More and more companies are downsizing their office space and employee numbers, and opting for freelancers and consultants. This has created a new work style where workers collaborate in cowork spaces outside of the regular office confines. It is projected that more than half the USA workforce will be coworking by end 2016. 

Setting a trend, I decided to open my own coworking space in October 2015, The Cowork Space in Pinelands, Cape Town, with my business partner Pauline Hawthorn. 

Come and check it out!

Together with a  friend Phindi, I have embarked on a project to provide a home for 6 young girls by 2016, as they will get 'kicked out' of the institutions and children's home they have been living in to date. At 18, the government stops funding their housing, school etc and these youth have to fend for themselves. I can't change the world, or the city, but I can make a difference to six young girls. 

Read more here.... 

We need not only funds, but contacts that can open doors, and for you to share your skills so that we can run a Lifetools programe to enable them to succeed. Why don't you join me?

Need to chair a difficult employee disciplinary - here are a few tips you might want to have handy . I wonder if this applies to 8 years olds too!- Wilna

JACQUELYN SMITH
FROM BUSINESS INSIDER

A 2002 study conducted by University of Massachusetts Amherst psychologist Robert S. Feldman found that 60% of people lied during a 10-minute conversation, and they told an average of two to three lies in that time.

Luckily, fibs are fairly easy to spot — you just have to know the signs.

Dr. Lillian Glass, a behavioral analyst and body language expert who has worked with the FBI on unmasking signals of deception, says when trying to figure out if someone is lying, you first need to understand how the person normally acts. Then you'll want to pay careful attention to their facial expressions, body language, and speech patterns, she writes in her book "The Body Language of Liars."

When their breathing changes, their shoulders will rise and their voice may get shallow, she adds. "In essence, they are out of breath because their heart rate and blood flow change. Your body experiences these types of changes when you're nervous and feeling tense — when you lie." 

3. They stand very still. It's common knowledge that people fidget when they get nervous, but Glass says that you should also watch out for people who are not moving at all.

"This may be a sign of the primitive neurological 'fight,' rather than the 'flight,' response, as the body positions and readies itself for possible confrontation," says Glass. "When you speak and engage in normal conversation, it is natural to move your body around in subtle, relaxed, and, for the most part, unconscious movements. So if you observe a rigid, catatonic stance devoid of movement, it is often a huge warning sign that something is off."

4. They repeat words or phrases. This happens because they're trying to convince you, and themselves, of something, she says. "They're trying to validate the lie in their mind." For example, he or she may say: "I didn't ...I didn't ..." over and over again, Glass says. 

The repetition is also a way to buy themselves time as they attempt to gather their thoughts, she adds.

5. They touch or cover their mouth. "A telltale sign of lying is that a person will automatically put their hands over their mouth when they don't want to deal with an issue or answer a question," says Glass.

"When adults put their hands over their lips, it means they aren't revealing everything, and they just don't want to tell the truth," she says. "They are literally closing off communication."

6. They instinctively cover vulnerable body parts. This may include areas such as the throat, chest, neck, head, or abdomen.

"I have often seen this in the courtroom when I work as a consultant for attorneys. I can always tell when someone's testimony has hit a nerve with the defendant, when I see his or her hand covering the front of his/her throat," says Glass.

"I never appreciated the potential use of this very telling behavior until I joined the FBI as a Special Agent," she says.

7. They shuffle their feet. "This is the body taking over," Glass explains. Shuffling feet tells you that the potential liar is uncomfortable and nervous. It also shows you that he or she wants to leave the situation; they want to walk away, she says.

"This is one of the key ways to detect a liar. Just look at their feet and you can tell a lot."

8. They provide too much information."When someone goes on and on and gives you too much information — information that is not requested and especially an excess of details — there is a very high probability that he or she is not telling you the truth," writes Glass. "Liars often talk a lot because they are hoping that, with all their talking and seeming openness, others will believe them."

9. It becomes difficult for them to speak. "If you ever watch the videotaped interrogation of a suspect who is guilty, you will often observe that it becomes more and more difficult for her to speak," writes Glass. "This occurs because the automatic nervous system decreases salivary flow during times of stress, which of course dries out the mucous membranes of the mouth."

Other signs to watch out for include sudden lip biting or pursed lips.

10. They tend to point a lot. "When a liar becomes hostile or defensive, he is attempting to turn the tables on you," says Glass. The liar will get hostile because he is angry that you've discovered his lies, which may result in a lot of pointing.

11. They stare at you without blinking much. When people lie, it's common that they break eye contact, but the liar could go the extra mile to maintain eye contact in attempt to control and manipulate you.

"[Bernie] Madoff, like most con men, overcompensated and stared at people longer than usual, often without blinking at regular intervals," says Glass. "When people tell the truth, most will occasionally shift their eyes around and may even look away from time to time. Liars, on the other hand, will use a cold, steady gaze to intimidate and control."

Also watch out for rapid blinking. 

Vivian Giang contributed to an earlier version of this article.

... I am fascinated about how to communicate to Millennials -and here are some trends to look out for. - Wilna 




Top 10 Hospitality Industry Trends in 2014
By Robert Rauch, CHA

1. Millennials will become the core customer within the hospitality and travel industries over the next five to ten years. The majority of airlines, hotels and travel companies will benefit from this sector as they enter into their peak earning, spending and travel years. Within this group of GenY travelers, there are many different markets considering the fact that exploration, interaction and experience are the major focus of Millennials. Willing to pay more for a greater experience, "foodies" are a prevalent subset of this market; looking for an overall gourmet experience for a reasonable price will cause the industry to revamp their lobby bars, restaurants and food service. Internet bloggers, culture buffs, LGBT and Multi-generational travelers all looking for a unique, novel experience will command change within the market.
2. Speed and precision will be a requirement when it comes to accommodating Millennials in upcoming years according to Hotels.com's latest Hotel Price Index report. Fast booking, fast check-in, fast WiFi and fast responses to customer service needs will need to be implemented within hotels. Considering Millennials have no problems speaking up, if what they are seeking is not quick enough, they will turn to Twitter, Facebook, Yelp or TripAdvisor to voice their complaints.
3. WOW customer service will become even more influential this year. Service today consists of four levels: basic, expected, desired and WOW. Basic service can be found at the post office whereas expected service can be found at most fast food restaurants and many businesses. Desired service is often found at good hotels and restaurants but WOW Service is the only way to ensure repeat business. By creating an impressive, unique guest experience that exceeds all expectations, you are able to capture the customer.
4. Leadership is modeling the way and showing your management team how critical it is to "walk the talk." Each and every employee, including myself, all have something we can work on. Forming a connection with guests can improve dramatically with genuine, individual interaction. It is my goal as a leader to instill the value of building relationships by sharing the knowledge I have and learning from them as well. For instance, I run with our guests staying at the Hilton Garden Inn and Homewood Suites San Diego/Del Mar and offer personal training sessions for others.
5. Expectation of more international visitors. Average rates and occupancy levels in the U.S. are likely to increase over the next few years, influenced by a very new market. "Leisure demand from abroad, fueled in part by the new Discover America campaign, will stimulate a new demand" according to Arne Sorenson, President and CEO of Marriott Hotels & Resorts. China is preparing to send about 100 million leisure tourists into the international market every year. If the U.S. gets its typical share, that will mean an additional 10 million visitors from China alone. Considering the average Chinese traveler spends a week in the U.S., demand is created for an additional 70 million room nights in a market where prices are steadily rising. The globalization of travel will prove to be a massive force.
6. Social media and mobile will be inseparable. Social media and mobile already live in symbiosis and we will only continue to see them merge over the course of this year. Mobile activity has allowed social media to live in real time by allowing users to create updates, tag friends and check in on their mobile devices. Smartphones represent 50 percent of new mobile devices being purchased and the growth of connected devices will only continue to rise. Ericsson estimates that there will be over 50 billion connected devices in circulation by 2020, including laptops, tablets and smartphones. In North America, 2014 will mark the first year that online access is greater from mobile devices than a desktop or laptop. Keeping an eye out for authentic ways to make use of emerging social/mobile applications will be of great value to those in hotel marketing.
7. Content marketing will replace traditional advertising. Traditional advertising is rapidly losing value as hotel marketing professionals begin to take advantage of effective content marketing. Marketing's new mantra, "Brands must now act as publishers," has come about due to social media and its potential to engage in meaningful conversations with loyal fans and clients alike. You will be able to drastically reduce investments in traditional paid media by implementing media tools such as blogs, social media, newsletters, webinars, eBooks, photo or video sharing and shared media. If brands begin to "opt out" of being a producer, SEO efforts will be affected. Google is now weighing current content, social proof and author scores in their results ranking. Simply put, you need to create and share content while engaging people if you want to be recognized moving forward.
8. Renewed focus on property websites. Finding ways of encouraging direct bookings will be one of the most important parts of a marketing director's job in 2014. Considering travelers are increasingly taking their transactions online, the hotel's own website needs to become the most important avenue for bookings to gain the highest ROI. After American hotels spent an estimated $2.7 billion on OTA commissions, the rates rose and restrictions tightened. Hotels are looking at any and all ways to increase direct bookings in 2014. This means that hotel websites will need to create incentives through booking with them directly rather than via the OTAs. Fresh content, consistent updates of promotions and rich media will draw in the guests.
9. Review site tactics. According to The Wall Street Journal, Yelp reports 50 million users across its web and mobile platforms. TripAdvisor has become the world's most popular travel website with 34 million unique users each month. Google Places is the Yellow Pages of the digital age meaning that business listings also show up on iPhone searches as well as on Google Maps. In 2014 there is a need to:
   • Monitor Yelp, TripAdvisor and Google Places reviews and alert management of any low reviews twice a week
   • Comment on glowing reviews to thank them
   • Comment on low reviews and how the property intends to handle future situations
   • Feature Yelp deals
10. Reputation Management. There is much anticipation that reputation management will begin to dictate the hotel industry in upcoming years. Considering there are millions of reviews written each day across a plethora of different platforms, the world wide web has the power of influencing one's decision making process; being able to manage your businesses reputation will determine success or failure. TrustYou had made it their mission to influence travel decisions in a positive way, developing a technology and software making it simple to monitor, manage and market a businesses reputation. Another company, Flip.to, has been making strides to tap into the market of potential travelers' family and friends considering 70% of customers take recommendations from their family or friends when choosing a product, brand or business.

ROBERT A. RAUCH, CHA
Robert Rauch serves as President of R. A. Rauch & Associates, Inc. He is a nationally recognized hotelier serving clients in all facets of the industry. Rauch has over 35 years of hospitality-related management experience. Widely recognized as the "hotel guru," Mr. Rauch maintains a blog where he expounds upon insights and trends in the hospitality industry at www.hotelguru.com.

True service really comes from the heart - here are some great tips to help you and your staff deliver service excellence with love! - Wilna   

  By feature writer Bryan K. Williams

“If I have no other qualities, I can succeed with love alone. Without it, I will fail though I possess all the knowledge and skills of the world. I will greet each day with love in my heart.” –Og Mandino

It’s about your heart. With all I’ve written about touchpoints, anticipating needs and steps of service, none of them can compare with your heart. Your heart is what connects with people. Your heart is what allows you to listen empathetically. Your heart is what causes you to give a genuine smile to acomplete stranger, who you find yourself now serving. Yes, the heart is what pushes you to love. Love IS service, and service IS love. To create consistent, world-class service on your team, there must be a regular discussion about the heart and its role in driving service excellence.

S.I.F.I. (Superficially interesting, but fundamentally insignificant)There are those who will mentally fast-forward through any discussion (or article) about the heart. They view this topic as superficially interesting, but fundamentally insignificant. In their minds, they believe that tactics and strategy, alone, will enable them to accomplish their service objectives. Tactics and strategy are not bad things. In fact, they are a necessity. But tactics and strategy are incomplete without a discussion about the heart. Imagine a beautiful car with no driver, or a sleek jet with no pilot. Without the heart, tactics and strategy are simply shiny hunks of metal with no soul.
If you look at some of the world’s most iconic service companies like Disney and Four Seasons, you will notice  that they are blatantly open about their hearts and how much they care about who they serve. They don’t look at service excellence solely as a competitive advantage, but rather as their sacred duty.

So, how do we make the heart our central focus in delivering great service?

1. Be thankful for the opportunity to serve people who actually want the service/product you provide. Not only do they want it, but they want it from YOU! Don’t take that for granted.
2. Challenge yourself to WOW somebody everyday.
3. Before asking for anything, offer to give something first. Remember: Give-Share-Teach.
4. Learn at least one preference about one customer everyday (preferred name, hobby, pet peeves, favorite food/beverage, preferred mode of communication, line of work, birthday, anniversary date, favorite TV show, favorite music genre, etc). The list can go on and on.
5. Tell your customers how much you appreciate them (and mean it!)

“But I’m too busy! There’s no possible way I can make each customer feel taken care of.” Do what you can with what you have. Regardless if you have 30 seconds or 30 minutes, approach each customer with kindness in your heart. Always ask yourself, “how can I do more than the bare minimum with this customer?” By asking that question of yourself everyday, you will actually be forming a very powerful thing known as a habit. And since it is a good habit, allow it to take root and flourish.

More than the fancy furniture, expensive equipment, chandeliers, and manicured lawns, every customer is saying, “I want you to know me, pay attention to me, and care about me!” Love is service. Service is love. Use your heart to reach other hearts and success will surely follow.

Have you seen the five tips from Richard Branson? All things we have heard before in some form or other - but still worth reminding ourselves of as we face a new and exciting year! - Wilna 









Five top tips to starting a successful business
Richard Branson


As LinkedIn is a business that started in a living room, much like Virgin began in a basement, I thought my first blog on the site should be about how to simply start a successful business. Here are five top tips I've picked up over the years.

1. Listen more than you talk
We have two ears and one mouth, using them in proportion is not a bad idea! To be a good leader you have to be a great listener. Brilliant ideas can spring from the most unlikely places, so you should always keep your ears open for some shrewd advice. This can mean following online comments as closely as board meeting notes, or asking the frontline staff for their opinions as often as the CEOs. Get out there, listen to people, draw people out and learn from them.

2. Keep it simple
You have to do something radically different to stand out in business. But nobody ever said different has to be complex. There are thousands of simple business solutions to problems out there, just waiting to be solved by the next big thing in business. Maintain a focus upon innovation, but don’t try to reinvent the wheel. A simple change for the better is far more effective than five complicated changes for the worse.

3. Take pride in your work
Last week I enjoyed my favourite night of the year, the Virgin Stars of the Year Awards, where we celebrated some of those people who have gone the extra mile for us around the Virgin world. With so many different companies, nationalities and personalities represented under one roof, it was interesting to see what qualities they all have in common. One was pride in their work, and in the company they represent. Remember your staff are your biggest brand advocates, and focusing on helping them take pride will shine through in how they treat your customers.

4. Have fun, success will follow
If you aren't having fun, you are doing it wrong. If you feel like getting up in the morning to work on your business is a chore, then it's time to try something else. If you are having a good time, there is a far greater chance a positive, innovative atmosphere will be nurtured and your business will flourish. A smile and a joke can go a long way, so be quick to see the lighter side of life.

5. Rip it up and start again
If you are an entrepreneur and your first venture isn't a success, welcome to the club! Every successful businessperson has experienced a few failures along the way – the important thing is how you learn from them. Don’t allow yourself to get disheartened by a setback or two, instead dust yourself off and work out what went wrong. Then you can find the positives, analyse where you can improve, rip it up and start again.

I am always interested in knowing how to improve service standards and motivate staff to exceed guest expectations - here are a few tips I found helpful. Wilna 

Give feedback and coach
One of the most important things you can do to motivate your people is to give them feedback and coach them. This is where so many employers and managers fall down in dealing with their people; we are hopeless at giving feedback.

Most people want to know how they are performing in their job; they want to know if they are doing it right or how they could do it better. If you really want to motivate your people then you need to give feedback both affirming and constructive.

Affirming feedback is about giving the good news, giving people affirmations, regularly, that you are happy with what they are doing.

Constructive feedback is about letting the person know the behaviour you are not happy about, the improvements you want and when.

This is not a soft option, it’s about telling your staff when they are doing a good job and when they aren’t. Why? - Because it gets the job done, it’s good for the business and it’s easier for you. So how do you do it?

You do it when you observe behaviour that you are happy about or unhappy about. And here are some points to remember when giving feedback:

1. Do it right away. Good or bad behaviour needs to be commented on as you observe it.
2. Do it in private. Being reprimanded in front of colleagues is bad for everyone’s morale and it’s bad for business. Giving affirming feedback in public can also embarrass the employee.
3. Tell the person how you feel using ‘I’ messages. Take responsibility for your own feelings. Don’t say, ‘You’re doing really well’ or ‘You’ve got this all wrong.’ Far better to say, ‘I liked the way you handled that customer’ or ‘I would like you to handle that situation in a different way.’
4. Give the person time to absorb what you say and to respond. Get agreement on the change of behaviour you require and a timescale for improvement.
5. Thank the person and let them know that you value him or her. This can be difficult however less so if you give feedback on the behaviour rather than on the person. This is about business and is not a personal attack

Segment taken from a longer article by Alan Fairweather 

We can all learn more about communication - at home, work, in relationships. Here are a few tips that caught my eye. WB
Office Conflict Resolution: 11 Communication Tips for a Healthy Workplace

Misunderstandings and communication problems remain one of the most common sources of workplace strife, and interpersonal difficulties are magnified when conflicting work styles coexist in one setting. Generational differences (baby boomers vs. GenX-ers), personal management styles, educational background, and cultural diversity are all potential sources of office misunderstandings.

While conflict is inevitable, it need not ruin your workday or cause unbearable stress. Try these conflict resolution tips to make your work environment a less stressful, more productive place:

1. Be specific in formulating your complaints. "I'm never invited to meetings" is not as effective as "I believe I would have been able to contribute some ideas at last Thursday's marketing meeting."
2. Resist the temptation to involve yourself in conflicts that do not directly involve you or your responsibilities. Even if someone has clearly been wronged, allow him or her to resolve the situation as he/she chooses.
3. Try to depersonalize conflicts. Instead of a "me versus you" mentality, visualize an "us versus the problem" scenario. This is not only a more professional attitude, but it will also improve productivity and is in the best interests of the company.
4. Be open and listen to another's point of view and reflect back to the person as to what you think you heard. This important clarification skill leads to less misunderstanding, with the other person feeling heard and understood. Before explaining your own position, try to paraphrase and condense what the other is saying into one or two sentences. Start with, "So you're saying that..." and see how much you really understand about your rival's position. You may find that you're on the same wavelength but having problems communicating your ideas.
5. Don't always involve your superiors in conflict resolution. You'll quickly make the impression that you are unable to resolve the smallest difficulties.
6. If an extended discussion is necessary, agree first on a time and place to talk. Confronting a coworker who's with a client or working on a deadline is unfair and unprofessional. Pick a time when you're both free to concentrate on the problem and its resolution. Take it outside and away from the group of inquisitive coworkers if they're not involved in the problem. Don't try to hold negotiations when the office gossip can hear every word.
7. Limit your complaints to those directly involved in the workplace conflict. Character assassination is unwarranted. Remember, you need to preserve a working relationship rather than a personal one, and your opinion of a coworker's character is generally irrelevant. "He missed last week's deadline" is OK; "he's a total idiot" is not.
8. Know when conflict isn't just conflict. If conflict arises due to sexual, racial, or ethnic issues, or if someone behaves inappropriately, that's not conflict, it's harassment. Take action and discuss the problem with your supervisor or human resources department.
9. Consider a mediator if the problem gets out of control, or if the issue is too emotional to resolve in a mutual discussion. At this step, your supervisor should be involved. You can consider using a neutral third party mediator within your own company (human resources if available) or hiring a professional counselor.
10. Take home point: It's not all about you - You may think it's a personal attack, but maybe your co-worker is just having a bad day. Take time to think BEFORE you speak in response to an insensitive remark. It may be that saying nothing is the best response.

For more, please visit the Health and the Workplace Center.