These days I’m hearing a lot of discussion about the importance of being authentic in your business practices. You’ll hear different language, like being transparent, being real – but in short, it all means one thing — Be Yourself. In the 70’s we called this being cool. It means not trying too hard – having […]
Environment Shapes Successful Behavior
August 9, 2008 by Leave a Comment
This past week I had the privilege of hearing the remarkable story of Bill Strickland at the annual convention of The National Speakers Association in New York City. Mr. Strickland has transformed the lives of thousands of inner city kids and their families by creating a center right in the heart of the poorest part […]
Be Prepared to be Confident in Your Business
July 30, 2008 by Leave a Comment
Yesterday I was riding my bicycle and was several miles into the ride before I realized I had forgotten my safety helmet. After years of triathlons and recreational riding this concerned me. I felt naked after I became aware of it! However, there was a storm approaching so I didn’t want to turn back. The […]
Successful People are Happy
July 17, 2008 by Leave a Comment
My number one tip to business owners and sales and marketing professionals that are trying to grow their business and have a life is this – Successful People are Happy! It seems obvious that successful people are happy because they enjoy the money, free time, and flexibility that comes with that success. However, the real […]
True Nature of Success Works
July 4, 2008 by Leave a Comment
Today I enjoyed an easy 5.5 mile run on a bright, sunny afternoon – which is bit surprising because quite frequently my usual 3 mile training run is a challenge. In addition to the temperatures in the 70’s being cooler than normal today for a Fourth of July in Chicago, there are many fragrant plants […]
Indiana's Got Me – w/exceptional Marketing and Service
June 19, 2008 by Leave a Comment
The song says "Indiana Wants Me…" but in my case, they’ve already got me – actually my daughter. I’m talking about Indiana University in Bloomington, IN. My daughter will be attending their Kelley School of Business this fall as a freshman. Besides being one of the top-ranked business programs nationwide, IU as an institution did […]
Perseverence Works in Business (and it Rocks!)
June 16, 2008 by Leave a Comment
Now that the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines is finally history, you can’t help but wonder who is the big winner. I think both Tiger and Rocco Mediate gained some serious stature in this battle of staying power. Sure, they both blew some easy putts. But they also won clutch holes when they needed them […]
Grow Your Business – Stick to What Works
May 11, 2008 by Leave a Comment
Today Sergio Garcia captured his first "major" golf tournament, the lucrative and prestigious TPC at Sawgrass. How did he do it? He went back to the putter that worked for him eight years ago. It’s a simple concept – stick to what works. Or as I’ve said many times in one of my keynote presentations […]
Relationship Selling – Plant the Right Seeds!
April 20, 2008 by Leave a Comment
How often do you tell your colleagues what they do well? This is probably one of their unique qualities that makes the relationship valuable. When you recognize their unique contributions to your business relationship, you validate, reinforce, and most importantly, value what they bring to the relationship. I recently had a client thank me for […]
The True Nature of Mastery
March 16, 2008 by Leave a Comment
Last week I was watching Jay Leno on the Tonight Show. Normally, I just watch the monologue. For one thing, it’s always nice to end the day with a few good laughs. Though, as a professional speaker, I also enjoy watching to learn how a master like Jay presents and responds to the audience. On […]
