Xiong Shuihua, a Chinese multimillionaire, bulldozed his old decrepit hometown to build luxury condos for everyone, for free, as a humble “thank you.”

Some stories just put a smile on your face. So often our image of rich business moguls is associated with egocentric, narcissistic men who greedily spend their fortunes on penthouses, speedboats, and private jets.

But Xiong Shuihua, a Chinese multimillionaire who earned his own fortune in the steel construction business, has shattered this stereotype, demonstrating philanthropy at its best and proving the existence of “good” in places often seen as grim.

Xiong Shuihua was born in Xiongkeng village in the city of Xinyu, southern China, and said that his family had always been well looked after and supported by community residents during his childhood.

So, after making his millions in the steel industry, Shuihua opted to repay his debt to his childhood community by “updating” the locals’ living spaces.

Five years ago, the area was considerably run-down, with most locals living in the most basic of homes.

Today, however, the area has been completely transformed, and now 72 families are enjoying a new quality of life in what can be considered “luxury flats.”

Furthermore, 18 families who were particularly kind to the businessman were given villas of their own, in a project costing close to $7.4 million.

After moving in, he even promised three meals a day to the older residents and people on a low income to make sure they could get by.

“I earned more money than I knew what to do with, and I didn’t want to forget my roots,” he told the Daily Mail; “I always pay my debts, and wanted to make sure the people who helped me when I was younger and my family were paid back.”

Xiong Shuihua’s incredibly selfless gesture is the sort of deed that could really create #change in our world. If, for example, the top percentage of wealthy people around the globe decided to allocate even the smallest portion of their wealth for philthanropistic causes such as this, the amount of people whose lives would change for the better would be monumental. Let’s hope we keep seeing more of this taking place in our world.

Do you know of any other inspiring philanthropy stories? Share with us in the comment section below!

Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2850436/Millionaire-Chinese-businessman-bulldozes-run-huts-village-grew-builds-luxury-flats-residents-instead-free.html

Nigerian, you already know by now that Baba Olusegun Obasanjo recently wrote a letter to the National Assembly, calling them names and accusing them of corruption. That the National Assembly has been Nigeria’s most notorious assembly of integrity-challenged and irresponsible thieves since 1999 is no news to you. It is also the retirement home of expired looters from the Executive. If you are looking for the highest number of indicted Africans in one single room, go to Nigeria’s National Assembly.

It is also no news to you, Nigerian, that the author of the latest letter, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, is one of the most illustrious and successful graduates of Nigeria’s Federal University of Corruption in Abuja. He was admitted into this University as a student in 1999 with less than five thousand naira in his account. He graduated a multibillionaire in 2007. The PhD in Corruption he obtained from this University is not honoris causa. He earned it.

What should be strange to you, Nigerian, is why one thief has found it expedient to write a letter to another set of thieves. You are writing Saraki and company to tell them to do something about corruption. You might as well write a cat with a view to negotiating with it to stop consuming rats.

Enter the garrulous Senator Dino Melaye with a response to Obasanjo that is worth quoting in some length:

“Our leader is mistaking the eighth national assembly as the same senate assembly that defrauded him in 2007. Those who collected his money and refused to implement the 3rd term agenda. I appeal to baba that we are not the ones please. After nine years of that bribery saga, the first of its kind, I expect forgiveness to have taken place.

“There was the case of bribery introduced by the Obasanjo regime in the desperate attempt to remove speaker Ghali Umar Na’abba from office then. In fact, there was open display of that bribery money on the floor of the house. That government exposed the national assembly to corruption and easy money. I hope this is not in an attempt to cover up and distract attention from the Halliburton and Siemens corruption allegations.

“While I am against corruption anywhere in Nigeria, I will not support accusations based on anger and vindictiveness. The eighth senate should also look inwardly and purge herself of all the deliberate misgivings of the past. Nigeria must work and we must support the anti-corruption stand of the Buhari administration. God bless Nigeria.”

Nigerian, although Senator Dino Melaye is a clown unworthy of serious public disquisition at this level, I have brought you his words that you may understand the enormity of the task ahead of us; that you may understand why Nigeria may never make progress unless we somehow are able to produce and enable a new generation of young Nigerians whose paradigms have not been destroyed by the generations represented by the two clowns on display here.

Between Baba Obasanjo and Senator Dino Melaye, we have three generations of ruinous, leprous, and intellectually impecunious leaders.
Let us start with Dino Melaye’s closing statements. This corrupt and ostentatious clown dares to disclose that he is against corruption anywhere in Nigeria? Helloooo, Dino! Haba! You are a pro-corruption activist, always playing supporters’club for corruption at the CCT. Between Toyin Saraki and Bukola Saraki, we have seen your life outside as a career body guard for corruption.

But that is even not the real tragedy. The real tragedy, Nigerian, is that a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria stands up in that Chamber of Shame to declare to the whole world that Obasanjo had bribed his predecessors in the Senate to actualize his third term agenda and is only now writing because he has not yet forgiven those who took his money and failed to deliver.

In other words, a Senator is implying that he does not know that it is against the law in Nigeria to induce, give, or receive bribes? A Senator is accusing a former President of having committed a very serious crime of corrupting an institution of the Federal Republic in Nigeria and all he has to say is to appeal to the criminal to pardon the criminals who looted his loot?

How about you and your colleagues collaborating with the current Executive to revisit the issue you are talking about with a view to punishing the giver of that third term bribe and those who received it by making them face the wrath of the law and due process? Abi you think there is a statute of limitation on Obasanjo’s crimes and the crimes of your predecessors in the Senate?

Anyway, this tradition of Nigerians begging a thief to forgive other thieves or to go and sin no more is a macabre dance in which Obasanjo had been implicated in the past. Dino is in a funny way replaying Obasanjo’s script.

After Okija, after destroying Government House in Anambra, Chris Uba had finally dragged his political son, Chris Ngige, to Obasanjo in the Villa. After the meeting, Obasanjo announced to the nation that the two thieves came to report themselves to him. They revealed to him how they conspired to rig and steal the election in Anambra and how Ngige had subsequently reneged on his yam commitments to his benefactor, Chris Uba. Obasanjo told the nation how he scolded them:

I called them thieves. I kicked them. Mo ba won wi gidi gan ni o. And I made them promise not to do so again o.

That was a siting President telling the nation how he handled two citizens who came to confess to him that they broke the law of the land and violated the Constitution he swore to protect! Today, Ngige is a Federal Minister! So, if Dino is saying that he knows that the National Assembly once stole bribery money from Obasanjo and it is time for the said Obasanjo to forgive, well, we have been here before.

Anyway, Nigerian, you see your life outside now? You see the level of fevered and kwashiokored brains running your life? How can a country make any progress with these kinds of characters?
Yet, let Obasanjo and Dino arrive in your neighbourhood in a motorcade today, you will outdo one another in seeking photo-ops with them.
The only consequence they get for their crimes is your adulation and they know it!
Issorait.

By Pius Adesanmi

The greatest news coming out of President Buhari’s recent trip to the United Arab Emirates is the fact that he signed some repatriation and rendition agreements that will certainly make life a tad more uncomfortable for hundreds of Nigerian goats who had shored up their yams – stolen from Nigeria – in Dubai.

We’ve already heard a lot of anticipatory bleating of resentment from many of the said goats and their degenerate, corruption-defending supporters. That is a good development. I have said it once and it bears repeating: President Buhari must not be deterred from the anti-corruption war but must ensure that fairness and due process are not compromised.

However, visiting Dubai is always a risky philosophical proposition for any Nigerian leader. If you emanate from a political elite that has spent all of the five decades of the existence of your country wasting hopes, dreams, and aspirations, and making ash and rottenness of what ought to be the black race’s most advanced and most developed country, Dubai is a very tough place to visit.
Dubai is a very tough mirror to look into, especially for anyone who has ever been part of Nigeria’s leadership scenario since independence. What the mirror that is Dubai flings in your face as a Nigerian leader is the summation of fifty years of failure by the political elite to which you belong.

What Dubai throws at you in the mirror is the road Nigeria could have taken with her oil. What Dubai rubs on your face is what Nigeria could have been – the one destination where Americans, Europeans, Chinese, and Japanese flock to do obeisance and bow before superior vision and imagination in the construction of modernity.

More importantly, if you are a Nigerian leader visiting Dubai, what that mirror throws in your face is that every building you see, every road you see, every gravity-defying flight of human genius and creativity you see in Dubai’s infrastructure, every mall you see, all that gloss, all that hyper-development, all that hyper-modernity you see in Dubai, also exists in Nigeria. It exists in the potbellies of the Nigerian elite. They have spent the last fifty years gorging and growing their own Dubai of the belly.
Whenever you see the potbellies of Nigerian officials, Nigeria’s Burj Khalifa resides in there.
Whenever you see the distended bellies of Nigerian officials, Nigeria’s Burj Al Arab resides in there.
If you are an ordinary Nigerian in the habit of going to Dubai to see all the architectural and infrastructural wonders yonder, save yourself a trip, stay at home, and contemplate the belly of your state Governor, Federal Minister, Federal Rep or Senator. That is your own Dubai right there.

If you cannot stand the ugly physique of many in the Nigerian political elite, with their distended bellies housing your Dubai, don’t worry, just take a look at any Federal budget in recent memory.
You will find Nigeria’s Dubai of the belly in any budget document including and, most especially, President Buhari’s recent budget proposal – the budget that was stolen not stolen but stolen; the budget that was missing not missing but missing; the budget that was amended not amended but amended.

In the history of shoddy and incompetent budget submissions, it is doubtful that we have ever had it so bad. But in typical Nigerian fashion, both supporters and opponents of President Buhari are majoring in minors with regard to their engagement of the budget fiasco.
The argument is over whether President Buhari’s feeding allowance is more than President Jonathan’s feeding allowance; whether lunatic provisions for luxurious cars and other indulgences of the ruling elite are more prevalent in President Buhari’s budget than in President Jonathan’s budget.
The logic in these pedestrian arguments seems to be that we would be fine, we would have won a significant victory for Nigeria as soon as President Buhari makes his own feeding and maintenance budget lower than Jonathan’s; as soon as he cuts down on the number of needless luxurious cars. Just make sure that every needless spending in the budget is not as outrageous as Jonathan’s and we are fine. I have shaken my head in sadness as I read variations on this logic all over social media from supposedly educated Nigerians.
I don’t know how many times one has made the point that President Jonathan is not a valid benchmark for President Buhari. Your expectations of Buhari should not be that he should be slightly better than Jonathan. Your expectation of Buhari should not be that he should spend slightly less on food and frivolities in the Villa than Jonathan. You have earned the right to expect much more from President Buhari than a slight improvement on Jonathan.

The tragedy of the Buhari budget is not in the shallow and pedestrian manner of its presentation – a Presidency and an entire cabinet needing several trial submissions with poorly edited cover letters. The tragedy of the Buhari budget is not in the fact that he had to reduce his own expenses and cut down on luxurious cars.

The real tragedy of the Buhari budget is the absence of a fundamental shift in Nigeria’s budget philosophy. A budget is more than figures and how you plan to source and spend those figures. A budget is a philosophy, a fundamental reflection of who you are and what your values and priorities are. In her entire postcolonial history, Nigeria’s budgets have painted the picture of an unserious, irresponsible country wedded to the wanton creation of a Dubai of the belly.
It is this overarching framework and philosophy that President Buhari had the historic mission to change with his very first budget and he has tragically failed to rise up to the occasion.

What he would also have seen in the United Arab Emirates is a country that has pretty much spent the last twenty years budgeting for the first one hundred years of her post-oil future. That is what a budget philosophy is about. Nigerians do not understand this fact, hence they are insisting that president Buhari should adjust figures in order to appear less ostentatious than President Jonathan.
Spending less than Jonathan in a budget whose underlying philosophy is still to service the Dubai in the bellies of the Nigerian elite will not help Nigeria in anyway.

It is Nigeria’s entire budget philosophy of laziness and elite consumption that must change.
2017 is another year for Buhari to find the courage to fundamentally shift Nigeria’s budget philosophy.
He has failed to do it in 2016 and that’s a tragedy.


By Pius Adesanmi.

OP first picture is Senate Building National Assembly.

Bitcoin?

Your contact details please

.

7 Most Common Interview Questions

Here are seven of the most common interview questions, what the hiring manager is really asking, and how you should respond:

1. “Tell Me About Yourself.”

What the hiring manager is really asking…

“How do your education, work history, and professional aspirations relate to the open job?”

How to respond: Select key work and education information that shows the hiring manager why you are a perfect fit for the job and for the company.

For example, a recent grad might say something like, “I went to X University where I majored in Y and completed an internship at Z Company. During my internship, I did this and that (name achievements that match the job description), which really solidified my passion for this line of work.”

2. “Where Do You See Yourself In Five Years?”

What the hiring manager is really asking…

“Does this position fit into your long-term career goals? Do you even have long-term career goals?”

How to respond: Do NOT say you don’t know (even if you don’t) and do not focus on your personal life (it’s nice that you want to get married, but it’s not relevant). Show the employer you’ve thought about your career path and that your professional goals align with the job.

3. “What’s Your Greatest Weakness?”

What the hiring manager is really asking…

“Are you self-aware? Do you know where you could stand to improve and are you proactive about getting better?”

How to respond: A good way to answer this is with real-life feedback that you received in the past. For instance, maybe a former boss told you that you needed to work on your presentation skills.

Note that fact, then tell the employer how you’ve been proactively improving. Avoid any deal breakers (“I don’t like working with other people.”) or cliché answers (“I’m a perfectionist and I work too hard.”).

4. “What Motivates You To Perform?”

What the hiring manager is really asking…

“Are you a hard worker? Am I going to have to force you to produce quality work?”

How to respond: Ideal employees are motivated internally, so tell the hiring manager that you find motivation when working toward a goal, contributing to a team effort, and/or developing your skills. Provide a specific example that supports your response.

Finally, even if it’s true, do not tell an employer that you’re motivated by bragging rights, material things, or the fear of being disciplined.

5. “Tell Me About A Time That You Failed.”

What the hiring manager is really asking…

“How do you respond to failure? Do you learn from your mistakes? Are you resilient?”

How to respond: Similar to the “greatest weakness” question, you need to demonstrate how you’ve turned a negative experience into a learning experience.

To do this, acknowledge one of your failures, take responsibility for it, and explain how you improved as a result. Don’t say you’ve never failed (Delusional, much?), don’t play the blame game, and don’t bring up something that’s a deal breaker (“I failed a drug test once…”)

6. “Why Do You Want To Work Here?”

What the hiring manager is really asking…

“Are you genuinely interested in the job? Are you a good fit for the company?”

How to respond: Your goal for this response is to demonstrate why you and the company are a great match in terms of philosophy and skill. Discuss what you’ve learned about them, noting how you align with their mission, company culture, and reputation.

Next, highlight how you would benefit professionally from the job and how the company would benefit professionally from you.

7. “How Many Couches Are There In Nigeria?”

What the hiring manager is really asking…

“Can you think on your feet? Can you handle pressure? Can you think critically?”

How to respond: When faced with a seemingly absurd question like this (there are many variations) it’s important you not be caught off guard.

Resist your urge to tell the interviewer the question is stupid and irrelevant, and instead walk him through your problem-solving thought process. For this particular question, you would talk about how many people are in the Nigeria, where couches are found (homes, hotels, furniture stores), etc.


...Norman Murray

We are all doing things in our life that we should drop immediately in order to live a happier life and be the person we truly want to be.

Dropping these 10 things will help you live a much happier, and more enjoyable life…

1. Drop the negative people around you

We all have negative people around us, and it’s easy for me to say just drop them, but you have to find a way.

Negative people are energy suckers, they suck the life out of you until you get down to their way of thinking. I am sure you can think of a few people just now who are like this. If you've ever seen Harry Potter you’ll know what a Dementor is, that’s what negative people are, Dementors in your life.

It can be tough if you work closely with someone who is like this, or have family members who are like this. Drop them gradually or stay out of their way as much as possible.

Another thing you can do is counteract all their negatives with positives, oh! they don’t like that, and the more you do it the more they will avoid you.

2. Drop caring about the mistakes you have made

Bit of a cliche this one: your mistakes in life serve as a reminder of what not to do in the future, simple as that.

Your mind set about mistakes is what makes all the difference here, you can be in two camps on mistakes:

Camp one: woe is me, I made a mistake I am such a loser, I totally embarrassed myself, I’ll never be able to show my face in public again.

Camp two: I made a mistake, sure as hell won’t be doing that again, but at least I learned what not to do.

Nobody, but nobody, has ever succeeded in life without failing a few times, so making mistakes is inevitable if you want to live a more successful and happier life.

3. Drop the past

Let me ask you a question about your past…

Can you go back and change it?

No!

So why dwell on things that have happened in the past when there is absolutely nothing you can do to change it, you can make amends for the past, you can say you’re sorry about something you've done in the past but the fact remains the past has happened and it can’t be changed.

The more you think about the past, the more your mind lives there, and it can be a hard slog getting back to living in the here and now, and looking forward to the future.

4. Drop your self portrait image

A self portrait is a painting or drawing of yourself that everyone can look at. Everyone will see something different, just like a piece of art, and so it is in life.

You are not the same person all the time to everyone you meet. You act differently depending on the people you are with at the time, you don’t speak or act the same way with your mates as you do with your parents, but really you should. You should have enough confidence to be the same with every single person who shares your life.

When you meet someone who is truly authentic they totally shine above everyone else, there’s no airs and graces, you either take them the way they are or you don’t, simple as that. I believe that’s what we should be striving for in life.

5. Drop Feeling Sorry for yourself

Sometimes it’s great just to sit on the ‘poor me’ train and just let it roll into ‘Woe is me’ station, but the longer you are on that train the more difficult it is to get off it.

Give yourself a shake, you've only got a few years to make a difference in your life, and those around you, so jump off the ‘poor me’ train and head for ‘happyville’ central.

Sounds too easy doesn't it, that’s because it is easy: buying a ticket for the ‘poor me’ train is a choice!

6. Drop saying yes all the time

There are times for saying yes and times for saying no.

When saying yes makes you feel uncomfortable, miserable or stressed, it’s then time to say no, however hard it may be, you need to find a way.

The first time you say no to someone, when you usually say yes, will empower you so much that it can turn your life around.

You could take this too far and say no to absolutely everything, but your only criteria for saying no is when it makes you feel uncomfortable, miserable or stressed. So if you’re taking on too much work, say no when it becomes too stressful, if you’re doing too much in your relationships just say no to pull back a bit.

7. Drop trying to please everyone

It’s impossible, literally impossible, to please everyone, even if you’re the nicest, most splendid, most loveliest, most loving person in the world there’s always someone who will not like you for some reason.

Let it go, it’s okay for some people not to like you, and it’s more than okay for you to stop going out of your way to try and please them.

Be yourself, and if someone doesn't like you for being yourself at least you’ll respect yourself for being you.

8. Drop saying the right thing

The world has gone mad over the last few years, talking about what you can’t say, what you shouldn't say, and what’s a bit risky.

We shouldn't be censoring what we say because we think someone might be offended, the only reason we think like this is because of our parents, the media, school, co-workers and friends; they are keeping us in check – to comply.

If we have an opinion about something we are entitled to speak our minds. I’m not saying you should try and offend everyone who gets in your way or speak up because you like the sound of your own voice, but if you have a strong opinion about something, speak up and let your voice be heard.

9. Drop your limiting beliefs

One of the most amazing gifts we, as humans, have developed over the last 100 years is knowing that we can change our beliefs, particularly our limiting beliefs.

We all have them, but a lot of the time we don’t recognize them.

To test your limiting beliefs let me ask you:

What do you truly want to do with your life?

If you know the answer, then the next questions is – What’s stopping you? Your answers will often reveal your limiting beliefs.

When you know your limiting beliefs you can then work on dropping them or replacing them with alternative more positive focused beliefs that will drive you forward in life.

Drop your limiting beliefs today and start working on new beliefs about yourself.

10. Drop worrying about the future

If you do your best today, your future has already been taken care of.

We are all doing things in our life that we should drop immediately in order to live a happier life and be the person we truly want to be.

Dropping these 10 things will help you live a much happier, and more enjoyable life…

1. Drop the negative people around you

We all have negative people around us, and it’s easy for me to say just drop them, but you have to find a way.

Negative people are energy suckers, they suck the life out of you until you get down to their way of thinking. I am sure you can think of a few people just now who are like this. If you've ever seen Harry Potter you’ll know what a Dementor is, that’s what negative people are, Dementors in your life.

It can be tough if you work closely with someone who is like this, or have family members who are like this. Drop them gradually or stay out of their way as much as possible.

Another thing you can do is counteract all their negatives with positives, oh! they don’t like that, and the more you do it the more they will avoid you.

2. Drop caring about the mistakes you have made

Bit of a cliche this one: your mistakes in life serve as a reminder of what not to do in the future, simple as that.

Your mind set about mistakes is what makes all the difference here, you can be in two camps on mistakes:

Camp one: woe is me, I made a mistake I am such a loser, I totally embarrassed myself, I’ll never be able to show my face in public again.

Camp two: I made a mistake, sure as hell won’t be doing that again, but at least I learned what not to do.

Nobody, but nobody, has ever succeeded in life without failing a few times, so making mistakes is inevitable if you want to live a more successful and happier life.

3. Drop the past

Let me ask you a question about your past…

Can you go back and change it?

No!

So why dwell on things that have happened in the past when there is absolutely nothing you can do to change it, you can make amends for the past, you can say you’re sorry about something you've done in the past but the fact remains the past has happened and it can’t be changed.

The more you think about the past, the more your mind lives there, and it can be a hard slog getting back to living in the here and now, and looking forward to the future.

4. Drop your self portrait image

A self portrait is a painting or drawing of yourself that everyone can look at. Everyone will see something different, just like a piece of art, and so it is in life.

You are not the same person all the time to everyone you meet. You act differently depending on the people you are with at the time, you don’t speak or act the same way with your mates as you do with your parents, but really you should. You should have enough confidence to be the same with every single person who shares your life.

When you meet someone who is truly authentic they totally shine above everyone else, there’s no airs and graces, you either take them the way they are or you don’t, simple as that. I believe that’s what we should be striving for in life.

5. Drop Feeling Sorry for yourself

Sometimes it’s great just to sit on the ‘poor me’ train and just let it roll into ‘Woe is me’ station, but the longer you are on that train the more difficult it is to get off it.

Give yourself a shake, you've only got a few years to make a difference in your life, and those around you, so jump off the ‘poor me’ train and head for ‘happyville’ central.

Sounds too easy doesn't it, that’s because it is easy: buying a ticket for the ‘poor me’ train is a choice!

6. Drop saying yes all the time

There are times for saying yes and times for saying no.

When saying yes makes you feel uncomfortable, miserable or stressed, it’s then time to say no, however hard it may be, you need to find a way.

The first time you say no to someone, when you usually say yes, will empower you so much that it can turn your life around.

You could take this too far and say no to absolutely everything, but your only criteria for saying no is when it makes you feel uncomfortable, miserable or stressed. So if you’re taking on too much work, say no when it becomes too stressful, if you’re doing too much in your relationships just say no to pull back a bit.

7. Drop trying to please everyone

It’s impossible, literally impossible, to please everyone, even if you’re the nicest, most splendid, most loveliest, most loving person in the world there’s always someone who will not like you for some reason.

Let it go, it’s okay for some people not to like you, and it’s more than okay for you to stop going out of your way to try and please them.

Be yourself, and if someone doesn't like you for being yourself at least you’ll respect yourself for being you.

8. Drop saying the right thing

The world has gone mad over the last few years, talking about what you can’t say, what you shouldn't say, and what’s a bit risky.

We shouldn't be censoring what we say because we think someone might be offended, the only reason we think like this is because of our parents, the media, school, co-workers and friends; they are keeping us in check – to comply.

If we have an opinion about something we are entitled to speak our minds. I’m not saying you should try and offend everyone who gets in your way or speak up because you like the sound of your own voice, but if you have a strong opinion about something, speak up and let your voice be heard.

9. Drop your limiting beliefs

One of the most amazing gifts we, as humans, have developed over the last 100 years is knowing that we can change our beliefs, particularly our limiting beliefs.

We all have them, but a lot of the time we don’t recognize them.

To test your limiting beliefs let me ask you:

What do you truly want to do with your life?

If you know the answer, then the next questions is – What’s stopping you? Your answers will often reveal your limiting beliefs.

When you know your limiting beliefs you can then work on dropping them or replacing them with alternative more positive focused beliefs that will drive you forward in life.

Drop your limiting beliefs today and start working on new beliefs about yourself.

10. Drop worrying about the future

If you do your best today, your future has already been taken care of.

How much will clear 2003 Acura MDX?

How much will clear 2003 Acura MDX

Running a business can be all consuming. Learn from Valentine’s Day to ensure you don’t neglect the very thing you hold most dear. Below is some advice for companies ready to scale up their growth.

1. Don’t be selfish

As in mutually rewarding relationships, business is not just about you. There are two people in a relationship and many more in a business – every stakeholder from your supplier through to your customer must be considered, and no one neglected or you’ll end up with a dysfunctional business. Remember to think global and act local, you are just a small part of the universe. #givemore

2. Embrace the whole family

Don’t forget to spend some time getting to know the in-laws. Treat some of those difficult stakeholders (clients, suppliers, regulators) with disdain and you might be in trouble. Treat them like an extension of your business and you’ll be laughing. How many have you encountered – the person who ‘picks away’ at every negative feature? #moodkiller

3. Say thank you

It’s too easy to allow ambition, drive and a focus on results get in the way of stopping to say thank you to the people that make it possible. Give back to the business; celebrate milestones, appreciate how far you and your team have come together. Thank your people, sincerely. This will help you strengthen relationships, grow networks and retain key employees – all pivotal in the name of scaling up. #gratitude

4. Plan some surprises

In romance, a little change, surprise or time away together is often what is needed. In business, whether it be an injection of new ideas or people, a change of scenery or an away day or team event, don’t be afraid to take a chance to keep things exciting. Innovation depends on it. #spontaneity

5. Listen and communicate

Every relationship relies on communication. And two-thirds of that should involve listening. Listen to your business and all its stakeholders, including the board, to staff on the ground, to your suppliers. A great idea or a looming crisis might be right under your nose. Are you listening to those on the front line? #patience

6. Seek advice

Just like that friend at the end of the phone, a business mentor or strategic advisor who’s been there and done that can help you get through rough patches. Nothing can beat experience and a fresh perspective to turn a crisis into a great opportunity to strengthen and grow. #becurious

Quitting your job can be a stressful process. You may have all the best intentions when leaving but without knowing how to effectively communicate your decision to move on, you can unintentionally hurt your career and your reputation.

Here are some ways you can prepare to leave your job without losing power over your career.

1. Tell your boss first.

Many people overlook this major step. You end up telling your work buddy, assuming he or she understands the importance of confidential information then before you know it, the entire office knows. Don’t put yourself in a situation where the ‘word on the street’ is you are job-seeking or in discussions with another organization. Let your immediate manager/supervisor know first that you are moving on. The ultimate betrayal to an employer is finding out from someone else that their valuable employee is about to quit. Telling your boss first is giving common courtesy and respect for those you work with, especially your superiors.

2.Leave a road map.

I remember having my first office job hating it when people left and we had to figure out what to do because they walked away with all their information in tow. I became frustrated with re-inventing the wheel so while I worked there I developed a guide. I would update that guide as things changed and new information was learned. I would then use that guide for training new-hires and improving processes during my employment. Once I gave my notice I felt so much better knowing I left something behind for the next person to use as a resource. I’d rather leave knowing I’m setting the next person up for success than feeling guilty about making a strategic career decision to move on. Till this day, I still run into employees from that company who tell me the “Mary Blake (maiden name) directory” is still being used to train associates.

3. Give proper notice.

At the very least, you should always give a two-week notice to your employer. When you give proper notice it not only helps you to prepare others to take over your duties, it also shows the employer you have integrity and the best intentions for their success even though you are moving on.

4. Read your paperwork!

Remember that paperwork you signed when you were hired? Yeah, I’d go read over that if I were you. Check for non-compete clauses or non-solicitation clauses that may interfere with you working for another organization or launching your own business.

5. Continue to deliver great work.

Many workers tend to slack off once they’ve given notice. You start thinking “Well hey, I’m leaving here anyway so who cares!” Guess what, someone cares. Those colleagues of yours who have to pick up your work-load, that boss who has to continue giving client’s reassurance your accounts will be handled appropriately– yes, they care. The way you perform within your exit timeline is telling of your character and can impact your future growth.

6. Show your appreciation.

There is always a learning experience in everything we do. From senior management to lower-level associates; each person you interact with at work has some value. Let them hear it from you how they have impacted your career and what they have taught you. Even if all your experiences weren’t the best, you still learned from them and that is worthy of acknowledgement.

7. Be honest.

The worst thing you can do is lie to a current employer about where you are going or what you will be doing or why you are leaving. Don’t say you’re moving away to go live with your third cousin in Bangladesh when you’re really going to a competitor or starting your own company down the street. It’s just not a good business decision to be dishonest when leaving.Your employer should know the truth. Use your exit interview as a knowledge sharing opportunity. If the managers are too overbearing – say that. If the enviornment is negative or the work is not challenging enough – speak up. Don't miss your opportunity to have candid communication. Even though it didn’t work out for you, you could impact the future of someone else with your feedback on why you are leaving.

How you leave a relationship is just as important as how you begin it. People always say first impressions are what make or break relationships but I believe it’s also all those things you do in between and how you end a relationship that is most memorable to the people who have shared their time with you.

...Marisa Wong

LinkedIn Influencer, Bernard Marr, published this post originally on LinkedIn.


There’s plenty advice out there to rehearse what you’re going to say in a job interview: research questions the interviewer might ask, practice your answers, come up with salient questions of your own…

But what about rehearsing what you’re not going to say?

I put together a list below of some words you’ll want to try to avoid at your next job interview, because even though they seem like just ordinary words, they could be major red flags for an interviewer or recruiter.
1. No.

First of all, if asked even a simple question, you don’t want to give a single word answer (yes or no). But when the answer is no, definitely don’t leave it there! For example, if asked if you know a particular computer program, and you don’t, you could say, “I haven't yet had a chance to learn it but would be interested to do so,” rather than simply saying “No.”

2. Er… Um…

That old saying, “If you don’t have anything to say, don’t say anything at all,” applies here a big. Rather than hemming and hawing while you try to think up an answer, just be silent and think. Saying er or um too much could make you seem unprepared or as though you’re not paying attention.

3. Whatever, OMG, bae… groovy?

Lose the slang when talking to an interviewer. You want to come across as polished and professional, and you don’t want them to have to dig out their urban dictionary to understand you.

4. Sure, cool, kinda…

These kinds of words are just too casual, even in a casual workplace. You should be presenting the best version of yourself, not the sloppy, casual version.

5. We

This one seems innocuous at first, but if you use it a lot when discussing job duties and accomplishments, the interviewer might start to wonder if it was you or your team that was responsible. Try to use “I” as much as possible.

6. Dedicated, motivated, team player...

Lose the resume speech and jargon. Besides the fact that these words are incredibly overused in interview situations, they’re also better demonstrated than just stated. If you want to convey your dedication or motivation, share an example from your past work experience; examples will go much further to making your claims believable.

7. Leverage, synergy, ideation…

I’d avoid using too much business jargon. The chances that you’ll come off sounding like an idiot are just too high. Too much business buzzwords or jargon tends to make people sound pretentious, or worse, downright stupid.

8. 'Hit the ground running,' 'Circle back…'

These kinds of cliches have little to no meaning, they’re just verbal fluff, and they don’t add anything to what you’re saying. So leave them out.

9. Hate

I can’t think of a single instance when saying you “hate” something in a job interview is appropriate, but it’s exceptionally inappropriate to say anything about hating your former job, co-workers, boss, etc.

10. Perfectionist

It’s become almost a cliche in and of itself to answer a question like, “What’s your biggest flaw?” with a positive flaw like, “I’m a perfectionist.” Any good interviewer will see right through that, so just don’t do it.

Do you agree or disagree with my list? Any other words you’d add? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.

.....

...