Leadership Exposed: Things You Thought You Knew About Leadership

Much has been written about leadership: rules, pointers, styles, and biographies of inspiring leaders throughout world history. But there are certain leadership ideas that we ourselves fail to recognize and realize in the course of reading books. Here is a short list of things you thought you knew about leadership.

1. Leaders come in different flavors.

There are different types of leaders and you will probably encounter more than one type in your lifetime. Formal leaders are those we elect into positions or offices such as the senators, congressmen, and presidents of the local clubs. Informal leaders or those we look up to by virtue of their wisdom and experience such as in the case of the elders of a tribe, or our grandparents; or by virtue of their expertise and contribution on a given field such as Albert Einstein in the field of Theoretical Physics and Leonardo da Vinci in the field of the Arts. Both formal and informal leaders practice a combination of leadership styles.

· Lewin’s three basic leadership styles – authoritative, participative, and delegative

· Likert’s four leadership styles – exploitive authoritative, benevolent authoritative, consultative, and participative

· Goleman’s six emotional leadership styles - visionary, coaching, affiliative, democratic, pacesetting, and commanding.

2. Leadership is a process of becoming.

Although certain people seem to be born with innate leadership qualities, without the right environment and exposure, they may fail to develop their full potential. So like learning how to ride a bicycle, you can also learn how to become a leader and hone your leadership abilities. Knowledge on leadership theories and skills may be formally gained by enrolling in leadership seminars, workshops, and conferences. Daily interactions with people provide the opportunity to observe and practice leadership theories. Together, formal and informal learning will help you gain leadership attitudes, gain leadership insights, and thus furthering the cycle of learning. You do not become a leader in one day and just stop. Life-long learning is important in becoming a good leader for each day brings new experiences that put your knowledge, skills, and attitude to a test.

3. Leadership starts with you.

The best way to develop leadership qualities is to apply it to your own life. As an adage goes “action speaks louder than words.” Leaders are always in the limelight. Keep in mind that your credibility as a leader depends much on your actions: your interaction with your family, friends, and co-workers; your way of managing your personal and organizational responsibilities; and even the way you talk with the newspaper vendor across the street. Repeated actions become habits. Habits in turn form a person’s character. Steven Covey’s book entitled 7 Habits of Highly Effective People provides good insights on how you can achieve personal leadership.

4. Leadership is shared.

Leadership is not the sole responsibility of one person, but rather a shared responsibility among members of an emerging team. A leader belongs to a group. Each member has responsibilities to fulfill. Formal leadership positions are merely added responsibilities aside from their responsibilities as members of the team. Effective leadership requires members to do their share of work. Starting as a mere group of individuals, members and leaders work towards the formation of an effective team. In this light, social interaction plays a major role in leadership. To learn how to work together requires a great deal of trust between and among leaders and members of an emerging team. Trust is built upon actions and not merely on words. When mutual respect exists, trust is fostered and confidence is built.

5. Leadership styles depend on the situation.

How come dictatorship works for Singapore but not in the United States of America? Aside from culture, beliefs, value system, and form of government, the current situation of a nation also affects the leadership styles used by its formal leaders. There is no rule that only one style can be used. Most of the time, leaders employ a combination of leadership styles depending on the situation. In emergency situations such as periods of war and calamity, decision-making is a matter of life and death. Thus, a nation’s leader cannot afford to consult with all departments to arrive at crucial decisions. The case is of course different in times of peace and order---different sectors and other branches of government can freely interact and participate in governance. Another case in point is in leading organizations. When the staffs are highly motivated and competent, a combination of high delegative and moderate participative styles of leadership is most appropriate. But if the staffs have low competence and low commitment, a combination of high coaching, high supporting, and high directing behavior from organizational leaders is required.

Now that you are reminded of these things, keep in mind that there are always ideas that we think we already know; concepts we take for granted, but are actually the most useful insights on leadership.

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Life is About Choices and the Decisions We Make

Life is like a road. There are long and short roads; smooth and rocky roads; crooked and straight paths. In our life many roads would come our way as we journey through life. There are roads that lead to a life of single blessedness, marriage, and religious vocation. There are also roads that lead to fame and fortune on one hand, or isolation and poverty on the other. There are roads to happiness as there are roads to sadness, roads towards victory and jubilation, and roads leading to defeat and disappointment.

Just like any road, there are corners, detours, and crossroads in life. Perhaps the most perplexing road that you would encounter is a crossroad. With four roads to choose from and with limited knowledge on where they would go, which road will you take? What is the guarantee that we would choose the right one along the way? Would you take any road, or just stay where you are: in front of a crossroad?

There are no guarantees.

You do not really know where a road will lead you until you take it. There are no guarantees. This is one of the most important things you need to realize about life. Nobody said that choosing to do the right thing all the time would always lead you to happiness. Loving someone with all your heart does not guarantee that it would be returned. Gaining fame and fortune does not guarantee happiness. Accepting a good word from an influential superior to cut your trip short up the career ladder is not always bad, especially if you are highly qualified and competent. There are too many possible outcomes, which your really cannot control. The only thing you have power over is the decisions that you will make, and how you would act and react to different situations.

Wrong decisions are always at hindsight.

Had you known that you were making a wrong decision, would you have gone along with it? Perhaps not, why would you choose a certain path when you know it would get you lost? Why make a certain decision if you knew from the very beginning that it is not the right one. It is only after you have made a decision and reflected on it that you realize its soundness. If the consequences or outcomes are good for you, then you have decided correctly. Otherwise, your decision was wrong.

Take the risk: decide.

Since life offers no guarantee and you would never know that your decision would be wrong until you have made it, then you might as well take the risk and decide. It is definitely better than keeping yourself in limbo. Although it is true that one wrong turn could get you lost, it could also be that such a turn could be an opportunity for an adventure, moreover open more roads. It is all a matter of perspective. You have the choice between being a lost traveller or an accidental tourist of life. But take caution that you do not make decisions haphazardly. Taking risks is not about being careless and stupid. Here are some pointers that could help you choose the best option in the face of life’s crossroads:

· Get as many information as you can about your situation.

You cannot find the confidence to decide when you know so little about what you are faced with. Just like any news reporter, ask the 5 W’s: what, who, when, where, and why. What is the situation? Who are the people involved? When did this happen? Where is this leading? Why are you in this situation? These are just some of the possible questions to ask to know more about your situation. This is important. Oftentimes, the reason for indecision is the lack of information about a situation.

· Identify and create options.

What options do the situation give you? Sometimes the options are few, but sometimes they are numerous. But what do you do when you think that the situation offers no options? This is the time that you create your own. Make your creative mind work. From the most simplistic to the most complicated, entertain all ideas. Do not shoot anything down when an idea comes to your head. Sometimes the most outrageous idea could prove to be the right one in the end. You can ask a friend to help you identify options and even make more options if you encounter some difficulty, but make sure that you make the decision yourself in the end.

· Weigh the pros and cons of every option.

Assess each option by looking at the advantages and disadvantages it offers you. In this way, you get more insights about the consequences of such an option.

· Trust yourself and make that decision.

Now that you have assessed your options, it is now time to trust yourself. Remember that there are no guarantees and wrong decisions are always at hindsight. So choose… decide… believe that you are choosing the best option at this point in time.

Now that you have made a decision, be ready to face its consequences: good and bad. It may take you to a place of promise or to a land of problems. But the important thing is that you have chosen to live your life instead of remaining a bystander or a passive audience to your own life. Whether it is the right decision or not, only time can tell. But do not regret it whatever the outcome. Instead, learn from it and remember that you always have the chance to make better decisions in the future.

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All you want to know about vaccinating your pets

Timely vaccinations are very important part of pet’s health. Different types of vaccine shots are to be given at different times. Some people are against vaccination and some are in favor of vaccination, but the assertion is that there are risks involved with both. A firm statement cannot be passed on a broader level, instead the rules vary from one individual animal to another depending on the needs and tolerance levels of the animal. There are certain factors based on which the decision must be taken.

Young ones which have been separated from their mothers before six weeks and are bottle-fed are at a higher risk of getting diseases. This is because the animals, which feed on their mother’s milk, get maternal antibodies, which protects them until their own immune system has been fully developed. The development of immune system can differ on the basis of amount and type of viruses they are getting exposed to, the potency of the virus and the body’s ability to face the virus attack. Diet and nutrition also plays an important role in preventing diseases.

Animals, which aren’t exposed enough also needs to be vaccinated so as to alter the system and help develop it, without causing illness. The quantity is also important, because a little more virus can actually infest the disease in the animal. The amount can be determined by analyzing whether the animal has a weak or strong resistance to the virus.

Age is also another important factor. Animals, which are older in age, react differently. One of the reasons is that the system will be obviously weaker because of the daily activities, when compared to the younger ones. Sine their immune system would have undergone different conditions; there could be a possibility of deposition of toxins in the body. Sometimes the healthier older animal won’t be requiring vaccination at all if it has received adequate shots before.

Before vaccinating an animal, its history should be checked. The number of times a particular vaccination has been given should be checked against the records. There are breeders who give a weekly dose of vaccination to their animal, which is for sure an over dose. This leads to many problems such as thickening of blood because of the protein complexes released from the immune system. This can also damage other internal organs and might even result in the failure of the immune system. In worst circumstances, it could even lead to the death of the animal.

Pregnant females react differently to the vaccines when compared to their male and female counterparts. The pregnant females should never be injected with live virus vaccines or even exposed to other animals that have recently received them. Animals, which have been injected with dead-virus vaccines, are safe for the childbearing animal.

Animals, which are already suffering from a disease, should be examined more carefully, so that the vaccination doesn’t aggravate the problem. Genetics also plays an important role. If the animal stands a chance of getting a disease because of hereditary reason, vaccinations can create an adverse reaction.

The environment also plays a major role. If the animal is kept in a sanitary and clean place, it is exposed to lesser viruses, which lowers it’s chances of getting diseases. A dirtier environment not only spreads viruses and bacteria but also affects the immune system and other systems adversely as toxins begin to deposit in the body. The vaccination plan should be designed after analyzing the lifestyle of the animal.

Another major reason for difference in the quantity of vaccination is the improvement in the vaccinations itself. They have become safer and more efficient. No tests have proved the affective period of the vaccinations. Every state and country has different regulations about vaccination. Vaccination testing cannot only risk the life of the animal, but as well as that of a human. For example, if a dog, which is being tested for rabies vaccination, bites a human, it can lead to the death of the human, in extreme circumstances. Many states in United States demand vaccination when owners try to get permit for exotic animals. The facility vet decided which vaccines should be given and which should be exempted for the safety of the animal.

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What You Must Understand About The Facebook Ppc Advertising System If You Want To Succeed

Facebook ads are PPC. BUT they require a very different approach from other PPC avenues like Google AdWords or MSN/Bing Advertising. This is often a hard lesson for many who want to just transfer their campaigns from the search engines over to Facebook. Even if the advertising was wildly successful in the AdWords system, that?s no guarantee of the same in Facebook. Here?s why.

In advertising, context or environment is extremely important. It?s one of the most important factors you must consider for any and all your marketing. Let?s look at AdWords and MSN Advertising first.

THE SEARCH ENGINE PPC ENVIRONMENT EXPLAINED

In AdWords & MSN/Yahoo advertising you are targeting a customer who?s either actively searching for what you sell or at least has the subject on their mind. You?re meeting them on common ground. That commonality being the general product or need they want and you provide.

This is a slightly idealized version of the reality of the system. However, provided that you?re running your search PPC campaign correctly, it?s a fitting description of the mental arena you?re competing within on Google.

One drawback is that your targeting is almost completely done on a basis of keyphrases. In other words, what the searcher types into the search box. You don't necessarily know a lot about the searcher as an individual. You can probably bet that most people searching for ?mortgage refinancing? are over 18 and have a mortgage. Still, you don't know their age, gender, favorite magazines, political affiliation, etc.

That, in a very small nutshell, is the advantages and disadvantages of search engine PPC. So how and why is the Facebook ad system different? And why should it matter to you? Read on.

THE UNIQUE CHALLENGE OF FACEBOOK PPC ADVERTISING

First, you MUST understand the unique challenge that Facebook PPC advertising throws at you. It?s simply this ? the person seeing your ad is not actively looking for what you?re selling. They?re on Facebook to check in with friends, look around, maybe play some games. They?re not necessarily looking for someone to repair their television. That?s a very different prospect than the one on Google who is seeking help with their TV right now.

You have to realize from the very beginning that this is the mindset of someone on Facebook when they see your ad. What is uppermost in their mind is not what you?re selling or even the general subject it falls under. Here?s what you need to do.

You need to construct an ad that reaches out to the reader in such a way that it interrupts whatever they?re doing and gets them to detour into your ad. That will take some testing to find out exactly what that winning appeal will be. You also should prepare for a much smaller Click-Thru-Rate. That?s just how it is when you?re ?Interrupting? rather than ?Fulfilling? (like in search engines).

Your big advantage is that you will have access to actual demographics for targeting your ads. That balances out at least some of the difficulties of ?Interrupting? that the Facebook PPC system requires.

Because of this ?Interrupt?, versus ?Fulfill?, environment in Facebook advertising, it?s very likely that your Google AdWords ads won?t necessarily be your ultimate winners here. They might give you some direction as to what appeals to use, but then again, they might not. Just like any other PPC campaign you will have to Test, Test, Test.

It might take longer to find that winning ad, but Facebook has proven very lucrative for many businesses. Keep at it, keep refining and you have an excellent shot at building a whole new profit stream that?s getting better every day.

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Find Out More About Video Game Addiction

Quit Gaming Dependency Today

Individuals love playing video games, and that's not constantly a foul thing. Whether or not performed on a hand-held device, a computer, or a TV, the video games may provide hours of quiet fun. The video games may enhance PC competencies and much better eye-hand coordination. One subject of examine shown that surgeons who perform video video games perpetrate fewer operative errors than do their non-game-playing counterparts.

Movie video games are psychologically "secure." Once a person can make an error, nobody different recognizes (contrary to the open public abasement of, say, hitting out in a real world ball game). And as every mistake produced in a video game helps the player figure out the particular motion required to progress the following time, the player acquires the satisfaction of steadily bettering and last but not least winning.

Bad downsides?

But video video games bear some grownup downsides. Besides being genuinely expensive, many fashionable video games include visual sex and violence. Perhaps most distressful, these folks may be exceedingly addictive. Any person may turn out to be "addicted" to video games, and people with extra attention deficit hyperactivity dysfunction appear to be at particular risk.

Many them have pitiful sociable or athletic competencies, and this doesn't subject in the domain of video video games. Such video games level the subject for people with ADHD. And people annoyed by distractibility in real existence are able of acute concentrate (hyper concentrate) even though taking part in. The video game "spell" is frequently so relaxed that the solely way to acquire the player's extra attention is to shake her or "go in her face."

Do you notice by yourself supervising how considerably time someone in your existence or you spends with his Gameboy? Do you perpetually advise him to change off the X Box? Does the want to perform video video games dominate her or you existence? As soon as the set must be switched off, do you get angry? If so, the time has come to help this person or by yourself.

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