Blog
Why do people always ask ME for directions?
This story was contributed by Ciprianna Shockley from www.TheResourceRoom.net After a seminar that I was hosting was cancelled, I didn’t want to waste my entire Saturday, so I went to Times Square in NYC and put my business card inside a nametag holder (left over from a networking event) and started handing out business cards. It started to rain, so I stepped back against the wall of the subway…
Would YOU talk to someone who looked like this?
After a recent speech to Cornerstorne Financial Group’s agency meeting, a woman in the audience talked about one of her self-admitted barriers to communication. “I’m guilty of crossing my arms. I do it all the time! And I know it’s a communication no-no; but I can’t help it because it’s comfortable and warm for me.” My response was, “Perhaps…but that probably means it’s NOT comfortable and warm for other…
I think Mickey Mouse was right
I first met my good friend Ed at one of my networking workshops on August 19th, 2004. He came up to me afterwards and said he’d heard of my nametag idea years before, but wanted to introduce himself in person. Ever since then, we’ve shared countless lunches, book idea brainstorms, networking opportunities and a valuable friendship for which I am extremely grateful. Now, check this out: almost one year…
What the heck does “approachability” mean anyway?
Since the official release of The Power of Approachability on March 22, 2005, things have been going tremendously! The book has been selling quite well around the country, both through the website and at various speaking programs. (If you’d like to read the first three chapters, click here.) I asked several colleagues, associates and members of my internetwork to share their comments about the book and how approachability plays…
Are You Sitting With The Right Company?
When I walked into Dallas’s famous Y.O. Ranch Steakhouse, all I wanted to do was to enjoy my New York Strip steak, relax and quietly review my notes for the following day’s speech. Little did I know that a valuable business lesson awaited me at the table. The only other customer in the bar was a guy sitting in the corner pounding away on his laptop. He didn’t look…
American Foundation for the Blind Evaluates Blogging
According to a recent review by the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB), becoming a blogger can be a frustrating task for people with vision loss. “What we found through our evaluation is that the world of blogging is out of reach for many blind and low vision computer users,” said Jay Leventhal, editor of AccessWorld®, AFB’s online technology magazine. “With 40,000 new blogs cropping up each day and…
Consistency is far greater than rare moments of greatness
I had the opportunity to give a speech at the Hyatt Regency’s Annual Employee meeting this week. The program centered on Hyatt’s service essentials, one of which is using the guests’ names. During the meeting GM Barry Kaplan spoke for a few minutes. He forewarned the employees about the possibility of inspectors coming through the property to evaluate their adherence to Hyatt service essentials. Then, when he came to…
In the history of conversation, nobody has ever been “fine”
During a recent keynote at a conference for the International Association of Workforce Professionals, I spent several minutes telling the audience about one of the most horribly overused words in the English language: fine. “After looking up the word ‘fine’ in 23 different dictionaries, I noticed that it was never listed!” I joked with the audience. “Upon further research, it was brought to my attention that ‘fine’ was actually…
University Study Shows Cell Phones and Emails Can Be More Damaging Than Smoking Marijuana
Worthwhile’s blog posted a link to a great article from 999 Today. Here are a few excerpts: “In a series of tests carried out by Dr. Glenn Wilson of Institute of Psychiatry, University of London, an average worker’s functioning IQ falls ten points when distracted by ringing telephones and incoming emails. And this drop in IQ is more than double the four point drop seen following studies on the…
Spice It Up! Rib Festival Teaches Us About Product Value
The Rib America Festival is a fun filled family event featuring award winning BBQ and live entertainment from national, regional and local talent. Each rib cooker features their very own special cooking strategy and recipes that make for a truly unique food festival experience. My Dad and I attend every year. And it’s our tradition to sample a few ribs from each of the cookers and ultimately choose our…
