To be successful in business you must be able to kill a Lion everyday according to that famous business man. Why such strong affirmation? Well, let's take a look at our health. Why do you need to be on your best every and each single day? I assume you know a little about health and medicine and that includes you know that you are deadly attacked everyday by deadly virus and bacterias inside and outside your body, all of them fighting with their life to kill you. They have no choice! If they want to survive they have to attack you.

This behavior is not exclusive for virus and bacterias. In the wild world or in the jungle you can see that all the animals share the same behavior. To eat they must kill and they fight with their lifes everyday and at the end of the day they must be glad to survive once again.

Now returning to business. If you fail and bankrupt probably you will go to the middle of the street. Since people will always choose the best option to spend their money, they will choose the best business and that means that or you fight with your life and with enough strength to kill a Lion or you risk being left behind by your competitor!

So what can you do to be a more aggressive person everyday? What can you do to incease both your physical and mental abilities to be ready to handle one more super stressful day? First of all reduce the amount of sex you have. What!? You may be asking. It just so happens that humans beings need sex, specially men, otherwise they will start to become super aggressive beings. It's just our nature. We need to mate to continue our specie and our body behaves like that. I don't know about your life but try to reduce your sexual activity to only once per week and see the differences.

The next thing to do is to practise a dangerous sport. The amount of adrenaline you will get from risking your body everyday will make all your senses be more aware of the environment and able to make decisions so much faster. I recomend you stunts like these.

Take also special care with all the food you ingest. Make a contract with yourself about eating only top qaulity food and getting rid of all junk food such as fast food and sweeties. I already reduced all junk food and coke to zero. All I eat is healthy food from now on and I intend to continue like that if I want to continue to be good at sports.

Finally get a good night and middle of the day sleep. Sleeping huge amounts of time is not generally good for health. It's so much better to take a little nap in the afternoon than sleeping an entire night. I never ever sleep more than five hours per night but I always sleep at least 30 minutes in the afternoon.

Good luck in business and take care!

Being Unemployed Lowers the Immune System

While we understand the financial ramifications of being out of work, are we aware of what being unemployed does to our health? Dr. Edward C. Geehr, writer for Life Script reports on two separate studies conducted on unemployed individuals in his article: Can Unemployment Make You Sick? These studies conducted in Sweden and San Francisco concluded that the immune systems of unemployed individuals weaken, and as they weaken the person falls victim to a number of illnesses.

It's Tough to Find a Job & Tougher to Keep it

In a day where companies are constantly downsizing, shutting their doors, or moving to other parts of the country the chances of being unemployed have increased. With more people vying for the same job, it becomes tougher to get a job, and even tougher to keep it. How can we make our position more secure? This topic had been on my mind, when a book caught my eye “How to Keep Your Job in Hard Times: The Indispensable Employee” by Eric Weber.

I want to “beat the odds”, and become “irreplaceable”, so I bought the book, and want to share some highlights with you.

Don't Just be a Paper Pusher

Paper pushers are a dime a dozen. If we want to become the last person the boss would think of letting go, we want to demonstrate our ability to learn the tasks required of us, and perform them in a fashion that is not simply mediocre.

HOW?

Eric interviewed various company presidents to ask them just that, and here are some of their answers:

“ASK NOT WHAT YOUR COMPANY CAN DO FOR YOU, BUT RATHER WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR YOUR COMPANY.”

Sound familiar? I remember a rousing presidential speech with a line very close to this. Eric explains that top executives are tired of selfish employees who whine and belly ache and look out for themselves all the time. Their selfish attitude poisons the work forces, and makes the management staff wonders if this person has made a commitment to the company, or is simply there for “free ride”.

LOOK FOR WAYS TO SOLVE THE COMPANY'S PROBLEMS

Your boss most likely likes to talk, and by keeping your ears open, you can find out what issues the company is up against. By demonstrating that you are concerned about your company's welfare, you show team spirit. As a team player, you may have feedback that will assist the company in addressing these problems, and in showing yourself to be even more valuable.

DON'T LEAD THE COMPANY TO REVOLT

Do you think if you start a campaign against company policy or because you didn't get an expected raise, that management won't realize who stirred up the trouble? I have seen a company where the entire staff was fired. It can happen, but most likely, the individual who stirred up the trouble will be the first to go.

DON'T SHOW THE BOSS UP

There is no crime in being smarter than your boss, but a smart employee knows not to make his boss feel stupid.

YOU CAN MAKE SUGGESTIONS, BUT DO IT HIS WAY

Your boss is probably aware of the fact that you have performed this task hundreds of times, and may know an easier way to do it. You can make a suggestion to him, tactfully, but if he insists it be done his way, he may have a good reason.

Do not argue for the sake of arguing, and most definitely do not argue in front of others.

IF YOU DON'T GET WHAT YOU WANT, TAKE YOUR HIT AND KEEP MOVING

What good does it do to nurse grudges, because you feel that you have been treated unfairly? When energy is being expended on nursing injustices, it distracts from the work performance. Don't let that happen to you.

PERFORM WITH A POSITIVE ATTITUDE

You've been assigned a near impossible job, do you say “No way, or I will do my best”?

Ask questions. Learn all aspects of the job expected and put your all into it.

PRIORITIZE

It is pretty common to have a number of tasks that need performed in any given day, but do one completely (if possible) before attempting to tackle the next. If a piece of paper can be handled once, and the job completed, it is more efficient, than performing small tasks on each paper, and then picking each of them up again to complete them. Stay focused.

ASK FOR MORE WORK

Suppose you find that you have completed all your tasks, do you sit down and do “busy work” trying to appear as if you are doing something? Approach your supervisor and request more work. This demonstrates your ability to complete tasks in a timely manner, your ability to be a team player, and your willingness to take on more responsibility.

Eric gives us one word of caution with this point, however. He warns that you should be certain your supervisor knows that usually you are extremely busy, and will again be busy tomorrow. You would not want him to think that there is not enough work to keep you there.

MEET YOUR DEADLINES

Supervisors give assignments to those they feel are trustworthy. By demonstrating your ability to get the job done in a timely fashion, you show yourself as being dependable.

COME TO WORK ON TIME

This should not even have to be mentioned. If an employer hires you to work from 9:00 to

5:00, they expect you to be at your job ready to perform at that time, not five minutes later.

Come in earlier, just in case something happens on the way to work. Demonstrate your ability to be punctual.

GET TO KNOW YOUR BOSS

If the boss has to decide who to let go, and you have been following all of the above tips, he would rather let a stranger go, then someone he has gotten to know.

This is just a synopsis of the 39 tips included in Eric's book. Eric Weber has had over 30 books published and sold over four million copies. He was the Vice Chairman and Creative Director at Young & Rubicam at the time of the publishing of this book.

In conclusion, these tips are provided for those who are employed in order to make them more valuable to their employee and less likely to be terminated. It is unfortunate and difficult to lose one's job, and sometimes cannot be prevented. My prayers go out to anyone who is seeking employment, especially in Michigan.

A solution was created by the Working Table on Teacher Development and adopted by the Ministry of Education called the “New Teacher Induction Program” (NTIP); a mandatory two-year support program for every new teacher hired during the 2005-2006 school year.

The NTIP is for “new” teachers (defined by the Ministry as all permanent teachers (full-time or part-time) or teachers who've not yet completed the NTIP and/or who've been hired longer than 24 months) and includes components titled Resources, Teacher Orientation, and Mentoring.

The goals of the NTIP, as outlined by the Ministry, include that teachers will have:

• Orientated themselves to the Ontario curriculum and context, and to their specific board and school;
• Improved skills and confidence through participation in a mentoring relationship;
• Progressed along the continuum of professional development and training
• Proven successful teaching in an Ontario publicly funded school board;
• Demonstrated of a subset of 8 competencies (O. Reg. 99/02 amended)

While in theory, the program planned to meet the support needs of new teachers; in practice, it is still experiencing growing pains.

Professionally Speaking reported in the December 2006 issue that English Public School Boards were the most likely to be actively participating in the NTIP with 66% of new teachers involved, and that the lowest percentages of participants worked for Independent or Private School Boards. Also, new teachers located in the Greater Toronto Area were 49% more likely to be receiving formal support than were the 42% of new teachers located in Northern Ontario. The article identified a teacher from the Rainbow District School Board (RDSB) (located in Sudbury, ON) as “one of the fortunate minority who has the advantage of a mentor”. The RDSB is included in the lowest ranking percentile of teachers receiving formal support, yet its dedication to the NTIP makes it an example of the continued efforts by professionals to deliver quality training to new teachers.

While the NTIP continues to develop, teachers rely on the more informal professional learning communities that exist within their own schools. Despite inconsistent reports on the usefulness and delivery of the NTIP, new teachers continue to learn while on the job and in the classroom with hopes that the issue of teacher support continues to be improved province-wide.

There are generational pressures also in China with young people challenging their older relatives to the point of accusing them of being "old". One can see generational differences when younger family members communicate through chat lines and the older generation only in their forties can't make head or tale of the writing. A Chinese lady friend made a mention of not understanding what her younger relatives are writing on the chat forums or in their emails. When she asked her younger relative, she was challenged with, “Don't you know? All my friends know what it means.” Than she was accused of being too old because she did not understand the new expressions or words that her younger relative was writing.

Younger people who are now targets for recruiters want to make choices that their parents didn't. In a recent report on the new generation hitting the market a couple interviewed on a documentary said that they did not want to make the mistake their parents did about sacrificing their lives for their families. They want to be less pressured at the work place and that could mean "chilled out." That is their way of being less stressed at the work place, they admit. Job recruiters at "Zappatos", a shoe manufacturer, have said that with a dance floor installed at the work place employees are happier. That way they perform better at the work place and are less stressed. Perhaps baby boomers that are still working can learn from an example like this.

One method used by some employers is to offer a break room equipped with either a television or exercise equipment. An employee, on their breaks, can escape the work routine and unwind. Staff is able to see evidence of their employer valuing them as individuals and being concerned about their needs. They are then able to return to their task with a renewed interest.

Another method which has been successful for some employers is having an outlet for the employees to voice their opinions without repercussions. Filling out a stress survey allowed management to evaluate areas of discontent and address those areas. When staff knows their concerns are important to their managers they will work harder to fulfill their responsibilities. Knowing that their complaints were being heard also gives them a sense of empowerment and enables them to communicate better with management. If a staff member continually performs the same task day in and day out and realizes a way that this function could be performed more efficiently they would be more open to discuss their ideas with management enabling the owners to save money and allowing staff to feel that they contributed something worthwhile.

By implementing these methods of relieving stress the employer will improve attendance, and productivity, while lowering accidents and illnesses in the work place. Staff members need to be recognized and respected as the unique individuals that they are. An encouraged and valued employee will be more motivated and productive. They will feel better about coming to work and perform better while they are there. They will have a better attitude when talking to others about their employer and will create better public relations.

First, try to prepare yourself for the new commitment. This may include working overtime and working overnight to meet datelines.

Next, review your skills. Jot down the list of skills you are good at. Remember that experience counts and the skills you have been using at home can be useful and apply to a new job.

Then, identify your job options. It is good to talk to people to have an idea of what the job may entail. It is important that you align your skills suit to your interest and that of your future employer. It is also advisable to brush up your skills before you venture out into the job market. For example, it is important to brush up on rusty skills or acquire some new ones so that you will be able to handle the job. Not being prepared ahead can cause stress and disappointment in the later stages of the work.

Build up a network if you need. There are people who have better contacts and can be good referrals. There is no shame in asking and it does not hurt to have a few agencies assisting you with your job search.

Finally, be prepared to spend time writing a good resume. This is the chance to prove it on paper that you have the required skills. Avoid being vague but ensure that pertinent information can be spotted right away. It is good to point out results and past achievements to show to people that you have helped your previous companies in increasing their productivity.

It is your concern to take care of your subordinates and your stress levels. Here are some tips to reduce stress among your subordinates:

1. When we interact with people who act differently from us, we sometimes experience stress . Wherever people gather and interact there will be differences of opinion, conflict, disagreements, disputes and arguments.Its human tendency.Just try ignoring any conflicting events.
2. Do not allow your colleagues to bring out personal conflicts at work place.
3. Emphasize that the conflict can and will be solved by examining specific changes that each party may request of the other.
4. Arrange for a meeting to resolve any misunderstandings.
5. Make a survey of the employee satisfaction in terms of job,office environment and monetary benefits.
6. Try to make employee relationship bond stronger. Team get togethers along with their families, calling upon party on special occasions can help build employee relationship.
7. Encourage team spirit. Ask them to share the work to accomplish before hand and make sure the burden doesn't fall only on few people while the rest of them are enjoying.
8. Spend time with your subordinates during teat time and lunch hours. Develop a friendly attitude rather than a bossy one.
9. Do not sit inside your cabin and give orders. Encourage your subordinates to come and see you when needed . Also make causal visits to their places to see if they are doing fine.

The first thing we need to understand is that office politics is a normal part of doing business and will be part of any organizations. People are political creatures who naturally fight over resources. Even though the main goal of each employee is to protect the shareholder's wealth, they also want to increase or maintain their own standard of living. This means gathering friends, collecting resources and increasing power.

It appears as though office politics is becoming more widespread. This is happening because we have moved from an era of command & control type structures to ones that encourage leadership. The concept of leadership has influence, navigation and negotiation embedded within it. Thus leadership can sometimes mean playing politics.

The research firm Roffey Park conducted a poll of 490 managers and found that 60% of these managers believe that an increase in office politics is the greatest source of their stress. This stress filters down to employees and can cause morale problems. The more negative the morale the more likely you are going to lose good employees, have higher absenteeism and more disciplinary problems.

Operations are also negatively impacted by politics. When employees are fighting over resources and power they aren't as likely to be focused on the welfare of the company. Judgment can become clouded if it violates a political taboo. For example, a good candidate is passed up for promotion for a poor one only because he doesn't play golf or associate with the “right” people. Depending on the nature and extent of the political impact on operations the financial strength of the organization can be hampered.

In today's highly competitive business world innovation is a major factor in maintaining viability. Companies that do not change find their products/services to be earning less revenue and becoming outdated. Innovation is fostered by new ideas that come from employees. A business full of office politics means that employees will be afraid to challenge, bring forth ideas or debate on issues. The more honest debate is stifled, the less innovation a company will have.

Office politics is more than simple gossip. It can impact your organization in profound ways. Such politics help to determine budgets, promotional operations, allocation of resources, power sharing and employee morale. Even though politics is a natural part of human life, its negative effects can be diminished by powerful leadership and transparency throughout the company.

They say one bad apple spoils the whole bunch. That one bad apple can make them all rotten. You start to look around and you see your best friends falling out from diabetes that they never had before, breast cancer, high blood pressure, anemic problems, muscle pains, head aches, sinus problems get worse, and tension. You don't know what's wrong. The answer is stress. Then they tell you that you have a problem when you didn't create the problem. They tell you that you are imagining things and that you need to take time off. Sometimes your time is really not your own. You don't have much time and you try not to use your time incase you get sick. Then your child is constantly sick. There is death in the family. It's a bad time for you and they have to let you go because you used all of your time. You just don't know what to do. You see people crying and upset. You suddenly see them walking out and going home. You began to see bits and pieces of things. After a while it all comes together.

When your supervisor can't get his way, you feel threatened. You feel that he is forcing you to take a new job that you don't want to do. He has problems too. Somebody is on his case. You are needed in another person's place. Then you don't get the pay that you deserve. Everybody is scared to stand up for what is right. Nobody sticks together. You get tired of fighting. When your boss or team leader asks you what's wrong, you don't tell him because you figured he has heard it all before and nothing can be done about it. Instead, it goes on and on like the energizer bunny. People get attitudes. They start treating each other really mean. Everyone is afraid of the owner of the company. That's not a good sign. So what can you do? You can go on and on about the problems that are there. There is just too many and all that you know is you must find another job.