Assertive Communication

Elements of the Assertive Style

1. Mottoes and Beliefs
* Believes self and others are valuable
* Knowing that assertiveness doesn't mean you always win, but that you handled the situation as effectively as possible
* "I have rights and so do others."
2. Communication Style
* Effective, active listener
* States limits, expectations
* States observations, no labels or judgments
* Expresses self directly, honestly, and as soon as possible about feelings and wants
* Checks on others feelings
3. Characteristics
* Non-judgmental
* Observes behavior rather than labeling it
* Trusts self and others
* Confident
* Self-aware
* Open, flexible, versatile
* Playful, sense of humor
* Decisive
* Proactive, initiating
4. Behavior
* Operates from choice
* Knows what it is needed and develops a plan to get it
* Action-oriented
* Firm
* Realistic in her expectations
* Fair, just
* Consistent
* Takes appropriate action toward getting what he/she wants without denying rights of others
5. Nonverbal Cues
* Open, natural gestures
* Attentive, interested facial expression
* Direct eye contact
* Confident or relaxed posture
* Vocal volume appropriate, expressive
* Varied rate of speech
6. Verbal Cues
* "I choose to..."
* "What are my options?"
* "What alternatives do we have?"
7. Confrontation and Problem Solving
* Negotiates, bargains, trades off, compromises
* Confronts problems at the time they happen
* Doesn't let negative feelings build up
8. Feelings Felt
* Enthusiasm
* Well being
* Even tempered
9. Effects
* Increased self-esteem and self-confidence
* Increased self-esteem of others
* Feels motivated and understood
* Others know where they stand

Clearly, the assertive style is the one to strive for. Keep in mind that very few people are all one or another style. In fact, the aggressive style is essential at certain times such as:

* when a decision has to be made quickly;
* during emergencies;
* when you know you're right and that fact is crucial;
* stimulating creativity by designing competitions destined for use in training or to increase productivity.

Passiveness also has its critical applications:

* when an issue is minor;
* when the problems caused by the conflict are greater than the conflict itself;
* when emotions are running high and it makes sense to take a break in order to calm down and regain perspective;
* when your power is much lower than the other party's;
* when the other's position is impossible to change for all practical purposes (i.e., government policies, etc.).

Elements of the Aggressive Style

1. Mottos and Beliefs
* "Everyone should be like me."
* "I am never wrong."
* "I've got rights, but you don't."
2. Communication Style
* Close minded
* Poor listener
* Has difficulty seeing the other person's point of view
* Interrupts
* Monopolizing
3. Characteristics
* Achieves goals, often at others' expense
* Domineering, bullying
* Patronizing
* Condescending, sarcastic
4. Behavior
* Puts others down
* Doesn't ever think they are wrong
* Bossy
* Moves into people's space, overpowers
* Jumps on others, pushes people around
* Know-it-all attitude
* Doesn't show appreciation
5. Nonverbal Cues
* Points, shakes finger
* Frowns
* Squints eyes critically
* Glares
* Stares
* Rigid posture
* Critical, loud, yelling tone of voice
* Fast, clipped speech
6. Verbal Cues
* "You must (should, ought better)."
* "Don't ask why. Just do it."
* Verbal abuse
7. Confrontation and Problem Solving
* Must win arguments, threatens, attacks
* Operates from win/lose position
8. Feelings Felt
* Anger
* Hostility
* Frustration
* Impatience
9. Effects
* Provokes counteraggression, alienation from others, ill health
* Wastes time and energy oversupervising others
* Pays high price in human relationships
* Fosters resistance, defiance, sabotaging, striking back, forming alliances, lying, covering up
* Forces compliance with resentment

Elements of the Passive Style

1. Mottoes and Beliefs
* "Don't express your true feelings."
* "Don't make waves."
* "Don't disagree."
* "Others have more rights than I do."
2. Communication Style
* Indirect
* Always agrees
* Doesn't speak up
* Hesitant
3. Characteristics
* Apologetic, self-conscious
* Trusts others, but not self
* Doesn't express own wants and feelings
* Allows others to make decisions for self
* Doesn't get what he/she wants
4. Behaviors
* Sighs a lot
* Tries to sit on both sides of the fence to avoid conflict
* Clams up when feeling treated unfairly
* Asks permission unnecessarily
* Complains instead of taking action
* Lets others make choices
* Has difficulty implementing plans
* Self-effacing
5. Nonverbal Cues
* Fidgets
* Nods head often; comes across as pleading
* Lack of facial animation
* Smiles and nods in agreement
* Downcast eyes
* Slumped posture
* Low volume, meek
* Up talk
* Fast, when anxious; slow, hesitant, when doubtful
6. Verbal Cues
* "You should do it."
* "You have more experience than I do."
* "I can't......"
* "This is probably wrong, but..."
* "I'll try..."
* Monotone, low energy
7. Confrontation and Problem Solving
* Avoids, ignores, leaves, postpones
* Withdraws, is sullen and silent
* Agrees externally, while disagreeing internally
* Expends energy to avoid conflicts that are anxiety provoking
* Spends too much time asking for advice, supervision
* Agrees too often
8. Feelings Felt
* Powerlessness
* Wonders why doesn't receive credit for good work
* Chalks lack of recognition to others' inabilities
9. Effects
* Gives up being him or herself
* Builds dependency relationships
* Doesn't know where he/she stands
* Slowly loses self esteem
* Promotes others' causes
* Is not well-liked

3 Requirements of Change Efforts

OCTOBER 27, 2010
Know the 3 Requirements of Change Efforts
Setting a new direction, changing behavior, or transforming a culture is never easy. Before you start down the road of change, know three of the things you'll need on your journey:

1. A clear destination. Many change programs fail because not everyone understands where they are headed. Be clear up front with everyone who needs to change about what the end point looks like.
2. A starting point. Big goals are intimidating and sometimes paralyzing. Get started by taking small steps toward your goal. Momentum will build.
3. Persistence. Most change efforts look like they will fail at some point, usually in the middle. Don't give up prematurely. Find a way around obstacles, make necessary alterations, and keep going.

Good One by SP

Seth Priebatsch
“I had friends at Princeton; I’m sure it’d be fun to see them,” he says. “But I know that what I’m going after is huge and others are going after it, and if they’re not, they’re making a mistake. But other people will figure it out, and every minute that I’m not working on it is a minute when they’re making progress and I’m not. And that is just not O.K.”

Link to this Article

Transformational and Transactional Leaders

Scholars in organizational studies tend to divide the world into “transformational leaders” (the group that hypomanics are bunched into, of course) and “transactional leaders,” who are essentially even-keeled managers, grown-ups who know how to delegate, listen and set achievable goals.

Both types of leaders need to rally employees to their cause, but entrepreneurs must recruit and galvanize when a company is little more than a whisper of a big idea. Shouting “To the ramparts!” with no ramparts in sight takes a kind of irrational self-confidence, which is perfectly acceptable, though it can also tilt into egomania, which is usually not.

SOAP vs. REST

Web Services, Part 1: SOAP vs. REST
By Brennan Spies

* Web Services
* XML

Developers new to web services are often intimidated by parade of technologies and concepts required to understand it: REST, SOAP, WSDL, XML Schema, Relax NG, UDDI, MTOM, XOP, WS-I, WS-Security, WS-Addressing, WS-Policy, and a host of other WS-* specifications that seem to multiply like rabbits. Add to that the Java specifications, such as JAX-WS, JAX-RPC, SAAJ, etc. and the conceptual weight begins to become heavy indeed. In this series of articles I hope to shed some light on the dark corners of web services and help navigate the sea of alphabet soup (1). Along the way I'll also cover some tools for developing web services, and create a simple Web Service as an example. In this article I will give a high-level overview of both SOAP and REST.

Introduction

There are currently two schools of thought in developing web services: the traditional, standards-based approach (SOAP) and conceptually simpler and the trendier new kid on the block (REST). The decision between the two will be your first choice in designing a web service, so it is important to understand the pros and cons of the two. It is also important, in the sometimes heated debate between the two philosophies, to separate reality from rhetoric.

SOAP

In the beginning there was...SOAP. Developed at Microsoft in 1998, the inappropriately-named "Simple Object Access Protocol" was designed to be a platform and language-neutral alternative to previous middleware techologies like CORBA and DCOM. Its first public appearance was an Internet public draft (submitted to the IETF) in 1999; shortly thereafter, in December of 1999, SOAP 1.0 was released. In May of 2000 the 1.1 version was submitted to the W3C where it formed the heart of the emerging Web Services technologies. The current version is 1.2, finalized in 2005. The examples given in this article will all be SOAP 1.2.

Together with WSDL and XML Schema, SOAP has become the standard for exchanging XML-based messages. SOAP was also designed from the ground up to be extensible, so that other standards could be integrated into it--and there have been many, often collectively referred to as WS-*: WS-Addressing, WS-Policy, WS-Security, WS-Federation, WS-ReliableMessaging, WS-Coordination, WS-AtomicTransaction, WS-RemotePortlets, and the list goes on. Hence much of the perceived complexity of SOAP, as in Java, comes from the multitude of standards which have evolved around it. This should not be reason to be too concerned: as with other things, you only have to use what you actually need.

The basic structure of SOAP is like any other message format (including HTML itself): header and body. In SOAP 1.2 this would look something like










Note that the

element is optional here, but the is mandatory.

The SOAP

SOAP uses special attributes in the standard "soap-envelope" namespace to handle the extensibility elements that can be defined in the header. The most important of these is the mustUnderstand attribute. By default, any element in the header can be safely ignored by the SOAP message recipient unless the the mustUnderstand attribute on the element is set to "true" (or "1", which is the only value recognized in SOAP 1.1). A good example of this would be a security token element that authenticates the sender/requestor of the message. If for some reason the recipient is not able to process these elements, a fault should be delivered back to the sender with a fault code of MustUnderstand.

Because SOAP is designed to be used in a network environment with multiple intermediaries (SOAP "nodes" as identified by the element), it also defines the special XML attributes role to manage which intermediary should process a given header element and relay, which is used to indicate that this element should be passed to the next node if not processed in the current one.

The SOAP

The SOAP body contains the "payload" of the message, which is defined by the WSDL's part. If there is an error that needs to be transmitted back to the sender, a single element is used as a child of the .

The SOAP

The is the standard element for error handling. When present, it is the only child element of the SOAP . The structure of a fault looks like:



env:Sender

m:MessageTimeout



Sender Timeout


P5M



Here, only the and child elements are required, and the child of is also optional. The body of the Code/Value element is a fixed enumeration with the values:

* VersionMismatch: this indicates that the node that "threw" the fault found an invalid element in the SOAP envelope, either an incorrect namespace, incorrect local name, or both.
* MustUnderstand: as discussed above, this code indicates that a header element with the attribute mustUnderstand="true" could not be processed by the node throwing the fault. A NotUnderstood header block should be provided to detail all of the elements in the original message which were not understood.
* DataEncodingUnknown: the data encoding specified in the envelope's encodingSytle attribute is not supported by the node throwing the fault.
* Sender: This is a "catch-all" code indicating that the message sent was not correctly formed or did not have the appropriate information to succeed.
* Receiver: Another "catch-all" code indicating that the message could not be processed for reasons attributable to the processing of the message rather than to the contents of the message itself.

Subcodes, however, are not restricted and are application-defined; these will commonly be defined when the fault code is Sender or Receiver. The element is there to provide a human-readable explanation of the fault. The optional element is there to provide additional information about the fault, such as (in the example above) the timeout value. also has optional children and , indicating which node threw the fault and the role that the node was operating in (see role attribute above) respectively.

SOAP Encoding

Section 5 of the SOAP 1.1 specification describes SOAP encoding, which was originally developed as a convenience for serializing and de-serializing data types to and from other sources, such as databases and programming languages. Problems, however, soon arose with complications in reconciling SOAP encoding and XML Schema, as well as with performance. The WS-I organization finally put the nail in the coffin of SOAP encoding in 2004 when it released the first version of the WS-I Basic Profile, declaring that only literal XML messages should be used (R2706). With the wide acceptance of WS-I, some of the more recent web service toolkits do not provide any support for (the previously ubiquitous) SOAP encoding at all.

A Simple SOAP Example

Putting it all together, below is an example of a simple request-response in SOAP for a stock quote. Here the transport binding is HTTP.

The request:

GET /StockPrice HTTP/1.1
Host: example.org
Content-Type: application/soap+xml; charset=utf-8
Content-Length: nnn


xmlns:s="http://www.example.org/stock-service">


IBM




The response:

HTTP/1.1 200 OK
Content-Type: application/soap+xml; charset=utf-8
Content-Length: nnn


xmlns:s="http://www.example.org/stock-service">


45.25




If you play your cards right, you may never have to actually see a SOAP message in action; every SOAP engine out there will do its best to hide it from you unless you really want to see it. If something goes wrong in your web service, however, it may be useful to know what one looks like for debugging purposes.

REST

Much in the way that Ruby on Rails was a reaction to more complex web application architectures, the emergence of the RESTful style of web services was a reaction to the more heavy-weight SOAP-based standards. In RESTful web services, the emphasis is on simple point-to-point communication over HTTP using plain old XML (POX).

The origin of the term "REST" comes from the famous thesis from Roy Fielding describing the concept of Representative State Transfer (REST). REST is an architectural style that can be summed up as four verbs (GET, POST, PUT, and DELETE from HTTP 1.1) and the nouns, which are the resources available on the network (referenced in the URI). The verbs have the following operational equivalents:

HTTP CRUD Equivalent
==============================
GET read
POST create,update,delete
PUT create,update
DELETE delete

A service to get the details of a user called 'dsmith', for example, would be handled using an HTTP GET to http://example.org/users/dsmith. Deleting the user would use an HTTP DELETE, and creating a new one would mostly likely be done with a POST. The need to reference other resources would be handled using hyperlinks (the XML equivalent of HTTP's href, which is XLinks' xlink:href) and separate HTTP request-responses.

A Simple RESTful Service

Re-writing the stock quote service above as a RESTful web service provides a nice illustration of the differences between SOAP and REST web services.

The request:

GET /StockPrice/IBM HTTP/1.1
Host: example.org
Accept: text/xml
Accept-Charset: utf-8

The response:

HTTP/1.1 200 OK
Content-Type: text/xml; charset=utf-8
Content-Length: nnn



IBM
45.25


Though slightly modified (to include the ticker symbol in the response), the RESTful version is still simpler and more concise than the RPC-style SOAP version. In a sense, as well, RESTful web services are much closer in design and philosophy to the Web itself.

Defining the Contract

Traditionally, the big drawback of REST vis-a-vis SOAP was the lack of any way of specifying a description/contract for the web service. This, however, has changed since WSDL 2.0 defines a full compliment of non-SOAP bindings (all the HTTP methods, not just GET and POST) and the emergence of WADL as an alternative to WSDL. This will be discussed in more detail in coming articles.

Summary and Pros/Cons

SOAP and RESTful web services have a very different philosophy from each other. SOAP is really a protocol for XML-based distributed computing, whereas REST adheres much more closely to a bare metal, web-based design. SOAP by itself is not that complex; it can get complex, however, when it is used with its numerous extensions (guilt by association).

To summarize their strengths and weaknesses:

*** SOAP ***

Pros:

* Langauge, platform, and transport agnostic
* Designed to handle distributed computing environments
* Is the prevailing standard for web services, and hence has better support from other standards (WSDL, WS-*) and tooling from vendors
* Built-in error handling (faults)
* Extensibility

Cons:

* Conceptually more difficult, more "heavy-weight" than REST
* More verbose
* Harder to develop, requires tools

*** REST ***

Pros:

* Language and platform agnostic
* Much simpler to develop than SOAP
* Small learning curve, less reliance on tools
* Concise, no need for additional messaging layer
* Closer in design and philosophy to the Web

Cons:

* Assumes a point-to-point communication model--not usable for distributed computing environment where message may go through one or more intermediaries
* Lack of standards support for security, policy, reliable messaging, etc., so services that have more sophisticated requirements are harder to develop ("roll your own")
* Tied to the HTTP transport model

What's Next

In the next article in this series I will discuss WSDL, what contract-first web service development means, and (the dark horse) WADL. Stay tuned!

Winning by Core Idea + Partnership - Allurent

Adobe
Adobe (www.adobe.com) is motivated by the belief that great experiences build great businesses. Adobe's software empowers millions of business users, developers, and designers to create and deliver effective, compelling, and memorable experiences - on the Internet, on fixed media, on wireless, and on digital devices.

Allurent uses Adobe technology extensively in its core product suite. Additionally, Allurent has built a prototype desktop application named Allurent Desktop Connection (ADC) which is built on the Adobe® AIR,™ platform.
Scene 7
Scene 7, an Adobe Company www.scene7.com), offers Scene7 On Demand, a hosted rich media platform to enable companies to grow revenues, enhance customer experience and cut production costs. Adobe Scene7 On Demand offers rich media solutions built on a robust, integrated technology platform for unrivaled breadth, depth, scalability and ease of ongoing rich media use.

Allurent has extended its existing partnership with Adobe Systems to resell Scene7 On Demand in North America. This reseller relationship provides online retailers with a one-stop shop for creating compelling shopping experiences that leverage the combination of Allurent's rich Internet commerce and Scene7's industry-leading Dynamic Imaging solutions.
Blueport Commerce
Blueport Commerce is the trusted provider of e-commerce technology and services to considered commerce retail chains representing over 2,100 stores and $8 Billion in sales. Created by the management team of Furniture.com, the furniture industry's leading e-commerce solution, Blueport Commerce is a one-stop shop combining a decade of experience, innovative technology and customized services to help make the considered commerce retailer's transition to e-commerce easy, worry-free and profitable. Learn more at www.blueport.com.

Blueport Commerce offers Allurent on Demand to its ecommerce clients. Allurent on Demand interactive widgets are used by Leon's, Canada's largest retailer of home furnishings, as well as Flooring America and Carpet One.
ATG
ATG (www.atg.com) makes the software that the world's largest and most prestigious companies use to create and manage highly targeted, relevant, and rewarding online marketing, sales, and service initiatives. Core to ATG's solution set is the ecommerce platform declared a market leader by both Forrester Research and Gartner. ATG powers the online business of many of the world's best known brands including: Best Buy, The Body Shop, Casual Male, Foot Locker, J.Crew, Restoration Hardware, Sephora, Target, Walgreen Company, Sharper Image, Benetton, Neiman Marcus, InterContinental Hotels Group, American Airlines, Sony Online, Hotels.com, and Mercedes Benz.

ATG and Allurent have partnered to deliver Allurent Checkout, Allurent Details, and Allurent Display as part of the ATG Commerce OnDemand platform. Through this partnership, ATG leverages Allurent's rich shopping features that highlight ATG's strong personalization and commerce capabilities.
Bazaarvoice
Bazaarvoice (www.bazaarvoice.com) develops outsourced technology, services, analytics, and expertise to encourage and harness word of mouth marketing and bring it closer to a company's brand and customer experience. The company is privately held with venture capital funding from Austin Ventures.

Allurent and Bazaarvoice cooperate in marketing and sales initiatives.
Coremetrics
Coremetrics (www.coremetrics.com) is the leading provider of online marketing and business optimization solutions. Its products help businesses increase revenues and find and retain their most profitable customers by maximizing every online interaction. More than 1,500 online brands globally, transacting more than $20 billion this year, use Coremetrics' Software as a Service (SaaS) to optimize their online marketing. The company's solutions encompass Coremetrics web analytics and integrated precision marketing applications, including search engine bid management, email targeting and cross sell recommendations to acquire customers more cost effectively, increase conversion rates, and increase lifetime customer value.

Allurent and Coremetrics cooperate in marketing and sales initiatives.
Demandware
Demandware (www.demandware.com) provides an ecommerce platform that combines full merchandising control and flexible functionality with the optimal profitability that only a Software as a Service (SaaS)-based pricing model can offer. With Demandware, retailers and manufacturers have complete control over the online brand and customer experience because they can tailor every aspect from the "look and feel" to the functionality to meet the needs of their specific customer profile. And all with a scalable architecture that provides features and functionality retailers will never outgrow.

Through its partnership with Allurent, Demandware customers can leverage Allurent's full suite of products and features improving all aspects of the online shopping lifecycle.
Endeca
Endeca's (www.endeca.com) innovative information access software powers the user experience of the world's most successful and demanding websites. More than 500 leading global organizations including Barnes & Noble, Circuit City, Discovery Communications, The Home Depot, Marriott, Newegg, Nike, Panasonic, and Walmart.com rely on Endeca to boost revenue, reduce costs and increase customer loyalty.

Allurent has partnered with Endeca to offer retailers an integrated solution that incorporates the Endeca Information Access Platform with Allurent Navigation and Allurent Details. For additional information, please visit www.endeca.com.
ForeSee Results
ForeSee Results (www.ForeSeeResults.com) is the leader in online customer satisfaction measurement, using online voice of customer data to help organizations around the globe increase sales, loyalty, recommendations, and website value. Using a proven, patented technology, ForeSee Results identifies the improvements to websites and other online initiatives with the greatest ROI. With over 28 million survey responses collected to date and benchmarks across dozens of industries, ForeSee Results offers our clients unparalleled expertise in customer satisfaction measurement and management. ForeSee Results works with clients across industries, including: retail, financial services, healthcare, manufacturing, telecommunications, and government, including clients such as Borders, Sears, Newegg, Ace Hardware, NFL, and The Finish Line.

Allurent and ForeSee Results cooperate in marketing and sales initiatives. ForeSee Results, a privately held company, is headquartered in Michigan and can be found on the web at www.ForeSeeResults.com
Omniture
Omniture (www.omniture.com) is a leading provider of online business optimization software. Omniture's software, delivered to customers through hosted, on-demand services, offers an easier and more flexible way to manage online, multi-channel and off-line business initiatives without costly investments in IT infrastructure.

As an Omniture Accredited Application Partner, Allurent's innovative e-commerce products are available for automated integration via Omniture Genesis. Companies can now use a pre-configured wizard to automate integration between Allurent's rich media products and Omniture SiteCatalyst®.

Online retailers implementing Allurent's rich commerce applications can successfully measure the ROI of e-commerce transactions that take place in Flash-based applications through the integration with Omniture SiteCatalyst.
Onestop Internet
Onestop Internet provides turn-key e-commerce services to companies on a completely outsourced basis. These services include design, fulfillment, customer service, technology, photography and marketing. Clients include Seven for All Mankind, Betsey Johnson, London Fog, J Brand, Paul Frank, Nicole Miller, True Religion Brand Jeans, lululemon athletica and Splendid, among other esteemed brands. The company is based in Rancho Dominguez, California. Please visit www.onestop.com.

Onestop Internet offers Allurent on Demand to its portfolio on ecommerce clients. The companies currently have several joint deployments underway.
PowerReviews
PowerReviews (www.powerreviews.com) is an enterprise solutions company that provides customer reviews and social-merchandising solutions to retailers, driving higher conversion and increased purchase satisfaction. PowerReviews' patent-pending PowerTagsTM technology captures customer opinions in their own words, making reviews more useful for shoppers, empowering them to make more informed and confident purchase decisions. Its customers include Staples, Toys'R'Us, the Wine Enthusiast, NetShops, Ritz Camera, the Sports Authority, and over 100 more. With the introduction of Buzzillions.com, the company has entered the consumer shopping portal market, leveraging its tag-based technology to introduce social navigation and affinity recommendations into the shopping research process for consumers.

About Winners

Winners are too busy to be sad,
Too positive to be doubtful,
Too optimistic to be fearful,
And too determined to be Defeated

Ways to Get Your Team Engaged

Courtesy - HBR

2 Ways to Get Your Team Engaged

Team meetings are supposed to be collaborative events. If you are doing all the talking and your team members are doing all the listening, something's not right. Here are two ways to revive your team and get their best thinking out on the table:

1. Share your ideas sparingly. It is tempting to share all of your genius ideas upfront. Instead, share one or two suggestions at a time. By limiting your comments, you give others the chance to contribute.
2. Ask lots of questions. Don't worry about having all of the answers. Ask insightful questions that spark discussion. When people speak up, ask them to clarify their ideas so others can understand.

Steps to Recover from a Mistake

Courtesy - HBR

3 Steps to Recover from a Mistake

While most people accept that mistakes are inevitable, no one likes to make them. The good news is that even large errors don't have to be career-enders if they are handled well. Next time you make a blunder, follow these three steps to recover gracefully:

1. Fess up. Trying to hide a mistake or downplay its importance can be fatal to your career. Be candid and transparent about the mistake, take responsibility for your part in it, and don't be defensive.
2. Make necessary changes. Mistakes are important learning opportunities. Explain to your boss and other interested parties what you will do differently going forward.
3. Get back out there. Don't let your errors keep you from ever taking risks again. Once the mistake is behind you, focus on the future.

Good One1

If you treat people well and let them know you value them, they will often live upto your expectations.

Relationship Tips

Problem-solving strategies: You and your partner can develop trust in each other by following these tips :

* TRUST - Key to Relationship
* Be consistent.
* Be on time.
* Do what you say you will do.
* Don't lie -- not even little white lies, to your partner or to others.
* Be fair, even in an argument.
* Be sensitive to the other's feelings. You can still disagree but don't discount how your partner is feeling.
* Call when you say you will.
* Call to say you'll be home late.
* Carry your fair share of the workload.
* Don't overreact when things go wrong.
* Never say things you can't take back.
* Don't dig up old wounds.
* Respect your partner's boundaries.
* Don’t be jealous.
* Be a good listener.

3 Tips for Achieving Short-Term

3 Tips for Achieving Short-Term
Career Goals
Development efforts often focus on how you can achieve your career goals over the long term. Short-term successes, however, are critical to making your next move and preparing for those long-term aspirations. Here are three immediate ways to build your career options:

1. Play to your strengths - Do more of what you do best. Early in a career, it makes sense to try a bit of everything and push to improve in areas of weakness, but at a certain point, it is better to focus on your strengths.
2. Reinforce your "brand." Choose activities outside work that develop the image you want to convey. For example, volunteer for the school building committee if you're good at managing projects. Gain broader experience and conversational ways to reinforce your capabilities at work.
3. Create the context for success. Surround yourself with people you need to do your work well. People have to recognize common values and goals before they're likely to share what they know, so invest in these relationships.

From HBR-> Mgmt-Tip

Good One - Need to Know

Never Break Four Things in your Life - Trust, Promise, Heart and Relation. Because, When they BREAK they don't make NOISE, But PAIN'S a LOT.

PEST

Should You Be An Entrepreneur?

Should You Be An Entrepreneur? Take This Test

by Daniel Isenberg - Babson College

Some of your friends are doing it. People who do it are in the front pages and web almost every day. Even President Obama is talking about it. So should you do it? Should you join the millions of people every year who take the plunge and start their first ventures? I've learned in my own years as an entrepreneur — and now an entrepreneurship professor — that there is a gut level "fit" for people who are potential entrepreneurs. There are strong internal drivers that compel people to create their own business. I've developed a 2–minute Isenberg Entrepreneur Test, below, to help you find out. Just answer yes or no. Be honest with yourself — remember from my last post: the worst lies are the ones we tell ourselves.

1. I don't like being told what to do by people who are less capable than I am.
2. I like challenging myself.
3. I like to win.
4. I like being my own boss.
5. I always look for new and better ways to do things.
6. I like to question conventional wisdom.
7. I like to get people together in order to get things done.
8. People get excited by my ideas.
9. I am rarely satisfied or complacent.
10. I can't sit still.
11. I can usually work my way out of a difficult situation.
12. I would rather fail at my own thing than succeed at someone else's.
13. Whenever there is a problem, I am ready to jump right in.
14. I think old dogs can learn — even invent — new tricks.
15. Members of my family run their own businesses.
16. I have friends who run their own businesses.
17. I worked after school and during vacations when I was growing up.
18. I get an adrenaline rush from selling things.
19. I am exhilarated by achieving results.
20. I could have written a better test than Isenberg (and here is what I would change ....)

If you answered "yes" on 17 or more of these questions, look at your paycheck (if you are lucky enough to still get one). If the company that issued the check isn't owned by you, it is time for some soul searching: Do you have debts to pay? Kids in college? Alimony? Want to take it easy? Maybe better to wait. Do you have a little extra cash in the bank and several credit cards? Do you have a spouse, partner, friends, or kids who will cheer you on? If so, start thinking about what kind of business you want to set up. It doesn't matter what age you are: research by the Kauffman Foundation shows that more and more over–50s are setting up their own businesses. Talk to people who have made the plunge, learn how to plan and deliver a product or service, think about that small business you might buy, talk to people with whom you would like to work, and talk to customers.

"I like to take risks" is not on the list. People don't choose to be entrepreneurs by opting for a riskier lifestyle. What they do, instead, is reframe the salary vs. entrepreneur choice as between two different sets of risk: the things they don't like about having a steady job — such as the risk of boredom, working for a bad boss, lack of autonomy, lack of control over your fate, and getting laid off — and the things they fear about being an entrepreneur — possible failure, financial uncertainty, shame or embarrassment, and lost investment. In the end, people who are meant to be entrepreneurs believe that their own abilities (e.g. leadership, resourcefulness, pluck, hard work) or assets (e.g. money, intellectual property, information, access to customers) significantly mitigate the risks of entrepreneurship. Risk is ultimately a personal assessment: what is risky for me is not risky for you.

"I want to get rich" is not on the list either. All else being equal (and all else is rarely equal in the real world), on the average, people who set up their own businesses don't make more money, although a few do succeed in grabbing the brass ring. But the "psychic benefits" — the challenge, autonomy, recognition, excitement, and creativity — make it all worthwhile.

Daniel Isenberg is a Professor of Management Practice, Babson College

10 Rules of Life by CC

cherie carter-scott's rules of life

Cherie Carter-Scott PhD is a very modern guru. Her theories explain our attitudes and behaviour with a special clarity, and provide a practical guide to behaviour and self development. Dr. Carter-Scott achieved her PhD in human and organisational development and for the nearly 30 years has been an international lecturer, consultant and author. She founded the MMS (Motivation Management Service) Institute and has been called a guardian angel to CEO's. Carter-Scott's book 'If Life Is A Game, These Are The Rules' is essential reading if you are interested in behaviour, relationships, communications, and human personality. Cherie Carter-Scott's rules for life - also known as 'The Ten Rules For Being Human' and referenced in her book with Jack Canfield: 'Chicken Soup For The Soul' - are a map for understanding and pursuing personal development, and for helping others to understand and develop too. 'If Life Is A Game, These Are The Rules' is also commonly referenced book in the life-coaching industry.

Here is a brief summary and explanation of Cherie Carter-Scott's 'rules of life'.

cherie carter-scott's rules of life

(Carter Scott references this quotation:) "Life is a succession of lessons which must be lived to be understood." (Helen Keller)

Rule One - You will receive a body. Whether you love it or hate it, it's yours for life, so accept it. What counts is what's inside.

Rule Two - You will be presented with lessons. Life is a constant learning experience, which every day provides opportunities for you to learn more. These lessons specific to you, and learning them 'is the key to discovering and fulfilling the meaning and relevance of your own life'.

Rule Three - There are no mistakes, only lessons. Your development towards wisdom is a process of experimentation, trial and error, so it's inevitable things will not always go to plan or turn out how you'd want. Compassion is the remedy for harsh judgement - of ourselves and others. Forgiveness is not only divine - it's also 'the act of erasing an emotional debt'. Behaving ethically, with integrity, and with humour - especially the ability to laugh at yourself and your own mishaps - are central to the perspective that 'mistakes' are simply lessons we must learn.

Rule Four - The lesson is repeated until learned. Lessons repeat until learned. What manifest as problems and challenges, irritations and frustrations are more lessons - they will repeat until you see them as such and learn from them. Your own awareness and your ability to change are requisites of executing this rule. Also fundamental is the acceptance that you are not a victim of fate or circumstance - 'causality' must be acknowledged; that is to say: things happen to you because of how you are and what you do. To blame anyone or anything else for your misfortunes is an escape and a denial; you yourself are responsible for you, and what happens to you. Patience is required - change doesn't happen overnight, so give change time to happen.

Rule Five - Learning does not end. While you are alive there are always lessons to be learned. Surrender to the 'rhythm of life', don't struggle against it. Commit to the process of constant learning and change - be humble enough to always acknowledge your own weaknesses, and be flexible enough to adapt from what you may be accustomed to, because rigidity will deny you the freedom of new possibilities.

Rule Six - "There" is no better than "here". The other side of the hill may be greener than your own, but being there is not the key to endless happiness. Be grateful for and enjoy what you have, and where you are on your journey. Appreciate the abundance of what's good in your life, rather than measure and amass things that do not actually lead to happiness. Living in the present helps you attain peace.

Rule Seven - Others are only mirrors of you. You love or hate something about another person according to what love or hate about yourself. Be tolerant; accept others as they are, and strive for clarity of self-awareness; strive to truly understand and have an objective perception of your own self, your thoughts and feelings. Negative experiences are opportunities to heal the wounds that you carry. Support others, and by doing so you support yourself. Where you are unable to support others it is a sign that you are not adequately attending to your own needs.

Rule Eight - What you make of your life is up to you. You have all the tools and resources you need. What you do with them is up to you. Take responsibility for yourself. Learn to let go when you cannot change things. Don't get angry about things - bitter memories clutter your mind. Courage resides in all of us - use it when you need to do what's right for you. We all possess a strong natural power and adventurous spirit, which you should draw on to embrace what lies ahead.

Rule Nine - Your answers lie inside of you. Trust your instincts and your innermost feelings, whether you hear them as a little voice or a flash of inspiration. Listen to feelings as well as sounds. Look, listen, and trust. Draw on your natural inspiration.

Rule Ten - You will forget all this at birth. We are all born with all of these capabilities - our early experiences lead us into a physical world, away from our spiritual selves, so that we become doubtful, cynical and lacking belief and confidence. The ten Rules are not commandments, they are universal truths that apply to us all. When you lose your way, call upon them. Have faith in the strength of your spirit. Aspire to be wise - wisdom the ultimate path of your life, and it knows no limits other than those you impose on yourself.

Porters Five Forces + Blue Ocean Strategy

Combining Porter's FIVE Forces for Competitive Strategy and Blue Ocean Strategy can yield really measurable results.

Complete focus on Blue Ocean Strategy might let to break even point. But controlled focus on BOS and concentrating on Five Forces can lead to measurable results in Business

Difference between : Losers - Defenders - Dreamers - Winners

Types of People that we come across in our LIVES:

Losers - These are people who don't really care about things in life. They take life as it comes or turns to them.

Defenders - These are people who give reasons for not doing things in their life. They makeup reasons for their failures without making sincere effort to succeed in their respective endeavor.

Dreamers - These are people who have a dream to acheive BIG/SMALL, but don't have concrete plan to achieve them. They just think they will do it, but they really don't know how to do it not they don't take initiative to get to the state of realizing their dream.

Winners - These are the people who dream to acheive BIG/SMALL and have a GAMEPLAN to achieve it. They focus on their execution to adhere to the plan and make all necessary efforts sincerely to SUCCEED and they surely do succeed either exceed or meet their targets.

Ten Powerfull Phrases for +VE People

I'm Wrong
I'm Sorry
You Can Do It
I Believe in You
I'm Proud of You
Thank You
I Need You
I Trust You
I Respect You
I Love You

Keys for Thought

1. Managing Innovation
2. Managing Change
3. Customers First - Agents for Business Success

Take Innovation Baby Steps

Forget Breakthroughs: Take Innovation Baby Steps
Every innovator hopes for and works toward breakthrough innovations. But in tough economic times, innovation often requires too much risk for an organization and its change-resistant customers. Instead of dreaming of The Next Big Thing, focus on innovating in smaller, shorter bursts. Look for improvements to current products and services. Use small and cheap experiments to test new ideas. Seek out innovations that are easily adapted by consumers and don't require huge investments. These innovations are more likely to be palatable to your stakeholders and customers, and they're often the building blocks for larger, more long-term breakthroughs.

From HBR-MgmtTip