When preparing interviewees, I often must stress the critical need for their resumes to be crisp and clear. The resumes that stand out are the ones that reflect your accomplishments and how you achieved them. For example, the leader of a sales team may state on his or her resume that the team generated X amount of revenue, exceeding expectations of monthly goals. A strong resume states not only your skills, but the impact you can make on the organization. Be sure your resume and talking points make the individual interviewing you realize that your skills are a good fit for the organization.

Stephen Covey always advocated a reputation as capital. You expand it by investing in it. Delivering on promises and being accountable to others in a commitment means growing your capital.

Developing relationships and giving back to those relationships are a few other ways to keep banking capital. Strong capital results in job promotions or being favorably considered in a reorganization.  Capital is like having money in the bank when a withdrawal is necessary.

Affiliations offer companionship, respect, and safety which is why folks belong and groups grow. The negative side is when groups become one voice of yes people.

We all want relationships that bring a foundation. Beyond that, how do we retain our individuality with integrity and honesty yet keep the group strong? It is a question, I often ponder. Hopefully, groups will keep this issue on the forefront and avoid groupthink and shutting out different voices.

How many times have we tried to reach a customer service person on the phone but instead of getting a person, an automatic system responds with a long list of numbers to call? In appreciation to all the companies that offer this, we like the ones that make it simple after you hit the correct number! The companies that do well with the first customer service contact, usually put an efficient, inclusive agent on the phone that wants to help get the problem resolved.

When working with clients or others to solve a problem, resolve the issue so that everyone leaves with a sense of closure. This burnishes a reputation of inclusiveness and competence.

In a recent Tribune article, a world traveler was asked how he engaged folks in foreign countries not speaking the language. He indicated that a smile and direct eye contact cuts through language barriers all across the world!

This is true whenever we meet folks we don’t know. Prior to even introducing yourself, the direct eye contact and a smile initiates the engagement. This goes for all situations including intense ones. The first contact propels the next step of engagement.

Understanding the audience and the way information is received takes awareness of reactions to light small talk. Practice key observations such what does the body language and facial expressions suggest? How do they ask or answer questions?

Begin to take mental notes. If the conversation is over the phone, listen to the pauses and the tone of voice when they speak. Remember, what may appear as a gentle question to you can feel harsh to the receiver. If a comment is made and the reaction perceived feels like a bull in a china shop, negate it by adding a softer comment. Successful leaders acquire much more capital when they avoid acting like the bull in a china shop.

There is always someone on a team or in the audience that makes the situation or subject about them, good or bad. Either way, it steers the objective away from the core issue. The best way to bring the conversation back to the point is to not spare them, but to say, “let’s circle back, or we were talking about this.”

Often, we must work with a person who takes up all the air in the room. With a larger than life personality this person can also be very fun to be with. If this individual is a group leader, sometimes, details and tasks never get addressed or completed.

Allow this person their moment and when there is a break in conversation, rejoin the discussion with the task in mind. Avoid trying to control this person but instead manage them. This happened at Thanksgiving with my larger than life youngest sister. Instead of trying to rein her in, I asked her to make the gravy and everything went back on track!

The cooking competition show is about more than just the food. It provides a visual of ways contestants and judges work under pressure to deliver successful products and give constructive feedback. The show that continues to give feedback gems is the Kid’s Championship Baking Show.

Duff and Valerie are the judges and it is the way they use the three to one rule that clicks. They look for the three positives and one not-so-positive area to help the contestants achieve success as a baker. The judges balance the fine line on these impressionable young minds. We understand they were chosen for their baking skills, personality, and how they receive feedback.
All us of revert to the child in ourselves when under review and feeling pressured. (Even when we try to toughen up!)

Holding a grudge really hurts the wronged person not the person responsible for the problem. It is not easy to let go of a grudge. However, it is tough to take the high road and rise above the it, especially when you feel hurt.

If you can get past it, though, the rewards are tremendous! Besides the respect of peers and leaders, you will love yourself more. Being wronged will happen many more times in life. And remember, it has been medically proven that folks who let go of hurts live longer and happier lives.