It was prolific writer and British Baptist preacher, Charles Haddon Spurgeon, who first wrote, “If you want a thing well done, do it yourself.” Little did he know that his remark would resonate painfully inside the heads of managers worldwide who have been charged with delegating responsibilities, despite their gnawing feeling that that task would
I was ready: I had my frozen yogurt and my fleece blanket and my children had been banned from speaking to me unless there was blood. It was the Golden Globe Awards, one of my favorite nights of the year. I couldn’t wait to see the fashion do’s and don’ts, the winners, and the losers,
In the heartbreaking and heartwarming 1987 romantic comedy Broadcast News, Holly Hunter plays Jane Craig, a television producer with an unshakeable commitment to being right. In a heated exchange during layoffs, network executive Paul Moore remarks to her: “It must be nice to always believe you know better, to always think you’re the smartest person
Not everything I do has to be brilliant. Not everything I do has to be successful. Not everything I do has to be done by me, done now, or done at all. And (total truth time): Not everything I do has to impress someone. I spend a significant amount of time in my work life
Last week, my 12-year-old daughter Sophie was talking to me excitedly about her upcoming cross-country running meet at school. As I was listening (ok, half-listening), I suddenly remembered that I hadn’t told her what time I would be meeting her at the race. “Oh, by the way, Sophie,” I began. But that’s as far as
As a working mother, I must admit that I sometimes look forward to my business trips. While I would never tell my husband this (no worries — I don’t think he reads my articles), I love ordering room service to my hotel room and having complete control over the remote control. I also like sleeping
1. I’m not available then, but could be available on (insert date)no buttonWould that date work? 2. Oh, I will be so disappointed to miss this! 3. While I would love to do that for you, [insert type of priorities] preclude it. I hope you understand. 4. I am so flattered that you asked but
One of my favorite rituals when my twins were babies was to give them their nightly bath. I loved the one-on-one (-on-one) time with them, playing and splashing and just being together. Over time, they advanced from baths to showers, and from needing my help to wanting complete privacy, thank you very much! But one
It doesn’t matter if you’re presenting to two people or to two thousand people: When presentation anxiety strikes, you need some strategies to get you out of your own head and on to the stage with confidence, polish, and professionalism. Mark Twain once said, “There are two kinds of speakers: those that are nervous and
Five tips to dropping the phony facade and elevating your pitch so that you sound like a real person instead of a marketing automaton. At a recent networking event, I walked up to woman who, like me, was trying to balance a plastic tumbler of wine, a plate of cheese, and a handful of business
This article is by Deborah Grayson Riegel, president of Elevated Training Inc., a communication skills training and coaching company. She is the author of Oy Vey! Isn’t a Strategy: 25 Solutions for Personal and Professional Success. Goldilocks would have a field day with my 11-year-old twins. Their chairs, their beds, and their oatmeal are just right, but
