How To Add Style To Everything You Do.

Yes, I woke up at 4:00 AM this morning to catch the royal wedding. Just finished watching the new couple make it to Buckingham Palace.

What impressed me was their personal style. All of the commentators profusely exclaimed about how the couple presented themselves today.

Kate especially. Think of the pressure she must be under to act and perform according to many rules and royal mandates. So far, she's done an incredible job. She was cool, calm and confident.

Even with all the pressure, it sounds like the couple tried to add their own personal touches to the occasion.

I find 'style' is a combination of what/who you are AND how you want your audience to perceive you. You have to take both elements into perspective. I think it focuses on two areas:

1. Be yourself. Espouse your individuality. Be authentic. Don't be afraid to let your hair down.
2. Focus how your message/individuality plays with your audience. Monitor, measure, tweak, and change as you see fit.

If you stay true to yourself, you will ultimately reach your specific audience. It is then up to you to move the dial to GROW your audience.

I've found if you do both, you will be very successful in any endeavor you attempt.

What do you do to be yourself AND attract larger audiences?

Congratulations to William & Kate, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge!

You Can Be A CEO.

That's right. I'm not kidding. Today . . . this minute . . . this second . . . you can be a CEO. In fact, you always have been a CEO and always will be a CEO.

You never realized it.

You are the CEO of YOU, Inc.

And if you don't start regarding yourself that way, you'll never attain the success you deserve.

Here's the skinny — Even if you work in corporate or own your own business, you need to shift your thinking towards a more centric state of mind when it comes to work. If you are the CEO of YOU, Inc.:

• How's your stock doing? Up, down, flat? What are you doing to get it to rise?
• Who knows about your company? Do you frequently market YOU internally and externally to key movers and shakers?
• What's your message? How is it being interpreted? Is there any misinformation out there?
• Who are your competitors? How are you mitigating their threats? What are they saying about you?
• Who are your customers? What are they saying about you?
• Who are your partners? Are you educating them regularly on how they can help your company?
• How is the marketplace for YOU, Inc.? Is there a high demand for your services? Is it waning? Is it dying?
• How can you clone YOU? Delegate non-essential duties to subordinates?

The minute you make a mental shift from dutiful employee/entrepreneur to CEO status, you'll find you will focus on different areas left fallow for months/years beforehand.

And you'll start to see your new company do better and better and better. Try it. I promise you, you'll like it.

This has been another installment in my ongoing series, “Are You A Catalyst?” — today’s focus is how to “Be A CEO”.