Wednesday, September 30, 2009


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Workplace Learning - Types Of Anxiety

The young man Shin Dong Hyuk was born and raised in a North Korean prison camp. When he was 14, his mother and brother tried to escape. They failed, and so Shin was forced to watch their executions. His mother was publicly hanged, while his brother was shot nine times. Shin’s indoctrination was such that he felt no pity for them whatsoever.

World-renowned psychologist, Edgar Schein, discovered that there are two types of anxiety associated with learning and development: Learning Anxiety and Survival Anxiety.

Learning Anxiety is when people are too afraid to learn something new. They’re scared it might be too difficult; they’re fearful it’ll fail; and they’re worried they’ll be perceived as a traitor by the groups in which they belong. Shin was suffering from extreme learning anxiety because of the total control that the North Korean regime exerted over his whole life. That’s why he reacted so callously to his family’s executions. To change was unfathomable.

Survival Anxiety is when people finally realize that, in order to make it, they have no choice but to change. By the time he was 22, Shin became the only person to ever escape from that prison camp. He’d made the decision to get out when a new inmate shared stories of what the outside world was like. Together, they ran off, and even though his mate became stuck in the electrified fence and died, Shin was able to jump over and defected to the South.

Behavioral change occurs when survival anxiety is greater than learning anxiety. There are two ways you can do this. You can increase your employees’ survival anxiety, which includes threats and intimidation to get staff to do what you want. Or the second option is to decrease their level of learning anxiety, which is the creation of a safe learning environment.

It’s difficult to get rid of learning anxiety entirely, but here's how you can reduce it:
Credibility: The facilitator needs to be someone believable and trustworthy.
Positive Incentives: Benefits of the training need to be articulated and understood.
Group Support: People are more comfortable learning with their peers.
Follow-up: Training is not enough, so include coaching and other reinforcement.
Method: The training should be tailored to suit every learning style, and just as importantly, the major ‘attention styles’. The two are very different.
Many people are reluctant learners. They attend training not because they want to, but because they have to. By reducing their learning anxiety, you give employees one less reason to escape.

Thanks to James Adonis

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Did You Know

Almost 75 percent of new graduates say that training and development is the most important factor for them when choosing a new employer. 68 percent even say they'd happily accept less money if it meant they'd get more training.
Source: TMP Worldwide

Thanks to James Adonis
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Quote

"Learning is a lifetime process, but there comes a time when we must stop adding and start updating." ~~~ Robert Brault
Thanks to James Adonis

Leadership: The Basis for Management by William P. Fisher Ph.D.

Leadership: The Basis for Management
by William P. Fisher Ph.D.

We all like to think we have some leadership qualities and strive to develop them. We look at leaders in all walks of life seeking to identify which qualities, traits and skills they possess so we can emulate them. A fundamental question remains "What is the essence of leadership that results in successful management, as opposed to failed management?" At least part of the answer can be found within the word itself.

1. Loyalty
Leadership starts with a loyalty quadrant: loyalty to one's organization and its mission; loyalty to organizational superiors; loyalty to subordinates and loyalty to oneself. Loyalty is multi-directional, running upwards and downwards in the organization. When everyone practices it, "loyalty bonds" occur which drive high morale. Loyalty to oneself is based on maintaining a sound body, mind and spirit so one is always "riding the top of the wave" in service to others.

2. Excellence
Leaders know that excellence is a value, not an object. They strive for both excellence and success. Excellence is the measurement you make of yourself in assessing what you do and how well you do it. Success is an external perception that others have of you.


3. Assertiveness
Leaders possess a mental and physical intensity that causes them to seek control, take command, assume the mantle of responsibility and focus on the objective(s) . Leaders do not evidence self-doubt as they are comfortable within themselves that what they are doing is right which, in turn, gives them the courage to take action.

4. Dedication
Leaders are dedicated in mind, body and spirit to their organization and to achievement. They are action-oriented, not passive, and prefer purposeful activity to the status quo. They possess an aura or charisma that sets them apart from others with whom they interact,
always working in the best interests of their organization.

5. Enthusiasm
Leaders are their own best cheerleaders on behalf of their organization and their people. They exude enthusiasm and instill it in others to the point of contagion. Their style may be one of poise, stability, clear vision and articulate speech, but their bristling enthusiasm underscores their every waking moment.

6. Risk Management
Leaders realize that risk taking is part of their management perch. They manage risk rather than letting it manage them, knowing full well there are no guaranteed outcomes, no foregone conclusions, no pre-ordained results when one is dealing with the future. Nonetheless, they measure risk, adapt to it, control it and surmount it.

7. Strength
Leaders possess an inner fiber of stamina, fortitude and vibrancy that gives them a mental toughness, causing them to withstand interruption, crises and unforeseen circumstances that would slow down or immobilize most people. Leaders become all the more energized in the face of surprises.

8. Honor
Leaders understand they will leave a legacy, be it good, bad or indifferent. True leaders recognize that all their relationships and actions are based on the highest standards of honor and integrity. They do the right things correctly, shun short-term improper expediency and set the example for others with high-mindedness, professional bearing and unassailable character.

9. Inspiration
Leaders don't exist without followers. People will follow leaders who inspire them to reach beyond the normal and ordinary to new levels of accomplishment, new heights of well-being and new platforms for individual, organizational and societal good. Inspiration is what
distinguishes a leader from a mere position holder, as the leader can touch the heart, mind and soul of others.

10.Performance
At the end of the day, leader/managers rise or fall on the most critical of all measurements - their performance. Results come first, but the way in which results are achieved is also crucial to sustaining a leader's role. Many "dictators" don't last despite results and many "charismatics" don't last despite personal charm.

Putting the ten elements together spell LEADERSHIP! Always remember, if you want to develop a leadership quality act as though you already possess it!


[About the Author: William P. Fisher, Ph.D., a member of Cayuga Hospitality Advisors, is the Darden Chair in the Rosen College of Hospitality Management at the University of Central Florida in Orlando.]

Monday, September 28, 2009

Do not ask GOD, Why me?

ONE PARAGRAPH THAT EXPLAINS LIFE!

Arthur Ashe, the legendary Wimbledon player was dying of AIDS which he got due to infected blood he received during a heart surgery in 1983.
>From world over, he received letters from his fans, one of which conveyed: "Why does GOD have to select you for such a bad disease"?
To this Arthur Ashe replied:
"The world over -- 50 million children start playing tennis, 5 million learn to play tennis,

500,000 learn professional tennis, 50,000 come to the circuit, 5000 reach the grand slam,
50 reach Wimbledon, 4 to semi final, 2 to the finals,
when I was holding a cup I never asked GOD 'Why me?'.
And today in pain I should not be asking GOD 'Why me?' "

"Happiness keeps you Sweet,
Trials keep you Strong,
Sorrow keeps you Human,
Failure keeps you humble and Success keeps you glowing, but only Faith & Attitude Keeps you going...

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

How to Have a Great Conversation with Anyone

How to Have a Great Conversation with Anyone

The art of conversation takes practice, and is not as hard as you might think. It will take some knowledge, practice, and patience, and you can learn to relax and enjoy a great conversation.
With these tips you will be well on your way to having a good, meaningful and entertaining conversation with anyone!


Make a good first impression.
Smile, ask questions that require more than a yes/no answer, and really listen. Maintain eye contact and keep as friendly and polite as possible.

Listen.
This is the most important part of any conversation. You might think a conversation is all about talking, but it will not go anywhere if the listener is too busy thinking of something to say next. Pay attention to what is being said. When you talk to the other person, injecting a thought or two, they will often not realize that it was they who did most of the talking, and you get the credit for being a good conversationalist - which of course, you are!

Find out what the other person is interested in.
You can even do some research in advance when you know you will have an opportunity to talk with a specific person. Complimenting them is a great place to start. Everyone likes sincere compliments, and that can be a great ice-breaker.

Ask questions.
What do they like to do? What sort of things have they done in their life? What is happening to them now? What did they do today or last weekend? Identify things about them that you might be interested in hearing about, and politely ask questions. Remember, there was a reason that you wanted to talk to them, so obviously there was something about them that you found interesting.

Forget yourself.
Dale Carnegie once said, “It’s much easier to become interested in others than it is to convince them to be interested in you.” If you are too busy thinking about yourself, what you look like, or what the other person might be thinking, you will never be able to relax. Introduce yourself, shake hands, then forget yourself and focus on them instead.

Practice active listening skills.
Part of listening is letting the other person know that you are listening. Make eye contact. Nod. Say “Yes,” “I see,” “That’s interesting,” or something similar to give them clues that you are paying attention and not thinking about something else - such as what you are going to say next.

Ask clarifying questions.
If the topic seems to be one they are interested in, ask them to clarify what they think or feel about it. If they are talking about an occupation or activity you do not understand, take the opportunity to learn from them. Everyone loves having a chance to teach another willing and interested person about their hobby or subject of expertise.

Paraphrase back what you have heard, using your own words.
This seems like an easy skill to learn, but takes some practice to master. Conversation happens in turns, each person taking a turn to listen and a turn to speak or to respond. It shows respect for the other person when you use your “speaking turn” to show you have been listening and not just to say something new. They then have a chance to correct your understanding, affirm it, or embellish on it.

Consider your response before disagreeing.
If the point was not important, ignore it rather than risk appearing argumentative. If you consider it important then politely point out your difference of opinion. Do not disagree merely to set yourself apart, but remember these points:

It is the differences in people–and their conversation–that make them interesting.
Agreeing with everything can kill a conversation just as easily as disagreeing with everything.
A person is interesting when they are different from you; a person is obnoxious when they can not agree with anything you say, or if they use the point to make themselves appear superior.
Try to omit the word “but” from your conversation when disagreeing as this word often puts people on the defensive. Instead, try substituting the word “and”, it has less of an antagonistic effect.

Consider playing devil’s advocate - which requires care.
If your conversation partner makes a point, you can keep the conversation going by bringing up the opposite point of view (introduce it with something like “I agree, and…”). If you overuse this technique, however, you could end up appearing disagreeable or even hostile.

Do not panic over lulls.
This is a point where you could easily inject your thoughts into the discussion. If the topic seems to have run out, use the pause to think for a moment and identify another conversation topic or question to ask them. Did something they said remind you of something else you have heard, something that happened to you, or bring up a question or topic in your mind? Mention it and you’ll transition smoothly into further conversation!

Know when the conversation is over.
Even the best conversations will eventually run out of steam or be ended by an interruption. Shake hands with the other person and be sure to tell them you enjoyed talking with them. Ending on a positive note will leave a good impression and likely bring them back later for more!


Warnings
Choose carefully when asking personal questions. You do not want to venture into overly personal issues. Even if the other person might be willing to talk about it, you may end up learning things that you really do not want to know. You certainly do not want the other person to think afterward that you coerced them into revealing personal information.
Be sincere! Compliments are great, but too much flattery is obvious and will reveal you as being insincere.
Beware of topics that can be inflammatory - such as religion and politics - and don’t venture into them unless you know the person has roughly the same convictions as you, or the circumstances otherwise allow for pleasant discussion. Again, it’s fine to disagree and can be nice to talk about differences, but it can also be a quick step toward an argument.
Try not to argue! You do not have to agree with everything someone says, but you do not have to tell them all about how you disagree. If you feel the need to explain an opposing viewpoint, express it simply and without putting the other person on the defensive. It is better to simply change the subject in a casual conversation than to get involved in an argument.
Try not to nod or respond with “Yes” and “I see” so much. It might make the person think you are bored and sometimes it may seem like you are rushing them along. Never say anything hurtful or offensive to the other person, this may project a bad feeling between you.
If it is a planned conversation, try listening to the news in case you run out of thing to say, it is always a good solution.
Also try not to cut the person off mid-sentence. It seems disrespectful and it makes it seem like what you have to say is more important than what the other person has to say. Let the person finish their thoughts and then continue on with thoughts of your own.

Saturday, September 5, 2009

HOW TO STAY FOCUSED IN LIFE

HOW TO STAY FOCUSED IN LIFE

In life, there are several distractions and always will be. It's up to us how we stay focused in our head and heart and follow our goals. Here are some tips to stay focused in life.

Time Management

· Firstly, accept the fact that you have only 24 hours and seven days a week.

· Hence, time management is very important as that will help you in achieving the maximum in minimum time and effort.

· Planning a week ahead on a Sunday is very useful. Write down the things to be done in a diary or a white board in order of priority.

· As far as possible, stick to the priority wise objectives and tick them once they're done.

· Initially, it may not be easy to stick to a plan, but you will gradually see your efficiency and productivity increasing and you will no longer run out of time.

Goal Management

· Set smaller, achievable goals. For instance, if you want to score a high percentage in your exams then your goals should be to study a few hours daily rather than finish studying an entire chapter. If you try and complete an entire subject, it may not only be difficult but it can leave you nervous and under-confident.

· Rate your performance on a scale of 1 to 10, but be honest to yourself.

· Compare your present performance with the past to check your progress.

· Only if you are able to judge yourself honestly can you push yourself to do better.

Personal Management

· Meditation and yoga can help you to concentrate and stay focused.

· Visualize success before dozing off to sleep and just when you wake up. Affirm success and ingrain it into your mind and body.

· Seek advice and guidance from a trusted person such as a parent, a senior, a teacher or a counselor.

· Accept the fact that there will always be distractions, there will be people doing better than you and may be 'luckier' than you. But you need not waste time on worrying; instead, use the time to better yourself.

· Study tactics used by successful people, maybe it can give you a hint.