[Note from the Proprietor: In case you're wondering what it's all about, well, we're smack in the middle of BLOGAPALOOZA! Hey, you're welcome to join in the fun if you like! All ya gotta do is click that cute little link and read all about it!]

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Guest post by J.D. Meier who writes over at Sources of Insight

• JAN – The Truth About Speed Reading – is there a secret the experts know and you don’t? How do the experts read faster and retain more? You reading speed is limited by your thinking speed and your eye speed. Learn what Steve Leveen teaches us about the truth about speed reading.
• FEB – When It’s Cold Shiver, When It’s Hot Sweat – Are you able to make the most of any situation? Don’t get mad that the tree is in your way. Go around. Let go of what you don’t control and focus on what you do … your attitude and your responses. Learn what Nancy O’Hara teaches us about learning to respond from the inside out.
• MAR - You Can Travel the Road of Success – Make success a journey, focus on growth, and enjoy the trip. Learn what John C. Maxwell teaches us about starting your journey for success, no matter where you are in life.
• APR – Coping with Difficult Bosses Book Nuggets – It’s not bad people, it’s bad behaviors. People do the best with the resources they have. Learn how to deal with Expert Know-It-Alls, Power-Clutchers, Paranoids, Perfectionists, Super Delegators, Wafflers, Stallers, Fire Eaters, and Ogres. Learn what Robert Bramson teaches us about interacting more effectively with our bosses and how to be a better boss yourself.
• MAY – Feeling Good Book Nuggets – Some people luck into feeling good, others have to work at it. It’s a skill you can learn. Learn key patterns and practices for feeling good including dealing with criticism, building self-confidence, improving your optimism, improving your motivation, and improving how you feel each day. Learn what Dr. David D. Burns teaches us about feeling good.
• JUN – Opinions Over Facts for Effective Decision Making – How do you make more effective decisions? The intuitive response is to get more facts. The counter-intuitive surprise is to drive from the right opinions. Learn what Peter Drucker teaches us about improving our decision making.
• AUG – How To Improve Your Crucial Conversations – Any crucial conversation is where the stakes are high, emotions run strong, and opinions vary. Learn a proven path for improving results in your toughest conversations: Start with Heart, Learn to Look, Master My Stories, STATE My Path, Explore Other’s Paths, and Move to Action.
• SEP – Fear of Weaknesses, Fear of Failure, and Fear of Who You Are – What holds you back from being your best? Don’t let fear get in the way. Learn what Marcus Buckingham and Dr. Donald Clifton teach us about the main fears that can limit you and what to do about them.
• OCT – Nature vs. Nurture – How much of your personality is nature and how much is nurture? This is an old debate, but with new findings and the latest research. 45 to 50 percent of your personality is nature. The other 50 to 55 percent is your peers and chance. Learn what Marcus Buckingham teaches us about how your peers can impact you more than your parents.
• NOV – Lessons Learned from Per – Ask better questions for better results. Argue the data over your opinion. Set the frame. Expose the approach. Learn the keys to improving your communication, asking better questions, influencing effectively, and getting results from a seasoned Microsoft director.
• DEC – The Zen of Results Free E-Book – The most important thing you can do for work life balance is set time boundaries. The Monday Vision, Daily Results, Friday Reflection pattern can change your life. Learn a simple, but effective way to have more time for what’s important and produce the results you want each day, each week, each month.

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Sources of Insight is a place for improving your everyday through patterns and practices.  J.D. Meier is a Principal Program Manager on the patterns & practices team at Microsoft, and author of Application Architecture Guide 2.0, Improving Web Services Security, Team Development with Team Foundation Server,  Performance Testing Guidance for Web Applications,  Security Engineering Explained, Improving Web Application Security, Improving .NET Application Performance and Scalability, and Building Secure ASP.NET Applications. In addition to drawing from experience leading teams and shipping projects at Microsoft, J.D. shares lessons from books, heroes, and quotes, for improving your mind, body, emotions, career, finances, relationships and fun.   Rather than start from scratch, we can “Stand on the shoulders of giants!”

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[Further note from the Proprietor: Hey, if you're interested in having your own "best of 2008" posts highlighted right here at the Middle Zone, then by all means, click on this link: (BLOGAPALOOZA: What I Learned From 2008) and read all about it! BLOGAPALOOZA will be open for entries from now until Sunday, January 25.]

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