Personal branding lessons from the Joker

He’s a joker, a smoker and a mid-night toker. The iconic singer-songwriter Steve Miller has no shortage of tokers in his audience. They were all sitting around me at a recent concert. I met people that have been fans since the late 60’s. That is a loyalty any business would covet, and Miller continues to increase the power of his personal brand. Read more

Learn how to learn to propel your career

To improve the learning process, climb the learning ladder in stages.

Have you ever learned something the wrong way? For me it was golf. I play occasionally, but never bothered to really learn the basics. Recently, I decided to focus on improving my game. Read more

Tell your company why they should invest in you – free ebook

First, prepare. Then say, “I have a plan. I can make a difference, but I need your support.”

After 20 years of working in both large and small companies, it seems to me that most people want to make a difference. Most know what they are good at and how they can contribute. Many also know their shortcomings and have plans to improve in those areas. Read more

3 tips to tell authentic business stories

Becoming a good storyteller is key to being able to succeed and communicate well. People enjoy listening to stories and it is a lot easier to drive a point home by using an effective metaphor, powerful descriptions, or tales that will win your audience’s hearts and minds. Read more

How to solve problems in corporate America

Too often, we begin to pontificate, offer opinions and attempt to solve problems without taking the time to truly understand the situation at hand. Intellectually, we know the best approach involves asking the right questions, discovering the details, being patient and listening to the full story, but often that is not how problem solvers in corporate America proceed. Read more

Get the job in 60 seconds or less

What do you do? The infamous question asked over and over again at social gatherings the world over. It’s a simple question and no one expects to hear a line by line account of your three page resume. You have 60 seconds or less to give an inspiring answer. Go! Read more

How to get a headhunter to call you

Hunting for a job is itself a full time job, and right now the competition remains high. Wouldn’t be nice to get a call from a headhunter and be told about a dream opportunity in the ideal city for twice what you thought you were worth? It happens every day. Professional recruiting firms such as Heidrick & Struggles make up an $8 billion industry. Here are a few tips to get your phone to ring. Read more

7 questions to consider to help solve a problem, part I

Remember back in grade school, when you first learned about the scientific method?

Wikipedia defines it:

Scientific method refers to a body of techniques for investigating phenomena, acquiring new knowledge, or correcting and integrating previous knowledge. Read more

Improving your career prospects vs. sticking with what you know

Every year, I say, “This is it. I am done adopting new technology. It’s too expensive and how can I truly become an expert if I am constantly abandoning last year’s technology and adopting something new?”

The luddite way seems simple – stick with what you know. Then the newest gadget or website convinces me I will be more efficient or somehow my life will be better. Read more