As is typical for this time of the year, a recent conversation in the 
CNN newsroom centered around the stress of shopping for Christmas gifts.
Needless to say, my colleagues and I discussed a wide range of possibilities, from trying to find the latest video game to the perfect Coach purse.
Our control room director has a young child, and when it came to choosing a gift for his wife,
I wanted to share the following blog with you that I wrote with Lori Milner about the importance of googling yourself, and understanding the digital brand you’re projecting.
Forget what people say about ‘vanity searching’ or ‘ego surfing’, to google yourself is neither about vanity nor ego. If you’re serious about your professional presence, about owning your space in the virtual world as much as you are about owning it in the physical world,
We hear so much about the importance of having a personal brand, but what does that really mean? Put simply, your brand is your reputation, which is the culmination of almost everything you have ever done and said. As Amazon’s Jeff Bezos says, “Your brand is what people say about you when you’re not in the room.”
The reality is, you already have a reputation and you are being “branded”
I recently attended my daughter’s NYU graduation. This poem, Think of Others by Mahmoud Darwish, was read by one of the speakers. I thought it was really beautiful and thought-provoking, and wanted to share it with you.
As you prepare your breakfast, think of others
(do not forget the pigeon’s food).
As you conduct your wars, think of others
(do not forget those who seek peace).
As you pay your water bill,
Own Your Space, published by Pan McMillan
I recently spoke to a group of entrepreneurs on how to get people to like you, trust you, and generate new business.
Everyone had to share the experience(s) that had most impacted their lives. The directive, however, was that while stories were being shared, the listeners were not allowed to relate the story back to themselves; they had to simply listen, and then ask qualifying questions such as, “In what way?” “Tell me more?”
Many of us labor mightily to be perfect — or at least to appear perfect to the outside world. I was recently interviewed on this very topic, and I thought it would be helpful to share my views on the quest for perfection. I would love your thoughts and feedback.
Is there such a thing as perfection?
I think the notion that “perfection” exists is a total myth.
Nadia speaks on owning your space, coming across with competence, confidence, and charisma particularly when stakes and stress are high.
