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Articles by Bud Bilanich

Browse published articles attributed to Bud Bilanich, with full-archive search.

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By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Success Advice from a Country Song

Relationship building may be the most important of the success competencies. No one can do it alone. If you want to create a successful life and career you need to learn how to build and maintain strong relationships. Period. I am in North Carolina as I am writing this post. I am doing a talk for the local National Association of Women Business Owners today. As I was driving to my hotel the other evening, I was listening to a country radio station. I don't listen to much country as I'm a rock and roller. However, I find that when I listen to country music I enjoy it.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

1,044 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

George Clooney, Up in the Air, Relationships and Success

In the new George Clooney movie, Up in the Air, George plays an outplacement consultant who has a speaking business on the side. He uses a backpack as a metaphor in his speeches. The first time we see him doing a speech in the movie, he is urging the audience to empty their backpacks of the unnecessary "things" in their lives. "Not bad," I thought. "He's suggesting that life is more than a race to gather possessions." The next time we see him doing a talk, he is urging the audience to empty their backpacks and lives of all of the relationships in them. "No way" I thought.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

1,039 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Successful People Create and Nurture Their Unique and Powerful Personal Brand

If you want to create positive personal impact, you need to do three things: 1) create, build and nurture your unique personal brand; 2) dress for success; and 3) know and follow the basic rules of etiquette. Have you created your personal brand yet? What is it? How do you use it to help create your career success? If you have already created your unique personal brand, please leave a comment sharing your personal branding experiences with us. If not, listen up. Here's how to do it. I get lots of questions about how to create, build and nurture a personal brand.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

1,033 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Just Say Yes for Success

I love the Dilbert comic strip -- even though it often points out the how dysfunctional our workplaces can be. Sunday's strip was a classic. Dilbert approaches one of his colleagues and says… "Could you make these changes in the database? It will only take five minutes." Colleague: "Ooh I don't know…" Dilbert: "Wait.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

1,019 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Create Your Success by Acting on Your Vision

I came across a Japanese proverb that relates to two of the four pillars of my Common Sense Success System: clarity and purpose of direction and commitment to taking personal responsibility for your life and success. Vision without action is a daydream.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

1,015 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Finding A Mentor

I always tell my executive coaching clients that surrounding yourself with positive people is a great way to build self confidence. I urge them to find a mentor, someone who can help them on their success journey. An article in the December 2007 edition of Chief Learning Officer Magazine (www.clomedia.com) says it well. “In today’s competitive business climate, the need for continuous learning has never been greater.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

1,015 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

What the Super Bowl Teaches Us About Successful Branding

Did you watch the Super Bowl on Sunday? About 100 million people did. The game was entertaining and fun to watch. New Orleans won 31-17. Drew Brees, the Saints quarterback was the Most Valuable Player, and he endeared himself to the country by bringing his little boy -- who was wearing noise reduction headphones -- on to the field and carrying him around after the game. I bring up the Super Bowl because you can learn a lot about branding from it.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

1,011 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Optimism Part 8

This is the eighth 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 7 "Promise yourself to forget the mistakes of the past and press ...

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

987 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Using Common Sense to Create Your Success

My Common Sense Success System is based on what I call the Four Cs of Success: • Clarity of purpose and directio • Commitment to taking personal responsibility for your own success • Confidence in your ability to create the successful life and career you deserve • Competence in four key areas. Let me tell you a little bit more about each of the Four Cs of Success… Clarity Let's start with clarity. Clarity of purpose and direction is fundamental to your personal and professional success.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

985 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Mastermind Your Way to Success

Belonging to a mastermind group is one of the best ways of building strong, lasting, mutually beneficial relationships with the people in your life. To the best of my knowledge, Napoleon Hill was the first person to use the term mastermind group in his timeless work Think and Grow Rich. The idea behind a mastermind group is simple. No one person has sufficient experience, knowledge and ability to succeed in this life without the cooperation of other people. When you’re creating your success plan, it helps to get the input and thinking of as many people as possible.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

981 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Communicate for Success

Dynamic communication is one of the keys to personal and professional success. My talents, your talents, everyone's talents will be recognized and rewarded if we develop and use our communication skills. You need to develop each of the three basic communication skills if you want to have your talents recognized. Conversation Skills Become a good conversationalist by listening. Take an active interest in other people and what they're saying. Show them you're listening by asking appropriate follow up questions to what they say.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

978 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Successful People Treat Problems and Setbacks as Opportunities

In an article on taking personal responsibility for finishing strong in 2009 and starting fast in 2010, I mentioned that the things that happen to us in life aren't as important as how we react to them. As I was writing, I was reminded of a something else I had written in the past. Stuff Happens: Choose to React Positively. Stuff happens: good stuff, bad stuff, frustrating stuff, unexpected stuff. Successful people respond to the stuff that happens in a positive way. Humans are the only animals with free will.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

972 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Want Success? Take a Lesson From Lindsey Vonn

Did you watch the Olympics Wednesday night? The Americans did pretty well, winning gold medals in skiing -- Lindsey Vonn, speed skating -- Shani Davis and snowboarding -- Shaun White. Good for them. Their years of training, hard work and dedication paid off. In this post I want to focus on Lindsey Vonn. She lives in Vail, my favorite Colorado mountain town. I live and do my career success coaching work in Denver, so I think of her as kind of a neighbor. More important, I find her story compelling. Right now, she is the best woman ski racer in the world.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

972 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

You've Got To Be Self Confident To Ask For Help

Last Wednesday the Wall Street Journal ran a small article called "Apprenticeship 101." Diane Prucino, the co-managing partner at the Kilpatrick Stockton law firm in Atlanta offered suggestions on what young lawyers should do to succeed as an associate in a large law firm. One of the suggestions that Ms. Prucino offered was, "Find and use a good mentor." This is good advice, not just for young law firm associates, but for anyone interested in becoming a career and life success.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

964 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

How to Build On Line Relationships for Success

Yesterday I wrote about the importance of knowing yourself when it comes to building relationships. Today, I'd like to focus on building relationships on the internet. The internet gives you the opportunity to maintain relationships with people you know well, strengthen relationships with people you know only a little and build new relationships with people who can help you create the successful life and career you want and deserve. I believe that LinkedIn is the best social network for professionals. Facebook, Plaxo and Twitter are OK too.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

960 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Be an Optimist. Get in the Game.

The other day, I came across a quote from Dwight Eisenhower. “Pessimism never won any battle.” I agree. In fact, I believe that a true pessimist would never even join the battle for fear of it being lost before it began. The 2008 Super Bowl was a good example. The media hype surrounding the game could have made the New York Giants wonder why they were even going to show up. But they did show up, and they won the game over the seemingly invincible New England Patriots. This isn’t a sports article, so that’s all I’m going to say about the 2008 Super Bowl.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

950 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Mentor Others to Create Your Own Success

Mentors, by definition are positive people. They are willing to give of themselves to help others grow and succeed. That's why I urge all of my coaching clients to find mentors. However, it is also important to be a mentor. By mentoring others you are giving back, and you are building your self confidence. The more you serve others, the more confidence -- and success -- will come your way. Besides that, you'll grow by mentoring.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

938 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Successful People are Optimists -- They Ask For, and Often Get What They Want

I saw this quote from George Will on line the other day… "The nice part about being a pessimist is that you are constantly being either proven right or pleasantly surprised." I couldn't let it go. As a career success coach, I'm always telling my clients that they can boost their self confidence through the power of optimism. So I don't see a lot of value in being a pessimist. If you're "constantly being proven right" you're probably creating your own self fulfilling prophecies.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

916 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

A Problem By Any Other Name...

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

911 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Outanding Performance And Career And Life Success

All outstanding performers have at least three things in common: 1. Outstanding performers set and achieve goals. 2. Outstanding performers are organized. 3. Outstanding performers are detail oriented and execute well. In this post, I’ll delve into each of these three in more detail. Goals Outstanding performance begins with S.M.A.R.T. goals. These goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Results Oriented and Time Specified. • Specific – Your goals should be targeted, nor broad and general. They should be unambiguous and explicit.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

909 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Optimism Part 6

This is the sixth 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, Part 5 “Promise yourself to think only of the best, to work only for ...

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

908 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Success Comes From Living Your Purpose

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. To develop your clarity of purpose you need to carefully think through your priorities -- and then align your behavior to ensure that you are living according to them. To do so, ask yourself two very important questions: 1. What do I want to do in this life? 2. What is the result I want to achieve?

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

900 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Optimism Part 10

This is the tentth 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 9 "Promise yourself to give so much time to the improvement of ...

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

871 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Optimism Part 7

This is the seventh 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 6 “Promise yourself to be just as enthusiastic about the success ...

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

869 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Successful People Know How to Manage the Stress in Their Lives

If you want to create the successful life and career that you want and deserve, you need to perform at a high level consistently. High performers manage their time, life and stress well. They pay particular attention to their health and well being. It's impossible to perform at a consistently high level if you don't feel healthy and energized. In this post, I'd like to discuss two issues when it comes to managing your stress and feeling healthy and energized -- restoring energy and dealing with headaches. We all get tired, run down and out of sorts occasionally.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

867 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Optimism Part 9

This is the ninth 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 8 "Promise yourself to wear a cheerful countenance at all times, ...

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

866 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Successful People Face Their Fears and Act

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 is the enemy of self confidence. Self confident people face their fears and act.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

862 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Optimism Part 4

This is the fourth 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 3 “Promise yourself to make all your friends feel that there is ...

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

859 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Optimism Part 1

I often tell my executive coaching clients that all self confident people have three things in common. • Self confident people are optimistic.r • Self confident people face their fears and deal with them.r • Self confident people surround themselves with positive people. When I was a young guy, I participated in the Optimist International oratory contest. The topic that year was, “Optimism, Youth’s Greatest Asset;” which is hard enough for a ninth grader to say, (Think Joe Pesci in My Cousin Vinnie.) let alone to write and deliver a 10 minute talk .

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

849 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Successful People Use Their Nerves to Deliver Dynamic Presentations

The other day, I was at a workshop and one of the speakers was clearly nervous. He began his talk by telling the old story about the survey that asked people to name their greatest fear. Public speaking came in first, by a large margin. Death was fourth. So, if you believe the results of this survey, most people would rather die than stand up and give a talk. He was one of them. He urged us to be kind to him because he was nervous doing this talk. He was suffering from what is known by a number of names: presentation anxiety, stage fright, the jitters.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

834 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Optimism Part 5

This is the fifth 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 4 “Promise yourself to look at the sunny side of everything and ...

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

816 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

It Pays To Be Nice

In my work as an executive coach, I have found that interpersonally competent people share at least three things in common. 1. Interpersonally competent people are self aware. They understand themselves, and as a result they understand others. 2. Interpersonally competent people build solid, long lasting mutually beneficial relationships with the people in their lives. 3. Interpersonally competent people are able to resolve conflicts with a minimal amount of problems and upset to relationships. In this article, I’d like to focus on relationships.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

800 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Successful People Never Stop Learning

Lifelong learning is the first step in becoming an outstanding performer. In today's fast paced world, if you don't keep learning, you're not standing still, you're falling behind. One of my favorite quotes from Gandhi nails it when it comes to lifelong learning… "Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever." He's right. None of us should ever quit learning. I have a thirst for knowledge and do my best to quench it through learning. I try to learn something new every day. Sometimes my learning is trivial, sometimes it is profound.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

799 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Commit to Developing Success Competencies

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. You need to react positively to the negative stuff and move forward toward your goals. I read an interesting article on the Huffington Post website by James Arthur Ray the other day. Mr.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

793 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Optimism Part 3

This is the third 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 Part 2: “Promise yourself to talk health, happiness and prosperity to ...

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

793 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Cary Grant, Interpersonal Competence and Success

Interpersonal competence is one of the keys to personal and professional success that I discuss in several of my books. If you want to become interpersonally competent you need to do three things. First, get to know yourself. Use this self knowledge to better understand and communicate with others. Second, build solid, lasting, mutually beneficial relationships with the people in your life. Third, resolve conflict in a creative manner and with little upset to your relationships. The other day I came across a prayer attributed to Cary Grant.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

760 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Persistence and Success

As you go through life you will encounter many problems and setbacks. You need to react positively to the negative stuff and move forward toward your goals. I live in Denver, the weather here is very changeable. On December 21 2009, the first day of Winter, we had 60 degree weather. That night the weather announcer on TV reminded us that we had snow on the last day of Summer. This got me thinking about the unpredictability of life. As I frequently say, as you go through life stuff will happen -- good stuff, bad stuff, happy stuff, sad stuff, encouraging stuff, frustrating stuff.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

720 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Presentation Tips for Success

Competence is one of the four keys to career and life success. There are four key competencies that will help you become a career and life success: • You have to be able to create positive personal impact. • You have to be become an outstanding performer. • You have to be a dynamic communicator -- in conversation, writing and presentations. • You have to build strong, lasting, mutually beneficial relationships with the important people in your life. If you want to become a dynamic communicator, you need to become an excellent presenter.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

687 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Self Awareness and Success

In an effort at providing more value for my ezine subscribers, I have created a new feature. It's called, THINK, ACT, SUCCEED. I send my subscribers a daily quote on success. I urge them to think about the quote and how it applies to their lives.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

669 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Clarity of Purpose and Direction -- the First Step Toward

To develop your personal clarity of purpose you need to do three things. First, define what success means to you personally. Second, create a vivid mental image of you as a success. This image should be as vivid as you can you make it. Third, clarify your personal values. The other day I received an email from Brad Swift of the Life On Purpose Institute.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

661 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Successful People Build Their Brand on Integrity

Creating and nurturing your unique personal brand is the first step in creating positive personal impact. While your personal brand should be uniquely you, it should be built on integrity. According to Wikipedia, "Integrity is consistency of actions, values, methods, measures and principles." Integrity and consistency are intertwined. People who are consistent in their actions are seen as people with a high degree of integrity. This brings me to the point of this article… Recently, I had an opportunity to review a new video called "Ouch!

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

651 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Authenticity, Personal Branding and Success

Positive personal impact is an important key to personal and professional success. If you want to create positive personal impact you need to do three things. First, develop, nurture and constantly promote your unique personal brand. Second, be impeccable in your presentation of self - in person and on line. Third, know and follow the basic rules of etiquette. Mike Robbins has a new book out, "Be Yourself, Everyone Else is Already Taken." Great title -- and really true. As you might expect, it's all about authenticity. Personal brands are all about authenticity.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

639 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Success and Your Personal Mission and Vision

Clarity of purpose and direction is one of the keys to career and life 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. The other day, I was having a conversation with one of my coaching clients.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

628 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Man Up for 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. You need to react positively to the negative stuff and move forward toward your goals. Last week I read an article in USA Today about a new book by Beth Fertig called why cant u teach me 2 read?

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

619 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Set and Achieve High Goals for Success in 2010

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. You need to react positively to the negative stuff and move forward toward your goals. I can't begin the year without writing about goals and goal setting. I'm a fan of the S.M.A.R.T. system of goal setting.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

611 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Social Networking and Success

If you want to create positive personal impact, you need to do three things. 1) Create and nurture your unique personal brand. 2) Be impeccable in your presentation of self -- in person and on line. 3) Know and follow the basic rules of etiquette. Even if you're not in business for yourself, you need to have a personal brand and a web presence to create positive personal impact. These days, I hear the question, "If you don't exist on line, do you really exist?" That's a good question. Prospective employers will Google you. You'll be better off, if they like what they see.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

610 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Sue Grafton is a Success Because She Loves What She Does

I love to read. I especially love to read mysteries. I think this comes from my childhood when I devoured every Hardy Boy and Nancy Drew mystery at the local library. Sue Grafton is one of my favorite writers. Starting in 1982, she has written a series of mysteries; beginning with A is for Alibi. Last week, U is for Undertow came out. I want to take a few minutes here to talk about Sue Grafton. She is someone who is very clear on her purpose in life -- writing entertaining mystery stories. On December 1, I read an interview with her that appeared in USA Today.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

610 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Create WE for Success

Building Relationships is one of the four key competencies that will help you become a career and life success: • You have to be able to create positive personal impact. • You have to be become an outstanding performer.r • You have to be a dynamic communicator -- in conversation, writing and presentations.r • You have to build strong, lasting, mutually beneficial relationships with the important people in your life. A WE attitude is a great way to build strong relationships with the important people in your life. One of my rules is "There is No Quid Pro Quo in WE".

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

604 views

By Bud BilanichRecently published1 topic

Successful People Use Tough Times to Position Themselves for Better Things to Come

Recently, I read a column in the Wall Street Journal Careers section called "When Your Rising Star Falls." Joan Lublin the author says that corporate belt tightening coupled with the fact that many baby boomers are delaying retirement is creating a clogged promotion pipeline. People who were expecting to be promoted are finding themselves languishing in their current positions for longer than they want. She also says, "Coping with a clogged promotion pipeline requires improving your skills and marketability in creative ways." I agree. It's tough out there.

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

563 views

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