Interpersonal competence is one of the keys to personal and professional success that I discuss in Straight Talk for Success.  If you want to become interpersonally competent, you need to do three things.  1) Get to know yourself.  Use this self knowledge to help you better understand and communicate with others.  2) Build strong, lasting, mutually beneficial relationships with lots of people.  3) Resolve conflict in a manner that leads to creative solutions to disagreements and strengthens your relationships.
I have been asked to contribute three chapters to the forthcoming book 42 Rules for Creating WE …

Outstanding performance is one of the keys to personal and professional success that I discuss in Straight Talk for Success.  If you want to become an outstanding performer, you need to do three things.  1) Stay on top of your game by becoming a lifelong learner.  2) Set high goals and do whatever it takes to achieve them.  3) Get organized.  Manage your time, life and stress well.
I saw an interesting quote from my favorite playwrights, George Bernard Shaw, the other day.  Mr. Shaw was very successful in his time — and after.  He died …

Self confidence is one of the keys to personal and professional success that I discuss in Straight Talk for Success.  If you want to become self confident you need to do three things.  1) Become an optimist.  2) Face your fears and act.  3) Surround yourself with positive people.
Last week I did a Skype cast for members of an advanced placement class at my old high school.  The students read Straight Talk and came prepared to ask me questions about it. 
One young man sat way at the very end of one of the rows.  …

The ability to create positive personal impact is one of the important keys to personal and professional success that I discuss in Straight Talk for Success.  If you want to create positive personal impact, you need to do three things.  1) Create and nurture your unique personal brand.  2) Be impeccable in your presentation of self – in person and on line.  3) Know and follow the basic rules of etiquette.
While I encourage you to develop a personal brand that is unique to you, I think that every brand should be built on integrity.
Rule 15 …

Happy Earth Day!  I’m living a greener life today than I did one year ago.  I hope you are too.
Outstanding performance is one of the keys to personal and professional success that I discuss in Straight Talk for Success.  If you want to become an outstanding performer, you need to do three things.  1) Stay on top of your game by becoming a lifelong learner.  2) Set and achieve high goals.  3) Get organized.  Manage your time, life and stress well.
I subscribe to the Mind Tools ezine.  Yesterday I received an e mail from the …

Interpersonal competence is one of the keys to personal and professional success that I discuss in Straight Talk for Success.  If you want to become interpersonally competent you need to do three things.  1) Get to know yourself.  Use this self knowledge to better understand and communicate with others.  2) Build solid, long term, mutually beneficial relationships with the important people in your life.  3) Resolve conflict positively.  Use conflict as an opportunity to strengthen your relationships.
Mike Litman is a friend mine and all around good guy.  He’s a great coach who has taught me …

Interpersonal competence is one of the keys to personal and professional success that I discuss in Straight Talk for Success.  If you want to become interpersonally competent, you need to do three things.   1) Get to know yourself.  Use this self knowledge to better understand others.  2) Build long term, supportive and mutually beneficial relationships with the people in your life.  3) Resolve conflict positively.  Use conflict as an opportunity to strengthen, not weaken your relationships.
The May 209 issue of SUCCESS Magazine arrived in my mailbox the other day.  It’s a great issue that features …

Self confidence is one of the keys to personal and professional success that I discuss in Straight Talk for Success.  If you want to become self confident you need to do three things.  1) Choose optimism.  2) Face your fears and act.  3) Surround yourself with positive people. 
These days when I speak to people about optimism, I always get a few comments like, “How can I be optimistic?  I’m worried about losing my job – or I have lost my job.”   “It’s tough to be an optimist today; just look at the economy.”
I agree.  …

Dynamic communication is one of the keys to success that I discuss in Straight Talk for Success.  If you want to become a dynamic communicator, you need to develop three basic skills: 1) conversation, 2) writing and 3) presenting.
Email is a written communication skill.  Unfortunately, many people don’t seem to understand that the basic rules of writing and courtesy apply when using email.  My friend Lydia Ramsey recently wrote a great article on email communication and etiquette.  She has graciously allowed me to reprint it here…

Email: Be Brief, But Not Abrupt
How many e-mail messages do you …

Interpersonal competence is one of the keys to personal and professional success that I discuss in Straight Talk for Success.  If you want to become interpersonally competent, you need to do three things.  1) Get to know yourself, use this knowledge to better understand others.  2) Build relationships with the people in your life.  3) Resolve conflict in a manner that enhances, not detracts, from your relationships.
Dan Robey is a friend.  He is also the author of a great book, The Power of Positive Habits.  I subscribe to Dan’s ezine.  On Wednesday, he sent out …