Believe in yourself
Overcome objections
Increase performance and satisfaction
Make informed decisions and just do it
Remove Fear As A Barrier to Innovation
Step out of your comfort zone on the Journey To Bright Ideas
Creative Problem Solving
Time is money. However, most people don’t have much time. We are working harder, earning less and more concerned about our future than ever before. Part of our problem is we are pushed to find solutions before we really understand the problem. We are so busy ‘fighting...
The Pain of Change
Navigating through the challenges of change has never been simple. The new reality is that you have to harness the energy of change. It is the new competitive weapon. It is how successful organizations respond to the changes in the marketplace. The future is based on...
Pruning Your Ideas
Last week I spent a few days with innovative problem solvers from a group of large companies. Each of them recanted the difficulties they experienced when bringing new, innovative suggestions and solutions that could achieve more goals and solve problems. The...
Akin for Change or Biden our Time?
Rep. Todd Akin created a firestorm when he discussed ‘legitimate rape’ and then claimed he misspoke. Akin’s comment is so reprehensible that I can’t foresee a way for him to recover from it yet he has not withdrawn from the election. Certainly it will become a ‘finger...
Lessons from the Olympics
Olympia mania comes every four years and then we forget about it for another three and half years. The events monopolized most of the world's attention and taught us lessons about what it takes to train to win and how to deal with losses. It will take quite sometime...
It’s a F.A.C.T.
As we reach the halfway point in the Olympics I was struck by the fact that many athletes spend much less time competing than others. In fact some win metals by performing for seconds while others take days. Shot put takes thirteen seconds. All around gymnastics seven...
Jump Out of Your Comfort Zone
photo credit: erika.tricroche For years I have advocated that you step out of your comfort zone. There are always references to Steve Jobs, Jack Welch, Lee Iacocca, and other innovators. However moving outside of your area of comfort is not limited to industrial...
How Are You Serving Your Customers?
I have talked about the concept of D-A-T-I-N-G Your Customer for years. The idea was used to explain customer service, but the same concepts could apply to innovative problem solving, product creation, and service execution. First you DAZZLE them, then,...
What Would Jobs Do About Jobs?
photo credit: Jesus Belzunce Recently Tim Cook, the new President of Apple introduced the new OS for the Iphone. He is different than Steve Jobs. He is more corporate. He lacks Jobs' showmanship. I am reminded, again, how we have all been profoundly affected by...
President JFK’s Vice
photo credit: John McNab Mimi Alford is coming forward to tell the world about her alleged affair with John F. Kennedy. Why now? With all of the stories that we are bombarded with by the media, why does Mimi feel the need to tell us her account of an 18-month affair...
Chicken of the Sea
It continues to amaze me that we live in a world where on the same day, a firefighter; Tom Panzica risked his life to save a dog that fell into the ice covered pond, then Captain Francesco Schettino, the Costa Concordia captain at the center of one of Italy's worst...
Making Shift Happen in 2012
photo credit: Eustaquio Santimano Most of us made some form of New Year’s Resolution. To save more, spend less, lose weight, spend more time with family and friends, lose all the excuses that prevent you from exercising, get out of debt, and so on. Resolutions are...
Shopping Hint for the Holidays
If you are considering the purchase of an expensive item, then I suggest you do your homework. Get online. Call around. Check the newspapers. There are deals to be had if you simply do a little homework. A friend was interested in getting new appliances....
American Airlines – Touch and Go
Today American Airlines filed for bankruptcy. There is a huge difference between former airline bankruptcies and American because they have liquidity with $4.1 Billion in cash. How can you be bankrupt with four billion dollars in the bank? Simple. You owe more than...
Offer True Thanksgiving
We live in a world where we need all the help we can get. If any of your friends are facing no job and no money they are not alone. If you are facing 'shifts' in your life there are always others with similar issues. Find a support group. Make a commitment to help...
Pay As You Go Airlines
There are a few industries that continue make me 'scratch my head' as much as the airlines does. They have been very creative in coming up with ways to extract additional money from passengers. They charge for pillows, more legroom, baggage, seat assignments and food....
Swift Remarks
Sunday night 60 Minutes did a special report about Taylor Swift. I am not a big country music fan--although I do admit to knowing almost all the words to every Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton song--but what fascinated me about Taylor was that she controls her life and...
Accentuate the Positive
As the Johnny Mercer song says: "You've got to accentuate the positive,Eliminate the negative,And latch on to the affirmative,Don't mess with mister in-between." It is time for us to get unstuck in the reality of what is being reported in the media. Very few stories...
Reach Out and Touch Someone
Yesterday I was interviewed on WGN Radio with John St. Augustine of Pinch Hitters about my new book Shift Happens! No Job, No Money, Now What? The purpose of the show was to take calls from people who had lost jobs or had significant changes in their lives. ...
Sleepless in Chicago
I often ask myself questions to change the way I think. These are ’shake-me’ up questions and most of us have them. "What would my mother think or do?""How can I lose more weight?" "Is this the right thing to do?""Am I happy?"Frankly, to put this country back...
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ENGAGEMENT STEP 1
Get the Right Topic Recommendation
Tell me your audience, theme, and desired outcomes. I’ll recommend the best-fit topic and format.