Let's Give Them Something to Talk About!

...Besides being a great Bonnie Raitt song, it's also a great way to manage your reputation.

If people aren't talking about you, you can't be making much of an impact.

Anyone who ever tells you not to care what others think about you is giving you bad advice! Our reputation is the most precious thing we carry through life. . . it opens doors or closes them, it inspires others (or turns them off), and unlike things we own, it can't easily be repaired when it suffers a blow.

Often people have no idea of the reputation they have or how they are perceived by others. They have little sense of their strengths and weaknesses - which are rarely the same as what those around them see. They have no idea of their blind spots.

To build and protect your reputation requires self awareness. You need to ask: How do I feel about myself? about who I am? Are the majority of the things I do somewhere between poor and mediocre? Are my expressions, interactions, and talk based on negative or positive feelings about myself? Do I deserve to be held in high regard?

It is possible to start over again when you've blown it.

We use some pretty good, basic tools and strategies to help people uncover their strengths, and to work through what is holding them back. We're here to help if you need to start building or re-building your reputation, making more of an impact, and getting more of what you want out of life. Cheers! Karla and Catherine

To Ignite or to Kill. . .

Everyone reading this blog would likely agree that words can be powerful! However, most of us tend to communicate in such a way that gives little attention to how words are actually used in our everyday discussions. In the name of being “easy-going” or “honest” or “transparent” or “casual”, we sometimes use words and phrases that hurt relationships and don’t serve to motivate others in any way.
I am going to take the next week to think carefully about whether my words ignite or kill. I am going to carefully use words to build up others, to encourage good actions, to enhance my relationships. I am going to avoid words that will destroy creativity or discourage the listener or keep me and my colleagues from moving forward in a positive way.
Here are some examples of phrases – ones that could “ignite” and ones that could “kill” – we’d love to hear some of YOUR examples– for either side of the ledger!

KILLER PHRASES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IGNITER PHRASES
How was I supposed to know?. . . . . . . . . . . . . .We can always depend on you.
We’ve tried that before. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Let’s pull together!
I can’t. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Is there any way I can help?
There’s not enough time. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Things are beginning to get going!
I wish it were over. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . We’re on the right track now.
You can’t expect miracles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Okay, that’s one in a row!
Look how much bigger THEY are. . . . . . . . . . . . . Just a temporary setback.
It won’t work. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Keep up the good work.
Let’s discuss it some other time. . . . . . . . . . . . . .How about right now?
If only we could have.... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .It might work!
What’s the use? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Why not?
You don’t understand. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .You bet I will!
Do we have to? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Congratulations!
We’ve never done it that way. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .I have faith in you.
It’s too new/old fashioned. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . My mistake; I’m sorry.
Yes, but... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Yes, and...