"What counts today is not the number of epaulets on your shoulder, but the quality of your ideas." -- Jack Welch
It sounds odd for Jack Welch, the Chairman and CEO of GE, to be dismissive of rank, but he means it.He tells the story of a video conference GE held not long ago to solve a product problem in Japan. Some participants in the conference were in Japan, others in Schenectady, New York, still others at the corporate headquarters in Connecticut.  The people in Japan were fairly low level, but that didn't matter to Welch. He wanted to talk to them because they were the guys who could solve the problem. And solve it they did. Sometimes it ain't just who you know but what you are.

"Reinforce all ideas." -- Aubrey C. Daniels
Anything someone on your team does that indicates he or she is thinking about the job and trying to find a better way to do it should be encouraged. NEVER suggest that the improvements someone is trying to make are trivial, or unrealistic, or just plain weird.  There's no telling what "trivial" idea could be a money maker. Consider John D. Rockefeller who once ordered his welders to use one drop less of soldering metal to seal oil drums. The result: Rockefeller realized hundreds of thousands of dollars more in profits. .

You've got to have the guts to make a decision." -- Mike Armstrong
1997 when Mike Armstrong became CEO of AT&T he found a company on the defensive: the telecommunications giant had hunkered down to protect it's long-distance business, and that was about all it was doing. The way Armstrong saw things that was a mistake. He decided to take the company into wireless, dial-up and broadband Internet, and cable service. The idea was to make AT&T the only communications provider the customer would need. It was a risk, but it worked. And it thrilled the shareholders. When Armstrong came onboard, AT&T's stock was selling for $34 a share; 18 months later it stood at $61 a share -- a gain in market value of $92 billion. And even now, when tech and telco companies are viewed with suspicion, ATT is positioned as a leader in nearly every significant market.

"There is a price you have to pay to succeed."-- Hank Greenberg
Hank Greenberg knows the price of success. He is Chairman and CEO of American International Group, the leading international insurance and financial services organization.  According to Greenberg the secret is focus. No deviations. No distractions. No 30-day retreats into the wilderness to find yourself.  If you want to succeed on the job, rearrange your priorities. At work, pare away whatever does not move you closer toward your goal. Challenge yourself.  Yes, it's demanding, but it is also exciting. And it can get you where you want to be.

"Write people's accomplishments in stone and their faults in sand." -- Benjamin Franklin
The workplace is no place to nurse a grudge. If somebody on your team screwed up but has made amends then it's your job to forget the mistakes of the past and praise the improvements that are being made in the present.  Nagging, nitpicking, and dredging up ancient corporate history will not motivate anyone. Worse, it shows that the nagger, nitpicker, and the keeper of the 'negativity archives' is a poor manager.

"If the only tool that you have is a hammer, you tend to treat every problem as a nail." -- Abraham Maslow
What is Maslow driving at? Two things: real leadership is more about influence than power, and there's no substitute for versatility. Maslow's point is especially true when it comes to communications.  There are times when you have to get aggressive: "You're going to do this my way!"  At other times you may want to be more reflective: "Let me think about this problem and get back to you."  There's also the friendly approach: "Let's toss some ideas around and see what solution we come up with."  And there's the teamwork method: "How about we work together to get this job done."  The bottom line is this: since each on-the-job problem is different, it's madness to think you can fix them all with just one tool

"As I grow older, I pay less attention to what men say.  I just watch what they do." -- Andrew Carnegie
Hard to fault a guy like Andrew Carnegie for his ability to separate the wheat from the chaff (or the steel from the slag, if you will). So keep your eyes--and mind--open and you can better evaluate, motivate, and compensate your team.  Here are some tips for managers who want to transform their crew into a high-quality powerhouse:  *Identify what it takes to produce a quality product.  *Develop a step-by-step formula for achieving that level of performance.  *Give your team feedback on how the "quality first" campaign is progressing.  *As your team attains goals--eliminates defects and increases quality--by all means reward them with public recognition, bonuses, time off, or some other incentive.

"Habit is habit, and not to be flung out the window by any man, but coaxed downstairs a step at a time." -- Mark Twain
It's not easy to change how people do things, even if they know the change would be for their own good.  If you want your team to break out of their old unproductive ways, you'll have to make some changes yourself. Start with these three: 
1. When someone goes out on a limb rather than sticking to the strict definition of his job, don't slap him down for poaching -- encourage him for showing gumption.
2. Don't wait for someone to undergo a life-changing conversion experience before offering encouragement -- praise even minor improvements.
3. Don't punish anyone for making a mistake.

"Anyone who expects the road to be easy will continually find himself in trouble." -- John Maxwell
A good leader doesn't shy away from problems, s/he anticipates them. S/he may even brace himself for the worst.  Back in the 19th century David Livingstone, the renowned missionary to Africa, received a letter from a mission organization in Great Britain. They were ready to send more men to assist him, but they wanted to know if there was a good road to his mission.  Livingstone wrote back, "If your men will only come if there is a good road, I don't want them. I want men who will come even if there is no road at all."

Let your life speak." -- old Quaker saying
This Quaker maxim is an elegant statement about commitment and it holds true whether you promise your kids to take them to the beach for the day, or commit yourself to recruiting new clients.  If you say you are going to do something, do it. If you make a promise, fulfill it. The point here, especially in the workplace, is to take responsibility for what you promise, to back up what you say with action. People will remember it, even if the outcome is not everything you hoped it would be.

"If you won't carry the ball, you can't lead the team." -- John Maxwell
If you want to be a success, you have to stick your neck out and assume some responsibility. Who are the leaders? Responsible folks who don't shy away from work protesting, "That's not my job!" They put in extra hours, they make an extra effort, they take on new assignments. Of course, sometimes even the guy running with the ball gets sandbagged. The point is to try your best to produce, regardless of the situation. Whatever the outcome, no one can question your effort or willingness to take a chance.

"There is a definite logic to the process of change."-- Don A. Sanders
Just because you've followed a certain career path doesn't mean you can't break out of it. Let's assume you're tired of being a team member and want to be a team leader. The process of change begins with a good idea. Once you've got an idea, you have to take action to bring it to life. Taking action produces definable results.  And positive results are what strong leaders deliver.  If you promised a potential buyer a call-back with a quote by the end of the business day, if you promised a client you'd fax over specific information within 24 hours, if assured your boss you could get a rush job done in record time, then by all means make certain you deliver the goods.   Then do one thing more -- when you make that call, send that fax, or turn in that job, start your presentation spiel or cover note with "As promised..."  Backing up your promises is a sure-fire way to win respect and enhance your reputation -- inside the workplace and in your day-to-day life.

"Show up on time, with a plan, a commitment to carry it out, and then execute it." -- Harvey Mackay
A broken promise is deadly in any relationship, but it is especially lethal when a salesperson breaks a promise to a customer.  Whatever you have said you will do, make sure you do it. If you can't do it, then you better come up with a generous price, or service, or delivery concession for your customer that will take the sting out of that broken promise. One sure-fire way you can always please your customer (and beat your competition): deliver more than you promised.

“We can't improve if we don't keep an accurate score."- Don A. Sanders
Charting your progress on the golf course, at the gym, or in the office will tell you if you've been successful in achieving your goals.  But even the most careful and accurate collection of data is futile if you don't use the information it reveals to improve your game. In sports, in business, in life, the key isn't in merely possessing knowledge but in putting it to use.

"Tame your worries and energize your life." --Stuart R. Levine & Michael A. Crom
A shake-up at work can put anyone in panic mode. It's a natural response, but it's not productive. And bosses are sometimes terrible judges of how sudden moves can affect morale--some don't know, some don't care. Instead of dwelling on the most dire scenario possible, get the facts. Once you know the real situation -- instead of the worst thing your hyper-active imagination can dream up-- you'll be able to make rational decisions about what to do next to safeguard your career.

"You don't drown if you fall into the water. You drown if you stay there." - Zig Ziglar
People like to think of themselves as selfless and goodhearted. Consequently, one of the best ways to get people to stop doing what you find to be disagreeable is to appeal to the better angels of their nature. In the early 20th-century, newspaper photographers stalked the children of the oil tycoon, John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Instead of threatening the paparazzi with law suits, Rockefeller appealed to a common human trait -- reluctance to harm children. 'You know how it is,' he said to the photographers. 'You have children of your own. And it's not good for youngsters to get so much publicity.'  Touched by Rockefeller's appeal, the photographers backed off.  The real difference between winners and losers is when winners get knocked down, they get up and start fighting all over again. When losers get knocked down, they stay right where they landed. Sure, give yourself a little recovery time. Feel sorry for yourself. Let other people feel sorry for you too, if you must. But like an old-fashioned mourning period, set a date when you will stop indulging in self-pity and get back to work again.

"The only way to get the best of an argument is to avoid it." -- Dale Carnegie
Hard to argue with Mr. Carnegie. Better to focus on mutual goals than to go head to head over differences. There are ways to avoid a fight. First, suppress your instinct to get defensive. Next, give your opponent a chance to talk. Then look for areas of agreement. Finally, promise to think about the other guy's ideas -- and mean it. After all, your opponent may be right!

"If you argue and rankle and contradict, you may achieve a victory sometimes, but it will be an empty victory because you will never get your opponent's good will." -- Benjamin Franklin
Know your product...but know the value of moderation as well. (Remember the adage that one doesn't sell just a product; they sell themselves, too). There are salespeople who cannot stand to hear a bad word said about their product. At the slightest hint of criticism from a prospective buyer they will fly off the handle. Some of these hyper-sensitive salespeople are forceful arguers. More often than not they walk out of the prospect's office having won the fight. But they haven't made the sale.

When one treats people with benevolence, justice, and righteousness, and reposes confidence in them, the army will be united in mind and all will be happy to serve their leaders." -- Sun Tzu
Southwest Airlines employees are among the happiest, most productive workers on the planet. Their pay is the best in their industry. The company has a no-layoffs policy. And management values team spirit and a sense of humor over advanced degrees. Although 80% of Southwest employees are unionized, labor and management get along extremely well, thanks to the company's honesty in negotiations and the unions' willingness to be flexible about work rules.  A company that's dedicated to success takes care of its most valuable assets. Trust, fairness, and confidence in this nurturing this asset--the employees--has made Southwest an airlines industry leader.

"Lead with actions, not just words." -- Mark McNeilly
The best way to show leadership is not to talk about it but to set an example.  If you say that it is critical to listen to your customers, then follow through by actually meeting with the people who buy your product or service. If you say it's vital to cut overhead expenses, then by all means, do away with some of your favorite perqs. If your people are eating sandwiches at their desks, resist the temptation to expense opulent delivery grub. Sometimes it's the little things that count: lead the way by drinking your coffee from a mug, rather than a disposable paper cup; if you see a piece of paper on the floor, pick it up. Nothing says you care about the business better than showing it! And there's no better way than by sweating the details. But there are limits--just don't be penny-wise and pound-foolish. Your employees will follow your example if you lead the way.

"Be a good listener. Encourage others to talk about themselves." - Dale Carnegie
An excellent way to alienate an audience -- whether it is an audience of one or an assembly of hundreds -- is to talk only about yourself.  Listening attentively to what others have to say, however, is a sure-fire method of making people like you, and therefore more eager to listen to you.  When you meet someone new, ask them questions they will like to answer. Encourage them to talk about themselves and their accomplishments. This tactic not only opens people up to you, it also tells you something about them, too. As Dale Carnegie put it, 'The royal road to a person's heart is to talk about the things he or she treasures most.'

"As a manger, you cannot GIVE self-esteem to anyone."- Don A. Sanders
Maybe not.... But you can set up situations that build self- confidence in your reports. And this is easier to do than you might imagine. First, challenge your team. Give them immediate feedback and reinforcement. If they don't hit a home run the first time, offer them an opportunity to try again. People find satisfaction in getting a chance to tackle something different, to learn a new skill. And employee satisfaction always translates to more profitability for the company.

"Good manners are made up of petty sacrifices."- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Franklin Delano Roosevelt's paralysis, caused by a bout with polio as a young man, made it impossible for him to drive a standard automobile, so Chrysler custom-built a car the president could operate entirely by hand. The day a Chrysler executive and a mechanic delivered the car to the White House, FDR interrupted his schedule and spent more than half an hour admiring every unique gadget Chrysler had invented for him. He called Mrs. Roosevelt, his secretary, and even the White House porter out to the driveway to show them all the special features.  FDR knew the best way to win someone's good will is to make them feel that their contributions are appreciated and important. Everybody is a star. The important thing is to sometimes make sure they shine when people are watching.

'Failure is an attitude, not an outcome.' -- Harvey Mackay
After Thomas Edison had made his 700th attempt to invent the electric light and still not found the secret, a cheeky New York Times reporter asked him, 'How does it feel to have failed 700 times?'  Edison answered, 'I have not failed 700 yimes. I have not failed once. I have succeeded in proving that those 700 ways will not work. When I have eliminated the ways that will not work, I will find the way that will work.'  After quite few more 'successes' like these, Edison did indeed discover how to make an electric light.

''Feed your mind.' -- Zig Ziglar
The business environment changes everyday, and if your employees' skills don't keep up, your organization could become takeover fodder for your smarter, savvier, more-up-to- date competitors. Consider Motorola. In the late 1980s the corporation instituted a program known as 'institutional learning.' Employees studied everything from creative problem solving to how to operate the robots that performed the repetitive assembly line tasks. The result? Between 1987 and 1993, productivity at Motorola doubled, saving the corporation $4 billion. Just be sure the learning never stops, because, as Newton once observed, an object at rest tends to stay at rest.  From the neck down, most of us aren't worth much. From the neck up, however, there's no limit to our earning potential. The trick here is to feed you mind -- the little gray cells you can use to increase your wealth and happiness -- as consistently as you feed your body. Everyday, forage for information and inspiration -- they're the 'mentally nutritious meals' that will give you the strength and energy to achieve your goals. Like your body, sometimes you need to feed your mind stuff that, while not 'tasty,' is good for you. So be sure to check the sources that give you the basic building blocks for wealth, irrespective of whether they're fun reads. The fun comes later, when you're planning to spend a little of your hard- gotten gains!

"Before you can beat the guys on the other team, you need to have your own people on board." -Harvey Mackay
In business, there's no room for superstars. A CEO who idolizes the designers, the production people, or the folks in finance, is alienating all the other departments in the company. And people who feel alienated are not inclined to be team players, no matter how loyal they might be. What's the solution? Forget about playing favorites and focus on teamwork. Get everybody involved. For starters, make sure news about the company doesn't just travel around on the grapevine. Keeping everybody informed and involved increases a company's chances to hit upon the next big idea! Remember, the Boston Celtics won 16 NBA world championships - - in spite of the fact they never had the top scorer in the league on their team.

"Good habits are hard to acquire, but easy to live with."- Zig Ziglar
How can you turn unproductive behavior around? One step at a time.  If you're always late for meetings, you're going to feel stressed and unprepared. So resolve to arrive ten minutes early for every appointment. If you live on fast food and drink a six-pack of beer every every, you're going to be lethargic and overweight. Promise yourself that you'll change your eating habits and be more active. It will be tough during the first week or two, but once you see the results -- lower stress levels at meetings, a shrinking waistline -- it will be easier to move on to the next step.  And, as another saying goes, nothing succeeds like success!'

"Win all without fighting." - Sun Tzu
Traditionally, employers motivate their employees by giving them higher salaries, better benefits, and an array of perks. True, material rewards like these are crucial. But they aren't enough to foster morale. The way to build morale is to show people that you trust them. Delegate authority. Give people responsibility. Encourage innovative thinking. You'll find that people are happier and work harder if they are believe they are making a real contribution to something important. Hey, if big paychecks alone made winners, the Washington Redskins would still be polishing their trophy from last January's game....

"Be as nice as you can be, and as un-nice as you have to be." -- Harvey Mackay
Every once in a while it may be necessary for you to kick a little butt. Back in 1988, Notre Dame's football team was in the running for the national championship. Coach Lou Holtz was serious about winning -- and he needed his players to be equally serious. Two of his stars, however, seemed to be taking the whole thing a bit too casually. They showed up late for practice two days in a row. So Holtz suspended them -- just hours before Notre Dame's game against USC. While the dilettantes were flying home to South Bend, the rest of the team -- the seriously committed members of the team -- were defeating the USC Trojans in one of the great matches of college ball history.

"Self-confidence... transforms the individual." --Arthur Ashe
You'll need self-confidence to reach your goals -- but you'll also need to be realistic. Arthur Ashe almost single-handedly broke the color barrier in professional tennis. It took courage and determination, but Ashe knew it was a goal he could achieve because, under pressure from the civil rights movement, the walls between black and white were crumbling all across America. The fact that Ashe could read the signs of the times doesn't diminish his valor. If anything, it shows that he was not only brave, he was savvy about his chances for success.

"Relaxation is not a dirty word." --Stuart R. Levine & Michael A. Crom
High achievers tend to regard time spent exercising, socializing with family and friends, or taking time off to enjoy some leisurely pursuit as time wasted. Nothing could be further from the truth. Activities that are not work-related are essential. They can improve your health, give you a happier outlook, and clear out the cobwebs so you return to work focused and refreshed. And all that makes you more productive. Something to think about on a Monday....

"The key to building an enduring new medium is passion, people, perseverance, perspective, and paranoia." -- Steve Case
What part could paranoia play in starting a new venture? Quite a lot according to the founder of America Online, a man who has seen web-based companies rise and fall at the speed of a T-3 link.  The way Case sees it, a healthy touch of paranoia can keep a new company from feeling cocky or complacent. No, everybody may not be out to get you but the sort of 'paranoia' Case describe keeps you sharp, keeps you competitive, and forces you to be innovative so you can stay ahead of the pack.

"Be accountable for your actions."--Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Les Hewitt
This is true in marriage, business deals, friendships, and partnerships. If you want to stand out (and avoid lawsuits!), maintain your integrity. How do you accomplish this? By honoring your agreements -- even the hard, unpleasant ones. In life, at play, at work: A person's only as good as their word. That's all there is to it!  After winning tournaments at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open, the flamboyant tennis pro Andre Agassi went into a major slump. In 1997 he was ranked 122 on the tour.  Under similar circumstances, other players might have retired, but Agassi roared back and in 1999 won both the U.S. Open and the French Open. How did he do it? He said, "I realized... I had to get back in shape and start over." Agassi didn't blame his coach, his manager, or the refs. He took a hard look at himself and set about improving.

"You must do the thing you think you cannot do." -- Eleanor Roosevelt
The only way to grow in courage is to face your fears. Eleanor Roosevelt had a terror of public speaking; she overcame it by doing what frightened her most -- walking up to a podium and addressing a room full of people. By the time her husband FDR ran for president, Eleanor had developed into a graceful and engaging public speaker. It takes guts to change jobs, start your own business, or go toe to toe with a nasty relative -- but do it anyway. Once you confront one fear, some other fears are likely to collapse as well.

"The one quality that all successful people have is the ability to take on responsibility." -- Michael Korda
If you want to achieve more and enhance your credibility with employees and supervisors, approach every assignment with a get-it-done attitude. People with a reputation for being responsible and reliable are willing to do whatever it takes to see the job through. They are driven by a desire for excellence. And finally, responsible people can be relied upon to keep at a task until each detail is just right. Is it any wonder that such self-motivated individuals rise to the top ranks of business?

"The measure of success is not whether you have a tough problem to deal with, but whether it is the same problem you had last year." -- John Foster Dulles
Leaders step up to a challenge. In fact the more problems they address, they better they get at fixing them. Here's how to do it: figure what is at the root of the trouble; find out how other people have dealt with a similar situation; have your team study the problem from every conceivable angle; come up with a wide ranges of possible solutions; adopt the best one. Finally, if you know you're not much of a good problem- solver, hire people who are. Delegating tasks is another way great achievers solve problems!

"The most important single ingredient in the formula of success is knowing how to get along with people." -- Theodore Roosevelt
Throughout history the best leaders have understood that human needs are pretty basic. People like to feel appreciated, so make a point of expressing your gratitude whenever someone does something special for you. People want to believe their life is getting better and better, so give them a vision to strive for. Sometimes people get disheartened -- when that happens find a way to lift their spirits. People want to be successful, so make them a part of a winning team.

"Ducks quack. Eagles soar." -- Ken Blanchard
Most of the companies we encounter are duck-like. They would rather drive away a customer with their endless "quacking" about company policies, regulations, and procedures than spend a moment figuring out how to help a new client and convert him or her into a loyal customer. Eagles, on the other hand, rise above the banal, the mundane and the conventional. Because these guys exceed their customer's expectations and look for exciting new ways to deliver the goods, they soar over the competition.

"The thing that separates good players from great ones is mental attitude." -- Chris Evert
The legendary tennis champion Chris Evert is one of the most successful athletes of all time. Over the course of her 17- year-long career, she notched 18 grand slam titles, won 1309 matches (against 146 losses), and, perhaps most amazingly, was never lower than fourth in the womens pro tennis rankings. Evert always said a positive mental attitude gave her a winning edge. "It might only make a difference of two or three points in an entire match," she said, "but how you play those key points often makes the difference between winning and losing."

"The first and best victory is to conquer self."-- Plato
If you have lots of talent but haven't produced much in the way of results, the problem may be a lack of self-discipline. Here's what you can do to take control of your life. Review what you did last week. What did you do to advance your career? To improve your health? To pump up your portfolio of savings and investments? If the answer is that you accomplished little or nothing, then you know where to begin. Tackle the assignment you've been putting off. At the very least take a walk during lunch. Take 10% of your next pay check and put it aside for your retirement. Then repeat these actions -- and see how your talents blossom.

"Feedback is the breakfast of champions." -- Rick Tate
Imagine going out on the links with the club's golf pro and hearing him say "great shot!" every time you lob your ball into a sand trap. Sometimes we need a diet of constructive criticism, an honest but gentle assessment of what we're doing wrong and how to correct it. And, in this case, what is true on the golf course is equally true at work and at home. So if you're the one who must offer feedback, be forthright but be kind. And if you must be on the receiving end of feedback, be appreciative.

"Success is not forever and failure isn't fatal." -- Don Shula
This adage was the personal mantra of Don Shula, the winningest coach in the history of NFL. He put it into practice in a way that was distinctively his own.  Shula gave his coaches and players 24 hours to glory in a victory, or mope over a defeat. Once the 24 hours were up, they had to put their exuberance or their dejection behind them and get down to the serious business of preparing to meet their next opponent.

"Dare to be happy." -- Richard Carlson
There's a presumption in the business world that if an employee is happy he or she is losing their edge. This is hogwash!! Happiness is a sure sign that a person loves what he or she is doing. And loving your work is the highest form of self- motivation. People who love what they do are creative, charismatic, and dependable team players. So the next time you feel an overpowering sense of contentment, indulge it.

"Recognition is so easy to do and so inexpensive to distribute that there is simply no excuse for not doing it."-- Rosabeth Moss Kanter
A heart-felt, "Thank you!" and a firm handshake are good, but if you really want to show an employee that you appreciate the job he or she just finished, go out of your way a little. Give productive people a Friday off. Have a bottle of champagne delivered to their desk. Make them the guests of honor at a dinner in a fine restaurant. Make a contribution in their name to their favorite charity. There is no end to the significant yet inexpensive ways you can show your appreciation.

"If there is something to gain and nothing to lose by asking, by all means ask." -- W. Clement Stone
Kids are shameless -- and tireless! -- about asking for what they want. But once we become adults most of us become reluctant to ask for things -- whether it is a promotion, a raise, or help with a tough assignment. The funny thing is, the world responds to those who ask. If you aren't advancing toward your goals, maybe it's because you aren't asking enough people often enough to help you reach them.

"Business grinds to a halt when you stop asking."-- Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Les Hewitt
Years ago the king of fast food, McDonald's, came up with a brilliant way to generate more business. Each time a customer ordered a hamburger, the clerk at the counter would say, "Would you like fries with that?" The folks at every McDonald's restaurant have been asking that question ever since for the simple reason that it works. You can apply the same principle to your own business. If a customer has just bought a car from you, offer him an extended warranty for just a few dollars more. If a homeowner hires you to mow her lawn, offer to landscape her garden as well. If a new client has just placed an order, ask when you can contact him for a reorder. This is not just selling or 'upselling'; it's the first step in building a lasting customer service relationship. You ask them and, who knows, in the future they may be asking you--for more of your products or services!

"Faith is leaping across the gaps between the known and the unknown, the proven and the unproven, the actual and the possible." -- Dr. Robert H. Schuller
Nothing sabotages a career as effectively as fear and lack of self-confidence. The way to conquer anxiety is identify what scares you and then ask yourself the question, "What can I do to overcome this fear?" If you are afraid of speaking in public, take a public speaking course. If the thought of making a major decision gives you night sweats, seek out good advice. If you believe you don't have the knowledge necessary to advance in your profession, find a school that will teach you the skills you need to succeed.

"Develop the skin of a rhino and the soul of an angel." -- Robert K. Cooper
It's tough to be on the receiving end of harsh, sometimes unfair, criticism. When a colleague, a friend, or a member of your family has just let you have it both barrels, resist the temptation to sulk and let the cutting remark pass. In your own dealings with other people, however, strive to be "an angel" in the sense of being kind, generous, and inspiring. You can't solve everyone's problems, but you may be able to nudge them in a new, more productive direction.

"Brains, like hearts, go where they are appreciated." -- Robert McNamara
Even the smartest, the most sophisticated individuals like to hear words of praise and recognition for a job well done. And if they don't hear it from you, they may very well go job hunting to find a boss who will appreciate what they have to offer.
So a couple times a week get out of your chair, leave your office, and go visit with your staff. Encourage them to show you what they've accomplished so far, tell you about any challenges they're facing, and let you know if they need additional help. Above all, make a point of telling your team that what they do is important to the company as a whole and to you personally

"Good treatment of workers results in similar treatment of customers." -- Todd Englander

Your employees are on the front line of customer relations, so just as it is in your interest to keep your customers happy, make sure your employees are happy, too.  Certainly incentives and tokens of appreciation will boost your employees' morale. But there is another way to almost guarantee that they will make great customer service reps: give them the authority to exercise their best judgment about routine customer service decisions. Your trust will make your employees feel respected and they in turn will do what they can to make your customers happy.

"Lose as if you like it, and win as if you were used to it." --Thomas Hitchcock
Most of us think it is hard to be gracious in defeat. But it can be just as difficult to be gracious when everything is going your way. The temptation to strut when you win is just as powerful as the temptation to sulk and assign blame when you lose. So restrain your passions. People are attracted to individuals who can remain amiable and good-natured in good times as well as bad.

"The only failure which lacks dignity is the failure to try."-- Malcolm F. MacNeil
Every monarch in Europe turned Columbus away before Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain finally agreed to fund his expedition to the Indies. Thomas Edison tried 1000 different possibilities before finally discovering the right process to make an electric light bulb. Where would any of us be if these two innovators had given up after their first failure? To goof up is human, but to persevere is the first step to success.

"Much of my success has been due to keeping my mouth shut."  --J. Ogden Armour
The eccentric gazillionaire J. Paul Getty could afford to be abrasive. You and I, alas, cannot. We need a broad network of friends, acquaintances, colleagues, and business associates to help us move forward in our careers. The way to build such a network is to be pleasant and (whenever possible) non-confrontational. Remember, it takes years to build a strong business relationship, but only a single ill-advised remark to demolish it.

"The world belongs to the energetic." --Ralph Waldo Emerson
Slugabeds never make CEO. If you want to move ahead, make yourself known in your company. (One caveat: Learn first the difference between 'known' and 'notorious.') Volunteer for assignments. Lobby to get on the most creative teams. Make yourself ubiquitous and you'll be noticed. Make yourself indispensable and you're on your way to the top. Some call it kissing butt--but in many circles, those people are called losers!

"Let a man lose everything else in the world but his enthusiasm and he will come through again to success."--H.W. Arnold
There are lots of things you can accomplish by sheer determination. But you are most likely to excel in those areas of life that really get you fired up. It could be sailing, athletics, gardening, restoring antique autos, even playing the stock market.  Why are you so good at these things? Because, no matter what set-back you may encounter, you are willing, even eager, to try again. If you can bring that level of enthusiasm to your career, imagine how far you could go.

"He who stops being better stops being good."--Oliver Cromwell
Success is an endless process of self-improvement. Learning to work smarter and faster, acquiring new skills, keeping up with the newest trends in your profession -- all these things are essential if you want to get ahead and stay ahead.

"Courtesy is the shortest distance between two people."--Proverb
There's a simple formula to always making a good first impression: be courteous to everyone you meet. Most people find it hard to resist someone who is genuinely warm, friendly, and respectful. And it is a proven method of turning someone who had been a stranger into a colleague and friend.

"The saying that knowledge is power is not quite true. USED knowledge is power."  --Edward E. Free
Few things are as sad as an unused library. Shelf after shelf of knowledge, and nobody is taking advantage of it. You are a mini-library, too. Inside your head you carry around a wealth of knowledge. The trick is to find out how best to use it. The discovery make require a little trial and error, but it will be worth the effort.

"The real test in golf and in life is not in keeping out of the rough but in getting out after we are in."--John H. Moore
In a fallen world, unpleasantness is inevitable. While there is some visceral satisfaction in thrashing around and making a scene when stuck in some nasty piece of business, it is not very productive. So if you are going to indulge in a hissy fit, make it a short one. Then settle down, figure out how you got into the mess, and then find the best way to get yourself out it.

"Do not hold the delusion that your advancement is accomplished by crushing others."  --Cicero
Tyrants -- whether their name is Attila or Boesky -- have but a short shelf life. Sure, they enjoy dazzling successes for a brief time, but eventually they get washed away in the tide of history.  Remember, it is the creative people rather than the conquerors, the sages rather than the sinners, whose legacy endures.

"Great hopes make great men."--Thomas Fuller
For millennia, anyone who traveled by water was at the mercy of winds and currents; then Robert Fulton's vision of a steam-powered ship changed seafaring forever. Of course, a host of variables had to come together before Fulton could build his steamship. But the first step toward achieving that great goal was, of course, Fulton's vision.

"Time is a great therapist."--Joseph Fetterman
It's hard to keep a sense of perspective when you're in the midst of a personal or career crisis. Under the circumstances, the impulse to do something, anything, is understandable. But it may be counter-productive. Some issues will only be resolved by time. Be patient, eventually that unpleasant in-law will "go the way of all flesh," or that back-stabbing colleague will be asked to clean out his desk. If you can't out-fight your antagonists, plan to out-last them.

"None of us can buy goodwill; we must earn it."- William Feather
Sending your clients a calendar at Christmas will not foster goodwill. Neither will giving your employees 3% raises. You create goodwill by lavishing attention on people... making them feel important... going out of your way for them.  You can earn your clients' goodwill by getting projects to them ahead of the deadline, or giving your best customers a discount. You can earn your employees' goodwill by giving them opportunities to stretch themselves and contribute to important projects.

"A smooth sea never made a skilled mariner."--English proverb
Troubles are vexatious and time-consuming, but they are also valuable learning experiences. If a verbal misstep in an interview cost you a job, remember what you said--and make sure you never say it again! If you took a contractor at his word that he'd finish the addition on your house in six months, and a year later you still had plumbers, carpenters, and electricians underfoot, realize that you've been gullible--and next time, write a contract with penalties if the work isn't done on time. It's impossible to avoid trouble, but there are things you can do to reduce the risk that the same troubles will crop up again.

"Behind an able man there are always other able men."--Chinese proverb
You've found the perfect candidate for the job you've been trying to fill for six months. Just as you make an offer, your candidate gets lured away by another firm. It's galling, but don't despair. There are lots of excellent prospects out there. And now that you know what skills and qualifications your ideal employee has, it will be easier for your headhunters to narrow the field and find another one.

"Skill and confidence are an unconquered army." -- George Herbert
Being able to do something and knowing your good at it is a great feeling. But you can't keep your light under a bushel. Demonstrate your gifts. Be confident that you can do the job, but don't be cocky about it. Once you've shown your stuff, you can almost be certain that you'll be asked back to work on another project.

"God gives every bird its food, but he does not throw it into the nest."--Josiah G. Holland
The world is brimming over with things a bird can eat, but the bird has to leave its nest to find them. The same applies to you. The opportunities in life aren't looking for you; you have to go out and look for them! You have talents, connections, skills--all of which you can capitalize upon. It's is up to you to find a useful, satisfying way to apply these gifts.

"Never turn back or stop until the thing intended was accomplished."  --Ulysses S. Grant
On the battlefields of the Civil War, no commander was as determined as Ulysses S. Grant. At Vicksburg, The Wilderness, Petersburg, and ultimately Appomattox, Grant would not let anything deter him--not criticism from politicians, nor the scorn of the press, not even his own personal demons. His unswerving sense of purpose made him Abraham Lincoln's most able general and saved the Union.  The stakes rarely so high our life, but we can still learn from Grant's grit.

"Who works achieves and who sows reaps."--Arabian proverb
Every beautiful garden began when somebody cleared away the brush and yanked out the weeds. Then the soil had to be prepared, the seeds planted, the seedlings watered, and flower beds tended regularly. The result of all that labor, of course, is a fine garden. And most gardeners will tell you that don't mind the hard work because the fruit of it is so satisfying.

"If you think you're tops you won't do much climbing." --Arnold Glasgow
What were you good at in high school? Were you the starting pitcher? The captain of the cheerleaders? The kid who was good at math? Each of those things were a rush at the time, but imagine what your life would be like if you had tried to stay at that high school level, if you lived life as though that was as good as it got?  You got where you are today because you could imagine something more. And by tackling new challenges and striving for new goals, you can advance even higher.

"There is nothing wrong with change, if it is in the right direction."  - Winston Churchill
It's an axiom that will