The Importance of Education: Learn Something New, Stretch Your BrainWritten by Lori Osterberg
When I was a new graduate from college, with a firm hand on a diploma stating I had a Masters degree in Finance, I was convinced I was now ready to conquer world. Surely I would have my choice of positions, and could pave my way to wealth, simple by holding that degree. I was done studying. Done reading those boring books forever. Never again would I spend night after night pouring over a book that didn’t have word “romance” in title.So happily I moved down path of life, and took a banking position. Followed by an accounting position. Followed by an auditing position. And then I began taking a serious look at my life. Was this really what school had taught me? Wasn’t there more to life than simply holding a job? How was I supposed to find my true calling? I began sitting at my desk contemplating my future. Surely there were others out there like me that began to question their fate. That suddenly decided that their lives simply weren’t working for them anymore, and that a big change was necessary. Or was I alone in this quest? The funny thing about a quest is once you set your mind to something, it’s easy to find your answers. And easiest way to find answers is in writing. Books and magazines became my best friends. I began to read everything and anything; from self-help to business help. I began to get a new type of education. An education from listening to what others had to say about success, life, and general pursuit of happiness. And I discovered importance of a great education, not just an institutionalized education. A great education begins with desire to learn. As long as that desire exists inside of you, you can literally conquer anything. Education is one of my favorite topics. Knowledge is key to success. It can unlock any door you choose. Simply by wanting to learn, and following through with act of learning, you can become anything you dream. And education is so easily achieved! Literally anyone can receive intense, specialized knowledge if they so desire. Education is not synonymous with formal training. Education is simple desire to learn. And there are so many ways to learn! Thomas A. Edison had only three months of formal education during his entire lifetime. Henry Ford had less than a sixth grade education. Bill Gates never completed college. Yet every single one of these people became very successful in their lifetime. Why? Because they had a thirst for knowledge, and learned what was important to them in any way they can. They read. They studied under mentors. They educated themselves with happenings in world around them. And they NEVER gave up on formal education of life.
| | THE “SEVEN Cs”: PARTNERSHIP DANGER SIGNS - The 5th C: Control IssuesWritten by Dorene Lehavi
A series of articles exploring seven critical areas that can indicate a partnership is in trouble. The 5th C: Control Issues When control is in picture it is a lose/lose proposition. First, it is an illusion that anyone can control a person or a situation. The need to control is born of fear, lack of trust and insecurity. A person who feels it is necessary to control is robbed of a sense of well being. In business, control or attempt to control can occur in many venues. The attempt to control can go on at top between partners or anywhere else in organization where two or more people work together. It may be between a group of managers, or between a CEO and direct report. It can be a manager and team for whom he or she is responsible. It might be an owner CEO and stock holders, or a member of board of directors. Family members such as siblings often attempt to control each other, or a father hands business to his son, but won't let go of reins. When someone attempts to control, they expend enormous mental and emotional energy to hold things within boundaries. Controlling behavior is constrictive and confining. It takes its toll on one's ability to function in a healthy, stress free and creative manner. In business where desirable goals are growth, expansion and creativity, this constricting behavior imposes loss of these elements and seriously affects bottom line. Here are some ways in which this loss is manifested: 7 WAYS CONTROLLING BEHAVIOR EFFECTS THE BOTTOM LINE *Unhappy, controlled employees do not work to capacity. *Unhappiness breeds stress, illness and costs in sick leave and lack of productivity. *Increased turnover is costly. Often businesses do not calculate enormous costs around turnover such as costs for advertising, loss of revenue until a new person is hired, trained and moved up to level of prior person, as well as a compensation package. There are higher taxes for Workman's Compensation when a business has employees leaving. *Loss of clients who liked that person may leave. *Projects that were left unfinished may never get completed. *Demoralization of employees left behind. *Overall lower level functioning when top managers and CEO's stifle atmosphere by controlling behavior An example of controlling behavior is Lance, who was promoted to manager of a department in bank where his expert financial skills earned him recognition. However, no one thought about or realized his people skills were not developed. He had never had any training in how to be a manager. Now faced with his new challenge his previous level of self confidence diminished to zero. But since he didn't want anyone to know it, he remained hidden a lot in his office, didn't interact in a personal way with his team members, and micro-managed them by requiring them to get his ok on everything they did, even ordering paper clips. The result was a demoralized, low functioning team made up of disgruntled members who felt devalued and lacked motivation to be creative and productive. This type of control, as in all controlling behavior, besides debilitating to individuals involved, negatively affects bottom line of business.
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