Don’t Give Up On The Obvious
I always get a kick out of watching my wife go about looking for lost items. To her credit, like most of us, she always starts in the most obvious places. If it’s lost keys, she looks in her purse. If it’s a lost cell phone, she’ll look on her desk. If it’s lost...
read moreThe Dreaded Monotone Face
I’ve been noticing a new, rather disturbing phenomena that seems to be settling in on many of my virtual conversations. The sound is good, the camera is sharp, the connection seems adequate, and the lighting is generally fine. In our race to master this unique form...
read moreWhen Questions Become Conversations
It seems basic to be told, taught, and monitored to ask questions when we communicate with clients. I can’t imagine anyone who has been trained to sell who has not been taught this lesson… and taught this lesson multiple times. Well, I’m here to tell you it’s...
read moreBacked Into A Confrontation Corner
About nine years ago, I wrote a four-part BLArticle® miniseries dedicated to dealing with how to handle difficult behavior without direct confrontations. There are a handful of ways to professionally avoid confrontations… but that doesn’t mean there’s never a need...
read moreThe Agony of Default
default: a selection made usually automatically or without active consideration. I think we all have a love/hate relationship with the default settings within our computers. In theory, these settings are designed to make our lives easier, and to help us do our jobs...
read moreThe Danger Is At The End – Not The Beginning
A few years ago, I was invited to go on a Segway tour of Washington, D.C. Having never been on a Segway before, I was a bit anxious, but I didn’t really have a choice. I had auctioned off the ten-person tour for a charity, and part of the package was for me to...
read moreMoving On – Surviving Workplace Abuse
It’s a common experience. You get a job that seems to promise great things. You work for a manager who seems to have your best interest at heart. You work with a team of like-minded individuals, and they all seem to be people you can really bond with. It seems...
read moreThe Can’t Miss Holiday
I’m a New Year’s Eve man. No doubt about it, and I’m not ashamed to admit it. What can you say about New Years Day that isn’t positive? Christmas is a wonderful holiday, but not everyone celebrates Christmas. The same could be said for Kwanzaa, Bodhi Day, Hanukah,...
read moreThe Bully In The Brain
“You’re just not good enough.” Have you ever heard those words rattling around in your brain? Perhaps a better question would be this: Has anyone not heard those words rattling around in his or her brain? It’s the same voice that challenges our expertise and...
read morePlanting a Seed for Commitment
Many years ago, I remember watching an old Woody Allen move called “Annie Hall.” It wasn’t my favorite movie, but there was one particular scene I really connected with. Woody Allen was on a first date with Diane Keaton, and he was nervous about the first kiss that...
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