This week in Sue Shellenbarger had an interesting column in the Wall Street Journal called “Thinking Happy Thoughts at Work.”  The column focused on the application of recent research in positive psychology in the workplace. Put simply, positive psychology emphasizes building resiliency and positive attitudes instead of solving emotional problems. 
This is an approach whose time may have come.  The latest Conference Board survey shows that 45% of US workers are satisfied with their jobs, down from 52% in 2005 and 61% in 1987.  In my coaching practice, I’m finding that many people are unhappy with …

I am The Common Sense Guy.  My tag line is, “Helping individuals, teams and entire organizations succeed by applying their common sense.”  That’s why my ears perked up when I heard President Obama say the words “common sense” in the State of the Union address last night.  He said, “Let’s try common sense – a novel concept.”  Common sense is not a novel concept, but it is one that is often misunderstood.  
In the Introduction to my forthcoming book, Common Sense Ideas for Building a Dream Team, I say… 
“We are all born with five senses: sight, …

New Orleans was jumping on Sunday.  The Saints beat the Vikings to get into the Super Bowl.  I read that during the game 80% of the televisions in New Orleans that were turned on during the game were tuned to the game.  That’s an amazing number.  This is the first time the Saints are in the Super Bowl in their history.  They began playing in the NFL in 1967.  That’s a long time to wait for a chance at the championship.  Ironically, many Super Bowls have been played in New Orleans, the Saints just haven’t …

Self confidence is one of the keys to personal and professional success that is part of my Common Sense Success System.  I discuss it in several of my books: Straight Talk for Success, Star Power, I Want YOU…To Succeed, Your Success GPS and 42 Rules to Jumpstart your Professional Success. 
You can become self confident by doing three things.  First, choose optimism.  Believe in your heart of hearts that today will be better than yesterday, and that tomorrow will be better than today.  Second, face your fears and act.  Procrastination and inaction feed fear and rob …

Self confidence is one of the keys to personal and professional success that is part of my Common Sense Success System.  I discuss it in several of my books: Straight Talk for Success, Star Power, I want YOU…To Succeed, Your Success GPS and 42 Rules to Jumpstart your Professional Success. 
You can become self confident by doing three things.  First, choose optimism.  Believe in your heart of hearts that today will be better than yesterday, and that tomorrow will be better than today.  Second, face your fears and act.  Procrastination and inaction feed fear and rob …

Competence is one of the keys to success in my Common Sense Success System.  I discuss it in detail in several of my books: Straight Talk for Success; Your Success GPS; Star Power, I Want YOU…to Succeed and 42 Rules to Jumpstart Your Professional Success. 
If you want to succeed you need to develop four basic, but important competencies: 1) creating positive personal impact; 2) becoming a consistently high performer; 3) communication skills; and 4) relationship building.  
Yesterday, I blogged about a great new book that I was asked to review, The Big Picture: Essential Lessons for …

Competence is one of the keys to success in my Common Sense Success System.  I discuss it in detail in several of my books: Straight Talk for Success; Your Success GPS; Star Power, I Want YOU…to Succeed and 42 Rules to Jumpstart Your Professional Success. 
If you want to succeed you need to develop four basic, but important competencies: 1) creating positive personal impact; 2) becoming a consistently high performer; 3) communication skills; and 4) relationship building.  
Lifelong learning is the first step in becoming an outstanding performer. 
I like blogging.  It gives me an opportunity help people …

Commitment to taking personal responsibility for creating the successful life and career you want and deserve is one of the four keys to success in my Common Sense Success System.  I discuss it in detail in several of my books: Straight Talk for Success, I Want YOU…to Succeed, Star Power, Your Success GPS, and 42 Rules to Jumpstart Your Professional Success.
You demonstrate your commitment to taking personal responsibility for your success by doing three things.  First, you must take personal responsibility for your success.  Only you can make you a success.  You need to be …

Commitment to taking personal responsibility for creating the successful life and career you want and deserve is one of the four keys to success in my Common Sense Success System.  I discuss it in detail in several of my books: Straight Talk for Success, I Want YOU…to Succeed, Star Power, Your Success GPS, and 42 Rules to Jumpstart Your Professional Success. 
You can demonstrate your commitment to taking personal responsibility for your success by responding positively to the people and events and events in your life – especially when they are less than positive.  I had …

Clarity of purpose and direction is one of the keys to career and life success in my Common Sense Success System.  I discuss it in several of my books: Straight Talk for Success, Your Success GPS, Star Power, I Want YOU…To Succeed and 42 Rules to Jumpstart Your Professional Success. 
To develop your personal clarity or purpose you need to do three things.  First, define what success means to you personally.  Second, create a vivid mental image of you as a success.  This image should be as vivid as you can you make it.  Third, clarify …