Here's a great way people can sabotoge their careers:

Believing that hard work is the sole reason you will get ahead...

Too many people think that the organization will find and recognize them for working 12 hours a day, and doing good work. While doing good work is a basic necessity for moving up the corporate ladder, you can’t count on others to notice what you are doing. You need to market your own results, and even showcase your abilities. You need to build networks of people who believe in you, and for this reason, sometimes it is actually more important for you to go to lunch with people, rather than to spend that 45 minutes on your work.

Food for thought!!!
Work hard, work smart, work with people!

Best,
Marsha
http://marshaegan.com

Executive coaching:
http://marshaegan.com/coaching.html

Go to lunch!

And you are wondering what the heck I'm talking about...
Go to lunch!

How many times have you given up going to lunch with peers, subordinates, or even your boss, so that you can get work done? Think again. The relationships that you build will, over time most likely be more valuable than that extra 45 minutes that you put into getting that project done.

I can't tell you how many of my coaching clients have seen their careers take a more positive turn, when they placed a value on building relationships with many people inside and out of their organizations.

So, the next time you are thinking of bagging lunch and eating at your desk, don't!

Happy eating,
Marsha

For these and other encouraging tips, purchase the Silent Signals of Success Journal, available through Amazon, or at http://marshaegan.com/ssj.html

I've Found Today... A poem you'll love

Below is an inspiring poem from an anonymous author . . .

I'VE FOUND TODAY
I've shut the door on Yesterday,
It's sorrows and mistakes;
I've locked within its gloomy walls
Past failures and heartaches.
And now I throw the key away
To seek another room,
And furnish it with hope and smiles
And every springtime bloom.
No thought shall enter this abode
That has a hint of pain,
And worry, malice and distrust
Shall never therein reign.
I've shut the door on Yesterday
And thrown the key away --
The Future holds no doubt for me,
Since I have found TODAY.

Have a super day!
Marsha
http://marshaegan.com

Life is Too Short...

Eat dessert first.

I love this expression; I think it sums up how our approach to life should be, just beautifully. We all seem to be waiting for something -- that great apple pie, at the end of the meal. And sometimes, we are just too full to even take a taste.

So, whether you eat your dessert first or not, remember to include the things that you enjoy in your life regularly, and to not put them off until later.

Can you tell I am an eataholic?

Marsha

http://MarshaEgan.com

Honesty takes strength...

Honesty is a virtue.
People admire honest people.
But sometimes it isn’t easy.
True honesty is internal.
Honesty takes strength.

“The difference between a moral man and a man of honor is that the latter regrets a discreditable act, even when it has worked and he has not been caught.”
--HL Mencken

Have an honestly great day!
Marsha
http://marshaegan.com

Leaders Exude Confidence

Leaders exude confidence.
They trust themselves.
People want to follow those who show confidence.

"When you are content to be simply yourself and don't compare or compete, everybody will respect you."
--Lao-Tzu

10 Second Reality Check

· How confident are you?
· Do you need others' opinions for you to believe in yourself?
· Can others feel your confidence?

"Whether you believe you can do a thing or not, you are right."
--Henry Ford

Enjoy your weekend!
Marsha
http://marshaegan.com

Some Days it's Great Do Nothing...

There's a difference between
having nothing to do, and "doing nothing."

We all need to create space in our lives, yet many of us fill every waking minute with 'something."

One way to create that space is to plan to "do nothing!"

By saying you are going to do nothing, you're actually planning relax, and enjoy the space that you have created for yourself.

So, when is the next time you are going to "do nothing?"

As always, to your success!
Marsha

Visit our web site http://MarshaEgan.com

Take a year's journey to even greater success... The Silent Signals of Success Journal!

http://marshaegan.com/ssj.html

Make Space for Your Success

If you want to be more successful, clean up your clutter!

While some people don't realize why it works, by deeee cluttering your space and deeee cluttering your life, good things seem to happen. Who knows why?!

Start now, and either throw away, or place items in a box to donate to charity, aggressively. Clean out the stuff you don't need -- do this for a month, and watch what happens in your life!

As always, to your success!
Marsha

For more tips on how to be more successful, visit http://MarshaEgan.com

Do you believe in yourself?

Leaders believe in themselves.
They are proud of what they do.
They are their own sources of pride.
They are "at peace" with who they are...

"Outward judgment often fails, inward judgment -never."
--Theodore Parker

Food For Thought

· Do you rely on others to define who you are?
· Do you find more fault with yourself than praise?
· Do you reward yourself for things well done?
· Do you love yourself, ...unconditionally?

"It took me a long time not to judge myself through someone else's eyes."
-- Sally Field

Visit http://marshaegan.com for more success building tips!

Our Silent Signals of Success Journal has more where this came from!
http://marshaegan.com/ssj.html

The Cost of Anger

Successful people don't get angry. They channel their emotions into something positive. They keep their cool. They understand the cost of anger.

10 Second Reality Check

· Do you get angry? When?
· Does anger enable or disable you from thinking clearly?
· What real benefits have come from being angry? Honestly?

Anger makes you smaller, while forgiveness forces you to grow beyond what you were.
--Cherie Carter-Scott

Your ability to control your anger directly relates to your ability to get things done quickly and positively. Think about it.

Have an anger-free day!
Marsha
http://marshaegan.com

Note: One of the 52 lessons in our Silent Signals of Success Journal deals with this issue. For more info, visit http://marshaegan.com/ssj.html

Discovering buried passions...

Everyone has passion; yet sometimes it gets buried.
Passion PULLS you toward something.

It is positive motivation that creates energy and great fulfillment...

"Only passions, great passions, can elevate the soul to great things."
--Denis Diderot

So, What Will You Do Differently?

· Get in touch with your passions
· Let them rise to the surface
· Take steps to follow those passions

Let your passions PULL you!

This was an excerpt from the Silent Signals of Success Journal
Please visit our website for more information!

Have an amazing day!
Marsha
http://marshaegan.com

What do you do when no one is looking?

Leaders have character.
They do the right thing.
Not only by their own standards but also by what is right for the world around them.
And they do the right thing even when no one else is watching.

"Real integrity is doing the right thing, knowing that nobody's going to know whether you did it or not "
--Oprah Winfrey

It's tough living with ourselves, isn't it???

Have a good day!
Marsha
http://marshaegan.com

Check out the Silent Signals of Success Journal, now listed on Amazon and at
http://marshaegan.com/ssj.html

Leadership Quiz: Have you ever plugged a stranger's expired parking meter?

On Valentine's Day, we think of caring for others...

Have you ever plugged a stranger's expired parking meter?

Funny question, heh?

Not really. The point is that leaders do things because they are the right things to do. Not necessarily because they will get recognition for it. Whether you have fed an expired parking meter or not, there are many daily opportunities for you to improve the world around you, without being motivated by getting credit for it. Take those opportunities. You don't need the credit instantly. It will find you.

It's all about doing what is right, for OTHERS...

"Successful people are always looking for opportunities to help others. Unsuccessful people are always asking, "What's in it for me?"" --Brian Tracy

Remember, love is one of the only things you can give away and still keep.
Happy Valentine's Day!
Marsha
http://marshaegan.com

How honest are YOU?

How honest are you?

· In business?
· Socially?
· With yourself?

“The best measure of a man's honesty isn't his income tax return. It's the zero adjust on his bathroom scale.”
--Arthur C. Clarke

How appropriate for this holiday season!!!!
Marsh

Forgiving makes you strong.

· How willing are you to forgive?
· Are you carrying any grudges?
· How long does it take you to forgive?

Food For Thought

Carrying grudges keeps you from moving forward.
People change.
Forgiving releases negative energy.
Forgiving makes you strong.

"Life is an adventure in forgiveness."
--Norman Cousins

Have a great holiday...
M

But what IS courage, really?

Leaders have courage.

But what IS courage, really?

It's understanding your fears and moving forward despite them.

"Courage is doing what you're afraid to do. There can be no courage unless you're scared."
--Eddie Rickenbacker

Have a courageous week!
Marsha

http://marshaegan.com

Courage is not only physical...

Courage is not only physical.

It could be that our greatest opportunities for courage are in facing our moral fears...

Sometimes it is inside the head that can help or hurt us...



http://marshaegan.com

Create your own luck: volunteer!

Unknowingly, I created my own luck by volunteering. I was raised in a community minded family, and it was only natural for me to join organizations and volunteer in college. Having served in leadership positions in both my sorority and dormitory, I learned a lot about managing and motivating people that has formed the base for other achievements in my life. But having the leadership positions on my resume was what got me in the door for the interview that established my corporate career. I’ve never stopped volunteering, or taking on leadership positions when called. And, for every career change I have ever sought, it was the “volunteer” side of the resume that shined. So, my message is: Volunteer. Not only because you are committed to the cause, but to help you ignite your own potential by developing skills you can use to make the world a better place. Volunteering can help you polish skills that may help YOU create your own luck.

To your success--

Marsha Egan

If you want happiness for a lifetime...

If you want happiness for an hour, take a nap.
If you want happiness for a day, go fishing.
If you want happiness for a year, inherit a fortune.
If you want happiness for a lifetime, help somebody.
-- Chinese proverb

Why do we give???

Successful people give with no expectation of a return. They never "give to get." They give unselfishly. Successful folks give from the heart, don't they?

Mother Teresa said it best, "It's not how much we give but how much love we put into giving."

Enjoy this holiday season, in the most giving way...

Best,
Marsha

You'll win with Icebreakers...

Do you use icebreakers? At every meeting you control? Why not?

They set a great tone, put people in the "right frame of mind" and help you make the meeting a success.

For more on icebreakers, http://marshaegan.com/icebreakers.html

Best,
Marsha

Help others succeed...

"Help others get ahead. You will always stand taller with someone else on your shoulders.”
--Bob Moawad

Successful people help others succeed. They care about others as much or more than they care about themselves. They are natural mentors. Are you?

Mentor someone today!
Best,
Marsha
http://marshaegan.com/coaching.html

Is the law your ethical line?

The law is just the starting point in determining the ethical line.
It is the absolute MINIMUM!

Ethical behavior can be costly, but not as costly as unethical behavior...

Those around you will follow your example, whatever that might be!

"What executives do, what they believe and value, what they reward and whom, are wotched, seen, andminutely interpreted throughout the whole organization. And nothing is noticed more quickly--and considered more significant--than the discrepancy between what executives preach and what they expect their associates to practice."
--Peter Drucker

Ethics are part of the "excellence mindset" silent signal of success...
http://marshaegan.com/ssj.html

Isn't it better to talk less, and act more?

Talking without doing is like "meaning well."
Doing what you say is "doing well."

Isn't it better to talk less, and act more?

You'll be judged more by what you do, than what you say...

Just another "Silent Signal (TM) of Success"

Visit http://marshaegan.com/ssj.html for more information about
The Silent Signals of Success Journal

Turn those Blackberrys off!

Every now and then I hafta let off some steam...

When we talk about success, many times we talk about etiquette, and respect. The latest issues are and were with cell phones. We've reached an entirely new realm of disrespect when we see some of the ways people use their blackberry handhelds...

People are actually doing their emails during meetings, where business is being conducted! I saw someone pushing their two thumbs, obviously composing something--DURING A FUNERAL SERVICE!!! Yeesh!

You wouldn't do mail at a funeral, or during a meeting. So put the dang thing away!

It's not only a slap in the face, it is one of the best career limiting practices I can think of.

Getting off the soapbox now.
Til next time...
Marsha
http://marshaegan.com

Listen to the voice within you

"The more faithfully you listen to the voice within you, the better you will hear what is sounding outside." - Dag Hammarskojld

Need a coach?
http://marshaegan.com/coaching.htm

Must See DVD: Last Best Chance

I was fortunate to see the HBO Special Monday night--Last Best Chance.
Everyone should see this one hour DVD! It helps us understand the current nuclear threat.

You can get a free copy of this by going to this website:
http://www.lastbestchance.org/

We MUST succeed in this effort. Our other successes won't matter.

Marsh
http://marshaegan.com

Good Quote

Check your actions and your words for congruence.
Promise less and deliver more.
Do what you say...


"I have always thought the actions of men the best interpreters of their thoughts." --John Locke

Funny how tough this is...

Marsha
http://marshaegan.com

Do you believe that success is internal?

Do you believe that success is internal?
Or do you use others' definitions of success?
Have you defined what success looks like--for YOU?

"I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody."
--Bill Cosby

Our Silent Signals of Success Juornal will help you find your own success...
http://marshaegan.com/ssj.html

To your success!
Marsha

Do your actions match your words?

Do your actions match your words? Or do you talk about something, and "wish" it to come true?Do you follow through on your promises?

People watch actions for their congruence with what is said. They make judgments as to whether you can be trusted, from even the most minor indications. Being congruent is a base upon which your success can grow.

"I have long since come to believe that people never mean half of what they say, and that it is best to disregard their talk and judge only their actions." --Dorothy Day

Til next time...

All the best,
Marsha
http://marshaegan.com

For more success resources: http://marshaegan.com/successshop.html

How do YOU define success?

Success is individual. It is yours to seek. Only YOU can define what success means to you.

"If your success is not on your own terms, if it looks good tothe world but does not feel good in your heart, it is not success at all."--Anna Quindlen

Excerpted from the October 15 ezine, The Signal.
See http://marshaegan.com/news.html to register for our bi-weekly success newsletter.

Have a great week! Marsha

Keep Your Shoulders Back

Everything we do transmits stuff that other people read...

Just think about your posture. Or think about someone else's posture. What "signal" does hunched over posture send? Conversely, what "signal" does tall, proud, almost military-type posture send? Which way do you want to be?

Just another hint on your road to success!

Check out our Silent Signals of Success Journal:
http://marshaegan.com/ssj.html
A lesson a week for 52 weeks...

Just signaling!

Signaling Success: Our NEW Blog!

To continue to aid our readership in their exciting journeys to success, we've created the blog, "Signaling Success."

Everyone sends signals (yup, even you!)

And people read those signals. Our challenge is to make sure that the signals we are sending match and support our goals and dreams... That is what this blog is all about--helping you get there.

As always,
To Your Success,
Marsha

http://marshaegan.com

How do you spell TRUST?

You have a real opportunity move your organization forward, even faster than it is moving now. Yep, the energy behind that effort is TRUST.

T is for TALENT: In any organization, members have different talents, and different perspectives. Valuing that diversity, maximizing the use of these different talents, enables better solutions!

R is for REASSURANCE: Trust reassures people. It builds confidence. The necessity for covering tracks goes away, and more time is left for productive effort.

U is for UNDERSTANDING: Understanding and valuing each others’ perspectives builds trust. Believing each other is necessary. People feel free to express their opinions, without threat of retribution, thereby allowing decisions to be made based on better information.

S is for SYNERGY: Any group that wants to soar requires synergy. The sum must be greater than the individual parts. And trust builds that synergy. People who work WITH each other, and value their contributions in a non-threatening way, will be much more productive than those groups suffering a lack of trust.

T is for TRUTH: Trust requires truth. It requires sincerity. It requires keeping one’s word. Without truth, there can be no trust.

Have a trusting week!
Marsha
http://marshaegan.com