The Williams Sisters were featured in NYT’s magazine this Sunday. They feel that belief and training is the key to their success. It’s the opposite of “Fake it ‘till You Make it”. The reason that causes us to fail is we tend not to be prepared enough in the beginning.

I remember during the first three years of my business I spoke to groups and took projects on for very little money. So, I got educated and trained at the same time. This is critical to being successful at whatever you chose to do. Training and education are first on my list to getting prepared. Then it’s on to practicing in the real world.

Does this mean you will always be a winner? No. The Williams Sisters are a great example of a career of wins and setbacks.

Motivation and love of what you do is understood but most folks who fail love what they do and don’t lack for passion. However it is the training and practice that one needs to do before going live. Even when you are successful, training and practice is still essential to ensure your success.

Ask yourself, are you continuing to believe and train in your profession?

“You are never going to be right all the time. Get over it. The hurdles get smaller as you go along because you will be jumping over them.” Marsha Serlin, CEO, United Scrap Metal.

 So many times mistakes can paralyze us. I have learned over a period of time to not beat yourself up too much because you can learn from your mistakes if you get over them.

 For example, the first time I lost a project it took me a year to get past it. But it also taught me how to never be unprepared when presenting a project at a casual meeting.

About five years ago, I was faced with a similar situation. I went through a challenging hour of discussion with seven key decision makers for a project. But by then it had become a natural process to always be fully prepared.

The Summer Olympics continues to confirm the importance of team work. Yes, of course the main idea is to win a medal and the preference is gold. However, most don’t win gold or any medal at all, for that matter. In business, we are often faced with difficult challenges where the end result takes an unexpected turn just like in the Olympics.

When your team is a strong one, the main issue is that the loss is not as important as the next step. I watched some of the teams who did not win a gold. They supported each other and focused on the next step. That’s what team work is all about.

It is important to have a social media presence. For that, LinkedIn continues to be the number one place to get exposure and let the world know your personal brand. However, it does not replace traditional networking. So when you have an opportunity to do face to face events, maximize your presence by ensuring you do the following:

• Own the room with confidence. Have your pitch-who you are and a success story—ready at all times

• Be engaging. Even before you say one word offer a firm handshake and make good eye contact.

• Follow up. Afterwards, connect either by e-mail or phone calls. If possible, meet for coffee or lunch.

• Keep a file of your networking events. This will help you remember names and faces.

Networking can be fun and energizing if you take the attitude you want to learn about folks and what they are involved in. The activity will expand your people knowledge and allow others to get to know you.

A new suit, pair of glasses or a hair style can be a game changer in building your confidence. Here’s an example. Years ago, I was interviewing a client who was referred to me. My role was to help strengthen both her presence and communication style. (I found out later that she was about to be terminated prior to coming to me.)

I spoke with her later after she had become a top producer in her industry. I asked her what made the difference to senior management during her interview years ago. She said the change in her presence and communication style (her new image) gave senior management at the time a reason to allow her to do her thing because she all of a sudden exuded confidence.

In our fast paced environment, listening is a skill that takes patience and the ability to stay focused on the conversation. The biggest challenge is usually allowing the other person to finish their thoughts. I know I have been guilty of interrupting a speaker.

So, my tip is to count to ten to ensure the conversation has finished before you begin. Also, if you have interrupted because you thought the person was finished speaking, immediately apologize and let the other person complete his or her thought.

When you interrupt you may not hear that golden nugget of information critical to the solving the problem or miss learning something important.

When you smile the whole world smiles too.

• The average woman smiles 62 times per day.
• The average man smiles 8 times a day.
• 63 percent of people say they look best in photos when they are showing their teeth.
• 99.7 percent of adults say an attractive smile is an important personal asset.
• 74 percent of people say that an unattractive smile can hurt a person’s chances for business or career success.
• 23 percent of people say they look best with their mouth closed.

Just recently I was completely surprised and completely caught off guard when given an award. In cases like this often, you hear folks either ramble on and on or go completely blank.

These are the keys to saying a few brief but impactful comments:

1. Take the time to walk up to the stage. This gives you an opportunity to collect your thoughts.

2. Share a story or a fact that will honor the award. For example, you might mention how the organization impacted you.

3. Give thanks to those responsible for you receiving the honor.

Remember these critical elements and you will always give a heartfelt, appreciative and graceful speech.

In a recent Chicago Tribune, Rex Huppke’s column addressed the value of being a nice person. In today’s work environment where results are critical there never seems to be enough time for niceties. This includes small talk such as how the family is doing or did you enjoy your vacation?

It has been proven may times that just taking a minute or two eases the way before we dive into everyday business work issues. Also, when giving feedback, be inclusive. The main goal is to strengthen social skills not tear them down.

A prized quality of a stellar reputation is being thought of as fair and nice.

The new emphasis today for management is to find individuals who are passionate about their work. This really has always been true. In fact, you can tell the person who is passionate about their work and commitment to high standards. It comes natural to them. They are always looking for ways to innovate. 

I know that the job market is tough. And getting promoted within companies has become even tougher because of competition. This is why it is important to find the right professional fit. You want to release your passion so your job does not become work. 

How do you determine what creates the passion for you? Begin with two columns on paper. In one, write down every time you do something that resonates with you (brings you joy). In the other column log the things you do that you don’t like.

Maintain this log for awhile. You will see as you begin to review it over time that it will clearly show what you are passionate about.