I am thankful for the invitation from Career Press to review: “Challenge The Ordinary” by Linda D. Henman PhD. How do you manage for success? “Challenge The Ordinary” so instructs Linda G. Henman PhD accomplished author, active Fortune 500 management consultant, and C level Career Coach. The global economy is constantly evolving towards a more […]

“The Next Gen Leader” –Cutting Edge Strategies to Make You the Leader You Were Born to Be- by Robert C. McMillan – The PracticaL Mentor’s book review I am thankful for the invitation from Career Press to review: “The Next Gen Leader” – Cutting Edge Strategies to Make You the Leader You Were Born to […]

I am thankful for the invitation from Career Press to review Steven P. Cohen’s latest book The Practical Negotiator. In “The Practical Negotiator” Steven P. Cohen employs actual questions from people seeking advice on real situations involving negotiations. The broad range of situations and scenarios are threaded together to give relevant information to effectively negotiate […]

What career should you choose? The reality is that there is more to any job than just the part you may like. How do you balance everything to choose a career you will like, make a good salary, and stay employed? There is a lot written about pursuing your passion in the job market. Like […]

Many of us study hard and prepare to fully answer any interview questions, which may be thrown at us. The old curve ball questions, like what animal would you choose to be, or if you could change one thing the world what would be? Are supposedly used to check ones imagination. I took a course […]

Graduation is almost here. If you are graduating from high school there are several decisions facing you. Do you plan to go to college? Get a job? Stay at home? Move out on your own? If you are graduating from college are you going to go on to grad school? Get a job? Move back […]

Once in a while it seems like everything is going our way. Even if we encounter challenges they are small and easy to deal with, which makes feel even more in control. Sometimes these periods last for weeks, even months, other times only a few days. However the feeling they give us is like an […]

When faced with a challenge it is good to take time to analyze the situation. Often our first impression is not the clearest or most detailed. In our haste to reach a conclusion we over look details, which may make a difference in how to best approach the challenge. While watching a colony of ants […]

Although designed for use in the short interval when you have a captive audience in the elevator, an elevator pitch is also handy when you have just a few minutes to pass on information or make a favorable impression. While for the longest time, I thought that elevator pitches were shameless acts of self-promotion, and […]

: Just being yourself should be good enough, but look at most successful people and you may notice they work very hard to present a desired image. Either consciously or subconsciously we all adopt the language and mannerisms of those that impress us. Just think of how many slang words and expressions have been added […]

This week I engaged in a discussion on how to best to demonstrate self-confidence.  Before we even got started there was a big discussion on what self-confidence really is.  The difference came down to the comparison between two widely held definitions.   The classic dictionary definition – confidence in oneself and in one’s powers and abilities, […]

The main reason we go to work is to make money. One of the primary goals of most workers is to increase their income. In most jobs pay increases come from raises and promotions. In theory the better we become at our jobs the more valuable we are to the organization. This especially true of […]

One of the most common overestimations we make is our ability to communicate effectively. Most of us have been communicating since birth to get our message across to others. An infant almost instinctively learns to get mother’s attention when hungry, in need of maintenance or attention. Usually this involves making an annoying noise (crying) until […]

If the question “Should I attend the holiday office party?” even rises to a    conscious level you may have more issues than just the office party. Depending on your office culture, office parties may vary from very wild to    extremely dull. Most fall somewhere in the middle. Very few office parties leave  office […]

There is a lot of conventional wisdom and advice that says to be successful you must set goals and work hard to achieve them. Although setting goals and hard work may be essential to success, there seems to be something missing. Others add that you should have a plan to achieve your goal, a map […]

Many of us are caught up in situations that are less than ideal, and sometimes Thanksgiving highlights the negatives rather than accentuating the positives. So instead of giving thanks for all we have, we dwell on the negatives. Perhaps I am an idealist and think that Thanksgiving should be like a Norman Rockwell setting in […]

This week my heat pump broke.  There is a light that indicates the probable cause of the malfunction. After some searching I found the flashing code on the thermostat pointed to a circuit board in the outside unit.  When I took a look, the board in question appeared easy enough to change. A few plugs […]

All of the career guidance literature I have seen over my years study says we all have a special talent, and if we develop that talent, work will seem like play and we will magically excel in the workplace. Sounds great! Problem is after 50 years in the workplace, I haven’t found my special talent. […]

Forging alliances at work may be the most beneficial strategic career move a person can make.  Alliances are more than casual friendships, and are formed to advance common goals or interests.  These bonds of common purpose can provide a shield against adversity, and a conduit for opportunity.  Making and keeping alliances can improve and maintain […]

Confidence is a necessary skill that is often neglected in the development of a career strategy. There are different kinds and degrees of confidence, and finding the balance that best suits your personality and goals is often difficult. As many people suffer from over confidence as lack of confidence not only in themselves, but also […]