Question: Any suggestions on how to network? I really have a tough time with this.Answer: Actually, here are several recommendations:1. Be authentic. Be yourself. Don't be concerned about what others might think. (That is sometimes difficult, but you owe yourself to try it.) Be real. Don't try to be the "want to be" you. Let people see, and get to know, the real you.2. Know what you have to offer. Start conversations wit...

Ancient Romans named the month of January for Janus, their god of gates, doors and beginnings. Always pictured with two faces—one looking toward the future, the other back at the past—Janus is a fitting symbol for the turning of a new year. As we step through the doorway from one year to the next, it’s natural to do as Janus does: look back and ahead. But this year, instead of just reflecting on the past year or making Ne...

In an interview late in his life, the psychologist Sigmund Freud was asked to expound on what he felt were the most important constituents of life. His answer? “Liebe und Arbeit.” Love and work. This is hardly a surprise: For most of human history, the meaning of work and the meaning of life intersected at survival. Work was life.When cheap energy and mechanization started us down the path of staggering increases in product...

Congratulations! After great effort and focused energy, you’ve finally landed a fabulous new position — one that is sure to advance your career and meet your work and personal goals in a way your old position never could. But don’t stop there. Getting hired is just the first step. You’ll need to spend as much effort and energy — and maybe more — preparing for and making the transition. And this is where it really counts, fo...

Making a SMART goal — Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Time-bound — is just the first step in making your goal a reality. It’s what you do after that can make or break your objective. Below are 10 essential steps to achieving your SMART goals.Make sure your goal passes the SMART test. To the letter. Align your goals with your values. Without values alignment, you are likely to struggle —if not fail—to impleme...

"The days of the mammoth corporations are coming to an end. People are going to have to create their own lives, their own careers, and their own successes. Some people may go kicking and screaming into this new world, but there is only one message there. You’re now in business for yourself." - Robert Schaen, Former Controller, AmeritechWhether you are thinking about making a career change or satisfied in your current positi...

Self-care is not an "emergency response plan" to be activated when stress becomes overwhelming. When we consistently take care of ourselves and our energy, we are noticeably more effective and more productive—and usually in fewer hours. Put these tips into practice, and see what good business sense they make. Create a nurturing work environment, with healthy air and lighting, supportive décor, ample water, high-protein sn...

Fear often stands between us and our ability to make decisions, take actions, ask for what we want—even to know what we really want. It is the gatekeeper of our comfort zone. But as poet-philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “He has not learned the lesson of life who does not every day surmount a fear.” Below are 10 fears that commonly get in our way.Fear of being judged. Needing approval from family, peers, co-workers can...

David sparked a fruitful conversation around waste when he gently asked the cafeteria manager at his workplace whether food might be served without unnecessary containers or wrapping, unless requested. Susan worked a whole year to bring a group of high school students from New Zealand to the United States to train other students in an effective form of peer mediation. William began a weekly meeting for men at his church t...

There’s a spring in Marissa’s step, and she simply radiates positive, upbeat, can-do energy. She’s “in the flow.” Good things continue to happen in her work and personal life with seeming effortlessness. Contrast this with Kelly, who puts in twice as many hours at work—super-long, hard hours every day—yet rarely achieves what she’s striving so hard to create. What’s the difference? Hint: It has to do with Marissa’s abilit...