Harvard Business Review reported in November 2004 that annual spending on executive coaching in the United States was estimated at $1 billion. Since that time, the business of coaching has steadily gained in popularity and with any field that grows rapidly there are questions. Some of the more common questions are: • What exactly does a coach do? • What are the benefits of hiring a coach? • What qualifies someone...

Some would say that we are in a "down economy" and while that may certainly be true for some industries, I believe the real truth is that it is NOT the economy. It’s our attitude! A couple of years ago, I wrote an article called "We Are What We Think About". I believed it then and I believe it now. And, I would add that our success is directly proportional to the positive OR negative thoughts swirling around in our heads....

Most people would probably agree that building and effectively utilizing a strong professional network to create success is simply not an option. Yet when it comes right down to it, many people avoid networking like the plague.Women, in particular, shy away from the networking process for a variety of reasons. Perhaps the biggest reason is that women are uncomfortable with the idea that they must sell themselves, their prod...

Isn’t it amazing how masterful we can become at denial, procrastination, and avoidance, constantly making excuses for why we aren’t accomplishing the goals WE SAY WE WANT! A lot of energy gets wasted in this department. Usually there is far more talking and not enough doing. Far from criticizing, I believe many people generally have good intentions. Though it’s maddening when I hear someone say it...I just don’t have time.....

In a world so full of "me first" attitudes, it is no wonder we see so much turmoil and dysfunction in the world around us. The financial fiasco being played out on the national stage is evidence that something is seriously wrong. Day after day, words of disaster come at us from all directions; words that instill fear, panic and negativity. News of foreclosures, more bank failures, bail outs totaling billions of dollars...it...

Most of us recognize the influence that corporate brands such as Coca-Cola, Microsoft, Nike or Starbucks has on our buying decisions. But how much focus do most of us put on the most important brand of all – our own? According to William Arruda, the personal branding guru, Personal Branding is a revolution in the way we manage our careers or businesses. It's a way of clarifying and communicating what makes you different and...

Get the edge by hiring and retaining the right employees for your business.A new business owner confessed to me once that her company was growing so fast, she felt she just had to get a body in the door. After living through the pain of a very disastrous hire – the kind that almost destroyed her business – she has a brand new perspective on the situation. Most people are unaware of the significant costs associated with recr...