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How is your Countenance?
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Greetings!
When you are in a merry mood With company so good May all you say Throughout your stay Be noble, kind and good.
Be wise and circumspect, my friend, Until the very end For should your wayward speech cost dear You cannot blame the beer!
Elijah Lim
For those of you who chose to countenance my attempt at a little prose, thank you, and do read on!
The word "countenance" is not used very often in today's environment. I would like to use it here as something beyond facial expressions and attitudes of condescension or approval. The word "vibes" is something that comes to my mind when I think of the word "countenance". "Body language" and "tell-tale signs" might also help to describe how I perceive "countenance" being used.
All of us tend to set great store by our "image" and "branding", and rightly so. After all, great business and personal relationships start forming only when we look-sound-feel-smell good to other people. We attract or repel with our facial expressions, posture, gait, elegance, dressing, perfume, cologne, shoes, demeanour, hairstyle and quite a few other things even before we open our mouths to speak. When I think of "countenance", it is all these things that come to my mind.
So, how is your countenance, my friend? Is it bright, cheerful and uplifting, or is it  otherwise? If it is the former, how do you maintain it constantly? If the latter, do you want a change? Whatever the case, you need to make decisions beforehand. Decisions to serve others. Decisions to stand for what is noble and just for all your stakeholders. Decisions to ensure that you deliver value, not just look at profit. Decisions to encourage, comfort, rebuke, hire or fire others as and when appropriate. Decisions to consciously be known as "What you see is what you get" (WYSIWYG).
As leaders in business, community and family, we cannot afford not to decide beforehand where these matters are concerned. Have you settled them yet? Only then will you truly become of great value to all your stakeholders, to your immense profit!
Go well! |
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