It seems hard to believe now, considering more than 367,000 people work for his company and its subsidiaries, but for years, this man had arranged his life around his fear. Fear had limited him in his leadership and in his ability to connect with others. But he had the courage to overcome that fear. In
With the subject line, “Worth Reading,” I dropped everything to read the email my wife sent me last week. She had linked to an article that spoke to the challenges parents have in balancing work and raising kids. My first thought after reading the article: “I’ve really grown in how I appreciate and collaborate with
It was during my second job when I realized I didn’t communicate as well as my dad. Unlike my dad and his dad, who were both successful in sales, I was a software developer. I could sit for hours in front of a computer wearing headphones, intently creating something with my mind and fingers on
A year and a half ago, three people presented our team with individual business opportunities. The first was to expand geographically. The second, to develop a new line of business. And the third was to target a new customer segment. Each opportunity, and the person presenting it, seemed like the right bet at the right
With one month remaining in 2017, I went to my mentor looking for a solution to a nagging concern. I’d noticed that during intense stretches of life and work, I’d become more dependent on having a nightly drink (or two) as a coping mechanism. Not that there’s anything wrong with drinking in moderation for enjoyment,
I recently started a new job. I had taken a few years off from my investment career to be home with my kids. During that time, I had the privilege of serving on several non-profit boards alongside many people of integrity and character, including a couple, Mark, and his wife, Kim, on two separate board
Viewing someone as a human doing rather than a human being is a slippery slope, and never has that been more evident than in the headlines lately. Human Doings vs Human Beings One way to understand how this “human doing” view arises is to think of it this way: People fulfill psychological and material needs
This week, my son reflected to me, “In kindergarten, we had to take naps and couldn’t wait for them to be done. Now in fourth grade I look back and think it would be awesome to take naps.” I knew just what he meant. “Yes,” I responded, “we often resist what we wish later we
How would you describe your dream client relationship? I’m fortunate to have one right now, so I know exactly what it looks like for me: The client and I genuinely ask how the other is doing—because we care. We open up to each other about work goals and challenges. He invites me into his planning
How often do you make or receive personal introductions? Considering the value that’s created through personal networks, I wonder why people don’t do it more often. For example, this week I received an email from a new client we’d landed because of a personal introduction. “Thank you!” said the subject line, expressing very clearly the
Matt Norman is president of Norman & Associates, which offers Dale Carnegie Training in the North Central US. Dale Carnegie Training is a global organization ...READ MORE