Recently I re-read Dad’s book– memoirs of his navy career. After 17 years of sailing around
the world, it must have been hard for him to finally settle down and become a family man.

Dad had also been an outstanding athlete and, no doubt, he hoped to have a son who would share his sporting interests.

Unfortunately, I turned out to be clumsy and unathletic, the oldest of three daughters.
The only outdoor pursuit Dad and I enjoyed together was an occasional fishing trip, something
that became his greatest source of pleasure in retirement.

When I grew up and left home to become a world traveler, however, it was evident I had
inherited Dad’s stamina and strength, along with his love of outdoor adventure.

On one occasion, my physical limits were put to the test during a six-week journey in
East Africa. Tracking gorillas in Zaire and traversing the Northwest Territory of Kenya by camel
and on foot offered sufficient proof that I was physically fit at 50. But, the joy of these
challenges paled in comparison on the morning I went fishing.

Before dawn, in Kenya’s Masai Mara, I rendezvoused with the dashing bush pilot of a four-seater Cessna at the airstrip near Little Governor’s tented camp. As we flew low over the dense, raw terrain I watched life begin to stir in the occasional circle of shambas (camp huts) below. Our spectacular 40-minute wilderness flight ended at the shore of Lake Victoria, world’s second largest freshwater lake and source of the River Nile.

A delicious breakfast of fresh orange juice and fishcakes awaited us at Rusinga Island Fish Camp. Over the last cup of coffee, the young captain of our 16-foot boat announced, “If
you hook a big one, it’s all yours!”

“The Tilapia here make a fine tasting meal,” he said, “but we want Nile Perch. They look and behave very much like a big-mouth bass.”

Soon we reached a “hole where the big ones are biting”. The first one got away from one of the other two passengers in the boat. When the next hit came, I grabbed the rod and yelled, “This one’s mine.”

The high-pitched whine of the line leaving my reel went on and on and on. I knew it was something gigantic. “Keep the line tight. Reel in only when you CAN’T feel the fish pulling away from the boat,” yelled the guide.

He was almost as excited as I the first time the fish jumped. It must be the biggest bass in the whole world!
I began to drip with sweat and breathe deeply, but the captain never touched the line. He just kept telling me how great I was doing.

“The end is surely near,” I thought. But my fish was not willing to surrender yet. Near the side of the boat, he jumped again, glared, then turned and raced for open water.

When the pain began to gnaw along my entire right side, I leaned way back with the strength of my left thigh, and steadily moved with him around to the other side of the boat. I was exhausted.”Is it possible this fish can pull me overboard? Shouldn’t I be strapped down?”

Suddenly, I knew I was going to win. “This one’s for you, Dad,” I whispered. “You’ll be so proud.” In the heated struggle, I lost all track of time. My three companions said it took 40 minutes to land him, all 167 pounds.

Hanging on the scale, the Nile Perch dwarfed me, but only in size. That morning, I felt bigger inside, much younger, and more important than I could remember feeling in a long time. And why not? After all, I was the world’s best fisher-daughter.

Two weeks before he died, I gave Dad my framed Rusinga Island Fishing certificate with a
picture of our fish for his 85th birthday. Judging from his broad grin, it must have been the best
gift ever. He asked me to tell him the story over and over again.

To schedule this one-day fishing safari in Kenya, call 800-323-7308.

Judy Zimmerman is a 20-year-experienced professional travel writer with specialties in cruising, western U.S. destinations, soft adventure travel, spas and service articles.

The carburetor is part of the engine that blends air and fuel for internal combustion engines which is a great fuel saver. The carburetor had jets and metering rods allowing adjustments for tuning the engine and getting the best fuel savings. They are still used today but mostly on motors other then automobile. Like motorcycles, airplanes, lawnmowers, tractors, weed eaters, jet skis, snow blowers and boat motors and older cars. The sidedraft carbs replaced the downdraft one because of engine design and operation.

The carburetor was invented by Donat Banki and Janos Csonka in 1893 and was improved over the years and then finally replaced sometime at the end of the 1970s with fuel injection. There were several types of carburetors, there were one barrels, then 2 and 4 barrel carbs. Some hotrods would supped up to 3 two barrel carbs and some with 2 four barrel carburetors. There were different carburetors made for different uses like some were up drafted, some the air entered below the carburetor and exits thorough the top, which kept the automobile from flooding, and increasing fuel savings.

Carburetors were used in the past on cars and trucks, but were replaced with fuel ejection systems. This, in my option, was a big mistake and a scam on the population. The carburetor was much more fuel efficient then today’s fuel injection systems. Almost anyone could repair or replace a carburetor, but today it takes a trained Tec. to change a fuel ejection system at great expense to the owner. Also anyone could adjust the fuel mixture on a carburetor making the engine run lean saving fuel.

There were many claims of getting anywhere between 40 and 100 miles to the gallon with some of these carburetors, so it was not advantageous for the big oil companies which in those days encouraged people to use more fuel. If you are my age you will remember all those commercials about putting a tiger in you tank. Today it is put every thing you earned this week in your tank. You notice they don’t have to spend all those advertising dollars anymore to sell you fuel. They are saving millions on advertising and more millions from the outrageous prices they are charging at the pumps.

Fuel mileage never increased to the better after switching to fuel ejectors from the carburetor either. My small pickup truck still only gets 15 miles to the gallon and is a six cylinder. I had a 48 ford pickup truck with a flat head 8 cylinder engine that got just as good mileage. I sold that truck with over 100,000 miles on it and it still ran great.

The cost for a fuel ejection system is much more expensive then a carburetor and adds a lot more cost to the price of an automobile. Even if fuel injection saved fuel the money you are suppose to have saved in fuel savings is lost on the cost of the vehicle. The end result is no monetary savings for the consumer at all. So let us give them the benefit of the doubt and say that fuel injection is a fuel saver but the cost of the system is still too high compared to the carburetor. So how else can we save fuel?

There are products out there that are good fuel savers like Ultimate-me2, which can be found at http://www.ecosavesfuel.com. This product allows you to save at least 13% or more on the total cost of gasoline and diesel fuel by adding a small amount to your fuel system. There are many other benefits from these types of products that save fuel. They clean your engine while giving you more horsepower, and because the fuel burns more efficient it reduces the emission going into or air giving us a cleaner environment.

It is my belief that had auto companies kept the carburetor system in place that we would see a lot more fuel savings with these new additives that are on the market today. You may ask on what is my option based. Well let me say that I am using Ultimate-me2 in my lawn mower and am getting a 50% increase of use with a gallon of fuel with the lawn mower using a carburetor. The bottom line is the carburetor was and still is a great energy fuel saver.

Discover a New Easy to use Product with Proven Results to Save You Money, that comes with a Guarantee and does what it claims to do. http://www.ecosavesfuel.com

There is a major misconception that homes are unattainable by many people. With the amazing variety of mortgages that are available in today’s financial world it has become easier for people to get that first home that they have always dreamed about. But, no matter what your financial situation is, you will need to do some research and investigate the mortgages that are available to you. Only then can you make an educated choice about what will be right for you now and in the future.

Some of the facts that you will have to consider are things like monthly payments. How much can you make without putting other bills and responsibilities in jeopardy? You need to carefully plan your financial future to be ready for any emergencies or expenditures without affecting your ability to make your mortgage payments. Now, take some time and really shop the market for a mortgage that is right for you. Beware of mortgages that sound like they are too good to be true, they usually are.

Think of this in terms of how long you plan to be in the home. A longer mortgage, amortized over 30 years will end up costing more in interest but should make the monthly payments more manageable then a shorter term mortgage. One of the most important things that you should remember in setting up financing for a home purchase is that it should be done long before you start looking for a home. There is nothing worse than having your heart set on a home only to have it snatched out from under you by another buyer who had their home loan ready to go while you still needed to get yours. Don’t let this happen to you, get out there and get approved for a mortgage and get the home of your dreams.

Albert Bor is a certified and professional Arizona realtor representing Choice Group Realty. The Choice Group specializes in Metro-Phoenix real estate. Contact Albert for more information on Phoenix real estate or visit the Choice Group at http://www.arizonachoicerealestate.com

You want your kids to have fun, but also want to expand their minds. What’s a parent to do? How about a few easy science projects that are simple to recreate? Your kids will love the hands-on experience and you can feel good about getting them involved in an activity that will have them learning (without the kids even realizing it). Here are five easy science projects for you and your kids. Try one of them on a rainy afternoon or anytime the kids are looking for something fun to do.

Grow Crystals

Crystals can be quite fascinating. We are constantly surrounded by them from simple table salt and sugar, to the graphite in your pencil. Of course there are also more famous crystals like precious stones and diamond. You can grow some fascinating salt crystals yourself. All you need are water, salt and some time.

Start by making a salt solution. Fill a cup with warm water and continue to add salt to it until the water can absorb no additional salt. You know you have reached this stage when the salt just drops to the bottom of the cup.

Pour a little of the salt water on a saucer and leave it sitting in a warm spot. As the water evaporates, the salt crystals will start to form. Continue to pour a little more of the saltwater on the saucer and the existing crystals and watch them grow.

Water Tension

Have you ever watched small insects walk on water? This is possible because of water tension. Here are two simple experiments that will demonstrate water tension. All you need is a glass, water, a paperclip and several pennies.

Fill the glass with water. Now drop a paper clip in the glass. Watch it drop to the bottom. Fish the paperclip out and this time gently lay it flat on the water. If you do it right, the paperclip will float on top of the water.

For our second experiment, we need to fill the glass all the way to the top with water. Grap some pennies and carefully add them to the glass, one at a time. Watch as the water rises in a dome shape over the glass without spilling.

If you’d like to take this experiment one step further, use a drop of dish soap to show how soap will disrupt the water tension. Add one drop of the soap to the glass of water. The water tension will be “broken”, and the water will spill over the edges of the glass.

Static Electricity

Static electricity is another fun phenomenon. It’s what makes clothes stick together in the dryer and makes your child’s hair stand up when you hold a statically charged item (like a blanked from the dryer) over your child’s head. Here’s a simple static electricity experiment that’s lots of fun. You can truly amaze young kids with this “magic”.

All you need are a balloon and either a piece of felt, or a wool sweater. Blow up the balloon, then rubb it against the felt or sweater for a few seconds. Take the balloon and stick it on the wall. It should be held up there by the static electricity.

Build Your Own Volcano

This is the most “involved of all the science projects in this article. But who could resist making their own working Volcano. Since things can get a bit messy, this experiment is best done outside.

Start by making a batch of salt dough by mixing 6 cups of flour, 2 cups of salt, 2 cups of water and 4 tablespoons of cooking oil in a large bowl. Add more water as needed. You should end up with a smooth but firm dough.

Next, place and empty soda bottle on an old baking sheet and mold the dough around bottle. Cover it all the way to the top, but be careful and don’t drop any dough in the bottle.

Fill the soda bottle with warm water almost to the top. It helps to use a funnel to get the water in the bottle, but not on the salt dough volcano. For bright red lava, add some red food coloring to the water before adding it to the bottle.

Pour 6 drops of liquid detergent into the bottle, then add 2 tbs of baking soda and step away from the volcano. Watch the “red lava” pour out of the volcano during this fantastics eruption.

Grow Something

You don’t need a garden to grow something with your kids. There are quite a few things you can do on the kitchen counter or in a small pot. For a very fast growing experiment plant some beans in a cup of soil. Keep them in a warm spot and water them daily. Within a few days you should see a little bean sprout poking it’s head out of the soil.

You can also grow alfalfa sprouts in nothing more than a dish with wet paper towels. You may even convince your child to eat her salad when you top it with some of the sprouts she has grown. For more involved growing experiments, plant some herbs in a couple of small clay pots in the kitchen window, or plant strawberry plants in wooden barrel on the porch.

Give these simple science experiments for kids a try and watch their faces light up as you experiment together. Not only will you have a great time with your little ones, you are also expanding their curious minds. For more fun ideas on what to do with the kids along with recipes, product reviews and more visit http://www.ParentingZoo.com and join our online parenting magazine and membership site.

There are more ways to change your appearance than with regular colored contact lenses. Lenses are available in some of the weirdest, widest designs imaginable - and even a number that you can’t. There are joke lenses, creepy lenses, and others that are simply bizarre. Most can be worn even if you have astigmatism and need toric contact lenses. Here are five colored contact lenses that you may never have considered:

1. Hypno-Eyes. You can wear contacts that have a spiral pattern around the iris, just like the old-fashined hypnosis wheels. Maybe you can make people do your bidding just by staring them down - these are subtle enough that people might not notice them at first, and startling once they finally do.

2. Happy Face eyes. Imagine your iris and pupil as a bright yellow happy face. The lenses are transparent enough that your sight isn’t impaired in any way, and the contacts themselves are silly enough to elicit laughs wherever you go.

3. Cat’s eyes. One of the most popular type of theatrical colored contact lens, you can give yourself cat’s eyes with their remarkable slit-type of iris, in a variety of colors. Yellow cat’s eyes have a sinister quality, while green is just very, very feline. Like other types of colored contacts, these will change the color of your eyes without affecting your field of vision in any way.

4. Zombie eyes. If you seriously want to creep out your friends, neighbors or family, you can get contacts to give yourself zombie eyes - small black pupils surrounded by white irises. It’s hard to say why these colored contacts are so disturbing, but they are.

5. Wild colored eyes. The range of colors in theatrical colored contact lenses is amazing. You can have anything from purple eyes with flecks of gold to neon yellow or orange (giving a similar appearance to frog eyes) to deep red “vampire” eyes. These, and many other types of colored contacts, are very popular with teens and adults who enjoy the supernatural and role-playing games about ghouls. They’re both attractive and a bit scary - offering an interesting twist on the whole purpose of wearing colored contact lenses.

Dean Iggo is the webmaster of discount contact lenses where you can find reviews and information on colored contact lenses, lasik eye surgery and more..

Finding the home that is perfect for you and your family can be a bit of a chore, but one that is well worth the result. The best way to go about finding the perfect candidate in Chandler is to start with the basics, get your finances in order. This is usually accomplished by contacting your credit bureau and getting a copy of your credit report. With that in hand you can examine the contents of the report and discover any negative items that could be holding your credit back. The next step is to ensure that all the items on your credit report have been seen to and dealt with. If necessary you should obtain letters of release from the agencies involved if you have taken care of outstanding issues.

When you have taken care of that, start shopping for a mortgage. You may be offered a pre-qualification, however that is not enough to properly compete for a home. Pre qualifications are usually a simple assessment of your eligibility for a mortgage, not an actual approval for said mortgage. Actual approvals are a bit more difficult to get and have much more to with your credit history than simply your ability to pay the monthly bill. The nice thing about having your financing pre-approved is the bargaining power that it gives you in the event of competing offers on the home you are interested in. Pre-approval shows the seller your level of seriousness in regards to buying their property.

It is after the securing of the pre-approval that you can head out and start searching the Chandler real estate market for that perfect home. Remember to make yourself a list of requirements for your ideal home. This list will be critical in assuring that your home suits all of your needs and requirements. Remember to plan ahead, in the event of a growing family you may want to assure that the home you purchase can accommodate those needs.

Albert Bor is a certified and professional Arizona realtor representing Choice Group Realty. The Choice Group specializes in Metro-Phoenix real estate. Contact Albert for more information on Phoenix real estate or visit the Choice Group at http://www.arizonachoicerealestate.com

Have you just moved into a new home? Have you got your furniture and appliances all set up, rugs on the floor, but nothing on the walls? Is your budget is all used up? Do you think you’re doomed to stare at blank expanses of painted drywall for years to come?

There is a way to buy ORIGINAL art without breaking the bank.

Loads of people have discovered eBay as a source for all kinds of consumer goods. Did you know that literally thousands of artists are selling original works of art on Ebay? It’s probably the greatest unknown source for fine art. You can choose from drawings, paintings, photographs and even sculpture. All one of a kind, original art! Sure, some of the artwork for sale is a trifle amateur, but you can just scroll past those and find the gems!
Why would great artists sell on Ebay?

This is the art world’s best kept secret, but any artist can tell you that the business of fine art is run by the galleries and art critics, and consequently, they are the ones making the money. When you buy from an art gallery, only 40-50 percent of the price goes to the artist. In many cases the artist has paid for framing along with his usual expenses (materials, shipping, and time put in).

Being able to sell directly to art collectors is a winning situation for most artists. They can sell their art at prices far below what the galleries charge and still earn a decent wage for all their hard work.

How can I trust that I will get what I paid for?

Fortunately, all the rules that keep eBay sellers in line also apply to artists. You can check on any seller’s history with eBay by clicking on their eBay name. Anyone who buys on eBay can leave “feedback” that is available to the buying public. The seller’s track record is there for all to see. eBay will ban a seller if they gather negative feedback and they will also get involved if you have a dispute with a seller. You can see first hand what people thought of the art they bought and whether it was shipped on time and well packaged.

Most artists are experts at photographing their artwork so that you can see in detail exactly what the work looks like. And the best part of all? You can always contact the artist (through the contact seller button) and ask any questions you may have. In my experience, artists love to talk about their work, so if you want some background information, just go ahead and ask! For instance, asking what the inspiration for a painting is can lead to a whole new understanding of the work, not to mention a great conversation starter once the piece is hanging on your wall.

ACK! There are so many listings, I don’t know where to start!

When you search for art on Ebay, you will find an avalanche of listings. It can be bewildering at first, but it’s easy to pare the number down by choosing more specific categories. Let’s say you click on paintings as the main category. From there you can choose “Contemporary (1950-now)”. On the left hand side of the screen you will find several other sub-categories. Choose “Original-listed by artist” if you want to avoid the many galleries that are taking advantage of the Ebay network to sell art (at much higher prices of course). This also insures that you are looking at one of a kind art and not prints.
The list also includes categories for Medium (IE: oil, acrylic, watercolor etc), Style, Subject and Date of creation. Date of creation is worth clicking because you can choose work that was created from 1990-now. That’s where you will find the artists that are working today.

Art that suits you.

There are contemporary, modern artists working in any style you can think of. They come from all over the world, although the bulk of the listing will be North American artists. You will see everything from romantic figures to edgy abstracts, fantasy scenes to traditional still life and landscapes of every description.

If you have a small space to fill, there are postcard sized works, a large space could display an abstract that come on a series of canvases that are hung side by side. One thing is certain; you will find art that goes way beyond what your local print store offers and at prices far below the traditional art galleries. No gallery could ever offer this kind of vast selection.

Your inner art collector.

Imagine your walls covered with original art. Every masterpiece was selected by you, to reflect your taste and sensibilities. You will have a personal connection with the artist and a history to go along with each piece. That’s what art collecting should be about. Most of all, your home will glow with creativity and originality!

About the author:
Jason Cordula is an artist and a writer. His artwork can be found on eBay and a collection of his articles on art collecting at jasoncordula.blogspot.com

Peterhof

When a king travels, he’ll need somewhere to stay — somewhere nice. One of the most spectacular vacation homes ever built, Peterhof (also “Peter’s Court”) is the name that collectively applies to the greater complex of gardens, buildings, fountains and galleries, created by Peter the Great in the early 18th century as his summer residence.

This lavish palace is located atop a cliff looking out upon the Baltic Sea. Built to Peter’s specifications, somewhat more modestly, 300 years ago, Peterhof was added to over the next 200, eventually becoming the site of the largest network of gravity-fed fountains in the world. Extensively damaged in World War Two by an occupying Nazi force, the magnificent buildings and grounds have since been restored and are visited by thousands of tourists every year. They were designated a World Heritage Site along with the entire city of St. Petersburg.

Peter the Great — Emperor of all the Russias

Peter I of Russia, later made Emperor, was the powerful ruler that commissioned the building of St. Petersburg as his capital and Peterhof as his residence. That he would choose a position so close to the sea to spend his time is hardly surprising given his life-long love of the sea and study of Naval power. In fact, it was during his reign that the Royal Russian Navy first came into existence just two years after he ascended to full power. During his reign, Russia gained back control of the Baltic and Black Seas and built their first naval bases, including the Kronshtadt base that his visits to led to his choice of St. Petersburg and Peterhof as his capital.

He ascended to the throne in 1682, when only 10 years old, with his infirm brother Ivan V as one of two co-Tsars ruled by his half-sister and regent Sophia. Preferring to design and build ships to hold mock sea battles with rather than spend his time in court, Peter did not become sole ruler of Russia until his brother and mother both died by 1696. At the age of 24 he set about remaking Russia to his liking, most notably beginning a 200-year long campaign to Westernise it. During an extended trip through Europe beginning in 1697 to gain support for overthrowing the Ottoman ruler, he spent several months with East India Company shipbuilders in the Netherlands, learning all he could about ship and lock construction before going home to Moscow to build a Navy.

His lifelong love of the sea made Peterhof a natural choice, and he spent many hours in the gardens looking out to sea and supervising the activities at Kronshtadt. He was responsible for constructing many of the major buildings in his lifetime, though many of them were embellished or added by his successors. By the time of his death in 1725, St. Petersburg was established as the capital of what had become the Russian Empire during his reign. Without a living and legitimate male heir, his wife Catherine I became Empress.

Site Selection

There was no St. Petersburg until the Peter created it. Just 3 years after his defeat by the King of Sweden in the Battle of Narva in 1700, the city was founded as a permanent post on the Baltic Sea that he had every intention of taking back and in fact, did just a few years later. What better way to create a great and modern city with grand statuary than by starting one from scratch? Work was begun when local stonemasons were forbidden to build anything else from 1703 onward, so they could concentrate all their efforts on the new city. The tax code was also changed at that time so that taxes were collected from all his subjects and not just the landed nobility.

While the city of St. Petersburg does not have a harbor naturally deep enough to handle ocean-going vessels, the nearby seafloor has a precipitous drop-off that makes the islands south and west of the city a better place to catch a ship to Europe and other points west, which Peter and his successors did regularly.

The site for Peterhof was chosen as early as 1805, during what came to be known as the Great Northern Battle that eventually secured the Baltic sea for Russian use, for it’s view of the sea and proximity to the new Kronshtadt fortifications on the island of Kotlin. It allows viewing of both the port and city, including all the ocean-going traffic in and out of the area. Situated atop a cliff, 26 Km (~16 mi.) southwest of his namesake city, the palaces were meant to be a seasonal vacation spot for the whole court. The gardens look out over the Gulf of Finland, which is an inlet of the larger Baltic Sea that connects the Russian mainland with the Scandinavian countries, Germany and Poland. Fond of things Germanic, the name Peterhof is in fact a German name that was changed for many years under the Soviets to the more Russian-sounding Petrodvorets (or “Peter’s Palace”) until reverting back in 1997.

One of the most distinguishing physical characteristics of the site is the 16m (~52 ft.) cliffs that separate the upper and lower gardens are only 100m (~110 yd.) from the shore. Over 200m (~220 yards) long, they are made of sturdy stone. The two-story grotto that is covered with brownstone, is not a natural feature, and instead, was created from imported rock. The Lower Gardens dominate the landscape, covering over 102 hectares (~252 acres) of the site, and would become Peter’s favorite part of the complex, where he spent much of his time in later years, until his death.

Elizabeth Jean writes water fountain and related articles for Garden-Fountains.com, the #1 destination on the internet for wall fountains, garden fountains, and Distinctive Water Features.

War is not won by the Army, but by the General. Troops are all same; it’s the officers who make the difference. Lee Iaococa turned Chrysler around. Bill Gates has shaped the destiny of ICT industry. Genghis Khan conquered almost whole globe with half the number of people running Municipality of Delhi. Be it the theatre of war or commerce, we often come across assertions such as these that attribute all successes and failures to leaders. Followers have no active role to play and are passive recipients of leadership efforts. Further, most leadership theories treat subordinates as homogeneous entity. These theories do not even recognize the possibility of subordinates exercising active participation in leader-member exchange process. Bhal and Ansari build on an alternative hypothesis that aims at correcting this “averaging tendency”.

“All other leadership models average because of two assumptions. First, all the members in a unit are treated as a homogenous lot, so far as their work experiences are concerned. Consequently, they are all clubbed together and are treated as one entity- the work group. Second, the leader is believed to behave essentially in the same consistent manner towards all the subordinates.” To illustrate, earliest theories hypothesized that leaders have some ‘traits’ that distinguish them from others who don’t have these. However, research found no empirical support for it. Then came the era of behavioural theories that focussed on ‘what leaders do’. Further research lead to inclusion of situational variables in leadership models (contingency theories). However, all these models have tended to focus on leader alone- what he has, what he does or what he ought to do. Possibility of differences across different subordinates or behaving differently with different people is not even entertained. “As opposed to such approaches, Vertical Dyadic Linkages (VDL) theory has been developed. Such an approach begins by investigating the leadership phenomena at the dyadic levels in the organizations and then tries to understand the phenomena in terms of other organizational events.” In essence, the approach states that relationship between leader and each of subordinates is unique and different. Members have different interactions with the leader because they define their roles differently. All organizations need to adapt to changing demands of their environment. This makes it obligatory for leaders to be able to respond to unforeseen situations. “Working on these tasks is not a part of the formal organizational contract of the members. All the same, leader has to get the task done for which he needs to use influence, which is not a part of organizational contract. Since all members are not obliged to work on these tasks, the leader develops an interaction only with a few members who collaborate with him.” Though each dyadic interaction is unique, process described above leads to two extreme interactions that are of particular interest- high quality of interaction/ exchange and poor quality, commonly known as In/Out group relationships. How some members become part of In-group and others remain in Out-group? The authors explain it in terms of theory of social exchange. “After evaluating the skills of a member, the leader offers a member an opportunity to work on unstructured tasks. The offer contains the leader’s expectation about member’s input and the rewards that the member gets in return. The member evaluates it in terms of his capabilities and attractiveness of the reward. Since the interaction is based on exchanges, a perception of equity is a must for exchanges to continue. Of course, each party must have resources valued by the others for the exchanges to take place”. The interactions between leader and members, in reality, vary on a continuum between these extremes.
In my opinion, the reason, for formation of In/Out groups, mentioned by the authors is too restrictive. It is not just for carrying out unstructured tasks that the leader and members collaborate with each other. Personal likings, choices based on archaic criteria such as caste and community, nepotism, situational variables, cultural factors etc may all play a role in determining these relationships. The authors themselves, while discussing the result of their study in the context of Indian social milieu and the Indian value system, note that family, friends, coworkers, caste men, persons speaking same language, etc may form the In-groups. But, clearly this is no more than a footnote style reference, because they completely fail to consider these factors while expounding their model. When they themselves recognize that criteria for selection of In-group may completely ignore organizational goals, it is hard to understand why they fail to account for these factors in the criteria for leader-member collaboration. Remember that authors mention carrying out unstructured tasks to be the sole reason for the collaboration. Further, in an organization (eg. Govt. Dept.), where people avoid work, anyone who performs even normal responsibility may find himself in the In-group of the leader. Similarly, if the leader himself does not value work, his In-group will consist only of people with similar attitudes to work.

VDL framework has some recognizable advantages. Job-related experiences like satisfaction, quality of exchanges, employee turnover, etc are better measured and understood in a dyadic framework. It evaluates the outcomes for subordinates individually. There is no tendency to average out or club everyone together in the same category. The framework corrects an imbalance in leadership research that focussed exclusively on leader. However, just as the concept of variation cannot reduce the importance of concept of averages, the framework cannot take away the importance of conventional leadership theories. Variation can and do point out the fallacy in exclusive reliance on measures of averaging. They cannot but just supplement the averages to impart better comprehension of the phenomena. Similarly, dyadic framework imparts richness to leadership research. Further research on the subject needs to develop on both these streams. It could be on the lines of Burns’ multi-level theory that encompasses both the dyad and group level of analyses.

Additionally, the theory has interesting normative implications like essentiality on the part of effective leaders to establish relationships with all members, not just a few special individuals. Similarly, it is imperative for them to avoid pitfalls like Pygmalion Effect, which is rewarding select subordinates who demonstrate loyalty, commitment, dedication, and trust and manage to get higher performance ratings as a result.

The authors have used sophisticated statistical analysis for their research. But, the sample size used is rather small. The research is based on two studies in five (4+1) manufacturing concerns. Though, it does not detract away from the intuitive appeal of the concept, some of the conclusions reached may change under larger studies. For measurement of quality of interaction, they have used three dimensions- perceived contributions to the exchange, loyalty and, affect. “Perceived contribution relates to amount, direction and quality of work turned out by each member. By loyalty, authors imply expression of public support for the goals. Affect is the mutual affection the members have based primarily on interpersonal attraction rather than work”. The research findings indicate that there is a mutuality of perception between the leader and the member. ” Thus` if the leader feels that member’s contribution is high, member also feels the same for the leader”. Converse is also equally true.
Authors’ research also aimed at ascertaining “whether dyadic interactions are a function of (a) leader’s and member’s general disposition towards work (b) preferred leadership orientation or (c) organizational climate. The chapter that lists the result of this analysis makes for an interesting reading. The analysis discusses, among others, the impact of various leadership styles and organizational climates on the performance and satisfaction of different types of subordinates. The authors also discuss the strategies used by leaders and members to influence each other; and the outcome of these interactions on the satisfaction and commitment of the subordinates. Their research throws up some interesting results and it definitely does make for an engaging reading.

Punit Arora is an expert on management and public policy in developing countries. He can be reached at pun8max@gmail.com.

It seems that everyone has considered a career in real estate at one time or another. If you pursued this career, are you still licensed? Have you achieved the success you wanted? Many people enter this field as a licensed real estate salesperson and expect success to just happen. To have a long-term career, you need to work hard and be proactive. There are some tips you can follow to succeed in your real estate career:

Create a Solid Business Plan - As a real estate salesperson, you are essentially in business for yourself. You might work in a brokerage, but it is up to you to generate new business, market your services and set a plan in motion. Determine what your goals are, how you plan to get there and the resources you need to make it happen.

Work with a Strong Team of People - To close a transaction, you need the assistance of a team of people (buyer’s agent, listing agent, lender, inspector, appraiser, etc.). You will be in a position to refer your clients to these people. Make sure that they are reliable, accurate and fair. If you make the buying process smooth for your clients, they will be more likely to use you again and refer your services to other people.

Use the Right Tools - It is worth every penny to invest in your career. In addition to licensing fees, you’ll want to build a website, generate leads, and more. Do everything you can to project a professional image. These tools are going to cost you some money - make sure you set a budget and stick to it. While you want the right tools, you don’t want to go broke trying to get them. A good rule of thumb is to have three months worth of savings available to cover your costs.

Marketing, Marketing, Marketing - Most brokerages will provide you with some inbound leads. However, you need to do some additional work of your own to get your name out. Don’t be passive - your extra efforts can give you the advantage you need. Spending only in newspapers, magazines, etc. can be somewhat effective. However, seasoned real estate professionals will tell you that referral business is marketing that really works.

Choose a Brokerage that Fits Your Needs - This requires some research. Don’t just choose the one that offers you the first job. There are many reasons that go into selecting a brokerage. While pay, location and reputation are important, you should also make sure that the brokerage is willing to work for you. Make sure the broker is willing to support you in your new career and provide you with the encouragement you need. Determine if there is a training program, incoming leads, low turnover etc. A supportive atmosphere can go a long way in helping you build a solid career.

It takes time, energy and effort to develop a real estate career. To be a successful real estate salesperson, you need to take an active role in your career. If you follow the above tips, you will have a greater chance to succeed in this exciting profession. Proper preparation and action can result in a long-term, rewarding career. Make your real estate license work for you!

Heather Brunson is a lead marketing writer for a Texas real estate license school - Allied Schools. She has a B.A. in Journalism with an emphasis on public relations. She has additional experience in technical writing.