How To Choose The Right Organisation For You
Paul Dunn:
Making Something Great Happen
Brene Brown’s Leadership Tips Benjamin J Harvey: Living and Learning Authentically $19.99 plus postage
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Contents
Brene Brown: Daring Leadership.......................................................11 Benjamin J Harvey: Living And Learning Authentically..................................17 The Recruitment Agency Landscape Is Changing...........................................20
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Resilence: What Is It And How Can You Build It?.................................................................. 23 Paul Dunn:Making Something Great Happen............................................................... 27
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Social Responsibility And Your Career..........................................................30 Unlock Your Career Potential From The Inside Out................................................. 34 LinkedIn to Alex Pirouz: Business Success........................................................ 38 Rami Youssef: Breaking Down Barriers In Career And Business Support.......................................................42
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Contributors Benjamin J Harvey
Benjamin J. Harvey is a Professional Speaker, Author and Founder of Authentic Education (a BRW Fast Starters & BRW Fast 100 Company). Ben specializes in helping people live their love, and over the past 9 years has delivered well over 10,000+ one-on-one coaching sessions. Ben has been invited to speak by the Queensland Government and Youth Challenge Australia and has consulted with the largest organisations in Australia such as Optus, IBM and Commonwealth Bank. www.authentic.com.au
BIG1’s biggest cheerleader, Paul is a hugely respected and admired business leader. He’s a four-time TEDx speaker and frequently travels around the world, educating businesses about B1G1 and sharing inspiring business insights. Paul is often referred to as a wise mentor and has helped countless individuals improve their business operations. He is an expert at building up those around him and celebrating every achievement, no matter how small. Paul is a member of one of the world’s leading thinktanks and was recently honored with a Lifetime Service Award to the Accounting Profession in the UK (though he’s definitely NOT an accountant!). More recently, he was named as a Social Innovation Fellow in his new home of Singapore. www.b1g1.com
Rami Youssef
@b1g1giving
@authenticeducation
Paul Dunn
@buy1give1
Rami Youssef is no stranger to Human Resource Management, having spent 12 years as an HR and training manager in multinational organizations, where he has a remarkable impact in the Egyptian workplace market. RAMI YOUSSEF has a total of more than 25 years of pharmaceutical experience in the Middle East in sales, training, and HR. RAMI YOUSSEF specializes in Mentoring, Sales training and people developing and has successfully served in a range of pharmaceutical companies, including Pfizer, GlaxoSmithKline and Global Napi. www.facebook.com/groups/HRM4leaders/
Symmone Gordon
Before illuminating sticky, redundant beliefs for women in business or career pressing pause on their dreams, Symmone spent three decades as an entrepreneur creating several businesses from the ground up, including consulting for humanitarian in Southern Uganda. Having struggled to find her real purpose in the world for a long time Symmone decided to stop hiding in the closet and went from hobby to purpose, combining her favourite bits as an intuitive, psychological astrologer, counselor and entrepreneur to help women to go from limiting to limitless www.symmonegordon.com
Matt has lead the way in financial services recruitment for over 15 years. With a background in investment consulting and funds management, Matt is highly sought for his unrivalled industry knowledge and extensive connections. Matt holds strong relationships with c-level executives, human resource leaders and the very best in industry talent across funds management, investment consulting and superannuation.
www.kaizenrecruitment.com.au
@symmonegordon
Matt McGilton
@kaizenrecruitment
Alex’s entrepreneurial journey started at the age of 13. Over the past 23 years he’s had his fair share of ups and downs failing in 4 businesses and successfully exiting two others. Today he spends his time investing, speaking, sitting on boards and advising companies. In his spare time he loves playing basketball, travelling and getting involved in social causes he’s passionate about. Below is a small glimpse into his journey.
Alex Pirouz www.linkfluencer.com
EDITOR IN CHIEFS Thai Ngo & Iris Du Welcome to Your Career Magazine. We are excited to share this issue with you. We created this magazine to educate and inspire you along your journey, with advice and insights from leading figures and companies. Did you know how powerful having the right advice and the right connections could be for your career? Instead of manually going out there and trying to network with people, we bring the advice right to your fingertips! We want to empower and support more professionals to discover their passion and talent, how to work more effectively with others, and how to become the best leader within themselves and in any organisation. We are very excited to have leadership phenomenon, Brene Brown in this issue, teaching us how we can cultivate braver, more daring leaders within our culture. Read all about how leading with bravery begins with vulnerability. It is well worth your time to read Daring Leadership.
Also, in this issue, we chat to Ben J. Harvey, who specializes in helping people live their love. He is a Professional Speaker, Author and Founder of Authentic Education shares with us how to reach our full potential. Other great info included in this issue is... • How to become more resilient • How Artificial Intelligence is changing the employment landscape • Unlocking your potential • Supercharging your strengths to get ahead • Qualities successful women have in common... • And, so much more. As you can see our magazine is filled with information which will open your eyes to how rapidly our jobs are changing through external forces, such as, technology advancements, artificial intelligence and the greater demands of people. Our goal with Your Career Magazine is to support you on your journey to have a more fulfilling career and confidence to navigate the career path of your choice - especially in leadership. Thanks for taking the time to read it!
Iris & Thai
Brene Brown:
Daring Leadership
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e all want to be brave with our lives and work. It’s why we’re here. But, for most of us, our bravery lives on a big continuum, hovering right around “I got this” on a good day, and “God, help me” on a bad one. Bravery tends to be that illusive feeling we all want but few can claim. So, on the back of her visit to Australia with The Growth Faculty tour, Your Career looks to the leadership phenomenon, Brene Brown about how leading with bravery begins with vulnerability. She has said that she start every day by just putting her feet on the floor and saying, ‘Today I will choose courage over comfort. I can’t make any promises for tomorrow, but today, I will choose to be brave.’ She has spent the last two decades studying courage, vulnerability, shame, and empathy, authoring five #1 New York Times bestsellers. Her TED talk, The Power of Vulnerability, is one of the top five most viewed TED talks in the world, with over 35 million views. Brene Brown knows a thing or two about embracing our imperfections as gifts. Brown says in her book Dare To Lead, “I have found that courage could be taught, developed and measured. Courage is a collection of four skill sets supported by twenty-eight behaviours. It just requires a commitment to doing bold work, having tough conversations and showing up with our whole hearts. Is it easy? No. Choosing courage over comfort is never easy. Is it worth it? Always.”
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“Comfort
Courage
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over
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Initially a research professor at the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work, Brown focused on authentic leadership and wholeheartedness within families, schools, and organisations. She discovered that leaders in organisations ranging from small entrepreneurial start-ups and familyowned businesses to non-profits, civic organisations and Fortune 50 companies, were all asking the same questions:
How can we cultivate braver, more daring leaders? And, how do you embed the value of courage in your culture? This led Brown to write her most recent book. Dare To Lead is based on her new research conducted with leaders, change makers and culture shifters; she explains how to put those ideas into practice so we can step up and lead more effectively. “Leadership is not about titles, status and power over people. Leaders are people who hold themselves accountable for recognising the potential in people and ideas, and developing that potential,” she said. Dare To Lead is for everyone who is ready to choose courage over comfort, make a difference and lead. It’s about leaning into hard conversations, being super clear what your values are and living them, holding people accountable and always doing the right thing as a leader yourself, building trust and learning to rise after setbacks. I ask her, from a leaders perspective, what can team members do to earn trust?
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“We asked a thousand leaders to list marble-earning behaviours and the most common answer was asking for help,” Brown explains. “When it comes to people who do not habitually ask for help, the leaders we polled explained that they would not delegate important work to them because the leaders did not trust that they would raise their hands and ask for help.” “Somehow we’ve come to equate success with not needing anyone. Many of us are willing to extend a helping hand, but we’re very reluctant to reach out for help when we need it ourselves. It’s as if we’ve divided the world into ‘those who offer help’ and ‘those who need help.’ The truth is that we are both and that trust is, in fact, earned in the smallest of moments.”
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Perhaps leaders would do well to have the tagline from Dare to Lead as their mantra: Brave work. Tough Conversations. Whole hearts. Brown’s research has lead her to the conclusion that people who love and feel lovable and can experience a sense of belonging can accept that they are worthy of love and belonging. She says a strong belief in our own worthiness can be learned. Living wholeheartedly, at the end of the day, means that no matter what you manage to do and what you don’t manage to do, you are enough. It means that even though you know you are imperfect and sometimes afraid, you are also brave and worthy of love and belonging. Use this to empower yourself as a stronger leader.
• Authenticity and let go of what people think • Self-compassion and let go of perfectionism • Resiliency and let go of numbing and powerlessness • Gratitude and Joy and let go of scarcity • Trust and Faith and let go of the need for certainty • Creativity and let go of comparison • Play and Rest and let go of “busy” and “stress” as self worth and status symbol • Calmness and let go of anxiety • Meaningful work and let go of what you are “supposed” to do • Laughter, Song and Dance and let go of “cool” and “always in control”
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Brown is known for her inspiring quotes, such as “Courage over comfort,” and “Courage is contagious even when there are hard endings.” Daring and courageous leadership in our culture, which is so defined by fear and uncertainty, requires building courage skills. The irony is, we’re choosing not to invest in developing the hearts and minds of our leaders. So, what can we do better? Increase our Empathy, connection and courage to start. The CEO Magazine asked Brown in their article Failure is part of the ride, what is the one thing she’s learned above all else from years of research? She answers; “The only thing I know for sure is that if you’re going to dare greatly, you’re going to get your ass kicked at some point. If you choose courage, you will absolutely know failure, disappointment, setback, even heartbreak. That’s why we call it courage. That’s why it’s so rare.”
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What must we cultivate to embrace wholeheartedness and vulnerability?
Leadership is not about titles, status and power over people. Leaders are people who hold themselves accountable for recognising the potential in people and ideas, and developing that potential.
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THE BEST LEADERSHIP ALWAYS STARTS FROM WITHIN www.careerists.com.au
There is always an inner-leader within ourselves and each of us leads differently. There are a lot of books, sources and websites out there explaining how to be “a great leader”. Until you find out what type of leadership style you are, you wouldn’t want to change your style into something else that is completely different. And the key point is, you’ll feel uncomfortable and extremely inauthentic being someone that you’re not. We are so unique in terms of leadership style, therefore we have our own successful leadership pathway. Here are 4 leadership styles you must know:
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Task-based Leadership
Task-based Leadership tends to move forward with a new idea or project, and their goal is to complete tasks as soon as possible so they could move ahead. A task-based leader would always get things moving, but once things are moving, it’s wise to move on with a brand new project
2.
People-based Leadership
People-based Leadership tends to motivate team members to perform in the most effective ways. It’s hard to avoid the fact that communication and collaboration is the key value in the market when it comes to teamwork.
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Activity-based Leadership
Activity-based Leadership is all about consultation. An activity-based leader always keep track on themselves as well as their team members and reflect on their activities. Most of the time, no one would expect a creative plan from an activity-based leader, but do expect all the tasks that need to be done will definitely be done on time.
4.
Data-based Leadership
Data-based Leadership usually focuses on calculation. A data-based leader will know what is going on just by looking at the numbers. They don’t need to be in the front to move from tasks to tasks, or to be on the side to talk and check up on team members’ tasks, they could still lead from the back and it is all based on their calculations. Being a great leader does not mean you have to shape yourself to do something that is not your strength, and to be someone you are not. It is about understanding what cycle your organisation are in, what leadership is needed and contribute as a leader that resonates most effectively to you, your team and the organisation. To lead others we must first learn how to lead ourselves, maintaining a student mindset to really understand your leadership style is a great way to level up your leadership skills.
If you are Interested to find out what type of leader are you? Visit -> www.careerists.com.au/quiz to do the quiz and you will have your answer (I promise it will be fun).
Benjamin J Harvey:
Living And Learning
Authentically
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here is no doubt that when you are doing something you truly love, you will thrive. You will be able to reach your true potential. You will make a difference to the lives around you. However, sometimes, finding out what it is that you love seems an impossible task. Benjamin J Harvey found himself in this position not that long ago. He struggled with a difficult past, was in $137,000 of debt, unhealthy and unhappy. After experiencing the tragedy of losing a close friend to suicide, Benjamin realised he needed to make
some changes. Authentic, bold changes that would alter the course of his life for good. “For many years, I had been looking into different personal development techniques, but what changed everything for me was when I decided to invest in myself,” he recalled. “I spent $17,895 on educational personal development programs while I was still $137,000 in debt. I couldn’t afford it, but I made the decision anyway. What I learnt is that whatever you want to get in life, all you need to do is learn something new and then apply it. Education really is the secret to success.” yourcareermagazine.com
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Finding authenticity and your own business success Benjamin took on the challenge of finding out what he truly wanted to do, not what societal norms or other people’s expectations dictated. He left his job to pursue his dream, something that took courage, but ultimately saved him. “Knowing that you are not living your most authentic life is something that will haunt you forever,” he said. Knowledge, skills, personal experience and years of undertaking various personal development programs lead Benjamin to co-found Authentic Education with business partner Cham Tang. Together, they set out to make a difference to other people, to share their own learning and encourage others to similarly break free from the shackles
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of expectation and live their unique, authentic lives according to their own personal set of values. Authentic Education’s core belief is; “When inspired people passionately apply the right education, they can change their life, and the world.” They work with individuals and organisations on areas including personal development, business strategising, productivity enhancement and presentation skills to create authentic, lasting change. “At the end of the day, life rewards only one thing, and that is action!” Benjamin explained. “A lot of people are getting around saying affirmations starting with ‘I am’, like ‘I am a successful entrepreneur’ or ‘I am happy’ but they are missing the thing that truly creates the change
in identity, which is the ‘because’. For example, ‘I am a successful entrepreneur because I constantly study sales and marketing and apply it to my business daily’. This allows us to identify with the new behaviours that actually create the change we desire.”
How do you find out what you truly love doing and discover your own ‘because’? Benjamin and Cham have found that many people they work with simply do not give themselves permission to fully live true to their own values. They become conflicted and confused, stuck in an endless loop of dissatisfaction and fear. However, they believe that everyone knows, deep down, what they love. Finding your exciting, authentic new career path is as easy as answering five questions in what has been dubbed the Values TRACK: T: What do you love to talk about? R: What do you love to research? A: What skill acquisition do you love to act upon? C: What do you love to contemplate? K: What do you know a lot about?
The next step Once you have found where you want to be, it is time to take action. Benjamin suggests finding a company that holds the same vision and mission as you, take every opportunity possible to learn from them. Think of every job as an opportunity to be paid to upskill and expand your knowledge of the world you wish to belong to.
Above all, Benjamin notes that the three most important things to learn are communication, influence and productivity – with these skills you will be able to pursue any career you desire. Take notice of people around you and learn from them as well. “Always make sure you leverage other people’s knowledge along the way. You will always find someone who has done something similar to what you are seeking to achieve in life, so my advice would be to seek those people out and learn from them, no matter what the cost is. Other people’s knowledge will save you a fortune in the long run and a bucket load of time,” he said.
Want to know more about Authentic Education? Benjamin and Cham run five different one-day programs throughout the year. You can view the latest ones here: www.authentic.com.au For a free audio download on how to escape the rat race and do what you love
Visit https://www.authentic.com.au/ careermag yourcareermagazine.com
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The Recruitment Agency Landscape Is Wit h
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he recruitment landscape has changed significantly in recent years, most notably due to the prevalence of technology in the industry. Matt McGilton, Managing Director of Kaizen Recruitment, has been in the recruitment industry for 14 years, specialising in Financial Services. Kaizen has adapted business models and processes over time to take advantage of the efficiencies that technology can bring. Matt explains how recruiters, employers and candidates can best use technology to enable the recruitment
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and job search process, as well as navigate the challenging environment. For recruiters, technology plays a huge role in streamlining processes. Artificial intelligence can be used in the search and screening processes to find potential matches and analyse data. Of course, the success of this is dependent on the quality of the data being interrogated. Technology also supports outsourcing of basic tasks overseas, allowing a truly global team, and a more efficient workflow. But it doesn’t replace the
work of a recruitment specialist. “Communication is still at the heart of the recruitment process” Matt says – “relationships are more important than ever to find the best candidates and a strong match to the work environment. Technology helps us to quickly identify potential candidates, and free up time for quality conversations.” He also noted the importance of candidates feeling engaged and heard in the process – while the generation of university graduates are digital natives, a purely online process will make them feel alienated. It is important that recruiters develop genuine relationships to support them through the process with potential employers. Access to online recruitment platforms has led some employers to bring the recruitment process in house. While larger organisations may have the budget to invest in the required technology, they are unlikely to have sufficient specialist resources to deal with the volume of applicants, or to be across all roles in every specialisation at every level of the organisation chart. Another challenge, Matt explains, is developing and presenting an employer brand. It’s not enough to offer a role and a salary in this market – candidates want to know if their future work place is right for them in terms of values and culture as well as career development. The ‘gig culture’ of recent years has meant employers have lowered expectations of employee tenure, but this may be adding to the problem. Despite all the tools available, it is hard to find quality candidates. Employers that prioritise building the employer brand and retaining talent would be best places to attract them. yourcareermagazine.com
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For candidates, technology can be a curse as much as an advantage, with their entire digital footprint available to recruiters and prospective employers. Matt cautions that candidates need to be really aware of their online presence, not just in terms of their personal life being up for scrutiny, but also making sure all information online (CV, LinkedIn and Seek profiles, job applications etc) is consistent and up to date. Increasingly, employers will look for evidence of the work you have done, rather than relying on examples in an interview, particularly in the tech space. Matt’s advice to candidates is to be really proactive in managing your career path from initial recruitment through to career development and promotion. Candidates should use the tools available to them to capture quality data and ensure their online profiles will be picked up by AI searches. Even the largest organisations may not offer a structured career path, and it’s easy for existing employees to be overlooked for promotion by external candidates. Matt says “use the technology to build your online brand, but make sure you are also building your personal connections with your peers, superiors and leaders. Look for mentors to help you to navigate the industry, and have honest conversations about what you want from your career. No one knows if you don’t tell them.”
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RESILIENCE:
What IS IT AND How CAN YOU Build It? here are so many discussions about “resilience” these days, especially among the corporate world. But do you really understand the concept of “resilience” and how to achieve it? Read on for the lowdown and some tips you can follow to boost yourself in this area.
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It’s important to understand that instead of dwelling on failures and feeling like there’s no point going on, you pick yourself up, acknowledge what has happened and the situation you’re in, learn from your mistakes and keep moving forward.
What is Resilience?
While resilience is important in terms of personal development, it is also a critical component when it comes to effective leadership. It’s a powerful tool that could help you to upgrade your skills and become a badass leader. However, understanding the meaning of “resilience” is not enough, you also need to understand the benefits of it in order for you to have the motivation to implement it.
Some people believe that resilience is about being fearless, but it’s actually a lot more than that. Resiliency is about having the ability to adapt and bounce back when faced with challenges, when things don’t go the way you want.
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Benefits of Resilience
Tips for Building Resilience
Resilience is an important strength to have both for your personal and professional life. It allows you to develop mechanisms to help protect yourself from experiences that could be quite overpowering your ability.
Many people think it is something we are born with, it is partly true. However, at the same time, this skill can also be honed. There are steps you can take to develop this trait in yourself, or to build it back up after a trauma or some other particularly challenging time.
When you’re resilient, you can maintain a balance in your life during challenging times, as well as protect yourself from the development of mental health difficulties. You can avoid risks of undertaking negative behaviours such as using drugs, excessive drinking, and smoking; also improve your learning abilities and strengthen your physical health as well as energy levels. Once you have a better physical wellbeing, you increase your ability to cope with the workload and with challenging colleagues, suppliers, customers, bosses. Being resilient also means being more productive, socially active and gain healthy relationships.
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Start looking after your wellbeing. Try to have a minimum of seven to eight hours of sleep per day, eat well, exercise regularly, and give yourself time to relax. You can do meditation, yoga, nature walks, listen to music, take a bath, read more books and spend quality time with friends and family members. It could help you to feel more relaxed and in control. It’s also wise to develop yourself an interest or a hobby. That way, when you feel like things are becoming overwhelming for you, it won’t seem so much like the end of the world. By taking care of your physical, emotional, and mental wellbeing, you’ll be able to bounce back from setbacks more easily.
Open your mindset and allow spaces for growth. It is important to learn, develop as a person and be committed to it. Don’t always think that you have to be the same person, doing the same things and getting the same results everyday. When you’re willing to learn, you’ll perceive difficulties as challenges which you can get something out of, then it will result in giving you opportunities to grow. Keep in mind that challenges are not permanent. You might feel terrible at first, but the knowledge you gain out of it will actually give you a long-term lesson. And it is crucial to be able to quickly accept what has happened and look for ways to move on. Imagine yourself as an arrow, in order to move forward you need to be pulled backward. Commitment and control are also key factors in resilience. You need to be committed to your goals and what you want to do in your life, so when challenges arrive , you have a reason to keep going. As for control, focus your time and energy on those things that you have control over such as events, situations, and skills. Accept the fact that there are things in your life that are uncontrollable. Never play the victim; you have to work to change the things you have a say in, and find ways to live with the results of the things you don’t.
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19 EXTRAORDINARY
‘Power of Small’
IDEAS TO TRANSFORM YOUR BUSINESS
Redeem the mini e-book: https://www.b1g1.com/businessforgood/redeem-gift-pauls-contact/ This book gives you a new set of eyes — a set of eyes that lets you see really tiny things — tiny things that cost nothing. Tiny things that bring HUGE results.
Frequently when we think of running a better/ bigger business, we tend to think it’s costly to do. For example, people rush off and spend thousands of dollars on new websites, on re-branding, on ads, on SEO and so on. And just as frequently ideas that cost more than the additional revenue and profit they bring in.
This tailored-to-you plan opens up totally new perspectives and insights for you. All you need to do is simply fill in a short questionnaire and we’ll prepare a customised Giving Plan. In this plan, you’ll enjoy... • Personalised tips to make your giving easier than ever • Discovering high-impact projects that really make a difference • Seeing new ways to link social impact authentically to your business objectives • A one-to-one walkthrough of your very own Giving Plan
Paul Dunn:
Making Something Great Happen
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B1G1 is a non-profit organisation with a mission to create a world full of giving. It was created in 2007 by a group of small-business owners asking the question: “What would happen if we all gave back by doing the things we do every day?” Today, the B1G1 initiative has allowed more than 2,100 businesses from around the world to make significant impacts every day. “B1G1 started, as all good things do, from a magical moment,” In 2007, Dunn was mentoring a tiny business owner in Brisbane, Australia providing gluten free frozen meals. “Normally in mentoring sessions, it’s the mentor who asks the questions,” explained Dunn, “But this session began by [the owner] posing a thought to me. ‘Imagine what the world would be like if every time business was done, something great happened in our world,’ she said.”
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Imagine what the world would be like if every time business was done, something great happened in our world
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rust – it’s a strong word that we tend to correlate with friends, family and our personal relationships. However, it is also an important word to consider when referring to the relationship a brand has with its customers. Building customer trust is one of the most important factors in the success of any business. A trusting relationship between a business and its customers allow it to grow sales and retention rates while bolstering its public profile and reputation. Paul Dunn, Chairman of B1G1, knows the importance of trust in business and is using it to help small and medium sized businesses build trust with their customers while making big global impact.
“Imagine if every time someone bought a TV, someone who couldn’t see, got the gift of sight. Imagine if every time a cup of coffee was sold, a child in need got access to pure, life-saving water. Or, if every time a book was sold, a tree was planted.” Dunn explained that he’d never been presented with a more powerful idea. Out of that idea, B1G1 was born, to make that idea come to life. Today, the businesses who belong to the organisation have created over 182 million giving moments, collectively. The way it works is simple: you select the project/s you want to contribute to, and a portion of the sale goes directly to that cause. So now you can say, “whenever we do this, we make something great happen in our world.” This kind of impact creates positive reputations and allows customers to feel honored to be supporting your business.
believed an employee can overcome a bad manager or structure. However, if the culture of the company isn’t a customer-focused one, he insists you have two choices. The first is to create an internal movement to change the culture. Try pitching an organization initiative like B1G1 to management. Or your second option is to leave—walk away, start something great, and take others with you if they share the same work ethic, drive, and passions. Dunn says, “there’s never been a better time to that, too.” b1g1.com/businessforgood/ @b1g1giving @buy1give1
However, not every company participates in programs like B1G1. It’s still incredibly important for a business to build trust with the customer, in any way. As Dunn puts it: “No trust = No sale.” He insists it’s easy for a business to establish a trusting relationship with its customer base by focusing less on their product or service and more on the outcomes their product/service brings their customer. And it isn’t only business owners that need to ensure they are being transparent, impactful, and trusting. Employees within an organisation also have a responsibility to build trusting relationships with the customers they face, even if the parent company isn’t great at it. Dunn says he’s always yourcareermagazine.com
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Social Responsibility And Your Career
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ore and more businesses these days are committed not just to selling products or services and making a profit, but also, on ways in which they can be a force for good. There are notfor-profit organisations that exist purely to help other people, creatures, or the environment. Many companies are also creating their own philanthropic arms or finding ways to give back via other methods. This “social responsibility” set up is an ethical framework that revolves around the idea of entities, either organisations or individuals, acting for the benefit of society at large, not just themselves. This giving focus helps to maintain a balance between the economy and the various ecosystems in the world. There are four main ways to enact social responsibility. One of the most common is via philanthropic efforts, whereby
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money is diverted from a business and used to help others. For example, tech giant Microsoft works closely with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, while Commonwealth Bank has the CommBank Foundation and Virgin has its Virgin Unite foundation. On a smaller, but no-less-important scale, many businesses have joined B1G1, a global “business giving initiative” that helps companies have a positive impact on the world with every transaction. A percentage of each sale is donated to those in need. Companies without the ability to donate a percentage of sales to charities help out in other ways, by setting up regular fundraising events or supporting notfor-profits with one-off projects. Environmental conservation is another key area of social responsibility. Firms aligning themselves to saving the planet and helping to work against climate change operate in an environmentally-
friendly way, and take steps to reduce their overall carbon footprint. Each business aligned to this mindset does what it can to operate with as little burden on the environment as possible. Thirdly, social responsibility incorporates diversity in the workplace and fair labor practices. This means teams are made up of people from diverse backgrounds and ages, and all workers are treated fairly and equally, no matter their race, age, sex, religion, or other factor. The fourth arm of social responsibility is volunteering. Today, many companies set up programs whereby their employees are given opportunities to volunteer with local communities and charities throughout the year. Businesses may align themselves with one organisation to support, or let staff members have time off to support the not-for-profits of their choice. It’s important to note that social responsibility doesn’t need to be driven purely at the organisational level. As a worker, you may want, for example, to choose your employer based on how they give back to the world and the philanthropic or volunteering opportunities you’ll receive on the job. Reports are released each year that provide information about some of the most socially responsible companies in the country to work for, so these are a good place to start. Alternatively, do your own research. Studies show that workers who know they work for a socially responsible company, and who get to be involved in giving back themselves are more engaged and happy in their roles. They’re also more committed to their roles. Choosing a responsible business
to work for is a simple yet effective way to make a difference. Plus, as a bonus, if you get involved in charitable activities at work, you’re likely to develop new skills. For example, when volunteering, you may grow as a leader, become a better communicator, and learn how to organise events and work in a team more effectively. If you want to make a career out of helping the less fortunate and the voiceless, though, consider going down the path of running your own socially responsible venture. You could set up a charitable organisation that plows profits back into assisting others (Oxfam Australia, The Smith Family, and Mission Australia are examples of this), or you could set up a business whose very products or services revolve around giving back. For example, Toms is a for-profit business that operates on the “one for one” principle. The company gives away one pair of shoes (or other accessory, now they’ve expanded their range) to someone in need for every pair it sells. Eyewear company Warby Parker is another example of this business model. Being socially responsible doesn’t have to mean that you give up earning a good living or doing the kind of job you’re passionate about. In fact, businesses committed to helping the less fortunate typically find their branding and sales improve due to positive customer perceptions. Plus, you’ll get to feel good about going to work each day, knowing that you’re making a positive impact. yourcareermagazine.com
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Your Career Magazin
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ne Issue One Launch
visit https://youtu.be/Uz6uXqrISxM
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Unlock
Your Career Potential
From The
Inside Out With Symmone Gordon
“
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If you believe you can, you can.
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H
ave you ever given your inner dialogue much thought? As you race through your day, have you ever wondered why you seem to have the same problems again and again, you face the same hurdles and come up against the same types of challenging personalities no matter where you turn? Symmone Gordon, an east-coast based business and life intuitive and transformation coach, explains how the thoughts that float through our heads each day can have a profound effect on what happens to us in the real world. “Beliefs are thoughts. Some thoughts we are aware of and others we aren’t. These beliefs are real for you and they shape your reality. It’s how we see ourselves and perceive situations,” she said. “It’s an interpretation of past experiences, expressing itself in the present moment and it doesn’t matter what – eating chocolate, commuting to work, intimacy with a partner. These beliefs create behaviours that impact how we feel, how we engage, react and connect to others. They form our blueprint to the story we experience in the world.’ The great news is that you can change this blueprint. By working on your own thoughts and learning how to move past those that are holding you back, you can create a new, more abundant, more successful reality. Symmone’s story Like many of us, Symmone hasn’t always had the ability and insight to
take note of how her inner thoughts affected her outside world. She owned and operated several businesses over the years, covering diverse niches such as fashion, civil construction, trading stocks and spiritual events. Through her experiences in business, she began realising that one of the primary success factors underpinning any entrepreneurial activity is that what beliefs you carry can either make or break you. However, Symmone’s burgeoning faith in beliefs and how that manifested in the physical was cemented for good when she was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. “When I was growing up, I was actually very quiet and spent a lot of time alone. In fact, I rarely spoke up and carried a deep fear of being attacked for speaking my truth,” Symmone explained. “I had no idea that this belief and fear was actually making me sick and at 23, I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. I knew immediately, like an express post brick had been dropped into my mind, loudly pronouncing; MY FEAR OF SPEAKING HAD CAUSED THIS.” Symmone tackled the cancer the best way she knew how – by immersing herself in understanding the root cause of her illness and learning about alternative and complementary treatments that would save her life. During her process of healing, Symonne reignited her latent ‘super powers’ long-suppressed by the fear of being different. Through her own spiritual and metaphysical transformation, she found her calling; yourcareermagazine.com
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“I felt a much deeper calling and an awakening to how I serve. It turns out my fascination with the mind, beliefs, why people are the way they are was the signpost pointing to my purpose. Once I decided to stop hiding from those signposts, I was able to transition fully into this work, scaling up from what I called a hobby to purpose. I don’t consider myself as a coach, more like a guide who illuminates the beliefs within the stories that blindside people from creating the life they want.” Uncovering your own limiting beliefs How do you know if you have limiting beliefs that are holding you back from your potential? Sometimes, things just don’t feel ‘right’ but you aren’t sure why. Beliefs such as these serve little purpose and result in you feeling ‘stuck’, frustrated and unmotivated. You may move through your day as though you are carrying a boulder across your back and repeatedly encounter the same negativity. Some people become withdrawn, socially awkward or isolated and disconnected. By learning to identify what is holding you back and the biases by which you see the world, you are in a much greater position to make better decisions and
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changes that will consciously create what you want from each facet of your life, including your career. Limiting beliefs often stem from a significant event, situation or influential person from the past, perhaps as far back as childhood. While beliefs and how they are played out are as unique as each individual, Symmone sees common themes from many of her clients, perhaps some may seem familiar to you as well. ● I don’t deserve love and it makes me angry and frustrated ● When I am not heard it makes me feel like I don’t matter and this makes me feel bitter and tired. ● When I miss out on a job or can’t find the right opportunity I feel as if I am not meant to have what I want and powerless. ● At times I am afraid to speak up as it causes conflict. This leaves me feeling stuck. ● I compare myself to others and think I have to struggle to get what appears to have come easily to them. ● When I make a mistake or experience a failure I take it very personally/feel inadequate/a failure. ● I have become a little pessimistic about life and sometimes don’t try for jobs I would probably be qualified for.
Overcoming your blockages and limiting beliefs When working with clients, Symmone taps into her intuitive powers and works with clients one-on-one, using techniques such as energy work, astrology, storytelling and memory retrieval. Once an internal shift has been reached, Symmone helps her clients carry the momentum into the physical, creating a new external reality. “Whether it’s happiness, wealth, a fulfilling purpose or loving connections, it begins with the acceptance and dissolving of resistance to unveil the essence of self beyond thought. Who you truly are surfaces and with it, peace and clarity. The truth you always sensed and caught glimpses of, becomes far more awakened and anchored,” she said. There are techniques each of us can employ ourselves as well to help identify and move past limiting beliefs and blockages. Symmone recommends: ● Acceptance. Disentangle from the emotional stories and be with what is. Accept how you are feeling now, as opposed to giving energy and further dialogue to any negativity. Bring awareness to being completely present to the current life situation…this gives space, and space allows for observation, insights and relief. ● Focus on your vision Remember that the journey is just as much part of the vision as the outcome, and along the way there may be some bumps.
Giving energy and feeling to the vision in the present moment fuels what you want, rather than reacting to what you don’t want. Picture yourself as a lighthouse shining its light in one direction to light up what is important for safe travel. ● Objectivity. Aim to view each situation as neither good nor bad. There is always a reason why certain events transpire, but often these reasons only become apparent in hindsight once you have additional context. Be gentle with yourself through this journey of self-discovery and try not to see clearing your blockages as another ‘to-do’. Taking stock of your internal dialogue as you seek to improve your own personal and business success requires a gradual internal shift and profound awareness, coupled with a healthy, non-judgemental love for yourself. It is not about ‘fixing’ you, but unlocking your potential and opening your mind to the vast possibilities of tomorrow. Symmone’s final advice is to relax, let go and cease spending energy where it no longer serves you. “When overcoming negative beliefs, saying ‘I don’t mind what happens’ brings forth an energy of letting go. No fixed outcome or expectation constructed by the mind. It allows life to carry you rather than trying to control life. This is flow.”
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Alex Pirouz:
LinkedIn to Business Success W
hen talking about social media and networking for business, most of us immediately think of Facebook and Instagram, but how many of us are utilising LinkedIn as well? For many years, LinkedIn has been seen, for the most part, as a recruitment platform. You could set up a profile, upload your resume and hope to get noticed. However, just as the business world is evolving at a rapid rate of knots, as is LinkedIn. There is massive potential in this underused platform to excel your career – and Alex Pirouz is here to show you how.
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Alex has been an entrepreneur since the age of 13, having tried his hand (and unfortunately losing out on) four businesses by the age of 26. However, in true entrepreneurial spirit, Alex did not give up and was able to successfully scale and then sell his next two businesses. His passion for helping people evolved into his next venture, an advisory firm, where he learned the power of clever networking and relationship building through LinkedIn after a mentor suggested he take a closer look at the platform.
In just six months, Alex had made 330 meaningful connections and had begun connecting with for major publications such as Entrepreneur, Huffington Post, Forbes, Hubspot and Business Insider, for which he was then able to write for. He began to have more queries about LinkedIn than for his advisory firm, so he pivoted his business to become Linkfluencer – teaching others how to build their brand and thrive in a competitive market through effectively utilising LinkedIn. He made it his mission to transform social selling, unlocking the potential for this platform to propel other entrepreneurs and career-driven individuals to the next level.
LinkedIn’s evolution When Alex first began teaching people about LinkedIn six years ago, it still held the purpose for many as simply a space for holding an online resume. However, two years ago Microsoft bought the platform and things began to change significantly. There are now over 700 million users worldwide. One of the main differences now is the ability to add content, which Alex believes is one of the key success factors for effectively utilising a LinkedIn profile. “Some of the biggest positives people find with LinkedIn, as opposed to other social media platforms, is that they are learning and getting content from some of the best creators in the world and
they are getting educated. They are able to make solid business connections, as opposed to Facebook, where people are posting up stuff about their morning coffee or meeting up with friends,” Alex said. “Building your personal brand and influence is a big goal for a lot of people, and if you are a business, there is no better platform to do that than LinkedIn.”
How to build your career through LinkedIn Whether you are looking for a new career, building your personal branding or seeking prospects for your company, LinkedIn is immensely valuable. A great LinkedIn profile will showcase not only your qualifications and experiences, but who you are as a person and what you can bring to an organisation on a broad scale. “You can write whatever you want on your resume, but a good profile picture, a good story about who you are, your experiences, recommendations and endorsements, the people you follow, the content you are putting up – that can’t happen on a resume. Sharing your journey – that can’t happen on a piece of paper,” Alex said. “You’ve got to have your online footprint in order, otherwise you are just not going to make it. It shows you are progressive, which is what a lot of companies are looking for now.”
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How do you use LinkedIn to excel in your career? 1. Be proactive – do your research LinkedIn is easy to navigate and allows you to seek out influential people in your niche. Take some time to do your research and find out who the key decision makers are when it comes to recruitment in your area, or who you would like to eventually work with. “For example, if I was going for a job with an IT company, I would gather some insights into who I am going after for the job and finding the key decision makers in that company on LinkedIn, then I would be connecting with them and writing; ‘Hi, I have recently applied for a job with your company, I would love the opportunity to meet with you’. Just that extra touch could be the difference between standing out amongst the other 50-100 applicants or fading away into the piles of resumes,” Alex advises.
2. Be aware of the sales process – make the connection, but don’t be pushy. There is nothing quite as off-putting than someone directly messaging with their latest offer, hard-sell or overenthusiastic sales spiel. Go gently with your connections and message them personally with some content around each communication. Alex’s advice is to never send blanket messages, take the time to show each new connection that you care and be genuine in your approach.
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“Understand the sales process and always ask yourself how LinkedIn fits into that. For example, rather than writing to a contact and saying ‘hey, I’d love to come in for an interview’, which might come across as a bit salesy, send an invite with ‘hi, I came across your job ad on Seek I have applied and thought I’d reach out and make a connection as well’. Take an extra step to build that relationship,” Alex said.
3. Connect only with relevant people There is a difference between a network and a community – and it is a community you want to foster. These people not only know you, but like and trust you as well, which is key to successful sales in any form. “Make sure you are only connecting with the right people, it’s not about the number of followers. Too many people just go and send out impersonalised messages to non targeted people. This just creates a network of non-relevant people and you won’t get the business or the right role,” Alex said.
Once you connect with someone, you will start seeing their content and vice versa. So, by connecting with relevant people in your field, you are able to stay top of mind when it comes to a career opportunity or interesting project.
4. Share quality content Alex’s advice is to regularly share content mixed between educational and personal, using text, images and videos to keep it fresh. No matter where you are at in your journey, you have content to share. Draw on your own experiences and write about your relevant background, an anecdote, a turning point in your career or a specific lesson a mentor or influencer has taught you. Whether from working in your field for many years, or going through your training and education, you will have interesting and value-adding content locked away somewhere. “Most people are just afraid to write content because they feel they aren’t worthy or that their content isn’t going to be good or they aren’t going to get
much traction – but if you are only posting up content once in a blue moon, you aren’t going to get that traction! You’ve got to be consistent,” Alex said. “They key is to get people to buy into you both on an intellectual level through educational content, as well as an emotional level through personal content. Always provide value to your audience”
5. Be clear on your desired outcome. Through all your calculated connection building on LinkedIn, keep your endgame in mind. Do you want to land your dream job? Do you want to build a client base of targeted businesses? Do you want to be picked up by particular media outlets to bolster your standing as an expert in your field? Know how long it will take to foster each relationship and bide your time until it is the right moment to take action. “I always ask myself, how can I provide something meaningful for this person over the next 6-12 months without taking anything in return? Because, I know that in the end, I will win,” Alex said.
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Rami Youssef:
Breaking Down Barriers In Career And Business Support
N
etworking is an integral part of any thriving industry, and it always has been. The ability and willingness to collectively share information, resources, data and learning is vital to the growth of not only individuals in their upward career trajectory, but for business success as a whole. Where once upon a time, professionals in their own niches would gather once or twice a year at a conference, or local like-minded entrepreneurs would meet at a central location. This is still commonplace and will never be replaced completely, but we have become much more familiar
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(and some would argue, more willing to participate) in a different type of networking – online. Globalisation and diversification of workplaces – no matter the field – has opened the door to opportunities to collaborate, support and mentor regardless of geographical barriers, time zones or funding constraints. Facebook has become the go-to online forum for groups because of the ease of use, widespread accessibility and high functionality. In 2018, it was estimated that more than *1.4 billion Facebook users (of over 2.2 billion global users) check groups every month – that is massive networking!
One such group that has had incredible success is Human Resource Management, set up in 2007 by Egyptian sales training and HR expert, Rami Youssef. Rami has 12 years’ experience as a HR and training manager in multinational organisations, and over 25 years of pharmaceutical experience in the Middle East in sales, training, and HR. He now specialises in mentoring, training and developing personnel in the HR arena.
Rami believes that personal interaction and learning from other people’s experience is ultimately more valuable than study alone. While you can read about various issues and solutions quite easily, hearing another professional’s experience in context and how they worked through the situation offers a multi-faceted, human-oriented perspective that often resonates much deeper.
“First I aimed to serve employees and HR workers in my home country Egypt and started with a personal initiative to serve the local community,” he said.
“Sharing and dissemination of knowledge are more powerful than stagnant book knowledge, especially among the younger generation. We have an Egyptian proverb that says; ‘If you are seeking knowledge about the side effects of a drug, ask the patient and do not ask the doctor.’ So, I would say that if you want to know more about HR, seek a HR professional instead of reading your textbook,” Rami said.
“Then I discovered there is a global need to understand more about HR, and so the group expanded to become a global service centre that includes more than 40K individualS from all the world.”
Ultimately, Rami would like to see his group move beyond Facebook to a global organisation that focuses on mentoring and supporting HR personnel around the globe.
Back in 2007, Rami noticed a real need in the industry to bring people together to better understand the role of HR and procedures that make for effective workplace management.
At the time of writing, Rami’s group had close to 43,000 members and this is increasing monthly by an average of 1,000 members. Each month, his moderators wade through around 1,500 posts ranging in topics such as job postings, situational support and Q&A on HR-related topics. Both HR and non-HR members are permitted to the group and it does not matter at what level each career is at. The aim is simply to share knowledge, support each member and offer peer mentoring opportunities on a widespread, diverse space.
If you would like to join Human Resource Management on Facebook, simply search within the app and request to join. www.facebook.com/groups/HRM4leaders/
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