How to Network without Using Small Talk – 5 Tips

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Most people agree that networking is critical to business and career success.  You can find unadvertised job openings and business partners through your network.  Knowing networking is important is one thing, knowing how to do it is another.   This may be in part due to stereotypes about networking.  A recent conversation I had with a colleague highlights this stereotype. ...  read more

Managing Upwards – 8 Tactics for Managing Your Boss

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managing-upwards

Managing upwards is a skill that you won’t find in any job description, but it is core to your job if you want to do well. What is managing upwards, anyway? Well, managing upwards is mostly about how to manage your boss.  To manage upwards effectively, you must take repeated actions to proactively manage your relationship with your boss, as well as shape his perception of your work.   (Note: For simplicity, I am using the pronoun “he, his, him” to refer to either a male or female boss.) ...  read more

Active Listening Skills – 4 Tips to Practice

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active-listening-skills

Developing active listening skills is essential to improving your communication skills. How often do you find yourself zoning out or thinking about what to say next during a conversation, instead of listening? If you are anything like me, then the answer is probably everyday, even if it’s just for a few seconds. ...  read more

Soft Skills List – 28 Skills to Working Smart

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I originally published this soft skills list in June 2011.  I am honored to discover that more than 500,000 of you have since read my soft skills list and found it helpful.

There are 28 soft skills essential to your career success.  I wished I knew about many of these earlier in my career.   I want to share them so I can empower you to work smart and achieve more.  I look forward to your comments. ...  read more

Remembering Paul Walker

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Paul Walker

Paul Walker was a down-to-earth, fun-loving guy who also happened to be a famous actor.   I was shocked to find out he was killed yesterday in a car accident at the age of 40.  Since I have met Paul Walker, I wanted to dedicate this post to remembering him and reminding us that life is short.  We need to seize the present and live life to the fullest while we can. ...  read more

Don’t be a Perfectionist

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“What’s your biggest weakness?”  This is a question often asked in an interview.  One of the most common answers given is “I am a perfectionist.”  You may think yourself clever when you provide that answer, as it’s often thought of as a good, subtle way to talk about another strength of yours in the guise of a weakness.  Comments that follow may include “I work too hard, and may obsess about details…” ...  read more