The sports betting affiliate program is a model of the online marketing generation. Whilst fairly unique even in terms of online advertising strategies, the affiliate program has proven to be a big success in the sports betting industry. Not only has a huge amount of interest and publicity been generated for the sports betting giants, but the affiliates have also been able to share in the industry’s successes. Through non-prejudicial selection of sites that are allowed to sign up to the sports betting program, the sports betting sites have experienced phenomenal growth whilst allowing much of their profits to filter down to smaller Internet users.

It is the perfect way for Internet entrepreneurs everywhere to take advantage of the success of one of the largest growing sectors of online gaming. The sports betting industry generates millions if not billions of dollars each year. By utilising the new capabilities brought in by the Internet online bookmakers can provide an unparalleled service to their clients. Unlike in the real world, online sports betting never shuts it’s doors, people from any country can bet in one place and there is a huge variety of sporting events from all over the world on which punters can place their bets on. With unrivalled service and a growing market the sports betting industry has been catapulted into one of the forerunners of the Internet revolution. But wherever there is one success story, there is usually a second one close behind, and in this case it is the affiliate marketing industry that has benefited.

The joy of affiliate marketing is that websites owned by huge businesses have as much right as a simple personal page created by an individual to join. Whilst larger sites can command more traffic and therefore increase their chances of drawing in extra custom to their advertisements, smaller sites have the power to earn money and dabble in the online affiliate industry. Sports betting is one of the better industries to align oneself with not only because of its ever expanding clientele base, but also for it’s huge rewards. Unlike so many of the other affiliate programs that offer fairly mediocre, affiliates in sports betting can take a cut of the bookmaker’s earnings. With each new customer an affiliate brings to the betting site, they will be rewarded with a percentage of that player’s lifetime money generated. With percentages ranging anywhere between 15 and 35%, affiliates can shop around and get a package that suits them. Essentially an affiliate can earn a cut of what an online bookmaker makes, without any of the customer service, any of the initial costs and best of all absolutely no risk of losing money. It is therefore little wonder why so many people have and continue to join the online sports betting affiliate program.

Experienced networkers know that choosing the right MLM company to join is vital to long term success. Many home business owners fail because the program they joined does not fairly compensate their efforts. If you want long lasting success and residual income, you should first take a closer look at the best network marketing companies out there. Once you separate the “real deals” from the “fly by night” schemes, you should zero in on the company that’s right for you.

Lots of people have experienced joining five to ten different MLM’s before they found the right one. Others are still searching until now. In your search for the right MLM program, you should realize and accept that there is no perfect company, product or compensation plan. If there is indeed a perfect MLM opportunity, all distributors will end up joining it and it will saturate the entire market, making it obsolete in just a short period of time.

To be able to choose the right program for you to join, it is important for you to take the following thoughts into consideration:

As you take a long, hard look at the best network marketing companies out there, decide which one fits your personal needs and preference. Look at the product. Does the products fulfill a personal need of your own? Do you see yourself using the products and sharing it to others? Next is the stability of the company. Do you see this company staying strong within the next few years and decades? Once you decide which company to join, make a commitment to stick with it until you earn the income you desire.

In a self-defense situation you can disable or control the assailant by manipulating their joints. The small joints in the fingers and hands are susceptible since they are not very strong individually. Leverage and immense pain can be inflicted by a much smaller defender. In this article I will explain how to manipulate these joints.

If you have ever bent or jammed a finger or thumb backwards or to the side you understand how weak an individual finger can be. And how much pain can be involved. Professional athletes must constantly be aware of keeping the fingers together to avoid injury. The hand as a whole is fairly strong but the individual digits can be manipulated without much force.

In a self-defense situation you can use this to your advantage. Many times the attackers fingers will be in a vulnerable position. Grabbing one of their fingers or thumbs and applying pressure will allow you to disable or control them. Disabling them will involve destroying the joint or breaking a bone. Controlling them will involve keeping constant pressure on the joint.

You have no doubt seen one person controlling another by a thumb. Whether it was an episode of the Three Stooges or a martial arts demonstration. Even though it looks humorous it is an essential defense technique and a way to learn how to fight. Aikido is one well known martial art that uses joint manipulation extensively for personal protection.

Joint manipulation can be used in a number of ways if you are grabbed. If grabbed by the collar or lapel one simple self-defense technique is to use your thumb to push their thumb down into the palm of their hand. This is a controlling technique. With enough pressure you can take them to the ground. Another option is to grab their thumb with your entire hand and force it to the back of their hand. This is a disabling technique. Their thumb can be dislocated creating immense pain.

The same thumb techniques can be applied if you are grabbed by the wrist. Alternatively their fingers can be manipulated as you can see them easier than if they are on your collar. Fingers can be bent to the side or backwards toward the top of their hands. Dislocating a joint, tearing a muscle or tendon or breaking a bone in the finger or hand will inflict enough pain for them to release you.

These same defense techniques can be used whenever a digit is accessible. If you find yourself in a position to manipulate their toes pull off their shoe and twist and bend. An elbow or knee strike can be very effective on the side or inner elbow or knee dislocating it. Remember the kid at school that would come up behind you and put his knee in the back of your knee. The back of the knee is not very strong and your knee would bend forward every time.

These simple martial arts self-defense techniques do not take years to master. They can be an essential weapon for women’s self-defense. Practice them on yourself or a friend or training partner. You can use them to defend yourself in many situations. They are quick, effective and can disable a much larger attacker quite easily.

Let’s take a look at Personal Property as it compares to Real Property. This is a topic that comes up a lot when a real estate transaction gets difficult and the two parties (buyer and seller) begin to argue over what stays in the house and what doesn’t according to the contract and law.

Personal property is defined as all property that can be owned and does not fit the definition of real property. In other words, if it is not real property then it is personal property. An important distinction between the two is that personal property is movable. Personal property is also referred to as chattels. For those of you who like to work on expanding your vocabulary.

Next let’s look at some examples of personal property including manufactured housing, plants, crops, and classifications of fixtures.

Manufactured Housing is defined as dwellings that are not constructed at the home site. These are normally trucked in and placed on the property. For those of you breaking down the word manufactured, and wondering why all homes aren’t considered manufactured, since they are after all “manufactured” think of mobile homes as manufactured. Here’s the tricky part, if the manufactured home has been attached to the property then it is REAL property, if it is just sitting there and hooked up to utilities then it is PERSONAL property. Why would it matter? well, if it is REAL property, then the property taxes are higher because the government sees the homes as essentially adding value to the land it sits on.

Plants and Crops: There are two categories here and both have their differences. Trees, perennials, shrubbery and grass that do not require annual cultivation are considered real property or real estate. And these transfer with the sale of the property. Crops on the other hand that are harvested on an annual basis, are considered emblements. Or personal property and in the sale of the property, the crops that are being produced stay with the seller for that current harvest.

Here are some additional details… if an item on the land, lets say a tree (which is real property) is cut down and separated from the land (called severance), then it becomes personal property. It is also possible to do the same thing but the other way. If the tree that was cut down is used to build a home on the property, through annexation, it become real property.

Fixtures – these are often the hot topic in the sale of a home because sellers often take their fixtures with them when they move, and that is against the agreement set out by the contract. Knowing what a fixture is, will help you understand what to expect stay with the home and what does not. A fixture is personal property that has been affixed (attached) to the land or building and it becomes real property. Remember real property stays with the home when it is sold.

How do you test if an item is a fixture or personal property? Here are the three basic tests the court will use to decide.

1. Method of Annexation – how permanent is the method of attachment? Can the item be removed without damaging the surrounding property?

2. Adaptation to Real Estate – Is the item being used as real property or personal property? For example a fridge is normally considered personal property because it can be removed easily. However if the refrigerator has been adapted to match the kitchen cabinetry, it become a fixture.

3. Agreement – Have the parties agreed on whether the item is real or personal in a purchase offer.

The overall rule is to determine, what is the purpose of the fixture? Is it’s function to be personal property or a real property.

Trade Fixtures are the exception to the rule. A trade fixture is property used in the course of business. Often it will be attached to the property and resemble real property. However, if it is something used as part of the seller’s trade, it is considered personal property and does not stay with the home.

Often home buyers will be looking at homes and what draws them to the home will be certain aspects of the home. Fixtures such as entertainment centers, backyard gazebos and surround sound speakers are often considered fixtures and real property that will stay with the home. However a home owner may consider those items of great value and may be planning on taking them to their new home. It is very important to identify what fixtures you want and expect to stay in the home and put those items in the purchase agreement so everyone will be on the same page and in agreement from early on.

There was a time that only single people used adult dating sites to meet that special someone. Nowadays, even married couples are joining adult dating discreet. Why? For the simple purpose of sexual gratification. Many people will think that married people get involved with adult dating services online because either the man or the woman is unhappy. Surprisingly, this is not true because some respondents have said that this adds some to the relationship.

Another reason is the hype in terms of how media portrays adult dating services online. A good example is the scenes or acts often being shown in adult films. There is no warning that says this should not be done at home so the individual will like to experience this for real. If the partner is into this sort of thing, it is time to find someone who is open to it. Such personal adult dating services are not advertised on television or in the newspaper. The best place to find it is in the Internet. There are hundreds of sites and after signing up, you may be able to find other members with similar interests and mindsets.

Some adult dating sites specialize on more precisely defined interest. Others can do this by talking to a partner on the phone or via the web. Since the adult dating site is similar to a singles bar, two people who want to do it for real can arrange to meet at a specific time and place. Those who are sick and tired working with just one individual may have an orgy by inviting other people to the party. In any case, there are no strings attached and this is all just for fun.

Adult dating services are not talked about openly in public places. This is because there are those who are quick to judge the character of people and knowing someone who does will often labeled as cheap or a whore. The most important thing that people should remember is that this activity is done between two consenting adults. It does not harm anyone so it is best to leave alone these people that are happy with this kind of alternate lifestyle.

Before joining an adult dating service, there are a few things that you should be aware of.

1. It is fact that there are a lot of personal adult dating services on the web. The law states the right to privacy so the individual has to be sure this adult dating service has certain systems in place to protect the identity of the members. It must be hack free since there will be hell to pay when news of this breaks out.

2. The adult personals dating cannot help if sometimes some of these members are soliciting money from other people. If this will be happen, it is best to break all contact. After all, those who have signed up there are looking for some action and not to give money away.

3. You should not give out too much information to a stranger. It should be mentioned that this could backfire later on some important things.

4. Whenever two people decide to meet, it is a good idea to inform a friend or family member about it. This will act as a fail safe system if something is going wrong.

Tanzania Camping Budget Safaris Private or Joining are still the real Authentic African Safari. Firstly we would like to inform you that some of the campsites in Tanzania National Parks especially in Lake Manyara and Tarangire National Park are outside the Parks.

This is because the camping ground inside the Parks are not safe.

There are so many elephants and tsetse flies in Tarangire during seasons of the year and in Lake Manyara to many monkeys. You can loose your food of 6 days safari in just five minutes and there is nothing you can do because you are inside of the monkey’s territory.

The Animal Kingdom. Here nature rules and human demands are not a priority!

For Tanzania Camping Budget Safari we normally use both 4 x 4 Land Rover / Land Cruiser / Minibus depending on safari schedule and season’s. Most of our clients prefer to use Land Cruisers in dry season and Land Rovers in wet season between April – June each year.

This is because Land Rover is always four wheel while driving in the mud, but the Land Cruiser you need to engage the four wheel when you need it. Also the Land Cruiser is easier to get stuck because of the rear springs while the Land Rover does not so easily get stuck because all front’s and rear tire’s are protected by coil springs.

Animals are normally drinking water early in the morning and late evening. Such activities is possible to see either in Lake Manyara or Serengeti National Park. Serengeti is a lot more better because it is allowed to do very early game drives even before breakfast. It is possible to include walking safari especially for those people who are doing private safari.

This is charged direct or if you insist we also include in the price. Of course we will indicate the cost separate for those who are doing joining safari. Not all clients want to do walking safari. The walking safari can be arranged in the campsite i.e., Twiga Camp / Fig Tree Camp / Zion camp and Popo Camp in Lake Manyara and Tarangire.

We normally take 4 people in normal Land Cruiser or Land Rover of 6 setter for those who are doing camping safari and 6 people in an extended vehicle of 8 setter. We reserve other rear seats for extra camping facility i.e., mattresses, blankets, tents, and bed sheets.

TANZANIA CAMPING SAFARI SAMPLE ITINERARY

DAY 1: Arusha-Tarangire

You will be picked up at around 0900am and depart to Tarangire National Park for the Game drive.Tarangire is most spectacular during the dry season when thousands of animals migrate into the park from the surrounding dry Maasai steppe, to use the permanent water supply of the Tarangire River.

You can see herds of elephants, numbering over a hundred. Tarangire is also renowned for its tree pythons, which are easily seen. The animal population in the dry season rivals that of the Serengeti with wildebeest, zebra, eland, hartebeest, buffalo, gerenuk, fringe eared Oryx and flocks of birds of many different species.

Prime game viewing is between July through November.

The famous and giant baobab trees dot the park, their branches looking just like roots. Some of the baobab trees are over 300 years old. Legend has it that a displeased god turned them upside down at the time of creation. All meals and overnight at Zion Campsite.

Approx transit time Arusha – Tarangire 1 hour

Meal Plan: {L,D}

DAY 2: Tarangire Park – Lake Manyara National Park. Breakfast at around 0700am. Depart Tarangire at around 0800am for Lake Manyara National Park, famous for its tree climbing lions and large flocks of flamingos.

The park contains five distinct vegetation zones and is of scenic beauty. Picnic Lunch will be served in the Park/Hot Lunch at the camp. Afternoon Game drive in the Park. Late afternoon to Twiga campsite for dinner and overnight.

Approx transit time Tarangire to Lake Manyara 1hour

Meal Plan: {B, L, D}

DAY 3: Lake Manyara National Park – Serengeti National Park. Breakfast at around 0630am. Depart for Serengeti with lunch en route. On arrival, proceed for a game drive. The park covers 12,944km2 of open plains making it one of the largest in the world.

The rocky outcrops commonly known as Moru kopjes in the eastern part of the park are of scenic beauty and occasionally cats can be seen lazing on them.The park contains vast herds of wildebeest, zebra, gazelle and other antelopes. Dinner and overnight at Seronera Campsite.

Approx transit time Lake Manyara to Serengeti 5 ½ hours

Meal Plan: {B, L, D}

DAY 4: Serengeti National Park – Ngorongoro Crater rim. Very early Game drive in the vast Serengeti plain. Breakfast at 0900am. After breakfast, depart Serengeti and drive to Ngorongoro crater rim with Game drive and Picnic Lunch en route to Ngorongoro Simba campsite where you booked for the night full board.

Approx transit time Serengeti National Park to Ngorongoro Simba campsite 3½ hours

Meal Plan: {B, L, D}

DAY 5: Ngorongoro Crater – Arusha. Breakfast at around 0600am. Take Picnic Lunch with you and drive 15 minutes into the Ngorongoro Crater floor for the Game drive. View the various resident animals on the crater floor.

The largest unbroken caldera in the world, Ngorongoro has an area of 260 kilometers and a depth of 610 meters. The crater provides a protected habitat for thousands of mammals and birds. The entire day is spent on the crater floor viewing lion, hyena, wildebeest, zebra, black rhinoceros, and many species of small antelopes.

The Ngorongoro Crater Conservation Area is located between the Serengeti and Lake Manyara. It is home to the famous Ngorongoro Crater which is the largest unbroken caldera in the world. The Crater is a spectacular setting in which to experience your African safari. Some scientists maintain that before it erupted, Ngorongoro Crater – the largest intact caldera in the world – would have been higher than Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest point in Africa.

Covering a mere 260 square kilometers (100 square miles), the 600 meter (1969 foot)-deep Crater is home to a permanent population of more than 30 000 animals. It is one of the few places in Africa where you stand a very good chance of seeing the Big Five (lion, leopard, buffalo, rhino and elephant) in the course of a game- drive.

The local Maasai have permission to graze their cattle on the Crater floor, and it is not unusual to see Maasai cattle and buffalo grazing together with lion mere meters away. There are around 1000 lions in the Crater, approximately 20 black rhino, and the spectacular Lerai Forest is one of the best places in Africa to spot leopard. This is one of the natural wonders of the world.

Picnic Lunch in the Crater. Afternoon before 0430pm drive to Arusha where you will be dropped at your hotel of your choice.

Approx transit time Ngorongoro to Arusha 3½ hours

Meal Plan: {B, L}

END OF SAFARI

COST:

Joining rate – 799$ per person maximum 4 people.

Private rate – 1020$ per person minimum 2 people.

What is included

Fully supported camping safari for 4 nights with meals as shown in the itinerary, park entrance fees, transportation in a 4 x 4 vehicle to Tarangire Park, Serengeti Park, Lake Manyara National Park, Ngorongoro, English speaking driver guide, crater fee, safari transportation in a private vehicle.

What is not included

The price does not include international flights or departure taxes, personal insurance, visa fees, vaccination costs, personal clothing and equipment, all items of a personal nature and all alcoholic drinks, gratuity / tips, Meals unless specified above, and shuttle transfer’s.

Source: www.ZanzibarMagic.com

Interview with Joe Farcht

author of Building Personal Leadership: Inspirational Tools & Techniques for Work and Life

Genesis Publishing (2007)

ISBN 1600371655

Reviewed by Cherie Fisher for Reader Views (6/07)

Today, Tyler R. Tichelaar of Reader Views is delighted to be joined by Joe Farcht, author of “Building Personal Leadership.” Joe Farcht’s new book focuses on the progressive development of personal productivity, personal leadership, business leadership, and overcoming the barriers to success. Joe Farcht has earned a BSEE degree, MBA, is an Air Force Lt. Col. (Retired) Vietnam veteran and fighter pilot, is certified as a Master Personnel and Executive Coach, is an expert in the Myers-Briggs Personality Typing, and a 13 year successful business owner.

Tyler: Thank you, Joe, for joining me today to discuss your new book. To begin, will you tell us a little bit about the idea of progression in “Building Personal Leadership”—is it a matter of developing the individual leader first so he or she can then develop the employees?

Joe: Tyler, you hit the nail right on the head. First you develop personal leadership and then you can lead other people. Employees observe their supervisor very carefully and judge them by their actions. What they say is largely disregarded. The greatest problems arise when an employee detects discrepancies between what the boss says and what he or she does. 75% of employees quit their jobs because of their immediate supervisor. Getting your act together as a leader of yourself first is the key to becoming a great supervisor of people. Think about it! The success of a leader is totally dependent upon the success of the people who work for them. If you don’t develop and grow your own skills, how can you help your employees grow and develop? Only if you are building your own personal leadership skills can you help others and assure your own continuing success.

Tyler: Joe, I understand your book focuses on many factors affecting the effectiveness and productivity of people including the motivation of employees. Having been a manager myself, I know money is not the only thing that motivates an employee. What other factors do you find are motivators for employees?

Joe: Tyler, that is a great question. I have done tons of study on the subject and teach it at the University. I have found that most motivational theories are in agreement on what motivates employees. Anyone who studies Maslow, Herzberg, Kovach, and others will find some very startling agreement. While motivation for each person is unique to that person, some generalities can be found in the population. The need for achievement is one of those motivators. Achievement can be found in stretch goals, learning through striving for new results, and doing something you have never done before. Closely associated with achievement is the motivation derived from recognition, appreciation, and increased self-esteem (doing great work and being / feeling valuable as a person). Achievement and recognition are powerful for the general population. However, if you are under 30 years of age and making less than $30,000, you will probably be motivated by money or money equivalents like promotion. One last word on motivation, get to know each individual personally. What are their goals, aspirations, hobbies, interests, and motivators? Then integrate what you know about the general population with the specifics of each person and you will become a great motivator of employees. By the way, this works with children, spouses, significant others, and friends.

Tyler: I’d like to go back a minute and comment on the primary reason you mentioned people leave their jobs—their immediate supervisors. Having been in middle-management myself, I know how difficult it can be to motivate your employees when the people higher up the ladder are uninterested in motivating, encouraging or rewarding you, which puts you in a position where you feel powerless to help yourself or reward and motivate your own employees. What suggestions would you have for people in such middle-management situations?

Joe: My whole purpose for living is to help people like you described to understand that they are not powerless to help themselves and that no matter what the work environment, they are able to encourage, coach, and motivate the people who work for them. You see, we have a choice. We can shrink from challenges, become powerless, or we can choose to lead by example, set ourselves apart, and be the leader we were meant to be. Middle managers who develop themselves into leaders are upbeat, guided by inner values, and care for each person who works for them no matter what the work environment. I wrote my book to help middle managers become leaders, model the right attitudes and behaviors, and overcome the shortcomings found in many organizations. I was one of those middle managers at one time. I was positive but found that my values and the organization’s values were too different to remain employed in that company. I was faced with taking a job I could do in my sleep or be downsized. I took downsizing. It was the best decision I ever made. It allowed me to create a wonderful and rewarding life.

Tyler: That’s a fantastic observation, Joe–that you have to make sure your personal values and the organization’s values are similar. But is it really that easy? What advice would you give to the many people who probably feel trapped working in jobs they dislike for companies they dislike simply because they feel they can’t leave if they want to pay the mortgage or feed their families? How can these people become their own leaders out of such quagmires?

Joe: Feeling probably trapped is a choice. It is based on fear and will drain the energy right out of a person. Everything is a choice. We choose to feel trapped. We choose to fear not being able to pay the bills or feed the family. We choose to slog on each and every day without the courage to choose something else. We choose limitations that keep us from using more of our potential and greatness. I’m going to be a little in everyone’s face and say that you can choose change. If you want a better life, well then make that choice and plan how you can accomplish that plan. You see, if you do the things you have always done, then you will get more of what you have always gotten. You must choose to learn, grow, and become something more. Like Oprah Winfrey, you need to hold a larger vision of yourself than you presently have. Ok, so here is what you do. Choose to buy my book. Turn to page one. Read the article called, “Back to the Basics.” Highlight insightful ideas you have. Take the best idea and start practicing it in your work and life. Do that for all 337 pages and your life will be transformed in a year and you will be prepared to make that leap to a better job, better life, and the joy and happiness you deserve. Oh, by the way, Amazon.com has the book used for $8.50. Is that too much to invest in your future?

Tyler: Your book also spends time on time management. What do you think are the biggest obstacles to getting people to manage their time properly?

Joe: The Habit Trap! We grow up amongst role models who have poor time management skills. Business cultures reinforce inefficient methods of working. People don’t know any better because no one is coaching them to improve because no one knows better ways of working. Everyone is trapped in in-effective and in-efficient ways of working and living. If a person is lucky they find a great book or resource that provides exceptional techniques to use your time more effectively and productively. If you are even luckier, your boss discovers and enrolls you in a development program that provides transformational attitude and time management skill development. If you are even luckier, your boss is a master at time management and coaches you to mirror his or her level of success. It is in his or her best interest to do that.

Tyler: Your examples then range from self-motivation to having a very supportive and motivating environment. Can an employee become his or her own personal leader, motivating himself to do a good job even if it seems like no one higher up cares? Can that one person turn that organization around?

Joe: Every person can develop personal leadership attitudes, skills, and competencies leading to self-motivation no matter what their circumstances. There are hundreds of examples of individuals overcoming adversity to achieve great things. Les Brown and Oprah Winfrey come to mind. Developing and exercising effective personal leadership attitudes and skills will set you apart from higher ups, peers, and others. It insulates you from the negative forces that would pull you down to their levels. Great personal leaders understand that their every thought and action is a choice and they choose the higher paths in their work and life. They don’t depend on the approval or caring of others. They recognize the source of their power is from within. They have so much to give and they give abundantly. Can one person turn the organization around? The answer is yes and no. Yes, you can if you are the top executive in the organization and you are smart about organizational and cultural change. No, if you are a middle manager bucking top leaders who have self-serving agendas. Middle managers will try but find their efforts very frustrating, deflating, a huge energy drain, and that they are not making any progress. In some cases there may be value clashes and the only option is to leave the company and find a more compatible place to work.

Tyler: I have heard it said that no one comes to work with the intention to do a bad job, yet we constantly see examples of poor customer service or employees who just don’t seem to care. What can a manager do to turn that situation around?

Joe: Tyler, I like this question. The manager can’t do anything! It is a top leadership problem and the top leader in the organization must make the changes to motivate managers and front line employees to provide the exceptional service that is desired. I recently had a one-on-one conversation with Dan Cathy, President and COO of Chick-fil-A, and what I learned will make you stand up and applaud. Dan Cathy has traveled to the top of his family owned corporate ladder but discovered that the answers to continuing success were not there. They rested with the front line employee serving the customer. Dan Cathy now spends considerable time sculpting, training, and leading front line employees to providing exceptional service to customers. In this way, Dan Cathy will ensure the continuing success of Chick-fil-A. You see, customer service and motivated employees start with the top leadership of an organization.

Tyler: That’s a great example, Joe. In “Building Personal Leadership” you emphasize the importance of setting goals and creating the attitudes and competencies for exercising effective personal leadership. However, I know lots of people have difficulty just figuring out what it is they want out of their personal lives and their jobs. What advice do you have for these people?

Joe: Oh, that is a great question! Let me explore how we get to this point in our lives and then I’ll provide some advice. We grow up in imperfect situations with mostly well meaning but imperfect parents, teachers trying to do their best in crowded classrooms, the influence of friends trying to find themselves, relatives who have their own problems and blemishes, and in neighborhoods that don’t support becoming all that a person can become. We develop limiting beliefs, attitudes, and habits of behaviors that severely limit what we can accomplish. So people know they have more to offer, but they feel lost and unable to contribute like they would like to. Often they become victims and don’t take responsibility for where they are in their lives. That said, now here is the answer. Understand that you had little control of your life until now. Today is the moment of decision. The life you live today is a result of your choices in the past. The life you live tomorrow is a result of the decisions you make and actions you take today. Decide today that you need to let go of old beliefs and ineffective conditioning in the past by learning new things, developing new habits, and changing into a new person. One new step each day. That is all it takes. Little changes each day and over time you will make big leaps in your leadership, success, and the results you enjoy. A great resource to start that journey of change is my book “Building Personal Leadership.”

Tyler: Your book was created from weekly emails and monthly newsletters you send to participants of your leadership development programs. Would you describe for us a little bit of the writing and organizational process that was involved in constructing the book?

Joe: I took hundreds of articles, threw them up into the air, and they magically fell into like piles. Well, ok, it didn’t happen quite like that. I did sort through them at a rather high level of organization and found four major themes of my writing. Then I hired a person to organize them into chapters with similar information. They were all combined into the book, which was then edited. My work then was to dive into the details, content, and all the supporting sections of the book. I learned a lot that will be incorporated into my next book. Just a comment, as I use my book in the leadership development process of my participants, I am always inspired by the content. There is something special about the content. Read it and you will experience the same special feeling.

Tyler: Do you see the book as evolving then into future editions—or you mentioned your next book—what will that be about?

Joe: I really love using my intuition and experiences to write for the several thousand people who receive my weekly messages. I have enough material since my book “Building Personal Leadership” to compile another book of similar organization and content. For sure my next book will be about personal leadership but exactly what form or the title, well, I’m looking to learn from the marketing of this book and to be inspired with the approach that might reach out to even more people. You see, there is nothing more important to me than helping people become more effective leaders in order to create the lives of their dreams. That is my purpose for living. Unleashing more of the unlimited potential and greatness that we all possess is my mission. Personal Leadership is everything!

Tyler: Do you have any thoughts about how email has changed the workplace, both from an employee and a management perspective?

Joe: That is an interesting question. I think a book could be written on the subject. From the employee’s perspective, they now use e-mail to communicate with other colleagues sitting next to each other in separate cubicles. It is also being used to keep historical records for a variety of purposes including their own protection (CYA). I also know employees who are teaching people to communicate with them via e-mail so they can manage their time better and keep focused on the important tasks they need to complete. From the management perspective, some managers work from home and send out literally hundreds of messages asking for information, following up on assignments, and in some cases micromanaging their subordinates. Using e-mail for these purposes can be good but I know some managers who get stressed out and write caustic and damaging e-mails causing great stress and unhealthy emotions among employees. Considering e-mail more globally, I think it is revolutionizing how we communicate and work. There is less personal contact, more computer face time, work done at home and traveling anywhere in the world, whole books are written through e-mail, new markets have emerged, and communication is timelier. The world has changed. What a glorious time to be alive. Our work and lives are filled with opportunity. Those who learn how to use e-mail and other technologies first and who seize the opportunities will win. E-mail is here to stay but like any communication tool, you need to know when to use it and how to use it to be effective.

Tyler: Thanks, Joe, I have to agree with you that because of new technology like the internet and e-mail, communication has improved and consequently, this time is one of the best to be alive. Could you tell us now a little bit about why you felt the need to write “Building Personal Leadership”?

Joe: I had many recipients of my articles and newsletters comment on the value and the inspiration they received when they read my weekly communications. During a networking meeting, a colleague suggested that I form them into a book. It took a couple of weeks for the idea to take hold and so I decided to do it! Now, I’m delighted with the book and I have plans to form an even more powerful book to become a resource to those courageous people who want to build their personal leadership attitudes, skills, and competencies. Change one life, change the world. Change many lives and change the Universe forever.

Tyler: And what do you feel sets “Building Personal Leadership” apart from all the other books out there about leadership and business management?

Joe: “Building Personal Leadership” contains hundreds of “in the trenches” tools and techniques for working smarter and creating the life you dream about. Each one is presented in a short one-minute or less reading with a call to action. Implement the tools and techniques in your work and life and I guarantee you will experience greater material rewards, happiness, and joy. It is uniquely organized and presented to capture and keep your interest. The index provides a complete guide to explore those particular tools and techniques in which you have an interest. If you want to go far in your life, then you must take this book along on your journey.

Tyler: Joe, would you be so kind as to share just one of those tools or techniques, or a success story in the workplace that resulted from using a tool from “Building Personal Leadership”?

Joe: I like stories. I was asked to work with a VP of Procurement of a food manufacturing company. He worked with the company for 17 years and did great work. However, his subordinate wouldn’t talk to him and he was having communication problems with the CFO. The executive team was very concerned with his dysfunctional behaviors and problems. In working together we learned he was an Introvert, Sensing, Thinking, and Judging type personality (ISTJ Myers-Briggs Type) with some really rough attitudes and habits. His emotional intelligence was very low showing the effects of the stress and problems he had but could not understand or manage. I used a leadership development program that lasted about 16 weeks with meetings of two hours each for 12 meetings. He had lessons to complete between meetings, extensive coaching during our meetings, and practiced the new skills and competencies we explored together. All those skills and competencies are recorded in my book.

As a result, his employee started to talk with him again, he initiated reconciliation with the CFO, and made other dramatic work life changes. His wife and family started reporting a new happier husband and father. Everyone could see him smiling more and he was happier. So I thought, I’ll administer the emotional intelligence assessment again and see if there were any changes. His emotional intelligence improved by three sigma (from the lower 5% of the population to the top 15% of the population). The story continues. He has been promoted and I just saw him and he is still smiling. This story is consistently repeated with the people I work with. The tools and techniques found in the book Building Personal Leadership simply work. YES! That’s why I live!

Tyler: That’s wonderful, Joe. I can tell from such an example that you really care about people and that they are the main reason why you wrote your book. Thank you so much for joining me today. Before we go, will you tell our readers your website address and where they can get more information about your book and your email newsletters?

Joe: My web site is [http://www.leadershipadvantageinc.com] and you can learn more about my services, products there. More detailed information about my book can be found at [http://www.leadershipadvantageinc.com/personal_leadership.html]. You may subscribe to the weekly emails and monthly newsletters at [http://www.building-leadership.com] and after subscribing and receiving a confirmation e-mail, just click on the link to activate your subscription. My blog can be found at [http://www.farcht.com/blog] and you may explore leadership articles at my article site found at http://www.leadership-e-article.com. It has been a pleasure to answer your questions and explore the subject of Building Personal Leadership with your audience. I appreciate your great questions and I extend to you a heart felt Thank You.

Tyler: Likewise, Joe. I’ve been very pleased to speak to you and to hear good practical advice that I know from personal experience will be effective in the workplace. Good luck with “Building Personal Relationships” as well as your next book.

After the Christmas period and during the start of the new year celebrations one of the most popular new years resolutions is to lose weight, probably due to the fact that over the Christmas period people are prone to over-eating.

People are always moaning about not being happy with their bodies or of being overweight, but never have the motivation to actually get up and go out and get some exercise. Fortunately due to new years resolutions people actually state that they will join a gym or hire out a personal trainer.

Not all people follow through their resolutions however, but those that do will most likely join a local gym using money received over the Christmas holidays. They will probably go for a week or so, feel that they aren’t losing weight or making any progress, and then cancel their gym membership and feel depressed.

Instead, these people would be best suited to actually going and hiring out the services of a personal fitness trainer. One of the biggest problems with using a gym is the motivation factor – there’s no one there pushing you, making you go further, praising you and so on.

This is why if you are serious about losing weight and getting fit then you should avoid the lure of the gym where they will be throwing all sorts of special offers and free deals at you, and instead should look to hire the services of a personal fitness trainer instead.

The type of person that makes joining a gym top on their new years resolutions list is probably quite unlikely to be able to stick at it, as the gym can often be quite a boring way of losing weight without much motivation, so by searching for a good local personal fitness trainer you should be able to stick to your targets and get the body you so desire.

Another Hollywood Nudge Toward Victimhood

I’ve made two points repeatedly, and I saw a movie last weekend that confirmed ’em both.

One point is that there are two kinds of people out there: I call them the Entrepreneur and the Victim. Entrepreneurs (who may or may not actually own a business) take initiative… Victims just take. Speaking of taking, Victims need taking care of, and Entrepreneurs tend to take care of those around them. Entrepreneurs are courageous, self-reliant, curious about others, and aren’t afraid to collaborate. Victims are political, dependent, critical of others, and very competitive (and not in a good way).

You’ve seen both types, at work, if not back at the annual family reunion picnic. The Entrepreneurs are the ones who just want the government to get out of their way so they can pursue happiness. The Victims love the idea of collectivism, because they won’t be happy under any circumstances, but they certainly don’t want anyone else to have more than they have, or to be happier.

The other point I’ve made was that the statist Left in America, as part of their mission to “progressively” move the nation toward socialism, have slowly taken over the four most important and influential U.S. institutions over the past century-plus: the government administration, the “news” media, the academic community, and the entertainment industry. The latter, from television to the big screen, is a favorite channel for the statists to use in pushing their left-wing ideology into the minds of the masses, particularly the younger set.

The movie I saw was “No Strings Attached,” with Ashton Kutcher and Natalie Portman. I really enjoyed it… VERY funny (though not a good flick for the kids, parents), and very well-written. I always appreciate a well-crafted script and good comedic acting, and this movie had both.

But I was struck by the subtle messages my young offspring (all in their twenties) would take away from the movie if they watched it.

Just one example, which will not wreck the movie for you: living arrangements. Portman’s character is a doctor, and she lives with THREE other doctor roommates – in an apartment. Kutcher’s character, a TV writer/producer (far from a pauper), has I-don’t-know-how-many well-employed roommates as well, all in a small house.

No wonder none of my twenty-something kids, regardless of their level of skill, education, or income, feels like they can live on their own. They all have roommates. When I was their age, I earned less than any of them does (I think), but I not only lived on my own, I supported a non-working spouse and a family (these same fine humans). It was hard. Is it really that much harder today, or is this a Hollywood-fueled progressive cultural shift? You make the call. But it seems like the very definition of personal responsibility has changed.

I don’t think living in America is harder than it was when I was in my twenties. What’s different for my kids, though, is the potential for the future. When I was their age, Ronald Reagan was president, and the progressives’ march toward socialism was interrupted by one inspirational leader’s “Morning in America.” Today, well… today things are different.

There is a storm coming, and in America, our leaders are hastening us toward it as best they can. The dollar will eventually crumble, the stock market crash, and inflation destroy not only wealth but the basic American lifestyle. The time is now to start a business on the side, make some money, and get smart about what’s really going on in the global economy so you can protect what you earn. And don’t rely on the old paradigm for wealth building – total dependence on a single employer, gradual savings, and investment advice from a standard “professional” who is compensated to put you into the standard investment products.

If you have a good job and roommates, great! You’re lucky. But in the coming fundamental transformation of the world economy, a handful will get rich while the vast majority of “standard” lifestyles will come crashing down. You’re making a choice right now about which side you’ll be on, whether you know it or not.

Make a good choice. Get some real financial advice NOW, and make sure there are no strings attached.

by Michael D. Hume, M.S.