Figuring out your career is like living in a maze with conflicting hints at every turn. One self-proclaimed expert tells you one thing and another tells you exactly the opposite. Instead of listening to what everyone else says, I have a better idea: Try figuring things out for yourself. If[…] Read On
Our growing tendency to think in black and white terms is troubling. I see it in politics, in culture and in business. The thing is, decisions that matter are almost never black and white. The real world is a crazy place with lots of moving parts. Nothing is ever obvious[…] Read On
Wharton prof Adam Grant joined the crusade against personal branding last week, tweeting “The more you focus on building a personal brand, the less authentic you appear. Toothpaste has a brand; it’s packaged and neat. People don’t have brands – they’re real and messy.” The more you focus on building[…] Read On
Everything that’s ever made a real difference in my life was influenced by others. Who are these mysterious “others?” You can call them mentors if you like. I didn’t call them that at the time and neither did they but that’s neither here nor there. In every case, it went[…] Read On
I have a huge chip on my shoulder: I don’t like being told what to do or how to do it. Maybe there’s something wrong with me but I’ve always been that way. As a kid, forbidding me from doing something was tantamount to a challenge, like a great big[…] Read On
Everyone wants to be successful so they get online and Google “how to be successful.” Guess what they find? Gazillions of listicles by losers in desperate need of clicks and attention who generate free content based on cheesy self-help books. If you read enough of that nonsense you’ll find all[…] Read On
It’s ridiculously hard to be successful over the long haul. It’s a lot harder if you don’t know the basics. Factors like global competition, channel conflicts and supply-chain issues are tough enough to overcome; you don’t need internal problems to make it even harder. When it comes to running a[…] Read On