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It is important if you are looking to create the best feature film possible that you start looking at several major aspects that will have a huge impact on your final product. A feature film is not simple to make, there are numerous steps that will affect your film. Being aware of these critical steps can make you very much aware of the possible problems, and better position you to mitigate the possible problems before they arise.

A script is your first line of defense towards success. A poor script will have everyone including your actors losing interest very quickly. On the other hand, a strong script will keep everyone interested because the story draws them in. It is especially important to spend a lot of time developing characters. If your audience is emotionally invested in characters of your feature film they will spend more time really paying attention to what is happening. If your characters are grossly underdeveloped, it can negatively affect the entire movie, creating problems in holding the attention of the audience.

Looking at your actors you should be able to tell that they are interested in the script. An actor who is merely showing up and talking is not an asset to your film and can drag down the entire story. While it is true you cannot afford the ultimate Hollywood actors on an independent film budget, you should still look for actors passionate about your project. The results of their passion will be obvious for anyone who is viewing the final movie. A final note about actors, always ensure you select someone who fits the role. There is nothing worse than watching a really bad actor attempt a role that they are not right for.

You should spend plenty of time setting up the schedule for shooting. Always be sure to set into the script extra days for re-shoots and possible weather problems. Everyone wants to pretend that there will be no problems when shooting their film. This is a dream that rarely ever happens though, just remember it is better to have extra days set aside that are not used, rather than run over on time and possibly have to scrap the entire film because you are out of time. Additionally, a bit of your budget should be set aside for these delays as well.

Edit the film in pieces rather than all at once. If you try to rush through editing and work on it all at once you might keep a straight train of thought going, but you are also likely to become tired and start making minor mistakes. This can be awful because it could allow you to make a tiny mistake that really pulls down the entire film. Taking your time and breaking it up over several sessions will ensure that you approach the sections with a fresh mind, and ready to really see the project. If possible, it is a good idea to wait a few days after wrapping shooting before editing so that you can approach the material fresh as well.

Your final step is actually showing the film to get feedback and taking the feedback graciously. No filmmaker ever wants to be told that their film is horrible. But if your film has problems, you should take the feedback that you are given and look at it against your film. Is the feedback good, or is it something that is just personal preference? For example, saying that your story line is a bit vague would be considered good feedback. Saying that your leading lady should have blond hair would be a bit more preference usually. Being aware of the feedback of others can help you to really develop your style as well as connect to the audience. Read more here.

People have different passions in life but there are those who love to listen to different piano music. If you’re one of them, then you probably like to learn to play the piano, but how?

Many individuals would like to learn to play piano but they don’t know where to begin. There are also those who previously had piano lessons but weren’t able to complete all the lessons because they simply got bored or they already spent a lot of time learning but to no avail. But with a little shove in the correct direction, you can learn to play a piano.

Firstly, you need to know that in playing the piano there are two ways – by note reading and by the chords. What would you like to do? You have to answer this question. If you simply want to play existing piano music, you must know how to read piano notes. On the other hand, if you want to write inspiring piano music, you must be able to understand the piano chords. If you can learn how to read notes as well as the chords, the better.

Still, if you want to learn to play piano in quick and easy steps, learn the chords first. By doing so, you will know the different sounds of the chords. Note reading can be taken up later.

One way to learn how to play piano is from a piano teacher. You need to find a reliable and qualified piano teacher to ensure that you’re given good lessons. The teacher can give you lessons at home or in a studio. Choose a comfortable set up so that you can learn without feeling any pressure. If you’re reason in learning to play the instrument is simply for fun, hiring a piano teacher is not a good idea. You can opt for less expensive means like a piano book or CDs and DVDs.

You have to ask the piano teacher if he or she is teaching the chord-based lessons. You have to set realistic goals first before you find a good piano teacher.

Another option is to learn lessons online. This is also a cheaper alternative in learning to play piano. You can choose the most convenient time to learn to play the instrument and in your chosen pace. You can save money and time through online lessons. If you’re motivated enough and you’re comfortable learning alone, this method will work for you. There is also the computer software being offered to help you learn to play piano.

When learning to play piano and other musical instruments, you have to have fun. The entire learning process should be exciting for you. Once you’ve set goals, you can start taking lessons immediately and practice regularly. Don’t get discouraged easily if ever you encounter some problems and hardships. There are those who get frustrated but you should simply keep going.

Have a positive attitude and choose the best method to learn to play piano. By having the right attitude, you can overcome difficulties in learning the chords or the notes. As mentioned earlier, you can learn the chords first and then later on, you can learn the notes. In a week or month’s time, you can even learn to write interesting piano music.

Start learning now and don’t waste time. If this is your passion, give proper attention to it. Read more here.

You can’t learn to play any musical instrument if you don’t own one especially in the case of an electric guitar. So if you want to easily learn to play an electric guitar, you should find the perfect guitar to suit your playing style.

Once you find the electric guitar that you love, you can now learn to play it. As compared to an acoustic guitar, electric guitars are mush easier to play. It would also be best if you can purchase a pick and an amp.

As you may have noticed, the electric guitar has several buttons or switches and you need to learn all of them. But before anything else, you should know the essentials in learning to play such a musical instrument.

Each kind of guitar has its own qualities. You have to familiarize yourself with the electric guitar’s qualities and features. Know all the guitar’s knobs or switches. You must know how to control them so that once you start playing the guitar you will know the right mixes of the knobs or switches.

If you can do this, you can expect the guitar’s sound to be at its best. Electric guitars are not simple instruments. Before you can effectively play this type of guitar, you would have to spend a huge portion of your time in learning to play it. Most especially, you need to learn to mix the tones and sounds together.

Aside from the electric guitar, you also need to get an amp and that was already mentioned awhile ago. Guitar amps are available in many sizes and you need to get the appropriate guitar amp. Since you’re a beginner, you need to get an amp that you can use during practice sessions. Buy only the best quality amp and make sure that you try it out before paying for it. Some stores allow their customers to test the amps at its highest point. Also, remember to purchase an amp that already has a distortion box because this is very important when it comes to playing an electric guitar.

There are many songs and guitar tracks using electric guitars. You need to be familiar with these said tracks so that learning to play such instrument will be a lot easier. If you’re a good listener to these guitar tracks and songs, you will learn fast. Try to reproduce the sounds you hear and if you can do it, then you can tell if you’re learning.

You can find further techniques, information, and tips online if you’re determined to learn to play an electric guitar. Remember these three essentials in learning to play such guitar: have your own electric guitar, get other guitar accessories like a pick and amps, and listen to guitar tracks or songs. If you know these three essentials, you’re on your way to learning to play an electric guitar.

So you see, you can easily learn to play an electric guitar by knowing the essentials. Now its time to pick out the method to use – whether you will hire a professional guitar instructor, buy a guitar instruction book, or learn through DVD programs and other internet guitar programs.

Be sure to choose the appropriate method to learn quickly. Your learning will depend greatly on your personality and attitude. If you’re patient, determined, and motivated, you can will not encounter many problems in learning to play the electric guitar. Read more here.

Are you interested in advancing within your company? If you are, your first though may be to ask for a promotion. Of course, it is more than possible for you to ask for a promotion, but do you know that they are not always well received? For that reason, you may want to consider holding off on asking for a promotion. Instead, you may want to take steps to get yourself noticed at work, in a good way. In fact, you may even find yourself being presented with a promotion, without you ever having to ask for one yourself.

As nice as it is to hear that you may be able to get a promotion without ever having to ask for one, you may be unsure as to how you can go about doing so. A few of the many steps that you can take to help you get a promotion are outlined below. With that in mind, it is important to remember that there are no guarantees. With some companies and supervisors you can, literally, be the hardest worker in the world and still never see a promotion in your life. Although there are no guarantees when trying to acquire a promotion yourself, it is important to remember that you have nothing to lose.

1. Help co-workers:

One of the many ways that you can help increase your chances of getting a promotion is by taking the time to help out your other co-workers, especially when they may be having any complications or problems with a particular task. Extending a hand is a great way to get yourself noticed. If you are interested in receiving a promotion, it is likely that you would like to be in management. Managers are not only required to develop project task lists for their team members, but they are also supposed to offer guidance and assistance when needed. Should you take the time to offer that same guidance and assistance to your co-workers, you are more likely to find yourself being noticed by your supervisors.

2. Participate in optional meetings:

Another way that you can work to improve your chances of receiving a promotion, without having to ask for one, is by taking part in any optional meetings. These meetings may include in person meetings, video meetings online, or business conference calls on the telephone. Even if your attendance is not required, but is allowed, you will want to participate in these events. Even if you choose not to speak a word, your in person attendance will likely be noticed. The information that you learn about your company in these types of business meetings may also help to improve your chances of receiving a promotion, as you may retain knowledge that other employees are currently unaware of or unconcerned about.

3. Volunteer for work:

You can also improve your chances of receiving a promotion, without having to inquire about one yourself, by offering to work as much as possible. This extra step is one that you may want to take; however, you should consider your current social and family life as well. If you are able to work extended hours, work on weekends, be on call, or log in as many overtime hours as possible, you may want to consider doing so. Your presence in the office after hours will likely be noticed and taken into consideration when it comes time to hand out promotions.

4. Participate in work related social events:

Another one of the many steps that you may want to take, to help improve your chances of getting a promotion without having to ask for one is offering to volunteer for any activities that may be associated with work, but not necessarily for work. This best example of this is by volunteering to play on your company’s softball or volleyball team. This simple action not only allows you to have fun and possibly make new friends, but it also gives you ability to say that you “fully,” support your company. Volunteering for something that is associated with your company, without any pay, typically creates a good impression.

5. Excel with the job functions you are supposed to perform in:

For this you need to know your job goals, job description, management and leadership principles and how to exercise self-discipline, self-control and control over the work of your subordinates.

The above mentioned steps are just a few of the many ways that you can go about trying to get a promotion without having to ask for one. In the end, if all else fails, you may want to consider examining your other options, such as inquiring about a promotion or seeking employment elsewhere.

Bio of author Pierre Du Plessis:

Occupation: Organisational improvement consultant, trainer, web site designer, internet marketing and SEO expert. Author of several online articles, training manuals and e-books. My wife and I run and operate the online club http://www.career-builders-club.com for people interested and serious about career advancement. We offer 4 memberships under one roof, providing products for children, parents, career junkies and webmasters, with a total of more than 1700 products, where career building is at its best with our unique integrated performance management system and other related products.

Qualifications: BA (Commerce), majoring in Industrial Psychology and Economics, University of Stellenbosch, 1969, Masters in Business Leadership, University of South Africa, 1982.
Experience: Systems design, supply chain management, procurement, logistics, stock control, capacities management, management principles, leadership skills, team building, strategic planning, integrated performance management, eradication of red tape, management development training, leadership development training, planning, organising and conducting of operations and training for big groups, open cast mining, surface blasting, mine management, exporting and importing.

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So what does continuing education include? Well, technical schools, college classes, and online classes to progress in your career are examples of forms of continuing education. These classes and programs are intended to help you continue your education after graduation.

Technical schools were created specifically to help adults progress beyond high school. These schools have programs that help learners master the skills and technological expertise they need to secure good jobs. Also known as vocational education, technical schools can train you for jobs such as an auto mechanic, a bookkeeper, or a cosmetologist.

Community colleges are a main source of continuing education classes. In addition to helping people work toward a degree, community colleges also offer programs such as nursing, respiratory therapy, and law enforcement. The community college environment is perfect for people who want to advance in their current job or move on to a better job.

Many college campuses offer evening and Saturday classes just to make learning convenient for adult students. They also have classes you can take online so that you will be able to make time for learning. Continuing education offerings at these campuses range from complete programs to individual courses that can help you master new skills. Your local community college is a wonderful place to look when you’re considering continuing education options.

Naturally four-year colleges also offer continuing education classes. You can earn a degree at these colleges or simply take additional classes to help you progress in your career. Many professionals find that returning to college to get either a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree can really boost their career.

In additional to classes for degrees, colleges offer specialized classes that can help you master certain skills. For instance, you can take classes that will help you learn specialized computer programs. You also can learn new skills and talents, such as how to create multimedia presentations. More employers these days are encouraging their employees to explore continuing education options. The more skills and talents you possess, the better chance you have of landing and keeping a good job.

If you think you’re too busy to take continuing education classes, think again. These days your options are practically limitless. Not only can you find traditional classes, you can take online classes, use interactive DVD and online programs to take a class, and even take tele-classes by watching your television. These new delivery methods make it easy for practically everyone to find a class that is convenient.

To start your search for continuing education classes, first analyze your goals. Do you want to get a degree? Learn the latest technology? Advance in your career? Decide what you want to accomplish, and then research your options. The Internet contains a wealth of information about continuing education opportunities. With just a little effort, you’re bound to find the right opportunity for you.

Education is an important part of everyone’s life. Most people study for a limited period of time and then settle for jobs as per their qualification. When it comes to continuing education, there are very few people who give this important factor a thought. Continuing education is all about pursuing post secondary learning activities and programs. There are several degree and non-degree courses available these days for students who want to continue their education for various reasons.

Here are some of the post secondary learning activities available for the aspirants, these days:

a) Degree credit courses by non-traditional students
b) Not-degree career training
c) Self-directed learning
d) Experimental learning
e) Workforce training
f) Formal personal enrichment courses

If we talk about continuing education in general terms, it is equivalent to adult education. According to this term, the aspirant already has got education and wants to pursue it for attaining additional knowledge. Literacy, primary education, language programs and vocational training are not included here.

Continuing education in developed countries like the United States means getting further education from a reputed college or university. This can be either through part time or full time depending upon the student’s will. The program is also known as extension school or university. Enrolling oneself in non-credit granting courses in the US also means continuing education. Community colleges offer these courses in US.

In the year 1904, the University of Wisconsin pioneered academic institution in America. It offered continuing education programs.

Professionals can also look forward to continue their education in order to enhance their calibre. Professional continuing education can be defined as a learning process that results in obtaining a certificate by the certificate towards the end of the course. The certificate is a document signifying the attendance of the candidate at a course of instruction. There are several programs dedicated towards providing knowledge enhancement to professionals.

These days, there are several ways to continue education. You can choose to sit at home and continue your studies via an online program. You can also go for education program via part time or full time course. Most people prefer taking help of distance education when it comes to continuing education. This is because they also want to work while studying.

Deciding to continue education is prudent. One must think of expanding one’s knowledge irrespective of one’s age or position. Today, there is a great need of licensed education. This is because in many fields, the governing bodies prefer license, to provide a specific line of work.

The main goal of these education programs is to provide a new horizon to provide a new horizon to professionals who want to add up to their knowledge and grab new opportunities coming their way. Several institutions and reputed colleges offline and online provide these courses to the aspirants.

Continuing education is no more a rare objective. Students and even professionals look forward to purse new and enhanced courses to add up to the knowledge to their line of work.

Read more about it here.

Managers and Leaders – Are They Synonyms?

A manager is the person in charge of commanding and running a business or a project. Leadership deals with the interpersonal relations. Managing means planning, developing and organizing. In the contemporary society leadership qualities along with managing abilities are a must.

If there is one thing I’ve learnt during my career as a military TV redactor in the Romanian Ministry of Defence, that is that leadership has never been simple. In this day and age even military leaders are confronted with many challenges including bureaucracy, media influence, internationalisation and changes of cultural and economic patterns.

One thing is so far clear: a leader is not a ruler or a despot. His role is to guide, to inspire, to communicate, to build trust and to direct toward the achievement of goals.

Many managers consider themselves leaders. Well, that’s not entirely accurate. When a manager is able to persuade a team to complete some objectives without forcing his authority, then he is demonstrating leadership qualities. While a leader can be a manager, a manager is not necessary a leader.

Make no confusions: to be in charge of a team doesn’t automatically make you a leader. People choose their leaders naturally, based on personal feelings, most of the times subjective evaluations. There are some traditional patterns people look for in a leader: physical appearance, social and personal traits. Studies prove that tall and handsome men make charismatic leaders. Education plays a significant role, but not as important as individual qualities such as charisma, magnetism, reputation and tact. Such leaders have to be self confident and able to listen to their followers. While physical appearance cannot be changed, but slightly improved with the right clothing, other behaviours can be trained.

Leadership Training – Is That Really Necessary?

My answer is yes. Leaders are made, not born. There is no such a thing as a natural born leader – this is just a label used to describe a person able to influence others easily. Because everyone has a natural born capacity to lead, becoming a leader is not so difficult. To achieve this goal training and learning go hand in hand.

What should a leader learn? The art of communicating a message across effectively and clearly is a vital part of being a successful leader. Speaking is not enough. Important factors, such as understanding and using body language, listening and writing, fuse to generate the lifeblood of good communication.

A leader should learn to overcome other’s people barriers when delivering a message. There are three basic rules to achieve this goal: be clear in your mind, deliver the message in plain language and make sure that the idea has been understood.

Cultural differences can make it difficult for some people to communicate effectively. Germans and Nordics are more restrained in gesture than many Latin nations, while Americans and Australians can say exactly what they mean. A “be yourself” approach can work – there is no better marketing than telling the truth. Be honest, but not impolite. Do not try to be anyone else or copy another one’s style.

You’ve heard that often: first impressions are very important. In business and media that’s a proven theory: the first five seconds of a meeting are more important than the next ten minutes. A faultless look, even if informal, makes always a good impact: matching decent colours, impeccable shoes and garments, a proper haircut and no exaggeration with cologne will not err.

Certainly there’s more to leadership training than one can write in a short article: from learning the secret of clear communication both within the team and with the media, to understanding and using gestures; from learning how to listen to recognizing and overcoming prejudice (ground rule: think about the words you hear, not the person saying them); from reading efficiently to taking notes and improving memory; from using the phone to writing letters and much more.

Because the contemporary society is continuously changing, modern managers and leaders need to improve their skills constantly and to gather knowledge vital for their organizations.

Leadership Theories In 1960 the Douglas McGregor described two behavioural theories, “Theory X” and “Theory Y”, in his book “The Human Side of Enterprise”.

Theory X represents the idea of ruling by controlling, the so-called “stick and carrot” philosophy of management. According to Freud people are naturally lazy and need to be controlled or punished in order to work effectively. Some managers do believe these affirmations. In the modern society such approaches lead nowhere: employees get frustrated, feel uncomfortable at work, tend to introvert, perform just because they are afraid of some consequences and not because they are motivated. As long as this theory – you can find a better description of it on the web by typing Douglas McGregor in any search engine – will influence managers, the real potentials of an employee will remain hidden.

McGregor’s Theory Y gives prominence to communication and human interrelations. Managers who create a harmonious working environment motivate workers. The idea is that a satisfied team will achieve goals faster and more proficient than a frustrated, fearful team. Adepts of the Theory Y give confidence to their followers, know how to listen and how to reward them and support initiative and creativity. The individual and organizational goals can be integrated. This is the kind of approach the modern society longs for. People need to be respected and valued for what and who they are.
Although there are common traits for us all, it’s a wrong approach to generalize.

Why Motivate?

Treat your workers as individuals and soon you will be able to harvest the fruits of their work. And don’t forget: a “thank you, well done” motivates and wins a heart and a won heart means a step towards attaining loyalty.

To motivate means to understand human nature. Motivation is an essential factor in the existence and success of a company and it is a skill which must be learnt. Forget the idea that money is the prime motivator. Nowadays security is a major stimulus: unemployment determines workers to appreciate the security of a job. Well, sure employees will act positively to a raise or a money prize, but if they don’t like the job, the company or (yes!) the manager is unlikely that they will perform at their best.

Conclusion

As people have a normal predisposition to follow certain attitudes, modern managers and leaders should be careful and conduct by example. In order to avoid the perception of inconsistency within the management team, training them leadership skills is a necessity.

Mihaela Lica is a skilled journalist and PR consultant, founder of Pamil Visions – http://www.pamil-visions.com/. Previously she used to work as a military TV redactor for Pro Patria and the Military Media Trust within the Public Relations Directorate of the Romanian Ministry of Defence.

Presented by Pierre Du Plessis – Career Builders Club

Ten characteristics of effective meetings:

1) Definition: A meeting is a business activity where select people gather to perform work that requires a team effort.

2) A meeting, like any business event, succeeds when it is preceded by planning, characterized by focus, governed by structure, and controlled by a budget.

3) Short meetings free people to work on the essential activities that represent the core of their jobs. In contrast, long meetings prevent people from working on critical tasks such as planning, communicating, and learning.

4) Three things guarantee an unproductive meeting: poor planning, lack of appropriate process, and hostile culture. Effective leaders attend to all of these to create an effective meeting.

5) Effective meetings require sharing control and making commitments.

6) The ultimate goals of every meeting are agreements, decisions, or solutions. Meetings held for other reasons seldom produce anything of value.

7) Unprepared participants will spend their time in the meeting preparing for the meeting.

It is better to spend a little time preparing for solutions than to spend a lot of time fixing problems.

9) Meetings are an investment of resources and time that should earn a profit.

10) A meeting can be led from any chair in the room. And if it’s your meeting, you want it to be your chair.

Here are ten things that you can do to make your meetings more effective:

1) Avoid meetings. Test the importance of a meeting by asking, “What happens without it?” If your answer is, “Nothing,” then don’t call the meeting.

2) Prepare goals. These are the results you want to obtain by the end of the meeting. Write out your goals before the meetings. They should be so clear, complete, and specific that someone else could use them to lead your meeting. Also, make sure they can be achieved with available people, resources, and time. Specific goals help everyone make efficient progress toward relevant results.

3) Challenge each goal. Ask, “Is there another way to achieve this?” For example, if you want to distribute information, you may find it more efficient to phone, FAX, mail, E-mail, or visit. Realize that a meeting is a team activity. Save tasks that require a team effort for your meetings.

4) Prepare an agenda. Everyone knows an agenda leads to an effective meeting. Yet, many people “save time” by neglecting to prepare an agenda. A meeting without an agenda is like a journey without a map. It is guaranteed to take longer and produce fewer results. Note, without an agenda, you risk becoming someone else’s helper (see tip #6 below).

5) Inform others. Send the agenda at least a day before the meeting. That helps others prepare to work with you in the meeting. Unprepared participants waste your time by preparing for the meeting during the meeting.

6) Assume control. If you find yourself in a meeting without an agenda walk out. If you must stay, prepare an agenda in the meeting. Collect a list of issues, identify the most important, and work on that. When you finish, if time remains, select the next most important issue. Note: you can use a meeting without an agenda to recruit help for your projects.

7) Focus on the issue. Avoid stories, jokes, and unrelated issues. Although entertaining, these waste time, distract focus, and mislead others. Save the fun for social occasions where it will be appreciated.

Be selective. Invite only those who can contribute to achieving your goals for the meeting. Crowds of observers and supporters bog down progress in a meeting.

9) Budget time. No one would spend $1,000 on a ten-cent pencil, but they often spend 40 employee hours on trivia. Budget time in proportion to the value of the issue. For example, you could say, “I want a decision on this in 10 minutes. That means we’ll evaluate it for the next 9 minutes, followed by a vote.”

10) Use structured activities in your meetings. These process tools keep you in control while you ensure equitable participation and systematic progress toward results.

Quotes About Bad Meetings:

Want a quote about bad meetings? Here’s what Steve Kaye has to say.

“Long pointless meetings are useful in that they keep incompetent people from interfering with those who are working.

Bad meetings are a cultural malady that senior executives pass on to new employees.

An employee who needs permission to buy a box of paperclips can spend tens of thousands of dollars worth of employee time on bad meetings.

Many people attempt to save time by Not planning. This false short cut guarantees that everyone will spend more time later.

Unstructured spontaneity leads to serendipity, which (in business) leads to bankruptcy.

Meetings are a magnetic opiate that keep people from the tasks they were hired to perform.

The main activity in many meetings consists of simple chit chat. If it’s an important meeting, then this becomes sincere chit chat.

A meeting without an agenda is like a journey without a map.

A teleconference without an agenda is like a journey without a map, in the dark.

Most meetings are social street lamps that attract the unproductive moths in an organization.

People fail to prepare an agenda for two reasons. They think they’re saving time and they don’t know what to put in it.

Expecting a meeting to produce results without an agenda is like expecting the Easter Bunny to leave eggs on your doorstep.

Bad meetings waste a fortune. My surveys show that companies waste almost 20% of their payroll on bad meetings.”

About the author:
Pierre du Plessis (MBL, 1982, UNISA) is owner of Leaders Circle, with web site, Career Builders Club, catering for various niche related products and packages and author of several e-books. This article can be used for re-publishing as long as it remains unchanged.

Nowadays, a great significance is being given to Performance Management, as companies incorporate them in their effective management strategies. However, a lot of people find this process a complicated one, mostly because of the many options that it offers – on the organization, a specific department/branch, a product or service, and on employees, among others.

In order to minimize this confusion, the items below will give you a general idea of what Performance Management is all about; as well as the activities that are involved in this process.

What is Performance Management?

Performance management is a process that provides both the manager and the employee (the person being supervised) the chance to determine the shared goals that relates to the overall goals of the company by looking into employee performance.

Why is it important?

Performance Management establishes an outline for employees and their performance managers to assess and to come to an agreement on certain concerns and aims that are in accordance with the overall structure of the company. This enables both parties to have clear objectives that would help them in their work and in their professional growth.

Who conducts Performance Management?

Performance Management is carried out by those who oversee the performance of other people – work/team leaders, supervisors, managers, directors, or department chairs.

What are the processes involved?

Below are the phases of the Performance Management process:

1. Planning

This phase of Performance Management process includes establishing job descriptions and identifying the employee’s essential functions as well as defining the strategic plan/s of the department or the company as a whole.

Job Description

A job description is used to advertise a vacant position, which typically specifies the following:

- The specific functions, tasks, and responsibilities of the position
- The amount of time needed to act upon each function
- The qualifications needed (skills, knowledge and abilities) to perform the job
- The physical and mental requirements of the position
- Salary range for the position
- To whom the position reports

Job descriptions should be disclosed to the employee as soon as he or she is hired. Note, however, that job descriptions are listed using words that make it difficult to measure the employee’s performance. They are in contrast with competencies, which list the skills needed in performing such tasks and are described using terms that can be measured.

Strategic Plan

In effect, a strategic plan tells you three things:

- Where the company is heading in the coming year/s.
- How the company is going to get there.
- How the company will know if it is already there or not.

Included in a strategic plan are the following:

Mission statement – the primary reason why your department (or company) exists.

Goals – associated with the mission statement, they determine the results that will advance said statement/s.

Strategic initiatives – specifies definite steps that must be taken to accomplish each goal. It is a dynamic process, usually examined during periods such as one or two years.

2. Developing

This phase of Performance Management process includes developing performance standards, which offers a scale that describes how a specific job should be performed in order to meet (or exceed) expectations. They are explained to newly hired employees and are later used to evaluate work performance.

Performance standards are generally outlined with the help of the employees who actually perform the tasks or functions. There are a number of advantages with this approach:

- The standards will be suitable to the requirements of the job
- The standards will be applicable to actual work conditions
- The standards will be easily understood by the employee (and performance manager as well)
- The standards will be acknowledged (and received) by the employee and the performance manager

Standards of performance are usually in the form of ratings (1 to 5, A to E) that are used by performance managers to rate the employee’s actual level of performance.

3. Monitoring

This phase of the Performance Management process includes monitoring employee’s work performances and giving feedback about them.

As the basis of feedback, observations should be verifiable: they should involve noticeable and work-related facts, events, behaviours, actions, statements, and results. Feedback of this type is called behavioural feedback, and they help employees improve and/or sustain good performance by precisely identifying the areas that the employee needs to improve without judging his or her character or motives.

4. Rating

This phase includes conducting performance evaluations. This is the critical aspect of the Performance Management process, especially because it is important for performance managers to arrive at an unbiased assessment.

A performance appraisal form has the following features:

- Employee information
- Performance standards
- Rating scale
- Signatures
- Employee performance development recommendations
- Employee comments
- Employee’s Self-appraisal

Why conduct performance appraisals? It provides an opportunity to improve performance in the future not only for employees, but for managers as well. Performance appraisals enable managers to acquire information from employees that will help them make employee’s jobs more productive.

5. Development Planning

This phase of the Performance Management process includes establishing plans for improved employee performance and development goals. This advances the overall goal of the company and at the same time increases the quality of work by employees by:

- Encouraging constant learning and professional growth.
- Helping employees maintain the level of performance that meets (and exceeds) expectations.
- Improving job – or career-related skills and experience.

In closing, Performance Management is a process that, when executed fairly and effectively, can improve the quality of the company’s workforce, raise standards, increase job satisfaction, and develop professionalism and expertise that would benefit not only the employees but the entire organization as well.

About the author:
Pierre du Plessis (MBL, 1982, UNISA) is owner of Leaders Circle, with web site, Career Builders Club, catering for various niche related products and packages and author of several e-books. He is also the designer of the brand new integrated performance management system. This article can be used for re-publishing as long as it remains unchanged.

It is necessary to have a dedicated personal study area because this provides important benefits to the study process. It is a physical and psychological necessity for anyone taking a professional development course by distance learning, online, or correspondence studies. It creates a visible, physical, and personal location where your studies are carried out, providing support facilities for your study activities. It is a place where you go to in order to do only one thing, study. Think of it as being similar to going to your workplace, where on arrival you switch into work mode. When you go to your study area, you switch into study mode.

Where should your study are be situated. This will depend on the layout and size of your home, but there are some ideal places and some very unsuitable places. Without a dedicated study area you would need to study on kitchen tables, sofas, beds, armchairs, dining tables, in rooms that are used frequently for other domestic activities. These are highly unsuitable, as they have no professional or academic or personal development features, and are full of distractions and barriers to effective studying. An ideal location would be in a small room that is specifically for study, in the style of a home office. Some students might have lofts, garages, or basements, that could be converted. Less ideal, but still suitable, would be an area in a bedroom, equipped for study, and not used for any other purpose. This would remove you from most day and evening time domestic activity (and even if you are single, living alone, it will keep you away from the television and refrigerator). If you do have to use a kitchen or living room, then you will need to alter your studying schedule so that you are studying when others are not present in these areas. Don’t try to study in the same room as others, or where there is domestic activity visible or audible. It won’t work.

If at all possible, buy a traditional desk. It doesn’t have to be large, or expensive (a low cost, second-hand, used, desk will be perfectly suitable). This will immediately give a professional, workplace, feel to your study area, and give you drawers and surface space to place your pc, laptop, papers, printer, pens, study books, on. Next, make sure you obtain a suitable chair. An office-style, swivel chair would be best, but a fixed chair will suffice. No matter what style, make sure that it is comfortable to use for long periods. Again, a used chair will be just as good as a new one, if selected carefully. For most courses of study a PC or Laptop will be essential. A mid to low range one will be suitable for most courses. Ideally an office suite such as MS Office should be used, but lower cost, simpler packages are fine too (and Microsoft itself offers a MS Office in Student-Teacher version, at one third of the cost of the commercial price). With your PC or Laptop, comfort is much more important than power. The essentials are a keyboard that is comfortable to type on for long periods, and a screen that is comfortable on the eyes for long periods of work. A printer is essential (a basic, low cost one will do) even if you email your documents to your tutor. It is good practice to print off your assignments (outlines, drafts, finished versions) and read them to proof-read them and see them as your tutor will (most tutors will print off your work and then read and assess it). Lighting is important. A well-lit room is vital, and a desk-top lamp can add focus to the working area.

Having supplies and peripherals nearby is helpful. A set of drawers in the desk, or a cupboard, or wall shelves, specifically for books, paper, pens, pencils, cartridges, etc, will help you to be organised, keep your study area tidy, and to have essential supplies available when you need them.

Choose a layout that suits you, but organise your equipment and furniture so that when you sit down to study you are not distracted by activity in a doorway, window, or other part of the room.

For most people, keep it tidy would be good advice. However, some people can’t work in a tidy fashion, but are very comfortable working in what others see as chaos. If that is your natural style, that’s fine, but even then, try to be as organised, as neat and tidy, as you can be this will help to keep you on track with your timetable of studies.

Your personal study area should be used whenever you have planned, scheduled, study activity that requires you to read and reflect on what you are reading, carry out research on the internet, correspond by email, telephone, or letter with your tutor, or write responses to exercises, tests, or assignments. Don’t use it for anything else. It isn’t the place to eat a snack, watch television, planning your next holiday, painting your nails, or chatting to other family members. If you want to do any of these, leave your study area and do them somewhere else!

If you have family or friends who live with you or work close to your study area, talk with them and agree that when you enter your personal study area they will not disturb you. Make this a permanent, non-negotiable, rule, broken only in cases of emergency. You can help by scheduling your study times when other people are less likely to disturb you, and by building in time to spend with family and friends when you are not studying. If you like to listen to music, or the radio, when studying, that’s ok, but make sure that it is not in reality distracting you. Television is not a good idea, because of the distraction caused by the moving images. If your study area is, by necessity, near a busy area where people are active, try to schedule your study time when that local activity is at its quietest, less busy times. Keep your mobile phone switched off, unless you have to be available to colleagues from work. If you do have to be contactable at home by work colleagues, try to make contact first, to stop calls coming in when you are studying.

For some students it is not possible to have a dedicated personal study area in the home, or at least not a permanent one. External locations are available which, although not capable of being personalized, could be regular locations in which, with regular use, you can feel familiar and comfortable. For example, Internet Cafes, where there is most of the equipment and furniture that you need. You can supplement these by taking carefully selected study aids such as coursework books. Internet Cafes usually do charge an hourly fee, which is usually a reasonable price, but most will give discounted prices for regular users. Libraries, where there is usually plenty of desk space, a very quiet and studious atmosphere, and, of course, reference and subject textbooks which, if not permanently available, can be ordered and loaned for short period. Today, many libraries also have pc and internet facilities. Libraries are virtually free to use, apart from a low internet usage fee. Your Workplace, where you may be able to use lunch breaks, and-or time before or after work, to fit in some study time. It may also be possible to arrange to use a meeting room or unoccupied office, at least on a short-term basis. Some of our students who find it impossible to study at home, and who work in organizations that operate on a 5 day week, make arrangements to go into the workplace on weekends and study there.

Establishing a Personal Study Area is one of the most beneficial actions that you can take when starting to study for a professional development qualification. A properly equipped, well organized, study area becomes a recognized space that you enter into when you are scheduled to carry out some study time. It becomes a place where you are comfortable and familiar with the layout and facilities, and where you feel confident that you can work without interruption, without distractions, and most importantly, study effectively. Even if you are not able to establish such a space in your own home, you should make every effort to recreate as many of the features described above, in another location. Once established it is easy to maintain, and grows in usefulness as you grow more comfortable in it.

About the author:
Pierre du Plessis (MBL, 1982, UNISA) is owner of Leaders Circle, with web site, Career Builders Club, catering for various niche related products and packages and author of several e-books. This article can be used for re-publishing as long as it remains unchanged.

Adult continuing education is very practical. Seniors have several advantages over youth, namely: better memory (truly!), better experience, fewer distractions, better exams, easier retraining for a new job and easier self-employment.

1. Better memory: Doctors thought that you couldn’t grow new brain cells, so as old cells died you became more stupid. They now know that the more adult continuing education, the more new brain cells you get. You can even delay Alzheimer’s disease by keeping your brain active.

But old people keep forgetting things! That’s true, because what you remember best are startling, new, shocking things. To an old person it’s a case of “been there, done that”. Nothing is new or shocking.

However, you often have to learn boring things, and there you have an advantage. Seniors trounced the kids in a test of memorizing meaningless words. My book about exams will show you how to make your adult continuing education more exciting, which cuts kid’s advantage over your memory.

2. Experience: You learn from the known to the unknown. So it’s logical that the more experience you have, the more you can think “yes… that’s right… it’s just like…”. I am 65 years old now and I can say that my adult continuing education keeps getting easier because there are always relevant things in my experience.

3. Distractions: You may have distractions at work still, but let’s face it, are they really as obsessive as your teenage interests? You aren’t going to have to choose between going out on a date and doing some study. You might have to choose between having a nap and study, but my book about exams shows a way round that problem. I’m using it right now!

4. Better exams: Just as your three advantages apply to study, they apply to exams. Were you sick with nerves in your school exams? Your life-career depended on your performance. Now it would be nice to pass, but your experience tells you that you will survive failure, and land on your feet again…so less nerves.

Unless children have wealthy or helpful parents they can’t afford resources that you can afford. For instance, they can afford my free report on writing essays, but not my eBook about passing exams. If you live in a country with timed local phone calls, kids may not be able to do much research on the internet because it costs too much.

There are ways to become a lightning calculator and ways to develop a super memory, and you can afford them all. If you want to learn a language you can probably even afford to get a “super learning” course that teaches you the language in only fifteen hours.

Why adult continuing education? All right, you have advantages, but why should you bother with adult continuing education? Because it prevents brain deterioration, it gives you the chance of retraining for a new job and the chance of self-employment.

I’ve already covered the effect of study on the brain. You get new brain cells.

5. Retraining for a new job: In modern times you can only expect to keep one job for a short time. You are going to need to retrain for your next job.

6. Self-employment: You can’t be sacked if you are self-employed, but you can go broke. It is best to develop your home business part-time until it is earning you twice as much as your job. Then if you are retrenched from your job you won’t care.

Then you won’t need to worry about adult continuing education any more will you? Oops… you will need to keep learning even more when you have your own business. For instance, you are going to have to learn book-keeping unless you can afford an accountant to do the work. If you have to employ people, you will need to learn the laws that apply.

What method of learning should be used? I prefer to use a correspondence course for my adult continuing education. The comfort of studying from home is nowadays preferred by many adult students.

About the author:
Pierre du Plessis (MBL, 1982, UNISA) is owner of Leaders Circle, with web site, Career Builders Club, catering for various niche related products and packages and author of several e-books. This article can be used for re-publishing as long as it remains unchanged.

1. Distance education programs:

Distance education can be defined as an education program imparted by an educational institution, beyond the barriers of its campus and taken by a student outside the walls of an educational institution. Distance education is a medium that connects students to the educational institutions of the world.

Distance education programs are becoming the most popular and viable way of teaching and education. More and more people are registering for distance education programs of different educational institutions. Distance education programs give freedom to a student to learn at his own pace, his own schedule and at his own convenience.

Distance education is imparted through the electronic media and study materials supplied by the educational institution for a particular course. It helps people to upgrade their educational qualification, even when they are tied up in their working schedule. Some businesses also use distance education to train their employees, as it is less time consuming, less expensive and adds to the human resources enrichment of the business.

To enroll for a distance education course, one must be sure as to what kind of specialization one is looking for. An extensive study must then be done to find out in details about the educational institutions that offer the course wanted. The time duration of the course, the fees, software needed and the time of exam must also be checked. The most important factor that should be checked is whether the school or educational institution is accredited or not. One should not register at an educational institution, which is not accredited.

Every coin has two sides and distance education programs are no exception to the rule. While a distance education program is advantageous, as it helps people to continue with their education. Despite of the demanding schedule it also has some disadvantages. It may fail to motivate a student to study, resulting in no good for the candidate. This shows registering yourself is not sufficient, you must also have the drive in yourself to continue with the study. The success of distance education also depends on the success of the technology. Without a good support system and infrastructure the distance education may be a failure.

Thus we can say that distance education is a boon for today’s busy and demanding world, but it also demands a significant level of maturity from its students.

2. The benefits of online home learning:

While there are all kinds of benefits that are associated with learning and furthering your educational goals there are even more benefits to those who wish to pursue online home learning in order to achieve those goals. I hope you will find that many of these benefits are quite enlightening and carefully consider whether or not online home learning for your secondary education needs will be in your best interests.

2.1 Convenience. This is a word we are quite familiar with. Right along with instant gratification. We are a society of people who have lived with drive-thru banking and fast food and are rapidly moving in the direction of drive-thru pharmacies and dry cleaning. We live in a fast paced world and when we can work education into our busy schedules and on our own terms, we find that this is something we tend to like a lot. There is a growing number of online classes and students, as more and more professionals decide to further their degrees and their careers with this method of education, which is more convenient for many.

2.2 Flexibility. You can take these classes or do the work during your lunch break, while the kids are practicing soccer, or while cooking dinner (depending of course on how well you multi-task). You do not need to be in the classroom every night at 6:00 pm for the next five years in order to get the same degree of education. This by no means indicates that you will not have to do the work. The work will not change nor will the fact that you have a limited time in which to complete the work. What will change is that you will have the option of doing the work in the morning, afternoon, or after those 2 a.m. feedings when you can’t seem to get back to sleep.

2.3 Location. There isn’t enough that can really be said about this. Online education comes to you wherever you happen to be able to connect to the Internet. Whether you are at home, at work, or your favourite Internet café you can have the convenience of taking your work with you and enjoying the environment in which you are completing your work.

2.4 Less Expensive. No more convenience meals, childcare expenses, or gas guzzling trips to a college campus that thirty minutes away. You can now enjoy in your own home the benefits of an education without many of the financial hardships that are often associated with attending college. Internet access seems like such a small price to pay when compared with all the reasons mentioned above.

2.5 Improve online abilities. Believe it or not, online courses help you brush up your online abilities. Seriously. You will be better at dealing with email, bulletin boards, online research, and you will learn countless other skills along the way that you probably never realized had anything to do with the courses you are actually taking-because they don’t. In other words, you are getting more of an education than you bargained for when it comes to online home learning.

2.6 Individual attention. Online students often have more one-on-one interaction with their professors than students in a classroom. The online classroom is virtual and correspondence through email is essential in this particular learning environment. For this reason it is quite possible that your professors will know more about you and your learning patterns and needs than they will know about most of the students they see two or three times a week in their classrooms.

2.7 Self-improvement and self-development. Any type of online home learning or home learning by any other means, is equivalent to self-improvement and self-development. Quote: “Formal education will make one a living. Self-education will make one a fortune.” – Jim Rohn

While these are just a few of the benefits of online home learning, you should carefully weigh up the benefits against the things that may be problematic about this particular type of learning situation, before you take the plunge. Learning is a lifelong process but if you are seeking a degree you do not want to jeopardize that by taking a course that will not address your specific learning needs. If you feel confident that you can be successful in this particular type of learning environment, then I feel you will truly enjoy the experience and the flexibility it brings to the educational process.

About the author:
Pierre du Plessis (MBL, 1982, UNISA) is owner of Leaders Circle, with web site, Career Builders Club, catering for various niche related products and packages and author of several e-books. This article can be used for re-publishing as long as it remains unchanged.

To become an expert in integrated performance management principles requires one to go through a lot of study material, seminars, courses, implementation trials, latest subject research findings and experience. While there are many consultants and organisations giving themselves out as experts in the field of performance management, this organisation has developed a unique copyrighted, integrated performance management system.

Their integrated performance management system always aligns itself to the organisation strategic plan and the system encourages, impels and inspires employees to perform in those job activities they are supposed to excel in, according to their strategic derived job descriptions and special projects.

Performance of each job is also aligned to the hierarchical differentiation of management roles, functions and tasks.

Read more about this breaking news here.

To streamline a system or a process is not so easy if one has not done it before and has no knowledge of where to start or what methods to use. This discussion tries to clarify it.

3. Introduction:

In this discussion we concentrate on administrative systems, with particular emphasis on the paperwork involved.

A system can consist of more than one process. If you want to streamline a system you have to do it with all its processes at the same time, or you can streamline the processes one by one and run the risk of losing sight of the big picture.

2. Process mapping:

Nevertheless, streamlining a process or a system is done by using the technique of process mapping, also termed brown papering, which is only partly correct as brown papering refers to the analysis and critiquing phase of the existing system. This is then later followed up by white papering, which refers to the design of an improved new system. The manual method of brown/white papering is easy, cheap and gets everyone involved. There are also computerised methods available, but here we will stay with the papering method as it also gives insight in the computerised method.

By streamlining a system one is also getting rid of the so-called red tape.

3. Brown papering:

Brown papering is about analysing the existing system or process.

3.1 Establishing logical flow

The logical flow of all documents in use is diagrammatically drawn as a flow chart on a A3 piece of paper. You start with the source documents and establish into what next document information flows and reflect it by means of lines and arrows. The purpose with this is to understand the logical flow of the existing system.

3.2 Pasting documents on brown paper:

The next step is to stick the actual documents on a roll of paper (1 meter in width) according to the flow chart. You must glue each document on the brown paper. Spacing of documents must be adequate for insertion of at least two other documents of the same size. Next, the arrows are being drawn in black. Then you fasten the length of paper, which now represents the system, to a wall or roll it out in a corridor or pathway.

Remember as a manager or supervisor, you act as consultant to your subordinates, who have now become your clients. Your clients must form the task group that must gather information, paste, analyze, and design under your guidance.

3.2.1 Purpose of Brown papering:

- to ensure that everybody understand how the systems fit together e.g. how orders come in, what happens to them, how they go out.
- to show your understanding and knowledge to your clients.
- to provide a visual impact of the complexity of their systems and amount of paper.
- to highlight and link together system weaknesses like excessive lead times, duplication, poor timeliness, repetition of information etc. Usually you can classify the paperwork as necessary, nice to have, unnecessary and missing. The first two types must be streamlined, the third type discarded and the fourth added.
- to provide yourself with knowledge of the data and weak areas of the organisation.
- to provide the basis for system design after critiquing the present one.
- to get client involvement and transfer of ownership to the client.

3.2.2 Method of collection:

- explain to your clients what you are trying to achieve,
- ask if they have any systems written up in any form,
- obtain live copies of all paperwork,
- write out the system in a flow-chart and cross number it with the live paperwork,
- be on the lookout for gaps in the system, “bottom drawer” systems and duplication,
- ask about meetings, both regular and ad-hoc. Find out frequency, attendance, purpose and obtain copies of minutes,
- for each document understand timing, source, use and distribution so that you can cross-link to other areas,
- understand recent changes and planned changes to the system,
- always cover the points: What comes in? What do you do with it? What goes out and where to?

3.2.3 Preparation:

Just to get you going, think about all the documents, which are used, by thinking in terms of the classical systems model. Read the complete training lesson here.

By Bertil Hjert

There were times when employees were considered to be another addition to enhance the production of services or goods. However, a lot has changed now.

Elton Mayo conducted a research during the year 1924 and 1932 altered the way of thinking about employees. This research was known as Hawthorne Studies.

According to this study, employees require much more than just money. The study introduced the human relations approach to a company’s management. The main focus was given to the basic requirements and motivation factors of employees. The publication of the Hawthorne Study facilitated the understanding of factors that helped in motivating employees.

There are several reasons that employees require to be motivated first, an organization can easily survive when employees are motivated. Studies have proved that motivated employees are more productive. Managers must under the factor that motivates employees with respect to the roles they perform.

Here are some basic things to remember when moving towards motivation of employees:

a) First, you need to motivate yourself prior to thinking about motivating your employees. It’s simple. If you hate your job, people around you will feel the same. Enthusiasm spreads like wild fire. You can easily excite other people around you if you are excited. You can be crystal clear about how others are doing if you do a great job. Understand what motivates you in the kind of tasks your company usually undertake. Understand what motivates your employees. You may consider several factors yourself
such as more time for family, fame, facilities, creativity, accomplished of a job etc.

b) You should always match organization goals with the goals of employees. Employees can be easily instigated to do good work and can work really hard if you want. It is crucial for the supervisions and managers to know what they really want from their employees. First, identity the goals of the organization via strategic planning. When taking steps to support employees motivation, you need to make sure that employees have strong input when it comes to identifying their goals.

c) Talk to your employees if you really want to know what motivates them. Every individual is motivated by different things. When takes steps towards employee motivation, find out what motivates each employee. The key is to listen to them.

d) Have one-on-one meetings with each employee. This will let you know about what interest them and what they really want.

e) Rewards are very important when it comes to motivating your employees. Make sure that performance of your employees is based on their behavior towards goals.

f) As soon as you see an employee having great concerns for his or her work, give away some rewards. This will boost his or her spirit.

g) Establish smart goals. The goals you set for your organization should be specific, realistic, measurable, timely and rewarding to your employees. These should also focus of enhancing their capabilities.

When your employees achieve a particular target, make sure that you celebrate their achievements. This will provide great motivation to them. They would feel that their efforts are appreciated.

For more Articles, News, Information, Advice, and Resources about Motivation and Self Help please visit http://www.motivationbuzz.com and http://www.motivation-tips.com and http://www.meditationbuzz.com

Employee Motivation – Does it improve performance, productivity, keep them motivated and loyal?

By Bob Urichuck

Employee motivation is not always the easiest of tasks, but it does pay off for you, your customers and the employee.

Recognition is ranked the number one motivating factor when it comes to employee motivation in the workplace. If you want to maintain motivated employees, and encourage others to do better, recognizing them publicly may save yourself the time and money of having to find and re-train new staff.

One of the best techniques to build and maintain employee motivation is to make it a practice to have an event or period end staff meeting, followed by a employee, & maybe spouse dinner, staff recognition awards and a closing party. This will build and maintain employee motivation though ongoing sincere recognition and deserving reward.

You may find it hard to believe, but recognition is the most powerful employee motivator of all. Research has shown that there is a stronger need in society today for recognition than there is for sex and money. Now, that says something about employee motivation.

Let’s think about it.

We could provide employee motivation through a bonus in the form of money at the end of a period. Sure they’ll be happy and thankful. They may even perform better, but what are their expectations at the end of the next period? Right; more money. External employee motivation is temporary – it is never lasting.

Money is an external employee motivator and it is never lasting. It’s an incentive that once acquired, leads to expectations for more, bigger or better. But if you have a bad period will they care? They’ll want a bonus at least equal to what they got last year, but preferably more, not less.

A survey of thousands of workers around the world compared rankings by supervisors and employees on employee motivating factors. The typical supervisory group ranked the factors in the following order:

1. High wages 2. Job security 3. Promotion in the organization 4. Good working conditions 5. Interesting work 6. Personal loyalty of supervisor 7. Tactful discipline 8. Full appreciation of work done 9. Help on personal problems 10. Feeling of being in on things

However, when employees were given the same exercise and asked what affects their morale and employee motivation the most, their answers followed this pattern;

1. Full appreciation of work done 2. Feeling of being in on things 3. Help on personal problems 4. Job security 5. High wages 6. Interesting work 7. Promotion in the organization 8. Personal Loyalty of supervisor 9. Good working conditions 10. Tactful discipline

Note that the top three employee motivating factors marked by the employees are the last three felt to be important for them by their supervisors.

Do you think it would be any different in your business?

So it is fair to say that money, over and above wages, is not a main motivating factor, but full appreciation of work done is. This is recognition: the number one employee motivating factor in building and maintaining a motivated employee.

Why is it so important?

When someone gives you a compliment or recognizes you for doing something, how do you feel? Imagine, for a moment, being complimented by all your family, friends, staff and customers all day, every day.

What would it do to your self-esteem your self confidence and your self respect? Without it going to your head, how do you think you would perform? Would you be outstanding or what? Is this not the basis of employee motivation?

Employee motivation through recognition is positive reinforcement. Positive reinforcement of actions gets those actions repeated. Recognition and praise reinforces our beliefs about ourselves and helps make us think we are better than we thought we were. That is what employee motivation is all about.

Employee motivation is positive reinforcement. Positive reinforcements is what builds our self-esteem. Our self-esteem is the way we see and feel about ourselves either internally, through our own beliefs, or externally through what we accept as the beliefs of others.

If we feel good about ourselves and we believe others feel good about us, we perform better than we would when we see the opposite side of the coin. Employee motivation starts from within.

People perform in a manner that is consistent with how they see themselves conceptually. So, the key is to help people build their self-esteem. That is the foundation of employee motivation.

Bob Urichuck is an International Speaker, Trainer and Best-Selling Author. Learn personally from Bob in the areas of Sales, Motivation, Leadership and Team Skills. Bob presents a series of great ideas and strategies with combination of facts, humor, and practical concept in a high-energy and self-discovery process that you can apply right away to achieve results. Subscribe to Bob’s Free Newsletter, worth $297, visit http://www.BobU.com Now!

Presented by Pierre Du Plessis – Career Builders Club

Organisational improvement business consultants for systems design, supply chain management, procurement, logistics, stock control, capacities management, management principles, leadership skills, team building, strategic planning, integrated performance management and eradication of red tape.

Read more about how they can improve on existing organisation success, in no time at all, here.