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Inspired by Natalie Godlberg’s Writing Down the Bones, this December I’ll be hosting the first (of many, hopefully…) St. Louis Writing Marathon! WHO: Anyone who needs to write. WHAT: For $20, you get a quiet place where you can quietly write, all day, with no distractions. WHERE: The Clayton Center, St. Louis, MO. WHY: Because writing is the basis of all wealth. More details here! Frankly, I don’t care…

Video not working? Click here for Adobe Flash 9. Watch the original video on NametagTV. LET ME ASK YA THIS… Do your words accuse or explore? LET ME SUGGEST THIS… For a list called, “79 Questions Every Manager Needs to Ask,” send an email to me, and I’ll send you the list for free! * * * * Scott Ginsberg That Guy with the Nametag [email protected] Want your employees…

A few weeks ago I missed my flight from Toledo to St. Louis. I ended up staying in some dumpy hotel next to the airport, ordering a pizza, renting a movie and calling it a night. I flew home the next morning. This type of thing happens to me every so often. Maybe once a year. And while it used to frustrate me, I’ve now come to realize an…

They’re working longer than you. What time do YOU leave the office? They’re working harder than you. What time do you arrive AT the office? They’re working smarter than you. Does everything you do lead to something else you do? They’re better positioned than you. What are you known for? They’re easier to get a hold of than you. How many different ways can people contact you? They’re asking…

My definition of listening is, “Loving someone with your ears.” This brings to mind a common scripture quoted at many wedding ceremonies: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the…

NOTE: Be sure to read part one of this series first! And now, to continue our discussion on how to answer a question… 6. Reverse the question. This counterintuitive answer is unexpected, and therefore captures people’s attention. For example, if you were asked, “What do you want your life to look like in five years?” you could catch people off guard by answering: “A more important question is: ‘What…

In the beginning of your career, you have to sort of go overboard on the self-promotion. Sticking yourself out there to the 100th power, if you will. (Guilty.) But I’ve realized that over time, as your success legitimizes and your reputation achieves a sense of wholeness, you don’t have to really do or say as much anymore. You care less and worry less. You’re beyond needing to impress people….

How often do you spy on yourself? You know, to see how you’re doing. Checkin’ yourself out. Observing various situations and experiences behind that internal pane of two-way glass, taking furious notes. It’s becoming kind of a hobby of mine. But it’s not easy. Part of this process comes from your ability to detach, disassociate and sort of “get out of yourself” for a while, looking inward at your…

During my time at Miami University, I was a Marketing Major. The first piece of advice I remember from my professor, Mrs. Young was: “In Marketing, the answer to every question is always ‘Well, that depends…’” The class got a good chuckle out that one. Amazingly, more than ten years later, that idea still holds true. Not just in marketing, but in ANY question/answer situation: Between you and your…

My favorite Japanese saying is: No aru taka wa tsume o kakusu. “The strong falcon hides its claws.” LESSON LEARNED: Overt demonstrations of strength suggest insecurity. As Lao Tzu explains in The Tao De Ching: “When you show your strength, you appear weak … when you conceal your power, the more effectively it can be used … when you make your advantage less obvious, the more effective you power…