Giving Advice: 5 Lessons from a Pro

Have you noticed that when you offer someone a bit of advice, particularly if it’s unsolicited advice, they tend to resist? Rather than saying, “Great idea! I’ll do that,” they’re more likely to tell you why your advice won’t work for them, even if they've explicitly asked for your input. Having been a consultant for a long time, I’m an advice-giving pro. When it comes to giving advice, I've learned the hard way that telling people what to do (and that's what advice … [Read more...]

The Johnny Appleseed Approach to Life

John Chapman (1774-1845), also known as Johnny Appleseed, was an American pioneer who planted over a hundred thousand square miles of apple orchards in western Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana. Quite a feat when you think of the state of transportation in those days – not to mention the fact that he walked it all barefoot! The apples that Johnny planted weren’t particularly sweet or tasty, but sour apple orchards caught on because the apples made great hard cider or … [Read more...]

Making Tough Decisions: A Coin Toss With a Twist

I love the sense of excitement that comes from being clear about things. I think quickly, and it's often easy for me to make decisions based on... well, I guess "intuition" is the best explanation. But still, like everyone else, sometimes I just can't decide which course to take. Fortunately, my friend Anne gave me a perfect decision-making method for those times when I simply can't commit one way or the other. A Foolproof Decision Making Technique for When You … [Read more...]

“NO” – The First Step Toward a Win-Win

I've asked you for a favor and you have said “no.” Sounds like the end of the conversation, right? Wrong! -- it’s just the beginning! My job is to find out what exactly you said "No” to.  What aspect of my request triggered your response? Four Reasons for a "No" In most circumstances there are only four reasons that someone says "No" to a request: 1. Timing We might be able and willing -- just not right now. 2. Amount We might be happy to help but not at that … [Read more...]