Be seen and be valued with six easy steps to get noticed for the good work you do.

Take one look at the news or look on social media and it feels like we are less and less connected these days with widespread polarization happening. It seems to only take a short time for tensions to rise, for people to not see eye to eye, and for conversations to break down. While I imagine that there are many factors that have contributed to this disconnection and discord, I believe there is state of being we seem to have forgotten that is a valuable way to help us minimize or prevent these collapses and encourage stress-free interactions: curiosity.

Over the years in working with sales audiences, we have helped thousands of sales reps and account managers with their challenging negotiations and have seen many results. Here are four mistakes we have experienced in sales negotiations and advice on how to avoid them.

Participants in our negotiation programs consistently rate their internal negotiations more challenging than external negotiations. To improve how to achieve internal alignment and agreement, it takes three strategic components.

As one of several skill sets for top performers and leaders in organizations, being influential and impactful is a key one. Strengthening these gives you better ability to problem-solve, collaborate, negotiate, and shepherd change.

I remember watching Winnie the Pooh shows when I was a child and often was able to relate to worried Piglet or anxious Rabbit or glum Eeyore. I reflect on the times recently when I have fallen into the swirl of those energies with the ongoing uncertainty in this challenging period. During times of stress or overwhelm, we have a tendency to succumb to the negative thought patterns, worry and anxiety and let them slow us down….

It can be a bit challenging to get ready for salary negotiations, especially in uncertain economic times. Add to that inexperience, general nervousness around negotiations, and a sense of a power differential, and it may feel intimidating. On the other side, there remain biases by hiring managers that perpetuate pay inequities. Women receive worse first offers, encounter more pressure to make concessions and receive less reciprocity in response to their own concessions…

If you are in sales, you know that the beginning of the year is crucial for setting up good habits and creating short term wins. Important actions include filling your pipeline, not losing sight of your current customers while you qualify new ones and getting organized…

A cornerstone of emotional intelligence, positivity can be valuable in sustaining relationships, being productive, staying healthy, and inspiring motivation.

We know it is a good idea to inhabit and project some positivity in the world, especially at the start of a new year, but what is positivity, why is it important and how do we do so when it is not our typical mode or we don’t feel like it in the moment?…

Have you ever found yourself trying to get many people in different departments or on your project team to all agree to something, or to try to come to consensus on a critical decision by committee? It can be like herding cats across a wide field into a fenced-in area at the back, if you don’t watch out. Especially if there are several issues of varying importance to the participants and differing personalities and needs…

The ability to be self-motivated and lead others is a highly important attribute in the workplace today. Strong leadership ability is on most business education and corporate performance competency lists and there are many philosophies on effective leadership behaviors. From surveys, research, stories and history, there is one method for leading that stands out as inadequate at best and highly damaging at worst -fear…

Star Trek: Next Generation fans remember episodes that included an alien race called the Borg in which their stock phrase was “Resistance is futile” where they would assimilate other cultures into their world forcing them to become part Borg. I think they were right in that generally resistance is futile. In my experience, there really isn’t a way to stop the sensation or feeling of not wanting to comply or accept something. When resistance (a force that opposes or slows down motion) arises, it is difficult to prevent the energy from taking over us and halting the ease and flow…

In the world of talent development, employee engagement is a high priority. Learning leaders have a unique vantage point from which to usher in, facilitate, and revise strategies that affect a large part of the organization, particularly as it pertains to preparing people affected by large-scale change. However, they can’t do this in a vacuum. They need collaborators who trust them, and that requires internal negotiation skills that allow them to overcome objections, explore mutual interests, and commit to a win-win outcome through a joint problem-solving process…

Have you ever found yourself incredulous at how quickly your conversation with someone has deteriorated and the tension is mounting, your and their emotions are flying and you are flummoxed as to how you got there? It’s like being on an escalator that you can’t get off of, nor turn around and go down, and you are stuck riding to the top in order to reverse course…

There are important milestones in your professional development that will arise as you strive to accelerate and accentuate your leadership competencies. I am using the term leadership in a very generic sense, not implying any formal role, title or authority, but rather an elevated presence highlighted by intelligence, actions and behavior that inspires others to seek you out. Essentially, at various times in your career you will come to a crossroads, and whether by intention, guidance or luck, you might choose to go in one direction over another…

“He who forgets the language of gratitude can never be on speaking terms with happiness.”

C. Neil Strait The month of November has been dubbed the National Month of Gratitude here in the United States and swarms of organizations celebrate this in a myriad of ways. Many non-profits suggest increasing acts of charity to show gratitude. Schools and higher education organizations support a gratitude journaling practice to enhance student and teacher outcomes. Corporations offer employees opportunities to give back to the community and provide employee appreciation offerings. Managers share more positive feedback with direct reports…

Four key things you can do when a "severe cold snap" rushes into the office…