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1. Other creative people keep you accountable. 2. Other creative people have contagious energy. 3. Other creative people will let you bounce ideas off of them. 4. Other creative people are (probably) the closest things you’ll ever have to coworkers. 5. Other creative people are the only ones who (really) understand what you’re going through. 6. Other creative people think in unique ways; and by learning how they think,…

I speak at a lot of conferences. Naturally, I often find myself seated at meals with strangers. And naturally, I often find myself face to face … with delicious pieces of cake. See, at most conferences, the banquet staff is instructed to place the dessert on the table before the meal starts. I’m not sure why they do this. Probably just to tempt people. Anyway, I’ve always had kind…

In the month of October alone, my clients include: inner-city librarians, municipal landfill owners, funeral directors, paper shredding companies, school lunch ladies and recruiters. God I love my job! Anyway, this made me realize something: objectivity is equity. And this is GREAT news for you if you’re a consultant, speaker, facilitator or other form of independent contractor. See, my clients tell me that employees are tired of listening to…

I was strolling down the Reno strip this week when I noticed an interesting pattern. Lots of buffets. Every hotel had one. Every street corner had one. AND HERE’S WHAT STRUCK ME: they were all voted #1. Seriously. It seemed like every restaurant I passed had a sign that read, “Voted Best Buffet!” And it made me wonder: 1. Voted Best Buffet … BY WHOM? A sample of 1000…

Pursue the Passion is a group of three recent college grads who embarked on cross country roadtrips to interview passionate professionals about their career paths. I’ve been following their story for about a year now. Their tour recently took them through St. Louis. I had a chance to meet Brett Farmiloe, James Whiting, Noah Pollock and Zach Hubbell in person. We had a blast talking about passion, commitment, and…

Boundaries are saviors. I know this because I didn’t used to have any. See, that’s what happens when you wear a nametag 24-7: you open yourself to anyone, anytime, anyplace. And if you don’t set boundaries for yourself, people will set them for you. Now, in my 2,539 days of nametagging, I’ve experienced my share of boundary violations: I’ve had stalkers. I’ve had time wasters. I’ve had bloodsuckers. I’ve…

Looking for a GREAT way to start a conversation with a stranger? (Without talking about the weather, traffic or the long line you’re stuck in?) Try making a reference to the book they’re reading. It’s easy. It’s approachable. And it’s a great way to discover the Common Point of Interest. NOTE: before you do this, remember a few ground rules: 1. If the book addresses a controversial, dangerous or…

(To read part 1, click here.) When you detach from outcomes… You relax more. Which lowers your guard. Which lowers other people’s guards. Which enables you to produce better quality work. AND HERE’S THE GOOD NEWS: this principle can be applied to various disciplines. In the world of SALES: o DON’T focus on … persuading, manipulating or reaching quota. o DO focus on … serving, solving and delivering value….

Adding value is essential to growing bigger ears. But be careful. Because it’s (really) easy to add TOO MUCH value to a conversation. FOR EXAMPLE: imagine your colleague, Karen, is enthusiastically telling you about her great new idea. She’s excited, optimistic and really “getting into” her explanation. So, a few seconds into the conversation, you can’t help but interrupt with suggestions to make it better. “You know that’s a…

Who are your mentors? Notice I said mentor(s), not mentor. That’s because there are three types: casual, formal and indirect. The word mentor first appeared in Homer’s Odyssey as character who served as a wide advisor. My first “wise advisor” (other than my Dad) came in the form of a high school English teacher named William Jenkins. It started with the occasional after-class discussion. Mid-semester, it blossomed into a…