When You Screw Up – Big Time – Twice in One Week
Last week will go down as a memorable one in my journal. I made two major mistakes that stirred up some dust and made me wonder if I was fit to run a business. The first was a classic e-mail snafu. For several weeks, I was having confidential discussions with…
READ MORETalking to Strangers
“Fear makes strangers of people who would be friends.” – Shirley MacLaine Tom could have remained silent. He could have given a polite nod or busied himself with reviewing the work he’d brought with him. But he didn’t. And now, he’s got a brand-new client that brings him $40,000 a…
READ MORETwo Myths About Leadership
Did you know that the average age of the people who write for Forbes, Fortune, Business Week, and The Wall Street Journal is something like 29 years old? Don’t get me wrong. I read these publications. And I understand the necessity of hiring young, inexperienced writers. But because I have…
READ MORESexuality in Business – One Woman’s View
Some women contend that any sideways glance by a male co-worker automatically diminishes their effectiveness on the job and their likelihood of advancement. While others worry that unless they can score a sideways glance, they’ll never get anywhere. In earlier messages, Michael Masterson advises women not to “use” our sexuality…
READ MORE“Using” Sexuality in the Workplace
In Message #1633, I wrote an article titled “Women in Business.” In response to some of the things I said in that article, a colleague wrote: “You know I always read your advice to women with particular interest … today was no different. “I’m sure it’s not conscious, but I’ve…
READ MOREHow to Handle Irate Customers
When dealing with an irate customer, your first task is to convince him that you’re on his side. Only after an angry customer believes that you understand his problem and sympathize with his plight will he be willing to believe that you really mean to help him. This is especially…
READ MOREHow to Have Powerful People Eating Out of Your Hand
He’s big. He’s mean. And he’s just said the four words every driver dreads to hear: “Registration and license, please.” All I wanted to do was run over to the convenience store and grab some milk. Now, my palms were sweating. The last thing I needed was a ticket. Earlier…
READ MOREWorking With Your Spouse
There was a good piece in The Wall Street Journal recently about the “risky business” of working with your mate. It begins with the story of a man who was forced to fire his wife at home, during dinner. Part of the problem, the article said, “was that the wife…
READ MOREAchieve More With a Mentor
With the advice, experience, and support of an experienced person in your field, you can avoid the most common mistakes you are likely to make. You overcome the stickiest problems and find shortcuts to success.
READ MOREBecome a More Powerful Leader
If you can learn to lead, you can conquer the world. You can accumulate wealth, amass power, and accomplish your most important goals. Today’s resolution is about becoming an effective leader – but not in the conventional sense (i.e. developing business management skills). I’d like to talk to you about…
READ MORE#1559 – Mentors and Proteges
“My chief want in life is someone who shall make me do what I can.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson Most of my achievements are the result of partnerships. Top on the list – of course – are my three spectacular children, products of a partnership with my spouse. My first…
READ MOREKeep Your Eyes Open
Workers who possess specialized information, as most workers do, trade this information for a salary. But most workers have knowledge beyond the rote performance of their daily services. They understand the industry they are in, the local plant, and the condition of the office. The information sits there. The possessors…
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