Keep Your Eye On The Ball
I was reading where Wayne Gretzky claimed he was successful because he skated to where he thought the puck would be, not where it was. In warfare, people firing at planes from the ground were taught to "lead" the plane
Self-Esteem and Control
I've been called on to do more work in coaching and mentoring with self-esteem than any other single issue. And this is, indeed, the main obstacle that solo practitioners face. "Why would they listen to me?" or "I'll send an
A Consultant’s Calling
We all know how much hard work is involved in coaching, so when Matt Kolbusa made a trip from Hamburg to spend a couple of days with me we buckled down for tough times. My wife caught us in mid-work
Strut Your Stuff
Early in my career, a veteran consultant, arrogating wisdom, gave me some really bad advice—"Be humble and low key," he said, "don't overwhelm the prospect." Shortly thereafter, the briefly low key Alan was facing a buyer who said, "You don't
Self-Esteem and Skills
I've found that continually building skills can be undermined if one's self-worth (reflected in self-talk) isn't commensurately improved, and building self-worth can be dysfunctional if the requisite skills don't accompany it. In the chart above, you can see that strong self-esteem
Broncos Lose to Ravens By Trying Not To
Payton Manning's come-back year came back to haunt him last night as the Denver Broncos were upset by the Baltimore Ravens in Denver. The fault lies with the Denver Coach, John Fox. He repeatedly called for conservative plays instead of trying
Alan’s Friday Wrap® Plan B
Despite experiences with Katrina, despite very accurate storm tracking, Hurricane Sandy left people in New Jersey and New York as if they had been in a Third World catastrophe. Obvious needs, such as alternative power sources, fuel, and fresh water
Advice on Advice
I've often used a ski instructor analogy to support my philosophy that someone you ask for advice should have a successful history of doing what you want to do. The instructor should be a few yards ahead of you on
The Island and the Bridge
I create global communities of bright, exciting, valuable people. Among my brands is The Architect of Professional Communities®. One of the most important common traits is the search for learning, improvement, and sharing. Below you can see Alcatraz. It's an island
Fear Upon Fear
I've come across people whose life is one long frightened march through fear. They fear trying to find a buyer. They fear talking to a buyer. They fear creating a proposal when the buyer is interested. They fear not being