Recently I’ve been paying more attention to my interior peace — or lack thereof. I’ve been more aware of agitation, restlessness, nervousness, worry, insecurity, discomfort, stress, and frustration. The English word I’ve been using as shorthand for all those feelings is anxiety, which comes from the Latin word for uneasiness and the Greek word ankho,
I’ve recently learned a lot about presenting your value from university admissions tours with my teenage twin boys. In these tours, one of my goals has been to “decode” the structure and flow as the tour guides pitch the school. What I’ve found is that the best tour guides — the ones who captivate a
There I was, kicking off the big meeting, standing anxiously in front of 50 people in a large corporate conference room. I really wanted to engage the group and inspire them to action, but I was worried that my slides had too much detail and that my topic was too complex. Adding to the pressure,
My friend Jamie leads a large technology organization. Last week I joined him for an all-hands Q&A about my latest book, Lead with Influence. Jamie previously read and reviewed the book, so he asked really thoughtful questions that apply especially to knowledge workers. Because so many readers of my posts are in knowledge work and,
Have you ever noticed that the lessons that serve you well in your professional life are often reinforced in the most unexpected circumstances? The other day as I was driving my daughter to school, I reminded her, “Do your best on the standardized reading test today.” “I don’t care about the test,” she replied. “It’s
In response to my latest book release last week, I received an elucidating message from a close friend who is also a university professor of theology. I’ve decided to include the full text here rather than summarize it because it’s so well-articulated: The sub-title on page 93 is “Listen Empathetically” and later on page 96
One summer while away at college, my roommate and I rode our bikes 10 miles through the city of Boston to the ocean. We randomly arrived to see streams of elegantly dressed people moving toward a large pavilion. “What’s happening?” we asked. “John Denver concert!” Wow, we thought. This looked incredible. To see John Denver
In September, 1928, a Scottish physician discovered the world’s first antibiotic: penicillin. This groundbreaking advancement earned Sir Alexander Fleming knighthood and the Nobel Prize. Yet, soon after this achievement, he began publicly warning that bacteria could become immune or resistant to antibiotics if exposed to non-lethal quantities. Few listened to him. Despite his warnings, the
If you were coaching an actor before a performance, you’d have them rehearse their lines. If you were coaching an athlete before a competition, you’d have them practice and train. As a leader, mentor, friend or parent, you also have opportunities to help others improve key skills. Every Leader Is a Coach After nearly 20
What I’m hearing you say is that you would like to win more deals and have greater impact this year. Is that right? Regularly recapping what you’ve heard someone (or a group) say shows that you’re listening and ensures you’ve accurately understood. It can also help people make more progress toward decisions as they agree
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