BRILLIANT MINDS CONCEPT

Several studies have shown that stress at work can lead to extreme depression and work-related suicide, which is also known as the silent death.  A growing number of these cases have been traced to Researchers have linked these suicides to what experts have termed a deterioration of working conditions; with unmanageable workloads and increased job insecurity standing out as the biggest culprits. How do you know when you are experiencing stress at work? Some of the early triggers you should look out for include headaches, rising blood pressure, pain in the chest and a growing phase of sleeplessness or a disturbed sleeping pattern.

The way that we look at leadership is changing. With politics, elections and businesses facing the combined challenges of emerging technologies, newer working practices and increased interests and developmental index expectations, our approach to identifying and nurturing future leaders needs to evolve. Instead of focusing on a minute crop of creek actors, or thugs are potential leaders, we now need to foster a more collective and intelligent leadership mindset and build a culture in which future leaders can grow and thrive. Academic intellectualism and a well articulated political culture should be a well-articulated politics. There are two major shifts helping to drive this approach Identification of political potential leaders by influence, academic excellence, network and behaviours rather than by their role in the mastery of the guns or position within the business. This arises from moving towards leaner, flatter, non-hierarchical political or youth organizations. Indivi...

People are always saying 'use your connections', but how do you do this without seeming desperate or bothersome? Here’s some sound advice to get you started. Tell them your story People always remember a good story, share details of your background, give insight and funny anecdotes about who you are and your experiences. When you make people smile or empathise they are more likely to remember you and leave a lasting impression. Next time you meet they’ll recall the guy with that funny story rather than the one who spoke only about what kind of job he wanted. Be clear, to the point and very specific Don’t be vague, don’t try and keep your options open by not being clear about what you want. So when someone with connections asks what you’re looking for – be ready with a confident answer “ I am looking for a Senior Finance role within the oil and gas industry”. When that opportunity arises your connections will immediately think of you. Be that someone they want to talk...

If you are looking for a job change and are aiming to write an eye-catching resume, this article may surprise you. Some words you use in your CV could actually ruin your chances of getting that dream job. Why? Because those words are overused. You need to understand that your one resume is just one of the pile. And there is a big chance there is only one person who looks through them. When a hiring manager sees the same words in every single CV it makes him sad. Hiring managers are tired of hearing vague, clichéd words like “team player” and “hard worker.” So if you don't want you to resume being tossed in the trash, you should avoid this 6 words: “Responsible For” Reading this term, the recruiter can almost picture the average, uninspired employee mechanically fulfilling his or her job requirements—no more, no less. Having been responsible for something isn’t something you did—it’s something that happened to you. Turn phrases like “responsible for” into “managed,” “led,” o...

A request for your references is often the last hurdle before your job offer comes through. If the company is hesitating or deciding between you and another candidate, then a great reference is crucial in gaining that advantage. It is essential that you carefully consider who you will ask and that your referee fully understands the type of role you are applying for and the type of skills and experience that the job requires. Who should you ask? Try to find a balance between asking someone who appears quite senior and therefore more credible, with someone who has detailed knowledge of your capabilities. This may be a university professor, former boss, past supervisor. Approaching people who did not work closely with you could be pointless if they are unable to provide real insight into your career history. If someone appears reluctant to provide a reference, don’t try too hard to persuade them. Most likely they either are unwilling to provide a favourable reference or feel unable ...

Every great career, however, needs more than just a regular supply of ideas. It needs a well-run, individual who knows how to play the game to stand out from their colleagues and keep progressing. Perhaps you have reached this point, but don’t know how to prove it to your boss? If so, take a look at these great short, medium and long term actions that will ensure you become more than just an ide as person, bit also an integral part of the business. Short term Insist you attend pitch meetings – If you aren’t there when a project begins, you won't fully understand the clients' point of view, see how your boss wins business and any opportunities that may go unseen. Prove your own ROI – How much do your accounts earn your company? Put a figure against it and use it in appraisal meetings. Work longer hours – It may sound obvious, but being first in and last out allows you to finish tasks that need your full attention early, allowing you to network more during the day....

What is more precious than gold? The thing you cannot buy, the thing you cannot command or cause. Respect is the thing that has to be earned, not demanded. But what sets apart people we admire and respect? Those people have cultivated right habits. Habits that are worth mirroring and cultivating more than anything else: Accessibility Highly respected people are often down-to-earth. They know that respect might elevate you, but you find it on the ground. Those people are truly accessible. Instead of building walls of elitism around themselves, they build bridges. Without being accessible it'a really hard to earn respect. When boss gets out of the office to talk to the stuff, listen to their ideas and complains - it makes a difference. Appreciation Saying "thank you" takes only few seconds, but only few people prefer to do this. Showing your gratitude is one an of the most important habits you can cultivate. Even if your appreciation goes unnoticed it still mat...

Experience For those just starting out, volunteering or interning is the best way to gain experience and build their skill base. For those already established, it is a way to give something back to their community, pass on skills to the next generation of professionals, or rediscover what they first loved about the industry. Perspective In the creative industries, ideas and perspective are two of your most valuable tools. The better you are at connecting with people and understanding where they are coming from, the better you can connect them with the products or services they need. Benefits There are so many organisations or people who can benefit from your time. Why not lecture at a local school or college on your specialist subject, help promote a charity working in an area close to your heart, offer to organise fundraising events for your church group, or raise the profile of a neighbourhood business you think others would love?

Have you ever met a person who was broke/ unhappy/divorced and told you that was his/her goal? I don't think so. Failure is never a decent destination, we all try to avoid it as hard as we can. But when it comes to success sometimes you do everything right, but you still fail. Why does it happen? What can you do to avoid it? The line between successful and ordinary people is thick only in the end. When you're only starting your way to the top this line is almost invisible. If your life hasn’t turned out quite the way you were hoping, then don’t you think it might be time to shake things up a bit? See what you need to take in order change or improve to stay on the right track Step 1 - Make A Decision It doesn't matter who you are and where you are in life. You can change your life however you want at any time. But to change the direction of your life you need to do one thing: you need to make a decision. The moment when you say yourself that starting now your life is...

How should I negotiate salary? Wait until you’ve been offered the job before you embark on any salary negotiation! Do some research into the going rate for similar types of roles, so that you have realistic expectations. Hiring managers may have a salary range, and the specific amount you secure could depend on your experience or simply on your confidence in negotiation. Don’t sell yourself short by asking for a salary in the bottom of the range that is usual for the job –have some confidence in your ability to command a higher than average salary. If you don’t believe in yourself, why should anyone else? What questions should I ask the Interviewer? Ideally, you should be asking questions that you have a burning desire to find out the answer to. Do not ask questions to which you clearly already know the answer in an attempt to impress the interviewer! Examples could include: Could you describe a typical working day for me? What types of training opportunities are on of...

Employers are not usually caught off guard when an employee decides to leave. They may recognise that the employee has outgrown their current role and is overqualified for any available positions the company can offer. They might have noticed a change in morale and commitment, signifying a level of dissatisfaction with the role. For a great many reasons, employees usually unwittingly give their boss’s reasons to suspect they intend to  leave. Despite this, for a variety of reasons you may wish to be discrete about your job search activity. You may not want to burn bridges with your current organization until you are sure of a better offer elsewhere. Strong Online Presence You will need to maintain a strong online presence on sites such as LinkedIn to highlight your achievements and skills. If you are worried about your current employer discovering your job search activity, ensure you only post your CV on sites that allow you to retain some confidentiality. With SHORTLIST Nig...

Mark Twain once said, "I have never let my schooling interfere with my education." For most of us, formal education is critical to achieving success, but the following ten incredibly successful entrepreneurs heeded Twain's words and abandoned the schoolbooks to seize their opportunity for incredible fortune. Amancio Ortega Age: 79 Net Worth: $71,5 Billion The founder of Inditex, a fashion empire that includes brands Zara and Massimo Dutti, was born in abject poverty to a railroad worker and a housemaid. He ditched the school at the age of 12 and started working for a shirtmaker as a delivery boy in La Coruna, and has made his first steps in the art of apparel making. Ortega never attended higher education and continued to work in the textile field into the early 1960s. After becoming manager of a local clothing shop, he discovered that only wealthy individuals could afford to purchase fine clothing and became even more determined to make quality clothes accessib...

Every leader needs vital information to make correct decisions. People who withhold vital information are sabotaging your ability to manage. Successful groups work as a team and there’s a free flow of vital information. This allows management to do a good job and the team to function in harmony. Imagine your right leg not knowing what your left leg was doing? It would be pretty hard to walk. Communication of vital information makes an effective and united team. Interested in their work & the Organisation Interest is an interesting thing. It’s not physical but you can see it. It means: Wanting to know or learn about something or someone; the quality of holding the attention. When people are absorbed in their phones or Facebook — that’s interest. You want the same level of interest in their job, the people around them, and the challenges to be overcome. Disinterested people are horrible to be around, remember the last time you were trying to get something done and...

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” - words of the mighty Aristotle. You make your habits in the beginning, then your habits make you. Daniel Ally is an self-made millionaire & business expert. Ally became a millionaire at 24 years old. And recently he shared his list of habits that changed his life. Simplify Your Words Millionaires know how to share their message in simplest terms. They use their words with precision and possess deep meaning in what they say. By speaking pompously, many people exterminate their opportunities. In short, never drown people in the sea of verbosity. Abandon the Old To abandon your negative habits, you must replace them with positive ones. Before you are able to face the new, you must relinquish the old. If you want a new car or house, then bless the old one and search for the new. When you want to achieve a positive mindset, you must get rid of the negative one first. Daily Goal-Setting Wheth...

From the quietly confident doctor whose advice we rely on, to the charismatic confidence of an inspiring speaker, self-confident people have qualities that everyone admires. Self-confidence is extremely important in almost every aspect of our lives, yet so many people struggle to find it. Sadly, this can be a vicious circle: people who lack self-confidence can find it difficult to become successful. After all, most people are reluctant to recruit a candidate who is nervous, fumbling, and overly apologetic. On the other hand, they might be persuaded by someone who speaks clearly, who holds his or her head high, who answers questions assuredly, and who readily admits when he or she does not know something. Confident people inspire confidence in others: their audience, their peers, their bosses, their customers, and their friends. The good news is that self-confidence really can be learned and built on. And, whether you’re working on your own confidence or building the confidenc...

To be successful, you need to know how to present yourself well to your potential employers. It is vital that you start feeling good about the entire interview process to get rid of any anxiety. Here are 5 ways to boost your confidence right before an interview: Quit the negative internal dialogue We all know our brains can be our bodies' own worst enemy, especially in situations fraught with unknowns. A job interview is the perfect setting for your mind to go into overdrive with the negative speak like I don't have enough experience, I won't get the job. What if I don't know how to answer to one of the questions and the HR manager hates me? We could go on, but what's the point with? We all know this dialogue well—too well. So what do you do to quash this contrary chitchat in its tracks? Recall a moment when you were most confident We can all have those moments when we feel super shy and doubtful, but what if you could push pause in that moment and press...

All you’re hearing is how tough the economy is, people are losing their jobs and companies are tightening their belt. How can you possibly ask for a pay-rise in these tough conditions? It is possible and the reason being – good staff are hard to find and companies will do what it takes to hold on to their most valuable staff… So here’s how you go about it Be the best – become the most valuable staff member If you’re not already standing out, start. Make sure the work you do can directly correlate with an impact sales revenue, customers, efficiency – all the measure your company cares about. Do more than your colleagues, put your hand up for more responsibility. Clarify your unique selling point. In order to get the pay rise you have to be worth it and be justified. Know how much your worth Do your homework and get a realistic market salary range for your level. Don’t approach them with an over the top pay increase – they wont take you seriously and you may lose credibility...

Plan Your Holiday Marketing Before you utilize the power of Facebook, take the time to plan your promos and content. #1: Create a Content Calendar With Key Dates Looking to increase holiday sales? Make sure you know the key dates. Note the shopping holidays following Thanksgiving: Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday, as well as Christmas, Chanukah, and other celebrations. Create a word document or spreadsheet, or use a project management tool to keep track of what holidays you want to cover on social media. Remember, you can play off of all of the holidays, not just the traditional ones. Consider getting a copy of Chase’s Calendar of Events each year or at least look at the special month holiday celebrations. To really stand out, be the first in your industry to start posting. For example, ecommerce site is at the top of my mind, since they were one of the first I saw post this season. Once you decide which holidays your company will celebrate and h...

Wealth is commonly vilified by those who have never met it. Many people journey through life believing that the pursuit of money is the cause of all evil — forgoing the fact that often money can solve life’s most harrowing tribulations. Is the money a mother uses to care for her child evil? Is the money an artist is provided in return for years of practice and hardship evil? Is the money a corrupted corporat ion pays to its employees evil? Money's choice between good or evil is decided by those who use it. Money has no feeling, no voice, no soul. When one is hungry, they cannot eat paper or gold. The same money that can be used to hurt can also be used to heal. To the dictator, money is a means for weapons and death. To the beggar, money is a means for food and life. Pursue a life of Abundance. This planet is rich enough for all people in all places to live in the joys of plenty. A life of Abundance is one filled to the brim, spilling over its edges — a freedom to help ...

Decisions are the atoms of every organization. Every new product launched, every new service offered, every process made more efficient and reliable is a result of hundreds of decisions. Effective leaders view their worlds through this lens, rather than through the lens of hierarchies, org charts, or chains of command. To build high levels of trust, teamwork, and innovation, effective managers focus on clarifying decision-maki ng responsibilities. (Note that I didn’t say “roles and responsibilities,” which is a common mistake.) Once you know the decision-making responsibilities, you’ve defined the role. Effective leaders and managers are constantly on the lookout for opportunities to clarify decision-making authority. This means difficult conversations often need to occur. First of all, it means clarifying for people their precise decision-making role, which sometimes translates into less responsibility than they think they have. Our research shows few leaders pay much attentio...