Reid Hoffman, co-founder of LinkedIn says in Connections with Integrity, “One way to help nurture good alliances is to provide early and explicit signs of your own commitment, showing people that you actually care about helping them. My name for this practice is the ‘theory of small gifts’, small ways to invest in a relationship […]
Do employees need to be in the office or not? This is not an article discussing the pros and cons of the new workplace reality. The hybrid-work world is still a work in progress. But since most companies still have people working in the office some of the time, it creates an opportunity for those […]
“A person’s weakest ties were the most helpful for career advancement.” We all know that our strong ties, our family, and close friends are valuable members of our network. They are the trusted advisors we rely on for advice and support. But many people don’t know that weak ties—those mere acquaintances we have in our […]
The Power of Reconnection – How Dormant Ties Can Surprise You was the eye-catching title of an article in the MIT Sloan Management Review. Many people assume that a connection which has been ignored for years is a dead connection. The article, based on research by Daniel Z. Levin, Jorge Walter, and J. Keith Murnighan, says […]
Have you ever had these conversational experiences? We all know that it is important to make a great first impression when starting a conversation, whether it is the first time you are meeting, or someone you talk to regularly. It is equally, and some research says it is even more important, how you end a conversation. Yes, how […]
There have been many recent―and best-selling―books on creating better habits. James Clear’s Atomic Habits, Charles Duhigg’s The Power of Habit and Stephen Covey’s classic The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, are all full of valuable advice. But Michael Norton, an award-winning behavioral scientist, makes a case for rituals in his new book, The Ritual Effect: From Habit to Ritual, […]
In one of our weekly Positive Networking® tips (read it here) we suggest that speed networking is having a comeback so maybe it’s time to try it again. But here is the problem. Don’t most of us dread going to one of these things? It’s a formulaic, mechanical way of meeting people, but with so many people working from […]
“Research has shown that exposure to natural environments can stimulate the brain and increase cognitive function. This means that taking your work outside can help you generate new ideas and solve problems more effectively. Plus, the fresh air and change of scenery can help reduce mental fatigue and increase energy levels, allowing you to stay […]
Meh: slang for boring, uninterested, indifferent This is what we have been thinking about: Why are conversations so one-sided? It seems worse than ever. Here is the scenario: You meet someone who either you’ve never met before, or don’t know very well. You have a conversation with them and when it’s over you realize they never […]