The word “hobnob” means to hang out with, or spend discretionary time with someone. Because you’re holding so many things together in your business and your life, you’ve got limited time for hobnobbing. So, whether it’s face-to-face or by phone, Skype, email or social media, it’s important to hobnob with the right people.

Here are five characteristics of those who will add value to your business and your life.

Whether in business or personal life, you must be careful about what you say and how you say it. Errors in conversation can result in the loss of respect, customers, sales, and—perhaps most importantly—friends.

Here are five common errors that people make in conversations.

You probably know that I’ve written four books myself but don’t worry, I’m not going to pitch MY books here. Instead, I’m going to suggest five great books written by women and I’ll tell you one thing I learned from each of them. 

Careful attention to your verbal patterns can gain big points in the mind of your reader or listener. Whether you’re speaking or writing, redundant phrases just muddy up your communication, so get rid of them.

The words and phrases you use to describe your company can make a big difference in the perception others have of you. Whether you are writing about your firm, speaking about your products, or bragging about your employees, the phrases you use create a mindset for others. 

Whether you are speaking to one person, 50 or 5,000, you want your message to come across with confidence. To do this, your words must convey power rather than being wishy-washy.  Here are five words women frequently use that make me wince. 

Words have power. Do your words win or lose points with clients and employees? Do you focus your client conversations on your product rather than their needs? Do interactions with your employees come across as directives rather than consensus building statements? 

Here are five surefire phrases that will make an immediate difference in your communication.

You’re probably familiar with the Pareto principle, also known as the 80–20 rule. This principle explains that roughly 80% of the effects in business or life come from 20% of the causes. The question you might ask yourself is, “How can I better control the 20% that results in the 80% of my results?”  Here are some thoughts on that.