values - Blogs - Black Business Women Online

Does Your Business Have Standards?

Posted by Regina E. Coley on September 18, 2012 at 3:34pm

Ever wonder how to incorporate your personal values into the way you work?

It's important to incorporate your personal values in the work you do. People connect to and respond with people and people leave bad managers not bad organizations or companies. With so many businesses lacking ethics and leaders facing worldwide criticims from poor leadership and management, leaders of organizations should incorporate their personal values into the work they do, especially entreprenuers! In doing so you set the standard for excellence within your company.

The following exercise is help you decide what you value most.

1. Go through the list below and write down the top 10 things you value most.

Achievement Friendships Physical challenge

Advancement and promotion Growth Pleasure

Adventure Having a family Power and authority

Affection (love and caring) Helping other people Privacy

Arts Helping society Public service

Challenging problems Honesty Purity

Change and variety Independence Quality of what I take part in

Close relationships Influencing others Quality relationships

Community Inner harmony Recognition (respect from others, status) Competence Integrity Religion

Competition Intellectual status Reputation

Cooperation Involvement Responsibility and accountability Country Job tranqulity Security

Creativity Knowledge Self-respect

Decisiveness Leadership Serenity

Democracy Location Sophistication

Ecological awareness Loyalty Stability Economic security

Market position Status Effectiveness

Meaningful work Supervising others Efficiency

Merit Time freedom Ethical practice

Money Truth Excellence

Nature Wealth Wisdom Excitement being around people who are open and honest Fame

Order (tranqulity, stability, conformity) Work under pressure

Fast living Personal development Work with others

Financial gain Freedom Working alone

2. Once you've captured that list write down how you display those values in your personal life.

3. Next I want you write down how you can display those values in your professional life.

4. Then I want you to look at that again and circle your top 5 values.

Those are what you are going to be known for showing and displaying at all times at work. Make sure you write them down and keep a company at your desk, in your wallet and make a post it note for your car.

Remember to look at them daily and ask yourself: How can I show this in my work today?

You can also complete the same activity for your business and once you've identified your top five values, create a values statement for how your company can display these values daily.

Prosperity of the Spirit means to Tap in the Power Within

Posted by Omitunde on April 7, 2009 at 9:15pm

Prosperity of the spirit comes about only with focused action and intention. It is not like cashing a check and seeing the goods you purchased.Every action is not a transaction there is not a tangible exchange or payoff for every thing we do in life.We operate in a system of values that is supposed to come from our family through the people that care for us and raise us.We learn to be honest individuals functioning as productive people responsible for representing our family as good citizens and respectable representations of our parents.Struggle and trauma can make us feel empty and disconnected from our very own family, like an outcast that one understands.Continue ReadingAfrican American Family Connection magazine promotes family values through original content and articles relating to the traditions, history, culture and social-environmental issues that challenge the quality of life for the black family. Omitunde, Creative Director http://www.africanamericanfamilyconnection.com

The Path to Happiness and Prosperity - TeleSeminar

Posted by Omitunde on April 10, 2009 at 6:44pm

This seminar is only for people who believe in prosperity!

Great! Since this includes you, read on.Recognize prosperity and correct your views about money.Gain the tools you will need to discover what is blocking your prosperity and change your views about money and wealth.Examine the milestones we experience in life that influence our attitude and values around money.Believe that you deserve the best and can receive it.We all want to pursue happiness by living a comfortable life and having all the things we want.Do you find that prosperity and wealth stays just beyond your reach?How do you get in your own way?* We can see prosperity when someone else has it.* Is there a difference in having money or wealth?* What does prosperity mean to you?* What are your symbols of prosperity.Send in your Prosperity Questions in advance to network@aafamilyconnection.comFacillator: Omitunde, mentor and creator of African American Family Connection “Kitchen Table Wisdom for A Stronger African American Family”®AAFC empowers families locally, nationally and globally to establish and reclaim a presence as a viable positive force for change. http://www.africanamericanfamilyconnection.comThe Teleseminar will be April 23rd, 2009Start time 7:00 p.m. EST (East Coast Time)AAFC Conference Line:218.486.1616 (Access Code Sent after Confirmation)So put the kids to bed early, get yourself settled and join us.

Register early to reserve your place now!http://africanamericanfamilyconnection.com/the-path-to-happiness-and-prosperity.htm

Do You Know James Ingram the Artist from Akron OH

Posted by Omitunde on March 13, 2009 at 12:28am

The latest music of one of my favorite artist and someone knew from my hometown is so awesome I want everyone to be blessed with this music as I have been for most of my life. James Ingram and I grew up in the same neighborhood, in Akron, Ohio and his music is so familiar to me.James has an extensive collection of music from Revelation Funk of the 1970’s to singing back up with Ray Charles and everyone remembers PYT “Pretty Young Thang” and “Secret Garden” just to mention a few of his talents.I have listened to his parents sing in church, his brother play the organ in church and stood next to his sister in our high school choir. Yes the entire family is talented and deeply Spiritual. This latest work brings back memories of that sleepy little industrial town where everyone worked at the rubber factory and went to church.His latest work reminds me of high school football games, summer picnics at Turkeyfoot Lake and going to church. “Stand in the Light” is reminiscent of Sunday school followed by morning service and a dinner after church already prepared waiting to be reheated.The testimony of a neighbor or someone “shouting” and being filled with the Spirit that morning in church inspired you to make a new commitment to yourself to be better because it could always be worse and that you could be in someone else’s shoes.In Don’t Let Go he sings of what his father taught him about lessons learned and enduring life on life’s terms. His family was a strong presence in the church as I remember them.Continue ReadingOmitunde, Publisher of African American Family ConnectionAn online magazine about African American Family values, traditions, and culture.Visit AAFC for the latest issue each month and a copy of "The Ripple Effect" E-Coursehttp://www.africanamericanfamilyconnection.com

This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine

Posted by Omitunde on February 19, 2009 at 2:32am

Aging in the African American Community

"This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine." My granddaughter sang this song to me to remind me to be present and available for my family to be thankful for my health and ability to maintain good health.It is awesome that I can play games with her and prepare my own meals, bathe myself, dress myself and maintain my own daily survival. There are many of my peers in my age group that cannot take care of themselves.Remember when grandma could watch the children and cook a big holiday meal, or granddad would repair our car and give us money when we needed it. When their health began declining and they needed us, we were not available.Omitunde, Publisher of African American Family ConnectionAn online magazine about African American Family values and community.Visit AAFC for the latest issue each month and a copy of "The Ripple Effect".http://www.africanamericanfamilyconnection.com

Sankofa, “go back and fetch it”

Posted by Omitunde on January 27, 2009 at 7:30pm

I grew up during a time when Black people were called Colored and Negro but what I remember most is how we really loved each other like extended family living close to each other in neighborhoods and communities that were interconnected. There were businesses owned by African American families, Irish families, German families, Italian families, Dutch families, so we did not go too far outside of our neighborhood for what we needed.There were many immigrant families living together and we all had the same challenges in our lives around survival. My community felt a web of love and connectedness. Our families worked together in harmony to support each other. I was not taught to make a distinction of skin color, mostly different languages and cultural practices within each family.As we look back at the history of African Americans, in the oral tradition of story telling from the Ashanti of West Africa the “Anansi the Spider” tales demonstrate the interconnectedness of the family as a web. In the story, Anansi sets out on a long, difficult journey, much like the journey of life for most families facing social-economic struggles, crowded living conditions and and health issues.Anansi was threatened by Fish and Falcon, representing the challenges of his journey and he is saved from terrible fate by his sons. The story is about family connection, forgiveness and love and demonstrates the strength of relationship in the face of danger.My community was made of women and men taking care of their families and each other in the extended community. Women expressed their support by preparing food for families when some was ill or by taking food to a family grieving the loss of a loved one. Even if they could barely afford to feed their own family, they would still make the sacrifice.Children played together in each others yards and ran free up and down their block. Most of us may have been poor, but we were rich in love, connection and caring.I remember crisp white sheets hanging from the clothes lines, children laughing and running and the smell of a home cooked meal. Read moreOmitunde, Publisher of African American Family ConnectionAn online magazine about African American Family values and community.Visit AAFC for the latest issue each month and a copy of "The Ripple Effect".http://www.africanamericanfamilyconnection.com

Public school system in crisis, how do we fix it?

Posted by Omitunde on December 15, 2008 at 7:00pm

It is widely known that the American Public School system has many problems that affect the quality of education resulting in low outcomes of our students ranking at the bottom of the list academically when compared to students in other industrialized countries. As a parent, I have a measured confidence in our public school system and frequently feel that there is no attainable solution to correct it. If you are low to middle income, you may not be able to afford a private school education or be available to educate your children at home. It does not hurt to bolster whatever work they are doing school with extra study assignments.

President Barack Obama’s mother woke him up at 4:30 a.m. to study before she went to work because that is the level of education she wanted for him, we have no excuse for not studying with our children so they get the most out the education that is available to them. Our children will model the behavior we demonstrate about education, if we do not value it, they will not see the importance of it either.The alternatives to public school education are home-schooling or a private school. If you are feeling stifled with dissatisfaction about the conditions in your public schools funded by the taxes you pay, you must do take a stand. The anxiety that borders on helplessness can empower you to create a new interests in the education of your entire family, including yourself. Most working families are hard pressed to spend time at their local school beyond Parent/Teacher conferences and seasonal programs or sports events. Read moreOmitunde, Publisher of African American Family ConnectionAn online magazine about African American Family values and community.Visit AAFC for the latest issue each month and a copy of "The Ripple Effect".http://www.africanamericanfamilyconnection.com

The Inspiration to Roar - Michelle Obama

Posted by Omitunde on December 4, 2008 at 7:30pm

Black women have always been an indispensable and fundamental bridge connecting, the elements and conditions of every day living to purpose, strength and determination. Working women were confirmed by the Feminist Movement that is it okay to be every woman successfully juggling multiple roles of wife, mother, caregiver and career while negotiating the obstacles of race, class and gender.In the past decade, there have been phenomenal achievements by Black women as Entrepreneurs Scientists, roles in technology, in the board room as executives, in many areas as athletes, world famous entertainers, television talk show hosts, moguls and actors in spite of socioeconomic indicators showing that Black women are still straggling to catch up to their White counterparts.A woman’s role today can be defined as a stay-at-home/work-at-home entrepreneur or a single working mother with a high powered corporate title trophy wife defined as a symbol of success and prowess being sought out by high powered men. Women have broken through the old barriers of sexism all the way to the White House.Read moreOmitunde, Publisher of African American Family ConnectionAn online magazine about African American Family values and community.Visit AAFC for the latest issue each month and a copy of "The Ripple Effect".

Health Issues for African American Women

Posted by Omitunde on December 12, 2008 at 3:00pm

Its that time of year again to make pledges and resolutions to get in shape, lose weight and make some changes. Let us be proactive this year and start now, lets work out ways to develop the tools we need to avoid stress. There are always statistics that tell us over and over that African have higher incidences of health disparities compared to other ethnic groups. We can choose to not listen because we may not want to believe the reports that African Americans have more cases of disease, disability, and early death compared to Whites but it is still an issue that we must examine. We cannot afford to dismiss the statistics, we must take an assessment of our individual health status.Motivation is a constant struggle due to work pressures, financial concerns and the every day occurrences resulting from how we choose to live our lives. Ask yourself this question: “Do I want to be trapped in a body that I cannot control?” I know you are saying that is not my situation and that will not happen to me. I am able to walk, talk, bathe myself, feed myself and take care of myself relatively well. I have health care and I hardly get sick, so I am exempt from this question.Or I have no health care, I exercise regularly and take supplements, I even get acupuncture treatments and watch my diet. Whatever we are doing is good, we can all take stock of ourselves on a regular basis and make improvements. If none of this applies to you, that is great, so help someone else to get motivated and get moving.African American women experience multiple health issues because we neglect our health even when we think we are healthy. African American women are less likely to receive health care; when they do receive care, they are more likely to receive it late. Having no noticeable symptoms is not an indication of good health. Many skip breakfast and opt for something quick with coffee, juice or tea with way too much sugar.Read more

Grandparents reinforce family values

Posted by Omitunde on December 10, 2008 at 8:00pm

Grand parents are the salt of the Earth! We have raised our families and worked for most of our lives to take care of ourselves and our families to the best of our ability. Providing safe shelter, clean living conditions, healthy food, a balanced environment free from abuse or neglect, was my goal for my children. Maintaining this level of clean drama free living requires discipline, focus and determination to live life with a consistent level of devotion to giving your children the best life you could.In our 50’s, 60’s and beyond we should be able live the life we have earned and do whatever we want to do in our retirement years. For some this is not until until the late sixties or even 70’s, now retirees work part time either out of necessity or to stay active. It is not so easy to retire nowadays unless you have a sound financial plan in place to cover the cost of living a comfortable existence.Health care, housing, food, life insurance, transportation, are essential whether you are a married or single retiree. We don’t want to be a burden to our children, we want to live the “golden years” when you can travel, indulge in your favorite hobbies, become a serious gardener and play with our grandkids when we want to.Read moreOmitunde, Publisher of African American Family ConnectionAn online magazine about African American Family values and community.Visit AAFC for the latest issue each month and a copy of "The Ripple Effect".

“A Mercy” by Toni Morrison

Posted by Omitunde on December 8, 2008 at 1:30pm

Toni Morrison is also known for her first book, The Bluest Eye, Song of Solomon, Sula and Beloved just to mention a few of those most well known. A Mercy is her ninth novel recently released this fall.Born Chloe Anthony Wofford, in 1931 in Lorain (Ohio), the second of four children in a black working-class family. Her parents moved to Ohio from the South to escape racism and to find better opportunities in the North.Toni Morrison is the first black woman to receive Nobel Prize in Literature. Her stories explore the experiences and roles of black women in a racist and male dominated society and celebrates the unique cultural inheritance of African-Americans.Storytelling is a tradition in the Black family as a way of sharing time together Morrison recalled listening to the older relatives use homespun wisdom when telling tales for hours at family gatherings when she was growing up in Ohio. Morrison’s relatives had her retell the stories she had heard from their mouths, a challenge she said she reveled in, adding her own embellishments to make the stories more outrageous. The stories, many of which she described as violent and “really terrible,” whetted her appetite for books, and to this day influence her writing.Read moreOmitunde, Publisher of African American Family ConnectionAn online magazine about African American Family values and community.Visit AAFC for the latest issue each month and a copy of "The Ripple Effect".

Using your child’s name to establish credit is Identity Theft!!

Posted by Omitunde on December 4, 2008 at 6:27pm

Tis the season to be careful!Everyone will be doing some serious shopping no matter what is reported about the economy. Nothing stops us from spending money during the holiday season. Where there is a will, there is a way and we will find a way.So while you are out there finding all those bargains to make your loved ones happy, what about someone stealing your identity and taking all of your hard money, or using your identity to make their own purchases. Identity Theft, what is it?This can happen, don’t think for one moment that just because you use a debit card and have direct deposit, that is cannot happen to you.This is the crime of obtaining the personal or financial information of another person for the purpose of assuming assuming that identity to steal it and use it to make purchases or establish credit without the victims’ knowledge.Read moreOmitunde, Publisher of African American Family ConnectionAn online magazine about African American Family values and community.Visit AAFC for the latest issue each month and a copy of "The Ripple Effect".

What Is your Favorite Holiday Dish for ThanksGiving?

Posted by Omitunde on November 17, 2008 at 2:30pm

My favorite is Cornbread Dressing! I learned to make my mother's dressing from "Scratch" as they say and I am the only in my family that can make it!I make the cornbread, I make my own broth and I get the whole family involved in chopping the veggies and preparing other dishes. At my house we celebrate the Harvest Season with a Harvest Meal. It is truly a time of being thankful as a family for everything about our lives that we take for granted.Tell me what is your favorite meal and I may share my recipe for Cornbread Stuffing....Omitunde, Publisher of African American Family ConnectionAn online magazine about African American Family values and community.Visit AAFC for the latest issue each month and a copy of "The Ripple Effect".

The Benefits of Owning vs Renting

Posted by Omitunde on November 3, 2008 at 1:00pm

Purchasing a home is an intimidating process without the news reports about the current mortgage crisis, repeating terms like sub-prime lending and balloon payments. Families are losing their homes at an alarming rate and it has been reported that African Americans have been the target of mortgage lenders processing high cost loans by qualifying those with poor credit scores for high interests rates and hidden costs like balloon payments. Sub prime is a type of loan that is offered at a rate above prime to individuals who do not qualify for prime rate loans.Dedrick Muhammad co-author of a report from United for a Fair Economy called “Foreclosed: The State of the Dream 2008, cites the sub-prime mortgage crisis as the source leading to the greatest loss of wealth in modern US history for people of color who stand to lose over $200 billion dollars. Dedrick Muhammad is senior organizer and research associate at the Institute for Policy Studies.It all seems overwhelming to our desire to own a home and have our own piece of land to cultivate overshadowed by the anxiety we all feel for those families that are victims of foreclosure due to predatory lending practices. We dread the thought of losing a home before we even purchase one. If you have ever lost a home is it a paralyzing experience. The feeling of shame, blame, and guilt to feel your home slipping away can be devastating.Read moreOmitunde, Publisher of African American Family ConnectionAn online magazine about African American Family values and community.Visit AAFC for the latest issue each month and a copy of "The Ripple Effect".

Sankofa, “go back and fetch it”

Posted by Omitunde on November 2, 2008 at 6:14pm

I grew up during a time when African Americans loved each other and lived in neighborhoods and communities that were interconnected like the web of love. A web of love and support that looked like women cooking for other families when there was illness or taking food to a repast for a family grieving the loss of a loved one. Yes, I was one of those children thatwas corrected by a neighbor and again when they informed my parents of what I was guilty of.Today we are not that close knit community. If you say something to a young person today, you could get cussed out or worse, physically attacked.Reuniting the African American family is very important to me and I hope is it important to everyone who cares about the future of African American children. Have you ever looked around at the people that would come to your aid in a crisis? If you are the head of your household, who would come to assist your loved ones if something happened to you? It is urgent that we reconnect and become strong again.Read more

What Does Daddy Do?

Posted by Omitunde on October 31, 2008 at 6:30pm

I am ranting about Dads today....Mom's generally have most of the responsibility with children. Even if mom works full or part-time, they are expected to do everything. Even when father's are in the home, mother's do most of the work.Mothers manage every aspect of their child or children's lives. There are some Dad's who do these things too. So why is to special and amazing when a man does these thing but just responsibility when a woman does it?Not every woman may do everything on this list. This list reflects the things that children need. They can exist without all of these things, But they deserve this and more. If you are not doing all these things, this in no way is a reflection of you or how you live and/or take care of your children.These things are done by most women, and not meant to reflect every possible situation. Whether a women is married or has a partner, these items are the what every women should be doing for her children if she has them.Work in or out of the home to make a living to maintain basic needs of her familyBuy and cook for their children on a regular basisShop for whatever it is that children need, based on what they can affordClean up behind them and teach them to maintain a clean environmentPrepare children for private/public child care or school by potty-training, manners, communicate, share, etcBathe them or make sure the bathe everydayComb or cut their hair, wash it and teach them to take care of itEnsure that children brush their teeth at least twice a dayGet them to school either by walking/driving or pubic transportationMonitor how much television they watchMonitor how much time they spend playing video games or using the computerRead to them, and teach them to readHomework is essential to be done with at least one parent dailyBeing their biggest fan and letting them know they are celebratedWipe their butts and teach them to wipe their own buttsWashing, storing, taking care of clothes that they grow out ofPurchase what they need - from A to ZSort through what they have outgrownMake sure they dress appropriately for the weatherSupport them in social activities and sportsInspire a desire for learningOkay so this is not what I would call is an extensive list, so what do Dad's do?????If you are a dad and you do these things, great, but what happens if you want to go out with the boys, or watch the football game? Why is it easier for men to go about doing whatever they want to do and the women is always expected to take care of the children? The children belong to both parents even if they do not live together.Omitunde, Publisher of African American Family ConnectionAn online magazine about African American Family values and community.Visit AAFC for the latest issue each month and a copy of ."The Ripple Effect"

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Note: this page contains paid content.

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Note: this page contains paid content.