Posted: January 16, 2026 | Categories: Customer service, Presentation skills, Self-Improvement

As a child growing up in the 50’s and 60’s, my favorite place for fun was Riverview Amusement Park at Belmont and Western in Chicago.  The great genie welcomed you into the fun castle and the roller coaster (The “Fireball”) was the ultimate adventure.  We kids loved going.  The only problem was we only went to Riverview twice in the three years we lived in Chicago.  After the second time, Mom refused to go back.  When asked why, she replied, “Because it is filthy”.  As kids, we were able to look past the filth and find the fun.  Adults weren’t so gracious, and the park was torn down in 1967 after 63 years of operation.  By that time, Disney and Six Flags Park had taken over.  It was a new era and the word “clean” was a big deal.  The parks were absolutely immaculate.  Even though the majority of Americans smoked cigarettes, you wouldn’t find a cigarette butt on the ground.  To this day, families enjoy these parks, and the cleanliness leaves each guest with a good feeling.

Think about the psychology of the word “clean”.  If you stay at a dirty hotel, you won’t be back.  If you ride in a dirty limo, you probably will find another service.  If you need to place your parents in a nursing home, you first look for cleanliness.  We can think about any service or product we buy, and we will remember how clean and organized the store or office was.

“Clean” is also a source of energy.  If you grab your coffee in the morning and walk into a cluttered office, that affects your mental energy.  If you walk into an immaculate office with your most important task setting cleanly on your desk, you are off to the races!  Just think about how our state of mind and profitability can be helped by applying the word “clean”

Clean your way to success!

Posted: December 11, 2025 | Categories: Management, Presentation skills, Self-Improvement, Team Building

Looking ahead to the New Year, are you interested in strengthening your leadership skills?  If so, there is one area of growth that must come first before anything else improves.  Do you know what this area is?  I’ll bet you do:  It is improving our listening skills.  Our skills in listening are vital in building trust and maintaining focus and clarity.  Here is some good news:  The next few weeks should give us ample opportunity to put a better edge to our listening skills.  Here’s how:

Think of a gathering you will be attending this holiday season. As you anticipate each event, work on developing a mindset of simply showing genuine interest in others.  Here is an example:

Last night I attended a church function, and as soon as I entered the door, I encountered a smiling older lady who had given me cookies during our last visit.  I began the conversation by saying how much I enjoyed the cookies and why I liked them so much. I then asked if she would share the recipe.  She was thrilled to do so.  Next she began talking about how she made the cookies. and the special people she gave them to.  It was her passion, and she was sharing it.  Our conversation probably lasted about 10 minutes, and all we talked about was the cookies and how she loved to give them away.  I walked away from the conversation knowing I had sincerely given her my full attention, and also picked up a good recipe.

Before you go to your next social event, I recommend you go with these two objectives:

1. Have a goal of learning something about someone.
2. With genuine sincerity, let another person talk about something important to them.

Do this, and you will be exercising your listening skills and building good relationships.

Posted: October 17, 2025 | Categories: Leadership, Management, Presentation skills, Self-Improvement

 “Hope for the best…prepare for the worst” – Chris Bradford

A prominent leader was once asked what the most important advice he could give someone to have a successful career. He replied, “Prepare relentlessly”

Have you ever found yourself getting jittery about an upcoming presentation or event?  If you are, my question to you is: “How prepared are you?”

Several years ago, I experienced a cheap lesson in the value of being over-prepared.  I was scheduled to facilitate some training at the headquarters of a major corporation.  I had put together a PowerPoint presentation and I was assured by the event coordinator that all I needed to do was bring the presentation downloaded on a thumb drive.  As a backup, I decided to bring my laptop.  It is a good thing that I did!  When we began setting up for the session, the tech set-up person ran into some difficulties.  The system would not work.  He began to panic.  I didn’t.  Instead I pulled out my laptop and it saved the day.  The session went smoothly, and I felt good about it afterwards.

When you are anticipating a future event, here are two questions I have:

1. What are you concerned or stressed about?
2. What can you do about it?

Answering that second question can lead to some additional research or rehearsal.  I will leave you one of my favorite quotes from Dale Carnegie:

“When you go through life unprepared,, you won’t go alone…FEAR will be your constant companion”

Posted: April 8, 2025 | Categories: Presentation skills, Sales, Self-Improvement

“History has repeatedly been changed by people who had the desire and the ability to transfer their convictions and emotions to their listeners”   –Dale Carnegie

In my 40-year career of professional coaching, I have found the above statement by Dale Carnegie to be axiomatic.  When we can communicate effectively in front of a group, we are positioned to change history. Think of Abraham Lincoln or Martin Luther King.  Speaking in front of a group was a critical part of their success.

Here is the secret that my experience and history have shown: Those who have the most fear of public speaking and overcome this fear are often the best speakers.

There is more good news! If you have a deathly fear of public speaking and you want to get past this barrier, the rate of growth can be very rapid.  In a matter of months, you can become an excellent speaker.

Here is an example:  Several years ago I was approached by an eye doctor who was excited about some special research he had done regarding vision problems in young children. He found there was an acute need to discover vision problems early to prevent difficulty in learning and motor skills.  He wanted to get the word out so that affected children could better adjust to their schooling. After 12 weeks of working with him, the doctor went on a speaking tour, and a year later he was doing a series of lectures through Europe partially paid for by his speaking fees.  You may think this is an unusual case.  It is not.

If the fear of public speaking is holding you back like it was for this doctor, resolve yourself to take action by reading or enrolling in a class. You will be on your way to a new dimension in life, and who knows?  You may change history

Posted: April 17, 2024 | Categories: Presentation skills, Sales

A friend of mine is a marketing specialist.  We were talking about what makes businesses rise above the crowd and it brought to mind an experience I had 30 years ago when looking for a family photographer:

It was in the fall, and our family consisted of my wife and two boys, ages 6 & 8.  We wanted to have a picture of our family that we could enjoy in our den every day.  There were many vendors to choose from, and we were starting to get overwhelmed.  We were anxious to get something scheduled, and I decided to start asking the question, “What makes your work special?”  Some struggled with that question.  Then we met Jane and Jim, a couple who owned their own studio and seemed to love what they do.  To my question, they replied, “Other photographers take a picture of where you are at.  We take a picture of who you are”.  WOW!  That was just what we wanted!  Sold!

Jane and Jim did take our picture in a park setting among the colored fallen leaves.  We have this picture in our den and we enjoy it every day.  It is our favorite.

Jane and Jim were a part of a common profession.  Their work and the way they sold it was uncommon.  They were passionate about their work and they were able to communicate why.

Think of your product or service:  What do you do that makes you stand out above your competition?  How well do you  communicate it?  The loyalty and enthusiasm of our customers starts with us!