The Myth of the Power of Teamwork
“The work of the individual still remains the spark that moves mankind ahead even more than teamwork.” – Igor Sikorsky Imagine if Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops Orchestra rolled into Tanglewood this summer with flutists playing the violin parts. Or if the Green Bay Packers appointed Brett Favre to…
READ MOREHow to Get a Big Fat Raise
“When an actor comes to me and wants to discuss his character, I say, ‘It’s in the script.’ If he says, ‘But what’s my motivation?, ‘ I say, ‘Your salary.’ ” – Alfred Hitchcock My No. 1 son works for an L.A.-based business that does postproduction editing of movies. He’s…
READ MOREWhat Do You Do With a “Bad Apple” Employee?
“Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.” – Winston Churchill If you have an employee with a bad attitude, what do you do? If he is a weak performer, the answer is easy: “Get rid of him right away. But what if he’s very good at what…
READ MOREHave a Guilt-Free Vacation This Summer
“I hate vacations. There’s nothing to do.” – David Mamet For at least 20 years running, I hardly took time off at all — and when I did, I spent at least half the day working. In retrospect, I see the error of my ways. By indulging the notion…
READ MOREIs Your Competitive Behavior Sabotaging Your Future?
“Man has risen so far above all other species that he competes in ways unique in nature. He fights by means of complicated weapons; he fights for ends remote in time.” – Charles A. Lindbergh Yes, horrible people sometimes succeed in business . . . but it’s not their meanness…
READ MORE5 Ways to Convince Your Boss that He Made a Big Mistake By Not Giving You A Raise
Most of the people I’ve ever turned down for a raise simply sulked and disappeared. But a few of them took the experience as a wake-up call and fought back. They didn’t see themselves as losers, and they weren’t going to let me view them that way either. Arguing with…
READ MOREGet the Best Tickets to Shows Before Anyone Else
I just scored some great tickets for a hot Broadway show — on Thanksgiving weekend, no less, the busiest time of the year on the Great White Way. I got them by using tracking software to automatically notify me when a website page changed. In this case, the site contained…
READ MOREHow to Get Paid to Travel
“Writing and travel broaden your ass if not your mind and I like to write standing up.” – Ernest Hemingway This time a year ago, I had my toes buried in talcum-powder-fine sand, a book in my hands, and a cold margarita on the table to my left. Last June,…
READ MOREMind Your Manners
“Rudeness is the weak man’s imitation of strength.” – Eric Hoffer Winning friends is a good way to create a supportive network — but it’s not the best way to influence your employees. The best leaders I know don’t concern themselves with being liked. Their focus is squarely on the…
READ MOREHow to Survive Parenthood and Still Get Ahead
“Parenthood remains the greatest single preserve of the amateur.” – Alvin Toffler Some 19 million children in the U.S. are being raised by single parents. And it’s not only single parents who face the challenge of juggling the needs of their children while trying to succeed in business. The majority…
READ MOREWhy Forcing Your Will On Others Usually Doesn’t Work
It’s so hard to accomplish something great. And it’s made more difficult when you have to rely on others to succeed. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to fix every problem, straighten out every hitch, and achieve all your goals by mandate? To say, “Just do it or else!” In the flux…
READ MOREThe Untold Truth About Mentors
“I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided, and that is the lamp of experience. I know of no way of judging the future but by the past.” – Patrick Henry In the early years of my business career, I searched for the perfect mentor to guide…
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