A Thanksgiving Prayer
I was visiting the beautiful city of Paris for the first time when the recent attacks occurred. I was awoken in the middle of the night by texts from my family and friends asking me if I was okay. I woke to “there have been several terrorist attacks in Paris.” Terrifying since I was sleeping […]
How We Change
I just stepped off an international flight. It was long. All told, two planes – 17 hours beginning to end. And, it was so enjoyable. There was a time not long ago that I distinctly did not like flying. I had a friend who spoke all over the country and he said to me once, […]
Rainmaking Tips – Tip #3
Create Clear Goals If you are not a business owner or an attorney, fear not. The process I set forth below applies to any goal you may be working on. “Rainmaking” is a broad term, covering many activities that might lead to a particular result. But the result of “rainmaking” is not stated. It varies […]
The Art of the Promise
In my coaching practice, one of the most frequent things I hear is “I didn’t do that thing I said I would do.” I hear this in response to my inquiries about action steps my clients have promised, and in stories about situations at work. If you were to keep a log of every promise […]
I See You
“Sawubona.” It’s an African Zulu greeting that means “I see you.” It has a long oral history and it means more than our traditional “hello.” It says, “I see your personality. I see your humanity. I see your dignity and respect.” In the African village context, where everyone knows one another, it’s an exceedingly powerful […]
Who Gets in the Way of Listening?
I pulled out and dusted off a CD from a long time ago – Suzanne Vega’s “Solitude Standing.” Love the CD – took me back about 25 years. Shockingly, it was released in 1987. I was listening to Tom’s Diner. It is a beautiful and poetic song. It is a poem about a moment in […]
What I Heard In Spin Class Today
Whenever I come into spin class, there’s a song playing – often a fairly motivating song. I blog a lot about spin class because it is challenging for me and it hits me frequently that this is what makes it work for me. Because life is challenging as well and often in similar ways. If […]
Your Quote of the Week
“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” –Helen Keller We are a culture of DIYers. We like Do It Yourself fixes. We value independence and hard work and going it alone. And yet, there is a cap on what we can accomplish alone. I don’t care how powerful you are, […]
Styles of Communication as Seen by Dilbert
I teach a class on Styles of Communication. The styles I teach have four different communication types. Here are two, clearly demonstrated. They are opposite styles. What can you see about each one? And, though comical, it is important to really think about how this attitude affects our communication, both at work and elsewhere. What […]
Rainmaking Tips – Tip #2
Treat Your Resources Well Last week’s blog considered where your business comes from. One likely source is from other people – and this is typically from other professionals who know, like and trust you, or from other clients who have found value firsthand in your services. Either way, show your appreciation. Many professionals believe […]