Here in the southern U.S. where I live, we’ve finally thawed out from a week of solid (pun intended) ice covering the roads and sidewalks, virtually shutting everyone in for almost a week. The freakishly strong storm and lasting arctic chill seemed to give people permission to break some rules – or at least create new ones – to help them both work and live better despite harsh conditions.

People were walking a lot – cars were a definite disadvantage. Kids were playing in the middle of the street – no traffic and unplowed roads made it safer than icy sidewalks. Even organizations adapted to the storm, with corporate leaders switching meetings to conference calls, or canceling events that seemed important but in reality, they could do without.

For the average person, there are no rules for events like this. What is a rule, anyway? At its heart, a rule is “a principle or regulation, governing conduct, action, procedure, arrangement, etc.” To get through the storm and sort through the aftermath, people learned to play without rules.

Now that the ice has melted, I wonder which rules we’re following that no longer need to exist? We are experiencing storms every day in our workplaces and lives. Sometimes the storm is good in the long run, bringing down branches that needed to fall anyway. Sometimes the storm hurts, cutting off careers and livelihoods in its wake. The result is clear: to weather the storms, we must learn how to play without rules.

So the question is “how?” Here are the three things I learned about how my neighbors and friends dealt with the storm and learned to play without rules:

1. They let themselves be creative.
Why did the ten-year-old have cardboard strapped to his feet like skis? “Because it was the best way to travel over the ice,” he said. On the third day of no classes, why did my working mom friend Linda surf a home-schooling website she’d never seen before? “Because I needed fresh ideas to keep the kids away from becoming vegetables.”

No judgment, no apologies, just creative thinking and action. Maybe it works, maybe it doesn’t (Linda says her kids still got a little potato-like), but at least letting yourself be creative gets you moving forward – instead of waiting forever until someone tells you the new rules.

2. They evaluated priorities – and chose wisely.
When all’s going well, we think we can do it all. Our back-to-back schedule will run as planned, our life will be smooth and effortless. And then the storm hits.

When this storm hit, people re-evaluated quickly. Even when it was questionable what would happen Monday morning, people voted with their values Sunday night and realigned their priorities, canceling or rescheduling once seemingly-important commitments. Meetings that didn’t have to happen, didn’t. And the world continued to turn.

3. They trusted themselves.
Later in the week, many people struggled with their offices opening for business, but their local roads still treacherous and public transport nonexistent. I heard stories of people trusting themselves to make the right decision, whether it was the Publix store manager who re-opened the closed supermarket for my friend Martha, or the dry cleaner who called his employees and told them to take a day off rather than risk their lives – and others’ – on the roads. Some people took extra vacation days, trusting it to be the right decision even though it meant fewer fun days-off later in the year.

(As a side note, Reed Hastings, CEO of Netflix, has one rule about tracking vacation days at his fast-growing movie distribution company. The rule is that there are no rules. In fact, Netflix does not track or limit vacation days; if you need some, you tell your manager. Hastings believes that you don’t need detailed policies for everything, especially if you trust your people and they trust themselves. Netflix HR lead Patty McCord is quoted as saying, “There is also no clothing policy at Netflix, but no one has come to work naked lately.”)

What are the rules you’re still following? Are they the right ones – or has the game changed? Don’t wait for the next storm to hit – learn to play without rules, and start winning more.

January 2011

About the Author

As the founder of Red Cape Revolution: Bring Your Superpowers to Work (www.redcaperevolution.com), leadership & workplace coach and speaker Darcy Eikenberg helps committed, energetic professionals discover new ways to improve their experience at work, in ways that work for their organizations and for themselves. When you join the Red Cape Revolution, you can access valuable tools such as our “How to Thrive in the New World of Work” ebook and other Tips & Scripts for real-life workplace challenges. Contact Darcy at darcy@redcaperevolution.com or 404.313.0278.

Resist. Resist. Resist. That seems to be the congressional model these days. Whatever one party is for, the other is against. Before an idea makes it to the blogosphere, opposing party political pundits are railing against whatever approach or bill or stance was taken.

Now before smugness gets the better of us, I’d suggest we take a closer look. The against-it-resist-it road is alive and well in many workplaces, too. Of course the labels are different. It’s not those Democrats or Republicans, it’s those employees or that management; it’s the boss or the workers; the finance department or human resources; or the front line versus support areas.

Being against something is often easier. We don’t have to stick our necks out if we can grumble against budget tightening instead of proactively sharing fiscal responsibility by cutting our favorite projects or limiting our spending.

We don’t have to risk failure when we can identify flaws in a coworker’s approach rather than develop, pitch, and execute our own ideas. We don’t have to look inward at where we work and shop when we can rant over senior level compensation, rather than standing firm for working at or buying only from companies that offer fair compensation to all levels.

When you follow the against-it-resist-it road, you don’t have to be in the spotlight, voice what you believe in, or offer solutions. You can finger point or blame or identify problems without engaging in ideas or answers.

This may seem like semantics. But the difference between being for something versus being against something is significant.

You see, when you’re for something more backbone is needed, more independent thinking is required, more integration between who you are and how you operate is necessary. When you’re for something, you’re working towards what you want to bring about or contribute to, and that shifts accountability, energy, and commitment.

Being for something requires strength of convictions and a willingness to stand up for them. And people who are winning at working know it’s the way to create sustainable change, develop solutions to twenty-first century problems, ignite a thriving economy with plentiful jobs, have meaningful work, and engage personal talents and passions.

People who are winning at working know that it’s when they tap into a purpose bigger than themselves that they offer the best of who they are to their work, and the world. They’re full of ideas, self-motivation, trust building approaches, and meaningful contribution when they work for something they care about.

What about you? What do you aspire to bring about in your life? Be for that. What do you value? Be for that. What do you want more of in your work or workplace? Be for that.

(c) 2009 Nan S. Russell. All rights reserved.

About the Author

Award winning author of Hitting Your Stride (Capital Books; 2008). Radio host of “Work Matters with Nan Russell” weekly on webtalkradio.net. Nan Russell has spent over twenty years in management, most recently with QVC as a Vice President. Sign up to receive Nan’s “Winning at Working” tips and insights at http://www.nanrussell.com

Leadership starts by giving. The more we share with others, the more we make a difference in our businesses, our careers, and our communities. Let me share the following leadership story of making a difference:

Joy had just finished a successful women’s leadership presentation for an organization. She stopped at the local mall. As she opened the door, she noticed a twenty dollar bill on the ground. She looked around and picked up the bill and called me to share her exciting find. She asked me what we should do with it since no one was apparently looking for the bill, and I suggested she bring the bill home and we could discuss it.

That night, we debated about what we should do with our good fortune. We agreed that we could not keep it since we gained it at the expense of someone else’s bad fortune.

Then the answer came to us. One of our favorite television programs mentioned that the free healthcare program they help sponsor was short of their financial goals for an free health clinic they were holding in New Orleans on the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina by $300,000. This was our solution! We went online to the organization’s website and donated twenty dollars to their cause.

Well, soon after we heard that the organization was able to meet their financial goals, due to thousands of small contributions, and hold the free health clinic for two days, helping thousands of patients with their health needs. Some patients were able to find out that they did have health challenges, some life threatening, while at the free health clinic.

I share this story to illustrate the power of the leader within us. We are all leaders, and we can make a difference in our lives by giving more. The following are three leadership secrets to being more successful by giving more:

1. Opportunities to Give are All Around Us
There are opportunities to give all around us. Open your “giving senses” to the opportunities that are available. Giving doesn’t always mean donating money. Volunteer and give your time and expertise, which could be just as important. If you are at work, leadership starts by sharing your knowledge with new employees. In your community, share your time, money, and/or expertise with community or sports groups. One of our favorites is the American Cancer Society.

2. Your Individual Actions Lead to Big Results
Often, I am asked, “What we can I do?” You would be surprised how the smallest action can lead to big results. Just by taking the step, you are taking action to make a difference. At work, if you take time to give encouragement or let your manager know that you support his initiative by sharing your ideas can make a world of difference in the workplace. In your community, taking a small action can ignite others to also make a difference.

3. Recruit Others to Give
Leadership is about recruiting others to make a difference. Recruit others to be passionate about giving. Sometimes it comes down to what’s in it for them to volunteer and give their time, money, and/or expertise. Along with making a difference, you might mention that giving allows others to see your skills and this can lead to new opportunities.

Take the time to show your leadership skills and give so that you can make a difference. You create new opportunities and enhance others, while feeling good about the whole process.

About the Author

Ed Sykes is a highly sought after expert, author, professional speaker, and success coach in the areas of leadership, motivation, customer service, and team building. Go to http://www.thesykesgrp.com , and receive your free special motivational report and “jump start” your success. You can e-mail him at mailto:esykes@thesykesgrp.com, or call him at (757) 427-7032.

Those seeking to hire such professional are well advised to hire a leadership speaker that is affiliated with a reputable booking agency. This will enhance the odds that the person you hire can effectively deliver on the expectations your company may have.

Some may question the benefits of hiring a speaker. Can such an approach really boost success potential? After all, are not the words that the speaker puts forth just that…only words? Well, the words may be mere words but the sentiment behind the words can prove quite motivating. This is even truer when an exceptionally powerful leadership speaker is addressing the workforce.

The effectiveness that a quality leader delivers can be downright stunning to those skeptical of their abilities. But, is there really a need for skepticism? The ability to move people’s emotions and actions via speech has long since been established to be effective. The concept of the motivational speaker is also hardly a new one. Motivational speakers have been quite popular for over two decades now. This is why professional keynote speakers are commonly called into business to help give employees a solid motivational talk designed to effectively and reliably boost performance.

This does not mean that a speaker can come in and talk about motivation in generic terms. Such an approach would hardly be one that would ever be considered effective. A speaker that presents passionate discourses on the benefits of improved performance can gain a positive, motivated reaction from the audience he/she is addressing.

There is another important trait found in a professional keynote speaker: the ability to be positive. Negative motivation rarely works. Those lacking a background in effective communications generally will wallow in negative motivation. The assumption is this approach can compel people’s attitudes to change. That is a process that rarely works. When effective positive motivation is employed, the potential to boost employee motivation, moral, and performance increases greatly. That is why professional leadership speakers are always in demand. They deliver effective results.

Among the most difficult issues management may face when boosting a company’s success is the ability to effectively motivate employees. No matter what hands-on approach management may try, increasing employee motivation for performance can be difficult. So, a new approach should be taken. It may even be best for management to step aside and bring in an effective leadership speaker and/or a motivational speaker to handle such tasks.

About the Author

R.J. writes about a variety of topics such as sports, fitness, health, technology, business and leadership.

I’ve heard it said that if you believe you will succeed, or if you believe you will fail, you are right. There is a lot of truth in that. I have also heard it said, that as photographers, it is our responsibility to lead society.

As I write this we are in what is described as the worst recession since the great depression. It feels as if all the news is doom and gloom. I find myself being more careful in my spending, pulling back and even taking on a bit of a siege mentality. Now the more we all do that, the worse our economy is going to get. What can we, as stock photographers, do to help? We can stay positive and we can make positive images.

The bright side

One way I am approaching my stock photography that allows me to create positive conceptual images and still feel like I am being fiscally responsible is to create images that cost little to nothing.

A great example of that is a picture I created just a couple of days ago. The image illustrates the idea that no matter how dark things are, there is always a bright side. That even when you are in a raging storm, on the other side of those clouds the sun is always shining. The image shows a rainstorm of dark clouds, but above those storm clouds are light fluffy clouds and a shining sun.

Pictures of clouds, rain and sun

The storm clouds and rain were photographed on a road trip through Colorado. The transition was created using clouds I shot on a vacation in Hawaii. The light fluffy clouds were shot here in Marin County and the sun was added using the Lens Flare filter in Photoshop.

Shooting weather, pictures of clouds, rain, and sun are free. Photographs of beautiful landscapes are also free. I say pretty much because I have accumulated a lot of my weather and landscape files while on trips. I am also fortunate to live in the Bay Area where we have an abundance of scenic vistas ranging from mountains to the ocean, to draw upon.

In another case, again drawing upon my archives of clouds, I used Photoshop to create a smiley face in the sky. Total cost, a few hours of digital work. It isn’t the best selling image I have ever made, but pretty much every penny it does earn is profit. Some images I undertake require enormous expense, and I certainly do my share of them. But it always feels good to create an image with a high probability of selling that costs little to nothing to make.

Creativity and a positive attitude

In my final example, I have an image of a man’s hand holding a light bulb in front of the sun. I found a friend who modeled for me for no charge. Again, a positive image, about solar power, conservation, and even creativity, at minimal to no cost.

Powerful conceptual ideas that cost little to nothing are all around us; Ideas that are needed in the market, and that we can feel good about on several levels. I know that it helps me stay positive when I make images I am proud of, and it certainly helps my wallet when they sell. As a business owner it also feels good to stretch my dollars. As with so much else in life, all it requires from us is creativity and a positive attitude.

About the Author

Stock Photos of lions, cows, monkeys, mice, business and more: Amazing Stock Photos A huge collection of fascinating and unusual stock photos.

John Lund interviews photographer Jack Hollingsworth: Interview with Jack Hollingsworth Concept stock photos, Fine Art Prints, and printed merchandise too!

Ask all of the successful business women that you know and most if not all will talk about how mentors have them in various stages of their lives and careers. Most leaders never could have achieved the results they have without the support, interest and feedback of trusted advisers, mentors. But what happens for successful business women if they could use the help and support of mentors, but don’t have any?

The ideal scenario should always be to have a group of mentors or others who you can count on for honest feedback and support before you actually could use them. It’s often very isolating for successful business women so the support of a trusted adviser can help them avoid making costly and bad decisions. Obviously you need to start out by analyzing where you need mentors and how they can help you. Once that is done, how can successful business women go about finding one?

Secret 1 involves determining what attributes, attributes and other characteristics of mentors would be most helpful to you. Write down the five attributes that you want your mentor to possess. Analyze what combination would be most helpful to you. This could vary if you are looking for help with your career, a challenging business task or dealing with tough customers.

Secret 2 is to ask who your mentors could be. Potential candidates could be your friends, colleagues, family members, superiors or others. We would not suggest you just go out and ask them to be your mentor but that you first meet them and discuss some of your goals and challenges. Successful business women should realize Both mentors and mentees need to feel comfortable with the conversation so the required level of trust can be established. This is hard to force so don’t try too.

Secret 3 for those who you select as potential mentors is it important to ask for their permission to contact them on a regular basis. Perhaps you could say something to the effect of “Thank you for your time. I really appreciate it. Would you mind if I contacted you on a regular basis to get your feedback and advice.” This clarity is critical for successful business women to develop an effective relationship.

Secret 4 – Once you have your mentor, the next step is to actively work to establish a strong and effective mentoring relationship. For most successful business women it does not happen right away but will require ongoing planning and work.

There are several tips to making this happen:

Tip 1 – Always be clear about what you want or need to learn – you completed this self-assessment during your initial self-assessment activities so you should be able to elaborate on your need for a mentor

Tip 2 – Take several sessions for the mentor to learn about you as well as to understand what you want or need from them – They will need time to absorb the issues, concerns and challenges so they can determine the best way to help

Tip 3 – always be active and honest. While trust may take some time to develop, over time it is the most critical element to an effective mentoring relationship.

Tip 4 – be a good and effective listener. Failure to understand and incorporate the discussions with your mentor can be frustrating and de-motivating to both of you

Tip 5 – show initiatives and be proactive. You can’t sit back and wait for them to reach out to you. You must show in your actions that you are grateful for their support

Tip 6 – be ready for the challenge - this is common to many mentoring relationships because tough love is required to make it effective. You may not want to hear certain things but need to in order to be successful. Rather than get defensive or withdraw, successful business women use this advice to propel themselves to greater success.

Finding a good mentor is never easy but it is absolutely vital to the success of successful business women. The very best have many mentors throughout their careers who provide the support, perspective and feedback to help them make better decisions and avoid costly mistakes.

About the Author

Successful business women. Follow this link to get additional tips to find the support and feedback you need to be more successful.

Wayne Tarken is a coach, adviser and seasoned business leaders to women in business. He helps them achieve their business goals and professional aspirations. He has spent many hours researching and trying to find ways to help them be more successful. He has seen all of the mistakes that women can make. Why not learn from their experiences and mistakes?

He created this short article to help you improve your results and get what you want. Take his expert advice and get ready to reach your goals – http://www.CEOWomensClub.com

A paradigm is a way of thinking that is commonly held in an organization or group of people. Businesses, organizations and people develop paradigms to understand how the world works and to navigate the world around us. Paradigms can be useful, however they also can be extremely limiting and my keep us from innovating and find new and better ways to find success as organizations and as human beings.

In Joel Barker’s famous video, The Business of Paradigms, he talks about several famous paradigms shifts. In every example, there was a paradigm that people, organizations or even countries felt sacred. Change is extremely difficult and in many of these examples people wouldn’t change and were left behind when the paradigm shifted. Barker talks about the Swiss Watch industry and how they rejected digital technology in favor of their mechanical designs. Within a decade, their market share had been decimated and the Japanese controlled the industry. The Swiss failed to recognize the paradigm-shift and they paid dearly for it.

Why do people find change so difficult? For one, change causes fear. It’s a leap into the unknown and people and organizations become paralyzed with fear. However, change is a fact of life and unless companies embrace the fact that change is actually the norm, they will whither and die. People and organizations need to have to courage to look beyond the paradigms that they have developed. A paradigm-shift takes courage but it is a choice and a choice that companies and individuals have control over.

One of the best ways to recognize a shift of paradigms is through diversity. Paradigms become so engrained in us that we literally can’t see anything that doesn’t fit the paradigm. Organizations end of missing important information because they can’t see outside of the paradigm. Bringing in “outsiders” or increasing the diversity of thought within an organization helps recognize paradigms shifts and initiates the ability to see beyond the accepted paradigm. An “outsider” or new person in an organization hasn’t been paralyzed by the accepted norms and a change is much easier for them to see.

The world is a constantly changing place and every individual and organization needs to keep pace. If we get caught in the same old paradigms, there is no change and the world will pass us by. Avoid the fate of the Swiss Watch Industry. Every company needs to be aware of paradigm-shifts so they can innovate and stay competitive in the every changing global economy.

About the Author

Charlie Bentson King is a writer and producer of training videos for TrainingABC. TrainingABC is a distributor of Joel Barker videos like The Business of Paradigms.

There are several innovations that have taken place in the field of building constructions and interior designing. Earlier if you had to make a temporary partition within a room or change the ceiling you had to affix wooden boards or maybe consider a re-construction of the same. The first option is expensive and time consuming while the second is sometimes beyond consideration as well.
There is now however a third option. You can use drywall boards to make changes and modifications in the structure or design of an existing interior or design of a building.
About Drywall
Drywall boards are made of gypsum plaster. These boards also have thick sheets of paper that is affixed to both sides for a smooth and attractive finish. There is a variation available as well. In this the paper sheets are replaced by fiberglass sheets.
They are far more affordable and cost effective. They are easy to install and takes less time to complete a job.
Drywall Tools
There are several aspects of drywall installation. You may affix this on an existing wall or a ceiling. This installation will require a certain set of tools. There are other installations where it stands as an independent partition wall itself and for that, you will need different tools.

Drywall Taping Tools
It is important that your drywall partition or ceilings need to look their best when installed. There is a need for better finishing for a perfect result and completion of the job. In addition, to aid in this there are several available for installation and finishing the drywall boards.
There is a drywall taper. This is required for the application of the joint compound that is applied at joints and corners of the boards. There is an automatic version available that is extremely efficient and easy to use.
There are different designs available from different companies, that facilitate different heights of taping applications. This can enable a smooth and flawless application of taping and leaves no uneven and rough edges.
There is a corner roller available for embedding of the tapes in the drywall especially in the corners. This provides a fine finishing to the taping of the corners where a sharp edge of the corners is seen with the application of the corner rollers. It smoothens out the tape appropriately.
Several types of the taping knife that is available. These help for the perfect finish of the drywall boards affixed to the ceilings or even as walls. The knives are available in different sizes that give a firm hold for smoothening out rough and uneven edges in the boards.
Several companies manufacture the range of different for drywalls. You have to understand their method of application so that you can also understand the perfect tools for you and the company as well.

About the Author

For more insights and further information about taping tools visit our site http://www.walltools.com/store/automatic-taping-tools

You CAN Manage Change Successfully With A Good Strategy
Is your company planning a significant change in the near future? If so, it is essential to have an effective change management strategy in place long before you begin implementing.

After all, it is a process that takes time, money, and a number of other resources. You need to make certain the process is completed as smoothly as possible.

Unfortunately, there are many issues that can get in the way of making a successful change. For example, employees may react negatively, or they may simply have difficulty with making the transition. By having your management team complete a high-quality management training program, you will have a better chance of maintaining the level of productivity you expect as your employees transition through.

Even if your company is not expecting a anythng major, it is always a good idea to have your management personnel complete a change management training program.

After all, the key to company success is the ability to evolve as customer needs and expectations change. By having a staff that is properly trained in management, you can be confident they will be able to develop an effective management strategy for anything your company undertakes, no matter how big or small.

Some examples of situations in which your managers can be better prepared following change management training include:

Restructuring or re-organizing the business

Major modifications to company policies or procedures

Changes in leadership or management style

A proposed merger or acquisition

Possible down-sizing or reductions in force

When your company is ready to make a significant change, it is in your best interest to contact an experienced training company to help develop a change management strategy that is specific to your organization. By taking a critical look at your company and the type of change to be implemented, an experienced change agent can work with your management team to develop a change management training plan that meets the unique needs of your company.

Making changes isn’t easy for anyone, particularly when it comes to employees who have become comfortable with the status quo. With the help of a well planned strategy, your company can manage change successfully.

About the Author

Bill Walsh, managing director of Proven Training Solutions, has successfully developed and delivered over 2500 training engagements throughout the U.S., Canada and the U.K. With over 25 years experience as a management and training consultant, his expertise includes all levels of management and supervisory development, project management, team building, as well as, customer service and time management.

Just because you have the title of “leader” doesn’t make you are a leader. And just because you don’t have the title of leader doesn’t mean you aren’t a leader.

People are called upon to do many things – both inside and outside of the workplace. Those who have the courage to do the right things, especially when the right things are difficult to do, deserve the title of leader.

Consider the following:

• Do you have the courage to give a team member direct feedback
  or do you hide behind disciplinary documentation without providing feedback and coaching first?
• Do you have the courage to take a pay cut before asking your team members to take a pay cut in tough economic times?
• Do you have the courage to call-out a fellow team member when he or she makes an inappropriate sexual comment to a co-worker or do you stand by idly and say nothing because you are afraid it might result in more harassment complaints?
• Do you have the courage to communicate your difference of
  opinion during a meeting in which everyone is thinking alike?
  The fastest way to losing credibility as a leader is to avoid tackling these situations head on.

Do you have the courage to lead?

Often times, people want a silver bullet on how to be a leader. They
want a fancy model, an academic explanation, or some psychological theory. But leadership comes down to doing some basic things and having the courage to do them consistently. We call this People-First Leadership™ and it involves 4 factors:

1. Alignment – Get people working on the right things by clarifying direction, roles, and responsibilities.
2. Collaboration – Get people working on the right things together by building a foundation of trust through open communication and shared problem solving.
3. Motivation – Keep people motivated by learning how to communicate with them on a personal and individual level and by aligning rewards and recognition based on their individual preferences. Treating everyone the same way isn’t effective.
4. Learning – Learn by example and always provide opportunities to keep your people learning. Learning inspires growth, it crushes complacency, and it nurtures innovation.

Do those 4 things every day and you might live up to the title of “leader”. But if you don’t have the courage to stand up for something in the face of adversity, if you choose to take the easy way out to save face or minimize risk, and if you won’t stand up for your people first, then move out of the way and make room for someone who will be LEADER.

About the Author

Sal Silvester is the founder and president of 5.12 Solutions http://512solutions.com Sal has a unique perspective on team development and leadership gained through his experience over the past 17 years as an Army Officer, an executive at Accenture, and founder of 5.12 Solutions. He has led and managed teams in the desert of Kuwait, the mountains of Turkey, and in the offices of many clients on process improvement, organizational change, and training projects.