This post was originally published on Nov. 5th, 2014. It was modified and reposted on Aug. 26th, 2019. The leader of a business association once took me out to lunch to recruit me for membership. He had his work cut out for him. I had two legitimate hesitations in joining: First, I’m uncomfortable adding another
Criticism: The expression of disapproval of someone or something based on perceived faults or mistakes. Sometimes that’s a verbal punch to the face. It may be a facial expression of disapproval or a tone of voice that betrays annoyance. Perhaps it’s a passive/aggressive comment. You might not realize that you’re delivering criticism, but your expression
This post was originally published on May 17, 2016. It has been modified and was republished on August 12, 2019. When I rowed crew in college, the races (and practices) were punishing. From the moment we touched the boat on land to the moment we put it back into the rack, the one thing we
The decision to do or not do something, to support or not support something, to spend money or not spend money on something…despite what you might think, these aren’t logical choices. Decisions are made in the emotional/intuitive part of the brain. So how do you get people to change their mind? Emotions Over Logic Research
This post was originally published on August 14, 2018. It was modified and republished on July 29, 2019. What is the power of the pause? To put it to light, think about a time when two or more people were cordial and cooperative. That is until someone said something that changed the dynamic. Suddenly, someone
What scares you? What do you avoid? Or what would you avoid if the opportunity arose? A big speaking engagement? Starting a business? Telling your boss what you really think? Leaving your job? Selling something? Fighting for a cause? Many things can scare me. A lot of them came to the surface for me and
This post was originally published on September 18th, 2018. It was edited and republished on July 15th, 2019. Distinctly I remember a day in September when I was feeling like the best version of myself..for awhile. Rolling through conference calls, I said what I wanted to, listened when I needed to, and promoted good ideas.
I was part of an ugly exchange a few weeks ago with a delivery driver in my neighborhood. One that taught me the importance of being better instead of bitter, a phrase you may have come across before but paid little attention to until a certain scenario brought it to light. I’m embarrassed to tell
This post was originally published on November 19, 2013. It was modified on July 8, 2019. At a panel discussion I attended a while back on the topic of the future of education in the US, someone in the audience asked, “Who should lead the innovation?” To which one of the panelists demanded, “Look around
This post was originally published on December 14, 2016. It was updated on June 25, 2019. I recall a weekend that was distinctly difficult for me as a parent. Despite the hardship, I gained a valuable lesson on perseverance. We attended my son’s first wrestling meet, and he was up against two tough and experienced
Matt Norman is president of Norman & Associates, which offers Dale Carnegie Training in the North Central US. Dale Carnegie Training is a global organization ...READ MORE