Six Tips to Make Small Talk with Anyone

If you're an introvert, like me, then you are probably constantly finding yourself in social situations. Social situations are icky, bothersome, and require extra effort for an introvert - we would just rather sit quietly in a corner, sipping our martinis.

However, sometimes it is important to interact with other people. Extroverts have a difficult time understanding why introverts are so pissy and stand-offish. So in order to survive the human race, once in a while it is good to make small talk. Here are six tips to help facilitate this:

1. Start something, get off your butt. Go talk to someone, anyone. About anything.
2. Look for common interests. Conversation goes so much better when all involved know what is being talked about.
3. Don't get too personal. You've just started this conversation! Nothing can kill it quicker than asking about so-and-so's goiter. Or offering up stories from your visit to the mental hospital.
4. Keep the topics broad. By doing this, you are allowing the creative conversation process to flow. Who knows what interests you may discover in common, or new knowledge you may attain by keeping the flow loose.
5. LISTEN. Don't just keep your mouth shut and formulate a response as the other person is talking. Actually stop and listen.
6. Know when to call it quits. Maybe it's late and he's tired - let him go! Or maybe she is being just a bit too creepy, or he is really crude. Or the conversation turned into religion and politics. Whatever it might be, know when it should be over and politely excuse yourself.

Remember these helpful tidbits next time you're stuck at the workplace Christmas party or Cousin Melvin's Bar Mitzvah. And good luck!

Hiring for Attitude Performance Breakdown Chart

This chart is from Hiring for Attitude by Mark Murphy, and is fairly simple, makes a lot of sense.

(click the photo for a .PDF copy)

The general concept is this: that both Attitude and Skills determine what type of performer any given person will be. Obviously one wants High Performers - those who have great skills and a great attitude. The below notes are mine, and have nothing to do with the book.

• Talented Terrors have a great skill-set, but a poor attitude. One wants to avoid these people because, although they can do the work, they will be problematic. People will avoid working with them, thus decreasing productivity.
• Bless Their Hearts are the opposites of Talented Terrors: They are great to work with, but have little or no actual skills. They are quite useless but, bless their hearts for trying. Having these people around will eventually cause morale issues because why is that person getting paid to do nothing or to do a job he obviously can't handle?
• Low Performers are the worst of all types. They have a poor attitude and a poor skill-set. These will kill morale and productivity.
• Good Performers fall somewhere in between poor and great on both attitude and skills. This represents most of the individuals one will work with. Attitude and skills can vary, but for the most part this person is stable and does well.
• High Performers, the holy grail! Great attitude, great skills, these individuals are probably working in "The Zone" - they love what they do, and they do it with an artful skill. They boost morale wherever they go and are great producers.

5 Tips to Be a Persuasive Speaker

Shamelessly lifted from Jason Dorsey's June 13, 2012 article at Success Magazine, I actually had the opportunity to apply these five tips to my presentation at my social club's 2013 Annual General Meeting. The speech was a rousing success, even I was impressed!

1. It's not about you - it's only about the audience.
2. Omit needless Power Point - especially slides with more than 10 words.
3. The unexpected will happen - ignore it.
4. Don't write - and memorize - a speech, word-for-word.
5. Close strong, no matter how you feel it went.

I feel that I have to note, this was truly the first successful presentation I'd given at the club. I can personally speak to every single point above.

1. The first thing I thought of, when preparing my presentation, was what I wanted my audience to take away from it. I was then able to tailor it to meet any potential questions which would arise.
2. I personally find digital slides to be a waste of time, precisely because of so many meetings where it is essentially being used as a projected book. And so I spent weeks designing my 15-slide presentation to ensure that it wowed, not bored, my audience with graphs and dynamic information.
3. We did have some technical details, some people talking (initially), and other distractions. Such things put me off during previous presentations. This time I worked through or with the issues and they resolved themselves!
4. Since I spent so much time working on my presentation, I knew the topic backward and forward. I had the slide show to keep me on track, and so was able to go the direction I needed to go without stumbling.
5. When I was finished, you could have heard a pin drop. I made my point - our numbers were down and our club was slowly dying. I closed my presentation with one further slide - a tombstone with our club's name on it. "Don't let it come to this," I said.

I have given six total presentations at our club. Five were horrible experiences which left me - and my audience - often confused. At best, they were mundane. By using these five principles, I gave a presentation so strong that people were still commending me a month later. Nobody left unchanged. And now, in small part because of that presentation, our club has turned around and is succeeding in ways we never thought possible again!

Jackie Chan's 7 Traits for Success

I'm not a big Jackie Chan fan. Actually, I pretty much can't stand him. I do respect him, to a certain extent, for the work that he does and for the integrity with which he carries himself. When I read this article in the February 2011 issue of Success Magazine (partially archived here) I have to admit that I gained a little more respect for him.

Jackie Chan's 7 Traits for Success

1. A willingness to crash and burn (even if you crash and burn, you will still learn something).
2. A discipline for fitness.
3. A disdain for wasted time (i.e., stay interested in many different things and learn as much as you can).
4. A need for alternative opinions.
5. A set of high expectations.
6. An accurate moral compass.
7. A relentless sense of humor.

"A guaranteed way to be miserable is to spend all your time trying to make everyone else happy."

 - Larry Winget

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"The chief enemy of creativity is 'good' sense."

 - Pablo Picasso

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"Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask a creative person how they did something, they fell a little guilty because they didn't really do it, they just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while."

- Steve Jobs

Lessons from "The Element" by Ken Robinson

How I happened upon The Element, I do not remember. But the fact is, this book changed the way I look at myself - from how the education system in this country failed me (and continues to do so for millions of children) all the way up to how my own creative process works.

I find it serendipitous that, unbeknownst to me, I had recorded a quote by Ken Robinson early on in my learning process this year and did not realize - even when I was reading The Element - that I already had a small connection to him.

I offer here a summary and the main points of The Element, the book can be purchased via Amazon here.

"Would you rather look like a millionaire, or be one?"

 - Me

3 Lessons from "Shut Up, Stop Whining, and Get a Life"

Larry Winget, as I mentioned before, is one of my favorite self-help writers / speakers. Here I present three lessons I learned from his book, "Shut Up, Stop Whining, and Get a Life" - I believe that these three lessons form the core of where he is coming from:

1. Stop whining and take responsibility for the events in your life. 
• Life is filled with great stuff and horrible crap. Celebrate the good and deal with the bad.
• You cannot solve your problems when you are too busy whining.
• Instead of complaining, develop a plan.
2. Stupidity, laziness, and indifference create failures. 
• Move beyond laziness.
• Further your education - there are plenty of free and obtainable resources.
• Clean up your thoughts and speech, and you will clean up your life
3. Be realistic.
• Everyone makes mistakes.
• Own up, fix it, and move on. 

 

"Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway."

 - Earl Nightengale

Lessons from "The Millionaire Next Door" by William Danko and Thomas Stanley

Quite honestly this is one of the most important books I have read this year! Although the edition I read was nearly 20 years old, I believe that the principles remain the same; and I've begun to apply them - already I've seen considerable change in my attitude towards finances.

Here is my summary - click here to read / print / download it.

Click here to find the book on Amazon

"Don't let schooling interfere with your education."

 - Mark Twain

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"Some cause happiness wherever they go, others when they go."

 - Oscar Wilde

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"If you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing it is stupid."

 - Albert Einstein

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"Wisdom is often nearer when we stoop than when we soar."

 - William Wordsworth

Larry Winget's 5 Tips to Fix Your Screwed-up Life

A few months back I decided that I wanted to write my own self-help book in 2014. It was June 2013 and I had read numerous books and compiled pages upon pages of notes. I've applied the principles and advice from all of these sources to my own life and have seen staggering results in so many areas - and I want to share that information with others (which is why I publish my notes on the internet).

I contemplated many titles, including "Stop Whining and Succeed" which I really liked, until my mentor told me that it was very similar to a book which already exists, "Shut Up, Stop Whining and Get a Life" by Larry Winget. He showed me a YouTube video of Larry - it was love at first sight! Finally someone who doesn't coddle his audience, but motivates them by helping them to understand how stupid people can be!

Larry will always hold a special place in my heart, as I continue to read his books. Here I am presenting a small list called "5 Tips to Fix Your Screwed-up Life".

1. Know where you are - Know exactly how much you make and spend. Write it down.
2. Establish priorities - Spend your time and money towards your priorities.
3. Establish a budget - Live by it. Don't give yourself any excuses.
4. Cash only
5. Keep a journal - Write down what you spend on everything, every day.

These things may seem simple, but they are highly effective! These five principles, along with what I will be presenting in a few posts from The Millionaire Next Door have really helped me realize where I am financially, where I need to be, and what steps to take to start getting there.

"The desire not to be anything is the desire not to be."

 - Ayn Rand

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"The men who try to do something and fail are infinitely better than those who try nothing and succeed."

 - Martyn Lloyd-Jones

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"The great secret of success in life is for a man to be ready when his opportunity comes."

 - Benjamin Disraeli

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"A handful of patience is worth more than a bushel of brains."

 (Old Dutch Proverb)

Lessons from "The Brand You 50" by Tom Peters

This book, "The Brand You 50 : Or : Fifty Ways to Transform Yourself from an 'Employee' into a Brand That Shouts Distinction, Commitment, and Passion!", by Tom Peters, was not one of my favorites. He does however raise several good points with regards to how one should go about rebranding one's self for the workplace, which I am reproducing here:

• Don't neglect any details, from personal style to business card.
• Connections (networking) are a critical asset.
• How you spend your time will define you. Be sure it truly reflects your priorities.
• To get what you want, first identify your goals.
• Develop a portfolio of attributes and skills.
• Take jobs no one else wants and make them enviable.
• See everyone and everything as a potential resource.
• Be noticeably good at something.
• To stay fresh, welcome unusual influences.
• Be design conscious.
• Develop solid public speaking skills.
• Be a leader, even if no one follows for now.
• Promote yourself daily.

"Motivation is the art of getting people to do what you want them to do because they want to do it."

 - Dwight D. Eisenhower

Lessons I Learned from a Social Network's Incompetetence

There is this social network - and I use the term very loosely - which is quite famous in certain circles. It is not Facebook, or MySpace, or anything so conventional - it appeals to a niche market.

The site owner is notorious for committing atrocities against his own members, all for personal gain. And, while it is not my intention to here document all of the site's crimes against humanity, I do want to point out the lessons that can be learned from them.

So here they are, available for anyone thinking about running a membership-based site or organization, the Lessons I Learned from a Social Network's Incompetence:

1. Do not belittle or ignore your members. This causes frustration and abandonment.
2. Do not penalize your members for talking about you or your competition. If you can't handle people talking about what you're doing wrong, then you don't deserve to hear them talking about what you're doing right. If your members are talking about your competition, perhaps it is because they see something better than what you have to offer - this is an opportunity to improve!
3. Make basic tools free and easy to use. Making your members to pay for basic tools (like chat, etc.) will do only one thing: drive them to the competition, who is offering them for free.
4. Make information easy to find and use. Requiring members or users to navigate labyrinthine menus or use complicated procedures just to find information will lead to a lot of emails for you and frustration for them.
5. Let your members - not you - decide if they belong. The whole point of a club or social site or gathering is so that people who share interests can share those interests together. When you start singling out individuals and telling them that they aren't "XYZ-enough" you are going against organic flow and variable individuality amongst people - in essence, you are forcing your group in an unnatural direction. This can create a lot of bad PR and ill-will. Be careful, or you just may force it down the drain!
6. Place advertising appropriately. I cannot emphasize this enough. Don't just throw ads any place you like - put some thought into it, make it fit with the decor or layout. And don't force people to see them, to the point that the advertising is blocking or handicapping everything else.
7. Customer service should not be abandoned. This goes hand-in-hand with our first item on this list. Offering support and service, and then not backing that offer up, will do more damage to your credibility than just about anything. Remember: they are members, not assets.

"There is more to life than increasing its speed."

 - Mahatma Gandhi

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"Yesterday's home runs won't win today's games."

 - Babe Ruth

From "Why You Should Always Do a Little Work for Free" by Jeff Haden

Another short list from Jeff Haden, giving reasons to Why You Should Always Do a Little Work for Free, in other words, why you should give away some of your effort: 

1. You get to stretch a little - loosen the joints from doing the same thing over and over
2. You get to be scared - helps your remember how fortunate you are
3. You get to be more creative - help someone find solutions within their limited resources
4. You get to do the right thing - helping others is not just good for them
5. You get to be a hero - help someone else out and you become their hero

"Ideas without action aren't ideas. They're regrets."

 - Benjamin Jowett

From "8 Pieces of Professional Advice I Didn't Want but Definitely Needed" by Jeff Haden

Jeff Haden is one of my favorite bloggers because he seems to talk about so much that I am experiencing myself, and offer great - and oftentimes unique - ideas. Here I present the most important (at least to me) five elements from his collection of eight:

1. Express your individuality on your own time - Maintaining your integrity is vital, but there is a difference between staying true to yourself and just being yourself.
2. Face value has no value - There is always more to the story. Don't fail to look deeper.
3. They're just as scared as you - The playing field is always more level than it seems.
4. Shut up - Realize that sometimes you're talking only because you are interested in what you're saying. Never speak just to please yourself.
5. Pick something you believe in and stick to it - Choose something you can do that actually helps you perform better, and start doing it.

"No person will make a great business who wants to do it all himself or get all the credit."

 - Andrew Carnegie

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"The winners in life think constantly in terms of 'I am', 'I can', and 'I will'. Losers, on the other hand concentrate their waking thoughts on what they should have or would have done, or what they can't do."

 - Dennis Waitley

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"Leadership is doing what is right when no one is looking."

 - George Van Valkenburg

"How to Stop Choking Under Pressure" by Jeff Haden

Here are main points from the article written by one of my favorites!

How to Stop Choking Under Pressure

1. Practice the Basics

    * Run through it several times and smooth out the kinks

    * Make sure you can perform on autopilot

    * Think about the most likely questions or interruptions and rehearse responses

2. Rework the Basics

    * Change up the order so you know it backwards and forwards

3. Practice the "What Ifs"

    * Prepare for things that can make you freeze

4. Visualize

    * Mentally rehearse, and rehearse how you will react to the "what ifs"

5. Create Solution "Shelves"

    * Store your mentally rehearsed reactions for later use so you don't have to think on your feet

6. Learn From Close Calls

    * Close calls let you learn painlessly

    * Visualize the solution afterwards and put it on your Solution "Shelf" for later use

 

"The way to get things done is not to mind who gets the credit for doing them."

 - Benjamin Jowett

"Wise are those who learn that the bottom line doesn't always have to be their top priority."

 - William Arthur Ward

Lessons from "Leadership Secrets of Atillia the Hun" by Wess Roberts

I have to admit that most of the books I have gone through so far this year have been an adventure, including the ones I haven't even posted about yet.

Not so with this book. It was trying, to say the least. I actually had to quit reading it and us a getAbstract to finish it, it was just that bad. Still, there were a few nuggets of gold found within its pages, and so I present them:

• Articulate a goal everyone can understand.
• Remain open to adopting new techniques if others' ideas are working better than yours.
• Do not commit yourself to a course of action until you fully understand its implications.
• Encourage others to be creative and innovative as long as their activities fit the group's overall goals.
• Encourage competition, but do not let it detract from attaining common goals.
• If you have to work hard to get other people to agree with your choice, it probably isn't a wise decision.
• Skepticism will help you avoid bad decisions.
• Only lose your tempter when you stand to gain by it.

If you're interested in taking on the task of trying to read this book yourself, you can find it at Amazon here.

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

In 1943 a psychologist, Abraham Maslow, came up with a theory to describe human behavior with respect to needs and wants being met. This theory was called the Hierarchy of Needs, and it shows that when people are unable to fulfill their needs and wants at a certain level, they will seek baser levels for fulfillment; and how if needs and wants are met then people will move to upper levels.

(click the photo for a .PDF copy)

Using this hierarchy, one can easily determine what level he or she is at and take the necessary steps to solve issues regarding needs and wants.

For instance, if you find yourself working extra hard to make sure you have stable employment or resources, this means you may be giving undue focus to your Safety Needs level. This could indicate that your Love and Belonging level is lacking and so you are trying to exhibit control over a lower level in order to retain some level of power in your life.

Conversely, if you are having issues with, say, being respected or having confidence (your Esteem level), it could be that you haven't completely fulfilled your needs and wants in your Love and Belonging level.

While these things are only theory, it is extremely useful as a gauge of where you are and where you would like to be.

Branding Yourself

There are over six billion people in the world, and the UN estimates that by 2050 there will be nine billion.

That's a lot of people! It is vitally important that you "stand out" if you are going to make it in today's world, which is why personal branding has become an increasingly popular concept.

Remember the movie, Pulp Fiction? When Vincent and Jules had a major problem, they hired Mr. Wolf. And the first thing he told them is, "I solve problems." Nothing more, nothing less. This is his personal brand, we know this because his reputation - his brand - was the very reason he was hired to begin with.

So, how does one develop his own personal brand? You want to find one or two words that describe you best, a catchy phrase or even a mantra. Something simple and quick, which makes you uniquely identifiable.

Here are a few key questions to help you along:

1. What are you best at?
2. What are you the "go to" person for?
3. When colleagues describe you to someone else, do they call you "The King of X"?
4. In what areas of your field do you have critical knowledge that others lack?

Once you decide what to brand yourself, don't forget to market that brand!

A Small Mantra

This past March, the social club I belong to had its Bi-Annual General Meeting. We have two such meetings: this one and the big Annual General Meeting in September. Such meetings are held to keep the membership apprised of what is going on with the club, and gives them the opportunity to ask questions, debate points, and effect change.

I am the club's current Membership Secretary, as such I have to give a report to the membership at these meetings and be available for all manner of questions, observations, and character assassination. At March's meeting, a member asked me about what direction our club needed to head in order to garner new members.

Anyone who has been to this club for any length of time knows that this place is stuck in the mid-twentieth century, and bringing it into the digital age has been slow and painful - I should know, I'm spearheading the effort! Therefore, when I answered the member's question I found that all of the passion I have for seeing the club succeed came pouring out.

I hate public speaking. But in that moment, I was the center of the universe. I felt every word come out. The people hushed. They listened. And for that moment, the general membership felt the spark of passion that I hold.

And just like that, the moment was over. But I took something away from it: the understanding that my passion for something is the key for my ability to speak in public. As soon as I made it back to my seat, I jotted down the following small mantra:

"When I talk about what I care about, my mind is calm and collected. My speech is exact and my energy is impassioned."

Simple, I know. But I do not want to forget how that moment felt, and I certainly don't want to forget that small key that allowed me to speak to an audience without stumbling over my own words and  thoughts. I don't want to forget how I captured their attention and brought them into my mind.

Some Random Observations...

From time to time, I compile small lists of things which I've randomly observed. Here is one such list:

• People often give too much attention to unimportant tasks, and too little attention to critical goals. What ends up happening when we do this is that we will get caught up in the details. The idea is similar to the cliché, "Can't see the forest for the trees." Often we spend so much time focusing on the minute (the trees) that we forget that there is a goal to reach (navigating the forest).
• Customers do not experience averages: they experience, and remember, variations. One of the most grievous errors any customer-based business can commit is to assume that there is an average customer. For instance: The average customer buys two cartons of milk; or, The average customer spends fifteen minutes speaking with a representative. For quantifying purposes, this may be acceptable, but for the customer - he is going to remember what he experiences. If he is on hold for 10 minutes or 20 minutes, this will form his opinion of what you are offering. We must strive to make all experiences better than the average!

The Cone of Learning

(click the photo for a .PDF copy)

The Cone of Learning was created by Edgar Dale in the 1960's. He theorized that learners retain more information when interacting than when simply observing.

The Cone is comprised of six sections, moving from top down in level of effectiveness. The first six sections are Passive methods, in that they don't require much interactivity. The final two are Active methods, requiring participation.

The Cone charts theoretical memory retention - there is scant information as to the truth to the actual numbers, but the concept may be valid: that the more you participate in an activity, the more likely you are to retain the learning involved.

"A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at him."

 -David Brinkley

Creative Genius

Sometimes I just don't have the time to sit down and read a good book, so I will use summary guides such as GetAbstract. This isn't really cheating because the summaries usually get right down to the nitty-gritty, saving the best parts: the lessons to learn, main quotes, etc.

I mean no disrespect to the author, but there are just so many books to read, and I only have so much time in which to read them that I find I have to selectively choose which ones I will devote actual reading time to.

"Creative Genius" by Peter Fisk is one such book that I had to go by way of the GetAbstract summary. There were really a lot of great points to this book, and so I have copied down the ones I find most important to my own goals. Thus, I've created a summary of the summary!

Click here to read / download / print "Outline & Main Points of Creative Genius by Peter Fisk". I hope that these points help you as much as they've helped me!

Click here to find the book on Amazon.

"The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds new discoveries, is not 'Eureka!' (I found it), but 'That's Funny...' "

 -Isaac Asimov

"Intelligence without ambition is a bird without wings."

 -Salvador Dali

Lessons from "When I Stop Talking, You'll Know I'm Dead" by Jerry Weintraub

A neat book, "When I Stop Talking, You'll Know I'm Dead" by Jerry Weintraub. It offers quite a bit of anecdotal information and concepts by telling the stories of many of his interactions with celebrities.

"An idea is only crazy until someone pulls it off."

• A successful career requires mentors.
• Keep your business to yourself.
• Ignore those you oppose or ridicule you. Develop your innate sense of "Screw 'em."
• Never fear failing, trying, or looking like a fool. Don't be threatened by a new idea.
• Things change. Be willing to start anew. Be true to your passions and follow them.

Remember... 

"If you act like you are in charge, no one will stop you."

"6 Powerful Ways to Stand Out at Work" by Jeff Haden

Something which I have known for a while is that, if you're going to make it in life, you need to stand out. Being just another face in the crowd isn't going to get you anywhere interesting.

This is from one of the first articles I've read by Jeff Haden, whose writings I have come to treasure in many ways.

1. Be first with a purpose - Come in early and do something visibly worthwhile for the company
2. Be known for something specific - Pick a worthwhile mission and then excel at it
3. Create your own side project - Even if it fails, it shows your initiative
4. Put your muscle where your mouth is - Instead of just pointing out flaws, jump in and help fix it
5. Show a little of your personal side - Personal interests help other people identify and remember you
6. Work harder than anyone else - Nothing is a substitute for hard work

7 Lessons from "Outsmart!" by Jim Champy

A great little book - "Outsmart! How to Do What Your Competitors Can't" by Jim Champy - has some great pointers that will give you an edge over your competition in any field and in many areas of your life. Here are the lessons I took away from it:

1. Find out what your customer base wants or needs, from them. Don't assume.
2. Don't stop thinking about tomorrow.
3. Try ideas that are outside your industry.
4. A complaint is an opportunity for you to improve.
5. Don't compartmentalize your knowledge; apply everything you know to challenges.
6. Don't tackle problems to which you have no special resources to bring to the table.
7. Good ideas are rare and precious! When you have one, pursue it!

The One Minute Manager

Another fine short allegory book is "The One Minute Manager" by Spencer Johnson (of "Who Moved My Cheese?" fame).

This is a quick read, which will help anyone looking for easy ways to better manage themselves and anyone they supervise.

I have made up a summary / outline of the principles of the book. Click here to read / print / download it.

Click here to find the book on Amazon.

"Those who are afraid of new ideas are doomed before they start."

-Napoleon Hill

"I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have."

-Thomas Jefferson

Who Moved My Cheese?

A book that I cannot recommend enough is "Who Moved My Cheese?" by Spencer Johnson. This is a very valuable resource which was recommended to me years ago.

It is a very simple and effective parable about change, about how people go about reacting to change, and how one can learn to anticipate and move with changes.

Not only has "Who Moved My Cheese?" helped me over the years learn how to effectively deal with changes in my life, but I have recommended it to countless other individuals who have also benefited from its message.

I have made my own copy of "The Handwriting on the Wall" - a small card included with the book that breaks down the basic points of the story.

Click here to read / print / download my copy of "The Handwriting on the Wall".

Click here to find the book on Amazon.

"A trade by which one gains and the other loses is a fraud."

 -Dagny Taggart, Atlas Shrugged

Practice Makes Permanent!

Before You Speak: THINK!

Is it True?
Is it Helpful?
Is it Inspiring?
Is it Necessary?
Is it Kind?

The "Sweet Spot" is in the overlap of your Strengths, your Passions, and your Obligations.

"If you're not prepared to be wrong, you'll never come up with anything original."

 -Sir Ken Robinson

"There is nothing of any importance in life - except how well you do your work. Nothing. Only that. It's the only measure of human value. All the codes of ethics they'll try to ram down your throat are just so much paper money put out by swindlers to fleece people of their virtues. The code of competence is the only system of morality that's on a gold standard."

 -Francisco D'Anconia, Atlas Shrugged

Getting Past NO

A very fine book I have had the opportunity to read is William Ury's "Getting Past NO".

The book deals with how to successfully negotiate with people who are being difficult. I have personally found it to be an invaluable resource and have successfully (much to my delight) used many of the techniques outlined in many different situations since reading.

Click here to read / print / download my outline.

Click here to find the book on Amazon.

I seriously cannot recommend this book enough! It is a must for anyone trying to become successful...

"Contradictions do not exist. Whenever you think that you are facing a contradiction, check your premises: you will find that one of them is wrong."

 -Francisco D'Anconia, Atlas Shrugged

"Never interrupt someone doing something you said can't be done."

-Sergio Marchionne