out of the solution formula. Most failure occurs with leaders because they cannot do that. Offer direct and specific communication regarding the challenge so everyone buys in. Define goals, objectives and strategies with timelines so you can achieve incremental success while driving to the ultimate solution.
14. On a lighter note; what is your favourite sports, and why do you prefer such a game to others?
Swimming, because it allows my body to glide to a destination while my mind is in a transformational state.
15. Who is your all time HERO/SHERO?
My father was a welder by trade and a role model by character. Not because he was perfect, but because he understood our flaws and our footholds. Although I lost him much too early to ALS, his passing drove me to think less as a young man does, and more like a leader needs to. Perhaps that was his ultimate gift to me. Both my parents taught me to understand that
my flaws did not make me weak; they actually give me a feeling of strength with the knowledge I could use them to climb further, not hide and stop because of them.
16. We learned that you have written several personal development books, please tell us more about them and how people can get hold of them. I never imagined being a writer, but so many people encouraged me to tell my story. To this day, they love to ask me stories about repossessingcars! People honor me with their comments about my books, because I believe they see themselves within them. My books are truly about a man who worked on a construction site while trying to construct his destiny and refused to stop moving forward. My books are a guide to personal accomplishment with real-life action steps and strategies to achieving your goals.
Creating Reality is a guide to personal accomplishment. It is filled with my life story from construction worker to executive.
Six Degrees of Impact, co-authored with Monique
ter Haar, is a model to help you integrate your personal and professional goals.
Under Construction, co-authored with Nick Bollettieri, combines life lessons from the worlds of professional tennis, business, and life.
Creating Six Degrees: The Journal is a journal which contains my original inspirational and motivational quotes to help the reader distill their goals and objectives.
The Roots of Leadership, written with Karen Mayo and others, is a journal which provides motivational quotes and reflective suggestions. It is a guide for you to explore the roots of leadership in order to establish a plan for personal leadership and life.
17. What would you say to an aspiring leader?
Leadership is taking your primary skill package and developing it to your full potential. Be constructive in your actions and supportive in your delivery. As a leader, you will have a positive impact on the attitude of others. Don’t beat yourself up because
you made a mistake; be more troubled if you don’t. You already possess the potential to weld your passion to your performance. Make bold moves. Make tough decisions. And find within yourself those moments that define your life. It will be those moments which will sustain you, motivate you, inspire you, and ultimately save you.
Thank you so much Sir for your time. We appreciate your BRILLIANCE.
You could connect with Anthony C. Gruppo through the following links:
You have been daydreaming about it for a while now; stepping out on your own to start a business, obtain a degree or change careers. You are confident that it is God’s will, because even when you have tried to push the idea into the crevices of your mind; it permeates every thought. Unfortunately, self-doubt tends to creep into every thought from time to time and leaves you paralyzed. Push past the self-doubt and develop your ability to recognize your emotions and how they impact your performance, identify your strengths and limits; and sureness about your self-worth and capabilities. Be bold and step out in faith to claim the expected outcome that God has for you according to Jeremiah 29:11.
As a personal and professional development coach, I work with women who are on the edge of making a decision to go for their
goal or have recently achieved their goal, and are struggling with feelings of insecurity, fear and also grappling with internal dialogue known as the “chattering monkey”. By focusing on developing self-awareness, women realize exactly what they bring to the table called “life”, and their experience an added increase in self-confidence, boldness and are able to speak back their internal critic!
Here are some strategies to develop self-awareness:
1. Identify and address your triggers.
As an entrepreneur you are starring in multiple roles with diverse audiences, going to school or reinventing yourself professionally; there will be times you will experience stress, be met with resistance and other issues that trigger emotions that may be counterproductive. Know what those triggers are ahead of time. One way to do
this is to play the “what if” game. What if you get lost on the way to the speaking engagement how will you respond, or “what if” you actually get the job? Recognize when you are “triggered”. For instance, when someone points out an area of growth that you need to develop, or you receive a rejection letter. How would you respond to such event? Do you immediately go in to selfdefeating talk, or do you begin to ask yourself how you can do things differently next time?
2. Conduct a personal SWOT analysis.
Just as you conduct a SWOT analysis for your business, apply the same method in your personal life, by taking time to evaluate your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. For example, my strength is being able to speak off the cuff or meet tight self-imposed deadlines. On the flipside it is a weakness
end in and of themselves. The responsibility is shifted out there, instead of where the responsibility lies. In You!
• Hatred – This seed is literally dangerous—one of the most injurious seeds to the psyche and the body. Carrying Seeds of Hatred, poisons the garden. It is like vines that strangle every other seed. Seeds of Hatred can result in sickness, anger, resentment, and sometimes even murder. This weed, if left to fester and grow, can destroy your entire landscape, and possibly that of others.
• Intolerance – Your garden is not better than the garden of others. That is to say that you are not superior to anyone else. Everyone is unique. Just because someone is different than you—darker, lighter, bigger; just because they prefer a partner of whom you wouldn’t approve, or pray to a different God, is of no concern to you. Being intolerant of others has caused more destruction and death than anything on this planet. Concentrate on what you’re planting and disregard the rest.
So, now you know what some of the Bad Seeds are. Let’s talk about some of the good seeds that can create the most beautiful Garden on Earth.
• Confidence – This seed
allows your garden to flourish. If you plant Seeds of Confidence, you will be able do anything. Your garden will thrive, and you’ll draw much attention and respect. Be who you are. Embrace it. Don’t feel small in front of others. You are as big as anyone else. Your mind is what keeps you small. To attain these Seeds of Confidence, trust yourself and your uniqueness. There’s no
Your garden is not better than the garden of others. That is to say that you are not superior to anyone else. Everyone is unique.
one else out there like you. The more Seeds of Confidence you plant, the more resplendent your garden will be.
• Trust – Seeds of Trust are essential in your landscaping. They will eradicate the Seeds of Fear. As a professional landscaper, trust that you have the knowledge you need to create something amazing. Trust your instincts. Trust in your uniqueness and your worth, regardless of what anyone says. Trust that there is a purpose that is grander than you. All things
eventually work out. Say to yourself, “I trust that everything will unfold the way it’s supposed to in its own perfect timing. All I need to do is tend to my garden with tenacious focus. The rest will take care of itself.”
• Contentment – Stop thinking that if you had that “special thing” you’d be happy. Tend to your own, personal space. Wishing you had someone else’s life doesn’t yield any positive results. Instead of looking at what you don’t have and wish you did, want what you have, and improve upon it, if need be. This will entail work, but with your Seeds of Confidence and Trust, you’re good to go. Remember, The grass is greener where you water it. ~Neil Barringham.
• Positivity – The Seeds of Positivity are the foundational seeds for your grounds. They are what give you the strength and fortitude to get up every day and tend to your life; to weed out the ugly and unnecessary because of the fetching vision you hold that lies just around the bend. To start planting Seeds of Positivity, the landscaper has to produce a mental shift. The language has to change. For instance, “My life sucks, I’m useless.” Change to, “My life is filled with potential. I will invest time and learn how to make it better.” Or, “What’s the point of planting Seeds of Positivity, nothing’s going to get
better,” to, “I’m going to keep planting these seeds until they finally begin to sprout. I will do everything in my power to turn things around. I can and will do it. Nothing is stopping me but me.”
• Love – These seeds will turn your garden into a showstopper. With these Seeds of Love, you cannot lose. Weeds cannot survive. These Seeds of Love will catch the light and reflect your beauty out and about. These are the seeds you want to have the most of in your garden. Get them from wherever you can and scatter your garden with them. You can spread the Seeds of Love to everyone you meet and collect it from family and friends. There is an abundance of these seeds to go around. Remember, you’re either coming from a place of Love or coming from a place of Fear. You get to choose with every interaction you have.
• Tolerance – These seeds are amazing. They work amazingly well with every other seed. In fact, these Seeds of Tolerance bloom best when surrounded by all the other august seeds. Seeds of Tolerance are all inclusive. No one is left out of the mix. Differences are tolerated because they are what make people, people; make life exciting and challenging. Cultivating the Seeds of Tolerance can be worked on by
accepting that not everyone is like you. Differences in sexual orientation, belief system, intellectual acuity, political and religious views, are all part of the general landscape. All those seeds make the whole landscape grand. Spread plenty of these Seeds of Tolerance. Watch them grow and multiply. You’ll see your circle getting larger, more diverse. This is what you ultimately want. Try it! You’ll be amazed at the beauty you create in your life. You are the landscaper of your portable garden. What do you want others to see? Beauty, variety, healthy growth? Or, weeds, lots of them, so rooted that it makes you, your life scape ugly?
It is your choice. You can continue disregarding your garden, letting the weeds control every imaginable space, or you can take charge of it. You can water, nurture, and tend to your fertile terrain.
All the great seeds are readily available. It’s not necessary to go to a nursery to purchase them. They are free. Start working on your landscaping today. It’s a lifelong journey, so don’t despair. Having a green thumb doesn’t always come easy. It’s OK. Get some help if you need to. There are always other landscapers that are willing to share their knowledge so that your garden can bloom like theirs! The soil has never been more alive and ready.
ABOUT ROSSANA SNEE, MFT
Rossana Snee, MFT, author of The Healing Alphabet, 26 Empowering Ways to Enrich Your Life. She is a wife, mother of two. She loves reading, writing, working out, painting, playing the viola and violin, and learning languages. Follow her on Twitter@askjoshsmom, Periscope.com, and https://www.rossanasnee. com.
She is available in a therapeutic capacity, and also for speaking engagements.
THREE INITIATIONS THAT LED TO PERFECT HEALTH - ANTONETTA FERNANDES
My first initiation on the blockages that the modern lifestyle can have on our bodies came at me through a naturalist called Paul Skey, who I co-worked with in the early 1980s. His conversations with me was about being free from everything that did not feel natural. We covered so much in the 3 years I worked for him. The topics ranged from underarm deodorant, perfume, underwired under garments, nutrition to environmental issues and so much more.
One of the topics was the effects of use of underarm deodorants/ antiperspirants
• Antiperspirants: Stops you from perspiring or sweating.
• Deodorants: Stop the bacteria in your perspiration
from smelling, often by killing the bacteria or neutralising the smell.
Here are some natural tips and methods I have used in the past for my armpits
• Applied baby talcum powder
• Washed the armpits with alcohol or white vinegar
• Added a few drops of rose water in the bathtub before taking bath.
More recently my friend/coach and International Breathe Therapist Desiree Ferrari introduced me to Tea tree which is an antibacterial herb. Made a deodorant by mixing two drops of the essential oil and one ounce of water.
The next initiation was something I picked up from my dear mother (who recently passed away). For a brief period, my mother lived with me while she was waiting to move into the care home. Seeing my mother pop 20 pharmaceuticals in the morning, 30 at lunchtime and 10 in the evening was a bitter pill to swallow. I found it extremely difficult to communicate with her during my frequent visits to the care home. I asked myself what happened to my very independent active mum? She was now in the late stages of dementia and I felt helpless. My visits got better because I started using my supercoherence tools* from my personal life coaching and gave her some Angelic Reiki healing**. I recall one session when she said I love these stones can I keep them.
*Supercoherence Return To Love Frequencies (RTLFs)*, has produced major shifts and life changing successes for my clients. It balances both male and female energies hence, coaching from zero point. These tools are precious when you want to get to the root of the problem, and the light bulb moment is instantaneous.
**Angelic Reiki a healing method that combines the traditional Reiki healing therapy and the angelic healing. Over the years I have been searching and learning about
diverse types of alternative methods of healing the body from within. My third initiation came in December 2016. I had begun to feel very tired, had zero energy to complete tasks, felt my brain was in a fog and I was totally over-weight and the finally straw was my Doctor confirmed that I had high blood pressure. Wow this was a sign, I was offered pharmaceuticals which brought home my words to myself – I was never going to go through what my mum went through.
So, during one of my morning meditations I put out the thoughts of wellness and wellbeing. I came across something which sounded too good to be true on Facebook. Even though I was skeptical, I registered for a body scan with NESS Health. The scanner arrived a few days later and I had my 1st remote scan with a NESS Health Practitioner on Skype. The scan showed me something I did not expect to see; the level of details was so overwhelmingly and though I was still slightly skeptical the alternative was a life on pharmaceutical. Four weeks later I saw the change and is was phenomenal, my energy level sky rocketed, loved the feeling of wellness and I knew I finally found something I could work with passion and gusto. Today I am a qualified NES Health Practitioner with global
clients, and I love the difference I can make to other people lives. Using the Supercoherence
Personal Life Coaching, Angelic Reiki Healing and the NES Health
Total WellNES system I am able to customise to individual client needs.
Four weeks later I saw the change and is was phenomenal, my energy level sky rocketed, loved the feeling of wellness and I knew I finally found something I could work with passion and gusto.
Here is why I think the NES Health system is the perfect addition to my practice:
• It Re-asseses your physiology with a single click in seconds with multiple screens and physiologically accurate graphics
• Shows you the information that your body needs to heal
• Shows you the distortions and clear energy blockages
• Shows you how to get well, stay well and excel.
• It Re-juvenates and unblocks the energy-field with NES miHealth
• It is an easy-to use hand-held device which tells you how and where to place it
• It is non-invasive and clinically researched
• It uses the proven benefits of biofeedback and Pulsed Magnetic Field Therapy to locates, unblocks and releases energy blockages
• It Re-imprints the information of the body’s control system
with NES Infoceuticals (NES Infoceuticals are a wide range of liquid remedies imprinted with propriety bio-information. They contain filtered water, plantderived micromineral and 5% alcohol for preservation.)
• They help re-imprint the body to its original and optimal blueprint.
• They interact directly with the human body-field to address blockages connected to physical, emotional, environmental chemical toxins
For more information or to see
case studies/testimonials please visit www.antonettafernandes. co.uk. For a special discount on NES Health system for readers of this publication please email antonettafernandes8@google. com.
SPORT AND WOMEN - ELIZABETH MCCOURT
AYour brain is software, your body the hardware. Simply put, your body does what your brain tells it to do, or what your brain thinks your body is capable of doing.
lthough I love sport, I’ve never been the athlete getting picked first for the team. My real strength is the mindset of grit and resilience which has guided me in all that I’ve done in sport and in the world. I believe success has a distinct correlation to mindset and this doesn’t mean you have to be a professional athlete nor a very good athlete. Dr. Stan Beecham, sport psychologist and former athlete says it perfectly in his book Elite Minds: Creating the Competitive Advantage, “Your brain is software, your body the hardware. Simply put, your body does what your brain tells it to do, or what your brain thinks your body is capable of doing.” The competitive advantage stems from using your mind as an asset, not a hindrance.
As for me, I used sport and mindset when I decided on a whim to become a triathlete in order to finish my novel—not that this would make sense to anyone but me. I’d never heard of the sport of triathlon when my client told me how he almost drowned attempting one. He described a mass swim start with hundreds of people saying, “I got shoved under water and
everyone was swimming over me.” Riveted, I envisioned him trapped in a fish bowl, swimming to the side to come up for air and then his elation in finishing the race.
“I don’t think I could ever do that,” I said, but was oddly intrigued, questioning why I’d answered so definitively. Before I’d moved back to New York from New Mexico, I’d been a recreational rock climber, heading out to the crags nearly every weekend. I hadn’t been a rock climber when I’d arrived, but was drawn to the sport for both the adventure and thrill. In the process, I’d befriended an amazing woman, an expert climber who took me on my first climb, sealing our friendship forever after that one day. I know she appreciated my positivity and resilience, which was my greatest strength as a climber and consequently in business, serving me in all that I do.
When I’d needed to return to my hometown in New York, I’d been forced to give up climbing due to my location and let myself get out of shape and turning instead to writing the ‘great American novel.’ Struggling with my own ambition, thwarted by a self-imposed writer’s block, and continually berating myself for not writing as fast or as well as I wanted to, I had an epiphany:
if I could finish a triathlon, seemingly beyond the pinnacle of my physical ability, then I could finish my novel. The novel through triathlon was my new Everest and as I trained in a sport that tested my physical abilities, I worked on my mindset of never giving up. Bestselling author Alison Levine of On the Edge, a book on Leadership about her quest to conquer Everest, told me that, “People who are willing to get out there and really push their boundaries may stumble and fall every now and then, but their failures may help others to succeed down the road.”
Triathlon has tested my limits constantly. I went from doing the side stroke and coming out nearly last in the swim to training with masters and becoming an above average free-style swimmer. When I started, I had a mountain bike, but then I shifted to a road bike, then to a triathlon bike, mastering clip-in peddles after only falling a few times. I started running more seriously and won a lottery spot to the New York City marathon. I finished, which was challenging after my knee gave out at mile twelve, and decided that doing a long-distance triathlon might actually be easier on my body. Every mishap in my triathlon career gave me a chance to use my positivity to overcome challenges and ultimately finish
my race. I also connected with many other burgeoning athletes and was able to share my experience to give them confidence that they too could finish. In the process, I’d upped my ante to the long distance 70.3 race, which would take me over 6 hours to complete, but I love every painful minute of it— announcers often mentioning my big smile at the finish.
Like rock climbing, the individualized nature of the triathlon tested my mind as much as it tested my body. Alison Levine says, “You just have to accept that discomfort is part of the process. And when you’re used to operating in an environment where you’re uncomfortable a lot of the time, you pretty much get used to it. Easy situations allow you to coast a bit to balance out the really hard stuff, but rarely are the big rewards and payoffs associated with ‘easy’.” I believe we all battle those monsters in our head that tell us we’re not good enough or fast enough in whatever challenge we are embarking on. The trick is to understand that voice is not your best-self coming forward, it’s fear which must be conquered with acknowledgement then forging ahead regardless. The connection to my novel writing was clear from Levine’s wise words from Everest, “You have
to find that voice in your head that tells you that you can take just one more step. And then one more after that . . . And once you’ve done that once in your lifetime, then you know that the voice is there (and it’s always going to be here) -- and you can summon it whenever you need it.”
It doesn’t matter what sport calls to you, only that you do something to move your body to connect with your brain. According to some studies, physical exercise boosts your brain power. Find something that either intrigues or challenges you physically and partner it with a challenge you might be facing in your business. Indeed, my novel took a bit of a backseat as I got sucked into the world of training and triathlon, but triathlon not only helped me to embrace physical challenge, but gave me real-time practice of how to adapt and pivot during difficult moments so that I could achieve my goals. Challenging your physical self is key in shifting your mindset. Triathlon may not be everyone’s choice, but for me, it gave me the challenge and opportunity to really test what was possible. This decade and a half long journey has enabled me to call myself a triathlete and finally a novelist, both of which make me extremely proud.
Tips for embarking on a physical challenge:
1. Pick something that might be fun for you. It could be as simple as a walk in the park prior to work or even parking your car at a space that makes you walk further than you normally would. Maybe you always loved swimming so go find a pool in your area.
2. Use positive self-talk or mantras to help you when you feel low. Nike’s key mantra of “Just do it” or perhaps “I am strong” are easy and short ways to self-talk some positivity. Repeat them as needed.
3. Write down your goal and then work backward. For example, if you want to do a triathlon or a 5k, pick a race and sign up. Then give yourself a game plan of how to get to that date from where you are. There are wonderful training plans online or ask a friend.
4. If your goal is exercise more, then challenge yourself with something that you know you won’t give up on. Everyday isn’t a reasonable challenge, but 3 times a week for 30 minutes is more doable. Write it down into your schedule. Bonus if you ask someone to do it with you or be your accountability partner.
5. Celebrate your progress. It’s easy to get down on yourself so make sure you celebrate the little things. I like to remind myself with the mantra,
“You’re getting better every time” because you are. Have fun with it and you’re be surprise how it translates to other areas of your life.
ABOUT ELIZABETH MCCOURT
Elizabeth McCourt, founder of McCourt Leadership Group, is a certified leadership coach, speaker and writer committed to helping people embrace their whole self and get real with who they are, so they can parlay that into leadership and business success. She has a JD from Loyola University, MFA from SUNY Stony Brook, a Natural Resources Certificate from the University of New Mexico and BS in Finance from University of Maryland. For fun she is an avid triathlete, long-time yogi and writes and publishes essays and fiction. In March, 2018, she published her first novel, Sin in the Big Easy, by Post Hill Press.
www.mccourtleadership. com
SHATTER CORPORATE GLASS AND BECOME A CEO - ANTHONY C. GRUPPO
The world is changing, and we need to change with it. You certainly don’t need me to tell you that. But you might need me to tell you that change is no longer enough, at least not for the C-level executives. Now is the time not just for change but for evolution. Let your mind evolve and become a CEO.
I am not referring to a Chief Executive Officer; rather a Coach, Entrepreneur and Owner. Coach yourself and others, be entrepreneurial in your thinking, and act like an owner.
Time and time again when coaching others, there is always a desire to revert to old methods like a SWOT analysis. These types of analyses really don’t provide much detail. For
me it’s unsettling that rather than discuss, holistically, the components of an organization, I find myself receiving a nicelooking document that lists some common strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. There is no interaction. There is no way I can read your body language and see for myself where you are coming from as it relates to your vision and goals.
Break away from the SWOT analysis and the leadership books. Pick up the phone and if you are connected with a C-suite professional, ask more consultative questions. One question I like to ask is, “Help me understand the key initiatives that the leadership team is focused on in terms of growth”?
Do not be stunned by their
silence. Silence sometimes says more than you realize. Your line of questioning could be causing them to think on a deeper level. If the call becomes uncomfortable, it means you forced them to think in a way that no one else has. If the call sounds like it is heading in the wrong direction, ask for a date and time to discuss more about the company’s vision in person. Pick a date and time yourself. Schedule the appointment so it doesn’t fall on the hour. Create the impression that the meeting will not last an hour. “Mr. Smith, I want to talk more about your company’s plan in person. Can we talk Tuesday at 9:15 a.m.?”
Questions like these will help move commitments forward and foster a more collaborative peer environment. No one talks like this. It could be generational, but if I have a question, I want to get right to the point. Suddenly, the evolution towards a CEO has begun. Your opinion is valued more highly than others. It seems simple enough, but how often do people sound like that? Not often. None of us are built from glass, so why do people think by asking a tough question someone will break?
The step-by-step approach that I rely on to learn about an organization is the Six Degrees of Impact. The Six Degrees framework is built on leadership,
strategic positioning, research & development, marketing, resources and outcomes. These degrees, or perspectives, remove glass ceilings and provide you with a glass floor that ensures both personal and professional growth.
Change is for everyone, but evolution is for the motivated.
Earning the right with C-suite means we are putting ourselves in their shoes. This is not easy as we each have our own agenda. It takes time and research, but with a solid and powerful glass floor in place, you will create the long-term vision and real-life strategies necessary to achieve futuristic goals.
Change is for everyone, but evolution is for the motivated.
ABOUT ANTHONY GRUPPO
As the CEO of the Northeast region for Marsh & McLennan Agency, Anthony is responsible for leading all employees, divisions, and operations. He has over thirty years of experience driving profitable organic growth. Anthony is heavily involved in developing and sustaining client relationships and brings a consultative mindset to each of our clients’ unique needs.
He is the author of five books centered on personal and organization development. Prior to coming to the Northeast, Anthony led companies in Southwest, Southeast and West Coast.
A national marketer and visionary leader, this dynamic presenter, author and motivator challenges you to think in new powerful ways. Anthony shows how to create employee investment in your business by teaching your employees to think and act like owners. Motivating everyone to improve business is a creative tool for organizational expansion. I’m interested in what you have to say. Connect with me on Twitter @Anthony C Gruppo.
IN 2018, CYBER SECURITY AWARENESS IS MORE THAN AN OPTION - JOSEPH E. IKHALIA (PHD)
JOSEPH E. IKHALIA (PHD)
Those days are gone when Cyber security was an addendum. These days, protecting computer users from the growing number of evolving cyber threats - external, internal, automated, socially engineered is core to users psychological wellbeing and running a business. It’s a cyber jungle out there and nobody wants to be the lowhanging fruit fly! Over the recent years, online users have grown to large proportions owing to the fact that information can be sent and shared at the speed of light. This has brought the world to a global village. According to an updated market forecast from ABI Research over 40.9 billion connected devices are expected to be in use by 2022, nearly five times the 8.7 billion connected devices recorded in 2012. Experts suggest that the exponential growth of technology is driven by the advent of the internet of things
(IoTs) - connected computers & servers, machines, cars, homes, retail sensors, watches, IP cameras, utility meters, and many more.
Moreover, with the popularity of platforms such as Facebook, Skype, and WhatsApp which have introduced new technological paradigms, new cyber security challenges have also emerged; from hackers stealing online credit cards to hijacking of social media and email accounts. Hackers have grown from traditional hacking of the telephone for long distance calls to stealing personal and sensitive information which are then sold in the black market of the cyber under-world. For example, we rarely consider the fact that in addition to offering medical services, hospitals are information hubs housing vast quantities of personal and sensitive data. When hackers target
hospitals they’re able to access confidential patient records and auction the information off to the highest bidder. In other instances, they might employ ransomware to lock hospital software (e.g. the WannaCry virus attack on the NHS in 2017), making it impossible for health professionals to access patient data and render life-saving services. Doctors and administrators are often confronted with an impossible choice: pay the ransom, or risk their patients’ lives.
In the advent of the hacking economy, cyber security advocates and experts alike are agitating for the creation of effective security awareness systems by platform providers and practitioners.
Everyone needs to be educated on how to recognise and prevent cyber threats such as ransomware, email spoofing, and other phishing attempts. It is important for individuals to have an idea of the unlimited benefits which can arise from a well planned and executed cyber security training program. When individuals attend cyber security awareness sessions and learn the fundamental concepts, they will precisely get to know about web safety and online threats. Individual security awareness can help to avoid potential risks which may have arisen in the past due to lack of proper knowledge. A cyber security awareness facilitator can identify the current and potential security concerns. Irrespective of costly
implemented security controls (e.g. antivirus software); I believe that individuals are the weakest link in a cyber security breach. In my exclusive cyber security workshops, I usually simulate or create real hack incidents, which compel participants to think like a hacker and keep them one step ahead of the hackers. Individuals that are adequately trained about the web surfing criticalities, policies about web security, different attacker techniques, usage of different devices, and interaction with social media would eventually become assets to their business organisations. Recently, after a few cyberattacks at Pittsburgh University, the university decided to launch a security awareness campaign for its employees. The main
purpose of the campaign was to educate their staff and students on various levels of cyber threats. Previously, their early security strategies failed because did not consider educating their staff and students, but addressed their cyber security challenges mainly by fixing software bug issues and server configuration management. Consequently, after a few setbacks, they were able to consolidate their cyber security efforts by actively engaging the staff and students of the university in a well-designed security awareness campaign. After the first successful awareness campaign, the cyber-attacks on the university systems dropped significantly by 40%. In addition, they were able to diminish malware infection on their systems by nearly 60 percent. In the training, the employees were trained on awareness of security threats and vulnerabilities.
A good cyber security awareness expert should not only focus on their trainees individually but collectively. To tackle modern cyber threats, you need to develop individuals in relation to their skills, knowledge, and personal experiences.
ABOUT JOSEPH E. IKHALIA (PHD)
Cybersecurity consultant Dr Joseph Ehinome Ikhalia operates under the philosophy that in 2018, computer users are the best antivirus system. With this in mind, he has made it his mission to educate and empower computer users worldwide. The mastermind behind the innovative and interactive web platform, “Social Network Criminal”, Dr Ikhalia is well known for pushing boundaries and pioneering new avenues within the growing field of cybersecurity.
His research work on Malware avoidance has garnered international attention. His research is motivated by a genuine desire to help others protect their assets and identities in an ever-evolving technological world. Holding a Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical & Electronics Engineering, a Masters in Information Technology and a PhD in Information Systems and Computing, Dr Ikhalia possess unique insight into every aspect of the technological world.
A self-motivated, lifelong student, he keeps his finger on the pulse of cybersecurity. With his broad scope of expertise, Joseph has presented at international scientific conferences. His award-winning research has been featured in a variety of scientific journals, including a spotlight as the Best Paper of the 15th International Conference on WWW/Internet in Mannheim Germany.
3 POSTURES OF LEADERSHIP FROM AN ADOPTIVE DAD - EUGENE PETROV
Do you want to learn leadership lessons? Be a parent. Do you want to learn those lessons in overdrive? Be a foster and adoptive parent. Do you want to learn those lessons at warp speed? Foster and then adopt 5½-year-old triplets. No problem, right? I’m joking of course.
However, my personal leadership journey accelerated exponentially when my wife and I accepted triplets (two boys and a girl) into our home.
Let me be clear: fostering and adopting kids is a very worthy and gratifying mission. We need all the help we can get to tackle the problem. It
is also an intensely laborious mission. These kids have needs on multiple levels – physical, emotional, psychological, and intellectual. The day to day work of teaching them valuable and fundamental life lessons- like kindness respect, and selfcontrol- takes its toll on the body, mind, soul, and spirit. I have experienced exhaustion like no other. Yet, it is in this parenting journey that I have also experienced the most joyful moments like my now 8-year-old daughter standing up to bullies on the playground.
My buddy Bruce Van Horn simply says that “parenting is leadership.”
I agree with him. Over the last few years, I have been able to pluck leadership lessons out
of my time as an adoptive dad. I call them the three postures of leadership. I believe they are applicable to leaders in any area -whether you are a homemaker, a small business owner, a government worker, or at the top of the corporate environment. Leadership is vitally important everywhere. I hope you benefit immensely from these three postures. But remember, leadership is about more than reading. It is about doing. Leadership is an action. It is crucial, first of all, to properly define posture. The precision of language has always been important to me. When I speak of posture I don’t refer to someone who stands up straight and never slouches over their computer. I don’t refer
to nations putting on a show of force for other nations. I certainly don’t mean power poses. A quick Google search reveals the idea of an attitude or mindset. That’s not a bad start. But I believe it is so much more. Robin Sharma- in his inspirational videos- refers to mindset, soulset, and heartset. The combination of these three gets much closer to the idea I want to convey behind posture. The deep fundamental beliefs and values a person holds greatly influences the way he or she approaches and engages with people. This is posture. And leadership requires the right posture.
The 1st Posture of Leadership is Humility.
The importance of humility in a leader’s life cannot be overstated. A quote by Rick Warren comes to mind here: “True humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less.”
Self-worth is incredibly important but the counterweight is humility. This humility helps the leader to adopt the learner’s mindset. Now you don’t have to be a student in a formal educational setting. Rather think of all the learning that takes place outside the classroom. Books, audiobooks, podcasts, articles, journals, and trade magazines are a few of the informal ways to educate yourself at home, in the car, at the gym, and while
running errands. I often run into a statistic about CEOs reading 60 books a year. I don’t want you to get stuck on that number. If it takes you two months to read a book, so be it. Small steps taken consistently will lead you into a greater posture of humility. Practice saying this with me: “I don’t know everything and I certainly don’t know everything about leadership.”
Being an everyday student and having a humble attitude lead to personal growth. This results in being a better dad and leader. Sometimes the lessons come from unexpected places. My kids are a constant source of learning. They are a mirror of the things I most need to work on. The things that frustrate me the most about my kids are the things that I need to work on as well. I am talking to myself as much as to my kids when I repeat our favorite mantra around the house: “kindness, respect, and self-control.”
Even if your team members are not mirrors, you can still find ways to learn from them. You have authority and responsibility for your team but you cannot succeed alone. I exhort you to draw upon the unique perspectives and experiences of your team members. They have insights that are valuable and powerful and stem from a background that you may never fully understand. A posture of
humility is one of understanding that there is more than one way to look at things and more than one way to solve complex problems. As a bonus: the very act of actively seeking out those various points of view will endear you to your team. Everyone appreciates being acknowledged for their contribution and being validated as an essential part of the team. That is the power of humility for the leader.
The 2nd Posture of Leadership is Empathy Empathy is something we hear a lot about these days. It is widely talked about by psychologists, leaders, marketers, executives and more. But do people really get it? Or is it simply lip service?
A quick Google search shows empathy to be: “the ability to understand and share the feelings of another.” The closely related word sympathy simply denotes “feelings of pity and sorrow for someone else’s misfortune” (again from Google).
I think an example quickly demonstrates the difference between the two.
Sympathy
Speaker A: “My cat just died.”
Speaker B: “Sorry to hear that.”
Empathy
Speaker A: “My cat just died.”
Speaker B: “Wow! That’s terrible. I had a cat die last year and it really tore me up inside. That cat was a part of the family. Let me know how I can help you through
this.”
The difference should be easy to see. Speaker B in the empathy scenario has made a choice to become emotionally involved and to ease the suffering of the other speaker. Even if Speaker B never owned a cat, they would still make that choice. The wording might go something like this: “I’ve never had a cat but I can tell that this is a really difficult time for you. Anything I can do to help?”
The idea of empathy is vital to our humanity and fundamental to authentic leadership. My recommendation is for current and aspiring leaders to familiarize themselves with Emotional Intelligence (EQ/EI) by Daniel Goleman. Even though the book is some 25 years old, it is a firm foundation for increasing empathy.
Developing a posture of empathy won’t be easy for some. It takes time and practice. First, leaders
need to be able to identify feelings in their team members (pain, fear, concern). This is not an easy task. Some team members may be more adept at hiding their feelings. One tip I can share is to look for opposite and extreme behaviors. Is this person normally friendly and happy? Do they look sad and hurt? Do they display way more than is normal for their sunny disposition? Is somebody who is normally on the quiet side or reserved suddenly lashing out and yelling at people? Have they disappeared altogether?
Once you have identified that someone is experiencing some hurt or pain, you have a choice to make: are you going to step into that other person’s pain knowing full well that you risk being subjected to pain? Do you have the emotional stamina for what comes next? This is a critical juncture in developing a posture of empathy. Leadership
is a choice – the choice to step into the unknown. The reaction may be negative. Some team members may not want you to meddle in their affairs (personal more so). That is totally fine. However – and this is a great however – you just might connect more deeply with that team member through the simple act of caring. This is regardless of your ability to solve the problem.
My wife and I have experienced firsthand the choice to be empathetic when it came to our kids.
We initially indicated to our foster agency that we would be open for a placement of two boys between the ages of 4 and 8. Imagine our surprise when the agency called us to say they have two 5-year-old boys who have a triplet sister! The agency offered to send the girl to a home in a neighboring county. After the initial shock wore off, my wife
and I talked it over, prayed about it, and decided that we didn’t feel comfortable separating triplets. We believed that separation would cause further harm. So we opened our hearts and home to all three.
This choice did not come without its own unique challenges. Aside from just being triplets, our kids came from a deeply troubled background. Their biological parents were Meth addicts who routinely abused and neglected their kids. Our triplets came to us severely emaciated and with serious developmental delays. As the days became weeks and months, the kids began to tell us the stories of their nightmare life before us. Things that made us weep and hurt. My wife and I went through a period where we experienced what is called “secondary trauma” – the pain of hearing the horrifying stories. However, there is a great beauty, hope, and positivity on the other side of the choice to be empathetic. My wife and I see the tremendous strides our kids have made in the almost three years since they came into our home. They no longer have developmental delays. They are excellent readers and learners. They are sprouting like weeds. They are on a path to wellness and wholeness in each area of life. We are grateful to play our part. It would have been impossible without empathy.
The
3rd Posture of Leadership is
Service
I hope you noticed the progression of these postures. They build on one another. I have purposely laid them out in this order: Humility is the foundation for empathy and likewise, empathy is the foundation for service. Crawl, walk, run. The order matters.
I am a big proponent of the idea of Servant Leadership. I simply define it as going out of my way to find ways to serve my people. After all, leadership is service. Some ways that I have found to be effective include taking somebody out to lunch or getting donuts for the team. Think of the phrase surprise and delight. These are classic methods but small acts lift the spirits of the team (especially during stressful periods) and make them feel valuable. Handwritten notes of appreciation are also a great way to serve your team. Be creative, be consistent, and think of the needs of the team member (here I highly recommend the book 5 Love Languages or 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace by Gary Chapman). Some of the more introverted individuals will not like public appreciation. Small acts of service done over a long period of time will yield great results such as more trustworthy and productive team members. I would be remiss if I didn’t also
mention the big acts of service. These are one-off occurrences but they come with significant cost. Leadership is sacrifice. I have had team members who had a sick relative and needed some extra time off from the job. I could have been a stickler for the rules (when they didn’t have paid time off). However, I wanted to build trust, understanding, and quite frankly love and friendship with my team member. We were able to work an arrangement where he was able to take the time off with no penalty to him. He was inspired and appreciative of how I handled the situation for him. He wanted to work to his best capacity for me. On another occasion, I had a team member who was a very diligent employee. He drove 1½ hours to and from work (a total of 3 hours each day he came to the site). I wanted to serve his needs by helping him to reclaim some of that time back. I was able to transfer him to another site within the organization (same job/same pay) that happened to be 5 minutes away from his home. I hated to lose him. He was no longer working as one of my direct reports but I was happy to serve him in that way. His quality of life dramatically improved and he was inspired to do great work for his new boss. There was a cost associated with making the transfer but I gladly bore the cost because it served
my team member’s needs and ultimately it was the right thing to do in my book.
Developing a service-oriented perspective has also been crucial with regard to my kids. My wife and I are in the trenches every day helping our kids to move towards recovery, stability, and eventually healthy independence. It is difficult working with the heart. Interior work takes time and energy. Patience is a virtue as my mom used to tell me quite often. My kids have to overcome trauma to move forward. It is a slow process but its working and we will reach the goal of raising fully functional adults. We, as leaders, have to apply that same mindset toward the long-term health of our team members. Even if they outgrow our leadership; we don’t hold people back out of a selfish desire to maintain the status quo. Instead, we serve their needs for advancement to grow and develop into who they are meant to be. Leadership is selfless. I admire those who have served me even at the cost of longterm pain for themselves. I am indebted to them for their sacrifice. It is a debt that cannot be repaid. I can simply try to find ways to serve. My kids, for instance, will never fully understand the sacrifices we made for them. I, myself never fully understood what my parents did for me. The
same situation occurs for just about everybody in a leadership capacity. It doesn’t matter if your team member understands the ramifications of the act of service. Do it anyway. Do the right thing. It’s going to be hard. But it will be worth it.
I hope this article has blessed you.
It has blessed me tremendously as I wrote it. I hope you remember these 3 Postures of
• Leadership:
• Humility
• Empathy Service
But more than just remembering them, I hope you find ways to apply them in your life personally and professionally. Learn from the situations I described. Be the leader you were meant to be! Little humility equates to little empathy. Little empathy equates to little service. Little service equates to poor, unsuccessful, and ineffective leadership. That’s not for you!
Develop your posture of humility by practicing one small act of humility each day until you master it Develop your posture of empathy by practicing one small act of empathy each day until you master it. Develop your posture of service by practicing one small act of service each day until you master it. Think outside yourself. Connect with your people. Build upon a bedrock of trust, belonging,
love, admiration, and connection. This is exactly the kind of environment people want to work in and you can be the leader that people want to work for. Your posture as a leader frees your team to be creative, to be innovative, and to do their best work because they feel supported by you!
Gene Petrov is the owner of Petrov LMC - Leadership and Management Consulting. He has worked for the last twenty years in various leadership capacities. He was a leader in a mom and pop bakery, in the United States Air Force, and in a corporate environment for a Fortune 200 company. He holds an M.S. in Management from The University of Maryland University College. He currently works with social media professionals to help them become the leader they were meant to be by developing their soft skills. He can be found on: Twitter @GenePetrovLMC Facebook and LinkedIn: Gene Petrov Website: https://petrovlmc. com
ABOUT EUGENE PETROV
THE BUTTERFLY HAS EMERGED, LIGHTNESS IS THE “NEW YOU” - SABRINA C. NELSON
“The moment you recognize that transformation has taken place within you, acknowledge and welcome the new woman that has emerged!”
In every new season, lies an opportunity for us to shed another layer of ourselves.
The moment I tapped into my “spirit of truth” — I began to release, what no longer served a meaningful purpose in my life. I yielded to the entire process of metamorphosis, then I created a different narrative, and now my path is filled with infinite possibilities.
I’m fully embracing the new woman that’s emerged from within, as well as those feelings of pure contentment, and “lightness of being” in every moment!
Choosing to shed the heaviness within our minds, heart and body — requires a fusion of our
intentions, beliefs and choices we make for ourselves. Connect with your authentic self and inner wisdom. It is your internal compass that guides you to being fully present in each moment and living in a state of “awareness”
As the “new you” continues to fully blossom, in this new season of your life, allow the “lightness of being” to be your constant companion — you’ll begin to experience more joy and fulfillment every day.
This season, I encourage you to acknowledge where you are, at this moment. Reflect on the goals and intentions you set for yourself at the beginning of the year. As you continue on your path to achieving these goals – I implore you to take a “leap of faith.”
To all the amazing and multifaceted women around the world; you are truly worthy of being seen, heard and understood. You are courageous enough to release yourself from
the constructs of your own cocoon — those old burdens, self-limiting beliefs, feelings of unworthiness and lack, no longer serve a purpose in your life. We all have choices to make every day of our lives. Today’s decisions are tomorrow’s realities. What are you choosing for your life today, tomorrow and your future? I want you to pause for a moment, embrace the stillness in your mind — the answers will appear
When you choose to learn from your life experiences, you gain more wisdom. Hence, more rewarding opportunities appear; which can result in manifesting your desired outcome. Everyone will encounter setbacks, obstacles, and in some cases, extremely challenging circumstances in their lives. There will be a myriad of options to choose from, in most situations we experience. Yes, sometimes you’ll even fear the worst when making life-
changing decisions. However, in this defining moment, here’s an opportunity to decide if you will allow fear to paralyze you or become an ally.
“You’ll gain strength, courage and confidence, by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face.” - Eleanor Roosevelt
However, some of you may not be ready to spread your wings, and that’s okay. Perhaps you might feel, as though, you don’t possess enough will power; to release whatever is impeding you, from embracing this new season.
But lets explore an empowering alternative; I want you to envision two boxes placed in front of you — one is labeled “known” and the other is marked “unknown”.
1. Our “known safe haven”makes us feel comfortable and secure, which keeps us confined to our own self-imposed emotional ferris wheel in our minds.
Everyone has free will, and in most instances, we would rather remain in the “known” state of being, because it’s very familiar to us. I’ve discovered, through my own personal experiences, it is one of the most common selflimiting beliefs that stagnates our growth.
Allowing oneself to remain in this state of mind creates an illusion
of your self-worth, emotional anchorage, identity and selfesteem. Contrary to what you may believe, the “known comfort zone” provides a false sense of security.
We get to choose our reality every day, not someone else. When you begin to gravitate away from the familiarity of the “known,” you’ll start to experience a positive shift in a new direction. New paths will open up; when you believe they truly exist. Making one significant transformative step in your life will produce positive results.
2.The “unknown territory”is filled with anxiety, doubt and fear, but could also be the impetus that fosters enlightenment, growth, and rebirth in our lives!
Let’s explore the box labeled “unknown” this can be very daunting and even frightening for some individuals. You have no idea of what this box contains. You’re hesitant to move forward into “uncharted waters” — because you may feel that your security blanket or life jacket is being taken away from you. But, if you’re willing to really address and release those conflicting thoughts, you’ll navigate your way through the transformational journey with ease. I assure you, if you take the first step onto a new path, “Faith” will be right around the corner to greet you!
“What lies behind you and what lies in front of you, pales in comparison to what lies inside of you.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson
Now, if you hear a voice within you say; ‘you can’t do something’ — then by all means do it anyway, that voice will eventually be silenced.
One of my favorite affirmations is — “All is well”.
I encourage you to take a “leap of faith,” exploration into the unknown, is filled with abundant new beginnings and potentiality. If you’re going to take a gamble on anything in life, why not bet on yourself — because you are worth it!
Continue believing that your best days are ahead of you. Everyone is the author of their own story. Creating a new narrative, at any stage of your transformative journey — can spark an epiphany or major breakthrough, which reignites your true passion and zest for life.
As you continue living in the present moment — joy, harmony, creativity, and wholeness will come to you, in rich and vibrant ways.
“A woman is like a tea bag, you cannot tell how strong she is, until you put her in hot water.”Nancy Reagan
TOP TIPS FOR SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING SUCCESS - TOBI AWOYEMI
An excerpt from the “Women Do Business” book by Tobi Awoyemi
Social media is a platform that offers visibility to businesses, unlike any other marketing tool. Like several other new media, social media has altered the way businesses sell online, which means it has changed the way businesses now interact, address and fulfil the requirements of their customers. It doesn’t matter if you are running a home business, small business or large corporate, social networking is now one of the crucial elements to connect you with your potential customers. It gives you a platform to transform your fans, followers and subscribers into loyal customers.
Spend time crafting your social media content Make sure your social media marketing content is in alignment with your business goals.
Understand the needs and wants of your target audience and get crystal clear about what you can give them to meet these requirements. Your content should always provide value to your target audience and show how the solutions you offer can meet their needs.
Expand your Influence
Try to expand your reach across multiple social media platforms, if you want to become successful online.
Don’t limit yourself to one social media platform. First, learn how to use one or two and establish your brand on those, then do the same with another.
Establish Your Brand
Maintain consistency so that you can brand yourself or business. Let people know you by an easily recognisable Personal or
Business Brand. How can you achieve this? Keep your profile picture / logo, company colours and graphics consistent across social media platforms.
Variety is the Key
Don’t limit your posts to one particular format only, for example, text or graphics. Deliver your message to your audience in various formats such as videos, podcasts, webinars (online seminars), questionnaires and so on. Find out the format most of your audience prefer by looking at your social media insights / analytics across platforms and do more of that, but with variety. The idea is to interact with your audience as much as possible in ways they enjoy and are comfortable with.
Interact and Engage
Once you are able to attract the attention of your potential customers,
it’s time to engage them and make them feel special (because they are!).
Take time to respond to their questions, doubts, comments, and address their issues. Let your audience know they are valued by being consistent in your replies; they will appreciate your professionalism!
The 80/20 Rule
Remember the 80/20 rule? 80% of all content you share with your audience should be of value – Inspiring, Educational and / Entertaining to them. The remaining 20% is where you promote the solution to them –your products and services. Your audience should not feel as though you are trying to sell to them each time you publish a post to social media. If you always keep your audience
engaged by mostly sharing content they find valuable, they are most likely to buy when you promote your products and services to them because they have come to Know, Like and Trust You.
Research is important
Always use analytics to learn which content is making the most impact on your audience. You should never forget the fact that research plays a crucial role in social media marketing. So always take the time to evaluate and under-stand your social media insights / analytics across social media platforms.
Stay updated
Keeping your content up to date is a sure way to maintain the relationship you have built with your potential customers. Always
try to keep yourself updated with trends in your industry, area of expertise, as well as, topics relating to your target audience.
Reassess and re-strategize
Social media is not stagnant; Hence, your strategy should keep up with new ways people are consuming information on Social Media. Always be ready to reassess and re-strategize your social media marketing efforts whenever/ wherever necessary.
Connect with me
Web: www.socialinstasuccess.com
Instagram: @socialinstasuccess
Facebook: @socialinstasuccess
Twiiter: @socialinstasuccess
FRIENDSHIP CORNER: FINDING YOUR PEOPLE -
JENNIFER DAVIS
We’ve all had those days: you’re running late for work, still recovering from the argument you had last night with your husband, and the dang car won’t start. Who do you call? Whether it’s the death of a pet, parent, or relationship, we all have that one friend we turn to who will make everything better. So what makes that person your person? Merriam-Webster’s top definition of friend is “a person who you like and enjoy being with.” Wow, that could describe lots of people, from casual acquaintances to co-workers to the guy at the market who carries your groceries to the car. You certainly don’t have to have only one best friend, but what are the qualities of the people who qualify to be one of your people? Every woman has her own set of values that dictate what qualities are most important to her in a friend; here are my top ten:
1. She is curious.
A good friend is a good listener. Period. She wants to know what’s going on with you, and doesn’t automatically relate whatever you’re saying back to herself. She asks you questions about your day, your job, your life, your relationships–and actually cares about the answers. And it goes without saying that you will listen back when it’s her turn to share.
2. She is your cheerleader. Who’s your biggest champion? She is. Your bestie is in your corner, cheering for you, always. You call her when you’re nervous before a big presentation and she tells you to picture her in the back of the room as you’re speaking with one of those big foam thumbs up signs saying “Yay you! Hooray! Great job!” And knowing that she’s there in spirit will be almost the same as having her there in person, that’s how connected you are to her energetic support. No
matter what you’re doing, she’ll be there, either physically or metaphorically.
3. She tells you what’s what.
You can also rely on this woman to share with you the (sometimes hard, cold) truth. If she has something to say, she’ll say it without worrying about how the directness will land. If there’s baggage getting in the way of your friendship, she’s upset with you about the way you spoke to her last night, or she believes that the speech you’ve been practicing needs a complete overhaul, she’ll tell you. There are ways to speak kindly and be direct at the same time, and this girl’s got that dynamic covered.
4. She acknowledges you. On the positive side, a good friend not only appreciates all of your gifts and strengths, she sends lots of compliments your
way. I’m not talking about being a shameless suck up and giving you empty accolades. Your friend notices all that is good, strong and creative about you, and isn’t afraid to let you know. She gets how important it is for you to be seen in all your glory.
5. She is open to receiving. This lady is not only willing to give it to you, she is also willing to take it. The concept applies to compliments as well as constructive criticism. We all know those friends who are quick to criticize others, yet aghast when someone says something less than stellar about them. Your friend knows that she’ll get the truth from you, just as she is willing to give it in return. A friendship where one always gives and the other always takes–be it advice, feedback, favors or gifts–does not make a heathy relationship.
6. She is not jealous of your accomplishments. Among friends, “healthy competition” works. You can both be high-achieving, even competitive individuals, yet refrain from being jealous of each other’s successes. How would that work? Anyway, if you couldn’t be happy for all the fabulous things that come your friend’s way, then it shows that you are jealous and this could destroy a relationship.
Good friends inspire each other to be better, and are happy for each other even if their friend achieves something that they have not yet attained.
7. She is not judgmental. Your pal accepts you for all that you are: the good, the bad, the ugly, and all the rest. She doesn’t have to agree with you, yet she respects you enough never to make you feel like you’re bad or wrong. Good friends can disagree, yet they do so with compassion and respect.
8. She is trustworthy. Can you imagine sharing all of your secrets with your pal and then being afraid that they would be shared all over the entire internet two hours later? No can do. A true friend puts everything in the vault. Although it sometimes gets tricky when you ask someone to keep something from their spouse or partner, this friend won’t tell anyone your business if you ask her not to. Your friendship is a sacred, safe space where confidentiality and respect are of the utmost importance.
9. She is big-hearted and compassionate. Kindness makes the world go round: it beats even intelligence and wit. A good friend is someone you can say about, at the end of the day, “She is an
epitome of a good person.” She cares about you and brings you a bag of candy and a pink, fluffy booboo bunny when you’re going through a hard time. She may even give you the shirt off her back if you tell her enough times how much you love it, knowing fully well that you’d do the same for her. Popular and pretty girls look great on social media, yet in the real world, friends who would do anything for you are the most beautiful.
10. She makes your heart sing.
You have the most fun when you are with this person. You smile when you’re together, laugh at each other’s jokes, and delight in each other’s idiosyncrasies, even if other people think they’re weird. You speak in silly accents, do weird dances, and giggle like schoolgirls. You take pictures of yourselves doing yoga poses in the dark by the lake, not being able to see what you’re doing, laughing so hard you cry, then laughing again every time you see the ridiculous photos. Laughter releases chemicals from the brain that actually make us live longer and tap into our creativity and intuition, and you thank Science for reminding you that your best friend keeps you young. No alcohol required! Plainly stated, a good friend is life affirming versus life diminishing. She makes things better, whether it’s how you feel about yourself,
how excited you are to get together, or how relieved you are that someone’s got your back. And when it comes to friends, more is definitely not better. This is one area where it’s ok to be picky. Don’t be afraid to do some friend-pruning where you examine what you’re giving and getting in a relationship and let go of those that don’t measure up. One or two amazing friendships bring more joy than a collection of others who don’t care about you in the ways you deserve. Life is precious and short; surround yourself with people who lift you up.
An amazing friend is like snuggling up with a delicious, warm cup of your coffee in a comfy chair while reading your favorite book. The world just wouldn’t be the same without your friend, and she feels the same about you. Having the right person by your side allows you to stand in your own power, and go forth in all parts of your life–professional and personal–with strength, fierceness and love. An amazing friend is a true Powerhouse Woman.
ABOUT JENNIFER DAVIS
Jennifer Davis, Founder of Jennifer Davis Coaching, likes to introduce women to themselves at their absolute best: strong, smart, empowered, and ready to take their career and life by storm!
Through coaching, writing, speaking and workshops, she is passionate about connecting clients to the inner strength, motivation and energy to become even more amazing than they already are. She has helped many individuals–from small business owners to Fortune 500 executives to attorneys to architects to coaches–find the inspiration and clarity needed to achieve meaningful personal growth. Jennifer cofounded and leads Fiercely Female Leadership, an interactive program for women interested in expanding their leadership capabilities with an engaged, creative approach.
Jennifer received an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business, a BA from Tufts University, and trained at the Coaches training Institute. Jennifer came to coaching because she loves authentic connections with people. She is at her personal best when she works alongside those who know they can follow their dreams and tap into their most powerful Inner Leader, one who leads from the inside-out from a place of passion and purpose.
Learn more at www.jenniferdaviscoaching.com, www.fiercelyfemaleleadership.com, and follow her leadership tweets @jenmaydavis.
ISMM INVERSION SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING ANTONIA MCCLAMMY
ISMM Inversion Social Media Marketing
We are the Creative Visionaries that gives your brand a voice in the Digital Marketing World!
Social Media Marketing can help you increase the activity around the top goals:
1. Website traffic and user behavior (external and internal tracking)
2. Conversion and sales tracking
3. Page views, exposure, viral activity
4. Growing brand awareness
5. Creating a positive brand association and keeping your rank
6. Business development and a broader customer reach
Why bother exploring social media as a marketing channel for your website or business?
It’s low-cost/high returns.
Here’s some suggestions to start Social Media Campaign.
1. Plan your campaign
2. Understand what time your audience want to hear your content
3. Don’t break the social media rules of etiquette
4. Measure social media success
5. Don’t Ignore your competitors
Many business owners want the cheap way out of marketing their businesses but they want the million-dollar results. You remember that ole saying ‘You get out of something what you invest in.”
www.inversionsmm.com
ABOUT ANTONIA M. MCCLAMMY
Antonia McClammy is a visionary marketing consultant and CEO for the business Inversion Social Marketing Management (ISMM).
I have mastered many years of marketing and building strategic and creative goals for small businesses and entrepreneurs.
Antonia has managed social media and curated content for marketing in several companies and nonprofits such as: Momentum Jaguar, Nationwide Insurance, FEMWORKS Communications, Forward Ever Sustainable Business Alliance, Trauma to Triumph Nonprofit, Urban Souls Dance Company, Meoka Pilates, Houston Institute for Culture, Newark Business Hub, The Ferrell Phelps Talk Show and her latest project Teacher Confidential.
My accomplishments include publishing ISMM Social Media Magazine, an instructor teaching Social Media and Marketing Classes for Small Business Alliance and Rutgers Business School CUEED program with the Newark Business Hub. I continuously teach social media marketing to small businesses staff, entrepreneurs, and in the fall of 2018 she will be publishing a book called Social Media Blueprint to Success.
Antonia has an entrepreneurial mindset, and spirit. Her experience in growing small businesses and Non-profits branding presence in media and communications, designing websites, and understand precisely how important your brand presence is in the media world. She continues collaborating with FEMWORKS Communications
ANTONIA M. MCCLAMMY
Agency with major marketing projects such as: Newark Arts Council, TedxBroadStreet, Apollo Theater, Recognize Newark, Status is Everything, Newark Small Business Summit, Newark Global Shapers, Newark Business Hub, Forward Ever Sustainable Business Alliance, Rutgers University Newark and currently working with Corporate Sisterhood Empowerment Tour based out of Houston, TX.
Antonia understands the mindsets of marketing and social media for Media & Arts Professionals, Authors, Coaches, Talk Shows, Social Initiative, Ministries and Small Business Marketing needs. Antonia is a graduate of University of Phoenix majored in Small Business Development and Marketing. She’s 20 year resident of Houston, Texas and proud mother of one son and 3 grandchildren.
SPIRITUALITY: MOVING INTO MOMENTS - AMY J. WARSHAWSKY
As a coach and a movement specialist, I am often in discussion with myself about my spirituality. “What ignites my spirit and brings me into a safe space of flow and reverence? How do I tap the very essence of finding my own path, my own journey to meaning and fulfilment?” I do have a religion that I was born into and love the culture surrounding it. Yet, that is not the foundation of my spirituality. In my quest for answers, I first looked to define spirit and spirituality. I began thinking of a book I recently read called, Leading with Soul: An Uncommon Journey of Spirit by Lee G. Bolman & Terrence E. Deal. In the introduction, Bolman and Deal said: “When each of us plunges into the depth of our being, there we find soul, a bedrock sense of identity and meaning — who we are, what we care about, and what we are here to do. We also discover spirit, a transcendent universal sense of oneness.”
When I think of spirituality as a transcendent universal sense of oneness, I am drawn into movement. For more than 10 years, I have been teaching and practicing a movement form called The Nia Technique, in which dance, martial arts and the healing arts are woven into a web of movement steeped in philosophy, conditioning and community. Before that, I studied Kung Fu and learned the exquisite beauty and balance of the martial arts. At the very core of these movement techniques is the body, the physical being that when set into motion can access Universal Joy and shared experience.
For me, the key to my body being the centre of my spiritual practice is grounding in awareness. From a place of non-judgement and witnessing, I can move out and up to explore the movement of my mind, my emotions and yes, my spirit. Yet, I always return to the very root of where I began — my body, which houses my soul and enables my spirit to connect
AMY J. WARSHAWSKY
to the universal and age-old tradition of dance. We all have opportunities to connect to our spirituality every single day if we bring awareness and intention into the tiny crevices of our lives that are so often taken up by technology and mindlessness. The steps may be small; yet, they open up a wide expanse of possibility for positive change and deep moments of fulfilment. Here are a few of my favourite ways to savour my spirit and connect to my spirituality:
Cultivate Awareness
It is as simple as noticing. Some would call it mindfulness and put it into practice. I invite you to put it into play. Relax into all that your life has to offer by finding tiny joyful pleasures in the details of the world around you. Find moments to treasure like placing fresh flowers in a vase, inviting a friendly exchange with a stranger, relishing a hug from a loved one or relaxing into the warmth of the sun on your face.
Connect to Sensation
Our bodies have been created to engage with the world around us so that we may revel in pleasure and recede from pain. Up your pleasure factor with intention by savouring sensation. Touch, taste, hear, see, smell the glorious gifts of the deeply rich and gifted moments of each and every
day. How about soaking in a bubbling bath and connecting to the sensation of warm water on your skin or lingering over your favourite wine as it rolls over your tongue or perhaps, stepping out into your day and noticing little surprises like a small flower growing up from the crack in the pavement.
Find Nature
Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “Nature always wears the colours of the spirit.” Within the very busy, very intense lives we live is the hand of humankind. Leaving the constructed world for even a short period of time can revive the spirit and connect us to our roots. Centre and ground in the beauty and gifts of nature to revive your sense of spirituality and oneness with the world. Whether you choose a gentle walk, a more vigorous hike or a day on the ski slopes, engage in activities that whisk you away from your everyday environment and into a new and fresh perspective.
Eyes Wide Open
Lift your eyes from your feet or whatever device you think is calling you to look and see the world around you. Gift yourself with brief moments of clarity, reflections in the shop window and visual happenings. In these brief moments, invite time to stand still and we move into deep curiosity and appreciation.
Bring attention to the smallest of details that we might have missed had you not been open to the experience. Maybe it is architecture high above your head you have never noticed, flowerbeds at your feet or the light throwing shadows on the sidewalk.
Dance with Wild Abandon
This is my all-time favourite! Whenever and with no apparent reason, tune into your favourite song and begin to sway. Sense the music and it flows over and through you. Take off your shoes, tap your feet and release into the calling to dance. Living room, kitchen, bedroom, any room — let loose and send your soul to soar.
Walk Your Talk Walk
It is that easy. With music, without music — walk. Sense the rhythm of your feet as you move through space. See wherever your eyes choose to look and delve into the rich visual panorama you call home for that moment in time. Stop here and there snapping photos with your phone to commemorate the adventure and remember your unique point of view.
Pleasure & Pain
We have all heard the fitness mantra, “No pain. No gain.” How about we flip it in honour of moving into spirituality? Adopt the pleasure principle for a prescribed period of time and
simply revel in the joy of feeling good. Deepen your relationship with yourself by inviting enjoyment and self-care into your monthly, weekly or even, daily rituals. Keep a gratitude journal and focus your thoughts on what pleasure you sought and found throughout each day. Schedule me time and playdates that enable you to dabble in your favourite childhood activities like music or art.
Breathe
So simple. And, so deeply spiritual. Bring life force into your being and then, release all that is not needed and no longer necessary. Inhale and exhale. Intake and expel. Simple, deep and mindful breaths invigorate and enliven even the most painful, frenetic or chaotic of times. Anchor breath in the body by breathing in deeply and noticing what happens to your physical form when you inhale, hold for brief seconds and then exhale. Scan your body from the tips of your toes to the very top of your head. Breathe your body and cultivate awareness. As you go full circle, from awareness to sensation to movement to breath and back again in these rituals, you will be drawn into the ancient symbolism of the universe, into that which is sacred and the divine. Resting in the depths of
these moments of pause is the path to spirituality. Follow the path with small and deliberate steps for greater joy, opening and awareness
Amy J. Washawsky, Founder and CPCC / ACC
Feel Alive in Your Body
Amy believes that every individual matter; and can make a difference in their own life as well as the lives of others. She coaches individuals and groups with a special emphasis on waking individuals up to their right to belong, their right of responsibility and their right to be accepted for their unique way of being. She is trained in an array of leadership methodologies and encourages her clients to practice deep awareness of their own potential and of the balance they seek in their lives.
Amy is both a coach and a movement specialist. She trained in Wu Shu and Shaolin Kung Fu and has been a teacher, student and practitioner of the Nia Technique for more than 8 years. The Nia Technique is a fusion of dance, martial arts and healing arts that conditions the body and invigorates the mind and spirit. She weaves her knowledge of movement and her philosophical approach to body-mind based practices into her work as a coach.
Prior to entering the world of coaching, she had 20+ years experience as an Event Director, and a Marketing and Public Relations Specialist.
For nearly 10 years, Amy was the Director of Special Events and Communications for the Jewish Community Centers of Greater Boston. She directed community events for groups of people ranging in size from 100 to 14,000. Venues included the Fleet Center in Boston, the Boston Common and the World Trade Center in Boston. She has overseen multiple Steering Committees and Event Committees comprised of staff members, community leaders and volunteers. She also coproduced concerts involving top performers from Israel and the International Jewish community. She holds a Masters Degree in Journalism from Northwestern University and a Bachelors of Arts from Cornell University. She has also received professional training in Facilitative Leadership as well as in Creativity, Imagination and Leadership from Lesley University’s Expressive Therapies Program. She trained as a Health Coach at the Institute of Integrative Nutrition and as a Co-Active Coach at the Coaches Training Institute.
www.feelaliveinyourbody.com
DO YOU VALUE YOUR THOUGHT? - ELINOR STUTZ
Do You Value Your Thought?
Standing out from the crowd due to unique thought brings ridicule in one’s lifetime. Many instead choose to be silent and satisfied with remaining average to fit in. Unfortunately, those who give up on their ideas receive little satisfaction.
We each only have one life to live. It is our responsibility not only to pay attention to the world around us but also value our thought. Our commitment should be to live life without regret.
Quiet time and soul-searching give each of us the opportunity to figure our next steps. Life is a continuous journey. When we believe it will take a lifetime to reach a goal, and commit to working on it every day, success arrives sooner than expected. A timeout is needed to figure out next steps by reviewing lessons
learned along the path. Consider:
• On what endeavor would you like to spend a lifetime?
• What type of people do you prefer to have in your company?
• How will your insights benefit communities?
Take time to plan out your grandest vision. Map out milestones and goals to achieve, and commit to working on your endeavor every day. Accept that not everything works out as intended. But what proves to be a disaster is sometimes our best gift in disguise. With the right attitude, failure does not exist. Begin viewing errors as your marketing research.
As your journey kicks into high gear, the outside world may laugh and ridicule you. Your job is to ignore the naysayers. Impossible is also non-existent when you are willing to put
a flexible plan in place and continue to refine processes. Come to an understanding that when someone becomes particularly angry over one of your new ideas, it’s because they are frightened by your impending success. They believe you are either a fierce competitor or a temporary friend who will leave their circle to move on. Fear is on their side and has no place in your world.
Personal examples make the experiences real and relatable. Throughout my career, both peers and friends did their best to get me to quit, but I refused. It was highly unusual for a woman to enter the sales arena in my day, but I dared to do so. Training was not permitted because the men assumed I was going to fail anyway. Ignoring the pre-determination, I asked my intended clientele about their decision-making processes and how they selected vendors.
Not knowing how to sell, I became professionally personal in conversation. We had a great time together. Within four months, I was the top producer –not knowing a thing about what I was selling!
My turning point was the darkest moment of all when a surgeon announced that my neck was irreparable from a traffic accident. But two visions indicated the time was right for giving back to communities and my passion for becoming a known speaker. With all my heart, I pledged to do all of the above in exchange for full recovery.
Belief, vision, and plan save the day.
Conveying I was a sales trainer at the first networking event for entrepreneurs; ridicule came quickly. The advice was to write a book to establish credibility. I never wrote prior, but my phone wasn’t ringing so I had nothing
to lose. The horrific corporate sales stories came to mind and filled the pages. All records were broken with the submission of my manuscript. The first publishing house said yes, Nice
BELIEVE, BECOME, EMPOWER!
Girls DO Get the Sale was featured in TIME Magazine and quickly became an International Best-Seller.
I’m one who saw the magic of social media while everyone else laughed and declared I would ruin my business. After years of knocking on doors in sales territories, it was a relief to know people would now find me. The opposite of the predictions proved to be true, setting me at
the top of the scoreboards.
The above stories are intended to motivate and inspire you to keep your priorities in your mind and heart at all times. Value your thought and become the person you envision. Statistics are momentary and are awaiting your contribution to set the next record. The final step is to share both the best and the worst lessons with those following in your footsteps.
Have you ever felt defeated and thought you plateaued and could not progress any further in life? If you haven’t, I have. You then find yourself standing at a fork in the road and it is decision time. Do we choose to settle and continue on the path of mediocrity or do we take the road less traveled and dare to journey to the next dimension in life? Of course, at some point most of us can attest to living in the land of mediocrity, but deep inside we know there has to be more. Even when we try to subdue this constant urge for more, there is a nagging desire to tap into your inner greatness. Yes, that’s right…you have an inner greatness that is just screaming to be released. We were all created and gifted with a degree of greatness that can be cultivated into so much more if we yield attention and effort to it. Now the question is, “How do you step into your greatness”? Pay close attention as I share
three keys to step into your greatness.
Know Your WHY
One of the most powerful forces to stepping into your greatness is knowing your WHY. This is the true motivation that thrusts you forward in spite of adversity. In the tough times you’ve got to know WHY you are here and WHY it is imperative for you to progress to the next dimension in life. Keeping your WHY at the forefront of your attention will serve as a constant reminder and incentive to keep pushing. What is your WHY? Whatever it is, find it and grab hold tight.
Cultivate Your Mind
In order to step into your greatness, it is crucial to cultivate a winner’s mindset. Everything originates in the mind. Your thinking drives your actions, therefore you become what you think about. Try thinking outside
the box. Begin by ridding your mind of all negative, low-level thinking such as, “I am not good enough or I’m not smart enough”. Eliminate those self-limiting beliefs and habits you have developed over time and clear the mental clutter. It is essential to renew your mind daily by reading books, engaging in meditation, reciting affirmations, practicing visualization, exercising gratitude and other positive mind enhancing activities.
Use What You Have
The truth is, we already have everything we need on the inside of us to be successful in life. Yes, that’s correct, we have untapped resources and hidden treasures. I know, you may be thinking, “I don’t have anything worth using”. I beg to differ. One exercise that will help you tremendously with identifying these gifts and talents is getting into a quiet space and doing some soul searching and a gift assessment. Make sure you
have a pen and paper on hand. The soul searching is to seek out your inner man to direct you towards your passion. The gift assessment is to identify the things you are naturally good at or do exceptionally well. Begin by making a list of the following things:
• I enjoy doing…
• I am good at…
• People always compliment me on…
Once you identify these key areas, work on perfecting them and develop ways to use them to release your greatness and become the best you. Remember, stepping into your greatness is a process. It takes time, effort and focus. You must be willing to embrace change and disrupt the status quo. You owe it to yourself and the world to transition to your rightful place… GREATNESS!
ABOUT TAMMI
Tammi’s absolute passion is to empower professional women to master setbacks and propel them forward to their divine destiny! She is the CEO of Tammi Durden International, LLC, the founder of Tammi Durden Ministries International, and Associate Pastor of New Faith Praise and Worship Center in the U.S. She is an international speaker, author, and personal development coach. Tammi is acclaimed as “The Life Mastery Strategist”. She believes in using her compelling story to inspire women to win in life! Her mission is to Empower, Educate and Elevate.
Tammi’s book, “Get Up, Dust Yourself Off And Win!” is an empowerment tool that inspires individuals to master challenges and win in life! As a woman that has experienced several setbacks; including divorce, bankruptcy, failed businesses, and low self-esteem (just to name a few); she personally knows that all things are possible, and you can Get Up and Win!
For more information about Tammi Durden please visit her on the web at www.tammidurden.com.
the air enliven all five senses. When we do slow down and tune in, we become much more aware of the nature of life around us the behaviour, habits, feelings, energies and the spirit or essence of the life forms we observe. As we continue to spend time in a quiet, receptive mode with other species, we may get images, impressions, thoughts, messages, feelings, energies in different forms, which we can learn to interpret or understand.
I discovered my passion for
photography three years ago when my wonderful and good friend Royal Photographer Ian Turner invited me to St. James park in London to use his professional camera for the day. I have been addicted ever since!
I have learned to connect spiritually with animals through my photography and had some wonderful experiences capturing some really magical moments being up close.
My biggest inspiration is the connection I have with my photography clients, allowing me
to capture a fleeting moment of their world. My focus is to bring out their true spirit & inner beauty, and for them to feel relaxed and comfortable, and LOVE what they see reflected back at them in the photographs. My background in holistic healing has really helped me to fine tune my gift of connecting with people, and develop my understanding of human nature. It has been intrinsic in supporting me to bring out the true spirit of a person, in order to tell their story through images.
With Love Elin Robinson www.elinrobinsonphotography. co.uk
