Made Moon Blog

I’ve been putting off petunias!

What on earth am I writing about petunias for when we are now entering the “official” Christmas season? Wouldn’t poinsettias be more appropriate than petunias as we are trading in our summer shorts and t-shirts for sweaters and winter coats?

Here’s a story I’m sure you can relate to since I know that we have ALL “been there, done that” when it comes to procrastinating.

Actually, Christmas is a great time of year to talk about procrastination, because it’s so easy to put things off ” ’til next year” when we will come up with all manner of New Year’s resolutions for the things we really wanted to get accomplished in 2005.

All summer we had a gorgeous profusion of pink, purple and white petunias blooming along our front walk. They grew abundantly and filled in creating a huge bank of beautiful color! I absolutely loved it!

Then came autumn, falling leaves, and dormant trees and plants.

I’m not a master gardener by any stretch of the imagination, but I know enough to know that it’s a good idea to pull out those dying annuals, so that after winter passes the tulip bulbs deep in the soil will have unfettered access to break through the cold ground and bring forth new spring color.

For the past month, every time I came up the front walk, I’d look at the petunia plants – which had long since quit blooming – and tell myself “I have to get those out of the ground before it gets cold and miserable.”

Well, yesterday was the day of decision! I figured that before we went and bought our Christmas tree, I had to get this overwith!

What finally motivated me to do it?

I made two lists in my mind. One list was the negative consequence of not doing it. The other mental list was all the positive things of actually doing it.

I thought about the very unpleasant task of getting out there when it’s still VERY cold, pulling frozen plants up, all the while trying to manage a new baby. I thought about what I’d rather be doing in March of 2006, and what came to mind was a cozy scene of me sitting by the fire, in the rocker, reading a book to my perfectly behaved, adoring child – NOT dragging her out there in a stroller, while I wore 3 layers of clothing, hands freezing, removing those dead plants to make way for the soon-to-emerge tulips.

In my mind, and in my procrastination, this petunia task had grown into some unbearable, dreadful job. So, I kept on procrastinating.

As it turned out, it was very rewarding to get the job done, and it only took about a half hour! I got my heart pumping, I imagined the beauty of the first little shoots coming up in the still cold early spring, and I thought about how fun it will be to experience that with our little girl. The task was done in a flash!

Why did I wait so long to do this?

Why do any of us wait to do what we want to do and what we need to do?

It’s all about the way we think about whatever the task is.

In my case, I’d convinced myself that petunia duty would be a long, drawn-out, dirty job – in reality it was quick, easy, and totally pleasant – and the real reward will be 4 months from now. I will remember the day I CHOSE to follow-through and do the right thing, and in my remembering will have great satisfaction. My reward will be a bank of new, red tulips!

WHAT ARE YOU PUTTING OFF?

WHAT ARE THE “DYING PETUNIAS” that you need to tackle so that there is fresh, new ground for something new and beautiful to spring up into your life, your work, your relationships, or your business?

Is the thing you’re putting off important? Will there be some negative consequence to NOT doing it? What will be the reward for DOING it?

Get a jumpstart on the things you are putting off!

Learn more about Productive Procrastination – an e-book to help you overcome procrastination. Visit LifeHouse Coaching to sign up for “Blueprints for a Dream Life” and receive Edi Sowers’ f*r*e*e* weekly articles, coaching tips, and special offers.

As we move through our lives we gather an abundance of knowledge and experience covering a myriad of areas. As we stop and reflect upon all this knowledge we may be struck with the desire to share with others our experiences and the knowledge we have gained. We know in our hearts that what we have gained in experience in our life could be of benefit. So in possession of this knowledge and experience and with the desire to share it, where do we start?

How about becoming a mentor? Mentoring has been around for a long time and has grown and evolved over the years. A mentoring relationship is one in which one person, often older, but always with more experience guides another person’s development. Mentoring can be utilized in almost any area of life.

Most everyone has heard of Big Brothers and Big Sisters, an incredible program matching adults with under privileged children. The positive results experienced by the children participating in the program are truly impressive. This is only one area where mentoring has had proven results.

Teachers also have the opportunity to be mentors encouraging students to reach for goals they may never have dreamed possible. Teachers in particular work so closely with children for so many hours of the day they are given a wonderful chance to impact a child’s life in a favorable way. Many of us can look back fondly in remembrance of at least one teacher who had a lasting positive effect on our life.

Some school systems have implemented mentoring programs for children enlisting the help of adult volunteers. The results have been well documented including increased school attendance, educational performance, confidence and self-esteem. The adults have been given a priceless opportunity to influence a child’s life.

Business and the corporate environment have recognized the value of mentors and mentoring programs. In larger corporations a mentor will be assigned to incoming junior employees to give these newest members of the corporation the best possible start. Similar programs have been started in many schools to support the new teachers coming into the education system. Any career path you are contemplating would be benefited by enlisting the guidance of a mentor and many people already established in a certain career still work with a mentor to further themselves in their chosen field. As a coach I work with a mentor coach and find it an invaluable business and life resource.

With the increase of entrepreneurs forging ahead to start their own businesses, mentors will be in higher demand as their prior business experience and knowledge will be invaluable. The same holds true for any business owner targeting a niche market, where specific prior experience in the similar niche could influence success or failure.

As for the person contemplating what to do with their wealth of experience and knowledge; what should they expect?

Mentoring is truly the gift of yourself that you share with another human being. It is a relationship you establish with the mentor in the place of more experience and the mentee the benefactor of your experience and guidance.

Both people truly benefit from this special relationship. The mentor will gain the pleasure of sharing their knowledge. They will also discover a new excitement surrounding the area in which they are serving as a mentor. When you observe someone else benefiting from your knowledge and experience it is difficult not to feel a sense of pleasure and fulfillment. We all want to know we matter in this world, that we indeed have made a difference. Becoming a mentor is one of the great ways to have a positive impact on another human being.

If you want to get started on being a mentor, get clear on who you would like to work with and whether it would be in a business context or helping someone develop in their personal life. Do you want to work one on one or would you like to share your experience with a greater number of people?

Once you have a direction, do the research. Big Brothers Big Sisters is always looking for volunteers. Many school systems offer programs of their own. A phone call will likely give you the information you may need. The internet contains many websites regarding mentoring opportunities and how to get started. If you currently work in a large corporation, check with the Human Resource department for opportunities that may exist in your company.

If you feel that you would like to put your writing talents to good use, mentoring is a wonderful opportunity. I have many of my most influential mentors between the pages of a book.

Most importantly get started. The world is in need of your experience and the gift of yourself, don’t keep it waiting. The benefits you will enjoy will be priceless.

The ability to understand the most basic elements of culture is invaluable to any educator, manager or business professional. The goal of curriculum is to elevate the knowledge and understanding of the learners. This goal is the sole determinant for instructional efficiency and success. To understand the natures and proclivities of one’s students or associates is a necessary requirement when designing learning tools. Dunn and Marinetti (2004) look at the proposition this way “For learning to be effective, learning activities should be relevant to the learners’ interests and background and should occur in settings that mimic authentic ones.

Ignoring cultural factors leads inevitably to frustrating and ultimately ineffective learning experiences”. This process is not much different from that of a coach training a new team. The coach understands that each team is different, possessing varying skill levels and dispositions than the previous team. The coach as a result must adjust his/ her strategy to best fit the character and needs of the team. It is an unrealistic expectation that the same educational or management strategy will work in all situations. That expectation does not exist in the world of sport, nor should it exist on the educational landscape. One should always be learning and growing as a professional and as a person; this is the only way to consistently understand, train and develop people within a diverse workforce.

Regi Adams Adisa is an instructional designer, performance coach, and founder of the
e-Lightened Professionals. Regi has conducted his human based approach to professional and personal development within multiple Fortune 500 companies and non-profit agencies.

Regi’s philosophy on exceptional business and human performance is that “all success starts with the people”. Thus Regi’s approach to creating high performance organizations is by creating high performance individuals and teams. If people can learn to be effective leaders and teammates this would positively impact the organization as a whole

Regi’s belief is that “Powerful relationships are the key to effective work environments, and goal attainment. Powerful, healthy relationships are the pulse behind any great endeavor and achievement”. Developing a healthy understanding of yourself and your teammates is the way to achieve big things!

More information on Regi can be found at e-lightened.com.

Sir Ernest Shackleton has been called the “the greatest leader that ever came on God’s earth… bar none”. From 1914-1916 Shackleton and his team survived the wreck of their ship, Endurance, in the crushing Antarctic ice, stranded twelve hundred miles from civilization with no means of communication and no hope of rescue. It was Shackleton’s ability to choose the right people and his leadership skills that have been credited for the safe return of every member of the team.

His approaches to recruiting and leadership in general were decades before their time and have been the subject of close examination and emulation. Margot Morrell and Stephanie Capparell in their book Shackleton’s Way: Leadership Lessons From the Great Antarctic Explorer is a comprehensive analysis well worth your reading.

Below is a summary of his key recruiting methods.

Start with a solid core of workers you know from past jobs or who come recommended by trusted colleagues.

Your Number Two is your most important hire. Pick one who complements your management style, shows loyalty without being a yes-man, and has a talent for working with others.

Hire those who share your vision. Someone who clashes with your personality or the corporate culture will hinder your work.

Fire quickly when it is clear you made a wrong recruiting decision even if it means legal action.

Weed out potential slackers or people who are not prepared to do mundane or unpopular jobs.

Be a creative, unconventional interviewer if you seek creative, unconventional people. Go deeper than job experience and expertise. Ask questions that reveal a candidates personality, values, and perspective on work and life.

Don’t stick doggedly to your list of questions; rely on your intuition as well.

Surround yourself with cheerful, optimistic people. They will reward you with the loyalty and camaraderie vital for success. Also, they will stick by you when times get tough.

Applicants hungriest for the job are apt to work hardest to keep it.

Hire those with the talents and expertise you lack. Don’t feel threatened by them. They will help you stay on the cutting edge and bring distinction to your organization.

Spell out clearly to new employees the exact duties and requirements of their jobs, and how they will be compensated. Many failed work relationships start with a lack of communication.

To help your staff do top-notch work, give them the best equipment you can afford. Working with outdated, unreliable tools creates an unnecessary burden.

Michael Brooke, Ph.D is an adult educator, university administrator, published author, who lives in Victoria, British Columbia where he is retired from conventional work. He now has ebusinesses which keeps him interested and busy. www.ehomebiz.org

There is a poem about fathers and how they should set
examples. It goes like this;

“A careful man I want to be; a little child is following me. I do
not dare to go astray, for fear they’ll go the self same way. I
cannot escape their watchful eyes, whatever they see me
do, they try. Like me they say they’re going to be the little
child that follows me. They think that I am good and fine,
believes in every word of mine. The bad in me they must not
see. My life to them an example be. I must remember, as I
go through summer’s sun and winter snow, I’m building for
the years to be, for that little child that follows me.”

God is the Father and He set before us His example in
which to follow so that we can all lead a successful life. God
also gave us each our own father on earth who is to show
us the same attributes that our heavenly Father wants us to
follow. When an earthly dad fails to know what God expects
of him, he then leaves his own children without that
knowledge and this begins the cycle of generational curses.
In order to eliminate this, an earthly father should be a
follower of God and pass this knowledge on to his own
children.

I’m so thankful that my own father was such a man. He was
a man after God’s own heart. As a child I remember his
great faith in the Lord. We never had much in the way of
material things. My dad didn’t set his worldly status as a
main priority. It was his goal to provide for his family and to
be a faithful husband. Having three daughters, he set an
example for all of us to know how a man should treat a wife.
He had nothing but love and respect for my mother. My
father is no longer among us, but his legacy lives on
through the morals I taught to my own sons. May the circle
be unbroken! Thank you daddy!!!

Being a father is first being the child. A bond forms between
a father and his children. Just as our heavenly Father
wishes to have a close, personal relationship with us, so an
earthly father must also have the same relationship with his
own children. It’s a matter of giving and receiving. This kind
of godly relationship will always turn out successful for
future generations.

“Children, obey your parents in the Lord (as His
representatives), for this is just and right.” Eph. 6:1
(Amplified)

In other words, a father (and mother) must represent God to
their own children. A father and mother is who a child
imitates and who better than to imitate God? When this is
not observed, families will self destruct in the ways of the
world, as Satan has intended. So, father’s take heed, it’s
your role to expect obedient children through respect. It’s not
about making deals with them so they will like you. It’s
showing them who is in control and they will respect you for
it. Respect can not come with overbearance. It’s done with
tender, loving care.

“Fathers, do not irritate and provoke your children to anger
(do not exasperate them to resentment), but rear them
(tenderly) in the training and discipline and the counsel and
admonition of the Lord.” Eph. 6:4 (Amplified)

Fathers, when you know the Word of God, it will become
apparent how to tenderly rear your offspring. God is a gentle
Father also, who has lots of patience with His own
disobedient children, but He is always around and keeps us
in His protection. He will let us fall down from time to time,
but because He is gentle and loving, we are naturally drawn
back to Him and wish to please Him by being obedient. It’s
like that saying, “you can attract more flies with honey than
you can with vinegar.” God attracts us with His sweet and
gentle nature and lets us see our mistakes for our selves.
He corrects us with wisdom, not force. It’s human nature to
pull away and become stubborn when we are being forced
into something. God knows this and that’s why He gently
corrects us and draws us in with bands of love. His Word
sets the examples that all earthly fathers are to follow. Be
gentle, kind and tender in child rearing.

“Honor (esteem and value as precious) your father and your
mother~this is the first commandment with a promise. That
all may be well with you and that you may live long on the
earth.” Eph. 6:2-3 (Amplified)

Honor is something that no one can force us to do. It’s
something we want to do. Honor is the best thing we can
show to others. Honor is deserved, not demanded. God
deserves all our honor but He lets us make our own
choices. If we don’t show Him honor, we will not reap the
promises He gave us, and this is how He set up the world
system in order that we may succeed. Notice, this is the only
commandment with a promise attached to it. It’s everyone’s
goal to live a long, healthy life! Here’s the way to get it. This
world is always searching for remedies and the fountain of
youth, these are superficial. God’s Word is real.

So fathers, just like this poem, remember you are setting an
example for your children to follow. If you’re not showing
them examples of God’s attributes, your legacy will not live
on with them. After all, your legacy is the most important
factor you can give your children. If you haven’t developed
good examples in your child’s life, start by taking them to
church, not just sending them. What they see, they will also
do! It’s natural to assume that what goes around, comes
around. What do you want to come around in your children’s
lives?

Children are the future. So this father’s day, remember all
eyes are upon you. Show your children the love of God that’s
in your heart.

The true measure of a person is what’s in the heart.

Vivian Gordon writes articles pertaining to God’s instructions and the examples He has given us in order to grow on this Christian walk with Him. She hopes that they can inspire the Christian to grow spiritually and maturely in their lives.

I’ve got a confession to make – when it comes to time management, for a long time I wasn’t able to see the forest for the trees. I slowly came to realize that I was wearing blinders. What on earth am I talking about, and what do ‘blinders’ have to do with time management?

As you probably know, blinders are the goggles that horses wear that stop them
from seeing to the side. It forces them to only see straight ahead, and ignore
anything that may attract or startle them. Unfortunately, many people have blinders
of their own (although they may not realize it). Often called “the way we’ve always
done things”, these personal blinders can make us overlook or ignore the bigger
picture, and miss opportunities for success or efficiency.

How does this relate to time management? One of the most basic things in time
management is to make a list of tasks you need to do, and to prioritize them in
some way. It’s probably the most common part of time management that people
know, and it is extremely powerful. But often we get so caught up in figuring out
what we have to do (especially if we are pressed for time) that we don’t step back
and look at the big picture. We forget to ask ourselves two key questions about each
task we write down:

• Do I really need to do this?
• Is there a better way I can do this?

Take a simple example of running some errands in the city – perhaps taking
something in to a dry cleaner, meeting a friend for lunch, and buying a gift for
someone. If you have a preferred shop for each of these tasks, you may find they
are spread out all over the city. You will have to waste a lot of time travelling
(whether driving, taking a cab or using public transport) just to get things done,

A better solution would be to try and group things together. This may mean that
you have to use one or more new stores, but you will save yourself a huge amount
of time and hassle (and you may just find a new favorite store to frequent!)

When doing tasks for work, you should be on the lookout for ways you can make
the tasks more efficient. Perhaps a task that requires six different steps can be
streamlined to only three steps if it is done a different way. Often things are done a
certain way simply because that was how they were done the first time. If the
business has grown or changed since, there may now be a more efficient way to get
the task done.

Not only will you save yourself time if you find a more efficient way to do a task, but
most bosses look favorably on an employee who improves how they work!

If you have a lot of tasks on your list of things to do, rather than diving straight in
and working like mad, pause for just a few moments and ask yourself two questions
for every item on the list; Do I need to do this? Is there a better way I can do this?
Those few minutes of thought may save you hours or even days of work!

You will get more done today than you ever thought possible by discovering simple
time management skills you can use in a few minutes. It’s easier
than it sounds!

Think about the people in your life who you would consider spontaneous. They seem so alive, don’t they? They are so positive and confident. With a little work, you can develop your natural spontaneity.

Spontaneity means acting in accordance with a natural feeling, impulse or tendency without any constant, effort or premeditation. For example, it’s coming to a fork in the road and quickly making an intelligent decision. Or it’s making an impromptu speech to a group of coworkers, explaining a problem or issue and quickly providing a viable solution that will save time or money. It’s even walking through the front door of you home with flowers for your spouse.

While all these scenarios sound desirable to most of us, spontaneity has long been a neglected asset. Many people look skeptically at spontaneity, as if it is a sign of flightiness rather than a valuable asset. But high-achieving men and women know the advantages of being spontaneous, and making it part of their daily lives.

Spontaneity is a trait that many people incorrectly believe is of better use in your personal life than in your business life. Most people would agree on the value of spontaneity in relationships, where it’s a quality that can keep the excitement going. It breaks up the humdrum of the daily routine, and it allows for some creativity and fun. In a relationship, things can get stale, and spontaneity keeps things fresh.

But, spontaneity in the workplace is equally valuable. People often get bogged down by the fear of negative reaction or the fear of being criticized. Instead you need to allow yourself to take some risks. Some of your ideas will work out, and some won’t: these are the facts of life. Spontaneity can be risky, but that’s part of the fun of it.

Spontaneity can help reduce stress or even better, it can trigger a kind of positive stress, the kind that produces creativity and energizes you. For example, when unexpected problems come up, if you tackle them spontaneously, while keeping your mind open to all the possible solutions, you will feel less burdened and anxious than you would if you’d let the problem sit there.

No one wants a leader who bounces back and forth in the corporate wind, lurching from whim to whim with no basis for the decision. That’s not spontaneity, it’s impulsiveness.
If you have qualities such as integrity, honesty, and the ability to see the big picture, then you’re a person who is willing take intelligent risks, and see your decision through. When you have these qualities you will be more successful when you are faced with situations in which you have to implement an idea or course of action spontaneously.

These basic qualities are important because, they will enable you to earn the trust of your colleagues. Your coworkers will be less resistant to what they might see as a seat-of-the-pants kind of decision. Your colleagues or subordinates will follow your game plan because they will trust you.

For example, let’s say the CEO of your company is out of the office and your company’s largest client calls to report a problem that needs immediate executive input. You quickly assemble your executive team, discover how the problem happened and respond to the client with a solution. Even though your solution was devised quickly, and was perhaps a little unorthodox, the staff followed your directives because they trust you. However, if the executive down the hall had been in charge, employees would have balked, because he or she doesn’t have the trust of his or her colleagues.

So how can you develop your spontaneity, without making others feel uncomfortable? Here are few suggestions:

* Understand that issues or problems will crop up that need attention immediately. They cannot wait, because if they do, they will become worse.

* Understand that many of those around you are uncomfortable with snap decisions. They don’t trust quick reactions because they don’t think that much time or effort has gone into their development. Some won’t see the need for a quick course of action.

* Understand that some of those around you may not be able to communicate the need for immediate attention to a particular issue or event. Be able to judge the severity of the problem and the timetable in which it needs to be solved.

* When you determine a course of action, always explain to others the rationale behind it.

* Let others know that your plan my be a short-term solution or stopgap measure and that other remedies may be needed for the future. Know that being spontaneous means changing course quickly and sometimes often. Never follow a course out of stubbornness. Rather, be able to see the need to switch gears based on principles of logic.

* Spontaneous people make mistakes. Don’t be afraid to admit you’ve made a mistake, and then get on with your life. As the saying goes, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

There are many other ways to be spontaneous in conventional and accepted ways. Brainstorming sessions are a form of spontaneity. And there is always someone in a company or organization who is regarded as the “creative one.” For example, the “creative one” is the person that everyone can always count on to give a seminar on how to problem-solve creatively to promote the idea of spontaneity in the workplace.

Unfortunately people don’t allow themselves enough spontaneity. We have been conditioned that to get ahead, you often need to hold back. We tend to go for the group consensus, which also has its benefits. But when you don’t have the freedom to make spontaneous comments or create ideas spontaneously, you’re missing out on one of the best ways to work and live.

People who are spontaneous are confident, natural, and mentally healthy. They follow a process in which they open up their mind to explore all possible solutions to a problem, and then they let go of their agenda, ego, beliefs, and attitudes, and allow their creative flow to explore the different possibilities. When you are able to put yourself through this process you will enable yourself to achieve the highest levels of success.

Copyright©2005 by Joe Love and JLM & Associates, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide.

Joe Love draws on his 25 years of experience helping both individuals and companies build their businesses, increase profits, and achieve total success. He is the founder and CEO of JLM & Associates, a consulting and training organization, specializing in personal and business development. Through his seminars and lectures, Joe Love addresses thousands of men and women each year, including the executives and staffs of many of America’s largest corporations, on the subjects of leadership, self-esteem, goals, achievement, and success psychology.

Reach Joe at: joe@jlmandassociates.com

Read more articles and newsletters at: http://www.jlmandassociates.com

If you’re living out on your own for the first time, you may have already discovered how many things can get in the way of your life, making it stressful and chaotic. You probably never realized all the ’stuff’ going on behind the scenes when you lived at home with Mom and Dad…the bill paying, the home maintenance, the car maintenance, the food shopping, the clothes shopping, the ‘other stuff’ shopping, the trips to the drycleaner, the checkbook balancing, the cooking, the cleaning, the mending, the yard work, the run to the post office, the hour spent on hold trying to straighten out a problem with a credit card, the researching to find the best deal…the list goes on and on. How’s a person supposed to keep up with all that and stay sane these days?

A great place to start is with a planning book. You see businesspeople carrying them everywherethey’re guarded like treasure. “My whole life is in that book!” they’ll say. They’re right…and they’re smart. There is way too much going on in most people’s lives to be able to keep everything in their head. Finding a planning book that works for you and your style can make a huge improvement to your confidence in dealing with all those things that ‘get in the way of life’ and even free up more time to do the things you want.

Even if your business life isn’t full enough to require a planning book, guaranteed that your personal life is. There’s the information you need to have readily available, like contact information for your landlord, your bank, the lender on your car loan, your doctors and dentist, emergency road service…plus sensitive information like your credit card numbers, even numbers for grocery stores, libraries, organizations you’re a member of, and clubs…you’ll want to keep the phone and cell numbers of your friends and business associates handy…a place for keeping the business cards you collect as you meet people through work will come in real handy, too.

Each planning book is a little different in the types of pages available for recording this kind of information, and they usually have several different scheduling pages to choose fromwhether you need to see only one day at a time and have lots of room for notes, or want to see a week or even a full month on a two-page spread. Think carefully about what you do at work, the kinds of activities you’re involved in outside of work, how many appointments or events you usually have to keep track of, and how much room you want for adding notes as you go along.

Once you’ve found a book you think will fit your lifestyle, start using it! Collect all the contact information you’d like to have at your fingertips and get it recorded in there. Do you already have meetings, appointments, events, or special dates that you know of? Get those written down on the proper dates along with any notes to help jog your memory about what the appointment is for, directions on how to get there, or maybe what you need to take to the meeting.

The more you write down, the less you need to remember. Doctors say that the best way to improve your memory is to memorize things, but in this hectic world, I’ve found that the less I need to ‘think’ about things, the better. I write it down and purge it from the gray matter. When the time comes, all the information I need is right there in the book. As your life gets crowded, too, you’ll realize what a lifesaver a book like this can be.

Remember those goals you took the time to think about and write down last month? (You did do it, didn’t you? If not, take a look at the Career article in our Dose of Reality e-newsletter, or search ezinearticles.com for Expert Author, Kathryn Marion, for some major motivation.) Make a photocopy of your goals lists (shrink them down on a copy machine, if you have to) and keep them in your planning book. That way you have them right there to help you figure out what to do with some unexpected spare time (hint: make some progress toward one of your goals; don’t waste it reading a comic book!) or to remind you that you’re saving money for something special so this ‘great deal’ that just plopped in your lap will only derail that goal.

Do you see why so many people say “my whole life is in that book”? Don’t wait until you miss an important meeting for work, or get charged for missing a doctor’s appointmenttake charge of your time and your life with a planning book now…and guard it with your life!

# # #

Kathryn Marion is President of Education for Reality. in Erie, Colorado. Her book Success in the ‘Real World:’ The Graduate’s Complete Guide to Making the Most of Your Career (and Your Life!) was released in April ‘05 in e-book format for its tenth anniversary–it was distributed through schools, colleges, and universities to nearly two million new graduates. Jam-packed with savvy insights and helpful advicem it covers everything from careers to money management to handling personal and even legal matters. Visit http://www.EducationForReality.com and sign up for the free monthly newsletter, Dose of RealityTM–it will give you a ‘dose’ of advice on your career, your money, and your life each month as well as point you to additional online resources which will help you in these areas–so you don’t have to surf the Net (we do it for you!).

Some believe leaders are born. Others believe that leaders are developed. I believe that people are born with certain leadership characteristics. The characteristics that they are not born with can be developed. Some of these characteristics we can get from the Eagle. By observing and studying this matchless bird you can pick up on leadership characteristics to help develop you and your network marketing team.

The eagle shows four major leadership characteristics:

1) Vision – Just like the eagle, all leaders must have vision. The eagle’s eyes can see great distances. They can also directly into the sun without being blinded. You, being the leader of your network marketing team, must have vision. You must have a vision that guides and leads your team towards the organization’s goals. The vision must be big and focused. A big, focused vision will produce big results.

2) Eagles Never Eat Dead Meat – You will never see an eagle eating meat that it did not kill. An eagle is not a scavenger. It hunts for and kills its own food. It hunts for the prey while it’s warm and alive. You as a leader must go where the action is. You must go where hunt down and find lively people to grow you business.

3) Looks For & Flies Into Storms – As storms approach, lesser birds head for cover, but the might eagle spreads its wings and with a great cry mounts upon the powerful updrafts, soaring to heights of glory. Eagles use the storm to lift him to these great heights. Leaders use storms (challenges); we don’t run from them. To leaders, storms are tools used for their development.

4) Very Gentle & Attentive To Their Young – The eagle is known for its ferocity, yet no member of the bird family is more gently and attentive to its young. At just the right time, the mother eagle begins to teach her eaglets how to fly. She gathers an eaglet onto her back, and spreading her wings, flies high. Suddenly she swoops out from under the eaglet and as it falls, it gradually learns what its wings are for until the mother catches it once again on her wings. The process is repeated. If the young is slow to learn or cowardly, she returns him to the nest, and begins to tear it apart, until there is nothing left for the eaglet to cling to. Then she nudges him off the cliff. In summary, TEACH AND TRAIN your organization! Network marketing is about duplication!

By studying the eagle, you can be born with and also develop leadership characteristics. Developing and using them your network marketing business will grow and become very profitable.

Motivated, Very Energetic, Entrepreneur from TX. Everything is big in Texas – INCLUDING DREAMS!

Leadership is mostly about being yourself and maintaining your personal authenticity rather than about learning some formula from a text book. Aspiring leaders need to be always true to themselves; not slavishly following other’s ideas. That is not to say that role models can not be powerful exemplars.

Real leaders are not only prepared to reveal their weaknesses, because they know they are not super-human, but to use them to their advantage. Obviously this doesn’t mean revealing technical weaknesses or functional failings as this would fatally flaw their performance. Instead, what is meant is that leaders can and perhaps should, reveal their personality quirks – maybe they are bad tempered in the morning, are somewhat shy with new people or even a little disorganized. Such admissions show they are human and this resonates with others confirming that the leader is a person – not merely a role-holder.

Revealing their true selves, leaders can allow others to know and help them and this makes for better teamwork; followers can also feel better if they’ve got something to complain about. Thus by sharing at least some of their weaknesses, leaders can prevent others from inventing damaging problems.

True leadership is therefore much more than a demonstration of strengths. Real leaders acknowledge their shortcomings and may even be able to make them work for them.

Good leaders always rely on their ability to read situations. They develop a ‘feel’ for an environment, and interpret soft data without having to be told. They know when team morale is patchy or when complacency needs shaking up. There are three levels of situational sensitivity, each of which has its own specific skills.

Effective leaders are continually learning about the motives, attributes and skills of their important subordinates. They get to know their people through formal and, often better, informal contact such as when travelling together.

Effective leaders read their teams. They analyze the compound balance between team members, the tension between the tasks and processes, and how the team builds its competencies.

Finally, they are concerned with defining the cultural characteristics of their organizations and keep their finger on the pulse of the organisation’s climate.

It sounds tongue-in-cheek to say that leaders care for their people. Ever noticed the cynicism in the workforce upon seeing a manager return from a people-skills training course with new concern for others. Effective leaders don’t need a training programme to convince their employees that they really care. They clearly empathize with their people care intensely about their work.

Genuine concern is difficult because it always involves some personal risk – showing some part of yourself and your most strongly held values can seem quite scary. It may also take some detachment – the ability to stand back, see the whole picture and sometimes take tough decisions. Leadership never was a popularity contest.

Effective leaders use their differences and move on to distinguish themselves through personal qualities such as sincerity, loyalty, creativity, or sheer expertise.

Using these differences is a critical leadership skill. But, as always, there is a danger – too much distance makes it impossible to sense situations properly or to communicate effectively.

Peter Fisher is Managing Director of Career Consulting Limited. He is an Expert Author and Management Consultant as well as being one of the UK’s most experienced Career Coaches. For more information and his definition of leadership visit Definition of Leadership or Career Consulting Limited