We can define a flatterer as one who praises a person exceedingly with exaggerated wording and behaviours, to appear pleasant and/or be accepted, exploiting his/her vanity and gaining his/her favours. Sounds too much? Listen to Honoré de Balzac. Flattery never comes from big souls; it is the domain of small spirits, who make themselves even […]

As a manager, I can’t say that I was effective in giving feedback; and I discovered I made more than one mistake when designing my training courses focused on the topic. Now I am going to tell you about some mistakes I made; I will talk about the feedback the boss gives to the staff […]

Let’s face it honestly: many people, male or female, dream to develop traits that bring them closer to a charismatic leader. A leader who, obviously a man, appears naturally equipped to lead groups, organizations or even states with broad consensus; one who always knows where to go and for that reason, many find it comfortable […]

The stratagem I’m going to present to you is from the book The 36 stratagems, a Chinese masterpiece that can be of interest to anyone involved in conflict situations: in business, politics, and private life.   Literal translation Would rather pretend to be confused than to act, never pretend to be clever and act rashly. Be […]

I have unearthed Paralympic Games trailers that will leave you speechless: let me introduce you to one of them, and then I will tell you why it may be quite useful.     Who can find inspiration in these short videos? I would say three distinct categories of people. First, people who are affected by […]

Lately, a Client asked a question that scared me: Would you please arrange a sales course for us? A basic one… Why is that question so frightening? I will tell you right now. My analysis of businesses purchasing behaviours leads to identifying no less than 7 sales professionals. Here they are: the sales-teller, the salesperson […]

The idea of not “bothering” other people is intriguing; it typically depends on each person’s personality but may frequently be embodied in Asian culture. Confucius’ “己所不欲，勿施于人” (Don’t do unto others what you don’t want others to do unto you) is deeply rooted in every Chinese’s mindset. Likewise, in Japanese culture, “他人に迷惑を掛ける” meaning to annoy/bother others, […]

The stratagem I’m going to present to you is from the book The 36 stratagems, a Chinese masterpiece that can be of interest to anyone involved in conflict situations: in business, politics and private life.   Literal translation When the enemy is in danger, take advantage of the opportunity to attack to win.   Interpretation of […]

The stratagem I’m going to present to you is from the book The 36 stratagems, a Chinese masterpiece that can be of interest to anyone involved in conflict situations: in business, politics, and private life.   Literal translation Exploit the enemy’s internal chaos, also taking advantage of his weakness and lack of initiative, to force him […]

But one day I came across a quote by American writer Bessie A. Stanley that made my mind clear. A quote I want to share with you today.   He has achieved success and has lived well, laughed often and loved much. Who has gained the respect of intelligent men and the love of little […]