
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!
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![]() 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!
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![]() 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
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?
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:
![]() 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:
Do the Farewells Sabotage Your Business?
By Ken Burgin Compare two different farewell experiences: At the first, there was a slight nod from the barman as we opened the door and left. The food had been excellent but the service minimal - no-one really knew we had gone. Elsewhere on the next night, the food wasn't exciting but the service warm and attentive. As we left, the nearest staff member automatically moved to the door to say goodbye and shake our hands, followed by the owner who also warmly farewelled us. We returned some days later and it was just as friendly - the first time was not just luck. Your good work can be undone in the last minute of the visitor's experience: these crucial 60 seconds need careful planning and design to ensure their visit ends on a high note, not a dull thud. Some examples you may have experienced:
The final 60 seconds needs as much scripting as order taking or phone sales: when it becomes a standard, friendly routine, the return rate is sure to be higher! About Ken Burgin Ken Burgin has been actively involved in restaurants and cafes for more than 25 years. First as the owner of Caffe Troppo and partner in Paganini Restaurant in Sydney, Australia, and for the past 12 years, working with restaurants, hotels and cafes in an advisory role. He also travels frequently to the USA and Europe to keep track of the the latest and most useful industry trends, which he shares with members in frequent website updates www.profitablehospitality.com. Creating useful meetings
By Scott Belsky » Business Leadership » November 18, 2010 We can’t rid the world of meetings. After all, the benefits of meeting can outweigh the costs. But we can meet more wisely. Here are a handful of the tips I have observed in productive teams: 1. Beware of ‘Posting Meetings’ If you leave a meeting without action steps, then you should question the value of the meeting (especially if it is recurring). A meeting to ‘share updates’ should actually be a voice-mail or an email. 2. Abolish Monday Meetings Gathering people for no other reason than ‘it’s Monday!’ makes little-to-no sense, especially when trying to filter through the bloated post-weekend inbox. Automatic meetings end up becoming ‘posting’ meetings. 3. Finish With a Review of Actions Captured At the end of every meeting, go around and review the action steps each person has captured. The exercise takes less than 30 seconds per person, and it almost always reveals a few action steps that were missed. The exercise also breeds a sense of accountability. If you state your action steps in front of your colleagues, then you are likely to follow through. (I think this is particularly useful - and keeps everyone engaged.) 4. Make All Meetings ‘Standing Meetings’ One best practice I observed in the field was ‘standing meetings’ – meetings in which people gather and remain standing. The tendency to sit back and reiterate points – commentate rather than content-make – dwindles as people get weak in the knees. Standing meetings become more actionable. Most impromptu meetings that are called to quickly catch up on a project or discuss a problem can happen in ten minutes or less. 5. State the Purpose of Every Meeting at the Start Start every meeting with a simple question: “Why are we here, and what are we supposed to accomplish?” Laying out the objective and setting the meeting’s tone is one of the leader’s key responsibilities. 6. Bring Back Transit Time Building in 10-15 minutes of travel time between meetings can significantly reduce stress. In an article for Harvard Business Review, entrepreneur and business writing teacher, David Silverman, makes the point that, in grade school, when the bell would ring, we knew we had 15 minutes to get to the next class. “Why is it?” he asks “that when we graduate, they take away our bells, replace them with an irritating ‘doink’ sound signaling ‘five minutes until your next meeting’ and assume we can now teleport to the location?” What could cause such madness? In two words: Microsoft Outlook. It seems that the default principles of corporate scheduling have stripped us of the precious transit time that keeps peace of mind between meetings. To bring it back, Silverman suggests that, when scheduling an hour-long meeting, put it in the calendar for 50-minutes. 7. If You Must Meet, Meet on Tuesday at 3pm LifeHacker reported a retrospective study from the online meeting scheduling service “When is Good” where, after reviewing over 100 000 responses to 34 000 events on their platform, they realised that Tuesday at 3pm was the most ‘available’ spot for a meeting. Such a finding suggests that there may be certain times (and days) during the week that, despite varied work flows, work best for your team. Hey, it’s not scientific, but it’s worth keeping in mind. 8.Think before you meet Admired leaders recognise the need to measure the value of meetings. Among the most productive leaders and teams I observed throughout the research for my new book, I found that the vast majority of teams shared a healthy hesitation to call meetings. Consider the above tips as ammunition against wasting precious resources in your small business. About the Author Scott Belsky studies exceptionally productive people and teams in the creative world. |
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