Hire the Right Coach
If you had a life-threatening injury, would you hire the cheapest surgeon? Many less experienced doctors could do the job at 70% of what you need. Maybe a little limp, noticeable scars, and regular recurring pain, yet you saved money, right? Hopefully, you are thinking, that is crazy!! Although, it is no crazier than seeking […]
LinkedIn 101: Developing our Professional Network
As LinkedIn continues to expand as a rapidly growing community, its citizens have an opportunity (some would say an obligation) to play a role in helping it develop and grow in a responsible way that meets their needs. Any member, and every member, can contribute, add value, and help responsibly develop our professional network with […]
International Development Tools Contractors Actually Need
An international development organization asked me to review and test their online contractor and consultant member tools, specific to finding new jobs and contracts. While we do not provide endorsements, we have tried and tested a number of online platforms and pilot programs to learn more about new innovations and to provide feedback to professionals […]
Rethink Hiring Rules
Each of us has our own set of candidate expectations, and we often rule people out based on them. These vary from specific resume layouts, what colors candidates wear, their handshake, if they end sentences with a preposition, how much they blink… and, yes, these are real deal-breakers recruiters and hiring managers have shared with […]
Think Beyond Yourself with 3 Simple Games
We are told practice makes perfect. In truth, practice only makes habit. Habit can be a good thing. It allows us to manage multiple tasks at the same time safely, without using much conscious thought and energy, such as driving, walking or typing. In order to develop good habits that help us think beyond the […]
Every Moment Matters
A few months ago, I pulled into a store parking lot and noticed six college students having an animated conversation about a quarter on the ground next to them, and who would pick it up. While the topic changed a few times, it kept returning to the quarter. For several minutes, I wondered who would […]
7 Simple Steps to Increase Productivity
That’s right! Without the need for workshops, webinars, e-books, podcasts, downloads, etc. What is this productivity solution? Get ready. It is… a list. Okay, it is not new. You have done them before. Yes, they work. So, why the build-up… and an article? Simply said, we think and talk about lists, yet rarely write them […]
Responding to Opportunity
In my first week of managing a consulting firm, a friend mentioned an organization seeking consultants. We asked for details, did research, and found a project of interest and compatibility:Design and direct three weeks of high-interaction, non-controversial, team-building / adventure activities and peace programs for prominent, hand-selected leaders, speaking 31 primary languages, from 154 countries. […]
We Should Know the Cause of Things
The first week of my postgraduate program at the London School of Economics, I remember reading the motto on the coat of arms, “Rerum Cognoscere Causas”: to know the cause of things. Virgil coined the phrase in Georgics, “Felix, qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas” – ‘Happy is he who has been able to discover the […]
Win When It Matters
A few years ago, I spoke with a friend after his conversation with colleagues quickly became a debate. When asked about it, he was defensive, told me he was right, and said he won the argument. This is a good person, generally liked by all, yet his career was not moving and people were not […]