Last Sunday, as dozens of pro golfers were starting the final round at the U.S. Open in Southampton, New York, retired touring pro and TV analyst Paul Azinger made a special comment. He said that while playing in and being in contention for a U.S. Open title might be the biggest dream of any pro golfer, winning …
Communicating with kids
While it’s nice to be recognized today for being a father, it also seems like a natural time for some continuing education as well. Knowing how to talk naturally with children – at any age – is a valuable skill. It shows interest, empathy, and kindness. It makes them feel that you really care. Here …
Managing uncertainty
Evolving business models, changing technology, and tightening labor markets are enough to cause any company (or individual) to take pause. It’s natural. The instinctual reaction to uncertainty is to freeze. (Hence, “deer in the headlights.”) But inaction can’t be a default response. Retired U.S. general and former CIA director David Petraeus knows how to handle uncertainty …
Jobs to be done
We spend most of our time here at the Snippet sharing ideas about the softer skills of business life: communicating, persuading, listening, speaking, inspiring and motivating. But this Snippet is squarely focused on the nerdier disciplines of innovation, product design, marketing and sales. If that’s not your cup of tea, you can stop here this …
On being a great listener
My listening skills need work. A lot of work. I’ve known about it for 30 years. And I’ve no doubt paid for it in hurt feelings, lost opportunities, and avoidable mistakes. I start conversations and meetings with the best intentions, but then I can’t help myself. I interrupt. I talk over people. I think about …
Stop trying to do business in coffee shops
It’s been convenient and cool for a long time now to set up new business meetings or meet & greet’s at coffee shops. And I’ve had a lot of meetings in coffee shops. From 2011 to 2013, as I was establishing ClientKudos, I probably had well over 250 meetings in coffee shops. I was driving all …
All in
A few months ago I bought Sheryl Sandberg’s book “Lean In” for my wife, Sarah Jane, thinking she might enjoy this exhortation to women to pursue work, success, and the perpetually elusive work-life balance. Her reaction was a bit surprising, but I expect, not unique. “Lean In, that’s the title?” said Sarah Jane. “Yes,” I …
Back up for better understanding
Remember what it felt like in school when the teacher asked a question and you knew the answer? Your eyes would get big. Your pulse would quicken. And your hand would shoot up – you might even wave it back and forth to show the teacher how confident you were. There was no better feeling …
Why skeptics succeed
It’s easy to believe what we are told. It’s the path of least resistance. We hear. We see. We read. We believe. And why is that? Because questioning, investigating, and processing all this information requires more effort. It’s harder to do than simply taking answers at face value. This is why top performers, in any …
How to ask for help
Asking for help is uncomfortable. Especially at work, we want to look smart, sound confident, and demonstrate expertise. But good teamwork and progress require helpful collaboration. We need help from others to get big things done. And the better we are at asking for help, the more likely we are to succeed. Here’s how to …