1760s to 1890s: Success = Who You Are and What You Do I met a man last fall who left Minneapolis to become a shopkeeper in Colonial Williamsburg, VA. He moved, he said, because, “they would throw a net over my head if I dressed in Colonial garb in Minneapolis.” He was attracted to the
For no one can be alive on a pedestal. – Anthony de Mello, in The Song of the Bird “It would really mean a lot to us if you also came to our house for Thanksgiving. We’d be so disappointed to spend the holiday alone.” In the US, it’s the season for giving thanks…and for
It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who
“Given our communal attention deficit, the pressure has mounted…to be fast, funny and heartfelt as hell.” Rob Lazebnik, writer for “The Simpsons” When it comes to communication, the stakes just keep getting higher: You have to not only cut through the noise and capture attention to be heard, you have to be Liked, with a
This week is Halloween, but last week was full of terrors both large and small: A flight crashing A client rejecting a new business presentation A run in the country cut short by the accidental shot of a hunter A late night car ride with my kids ending in a wreck A headache turning out
Wouldn’t it be great if you could have more meetings? If you’re like most leaders today, your response to that question probably lies somewhere between “No” and “Absolutely not!” But hear me out… Recently, a company hired me because their people haven’t been engaged and their strategic plans haven’t been gaining traction. Year after year,
You have a service to offer, a product to sell, a cause to fundraise or a point of view to advocate. It might be worth the attention of a powerful person. But they are on airplanes and in boardrooms; they’re powerful because they don’t get easily distracted. Let’s say you get the introduction. How do
As his kindergarten classmates were selected to receive stickers for their behavior that day, my son waited with anticipation. Name after name was read. The group he sat with on the floor grew smaller and smaller. When there were just eight of them left, his heart sank as he realized it: He would not be
As the world changes more quickly and gets more competitive, and organizations restructure and retool, we work harder just to stay ahead. We get anxious and hurry, searching for the latest insights, struggling to stay relevant, fighting to protect our joy. As leaders, we feel this intense push and pull every day. And, so do
“You don’t know me but let me tell you why I’m calling.” My suspicions were instantly raised. Chris then explained he had seen me speak at an event and thought I might have contacts in his industry that would lead to a job change. He was warm and professional and quick to his request: “Could
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