Mark Goulston Posted on Friday, April 26, 2013 at 8:49AM 
Disclaimer: It's probably not a good idea to read this before you eat.
I was trained as a medical doctor and remember the visceral feeling I had when as a medical student I drained my first abscess in a patient. We called the procedure "I & D" in our hospital notes which stands for, Incision and Drainage (I told you not to read this just before you eat).
Mark Goulston Posted on Friday, April 19, 2013 at 10:10PM 
(As seen at the Huffington Post)
Candidates Greuel and Garcetti.
Voters don't care about, have confidence in or believe what you say needs to be done, what you say you will do or even what you know, until they know what you have already gotten done for people like them in the situations and crises they are facing now.
Mark Goulston Posted on Wednesday, April 10, 2013 at 7:50PM 
Law firms have a hard-earned reputation for being really tough places to work. Today I see an increasing amount of toxicity in those firms. Over the past couple of decades, I've met with partners and managing partners at regional and national law firms, who have not infrequently found themselves bullied by greedy, selfish, entitled, angry clients or even other partners.
Mark Goulston Posted on Monday, April 1, 2013 at 8:14PM 
More than ever before, people see through the self-serving tactics and techniques that others use to persuade them. They don't like being pushed, played or nudged to comply, and they resist and resent agenda-driven influencers.
Mark Goulston Posted on Saturday, March 16, 2013 at 11:47AM 
Q: What do you think is the most important insight to have?
Mark Goulston Posted on Saturday, March 16, 2013 at 9:40AM 
This comes from an article I wrote for Fast Company ten years ago, do you think it describes a Heartfelt Company as well?
With almost all of a difficult year behind him, a CEO (who asked that his name not be used in this article; let's call him John) and I sat down for one of our regular Friday meetings. It was halfway between Thanksgiving and Christmas. John, the 53-year-old grandson of the founder of a third-generation manufacturer of high-quality socket and ratchet tools looked 10 years older than his age -- perhaps because the firm had been losing its market share progressively for those 10 years. As the end of the year drew nigh, John just wanted to talk. When I asked him where he wanted to be at this time next year, he said, "Next year, I'd like to feel hopeful and proud instead of afraid and ashamed, like I feel this year."
Mark Goulston Posted on Friday, March 15, 2013 at 11:18PM 
"I'm sorry, I just can't stop crying," Rick*, a manager in sales at a Fortune 100 company said to me — and then to Jim, a Senior VP at that company and also Rick's boss.
Jim looked at me, not knowing what to do next.
I had been called in to see about mending a rift between the two. While it had been building for some time, it had reached a climax when Jim had yelled at Rick in a team meeting, "I don't even know why I bother with you! You are an utterly useless human being!"
Mark Goulston Posted on Thursday, March 14, 2013 at 2:41PM 
Mirror Neurons are located in our brain and are thought to be the region that underlies imitation, learning and empathy. When they are not functioning properly, they are thought to be implicated in autism. The difference between how much we psychologically adapt to and care about others vs. how much we experience others as psychologically adapting to and caring about us determines our Mirror Neuron Gap.
The concept of the Mirror Neuron Gap (previously referred to as the Mirror Neuron Receptor Deficit) is the core concept underlying "Just Listen" Discover the Secret to Getting Through to Absolutely Anyone. The idea is that the more we "mirror" others especially from the position and values of seeking to be of service, the more likely they are to open themselves up to us, be grateful and want to return that generosity of spirit.
;)