Articles

Extraverted Man

Debunking the myth that extraverts make better networkers

November 25, 2019

The world is awash in myths and bad advice about networking. The most frustrating of all might be the myths that involve the notion of extraversion, often prodding those of us of the introvert persuasion to “just be more extraverted.” While it’s absolutely true that you must be visible to be successful, building professional relationships in a meaningful way is infinitely more nuanced than simply being more extraverted.

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How to Craft a Great Résumé / LinkedIn Profile

November 6, 2019

Hiring managers don’t really care what you’ve done. They may ask about it, but it’s not what they’re trying to figure out. What they care about is what you’ve learned and what you’re ready for. Here’s how spell those out in your work history.

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Red Dice

On Luck, Success, and Our Inherent Interconnectedness

October 21, 2019

Life — and success — contain a high degree of luck, randomness, and serendipity. It’s not just me that thinks so. Researchers are proving what our intuition has been telling us for generations. A study out of the University of Catania in Italy showed that the most successful people are not the most talented, just the luckiest.

Persistence, fueled by ambition, and a stroke of good fortune are often all that separate the the high-rollers from the homeless. But you have to try. Where would you be if you didn’t even try?

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My First Professional Review

October 10, 2019

My first professional review.

“…a strong case for learning how to network”
“…concrete actionable strategies”
“…a thoughtful and detailed self-help work.”
“…a solid writer with an energetic voice”

Kirkus Reviews

I couldn’t be more pleased. Read the full review…

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Art for Cold Shower Podcast

Interview on The Cold Shower Podcast

October 4, 2019

A millenial and a baby boomer take a broad look at networking, leadership, college, student debt, and honoring the value that people bring to our lives.

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Podcast Interview with Angee Linsey

September 25, 2019

It was a delight to be interviewed by the talented Angee Linsey for her new show Dare to be Deliberate. She is a gifted show host and a savvy career coach.

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Hand drawn steps with the steps in a hiring decision.

The Evolution of a (Hiring) Decision

September 18, 2019

From the perspective of the hiring manager, finding the right person to fill a job opening can be an arduous process. When we’re on the candidate side of the table, we lose sight of this complexity. Our goal is to get a job and, as they say in baseball, we “swing for the fences” at every step. We say things like “I would love to work here” before we know much at all about the role, the team, the company, or the compensation. We confuse our end game (get a job) with the incremental objective of moving forward in the interview process. We allow our primary goal to blind us to incremental goals.

The key is to move yourself along the process one step at a time.

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Winners Take All

August 16, 2019

A Fabulous Synthesis of The Breakdown Between Economics and Governance

Capitalism is the economic model that drives how a majority of the people in the world earn their livelihoods. Democracy is how that same majority govern themselves. These two systems are deeply intertwined and deeply interdependent. Over the last several decades the elites who drive — and thrive in — capitalism have distorted our system of governance to their advantage.

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New Job starting day or date circled on a calendar with a red marker

Got a Job Offer? Your Start Date May Be Earlier Than You Think

July 29, 2019

Whether it’s with a new company or a new role within your existing organization, new positions are tremendous opportunities to leap forward in your career. However, beware that you and the hiring manager may have very different ideas as to your actual start date.

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Man in a suit, palm up, gesturing stop.

Good Boss / Bad Boss

July 27, 2019

Good bosses matter. The context you create for your top talent can mark the difference between a mediocre and a top performer. At one point in my career I went from being ranked a mediocre performer by the worst boss I ever had to being in the top 10% by the best boss I ever had. I was working just as hard for both bosses. The only thing that changed was my boss.

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