Nobody cares about your accolades or your other clients. They can read about that stuff on your fancy website. If they’re in your office or on the phone chances are they want to know one thing: WHAT CAN YOU DO FOR ME?

Don’t inundate a potential client with a 10 minute spiel about yourself and your 27 different services. Hear them out, really listen, determine together what they need and then dig into your arsenal and deliver just that. It works. I promise.

Tweet This: (Copy & Paste into Twitter):
[Video]: The Hard Sell Doesn’t Work Anymore? –> http://bit.ly/98gy8G

If you enjoyed this video please consider subscribing to receive future updates or connecting with me via Twitter or LinkedIn

Sometimes you know what you’re “supposed” to do. You’ve heard the advice countless times and if you asked 10 really smart people you trust and respect they’ll all tell you the same thing.

Sometimes they’re 100% right.

And sometimes you need to remember that even if those people have your best interests at heart chances are they’re viewing the situation from their perspective, through their lens of the world.

They can’t understand that you don’t sleep at night, and that there’s an inextricable force inside you insisting you follow your instincts. It’s usually not something you can articulate, and it may be completely irrational, but I’m willing to bet that it’s probably what’s right for you.

Watch this video. And start trusting that voice.

What do you think? What do you do when you’re faced with these situations? How much do you let what other people would think or say dictate the approach you take to your own life? (If you say not at all you’re probably a liar.) When you’ve trusted your instincts how has it worked out for you?

Tweet This: (Copy & Paste into Twitter):
[Video]: Who Cares What Other People Think? –> http://bit.ly/awrSUS

If you enjoyed this video please consider subscribing to receive future updates or connecting with me via Twitter or LinkedIn

Since I did the video in one take during my lunch break last Friday afternoon I didn’t really think much about what I was going to say. I really just let it spill off the tongue, and the result when I re-watched the video was that I don’t think Gen Y is all that different from other generations. I genuinely believe most employees would appreciate their managers taking these 5 things into consideration:

If you’re a member of Generation Y do you find that these things apply to you? If you’re an older employee how do these tips stack up in terms of importance for you? Finally, are Gen Y employees really all that different from their elders?

Tweet This: (Copy & Paste into Twitter):
5 Tips to Successfully Managing Gen Y –> http://bit.ly/bdKGKz

If you enjoyed this video please consider subscribing to receive future updates or connecting with me via Twitter or LinkedIn

Today, I want to take that discussion a step further. Here’s a relatively short video (6:43) from Jason Fried* (37 Signals) on what’s wrong with the structure of the modern workplace:

Some of Jason’s solutions are: shifting collaboration to more passive things to avoid disruption, changing managerial approaches, and realizing there’s rarely business emergencies.

Most of you that read this blog are probably smarter than me so here’s what I want to know:

1.) What are some other problems you’ve witnessed in a traditional workplace? Inefficiencies? Hierarchical structure?
2.) What solutions do you propose for the problems Jason diagnosis (in addition to the ones he mentioned the video)?

I’d like to spend some time discussing both with the hope that together we can continue identifying problematic scenarios, I can discuss how’d I’d fix them here, and then you can come back and build off of my analysis so that we come up with an even more viable solution.

Tweet This: Why You Can’t Work at Work –> http://bit.ly/aVajK0

If you enjoyed this post please consider subscribing to receive future updates or connecting with me via Twitter or LinkedIn

*Jason has inspired a lot of my thinking on how to optimize business for productivity, profitability, morale, and more.

“Trust Agents” by Chris Brogan & Julien Smith and “A Whole New Mind” by Daniel Pink. (Both are affiliate links). I received “Trust Agents” via a contest giveaway on Twitter, and purchased “A Whole New Mind” based on recommendations from Jenny Blake and Charlie Hoehn.

Both books are solid reads and worthy of your shelf. They were also really self-affirming, but not necessarily life altering or game changing (for me).

Have you read either of these? What was your perception? If you’ve read both, which one impacted you more? What other books should I get my hands on in the near future?

When Jackie asks me to edit his weekly report, I don’t hesitate because he’s also my editor (and he probably makes less mistakes than me).

But how about that friend that always takes and never gives anything in return?

Is a 15 minute video interview worth 30 hits and 2 new subscribers to your blog?

These are the kinds of things we have to navigate not only in the online world, but in our everyday lives as well.

Check out my video rant featuring 4 things you need to be mindful of when approaching someone to ask them a favor.

And be forewarned I think we all take ourselves a little too seriously sometimes so I had a little bit of fun with this video. I also tried holding the camera on my own, which in retrospect was not a good idea (MILK WAS A BAD CHOICE!) so as a disclaimer: You may experience motion sickness upon watching this video.

Tweet This: (Copy & Paste into Twitter):
A Quick Rant on Favors –> http://bit.ly/cZPlYd

If you enjoyed this rant please consider subscribing to receive future updates or connecting with me via Twitter or LinkedIn

Some of my other thoughts on teamwork and posts that might help you harness a bit of the secret for yourself:
You Can’t Lead a Team Unless You’re In It
There’s No “I” In Team. That’s Just Bullshit!
How to Guarantee People Want to Work For You
6 Ways to Build Better Relationships Wtih Co-Workers

If you enjoyed this post please consider subscribing to receive future updates or connecting with me via Twitter or LinkedIn

I’m really excited about 2010, partially because 2009 was a tough year for me. This time last year I was trying (unsuccessfully) to get some sleep before packing my truck full of everything it would hold and trekking 17 hours across country to Charlotte, North Carolina on January 2nd.

In the last year I’ve learned more than I could’ve ever imagined (mostly about myself), worked with some really smart people, and continued that agonizing process of “growing up.”

2009 was also a year that saw the amount of traffic to this blog increase 500% over 2008 (true story), and subscribers grow from 102 (Dec 31, 2008) to over 1200.

I’m not sure what 2010 has in store for me yet, but I do have a bit of “easier said than done” advice I’d like to dispense for readers of this blog:

Are you a proactive, take life by the reins kind of person? Or are you the college graduate sitting at home, applying to random jobs on Monster.com and moaning about the economy?

Are you doing work you’re passionate about or did you take your gig because the economy stinks?

What’s your approach to 2010?

If you enjoyed this post please consider subscribing to receive future updates or connecting with me via Twitter or LinkedIn

Don’t be disillusioned by the notion that luck is something you can’t control, and if you are under that assumption, all the more reason for you to check out Richard Goldman’s book, “Luck By Design: Certain Success in an Uncertain World.”

Two things I forgot to mention in the video, but want to make clear.

1.) This book will help you not just succeed in your career, but also in life.
2.) It’s because Richard goes beyond profitability and explores some of the finer points of life, and how we can all achieve more satisfying, impactful experiences.

Full Disclosure: I was approached by the author to take a peak at his book. I would not recommend it to you if I didn’t think it could benefit you. I think “Luck By Design” would benefit most people, particularly those in search of their place in this world, and young aspirational people who want to accomplish big things.

*Not an affiliate link because North Carolina is lame.

*Also, I love reading & reviewing books so if you have an upcoming release and want to share a copy and/or galley feel free to reach out.*

———————————–

Tweet This: (Copy & Paste into Twitter)
Video Book Review of Richard Goldman’s “Luck By Design” — http://bit.ly/NHM34

But what about the people who have the courage to be right (when all they want to do is be wrong), when their circumstances dictate that they play by the rules and color within the lines?

I think too often we glorify and glamorize the rule-breakers to the point that we ignore the people enduring the minutia of everyday life in a corporate cubicle. Yet sometimes, they are ‘heroes’ too.

Neither populace deserves to be (or should be) unhappy. For one, the answer might be Gary V’s advice to stop doing the shit you hate. For the others….

Watch the video.

Tweet This: (Copy & Paste into Twitter)
VIDEO: Stop Hating the Sh*t You Do — http://bit.ly/IoycQ

If you enjoyed this post and found the content to be valuable please consider subscribing to receive future updates or connecting with me via Twitter or LinkedIn