Posts by Chris Gardner
Hiring for Skills vs Personality: Is There a Clear Winner?
I see it every day as a recruiter: one candidate is more qualified, but a hiring manager likes the personality of another much better. Which way to go? Do skills outweigh personality or can skills be taught to the right person? Or is there another way? I know many hiring managers who hire simply on…
Read MoreThe Personality it Takes to Work from Home
Tips and tools for professionals going virtual during the coronavirus Everyone loves to roll out of bed and spend the day in slippers. But being at home and working from home are two different things. The recent, drastic changes in lifestyle may be nice in some ways, but what does it take to be highly productive…
Read MoreHow to Take Control of Workplace Stress
How to take control of workplace stress has been a challenge for decades. And it doesn’t seem to be slowing down. The best and simplest definition of stress I’ve ever heard is that stress is the difference between expectation and reality. Let’s repeat that: the difference between expectation and reality. So, if I’m expecting a…
Read MoreThe Likability Formula
It is a world full of “likes.” We like posts on social media. We like products on Amazon. We like our friend’s latest profile pic. We strive to BE liked. Because being liked is powerful. A likable person can more easily land a job, make a sale, or get a promotion. Just what makes someone…
Read MoreIs Being Polite Good for Business?
At a local mall during the holidays, I asked an employee for ketchup to go with my fries. “It’s my pleasure,” she responded, handing me the ketchup. How polite! My pleasure? Taken aback, I couldn’t help but say an emphatic thank you, a faint smile crossing my face. I later discovered that Chick-fil-A actually trains…
Read MoreHow to Build Better Teams Using Multiple Intelligence Theory
Let’s say a doctor discovers a breakthrough cure for cancer. He tests his theory, and it works. Others start asking him how he did it. But he struggles to communicate well and can’t seem to clearly explain the steps. In theory, his cure for cancer depends on his ability to verbalize it to someone else. This…
Read MoreManagers: Stop spending 70% of Your Time Doing This
Managers: stop spending 70% of your time managing your lowest performers. Stop spending your time emailing answers to questions already asked, explaining procedures already explained, and training in areas already trained. Stop using your day to document low performance, to referee conflicts, or to boost low morale. In his book, 100 Ways to Motivate Others,…
Read MoreAre you chasing a candidate running from a job?
The day I realized my new hire ran away from his previous position was about a week after he started. I overheard him talking to another employee about his former boss, his lackluster work, and his insufficient vacation time. As I listened for a moment, my stomach churned a little. I realized I may be…
Read MoreStrong Managers Coach Employee Strengths
Any baseball coach will tell you- you can’t put a left-hander on second base—it’s impossible to turn the double play. Your shortest player doesn’t live under the rim and your fastest runner is not on the line of scrimmage. In sports, you coach according to a player’s strengths. Through countless hours of practice and interaction…
Read More3 Essential Books About Business Leadership
There is much to be gained from the wisdom and experience of others. And while there are thousands of business books out there, a lot of them are dispensable to say the least, yet a few of them offer valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities of business leadership. There are 3 Essential Books About…
Read MoreHow Proactive Thinking Can Activate Your Career
In The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Dr. Steven Covey lists being proactive as habit number 1. Covey explains that your life doesn’t just happen. You design your own life, make your own choices, and have the opportunity to do things differently if you so choose. Proactive thinking can activate your career. Being proactive,…
Read MoreHow to Experience True Joy at Work
Joyful Workplace. Is this an oxymoron? Or is it possible to experience joy within the work environment? Research shows that it takes deep experiences to reach a feeling of true joy. Joy goes beyond happiness. It is defined as “the emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying; keen pleasure;…
Read MoreCareer Intuition: Can You Trust Your Gut?
Intuition is defined as the ability to understand something immediately, without need for conscious reasoning. In business, it can feel like a strong pull to head in a certain direction. The ability for intuition is something we naturally possess. It guides us in our parenting (a mother’s intuition), it helps us in relationships (having a…
Read MoreTIMING: It Goes Two Ways in a Job Hunt
Think back to the day you accepted THE JOB THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING. Relieved that your search was finally over, you felt confident in your decision. You weighed all the factors. They valued your skills. You valued their mission. If you think about it even more closely, whatever the reasons were on the day you accepted,…
Read MoreDon’t Ruin Your Career in 140 Characters
In March of 2017, McDonald’s Corp tweeted the following: “@realDonaldTrump You are actually a disgusting excuse of a President and we would love to have @BarackObama back, also you have tiny hands.” The post, active for about 15 minutes, was soon taken down, but not before being retweeted over 1,000 times. Outraged republicans began a…
Read MoreAre You Living Your Personal Mission Statement?
YOLO: You Only Live Once. For as funny as YOLO sounds, there is a lot of truth in it. We only live once. Time is our most precious commodity. Are you living your personal mission statement? And, eight hours a day are spent at work. Are you spending that time like you want to? Have…
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