Fast-tracking your way up the corporate ladder: Best leaders always ask for more and more feedback

One of the most deadly points where failure in a team can take hold is in the feedback process. Successful leaders crave the data coming back from the field, as it provides not only real-time measurement of their progress but also a reality check on their strategy. But these leaders, being eternally optimists, also have the dangerous tendency to signal, often unconsciously, their dislike of bad news and their inner revulsion toward failure.

Land Rover’s Discovery Sport India launch in August

Land Rover has confirmed it will launch the new Discovery Sport luxury SUV in India in August this year.The model for India will be offered with a 2.2-litre diesel engine in two states of tune 187bhp and 147bhp. Both versions will come equipped with a nine-speed automatic gearbox.

Pope selects SriLankan

Sri Lankan Airlines is proud to have been chosen to fly His Holiness Pope Francis to the Philippines, Manila, for the second leg of his Asia Tour, which started with a three-day tour in Sri Lanka, last Tuesday.

Highest 2014 monthly vehicle registrations in December: Brokerage

Last December witnessed the highest monthly vehicle registrations under most categories for the 2014 calendar year, according to statistics compiled by JB Securities (Pvt) Ltd.

Karu to address National Chamber AGM

The ceremonial session of the 56th Annual General Meeting of the National Chamber of Commerce of Sri Lanka will be held on January 20, at Kingsbury Hotel, Colombo commencing at 6 pm.

CB caps senior citizen deposits to Rs.1mn at 12%

The Central Bank last week informed all commercial banks in the country to cap the single senior citizen’s deposit value to Rs.1 million from the previously announced maximum of Rs.2.5 million, a Central Bank source told Mirror Business.

Abans present free laptops to deserving students

Abans completed the third stage of their ambitious CSR initiative “From Your Laptop to Their Future” by presenting Laptops to 15 deserving students.The presentations were made by Aban Pestonjee, Chairperson of Abans Group at a simple ceremony on December 16th at Abans Main Showroom in Kollupitiya. Earlier Abans presented 50 Laptops each in the first and second stages of the project.

Solar Therm powers Sri Lanka Open golf tournament

The “Solar Therm Sri Lanka Open 2014” will get underway from January 25—30 at the Royal Colombo Golf Course in Colombo.Solar Therm handing over the title sponsorship cheque to Sri Lanka Golf UnionThe Sri Lanka Open first played in 1970 organised by the Sri Lanka Golf Union (SLGU), the governing body of Golf in Sri Lanka introduced this event to facilitate the Golfers with talent mainly from the Caddy and Ball-boy ranks to play a

HRMI provides internship training for students to strengthen biz environment

The unique feature in HRMI courses of study is the opportunity every student has in undergoing a 6-month internship training attached to a leading company.Gihan Talgodapitiya, Director HRMI presenting the 1st Prize to Sri Sanjayan, HND student, winner of Career Planning & Development Quiz.

Resetting Indo-Lanka relations

With the inauguration of President Maithripala Sirisena on January 9 and the decision taken by t he newly appointed External Affairs Minister Mangala Samaraweera to undertake his first official overseas visit t o New Delhi, t here are indications that Indo-Lanka relations are eventually heading in the right direction.

Social Media Reigns In a Changed World Order

In what would go down in history as one of democracy’s toughest tests, Sri Lankans overwhelmingly stood up to be counted for the power of the ballot in the recently concluded presidential election. We, as a country, held the world’s attention for all the right reasons last week; little Sri Lanka shone as an example of how democracy works and how in the end, despite the hiccups, the power of the people triumphed over all adversity.

Lanka’s govt. debt very high compared to similarly rated countries: Moody’s

Moody’s Investor Services in a recent report said that Sri Lanka, which has a sovereign rating of B1, has an extremely high rate of government debt compared to similarly rated countries.

Tourism stakeholders delighted over dedicated ministry

Tourism i ndustry experts have responded positively to the new regime’s decision to create a dedicated ministry for tourism under Minister Navin Dissanayake, and are hoping it would swiftly address issues and support the third highest exchange earner of the country.“I am very happy that there is a dedicated ministry. We haven’t met the Minister as of yet, but we’ll hopefully meet him early next week. He is a young, dynamic

Amãna Bank relocates its Galle Branch

Having had its presence in the historic town of Galle since 2006, Amãna Bank recently relocated its Galle Branch to a more specious and customer friendly location at 24 Old Matara Road, Galle. The Branch relocation opening ceremony was graced by Honourable Mayor of Galle Mr Methsiri De Silva, Chief Executive Officer Mr Mohamed Azmeer, Director of Amãna Bank Mr Jazri Magdon Ismail, senior management of the Bank, customers and other i

Janashakthi employees excel at CII examination

In an affirmation of Janashakthi Insurance’s commitment to its employees, Ayodhya N Perera, Senior Assistant Manager- General Claims was recently named t he most outstanding candidate at the Chartered Insurance Institute Examinations 2013.

Ceylinco Life makes 60th school donation

Ceylinco Life’s community initiative to support education in under-served towns and villages across Sri Lanka reached another milestone recently with the donation of a classroom to Assennawatta Kanishta Vidyalaya Divulapitiya, taking the total number of schools assisted under the programme to 60.The school, which accommodates 105 students, was the fourth to receive a classroom building from the life insurance leader this year.

Mindshare bags Silver under ‘Media agency of the year’

For over two decades, Campaign Asia has recognized excellence in the advertising and communications industries, rewarding inspired leadership, management excellence, outstanding business performance and overall achievements in the AsiaPacific region.

Brandix 2015 calendar highlights country’s inventions and innovations

pride of our innovations, of potential fulfilled and a world bettered.”With the 2015 edition of its much anticipated calendar, Brandix continues its practice of adding value to this ubiquitous guide to the days, weeks, and months of the year, with painstaking research and custom photography that bring to life a well-deliberated theme.

Decoding the oil price fall

The Hindu: Are falling oil prices good or bad for the global economy? And how do they work for India? Till recently these questions were no-brainers.Cheaper oil is obviously good for the global economy; for an energyintensive economy such as India’s, which also depends on imported oil for meeting four-fifths of its needs, a fall in oil price is like manna from heaven.Yet, the biggest fall in the stock market in five-and-a-half years last we

Samaratunga appointed Treasury Secretary

Career civil servant and former Deputy Secretary to the Treasury Dr. R.H.S. Samaratunga yesterday assumed duties as the Finance Ministry Secretary.Samaratunga replaces longserving Dr. P.B. Jayasundera, the influential Finance Ministry Secretary under former Presidents Mahinda Rajapaksa and Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga.Samaratunga was previously the Secretary to the Petroleum Ministry and one-time Director at Bank of Ceylon.

WOW.lk ‘Back to School’ Promotion; an Immense Success

Continuously being at the forefront of e-commerce innovation, Sri Lanka’s largest online shopping mall, WOW.lk launched for the first time in Sri Lanka, an online ‘Back to School’ promotion campaign, offering a range of products for students as they prepare for the new school term. Running for a duration of three weeks, the promotion featured an array of school supplies and classroom necessities offering parents a very affordabl

CAL Marks the end of Another Successful Year

Capital Alliance, Sri Lanka’s leading full service investment bank has marked the end of yet another successful year, securing its position as a market leader in Sri Lanka’s financial and investment arena. 

Commercial Leasing & Finance opens 54th branch in Grandpass

Commercial Leasing & Finance PLC, one of the key players in the financial industry of Sri Lanka, launched its services in Grandpass recently.

Merchant Bank marks first merger under financial sector consolidation plan

Merchant Bank of Sri Lanka PLC (MBSL), the merchant banking arm of Bank of Ceylon, marked the New Year dawn with the announcement of consolidating its finance company status after merging with two subsidiaries, MCSL Financial Services Ltd and MBSL Savings Bank.

Fast-tracking your way up the corporate ladder: Keep a sharp eye on your non-negotiable winning goal

While we were reviewing about the winner’s mindset last week, we said that there are eight essential steps and techniques to achieve such a winner’s mindset. We discussed three of them: non-negotiable goal, focus and leverage of time. We continue from that point.

Pope Francis: Inspiring institutional and policy reforms

This article was written on the eve of the elections. By the time it is published the outcome would be known and the country will be looking forward to the papal visit. His Holiness Pope Francis has proved to be a remarkable pontiff. As an Argentinian, he is the first person from a developing country to grace this eminent position. His refreshing approach has undoubtedly been influenced by his Ministry in his homeland which would have given him f

Presidential Polland Missed Opportunities – My Reflections

I belong to a generation of Sri Lankans who witnessed many missed opportunities. Opportunities to stand proud as a nation, to grow politically and socially as a people, to prosper economically.

First Capital subsidiary in Rs.500mn debenture issue

First Capital Holdings PLC subsidiary First Capital Treasuries Limited has been granted approval by the Colombo Stock Exchange to list debentures worth Rs.500 million.

Ravi Finance Minister, Arjuna CB Governor

United National Parliamentarian Ravi Karunanayke is tipped to be appointed as the Finance Minister of the new Cabinet of President Maithripala Sirisena with economist and investment banker Arjuna Mahendran the Central Bank Governor.

Gotabaya and Roshini Cabraal resign from Lanka Hospitals

Lanka Hospitals Corporation PLC Chairman Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Deputy Chairperson Roshini Cabraal resigned from their posts in the company on January 9, according to an announcement made to the Colombo Stock Exchange.Rajapaksa, the brother of outgoing President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the previous Defence Secretary, had resigned prior to Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya announcing the winner of the Presidential Elections.