Managing Career Transitions

Extracted from “The Star – 18 May 2013”

Job transitions are normal. An average person changes employment between five and 15 times in their entire career journey, not only from one company to another, but also within the same functional role. This is expected and the reasons for changing jobs vary, but the top two reasons are usually for a  better prospect and work environment.

   Career transitions on the other hand are rare for most people, for example a finance executive moving into a sales role, an engineer moving on to start a restaurant or someone leaving his or her steady job to become a full-time politician.

   The reason career transitions are rare is simply because it is difficult thing to do. The person is required to step out of his or her comfort zone into an unknown career environment. The challenges include a lack of expertise, financial considerations and fear.

   Making a career transition decision is challenging. So, how does one decide if it’s the right decision to make and how does one transition into a new career when the decision is made? Here are seven simple yet powerful considerations:

CHECK YOUR MOTIVES

Why are you considering a career transition? If it is merely to make more money or to escape the “boss from hell”, then think again.

   People who truly find significance in their work have a greater end in mind. They are happier because their work draws out their full potential and at the same time, others benefit from what they do.

   Don’t worry about the money. If you do the right thing with the passion and talent you have, in most cases, the money will come.

USE YOUR TALENTS

According to Marcus Buckingham, author of Now, discover your strengths, you are more likely to succeed and excel in anything that you do if you utilise your key strengths.

   By playing to your talents, you are unlocking your full potential. This makes perfect sense. Why stay glued to your desk-bound, number crunching job if you have a knack for connecting, influencing and building rapport with people? You may be better off perhaps in a job related to sales, business development or customer service.

   The chances are you will excel in these other roles and find fulfilment in the long run.

IDENTIFY YOUR PASSION

One of the worst things for working people is to be stuck in a job they dislike. I’m not talking about not liking the company you work for or the environment you are in.

   You simply find no pleasure in your current job function and you know it’s not going to help even if you were to leave to go to another company for a similar job function.

   So, ask yourself, what do you really like? What kind of job roles or industry resonates with your heart right now? What is it that you would look forward to waking up to do every morning?

CONDUCT YOUR RESEARCH

Once you have identified your areas of passion and talent, do some research to identify possible job roles or industries that will align to your ideals.

   For example, if your area of passion and talent is related to children, you may want to look out for possible opportunities like working for a company that provides goods or services to children – anything from milk powders, toys to private schools.

   Or perhaps, you may want to consider starting your own business like a kindergarten, learning centre for children with special needs or a tuition centre. It takes some degree of research that includes talking to the right people.

PUNCH YOUR CALCULATOR

One of the more serious challenges in career transitions is in the area of finances. In many cases, because you are embarking on something new that may not be related to your previous work experience, you may be required to take a pay cut. Ouch!

   For example, an accountant that is on his job for 10 years may not likely be able to command the same level of pay if he decides to go into customer service role in another organisation simply because he does not have the necessary experience.

   The same applies if one decides to start a new business. The financial considerations are major. This is more so for those in mid-career and above because many financial commitments such as instalments for cars, homes and finances for children education are already locked in.

   Ask yourself, what kind of financial adjustments are you willing to make temporarily in order to realise your dream of a career transition.

 

FORMULATE A GAME PLAN

Once decided, you need to intentionally work towards your career transition. You need a clear roadmap to get there. Figure out what steps you need to take in order for you to transit successfully.

   Your plan should include your research period, people you need to talk to, financial savings needed in order to buffer a possible lower pay or even a new resume.

TALK TO TRUSTED PEOPLE

A famous proverb says, “in the multitude of counsellors, there is safety”. I agree.

   We don’t know it all. we need others to “proof-test” our aspirations. Others need to be given the opportunity to challenge and verify our assumptions.

    For example, if you think you are a good cook and want to start a small eating outlet, ask your trusted friends if you can really cook well. Invite them to your home, cook for them your specialty and ask for their opinion. This way, we will not base a decision to a misconception.

   If possible, identify a trusted mentor, preferably someone older who has more experience and allow the person access into your heart to speak the truth and help you see your circumstances clearly.

   Career transitions are not about small steps. It requires a leap of faith. A leap requires a substantial step. In other words, it’s time to jump!

   After you have made necessary preparations, counted the cost and considered your risk, it’s time for action.

   Just do it. Don’t give in to fear. Fear robs us from realising our full potential. Once you make the first jump, the second one is easier (but not necessarily less painful). In due time, you will reap the fruit of your courage if you do not give up.

Billionaire Mindset

Extracted from “The Star – 28 May 2013”

Four great ways of thinking to achieve great success

Here is a thought: What makes successful billionaires so successful?

   Sure, some are born with an obscene fortune to their name, but most started out just like us, maybe with even less opportunity than we do. So, what makes them so special, since they are just like us normal folks in so many ways?

   Simple, it’s the way they think.

   You see, billionaires think differently in the sense that they focus every ounce of their attention on achieving the success they desire.

   This mindset is exactly what differentiates them from the rest of us and more importantly, gives them the drive to succeed.

Hiring The Right People To Execute Quickly

Billionaires are usually the bosses of their empires, right? Well, as bosses their main job is to handle the overview strategy and more importantly, acquiring the right people to the right job.

   Now, hiring the right people to work out the details and operation elements into place is important for success because a high execution speed is essential in pushing forward with profit-generating initiatives.

   As such, a key success mindset is to be ready to hire the right people so you can get your plans in place and your business on the road to success.

   Never, under any circumstance, try to master everything yourself because you are overly paranoid about your operations.

   If you do, you probably won’t get very far in terms of profits because you will be too busy to be a boss and cannot galvanise your business towards executing the proper plans in time.

Gun For The Money

Most companies target the “easy money” by selling mass products or services with very low prices. The issue with going for this easy money is that it isn’t easy at all.

   You see, the problem is that approximately 90% of business owners have the same mentality and are competing for the same market.

   So, if you are going to go into this market, you are going to face an intense amount of competition.

   In this situation, the best course of action is to avoid this situation. However. succeeding will take far more than that.

   To achieve the success you desire, you need to be ready to aim higher at the profitable niches that everyone else is too afraid or unwilling to reach.

   The logic is simple: there isn’t much competition in these sectors because most companies do not dare to gun for it.

   Billionaires gain success and higher profits this way because they need to spend less time overcoming their rivals and won’t even need to compete with everyone at the bottom.

Be Willing to Create Multiple Income Streams

The problem with all business is that no matter how much you market or sell, there will always be a cap in your profits.

   Now, billionaires circumvent the tiresome situation simply by identifying and seizing opportunities to maximise revenue, and that is what you must be ready to do as well.

   To put in a fine point to it, you need to be willing to step out of your comfort zone and create your own money opportunities by diversifying your income streams.

   The easiest way to do this is to build one segment of your business while simultaneously being aware of the opportunities around your industry.

   When you identify a viable option, you then need to have the courage to create new product and service tiers, expand or improve your business offerings, or even launch a new business.

   It is monumentally important that you become highly skilled at making money in one form of business before launching anything else without the necessary experience and knowledge is plainly suicidal.

Avoiding Opportunity Cost

Opportunity cost is basically the amount of money you are not making by not taking the right action.

   While this concept can seem irrelevant and trivial, the hard truth is that opportunity costs are perhaps one of the worst losses you can ever make in business.

   Every minute you waste means you are losing money from your company simply by not taking action.

   By embracing the necessary mindset, you too can gain the great success that comes with it.

   The key is to be willing to kickstart your journey towards achieving the mindset of billionaires and never waver your commitment to your success.

All Smoked Out

Extracted from “The Star – 29 May 2013”

Emphysema is included in the spectrum of diseases known as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and it’s mainly due to long term cigarette smoking.

Emphysema refers to a condition in your lungs where the alveoli or air sacs are gradually destroyed. This causes you to have shortness of breath, which becomes gradually worse.

   Emphysema is included in the spectrum of diseases known as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).

   It is caused by long-term smoking.

   The cigarette smoke slowly destroys the lung tissue in the aveoli – distorting their usually bunched grape-like shapes and causing holes to form their inner walls.

   This reduces the surface area afforded to your lungs to breathe, and therefore, the amount of oxygen that can diffuse through and reach your bloodstream.

   Cigarette smoke also damages the elastic fibres that hold the small airways open, leading to collapse of these little tubes.

   The result is that you can draw breath in, but the little airways will collapse when you try to expel air. This causes the air to be trapped in your lungs.

   Emphysema is, sadly, irreversible.

   COPD is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States.

Emphysema is irreversible? That is scary! What are the symptoms of emphysema?

It is important to note that COPD is not often purely emphysema or the other common condition, chronic bronchitis, but varying combinations of both diseases.

   Look out for the following:

• Shortness of breath
• Cough
• Wheezing
• Decreased tolerance for exercise over time and slow deterioration of breathing ability.
• Pursed lip breathing, meaning the patient having emphysema struggles to completely exhale a breath. This is due to the aforementioned “trapped air” as the smaller airways collapse upon each other as you attempt to let out your breath, effectively “trapping” air in your lungs.
• The development of a “barrel chest”, meaning your chest becomes more pronounced in the ribcage. This is caused by the trapping of air.

How do I tell the difference between emphysema and asthma? Both present with shortness of breath and wheezing, yes?

It can be difficult for you to differentiate between the two if you have no experience. But generally, asthma affects younger people and emphysema affects those who are older. Emphysema always comes with a history of heavy smoking.

   Some experts recommend that anyone who is a heavy smoker with a cough be screened for emphysema.

   In the clinic, the doctor will give you a peak flow meter challenge. He will give you a tube to blow into and measure how much you can blow. Then he will give you a bronchodilator to puff.

   With asthma, your ability to blow into this tube improves after the bronchodilator.

   It is possible to have both asthma and emphysema.

How does the doctor diagnose emphysema?

This involves measuring pulmonary function with a test of spirometry. Spirometry measures the volume and force of air as you exhale it from your lungs.

   You have to inhale and exhale forcefully into this instrument for several times. Then the force of your exhalation is measured and calibrated against the norm.

   Your doctor will measure a few indices:

• Forced Vital Capacity (FVC), which is the maximum volume of air that can be exhaled out through your lungs. This indicates your lung size, capacity and elasticity.
• Forced Expiratory Volume in one second (FEV1). This is the maximum volume of air that you can exhale in ONE second. This can measure the severity of your COPD.

If you have severe COPD, your FEV1 is only 30 to 50% of the normal value.

Is there any treatment for emphysema?

Emphysema cannot be cured, unless you get a lung transplant. But you can certainly stop it from getting worse.

   Stop smoking immediately. This will “stop the rot” in your lungs. It can even improve your lung function over time.

   Bronchodilators may open up your airways for episodes of shortness of breath, but will not cure emphysema.

   Steroids and other drugs which are prescribed for asthma can help with symptoms.

   And if your shortness of breath is so bad, home oxygen can help.

   If all else fails, you can opt for surgery. Other than lung transplant, there is lung volume reduction surgery, which removes the upper lobes of both your lungs to allow the lower parts of your lungs to have better expansion.

 

“The best cure is STOP SMOKING !!”

Do What You Love

Extracted from “The Star – 18th May 2013”

Let’s admit it; most of us spend our days working at jobs we do not like or are just not very good at. Too often, we hear of complaints and laments about dreading going to work, the inevitable curse of Monday blues and the agonising countdown before getting to clock out at the end of the day.

   We may also try to justify the status quo with excuses that only keep us stuck in jobs that we have outgrown or dislike and in workplaces that limit our true potential. A global research from Accenture (The Path Forward, 2012) across 31 countries including Malaysia, revealed that 58% of the respondents were dissatisfied with their jobs, but more than two-thirds (69%) do not plan to leave their current employers.

   Being stuck in a job we do not like does not only affect our own lives but often, the people around us, our families and even our employers. it is no-brainer that you are happiest, and most productive, when you get to do the things you enjoy. Realistically, a job puts food on the table and therefore, not only will you have to enjoy doing what you do, you have to be good at it.

Identifying Your Passion

There is a fine line between taking pleasure in a hobby and identifying your passion.

   Passion is something you feel strongly about, something that ignites your enthusiasm and perhaps, something that defines you.

   We do not always realise it, but identifying our passion comes easier than we think. We all have something that we fiercely love. But we are often held back by fear, familiarity and finances.

   Nevertheless, do we really want to end up years down the road in a job we are stuck with just because we fear the unknown or simply fall into comfort zone from a dependable routine?

    Financial security may have a stronger hold than any other reason, but doing what you love does not necessarily mean starting your own business or a complete change in career paths.

Capitalising On Your Transferrable Skills

For some, doing what you love could simply mean cashing in on the valuable experience and skills gathered from previous jobs. Job titles are often multi-dimensional. If you dissect each job or task that you have had, you will discover an array of specific skills.

   Some of these transferrable skills will pave your way towards new careers that will best utilise them. For instance, you may have had the opportunity to train workers or speak to large crowds and you may just realise that those skills will make you an effective motivational speaker, trainer or even a teacher. Identifying the transferrable skills that you have in you may just be the key to unlocking your passion.

Just Do It

Ultimately, to do what you love means having the courage to take the leap. Figure out what it is that you want to spend your time, attention and energy on and work on that craft. Making a living out of your passion does not always magically happen at the drop of a hat. It would be a mistake to think that once you take on the challenge, world-changing success will fall onto your lap. More often than not, a career change will throw curve balls at you.

   Many of the fears people face during career changes come from the pressure of immediate success. But mistakes  and failures do not mean the end; instead, they pose chances for growth and learning. Almost everybody – from genius innovator Steve Jobs, multi-billionaire entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson to Hollywood royalty Will Smith – have had their share of trials and tribulations. However, it should not go unnoticed that most of these famous icons have persevered in their journeys just to be able to do what they love.

   Failure, as Oprah Winfrey puts it, is “another stepping stone to greatness”. The good news is you will be doing what you love and will never have to wonder, “What if?” Besides, even if you do not like, how rewarding could that really be?

   There is also the fear of not knowing or learning enough, but at some point, you will need to just take the plunge and the sooner the better. The problem with wanting to be fully-prepared and learning everything is that you will not know what exactly is to come until you take the first step.

   Doing what you love takes courage because you have to start before you are ready. The trick is realising that you will never be ready and there will be no end to learning.

   This does not mean venturing into the unknown blindly as that would be foolish. Take on small step at a time. Set out goals and a master plan, but be prepared for detours and roadblocks along the way. The first step is always the hardest, but once you get past the initial fears and anxieties, your passion, energy and commitment will drive you on auto pilot.

   And so, the secret is, there is none. Anyone can do what they love; there is no secret formula. Persist with passion and positivity. Find where your passion lies and you will never have to work again.

Managing A Difficult Boss

Extracted from “The Star : 16 April 2013”

How to tell the boss what you think and get away with it

Does your boss motivate you, or do you find him difficult to deal with?

   One of the best ways to deal with difficult people is to give them feedback on their performance. You tell them when they do things you like, and you tell them when they do things you don’t like.

   It’s exactly the same with your boss. There is no point in going on about how your boss needs to change, because that’s unlikely to happen unless you do something about it.

   One of the best ways to deal with a difficult boss is to give him feedback about his behaviour in job-related situations. The rules for giving your boss feedback are:

 

Do It As Soon As Possible

When your boss says or does something you do or don’t like, you need to say something right away. If it’s something you do like, it’s not much use saying weeks later: “Thanks for helping me; Dave, with that difficult customer a couple of weeks ago.”

   Dave is going to have a bit of a problem remembering the situation, and the effect of the feedback is totally wasted. It also makes sense to tell Dave about something you don’t like as soon as possible.

Do It In Private

You really do not want members of your team or your colleagues hearing what you say to your boss, be it good or bad.

Check If It Is OK to Speak

Make sure that you have your boss’ full attention. There is no point in trying to make your point in trying to make your point if he has something on his mind or if he is working on his computer. It is also good manners and shows respect.

Tell Your Intentions

If your boss is not used to receiving feedback from you, what do you think runs through her mind when you pull up a chair or call her on the phone? She thinks it is bad news.

   She thinks you are about to complain about something, or you’ve done something wrong, or there’s a problem. It is important to tell her up front what you want to speak about.

   You might say: “Laura, I’d just like to thank you for something you did today.” Or if it’s something you don’t like, you might say: “Laura, I’d just like to talk about something you said today that I’m uncomfortable about.”

Tell Your Boss How You Feel About His Behaviour

This is nothing to do with anyone else. Don’t say things like: “Mike, the team doesn’t like the way you speak to us.”

   Use lots of “I” messages; say things like: “I’m unhappy with the way you told me how to do that job. It made me feel embarrassed in front of my team members. Would you be prepared to speak to me in private in future?”

Focus On One Thing At A Time

Don’t confuse your boss with a whole list of behaviours. If there are things you do like, you are in danger of coming across as patronising. If there are many things you don’t like, it may come across as a whinge.

Be Specific

When you are giving your boss feedback, it’s important to focus on job-related behaviour and not on the personality of the individual. If you feel a bit uncomfortable, try to focus on the boss’ behaviour in terms of how she said or did something. That is what you are giving feedback on, not her as a person.

   It becomes easier if you are using “I” messages and being very descriptive about what you have seen or heard. You could say something like: “I liked the way you showed me how to lay out that report; thank you, Karen.”

   Or, “Karen, I’m concerned with the way you told me how to do that report. It’s important for me to get it right, would you be prepared to spend a bit more time explaining what you require?”

Include the Customer and the Organisation

   Whenever appropriate, relate what your feedback is about to how the customer or the business could be affected. This, of course, could be an internal or an external customer.

Get Input

When giving constructive feedback, it is important to get the boss’ input.

   You might say: “I’m unhappy with the number of tasks you’ve asked me to do this week and I’m concerned that I may not be able to do them in the best interests of the business. However, I’m willing to listen to what you have to say and discuss how we can make efficient use of my time.”

Don’t Leave Them Low

This is particularly important after giving feedback on something you are not happy about. This is not an attack on the boss – it is about job-related behaviour.

   Think about how you feel when someone speaks to you about something they are unhappy about. It can leave you low and possibly stressed.

Be Brave

There is still a culture in some organisations that doesn’t allow the boss to be challenged. It’s a case of: “The boss tells me what to do and it’s my job to do as I’m told.”

   It is also the case that some people don’t want to say anything to their boss for fear of being perceived as negative or a complainer. Be brave and give your boss some positive feedback.

   The occasional compliment or descriptive “thank you” will work wonders for your relationship. And if the boss is doing or saying something you don’t like, give him some constructive feedback using the rules above.

   If you follow these rules, you are much more likely to motivate your boss, manage any difficult situations and achieve more positive results.

Personal vs. Professional

Extracted from “The Star – 22 May 2013”

The employed generally spend more time in the office than at home so it can be forgiven that the workplace inadvertently turns into a hotbed of romance for some.

   “Executives these days are time-strapped to socialise outside of work. Hence, the office is fast becoming one of the places where busy professionals find their life partners,” says Josh Goh of the GMP Group, one of Asia’s leading staffing and human resource consultancies.

Recent studies have shown that over 30% of employees have dated someone in the office and of that, a third get married, says Karen Clifford, South-East Asia and India HR Director of Towers Watson, a global professional services company that helps organisations improve performance through effective people, risk and financial management.

House Rules

Some firms have strict rules which forbid office relationships. You should find out if yours does.

   If it doesn’t, it should be of little concern to the company if you are having a relationship with your co-worker. Unless, of course, your behaviours is impacting your performance or other employees, says Clifford.

   Office romance is fine for as long as you remain professional and discreet while at the workplace. And as long as it does not negatively impact your job performance.

   Based on your role in the firm, and if you think there could be a conflict of sorts, it may be a good idea – once the relationship is past its early stage – to be open to your managers, says Clifford.

Things To Consider

How to manage your working relationship without jeopardising your individual careers?

   Is there a possibility of either one of you being transferred to a separate department or a regional office?

   Naturally, you are right to worry if things do not work out between you and your colleague. Bumping into an ex while the break-up is still fresh is hard enough, so one can imagine the unease of seeing him/her every day in a place where you spend a considerable amount of time.

Don’t Do This

Never use e-mail or instant messaging to send love notes to your sweetheart.

   “Technology in your workplace is not private and may be monitored; and it belongs to your company,” Goh advises.

Understanding Hepatitis

Extracted from “The Star – 19 May 2013”

Understanding the different forms of hepatitis, who is at risk, and how it can be prevented and treated can be confusing. Mayo Clinic infectious diseases expert Dr Stacey Rizza offers the following primer:

 

Hepatitis A – A highly contagious viral condition that causes inflammation affecting the liver’s ability to function, hepatitis A is most likely contracted from contaminated food, water or someone already infected.

Mild cases don’t require treatment, and most have the infection recover completely with no permanent liver damage.

Effective vaccines are available and recommended for children at age one; for older children who didn’t get the vaccine at age one; and for people travelling to areas with high rates of the illness, among others.

Practising good hand hygiene is one of the best ways to protect against hepatitis A.

Hepatitis B – For some people, hepatitis B infection becomes chronic, leading to liver failure, liver cancer or cirrhosis – a condition that causes permanent scarring of the liver. It is spread through bodily fluids.

Most people infected as adults recover fully, even if their signs and symptoms are severe. Infants and children are much more likely to develop a chronic hepatitis B infection.

Although no cure exists for hepatitis B, treatment options are available and vaccine can prevent the disease. Vaccination is recommended for infants; children who weren’t vaccinated in infancy; people being treated for sexually transmitted infection; healthcare workers and others who come in contact with blood on the job; people with end-stage kidney disease; and people travelling to areas with high rates of hepatitis B, among others.

If a person is already infected, taking certain precautions can help prevent the spread of hepatitis B to others.

There are vaccines to protect against hepatitis A and B. The CDC recommends hepatitis A vaccination for all children ages 12 to 23 months  and for adults who plan to travel or work in areas with hepatitis A outbreaks. People with chronic hepatitis B or C should also get the hepatitis A vaccine if they don't already have immunity to hepatitis A. The hepatitis B vaccine is recommended for all infants at birth and for adults who have any of the risk factors we discussed earlier. There is no vaccine for hepatitis C.

Hepatitis C – Most people infected with the hepatitis C virus have no symptoms. And most don’t know they have the hepatitis C infection until liver damage shows up decades later during routine medical tests.

Generally considered to be among the most serious of the three viruses, hepatitis C is passed through contact with contaminated blood – most commonly through needles shared during illegal drug use. Hepatitis C infection is treated with antiviral medications intended to clear the virus from the body.

“Hepatitis C infection can be asymptomatic for decades but typically appears as liver problems over time,” Dr Rizza says. “This can happen faster if people’s immune systems decline due to other conditions as they age. It’s a good idea to ask your physician about testing for it during your regular check-up. All forms of hepatitis should be taken seriously as the risks for them have increased in recent years.

The most common treatment for chronic hepatitis C is a combination of antiviral medications called interferon and ribavirin. Interferon is given as a shot and ribavirin is a pill. Studies suggest this combination can cure or control hepatitis C in about half of patients. But it can cause serious side effects. In addition, not everyone needs treatment. Your doctor will explain your options based on how active the virus is.

Breaking The Deadlock

Extracted from “The Star : 19 May 2012”

With the right techniques, you can overcome an impasse in negotiations

When negotiating agreements in business or trying to resolve disputes, you will frequently reach a point in the negotiation where you hit a wall.

   Frustration mounts as progress grinds to a halt and neither side is willing to budge. You doubt whether you will ever reach an agreement. What can you do to break the deadlock?

   In many negotiations, most progress occurs in the final stages. Recognise that an impasse is common, and it does not mean that an agreement is beyond reach.

   Accept it as a normal part of negotiation that can and will be overcome. By applying the techniques discussed below, you can increase your chances of overcoming an impasse and reaching a mutually acceptable agreement.

Revisit Priorities

Focus on your interests, and help your counterpart focus on his. It is natural to lose sight of what is important and get distracted by minor issues in the heat of a negotiation. Refocusing your interests and priorities can help you get the negotiation back on track.

Look At All The Options

Look for new and creative ways to add value. Explore options that have been overlooked. As a negotiation proceeds, you learn new information and gain new insights that may suggest other possible solutions that had not been apparent earlier.

Give a Little

Offer to grant a small concession, which should be contingent on the other party making a concession in return. For example, “We would be willing to do X if you could do Y”. A small move can provide momentum and lead to further progress.

Bag the Smaller Goals

Focus the negotiation on smaller or easier items on your agenda. As you reach an agreement on some minor points, you build momentum that can carry you forward and make it easier to agree on larger issues.

Change the Dynamics of the Negotiation

A change in players and personalities can jumpstart a stalled negotiation. You might also change the physical environment. Different surroundings can change the atmosphere and put you back on track to a successful agreement.

Call a Time-Out

Review your strategy with other members of your team. Give yourself time for your emotions to cool down. Taking a break to relax and clear your head can work wonders.

Set Aside Quiet Time

Agree to impose a fixed period of silence. This is not the same as taking a time-out where people go out of the room and forget about the issues. Everyone stays in the room, without saying a word for five to 10 minutes.

   During this time all kinds of thoughts creep into people’s minds, causing both sides to moderate their expectations. This strategy is especially useful for husbands and wives trying to resolve a disagreement. It too works for those who have a close personal relationship with the other party.

Impose a Deadline

In many negotiations, most of the progress is made in the final stages, as the deadline approaches. Deliberately adding time pressure may be just the motivation people need to get things moving again.

Please Say “Yes”

Ask your counterpart for his agreement. Sometimes it is just as simple as asking. If he says “yes”, that’s great! If he says no, ask why not? Listen carefully to his answer, address his concerns and set forth the remaining steps needed to conclude the agreement.

Bring In An Impartial Third Party

A good mediator can recognise communication bottlenecks and help the parties overcome them. A third party can also help both sides to see things from other perspectives and bridge the gulf created by a lack of trust. Even after a lawsuit has been filed, a mediator can help the parties reach an agreement in the majority of cases.

Let It Go

Be prepared to walk away from a business negotiation. Sometimes the best deal is no deal at all. Other times, your counterpart will call you back with a better offer. Just be sure you are not bluffing when you threaten to leave and you actually have some place to walk away to. In any event, end the negotiation on good terms – you may find yourself dealing with this person or organisation again in future.

   An impasse may be discouraging, but it need not be the end of the line. Be persistent and you can put the negotiation back on track.

Boosting Morale In The Workplace

Extracted from “The Star : 14 March 2013”

Turn your office into a place people love to come to work everyday

Do your employees dread going into the office each morning? If their answer is “yes”, then your office environment is plagued by low morale.

   Research has shown that productivity plummets in an office environment where workers suffer from low morale.

   This causes are often lack of appreciation and rewards for employees, a management with a top-down approach, a lack of work-life balance, a lack of team bonding and a dull working environment.

   Collectively, these factors have a disempowering effect on your employees. They feel a lack of ownership in the company and are just “showing up” to collect their monthly pay cheques. They may even learn to block all the negativity at work a if they are resigned to their fate.

   Over the long run, however, such negative energy will feed off other employees.

   Smart employers know that high office morale can do wonders for their employees and drive them towards excellence.

   In fact, if we take a quick glance at some of the world’s most innovative companies, they share something in common – a cool workplace designed to keep their employees happy and motivated.

   Google’s corporate headquarters, fondly nicknamed the Googleplex, in Mountain View, California, has a workspace that contains various features designed to make its employees feel welcome.

   They include bicycles and scooters for efficient travel between meetings and healthy lunches and dinners for all staff at a variety of places and break rooms.

   Over at Facebook’s new corporate headquarters in Palo Alto’s Stanford Research Park, the social networking firm conducted company-wide polls and personal interviews during the design phase to determine what its employees wanted from their workspace. The result?

   Office spaces designed to facilitate employee interaction and connection in order to reflect the company’s mission to connect people.

   The following steps can help you achieve high morale in your office:

Open Communication

   Fostering open communication with your employees helps you understand them better and build rapport.

  At Google, employees frequently pose questions directly to founders, Larry Page and Sergey Brin in their weekly meetings.

Public Appreciation

   Public appreciation means showing recognition for any good work achieved by your employees. It could mean an impromptu office get together during office hours where an announcement is made to recognise an employee’s achievement.

   Showing appreciation goes a long way in motivating other employees to reach for the stars.

Work-Life Balance

   All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. In the workplace, it could translate into employees being stuck in a routine.

   As an employer, you can do your part by having a “Bring Your Kids to Work” day to foster bonds between your staff and their families.

   Your employees will be grateful to be working for such a forward-looking company.

Team Bonding

   No man is an island. This saying runs true in any organisation that requires everyone to work together as a team.

   At Facebook, the firm has a very sociable workplace with no cubicles to encourage team bonding. The work culture is also very open – discussions about projects and ideas are shared freely. This open-style approach has made Facebook the most innovative social  media currently.

Just Like Home

 

   When your work environment is comfortable, employees will feel more motivated.

   Google knows this and has provided foosball, pool tables, volleyball courts, assorted video games, pianos, ping-pong tables, and gyms that offer yoga and dance classes to make their employees feel right at home.

Rewards and Gifts

   These are small gestures that brighten up someone’s day. When you constantly show appreciation to your employees, such as sending them thank-you cards, you can be sure they will be constantly in high spirits.

Eradicate All Gloomers

   It only takes one person to spoil the office mood. They are the type of employees that constantly complain that nothing is ever right but never take action to improve their situation.

   Such employees can bring down the morale in an office, a mood that can be infectious. If you have such employees, it is best to talk to them. If all these fails, you can show them the door.

Show Respect

   Respect is earned, not demanded. When you show respect to your employees, they will return the favour and the result will be harmonious, vibrant and productive working environment.

Change Your Brand Culture

^{Extracted from “The Star : 16 April 2012”}

Practice the drivers of internal branding to help employees deliver the brand promise

Brands are only as strong as the people behind them. Internal branding works by winning the hearts of the people who deliver the brand promise and care for the brand over time.

   The first imperative of any brand owner should be the employees, from the factory worker to the managing director. The more they understand and live the brand’s essence, the truer and more real the brand experience will be for the customer.

   For the few great, authentic brands, everyone becomes a brand ambassador.

   Internal branding is a business strategy that impacts business results – but only if the initiative works at all levels of the organisation. The challenge is true congruence and inter-connectedness when it comes to keeping the brand promise.

   The brand’s ability to meet real needs and aspirations at every contact point builds its credibility and value. After all, the value of the brand is not what goes into it, but what its customers and other stakeholders get out of it.

   All internal and external actions and communications must match at all times, in all places and at all levels of the organisation. This normally requires a change of mindset and behaviour. In fact, it amounts to nothing less than a brand culture transformation.

   It is an ongoing process. This transformation can proceed relatively easily when the leadership team champions internal branding initiatives consistently and actively.

   The seven drivers of internal branding are motivating forces in all human endeavour. The seven drivers from Richard Barret’s Seven Levels of Organisational Consciousness model are adapted from Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.

   These cultural transformation tools map the values and behaviours of a culture and give a clear road map for culture change.

Financial Stability

To fulfill the need for financial security, internal branding must first ensure that business plans and brand plans are aligned. Employees need to understand the brand positioning, before they buy into and develop a sense of ownership. They need to feel secure that the brand they support in turn supports them.

Belonging and Loyalty

Recognition for significant contribution to brand growth and delivering the brand promise fulfils the need for belonging and loyalty among employees. Collect stories that can be retold of brand behaviours that increase customer engagement and can be emulated.

   Create a safe environment where open communication and mutual respect thrive. Encourage the use of different media to open minds and keep brand communication consistent. Introduce and welcome new ideas that keep all relationships internally and externally fresh.

Pride in Performance

Cultivate brand pride and pride in performance by establishing policies, procedures, systems and promises that create order and promote best brand practices, quality and excellence. Set brand standards and measure their performance through a "dashboard” of indicators.

Continuous Renewal

Stimulate innovation so that the brand defies stagnation and remains relevant. Ensure that people supporting it are empowered to take action that supports brand growth and development.

   Their agility, adaptability, innovation, continuous learning, and personal growth will inevitably impact the brand. This requires delegation, teamwork, flexibility, knowledge and information sharing, and the courage and willingness to take risks.

Align Values and Vision

Develop the capability for collective action by ensuring that vision, mission and values are central to the brand and inspire employee engagement, commitment and enthusiasm. Align employees’ sense of personal mission with brand vision to ignite passion and personal productivity.

   Celebrate living brand values to create a climate of commitment, creativity and enthusiasm. Establish a strong, positive, unique brand culture where everyone articulates and champions the brand so strongly that it leaves and indelible impression.

Sustainability

Actualise the purpose of the brand and make a difference internally to employees, and externally to customers, the local community and society at large.

   Employees need to know how they are making a difference with the brand to continue building and championing the brand cause. Without this, they are merely showing up.

Social Responsibility

Deepen the brand’s commitment to social responsibility through a commitment to the common good and the well-being of future generations. Brands must consider the impact of all their decisions on the sustainability and long-term viability of society and the planet.

Luxury Holidays for Less

Extracted from “Personal Money : August 2011”

Travel in style without emptying your savings account

While most of us may not have that many reward points or frequent flier miles – and may not be as single-minded in the pursuit of raking up loyalty points – it’s still possible to go on a luxury holiday without taking out a second mortgage. Here’s how.

Rent a Villa

There’s safety in numbers and there’s also savings in numbers. Ask your family and friends whether they would like to come along. Vacation rentals are almost always equipped with a small kitchen, so you can do your own cooking and save on the food bill. And if you don’t mind roughing it – like taking turns sleeping on the couch – then you could opt for smaller places for additional savings. Homeaway.com is a useful website for those keen on vacation rentals. Listing properties around the world, it allows you to rent a property for a night or longer, and what’s great about it is that you deal directly with the property owner. And there are some really good deals to be had, especially locations where hotel rooms may be somewhat expensive. For example, you could get a three-bedroom, two-bathroom villa on the French Riviera for a week for US$1,200 (RM3,656) to US$2,600 a week: If you have a group of six, it works out to US$28 to US$62 a night per person. For those who prefer inns and bed and breakfast lodgings, bedandbreakfast.com is a useful site. Reviews from previous travellers are also included to help you make your decisions.

Private Sales

Private sales are increasingly popular on the Internet, and beyond the sale of designer clothes, there are also sites and search engines offering travel packages and accommodation. Kayak, for example, has a Private Sale service, which sends out weekly emails to subscribers on private, special deals. Another site is Jetsetter.com – the travel community offers members insider access and exclusive deals on great holidays, from wine country journeys in California’s Napa Valley to sun-and-surf getaways at some of the Carribbean’s best beach destinations. What sets it apart is its team of curators who select the hotels, cruises and tours. It also has a team of travel writers who review the offerings on the site. Bargain hunters will like its flash sales – about 20 to 30 are held each week for a limited period and discounts are up to 50%. The luxury travel deals are pretty good, such as a seven-night cycling tour of Tuscany’s rolling hills and historic towns for two adults (includes accommodation, breakfast and dinner) at US$5,950 (at a 30% discount). Launched in 2009, the invitation-only travel community now boasts some two million members worldwide. Consider this your personal invite to sign up as a member at http://www.jetsetter.com/personalmoney.

Booking Blind

One way to score luxury deals is through an opaque booking site. You pick the destination city and the site then comes up with a few hotels. For example, on Travelcity, you can ask for a “5-star top secret hotel in Las Vegas” and the site will come up with a list, including the lowest average rate per night and the general location of each hotel. With Wotif’s Mystery Deal, you’re given the general location (for example “Perth’s central business district” and not much else. Most of these mystery hotels are the sites’ existing accommodation partners, so if you’re not fussy about the exact location or don’t need to be close to a particular place, blind booking is a great way to save on luxury hotels. There are, of course, a few downsides – you may find that a train station is situated nearby or the hotel may not live up to its star rating. And, if you do not know the name of the hotel until you’ve made the booking, you can’t check the reviews of other guests.

   GermanWings (a low-cost airline based in Cologne, Germany) has taken the concept of blind booking further by offering low fares to surprise destinations – basically you select your departure airport (Berlin, Cologne, Hanover or Stuggart ), then select the theme of your holiday (from beach breaks and culture to nature and trekking holidays). The fare for each theme is displayed (from Euro29.99 to Euro49.99, all inclusive). Within each theme, there is a list of destinations that you can trim. You then select your travel dates and after you’ve made the payment, the destination will be revealed. Talk about air travel roulette!

Online Travel Auction

You can also get good deals on accommodation and holiday packages by bidding on travel auction sites. Although they operate like opaque booking sites, the sites, such as Priceline, allow you to name the class of the hotel, the general neighbourhood or location and your price. The site then also does the bidding for you. Other sites like SkyAuction and LuxuryLink reveal the name of the hotel that you’re bidding on, as well as the minimum bid. The savings through these sites can be quite substantial: For example, on LuxuryLink, the starting bid for 10 nights in an upmarket hotel chain in multiple destinations in India was US$3,568 (including taxes), which was almost half the regular price.

Will You Be The Chosen One ?

Extracted from “The Star : 24 October 2012”

Preparation and practice will help you sail through the interview and land the job.

You have impressed the hiring manager with your resume and secured an interview. The next step is to convince them why you are the best candidate for the position.

   A job interview is the best opportunity to market yourself to the potential employer – it is a self-presentation of your work experience, achievements and interests, and how you can contribute to the organisation.

   Here are some strategies to help you prepare and give yourself that extra boost of confidence for the interview:

Research the Employer

Make full use of various media to find out more about the organisation and even their competitors. Such information will help you to answer commonly asked questions such as “What do you know about our business?” and “Have you heard about us before?”

Review the Job Scope

It is easy to lose track of the jobs you have applied for, especially if you have applied for quite a number of positions. Keep a copy of every job advertisement that you have applied for so that you can review the job responsibilities before going for the interview.

Carry Your Portfolio

There may be a lapse of a few months between the time you sent in your resume and the interview, so there could be new information that you want the interviewer to know about.

   Bring along a copy of your updated resume and a portfolio of your work. This will help you demonstrate that you have the knowledge, skills and abilities to do the job.

First Impressions Count

Arrive early – about 10 to 15 minutes before the appointed time – to calm your nerves and be ready for administrative work, such as filling in application forms.

   Dress appropriately for the line of work you are applying. When it comes to dressing for interviews, always dress more formally than you normally would. If you are unsure of the dress code, ask the HR department.

   Remember to acknowledge everyone from the receptionist to the interviewer. Smile, be polite and offer a firm handshake.

Body Language

Communication comprises words (7%), tone of voice (38%) and body language (55%). Your body language plays a large role in reflecting your attitude and interest in the job. Pay attention to your posture, gestures and facial expressions. Stay relaxed but always maintain eye contact when you talk to the interviewer. Do not cross your arms, tap your feet or fidget.

   If you are facing a panel of interviewers, always look at and address the person who asked the question. Make eye contact when you answer but slowly pull back to acknowledge the presence of other interviewers.

It’s a Two-Way Street

An interview is not only a chance for the employer to find out about you, but it is also an opportunity for you to find out more about the organisation. When ending an interview, a common question interviewers ask is: “Do you have any question?”

   Now is the time to ask questions such as: “Are there any additional duties I need to perform?”; “What are my key performance indicators during probation?” and “When can I expect a final recruitment decision?”

Your Final Pitch

You should begin and end the interview with a good impression. Regardless of how the interview went, you should smile and thank the interviewer for his time and for giving you the opportunity.

   Send a short thank-you note – it creates a favourable impression that sets you apart from other job applicants. Tell the interviewer that you appreciate the time he has taken to meet with you and once again, express your interest in the position.

   A week is a reasonable grace period before calling the company to ask about your application. Let them know of your continued interest in the position. However, be patient and do not bring out your “inner stalker” – the hiring process often takes longer than expected, so don’t hound anyone.

   Job interviews can be nerve-wracking, no matter how many times you have gone for one. Proper preparation and plenty of practice will help increase your chances of succeeding. On a final note, project the attitude of “ask not what your employer can do for you, but what you can do for your employer”.

Think Like An Employer

Extracted from “The Star : 31 October 2012”

Your job search will be more successful when you know how to interpret job advertisements

Job advertisement come in many formats and if you are not careful, you may eliminate yourself as a possible applicant by not interpreting a job posting accurately.

   Here are some tips on finding the deeper meaning of job advertisements. Learning how to interpret these four components of job posting is the first step to successfully applying for them:

1. Experience required
2. Salary required
3. Organisational skills required
4. Proficiency required

Experience

   The single most common requirement stated in job advertisements is experience. Some positions require no experience at all, others might require one or two years of experience, while the most senior positions might require 10 or more years of experience!

   These numbers can be very intimidating, but the right approach can make a difference. When thinking about the experience required by a job; consider these three options:

• Work experience need not be just job-based. Internships, volunteer work and working in a club are all valid forms of experience. Any learning opportunity is considered work experience.
• Tailor your resume to fit the job description. if an advertisement says that a position requires three years of experience in sales, make sure your resume highlights the fact that you have three years of experience in sales.
• Not meeting experience requirements does not take you out of the running. More than anything, companies want good employees. Between your resume and your cover letter, if you can persuade a company to think you are diligent and quick to learn new skills, you have a good shot at the job.

Salary

In addition to a resume, many job advertisements ask that you submit your “minimum salary required”. This request strikes fear in the hearts of the timid. If you give too high a salary, a company may not be interested in you. If you give too low a salary, you may not be able to make ends meet financially.

   When you are caught in this dilemma, you have two options:

• Say that your salary requirement is “negotiable” without giving a specific number. Putting off salary negotiations until you actually have the job is a good stress reliever.
• Call the employer anonymously to get information. If a specific number is absolutely necessary, provide a salary range.

Organisational Skills

Anytime a job advertisement makes a point to mention" “organisational skills” or “communication skills”, the employer actually wants to know three things: do you get the job done on time, do you do the job correctly, and do you work well in teams.

   Be sure to answer the secret questions you are being asked:

• Incorporate your ability in working with deadlines and working on team projects into your resume. Your resume creates the first image an employer will have of you. That image must be what the employer is looking for.
• Employers love multi-tasking. Convey the fact that you had many responsibilities at previous jobs, and you always succeeded.
• Don’t beat around the bush. Explicit examples are always good. If they do not fit in your resume, work them into your cover letter. Otherwise, mention them in your interview.

Proficiency

Besides the generic traits that employers like to see in applicants for any position, job advertisements will make statements about specific skills related to a specific job.

   It seems that the favourite description to use is “proficiency in”. Other popular descriptors are “command of” and “working knowledge of”.

   These phrases might be used to describe understanding of software, industry expertise, etc. Whenever you see specific skill requirements and wonder whether or not you meet them, consider these issues:

• Certain skills have official certifications. If you have an official certification, be sure it is on your resume.
• Being proficient means being comfortable using something on a day-to-day basis and being able to answer simple questions about it.
• When it comes to languages, there is a difference between being fluent and understanding most things. There is no shame in saying you have a “conversational” understanding.
• If the same skills continue to pop up in job postings, it may be time for you to acquire them.

Get an Edge

Perhaps job advertisements are not as direct as they should be, but it is up to you to be able to read them correctly. These tips should give you a good starting point for tackling new job advertisements that come your way.

   Keep them in mind, because deciphering the language of a job advertisement will put you a step ahead of everyone else.

Offshore Company Formation & Tax Advantages

Extracted from “Smart Investor – May 2013”. Article by Evanna Phoon

While it is true that there will always be instances of shady offshore deals, the vast majority of offshore investment are perfectly legal.

Offshore investment is often demonised in the media, which paints a picture of investors stashing their money with some illegal company located on an obscure Caribbean island where the tax rate is next to nothing.

   Moving or setting up companies offshores are often associated with tax benefits. The common reference to an offshore company is a company which is incorporated in a tax-free or low jurisdiction that can trade across international borders with no or low tax bills and without the need to file accounts.

   While this is attractive, the major risk in many offshore jurisdictions is the fact that almost all corporate and legal service providers do not accept cases that are suspected to be involved in facilitating money laundering or illegal transactions and activities.

   By and large, a typical use of an offshore company are mainly for mainstream business activities such as trading, investment holding, intellectual property, management, fund management, property owning, shipping and aircraft leasing, insurance, personal or consultancy services, employment, group holdings and banking.

   Some distinct benefits of using offshore jurisdictions for businesses include asset protection, because many offshore jurisdictions do not allow the enforcement of civil orders from other countries. This includes proceedings related to bankruptcies.

   This is one of the main reasons many companies use offshore companies as a haven for protection against creditors because it is very safe, save where the asset derived is from criminal or illegal activities or fraud of creditors. You get some degree of asset protection as long as you are not into illegal activity.

   Another is privacy and confidentiality. Offshore jurisdictions have very strong privacy protection in most jurisdictions. There is no public registry to search for information such as the names of shareholders. This is also one compelling reason why people choose to go offshore.

   Then there is the tax savings. This is the major attraction for companies or individuals to go offshore, because some offshore jurisdictions offer very attractive tax rates, with even zero tax rate regimes.

   If you use an appropriate offshore structure, it will usually result in tax savings. For example, Labuan allows a choice of 3% tax on net profit or a flat RM20,000 if you operate under the status of Labuan Business Activity. But in order to put the correct structure in place, you will need to consult a tax expert who is familiar with the offshore tax regime.

   Before a structure us put in place, it should also be reviewed by a tax expert familiar with offshore tax legislation and by the client’s own local tax advisor. One of the key areas that need to be looked into would be the avoidance of the incidence of double taxation.

   Next is for business or investment holding purposes. Even if it is offshore, the business needs have a permanent establishment. Let us say in Labuan, you will need to have an office or staff stationed there to prove that the set-up is not a sham.

Functions of Offshore Businesses

A common use of offshore companies is in trading, i.e. the buying and selling of goods. The offshore company trades in its own account and is an actual party to a trading transaction and facilitating shipment of goods is directly between the seller and the end buyer.

   The offshore company may act as an intermediary who buys from the supplier and sells to the customer or it may act as a marketing agent, handling documents without handling shipment. The benefit of this is that it helps build profits that would otherwise be taxed at a higher rate.

   For example, Hong Kong is a popular destination for offshore trading companies as it is an ideal place with a respected legal system, low taxation and world class communications, banking and shipping facilities.

   As a property owning companies, an offshore entity could be set up to hold the group’s assets. The benefit is that they can avoid taxes like capital gain and inheritance tax (in certain jurisdictions). It also makes the transfer of ownership in the properties a lot easier through the offshore company, besides avoiding stamp duties, legal fees and unwanted publicity.

   Another is professional services companies. A professional services company could employ individuals who earn substantial fees from giving out consultation work; for example, consultants, writers, sports people and entertainers.

   Steps could be carried out to form an offshore company, have a contract of employment with the company and the pay out in the form of consultant fees or salary in the most tax advantageous way for the individual. This is ideal for consultants who charge a substantial fee.

   For example, an European oil and gas consultant may provide consultation to his clients who are situated in the Asia Pacific, West Africa and Middle East. Without proper tax planning in place, he would have to invoice his clients from his base in Europe. As a result, he will be subjected to the high taxes in Europe.

   But if he has formed an offshore company in Labuan, he can now issue invoices through the offshore company. He could still conduct his consultation as usual to his clients based in Asia Pacific, West Africa and Middle East. But his clients will now pay to his offshore bank account outside of Europe and he is able to save a huge amount of tax.

   Offshore companies can also be used as an investment holding company, to take advantage of the double tax treaty arrangements to reduce or eliminate withholding tax. For companies seeking intellectual property rights, offshore company purchases of rights to intellectual property such as copyrights, patents or technical know-how could then be sub-licensed.

   In this situation, it may be desirable that those intellectual properties are held by the offshore entity, if the royalties are subjected to withholding tax in a high tax country.

   When we look at a target country for potential investment, we first need to understand the implications of the taxation that is applicable in the jurisdiction.

   For example if you are looking to invest in China, the ideal vehicle to do so would be via a Hong Kong registered company. This is because China and Hong Kong have a very favourable double tax treaty agreement in place that allows the money from China whether in the form of royalties, interest, dividends or capital gains, to be brought back to the Hong Kong investment vehicle with the least tax impact.

   When selecting an appropriate offshore haven, some of the aspects that you may need to find out and be clear about include:

• Minimum/maximum number of directors/shareholders allowed
• Exchange control regime
• Approximate time to incorporate
• Taxation rules on foreign profit
• Ability to hold directors and shareholders meetings offshore
• Requirement of local directors/secretary
• Requirement to file annual returns or similar disclosures
• Registered office/agent
• Disclosure requirements, if any, of beneficial ownership
• Setting up annual fees and tax planning advisory fees

   Despite the many pitfalls of offshore investing, it can still pay off to shift some investment assets from one jurisdiction to another. As with even the most insignificant investments, do your research before parting with your money – unless you’re prepared to lose it!

Did She or Didn’t She?

 

Extracted from “StarFit4Life, Sunday 12 May 2013”

How do you spot someone has undergone some aesthetic procedure?

With over 14 million cosmetic plastic surgery procedures performed in 2012, chances are that you may know someone (or know someone who knows someone) who has had Botox, a nose job or a breast augmentation.

   Sure, it’s easy to spot bad plastic surgery – the “trout pouts” and the “puffy face” – but what about the subtle changes and minor tweaks?

   Whether you’re wondering if your favourite celebrity had a breast enhancement or if your next door neighbour’s nose looks slightly different, there are telltale signs of plastic surgery.

   “These days, it seems like everyone – and their mother – is getting a little “nip ‘n tuck”, says Dr Paul Carniol, a clinical professor at the New Jersey Medical School in the US. “With constant advances in the plastic surgery world, procedures are producing subtler and more natural results. So it can be harder to spot faces or other body parts that may have gone under the knife.”

   Dr Carniol reveals top signs to look for if you suspect someone’s undergone plastic surgery.

Breast Augmentation

Position. Breasts that are too high up on the chest or too rounded have been augmented, as natural breasts start around the armpit height and have a more gradual slope. While a pushup bra can give the illusion of height, breasts that still remain under the chin once it’s been removed have likely had work done.

Spacing. Breasts that sit too far apart are likely a result of poor positioning during surgery.

Stretch marks. Stretch marks on the breasts can of course occur naturally due to weight loss, gain and breastfeeding, but drastic changes in the bust size due to surgery will also cause the skin to stretch.

Proportion. Consider the proportion of her breasts to the rest of her body. Large breasts on a very slim build may look disproportionate, and could be indicative of a little help.

Movement. Natural breasts move with the body, falling forward when a woman leans over and falling flat and to the side when she lies on her back. Breasts that have been augmented often lack this natural movement and remain pert at all times – a key indicator that surgery has been performed.

Facelift

Altered hairline. Frequently, when excess skin is repositioned too high, the hairline in the temple area will move up and back, giving the patient a receding hairline.

   The same is true in a coronal browlift, where the incision in the scalp pulls the hairline back, resulting in too large forehead.

   Both of these problems are easier to prevent than repair. All that needs to be done is that the incision for each procedure should be at the hairline so that no hair-bearing tissue is removed or repositioned.

   Excessively high brows. Nothing scares patients more than the thought of looking surprised for the rest of their lives. Fortunately, excessive brow elevation is easily prevented. The most important thing is for the patient and the plastic surgeon to agree ahead of time what the goal of the procedure is.

   Rotated or distorted ears. If too much tension is placed on the skin around the ears, two problems can develop.

   One is that the ear will rotate so it will look more sideways than the normal near vertical. Even worse is when too much tension on the ear lobe causes stretching of the lobe and results in the “pixie-ear deformity”. Both of these problems can be prevented if the surgeon makes sure to anchor any tissue under tension to a deep structure such as muscle or bone. When this is done, the ears usually look normal after a facelift.

   Occasionally, with the passage of time, ears that looked good immediately after surgery will elongate.

   In men who have had a facelift it is possible for the beard-containing skin to move behind the ears.

   Some people look artificially tight after facelift. With the passage of time, people lose facial volume as well as develop loose facial skin. If this volume loss is not addressed, people can look tight and “shrunken” rather than full and rejuvenated.

Liposuction

   Loose skin. If too much fat is removed during a procedure or the patient isn’t blessed with elastic skin, it can result in sagging skin where the liposuction was performed. The person will have less fat but probably won’t like their new look.

   The bulge. See if there are any unusual bulges on the person’s body. One unfortunate side effect of liposuction is little pockets of fat appearing irregularly – this can be corrected with additional surgery.

Lip injections 

   Look at the lips. If lip plumping is not performed artistically, the lips will have an unnatural contour and a “trout mouth” appearance. Most people have a fuller lower lip than upper lip, but often patients who’ve received filler have disproportionately full upper lips. This also may have give them a “trout mouth” appearance.

   Consider the mobility of the person’s lips. Excessive lip plumping injections can make it harder to pursue the lips and make other finely tuned facial gestures. If the person can’t pucker up naturally, a lip procedure is probably the culprit.

   See if there’s lots of swelling. Recent patients will have very full, swollen mouths.

Botox and other neuromodulators 

   In order to obtain a natural appearing result with Botox and other neuromodulators, it is important that the physician performing the treatments has a good understanding of the facial musculature.

   Among the telltale signs of neuromodulators, including Botox, is overarching of the eyebrows, over-depression of the central portion of the eyebrows, unnatural loss of all forehead motion and excessive depression of the eyebrows.