Here’s One Skill You Need to Master to Remain Competitive

The old saying, “What got you here won’t get you there,” applies to your professional life today. The world is quickly changing as well as the competitive landscape. Whether you are running a business or trying to increase your career equity, ramping up your skill set is important.  If there is one skill that stands …

Let’s Make Every Day Thanksgiving!

I have to say that Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays of the year, not because of the turkey and football, but because of the gratitude it triggers in so many. The day is a celebration of thinking abundantly and sharing our gratitude with those we appreciate. While it’s the perfect day for gratitude …

Presentation Materials from Connect 2018

It was my pleasure to speak to you today at the Connect Conference in San Antonio. I’m so happy to serve you in growing your business and protecting your client base. This short page will give you resources to help you make the leap from Optional to Essential. BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS As I said, “readers are …

How to Reinvent Yourself, Stay Relevant and Love Your Business Life

No matter what you do for a living, being fresh and interesting is critical to continued success. It keeps you top-of-mind for opportunities and improves the equity of your personal brand. In my case, as an author and professional speaker, I need to reinvent myself every so often to remain relevant. For those of you …

A Surprising Way to Strengthen Internal Customer Relationships

Whether you are a corporate recruiter serving a hiring manager or a marketing analyst serving a sales manager, being seen as a strategic partner is key to your success. It also gives your work more meaning and can only grow your career equity. Over the years, I’ve worked with a variety of central services groups …

Do You Know the Three C’s of Innovation?

From blog posts to conference themes to magazine features, innovation is being touted as a top skillset in this disruptive world we work in. It’s not simply a matter of locking yourself in a room and coming up with an idea, either. Innovation is defined as “when a solution successfully makes it way to market.” …

4-20 Is #HighOnHelping Day

April 20 has a variety of meanings leading to various celebrations – some in the moment and others for future generations.  For me, it’s a big day I’m conducting a media tour to support my new book,  Today We Are Rich.  One of the key points of the book is that you can give your way …

Let’s Just Call it People Skills, OK?

Many of the skills I teach in my keynote speeches have to do with self-awareness, listening skills, communication skills and relationship management. At many companies, these are referred to as “soft skills” and are seen as electives versus hard skills (technical expertise and job-related knowledge), which are often valued more by managers. The term “soft skills” …

What I’ve Learned Since Writing Love is the Killer App

Today marks the 16th anniversary of the publication of my first book, Love Is the Killer App: How To Win Business and Influence Friends. It seems like yesterday when Fast Company got behind this book, featuring it on the cover of the February edition in 2002. The key message of the book is that you …

How to Succeed For the Rest of Your Life

Last year, an Uber driver was talking me up as he drove me to the airport. I’d just finished giving a keynote address at a conference and still had my badge on. He asked me what I speak about, and without hesitation I replied, “How to be successful at work.” This piqued his interest. “Driving …