the pride of Africa's women entrepreneurs
by Safiyyah Boolay-Jappie
Over the past 2 days I've shared some thoughts about exploring and discovering your purpose. For most of us, this is neither easy, nor comfortable. It requires us to see ourselves without the conditioning that has shaped us throughout our lives. No mean feat. But if we miss this step in the process discovering our purpose remains an intellectual ideal that becomes a point of pain, frustration and despair.
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by Laura Camacho, PhD and Culture Fixer
The number one thing everyone seems to want in their communication toolbox is confidence on demand. As a well-seasoned (at times too spicy!) executive communication coach, I have engaged in literally thousands of deep conversations with leaders from everywhere. We chat with the shared goal in mind: to be a better communicator.
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by Josefa Massinga
Hello dear Lionesses. Knowing that self-esteem and motivation are essential factors within a company, today I will make a small and brief approach to achieving self-reliance in business. Here is how to discover the best in each employee.
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by Mandisa Makubalo
Ever heard of the word ‘cookie-cut?’ By definition, to cookie-cut is to indicate that each one is the same, like a guaranteed formula for something that works. It also means that the same approach or style is always used and not enough attention is paid to individual differences. Have you ever found yourself saying “I’m struggling to get the buy in of the C-Suite for my CX (Customer Experience) project”? Have you recently taken on a CX project as an independent consultant or entrepreneur? If your answer is yes, I invite to look as I discuss some of the reasons you might be experiencing the resistance and ways to overcome it.
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by Naike Moshi
Are you focusing on growing your network?
Networking can be an effective tool to build your professional career or provide you with amazing opportunities. They say " Your network is your net worth.” The stronger your network, the more valuable you are to your business, and other individuals. Over time, your network will enable you to orchestrate major business deals, refer business to associates, help a friend land her next job, or even introduce future couples.
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by Kathy Mann
I enjoy reading entrepreneurial books and articles. I have a fascination with people’s passions and what makes them do what they do. I’m also a fan of research and while running a business I wanted to know more and to ensure I was doing the right things. I remember reading some quote about how success is just on the other side of feeling like giving up. Reading that advice was really detrimental for me, in fact. You see, I’m not a quitter. I persevered so much that my health collapsed. To be fair, I didn’t heed the advice in the same articles of weeding out toxic elements and doing what you love.
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by Safiyyah Boolay-Jappie
“Choosing” is the most important activity of your mind. "Choosing" is the most important activity of your mind. Yes, I wrote that twice. Because it is that important. I'll write it again. "Choosing" is the most important activity of your mind. Whether you are exercising choice in the moment or in respect of the bigger picture, choice is a proclamation to your subconscious mind and a prayer to the universe. Choice is the mechanism with which you harness and focus your resources and it is how you collaborate and co-create with forces beyond the comprehension of your logical mind.
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Erica Paiva
A mulher empoderada dos dias de hoje, recebe essa questão quase todos dias de forma irônica como se nao pudesse escolher e tivesse que cegamente consentir que não existe a possibilidade de seguir com a carreira em detrimento da família, e apenas ao homem e dada essa possibilidade de poder aventurar na sua carreira acadêmica ou profissional e deixando o cuidado da família na responsabilidade da mulher. Mas será isso correcto?
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by Laura M Camacho, PhD and Culture Fixer
Small changes in the way you communicate can bring big changes in the life you live. I see this reality every single day.
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by Lizl Naude
Woman, stop being emotional about your business! If you are a woman in business, you might feel offended by this! How can you say that Lizl? Well, as tough as it is to say...it's time to put the emotions away! And believe me, I am preaching to myself!
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by Teboho Seretlo
In an article that I recently read, which led me to a TED talk with the same topic by Heidi Grant, I came across some very useful tips, coupled with a deeper understanding of why I am always struggling to ask for help. I used to be the top student in my class since primary school and getting a prize at every prize-giving ceremony was etched in my childhood memory. Seeing my parents sitting there and watching with pride as I stood up to claim my prize. I never participated in any sports. Could it be that the individual achievement was an incentive for me to perform well and that all the praises were for me and not a team? Could it be that I valued being viewed as an independent person who was good at solving her own challenges without “bothering” others and asking for help? Luckily, as I progressed in life, I quickly learnt that collaborating and asking for help is very normal and was not a sign of weakness on my part.
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by Lori Milner
When your laptop or phone begins to slow down to the point of unbearable speed, a wave of terror takes over you. You have horrifying visions of being without your precious device for a few hours. The good news is the simplest solution is often the most effective. Most likely, once you restart the device, it will work again perfectly. It’s the same with you. No matter what work you do or where you are in your career, you also feel as if your operating system is not functioning at its maximum capacity.
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Erica Paiva
The empowered woman of today receives this question almost every day in an ironic way. As if she could not choose and had to blindly consent that there is no possibility of pursuing a career to the detriment of the family, only to the man is given that possibility of being able to venture into his academic or professional career and leaving the care of the family in the woman's responsibility. But is that right?
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by Lori Milner
Imposter syndrome is not based on logic. The most successful people still experience the feeling that everyone will find out that they know nothing, that their success is based on luck, and that they don’t deserve to be there. It’s a debilitating pattern and one that can keep you playing small if you buy into your own story.
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by Safiyyah Boolay-Jappie
Determining what our purpose is in life can be one of the hardest questions that we as humans are compelled to answer. It is the guiding light we seek to help us create value that is meaningful to us far beyond the remuneration, adoration and adulation we may enjoy from our worldly pursuits. Our purpose is also where we are challenged the most.
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by Lizl Naude
Recently in the span of 48 hours, I received complaints from two individual customers about product breakages. Because I am so pedantic about delivering a quality product, I was initially completely stunned. It felt like a barrage coming my way. I remember a heat rush going to my head, as I tried to make sense of it all. I took a deep breath and took a 5 minute walk before I replied.
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by Kathy Mann
I’m crazy about MasterChef Australia for a number of reasons. I am, of course, really interested in people who are changing their careers and who have the courage to switch paths, sometimes quite late in life. It’s so interesting to see how the contestants often comment on how they have grown as a person so much more than they anticipated. They entered the competition to gain skills and a head-start in becoming a chef. Not only do they all (not only the winner) pick up new skills in their chosen profession, but they push themselves to grow. In doing so, they discover a profound flow experience in the creation of food. It is a creative exercise and requires imagination, skill and knowledge. What an amazing journey they are taken on and it’s no wonder there are tears as each contestant is eliminated from the competition.
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by Paula Quinsee
We live in a world where we glorify professional stress, extensive work hours, extreme dedication. We live in a world where saying ''no'' to extra work is seen as a weakness. As a result you end up over-worked, exhausted, traumatized... which you then simply call ''the price of being successful’'. As my colleague Bogdan Manta says, ''Balance is not something you find; balance is something you create.''
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by Safiyyah Boolay-Jappie
Sometimes you just have a good day. Today was such a day!
On the brink of burnout and with a catastrophic loss of confidence after some challenging life events, my client reached out for some support. She wanted more confidence and to be more effective, more efficient, and more organised. According to her, she couldn't organise a drinks-party in a brewery. She lamented that she had been such a go-getter, but now was such a disappointment ... to herself, her family and her boss.
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by Nontobeko Mbuyane
Most of us will experience hard choices, stressful events and difficult situations that will impact us in one way or another for the rest of our lives. Hard times happen and they teach us lessons, make us stronger, and give us a deeper sense of self. After all, would sitting in the sun mean as much if you hadn’t experienced the storm first? Elizabeth Taylor once said: “You just do it. You force yourself to get up. You force yourself to put one foot before the other, and darn it, you refuse to let it get to you. You fight. You cry. You curse. Then you go about the business of living. That’s how I’ve done it. There’s no other way.”
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