Empowerment isn't a buzzword among leadership gurus. It's a proven technique where leaders give their teams the appropriate training, tools, resources, and guidance to succeed.

If you have removed those people and situations that make your life more drama-like, then you're definitely a success. After all, who doesn't enjoy a quieter home and workplace?

The first step to take to wake up earlier is to have a nighttime routine that not only encourages you to fall asleep but also guarantees you'll sleep soundly each and every night.

Changing a habit or routine doesn't happen overnight. It takes a little bit of time and may take easing into the change to make it work for you. Waking up earlier is no exception.

Having emotional intelligence allows you to manage your emotions, show empathy, and prevent you from getting distracted. It also helps you solve problems and be a more likable person.

Your customers are the lifeblood of your business. Their needs and wants impact every aspect of your business, from product development to content marketing to sales to customer service.

During the negotiation process, it's common for misconceptions to occur, since both parties assume what the other person is saying or thinking. This can lead to conflicts or disagreements.

In order to handle rejection, we have to reflect on the past, analyze/study it. Next, just like a computer, we have to reboot. Next, get it out of our system by rejecting every aspect of it.

While social media is a one of the best tools to spread brand awareness, network, stay updated on the latest industry news, and catch up with friends or family, it's another huge time waster.

You may think having a cluttered desk isn't that big of a deal. But that couldn't be further from the truth. Disorganization can stunt your professional growth and decrease your productivity.

A cardinal rule in budgeting and saving is to pay yourself first. Once your paycheck hits your account, wisdom has it that you should move some amount to savings even before you pay the bills.

There was a time when just the thought of waking up before the sun rose sent chills down my spine. But once I actually started getting out of bed earlier, I noticed that it wasn't all that bad.

When you think of customer research, chances are you think of surveys. Used alongside other strategies, they can be an important way to learn more about your customer's needs, wants and habits.

The goal of content marketing is to create content that people actually want to read/view. If you're being blatantly promotional, there's a good chance your content marketing efforts are falling flat.

Keyword research is a task often left to SEOs and content marketers. However, it can be a powerful tool for anyone in your organization who wants to learn what your target market wants to read, learn and buy.

Make no mistake about it. Bad habits are called 'bad' for a reason. They kill our productivity and creativity. They slow us down. They hold us back from achieving our goals. And they're detrimental to our health.

I get work done in half the time if the family is still asleep. When my family wakes up, I've already had a productive morning and am ready to enjoy breakfast with them before I start conquering the rest of my day.

Earning a comfortable living and being responsible with your money is always a good thing. But, if you let that completely control your life, you're missing out on a lot of incredible experiences that money can't buy.

We're surrounded by distractions. Whether it's emails, phone calls, text messages, social media notifications, or people entering and leaving your workspace, those distractions end up eating a good portion of your time.

The way that customers pay businesses is constantly evolving. Instead of paying with paper, like cash and checks, businesses are expected to accept a variety of payment methods ranging from credit cards to digital payments.

Coming up with a ballpark figure on how much you need to pay your expenses, such as your mortgage or rent, insurance, and utilities, is the first place to start when developing your ultimate goal of becoming a multimillionaire.

No matter what position you're in, if you are receiving poor feedback from clients, co-workers, or in performance evaluations, then that's one of the clearest signs that you're not cut out for the job, or it's not right for you.

We've all experienced those days when we feel like an absolute failure. It's a normal feeling when things don't go as exactly planned. And, when we feel like that, it's challenging to think of yourself as a successful individual.

While it's important to accept failure and not let it bog you down, it's also perfectly acceptable to get upset about it as long as you remember that failure is a stepping stone in your journey that is getting you to where you need to be.

Just because you're married doesn't mean that you have to spend 24/7 together and can't have separate interests and hobbies. In a healthy relationship, you both understand - and respect - that you need time apart doing what you want to do.

Each piece of content you create should lead your readers further down the path to purchase. Typically, sales and leads won't happen until a prospect has had multiple points of contact with you, so don't expect sales after a single blog post.

Whether you write down your to-do lists in a notebook or use a tool like Evernote, to-do lists can be a real life-saver, since it reduces the stress of trying to remember things like a meeting or what you need to pick up at the grocery store.

I want to hear from my team in a way that they know they don't have to hold back. I've made it clear that there are no repercussions for brutal honesty. I let them know that we want to hear about anything they feel is not working for the company.

If money is tight, or you're on a limited budget, then consider DIY or used gifts. DIY could be something like baked goods for your friends, family, and neighbors. Plus, if you have children, it's a great activity to do with them during the holidays.

Negotiating isn't about getting what you want or giving in to what the other party wants. It's not an 'either/or situation.' It's about having both parties walk away satisfied. Over the years in both business and life, I've had to learn this hard lesson.

Since I tend to be pretty competitive and find that others on my team enjoy contests and team competitions, I thought a good way to improve feedback would be to create a way to reward the comments and ideas that actually change our company for the better.

Early rising will enhance your productivity, improve your mental outlook, and give you time to exercise, catch up on email, or just have breakfast with your family. In short, if you want to become more successful, it's a good idea to jump out of bed earlier.

Like most successful businesses, you and your employees have a vast knowledge base and expertise in your vertical, as well as a lot of great video and text content to prove it. So, why not monetize your expertise and create digital products and membership courses?

When looking for an influencer to work with, it's tempting to go for those with huge amount of fans and followers. This is perfectly understandable, as you obviously want your business or product promoted to as many people as possible. However, numbers aren't everything.

The relationship between you and your boss will change over time. When you just started out, that boss was your mentor and took you under their wing. As a seasoned employee, though, you no longer need your boss to guide you along. You should be able to handle tasks on your own.

At one point, you were that employee who looked like a deer in headlights. Confused, lost, and not understanding your purpose within the organization. Even though you have the appropriate skills, you felt like you were in over your head. That is, until an amazing boss empowered you.

I've had to listen to candidates tell me they are the most wonderful thing since the invention of sliced bread, and it bores me to death. It also makes me doubt that they are actually any good at all - plus it's an attitude that would never fly in the culture I've created in my company.

Early in my career, I didn't want to disappoint my colleagues, clients, or family. So I said yes to everything. This ended up raising my stress level and shortchanging everyone else - including myself - because I couldn't give anyone 100 percent of my time, nor could I pay close attention.

While digital wallets are paving the way for the future of payments, you still need to assess whether or not they'll work for your business. If your target audience are less tech-savvy or you're primarily a cash-only business, it may not be worth investing too much into accepting digital payments.

I've interviewed people where their response was literally one word for everything I asked. This didn't help me get to know them, nor did it sell me on their skill set to help my company achieve its goals. I got nothing from them, which meant I had no way of knowing if they were really a good fit in the company.

If you're receiving fewer assignments, this could be an indicator that there was a decision from upper management that you shouldn't have as many responsibilities. Whether that means your employer has lost faith in you or that your job may be in jeopardy, this is a sign that you should start polishing up your resume.

As a small business owner, I've had to find ways to keep costs as low as possible while still providing customers with the ability to use their credit cards for payments. Many credit card processing companies are so expensive when it comes to fees that it started to feel like a losing proposition to offer this payment option.

If you don't have the time or desire to do whatever is being asked of you, say, 'no.' Even if you want to bake those cookies for your kid's fundraiser or take on a new freelancing gig, sometimes you just have to politely decline until you do have the extra time. The other party may be disappointed, but it's not the end of the world.

As an entrepreneur, I've come across countless articles and quotes proudly telling me that I should accept failure, smile, and keep my head up. In other words, I've been told to stay positive. The thing is, when you're forced to shut down a business and let really awesome people you care about go, staying positive is the last thing on your mind.

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