SMARTY.

There’s nothing quite like a winning streak to cast doubts on one’s ability to perform the same trick again and again. Ironic as it may seem, especially from someone with such strong opinions about being thoughtful in messaging, it’s surprising to find myself in an almost constant dialogue about the detriment of too much communication. But over-writing, as anyone who…

Here is a case of being willing to help, if only the “ask” considered how much the process informs the outcome. Like you, I am sometimes on the receiving end of a résumé emailed from a recent college grad, usually following an introduction by the sender’s parent. Along comes the résumé with a closing line that says, “let me know…

Funny thing about this word… We use it to imply “merely” when what we really mean is just the opposite. “Can you just tweak this design?” “Can you just re-write this page?” “Can you just tell us what’s missing?” Here’s how I see it. If you are the one doing the asking, then it’s not “just” something. It’s actually “the” something that is most important to…

One of the most powerful things one can do to sell anything, or even to persuade anyone about anything, is to demonstrate. It’s an easily overlooked attribute to marketing because it requires thought, sincerity and is (almost) always more work than slapping a logo on a promotion, or adding exclamation points for emphasis. It can actually mean less – not…

Many years ago, early in my career, someone sent me a note that made me feel really bad about myself. I didn’t know what I had done to this person, someone who meant so much to me, but she was upset – and she felt wronged. The note was vague and accusatory – with no specific incident cited – but…