reactiver

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Do you want to generate more profits in 2012? (Yes, who doesn’t?) As small business owners and Entrepreneurs you are acutely aware of keeping your eye on the bottom line. If you want to raise that number of what’s left over at the end of the year there’s 3 ways you can go about it. 1. Generate more clients 2. Raise your fees for your products and services and/or 3. Streamline your business to be leaner, tighter and cheaper. In this article I want to focus on #3 to give you some great ideas to help you achieve a leaner business.

Published · 1,398 views · Rated 3/5 from 3 votes

Sense and non-sense of exorbitant financial incentives. The annual performance reviews are behind us and many C-level executives, salespersons, accountants and senior managers have claimed their yearly bonus. What a waste of money! Research shows that there are at least three reasons why bonuses don’t produce the anticipated effect. 1. Bonuses have a negative effect on intrinsic motivation.

Published · 1,832 views

Social networks are a great tool to leverage when you need to find new clients for business but some social networks are much more effective at helping you find new clients than others, take LinkedIn for example. Unlike the odd bunch you find on Facebook usually there to have fun and interact with their friends, LinkedIn is a business-oriented social network people join in order to make business connections and find new opportunities in their fields of endeavor. LinkedIn: One of the best small business resources to discover new business opportunitiesr

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Q: I have a team of 11 sales reps who have all been working for me for the past 5-10 yrs. I know I should be holding regular meetings with them, but I’m stuck on what to talk about each week. – Bob Kelly Austin, Texas

Published · 1,299 views · Rated 3/5 from 2 votes

For most small business owners and Entrepreneurs sustaining business growth in today’s economy can feel like you’re treading water — which is unnecessarily exhausting when you’re doing those 52 weeks a year. A well thought out marketing plan to attract new customers is important factor to generate business growth. But, all too often Entrepreneurs and small business owners overlook two other strategic initiatives that can also impact your business growth in a powerful way. That would be increasing customer loyalty and motivating employee productivity.

Published · 1,516 views · Rated 2.8/5 from 4 votes

The Mommy, Esq. Series -- Part-time Work Arrangements: Panacea or Just a Pay Cut? By Suzi Pomerantz, MT., MCC. and Megan Mahony-Wickham, Esq After waking up for that 3 a.m. feeding, then again at 5 a.m. to squeeze in a workout before throwing in a load of laundry, wiping smeared something off ...

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In 1979, AT&T debuted its iconic “Reach Out and Touch Someone” ads on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show. Almost quaint by today’s standards, the emotion-driven campaign highlighted the power of picking up a phone and connecting with someone across the street or across the world. Though the tools may have changed — Skype, cell phones, Facebook, Twitter — the concept of “reaching out” and connecting with someone (or lots of someones!) on an emotional level remains just as vital for today’s high-stakes presenters.

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Recently, a client expressed anxiety about presenting. She said she always over-prepared, obsessing for weeks in advance, losing sleep and repeatedly rehashing what she wanted to say and do. I asked her, "When do you know your presentation is good enough?" She responded, “Good enough to do what?” Her question led me to read TJ Walker’s two excellent books, How to Give a Pretty Good Presentation and TJ Walker’s Secret to Foolproof Presentations.

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Life is accelerating. Product life cycles are shrinking. Corporations must re-invent themselves every 3.5 years. Innovation is not a nice-to-have but a must-have. Historically new product development has been driven by marketing or engineering. There are several levels of innovation within new ...

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Seal the Deal more Effectively! 4 Week Blog Suzi Pomerantz, Executive Coach and author of Seal the Deal, blogs about how sales people can short-circuit the sales process and be more efficient in closing sales. How do you coach sales reps to be more effective in closing sales? If by effective ...

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I recently got an email from the president of a fast growing IT company seeking some marketing counsel on business from me. He asked if I would evaluate the sales letter they have been using to schedule information meetings with contacts they meet at various networking events. The letter I read was the typical “WWD” (what-we-do) type of letter, very lengthy, full of industry jargon and certainly comprehensive with all of his company’s service features.

Published · 2,226 views · Rated 2.5/5 from 4 votes

Just running a company is hard enough. But building, expanding and enhancing the company and executing a strategic plan toward achieving set targets is much harder. Typically, a company experiences 5 stages of growth and development. Depending upon how the people at the helm handle these 5 stages, overcome the challenges and capitalize on opportunities, determines how the successful the company will become. Sit back for a moment and think, which stage is your company in?

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The beginning of every year, we as business people are obliged to set new goals for the upcoming year. I have gone through this process over 30 times in my career. During this time I have noticed one striking trend. Those who believe succeed; those who don’t, don’t. Brian Tracy in his Psychology ...

Published · 1,086 views

Our perceptions sometimes get us in trouble. We might believe someone is thinking something about a situation, only to realize we were completely off base. Communication is the key to determining what someone is thinking, but absolute communication is not always possible. As business owners, it is our job to remove our perceptions about what our target market needs and determine what it is they really want. This is the secret to attracting new clients in crowds. 2-Way Communication is Key to Business Growth

Published · 1,665 views · Rated 2.3/5 from 4 votes

Integrated action seals the deal. Want to fast-track results in a business development venture? Want to step up your rainmaking timeline? Want to leverage your sales skills, marketing know-how and networking panache? The secret to impacting your success in sealing multiple deals lies in your ...

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Leveraging the Power of a Team Presentation. While meeting with a new client last week, one of the partners took me aside and confided that his company had just lost a potential new piece of business. What had gone wrong? The prospect said their pitch wasn’t “buttoned up” enough — the kiss of death for any sales presentation. My client quickly realized that his prospect’s feedback was accurate. Countless hours had been spent on the pitch content, but they hadn’t taken five minutes to coordinate and build real teamwork among the presenters.

Published · 1,665 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

One of the biggest challenges entrepreneurs, managers and business owners face is retaining good employees and curbing employee disengagement. As the CEO, you may be banking on some of your high performing team members to achieve certain targets, only to find to your dismay their resignation letters on your table one fine morning. Resignations are rarely spur of the moment decisions. The employee reaches this decision after much thought. If you are an alert CEO or manager, you will be able to spot the signs of disengagement early and take remedial steps.

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These days, selling a business requires as much planning as starting it. After all, you spend a great deal of your precious money and time on setting up a business; and obviously, you would not like to sell it for a loss. Not surprisingly, experts say it takes a business owner a minimum of 5 years time to implement a successful exit plan strategy.

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As small business owners and Entrepreneurs you know the constant challenge that comes with having to wear all the hats. It’s no wonder how easy it is to get overwhelmed and overloaded.

Published · 1,684 views · Rated 3/5 from 4 votes

Remember the days of marketing your business before social media came onto the scene? I bet you’re thinking it was way less complicated to market a business back then. Well don’t confuse ‘less complicated’ with ‘easier’ because social media makes it easier than ever before to get people talking about your business!

Published · 1,273 views · Rated 5/5 from 1 votes

These days a growing number of people are joining CEO peer groups in the hope of getting insight and expertise of other CEOs that can help them tackle crucial business and strategic management issues and make their organizations more successful and productive. However it is extremely important to join the right CEO group which will be suitable for your needs. A wrong CEO conference is a sheer waste of your precious time and money. Here are few tips to help you choose the right CEO group: A CEO peer group must boast of varied expertise

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“I want you to discuss your accomplishments in the meeting, but please — no more than four slides.” That was the directive given to my husband last week as he prepared for a company performance review meeting. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. When did PowerPoint become our default communication mode? I fear that someday soo I’ll sit down to have a conversation and be expected to launch my slides.

Published · 1,451 views · Rated 5/5 from 1 votes

Did you ever learn to play chess? Not the most popular game for this century when we move at the speed of light. However, it is a vital game for anyone who runs a business. Whether you formally know where to position a knight or a pawn on a board, you do this with employees and customers all the time.

Published · 1,699 views

Ever wonder exactly what you say that makes people take action? Ever wonder if there are key phrases and specific words that cause someone to engage with you, follow your advice, thank you for making a difference in their lives? Research into how the brain communicates with itself and with each other is super in vogue these days. And no wonder, that walnut shaped organ in the top of our heads wields a lot of power over what we think, do, and say.

Published · 1,618 views · Rated 2/5 from 2 votes

Whatever happened at home should stay at home, July 2, 2009 By Robert Morris (Dallas, Texas)

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Are you a lemonade kind of person? Is your glass more full than empty? Do you see blue sky through the rain clouds? Did you say sometimes, most of the time, almost never? Look, we know that accentuating the positive is good for us. And there are lots of studies that show those who have a positive outlook have better health, happier relationships, and more success.

Published · 2,578 views · Rated 5/5 from 1 votes

Do you want to be an amazing human being; in all relationships, with everyone? Then take the tools of great debaters and get the whole picture. Get in the habit of seeing all sides of disputes, all sides of situations. Even if you are committed to one point of view, you can grab it back after you become an advocate for your adversary’s perspective.

Published · 1,547 views

Ever wonder exactly what you say that makes people take action? Ever wonder if there are key phrases and specific words that cause someone to engage with you, follow your advice, thank you for making a difference in their lives? Research into how the brain communicates with itself and with each other is super in vogue these days. And no wonder, that walnut shaped organ in the top of our heads wields a lot of power over what we think, do, and say.r

Published · 3,139 views

Did you ever read the warning signs of an impending work disaster, okay maybe, disaster is too strong a word, a work difficulty. Then someone shrugs, pats you on the back and tells you to stop catastrophizing? And when what you prophesized comes to pass, when the project failed or the customer went with the competition and you are about to say “I TOLD YOU!!” there is another shrug and a comment about not dwelling in the past.

Published · 2,089 views · Rated 5/5 from 1 votes

Companies could do a lot more to remove the triggers that bring patterns forward for most people. Stress is subjective. Performance evaluations, for instance, inspire a tremendous amount of dread. Although honest feedback is both healthy and helpful, evaluations are usually structured such that the person being evaluated hears too much criticism or none at all. There are employees who will balk at any consideration that they must improve. They will become underhanded to “kill the messenger”, that is whoever is the bearer of the performance evaluation “bad news”.

Published · 1,809 views · Rated 4.3/5 from 3 votes

Take a deep breath and join me as we travel back to May 6, 1954 in England where twenty-five mile winds subsided as “the race” began. Soon it was announced that Roger Bannister had cracked the myth of the four minute mile, winning the race in 3:59.4. What was once deemed impossible became common-place. Time has proven that barriers like the four minute mile have been surpassed with better training, better nutrition, and a better understanding of what can be done. That’s what today’s executive coaching is about.r

Published · 1,473 views

There is so much glitz and glamour that comes with that power word “success”. It says you’ve made it and from here on life is good. Right? Not so fast. The biggest distraction to success is all the stress and anxiety that sits like a weight in the pit of the stomach. It has to do with the worry that it will all disappear tomorrow, the next day, someday.

Published · 1,602 views · Rated 3/5 from 1 votes

They are hard to spot. They are the ones who look good, sound good and are bound to make you think you are crazy in a very short time. Do you know someone who offers to help with one hand and then pushes you away with the other? Or maybe someone who brings all the goodies to work, the sugar free donuts for example and then tells you they are being saved for a special invite only group at lunch?

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Matthew was promoted to CEO of his biotech company one year ago today. He thought he had won the lottery, and looking from the lens of business success, he did. When he was able to hold the brass ring of personal fame high over his head he decided he had “made it” and no longer needed executive coaching. He had learned everything he needed to get where he wanted to go. He was, he told me, “happy and ready to run with all he had learned.”

Published · 1,869 views

And the Oscar for best coach in a supporting role goes to…… Well, that will never happen. First of all because we are not in the motion picture industry and second of all because generally coaches don’t want to be in the spotlights. Great coaches usually don’t have big ego’s. They shine by enabling others to shine more brightly. By definition coaching is all about the coachee and never about the coach. The ego of a coach and the coachee should never occupy the same room.

Published · 1,288 views · Rated 5/5 from 1 votes

Whenever one looks to solve problems of life, be it spiritual freedom, relationships, success or family, the solutions work better if one looks for basic principles involved and uses them to get results. The basic principles are what makes up an activity and that is why they work for getting the right solution. Fancy theories may sound good and we may operate on "everybody is supposed to" factors but if it does not get results it is not operating on the actual principles of life.

Published · 1,335 views

Is it possible to overthink what could be a career-defining presentation?... In a word, yes. If you’re in the midst of preparing for your next presentation and suspect you might be overthinking it, try this quick test. Are you… • Obsessing rather than progressing? • Feeling as if you’ve hit a wall? • Frantically looking for that magic bullet to get back on track?

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YouTube videos satirize them. Bestsellers criticize them. And we all dread them. I’m talking about those dense, badly organized, put-you-to-sleep PowerPoint presentations. Why do people keep plodding down the typical tedious PowerPoint path? Here are a few possible reasons: ï§ That’s the way I’ve always done it!rnï§ They’re only giving 15 minutes and I’ve got a lot to say.rnï§ That’s the way my boss does it!rnï§ People will need all this information when they get back to their offices. (Be honest, how often do you go back to a PowerPoint for reference? Others probably don’t either.)

Published · 1,424 views

What is Overwhelm and How to Deal With It The rising intensity of life can swallow up our time and attention. Urgent events, activities, tasks and demands can drag us along until we lose sight of what matters most. Many of us take on too much, try to keep up, slip behind and as a result, become overwhelmed. In this article, you will learn how to identify overwhelm, why it’s vital to restrain it, how you can eliminate it, and effective strategies to regain your personal power. What Does Overwhelm Feel Like?

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1) Spice it up (add color) For a quick fix, start by adding some color to your résumé you will stand out, but not only that, you can also take control of where the reader is looking. Their eye will tend to follow the bold color so you can use it to highlight your strong points like relevant job titles and bullets showing accomplishments. 2) Hit the bulls-eyer

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All nonprofit organizations market their services and programs in some manner. This can range from e-mailing an electronic newsletter to posting an ad on a highway bulletin board. Whatever marketing strategies nonprofits choose to employ, they must always be conscious of their marketing budget. This article provides 11 possible marketing strategies nonprofits can employ, depending on their budget.

Published · 2,933 views · Rated 1.5/5 from 4 votes

One of my favorite quotes comes from Reinhold Niebuhr. He said “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” I think that most people have seen or heard this quote at some point in their lives. It is extremely powerful and life changing once you understand, embrace, and implement it. The purpose of this article is to offer advice on how to implement this philosophy in your life. There are things in life that you can't change no matter how much you might want to or how hard you try.

Published · 2,655 views · Rated 3/5 from 1 votes

There are certain components of the strategic planning process that should be in place to develop, implement, and effectively monitor a strategic plan. This article provides a brief overview of the steps involved in strategic planning. The first component is preparing for the strategic planning session. Prior to engaging in strategic planning, the organization should conduct a SWOTT analysis.

Published · 2,706 views · Rated 3.4/5 from 8 votes

Does Employee Engagement Really Drive Productivity? The subject of employee engagement as a measure of productivity and management strategies to increase engagement have been hot topics since the original Gallup organization research was published.

Published · 2,113 views · Rated 2/5 from 2 votes

The energy and vitality of individuals and organizations depends on the quality of the connections among people inside the organization, and between them and their customers and clients. The key to transforming your own work experience and the performance of the people around you is to build and nurture high quality connections. So says Jane Dutton, professor of Business Administration at the University of Michigan and author of the book, Energizing Your Workplace.

Published · 1,471 views · Rated 3/5 from 1 votes

In life, we are all survivors, whether or not we think of ourselves that way. When we experience our first love and break up, our hearts are broken and we don't think that we will ever survive. But somehow we do, and eventually we meet someone new. When we lose our first job, whether we are fired or laid off, we may wonder if anyone will ever hire us again. But we ultimately find another job and, thus, we survive again. Other traumatic events may occur in life that challenge our survival, such as going through a divorce, acquiring a disability, or losing a child, parent, or loved one.

Published · 1,909 views · Rated 3.8/5 from 13 votes

Do we need to have some standard of competency required of our leaders? The recent failed track record of many prominent captains of industry and political leaders might lead us to think so.

Published · 1,447 views

We often hear people talking about whether someone's glass is half full or half empty, which is really a metaphor for how someone views their life or the world around them. If someone is negative or pessimistic, people might regard them as seeing their glass half empty. When people view their glass as half empty, they are looking at what they don't have instead of what they do. If someone is positive and optimistic, people would say they see their glass as being half full. Half of their glass may be empty, but they choose to look at it as half full.

Published · 7,201 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

Financial resources play a huge part in how well nonprofits can market their programs and services. Most nonprofits don't have sufficient funds to do everything they would like to, but it is important to use what funds are available to the fullest extent. Thus, nonprofits should attempt to use as many free services and programs as possible. This article provides some ideas that are free or may have a minimal fee attached.

Published · 1,804 views · Rated 1.5/5 from 4 votes

What motivates you? What gets you fired up and your juices flowing? What vision of the future excites you? Being inspired temporarily is easy for many people. However, it is keeping that motivation level up and making changes in life that is more difficult. What is it that changes between getting up in the morning excited to face the day to becoming so tired you can’t wait to go to bed? Somewhere in between the point you started off with your goals and the quitting point, you lost the very thing that was driving your energy level and motivation.

Published · 1,760 views · Rated 3.3/5 from 3 votes

Strategic planning is critical to a nonprofit organization's future direction and survival. As such, it is important to understand what strategic planning is and why it is so important. This article provides a definition of strategic planning and why it is important to nonprofit organizations. Wikipedia defines strategic planning as “an organization's process of defining its strategy, or direction, and making decisions on allocating its resources to pursue this strategy, including its capital and people.” Strategic planning is the formal consideration of an organization's future course.

Published · 2,174 views · Rated 3.4/5 from 5 votes

Although coaching is beginning to gain some momentum in the nonprofit field, most nonprofit professionals don't understand what coaching is or how it can be of value to them in their personal or professional life. Also, individuals often confuse coaching with therapy, counseling, or consulting.

Published · 2,549 views

Do you get up from bed each morning with dread and anxiety about what faces you at work? • Do you feel like you have to make “through” each day? • Are you completely exhausted by the time you get home each night? • Do you see life as a merry go round over which you have no control? • Do you find yourself wishing you had a clone or more time to get everything you need done? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, its very likely you have a work life in-balance.

Published · 19,259 views · Rated 4/5 from 2 votes

There are three mistakes that an organization should avoid in relation to the strategic planning process. This article describes what these three mistakes are and what you should do in order to ensure you will avoid them. The first mistake to avoid in relation to strategic planning is not preparing for the actual strategic planning session. If an organization doesn't adequately prepare for the planning event, it will most likely hinder its ability to develop a meaningful strategic plan.

Published · 2,131 views · Rated 3/5 from 1 votes

Today’s economic landscape has been a bit unsteady to say the least. We’ve all heard about it and certainly have seen the effects of it on our bottom line. No matter if you’re a CEO, manager or a one-man-band business owner, today’s economy has sent tremors through us all in different ways. Here are some time tested keys to growth to help you stay focused and moving forward in a positive direction.

Published · 1,539 views · Rated 3.9/5 from 7 votes

Have you ever noticed a trend in the thinking patterns of successful people? Have you ever wondered why it seems like success comes so easily to some people and so difficult for others? It all has to do with your beliefs and self-talk. People that achieve success in a consistent basis have one thing in common. Whether they are successful athletes, executives, business owners, or artists, they all know that they will succeed. They know this before they even attempt to achieve the goal they set out for themselves.

Published · 4,043 views · Rated 5/5 from 2 votes

Creating a successful business online requires a lot of effort and time. Even if you don’t have the large marketing budgets you can still create traffic and hits and online action to your web page and here’s how: 1) Create a website that clearly defines what you do and what you offer. Make it very easy for a consumer to know exactly how you can help them or what you can provide. Write using the terminology that your consumers use, use the right keywords and Meta tags within your site.

Published · 1,527 views · Rated 5/5 from 2 votes

Are you at Risk of Career Burnout? Career burnout or job burnout syndrome is a state of physical, emotional and mental exhaustion caused by long-term exposure to demanding, stressful, and pressure filled work situations. Burnout is the cumulative result of persistent stress at work. What Factors Affect Likelihood of Suffering from Career Burnout? There are many reasons why a person can end up suffering from burnout syndrome. These are some of the most common ones. 1) Lack of control.

Published · 2,706 views · Rated 4/5 from 4 votes

You gain many benefits from having a healthy work life balance. It enables you to experience personal satisfaction and professional fulfillment. It also makes you more confident and effective at work. Let’s explore all the benefits you can gain from having a healthy work life balance. Benefits of Work Life Balance in your Personal Life

Published · 11,275 views · Rated 4/5 from 4 votes

How do you Envision your Life? Do you see yourself: • Being your own boss? • Being the CEO of a company? • Having your own Law Firm? • Living in Europe? • Having a vacation house in the Caribbean? • Working from home? • Being a Judge? • Being able to work from any place in the world? Why do people give up power over their own life? You’d be amazed at how many people don’t really know what they truly want out of life.

Published · 2,065 views · Rated 3.7/5 from 7 votes

Nonprofit professionals continuously search for potential donors who believe in the organization's mission and are willing to donate money to support it. All too often, however, the organization lacks an organized system to cultivate meaningful relationships with these individuals. This article provides some tips on developing, implementing, and monitoring an effective donor program. 1. If you do not currently possess some type of donor software, research different software programs and select the program that best fits the needs of your organization.

Published · 2,009 views

Do you have a vision reflecting what you want your life to look like this year? Do you have a vision for your life in general? Have you ever stopped to consider what you want to experience in your life? Are you clear on what your life mission is?

Published · 1,659 views

Most nonprofit organizations use volunteers to perform tasks that regular staff members lack the time to do. Also, with an unstable economy, resulting in budget cuts for many organizations, developing and maintaining a volunteer pool is critical to nonprofits. An organized and well executed volunteer program can provide many benefits to the organization, from improving operations to saving money. This article provides eight helpful tips in developing and implementing an exemplary volunteer program. 1.

Published · 1,973 views · Rated 3.3/5 from 4 votes

Do you get frustrated when you lack the motivation to start a project or activity and put it off so you don't have to tackle it? Do you wonder why your friends or colleagues don't appear to be motivated when you are raring to go? This article explores the origins behind a lack of motivation; getting to the root of the problem; discovering what motivates you and others, personally and professionally; and how to incorporate those items that motivate you into your daily life. 1. It is important to first examine why you may be lacking motivation.

Published · 1,919 views · Rated 3.5/5 from 2 votes

Can you train yourself to be compassionate? A new study says, yes.

Published · 1,293 views

Do you have real work life balance in your life? Do you wake up each day filled with energy and excited to face a new day? Do you feel you have enough time and physical energy to give to your career, your spouse, your children, your friends, and yourself?

Published · 1,709 views

Why does putting our feelings into words--such as talking with a therapist, counselor or coach, or even writing in a journal--help you feel better? A new brain imaging study by UCLA psychologists, as reported in Psychological Science, may give us the answer.

Published · 1,371 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

When you experience life through the tainted glass of negative self beliefs, you create obstacles for yourself on a regular basis. In general, you don’t even realize that you are doing it. Instead, you focus on the difficult time that you are having in reaching your goal or creating the change you want in your life. You tend to see exte al factors as the cause for things being so difficult for you. Yet, not once do you stop to wonder if the difficulty in reaching your goal is self-inflicted.

Published · 2,831 views · Rated 3/5 from 1 votes

In the nonprofit field, reference is often made to an organization’s core values, mission statement, and vision statement. I have found that there is some confusion regarding the difference between a mission and vision statement, and that some organizations have never identified their core values. This article will help you to understand these three items, and how important they are to your organization's overall operation, funding, and future. The first item to consider is the organization's vision statement. A nonprofit organization is formed for a specific purpose.

Published · 3,365 views · Rated 2/5 from 2 votes

Tired of working for somebody else and ready to try your hand being a business owner? Or are you an accidental entrepreneur that has already leapt into business for yourself? Well, You’re not alone! Starting and running your own successful business is one of the most rewarding, exciting and nerve-racking adventures you will set out on. It has its joys and it certainly has its challenges, all of which will push you outside your comfort zone, spur your creative thinking and give you a few more gray hairs!

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What Exactly are Goals? Setting goals is the most essential element of getting to where you want to be in life. Goals have been described as a route, system, recipe, or prescription for reaching your ultimate vision. They are the stepping stones which take you closer and closer to where you want to be in life. People who get ahead, accomplish more things, and create more experiences in their life are people who set out goals for themselves.

Published · 1,631 views · Rated 3/5 from 4 votes

If you find that you are on your way to burnout or already suffering from burnout symptoms, there are things you can do to work against it. One of the most effective things you can do to fight burnout is to create fulfillment at work. This has a very large effect on you because we spend many hours of our day at our jobs or business. The following list includes suggestions you can implement to find more fulfillment at work.

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What is Self-talk? Self-talk is the inner dialogue you have in your mind when you think of doing something, making a decision, or creating change. It is your thoughts making themselves known to you. It is the small voice in the back of your mind that tells you to go for it, to stop thinking about it, or to give up. For a lot of people, self-talk is a strict and punishing inner judge. That judge is unforgiving and relentless. Self-talk can be a repetition of what your parents have said to you in the past, what you’ve have heard others repeat.

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Sometimes, it's feast or famine with business. So to help you stay on top of your game it's important to have your short term goals defined to keep you focused and on track. The more you can focus on the actions you need to take, the more likely you will reach your vision and your goals. Energy is key – you must gain and maintain momentum. Your actions must be immediate and aligned with your core values and passions. Use your ideal day activity to identify a 1-year vision.

Published · 1,380 views · Rated 3/5 from 5 votes

Throughout my life, I've encountered scores of people who don't appear to love themselves. They say negative things about their appearance, their lack of success at work, not being a good parent or child, or not making the right choices in life. While it is true that we all grapple with issues related to any of these items, we should spend more time on itemizing and being grateful for our positive attributes and successes, and less time on what we feel is wrong with us, negative experiences, or perceived failures.

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No matter how positive you are, there is probably at least one negative feeling or thought that creeps into your mind on a daily basis. Negative thoughts have many origins. They can develop from not feeling well, experiencing low self-esteem, or doubting one's self. Considering the fact that this happens to everyone, how do some people appear to be more successful at turning negative thoughts into positive ones before the negativity grows and becomes counterproductive? This article provides some tips on squelching negative thoughts before they have a chance to fester and erupt. 1.

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Procrastination is a very common habit among professionals and business owners. It affects them on a daily basis and can create a huge amount of unnecessary stress. 3 Most Common Effects of Procrastination: 1. Lowered morale. Knowing that a job is still incomplete or is unfinished can really lower your morale and self-esteem. 2. Inefficiency at work. Unfinished business tends to clutter up your day and thoughts. Even if you’ve moved on to other tasks, you will tend to remember the one that is undone. 3.

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Over the years, I have observed people who are real friends and people who claim to be friends. As I get older, I truly believe the old saying that you can count your real friends on one hand. So, you may be asking what makes a person a real friend. I have identified my top eight characteristics of what I feel constitutes a true friend, or what I feel I need most in a friendship. In observing your relationships with other people, whether they are family members, people you went to school with, coworkers, or colleagues, how many of them are real friends?

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One of the items board members are responsible for is to monitor the financial situation of the organization. As such, board members should be familiar with the types of financial reports the organization uses to demonstrate its financial standing. This article identifies the types of financial reports most commonly used by nonprofits, and stresses the importance of training board members to read and understand financial reports. Some common financial reports include: 1.

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Have you ever wondered why someone's words don't always match their body language? Observing the way people communicate, both verbally and nonverbally, can help you to assess what they might be feeling at the present moment. It can also help you to get to the heart of the issue, make someone feel more comfortable, or diffuse a potentially explosive situation. This article provides some tips on recognizing and understanding verbal and nonverbal cues, and using this information to improve communication.

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Most people are a little confused when it comes to SEO and what it is. SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. Now search engine optimization is what enables the search engines like google, yahoo, bing, etc to find your website based on what you provide or sell and what consumers are looking for. It is their method of creating an order to all the websites out there that carry similar products or sell similar services or simply provide information. Because it is based on your content and clear and concise content is considered optimizing your site to clarify specifically what it offers.

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When you're upset or depressed, should you analyze your feelings to figure out what's wrong? Or should you just forget about it and move on? New research and theories suggests if you do want to think about your problems, do so from a detached perspective, rather than reliving the experience. This answer is related to a psychological paradox: Processing emotions is supposed to help you facilitate coping, but attempts to understand painful feelings often backfire and perpetuate or strengthen negative moods and emotions.

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The concept of positive psychology is growing in the fields of psychology, management studies and organizational behavior. The focus of this trend is the movement away from the focus of psychology on "fixing" or "repairing" problems to building positive qualities and behaviors.

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Have you ever noticed a trend in the thinking patterns of successful people? Have you ever wondered why it seems like success comes so easily to some people and so difficult for others? It all has to do with your beliefs. People that achieve success in a consistent basis have one thing in common. Whether they are successful athletes, executives, business owners, or artists, they all know that they will succeed. They know this before they even attempt to achieve the goal they set out for themselves.

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Nonprofit organizations are always looking for ways in which to raise money to support their respective operation. The following list provides some traditional methods for generating revenue but it also includes some ideas you may not have previously thought about or considered.

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Ernest Hemingway once said “When people talk, listen completely. Most people never listen.” How true that is. How many times has someone asked you how you were, but doesn’t take the time to listen to your response? They may cut you off, start talking about themselves, or walk away. If you’re like most people, this behavior probably leaves a sour taste in your mouth. People want to be heard and listened to; they want to feel like someone cares. Be honest with yourself.

Published · 3,617 views · Rated 4.1/5 from 8 votes

Competition for resources in the nonprofit community is fierce, forcing nonprofit organizations to look beyond traditional fundraising strategies, such as applying for grants and contracts. Although there are a myriad of ways to raise money, this article focuses on generating revenue through your organization’s website.

Published · 1,523 views · Rated 1/5 from 1 votes

Have you ever taken a careful look at the culture of your nonprofit organization? Is the culture positive or negative? Do people enjoy working there, or would they rather be somewhere else? The culture of an organization impacts staff retention, client satisfaction, and the organization's overall effectiveness and success. This article provides seven elements that need to be examined, to help your organization develop and retain a positive, healthy, and thriving culture. 1. Do you respect and trust your staff?

Published · 1,854 views · Rated 3.3/5 from 4 votes

When I was young, there was a girl who was a year younger and a foot taller than me. She bullied me for approximately two years. One day something inside of me snapped; I decided I wasn’t going to take her abuse any longer and stood up to her. Unfortunately, our confrontation ended in a fight, which I won. She never picked on me again. I learned at an early age that if you allow people to bully, harass, or cut you down, then they will do so.

Published · 3,930 views · Rated 3.3/5 from 3 votes

Prior to developing a job description for board members, take time to determine what you expect from them. Which roles should they adopt and which tasks, projects, and activities do you want them to be responsible for? In addition, consult your by-laws as they will list board member roles and responsibilities specific to your agency. If you have never developed a board member job description, you can borrow and review descriptions from other agencies or search online for sample descriptions.

Published · 1,626 views · Rated 3.3/5 from 4 votes

Nonprofit organizations have a myriad of issues they need to deal with on a daily basis, leaving them with little time to focus on branding their mission and organization. However, it is important that they allocate some time and money to branding, as good branding will establish a solid identify, making it easier for clients and stakeholders to recognize and grasp the organization’s mission. In addition, recognition helps organizations to solicit clients, raise funds, and improve collaborative relationships.

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Collaboration is a process where two or more parties get together to work on common goals. The advantages of collaboration are numerous, and they benefit all parties involved. This article lists what I feel are the major advantages of collaborating with your colleagues. 1. Collaboration is educational. It helps all participants learn about each other’s agencies, mission, programs, services, eligibility criteria, etc. In addition, when you collaborate with your peers, they often know about other resources with which you may not be familiar.

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Many Facebook users spend considerable time and energy collecting hundreds of virtual friends, and posting updates with the intention of increasing positive relationships, raising their self-esteem or living a happier life. At the same time, several studies have shown there can be negative impacts on users including increased stress and anxiety, and narcissism. With approximately 1 billion users worldwide, there’s no doubt that Facebook is the most powerful social medium of social connection.r

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Debate over the existence of a “glass ceiling” for women for top leadership positions has been renewed by the publication of the book, Lean In: Women, Work and the Will to Lead, by Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook, and some new research data on gender equity. Sandberg is ranked on Fortune’s list of the 50 Most Powerful Women in Business and one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World.

Published · 1,187 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

Disciplining employees can be time consuming, difficult, and challenging. However, if you want the disciplinary action process to go as smoothly as possible, it is important to develop clear policies and procedures that will result in a strong disciplinary action program. By having a solid program in place, it will help to protect you and your organization.

Published · 3,697 views · Rated 2.5/5 from 4 votes

My mother once said that “The older you get, the faster time will fly.”How true that is! Perhaps this is why people try to cram as much into their day as possible. However, when you become too busy and forget to set aside adequate time for yourself, it will take its toll on you physically, mentally, and/or emotionally. Signs that you should slow down can include, but are not limited to, frustration, anger, a short temper, exhaustion, depression, skin rashes, and illnesses. This article provides five tips on how to create a healthier balance in your life. 1.

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A new global survey reports that men are happier with wealth, while women find greater happiness in friendships and family, co-workers and their bosses. Yet the survey may not have asked the right questions. The online survey of more than 28,000 people in more than 51 countries by global marketing firm Nielsen, found that women are happier than men in 48 of the 51 countries surveyed in April 2008, and only in Brazil, South Africa and Vietnam were men found to be happier than women.

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People often tell me that they don't know what to say when someone experiences a loss. I explain that often times the person experiencing the loss simply needs to talk. You don't need to say anything; just be there to listen and support the individual. However, most people are still uncomfortable with helping family members, friends, and colleagues cope with loss. This article provides information on understanding loss and tips to be in a better position to help yourself and others work through their own loss. 1. Recognize that we all experience loss and grief at some point in our lives.

Published · 2,272 views · Rated 3.5/5 from 4 votes

Many small to medium sized companies have become so successful that they have bee "corporatized," a term coined that describes the feeling of professionals working in those companies that makes them feel like "cogs in a wheel." In an article the Harvard Business Review, authors Thomas J. Delong, John J. Gabarro and Robert J. Lees argue that the remedy for the corporatized phenomena is for those companies to institute a program of mentoring.

Published · 1,315 views · Rated 3.3/5 from 3 votes

I often wonder about whether attitude is gratitude, or if gratitude is attitude. Actually, I think it is both. If your attitude is positive, more than likely you are thankful for everything that you have. And, if you are grateful for what you have, that says a great deal about your attitude. In either case, being grateful is positive, and it can have a huge influence on how you approach life and deal with daily issues.

Published · 1,594 views · Rated 3.3/5 from 4 votes

The recession has had a serious psychological impact on many businesses, due to the stress associated with layoffs. We know from various research studies that negative emotions such as fear, anxiety and sadness, which often accompany workplace stress, have a detrimental effect on workers' emotional and mental state, and performance. Executives' and managers' judgments and decisions, particularly regarding relationship issues, can become skewed or unstable under stressful conditions, particularly if the company's focus is a "numbers" emphasis on sales targets. History has shown that b

Published · 1,756 views · Rated 3.5/5 from 2 votes

Every nonprofit organization should conduct strategic planning on a regular basis, as strategic plans outline what action steps the organization will take in the future to sustain and grow their operation, while adhering to their mission. Many organizations focus attention on conducting the strategic planning session and developing a plan, but don't allocate sufficient time to prepare for the planning retreat. Taking time to adequately prepare for a strategic planning session can help the actual event to run much more smoothly and efficiently, resulting in greater productivity.

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In the nonprofit field, salaries are generally low and working with clients who have multiple needs can be challenging. Although this can make employee retention difficult, there are steps you can take to provide a work environment that is supportive and fun, one that individuals look forward to coming to every day, and one in which they want to remain.

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Being predictable is a part of being human. Our brains are actually wired to embed habits, increasing the number of things we can do on autopilot. Our ability to operate on autopilot, to be aware of our environment and solve problems, has been the key to our survival. John Medina describes it this way:

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When you think about having a performance evaluation or review, what is the first thing that comes to your mind? For many people, however skilled and good they may be at doing their job, the thought of an upcoming performance evaluation creates anxiety. Expecting the worse, people tend to focus on the negative feedback, never hearing the positive feedback.

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Does the use of social media in the workplace benefit organizations and educational institutions and help productivity or hamper productivity?

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Greed is out. Empathy is in. That's how Frans de Waal begins his book, The Age of Empathy: Nature's Lessons For A Kinder Society. De Waal is a biologist, professor of psychology and director of the Living Link Center at Emory University. In 2007, Time magazine selected him as one of the world's most influential people. The global financial crisis of 2008, together with the election of a new American President representing a vastly different political and social perspective, has produced a "seismic shift in society," argues de Waal.

Published · 2,312 views · Rated 3.3/5 from 3 votes

In my Financial Post article, “In the Future, No One is Going To Pay You Just to Show Up,” I argued technology, for the most part, has not allowed us to retire to a life of leisure as predicted decades ago. The current reality is that we may see many people resigned to an extensive period of unemployment or temporary work.

Published · 2,448 views

American style capitalism has been criticized for its lack of “heart” or “soul.” Many critics have also pointed to the excessive focus on greed, with little regard for the well-being of employees customers or the environment. Other than the typical insights of business school gurus or management consultants, are there answers we can look to elsewhere for the malaise that grips our workers and current economic woes? An unlikely source of inspiration for us might be the Trappist monks.

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Since the Great Depression, a commonly held perspective on the good life is that we can all look forward to retirement, when we didn't have to work any more. We would be more relaxed and healthier away from the stresses of work. There's a couple of flaws in that argument. For one thing, retirement, like pensions was an invention of the depression, intended to deal with the problem of unemployment. Prior to the depression, and in past ages, the concept of retirement didn't exist. AARP in the U.S.

Published · 1,331 views · Rated 4/5 from 1 votes

Conducting a good strategic planning session is critical to the success of a solid strategic plan; one that includes specific and measurable goals and objectives, providing a clear direction for the organization. To ensure that the actual planning retreat is as productive as it can be, ground rules should be established and discussed prior to commencement. This article provides a list of 11 ground rules I believe are imperative in managing a successful planning retreat. 1. Present the written agenda or schedule for the day so everyone is aware of the day’s activities.

Published · 8,836 views · Rated 3.3/5 from 8 votes

Having managed or worked for nonprofits most of my career, I have seen effective and ineffective boards of directors. Good boards of directors are clear about their roles and responsibilities versus those of the Executive Director, and don't overstep their boundaries. I feel that the five most important responsibilities of board members are as follows: 1. Board members are responsible for recruiting, hiring, and evaluating the organization’s Executive Director.

Published · 1,851 views · Rated 3.5/5 from 6 votes

Have you ever been in a meeting where there is an agenda but it's not followed? Or, where you discuss the same issue repeatedly, with no resolution? If you answered yes, you are in the majority. Throughout my career, I have sat through hundreds of meetings that were unproductive and a waste of time. However, with proper planning and execution, you can host a well-run meeting. The following article provides some tips to develop and run effective meetings: 1. Decide why you want to have a meeting. What is the purpose of the meeting? What are you trying to accomplish, address, or resolve?

Published · 1,695 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

Today, as competition for resources is fierce, nonprofits have to look beyond traditional fundraising strategies, such as applying for grants and contracts. Although there are a number of ways to raise funds, the purpose of this article is to focus on generating revenue through your organization’s newsletter. If you have a newsletter, but haven’t used it to raise funds, this might be the perfect time to turn it into a revenue generating tool. If you don’t already publish a newsletter, consider developing one.

Published · 1,482 views · Rated 3/5 from 1 votes

Research on how the human brain can affect behaviors--called neuroscience, or the popular term, brain science--has yet to be fully appreciated by leaders of organizations. That knowledge could have a significant impact on how leaders are trained and what they do. In the past few decades, scientists have gained new and more accurate scientific views of human behavior, studying the human brain.

Published · 1,823 views · Rated 3/5 from 2 votes

Once you make the decision to hire a new staff member, you’ll want to ensure that a personnel file is developed for him/her, and that it contains all required documentation and other pertinent materials. Including the appropriate paperwork in a personnel file can protect both the employer and employee, legally and otherwise.

Published · 2,448 views

Collaborative efforts with other agencies are valuable and can have many advantages. However, there are some items you need to consider prior to entering into any type of collaborative relationship. You’ll want to ensure that when you enter into a collaborative relationship, it is a win-win situation for your clients, your organization, other stakeholders, and for your collaborative partner. This article addresses some questions you need to ask and issues you need to consider before establishing a collaborative relationship.

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As a social work and psychology student, Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs was a theory in which we focused a great deal of time. According to Maslow, there are five levels of needs, ranging from physiological to self-actualization. It is difficult to move from one level to the next without first meeting your needs at the lower level.

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The start of the New Year is often the perfect time to turn a new page in your life, which is why so many people make New Year's resolutions. Researchers have looked at success rates of peoples' resolutions: the first two weeks usually go along beautifully, but by February, people are backsliding and by the following December, most people are back where they started, often even further behind.

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We are told that Christmas, for Christians, should be the happiest time of year, an opportunity to be joyful and grateful with family, friends and colleagues. Yet, according to the National Institute of Health, Christmas is the time of year that people experience the highest incidence of depression. Hospitals and police forces report the highest incidences of suicide and attempted suicide. Psychiatrists, psychologists and other mental health professionals report a significant increase in patients complaining about depression.

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Do you smile because you're happy, or does smiling make you happy? In psychology, there is a theory called the "facial feedback hypothesis" which states, according to researchers D.A. Be stein and his colleagues, that involuntary facial movements provide sufficient peripheral information to drive emotional experiences. Psychologists S. F. Davis and J.J. Palladindo explain that feedback from facial expression affects emotional expression and behavior. In simple terms, if you smile, you can actually improve your emotional mood. R.B.

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Ever have the feel­ing that your heart has a mind of its own? Turns out you were right. Ever acted on a hunch that you really couldn’t explain log­i­cally but you felt very strongly that it was the right thing to do? Neu­ro­science — the sci­en­tific study of the ner­vous sys­tem — is really help­ing us bet­ter under­stand the impor­tance of the body, heart, and mind con­nec­tion. And, it turns out that our hearts and our gut do indeed have minds of their own.

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According to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary, integrity means to have a “firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values.” My Oxford American Dictionary defines it as “honesty, incorruptibility.” From these two simple definitions, it is obvious that one of the highest compliments you can pay an individual is to say that s/he has a high degree of integrity.

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Providing appropriate initial and ongoing training for new staff members is essential, not only in terms of preparing individuals for their new position, but also in retaining them for a longer period of time. Trained staff members are more knowledgeable and possess a diverse array of skills, enabling them to provide quality services that help the organization accomplish its mission. This article provides useful tips for training new staff members. 1. Upon hire, all new staff members should participate in an employee orientation program.

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There are 85 million baby boomers and 50 millio Generation X'ers in the U.S. For baby boomers, it's the juggling act between job and family. For Generation X (1965-1980), it means moving in and out of the workforce to accommodate kids and outside interests. Now there's 76 million members of ...

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In the 2007 World Health Statistics Report, the World Health Organization identified depression as one of the most significant global public health problems. World wide events such as recession, the effects of climate change, and terrorism events and alerts have increased the general level of anxiety throughout the world. Employers and managers face, on a daily basis, bad news and its psychological impact on employees. How can we prepare people for psychologically stressful events and resilient recovery? Are some people just naturally more resilient and optimistic?

Published · 1,246 views · Rated 4/5 from 2 votes

In an ideal world, people are hired and promoted because of their abilities, competence, attitudes and interpersonal skills--right? Maybe not. Despite how far we've come in the areas of recruiting, selecting and developing people in organizations, there's evidence that we still judge people based on what some would consider superficial criteria.

Published · 1,577 views · Rated 4/5 from 2 votes

During difficult economic times, how do leaders deal with the challenge of retaining and motivating their best people ? In an article in the Harvard Business Review online, Kevin Coyne says that many examples of high morale come from situations of great unhappiness and stress. He suggests the ...

Published · 2,780 views · Rated 4/5 from 3 votes

Whether you are developing goals and objectives for a grant application, during a strategic planning process, or for your staff members or team, there are four items you need to remember to ensure your goals and objectives are easy to understand and implement. To illustrate these items below, I will use the example of developing a new program brochure. Your goals should be broad. They are the end goal; the result you want to achieve. Objectives are more specific; they are the action steps you take to achieve your goal.

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In times of crisis, people's behaviors and perspectives--both in their personal and work lives--change irrevocably. Those that adapt to the changes have the best chance for success. As a result of the current economic crisis, our economic system will fundamentally change and will not return to the "way it was." Our organizations will need leaders who understand that and provide the kind of leadership necessary for the new era. The August issue of the Harvard Business Review provides an insightful look at managing in the new world.

Published · 1,408 views · Rated 3/5 from 3 votes

Many years ago, I learned an interesting way to look at recruiting new board members. Although an organization’s bylaws may require consumers, specific types of professionals (e.g., doctors, service providers), or professionals who have certain credentials (e.g., a licensed social worker, certified occupational therapist) to be on its board, examining the three W’s may also be a concept worth incorporating into your recruitment efforts. The three W’s to remember when recruiting potential board members are to seek the wise, the workers, and the wealthy.

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I have interviewed potential applicants for a variety of staff positions over the past 20 years. In the nonprofit field, I have found there are certain steps supervisors should take when interviewing potential candidates. My top seven items to consider during the interview process, to ensure you identify the most interested and qualified applicants, are as follows: 1. Once the closing date for accepting applications and/or cover letters and resumes has passed, decide who will review all application related materials.

Published · 1,825 views · Rated 3/5 from 1 votes

Are you one of those people who spend hours looking for an item, wasting precious time and energy? Do you get frustrated when you can’t locate an item and find yourself at the store spending money to buy something you know you already possess? Are you ready to take that first step to organize your life and world?

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Have you ever wondered why some individuals make great leaders yet, no matter what they do or how hard they try, others fail at leadership? Most likely, it’s because great leaders share a common set of attributes that inspire others to follow them. If you want to be a leader in your field but are not sure how to go about it, let’s explore what you can do to become an effective leader. Having been a leader and observing leaders over the years, the following is a list of those attributes I feel best exemplify true leaders. 1. Leaders possess charisma.

Published · 1,379 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

I have recruited potential applicants for a variety of staff positions over the past 20 years. In the nonprofit field, organizations generally have limited budgets. This can result in lower salaries and a high turnover in staff members. If you want to attract qualified individuals whose primary focus is on people and human service oriented work versus a higher salary, I have found there are certain steps supervisors should take prior to beginning their recruitment efforts.

Published · 2,475 views · Rated 3/5 from 2 votes

There' s no question that Twitter has become the next big thing in internet social networking. Yet to this day, less than 10% of North American internet users actually "Twitter." But unique visitors the Twitter website has grown over 1300 % in one year. So what exactly is Twitter? Twitter is ...

Published · 1,254 views · Rated 4/5 from 2 votes

"I am successful," "I am a wonderful person," "I will find love again," and many other similar phrases that students, the broken-hearted and unfulfilled employees may repeat to themselves over and over again, hoping to change their lives. Self-help books through the ages, from Norman Vincent Peale's The Power of Positive Thinking all the way to the latest, The Secret, have encouraged people with low self-esteem to make positive self-statements or affirmations. New research suggests it may do more harm than good to many people. Canadian researcher, Dr.

Published · 1,825 views · Rated 3/5 from 2 votes

By the time you were probably in your third grade, you were asked the questio "What do you want to be when you grow up?" In our society, job titles have come to define who a person is. By defining yourself by what you do rather than by who are you can put yourself in emotional jeopardy. By ...

Published · 1,358 views · Rated 4/5 from 2 votes

The following tips and strategies are intended to help you grow your business more effortlessly and easily by using the tools that you already have at hand in a more expanded way. To help you spend more time working ON your business instead of being run BY your business. Giving you more time ...

Published · 1,350 views · Rated 5/5 from 1 votes

Does happiness bring you financial success? Well, actually, the evidence suggests it does. There is a growing body of research now that supports the connections among happiness, effectiveness, productivity and success. Sonja Lyubamirsky, a University of Califo ia author of The How of ...

Published · 1,542 views · Rated 4/5 from 2 votes

Abraham Lincoln once said that "People are just as happy as they make up their minds to be.” This statement is extremely powerful, as it makes each of us responsible for creating our own happiness. We can not obtain happiness from other people or from material objects; it has to start within us. The following provides some steps as to how you can create happiness in your life. 1. First, acknowledge that happiness is a choice, that you do have options as to how you live your life, and that you can be happy if you choose to. Don’t think about yesterday or the past.

Published · 1,715 views

My mother once said that the older we get, the faster time flies. How true that is! In today’s fast paced world, we work, raise families, manage household chores, run errands, volunteer, help our neighbors and the community, etc. There never seems to be enough time in a day. Despite this, there are a few things you can do to better manage your day and still take care of yourself. 1. Realize that you do have control over managing your time and make a conscious choice to do so.

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Traditional business practice was based on the principle of developing a great product or service and then finding customers to buy it. Then came the marketing and promotion so as many people knew about your product or service through advertising, promotion, stores, etc. The same kind of ...

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When people refer to the “good old days”, when life seemed to be slower and less complicated, it is difficult to disagree with them. Today, life is hectic and fast-paced. People work too many hours; are chauffeurs for their children, who are involved in multiple activities; have a hard time leaving their computers, cell phones, and blackberry’s behind; and never seem to have time for themselves. Add to this the state of the economy, the plunge of the housing market, the volatility of the stock market, and other exte al circumstances.

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Virginia Woolf once said that “To enjoy freedom we have to control ourselves.” Empowerment is the process of developing our personal power so that we control our own life, leading to personal freedom. To become empowered, I found the following six steps to be helpful: 1. Understand that you have control over your life and that no one can control you. This first step is absolutely critical. Although others may have controlled your life in the past or may still attempt to do so, you are the one who ultimately controls your life.

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2009 is a new year, a new beginning! As you enter 2009, what changes do you want to make this year? What are your priorities? Do you want to eat healthier, lose weight, manage your time more efficiently, decrease your stress level, increase your productivity, secure a new job/change careers, become a better person/friend/parent, develop healthier relationships or create a healthy balance between your personal and professional life? If you answered yes to any of these questions or have another goal in mind, your next step is to actually make the change. This is where people get stuck.

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People-watching is an insatiable craving in my life. People are beautiful, compelling and fascinating. With willing eyes and an open mind, we have so much to learn about how people choose to make their mark. While walking the beaches of Maui, Melinda and I were fascinated by an overwhelming wave of people who made the decision to decorate themselves with a tattoo. I guess that shouldn’t be too much of a surprise…people on the beaches of Maui walk around mostly uncovered – if you have a tattoo, Kaanapali Beach is a fitting showcase.

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Don’t you just love the holiday feasts? There are very few things I enjoy more than eating and drinking with reckless abandon over the holidays. When wine is freely flowing and the air is pregnant with temptation, it feels great to grab that extra scoop of cheesy potatoes. Or eat apple pie for breakfast. Don’t you think it’s proper to fully absorb the loving spoonfuls prepared by people we love? It’s only once a year, right? Here’s a seldom quoted truism: once we get past the age of 30, the average American gains one pound per year through age 70.

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Today, I’m feeling profound sadness and intense self-reflection as I heard the words of Harmon Killebrew telling the world his cancer is no longer treatable. Here are the Hall of Famer’s wise and precious words shared through the media: Harmon Killebrew: hero for how he lives his lifer

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Are you contemplating starting your own business? Have you been contemplating it for months, years even? If the idea of having a business is appealing but you are still hesitating regarding the area or sector of your business, read on, as the following points might just provide you with the answers you are seeking.r

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The benefits of coaching are endless: it brings clarity, provides accountability, keeps you on track, helps you discover the right direction, etc. However, different segments of customers benefit from coaching in different ways, and there are naturally some specific benefits for small business owners or even “solopreneurs”.r

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Many years ago I met a lady who did something brave and adventurous (at least in my eyes). She saw a certain city in her dream and felt quite urged to move there, in spite of the fact that this particular city was on the other side of the world and she was not much of a traveler. However, she did an honest evaluation of her life, ended her unhappy marriage of 25 years, kissed her grown-up kids goodbye and set off for the city she’d seen in her dreams.

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Making a definite change in a career can sometimes be frightening and make you feel uncomfortable. As a result, you continue wishing for it, dreaming about it but not doing much. One of the reasons behind it can be the “definite” sound of it. Often in life if our options only entail optio A and optio B, (for example stay or leave, buy or don´t buy, speak or not speak), making a decision can be tough.

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How much does fear drive your actions at work? If you think about your current workload and the meetings you have had in the last month, how many are to set up to support or enroll others in an exciting risky, forward thinking strategy? How many are designed to cover your bum or make sure you don’t leave yourself exposed to risk by not getting approval, buy in or just more people on your side.

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A question: “People who know me say I’m a different person at work vs. in the rest of my life. Is that bad?” Maybe, maybe not. How, if at all, does it get in your way? Does your team say that about you? Where does your data come from? Is this a recurring theme?

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Most times when working with clients I am offering strategies for learning how to find their voice, expand their voice, get heard, speak up, and make themselves known. You see the direction. However, a great leader knows when to be quiet. When to stop, listen, inquire vs. tell or simply avoid a conversation because it’s not in your best interest to speak up.

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Changing a career can be a daunting prospect, especially if you have never done it before. The following steps will probably apply to those of you who are considering more dramatic change – but as a philosophy, these steps can be applied by anyone.

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Question: I feel as if I’m a different person at work than in the rest of my life. Is that bad? Maybe, maybe not. Here are some questions to consider: • How, if at all, does it get in your way? • What do your team, peers, friends at work say that about it? • Where does your data come from?

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I was sitting wondering the other day, ‘why do people still need executive coaches?’. Working in this field for over 20 years, I’m sometimes surprised that the need for coaching continues to grow. Why I wonder? What’s going on that is requiring more coaches to be in the world than in the past?

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In thinking about how many people these days are looking for support, I put myself in the shoes of someone considering working with a coach for the first time. I imagine I’d feel intimidated. It’s a huge world out there with so many people using the term - life coach, career coach, personal coach, executive coach… How would one know where to find someone who’s a good fit for them? How do you judge and choose? After doing this job informally and formally for over 20 years now, I have thoughts about how to find a coach that’s right for you. Important factors to consider:

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Every year we head into the holidays with a mixture of excitement and trepidation. Who can forget Bridget Jones’ holiday party singing that was tone deaf in oh-so-many ways. Here are a few ways to play it safe without neutering the holidays and boring yourself and others to tears: - send holiday cards - wish people Happy New Year - look at company parties as an opportunity to stretch your professional skills in the social arena - keep the hard partying and too-hot-to-handle clothes for partying with your friends, because company parties are work, period

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Political discussions reveal how we share a nationality but live in parallel political cultures. In the U.S. we have 536 elected officials running the largest economy ever to exist, and they cannot communicate with one another. Here's a simple way to create change.

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Just like any parent of a young child, these days I’m training my daughter to appreciate others and their acts of kindness by saying “Thank you”. We’re all trained to be sincerely grateful for good luck, blessings and gifts from people and the universe. Yet, oddly enough, we rarely get into the habit of thanking ourselves.

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The annual meeting of the International Coach Federation is a great time to connect with my colleagues from around the world and spend time with friends who I respect so much that I’m always pleasantly amazed and grateful that I can contribute to them!

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Becoming a thought leader will radically improve the trajectory of your career and business. By definition, thought leaders are the ones people seek out for their insight and approaches. They are cited by others to prove their points, and their expertise inspires ideas and sparks fresh potential in others in your organization. My current favorites are Malcom Gladwell, who wrote The Tipping Point and Stephen Dubner and Steven Levitt, who wrote Freakonomics.

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Do you ever feel you have so much potential that you can't sit still? All high performers feel this potential boiling up within them. It’s what they look for in turn when making key hires. But even with the most promising new employee, something can happen and, next thing you know, they’re stuck playing catch up with their inbox or putting out fires. Enthusiasm turns into frustration and if this continues over the long-term, even the best burn out or give up.

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"My Power Lies in My Vulnerability" may not be something we would think up as a campaign slogan for a political candidate. However, as increasing value is placed on collaborative leadership, it is a key factor differentiating outstanding leaders as they take on the challenge of actively practicing vulnerability.

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This is an excerpt from an essay Michelle contributed to the book, Winning Without Compromising Yourself.

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In the nonprofit field, the development of a new program generally begins with receiving some type of grant award. Of course, nonprofits can develop programs without being awarded a grant, but the money needed to create and implement any type of program will need to come from a philanthropist or through other fundraising efforts and activities.

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Get ready for the onslaught of articles and parables about being grateful for things that really aren’t that great. Yesterday my 7 year old admonished me to be thankful to have a job. Of course, I don’t. I have my own company because I got fed up with making other people rich and the abuse that can go along with that. Gratitude is dangerous if it’s used as a pablum to make excuses for lousy employer behavior or to weaken our own boundaries.

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Earlier this month, the Wall Street journal reports that 58% HR professionals give their own performance management systems a grade of C or below. Some go as far as saying performance reviews are hurting companies and should stop. So why do we keep doing them? Because it’s easier than the alte ative. Feedback needs to be authentic, consistent and delivered in real time. With “real time” defined as once a situation has come to the managers attention and with emotions enough in check to have a fruitful conversation.

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There are six steps to successfully delegating tasks. Most managers and leaders only do one of these steps, while some conduct two of the steps. When the task isn't completed to the manager's satisfaction, all too often the manager comes to his coach or boss complaining that his employees just don't get it, or he can't find employees who are good enough to “get the job done.”

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On a recent Mastermind call, the discussion was about self-management and putting on a game face in difficult situations. There’s a problem with the game face when it’s used to neutralize our emotions. As a result, we can begin to be complacent by tolerating behavior that we would not accept if we were honest in our reaction. Discard the game face and take a stand for your value. Others treat us the way we train them to. How are you training people to treat you today? Copyright 2010 Michelle Randall. All rights reserved.

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What’s the difference betwee Wanting and Having? Let’s make an important distinction. You see, there is a big difference between “Wanting” and “Having” something. Wanting: means lacking or absent. Deficient in some part, thing or aspect. Having: means to possess, to hold, to get, to receive, to experience. You can have one OR the other, but not both at the same time with any particular object of your desire. You either have it or you don’t. So what does this have to do with creating your success?

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Question: What had you go into business for yourself? Was it the money? The hours? The flexibility? The freedom of carving your own path? What had you make the leap into being an entrepreneur? As an executive coach, I most often hear from folks just like you, who want to bust out of the corporate grind, be their own boss and do meaningful work that speaks to their passions and expertise. Stepping out of your comfort zone and starting your own gig takes courage, tenacity and loads of perseverance!

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What gets you out of bed in the morning? What motivates you to go to work every day – despite the challenges, despite the stress, despite all the other factors that come with being a teacher? There might be lots of reasons why you Wouldn’t want to be a teacher… - Long hours - Low pay - Screaming kids - Difficult parents Just to name a few… but you do get out of bed and you do go to work every day to be of service to those children. So what is it that motivates you to do this difficult work? What’s your Compelling WHY?

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In today’s high tech and global economy, mastering your craft isn’t enough to guarantee success. Top female corporate leaders are very good at what they do. But, there is something more that they do to stand out. The intangibles make them shine. It’s their power and presence that radiates from within that gets your attention and compels you to lean in.

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This is the 2nd post in my series to give you the Keys to Unlocking Your Power and Presence as a Woman Leader. What’s needed to create better work-life balance and well-being so you can shine more brightly? Here is step one that you need to know in order to expand your power and presence as a leader:

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This is the 3rd post in my series to give you the Keys to Unlocking Your Power and Presence as a Woman Leader. What’s needed to create better work-life balance and well-being so you can shine more brightly? Here is the second step you need to know in order to expand your power and presence as a leader: Step 2: Embrace Your Fears to Discover Your Passions.

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Did you know that only 7% of our communication comes through speaking? The rest of communication comprehension relies on visual and energetic cues such as eye contact, facial expressions, body language, posture, touch and movement. With this in mind, it’s key to be conscious of what you’re communicating on ALL levels. How you show up in the first minute of meeting someone new, sets the stage for all your future interactions with this person. Good, bad, or otherwise… This takes raising your emotional intelligence through greater self-awareness. Is your body language giving you away?r

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As a woman, you may have experienced at least once or twice in your life, someone who has tried to make you feel small and unworthy, as if you didn’t belong or were an outsider, just because you were a woman. Does this sound familiar? I know it’s happened to me, and a lot of other women on more than one occasion. You would think in this day and age, we would have moved beyond petty behaviors such as this. Sadly though, if you turn on the news you see it still happening around the world in many ways, shapes and forms.

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It was a series of challenging events (to say the least) and an unexpected “course correction” in my role as creative director back at the height of the dot com days in Silicon Valley, that left me bewildered, dazed and befuddled as to what was my next career step needed to be. Stressed out to the max, I thought “I can’t do this anymore but what do I do instead?”

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“When you find the thing that makes your heart sing, do more of that. We need more radiant hearts singing their songs of joy, passion and purpose.” #michelemolitor My Wake-up Call I woke up in a cold sweat. Again. And it was the third time this week. I didn’t think I could take another stressed out, sleepless night, when the light bulb suddenly came on… I realized that I didn’t give a crap about building large, corporate websites. Too much stress. Not enough joy. But what was I supposed to do – quit my job??

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No one has the perfect business strategy for starting a business without encountering a certain number of challenges and outright failures. If you’re new to being an entrepreneur (or have even been one for years) know that there are always going to be challenges that arise, mistakes that you’ll make and areas in which you will even FAIL. YUP, I said it. You might fail. And, if you do, then what? What can you do to handle and rise above you business mistakes and failures? Here are 7 helpful tips to keep you moving forward in your business, even when you feel stuck in a box.

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What does it feel like when you really trust someone? There is a sense of calm. Of peace. A Knowing if you will. It’s the feeling you get when you know that someone has your back. Trust is something that is earned. Earned day after day through your consistent behaviors, words, actions and deeds. It gets at the heart of our need as human beings to feel SAFE. Conversely, when lack of trust is present, how does that feel? There is always a question mark in the back of your mind. An uneasy feeling, A lack of safety,

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Are you going out as a Zombie for Halloween? As a busy woman, executive or business owner –you’re probably a pretty good plate spinner or whirling dervish, as you get pulled in multiple directions on any given day to fulfill your duties as boss, manager, mom, cat herder, taxi driver, friend, lover, confident, and a whole lot more. It’s exhausting isn’t it? And, if you’re not careful, if the plate spinning goes on too long,

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D “Dance with Fear. Dance with done. Dance with resistance. Dance with each other. Dance with Art.” I love to Dance! Even when I don’t get it “right”. There is such freedom in dancing to your own funky beat!! Finding the freedom around your fears can be a little more challenging though. Especially when they’re doing their best to keep you small, and are holding you back from achieving your full capacity as a leader. Dancing with your fears though is just that, a dance.

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What’s your Energy Signature? Have you ever walked into a room and felt the mood of the room before anyone even said anything? You know that feeling… Whether you walked into a room with your loved one, or into a conference room full of colleagues – you can sense the energy of the room can’t you? You Know when your spouse or partner is upset, before they even open their mouth and say a word. Don’t you? Or when you walk into an important meeting – you can sense the excitement or the impending bad news. This is because we’re all big bundles of energy walking around.

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Like the wind and the tides, energy is shifting and moving all of the time. The sun rotates, planets spin, stars are being born and dying as the Universe itself hurls through space at incomprehensible speeds. At a micro level, we’re constantly shifting and changing too. We’re generating new cells every day. Various parts of our body are being created anew as other parts die off and are replaced. You are constantly in a state of shifting and moving to something new. You can’t escape it. So, if change is such a constant in life, then why are we so uncomfortable with it?

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Have you ever found yourself asking: “How do I work Smarter? Not Harder??? Wishing you had 30 hours in the day to get everything on your to do list done? Wondering how you can grow your business without working 80 hours a week? Or just plain flabbergasted questioning what needs to change so you can work more efficiently and effectively?! When you get the feeling that you’re pushing rocks up hill, spinning your wheels and not reaching your goals, it’s a good time to pause and see what’s working, and more importantly, what’s NOT working to grow your business.

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As a leader of your organization or your team – you set the course, the tone and the motivation levels of the people you’re leading. In order to do this, it requires that you have a level of clarity within yourself. Research shows us that Emotional Intelligence is key predictor of success. Unfortunately, it also shows that the higher leaders rise in the ranks, the lower the EQ they seem to have! Don’t become a statistic. Here are 3 common mistakes made by leaders that you can easily avoid by increasing your Emotional Intelligence.

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You’ve probably seen the “corporate values” posted on the wall somewhere of the headquarters of an organization, or on their website perhaps. You might actually read them and think to yourself, those are nice. It might even give you a bit of a warm-n-fuzzy feel about the work that company is doing in the world. That’s great for the customers. But what does that actually mean to the employees? How do those values actually translate into what they are doing on any given day, and why should they care??

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Today, there is quite a bit of buzz about social media, what it is, and whether or not you should develop a social media presence. And, you have probably heard about a variety of social media sites, such as MySpace, Linked In, Twitter, and Facebook. Because the number of social media sites can be overwhelming, this article’s focus is on using Facebook, as a tool in your social media campaign.

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Let's face it, everyone engages in an altercation or fight at some point in their life. It can be with a spouse, partner, parent, sibling, friend, or coworker. The important thing to remember is that no one wins in a fight. If people are yelling at each other, they are not listening to each other. Here are some tips to prevent a fight or ensure that once one starts, it doesn't escalate into a full-blown screaming match.

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How many times have you seen a person and judged them strictly on their appearance? Or, how many times have you turned away or avoided someone simply because of their appearance? If you find yourself making judgments or avoiding people based on their appearance, you are missing out on opportunities to meet some potentially intelligent, interesting, and fascinating people. Below are some thoughts related to the advantages of looking beyond an individual’s outer or physical appearance.

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When you have a board of directors, it is always a good idea to have a Board Member Manual. A Manual is a great tool for board members to use when they need quick and easy access to critical information about the organization. It compiles important documents into one binder, so they don't waste time and energy looking for what they need in several files or locations. Most board member manuals include some or all of the following sections:

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By far, the questio I am most often asked during "Project Management . . . by the Numbers" has always been, "How can I get my project team to actually accomplish their tasks on time, if even at all?" After a short discussion, the question translates to, "I don't have the authority to delegate, but I am responsible for their work, both the quality and the timeliness." Most of the time our project team is assigned to us from top management without our say in the matter.

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Once you’ve decided to Be the Change in your life, you no longer will be satisfied with not changing. One of the best ways to change is to experiment with new things, new ideas, new habits, new ways, new friends, new job, etc. Think about how good you feel when you wear new clothing. Your whole life should be that enjoyable. Here are some practical rules for experimentation – doing the doing – becoming the proof you seek through the results you make happen.

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We’ve all had family television shows served up as a model for us over the years. You all remember The Brady Bunch and The Partridge Family. The book Little Women influenced many families. As a mom today, you still have the influence to proactively transform your family dynamics. Your instincts and insight are always in-tune with the people you love. If you ever feel that things can be improved, then go for it!r

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“Inaction breeds doubt and fear.” ~ Dale Carnegie The way to experience success in every endeavor in your life is to learn how to make things happen. Now each of us has his own methods, and I think that beneath each method there is a universal law at work. If we understand that law, we can enjoy anything we want.

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"Winners never quit and quitters never win." ~ Vince Lombardi On a scale of one to ten, ten being the best, how motivated are you to be a winner? Somewhere inside your mind, is there lurking a concept called "I might not succeed at this?" We need to address this up front, and right now.

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These days, it seems like we are being pulled in so many different directions. Priorities compete with each other, and it just seems like we can’t get everything done, doesn’t it? What’s worse, it seems like our daily “to do” lists grow much faster than our abilities to check them off. No wonder the world is showing more stress. Sometimes it is helpful to step back, and evaluate all those things we’re doing, to make sure that the important “stuff” is being addressed. OK, so what’s the important “stuff?”r

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“Doubt is a pain too lonely to know that faith is his twin brother.” ~ Kahlil Gibran I believe that each of us is called to enjoy life fully. I believe that health, wealth, success, happiness and joy are our natural, born-with inheritance.

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"Worry compounds the futility of being trapped on a dead-end street. Thinking opens new avenues." ~ Cullen Hightower Feeling trapped can leave us vulnerable to more and more dissatisfaction. I believe our lives should be lives of fulfillment and satisfaction, so let's see what we can do to help you move away from feeling trapped? What makes you feel trapped? Parental pressure? A toxic past? An old, fixed mindset? Your relationship? In a job you despise? In a sick body?

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We become very accustomed to things, don’t we? We become accustomed to having oatmeal for breakfast. We get accustomed to having our clothes cleaned in a particular way. We are accustomed to a specific manner of interface with particular individuals. When we arise in the morning, we have an accustomed way that we move through our morning rituals. We are accustomed to receiving our paycheck on certain days. We’re accustomed to the way our home is maintained. Because we are accustomed, we don’t think about change much, do we? If you want to Be the Change, you may have to think about them.

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A change agent is someone who is easily able to make changes in their lives and the lives of others. They are considered to be people of great influence and very likable. They seem like natural leaders. These desirable traits can be built and enhanced in just a single step. That step is to learn and build a belief in yourself that you can easily change your own beliefs. Think about that for a moment. What bigger transition could you make than to fully believe that you can change anything?

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Before I Became a Mother ... There was never a problem sleeping whenever I felt tired. The time I crawled into bed wasn't dependent on anything but my own schedule. I never dreamed there'd be a day when I wouldn't even have time to brush my teeth or comb my hair! Before I Became a Mother ... My home stayed meticulously clean and I was happy to have friend drop by unannounced. There weren't toys spread all over the place. I never gave a second thought to the sharp corners on my coffee table. Who even knew some plants contained poison?!

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Icebreakers are great. When you get people together to work on things, getting them to know each other will spur on other positive results. I make it a habit to have an icebreaker at just about every volunteer meeting I conduct, whether the group is large or small. After all, these people chose to volunteer, let’s make it fun for them. These ideas also thrive in a working environment; they help people build the relationships that can move an enterprise forward. Believe it or not, adults like to interact, and play.

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All attendees of "Project Management . . . by the Numbers" know that every project is a project within another project(!). In other words, every project we manage is a part of another bigger project. So, what is the difference between a business process and a project management process? Let's begin the answer with an example . . . The CEO of the organization believes the project is to bring a new product to market. Let us call the product the Wireless Internet Waffle Iron (WiWi). The CEO knows he/she has a process to get the WiWi though his company.

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I’ve spoken often about Be the Change. I love the idea of Change. Change is our privilege, a function of our free will, and it exercises autonomy in our lives when we learn how it functions and how to use it wisely and well. In order to change, you have to decide that’s what you want to do. There isn’t something in the Universe that sticks out a giant wooden spoon and stirs up your life. I know that sometimes we’d like to put the blame “out there” but sorry, folks, “in here” is where we need to look to Be the Change.

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I believe that our lives here on earth are one enormous learning situation. I have seen the lessons zoom in front of me time, after time, after time until I finally get it. Many lessons come in the form of discomfort.

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Mahatma Gandhi said “I want freedom for the full expression of my personality.” I began to think about that idea and it brought up another similar quotation that had hung for a full year on the board of my sixth grade classroom: “Personality is who people think you are; character is what God knows you are.” I think that whether you like the word personality or you like the word character, whatever one you choose to define yourself, it is important to accomplish that task. We can know who we are by looking at our thinking, our speaking and our actions. Let’s look at those one at a time.r

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I became enthralled with the concept of change at a very early place in my life when I read about Gandhi and his principles. Because my life was also touched by the war in Lebanon, I knew life could not go on the way it was and I knew that I just had to change things in order for me to feel good about my life.

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"Faith is the art of holding on to things your reason has once accepted in spite of your changing moods." ~ C. S. Lewis Moods are frequently blamed for our lack of action. I know you've both heard and said "I don't feel like it." That's a generic and evasive saying that can have many other meanings.

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"One's real life is often the life that one does not lead." ~ Oscar Wilde Each of us is alive; therefore, each of us is Life Itself and it needs each of us. We are here to discover what we are supposed to express while we are here; which life lessons we are supposed to learn; what our purpose is; what feelings we are supposed to share with our fellow Lifers. Most important of all, we are here to discover what our own passion is. Discovering Your Purpose Within your core, is the purpose you have been most drawn to from the beginning.

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We banter the word feelings around blithely. Have you ever sat down and looked more deeply into just what feelings means? We have learned as children to answer “How are you feeling today?” We use the word in our workaday life: “I’m feeling overwhelmed with all this work.” We use it around our home “I don’t feel like cooking dinner tonight, honey. Let’s go out to eat?” That word is commonly used, and yet, it bears a closer look so that we can Be the Change we want in our lives.

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I’d like to tell you how to find your voice, or if you already have a voice, to give it a bit more volume. In order to do that, I would like you to gain the perspective of a new parent. Some of you are already parents and this will resonate with your experience. For those of you who haven’t become parents yet, use your own parents to think about in this example.

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So many times, people don’t realize how easily they can sabotage their careers, unknowingly, they will do or not do things that hold them back. Here are five cautionary behaviors:

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Everything is changing so fast! I hear this comment almost daily. And the reality of it is, -- it's true! The changes that we are experiencing today are significantly more than the changes that our forefathers had to embrace. The world is moving at an extremely fast-pace. And the illuminating thought, or should I say reality, is that today's pace of change is probably the slowest rate of change we will experience ever again.

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For what is the state of either prayer or meditation? It is the restraining of the mind to a single act, state, or thought. If we sit down quietly and investigate the contents of our minds, we shall find that even at the best of times the principal characteristics are wandering and distraction. Any one who has had anything to do with children and untrained minds generally knows that fixity of attention is never present, even when there is a large amount of intelligence and good will. ~ Alistair Crowleyr

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“There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.” ~ Wm. Shakespeare, Hamlet Act 2, Scene 2, 251 You know that I am a Change Coach. One of the most beneficial things I do is to help people who want to improve their lives to systematically make the necessary changes even though they currently feel locked in place and unable to change.

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I think a lot about helping people Be the Change. I think the biggest surprise to many of them is the invisible workings of their own minds which might be just the one factor they haven’t consciously looked at.

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Being the Change in your life is not a magical, instantaneous event. Like Life itself, it is a journey and not a destination. Be the Change is a process that can be accomplished while you life your life, go to your job, raise your children, love your pets and take vacation. It is like playing an exciting game in the background while you do the things you merely do. It’s a colorful extension you can play with the “I” of you silently while your kids swing on swings, while you mow the lawn, while you make love, while you drive to work, while you go to church, while you read a book.

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"Awake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving." rn~ Teilhard de Chardin

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We’ve all done it. The meeting is going on and on. Your boss is rambling. You “get” the gist of the concept. You’re bored. Your mind drifts. Hmmm. Wonder what newfound treasure has appeared in my PDA? Who will notice if you sneak a peek? Your boss will. Others in the meeting will. Don’t do it. You could be committing career suicide. Robert Half & Associates recently conducted a study of 150 senior executives, which showed that 31 percent of them found it inappropriate for employees to check PDAs during meetings.

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In these trying economic times, we are all looking for opportunities to save costs and increase productivity. Businesses have a huge opportunity to increase productivity staring them in the face that unfortunately has gone virtually undetected. What is that opportunity? The reclaimed productivity comes from changed e-mail habits. You think I kid? The research firm Basex recently estimated the cost of information overload to the world economy $900 billion annually.

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"Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance and order and rhythm and harmony." ~ Thomas Merton Everyone with any degree of sensibleness wants his life to be balanced. The tips for how to achieve this or for the Key Ingredients that make it demonstrable vary from opinion to opinion. I'm going to lay out some ideas for you to see if your life may be in balance. Life is like a mental sandwich: part work part play part serious thinking and part restful enjoyment. Another way to look at it is: All that you do is enjoyabler

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Chances are, if you are reading this article, you are already on a good path to a rewarding career. Every successful person understands that a satisfying professional life doesn’t just happen. Each one of us must actively seek out the experiences and opportunities that will make us truly great at what we do.

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Each of us has different standards regarding telling the truth vs. telling a lie. I’d like to share with you some ideas about why telling the truth might be a lot easier on you. Shakespeare said “Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive.” That is a very meaty statement so let’s examine this topic about truth vs. lies.

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Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around. ~ Leo Buscaglia Are you so busy with the things you merely do, that you find yourself not actively listening to the folks around you? Have there been communication breakdowns between you and them? If you’d like to increase the fluidity of the relationship between you, have you ever thought that paying attention to them through listening could be one of the best methods?

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Grandiose words spoken to motivate another are 100% meaningless unless the speaker actually lives the truth behind his words – in other words, unless he walks his own talk. We become very disgruntled when we hear of church ministers misappropriating funds. We don’t like it when dignitaries are trapped in public sex scandals. We seethe when public officials are involved in fraud. Why is this? Because we know they are not walking their talk.

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I have worked to embrace “meaning” all of my life. I tried to understand those smiling faces over my cradle. I learned that when my mom washed clothes, I could play in the sun with her. I learned the meaning of good friends and hurtful people. I began to make sense and value in my world. The Bible says “Know thyself.” If you “know” something, that something has meaning to you, so I think “Know thyself” is a great recommendation.

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One of the most remarkable abilities of our mind is it’s ability to remember. Memory allows us to recall what we have learned through experience. The more emotion surrounding the event, the deeper the memory of it stores in our minds. If the emotion was a negative one, frequently our memories get buried and covered up so that their memory no longer hurts us. If the emotion was a positive one, we can enjoy the memory over and over again with a quick desire to go inside and review it. IS YOUR MEMORY SERVING YOU WELL?r

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If you basically don’t want to do something, no one or no thing can motivate you to do it. Your motivation comes from inside you only. In our society today, we have developed the habit of deferring the blame for what happens in our lives to another: She made me do it. My boss didn’t provide the right tools. That truck was going too fast and slammed into me. I can’t because my childhood was a mess. I was raised in a poor neighborhood. I’m not smart enough. I’m too fat. Nobody gives me a break.

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Ever wonder why just at the time you are making big changes or going through some amazing expansion, something comes up that slows you down or makes you want to put on the breaks on your amazing new life. It's the old you with the disbelief that your life could possibly get any better or the naysayers in your head and the doubting Thomas that are trying to keep you small instead of grand and the excellent being that you are inside.

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"It's choice, not chance, that determines your destiny." ~ Jean Nidetch We sometimes forget how the choices we make carve out particular paths in our lives. Our first trip down a particular direction following a choice we male can be a brand new, innovative and exciting direction. If it's a choice of longstanding habit, it can be an old rut in the road. What Path Do You Prefer? Would you like to have a new direction? What would it look like and how would it feel?

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When we were born, we arrived with a list of things that we needed. Many of our needs were provided for by our parents to one degree or another. Many needs got added to our list as we matured into adulthood. I’d like you to think about what you may need in the following categories. Are you taking care of what you currently think you need? What steps can you take to fulfill the ones you haven’t yet addressed? • Emotional Needs • Spiritual Needs • Physical Needs • Financial Needs • Success Needs

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If I could wave a magic wand, and change something about how human beings interact with each other, I would eliminate “gotcha” forever. What is “gotcha”? Before we talk about eliminating “gotcha”, it is important to clarify just what “gotcha” is! “Gotcha” can come in many forms. In the verbal form, we know it more commonly as “I told you so,” but “gotcha” can take on many other forms. “Gotcha” is not only noticing that someone makes an error, but using it against them.

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You may have many pockets of unsettling feelings inside of you. I’ll make a list of some of them and you can indicate if this particular one is something that makes you uncomfortable and unable to change. Only honesty here will help you. You cannot hide yourself from you.

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Your feeling is the period at the end of the sentence. It’s the result of what you thought to a conclusive state, and it is the only way things can manifest in your life. The way to gain control of your feelings is to return to your second position and re-think what you’ve thought there because your feeling is the automatic result of what you’ve thought deeply enough about to become convinced.

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Earth's saddest day and gladdest day were just three days apart! ~ Susan Coolidge The celebration of Easter is replete with so many messages that it is challenging to focus on just one to share with you during this season of great joy. I've decided to choose all of the meanings I could find and lay them out as a smorgasbord for you to choose the idea you like the best as my Easter Message to you.

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I've spoken often about Be the Change. I love the idea of Change. Change is our privilege, a function of our free will, and it exercises autonomy in our lives when we learn how it functions and how to use it wisely and well. It works especially well in the mind body connection, or the body, mind, and spirit realm.

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Feel like you’re on a treadmill that will never stop? Too much to do? Too much to get done? Just as with how the overlap between our work and our home lives has become blurred, and technology has connected us to people and tasks around the clock, we could all be working 24/7 and still feel overwhelmed. How can we get it all done? You’re not alone. Millions of Americans are frustrated with their growing to do lists, their constant connectivity, in their seeming inability to get anything accomplished. On top of that, a lot of us try to do everything for everyone else. We care.

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Last month we discussed the difference between a "Business" Lifecycle and a "Project Management" lifecycle and working with the theory that every project is a project within another project; the only project we are responsible and accountable for is our assigned piece of the bigger project. This piece/project is now your number one priority. From "Project Management . . .

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Last month we began discussing the tasks associated with "Project Management . . . by the Numbers" Phase One - Concept and Feasibility: • Project Customer Definition • Functional Team Review • Kick-off Meeting • Communication Plan • Objective Definition This month we will begin where we left off and complete the Phase One tasks with: • Project Definition Document • Project Management Plan • Project Team Time and Cost Estimates +/- 50% • Agreement to Proceed with Project Customer Project Definition Document and/or Project Management Plan

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There’s no arguing that email use is on the rise. Every day, people tell me how overwhelming it is to address their email backlog and how just opening up their inbox stresses them out. To help remedy this crisis, here are ten surefire ways to manage your outgoing email to reduce the number of emails coming back your way. 1. Be very clear. By making sure that the content of your emails is very understandable, you can avoid people emailing you with questions for clarification. 2. Make the subject line detailed.

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Instead of thinking about a network, let's envision a net. If you place yourself at the center of this net, you can see how your direct links, or connections, extends outward. And each of those links extend outward as well. Yet they are all interconnected. This is what we want our net to look like, and even more, to “work.” I meet too many entrepreneurs and business people who believe or act as though their selling efforts are all direct one on one transactions with their prospects and customers.

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You’ve wanted to know the secret to meeting management success? Look no further… Here is YOUR answer to getting things DONE at alllll those meetings we attend. All it takes is three little words. Here are the “three little words” that will change your meeting life forever. Who knows, they may even bolster your career! 1. WHO 2. WHAT 3. WHEN Sometimes the best solutions are the simplest. This is one of those times. Read on…r

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Let's begin todays discussion of how to propagate project success with a quick review of the Four Phases of "Project Management . . . by the Numbers" Project Management Lifecycle; which are: Phase One - Concept and Feasibilityr Phase Two - Organization and Scheduler Phase Three - Execution Phase Four - Review/Audit

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Our world is so fast paced, and fast food driven, that the main reason for food - enjoyment and nutrition - has fallen to the wayside. I think it's a great idea to return to a slower time, prepare more meals at home, eat with family and friends and make better choices about eating. 1. Begin by being open, curious and kind with yourself and your choices. 2. Recognize that breaking free from the pain of overweight is mainly a desire to find a rhythm, an order, and a natural push for light in your life. 3. Why Do You Overeat? Do you eat to fill emotional voids?

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Our world is so fast paced, and fast food driven, that the main reason for food - enjoyment and nutrition - has fallen to the wayside. I think it's a great idea to return to a slower time, prepare more meals at home, eat with family and friends and make better choices about eating. 1. Begin by being open, curious and kind with yourself and your choices. 2. Recognize that breaking free from the pain of overweight is mainly a desire to find a rhythm, an order, and a natural push for light in your life. 3. Why Do You Overeat? Do you eat to fill emotional voids?

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Many great parents struggle with their energy levels. Successful careers are as demanding as successful child-rearing. Combine the two, and it’s truly a miracle anyone ever gets out of bed! In all seriousness, however, you are wholly capable of tapping into energy reserves you didn’t even know you had. It simply requires some strategic changes to your routine. Changing your habits can change your entire attitude. Here are some ways to tweak your daily activities:

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"We teach people how to treat us. " ~ Dr. Phil McGraw, Life Law #8 I believe you and I teach people how to treat us. We do this constantly by the silent signals we send out, and we seldom become aware of it until our discomfort forcefully bring it to our attention. Let's investigate how to get ahead of this aspect of the game and create more comfort for ourselves. Relationships between people is a great place to begin. Choose one relationship in your life with the most discomfort. It might be with your mate. It might be with someone at work. It might be a parent.

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"I must say, I don't feel very qualified to be a pop star. I feel very awkward at times in the role." ~ Edward de Bono As we live our lives, we have the option of playing a lot of different roles. Some we choose. Some, we just seem to slide into, like the role you played in your family. We assume these roles either consciously or inadvertently because of our desire to remain balanced. Some people become Caregivers to their parents when they sense the weakness in them. Some people become the Top Athlete so they can achieve for their parents.

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The secret to success is not to try to avoid, get rid of, or shrink from your problems. The secret is to grow yourself so that you're bigger than any problem. ~ T. Harv Eker We learned in high school math class that a straight line is the shortest distance between two points. I think the only time I've ever been able to apply that law is when I'm walking a long distance. I use it to create short cuts. Wouldn't it be sweet if in our lives, we could just take the straight, short distance to accomplish whatever it is we want?

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If you have ever felt frozen in time and space as a result of some fear inside of you, you know precisely how uncomfortable that is, how you do not like that feeling, and how it keeps you from enjoying the life you love. I would like to talk about two forms that fear assumes and how you might get around them.

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Love one another but make not a bond of love: let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls. ~ Kahlil Gibran Love is a mystery element. Defining it has challenged mankind for centuries. I think that defining love has to be left for each individual to accomplish, but there can be many things said to point you individuals along the right path. Did you ever share your lunch at school with someone who had no lunch? That's love. Have you ever spent an afte oon listening to a worried employee? That's love. Have you ever given up a great parking space to someone else?

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Feeling trapped can leave us vulnerable to more and more dissatisfaction. I believe our lives should be lives of fulfillment and satisfaction, so let’s see what we can do to help you move away from feeling trapped? What makes you feel trapped? • Parental pressure? • A toxic past? • An old, fixed mindset? • Your relationship? • In a job you despise? • In a sick body?

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The whole secret of existence is to have no fear. Never fear what will become of you, depend on no one. Only the moment you reject all help are you freed. ~ Buddha Have you lived long enough to truly know who you want to be? Have you fallen into the path of someone else’s concepts for who you ought to be? Would you like to Be the Change and create a turn in the road for yourself? Or might there be a way to use where you are to truly excel? Innocent Beginnings

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When we were small children, in an effort to control our exuberance, many of our school teachers sought to encourage conformity. We had to present our paperwork in a particular way. We have to behave in the prescribed manner. Our parents encouraged conformity also. We arose at the same time. We ate our agreed-upon diet. We had a prearranged place for sitting at the dinner table. These early lessons about conformity required discipline on our parts.

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People who have more luck than others aren’t afraid to ask others for help. While some might think that this is a sign of weakness, it really isn’t. It is a signal of success. Asking people for help in terms of a referral to someone or opening the door for a possible meeting with someone is totally acceptable behavior. Asking others for constructive criticism is another form of requesting help. The same goes for asking for assistance in an area where you are not an expert. People who are successful do this, not regularly, but at the appropriate times.

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The Change Cycle was developed 16 years ago by A Sale o and Lillie Brock. Their work was originally distributed by Interchange International Inc. which is known today as CCMC Inc. Stage 1 – Loss • Feelings of Fear • Thoughts of Caution • Behavior is Paralyzed Stage 2 – Doubt • Feelings of Resentment • Thoughts are Skeptical • Behavior is Resistant Stage 3 - Discomfort • Feelings of Anxiety • Thoughts are Confused • Behavior is Unproductive Danger Zone Stage 4 - Discovery • Feelings of Anticipation • Thoughts are Resourceful • Behavior is Energized

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Let’s examine the idea of choice. In order for you to chose something – be that a dress to wear, a bicycle to buy, a sports event to attend, or what you want to think about – before you can make a choice, you have to think about the merits of your subject, look at all your options and then chose the option that works best for you.

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"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." ~ Eleanor Roosevelt Does your past really repeat itself or could something else be going on? If we look backwards into world history, we might see certain trends repeating themselves. If we examine these trends, we would see many, many individual differences. What makes differences inside the trends? We human beings - thinkers all - try to categorize everything we see, hear, smell, touch and taste.

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May the roof above us never fall in, and may we good companions beneath it never fall out. ~ Irish Blessing Have you ever been in a building – frequently a place of worship – that feels safe and filled with peace? What about your own home environment: does it feel safe and filled with peace? Do you know what creates that sense of freedom, peace and safety, and would you like to establish that for your home? What IS a “Cleared” Home Space?

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How might you define a healthy person? And if you already know what it means, would you say that you are a healthy person? What do you think is most important in being healthy: a healthy mind or a healthy body? Or could it be that having both mind and body equally healthy is the key? What is health?

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With all the buzz about personal branding these days, perceptions and definitions vary greatly … and misconceptions abound. Tom Peters’ coined the term "personal branding" in his 1997 article “The Brand Called You” (http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/10/brandyou.html) at Fast Company, where he said: "You're every bit as much a brand as Nike, Coke, Pepsi, or the Body Shop.

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Do you realize that first impressions are important? I’d like to tell you that, important or not, you make them and you receive them every single day of your life. Impressions have become habitual and you are no longer conscious of those you get when observing new people in your experience, like the person in the office next to yours. You see them, you form an opinion, and you rapidly forget about them, unless their appearance or their smell or their words impress themselves on you. You’re on auto-pilot when you meet a new co-worker or a new manager. They make an impression.

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Wahoo(!) - You got the project! Congratulations are in order, but after the immediate euphoria, reality soon rears it's sometimes ugly head: * Time and cost of your project have been dictated for strategic reasons. * The objectives seem subjective and you are not sure what they truly mean. * The objectives seem subjective and you are not sure what they truly mean.

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I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn't say any other way - things I had no words for. ~ Georgia O'Keeffe Have you identified a color palette that is “you?” Do you strive to show your personality through the choices you make for your home’s décor? Are there colors that look better with your shade of skin, and are those colors also in your home’s décor? Your Personality

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"One can be very happy without demanding that others agree with them." ~ Goethe One of the strongest challenges to a relationship is communication. Assuming you know what your partner is thinking is most unwise. But if you work on your communication skills, you can work together to turn your "I thought you meant" into "Ah, now I see where you are coming from", and you'll both enjoy a more harmonious relationship.

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I had a coach who told me I was much better tha I thought I was, and would make me do more in a positive sense. He was the first person who taught me not to be afraid of failure. ~ Mike Krzyzewski Have you ever experienced any event in your life where someone was behind you, supporting and encouraging you, and pointing out the pitfalls that would keep you from getting where you said you wanted to go? Have you always had to rely only on your own best judgment along with the mistakes you’ve made? Would you enjoy a different way to success? Does Using a Coach Mean I’m Not Capable?

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So much to do -- so little time to do it all. I can't tell you how many times I have heard exasperated people lament that they just don't know how they will get it all done. That's part of the problem -- if our expectation is that we are supposed to get everything done that is on our to do list, our expectations are just plain unrealistic.

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The holiday season is looming, and we’re all getting ready to party, but while this time of year can be hazardous to our waistlines and our wallets, there’s one event in the social calendar that can be hazardous to our careers, too. The dreaded office party! Sure, they can be fun. They can be a great time to build relationships with your colleagues. However, they can also be a proverbial minefield of potential slip-ups and career-damaging disasters.

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In this fast paced world, we are continually challenged to fit more work into the same time frames that we all have. One of the most challenging parts of "fitting it all in" is deciding what is important and what is not. Of all the dilemmas I've experienced in my coaching practice, just about every client has struggled with their time and life management. Their “to -- do" lists have "to -- do" lists. So how do we get it ALL done? My first question is why do we need to get it all done?

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The only shame is to have none. ~ Blaise Pascal Are you one of those fine folks out there who knows deep inside your heart-of-hearts that you really want to change a few things in your life, but you just cannot find whatever it takes (you're not sure what it is) to get going? Overcoming shame associated with not accomplishing what you want can be a first step to getting started.

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Why do so many resolutions not make it past the first week of January?

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Second marriage is the triumph of hope over experience. ~ Samuel Johnson Did your first marriage end in divorce? Did it leave you shaken and unsure about yourself, or life, or about marriage? Would you hesitate to enter into marriage again? Have you learned what you were supposed to learn so that a second marriage can be more successful? Wonderful? Frank Sinatra had a hit song entitled “The Second Time Around,” and the lyrics said: Love is lovelier, the second time aroundr Just as wonderful, with both feet on the ground

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When health is absent, wisdom cannot reveal itself, art cannot manifest, strength cannot fight, wealth becomes useless, and intelligence cannot be applied. ~ Herophilus Do you realize that a Super Mom’s life is a life of giving? While you’re taking care of them, who’s taking care of you? Can you begin to factor yourself into the equation? What would you like to add to your life that would support and nurture you? What is Good Mental Health?

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Times are tough. Businesses are faltering, families are struggling, employees are paranoid. All this stress lays the groundwork for a real problem with balance—life balance. As business leaders work 18 to 20 hours a day to save their businesses and workers address their fears of possible layoff by working longer and harder, they risk the ability to be the best they can be by allowing themselves to throw their life balance out the window. They pay less attention to what is truly important, such as their families, recreation and their health, justifying it as a short term imbalance.

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Struggling with people resisting making the changes you know you need to make in your organization or group? Don't know how to get buy-in from people so that you can change things for the better? Challenged by an undercurrent of resistance to your attempts to move your organization forward? Have you ever tried to change anyone? Everyone knows how difficult it is to change their spouses (ever TRIED it? Not a pretty sight!) Even more, have you ever tried to change something about yourself? Not an easy task, is it?!

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Don't dig your grave with your own knife and fork. ~English Proverb Dieting can be both a boon and a blessing. Yes, you might lose weight, but you have to also look at what it’s costing you in your health. If a diet promises rapid weight loss, you are almost guaranteed when you go off the diet, rapid weight gain will happen. This is called yo-yo dieting and it’s not healthy for your body, your self-esteem, and your health. Yo-Yo Dieting vs Healthy Dieting

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Everyone likes to think they’re a good listener. Do you think you are? Why do you think that? How often when you are listening are you actively taking in what is being said, and how often are you mentally forming your response and waiting for your turn to speak? From the opposite perspective, how often does someone interrupt you when you are speaking? How does it make you feel? What do you think about a person who interrupts you? Do you find them selfish? Irritating? Immature? Disrespectful?

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The environment must be rich in motives which lend interest to activity and invite the child to conduct his own experiences. ~ Maria Montessori Do you think that your children are connected to nature? Do you remember the activities from your own childhood that bring up a sense of great joy? Have your kids become sofa-bound? Would you like to encourage more activity in them? Turn Off the Electronics!

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Twitter is a great free tool that can transform your approach to fundraising. And in a time of economic uncertainty, a free tool is a welcome help! Twitter: A Brief Introduction At its most basic level, Twitter is called "microblogging." You get 140 characters to get your message across. It's sort of like text messaging but on the web. 140 characters to answer the main question on the Twitter home page: "What are you doing now?" When you first start to tweet, it feels really odd.

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Build upon strengths, and weaknesses will gradually take care of themselves. ~ Joyce C. Lock If you have worked hard to make the people in your life happy, you feel rewarded if they thank you, if you see them smile. You want your desire for their wellness and satisfaction to be rewarded, and you are willing to work hard to see that happen.

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Last week, a client who works as a manager in a Fortune 1000 company revealed in her coaching session, “I was surprised when my boss didn’t promote me.” When I asked if she had told her boss she wanted to be promoted, she replied, “He should have know I wanted the position.” We often believe if ...

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Leadership demands that we make tough choices. ~ Alan Autry We have exercised the right to choose for many, many years. If you reminisce backwards, you’ll recognize at just how early of an age you were making choices. We become wiser in making choices as we mature, oftentimes because we made mistakes in earlier choices. You’ll want to help your children to make good choices in your role as their parent. How can you teach them right from wrong and help them to make wise choices? Here are some tips. Learning Right from Wrong

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The quality, not the longevity, of one's life is what is important. ~ Martin Luther King, Jr. Some people speak of that animating, unseen part of each of us as the soul. I like to think of it as the Mind. Whatever you call it, solving what the mystery about it is can be one of life's greatest, most fun, most enjoyable and most rewarding experiences. You'll want it to always be healthy and one way to do that is to exercise your brain.

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In the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter, and sharing of pleasures. For in the dew of little things the heart finds its morning and is refreshed. ~ Khalil Gibran There is something special about the significance of "a new dawn, a new day." It's the end of a period of darkness, and revitalizing surrounded by light is just all that more appealing, don't you think? If I asked you to visualize the time of day when you felt most fresh, most positive, most self-assured, wouldn't it be morning vs. night time?

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Planning ahead can help your child enjoy a successful school year. Advocating through your participation will add to the health, well-being and success of your children, and will help their transition back to school that much more harmonious. Remember: you didn’t want summertime to end, and neither do they! So doing the proper back to school preparation will make it all go smoothly. Purchase the back to school supplies your child will needr

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Driving the trend for executive coaching is the business reality that good people are hard to find and harder to keep. With a constant need to stay competitive, companies are seeing coaching as a way to help valued employees develop swiftly in a rapidly changing business environment. A growing ...

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Although the most acute judges of the witches and even the witches themselves, were convinced of the guilt of witchery, the guilt nevertheless was non-existent. It is thus with all guilt.~ Friedrich Nietzsche

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Forget art. Put your trust in ice cream. ~ Charles Baxter I know every one of my readers has experienced the joy of eating ice cream only to be suddenly hit with a brain freeze, mind-numbing headache. Am I right? Well, let's look at what causes brain freeze and what you can do to make it go away.

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"Choose your thoughts carefully; they are the builders of your life." ~ Anonymous How many times have you set out with a fabulous plan for success and within a short period of time found yourself mentally kicked to the curb wondering why? You are not alone. Many people find it tough to achieve success via their own goals. What are the barriers to success? Lack of Motivation

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I feel a responsibility to my backyard. I want it to be taken care of and protected. ~ Annie Leibovitz It’s nearly summertime and if you’d like to give your backyard an interesting facelift, here are some great backyard design ideas to make that happen and give a new twist to enjoyment during our hottest months.

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Have you ever thought of your alumni relations activities as the preeminent part of your school’s advancement effort? Or do your colleague have an “I-suppose-it’s-important-but-I’m-not-really-sure-what-they-do” mentality about your staff? Far too often, alumni relations is seen as a second-class ...

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"Genius is perseverance in disguise" ~ Mike Newlin A lot of people talk about the attitude of seeing a glass half full vs. half empty. Which do you most generally see? I'm sure you already know that you can change your attitude. If you generally see it half empty, you can change it to half full, and visa versa. It's a matter of how you view a life challenge. Is it an opportunity in disguise?

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Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinkingr So that other people won't feel insecure around you. We were all meant to shine, as children do. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, We unconsciously give other people permission to do the samer As we are liberated from our own fear, Our presence automatically liberates others.r

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Life is the lump sum of our choices. ~ Albert Camus A successful person does not drift through his or her days. They focus their mentality on what they believe to be important, they take the time to make deliberate choices and they are disciplined in their emotions. They are living by design. A person who lives by default is less focused, accepts whatever comes his or her way, doesn't have a master plan, and allows their emotions to run rampant. Which are you? Deliberate or Default? Here's an illustrative quote from Alice in Wonderland.

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If you are not strategizing your giving with your advisors, you may inadvertently be paying tax on your charitable gifts according to Marc A. Pitman, director of the Inland Foundation, Inland Hospital’s fundraising subsidiary. “Accountants, tax strategists, atto eys, and insurance agents are ...

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Is your website getting the results you desire? Is it increasing your business or merely draining your bank account? Can your customers go to your home page and know exactly what you want them to do? Or are they confused with a myriad of options and animations? The Big Red FeznA couple years ...

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“Every form of addiction is bad, no matter whether the narcotic be alcohol or morphine or idealism.” ~ Jung Addictions can take many forms, and each of them is detrimental. We are all ready to admit that drugs and alcohol are addictive and if you stretch your thought a bit further, you might also see some other addictions that affect your life in one form or another, like having to be in control, reading books, watching sports, amassing money, listening to music, etc. I’m not saying that last group is all detrimental, but they can all create addictive behavior.

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You can never, ever, use weight loss to solve problems that are not related to your weight. At your goal weight or not, you still have to live with yourself and deal with your problems. You will still have the same husband, the same job, the same kids, and the same life. Losing weight is not a cure for life. ~Phillip C. McGraw, The Ultimate Weight Solution: The 7 Keys to Weight Loss Freedom

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I often get asked by start-up nonprofits how to raise money. The panic of making budget seems to make raising money impossible without knowing someone rich and famous like Bill Gates or Warren Buffet. But fundraising isn’t impossible. It can an incredibly exciting adventure. Here is a simple ...

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"Maturity includes the recognition that no one is going to see anything in us that we don't see in ourselves. Stop waiting for a producer. Produce yourself." ~ Marianne Williamson

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Action is the normal completion of the act of will which begins as prayer. That action is not always exte al, but it is always some kind of effective energy. ~ Dean Inge There are doers; there are procrastinators; there are finishers; and there are those who's entire life is surrounded by things left uncompleted. Do you finish what you start?

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Asking people for money is one of the most exciting things in the world. Most of us aren’t fortunate enough to earn a living working on something we love. What we do as fundraisers is help show people ways they can take their hard earned money and invest it into something they value. I like to ...

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“What is it about grandparents that is so lovely? I'd like to say that grandparents are God's gifts to children. And if they can but see, hear and feel what these people have to give, they can mature at a fast rate.” ~ Bill Cosby If you are a grandparent, it’s probably been a long time since you did child care, and stepping back into that role can put a strain on you. The assumption that you will now give up your own life to babysit, should all be looked at honestly to see where your levels of comfort are.

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“I would lead thee, and bring thee into my mother's house, who would instruct me: I would cause thee to drink of spiced wine of the juice of my pomegranate.” ~Solomon

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"Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do." ~ Goethe Isaac Newton created three laws of motion. They are quite brilliant. Each one of them supposes there has been some action, action being the key. In this article, we'll be taking a look at this action to see why it is so important, and how taking action is the key to getting started. It's not only important, it is critical, because unless some action occurs, nothing happens. The ever-brilliant Einstein concurs. "Nothing happens until something moves."

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"The person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing, is nothing, and becomes nothing. He may avoid suffering and sorrow, but he simply cannot learn and feel and change and grow and love and live." ~ Leo Buscaglia Who has crafted the status quo for your life? Was it you? Was it your parents or a teacher? How long ago was it created? Do you want it to remain the same for the remainder of your life? How do you feel about taking risks?

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We’ve read it all before. Exercise is good for us. 20 minutes of aerobic exercise, three times a week will increase our energy levels and change our life. If we want to have a long and enjoyable life, we need to be intentional about our physical fitness. If we want to lose weight, we need to ...

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Children are great imitators, so give them something great to imitate. ~Anonymous There are good reasons for and good reasons against using daycare for your child. It is a great mental relief for working parents if you think you’ve found a good service. Some parents both have to work, and this leaves little choice about using daycare. But what are the effects of daycare on your children? Negative Effects of Daycare Your child might experience some negative effects depending on several things:rnï§ The quality of the daycare providedrnï§ How much time your child spends in daycarer

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Wouldn’t it be nice to tell donors what to say when they talk about your nonprofit? The Rule of Threes won’t let you control what people say, but it will give you an edge. Use it, and you will be giving them “mini-scripts” that will come to mind when they talk to their friends, colleagues and ...

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Imagine your blood sugar worries gone…swept away in just a few weeks from today! Imagine your doctor telling you that you’re no longer diabetic . . . thus eliminating the need for insulin and medications! Imagine avoiding the pain, suffering and unnecessary expenses by naturally reversing the root cause of your diabetes now.

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"A loving relationship is one in which the loved one is free to be himself -- to laugh with me, but never at me; to cry with me, but never because of me; to love life, to love himself, to love being loved. Such a relationship is based upon freedom and can never grow in a jealous heart." ~ Leo Buscaglia

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You know you’re a comfort person if being comfortable in every way, (physically, emotionally, intellectually, and socially), is your top priority. ~ Joan Chamberlain Are you the type of individual who has a need for comfort? Do you sleep, watch TV, go to the movies, shop, eat, sit in the hot tub, drink, and visit the spa as often as you can? Is your main effort toward feeling relaxed, feeling good?

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When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, "I used everything you gave me." ~Erma Bombeck We spend much of our lives asking very basic life questions and searching for answers: Who am I? Why am I here? What is Truth? What am I supposed to do? What's my passion? Am I valuable? What makes me truly happy?

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I usually look back when my birthday happens and tell you what I've learned that previous year and the character strengths they have created. This year isn't any different and I hope you enjoy this year's list of strengths I've experienced. I have learned that no matter what odds seem to be pressing you down, you can (and I think must) stand for what you believe in and withstand the pressures in your life. This means courage.

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Alte ative Stress Solution #1 Breathe for Your Life “Stand up straight, suck in your belly, chest out”, these are the instructions most of us have filed away in the folder marked good posture. When we are told to take a deep breath we instinctively contract our bellies back towards our spine. These are the roots of the poor breathing habits we developed in childhood that have marched us staunchly into adulthood.

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The moment the slave resolves that he will no longer be a slave, his fetters fall. Freedom and slavery are mental states. ~ Mahatma Gandhi How would you define mental freedom? What does it feel like? What would it take to live your life with mental freedom as your foundation? Do you know what it takes to achieve such self-mastery? If you have not defined what mental freedom means to you, how it feels, what it's like to have it as your foundation - if you don't have full self-mastery, you are living a slave's existence. You can change.

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The progress of our soul is like a perfect poem. It has an infinite idea which once realized makes all movements full of meaning and joy. But if we detach its movements from that ultimate idea, if we do not see the infinite rest and only see the infinite motion, then existence appears to us a monstrous evil., impetuously rushing towards an unending aimlessness. ~ Rabindranath Tagore

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"Every evening I turn my worries over to God. He's going to be up all night anyway." ~ Mary C. Crowley Constant worry is a trait that many of us have - but it doesn't have to be that way. When each of us was born, we were given the most magnificent gift and the ability and freedom to use it in any manner that we prefer. This most precious present was given to us gratis and one of the things we are doing silently and invisibly while we learn to walk, talk, read, etc. is to use this fabulous, free gift.

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There is nothing good or bad but thinking makes it so. ~ Wm. Shakespeare When you understand that life is one of the most luscious learning experiences, that all you experience comes from how you think, that you can improve the level of what you think about and improve this experience, at this point you become relaxed, in a harmonious state, peaceful about your life and happy with everything because of your conscious recognition about what is really happening. This is something controlling personalities need to learn.

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Enjoy all things in moderation. ~ William W. Walter There was a time in our civilization when eating was done only for survival. In our times, eating is so plentiful that it's led to eating inappropriately, called emotional eating because we are angry, bored, stressed, frustrated, down in the dumps, watching TV, too busy, and not busy enough, getting together with friends. It's no longer about survival; it's about emotion these days which involves brain chemistry. Brain chemicals influence your emotions but your reason for eating as well, for example:

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The thing about family disasters is that you never have to wait long before the next one puts the previous one into perspective. ~Robert Brault When you think of the word toxic, you usually think of big disasters involving harsh chemicals, don't you? In our homes, though, there are little tiny ways that bring toxicity into play, so here are some ways to help you detox your home, room-by-room and keep your home air quality healthy. Kitchen

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Lack of activity destroys the good condition of every human being, while movement and methodical physical exercise save it and preserve it. ~Plato I don’t believe there is a human being alive today who isn’t interested in maintaining a healthy, shapely physique, but one of the areas where all of us struggle is getting up early in the morning to do those early morning workouts. Here are a few tips that can help you to “rise and shine.” • Think about how good you always feel after your workout. Use that feeling as your motivation.r

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A well governed appetite is the greater part of liberty. ~ Lucius Annaeus Seneca Our appetites come from an inner urge that tells us to enjoy. Food brings enjoyment. So do lots of other things, but in our world today, food seems to have ascended to the priority when it comes to fulfilling our urge for enjoyment. You can use the following tricks, tips and techniques for curbing your appetite to stay in balance.

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"Perhaps our eyes need to be washed by our tears once in a while, so that we can see Life with a clearer view again." ~ Alex Tan We were each born with the ability to cry, and because the entire design of the universe is splendid and awe inspiring, we have to realize that healthy crying is part of the divine plan of beauty and perfection.

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"Work your fingers to the bone and whadda ya get? Boney fingers!" ~ Hoyt Axton

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"All the good, fine, noble, and creative acts of humanity were conceived as a spark in a single human consciousness." ~ Peter McWilliamsr

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Christmas is the time of year when we get into a celebratory mood. We bring out our best garments, our best recipes, our sincerest form of love. It's a time when we can say "I love you" through many different channels. Please think about your loved ones during this lovely season as you read this message: If I knew this would be our very last day together, I'd kiss you goodnight and ask God to bless you forever and ever.

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Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow, it only saps today of its joy. ~ Leo Buscaglia On New Year's day, a dear friend of mine reminded me about a technique she uses to let go of worry and fear. She lives in the United States where they celebrate New Year's Day each year with the Rose Bowl college football game and the Tou ament of Roses parade.

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"Wherever you go, no matter what the weather, always bring your own sunshine." ~ Anthony J. D'Angela We all try to be brave, keep moving forward, and keep a stiff upper lip. Our parents and teachers encourage us in this direction. But sometimes, things just feel overwhelming and we want to wallow in self pity. That's when the Pity Party starts and it's okay, as long as you learn from doing it and don't stay in that mode for days without end.

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God, make me so uncomfortable that I will do the very thing I fear. ~ Ruby Dee If you've done much driving - and I have in several countries - you've encountered safety devices on the roads in one form or another. I heard a story told by Michael Neil about Road Turtles that you might find interesting and you will discover how your own uncomfortable feelings are like the road turtles of your mind.

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Alte ative Stress Solutions Seeking Silence: Antidote to Stress It is easy to become stressed. Financial demands, loss of employment, marital riffs, co-worker conflicts, demanding bosses, problems with children, and health issues can all combine to increase your stress levels. As we know, stress takes a terrible toll on our bodies with serious health consequences such as heart disease and high blood pressure.

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I have always tried to hide my efforts and wished my works to have a light joyousness of springtime which never lets anyone suspect the labors it has cost me. ~ Henri Matisse When the cold, darker days of winter have passed; when we pack away our heavier draperies and we put away our winter woolens, like Mother Nature, our thoughts turn to lighter ideas of freshness. We can change to spring décor in our homes to a lighter, brighter theme and still be redecorating on a budget by following these suggestions:

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"When you take charge of your life, there is no longer need to ask permission of other people or society at large. When you ask permission, you give someone veto power over your life." ~ Albert F. Geoffrey

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The object of a New Year is not that we should have a new year. It is that we should have a new soul. ~ G. K. Chesterton Do you know what the core skills are for successful goal creation? Here are some clues: Identifying what you wantr Create action steps for creating itr Analyze the results you getr Make a renewed plan based on your resultsr So if you were doing all that, why might you still not reaching goals on schedule? One of the main reasons folks are not reaching goals is very simple: They don't realize how long it takes!

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A moderate addiction to money may not always be hurtful; but when taken in excess it is nearly always bad for the health. ~ Clarence Day How Do You Identify Addiction - Originally, addiction meant "devotion to" something good. Today, the meaning has changed to be the state of being enslaved to a habit or practice or to something that is psychologically or physically habit-forming, as narcotics, to such an extent that its cessation causes severe trauma. Are you aware of the warning signs of addiction?

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First comes thought; then organization of that thought, into ideas and plans; then transformation of those plans into reality. The beginning, as you will observe, is in your imagination. ~ Napoleon Hill In the era of “big data,” we will be called upon to retrieve information frequently. Having a computer filing system can be a big help. Keeping it as simple as possible also helps. You can always use the “search and retrieve” function on your computer, but knowing where things are is a lot faster.r

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The young always have the same problem - how to rebel and conform at the same time. They have now solved this by defying their parents and copying one another. ~Quentin Crisp Parenting teenagers can be particularly challenging for a parent. On the one hand, you have years and years of cherished memories beginning with that first magical moment when you looked into their baby eyes at birth. On the other hand, you are now faced with their efforts to become self-sufficient where their ideas look far superior to yours and they aren’t shy about telling you that.

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I am well aware of the flack I am going to catch from the Tarheel Faithful but I also know that when greatness exists they all have a deep appreciation. Yes I am a loyal Tarheel Fan (and yes I have and will continue to write about Dean) however in the midst of an internet search I began following links that somehow lead me to John Wooden. Knowing the unprecedented success that John Wooden had with his UCLA Basketball teams over the years (10 National Championships) I felt compelled to share a creed given to him by his father at age 12.

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bal • ance/ËbalÉns/ Noun: An even distribution of weight enabling someone or something to remain upright and steady: "she lost her balance before falling". Verb: Keep or put (something) in a steady position so that it does not fall: "a mug that she balanced on her knee". Whether you are gainfully employed, own your business or find yourself transitioning into a new position or job, it is important to reflect on what many of us refer to as Work/ Life balance!

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Alte ative Stress Solutions #2 Why I Meditate

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No man stands so straight as when he stoops to help a boy. ~Knights of Pythagoras Have you ever wondered why individuals like Mother Theresa and the Dalai Lama encourage us to "be of service" to others and live that in their own daily lives? What is so wonderful about being of service?

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There is no need to go to India or anywhere else to find peace. You will find that deep place of silence right in your room, your garden or even your bathtub. ~ Elisabeth Kubler-Ross Those who face life placidly and harmoniously do so admirably because of their level of deepened spirituality. My favorite, Gandhi was such a one. He said "In the attitude of silence the soul finds the path in an clearer light, and what is elusive and deceptive resolves itself into crystal clea ess. Our life is a long and arduous quest after Truth." Those who know the truth have cultivated inner peace.r

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“Keep away from those who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you believe that you too can become great.” ~ Mark Twain Do you think of yourself as being ambitious? Is there a plan inside your mind hidden from everyone else that strives to supersede the achievements of all others? Is this driving force inside of you something you value? Does it bring you joy and a sense of satisfaction? Or does it leave you exhausted with a sense of “never going to be enough?” How do you define ambitious?

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I say that trials and tests locate a person. In other words, they determine where you are spiritually. They reveal the true condition of your heart. How you react under pressure is how the real you reacts. ~ John Bevere

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I think there’s a trend … a trend toward avoiding confrontation. All the time. At all costs. No matter what’s at stake. And it’s starting to conce me! It’s not that confrontation is a good thing – too much of it, and life gets very tense. But it’s important that, when the situation warrants it, we be able to confront the person who’s about to make a major mistake, or the person who’s not aware of the impact of what he or she did, or the person who’s pushed you too hard too many times.

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I once was asked to teach a class called "Getting Paid What You're Worth." A lot of people signed up to take the class. They all felt that they were not making the kind of money they deserved to make; most told me they had NEVER done so! They were all women, all bright, articulate, feeling people. And not one of them felt she was earning what she was worth.

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How many proposals do you or your team write in an average month? And how many of those proposals generate even $1 of revenue? As an international sales consultant, I’m learning that typical proposal success rates for services providers are often in the range of 10% … which means that 90% of proposals FAIL! What can you do about this terrible drag on your success?

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I believe that being successful means having a balance of success stories across the many areas of your life. You can't truly be considered successful in your business life if your home life is in shambles. ~ Zig Ziglar

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"The principle is competing against yourself. It's about self-improvement, about being better than you were the day before." ~ Steve Young The sense of striving and competition must surely be inbred or part of our survival mechanism because each of us does it from the earliest days of our lives. I think that moderate competition is an okay idea; severe competition may not be. But what if you only compete with yourself?

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"Action expresses priorities." M. Gandhi In our world today, the things that make the big news are the "big things." Even the most humble things only get addressed when they become a big movement, such as the publicity around the charitable works of Mother Theresa and "paying it forward".

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Spring is about making fresh starts. Housewives wash down walls. Gardeners plant vegetables. And you can detox to improve your overall health. Here are some key items to consider for detoxing your body. Detoxing is a high priority for those desirous of a healthy lifestyle. Both diet and exercise increase your health advantages. Combining the following foods in the tastiest manner will aid in your detoxing. • Fruit – eating fresh fruit is very important, and any kind of fruit is okay. Real fruit juices also work as long as they don’t contain sugar or preservatives.

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"Don't make excuses - make good." ~ Elbert Hubbard When you make a promise to someone, you make a commitment to that individual. You can make this promise in two ways: with full intention of keeping the commitment, or as a way of dismissing glibly with no intention of keeping the commitment. Do you keep your promise?

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I'd like to ask you to stroll down memory lane a moment with me. Think back to the early days when you first started dating someone special. Do you remember establishing a sense of love? Oh, how in love you were! You couldn't get enough of one another's company. You were resistant to the cold because of your warming love.

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"Forgiveness does not change the past, but it does enlarge the future." ~ Paul Boese We are frequently quick to brush away an insult, a hurt or harsh words with a flick of our wrist and dismiss it with casual words like "That's okay," or "Not a problem." Forgiving someone is more than just a reaction. In actuality, those seemingly casual words may be carrying along two messages: -I forgive you.rn-It's okay for you to hurt me repeatedly because I'll just dismiss it.

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As a thoracic (chest) surgeon, Aaron was used to working on hearts and lungs. He’s a gifted surgeon, with a wonderful bedside manner, impeccable skills, and true caring for his patients’ lives and families. But the truth was, his case volume was down, and so too was his income. What to do? Aaron was surprised to realize that he had a sales problem.

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"If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion." ~ Dalai Lama Compassion is a strong feeling of recognition between ourselves and others. It's saying "Brother, I can feel what you are feeling." To practice compassion is to recognize that we are all in this grand human adventure together, and if you hurt, I hurt. If you celebrate, I celebrate.

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One of the things in our lives that we simply cannot escape is the role of heredity in our development. Whether we like it or not, our bodies, minds, and spirits bear some resemblance to one or the other (or both) of our parents. We may not like this resemblance, and the good news is that we can Be the Change about these inherited traits from parents as well as anything else in our lives.

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In coaching leaders to greater professional success, I often steer discussions to the idea of “Living a Purposeful Life.” As I think about my own approach to that issue, I’m drawn to thinking about my own daughter, Lindsay, and what she might tell me she sees as being my purpose in life. I think she’d say – because she’s been told it often enough – that being her mom was my #1 job in life. That I felt strongly that, once I’d given birth to her, I was going to give mothering all I had – that there would be no priority higher than her upbringing, during the years that that was occurring.

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"When it snows, you have two choices: shovel or make snow angels" ~ Anonymous It's been said that there is no such thing as a good person or a bad person. Well, I'd like to say that I think there are only good people, and that some of those good people make bad choices and lead them off the path of what is good. There is a dynamic way of thinking that will help you in making better choices.

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Lord, make me an instrument of your peace; where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy. ~ Francis of Assisi On the occasion of Easter, because we can see so much pain and suffering everywhere, I wanted to share this special newsletter with you about what I have learned about prayer. * I have learned that prayer is having a special friendship with God. * I have learned it's much wiser to pray for strength than for lighter burdens.r

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Any idea, plan, or purpose may be placed in the mind through repetition of thought. ~Napoleon Hill Life Mastery frequently involves repetition. You recognize there's a life problem; you do your level best to deal with the problem; you see the problem appear yet again and you begin to think "How many layers have to be peeled off before I can say I'm done with this?"

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"One father is more than a hundred schoolmasters." ~ - George Herbert Fatherhood is filled with joy and challenge. A father’s role in the lives of his children provides untold benefit: economic stability, nurturing, role modeling, and security and this role cannot be diminished.

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Action expresses priorities. ~ Gandhi In order to move ahead, it's sometimes necessary to move backwards from the end. So many of us have a bad habit - procrastination. This problematic mental attitude affects all of us to one degree or another and overcoming procrastination can be a challenge for anyone.

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Don't worry that children never listen to you; worry that they are always watching you. ~Robert Fulghum Impressionable children, in the early years when they are fully alive, fully attentive, and fully filled with the desire to learn it all, are like little sponges. You may think he's "only playing," but your child has both his ears and his eyes wide open and attentive to all that is going on around him - so you need to watch your words.

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"If we cannot now end our differences, at least we can help make the world safe for diversity." ~ John F. Kennedy Diversity is the only thing that can do justice to the concept of infinity, and in the Family called Man, the importance of diversity takes first honors. Frequently, because the views of the world do not run deep enough, our decisions about diversity awareness seldom looks further than the color of skin, the texture of a garment, the type of vehicle driven, the quality and quantity of the foods chosen to eat, or the appearance or lack of appearance of a fat wallet.

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Tough times happen. Even the most talented, successful people have down times, ballplayers have slumps, people who are fundamentally optimistic get discouraged, kids (and adults) have bad, blue days. What's the remedy? Or, what's the coping mechanism that will help us to survive the bad times until the good times roll again? I think it's discipline. I'm always amazed when I suggest to coaching clients that we have a choice about how we react to whatever happens, good and bad.

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Information Overload Awareness Day is fast approaching. Yes. We all struggle with the barrage of information that we receive and is available to us daily. And one of the ever growing sources of that information is e-mail. Consider the world productivity impact if everyone sent 10% fewer e-mails than their average -- every day from this day forward. Not sure what that number is? Simple. Just go into your Sent Mail over the last few days and check how many messages you sent. Take 10%. That's your goal. Here are 10 ways for you to send 10% fewer e-mail messages:

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"One of the first signs of being depressed is that you lose interest in things. That's why I think it is important to stay passionate." ~ Nicholas Cage The word passion is keenly enticing and brings along many individual visions when it is uttered. In it's many definitions, the word always centers around one core issue: the heart motivation behind whatever action is being motivated. Because February is generally a month closely affiliated with heart-based motives, I thought you might appreciate some discussion about passion.

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An old belief is like an old shoe. We so value its comfort that we fail to notice the hole in it. ~ Robert Brault What do you believe in and how did you acquire these beliefs? When you were a baby, your parents, family and friends took care of you. All you had to do was exist and think your own baby thoughts. You were also in the process of becoming less needy, less dependent and more independent.

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Desire is the key to motivation, but it's determination and commitment to an unrelenting pursuit of your goal - a commitment to excellence - that will enable you to attain the success you seek. ~ Mario Andretti

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We’ve all heard of the ‘touch it once’ rule – where smug associates with seemingly empty desks tell you they owe their serenity to never allowing paperwork to touch their desk more than once. Have you ever tried it for yourself and found yourself no better off, if not worse? Likewise, if you told everyone in your office that they could have one wish, how many of them would opt for ‘a 30-hour day’, an ‘8 day week’, or some other such device to cram everything they need to get done into the time available?

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"All of us who professionally use the mass media are the shapers of society. We can vulgarize that society. We can brutalize it. Or we can help lift it onto a higher level." ~ William Be bach

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Peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek, but a means by which we arrive at that goal. ~ Martin Luther King Can you think back to this week a year ago today when I presented the idea to you for forming a nucleus that will foster peace in the Middle East and grant ours and our following generations the experience that I knew Life intended - Lasting Peace?

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How well do you build reserves? And we’re not just talking about money, although the concept is the same. Do you have reserves of time, resources and energy? Are you running your life, or is your life running you?

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Why doesn’t everyone just get along???? We hear this all the time. Whether it is differing values or conflicts or misunderstandings, some people have a harder time than others just getting along. And even worse, when they aren’t getting along, they’re the ones who expect the other person to change, so that they DO get along! Now, I don’t know about you, but over the years, I have had absolutely no success in getting others to change.

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"Two men looked out of prison bars. One saw mud, the other stars." ~ F. Langbridge All human beings get to define "what success means for me." Our ideas about success unfold over the years. Once we've mastered using eating utensils, how to walk, the subjects taught in schools, relationships, we narrow down the field of desired successes, focusing on fewer ideas. It's the laser focusing that creates the most success.

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Just do it! ~ Nike Commercial Yes, you CAN begin in February. I've offered you dozens and dozens of ideas throughout the month of January so that you could make a plan for 2011 to accomplish Being the Change this year. I'd love for you to become healthier, wealthier, happier and more successful in 2011 that you were in any preceding year. Planning for change is the first step. But in case you're one of those people who think that just reading articles is a way to make change, here's yet another approach to help you achieve success this year.

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No one is perfect, and as long as people work, there will be behavioral errors, and situations that need correcting. There is a lot of room for improvement in the way bosses, coworkers, and friends handle these situations. One of the most popular responses to correcting behavior is to ignore it and hope that it goes away. This doesn't work very often. In my experience, the times that I use that approach, the unaddressed behavior came back twice as severe, and caused more trouble.

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Each year, when my birthday rolls around again, it serves as a reminder of what I've learned over the past twelve months and how sharing these simple ideas with you is my way of paying it forward. I love Being the Change and I encourage you to Be the Change in your life as well. Here's a little Alphabet of Instructions to assist you. Attitude: Attitude governs everything I do. It's so much more important than all the facts I've learned, than any experience I have, than how I look or what skills I have unfolded. My attitude is the driving force behind all my actions.

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Every day holds the possibility of a miracle. ~ Elizabeth David This year, let's prepare for success with the right New Year's goals.

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"He who distinguishes the true savor of his food can never be a glutton; he who does not cannot be otherwise." ~ Henry David Thoreau The word savor means to enjoy an experience, activity, or feeling as much as you can for as long as you can. It also means to enjoy the flavor of something you are eating as much as you can by eating it or drinking it slowly, focusing on the taste.

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Do you find yourself approaching retirement age and worrying if you’ll have enough money to last? Many seniors who have retired have gone back to work in order to supplement their retirement income. Some work for minimum wage while others continue at their current job. Many seniors watched as their 401K Plans and other retirement plans were decimated in the economic crisis. A lifetime of savings and investments simply evaporated with the economic meltdown in 2008. Others were victims of fraud with corporate collapses like Enron or schemes like Be ie Madoff.

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Smile. Have you ever noticed how easily puppies make human friends? Yet all they do is wag their tails and fall over. ~Walter Anderson, The Confidence Course, 1997 In 1931, a Merry Melodies cartoon had "Smile Darn Ya, Smile" as its title and the lyrics of the background song. You can watch this on YouTube if you'd like. It makes me think about smiling in general. Smiling is such an enjoyable activity. Can you think of anyone who's sad who can continue being sad and smile at the same time? I can't.

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Almost every day, I hear someone remark how fast the world is changing – and it’s true. It’s almost unrecognizable from our parents’ days, and even from the world we grew up in.

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So many Christian people learn that a career in business means starting in sales – a job that often carries a reputation for manipulation and dirty dealing. Is it possible for a principled, religious person to take a sales job and feel good about it? Is there a moral approach to selling? The answer to that question is “Yes.” A Clean Heart, an attitude of service, and the Golden Rule are key. Yet, even with a high-integrity approach to selling, there’s another problem.

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Laughter is the best medicine. ~ Proverbs Laughter is puzzling. We don't know where it comes from, but we do know that we like it. Babies like to laugh, we like to laugh at them laughing, don't we? We certainly don't work to discover in a scholarly way what laughter is or the benefits of laughter. We just enjoy the power of laughter and accept it as part of our life experience. We like it and when we haven't experienced it for a while, we miss it. We feel so good after a good belly laugh that makes tears come out of our eyes.

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We shall find peace. We shall hear the angels, we shall see the sky sparkling with diamonds. ~ Anton Chekov January is the month we have arbitrarily chosen to begin again. Hopefully, we can put a new twist on them by using mind power to promote I Am Peace and I am Power. Here at Change Coaching Institute, we have re-designed our ezines and reformatted the materials we are sending out to you each week to keep things fresh! We believe in practicing what we preach.

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Let's not forget that the little emotions are the great captains of our lives and we obey them without realizing it. ~Vincent Van Gogh, 1889 I have always believed emotions are part and parcel of my life and my experiences, and are a means of survival. I can see that emotion is a mental and physiological state associated with a wide variety of feelings, thoughts, and behaviors.

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“The extent to which two people in a relationship can bring up and resolve issues is a critical marker of the soundness of a relationship.” ~ Henry Cloud Life is not about who we’re with; what we’re wearing; where we live or how much money we earn. It is all about unfolding an understanding about your Self and about Life itself. One of the speediest ways to unfold understanding is through your relationship. In no other way is who you are and what you think exposed as in a relationship.

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"The stages of the Noble Path are: Right View, Right Thought, Right Speech, Right Behavior, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness and Right Concentration." ~ Buddha In our hurry worry world of demanding activity, wouldn't it be wonderful to develop a method of accomplishing all that we want to effortlessly? I'm not talking about waving a magic want here. I'm talking about developing a stress-free consciousness, that allows us to move steadily forward toward the accomplishment of anything we've chosen to do and to do it efficiently without stress.

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“Stress is the trash of modern life. We all generate it, but if you don't dispose of it properly, it will pile up and overtake your life.” ~ Danzae Pace In today’s busy, challenging lifestyles, stress seems unavoidable. Stress can be very damaging in the long term if it is not nipped in the bud, while burnout is more detrimental to the inner spark of motivation that gives life meaning. Over time, much like stress, burnout can cause a catastrophic loss of passion, and may ultimately lead to depression.

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“My body needs laughter as much as it needs tears. Both are cleansers of stress." ~ Mahogany Silver Rain Although we tend to think of being stressed as an emotional state, there are actually many different types of stress. Paul Check has written about physical, emotional, chemical, nutritional, electromagnetic, and thermal stress. Each type of stress is a byproduct of either our thinking, our lifestyle choices, our environment, or our relationships.

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“To keep the body in good health is a duty... otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear.” ~ Buddha You are working on a project with a strict deadline, but you just can’t seem to focus. Maybe thoughts about your next big idea, the weekend ahead, or even longstanding family issues start creeping in. Then you begin to worry: how will you finish this project on time?

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"Communication leads to community, that is, to understanding, intimacy and mutual valuing." ~ Rollo Mayr Some people just have the gift of gab - the ability to chat up anybody – and with them, it appears to be effortless. Interacting successfully with a variety of people is not only necessary, but a highly desirable skill. A little insight into how others tick can make every interaction more fruitful – and pleasurable!r

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“When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.” ~ Willie Nelson We were born with two incredible freedoms: the freedom of Will and the freedom of Choice. When we learn how to use these freedoms in our lives, we can guide, direct, and select precisely what we will have and what we will set aside. Because of the phenomenal accomplishments made in our lifetime, because of the exponential growth of technology, because of the enormity of personal wealth, we may think that if we haven’t manifested extraordinary success, we have nothing to call good in our life.

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“A person who could muster the courage to remove from his daily life the products that he basically doesn’t need would automatically delete the negative thoughts and the toxic people in his life.” ~ Anuj Somany What makes a person toxic, poisonous, or harmful to you in your life? I think the answer to that question can take up the whole article, but let’s just list a few things. • Moodiness • Negativity • Chronic illness • Lack of a loving sense • Manipulation • Selfishness

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When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, "I used everything you gave me. ~Erma Bombeck I have worked to embrace "meaning" all of my life. I tried to understand those smiling faces over my cradle. I learned that when my mother washed clothes, I could play in the sun with her. I learned the meaning of good friends and hurtful people.

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“Accentuate the positive. Eliminate the negative. Latch onto the affirmative.”rn~ Sam Cooke Counselors and psychologists now tout the very real effects of positive and negative intrapersonal and interpersonal exchanges. Without a doubt, everything we allow into the sanctity of our minds effects our well being, for better or worse, so it is only common sense to stand guard and use discrimination about what we decide may come in…or not.

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Your little boy wants to play soccer so badly. But the others consistently choose him last for their teams. Your son ends up sitting most games out, watching hopefully from the sidelines. It’s unfair, isn’t it? Your child is vibrant, fun, and whip-smart. Everyone should want to play with him in your humble opinion.

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“The focus of tolerance education is to deal with the concept of equality and fai ess. We need to establish confidence with children that there is more goodness than horror in this world.” ~ Morris Dees Your little boy wants to play soccer so badly. The others on the team consistently choose him last. Your son ends up sitting most games out, watching hopefully from the sidelines. It’s painful for you to watch the pain in him from not being selected. Your empathy for his plight can hurt.

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“The secret of your future is hidden in your daily routine.” ~ Mike Murdock

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“The energy of the mind is the essence of life.” ~ Aristotle, The Philosophy of Aristotle Starting out in the TV industry, I had a very distinct role model for completing a day of work.

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“Give out what you most want to come back.” ~ Robin Sharma As a mom, you have the influence to proactively transform your family dynamics. Your instincts and insights are always in-tune with the people you love. If you ever feel that things can be improved, then go for it!

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We began our "Project Management . . . by the Numbers" Project Management Lifecycle with Phase One - Concept and Feasibility where we secured agreement with our Project Customer on the definition of the project's objectives and a high level time and cost against those objectives. Then we finished our detailed planning of the project with Phase Two - Organization/Schedule where we created our Work Breakdown Structure and Critical Path Analysis to get all stakeholder buy-in to the executable tasks.

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“The creation of something new is not accomplished by the intellect but by the play instinct.” – Carl Jungr Our days are filled with productivity, and this can sometimes sap us out of leisure and playfulness and lead us farm from the spontaneity we had as children. Although the weekend is our outlet after a full week, fun doesn’t always have to wait until Friday evening. There are many ways to anticipate short breaks in your day where pleasurable activities can be worked in.r

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“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.” ~ Viktor E. Frankl Figuring out what life is all about can involve years and years of searching. In fact, if you’ve given up on that task recently, please re-consider picking up the last discovery you had. There is always so much more. It’s kind of what infinity is all about.

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“It is not how much we have, but how much we enjoy, that makes happiness.” ~ Charles Spurgeon Motivational tips are everywhere, thanks to the internet. I cannot imagine how you could possibly remain glum with all the motivation out there. Any day on Facebook brings dozens of motivational ideas to your Timeline with inspiring memes and practical quotations.

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"By prevailing over all obstacles and distractions, one may unfailingly arrive at his chosen goal or destination." ~ Christopher Columbus If you do any work at all on the Internet, you are vibrantly aware that we are inundated with a steady stream of distractions: emails, blogs, pop up advertisements, instant messengers, social networking sites, Skype, cell phones, text messages, online music, shopping and games, and too many more to think this is an all-inclusive list.

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“Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.” ~ Herman Cain How did your parents encourage you to achieve success in your life? Are you using the same methods with your children? Do you know if they are the best methods? Our children are each born with the potential to achieve, but if your dreams for his achievement push him too hard, or don’t push him at all, how can he reach his achievement knowing full well it was him that achieved it and not you pushing from behind?

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"Life is the sum of all your choices." ~Albert Camus Each one of us strives to be happy. We also strive NOT to be unhappy. Over the years, each of us has developed habits that we think will make us happy or will not make us unhappy.

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We started our Project Management Lifecycle with Phase One - Concept and Feasibility where we did our homework and we secured agreement with our Project Customer. Next came Phase Two - Organization/Schedule where we created our Work Breakdown Structure and Critical Path Analysis to get all of our stakeholders to buy-in to the upcoming executable tasks.

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“I had a very happy childhood, which is unsuitable if you're going to be an Irish writer.” ~ Maeve Binchy Most parents want their children to be smart as well as happy, while some have more specific dreams for their kids. Regardless of which category you prefer, every parent wants the best for his kids, so that the future of society is aggrandized. Kids don’t come with a “How To” manual, so you and I are free to do our level best for our kids. Here are some ideas that might help to contribute to your smart and happy child.

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“Sometimes the most happy people in life are the ones with nothing. We can't lose sight of the little things in life that should make us the happiest.” ~ Ryan Cabrera Being happy. It sometimes feels so easy, and yet, in times of stress when it is replaced by another emotion, where did the happiness go? Some people are clearly born as natural cultivators of life’s most prized emotion – happiness - and that makes them particularly interesting. Where are you on the scale of happiness?

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“Keep your best wishes, close to your heart and watch what happens.” ~ Tony DeLiso In our work-a-day lives, we are driven to achieve, to be successful. Work is just one focus in our lives. What about who you are in your own mind, what about your finances, and what about your vision for the future? It would be wonderful to have a Master Plan for your life and to include all of those topics. If you don’t have one, why not take a few moments and create one? Floating along IS one method, but the results are not quite as predictable.r

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“Visiting a new town is like having a conversation. Places ask questions of you just as searchingly as you question them. And, as in any conversation, it helps to listen with an open mind, so you can be led somewhere unexpected. The more you leave assumptions at home, I’ve found, the better you can hear whatever it is that a destination is trying to say to you.” ~ Pico Lyer

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“Do you want to know who you are? Don't ask. Act! Action will delineate and define you.” ~ Thomas Jefferson Life is a mystery, its challenges, many. How do you keep yourself going when you begin to droop a bit? Here are some suggestions to keep you fresh and moving forward away from stress, away from indecision, away from lack of decisiveness, away from gloom.

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“Do you want to know who you are? Don't ask. Act! Action will delineate and define you.” ~ Thomas Jefferson Life is a mystery, its challenges, many. How do you keep yourself going when you begin to droop a bit? Here are some suggestions to keep you fresh and moving forward away from stress, away from indecision, away from lack of decisiveness, away from gloom.

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“If you cannot be positive then at least be quiet.” Joel Osteenr In her book, You Don’t Have to Go Home From Work Exhausted!, Anne McGee-Cooper explains that there are four chances during the day to recharge energy levels: “getting ready for work, commuting to work, eating lunch, and commuting from work.” She then advises on ways to plan and implement an improved routine for energy renewal. Expanding upon this, we have some fresh suggestions adapted from this workaday classic, because we want the best for you and your one sweet life. Getting Ready for Workr

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“Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.” ~ Francis of Assisi Our society is so goal-oriented that any unfinished task feels like a source of distress and shame. We tend to either avoid thinking about our incomplete projects, or, we feel tremendous guilt over them. Somehow, the option to allow it to lie there peacefully unattended doesn’t seem to be an option.

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“There's nothing like rejection to make you do an inventory of yourself.” ~ James Lee Burke Even if you have created a life that is fully self-sustained and supported through the highest of all ideals, it’s wise to stop occasionally and observe objectively just what’s going on. Our life doesn’t come with any guarantees, but if you want to maximize your accomplishments while you’re still here, I’m presenting you with some ideas to freshen your perspective and possibly tighten up your game. Small tweaks and small steps forward are encouraged.

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“The greatest discovery of my generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitude of mind. … If you change your mind, you can change your life.” ~ William James Some coaches teach that it is your attitude which governs everything. I believe this is accurate, and if it is, all you’d have to do to change a situation would be to change your attitude. Of course, to change your attitude, you’d have to change your mind, right?

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"Remember the guy who gave up? Neither does anybody else." ~ Anonymous It’s totally human to think that everybody out there is having an easier time of it than we are, that somehow we aren’t measuring up. You might be surprised to learn that they feel the same way you do. It takes having some years of experience to discover this and give yourself a little slack.

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Affiliate marketing is the easiest way among all other methods to make money online. Sadly, most people do not realize one important thing to earn more from this business: to learn more. Knowledge is what distinguishes a super affiliate from just any other affiliate. It is also knowledge that will make a super affiliate earn a six figure income from the business easily. Here are the things that you need to learn more to earn more from your online business:

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“Always do your best. What you plant now, you will harvest later.” ~Og Mandino When you walk sedately into your twilight years, you don’t want to carry along any sense of regret. I recommend going there now and asking yourself what you’d love to cherish when you arrive there years from now. And then come back to today with a determination to make sure you accomplish all you want, so that your twilight years or your retirement years are filled with satisfaction and contentment. Here are some ideas to contemplate so that no regret slips into your future.

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“Remember this: You are the expert of your body.” ~ Sarah Hackley Some people eat more when they feel stressed. Are you a stress eater? It’s a common problem, because cookies or chocolate seem to make people feel better. If you find yourself going to food about the stresses in your life, you may need to change those behaviors.

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Have you ever wondered why we crave the downtime a weekend away affords us? Consider the fact that our brains actually need leisure and fun to function. Just as exercise releases endorphins, so does laughter. Positivity and pleasurable activities give the brain a chance to “cool-down” from the high-pressure demands of work and everyday responsibilities. Stress-relief isn’t just a release; it is necessary for us to continue to function at our very best. It is crucial to give your brain and body a break, so take leisure time seriously.

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“Time management is an oxymoron. Time is beyond our control, and the clock keeps ticking regardless of how we lead our lives. Priority management is the answer to maximizing the time we have.” ~ John C. Maxwell

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“The chains of habit are generally too small to be felt until they are too strong to be broken.“ ~Samuel Johnson If you want to stay fresh, youthful, and alive in this world, forsake habits. Repetitive habits make us feel comfortable, and eventually lull us to sleep. I’m not for removing all habits – just the ones that will rob you of success and happiness. Here are some examples:

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“If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything.” ~ Mark Twain We have always valued men and women of high principle – those for whom integrity is held aloft as a standard. But we have seen our so-called leaders caught in many lies publically in the news and this destroys our ability to continue to hold them in the same place of value. They are human beings such as we are, and although they seem to be held to a higher standard, what kind of standard are you holding yourself to? Do you always exercise integrity? Do you permit “little white lies?”

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“There’s no passion to be found playing small — in settling for a life that is less than you are capable of living.” ~ Nelson Mandela

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Everyone has come to parenthood with some hurtful or limiting belief about themselves. And for each one affected, each one has had his or her self-love challenged. It’s sad that it happens this way, but so many of us have become the change because of it, that I think it’s possible for you, too.r

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“I promise you nothing is as chaotic as it seems. Nothing is worth diminishing your health. Nothing is worth poisoning yourself into stress, anxiety, and fear.” ~ Steve Maraboli Do you welcome success in your life? A healthy, positive, optimistic mindset does more than just boost your mood. A truly positive and self-affirming perspective allows success to be felt more fully. There are many ways to welcome and embrace a success-positive attitude:

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“Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort.” ~ Franklin D. Roosevelt Do you have the mindset of living a life filled with promise and purpose or have you been lead down a path that looks unhappy and hopeless? I’ve know a few folks (fortunately, they’re in the minority) who view life through a film of gloom, an unwillingness to relinquish this mindset, and without work habits that will help them to change.

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Do you have the mindset of living a life filled with promise and purpose or have you been lead down a path that looks unhappy and hopeless? I’ve know a few folks (fortunately, they’re in the minority) who view life through a film of gloom, an unwillingness to relinquish this mindset, and without work habits that will help them to change. Song lyrics from the musical South Pacific say “You’ve got to have a dream. If you don’t have a dream, how you gonna make a dream come true?” Do you have a dream? Do you know what you want to achieve in your lifetime?r

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“Teaching children how to set boundaries helps with both peer pressure and time management.” ~ Patricia L. Perryr As children develop, they learn that each day has a structure. Developing a sense of time can help them understand what to expect, to know when to move to another activity, and to anticipate exciting events. Learning how to utilize time as a child becomes very useful when the child becomes an executive who has to both prioritize and plan his work, so it’s wise to begin early in your child’s life to teach him about time.r

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You all know how passionate I am about facilitating change in my life and in the lives of my clients, family and friends. I'd like to share a list with you this week so you can look closely at your own life and find some new ways to improve through changing. 1. Silent Observation. Quietly watch yourself in as objective a manner as you can. Watch your reactions. Watch your thoughts. Watch your activity. Watch how you interact with other people. This is a way of benchmarking yourself at the beginning of any attempts to change.

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Youthfulness is a way of being, and the vitality of the young is frequently enviable. Healthy children embody youthfulness not only because of their age, but because of their natural inclinations which have not yet been shut down, along with the fact that they don’t accept most forms of limitation. Observe any healthy child’s behaviors and outlook, and it is there that you will find the secret to their exuberance, and possibly a way of restoring your own.

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Perhaps, by now, you already know this truth: happiness is not something you need to discover because you are already capable of it and because it is intrinsic to the essence of your being! Believe it or not, happiness is not elusive. I just requires your focusing on it for it to become completely obvious to you, because it IS there. You see it in others and you like seeing it there. You want more of it for your own life. You may only need a few tools to either maintain a baseline of happiness, or build upon what you already have.

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“A man is not rightly conditioned until he is a happy, healthy, and prosperous being; and happiness, health, and prosperity are the result of a harmonious adjustment of the inner with the outer of the man with his surroundings.” ~ James Allen

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“Do your little bit of good where you are; its those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.” ~ Desmond Tutu Maximization seems to be the name of the game these days. We have to take advantage of every small morsel of time, so that we can be as successful as we can possibly be, and not be thought of as less-than by our peers. And this isn’t just happening in your small city or town. It’s become a global epidemic!

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"The measure of success is not whether you have a tough problem to deal with, but whether it is the same problem you had last year." ~ John Foster Dulles We hope this doesn’t come as a shock to some of you, but there just isn’t any such thing as a pain-free, problem-free life. We hear about Nirvana, and Xanadu, and Camelot. These places do not exist in nature. They are man-made fantasies, and they still come with challenges.

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“Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.” ~ Søren Kierkegaard Abraham Maslow pioneered the concept of a Hierarchy of Needs. The concept helps us to articulate the most important areas of our life where we can concentrate in order to be healthy and satisfied, where our most basic needs are satisfied, so that we can focus on those higher spiritual goals. Motivational speakers today have adapted the original five needs into six.

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“Productivity is never an accident. It is always the result of a commitment to excellence, intelligent planning, and focused effort.” ~ Paul J. Meyer

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“As a teenager I was more of an anarchist, but now I want people to thrive and be harmonious.” ~ Nicolas Cage

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“Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.” ~ Steve Jobs I think the most idyllic situation would be to be 100% self-sufficient and expect nothing from any other, but life just isn’t like that, is it?r

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“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” ~ Oscar Wilde In our early years, our awareness of self wasn’t well developed. It seemed that obeying our parents and pleasing them with our performance was what life was about. As we grew, we began to see that our opinions didn’t always match our parent’s standards. It’s at this point that some determine to go their own way and trust themselves, while others choose to remain on the path determined by their parents.

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“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson In our early years, our awareness of self wasn’t well developed. It seemed that obeying our parents and pleasing them with our performance was what life was about. As we grew, we began to see that our opinions didn’t always match our parent’s standards. It’s at this point that some determine to go their own way and trust themselves, while others choose to remain on the path determined by their parents.

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Are you a renter or an owner? The question is generally asked about living space or maybe an office. Today, I ‘m asking about it with regards to your job and/or career.

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Over this past weekend, I had my annual “lunch on the lawn” party, big long tables in the garden laden with fresh food from the local farms and the ocean. It is an event people look forward to, so no one ever turns down the invitation. Note to readers — invite people to lunch on weekends. They are rarely booked, more relaxed, eat less, drink little, and stay for no more than three hours. It's also memorable because no one else does it.

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When working with my executive coaching clients, or presenting to a group of leaders, I am struck by how often people identify with what they do versus who they are and what they have to offer. In the extreme they spend more time selling their employers than themselves. Good for Company X, bad for aspiring worker. I created a list of areas where you can enhance your brand to promote yourself, or should. It's what I call Aspects of Personal Branding in the Workplace.

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Communicating effectively is a key element to success. It involves the elements of transmitting, receiving and understanding the message being directed to others in relationships especially in the workforce. As a senior leader and manager, I welcomed my employees to state the problem. However, when they bring a problem to the staff meeting they must have some possible solutions in mind to resolve the issue. Moaning, groaning and constant complaining will not work. Seeking resolution will bring respect to you from your managers and fellow colleagues.

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“Love my work, hate my job” is the lament of too many people. Since layoffs appear to have reduced in numbers and the workplace seems to be settling into the new normal, people have the luxury of contemplating whether they're happy in the workplace.

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Too quickly, and too often the answer given to this question is “yes.” “Of course you have to move to get to the next level, make more money.” “Everyone knows home-growns are paid less.” True? Not necessarily, according to Monika Hamori, professor of Human Resource Management at the IE Business School in Madrid, Spain. In her July-August 2010 article for the Harvard Business Review, she discusses the myths and facts she deciphered in her eight years researching the global financial industry’s employment records using the data of a large international executive search firm.

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I'm always surprised at how many of my executive career coaching clients are hesitant to contact former colleagues and supervisors when they need advice or information. I call these their “networking hurdles.” It seems particularly true when they’re looking for a job. Why is that? I gave it some thought and here’s what I came up with.

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How do you predict the outcome of a behavior, project, or idea? A few days ago, an executive career-coaching client came to a session with an interesting PowerPoint presentation. It was a proposal to a potential employer. My client hoped the company would gain a better appreciation of his expertise and ability to transfer his skills to their industry sector as well as demonstrate a talent for addressing their specific challenges and opportunities. It was very effective. His outline was based on the SWOT template.

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Are you envious of people who can go on vacation and not give work, home, or other obligations a thought? I use to be but then decided it really wasn’t the right mindset for me.

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Bob Sheppard, the announcer for the New York Yankees, for more than almost six decades, applied three simple principles to his extraordinary delivery. Surely his beautiful baritone made him highly listenable and memorable; however, it was his discipline that made him a lifetime member of the team and a much loved part of the game for spectators. To become a good communicator Bob Sheppard believed you had to abide by three simple, but important, rules—be clear, concise, and correct.

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I’ve been thinking about, and sharing with my executive coaching clients, the idea of validation. What I mean is the need of almost all of us to be told, in word or reaction, that who we are and what we contribute is relevant, valuable, and special. People on the job interview circuit generally get more rejections than offers and most of the nos come without explanation or regret. Are there many things harder than speaking with a series of people, believing you could do the job and perform well, only to hear nothing back?

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Bottom line … It can be lonely at the top ! Executive coaching gives you the opportunity to examine your choices as a leader in a confidential and candid setting. Imagine having an objective and committed partner to work through the issues that you are facing. The coaching process is not only about increasing or improving performance, it is also about shifting the way you see and interpret the world which allows you to choose new actions aligned with your goals. After all, we know you cannot continue to do the same things, over and over again, while expecting new results.

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I learned the W-A-I-T acronym in my graduate school training. I’ve always posted a small note on my wall, out of the client’s view, as a reminder. The letters stand for “Why Am I Talking?” Why do people talk too much in business situations? - They’re anxious. Maybe the gathering is about a difficult subject or has important leaders present. Most people don’t want to be the center of attention, yet they’re afraid they’ll be ignored or negated. So they talk and talk. This is the anxiety speaking and it often isn’t pretty or welcome.

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Recently, my assistant, Naomi, shared a TED lecture with me. The speaker told an incredible story of a childhood riddled with extreme poverty, homelessness that was saved by love and encouragement. He spoke of taking bold moves to create an adult life of true abundance, contribution, and intellectual stimulation and financial reward. The word he constantly used was “bold.” When I was growing up one of the worst things you could be called was bold. It implied brazen, outspoken, bucking the system, and not a team player. It was alien to my culture, gender, and family messages.

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Conversations with a number of coaching clients have focused on the need to network and develop a networking strategy. While job seekers may not want to “get out there in a big way,” they generally appreciate the role that reconnecting and meeting new people plays in identifying positions and landing the job they want and deserve. When I stress a minimum of 50% (or somewhere around twenty hours) of their job search time needs to be spent networking, clients fall off their chairs but reluctantly do it. The ones who master the skills tend to reap the greatest benefits.

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First let me correct my title — I would prefer the phrasing, “Are you the boss people want to work with?” because “with” sends a message of partnership and collaboration rather the servitude. Let’s hope we’re past the later. I’ve spent most of my career(s), be it in a corporate environment, the not-for-profit arena, and as an entrepreneur, observing and aspiring to the behavior of people I saw as excellent leaders, managers, and supervisors, aka bosses. While they may have been different in their styles and skills, they had a number of things in common. They all were...

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Are you tone-deaf in your place of work? Do you miss cues when people make a snide remark? Or, are you dismissive, insensitive, or judgmental in tone with your verbal comments that would seem benign on paper but have real bite when said? Do you say things to people in a tone that would make them take offence, become defensive, or do you side step difficult conversations with remarks that are heavy in tone?

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Last week, while I was considering subjects for this article, I found myself thinking about a tip my daughter-in-law, Mary, gave me. Since she was trained by the military as a truck mechanic, I take her automotive advice seriously. Then, I had to laugh. I think this is the third Competitive Edge Report I’ve written where I talked about cars. It’s a bit bizarre, since I drive only about 1,000 miles a year and have had the same vehicle for more than a decade. Hmmm.

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Over past decades the issue of diversity has taken a very visible place in the growth and structuring of the workplace population. Whether it was caused by mandates or natural shifts in population, the job sites look quite different. The challenge, as I see it, is not only to continue to push for more diversity in the two major categories — gender and race/ethnicity — but also in less obvious areas such as education, energy, and temperament. It is these less noticeable areas where, I believe, the most opportunity and riches exists.

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Have you ever taught a freshman class at a college or university? The students that reside on campus are excited about being away from their parents. Most express they are looking forward to doing things on the own. The campus layout facilitates for them a perception of living the dreams of their life for the next four years. Zoning on campus is clearly defined with important areas designated for eating, sleeping, exercising and studying. Everything is paid for an exciting place to reside!r

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I’ve helped people advance their careers, switch jobs, and change employers most of my work life. It is over a year since my husband passed away and recently I’ve decided to test the dating waters. Within weeks of navigating the dating scene it occurred to me that looking for a date and searching for a job have more in common tha I could have ever imagine or thought could apply. When looking for a career or your soul mate, follow these simple suggestions.

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You’ve heard people say again and again, “I learned more from my mistakes than my successes.” My reply is “I doubt it.” They’ll spend hours, days, and endless energy trying to correct (or worse defend) a mistake by analyzing and dissecting in post mortem, generally producing a patched up version of the mess they had. If you didn’t like model 101 what are the chances 201 will meet your needs any better? We see it in relationships all the time; people unsuccessfully date or hire the same type, over and over, hoping for something different and better. How often does that work out?

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I decided autumn was a great time to clean out the garage. Thought, while I was at it, to get rid of the things that had been replaced or whose time had come. The answer was clear—sell it at my first ever yard sale. Here’s what I learned and how I think we can all apply some of the lessons to other parts of our lives.

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I was walking in the Times Square area the other day when I spotted a person wearing a very graphic tee shirt. It read, “No such thing as off-season.” While I'm sure he was thinking NFL, NBA, or MLB, my wheels turned toward the workplace. I can't tell you how many times people have told me, “Let's wait ‘til after (name the holiday)” or “I can't network now, no one is in their offices.” As a person with a perch that must overlook the offices of thousands of people, I can tell you with certainty — people are at work.

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I’m standing on line at the supermarket behind a mother and her five year old son. Bored, tired, and cranky, the child wants out, as does the mother. The boy starts asking questions and for things. “No!” says the mother. “No” is the answer so many time that she is ahead of her son’s requests. Finally, in frustration she yells, “Don’t even bother asking me because the answer is going to be ‘no.’” We’ve all witnessed this type of scenario and probably are guilty of participation now and again. For some reason the scene stuck with me.

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I hear it all the time from my coaching clients, “I want to get to the next level and in order to do that, I have to take on a leadership role.” “Really? And do you want to be a leader?” “I don’t know, seems like I have to if I want to get ahead.” This is a treacherous and potentially dangerous train of thought; one that could do more harm to a career than good. Why? Because, not everyone is cut out to be a leader intellectually, temperamentally, or with regard to energy and emotional strength.

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My last Competitive Edge Report article “Is the Key Still in Your Ignition?” hit a sweet cord with a number of you and sour note with others. I thought I’d continue the discussion this week by looking back as well as forward.

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I was working with an executive coaching client the other day developing a strategy for the next steps in her career. For reasons unclear to me, I thought our discussion was off course. Was I not asking the right questions? Not hearing the underlying comments or insights? Influencing her answers by showing some form of judgment or perspective? All were possible. The challenge was how to get to the meat of the issues. It dawned on me to make the problem visual.

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I am fortunate to work as an executive coach with people at many levels, in different stages of their careers, and in a variety of industries. Even though there is significant variety and diversity in my client base, I am often struck how similar their thought processes and experiences are. This is particularly true when it comes to discontent. You’d think everyone would be complaining about wages, or lack of vacation time, the long hours, or the tight spaces in which they work — no.

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The April 2013 issue of Inc. features Tim Ferriss, the author who brought us “The 4-Hour Workweek” and other productivity books, blogs, and seminars. Ferriss’ 80/20 rule says that “eighty percent of one’s productivity comes from 20% of one’s efforts and likewise 80% of your wasted time comes from 20% of the possible causes.” I started to look at the twenty-percent possible causes. 1. Support system has not grown or flexed. When I speak of support system, I am referring to many factions.

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There aren’t many people who could say their opponents shed a tear at their funeral; however, that is reportedly what happened at the services for the late Edward Kennedy. As with most current events, I found myself curious for the lesson(s) behind the story. While researching Kennedy’s workplace skills, I chose to read the words of politicians, journalists, and commentators who were clearly not in agreement with most of his views. What did they have to say?

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Constructive conflict is an essential part of any team, group, or partnership dynamic. If people do not disagree or come to the table with a variety of perspectives and their unique set of values, battles would eschew, new ideas would not flourish, and creativity would be stifled. When facilitating team building in a workplace setting, I often use the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument as a data-driven jumping off point. The TKI is easy to administer and interpret, and powerful in the feedback it provides.

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My vacation strategy! I can hear the cries already, “I have to have a strategy for vacation as well? Isn’t a career strategy, a life plan and an investment direction enough?” I’ll say “maybe” but mea “no.” While I have written much about the value and importance of work, I am a devout believe in taking time away from the office, in fact, away from almost everything. I also subscribe to the idea that if you don’t plan it, someone else will get the long weekends, prime weeks, and extended holiday breaks. And guess who is left holding down the fort?

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The other night I was watching an interview of two major players at Google Ventures. Google Ventures is the in-house “radical” venture group of the organization, the people who hunt for new ideas and people with ideas, and then invests time and skills with them with the hope of finding the next big thing.

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No one likes having the difficult conversation whether it is in his or her personal life or at work. Unfortunately they often are essential. What makes the interaction scary is the unpredictability of the response and reaction of the receiver as well as your issues about the topic at hand.

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Whether you call it laid-off, downsized, or losing a perfectly good position you love, being told you no longer have a job is not fun. While not totally preventable. it is possible to do things, or not do them, to lessen your chances of making the expendable list. Here are some of my suggestions: - Have customers. Employees with a book of clients are generally the last to go whether in sales, the law, or wealth management. Customers are not happy to see relationships end and companies are not willing to lose clients. Work on building your book of buyers.

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Having been on both sides of the layoff table I can tell you with great confidence that few employment decisions are based strictly on contribution or goal attainment. Don’t get me wrong, making money for the firm is important, doing superior work is essential; however, there is that less tangible side, which often determines what column your name gets placed in. This article’s tips address some of those softer, less obvious issues.

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The job market in many parts of the United States and the world is shifting for the better. I have a number of clients and colleagues who are voluntarily choosing to make a move, often for more money and a better title. It should put all of us who work with and for others on constant alert. It always amazes me when people say they had “no idea” when a valued employee informs them they are leaving the organization. Here are some tried and true indicators. In the next issue I will discuss some potential rescue remedies.

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Living a Healthier Lifer By Dr. Amicitia Maloon-Gibsonr Author-Speaker- Executive Coach

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There is a myth circulating in the workplace and neighborhoods. It goes something like this “Networking during (fill in the blank, Thanksgiving, Christmas, August, end of quarter, bad weather… ) is a waste of time because no one is around.”

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At its essence, networking is connecting with people. It can be individuals you know, want to know better, or are considering bringing into your sphere. As social beings the behavior is not only normal but instinctual. So why when I put “business” or “career” in front of networking do many of my executive coaching clients suddenly panic, plead ignorance, or express “hate”? My guess is they’ve never really tested, had a bad experience and/or don’t know the how tos.

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Many people are asking themselves this question. Whether it is because the industry you know has lost its purpose (CD anyone?), your lifestyle demands your increased presence (twins!), or you are unmotivated, disenchanted, burned-out, under-stimulated, or just can’t face looking at that guy in one more meeting, the thought of making a radical change probably has occurred to you.

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No matter what type of workplace you choose to operate in, you undoubtedly have to manage people. They might be direct reports, clients or customers, interns, freelancers, vendors, colleagues, and of course the often most challenging of all, your boss or business partner. Here are a few tips on how to manage behavior and time while reducing everyone’s stress and avoiding conflict: Article:

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I came upon a survey by Universum, a global employer branding company. They asked more than 65,000 college students to list what they considered to be the top 250 employers. No surprise Google ranked #1. Consulting companies such as McKinsey, Bain, and Boston Consulting were high on the list as were brand names such as Coca-Cola, Disney, and Proctor and Gamble. Just like workers in other age and education groups, the students rated job security and an ability to advance in their careers as very important.

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Turnover, voluntary or forced, is part of the workplace cycle. As in nature, some changes take place a leaf at a time while in other instances a hurricane performs the serious pruning. This article addresses some things you should consider when an employee enters your office and says, “I quit!” Let’s start off with a bit of prevention.

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When a loved one, friend, neighbor, or co-worker has a loss, most people feel compelled to say something. The question is “what?” Having lost some very important people in my life as well as attempted to console friends and colleagues who have had to deal with death, here are my suggestions as to what you might say. Keep it Simple: “I am sorry for your loss” is a very good start and many times the only thing you have to/should say.

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About eight years into my first career (as many of you know I’ve had a few), I ranked high enough to have access to files. As any good snooping executive would do, I looked at my folder. To my surprise there was almost nothing in it. Okay, yes, there was the usual tax forms, my original applications, and some outdated references but what was obviously not present was all but a very few performance evaluations. For a moment, I thought it was some kind of trick or joke, and then it dawned on me that I hadn’t had a written evaluation in years. Why?

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As most of you know, I’m a strong advocate of everyone having an updated resume and bio. It prevents you from being placed in the embarrassing situation of being asked to “shoot me over your current resume” and having to say you don’t have one or lying and scrambling to create something. The bonus of this discipline is you are forced to reevaluate your job and career on a regular basis as well as update the document’s format to meet ever-changing standards.

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We hear everywhere that there is only one constant: change. If that is true, why do so many people find it so very difficult? One would think that if it is so common we would all be change agent experts… chameleons if you will; but such is not the case. The majority of humans tend toward ...

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If employees in your organization seem a little demotivated lately it is no wonder. Between budget cuts, salary cuts, and hiring freezes employees everywhere are feeling pressured to "work miracles". In addition, if they are still employed it is most likely that someone close to them is not so ...

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“Liars, Bigger Liars and d’em that figure.” An uncle often used this expression when knocking politicians and accountants. This week his words resonated with me as it seems everyone is accusing everyone else of either not telling the truth or lying by omission. The political debate is more about denying what is not true than defending it. Wall Streeters and their customers are accusing financial leaders of painting a rosy picture based more on hope than fact.

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My first kindergarten assignment was to go home and find out the family home phone number. The next day we practiced memorizing those digits. As I recall the teacher helped us put the number sequence to some kind of rhythm not dissimilar to those 800 ads that help you remember where to buy a mattress or donate your car to charity. To this day, I still remember the Longfellow Street number.

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Sound golf advice. I can think of a few applications—fat heads often have trouble with finesse and close-ups; bigger isn’t always better and there is the right tool for almost every task. When I think of applying the idea to challenges in the workplace I am drawn first to bullying. Some time or another all of us have probably done a bit of bullying. For many people it is their MO. Are you a bully? Do you tolerate this type of behavior in those who work for you? Do you allow yourself to be pushed around by someone larger, louder and more aggressive than you?

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Watching the news coverage of the commercial airplane’s emergency landing into the river in New York I found myself curious about the captain. Who was he? What did he know? How had he learned it? Was it instinct or training, skill or luck? So what does this have to do with you, your career strategy and maybe your job search? Probably plenty. Captain Sullenberger had important elements of a successful career – deep passion, aptitude, high-quality and continued education and commitment.

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Times are tough. It is hard to avoid the challenges of the day whether it is your job, wallet, optimism or health that has been impacted. Earlier in the year I was redoing my kitchen. Clearing out twenty years of accumulation was a bigger task tha I expected. I was shocked at how much food I had amassed. I decided to take the challenge announcing we were “eating from the cupboard” for the next two weeks. It was truly amazing how many wonderful things we found and the new dishes created. Rather than feeling deprived or restricted it became a creative and delicious process.

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I recently had the opportunity to invite a friend and her grandchildren to a local fair. I’ve been going to the event for years and like the predictability and tradition; plus it supports a good cause. The carousel is always in front of the big house, the face painting under the elms, and you can count on the stampede to the rummage sale and vintage clothing tent. There is something remarkably calm about the entire experience and the kids, young and old, love it.

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If you want your resume to get noticed, open doors and land you the job you want and deserve … 1. State accomplishments - what have you done in past positions that has made the company money, saved them money, found them time, saved them time or brought prestige to the organization or the brand? Do Now! List your three biggest accomplishments.

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Whether you are leading a major initiative, trying to get your team to the next level, or attempting to corral a group of volunteers, there are three important steps every leader needs to apply to ensure a positive outcome and invested participants. They are the 3 Fs — fuel, focus, and feedback. Let’s look at each.

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Malcolm Gladwell made a name for himself by writing three bestselling books “Blink,” “The Tipping Point,” and now “Outliers.” His latest is currently number 5 on the bestseller list. The word outlier refers to “a statistical observation that is markedly different in value from others of the sample.” Gladwell’s focus is on extraordinarily successful people (Bill Gates, the Beatles, NHL players to name a few), and what it is about them, their environment, and the luck that made them what they are today.

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For nine consecutive years, info marketing guru Dan Kennedy had been a presenter at the number 1 seminar tour in the US. You only have to be around Dan an hour to observe his certain kind of genius as well as understand that maverick is not an understatement. Despite his eccentric behavior he manages to hold on to some very sensible pearls of wisdom.

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Watching the news coverage of the commercial airplane’s emergency landing into the river in New York I found myself curious about the captain. Who was he? What did he know? How had he learned it? Was it instinct or training, skill or luck? So what does this have to do with you, your career strategy and maybe your job search? Probably plenty. Captain Sullenberger had important elements of a successful career – deep passion, aptitude, high-quality and continued education and commitment.

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The story tells of an interaction between a parent and his high school-age child. The adolescent presents with a report card of four As and one D-. Because of our prejudices and experiences, we the reader are inclined to think the parent is going to either lecture or at least focus on the low grade. We’re fooled. The father applies another strategy with an approach that I think is applicable to leading and managing others, and useful in our own self-management.

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Social Networking gets your job search noticed When I speak of social networking I am referring primarily to Facebook.com (growing the fastest) LinkedIn.com (I call it the Facebook.com of business), My Space.com (huge globally) and Twitter.com (getting the most buzz). Not to say there are not other locations but if you used only these you would be well into the game. Why would a sane adult want to enter into the social networking arena, during a job search?

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It's no secret that things move a lot faster than they used to-including us. Within minutes of a world event, a billion people know about it! News moves faster and faster, and so does business. Our busy, stressful lives can have a negative impact on our work and our lives. The good news is that ...

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A behavior common among very successful people is setting high standards for themselves as well as others. Whether the actions are going to be seen by friends or colleagues, or done strictly in private, doesn’t seem to matter, high achievers place the bar at the top rung for almost anything and everything.

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Top 4 Resume Writing Mistakes Smart People Make (and how to avoid them) 1. Underselling Accomplishments. You would be amazed how many people either forget or minimize their achievements. Some managers are too quick to give, rather than take credit, and often couch their successes in qualifying terms such as “possible,” “assisted,” “worked with,” “generally.” Solution: Work with someone who can help you harvest those accomplishments. Keep files throughout the year listing contributions and results. It is easy to forget and or assume everyone knows.

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How does a company, firm, or individual determine if they have, want, or are striving toward the competitive edge? Questioning “what is professional success?” is a good first step. For many, the easy answer is money and status. But, when these are attained (or lost) it is surprising how ethereal they were. On the other hand, if success has more to do with an ability to express oneself and be heard, engage with a passion and interact with equally motivated people, then the target moves.

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“I’ll just run this by my boss” was a phrase that I heard all to frequently from my client who came to see about work-related stress. Laura, a young woman in her first major corporate job, worked for a boss who micro-managed. The boss, who did not like surprises, insisted upon being appraised about each and every decisio Laura was about to undertake.

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1. Center Yourself. Take in a deep breath. Let it out. Now, breathe in brilliance. Exhale out the burden. Do this three times so you feel more centered. 2. Ask for the Greatest Good. As Mayor, take a moment and claim your office, and ask that your solutions be for the highest good for ...

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Let’s see if you can walk across 6th Avenue without criticizing yourself.” I have no clue why that thought jumped into my mind one muggy July-in-New-York-City afte oon. Maybe it’s because I was so sick of the Criticism Committee playing its soundtrack during my every waking ...

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The TLC Diet for the Swamped Working Woma As an executive coach for women I am seeing a trend of working women putting their health at the bottom of their “To Do List”. I watch more and more executive women grumbling at prying themselves away from the office and toward greater ...

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Change. That word alone tends to paralyze many people. They start assuming and pre-acting about what they think will happen before it even starts and go off on a tangent until they're paralyzed by the mere thought. I'm not going to say "Now how smart is that exactly?" Preconceptions of what ...

Published · 1,619 views

4 Tips Beyond customer service, which all successful business leaders measure, this top producer measures customer delight. You can too, with these 4 tips. Many successful financial advisors measure customer service, with traditional measures such as process time, customer satisfaction, or ...

Published · 5,105 views · Rated 5/5 from 2 votes

Leaders navigate via curiosity. Curiosity leads to learning and expands the realm of what they don't know to what they do know. Leaders share what is there AND isn’t. They rely on observations, intuition and inklings to help staff move forward. Intuition and inklings aren’t found in any ...

Published · 1,636 views

“You have got to be out of your mind” was a sentence Isabella was getting used to hearing. Friend after friend rolled her eyes as she told them of her plans. Isabella was 80 years old, for God’s sake, and no amount of eye rolling was going to dissuade her. Even if her friends ...

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I see it over and over again, a client goes on an interview, makes it past HR (in my book the highest hurdle), is sent up to meet the department head, onto the hiring manager with a stop by the top person, and then no offer. What happened? Ruling out the circumstances beyond your control, such as they were going to hire from within from the get go, a hiring freeze was put in place, or they chose not to fill the position, what can you do to make sure you get the offer, promotion, or key project?

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A woman in her twenties pulled me aside after I finished a speech for a corporate client. Lizelle was newly married and was nervous that with her demanding job she wouldn’t have the energy to have a child. Wait a minute here. She’s 26 years old and she is so tired she doesn’t ...

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You just heard the news - you were passed over for the big promotion. Now what should you do? Here are some simple steps that might ease the frustration, give you some insight and help you plan your next career move. Step 1 – Take a deep breath, assess the situation and ask yourself this dozen questions. 1) Did I really want the job or did I just think I should want it? 2) Were the decision makers aware of my aspirations? If not, why not? 3) What are their factors, within and beyond my control, which influenced the choice?r

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It shouldn't surprise me anymore, but it does. When a potential coaching client contacts me, I often ask two questions, "How did you find me?" and "What made you interested?" Ninety percent of the time, the answer to the first question is "I Googled 'career coach.'" No surprise, I work hard to make it easy for people to find my business and me. It's the second answer that's shocking, "Well you were the only person who called back." What?

Published · 1,923 views · Rated 3/5 from 2 votes

Should you stay or should you go? Will changing jobs really make you happy? By Jim Manton - The Master of Transitions Does your Monday morning alarm clock immediately fill your mind with dreadful thoughts of going to a job you hate? Do you wonder how much longer you can continue going ...

Published · 1,329 views

If the 80s was the decade of the manager (remember The One-Minute Manager?), and the 90s focused on leaders (sometimes more like celebrities), the 00s is the time of team leadership. No longer are companies relying on a single person to drive the vision. The risks are too high, the talent thin. The needs demand depth and breath of knowledge as well as skills. Only a highly qualified leadership team can meet the challenge. In addition, evidence shows that successful teams produce greater results and happier employees.

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As a motivational speaker I was always dieting, I never believed I was eating lean enough. Lettuce, celery, and apples were the only foods I ate without a pang of guilt. Since I could never stay on that diet very long, custom-designed for a gerbil, I binged in frustration. In college, my car was ...

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“The future is not a result of choices among alte ative paths offered by the present, but a place that is created--created first in the mind and will, created next in activity. The future is not some place we are going to, but one we are creating. The paths are not to be found, but made, and ...

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I recently did a poll, posted a blog and asked clients "What would you do if you had an extra 15 minutes on top of the 24 hours in a day? (click here to read that post) and got screamed at from all parts of the globe. "WHAT? 15 MINUTES? What's 15 minutes? What can anyone do in just 15 ...

Published · 1,561 views

You’ve heard it said many times, “Follow your bliss. Pursue your passion. Do what you love doing”. Not only has it been said for thousands of years, and it’s also backed by modern career interest surveys and assessments. It doesn’t take a scientist to figure out that most people do well what ...

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It had been a bad hair month, “said Beth Grading. “I had been passed over for a promotion, my best friend got a great job in San Francisco and I had a string of ‘no where dates’. “I felt so goofy that my bad mood lifted. I loved pacing up and down the stairs. ...

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Some people think they can do everything . Well, many executives keep doing things themselves because "it's a lot easier to just do it than take the time to train someone and then have to check the work anyway". These same people start coming in a little bit earlier and leaving a little later to ...

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People who are afraid to speak in public think nothing of writing everything about them self on line either in blogs, personal web sites, through social networking or e-mail. You could buy a billboard in Times Square and fewer people would have access to your information than if you posted on many popular social networking sites.

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A shocking report in the Los Angeles Times showed that single Baby Boomer women are at the greatest risk of living in poverty. Why? This is due because of lower wages, more spending and only bringing in a single paycheck. Many of us Baby Boomer women have to dramatically downsize our lives as we ...

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"God's the kind of guy you can trust," was my friend John's advice on a particularly bleak autumn morning. At the time, I probably gave him one of those oh-please-do-you-think-this-is-going-to-help-me-pay-my-bills looks. Sure, he could trust the Universe. He had a beautiful wife and a great ...

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"Happiness is a choice that requires effort at times" (Aeschylus). How can we stick with a preferred outcome the first day, week, month, and on into a year and beyond? While making a change can feel daunting, change can be approached simply. My personal & professional observation about successfully maintaining healthier choices and/or successful outcomes is this. Doing so means comprehending, learning, experiencing, and adapting to a preferred outcome or change before launching into will power.

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Let's be clear. I have some serious 'tude this week! What follows is a channeling of my inner Andy Rooney. It's well and good to offer suggestions. Yet, a growing group of self-help profiteers do that and more. They claim to actually inspire and motivate as they collect their fees, sign books, and sell even more programs and products. I don't know about you, but how can they know what will or will not inspire and motivate me? Are they mind readers too?

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One of the things I work on with my clients is Defining Success. It's more than a personal mission statement....it's success as you know it according to your personal ethics, values and integrity, taking into account competencies, talents and strengths and when you see the results it's ...

Published · 3,158 views · Rated 3/5 from 1 votes

Effective communication is something that I study extensively as I suspect that how we speak and listen to one another makes or breaks our interactions. What I discovered is this. While we humans may not consistently verbalize or say what we mean, we humans seem to have communication patterns and desires. After taking American Sign Language, a herd of writing and communication-design courses, and supporting thousands of clients with behavior modification and mediation (conflict resolution), I finally feel ready to publish my observations about this as a list.

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Effectively managing change, in all of its various forms, is like working on our roots. Put differently, instead of being whipped about by change, we can use change to develop our minds and hearts. How? Well, through the process of change. That is to say that we can nourish, strengthen, and improve our mental clarity, and, therein, our creativity, wellness, collaboration, performance, happiness, and, yes, success as the seasons of change swirl around us. Thereby nurturing our roots for an abundant harvest year after year.

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"Never mistake knowledge for wisdom. One helps you make a living; the other helps you make a life" (Sandra Carey). So how did I release 6 sizes and about 90 plus pounds in 1.5 years? As difficult as it is for me to make myself this vulnerable, I decided to use this opportunity and share that experience. Literally, I move toward my preferred outcome one choice at a time. What do I mean?

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In good and bad employment times, it seems certain people can locate, attract, and select the best. Whether they’re looking for a new CEO, to fill a line position, or searching out the best childcare worker, some employers seems to get the right results. Why is that? Are they just plain lucky? I say it has nothing to do with luck. What is critical is to avoid a few common mistakes so many of us make. Here’s a few you might be guilty of:

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I’ve never understood why it is so difficult for some people to say “thank you.” It begs the question, “Are we really grateful?” and, “For what and whom?” And most important, “Can we admit it to ourselves and share it with others?”

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Lessons from the Drive Thru Window. The Power of Asking Eli Davidson, M.A. I have an admission to make. I just polished off every molecule of a McDonalds Big N Tasty Meal. (That’s a #6 for you Mickey D’s wanna be’s.) Ahh, I loved each bite of burger and salty, soggy fry. Every mouthful ...

Published · 1,590 views · Rated 4/5 from 1 votes

There are a myriad of reasons that people change. Pain, joy, and hope are a few reasons. Debts, a friend's tragic story or a great movie, etc., are a few more. These reasons may inspire us to take action. Yet, whatever our reasons to change, how we perceive information relates to our belief in ourselves, and, ultimately, how successful we become.

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I was raised by Grandparents who went through the Great-US Depression in the 1930s. So, I have a unique perspective about finances among my peers. Let me just say it. Getting a rein on our budgets is about common sense, effective stress management, as well as longer-term happiness and wellness.

Published · 1,850 views

Sensitizing yourself can lead to emotional surprises. It doesn't mean being more 'touchy-feely' or sensitive. It means being aware of all that's around you and inside of you. And yes, one can get hurt in the process but one can truly live and experience life to the fullest extent as well. That ...

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I was in the Container Store watching what seemed like hundreds of people buying all sorts of plastic containers to put their “stuff” in. It got me thinking about the types of clutter we have, particularly in the workplace. While I don't, nor do my executive coaching clients, partake in the pathological amassing of trash you see on reality shows, we all have “stuff” and excuses for holding on to it. “My office is not immune.” Here's what I call executive office clutter:

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Are you looking in a specific place? Expecting something to happen? What energises you.....makes you feel alive? Life is yours. It isn't what happens to someone else, it's what happens and how it happens to you. And, no matter good, bad or indifferent, it's how you process the experience and ...

Published · 3,852 views · Rated 3.5/5 from 2 votes

We’ve all had our share of poor or mediocre bosses, but what qualities do most great supervisors seem to have? I would argue three of the essentials are transparency, flexibility, and leadership. Here’s what they look like in action.

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Have you thrown anyone away recently? Someone who works for you, someone in your family, a friend…someone you’re dating or even married to? Did you need to read this to realise you might have? Relationships can be defined as “a state of connectedness between people”. One ...

Published · 11,327 views

What drives human behavior? There are a few schools of thought about what makes humans tick. I use Abraham Maslow's Hierarchy of Human Behavior to better understand why we humans do what we do, which includes five elements with multiple aspects in each element: physical survival, safety & security, belonging, self-esteem, and self-actualization.

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Have you ever observed a conversation from a distance and guessed what was happening from the body posture and gestures of the participants? A childhood friend of mine and I did that for fun. Oh the stories that we'd create. Today I still do it and I could write volumes about this topic: reading faces, socializing, body language, and technology responses. Taking a quick look into what we don't say says is like pulling back the veil on effective communication. Often, there's a bit more going on behind a smiling face than a smiling face.

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A questio I hear often, along with many others. "When will I finally have time for me...for my life? When will I be successful?" or "When will I know true happiness?" I know my answers will be controversial and cause reactions. Good. If I'm pushing your buttons in any way it means you ...

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2019 Learn to Cope With Stress By Dr Cita Maloon-Gibson, EmpowermentDOC™ Stress is a part of life and it can be categorized as good or bad. It is neither positive nor negative and can be internal or exte al. The Stressors of life may be beyond our control as stressors are a part of life. There are various stages of stress that triggers the body and various causes of stress. Stress can become distress and effects the way we process stress mentally and physically—is it all in your head? You can learn to cope with stress is my resolve.r

Published · 1,201 views · Rated 1/5 from 1 votes

I had a boss, I’ll call him, Ted. Ted was very political and used his high emotional intelligence to play all sides of every issue just to make sure he was always covered. I heard him lie by fact and omission. So clever was the man that when opinions were asked, he was able to shift positions 180 degrees before the final vote, especially if he saw the tide going against him. He bragged about accomplishments that were fantasy and made commitments he never intended to keep, while espousing values he violated on a regular basis.

Published · 1,712 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

We all have attended presentations. I’m sure you will agree most were terrible – boring, redundant, and/or visually offensive. I am guilty of giving a few myself. You too? To improve my knowledge base and skills, I started studying the product launches of Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple, Inc. I then began listening and reading Carmine Gallo, columnist with Businessweek.com. Gallo teaches presentation skills to top executives. He is also a self-proclaimed expert on the techniques and genius of Steve Jobs.

Published · 2,046 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

Have you recently observed the steam coming out of the ears of a few women over forty? Not sure what’s up and what started it all? Let me clue you in. It’s a reaction to a just published McKinsey & Company report in conjunction (some would say cahoots) with The Wall Street journal. In the spirit of full disclosure, I must admit I am a WSJ subscriber and have been quoted by the publication a number of times.

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Do you have days when you feel like you’re getting nowhere or sense a project will never end? Worked on initiatives where you were only part of the solution and would never see the finished product? Wonder what happened to that suggestion that received such a positive reception and now seems to have disappeared? Join the crowd. So many of us are not privy to or given access to much of the work and decisions that are made in our workplace. What we also lack is any kind of regular feedback that would motivate, inform, and engage us to carry on.

Published · 1,726 views · Rated 2/5 from 2 votes

In contemporary psychological terms, “extrovert” is used to describe a individuals whose temperament type or preference directs and receives their energy from exte al sources. In the practical sense, they are action people who plug into others for their juice. They’re not generally drawn to reflection, they are “doers.” Talking things out is an extrovert’s way of understanding, solving problems, reducing stress, sharing, and communicating. I am less likely to say to myself, “what are they really thinking?” when working with an extrovert.

Published · 7,446 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

Money is tight everywhere. Even people doing well are feeling the impact of local, national, and global slowdowns in the economy. That said, it doesn’t necessarily mean no one is getting merit increases, promotions, and salary adjustments. Whether you work for a company that has a very structured compensation review process or are employed in a more entrepreneurial setting where salaries are handled in a less formal manner, you have to have a strategy and approach to making sure you are getting what you have rightfully earned without jeopardizing what you have.

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It’s just a fact of work life -- not everyone has the same amount of dollars to invest in opportunities or challenges. In today’s economic environment the numbers with less is accelerating and even those with resources appear to be hesitant to spend. This is true especially when it comes to the hiring, promoting, and rewarding of employees.

Published · 1,668 views

When working with managers and executives in a coaching relationship, I’m often struck as to how naïve some are to the realities of the day-to-day operating on the job and the politics of the workplace.

Published · 1,712 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

The statistics speak. Most people spend more time at work than in any other activity; more than hours with their family, eating, sleeping, or interacting with friends. That said, wouldn’t it seem logical that we would spend an hour and some effort making our workspace as conducive to the job at hand and our temperament and personality? But no, we have the biggest and the best TVs, golf clubs, cars, whatever, while our office furniture, cubicle, office vehicle is less than pristine, barely functional, and probably downright ugly.

Published · 1,871 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

Who wouldn’t like to get more done in less time, have excess hours and energy to devote to family, hobbies, and rest? If you looked at the actions and habits of the average worker, you would wonder. We seem to be increasing productivity to levels formerly seen as impossible, lengthening our commutes and expanding our hours in the office at a price of 25-40% less sleep than our grandparents. Are we healthier or happy because of it, studies says “no.”

Published · 1,505 views

In modern behavioral terms, “introvert” is used to describe individuals who are most comfortable in the inner life of the mind, come across as more reserved, and are less likely to seek numerous or large interactions. They represent approximately half of the population. In the workplace their presence is less obvious and misunderstood, though their ability to actively listen at a very deep level makes them major idea contributors. There’s risk in confusing their self-containment with a lack of ambition.

Published · 3,550 views · Rated 2/5 from 2 votes

Executives Women Success & Career Strategist Real Results What do you do when after years with the same company, you walk into the office and a memo is on your desk "blaming" the recession for letting you go! I am so glad you asked - don't panic below are some immediate actions you should take. You've Got Options in between employment gaps. 1. Don't Blame yourself and swallow your pride get help from family and friends that offer help.

Published · 1,163 views · Rated 3/5 from 2 votes

No matter how much individuals like their jobs, they’re entitled to be paid. Years ago the company my father was an executive with was purchased in a hostile takeover. The new owners were unable to deliver the paychecks on payday. Their response was, “They’ll just have to wait ‘til Monday.” “My people can’t wait until Monday, they have kids to feed!” was my father’s angry response. He then took matters into his own hands. A town meeting of the 50 staff members was called.

Published · 2,537 views · Rated 2/5 from 2 votes

Everyone is trying to manage time. When you hear them talk, you would think it could be manipulated -- stretched or duplicated. It isn’t possible and for those who think they can, it’s more of a game than a solution. Knowing there are but 24 hours in a day, the challenge becomes more about how we plan, schedule, and utilize our minutes than it does with attempting to find more.

Published · 1,607 views · Rated 5/5 from 1 votes

Has someone IM’d you recently? I don’t mean someone down the street or in another region, I’m talking about the person sitting next to you. Is every “conversation” you have with your boss on e-mail? Gotten a text condolence note lately? (I did, no kidding, can’t say it was very consoling.) Have one-word answers been elevated from grunting to an acceptable reply? My favorite is the “yup” response to a 20-word question sent from an associate to a higher-ranking executive.

Published · 1,903 views · Rated 3/5 from 2 votes

The following is the first article in a three-part series in which Denis Lévesque unveils his ARC of Leadership methodology. Assessing Your "Personal Brand" I’ve always thought that good leaders were a lot like good drivers. A good driver is very aware of their surroundings. They aren’t distracted by activities such as texting or a GPS. If they need to change speed or direction, good drivers use a framework of procedures—shoulder checks and mirrors—to minimize risk as they make adjustments on route to their destination.

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All of us make mistakes, say things we didn’t mean, forget, or are rude when we may not have intended to be. Experience has taught me most people don’t intentionally harm others but once they do, they’re reluctant, or find it difficult, to take responsibility for the damage.

Published · 1,533 views · Rated 1/5 from 1 votes

All of us make mistakes, say things we didn’t mean, forget, or are rude when we may not have intended to be. Experience has taught me most people don’t intentionally harm others but once they do, they’re reluctant, or find it difficult, to take responsibility for the damage.

Published · 1,558 views · Rated 1/5 from 1 votes

Diseases, disorders, and conditions seem to go in and out of public favor. Not so long ago everyone seemed to have dyslexia, and then it was ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity disorder). Charlie Sheehan put mania back on the radar. With the widespread success of the movie “Social Media,” “Does he have Asperger’s or doesn’t he” became a popular debate. Speculation by specialist in the field (true gamesmen) has thrown names like Gates, Einstein, Beethoven, Jefferson, Mozart, and yes, Mark Zuckerberg onto the “yes” list. Not bad company.

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s I see it, there are really three places you can exist in your career--Comfort, Growth, or Fear zones. Let’s assess where you are. Think of a work issue, your current status, or even take a bird’s eye view of the recent past. Ask yourself “Where am I?” “Am I operating mostly in my comfort zone?” You know the comfort zone—the place where there are no surprises, few challenges, not too much pressure, and a tolerable pace. Before you scream “I wish!” Think about it as a day-in, day-out routine.

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Each of us, at some time in our career, dreamed of “designing” the perfect boss. You know what I mean. Type in the specifications and out would come exactly who you needed to get your job done with none of the flaws we’ve all tolerated in mere mortals. The question is “what would you want in a boss?”

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Executive coaching clients wanting to enhance their role and impact in their current workplace continuously ask me, “How do I get greater recognition?” “Make sure my boss doesn’t get all of the credit?” “What’s the best way to be found by potential employers and thought leaders in my field?” My answer is often “brand yourself.”

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Can Charlie Sheen or Lindsay Lohan Be Helped - If They Won’t Help Themselvesr In a February interview Sheen claimed he was healthy and ready to go back to work. The claim of every drunk and addict is that he / she is not a drunk or an addict. Secondly, the addict claims a few days in rehab is a lifetime cure . It appears Sheen and Lohan have more lives than a cat and about as much working brain matter.r

Published · 1,751 views · Rated 5/5 from 1 votes

Today I was reminded of an acting class I was in about 20 years ago. During an improv set in an art gallery, a fellow actor pronounced Manet as "Man-eht." He said (and truly believed), "In America you pronounce French names differently." I not only pointed out the correct pronunciation, I made a joke at my peer's expense that maybe we should call the American playwright "Daveed Mam-ay" if we're in France or Canada.

Published · 878 views

Atul Gawande is an accomplished scholar (Mac Arthur Fellow), a staff writer for The New Yorker, and a Harvard professor, in addition to being a well-respected surgeon. He is also an astute observer with a curious mind. In the world of surgery, infection kills more people than the operations. Gawande thought there must be a way to increase survival rates. He stumbled on the effectiveness of the checklist, not a to-do list, but a step-by step form that is brief and effective even under the most critical situations.

Published · 1,563 views · Rated 2.7/5 from 3 votes

Is Depression Real? Real or not how can we defeat depression? Submitted by Jack Bass, B.A., LL.B. Do you have a choice? s depression a true mental illness requiring years of diagnosis to uncover and then deal with childhood trauma or is it subject to a faster resolution? Reality Therapy forces you to accept the context of examining your behavior in the here and now. There are many persons, therapists and patients alike, who are witness to the face that not all illness or diagnosis requires drugs or years of counseling to effect positive results.

Published · 1,253 views

With today’s pressure to outperform, grow and provide value to shareholders, organizations struggle to meet and exceed expectations. Many companies invest significant resources in annual planning and articulating yearly strategic initiatives… and then don’t deliver on them. Despite all of the work and best intentions of everyone involved, these companies can’t seem to gain any “traction” on their objectives. It’s very frustrating to work so hard and then wonder why you cannot deliver on the issues that really matter.

Published · 1,561 views

I’m sure, you like me have in your daily life management planner a to-do list. Do you not? Well, do you have a to-be list? You know, a list of who you want to be. The type of person you really want to be. The highest version of your self? The unlimited you! Whether it is to be more philanthropic. Patient. Knowledgeable in a certain area. Gain mastery of your thoughts. Friendly. Humorous. Attractive. Resourceful. Loving.r

Published · 1,225 views · Rated 5/5 from 1 votes

The word civility is surely not new to the language, yet it is not a term you hear spoken every day. It took a “shellacking,” a tea party, and a deadly shooting for a few people to step back and ask “is this really the way ‘we’ want to treat one another?” Of course, most of us, myself included, are quick to blame others before we monitor our own boorishness, but there is something that rings true, at this time, in this world, which says maybe there is a lesson to be learned. Since the workplace is often an arena for change, a microcosm of the bigger community, I would start there.

Published · 2,440 views

The tone and stiff upper lip image the phrase “Keep Calm and Carry On” portrays tells a lot about its origins. It’s 1939 and Hitler’s forces are bombing England day and night. The government prints motivational posters telling the people “Keep Calm and Carry On.” And they did.

Published · 2,312 views · Rated 1.5/5 from 2 votes

One of things I love about being a coach is the variety of people and situations that come to my office or call on the phone. In no particular order here are some of the presenting challenges brought to coaching sessions. You will note—I fired no one.

Published · 1,730 views · Rated 4/5 from 1 votes

I begin the coaching sessions ( after background and introduction ) by seeking to have the client identify the issues that are holding him/her back from success.We have already agreed that success is our destination and this means personal as well as business success. Here is the opening question only you can answer: What are the three biggest disappointments in your life? We will now seek to identify how you integrated those traumatic events in your life by asking the follow -up questions: How did you feel when that happened ? How do you feel about that today ?r

Published · 1,328 views

You probably know the work of Matt Richtel, though his name may not be familiar to you. Richtel won the Pulitzer Prize in National Reporting for the New York Times for his series titled “Driven to Distraction.” The series, where he addressed the impact of multitasking, texting, and phoning while driving, and how work requirements are sneaking into leisure time, received more comments than any other article in the newspaper that year (2009). In fact, his work is credited with the enactment of hundreds of laws, throughout the country, regarding the use of technology while driving.

Published · 1,642 views

Goal Setting - A Template for Success Convert your “ wish list “ to an action plan following this simple but effective template . Why bother ? As with all relationship therapy and training my goal is to give you the skills that will make you independent. A lot of your friends have the same ambitions for wealth , success and personal growth – but they will NEVER achieve even a small portion of the success you are going to achieve because unlike you – they will not move to a written action plan.

Published · 2,344 views

Time off gave me the opportunity to read and listen to more news and pop culture media than usual. The myriad of suggestions is staggering. I have chosen a few I found interesting and doable. Try some and you will be well ahead of the curve. In 2011 I will: - Backup personal data as regularly as my office work. - Start and end with veggies. - Begin each day with a visualization of how I want the day to end. - Drop a toxic person in my life. - Nurture a friendship. - Book all prevention medical appointments for 2011 now.

Published · 1,442 views

Goal Setting - Your Success Template - Part Two : Focus Without Stress If you have helped yourself by completing the first part of the exercise you may be faced with a laundry list of goals and things “ I must do “. Don’t stress yourself . The Next Step Is Focusr

Published · 1,367 views

We will discuss, exclusively, chronological resumes. They are the most common, generally preferred by HR pros, and if you know how to create them, the easiest to write. They’re not well-suited to career changers, people with gaps in work, and possibly recent grads. We all need to remember a basic tenet. Your resume is your marketing piece; your cover letter is a sales pitch. Keeping that in mind sets the tone of each document and helps you decide where to put what.

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Here is the second part of “Resume Essentials.” In this section, we’ll discuss some of the nuances of a resume and how it can attract the right people to you and your work history.

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When I say NUTs I am not referring to some of the crazies my clients tell me are hanging around their workplace. I mean Nagging Unfinished Tasks. You know what I’m talking about, those things you are going to file (electronically or physically), the calls you should make, the networking you should do, the recertification courses you plan on taking, the upgrades, clean-up and ramp-ups you have on some list or swimming in your brain. They are not complete and truthfully driving you nuts.

Published · 1,287 views

The annual performance review has become a dinosaur because it has failed to change and evolve much in the last 50 years, while everything around it in business has. 50 years ago we had secretarial pools, carbon paper and mimeograph machines for making copies. Everything was sent “snail mail” and the Fax machine hadn’t been invented.

Published · 1,882 views

Letting go of the cheese I am asked, “Can companies keep the annual review while they move to a coaching process and culture?” For those of you who have read “Who Moved my Cheese?” you can’t get your new cheese until you let go of your old cheese, so that answer is – no. This is true for many reasons. As part of my research I interviewed managers, directors and execs. Some of the questions I asked were, “What do you get from doing an annual review? Why do you do them? What value do they provide?”

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I had an experience recently that I would like to share with you. While speaking with a friend in a casual conversatio I was asked my opinion. I immediately shifted out of friend mode and put my trusted adviser hat on. I noticed that my listening intensified. I became more present than in the previous 8 or 10 minutes of our chat. My ability to clearly and provide his next best step will undoubtedly avert costly business and personal repercussions. There was a tremendous sense of personal satisfaction in my spirit!

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Recently, I read several articles on mentoring as I prepared for a session with one of my new mentees. Prior to reading the articles I gave a self-assessment worksheet to the Mentee to complete prior to our session. As I refreshed my skills to prepare for the task as a mentor, I reflected on the skill sets that my mentors passed on to me. Now I must let you know that I am from the Baby Boomers Generation and so is the mentee. It was a new experience in that I was mentoring and individual that has no similar career track as mines. She is a License Mental Health Therapist and Psychiatrist.

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In the Business section of the New York Times (August 8, 2010 ), the author, Stephanie Rosenbloom, wrote about people who had successfully downsized their lives, sometimes to a level many of us would deem extreme, particularly when it came to possessions. Whether by choice or circumstances, such as lay off or divorce, they own less, work less, and seem to be living happier lives.

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It’s important to network, but it’s critical to do it in a productive way. Networking takes time…and it’s important that you be productive, not simply busy running from event to event or online group to online group. Here’s some tips to bear in mind:

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In my last newsletter, “Five Must-Do Practices in Tough Times” I mentioned the importance of a good attitude, protecting business relationships, getting more creative, focusing on results and the importance of effective communication. I would like to continue discussion about leading in tough times as it looks like tough times might be around for a while.

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It’s quite simple to stay busy. For most of us, if we did nothing but respond to our email we could remain occupied all day long. But being busy doesn’t equal being productive.

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Is EVERY member of your team contributing SIGIFICANTLY to your strategic goals? By EVERY member of your team, I mea EVERY member, including front-line talent that you pay by the hour. By significantly, I mean directly to your bottom-line in the form of tens of thousands to millions of dollars in revenue or savings.r

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“He who guards his mouth preserves his life.” - Proverbs 13:3

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I celebrated 16 years of having a disability on May 21st. I was going to edit the word “celebrated” and then decided that it was okay to use that word. There are many things to celebrate that have come out of the journey of the past 16 years. To be honest, most years this anniversary goes by without my even noticing. But this year I took note of it as a couple friends had significant events on that day and it dawned on me that it was a significant day for me too.

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“Where there is no leadership the people fall, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.”- Proverbs 11:14

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Whether you are in business for yourself or working for someone else, you need a vision for your professional life. And that vision should incorporate your personal aspirations as well. (We often act as if we are multiple people- one individual lives our work life and another lives our personal life. How about we integrate all of our dreams and aspirations together and treat ourselves as a whole person?) Here’s five reasons you need a vision to fuel your professional and personal life! 1.It provides direction.

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The title of this article assumes you have actually created a business plan at some point. Though truth be told, many small business owners never do. And even in large organizations where strategic plans are an annual tradition, leaders often put them on the shelf once it’s done. Why do we fail to create one or get a divorce when we do? 1.You’re too busy. You once created a business plan… and it was a torturously long and draining process. Let’s start out with a recommended resource for creating a business plan: The One Page Business Plan.

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As a coach for top executives I often work with leaders who have difficulties living a balanced life. This has negative effects on the performance of the companies they are in charge of. It has also negative consequences for their family life and happiness in general. To cope with this challenge I don't find it useful to focus on time and task management, as many leaders would expect. A much more rewarding approach is to focus on energy management.

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Click here for the MP3 audio version of this article. What is the one thing that every success story has in common? It is, “I was here in this circumstance and I went to there in a new circumstance.” From here to there has a thread that you can follow. Successful people think a certain way. Not every one gets from here to there the same way but they know the path. Even the current science explains how and why from here to there is the success formula you must embrace to get what you want…and more.

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Click here for the MP3 audio version of this article. Behind every good success there is a story. You may know some of the “BIG” ones, such as, Richard Branson’s approach to success is based on his personal experience with something he thinks can be improved – usually a service or product that didn’t do the job for him. From there he thinks creatively about how to build a better airplane, train, or entertainment company.

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We all have times when out thinking, emotions, feelings and life in general are not moving the way we would like. We may be in a down spiral of negative thoughts, our emotions may be frayed, and life might feel stuck, or horrible. We may suffer from anxiety or depression. It is in these times ...

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Executive coaching is one of the hottest practices in business today! As resources and budgets shrink by the day, organizational leaders find themselves in new territory which can be overwhelming and uncomfortable to say the least. Managing change is a complex process requiring new attitudes, ...

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Like many of you, I have not seen an economic downtu like this in my entire lifetime. Most of my colleagues are facing their most challenging and difficult times, both professionally and personally. Jobs and operating expenses are being cut at record levels, leaving remaining workers to do ...

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In the "2007 Corporate Issues Survey, A Look at the Trends and Issues Organizations and Leaders Face," by the Ken Blanchard Companies, it is evident that the corporate world is dealing with a complex mix of challenges, or opportunities as I like to call them. Competition continues to evolve and ...

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I recently read an excerpt from Lee Iacocca’s most recent book, Where Have All The Leaders Gone? It is clear that he is not happy about the current condition of the U.S. economy and with our foreign affairs. Iacocca says that we should be outraged and screaming bloody murder for the mess we ...

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I recently read an excerpt from Lee Iacocca’s most recent book, Where Have All The Leaders Gone? It is clear that he is not happy about the current condition of the U.S. economy and with our foreign affairs. Iacocca says that we should be outraged and screaming bloody murder for the mess we ...

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High Emotional Intelligence (EI) Translates to Big Bucks!! In a previous newsletter about energy management, I mentioned the tool of Emotional Intelligence and how it relates to profitability as well as to our credibility as leaders. Emotional Intelligence is being aware of our own emotions and ...

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One of my favorite reports is the annual Corporate Issues Survey by Ken Blanchard Companies. The report reveals the top challenges for Organizations, Management, Employee Development and Human Resources. In the 2008 report, the top five challenges in each area are as follows: Organizational ...

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If you have been trying to use The Law of Attraction, but somehow, no matter how hard you try, it doesn’t seem to be working, maybe as Yoda says, “There is no try, there is only do.” We have all had situations where we tried, tried, and tried again, and what we were trying to do, just wouldn’t ...

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We are so filled with mis-beliefs. We think we are filled with just ‘beliefs’, or maybe, ‘disbeliefs’, but in fact, we are loaded to the gills (as it were), with mis-guided beliefs, many that we are completely unaware of. How does this happen? How do we spend our lives loading up with beliefs ...

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What if you could not only retrain your brain, but change your physical neurology as well? How about replacing the blueprint for health that has produced an overweight, overtired, overstressed you, for a slim, strong, vibrant you? We are all actually masters, we have simply forgotten how to ...

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“To be successful, all you have to do is give up everything you know.” Asara Lovejoy The foregoing quote might sound like the very last thing you want to hear about your life and making it everything you want it to be. But remember the popular quote from Einstein, “The definition of insanity ...

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Have you ever felt that there is something major missing in your affirmations? Are they working for you? Well, what if there was a missing link? A friend of mine and I spent a number of years from 2004 to 2006 complaining about our frustration with the outcome of our affirmations. In 2004, ...

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