“The smaller the coffin, the heavier it is to carry,” Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif told CNN host Christiane Amanpour. Then he went on to describe a Taliban massacre where many children were killed. As if didn’t try to evoke an emotion with grand generalizations. Instead he generated ... Views: 772
We seek meaning in most any action, so we sometimes mislead ourselves. Even when shown circles, triangles and other geometric objects randomly moving about on a screen, we tend to give them human attributes. We instinctively determine what their behavior means. Such quick conclusions were ... Views: 770
Why wait until the next year to take steps towards optimizing your best side? Ready to turn the page to the chapter of the adventure story you are truly meant to live? Want to
overcome what Charles Duhigg dubs your “automatic pilot" and flourish?
Warning: “What gets in the way of being ... Views: 760
The Confirming-Evidence Trap
This trap is the bias that leads us to seek out information to support our existing point of view while avoiding information that contradicts it. This bias not only affects where we go to collect evidence to reinforce a current stance or perspective, but also how ... Views: 756
When you most want to smash someone in the face or run out of the room, remember this irony. Cooling off someone else’s anger can be a way to actually bring that person closer. Warning: Don’t add fuel to the fire by suggesting that they calm down. Here are five ways to not only dampen their ... Views: 755
The second part of this story is a clincher for considering that happiness can be a choice. An elementary school teacher in rural Arkansas made a bracelet of charms of each student in her class so she could continually remind herself of how she cared about each one, and her passion for teaching ... Views: 749
When you most want to smash someone in the face or run out of the room, remember this irony. Cooling off someone else’s anger can be a way to actually bring that person closer. Warning: Don’t add fuel to the fire by suggesting that they calm down. Here are five ways to not only dampen their ... Views: 745
The second part of this story is a clincher for considering that happiness can be a choice. An elementary school teacher in rural Arkansas made a bracelet of charms of each student in her class so she could continually remind herself of how she cared about each one, and her passion for teaching ... Views: 737
Enthusiasm is not the same as just being excited. One gets excited about going on a roller coaster. One becomes enthusiastic about creating and building a roller coaster,“ suggests Bo Bennett, and I heartily agree. Getting enthusiastic is a little like learning to breathe. Nobody can tell you ... Views: 735
“Bad collaboration is worse than no collaboration,” Collaboration author, Morten T. Hansen emphatically concluded, yet you already knew that. Involving others in smart ways has sparked greater success in these five proven ways:
1. Combine Methods or Models From Different Domains
Richard ... Views: 728
Even the most time-pressed business owner can attract more customers with less effort through the right cross-promotional marketing. Why? Because when you join forces with other credible people who also reach your target market you can reach your customers more efficiently, credibly, and ... Views: 717
What makes gatherings truly meaningful and memorable? It’s not necessarily how much money was spent, but rather how many positive, memorable moments an attendee recalls.
To get a handle on some of the positives and negatives of your meeting, start your planning with a “sensory exposure ... Views: 715
With a warm smile on his face an elderly gentleman came up to speak to me after hearing my keynote on Ways to Live a More Meaningful Life and asked if he could tell me about an experience he’d had the previous week that made him decide not to retire for awhile after all. He told me he’d been a ... Views: 714
Our Journey to Corporate Sanity: Transformational Stories from the Frontiers of 21st Century Leadership ~Book by Ayelet Baron: Kare Anderson’s chapter in that book: Emmy-winning former NBC and Wall Street Journaljournalist and TED presenter on Becoming an Opportunity Maker (with over 2.5 million ... Views: 713
Several years ago, DisneyWorld executives were wondering what most captured the attention of toddlers and infants at their theme park and hotels in Orlando, Florida. So they hired me and a cultural anthropologist to observe them as they passed by all the costumed cast members, animated ... Views: 710
As someone who grew up cited as “phoebically shy and a stutterer I shocked most of my high school colleague when I was invited to speak, five years later at their annual state conference, coming back as some one who’d become a Wall Street journal journalist. In fact, when I walked in to give my ... Views: 698
Even the most time-pressed business owner can attract more customers with less effort through the right cross-promotional marketing. Why? Because when you join forces with other credible people who also reach your target market you can reach your customers more efficiently, credibly, and ... Views: 695
Despite the millions already spent on one of the highest stakes campaigns now under way, what has either presidential candidate said that you remember? That’s what I thought. Darn little, if anything.
How about you? Do people stop listening before you stop talking? Being quotable is essential ... Views: 673
“Bad collaboration is worse than no collaboration,” Collaboration author, Morten T. Hansen emphatically concluded, yet you already knew that. Involving others in smart ways has sparked greater success in these five proven ways:
1. Combine Methods or Models From Different Domains
Richard ... Views: 668
Feeling like you’re working harder yet not smarter over time? Feeling thwarted, scattered or under appreciated? You are not alone. Perhaps the biggest gateway into a more successful and meaningful work and life is this step: Distill your smarts and most passionate interests into a distinctive, ... Views: 667
David Phillips was rushing up and down the supermarket aisles within seconds after seeing Healthy Choices “Early Bird Special.” He bought up all their 90-cent soups in the store. Then he raced over to a discount outlet to get all the brand’s 25-cent chocolate pudding cups. No time to pause. ... Views: 661
Today’s customer service has the potential to be nothing short of thrilling. By forging smart partnerships companies of all sizes can create unexpected benefits and transform customer service from an afterthought into a differentiating highlight.
1. Offer a Tantalizing “Extra”
Who knows how ... Views: 655
Marshall wasn’t aware that we were closely watching him as he strode into the pool table showroom, but he was the ninth unwitting participant in our experiment. He glanced at the sign on the wall directly ahead of him as he entered the store: “Our Three Most Popular Models” the sign hung above a ... Views: 654
Tap the Little-Known Secret to First Impressions for Building Likeability
Vala Afshar intuitively practices a little-known secret for attracting talented people as friends and colleagues. It’s an obvious truth, once stated. I saw it vividly demonstrated at a @pivotcon gathering. Via Twitter, ... Views: 653
The smaller the coffin, the heavier it is to carry,” Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif told
CNN host Christiane Amanpour. Then he went on to describe a Taliban massacre where many children were killed. Asif didn’t try to evoke an emotion with grand generalizations. Instead he generated ... Views: 652
When I was a Wall Street Journal journalist, I was sent to cover a football game in Barcelona. Later during the game in the stadium I was startled to see many spectators in the stadium yelling racist insults down at the renowned Brazilian footballer, the flying fullback Dani Alves. Capping it ... Views: 650
When I was a Wall Street Journal journalist, I was sent to cover a football game in Barcelona. Later during the game in the stadium I was startled to see many spectators in the stadium yelling racist insults down at the renowned Brazilian footballer, the flying fullback Dani Alves. Capping it ... Views: 644
David Phillips was rushing up and down the supermarket aisles within seconds after seeing Healthy Choices “Early Bird Special.” He bought up all their 90-cent soups in the store. Then he raced over to a discount outlet to get all the brand’s 25-cent chocolate pudding cups. No time to pause. ... Views: 641
Marshall wasn’t aware that we were closely watching him as he strode into the pool table showroom, but he was the ninth unwitting participant in our experiment. He glanced at the sign on the wall directly ahead of him as he entered the store: “Our Three Most Popular Models” the sign hung above a ... Views: 635
David Phillips was rushing up and down the supermarket aisles within seconds after seeing Healthy Choices “Early Bird Special.” He bought up all their 90-cent soups in the store. Then he raced over to a discount outlet to get all the brand’s 25-cent chocolate pudding cups. No time to pause. ... Views: 634
How To Pull Others Into Your Stories and Boost In Bragging Rights
With a warm smile on his face an elderly gentleman came up to speak to me after hearing my keynote on Ways to Live a More Meaningful Life and asked if he could tell me about an experience he’d had the previous week that made him ... Views: 621
When I was a Wall Street Journal journalist, I was sent to cover a football game in Barcelona. Later during the game in the stadium I was startled to see many spectators in the stadium yelling racist insults down at the renowned Brazilian footballer, the flying fullback Dani Alves. Capping it ... Views: 616
David Phillips was rushing up and down the supermarket aisles within seconds after seeing Healthy Choices “Early Bird Special.” He bought up all their 90-cent soups in the store. Then he raced over to a discount outlet to get all the brand’s 25-cent chocolate pudding cups. No time to pause. ... Views: 602
Stay sought-after by enabling others to proudly use their best talents together on things that matter to them. As William Butler Yeats wrote, “Because I helped to wind the clock, I come to hear it strike.” Here’s exactly how others have evoked that feeling and behavior:
One: “Pair Up” to Cut ... Views: 557