Youth of Today, Leaders of Tomorrow: M Zeeshan & Samreena's Views

Boost Your Self Confidence and Self Esteem

2011-07-07T05:57:00.000-07:00

1 Make decisions

Making - and sticking to - decisions can give your confidence a massive boost, says life coach Yasemin Demirtas of Effect Coaching Group (www.effect-coaching.com). "One of the important issues I work on is decision-taking, as low confidence inevitably reflects in our ability to take decisions. Making a decision when needed and then sticking with it will not only free you from the burden of being stuck in between, but will also reward you with respect from others."

2 Become an expert

Whatever you do, do it well, says career coach Sandi Sayer (www.best-coaching.co.uk). "Anyone can become an expert at any stage of their career, even if your job is photocopying. Simply learn how to fix the photocopier, know how to get the best resolution on a faded page of text, and file everything in a clear and logical order. It doesn't matter what you do, taking ownership and learning everything there is to know makes you an expert - and gives your ego an enormous boost."

3 Look the part

When you wear clothes that fit right, suit you and that you love, your confidence soars. Experiment: try on all the clothes in your closet and ask yourself how you would feel if you bumped into someone whose confidence and style you admire. If you'd want to run and hide, toss it!

4 Quality over quantity

With clothes and work accessories, stick to the rule ‘spend twice as much, buy half as much', and go for quality over quantity. Find a good cut that flatters your best bits and hides whatever you are shy about. And wear the right underwear: nothing zaps your confidence more than ill-fitting undies!

5 Give yourself a pep talk

Instead of concentrating on your flaws, weaknesses and negative sides, concentrate on what you are really good at, says Demirtas. People will value you as much as you value yourself. Stay strong in your opinion and what is important to you, and don't give in easily. Ten times a day, look at yourself in the mirror and tell yourself that you are good. Changing habits comes with practice!

6 Be nice to be around

It doesn't only matter how well you do your job, says Sayer, it is important that your colleagues enjoy being around you too. "I have known many colleagues who are very good at what they do, but nobody wants to work with them because they are unapproachable, negative or not a team player. These individuals may get to a certain point in their career and then plateau. In order to do well, to get ahead and to get what you want, it is always wise to make sure you get on with those around you."

7 Pay it forward

Psychologist Devika Singh of the Dubai Herbal and Treatment Centre (www.dubaihtc.com) says that doing things for other people has a great impact on how you feel about yourself. "Especially random acts of kindness where you reach out to someone when they least expect it, and sometimes need it the most. The neurotransmitters released during helping behaviour has an impact on the brain's supply of ‘happiness chemicals' which can contribute to more positive feelings about yourself," says Singh.

8 Have a Gratitude List

Research in the field of positive psychology has identified gratitude as a critical building block for self-esteem. This doesn't refer simply to fleeting thoughts of gratitude, but a more focused approach to experiencing and expressing gratitude in your life. "A thank you letter to someone can not only boost your self-esteem, it will probably boost theirs too!" says Singh

9 Stand tall

Watch your posture. You can usually pick out a shy person in a crowd by the way their shoulders are turned down and by the way they walk. A self-confident person has a straight back and walks with a purpose, showing the world she has things to do and places to go.

10 Pass it on

Studies show that young girls often have issues with self-confidence and constantly underestimate how well they will perform when faced with a task, whilst boys just charge ahead. Boosting confidence in children is linked to unconditional love and support from parents, but not too much support. As psychotherapist Colette Dowling states in her book The Cinderella Complex (Pocket Books), many parents tend to ‘over help' their daughters in particular, when they should be learning to falter and self-correct, a process fundamental to the development of self-confidence. So if you have a daughter, make sure you let go a little and help her grow.

Linkedin Has Revolutionized Professional Networking

2010-03-18T15:36:00.000-07:00

It was back in 2007 when I first created my profile on LinkedIn. I'd like to tell you what made me land on linkedin.com. It was the emergence of Facebook as a social networking platform that tickled my mental curiosity buds as to who can build a community as populated as them.

One day while searching for the competitors, I came across this simple interface that was engaging me to connect professionally to exchange information, ideas and mostly importantly "OPPORTUNITIES". I was immediately sold out on it. Once i started creating my profile on LinkedIn, I did not give much attention to recommendation section, groups, etc. I just created a simple profile to mark a presence. After 10-11 months approximately, I got an email from an HR Department of a well known organization based in USA to share my contact number with them so that we can discuss mutual benefits.

I was taken aback and thought it was a spam. I did a search on the person's name that I had an email from and found it to be a legitimate email. But just to be safe, I called them instead (I found the number in the signature of the person's email). To my utmost surprise, they had seen my profile on Linkedin and wanted to discuss whether I would be interested in a career move for a position that was vacant in their organization. During that time, the word "Recession" was alien to me and I was doing quite well within the organization that I was working for, hence I decided to stay. But the whole event changed the way I used to think about these online networking platforms.

I used to be mostly an introvert before being associated with LinkedIn, Facebook, etc.. Being in a customer services industry, I used to have enough time talking to so many people that I hardly had time to build further networking professionally. Today, LinkedIn has become more important to me than newspapers. First thing, when I reach home, I have to make sure I check whether someone has sent a request to connect to me. I also make sure that I contribute in professional discussions within the groups that I have joined. I also make certain that I post vacancies within the jobs section of the groups if ever I come to know about them.

Lately, the latest added feature of sharing your blogs through added applications on LinkedIn has instigated me to become a blogger. If i sum up how LinkedIn has changed my life and what have I achieved from it, I would make sure that I mention the following points:

1. LinkedIn has provided me with an opportunity to connect to professionals that were not reachable at one time due to limitations of technology.

2. It has assisted me in professionally presenting my profile in front of the professional and educated crowd. Today, it is not just about having a CV. It is about having recommendations published directly from people you have worked with, directly or indirectly. It is also about adding files, presentations, blogs, etc. to your profile in order to share knowledge and demonstrate your versatility and resourcefulness.

3. It has supported me in keeping myself updated through discussions and topics posted by leaders right on the top of the industry.

4. It has made me feel concerned about how can I always keep learning new ideas of approaching people and minimizing the inaccuracies.

I can keep on blogging about it whole day but one thing is for sure and we all might have consensus on it:

In future, companies will definitely develop an interface that would enable users to submit profile data directly on the company's website through LinkedIn. Visualize for a while, how easy would it be to go to a recruitment website, fill in your LinkedIn ID and Password to retrieve all the data from your profile and submit to the website as opposed to visiting the recruitment websites and company websites filling in all the professional details about oneself again and again. It is a wakeup call for all the headhunters and HR professionals. You can cash on it today. Many people don’t apply for open positions due to the fact that it requires them to fill in their entire academic and experience details manually.

I always say “Get Inspired, motivated and strengthened to make it to the top. Make yourself known through your sword of intellect.” Today in order to get yourself known and strengthened, you should have a presence on a professional and intellectual platform such as LinkedIn.

M Zeeshan's Views

10 Common Avoidable Mistakes During an Interview (By Samreena)

2010-03-11T12:58:00.000-08:00

No matter how good you look on paper, everything you do from how you treat each member of the interview team, to what you’re wearing, to what you say or don’t say during the interview is noted, and taken into account in the hiring decision.

A big part of a successful interview is avoiding simple mistakes. Mistakes are deadly to the job seeker and easy to avoid if you are prepared.

Here are ten of the most common mistakes people make during job interviews:

Arriving Late. One of the worst job interview mistakes is to not be on time for the interview. Collect all the necessary details beforehand to ensure that you arrive on time. Get directions from the interviewer or a map. Leave home early. If you cannot make it on time, call the interviewer, and arrange to reschedule.

Not Being Prepared. There is no excuse with today’s technology to go into an interview without doing basic research on the company interviewing you, their executives, products, customers, and competitors.
You also should prepare answers on the most common interview questions such as, “What are you strengths and weaknesses? Where do you see yourself in ten years? What can you bring to the company that nobody else can? What brought you to this part of your career?” You will be more than likely asked these questions.

Dressing Inappropriately. When hiring managers were asked to name the most common and damaging interview mistakes a candidate can make, 51% listed dressing inappropriately. You make your greatest impact on the interviewer in the first 10-17 seconds, an impression you want to make powerfully positive. It’s therefore important to carefully consider what you should wear to impress your interviewer.

Talking too much and saying too little. There is a misconception that the length of your response to an interview question is as important as the quality of your answer. The interviewer really doesn’t need to know your whole life story. Answering to a simple question with a fifteen-minute reply can be avoided if you practiced what you want to communicate. Good answers are succinct, to the point and focused when demonstrating your knowledge, expertise, and value. The best way to do this is to prepare and practice your interview answers beforehand.

Being too modest. Don’t be afraid to talk up everything that you’ve accomplished, whether in school or in previous companies. This is your time to shine. It’s really hard to communicate with someone who answers a question with a word or two.

Speaking Negatively About Previous Employers. Your previous boss was an idiot? Everyone in the company was a jerk? You hated your job and couldn’t wait to leave? Even if it’s completely true, you don’t want to be labeled a troublemaker or someone who isn’t a team player and you do not want to look like a complainer. You also don’t want the interviewer to think that you might speak that way about his or her company if you leave on terms that aren’t the best. Complaining about former employers and colleagues creates a negative impression. Focus on the positive - that you are looking for opportunities to grow professionally and be a part of an organization where you can make a difference.

Failing to Ask Questions. Interviewers are unimpressed when they ask the candidate if they have any questions and the candidate does not! Prepare at least 3 or 4 questions in advance to ask the interviewer. Interviews are an exchange of information, and having no questions indicates that you are not sufficiently interested and have not thought much about the position.

Not Displaying a Positive Attitude. This is your first and sometimes only chance to showcase your personality. Managers want to hire people who are enthusiastic. Put a positive spin on the situation and your job search. This is particularly important for people who have been in the job hunt for a long time or who left their past employers under strained circumstances. Show your enthusiasm for both the job and the opportunity to interview for it. And don’t forget to thank the person at the end of the interview!

Asking about Salary too early. Don’t ask about salary at a job interview. Wait for the interviewer to bring up these issues. The interviewer will inevitably tell you what salary and benefits come with the job. There are so many people looking for jobs, so if the company sees you as someone who just wants the money and does not necessarily care about the job, it will work against you in the long run.

Allowing Distractions. While you will probably be nervous prior to and during your job interview, try not to fidget. Think about what you are doing with your hands to keep them under control. Fiddling with your clothing, your notebook, your hair, tapping your pen, etc are all distracting and irritating. No employer wants a fidgety co-worker in the building.

Lastly, I'd like to mention that sometimes you can be shortlisted for an Interview even if you do not fulfill the complete requirements in the Job Description. It is strongly recommended to prepare for the prerequisite. Thanks to Internet and sites like Wikipedia, there are lots of information available for candidates. I can assure you that preparation will make you feel more confident and it will lead to better presentation and body language.

Best of Luck!

7 Rules for Deeper Inner Peace

2010-02-25T17:22:00.000-08:00

Leadership skills are not one skill set, but rather an amalgam of many different skills involving communicating, delegating, recognizing, empowering, and of course "inner peace". Leadership emerges from doing whatever it takes to do the right thing for others as well as the organization. Leaders can talk about what is right, but it only has meaning if they live by their words. To a member of a jump rope team, leadership is example. And so it must be for us.
Leadership is a cornerstone attribute that many in positions of power have used to better themselves, their people, and their organizations. As such it does not belong in the ivory tower; it is part and parcel of the fabric of a successful organization.

One integral part of being a good leader is having inner peace. When your heart and mind is focused towards your goals, it is just one step towards leading yourself and your followers towards it.

But it cannot happen if our hearts and mind is not focused. To focus our hearts and minds towards our goals, we have to gain inner peace in them.
What is leadership to a child? All of the below and more, of course.

1. Feel things fully
Expanding your capacity to feel things more fully – is one of those things that can dramatically improve your capacity to experience inward peace.

2. Remove tolerations
As humans we have this amazing ability to “make things OK” and to allow things to drain our energy in our environments.

3. Regret proof your life
There are many ways to regret proof your life : Do your best – always. When things get off track start fresh. Lower your implusivity – do things with your feelings and your thinking in alignment with intentionality.

4. Have a “connection” practice
Inward peace that comes from meaning and inspiration is one of the most rewarding elements of inward peace. Whether it is a meditative practice like walking, meditating, writing, or just being out in nature or being of service to your community.

5. Know what you want and don’t want in life
There are so many people in this world with out a clear definition of what they want, what success would look like – that when they actually reach it – they loose out on the opportunity to relax .

6. Take a positive stance
Attracting more ease in your life through the use of language is one of the more simple changes to start making on your own. There are many words we use for example which can keep us further from a state of inward peace.

7. Do the work
Doing the work or the practice that is needed to accomplish is not often talked about as a way to create greater inward peace. The key here is to understand what happens to us when we are willing to do the work towards our goals and intentions. When there is a full willingness – there is more allowing that happens, and it is that allowing that brings us closer to peace. When we resist – we often take ourselves into a place of frustration and isolation. Two places that are quite distant from peace.

Micromanagement and Macromanagement

2010-02-16T08:50:00.000-08:00

Micromanagers

In business management, micromanagement is a management style where a manager closely observes or controls the work of their employees, generally used as a pejorative term. In contrast to giving general instructions on smaller tasks while supervising larger concerns, the micromanager monitors and assesses every step.

Micromanagement may arise from internal sources, such as concern for details, increased performance pressure, or insecurity. It can also be seen as a tactic used by managers to eliminate unwanted employees, either by creating standards employees cannot meet leading to termination, or by creating a stressful workplace causing the employee to leave.

Regardless of the motivation the effect can de-motivate employees, create resentment, and damage trust. Micromanagement can also be distinguished from management by worker to boss ratio. When a boss can do a worker's job with more efficiency than giving the order to do the same job, this is micromanagement.

Micromanagers are managers that oversee their workers too closely. They are constantly looking over your shoulder, commenting positively or negatively. They tend to look at the details of an employees job many times during the work day, usually making unwarranted remarks.

The worker who is micromanaged will reason, "Why can't my boss just let me do my job and leave me alone? What mistakes are they looking for now?"

Micromanages will do compulsive overseeing with both good employees as well as those who are not performing well.

They engage the lowest frequency emotion, FEAR, in the workplace. Fear ----> frustration -----> Depression ---->Sabotage ----> Accidents ----->or Lack of Productivity. Too much micromanagement can cost a company its best and brightest.

This often taps into childhood issues for workers who had dictatorial parents and are now reliving that pain.

Remember that adulthood is often about moving past childhood traumas created in the first 20 years of one's life. In the 21st century we recognize issues, and hopefully deal with them, or else dwell in dysfunctional behavioral patterns, using them as a crutch to not function.

Micromanaging is a compulsive, behavioral disorder similar to other addictive patterns. People who micromanage generally do so because they feel unsure and self-doubting. Sometimes they are pressured by a supervisor above them.

Employees may see them as controlling, dictatorial, judgmental, critical, bureaucratic, snooping, and more.

Do you micromanage? If the answer is Yes and you wonder why no one has brought this to your attention, the obvious answer is that they are afraid of repercussions. Micromanager do not see the 'big picture' because they are too busy dictating font size and controlling everyone else's moves that it totally escapes you and your workers. They are probably not getting your job completed because they are doing everyone else's. They lose the respect of co-workers and fellow employees.

Micromanagers should seek out professional help, perhaps offered by their company. Seek out other fellow managers and discuss how they operate. Have group discussions with your employees to resolve issues.

Macromanagers

On the flip side, we have the Macromanagers.

For the most part they leave their employees with a lack of decision making, especially when the details of the job change and they need immediate assistance.

Employees need guidelines and someone to talk to if they have a problem. Macromanagers leave their employees too much on their own. As a result the lack of direction and input is so lacking that an employee wonders if they are doing the job correctly.

Macromanaging can lead to inefficiency on the part of employees in regards to time spend on the job, work completed, and who they seek out for answers.

A boss who takes on too many projects, moving from one to another, and is therefore not easy to reach for guidance by anyone as he have overextended his time, will never get any of the jobs done properly, will always consider his employees incompetent, and will have to waste company time and money correcting mistakes.

For the best efficiency, there must exist an ongoing communication between employer and employee, that is not dictatorial, but gets the job done in the most efficient way.

There are souls who are very efficient, who do not micromanage, but cannot tolerate the inefficiency of those they work with. Yet they often have to work with people who are not equipped to get the job done, or they just goof off all day playing on the computer, coming in late, leaving early, talking on the phone, gossiping in the office, flirting or having sex with co-workers, etc. Often the efficient employees has to complete or correct the work of the other person. That must be very frustrating.

This takes us to another archived article about firing employees who do not do their job efficiently.

Behavioral scientists propose the presence of three psychological states that could result in a highly motivated and productive worker. The worker must experience:

1. Meaningfulness or significance of their job

2. Responsibility for outcomes

3. Feedback on the work performed

Wise management never underestimates people's pride and dignity for work. Recognition goes a long way. When the environment is happy, work translates to play. Money matters but that's not all there is.

At the end of the day we have to wonder whose fault is it if things go wrong, an inefficient employer who micromanages or macromanages, or an efficient employee who is wrong for the job?

This is almost like balancing a marriage or friendship!

References:
crystalinks.com

Solve Problems Like a Genius!

2010-02-08T11:19:00.000-08:00

Genius level thinking is not reserved only for highly mentally gifted. Geniuses have a system for how to work through problems, which they may or may not be conscious of. Once you learn the system, you can use it to solve problems the way geniuses do. The difference between them and you is that they've simply used their system longer than you have. Once you gain some practice with it, internalize it, and begin to use it automatically, the people in your life will see you as a genius to.

Here are the 7 steps to genius level problems solving.

1. Identification
In most cases, we tend to think that the symptoms of a problem are the problem itself. We then set off to address the symptom. After our time and effort has been spent, the symptom has been temporarily eliminated. Since we did not solve the root cause of the problem, the symptoms will return again and again. Geniuses spend a large portion of their problem solving time in identifying the true problem. They understand that a problem can be resolved once and for all if they can identify its causes. When the root causes of a problem are found, all of the symptoms of that problem also vanish. It's the equivalent of killing 10 birds with one stone. Plan on spending a lot of time and thought on finding the real problem. If you begin with a symptom, ask yourself what causes it to be a problem for you. When you find an answer, ask yourself again what cause it to be a problem for you. Somewhere between 5 and 10 "why's" deep, you'll find the root cause of the problem.

2. Mindset
When we have a "big" problem in our lives, we sometimes become overwhelmed by it. We see it as insurmountable. We don't believe we can get passed it and it becomes a major source of stress and worry. Since we can't see life without this problem, it seems unsolvable. Our thoughts repeat on the phrase, "it's impossible". Our mindset is that this problem has us in its grasps. Geniuses believe that all problems are temporary and solvable. Think about a major problem in your life 3 years ago. Remember your mindset at that time? You didn't know how you would ever get passed that situation. Yet, here you are 3 years later. As you look back to 3 years ago, you realize that the problem that was gigantic then is either greatly reduced or not a problem at all today. Geniuses start with that perspective in mind. They know that it's usually not as bad as it seems today. Also, they don't waste their time thinking about aspects of the problem that they cannot change. They know that a major part of any problem is their thoughts about it. So, if they can't change a circumstance contributing to a problem, they focus on the aspects of the problem they can change. Understand that new problems create new perspectives. Therefore, welcome the challenges because they stretch your minds. It is that mental stretch and growth that allows you to see major problems from 3 years ago as minor today. Fast forward the process. View problems as challenges, know that they are temporary, and that a solution can be found.

3. Vision
We typically direct our minds toward what we should do as the first step towards solving a problem. Then, we focus on the next step, and then the next. Eventually, we may hit an obstacle that makes the solution path we were following ineffective. So, we try again with a new first step, and another, and another to see where that leads. This can often result in frustration, lack of faith in how things are going, and the creation of brand new problems while trying to solve the current one. Geniuses make their first step visualizing the end state. They focus on a vision of the true problem and all of its components and symptoms solved. By doing this, they begin to understand how it will feel once the problems are solved, and they receive clues from that vision as to the correct solution path. In "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People," Stephen Covey lists one habit as "begin with the end in mind". This is what geniuses do, and you can do it too. Know where you are going before you try to get there. Knowing the end state, and keeping it in mind until the problem(s) is/are solved is a major contributor towards resolution.

4. Brainstorm
When someone begins to think of solutions to a problem, they tend to think about problems in their past and how they solved them. Sometimes there are great clues there. Other times, the current problem is unique enough to require a fresh perspective. Also, fixing the real problem may require a multi-layered solution verses a standard one-action reaction. Geniuses brainstorm. They will sit down and think through dozens of solutions. Even the solutions that at first glance they may think won't work are viable solutions for them at this stage. Even when they think they've found solutions that are perfect, they keep going. They come up with as many solutions as they think they can, and then squeak out a few more until they have 20 - 30 possibilities. Then the magic happens. Combinations of those possibilities jump out to sometimes form brand new solutions to completely solve the problem. When they are done, they know that the problem will be solved, and they know exactly how it will be done. Take out a pad and a pen. Write down 20 - 30 possible solutions for the real problem you've identified. You'll find that it's easy to get the first 10 down on paper. Typically, you'll find that the next 5 are a bit off the wall and unrealistic. However, those last 5 to 15 possibilities are where your creative juices start to kick in. You switch from pulling solutions from your memory and begin creating new possibilities. This is the stuff of genius level thinking!

5. Plan
Most of us never plan our solutions out. We keep throwing stuff at our problems until something sticks, we go with it, and we hope for the best. Geniuses plan. Armed with the vision of the end state, and a solution or a group of solutions, they create a plan to implement those solutions. They determine what they need, help they need to request from others, the timeline it needs to be done within, and they move forward. Many of us have no problem planning out a vacation, a birthday party or a night out on the town. Those are the same skills you'll use here. The difference is that instead of a fun evening, you'll successfully eliminate a major problem from your life permanently. Isn't that worth taking some time to plan for?

6. Act
Procrastination, perfectionism, and denial are the enemies of action. When we know there is something major we must do, many of us all of a sudden find 10 other things that we think we need to do right now. We spend the time on things that can wait and ignore the major problem we could resolve right now. Also, we often stop our own progress because we don't think we have everything perfect. We'd rather not act and wait until we have everything perfectly laid out than to begin making strides towards resolution. Geniuses act. They act now, they act swiftly, and they act with confidence. It's not that they know all of the answers. They are confident in knowing that they will make mistakes and learn from them along the way. They don't allow the perfect to be the enemy of the good, as Barrack Obama often says. When the time comes to act, they do so. Don't wait. Now that you have a solution to a problem you once thought was big and overwhelming, don't sit on it. Know that mistakes are a part of the process, and that you will make far less mistakes moving through these steps than just trying anything. Trust the process, trust your solutions and trust yourself.

7. Adjust
There are some folks that are going to do what they want to do, even when they know their plan has a flaw. Rather than change course along the way when necessary, they move forward as if their plan was written in concrete and they have no other options. Geniuses monitor their progress against the end state vision they have in their mind and adjust course along the way to ensure they fulfill that vision. They understand that as they proceed along their plan, they learn more, get smarter and need to make adjustments here or there if they are going to succeed. They are committed to their end state vision. They understand that their plan is a means towards that end. Observe the results you are getting, project your thoughts forward to see if you are on track towards your end state vision, and adjust your plan as needed. No plan is perfect, and all plans need fine tuning as you move further down the solution path. Adjusting the plan here are there doesn't mean the plan was bad. It's a natural part of the process that should be embraced if there is a need to succeed. These seven simple steps will aid in solving any problem you come across.

Practice using this system and you can become a genius-level thinker.

Skill Management and Success Needs Only 7 Essential Habits

2010-02-01T12:28:00.000-08:00

According to statistics, more than 100 thousand people become millionaires each year in the United States alone! Overwhelming majority out of them is self-made and owners of business. This means, if you would like to pursue your goal of becoming rich, you have to start your own venture.

Having said that, the most important factor about one's success is belief in Oneself. It takes a lot of hardwork to believe in yourself and your goals because it is a natural phenomina that, not everyone would like to watch you reach the top of the ladder to success. For that to happen, there are few tips and tricks to start towards the journer to success. Mind it, these habits and thought processes are found in many successful individuals.

1. Take care of your body.
General health is conducive to mind power, of course, but you should also develop a few specific habits, like eating fish and other brain foods daily, or taking walks three times a week.

2. Take care of your brain.
A routine of weekly chess matches, regular reading, intelligent conversation, or crossword puzzles can exercise the brain and keep it strong. If you find music that help you think, get in the habit of using it.

3. Question everything.
Make it a habit to identify reporter biases every time you watch the news, or to challenge the assumptions hidden in every conversation.

4. Identify essentials.
McDonalds doesn't make better burgers, so why are they successful. Start looking at every concept, thing and situation with the question in mind, "What is essential here?"

5. Be a problem-solver.
A fun and possibly productive habit, is to look at everything with the thought, "How can this be done better?" Practice a few specific problem-solving techniques until you find yourself using them "before you know it."

6. Be self-aware.
It's crucial to maximum mind power that you learn to see your own strengths and weaknesses. You also need to know what's going on in your head, just below consciousness. There will be more on this in the next lesson.

7. Use your knowledge.
If you don't put your thoughts into action regularly, your brain may engage in fantasy more than productive thought. You're basically telling it that thinking isn't relevant to the real world. Play mental games for fun and training, but also be sure to apply the lessons learned to real problems.

You probably noticed that each of these 7 habits is really a collection or category of habits. Don't stress over how many you develop or how fast. The important thing is to just keep working on yourself.

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." - Aristotle

Source(not limiting to): http://ezinearticles.com

Are Debtors fleeing from Dubai being called thieves? Think Again!

2010-01-28T14:04:00.000-08:00

Dubai, the city with the first man made Island-the Palm Jumeirah, tallest tower in the world, the cosmopolitan city that was growing too fast. It changed the trend of Asian community immigrating towards the west to look for a secure future. It had it all for every nationality (except Israel).

The idea was good. The vision was to become the biggest and brightest trading hub connecting the east with the west. The Ruler of Dubai had planned it well but then there were certain moves and laws in place that were incompatible with the vision.

The amount of investments in Dubai were like a dream come true for a small city. Everyday one reads business news and there was hardly a single day when there were no talks about millions and billions of Dollars being invested in a certain project.

People moved in hoping to build their future in this small land full of opportunities and they did make a good decision. Why would'nt one want to live in a place where buying a dream car was like a day out, shopping for snacks. One just required a salary certificate from a company for a couple of thousand dirhams, the least to acquire luxury.

Banks did play a big role by posting profits which surpassed their required targets. They just had to know the contact details of the person that had found a job, completed atleast three months and they were ready to give everything out. If one went to buy a car and the loan got approved, the person was eligible to not only drive the car from the showroom, the bank would even provide a credit card consisting 4-8 times the salary of the person to add modifications to the car.

When the times are good, no one complains whether it rains or never rains in the desert. Human mind is made with the capability of making mistakes, especially if the mistake is bringing fortune for a while without burning oneself in the sun. If a salary of a person is AED 3600(US$1000 aprox.), the bank is running behind the person trying to handover AED 28000 (US$7600 aprox.), why would'nt the person agree, especially if the loan is smart enough to be paid back in 5-6 years. Then there are many banks in Dubai and UAE as a whole. One would borrow from a couple of banks, max out the money, borrow from the third bank and pay the second while borrowing from the fourth bank to pay the first and it goes on and on.

In a city like Dubai, before July 2008 if someone was asked whether what was the meaning of recession, no one knew. As soon as the Government realized a patch of land was empty, immediately a signboard will rise with a 3 dimensional picture of a building, golf course, Hotel, etc.

As soon as the recession hit and after July 2008, people started loosing their jobs like everywhere else in the world. The only difference was, as soon as one looses a job, the banks got informed, they blocked the customer's bank account for further withdrawal and if the customer was unsuccessful in finding a job, they will receive a call from the bank in a totally different tone. This time its not the banker with a versace suit trying to sell a credit card or personal loan. This time there was a heavy voice at the other end of the phone, threatening to throw a person in jail for a loan as low as 50,000 AED (US$13,500 aprox.).

Soon there were one way tickets purchased and all the respectable expatriates became thieves. They ran away leaving their cars in the airport parking. When the time was good, people never realized the seriousness of spending someone else's money. When the time went wrong, most of the unfortunate ran away.

Why did this happen? People did go bankrupt due to loss of jobs. It was an unfortunate incident that gripped the whole world. It changed the way people think today. But instead of threatening people with jails, if the banks would have co-operated with the people, no one would have wanted to leave a city like Dubai. It is arguably one of the most secure cities in the world. Wherever law and order prevails, people are happy to invest. UAE was not different. But unfortunately due to lack of Bankruptcy laws for individuals, individuals had to suffer by running away from the dreamland and Banks had to suffer because they had to spend more on collections agencies and case filings, than the amount they had to get from the customers.

As long as a talented person is naive of utilizing talent, we call him a wasted talent.
As long as Dubai will shy away from a constructive bankruptcy law for individuals, it will continue to be identified as a waste of money in the desert.

The Government of UAE and Dubai in particular has to take some steps in revamping its image as a tolerant society for debtors. They will realize that the run away debtors will come back and pay them back. It might help Dubai to be able to pay its debt to investors as well.

What goes around DOES come around. Its high time the initiative is to go around in a positive and tolerant direction.

Rising Pakistani Youth and a Capable future of Pakistan

2009-12-31T13:54:00.001-08:00

When we walk down the commercial streets of the most vibrant and visionary cities of Pakistan in the past, we still see people heading for their offices in a rush like in any other commercial hubs of other countries.

I always asked myself some questions. Should i follow the negativity in the media about ailing dictatorship or politics and loose myself? Should i move out of Pakistan and become a part and parcel of some hopeful future abroad? Or should i just keep on struggling like my fellow youth and live with the fact that we are not heading for success?

Most of the technology based private companies such as BPOs or Software Development companies or 3rd generation office equipment providing companies...the list goes on, have clients outside Pakistan. Our main focus is the US, EU, Scandinavian and western markets. This is the reason for our technology driven companies' success. Is'nt it? Now that's a decent approach towards providing the youth with international exposure under a roof in Karachi, Lahore or Islamabad. We cannot agree more to it.

Not to forget, we also possess technology driven telecommunication industry which hosts world's largest and most experienced telecom companies including Orascom, Telenor (Norway), Warid Telecom (Abu Dhabi Group),China Mobile and Etisalat, a UAE based company. As per Pakistan Telecommunication Authority(PTA), we have 94.3 million mobile subscribers in Pakistan. For the first time ever in the history of telecommunication industry of Pakistan, there were job cuts in the telecommunication sector in the year 2008-2009. Before you can answer this question, let me add to it. It was not due to recession. Rupee depreciation, power cuts and political instability lead to retreat of 48% investment made into this sector.

This is just one example of a multibillion dollar industry trying to sustain the economic dillema. Why are we talking about this? What are we trying to get to?

Pakistan's youth wants to deliver the best for their country. But are we always looking for International Investments OR International Aid for 80% population living for less than a dollar a day? We have heard our leaders screaming in speeches that we need trade and not aid. But soon after that, we are seen heading to IMF. Once the loan is sanctioned, we are happily announcing an addition of few billion dollars in our foriegn reserve? Are we contradicting ourselves?

So, what's the solution? We all can come up with suggestions. There has to be a solution because every child is born naked. It is the influence of the human environment that puts clothes on to the body. We have some seriour patch work that needs to be done in the country. For that to be done, all segments of citizens of Pakistan living in and out of the country need to contribute. The rich do not have to invest all their fortune in Pakistan. But in addition to the investments made abroad, a sizable share SHOULD be contributed to the economy in Pakistan. But the question is, where do they invest? Anything that utilizes the educated youth's talent. It can start with a service providing industry which is tech oriented without investment for physical goods. As and when the credibility of the cautious investors increase, it can open gate to other form of investments. When these jobs will open doors for the youth of today, they will contribute more and more towards success of their Nation.

Our Media should also start focusing on educated and career oriented programmes at a little higher pace than it shows political programmes. They have to understand that not everybody wants to pursue politics. We have enough people to run politics and enough people to point out what's not going right and where to critisize and condemn.

Once a Swedish friend of mine, living in Dubai asked me, Do you have roads in Pakistan? What about buildings? What about quality education?
After thinking about the reasons for these questioning i concluded that we do not have to open doors for money from our international friends. We have to open doors for international community to visit our place, work in our country and move freely in our country, like how they move about in Malaysia, Dubai, US, UK, Canada....again the list goes on. International community comprises of Arabs, Europeans, Africans, Americans, etc. Every place might have their own set of problems. But those set of problems SHOULD NOT be the fact that we see a foreigner only in posh and highly secured areas of our country. Anyone who has lived anywhere abroad will agree to the fact that we learn a lot from interaction with different cultures, traditions, foods, etc. We just have to change our mentally from "Clash of Culture" to "Culture Education". When we invite people, they will like us. If they like us, they will like talking to us. If they talk to us and try to understand us, they will like buying something from us or sell something to us.

Having said this, in order to acquire and achieve these milestones, we need to have our security at home, town, city, states and country at its best. It is the platform of every country. If we have a flawless security today, we will definately succeed by the next decade. We can then call our selves a nation with an economic boom, an educated youth and a country hungry for more. It is not an unachievable mission to Jupiter as of today. It can be done. We have to get ourselves together and omit the sentence "Its all about politics and it is all corrupted, etc"

We do not just have to be friends for money with China, USA, UAE, etc. We have to rather befriend our exhausted self and invite people to read our minds, understand our trends and then invest in our wonderful land rich with many resources that can contribute to the progress of the rest of the world.

Sources for reference:
pta.gov.pk
dawnnews.com