Optimism is vastly misunderstood because we confuse correlation with causation. This happens all the time: I’m on my way somewhere, whistling, humming, singing, skipping. Someone sees me, offers a variation on “it must be great to be happy” or “I guess someone’s feeling optimistic.” I usually say, “it beats the alternative” and keep moving. Generally, […]
Keeping Integrity While Keeping Your Job
Don’t ruin your integrity by telling lies for your organization. You don’t have to. There is a great deal of middle ground between parroting lies on behalf of your large, dysfunctional organization and actively clashing with the leadership. Just don’t participate. A friend and I were musing that our gym (a large, multi-site organization) was […]
“Too Long, Didn’t Read:” Your Career Depends On Exec Summaries
You got good at your job because you’re good at the details. But you won’t get promoted beyond your job because you’re good at details. You’ll get promoted because you know how to summarize. It seems unfair. You’re good at details. Yet, it seems that executives at your organization never want to understand the details. […]
The Importance Of “Why You Don’t Suck”
If bright, creative young people start believing that they don’t suck, this will have more impact on the world than 1,000 new startups. How can we get there? I am now at that uncomfortable age where I mentor people who are in their 20s. And it is distressing that some of the brightest and most […]
LinkedIn At Conferences: A Public Service Announcement
If you’re going to use LinkedIn with people you meet at a conferences, you might be about to make a big mistake. Let’s fix that, right now, shall we? Don’t use mobile. Not the mobile version of the site, or the app. Use the desktop. Why? You won’t get an opportunity to say anything meaningful […]
Want Success? Follow Up Effectively. Here’s How.
I learned everything I know about followup from an F500 executive back in the 80s, and it helped me be successful. Here’s how I’ve modernized his lessons. Working for a Colgate-Palmolive executive in the 80s was something of a formative experience for me; it taught me a lot about what to do and what not […]
How To Tell Your Boss, “You’re Wrong!”
Any smart boss is looking for pushback. Here’s why, and how you can push back in a way that’s good for everyone. When I coach new or emerging leaders, I often offer this protip: if nobody’s speaking up or objecting to your direction, it’s probably not because you’re perfect. It’s because folks feel like they […]
How To Fix Workplace Cruelty
Workplace cruelty is a central issue of our time. But it’s not for “the company” to fix, it’s for you and me to fix. We get outraged by factory production of puppies, as we should. Puppies are fellow creatures; they do not deserve the fear and pain of being mass-produced. Why, then, do we put […]
Tech Marketers: What You Must Not Do
Dear Tech Sales and Marketing People: Someone who loves you really wants you to succeed. All you need to do is to quit acting like you’re working in the 90s. Here’s what to avoid. Everyone needs sales. Everyone needs marketing. So why are most of us allergic to sales pitches? My perspective as a tech […]
Why You Should Keep A “Smile File”
A smile file is not only the time capsule of a future pick-me-up, it keeps track of whom you should work with in the future. My mom called it “the good guy” file. I call it “the smile file.” Whatever you call it, keep one. Even if you are a “piler, not a filer,” this […]