Refinement Society

In the business world, it is often difficult to know when our actions are ethical and when they are not. How Far is too far when faced with the ethics questionnaire? The more you compete with others for business, the more difficult it will be to decide what's ethical and what's not. Competition drives the economic system, legal system, and political system. Competition drives our society, and that means we are all pitching, all the time. Image Courtesy: Unsplash by Kelly Sikkema How far should a sales pitch actually go? As an Image cum Strategist Coach, I've found myself faced with scores of ethical dilemmas.  Here are some basic ethical principles that can help guide our decisions or help us determine whether a particular action is ethical or not. Full disclosure is the best policy. Anything that can be done openly and publicly without embarrassment is inherently ethical. But the converse is not true- things that must remain secret aren't necessarily unethical. Competi...

Why do people like looking in the mirror? Why do people like looking in a mirror? We mostly mirror unconsciously. One of the fastest ways to create a good first impression and improve rapport is to use the mirror image. People will think you're reading their minds.  Why use the mirror image? Why do people like looking in the mirror? Ever seen a yawn become contagious? If you smile at someone, don't they smile back? Doesn't it make you feel happier?  Sometimes, we don't have to say anything or too much, or crack our heads to use any chat lines. In the initial stage, it's a sincere SMILE that makes a difference. Once you've ' broken the ice ', words become the focus. Remember a good smile is an asset in building relationships as it helps to connect. Leaders and successful business people can make very effective use of this intangible skill in improving leadership and interpersonal relationship building.  Image Credit: By Alexandr Ivanov of Pixabay You smil...

How you handle conflict depends less on YOUR STYLE than on what each situation demands Anytime you bring two or more people together to solve a problem or make a decision - that is, to negotiate - you may well end up with conflict. Conflict is inevitable. Even with the most level-headed or good characteristics, people will engage in conflict. Is conflict bad? Not necessarily. But unmanaged conflict can be harmful to us as individuals and to our organisation. Handled right, however, it can be a good thing. The Chinese symbol for crisis is made up of two characters: danger and opportunity. A poorly handled conflict can be dangerous, relationships may suffer and productivity may decline. If left unmanaged, it can lead to health problems, divert energy, time, and resources from legitimate and important personal and organisational goals, and result in corporate sabotage and financial and emotional problems. But a skillfully handled conflict can be beneficial. It can function as a safety val...

Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom. Mastering others is strength; mastering yourself is true power -Lao Tzu Are you involved in work and career that relationships suffer? Or perhaps you trade off too many career ambitions for love and relationships. Yet these two life's essential needs - to succeed and be nurtured - don't have to conflict. Whenever a woman comes into my office with an opening statement, "I don't know what I really want to do with my life." I shall begin by posing that simple question, "What do you love?" And the silence usually follows.  We understand everyone has a dream to achieve happiness or success, but may not know how to. Many of us have never given a thought about the passion in our lives, and are puzzled by the question.  One of my clients was making a comfortable salary as an executive secretary at a brokerage firm, but she had no interest in finance as a career, I felt she has the style, intelligen...

  Relationship with Yourself sets the Tone for every other Relationship you have The right mindset and confidence will reflect in your face. Everyone can benefit from spending a little time on themselves. When deciding on a course of self-improvement, it is as well to get your facts straight and do some research into what you need. Image- i-stock photo  On Reflection: Self-discovery could change your lives! It is also about self-care and it reflects you to everyone you come into contact with. Learn to become your own self-critic but only when you know you can do something to improve yourself. It's a wise woman who can determine what she needs, carry it out, then forget about herself. Self-care is the background to your life, the backup that makes you feel better. and want to be better. The youth have the time to experiment, but they often end up they stick to it for too long. Nothing is more ageing than an an-out-of-date style of yourself. So as like your wardrobe, once in a w...

  Unless Commitment is made, there are only Promises and Hopes; but no Plans - Peter F. Drucker- Image Credit: i-stock  The global pandemic has eliminated jobs and affected many businesses, in my view and I believe of others too, the solution is entrepreneurship- not in the old sense of dealmaking, but in the creation of new products or services. It is a great time especially for CEOs of small to medium-sized companies to foster the principles of real entrepreneurship within their organisations. Encouraging creativity among employees with minimum bureaucracy is an effective way of managing an entrepreneurial workforce. As the CEO of an entrepreneurial enterprise, you would be encouraged to have your staff formulate their own ways to achieve their goals based on their individual strengths and weaknesses. To motivate them, an entrepreneurial CEO set the ultimate example by being the MOST MOTIVATED individual at work every day.  The ability to recognise the entrepreneurial t...