SMARTY.

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…

A few weeks ago, on a Friday afternoon, just as I was powering down for the weekend, I found myself on the receiving end of a client termination email. And not just with me, this start-up had also ended its agreements with a dozen independent contractor team members, roughly ¾ of its day 1 working group, in order to re-org….

Almost everyone has waited on test results, a response to a big proposal, a return text from an important person. The mental wheels that begin to turn in these moments of vulnerability – the instant the wait seems too long ­– are often the lingering byproducts of insecurity, doubt and worth (Brené Brown has established an entire niche on this topic)….