Who is a parvenu? Dictionaries agree to define it as a person who has acquired a superior economic and social status without adapting to the manners of the new context. In most countries the man in power, who inevitably aspires to charismatic leadership, is too often a parvenu. We can define him as a person who […]

People’s motivation at work is highly dependent on how they feel about managing their roles. Listen to what American entrepreneur Mary Kay Ash has to say about this. Everyone has an invisible sign hanging around their neck that says, Make me feel important! Never forget this message when working with people. Whether we are aware […]

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 […]

Some time ago I came across one of the Schegge, articles written in 1971 by Giovanni Papini, a controversial Italian intellectual, for Il Corriere della Sera. Listen to this. Some say nothing but say it well. Others say a lot but say it badly. The worst are those who say nothing and say it badly. […]

In a famous quote Mark Twain states that… … a lie can travel around the world and back again while the truth is lacing up its boots. This one finds many echoes in everyday life, from journalism to professional information, to the extreme of calumny. Why does all of this happen? What are the aspects […]