Falling revenue, profits, salaries and bonuses, and forced participation in the layoff lottery have all certainly spiced up the workplace lately. But if your current frustration is dwarfed by your necessity to cling to your present paycheck, here are a...

Today, Barack Obama's inauguration certainly marks a historic moment. No matter what your political affiliation, it is a triumph for civil rights and a testimony to the great democratic system in which we live. But the lasting message of Obama's dramatic and...

The 21st Century has ushered in amazing new social media applications. But with equal access to these powerful tools granted across the entire Bell curve of intelligences, it sometimes seems as if we have handed out machine guns to chimpanzees! Here are...

It is a simple but cruel irony of life that as soon as you think you have things figured out, the rules change.

We enter the world and are quickly presented with a simple rule of success -- More! Acquire more words. More food. More toys. Take more classes....

As we return from the holidays to our Dilbertesque cubicles and offices, many are being greeted with a stack of uncertainty piled high in their in-boxes. Has my employer cut deep enough? Is there a third round of layoffs to come? Or a fourth?

Here are some simple, creative...

In just 4 years, Facebook and other social media have revolutionized the way in which young people communicate. Now, they are unlocking a vast and unexpected potential for the rest of us.

Achievement in almost any area of life is heavily dependent upon other people. We tirelessly spend time...

In today's environment, it is not a surprise that many professionals feel stuck in a rut. But even in a recession, there is no shortage of things you can proactively do to help move your career forward, and improve your life through work. Here's a starter kit (continued):

26) Think...

In todays environment, it is not a surprise that many professionals feel stuck in a rut. But even in a recession, there is no shortage of things you can proactively do to help move your career forward, and improve your life through work. Here's a starter kit:

1) Take responsibility!...

On September 11, 2001, I was on board the last plane that landed in Washington Dulles Airport. The emotions stirred from that fateful day caused me to write the brief commentary reprinted below, which found its way onto the Internet and circled virally around the globe, launching my writing career...

"The seeds of great success are often right in front of you, hidden in the ashes of adversity."

- Francis Ford Coppola

A few years back I had the distinct pleasure to spend an evening with Francis Ford Coppola. Of all the people from different walks...

"The seeds of great success are often right in front of you, hidden in the ashes of adversity."

- Francis Ford Coppola

A few years back I had the distinct pleasure to spend an evening with Francis Ford Coppola. Of all the people from different walks...

During a recent appearance on CNN, I was posed the following question: "Most companies have called for hiring freezes until January, but millions out there are desperate and can't wait. What can these people do to solve their problem?"

It is a reasonable question. Bills begin to pile up....

Dear God:

On behalf of Dinosaurs all over the world, we appreciate Your consideration of granting us an "evolutionary bridge loan."

For millions of years, we have ruled the earth with pride. We have roamed freely and successfully, growing more powerful with each generation.

We acknowledge, though, that...

There is certainly no shortage of finger pointing to go around for the current global economic crisis. But after exhaustive research and contemplation, I have determined that the majority of blame lay squarely at the Manolo Blahnik adorned feet of only one person: Paris Hilton.

By now we all...

CNN (Atlanta) -- On December 1, the U.S. Government seized control of Joe the Plumber -- the famed plunger of politics -- preventing average Joe from falling into bankruptcy. Negotiators resisted overtures from Joe's mother to receive a nearly $700 loan and two extra-cheese pizzas, effectively deciding that Joe was...

I was talking with a friend yesterday who mentioned that before everyone left the office for the holidays, she went around to each of her employees and personally thanked them for all they had done. She remarked how positively her team reacted to this simple gesture, so much so that...

It seems that for legal and security reasons, Barack Obama will soon be forced to give up his beloved Blackberry. Is there a chance this will make him more productive?

I raise this question out of personal experience. I, Rick Smith, am a reformed crackberry addict. I would reach...

In an amazing turn for recent adversaries, it seems that Obama has all but offered Hillary the most prestigious post in his cabinet - Secretary of State. A surprising offer to a woman whose foreign policy experience Obama once dismissed as having tea with ambassadors. But party faithful are now...

OK, let me backtrack before I even begin. This is shaping up to be a deep recession and it will likely get worse before it gets better. Consumers aren't spending. Companies are laying people off by the thousands. There are real individuals out there who are hurting. Technically, we are...

"Nothing is more fun than work when it's right"

-- Francis Ford Coppola

On Friday, November 21, 2003, I was an executive headhunter whose book, The 5 Patterns of Extraordinary Careers, became a bestseller.

That very same day, I was fired.

Less than 12 months later, I...