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In this multi-post series, we’re going to explore daily practices to help you become known as the most approachable person in your organization. Whether you’re an office professional, middle manager, C-level executive or part of the overnight cleaning crew, executing these strategies will accomplish three goals: (1) Boost the net worth of your human capital. (2) Attract MORE attention, MORE people and MORE opportunities into your professional world. (3)…

When you label, you judge. When you judge, you react. When you react, you’re unconscious. And being unconscious is unhealthy. It’s also unapproachable. And if you hold ANY form of leadership position, this is a dangerous place to be. Here’s a list of five practices for judging less and accepting more… 1. Minimize emotional reactivity. The word “emotion” comes from the Latin emotere, which means, “To disturb.” Yep. This…

If you want to grow bigger ears, remember these four words: Let THEM say it. Even if you have the answer. Even if you’re totally right. Even if what needs to be said is SO obvious. Let them say it. Think of yourself as a “Listening Midwife.” Your job is to assist people in giving birth to their own understanding. As The Listener, you’re trying to uncover truth together….

Many of my clients, colleagues, readers and audience members come to me with the same challenge: What’s my uniqueness? My response is usually twofold. FIRST: Dude, I have no idea. That’s not my job. Consider Curly’s Law, as portrayed by Jack Palance in City Slickers: “The secret of life is one thing. Just one thing. And that’s for YOU to find out. Stick to that, and everything else don’t…

The only judgment people can (honestly) make is how interacting with you made them FEEL. As such, emotion is the final arbiter of communication effectiveness. Which means you have a choice: Will people feel diminished, unaffected, or enlarged after their encounters with you? TRY THIS: Constantly ask yourself the question, “What new world could I open up for this person?” All it takes is one powerful insight, one thought-provoking…

“Nobody around here ever listens to me!” If you’ve ever said this before, there are two possible reasons why. First, maybe you’re surrounded by poor listeners. This is highly probable, as a large percentage of people suck at listening. Of course, that’s the easy way out – to blame everyone else. To complain, but take no personal responsibility. ON THE OTHER HAND: Has it ever occurred to you that…

Four words that changed my life forever: Nobody cares about you. I know. It’s hard to wrap your head around that concept. But it’s true. (Thanks to Handsome Steve Hughes for enlightening me on this highly scientific axiom.) Here’s the deal: People don’t care how good you are – they care how good you’re going to help them become. People don’t care what you’ve done – they care what…

Challenged minds expand. Challenged minds create lightbulbs. Challenged minds mobilize resources. AND HERE’S THE BEST PART: When you challenge people (constructively, that is) several cool things happen: 1. You gain clarity on their motives, intentions and beliefs. 2. They gain an opportunity to restate, reform and rethink their ideas. 3. Which catches their attention. 4. Which causes them to stop and think. 5. Which causes them to clarify their…

Listening isn’t just about saying the right thing at the right time. It’s also about NOT saying the WRONG thing at the WRONG time. LESSON LEARNED: In highly emotional situations, be careful not to fall into the trap of rote responses. They often come off as insincere and patronizing. And while you may THINK you’re listening, you’re actually doing more damage than if you had said nothing. I call…

Video not working? Click here for Adobe Flash 9. Watch the original video on NametagTV! LET ME ASK YA THIS… How do your words demonstrate ownership? LET ME SUGGEST THIS… For a list called, “26 Ways to Out Brand the Competition,” send an email to me, and I’ll send you the list for free! * * * * Scott Ginsberg That Guy with the Nametag Author, Speaker, Coach, Entrepreneur…