Challenging Your People to Succeed

By John Baldoni

John Baldoni is a leadership communications consultant who works with Fortune 500 companies as well as non-profits including the University of Michigan. He is a frequent keynote and workshop speaker as well as the author of five books on leadership; the latest is Great Motivation Secrets of Great Leaders (McGraw-Hill). Readers are welcome to visit his leadership resource website at www.johnbaldoni.com or at <john@...>

Note: This article is adapted from ideas expressed in John Baldoni's newly published Great Motivation Secrets of Great Leaders, McGraw Hill, 2005.

Nothing fuels the human spirit so much as a challenge. Whether it is an athlete seeking to overcome the odds, or a CEO trying to reinvigorate his company,nothing motivates people more than having a goal. For individuals, goals emerge from inside; they are formed around what makes us happy, which may recognition of our efforts, increased financial rewards, or the inner glow that emerges when we do a good turn for someone.

For organizations, goals emerge from a combination of circumstance and leadership. The circumstance is the situation in which the organization operates; it is shaped by market, social and competitive factors. Leaders of those organizations size up their organization and decide where it must go and how it must get there. But leaders do not do this by themselves; they do it with the collective energy of the people in the organization.

Make the challenge clear. The secret to issuing a challenge is to make it clear and then demonstrate how people can attain it. When you keep thing simple, not simple?minded, you can ensure that the mission remains clear, coherent, and compelling. Leaders must make the challenge real and tangible for everyone in the organization.

Identify opportunities. Every child is asked what do you want to be when you grow up? Leaders of organizations need to ask themselves the very same question. Entrepreneurs excel at this questions because it those questions that give rise to the business.

For example, Fred Smith thought it would be possible to create a direct shipping network that could offer next day delivery. Michael Dell wondered how he might apply the direct?selling model to personal computers. Jeff Bezos conceived the possibility of a global online bookstore. Such thinking spawned Federal Express, Dell Computer, and Amazon respectively.

Frame the challenge. Once an opportunity is selected the leader needs to bring others into the act. They must frame the organizational challenge as an opportunity for personal growth. One of the best ways to motivate people is to give them a challenge. The challenge may be in the form of a new project, such as developing a new marketing plan, or it may be a process, discovering new ways of doing things.

Some organizations call them "stretch goals," meaning they expand an individual's capability. At pharmaceutical companies, challenges are a way of life - discovering new compounds to use for next generation drugs. It is a high risk and high reward enterprise but it fosters a strong culture of creativity and innovation.

In short people are motivated to succeed because conditions around them foster their own innate desires to achieve. Managers who seek the right challenges for their people will achieve good success if support those challenges with the right blend of delegation and support.

Make the challenge real but attainable. Every challenge needs to reach for the sky, otherwise it will fail to capture the imagination of those who can make it happen. Ari Weinzweig and Paul Saginaw of Zingerman's have found a terrific way to make entrepreneurial dreams come true for their employees by giving them a stake in new business opportunities.

That is how they company expanded from a delicatessen into other food related businesses. They turned the challenge of keeping good people into a business opportunity and supported them along the way. By contrast, if the challenge is too far out there, instead of inspiring people you only frustrate them.

The creative organization. Identifying, framing and supporting challenges is in essence a balancing act, but one way to keep people focused is to engage their creative spirit. Creativity complements the challenge. All too often we tend to think of creativity as something reserved for college students who don't have a clue about what to do or to artistes who hover in a zone between reality and fantasy. That misconception is costly. The human condition has evolved because of man's perpetual striving for new, different and better ways of doing things.

If this were not the case, our toolbox would consist of nothing more than a single hammer. Creativity is the pursuit of ideas. It spurs innovation, which you may consider as the application of an idea into an action, e.g. moving from electronic scanning to television, voice over wire to telephony, or Internet to e?commerce. Managers play an essential role in stimulating creativity by encouraging their people to think for themselves, peppering their minds with new ideas, and finding ways to stimulate creative juices through a free exchange of ideas.

There is an innate desire in all of us to succeed. It falls to the leader to unlock that desire and channel to the organization's best purpose. In doing so,she weaves the individual's need for success with the organization's need to achieve results for its customers and constituents. When challenges are issued and then managed and supported with concern an creativity much can be accomplished. Conditions for motivation flourish and people and organizations flourish.
-----

Suggestion for Success

21 Suggestions for SUCCESS

by H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

1. Marry the right person. This one decision will determine 90% of your happiness or misery.
   
2. Work at something you enjoy and that's worthy of your time and talent.
   
3. Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully.
   
4. Become the most positive and enthusiastic person you know.
   
5. Be forgiving of yourself and others.
   
6. Be generous.
   
7. Have a grateful heart.
   
8. Persistence, persistence, persistence.
   
9. Discipline yourself to save money on even the most modest salary.
   
10. Treat everyone you meet like you want to be treated.
    
11. Commit yourself to constant improvement.
    
12. Commit yourself to quality.
    
13. Understand that happiness is not based on possessions, power or prestige, but on relationships with people you love and respect.
    
14. Be loyal.
    
15. Be honest.
    
16. Be a self-starter.
    
17. Be decisive even if it means you'll sometimes be wrong.
    
18. Stop blaming others. Take responsibility for every area of your life.
    
19. Be bold and courageous. When you look back on your life, you'll regret the things you didn't do more than the ones you did.
    
20. Take good care of those you love.
    
21. Don't do anything that wouldn't make your Mom proud.
    

Why do Talented Employees Leave Their Companies

Based on the study surveyed over a million employees & 80,000 managers
Early this year, Arun, an old friend who is a senior software designer, got an offer from a prestigious international firm to work in its India operations developing a specialized software. He was thrilled by the offer.

He had heard a lot about the CEO of this company, a charismatic man often quoted in the business press for his visionary attitude. The salary was great. The company had all the right systems in place employee-friendly human resources (HR) policies,a spanking new office, the very best technology, even a canteen that served superb food. Twice Arun was sent abroad for training. "My learning curve is the sharpest it's ever been," he said soon after he joined. "It's a real high working with such cutting edge technology."

Last week, less than eight months after he joined, Arun walked out of the job. He has no other offer in hand but he said he couldn't take it anymore. Nor,apparently, could several other people in his department who have also quit recently. The CEO is distressed about the high employee turnover. He's distressed about the money he's spent in training them. He's distressed because he can't figure out what happened.

Why did this talented employee leave despite a top salary? Arun quit for the same reason that drives many good people away. The answer lies in one of the largest studies undertaken by the Gallup Organization. The study surveyed over a million employees and 80,000 managers and was published in a book called First Break All The Rules.

It came up with this surprising finding: If you're losing good people, look to their immediate supervisor. More than any other single reason, he is the reason people stay and thrive in an organization. And he's the reason why they quit,taking their knowledge, experience and contacts with them. Often, straight to the competition.

"People leave managers not companies," write the authors Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman. "So much money has been thrown at the challenge of keeping good people - in the form of better pay, better perks and better training - when, in the end, turnover is mostly a manager issue." If you have a turnover problem,look first to your managers. Are they driving people away?

Beyond a point, an employee's primary need has less to do with money, and more to do with how he's treated and how valued he feels. Much of this depends directly on the immediate manager. And yet, bad bosses seem to happen to good people everywhere. A Fortune magazine survey some years ago found that nearly 75 per cent of employees have suffered at the hands of difficult superiors. You can leave one job to find - you guessed it, another wolf in a pin-stripe suit in the next one.

Of all the workplace stressors, a bad boss is possibly the worst, directly impacting the emotional health and productivity of employees. Here are some all-too common tales from the battlefield: Dev, an engineer, still shudders as he recalls the almost daily firings his boss subjected him to, usually in front of his subordinates.

His boss emasculated him with personal, insulting remarks. In the face of such rage, Dev completely lost the courage to speak up. But when he reached home depressed, he poured himself a few drinks, and magically, became as abusive as the boss himself. Only, it would come out on his wife and children. Not only was his work life in the doldrums,his marriage began cracking up too.

Another employee Rajat recalls the Chinese torture his boss put him through after a minor disagreement. He cut him off completely. He bypassed him in any decision that needed to be taken. "He stopped sending me any papers or files," says Rajat. "It was humiliating sitting at an empty table. I knew nothing and no one told me anything." Unable to bear this corporate Siberia, he finally quit.

HR experts say that of all the abuses, employees find public humiliation the most intolerable. The first time, an employee may not leave, but a thought has been planted. The second time, that thought gets strengthened. The third time, he starts looking for another job. When people cannot retort openly in anger, they do so by passive aggression. By digging their heels in and slowing down. By doing only what they are told to do and no more. By omitting to give the boss crucial information.

Dev says: "If you work for a jerk, you basically want to get him into trouble. You don't have your heart and soul in the job."

Different managers can stress out employees in different ways - by being too controlling, too suspicious, too pushy, too critical, too nit-picky. But they forget that workers are not fixed assets, they are free agents. When this goes on too long, an employee will quit - often over seemingly trivial issue.

It isn't the 100th blow that knocks a good man down. It's the 99 that went before. And while it's true that people leave jobs for all kinds of reasons - for better opportunities or for circumstantial reasons, many who leave would have stayed - had it not been for one man constantly telling them, as Arun's boss did: "You are dispensable. I can find dozens like you."

While it seems like there are plenty of other fish especially in today's waters, consider for a moment the cost of losing a talented employee.

• There's the cost of finding a replacement.
  
• The cost of training the replacement.
  
• The cost of not having someone to do the job in the meantime.
  
• The loss of clients and contacts the person had with the industry.
  
• The loss of morale in co-workers.
  
• The loss of trade secrets this person may now share with others.
  
• Plus, of course, the loss of the company's reputation. Every person who leaves a corporation then becomes its ambassador, for better or for worse.
  

We all know of large IT companies that people would love to join and large television companies few want to go near. In both cases, former employees have left to tell their tales. "Any company trying to compete must figure out a way to engage the mind of every employee," Jack Welch of GE once said.

Much of a company's value lies "between the ears of its employees". If it's bleeding talent, it's bleeding value. Unfortunately, many senior executives busy travelling the world, signing new deals and developing a vision for the company, have little idea of what may be going on at home. That deep within an organization that otherwise does all the right things, one man could be driving its best people away.


source ; from milis

What the Boss' Body Language Says

by Pat Mayfield, for Yahoo! HotJobs

Most employees pay attention to what the boss says, while the savvy employee also pays attention to how it is being said. Bosses can be good at using -- not just reading -- body language, which may be one of the reasons they got to be boss in the first place.

Often the body changes quickly if the boss likes or does not like what he saw or heard, or if she is uncomfortable in what she is saying to you. So watch closely -- it happens in a nanosecond!

Here are some ways to help interpret the boss' body language:

Body Stance and Posture

Positive:

• Physically on the same level (sitting or standing).
• Directly faces you.
• Comes into your office rather than just standing at the door.
• In a group, sits or stands close to you.

Negative:

• Does not face you directly.
• Stands and looks down on you. (Ever have a boss who never sits?)
• Places both hands on his hips to create a wingspan. (Even the big guys and gals who don't need more "space" may do this.)
• In groups, avoids you, sits with others, or does not introduce you.

Eyes, Head, and Face
Positive:

• Looks you directly in the eye.
• Muscles around the eye are relaxed.
• Facial muscles are relaxed. Lips are their normal size.
• Pleasant face and friendly smile.

Negative:

• Rapid eye movement, does not look at you; has a cold, glaring, staring, or glazed-over look.
• Blinks more than normal.
• Raises one eyebrow as if in disbelief or doubt.
• Facial muscles are tight; lips thin out.
• aw muscles and clenched, and temple or neck veins throb.
• Smile is stiff and forced.

Hands, Arms, and Gestures
Positive:

• Hands are in view, opened, calm.
• Arms are open (but may be crossed in a comfortable position).

Negative:

• Hands are not in sight -- in pockets, or under the table or desk.
• Hands (in sight) are closed or in a fist; fingers tightly clasped.
• Arms are tightly crossed (defensive or protective position).
• Points or wags his or her finger aggressively.
• Drums his or her fingers or fidgets nervously.

Remember, sometimes body language is not about you. Bosses have their own issues and you might just be in the line of fire. Observe many situations and look for consistency for the full story.

Pat Mayfield is the president of Pat Mayfield Consulting, LLC, based in San Francisco and Pleasanton, California. She specializes in sales and marketing solutions, working with companies of all sizes.

Why Good Employees Leave

by Louise Kursmark

Monster Contributing Writer


In any employment market, good companies want to keep their best people. But when labor becomes scarce, as the US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects it will for the next decade or so, employee retention becomes an increasingly critical priority. What, then, can companies do to retain the people they worked so hard to recruit? From an informal survey I conducted of more than 100 executives recently in a career transition, several important facts emerge.


Compensation
-------------
The Issue: While just 31 percent of respondents indicated making more money was their primary reason for job hunting, it's evident that paying competitive salaries is an important retention tool.

What You Can Do:

1. Use industry surveys and other data tools to stay informed on wage trends.
   
2. To benefit both company and employees, tie increased pay to meeting specific goals aligned with business objectives.
   
3. Collect data from exit interviews to document trends from your departing employees, then use this data to make a business case for increasing salaries across the board.
   
4. Survey employees to find out what perks, benefits and forms of compensation other than money will help keep them on board.
   

Management and Retention
--------------------------
The Issue: In the survey, comments about poor management abounded. For 29 percent, the fact that they "did not like, respect or get along with their manager" was a significant factor in their decision to leave. According to Irving Stackpole, president of healthcare consulting firm Stackpole & Associates, "It's absolutely clear that the reason people stay in jobs are the relationships that they have -- primarily with their supervisor." And when those relationships are strained, many people leave.

What You Can Do:

1. Improve managers' leadership, communication and interpersonal skills through coaching, training and feedback.
   
2. Rate these key skills in their evaluations, and tie compensation to performance.
   
3. Create a safe environment and process for employees to bring up concerns with their managers.
   
4. Address problems quickly.
   

Communication
---------------
The Issue: When asked what advice they would give management to keep talented staff on board, survey respondents repeatedly mentioned better communication of company goals, performance expectations and value/appreciation of staff work.

What You Can Do:

1. Consider this sampling of ideas from the survey, and compare how your own company and its managers operate:
   
2. Provide clear vision, strong and consistent communication, teamwork and respect for workers' efforts.
   
3. Share the company vision/mission clearly and regularly.
   
4. Collaborate, communicate and listen. Happy employees accomplish amazing things.
   

Case Study:
Why One Good Employee Left
-----------------------------------------
For one senior executive, the decision to leave his job came down to listening and respect. After leading a successful turnaround of his division, he was excited to learn that the board of directors was launching a CEO search to replace the departing top executive. Because of his knowledge of the company and undisputed successes leading one of its most challenging divisions, he felt he was a strong candidate.

After drafting a resume and cover letter that put forth his vision of the key challenges and growth opportunities facing the organization, he assembled a strong list of references and alerted each to expect a call from a board member. He sent in his package with confidence that he would be able to expand on his ideas during an interview.

A few months later, he is actively searching outside the organization. His interview turned out to be a 20-minute meeting with a board member who clearly hadn't read his documents or contacted any references. "I felt disrespected," the worker says. "It's not that I thought I was a shoo-in for the job, but I expected to be given a fair shot." Thus, the company will lose a top performer, because an executive didn't take the time or extend the courtesy to listen.

Be Proactive
-----------
Rather than finding yourself in a serious staffing shortage a few months or years down the road, take the time now to address retention issues at your company. You can create strategies to improve your company's ability to carefully preserve and develop its most valuable asset:
Its people.

What is Competency-based Human Resource Management

Posted by: "Daily Article" hrd.forum@gmail.com management_forum

A competency is "any skill, knowledge, or other attribute that is observable and identifies successful performance" . Effectively, competencies translate the strategic vision and goals for the organization into measurable and observable behaviours or actions that employees must display.

A common framework of competencies provides the means for integrating all aspects of the HR system so that employees are selected, evaluated, developed, promoted and rewarded based on competencies that support organizational success.

By communicating these competencies, organizations empower employees to take charge of their careers, direct their own personal development, and continually self-evaluate and improve. At the same time, the framework allows the organization to pro-actively plan for its human resource needs both in the immediate and long term, and to establish programs that support employees in acquiring the competencies needed for organizational success.

Planning for Competency-based Human Resource Management

It takes effort and commitment to implement a fully-elaborated and integrated competency-based human resource management (HRM) system. It is important, therefore, to take the time to evaluate the needs of the organization, and to create a strategy and plan that will meet these needs - in other words, getting it right the first time.

Developing the Business Case

Our years of experience in implementing competency-based human resource management programs have shown that, as with any other significant change initiative, there must be a compelling need and will to change. It is not sufficient for the organization= s human resource or training professionals to see the need; leaders of the organization must also see the benefits and be willing to champion the initiative.

Likewise, employees must understand how the program will benefit them both in their current jobs,as well as in advancing their careers. For this reason, manyorganizations have chosen first to implement components of a competency-based HRM system that address the expressed needs of employees, preferably in a non-threatening way – for example, a competency-based self-directed learning program.

Developing the Strategy

Having identified the business need, the champions for change and the organizational readiness, the organization is in a position to more precisely define a staged approach for developing and implementing competency models.

As the first major challenge the organization must decide to what level the competencies will be defined. For example, will it be sufficient to define the common / core competencies for everyone in the organization, or do specific competencies have to be developed for particular classifications and levels,

functions, or jobs. The answer to this question hinges on how the competencies will be used. For example, to staff particular positions, competencies should be defined for the job. On the other hand, for appointments to level, for appointments to level, competencies need only be defined at the core or common level.

The organization must also determine the competency modelling method best suited to support the identified needs. In our experience no one single method will effectively support all components of the human resource management system (i.e.training and development, selection,performance management, etc.), the full range of occupations and levels (executive, professional, skilled, semi-skilled, etc.), or the various types of organizational and business environments.

Finally, communication is imperative at all stages of the planning, development and implementation process. In addition to promoting the value, benefits and ways in which the competency-based initiative will be implemented, stakeholder participation in the process is also important, not only to create "buy-in" for the initiative, but also to ensure that the competencies truly reflect the behaviours that will contribute to and sustain organizational success.

Conclusion

Many organizations are using competencies as the means for identifying and developing this talent. Our experience shows that unless the competency framework is well planned and defined,organizations will not have the proper foundation for developing and implementing a system of human resource programs and initiatives for renewal and sustained success.

Suzanne Simpson, Ph.D., C.Psych. & Lorraine McKay, M.A.

5 Tips for Getting the Most out of Training

1. Make sure your employees understand ahead of time the reasons for training.
   What problems will it solve?
   
2. Put yourself in their shoes. Tell them how they will benefit.
   
3. Make it interesting. Hire a competent trainer or, if you do it yourself, find ways to engage your employees' attention—such as including videotapes or role-playing.
   
4. Be clear about expectations. Focus on the behavioral changes or improvements that you are looking for.
   
5. Measure the results. Training without follow-up is ineffective. Keep repeating your message and show appreciation to employees who keep trying to meet the expectations.
   
   

Brought to you by SCORE "Counselors to America's Small Business."

rgds
avds

COMPETITION IS GOOD

(thoughtful) From: Gabijordan

• Our way of life is highly competitive.
  
• We are always racing with one another.
  
• We have to show results.
  
• If possible, we must try to break records.
  
• Today the only way my work is judged is by comparing it with the work of others.
  
• No matter how well I do, if the other person does better, then I become second rate.
  
• And so in that sense, everyone becomes a rival.
  
• My brother's success becomes a threat to me; and that is how jealousy is born.
  
• In India they have a story about two students called Akbar and Birbal.
  
• Akbar draws a line on the blackboard and asks Birbal to shorten it without erasing it.
  
• So Birbal goes to the board and draws a longer line under Akbar's and the job is done.
  
• You and I might be a long line when we stand all alone.
  
• But just let a longer line stand next to us, and suddenly from long we have become short.
  
• That may be the reason why we resent the success of others.
  
• Their success casts a shadow on mine.
  
• I resent them.
  
• But their competitive presence is good for me.
  
• It makes me keep an eye on my line.
  
• "Don't be afraid of competition or opposition.
  
• Remember, a kite rises against, not with wind."
  

Shared by Joe Gatuslao

MEASURE OF SUCCESS

(thoughtful) By Bugsy Bascon

Work, work, and more WORK! That has been my life these past couple of years. I'm still very young, don't get me wrong, but sometimes I feel old just because of my drive to succeed in life is eating me. How does one know when enough is enough? It's weird and it's hard. When you have grown accustomed to putting too much importance to career over other things, time really flies fast.

Slowly,you feel your vibrancy and youthfulness being drained. It is definitely not healthy. Going back to the question, some find about it too late while others are lucky enough to witness certain events in life that will change their perspective forever.

Death! In one way or the other we have heard about death. We usually hear about old relatives and sickly people dying. But when we hear one of our contemporary slipping away, all of a sudden we are taken back to think and re-think about life.

And this is what happened to me recently: I find myself re-evaluating my years of existence in this world as a person and not as a corporate guy. I realized that all I have been focusing on the past years was a big fluke. I have failed to live my life to the fullest not having spent more quality time with family and friends. In the final analysis, I was a dead man walking.

Sure I was extremely satisfied with my career path but then again did it make me happy as a person? NO! It pains me more to even think that I was so caught up in the system that I didn't know anymore why I was so hungry for success.

Now, I feel lighter. I still work hard but I guess the main difference is that everything is in moderation. I don't try to kill myself anymore beating the never ending deadlines at work. I am blessed that GOD has opened my eyes to take life more seriously.

Life is very precious to miss out on. Anytime, any minute our life can be taken away. What is important is that at the end of the day we get to say that we were able to fully live. Success is never measured based on the material wealth a person owns or status in the society, but more importantly, the way you have touched the lives of other people.

Resent by Joe Gatuslao

COVENANTS AND COMMITMENTS

(thoughtful) By C. William Pollard,Chairman--The Service Master Company

One great value that flows from doing business is the value of covenants and commitments as a basis for combined efforts and group action. Plainly said, it is the value of a kept promise. A firm cannot function to its capacity unless its people can rely on each other and on the covenants and commitments they give each other and to the customer.

Some are formalized in written agreement, such as an employment contract or a contract of providing service. Others, usually more important, are represented by oral promises or statements generating reliance or action by another. People need to keep their word and promises to others, even if it is at their own personal sacrifice.

If your firm places a premium on people, the influence and binding characteristics of the covenants and commitments...extend to those groups of people who are relying on you for their future, and it is to those groups to whom you are truly bound...to provide momentum and opportunities for them to develop and grow.

Often the promises we make involve both our customers and our people. When these promises are not fulfilled, there is real pain. I remember the time when Chuck Stair, our Vice Chairman, and I visited a customer who felt we had broken the promise of service and also the promise of supporting our team members in the account. In their minds, we had let them down---

we were not people of our word. Our only response was to admit our error, fall down on our knees, and ask for their forgiveness---not an easy thing to do in the business world. I am thankful for their grace, because they did give us another chance. And as we---two of the leaders of the business---personally got involved in helping to fulfill this promise to the customer, we also confirmed our continuing commitment to our team members.

More was involved than saving an account. Being honest with our customer and working to correct a wrong also saved jobs for employees and their families. What could have been a loss turned out to be growth, all because we decided to keep our word. The decisions you make as a leader do not affect just the bottom line of your company. They affect people---employees and their spouses and children.
From "The Soul of the Firm" (edited)

Leaders vs Followers

• When leaders make a mistake, they say, "I was wrong."
  
• When followers make mistakes, they say, "It wasn't my fault."
  
  
• A leader works harder than a follower and has more time;
  
• a follower is always "too busy" to do what is necessary.
  
  
• A leader goes through a problem;
  
• a follower goes around it and never gets past it.
  
  
• A leader makes and keeps commitments;
  
• a follower makes and forgets promises.
  
  
• A leader says, "I'm good, but not as good as I ought to be;"
  
• a follower says, "I'm not as bad as a lot of other people."
  
  
• Leaders listen;
  
• followers just wait until it's their turn to talk.
  
  
• Leaders respect those who are superior to them and tries to learn something from them;
  
• followers resent those who are superior to them and try to find chinks in their armor.
  
  
• Leaders feel responsibile for more than their job;
  
• followers say, "I only work here."
  
  
• A leader says, "There ought to be a better way to do this;"
  
• followers say, "That's the way it's always been done here."
  
  

Author: Unknown
______________________________________________________________
You will find as you look back upon your life that the moments
when you have really lived are the moments
when you have done things in a spirit of love.

Management Lessons

(thoughtful story)

LESSON NUMBER ONE:
A crow was sitting on tree, doing nothing all day. A small rabbit saw the crow, and asked him, "Can I also sit like you and do nothing all day long?". The crow answered, "Sure, why not." So, the rabbit sat on the ground below the crow and rested. All of a sudden, a fox appeared, jumped on the rabbit and ate it!
Management Lesson:
To be sitting and doing nothing, you must be sitting very, very high up.

LESSON NUMBER TWO:
A turkey was chatting with a bull. "I would love to be able to get to the top of that tree, " sighed the turkey, "but I haven't got the energy." "Well, why don't you nibble on some of my droppings?" replied the bull. "They are packed with nutrients." The turkey pecked at a lump of dung and found that it actually gave him enough strength to reach the first branch of the tree.

The next day, after eating some more dung, he reached the second branch. Finally, after a fortnight, there he was, proudly perched at the top of the tree. Soon the turkey was spotted by a farmer, who promptly shot him out of the tree.
Management Lesson:
Bullshit may get you to the top, but it won't keep you there.

LESSON NUMBER THREE:
When the body was first made, all the parts wanted to be boss. The brain said,"I should be boss because I control the whole body responses and functions." The feet said."We should be boss, as we carry the brain about and get him to where he wants to go." The hands said," We should be the boss because we do all the work and earn all the money."

And so it went with the heart, the lungs, and the eyes until finally the asshole spoke up.
All the parts laughed at the idea of the asshole being the boss. So the asshole went on strike, blocked itself up and refused to work. Within a short time, the eyes became crossed, the hands clenched, the feet twitched, the heart and lungs began to panic and the brain fevered. Eventually they all decided that the asshole should be the boss, so the motion was passed.
Management Lesson:
You don't need brains to be a boss ~~~ any asshole will do.

LESSON NUMBER FOUR:
A little bird was flying south for the winter. It was so cold, the bird froze and fell to the ground in a large field. While it was lying there, a cow came by and dropped some dung on it. As the frozen bird lay there in a pile of cow dung, it began to realize how warm it was. The dung was actually thawing him out!

He lay there all warm and happy and soon began to sing for joy. A passing cat heard the bird singing and came to investigate. Following the sound, the cat discovered the bird under the pile of dung, promtly dug him out and ate him!
Management Lesson:
1) not everyone who drops shit on you is your enemy
2) not everyone who gets you out of shit is your friend
3) And when you are in deep shit, keep your mouth shut!!!

Indo community

Indo communkity

ONE MINUTE

(inspirational story) From:"Nadine"

Originator: Unknown

He almost killed somebody, but one minute changed his life. The beautiful story comes from Sherman Rogers' old book, "Foremen: Leaders or Drivers?" In his true-life story, Rogers illustrates the importance of effective relationships. During his college years, Rogers spent a summer in an Idaho logging camp. When the superintendent had to leave for a few days, he put Rogers in charge.

• "What if the men refuse to follow my orders?" Rogers asked. He thought of Tony, an immigrant worker who grumbled and growled all day, giving the other men a hard time.
  
• "Fire them," the superintendent said. Then, as if reading Rogers' mind, he added, "I suppose you think you are going to fire Tony if you get the chance.
  
• I'd feel badly about that. I have been logging for 40 years. Tony is the most reliable worker I've ever had. I know he is a grouch and that he hates everybody and everything. But he comes in first and leaves last. There has not been an accident for eight years on the hill where he works."
  
• Rogers took over the next day. He went to Tony and spoke to him. "Tony, do you know I'm in charge here today?" Tony grunted. "I was going to fire you the first time we tangled, but I want you to know I'm not," he told Tony, adding what the superintendent had said.
  
• When he finished, Tony dropped the shovelful of sand he had held and tears streamed down his face. "Why he no tell me dat eight years ago?"
  

That day Tony worked harder than ever before -- and he smiled! He later said to Rogers, "I told Maria you first foreman in deese country who ever say,'Good work, Tony,' and it make Maria feel like Christmas."

Rogers went back to school after that summer. Twelve years later he met Tony again. He was superintendent for railroad construction for one of the largest logging companies in the West. Rogers asked him how he came to California and happened to have such success.

Tony replied, "If it not be for the one minute you talk to me back in Idaho, I keel somebody someday. One minute, she change my whole life." Effective managers know the importance of taking a moment to point out what a worker is doing well. But what a difference a minute of affirmation can make in any relationship!

One minute. Have you got one minute to thank someone? A minute to tell someone what you sincerely like or appreciate about her? A minute to elaborate on something he did well? One minute. It can make a difference for a lifetime.

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How to Write a Great Personal Ad

For a moment, imagine that you've been invited to a party, at which there will be many available, interesting men and women. How would you present yourself: angry, wearing your heart on your sleeve, dressed in a ratty sweatshirt?

Of course not! You'd put on your best face, dress elegantly and be witty and charming and friendly, right? Well, those are the "secrets" to writing a good personal ad. It's about showing off your best attributes. Here are 12 ways to translate your best self into words on a page from Trish McDermott, Match.Com's dating expert:

DO set the mood:
Choose a time and place where you're relaxed to start writing your profile. Turn on music you enjoy, pour yourself a glass of wine or cup of tea, get in a good mood; the pleasant way you feel will be reflected in what you write.

DO write all your thoughts down before posting them online or in a paper:

Organize your words, edit, rewrite, and spell- and grammar-check it. You may meet your life partner this way; isn't it worth an extra few minutes to get it right?

DO show your personal style:
Your eccentricities help paint an accurate picture of yourself. If you talk in a stream-of- consciousness style, let that show in your profile. If you have a wacky sense of humor, exhibit it.

DO put your heart in it:
Share your feelings and experiences, not just facts about your life. You don't want your profile to be a touchy-feely pile of mush (can you hear your potential dates heading for the door?), but you do want to communicate things people can relate to: where you're from, where you are, where you're going in life, what makes you laugh, things you really enjoy about life.

DO try to communicate these three attributes:
your senses of humor, integrity and self-confidence. These are characteristics people most look for in a mate. A word of caution: Don't confuse self-confidence with boasting or sounding egotistical. Temper your lists of accomplishments with signals that you don't take yourself too seriously.

DO include a photo:
On Match.Com, profiles accompanied by a photo have four to five times as many responses as those that don't. Choose a photo in which you're alone (one with your ex is a big NO-NO), smiling, well-lit and looking good. Don't use a photo in which you're dressed too revealingly -- you want to look elegant and alluring, but a picture of you in a bikini is going to attract the wrong kind of responses.

DON'T work on your profile when you're feeling down:

If you've just gotten shot down at work, are having a bad-hair day or feel fat, that's going to color the way you portray yourself. Wait a day or two until you're feeling better.

DON'T overthink it:
You want your profile to reflect who you are, not some imaginary being you think people will be more attracted to. Your profile should have life to it; avoid letting it get flat and lacking in personality.

DON'T give negative details:
Rambling on about your insane ex, your last visit to the therapist or how you hate men who can't commit is a turn-off in an ad, just as it is in person.

DON'T fixate on only one aspect of your life:
You may love your dog, have a great career, live to ski, and those are great things to talk about in your profile. But if you talk about that and only that, you're going to come off as one- dimensional and obsessed. Show your fully rounded self.

DON'T give a laundry list:
Just listing all the details about your life, or the type of mate you're looking for, is boring.

DON'T think that once you've posted your profile, that's it:

You can tweak and improve your profile as you go along. If you're getting the type of responses you're looking for, great. (Share your tips on the Finding Mr. Right message board.)

If you're getting responses from the wrong types of people or not getting as many responses as you'd like,then review your profile and think about how you can improve it and make yourself shine a little bit more. We don't get many "do-overs" in life; take advantage of them when they pop up.
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To accomplish great things we must not only act,
but also dream, not only plan, but also believe.
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Time Bandits

[Manajemen] ©Debbie Williams

Although there are still 24 hours in each day, you'd never know it by standing back and observing the average home and office of today. We live in an industrialized nation, one of the most prosperous countries in the world, and yet we are continually robbed of the most precious commodity of them all: time.

The decade of the 1980's produced efficiency experts, showing us how to keep a time log to chart our work production. Many of you were fortunate enough to attend seminars conducted on-site or at a retreat to learn how to manage time more effectively. The 80's evolved into the 90's, where power suits were traded in for power tools - we began to dress casually and carry laptops in place of attaches.

Today, a large percentage of homes, offices, and schools have computers available for personal use. Students use beepers, and moms carry cell phones. These timesaving tools were brought home from the office to better manage our lives. But who is managing whom here? Are these time savers really turning into time bandits?

What would really happen if we didn't answer the telephone during dinner? Would we miss an all-important business call, or just delay a discussion with another telemarketer? Would the world end if you turned off your beeper during lunch, or would you allow yourself to focus on the client sitting in front of you – a gentle reminder of Customer Service 101?

It would seem that somewhere along the way, we have forgotten the purpose of the cell phone, the beeper, and call waiting. They're not here to cause stress, multi-tasking, or more work. Quite the contrary; they were invented to make routine tasks easier and to simplify our lives.

These products are not the enemy, but as with other wonderful things in our modern lives, they should be used in moderation. As an organizational consultant, I find myself sympathizing with the working mother who requested a consultation, but won't stop talking on her cell phone for the 30 minutes it takes to tell me how disorganized her life is.

Or the single father who doesn't have any personal time, yet drops his jaw when I suggest he establish house rules for phone calls so the kids are available for cooking and dishwashing chores. It seems obvious when you're outside looking in, doesn't it? But this is your life, too, every hectic frenzied moment of it. And here I am telling you not to use your favorite high tech toys!

Don't do away with them completely, just tweak the user rules a bit. Use the answering machine to screen calls during dinner, meetings, writing sessions, or family conferences - then return phone calls later. Utilize Caller ID to screen your calls so you don't waste time talking with telemarketers.

Use voicemail to discourage solicitors, filter incoming calls, and avoid phone tag with business and personal contacts. Implement time savers such as these to proactively manage your time - don't just react to others managing it for you.

Experts in time management say that man cannot really manage time, it manages us. I'd like to think that we could take a stand against the time bandits, rise above the bells and whistles of laptops, and stop the ringing in our ears. It's time for a change - are you up to the challenge?

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DOKUMENTASI VCD - PERSONAL EXCELLENCE WITH NLP by Tommy Siawira
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How to Streamline Your Morning Routine

[Manajemen] by Debbie Williams

Whether you are married or a single parent, getting ready for work each day can be quite a challenging feat when you have children. Gone are the days of hitting the snooze button on your alarm repeatedly, then quickly showering and eating a Pop Tart on the drive to work. Your alarm clock has been replaced by giggling children or whining sleepy-heads who await their orders for the day: wake up,put this on, no you can't wear your dance costume to school, stop hitting your brother, don't kick the cat, eat your breakfast, drink your milk, go find your socks. the list is endless. No wonder parents of young kids find themselves half-dressed or mismatched when they arrive at work later-- sometimes we're doing good to have socks ON, much less ones that match!

Don't despair-- there are ways to flow with the rhythm of this morning dance.
Preparation, routine, delegation, and a great sense of humor go a long way when
it comes to surviving these early hours.

DROP & LOAD
Rather than waiting until an hour before school or daycare, start preparing lunches, backpacks, and diaper bags the night before. Sometimes spending 10 minutes after dinner packing lunches for parents and kids alike will save 15 or 20 minutes of valuable time- that leaves you time to sit down for breakfast,either at the table with the kiddos or on the couch watching the drive-time traffic on the local news.

When you arrive home from work, ready your briefcase or purse for the next day,grabbing documents, tollbooth change, or your planner. Put keys and briefcase in the same spot each time you are finished with them, creating a home for them to go to. No more searching for lost items in the morning rush.

GRAB & GO
Have your kids hang up their backpacks on a hook, peg, or on a designated spot by the door, ready to grab-n-go tomorrow morning. As they finish homework,obtain a signature for report cards or permission slips, or choose a treasure for show & tell, encourage them to get into the habit of loading their bags as they go. This can save up to 5 minutes each morning that can be spent reviewing spelling words or telling you about their schedule for the day.

ROUTINE MATTERS
Create a routine to streamline your morning. Don't worry- there's no need to transform into an efficiency expert like Mr. Gilbreath in the play, Cheaper by the Dozen, who used a stopwatch to time the actions of his 12 children. However,with a little planning and some note taking, you can pay attention to those time wasters that prevent your family from getting important tasks done each day.

Do you waste time hovering or micro-managing your children to the point that you barely have time to dress each morning? (Much less eat breakfast or create a to-do-list). Perhaps it's time to back off and give them just a little more room. Do you really think the clothing police will take you away for not color-coding Cindy's outfit today? After all, dressing herself is a big milestone in her life, and using color and style are a way to express her creativity.

She'll eventually tire of wearing purple and red every single day and will move on to another phase. And if your son wants to wear a fireman's hat to kindergarten, I'm sure the teacher will allow him to share it with the class before having him park it at the station with his waterproof boots and fireman's gear (otherwise known as His Cubby). Things have a way of working themselves out, so we might as well give them a little room to grow.

PICK ME
Young children love being the helper of the day, so bring home this useful tool and add it to your own toolbox. Let your son prepare snacks for daycare, or help you pack the baby's diaper bag. Older kids can start a load of wash, which you can load into the dryer at lunch or after work. All can be responsible for hanging up wet towels and putting dirty pajamas into the hamper. Delegate laundry duty to older kids so they won't be surprised to learn their favorite shirt is dirty again and they have absolutely nothing to wear-- the burden is on them to make sure this doesn't happen, taking mean old mom and dad right out of the picture.

GOOD TO GO
Using these simple tips will add 5 minutes here, 15 minutes there, and help you discover lost time that you never thought you would find again. Streamlining your routine helps your entire family start the day with positive energy without grumbling, whining, or searching. And that's definitely something even a sleepy night owl can crow about!
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