On 12/12/12, I outlined a process for a Leadership 12 Days of Christmas process, where each day I would give you a small task that, when completed, would bring gifts to both you and your team. While I don’t know the value of 11 pipers piping, I believe the value of the gift you will

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I often do the following exercise with groups (you can try it after you read it, but I’m not sure it will translate perfectly in writing). “Close your eyes and clear your mind.  I’m going to say a word. I want you to think about the word briefly then open your eyes.  The word is

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A couple of years ago these two authors wrote a book called Trust Agents: Using the Web to Build Influence, Improve Reputation, and Earn Trust.  It became a best seller and moved the already very popular authors to the stratosphere in social media circles. I knew Chris before that (we’ve shared calls, conversations and a

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Why do you hire new employees? Ok, this seems like an obvious question, and no, it isn’t a trick. We hire people because we have assignments that need to be completed, sales to be made, products to be created, manufactured, shipped, and billed. We hire people to be productive; to get work done. Yet, that’s

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Thomas Edison was a great inventor.  But Thomas Edison was a greater salesperson.  He and his team may have invented the electric light bulb, but without the support and resources (read investment) of others, that idea wouldn’t have moved forward from his team.  The idea looks obvious now, but all successful new ideas look good

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We all find ourselves in social situations, or at networking events, or perhaps even on airplanes, and people ask us, “So, tell me about yourself.” Most of us answer that question the same way – we provide some labels or hooks for who we are. For me, it would include some of the following: I’m

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Are there people you really have trouble communicating with? Are there situations where you find communication nearly impossible for you? Do you secretly wish you could wave a magic wand and communicate your ideas faster with less stress, challenge or drama? The fact is there are many strategies and skills that can help us communicate

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While gifts of all kinds are given everyday, we are approaching a time of year when we spend more time thinking about the giving of gifts than at any other time of the year. I thought of that when I read this quotation, and decided to share it with you. Below, I will try to

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Think of the times in your life when you have grown the most, excelled at new levels and felt the most satisfaction with your life and results.  Chances are, in all of those situations, a common element was a challenge that you faced and surmounted successfully. Whether it was the challenge thrown down by the

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