Sat, July 24, 2010 - 10:41:49

From Old Phone to New Porsche

By now, we all know that it’s not safe to have one hand on the phone while your other’s on the wheel, but what if we told you that a California 17 year-old traded a cell phone in order to get his hands on a new set of wheels? Well, that’s exactly what happened to Steven Ortiz who, through a series of Craigslist trades found himself as the only teenage owner of a Porsche in his high school.

Steven’s story may remind you of another Craigslist phenom, Kyle MacDonald, whose famed One Red Paperclip Project in took him from humble paperclip owner to proud home owner in just one year. And although both Ortiz and MacDonald’s stories are uncommon to say the least, they both illustrate the SMALL truth that anything is possible when you take advantage of even the littlest of opportunities.

For most people the idea of turning an old cell phone into a Porsche Boxter or using a tiny paperclip to finance the purchase of a new home would sound laughable, but both Ortiz and MacDonald recognized the role their small acts could play in helping them reach their big goals. Neither tried to reach their final destination with one giant leap; instead, they each got their one little trade at a time, finding small opportunities and seizing them in order to advance little by little.

So if you’re having trouble reaching your big goals—whether it’s a new house, a new job, or a new car—maybe you should start with a new outlook. When you shift your attention from the big picture (i.e. your end goal) and focus on the smaller steps that help you get there, your goals become much more attainable. By concentrating on the so-called small stuff, you’ll see the small magic that others overlook every day. And when you discover it, you never know what could happen. 

Posted by Linda and Robin

Thu, July 22, 2010 - 2:17:41

Jay Shafer and the Tiny House that Launched a Big Career

According to Deloitte’s 2010 American Pantry Study, there’s been a dramatic culture shift in America from a society of spenders, to a society of savers. And 55% of those surveyed said they were cutting back not because of a reduction in income, but simply because they felt they “should be.” Clearly, big cars, big McMansions, and big debts are becoming a thing of the past, while “living small” has become much more main stream.

And it’s something Jay Shafer decided to do in the extreme, when he built his very own—and very small—house in 1997.  But, that hand-built, 85 square-foot home (yes, you read that right!) didn’t just dramatically change his lifestyle; it transformed his whole life.

As, the one-time grocery-clerk turned CEO explains in this video we discovered on Yahoo!, “My whole life changed when I started living small.”

After discovering the benefits of his “tiny house,” Shaffer started The Tumbleweed Tiny House Company, filling a need few thought existed: do-it-yourself building plans for space and energy efficient homes ranging from 65 to 837 square feet. A little over a decade later, not only is his company is selling plans and pre-fabricated homes, he’s considered the authority on the growing “small living” trend and has been featured everywhere from Oprah to the Wall Street Journal for his breakthrough ideas.

Obviously, Shafer didn’t invent the house, but he reinvented the idea of what a house could be and created a viable business by following his passions, finding magic in an overlooked idea, and starting small—literally. So, the next time you discount the thing you spend hours doing as a silly hobby, look a little closer. After all, if a tiny house could take Jay Shafer from the back of the stockroom to the head of the boardroom, imagine what could happen to you if you start thinking small.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Sun, July 18, 2010 - 11:43:10

How to Keep Your Good Employees

According to recent figures released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the winter of 2010 marked the first time since October 2008 that more workers quit their jobs than were laid off.  While this statistic bodes well for the economy, it can be cause for concern for employers who want to hold on to their top team members. As many companies are still trying to recover during these tough economic times, attempting to retain their best and brightest with dramatic salary increases and sizeable bonuses isn’t always possible. Luckily, there are other SMALL ways to keep them on board—and some studies say they’re even more effective.

Although conventional wisdom has long been that “money talks,” the truth is that there are many other ways to make your employees feel valued, and recent research can back it up. A May McKinsey survey found that more than any other factor, employees are motivated most by praise and recognition from their immediate managers and attention from company leaders. In other words, one of the best investments your company can make is offering employees positive, ongoing feedback—it carries very little risk and delivers an immediate return.

Through even your simplest actions, you can take your management skills to the next level and make your employees feel valued. This, in turn, will make them more productive.

Say thank you. A point of concern for many managers is the proper way to deliver negative feedback to employees who need improvement. But, what about the ones who are doing their best every day? Taking the time to thank them for a job well done is equally important. In fact, many professionals report “lack of recognition” as a primary factor for job dissatisfaction, so taking a few minutes to stop and say—or even email—a quick kind word can have a dramatic positive impact.

Make the rounds. For corporate higher-ups looking to inject a boost of energy into their workforce, the answer can be as simple—and inexpensive—as taking a walk around the office. More than bonuses, salary increases, and stock options, employees found attention from company leaders to be a real motivator. So, each week, make it a point to “make the rounds” and chat with people at all levels of the company.

Hit “reply.” There’s no easier way to make an employee feel ignored than failing to respond to a detailed status report he or she has emailed you. Although you might not realize it, forgetting to send a quick email containing as little as a “Thank you!” can make a big impression and unintentionally leave employees feeling like their work doesn’t matter. So, instead of just reading what they’ve sent, give yourself one extra minute, hit “reply,” and type a short response. Even “thanks” has the power to say, “Yes, I see you and I value your contributions.”

Posted by Linda and Robin

Sun, July 18, 2010 - 11:33:54

A Good Handshake is All it Takes

According to conventional wisdom, it only takes five seconds to make a first impression. But, is it true that people can make up their minds about you with little more than a “hello?” Well, according to professor Geoffrey Beatty of the University of Manchester, all it takes is a handshake. And thanks to a new mathematical formula he’s developed, he can help you make yours—and that all-important first impression—a good one.

On ABC’s World News Tonight, Beatty explains that after being commissioned by GM’s British division, he has identified the most important components that make up a good handshake: verbal greeting, quality of smile, vigor, and dryness of hand. The biggest no-no’s? Sweaty palms, limp grip, shaking too hard or too long, and getting too close.

Although ABC reporter, Nick Watt’s demonstration certainly gets a laugh, it also underscores just how important even the littlest things can matter. Simply by giving someone a “limp fish” handshake instead of a firm and confident greeting, you can negatively influence the way he or she will perceive the rest of your interaction. Feeling skeptical? Imagine the last bad handshake encounter you had… we bet it won’t take long until you change your mind.

Even though it might seem inconsequential, something as simple as a great handshake actually has the power to change your life, both personally and professionally. Practiced since the time of the ancient Greeks, handshakes mark the beginning of many of our relationships, from the start of the interview for your dream job, to the beginning of a blind date, to the first meeting with a potential big new client. With one simple action, you have the power to shape the course of your future encounters for the better—so harness it and start seizing those opportunities with both hands.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Sat, July 10, 2010 - 3:34:07

Are You Addicted to Stress?

It’s prime vacation time and many of you are probably looking forward to packing your suitcases, loading up the car, and driving off to enjoy the summer sun at your favorite get-away spot. But, when writing up your “To-Pack” check list, how many of you write “Blackberry” or “laptop” on the page. (For those of you who left it off, how many of you secretly plan to bring at least one of them along?)

In today’s wired world, it can be tough—if not downright impossible—to relax, unplug, and unwind. But, too much time with a so-called “productivity device” can actually make you less productive.  What’s worse, it can feed an increasingly common yet surprising addiction: stress.

Research has shown that taking a little time now and then to unplug (and no, that doesn’t mean use wireless!) and relax sans technology is beneficial for your career and for your family life. But, when you’re hooked on the constant pressure of your normally busy life, unwinding can actually take…work.

Luckily, SMALL can help. So, if you’re ready to enjoy a little time off—even if it’s just a weekend at home—and return to work refreshed and recharged, try these little tips to make de-stressing a stress-free process:

Make Small Talk: It might sound like a strange suggestion, but making friendly small talk can actually reduce your stress levels, particularly if it gets you laughing. Witty banter and laughter not only serve as a distraction from stress and other negative emotions, they cause the brain to release cortisol, epinephrine, and dopamine—hormones which naturally inhibit stress.

Get Active: Quiet meditation might be the calming trick for some people, but if the idea of staring into the waves while lounging on the beach makes you feel anxious instead of at ease, try a more active approach to relaxation that will steer your mind away from thoughts of work, unanswered emails, and faraway deadlines. Physical activities like tennis, which involve a partner, allow you to interact with others and let go of pent up tension. As an added bonus, your body will feel a rush of endorphins, the “feel good” hormone, letting you relax naturally.

Commit a Random Act of Kindness: When you’re stewing in stress, the last thing you might think would make you feel better is helping someone else. But, psychologists have repeatedly documented the emotional benefits of doing good for others and have dubbed it the “helper’s high.” So, as you head out to the nearby coffee shop to pick up a muffin and a cup of coffee, why not pay for the next person in line’s latte or give a compliment to a stranger on the street? Not only will your kind act make you feel good, it can serve as the first link in a chain of positive events occurring all around you.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Fri, July 09, 2010 - 3:25:07

If We Could Fix This Block, Then We Could Fix the Next Block.

Over the past few months, you may have seen commercials on television for American Express’ new joint project with TakePart that supports charities doing good in their communities. One ad featuring the Harlem Children’s Zone catches our attention every time; we can’t get enough of the organization’s founder’s philosophy that you can take on even the most daunting challenge if you approach it one small step at a time. And in his case, that means block by block.

In essence, the program headed by Jeffrey Canada aims to transform the neighborhoods of Harlem one block at a time—starting with their smallest residents. By surrounding the children with a supportive network of adults, Canada believes they will reject the negative influences that tear communities apart and instead develop into members who will contribute to it in a positive way.

And one block at a time, he’s proving that theory right.

It’s just one more inspiring example of how SMALL really can change the world, one neighborhood, one block, or even one square foot at a time.  When faced with a problem, the natural inclination might be to move forward full steam ahead, to attack it from all sides, and try to solve it all at once. But, in the end, this approach rarely works. It’s intimidating, it’s illogical, and it’s exhausting.

On the other hand, when you think small, look at each factor that makes up the larger problem, and begin to solve them one by one, you can work efficiently and build the momentum needed to carry you forward. Of course, harnessing the power of small to tackle life’s challenges isn’t always the fastest approach, but as any child who has heard the story of the tortoise and the hare can tell you, faster isn’t always better. When you go one step at a time, you not only reduce the risk of fatigue, you can ensure that even when you make the wrong move, you can recover more easily and make progress once more.

So, let go once and for all of the notion that bigger is better, and discover for yourself how the “one block at a time” approach can help you make this SMALL world a better place—and change your life in the process.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Fri, July 02, 2010 - 9:25:07

What Does Your Email Signature Say About You?

You’ve probably heard of handwriting analysts who can glean information about an individual’s personality just by looking at their signature. But, what if we told you that an email signature could be even more revealing? According to a recent LifeHacker post, it’s not as unreasonable as it sounds. In fact, LifeHacker’s Kevin Purdy reports that what you write in your email signature could be damaging your professional relationships.

In business, it’s standard to have an email signature that lists your email and mailing addresses, phone number, and other pertinent information like your position and LinkedIn profile address. But, there’s something else that frequently appears in inboxes around the world and it just might be off-putting to some of your clients, employees, and associates: “Sent from my Blackberry. Please excuse typos.”

We’re all too familiar with the typos those tiny keys on your Blackberry or smart phone can cause, but just because you’re on the go, doesn’t mean you can’t give yourself an extra minute to proofread your email before pressing “send.” After all, as we’ve learned first-hand, little mistakes can spell disaster—particularly when it comes to email—but they can be easily prevented.

Robin was still adjusting to the tiny keys on her new Blackberry when she was responding to an email to our client, Aflac, summarizing the numerous commercials we had created starring the beloved Aflac Duck. Before she pressed send, however, she took one more look and noticed a very X-rated typo, thanks to the gadget’s shared U/I key. Luckily, proofreading saved her from having to have a very awkward conversation with one of our agency’s most important clients.

Although typos might seem small and insignificant, they can have an outsize effect—and not just on your communication efforts. These careless errors give your recipient the impression that he or she isn’t your top priority. When your email signature explicitly states that the email might contain typos, you underscore the fact that you’re simply too busy to care. While a typo disclaimer underneath an email signature is almost always written with the best of intentions, the unfortunate truth is that it’s counterproductive and comes across as arrogant and thoughtless instead of apologetic and humble.

So why risk hurting your reputation over a few typos when you can just as easily give yourself a minute and make sure they were never there to begin with? When you take the time to make it letter perfect, you tell people that in that moment, they have your full attention. And, then, instead of becoming a nuisance, you can plant a positive seed that will grow and grow.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Thu, July 01, 2010 - 9:21:07

Thinking Japanese

In our book, THE POWER OF SMALL: Why Little Things Make All the Difference, we discuss a powerful Japanese philosophy known as “kaizen,” which was used to great success by Japanese automakers in their quest for dominance in the international automotive industry. The kaizen approach, which loosely translates as “improvement,” views success not as a single destination, but as a continuum accomplished in a series of small steps. 

This eastern way of thinking is one that we have used to our own advantage at the Kaplan Thaler Group, where we have evolved from a one-account shop to a billion dollar agency in little over a decade.  Setting accomplishable mini-goals, shrinking our outlooks, and—perhaps most importantly—sweating the small stuff have been vital to our success. So, we were particularly intrigued when we came across an interview with Tadashi Yanai, on The Economist’s blog this week, in which the CEO of Uniqlo and Japan’s richest man discusses how SMALL has been a key factor in shaping his company into a major international competitor.

Across all levels of his organization, Yanai emphasizes the importance of even the most seemingly-trivial details and explains that “sweating the small stuff” is particularly important for effective leadership.

“People often say that the details are everything—that everything shows up in details. So unless top managers are fully committed to paying attention to the details, I don’t think you can call such people good business managers.”

Yanai tells The Economist that growing up in Tokyo as the son of a small shop owner instilled in him from an early age the importance of “thinking small” and approaching each task with precision and focus. And as the CEO of one of Japan’s fastest growing companies, he believes this same approach will be essential to the long-term health of his company.

“No matter if you have ten stores, or 100 stores, or 1,000 stores or 10,000 stores, everything starts from one store, and everything starts from satisfying one customer. And every store needs to sustain its own business…Every customer is buying one particular item of clothing or maybe two—but no one buys 10,000 garments. So each product, each piece in each product, each store and each customer: recognizing the importance of that is essential in the retail business.”

Whether or not you’re in the retail business, that same way of thinking can be applied to achieve winning results throughout your professional and personal life.  In the big-thinking school of Western thought, the “small stuff” is frequently disregarded as trivial and insignificant. But, the truth is, details are the threads that weave together to form the fabric of our lives. So, what material will yours be made of?

Posted by Linda and Robin

Thu, June 24, 2010 - 9:23:31

With SMALL, You Can Climb Mountains

Earlier this week, we caught a story on the Today Show that stopped us in our tracks. At age 65, following hip replacement surgery, one man made a decision that might sound crazy to the average person: he decided to climb Mt. Everest. While it might sound like a recipe for disaster, his decision turned out to be the adventure of a lifetime—and he conquered his massive goal by taking it on one small step at a time.

It all started a few years ago, when Don Healy set out on an effort to get fit and lose weight. In the process, he remembered a dream he had as a ten year old boy: to someday climb a mountain.  And so, even though he hadn’t exercised in years, Healy set out on a serious training regimen, growing stronger and more fit day by day, until he was able to climb one small peak. As time went by, he climbed more mountains, a bigger one each time, with the goal of someday climbing the world’s tallest somewhere in the back of his mind.  And even after the setback of a hip replacement surgery, he continued on with his training, slowly but steadily moving closer to his goal, until, finally he made it to the top of Mt. Everest.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

It all underscores one powerful idea: when you think small, you can climb mountains: both real and imagined.  In your personal and professional life, there are times you will be faced with a task that seems so daunting, you simply want to give up—and that’s the problem with thinking big. It’s overwhelming.  But, when you prepare yourself—be it mentally, physically, or intellectually—then, break down the task into manageable mini-tasks and check them off one by one, you not only gain more control over the situation, you set yourself up for success.

Of course, like Don Healy, it’s likely that you will encounter obstacles and setbacks along the way, but when you maintain your micro-focus on achieving the small milestones, you will find that the big things happen more easily. The trick is to keep looking straight ahead, not too far upwards. That way, instead of becoming overwhelmed by the immensity of the task at hand—be it a big pitch at work, a weight loss goal, or even a real mountain climb—you will be inspired each time you rack up another small victory.

So, whatever heights you aim to reach, don’t be afraid to go for them, but remember to start small. You’ll find the ascent is much easier when you take it inch by inch.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Wed, June 23, 2010 - 9:37:22

Take Back Your Lunch and Increase Your Productivity

Have a bag of peanut M&Ms and a can of Diet Coke snagged from the vending machine become your daily scarf-down-at-your-desk lunch habit? While that “all stress diet” might be necessary from time to time when you’re trying to meet a looming deadline, making it a routine probably isn’t the best thing for you: both health-wise and career-wise.

In fact, even if you only have 15 minutes to spare, giving yourself a brief time away from your desk and outside of the office can be just the SMALL thing you need to reinvigorate yourself and kick-start your productivity. And that’s why, as Tony Schwartz writes on The Harvard Business Review’s blog, The Conversation, the Energy Project is launching a new initiative called, “Take Back Your Lunch.”

And it starts today.

The premise of Schwartz and his organization’s movement is simple: get people away from their desks every day for a quick lunch, either alone, with friends, or with coworkers—and then let them enjoy the benefits.

The American Dietetic Association has stated that eating lunch at your desk often leads to unhealthy food choices and mindless eating—not to mention spurs the growth of potentially harmful bacteria across your keyboard and desk surface. But, that’s not all.  Contrary to what you might think, habitually eating lunch at your desk doesn’t necessarily make you more productive; in fact, it can actually hinder your on-the-job performance.

Why? Because sitting at a desk for hours at a time reduces blood flow throughout your body, which can cause fatigue.  But, just by getting up and walking around the corner to pick up a sandwich at the nearest deli, you can give yourself the natural energy boost needed not only to make it until the end of the day, but to power your way through.

So—as hard as it might seem—this week pledge to pry yourself away from your desk and enjoy a quick bite out of the office.  You just might find that taking a few minutes away from your work has you getting things done even faster.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Fri, June 18, 2010 - 9:44:58

Why the Big Boss Should Shrink His Outlook

Chinese philosopher Lao-Tzu famously mused, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step,” but as we write in THE POWER OF SMALL: Why Little Things Make All the Difference, far too often, business leaders get too caught up in the magnitude of the final destination to recognize the importance each footprint holds.
 
This week as we were perusing The Conversation, we came across a fantastic post by Stanford professor and author, Bob Sutton in which he explains that failing to set small milestones is an all-too-common mistake many managers make every day—and one that could actually impede their ability to achieve what he calls “stretch goals.”

In his post, Sutton brings up a number of interesting points, from the fact that big goals are too generic to be meaningful, to the reality that most are too daunting to be motivational. 

For example, when discussing stretch goals like making your numbers for the quarter, the concept can feel both too large and too abstract to truly grasp. And for that reason, such large goals can actually be counter-productive. But, when broken down into smaller, more manageable chunks—what we like to call “mini-tasks”—they can be more easily accomplished.

But, perhaps one of the most unexpected ideas he explains is that “ambitious goals rarely send people in directions they didn’t realize they needed to go.”

And this is truly why, in business and in life, little things make all the difference.  The problem with living in a big picture world is that in doing so, you overlook the millions of tiny pixels that join together to shape it.  But, when you zero in on the tiny details—the ones you might think are too miniscule to matter—you open yourself up to a new realm of possibilities, solutions, and strategies.

By working toward incremental goals, instead of just the big ones, you can easily accomplish tasks in manageable bites and fuel your professional pursuits with the satisfaction of “small wins.” But, that’s not all. By working inch by inch, you give yourself the chance to discover the little things that might be missing—and by addressing those needs, take your business in a direction you might have otherwise never imagined.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Fri, June 18, 2010 - 9:17:05

The Power of the Handwritten Note Goes Digital (Yes, you read that right.)

In our book, THE POWER OF SMALL: Why Little Things Make All the Difference, we write how the simple act of sending a handwritten note can help you set yourself apart.  And now, a fun new website by the people at Pilot has brought the power of the handwritten note to the digital realm.  On their new website visitors can create personalized fonts from their very own handwriting, and then use it to “write” emails and post Facebook status updates.

While it probably won’t change the way most people go about their daily online communications, it underscores the unexpected effect one little handwritten note can have.  In a world where Times New Roman has become the norm, your own writing can be a real attention-getter… even if you didn’t score an “A+” in penmanship.

Sure, nowadays keeping in touch with family, friends, and coworkers is as easy as sending a text on your smartphone, but there’s something uniquely personal about receiving a piece of actual mail—one that isn’t a bill or this week’s issue of the New Yorker—that nothing can replace.

By now, we all know that sending a handwritten thank-you note is proper etiquette when it comes to formal situations like job interviews and weddings.  But, what about in your day-to-day life? Contrary to what you might think, there’s still room for the handwritten note among the plethora of digital communication options out there. And it’s just one of the ways you can “go the extra inch” to strengthen your personal relationships with others.

Say, for example, you and a friend were chatting about the lack of good restaurants in your neighborhood and later that week, you stumbled upon a review for a great new place you wanted to try.  Although you could just as easily send her a link to the article, why not clip it out and tuck it into a note card with a friendly greeting attached? Not only will your action come across as more thoughtful, it will show that you were listening and make your friend feel like you care.

So, don’t discount the notion of the handwritten note. If you give it a try, your horizons just might expand when you “think small” and get the “write” stuff.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Fri, June 11, 2010 - 9:51:42

Smartphones Affect Kids in Unexpected Ways, but Small Talk Can Help

With this week’s unveiling of Apple’s hotly anticipated iPhone 4G, many people are thinking about smartphones more than ever. But, a new finding published in The New York Times this week questions whether the same productivity devices that help people stay connected at work are causing a disconnect at home. 

Sherry Turkle, director of M.I.T.’s Initiative on Technology and Self tells the New York Times that in her five-year study of 300 children and their parents, she noticed a remarkably similar set of responses. Kids whose parents were constantly glued to their smartphones felt hurt, ignored, and resentful.

Of course in today’s “wired” world, where BlackBerries and iPhones can feel like a lifeline, abstaining from the technology altogether is nearly impossible.  Luckily, there’s an easy way to avoid hurt feelings even if you have to answer that ping from time to time—and when it comes to your kids, it’s one you might not expect.

Small talk.

If you’re a parent of a teen or ‘tween, you might feel like the last thing your “too-cool” kids want to do is have a chat with their dorky mom or dad, but no matter how they might appear on the outside, the truth is they do—and Turkle’s latest research can back it up. Just a few minutes of chit-chat a day can have a dramatic effect not only on their relationship with you, but as a 2009 McDaniel University study found, on their future relationships as well.

It might seem intimidating at first, but brushing up on your small talk skills can have you and your kids communicating in no time. Here’s how you can get started:

Take a drive: We’ve all been taught that eye contact is an essential element of good communication, but when it comes to kids, it can actually make them feel pressured or self-conscious. That’s why the car is the perfect place to strike up a conversation by asking open-ended questions.  With your eyes on the road, they’ll feel more comfortable opening up to you.

Get moving: As with car rides, a laid back game of catch reduces eye contact and makes children feel more comfortable expressing themselves. And the endorphins produced by light exercise naturally promotes relaxation. So, take the opportunity to ask a few questions and compliment your kid’s throw—and then listen with both ears.

Make ‘em laugh: Research shows that kids laugh an average of 200 times a day (as compared to only 15-18 for adults), so try warming them up with a silly story or joke. According to a study conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, laughter between parents and their children boosts communication levels.  So, don’t be afraid of an eye-roll or two.  Even a muffled chuckle can help get the conversation started.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Thu, June 10, 2010 - 3:54:44

What World Cup Soccer Can Teach You about Business

Tomorrow, soccer fans and teams from all over the world will gather in South Africa to kick off the FIFA World Cup.  Despite the common belief that Americans just don’t like soccer, the Wall Street Journal reports that other than South Africans, Americans have been purchasing more tickets to the event than anyone from any other nation. This news piqued our own interest—and it got us thinking about what business people could learn from the world’s most popular sport.

Getting to the goal takes many little steps. When working toward a professional objective, it can be tempting to try to rush your way through or skip seemingly unimportant little steps in the interest of time.  But, as we’ve discovered, the best way to reach your end goal is to get there one small step at a time. Sure, you might encounter a few obstacles along the way, but by thinking small and taking challenges on one by one, you’ll be better equipped to handle them.  And that means little missteps won’t become enormous disasters.

In order to score, sometimes you have to pass the ball to the other guy. In soccer, you have to learn how to play as a team and the same is true in business.  Even if you’re the David Beckham of your office, you can’t do all of the “scoring” all of the time, so in your next meeting give your teammates the opportunity to speak and let the other guy be smarter.  After all, you already know what you know, so why not find out if anyone else has a better idea?

Hurting people doesn’t help. If you’re a soccer fan, chances are the event you remember most about the last World Cup wasn’t Italy’s big win; it was Zinedine Zidane’s headbutt heard ‘round the world. Although it may have felt gratifying in the moment for Zidane to attack his opponent, his actions resulted his expulsion from the game—and that may likely have cost France the win. The same holds true in business. While acting on your angry impulses might make you feel more powerful in the short term, it will only leave others with an unfavorable impression. And that can hurt you for years to come.

Talent will only get you so far.  As we like to say, it’s important to practice until you’re “letter perfect.” No matter how talented you are naturally, taking the time to hone your skills and prepare for an important event, such as a client presentation or a job interview, can boost your confidence, heighten your performance, and help you tackle any unforeseen challenges.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Sun, June 06, 2010 - 10:30:40

California Legslators Mandate B.Y.O.B. (Bring Your Own Bag)

Wednesday, in a big win for the green movement, lawmakers in California passed legislation banning the use of disposable plastic bags in pharmacies, supermarkets, convenience stores, and other retail establishments, in hopes that encouraging the use of “B.Y.O.B.” reusable bags would make a significant difference in the health of the environment.  It made us wonder how many of those little bags each of use every day without even noticing it—and what we found out was astounding.

According to PlanetGreen.com, every five seconds, 60 thousand plastic bags are used in the United States alone.  Over the course of a year, those little plastic bags add up to more than 500 billion worldwide—with some environmentalists estimating numbers as high as 1 trillion.  In other words, something as seemingly insignificant as a plastic bag can have a huge—and lasting—impact.  And by making one nearly effortless change, each of us can harness the power of small to change the world.

Don’t believe us?  Here are a few more surprising facts from Planet Green about the big impact those throw-away bags have:

• Each year 100,000 marine animals are killed by plastic bags floating in the ocean.
• Every one of the 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags that end up in landfills annually takes 400-1000 years to decompose.
• For every pound of plankton in some parts of the ocean, there are as many as six pounds of plastic bags.

While Californians will still have the option of a disposable paper bag at the checkout counter, the soon-to-be mandated five cent fee to use them is likely to persuade many shoppers to swap paper and plastic for reusable cloth bags.  But, for those people who don’t live in California, you don’t have to wait for it to become a law to make the simple switch. So, get small and get going!  In this instance, we think Mother Nature will be glad you did.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Sat, June 05, 2010 - 10:26:01

The Power of the Three-Day Weekend

It’s hard to believe, but summer is here and for some people that means family vacations, weekends at the beach, and fun in the sun with friends.  But if you’re like the 60 percent of Americans who can’t get away for a lengthy summer vacation, you can still experience the emotional benefit of a big trip even if you only have one Friday to spare. 

According to research published by Applied Research in Quality of Life earlier this year, the simple act of planning a vacation has a profound impact on personal happiness—and the best part is, the length of the vacation has no bearing on the positive effects planning and anticipation cause.  In the study conducted by scientists at Breda University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands, planning a vacation was even more effective at boosting mood levels than going on a very relaxing extended holiday.  While a vacation described as “very relaxing” had positive effects lasting two weeks, those enjoyed by vacation planners lasted four times as long.

It’s just another unexpected way in which “thinking small” can help you navigate everyday challenges and change your personal and professional life for the better. Not everyone can afford the time or money needed for a lavish summer getaway, but as the research findings illustrate, you don’t need to “go big” to experience a big benefit. Whether you plan a three-day “staycation” full of fun local activities with your family, or orchestrate a small-scale trip somewhere nearby, a little break can work wonders on your mood, allowing you to spread positive energy to everyone around you, starting a chain reaction with its own powerful mood-boosting effects.

So, this summer, stop staring longingly at the crashing waves on your screensaver, get SMALL, and start planning! Just one long weekend can leave you feeling good all summer.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Sat, May 29, 2010 - 9:24:11

A Little Superstition Can Bring You Luck

A few days ago, we received a wonderful email from one of our readers passing along a bit of information from a Wall Street Journal article called, “The Power of Lucky Charms.” Contrary to what you might think, the article wasn’t about the morning sugar rush you get from the breakfast cereal of the same name.  Instead it explained that scientists have discovered that the simple act of believing something will give you luck means it will.  In other words, with one simple mind trick, you can actually make yourself do better.

As Carl Bialik reports, a study being released out of Cologne in June found that the mere suggestion to golfers that they were playing with a “lucky” ball enhanced their performance by 35%.  And that’s a powerful idea that you can use to your advantage off the golf course as well.  In fact, by tricking your brain that a lucky shirt, tie, or pair of shoes will boost your fortunes, you can actually make yourself “luckier.”

Of course, the reality is that you’re not casting a magic spell that will secure your success. But, by giving yourself that little positive affirmation, you can increase your confidence—and that can have a dramatic effect on your productivity and achievement. In fact, Harvard Business School professor Rosabeth Moss Kanter writes in her book, Confidence: How Winning Streaks & Losing Streaks Begin & End, that confidence is a “fundamental attribute to success and can be enhanced through routines that activate talent.” And in this instance, that routine could be a lucky charm.

While trusting in a talisman to bring you good fortune throughout your life certainly should not be the main ingredient in your recipe for success, the soon-to-be-published study reveals once again the amazing role SMALL can play in shaping your life.  No, that lucky pen you’ve had since college probably isn’t imbued with magical powers, but if it makes you feel stronger and more prepared to carry it with you, why not bring it to your next important meeting?  If nothing else, it will give you an added bit of assurance, to help you really shine. 

Posted by Linda and Robin

Tue, May 25, 2010 - 9:43:23

Saying a Little Can Accomplish a Lot

Earlier today, we came across a post on Open Forum that really struck a chord with us and showed one more way in which SMALL can impact your business for the better. In it, Steve J. Martin, author of Yes! 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive tells the story of a real estate office that dramatically increased its business just by making one tiny and seemingly insignificant change. They slightly modified the way their receptionist transferred calls.

Instead of simply transferring callers to the appropriate agent, the receptionist at the brokerage now adds one tidbit about their credentials before putting calls through.  For example, Martin writes, “Customers interested in rental are told “Rental? I’ll connect you with Sandra who has over 15 years experience renting properties in this area.””

Martin reports that making that one tiny –and nearly effortless—change had the kind of effect you might expect only to generate from a dramatic one.  In fact, the brokerage saw a 20 percent increase in face-to-face meetings with agents after initial inquiry calls and a 16 percent increase in agents hired by callers.

It’s not an anomaly. SMALL can have a powerful effect on your businesses in a variety of ways, from profitability to company culture—and sometimes all it takes is a few little words to make big changes happen. 

For example, at the law firm Sullivan & Cromwell, executives couldn’t figure out why—despite their high salaries—attorneys left the company year after year.  Much to the firm’s dismay, the company had a 30% turnover after two years, but the reason remained a mystery.  After all, the health benefits were great and promotions were regularly awarded.  Then, when American Lawyer released its annual review, rating Sullivan & Cromwell near the very bottom for employee satisfaction, the light bulb flipped on: the young attorneys just didn’t feel appreciated.

So, the firm decided to implement one very simple solution: they required everyone, regardless of their position within the company, to use the words “please” and “thank-you” on a regular basis.  Immediately, the mood around the office began to shift.  Soon senior partners began making small talk with junior associates in the elevator, and people began politely asking rather than impatiently demanding that tasks be completed.  When the next annual review came around, guess who was ranked as the top employer?

It just goes to show you that no matter what your problem may be, the best solution isn’t always the biggest one.  It’s the little unexpected ideas that often make all the difference.  So, don’t be afraid to think small.  You never know what kind of power that seed of an idea might hold.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Mon, May 17, 2010 - 7:25:56

Striking it Rich

Think you have to make the pages of Forbes Magazine to be considered one of the world’s richest people?  Well, according to a new website, The Global Rich List, nothing could be further from the truth.  In fact, if your family earns the average household income in the United States, you’re in the top 0.97 percentile of earners worldwide.  Divide that amount in half and as MainStreet.com reports, you’re still in the top 10%. 

But, The Global Rich list isn’t about ranking the “haves” against the “have-nots” and comparing with your friends.  Instead, it’s about showing everyday people that it doesn’t take a Bill Gates budget to make a difference in the lives of others.  Each time you enter in your salary total, the website shows you multiple ways you could affect real change with the same amount of money you spend on the little things each day.
For example, when we visited the site, we learned:
• $8 could buy 15 organic apples at the supermarket OR 25 fruit trees to help farmers in Honduras earn a living.
• $30 could buy an ER DVD box set OR a First Aid kit to help an entire village in earthquake-ravaged Haiti.
• $73 could buy a new cell phone OR a mobile health clinic to treat orphans suffering from AIDS in Uganda.

These are just a few ways in which SMALL really can help change the world and it all starts with you.  After all, the world isn’t filled with Warren Buffetts and Richard Bransons and you don’t have to be just like them to make a difference.  All you have to do is recognize the amazing power even your littlest actions hold and harness it.  It could be as simple as purchasing a product that donates a portion of the proceeds to a cause you believe in or adding a dollar to your grocery bill to help children in need.  So, lend a hand because inside each of us is the potential to become a hero to someone else, no matter how small.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Fri, May 14, 2010 - 12:13:12

Don’t Overlook the Little Guy

For far too long, there’s been a pervasive misconception in the business world that bigger is better, with a focus on big ideas, big pictures, and big actions. But, unfortunately, big has been the trend not just from an idea standpoint, but from a physical one as well. For years we’ve been led to believe that short people are at a competitive disadvantage when it comes to career success. But thanks to a New York Times Science article by Jane E. Brody, those of us who are vertically challenged (present company included) can breathe a sigh of relief. It turns out that just like “the Five Second Rule” and “Feed a cold. Starve a fever,” the conventional wisdom that small people can’t get ahead is just an old wives’ tale.

Although popular opinion has dictated that kids of short stature have social difficulties, it’s really just a myth. Brody explains that researchers at the University of Michigan not only found that kids below the average height cope well with their size, but that being tall has little benefit—unless of course you enjoy wearing slinky evening gowns and loathe taking trips to the tailor.

In fact, as Brody writes of her own experience, growing up short might actually make you stronger, instead of serving as a detriment. Why? Because the little people learn early on that in order to get noticed, you have to speak up and be outgoing. No, it’s not the so-called Napoleon Complex—an outdated theory on small people and inferiority, which has been scientifically proven to be false—it’s just a fact of life. Just like the little details, little people are naturally easier to overlook. So, they quickly discover how to draw your eyes down to their level and hold your focus.

And as two petite women who made it to the top of our industry by making big impressions with small nice gestures, we think Brody might be on to something. No matter how tiny you might be, you can turn that perceived negative into a positive and achieve big things. Size isn’t a limitation, so don’t let it stop you. Get SMALL and get going! 

Posted by Linda and Robin

Thu, May 13, 2010 - 9:46:38

Self Tracking Tiny Behaviors Can Produce Big Results

What if we told you that just by keeping track of your habits, you could actually give yourself the power to break them?  It sounds like an odd proposition, but scientists are proving that such a simple solution is possible.  As Sunday’s New York Times Magazine reports, researchers have found that quantifying data in “real life” can have as great an impact as it can in a lab setting—only in a strikingly different way.  And it has a lot to do with the power of small.

From mindless overeating, to smoking, to having one too many cups of coffee, many bad habits are the result of a slow build, and psychologists have discovered over and over again that people have shockingly low awareness when it comes to their behaviors within a given amount of time.  Not convinced?  Well, just ask yourself how many potato chips you snuck from the bag this afternoon when no one was watching.  Can’t remember?  Well, you’re not alone.  According to clinical research, there’s a very simple reason you can’t recall: when you’re not motivated to notice something, you just don’t.

That’s why, if you want to make a real change in your life, one of the easiest ways to start is by quantifying it.  Whether you keep a food journal chronicling just one small change each week—like switching from 2 percent milk to skim one week, and ice cream to low fat fro-yo another—or keep track of the number of drinks you consume at a party with a smart phone app like this one, sweating the small stuff can make a dramatic difference in your life.

You might think that taking the time to record such trivial information would take a sizable chunk out of your day, but as Gary Wolf explains, our “net-centric” culture has already made data recording (and sharing) a part of many of our day to day lives.  Facebook statuses, Twitter updates, and Foursquare check-ins, to name a few, have already made recording your activities the new social norm.  So, with so many people already in the habit, tracking and recording a bad behavior isn’t such a stretch.

It’s just one more way that taking notice of the little things and “sweating the small stuff” can help you transform your life for the better.  Whether for your personal health, your professional growth, or even in your financial planning, looking at your problems bit by bit and making one tiny effort at a time to change them can help you achieve lasting success.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Tue, May 11, 2010 - 9:42:56

Even in the Global Marketplace, Little Mistakes Can Spell Disaster

Thursday we all felt our stomachs tighten when word spread across the news waves about the stock market’s 900 point drop, which occurred within a matter of twenty minutes. Although the market fortunately recouped much of the day’s losses before closing down 300 points, reports soon surfaced questioning whether one tiny mistake could have triggered the mass panic. Although the Dow later denied the reports, industry experts initially questioned whether the significant sell-offs may have been the result of what is known in the industry as a “fat finger trade.”  Or, to put it in layman’s terms: a typo.
Experts Thursday afternoon suspected that a trader may have accidentally typed a “b” for billion instead of an “m” for million when recording a trade earlier that day. And while officials have now deemed that the market turbulence was a result of fears swirling around Greece’s debt, it serves as a powerful reminder of the potent effect that one little error can have.
In this big world, it’s easy to feel like our little actions simply don’t matter. But, the truth is, something as little as a typo really can have life-altering consequences—not just for you, but for millions of others, too. Even though yesterday’s financial panic wasn’t the result of a tiny glitch, the mere possibility that it could have been is sobering.

Fortunately, there’s an easy way to prevent a disaster—whether personal or professional—from occurring: sweat the small stuff. When you take the time to hone in on the little details and make sure they are “letter-perfect,” you can virtually eliminate the risk of an unintended slip-up. Certainly accidents happen, but making simple efforts to prevent them—like proofreading a document just one more time or making sure you’re pressing “reply” instead of “reply all” on an email—can make a dramatic impact.

So, forget the notion that “thinking big” is the only way to get ahead and “think small.”  Instead of getting caught-up in the details, you just might find they’ll catch you before you fall.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Sat, May 01, 2010 - 8:54:41

Elizabeth Post Passes Away, But Her Message Lives On

“Etiquette is meant to smooth the path between people to better relationships.” –Elizabeth Post (1920-2010)

Earlier this week marked the passing of an important figure in American culture, when Elizabeth Post, granddaughter-in-law of Emily Post and longtime director of the Emily Post Institute passed away at age 89.  Considered by many to be the foremost expert on all things etiquette, Post played an important role in re-interpreting the rules of decorum to suit modern life.  And it serves as a reminder that no matter how times may change, politeness never goes out of style.

Although you might think of etiquette as a kind of “pinkies up” pretentiousness, that couldn’t be further from the truth.  As Post herself once said, being polite has much less to do with using the right knife with your fish, as it does with “having a kind attitude towards everyone.”

In our on-the-go, wireless world, having good manners might seem irrelevant, but the truth is, being polite is one of the easiest ways you can plant positive seeds wherever you go—even virtually.  The little things you say and do in life and online, like thanking a cashier at the supermarket, holding the elevator for a stranger, or even thanking a “follower” for a friendly re-tweet, are like the tiny brushstrokes that paint the portrait of who you are.  And while just one rude slip can leave a lasting negative impression, a practically effortless nice gesture can leave others feeling great and you looking even better.

Even in 2010, when the world around us is constantly evolving, etiquette is just as important as it was when Elizabeth Post began giving advice in 1965 because everyone matters.  And by showing others common courtesy—whether they are strangers on the street or old friends—you instantly make them feel like they do. 

Posted by Linda and Robin

Fri, April 30, 2010 - 3:01:23

Starting Today, Make Your Car a “No Phone Zone”

It’s something many of us do every day.  A seemingly innocuous behavior that’s become commonplace over the years, and one that can have tragically life-altering consequences: distracted driving.  We all know about the dangers of drinking and driving, but the simple act of talking or texting on your mobile phone while behind the wheel can be just as hazardous, if not more so. 

In fact, a recent study revealed that drivers “under the influence” of handheld tech devices are just as likely to get in an accident as those driving while over the legal alcohol limit.  It’s a frightening but true statistic: each year nearly 500,000 people are injured and 6,000 killed in traffic accidents caused by distracted drivers.  But, by making one small change—pledging put down the phone and go “hands-free” in the car—you could actually save lives.  That’s why today is National No Phone Zone Day, an initiative started by Oprah Winfrey, in an attempt to raise awareness about this dangerous little habit—and eradicate it.

It’s a perfect example of how the power of small truly can save lives, and as a result, change the world.  Although you might think your smallest actions don’t matter, the reality is that every moment, the little things you do build upon one another to shape the course of not only your life, but the lives of others. One person can make an enormous impact and something as simple as a text message can change your life forever.  It might sound unlikely, but it happens every day.

So, why not make today the day you start thinking small?  Beginning with this one tiny change, you can start to immediately see how little things really do make all the difference.

To learn more about National No Phone Zone Day and sign the pledge, click here.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Tue, April 27, 2010 - 8:47:10

What Business People Can Learn from Olympic Gold Medalist, Evan Lysacek

As we mention in our book, THE POWER OF SMALL: Why Little Things Make All the Difference, Robin is an avid figure skater.  So, when we came across a story in the Wall Street Journal about men’s figure skating champion Evan Lysacek’s journey to the top of his sport, we had to read on.  And as we discovered, Evan and Robin have more in common than just skating.  In fact, they both reached the peak of their respective professions by “thinking small.”

After a disastrous performance at the Torino Games in 2006, Lysacek returned to his sport with newfound commitment and used his past difficulties as a way to fuel his competitive spirit.  “Whenever something would go wrong, I’d just add it to my tool belt of experiences,” Lysacek tells the Wall Street Journal, “I’d remind myself of that moment in Torino when I could have given up, but didn’t.”

It’s a classic example of the way in which optimists react to setbacks.  Instead of berating himself for his lack of success, as a pessimist might, Lysecek turned his failure into a learning experience and vowed to try again—and do better next time.

With practice and perseverance, Lysacek nurtured his talents, and within four years, became a powerful force in the skating world.  And although not all of us have gold medal dreams, it’s a mindset that can work in a wide range of areas, particularly business.  In fact, WSJ columnist Alexandra Levitt writes, “Accomplished career changers tend to chip away at their new fields a little at a time, and when circumstances swing out of their favor, they never lose sight of the end goal.”

It’s what Robin calls “skating your program:” being conscious of where you are at every moment and maintaining intense focus.  Inevitably, there will be times when things just don’t go your way—you fall down, your ideas are rejected, or you just have a bad day.  But, it’s the ability to maintain your momentum and stay in the moment, instead of dwelling upon your missteps, that can help you win in the end. 

Posted by Linda and Robin

Tue, April 27, 2010 - 8:38:31

For Better or for Worse, it’s the Little Things that Matter

In the world of dating, there’s and oft repeated phrase men and women tell each other when searching for Mr. or Ms. Right: “Don’t sweat the small stuff.”  But, while singles are sometimes criticized for being too picky—writing off potential mates because of strange quirks and mildly annoying habits—research shows they might be on to something.  Why?  Because more often than not, it’s the so-called small stuff that can make or break a marriage. 

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Elizabeth Bernstein writes in the Wall Street Journal this week that although people tend to fixate on the big issues that affect marriages—particularly finances and fidelity—the little things that build up over time that are equally, if not even more important.  In fact, she even reports that one factor in the demise of a marriage was the manner in which a husband buttered his morning English muffins.

Although annoyances like leaving the toothpaste cap unscrewed or never unloading the dishwasher might seem innocuous, they shouldn’t be ignored.  Instead, Dr. Terri Orbuch, a psychologist and author of Five Simple Steps to Take Your Marriage From Good to Great, says to address the issues before they snowball, but to do so tactfully.  In short, in order to keep these little issues from steamrolling your marriage, it’s essential to adopt a few NICE tricks: stay positive, address the behavior, and resist the urge to criticize the person.  For example, instead of barking, “What is the matter with you? You always leave the toilet seat up!” try using a little humor and nicely say, “Going for a surprise dip this morning sure helped me wake up, but I would really appreciate it if you could please put the toilet seat down.”

Of course, keeping the small stuff in check shouldn’t be a one sided endeavor.  In fact, the little things each of us do—seemingly trivial actions that might drive our partners crazy—can actually have a profound effect on marital happiness and longevity.  So, don’t discount their importance and instead, be mindful of how the little things you do affect your spouse and take the initiative to improve upon them, one step at a time.  After all, something as simple as rinsing off your plate before loading the dishwasher could actually make or break your marriage.

Recognizing the power even our smallest gestures possess and making tiny changes as needed isn’t just a simple way to strengthen your partnership, it’s actually a key to ensuring your good health.  As a recent article by Tara Parker Pope of the New York Times reports, happy marriages are vital to longevity, while unhappy unions and divorces can have serious health consequences.  In fact, happily married people are significantly less likely to develop a wide range of serious illnesses, including heart disease and diabetes, and are more apt to heal from injuries and recover from infections. 

It’s just another example of how sweating the small stuff can’t just change your life, it can extend it.  So, the next time you trip over a pair of shoes left in the hallway or clean up yet another abandoned dirty dish, don’t silently stew and allow your frustration to build; instead clear the air in a NICE way and enjoy the “better” side of coupledom.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Wed, April 21, 2010 - 9:30:50

How Do You Create a “Bang! Idea?”  Lighten Up.

In her post this week on the Harvard Business Review Blog, Rosabeth Moss Kanter tells the story of former BBC head, Greg Dyke, who fostered an atmosphere of creativity at the network that resulted in the launch of successful shows like the original version of the smash-hit comedy, The Office.  But, contrary to what you might expect from a network exec, he didn’t do it by driving a hard line. 

Instead, he went a different route, printing out little yellow cards—like the penalty cards soccer referees use—emblazoned with the humorous motto “Cut the crap.  Make it happen,” which employees could use to cut the tension during meetings.  And it’s a philosophy we understand well here at our agency, The Kaplan Thaler Group.  Many times, when you’re looking for the next creative breakthrough, all you have to do is lighten up.

Believe it or not, scientists have actually proven that kidding around with your coworkers before a meeting can make you more productive.  Dr. Chris Robert, a psychologist at the University of Mississippi discovered that humor at work not only increases on-the-job performance, it actually makes you more creative, and our own experiences can prove it.  In fact, when starting a new ad campaign, we make a point to make a little small talk and crack a few jokes before beginning our brainstorming sessions.  And with results like the creation of the iconic Aflac Duck and the hilarious Swiffer “Dysfunctional Relationships” campaign, there’s no question that SMALL works.

Best of all, the little act of lightening up with your team can have a huge—and immediate—return on investment.  As we like to say, small talk is the social lubricant that brings people together, regardless of their differences and many times, that’s all you need to get those “Bang! ideas” flowing. 

Posted by Linda and Robin

Tue, April 20, 2010 - 9:34:18

5 Big Reasons to Think Small in Business

A few days ago, we came across a headline on OPENforum that really caught our attention.  “Top 10 Reasons Thinking Big is Better in Business,” began the article by Entrepreneur Contributing Editor, Michael Port. While Port explains in his article that many of his keys to success actually have to do with being NICE, we’d have to disagree with the assertion that thinking bigger is always better.  In fact, despite the conventional wisdom that in order to achieve, you have to “go big or go home,” we believe that thinking small is the true secret to success. 

Don’t believe us?  Well, here are a few of our favorite BIG reasons why you should think small, whether you’re a fledgling entrepreneur or a seasoned CEO.

It’s a “byte-sized” world. It’s truly become a “small world after all” thanks to the immense popularity of social media and in our “GoogMyTwitFace” culture, even our smallest online actions are available for public view and commentary.  That means the power to improve our lives (and livelihoods) isn’t just a click of a mouse away; paying attention to the small things can set you apart from the competition, while failing to can leave you in the dust.

Everyone matters. One of the problems with thinking big is that it often overlooks the little guy.  But, the truth is, every person matters and each one of us has the power to make great contributions.  And as countless stories in our book explain, sometimes the best “Bang! ideas” come from the most unexpected sources.

Small actions tell a larger story.  When you stop sweating the small stuff and only look at the big picture, you miss out on some of the most important parts of business—those telling instances we call DNA moments.  One sideways glance from a potential client or a kind little gesture from a new hire can provide stunning insight not available in the latest quarterly report or annual review.

A little good goes a long way. There’s a common misconception that you have to take big risks in order to see a big reward.  But in reality, every interaction—from a friendly call to a client, to a meeting with an associate, or an email to an applicant—is an opportunity to excel on a small level.  And when you dismantle your grand plans to take them on one mini-task at a time, you can better see how they all can build you up.

Little mistakes can spell disaster. You’ve probably heard the expression, “Don’t sweat the small stuff,” and maybe you’ve even said it yourself.  But, particularly in today’s wired world, one little mistake can cause unintended controversy and possibly negate all of your hard work, especially when it comes to business.  That’s why it pays to pay attention to the little details and make sure you’re letter perfect every time.

So, don’t get caught up in the “big” hype.  As the famous Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu once mused, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”  So, keep that final destination in mind, but don’t forget the way to get there.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Thu, April 15, 2010 - 9:40:39

Corporate America is Reading THE POWER OF SMALL!

One year after THE POWER OF SMALL: Why Little Things Make All the Difference became an instant national bestseller, people are still discovering how the small things can change your life, both professionally and personally.  According to 1-800-CEO-READ, THE POWER OF SMALL was a top 10 business book for the month of March, proving once again that “thinking small” is the next big thing.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Sat, April 10, 2010 - 3:01:48

Little Feelings Can Have a Huge Impact on Your Health

Last week on the NICE Blog, we discussed how, contrary to popular opinion, your interpersonal relationships are vital to your long-term career success.  Although conventional wisdom dictates that you have to sacrifice your personal relationships for your professional growth, scientific research has shown that is simply untrue, and now a new study covered by USA Today reveals that your interpersonal relationships are more important than ever.  In fact, ignoring them can have serious health consequences—both emotionally and physically.

While it might seem inconsequential, science is proving that the little yet persistent feeling of loneliness is far from insignificant.  In addition to a host of emotional problems loneliness can trigger, lonely people have significantly higher blood pressure and markedly lower immune systems.  That means not only do lonely people get sick more often, it’s harder fight off an illness once it arises.

That’s why it’s essential to make the little effort throughout your life to maintain your relationships, even if you can’t get together on a regular basis.  In fact, the negative impact of loneliness has far less to do with being alone than it does with a simple solitary feeling.  So, small gestures like trading emails with friends, chatting on Facebook, or even sending a handwritten note can have a profound health benefit, not only emotionally, but physically as well.

Another proven reducer of feeling lonely is helping others.  Known among behavioral psychologists as the “helper’s high,” the hormones released while committing a small, random act of kindness can help fight off the feelings of alienation and sadness typically associated with loneliness. 

So, if you feel that little lonely feeling creeping up on you, don’t disregard it and let it take hold.  Instead, use the power of your tiniest actions to fight it off.  After all, in this instance, something as little as an email could help save your life.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Fri, April 09, 2010 - 2:55:48

Beyond Facial Expressions: Emotional Clues are Everywhere

Earlier this week, we read a fascinating New York Times article about Kathleen Bogart, a psychology researcher at Tufts University who was conducting specialized research on emotional cognition among people with a rare disorder known as Moebius syndrome.  The condition is most often associated with partial, and in some cases, total facial paralysis, leaving its sufferers unable to emote through facial expressions.  But, as Bogart’s research has shown, although individuals stricken with the illness are unable to mimic facial cues during social exchanges, they have developed other powerful abilities in the area of non-verbal communication. 

And as a sufferer of Moebius syndrome herself, Bogart understands this first hand.

“At a party, I feel like I can tell whether someone will be worth talking to within seconds,” she tells the New York Times. “I can read people’s comfort level, or whether they can work through discomfort, very quickly.”

Because sufferers of the syndrome are unable to mimic emotive responses in order to connect with others, an unconscious behavior innate to human interaction, Bogart’s research demonstrates that they have naturally become more attuned to other important emotional cues people give, such as tone of voice and body language.
Although most of us look directly to people’s facial expressions and words to learn how they are feeling, many times, these traditional emotional signifiers can actually lead us astray.  Instead, many times you can find the truth in unexpected places.

For example, if you want to find out if someone is telling the truth, particularly someone who is skilled in public speaking and the art of massaging the facts, don’t look them in the eye.  Instead, glance down at their feet and take note of the direction in which they are pointing.  Yes, as strange as it may sound, the position of a person’s feet can tell you a lot more than their words might—and if they’re pointing away from you and toward the door, you might want to walk in the other direction because such posturing indicates deception and a desire to flee.

But even before you look, it’s essential to listen intently and take careful note of the nuances of their tone of voice.  Are they speaking in a slightly higher pitch than usual?  Are they ending statements with a tiny lift, as if asking a question?  Criminal Investigators and psychologists claim that both can provide valuable insight into a person’s truthfulness.

It’s just another way in which sweating the small stuff can help you navigate the challenges of your professional and personal life.  Instead of discounting the little details you notice during a conversation, you can use them to your advantage, but only if you recognize the intense power they hold.  So, pay attention to what’s right in front of you.  You never know what answers you may discover.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Sun, April 04, 2010 - 1:42:19

Little Comments Can Have a Big Impact

Earlier this week, we came across a Letter to the Editor of the New York Times that really caught our attention and reminded us once again of the amazing power even our smallest actions—and words—can have.  In her letter, Denise McQuighan of Gaithersburg, Md., writes:

I have always believed that the suggestion that girls were not as good as boys in math was detrimental to the self-confidence of many of my female friends in high school, and a factor for some of them who chose college majors with limited math requirements.

I decided to inoculate my daughter against this cultural stereotype by mentioning casually every now and then that I thought girls were naturally better at math. She is now pursuing a Ph.D. in applied math at Brown.

And it made us think of an experience we had while working with the Girl Scouts a few years ago, when they came to us for a campaign that would promote math and science to girls in their “tweens.”  Even though girls had been proven to outperform their male counterparts in both subjects in elementary school, their interest and confidence suddenly plummeted once the girls hit middle school. 

None of the mothers in the focus groups we conducted could figure out the problem; all thought they were being supportive in every way possible.  And then we heard one little, off-hand comment that changed everything.  After the third day of interviewing participants, one mother mentioned to us as she was getting ready to leave that she wanted to record a science special on television for her daughter, but since her husband was out of town, she wouldn’t be able to, since she was “not really good with all that technology stuff,” continuing, “I think it’s a girl thing.”

It was one of those “light bulb” moments when we realized that moms weren’t purposely perpetuating the myth that girls couldn’t do math and science.  Instead, they were inadvertently passing along their own insecurities about the subjects with the casual, little comments they made every day.  Just as Denise McQuighan’s occasional, offhand remarks that girls are naturally better at math may have helped to steer her daughter toward her present career path, so, too, did the little comments countless other moms made steer their daughters away—albeit unconsciously.
It’s just another example of the profound impact our tiniest actions can have in our own lives and in the lives of others.  The little messages we give ourselves and others with a quick quip, a sideways glance, or even a slight hesitation, can build up over time and make a big impression.  So, take notice and make sure it’s a positive one.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Fri, April 02, 2010 - 1:34:08

The Magic of Small

There’s no question that we live in a time where big problems are the norm, with wars overseas, natural disasters, and economic woes on the minds of many.  Amid all of these overwhelming issues, it can seem like the little things we do simply don’t matter.  But, in truth, it’s our smallest gestures that can have the greatest impact on the lives of others.  And that’s why an NBC Nightly News “Making a Difference” story airing earlier this week really touched our hearts.  In the midst of a waging war, one American soldier discovered that he had the power to cross cultural divides, heal the injured, and raise broken spirits.  And he got his power from one surprising source: magic.

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When National Guard combat medic Scott Anderson was deployed to Iraq, he never imagined that his most valuable skill would be one they didn’t teach in boot camp, but a beloved hobby.  Yet, when faced with the painful situation of comforting a severely injured Iraqi child, Anderson discovered first-hand that sometimes the most heroic acts can also be the smallest.  Although he couldn’t perform a miracle surgery to alleviate the child’s suffering, he could distract him with magic trick—and for a moment make the little patient’s pain disappear.

After seeing the amazing effect one little magic trick had on the young burn victim, Anderson began performing his magic tricks for patients in medical units, locals in Iraqi towns, and even large audiences of American soldiers in need of light-hearted entertainment.  One by one, he made a difference in the lives of countless people from all walks of life, turning what he thought was a trivial hobby into an unexpected way to help others.

It’s just another amazing way in which SMALL works every day, in any situation.  When confronted with big problems, you really can solve them one small step at a time.  It doesn’t take a grand gesture or a huge sacrifice—sometimes all it takes is a little magic.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Fri, March 26, 2010 - 10:15:44

Schmooze or Lose

In our book, THE POWER OF SMALL: Why Little Things Make All the Difference, we discuss how the simple, often discounted act of making small talk can have a big impact on your life, both professionally and personally. So, we were pleasantly surprised when we discovered John Baldoni’s post on the art of making small talk with your boss on The Conversation this week.

In his post, Baldoni discusses how doing your homework and learning to read people’s non-verbal signals can help you prepare for both expected (organized, work-related events) and unexpected (running into your boss at the grocery store) encounters with people of authority.  Then, when you’re faced with the opportunity to schmooze with the big boss, you can seize it.

But, whether you’re trying to make a great impression on a corporate higher-up or want to enhance your relationships with colleagues, clients, and vendors at work, perfecting the art of small talk can give you a powerful professional advantage.  And in our age of email and IM, it’s a skill that can really set you apart from the pack.  So, here are a few of our own small tips to help you get a conversation flowing:

Ask questions. As a kid, you probably heard the old saying, “Curiosity killed the cat,” but in reality, we think the only thing curiosity kills is the competition.  In fact, asking questions is one of the easiest ways to give life to a conversation and really get the other person talking.  Not only does asking open-ended questions showcase your listening skills, it allows the other person to expand on one of their favorite topics: themselves.  And what could be more seductive than someone who finds you utterly fascinating?

Find common ground. When making conversation with an imposing figure, like an important new client or your boss’ boss, it can be an intimidating and stressful experience. But as John Baldoni reminds readers in his post, in the end they are all just people.  So, why not look for common ground on a neutral topic, such as a favorite vacation spot, a local restaurant, or even the weather?
 
Give a compliment. Although many people avoid giving compliments for fear that their genuine words of kindness will come across as smarmy, chances are that they won’t, particularly if you are sensitive enough to worry about it.  So, the next time you learned something from a presentation given by one of your coworkers or think your colleague’s new haircut looks fantastic, let them know.  Not only will it help facilitate a friendly discussion, it will strengthen your relationship and foster your overall communication skills.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Wed, March 24, 2010 - 11:34:50

New Weight Loss Research is Daunting for Women, but SMALL Can Help

If new research findings published in today’s Journal of the American Medical Association have you feeling overwhelmed, you’re not alone.  The study conducted by Harvard University’s Brigham and Women Hospital concludes that women, particularly those in their forties and beyond, must exercise for at least one hour a day in order to simply maintain their weight, which seems like a tall order for most women navigating the challenges of everyday life.  With the demands of family, career, finances, and friends, it can be difficult to find time to squeeze in that daily workout, not to mention the energy needed to complete it.  But, fortunately, we’ve discovered a method that can help you meet this tough fitness goal while staying motivated in the process. 

All you have to do is get SMALL and get going.

The first step is to find that extra hour each day to devote to your exercise plan.  But, with so much to do, finding 60 spare minutes can seem like an impossible task. By cutting through the clutter and learning to manage your time more effectively, however, you really can do it.

Start by writing down a list of all of your habits which you consider “time-wasters” and for the next two days, try to pay close attention to your behavior. Then, each time you find yourself taking part in a “time-waster” activity, make a note of it on your list. 

When the two days have passed, take a look at your list and calculate all of the time you spent on activities like aimlessly surfing the internet or flipping though the TV channels without watching anything in particular.  With 57% of Americans admitting to wasting at least one hour per day at work alone, it shouldn’t be before you scrounge up the time you need to get moving.

Once you’ve cleared your schedule and made working out a daily to-do, try using our favorite tip for staying motivated, even when your muscles aren’t: count backwards.  When you begin your workout, set your stopwatch, kitchen timer, or alarm clock for ten minutes.  Once the alarm goes off, celebrate your first small victory and reset the timer for nine more minutes, then eight, then seven, and so on, until you reach zero, making sure to pat yourself on the back as you finish each increment.  Before you know it, 55 minutes will have passed, leaving you five more to cool down and stretch.

Of course, there will inevitably be times when squeezing in an hour-long work-out session just isn’t feasible, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still accomplish your goals.  The key, in this instance, is to use your time-waster checklist to identify hidden opportunities for a mini-workout.  For example, if you’re waiting for the bus, why waste time just standing there when you can start walking to the next stop?  Or, if you’re sitting around in the office kitchen waiting for your lunch to heat up, why not grab a few soup cans and do two minutes of bicep and tricep curls?  Even swapping your desk chair for an exercise ball for a few minutes each day can help you burn calories with ease.

So, if Harvard’s daunting new medical findings have you feeling down, don’t be.  With a just a few small changes, you’ll soon find yourself looking leaner and feeling better.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Sun, March 21, 2010 - 2:27:21

Bloggers Rediscover the Power of “Snail” Mail

Photo courtesy of The Package Project.

When was the last time you received a handwritten letter in the mail from a friend?

No matter how long ago, chances are, you can still easily remember this simple event not only for the wonderful way it made you feel, but for its sheer rarity.  In our wired world, more often than not, today’s mailboxes are filled with catalogues, bills, and little else—but in our book, THE POWER OF SMALL: Why Little Things Make All the Difference, we explain how this very fact presents a little opportunity to make a big positive impression. 

Whether you use a well-crafted thank you note to wow a potential employer or find the opportunity to reconnect with a long-lost friend the old fashioned way, a letter scribed in your own hand carries with it a uniquely personal presence that is particularly impactful in our new culture of e-mail and social networking.  And now, the very people who brought words like “Twitter” and “Facebook” into the pop-culture vernacular are rediscovering the power of snail mail with a new blogging initiative called The Package Project.

As PSFK reports, The Package Project was launched in an effort to build a low-tech social network of bloggers.  Synthesizing current trends with age-old traditions, The Package Project takes social networking offline and allows bloggers to learn about one another by exchanging letters and packages in the mail, instead of by reading each other’s online profiles.  The process is simple: bloggers from all over the world sign up for the project and are given an address at random by the project founder.  Then, they after trading packages with their assigned pal, each participant snaps a photo of the contents they received and uploads it to a website for everyone to see and share in the excitement—all while swapping a few ideas along the way.

It’s just one more in a growing number of examples of how people are “thinking small” and harnessing the power of nice in order to create a more meaningful online experience, and how little by little, we truly can reshape the world around us.

So, whether or not you’re a blogger enrolled in The Package Project, the next time you have a thought you want to email a friend, stop and ask yourself, “is this note-worthy?” Then dust off that neglected stationery and get writing.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Sat, March 20, 2010 - 2:33:08

Spring Cleaning the SMALL Way

After a long winter, we think it’s safe to say that nearly everyone is looking forward to spring’s return this weekend.  But with the warmer weather and the upcoming springtime holidays comes a chore few of us welcome: spring cleaning.  Luckily, there’s a method we discuss in our book, THE POWER OF SMALL: Why Little Things Make All the Difference, which can help you quickly and painlessly spruce up your place and you don’t have to sacrifice your whole weekend to do it.  We like to call it “stealth cleaning.”

With all of the commitments of everyday life, full time jobs, and busy families, it can seem overwhelming and nearly impossible to maintain a home worthy of a Martha Stewart Living feature, but by taking a few tips from professional organizer Molly Boren, you can get closer to your goals one small step at a time.  The trick is to make gradual adjustments to your typical behavior, instead of trying to accomplish everything all at once. 

The change in seasons gives you the perfect opportunity to get started on clearing out the clutter and there’s no better place to start than in your closet.  After all, you’ll already be swapping your cozy clothes for your stored warmer-weather wear, so while you’re at it, why not sort out anything that’s damaged, out of style, or no longer fits?  Then, once you’ve thrown away or donated those items, place a “donation bag” in your closet to fill up until autumn rolls around.

Another way to ease the spring cleaning stress is to concentrate on one small area at a time, cleaning everything you can in 15 minute increments.  In order to select a space, make a telescope shape with your hands and zero in on one particularly cluttered or dusty area, set your timer, and start cleaning.  By completing this small task every other evening, you will have cleaned for one hour a week without even noticing it.

So, if the prospect of getting your home in tip-top shape for the new season has you feeling anxious, take a deep breath, relax, and think small.  By taking it on one mini-task at a time, you can make those seemingly impossible to-do’s surprisingly simple.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Sun, March 14, 2010 - 1:39:41

In Cover Letters, the Details Matter

There’s no question that in today’s challenging job market, even the smallest details count.  With hundreds and sometimes thousands of candidates competing for a single, elusive position, it’s important to take every opportunity to get noticed by busy and often over-loaded hiring managers and one of the best ways to start is with a carefully crafted cover letter.  But, as Wednesday’s Wall Street Journal explains, your first introduction to prospective employers shouldn’t just showcase who you are.  Instead, you need to make it personal, and there’s no better way to do so than by sweating the small stuff.

As we like to say, “Little mistakes can spell disaster,” especially when it comes to a cover letter.  In fact, Wall Street Journal writer Sarah Needleman explains that while only 20% of job applicants take the time to include cover letters with their resumes, a whopping 30% of those sent out include glaring typos, which one top HR professional confides can dash an otherwise outstanding candidate’s chances. 

But, in this new economic climate, it’s not enough for your introductory letter to simply be “letter perfect.”  It needs to be personalized as well.  Of course, it’s essential to avoid template-style notes and customize the content to suit the unique requirements the job at hand, but by doing a little research and finding out a few details about the recipient, you can give yourself a real competitive advantage.  And with information literally at our fingertips thanks to the prevalence of professional networking sites like LinkedIn, there’s no excuse not to. 

For example, if you conduct a quick internet search and learn that your prospective hiring manager attended your alma mater, why not mention it?  If you share a membership to the same trade group or professional association, let them know this as well.  By establishing a common link with a virtual stranger, you not only implant a positive connection in their mind, you will automatically become more memorable, transforming yourself from “just another candidate” to “the person who went to my school” or “the fellow member of my network.”

So, keep on sweating the small stuff by proof reading those letters, but next time take one step further and make it personal.  By creating a memorable identity through highlighting your shared bonds, before long you might have one more thing in common.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Thu, March 11, 2010 - 5:47:36

For Entrepreneurs, Taking the Small Stuff Literally Can Result in Big Wins

Whether or not you’re a fan of country music, chances are you’ve at least heard of the Grammy-winning trio, Lady Antebellum, a group that has made the rapid rise from songwriting collaborators to chart-topping hit makers in just a few short years.  But, as yesterday’s article in USA Today points out, the popular act didn’t make it to the top of their industry by thinking big.  Instead, they got there by doing things the SMALL way… literally.

Brian Mansfield reports that when the three artists decided to pursue music full-time and strike out on their own as songwriting and performing partners, they packed up their belongings and moved in to one tiny motel room in an effort to keep their costs low.  And while, of course, it was a wise move that helped them save money, we also suspect that it fueled their creativity.

Why?  Because, when we started The Kaplan Thaler Group little more than a decade ago, we did something very similar, and made the conscious decision to save money by working in a space that was too small for us.  By operating in our cramped-yet-economical quarters, we were free from the paralyzing fear many budding entrepreneurs feel when faced with writing the monthly rent check. As a result, we were able to focus more on creating great ads and winning new business during our agency’s critical early stages. 

Sure, it was a little close for comfort, but it was a good thing, too, because it helped to set the foundation for the agency we are today.  In fact, we discovered that when people work together in small spaces it actually encourages collaboration and inspires creativity. 

Although we’ve all been told for years to “go big or go home,” we’ve found time and time again that such a mindset is largely self-defeating.  In fact, for new business owners, it can be a fatal error. One of the main reasons many budding entrepreneurs ultimately fail is that they don’t start small.  Instead, they “go big” too quickly by over committing to excess space or inventory, which inevitably results in even bigger losses.

Leonardo Da Vinci once said, “Small rooms or dwellings discipline the mind.” So, whether you’re an emerging artist or an up-and-coming small business owner, remember the words of the Old Master and start small.  Even if you think don’t have enough square footage at first, you can always expand.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Sun, March 07, 2010 - 10:55:53

A Small Investment

Grace Groner was, by all accounts, an everyday woman.  Having never married, she lived a modest life, alone in a small cottage in Illinois and worked for many years as an administrator at a local technology company.  But Groner had one big secret—and it had more than a little to do with the power of small.

After Groner passed away in January at the age of 100, her alma mater, Lake Forest University received the surprise of a century.  Grace Groner had bequeathed them $7 million.

No, this wasn’t an instance of “little mistakes spell disaster.”  The sum wasn’t a typo.  In fact, over the years, Groner had humbly—and quietly—become a multi-millionaire thanks to one small investment of $180 she made more than 60 years ago. 

After taking a job as a secretary at Abbot Laboratories, Groner was given the opportunity to purchase three shares of the company stock, valued then at $60 each.  But, as the years passed, the shares slowly grew in value until they were worth an astounding $7 million. 

That’s the power of small. And it’s just one more example of how even our smallest actions can have a dramatic impact on our lives and in the lives of others. Although Groner probably never imagined that her little purchase at the start of her career would someday help her fund a new program allowing college students to study abroad, that one small action in fact had the power to effect great change in the lives of others for years to come. 

Posted by Linda and Robin

Fri, March 05, 2010 - 10:10:05

Operation NiCE Highlights the Power of Small Talk

One of the things we love most about social media is its uncanny ability to connect us with other NICE- and SMALL-minded folks simply by pressing a button and this week we’ve come across quite a number of amazing bloggers with kindness and simplicity at the core of what they do.  But, it was a post from one of our old favorites, Melissa Morris Ivone of Operation NiCE, which really got our attention.  In her post, “The Power of Small Talk” she tells the story of one of her readers, Julie B., who discovered for the first time that a little seemingly insignificant chit-chat can make a positive difference in the lives of others.  In other words, there’s nothing small about small talk.

Julie B. writes to Operation NiCE:

When I was super pregnant last summer before my son was born, I remember walking through the hall at work one day. There was a guy up ahead of me, and as he went through the door he held it open for me. I said thanks, but as I didn’t know the guy, I was pretty much going to ignore him and keep on walking. But he made a comment to me that has stuck with me, and just completely made my day.

Although the kind man who held the door for Julie B. probably never imagined his off-hand remark would have such a powerful effect, in the end it became a comforting thought for a mom-to-be.
It’s just one more example of the amazing ways in which small talk works every day.

In our wired world, we often discount the notion of small talk as frivolous or simply a waste of time, but in truth, small talk is the social lubricant that brings people together, regardless of their differences, and gets the big things started.  So, if you’re blazing through life with those lips zipped, why not take a few minutes each day to stop and shoot the breeze? 

Even if you’re shy, it doesn’t take much to get the conversation going.  In fact, it can be as simple as giving someone else a compliment.  After all, who would be averse to hearing that someone else likes their taste in shoes or thinks they have on a fabulous pair of earrings?  Although your small words of praise might feel inconsequential, you never know what that little confidence-boost could do for someone else.

So what are you waiting for?  Get SMALL and get talking!  With just a few little words, you really can make a big difference.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Sun, February 28, 2010 - 12:16:41

The Power of Checklists

Since its release in December, surgeon and New Yorker staff writer Atul Gawande’s book, The Checklist Manifesto, has been generating quite a buzz within the medical community.  In his book, he proposes that physicians, nurses, and hospital staffers could greatly benefit from using one simple tool: a checklist. 

Gawande’s manifesto, based upon research he conducted on procedures commonly used in the aviation, investment, and construction industries, is geared largely toward the medical community. But as, Justin Fox, editorial director of the Harvard Business Review Group writes, the surprisingly transformative power of checklists is applicable to nearly any profession.  And, as long-time devotees, we couldn’t agree more.  In fact, it’s something we discuss in our own book, THE POWER OF SMALL: Why Little Things Make All the Difference.

Whether you’re a surgeon, a CEO, or a mom-in-chief, turning your hectic schedule into a manageable routine is as easy as writing out a to-do list, but in order to really make this tool work for you, it’s essential to think small.  When faced with a busy day or an overwhelming deadline, it’s tempting to compose a short checklist full of large tasks, but doing so is self-defeating.  Instead, allow yourself a few more minutes to collect your thoughts and use a technique we call “mini-tasking.” 

Start by closing your eyes and visualizing your end goal, such as giving an important presentation.  Then, rewind your thoughts and imagine every step you need to take in order to make your main objective happen and write them down one by one in chronological order.  Although some of the mini-tasks you come up with may seem trivial or mundane, don’t leave them out.  After all, in the heat of the moment, it’s easy to forget the so-called “small stuff” and as we like to say, “little mistakes can spell disaster.”

When you have completed your checklist, don’t forget to read it over several times to check for any errors or omissions.  Then, once you are ready, grab your checklist and start crossing off those mini-tasks.  Working little by little, you will be able to concentrate and think clearly without becoming overwhelmed by the weight of your end goal and by completing each actionable item one at a time, you can use the confidence you gain from your small wins to fuel you on until the end.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Sat, February 27, 2010 - 11:47:42

Unexpected Side Effects Lead to Unbelievable Breakthroughs

Life coaches, confidence experts, and psychologists will tell you that scrutinizing every wrinkle in the mirror isn’t great for your self confidence and we’d have to agree. But what if we told you that by doing just that, one woman inadvertently sparked the inspiration for a scientific breakthrough that revolutionized the cosmetic surgery industry as we knew it?

Well, as a recent report by TODAY medical editor Dr. Nancy Snyderman explains, that’s exactly what happened when an ophthalmology patient in Vancouver noticed an unexpected, yet pleasant, side effect caused by the therapeutic botulinim toxin forehead injections used to treat her chronic eyelid spasms: her wrinkles were disappearing before her eyes.

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Astounded by her findings, the patient reported back to her opthamologist, Dr. Jean Carruthers, about the seemingly miraculous rejuvenation of her skin and instead of dismissing what she had to say, Dr. Carruthers listened intently and discussed it with her husband, a dermatologist.  Intrigued by the possibilities, the two set forth on nearly a decade worth of medical research and in the end made a discovery that launched a multi-billion dollar a year industry.

What was the result?  The wrinkle eraser known commonly as Botox.

While doctors, scientists, and pharmaceutical manufacturers had known for years that very weak dosages of the botulinum toxin could be used to treat muscle spasms and chronic pain, the prospect of using it for cosmetic purposes had never been explored, until someone started sweating the small stuff, noticed the tiny changes occurring on her face, and took the initiative to speak to her doctor.

It’s just another amazing example of how thinking SMALL can spur enormous innovations and in fact, how some of the biggest business ideas can come from repurposing existing products.
 
For too long, we’ve all been told to “think big” when looking for the “next big thing,” but as the Carruthers’ story illustrates, the greatest innovations can come in the unlikeliest of places—and it’s up to you to find them.  So, quit furrowing your brow while trying to dream up the next revolutionary product and open your eyes…because your big break just might be staring you in the face.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Sat, February 20, 2010 - 12:49:02

One Half Can Mean a Whole Lot

How many of you out there could imagine selling your house, buying one half the size, and then donating half of the profits of the sale to charity?  Well, that’s exactly what co-author of The Power of Half: One Family’s Decision to Stop Taking and Start Giving Back, Kevin Salwen, and his family did when they realized the power their little family held to make an enormous impact on the lives of others around the world.

Mr. Salwen, an entrepreneur in Atlanta Georgia tells the Wellesley Townsman that their unusual journey began after his daughter Hannah, then 14, saw man in a new luxury car drive by a homeless man on the street and remarked, “If that man there had a less nice car, that man there could have a meal.” Her insightful comment sparked the ongoing conversation around the family dinner table and eventually led them to make the most important decision of their lives: sell their multimillion dollar house and donate half of the profits to charity.

Although the Salwen’s gesture was unusually grand, Hannah, now 17, tells the Wellesley Townsman that others with less means should not be discouraged; in fact, even our smallest actions can have an enormous impact. Of course, it’s an opinion we share and a philosophy in which we believe whole-heartedly.  Even though most of us can’t afford to make such a dramatic sacrifice as selling our homes and donating massive sums of money to causes we support, that certainly doesn’t mean we can’t make a difference, every one of us, in our own ways. 

As Hannah Salwen explains, “Just do something doable. If your family watches six hours of TV a week, maybe cutting back to three to help out in a homeless shelter [is doable].”  Whether you choose to donate money, your time, or your talent, doing so in a small way can effect real change.

For example, if you’re skilled with computers, why not offer up your services to a local senior center and teach free computer basics classes to the elderly or donate a free web design to an animal shelter in need?  If you love gardening, why not organize your neighbors to create a green community spacein which you each work a few hours a week? If you want to donate money to a charity you believe in, but think you can’t afford it, why not start by emptying your pockets?  Grab an old jar and start filling it with your loose change each night.  By the end of the year, you’ll have effortlessly collected more than you might have imagined you could afford to give away.

So, remember, you don’t have to have a Bill Gates-sized bank account to make a difference.  Little by little, if we all pitch in to do our part, we can change the world.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Fri, February 19, 2010 - 2:33:44

Should You Strike Out on Your Own?  Think Small First.

Given the current economic climate and tough job market, more people than ever are using their unexpected unemployment situation as a chance to explore areas they may have otherwise not considered and for many Americans that means striking out on their own as entrepreneurs.  In a recent Harvard Business Review blog post by Daniel Isenberg, he advises prospective business owners to think long and hard before making the leap from job seeker to possible job creator, and specifically asks them to play a little game of 20 questions before jumping in with both feet. 

Isenberg’s list of true/false statements, including “I like to win,” “I always look for new and better ways to do things,” and “I think old dogs can learn — even invent — new tricks” can provide potential entrepreneurs with valuable insights about their own abilities to take on the unique challenges of being your own boss.  But, there’s one important point he missed, which we would like to add: “I sweat the small stuff.”

As we discovered through our own experience, approaching your business with micro-focus and intense attention to detail can help you differentiate yourself from your competitors, and sometimes to achieve the biggest successes, you have to literally do things in the smallest possible increments.  For example, one mistake many new businesses make which cause them to fail is over committing to space or inventory.  When we started The Kaplan Thaler Group, we purposely worked in a space that was too small for us.  Unburdened of the anxiety of being able to pay the rent every month, we could better focus on the business of creating great ads and winning new business.  Yes, it was a little close for comfort, but that was actually a good thing.  We learned that when people work together in small spaces, it inspires collaboration.

But perhaps most importantly, “thinking small” prevents the problem that renders many entrepreneurs incapacitated: fear.  When confronted with the enormous challenge of starting your own commercial endeavor and attempting to turn a profit, it’s easy to become overwhelmed by the grandeur of it all.  But, by taking the journey one small step at a time, you can accomplish even your biggest goals through a series of mini-tasks. 

Throughout our lives we’ve all been told that if we want to achieve big, we have to think big.  But in this new era of business, we think it’s time to forget about the conventional wisdom and think small.  And if you’re with us, then perhaps it’s time to make that little dream of yours a reality.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Fri, February 12, 2010 - 2:06:28

How Do You Skate Your Best Performance? Stay in Your Program.

It’s been four years since we watched athletes like Apollo Anton Ono, Shaun White, and Sasha Cohen bask in Olympic glory at the Torino games in 2006 and since then we’ve been patiently waiting for the competition to begin once more.  With the Opening Ceremonies of the 2010 Winter Olympics scheduled to air Friday night, you can imagine our excitement.

Although most of the attention at the Winter Olympics revolves around which athletes will go home with gold medals, for most of the two-thousand-plus competitors showing up to Vancouver this season, the experience will be more about the process and less about the end result.  But, even though most of the contenders won’t find themselves on the podium, each of them undoubtedly wants to do their personal best.

And it got us thinking about a technique Robin, an avid figure skater, uses both on and off the ice: staying in your program.

In and out of the rink, there are times when inevitably each of us will fall down, but the key to success when you’re “going for the gold” is to gracefully get back on your feet, stay in the moment, and just keep moving, instead of allowing yourself to dwell upon your missteps.  By actively being conscious of where your mind and body are at every second of your routine and maintaining intense focus, you can make it to the end looking and feeling like a winner.

But, of course, learning to “stay in your program” doesn’t happen overnight. It takes practice and preparation, giving you the confidence and wherewithal to address your challenges when the big moment arrives.  From preparing for an important presentation at work to getting ready to perform the routine of your life, taking the time to run through it ahead of time and focus in on the small details until you get it letter perfect, will put you in the right place mentally to “stay in your program” when all eyes are on you.

So, get out there and “skate your best performance!”  Even if you don’t bring home the gold, by staying in the moment, you’ll end up on your feet.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Fri, February 12, 2010 - 1:55:13

In Life and Love, the Small Stuff Counts

With Valentine’s Day coming up this weekend, you’re probably thinking about your love life a little more than usual and if you’re wondering about just how to find that special someone without the help of Cupid’s bow and arrow, you’re not alone.  As Sharon Jayson reports in Thursday’s USA TODAY the dating scene is experiencing a seismic shift and although most couples still meet each other through mutual friends, the Internet is rapidly gaining in popularity, accounting for the way 23% of those surveyed met their significant others.  But even as the social spectrum continues to change, one thing remains a constant: when it comes to happy relationships, it’s essential to sweat the small stuff.

As we write in our book, THE POWER OF SMALL, paying attention to the small gestures your date makes early on can play a pivotal role in the overall success of your relationship, and particularly when pairing up with an online match who hasn’t been vetted by your network of real-world friends, watching their cues and clues can provide you with important insights that their words and online profiles might leave out.

For starters, pay close attention to body language and facial expressions, which unconsciously portray inward emotions.  For example, if the other person sits with his legs crossed toward you, things are probably going well.  However, if you notice his toes pointing at the door, he’s probably itching to leave.

But honing in on body language isn’t the only way to size up your Valentine.  Another important detail you should not overlook is his or her small gestures toward the people you encounter on your date.  For example, is he or she polite to your server at the restaurant?  Does he or she hold the door for strangers?  If your date is driving, do you notice little snarky comments made toward other drivers or even witness outbursts of road rage?  While each of these moments may seem insignificant, they can provide powerful insight into that person’s character and help you decide if they are compatible with you.

And don’t forget about the power of your smallest gestures once you’ve found your match, either!  As several couples celebrating their golden anniversaries and beyond confided in a recent Real Simple feature, the little, seemingly unimportant things they do for one another have actually proven to be the secrets to their long and happy marriages.  Stella Sonnenschein, who has been married to her husband Ben for over 50 years says, “Ben doesn’t always say ‘I love you’ and I don’t force him to.  Instead, I appreciate it when he brings me a sandwich in bed—especially since he hates crumbs in the sheets,” while Imogene Edwards explains, “[My husband of 55 years] Elmer always takes me by the hand and leads my across the parking lot like I’m his girl.”

So, this Valentine’s Day, whether you’re searching for a little chemistry with your online match, or spending February 14th as a couple for the 25th year in a row, look around and find the magic in the little things.  You never know what you might discover.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Fri, February 12, 2010 - 10:40:50

Get Fit, Step By Step

If you’re like one in five people around the world, you always get winded no matter how frequently you work out and, contrary to what you might assume, it’s not because you’re lazy.  In fact, according to recent research findings released in the Journal of Applied Physiology, 20 percent of people are actually genetically predisposed to seeing little improvement in their endurance levels, even when exercising regularly.  But, despite these new findings, scientists assert that regular exercise has potent benefits for people of all abilities and genetic make-ups, and especially if you’re like a fifth of people out there, taking small steps toward your fitness goals can help you make huge progress.

Sure, for many of us, exercising can be a chore and if you’re physically incapable of increasing your endurance, it can be even harder to get motivated.  Luckily, we’ve devised a trick that we use to conquer the much-dreaded Stairmaster® day in and day out and it’s surprisingly easy.  All you have to do is count backwards.

Instead of attacking the morning exercise routine as one arduous 45-minute climb, we break it down into more easily accomplished goals, starting by setting the timer to just 10 minutes.  After the time is up, we reset the timer to nine minutes, then eight, then seven, and so on until we’ve whittled it down to zero.  By setting manageable mini-milestones, it makes the whole work-out much more bearable and completing each increment allows for a brief moment of celebration that helps us stay motivated until the end.

Of course, you can use this trick in a multitude of ways, even when you’re not working out.  In fact, the method of setting miniature goals, or “mini-tasks,” and working on them one at a time can help you achieve success in your approach to health and wellness, throughout your career, and even in your personal life.  The key is to take on each challenge with micro-focus instead of becoming overwhelmed by the big picture. 

So, the next time you’re confronted with a seemingly insurmountable obstacle, whether it’s an upcoming session on the elliptical machine or a looming deadline at work, change that mindset and think small!  Then, you’ll be on your way in no time.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Sat, February 06, 2010 - 10:44:20

Little Abstractions Can Produce Big Concrete Results

Earlier this week, we came across a fascinating New York Times Science article that opened our eyes to another surprising way in which SMALL works.  In our book and here on the Small Blog, we’ve discussed in the past how subtle shifts in body language can betray a person’s inward thoughts.  But, according to scientists at the University of Amsterdam, external factors can have a surprising effect on the way humans form opinions.

In the study released this week in Psychological Science, researchers performed an intriguing experiment in which they asked two groups to evaluate the personality of an imaginary person based on a description listed in a biographical packet.  Although both groups reviewed the exact same fictional description, their assessments were markedly different; Group A described the individual as “warm and friendly,” while participants in Group B were more likely to find him “cold and standoffish.”

Why?  Scientists explain the difference of opinion with a rather interesting theory.  Even though both groups had the identical candidate, sat in an identical room, and had an identical experience, the researchers made on tiny change.  Prior to reading the packets, participants in Group A sat in the waiting room with warm cups of coffee, while participants in Group B were given iced coffee.

And contrary to what you might think, these results were no fluke.  In fact, scientists around the world have discovered a multitude of ways in which the human brain takes abstract concepts, such as a warm and friendly personality, and translates it into physical realities, from leaning slightly forward when saying “I’m looking forward to it,” to feeling the need for a hand wipe after recalling a moral transgression.

So, if you think the little details don’t matter, consider the science behind our SMALL philosophy and think again.  After all, if something as tiny as an ice cube can change a person’s mind, imagine what else you might accomplish when you “think small.”

Posted by Linda and Robin

Fri, January 29, 2010 - 4:18:25

Don’t Just Sweat the Small Stuff; Celebrate it.

There’s no question that the past few weeks have been challenging ones.  From rising unemployment statistics, to a troubled economy, to natural disasters around the globe, we’ve endured a heap of BIG problems this January, and it might have you feeling the winter doldrums even more than usual.

But, by zeroing in on the small stuff and focusing on the solutions one tiny detail at a time, you can overcome even the most seemingly insurmountable of obstacles.  And that’s not all. As a recent Today Show segment with Dr. Nancy Snyderman reminds us, the key to navigating the tough times isn’t just to sweat the small stuff; it’s to celebrate it.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

It may sound insignificant, but taking the time to recognize the tiny positive aspects of your daily life and then give back in even the littlest way can have a dramatic impact.  So, why not give these tips a try and discover the power of small for yourself?

Find small joys.  We’ve all heard the expression: “Stop and smell the roses.”  Yet, with today’s hectic, on-the-go lifestyle, it can seem hard to find the time.  But, if you simply open your senses to the everyday surroundings you normally rush by and ignore, you can discover beauty in the unlikeliest of places, from the historic architecture you pass on the way to work, to the smell of the coffee brewing at the café around the corner.  By giving yourself just a few additional seconds to appreciate the tiny pleasures all around you, you’ll find it’s easier to get through the less-pleasant things you encounter.

Celebrate your small wins: Sure, it’s great to work toward a big goal, like saving for a new home or getting a promotion at work, but when we disregard the little accomplishments we achieve along the way, it can make them feel unattainable.  So, instead of lamenting what you have yet to do, pat yourself on the back for the small things you have done today, like putting a few extra coins than the day before into your change jar or filing your error-free report ahead of schedule. Not only will it boost your confidence, it will motivate you to keep plugging away.

Give small gifts: As Snyderman explains, giving back in whatever way you can isn’t just helpful to those in need, it can actually have powerful physical and psychological health benefits for you.  In fact researchers from Case Western Reserve University discovered in 2007 that by volunteering for just two hours each Saturday or Sunday, you can dramatically reduce your risk of a host of ailments, from heart disease, to dementia, and depression.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Fri, January 29, 2010 - 10:16:28

Small Donations Have a Big Impact

In our book, THE POWER OF SMALL: Why Little Things Make All the Difference and here on the SMALL Blog, we’ve told you how small donations can make a world of difference, here in the U.S. and abroad.  But, as the crisis in Haiti continues to unfold and reports of seemingly endless suffering dominate the headlines, we can’t underscore enough how even the tiniest contribution can have outsize effects.

On Friday, we explained how organizations of all sizes are using innovative approaches to overcome this enormous problem one little step at a time, from the American Red Cross’ highly successful text message campaign, to the Davis family’s efforts in Winston-Salem North Carolina, where they are raising funds by selling $1 cups of hot chocolate.  Little by little, people across the nation are doing their part, and as Statesman Journal Executive Editor, Bill Church, writes in his Sunday column, the core ideas of THE POWER OF SMALL are spreading across the country to help affect real change in communities around the world.

Of course, in this challenging economic climate, we understand that sometimes it is simply impossible to give money to those who are less fortunate, no matter how much you want to help.  Fortunately, there are a number of other ways to donate like offering your services to a local non-profit organization, organizing food, clothing, or blanket drives through your local school or community association, or even by visiting websites like TheHungerSite.com and FreeRice.com, which has partnered with the World Food Programme to collect money for Haiti through its own text message fund drive and free online trivia game. 

Amid times of such massive crisis, it’s easy to feel powerless or assume that only those with the greatest assets can make a difference.  But, as the events of the past two weeks have shown, in the face of tragedy, you don’t have to make a grand gesture to have a real effect.  Dollar by dollar, brick by brick, and bit by bit, we can all work together to make this “small world” a better place.

How are you doing your part?  Tell us your SMALL stories with a comment!

Posted by Linda and Robin

Fri, January 22, 2010 - 11:10:53

Overcoming Tragedy with Small Steps

Over the past week, we’ve all watched with deep sadness as the devastation in Haiti following last Tuesday’s massive earthquake has dominated news headlines.  But, amid all of the images of suffering and misfortune, amazing stories of triumph, survival, and humanity have also emerged and in the face of tragedy, we’ve seen how all of us can join together to do good. From global humanitarian organizations to everyday citizens, people across the world have been providing aid to the millions of hungry, injured, and displaced Haitians by taking on the enormous catastrophe one small step at a time.

Chances are that by now you’ve heard of the massive campaign launched by the American Red Cross that has raised millions of dollars for earthquake relief simply by allowing individuals to donate $10 by texting the word “HAITI” to the phone number 90999, and perhaps you’ve even done it yourself.  But, it’s just one of the many ways charities are innovating their approach toward disaster relief. 

For a number of organizations, the secret to affecting immediate change in the face of this tragedy has been to work from the ground up instead of from the top down.  By concentrating on one family or small village at a time and involving them directly in the rehabilitation process, aid workers like Build Change founder Elisabeth A. Hausler believe that areas can rebuild and revitalize faster and more effectively than they could if working through traditional government channels.  Having successfully used this method to help earthquake-ravaged communities in Indonesia and China, Hausler remarks to Henry Fountain of the New York Times, “you’d have to have your head in the sand to not buy into this approach.”

Others have found success on an even smaller scale. While Tom Davis of Food for the Hungry is on the ground in Haiti providing help to those in need, his teenage daughter and friends back home in Winston Salem North Carolina have been doing their part to raise funds by selling hot chocolate at local businesses and donating one hundred percent of the proceeds to Davis’ charity organization. “I remember hearing the numbers of people dying and the billions of dollars in destruction,” one volunteer remarked to NBC News. “I couldn’t even comprehend the type of disaster and I knew I had to do something to help out. Truly every little bit helps. Every single dollar is a dollar to help a starving child or someone who doesn’t have water.”

So, this weekend we ask you to think of that young volunteer’s sentiment and remember that there’s a hero inside of each of us and through even your tiniest actions, you really can make a difference.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Thu, January 21, 2010 - 4:13:02

Worth its Salt

Think the little things don’t add up?  Well, for those of you who are trying to get fit and stay healthy in 2010, you might want to take heed.  According to a report in Tuesday’s New York Times, the little things we do now can have drastic effects on our health and wellness for years to come.

Sure, we all know that taking care of the big things like quitting smoking and exercising daily play an important role in the ways in which we age, but contrary to what you might expect, making the tiniest of changes to our daily diets can have an equally profound effect.

Don’t believe us?  Perhaps scientists at Stanford University Medical Center, The University of California San Francisco, and Columbia University Medical Center can change your mind.  In a recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, they conclude that if everyone consumed just half a teaspoon less of salt per day, “there would be between 54,000 and 99,000 fewer heart attacks each year and between 44,000 and 92,000 fewer deaths” overall.  And moreover, simply by making this tiny reduction in salt intake, people could reduce their risks of heart attacks, heart disease and strokes (the nation’s first- and third-ranked killers) as much as they could by making more complex changes such as quitting smoking, overcoming obesity, and reducing cholesterol levels.

Of course, this new research doesn’t mean you shouldn’t tackle those bigger health challenges, but it just goes to show you that you truly can transform your life, one little step at a time… and that by “thinking small” you can surmount even the biggest obstacles. 

So, if you’re trying to shape up and get healthy, why not start today and put that first foot forward by making just one small change at a time?  With simple and subtle modifications to your everyday behavior, like setting down the salt shaker, replacing your afternoon vanilla latte with a sugar free version, or taking the stairs instead of the elevator once a day, you can begin your journey toward a healthier and happier way of life.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Fri, January 15, 2010 - 4:46:48

New Year’s Revisions

It’s been two weeks since we welcomed in 2010, and now that all of the champagne has gone flat, the decorations have been stowed away, and we’ve all settled back into the daily grind, you might be starting to break those New Year’s resolutions you so optimistically proclaimed as the clock struck twelve.  In fact, you might not know it, but January 17th is actually the official day for giving up New Year’s Resolutions.  But, you don’t have to renege on those promises you made yourself.  In fact, the key to making your New Year’s resolutions stick may actually be easier than you think: if you want to achieve your biggest goals, all you have to do is start “thinking small.”

Throughout our lives, we’ve been told to dream big, but the problem with setting lofty goals is that they’re often self defeating, especially when it comes to New Year’s resolutions, which usually include ideas like losing weight, quitting smoking, finding a new job, and eliminating debt.  So instead of dropping your resolutions altogether, why not make January 17th the day for a few New Year’s revisions?

Here are a few of our favorite tips for making even your most challenging resolutions work:

Shrink your problem down to size: Instead of setting yourself up for failure with one massive goal, try breaking your resolution down into easily accomplished mini-tasks.  For example, maybe you’ve decided that 2010 is the year you’re going to beat the “battle of the bulge” once and for all.  But after just a few weeks of crash dieting and non-stop cardio, giving up probably seems tempting.  So, instead of making your goal to get back to your high school weight, try revamping your resolution and vow to shed just one pound at a time.  By setting more manageable milestones, like eating just 100 calories less per day, you’ll feel proud instead of perturbed every time you step on the scale.

Make a checklist: Sure, a checklist can help you get through a busy day at the office and avoid impulse buys at the grocery store, but it can also help you stay on track when working toward a greater objective, like finding a new job.  To begin, list out everything you need to do before heading out on the job hunt, from updating your resume, to creating a LinkedIn account, to researching companies in your area, and networking with old contacts.  By writing everything down and organizing it in order of priority, you’ll be sure you won’t miss any important steps.

Don’t dwell on the negative: Inevitably, there will be times when each of us slips up and doesn’t hold true to our New Year’s promise, but that doesn’t mean you should accept defeat.  Instead of dwelling on the negative, let it inspire you to do better next time and move on.

And most importantly…

Celebrate your SMALL wins: Whether you’ve skipped your usual 10:30 smoke break for the third day in a row, made an extra payment toward your credit card balance, or even lost one third of a pound, take the time to pat yourself on the back and rejoice in the small stuff…because over time, those little things will add up to BIG progress.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Mon, December 28, 2009 - 3:56:44

2009: The SMALL Year in Review

Last winter, we issued a challenge to make 2009 the year you started “thinking small.”  As we entered into the year, we faced innumerable difficulties as a result of too many years of thinking big.  Big cars, big mortgages, and big debts had gotten us into big trouble, but we believed then as we do now that tackling our problems one by one, with precision and micro-focus could help us dig our way out.  And little by little, we’ve seen that others shared our SMALL perspective, using the same little philosophy to accomplish truly remarkable things. 

From the amazing ways in which SMALL can change to world to the dedicated individuals harnessing its power to achieve success, here are just a few of our favorite SMALL stories from the past 12 months:

Waste Not Want Not:  Think saving the environment requires drastic measures?  Think again. Researchers at Arizona University discovered that Americans could reduce the environmental impact of landfills by 25 per cent just by cutting down on their food waste.

Charities Say Small Donations Make the Biggest Difference: Sure, multi-million dollar donations garner the most media attention, but you don’t have to have a Warren Buffett-sized bank account to make a real difference in the lives of people in need.

The Greatest Generation of Networkers Show us that Online Small Talk Pays Off: Over the months, we’ve examined the many ways in which making small talk can have an enormous effect on your life.  And as the New York Times reports, today’s tech-obsessed teens are taking the power of small talk to the World Wide Web, making them what some call, “the greatest generation of networkers.”

A Can Full of Dreams:  If you think your dreams are out of reach, you might want to change your outlook. Terrerai Trent, a young woman from rural Zimbabwe, shows us all that nothing is impossible when you think small.

Simple Solutions Make All the Difference: We often mistakenly think that the world’s biggest problems require complex solutions, but as Nicholas Kristof’s wonderful New York Times Magazine piece explains,  many times the tiniest changes can have the biggest impact. 

Posted by Linda and Robin

Mon, December 21, 2009 - 11:45:19

It’s the Thought That Counts.

We’ve all heard the saying, “It’s the thought that counts.”  But, if you’ve ever been the recipient of the kind of gift that seems to point out your flaws rather than make you feel good, you might begin to question that old conventional wisdom.  As a humorous article on TodayShow.com points out, few of these holiday flops are given out of sheer malice and instead are the result of misinformed generosity, but no matter what the giver’s intent, they can be extremely hurtful.  Why?  Well, it has a lot to do with the power of small.

From the nose hair trimmer you never knew you needed to a brand new pair of Spanx, the little gifts we give others have an uncanny ability to communicate the way we feel, so this holiday season and throughout the year, it’s important to watch your cues and clues. 

MSNBC.com contributor, Diane Mapes, relates the story of one Albuquerque man who purchased a gift certificate for a major cosmetic surgery for his reportedly interested wife.  However, instead of smile and a thank you note, the man was rewarded with divorce papers.  Although he had intended the gift as a way to show that he was listening to his wife’s complaints about her figure, it came across to his wife as the definitive insult and ultimately that little gift certificate was enough to end their marriage.

Of course, most gift-giving disasters don’t have such dire consequences, but little by little, the small actions we take add up and play an important part in shaping our relationships with others.
So, before you exchange holiday gifts this year, take a second look at that seemingly useful gift you’ve picked out and ask yourself what it might really be saying. And if you’re questioning whether that well-intentioned gift certificate for a brow wax is appropriate, your best bet is to trust your instincts and walk away from the checkout counter.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Thu, December 17, 2009 - 11:38:08

Greeting Cards on the Decline

A few weeks ago, in light of the current economy, we asked our Twitter followers whether they would be sending out greeting cards this year to their family and friends and we received a mix of responses.  Nearly everyone who sent us an “@reply” said that they were making changes: either cutting back on the number of cards they mailed, sending e-cards instead, or foregoing the tradition altogether.  So, when we read this week’s article in USA TODAY reporting that the US Postal Service saw a 13% decline in the cancellations of first class letters, we knew our small friends were not alone.

But, in the face of this downward trend, we still see enormous value in the handwritten note and when gifts might be an all-too-expensive indulgence this year, a meaningful card can be an affordable alternative.  After all, in this era of Blackberries and iPhones, who doesn’t love discovering something other than a bank statement in their mailbox and tearing open the envelope to read a thoughtful message from a friend?

However, with many folks growing more and more environmentally conscious, sending an e-card can be a great, little (and cost-free) way to show you’re thinking of them in a more eco-friendly way.  And you can go the extra inch to personalize your digital greeting by attaching your own family photos or even a video message. 

So if your holiday budget has you feeling down, remember that no matter what time of year, it’s the small stuff that really counts.  Sure, big gifts and grand gestures are nice, but even our tiniest actions really can have an enormous impact and there’s no better time than now to unleash their power. From sending a little note of season’s greetings to an old friend to bringing a plate of home baked cookies for all of your coworkers to enjoy, if we all start thinking small, we can work together to help make this and every season bright.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Wed, December 16, 2009 - 11:42:07

Just a Spoonful of Sugar

If you think small things don’t matter, consider this startling statistic we overheard on the Today Show this week: on average, American’s consume 22 teaspoons of sugar per day, which over the course of a year adds up to a whopping 150 pounds of the sweet stuff.

As we look ahead to the New Year, many of us are thinking about resolutions, and if you’re like most people, losing a few pounds is probably right there at the top of your list. And even though SMALL just might be the culprit for many expanding waistlines, it can also be a powerful force in the quest to slim down. 

Like many other New Year’s resolutions, losing weight is a lofty objective that can seem unachievable and soon become overwhelming.  In fact, setting such large goals can actually be self-defeating.  Instead, genuine, lasting change is best achieved when you focus on frequent, accomplishable, little targets.  When you break down your diet into mini-goals, you can achieve the big things painlessly.  In fact, you can start one spoonful at a time.

Yes, it’s true! Believe it or not, by eliminating just 100 calories per day from your diet, you can lose 10 pounds over the course of a year. Contrary to what you might think, it doesn’t take the huge commitment of cutting out carbs or spending hours at the gym.  Instead, all you have to do is make a small change, like switching from regular soda to diet, skipping the whipped cream on top of your triple venti mocha, or using a salad plate instead of a dinner plate at meal time.

Of course, you won’t see a change overnight, but little by little, you’ll watch as the numbers on the scale get lower, one decimal point at a time.  And by making subtle changes instead of drastic ones, you can make sure they stay that way.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Fri, December 11, 2009 - 10:26:24

Stay on Track this Holiday Season with a Checklist.

With the seemingly endless to-do’s of the holidays, it’s not unusual to feel completely overwhelmed and before long, the non-stop stream of shopping, cooking, parties, and social commitments can become more of a chore than a pleasure.  But, there’s one tried-and-true way to put the “happy” back into the holidays, and it’s easier than you think.  Believe it or not, you can take your season from ho-hum to ho-ho-ho just by making a checklist.

Throughout the years, we’ve found that making checklists and “mini-tasking” our way through our busy schedules is one of the most effective ways to work productively, stay motivated, and get energized.  And the best part is it takes just minutes.

Start by grabbing a pen and paper (you could also use computer spreadsheets, like Excel, or smart phone apps like this one) and writing down the big task, or your ultimate goal, for example, “New Year’s Eve Party 2009.” 

Then, close your eyes and envision every little step that goes into preparing for the event.  Don’t worry about writing it in any particular order at this point, just write down each detail that comes into your head, such as grocery shopping, decorating, or hiring a babysitter.  Once you’ve come up with your list of action items, review it and re-organize it into chronological order, starting with the mini-tasks you need to complete first at the top.  Re-read it a few more times to make sure you have included every step and once your list is complete, make a copy just in case.

With your master plan for the holidays in hand, you will be able to breathe a sigh of relief, knowing that everything you need to accomplish is right in front of you.  And as you cross off each task, you’ll get a little boost of confidence to help you power through the rest of your list. 

So, what are you waiting for?  It’s the perfect time to get small and get going!  Start now and discover first-hand how mini-tasking can make a BIG difference.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Fri, December 11, 2009 - 10:09:36

AIG Asks: “What’s in a Name?”

A few months ago, we told you the story of Tom Sato, a SMALL reader who saw his once-stalled job search take off literally overnight after making one tiny, but important change to his resume: switching his name from his hard to pronounce birth name, Toshihisa, to his easy-to-say nickname, Tom.  Earlier this week, as we were perusing the New York Times online, we came across a bit of news that reminded us once again of the amazing power that one little name can possess and how the simple act of changing it can have an enormous impact. 

And the name in question this time?  A.I.G.

As the New York Times’ Mary Williams Walsh reports, “Just months after dropping the telltale “A.I.G.” from its sales brochures, the company has leapfrogged its competitors and reclaimed a title it held for many years before its bailout — the top seller of fixed annuities to bank customers.”

Since the massive government bailout in 2008 through June of this year, A.I.G. had struggled to regain consumer confidence, but in a strategic move, the bank chose to remove their name from annuities offered by two of its insurance subsidiaries, Western National Life and First SunAmerica.  As a result, A.I.G. and others in the insurance industry have watched the two annuities rise from the bottom of the barrel to the very top, in just a matter of months.  In fact, since the removal of those three infamous little letters from their sales brochures, Western National has come to sell more fixed annuities than any other insurer.

So, if you’re still wondering if SMALL really can make a difference in your life, it’s time to look at things with a new set of eyes.  Whether it’s in the life of a job-seeker striving for a new career, or in the recovery of one of the largest, most challenged companies in America, one simple fact holds true: SMALL works. 

Posted by Linda and Robin

Mon, December 07, 2009 - 10:03:30

This Holiday Season, Think Small.

With the holiday shopping season well underway, many Americans are being confronted with the difficult realities of today’s economy and are spending less on gifts than in previous years.  But, spending less doesn’t necessarily mean you have to give less.  In fact, by harnessing the power of SMALL, you can make a little go a long way and discover that sharing holiday cheer with friends and family doesn’t have to cost a thing.

As the authors of THE POWER OF NICE and THE POWER OF SMALL, we know first-hand how our small, kind actions can have a tremendous impact on the lives of others, and consequently our own.  From holding the door for a coworker, to making casual conversation with the cashier at the corner store, the opportunities to effect positive change are all around us, and you can discover them, too.  The key is to shift your outlook and retune your focus from the big picture to the small details… and the holidays are a perfect time to start.

Sure, hitting the mall and loading up your shopping bags full of fancy toys, designer clothes, and high-tech electronics is fun and feels good, but we believe that making small, kind gestures as a token of affection can feel even better.  So, whether or not you’re pinching pennies this season, why not try these tips for a SMALL, NICE holiday?

Write a letter.  When we were reading this month’s Real Simple Magazine, we came across an idea from a reader that really hit home.  Each year, in lieu of a store-bought gift, she writes a heartfelt letter to each of her relatives, expressing her feelings of thanks, love, and respect.  Although inexpensive, the looks on each of the recipients’ faces year after year show how valuable the letters really are.

Offer your services.  If you’re a great cook, why not become a personal chef for the day?  Love kids?  Channel your inner Jo Frost and become a “supernanny” for the night.  To make it more festive, design your own “gift card” on your computer or by hand, redeemable any time.  Giving your friend or relative (especially a busy mom or dad) a bit of time to relax is a gift you can be sure they will appreciate!

Call an old friend.  With the popularity of online social networking, reconnecting with your long-lost friends is as easy as clicking “search,” but once you’ve found each other, why not give him or her a call instead of writing on his or her wall?  The opportunity to catch up over the phone will raise both of your spirits.

Make a donation. Show your loved ones that you care about the issues that matter to them by making small donations in their honor to charities you know they support.  With just a few dollars, you can make a real difference to non-profit organizations of all kinds while letting your friends and relatives know you’re listening.

So this year, if you’re feeling overwhelmed by the prospect of blowing your budget on lavish gifts for all of your friends and family, remember that there are other less expensive yet just as meaningful ways to show your generosity.  By harnessing the power of the little things, this holiday season and throughout the year, you’ll find you’re well on your way to creating a nicer way of life for you and all of your family and friends.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Sat, December 05, 2009 - 10:11:46

Waste Not Want Not

As you probably already know, the mounds of trash decomposing in dumps around the country releases dangerous carbon emissions which many scientists believe can cause global warming. And as this Wednesday’s Atlantic Monthly Online reports, discarded food makes up the biggest component of the garbage filling our nation’s landfills. Believe it or not, nearly half of all the food produced in the United States is actually thrown away.

Yet, researchers at Arizona University also claim that Americans could reduce the environmental impact of landfills by 25 per cent just by cutting down on their food waste and the best way to get started is by thinking small.

Although it sounds like an insignificant change, making a smart grocery list is just one small way you can have a huge effect on the amount of food you throw away each week.  Don’t believe us?  Well, we can prove it. Just read the story of one SMALL reader and her family:

Just before 2009 rolled around, we noticed that we had been throwing away a large portion of the fruits and vegetables we purchased each week.  Wondering how this was possible, we decided to try a little experiment and make a New Year’s resolution at the same time.  Instead of simply heading out and buying food, for the next year, we would bring along a carefully crafted shopping list containing only the ingredients we would need for that week.  Sure, this involved a little advanced planning by creating a weekly menu, but in the long run it actually saved time by eliminating the nightly “what’s for dinner” question.  Not only that, we were no longer throwing away pounds of petrified zucchini and broccoli—saving money and the planet at the same time.

So, if you’re looking to “go green” in 2010, why not start with this simple solution?  As the months roll by, you’ll witness first-hand the amazing ways in which SMALL can work for you.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Fri, December 04, 2009 - 10:30:30

Trust Your Intuition

With the holidays just around the corner, many enamored significant others will undoubtedly be popping the question, and with wedding planning often comes the classic case of cold feet.  But when is it just normal pre-wedding jitters and when is it something more serious?  As a recent report on the Today Show this week revealed, not listening to that little voice inside of you can lead to BIG problems down the line, so whether or not you’re tying the knot, it’s essential to trust your intuition.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

In the case of marriage, as clinical psychologist Judith Sills explains, the difference between a bit of wedding-related nervousness and your body’s physical attempts at warning you can be profound, yet many couples ignore them altogether before getting hitched. Where “cold feet” are short-lived wedding related worries and generalized anxiety, serious doubts are long-held concerns about the overall state of one’s relationships and failing to recognize the differences can lead to a devastating outcome for everyone involved.

But, trusting your instincts isn’t only essential when planning your nuptials; it’s an extremely valuable SMALL skill that can be applied throughout your professional and personal lives.  For example, at the Kaplan Thaler Group, we know we’ve created a winning campaign when we get goose bumps on our arms, but other times it can be much more subtle.  For example, we once interviewed a job candidate who seemed perfect on paper—great experience, strong education—but something just didn’t sit right and we chose another instead.  Later on, we heard through the grapevine that our instincts had been right all along and our decision justified.

Whether at work, at play, or even in love, taking note of the tiny clues we give each other (and ourselves) through even our tiniest gestures is one of the most important things you can do.  In fact, self defense experts often instruct their students that trusting your intuition can even save your life.  So, the next time you feel the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end or get a funny feeling in the pit of your stomach, take a moment to stop and think before you make your next move.  Because you’re body just might be trying to tell you something you shouldn’t ignore.

Want to learn more about trusting your intuition?  Read our post on how a California police officer took her bad vibes seriously and cracked a 20 year-old case. 

Posted by Linda and Robin

Fri, December 04, 2009 - 10:18:49

Loneliness is Contagious

Have you ever been surrounded by a group of friends when all of the sudden, you start to feel lonely?  If so, chances are you’ve contracted a particularly contagious strain recently discovered by scientists.  Yes, as counterintuitive as it may sound, loneliness can actually spread from person to person, and having just one lonely friend can dramatically increase your risk of feeling the same way.

Although we typically tend to equate feelings of loneliness with social isolation, there is a profound difference between the two.  The study, conducted by researchers at Harvard University, the University of California San Diego, and the University of Chicago examined people expressing feelings of what psychologists call “subjective loneliness,” an emotion that is experienced alone as well as in the company of others. 

As the New York Times reports, the average person feels lonely approximately 48 days out of the year, but simply spending time in the company of another lonely person can tag on an extra 17 days of glum feelings. Fortunately, the same emotional contagion that brings about the loneliness virus can also be used to counteract it.  The researchers learned that positive people promote happiness among others, decreasing loneliness by an average of five per cent per person.  In other words, your own positive outlook can not only protect you from “catching” loneliness, it can prove to be a real benefit in the life of a less content friend.

How does all of this work?  It turns out it has a lot to do with the power of small.  Through even the subtlest of facial expressions, body language, and even tone of voice, we gather important pieces of information from one another and internalize it.  And by paying careful attention to the cues and clues we send one another we can, as Dr. Nicholas A. Christakis states, “make an effort to prevent this sad experience of loneliness, [and] stabilize the whole social network by preventing this kind of unraveling. We all benefit when we attend to the needs of those at the margins.” 

So, the next time you notice something funny about a friend, look beyond their smile and watch your cues and clues to see how they’re really feeling, and put your positive energy to work.  The tiny act of “being there” could mean the world to them.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Wed, November 25, 2009 - 10:55:14

Small Acts Save Lives

As Thanksgiving approaches, we’ve been thinking about new ways we can all give back to the community in small ways.  From making little donations to your favorite charities, to volunteering at a local soup kitchen, to just clicking on the correct answer at FreeRice.com, one good deed at a time, SMALL really can change the world.  So, Monday morning, as we tuned into the Today Show, we were particularly touched by the story of Katie Quinn, a 20-year old nursing student, who literally saved a life just by swabbing her cheek.

One day, as Katie headed to class at the University of Missouri at Columbia, she was approached by a volunteer from the non-profit group, DKMS, which matches bone marrow donors with patients battling leukemia.  When asked if she would like to sign up, Katie didn’t hesitate, but contrary to what you might think, becoming a potential bone marrow donor didn’t involve any painful medical procedures or doctor’s office visits.  In fact, it only took 10 minutes.  After filling out a sign-up form and having the inside of her cheek swabbed, Katie continued walking across the campus quad and soon forgot all about her kind deed for DKMS.

Then, six months later, Katie received the news that would change her life forever.  She was informed that she was a match for another young woman, Anna Robinson, who had been diagnosed with leukemia and was desperately in need of help.  So, Katie headed to the hospital and had her blood drawn in order to donate her white blood cells.  Although the procedure took longer than the standard blood donation (approximately 5 hours), Katie tells TODAY, “I didn’t feel a thing” and thanks to giving up a few hours of her time and a couple of vials of blood, less than a year later, Anna was cancer-free. 

All because Katie took ten minutes to swab her cheek and fill out a form during her busy school day.

It’s just one more way that our smallest actions can have an enormous impact on the lives of others.  From volunteering to help those less fortunate on Thanksgiving, to becoming a bone marrow donor just by going to DKMSAmericas.org, each one of us has the power to do something remarkable when we start thinking small.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Fri, November 20, 2009 - 10:57:03

Americans are Unhappy at Work, but Thinking Small Can Help

With joblessness at its highest levels in years, many Americans are grateful just to be employed.  And although they appreciate their paychecks, new poll results released today by job search website CareerBuilder.com reveal that a large number of people say that they are feeling unhappier at work than ever before. 

Unfortunately, with today’s difficult job market, finding a new position might not happen as soon as you would like, but by discovering the small “joys” at your job, you can dramatically improve the quality of your work day.  After all, as we like to say, negativity is like a virus and it can quickly infect the way you view every aspect of your job.  The more you concentrate on how much you hate it, the more unpleasant it will become.  But, by simply finding one little thing to smile or laugh about, you’ll find your job will become a whole lot less painful. In fact, you may even discover that the job you thought you hated isn’t so bad after all.

And contrary to what you might be thinking, it isn’t easier said than done.  All you have to do is shift your outlook and focus on the small positives instead of the big negatives.  For example, if simply despise creating complex spreadsheets, but spend a large portion of your day working on them, stop thinking about how boring it is and relish the feeling of accomplishment you get when you complete it.  Then, the next time you open up a dreaded Excel file, remember the rewarding feeling you had the last time and use it as motivation to complete the task at hand. 

Although the recent economic crisis and subsequent recession brought on the nation’s current job woes, those surveyed by CareerBuilder said it wasn’t to blame for their unhappiness at work.  Instead, they claim that the true reason was that they felt unappreciated by their employers.  So, as managers it’s our duty to make employees feel valued, especially in today’s tough economic times.

While an annual bonus is one way to show your appreciation, small, kind gestures made all year long are another powerful way to make your employees fee valued.  And one novel idea to go about it is to sweeten the deal… literally. 

A few years ago, we rented an ice cream truck and parked it behind our offices at the Kaplan Thaler Group.  Much to everyone’s surprise, they were all treated to a few scoops of the sweet stuff to provide a much-needed afternoon boost.  And even though it might seem insignificant, you would be amazed to discover how a little cup or cone of rocky road could smooth out the kinks in a coworkers otherwise rough day.

So, whether you’re a worn-out worker or a manager looking for new ways to motivate your team, now is the time to start thinking small and celebrate.  After all, when you find the beauty in the small things, it makes the big stuff look a whole lot better.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Fri, November 20, 2009 - 10:40:28

The Best Innovations Start Small

Yesterday on Twitter, we came across an article from one of our favorite blogs, The Conversation Starter, which instantly caught our attention.  “Entrepreneurs,” the headline read, “Stop Innovating, Start Minnovating.”  In his post, Daniel Isenberg discusses how many of today’s greatest business successes aren’t born out of innovation, but out of minnovation, a term he defines as “mixing small parts of novelty and creativity with huge helpings of flexibility, scrappiness, and a generous portion of hard-driving execution.”  And we couldn’t help but be reminded of one of the key points we assert in our book, THE POWER OF SMALL: Why Little Things Make All the Difference.  Many times, the biggest business ideas are sprouted out of the tiniest seeds.

Unfortunately, many potentially successful entrepreneurs go out of business before they even start because of one fatal misstep: they allow themselves to become overwhelmed by the grandeur of striking out on their own and forget to think small.  Intimidated by the nearly impossible prospect of becoming the next Bill Gates or Steve Jobs, these entrepreneurs forget about the innumerable others who have had big successes just by making little changes to a preexisting product.  Or as we like to say, “Adding a little glitter.”

That’s exactly how Sheri Schmeltzer stumbled across what became a multimillion dollar idea.  The stay-at-home mother of three decided to spruce up her daughters’ Crocs by filling their trademark holes with buttons, rhinestones, and other sparkly doo-dads.  The result?  A couple of thrilled kids and dozens of unsolicited compliments from strangers.  Sheri knew she was on to something and began churning out what she called Jibbitz ® from her basement and before long she had contracted a production facility in China to help her keep up with the soaring demand for her little product.  Amazingly, just one year later, she was contacted by the people at Crocs and sold her business for the not-so-little sum of $20 million.

And Sheri Schmeltzer isn’t the only one who has made it big by thinking small.  Many others, like Judy Zimmer, the founder of the 60-store franchise operation Bath Junkie, and Jen Groover, the inventor of the Butler Bag, have triumphed by improving on already existing concepts. Their secret wasn’t a revolutionary new idea or a technological breakthrough; it was their ability to forget about the big picture, zero in on the tiny pixels, and start small with their ideas.

So, if you’re an aspiring entrepreneur, stop worrying about creating the next BIG thing. Get small and get going!  You never know what you might achieve when you minnovate.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Thu, November 19, 2009 - 10:06:50

Let Your Feet do the Talking

Sure, we’ve all heard of palm readers who claim they can learn everything about you just by examining the lines and crevices on your hands, but in reality could learning how to read feet actually give you a leg-up on the competition?  That’s what author Carol Kinsey Gorman, Ph.D. claims in her eye-opening book The Nonverbal Advantage:  Secrets and Science of Body Language at Work.  While many of us assume that facial expressions and hand gestures expose people’s true emotions, Gorman says they’re only telling part of the story.  And if you want to know what’s really going on, you have to look down.

It might seem like a trivial detail, but Dr. Gorman explains that while many people, such as skilled actors, politicians, and leaders have learned to alter their facial expressions and upper body posturing to match their verbal message, the feet are usually ignored and can be a dead giveaway of a deception.  And you don’t have to be a CEO or Commander-in-Chief to learn how to read others cues and clues.  All it takes is a little observation.

For example, if you are on a first date and everything seems to be going well, look away from their enthusiastic smile and animated hands and discreetly check out how he or she is sitting.  As Gorman writes, if the legs are crossed with toes pointing toward you, you’re off to a good start, but if the toes are pointing away, don’t expect a call any time soon.

If you’re feeling a little skeptical about foot-reading, we don’t blame you, but consider the science behind Gorman’s reasoning: “Our feet and legs are not only our primary means of locomotion, they are in the forefront of reactions to “fight, flight, or freeze” survival strategies,” she writes.  “The limbic brain is at the center of our emotional response system. Its major function is to react instantaneously to incoming information from the environment. Emotional reactions, as we know, occur prior to thought. Before we’ve had time to develop any conscious plan, our limbic brain has already made sure that our feet and legs – depending on the situation – are geared to freeze in place, run away, or kick out in defense.”

In addition to watching the subtle hints given by other people’s foot gestures, paying attention to your own can help you create a more positive impression.  For example, Marc Chernoff of Marc and Angel Hack Life writes that constantly shifting from foot to foot creates an air of nervousness or anxiety, so to appear calm in a high-stress situation you should keep your feet planted firmly on the ground.  And while you’re at it, make sure to keep your stance wide, as it portrays confidence, while Dr. Gorman states that a narrow stance appears insecure.

As we say in THE POWER OF SMALL, paying attention to the subtle signals you give and receive through body language can help you throughout your life, from making a deal to making a friend.  So, open your eyes to the little clues that are all around you before they trip you up.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Fri, November 13, 2009 - 10:31:38

“Small donations make a BIG Difference,” Charities Say.

Photo courtesy of Jack Weston
In today’s big-thinking world, it’s easy to feel like your charitable contributions just don’t make a difference unless you happen to have a Warren Buffet-sized bank account.  But according to an article in Wednesday’s New York Times, charities claim that even though multi-million dollar donations receive the bulk of media attention, now more than ever it’s the small donations that really count.

In our book, THE POWER OF SMALL: Why Little Things Make All the Difference, we argue that through our tiniest actions, each of us can work together to change the world.  Although the conventional wisdom has always been that the biggest problems can only be handled by world leaders and other big shots, we believe that step by step, bit by bit, and dollar by dollar we can meet our goals and face our even most imposing challenges.  And as the New York Times’ Stephanie Strom writes, more and more charities are learning that in order to achieve big, you have to think small. 
Dr. Jennifer Howse, CEO of the March of Dimes, tells Strom that annually, the organization receives approximately 22 per cent of its revenue from donations averaging $14 and that its campaign asking supermarket shoppers to add $1 to their purchase as a charitable gift earns them a sizable amount.  In fact, such efforts in Kmart stores alone raised $6 million dollars this year. 

In fact, the March of Dimes, initiated during the Great Depression, was built on the small philosophy and began because none of the wealthy philanthropists had any money left to contribute. So the founders came up with the idea to ask everyone for a dime and within a few weeks over a quarter of a million dollars worth of dimes arrived at the White House.

And the March of Dimes isn’t the only charity harnessing the power of small.  Peter Norback’s One Can a Week donates non-perishable food items to the Tucson Community Food Bank with the goods he receives from caring residents in his neighborhood.  Now working with over 140 participants, Norback explains to the New York Times that the key to his success was starting small: “I did 10 houses the first week, the next week, those 10 plus 10 more. I built it by tens. It took me months.”  But, over those months of working little by little, Norback has collected more than 6,500 pounds of food for the hungry.

While hefty donations certainly have their place and are badly needed by non-profit organizations changing lives around the world, we should never forget the old saying: “every penny counts.”  As Eugene Cho of One Day’s Wages in Seattle so aptly explains to Strom, “It’s easy to be drawn to the multimillion-dollar donations, but we’re doing ourselves a disservice by not elevating the stories of the working mothers and fathers who also contribute what are significant amounts to them.”  So, whether it’s a few cents to the bell ringer on the corner this holiday season or a check to your alma mater’s annual fund, remember that no matter how large or small, with your generosity you are changing the world.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Thu, November 12, 2009 - 3:31:36

First Impressions Count… Even Online.

By now, nearly everyone knows that when posting your pictures online, it’s best to exercise discretion and steer clear of unflattering photos filled with college antics, compromising situations, and skimpy outfits.  But, as Live Science reports, a new study conducted by scientists at Sonoma State University reveals that the online profile pictures we choose—flattering or otherwise—can actually play an important role in how we are perceived by others, particularly strangers.  And as more and more employers search social networking sites like Facebook, LinkedIn, and MySpace before inviting potential hires to an interview, these little pictures provide the all-important first impression that can make or break your job search.

The study presented photos of 123 students, each of whom submitted a portrait in a neutral pose and another in a spontaneous pose, to two small participant groups.  Based on the information they could glean from the photographs alone, the participants were asked to evaluate the individuals pictured based on 10 personality traits: extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, emotional stability, openness, likability, self-esteem, loneliness, religiousness, and political beliefs.

Researchers then compared these ratings to lists provided by each of the 123 students pictured, along with lists prepared by three friends.  Surprisingly, just by “judging a book by its cover,” the participants had an average accuracy rate of 70 per cent.  But, when looking at the essential traits of likability and agreeableness, participants were more than 10 per cent more accurate when looking at the spontaneous pictures over their posed counterparts.

Why?  The answer could be as simple as posture.  In the neutral photographs, those pictured typically held a more rigid stance, which was interpreted negatively by the viewers.  On the other hand, the relaxed carriage exhibited in the spontaneous photographs communicated gregariousness, confidence, and high spirits.  Another small yet powerful gesture?  The smile.  Those with natural smiles in their spontaneous pictures were described as warm, friendly, and outgoing.

As we write in our book, THE POWER OF SMALL: Why Little Things Make All the Difference, although it only takes about seven seconds for someone to decide how they feel about you, everything you do after that point will be viewed through the filter of “likeable” or “unlikeable,” making those first few seconds crucial… even if they’re only virtual. 

So, if you think it’s time to update your profile picture, stop and take a second look before clicking “upload” and consider the silent impression your photo might be giving.  After all, that little photo could affect your image for a lifetime.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Thu, November 12, 2009 - 10:59:14

Talking to Your Teens about Relationships Now Makes them Luckier in Love as Adults

If you’re the mom or dad of a middle- or high-schooler, you might assume that there could simply be no more embarrassing topic of conversation to bring up with your kids than their love lives, but the findings of three new studies out of McDaniel College in Westminster, Md. , Loyola University of Maryland in Baltimore, and Wayne State University in Detroit, Mi. reveal that taking just a few minutes every once in a while to talk to your sons and daughters about dating can have a dramatic effect on the success of their future serious relationships.

Dr. Stephanie Madsen, an associate professor at McDaniel, tells the Wall Street Journal that students who regularly engaged in casual conversation with their parents, including occasionally asking for advice or input about their romantic partners had “warmer, closer, and more positive dating relationships,” and argued less with their significant others, while those who felt uncomfortable talking to their parents experienced more conflict, less affection, and greater instability.  And perhaps most surprisingly, the indicators for long term romantic success can be seen as early as middle school crushes, making “puppy love” less frivolous that once assumed.

The studies also revealed that no matter the age, whether middle school, high school, college-age, or young adult, children prefer for parents to take the understated role of “relationship consultant” over a hands-on meddler, but before giving it a go, it is essential for parents to foster a feeling of open communication and trust with their children.  And one of the most effective ways to do so is to make small talk.

Mark Nagelsmith, a father of a 16 year-old son in Glens Falls, N.Y. tells the Wall Street Journal that in order to sneak in small talk with his son he uses a technique that we have also found particularly successful with boys: sports.  “[My son] really opens up to talk when we’re just out fooling around, tossing the ball,” Nagelsmith explains. “He would never admit to me that he’s listening, because as you know, dads don’t know anything,” but as we would also suspect, Nagelsmith concedes, “maybe he is.”

Want to learn more about making small talk with your kids, even when they’re all grown up?  Click here to read our small tips!

Posted by Linda and Robin

Fri, November 06, 2009 - 5:16:05

What’s the Harm in Asking?

image courtesy of Museum 2.0

There’s an old Chinese proverb that says “One who asks a question is a fool for five minutes; one who does not ask a question remains a fool forever.” But, when you’re trying to make a great impression at work, it can be difficult to take down your game face for a moment, risk feeling silly, and ask what you think just might be a “stupid” question.  However, as we explain in our book, THE POWER OF SMALL: Why Little Things Make All the Difference and Jodi Glickman Brown writes on The Conversation Starter, asking questions at work actually makes you look smart in and out of the workplace.

If the events of the last year have taught us anything, it’s that failing to ask what you might think is a dumb little question can actually have devastating ramifications.  Pointing to the case of Bernie Madoff’s now infamous Ponzi scheme, Brown states that because inexperienced workers at the SEC were unwilling to ask questions and solicit help from their superiors they repeatedly failed to uncover Madoff’s massive fraud.  As a result, fortunes were decimated and families were devastated.

On a smaller scale, neglecting to ask questions you might think are silly can hinder your job performance, while taking a brave leap forward and inquiring at the risk of a laugh from your boss can help you shine in a whole new light.  Plus, if you are able to take a little good-natured ribbing it can even make you more likeable and perhaps more importantly, being able to swallow your pride and just ask shows that you’re able to take the initiative and solve problems before they get out of control. 

We’ve all heard the joke about what assuming does to you, so stop worrying about looking foolish for a fleeting moment and consider the alternatives because, as we like to say, little mistakes spell disaster… even when committed with the best of intentions. 

Posted by Linda and Robin

Thu, November 05, 2009 - 12:24:32

What We Can Learn from the Greatest Generation of Networkers: Making Small Talk Online Pays Off

In Wednesday’s Wall Street Journal, Jeffrey Zaslow examined the implications of social media on the lives of what he dubs “The Greatest Generation of Networkers.”  Although some hard-line critics warn that the constant tweeting, texting, Facebooking, and IMing that today’s teens and early twenty-somethings embrace will cause a break-down in their real-world interpersonal skills, supporters argue that these tech savvy-youngsters are actually streamlining communications in a revolutionary new way.  But in today’s “GoogMyTwitFace” culture, we believe that there should be room for both virtual and in-person networking. And by harnessing the power of small, you can make each of them work for you.

We’ve all heard stories of how using social networking sites like Twitter and LinkedIn can help job seekers find new positions and in theory it seems like a great idea, but in practice it can be more difficult than you may have assumed.  It turns out that just like in real life, standing out in cyberspace and proclaiming to the masses that you need a new job just doesn’t cut it.  The key is to start making real connections, and especially on social networking sites like Twitter and LinkedIn, the best method just might surprise you.  It’s small talk.

Of course, we’ve long believed that making small talk is one of the best ways to harness the power of small in order to build relationships in both your personal and professional life.  From uncovering the seed for a brilliant idea to finding an everyday hero, the power of small talk works in profound ways in the real world, but you can apply the same technique to the World Wide Web and see almost immediate results. 

For example, Tracy was a freelance designer looking to connect with other professionals in her area.  At first, she posted a simple tweet reading, “Looking for a freelance designer?  I can help!” but received little interest.  Then, after doing a targeted search on Twitter, she began following noted local business leaders and started sending friendly and helpful replies to their tweets, which frequently led to short Twitter exchanges. Almost instantly, she saw her website traffic jump and within a week, she received several direct messages from her “tweeps” with new project inquiries.

By taking the time to make simple small talk online, Tracy opened herself up to a wealth of new opportunities and discovered a whole new client base.  And you can do it, too.  All it takes is a little compliment, one tiny question, or a helpful bit of advice to get the conversational juices flowing.  Then, perk up those ears and listen, because you never know what you might hear.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Wed, November 04, 2009 - 1:29:21

DVR: A Blessing in Disguise?

A few years ago, when DVR first emerged onto the home entertainment scene, marketers collectively cringed in anticipation of what seemed to be an unavoidable event: the death of television.  With the convenience of being able to fast forward through every commercial and watch your favorite shows on your own time, digital video recorders were not only alluring to consumers, they were terrifying to the media business.  But, as the New York Times reports, surprising new data released by Nielsen this week reveals that everyone may have overlooked one very small, but very important detail: people are lazy.

In other words, as Brad Adgate of Horizon Media explains to the New York Times, watching TV has always been a passive activity. And just because DVR gives viewers the opportunity to skip the commercials doesn’t necessarily mean they all will adopt the behavior.

In fact, although 33 per cent of TV viewers now have the option of fast forwarding through ads, thanks to ever-increasing DVR subscriptions, Nielsen found that a whopping 49 per cent of viewers ages 18-49 simply don’t, either out of sheer laziness, forgetfulness, or genuine interest in watching commercials. And defying everyone’s fatalistic expectations, what everyone once perceived as a negative has turned out to be a real positive for all four major networks, strengthening the viewer base for established hits and drumming up interest for other less well-known shows.

So, counterintuitive to what everyone believed, instead of causing the downfall of television as we know it, it appears that DVR may actually play a vital role in boosting ratings and revenue. And it serves once again to prove our point that even when you’re doing nothing, you’re doing something… even if you’re just lounging on the couch with the DVR remote and a bowl of popcorn.

In fact, you just might be saving your favorite show from extinction.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Sun, November 01, 2009 - 8:54:21

Step by Step

Whether or not you’re participating in this weekend’s New York Marathon, there are times when all of us are so overwhelmed that at the end of another hectic day, we feel as though we’ve sprinted 26.2 miles.  But, as any winning track and field coach can tell you, winning a big race can’t be accomplished when running at full speed the whole way through.  Instead, the best way to make it across the finish line first is to get small and then get going.

No matter what challenge you face, be it a world-class athletic event or a week packed with meetings, conference calls, play dates, and social commitments, the natural inclination is to look at it as one imposing whole.  But, by doing so, you’re likely to fall down in defeat before you even start.  So instead of changing your plans, change your outlook and use the technique famed runner Paula Radcliffe employed in order to win the New York Marathon a whopping three times: take baby steps.

In order to make the long-distance run, Paula Radcliffe literally counts each and every footfall, knowing she’s hit another mile after counting to 100 three times. Sure, it might seem like a counter-intuitive approach, but by counting each real or figurative footfall and celebrating your tiny victories, you will give yourself the motivation you need to make it through to the end. 

When you have a huge deadline, attempting to multi-task or try to do everything at the same time can feel tempting, but even a little worm can tell you that moving along inch by inch is an effective way to reach your final destination.  So, instead of rushing through a million tasks at once, inch along and complete each one well before moving on to the next.  Not only will you reduce your risk of making careless mistakes, you will gain a sense of accomplishment from achieving each mini-task.

As Lao Tzu famously said, “the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”  So, take your focus off of that last mile marker and start concentrating on the small stops you need to make along the way.  Before you know it, you’ll be making great strides.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Sat, October 31, 2009 - 8:59:45

Man’s Best Teacher?

October is Adopt a Shelter Dog Month and even though we’re nearing the end, we wanted to highlight the amazing way that man’s best friend—adopted or otherwise—is making a difference in the lives of children across the country. While you might not expect it, a recent report on CNN revealed that in their own little way, dogs are actually teaching kids to read.

No, it’s not a stunt worthy of David Letterman’s Stupid Pet Tricks segment.  Instead, the dogs merely snuggle up to struggling students, and listen as the children read aloud from the pages of their favorite books.  And although it may seem insignificant, the simple act of cuddling with a dog while reading can have a dramatic impact.  As a result of reading to dogs for just 20 minutes a week, R.E.A.D, a non-profit organization that promotes literacy with the help of therapy animals, reports that students participating in the program improve their reading skills by an average of two grade levels over the course of a school year.

Teachers and psychologists believe that the effectiveness of this unusual learning method is rooted in the naturally therapeutic effects animals have on humans.  As a Purdue University study found, petting a dog relieves stress, lowers blood pressure, and slows the heart rate. For students who are self conscious or nervous about their own reading abilities, these benefits can help ease their anxiety, while the non-judging nature of an animal helps them overcome any sense of embarrassment and builds confidence. 

While it may seem out of the ordinary, programs like R.E.A.D. and “Sit. Stay. Read.” are powerful examples of the amazing ways in which SMALL is always at work.  Whether it’s the comforting warmth of a dog by your side to help you as you sound your way through each syllable or the friendly smile of the coffee shop barista who never forgets your order, the little, seemingly trivial things can make an enormous difference in the lives of people just like you.  So, open your eyes to the monumental power of small in your own life and discover its limitless possibilities.  You just might find it in the form of a furry, four-legged friend.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Thu, October 29, 2009 - 9:58:47

Yale University Learns the Hard Way that Little Mistakes Spell Disaster

Earlier today, we were catching up on the latest in The New York Times, when we saw a headline that really got our attention.  “After Error by Yale, Anger and a Court Fight Ensue,” it read.  And naturally, one might have imagined that the mistake that made international news must have been one of epic proportions.  But, as John Schwartz’s article reveals, Yale’s current legal battles are actually rooted in one tiny error; proving once again that contrary to what you might think, little mistakes can spell disaster.

The New York Times reports that Korea’s prestigious Dongguk University is accusing Yale of negligence and a subsequent cover-up after it mistakenly confirmed the doctoral degree of Shin Jeong-ah, an emerging artist who had been offered a teaching position at the Korean school in 2005.  After students and fellow professors began to have doubts about her illustrious educational background, the university sent a letter to Yale asking to verify Shin’s claims.  Dongguk then received a response and faxed it to Yale’s offices asking for additional confirmation, which a Yale administrator further approved.

It seems simple enough, but it turned out that the initial letter verifying Shin’s Ph.D. was actually a forgery.  And although it contained numerous typos and inaccuracies, including the misspelling of her own name, the Yale administrator accidentally confirmed that she had, in fact, written it.

Then, in 2007, amid a sea of rumors, Dongguk contacted Yale a third time asking them again to check their records and upon investigation, Yale discovered that Shin was never enrolled as a student.  So, they issued an apology to the Korean university, stating that the administrator made the mistake “in the rush of business.” 

But, embarrassed by the scandal which became known as “Shin-gate” throughout Korea, Dongguk was unsatisfied by Yale’s apology and filed suit for $50 million, claiming that Yale’s tiny slip-up had caused the school to lose millions in donations and to be “publicly humiliated and deeply shamed in the eyes of the Korean population.”
While Yale denies any negligence, wrong-doing, or concealment, the entire situation may have easily been avoided if the busy administrator had taken the time to read the letter carefully.
 
When you’re caught up in the whirlwind most of us face in our professional and personal lives every day, paying attention to so-called trivial details like spelling and typos can seem nitpicky and obsessive.  But in truth, just one tiny mistake can land you in hot water, hurt your prospects, or even derail your career.

So, the next time you’re about to shoot off a hastily written email or approve an official form without really reading it, give yourself a minute and take a second look.  After all, a typo isn’t always just a typo. 

Posted by Linda and Robin

Fri, October 23, 2009 - 6:30:14

Greening the Earth with… Garbage?

Could saving the earth be as simple as switching trash cans?  Well, that’s the thought behind San Francisco’s innovative and highly successful new “zero waste” program that aims to reduce the amount of carbon emissions produced by landfills each year.  But, instead of enacting numerous regulations regarding biodegradable and non-biodegradable garbage, the city government is asking residents and businesses to make just one small change.  Instead of throwing away leftover food in the regular trash can, San Franciscans are now required to toss it out in a new, green one.

The organic waste, as the city politely calls it, is then gathered up, composted, and sold to farms, vineyards, and other growers as highly fertile compost, helping not only to lessen the burden on landfills, but create more fruitful harvests and raise funds for the city of San Francisco.
And as an unexpected bonus, many local business owners have found that this simple switch is saving them thousands of dollars every month on their trash bills.  In fact, as NBC Nightly news reports, one restaurant in San Francisco has found that the new composting requirements have actually resulted in a savings of over $14,000 each month.

Although reversing global warming is admittedly a monumental undertaking, San Francisco’s compost program is just one more powerful example of how SMALL really can change the world.  Whether you switch from a traditional light bulb to a CFC, carpool with a friend once a week, or start composting your coffee grounds and food scraps instead of throwing them in with the trash, the small changes we make to our every day routines add up.  And together we can each take a small step forward on the journey to making the world a better—and cleaner—place.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Fri, October 23, 2009 - 2:24:05

Need an Energy-Boost?  Try Thinking Small!

It’s 3:00 p.m. and as if by magic, you feel like all of the energy has been zapped from your system.  You sit at your desk, rest your hands atop your keyboard, and suddenly just zone out. 

Sound familiar?  If so, you’re not alone, because like many others, you’re probably engaging in unconscious behaviors that are actually sucking the energy right out of you.  Luckily, you can reenergize yourself just by making a few little changes to your routine.  And it all starts with thinking small.

As John Salerno, MD, a family physician in New York City tells Denise Schipani of Woman’s Day Magazine, little, seemingly innocuous things like cluttered spaces, lack of fresh air, email overload, and even office gossip can actually have a huge effect on your energy level.  But, with our small tips, you can revitalize your day and become more productive.

Clear the clutter. As Dr. Salerno tells Woman’s Day, the human brain is hard wired to reject cluttered surroundings.  In fact, overstuffed spaces can actually trigger stress receptors in the brain.  So, ease your mind by de-cluttering your desk.  But, instead of going on an all-out cleaning frenzy, try Simplicity Works Organizing Services owner Molly Boren’s tip and “take five.” Zero in on five objects clogging up your space and either stow them away or toss them out.  Instantly, you will feel more relaxed.

Don’t multitask, minitask. Multitasking has long been synonymous with “high-functioning,” but for many folks, it just leaves you feeling overwhelmed and exhausted. So, if you have a particularly busy day, take 15 minutes to list out all of your tiny to-dos one by one.  By completing each little minitask, you’ll accomplish the big stuff before you know it.

Get some air. If you’re languishing in the afternoon doldrums, give yourself five minutes to get out of the office and take in a little fresh air and natural light.  Not only will the change of scenery re-inspire your mind, the outdoor breeze can actually help enhance your energy by ridding your body of the chemicals released into the air by some industrial cleaning products and fabrics in your office.

Say something nice. We’ve always said that the negative energy propagated by gossip is like a germ that slowly infects everyone around you and as Schipani writes, a 2006 Northwestern University study found that negative coworkers can actually hinder your own job performance.  So, give your colleagues and your spirits a boost by giving compliments instead of feeding the rumor mill.

Take a small reward.  If you’ve minitasked your way to success, why not reward yourself for your small accomplishment?  If you’re a sweet tooth, try keeping a stash of fun-size chocolates in your desk drawer and treat yourself with one when you’ve marked several action items off of your to-do list.  Knowing you get a reward at the end of your work will motivate you to keep on going.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Fri, October 23, 2009 - 9:42:46

In a Tough Job Market the Small Stuff Counts

With unemployment continuing to rise throughout the nation, many out-of-work Americans are discovering that today’s job market is more competitive than ever.  And, as an article in Wednesday’s New York Times points out, with so many people vying for fewer positions, employers are being overwhelmed by hundreds, if not thousands, of applications for a single opening.  So, when faced with such a wide applicant pool, hiring managers are finding that the only way to weed out so many impressive candidates isn’t to look at the big picture; it’s to sweat the small stuff.  And to make sure you get ahead in this difficult climate, you should too.

In The New York Times, Michael Luo tells the story of a recent hiring at C.R. England, a trucking company with an opening for an administrative assistant at its office in Burns Harbor, Indiana.  Hit hard by the recession and subsequent steel industry lay-offs, the job opportunity in an area with over 10 per cent unemployment drew 500 applications over the course of one weekend.  And exasperated by the sheer magnitude of the pile of resumes in front of her, the head of recruiting set to work narrowing down the candidates by considering small things like typos, grammatical errors, and more, in addition to the big things like years of experience and education.

When the company selected its final round of candidates for in-person interviews, the company director, Chris Kelsey used a long list of over 100 questions to gauge the intellect, skills, and character of each hopeful.  But, in the end, it was by watching his cues and clues that he picked the final two.
Kelsey and his HR manager took careful note of the mannerisms, vocal intonations, choice of clothing, and flexibility of each candidate and factored it in before coming down to two, almost identical applicants. Both made every effort to make their schedules meet the demands of their interviewers, had industry experience, similar educations, and professional demeanors, but in the end, the search that began with 500 resumes came down to a single question: “if you were in the stands at a baseball game and a foul ball came your way, would you stand up to try to catch it, or wait in your seat and hope it fell your way?”

As you may have guessed the interviewee who said she would jump up and grab the foul ball ultimately scored the gig, but both finalists used the power of small to their advantage during the arduous interview process in order to set themselves apart.  And by retuning your focus to the small details, you, too, can revitalize your job hunt.

So, why not browse a few of our Small Blog posts to find out how you can make it big by thinking small:

What’s in a Name? Tom Sato discovers that the key to getting noticed was changing his name.

Go the Extra Inch.  Learn why bringing your own latte is a sure-fire way to bomb your job interview.

Social Networking: Why it isn’t a Safety Net. We all love Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, but sometimes going old-school can be the best bet. A Power of Small reader tells us how one little phone call made her whole career.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Fri, October 16, 2009 - 4:16:29

Small Repairs Could Save the Planet

There are few problems in the world that are greater, or seem more imposing, than the threat of global warming on our environment.  Scientific research, newspapers, and even films like Al Gore’s award-winning documentary An Inconvenient Truth, have all shown us the grave danger climate change poses, but such an enormous problem could only call for one giant fix, right?  Well, according to an article in yesterday’s New York Times, it appears that making just one small change can have a significant impact.

We all know that over the course of a lifetime, proper maintenance of your car or home can help it last longer, perform better, and save you money.  And by applying this very same principle to the world’s largest natural gas facilities, we could actually eliminate more than 30 per cent of the carbon emissions currently clogging our atmosphere.

Because natural gas, which consists almost entirely of methane, is invisible to the naked eye, natural gas leaks from industrial wells go largely unnoticed, but when viewed through an infrared lens, the emissions can be staggering.  And just by taking this small step and sealing up the leaks, natural gas companies will not only save energy and money, they can help to reduce the contributing factors to global warming by a third. For Southern Methodist University engineer Al Armendaris, who studies oil and gas field pollutants, it’s “an absolute no-brainer, even more so than putting compact fluorescent bulbs in your house.”

Whether you’re an environmentalist or not, this story serves as a powerful reminder that sometimes it’s the practically undetectable things that can have a huge impact on your life.  From eagerly listening to the latest office gossip, to neglecting to send a thank you note after an interview, always showing up late, or failing to offer your help, the little, seemingly innocuous things you do (or don’t do) help to form other people’s perceptions of you.  But, the key to discovering those invisible life polluters is to put on your imaginary infrared goggles and take a closer look.  Once you discover the true power these tiny negative actions have, you can take the small steps forward to fix them once and for all.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Fri, October 16, 2009 - 9:51:27

Think before you Tweet

Image courtesy of Twitter.com

As the authors of THE POWER OF SMALL: Why Little Things Make All the Difference, we firmly believe that even our smallest actions can have outsize impact on our lives, both professionally and personally.  Whether it’s a kind gesture to a stranger on the street or an unintentional roll of the eyes at a loved one, the little things we do, one by one, can determine the path our lives take.  And sometimes the smallest missteps can spell disaster… even something as tiny as a “tweet.”

As Laura M. Holson writes in a recent article in the New York Times, a number of influential celebrities and public figures have found themselves in loads of legal trouble thanks to a few thoughtless posts they have written on the social networking site, Twitter. 

This month, rocker Courtney Love will appear in court for a hearing after a lawsuit was filed against her by fashion designer Dawn Simorangkir for a hefty sum of $50,000, not for her famed bad-girl antics, but for a few choice words she wrote in a series of tweets.  Although Love, who was angered following a business dispute with the Boudoir Queen designer, probably wrote the insults on Twitter as a way to vent her frustration, Simorangkir (who, among other things, Love called a “liar” and a “thief”) claims that she is in fact the victim of libel.

And Love isn’t the only well known figure that has gotten into trouble with careless messages posted to the microblogging service.  Actress Demi Moore, blogger Perez Hilton, author Alice Hoffman, and entrepreneur Mark Cuban have all found themselves in hot water after making controversial statements on Twitter, but it’s not just a problem facing the rich and famous.  People all over the country have learned the hard way that a little tweet can mean big trouble. 

When Amanda Bonnen complained to her Twitter followers about the mold in her apartment, she probably never imagined that she would be sued by the building management company for defamation and when everyday people make fun of their bosses and coworkers online, they probably never anticipate they will lose their jobs.  But, no matter how insignificant or harmless those snarky tweets may seem, they can have a powerful effect on the course of your life.

So, keep on “tweeting” on, but before you press the update button, give those 140 characters a second thought.  Because the small actions we all take now can change our lives forever.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Thu, October 15, 2009 - 9:41:47

Trust your Intuition: Sweating the Small Stuff Solves the Jaycee Lee Dugard Mystery

With the release of Jaycee Lee Dugard’s photograph on People Magazine yesterday, our attention turns once again to the miraculous discovery of the missing girl, who abducted at age eleven, had been missing for 18 years.  Although her accused kidnapper, Phillip Garrido, had been visited at home by law enforcement on multiple occasions, Dugard remained hidden just a few feet away for nearly two decades.  And if not for a chance encounter with two local police officers who sweated the small stuff and trusted their instincts, the case that has captured the attention of the nation may never have been cracked wide open.

As an article on Oprah.com featuring an interview with University of California Berkley employees, police officer Allison Jacobs and police specialist Lisa Campbell, explains, it was intuition, not DNA or CSI that helped save Jaycee. 

When Garrido walked into the campus security offices at the University of California Berkley with two young girls this August to discuss hosting an on-campus event, Lisa Campbell immediately sensed that something was amiss.  But, instead of ignoring her concerns, she asked Garrido to return the following day and told her coworker about her bad vibes. “I said: ‘Ally, this guy is in my office. He’s got these two young girls. Something’s not right.”  And after that, Allison ran a background check.

As the pair soon discovered, Garrido was not only a registered sex offender, he was currently on parole for rape.  And after speaking with his parole officer, they made a shocking discovery: he had no knowledge of the two daughters who had attended both meetings at Berkley.  And within hours of Lisa and Allison’s report, police officers showed up on Garrido’s doorstep and found a now 29 year-old Jaycee in a hidden compound in the back yard. 

If not for paying attention to the small, non-verbal cues Garrido was giving —what forensic psychologist Anthony Pinizzotto calls “microbehaviors”— it is likely that Jaycee would still be missing, but thanks to their attention to detail, they made a miracle for the Dugard family. 

And it’s something you don’t have to have police training to do.  By going with your gut, you can tap into the primal, innate knowledge that each of us naturally possesses as human beings.  The challenge is to listen to the little voice inside of you, even when you don’t want to hear what it has to say.  Or, as Lisa Campbell so powerfully stated in her interview with Oprah Winfrey: “I think we’re one of the only species that ignores the instinct that we have. Don’t be afraid to question. You can always apologize if you’re wrong. Take that extra step.”

Posted by Linda and Robin

Fri, October 09, 2009 - 9:13:31

Changing the World, One Bowl at a Time: Ben Ali of Ben’s Chili Bowl Dies at 82

Walk down U street in Washington DC and while many things have changed, you’ll find one familiar place that’s been a mainstay in the dynamic community for over 50 years.  A place that has witnessed cultural revolutions, demographic shifts, crime waves and times of peace; one that has served as host to dignitaries, civil rights leaders, jazz legends, and everyday folks, and one that for five decades people have come to to set aside their differences over one simple thing: a bowl of chili.

Image courtesy of Washington City Paper

Yesterday, people all over the nation mourned the death of Ben Ali, a Washingtonian transplant who began his pursuit of the American dream after immigrating from Trinidad, and owner of the little restaurant at 1213 U Street called Ben’s Chili Bowl.  Serving up a simple menu of chili, half-smokes, burgers, and fries, what began in 1958 as Ali’s initial $5,000 restaurant investment over time, turned into a local institution and a place where people from all walks of life could meet on common ground and share a delicious homemade recipe.

Sticking it out through tough economic times, rioting neighbors (Ben’s Chili Bowl was one of the few stores in the area to survive the looting of the 1968 riots) and construction projects, Ben’s became the one constant in a neighborhood filled with change, and by staying true to its original formula through good times and bad became a place in the community where people felt at home. 

Over the years, Ben’s became a “go-to” restaurant in Washington, DC, attracting media attention and swarms of out-of-towners, while continuing to serve locals and regulars every day.  And the charm of his little restaurant stayed with patrons long after they left.  So, perhaps then, it should come as no surprise that people all across the country and even the world were so saddened to hear of the passing of a food icon.  Even in the high tech world of Twitter, for much of the past two days, one of the most popular topics of conversation has been Ben’s Chili Bowl.  Living on through his restaurant, Ben Ali embodied so much of what the SMALL philosophy is all about: that even with something as simple as a bowl of chili, we can all help to change the world.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Thu, October 08, 2009 - 11:41:00

Talk to Me, Baby

In our recent guest post on Marc and Angel Hack Life we describe the amazing way in which small talk helped to save the life of an everyday woman battling a terrible illness and it’s just one of the many powerful ways in which small talk works every day.  Whether you’re looking for a new friend or looking for a new career, we know that small talk can open the doors to a wealth of opportunities, but as we were catching up on the New York Times last week, we were reminded of just one more way in which making a little small talk can make a huge difference—even if the person you’re talking to can’t quite talk back.  Yes, as many of our fellow mom’s may know, the simple act of making small talk with your baby can actually play a monumental role in his or her early development.

But, while most of us know how important small talk is to the development of the mind in its most formative stages, making small talk with your kids no matter what their age is an important way to strengthen your bond with them throughout your lives.  Unfortunately, as many of us have discovered, when kids grow older, getting them to open up often becomes a little harder. 

Who hasn’t experienced this situation?

Parent: Walking into the house from school. “How was your day, honey?”

Child: Already making a bee-line for his or her bedroom. “Fine.” Door shuts.

So, how can you change it?  As moms, we’ve found that one secret to getting your kids talking can be as simple as a change of scenery.  For example, try talking with them while their buckled up in the backseat of your car.  As you drive down the road, ask them open ended questions that require more than just a one-word answer.  For example, instead of “How was your day?” ask, “What was the best part of your day today?”  If they’re still a little hesitant to speak up, try our favorite follow-up question (which works wonders on adults, too): “why?”  With the constant motion of the car and the slight separation of the front and back seats, your kids will feel freer to express themselves and over time, these short car-ride chats will not only aid your overall communications, they will strengthen your bond as a family.  If that doesn’t work, try shooting a few hoops together or playing a game of catch.  The combination of physical activity and reduced eye contact will help your kids feel more comfortable instead of self-conscious.

Even when your kids are all grown up, it can still be difficult to get them to open up about their personal lives, but using small talk can still be a great way to get them to let their guard down.  Think of it as your “warm-up act.”  Instead of starting by asking direct questions, just take ten minutes to shoot the breeze and loosen up.  Talk about the weather, sports, a good meal you ate, or any other innocuous subject you can think of.  Once your adult children feel at ease and you’ve had a couple of minutes to chat, they’ll be more apt to let you in on their thoughts and feelings and might even start asking you for advice.

And what could feel better than that?

Posted by Linda and Robin

Fri, October 02, 2009 - 9:17:19

Today’s Leading Innovators Think Small

As the founders of one of the nation’s fastest growing ad agencies, we’ve learned through experience that the secret to success is sweating the small stuff, honing in on the fine details, and recognizing the amazing potential in even the tiniest of ideas.  And according to a recent report from The Harvard Business Review, we’re not alone in our thinking.  In fact, as professors Jeff Dyer of Brigham Young University and Hal Gregersen of Insead explain, thinking small is intrinsic to the DNA of the business world’s greatest innovators.

After six years of research surveying 3,000 of the world’s leading creative executives (including Jeff Bezos of Amazon.com and Apple’s Steve Jobs) and administering 500 one-on-one interviews, Dyer and Gregersen’s research team unearthed a surprising finding that contradicts the conventional wisdom that breakthrough ideas come from people who think big.  Instead, the research duo identified that these successful entrepreneurs shared a set of five distinguishing characteristics they labeled “discovery skills.”  As Professor Dyer explains in an interview with The Harvard Business Review’s Bronwyn Fryer:

The first skill is what we call “associating.” It’s a cognitive skill that allows creative people to make connections across seemingly unrelated questions, problems, or ideas. The second skill is questioning — an ability to ask “what if”, “why”, and “why not” questions that challenge the status quo and open up the bigger picture. The third is the ability to closely observe details, particularly the details of people’s behavior. Another skill is the ability to experiment — the people we studied are always trying on new experiences and exploring new worlds. And finally, they are really good at networking with smart people who have little in common with them, but from whom they can learn.

When asked to summarize the collection of “discovery skills,” Dyer chooses one powerful word: inquisitiveness.  As we’ve always said, “curiosity kills the competition” and it’s a trait we’ve found leads not only to great ideas, but to great relationships.  Many million dollar ideas were born out of tiny questions and countless friendships in and out of the business world have been forged when people stop delivering monologues and start engaging in dialogue.  Not only does it help to create an instant rapport, it opens both parties up to a wealth of new information and potential inspiration.

And even if you fear that “discovery skills” aren’t a part of your genetic make-up, you can modify your business DNA just by trying a popular little trick we use at The Kaplan Thaler Group: thinking like a four year-old.  Instead of becoming overwhelmed by cumbersome, complex concepts, take a step back in time, think about things in more simplified terms, start asking questions, and follow your curiosity.  After all, you never know where it could lead you.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Thu, October 01, 2009 - 9:13:13

A Dog Rescuer Sweats the Small Stuff and Saves a Family

In our book, THE POWER OF SMALL: Why Little Things Make All the Difference, we explain countless ways in which shrinking your outlook and looking at the world with micro-focus can help you transform your life and change the lives of others.  And as we watched the CBS Evening News a few nights ago, our eyes were opened once again to the miraculous ways in which SMALL works.  As reporter Steve Hartman explains, one caring animal lover’s keen attention to detail actually helped to reunite a family torn apart by tragedy.

Kathy Wilkes-Myers, of the Love Me Tender Animal Rescue in central Tennessee, has dedicated her life to rescuing dogs abandoned alongside many of the region’s winding roads. Most, as victims of abuse or neglect, were timid with strangers, anxious, or unsociable.  But, after discovering one unusually friendly Rottweiler on the side of highway, Kathy couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something different about this case.  While most of Love Me Tender’s dogs were indeed abandoned, her gut told her something different about the new Rottweiler she called Ella, so she decided to trust her instincts and did a little detective work.

Retracing her steps, Kathy starting reconstructing what might have happened during Ella’s frightening time along the highway.  And, revisiting the spot where she discovered Ella, suddenly remembered seeing the wreckage of a terrible accident in the very same place just two weeks before.  Noticing the small clues all around her, Kathy came to the somber conclusion that Ella had been the sole survivor of that car accident and remained at the scene out of loyalty to her family.  But, after contacting local authorities, Kathy discovered that Ella’s family had survived, but had been told by investigators that their dog had almost certainly been killed.  With this new revelation, the police put Kathy in contact with the family and all were reunited at last.

By slowing down and taking notice of the little things, trusting her instincts, and fine tuning her focus, Kathy Wilkes-Myers didn’t just save a loving dog, she became a hero to a heartbroken family.  However in our busy lives, many of us overlook the small clues that surround us every minute of every day, so Kathy and Ella’s story serves as a poignant reminder to all of us how important those seemingly insignificant details—like the smile on a dog’s face or the forgotten trash on the side of the road—can be. And that just by sweating the small stuff we truly can achieve extraordinary things. 

Posted by Linda and Robin

Thu, October 01, 2009 - 9:26:34

Business Relationships that Last is in Stores Now!

Looking for a good read? If you loved our books THE POWER OF SMALL: Why Little Things Make All the Difference and THE POWER OF NICE: How to Conquer the Business World with Kindness, then check out the new release by our fellow author and the president of The Relational Capital Group, Ed Wallace. 

Business Relationships That Last is an excellent resource that provides guidance and support to move every business relationship strategically from a business acquaintance to potentially a professional peer or possibly a respected advisor. We know that companies grow through relationships and this book provides clear direction on how to build relationships that last!

So, whether you’re a chief executive or a budding manager, Business Relationships that Last can help you strengthen the so-called “soft skills” of relationship building with five simple steps, and transform any business relationship into a valuable source for revenue, leads, and advice.

Business Relatioinships that Last is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Borders and other fine booksellers nationwide. To learn more about Ed’s new book, visit his website or browse his video catalogue here.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Mon, September 28, 2009 - 9:36:06

Sleep Well, Live Well

In today’s go-go-go world, a good night’s sleep can feel like a luxury, but a new study by the Archives of Internal Medicine reveals that given the heightened fears of a Swine Flu epidemic, it’s more like a necessity.  And the difference between getting sick and staying healthy could simply mean the difference of just one hour a night.

According to the 2009 study, sleep plays an important role in the production of disease-fighting white blood cells.  But most Americans, who average only six hours and 40 minutes of sleep per night won’t enjoy the immunity-boosting benefits of their nightly slumbers, as the body requires at least eight hours of rest to replenish the full white blood cell count.

One hour may seem like an insignificant amount of time, but as Anahad O’Connor reports in The New York Times, the study of 153 men and women showed that those who slept less were a whopping three times more likely to fall ill than those who got the recommended eight hours.

Of course, with so much to do, finding that extra hour in your day to devote to sleeping can seem like an impossible task, but with a little help from THE POWER OF SMALL, you can easily manage it.  How?  By cutting through the clutter and learning to manage your time more effectively.

Start by writing down a list of all of the typical diversions you consider “time-wasters”.  Next, for two days, try to be very mindful of your activities and each time you find yourself engaging in a time-waster, make a check mark on your list.  After the two days are over, take a look at your lists for each day and take note all of the time you “wasted” on activities like aimlessly surfing the internet or flipping though the TV channels without watching anything in particular.  With 57% of Americans admitting to wasting at least one hour per day at work alone, it shouldn’t be long until you can dig up a spare 60 minutes of sleep time.

Once you’ve taken a good hard look at your daily habits and found your extra hour, you can begin retraining your mind to work within your new, more productive schedule by using small steps.  For two weeks, dedicate yourself to going to bed just five minutes earlier than the night before.  At the end of the 14 day period, you’ll have painlessly adjusted to your new sleep schedule and can begin reaping the rewards of a healthier you.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Fri, September 25, 2009 - 9:29:15

Fast Forward

In our book, THE POWER OF SMALL: Why Little Things Make All the Difference, we discuss how the simple act of sending a hand-written thank-you note can work wonders to help you make a great impression by going the extra inch.  So, as we read Michael Schrage’s recent post on his Harvard Business Review blog, The Conversation Starter, we were reminded again of how even the smallest gesture, like a handwritten note or a thoughtful email, can have an outsize impact on your professional and personal relationships.  And his SMALL idea?  When you want to make a great impression, sometimes all you have to do is fast forward.

As Schrage writes on his blog, the advantage of this now “old-school” method of forwarding interesting articles, YouTube videos, blog posts, and other links via email instead of sharing on social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter is the potential for what he calls “creative customization.”  Instead of posting to Facebook’s relatively public “wall” or tweeting to the massive Twittersphere, email forwards present the opportunity for a continued, private, one-on-one dialogue with the recipient—and while Twitter and Facebook both offer some form of privacy via Direct Messaging, email forwarding is still the most immediate way to share knowledge on the Web. 

This “creative customization” is a powerful force that not only helps you instantly connect with your recipient; it indicates special thought and attention.  Instead of posting to the masses that you read an interesting article, individual email forwarding allows you to select an article based on common interests, send a quick communication, and open yourself up to a follow-up by phone or email.  Even better, it gives you fodder for small talk during your next face-to-face meeting.

It’s just another simple yet effective way you can go the extra inch with your friends, family, clients, and coworkers and especially helpful for shy folks who have difficulty reaching out.  So, the next time you come across an interesting link online, don’t just be reminded of someone, hit “control + C” and “control + V” and email it!  You’ll never know how far a little forwarding could lead you until you give it a try.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Fri, September 25, 2009 - 9:15:11

Taken to the Cleaners

Every Thursday after work, Will Norton would gather up his dirty dress shirts, load up his car, and drive five minutes to his neighborhood dry cleaners.  “Welcome back, Mr. Norton,” the cashier would say and smile, “Good to see you again!”

After a few minutes of casual conversation, sharing the latest news of each other’s lives, Will would take his claim ticket, pull out his car keys and make his way back home.  Then one day, something different caught the cashier’s eye. 

“Hey, nice new key chain,” she remarked. 

“New car keys!”  Will proudly replied.

The two chatted for a bit about his recent big purchase and then, as always, Will tucked his claim ticket in his front pocket, waved goodbye, and started the short drive back to his house.  When he arrived home just a few minutes later, a message was waiting on his answering machine.

“Mr. Norton,” it began, “it’s Faye.  From the cleaners?  Anyway, a customer just came in with a hood ornament that he found in the parking lot and I think it might be yours.”

He glanced outside his window and sure enough, his brand new car was missing one.  So, he sped over to the dry cleaner and there it was, safe and secure in a plastic zipper bag with his name written on it in black marker.  Naturally, Will was touched.  After all, the cashier knew he would be in again the following week, but instead of waiting, she took the time to call him up before he could even notice his hood ornament was missing.  And to top it off, she even remembered the little detail of the make and model of his new car.

Immediately Will, a natural born talker, started telling everyone he knew about the stellar service he received at his neighborhood cleaners.  And just like the old shampoo commercial goes, he told two friends, and they told two friends, and before he knew it there was a line out the door and a place on the “best of” list of his town’s newspaper.

And it’s all thanks to the amazing power of small talk.  In a time when companies are looking to cut back on promotional costs, making small talk is a free and easy way to take your company from ordinary to extraordinary.  The short, seemingly insignificant conversations shared between employees and customers on a daily basis don’t just help to pass the time, they actually enhance the customer experience and help to give you first-hand knowledge that just might come in handy some day.  If Fay hadn’t mentioned Will’s new key chain, she may have never had the opportunity to perform the small act that helped take her workplace from just another corner cleaners to the best one in town.

So, the next time you feel like clamming up, get curious and start making small talk.  You never know where those little words could lead you.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Fri, September 18, 2009 - 11:31:25

Enter the POWER OF SMALL Sweepstakes to Win an iPod Nano, Starbucks Gift Card, and More!

All week long, our SMALL fans have been entering the POWER OF SMALL Sweepstakes to win loads of fantastic prizes and we’re still giving them away! But, the fun won’t last forever, so make sure to enter today simply by registering on our website (to receive our confirmation email, you must provide a valid email address) and take a moment to peruse our blogs while you’re here.

Along with copies of our bestselling books, THE POWER OF NICE: How to Conquer the Business World with Kindness and THE POWER OF SMALL: Why Little Things Make all the Difference, you may be eligible to win one of the following fabulous prizes:

One iPod Nano, preloaded with the audio version of THE POWER OF SMALL.

A stylish set of stationary to write your own thank-you notes.

A twelve-month subscription to Zagat.com.

One gourmet muffin basket, which we hope you’ll share with a friend!

A Starbucks gift card worth $100.

So what are you waiting for?  Enter today and while you’re at it, tell a friend!

All winners will be notified via email, so be sure to add thepowerofsmallblog@gmail.com to your safe senders list and don’t forget to watch for a message from your friends at The Power of Small!

Read full contest rules here!

Posted by Linda and Robin

Thu, September 17, 2009 - 5:05:56

What’s in a Name?

Tom sat at the dinner table feeling perplexed.  After spending more than six months sending out resume after resume, he had yet to hear back from a single company.  With strong experience in his field, a degree from a prestigious university, and fluency in no less than four languages, he couldn’t understand why no one was calling.  Then his wife looked at him and posed a seemingly inane question:

“Do you think it could be your name?” she asked.

“My name?” he echoed, befuddled by her question.

“Yeah, like do you think people are afraid to call because they can’t pronounce it?  I mean, you’ve heard the telemarketers…” she trailed off.  “Never mind, it was just a silly idea.”

But as he slurped up his fettuccine, Tom got the feeling that she might be on to something.  You see, on paper he wasn’t “Tom”; he was “Toshihisa,” using his full name—one that he hadn’t been called, well, ever.  And one that over and over he had heard others struggle to pronounce, even on his graduation day.  Who could forget the memorable messages he would receive from cable repair men, sales people, and doctors’ offices, all interrupted by the same hilarious moment of panic:

“Hi, I’m calling for…uh…Tuh…Toha…Tohee… Oh, jeez, Mr. or Mrs. Sato?”

Tom had to admit, it was an interesting idea.  Could employers be missing out on a great candidate just because his name, with its intimidating string of H’s and I’s, was so impossible to pronounce?  He decided to conduct an experiment.  He pulled out his laptop, opened up his resume and deleted his first name, replacing it with the easily uttered “Tom.”

The next morning, while searching his favorite job site, he spotted three positions he would be perfect for.  So, with his new resume ready to go, he drafted three new cover letters, signed “Tom Sato” and sent them on their way.  After spending most of the day in meetings he looked at his Blackberry and saw three missed calls: one from his wife, and two from Human Resources at two different companies.  It seemed that their hypothesis was correct.

Tom’s story is just another striking example of the countless ways in which SMALL works every day.  By putting his head on the other person’s shoulders and recognizing that his hard-to-pronounce name might be intimidating to otherwise interested employers, he made a tiny but ingenious change that revved up his once-stagnant job search.  The simple act of changing the name on his resume from the formal title no one called him to his widely known nickname took him from a candidate on the backburner to one hot commodity in the matter of a few hours. 

And if SMALL can work for Tom, it can work for you, too.  All you have to do is retune your focus from the big picture to the small pixels.  By zeroing in on life’s little details, you can recognize the potential in the things you might once have deemed trivial and in doing so, you can change not only your mindset, but your career, your schoolwork, your marriage, or even your whole life.  So get out that magnifying glass and start looking!  The answers are out there; it’s up to you to find them.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Tue, September 15, 2009 - 9:10:59

THE POWER OF SMALL Sweepstakes!

You’ve waited weeks to find out about our special SMALL announcement and the day is finally here.  We’re having a giveaway and anyone can participate!  Enter simply by registering on our website (to receive our confirmation email, you must provide a valid email address) and take a moment to peruse our blogs while you’re here.

Five lucky winners will be randomly selected to receive copies of our bestselling books, THE POWER OF NICE: How to Conquer the Business World with Kindness and THE POWER OF SMALL: Why Little Things Make all the Difference, along with one of the following fabulous prizes:

One iPod Nano, preloaded with the audio version of THE POWER OF SMALL.

A stylish set of stationary to write your own thank-you notes.

A twelve-month subscription to Zagat.com.

One gourmet muffin basket, which we hope you’ll share with a friend!

A Starbucks gift card worth $100.

So what are you waiting for?  Enter today and while you’re at it, tell a friend!

Read the full contest rules here.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Mon, September 14, 2009 - 10:05:21

Moment to Moment

Earlier this week, we read a wonderful article in The New York Times covering Jude Law’s critically acclaimed performance in Hamlet, which recently wrapped in London and will debut on Broadway later this month.  In his interview with Sarah Lyall, Law confesses that tackling the title role was daunting to say the least.  But, as he explains to the journalist, becoming Hamlet was an epic journey best travelled one small step at a time.

“Because of the speed and pace with which you have to wrench yourself up and down the emotional spectrum, you can’t quantify beforehand how far you have to go,” he said. “I was very daunted when I sat at the bottom of the mountain and looked at it as a whole and thought, ‘How do I get from here to the other side?’ But to watch where you’re going at the beginning of the play is the wrong way to go about it […] It’s a lot easier to cope with if you play moment to moment. That mirrors what Hamlet goes through and where he gets to in the end, when he talks about ‘The readiness is all.’ ”

Although we can’t all be Academy Award-nominated actors, each of us can use Law’s approach toward Hamlet throughout our lives to conquer even our most intimidating challenges.  Though our goals may differ, one powerful tactic can show us that nearly anything is possible.  And the path to this discovery starts with “thinking small.”

For many years, the prevailing wisdom has been to think big.  After all, big problems call for big solutions, right?  Well, quite frankly, we disagree.  In a culture where big cars, big houses, and big spending accounts reigned supreme, all this talk about big seems to have landed us in a world of trouble.  That’s why we think big is so 2008 and our new climate calls for a fresh approach:  the key to handling even life’s biggest challenges is to break them down into tiny, more manageable pieces.  Thinking small doesn’t mean running away from the problems you think you can’t solve, it means honing in on the details and finding smaller aspects that you can.  Then bit by bit, you’ll scale that mountain and before you know it you’ll achieve the impossible.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Thu, September 10, 2009 - 10:28:54

SMALL Ways to Go Green

It’s amazing what you can discover on Twitter!  A few days ago, as we were trading interesting stories and quotes with our followers, we learned quite an eye opening fact from Parent Hacks blogger, Asha Dornfest (@parenthacks).  Just by cutting out one and a half pounds of meat from your family’s diet each week, you can have the same environmental impact as if you were to switch from a standard sedan to a hybrid vehicle.

Usually, when you think about combating global warming, the task can seem so immense that it feels as though the world is literally resting on your shoulders.  Yet, the fact Asha shared with all of us on Twitter serves as a wonderful reminder that each of us can have a huge impact with even our smallest actions. And it got us thinking… if such a tiny change could have such a monumental effect on our environment (not to mention our wallets and waistlines), what other small things could each of us do in order to truly change the world for the better and improve our finances at the same time?  Well, we’ve compiled a few of our favorite small and easy ways to go green and we hope you’ll take them on one at a time to start making every day Earth Day.

Have one “no-cook” meal a week.  Give your oven (and energy bills) a break by preparing just one no-cook meal a week, such as a big salad, gazpacho, or even an antipasto platter.  Both your range and oven use significant amounts of energy and combat the cooling effects of your air conditioning in the warmer months, so give each of them the night off and hit up your favorite recipe sites for a little inspiration.

Bring your own to-go cup. Now you have a good excuse to purchase one of those trendy to-go cups you’ve been eyeing at your local coffee house: it can help you save the planet.  And not only will bringing your own travel mug help you reduce the number of disposable coffee cups tossed out each year by possibly hundreds, many coffee houses actually offer discounts to people who bring their own personal cups.

Kick your shoes off.  Throughout Asia, it is customary to remove your shoes before entering a home and we think it’s a great way to keep your house cleaner, longer.  So, why not try out the tradition and become a shoe-free house?  By keeping your footwear off your carpets, you’ll find yourself plugging in that energy-sucking vacuum a whole lot less.

So, what are you waiting for?  Get small and go green!  The promise of a cleaner, healthier planet all starts with you.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Wed, September 09, 2009 - 10:45:26

Save Big Bucks by Thinking SMALL

While the prospect of an economic recovery seems to be on the horizon, many Americans are still looking for new and innovative ways to cut costs.  From eating out less to dropping your land lines, the possibilities for saving little by little are astounding.  But, there’s one tiny habit you can incorporate into your shopping routine that will help you save BIG without sacrificing a thing and it’s called a checklist.

As we write in our book, THE POWER OF SMALL: Why Little Things Make All the Difference, checklists are a simple yet effective way to manage your work flow and really get things done, but they’re also a powerful tool in helping you manage your personal finances.  Why?  Because, as Money Magazine reports, over two thirds of purchases made at the supermarket are actually impulse buys.  So, the best way to stay on track is to arm yourself with a detailed, organized grocery list and stick to it.  Not only will it help you remember everything you need for that week’s meals, it will remind you of all the things you really don’t.

So, before you head out to the store each week, set aside just 15 minutes, grab a pen and paper, and get writing.  Close your eyes and visualize the layout of your super market and write the list according to your typical shopping pattern.  Do you start in the produce section?  Then your list should begin with all the fruits and vegetables you’ll need for the week.  Do you head to the meat counter next?  List out chicken, fish or any other ingredients you might need.  Continue this method until you’ve imagined yourself all the way to the checkout counter and then review your list twice to complete a final inventory. 

Once you finish your list and make your way to the store, cross each item off as you go along.  Then watch for that magic number to appear on the register; you’ll be amazed at the amount you saved with very little effort.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Tue, September 01, 2009 - 9:56:55

A Can Full of Dreams

If you’re a fan of THE POWER OF SMALL, then you know how using checklists can help you revolutionize your daily routine.  By simplifying even the biggest tasks into smaller, more easily accomplished steps, you can make even the busiest of schedules feel manageable.  But, when we were writing our book, we never imagined the amazing potential that these simple lists possess.  That is, until we read the story of Tererai Trent, a young Zimbabwe woman who achieved the impossible just by thinking small.

In his stirring New York Times Magazine article, “The Women’s Crusade,” author Nicholas Kristof relates her inspiring tale, which begins in a tiny village in rural Zimbabwe.  As a young girl, Tererai tended to her family’s cattle while she watched longingly as her brother, Tinashe, set off to school each morning.  Desperate for a chance to learn, the bright Tererai completed her less-talented brother’s homework each night, teaching herself to read and write in the process.  Perplexed by the sudden shift in the quality of her otherwise indifferent student’s homework, Tinashe’s teacher did a little digging and discovered that his sister was actually completing his assignments.  Then, convinced that Tererai was a prodigy, she pleaded with the children’s father to allow her to attend school.  Eventually, he gave in, but after only a few terms, forced Tererai into marriage at the tender age of 11.

With her dreams of education dashed, Tererai settled into an unhappy marriage and was subjected to brutal beatings by a husband who despised her literacy and zest for learning, until one day, she had the conversation that would change her life. 

Jo Luck, the newly appointed president of the charitable organization Heiffer International, was visiting Tererai’s village to donate livestock to impoverished residents when she joined a group of local women in conversation.  Discussing their difficult lives and unhappy marriages, a resigned Tererai asked Luck, “If you’re a woman and you are not educated, what else?” Touched by the sadness in Tererai’s eyes, Luck tried to convince her that her life could be different and encouraged her to think about her hopes and dreams once more.

So, emboldened with a new outlook, Tererai grabbed a pencil and paper and began making a list.  Goal one:  Travel to the United States of America.  Goal two: Obtain a college degree.  Goal three: earn her PhD.  She wrapped her checklist up in a protective layer of plastic, stashed it in a tin can, and buried it under a rock.  And then, little by little, she began her formidable journey one small step at a time.

After successfully completing a correspondence course, Tererai began saving money from her position as a community organizer in her village.  And then, six years after her endeavor first began, Tererai received an invitation to attend Oklahoma State University, where she later earned her Bachelor’s degree while working full-time.  Soon after, her five children joined her in America and she completed her Master’s degree in Arkansas and is now a doctoral candidate at Western Michigan University.

Not long ago, Tererai made the trip back to her village in Africa to visit a familiar old rock.  She dug up her check list and one by one, marked off her accomplishments.

It’s just another amazing-but-true example of the many ways in which SMALL works… and it can work for you, too.  No matter where you live, what you do, who you are, or what you believe, each of us can achieve even our biggest goals, just by starting small. No matter what you dare to achieve, the secret to success resides inside of you and it’s up to you to put it to good use.  So, next time you’re feeling discouraged or overwhelmed by the obstacles you’re facing, think of Tererai’s story and put your best foot forward.  Your journey may be filled with pitfalls and setbacks, but step by step, you’ll get there.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Fri, August 28, 2009 - 1:53:02

Think SMALL and Live Long

If you’re a regular reader of the Small Blog or a fan of our book, THE POWER OF SMALL: Why Little Things Make all the Difference, then you already know how you can improve your relationships, boost your productivity, and confront your biggest challenges just by thinking small.  But did you know that the power of small can do more than just change your life?  As a recent segment on The Today Show reveals, taking small steps can actually help you extend it.

As Liz Vaccariello, Editor-in-Chief of Prevention Magazine, explains, making big changes like quitting smoking, increasing your intake of fish and leafy greens, and exercising regularly are all keys to helping you live a long and healthy life, but there are also a plethora of little adjustments we can all make to extend our years and live our lives to the fullest.

So, if you’re ready to think small and live long, why not try our little suggestions?

Laugh more.  Life isn’t just more fun when you find humor in the little things, it turns out it’s actually healthier.  Scientific studies have shown time and time again that people who laugh more live longer, suffer fewer illnesses, and recover more readily from major illnesses such as cancer.

Make small talk with a stranger.  Loneliness and solitude aren’t just bad for your morale; they can actually increase your risk for dementia and other age-related diseases.  So, turn back the hands of time, embrace your inner chatty teenager, and make small talk with the person next to you.  Not only will your brain benefit from the stimulation of a new experience, you just might make a lifelong friend.

Count your steps.  We’ve all heard the expression, “Eat less.  Move more.”  But, with busy schedules, constant commitments, and pricey gym membership fees, it can seem difficult to put into practice.  Well, we have a simple and cost effective solution for you: buy a pedometer.  When you see the number of steps you take each day, you can easily challenge yourself to take a few more, bit by bit.  Before you know it, you’ll be skipping the subway and counting your steps to a slimmer, healthier, and more fit self.

Do you have a SMALL tip to help other readers live better?  Send us your ideas at (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or tweet with us @ThePowerofSmall.

Posted by Linda and Robin

Wed, August 26, 2009 - 9:23:23

SMALL Changes the World

In today’s challenging times, the prospect of global economic change can seem overwhelming.  While many Americans are struggling just to make ends meet, overseas millions more are enduring the kind of unimaginable hardship most of us have never encountered and when faced with such tragedy on the grand scale, it’s easy to feel helpless.  But, over the weekend we read an amazing New York Times Magazine article by Nicholas Kristof which opened our eyes to the surprising ways in which we really can change the world.  And it starts with the power of small.

In “The Women’s Crusade,” Nicholas Kristof explains that while immense, many of the world’s biggest problems are actually rooted in smaller, more solvable causes and a large number of them involve women’s rights.  In countries where women have less access to education in particular, the quality of life suffers dramatically, yet many girls continue to miss school for largely preventable reasons.  And small, simple solutions can make all the difference.

In Kenya, for example, where the elevated poverty level is blamed in part on the high birthrate among teen mothers, one research study has found that giving female students a new uniform every 18 months dramatically reduces their likelihood of becoming pregnant and discourages truancy.  At a cost of only $6 per uniform, it gives new meaning to the phrase “return on investment.”

Similarly, many girls in African nations miss school each month because of embarrassment and shame over their menstrual cycles.  However, non-profit organizations like The Campaign for Female Education and Sustainable Health Enterprises, and corporate donation programs like Proctor & Gamble’s “Protecting Futures” campaign have shown that simply giving these girls access to sanitary napkins and restrooms during the school day helps them to get the education they need in order to succeed.

While many human rights efforts in the developing world are aimed at helping teen girls avoid unwanted pregnancies, Kristof argues that more emphasis should also be placed on helping pregnant women stay healthy.  And one answer can be found in a surprising source: salt.  Although in the developed world, salt is typically thought of as an unhealthy food, in moderate servings, traditional table salt provides a boost of iodine, an essential nutrient for fetal brain development.  Just by helping the poorest nations iodize salt, iodine deficiency could be eradicated in over thirty percent of these regions households.  And in doing so, expectant mothers could see a 10-15 point increase in their babies’ I.Q.s.

In an age where our problems seem to come with trillion dollar price tags, such surprisingly simple (and economical) solutions are truly inspiring.  But it just goes to show that many times, the biggest ideas come in the smallest packages.  So open your eyes to the answers all around you.  You just may find the next monumental breakthrough in something as tiny as a grain of salt.

Posted by Linda and Robin