Before email, SENDERS shouldered the burden of mail. Writing, stamping, and mailing a letter was a lot of work. Email bludgeoned that system in no time. Now the RECEIVER shoulders the burden of filtering, reading and responding to the endless stream of emails we receive on a day-to-day basis. Taming email means training the senders to put the burden of quality back on themselves. What's the best way to train everyone a...

We're swinging into the end of another year; it's a great time to think about what you'll do different or do better next year . In addition to your work goals, personal goals and family goals, consider the following "New Years Resolution" ideas -- all of which should complement all of your 2010 Goals:Some 2010 - Resolution Ideas:Commit to Your Learning and Personal Development This YearMake this the year that you rededicat...

We're in a whole new world of employment -- one that has continued (and will continue) to evolve and one that is MUCH different from the employment world of our parents and grand-parents. The days of joining a company that you stay at and retire from are LONG GONE and will likely never return again. Job changes occur more and more frequently and career changes are more common than ever before.We are no longer "Who we work...

How well are you "branded" amongst your network of connections - friends, family members, individuals with whom you share outside interests, vendors, clients, colleagues, former colleagues?• What comes to mind when people think of YOU?• Do your contacts fully understand what you do for a living and exactly HOW you add value to other people's lives?• Who's "radar screen" are YOU on when someone asks a contact if they know so...

Zig Ziglar, one of my all time favorite motivational speakers and a great source of inspiration, was one of the first people I remember who used the term "Sharpening the Saw" to refer to keeping your COMPETITIVE EDGE sharp and mastering the process of LIFELONG LEARNING and professional development.Today, more than ever, it is critical that we continue to "Sharpen the Saw" -- to improve upon our strengths, shore up our weakn...

Being asked to join the board of a community, professional or business organization certainly can be a boost to the ego. But, to make sure you say "Yes" for the right reasons, ask yourself these five questions, recommended by some seasoned board members:1. "What do I bring to the table? How will I add value as a board member?"Is it knowledge of your field, financial savvy, existing business relationships, or something els...

A Preamble to Today's ArticleIn the earlier part of my career, I was a CPA with the firm now known as PricewaterhouseCoopers ("PwC"). I quickly gravitated into PwC's highly profitable corporate finance consulting practice as a Director in the firm's Atlanta office, where I spent 10 years specializing in Financial Advisory Services to Fortune 500 companies. The last 15 years of my work life have been oriented around my new p...

Your job search will only be as effective as the level of effort you put forth (the amount of TIME) and the the QUALITY of that effort (focusing on the HIGHEST IMPACT job search activities). I have spoken with dozens and dozens of individuals over the past 90 days who are actively seeking new job opportunities. Those who are seeing little to no results are either: NOT spending sufficient time and/or are NOT focusing the ti...

One of the features of LinkedIn that tends to be underutilized is the "Status Update" (also called your "Network Update") in your LinkedIn Profile. Your status update "block" is a white box located just below your picture on your "View My Profile" page. If you don't see such a block, then you've not posted a status update. From your LinkedIn Home Page or your "Edit My Profile" page, you can change your status update as...

The "Groups" feature of LinkedIn has continued to grow in popularity and utility. Groups are a powerful tool for expanding the depth and breadth of your LinkedIn network. Many Groups treat members similar to FIRST DEGREE connections -- allowing you to make direct contact with a Group member without a referral or "Inmail".I am currently an active member in over 30 Groups (LinkedIn allows you to join up to a maximum of 50 G...