I love SUCCESS Magazine.  Have you subscribed yet?  If not, you should.  I haven’t found a better source of content on career and life success. 

One article jumped out at me, as I always post about communication on Thursday.  The article is called “Are You Drowning Your Prospects?”  It’s written by Terri Sjodin, author of “New Sales Speak.”  Ms. Sjodin makes a great point about presentations – “don’t be informative, be persuasive."

Presentation skills, along with writing and conversation skills, are the three keys to becoming a dynamic communicator.  Ms. Sjodin provides some great common sense advice on how you can become a great presenter.

Here’s some of the great common sense advice Ms. Sjodin presents:

• “Every solid presentation requires a certain amount of data and support, but many professionals spend too much time informing and not enough time persuading.”
• “It’s a teacher’s job to be informative, while a salesperson must be persuasive.”
• “Focus on the most compelling argument with each customer or client.”
• “Design a presentation that anticipates common objections and overcomes them before they become reasons not to buy.”
• “Don’t just wing it; think through your strategy and build a compelling case and then deliver it with savvy in your own authentic voice.”

Ms. Sjodin is writing to a sales audience, but she provides great advice for all of us.  Your job title may not be “salesperson,” but if you want to succeed in your life and career, you need to be constantly selling yourself and your ideas.

How do you go about selling your ideas?  Please leave a comment.  Share your secrets with the rest of us.

I particularly the fifth point above – especially, “DON’T WING IT!!!”  I put this advice in all caps because I’ve found that preparation is the key to making a dynamic presentation.  If you’re prepared, you’ll do a good job.  It’s as simple as that.  If you’re not prepared, you might get by once or twice, but in the long run your lack of preparation will catch up with you.

The common sense point here is simple.  Successful people are dynamic communicators.  If you want to become a dynamic communicator, you need to become and excellent conversationalist, a clear and succinct writer and a persuasive presenter.  When you’re giving a presentation, don’t overwhelm the audience with data.  Instead, make a compelling argument that makes your case.  And, most important -- prepare, prepare, prepare.  As one of my first mentors always said, “Preparation makes up for a lack of talent.”  If you are talented, preparation will take you even further than talent alone.

That’s my take on persuasive presentations and preparing for them.  What’s yours?  As always, I’m interested in your perspective on these thoughts.  I welcome and appreciate your comments.  Thanks for reading.

Bud

I found a great article on Success.com by David Allen called “It’s Not About Time.”  Mr. Allen suggests that too often we focus on managing our time when we should, in fact, be focused on managing ourselves.

“The savvy know self management is really an issue of what we do with ourselves during the time we have. Self-management needs to encompass managing our thoughts and emotions, and dealing effectively with our work, family and community relationships. It’s about gaining dynamic balance of control and perspective to achieve more successful outcomes and feel more relaxed along the way.

“Self-management is about knowing what to do at any given moment. It’s dealing effectively with the things we have to do to achieve our goals and fulfill our purpose. It’s also about deciding the importance of the varied and constant information coming at us.”

What do you think about David Allen’s ideas on self management?  I like them. 

I think that he is right on when he says that “Self management is about knowing what to do at any given moment.”  This means that you cannot become a slave to your to-do list.  No matter how well you plan, you will be faced with new problems and opportunities every day. 

The problems and opportunities on which you focus at any given moment in time will have a big impact on the level of your performance and, ultimately, your success.  Don’t be so focused on managing your time that you miss opportunities because they fall outside of your plan for the day.

The common sense point here is simple.  If you want to succeed in your life and career, you need to become an outstanding performer.  To become an outstanding performer, you need to become a lifelong learner, set and achieve high goals and be well organized.  Self management and time management are two important keys to becoming organized.  However, Self management is more important.  As David Allen points out, “Self management is different from time management because it allows you to respond at your best to surprises.”

That’s my take on the difference between self management and time management.  What’s yours?  As always, I’m interested in your perspective on these thoughts.  I welcome and appreciate your comments.  Thanks for reading.

Bud

Last week, I was conducting a workshop on the ideas in “Straight Talk.”  I mentioned that you create a personal brand by deciding how you want people to think about you, and then doing whatever it takes to get them to think this way.

Make sense to you?

Lesley Everett, a personal branding expert, suggests that your personal brand must “imbue authenticity” and that “your outward packaging must reflect your inner self.”  She goes on to say, “Your core authenticity is a unique combination of your values, strengths and drivers that can be packaged and projected effectively and consistently.”

I agree with this.  However, I also think that in the early stages of your personal brand development, it is fine if some of the strengths you want to present as part of your brand are aspirational.  You can work on developing them to make them part of your repertoire.

One of my coaching clients wants to brand himself as a well rounded business person.  He and I have decided that he will begin working with leaders in his organization in areas outside of his IT responsibilities.  He is working with them to show how IT can have a positive impact on improving their part of the business. 

And, it’s working.  He is building a brand as a well rounded business person, not just an IT techno geek.

What’s your brand?  How do you want people to think and speak about you?  What have you done to build and nurture it?

The common sense point here is simple.  Successful people develop and nurture their unique personal brand.  Your personal brand needs to be an authentic representation of who you are.  It’s OK if parts of it are aspirational.  But you need to work hard to turn these aspirations into reality.

That’s my take on creating your personal brand.  What’s yours?  As always, I’m interested in your perspective on these thoughts.  I welcome and appreciate your comments.  Thanks for reading.

Bud

I want to discuss WALL E, the latest release from Pixar, not because of the quality of the movie, but because of the Pixar story, and what it has to say about self confidence.  As I mention in “Straight Talk for Success,” Successful people are self confident.  Self confident people have three things in common.  If you want to build your self confidence, become optimistic.  Face your fears and act.  Surround yourself with positive people.

Steve Jobs, the man who brought you the Mac and iPod, was the optimist who realized the potential of Pixar early on.  In his New York Times Book Review review of “The Pixar Touch” Michael Hirschorn says, “Without Jobs’ relentless drive, Pixar would have been an inferior and probably bankrupt competitor to Sun Microsystems, not the most important movie studio in our era.”

That’s what optimists do.  As The Optimist Creed says, they “think only of the best, work only for the best and expect only the best.”  Steve Jobs vision, belief and self confidence did a lot to make Pixar what it is today.  In the process, he and the incredibly creative people at Pixar brought us not only WALL E, but Toy Story, Monsters, Inc., Finding Nemo, The Incredibles and Ratatouille.

If you’ve seen these movies, you know just how creative they are.  If you haven’t, I suggest you go to see WALL E in the theater, and rent the others. 

The common sense point here is simple.  Self confidence is the platform on which all success is built.  If you want to become self confident, you need to be optimistic.  You need to clearly see where you want to go, and believe in your heart you can get there.  WALL E was optimistic enough to hitch a ride on a spaceship in order to be with his one true love.  In the end, he and she save the world – but that’s a story better told by the optimists at Pixar.

That’s my take on the importance of optimism to self confidence and success. What’s yours?  As always, I’m interested in your perspective on these thoughts.  I welcome and appreciate your comments.  Thanks for reading.

Bud

How good are you at each of these three?

Today I’d like to focus on conflict resolution.  I know a little bit about conflict resolution.  It was the topic of my dissertation at Harvard.  Way back in the 1970’s Ken Thomas and Ralph Kilmann developed an instrument to measure a person’s tendencies when in a conflict situation.

They came up with five predominant conflict styles: Competing, Collaborating, Compromising, Accommodating and Avoiding.  Their research suggests that all five are appropriate depending on the situation.

In my executive coaching experience, however, I have found that the Collaborating style is the best default mode.  When you collaborate with others to resolve conflict, you focus on meeting both your needs and needs of the other person. I like this style because it helps you bring together a variety of viewpoints to get the best solution.

When you collaborate, neither person is likely to feel as if he or she won or lost.  Also, collaborating with the person or persons with whom you are in conflict creates the opportunity for you to work together to build a solution that best addresses everyone’s concerns.

I find that when I work collaboratively with someone, I focus on our similarities, not our differences.  This creates a bond that not only helps us get through our conflict, but helps us strengthen our relationship.

The common sense point here is simple.  Interpersonally competent people are adept at resolving conflict in a positive manner.  Collaboration is the best choice of the five most common handling styles.  When you collaborate with others – especially those with whom you are in conflict -- you not only are likely to resolve your conflict in a positive manner, you will strengthen your relationship with the other person.  It’s a win-win.

That’s my take on handling conflict productively.  What’s yours?  As always, I’m interested in your perspective on these thoughts.  I welcome and appreciate your comments.  Thanks for reading.

Bud

How good are you at each of these key communication skills?

Yesterday, I conducted a workshop on the ideas in “Straight Talk for Success” for a work team.  When we got to conversations, I mentioned the one rule I have for becoming a good conversationalist: ask a lot of questions.

When you ask questions you demonstrate that you are interested in another person and what he or she has to say.  This is important, because your interest helps build the other person’s self confidence.  You’ll be helping him or her feel good about himself or herself.  People who feel good about themselves are more likely to feel good about the people around them.

Is this true for you?  I know that when I’m feeling good about myself, I am more open and receptive to the people I meet.

Asking questions also makes it easy for you to keep the conversation going.  The other person is doing most of the work.  He or she is responding to the questions you ask.  All you have to do is pay attention and act interested in what he or she is saying.

Cathy, my wife, is memorable.  People who I haven’t seen for several months often begin conversations with me by asking, “How’s Cathy?”  She is memorable because she is an excellent conversationalist.   She is an excellent conversationalist because she asks a lot of questions, and remembers the answers.  It’s that simple.  If you want to become memorable, ask lots of questions when you are in a conversation.

The common sense point here is simple.  Successful people are good communicators.  Good communicators are excellent conversationalists.  You can become an excellent conversationalist by asking questions, listening to what the other person has to say, and responding appropriately.  Conversation skills, like most things are a matter of common sense.  The next time you are in a conversation, use your common sense and ask a lot of questions.

That’s my take on how to become known as a good conversationalist.  What’s yours?  As always, I’m interested in your perspective on these thoughts.  I welcome and appreciate your comments.  Thanks for reading.

Bud

In this post, I’d like to discuss the importance of hard work and effort in achieving your goals.  The other day, I came across a quote from Earl Nightingale.  “Successful people form the habit of doing what failures don't like to do. They like the results they get by doing what they don't necessarily enjoy.”

I know that this sounds like the Protestant work ethic in overdrive – doing what you don’t enjoy.  However, I think this is great common sense advice. 

Here’s an example.  I’ve run my executive coaching, consulting and speaking business for 20 years now.  Early on, I learned the importance of managing receivables.  I don’t like to generate invoices and follow up at 30, 45 and 60 days, but I do it, because it’s necessary.  If I don’t generate and mail the invoices, I don’t get paid.  And, while I love what I do, I still need to get paid for doing it.

So, I have developed a system for helping me managed my receivables.  I send invoices twice a month – on the 15th and the last day of the month.  I keep a tickler file to remind me when to follow up – at 30, 45 and 60 days.  In this way, I am able to manage my cash flow.  I have forced myself to get into the habit of doing something I don’t enjoy -- managing receivables; and I like the results – money in my checking account.

What parts of your job do you not like?  What do you do to make sure you excel at them?

The common sense point here is simple.  Heed Earl Nightingale’s advice.  Do all the parts of your job well – not just those parts that you enjoy doing.  This takes discipline and effort.  However, this discipline and effort will pay off in the long run.  You will become known as an outstanding performer – one who gets things done.  And outstanding performance is one of the five keys to a successful life and career.

Those are my thoughts on doing what is necessary, not just what you like to do.  What are yours?  As always, I’m interested in your perspective on these thoughts.  I welcome and appreciate your comments.  Thanks for reading.

Bud

I got an e mail solicitation the other day.  It read…

“A New York Times article (“The Hot Potato of Business Etiquette”) reported that a job applicant lost the position when he incorrectly ate a foil-wrapped baked potato during a formal business meal. Although somewhat extreme, this case shows how unwitting mistakes can damage your career. Whether it's saying the wrong thing at the wrong time, showing up improperly dressed, or making an accidental cultural faux pas, our behavior influences how others think of us.

“Knowing the rules of proper etiquette gives you confidence and comfort in all sorts of business situations. When you execute the right behavior at the right time, you leave an impression of professionalism rather than nervousness or incompetence. Join us for a live Webinar where we’ll cover all you need to know about business etiquette.”

Do you know how to properly eat a baked potato that is wrapped in foil?
Just for the record -- you cut across the foil and lay it back so you can cut the potato open, add your favorite condiments and eat.  But you probably know that.

While I’m not planning on joining the webinar, I do believe that it makes sense to know and understand business etiquette.  Knowing which fork to use, that your water glass is on the right side of the place setting and your bread and butter plate is on the left, makes it easy for you to focus on the conversation – the real reason for a business meal.

There seems to be an accepted way of doing everything.  For example, do you know how to properly eat an olive that has a pit?  I’ll give a free copy of “Straight Talk for Success” to the first person who provides the correct answer in a comment.

However, in the end, there is one rule of etiquette that reigns supreme.  Make the people around you feel comfortable.  Well mannered people are gracious.  They are more interested in making others feel comfortable than they are in the rules. 

Don’t get me wrong.  Knowing the rules is a good idea.  However, embarrassing people who break one of them doesn’t make you the manners king or queen, it makes you an inconsiderate know it all. 

The common sense point here is simple.  If you understand and practice the accepted rules of business etiquette, you will be more comfortable in social situations.  You won’t have to think about what to do, you’ll be able to concentrate on the conversation.  When someone commits a faux pas, don’t embarrass him or her.  Carry on as if nothing has happened.  Later, in private, you might choose to explain the faux pas and teach the other person what to do in the future.

That’s my take on foil wrapped potatoes and business etiquette in general.  What’s yours?  As always, I’m interested in your perspective on these thoughts.  I welcome and appreciate your comments.  Thanks for reading.

Bud

Today, I’d like to discuss fear.  James F. Bell says, “Fear is an insidious virus.  Given a breeding place in our minds it will eat away our spirit and block the forward path of our endeavors.”  Way to go, James; well said, quite poetic – and true.

Have you ever let your fear stop you from achieving a goal?  Have you ever conquered your fear in the process of achieving a goal?  Please share your experiences with us by leaving a comment.

Fear can stop you in your tracks.  I was on Lorraine Cohen’s blog the other day.  She featured a new book called “The Seven Laws of Fearless Living,” by Guy Finley. 

I particularly like two of Mr. Finley’s seven laws:

• No psychological fear exists without negative imagination.
• When it comes to fear, the feel is real…but the why is a lie.

Do you agree?  What’s your experience with these ideas?  Please leave a comment.

I hapen to agree with what Mr. Finley has to say.  You can paralyze yourself by fear by imagining the worst.  The fear you feel is real.  However, it is based in the falsehood of a negative imagination.  The way to beat this type of fear is to use your positive imagination.

I have done a whole series of posts on The Optimist Creed that I have turned into an eBook.  You can get a copy by going to my website www.BudBilanich.com and clicking on “Products” then “Free Common Sense Products.”  While you’re there, please sign up for my ezine “Common Sense”. 

The Optimist Creed is the best set of affirmations I know to help you use your positive imagination.  It begins with, “Promise yourself to be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.”  And it ends with, “Promise yourself to be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.”

If you live your life by this advice, you’ll be able to develop your positive imagination.  This positive imagination will help you deal with the lies that your negative imagination creates that result in your fear.  In fact, if you work at it, your positive imagination will banish your negative imagination from both your conscious and unconscious thoughts.

The common sense point here is simple.  Fear can paralyze you.  Fear can cause you to lose self confidence.  Fear can cause you to fail to achieve your goals.  Most fear, however, is rooted in lies created by our negative imagination.  If you use tools like The Optimist Creed to develop your positive imagination, you will be able to conquer your fears, take action, increase your self confidence and achieve your goals.

As always, I’m interested in your perspective on these thoughts.  I welcome and appreciate your comments.  Thanks for reading.

Bud

Lynn Johnson says, “An apology is the superglue of life.  It can repair just about anything.”  I agree with her.  What do you think?  There are very few issues that cannot be resolved by a sincere apology.  Interpersonally competent people know this, and they use it to their advantage.

Several years ago I repeated a rumor – that later turned out to be untrue -- about someone I knew.  One of our mutual acquaintances told him what I said.  The person about whom I repeated the rumor made a joke about it, but I could tell he was a little angry with me. 

At first I was embarrassed.  I wanted the whole thing to go away.  Then I realized that the only way it was going to go away was by apologizing.

I asked the two people involved to sit down with me.  I apologized for repeating the rumor.  They both said, “That’s OK.  You don’t need to apologize.” 

I said, “Yes I do.  I repeated a rumor that if I thought about, I would no was untrue.  By doing this, I put both of you in an uncomfortable position, and I could have done a lot of damage to one of your reputation.  I am truly sorry for what I did.  I will not do it again.”

They were both surprised by such a straightforward apology.  The person about whom I repeated the rumor and I have since become very close friends.  The apology was the beginning of my friendship with this guy.  Have you ever had an experience like this – where an apology brought you closer to another person?

When you apologize, you need to do it right.  Here’s what Randy Pausch says about apologies in his book, “The Last Lecture.”

“A bad apology is worse than no apology.  Halfhearted or insincere apologies are often worse than not apologizing at all because recipients find them insulting.  If you’ve done something wrong in your dealings with another person, it’s as if there’s an infection in your relationship.  A good apology is like an antibiotic; a bad apology is like rubbing salt in the wound.”

The common sense point here is simple.  On occasion, we all do and say things that can be hurtful to other people.  When you do this, you need to apologize.  Take responsibility for your words and actions.  Be willing to admit it when you’re wrong.  A good apology has four main parts.  Here is a formula you can use when you need to apologize.  1) Admit what you did that merits an apology.  2) Express your regret for what you did.  3) Ask for the other person’s forgiveness.  4) Promise that it won’t happen again – then keep that promise.

As always, I’m interested in your perspective on these thoughts.  I welcome and appreciate your comments.  Thanks for reading.

Bud

Have you ever gotten a job through networking?  If so, please leave a comment telling us how you did it.

Networking is just a fancy word for getting out and meeting people – in your company, your community, your profession.  When you take the time to meet people and get to know them, you are building a network that can help you in a number of ways in your life and career.  How big is your network?  How did you build it?

Effective networking calls for highly developed communication and conversation skills.  Here are eleven tips for making the most out of your networking opportunities.  Please comment and let me know what you think of them.

1. Build and nurture relationships with other people.  Extend yourself.  Show some initiative, introduce yourself to people you don’t know, engage them in conversation.
2. Work hard at relating to all kinds of people.  People who are different from you might make you feel uncomfortable at first.  However, they are the people from whom you are likely to learn the most.
3. Be honest.  When you’re honest, you don’t have to remember what lies you told to what person.  Honesty, besides being the best policy, makes your life easier.
4. Be humble.  Braggarts generally don’t fare well over the long run.  Remember the old saying “lions don’t need to roar”.
5. Be courteous.  It cost you nothing, and it can mean everything to the other person.  Courtesy also helps you get what you want.  You really do get my flies with honey than vinegar.
6. Look at the person with whom you’re having a conversation.  People like it when you look them in the eye.  They trust you more.
7. Use the other person’s name when you are in conversation.  Everybody likes to hear their own name.
8. Listen well to demonstrate you understand the other person’s point of view.  Ask questions if you don’t understand.  Repeat your understanding to make sure you got it right. 
9. Let people finish what they are saying.  When you interrupt, you run the risk of annoying the other person; but more importantly, you run the bigger risk of missing something important that he or she has to say.
10. Keep your cool.  Any fool can get upset and angry.  It takes a real lady or gentleman to handle difficult situations calmly and with aplomb.  Be responsible for yourself.  No one can make you angry.  No matter what another person does, you can always choose to act in a civil, forthright, constructive manner.
11. Be receptive to feedback in networking situations.  Thank the other person for his or her feedback.  Use it as you see fit.

The common sense point here is simple.   Networking is an important key to career and life success because it expands the number of your contacts.  Effective networkers have highly developed communication skills.  Work on your conversation skills if you want to become an effective networker.  Initiate conversations with the people you meet.  Show a genuine interest in them by listening to what they have to say.

As always, I’m interested in your perspective on these thoughts.  I welcome and appreciate your comments.  Thanks for reading.

Bud

I blog about the importance of outstanding performance on Wednesday.  By any account, Tiger Woods performed in an outstanding manner this past weekend.  He is still recovering from knee surgery, yet he was able to beat the best golfers in the world to win his 14th major.

I was struck by something he said after his round on Saturday.  When asked about a shot he hit, he responded by saying that he had “rehearsed” that shot several times on the practice tee before he began his round.  Did you hear this interview?  What did you think?  I was struck by Tiger’s use of the word “rehearse.”

Tiger anticipated the shots he was going to have to hit, and then he rehearsed hitting them.  Outstanding performers do this.  They prepare by taking the time to think through their tasks and plan what they are going to do. 

I always encourage my coaching clients to do a “potential problem analysis” once they have planned out their work.  I ask them to ask themselves a simple question, “What can go wrong when I put this plan to work?”   Do you do this?  I hope so; because if you do, you’ll be prepared for most, if not all, of the problems that will come up as you work your plan. 

And that’s the common sense point of today’s post.  If you want to become an outstanding performer, you must prepare.  You need to take the time to think through your tasks, and plan what you are going to do.  You also need to think through the problems that are likely to come up along the way, and plan for how you’re going to deal with them.  This way, when you encounter difficulties, you’ll know what to do because you’ve mentally rehearsed them.  Joe Paterno, Head Football Coach at Penn State, my alma mater says it well.  “The will to win is important.  The will to prepare is even more important.”

As always, I’m interested in your perspective on these thoughts.  I welcome and appreciate    your comments.  Thanks for reading.

Bud

Did you watch The Open over the weekend?  Did you get a chance to see any of the playoff yesterday?  What did you think?

Rocco’s story is pretty well known by now.  He was the 147th ranked player in the world before The Open.  He had to qualify to get in.  But he played well, and became a crowd favorite.  He is a nice guy who keeps things in perspective and doesn’t take himself too seriously.

Tiger Woods, who spent about five hours competing against him head to head yesterday, said, “Rocco was loose all day.  Just talking and enjoying it and smiling and having a great time with it. But when it comes down to it, when it's time to hit the shot, he goes into his own little world. People don't realize that.  After he does hit the shot he comes out and goes, blah, blah, blah, having a good time. But right before each shot he gets into his own little zone. And it's pretty cool to see.”

Rocco Mediate built his brand at the 2008 US Open.  He is the smiling, talkative, relaxed golfer.  This brand is Rocco.  It is authentic -- and it will be on display on the Tonight Show tonight.  What do you think of Rocco Mediate’s brand? 

By the way, Tiger’s brand as a mentally tough winner stays intact – especially after those two birdie putts on 18 on Sunday and Monday.  But that’s another story and this post is about Rocco Mediate.

What’s your brand?  How did you put it together?  What do you do to develop and promote it?  Please leave a comment on this.

The common sense point here is simple.  A strong personal brand is essential to creating positive personal impact.  Positive personal impact is one the five keys to success that I discuss in “Straight Talk for Success.”  Your personal brand must be uniquely you.  More important, it must be authentic.  People can spot a phony a mile away.  Take a lesson from Rocco Mediate on this one.  Build a brand that is authentically and uniquely you.

As always, I’m interested in your perspective on these thoughts.  I welcome and appreciate    your comments.  Thanks for reading.

Bud

I studied Broadcast Journalism at Penn State.  I never practiced the craft – expect for a brief stint as an intern at a CBS affiliate in Scranton PA.  My year of service as a VISTA Volunteer took my career in a different direction.  But I watched the news with a critical because of this training.  Tim Russert knew what he was doing.  Any aspiring broadcast journalist could learn a lot by watching him do his job.

A few years ago, I read Mr. Russert’s book “Big Russ and Me; Father and Son: Lessons of Life,” a memoir in which he attributed a lot of his success to the common sense approach to life that he got from his father, Tim – Big Russ.  Big Russ was Tim’s first mentor.  He is still alive.  It is a shame that he lost he lost his son a few days before Father’s Day.

And that brings me to the point of this post.  I encourage my coaching clients to surround themselves with positive people as a way of developing their self confidence – one of the keys to success I present in my book “Straight Talk for Success.”  I also tell them to find a mentor, because mentors, by definition are positive people.  They are willing to share their wisdom, knowledge and experience to help others become successful in their lives and careers.

Tim Russert has mentored some of best known names in TV news today.  Andrew Tynell did a great blog post on this on Saturday.

“It was not just this greater workload that is a tribute to Russert's skills as a bureau chief. His skills on the assignment desk and as copy editor are evident in the quality of the bereaved stable of correspondents he leaves behind: David Gregory at the White House, Jim Miklaszewski at the Pentagon, Andrea Mitchell at the State Department, Pete Williams at Justice, Lisa Myers on investigations, Tom Costello on the alphabet soup of executive branch agencies, Kelly O'Donnell on the campaign trail. Of those names, none was hired away from another network news organization. All were hired and groomed in-house under Russert's leadership or inherited when he took over the bureau. Anchor Brian Williams was one of Gregory's predecessors at the White House in Russert's bureau.”

Tim Russert not only was a great newsman, he was a great mentor.  If you want to succeed, find people like Tim Russert.  Get to know them.  Learn from them and their experience. 

Have you had a mentor like Tim Russert?  If so, who was he or she?  How did he or she influence your life and career?  Please leave a comment about the mentors in your life.

On the other hand, once you’ve achieved a measure of success, share the wealth.  Become a mentor, share your wisdom, knowledge and experience with others.  That’s one of the reasons I write this blog.  It gives me a chance to share what I’ve learned in the hopes that others won’t have to learn many of these lessons the hard way, through experience.

The common sense point here is simple.  Self confidence is an essential component of success.  Surrounding yourself with positive people is a great way to build your self confidence.  Mentors are positive people who can help you build your self confidence.  We all need mentors in our lives.  I’ve been fortunate to have several: Ernest Buckman, Bert Phillips, Maggie Watson, David Kuechle, Lee Bolman, Bill Rankin.  I’ve been lucky to have been given the privilege of mentoring others, people who have put their faith in me.  If you’re just beginning your career, find a mentor.   Pay back your mentors – those who’ve helped you succeed – by mentoring others.

As always, I’m interested in your perspective on these thoughts.  I welcome and appreciate your comments.  Thanks for reading.

Bud

I’m writing about this because I received a couple of positive comments and e mails on last Friday’s post about Barack Obama being gracious in his victory over Hillary Clinton.  Nadal, the number two ranked player in the world, was extremely gracious in his victory on Sunday. 

He said “I feel like the number two because I am the number two and I am closer to the number three than the number one…I did not expect a match like this.  I think I played an almost perfect match. Roger played more mistakes than usual and I played more inside the court. I improved a little bit since last year. I have more control of the points, I am more aggressive than usual.

“Even if I'm playing my best tennis, I don't win 6-1 6-3 6-0.  He (Federer) did not play very well, otherwise this result would not have been possible.  I did not prepare (for any celebrations). Today it was tough for Roger, I had to show respect. I have a good relationship with him.”

Federer, on the hand, was just as gracious.  He said, “I hoped I could have done better today than four games. But Rafael was very strong this year.  He dominated form the first point until the end.  It’s the strongest Rafa that I’ve ever seen.  He was more dominant than in previous years…After a loss like this, you don’t want to play Rafa again tomorrow, that’s for sure.  Right now, I’d say it’s easier to lose this way, because all along the match you realize that there is nothing you can do.”

Tennis is considered to be a game played by ladies and gentlemen.  But even so, I think that the world’s top two men’s players provided us with a great lesson in interpersonal competence last Sunday.  What’s your take on this?  Was Nadal too gracious?  Should Federer have been even more so?

The common sense point here remains simple.  If you want to become known as an interpersonally competent person, be gracious.  Compliment others when you lose.  Roger Federer said that Rafael Nadal, “Dominated from the first point until the end.”  On the other hand, handle victory in a similar manner.  Nadal said, “Even if I'm playing my best tennis, I don't win 6-1 6-3 6-0.  He did not play very well, otherwise this result would not have been possible…Today was tough for Roger.”

As always, I’m interested in your perspective on these thoughts.  I welcome and appreciate your comments.  Thanks for reading.

Bud