The Tao of Reading

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I was struck this morning by a LinkedIn posting by my friend and colleague Eileen McDargh. Here’s what she wrote:

Get in control by reading only what matters. And what matters concerns your business, your future, your soul.

Another friend and colleague of mine, the late Charlie “Tremendous” Jones, was famous for saying:

You will be the same person in five years as you are today except for the people you meet and ...

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Communication, Producing Results, Work Ethic

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Are You Asking the Right Questions?

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Today we’re going to do a bit of reverse engineering to see just what it is that makes us tick. Ready? Here we go:

Our life—which includes our job, our relationships, our income, our health—is determined, to a large extent, by our actions.

Our actions are determined, to a large extent, by our beliefs.

Our beliefs are determined, to a large extent, by our thoughts (and vice versa). But what determines our thoughts?

Our thoughts are determined, to a large extent, by the questions ...

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Communication, Leadership, Producing Results, Work Ethic

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Are You Truly Informed?

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Seth Godin wrote an interesting blog today pondering whether there will ever be a time when being uninformed is cause for shame. It’s a good question, particularly in a culture that seems to equate “uninformed” with “real.” A culture that thinks having an “elite education” is a bad thing (and it’s especially galling when ...

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Communication, Creativity, Producing Results

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The Power of “Focus”

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I just finished co-chairing (with the truly amazing Ruby Newell-Legner) a major conference for my professional organization, the National Speakers Association (NSA). By all accounts, it was a huge success (which translates, of course, into huge relief for me!). In the three days since the event ended, I’ve spent some time trying to discern what it was that made the conference so successful.

Yes, we had some truly great speakers and presenters. Yes, the format flowed ...

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Communication, Leadership, Producing Results, Work Ethic

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Leadership and the Power of Words

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Yesterday I gave a keynote speech at a resort and spa nestled in the Colorado Rockies. (Hey, sometimes you get a resort; sometimes you get a Motel 3.) This resort had signs posted throughout the facility touting a luxury pedicure available in the spa. This was the last line of the sign:

“A pedicure from [name of spa] will be ...

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Communication, Leadership, Producing Results

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Don’t Ignore the “Small” Opportunities

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How many opportunities (including BIG ones) are you leaving on the table because you’re ignoring the small game?

I was just reading an interview with Paul McCartney’s bass player, Brian Ray (and what kind of pressure must that be—playing bass for one of the greatest rock bassists of all time?!). The interviewer asked the obvious question: “So, how did you get the McCartney gig?” I think Brian’s answer is a great business lesson for all of us. Here’s what he said:

“In ...

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Change, Communication, Creativity, Customer Service, Producing Results, Work Ethic

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Harley-Davidson, the Beatles, and Change

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Earlier this morning I delivered the keynote address to a meeting of 1,000 Harley-Davidson dealers. It was an amazing experience. Perhaps the most amazing part was that 1,000 Harley people, who had packed the various hotel bars the previous night, actually showed up to hear an 8am keynote!

As part of my research, I had talked to several of these dealers in the previous few weeks. Among the questions I asked them was, “What do you think is the biggest challenge ...

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Change, Communication, Producing Results, The Beatles

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Can You Answer This Basic Question?

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“What do you do for a living?”

That’s a question that far too many people dread, because they don’t have a good, compelling answer. They say something like, “I’m a lawyer,” or, “I’m a financial planner,” or, “I’m the drummer for the Beatles,” and then wonder why everybody quickly walks away. (Okay, they’re probably not going to walk away from that last one, but you get my point. And by the way—Ringo, if you’re reading this, give me a call. I ...

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Communication, Leadership, Producing Results, Videos

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