“be Better” Tips for Everyone

For years we clung to an outdated definition of career success. In the old definition of success, successful people were people who had “big” jobs and earned tons of money. You could tell the successful people apart from everybody else by their clothes, their cars, their houses and other material things. Now we know better.…

There’s a lot of insecurity and uncertainty in the working world these days. Artificial intelligence and automation are threatening to replace humans in industries and job functions that once seemed secure. Mass lay-offs continue at some of the world’s most iconic companies. And the rise of the “sharing economy” and the “gig economy” are disrupting…

You’ve probably seen sales scripts before. These scripts show you exactly what to say to get a prospect’s business. But oftentimes what you shouldn’t say is just as important as what you should. There are countless phrases, words, and expressions salespeople use that are either ineffective or can completely turn the customer off. Of course,…

People size you up in seconds, but what exactly are they evaluating? Harvard Business School professor Amy Cuddy has been studying first impressions alongside fellow psychologists Susan Fiske and Peter Glick for more than 15 years, and has discovered patterns in these interactions. In her new book, “Presence,” Cuddy says that people quickly answer two questions when they first…

“I’m actually the best manager the office has have ever had. Before I got here, no one knew what they were doing.” Boastful comments like that make listeners cringe (and roll their eyes). Braggarts aren’t usually revered. Most people favor modesty and humility over gloating. Sometimes, in an effort to avoid sounding like a blowhard,…

When starting a new job, there’s this inevitable rollercoaster of emotions. At first, you feel like you have zero idea what you’re doing. You’re lost trying to figure out how to work the company’s software, where to find the information you need and what exactly the protocol is for the breakroom microwave. But soon, you…

Nothing sabotages your productivity quite like bad habits. They are insidious, creeping up on you slowly until you don’t even notice the damage they’re causing. Bad habits slow you down, decrease your accuracy, make you less creative, and stifle your performance. Getting control of your bad habits is critical, and not just for productivity’s sake.…

“I had been terrified of public speaking. I couldn’t do it,” billionaire Warren Buffett admitted on an HBO documentary that chronicled his life. Buffett conquered his nerves by enrolling in a public speaking course. He knew that if he couldn’t speak in public, it would end his career. Overcoming his fear changed Warren Buffett’s life.…

With the calendar moving to February comes the opportunity to reflect on progression toward our goals for 2017. But how many people looked back in December and actually kept their 2016 New Year’s resolutions? Very few. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be done. It just means that people need to be mentally stronger and…