2013 - The Year of Living Unselfishly

One of the reasons that Deb Boelkes and I felt compelled to create the Heartfelt Leadership global community is that selfishness and self-centeredness appears to be a malady that is gripping more of the world. 

It is also one of the reasons my co-author, Dr. John Ullmen, and I decided to write REAL INFLUENCE: Persuade Without Pushing and Gain Without Giving In (go to that link for some special free resources to coincide with our launch and ways to learn more) which was published today.

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New Year's Resolutions - 20 Ways to Win Friends and Influence People

If you want to really win friends and influence people at work:

1. Be on time and prepared for meetings. That alone will make you shine like a star.
2. Turn in work ahead of schedule. Forget procrastination, get things done early.
3. Turn in work error free. I need to practice this one if you haven’t noticed that my columns invariably have some typo or grammatical errors.

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FOCB - The Elephant in the Middle of the Fiscal Rift

Just because people buy you, doesn't mean they own you

The Democrats and the Republicans are not enemies; they are merely opponents.

In fact, the Democrats and Republicans who have been “Washingtonized” for more than a couple terms have more in common with their fellow politicians than they do with their constituents.

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Overcoming Holiday Shyness - Be More Interested than Interesting

I am a founding member of the "dread going/glad I went" club of socially-shy people.

I am also a "role-specific extrovert." That means that when the occasion calls for me to be "out there" I strap on some courage and give it my best shot, but it doesn't come naturally.

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"Bah Humbug" Prevention

It’s the most terrible time of the year

Disappointment is merely an unmet expectation; it’s only when you imbue it with negative meanings that it becomes painful.

World English Dictionary

dys-        prefix

1. diseased, abnormal, or faulty: dysentery; dyslexia
2. difficult or painful: dysuria, dysthymia
3. unfavorable or bad: dylogistic

[via Latin from Greek dus- ]

How many people do you know that handle disappointment well?

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How India Changed My Life

I recently returned from my first trip to India where I spoke on communication and conflict mastery in Mumbai, Bangalore and Delhi. I was told the trip would be life changing. It was.

At least with the people I met, hidden agendas were nowhere to be found. Even the beggars and people who pushed their products, monkeys, cobras and small children on their arms on me had no hidden agendas. What a contrast from looking into another American's eyes and nearly always sensing some personal agenda and effort to manipulate or at least maneuver you to get their way.

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