Friday, 12 November 2010
Saturday, 6 November 2010
Friday, 5 November 2010
Wednesday, 3 November 2010
Tuesday, 26 October 2010
Saturday, 9 October 2010
Wednesday, 6 October 2010
Tuesday, 21 September 2010
Thursday, 22 July 2010
Tuesday, 6 July 2010
Friday, 2 July 2010
On Job Satisfaction
What does it take to be satisfied in one's job?
Know yourself. Know what is important to you and what is not. What kinds of work tasks or activities are attractive to you? Be clear about what you expect from or require of a job.
Write your ideas down. Then, you will know what to look for when choosing among jobs or careers.
Learn about jobs that are most likely to meet your expectations.
Consider consulting a professional career counsellor.
Do not allow your job dissatisfactions to go unresolved for long.
Job satisfactions and dissatisfactions are barometers of your adjustment to work. They may lead to something worse -- job loss, accidents, even mental illness. Depression, anxiety, worry, tension, and interpersonal problems can result from, or be made worse by job dissatisfaction.
If you are becoming increasingly dissatisfied with the kind of work you are doing, you should consider a career change. If you are dissatisfied with the conditions of work, you might be able to set matters right by negotiating with your supervisor or your coworkers, or by changing companies.
Examine your values -- what is most important to you. You have to answer this question honestly: How important is your job, your career to you? Only when this question is answered can you put your job satisfaction or dissatisfaction in proper perspective.
Job satisfaction is actually a combination of intrinsic and extrinsic job satisfaction:
• Intrinsic job satisfaction is when workers consider only the kind of work they do, the tasks that make up the job.
• Extrinsic job satisfaction is when workers consider the conditions of work, such as their pay, co-workers, and supervisor.
These two types of satisfaction are different, and it helps to look at jobs from both points of view. For example, if you are dissatisfied with your current job, ask yourself, "To what extent is it due to the kind of work I am doing?" and "To what extent is it due to the conditions of my work?" If it is primarily the kind of work you are doing, it is intrinsic job dissatisfaction. This calls for a different solution, than if your dissatisfaction is extrinsic in nature.
On the other hand, you want to recognize that job satisfaction is influenced by job expectations -- what people look for or require from a job such as job security, pay, prestige, or independence. And, that some people have higher expectations for work than others.
What expectations do you have for your work? How strong are they?
There are 4 cornerstones to job satisfaction:
1. Community – to feel that you are part of an interacting group.
2. Worth – to feel that you are heard, appreciated and valued.
3. Inspiration – to feel that you are challenged and motivated into action.
4. Growth – to feel that you are continually learning and developing.
On a scale of 1 to 10 where 1 is low and 10 is high, mark each cornerstone in terms of your current job satisfaction. What are the ratings telling you about what you need to do or where you need to go?
Talking to yourself...
What career issues are on your mind today?
What have you done about this so far?
What career decisions do you have to face now?
What are you not willing to explore?
What would you like to be doing five years from now?
What stops you from planning and preparing yourself for that role in five years?
Good luck as you align your passions, skills and values with your work!
T//
Know yourself. Know what is important to you and what is not. What kinds of work tasks or activities are attractive to you? Be clear about what you expect from or require of a job.
Write your ideas down. Then, you will know what to look for when choosing among jobs or careers.
Learn about jobs that are most likely to meet your expectations.
Consider consulting a professional career counsellor.
Do not allow your job dissatisfactions to go unresolved for long.
Job satisfactions and dissatisfactions are barometers of your adjustment to work. They may lead to something worse -- job loss, accidents, even mental illness. Depression, anxiety, worry, tension, and interpersonal problems can result from, or be made worse by job dissatisfaction.
If you are becoming increasingly dissatisfied with the kind of work you are doing, you should consider a career change. If you are dissatisfied with the conditions of work, you might be able to set matters right by negotiating with your supervisor or your coworkers, or by changing companies.
Examine your values -- what is most important to you. You have to answer this question honestly: How important is your job, your career to you? Only when this question is answered can you put your job satisfaction or dissatisfaction in proper perspective.
Job satisfaction is actually a combination of intrinsic and extrinsic job satisfaction:
• Intrinsic job satisfaction is when workers consider only the kind of work they do, the tasks that make up the job.
• Extrinsic job satisfaction is when workers consider the conditions of work, such as their pay, co-workers, and supervisor.
These two types of satisfaction are different, and it helps to look at jobs from both points of view. For example, if you are dissatisfied with your current job, ask yourself, "To what extent is it due to the kind of work I am doing?" and "To what extent is it due to the conditions of my work?" If it is primarily the kind of work you are doing, it is intrinsic job dissatisfaction. This calls for a different solution, than if your dissatisfaction is extrinsic in nature.
On the other hand, you want to recognize that job satisfaction is influenced by job expectations -- what people look for or require from a job such as job security, pay, prestige, or independence. And, that some people have higher expectations for work than others.
What expectations do you have for your work? How strong are they?
There are 4 cornerstones to job satisfaction:
1. Community – to feel that you are part of an interacting group.
2. Worth – to feel that you are heard, appreciated and valued.
3. Inspiration – to feel that you are challenged and motivated into action.
4. Growth – to feel that you are continually learning and developing.
On a scale of 1 to 10 where 1 is low and 10 is high, mark each cornerstone in terms of your current job satisfaction. What are the ratings telling you about what you need to do or where you need to go?
Talking to yourself...
What career issues are on your mind today?
What have you done about this so far?
What career decisions do you have to face now?
What are you not willing to explore?
What would you like to be doing five years from now?
What stops you from planning and preparing yourself for that role in five years?
Good luck as you align your passions, skills and values with your work!
T//
Monday, 28 June 2010
On Discipline
Discipline is a positive method, which teaches the child self-control and confidence. The way to positive discipline is motivation and encouragement, letting the child know the differences between good and bad. Positive discipline, as one of the methods used in parenting, requires time and patience. The method focuses on what the child is expected and permitted to do.
Positive discipline observes how the child behaves now and how the parents want him/her to behave in the future. Besides, positive discipline lets the child understand that he or she is responsible for his or her own behavior. One of the points is to allow the child behave independently, and respect others.
At the same time punishment remains one of the discipline methods. Punishment can be either physical (hitting, causing pain, etc.) or psychological (isolation, shaming, etc.) Such a method focuses on the past and gives no freedom of choice in the future. When punishment is in use, the person who punishes the child becomes responsible for child’s behavior, but not the child himself.
If you are too busy to train and discipline and control your children and enforce obedience, you are too busy! You're better off not to have any children or give them to somebody who knows how to take care of them, who knows how to train them in the nurture and admonition of the Lord and raise them in obedience and self-control, or at least parental control!
Our children are the future and we must preserve and protect the future. And if we don't take care of our children, preserve and protect and train them properly so that they are good little children who know how to behave, and are good examples and are good products of good parents, then we have wrecked the future.
Positive discipline observes how the child behaves now and how the parents want him/her to behave in the future. Besides, positive discipline lets the child understand that he or she is responsible for his or her own behavior. One of the points is to allow the child behave independently, and respect others.
At the same time punishment remains one of the discipline methods. Punishment can be either physical (hitting, causing pain, etc.) or psychological (isolation, shaming, etc.) Such a method focuses on the past and gives no freedom of choice in the future. When punishment is in use, the person who punishes the child becomes responsible for child’s behavior, but not the child himself.
If you are too busy to train and discipline and control your children and enforce obedience, you are too busy! You're better off not to have any children or give them to somebody who knows how to take care of them, who knows how to train them in the nurture and admonition of the Lord and raise them in obedience and self-control, or at least parental control!
Our children are the future and we must preserve and protect the future. And if we don't take care of our children, preserve and protect and train them properly so that they are good little children who know how to behave, and are good examples and are good products of good parents, then we have wrecked the future.
Friday, 25 June 2010
On Purposefulness
Purposefulness is having a clear focus instead of being unsure of what you are doing or why you are doing it. When you have a goal you are working toward, you are acting on purpose. To be purposeful means to concentrate on something. You concentrate your mind so that you can keep your goal before you. You concentrate your efforts so that something good will happen as a result. You are faithful to your purpose no matter what.
Some people just let things happen. Without clear purpose you would probably become scattered. Without concentrated efforts nothing gets accomplished. You would do a little of this and a little of that, never really finishing anything. You would be surrounded by all kinds of unfinished projects with none of them really complete. All your time and efforts would be wasted.
A purposeful person makes things happen. When you choose to be purposeful, you can accomplish great things. You have a vision or goal for what you want to do. Act in a concentrated and focused way, and you will see the results of your efforts. You will always be motivated because you are doing something. You will stick to your purpose no matter the obstacles that come your way. With God's help, when you are purposeful, you can achieve just about anything.
Talking to yourself ...
What do I really want to accomplish? This is your vision and goal.
What makes this so important to me? The answer to this is your purpose. Now you are ready to act.
Is what I am doing going to help me accomplish my purpose? If the answer is yes, then concentrate really hard on doing it. If the answer is no, then change what you are doing to fit your purpose.
What happens if I get distracted along the way? If something comes along to distract you, try hard to resist it. Get back to your purpose as soon as you can.
Believing in something makes it possible. It doesn't necessarily make it easy.
Persevere until you get results!
Some people just let things happen. Without clear purpose you would probably become scattered. Without concentrated efforts nothing gets accomplished. You would do a little of this and a little of that, never really finishing anything. You would be surrounded by all kinds of unfinished projects with none of them really complete. All your time and efforts would be wasted.
A purposeful person makes things happen. When you choose to be purposeful, you can accomplish great things. You have a vision or goal for what you want to do. Act in a concentrated and focused way, and you will see the results of your efforts. You will always be motivated because you are doing something. You will stick to your purpose no matter the obstacles that come your way. With God's help, when you are purposeful, you can achieve just about anything.
Talking to yourself ...
What do I really want to accomplish? This is your vision and goal.
What makes this so important to me? The answer to this is your purpose. Now you are ready to act.
Is what I am doing going to help me accomplish my purpose? If the answer is yes, then concentrate really hard on doing it. If the answer is no, then change what you are doing to fit your purpose.
What happens if I get distracted along the way? If something comes along to distract you, try hard to resist it. Get back to your purpose as soon as you can.
Believing in something makes it possible. It doesn't necessarily make it easy.
Persevere until you get results!
Saturday, 19 June 2010
The Emperor's Seed
An emperor in the Far East was growing old and knew it was time to choose his successor. Instead of choosing one of his assistants or his children, he decided something different.
He called young people in the kingdom together one day. He said, “It is time for me to step down and choose the next emperor. I have decided to choose one of you.”
The kids were shocked! But the emperor continued. “I am going to give each one of you a seed today, one very special seed. I want you to plant the seed, water it and come back here one year from today with what you have grown from this one seed. I will then judge the plants that you bring, and the one I choose will be the next emperor!”
One boy named Ling was there that day and he, like the others, received a seed. He went home and excitedly told his mother the story. She helped him get a pot and planting soil, and he planted the seed and watered it carefully.
Every day he would water it and watch to see if it had grown. After about three weeks, some of the other youths began to talk about their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow. Ling kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew. Three weeks, four weeks, five weeks went by. Still there was nothing.
By now, others were talking about their plants but Ling didn’t have a plant, and he felt like a failure. Six months went by; still nothing in Ling’s pot. He just knew he had killed his seed. Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he had nothing.
Ling didn’t say anything to his friends. He just kept waiting for his seed to grow. A year finally went by and all the youths of the kingdom brought their plants to the emperor for inspection.
Ling told his mother that he wasn’t going to take an empty pot but his Mother said he must be honest about what happened. Ling felt sick to his stomach, but he knew his Mother was right.
He took his empty pot to the palace. When Ling arrived, he was amazed at the variety of plants grown by the other youths. They were beautiful, in all shapes and sizes. Ling put his empty pot on the floor and many of the other kinds laughed at him. A few felt sorry for him and just said, “Hey nice try.”
When the emperor arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted the young people. Ling just tried to hide in the back. “My, what great plants, trees and flowers you have grown,” said the emperor. “Today, one of you will be appointed the next emperor!”
All of a sudden, the emperor spotted Ling at the back of the room with his empty pot. He ordered his guards to bring him to the front. Ling was terrified. “The emperor knows I’m a failure! Maybe he will have me killed!”
When Ling got to the front, the Emperor asked his name. “My name is Ling,” he replied. All the kids were laughing and making fun of him. The emperor asked everyone to quiet down.
He looked at Ling, and then announced to the crowd, “Behold your new emperor! His name is Ling!” Ling couldn’t believe it. Ling couldn’t even grow his seed. How could he be the new emperor?
Then the emperor said, “One year ago today, I gave everyone here a seed. I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it, and bring it back to me today. But I gave you all boiled seeds, which would not grow. All of you, except Ling, have brought me trees and plants and flowers. When you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another seed for the one I gave you.
Ling was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the new emperor!”
If you plant honesty, you will reap trust.
If you plant goodness, you will reap friends.
If you plant humility, you will reap greatness.
If you plant perseverance, you will reap victory.
If you plant consideration, you will reap harmony.
If you plant hard work, you will reap success.
If you plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation.
If you plant openness, you will reap intimacy.
If you plant patience, you will reap improvements.
If you plant faith, you will reap miracles.
But:
If you plant dishonesty, you will reap distrust.
If you plant selfishness, you will reap loneliness.
If you plant pride, you will reap destruction.
If you plant envy, you will reap trouble.
If you plant laziness, you will reap stagnation.
If you plant bitterness, you will reap isolation.
If you plant greed, you will reap loss.
If you plant gossip, you will reap enemies.
If you plant worries, you will reap wrinkles.
If you plant sin, you will reap guilt.
- Author Unknown
He called young people in the kingdom together one day. He said, “It is time for me to step down and choose the next emperor. I have decided to choose one of you.”
The kids were shocked! But the emperor continued. “I am going to give each one of you a seed today, one very special seed. I want you to plant the seed, water it and come back here one year from today with what you have grown from this one seed. I will then judge the plants that you bring, and the one I choose will be the next emperor!”
One boy named Ling was there that day and he, like the others, received a seed. He went home and excitedly told his mother the story. She helped him get a pot and planting soil, and he planted the seed and watered it carefully.
Every day he would water it and watch to see if it had grown. After about three weeks, some of the other youths began to talk about their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow. Ling kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew. Three weeks, four weeks, five weeks went by. Still there was nothing.
By now, others were talking about their plants but Ling didn’t have a plant, and he felt like a failure. Six months went by; still nothing in Ling’s pot. He just knew he had killed his seed. Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he had nothing.
Ling didn’t say anything to his friends. He just kept waiting for his seed to grow. A year finally went by and all the youths of the kingdom brought their plants to the emperor for inspection.
Ling told his mother that he wasn’t going to take an empty pot but his Mother said he must be honest about what happened. Ling felt sick to his stomach, but he knew his Mother was right.
He took his empty pot to the palace. When Ling arrived, he was amazed at the variety of plants grown by the other youths. They were beautiful, in all shapes and sizes. Ling put his empty pot on the floor and many of the other kinds laughed at him. A few felt sorry for him and just said, “Hey nice try.”
When the emperor arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted the young people. Ling just tried to hide in the back. “My, what great plants, trees and flowers you have grown,” said the emperor. “Today, one of you will be appointed the next emperor!”
All of a sudden, the emperor spotted Ling at the back of the room with his empty pot. He ordered his guards to bring him to the front. Ling was terrified. “The emperor knows I’m a failure! Maybe he will have me killed!”
When Ling got to the front, the Emperor asked his name. “My name is Ling,” he replied. All the kids were laughing and making fun of him. The emperor asked everyone to quiet down.
He looked at Ling, and then announced to the crowd, “Behold your new emperor! His name is Ling!” Ling couldn’t believe it. Ling couldn’t even grow his seed. How could he be the new emperor?
Then the emperor said, “One year ago today, I gave everyone here a seed. I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it, and bring it back to me today. But I gave you all boiled seeds, which would not grow. All of you, except Ling, have brought me trees and plants and flowers. When you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another seed for the one I gave you.
Ling was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the new emperor!”
If you plant honesty, you will reap trust.
If you plant goodness, you will reap friends.
If you plant humility, you will reap greatness.
If you plant perseverance, you will reap victory.
If you plant consideration, you will reap harmony.
If you plant hard work, you will reap success.
If you plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation.
If you plant openness, you will reap intimacy.
If you plant patience, you will reap improvements.
If you plant faith, you will reap miracles.
But:
If you plant dishonesty, you will reap distrust.
If you plant selfishness, you will reap loneliness.
If you plant pride, you will reap destruction.
If you plant envy, you will reap trouble.
If you plant laziness, you will reap stagnation.
If you plant bitterness, you will reap isolation.
If you plant greed, you will reap loss.
If you plant gossip, you will reap enemies.
If you plant worries, you will reap wrinkles.
If you plant sin, you will reap guilt.
- Author Unknown
ISÉ NI ÒÒGÙN ÌSÉ - “Work is the antidote for poverty”.
Hello friends,
How many of us know this classic Yoruba poem - ISÉ NI ÒÒGÙN ÌSÉ? It simply means “WORK IS THE ANTIDOTE FOR POVERTY”. For some of us who recognise it, this was a poem we all learnt by heart in Primary School even though we never really appreciated its depth. This was recently translated by one Prof. Quansy Salako for teaching some Yoruba children in Diaspora. The poem, in my opinion, should be one of the driving forces as we reframe our thinking and re-connect with the joy of our own adventures in life.
Let’s all read and pass down to our children and the generations to come.
Enjoy it!
ISÉ NI ÒÒGÙN ÌSÉ - Work is the antidote for poverty
MÚRA SÍ ISÉ RE ÒRÉÈ MI - Work hard, my friend
ISÉ NI A FI Í DI ENI GIGA - Work is used to elevate one in respect and importance (Aspiring to higher height is fully dependent on hard work)
BÍ A KÒ BÁ RÉNI FÈYÌN TÌ, BÍ ÒLE LÀ Á RÍ - If we do not have anyone to lean on, we appear indolent
BÍ A KO RÉNI GBÉKÈLÉ - If we do not have anyone to trust or can depend on
À A TERA MÓ ISÉ ENI - We simply work harder
BÀBÁ SÌ LÈ LÉSIN LÉÈKÀN - Your father may have a ranch full of horses
BÍ O BÁ GBÓJÚ LÉ WON - If you depend on their riches alone
O TÉ TÁN NI MO SO FÚN O - You may end up in disgrace, I tell you
OHUN TÍ A KÒ BA JÌYÀ FÚN - Whatever gain one does not work hard to earn
KÌ Í LÈ TÓJÓ - Usually does not last
OHUN TÍ A BÁ FARA SISÉ FÚN - Whatever gain one works hard to earn
NÍ Í PÉ LÓWÓ ENI - Is the one that lasts in one's hands (while in one's possession)
APÁ LARÁ, ÌGÙNPÁ NÌYEKAN - The arm is a relative, the elbow is a sibling
BÍ AYÉ N FÉ O LÓNÌÍ - You may be loved by all today
BÍ O BÁ LÓWÓ LÓWÓ - It is when you have money
NI WON Á MÁA FÉ O LÓLA - That they will love you tomorrow
TÀBÍ TÍ O BÁ WÀ NÍ IPÒ ÀTÀTÀ - Or when you are in a high position
AYÉ Á YÉ O SÍ TÈRÍN-TÈRÍN - All will honor you with cheers and smiles
JÉ KÍ O DI ENI N RÁÁGÓ - Wait till you become poor or are struggling to get by
KÍ O RÍ BÁYÉ TI Í SÍMÚ SÍ O - And you will see how all grimace at you as they pass you by
ÈKÓ SÌ TÚN N SONI Í DÒGÁ - Education also elevates one in position
MÚRA KÍ O KÓ O DÁRADÁRA - Work hard to acquire good education
BÍ O SÌ RÍ ÒPÒ ÈNÌYÀN And - If you see a lot of people
TÍ WÓN N FI ÈKÓ SE ÈRÍN RÍN - Making education a laughing stock
DÁKUN MÁ SE FARA WÉ WON - Please do not emulate or keep their company
ÌYÀ N BÒ FÓMO TÍ KÒ GBÓN - Suffering is lying in wait for an unserious kid
EKÚN N BE FÓMO TÓ N SÁ KIRI - Sorrow is in the reserve for a truant kid
MÁ FÒWÚRÒ SERÉ, ÒRÉÈ MI - Do not play with your early years, my friend
MÚRA SÍSÉ, OJÓ N LO - Work harder, time and tide wait for no one.
How many of us know this classic Yoruba poem - ISÉ NI ÒÒGÙN ÌSÉ? It simply means “WORK IS THE ANTIDOTE FOR POVERTY”. For some of us who recognise it, this was a poem we all learnt by heart in Primary School even though we never really appreciated its depth. This was recently translated by one Prof. Quansy Salako for teaching some Yoruba children in Diaspora. The poem, in my opinion, should be one of the driving forces as we reframe our thinking and re-connect with the joy of our own adventures in life.
Let’s all read and pass down to our children and the generations to come.
Enjoy it!
ISÉ NI ÒÒGÙN ÌSÉ - Work is the antidote for poverty
MÚRA SÍ ISÉ RE ÒRÉÈ MI - Work hard, my friend
ISÉ NI A FI Í DI ENI GIGA - Work is used to elevate one in respect and importance (Aspiring to higher height is fully dependent on hard work)
BÍ A KÒ BÁ RÉNI FÈYÌN TÌ, BÍ ÒLE LÀ Á RÍ - If we do not have anyone to lean on, we appear indolent
BÍ A KO RÉNI GBÉKÈLÉ - If we do not have anyone to trust or can depend on
À A TERA MÓ ISÉ ENI - We simply work harder
BÀBÁ SÌ LÈ LÉSIN LÉÈKÀN - Your father may have a ranch full of horses
BÍ O BÁ GBÓJÚ LÉ WON - If you depend on their riches alone
O TÉ TÁN NI MO SO FÚN O - You may end up in disgrace, I tell you
OHUN TÍ A KÒ BA JÌYÀ FÚN - Whatever gain one does not work hard to earn
KÌ Í LÈ TÓJÓ - Usually does not last
OHUN TÍ A BÁ FARA SISÉ FÚN - Whatever gain one works hard to earn
NÍ Í PÉ LÓWÓ ENI - Is the one that lasts in one's hands (while in one's possession)
APÁ LARÁ, ÌGÙNPÁ NÌYEKAN - The arm is a relative, the elbow is a sibling
BÍ AYÉ N FÉ O LÓNÌÍ - You may be loved by all today
BÍ O BÁ LÓWÓ LÓWÓ - It is when you have money
NI WON Á MÁA FÉ O LÓLA - That they will love you tomorrow
TÀBÍ TÍ O BÁ WÀ NÍ IPÒ ÀTÀTÀ - Or when you are in a high position
AYÉ Á YÉ O SÍ TÈRÍN-TÈRÍN - All will honor you with cheers and smiles
JÉ KÍ O DI ENI N RÁÁGÓ - Wait till you become poor or are struggling to get by
KÍ O RÍ BÁYÉ TI Í SÍMÚ SÍ O - And you will see how all grimace at you as they pass you by
ÈKÓ SÌ TÚN N SONI Í DÒGÁ - Education also elevates one in position
MÚRA KÍ O KÓ O DÁRADÁRA - Work hard to acquire good education
BÍ O SÌ RÍ ÒPÒ ÈNÌYÀN And - If you see a lot of people
TÍ WÓN N FI ÈKÓ SE ÈRÍN RÍN - Making education a laughing stock
DÁKUN MÁ SE FARA WÉ WON - Please do not emulate or keep their company
ÌYÀ N BÒ FÓMO TÍ KÒ GBÓN - Suffering is lying in wait for an unserious kid
EKÚN N BE FÓMO TÓ N SÁ KIRI - Sorrow is in the reserve for a truant kid
MÁ FÒWÚRÒ SERÉ, ÒRÉÈ MI - Do not play with your early years, my friend
MÚRA SÍSÉ, OJÓ N LO - Work harder, time and tide wait for no one.
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