Factors of Leadership

There are four major factors in leadership :

Follower
Different people require different styles of leadership. For example, a new hire requires more supervision than an experienced employee. A person who lacks motivation requires a different approach than one with a high degree of motivation. You must know your people! The fundamental starting point is having a good understanding of human nature, such as needs, emotions, and motivation. You must come to know your employees' be, know, and do attributes.

Leader
You must have an honest understanding of who you are, what you know, and what you can do. Also, note that it is the followers, not the leader who determines if a leader is successful. If they do not trust or lack confidence in their leader, then they will be uninspired. To be successful you have to convince your followers, not yourself or your superiors, that you are worthy of being followed.

Communication
You lead through two-way communication. Much of it is nonverbal. For instance, when you "set the example," that communicates to your people that you would not ask them to perform anything that you would not be willing to do. What and how you communicate either builds or harms the relationship between you and your employees.

Situation
All are different. What you do in one situation will not always work in another. You must use your judgment to decide the best course of action and the leadership style needed for each situation. For example, you may need to confront an employee for inappropriate behavior, but if the confrontation is too late or too early, too harsh or too weak, then the results may prove ineffective.

Various forces will affect these factors. Examples of forces are your relationship with your seniors, the skill of your people, the informal leaders within your organization, and how your company is organized.

Attributes

If you are a leader who can be trusted, then those around you will grow to respect you. To be such a leader, there is a Leadership Framework to guide you:

BE KNOW DO

BE a professional. Examples: Be loyal to the organization, perform selfless service, take personal responsibility.

BE a professional who possess good character traits. Examples: Honesty, competence, candor, commitment, integrity, courage, straightforwardness, imagination.

KNOW the four factors of leadership - follower, leader, communication, situation.

KNOW yourself. Examples: strengths and weakness of your character, knowledge, and skills.

KNOW human nature. Examples: Human needs, emotions, and how people respond to stress.

KNOW your job. Examples: be proficient and be able to train others in their tasks.

KNOW your organization. Examples: where to go for help, its climate and culture, who the unofficial leaders are.

DO provide direction. Examples: goal setting, problem solving, decision making, planning.

DO implement. Examples: communicating, coordinating, supervising, evaluating.

DO motivate. Examples: develop morale and esprit de corps in the organization, train, coach, counsel.

Source : Concepts of Leadership

A good beginning makes a good ending

The Climb

I was very upset today.
Thank you to Syins for waking me up.
I feel very motivated when listening to this song. Enjoy it!
Thank to her too for dedicating this song.

The Climb
Songwriters: Alexander, J; Mabe, J;

I can almost see it
That dream I am dreaming
But there's a voice inside my head saying
"You'll never reach it"

Every step I'm taking
Every move I make feels
Lost with no direction
My faith is shaking

But I gotta keep trying
Gotta keep my head held high

There's always gonna be another mountain
I'm always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be a uphill battle
Sometimes I'm gonna have to lose

Ain't about how fast I get there
Ain't about what's waiting on the other side
It's the climb

The struggles I'm facing
The chances I'm taking
Sometimes might knock me down
But no, I'm not breaking

I may not know it
But these are the moments that
I'm gonna remember most, yeah
Just gotta keep going

And I, I got to be strong
Just keep pushing on

'Cause there's always gonna be another mountain
I'm always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be a uphill battle
Sometimes I'm gonna have to lose

Ain't about how fast I get there
Ain't about what's waiting on the other side
It's the climb, yeah!

There's always gonna be another mountain
I'm always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be an uphill battle
Somebody's gonna have to lose

Ain't about how fast I get there
Ain't about what's waiting on the other side
It's the climb, yeah!

Keep on moving, keep climbing
Keep the faith, baby
It's all about, it's all about the climb
Keep the faith, keep your faith, whoa

10 Tips to Improve Your Reading Skills!

In the modern age of information, reading truly is a fundamental survival skill. Here are ten tips that anyone can use to improve their reading skills:

1. You don't have to be a great reader to get the point.

Some people read fast and remember everything. Others read slowly and take a couple of times to get all the information. It doesn't matter, really, so long as when you read, you get the information you're seeking.

2. Know WHY you're reading.

Are you reading for entertainment or to learn something? Decide why you're reading before you start and you'll greatly improve your comprehension and your enjoyment.

3. You don't need to read everything.

Not every magazine, letter, and email you receive contains information you need. In fact, most of it is simply junk. Throw it away, hit the delete key! Just doing this will double the amount of time you have available to read.

4. You don't need to read all of what you DO read.

Do you read every article of every magazine, every chapter of every book? If so, you're probably spending a lot of time reading stuff you don't need.

Be choosy: select the chapters and articles that are important. Ignore the rest.

5. Scan before you read.

Look at the table of contents, index, topic headers, photo captions, etc. These will help you determine if, a) you have a real interest in this reading, and b) what information you're likely to get from it.

6. Prioritize your reading.

You can't read everything all at once (and wouldn't want to). If it's important, read it now. If it's not, let it wait.

7. Optimize your reading environment.

You'll read faster and comprehend more if you read in an environment that's comfortable for you.

8. Once you start, don't stop!

Read each item straight through. If you finish and have questions, go back and re-read the pertinent sections. If you don't have questions, you got what you needed and are ready to move on.

9. Focus.

Remember, you're reading with a purpose, so focus on that purpose and the material. If you lose interest or keep losing your place, take a break or read something else. You can keep track of where you are by following along with your hand. This simple technique helps you focus and increase your concentration.

10. Practice!

The more you read, the better reader you'll become (and smarter, too)! So, feed your mind: read!

Good Luck and start to change now!

Source : 10 Tips to Improve Your Reading Skills!

A Bird In The Hand Is Worth Two In The Bush

How to Improve Your Reading Skills

The University of Alabama
Center for Teaching and Learning
124 Osband
348-5175

Eighty-five percent of college work requires reading. How good are your reading skills? Here are seven steps to help you improve your reading skills:

1. Evaluate your reading habits to find out where you need improvement. Do you "say" the words you’re reading? Do strange words slow your speed and comprehension? Do you read every word? Do you re-read sentences? Do you vary your speed to suit the material?

2. Provide the best conditions for reading. Choose a place where you’ll have few interruptions, have good lighting, can sit in a good chair, and won’t be distracted by radio, TV or other noises. Hold the book about fifteen inches away (about the distance from your elbow to your wrist).

3. Use your eyes efficiently. If words are blurry, get your eyes checked by a professional. Don’t "say" what you read, and don’t re-read unnecessarily. Read phrases, not every single word.

4. Increase your vocabulary by keeping a dictionary handy, maintaining a list of new words, and knowing the origin of words.

5. Match your speed to the material you are reading. Know what and why you’re reading. Preview the material, especially when studying. Study reading requires closer, slower reading. For leisure reading you can go faster. Be sure you get the information in graphic aids and illustrations.

6. To improve your reading speed, practice for about 15 to 30 minutes each day, checking your rate in words-per-minute. Check your comprehension by summarizing what you read. Ideally, you want to read faster while maintaining your understanding. Therefore, use the same type of materials each time you practice to provide the consistency needed for meaningful practice.

Source : How to Improve Your Reading Skills

How Do You Consider Blogging?

Source : http://www.reason4smile.com/2008/02/12/seven-benefits-of-blogging-to-your-personal-growth/

Some people consider it as a waste of time, some people think that it’s a way to run from reality to cyberspace, but it’s not necessarily so. In fact, some people are serious about blogging and consider it as a hobby, channeling their passion and hobby on writing, or better still as a business they want to grow, business that they can run from home. Similarly, blogging is something that you can start as long as you like to learn and share information. You can even start without spending so much capital.

Particularly, personal development blogging has many benefits that I have enjoyed, it does come with a price, time and energy to do it, but you can gain much by doing it with passion and persistence. I have not tasted the returns in terms of money but I do have tasted the benefit in terms of personal development and growth.

In this post, I will distribute the seven benefits of blogging into two areas, blogging as a hobby, and blogging as a business. Both will help you to your personal growth.

When blogging is your hobby

1. You’re becoming better at words

This is particularly useful for the introverts, introverts do complain on how they’re not so good with words, especially when they have to speak. Writing is much more comfortable because we can think without pressure for the right words to say, and also for the opportunity to undo the statements. Here is a quote from Robert Cornier that I read from the The-Write-Biz.com…

The beautiful part of writing is that you don’t have to get it right the first time, unlike, say, a brain surgeon. You can always do it better, find the exact word, the apt phrase, the leaping simile.

Robert Cormier

In a way, I started blogging as a channel for my passion to lead and create, passion for information-sharing, yet I’ve been baffled so many times by my limitation, especially the confidence in speaking and relating with people. Blogging in a way has helped me to use and think about putting the right words, sentences and grammars. As I am getting more comfortable with words, as I write, practically I am more comfortable to speak with words, soon the confidence will follow.

2. You declare your dream

Declaration is the insights I have got from T. Harv Eker, in his book, Secrets of the Millionaire Mind, it’s about how we can declare our dream, even when we have not achieved it. Why declaration is better? Because declaration is simply more accepted by our little voice, it’s easier to say, “I am in the process of being more generous” instead of “I am a generous person”.

Similarly, what I blog is the declaration, things that I’m dreaming to become, the right attitude to have, the right way to behave and the right thing to do. It’s true that writing is much easier than doing. But I also believe that “declaring” also means “pursuing”, as long as we never quit and give up, with time we are going to become a better person.

3. You remind yourself

It’s also a great step of becoming a better person, it is about learning from your failure. To learn, it’s not enough with a promise not to repeat only, we also need to make some actions to ensure that we really learn from our failure. Jonathan Frye from LeadershipJot.com has shared some great insights about how writing can actually help, what you need to write is your action plan, what you have to do while you are facing the situation again.

Similarly, besides being a declaration, blogging will also make the principles and the things you share will actually sticks in your mind, you will remember it fully, and it will help you choosing to do the right things given the situation you face!

So,how about you?
For those who do not yet get involved in blogging world,what you are waiting for?
This is the time for you now to have a change!

To listen is to learn, and to understand is to inspire.

Critical Thinking

Why Critical Thinking?

The Problem

Everyone thinks. It is our nature to do so. But much of our thinking, left to itself, is biased, distorted, partial, uninformed, or downright prejudiced. Yet, the quality of our life and that of what we produce, make,or build depends precisely on the quality of our thought. Shoddy thinking is costly, both in money and in quality of life. Excellence in thought, however, must be systematically cultivated.

A Definition

Critical thinking is that mode of thinking — about any subject, content,or problem — in which the thinker improves the quality of his or her thinking by skillfully analyzing, assessing, and reconstructing it. Critical thinking is self-directed, self-disciplined, self-monitored, and self-corrective thinking. It presupposes assent to rigorous standards of excellence and mindful command of their use. It entails effective communication and problem-solving abilities, as well as a commitment to overcome our native egocentrism and sociocentrism.

To Analyze Thinking

Identify its purpose, and question at issue, as well as its information, inferences(s), assumptions, implications, main concept(s), and point of view.

To Assess Thinking

Check it for clarity, accuracy, precision, relevance, depth, breadth, significance, logic, and fairness.

The Result

A well-cultivated critical thinker:

• Raises vital questions and problems, formulating them clearly and precisely
• Gathers and assesses relevant information, using abstract ideas to interpret it effectively
• Comes to well-reasoned conclusions and solutions, testing them against relevant criteria and standards
• Thinks openmindedly within alternative systems of thought, recognizing and assessing, as needs be, their assumptions, implications, and practical consequences
• Communicates effectively with others in figuring out solutions to complex problems

source : http://www.criticalthinking.org/aboutCT/ourConceptCT.cfm

Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner
everywhere.

first launch!

With the God's permission, finally I have launched my second blog.

"SAY IT, ABC"
this blog is quite formal as compared to my first blog, as I try to make this blog as educational as it can be.

The idea on making this blog revolved when I was making my online revision a night before my grammar test.
On that day, I was thinking to make my own site, so that I can share my findings with others.
The main aim of this blog is to make me easy in organizing my notes and with a click, I can have a look on my previous findings systematically.
Now, I do realize how important reading is, as it can generate our critical thinking.
I do hope this site can help me to improve my study in English Course hence can increase my English proficiency.


Theme : English Site
Topics : Grammar, Articles, Literature, Social Study, etc

Let's we discover the kaleidoscope of English!

Every man is the architect of his own fortune