The Best Way To Deal With Your Fears: Put Them In Order

Often, we are told to dismiss or ignore fear.  Or, we are admonished to overcome it … whip it down! In reality, those tonics almost always fail to quell that worry that eats away at us. Fear is often cast as a bad thing, never to be fed or encouraged.  But that is an oversimplification.  …

How Thanksgiving Can Supercharge Your Business Life

It’s only three weeks until Thanksgiving, one of my favorite holidays.  Most years, we huddle up with family and friends, and give thanks for the bounties in our life.  In too many cases, we are thankful for stuff: home, possessions, luxuries. In some cases, we are thankful for the people in our lives. That’s when …

Mastering the Lost Art Of Phone Excellence

More than ever, telephone mastery is the key to success. In my work, the phone is my number one tool to close deals, network, conduct deep research and build relationships.  It’s a magic medium that allows me to connect deeply without the time-space requirements of face to face meetings.  A phone call is much higher …

Here’s How To Steer Your Career Sideways

Success is not a destination, it’s a direction: Forward.  However, it’s surprisingly easy to end up going sideways in life.  Aimlessly moving neither forward nor backward.  Passing time, waiting for a sign or a miracle.  I’ve experienced this in my life, and I’m sure at some point you likely have too.   In some cases, …

The Secret To Mark Cuban’s Startup Success

As I travel around the world to give speeches or to consult, I’m often asked about my experience working for Mark Cuban.  While many are curious about what it was like to work for him, some dig deeper, asking for my opinion about his secret to success.  My answer is always the same: He understood …

Here’s My Technique For Overcoming Stage Fright

A few years ago, I discovered a technique for overcoming stage fright.  We all likely have to fight through nerves when making presentations, sales pitches or participating in meetings — especially when the audience is tough or the stakes are high.   I’ve learned that our performance is a function of our thinking patterns, and …

You Need To Do This At Your Organization From Day One

Earlier this year, I was sitting around a table of successful entrepreneurs, listening to them talk about lessons learned in startup world.  One founder would soon sell his company for almost two hundred million dollars and the person sitting across from him had just successfully raised one hundred million bucks from Silicon Valley VCs.  These …

Networking Mastery Tip: Expect Nothing In Return

Great networkers share one attribute: Generosity.  They put people together that “should meet” for the love of helping others and NOT to generate social debt.  They derive delight from knowing their networking efforts are multiplying value in others. This is perhaps one of the hardest things to grasp as a networker.  Often, we’ve been socialized …

What I Took Away From My Keynote Experience In Wisconsin

This Tuesday, I had the pleasure of being the opening keynote at the Cultivate Fox Cities conference in Neenah, Wisconsin.  What a great community of business professionals! They exhibit a set of mid-western values including a put-people-first mindset, a long view and pride driven tenacity.   Stanley Marcus Jr. counseled me to share my knowledge …

Do This If You Want To Protect Your Abundance Mentality

The abundance mentality comes from your belief that there is enough to share.  It drives your success in both business and life.  Without it, you possess the scarcity mindset, a primal way of seeing the world.  While racked with scarcity-think, you’ll hoard what you have, be jealous of those who are doing well and repel …