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1. Editorial: Top Oxymorons
One of the highlights of this week was a trip to London to meet up with a television company who have been commissioned to produce a series called 'Build Your Dream' about individuals who start their own venture - literally building a new life for themselves. I wanted to find out what actual support they were going to give their participants and to see (as a self-styled 'Dream Architect') I could help. (see Award-Winning 'Be a Hot Shot Business Owner' and build your own business online using Item 5. Just for a Laugh!)
On the way back on the delightful Marylebone to Birmingham - Chiltern Line, I was amusing myself by compiling a list of 'Oxymorons' when I found myself stuck on the phrase 'Public Servant'. At first, I couldn't figure out where the phrase figured in the scheme of things, but then realised that a neighbouring passenger had been on his mobile for over an hour and forty-five minutes to a colleague, talking mostly about 'having conversations' about 'regulations.' It made me think of another oxymoron: 'Tax Return.'
1. Act naturally
2. Found missing
3. Resident alien
4. Advanced BASIC
5. Genuine imitation
6. Airline food
7. Political science
8. Tight slacks
9. Definite maybe
10. Pretty ugly
11. Good grief
12. Same difference
13. Almost exactly
14. Government organization
15. Working vacation
16. Soft rock
17. Plastic glasses
18. Terribly pleased
19. Diet ice cream
20. Sensitive male buy the 'T' Shirt
Please send us your favourites and we will compile a list for you.
2. Career Development Notes 1:
Would you be excited if I told you that you could now identify your dream career and find that dream job online? if you've ever wondered how you were going to get your next job and get ahead in your career - you'll be thrilled to learn that there is now a job search site that will give you all the tools normally only available to people leaving large corporates.
You know, for years it has been my 'mission' in life 'To make good careers advice available to everyone'. Our new site is now 'live' and will revolutionise the outplacement, career management and job search business. For the first time, anybody in the world will be able to buy themselves a complete Job Search package to help them find a new job, enhance their personal development and manage their careers. Companies will be able to trial this service for their people too!
SPECIAL READER'S OFFER It's a steal - we are offering you access to our ground-breaking site at a silly price so you can benefit and tell your friends (If it's 'good' tell your mates, if it is not, tell us.) Careersnet is an integrated personal portal that brings you international job search and outplacement tools, job research facilities, an active community and job opportunities to your desktop.
Sign up for a job search package and....
- You will meet your own personal one-to-one job search coach who will take you through the programme and help you identify and obtain the job of your dreams.
- Find out what that job or business might be by using our interactive personal analysis tools to look at what you are good at what, find out what you enjoy doing and transfer your skills.
- Once you've obtained some ideas of potential job preferences using our unique personal brainstorming approach, you can use our job search manual (road-tested with every nationality) to take you through a proven step by step approach to getting that job!
- Use our ebusiness card and eCV builder to put together your targetted promotional material and send it automatically to erecruiters and decision-makers internationally. (As a special introductory offer we will personally write your CV with you, offer available for a limited period only)
- Join our 'live' online coaching workshops to help plan your job search, put together your CV and resume, learn how to 'kick start' your networking and win at those interviews.
- Use our forums to talk to job search experts, like-minded individuals and companies recruiting in growth markets.
- Network in an electronic world of job boards and applicant tracking systems and talk to decision-makers.
- Sign up for our executive package and not only do you get all the above, plus extra personal one to one coaching, but you have access to all the tools and information that you could possibly need to run your career or business. Access 'live' newsfeeds from every country in the world, send your ECV and resume to the personal addresses of executive headhunters and recruiters in every function and industry - interim management, venture capital, investment banking, management consultancy, corporate finance, ecommerce and on and on.
Treat yourself to our deluxe Executive package and you'll find it is crammed to overflowing with pretty much every 'gold service' job, career and business site on the internet. (as well as previously unpublished lists of the business contact details of every headhunter in 100k plus specialist functional areas.) It's been designed it to provide every informational resource that a business person might need, day by day, minute by minute. It's your ultimate virtual hot desk facility.
Amongst a huge number of premium facilities, Executive Club members can target growth companies, access deep-researched sites and international business archives, find business angels, be business angels, watch newsfeeds from every country, merchant/trade goods, buy at international auctions, find funding, conduct online procurement and even track your containers via web cam across any border crossing in the world. Freight Detective's Spyglass (Mmmm, while you are there - try out 'Strangers on my Flight', Sinatra)
These deep-researched sites are there - if only you know where to look and I have spent over fifteen years collecting material for the use of my particular clients. Phew! (By the way, existing clients will get free access as part of their programme - so you better hurry up if you are one of those lovely people still just thinking about it.)
Speaking of free access - Share your career experiences and get free personal advice from our resident 'Career Doctor' and learn from other career and job hunters globally
3. Success Stories: Do your people feel valued? - ACP International Event in the Midlands Thursday 25 March 2004
'Put on Your Big Ears' for Richard Wilkins - TV, Radio, World-Class Inspirational Speaker, Author, Founder of the 'Ministry of Inspiration' and promoter of kindness @work! Join a fantastic ACP International, Midlands event on Thursday 25 March 2004 - 6.30 for 7pm at our offices in Knowle, Solihull. Click here for more details.
The most common complaint in the workplace is people feeling unvalued. The Sunday Times 100 Best Companies To Work For 2003 sent out a powerful message..."people only care about companies that care about people". By far the most effective way of making people feel valued is through kindness, which although accepted and acknowledged for it's vital importance is largely assumed and taken for granted. Kindness is rarely found at the top of meeting agendas nor does it form the core subject of training programs. So the huge potential for achieving results through 'simple kindness' is all too often missed.
What does
kindness@work teach?
How to use the power of kindness to achieve real and lasting results in the workplace.
- How to use kindness to bring out the best in all people and all situations
- How to win respect by being 'actively' kind
- A greater understanding of our feelings that will enable us to avoid future situations of stress, strain and illness.
- How to raise self-esteem - the single most limiting factor in our lives.
- How to communicate on an emotional level, using emotions rather than intellect.
- A clear meaning of what inspiration really is, and what inspiration isn't.
- How we can be an inspiration to others and to ourselves.
- How to achieve and adopt an inspired attitude that will affect every aspect of your life.
- How we can use negative situations to create positive results (rather than slogging away trying to eradicate them)
How does it work?
By winning the trust and respect of delegates. Using - our groundbreaking 'open-heart' training.
By demonstrating the power of kindness. Using - delegates own feelings.
By getting people to put on "big ears". Using - amazing real life examples not theory.
By connecting, captivating the attention of delegates. Using - unique content and dynamic presentation.
The Ministry Of Inspiration, P O Box 454, Northampton NN4 0GJ, Tel 01604 7618 Email:info@foreverinspired.co.uk
4. Career Development Notes 2: LOVE YOUR JOB: Whose Career Is It Anyway? by Carl Dierschow
"I hate my job!" "My boss is an eejit!"
These are such common complaints - it must mean there's not a decent place to work anymore. But is that really true? What would make you love your job?
The answer is deceptively simple: You choose what you experience. That's right, it's your actions which make a difference. But if it was that easy, couldn't you be happy just by acting happy?
Probably not - there's a little more to it. You have to build your work environment, your direction, and your career. If you wait for your employer to do it, chances are you won't be satisfied with the result - because there's no one that knows what you want and need as well as you do.
To create the wonderful job experience takes three steps. First, understand and take care of yourself. Second, create a network of supporters around you. Third, deliver value to your employer.
You start by understanding your needs, wants, and life purpose. There are many ways to explore this - through introspection, feedback from others around you, and coaching. Once you become clear on where you're going, you can find ways to address your needs both on and off the job. For instance, if you are energised by challenges, you can negotiate more challenging assignments with your boss. Or perhaps take on challenges in your personal life.
But since it's your life, you have the responsibility to take it in the direction which will give you joy and fulfilment.
None of us have jobs which are independent of those around us. In fact, the results of your organisation depend precisely on the relationships which pull each person's contribution into a larger whole. So the next step is to create those relationships in a way which help you and help the group.
The basic principle is clear: How you treat others will be reflected in how they treat you. This is something I learnt at my mothers' knee, and is fundamental to the functioning of any group. In order to be treated well by others, you will have to treat them well - recognize their efforts, value their points of view, and give freely of yourself.
Over time this creates a rather large network of people who recognize your contribution, value you as a person, and want to help you succeed. In organisations this is the most valuable asset you will ever have, even more than having a position of authority.
Finally, no-one will have much of a career without continuing to deliver value. This is tricky, though - what is truly valued by the organisation might be different to what it says it values. There is usually a complex web of stated and unstated values, rules and norms. The more you understand these dimensions, the easier it will be to address both the technical needs (what you need to deliver) as well as the soft needs (how you go about it) of your job, group, and organisation.
Creating the perfect career or vocation may take a lifetime, but what better purpose is there to your life? You decide!
"One could say a key task in life is to discover and define our life purpose, and then accomplish it to the best of our ability."
- The Dalai LamaTen
Carl Dierschow is the author of Mondays Stink! 23 Secrets to Rediscover Delight and Fulfillment in Your Work. This book will help you bring life to your career and create the perfect job. For more information go to www.dierschow.com.
5. Just for a Laugh!: Be a Hot Shot Business Owner - and build your dream business!
6. Don't forget! Visit http://www.thehungersite.com (my favourite site) to give food to the hungry with just a click - every day and at no cost to you.
HOW IT WORKS
When you click the "Give Free Food" button (once a day per person) at http://www.thehungersite.com/home, this simple action gives more than a cup of fortified food to a hungry person. In 2003 -- over 45 million cups of food were funded for the hungry around the world...
Funding generated by clicks on the "Give Free Food" button gave 43,827,602 cups to those in need. And, shopping in The Hunger Site store generated funding for an additional 1,818,600 cups of staple food.
It costs you nothing. Funding is paid by site sponsors and benefits two leading, nonprofit hunger relief organizations: Mercy Corps and America's Second Harvest.
The number of people clicking determines the amount of food that goes to the hungry, so please forward the message along.
WHY CLICK?
There is enough food in the world for every man, woman and child. Yet an estimated one billion of the world's people live in poverty and face chronic hunger. 24,000 die daily. 75% of them are children under age five.
Clicking costs nothing but a few seconds of your time, and gives help and hope to a person in desperate need. Click here to give free food: http://www.thehungersite.com/home |
