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I’ll never forget what’s-his-name
A man had gone to a circus as a small boy and decided to return years later. He was sitting in a cheap seat when an elephant came along, reached up into the stands, wrapped his trunk gently about the man and carried him over to the best seat. The man turned to his…
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Slow and steady wins the day
You might have heard the saying: If you are persistent you will get it. If you are consistent you will keep it. This statement describes professional golfer Jordan Spieth to a tee. Spieth was the defending champion of the Master’s Golf Tournament. He led this year’s tournament for the first three rounds and had a…
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Make points with persuasion
We are in the thick of the most unusual political seasons I can remember. Who would have imagined the slate of hopefuls that spans the spectrum? And what will it take for the candidates to convince voters that they should lead the country?Qualifications? Sure. Campaign promises? Perhaps. Appearance? Doesn’t hurt. The best opposition research? Not…
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Selling is not all about the product
Over my decades in business, I’ve noticed a baffling trend: “sales” has become a dirty word. I’m on a life-long campaign to change that. In fact, many companies no longer call sales people sales people. They have account executives or account specialists, business developers, client advisers, relationship consultants, territory managers and numerous other monikers. I…
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You can’t get out what you don’t put in
My friend, motivational speaker Zig Ziglar liked to tell the story of his friend, Walter Hailey. Although he became a star salesman, Hailey’s early career in insurance sales was rough. He endured frustration, anxiety, slammed doors, low sales figures, and uncertainty about his future. One day he grew so discouraged that he went to his…
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Charisma breeds success
Some people walk into a room and all heads turn. When they begin to speak, people are mesmerized. They instantly gain respect and trust. In a word, they have charisma, one of the most desirable and enviable qualities in the world. What is charisma? It’s hard to define, but it is many things, such as…
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Getting fired can be a good thing
When you are fired, you’re rejected. It’s as simple as that. It’s the end of the road for that job. But it might put you on the superhighway to a Super Bowl championship! Look no further than Gary Kubiak, who is the newest poster child for rebounding from adversity. He was fired as head coach…
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Encouragement is verbal sunshine
Lord Chesterfield, in his famous letters to his son, said: “My son, here is the way to get people to like you. Make every person like himself a little better, and I promise that he or she will like you very much.” Most of us are aware of the tremendous power of encouragement, yet we…
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Courage is an everyday virtue
Students in a philosophy class were anxiously awaiting the start of their final exam. The professor had warned them that it would be one of the most challenging tests they would ever take. The teacher wrote one question on the board and said, “This is your exam. You have one hour to complete it.” One…
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Break your own rules
My friend Sam is an avid golfer. He plays every chance he gets. He also makes a practice of working out at the gym on weekends, and prefers to get an early start there. One Saturday, the forecast called for a warm and sunny morning with heavy rain developing by noon. Still, Sam kept to…