Better Employee Behavior—By Decree

The vagaries of employee behavior—from chewing gum or potato chips while on the phone with customers to a penchant for showing up everyday at the office fashionably late—will gain consistency if you draw up the company’s behavioral preferences in the form of a contract. That's the advice of Quint Studer, author of "Results That Last: Hardwiring Behaviors That Will Take Your Company to the Top." Studer offers tips for putting together your employee behavioral mandate:
• Don't assume you'll meet resistance. "Most [employees] are as irritated by the offenders as you and your customers are," says Studer. "Most people appreciate having official guidelines—it eliminates their own confusion, as well as that of their coworkers."
• Common courtesy isn't common. You might assume knocking before entering an office with a closed door is par for the course, Studer says. But for people who grew up in large families with few physical boundaries, knocking on doors might feel like a needless formality. "In other words, common sense is a subjective concept, depending in part on an individual's background," he says. "Still, it's very important that every employee display behavior consistent with company standards and aligned with desired outcomes."
• Behavioral rules create a happier workplace. Consistent behavior in the office means a better work environment. "Employees who frequently behave in ways their coworkers deem inappropriate are not contributing to a happy, unified, productive team," says Studer. "And here's the real bottom line: If you don't spell out which behaviors are acceptable and which are not, you can't hold people accountable for them."
• Draw up your own contract. Develop a "Standards of Behavior" contract, and have everyone, from CEO to receptionist, sign it, he advises. This document can address any work-related behavior, says Studer, "from interaction with clients to phone etiquette to 'good manners' (knocking on doors) to 'positive attitude' markers (smiling or saying thank you)." Then make all employees sign it.
• Seek input from all employees in creating the document. Put together a "Standards Team" to spearhead the initiative and create the first draft. "Be sure everyone has a chance to review the document and provide input before it's finalized," he says. "Do not have human resources write it and impose it on everyone else. You want to create buy-in, and that requires companywide participation."
• Align desired behaviors with corporate goals and desired outcomes. Take a look at your organization's long-term goals and areas that need improvement. "You must be able to measure the success of your standards by seeing an impact in many of the key metrics of your operation," says Studer, "whether those are increased customer satisfaction, reduced rejects, or other measures."
• If you do it right, your contract will serve as an ongoing reminder of proper behavior. "Just knowing a Standards of Behavior document exists—and that their signature is affixed to a pledge to uphold it—is enough to keep employees on their toes," he explains. "It creates an extra boost of awareness that really does affect day-to-day behavior. It creates the same behavior expectations for the entire team. Best of all, it functions as a tidal pull on problem employees, bringing them up to a higher level of performance."

source: Inside Training Newsletter

Five Time Management Mistakes that Wastes a lot of Time

By: Shabbar Suterwala

Have you heard people say “Time Flies”, “There is no Time”, “Where is the Time” and sort of pharases. In my career of conducting Time Management Workshop, I have experienced some of the major flaws that people do which becomes an excuse for the above mentioned pharases.

For all those who would like to master their time management skills, must avoid these 5 major Time Management Mistakes.

1. Procrastination:
Those things which have to be done now are being procrastinated of being postponed. This is one of the traits which is not outside but within us. We have made up a habit that we will do it later as it is not urgent now, we keep on delaying it till one day it becomes burning and urgent, and then we have no choice to act on it. At this point of time, we have to leave aside something that was important but not urgent to complete this task.
Many of the corporate executives also get a kick from doing something that is urgent, they love to take pressure, their common phrase is “ohh, don’t worry there is still a lot of time”.

2. Do it Myself Attitude:
"This is too important. Better let me do it." "By the time I show them how to do it, I will finish it myself." There are these executives and managers who always want to be in the thick of the things. They also get a feeling of threat if some one else starts doing what I do. Some have this misconception about their indispensability.

3. No Clearly Defined Goals:
Because we do not know what to do, we keep on doing whatever comes our way. We keep on working very hard but still do not get results or the sense of achievement because we never have defined what we want to achieve. “A journey of thousand miles begins with the first single step.” We all want to take the first step and we are ready to take it, unfortunately we have not defined our journey so we do not know in which direction to take the first step.

4. Not taking Decisions:
One of the major mistakes which waste a lot of our time is in-decision. We keep on procrastinating our decisions. We do not take the right decision at the right time be it with our professional life or our personal or social life or be it related to our health. And unfortunately many of our decisions are not our decisions at all. They are being imposed on us by our boss, colleagues, family and friends. We also have this urge to be perfect at time and we need a lot of data and testimony to justify our decisions and also always we want to be right at all the time so we remain in-decisive.

5. No Action:
This one is the giant of the time waster which waste chunk of our time. We do not Act on our Goals, we do not take any action on the decisions we make. Many a time people decide to change their habits and behaviour but seldom they take any action step on their plan. So no action – no results. Some times people who do not have clarity of goals, do not see the destination, so, if this set of people act today and cloud sit with a book and pen and start writing down their goal, probably this action step will bring them closer towards their goal.

So if you want to start managing your time, start managing the above five mistakes. So here is your short brief powerful action plan:
Step 1: Stop Procrastination
Step 2: Empower people around you
Step 3: Write down your goals of paper
Step 4: Make those tough decisions
Step 5: ACT now on the above 4 steps.

Wish you all the best. Time management is all about self management. The better you manage your self, automatically your time is managed

THE THREE P'S

THE THREE P'S

The three "P's" of good time management are Personal, Planning, andPeople.

Personal. Each day we must keep ourselves balanced in the Seven VitalAreas of Life: Health, Family, Financial, Intellectual, Social,Professional, and Spiritual. Like a seven-legged table, if one is out ofbalance, it will upset the entire table.

Planning. "People don't plan to fail but a lot of people fail to plan."Doing Daily Planning each night, planning out the most precious resourceat our command, the next 24 hours, will direct us to spending our timemore wisely.

People. Better than 50% of our success has to do with the goodcooperation of other people. Some will help us and others can hurt us.We need to maintain good, positive relationships with others. "To have afriend, be a friend."

SOME TIPS FOR MANAGING WITH A HEART

People need to be treated like people, they are not pieces of equipment or furniture possessed by the organization. They need to be treated with a humane touch.

Here some valuable tips for managing with a heart useful both for Managers and Executives :

1. Remember to say that your people "work with you" and not they "work for you".

2. Either organize in house training programs or sponsor your employees to professional training courses. This help them improve their skills.

3. Whenever you finish a project with your team, don’t forget to thank them for their contribution.

4. Whenever you plan your projects, keep employee pressures in mind. Plan the peak periods in such a manner that unnecessary pressures on the employees are avoided.

5. Great expectations will produce great results. Let your employees know that you expect nothing but the best from them and then empower them for achieving that state.

6. Never make a person feel small or out of place simply because he holds a junior position in the organization.

7. Productivity is directly liked to recognition. Whenever you recognize someone’s work, you increase his self-respect and this in turn directly boosts his productivity.

8. If an employee is proving to be a misfit, don’t sack him, look for other positions in the company where he could be better utilized. For all you know he may prove to be a real asset.

9. Never offer too much constructive criticism to too many people, too frequently. If you do, you might find people avoiding you most of the time.

10. The two rewards of work that you should aspire for should be the satisfaction it gives you and the need that others feel for your contributions.

(225 Tips for Managing with a Heart - Rajeev Sethi)

NO PLAY

A recent Los Angeles Times article noted that some employers are forcingtheir employees to take their vacation time to avoid burnout and weakerperformance reviews. Many are forfeiting their vacation time thinking that more time at the job will increase performance.Vacation time is not an expense.

It’s an investment and failing to taketime out does diminish personal productivity.In the United States we allocate fewer vacation days than any otherdeveloped country. Canada allocates 27 and France, 39.

Don’t forfeit your vacation time.

Take it. Enjoy it and increase yourlong- term performance in the process, with greater ease.

Delegation Dilemma

Delegation Dilemma

By Dr. Donald E. Wetmore


We all have 24 hours in each day, 7 days each week. (You probably knewthat anyway.)
If you multiply that out and if my math is correct, and Isuspect it is because I’ve done the calculation a few times before, thattotals 168 hours in a week.
But then we have to subtract out time forsleep. Let’s use 8 hours per night, 7 nights per week (I know that mightbe high for a lot of people and maybe low for others, but we do spendabout a third of our week dead), or a total of 56 hours. Subtract that56 hours from 168 and now we’re down to only 112 hours per week toaccomplish all we wish to do.

If we chose to do everything ourselves, we will limit our potentialbecause we are always hitting our heads on a ceiling of 112 hours. Butwhat if we could plug into someone else’s time stream? What if we couldget others to do things for us? Wouldn’t that increase our results? Youbet. And all I’m talking about here is the concept of delegation.

Delegation is when you plug into someone else’s time stream when youdon’t have the time or the expertise to do something, thereby increasingyour own results.Many feel they do not have the opportunity to delegate. “After all, Ihave no staff at work. I am the staff!” some will tell me. Yet, we areall delegators.

Most have mail delivered to their homes. Any of us couldgo to the post office, rent our own postal box, and then each day take atrip to the post office to retrieve our mail. But most of us have madethe decision that that is not the best use of our time so we have theletter carrier deliver our mail.

Maybe you went out for lunch yesterday at Burger King. You got ahamburger, fries, and a drink and paid $5 for that meal. How many peoplewere involved in the production of that lunch to your plate? Probablyhundreds, if not thousands. Someone had to plant the wheat to make thebread, someone had to pick the tomato to make the ketchup, and someonehad to drill the oil out of the ground to power the delivery truck toyour local Burger King. And if you paid $5 for this meal, everyone inthis chain had to share in that $5, perhaps in fractions of a penny.And I’m not trying to stretch delegation to some unreasonableapplication.

This is exactly how the world worked up until about twohundred years age. All throughout the history of the world, if youwanted something, you had to produce it yourself. You wanted food? Youdidn’t pop over to your favorite restaurant. You had to grow it or killit yourself. You wanted housing? You didn’t visit with your local realestate person. You went into the woods and cleared the land and builtit.

In fact, if you look at the development of individual personal wealthfrom whenever they began to keep track up and through about 200 yearsago, people 200 years ago were not a whole lot better off financiallythan their ancestors. And then from about 200 years ago to presenttimes, individual economic wealth shot up through the roof because theIndustrial Revolution permitted companies to mass-produce inexpensiveproducts for the marketplace. This required payment of relatively goodwages to workers so that they could afford to buy these products, socompanies could make profits and produce more products.

If you and I had to do everything ourselves, create our food, clothing,housing, transportation, education, etc, the average person wouldprobably lose 95% of what they have now or retain a mere 5% of what theyhave achieved.So the question is not whether or not you delegate. We all delegate inways that you perhaps had not considered.

The better question to ask is,“How far do you want to go with it?” because delegation is the key toopen the door to great success as we are forever hitting our headsagainst that ceiling of 112 hours available to us each week.

GOT A PEN?

GOT A PEN?

I called a client at her home yesterday. She was out and her son askedif he could take a message. I thanked him and gave him my name,telephone number and a three word message.He then replied, “Wait a minute. I need to get a pen.”
I waited and then repeated the same message again now that he had a pen and was able to write it down.

To save a little time when you leave a telephone message again with alive person, start by asking, “Do you have a pen?” If not, let them geta pen first before giving the message.This will save you from having to give the message twice and will improve its accuracy.

CEOs say how you treat a waiter can predict a lot about character

CEOs say how you treat a waiter can predict a lot about character

By Del Jones, USA TODAY

Office Depot CEO Steve Odland remembers like it was yesterday working in an upscale French restaurant in Denver.

The purple sorbet in cut glass he was serving tumbled onto the expensive white gown of an obviously rich and important woman. "I watched in slow motion ruining her dress for the evening," Odland says. "I thought I would be shot on sight."

Thirty years have passed, but Odland can't get the stain out of his mind, nor the woman's kind reaction. She was startled, regained composure and, in a reassuring voice, told the teenage Odland, "It's OK. It wasn't your fault." When she left the restaurant, she also left the future Fortune 500 CEO with a life lesson: You can tell a lot about a person by the way he or she treats the waiter.

Odland isn't the only CEO to have made this discovery. Rather, it seems to be one of those rare laws of the land that every CEO learns on the way up. It's hard to get a dozen CEOs to agree about anything, but all interviewed agree with the Waiter Rule.

They acknowledge that CEOs live in a Lake Wobegon world where every dinner or lunch partner is above average in their deference. How others treat the CEO says nothing, they say. But how others treat the waiter is like a magical window into the soul.

And beware of anyone who pulls out the power card to say something like, "I could buy this place and fire you," or "I know the owner and I could have you fired." Those who say such things have revealed more about their character than about their wealth and power.

Whoever came up with the waiter observation "is bang spot on," says BMW North America President Tom Purves, a native of Scotland, a citizen of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland, who lives in New York City with his Norwegian wife, Hilde, and works for a German company. That makes him qualified to speak on different cultures, and he says the waiter theory is true everywhere.

The CEO who came up with it, or at least first wrote it down, is Raytheon CEO Bill Swanson. He wrote a booklet of 33 short leadership observations called Swanson's Unwritten Rules of Management. Raytheon has given away 250,000 of the books.

Among those 33 rules is only one that Swanson says never fails: "A person who is nice to you but rude to the waiter, or to others, is not a nice person."

Swanson says he first noticed this in the 1970s when he was eating with a man who became "absolutely obnoxious" to a waiter because the restaurant did not stock a particular wine.

"Watch out for people who have a situational value system, who can turn the charm on and off depending on the status of the person they are interacting with," Swanson writes. "Be especially wary of those who are rude to people perceived to be in subordinate roles."

The Waiter Rule also applies to the way people treat hotel maids, mailroom clerks, bellmen and security guards. Au Bon Pain co-founder Ron Shaich, now CEO of Panera Bread, says he was interviewing a candidate for general counsel in St. Louis. She was "sweet" to Shaich but turned "amazingly rude" to someone cleaning the tables, Shaich says. She didn't get the job.

Shaich says any time candidates are being considered for executive positions at Panera Bread, he asks his assistant, Laura Parisi, how they treated her, because some applicants are "pushy, self-absorbed and rude" to her before she transfers the call to him.

Just about every CEO has a waiter story to tell. Dave Gould, CEO of Witness Systems, experienced the rule firsthand when a waitress dumped a full glass of red wine on the expensive suit of another CEO during a contract negotiation. The victim CEO put her at ease with a joke about not having had time to shower that morning. A few days later, when there was an apparent impasse during negotiations, Gould trusted that CEO to have the character to work out any differences.

CEOs who blow up at waiters have an ego out of control, Gould says. "They're saying, 'I'm better. I'm smarter.' Those people tend not to be collaborative."

"To some people, speaking in a condescending manner makes them feel important, which to me is a total turnoff," says Seymour Holtzman, chairman of Casual Male Retail Group, which operates big-and-tall men's clothing stores including Casual Male XL.

How people were raised

Such behavior is an accurate predictor of character because it isn't easily learned or unlearned but rather speaks to how people were raised, says Siki Giunta, CEO of U.S. technology company Managed Objects, a native of Rome who once worked as a London bartender.

More recently, she had a boss who would not speak directly to the waiter but would tell his assistant what he wanted to eat, and the assistant would tell the waiter in a comical three-way display of pomposity. What did Giunta learn about his character? "That he was demanding and could not function well without a lot of hand-holding from his support system," she said.

It's somewhat telling, Giunta says, that the more elegant the restaurant, the more distant and invisible the wait staff is. As if the more important the customer, the less the wait staff matters. People view waiters as their temporary personal employees. Therefore, how executives treat waiters probably demonstrates how they treat their actual employees, says Sara Lee CEO Brenda Barnes, a former waitress and postal clerk, who says she is a demanding boss but never shouts at or demeans an employee.

"Sitting in the chair of CEO makes me no better of a person than the forklift operator in our plant," she says. "If you treat the waiter, or a subordinate, like garbage, guess what? Are they going to give it their all? I don't think so."

CEOs aren't the only ones who have discovered the Waiter Rule. A November survey of 2,500 by It's Just Lunch, a dating service for professionals, found that being rude to waiters ranks No. 1 as the worst in dining etiquette, at 52%, way ahead of blowing your nose at the table, at 35%.

Waiters say that early in a relationship, women will pull them aside to see how much their dates tipped, to get a read on their frugality and other tendencies. They are increasingly discussing boorish behavior by important customers at www.waiterrant.net and other blogs. They don't seem to mind the demanding customer, such as those who want meals prepared differently because of high blood pressure. But they have contempt for the arrogant customer.

Rule works with celebrities, too

The Waiter Rule also applies to celebrities, says Jimmy Rosemond, CEO of agency Czar Entertainment, who has brokered deals for Mike Tyson, Mario Winans and Guerilla Black. Rosemond declines to name names, but he remembers one dinner episode in Houston a few years back with a rude divisional president of a major music company.

When dinner was over, Rosemond felt compelled to apologize to the waiter on the way out. "I said, 'Please forgive my friend for acting like that.' It's embarrassing. They go into rages for simple mistakes like forgetting an order."

Rosemond says that particular music executive also treated his assistants and interns poorly — and was eventually fired.

Odland says he saw all types of people 30 years ago as a busboy. "People treated me wonderfully and others treated me like dirt. There were a lot of ugly people. I didn't have the money or the CEO title at the time, but I had the same intelligence and raw ability as I have today.

"Why would people treat me differently? Your value system and ethics need to be constant at all times regardless of who you are dealing with."

Holtzman grew up in the coal-mining town of Wilkes-Barre, Pa., and in the 1950s saw opportunity as a waiter 90 miles away in the Catskill Mountains, where customers did not tip until the end of the week. When they tipped poorly, he would say: "Sir, will you and your wife be tipping separately?"

"I saw a lot of character, or the lack thereof," says Holtzman, who says he can still carry three dishes in his right hand and two in his left.

"But for some twist of fate in life, they're the waiter and you're the one being waited on," Barnes says.

Find this article at:
http://www.usatoday.com/money/companies/management/2006-04-14-ceos-waiter-rule_x.htm

VACATION TIME

VACATION TIME

Vacation time is productive time, as much as work time. No, you’re not selling anything or working on those important projects but you are charging up your batteries to make your return more productive.

We’re not mindless machines that can function forever with a break. Time at the job dulls us
out over time, slowing our productive output. Vacations, then, are not an expense. They are an investment in your future productivity success.

And vacations need not be expensive excursions either. Just getting away from work for a period of time is enough to clear your head.

Be sure to take vacation time this summer to get your batteries charged up again.

by Don Wetmore

KILLING TIME

KILLING TIME

The proof that some have too much time on their hands is that they are
killing time to just pass their time away.

The best way to kill time is to work it to death.

Set aside time each day for planning and create a “to do” list filled
with the things you have to do and the things you want to do and tackle
those items with enthusiasm each day and get more out of your day, every
day.

by Don Wetmore

REDUCING WASTED TIME

REDUCING WASTED TIME

The average person wastes 2.09 hours per work day, some 25% of theaverage work day in idle time, surfing the Internet and majoring inminors. Some of that wasted time is useful to collect thoughts and getrecharged. Much of it, however, just keeps you from capitalizing on yourtime for improved performance.But what if you could re-claim just half the wasted time?

You get back an hour a day, five hours per week and 250 hours of productive time overthe next year, the equivalent of better than four work weeks to advanceyour success.Monitor how you spend your time. Be intentional about reclaiming some ofthat wasted time to move you ahead for greater results.

WEIGHT OF STRESS

WEIGHT OF STRESS

Hold a 16 ounce soda bottle in your hand with your arm stretched out fora few minutes. Easy.Continue holding it for a half hour. Difficult.Do it for and hour. Painful.Stress is like that. In the short run you easily manage it but in thelong term, event little stresses exact a high toll on us and diminishour personal productivity.Work to reducing those stresses. You will get more done and feel betteras well.Here’s a stress builder. 80% of people do not want to go to work onMonday mornings. Many feel stifled and unappreciated. What if there wasa way you could have a side business that would not take a lot of timeand would release you from having to go to work?

Jika Terjebak Di Dalam Debat

Jika Terjebak Di Dalam Debat

Kita bisa saja terjebak dalam suatu transaksi bicara yang mengarah ke bentuk-bentuk perdebatan. Hal terbaik yang bisa dilakukan dalam kondisi seperti ini, adalah sesegera mungkin keluar dari sana.Berikut ini adalah prinsip-prinsip dalam berdebat.

ATURAN DASAR
HINDARI DEBAT SEKALIPUN ANDA BERADA DI POSISI YANG BENAR.

ATURAN # 1
Debat hanya dibenarkan untuk mencari kebenaran. Apa yang paling benar adalah ATURAN DASAR.

ATURAN # 2
Tidak masalah kebenaran itu muncul dari mulut siapa.
Bisa dari mulut Anda, bisa juga dari mulut lawan bicara Anda. In both cases, accept it.

ATURAN # 3
Pilihlah untuk melakukannya secara tertutup atau menyendiri berdua saja.

ATURAN # 4
Perbedaan tidak bisa dihindari dalam berbagai hubungan dengan orang lain. Jalani dengan bijak.

ATURAN # 5
Hadapi perilaku atau sikapnya, bukan manusianya.

ATURAN # 6
Jangan terapkan "psi-war" atau "mental game".

ATURAN # 7
Dasari argumentasi dengan isu yang ada di tangan. Jangan bawa masa lalu dan masa depan. Fokuslah pada "right here' dan "right now".

ATURAN # 8
Beranilah meminta maaf, bersikaplah terhormat, berjiwa besar dan empatik. Jika lawan bicara yang meminta maaf, terimalah dengan jiwa besar.

ATURAN # 9
Debat dan bicara bukan obat. Makin banyak bicara tidak menjamin kondisi yang lebih baik. Yang lebih baik adalah berdoa dan melatih cara berpikir. Bicara baik atau diam. Bijaksanalah dalam menentukan "when", "where" dan "how".

ATURAN # 10
Debatlah hanya poin-poin yang terkait langsung dengan perbaikan. Jangan terjebak dalam perilaku mempermalukan, menghina atau menghancurkan.

ATURAN # 11
Bertanggungjawablah untuk emosi dan perasaan Anda sendiri. Orang lain TIDAK DAPAT membuat Anda marah, senang atau gila. Anda sendiri yangmenciptakannya.Katakan "Saya tidak setuju", jangan katakan "Anda salah".Katakan "Saya kaget Anda mengatakannya. Tapi sepertinya itu tidak benar", jangan katakan "Anda melukai saya".Katakan "Anda datang tidak sesuai dengan yang kita sepakati", jangan katakan "Anda telat".

ATURAN # 12
Untuk segala sesuatu, ada waktunya. Kritik harus konstruktif. Perkenankan lawan bicara menyelamatkan muka.

ATURAN # 13
Kompromi atau kompetisi hanya me-manage konflik. Kolaborasi-lah yang menyelesaikannya.

ATURAN # 14
Selalu ada yang lebih besar dari diri kita sendiri. Di atas langit ada langit. Jika tidak sanggup mengatasi konflik, manfaatkan konsultan, penasehat atau pakar.

ATURAN # 15
Jika belum sanggup melaksanakan aturan-aturan di atas, kembalilah ke ATURAN DASAR.

Sumber : milis bicarahttp://groups.yahoo.com/group/bicara/

Developing a Great Character

Developing a Great Character

By Brian TracyWhat is character? Your character is the degree to whichyou live your life consistent with high, life-enhancingvalues. A person who lacks character is one whocompromises on higher order values in favor of lower orderexpedience, or who has no values at all. Your adherence towhat you believe to be right and true is the real measureof the person you have become to this moment.

The Value of Excellence

Let us say that one of your values is "excellence." Yourdefinition of excellence could be, "Excellence means thatI set the highest standards for myself in everything I do.I do my very best in every situation and under allcircumstances. I constantly strive to be better in my work,and as a person in my relationships.

I recognize thatexcellence is a life long journey and I work every dayto become better and better in everything I do."Your Organizing PrinciplesWith a definition like this, you have a clear organizingprinciple for your actions. You have set a standard bywhich you can evaluate your behavior. You have created aframework within which you can make decisions. You have ameasuring rod against which you can compare yourself ineverything you do. You can continually grade youractivities in terms of "more" or "less."

You have a clear target to aim at and organize your work around.Put Your Family FirstIt's the same with each of your other values. If yourvalue is your family, you could define this as, "The needsof my family take precedence over all other concerns.Whenever I have to choose between the happiness, healthand well being of a member of my family, and any otherinterest, my family will always come first."

Choices Are Easier

From that moment onward, it becomes easier for you tochoose. Your family comes first. Until you have fullysatisfied the needs of your family, no other timerequirement will side track you into a lower valueactivity.

Take Charge of Your Own Character

DevelopmentThe wonderful thing about values clarification is thatit enables you to take charge of developing and shapingyour own character. When your values and goals, yourinner life and your outer life, are in complete alignment,you feel terrific about yourself. You enjoy highself-esteem. Your self-confidence soars. When you achievecomplete congruence between your values and your goals,like a hand in a glove, you feel strong, happy, healthyand fully integrated as a person.

You develop a kind ofcourage that makes you completely unafraid to makedecisions and take action. Your whole life improves whenyou begin living your life by the values that you mostadmire.

Action Exercises

Here are two things you can do immediately to put theseideas into action.First, create a clear, written description of your valuesand what they mean to you. From that point on, resolve tolive consistent with your own definition.Second, discipline yourself to live in complete alignmentwith the values, virtues and qualities that are mostimportant to you.
This is the key to character.

source : www.motivasi-islami.com

Bad Hiring Comes Home to Roost

Bad Hiring Comes Home to Roost

Your poor judgment, and that of the leaders you helped foster, may have greater consequences than your own embarrassment. According to the results of a study released last month by Right Management (www.right.com), a Philadelphia-based career transition and organizational consulting firm, bad hiring and promotion decisions come with a significant aftermath.

The survey of 444 organizations throughout North America showed that lower employee morale and decreased productivity are the biggest consequences of these less-than-stellar choices. Sixty-eight percent of survey respondents cited employee morale as a result of these decisions; 66 percent said decreased employee productivity was a consequence; 54 percent linked shoddy hiring and promotion choices to lost customers and market share; and 51 percent said not hiring and promoting properly means higher training costs. And, that’s not the only cost.

Human resources gurus, trainers and organizational leaders who don’t think carefully before making their next appointment could cost their companies money in other areas as well—especially when direct reports decide to hit the road. Forty-four percent of leaders, for instance, said bad hiring decisions result in higher recruitment costs, and 40 percent cited higher severance costs. And the costs related to those lost employees keep on adding up.

Recruitment, training, severance and lost productivity may add up to two times the employee’s annual salary, 42 percent of those surveyed said; 26 percent said it amounted to three times the employee’s annual salary; 11 percent cited costs up to five times the employee’s annual salary; and 6 percent said it’s four times his or her salary. Fifteen percent said it’s about equal to what the employee would have made in a year—had they stayed, of course.

Source: INSIDE TRAINING

YOU JUST MIGHT BE A WORKAHOLIC

YOU JUST MIGHT BE A WORKAHOLIC

By: Dr. Donald E. Wetmore

Many wonder what it takes to be a workaholic. Now I’m not suggesting
that being a workaholic is either a good thing or a bad thing but maybe
it’s useful to determine if we are. There is really no one thing that
would make one automatically qualify but after twenty years as a
full-time Professional Speaker I have been able to unearth some of the
symptoms.

If it frustrates you that they don’t allow laptops on a Ferris wheel,
you may be a workaholic.

If you are looking forward to Christmas this year because you’ll decide
to take that afternoon off, you might be a workaholic.

If you don’t drink any beverages during the day because you’ll lose time
having to go to the bathroom, you might be a workaholic.

If a Pay-Per-View movie is your idea of a vacation, then you just might
be a workaholic.

If twenty minutes is too long for a lunch “hour”, you might be a
workaholic.

If hobbies are something you will get into when you “get the time”, you
may be a workaholic.

If the only time you’ve had off in the last three years was to attend
your favorite uncle’s funeral, you might be a workaholic.

If you wish you weren’t so stressed but know that you will feel better
as soon as you “get over the hump”, you might be a workaholic.

If the color of one side of your golf bag has faded and is different
from the other side of the bag, you might be a workaholic.

If you promised your spouse “this is the only Sunday I’ll work” more
than three times in the last year, you might just be a workaholic.

If you bring your spreadsheets to your son’s football game, you may be a
workaholic.

If you sense that the smiles from those around you are somewhat
synthetic, you might be a workaholic.

If you’ve told yourself, “I can cut back of my hours anytime, if I
wanted to” more than three times in the last six months, you might be a
workaholic.

If you use your cell phone in the shower to return business calls in the
morning before work, you might just be a workaholic.

If you don’t have a tan by July 15 each year, you may be a workaholic.

If it’s difficult to remember the last time you heard background music
at a restaurant, you might be a workaholic.

If you set your alarm for 2:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. so you can check your
voicemail, well, you just might be a workaholic.

If it bothers you that you are always at work before and after everyone
else, you might be a workaholic.

If you can’t name your daughter’s favorite rock band, you just might be
a workaholic.

If elderly people tend to make you impatient, you might just be a
workaholic.

If people at cocktail parties seem to want to leave your conversation
and “get another glass of wine” just when you were really getting into
telling them about your job, well, you just might be a workaholic.

If it’s been a while since you felt guilty about missing yet another
family dinner, you might be a workaholic.

If you carry family pictures in your wallet only to remind you what they
look like, you might be a workaholic.

If you’re drinking your coffee in a dirty cup from yesterday, you just
might be a workaholic.

If you haven’t gone home early in the last six months, you might be a
workaholic.

If your idea of an intimate anniversary celebration is to take your
spouse to a formal business dinner, you might be a workaholic.

If a clown is not so funny, an owl is not so wise, and you think that
Peter Pan cannot really fly, you might be a workaholic.

If the last outrageous thing you did was over ten years ago, you might
be a workaholic.

If a three-year-old girl holding a fluffy bunny under her arm doesn’t
cause you to stop and watch, well, you just might be a workaholic.

Your Biggest Problem Tackled

Your Biggest Problem Tackled

There's usually no quick solution to problems that seem insurmountable, but that doesn't mean it's time to start breathing slowly into a brown lunch bag to avoid hyperventilation or a fainting episode. Greensboro, N.C.-based nonprofit leadership educational institute Center for Creative Leadership (CCL) has launched a program that provides a problem-solving methodology to avoid the madness.

The program, Navigating Complex Challenges, gives participants a problem-solving strategy they can use right as they're learning it, says Brenda McManigle, PhD and global manager of open enrollment programs. "One of the things that's really unique about it is it involves individual action learning," McManigle says. "A person will bring an actual complex challenge and work that."

The program begins with pre-work before participants ever arrive, and continues with online follow-up work after they leave the three-day face-to-face sessions. The experience is 12 weeks altogether.Launched the last week in March, with additional sessions scheduled for June and September of this year and January and March of 2007, examples of problems brought to the Center include how to integrate organizations following an acquisition and how to effectively bring a new product to market.

Eight weeks before the course begins, participants receive pre-work including a 360 by Design feedback assessment as well as an assessment that gauges the organization's readiness for innovation. They are also asked to start developing a "social network map" in which students are asked to think about all the stakeholders who will be affected by the outcome of the challenge.

In addition, participants are asked to interview the person in the organization who is championing the challenge, such as the manager who has assigned them the task that's worrying them so much, as well as a few stakeholders. Two weeks prior to the program, students have a 90-minute meeting with a CCL coach to clarify pre-work and start talking about the challenge that will be brought to the face-to-face sessions. From there the approximately 20 students come to the face-to-face in which they are set up in "learning teams" of four to work as peer coaches confronting one another's challenges.

The tuition, $4,800, includes meals, but students are expected to pay for travel and accommodation themselves. A week after the face-to-face sessions, the coach calls students for an assessment on how the challenge has been reframed and what steps will be taken to work through it.

Two weeks after, a 10-week online follow-up course begins in which students can bring the other members of their learning team, along with actual stakeholders of the challenge, into a virtual space for time with the coach. After those 10 weeks are over, the coach has a closing 30-minute call with participants after which they decide if they want to continue with counseling. The cost for additional time with the coach is $250 an hour.

"I think one of the things we really try to get people to focus on is the fact that they don't have all the answers, they're not going to have all the answers," says McManigle, "and so how do they develop their network and reach out to people to get the greatest degree of difference in perspective on what they're trying to accomplish." For more information, visit www.ccl.org.

Key Drivers of Talent Management Revealed

Key Drivers of Talent Management Revealed

Just when you may be despairing that no one appreciates your work, the 2006 Talent Management Survey has been released. Announced on Monday at the International Association for Human Resource Information Management (IHRIM) Conference in Washington, the results of the survey reveal that an overwhelming majority of companies cite talent management initiatives as a major sector of interest within their organizations for the next three years.

Conducted jointly by San Ramon, Calif.-based human capital management technology consultancy Knowledge Infusion and Burlington, Mass.-based IHRIM, an organization for human resources technology professionals, the survey found areas such as performance and learning management, succession planning and recruiting set for growth. Survey respondents, comprised of IHRM’s 3,000 members and Knowledge Infusion’s customer base, are primarily in HR management, with a majority representing organizations that generate more than $1 billion in revenue. According to a release issued this week, reasons cited for the increase in importance of talent management included recognition of the link across training, knowledge and performance, what was seen as a looming talent shortage and the realization that internal re-deployments of workers can often be more effective than external recruiting.

More than 77 percent of respondents said they would see dramatic increases in talent management initiatives within the organization over the next three years, Knowledge Infusion CEO Jason Averbook noted in the release. Substantial buffing up may be needed, for instance, in the area of human resources process and technology, which more than 40 percent of organizations surveyed said they currently have little or none of. "The lack of integrated processes along with little to no measurement of the workforce demonstrates that most organizations should increase their focus on talent management initiatives immediately," said Knowledge Infusion president Heidi Spirgi. And that’s not the only finding underscoring a deficiency.

Forty-two percent of respondents reported little to no effectiveness in the relationship between HR and training in creating and executing joint human capital management initiatives.

Fifty-two percent said HR is never invited into the boardroom to discuss future organizational goals; 38 percent do not have a senior executive at the company who is responsible for the performance of the workforce; 88 percent report their organization is limited or not successful at all at aligning business goals to measurable business results; and 72 percent said they have no analytic tools to measure the impact of HR on business results.

Luckily, though, help is on the way. Fifty-four percent cited they are planning to purchase a performance management solution over the next three years and 78 percent indicated collaboration between training and HR will be greater over the next two years. For more information, visit http://knowledge-infusion.form25.com/newsletter.

Source: Training Magazine

No End to Workplace Ridicule

No End to Workplace Ridicule

Lest you thought all those lengthy sexual harassment policies and ethics training programs were finally paying off, Boston-based employee performance consultancy Novations Group has news for you. Racial, ethnic slurs and other inappropriate comments made in the workplace, failed to decline last year, according to an annual national telephone survey of 612 employed Americans conducted last month for Novations (www.novations.com) by Media, Pa.-based International Communications Research.

Following a pattern established over the last four years, the most frequent offensive remarks were sexually related, with the incidence of improper sexual remarks rising by 4 percentage points, from 31 percent in 2004 to 35 percent last year. Ridicule based on sexual orientation also shot up 4 points, from 20 percent in 2004 to 24 percent last year, Novations Group consultant Tom McKinnon reported in a press release.

Incidence of ethnic and racial slurs also hasn’t improved, remaining consistent over the past four years: Ethnic remarks were overheard by 29 percent of employees in 2005, 28 percent in 2004, 28 percent in 2003 and 29 percent in 2002, while racial slurs were overheard by 29 percent in 2005, 30 percent in 2004, 27 percent in 2003 and 29 percent in 2002. African-Americans were half as likely as whites to overhear racial comments, by 17 percent to 30 percent, and Westerners were more likely, by 36 percent to 24 percent, to overhear such remarks than Northeasterners.

In addition, ethnic slurs were more likely to be overheard by Southerners than by Northeasterners, by 32 percent to 27 percent. And, if sex, ethnicity or race didn’t get your employees, then there’s a fair chance they were ridiculed about their age. Age-related ridicule was noted by 22 percent of employees.

Source: Training Magazine

A LOOSE THREAD

A LOOSE THREAD

Ever notice how a loose thread can lead to the unraveling of an entiregarment?In your daily life, a similar thing occurs. If you don't take care ofsome the little things, (having the right supplies you need to do yourjob, returning an important telephone call in a timely way for example),then your day can become unraveled.Take care of the little threads during your day. Don’t get unraveled.

Generation Y motivated by different factors to previousgenerations

Generation Y motivated by different factors to previousgenerations, say HR and finance professionals

According to new research from recruitment consultancy Robert Half Finance &Accounting, HR and finance professionals around the world believe that thebenefits packages that motivate Generation Y are distinctly different fromprevious generations.

The survey, conducted in 2005 with 1,800 HR and finance professionals in 11countries around the world, reveals that 83% of HR and finance professionalsbelieve that Generation Y are motivated by different factors to other agegroups.Motivating factors for Generation Y, according to the HR and financeprofessionals surveyed, are:

* Flexible hours: 36%
* Performance-related salary and bonuses: 33%
* Programs for career development: 32%

HR and Finance professionals believe that Generation Y are most likely toleave their company for the following reasons:

* The lack of career development prospects: 50%
* Poor salary and bonuses: 39%
* An inadequate work/life balance: 12%

Phil Sheridan, Managing Director of Robert Half Finance & Accounting,comments: “Generation Y is seeking employment opportunities that complementtheir lifestyle and include strong provisions for career development andfinancial rewards. Their behaviors and preferences will shape corporatelife. Organizations need to review the benefits and packages that they offertheir workforce to ensure that they hold onto this generation of workers.”

Source: http://www.roberthalf.co.uk

Six Interview Mistakes

Six Interview Mistakes

by Michael Neece, founder of Interview Mastery Monster Contributing Writer

It's tough to avoid typical interview traps if you're unsure whatthey are. Here are a half dozen to watch out for

.1. Confusing an Interview with an Interrogation.Most candidates expect to be interrogated. An interrogation occurswhen one person asks all the questions and the other gives theanswers. An interview is a business conversation in which bothpeople ask and respond to questions. Candidates who expect to beinterrogated avoid asking questions, leaving the interviewer in therole of reluctant interrogator

.2. Making a So-Called Weakness Seem Positive.Interviewers frequently ask candidates, "What are your weaknesses?"Conventional interview wisdom dictates that you highlight a weaknesslike "I'm a perfectionist," and turn it into a positive.Interviewers are not impressed, because they've probably heard thesame answer a hundred times. If you are asked this question,highlight a skill that you wish to improve upon and describe whatyou are doing to enhance your skill in this area. Interviewers don'tcare what your weaknesses are. They want to see how you handle thequestion and what your answer indicates about you

.3. Failing to Ask Questions.Every interview concludes with the interviewer asking if you haveany questions. The worst thing to say is that you have no questions.Having no questions prepared indicates you are not interested andnot prepared. Interviewers are more impressed by the questions youask than the selling points you try to make. Before each interview,make a list of five questions you will ask. "I think a good questionis, `Can you tell me about your career?'" says Kent Kirch, directorof global recruiting at Deloitte. "Everybody likes to talk aboutthemselves, so you're probably pretty safe asking that question."

.4. Researching the Company But Not Yourself.Candidates intellectually prepare by researching the company. Mostjob seekers do not research themselves by taking inventory of theirexperience, knowledge and skills. Formulating a talent inventoryprepares you to immediately respond to any question about yourexperience. You must be prepared to discuss any part of yourbackground. Creating your talent inventory refreshes your memory andhelps you immediately remember experiences you would otherwise haveforgotten during the interview

.5. Leaving Your Cell Phone On.We may live in a wired, always-available society, but a ringing cellphone is not appropriate for an interview. Turn it off before youenter the company

.6. Waiting for a Call.Time is your enemy after the interview. After you send a thank-youemail and note to every interviewer, follow up a couple of dayslater with either a question or additional information. Try tocontact the person who can hire you, and assume that everyone youmet with has some say in the process. Additional information can bedetails about your talents, a recent competitor's press release orindustry trends. Your intention is to keep everyone's memory of youfresh.

Source : www.monster.com

TOP TIPS: How to implement a recruitment strategy

TOP TIPS: How to implement a recruitment strategy

To win the talent war, you need an efficient and well-managed recruitmentprocess and the ability to develop and inspire your employees. Thesepointers will help you decide how to improve your company's recruitingpractices.

1. Identify needsA skills audit of the organization may highlight a particular area forconcentration, or reveal untapped existing skills within your company. Fillthe most important positions first - e.g., where poor result from anunder-resourced team is a threat to business. Clues on applicants’ CVssuggest the type of person they are. For example, bad grammar could indicatea lack of attention to detail.

2. The selection processEnsure your HR processes follow best practice to ensure that no unlawfuldiscrimination occurs. Advertise the position where it's most likely tocapture the attention of the type of person you want to recruit. Ensure thatsenior management ask the most effective questions that will best reveal theskills of the ideal applicant.

3. Bringing in the consultantsFor niche roles it's more efficient to call in consultants in a particularfield. The right supplier can fill a more particular role much quicker thanif you were to speculatively place an advert and hope for the best.Consulting experts helps to fill a position with a capable and highlyskilled individual who may not have been found otherwise.

4. Managing interviewsdon’t leave the interviewee waiting in reception for longer than fiveminutes - an interview is a two-way process and if the candidate does notfeel valued, they may not accept the job. Explain to the interviewee whenthey can expect to hear a decision from you - failing to make decisionsquickly enough may discourage the intended employee from waiting for an

5. Develop a retention policyOnce your candidate\'s in the role, it’s important to keep them there. Duringthe induction process, make sure the new employee understands their role andwhere they fit within the company. Offer training and regular appraisals toassess personal development and career goals. Companies that actively engagetheir employees are rewarded with loyalty and longevity.

Source: Alan Rommel, Parity Resources: http://www.parity.net

Time Tip-Telephone Tag

Time Tip-Telephone Tag

I love technology. I am not a technical person but I admire thetechno-things that have helped my business, productivity andprofitability. Things like laptops, the Internet, and email have cutcosts and boosted productivity and profits dramatically during the lastdecade.With almost all new technological breakthroughs, there is a period thatis heralded as the answer to all our problems followed quickly by alearning period during which we figure out how to best capitalize onthis new way of working.

Voicemail fits this paradigm. Voicemail-the culprit that heightened“telephone tag” to an art form.Ten years ago, I had to pay the salary of a receptionist or acquire theservices of an answering service to handle incoming telephone calls. OrI might use an answering machine with a limited recording limit. I optedfor the live receptionist.
More personal, more real, I thought.Then along came voicemail, a way of accepting incoming phone calls at alow cost with more options than an answering machine and a way of moreeffectively handling phone calls than before, giving the caller theopportunity to receive answers to their inquiries without talking to areal person.

Multiple menu options surfaced (if you would like sales, press 2, if youpress 2 and would like to receive a copy of our catalog, press 4, if youpress 4 and would like our winter catalog, press 5, but if you wouldlike our spring catalog, press 6…..).

I actually timed a menu optionthing recently and it took over a minute and a half to get to the optionthat I wanted to get to the information I needed.Voicemail also creates a new opportunity for people to duck your calls.Many people rarely answer a phone when it rings waiting until you haveslogged through their voicemail menu, then to play your message anddecide whether or not to call you back. Of course, when they call youback, they get your voicemail system and then you have to listen totheir message and decide whether or not to return their call. Hmmm.

Telephone tag and you’re it!We need a better system. Here are a few suggestions to better deal withvoicemail and avoid telephone tag.

1. Use an alternative to telephone. Look, people you call are going toduck your call via voicemail so use a different mode of communicationthat might have a better rate of success of getting through. Fax yourmessage or email it or even use a first class letter. Some of those“old” methods are better than the new technology.

2. Don’t spill the beans. Want someone to call you back? Don’t give themthe entire speal in your voicemail. Less is more. A little intrigue. Teasers. “Debbie. Please give me a call to talk about how to make yourjob easier” v “ Debbie. I found a new online course for only $259 thatwill show us how to get a lot more done in less time with a lot lessstress. The problem is I can’t afford to buy it on my own. Would you bewilling to kick in half of this and we could share the program? Let meknow if you want to do this.”

3. Be specific. If you want a return call, don’t end with “Call me assoon as possible” or “Call me soon” or “Call me when you can”. Everyonehas “too much to do”. You are then just one more thing to do. Thosevague requests wind up in the “as soon as possible” pile of Never NeverLand that rarely gets acted upon. Instead, give a specific day and timeto call back. Don’t give two or more choices because that willnecessitate a call back from that person to confirm which date and timeis best to return the call.
For example: “Joe, this is Don. I need to speak to you about how to makethe Anderson research run more smoothly. Give me a call back on Tuesday,the fifth at 9:00 a.m. I blocked that time for you. If this doesn’t workfor you, please give me a call to reschedule and leave a message on myvoicemail with at least two alternate dates and times for us to talk.
Gutsy? Offensive? Well, 95% of the time you will not hear back from thisperson to change the date and time you have selected and you willaccomplish what you intended to do on the date and time you have selected.

by Don Wetmore

Six Interview Mistakes

Six Interview Mistakes

by Michael Neece, founder of Interview MasteryMonster Contributing Writer

It's tough to avoid typical interview traps if you're unsure whatthey are. Here are a half dozen to watch out for.

1. Confusing an Interview with an Interrogation.

Most candidates expect to be interrogated. An interrogation occurswhen one person asks all the questions and the other gives theanswers. An interview is a business conversation in which bothpeople ask and respond to questions. Candidates who expect to beinterrogated avoid asking questions, leaving the interviewer in therole of reluctant interrogator.

2. Making a So-Called Weakness Seem Positive.

Interviewers frequently ask candidates, "What are your weaknesses?"Conventional interview wisdom dictates that you highlight a weaknesslike "I'm a perfectionist," and turn it into a positive.Interviewers are not impressed, because they've probably heard thesame answer a hundred times. If you are asked this question,highlight a skill that you wish to improve upon and describe whatyou are doing to enhance your skill in this area. Interviewers don'tcare what your weaknesses are. They want to see how you handle thequestion and what your answer indicates about you.

3. Failing to Ask Questions.

Every interview concludes with the interviewer asking if you haveany questions. The worst thing to say is that you have no questions.Having no questions prepared indicates you are not interested andnot prepared. Interviewers are more impressed by the questions youask than the selling points you try to make. Before each interview,make a list of five questions you will ask. "I think a good questionis, `Can you tell me about your career?'" says Kent Kirch, directorof global recruiting at Deloitte. "Everybody likes to talk aboutthemselves, so you're probably pretty safe asking that question."

4. Researching the Company But Not Yourself.

Candidates intellectually prepare by researching the company. Mostjob seekers do not research themselves by taking inventory of theirexperience, knowledge and skills. Formulating a talent inventoryprepares you to immediately respond to any question about yourexperience. You must be prepared to discuss any part of yourbackground. Creating your talent inventory refreshes your memory andhelps you immediately remember experiences you would otherwise haveforgotten during the interview.

5. Leaving Your Cell Phone On.

We may live in a wired, always-available society, but a ringing cellphone is not appropriate for an interview. Turn it off before youenter the company.

6. Waiting for a Call.

Time is your enemy after the interview. After you send a thank-youemail and note to every interviewer, follow up a couple of dayslater with either a question or additional information. Try tocontact the person who can hire you, and assume that everyone youmet with has some say in the process. Additional information can bedetails about your talents, a recent competitor's press release orindustry trends. Your intention is to keep everyone's memory of youfresh.

Source : www.monster.com

How to get Fired..

Advice You Can Live Without

If you came here looking for advice on how to stay employed, just do the opposite of everything I tell you here.

• Arrive late for work Being on time is for wimps. Drag yourself out of bed whenever you feel like it. Stop to run an errand on your way to the office
• Don't forget the coffee No not for your boss -- for yourself! You're already late so why not stop for a cup of coffee on the way to work? Don't forget to get a muffin or a roll too (crumbs on your tie look really good).
• Eat at your desk I mean your coffee and roll, not your lunch silly. Why would you want to work through lunch anyway? And take your time — you're in no hurry to start working.
• Take a long lunch An hour for lunch? Are they nuts? That can't possibly be enough time to get together with an old friend and run a few more errands.
• Have a drink What's lunch without a couple of beers? It'll relax you. So what if you smell like a brewery?
• Make personal phone calls If you can't make your phone calls from the office, when else will you find the time? Don't make those calls short and sweet -- chat away.
• Speaking of chatting... Let's not forget about the good old Net. You can go into a chat room any time of day, so why waste your precious personal time.
• Send lots of email Use those eight hours at work to take care of all that personal email. Oh and don't forget to use your work email address.
• Download, download, download... Your connection is much faster at work than on your home pc. And besides, there are some things you wouldn't want your significant other to see.
• Make the customers/clients really mad There are several ways to do this. If you deal with customers in person, ignore them while you talk to your co-workers. Don't have answers to their questions. If most of your contact is by phone, keep yours busy so clients can't get through. If they bother to leave a message, don't return their phone calls.
• Don't ever go beyond your job description Even when a project is down to the wire and your help is desperately needed, just remember: "It's not your job."
• Leave work early. Who made that five o'clock rule anyway? If you leave 15 minutes early think of how much you can get done before dinner.
• Party hardy Nights are made for partying. Don't worry — you can sleep late tomorrow. After all, you do plan to get to work late, don't you?
  

as published in about.com

READING FACTS

READING FACTS

By: Dr. Donald E. Wetmore

-95% of all the books in America are purchased by only 5% of the people.The other 95% of the people purchase the other 5% of the books. (They probably don’t read them; they don’t have the time; they give them awayas gifts.)

-The average person has two hours of reading per day.

-If someone, making $50,000 per year can save one hour per day, whichtranslates into a savings worth $6,250 per year, year after year.

-The average person reads at approximately 200 words per minute.

-The average person, reading just 15 minutes per day, can read one bookper month, twelve books per year.

-The average person retains only 5% of what is read once, after thirtydays.-Reading is a primary source of new knowledge and skills for moresuccess in life.

-This is the “Information Age”. Half of what we know today, we did notknow fifteen years ago. The amount of knowledge has doubled in the lastfifteen years and is said to be doubling again every eighteen months.

-We receive more information in one day than people in the early 1900’sreceived in their lifetime.

-Increasing reading speed and comprehension is a skill that anyone canlearn without regard to their education, background, job, or intelligence

-Increasing reading speed and comprehension is an essential tool intoday’s competitive environment and it is the most immediate and easiestTime Management tool to increase your career success.

Simplify your Day

By: Dr. Donald E. Wetmore

In my Time Management seminars, which I have conducted for more than 100,000 people from around the globe, I show people how to get more done in less time, with less stress; to help them have more time for the things they want to do in their work and personal lives.

If you can recapture a wasted hour here and there and redirect it to a more productive use, you can make great increases in your daily productivity and the quality of your life.

Here are five of the many techniques I share in our Time Management seminars, each one of which will help you to get at least one more hour out of your day for additional productive time.

1. Run an Interruptions Log. The average person gets 50 interruptions a day. The average interruption takes five minutes. Some five hours each day are spent dealing with interruptions. Many are crucial and important and are what we are paid to do but many have little or no value. Run an Interruptions Log to identify and eliminate the wasteful interruptions. Just use a pad of paper and label it “Interruptions Log” Create six columns: Date, Time, Who, What, Length, Rating. After each interruption is dealt with, log in the date and time it occurred, who brought it to you, a word or two about what it related to, the length of time it took, and finally the rating of its importance: A=crucial, B=important, C=little value, and D=no value. Run it for a week or more to get a good measure of what is happening in your life. Then evaluate the results and take action to eliminate some of the C and D interruptions that have little or no value.
2. Delegate It. We all have 168 hours each week and when you subtract 56 hours for sleep and another 10 hours for personal care, that doesn’t leave a whole lot of time to get done what needs to be done. Delegation permits you to leverage your time through others and thereby increase your own results. The hardest part of delegation though, is simply letting go. We take great pride in doing things ourselves. “If you want a job done well, you better do it yourself”. Every night in Daily Planning, look at all that you have to do and want to do the next day and with each item ask yourself, “Is this the best use of my time?” If it is, do it. If it isn’t, try to arrange a way to delegate it to someone else. There is a lot of difference between “I do it” and “It gets done”.
3. Manage Meetings. A meeting is when two or more people get together to exchange common information. What could be simpler? Yet, it can one of the biggest time wasters we must endure. Before a meeting asks, “Is it necessary?” and “Am I necessary?” If the answers to either are “no”, consider not having the meeting or excusing yourself from attending. Then prepare a written agenda for the meeting with times assigned for each item along with a starting time and ending time. Circulate the written agenda among those who will be attending. There is no sense in holding a meeting by ambush. Let people know in advance what is to be discussed.
4. Handle Paper. It’s easy to get buried today in the blizzard of paperwork around us. The average person receives around 150 communications each day via email, telephone, hard mail, memos, circulars, faxes, etc. A lot of time is wasted going through the same pile of paper day after day and correcting mistakes when things slip through the cracks. Try to handle the paper once and be done with it. If it is something that can be done in a minute or two, do it and be done. If it is not the best use of your time, delegate it. If it is going to take some time to complete, schedule ahead in your day calendar on the day you think you might get to it and then put it away.
5. Run a Time Log. If you want to manage it, you have to measure it. A Time Log is a simple yet powerful tool to create a photo album sort of overview of how your time is actually being spent during the day. Simply make an ongoing record of your time as you spend it. Record the activity, the time spent on it, and then the rating using A, B, C, and D as described in #1 above. Some examples of how your time might be spent: Made telephone calls, 35 minutes, A; Answered emails, 48 minutes, B; Attended staff meeting, 55 minutes, C. Run this for a few days to get a good picture of how your time is being spent. Then analyze the information. Add up all the A, B, C, and D time. Most discover a lot of their time is being spent on C and D items that have little or no value. Finally, take action steps to reduce the C and D items to give you more time for the really important things in your life.

MAKE REGULAR SMALL IMPROVEMENTS

MAKE REGULAR SMALL IMPROVEMENTS

It is useful to improve on our entire twenty-four hour day, but lasting improvements tend to be small, incremental changes. ("Yard by yard is really hard. Inch by inch is a cinch".)In a horse race, the first place winner may receive twice the purse as the second place horse, not because it ran twice as far or twice as fast, but rather, was a "nose ahead" of the competition.Converting one hour per day from non-productive time to a new productive practice gives us the "multiplier effect".
We receive 7 more productive hours per week, 250 per year, or the equivalent of over 6 additional work weeks in the next year.

Taking Minutes

An Important Skill

At some point your boss may ask you to take minutes at a meeting. This task isn't reserved for secretaries only. Any person who attends a meeting may be asked to do this. Since the minutes will serve as an official record of what took place during the meeting, you must be very accurate. Here are some pointers to help you master this skill.

Before the Meeting

Choose your tool: Decide how you will take notes, i.e. pen and paper, laptop computer, or tape recorder. Make sure your tool of choice is in working order and have a backup just in case.
Use the meeting agenda to formulate an outline.

During the Meeting

• Pass around an attendance sheet.
• Get a list of committee members and make sure you know who is who.
• Note the time the meeting begins.
• Don't try to write down every single comment -- just the main ideas.
• Write down motions, who made them, and the results of votes, if any; no need to write down who seconded a motion.
• Make note of any motions to be voted on at future meetings.
• Note the ending time of the meeting.

After the Meeting

• Type up the minutes as soon as possible after the meeting, while everything is still fresh in your mind. Include the name of organization, name of committee, type of meeting (daily, weekly, monthly, annual, or special), and purpose of meeting.
• Include the time the meeting began and ended.
• Proofread the minutes before submitting them.
  
  Source: http://careerplanning.about.com/cs/communication/a/minutes.htm
  

Just Say “No”

Just Say “No”

By Dr. Donald E. Wetmore

I used to put everyone else’s requests and needs first and if there wasany time left over at the end of the day for what I needed and wanted todo, that was acceptable. That is until I began to realize that if youand I are going to be effective time managers, we have to stay away fromallocating our time solely on the basis of those who demand it.

Instead,if you and I are going to be effective time managers, we have toallocate our time on the basis of those who deserve it.I don’t mean this in any negative or arrogant way. It’s just you havelimits to the amount of time you have to spend and so one of the mostpowerful words in your Time Management vocabulary is the word, “no”.

Almost everyone you encounter will think they have a better idea abouthow you should be spending your time. It doesn’t make others bad. It’sjust the way the world works. If there is a void in your Time Managementlife, someone, or many for that matter, will jump in to fill that spot.

The problem is that they do not have the full understanding of where youare taking your life and if you keep saying “yes”, they will continue totake up your time, possibly keeping you from accomplishing what youreally want to do.“No” is sometimes difficult to say because you have been taughtdifferently. You have been taught to say, “Yes”, to please, to serve,and to accommodate.

There is nothing wrong with saying “yes” most of thetime, but occasionally there is a line you choose not to cross, whensaying “yes” is really not the best use of your time to get you to whereyou need and want to be.If you had unlimited amounts of time, you could “yes” all the time toeveryone. But you don’t.

You have 24 hours each day, 7 days a week for atotal of 168 hours. And you get to spend that time only once, so youhave to spend it wisely.I have listed seventeen ways here to say “no”. Don’t let me put thewords in your mouth. Take the ones you like, change them around and youuse the words that are comfortable for you.

The point is, if you areever in a position when you can never say “no”, then you are alwayssaying “yes”, and like the song says, “If you don’t stand for something,you will fall for everything”.Try these:

“I’m sorry. That’s not a priority for me right now.”
“I can’t help you on this now, but I can get to it next week. Would thatbe okay?”
“I have so much on my plate now I don’t know when I can get to it. But Ido know someone over here who can help you now.”
“Before I take this on for you, let me show you a few things so that youmight be able to do it yourself.”
“I have made so many commitments to others, it would be unfair to themand you if I took on anything more at this point.”
“If I can’t give you a ride to the school dance on Friday, how elsewould you get there safely?”“I don’t know how soon I can help you on this, but I will get back toyou as soon as I am able to help you.”
“I’m sure we’re close enough that when I say “no” you’ll understand it’sfor a good reason.”
“Sure I can help you with your request as long as we both agree andunderstand that the item I agreed to do for you yesterday is going tohave to wait.”
“Before I take this over from you, what do you think we ought to doabout it?”
“I’ve got good news and bad news. The good news is, I sure can do thatfor you. The bad news is, I’m so overloaded with everything else, I’vebecome delirious and have been
lying about my commitments.”
“When I get overwhelmed like I am now, I remove every third person whoasks me for something, from my “Good Friends List” and the second personjust left.”
“No.”
“Thanks for thinking to ask me, but, no thanks.”
“I would like to help you out on this but you understand I don’t havethe resources available to do the right job for you.”
“Now that’s the type of thing I would love to help you on if only I hadthe time.”
“Just like you, I get overloaded sometimes and have to tell some veryspecial people, “no”. This is one of those times.”

And as you speak, smile.

THE HR NETWORK: How do I integrate two culturally different organizations?

THE HR NETWORK: How do I integrate two culturally different organizations?

Keep abreast of the latest HR strategies and best practices with the HRNetwork, a global listserv for strategic HR professionals. Here's an exampleof a recent posting with one of the responses it generated:

Q: We're currently facing change management issues related to theintegration of another firm into ours. Culture, processes and habits arequite different and this results in difficulties integrating the two teamsto make them work together properly. We're thinking of offering an award orfinancial incentive to the team that shows they focus on integrating witheach other, or to the team that's already the best integrated. I'd reallyappreciate any ideas on this topic. - HR MANAGER, A TOP GLOBAL LAW FIRM

A: I wouldn't offer a reward for integration and cooperation that's monetarybecause you're now establishing a new incentive plan for behavior that'spart of everyone's job: "working together to serve the customer." The bestintegrations seem to occur when the following factors are put in place andsupported by the top leadership team:

1. The clear and compelling reason the merger was formed to begin with. Whatare the market and competitive realities that make this important andcritical to survival? What major opportunities does this create for everyoneif successful?
2. Form a powerful guiding task team with membership from both companies tobe accountable for the integration. Incorporate this objective on theirappraisals and link these to existing performance reward systems.
3. Create and publish a vision of what the new company/entity will be ableto accomplish.
4. Communicate the new vision through every channel possible enlisting themost influential people.
5. Systematically evaluate what has to change in order to make the vision areality. Structures, processes, systems, people.
6. Plan for and publish short-term wins.
7. On a quarterly basis, have total company reviews of the progress to date.

- HR SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, HUGHES SUPPLY

What do CEOs really think of HR?

What do CEOs really think of HR?

Asked to rate the performance of various areas of their business,
respondents to the Economist Intelligence Unit's latest annual CEOBriefing
survey gave HR an emphatic thumbs-down. Alone of the functions under review,
more people rated the performance of HR bad (6%) than excellent (4%). No
other function - not even the notoriously unlovable IT department - came
close to being this unappreciated.

The 555 senior executives from 68 countries were asked to choose which three
business functions will be most important to realizing corporate strategy
over the next three years: HR received only 16% of the votes, with sales and
marketing rated at 56%.

Senior executives worldwide predict that their organizations will prioritize
international markets over domestic ones in the next three years. They
identified the importance of globalization to their strategic growth plans,
with respondents expecting the proportion of revenue coming from overseas
markets to jump by an average of one-third over the next three years.

Acquiring new customers is seen as the most important strategy for achieving
revenue growth (58% of respondents). Increasing market share (53%) and
growing revenue (50%) outstrip lowering the cost base as strategic
priorities for executives.

Almost nine out of ten respondents regard the prospects for business
globally as either good or very good, a marked increase on previous years.
One paradox of globalization is that it increases the value of local
knowledge. Understanding the needs of local customers in the different
markets as customers’ tastes change and competition intensifies is the
biggest challenge that managers of global companies face, according to the
survey.

To download the CEO Briefing report free of charge, visit
http://www.eiu.com/CorporatePriorities2006

How to create a high performance coaching culture

How to create a high performance coaching culture

It’s amazing what people can achieve with the right support. These fivepointers emphasize the fundamental role that HR can play in embedding acoaching culture to unlock untapped talent and potential.

1. Clarify drivers for change and get buy-in from senior management
To make a compelling case for coaching, it's important that a coachingcompany work closely with HR and business leaders to identify areas in needof improvement, challenges, missed opportunities and hidden costs – forexample, costs associated with high staff turnover.

2. Agree relevant ROI measures that can be tracked from the outset
These might be revenue/profit-focused or centered around retention levels,employee or customer satisfaction, as well as behavioral measures which canbe monitored through 360 degree assessments and employee health surveys.

3. Create a coaching vision and integrate coaching with strategic plans
Ask senior management to think about when a coaching culture is in place.What results will be achieved? How will people feel? What difference will itmake to individuals and the bottom line? The greatest results are achievedwhen organizations commit to a long-term program and integrate the visionand key performance indicators into their strategic HR plans.

4. Communicate quick wins
Try one-to-one coaching with a select group of individuals, or start with aregional pilot program. These activities can be publicized to gainengagement for a full coaching plan. Work with marketing and PR tocommunicate success stories, both internally and externally.

5. Sustain momentum
Senior management need to walk the talk and continually inspire learning andgrowth. Look at creating programs that not only coach individuals but alsoteach them how to coach the people they manage. Progress should be assessedon an ongoing basis to help to ensure key objectives continue to be met.Source: Carole Gaskell, Full Potential Group.

For further information,please visit: http://www.fullpotentialgroup.com

HANDLING EMAIL

You don’t want to get into the “shuffling blues” where you read an e-mail, postpone action, save it, re-read it later, and find things slipping through the cracks.

As you open each e-mail, do one of the following and be done:
a. If it requires a quick response, (it will only take a minute or two), respond to it and delete it.
b. If it requires a response but is not the best use of your time, try to think of a way of delegating it. There’s a lot of difference between “I do it” and “It gets done”.
c. If it is going to take any serious amount of time to respond (beyond a minute or two), schedule it for action in your Day Planner and then save it or print it out for future action.

VISIONS THAT REPEAT

VISIONS THAT REPEAT

By: Dr. Donald E. Wetmore

You spend a lot of time reliving memories from the past. Some memoriesare positive and uplifting and give our days a bounce, enhancing ourproductivity and results. Other memories are not so bright and bum usout, draining our spirits and motivation and productivity.Memories are stored in your head after a long journey that begins with asingle vision. Visions are the pictures you see in your mind. You canhave positive visions or negative visions.For example, you are going to a party Friday night. This is a party thatyour brother-in-law always attends and in the past you always got in anargument with him, then left the party in a huff, and generally had abad time.

So you start to visualize going to the party again on Fridayand what do you see?
You see yourself having a bad time at this partybecause, after all, you’ve always had a bad time at the party with yourbrother-in-law.From those visions, those pictures, you take action.

You see a confrontation coming with your brother-in-law and consistent with thatimage you attend the party waiting for him to trigger the arguments ashe has in the past, and sure enough, your body language and wordstelegraph the message that you are ready for verbal combat and so theprocess moves forward to conflict and leaving in a huff.

These actions produce results. Your result was, “not having good time atthe party”. Those results then become the memories that you re-liveover and over again negatively affecting your future productivity.

Your visions direct the actions you take that create the results yourealize that form the memories you re-live over and over again,Now let’s say you would prefer to have a positive memory from thisupcoming party in your mind to relive in the future for enhancedproductivity.

What can you do in advance to change the outcome, thelingering memory? You change the vision.You stop visualizing having a bad time at the next party. I know, you’vehad a lot of history with bad results, but you put a new picture in yourmind this time.

You see yourself intentionally avoiding being in thesame room with your brother-in-law and if he presses to goad you intoargument, you see yourself walking away.
You see yourself sitting withAunt Sarah, whom you spend little time with and talking with her for theevening.You repeat that vision only, over and over, and if you do enough ofthat, you find yourself changing your behavior, avoiding yourbrother-in-law and instead, spending quality time with the other guests.
When you leave, you discover you have produced the result called “nothaving too bad a time at the party”. You recall and remember this now ina positive vein, as an uplifting memory that boosts your attitude anddaily productivity in the future.
Does it all happen so easily and quickly? Unlikely.
Maybe you create nonew results in the near term from this new, more positive way ofvisioning, but if you are willing to persist and make this healthier wayof thinking a consistent habit, then soon you will find it does work.Your visions will be more positive, your actions will follow the visionscreating the results that form the positive memories you will re-liveover and over.

10 Ways to Overcome Procrastination

10 Ways to Overcome Procrastination: The Challenge for Tomorrow!
by: Lisa James

Did you realize that as much as 47% of the time we spend on-line has nothing whatsoever to do with our work? In 1978 15% of the population stated that they do procrastinate somewhat. Only 1% admitted to chronic procrastination. In 2002 the numbers quadrupled! 60% of people stated that they experience mild to moderate procrastination in their lives and 6% stated that procrastination ruled their lives! In this era of “distraction overdose”, make the decision to overcome procrastination by applying some or all of the following techniques.

1. Live by the Law of More Effort. As you accomplish an important task, you will feel a surge of energy and enthusiasm. Completing the task will trigger the release of endorphins in your brain, causing you to experience a natural high. You will actually become addicted to this feeling as you continue to complete challenging and important tasks. So, as you put forth more effort, you will want to continue to put forth more effort.

2. How’s your energy? There are many things you can do to increase your energy stores, including getting 8 hours of rest each night. I know you are saying, “I’m lucky if I get 6!” With better planning & organizing, you can not only get 8 hours of sleep, but you will also have time for #3.

3. Exercise & eat right! Yes, that’s right. If you take the time to exercise, you will actually have more energy and will procrastinate less. Also, avoid those simple sugars that “give you a boost”. It may give you an immediate rush, but you will “dump” just shortly there after. Eat complex carbohydrates which provide a slower, steadier release of energy throughout the day.

4. Improve your goal setting techniques. Do we eat the elephant all at once? No. We do it one bite at a time. Do the same with your goals. Take your larger goals and break them down into a series of smaller, more attainable goals. Write them down, be specific and put a date on them. A goal without a date is just a dream. Make sure they are challenging and schedule your repetitive goals (ex. workouts) at the same time each day to develop a routine.

5. Make lists and work from them. No one likes to work from lists. You feel like your mother is controlling your every move. But this keeps you organized. Have a daily, weekly and monthly list of things you need to do and add to them as necessary.

6. Make your own “top ten” list. Write down ten things you want to accomplish in the next year. Write these out as if they have already happened, in the present tense. Post them where you will see them daily and while you’re at it, read them out loud daily. Self-talk is very important. (That’s for another top 10.)

7. Select a favorite from your list. Which item on your list will push you forward 100% in your career, personal life, etc. when completed? Come up with an action plan for achieving that goal first and write it down.

8. Find a system that works for you. There is no cookie-cutter approach to overcoming procrastination. A system that may be very successful for one person, could fail miserably for another. Try different “programs” on and be patient. You will find a system that fits you perfectly.

9. Don’t give up! We can all develop the habits of focus & concentration if we commit to it by making the decision, developing the discipline and staying determined.

10. Just do it! I realize this phrase is completely over-used, but let’s face it, it applies. Sometimes we just need to buckle down and complete that unbelievably miserable task that we have been dreading for so long. I guarantee you that you will have more energy when you are done.
David Allen says, "Much of the stress that people feel doesn't come from having too much to do. It comes from not finishing what they have started."

HANDLE PAPER

HANDLE PAPER


It’s easy to get buried today in the blizzard of paperwork around us.The average person receives around 150 communications each day viaemail, telephone, hard mail, memos, circulars, faxes, etc.A lot of time is wasted going through the same pile of paper day afterday and correcting mistakes when things slip through the cracks.Try to handle the paper once and be done with it. If it is somethingthat can be done in a minute or two, do it and be done. If it is not thebest use of your time, delegate it. If it is going to take some time tocomplete, schedule ahead in your day calendar on the day you think youmight get to it and then put it away.

TOP FOUR TIME MANAGEMENT ISSUES

By: Dr. Donald E. Wetmore

Talk with most anyone and ask them what they think are the top issues intime management and you will get answers such as, “Having a wellprepared “to do” list”, “Managing multiple priorities”, “ManagingMeeting time”, “Handling the flood of paperwork and emails”. All aregood responses but overlook the top four time management issues that, incombination with one another, can do more to keep you from having, doingor being what you want and deserve.

They are: ineffective relationships, a poor attitude, being flat outtired, and the weather.

1. Ineffective relationships. Probably more than 50% of your personalproductivity success has to do with effective relationships with otherpeople. Friends and allies will open doors for you that would take aconsiderable amount of your effort. They can give you words ofencouragement that lift your spirits during down, unproductive times.They can teach you lessons that would take too much time otherwise tolearn.I’m not suggesting that one who does not have the good cooperation ofother people can not be productive. They can, but not as productive asthose who enjoy positive, effective relationships with others.

2. A poor attitude. It has been said that your attitude will determineyour altitude in life’s successes. With a poor attitude you becomediscouraged and demoralized and your performance goes down. Moreover, anegative person tends to repel positive people, whom you need to boostyou up, and they tend to attract other negative people who will bringyou down with their stories of misery and failure. “You got a flat tire?Well I got two flat tires! You think you have it bad? I have it worse!”Imagine. Two people having a debate about who has the worse life.

3. Being flat out tired. Three out of four people claim that they areflat out tired all throughout their days. Test this. Ask anyone, anytime of the day these questions: “Are you rested?” “Did you get a goodnight’s sleep?” “Are you at the top of your game today?” Most willreply, “Oh, I’m so tired!”Some do not get a sufficient quantity of sleep. They simply stay up toolate and get up to early, burning the candle at both ends. Some have medical issues that can be treated. And many may be getting a sufficient quantity of sleep but not the quality. Their days are filled with somuch stress and distress. Why? Because they do not have the tools orrefuse to the tools to take control over their days so as they try to sleep, that little voice in the back of their heads is reminding them ofall the unfinished items of the day and about a string of future uncontrolled events and they wind up tossing and turning, not gettingthe deep nutritious sleep that their bodies need every day to be asproductive as they might be.

4. The weather. The city in the United States that has they highest incidence of suicide is Seattle, Washington. I understand they have fewer sunny days and more cloudy and rainy days than most other places.If you take your own life, is that considered poor time management?That’s not meant to be a poor joke, but guess what? People all over theworld are committing “productivity suicide” each day fussing over theweather and using it as a reason to reduce their productivity. “It’s toocold!” “It’s too hot!” “It’s so rainy!” “It’s so dry!” When, all of thetime, the weather is just perfect, just the way it is.If you were a visitor from another planet listening to the media, youwould think we on earth just invented snow storms, cold and heavydownpours when they have been with us since the beginning of time.Being aware of the weather is important, of course. If locally it is tobe icy you may choose to stay indoors and a threatening hurricane maypersuade you to evacuate to a safer place. But to be obsessed with thenormal ranges of weather conditions is to only steal away from theopportunity to have a good and productive day.

How to leave gracefully

You've got the job of your dreams, and tempting as it may be to shoutit immediately that you're off, that might not be the best strategy.You need to plan your exit carefully, both physically and emotionally.Because in a small world, you'll never know whose path you'll cross,or who you'll bump into in the future.

Informing the boss
Obviously the first thing to do, they shouldn't be left to hear fromthe office grapevine. If you think they will try and offer youenhancements to stay, be ready. Of course, if you could be persuadedto stay (and it is flattering to be thought of as indispensable), thatis another option. But if you can't, be clear about:
* Why you're leaving (more responsibility & opportunities, better package)
* What you are going to divulge about the new role (how much detail are you going to go into about what the role is, organisation, structure. If you want to keep things confidential, you'll have to be tactful in fielding questions.)
* When would be ideal to leave. You may have a long notice period to work through, so check your contract. If you have, and three months is not uncommon, try trading with your boss to find a mutually convenient leave date. This could be a natural break between projects or a bank holiday. A date that suits both is preferable - no-one wants someone in post for three months going through the motions.
* Who needs to be told - especially communication to third parties, contractors or stakeholders as there may be contracts or other guidelines to follow. You might also plan for a successor, and if there is need for interimcover. But that might be later.

Communication
Any direct reports should be told next, along with other key contactsand colleagues. Face-to-face is the ideal, but this is not alwayspossible, so choose a method that suits your organisation.

Organisation for the handover
The temptation will be to retain everything, both hard-copy andonline, with annotated notes for your successor. But is thisnecessary? Rather than opt for pages of notes covering everyeventuality, why not talk through some keys issues with the personlikely to be picking things up until some-one new is appointed. And ifthey make their own notes, they are going to be more likely to usethem. You can be helpful and leave your new contact details with them,to offer guidance for the first couple of months if necessary. And finally ...

emotion
Not everyone will think this, but leaving a job where you've givenheart and soul especially over a number of years, can be like theending of a long term relationship - the 'shock' at seeing 'your' jobon the intranet or internal notice-board, brings home the fact you areleaving. So you'll need to detach yourself emotionally. Be ready for the compliments that come your way, and find time to fitin the social side of leaving too.

> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - was taken from Jinfo Support - Linda Emmett has recently moved to a new role in project developmentfor the North Devon and Exmoor Regeneration Company after 12 yearswith the CIPD in Wimbledon <linda@ndexreg.co.uk>.