We have all heard of the value of making a positive impression when meeting someone for the first time. It only takes a few seconds for someone to evaluate you. This opinion is usually based on your demeanor, mannerisms, body language, speech, and appearance, but it’s even more than that.

When you meet new people and enter into new relationships, what do you notice? Do you notice the clothes they wear in different settings? Do you notice the first email they send you? Do you notice the amount of time it takes them to respond to your first email or phone call? Do you notice how they interact in the first meeting you’re in together? The fact is, you intuitively notice many things that, when combined together, form your opinion of them…read more

Expectations—we all have them from a very early age, yet many of us don’t learn how to set and manage them, if at all, until well into adulthood.

From the child whose birthday wishes are never quite fulfilled, to the spouse who always feels as if he/she is the one who’s giving more, to the manager whose team never seems to get it quite right—the expectations we set for ourselves and those around us have the power to influence our success and satisfaction in life.

Because expectations have such far-reaching, powerful consequences in every area of your life, I’m excited to share with you some of the best advice I’ve ever learned when it comes to setting proper expectations for yourself, those around you, and those you lead…read more

Beginning in the days of World War II and for decades, famed radio broadcaster Paul Harvey shared The Rest of the Story with millions of Americans. After presenting news stories on a variety of factual subjects, he surprised listeners each time with a true ‘twist’ at the very end and concluded with his signature sign off, “And now you know… the rest of the story.”

Although Paul Harvey died in 2009, I can’t help but think of his influence on today’s lesson. There are always two sides to every story, and it benefits us to make sure we know and understand both sides before making a judgment or rendering an opinion.

Whether it’s your best friend complaining about his or her spouse, a co-worker complaining about another employee, or a newspaper columnist writing a political story, just remember, there are always two sides to every story…read more

Do you remember the days before everyone had Caller ID and before there was a Do Not Call list? What I remember most distinctly is the phone ringing every night around 5:30 p.m. as my family and I sat down to dinner. Whether they were selling windows, offering to switch my phone service, or insisting that they could save me money on something I didn’t need—I often resented the interruption and their unsolicited advice.

In all fairness, those callers may have had something valuable to offer, but their timing was way off. They were trying to sell me a solution when I didn’t ask for one.

Learning to Listen Without Trying to Fix The Problem

This same notion holds true when listening to a friend or coworker who is sharing a problem or concern with us. Unfortunately, in an effort to be helpful, we’re all guilty of diving into ‘fix-it’ mode and are ready with a quick solution as soon as there’s a break in the conversation…read more

Author: Joy Smith (Todd’s wife)

One of the biggest “little things” we can do to make a difference in every relationship in our lives is to identify the way the people around us need to be loved. When we love people the way they need to be loved, it draws them closer to us and us to them.

The premise of Dr. Gary Chapman’s book The Five Love Languages is that we all have a “love tank” that needs to be filled every day. We all have primary love languages, ways in which we prefer to be loved, or ways that communicate love and affection most effectively…read more

Does it bother you when someone thoughtlessly cuts you off in traffic? How about when you’ve been waiting in an endlessly busy line and someone waltzes right in and slips ahead near the front?

When these things happen to me, I usually end up thinking something along the lines of, “Hey buddy, I’m just as busy as you!” or “Oh really, you think you’re more important than the rest of us?”

Sure, these responses may sound a bit silly after the fact, but we all have similar reactions when someone barges in and unfairly imposes their agenda on us…read more