What to do when you receive a counter offer - tips from the top

In the latest issue of South Africa's leading women magazine, True Love, Dr Nikolaus Eberl highlights the dangers when considering a counter offer.

Comments Dr Nikolaus, the author of 'The IziCwe Code: Conquer Life': "Resigning from a job can be daunting. Most employers hate losing an experienced, valuable staff member, especially close to their financial year end. Many therefore try to persuade you to stay by making a counter offer. This is often a desperate attempt by your boss to bridge the temporary gap your departure would leave. t can also be an effort to mitigate the damage your departure may do to his credibility. Or it could be a last minute measure to rectify a situation which should have been noticed and addressed earlier, particularly if you are resigning because you are unhappy where you are."

"The risk attached to accpeting a counter offer is that the breach of trust you showed by trying to resign is unlikely to be forgotten - or forgiven. So make sure your resignation is a final farewell and never use it as a bragaining tool to get what you want in your job. It could backfire badly."

Dr Nikolaus recently introduced a revolutionary new brand leadership model, called The IziCwe Code, at the Global Leaders Africa Summit in Johannesburg, sharing the stage with world renowned leadership gurus Tom Peters, Rudy Giuliani and Michael Porter. Based on twelve years of global research, The IziCwe Code is about internal branding strategies from Emperor Shaka, aimed at engaging the emotional drivers of employee commitment (coined EmotiVators™ by Dr Nikolaus) and building total commitment to delivering the brand promise.

Dr Nikolaus and co-author Herman Schoonbee published “The IziCwe Code: Internal Branding” in 2005 (Academy Press, foreword by Reuel Khoza), which was recently critically reviewed by President Thabo Mbeki in his Letter from the President; using “the analytical tools contained in The IziCwe Code”, the President issued the challenge to government leaders to “generate the kind of commitment that will ensure that …our government at all levels … can be trusted to honour the brand promise!”

Dr Nikolaus’ earlier book “Conquer Life: Personal Branding Strategies from the Emperor” was appraised by The Business Day as “A must for anyone who wants to overcome personal and career challenges”, and Herman Mashaba, Founder of Black Like Me as “A uniquely South African formula for mustering the will to succeed and conquer life.”