Developing the Character of Success: Achieving in hard times

As someone in business, what is your most important asset? If your personality, your character, did not make it to the top of your list, it ought to have done. In this cogent, powerful, thoroughly argued book, Esther Mburani argues that the way you perceive and respond to situations, people and opportunities in business, the totality of that, is your business character. And that is fundamentally your brand. This book has one goal: coaching you into using your character to excel. The flexibility of principles and concepts in this book makes them applicable and effective in a broad spectrum, including self-identity, personal branding or re-branding, education, faith, career, relationships, parenting, health, business, entrepreneurship, management, and leadership. If you want to overcome challenges in your life and reach the top, this book will fast-track you.

Table of Contents:
Contents Acknowledgements 7 Chapter one Becoming 15 The four pillars of becoming: Calling, Conviction, Commitment, and Concentration 21 You must negotiate with life 39 Humility is a critical ally to becoming 41 Shyness, a liability to becoming 44 Shyness as a mild emotional/behavioural disability 45 Overcoming shyness 54 Chapter two The 'you factor' in thriving beyond hard times 63 Every crisis comes with hidden opportunities 64 You need to discover your position of advantage in a crisis 65 It is not big steps that count, but small ones you take in the right direction 65 Your background has no power to hold you back 73 No situation is too bad to jump from 75 Hope, the one thing that you should never surrender 76 Be aware of self-pity, the dangerous emotion that works against you 77 Search for solutions from within you 78 The danger of perceiving other people as a solution to your problems 79 You have the ability not only to survive but to thrive 80 Take time to build your success 83 Your mind 83 The effect of your mental wellbeing on the capacity to achieve 90 The impact of forgiveness on your success 94 Encourage yourself as often as possible 95 Refuse to carry other people's fears 97 Invest in hope 101 The price of success 102 The currency you use to buy success 103 Know your point of strength 112 Appreciate the chain of success 115 Understanding the value of a zero 121 Even giants need small people around them 133 Chapter three Pressure, an invaluable ally in achieving success 142 The Pressure Pyramid Theory of Success (PPTS) 143 Pressure from your environment 143 Pressure from other people 144 Pressure from self 145 The pressure synergy 147 Chapter four Determine the person you want to be 150 Know your value 150 Self-packaging 151 Be intentional in connecting with God 153 Allow God to take control 156 Chapter five The personal tree of success model 159 The seed and the cracking process 159 The embryo of success 161 Cracking and education processes 162 Cracking and career 168 Cracking in the marriage relationship 170 The usefulness of cracking in parenting 171 Cracking and personal goals 173 Cracking and attaining good health 174 Nurturing your personal tree of success 176 Pillar one: taproot (life) 179 Pillar two: the stem (your brain and the mind) 180 Pillar three: the branches (talent, character, skill) 182 Pillar four: the fruits 183 Chapter six The power of rejection 185 Tapping into the positive power of rejection 185 Chapter seven The disabling power of trying 193 The crippling power of 'trying' on your career 195 Changing you versus changing the job 197 You determine how you live your life 198 Chapter eight Overcoming crisis 200 Preparing for crisis 202 Antidotes to crisis 203 Antidote 1. Develop the faith that defies your crisis 203 Antidote 2: live for a calling that is bigger than the crisis you face. 212 Antidote 3: Make the right decisions at the appropriate time 219 Antidote 4: Accept reality and move forward 226 Antidote 5: Set goals that will keep you focused 227 Chapter nine The Potter's house experience 229 Resilience 229 Shielded by the Potter's hands 231 Endnotes 234

About the Author :
Esther Mburani was born in Uganda and currently lives in England. She has more than twenty-five year's rich experience of working with people. Esther has worked as a legal aid advisor, middle-level manager, top-level manager, HR, and director. Esther holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from Makerere University, Kampala and a Master of Science in Administration from Andrews University, Michigan, USA. Esther is married to Pastor Harrison Mburani, and they have four children.