Beverly Inman-Ebel is CEO of a management consulting firm, TLC, Talk, Listen Communicate, LLC, the former president of (NAWBO) National Association of Women Business Owners. A champion of women in business, she travels extensively and has spoken in Belarus, Ireland, France and Russia. She recently returned from a speaking engagement in China where she was impressed with the size, the vision and the challenges of China and the Chinese economy and here are her thoughts on what she experienced: << MORE >>

Do you recall the first time you stepped into an international business reception at a major hotel and found yourself amidst a sea of Asian faces? If so, you may also have noticed a diversity of Asian cultures and conversations  in some incomprehensible languages: Cantonese Chinese, Hindi, Korean, Malay, Mandarin Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese, and perhaps others.

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To many of us, the idea of using two sticks with one hand to pick up a piece of chicken or vegetable from a plate or bowl and putting that same piece of chicken or vegetable into our mouth without dropping it is beyond one’s imagination. However, this is what one out of every five people in the world does at mealtime on a daily basis. These people with such dexterity with chopsticks live in what we call “chopsticks nations” such as China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam.

Globally, not all Asians use chopsticks as their eating utensils. For example, Asian Indians, Pakistanis, Sri Lankans, Nepalese, Tibetans, Mongolians, Filipinos, and Indonesians generally do not use chopsticks, unless they learn to use them.

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Where is the field of diversity headed? Russell Griffin, former Assistant Vice President at MetLife in charge of diversity offers his perspective on future directions. Russell is currently the President/CEO of Griffin MarCom Inc. and Vibe Entertainment. His clients include committed entrepreneurs and major corporations. He has a broad background in the area of diversity and more than a few insights into the field that continue to be valid here in the South. << MORE >>

There are two basic motivations of the entrepreneurial spirit. The first is the business side of the endeavor and its bottom line, otherwise known as ‘show me the money.’  The second motivation is self-fulfillment. Some refer to this element of entrepreneurship as ‘personal satisfaction.’  At the core of the vague term ‘personal satisfaction’ is what is best described as a spiritual sense of purpose. This spirituality is sometimes linked to one’s faith tradition, but is not necessarily so. Rather, there is a commonality in this spiritual sense that translates across the boundaries of specific religions.

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DEBORAH J. LEVINE is president of DEBORAH LEVINE ENTERPRISES LLC A cross-cultural trainer and award-winning author, Deborah trains international executives to acculturate to the South. Her textbook, Matrix Model Management System: Guide to Cross Cultural Wisdom, was created and field tested by the Women's Council on Diversity. She now trains expats and executive exports in the Southeast. A pioneer in the field of Global Leadership training for teens, her book, Inspire Your Inner Global Leader, was field tested in Youth Global Leadership Classes co-taught with experts associated with Volkswagen Chattanooga executives. Her upcoming book, Going Southern – The No-Mess Guide to Success in the South, wil be avalable in Summer 2013.<< MORE >>

Mother's Day and Father's Day are great American traditions, but I'm not sure I like them. Unhappily, I have a really big problem with these days because I don’t have the goods. My mother and grandmother who were such loving figures in my life are gone. My father, who I take after in so many ways, is gone, too. I’m not that old and I feel a bit sorry for myself.

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Some of  us have extra-sharp hearing, and others begin to lose their hearing at different times. For the first time in history, 20% of those in their late teens and early 20's are reporting signs of a hearing loss - a problem that will cause major challenges for commerce and industry. (One cause for this is loud music played through earbuds for too long.) 

Presbycusis, hearing loss caused by age,  is another challenge, and often starts in the late 50's or early 60's. By age 65, one third of Americans experience this problem.

There are simple, practical strategies that can help. Here are three taken from the e-book, "What did you say?" (http://www.businessspeechimprovement.com/impairment).

First, reduce or eliminate competing noises.

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About Asian Americans                                                                                             

While we usually focus on the outstanding success in school or business of Asian Americans, their remarkable achievements were often matched by young Asian immigrants for whom English was a second language. Part of their success story has been the old-world ethics of their parents, who often left their Asian homes without any material possessions and who had to work very hard to achieve their goals.

Beyond their common struggles for success in a very different world, the various Asian American ethnic groups should not be lumped together as if they were homogeneous. Their cultures are distinct, and each of these ethnic groups came to the United States under widely varying circumstances.

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“You’re daughter has a big pisk!” yelled dad as he yanked open my car door. I’d just finished my Chanukah gift shopping and driven into my parents’ driveway. I was time to pick up my toddler from the babysitting grandparents. “Ah, this should be good,” I thought. “One immovable object meets another.” I knew better than to ask what happened or admit to ignorance about the ‘pisk’. Years later I learned it meant ‘big mouth’ in Yiddish, a childhood language my father claimed he’d forgotten. << MORE >>

Oh my dear America
You will always be my first love
You gave me the spirit and wings
And let me fly, free, like a dove
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