There is one thing on this planet that gives children (and some adults) more power than they would ever imagine. We have all experienced it before and if you can get hold of it, you experience freedom and satisfaction that surpass all understanding. With this 'thing', you can control how people feel around you as well as how they might react towards you... You can call it whatever you want to, but I just call it the TV remote.
We all know the divine moment you experience when you can get to the remote first. What makes it even more powerful, is when you have reserved parking in the most comfortable chair in the room. This is such a comfortable place to be in, and we can control virtually everything around us, but in this comfy place, you are marked with one big red bull's eye. You are the target for world war 3.
Similarly, we all find ourselves in such a spot somewhere in our lives. This comfort zone we all find ourselves in, is such a powerful place because we always tend to find something in it that we can use to control things. It gives us power to make any decision we want to and it even gives us the power to manipulate people. But every comfort zone is marked with one giant, red, bull's eyes.
Why? Because no one can grow while he/she is in a comfort zone. And if you look around you, you don't have to look very far to see that the natural tendency of life is to grow. Plants grow, animals grow, people grow not only physically, but also emotionally and spiritually.
If you find yourself in such a place where you don't grow, unwanted things (challenges) will start to occur so that you can grow so that the balance in life can be maintained. Obviously no one on this Earth can escape challenges, but you can pick the challenges or they can pick themselves (many times unwanted ones).
So how do you know you are in a comfort zone? It might be a good indication that you are in a comfort zone when you are bored, keep on being mentally tired, where you have become complacent, or where you are not inspired and moved by what you do.
Look around you, look inside you, deeply inside you.
Where do you experience some major challenges or problems in your life; work, relationships, self? The chances that you are in a comfort zone are quite big. For as long as you stay in that comfy little place where you are most relaxed and undisturbed, you will be the target of unwanted challenges.
What can you do right now to get you out of that comfort zone/s?
As a coach I see you as creative and resourceful and therefore you already have all the answers to get you out of it. Unfortunately most of us find ourselves in a comfort zone where we don't want to ask us the necessary powerful questions needed to get us out of it. If we do ask us these very important questions, we wait for someone else, or the right time to get us out of it.
My passion (and job) as a coach, is to guide you on a journey of self exploration and discovery through powerful questioning so that you can get out of these comfort zones. Through this exploration and discovery process, you start to set goals that are not just outrageously big and life changing, but these are the goals that are right for you. These are the goals wherein you find your voice.
These are the goals that make you a History maker and a World shaker.
Start this journey by discovering the right goals for you and receive a free goals report.
All journeys starts with a destination. A destination without goals is useless. But it is not just goals that makes us history makers and world shakers, but the right goals that does.
What goals will revolutionize your life in 2008 and take you on a journey to become a history maker and a world shaker?
Get your free in less than 5 minutes.
Steyn ViljoenProfessional Certified CoachCog Coachinghttp://www.cogcoaching.com/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steyn_Viljoen
Monday 26 May 2008
Struggle Is Good
"If there is no struggle, there is no progress." - Frederick Douglas
Hi Champion,
Welcome back to another edition of Make 2008 Great. Today I would like to share with you a wonderful story on the subject of struggle. At some point in our life we are all faced with some type of challenge. And yes, if you could, you would eliminate struggle from your life. But guess what , struggle is actually good for us as this story will illustrate. I hope you enjoy it.
The Struggle of the Butterfly
A man found a cocoon of a butterfly. One day a small opening appeared and he sat and watched the butterfly as it struggled for several hours to force its body through the little hole. Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared it had gotten as far as it could. The man decided to help the butterfly, so he took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of cocoon.
The butterfly then emerged easily, but it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings. The man continued to watch the butterfly because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would expand and be able to support the body, which would contract in time.
Neither happened! in fact, the butterfly spent its whole life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings. It was never able to fly. What the man, in kindness and haste, did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required to get through the tiny opening were God's way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved freedom.
Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our life. If God allowed us to go through life without obstacles, it would cripple us. We would not be as strong as we could have been.
And... we would never fly.
To your success,
Kevin Brown
"For better of worse, our future will be determined in large part by our dreams and by the struggle to make them real."
Please share with a few of your friends and business associatesby having them send a blank email to: make2008great@aweber.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kevin_W._Brown
Hi Champion,
Welcome back to another edition of Make 2008 Great. Today I would like to share with you a wonderful story on the subject of struggle. At some point in our life we are all faced with some type of challenge. And yes, if you could, you would eliminate struggle from your life. But guess what , struggle is actually good for us as this story will illustrate. I hope you enjoy it.
The Struggle of the Butterfly
A man found a cocoon of a butterfly. One day a small opening appeared and he sat and watched the butterfly as it struggled for several hours to force its body through the little hole. Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared it had gotten as far as it could. The man decided to help the butterfly, so he took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of cocoon.
The butterfly then emerged easily, but it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings. The man continued to watch the butterfly because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would expand and be able to support the body, which would contract in time.
Neither happened! in fact, the butterfly spent its whole life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings. It was never able to fly. What the man, in kindness and haste, did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required to get through the tiny opening were God's way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved freedom.
Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our life. If God allowed us to go through life without obstacles, it would cripple us. We would not be as strong as we could have been.
And... we would never fly.
To your success,
Kevin Brown
"For better of worse, our future will be determined in large part by our dreams and by the struggle to make them real."
Please share with a few of your friends and business associatesby having them send a blank email to: make2008great@aweber.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kevin_W._Brown
So What's Holding You Back From Success?
We all want success. We just don't know how to get there from here. We are looking at our present situation and saying that this is not what we want. We have a spouse who is not cooperative enough (or maybe no spouse at all), kids who aren't appreciative enough, a house that isn't big enough, a car that's not fancy enough, friends that aren't available enough etc. We are jealous of the all the expensive things our neighbor has. We blame our situation, the weather, the economy, our boss etc for our failure.
Why can't we get that we want?
The first mistake we are making is that we are focusing on the things that we don't want. If we are always noticing about how our kids aren't appreciative enough, our kids will know that we expect them to be unappreciative and will live up to those expectations and just get more and more unappreciative. This principle applies to everything.
The world in general will live up to our expectations. If we are always noticing how small our house is, it will seem to become smaller and smaller in our minds. If we are jealous that someone else has something we want, then we are focusing on the fact that we don't have it, and we will continue to not have it. If we blame the economy for our lack of success, then not only are we focusing on the fact that we are failing, we are giving up control of that situation.
We are letting the economy control whether we get what we want. We are becoming a powerless victim. That's not where we would want to be. The first and foremost factor in creating success is taking responsibility for what happens in our lives. We must also notice what is good in our lives and expect more of it.
Our second problem is our opinion of ourselves. The number one thing that prevents most people from succeeding is fear. We are afraid that we will fail, or we are afraid that if we are successful then we won't be able to handle it. What it boils down to is a lack of self confidence. We don't trust in our abilities. We don't have faith that we can succeed and that we can handle it when it happens. We don't have faith that we can handle any problems that will come up.
Because of this, people procrastinate and try to figure out how to solve every possible thing that could go wrong before they start, so they never get started in time to catch the window of opportunity. Successful people have faith in themselves and the self-confidence to know that they will be able to deal with problems as they arise.
In terms of achieving the things we want, we are often our own worst enemy. When we are unhappy with everything we have and when we don't think we have what it takes to be successful, then we are stuck. Our mind is full of negative, unhappy, unsupportive thoughts, and so it stops us from getting from what we want, and often from even trying. Achieving success is mostly a matter of retraining our mind to be appreciative, positive, and supportive.
For more ideas about how to become truly successful and get everything you want, visit http://www.reachingmypotential.com/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tracy_Crowe
Why can't we get that we want?
The first mistake we are making is that we are focusing on the things that we don't want. If we are always noticing about how our kids aren't appreciative enough, our kids will know that we expect them to be unappreciative and will live up to those expectations and just get more and more unappreciative. This principle applies to everything.
The world in general will live up to our expectations. If we are always noticing how small our house is, it will seem to become smaller and smaller in our minds. If we are jealous that someone else has something we want, then we are focusing on the fact that we don't have it, and we will continue to not have it. If we blame the economy for our lack of success, then not only are we focusing on the fact that we are failing, we are giving up control of that situation.
We are letting the economy control whether we get what we want. We are becoming a powerless victim. That's not where we would want to be. The first and foremost factor in creating success is taking responsibility for what happens in our lives. We must also notice what is good in our lives and expect more of it.
Our second problem is our opinion of ourselves. The number one thing that prevents most people from succeeding is fear. We are afraid that we will fail, or we are afraid that if we are successful then we won't be able to handle it. What it boils down to is a lack of self confidence. We don't trust in our abilities. We don't have faith that we can succeed and that we can handle it when it happens. We don't have faith that we can handle any problems that will come up.
Because of this, people procrastinate and try to figure out how to solve every possible thing that could go wrong before they start, so they never get started in time to catch the window of opportunity. Successful people have faith in themselves and the self-confidence to know that they will be able to deal with problems as they arise.
In terms of achieving the things we want, we are often our own worst enemy. When we are unhappy with everything we have and when we don't think we have what it takes to be successful, then we are stuck. Our mind is full of negative, unhappy, unsupportive thoughts, and so it stops us from getting from what we want, and often from even trying. Achieving success is mostly a matter of retraining our mind to be appreciative, positive, and supportive.
For more ideas about how to become truly successful and get everything you want, visit http://www.reachingmypotential.com/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tracy_Crowe
Failure Is Fake
Have you ever decided not to do something because you were afraid of failure? Don't worry, you are not alone! The fear of failure is one of the most common reasons people give when asked why they haven't pursued their dreams. Well, let's be honest; no one likes to fail. None of us likes to feel weak, ineffective or lacking in any way, and that's exactly how failure can make us feel.
What if I told you that failure is a fake. Seriously! You may be surprised to know that failure doesn't exist - that is, until YOU say it does.
The dictionary defines failure as:
1) an act or instance of failing or proving unsuccessful; lack of success
2) a state of inability to perform a normal function adequately
3) a fracturing or giving way under stress
4) a lack of success.
If you carefully analyze these definitions, you'll probably realize they have one thing in common when it comes to goal achievement: Failure is a perception. I will say it again. Failure is a PERCEPTION and you get to choose how you will perceive your efforts and results!
If you believe you have failed, then yes, you have. If you believe you don't have what it takes to succeed, then yes, you don't. If you believe you can't handle the pressure of achieving your goals and dreams, then yes, you can't. If you believe you're not successful, then yes, you aren't.
Failure only exists in your own mind! The moment you decide to give up or stop working toward your goals, you have given birth to failure.
But what if you decide to never do that or hold those beliefs? What if you continue working toward your goals, one step at a time for as long as it takes? What if you look at your results as stepping stones towards your ultimate goals? There's no failure then, is there?
This insight should be very encouraging if you've been working toward goals and have not yet seen the results you are looking for. Simply keep going and you cannot fail.
Shirley Muhammad is the webmaster at Inspire Town a place where inspiration and motivation reside.
Get your Burst of Inspiration. Subscribe to the Inspire Town ezine and Inspirational Quote of the Day at http://www.inspiretown.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shirley_Muhammad
What if I told you that failure is a fake. Seriously! You may be surprised to know that failure doesn't exist - that is, until YOU say it does.
The dictionary defines failure as:
1) an act or instance of failing or proving unsuccessful; lack of success
2) a state of inability to perform a normal function adequately
3) a fracturing or giving way under stress
4) a lack of success.
If you carefully analyze these definitions, you'll probably realize they have one thing in common when it comes to goal achievement: Failure is a perception. I will say it again. Failure is a PERCEPTION and you get to choose how you will perceive your efforts and results!
If you believe you have failed, then yes, you have. If you believe you don't have what it takes to succeed, then yes, you don't. If you believe you can't handle the pressure of achieving your goals and dreams, then yes, you can't. If you believe you're not successful, then yes, you aren't.
Failure only exists in your own mind! The moment you decide to give up or stop working toward your goals, you have given birth to failure.
But what if you decide to never do that or hold those beliefs? What if you continue working toward your goals, one step at a time for as long as it takes? What if you look at your results as stepping stones towards your ultimate goals? There's no failure then, is there?
This insight should be very encouraging if you've been working toward goals and have not yet seen the results you are looking for. Simply keep going and you cannot fail.
Shirley Muhammad is the webmaster at Inspire Town a place where inspiration and motivation reside.
Get your Burst of Inspiration. Subscribe to the Inspire Town ezine and Inspirational Quote of the Day at http://www.inspiretown.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shirley_Muhammad
Which Talent Assessment is Best?
I often hear HR professionals ask: "What tools do you recommend to accurately assess the talent in our organization?" Choosing the right talent assessment is critical to making sound hiring, development, and promotion decisions. Without this information, decisions can only be based on partial information, personal preferences, or the opinions of others.
As a rule of thumb, I recommend that organizations rely on more than one assessment for critical talent decisions, such as hiring a key player or promoting an executive. The right combination of assessment tools provides a more comprehensive view of the candidate. This approach can remove bias and the "halo effect" in some individuals, and reveal flaws or limitations that were not previously apparent.
The ideal suite of assessments will provide reliable information on the candidate's track record, pattern of behavior, management style, competency profile, and potential for greater responsibilities.
A complementary set of assessments includes some the following tools:
Performance Evaluations
Psychometric Tests
360-Degree Feedback Surveys
Employee Engagement Scores
Trait-Based Assessments
Talent Interviews
I will briefly describe each of these assessment approaches and the pros and cons of each.
1. Performance Evaluations
Most organizations use performance reviews as the basis for measuring individual performance and determining compensation. They are focused on results achieved and job objectives. However, performance evaluations are insufficient indicators of talent for at least three reasons. First, they are highly subjective to the supervisor's views and grading bias. Second, they focus primarily on one facet of an individual's contribution-- "the WHAT", leaving out much information as to "the HOW" a person does their job. Third, performance reviews are generally inconsistent throughout the organization. Some managers faithfully conduct these reviews. Others don't. They are also often conducted at different times during the year.
2. Psychometric Tests
Well established psychometric tests provide reliable information that is relatively easy to collect and cost-effective. These tests provide accurate insights on specific traits, together with benchmarks relevant to the candidate's job position. However, psychometric tests are narrow in scope, and while they add a data point, they cannot provide a full picture of a person's performance and potential. Care should also be taken to ensure they are correctly administered and interpreted.
3. 360-Degree Feedback
360-degree feedback surveys provide useful measures of leadership competency. 360-degree feedback surveys best measure HOW a person does the job on a series of leadership competencies. 360s are less subjective, as they include multiple relevant points of view on the candidates' performance. The results are very useful for personal development. The limitation, however, is that 360 feedback is relative to the candidate's job expectations and rater selection, making 360 comparisons between individuals less reliable. Additionally, 360-degree feedback results are often used for development purposes only, and the resulting data is considered confidential. Conducting a 360-degree assessment is also generally not possible for a new-hire.
4. Employee Engagement Scores
Employee engagement scores are useful, provided you can report the results specific to those employees that report to the manager. Employee engagement is a strong indicator of how well that person leads his/her team. Engagement scores have direct impact on employee motivation, performance, and retention. However, engagement metrics are influenced by the organization's overall culture and group's current situation, which may not be completely controllable by the group leader. The main challenge for most organizations is their availability, given the frequency and reporting constraints of employee surveys.
5. Trait-Based Assessments
Assessments that measure personality traits do not predict job performance or potential. However, they are useful descriptors of the candidate's preferred ways of thinking, behaving, and leading. They describe tendencies in leadership style and potential pitfalls that can be valuable when assessing a person's fit in the organization's culture, as well as expected job behaviors. Trait-based assessments are descriptive of the candidate's style and fit, but should not be used for prescriptive decision making.
6. Talent Interviews
When it comes to critical hiring and promotion decisions, I highly recommend including talent interviews in the assessment process. Talent interviews consist of in-depth review of a person's work history, patterns of behavior, accomplishments, areas for improvement, and projected growth. An experienced interviewer provides key insights and valuable information through the talent interview report. Keep in mind, however, that a comprehensive interview process can be costly, and will most likely be reserved for key decisions.
Talent Inventory Profile™I'm often asked the question, "What if I have many managers to assess? Is there a simple, cost-effective tool that provides a snapshot?"
When decisions are lower risk, or when I need to scan talent across a large number of candidates, it is often not cost-effective to conduct comprehensive talent assessments. In such cases, I recommend using a "primer" assessment, like the DecisionWise Talent Inventory Profile (TIP), to get a quick take on the candidates. For best results, couple an assessment like TIP with a talent review meeting for calibrating management's views on those candidates.
TIP gathers feedback from the individual and his or her supervisor based on three areas: Results Focus, People Skills, and Growth Potential. It is similar to gathering performance review data (Results Focus) and 360-degree feedback (People Skills) in one assessment.
Plus, Growth Potential measures whether the person is a good candidate for greater responsibility. TIP is not meant to be the final word on a person's talent, but it provides a quick and easy way to evaluate large numbers of individuals for an organizational talent review.
Conclusion
The purpose of the talent assessment process is driving results, developing leadership capacity, identifying successors, and grooming future leaders. I recommend using multiple assessments when making important hiring and promotion decisions. TIP is a good way to conduct an overall talent management process that aligns people to the organization's strategy.
Juan Riboldi
To find more articles on leadership development and talent management visit our website at: http://www.decwise.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Juan_Riboldi
As a rule of thumb, I recommend that organizations rely on more than one assessment for critical talent decisions, such as hiring a key player or promoting an executive. The right combination of assessment tools provides a more comprehensive view of the candidate. This approach can remove bias and the "halo effect" in some individuals, and reveal flaws or limitations that were not previously apparent.
The ideal suite of assessments will provide reliable information on the candidate's track record, pattern of behavior, management style, competency profile, and potential for greater responsibilities.
A complementary set of assessments includes some the following tools:
Performance Evaluations
Psychometric Tests
360-Degree Feedback Surveys
Employee Engagement Scores
Trait-Based Assessments
Talent Interviews
I will briefly describe each of these assessment approaches and the pros and cons of each.
1. Performance Evaluations
Most organizations use performance reviews as the basis for measuring individual performance and determining compensation. They are focused on results achieved and job objectives. However, performance evaluations are insufficient indicators of talent for at least three reasons. First, they are highly subjective to the supervisor's views and grading bias. Second, they focus primarily on one facet of an individual's contribution-- "the WHAT", leaving out much information as to "the HOW" a person does their job. Third, performance reviews are generally inconsistent throughout the organization. Some managers faithfully conduct these reviews. Others don't. They are also often conducted at different times during the year.
2. Psychometric Tests
Well established psychometric tests provide reliable information that is relatively easy to collect and cost-effective. These tests provide accurate insights on specific traits, together with benchmarks relevant to the candidate's job position. However, psychometric tests are narrow in scope, and while they add a data point, they cannot provide a full picture of a person's performance and potential. Care should also be taken to ensure they are correctly administered and interpreted.
3. 360-Degree Feedback
360-degree feedback surveys provide useful measures of leadership competency. 360-degree feedback surveys best measure HOW a person does the job on a series of leadership competencies. 360s are less subjective, as they include multiple relevant points of view on the candidates' performance. The results are very useful for personal development. The limitation, however, is that 360 feedback is relative to the candidate's job expectations and rater selection, making 360 comparisons between individuals less reliable. Additionally, 360-degree feedback results are often used for development purposes only, and the resulting data is considered confidential. Conducting a 360-degree assessment is also generally not possible for a new-hire.
4. Employee Engagement Scores
Employee engagement scores are useful, provided you can report the results specific to those employees that report to the manager. Employee engagement is a strong indicator of how well that person leads his/her team. Engagement scores have direct impact on employee motivation, performance, and retention. However, engagement metrics are influenced by the organization's overall culture and group's current situation, which may not be completely controllable by the group leader. The main challenge for most organizations is their availability, given the frequency and reporting constraints of employee surveys.
5. Trait-Based Assessments
Assessments that measure personality traits do not predict job performance or potential. However, they are useful descriptors of the candidate's preferred ways of thinking, behaving, and leading. They describe tendencies in leadership style and potential pitfalls that can be valuable when assessing a person's fit in the organization's culture, as well as expected job behaviors. Trait-based assessments are descriptive of the candidate's style and fit, but should not be used for prescriptive decision making.
6. Talent Interviews
When it comes to critical hiring and promotion decisions, I highly recommend including talent interviews in the assessment process. Talent interviews consist of in-depth review of a person's work history, patterns of behavior, accomplishments, areas for improvement, and projected growth. An experienced interviewer provides key insights and valuable information through the talent interview report. Keep in mind, however, that a comprehensive interview process can be costly, and will most likely be reserved for key decisions.
Talent Inventory Profile™I'm often asked the question, "What if I have many managers to assess? Is there a simple, cost-effective tool that provides a snapshot?"
When decisions are lower risk, or when I need to scan talent across a large number of candidates, it is often not cost-effective to conduct comprehensive talent assessments. In such cases, I recommend using a "primer" assessment, like the DecisionWise Talent Inventory Profile (TIP), to get a quick take on the candidates. For best results, couple an assessment like TIP with a talent review meeting for calibrating management's views on those candidates.
TIP gathers feedback from the individual and his or her supervisor based on three areas: Results Focus, People Skills, and Growth Potential. It is similar to gathering performance review data (Results Focus) and 360-degree feedback (People Skills) in one assessment.
Plus, Growth Potential measures whether the person is a good candidate for greater responsibility. TIP is not meant to be the final word on a person's talent, but it provides a quick and easy way to evaluate large numbers of individuals for an organizational talent review.
Conclusion
The purpose of the talent assessment process is driving results, developing leadership capacity, identifying successors, and grooming future leaders. I recommend using multiple assessments when making important hiring and promotion decisions. TIP is a good way to conduct an overall talent management process that aligns people to the organization's strategy.
Juan Riboldi
To find more articles on leadership development and talent management visit our website at: http://www.decwise.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Juan_Riboldi
Twelve Ways to Improve Your Self-Image and Self-Esteem
Never think that you're not good enough yourself. A man should never think that. People will take you very much at your own reckoning. " Anthony Trollope
How do you picture yourself?
Do you have a positive or negative image of yourself? Many people don't like what they see on the outside, or they don't like themselves on the inside. Some people don't even want to look.
Self-image is how you see yourself, and how you think others see you. You compare yourself to others and make judgments about your physical looks, your intelligence and your personality.
Your self-image plays a HUGE role in how you behave and feel.
How do you feel about yourself?
Self-esteem is how you feel about yourself. Self-esteem is determined by your internal feelings and evaluation of yourself based on your "perceived" self-image. If you are constantly comparing yourself to others and feel like you don't measure up, your self-esteem suffers.
Your self-esteem and self-image are closely interrelated and are established primarily in childhood.
The positive and negative feedback you received while growing up, from your parents, teachers and other authority figures, helped create your view of yourself. As you move through life, you have the ability to change any negative self-images you've acquired. Unfortunately, most people never question if the negative beliefs they have picked up are even true.
Is it true that you will never amount to anything? Is it true that you aren't smart enough?
Once you have a negative thought or belief firmly in place, your unconscious mind will repeat it over and over again. It takes about 20 positive statements to counter-act just one negative statement.
What do you say to yourself on a regular basis?
Are you proud of who you are and what you have accomplished?
Are you ashamed of yourself and disappointed in yourself?
Here are some suggestions to improve your self-image and self-esteem.
" A strong, positive self-image is the best possible preparation for success." Joyce Brothers
12 Ways to Improve Your Self Image and Self Esteem
• Make a list of the things you like about yourself.
• Make a list of the things others have acknowledged about you.
• Stop your negative 'self talk'. Replace it with positive, supportive self talk.
• Stop comparing yourself to others. Accept who you are or make changes.
• Spend time with people who value you. Avoid those who insist on pointing out your flaws.
• Make changes in your appearance, clothes, hair or behaviors that will improve your self-image.
• Dress to emphasize what you like about yourself.
• Genuinely accept the compliments you receive about your appearance.
• Start an exercise program - you can change your body.
• Walk as much as you can. Don't always go for the parking spot up front.
• Get out in nature and do some deep breathing and self-appreciation.
• Straighten up, smile and focus straight ahead as you move through your day. You have the ability to look and feel more confident.
" The "self-image" is the key to human personality and human behavior. Change the self-image and you change the personality and the behavior."Maxwell Maltz
Action Challenge
Take some time to really explore how you feel about yourself. Answer these questions mentally, or better yet, on paper.
1. If you are not thrilled with who you are, why aren't you?
2. Are your beliefs valid or did you pick them up from what others told you?
3. How long are you willing to put yourself down based on someone else's opinion?
4. How long are you willing to compare yourself to others who are having a very different experience of life from you?
5. What are you ready to accept about yourself?
6. What are you ready to change about yourself?
7. What would it take for you to truly love yourself?
8. What action steps are you ready to take in order to strengthen your self-image and raise your self-esteem?
" No one can make you feel inferior without your permission." Eleanor Roosevelt
It is up to you to honor and appreciate who you are and what you have to offer the world. Begin today.
Kathy Atkinson is the owner of Creative Life Coaching, a personal growth and self-development company offering products and services to support your quest for happiness and success in your personal and professional life. Since 2000, Kathy has been coaching clients in the US and abroad via the telephone.
Kathy specializes in using EFT, Emotional Freedom Techniques, to help business owners, professionals and individuals release the fears, doubts and limiting beliefs that cost them financially in their careers and emotionally in their relationships. Experience this amazing process for yourself by downloading the free EFT for Anxiety Relief script and audio recording today. Visit http://www.EFT-downloads.com for more information about the Emotional
Freedom Techniques.
Kathy's life coaching web site - Eight Keys to Success offers a plan and a process for taking charge of your life. Check out the success keys today at http://www.8keystosuccess.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kathy_Atkinson
How do you picture yourself?
Do you have a positive or negative image of yourself? Many people don't like what they see on the outside, or they don't like themselves on the inside. Some people don't even want to look.
Self-image is how you see yourself, and how you think others see you. You compare yourself to others and make judgments about your physical looks, your intelligence and your personality.
Your self-image plays a HUGE role in how you behave and feel.
How do you feel about yourself?
Self-esteem is how you feel about yourself. Self-esteem is determined by your internal feelings and evaluation of yourself based on your "perceived" self-image. If you are constantly comparing yourself to others and feel like you don't measure up, your self-esteem suffers.
Your self-esteem and self-image are closely interrelated and are established primarily in childhood.
The positive and negative feedback you received while growing up, from your parents, teachers and other authority figures, helped create your view of yourself. As you move through life, you have the ability to change any negative self-images you've acquired. Unfortunately, most people never question if the negative beliefs they have picked up are even true.
Is it true that you will never amount to anything? Is it true that you aren't smart enough?
Once you have a negative thought or belief firmly in place, your unconscious mind will repeat it over and over again. It takes about 20 positive statements to counter-act just one negative statement.
What do you say to yourself on a regular basis?
Are you proud of who you are and what you have accomplished?
Are you ashamed of yourself and disappointed in yourself?
Here are some suggestions to improve your self-image and self-esteem.
" A strong, positive self-image is the best possible preparation for success." Joyce Brothers
12 Ways to Improve Your Self Image and Self Esteem
• Make a list of the things you like about yourself.
• Make a list of the things others have acknowledged about you.
• Stop your negative 'self talk'. Replace it with positive, supportive self talk.
• Stop comparing yourself to others. Accept who you are or make changes.
• Spend time with people who value you. Avoid those who insist on pointing out your flaws.
• Make changes in your appearance, clothes, hair or behaviors that will improve your self-image.
• Dress to emphasize what you like about yourself.
• Genuinely accept the compliments you receive about your appearance.
• Start an exercise program - you can change your body.
• Walk as much as you can. Don't always go for the parking spot up front.
• Get out in nature and do some deep breathing and self-appreciation.
• Straighten up, smile and focus straight ahead as you move through your day. You have the ability to look and feel more confident.
" The "self-image" is the key to human personality and human behavior. Change the self-image and you change the personality and the behavior."Maxwell Maltz
Action Challenge
Take some time to really explore how you feel about yourself. Answer these questions mentally, or better yet, on paper.
1. If you are not thrilled with who you are, why aren't you?
2. Are your beliefs valid or did you pick them up from what others told you?
3. How long are you willing to put yourself down based on someone else's opinion?
4. How long are you willing to compare yourself to others who are having a very different experience of life from you?
5. What are you ready to accept about yourself?
6. What are you ready to change about yourself?
7. What would it take for you to truly love yourself?
8. What action steps are you ready to take in order to strengthen your self-image and raise your self-esteem?
" No one can make you feel inferior without your permission." Eleanor Roosevelt
It is up to you to honor and appreciate who you are and what you have to offer the world. Begin today.
Kathy Atkinson is the owner of Creative Life Coaching, a personal growth and self-development company offering products and services to support your quest for happiness and success in your personal and professional life. Since 2000, Kathy has been coaching clients in the US and abroad via the telephone.
Kathy specializes in using EFT, Emotional Freedom Techniques, to help business owners, professionals and individuals release the fears, doubts and limiting beliefs that cost them financially in their careers and emotionally in their relationships. Experience this amazing process for yourself by downloading the free EFT for Anxiety Relief script and audio recording today. Visit http://www.EFT-downloads.com for more information about the Emotional
Freedom Techniques.
Kathy's life coaching web site - Eight Keys to Success offers a plan and a process for taking charge of your life. Check out the success keys today at http://www.8keystosuccess.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kathy_Atkinson
Low Self-Esteem And Toxic People
One surefire way to maintain a low level of self-esteem is to continue to associate with toxic people. So what are toxic people? They are the people that are poison to our lives and our environment. They drain us of our energy, our time, our money, and they can also play havoc with our minds. Toxic people can literally make you physically or mentally ill.
Take a good look at the people around you: family, friends, bosses, co-workers, and anyone else who you interact with everyday. Do you find the people in your life encouraging, supportive, and uplifting, or are they a drain? How do you feel when you're around the people in your life? If certain people make you feel bad, unattractive, or depressed, they are toxic to you.
You see, sometimes we feel bad and suffer from low self-esteem because we have surrounded ourselves with people who, consciously or unconsciously, have found a way to make us feel bad about ourselves. I believe that the most blatant example of this is a relationship with domestic violence. A woman or man most likely enters an abusive relationship because they have already had some issues with their self-esteem.
However, once in the relationship, they must deal with someone who knows all the right psychological buttons to push in order to make them feel continuously bad about themselves.
In these relationships, it gets to the point where the victim starts to feel that being physically and mentally abused is somehow acceptable or deserved. They can even believe that it is often their own fault that the abuse takes place. Therefore, they stay in a relationship where they are abused, and their self-worth continues to dwindle.
More of us than would like to admit are in abusive relationships. Abuse doesn't have to be physical or overt. Anybody who makes you feel lesser, unhappy about who you are, or unworthy is not someone you should entertain in your circle of friends.
Take a long hard look at the people who you associate with everyday. Many times, our relatives are the ones who make us feel bad and rob us of our energy and feelings of self-worth. So, step back and really look at the people in your life. Instead of asking, "what is the matter with me?" you need to ask, "who is the matter with me?"
Try to associate with people who are going to make you feel good about yourself; people who are empowering and are really on your side are not going to make you feel bad about yourself. They want you to feel good. Try to hang out with people who emit positivity. If you don't have anyone who makes you feel good right now, then gradually draw yourself away from the people who are making you feel bad and enjoy some alone time while you find techniques, tools, classes, and ways of thinking that will improve your self-esteem.
As you start to feel better about yourself, you're going to naturally attract people who feel better about themselves; it's a win-win situation. You will also learn that you - and only you - hold the key to how you feel about yourself. When trying to figure out why you may have low self-esteem, be sure to take a close look at the people in your life.
Wambui Bahati "Miss Inspiration" is an inspirational and motivational speaker and entertainer. Her passion is reminding you of your magnificence. http://www.wambui-bahati.com/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Wambui_Bahati
Take a good look at the people around you: family, friends, bosses, co-workers, and anyone else who you interact with everyday. Do you find the people in your life encouraging, supportive, and uplifting, or are they a drain? How do you feel when you're around the people in your life? If certain people make you feel bad, unattractive, or depressed, they are toxic to you.
You see, sometimes we feel bad and suffer from low self-esteem because we have surrounded ourselves with people who, consciously or unconsciously, have found a way to make us feel bad about ourselves. I believe that the most blatant example of this is a relationship with domestic violence. A woman or man most likely enters an abusive relationship because they have already had some issues with their self-esteem.
However, once in the relationship, they must deal with someone who knows all the right psychological buttons to push in order to make them feel continuously bad about themselves.
In these relationships, it gets to the point where the victim starts to feel that being physically and mentally abused is somehow acceptable or deserved. They can even believe that it is often their own fault that the abuse takes place. Therefore, they stay in a relationship where they are abused, and their self-worth continues to dwindle.
More of us than would like to admit are in abusive relationships. Abuse doesn't have to be physical or overt. Anybody who makes you feel lesser, unhappy about who you are, or unworthy is not someone you should entertain in your circle of friends.
Take a long hard look at the people who you associate with everyday. Many times, our relatives are the ones who make us feel bad and rob us of our energy and feelings of self-worth. So, step back and really look at the people in your life. Instead of asking, "what is the matter with me?" you need to ask, "who is the matter with me?"
Try to associate with people who are going to make you feel good about yourself; people who are empowering and are really on your side are not going to make you feel bad about yourself. They want you to feel good. Try to hang out with people who emit positivity. If you don't have anyone who makes you feel good right now, then gradually draw yourself away from the people who are making you feel bad and enjoy some alone time while you find techniques, tools, classes, and ways of thinking that will improve your self-esteem.
As you start to feel better about yourself, you're going to naturally attract people who feel better about themselves; it's a win-win situation. You will also learn that you - and only you - hold the key to how you feel about yourself. When trying to figure out why you may have low self-esteem, be sure to take a close look at the people in your life.
Wambui Bahati "Miss Inspiration" is an inspirational and motivational speaker and entertainer. Her passion is reminding you of your magnificence. http://www.wambui-bahati.com/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Wambui_Bahati
Low Confidence Can Be Lethal
People that are low or are not confident find a lot of difficulty to reach their goals. Self-confidence is something that is required to survive, meaning everyone with confidence can reach his or her goals with ease, and it is actually the most important fact of one's success. Ever imagined how the great players or business men make it all the way up to the top, yes self confidence is what they have. The command over self-confidence helps them be the best amongst all of us.
It is something that any and everyone requires to succeed in life. A person that has confidence can succeed in his objectives. Self-confidence is something that has to be created in order to accomplish something or anything that is desired. Once you have developed self-confidence your goal is half achieved. So a person must have confidence, as it acts as a lethal weapon in reaching ones goal.
Confidence is required for everything, in sports, business, studies, daredevil acts, if you are confident enough you can go all-out and succeed in reaching your goal, come what may. Confidence can do wonders for you. Imagine you are demoralized and always fear a loss before it actually occurred, this means that you are actually low on confidence and are not prepared to reach your goal.
The amount of work that you will put in might not be enough to reach the goal. So you require building that self-confidence. You might be low on confidence because of your past experience, where you suffered a heavy defeat, or possibly you have grown up without the most important aspect of life, self-confidence. However you need not worry, as there is help available in all forms for you to have that self-confidence.
A person that has fear of loss might experience this situation, in which he will assume things negatively and so will be the results. So in order to build self-confidence you have to work on your mental behavior and start thinking and looking at things positively. Confidence is all that is required to be there and achieve it.
Hypnosis can help you increase your self-confidence. Hypnosis deals with a person's mind that is disturbed and stressed with daily wear and tear, which increases the chances of low self-confidence. Hypnosis takes your mind to a subconscious state and removes those negative thoughts and instead fills it up with positive ones. After all positive results are the ones that you require and only positive thoughts can get you positive results.
So if you want to build confidence then you can look for a hypnosis treatment. This will allow you in increasing your confidence.This hypnosis treatment is available on the Internet in the form of mp3. So all you have to do is get one downloaded and you can just get started. Once you have done this you will see that how mp3 content will help you increase your self-confidence.
You can use this modern way of self-hypnotizing for your cause. So all you have to do is get one and get started. Once done you will accomplish many goals in your life as you have that very important success weapon, self confidence.
For more information on confidence and how to deal with self confidence check the links today.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shanat_Kuphur
It is something that any and everyone requires to succeed in life. A person that has confidence can succeed in his objectives. Self-confidence is something that has to be created in order to accomplish something or anything that is desired. Once you have developed self-confidence your goal is half achieved. So a person must have confidence, as it acts as a lethal weapon in reaching ones goal.
Confidence is required for everything, in sports, business, studies, daredevil acts, if you are confident enough you can go all-out and succeed in reaching your goal, come what may. Confidence can do wonders for you. Imagine you are demoralized and always fear a loss before it actually occurred, this means that you are actually low on confidence and are not prepared to reach your goal.
The amount of work that you will put in might not be enough to reach the goal. So you require building that self-confidence. You might be low on confidence because of your past experience, where you suffered a heavy defeat, or possibly you have grown up without the most important aspect of life, self-confidence. However you need not worry, as there is help available in all forms for you to have that self-confidence.
A person that has fear of loss might experience this situation, in which he will assume things negatively and so will be the results. So in order to build self-confidence you have to work on your mental behavior and start thinking and looking at things positively. Confidence is all that is required to be there and achieve it.
Hypnosis can help you increase your self-confidence. Hypnosis deals with a person's mind that is disturbed and stressed with daily wear and tear, which increases the chances of low self-confidence. Hypnosis takes your mind to a subconscious state and removes those negative thoughts and instead fills it up with positive ones. After all positive results are the ones that you require and only positive thoughts can get you positive results.
So if you want to build confidence then you can look for a hypnosis treatment. This will allow you in increasing your confidence.This hypnosis treatment is available on the Internet in the form of mp3. So all you have to do is get one downloaded and you can just get started. Once you have done this you will see that how mp3 content will help you increase your self-confidence.
You can use this modern way of self-hypnotizing for your cause. So all you have to do is get one and get started. Once done you will accomplish many goals in your life as you have that very important success weapon, self confidence.
For more information on confidence and how to deal with self confidence check the links today.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shanat_Kuphur
Exploring Where Your Beliefs Come From
Have you ever confronted your own beliefs or considered how your beliefs originated? Have you ever challenged any of your long-held beliefs?
Beliefs are a system for understanding the world around us. They provide stability and help us make sense of our life. But many of our belief systems are based on "Environmental Noise," meaning that many of our beliefs come from the beliefs and ideas of other people. Their "noise" affects how and what we believe.
Challenge your beliefs in life
Does it matter what you believe? Some of our belief systems aren't based on fact or reality, and yet these beliefs help us interpret the world and make decisions. Obviously our beliefs influence the way we live our lives, which makes them very important. Our beliefs are affected by our environment, our mentors in life and everyone around us. Our family, friends, teachers, mentors, colleagues, the government, and the news media all influence us in some way. These influences help form our belief systems. Some of our beliefs are helpful, while other beliefs may be detrimental to our happiness.
We may have acquired beliefs that originated from childhood, such as the belief that "I'm not good enough." Such a belief is certainly not factually correct, but because it is part of our belief system, it can affect everything we do.
Here's a good illustration of this concept. Have you ever invited someone to apply for a job because you believed in their qualifications, yet the person held the belief that they were not qualified?
If so, you would have received the response, "I can't do that job. I'm not qualified." Their past work may demonstrate that the person can do the job, but their beliefs held them back. Their beliefs caused them to devalue their worth.
From this example you can see how a belief system can hold you back from living your best life. Take a good look at the beliefs you are holding on to. Challenge and test those beliefs and you will begin to see that some of them are not worth keeping. You will even learn that a lot of the beliefs you thought were true are really somebody else's beliefs.
Improve your life
The idea that our belief systems are not always set in stone can vitalize and change your life. You are the gatekeeper of your beliefs, which means that you can reject any untrue or limiting belief systems.
Our thoughts and beliefs can have a dramatic effect on our lives. We attract the types of things that we think and believe. If we have positive optimistic beliefs, we will attract positive events and situations. This means that we have the power to change and improve our own lives simply by challenging our beliefs and eliminating those that don't add value to our lives.
Take some time to test your belief system and challenge the beliefs that are holding you back. Affirm the positive and beneficial beliefs at the same time that you remove the beliefs that detract from your life. The results will be self-improvement and an abundance of happiness.
Want to learn more about self-improvement? Bruno LoGreco is a Toronto life coach and mentor. Visit BrunoLoGreco.com and find out how to unleash your potential for success and happiness.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bruno_Logreco
Beliefs are a system for understanding the world around us. They provide stability and help us make sense of our life. But many of our belief systems are based on "Environmental Noise," meaning that many of our beliefs come from the beliefs and ideas of other people. Their "noise" affects how and what we believe.
Challenge your beliefs in life
Does it matter what you believe? Some of our belief systems aren't based on fact or reality, and yet these beliefs help us interpret the world and make decisions. Obviously our beliefs influence the way we live our lives, which makes them very important. Our beliefs are affected by our environment, our mentors in life and everyone around us. Our family, friends, teachers, mentors, colleagues, the government, and the news media all influence us in some way. These influences help form our belief systems. Some of our beliefs are helpful, while other beliefs may be detrimental to our happiness.
We may have acquired beliefs that originated from childhood, such as the belief that "I'm not good enough." Such a belief is certainly not factually correct, but because it is part of our belief system, it can affect everything we do.
Here's a good illustration of this concept. Have you ever invited someone to apply for a job because you believed in their qualifications, yet the person held the belief that they were not qualified?
If so, you would have received the response, "I can't do that job. I'm not qualified." Their past work may demonstrate that the person can do the job, but their beliefs held them back. Their beliefs caused them to devalue their worth.
From this example you can see how a belief system can hold you back from living your best life. Take a good look at the beliefs you are holding on to. Challenge and test those beliefs and you will begin to see that some of them are not worth keeping. You will even learn that a lot of the beliefs you thought were true are really somebody else's beliefs.
Improve your life
The idea that our belief systems are not always set in stone can vitalize and change your life. You are the gatekeeper of your beliefs, which means that you can reject any untrue or limiting belief systems.
Our thoughts and beliefs can have a dramatic effect on our lives. We attract the types of things that we think and believe. If we have positive optimistic beliefs, we will attract positive events and situations. This means that we have the power to change and improve our own lives simply by challenging our beliefs and eliminating those that don't add value to our lives.
Take some time to test your belief system and challenge the beliefs that are holding you back. Affirm the positive and beneficial beliefs at the same time that you remove the beliefs that detract from your life. The results will be self-improvement and an abundance of happiness.
Want to learn more about self-improvement? Bruno LoGreco is a Toronto life coach and mentor. Visit BrunoLoGreco.com and find out how to unleash your potential for success and happiness.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bruno_Logreco
If You Are Facing an Identity Crisis Over Stress or Self Esteem This May Just Be What You So Need
Have you read it recently? It would certainly be worth it. I am referring to the book of Ecclesiastes in the Old Testament part of the Bible. It has much to say to us regarding the situations we are living in today! It is practical, relevant, and answers many questions which many people are seriously asking.
Ecclesiastes is written by King Solomon - a man who had wisdom - wealth - fame - and knowledge. He became king at 18, and was the third king of Israel - Saul - David - then Solomon.
He appears to be facing a crisis and writes about it. If you are facing a crisis then this book may be just what you need!
Now - he was king for 40 years - he built the Temple - he had success in commerce and business - he wrote the Song of Songs - and Proverbs - and two Psalms. Yet he comes to that point where he appears to regard everything as utterly pointless. "When nothing seems to make sense". We all want to leave our mark upon the world in some way.
He had done a lot of work - and yet he asks - "What am I living for? What is the purpose in all I have been doing?" The search for satisfaction is not an easy search - not without God.
Jesus Christ says - "Without me you can do nothing."
We come and go. Verse 4 speaks of that type of experience. Is he experiencing an identity crisis?
Who am I and what am I doing? If you can answer these questions then you are richly blessed - a child of God through faith in Jesus Christ - and fulfilling your role in the plans and purposes of God.
Selwyn Hughes in his most helpful and valuable writings refers to his "dark spiritual tunnel" which seemed to confront him during his early days as a believer in Jesus - but that can arise at any time - and the answer - the light which we need - can come directly from Jesus - or from the Word itself - or through a fellow disciple who comes alongside with an enlightening word.
What a way to begin your book - especially if you are a preacher or teacher - saying four times that everything is meaningless - pointless - empty.
Man's way of life was quite empty and meaningless before meeting Jesus. Peter refers to that. We have been saved and rescued from meaningless existences!
This man's expression of what he was currently experiencing is more relevant than many realize. I wish I could take you through the whole exciting book. Do read it and if you have questions contact me and ask me.
Sandy Shaw is Pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship, Chaplain at Inverness Prison, and Nairn Academy, and serves on The Children's Panel in Scotland, and has travelled extensively over these past years teaching, speaking, in America, Canada, South Africa, Australia, making 12 visits to Israel conducting Tours and Pilgrimages, and most recently in Uganda and Kenya, ministering at Pastors and Leaders Seminars, in the poor areas surrounding Kampala, Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu.
He broadcasts regularly on WSHO radio out of New Orleans, and writes a weekly commentary at http://www.studylight.org entitled "Word from Scotland" on various biblical themes, as well as a weekly newspaper column.
His M.A. and B.D. degrees are from The University of Edinburgh, and he continues to run and exercise regularly to maintain a level of physical fitness.
Sandy Shawsandyshaw63@yahoo.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sandy_Shaw
Ecclesiastes is written by King Solomon - a man who had wisdom - wealth - fame - and knowledge. He became king at 18, and was the third king of Israel - Saul - David - then Solomon.
He appears to be facing a crisis and writes about it. If you are facing a crisis then this book may be just what you need!
Now - he was king for 40 years - he built the Temple - he had success in commerce and business - he wrote the Song of Songs - and Proverbs - and two Psalms. Yet he comes to that point where he appears to regard everything as utterly pointless. "When nothing seems to make sense". We all want to leave our mark upon the world in some way.
He had done a lot of work - and yet he asks - "What am I living for? What is the purpose in all I have been doing?" The search for satisfaction is not an easy search - not without God.
Jesus Christ says - "Without me you can do nothing."
We come and go. Verse 4 speaks of that type of experience. Is he experiencing an identity crisis?
Who am I and what am I doing? If you can answer these questions then you are richly blessed - a child of God through faith in Jesus Christ - and fulfilling your role in the plans and purposes of God.
Selwyn Hughes in his most helpful and valuable writings refers to his "dark spiritual tunnel" which seemed to confront him during his early days as a believer in Jesus - but that can arise at any time - and the answer - the light which we need - can come directly from Jesus - or from the Word itself - or through a fellow disciple who comes alongside with an enlightening word.
What a way to begin your book - especially if you are a preacher or teacher - saying four times that everything is meaningless - pointless - empty.
Man's way of life was quite empty and meaningless before meeting Jesus. Peter refers to that. We have been saved and rescued from meaningless existences!
This man's expression of what he was currently experiencing is more relevant than many realize. I wish I could take you through the whole exciting book. Do read it and if you have questions contact me and ask me.
Sandy Shaw is Pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship, Chaplain at Inverness Prison, and Nairn Academy, and serves on The Children's Panel in Scotland, and has travelled extensively over these past years teaching, speaking, in America, Canada, South Africa, Australia, making 12 visits to Israel conducting Tours and Pilgrimages, and most recently in Uganda and Kenya, ministering at Pastors and Leaders Seminars, in the poor areas surrounding Kampala, Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu.
He broadcasts regularly on WSHO radio out of New Orleans, and writes a weekly commentary at http://www.studylight.org entitled "Word from Scotland" on various biblical themes, as well as a weekly newspaper column.
His M.A. and B.D. degrees are from The University of Edinburgh, and he continues to run and exercise regularly to maintain a level of physical fitness.
Sandy Shawsandyshaw63@yahoo.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sandy_Shaw
Self Worth
Self Worth is the belief in oneself as capable, deserving and worthy of a laudable and tangible achievement. Self Worth is a trust in one's ability to attain a goal or feat. It is getting over one's inferiority complex.
Self Worth is an ingredient of success and a must-have for any aspiring goal achiever. It is a way of manifesting love and ability.
In this world, where we are constantly fed with negative beliefs of limited resources, luck and fates, most of us are plagued with inferiority complexes. This has in turn affected our subconscious mind, and has produced negative and backward manifestations.
There is the need for each individual to build self-worth, to cast-off these erroneous manifestations. When we determine what we want, the next step is to consider ourself deserving to achieve the goal or desire. When we consider ourself really deserving, it will hasten our subconscious mind to manifest what we desire.
Each human being is blessed with the ability to make his own realities, fates and lucks. This is a power endowed on us by our Creator. The degree of belief about our ability to succeed has a major impact on the quality of the decisions and actions we take. Core beliefs cannot be faked.
Hence the need to have a positive heart of self worth to succeed in your goals. Create a positive belief in yourself over your desires. For you to succeed in any goal, you must first honestly believe in your ability to achieve it. Remove self-doubt from your thinkings.
Abu Aremu is an Information Publisher and motivator. He writes on many topics including guides to positive mental attitudes and how to achieve greater heights in life. You can read life changing articles and resources from him at http://abuaremu.com/blog and subscribe to his newsletter Positive Self Talk Weekly Guide at http://positiveselftalkguide.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Abu_Aremu
Self Worth is an ingredient of success and a must-have for any aspiring goal achiever. It is a way of manifesting love and ability.
In this world, where we are constantly fed with negative beliefs of limited resources, luck and fates, most of us are plagued with inferiority complexes. This has in turn affected our subconscious mind, and has produced negative and backward manifestations.
There is the need for each individual to build self-worth, to cast-off these erroneous manifestations. When we determine what we want, the next step is to consider ourself deserving to achieve the goal or desire. When we consider ourself really deserving, it will hasten our subconscious mind to manifest what we desire.
Each human being is blessed with the ability to make his own realities, fates and lucks. This is a power endowed on us by our Creator. The degree of belief about our ability to succeed has a major impact on the quality of the decisions and actions we take. Core beliefs cannot be faked.
Hence the need to have a positive heart of self worth to succeed in your goals. Create a positive belief in yourself over your desires. For you to succeed in any goal, you must first honestly believe in your ability to achieve it. Remove self-doubt from your thinkings.
Abu Aremu is an Information Publisher and motivator. He writes on many topics including guides to positive mental attitudes and how to achieve greater heights in life. You can read life changing articles and resources from him at http://abuaremu.com/blog and subscribe to his newsletter Positive Self Talk Weekly Guide at http://positiveselftalkguide.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Abu_Aremu
Understanding Yourself
How much time do you put in, just being with yourself? With our busy schedules it is often difficult to find anytime for ones self. To truly understand who we are, we need to take time to get to know ourselves on a new level.
Most of us have heard of the idea of meditating or journaling, but why take the time to do them? One of the main benefits of meditating or journaling is a decrease in stress. Learning to take time for ourselves lets our inner self know that we are important in our lives. There is nothing worse than feeling unimportant in someone's life. Our inner self is no different than being in relationship with someone in the outside world.
We are very complex beings with many layers to who we are, in taking time to be with ourselves, we can learn so much more about what is happening inside ourselves. As our inner world, creates our outer world, learning more about our inner world becomes very important. One must learn to be quiet in order to listen to what the inside self has to say.
It is not always easy to understand this part of ourselves. One must be patient in order to befriend the inner self. After many years of neglect the inner self does not necessarily step right up to the plate because you have decided to be visit suddenly.
It is like making a new friend outside of yourself, if you don't spend time getting to know them, you will not have a very good friendship. Your inner self is like this, most people don't now a great deal about their inner selves, for they have not taken time to get to know this part of themselves.
• To begin I would recommend that you make meditation and journaling a daily practice till it becomes a habit. Start with 5 or 10 minutes a day, if that is all you can find time for, then increase it, by increments up to 1 hour. Play soft music, light candles, whatever feels good. This is a special time for you. Honor yourself in this time. Be quiet and listen. If your mind is really cluttered and you can't get it to quiet, pay attention to your breathing, then imagine you have a basket beside you. Dump all the chatter and thoughts into this basket and tell your brain you will pick it up again when you are finished.
• The important part is consistency. It is better to do 5 minutes daily rather than 20 minutes once a week. The brain is very smart and knows if you don't truly commit to it, the brain just needs to be patient and you will give up this silly idea.
• Create a daily practice, be committed to getting to know yourself, be curious about what you might discover, treat it as a new friendship with a person you truly like and want to spend time with and get to know.• You are valuable and worthwhile getting to know!
Janice SmithEmpowerment Coach604-921-2882Author Era of the Rebel, Embracing Your Individualityhttp://www.eraoftherebel.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Janice_L_Smith
Most of us have heard of the idea of meditating or journaling, but why take the time to do them? One of the main benefits of meditating or journaling is a decrease in stress. Learning to take time for ourselves lets our inner self know that we are important in our lives. There is nothing worse than feeling unimportant in someone's life. Our inner self is no different than being in relationship with someone in the outside world.
We are very complex beings with many layers to who we are, in taking time to be with ourselves, we can learn so much more about what is happening inside ourselves. As our inner world, creates our outer world, learning more about our inner world becomes very important. One must learn to be quiet in order to listen to what the inside self has to say.
It is not always easy to understand this part of ourselves. One must be patient in order to befriend the inner self. After many years of neglect the inner self does not necessarily step right up to the plate because you have decided to be visit suddenly.
It is like making a new friend outside of yourself, if you don't spend time getting to know them, you will not have a very good friendship. Your inner self is like this, most people don't now a great deal about their inner selves, for they have not taken time to get to know this part of themselves.
• To begin I would recommend that you make meditation and journaling a daily practice till it becomes a habit. Start with 5 or 10 minutes a day, if that is all you can find time for, then increase it, by increments up to 1 hour. Play soft music, light candles, whatever feels good. This is a special time for you. Honor yourself in this time. Be quiet and listen. If your mind is really cluttered and you can't get it to quiet, pay attention to your breathing, then imagine you have a basket beside you. Dump all the chatter and thoughts into this basket and tell your brain you will pick it up again when you are finished.
• The important part is consistency. It is better to do 5 minutes daily rather than 20 minutes once a week. The brain is very smart and knows if you don't truly commit to it, the brain just needs to be patient and you will give up this silly idea.
• Create a daily practice, be committed to getting to know yourself, be curious about what you might discover, treat it as a new friendship with a person you truly like and want to spend time with and get to know.• You are valuable and worthwhile getting to know!
Janice SmithEmpowerment Coach604-921-2882Author Era of the Rebel, Embracing Your Individualityhttp://www.eraoftherebel.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Janice_L_Smith
Assertive Styles - Pros and Cons
There are pros and cons to each behavioral style, however, as far as is generically possible, there is a preferred communication and behavioral style.
Read this article to establish which style you largely use in your daily communications.
When reading about the four possible styles identified here, see what adjustments you need to make to you current preferred style to ensure a more empathetic way of communicating and interacting with others.
The non-assertive styles are being aggressive, passive, and manipulative.
These can be effective for the short-term but, as characteristics of these can include dishonesty, bad feelings, time wasting, and conflict creation, they are not recommended even for short-term effect.
Rarely is a person 100% of any one style. Everyone tends to be a mixture of all four styles.
For example, you may be passive in one setting (being bullied by an aggressive), then retaliate and become aggressive to less threatening people in another setting. Or, a passive may be passive for so long before s/he explodes.
In newspaper articles, we read that someone 'wouldn't hurt a fly', or is 'as quiet as a mouse', yet in the article, that person has committed a violent crime. Only the assertive style leads to honest, effective, and a problem-solving-oriented communication, and to the evolution of a well-balanced interactive self. Both assertiveness and aggressiveness are often associated with self-confidence, but this is incorrect.
In order to understand the nature of assertive behavior and communication, you also need to understand the nature of non-assertive behavior and communication, ie aggressively controlling, passively observing and warmly proposing behavior.
Aggressive Controlling Behavior
People exhibiting aggressive behavior have a high level of non-empathetic energy, and like to be in control.
PROS
• Aggressive behavior appears commanding and confident
CONS
• On the negative side, such people are often insensitive to the rights and needs of others
• They may adopt a sarcastic or hostile attitude, and
• Will often interrupt and talk over others without listening
Passively Observing Behavior
These people have a low level of energy and a low level of empathy.
PROS
• Positive characteristics of people exhibiting this behavior are that they effectively analyze discussions or debates, and
• They can listen well
CONS
• Their negative aspects mean that they often ignore and sacrifice their own rights
• They often stay silent, rather than speaking out, and
• They can often feel inept
Firmly Asserting Behavior
PROS
These people have a high little level of energy and are highly empathetic
• They take action towards getting what is wanted, without denying another person's rights
• They are proactive and solution-oriented to always find a positive way forward
• They demonstrate that they value people's feelings and other's needs
• Such people are also good listeners
CONS
• A drawback of this firmly asserting behavior is that they may not want to coach others who are less assertive
Warmly Proposing Behavior
These people have a gentle level of empathy and low level of energy.
PROS
• This behavioral type keeps the discussions and conversations calm and friendly
• They gently offer lots of ideas and suggestions
CONS
• A negative aspect of this type is that they may not come to the point about what they want or need
• They also become upset in the face of high aggression or anger
Every style has its strengths and weaknesses, or its pros and cons, according to the situation.
Some people confuse assertive with being aggressive, but they are worlds apart.
Understanding the pros and cons of these assertion styles means that you are able to plan your behavioral and verbal strategies in advance.
Gloria M Hamilten is a recognized authority in disciplines within Personal Development and People Skills for Business Professionals, such as Time Management, Negotiation Skills, Developing High-Performance Teams, Assertion Skills, Building International Rapport, Conflict Management and Resolution, Presentation and Platform Skills.
Her studies in Neuro-Linguistic Programming and Psychology have lead to her researching brain disorders such as ADD and its relations.
She has her own training business, and conducts courses for Organizations, Sporting groups and Tertiary Educational Institutions in Australia. Her professional experience covers over 30 years of study, research, one-on-one coaching, group coaching, presentations and workshops. Her clientèle includes children as well as adults.
Gloria Hamilten has authored the eBook: "Practical Self-Hypnosis for Success" and many Reports and online articles.
Her websites provide a wealth of informative articles and resources on everything within these genres.
Visit her websites and get a Free copy of her latest Report:
http://www.connect4results.com
http://neuro-linguistic-pro-site.com
This article may be freely reprinted or distributed in its entirety in any ezine, newsletter, or website. The author's name, bio and website links must remain intact and be included with every reproduction.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gloria_Hamilten
Read this article to establish which style you largely use in your daily communications.
When reading about the four possible styles identified here, see what adjustments you need to make to you current preferred style to ensure a more empathetic way of communicating and interacting with others.
The non-assertive styles are being aggressive, passive, and manipulative.
These can be effective for the short-term but, as characteristics of these can include dishonesty, bad feelings, time wasting, and conflict creation, they are not recommended even for short-term effect.
Rarely is a person 100% of any one style. Everyone tends to be a mixture of all four styles.
For example, you may be passive in one setting (being bullied by an aggressive), then retaliate and become aggressive to less threatening people in another setting. Or, a passive may be passive for so long before s/he explodes.
In newspaper articles, we read that someone 'wouldn't hurt a fly', or is 'as quiet as a mouse', yet in the article, that person has committed a violent crime. Only the assertive style leads to honest, effective, and a problem-solving-oriented communication, and to the evolution of a well-balanced interactive self. Both assertiveness and aggressiveness are often associated with self-confidence, but this is incorrect.
In order to understand the nature of assertive behavior and communication, you also need to understand the nature of non-assertive behavior and communication, ie aggressively controlling, passively observing and warmly proposing behavior.
Aggressive Controlling Behavior
People exhibiting aggressive behavior have a high level of non-empathetic energy, and like to be in control.
PROS
• Aggressive behavior appears commanding and confident
CONS
• On the negative side, such people are often insensitive to the rights and needs of others
• They may adopt a sarcastic or hostile attitude, and
• Will often interrupt and talk over others without listening
Passively Observing Behavior
These people have a low level of energy and a low level of empathy.
PROS
• Positive characteristics of people exhibiting this behavior are that they effectively analyze discussions or debates, and
• They can listen well
CONS
• Their negative aspects mean that they often ignore and sacrifice their own rights
• They often stay silent, rather than speaking out, and
• They can often feel inept
Firmly Asserting Behavior
PROS
These people have a high little level of energy and are highly empathetic
• They take action towards getting what is wanted, without denying another person's rights
• They are proactive and solution-oriented to always find a positive way forward
• They demonstrate that they value people's feelings and other's needs
• Such people are also good listeners
CONS
• A drawback of this firmly asserting behavior is that they may not want to coach others who are less assertive
Warmly Proposing Behavior
These people have a gentle level of empathy and low level of energy.
PROS
• This behavioral type keeps the discussions and conversations calm and friendly
• They gently offer lots of ideas and suggestions
CONS
• A negative aspect of this type is that they may not come to the point about what they want or need
• They also become upset in the face of high aggression or anger
Every style has its strengths and weaknesses, or its pros and cons, according to the situation.
Some people confuse assertive with being aggressive, but they are worlds apart.
Understanding the pros and cons of these assertion styles means that you are able to plan your behavioral and verbal strategies in advance.
Gloria M Hamilten is a recognized authority in disciplines within Personal Development and People Skills for Business Professionals, such as Time Management, Negotiation Skills, Developing High-Performance Teams, Assertion Skills, Building International Rapport, Conflict Management and Resolution, Presentation and Platform Skills.
Her studies in Neuro-Linguistic Programming and Psychology have lead to her researching brain disorders such as ADD and its relations.
She has her own training business, and conducts courses for Organizations, Sporting groups and Tertiary Educational Institutions in Australia. Her professional experience covers over 30 years of study, research, one-on-one coaching, group coaching, presentations and workshops. Her clientèle includes children as well as adults.
Gloria Hamilten has authored the eBook: "Practical Self-Hypnosis for Success" and many Reports and online articles.
Her websites provide a wealth of informative articles and resources on everything within these genres.
Visit her websites and get a Free copy of her latest Report:
http://www.connect4results.com
http://neuro-linguistic-pro-site.com
This article may be freely reprinted or distributed in its entirety in any ezine, newsletter, or website. The author's name, bio and website links must remain intact and be included with every reproduction.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gloria_Hamilten
How Important Is Communication In The Work Place?
Good communication skills are vital in the work place. Having poor communication skills can have a very negative effect on the relationships you have with your coworkers, boss or employees. Productivity may even decrease due to not having good communication in your place of business.
When you are working as a team, your company and work relationships will build stronger communication. You have to be able to relate and communicate your thoughts and ideas with others in the work place. It's not just better for you, it's better for everyone.
There are many things you can do to better help in this area, for starters, develop friendships within your work place. These are people that you see sometimes 50 hours per week. It's always better to try and get along and be friendly with people that you see so much of. It will help over all in so many ways.
If you are happy at work and enjoy the people that you are working with on a daily basis, that is bound to strengthen workplace communication. Start each day with a firm "good morning" as you enter the building. While working in Texas one manager would shout "Moring El Paso" when he entered the building... That may not be effective for every environment, but it became a trademark of his.
It is almost impossible to give your 100% when you are not relaying and communicating what is going on. You also have to listen and be willing to learn from others. You have to also listen and value others opinions, if you want your opinions heard. Show interest in whatever your co workers have to say. They will be more likely to respect what you have to say in return.
The bottom line is you should always try to be as kind and as courteous as possible at work, but also very professional and confident in your job. Communication and respect goes both ways. If you are willing to make some friendly changes you might be surprised how things change in your work place for the better.
Are you looking for more resources to help you communicate better in the work place?
Visit http://www.manageup.net/ today and signup for the newsletter featuring leadership tips that may help you when communicating in the work place.
This article was written by Michael Roberts Jr. the founder of Manage Up.net
His website is dedicated to developing better organizational leadership. The website has eBooks, articles, and online training for managers. Don't miss the opportunity to sharpen your skills and take your career to new levels using insightful knowledge from an expert in management.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Roberts_Jr
When you are working as a team, your company and work relationships will build stronger communication. You have to be able to relate and communicate your thoughts and ideas with others in the work place. It's not just better for you, it's better for everyone.
There are many things you can do to better help in this area, for starters, develop friendships within your work place. These are people that you see sometimes 50 hours per week. It's always better to try and get along and be friendly with people that you see so much of. It will help over all in so many ways.
If you are happy at work and enjoy the people that you are working with on a daily basis, that is bound to strengthen workplace communication. Start each day with a firm "good morning" as you enter the building. While working in Texas one manager would shout "Moring El Paso" when he entered the building... That may not be effective for every environment, but it became a trademark of his.
It is almost impossible to give your 100% when you are not relaying and communicating what is going on. You also have to listen and be willing to learn from others. You have to also listen and value others opinions, if you want your opinions heard. Show interest in whatever your co workers have to say. They will be more likely to respect what you have to say in return.
The bottom line is you should always try to be as kind and as courteous as possible at work, but also very professional and confident in your job. Communication and respect goes both ways. If you are willing to make some friendly changes you might be surprised how things change in your work place for the better.
Are you looking for more resources to help you communicate better in the work place?
Visit http://www.manageup.net/ today and signup for the newsletter featuring leadership tips that may help you when communicating in the work place.
This article was written by Michael Roberts Jr. the founder of Manage Up.net
His website is dedicated to developing better organizational leadership. The website has eBooks, articles, and online training for managers. Don't miss the opportunity to sharpen your skills and take your career to new levels using insightful knowledge from an expert in management.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Roberts_Jr
Time To Say No!
Some people have under different circumstances difficulties in saying "No" to others. In organizations that is a frequent issue where employees or managers are sent to a training to dominate this competence.
It is possible that problems in organizations are like this: just isolated cases in which one person is not able to defend oneself by saying "No."
It is also possible that such an incident and isolated case is part of a bigger problem. This becomes clear when we ask why someone has to defend itself. OR, what will happen when all employees and managers have been sent to the same assertivity-training and there is no more problem in this area. IS the problem than resolved? And what would have been the problem at all?
Organizational issues always have a business component. If someone doesn't pick-up the phone a client will notice the un-availability of the business service. Inside, this could be because someone just said," I'm busy, I haven't had lunch yet," or some other fair-enough reason.
The other side is that not every element of the business is as interesting as you would like it to be.
Some corporate values highlight the "passion" of the employees for their work, but some jobs are just not interesting, not passionate, but boring and it requires the right amount of organizational discipline to get them done.
The easiest thing than would be to shift the job to someone else. If you are lucky and this person isn't too assertive he will do the job for you. At the end of the month this employees discusses the progression of the activities with the manager and they conclude that the results are below expectations. "Yes, but I have done a lot of other activities for others ... and ..." The manager concluded that this employees should be more assertive and "proscribes" the right training.
The wrong decision. After a few month it becomes clear that clients complain about a lack of service. The real problem didn't get solved and that is in this case the irresponsibility of employees towards part of their activities. There are always people who will solve this on their expense.
Rather than prescribing a simple solution, the busy manager should take a moment to think about a possible relation of this problem with some other. It often starts at the business and with "who is doing what."
Hans Bool
Hans Bool writes articles about management, culture and change. If you are interested to read or experience more about these topics have a look at: Astor White.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Hans_Bool
It is possible that problems in organizations are like this: just isolated cases in which one person is not able to defend oneself by saying "No."
It is also possible that such an incident and isolated case is part of a bigger problem. This becomes clear when we ask why someone has to defend itself. OR, what will happen when all employees and managers have been sent to the same assertivity-training and there is no more problem in this area. IS the problem than resolved? And what would have been the problem at all?
Organizational issues always have a business component. If someone doesn't pick-up the phone a client will notice the un-availability of the business service. Inside, this could be because someone just said," I'm busy, I haven't had lunch yet," or some other fair-enough reason.
The other side is that not every element of the business is as interesting as you would like it to be.
Some corporate values highlight the "passion" of the employees for their work, but some jobs are just not interesting, not passionate, but boring and it requires the right amount of organizational discipline to get them done.
The easiest thing than would be to shift the job to someone else. If you are lucky and this person isn't too assertive he will do the job for you. At the end of the month this employees discusses the progression of the activities with the manager and they conclude that the results are below expectations. "Yes, but I have done a lot of other activities for others ... and ..." The manager concluded that this employees should be more assertive and "proscribes" the right training.
The wrong decision. After a few month it becomes clear that clients complain about a lack of service. The real problem didn't get solved and that is in this case the irresponsibility of employees towards part of their activities. There are always people who will solve this on their expense.
Rather than prescribing a simple solution, the busy manager should take a moment to think about a possible relation of this problem with some other. It often starts at the business and with "who is doing what."
Hans Bool
Hans Bool writes articles about management, culture and change. If you are interested to read or experience more about these topics have a look at: Astor White.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Hans_Bool
Four Ways to Have Great Work Relationships
We tend to approach relationships at work with trepidation. Particularly in professional offices - medical, veterinarian, optometrists, dentists, holistic clinics, chiropractors... These are places where the success of the practice is built on the quality of the staff. Staff growth is largely a function of practice growth; modest turnover and high morale are major objectives.
It is rare to have coaches operate in this under served environment: tools, yes - coaching - no. I have been coaching professional staffs for some time.
Here are a few of the things I've learned that are most useful
1. And I think most valuable: acknowledgment -This does not mean "compliment;" it does not mean flatter. It simply means to say what's there to be said. "Thanks for doing your job." "I notice you've been staying a few minutes longer." And so on. Management rarely, if ever, acknowledges staff (except at bonus time or special occasions. Staff almost never acknowledges management. What neither realizes is that acknowledgment changes attitudes, even transforms relations. Acknowledgment causes trust.
2. It's often useful when making requests - particularly of management, to use the catch phrase, WIIFM - What's In It For Me. Whoever you're asking will respond to you, if you answer that question for them. In other words, how do they listen to you?
3. It's also useful to ask permission. When you want to say something that could be interpreted poorly, ask permission. Before you ask permission, there's intrusion, aggressiveness. After you've gotten permission, you can say anything freely.
You can also give yourself permission. For example, at meetings, you can say, "I just want to say I'm nervous,..." This allows you not to worry about how you sone, or if you look good.
4. Here's another tip that is fabulous, but hard to act on. Don't take what's said personally, no matter how it sounds. You don't know What's going on in their life, what upset they are dealing with, what you reminded them of. I promise there is always something else. Don't react as if they are responding to you. They are not.
Michael Lipp, coaches professionals to have great staffs and staffs to have great practices. He gives teleseminare called Relationships at Work (next one coming April 30th) and sells an e-Course called The Principles of Relationships and the Laws that have them Work. Find out more on his website http://www.michaellipp.com/michaelsreadingroom/index.html or write to him, michael@michaellipp.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_F_Lipp
It is rare to have coaches operate in this under served environment: tools, yes - coaching - no. I have been coaching professional staffs for some time.
Here are a few of the things I've learned that are most useful
1. And I think most valuable: acknowledgment -This does not mean "compliment;" it does not mean flatter. It simply means to say what's there to be said. "Thanks for doing your job." "I notice you've been staying a few minutes longer." And so on. Management rarely, if ever, acknowledges staff (except at bonus time or special occasions. Staff almost never acknowledges management. What neither realizes is that acknowledgment changes attitudes, even transforms relations. Acknowledgment causes trust.
2. It's often useful when making requests - particularly of management, to use the catch phrase, WIIFM - What's In It For Me. Whoever you're asking will respond to you, if you answer that question for them. In other words, how do they listen to you?
3. It's also useful to ask permission. When you want to say something that could be interpreted poorly, ask permission. Before you ask permission, there's intrusion, aggressiveness. After you've gotten permission, you can say anything freely.
You can also give yourself permission. For example, at meetings, you can say, "I just want to say I'm nervous,..." This allows you not to worry about how you sone, or if you look good.
4. Here's another tip that is fabulous, but hard to act on. Don't take what's said personally, no matter how it sounds. You don't know What's going on in their life, what upset they are dealing with, what you reminded them of. I promise there is always something else. Don't react as if they are responding to you. They are not.
Michael Lipp, coaches professionals to have great staffs and staffs to have great practices. He gives teleseminare called Relationships at Work (next one coming April 30th) and sells an e-Course called The Principles of Relationships and the Laws that have them Work. Find out more on his website http://www.michaellipp.com/michaelsreadingroom/index.html or write to him, michael@michaellipp.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_F_Lipp
Unbeatable Business Communication - How to Set the Stage for Success
How to Align the Stars in your Business Communication~
You can understand this concept more fully if you think about life in general terms. Each day you drive down the highway to work, the store, or pick up the kids - going in your own direction. Although you are going your own way to achieve your desired outcome (getting where they want to go), there are others on the road trying to reach their own destinations. Although each person may reach different destinations, the transportation laws communicate to everyone to drive in the same way, this creates alignment. At the end of the commute, everyone achieves the result they set out to accomplish.
Other Keys to Cover in the Conversation:
Just as the stars seem to align for a perfect circumstance, so can your business-- and this time you can be in control of the stars. How fast would your business move if you got the results you wanted? When you create alignment in your business, you ensure that each person involved is working toward a common goal.
Because you have created shared desires with each other, each party feels as if everything is working in their favor and you set yourself up for better results. Creating alignment is more than just learning new listening techniques or overcoming objections. Every successful business interaction, or any instance where people are working together to create the most favorable result, needs to start with alignment.
You can understand this concept more fully if you think about life in general terms. Each day you drive down the highway to work, the store, or pick up the kids - going in your own direction. Although you are going your own way to achieve your desired outcome (getting where they want to go), there are others on the road trying to reach their own destinations. Although each person may reach different destinations, the transportation laws communicate to everyone to drive in the same way, this creates alignment. At the end of the commute, everyone achieves the result they set out to accomplish.
Alignment in business works the same way. It involves communicating with those around you to reach a common goal creating enhanced results.
~First Things First - Build Internal Alignment~
You cannot create alignment with others without first creating alignment with yourself and being able to express that clarity to others. In order to effectively communicate your goals to others, you must explore and determine the underlying values within your desired outcome.
For example, you might want everyone who attends a meeting to bring paper and a pen to write notes. As you explore this desire, you may discover that organization is very important to you or that active participation is a high priority. Every outcome you desire has an underlying value supporting it and that value is what motivates you to want what you want in the first place.
~Alignment in Practice: Conversing with Others~
After determining the personal values that motivate you, you need to discover what values motivate the others with whom you will be working. To begin, simply express your values to the others and ask if they too share these values, and if they would be willing to consider ways of creating that kind of environment.
This is how we align our values-we create a shared goal. Your shared goal might be to achieve increased results or to enhance productivity, or even to have a more harmonious relationship. Once you are both on the same page and understand your shared goal, you can begin working out strategies to achieve the results you want.
Points to Remember when Having the Alignment Conversation:
During the initial conversation, it is better to avoid strategizing with the other person. It is important to focus on coming to an agreement on values and to create a shared goal. Once you are set on a shared goal, you can move on to determining the details of how you will get there.
Another trap to avoid is discussing failure. It is easy to play the blame game and talk about how things did not go well last time, but you will have more success by focusing on the positive in this case. Only discuss the past as it relates to a value that may not have existed back then, not to blame or create negativity amongst the group.
Other Keys to Cover in the Conversation:
• Be willing to negotiate detailed strategies that benefit all those involved• Dedicate yourself to letting go of judgment and criticism
• Be ready to celebrate all successes that come from the conversation
When you have set an understanding of values and created a shared vision, you have already been successful in working together for a mutually beneficial outcome. It will now come more naturally to create situations where everyone gets what they want.
You will begin to see just how enjoyable it can be to work toward a common goal, when everyone is agreeable. You will find yourself in a collaborative and supportive work environment that lends itself to enhanced productivity and wins for all.
Creating alignment is just part of a series of steps you can take to create vibrant relationships and successes in your business communications. For more tips, suggestions and advice, sign up for our free thought-provoking and motivational Weekly Action Tips email series at:
http://www.FocusedAttention.com/cmd.php?ad=317928
Each actionable tip will help guide you to the place you want to be in your business relationships.
Or visit us at: http://www.FocusedAttention.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Beth_Banning
Each actionable tip will help guide you to the place you want to be in your business relationships.
Or visit us at: http://www.FocusedAttention.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Beth_Banning
Body Language - 10 Tips for Reading People and Interpreting Gestures
Reading people and their body language can give you great insights into their true feeling.
We use our head, arms, hands, shoulders and even legs and feet to make gestures, and emphasize what we are saying, but the majority of gestures are made with the hands and arms. Here are some things to look for, to help you interpret body language and gestures.
1. Nodding or tilting the head to the side shows interest, active listening, and concern.
2. A head held up indicates confidence, but if it is held too high, it can indicate aloofness or a patronizing attitude - looking down your nose at someone.
3. Shrugging the shoulders with a palms-up gesture indicates that the person doesn't know or care, or is bored or uninterested.
4. People sometimes reveal their real feelings through body language that contradicts their words. For example, if someone says he agrees with you, but his head moves slightly from side to side, he is really signaling disagreement. He may be showing his real feelings, but not want to be bothered arguing with you.
5. Some people pick lint from their clothing. Whether this is conscious or unconscious, it can indicate that they disagree with you, but can't be bothered to argue.
6. Nervousness often shows in your hands. People who are anxious may rub or wring their hands together, or clasp and unclasp them.
7. When we aren't comfortable with our hands, we hide them in our pockets or behind our backs. Hands in the pocket convey a hidden agenda or secretiveness.
8. An open palm suggests honest and sincerity. A closed fist can be considered menacing.
9. Hands on the hips can be seen as defiant.
10. The fig leaf position, with your hands clasped together over your crotch, or folded tightly over your chest (the female fig leaf) can make you seem aloof or defensive.
Do you know the biggest business image mistakes? Find out with these free reports:
Do you know the biggest business image mistakes? Find out with these free reports:
7 Business Casual Crimes and How to Solve Them, and 13 Foods that Can Sabotage a Business Meal, when you sign up for my Communication Capsules Ezine at: http://www.Impressforsuccess.com/signup.html
From Lynda Goldman, author of 30 books including How to Make a Million Dollar First Impression
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lynda_Goldman
From Lynda Goldman, author of 30 books including How to Make a Million Dollar First Impression
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lynda_Goldman
The Way You Talk Can Hurt You - 3 Tips to Better Communication
Joseph worked hard. As a customer service telephone representative, he showed respect and courtesy to everyone who called the company. But he wanted to get ahead. He wanted an outside sales job. He applied for open positions over and over again; his manager turned him down each time. Finally, Joseph went to his boss and demanded to know why.
"Joseph," he said, "Your enunciation is so lousy, I wouldn't dare send you out to meet my customers face to face." Joseph felt crushed. He resigned the next day.
Are you getting the career results you want in the workplace? If not, take a few minutes to assess your vocal habits. Why? Because your voice is your image; people will always judge you based on how you talk. They will listen to the way you speak - how you say what you say - and evaluate your credibility, professionalism and competence.
For example, an office worker who constantly drops his or her word endings will be viewed as lacking intelligence, or at best, a sloppy speaker - no job promotion. A female manager who has a high-pitched, squeaky voice will be viewed as uncertain or unsure of herself - no control over her team. Or a college instructor who lectures in a monotone voice will be viewed as dull and boring; and will put his students to sleep - no learning occurs.
But there is hope . . .
Tip #1: Tape-record your voice. This is important because when you're speaking your voice sounds different to you than to others. Ask yourself: is my voice crisp and clear? Does my voice have a pleasing and pleasant pitch level? If you answered no to these two questions . . .
Tip #2: Begin a self-improvement program at once! To help you speak crisply and distinctly, say your words to the end. For instance, say 'subject' not 'subjeck'; 'bend' not 'ben'; 'reading' not 'readin' and so forth. To control your pitch level, breathe from the diaphragm; learn to relax. When you're tense, you're self-conscious, and the tension reveals itself in a strained, high-pitched voice. Speak slowly. This will lower the pitch of your voice.
Watch your posture! If you slouch, sag and hunch over, you can't breathe efficiently and this will show in your voice. In fact, these postures will actually restrict the sounds you produce in you voice box.
Finally, some believe the effective speaking voice is like a musical instrument. Thus, to practice vocal variety (and not sound monotonous and boring), move your pitch around by singing up and down the musical scale: do (doe), re (ray), me (mee), fa (fah), sol (soul), la (lah) ti (tee), do (doe).
Tip #3: Practice, practice, practice. Habits are difficult things to change, and bad voice habits that have persisted for twenty of more years can not be replaced with better ones in a few short weeks. However, if you are willing to work to learn a new way of speaking you can overcome the obstacles.
Conclusion: This article suggested 3 tips to improve your communication skills. Through clear, distinct speech you can change perceptions, improve your credibility, and project a more competent and professional image. Your goal should be to develop a voice that is intelligible, flexible, vital and expressive. Why not get started today!
"Speech is a mirror of the soul: as a man speaks, so is he." - Publilius Syrus
© Copyright 2008 Rosa Chillis - All rights reserved.
Rosa Chillis is president of Adasane & Associates, Inc. and a communication instructor specializing in oral communication, interpersonal communication, and voice & articulation skills. She is author of the e-book Your Voice Is Your Image: Four Ways to Improve Your Speaking Voice. Find out more at http://www.communicationmarketplace.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rosa_Chillis
Ho To Deal With Gossip At Work
Do you love chatting with your colleagues at workplace? How often do you talk about others? Do you find gossiping fun? Or have you ever been the victim of it? Whatever it is, chances are high that you have been affected by workplace gossip one way or the other. In fact, gossip is one of the major vices that affect our workplace in the present times, creating barriers between those who work together, decreasing productivity, and spreading negative vibes.
Although some researchers tend to highlight the positive effects of gossiping by emphasizing its role in enhancing communication between workers, the negative effects of gossip far outweigh its positive aspects. Gossip, in plain and simple words, involves spreading lies and half truths, the effects of which can be very detrimental for a person or an organization.
Typically, gossip flourishes in an environment where there is a lack of transparency - which may be between the management and the employees, the management and the trade unions, in different levels of management, between supervisor and staff. People who spread gossip are generally insecure of their own positions at work, and aim for success without any concern regarding the welfare of their co-workers.
Gossip mongers are usually jealous by nature, and find satisfaction in spreading rumors about those who are becoming more popular and successful in their endeavors and projects.
Locating a tattletale is never a difficult task, and requires just a few days of close observation. The first interaction with a gossip monger is usually pleasant - they seem to be nice people to talk to, sometimes overtly friendly.
Soon, however, you will notice that the person is not a team player, who is usually avoided by other employees of the organization. This usually happens because other people have unpleasant past dealings with the person, and are unwilling to engage in any further interaction with him/her. Sometimes, disgruntled workers in an organization form a group of gossipers, who work in tandem to manipulate new members into their conspiracy corner.
Two most prominent characteristics of a chronic gossiper is low self-esteem and lack of trust. Being untrustworthy himself, a gossiper is usually suspicious about the motives and intent of others, and will never trust a person at the first instance. Usually a gossiper looks to play one person against another, and you need to be very careful in sharing your views and opinions with a gossiper, since these can be used against you at a later point of time.
Having said thus, here are a few tips to help you to keep away from gossip at workplace. Never encourage a gossiper in the first place, not even by being a patient listener. However, do not be overtly hostile, as this may direct the ire of the gossiper against you. Deal tactfully, avoid giving responses, and do not let the gossiper influence you at any point of time. Focus on your work, and make it clear that you are strongly committed to your goals within the organization. Cool professionalism will always help you to tide over a crisis in such cases. If you are the victim of a gossip, its always best to sort it out in a clear, transparent manner.
Having said thus, it can only be said that gossip at workplace is nothing but natural. A necessary vice, gossip has prevailed in offices over time and is probably here to stay. Staying away from it is perhaps the best remedy that can ever be suggested.
Avik Roy is a contributed writer for Batchmates.com the largest Alumni portal in India. With his research work and articles he has added an additional edge to the entertainment e-magazine BM Times. His articles reach to millions of readers every day which are varied in subjects.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Avik_Roy
Although some researchers tend to highlight the positive effects of gossiping by emphasizing its role in enhancing communication between workers, the negative effects of gossip far outweigh its positive aspects. Gossip, in plain and simple words, involves spreading lies and half truths, the effects of which can be very detrimental for a person or an organization.
Typically, gossip flourishes in an environment where there is a lack of transparency - which may be between the management and the employees, the management and the trade unions, in different levels of management, between supervisor and staff. People who spread gossip are generally insecure of their own positions at work, and aim for success without any concern regarding the welfare of their co-workers.
Gossip mongers are usually jealous by nature, and find satisfaction in spreading rumors about those who are becoming more popular and successful in their endeavors and projects.
Locating a tattletale is never a difficult task, and requires just a few days of close observation. The first interaction with a gossip monger is usually pleasant - they seem to be nice people to talk to, sometimes overtly friendly.
Soon, however, you will notice that the person is not a team player, who is usually avoided by other employees of the organization. This usually happens because other people have unpleasant past dealings with the person, and are unwilling to engage in any further interaction with him/her. Sometimes, disgruntled workers in an organization form a group of gossipers, who work in tandem to manipulate new members into their conspiracy corner.
Two most prominent characteristics of a chronic gossiper is low self-esteem and lack of trust. Being untrustworthy himself, a gossiper is usually suspicious about the motives and intent of others, and will never trust a person at the first instance. Usually a gossiper looks to play one person against another, and you need to be very careful in sharing your views and opinions with a gossiper, since these can be used against you at a later point of time.
Having said thus, here are a few tips to help you to keep away from gossip at workplace. Never encourage a gossiper in the first place, not even by being a patient listener. However, do not be overtly hostile, as this may direct the ire of the gossiper against you. Deal tactfully, avoid giving responses, and do not let the gossiper influence you at any point of time. Focus on your work, and make it clear that you are strongly committed to your goals within the organization. Cool professionalism will always help you to tide over a crisis in such cases. If you are the victim of a gossip, its always best to sort it out in a clear, transparent manner.
Having said thus, it can only be said that gossip at workplace is nothing but natural. A necessary vice, gossip has prevailed in offices over time and is probably here to stay. Staying away from it is perhaps the best remedy that can ever be suggested.
Avik Roy is a contributed writer for Batchmates.com the largest Alumni portal in India. With his research work and articles he has added an additional edge to the entertainment e-magazine BM Times. His articles reach to millions of readers every day which are varied in subjects.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Avik_Roy
How To Beat Office Politics
As I am no longer involved in Corporate Office affairs I am conscious in writing this article I am in danger of sounding like a grumpy old man. But in relation to corporate office politics I saw something this week that astounded me.
In The Times of London on a management and business page there was a write up with photograph of a chap who coaches people in how to succeed at office politics. I only glanced at the article but it stayed with me.
As someone who has run major corporate businesses and eventually went on to found my own businesses it caused me to reflect. My style of management was to be open to avoid confusion and office politics by keeping everyone in the business informed on what we were attempting to achieve. It was their lively hood after all.
We worked hard at a structured briefing method, departmental groups were informed by the head of department what the latest issues were. The heads of department had been briefed by me and it was mandatory that any questions were answered there and then. If an answer was not possible the question had to be fed back to me and I would give the answer. The meetings were monthly.
This method of communication worked brilliantly, as we were able to bring about major change and re-organisation including job losses without any repercussions that threatened the business. There could be no corporate office politics because every one was fully briefed and all knew what the situation was.
The article about coaching people how to succeed at corporate office politics is the opposite of what is needed. To succeed we all need to work together with common goals. This applies in any business and honest open communication is an essential in this process.
However, I also have another take on it. The chap who has developed the course is obviously selling to the large corporates and getting coverage in one of the top newspapers. Which shows that there is a market. So best of luck to him for having the initiative to spot the opportunity.
Which leads me to another point that you have heard me go on about before. When you have your own business you see opportunity every where. Just another reason for escaping the office politics and exploiting the opportunities which are there for us.
Resource Box:
Article by Michael Harrison, Author, Publisher and Business Consultant. Go to: Opportunities
Subscribe for your Free weekly newsletter. Information for career and business minded people. Subscribe today http://www.be-your-own-business-expert.com/Bulletin.html Access our archives when you subscribe.
**Attn: Ezine Editors / Site Owners / Webmasters / everyone**Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety in your ezine or on your site as long as you leave all links in place, do not modify the content and include our resource box as listed above.You can use other articles similarly from http://www.be-your-own-business-expert.com/Article.html OR subscribe to our FREE newsletter issued weekly. Each issue is packed with motivational, business and personal development material.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Harrison
In The Times of London on a management and business page there was a write up with photograph of a chap who coaches people in how to succeed at office politics. I only glanced at the article but it stayed with me.
As someone who has run major corporate businesses and eventually went on to found my own businesses it caused me to reflect. My style of management was to be open to avoid confusion and office politics by keeping everyone in the business informed on what we were attempting to achieve. It was their lively hood after all.
We worked hard at a structured briefing method, departmental groups were informed by the head of department what the latest issues were. The heads of department had been briefed by me and it was mandatory that any questions were answered there and then. If an answer was not possible the question had to be fed back to me and I would give the answer. The meetings were monthly.
This method of communication worked brilliantly, as we were able to bring about major change and re-organisation including job losses without any repercussions that threatened the business. There could be no corporate office politics because every one was fully briefed and all knew what the situation was.
The article about coaching people how to succeed at corporate office politics is the opposite of what is needed. To succeed we all need to work together with common goals. This applies in any business and honest open communication is an essential in this process.
However, I also have another take on it. The chap who has developed the course is obviously selling to the large corporates and getting coverage in one of the top newspapers. Which shows that there is a market. So best of luck to him for having the initiative to spot the opportunity.
Which leads me to another point that you have heard me go on about before. When you have your own business you see opportunity every where. Just another reason for escaping the office politics and exploiting the opportunities which are there for us.
Resource Box:
Article by Michael Harrison, Author, Publisher and Business Consultant. Go to: Opportunities
Subscribe for your Free weekly newsletter. Information for career and business minded people. Subscribe today http://www.be-your-own-business-expert.com/Bulletin.html Access our archives when you subscribe.
**Attn: Ezine Editors / Site Owners / Webmasters / everyone**Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety in your ezine or on your site as long as you leave all links in place, do not modify the content and include our resource box as listed above.You can use other articles similarly from http://www.be-your-own-business-expert.com/Article.html OR subscribe to our FREE newsletter issued weekly. Each issue is packed with motivational, business and personal development material.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Harrison
Be Prepared For Telephone Interview Screening
In a quest to save money, time and travel costs some firms and employment service agencies are now adopting "Telephone Job Screening Interviews" as a more and more standard and accepted job employment screening technique. If you expect to be interviewed by phone, prepare by getting a member of your "network" to "role-play" the interviewer. Practice delivering your answers and answering typical run of the mill standard interviewing questions. After all there are very little variations in interview questions and interviewing style in these workups. It is if all these interview "technicians" all read the same book and attended the same school.
If you have submitted resumes or applications, then you should be prepared to expect and handle a call from an interviewer at almost any time. Ensure that you have a businesslike outgoing voice mail message with your name and/ or phone number. Make sure that all of your housemates know to answer the phone professionally and take messages if necessary. Return calls promptly and be prepared to interview immediately or to leave a message with your full contact information and availability.
In order to succeed in a telephone interview there are a number of preambles.
First you must be prepared to take an interview at almost any time, and on the spot. Post your resume and short written spiel or script somewhere in your home so that it can be found accessed and read and referred to in a flash of time. Have paper and pen (pens) handy so that you can write down names and information on the spot. Otherwise you will forget important information - such as names and phone number of contacts. Keep a log of your calls. Transfer this and the contact information, as well as phone notes promptly to your notes which you can store on your computer, in an easily remembered as well as accessible record.
If you do need a moment to collect yourself, politely ask the interviewer to hold for a brief moment while you move to a quiet location. Eliminate all distractions and background noises.
During the phone interview process it best to focus the call on why you are interested in working that or that prospective employer. Obviously this can and should be done on pre interview research. Make it a point to understand and comprehend the employer's product, services, current developments in the marketplace and business practices and philosophies.
Always, always be professional, courteous and friendly. It is best not to try to lead or "control" the conversation. Let the caller lead the conversation, but ask questions of your own.
Maintain pose and posture as if that very person was standing alongside you, personally interviewing you in that very room, at that very moment. Stand up, smile and speak directly into the mouthpiece of the telephone while you are talking. This will give your voice more energy and a most pleasant tone. Never smoke, eat or chew gum while on the phone.
Beware of yes / no answers. They give no real information or elaborate about your abilities. Similarly be factual in your questions. The rule is to be brief but thorough. In the same way if you find that you need time to think about a question or series of questions, it is best to avoid using repetitive phrases to "buy "time. There is nothing wrong in noting "I need some to think about that".
Lastly when the interview wraps up, ask what the next step or steps are. Directly tell the interviewer that you are available for a face-to-face interview at his or her earliest convenience. Follow up on the phone interview. Call back on or two days later. At that point thank the interviewer for his or her time. Restate your interest in the employment position. When you do the follow-up always try to leave the information directly with that very person or job contact.
Only as a last resort leave this message by voice mail, fax or email. These are easily forgotten in the whole job employment filling process. Always be prepared and on the ball for a telephone screening job employment interview.
Shaun Stevens -Winnipeg Job Shark
http://www.winnipegjobshark.com
http://www.jerkbossesihaveknown.com
http://www.albertajobshark.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shaun_Stevens
If you have submitted resumes or applications, then you should be prepared to expect and handle a call from an interviewer at almost any time. Ensure that you have a businesslike outgoing voice mail message with your name and/ or phone number. Make sure that all of your housemates know to answer the phone professionally and take messages if necessary. Return calls promptly and be prepared to interview immediately or to leave a message with your full contact information and availability.
In order to succeed in a telephone interview there are a number of preambles.
First you must be prepared to take an interview at almost any time, and on the spot. Post your resume and short written spiel or script somewhere in your home so that it can be found accessed and read and referred to in a flash of time. Have paper and pen (pens) handy so that you can write down names and information on the spot. Otherwise you will forget important information - such as names and phone number of contacts. Keep a log of your calls. Transfer this and the contact information, as well as phone notes promptly to your notes which you can store on your computer, in an easily remembered as well as accessible record.
If you do need a moment to collect yourself, politely ask the interviewer to hold for a brief moment while you move to a quiet location. Eliminate all distractions and background noises.
During the phone interview process it best to focus the call on why you are interested in working that or that prospective employer. Obviously this can and should be done on pre interview research. Make it a point to understand and comprehend the employer's product, services, current developments in the marketplace and business practices and philosophies.
Always, always be professional, courteous and friendly. It is best not to try to lead or "control" the conversation. Let the caller lead the conversation, but ask questions of your own.
Maintain pose and posture as if that very person was standing alongside you, personally interviewing you in that very room, at that very moment. Stand up, smile and speak directly into the mouthpiece of the telephone while you are talking. This will give your voice more energy and a most pleasant tone. Never smoke, eat or chew gum while on the phone.
Beware of yes / no answers. They give no real information or elaborate about your abilities. Similarly be factual in your questions. The rule is to be brief but thorough. In the same way if you find that you need time to think about a question or series of questions, it is best to avoid using repetitive phrases to "buy "time. There is nothing wrong in noting "I need some to think about that".
Lastly when the interview wraps up, ask what the next step or steps are. Directly tell the interviewer that you are available for a face-to-face interview at his or her earliest convenience. Follow up on the phone interview. Call back on or two days later. At that point thank the interviewer for his or her time. Restate your interest in the employment position. When you do the follow-up always try to leave the information directly with that very person or job contact.
Only as a last resort leave this message by voice mail, fax or email. These are easily forgotten in the whole job employment filling process. Always be prepared and on the ball for a telephone screening job employment interview.
Shaun Stevens -Winnipeg Job Shark
http://www.winnipegjobshark.com
http://www.jerkbossesihaveknown.com
http://www.albertajobshark.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shaun_Stevens
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