Preston Ni’s Soft Power Series – Seven Ways to Say “No” and Keep Good Relations (Set Your Boundary Without Feeling Guilty)

Do you have trouble saying “no”? Many women and men are traditionally taught to avoid saying “no”, especially when facing authority figures. Some of us are told from a young age that we’re not supposed to say “no” to our parents, relatives, teachers, bosses, and others. There may be cultural, gender, social, religious, or institutional pressure to conform and please. Often there’s a fear of rejection, a desire to avoid confrontation, or guilt over hurting others’ feelings. Read the rest of this entry »

Seven Financial Realities and Opportunities – Excerpt from the reference guide “Wealth Building Values, Attitudes, and Habits”

Middle class security is gone.

For a generation, since the end of World War II, being middle class in the U.S. meant having access to affordable college education, which led to gainful employment, inexpensive health care, home ownership, savings for children’s college tuition, and social security upon retirement.

Today, none of these assumptions can safety be made for those in the middle income bracket. Being middle class is now inherently insecure. It means having to stretch limited resources to meet ever more expensive obligations, and making sacrifices to stay financially afloat.

At the same time, more individuals than ever in the U.S. are becoming independently wealthy. In 2009 alone, in the midst of a severe economic downturn, the number of millionaires in the country increased by over 16% . Many who started in the middle or even lower income brackets are prospering. What are their secrets? What can we learn from the behavior patterns of self-made millionaires? Below is an excerpt of my publication “Wealth Building Values, Attitudes, and Habits”, which points to some telling clues. Read the rest of this entry »

Forgotten Victory of Asian American Equal Rights Pioneers – Leadership Lessons for the Long Run

In 1981, en route from Massachusetts to begin his Ph.D. at Stanford, Scott Lankford stopped at Lake Tahoe, and managed to stay there for much of the next ten years. Today Dr. Lankford is a professor of English at Foothill College in California’s Silicon Valley. His new book “Tahoe Beneath the Surface: The Hidden Stories of America’s Largest Mountain Lake” includes a chapter that chronicles the consequential, and yet almost completely forgotten struggle of Asian Americans for equal rights in the late 19th century. A battle that was won, and foreshadowed the civil rights victories of the 20th century.

I interviewed Scott Lankford recently about his book, Asian American history, and leadership: Read the rest of this entry »

Five Keys to Enhancing Your Emotional Intelligence – Ninety Percent of High Performers Possess High EQ

Emotional Intelligence (EQ or EI) can be defined as the ability to understand, manage, and effectively express one’s own feelings, as well as engage and navigate successfully with those of others. According to Talent Smart, 90% of high performers at the work place possess high EQ, while 80% of low performers have low EQ. Emotional Intelligence is absolutely essential in the formation, development, maintenance, and enhancement of close personal relationships. Unlike IQ, which does not change significantly over a lifetime, our EQ can evolve and increase with our desire to learn and grow.

Below are five keys that can enhance one’s emotional intelligence: Read the rest of this entry »

Successful e-Mail Management @ Work – Seven Tips to Save Time, Raise Productivity, and Enhance Your Brand

Do you receive dozens to hundreds of work related e-mails each day? Does it seem that a disproportionate amount of your professional time is spent reading and replying to messages? Ever sent a heated or sloppy e-mail you later wish you could take back? The following are seven e-mail management tips that can help you save time, raise productivity, and enhance your brand. Not all of these suggestions may apply to your particular work situation. Simply take what ideas you can use and leave the rest.

1. Establish a regular block of time each day to answer e-mails.

One of the most time consuming and productivity draining tasks at work is answering individual e-mails as they come in throughout the Read the rest of this entry »

Is Your Tone of Voice Promotable – Command Attention and Respect with Your Best Voice

Do you like the sound of your voice? Does your tone of voice benefit or hurt you in your life? Would you like to access your strongest and most attractive sounding voice? Read the rest of this entry »

Asian Americans and Emotional Intelligence – Five Keys to Enhancing EQ

Preston’s note: This article is based on my Leadership Success Series piece “Five Keys to Enhancing Your Emotional Intelligence,” with additional content inserted throughout that are cultural specific for Asians and Asian Americans. A list of recommended readings appears following the article for further inquiry.

Emotional Intelligence (EQ or EI) can be defined as the ability to understand, manage, and effectively express one’s own feelings, as well as engage and navigate successfully with those of others. According to Talent Smart, 90% of high performers at the work place possess high EQ, while 80% of low performers have low EQ. Emotional Intelligence is absolutely essential in the formation, development, maintenance, and enhancement of close personal relationships. Unlike IQ, which does not change significantly over a lifetime, our EQ can evolve and increase with our desire to learn and grow.

Asians and Asian Americans often Read the rest of this entry »

Eight Keys to Life Hardiness and Resiliency – Helpful Reminders During Challenging Times

Helen Keller once wrote: “Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired and success achieved.” As we navigate through challenging times toward a better future, it’s useful to visit some tried and true ideas regarding life hardiness and resiliency. This is not meant to be an exhaustive list, but rather a reminder of some existential ideas we sometimes set aside as we tend to the hectic details of daily life. Read the rest of this entry »

Reduce Public Speaking Nervousness – Overcome the #1 Fear in America

“There are two types of speakers. Those who get nervous and those who are liars.” – Mark Twain

Did you know that according to the Wall Street Journal, public speaking is the number one fear in America? The fear of death is ranked number two! That’s right – we seem more afraid of public speaking than we are of physical demise, heights, jumping out of a plane, or dreaded in-laws. Read the rest of this entry »

Follow Your Bliss – Discover Your True Calling in Life

“When you follow your bliss… doors will open where you would not have thought there would be doors, and where there wouldn’t be a door for anyone else.” – Joseph Campbell

Do you love what you do? Most Americans don’t. According to CareerFinders.com, four out of five Americans do not have their ideal jobs. Read the rest of this entry »