7 Career Advancing Tips To build An Impeccable Relationship With Your Boss

The relationship you have with your boss can be a major factor in determining your destination on the career ladder. It can be a wellspring of growth possibilities if nurtured properly or a career minefield if left to go sour. Thus, developing a good relationship with your boss is your best job skill and highly useful one, no matter where you work.

Note: In order to be consistent, I will use the term “boss” throughout the post. It can be interchanged with superior, manager etc. (Ideally, it is the person who you report to.)

1. Be an asset to your boss
You need to be an asset to your boss, if you expect him/her to be an ally to you. Bosses seek individuals who are self motivated; one who gets the work done right and completed on time.
This might seem like painfully obvious advice for developing a solid relationship with your boss, but it bears repeating. You need to understand that building good relationships won’t take you anywhere, without adequate job performance.

2. Observe and understand your boss's work style
Taking the time to learn your boss’s work style, will go a long way to making your life much easier.
For example,
* If your boss has said repeatedly that he hates being interrupted first thing in the morning, don't run to his office to give him a project update when you first get in.
* Notice your boss’s mode of communication. Does she communicate with staff mainly through email and written communications or does she prefer face to face discussions?
* Learn the behavioral clues that tell you when the boss is in a bad mood. Avoid escalating the situation.

What other things can you discover about your Boss?

3. Realize that you boss is human too!
Each individual has strengths and weaknesses and your boss is no different. Figure out your boss’s blind spots and weaknesses, then see how your skills can help fill the gaps. Try to do this with genuine generosity and tactfulness, not letting on that you see these weaknesses.

There is no doubt that bosses also make mistakes; your boss won’t always have all the answers. There are things which he/she will have to do for the first time and trial and error is always part of it.
Also, keep in mind that your boss has a boss too! Just may be that his/her boss is hard to get along with or has unrealistic expectations!

4. Don’t bad mouth your boss
Regardless of how you feel about your boss, don’t share your negative feelings with others in the company. The things you say in private have a way of making themselves known to the wrong people.
If you find something uneasy about your boss, it is always better to have a ”private chat” with him/her.

5. Manage conflict and disagreement.
Arguing with your boss over every request is not a good strategy, but neither is agreeing with everything your boss says. Show enthusiasm for your work and speaking up when you see room for improvement.
If you ever feel you are being unfairly treated or criticized, discuss your concerns rationally with your boss in a non-confrontational way.

6. Be responsible
Take responsibility for your own actions. Be sure that you're the one that tells the boss you have made a mistake. We all understand that mistakes happen, so when you are wrong, admit it and move ahead.

7. Communicate effectively
Some bosses are very hands-on, keeping close tabs on you throughout your workday. Others may talk to you once a week or less often and send you on your way to do your job. Whatever your boss's style, keep your boss informed.
Examples:
* When you receive a new assignment, make sure you know what is expected of you. I
* Admit when matters are beyond your control. It is never a weakness to ask for help when you need it

Typically it is up to you to establish and maintain the lines of communication between the two of you.


In summary, a good relationship produces a productive and communicative working relationship. It ensures you both know what is possible and feasible, ultimately achieving results that matter to you both.

Reference

• On the Job: How to Make It in the Real World of Work
• How Full Is Your Bucket? Positive Strategies for Work and Life

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• Reaching Your Potential By Norman Vincent Peale
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Human Rights Summit 2008

July 2nd, 2008

Youth for Human Rights International

INVITATION

Dear Friends,

As the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights approaches its 60th Anniversary, only a small percentage of the population worldwide know of its existence. Today, the UN reports that more than a billion people are without clean water; most of the 25 million who have HIV/AIDS in Africa have no access to health care; and 121 million children are denied a basic education. Furthermore, Amnesty International has documented serious human right abuses by armed opposition groups in 42 countries, including deliberate and arbitrary killings of civilians. Viewing these statistics, who could disagree that actions must be taken now to make human rights known, understood and most importantly, put into practice.

With this aim in mind, Youth for Human Rights International (YHRI) has teamed up with the Human Rights Department of the Church of Scientology and Artists for Human Rights for its annual international human rights summit and Human Rights Heroes Awards presentations to be held this year in New York.

Our first such event were held in August 2004 at the United Nations Headquarters and UNICEF House in New York and in Los Angeles in 2005. In 2006 the summit was held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York and last year it was held at the University of California in Los Angeles. Participants have included delegates have from the USA, Canada, UK, France, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, South Africa, Uganda, Liberia, Zambia, Congo, Morocco, Nepal, Toga, Egypt, Guatemala, Guyana, Mexico, Colombia and the Philippines along with UN officials and UN country mission representatives, human rights and religious leaders, NGOs, local community activists and students.

Our three-day series of events will begin on September 5th with a ceremony at the United Nations Headquarters, New York. In the evening we will present the recipients of the 2008 International Human Rights Heroes Awards at the elegant Roosevelt Hotel. The following day we will host the Human Rights Conference followed by an Inter-Religious Parade and Service on Sunday afternoon, September 7th at the Dag Hammerskjold Plaza in New York.

As has been our tradition, youth will play a prominent role in the events with young human rights activist attending from around the world to represent their countries.

Entrance to all events is free of charge to enable broad participation by young people and the community at large. However it is suggested that you RSVP as soon as possible as seating is limited and those on the RSVP list will receive first preference. The United Nations clearance procedures require prior submission of names for security purposes so please confirm early to avoid disappointment.

For further information about us visit our website at www.youthforhumanrights.org. Please feel free to call the YHRI office with any questions or email us at info@youthforhumanrights.org.

I look forward to seeing you and welcome your active involvement in our joint efforts to make human rights become a reality for all.

With kind regards,
Mary Shuttleworth
President
Youth for Human Rights International

DVD Clutter: How To De-Junk A DVD Collection

There was a period of my life, where I used to buy about 2-3 DVDs each week. Sadly, I wasn’t wise and mature then! (I like to think that I am, now!) Anyway, over the years I have accumulated far too many DVDs. It has come to stage where it is taking more house space than it should.

I was exploring some DVD organizing options and thought of sharing it on today’s post. The whole process took me about 45 minutes. Of course, the time taken for the process will depend on the volume of the DVD collection.
If you are like me, one of these days you might also get hit by the “DVD dilemma”. Whether it’s storing with cheap shipping boxes or using DVD binders, this process works!

Do the inevitable
I took all my DVDs and spread them on the floor. Now that I was able to “see” all the DVDs, I realized that there were some DVDs that I only watched once. I had not watched these for years!
Undoubtedly, if I am to get anywhere, I had to make some hard decisions.
What DVDs am I likely to watch again?
Which ones will just sit there another couple of years?

Based on the above questions, I went through each DVD and made two piles. I have to admit, I did this twice because in my first round I got rid of only about 10 DVDs! Even though I had not watched some within the last year, I keep thinking that maybe someday I might want to watch it again! In the “second round” round of sorting, I was more hash on myself and as I was able to eliminate more.

Options for unnecessary DVDs
Once I knew what DVDs I need to get rid of I had to figure out “HOW” to get rid of these. I was left with the following options.
1. The obvious choice: sell DVDs on eBay, Amazon auctions or half.com.
2. Sell to a local DVD reseller
3. Donate to Goodwill
4. “Recycle” them with friends and family
5. Dispose it.

Do you have any more ideas?

Storing without the DVD case

1. DVD binder/ wallet/album
The album proved to be a much smaller alternative than endless shelves of DVD cases. And much more portable, too! I took off the cover page from the casing and stacked it along with the DVD.
Having the cover page in the binder, makes it more enjoyable to browse through.
The Nylon 336-Disc CD Wallet serves the purpose and is easy on the wallet.

2. DVD cylinders

You can either use a CD/DVD Storage Cylinder. If you don't want to spend any money you can store the DVDs in the plastic spools that blank discs come on. It is very compact, free, portable, and safe from scratches. The downside is the difficulty in looking through to find what you want.

3. Store in hard drive
I thought about ripping all my DVDs, but it's such a time consuming process.
I can't stand the idea of spending hours of time and effort ripping discs to save space. The quality of the DVD will be hindered as well.
I am also not keen on spending more money on a massive capacity drive to store them when I have already spent money on the DVDs! Another factor to consider is hard-drives can get corrupted. Knowing that, I don’t think I can ever get rid of the originals. So this was an obvious, “NO” for me.

Storing with the DVD case

1. Boxes - Perhaps, storing in box is the easiest. It can be a handy way to make old shipping boxes, shoe boxes useful. Alternatively, you can buy cheap shipping boxes.

2. Rack - If space is not an issue, this would be an ideal option.

3. Drawers - The traditional filing system model is also something to consider.

On becoming Martha Stewart!

If you have a huge collection, it is important that you don’t waste too much “searching” for that specific DVD. Based on your needs, find a categorizing method that works best for you. Do you want to store it alphabetically, by genre or grouped by favorite?

Sub categorize it further if you wish (alphabetical->genre). Want to go to extreme lengths? Color code the DVD cases!
For example:
Pink = Wife's movies!
Yellow = Action Adventure
Green = Comedy

It really is a nice feeling when your DVD collection disappears into your surroundings! Isn't it?
Have you sorted out your DVDs previously? What's your recommended storage medium?

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Bulgaria - Ilko Todorov, 7 Year Old Chained to the Kitchen Sink

Left: Monument of Gotse/Georgi Nikolov Delchev (1872-1903). He was an important 19th century revolutionary figure in Ottoman Macedonia and Thrace.

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Bulgarian Parents Chained Son to Sink while the Dog Roamed Freely

A Bulgarian couple chained their seven-year-old boy to the kitchen sink to prevent him from misbehaving while they were at work.

Social services in Bulgaria had to intervene after being notified by neighbours in the south-eastern town of Gotse Delchev, who heard the boy's father boast about how he was managing to control his son.

His parents began chaining the boy, Ilko, at the beginning of the summer holidays.

Ilko was bound by a four-metre chain to the sink when his mother, a cleaning lady, and his father, who worked in metallurgy, left the house. The chain only allowed him to move though a limited space in the house and caused chronic injuries.

The chain was long enough to allow him to open the fridge and reach their terrace - but not to go to the toilet. His only company was the family's dog Bucky - ironically, the dog was able to roam freely.

The child told social services that he was being punished for misbehaving.

His mother said her husband "was afraid his son would turn into a criminal".

Ilko has since been brought to an orphanage.

Social services were due to rule within 10 days whether he could be returned to his mother, who has promised to leave her husband.

Little Ilko Todorov was taken to a foster home after receiving medical treatment, while his parents Ilija, 40, a metal worker and Marija, 34, a cleaner, could be facing legal charges.

Speaking from the foster home, where he has been receiving intensive counselling, Ilko said: “I am happy here and I get to play with other children now. I miss my mum but I don’t want to see my dad.”

His mother Marija told authorities that she was forced to chain up her son by his domineering father. She said: “I tried to tell him not to do it, but I was afraid of him.”

The father Ilija declined to comment and only said that he chained his son in a bid to keep him away from “bad company.”


Sick pair chained up their son - 14 August 2008 - The Sun
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article1558538.ece

Bulgarian parents chained son to sink: report - 14 August 2008 - ABC News
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/08/14/2334681.htm

* * *

If you can not discipline a child through communication and reasoning,

you are clearly unfit to be a parent.

Hannibal and His Wife V Innocent Hostages in Libya - Planned Protest March in September 2008 - Geneva, Switzerland

"They Are Innocent!"

The Hostages in Libya

Planned Protest March in September 2008 in Geneva, Switzerland

This is a Googled translation of an article from Le Matin on 9 August 2008 entitled

Affaire Kadhafi: des musulmans de Suisse appellent à une manifesfation -

Case Gaddafi: Muslims in Switzerland call for a manifesfation

Ali Benouari, the president of the Swiss Association of Muslims for Secularism and Union of North Africans in Switzerland - "We will organize a march to encourage Switzerland to remain firm against Libya and demand the immediate and unconditional release of hostages held on Libyan territory."

An appeal has been launched by the Swiss Association of secular Muslims and Mughrabi Union in Switzerland through the voice of their President Ali Benouari, and by the Association of Swiss against fundamentalism, chaired by Salika Wenger, MP Geneva. The event will take place in September in Geneva.

Geneva, is where it all began. Hannibal Gaddafi and his wife were arrested and charged on July 15. Since then, two Swiss nationals were imprisoned in Libya. They have been Freed but they can not leave Libya. The mother and brother of the domestic Moroccan worker, who filed the complaint against the son of Colonel Gaddafi, have been imprisoned. These are methods of a "dictatorship from another age," says Ali Benouari.

Ahmed Benani, of Moroccan origin endorsed the approach. "I condemn the taking of hostages - an act of terrorism by Gaddafi - and I am concerned to see Switzerland, the rule of law, lie down face to the requirements of such a psychopath at the head of a rogue state."

Hafid Ouardiri, director of the foundation of knowledge - Between, Geneva, was more tempered: "The situation is delicate and we must proceed with great wisdom." He would prefer a demonstration organised by an association "without connotation Community" to bring together the largest number of citizens.

The president of the Cultural Association of Muslim women in Switzerland plans to turn to send a letter to Libyan organizations in Switzerland.

More Information in Article - http://www.lematin.ch/fr/actu/monde/affaire-kadhafi-des-musulmans-de-suisse-appellent-a-une-manifesfation_10-215887

Use Google To Translate - http://translate.google.com/translate_t

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UAE - Slavery in the Conrad Hotel, Brussels - Monarchies/Royalty are Not Above the Law!

UAE - Slavery in the Conrad Hotel, Brussels - Monarchies/Royalty are Not Above the Law!

Left - The Conrad, Brussels

Unfortunately there are certain groups/people (royalty, religious, political, business, military, etc) who still turn a blind eye to such human rights violations and intolerable behaviour. They are either guilty of the same crimes behind closed doors; or they have been personally profiting financially and materially, from these Human Rights Violators.

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What every European citizen and Foreign Visitor in Europe Knows......

Slavery, Servitude, Forced or Compulsory Labour - UDHR, ECHR & UKHRA

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Seven family members of deceased Emir Muhammed Khalid Al Nahyan from the United Arab Emirates were charged on 29 July 2008 with exploiting servants, while living in the Conrad Hotel, Brussels, Belgium.

They are accused of psychological harassment and risk two to five years in prison if convicted, according to prosecutors.

The servants, dubbed "slaves" in the Belgian media, allegedly had to be at the service of the Arab royals 24 hours a day and had their passport taken away on arrival in Belgium. The women were reportedly not allowed to leave the hotel and their monthly salaries were as low as £80 a month.

Most Belgian newspapers have described this case as "slavery right in the heart of Brussels".

Eleven of the family's servants, came from Egypt, Iraq, India, Morocco, Philippines, Syria and Turkey, have been given the status of victims of exploitation. Six others continue to work for the family.

*

The sheik's wife and her four daughters lived in Brussels and rented out an entire floor of the deluxe Conrad Hotel.

This case was brought to light when a 32 year old Moroccan woman managed to escape and went to the Belgium police. She said she had been exploited by the family of an emir from the United Arab Emirates. Her passport had been taken away. The woman said she was not the only one who'd been exploited.

Police officers and officials from Belgium's Labour Audit Authority raided the Conrad Hotel, the city's most prestigious and the preferred choice of many national leaders during European Union summits, on Tuesday 1 July 2008. The Moroccan was telling the truth.

The widow of rich sheik Mohammed Bin Khalid Al Nahyan had been living in the hotel for the past year, together with the four daughter-princesses: Shaima, Myriam, Maessa and Rawda. Since they didn't want anybody snooping around they paid for the entire fourth floor with 53(!) rooms. They had fourteen servant girls and three body guards, from the Philippines, Morocco, India, Egypt, Turkey, Iraq and Syria. The servant girls in particular were exploited.

While the mother Hmada, of the princesses and their children lived in the most beautiful rooms the servant girls had to sleep in the corridor while many of the paid rooms stood empty for a possible visit.

The chic and pricy Conrad Hotel, "where you can discover the luxury of being yourself", is situated on the city's Avenue Louise and surrounded by the most expensive shops in Brussels. The price of a room begins at £260. A hotel spokesman, was unable to give the cost of renting an entire floor.

According to the Moroccan who had managed to escape, they didn't get much sleep. At the most they got three hours per night. The rest of the day they had to be on stand by for the princesses.

"They were demanding. their coffee addition typified them. They were crazy about hot coffee. But they abhorred saucers. Therefore you had to take the hot cup in your bare hands. The result: you easily got burned. But I couldn't go to the doctor. I didn't get permission for that.

"We were not allowed to complain or to ask any questions. We just had to be there at their beck and call."

"The girls barely got anything to eat. The woman says she couldn't leave the hotel without a guard. She was paid 500 euros a month, while the other servant girls were paid less: 150 euro. The highest earner got 700 euro. The Moroccan had applied for the job in her homeland, but local politician Fouad Lahssaini (Ecolo) says she was deceived by them. Immediately after the raid on the hotel, she was called up by the recruiting service in Morocco, who wanted to manipulate her. She was terrified, since her parents still live in Morocco and her former bosses are extremely powerful.

The Moroccan woman claims the hotel knew very well that they were employed in abominable conditions.

An ex-employee of the Conrad confirmed that the hotel closed their eyes for their top customer.

'The fire alarm was turned off on their floor. Because the princesses were annoyed by that noise." ENDANGERING EVERYONE'S LIFE!

* * *

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

BELGIUM-UAE-SOCIAL-CRIME - 30 July 2008
http://www.mediafaxfoto.ro/photo_preview.php?photoId=3031033

Traite à l'hôtel Conrad : 7 membres d'une famille d'un émir inculpés - 30 July 2008

Women 'enslaved' by Arab royals - The Telegraph - 2 July 2008
Seventeen women have been taken by police from a luxury hotel in Brussels amid allegations that they had been enslaved by an Arab royal family.

Brussels: Emir's family turned hotel into private kingdom - 2 July 2008
http://islamineurope.blogspot.com/2008/07/brussels-emirs-family-turned-hotel-into.html

Expectations: Is It A Human Weakness?

I happen to catch a glimpse of CNN news this weekend. There were two stories, I couldn’t erase off my mind and it prompted me to write today’s post.
1. Parents kill their 3 children and commit suicide. A couple poisoned their three young children, and then hung themselves from a ceiling fan because they were HIV-positive. (I wonder what went through the relatives minds when they stood by their caskets.)

2. Father kills daughter over divorce. The police said the father was angry because he felt his daughter was disgracing the family!

If I am to be cut and dry about these stories, I think it all revolves around expectations. First incident, the parents were depressed because they were not getting expected results from the medicine. Second, father’s expectations of his daughter (possibly, religious and cultural expectations). Isn’t it about how these people reacted to their expectations?

In the context of self improvement, much has been said about attitude, goals, productivity etc. Rarely does one find anything on “Expectations”. To write this post, I wanted some background information on “expectations” and how it affects people. But there were only a handful online articles, and most of them covered the “Law of expectations”; which says “whatever we expect with confidence, becomes our own self-fulfilling prophecy”. Did the “Law of expectations” get it wrong? Let’s see.

Expectations are often based on wanting things to be a certain way. As individuals we are mainly shaped by
1. What our parents expect
2. What our family expects
3. What our friends and colleagues expect
4. What we expect (money, career, entertainment etc )

In return, we also have expectations from them. Can you remember the last time you REALLY looked forward to something and it did not turn out as perfect as you anticipated? Was it because your expectations were unrealistically high? Or ..?

We all go through life expecting certain things. For example, for the hard work you put in, you expect a promotion and a pay rise. When you are in love, you expect it transform into "happily ever after".

When such expectations are NOT met, it can cause worry, anger, frustration and a host of other extreme negative emotions. On the other hand, if the expectations are met, it brings happiness, loads of smiles, certain contentment, and a host of other emotional highs.
This could be why something we get really excited about often turns sour; Or something we don’t look forward to, turns out to be quite enjoyable (well, most of the time!).

Happiness equals reality minus expectations ~ Tom Magliozzi

Now that's not to say that we shouldn't have any expectations at all! I don’t think any of us can go through life without expecting or having certain “wants”. You can’t get rid of expectation because it is, to a certain extent, a part of you. Perhaps, that’s what keeps the flame of life, alive.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this.

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Vegetarian easy

Easy vegetarian

Becoming vegetarian is one of the choices you can make that are most beneficial for your health.

And, believe me, it is easy to be vegetarian.

Many people are worried that it can be difficult to give up their favourite foods.

But in reality food is an “acquired taste” literally. Mostly, we like what we are used to. That, for instance, explains why people of different cultures and culinary traditions have diverse palate and appreciate widely dissimilar dishes.

Most emphatically, the idea that meat and fish are tastier than vegetarian meals is a myth. In many cases it is the herbs, spices and vegetables that give flavour to meat-based dishes.

Have you ever wondered why we humans can eat many vegetables raw, but very few, if any, kinds of animal flesh without first cooking them? Does that not point to a certain instinctive difficulty for our digestive system in dealing with meat and fish?

I have been a vegetarian for almost all my adult life. If I now should have meat in any form, very likely I would feel sick. This (which would probably apply to the generality of vegetarians and vegans) shows that it is not something inherent in a vegetarian diet which makes it difficult to introduce, but rather a general principle of our eating patterns: sudden change is disruptive at first and needs time to adjust.

This is often the case in matters of the senses. Think of music. How many times, upon hearing it the first time, did you have an immediate rejection for a pop song or a classical piece of music which later became a joy for your ears?

It may take time to love good music, and it may take time to love good food.

Easy steps to vegetarianism

My first piece of advice, therefore, is: take it easy, make the change gradually. Let your taste buds get acquainted with and used to the new flavours.

My second piece of advice: do not think in terms of renunciations, but of replacements. Next time you are thinking of having a burger, choose a vegeburger instead. Or have a delicious fresh sandwich with plenty of fresh salad vegetables and succulent but not fat sauces like those sold by Subway, for instance. You don’t have to do this every time at first, but you can start by opting for a healthier alternative, say, half of the times, and then gradually increase the frequency.

Just to realize how alien meat-eating is to our nature, and we believe that it is natural only because we have become accustomed to it, think of how food poisoning is almost invariably associated with meat or, more infrequently, with other animal products but extremely rarely with foods of vegetable origin.

Even touching raw meat, poultry or fish without washing your hands can spread bacteria and lead to food poisoning. And even reusing the same utensils, plates, dishcloths, teatowels and sponges that have come into contact with raw meat, fish or poultry (even indirectly, for instance by cleaning a surface which has touched them) is dangerous, because bacteria from the raw juices will contaminate other food.

This could help explain why meat workers, people involved in the meat industry, are the unhealthiest workers: in the USA about 25 percent of all employees of meatpacking plants have job-related injuries or illnesses, that is as many as 4 times the national average for all private industry sectors.

Career: 62 Tips To Make Your Job Terrific (Lessons Learned)

August 1st marked another milestone in my career. I can proudly state that I have five years of experience in the software field! To a “seasoned” professional, it might not be a big deal. But it is to me!

In school, I was a shy kid with average grades. I don’t think, any of the straight A students thought I would be where I am today. I am still in touch with some of them, and I know my career stands out. (Yes, I am tooting my own horn! Do cut some slack. On a day like this, I think I am entitled to it!).
So what got me to where I am today? (Obviously, it’s not my Einstein brilliance!) Below are 62 of the most powerful “on the job” lessons in my life. Just because I wrote it here doesn’t mean that I excel in all these areas. But I try……. I encourage you to share yours by leaving a comment below.

Team work
1. Style differences can create barriers between people, if you let them.
2. Be willing to give and take.
3. Step up and do the part for the team.
4. Recognize and accept weaknesses and strengths of others.
5. Set the right expectation to your team members, clients, superiors.
6. Re-frame your focus from who is right to what is right.
7. Understand that others may see you differently from the way you see yourself.
8. Let cranky people be cranky; don’t take it personally.
9. Participate in other activities; get to know your team members
10. Be fun to be with!

Getting things done
11. Commitment starts in the heart; Commitment is tested by action.
12. Put a stop to putting it off (procrastination!); challenge your excuses.
13. The best way to learn something is to dive right in to it.
14. Remember, the first step is always the hardest!
15. If things don't shape up the way you expect, it doesn’t mean everything else is doomed as well.
16. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.
17. You will not have interesting work to do 100% of the time.
18. Be open to try out new things, if your present work becomes too boring.
19. Be responsible and answerable to the work assigned.
20. Take time to celebrate small victories.

Leadership
21. Give people hope; inspire them and gain respect.
22. Work to understand the style and motivation of others.
23. Be decisive; your career depends on it!
24. Position and title doesn’t come with automatic rights.
25. Be aware of the connection between your fears and your judgments.
26. Focus first on the what, then on the how, and only then on the when.
27. Delegate wisely.
28. Always focus on the real issues, not on blame.
29. Practice ethical leadership and followership.
30. The higher you fly, the more you will be shot at!

Communication
31. Express yourself clearly.
32. Listen in order to be understood!
33. Don't dodge the spotlight! Get over the fear of public speaking.
34. Speak up at meetings.
35. Write meaningful, unsolicited reports when required.
36. Develop allies in other departments.
37. Harness the power of humor.
38. Confronting an issue does not have to be hostile or aggressive.

Productivity
39. Before you can deliver stellar results, you have to define meaningful goals.
40. Write a clear action plan.
41. Set your priorities
42. Learn how to say “no” gracefully.
43. Stop trying to be a perfectionist.

Work/Life balance
44. Work is not life; life is not work!
45. Know the priorities EARLY;
46. During times of personal turbulence, sit tight and see it through.
47. When required wear a poker face.

Personal/Career growth
48. Identify your weak areas and try to improve them.
49. Distinct yourself from others; find out what make you uncommon.
50. You are as good as you decide to be.
50. Capitalize on your strengths.
51. Learn to choose your reactions, instead of reacting automatically.
52. No matter what you hear, or see, always believe in yourself.
53. Give and ask feedback.
54. Handle criticism gracefully.
55. Fight only your own battles, and choose them wisely.
56. Do your best, and make sure that your best is exactly what is needed.

General
57. Be punctual, it makes you appear smart (even if you are not!).
58. Learn from mistakes (Yours and others!)
59. Do what you say and say what you do.
60. Done means done!
61. Find a mentor.
62. Make it easy for your boss to promote you!

If I go on, I’ll be writing too many :-) I will leave you with one more sentence. Perhaps, it summarizes the entire post!

Be reliable, honest, respectful, optimistic, professional, and resourceful.

If you have any lessons to add, I encourage you to share them with us in the comments below.

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Josef Fritzl - Slavery and Imprisonment Charges

Josef Fritzl - Slavery and Imprisonment Charges - Latest News and Information

Austria: Dungeon man faces slavery charge
- 4 August 2008 - CNN

A prosecutor says Josef Fritzl, the man who held his daughter captive for 24 years in a cellar and fathered seven children with her, may be charged with slavery. Fritzl initially confessed to raping his daughter and having seven children with her. St. Poelten prosecutor Gerhard Sedlacek also says authorities hope to have formal charges -- likely to include a series of crimes -- ready by the end of September and that a trial would likely begin in December.

Josef Fritzl's wife 'living like an animal' - 4 August 2008 - The Telegraph
The wife of Josef Fritzl has revealed how she has been forced to "live like an animal" because she is afraid to be seen out in public. Elisabeth threw Rosemarie out of the villa because the three grandchildren she brought up still called her "mum". They claim Rosemarie is now struggling to survive on benefits of £300 a month and has lost a considerable amount of weight since the incest was uncovered in April. ..... her sister Christine, ..... said Rosemarie felt let down by the authorities. "My sister has totally lost it,"...... "She is also a victim and cannot understand that she does not get any help from anyone."

Austrian incest father Josef Fritzl may be charged with slavery - 4 August 2008 - The Times

Austrian prosecutors are debating whether to charge incest offender Josef Fritzl with slavery, in a last ditch attempt to maximise the time he serves in jail, according to press reports.

Mr Fritzl, has admitted to imprisoning his daughter Elisabeth for 24 years in a purpose-build concrete dungeon .... where she was forced to give birth to seven of his children.

One of the children, a baby boy called Michael, died shortly after birth ...... But despite his partial confession, it was revealed last month that Mr Fritzl could only be facing ten years in prison because Austrian law, unlike British law, does not allow for multiple convictions, and because the only charge certain to be proved in court was that of incarceration.

Austrian prosecutors are now considering whether they can charge Mr Fritzl with slavery, under Paragraph 104 of the Austrian Penal Code - a crime originally deriving from the country’s 19th century law, that carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

It was a distinguished university professor of criminal law, who has not been named, who suggested the slavery charges, according to press reports.

Judge Kurt Leitzenberger, head of the St Pölten Regional Court where Mr Fritzl will stand trial, told The Times: “The case is singular in the country’s history and there is no legal precedent to draw experience from. Compiling the charges against the suspect is a delicate procedure for a number of reasons and prosecutors are carefully examining all possibilities.”

Mr Fritzl is facing a string of charges including rape, incarceration, incest and coercion, as well as manslaughter for the baby that died. But prosecutors fear that the manslaughter changes could be “extremely difficult” to prove because so much time had elapsed since the death of the newborn in 1996. There is a similar problem with the rape charges, for which there is lack of forensic evidence.

The only serious crime that Mr Fritzl is certain to be convicted for is incarceration, which carries a maximum sentence of ten years in prison.

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Josef Fritzl - Other Cases of Abduction and Imprisonment of Adults and Children
HISTORICAL CASES OF ABDUCTION, IMPRISONMENT, SEXUAL ABUSE & MURDER OF ADULTS AND CHILDREN By Parents and Strangers

Slavery, Servitude, Forced or Compulsory Labour - UDHR, ECHR & UKHRA
AN INTRODUCTION TO SLAVERY, SERVITUDE AND FORCED OR COMPULSORY LABOUR