Even before I knew the term, I have felt like I am an expert-generalist. And while I felt drawn to it, I have felt that traditional career advice implied I was mistaken. So when I first became familiar with this term and the concept behind it, I felt like shouting Hallelujah!
In this post, I'll explain what an expert-generalist is, why you should consider becoming one, and a cool way to do it.
Read MoreWe’ve all heard the cliché before: don’t burn bridges.
When we say that, we mean that when we leave a job (presumably), we should not do things that will cause the people there to remember us poorly.
In general, this is good advice. All things being equal, I would advise this too.
But there’s more than just not destroying your reputation as far as your former boss and colleagues are concerned.
I think that there’s a huge opportunity (read: something most of us are not paying enough attention to) in the bridge building and maintenance business.
Read MoreIf you are an introvert, chances are you don’t like networking. In fact, you probably despise it. Rather have a root canal. Avoid it like the plague. Think it’s a four-letter word.
But networking doesn’t have to be so awful. It doesn’t have to be so dang hard. You could actually learn to <gasp> enjoy it!
First, let’s talk about your mindset – it’s probably on the wrong track, as most people’s is, with regards to networking. And once you change that, there are many actionable, doable strategies and techniques that you can begin to implement immediately to get you started networking in an introvert-friendly, easier way.
Read MoreIn this blog post, I explain what a "Me too!" moment is, and how we all experience them.
They happen naturally, frequently, and it’s a good thing – it helps us build bonds with others and have more positive interactions that lead to more trusting relationships.
But furthermore, when we recognize how and why this happens, we can actually also have more input into when and how often it does. Read more about it!
Read MoreI was guilty. I admit it.
I used to throw around ‘hot potato’ intros left and right.
I was unaware that I was committing a faux-pas.
Until I learned about the 'double opt-in' introduction, that is, and reformed my wayward ways.
What about you – are you guilty of the networking sin of the ‘hot potato’ intro?
Read MoreAs I’ve explained before, I believe networking is all about building mutually-beneficial, long-term relationships.
When you build business relationships with an abundance mindset it should not scare you to give generously.
Giving helps you establish yourself as a go-to person. It helps you create immense value for others and supports your pursuit of mutually-beneficial, win-win relationships by tipping the proverbial scales in your favor.
But be smart about it - don't be a sucker.
Read MoreWhen you think of the word ‘networking’, what comes to mind?
If you get an icky feeling in the pit of your stomach, keep reading.
First, you’re not alone. I find that most people have some variance of an aversion to networking. But when we dig deeper, it’s often because they’re thinking of the kind of “networking” that people with the wrong mindset do. The kind of networking that gives networking a bad rep.
I think I’m kind of a crusader for righting the reputation of networking. I want to bring honor back to this important activity. And it all starts with getting your mindset straight.
In the right kind of networking – the honorable kind, the kind with integrity and dignity – starts with an abundance mentality and a trader-principle approach. I’d like to explore these mindset foundations in this blog post.
Read MoreThere’s a secret lurking beneath the surface of all of the conversations had (and missed) at networking events, professional development dinners, parties, and the like. No one talks about it. But I’m going to talk about it here – bring it out into the open and demystify the awkwardness of these conversations with strangers. And they will never be the same again.
Read MoreWhen I teach my clients about networking, personal branding, communicating, and connecting meaningfully with others, the subject of names comes up often. Many, if not most, people I work with admit they have a hard time remembering names. Some people think it’s just the way it is, and some people feel ill-at-ease about it.
Here’s a brief summary of the “what”, “why”, and “how” of the name-game: what is wrapped up in names, why you should make an effort around names, and how to help others learn yours as well as how to learn and remember other people’s names more easily.
Read MoreHave you ever stopped to think about the practice of shaking hands with people we meet in business functions and meetings? Why do we do it? Does it still make sense in this day and age? And do the rules about the proper protocol for how to shake hands still hold or should they be revised with time and progress in our society? Do other societies and cultural groups also use this practice and do the same norms apply there (as my friend Marina Kraus asked me)? My colleague Larry Straining added: “Is there an appropriate order (or hierarchy) for shaking hands in a group. Right to left? Ladies first? Age? Position?”
In this three-part series on handshaking, I will attempt to answer some of the questions that abound about the practice of handshaking in business. In Part 1, we’ll review why we shake hands in the first place, what your handshake says about you, and consider whether we should keep shaking hands or quit this practice altogether. In Part 2, we’ll explore whether handshaking is culture-specific or universal. And in Part 3, we’ll examine what other options we have and a list of Do’s and Don’ts to help us all practice proper handshaking protocol (say that three times fast ;) ).
Read Part 3 now...
Read MoreHave you ever stopped to think about the practice of shaking hands with people we meet in business functions and meetings? Why do we do it? Does it still make sense in this day and age? And do the rules about the proper protocol for how to shake hands still hold or should they be revised with time and progress in our society? Do other societies and cultural groups also use this practice and do the same norms apply there (as my friend Marina Kraus asked me)? My colleague Larry Straining added: “Is there an appropriate order (or hierarchy) for shaking hands in a group. Right to left? Ladies first? Age? Position?”
In this three-part series on handshaking, I will attempt to answer some of the questions that abound about the practice of handshaking in business. In Part 1, we’ll review why we shake hands in the first place, what your handshake says about you, and consider whether we should keep shaking hands or quit this practice altogether. In Part 2, we’ll explore whether handshaking is culture-specific or universal. And in Part 3, we’ll examine what other options we have and a list of Do’s and Don’ts to help us all practice proper handshaking protocol (say that three times fast ;) ).
Read Part 2 now...
Read MoreHave you ever stopped to think about the practice of shaking hands with people we meet in business functions and meetings? Why do we do it? Does it still make sense in this day and age? And do the rules about the proper protocol for how to shake hands still hold or should they be revised with time and progress in our society? Do other societies and cultural groups also use this practice and do the same norms apply there (as my friend Marina Kraus asked me)? My colleague Larry Straining added: “Is there an appropriate order (or hierarchy) for shaking hands in a group. Right to left? Ladies first? Age? Position?”
In this three-part series on handshaking, I will attempt to answer some of the questions that abound about the practice of handshaking in business. In Part 1, we’ll review why we shake hands in the first place, what your handshake says about you, and consider whether we should keep shaking hands or quit this practice altogether. In Part 2, we’ll explore whether handshaking is culture-specific or universal. And in Part 3, we’ll examine what other options we have and a list of Do’s and Don’ts to help us all practice proper handshaking protocol (say that three times fast ;) ).
Read Part 1 now...
Read MoreThis topic is all the buzz lately. Everyone is interested in it. It is part of the reality of our new world order, and, like it or not, you cannot avoid or evade it.
In fact, my ASTD chapter's January 2009 meeting was all about Learning 2.0 - using the new web 2.0 tools for learning, and it was a smash success - we doubled our usual attendance!!
My colleague Jeremy Epstein, a prolific blogger and an expert in 'community driven marketing', had an excellent case study in his blog recently about an application value of using social media for business. Read his post here.
His client, Dan Pink, the famed writer and author of best sellers and great reads Free Agent Nation, A Whole New Mind and the recent The Adventures of Johnny Bunko, tapped into the distributed community driven marketing idea when he created a contest for the 7th principle for his Johnny Bunko manga comic book about career development. While the contest had limited success, things really took off when they announced the finalists and asked for readers to vote their favorite.
Here, the distributed part happened: the finalists became marketers, using all means available to garner the most votes - Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, etc. The page hits tripled and sales of the book went up, up, up! The blog post even tells the story of how one contestant - ultimately the winner - contacted Seth Godin and got a blog mention and an endorsement which sealed the deal.
I've encouraged my Board of Directors (Metro DC ASTD) to think about this idea and how we can use this to drive member engagement up. In my business, I am making a concerted effort to strategically leverage my social networks to drive traffic and generate business leads. I'm sure I'll be blogging more about this here.
How are you harnessing the power of social networking to work for you? I'd love to read about your experience - please feel free to comment below with your thoughts.
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![Handshaking: What is it good for? [Part 2 of 3]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/513dd8ede4b0cc0702fce2ec/1403112731768-BS11PBSAKI2UW0CRK5X7/Handshaking+What+is+it+good+for+Part+2.jpg)
![Handshaking: What is it good for? [Part 1 of 3]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/513dd8ede4b0cc0702fce2ec/1403111617227-98MQL0EXOAYE9VDB38XO/Handshaking+What+is+it+good+for+Part+1.jpg)
