Bloggeries Blog

A little knowledge goes a long way

Misha Kaura – Top Tips on Being a Great Leader 

Not all of us are natural born leaders and the majority of us have to work hard on our leadership skills in order to be a great leader. Leadership skills can help you in all walks of life and no matter whether you want to be a better supervisor, manager, CEO or even parent, there are ways in which you can greatly improve your leadership skills.

Today we had a chat with fashion industry leader Misha Kaura, who was not a natural born leader and had to work hard on her leadership skills in order to get to where she is today. If you want to increase your leadership ability, here are some tips on doing so. 

Self Evaluate 

One of the keys to increasing your leadership abilities is to be aware of where you are in the process. This is why you must always perform a self evaluation every now and again, to be honest with yourself about what you are doing well and what you can do better. The worst type of leaders are those who think that they have it all figured out and that they don’t have any weaknesses, the reason why is because we are all a work in progress, even the very best leaders. 

Two Way Street

The key to being a great is learning how to command respect but far too many people believe that they are entitled to this respect because of who they are or the position which they hold. This however could not be further from the truth and respect is very much a two way street. If you don’t give respect to those who you are leading then you simply cannot expect to get any in return. 

Understanding Differences

Great leaders are those who can both inspire and motivate those who they are leading. In order to do this well you need to be able to recognize that not everyone is inspired and motivated in the same way, and your challenge as a leader is to understand how each person ticks, and how you can speak to them in a way that motivates them. For example some people like to be incentivized and that is what gets them working at their best, others need to have a fire lit underneath them and the pressure turned up in order to be at their best. Identify who needs which kind of motivation in order to be a better leader. 

Listening

Everyone knows that communication skills are a key part of leadership but unfortunately many misconstrue this to mean that they have to be better talkers. Talking and clearly communicating is of course essential as a leader, but so too is listening and this may be something which you need to work on. Listening to the right people when making a decision, listening to the concerns of your team and listening when people want advice are key parts of being a great communicator, remember this when you are working with your team. 

Carter Boyle Duke – Zion, The Greats and Why Duke Keeps Producing 

Zion Williams is the name on everyone’s lips at the moment after he was scooped up in his freshman season with Duke, and picked as first draft by the New Orleans Pelicans. This has got everyone talking about both the player and the university and so we caught up with Carter Boyle Duke University student, to find out how Duke keeps producing, how good Zion is and who are the best to have come out of the university. 

Duke’s Approach 

Carter says that the reason why Duke University continues to provide some of the NBAs hottest talents is because of the culture which exists there around sports. This university doesn’t have a big party scene and most students get their heads down and work very hard, when the sports teams are playing however, that is when everything stops. Boyle also talked about how the university always attracts the top coaches to nurture the young talent, which is just what Mike Kryzewski has done in his era. 

How Good Is Zion?

Zion Williamson’s size, dexterity, power, skill and knowledge of the game is that of someone 10 years his senior and this is why he was in such high demand, and why he was picked up in his freshman year having played just a handful of games for the Blue Devils. If he realizes his potential, which remember is not always guaranteed, then we will be talking about him in the future, in the same breath as we talk about Lebron, Kobe and Michael. Naturally there is a lot to come before he reaches that level but if he continues on the career trajectory that he is on right now, he will reach the top and he will be remembered as one of the greatest to have ever played the game. 

Best Players

There is a wealth of talent which has come out of Duke University and these guys are widely considered to be the most successful players who went from the university and into the NBA. 

Grant Hill – 16 years in the league, 5 time All-Star 

Elton Brand – Solid power forward, 17 years in the league, 2 All-Star performances

Kyrie Irving – 1st draft for Cavs, 6 years into his career, already has 1 Championship 

Luol Deng – 1st draft for Bulls, average of 15.1 points and 6.3 rebounds, 2 All-Star appearances

Carlos Boozer – 2 All-Star appearances and average of 16.2 ppg and 9.6 rebounds

These are just a handful of the many names which we could have chosen from in terms of who is the best player to come out of Duke University, and in the not too distant future we will have a new name for that list, and that is the phenom Zion Williamson. 

The more talent that comes through the university the more that younger players wish to go there, and the cycle of greatness will continue. 

How Brand Image Can Make or Break Your Business According to a Leading PR Agency

According to every PR agency operating in the 21st century, brand image is everything. Maybe you think that a brand is simply identified by a logo or name, but this isn’t the case at all. A brand is known best by the image that it puts forth, and that image relates back to several unique factors. Part of the image comes from the company’s overall performance and part of it comes from its ability to do good in the world.

Just as each individual person has an image or you might call it a reputation to uphold, so does a company. In fact, it is even more important for a company to keep a solid reputation than it is for an individual since business success depends on it. When a company isn’t focused on its image, this is when failure is imminent. One of the top PR firms of our age, Interdependence, discusses how the brand image can make or break your business.

It allows you to make a splash

The first thing you need to focus on in relation to your image is getting the attention of your targeted audience. In today’s world, adults are much more likely to experience ADHD symptoms, partly because there are so many things vying for our attention. It is up to you to get the attention of the audience you’re targeting.

There are plenty of ways to do this, but whichever method you use always try to paint yourself in a positive image. Use digital marketing strategies like search engine optimization, social media marketing, or video blogging to make the splash that’s needed to get the ball rolling.

It allows you to build trust early on

If the consumer doesn’t trust you, how can you expect to make the sale? Of course, a big aspect of trust has to do with the product you’re delivering and if it seems like a quality one. But another important trust factor is the image that your company puts across. Do you seem credible? Loyal? One way to build trust through brand image is by delivering on your promises. This can best be accomplished through a solid customer service team.

It shows that you’ve got your s*** together

A major aspect of brand recognition is showing that your company is as legit as they come. You can start by registering your business. You’ll also need a legit website, not one that looks homemade. Advertising and marketing yourself on social media will also help.

There’s nothing that’s a bigger turnoff to a potential customer than a company that lacks legitimacy. Part of this legitimacy will have to be developed over time, like obtaining customer reviews, but do what you can early on.

It makes your company more recognizable

The two-arcs that make up the McDonald’s “M”…this is a recognizable brand logo that anyone from around the world could pinpoint. Your goal for your brand is to become just as recognizable, at least within the audience you’re trying to relate to. It is important to have a logo or slogan that sets you apart – and ahead – of the competition.