Be Better in Business

A Mentor can make a meaningful difference in your professional and personal growth. They provide knowledge, experience, insight, guidance, support, direction and moral encouragement.

Whether you’re meeting a new client or joining a friend for a meal, when you’re on time it sends a clear message to others. Unfortunately, being chronically late also sends a message.

No one likes to be told NO so we don’t ask. We fear rejection. We fear failure. We fear being told what we can’t have. For many of us, asking others for what we want scares us. It forces us out of our comfort zone. The challenge is that if we don’t ask, we get exactly what we deserve. Nothing changes.

Despite best efforts, a sender’s intention in an email or text does not guarantee that it’s received that same way. In fact, emails and texts are often read in the mood of the recipient. Email and texts are more than just the conveyance of information. They are often about managing relationships, remotely.

Sending a thank-you note after an interview might seem old-fashioned, but it’s just as important to write one as ever. There are two situations which deserve a thank-you note. The first is when you’re meeting with someone about a job. The second situation is when you’re meeting with someone to seek guidance, advice, mentoring and/or support. 

No matter how hard we try to manage it, we seem to be constantly buried in a mountain of email. Although there is no simple solution, there are some basic proactive techniques that can help you be in control of your email.

Voicemail can be a wonderful thing, if done properly. If not, it can leave the recipient wondering who called, what they wanted and most importantly, wondering how they want to be contacted. Next time you’re leaving a voice mail you’ll use have a better grasp of what an effective voice mail is all about. People will appreciate the clarity of information and you’ll be more likely to get a response.

If you’re going to be successful in business, it's critical that you widen the scope of your knowledge in order to broaden your outlook. The more you intentionally improve your general knowledge the easier it will be for you to relate to other people's views and understand their perspective. Reading newspapers helps you form and develop your opinion. It is known to sharpen your thinking skills. Best of all, reading enhances your vocabulary and improves language skills. In short, reading a newspaper is good for you. But don’t believe just me…

When someone asks "What do you do? Or, who do you work with?" are you able to answer them, succinctly, thoroughly, with conviction and passion? In short, do you have your elevator pitch ready? It’s the perfect opportunity for you to answer the question of who you are, what you do, and what you want to do (if you're job hunting). An elevator pitch should spark their interest in you!

Have you ever been talking with someone who answers or starts using their cellphone while you're talking with them? Or how about that time during a meeting where you snuck a look at your phone to check a text and when you were caught you claimed you were just checking the time? Let’s be candid, in each example either you or they were not present. This lesson is about being present and what being present does for you and others.