A colleague of mine says that people don’t mind change and they don’t necessarily fear it - but that they do fear what is required to make a change. So, in effect, when organizational change is proposed and employees begin to have “fear conversations” (”I wonder what job moves are going to come about as a result of this. . .?” “Where is all this heading. . .?” ” What kind of shake-ups will there be at the top?”) what they’re actually expressing is a fear of how the change is to be instituted. Organizational psychologists are highly attuned to change constructs, to the organizational purposes that they serve, and the opportunities and advantages that they provide for organizations. For all the positive aspects that change provides, we nevertheless find dichotomized thinking about the change process, when we work with the employees of a corporation undergoing change. From one prospective, we find that the organization’s members endorse the end result of change and the advantages that this can bring. They can see, for example, that changes can offer greater efficiencies and improved and easier ways of doing things; increased corporate profits and a chance at higher salaries; a heightened competitive edge and greater market status advantage for the company. While acknowledging these benefits, what they talk to us about, however, are the actions and details that will occur between the time change is initiated and when the change has been effected - that is, the path that is to be traveled to make the change is of the greatest concern.

Because change is so all-pervasive in modern organizations, two of the most critical elements of leadership are initiation and management of change. Most managers have had limited training in the specifics of leading organizational change and have little idea of the ways that their employees perceive and experience change. And, yet, much of the day-to-day work of the manager involves addressing marketplace opportunities - most of which require change to the organizational structure and its employee functioning. The greatest determinant of the future success of an organization is the CEO and leadership team’s ability to address change by formulating and articulating a clear vision and carefully-crafted strategic reactions.

Change in complex organizations requires management of the interplay of emotions and cognitive processes. Managers, on the whole, lack the knowledge and background to deal with imminent and forced organizational changes. The modern, dynamic business environment requires large numbers of changes to be made during any given year, from an ever-widening range of change choices. Without training in this area, managers often resist change or avoid organizational transformation effort. When faced with the need to change, resistive actions on the part of the organization’s leaders can precipitate a process that results in rapid deterioration of the organization. Sound knowledge of organizational change processes, on the other hand, allows leaders to view change as an opportunity that can be guided and managed for greater gains.

From these two different approaches to organizational change - change resistance or change management - two differing belief systems emerge. The belief of the “change resistant” manager is that change will bring instability, upheaval, unpredictability, threat and disorientation; the “change embracer,” on the other hand, sees change as an opportunity — a chance for rejuvenation and innovation as well as progress and growth. In effect, the difference in the two approaches is a that of viewing change from a perspective of fear and anxiety, or from one of excitement and confidence.

From our experiences in organizations, there is no doubt that confident managers deal with change management most effectively. To arrive at a point where they are poised and assured of handling organizational changes, managers will have devoted themselves to constant and continuous learning. Dedicated learners gain the ability to gather large amounts of current knowledge that allows flexibility to react with dexterity and skill to crisis situations. Learning managers also come to know the culture of their organizations, and, consequently, are adept at persuading and reassuring employees to follow their lead in instituting change propositions.

From our many experiences of working as consultants in organizations, the professionals in my company have gleaned the following precepts of managing change:

1– STRUCTURE AND POSIT THE CHANGE PROPOSITION WELL

Managers need to be able to clearly and completely describe and justify the changes that they propose. In order to prepare their employees for change, they need to have researched the topic well in order to be able to clearly delineate: 1) the reason for the change; 2) the proposed actions to be taken; and 3) the expected results. Good data to support the need for change are critical. The data need to be provided, along with sources for employees to find background and technical information for the proposed changes on their own. Providing information sources for employees encourages an informed workforce and also promotes the growth of an organizational population of learners.

2 — ANTICIPATE RESISTANCE AND REACTION

The manager should know the employees and the organizational culture well enough to be able to anticipate those who will be resistant to change. Preparations for emotional reactions to change can be accomplished by developing strategies for use in specific situations. Change scenarios can offer sound operational approaches for most circumstances. If there are departments or other “pockets” of personnel who are likely to resist the changes, the manager and his staff will want to work with these members either in groups, or one-on-one, as appropriate.

3 — TALK OPENLY ABOUT THE CHANGE REACTIONS

The manager, or an expert hired to assist with the intricacies of individual behavior in change situations, will need to confront employee fears and reactions to the change. There is a need to talk openly about plans for change and the actions relating to the change as well as to work with individual employees to assist them in addressing their concerns. As a part of this process, employees will need to determine “what’s in it for me” — this might simply be that the company, and they along with it, will prosper under the new directions. Once there have been discussions to promote greater understanding, employees can begin to think seriously about their roles in the change process.

4 — INSPIRE TRUST AND TEAMWORK

The focus of the work with employees during the planning and initiation stages of change will be on engendering employee trust and inspiring teamwork. When goals are explained well and management credibility and integrity exists, it will be possible to transform employee reactions of anxiety to an endorsement of changes. Trust and team building is a topic requiring lengthy discussion, as there are prescriptive processes that will need to be followed. To accomplish this phase of change, leaders will need to research the topic well; or, alternatively, employ experts who can guide the organization’s members through formal teambuilding and organizational development processes.

5 — ALLOW OWNERSHIP OF THE CHANGE PROCESS

The desired outcome for teambuilding is to have employees feel that they own the change process as well as the path that is to be traveled to secure the change. Great value is derived from the employee dedication and rejuvenation that comes from feeling ownership of the change process. When an employee is feeling in charge of the process and of his own fate, there is certainty that the desired change will be accomplished. This level of confidence also fosters inspiration, new ideas, and innovative ways of doing things that result in a high rate of overall achievement.

6 — LEADERS MUST LEAD

Throughout the change process, from the planning. . . to the introduction of change . . . to the implementation, the leader must lead. That is, employees must be convinced, in both words and actions, that the leader is fully behind the change processes. Members of the organization must be able both to know and to sense that the direction of change is well understood and highly endorsed by the leader, and that the leader harbors no doubts about the proposed course of action leading to greater organizational benefit and commercial gain for the organization. Good information about the organization’s position and the need for change, a clear plan for action, and absolute faith in the success of the actions to be undertaken will be interpreted positively by employees. A leader that proposes change must be certain of the commitment and skill in leading the change efforts. It is for these challenging change efforts that confident leaders are most needed.

In summary: A leader must be willing to embrace change processes with clarity and enthusiasm; must have identified the need for change through avid learning processes; must be able to transmit a commitment to the change as well as to one’s employees throughout the process; must be willing to work with individuals, groups and teams to establish the right path to accomplish the change; must be willing to share the ownership of the change processes and to compromise and deviate, where needed, from the original plans in order to ensure that others assume important roles in the process. And, above all, the leader must exhibit the courage and conviction that engenders respect and confidence from others in the organization; that allays most doubts; and that inspires employees to greater levels of performance and accomplishment.

Dr. Billie Blair heads the organizational development firm, Leading and Learning, Inc., a firm of 30 business, education and health care professionals who have expertise in management practices and change associations in organizations and corporations.

Dr. Blair has a doctorate in organizational psychology and has worked with executives and CEOs for the past 25 years to institute strategic planning processes, manage organizational change, assess employees for growth potential, and lead processes of change within their businesses and institutions, including serving as a professor of management/leadership and as a college dean in California’s largest public university system.

In offering the services of Leading and Learning, Inc. to leaders who appreciate the need for continuous learning in their organizations, Dr. Blair states that her firm “works with executives in organizations to finalize strategic goals and to help these leaders efficiently and effectively deal with change.”

(For more information on this topic, see: Blair, 2006, Organizational Development and Teambuilding @ http://www.leadinglearninginc.com)

The first task for an aspiring piano player is learning where all the notes on the piano are located. The next lesson is usually how to play the various scales. There are many different types of scales on the piano. You have major, natural minor, harmonic minor, and melodic minor scales. There are also blues scales. Today you will learn how to play the major and natural minor scales.

A major scale is a series of notes composed of whole and half steps. A half step is simply the distance from one note to the very next. For example, E to F is a half step. Ab to A is also a half step. A whole step is just two half steps. Bb to C and F to G are two examples of whole steps. With this in mind, you can easily construct a major scale if you know the formula.

Starting on any note, the formula to find the major scale is W-W-H-W-W-W-H. W refers to a whole step, and H refers to a half step. For example, let’s use the formula to find the C major scale. Start on C, go a whole step to D, whole step to E, half step to F, whole step to G, whole step to A, whole step to B, half step up to C. You will notice that there are no black keys in the C, so let’s find a major scale that has some. For the Eb major scale, start on Eb and go a whole step up to F, whole step up to G, half step up to Ab, whole step up to Bb, whole step up to C, whole step up to D, and half step up to Eb. Once you memorize this formula, you can quickly find any major scale.

Playing a natural minor scale is just as easy. The formula to find a minor scale is just slightly difference. The formula is W-H-W-W-H-W-W. So you can see the difference between major and minor, let’s find the C minor scale since you’ve already seen the C major scale. Start on C, go a whole step to D, half step to Eb, whole step to F, whole step to G, half step to Ab, whole step to Bb, whole step to C. Now to play the Eb minor scale. Start on Eb, go a whole step to F, half step up to Gb, whole step up to Ab, whole step up to Bb, half step up to Cb, whole step up to Db, whole step up to Eb.

Playing major and natural minor scales is a simple process once you’ve memorized the formula. It’s a good idea to practice your scales every single day for however long you desire. You will begin playing them with ease in no time at all. Mastering the art of playing scales will make your mastery of more advanced piano lessons much easier.

Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced piano player, there is always something new to learn. Stop by Supreme Piano today to receive six days of piano lessons for free.

You’re hungry for pizza and you don’t have any pizza coupons, what do you do know? Go hungry, eat some left over food, or just order a pizza anyways? You know the craving, if you’re hungry for pizza, then you’re going to order the pizza! Before you place that phone call, let me show you a few ways to find some special pizza coupons.

The easiest way to gain a special discount on a pizza is to simply call the pizza shop and find out if they have any specials on pizzas. Most pizza shops carry some kind of special. The big three, Papa John’s pizza, Pizza Hut, and Domino’s pizza, all run monthly (or 6 week) specials. They are always creating new pizza’s and specials to get you into their door with their television advertisements.

Another way to find pizza coupons is to search through that stack of mail that has been sitting on your counter. All of the big pizza shops spend money every month to get coupons for pizza in your door. Their coupons come in a variety of ways, some use direct mail which comes from their data base of customer’s, other pizza places use coupons in a monthly coupons book, and some pizza shops even have crew members door hang. The great thing about paper advertising, is that it is less expensive so the independent pizzeria’s have a chance to compete for your business.

The third way to locate pizza specials is to log onto your favorite pizza website. All of the bigger pizza shops have a website now a days! When you visit, you can join their mailing list and receive special pizza coupons directly to your e-mail. This is the newest form of advertising for pizza shops and I believe it is growing every month. This gives them the opportunity to take advantage of any big happening in the world! If the big game is in a few days, you may just receive an e-mail about a special pizza discount for that day only. In any case, you can obtain an online pizza coupons and simply print it out and redeem it. Pizza thrives on main events, friends and families gather and pizza shops know that pizza is the easiest food to feed a gathering!

So the next time you ‘re surfing the net and get that pizza craving, log onto your favorite pizza site and grab some coupons! Be happy, Enjoy live, Eat pizza!

A veteran of the pizza industry making sure your pizza is the best you can get! For more information about the pizza industry, visit http://www.pizzawars.net We specialize in pizza industry information, menu’s, coupons, and more!

Every craft takes practice. The best athletes spend hours on the court, the ice, the field. Gourmet chefs take days, weeks, months to perfect a single recipe. So it stands to reason that in order to become a better writer, you should practice by writing every day. However, it takes more than just practice to become a better writer. It also takes immersion in reading the writing of others - and not just of the genre in which you specialize.

What’s your reading style? Chances are that if you are a writer, you already are a pretty good reader. But chances are that you also tend to stick with one or two primary genres. Do you prefer modern fiction? Tend always toward sci-fi? Were the last 25 books you purchased business books? Shelves filled with sports bios and autobiographies? Floor, desk, and bedside table strewn with self-help literature?
There’s nothing at all wrong with reading a lot in one subject - however, you will stifle your growth as a writer if you fail to read beyond that single genre. If you really want to improve your writing, you will be willing to read across multiple genres, pouring over virtually anything you can get your hands on.

Yes - this also means reading the stuff you don’t like. Take some time and try to figure out why you don’t like it. Is it too technical? Is it the style that bothers you? Do you find the voice or characters problematic? The further you study the work that troubles you, the more likely you’ll find yourself either growing to like it, or at least developing an appreciation for it. At the very least, you will learn how not to do the same things in your own writing.

Studies have shown that fewer than 10 percent of all people who buy books ever read past the first chapter. What kind of reader are you? Do you tend to have several books going at one time? Do you read in spurts, one after another for several months, and then taking a complete reading sabbatical for a while? Do you find yourself so hungry for reading material that you will literally read the back of the cereal box if the newspaper arrives late on a weekend morning?

To begin improving your writing, let everything you read influence you. You obviously want to read books, journals, and literature within your industry and allied trades. You also want to read your competitors’ materials, as well as regularly attending workshops and seminars in yours and related fields. Consider keeping a journal with notes from your readings. When you come across things that particularly speak to you, jot them down, or record the thoughts and ideas they trigger for you.
If you write nonfiction, read fiction - good fiction you can begin to model. In her inaugural novel, The Good Mother, Sue Miller described a scene in which the main character cut her leg shaving. That single, tiny detail gave authenticity to the entire story. Ken Follett, in Pillars of the Earth, achieved a similar effect when describing a group of one-dimensional, background characters whose necks eventually began to ache from craning up for hours at a time to watch construction of the magnificent church.

Whether you enjoy fiction or not, find and read good stories so that you can become better at telling good stories. As Internet guru Joe Vitale teaches, the most hypnotic writing always tells a story. Even your nonfiction should connect emotionally with your readers because it tells them a story that grabs their attention and draws them in. Mimic the styles and phrases that appeal to you in others’ writing. Practice using them yourself until you feel confident and comfortable and can make them your own.

Venturing into a bookstore can be an intimidating experience for virtually every aspiring writer, but it doesn’t have to be. It helps if you remember that, in all likelihood, you won’t be the first to tackle your subject; unless you’re on the cutting edge of medical or scientific research, your idea probably won’t be brand new. That in no way implies that you shouldn’t write your book, article, or Web site.

Human beings learn through repetition, meaning that most of us need to hear the same messages again and again before we finally assimilate them. So don’t worry that there are other titles similar to yours on the store shelves or scads of other articles on your topic out there.

Ever notice when you purchase a book on Amazon how they give you a list of other books selected by readers who purchased the book you bought? Ever notice how frequently they’re on the same subject?

Don’t let the vast numbers of pre-existing volumes scare you. Don’t let others’ good writing intimidate you. Rather, allow them to inspire you. You can do it. You have a message to share, something important to say, and it’s essential that you convey that information to the world. What is your purpose? Your passion? If you aren’t sharing your knowledge and your expertise, you are welching on your agreement for being in this life in the first place.

Get out there. Read more. And become a better writer.

LAURA ORSINI is a professional editor, writer, and marketing advisor with a BA in Nonfiction Writing from the University of Arizona. She is the author of several eBooks, including Words Made Easy, eBooks Made Easy, Niching Made Easy, Handwriting Analysis Made Easy, and 1,001 Real-Life Questions for Women. She also gives seminars on creativity, writing, and gratitude and abundance, teaching practical techniques for thinking, visualizing, and brainstorming. Contact her at: Laura@WordsMadeEasy.com or (602) 253-8463.

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You got those extra baggages on your body and you want to take care of it, pronto. Here are tips to make it all go. Dr. Fred A. Stutman, M.D., a weight-loss expert and author of the recently released 100 Weight Loss Tips That Really Work, here are 10 surefire ways to win in the battle of the bulge, said that there are bits that really work in just about every weight-loss plan, but you shouldn’t have to read every diet book to find them.

Start off with Burn weight with carbohydrates, "by the simple thermic effect of converting carbohydrates into energy," says Dr. Stutman, Burn weight with carbohydrates when you eat complex carbohydrates like vegetables, beans, legumes, fresh fruit, whole grains and nuts, your body uses so much energy metabolizing and digesting, you expend 250 calories daily.

Bulk up with fiber, Fiber also slows down digestion and sugar uptake so much, eating just one apple creates the same satiety as eating three cupcakes, says Dr. Stutman, Like complex carbohydrates, fiber gives your intestines a workout, so eating just 30 grams a day will burn off the equivalent of a slice of pepperoni pizza.

Sip apple cider vinegar, It contains malic and tartaric acid, which help digest carbohydrates and slow their absorption into the bloodstream. Down one tablespoon before eating, or add it to a salad. It’s been used as a health tonic throughout history, but science now knows why apple cider vinegar is so good for you.

Nibble protein at night, Instead of salty or sugary treats; try slow-digesting, appetite-suppressing foods like almonds, skim-milk yogurt or low-fat cheese. Eating junk food after hours is a major hurdle many dieters face. Those tasty snacks might help you to fall asleep, but they will also wake you up as soon as your blood sugar falls.

One important tip is, Drink water, Nutritionists believes that dehydration, not hunger, causes some overeating. Start every meal with water and sip eight glasses through the day. You’ve heard it before, water transports nutrients, remove toxins and rehydrate the body. But it can also help you to lose weight.

Pop some nuts, Just a handful of almonds and walnuts also triggers the release of cholecystokinin, a hormone that shuts down your appetite. Dieters love snacks, and two of the best are unbuttered popcorn and nuts. The former has two grams of fiber per cup, while the latter contain protein, folic acid, vitamin D, copper, magnesium and monounsaturated fats.

Walk before and after you eat, the thermic dynamic action of digesting your dinner along with the exercise will help you burn off 10 to 15 per cent more calories. Just before a meal, take a brisk stroll around the block it’ll help switch off your appetite. Then, 45 minutes after eating, take another hike.

Don’t yo-yo, When dieters lost 10 per cent of their body weight, they reduced their risk of heart disease by 20 per cent; when they gained it back, they increased their risk by 30 per cent. According to the 40-year-long Framingham Heart Study, going on and off diets messes up your metabolism and your health.

Pick the best of the worst, despite its calories; it also has protein and calcium from cheese and lycopene from tomatoes.

Every dieter has been confused about where to indulge every now and then it’s the unavoidable choice between pizza and a hot dog. Best advice? Grab a slice of plain pizza.

Cook with garlic and onions, Dr. Stutman said that "garlic and onions contain phytonutrients that break down fat globules from food in the intestinal tract," and added, "preventing this fat from being absorbed into the body."

Dr. Stutman said that "Combined, the tips make for a doable set of building blocks for weight loss, physical fitness and healthy eating habits," When you enjoy moderate portion sizes and get regular exercise, weight loss can be simple.

Article Author Jayron Magcale from http://www.Jump2top.com, a SEO Company.Know more about Hoodia Gordinii at
http://www.primeherbal.com/hoodia & http://www.hoodiastore.org

Have you ever made a seemingly innocuous statement, or executed a “normal” business action and, in return, experienced surprisingly angry or retaliatory reactions? That is, reactions that were far out of proportion to your original intentions, that were meant as benign and “inconsequential” acts? If so, you were experiencing, first hand, the results of Chaos Theory at work.

James Brown (fictitious name) is the CEO and Managing Director of a large utilities company in a mid-western state. He frequently visits offices of his managers, and, while there, he also makes the rounds and chats with their employees, answering questions, receiving feedback, and so on. On one such visit, Mr. Brown encountered a group of employees clustered in the coffee room, excitedly poring over and discussing a news item in the Wall Street Journal. Seizing upon the opportunity to talk to a number of employees at once, he approached the group [Mr. Brown had just returned from a long overseas trip and was interested in conducting his business in this plant as expeditiously as possible, before jet-lag overtook him - the larger the number of employees, the greater his "reach" for the day, and the sooner he could achieve his sense of having fulfilled the obligation of "keeping in touch with the troops."] Therefore, Mr. Brown waded into the midst of the group to join in their conversation which, as it turned out, was about deregulation of the utilities industry.

The employees welcomed his presence and explained that they were deeply concerned about what this move might mean to the industry. Mr. Brown, tired from his long trip and distracted by his recent talk with the plant’s manager [productivity was down], was disappointed to find himself in the middle of a political discussion. He, therefore, experienced the employee comments as simply an overreaction and “unprofessional whine.” Consequently, before he could stem the flow of his words, he had said exactly that. “This sounds like just unprofessional whining to me!” he thundered. His outburst had the effect of dissolving the group’s vibrancy into stunned silence. An immediate attempt to retract his piercing comments were not met with a high degree of receptiveness, as the mood had descended down the scale to distinct chilliness. In addition to the embarrassment of his humbling exit from the coffee room, he was later to learn that a junior employee overhearing the exchange, during his first day at the firm and while taking a coffee break with his group, was, in fact, the nephew of the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Mr. Brown’s utility company. The remainder of the scenario is predictable and can likely be imagined without going into further detail.

But the point is that, in a seemingly small, innocent, and unguarded moment, Mr. Brown sowed the seeds for his dismissal. Because the Board Chairman, upon hearing of his nephew’s distress during the exchange, made it his new-found mission to closely monitor
Mr. Brown’s performance.

A more recent, and more public, example of a remark gone awry is that of Lawrence Summers, President of Harvard University, who mentioned in a throw-away line that men were better at math and science than were women [current research supports this contention, by the way, and there are complicated reasons why this is so]. Regardless of the long-term ramifications of his statement in relation to his job [there were faculty censures of him as well wide-spread public outcries before the matter was ultimately resolved], one of the unintended, long-term results of his “innocuous” action, is that Mr. Summers will go down in history as the Harvard President who proclaimed that “girls aren’t up to the challenge” [that's not exactly what he said, but it's what he's popularly viewed as saying]. And, indeed, Mr. Summers was forced to resign his position.

To debrief on what Mr. Brown and Mr. Summers fell prey to, let me briefly explain Chaos Theory and the elements of its workings in the business environment, or other formal organizations. Clearly defined, chaos, or chaotic events, are the unexpected consequences of seemingly small actions of “inconsequential” behaviors. Chaos Theory has its basis in quantum physics and holds that: Not only do we influence our reality, but, to some degree, we actually create it. (Gary Zukav, The Dancing Wu Li Masters). John Wheeler, who was a physicist at Princeton University, wrote that the universe, in some strange sense, is brought into being by the participation of those who are a part of that universe.

Popularly stated, the simplified Theory of Chaos is that, “If a butterfly flaps its wings in Tokyo, it causes a tornado in Texas.” One might ask why this bit of philosophy and science is important to the conduct of business and to those who manage organizations? The central meaning of chaos theory is achieved when one realizes that the smallest of actions in an organization can have prodigious ramifications — as in Mr. Brown’s case. One then becomes aware of the magnitude and importance of each human interaction and the impact of these interactions on the organization.

This awareness, alone, can be a powerful tool for the knowledgeable executive and can mold and temper his or her professional reactions. For example, knowing that the slightest action can set off a firestorm, as in Mr. Summer’s case, and that this fact is supported by a large body of theory [called Chaos Theory] one can feel secure in structuring daily interactions wisely and mindfully. To take the simple example of Mr. Brown: had he been more attuned to himself and to his behavioral tendencies when very tired, he would simply (and wisely) have postponed a plant visit planned for the day
after his return from Asia. In other words, had he considered the matter carefully, he would have planned that day’s activities so that he interacted, solely, with trusted confidantes and with those individuals who would not be prone to take offense at ill-advised words spoken while in a state of exhaustion.

So what is the message here for executives? What can be derived from the teachings of Chaos Theory and then applied to the broader scope of a manager’s life?

The message can be summarized in a few statements, known as the “Three Recognitions of Chaos Theory in The Practice of Management:”

The First, is to Recognize that everything that you do is under serious scrutiny;

The Second …Recognize that you are the employees’ friend only so long as they want you to be — any untoward message or action can change the category from “friend” to “enemy,” irreversibly; and

The Third …Recognize, therefore, that all actions, no matter how small or seemingly inconsequential, must be self-monitored on a regular, consistent, and on-going basis, for their content and continuous appropriateness, and, even more importantly, for the reactions that they might incur.

“Remember the Butterfly!” my graduate management students used to say. This was the slogan adopted for their management practice after they had become familiar with Chaos Theory and had found an explanation for the chaotic events that they were experiencing as managers. Chaos Theory brought new meaning to their management efforts, especially after they had all experienced the first “bite” from chaotic events. One of the reasons that first experiences with chaotic events are so surprising is that we are often told in our management classes that we are not to “sweat the small stuff” — that we are, instead, to “take care of the big stuff” and the “small stuff will take care of itself.” [This is a quote from one of my management professors, but every management student has heard a similar bromide.]

By not “sweating” the small stuff, one is led, inexorably, into chaotic events, because one’s management belief structure has been formed to consider “small matters” as inconsequential, insignificant and beneath one’s notice. Nothing could be further from the truth!

When Chaos Theory was first explored as an explanatory theory for management practice, Dan Griffiths, Ann Hart and Billie Blair wrote: “A great many facets of administrative work cannot be described, explained, or predicted by current [management] theories…[managers] are chagrined when seemingly minor and innocuous events that are quickly forgotten surface later as major lawsuits, noisy demonstrations, acrimonious confrontations, or strikes. These events do not seem to be related to the [manager's] competence, foresight, intelligence, knowledge, or sensitivity. Because
these events are unrelated to the customary relationships that characterize a leader’s work, they represent a form of disorder that reappears with seeming regularity.”

As you observe your work as a manager and leader, observe with fresh application the incidents that have preceded truly chaotic events and begin to chronicle for yourself what these events consisted of — I think you’ll be amazed to find that all chaotic events have their roots in a very small, “triggering” incident. And, as you look at your practice of management, “Remember the Butterfly!”

Dr. Billie Blair heads the organizational development firm, Leading and Learning, Inc., a firm of 30 business, education and health care professionals who have expertise in management practices and change associations in organizations and corporations.

Dr. Blair has a doctorate in organizational psychology and has worked with executives and CEOs for the past 25 years to institute strategic planning processes, manage organizational change, assess employees for growth potential, and lead processes of change within their businesses and institutions, including serving as a professor of management/leadership and as a college dean in California’s largest public university system.

In offering the services of Leading and Learning, Inc. to leaders who appreciate the need for continuous learning in their organizations, Dr. Blair states that her firm “works with executives in organizations to finalize strategic goals and to help these leaders efficiently and effectively deal with change.”

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When you, as the CEO, have led your company through the careful process of crafting a strategic plan, the most important step in implementing the plan is to make sure that your employees will be moving in tandem with the intent of the plan and with its strategic goals. There are seven key steps to follow to get this accomplished.

Step 1 - Know Your Employee “Audience” and Test the Water. You’ll need to do some basic fact-finding to understand how prepared and/or dedicated your employees are to goals endorsement. If this was not clear as a result of your strategic planning process, the best way to approach learning the needed information is through an all-inclusive electronic data gathering process known as the Delphi Process. This process is a relatively simple one, but will require that you hire a technological consultant to run the Delphi, unless you have such a person internal to your organization.

Once the process has been structured and implemented, the data that you will receive will portray an in-depth picture of your employees and their motivation, relative to your organization’s strategic goals. The process will also provide you with insights into a collective intent to act to carry out goals directions. Barring an ability to conduct a Delphi Process, the second best way to gain insight about your employees’ interest in and dedication to your strategic goals is to use “focus groups” as a sampling process to discover that. The agendas for focus group meetings can be pre-cast to provide the answers you will need for later steps in the adoption process. Focus group discussion questions should be structured to accomplish two purposes: Gain information about employees’ dedication to the tasks ahead; while at the same time, to serve to “seed” information that will serve the organization well.

Focus group questions should be structured so that no more than 20-30 minutes is needed for the facilitator of a focus group to gain needed information and to convey some “key ideas” to the employees in attendance.

Step 2 - Discover Your Major Movers. During the focus group [or, other "testing the water"] process, you will discover your major movers, which constitutes the 2nd Key Step of realizing goals implementation. As you, or a trusted member of your leadership team, talk to your people in the focus groups and as you hear and see them interact with others, you will discern those who are the natural or assumed leaders and who demonstrate an interest and a talent for the tasks ahead. Tap into this latent leadership talent and use it to best advantage by selecting and forming these individuals into a cadre of Major Movers for your organization.

Step 3 - Train Them Well. As you discover and identify these major movers you will want to prepare to train them well. By immediately setting up a training program for these leaders and drawing them together, at once, into a cadre for further training and support, you are instituting the next critical step. This training should have two thrusts: 1) to prepare the “M&M” cadre with a common body of knowledge so that everyone is singing from the same hymnal; and 2) to set up the “corporate creep process” — that is, to ensure that the notion of “how to’s” for employees to work within the organization’s goal framework is embedded in the thinking/processing mechanisms of this group of employees.

The common body of knowledge that is presented to the company’s “major mover” (M&M) group will be talking points that have been carefully refined and “test-driven” as those that most closely depict the “message” of the organization’s goals development function. It is this M&M cadre who will become your knowledge dissemination process within the organization.

Step 4 — Arrange for a Rewards Structure. The rewards structure should be set up as part of your CCP, or, “corporate creep process.” A structure of rewards, or incentives, should be designed to promote the effective attention to goals by your employees. Incentives programs especially selected as appropriate rewards for employees who promote the organization’s goals should be created [for more information, see Dr. Blair's article, "Why Does an Incentive Structure Work in Corporations?"].

Step 5 - Test The Thoroughness of Coverage. Once Steps 1-4 have been covered and there has been time for the information to be disseminated, or “to percolate” through the company, you will want to set up Step 5, which is a process to test the thoroughness of coverage. That is, you’ll want to determine, through informal sources, surveys, and other means, how well the information is flowing through the organization; how widespread the coverage has been; how well-received it has been; and how adequate you would judge the results of the overall effort to be.

Step 6 - Look for the Gaps and Close Them. Armed with data and other information from Step 5, the next step is to look for the gaps and close them. In looking at the success evidence at hand, you and/or other experts, will be able to identify employee groupings (work groups, matrix teams, departments, divisions, and so on) where the employees seem to have little knowledge of the goals determination and the effort that surrounds goal implementation. Once these pockets have been discovered then additional, educative measures will need to be undertaken with targeted groups of individuals, essentially repeating the work done in Step 3, but on a grander scale and with larger numbers of employees.

Conversely, if the spread of coverage can be seen to be satisfactory, then congratulate yourself that the process is going well!

It is important that one not consider the processes of Step Six as finalized until substantial increases in attitude and behavior changes can be seen through the use of “testing the water,” (TTW) measures such as those described in Step 1.

Step 7 - Maintain Consistent Demeanor in Support of Goals. Throughout the process of cultural change, from Steps 1-6, the executive must maintain consistent demeanor in support of the organization’s goals. For goals to be wholly-embraced by employees, the CEO must show a strong interest and dedication throughout the goal implementation stage. He or she must show strong intent for carrying out goals. This can be done through talks and conversations with employees, through formal presentations and news releases, and, of course, through participation in and support of the other six steps of the goals adoption process.

In addition to the strong show of support, the CEO will need to be constantly aware of how he or she is modeling “goals directedness.” As employees most often follow the behavioral examples they’re shown, they will become acutely aware of the CEO’s commitments, as portrayed by actions, not solely by words. Should these deviate or be in opposition to the originally-established goals and the CEO’s rhetoric, the CEO must be prepared to explain these actions and to provide comprehensible answers as to why a goal was skirted. And, certainly, if it becomes necessary to abandon a goal, that fact should be made clear to the company’s employees at once. In fact, should jettisoning a goal become necessary, a new, mini-version of the strategic planning process should be instituted.

Nothing prevents chaos in the corporate structure quite as well as these seven steps, that focus on getting employees on board and formulating strong support of the organization’s goals, from the top down. Without employees’ endorsement of an effort of goals directedness, it will certainly fail. Rosabeth Moss Canter has said that, “employees can be energized - engaged in problem solving and mobilized for change - by their involvement in a participative structure that permits them to venture beyond their normal work roles to tackle meaningful issues.” And, Peter Drucker recommends strategies such as those described in this article, to avoid the management pitfalls of “intellectual arrogance [that cause] disabling ignorance.”

Dr. Blair is President/CEO of Leading and Learning, Inc., a management consulting firm. For further information, contact www.leadingandlearninginc.com

Dr. Billie Blair heads the organizational development firm, Leading and Learning, Inc., a firm of 30 business, education and health care professionals who have expertise in management practices and change associations in organizations and corporations.

Dr. Blair has a doctorate in organizational psychology and has worked with executives and CEOs for the past 25 years to institute strategic planning processes, manage organizational change, assess employees for growth potential, and lead processes of change within their businesses and institutions, including serving as a professor of management/leadership and as a college dean in California’s largest public university system.

In offering the services of Leading and Learning, Inc. to leaders who appreciate the need for continuous learning in their organizations, Dr. Blair states that her firm “works with executives in organizations to finalize strategic goals and to help these leaders efficiently and effectively deal with change.” http://www.leadingandlearninginc.com

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Success is nothing but success…

Already as a child, my need for a change was very prominent: I was reluctant to repeat anything more than twice or three times. I was not the type of person who ate the same piece of chicken every day, wore blue jeans only, or slept at the same hours. When I learned to play the violin (At the age of 5 ½, on a violin bigger than myself) I found it difficult to repeat the pieces or exercises as they were written, and started to improvise whenever I could; playing with the Town Orchestra I would not stop playing when the music sheets said so, adding some notes here and there - much to the conductors resentment. He chose to change the instruments I played - as he saw fit. Regretfully (his) it did not work out. My inner urge to change has not stopped.

My parents, teachers, friends and other acquaintances found it hard to understand that this behavior of mine was due to my need for challenge, for something new, for growth and personal development. I did not fear failures - and until this day I still believe that SUCCESS MEANS NOTHING AFTER HAVING ACHIEVED IT. On the other hand - failure makes us think of a change, thus failure is a much more significant factor in finding solutions.

Change in itself is positive, as can be seen in the story of one of my previous patients - a renowned musician of the philharmonic orchestra, who actually managed to make his dream come true by playing in the best of orchestras. One day he stopped to ask himself - what now? And he had no answer. He traveled along with the orchestra on their concert tours, played in various magnificent halls - and did not enjoy any of it. He found it especially difficult when he had to get up repeatedly on the ‘encores’. “… When I know there is going to be an encore, just the thought of it makes me sick”, he used to say. And the ‘encores’ kept coming, because our orchestra is one of the best, and each concert ends with 10 encores at least. In short, he needed a change, but could not admit it, even to himself.

Similarly, many other people regard change as a threat to their very existence. This is why people usually prefer to keep their routine and monotonous life for years. They eat the same food, live in the same house, never change the furniture, never change their job and retain the same morning and bedtime schedule. It gives them a sense of security - which is false - and at the same time causes disturbances such as dissatisfaction with their work and boredom. Eventually they may find out one important thing: ROUTINE CAN DESTROY EVERYTHING - career, friendship and - mainly - sex. This book can give you some tools, to help you make the change.

*

The need for a change is only one of the topics, discussed in this book. Choice is the second. As I see it, as a human being and a therapist, we - people - have the ability to choose our thoughts, emotions, decisions, all of which are followed by reactions and behavior.

In other words: The past is not ours any more, the future is unknown yet - and we think, feel and behave here and now! The present is what we can control. We better not live our lives according to what we “have” to do, since we will always feel that we do not have the power to navigate through different situations. Therefore, we must listen to our will, or lack of it, and attempt to act accordingly.

This book concentrates on manners by which we can control our emotional and physical sensations. We can do it. We will describe, in simple and clear language, some of the tools, with which we can make the choice and the change.
Read More…

Dr. Yigal Gliksman Ph.D. is a psychotherapist with a rich and
varied clinical experience in treating children and adults, since 1963.
He is a Biofeedback & Neurofeedback specialist, a qualified and
supervisor of creative & expressive therapy, a qualified Marital
and Family therapist & Mediator and E.M.D.R. licensed by the
Ministry of Health and by Ministry of Defense.

Here:
articularly.ooooops.com/

This question was raised during a recent masterminding group of 7 business coaches, executive coaches and business consultants. With so many industries being challenged ranging from coaching to government, authenticity appears to be under attack.

Authentic according to Webster is of French origins and means “one who does things himself.” Modern definition is translated as trustworthy, reliable, real of genuine. These translations do not totally characterize the original meaning of this word - authentic.

For me in my professional life as a business coach and in my personal life as wife, mother and friend, authentic means to get results from what I do. This is success. Yes, occasionally, I need help, but that too is part of being authentic.

As I continue to reflect upon this word, I realize that authenticity is part of my own self-leadership skills. If I cannot get things done by myself, then how can I lead others?

What this word also speaks to is the American spirit. We are a country born of individuals who did things by themselves. Being a first generation Swede, my father’s family, after immigrating from Sweden, settled 40 acres in northern Wisconsin in the 1920’s. They were authentic in that they did things themselves from farming to hunting. They raised their children to do things for themselves. Their grandchildren all demonstrated strong work ethics and continued authenticity.

Now, it appears that this very quality that created success for so many Americans is being challenged from the media to anti-American organizations. Authenticity is being replaced by the mentality of “you owe me.” The old philosophy of “do it yourself, pull yourself up by your own bootstraps” is considered harmful and demeaning to those who can, but choose not to.

What is alarming is that if we are not careful, being authentic will be considered a non-desirable trait. And, can our country from our businesses to our families afford losing a part of the indomitable American spirit?

Leanne Hoagland-Smith, M.S. is a business coach and executive coach with offices in Indianapolis and near Chicago. She writes, speaks and coaches people in businesses to quickly double or triple results through the creation of an executable strategic plan along with the necessary leadership skills “to pull it off.”

One quick question,if you could secure one new client or breakthrough that one roadbloack holding you back from success, what would that mean to you? Then, take a risk and give me, Leanne, a call at 219.759.5601 for a free telephone consultation.

Visit http://www.processspecialist.com/ and explore everything from free articles to connecting with Leanne.

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I would be hard-pressed to find a more contentious issue in the church. Those who believe once-saved-always-saved believe it so strongly that they see it as a necessary belief in order to truly enjoy your salvation. Those who don’t believe it see it as a dangerous teaching that provides a false sense of security. This author holds to the latter view.

First, it is important to realize that saying a prayer is not what gets us saved. Chances are, by now, you’ve said the sinner’s prayer. But that is not what makes you a Christian. Did you know that you can become a Christian without saying the sinner’s prayer? Did you know that you can say the sinner’s prayer and still not be a Christian? How is that possible, you ask?

Salvation is a state of being forgiven. You have learned that forgiveness is through the blood of Jesus, and that there is no other way to receive forgiveness. If your sins are forgiven, you’re saved. How do our sins get forgiven? By saying a prayer? The sinner’s prayer isn’t mentioned in the Bible. No, we are saved when we believe with our heart, and this belief is expressed with our mouths (Romans 10:9-10). It is our faith that saves us. Why? Because it is by faith that we accept this forgiveness. However, James 2:14-26 points out that faith not accompanied by works is dead. It is utterly unprofitable-good for nothing. This is because faith expresses itself through works. What did James say, but “show me your faith without your works, and I’ll show you my faith by my works.” This is difficult at face value, because much of the New Testament focuses on the fact that it is not by works, but by grace that we are saved. How can this be reconciled?

In talking about grace, Paul was talking about what makes you saved. Your works are not what save you, or get you forgiven. The blood of Jesus does that. But even Paul talked about responding through works. For example, in Ephesians 4:1-3, he said:

I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

At the same time, James contends that lip service without action is meaningless:

What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food ,and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does is profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. –James 2:14-17

What this is saying is that works are not what save us, but it is our works that demonstrate we are saved. Every action we perform is a reflection of our belief system. If we do not live a godly lifestyle, we may not truly be born again. If your works don’t reflect a godly conscience, don’t focus on improving the works, rather, work on the heart. The Spirit of God is the input, and the works are the output. In other words, as we draw closer to God, we allow Him to live through us, and our works will line up with His Word.

In many instances, someone has been saved for a period of time, but then fallen away. These are people who served the Lord at one time, but then for whatever reason, abandoned their faith. This often happens slowly or as the result of a trauma. In any case, this person is in a backslidden state.

No one can say for sure at what point salvation is lost, although most people agree it is not something that happens easily. Let’s consider Hebrews 6:4-6:

For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.

These people fall into a category similar to the Pharisees. The Pharisees saw the miraculous works of Jesus, but still rejected Him, which indicated that they could never be brought to repentance. Remember, repentance is a key component to salvation (it is the work through which the faith we receive at salvation expresses itself). Repentance or lack of repentance is a good measure of salvation. Someone needing to be brought back to repentance is someone who needs salvation. Therefore, this verse shows that it is possible to be a Christian and fall away. This particular verse is addressing people who have been mature Christians and experienced the kingdom of God and its power, but who still choose to go another way in the end. This requires a hardness of hearts like the Pharisees.

Some would say that the people in this category were never saved to begin with. However, if that were the case, they would not be crucifying Christ a second time.

The following verse from James also confirms that a Christian can go back to being a sinner:

Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sin. –James 5:19-20

Let’s examine this verse. The letter by James is addressed to Christians. Notice how the beginning of this verse is worded: If any of you wander from the truth. So, if a Christian wanders from the truth, then the person who turns him back will save his soul from death. So this demonstrates that a Christian who turns away from the truth will go to hell. To rescue a soul from death is to rescue a soul from hell. Also, note that the Christian who turns away from the truth is called a sinner. Finally, turning a fallen Christian/sinner back also covers a multitude of sins, because once he has repented, his sins are forgiven, or covered, once again.

It may seem that these verses contradict each other. It seems like one is saying that a backslidden Christian can’t turn back to Christ, and the other says he can. However, these verses do not contradict each other. The Hebrews verse is specifically talking about mature Christians who experienced all the wonders and powers of kingdom living and still turn their backs completely on the gospel, because this is an intentional rejection of Christ, which requires a hardening of the heart. A hardened heart cannot be turned back. The Pharisees who blasphemed the Holy Spirit did so after seeing His wonders and powers, but were determined to deny it. This is the same state of this person.

Knowing it is possible to lose your salvation need not be a fearful reality. First, it is hard to do. The situation described by Hebrews is something that only pertains to certain mature Christians. The example of James applies to any other Christian who turns away. However, this should not be construed to mean that every time we sin or experience a crisis in our faith, we have lost our salvation. It just doesn’t happen that easily. Many Christians go through seasons in which they are not serving God like they should, but during this time, the Holy Spirit is at work to convict and restore them. The longer it takes to respond to the Holy Spirit, the less sensitive the Christian becomes, until soon, the Christian cannot hear Him at all. This is definitely a perilous time. However, it takes a long time to get to that point. God won’t give up easily.

Remember, that God’s focus is on the heart, much more than on the external behavior (1 Samuel 16:7). You may find yourself “messing up” in a number of ways throughout the day, but that will improve over time, provided your heart is soft towards God and you are allowing your desires to line up with His (Psalm 37:4). Just keep confessing. You may get tired of confessing the same things repeatedly, but God is much more patient than you are!

Why is it dangerous to believe once-saved-always-saved? Because this gives many people a false sense of security. Being in a backslidden state is a dangerous place to be as it is, but much more so if you mistakenly believe your salvation isn’t in jeopardy.

The once-saved-always-saved doctrine does not teach that just saying a prayer causes you to be saved. Teachers of this doctrine believe in the importance of faith, confession, and repentance too. However, many people take the message too far and construe it to believe that saying a little prayer one time and “getting saved” during an emotional experience saves them for all eternity. But emotions should never be mistaken for a true salvation experience, which can best be measured by the repentance that happens afterwards.

Also, those who purport the once-saved-always-saved doctrine also acknowledge that Christians can turn away. However, their contention is that they were never really saved to begin with. This causes difficulty for a lot of people because it raises the question, “How can I know for sure I’m really saved?” Who can know whether he’ll turn away from God in the future?

The reality is, the two schools of thought may not really be all that opposed to each other. After all, if a person backslides and dies and goes to hell, what difference will it make then that the person was “once saved?”

The most important thing for you to keep in mind is that we should constantly draw nearer to God, remain sensitive to His Spirit, remain conscientious about spending time in His Word and prayer, and stay involved with other Christians. This will provide the support and motivation needed to continue on in our pilgrimage. The devil will do everything he can to trip you up, but remember that He who is in you (Jesus) is greater than He who is in the world! (1 John 4:4)

For more articles by Candace Marra, go to http://www.newbelieverslounge.net There, you will find articles, an estore filled with resources to enrich your Christian knowledge and growth, a community bulletin board, and a blog designed to help you interpret the current events of today from a Christian perspective.