1. Darker than expected
• Eye lashes as not naturally black on most women. The color varies just as much as our hair colors with various shades of blonde and brown. Mascara is meant to draw attention to the eyes and is darker than normal. How does this related to projects? When a project goes "live", we need to set expectations that it might require putting in more than 8 hours in a day. It means burning the midnight oil and working long into the dark of night to ensure the live environment matches the staging environment. It doesn't mean doing this for months leading up to the project end, but timing the few days leading up to go-live to coincide with people's schedules will help ensure that when you need just one more hour, someone is there to provide that needed fix.
2. Longer than expected
• It is a rare but ugly truth that I have seen more deadlines missed than achieved early or on time. Pressure from both sides of the coin will drive you to quote timelines closer than realistic. Don't give in! Be realistic in setting boundaries and deadlines and add length when needed, just like the mascara. Everyone knows the difference in meeting and exceeding expectations of your manager and your client. Use a little mascara magic to stretch your project longer so that you don't leave everyone hanging onto every fleeting second.
3. Fuller than expected
• Whenever people are involved in projects, there is a lot of unknown risk. People get sick, lack the experience, or flat out leave the project. Mascara brings to life the little hairs that make up a full eyelash, plumping up all of the invisible hairs in a way that makes you realize how many more influential pieces there are. Your project requires a fuller staff than you might expect too. Sometimes you don't even know about approvals, compatibilities, or extra hands needed until after the project is in full swing. Do your research and apply a little motivation to bring those necessary pieces to light!

1. Temperature
• Red is usually served at room temperature and white is typically chilled. Your surroundings may have an impact on your choice as summer time and the hot outdoors warrants a cooler drink but I think it says more about your heart. Am I feeling the strain of the day in which my heart is beating fast? Then I choose a red that matches. Whether flush with love or anger, red appeals to my drive to keep things going and see where it leads me. Do I feel in control and gently relaxing in the calm before the storm? Than white it is and the cool liquid matches my cool and collected attitude.
2. Color
• If you want to hear me talk, I think you will probably get more out of me if I am drinking a red. The white is transparent meaning I am reflecting inward on how things went during the day and I don't feel confused. When I choose a red wine, I feel stimulated by conversation whether I'm the one spilling the beans or am all ears about your latest adventure. Red makes me want to share in a mutual experience which could be to troubleshoot the problems of the day or escape from my hardships and listen to someone else's for a while.
3. Fruit
• There are lots of sophisticated words that can be used to describe how a wine tastes, but I think the fruity flavors are the most distinct. The red usually have hints of plum, cherry, or heavy oak whereas whites have flavors of peaches, lemons, or young flowers. When I feel like the decadent flavors of the reds, I want to enjoy life fully and explore every nook and cranny. When I enjoy the light, puckered or sweet flavors of white, I may feel obliged to dismiss the needless details.

1. Write down everything
• Your clients can not only see your facial expressions, but are also watching your actions. They know if you wrote down their suggestion because they either see you jot in your notebook or just take a mental note. Don't underestimate the power of writing things down. Not only will it help you remember it, but your client will gain confidence in you because they see that their thoughts matter. They know you listened because you wrote down their thoughts. It makes them feel like you care!
2. Ask for local advice
• If you are on site with a client, you probably are out of town and unfamiliar with the area. Ask the locals for their favorite coffee or food spots, best driving routes, and recommendations on tourist locations worth visiting. This will allow them to share their expertise with you and they feel valuable. Don't underestimate the power of letting your client share some personal experiences. Any discussions about extracurricular activities will boost their self confidence to make dealing with the tough business topics easier.
3. Always be approachable
• Sometimes you hover over their shoulder watching what they are doing like a boss. Sometimes you are hunched over with a technical issues at your laptop in the corner. Other times you may be in tense conversations with management over contract costs. In all situations, you must remember that at any time a worker may have a question. They should never have to feel uneasy or hesitant in asking. Therefore, keeping good posture and a neutral expression is important. It may require conscious focus on your part at first but it will make a big difference up and down the chain of command in the long run.

Have you been through an experience in which seeing the other person in-person made all the difference? What was the determining factor that made you walk away afterwards feeling cared for? Was it technical support at Geek Squad versus phone support of Microsoft? Was it having your quarterly review at company headquarters instead of an email? Share what made the real difference!

1. Make home, home only
• I know the first thing you want to do when you get home is relax, but before you do anything else, you should unpack and put away the suitcase. If you leave out the packed clothes and the suitcase, you and your family will see it and be reminded of how often you are gone. You don't want to have one foot out the door when you are home.
2. You are on their time
• In the airport and on the plane, you do not have control over late passengers, the weather, or mechanically delayed flights. The moment I begin the traveling, I go into a zen state in which I practice believing that no matter what happens I don't care and will wait until the traveling is done when I can control my own time again. Remember it is always better to have arrived late than not at all.
3. Savor the alone time
• Hotel rooms can be awkward and quiet, and planes can be stuffy and cramped, but the uncomfortable time you spend in these places is time you are not somewhere else (like with your family). Splurg on the glass of wine, watch that chick flick, take a nap. Do the "me things" in the small spaces you can so when you are home you can dedicate yourself 100% to the people that miss you.

This blog post? Written on my flight home on Southwest. Sharing my thoughts on this blog with you is how I enjoy spending my personal time. I hope it helps give you some insight into how you can mentally relax a bit more when those business trips call you away.

I was given some of the best feedback on my speaking and presentation skills last week during a training program. The feedback giver was able to put into words how the audience perceived me, my ability to react to participant on the fly, and my manner as the expert in the room. I was happy to learn that the things my intentions were coming across! Apparently I am a compassionate and relatable teacher; I probably got that from my Girl Scout days.


If you are like me, you've been given good feedback and bad feedback. Some people never want to hurt your feelings and only say "you did great". Others go into rants because they want you to perform just like them. How can you improve your own feedback giving skills? Here are some ideas:

1. Stay objective
• The number one mistake I've witnessed in feedback givers is that they are too specific to the situation at hand. They say things like "pause here", "change this word here", or "don't forget to say this on this slide". These small suggestions are so trivial that they aren't helpful. Even if I remember those suggestions, it will probably throw off my natural cadence of speaking. Instead, stay objective and suggest "pausing more", "stay in present tense", and "go into more detail on this important topic". These suggestions don't get caught in the details and allow the individual's own skills to shine through.
2. Applicable to all situations
• Feedback is only as good as its usefulness to apply to your next speech. Just like the specific feedback examples above, poignant improvements are only helpful if you are presenting that exact same speech again with the exact same environment. Instead, keep your feedback related to personality (how you smile, how much you ask the audience for questions, how fast you speak) and poise. These tips can help someone become a better and well-rounded speaker no matter who the audience or what the topic.
3. Stay positive
• No one wants a lecture in how they could do better after a stressful experience speaking in front of a crowd. Toastmasters teaches the sandwich method (one good thing, followed by one improvement, followed by a second good thing) but I think this can be taken a step further. If you are recommending someone speaks louder, give an example when the person did project their voice well during the speech. This constructive criticism all of a sudden seems obtainable because it turns a "start doing this" into a "do this more" which doesn't sound negative at all!

I think I am good writer. People have said nice things about my blog posts, my book-in-progress, and my countless documents I've written for business processes. I enjoy writing; I volunteer to write for others; and I do a lot of writing. Does that make me an expert? Does that make me good at it? What is your top one or two skills? Unfortunately, it just might not be what you think it is. Here are some staggering statistics that might make you think otherwise. (Source)

• 78% of people consider themselves to be above average performers
• 96% of people think they have an above average sense of humor
• 84% of people think they have an above average ability to get along with others

What does this mean? That your perceptions may be off. What others perceive may actually be aligned with their own activities and goals. How can you weed out the bullshit and narrow down your real strengths from your colleagues' strengths? These ideas might help you: