vgrubb@valgrubbandassociates.com 
(323) 229-2263
How to Influence to Win!
There’s a widespread belief that the business world is run by powerful people. There’s some truth to that, sure. But I think it might be …
Confidence
How to Deal with the Boss from Hell
With power comes the abuse of power. And where there are bosses, there are crazy bosses. It’s nothing new. —Judd Rose We’ve all had dealings …
How to Know If You’re Ready to Lead
Leadership is unlocking people’s potential to become better. —Bill Bradley The pinnacle of a person’s career is a leadership role, right? Well . . . not necessarily. Many …
How to Get More Done Before the End of the Year
We all aspire to be productive—yet most of us struggle to reach that goal. Now that we’re moving into the back half of 2023 (wait—July …
Running Effective Meetings, Part 2
Meetings get a bad rap, and deservedly so—most are disorganized and distracted. But they can be a critical tool for getting your team on …
How to Run Effective Meetings, Part 1
Has anyone ever said, “I wish I could go to more meetings today”? —Matt Mullenweg If you do an Internet search for “this meeting should …
Building Your Self-Confidence
Throughout my professional life, I’ve had the pleasure of working with a lot of great people. People that I’ve learned from and grown professionally. Some …
How to Get More Feedback from Your Boss
Good leaders recognize that through feedback they can shape project outcomes and perhaps more importantly, their direct reports’ careers. When done right, feedback is helpful …
Getting to YES: Upping Your Presentation Skills to Get the Greenlight from Your Boss
“You never get a second chance to make a good first impression in your presentation.” That old adage holds true for pretty much every interpersonal …
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Leave Regrets in 2021 and say HELLO to a No-Regret 2022!
You can’t move forward if you’re still hanging on. —Sue Fitzmaurice First and foremost, let’s make a pact to stop beating ourselves up for what …
Leave Regrets in 2021 and say HELLO to a No-Regret 2022! Read More »
Embracing Change and Taking the Road Less Traveled
On March 27 this year, I lost my mom. She was my favorite traveling companion and one of my best friends, and even though at …
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Using “No” to Find Your “Yes”
If you want more time, freedom, and energy, start saying no. —Anonymous No is one of the most difficult-to-use words in the English language. It’s …
Leadership Essentials: Credibility
Credibility is a basic survival tool. —Rebecca Solnit All the knowledge, experience, and skill in the world won’t make you a great leader unless people …
The Power of Saying No – Part 2
“The difference between successful people and really successful people is that really successful people say no to almost everything.” —Warren Buffett You may think that you …
The Power of Saying NO – Part 1
“What you don’t do determines what you can do.” —Timothy Ferriss Never underestimate the power of saying no! At this point in your career, you’re …
Change Your Outlook, Change Your Life – Part 2
Only I can change my life. No one can do it for me. —Carol Burnett As I explained last month, the first step toward developing …
Change Your Outlook, Change Your Life – Part 1
Positive thinking will let you do everything better than negative thinking will. —Zig Ziglar Is there a “Downer Dave” or a “Negative Nancy” in your …
Communicating Up, Down and Across the Organization
One of the best things you can do for your career is learn how to be a great communicator. After all, if you’re unable to …
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Opening your Own Business: 11 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Going Out on Your Own
Looking at opening your own business? This is a month of celebration for Val Grubb & Associates, as my company marks the five-year anniversary of …
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Your Appearance Your Brand
Since Val Grubb & Associates was founded (almost five years ago!), the subject matter of this blog has changed and evolved as the company has …