Literally translating to “good change,” Kaizen is a productivity philosophy that was developed in post-WWII Japanese manufacturing. The process was meant to challenge the status quo by introducing small, continuous improvements. While other methods of productivity and accountability – like to-do lists and the pomodoro technique – provide a definitive framework for achieving your goals,…
Dale Carnegie believed in the power of admitting one’s mistakes – believed so much, in fact, that this makes up his twelfth human relations principle: If you are wrong, admit it quickly and emphatically. Thirty-two years after the release of Carnegie’s seminal work, How To Win Friends and Influence People, this principle was put to…
It is common to hear Dale Carnegie trainers advising others to “make it a great day!” but what exactly does this mean? The more common “have a nice day,” or the colloquial “have a good one!” are accepted as a standard parting in North America, implying that the speaker hopes the other party enjoys whatever…
We talk a lot about what it takes to be a good leader, but what about the things leaders should be avoiding? The last thing any leader wants is for their team to think poorly of them, to be afraid of them, to complain about them at the water cooler — so how can you…
Whether your smile shows off every single one of your teeth, is accompanied by a boisterous laugh, or is shy and reserved, its existence is doing good for your mind and body. According to Psychology Today, smiling releases endorphins that help to lower stress, heart rate, and blood pressure, while also lifting your mood. And this…
When you want to grab someone’s attention, the best way to do so is by engaging them in conversation on a topic of their interest. Thanks to the internet and social media, it is easier than ever to learn about a person’s favorite sports team, hobby, or travel destination. From there you’re just a quick…
You step off the stage at convocation, your degree finally in hand after years of study and hard work, and suddenly you’ve got the whole world before you. From here your life can go in any direction you choose, and it’s up to you to make the most of it. As you set off into…
Dale Carnegie knew that turning a lesson into a story was the best way to convince an audience of his ideas. While his easy-to-implement advice is the backbone of his best-selling books, the heart and soul of them are the tales of how his tactics have transformed lives. Although it has been 83 years since…
In Dale Carnegie’s opinion, it is not possible to win an argument. In his eyes, if you lose it, well, you obviously lose it. But if you win it? Carnegie believes you’ve still lost. “Well suppose you triumph over the other man and shoot his argument full of holes and prove that he is non…
Being a strong leader is a combination of a number of things. For some, it is a natural gift—a magnetism that gravitates others to them and makes them an effective leader. For others, leadership is a quality built up over time, constructed and refined and practiced until it gains effective gravity. First Impressions are Everything…