Tuesday 30 September 2014

QUICK FITNESS TIP OF THE DAY
While its true that most of us do not have the time for a workout in the mornings before we go to work, there are some basic things we can do to get our blood pumping and help us keep up our energy level throughout the day. we could do things like:
1. walking instead of driving ( where its feasible)
2. taking the stairs instead of the elevator
3. taking a break and walking around the office (even better, up and down the stairs)
4. doing a stretch or even better, a sumo squat when you wake up ( To do a sumo squat: Stand with your feet positioned slightly wider than shoulders and toes pointed out. With your palms in front of your chest, slowly squat down flaring your knees out as you go. Lean forward and press your elbows against the inside of your thighs. Keep heels flat on the ground. then slowly return to standing position.  please see the picture above. You could repeat this 5 times.)
5. Lastly, instead of eating rolls or fries or pies when you need to nibble on something, you could take a fruit snack like apples, grapes etc.
That said, we still need to develop a proper fitness routine, but these will get us started at least..have a great day, fam and don't forget to show someone some love today!!!
‪#‎BeFitTuesday‬

Tuesday 23 September 2014

COLOURS: AN IMPORTANT TOOL IN PERCEPTION MANAGEMENT



COLOURS AND THEIR EFFECT ON THE HUMAN PSYCHE AS A TOOL IN PERCEPTION MANAGEMENT
Colour, it’s everywhere but funny thing is, we are rarely aware of the effect they have on us as humans.  From making us calm to making us feel agitated down to building trust and reassurance, colours produce a variety of emotions in us that when properly understood and effectively utilized, would make a lot of difference in our lives. For instance, countless studies have shown the sublime effect which the colour red has on the human psyche. As a matter of fact, it has been proven that men consider a woman in a red dress to be more attractive.  Various examples of the subtle use of colour to influence abound. For example, the colour red is used to denote danger or to inspire action because red makes us agitated, bankers often wear navy blue because navy blue inspires trust and reliability, fast food centres often add a touch of orange because orange stimulates appetite and conversation……..the list goes on.
 Let’s look at it from another perspective.  We all admire most celebrities who always look good every time they step out and oftentimes we fail to realise the amount of effort that goes into making them look as fantastic as they often do. Well, I can tell you that one of the reasons why they look as good as they do is because they or their stylists understand how to use colour to the best of their advantage, amongst other things that contribute to developing a stylish image. That’s why they often look more interesting, more confident, more in control and of course more attractive.
So, the question now becomes: how do we make colours work for us?
 First, understand where you belong in the grand scheme of the four basic colour seasons that we human beings belong to (of course, if you are not a human being, this is definitely not for you). The procedure is called Colour Analysis (which we would talk about in a later post) but basically we humans fall into to four basic categories: Autumn, Winter, Summer and Spring. The essence is to find your most flattering colours and also to know the colours you should definitely stay away from.
 Next, you need to decide what you want to achieve? Would you like to appear more attractive, more fascinating, more in control?  More specifically, are you looking for ways to improve your odds in making sales as a business person? Or would you generally like to command more attention?
Third, understand the industry you work in, what colours are allowed in your workplace. The conservative nature of most professions like the banking and legal professions might place certain restrictions on the use of colour but that shouldn’t stop you. As a banker or lawyer, you can always find ways to introduce a bit of colour to your dressing( ties, belt, pocket squares or handkerchiefs, if you prefer etc)  These are few steps that would get you started on your journey towards becoming a totally packaged individual…tomorrow, we look at styling! Have a great day fam and pls don’t forget to share! Let’s spread the word!

Monday 22 September 2014

PERSONAL BRANDING



PERSONAL BRANDING
I am going to attempt to talk about Personal Branding in its most simplistic form here. The essence is that anyone who reads this will understand it easily enough to act on the info contained therein.
First, I’d like to start by defining “branding”. Branding is the “process” of creating an identity that represents your products/services in the minds and hearts of your customers or clients. From the above definition, it’s easy to see that first you must have a defined target and then second, that whatever identity you intend to create must connect with the target both intellectually and emotionally.
That said, we can attempt to define Personal branding as a personal identity that your target can connect to, both emotionally and intellectually which associates “YOU” as an individual with the services/products you provide. In recent times, the highly competitive nature of the ever-evolving global market place has necessitated the need for personal branding whether as a career or business person, if you are serious about maintaining your relevance.  As a career person, you need to constantly prove your worth to your employers if you do not want to be replaced, and as a business person, you need to establish yourself as the only solution to the needs of your customers. There are lots of reasons why you should brand yourself but I’ll give you just one: because you have “competition”. Let me further help you understand, no matter how great your services or products are, truth is, you are not the only one with the same quality of services/products. And even if you are, it’s just a matter of time before someone comes up with something similar or even better.
Now, if you are career person reading this, I’d like you to understand that the key to maintaining your relevance to your employer is your ability to position yourself as a solution to the needs of your employer and to constantly reinvent yourself so as to continue to fill in that role. How? It’s simple! Every business wants to make profits and to save costs and if you can find ways to meet these needs, then you have the answer to the question. And when you have found the answer, the next step becomes establishing yourself as “the solution”. And that is what “Personal Branding” is about.
So in a nutshell, how do I brand myself as an individual?
1.       First, define who you are: the problems (social/economic) you want to solve, why you want to solve them, the skills and talents you have/need to be able to solve these problems very effectively and the results you want to achieve from solving these problems.  This is called “Brand Definition” and it forms the basis of your branding process. The next thing would be to:
2.       Develop a brand strategy by defining the following:
a.       Who needs your services/products? (Please understand that as a career person, the job you do is your service to your organization)  This defines who your target market/audience is.
b.      Where can you find the and how?
c.       How can I dress, walk, talk and behave in ways that will define and establish the services I render in the minds and hearts of my target?
The answers you give to these questions will set you on your way towards transforming yourself into a distinctively distinguished “solution provider” in the heart and mind of anyone that you come in contact with. If you have any questions or you need help with any of the above, you can connect with me via the following:
 Email: electrandukwe@gmail.com.
Phone: +2348037648830
BBpin: 32FBED6B
Or you can follow me on twitter: @electrandukwe. Thanks!!!

Monday 8 September 2014

Perception Management

Hi everyone!
Perception is the new reality and yeah,i know u are probably tired of hearing that particularly since the statement has become a cliche. But, cliche or no, the way people perceive you is stronger in their minds than who you r in reality and ultimately  determines how they will relate to you. So, how can u as an individual use this as a tool to improve the quality
of your life? Answer: through strategic applications of dress, poise, manners and speech.

How?
1. develop your content:your content will set the stage for the development of ur perception management objectives. ask yourself some key questions such as:
a. who am i now?
b.who do i want to be 5 years from now?
c. how do people see me?
d. how do i want them to see me?
e.what changes can i make to my life that will help me achieve my goals?
now, i don't need to remind you that you need to be very objective while answering these questions. you already know that and if you have given objective answers to these questions, your next goal will be to:
2. manage your visual impression: the answers you gave to the questions above comes into play here. do you want to be seen as a successful and confident person? then dress like that. the key is to dress with the end result in mind. make sure you look exactly the way you want to be addressed or seen.  make sure that you portray the person you want to be seen as through your clothes and as you that, you will need to:
3. walk, sit, stand and behave in a manner that portrays your content. i am talking about how you carry yourself, what you say, how you say it and when you say it. you will need to learn some very necessary etiquette and protocols that will help you mingle with any class of people in the society.
these three strategies, when carefully executed will ensure your speedy attainment of your set personal goal and objectives...if you have any questions,you can reach me on 08037648830 or email me at electrandukwe@gmail.com