The Buzz on Being A Winner
There is no one else I know more passionate about “getting better” than my friend, Coach Buzz Williams. Buzz, who is the basketball coach at Virginia Tech, has given new life to the program there within the last 4 years. As of this year, his team has won 20 games for the third year in […]
US Employees Aren’t Excited About Their Work
“Employee engagement” is a property of the relationship between an organization and its employees. An “engaged employee” is someone who is fully invested in, absorbed by, and passionate about their work. In fact, they are so invested that they take action to improve and further the company’s reputation and interests. It’s obvious why employee engagement […]
Soft Skills or Hard Skills: Which is More Vital in Business?
The answer to this trick question is “neither.” They’re equally important in business. Soft Skills vs. Hard Skills Hard skills are the ones we have mastered, such as math, a foreign language, programming, reading, or expertise with powerpoint. These skills are easy to quantify and measure, while soft skills are harder to quantify because they […]
Strong Ways to Answer the “Weakness” Question
What’s your greatest weakness? I think we’re all familiar with that famous interview question: What’s your greatest weakness? Cue the eyeroll. This question, though considered important to employers, is so common that the answers themselves are all too common. You’ve heard the typical, “Well, my strengths can actually be seen as weaknesses.” Please do not do […]
Some Things (Should) Never Change.
The pace of change in our world today is faster than ever. Technology, the internet, innovative thinking and just old-fashioned ingenuity all play a role in how rapidly the world is transforming. Just 30 years ago, things were different. There were pay phones; today, they don’t exist. Many bookstores are now out of business, while […]
Words Matter. Especially the Bad Ones.
On the back of my business card, you’ll see the phrase, “Words Matter.” I stand by this saying, because words do make a difference. From employer to employee, friend to friend, person to person, words can have an impact on someone’s day, week, or even reputation. That said, there is a time and a place […]
It’s Not Easy to Succeed
It Isn’t Easy to Succeed. Last week my company hosted 20 of the most talented sales leaders I have ever met, as they attended our two-and-a-half-day Coaching Catalyst program. Their National Sales Director is an incredible leader, and their passion for what they do and their commitment to excellence is crystal clear. During one of […]
3 Strategies for Achieving Greatness
This week, I received a text from a very smart, ambitious college sophomore, whom I also mentor. In his words, he was trying to “figure some things out” but didn’t know exactly what to ask from me. He has another mentor, who happens to be a dear friend of mine and a brilliant leadership expert […]
7 Words that Can Block Your Goals
A great thinker and plastic surgeon, Dr. Maxwell Maltz, wrote a book solely focused on the topic of setting and achieving stretch goals, called, “Psycho Cybernetics,” which I have read 69 times in the last 35 years. Fascinated with the concept of self image, Dr. Maltz believed that the self image is what controls the […]
Saving the Best Question for Last (On the Second Interview)
Good things come to those who wait…to ask. There is a time, place, and stage at which to ask certain questions throughout the interview process. More specifically, there is one question best reserved until you’re ready for the very last question on the second interview. The Question When the time is right, ask this: “I […]