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Whew! I’m exhausted… Just finished a full day of workshops with two different student leadership groups out here in Switzerland. The morning session was held in a 50+ year old auditorium with no electricity and some serious acoustical echoing. So I ditched the ol’ PowerPoint, used the sun as my light, and just spoke really, really loudly, which actually ended up sounding way better than a microphone. The highlight…

This week I’m in Leysin, Switzerland (outside of Geneva) speaking at YPO’s Junior Leadership University. How I got this stinkin’ wifi to work, I have no idea. This is my second year here. It’s absolutely breathtaking. Last night we watched the storm come in through the mountains, which made for one heck of a skyline! Today I have two sessions with the students, both of which are called “Make…

According to this article from the Rockford Register Star, MeetMe, a business dedicated to bringing singles together, uses the ever popular silicone bracelet worn by people who want to show they’re available and approachable. MeetMe.bz (not a typo!) explains that the bracelet is a symbol that announces a person’s availability and encourages people to approach him or her. Some wear them so they can meet people when they’re out…

The April 10-23, 2006 issue of Canadian Business Magazine reported a FASCINATING study about the characteristics of effective workplaces. The Great Place to Work model, developed more than two decades ago in the U.S. and now used to survey some 750 companies in that country each year, has since been exported to 28 nations in Europe, Latin America and Asia. In 2005, 3,000 organizations around the globe completed the…

That was easy. I spent last Friday in Boston speaking with my new friends @ STAPLES! Man, I was SO excited for this speech, as one of my favorite stories (that I’ve been telling for years to 1000’s of people) involves an old lady asking me to help her find the envelopes in a STAPLES aisle. I, of course, helped her find what she needed; although I did not…

A is for ATTITUDE B is for BREAK PATTERNS C is for CONSISTENCY D is for DISCIPLINE E is for EVOLUTION F is for FRIENDLINESS Friendly always wins. Cheesy? Maybe. But it’s true. It’s not possible to go wrong with friendliness. It’s also not possible to max out on friendliness. You can always increase it. And I only say that because after all these years of wearing a nametag…

1. BE afraid only of standing still. 2. BE regularly silly. 3. BE three moves ahead of everyone. 4. BE unexpected. 5. BE your own definition of success. 6. BE the first one. 7. BE the only one. 8. BE unforgettable. 9. BE remarkable. 10. BE ashes, not dust. 11. BE a sleeper. 12. BE so damn sure of yourself. 13. BE ready for anything. 14. BE the same…

Curt’s latest topic at Collective Genius is overcoming fear of failure. I posted with several answers to his key questions. Enjoy! What advice would you give to someone who is stuck because a fear of failing / being wrong / looking stupid is keeping them from taking action? If you think something is going to make you look stupid – at least temporarily with no long term repercussions for…

Toastmasters, meet Uncommon Goods. They believe that creativity and the expression of individuality represent two great human treasures. They recognize that people want ways to express their individuality and creativity when shopping for themselves and others. Which is why they sell cool stuff like this… Table Topics boxes are clear acrylic “ice cubes” that hold a stack of 138 conversation starters that will get your guests thinking and eager…

Except for the enormous amounts of cigarette smoke that engulfed the city like a cloud (echh) Charlotte was awesome! As you look at this picture, you’re probably wondering: who are all those people sitting with THE Ryan Cameron? That’s Jessica McDougall, Jeffrey Gitomer and yours truly. We had a blast all weekend. I can’t remember the last time I laughed so hard! Especially during our brief Miss Pac-Man Tourney,…