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Articles by Bud Bilanich

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By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Successful People Think Win-Win In Conflict Situations

Relationship building is one of the four keys to career success. As a career success coach, I am always reminding my clients that they must build strong, long lasting mutually beneficial relationships with the important people in their lives. Unfortunately, no human relationship is without conflict. That's why you have to become adept at resolving conflict positively. I know a little bit about conflict resolution. It was the topic of my dissertation at Harvard.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

3,895 views★ 3.7 (6)

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Common Sense and Success

I chose November 4 as Use Your Common Sense Day because it is Will Rogers' birthday. Will was a great American humorist who was famous for saying, "Common sense ain't all that common." We are all born with five senses: sight, sound, touch, taste and smell. These senses help us navigate our way through the world.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

2,004 views★ 4.0 (5)

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Your Online Presence and Success

You create positive personal impact in three ways: 1) creating and building a unique and powerful personal brand; 2) being impeccable in your presentation of self -- in person and on line; and 3) knowing and following the basic rules of etiquette. I was reading an article in October 2009 issue of Laptop Magazine called "Manage Your Online Rep." It ended with this piece of advice… "Staying offline is impossible. So keep things classy, or you may be passed over for a job that you're otherwise perfect for. Actively manage your on line reputation.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

1,592 views★ 3.7 (6)

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Self Awareness And Interpersonal Competence

In my work as an executive coach I have found that the single biggest mistake that people make is assuming that competence and performance are their ticket to success; when in fact they are merely the price of admission. Most people are good performers. It’s a huge mistake to think that good performance is the only element of a successful career. It takes a combination of self confidence, positive personal impact, outstanding performance, communication skills and interpersonal competence to succeed in your career and life.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

6,295 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Interpersonal Competence And Career and Life Success

In my work as an executive coach I have found that the single biggest mistake that people make is assuming that competence and performance are their ticket to success; when in fact they are merely the price of admission. Most people are good performers. It’s a huge mistake to think that good performance is the only element of a successful career. As any executive mentor will tell you, it takes a combination of self confidence, positive personal impact, outstanding performance, communication skills and interpersonal competence to succeed in your career and life.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

4,732 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

You Can't Brown Nose Your Way to Success

Your boss and other leaders in your company are some of the most important people in your life. You need to build strong relationships with them. Yet, you have to be careful about stepping over the line. USA Today had an interesting article on brown nosing.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

4,684 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Become "Worthy Of Recognitio "

In my executive coaching work, I have found that all successful people have five things in common. • Successful people are self confident.r • Successful people create positive personal impact.r • Successful people are outstanding performers.r • Successful people are great communicators.r • Successful people are interpersonally competent. Abraham Lincoln once said something that applies to the idea of creating positive personal impact.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

4,646 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

*** The Four C's of Success

This is my first article for SelfGrowth.com since I became the Official Guide for Career Development. In this article I will be sharing the ideas on career and life success. They are based on the advice I provide my coaching clients and my Common Sense Success System (http://www.Commo SenseSuccessSystem.com/freedvdoffer).

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

4,403 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Do What Scares You the Most

If you want to become self confident, you need to do three things: 1) become an optimist; 2) face your fears and deal with them; and 3) surround yourself with positive people. Today, I'd like to focus on fear -- that uncomfortable feeling that prevents you from taking the action necessary to get what you want in life. What scares you? What have you done to overcome this fear? For many years, I would tell people that I really wanted to start a consulting business. Yet I never seemed to actually start it.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

4,230 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Successful People Focus on Their Goals

The other day, I came across a succinct statement on goal setting and goal achievement from Denis Waitely… "The secret to productive goal setting is in establishing clearly defined goals, writing them down and then focusing on them several times a day with words, pictures and emotions as if we've already achieved them." I really like what Denis has to say. Let's break it down. 1. Your goals need to be clear. 2. Your goals need to be written. 3. Your need to focus on your goals several times a day. 4. You need to visualize yourself achieving your goals.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

3,755 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Surround Yourself with Positive People for Success

Self-confidence is an important key to personal and professional success. If you want to become self confident you need to do three things. 1) Become an optimist. 2) Face your fears and take action. 3) Surround yourself with positive people. In this article, I'd like to focus on the importance of surrounding yourself with positive people. Positive people help your self-confidence because they tend to see the potential in you - even when you might not see it in yourself.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

3,601 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Successful People Make Their Own Luck

A while back I wrote about a book called The Luck Factor by Richard Wiseman who claims that you can learn to be lucky. In fact, Dr. Wiseman even lists five steps for learning to be lucky. First, don't assume there is nothing you can do about any situation. Make the decision to take control. Second, do something now. Third, make a list of various options. Be creative. Brainstorm. Come up with as many ideas as you can. Fourth, decide how you will move forward. Consider every possible alternative. Fifth, take action.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

3,057 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Good Writing Is A Key To Success; Rewriting Is the Key the Good Writing

Clear, crisp writing is an important success skill. Successful people are able to get across their ideas in an easily readable way. I’ve been blessed. Writing has always come easy to me. I enjoy it. Studying Journalism in college helped too. There’s nothing like a critique from a Journalism professor to help you clean up your writing. However, this blessing can become a bit of a curse. Because writing comes easy to me, I sometimes get lazy and don’t do a good job of rewriting.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

2,771 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Personal Responsibility, Self Confidence and Success

You can become self confident by doing three things. First, choose optimism. Believe in your heart of hearts that today will be better than yesterday, and that tomorrow will be better than today. Second, face your fears and act. Procrastination and inaction feed fear and rob you of self confidence. Action cures fear. Third, surround yourself with positive people. Don't let the naysayers into your life.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

2,661 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Optimism Part 11

This is the eleventh and final article in a series on applying The Optimist Creed to help you succeed in your life and career. You can find all ten points of The Optimist Creed in the first article in this series. The Optimist Creed, Point 10 "Promise yourself to be too large for worry, too ...

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

2,470 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Successful People Know When and How to Break the Rules

I was asked to review a new book, The Big Picture: Essential Lessons for the Movies. Authors Kevin Coupe and Michael Sansolo do a great job of discussing the business and career success ideas in almost 200 movies. This is a very thoughtful book. Kevin and Michael make some great points about success that pop up in some unlikely movies. For example, they use the movie Babe to make the point that it's important to be different -- and break some rules -- if you want to get recognized and succeed. That's great personal branding advice.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

2,401 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Fear, Defensiveness, Relationships and Success

If you want to become interpersonally competent, you need to do three things. First, get to know yourself. Use this self knowledge to help you better understand and communicate with the other people in your life. Second, build solid, long lasting, mutually beneficial relationships with the people in your life. Third, resolve conflict positively and creatively. Use conflict as an opportunity to strengthen your relationships. Sometimes, I find little nuggets in fortune cookies that I reference.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

2,159 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Handwritten Thank You Notes Help You Create Positive Personal Impact

The other day, my wife Cathy and I were discussing how handwritten thank you notes seem to be a thing of the past in this digital age. I know that it’s easier to email thank yous, but I believe that handwritten thank you notes are so much better than email when it comes to making positive ...

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

2,083 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Interdependence, Truth, Love, Respect and Interpersonal Competence

In my work as an executive coach, I tell my clients that successful people have five things in common. • Successful people are self confident.n • Successful people create positive personal impact.n • Successful people are outstanding performers.n • Successful people are great communicators.n • ...

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

1,850 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Conversation Skills for Success

If you want to become a dynamic communicator, you need to develop three skills: conversation, writing and presenting. The Merriam Webster Dictionary defines the word "dynamic" as, "Marked by continuous and productive activity." In many ways, this is a good definition for an effective conversation. In a conversation, two types of activities occur simultaneously: speaking and listening. In good conversations, both of these are continuous and productive.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

1,711 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Create Your Success

I'm often asked for my best thoughts on what it takes to become a career and life success -- the key competencies. I always tell my coaching clients to think systematically, to break success down into some manageable components. Here is a summary of what I tell my coaching clients on how to become a career and life success. Put these points to use and you will succeed, just like my coaching clients. Do it yourself. Realize that no one is going to do it for you -- not even your executive coach. You have to take personal responsibility for your success.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

1,693 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Postive Personal Impact And Success

In my work as an executive coach I have found that the single biggest mistake that people make is assuming that competence and performance are their ticket to success; when in fact they are merely the price of admission. Most people are good performers. It’s a huge mistake to think that good performance is the only element of a successful career. It takes a combination of self confidence, positive personal impact, outstanding performance, communication skills and interpersonal competence to succeed in your career and life.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

1,665 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Create Your Success by Faking it Till You Make It

Self confidence is one of the keys to career and life success that I discuss in several of my books. If you want to become self confident you need to do three things. First, choose optimism. Believe that today will be better than yesterday and that tomorrow will be better than today. Second, face your fears and act. Don't let your fears get in the way of your confidence or success.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

1,630 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Addiction to Praise Hampers Conversation Success

Dynamic communication skills are one of the keys to personal and professional success that I have identified. If you want to become a dynamic communicator you need to master three basic, but very important communication skills: Conversation, Writing and Presenting.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

1,592 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Affirmations Help You Create the Successful Life and Career You Want and Deserve

I have learned that self confidence is an upward spiral. Self confidence leads to professional success, which in turn leads to increased self confidence, which leads to higher levels of success, and so on. You might be saying, "That's great, but how do I become self confident if I'm new in my job or career and haven't had a lot of success to bolster my self confidence?" There's an old saying that applies here: "Fake it till you make it." In other words, act as if you're successful. This will help you succeed.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

1,581 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Louis L'Amour, Albert Einstein, Lifelong Learning and Success

If you want to become an outstanding performer, you need to become a lifelong learner. The other day, I came across a great quote from Louis L'Amour, the great American writer of stories about the old west. I think this quote captures the essence of lifelong learning… "There will come a time when you believe everything is finished. That will be the beginning." I know a lot about career and life success. I've written several books on it. I give lots of talks about it.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

1,557 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Self Confidence -- The First Step Towards Career and Life Success

In my work as an executive coach I have found that the single biggest mistake that people make is assuming that competence and performance are their ticket to success; when in fact they are merely the price of admission. Most people are good performers. It’s a huge mistake to think that good performance is the only element of a successful career. All executive coaching consultants will tell you that it takes a combination of self confidence, positive personal impact, outstanding performance, communication skills and interpersonal competence to succeed in your career and life.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

1,382 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Successful People Develop Their Natural Talents

The other day I saw a great quote on line. "What we are is God's gift to us. What we become is our gift to God." It was from Eleanor Powell. If you don't know Ms. Powell, she was a well known dancer and actress who appeared in many musicals in the 1930s and 1940s. She was a good dancer, but an amazing tap dancer. In her day, she was known as "the world's greatest tap dancer." I love the quote -- it gets at the heart of commitment to taking personal responsibility for your life, career and success. God (or the universe, if you are so inclined) gives each of us certain talents and abilities.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

1,380 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

15 Tips for Career and Life Success

In my work as an executive coach, keynote speaker, leadership consultant and author I have spent the last five years studying what it takes to succeed in your life and career. I have found that successful people share five traits in common. 1. Successful people are self confident. 2. Successful people have positive personal impact. 3. Successful people are outstanding performers. 4. Successful people are excellent communicators. 5.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

1,377 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Tough Times, Optimism, Personal Responsibility and Success

Self confidence is one of the keys to personal and professional success. You can become self confident by doing three things. First, choose optimism. Believe in your heart of hearts that today will be better than yesterday, and that tomorrow will be better than today. Second, face your fears and act. Procrastination and inaction feed fear and rob you of self confidence. Action cures fear. Take responsibility for yourself and do something. Third, surround yourself with positive people. Don't let the naysayers into your life.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

1,357 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Failure Is the Tuition You Pay for Success

Commitment to taking personal responsibility for your success is one of the keys to career and life success. If you want to succeed, you must commit to three things. First, you must take personal responsibility for your success. Only you can make you a success. You need to be willing to do the things necessary to succeed. Second, you must set high goals -- and then do whatever it takes to achieve them. Third, stuff happens; as you go through life you will encounter many problems and setbacks.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

1,349 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Create a Vivid Mental Image of Your Success

To develop your personal clarity or purpose you need to do three things. First, define what success means to you. Second, create a vivid mental image of you as a success. Third, clarify your personal values. Once you define what success means to you personally, I suggest that you develop a clear mental picture of you as a success. This image should be as vivid as you can you make it. When I was 25, I conjured up an image of myself as a successful motivational speaker, executive coach, management consultant and author.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

1,277 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Hard Work and Success -- One Follows the Other

This is a tough time to be looking for a job. Many of my career success coaching clients are having difficulty getting interviews let alone landing a job. However, I heard a story not too long ago about a new MBA from NYU who got five job offers. He did it by creating unique resumes especially tailored to the job for which he was applying. This takes work, but in this fellow's case, the hard work paid off. In the old days -- before computers -- creating unique resumes for every job for which you apply would have involved a mega amount of work. In the digital age, it's a lot easier.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

1,262 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Fear, Courage and Success

You can become self confident by doing three things. First, choose optimism. Believe in your heart of hearts that today will be better than yesterday, and that tomorrow will be better than today. Second, face your fears and act. Procrastination and inaction feed fear and rob you of self confidence. Action cures fear. Third, surround yourself with positive people. Don't let the naysayers into your life. Hang around with people who are positive about themselves, their careers and life in general. Fear can -- and will -- paralyze you.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

1,256 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Communication Skills And Success

In my work as an executive coach I have found that the single biggest mistake that people make is assuming that competence and performance are their ticket to success; when in fact they are merely the price of admission. Most people are good performers. It’s a huge mistake to think that good performance is the only element of a successful career. As any executive mentor will tell you, it takes a combination of self confidence, positive personal impact, outstanding performance, communication skills and interpersonal competence to succeed in your career and life.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

1,220 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Dealing with Procrastination

As you know, all outstanding performers have three things in common:.1. Outstanding performers are technically competent. 2. Outstanding performers set and achieve high goals. 3. Outstanding performers are well organized. Well organized people manage time well. The other day, I came across an interesting quote on time from Luanne Oakes, PhD: "Time is within your control." My first reaction was "maybe in your world, Luanne, but try mine for a while and then we’ll see what you have to say." However, as I thought about it, I realized that Dr. Oakes is right -- time is within my control.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

1,166 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Successful People Beat Procrastination

Rodger Constandse runs a great site called Goals to Action. Yesterday, I received an e mail from him on the subject of procrastination.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

1,165 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Self Confidence, Mentors and Success

You can become self confident by doing three things. First, choose optimism. Believe in your heart of hearts that today will be better than yesterday, and that tomorrow will be better than today. Second, face your fears and act. Procrastination and inaction feed fear and rob you of self confidence. Action cures fear. Third, surround yourself with positive people. Don’t let the naysayers into your life. Hang around with people who are positive about themselves, their careers and life in general. Mentors, by definition, are positive people.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

1,161 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Career Success Advice: Be Nice

I liked the 2010 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony for its simple elegance. As I was watching, I took note of a line in Slam Poet Shane Koyczan' tribute to Canada, We Are More… And some say what defines usr Is something as simple as "please" and "thank you" The Canadian audience roared when they heard that line. After all, Canadians are known for being polite. Creating positive personal impact is one of the competencies that comprise my career success system. If you want to create positive personal impact, you need to do three things.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

1,153 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Successful People Make No Little Plans

"Make no little plans. They have no magic to stir men's blood and probably will not be realized. Make big plans. Aim high in hope and work." This quote from Daniel Burnham is a perfect to begin a post on outstanding performance. If you're going to set goals, you might as well set big ones. As Mr. Burnham says, big goals will "stir your blood." He ought to know, he designed famous landmarks like the Flatiron Building in New York and Union Station in Washington DC. I agree with Mr. Burnham; many people set their sights too low.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

1,145 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Successful People Treat Life as a "Splendid Torch"

The other day I saw a great quote from Margaret Thatcher… "Look at a day when you are supremely satisfied at the end. It's not a day when you lounge around doing nothing; it's when you've had everything to do, and you've done it." Ole' Iron Maggie really nailed it with this one. I like this quote because it gets at the essence of commitment to taking personal responsibility for your life and career. You demonstrate your commitment -- to yourself and to the world -- by doing three things. First, take personal responsibility for your success. Only you can make you a success.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

1,118 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Non Verbal Communication in Presentations

Presentation skills, conversation skills and writing skills are the three keys to effective communication. In this post, I'd like to focus on some tips for using non verbal communication to improve your presentation skills. Eye contact helps indicates your interest in the people in the audience. It increases your credibility. When you make eye contact with people in the audience, you increase your chances of getting your message across. Eye contact helps you establish a connection with the audience.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

1,100 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Positive Psychology, Optimism and Success

This week Sue Shellenbarger had an interesting column in the Wall Street Journal called "Thinking Happy Thoughts at Work." The column focused on the application of recent research in positive psychology in the workplace. Put simply, positive psychology emphasizes building resiliency and positive attitudes instead of solving emotional problems. This is an approach whose time may have come. The latest Conference Board survey shows that 45% of US workers are satisfied with their jobs, down from 52% in 2005 and 61% in 1987.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

1,097 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Successful People Live a Mighty Purpose

George Bernard Shaw is one of my very favorite playwrights. I always enjoy a production of one of his plays. I quoted him in a recent article and I'd like to quote him again.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

1,088 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Become a Remarkable Creature: Take Personal Responsibility for Your Own Success

Successful people are clear on their purpose in life -- and they are committed to it. They take personal responsibility for creating the successful lives and careers that they want and deserve. I'm always looking for ways to get my common sense message about career and life success across to my clients. That's why I was struck by a passage in Tracy Chevalier's new book, Remarkable Creatures. If you don't know Tracy Chevalier, you should. For my money she is one of the best novelists writing today.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

1,087 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Trust, Abundance and Success

Building relationships comes down to two words: trust and abundance. When you trust others you are willing to put yourself out there -- to give with no expectation of return, to act in a non quid pro quo manner. In a recent article, I pointed out that while there is nothing wrong with returning the favor when someone does you a good turn, waiting for others to help you is not a good idea when it comes to building relationships. Successful people are willing to put themselves out there -- to pay it forward. Paying it forward takes trust.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

1,085 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Assumptions Are Conversation Killers

In my work as an executive coach I have found that the single biggest mistake that people make is assuming that competence and performance are their ticket to success; when in fact they are merely the price of admission. Most people are good performers. It’s a huge mistake to think that good ...

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

1,073 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Branding And Blogging

A while back, I was asked to contribute a chapter to a forthcoming book called "One Great Idea!" I was thrilled to be asked. I accepted immediately. Then, reality set in, as I asked myself “what is my one great idea?” I had to think about this one for a while. All of a sudden it became obvious—branding by blogging. As a small business owner, I have long recognized the importance of branding. As a small business owner whose brand is me, I have recognized the importance of personal branding.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

1,060 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Optimism Part 2

This is the second article in a series on applying The Optimist Creed to help you succeed in your life and career. The Optimist Creed: Point 1 "Promise yourself to be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind." The first point of The Optimist Creed is a tall order – but one that ...

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

1,055 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Straight Talk for Success

If you just got your first job, your first promotion, or are feeling a little bit stuck in your career, this article will provide you with some common sense advice on how to become a career and life success. I’ve been studying successful people, and have found that they share five traits in common. 1. Successful people are self confident. 2. Successful people have positive personal impact. 3. Successful people are outstanding performers. 4. Successful people are excellent communicators. 5.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

1,052 views

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