Up Until Now & Absolutes
Opening the Door to the Possible. Many times, we undermine our own legitimate desire to change with the language we use. We cue ourselves internally in a non-helpful way which increases the likelihood we will shut the door to change, or at least make it harder. We fall in with the habits of the brain, cueing
Smiling Meditation
I have been giving a lot of thought to how we train or re-train our minds to help us become more positive. One thing we can do is to take advantage of our own biochemical natures. The “Smiling Approach,” outlined below, uses a quick fix technique I have done for years, and then adds a meditation/relaxation
You’ve Changed But They Don’t Notice?
Have you ever trimmed your hair and most people don't notice? Even worse, you've made significant behavioral changes, and it seems like no one cares or acknowledges them. The same is true for almost all changes. We think the changes we make are momentous, or at least obvious to everyone. Unfortunately, a lot of the time,
Why Charm Isn’t All It’s Cut Out To Be
When we are in new situations, or meeting new people, we often "default" to behaviors or personal traits that have made us feel comfortable in the past. The trouble is, even if those are good traits, they may be the wrong thing at the wrong time.
Wolf Pit to Wolf Trap: Powerful Women Top Out
There is an all-too common reason powerful women get plateaued in their careers. They rely on a default behavior set that worked extremely well to help them find success early on in their careers - but can end up working against them in senior positions. I call it "Wolf Pit to Wolf Trap." And you CAN
The Problem of the Second-In-Command: Why Successors Fail
When there are two successful, effective, powerful people at, or near the top of an organization, it seems like succession planning should be easy. If the #1 is gone, the #2, the right-hand person, the consigliere is the obvious choice, right?
7 Tips to Improve Your Handshake
“Interviewers clearly want people who have the right skills and credentials. However, in this market, lots of folks have both. So how do you differentiate yourself?” asks Cynthia Burnham, America’s top charisma coach, and author of ‘The Charisma Edge.’ “Your positive, confident, personal presence – your charisma – can be the deciding factor that gets
Stand Up Straight!
Your bearing is the first thing people see that influences how others perceive you. Interestingly enough, it also influences how you perceive yourself. In this article we'll examine how to do things consciously that you may have done instinctively or accidentally in the past. That way, you will be able to replicate the actions, use them
The Iron Lady
Are you simply born to be charismatic, or is it a learnable skill – as Meryl Streep showed the world in the movie “The Iron Lady” in which she portrayed Margaret Thatcher, who transformed herself from a smart woman with little presence into a powerhouse of a Prime Minister by changing her voice, her style
What’s Up With That Necktie?
Why We Wear Clothes: On The Visual Aspects of Executive Presence: The Philosophy of Attire & Tribal Affiliation