Self Improvement Site
On The Internet! Take the Self Improvement Tour
On The Internet! Take the Self Improvement Tour
Articles from Angie Thompson | Selfgrowth.com
- 4 Reasons You Need Bigger Goals - by Submitted on Oct 07, 2009 from Angie ThompsonIn May of 1961 in Houston, Texas, President John F. Kennedy set one of the biggest goals in human history - to put a man on the moon and bring him home safely before the end of the decade. And many in the U.S., and around the world, thought he was being utterly ridiculous. The validity and ...
Views: 694(2 votes) - 4 Ways Goal Alignment Creates Great Leverage - by Submitted on Oct 07, 2009 from Angie ThompsonRecently I wanted to remove some concrete footings from the property of my boyhood farm home. On the surface these slabs averaged 2-3 feet across and about 8 feet wide. This surface area may not seem very large, but because they had been built to carry the weight of a very large tank I knew they ...
Views: 970(2 votes) - 5 Ways to Share Your Leadership Influence - by Submitted on Oct 07, 2009 from Angie ThompsonThe young leader might not recognize it, and the veteran may no longer think about it, but neither situation obscures the truth: leaders influence all the time. At one level this makes complete sense. After all, as leaders we are trying to take people towards a desired destination, and since ...
Views: 851(2 votes) - Programming Your Personal Remote Control - by Submitted on Oct 07, 2009 from Angie ThompsonWalk into most any house and you will see at least one (usually several). They are as helpful as they are ubiquitous. You use them without even thinking about them and even though you don`t know how they work (or how to program them) you probably use them every single day. What am I ...
Views: 645(2 votes) - Take a Tip from Tiger, Lance and Kobe - by Submitted on Oct 07, 2009 from Angie ThompsonTiger Woods. Lance Armstrong. Kobe Bryant. These men are just three examples of people acknowledged to be among the very best in the world at their craft. They all have something in common though that might not immediately spring to mind. They all have coaches. While I picked ...
Views: 780(2 votes) - 5 Reasons Why Creativity Matters to Leaders - by Submitted on Sep 28, 2009 from Angie ThompsonTwo of the most popular topics of workshops and business books are creativity and leadership. Both are popular because at some deep intuitive level most everyone knows they are both are worthwhile skills to have and to develop. However, while both are important and valued, they aren`t always ...
Views: 3214(4 votes) - Will You Graduate or Commence? - by Submitted on Sep 28, 2009 from Angie ThompsonAcross the country each spring thousands of graduation events are held. They are celebrations of accomplishments, the reaching of goals and more. Interestingly, these events traditionally are called two different names as if they were synonyms: Commencement and Graduation. As will be ...
Views: 711(2 votes) - How to Become Well Connected - by Submitted on Sep 28, 2009 from Angie ThompsonYou look at the conference brochure and survey the list of keynote speakers, the various topic tracks, look at the schedule of other events and learning opportunities, and decide to invest your money or budgeted dollars on attending the event. All of these criteria are valuable and good ...
Views: 1415(6 votes) - The Best Gifts Ever - by Submitted on Sep 28, 2009 from Angie ThompsonI don`t know about you, but I can pretty easily make a top five list of gifts I`ve received for my birthday or Christmas. Some things stand out for their usefulness, some for the thought that was behind them and some just because they were cool. And while I have enjoyed all the gifts on my ...
Views: 680(2 votes) - 5 Ways You Serve Others as a Leader - by Submitted on Sep 28, 2009 from Angie ThompsonRecently someone asked what I thought about "servant leadership." My short answer was that using the word servant is redundant. Don`t misunderstand, I believe in the concept of servant leadership, and what you read or learn about leadership from that prism is extremely valuable. It`s ...
Views: 846(2 votes) - The Best Things to Plant in Your Life - by Submitted on Jun 03, 2009 from Angie ThompsonSpring is the time of the year I miss my kidhood the most. Growing up on a farm the spring brought many activities and tasks, but my favorite was preparing the soil and planting a crop. There are two truths of planting that all farmers know. First, you must plant the seeds that you want to ...
Views: 728 - The Unexpected Perils of Balance - by Submitted on Jun 03, 2009 from Angie ThompsonBalance. For many balance represents the Holy Grail. You might aspire to: Work/Life Balance. A balanced approach to your business strategy. A desire to please all Customers. And yet, often, you don`t really think about what that means in terms of your decision making; what you stand for, ...
Views: 858 - How to Lead in Tough Times - by Submitted on May 27, 2009 from Angie ThompsonAs I write this in April 2009, many would say we are living in tough, uncertain economic times. Watching, listening to or reading the news you will "know" that new layoffs are announced every day, a shaky stock market is followed more closely than ever, and uncertainties seem to be ...
Views: 884 - It is Time for Spring Cleaning! - by Submitted on May 27, 2009 from Angie ThompsonI don`t know how spring cleaning became a tradition, and I know that phrase means different things to different people. And while some of that cleaning could take place at any time of the year (and often does), there`s just something about the spring to help you think about airing things out and ...
Views: 800 - The Case for Customer Partnerships - by Submitted on May 26, 2009 from Angie ThompsonCustomer partnership. Let`s pull this phrase apart into the individual words: Customer. This can be a person or organization who pays for your products and services. These external Customers are who most of consider when we think about Customers. But Customers can also be the person or group ...
Views: 1273(1 vote) - Speed Kills - by Submitted on May 26, 2009 from Angie ThompsonYou’ve all heard that on the highway speed kills. When you drive too fast you put yourself at greater risks of both being in an accident and suffering grave results if that accident happens. And yet, most people speed. Our world seems to thrive on speed: from microwave meals to sound bites to ...
Views: 996(1 vote) - Why Being a Fool Isn't So Foolish - by Submitted on May 24, 2009 from Angie ThompsonA fool can be defined as "someone who lacks good judgment." I`m sure you would agree that being called a fool isn`t something most would consider a complement. So why then am I suggesting that you consider being a fool? Actually, I`m not encouraging you to "lack good judgment" - on the ...
Views: 776(1 vote) - Success in the Stairway: Your Path to the Top - by Submitted on May 22, 2009 from Angie ThompsonImagine walking into a 20 story office building, knowing that your upcoming meeting is on the top floor. You walk into the building and immediately search for the elevators. To your surprise, and disappointment, some of the elevators show "out of order" signs and the rest are currently being ...
Views: 968 - Three Ways You Can Learn from Movies - by Submitted on May 22, 2009 from Angie ThompsonMovies are everywhere. Their stories, phrases, and scenes are a part of our culture. We all have favorite movies, favorite memories relating to movies, and in some cases movies that help us define our lives. While you may not think about it, movies have probably enriched your life. Movies are ...
Views: 7301(1 vote) - Getting Back to Basics - by Submitted on May 21, 2009 from Angie ThompsonIt can happen to all of us. We have a library of books. We attend meetings and seminars. We read blogs and listen to those we know. We have experience as a leader and being led. We have all of this knowledge available to us about leadership. All of this "stuff" can get in our way. Sometimes it ...
Views: 747 - The Overlooked Secret of Networking Success - by Submitted on May 20, 2009 from Angie ThompsonWhen the word networking is mentioned, most people I know think about salespeople or business owners exchanging business cards any chance they can. Of course networking can be the card exchange. It`s also "doing lunch" and attending events and many other equally valid and important things, but ...
Views: 648 - You've Gotta Let Somebody Else Drive - by Submitted on May 19, 2009 from Angie ThompsonI love to drive, and I always have. In fact, other than in a shuttle bus or a taxi, I am seldom a passenger. I probably got this from my Dad - he always loved to drive too. And, because driving is a skill that becomes subconscious for most of us, I typically drive on auto-pilot. Recently, ...
Views: 713(1 vote) - Taking Advantage of the Teachable Moment - by Submitted on Apr 05, 2009 from Angie ThompsonTom, a middle-aged CEO, is experiencing some tough times in his business. Changes in economic climate and competitors are leaving him and his team unsure about the validity of their strategy, so he attends an executive strategy workshop. Andrea, a mother of two young children, has the chance to ...
Views: 907 - Make The Jump To Better Decisions - by Submitted on May 27, 2008 from Angie ThompsonIn 1919 Leslie Irvin made a decision. He decided to jump from an airplane. He wasn’t the first to jump from a plane; and it wasn’t even the first time he jumped from a plane – in fact he had been jumping for five years. But on April 28, 1919, Leslie did something no one had ever done before. ...
Views: 765 - It's More Than Rest And Relaxation - by Submitted on May 27, 2008 from Angie ThompsonI recently read a poll and of the nearly 1000 people who were asked, “Do you need a vacation after your vacation?” 87% of them said yes. It is clear that the commonly stated purpose for a vacation – rest and relaxation – might not be working very well! While most of us take vacations and look ...
Views: 1037 - Don’t Fence Me In - by Submitted on May 27, 2008 from Angie ThompsonFarmers and ranchers put fences up primarily to keep their animals where they want them. The fence defines the boundary of where it is OK for the animals to live and graze. Fences serve several practical purposes – as I said, they keep animals where they want them and, as important, out of where ...
Views: 764 - It's Not Easy Being Green - by Submitted on May 27, 2008 from Angie ThompsonWe’ve all been a beginner at something and looked to someone else to coach us and help us become more successful. Sometimes we find a mentor or coach who is really skilled at helping us, and other times, their experience doesn’t seem to translate to being able to help us very well. It is easy ...
Views: 594 - Improve Your Tomorrows By Asking One Question Today - by Submitted on May 23, 2008 from Angie ThompsonThis article is about two things: recessions and a solution to them. Don’t worry this is not an economic treatise about the definitions and causes of economic downturns sometimes called recessions. Rather, it is an explanation of how we can think about these events differently and, when these ...
Views: 665 - I Want To Win! - The Power And Pitfalls Of Competition - by Submitted on May 19, 2008 from Angie ThompsonThis is an appropriate title for me because I have thought and said “I want to win!” many times in my life. Ask those who know me best and they will tell you that I am a competitive person in just about any facet of life. Ask those who’ve known me my whole life and you might even hear some ...
Views: 622 - It's Not Easy Being Green - by Submitted on May 05, 2008 from Angie ThompsonWe’ve all been a beginner at something and looked to someone else to coach us and help us become more successful. Sometimes we find a mentor or coach who is really skilled at helping us, and other times, their experience doesn’t seem to translate to being able to help us very well. It is easy ...
Views: 558 - The ABC's Of Coaching Success - by Submitted on May 05, 2008 from Angie ThompsonEffective coaching is a big topic. Here are just a few examples where being a more effective coach can make a difference: at work, for your children’s sports teams, for a friend and in your community. As with anything as important and as pervasive as this topic, there are lots of resources ...
Views: 875 - Six Ways To Read More Effectively - by Submitted on May 05, 2008 from Angie ThompsonMaybe you are a voracious reader. Maybe reading has never been your favorite thing (though if that is the case, you’re probably not reading this!) Either way – whether you read a book a week or struggle to finish one a year - it would be helpful to gain more value from the time you do spend ...
Views: 886 - Six Ways To Read More Effectively - by Submitted on Apr 27, 2008 from Angie ThompsonMaybe you are a voracious reader. Maybe reading has never been your favorite thing (though if that is the case, you’re probably not reading this!) Either way – whether you read a book a week or struggle to finish one a year - it would be helpful to gain more value from the time you do spend ...
Views: 614 - Sail the C's for Successful Collaborations - by Submitted on Apr 22, 2008 from Angie ThompsonMost everyone I talk with wants greater success in some (or many) parts of their life. And however independent you may think you are, no one can achieve as much working alone as they can with the collaborative help of others . . . if that collaboration is truly helpful. You hopefully have ...
Views: 778 - Your Role In Creating Your Work Environment - by Submitted on Feb 27, 2008 from Angie ThompsonFor years there have been a variety of ways to freshen the air indoors. You can use a spray air freshener, open a door, light a candle, or in more recent years plug a device into the wall that freshens the air continually. Recently, I’ve also noticed a new type of air freshener called a ...
Views: 788 - Making These Decisions Will Change Your Life - by Submitted on Feb 25, 2008 from Angie ThompsonWe all make choices every day. In fact, one way to look at your life is to consider it as the sum total of all the choices you have made. It is easy to think about that in the big picture, think for example, about these choices: -Whether to finish High School (or not) -Whether to go to college ...
Views: 865 - Eight Uncommon Approaches To Better Presentations - by Submitted on Feb 24, 2008 from Angie ThompsonSomewhere in your organization someone will give a presentation today. It may be you, the person in the next office, or someone who works in another department. Even if you work solo, there are times when you will be the presenter. Few would argue that being able to present effectively – ...
Views: 640 - Leadership Lessons From Presidential Campaigns - by Submitted on Feb 23, 2008 from Angie ThompsonEvery four years the United States elects a new President. The process isn’t simple, and it isn’t short. Because this process plays out in the news media, and because it requires leadership both to gain the job and do the job, there are lessons from the process for the taking. These lessons, ...
Views: 633 - Are You A Great Listener? - by Submitted on Feb 23, 2008 from Angie ThompsonI could start this article extolling the importance of listening in our everyday lives, in our ability to lead others, in our ability to improve relationships and communications in general. I could lament that while throughout our school experiences we were taught the communication skills of ...
Views: 737 - Training Is An Event, Learning Is A Process - by Submitted on Feb 19, 2008 from Angie ThompsonI say that phrase often. It’s part of my personal philosophy, and it’s part of my business philosophy. Let me explain… People around the world (you included) buy learning materials, books, audio programs, webinars, tele-seminars and attend lectures and workshops every day. These learning ...
Views: 767 - What Do You Expect? - by Submitted on Feb 12, 2008 from Angie ThompsonWhen something goes wrong (anywhere – in your office, at headquarters, in the national news, even around the dinner table reviewing your family’s day) have you ever heard (or said), “Well, what did you expect?” Usually that question is followed by a knowing glance, a wistful shaking of the head ...
Views: 926 - Putting Out Fires - Stop, Drop, And Role - by Submitted on Jan 15, 2008 from Angie ThompsonI’ve worked with well-meaning, highly-principled leaders for years. When the topic of coaching and developing their employees comes up I often hear that they know coaching is important, they want to coach more, but they don’t have time because they are too busy “putting out fires”. As children ...
Views: 741 - The Antidote for Unsuccessful New Year's Resolutions - by Submitted on Dec 19, 2007 from Angie ThompsonMany people spend some time at the end of the year working on the New Year. These people typically fall into two groups: those who use the end of the year as a way to be introspective and look back on the past year, and those who spend time looking forward; setting goals and planning the coming ...
Views: 764 - Five Keys To Great Questions - by Submitted on Dec 09, 2007 from Angie ThompsonToby was a young and ambitious salesperson. Part of his training had been to spend time with Janice, a veteran and very successful salesperson at the firm. As Toby went on sales calls with Janice he took notes, and one of the things he marveled at was Janice’s ability to ask great questions. In ...
Views: 945 - Exercise Your Learning Muscles - by Submitted on Dec 09, 2007 from Angie ThompsonRecently I was asked to be interviewed for a podcast, and the interviewer asked me to pick a couple of articles from his website to comment on during the interview. As I reviewed the site and looked at a variety of articles, I selected two and decided that rather than just commenting on each, I ...
Views: 861 - I'm A Salesperson? - by Submitted on Nov 26, 2007 from Angie ThompsonI have found that the words sales, selling and salesperson always have feelings attached to them. Some of you are reading, pondering the title of this article and thinking a stream of positive thoughts about selling, things like: Nothing happens until a sale is made or someone sells something. ...
Views: 850 - Maintaining And Building Momentum - by Submitted on Nov 12, 2007 from Angie ThompsonYou know what momentum is. You’ve felt it before. It’s that feeling that things are heading in the right direction; that things are going well; the future looks bright. It is like the snowball rolling downhill – as its gaining speed – it appears that the power of its momentum could make a huge ...
Views: 832 - One Important Choice - by Submitted on Nov 11, 2007 from Angie ThompsonIt might seem a bit strange to highlight one particular choice as important. After all, I’m guessing you can immediately think of many important choices you have made in your life. However, the choice I’m talking about isn’t deciding what job to take, where to live or who to share your life ...
Views: 965 - The Journey To Our Goals - by Submitted on Nov 04, 2007 from Angie ThompsonOn a recent cross country flight I looked out over the Rocky Mountains from 30,000 feet and saw hundreds of paths sort of heading towards the summits of the various peaks. I write “sort of” because looking at these zigzagging paths made it very clear why they are called switchbacks. Those ...
Views: 707 - The Magic Of Memory Lane - by Submitted on Oct 23, 2007 from Angie ThompsonOn a recent early autumn evening, I walked around the farm of my kidhood. In the spring, my father passed away, so I have spent more time here this year than in recent years. And on this particular evening I was on the farm alone. As the sun began to set a different memory seemed to arrive with ...
Views: 725