On December 8th, 1863, United States President, Abraham Lincoln issued a presidential proclamation formally called, the Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction. The document, also known as the ten percent plan, was an effort to begin reconstruction and re-integration of the Southern states amidst the American Civil War. Though the country would not end the war […]
Last year, almost to the date, I published an article on the importance of emotional intelligence using Elon Musk of Tesla as a shining example. At the time, there had been a number of articles written that addressed his concern and response to what was an above-average injury rate of employees at Tesla. Musk had […]
Every mannerism you make communicates something. And you’re being judged for it. How you’re standing, how you’re dressed, your eye contact, etc. – you are being judged. In fact, my own research suggests that people make decisions about you in the first seven seconds they see you. A little overwhelming if you think about it […]
Every seventeen seconds, someone, somewhere in the world, is watching a TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) Talk. If you have access to the Internet, it’s likely you’ve either heard of or watched one. In my first book, A Climb to the Top, I introduce the components of TED talks to help readers understand what makes those […]
I’ve previously addressed the difference between a leader and a boss – take a peek at that article and then asked yourself, which one am I? Most of us want to be leaders who others admire, trust and want to follow; we ourselves want to work for leaders that we trust, admire and want to […]
Have you ever stopped to think about how the body has been created or formed? Two eyes, two ears, two arms, two legs – with most other significant parts of the body (e.g. nose, organs, etc.) placed in the middle. It helps the body to balance – imagine if our bodies were naturally lopsided or […]
On September 11th, 2001, I lost a lot of friends in the horrendous terrorist attack on the World Trade Center buildings in New York City. It was a tough time to conquer for those who knew individuals lost, the families affected, and a nation grieving the tragedy. It was this event and the result of […]
I’m often asked when I’m invited for interviews or podcasts how I got to where I am today. Like all of us, there are a number of driving factors and influences that guide us throughout our lives. However, I frequently think of my father, who was a professor of linguistics. He had the unique ability to […]
Early on in my career, as I looked up to the executives and people I admired, I found myself asking, “what is it about these individuals that I admire so much?” What I came to conclude, and what became the birth of what I do today, is there was something I couldn’t define – it […]
I’ve previously addressed the keys to achieving success and having a mindset of success. When it comes to becoming a successful communicator, there are three fundamental steps to consider. All too often, communication is something that people engage in all day, every day, but they don’t think to improve upon it. It’s interesting that for […]
It is so easy to be offended. There are so many reasons each and every day to be offended, irritated, frustrated, perturbed…to be affected by the people, things, and scenarios around us. Our natural tendency is to impulsively respond negatively to a negative situation. What if however, you didn’t let the environment have so much power […]
The idea of effective leadership is bound to differ from one individual to another – each basing their description on personal experiences and expectations. However, I’d argue there are ten aspects to being a truly great leader. How do you think you do in each of these areas? Communication: This one area alone is such […]
Anyone who has had kids or has been around them enough – especially those who are three going on thirteen – will understand the significance of the word “why.” As an adult, you may feel like you know a fair amount of information, attained through years of experience living on this earth. Nothing will make […]
You’ve heard me essentially say it, your EQ is more important than your IQ. It’s true. Your ability to be aware of not only yourself but those around you is absolutely critical to your success. While one’s intelligence quotient (IQ) can only predict 1-20% of their success in a job, their emotional quotient (EQ) will […]
What if you every time you interacted with clients you made an effort to truly observe them and how they responded to you? What if instead of focusing on what you are saying, feeling and thinking, you focused on them? The ability to do this is what sets successful leaders apart from everyone else. In […]
We can always improve our communication – always! Not all of us will be required to give formal speeches on a stage with hundreds of people. However, each day you give a series of mini-speeches to audiences ranging in size, of matters differing in importance. You don’t need to be a keynote speaker to need […]
At this title, you might be wondering how I know what it takes to make the close. But, having spent fourteen years in sales and marketing at Bloomberg, as well as serving in a few different leadership roles in business development, I can tell you effectively leading is being an effective salesperson. In sales, you […]
I have a list of must-read book recommendations ready to give anyone who asks. On that list is a book that I give to every client and student. What could possibly be so important that everyone I work with must have it? A book focused on identifying strengths. So often we are overcome with everything […]
Chuck Garcia