A mid-winter shout out about two articles I thought you would enjoy reading. The first  is  “The Secret Ingredient of Success,” by Camille Sweeney and Josh Gosfield; a wonderful glimpse into the power of shifting one’s strongly held beliefs to attain greater success.  The other article is mine, which some of you may have already seen in Sunday’s New York Times Business section entitled “Maybe Management Isn’t Your Style.”

Please email me any thoughts or stories you’d like to share about a bad boss—or two.  I’d love to hear them.

I'm passing along this article that I wrote for Harvard Business Review, because while I know most of you won't ever face a crowd of skeptical IPO investors, the very same communication Do's and Don'ts apply when you're doing a IPO Road Show, pitching a new client, talking with your colleagues (not to mention your boss or her boss) or as a panelist at an industry conference.  As the Buddhist adage says, "Wherever you Go, There You Are," and when you communicate — wherever it is — you must be crisp, interesting and entertaining. So while I wrote this as part of expanding my coaching in the IPO world to help executives prepare for the Road Show, these tips come in handy no matter what audience you're in front of. Download The Right Way to Run an IPO Road Show.

I like to call it “tuning into Radio Station WIFT (What’s In it For Them?).” Unfortunately, many CEOs seem to get poor reception on this station, especially when it comes to giving town hall state-of-the-union talks to their employees. After seeing too many CEOs botch this wonderful opportunity to build rapport with clear and inspiring communication, I felt compelled to write an article on the topic. CEOs: Read This Before You Open Your Mouth appeared in the May 3rd edition of the Harvard Business Review Blog Network.

Is there anyone who hasn't read Walter Isaacson's biography of Steve Jobs?  It doesn't seem like it. While admiring Jobs' brilliance and the products he created, what struck me was this:  the guy who told us to "Think Different," who strived for perfectionism, scrutinizing his products along with everyone around him, never really turned his critical lens inward on himself.  After reading the book and Isaacson's article in the April edition of the Harvard Business Review, I was inspired to write this article, Being "Authentic" Doesn't Give One License To Be An Ass, which was just picked up by Chief Executive Magazine.

It feels like I can’t read the news anymore without being stared down by a headline about some professional concocting a nefarious scheme that brings ruin to clients, friends, family and colleagues. This newsletter will get you thinking about the little and big things that can compromise our better judgement.

Social media is a powerful tool that can do wonders for our businesses, rekindle relationships, make us feel more connected, and save us time. But unfortunately, if left unattended, it can become a negative gift that keeps on giving. This article contains tips on making social media work for you, not against you.