I was asked the question:

I'm moving to a new city where I have very few contacts. What would you recommend is the best of preparing for this?

How did you hit the ground running after moving to a new city?

2 comments // In Business Networking

I was asked the question:

"How do I sustain a connection past the initial interaction?"

Share your own tips for fostering a new relationship.

9 comments // In Relationship Development Skills

JOEL A. GARFINKLE is recognized as one of the top 50 coaches in the U.S., having worked with many of the world's leading companies. He is the author of seven books, including Getting Ahead: Three Steps to Take Your Career to the Next Level. View his books and FREE articles at his Leadership Coaching website.  You can also subscribe to his  Leadership Development newsletter and receive the FREE e-book, 40 Proven Strategies to Get Promoted Now!

According to a survey conducted by U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) in 2010, approximately 18% of corporate directors are women and 14.5% are minorities. To put this into perspective, the number of women and minorities on corporate boards is less than half what would be expected based on their proportion of the general population.

The fact that there is a discrepancy is indisputable, but the reason for the shortfall is not so clear. Is it blatant discrimination, or is there something else at work here? The answer is probably a combination of both.

I have worked with many women and minorities in my executive coaching business and I have found that when they apply the principles of perception, visibility, and influence—what I refer to as the PVI model—they are able to advance their careers faster and further than they previously thought possible.  They do this by earning the respect of their colleagues and bosses, becoming known throughout the company as someone who can be depended on to solve problems and deliver quality work, and learning how to exert their influence at all levels of the organization.

Many of the challenges faced by women and minorities in the workplace can be attributed to cultural differences and differences in the way boys and girls are raised. These challenges can be overcome if you are aware of them and adapt your behavior to change the way you are perceived.

Here are three challenges women and minorities might face, along with strategies you can use to overcome them. Read more →

0 comments // In Coaching

The great Harvey Mackay's new book is out – The Mackay MBA of Selling in the Real Word. Covering everything from how to find the right mentor to earning the loyalty of your customers to overcoming rejection, Mackay delivers road-tested, real-world selling advice that has stood the test of time.

As today's post, I give you a taste of the new book with Harvey's ABCs of Selling – I encourage you to tweet one of these, or make it today's mantra!

A - Availability for your customers is essential, so they can reach you with questions, concerns or reorders.

B - Believe in yourself and your company, or find something else to sell.

C - Customers aren't always right, but if you want to keep them as your customers, find a way to make them right.

D - Deliver more than you promise.

E - Educations is for life - never stop learning.

F - Follow up and follow through. Never leave a customer hanging.

G - Goals give you a reason to go to work every day. When you reach your goals, set higher ones!

H - Humanize your selling strategy by learning everything you can about your customers.

I - I is the least important letter in selling.

J - Join trade organizations and community groups that will help you both professionally and personally, such as Toastmasters, Chamber of Commerce or Junior Achievement.

K - Know your competitors and their products as well as you know your own. Read more →

3 comments // In Business Networking

Check out a few of the posts on the myGreenlight blog this week:

• James Altucher: Groping His Way to Success
• Ladies, Make Like Men and Take a Personal Break at Work
• The Shy Networker's Toolkit
• Relationship Roundup - how to build relationships over the digital divide, best practices for accountability and generosity, and a new way to share your currency.

Enjoy!

0 comments // In MyGreenlight

Ready for this month's master's mission? If you try it, you'll benefit not only from "vuja de" but from the opportunity to connect with two members of your network. Enjoy! - KF

On this month’s myGreenlight Social Capitalist webinar, agenda-setting writer, Fast Company co-founder and entrepreneur Bill Taylor explained what he calls “vuja de.” We all know what déjà vu means: the feeling that a new situation already happened. Bill flips the term to describe the experience of examining the industry you've been in for so long -- and suddenly seeing it differently.

The need to continually self-evaluate and evolve is necessary to be truly successful, especially in this economy. We all get into routines in every aspect of our lives and find ourselves doing things a certain way because that is how they’ve always been done. Don’t let your expertise get in the way of innovation.

Your Mission: Pick a current professional challenge you're facing. You can make this as big (raise company’s sales revenue) or small (payroll went out late) as you want. Instead of going to your staff or coworkers for advice, call two contacts in different industries and ask for their input. Have they had similar problems with solutions that could be adapted to fit your scenario? Note how these conversations change your perspective. Did they produce new insight you couldn't have come up with on your own? That's the goal.

What practices do you use to get a fresh perspective on something

3 comments // In Giving Feedback

Check out a few of the great posts on the myGreenlight blog this week:

• Two Tips to Sell More Without Working Harder
• Three Team-Building Activities that Aren't
• James Altucher's Tips for Getting Noticed
• Relationship Roundup

Enjoy!

0 comments // In Site News and Happenings

Check out a few of the great posts that were on the myGreenlight blog this week:

• Non-Verbal Intelligence with Joe Navarro - A transcript excerpt from Tahl Raz's Social Capitalist interview with Joe Navarro.
• To B-School or Not To B-School - Is business school worth the risk?
• Do You Know It When You See It? - Zen's place in business.
• Relationship Roundup - Examples of how relationships make our world go round.

Enjoy!

0 comments // In Site News and Happenings

I spent several hours with former House Majority Leader Dick Gephardt recently, and he told me some great stories. When he led the house he held a daily meeting on the hill with a broad set of 60 leaders. Sometimes it was an hour, sometimes much longer, but the stated purpose wasn't to argue and win, it was to LISTEN.  He knew that if he started the meeting with an agenda to convince folks all they'd get out of the session was more contentious debate. Instead he asked everyone to listen to each other. He encouraged and coached high degrees of candor, and what he found is that the increased listening and empathy pushed people to collaborate, and to give where they would normally take.

Consider this when you run meetings, or are looking to defuse conflict. Don't immediately push toward a particular solution - spend time listening first, and see where it takes you.

1 comment // In Leadership

Today's post is a myGreenlight Mini Mission: Do something to mark the end of summer – a get together with friends you haven’t seen, surprise your office with donuts, or even send the postcards you didn’t get a chance to mail during your vacation.  Use the transition of seasons as an excuse to connect. (Although you don’t actually need an excuse!)

As for me, I went fishing this weekend!

Share what you will or have already done!

7 comments // In Relationship Development Skills