Conversation

The smart phone disease

By Arden / July 3, 2014 /

Why is it that we dislike it when others use their phone when they are meeting with us, in a movie theater or driving, yet so often we do the same? I think it’s because the allure of the phone is often too much to ignore. Research has shown we get a dopamine hit when…

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Conversation: The Fruit of Curiosity and Sincerity

By Arden / March 19, 2014 /

This is a guest post by Bob Taylor, a retired naturopathic physician and designer/builder and great conversationalist. I can strike up a conversation with most anyone. That’s because I’m really curious. Curiosity is the great motivator that pushes me past my shy self.

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Further your career this holiday season

By Arden / December 2, 2013 /

Despite what you may think, the holidays are actually a great time to further your career. That’s because it’s a time when we most interact with others, whether it’s mingling at holiday parties, flying to see family or friends or spending time with relatives or pals you don’t see very often. So, whether you are…

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The sweetest sound

By Arden / November 7, 2013 /

Are you good at remembering names? If you answered no, you’re not alone. Whenever I teach networking or my First and Lasting Impressions training I ask the participants if they are skilled at remembering names. Usually only a handful of people will raise their hand. Yet, people admit that forgetting names is one of the most…

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What graciousness and heated seats have in common

By Arden / October 21, 2013 /

On my way to yoga class this morning I was willing my heated seats to hurry up and get warm because it was chilly in the car. Despite wanting to get warm, I smiled as I recalled a time shortly after buying my car when my sister-in-law, Beth, was visiting over the holidays.

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Cut, color and conversation

By Arden / September 4, 2013 /

Some people think I’m a daredevil. No, not because I once hurtled myself out of a plane with just a parachute on my back, nor that I ate food from a street vendor in Mexico, and not because I left a secure job to start a business in the Great Recession. No, it’s that people…

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The power of gracious behavior

By Arden / June 13, 2013 /

It’s always heartwarming when I see really gracious, polite behavior, and not just because I’m an etiquette consultant. When I see people being courteous and other focused I am reminded of how powerful it is.

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Lessons learned from an unpleasant coffee meeting

By Arden / May 9, 2013 /

If you are a salesperson, business owner or are unemployed, you most likely do a lot of networking. This often means coffee and lunch dates with people who have complementary businesses or who can be helpful to you in some way.

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When you shouldn’t ask

By Arden / January 4, 2013 /

We adopted a new cat a couple of months ago – a beautiful three-legged Maine Coon named Max. A couple of days ago, I picked him up to cuddle, and he decided he wasn’t in the mood for kisses. He put his paw up to push me away and ended up scratching my face. Unfortunately, he…

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The difficulty with discussing politics

By Arden / November 30, 2012 /

I asked my Facebook page Likes for ideas on blog posts and several people mentioned discussing politics, especially in light of the recent presidential election. 

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