Mining Unique Traits for Your Resume

Mining Unique Traits for Your ResumeMining Unique Traits for Your ResumeHeres how to discover your best traits and communicate them on a resume, even the most eccentric.Andrew Salsman has what he calls the uncanny - and many say stupid - ability to name every Academy Award Best Picture winner in less than a minute.We all have unique abilities. Maybe your best trait is your smooth voice, always soothing on a client call. Or maybe its the ability to translate complex technical concepts.The problem is ansicht traits arent necessarily quantifiable, which can make their inclusion on a resume unintuitive. Whats worse, often were not even aware that our past employers have czu sichished these things or that our future managers might.Its time to cast the light of day on these hidden treasures. To find out how to mine your gems and how to communicate them on a resume, we turned to the career coaches/resume writers whose work it is to unearth their clients true worth and to package those sub tle intangibles. We also checked in with people who found their own best skills and successfully wooed employers with them. Heres what they had to offer.Ask others what makes you uniqueJill Nussinow, MS, RD - aka The Veggie Queen - is a teacher and a food and nutrition strategist. At one point, someone was kind enough to pass along to her an exercise called Unique Ability, by Dan Sullivan, the co-founder and president of The Strategic Coach.The work entails sending a list of questions to about 10 people, asking for honest feedback. Preferably, ask a mix of friends, family and business associates.The questionsWhat am I doing when I shine the brightest?Where do you see my excellence combined with my passion?They might come up with a single unique ability or several there is no right answer, no right amount, Nussinow said. It can be a word or a phrase or a complete paragraph. I suggest if the feedback isnt given to you in writing, you write it down immediately.According to Sulliva ns paradigm, the answers will fall into the following four categoriesLevel 4 What you are incompetent atLevel 3 What you are competent atLevel 2 What you are excellent at but your soulmusik doesnt get fedLevel 1 What you excel at, combined with your passion, equals your unique abilitiesIn Nussinows case, almost everyone responded, and she found herself with a surprising list of special traits her respondents valued in her.Here are some of the traits they sent herGood listener, caring, makes you feel comfortableSharp wit, good memory, humorCreative spirit, funFully presentAnd heres the summation she distilled from the feedbackYou inspire excitement about fresh and healthy foods, communicate passionately and expertly about the joys of eating well, connecting your readers and listeners to the land, to the growers, and to the preparers of the foods they eat.She wound up using the information to help define and refine her business and the jobs she wanted to pursue.Follow yourself for a w eekFor his part, life/career coach Schuyler Manhattan simply observed himself closely for a week before uncovering his knack for eloquently wording his talents and skills. For example, in college, he was working a retail job. Heres how he described on his resume his decision to use two-way radios to send shoppers between fitting roomsDevising a new system for optimal communication between fitting rooms, resulting in unprecedented efficiency and consumer satisfaction.To uncover their own treasures, Manhattan advises clients to spend a week compiling a list, given that the things we do, even outside of work, are things that were good at, he said.For example, one of his clients noted her love of learning and reading. That indicated great research skills, Manhattan said. Another example Does your child ask you to read to her every night? Do friends call you to calm them down?Such things reflect a pattern You most likely have a soothing voice and the ability to bring calm to hectic situa tions, Manhattan noted. Employers can certainly see the value in this, and all it takes is explicitly citing this talent with a notable achievement or project to add to a great resume.Gilding your resumeAnd lest we forget Andrew Salsman, the man who can recite all Academy Award Best Picture winners in less than a minute After months of sending his resume out without a single response, he included this unique ability. He was then contacted by three potential employers and hired by WRC-TV, the NBC television affiliate in Washington.During his interview, the news director told him that the station had received hundreds of resumes. What made his stand out?In the news directors words It was the Oscar thing.

7 military principles you should apply to your business strategy

7 military principles you should apply to your geschftlicher umgang strategy7 military principles you should apply to your business strategyBusiness strategy is a powerful phrase. People like to use it to impress others, and audiences listen up when you talk about it. But its also one of the most overused and - in some cases - misused phrases.These days, I hear the term thrown around a lot. Businesses and so-called thought leaders talk about emerging trends in strategy with each passing year. But must these strategies change over time?There is a saying that 20% of businesses in every industry take in 80% of the earnings. I believe this is because they have a time-tested business strategy that encompasses each of the following basic principles, which are based on the ideas of the renowned Prussian military theorist Carl von Clausewitz and incorporated in the U.S. Army Field Manual of Military Operations.Clausewitz, a widely-renowned strategic theorist, believed that war and business shared a good deal of similarities and that both involve a clash of interests. His insights and strategy not only significantly influence modern business, but also offer an opportunity for managers who want to improve their global business strategies.The Principle of ObjectiveEvery action must have a clearly defined and actionable goal. Thats the first principle of an effective strategy. Though it may sound obvious, I cannot stress the importance of being certain on what you have set out to accomplish - and how you plan on achieving it.Business owners who spend time defining clear objectives for their company and employees are usually the most profitable, and by a significant margin. These businesses carry out their operations in the most efficient and effective manner because each employee (no matter how many there may be) knows exactly what their role is, what they are expected to deliver, and by what time they need to do it.My companys vision is to build delightfully smart tool s. Its an objective that trickles down to every single employee as a clearly defined anschauung of purpose.The Principle of OffensiveBusiness, like war, is an intense fight for survival - and survival requires you to be on the offensive. As a technology entrepreneur, I constantly make adjustments to thrive in todays economic climate.Challenging your competitors and winning battles is the only way to move up the ladder of success. Every market has challenges, and only by taking them head-on can you create your own space.History shows you dont win battles on the defensive. Rather, you need to identify your competitions strengths and, and more importantly, their weaknesses. Look for a chink in the armor that can be exploited. Instill a relentless attack mindset, continuously going on the offensive with new products, services and ways to reach your ideal prospect and communicate with them.The Principle of MassThe principle of mass is about concentrating your power at the right place an d time Concentrate combat power at the decisive place and time.Applied to business, this means you should wait for that decisive moment before you seize the opportunity. And when that moment is upon you, only then should you concentrate all your resources to achieve the desired market position. This is often seen in practice by businesses that deal with seasonality, where major transactions are carried out over a small period of time requiring a massive allocation of resources.The Principle of ManeuverBusinesses need to remain flexible and have enough maneuverability to continue pursuing innovative and creative ways to better serve their customers. Despite all odds, and no matter what the competition does, businesses need to continue moving forward and always look for simpler, cheaper and faster ways to serve customers, increase sales and achieve higher returns on investment.The principle of maneuver requires you to use speed, surprise and economy of effort as the key elements with which to defeat your competition. If you dont move decisively, you stagnate. And when you stagnate, you risk going out of business. Maneuver is an act of initiative, resulting in long-term business gains and sustainable growth.The Principle of SurpriseThe most common and classic mistake that a business can make is to be predictable. This doesnt necessarily mean you need to introduce a brand-new product, but it can often be in the form of an improved and repositioned product that has been given a major overhaul.In order to stay ahead of the competition, businesses need to constantly strive towards developing a competitive advantage with products, marketing strategies, services, processes, sales strategies and by adopting new technology.The Principle of SecurityAs a business, you must protect your valuable assets and resources. Your competitors are always on the lookout for any vulnerabilities that you may offer, which they could exploit to gain an advantage.Social, mobile, and cloud technologies have grown integral to the functioning of most businesses, leading to higher levels of innovation and business transformations. Security should no longer be a deterrent to this momentum rather, its time for businesses to analyze and mitigate risks to acceptable levels while moving forward.The Principle of SimplicityIn the words of Karl von Clausewitz, Everything in war is simple, but the simplest thing is difficult. The difficulties accumulate and end by producing a kind of friction that is inconceivable unless one has experienced war.As a strategic leader, you need to make several decisions as you plan ahead. Whats important, however, is that these plans remain clear, succint and easy to understand if they are to be executed without issue.By taking these steps, you put yourself in the position to scale your company and maintain your advantage against changing markets and new competitors over time.Thisarticleoriginally appeared onBusiness Collective.BusinessCollective, launched in partnership with Citi, is a virtual mentorship program powered by North Americas most ambitious young thought leaders, entrepreneurs, executives and small business owners.

7 Intangible Job Benefits to Look For

7 Intangible Job Benefits to Look For7 Intangible Job Benefits to Look For10Most job seekers have a list of benefits they keep an eye out for when looking for a new job. However, there are several intangible job benefits to look for in a job when conducting a search. Outside of the standard benefits package, many job seekers forget to look for the intangible benefits, which could make all the difference in your success and happiness with the position.During a job search, some of the most common sought-after benefits include medical and dental insurance, paid vacation, and some sort of retirement benefit. Often lost from thought are the intangible benefits that can help support a foundation for a successful career. From flexible work options to overall job satisfaction, there are several intangible benefits to keep in mind during a job search.7 Intangible Job Benefits to Look for in a JobWork-Life Balance Flexible work options help employees to create work-life balance. From flexible schedules to some sort of telecommuting arrangement, work-life balance is a benefit not to be overlooked. Find flexible jobs hiring now here.Health/Wellness Focus A company that has a focus on your health and well-being is going to be a company that is invested in YOU. Whether this is an on-site health and wellness program or a paid gym membership, a health-centric environment is immeasurable.Esteemed Employer Being proud of who you work for and taking pride in the company is a benefit that cannot be taken lightly. Not only does it make you feel good, it is a fantastic addition to any resume.Job Satisfaction There is a substantial difference between having a job and then having a job that you enjoy. If you are satisfied with the company and your job, then work will seem like much more than just another four-letter word. It will actually be something you enjoy doing.Autonomy Nobody wants to be micromanaged and have every single detail of his or her day scrutinized. Being given the fr eedom to complete work autonomously can mean the difference between a short-term job and a career.Purpose We are human and not robots after all. Having a purpose behind work creates an environment for success, happiness, and growth. Without a purpose, it is pretty hard to care about what you are doing.Chance for Mastery Very few people accept a job knowing that they will have absolutely no chance of growing professionally or getting to learn something new. Look for jobs that offer the ability to master new skills, as well as an environment that supports professional growth.Benefits are not solely comprised of the typical items offered by companies. Outside of a competitive salary, insurance, and retirement, there are benefits that have no solid monetary value assigned to them. behauptung intangible job benefits are equally as important and should be looked for during a job search.Readers, what intangible job benefits do you look for in a job? Share with us in the comment section bel ow

Iberia airlines forced to end pregnancy tests for female job candidates

Iberia airlines forced to end pregnancy tests for female job candidatesIberia airlines forced to end pregnancy tests for female job candidatesWhen youre applying for a job, you may have to complete specific employer requests. A background check? Fine. Provide references? Cool. Take a drug test? Alright.Buttake a pregnancy test?One airline tried that, and has been mired in controversy ever since.This week, Iberia airlines, which is based in Spain, announced that it would no longer require its female job candidates to take a pregnancy test. Whats behind the decision? Well, the company welches fined 25,000 euros, or $28,000, for gender discrimination, according to The New York Times.Although the airline will bedrngnis appeal the fine, Iberia defended its practice, saying it welches for the safety of its employees so that employees would not be assigned tasks that endangered their health or that of the fetus. Doctors advise pregnant women not to fly in their final trimester due to medica l risks like blood clots and deep vein thrombosis from cabin pressure. After Ladders contacted Iberia, the airlines press office said it was specifically following a Spanish royal decree, which limits the activities pregnant workers can do. Under the decree, pregnant workers cannot be exposed to heavy manual labor, extreme noise, cold and heat and non-iodizing radiation.There are additional reasons that the airline may have wanted to limit pregnant women from flying. Iberia says that it applies International Air Transport Association rules to employees. On page 37 of its medical manual, the IATA suggests cautions for pregnant women in order to avoid the effects of cosmic radiation. Long-haul flights expose flyers to cosmic radiation, which cannot be shielded like X-rays can the only way to reduce it, the IATA suggest, is by reducing the altitude of the entire plane.The IATA says regulations requires airlines to reduce the dose of cosmic radiation received by the foetus to a level as low as reasonably achievable. As a result, a number of European airlines have made the decision to assign all female flight and cabin crew members to ground duties on declaration of pregnancy. Iberia said cabin crew members get reassigned when they tell the airline they are pregnant.Research says, however, that flight attendants dont have miscarriages any more often than teachers do.In a statement, the airline said it will no longer include the pregnancy test in the medical examination prior to the hiring that was only done to ensure that they were not at risk.There is no reason to justify itBut the Balearic Islands government and union officials werent buying Iberias justification. One of Spains major labor unions, the Unin General de Trabajadores, issued a clear rebuke of the policy In no case can this information be requested from a person who aspires to be an airline worker and there is no reason to justify it.Iberia said that this medical test was one of many for its job appli cants, and had no bearing on the companys hiring decisions.A twist Iberia said that it always hires pregnant women who meet the companys job requirements.As an example, the company cited how last year it hired five pregnant women for its handling division. The only pregnant applicant who got rejected was because she failed a plane-driving test, not because she was pregnant, Iberia said.The case, however, hinged on a simple standard there was no way a male employee could take the same test.Airlines in general are struggling with gender discrimination issues related to their employees. In April, two female Aeroflot flight attendants sued the Russian carrier for enforcing a weight and appearance guideline. The flight attendants who failed this test were pulled from doing prestigious international long-haul flights and had their pay docked.Aeroflot won both court cases. Aeroflot is a premium airline and part of the reason people pay for tickets is the appearance of its employees, Aerofl ots public council member Pavel Danilin said in its unapologetic defense.In May, two Frontier flight attendants sued their airline because they said they were not allowed to pump breast milk on duty. The flight attendants were required to work 10-12 hour shifts but were not given the time or space to pump milk, the federal complaint alleged.And United faced resistance earlier this year when it was revealed that the airline has a dress-code policy of banning leggings for employees and their relatives. Since men dont wear leggings, many complained that the policy was biased.An employment offer thats conditional upon you being pregnant is explicitly against the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commissions mandate that pregnant applicants must be treated in the same manner as other applicants or employees who are similar in their ability or inability to work.

4 Common Sales Management Obstacles

4 Common Sales Management Obstacles4 Common Sales Management ObstaclesSales managers tend to face the same kinds of problems regardless of the company or industry for which they work. Most businesses share at least a few common issues, so knowing how to cope with them is an important part of being a good sale manager. Particularly if youre considering changing jobs from schlussverkaufperson to sales manager, a familiarity with these potential stumbling blocks will help you navigate the transition more smoothly. Little or No Training Executives often believe that the best way to handle sales management is by promoting the top seller into a leadership role than letting him or zu sich sink or swim. Unfortunately, sales training doesnt translate to sales management training. If youve recently been promoted or you seek growth within your company, ask your supervisor or HR representative about management training opportunities. If your company doesnt offer these opportunities internall y, or they dont currently have a scholarship or co-funding program in place, taking a course on your own time and dime will be money well spent if the class teaches you how to make your job much easier. The Wrong Responsibilities Many sales manager positions are actually more like sales manager/marketing manager/administrative manager positions. The sales manager gets all vaguely sales-related scutwork shoved onto his desk and ends up spending valuable time that could be used actually managing the sales team filling out paperwork, coordinating campaigns with other departments, making presentations to executives, and writing reports instead. If you find yourself falling into this trap, track how much time you spend on various tasks and present the log to your boss explaining your need to refocus the position on sales management responsibilities. Hiring an administrative assistant or at least bringing in a temp may be all thats required to solve the problem. No Freedom to Act Sales managers are generally identified as middle management, responsible for managing their sales teams while still reporting to higher-level managers themselves. An unfortunate side effect of middle management structure is that sales managers may be required to get authorization from upper management in order to act to resolve problems. For example, if a team member is failing due to lack of proper training, poor territory assignment, or simply not doing the job, the sales manager may be required to seek approval from several different people before an appropriate fix can be applied even when the solution is obvious. Meanwhile, the salespersons poor performance continues to affect the teams overall performance and drags down the managers numbers. Drawing up action plans and getting approval for them ahead of time can help to streamline resolution processes in circumstances like these. If the sales manager already has executive approval for a sales training program, all thats requ ired is permission to deploy the plan as needed no need to wait for a specific course of training to be debated. Lack of Information Sales managers know what leads are distributed to their sales team, andare very aware of how many deals each salesperson closes (especially since many sales managers have compensation plans tied to how well their teams perform). However, what goes on in between lead acquisition and closing the sale can be a mystery to the manager. Without a clear understanding of the sales process, sales managers are at a deficit for figuring out what may be wrong when a sales team begins to fall under quota. A good CRMprogram can help track processes as long as each salesperson is careful to update records as each sale progresses. Another option is to set activity goals for the sales team. For example, each salesperson might be responsible for making 100 cold calls and 5 appointments per week, with the calls and appointments logged on a sheet of paper and turned in to the sales manager every Friday. This gives the manager more data with which to understand the teams sales process, and allows early response to problems and issues.

The Fight Against Salesman Resume Skills

The Fight Against Salesman Resume Skills You should make certain to emphasize any work in sales which you have, even supposing it isnt directly pertinent to auto sales. Whenever you are with customers you make them feel they are with a skilled and that you are here in bestellung to serve them. Sales is a very competitive field where rival brands attempt to outshine each other in the opinion of their consumers. To make an eye-catching retail sales associate resume, you will need to incorporate a few crucial components. There are plenty of qualifications that are expected to turn into a car salesman. You must be in a position to relate, bond and build rapport with each customer if you need to sell more cars. In case it includes pertinent info and it appears like its been prepared by a possible employee thats ready to go the additional mile it will make you distinguish yourself from the crowd. You should listen very closely to your customer since they will explain to you how to sell them a vehicle, but if you dont listen closely you will just create another Be-Back. There are a lot of ways to learn new skills. If youre not certain which skills you wish to share, consider your prior experiences. Instead, review the job posting for the essential skills and be certain to list the vital skills you do possess. Analytical skills are the ability to assemble information, visualize and solve complex together with simple issues with the information available. There are a couple of rules to bear in mind in regards to sales copywriting. There are lots of various ways to approach sales, but all of them tend to rely on precisely the same sets of skills. Its so critical to be sure your soft skills are extremely clearly communicated in the body of the resume. Remember that critical thinking a part of good analytical skills. If you own a computer with ja processing capabilities you may use the salesperson resume templates below. Given how busy the typical buyer is today, an important sales skill is to ensure that you communicate succinctly. Everyone can learn to be an effective salesperson, and decent salespeople may get wonderful ones by honing these sales skills. A sincere salesman doesnt face any difficulty to attain his target. The more you know about a man and his or her wants in a vehicle, the more you may steer her or him in the appropriate direction. Every time youve got to visit the desk to obtain an answer you eliminate a bit more respect. Still, a lot of people find car sales a thrilling occupation due to the large commissions a man or woman can make. In sales, they expect you to be persistent. Unless a salesman works hard, its very hard for him to acquire the comprehensive understanding of the clients and product. Therefore he should try to acquire certain good posture in order to attract customers. Your car salesman resume should emphasize your capacity to communicate with professionals and possible customers. Finally, the very best car salesmen knows the way to listen to a customer and take her or his suggestions, financial circumstance and concerns into consideration when selecting a vehicle. Your grip in product knowledge has to be strong as youre always requested to specify the goods of the organization. The capability to communicate effectively with others is vital for sales success. You are able to always discover a way to come up with your skills, work on your pitch, and find out more about the services and products you sell. Inadequate product knowledge is unacceptable in the realm of selling.

A Very Chinese Career Goal

A Very Chinese Career Goal In the three years I lived in mainland China, I never met even one Chinese college or university student who didnt say that chief (indeed, usually first) among career ambitions was the desire and the duty to repay parents for their devotion and sacrifices (which were considerable for the impoverished rural families many of these students came from). Duty and desire to repay parents? When was the last time you heard that in a job interview, a casual conversation or anywhere else, for that matter?In my experience, such virtually universal filial gratitude has been unique (even though I can cite numerous examples of intense family devotion in the many Asian countries I have visited or lived in, including Japan, and some here in the West).Cultural Factors Generational Contrasts, Confucian Piety and The Rectification of NamesAmong the reasons for that career goal and extreme loyalty and gratitude to parents areStark lifestyle contrasts between parent and child Many of those struggling parents (like those in these home photos taken by one university scholarship student, Miya, whom I came to know) did and do have to get up at 3 a.m. and leave their simple cottages, in all weather, to wearily cart and sell vegetables by the side of some road, hoping to cobble together enough of an income to clothe and educate their children.When notlage on the road, those parents are in the fields or in their Spartan, often no more than two-room house (plus hearth), doing what must be done and making do with what little they have, which may include a lot of plain porridge and rice, but rarely fresh meat or vegetables.The average rural Chinese family income? $200 per month, for a lifestyle that, in very many instances, still lacks indoor toilets, any bath, central heating, real roads, private space or a real stovenot to mention any car, HDTV screen, take-out pizza, Apple co mputers or summers at poolside for the kids or anyone else in the family.A CHINESE UNIVERSITY SCHOLARSHIP STUDENTS MOM, THRESHING GRAINGratitude of children toward parents is far likelier when it is so painfully and movingly obvious that the childlike so many of the Chinese students whom I got to knowis enjoying a faraway urban university lifestyle that her countryside parents can only dream of, and then only for their children.Ironically and in contrast, because so many baby-boomer Western parents have enjoyed home-owning and vacationing lifestyles that their two-job, student-loan burdened, underemployed graduate offspring can now only dream of, many modern kids and job seekers may feel that there are fewer, if any, parental sacrifices to acknowledge and repay.This suggests that instead of complaining that some modern kid or employee in the West is an ingrate for not making parental payback a high priority, we take comfort in knowing that at least many more of their parents were ab le to raise them without the kinds of crushing sacrifices that Chinese peasant parents have had to make.(Cynics will take their comfort in the view that all parental investment, however burdensome, is undertaken with some payoff expectedin the form of grandchildren or retirement care. But, lets not go there, here.)Confucian emphasis on filial duty, rather than on rights It may be argued that one reason China has been accused of lagging in recognition and enforcement of human and other rights is that its Confucian culture has traditionally emphasized duty over rights, in particular, the duty of children toward parents and the duty of the individual to his or her family. What counts, in that scheme of things, are an individuals duties, not his or her rights.a view that makes sense in a traditionally purely agrarian society characterized by close-knit family farming.This emphasis on duties does, on the positive side of the ethical and cultural ledger, have one edifying aspect In many i nteractions, the Chineselike the Japaneseare more likely to get and exchange what they want by packaging interactions with others as exercises in obligations, rather than as an exercise of rights.For example, consider how we, here at home in the West, get what we want I have a CD that you really like you have one that Id like to have. So, we trade in a simple deal between friends. My giving you my CD entitles me to yours, in what we agree is a fair exchange.Now shift the deal to the Far East the same two CDs, but this time, because harmony, duty and sacrifice are highly valued, a Chinese or Japanese is far more likely to offer to give you the CD. The second party, having the same code of behavior and feelings, will also offer to give his or hers as a no-strings gift..Materially, both the Western and Far Eastern deal-makers have gotten what they wanted someone elses CD. Psychologically, however, the two deals couldnt be more differentThe Westerner has, through an exercise of his or h er rights, namely, entitlement to something in a fair exchange, gotten what was wanted and owed. The Asian, through fulfillment of his or her duty, as an obligation to consider the wants and needs of others, got what (s)he wanted, by giving demanded only by conscience, not by the contractual, enforceable expectations of the other party.The Asian gets a bonus with the CD the warm feeling that someone has chosen to give something because it was the right and caring thing to do, not because it was expected as contractual fulfillment and exercise of self-asserted rights, with sanctions for non-compliance.When duties (such as the obligation to refrain from smoking), rather than rights (such as the right to demand that someone stop smoking) drive interactions, both parties are left with something to feel good about I did my duty and feel good about that you admire and respect me for it.Nothing remotely like that happens when we Westerners merely assert, defend and exercise our rights as e xercises in self-interest.The Rectification of Names Reinforcing this Confucian devotion to parents is a second Confucian doctrine the rectification of names (??zheng ming). This second pillar of Confucianism is the belief that, for the purpose of social and cosmic order, we must act in conformity to and live up to our names, titles and labels. A daughter or son who does not revere and honor his or her parents fails to live up to the expectations of the family name or the designation daughter or son.Hence, it should not be so surprising that Chinese children more readily and gladly acknowledge a duty to repay their parents than their Western counterparts. Failure to do so means failing to live up to ones name and labelwhich makes the child a living contradiction. Try suggesting to your kids that they have obligations to do housework, schliff homework or to make repaying you a high priority merely in virtue of being sons and daughters who are called son or daughter.GRATITUDE BEGINS H EREAs a tool of moral, political and social control and guidance, the rectification of names is brilliant and akin to getting people to do what you want by telling them they are the kind of people who would do precisely thatas R.D. Laing, the U.K. psychiatrist, pointed out.If you want someone to work hard, dont beg or threatenjust tell him he is such a hardworking employee and that you appreciate that very much. Just tell your son that he is your son, who, as such, will do all that is expected.In the workplace, comparable labels will accomplish the rest and eliminate the middleman (you) by getting the title or label, e.g., employee (which properly connotes hardworking and diligent), to exact compliance.Perhaps the closest Western approximation to the Chinese concept of the rectification of names in connection with filial piety is the Mafias code of family honor. Interestingly, in both the Mafia and Chinese culture, family piety is closely linked to something else corruption.The Pric e of PietyLike everything else, such gratitude toward parents or your Mafia family as a form of filial piety comes at a price. Lets say that such a sense of filial duty is largely a good thing and a personal and cultural strength. On the negative side of the ledger, however, is the consideration that the same Confucianism that undergirds such Chinese family devotion and respect of elders, like Mafia family devotion, has its dark aspect.In his insightful and enduring 1922 book, The Problem of China (free PDF), the British philosopher, mathematical logician, pacifist and edel Laureate Bertrand Russell suggested what that dark side has been.He argued that extreme devotion to family in China, a nation and culture he otherwise greatly admired, has fueled political and business corruption (as a means of ensuring the familys well being and as a consequence of duty to it above all else). How can bribery and cheating others be bad when it is for the good of the familySicilian or Chinese?(By contrast, Russell, lamenting the carnage of WW I and presciently fearful of the coming of WW II, maintained that the Western counterpart to family values has been patriotism, with the homicide of battle between nations filling in for corruption within one.)Such family-inspired proclivity to corruption does teach us a lesson It proves that sometimes not only do good intentions (to, above all, take care of ones family, including ones parents or extended family) have bad consequences (shafting everybody else, when necessary), but also that among these consequences are bad intentions (to shaft everybody else, when necessary).Here in the West, even if many kids, corrupt or not, are not sufficiently grateful to their parents to make repaying them their highest priority, these kids may still be grateful for one thingthat their parents have been affluent enough to afford their childrens college educations and buy distractions from their kids ingratitude.________________(Note All family and home photos were provided by Miya, devoted daughter and very bright Chinese university scholarship student, who never saw a train until she took one to go to her university to begin her freshman year. The old family home shown in the photo, was, with government assistance, replaced in 2011 with a brand-new, huge and much more modern brick one.)