One of my most creative friends and colleagues is Sandra Centorino, co-founder of the Say It Forward movement. I love what she’s doing to help spread positivity in workplaces and communities. I use her powerful Say-it-Forward cards in my seminars and talks and interactions with all sorts of people. I keep the SIF cards in stock and on hand at [read more]
I’m a believer in the value of not only selecting, but also pursuing New Year’s Resolutions and goals. Many of my close friends and family members disagree with me, thinking that New Year’s Resolutions are either a waste of time, and/or a failure in the making. How many times can you proclaim at the start of [read more]
I am currently taking a two-week break from blogging in observance of the holidays. This is also part of my 2015 New Year’s Resolution: Essentialism – the disciplined pursuit of less. (Inspired by the book of the same title and the author, Greg McKeown) In these last few days of 2014, I encourage to you [read more]
Which action – complaint or appreciation – are you more likely to take? 1. Writing a letter of complaint to a company or asking to speak to the manager about an employee who gave you bad service; or perhaps broadcasting your grievances on Yelp or other social media to warn others to steer clear of [read more]
This has been a sad week for me and my family. My beloved Uncle Chuck Fontana passed away last Thursday, after a short but noble battle against pancreatic cancer. He was 70 years young, and had just retired this past January following a long and successful career as a sales professional in the medical device [read more]
“If you want to repair the world, you have to first repair yourself,” said Camryn Manheim at the 19th annual YWCA In the Company of Women luncheon last week to a crowd of 1,500 women and men in Hartford, Connecticut. Sandwiched between NCAA victories for both UConn Huskies women’s and men’s basketball teams, Camryn shared [read more]
I just returned from a very long weekend in sunny Tampa, Florida (a welcome respite from frigid Connecticut). I attended the Stagecraft Secrets Lab of the National Speakers Association, a content rich and motivating conference. I had the opportunity to learn from gifted speaking professionals such as Mikki Williams, comedian Tim Gard, director/actor Michael Alloso, [read more]
Compliments. Criticism. Praise. Insults. Flattery. Put-downs. Kudos. Blame. Applause. Boos. What do all of these things have in common? They are other people’s opinions of you at a moment in time. They are fiction, not facts. They hold no absolute truth. They are simply opinion. In fact, they have nothing to do with you, and [read more]
