It’s easy to get overexcited when you have a good idea. But in your enthusiasm, you may balk if other people don’t immediately support your thinking. Don’t let your impatience hurt your cause. Try to avoid these two things when pitching your idea to a skeptical group:

Gone are the days when you progress up the hierarchy at a steady pace, headed for corner office. There simply aren’t enough leadership positions to go around, and most people regularly switch jobs and organizations. With no ladder to climb, look at career moves differently:

• Cast a wider net. Be open to horizontal experience, not

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Your presentation doesn’t start when you enter the room; it starts the moment you’ve committed to speak. If you take advantage of opportunities to reinforce your message before you take the stage, you’re much more likely to change people’s thinking and behavior.

Yes, growth is a good thing. But high growth can easily overwhelm a small enterprise, and put it at risk of going under. Before you push your company toward an audacious sales goal, know the following:

• Understand your true operating costs. Know what they are and how they evolve as your business grows. Rapid growth will increase the

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Most of us feel pulled in more directions than ever, expected to work longer hours and get more done. To help you battle this overload, create rituals—highly specific behaviors, done at precise times, that become automatic and no longer require conscious will or discipline. For example, go to bed at the same time every night so you …

In a world of ever-increasing demands, people are spending less time out of the office and taking fewer days off. Fall victim to this trend, and it will harm your health and productivity. Instead, do the following:

• Take every day of vacation you’re given. Don’t hold it over and don’t tell yourself that you don’t have the time. You’ll

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When preparing a sales pitch, you may be inclined to continually add elements to entice the customer. This can result in a cluttered, unfocused pitch, and prospective buyers may feel overwhelmed by choices. Don’t give your audience a choose-your-own adventure. Instead, focus on the one thing you believe they will gain.

In an unpredictable world, traditional career planning is a waste of time. It’s close to impossible to pinpoint exactly where you’ll be in five years and work backwards. Instead, you need to see opportunities as they arise and take smart steps down the right path.

A big presentation is only as good as the message it delivers. Once you know what you want that message to be, you need to create the right supporting content to reinforce it. Start by sitting alone with a blank piece of paper. After you’ve done some initial brainstorming on your own, bring together a group to help clarify your …

Wanting to quit your job is one thing. Finally walking out the door is another. If you’re fed up with your job but can’t get over the mental hurdle to hand in your resignation letter, these three tips can help:

Bad managers come in many shapes and sizes. The worst ones do appalling things like berate people in public or take credit for others’ work. But you should also beware of these less obvious infractions: