FREE DOWNLOAD the Full Article (PDF) During a recent seminar, I was confronted with a situation that involved an account manager who was trying to get a certain doctor to speak at a conference he was sponsoring. The problem was that this doctor charged $5,000 for a speech and the account manager only had $2,500…
An article written by Melanie Curtin which appeared in Inc.com, reported on a 75-year-long study conducted by Harvard University that tracked the physical and emotional well-being of 724 men. According to Robert Waldinger, the current director of the study, “The clearest message that we get from this 75-year study is this: Good relationships keep us…
Trader Joe’s has earned the distinction of being “America’s Favorite Grocery Store” three out of the last four years and for good reason. This past November, my wife asked me to go to Trader Joe’s with a grocery list containing nine new holiday novelty items that were featured in its monthly publication—The Fearless Flyer. Since…
When it comes to a tough sell, patience really is a virtue. Shortly after I returned from Vietnam, I joined an Army Reserve unit to help pay for my doctoral studies. I was then given command of the unit, which meant that I was responsible for everything regarding that unit, including recruiting. The unit I…
Several weeks ago, five of my wife’s cousins from Iowa who she hadn’t seen in more than 50 years, came to Phoenix for a visit. None of us had any expectations and each of us wondered how the week would go. It turned out to be the most fun week we’ve ever experienced. What made…
Not only is caring an important self-interest for many people, there is also an incredible payoff associated with it. During my last year as a professor at Arizona State University, the faculty development office undertook a project to assist faculty members to become better teachers. The project involved identifying the seventy-five best teachers on the…
Several years ago, I did some consulting work for the sales organization of a large pharmaceutical company. These sales people were very concerned with the fact that one of their new products wasn’t selling very well. The product was a timed-release patch for managing pain that was used by chemotherapy patients. This product was an…
A friend of mine posted this set of life rules on Facebook. They are so succinct and dead-on that I felt compelled to share them with you. Make peace with your past so it won’t screw up your present. What others think of you is none of your business. Time heals almost anything, give it…
Author, Harvey Mackay, posted a column recently in The Arizona Republic where he said if you don’t want this year to look like last year, the time to start making changes is now. As Mr. Mackay put it, “Start by taking charge of your life. It’s not easy, but it is necessary if you want to make…