Nice guys and gals finish last. That has been the conventional wisdom, hasn’t it? That only sharks using cutthroat tactics can make favorable deals and negotiate effectively. I’m calling BS. Turns out, empathy is a secret weapon when it comes to negotiation and effective collaboration. And author, activist and strategic … [Read more...]
How to Break the Rules of Success
Everyone applauds mavericks and innovators for breaking the rules when it comes to products or technology. It’s the classic Cinderella story. And we celebrate this image of the lone wolf, standing on a TED stage, sharing with the world how he or she refused to listen and followed their own heart to find success. We tend to think of technology companies or … [Read more...]
Why Passion is Great for Your Business
If you do not follow social media expert Jay Baer on LinkedIn for subscribe to his Convince and Convert email newsletter, you should check both options out. Recently, I joyfully read the transcript of his Content Marketing World keynote. He delivered it without slides or fanfare and seemed to have just spoken from the heart. His concept of The Mom Test is a rallying cry to marketers and … [Read more...]
The secret to differentiating your brand? You.
“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” – Oscar Wilde (Tweet!) What makes your brand, business or creative endeavor uniquely you? When we’re insecure teens, it seems easiest to just copy someone else. At that age, originality is just too risky. Or is it? Let me take you back to 1988. My best friend and I were inseparable. Whether it was busting out dance moves to Whitney Houston’s … [Read more...]
When you shouldn’t give 100%
We’re taught that practice makes perfect. Cleanliness is next to godliness. Give 110%. I was a straight A student in high-school. I remember being devastated when I got my first B ever (Geometry) and I was brought to tears in college when I got the first C of my life (Microeconomics). Even when I got an A minus, I was a bit miffed. I’m not sure what I thought: did I really think anything less … [Read more...]
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