No one likes a bullshit artists. Now, a healthy amount of self-confidence is a good thing. It's something we all strive for and encourage in others. However, we all know that one guy, or that one business, that just takes it to a whole new level. If you talk the talk, then you've got to walk the walk. Here's the top three things than can happen if you turn into that guy.

3 Reasons Why Talking a Good Game is Hurting Your Business

Source

Customer's Tune You Out, or Worse, Call You Out

"We pride ourselves on customer service..." Oh yeah? How about the fact that it takes me 15 minutes every phone call to get to a real person and they still can't answer my questions? Been there? I bet a lot of us have. So when I see that same company tout their fantastic customer experience, I get mad. Red hot, tell all my friends mad. And so do other people. When you are already sub-par at something and your customers know it, you don't throw gas on that fire. Put up or shut up.

You Offend Your Employees

You can't kid a kidder, son. So preaching to the choir is a move that makes us scratch our heads. In good companies, perfection is a goal that we're all working toward. In bad companies, having the top dogs praise themselves to the skies is infuriating. We talk to other people in our industry and we see all the chinks in your armor. Don't tell us how great we are as a company when we're taking yet another pay freeze or fluffing our stats again, thanks.

You Become An Easy Target for Skeptics

If your employees don't call your shit, your skeptics will - especially if they're your competition. Remember all those customers and employees who talk about you behind your back or in the forums, yep. So does your competition. You just served yourself up on a plate and now all they have to do is prove it to everyone else. This puts you on the defensive, which is never a good place to be when you've only got one leg to stand on. Remember the difference between confidence and overconfidence? Yeah, we bet you don't have the numbers to actually back up all those claims you made. And now is the time you actually need them.

Source

Friends don't let friends become the butt of jokes (if they can't get an endorsement deal from it). If you recognize any of the above signs in a company that you love or coworker you don't want fired, find a hotline to call. Has anyone else had to deal with this, because I know if can't just be me! Tell me below in the comments. 

How to Survive the Zombie Apocalypse and Get Ahead in Business

The Walking Dead has eaten my brains! Seriously, I got through all three seasons in the last week and have been obsessed with it to the point that I can't shut up. Zombies are my thing. They are both my biggest fear and biggest obsession. I've been making zombie escape plans since I was six and don't plan on stopping anytime soon. Now, as a long-time Z-Day planner, I feel like I've got a handle on what I would do in any given situation and like to nit-pick other people's (obviously flawed) plans.

I feel like the world is already zombified to an extent. The business world is constantly eating itself and we as consumers sort of follow the heard as we cannibalize everything around us. I don't necessarily this is all a bad thing, but preparations for a post-apocalyptic world does have quite a bit of relevance in getting ahead today (mid-apocalypse). 

How to Not Get Eaten

Source

Run faster than everyone else

Whether your vying for the next promotion, a new position, or trying to top your industry, everyone is running. When it comes down to zombies, business, and bears - you don't have to kill them, you just have to outrun the next guy.

There is strength in numbers

Very closely related to speak softly and carry a big stick, seek strong partnerships where there is synergy and you make each other stronger, but don't let them use you to chum the zombie waters. Think Star Fleet - everyone had a place and they complemented each other. Your team can go faster that way more efficiently. Stand back to back while you fight and you stand a better chance. Also, by carrying your own weight you will help insure that they won't hamstring you while they run in the other direction.

Get up after you trip

In the horror movie of life, we all trip. The next step is pivotal: do not stare into the jaws of death! Get up and run, Forest! Letting your mistakes keep you down is the only sure way to fail. You can cry for a bit, scream your head off, even think about just laying there for a while. But after your bout of crazy, put on your big-boy pants and get back to it.

Turn around a bit more often

I LOVE that I found the picture below because it's so true. Don't let your past control your future the same way you can't just lay down after mistakes. But look back to see what you can do differently or how to repeat past victories. Also, you know, literally watch your back. 

Don't be a dick

I feel like this is a life rule in general, but it's especially true in any situation that involves stress. Some say that being able to eat your competition will get you ahead, and it will for a while. But the second they can, people will join together to beat you with sticks. We remember that really great person who kept their head. Be that guy.

Don't neglect to plant your seeds

Just because you're running now doesn't mean that you always will. If you never take the chance to plant your seeds for the future, once you get settled (or stranded) you won't have anything to rely on. Never miss an opportunity to plan ahead and try to better your situation, even if they don't all pan out. You'll have enough experience doing it that you'll just get better until you can reap what you've sown. 

Source

Did I miss any? If you have survival techniques that should be added here, comment below or tell me via Google+ or Twitter!

If you couldn't tell, I'm still on a zombie kick and decided to forgo the usual Wednesday round-up. I hope this was a good substitute. If you missed it, last weeks round-up was also brought to you by zombies - the survival round-up with infographics that won't take time while you're running away. 

Like a boss! Are you a boss or a leader?

Source

I'm the boss!

I wanted to write an article centered around the difference between a boss and a leader. So often these two terms are confused, but the person most likely to confuse them is your boss! Sifting through led me to several well written articles already out there. So maybe the focus shouldn't be how to spot the difference in the world, but how to spot the difference in yourself. 

It's difficult to be objective about your own personality. The way you deal with people is rarely to be talked about in front of you, but your interactions with those who work for you are tantamount to your success and theirs. So in the absence of being able to candidly talk with your employees and short of doing a survey, here are a few ways to identify what their behavior says about you.

Check yourself before you wreck yourself!

The points below are indicative of being a boss instead of a leader. Check to see if you're that guy in the office.

People talk negatively about you in public. 

• Ever have someone say that an employee gave you accolades at an event or to a client? When people speak about you and the good work you're doing unprompted, chances are they look at you as a leader. Obviously, negative speech would suggest that they view you as a boss, but saying nothing can just as likely mean the same thing. If no one is talking about you, maybe you're not doing anything worthy enough to be talked about.

They don't bring new ideas to the table.

• Many times people will not speak up when they feel oppressed. This is especially true of those people who used to speak out and perform well, but settled into only asking for directions instead of brainstorming with you. When people are afraid to speak, it probably says you're too busy talking to listen or do what you want regardless as a default. When you have no one else to offer great ideas, then you've bull-dozed your greatest chance for success - innovative and invested employees. 

They don't silence the squeaky wheel.

• Most offices will have at least one person who is complaining on a consistent basis. Are other people complaining about that person? Probably. But are they also disagreeing? If they complain about the attitude of that person, but agree with their arguments, then there's a problem. Also, if the only one negating them the guy kissing your ass, then you don't have a reliable source. 

Ask not what your employees can do for you...

• You ask what your team can do for you instead of asking what you can do for them. When is the last time you went out of your way to help an employee or asked what you can do to make their job easier? If it's more likely that you only ask for results from them and nothing else, your not holding up your end of the deal.

Everyone is your secretary.

• Employees spend more time doing what you don't want to or don't have the time to do instead of their own jobs. If you are the person in the office always asking others to make copies, schedule phone calls, or asking last minute favors, then you're the boss. You're no longer working for the good of the company as a whole and instead just having them work for you.

Thanks giving is just a holiday. 

• You're probably smart enough to know that taking credit for someone else's work or idea is bad form. But if your good ideas are yours and someone else's becomes "the company's", then it's still the same thing. Letting people know both privately and publicly how much you value their work is something a leader does to encourage growth, team building, and goodwill. 

You're only accountable to your superiors.

• Whether your superiors are your own boss or your board members if you're not answering to your employees or your community, then your not thinking about their needs. Like a boss. Leaders realize they're not the only fish in the pond and work to upgrade the whole ecosystem, not just pimp out an aquarium. 

Get a clue!

There are numerous ways to work towards becoming more of a leader if that's important to you. It could include management counseling, courses, or training, or just digging through a lot of good reading. Let me recommend starting with a few below.

Difference Between Leader and Boss

9 Habits of People Who Build Extraordinary Relationships

7 Tips To Becoming A Leader At Work

So what are the other differences in a boss and a leader? What have I missed?