In business, transactions and negotiations take centre stage and often the principle of reciprocity is overlooked. In my experience the art of “The Favour”  and fostering a culture of reciprocity is a critical in building lasting relationships and achieving success. Reciprocity is the practice of exchanging things with others for…

Having a skilled and trustworthy accountant is paramount for the success of any business. However, the market is not immune to individuals who may pose as qualified professionals but lack the expertise and integrity required for the job. I call them "Pretenders". They want to appear to be something that…

Oprah Winfrey said when speaking about her mentor, the celebrated author and poet, the late Maya Angelou. “She was there for me always, guiding me through some of the most important years of my life. Mentors are important and I don’t think anybody makes it in the world without some…

Do What You Say You're Going To Do..........For Your Own Good! Accountability is crucial when you are being coached and mentored to grow your business because it ensures that you take ownership and responsibility for your actions and the subsequent results. 1. Keeps You Focused: Accountability helps you stay on…

President Obama once said, “You can put lipstick on a pig but it’s still a pig". To put "lipstick on a pig" is a rhetorical expression, conveying the message that making cosmetic changes is a futile attempt to disguise the true nature of a person or organisation. The expression is…

I read an article a long time ago and it lead off with something to the effect of: "People ultimately choose to do business with people they like, and everyone likes someone who appreciates them." This thought pattern has always resonated with me and I have been driven by this…

Gene Hackman's first line in The Firm was "I’m Avery Tolar, your designated mentor. Let’s go to lunch." It covers two of my favourite aspects of being involved with business - Mentoring and Lunch! I often combine the two! I have given a lot of thought to all things mentoring…

Sometimes when my alarm goes off, I donʼt want to get up. There are times (for instance, this morning) when I consider the schedule for the day and I think I’d much rather stay in bed. That’s going to be better than making my 7a.m. weights session. This is exacerbated…

The start of the new year is a great time to review your accountants and decide whether they have your best interests at heart. You need to ask yourself the following: Did you understand everything they explained in a satisfactory manner? Do you frequently get nasty surprises when receiving invoices?…

Let’s be honest. There are times when you have thought to yourself, “I wish things were different. I wish I was treated better. I wish that life wasn’t so soul-wrenching.” Usually in such situations, you would have noticed that a lot of negative energy has made its way into your…

When you think of an employee that isn’t performing to the level you expect, most of the time you picture a new, young and still learning staff member. Some times, however, I’ve encountered situations – as I’m sure you have – where employees with a great skill set are suddenly…

Success is never an accident – it involves constant hard work and perseverance, and learning from failure. There are a few things most successful people do on a daily basis that can make success likely in your life. Here are six habits that I believe are a great place to…

Happiness in everyone’s life can be defined as a different thing. In the work place it could be working with some great people and feeling appreciated or it could be as simple as the company providing great coffee. One thing is certainly true, not all of us love our jobs.…

As you all know, the beginning of a new financial year is a crucial time in the life cycle of a business. While you are evaluating the year that was, you are able to analyse what exactly has been achieved, what hasn’t, and what needs to be changed. Making consistent…

Overcoming issues in your home and work life can be difficult, especially if you are not getting the support you need to find your niche in life. You may be lucky enough to have a passion that may help you overcome the hurdles to help reach new heights. Health and…

Busy day, every day. How do you get yourself out of bed and into the right mood to face the day? Make more team for the activities and people that are important in your life. Our work life has been become more challenging, we work extra hours, we set up…

Once you have made the decision to do something about your personal growth and development you are one step closer to achieving your goals. So, personal growth and development is about taking a close look with the view to improve your physical, emotional, intellectual, spiritual, social and financial state. So…

It's about achieving one of your goals and that can be different for everybody. It can take into account your financial well being, your health, personal growth and development and staying true to you. For some people that goal is money, or a great job and for others it might…