Work, success and meaning at every stage of your career
(Cambridge Dictionary) Perfectionist; /pərˈfek·ʃə·nɪst/ noun. A person who wants very much to get every detail exactly right. (My version) A person who needs to get everything exactly right. Every time. All the time. For years, I’ve been asking the wrong question. I’ve been told that my perfectionism wasn’t healthy. It was a bit…obsessive. A bit…too much. A bit… annoying. So I have … Continue reading Perfectionism is my Superpower
There’s one interview I’ll never forget. I was hiring for a business services associate position. All the candidates we saw were polished, professional, and educated, and they were easy to talk to. The last interview of the day was with a woman in her 40s who looked great on paper and better in person. After … Continue reading Recovering From Being Fired
When you ask someone what makes a good leader, plenty of qualities come to mind. Confidence, authority, gravitas, fairness, and empathy are a few I’ve heard recently. But even more important than how a leader presents themselves is how they think. Writing for The Big Think.com, Donna Wiggs cites psychologist and science journalist Adam Grant, author … Continue reading Leadership Thinking
If I suggested that you lead like a Samurai warrior, you might be a bit alarmed. Especially if you’ve watched too many corny movies. In a Fast company article by Amanda Yello and Lori Tsugawa Whaley, Whaley says that the Samurai code of conduct was actually designed to create a space for benevolent leadership. She writes, “Benevolent … Continue reading The Art of Bushido Leadership
If you’ve ever been assigned to a business project, you’ve probably heard of a SWOT analysis. SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses (both internal factors) Opportunities and Threats (both external factors.) In an online article for SmartBrief, Denise Lee Yohn suggests you perform your own SWOT analysis to uncover new insights and help you become your … Continue reading Your Personal SWOT Analysis
Annette Simmons is the author of Whoever Tells the Best Story Wins: How to Use Your Own Stories to Communicate with Power and Impact. Her book is intended to help you get into “story thinking,” using stories as tools for persuasion in your personal and business life. One of the most important stories you can … Continue reading Types of Who I Am Stories
Annette Simmons is the author of Whoever Tells the Best Story Wins: How to Use Your Own Stories to Communicate with Power and Impact. Her book is intended to help you get into “story thinking,” using stories as tools for persuasion in your personal and business life. One of the most important stories you can … Continue reading Why You Should Tell (True) Stories about Who You Are
If you were born in 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, you are lucky to be born in the Year of the Dragon. It goes without saying that the Dragon is the most glamorous and powerful sign of the Chinese zodiac. (For contrast, I was born in the Year of the Dog. No glamor … Continue reading 2024 is the Year of the Dragon
Annette Simmons is the author of Whoever Tells the Best Story Wins: How to Use Your Own Stories to Communicate with Power and Impact. She wrote the book to help people bring storytelling back into their repertoire of persuasive tactics, and she offers many tips for telling better stories. One of her most important ideas … Continue reading Validate Before Trying to Persuade
Annette Simmons is the author of Whoever Tells the Best Story Wins: How to Use Your Own Stories to Communicate with Power and Impact. She says that humans have used storytelling to communicate since the beginning of time, and today is no different. Her book is intended to help you tell stories that are more … Continue reading Tell Me a Picture
Your Work, Your Way 