Article by Kevin Eickenberry

One of the biggest business buzzwords today is engagement.

Everyone suddenly seems to have realized that we need to have employees who are engaged in their work. It seems to be the latest “holy grail” in leadership and management circles (teams, lean and total quality are just three past examples).

Like the other examples, creating and nurturing engaged employees is important and will make a difference both for the individuals and the organization. I believe in the importance of engagement and the value of engaged employees. And I believe leaders can make a big difference in this area.

And, if these are my beliefs, you may be wondering why I opened on a bit of a cynical note?

Because I know many reading right now are thinking about “buzzword Bingo.”

I get that.

And, even though engagement may be the latest rage, it’s still an important topic for you to be familiar with – regardless of how you feel about the latest leadership fads.

(Leadership tip: I also know that when we acknowledge how others may be thinking and feeling up front we improve our ability to connect and communicate with them.)

If you agree that engagement is important and that we as leaders can do something about it, the logical next question is, what can we do? Here are four everyday actions any leader can take to support, build and nurture the engagement of team members.

The Four Ways

Acknowledge them. I’ve just given you an example of this one. One of our deepest human needs is to feel heard and acknowledged. It starts with listening but goes beyond that. We do not have to agree with people in order to acknowledge them and their perspective. The quicker we realize this, the more effective we will become.

Share the big picture. Do your folks know the big picture? Can they see past the work of your group to see how it impacts the larger organization? Do they know how your organization’s products make a difference for Customers? Positive answers to all of these questions are critical to creating engaged team members. If any of the answers are no for your team, this is job one for you as a leader. Once the answers are yes, you can remind, connect and reinforce these ideas every day.

Create meaning in daily work. People will be engaged when they feel like their work matters – that it makes a difference. Help people find that meaning. Certainly understanding the big picture will help. You also can do this by learning more about their needs, interests and skills and helping them see the connections between these and their work (or adjusting their work to create a better match). Another way to create meaning is to give people a more personal connection to Customers. When people meet or talk to those who use their work output (or the final products of the organization), the work isn’t just being done “because it is my job,” but to “actually help Carla the Customer.”

Trust them. Can you tell if someone trusts you? Do you try a little harder, pay a little more attention and remain a little more engaged for those who do? Your answers to these questions should be a big signal to you! Trust people. Show them in tangible ways that you do. When you do you will reap higher levels of engagement.

A Final Important Thought

One could look at these as tactics that could be used to manipulate others. Please know that if you choose to look at them in this way you will not be successful beyond the very short term – in any way. These activities will gradually create greater and greater engagement for your team members, but only when they are done authentically and genuinely.

Remarkable leaders know engaged employees are more effective, productive and happier. That`s why they continually look for ways to help those they lead become more successful and engaged. One way is by participating in The Remarkable Leadership Learning System – a one skill at a time, one month at a time approach to becoming a more confident and successful leader. Two months of that unique system are included in Kevin`s Most Remarkable Free Leadership Gift Ever. Kevin is a bestselling author, speaker, trainer, consultant and the Chief Potential Officer of The Kevin Eikenberry Group.

by Greg Geralds

Personal development is another key component to achieving true life balance. Mortimer Adler, the American philosopher says,

“The purpose of learning is growth, and our minds, unlike our bodies, can continue growing as long as we live.”

By continuing to learn, we can continue to develop as a person, growing into different stages of our lives. Have you ever run into someone that you went to high school with and thought, “They haven’t changed a bit.” Do you want to be that person? The one that is just as they were in high school? Of course you don’t. The only way to keep that from happening is to continue to develop as a person.

Life balance is not a state that you achieve and then can forget about it and do what ever you want. Maintaining life balance means constant growth in all areas of your life. You have to continue to grow and change from the person that were to the person that you are to the person that you will be. If you are not willing to work on your personal development, it will be very difficult for you to grow into a new person.

Here are three things that you can start today that will get you growing into the person that you are going to be.

Read a non-fiction book – It has been said that if you read three books on one subject that you are now an expert in that subject. If you don’t know what to read just go to the bestseller list online and start from the top.

Take a Class – One of the great things about being a grown-up is that we can learn whatever we want! We don’t have to learn something just because someone says we need to know it (um..geometry, Chemistry…those things). We can now take classes at the local art center or business school just for the simple fact of learning something new. Really, we don’t even have to be worried about a grade, we just have to go and learn. Find something you like and learn more about it or, take a glass blowing class, those look like fun.

Join a club – There are clubs and organizations for everything. If you have an interest, check the local paper or look online and I’ll bet you can find a club that you could join. The great thing about clubs is that you get to meet new people and they will have new ideas for you to explore. If you think you know everything that there is to know about a particular subject, you are wrong. Somewhere someone knows something that you don’t. Join a club, meet new people and learn new things.

Personal development can be fun. Sometimes people get caught up thinking they have to learn how the stock market works or how to fill out their taxes in order to grow intellectually. Neither of those things are bad, but growing as a person should be fun. It should be based on who you are and who you want to be. Start growing and you’ll be amazed how much close you will be to achieving life balance.

Click Here to start taking control of your life today. Find out more at http://www.thevocationagency.com

Article by Laurie Knight

I was listening to a teleseminar the other day and the gentleman on the phone said, “the best way to be interesting is to be interested”. It really struck a cord with me because isn’t that the truth? Aren’t the most interesting people you know people that are fascinated with something or people that are really into something they are doing? Aren’t these the type of people that are genuinely curious or interested in talking about something more than just themselves. Granted, this can become an obsession if one particular topic is all they discuss, but typically an interested person is indeed interesting. Wouldn’t you agree all those Star Wars obsessed folks are interesting? Star Wars may not be my style, but they are interesting nonetheless. They don’t care what other people think, they are interested in their thing and they are happy and loving it!

Next time you find someone or something fascinating or interesting make a note about what it is that made you have that feeling. Study what you like about that person, thing, event, etc. If it was a person that caught your attention focus on the qualities you like as they are likely qualities you’d like to develop further in yourself. Comparing by itself can be deadly, because it often results in feelings of envy, jealously, and self hatred. Yet with the proper focus on what it is you’re studying and how you’d like to apply certain things in your life, the person you admire can become a role model for you. Allow people and things to inspire you to live life more fully.

Decide today you want to be interesting, therefore get interested in something. Study your environment, not just other people. Think about the things in your life, think about what you do and why you do it, think about what you eat and pay attention while you do it. Spend time wondering and daydreaming to get the juices flowing. Whatever it takes, find things that interest you. Getting into routines and not being interested in the things we take for granted everyday can result in disaster. Even though you see the same thing everyday, start to question it, start to study and appreciate it. Start asking questions. Without trying to impress anyone else, you automatically become interesting because you became interested in the people and things around you and no one even knew what you were up to. The quote below speaks to this perfectly.

“The moment one gives close attention to anything, even a blade of grass, it becomes a mysterious, awesome, indescribably magnificent world in itself.” – Henry Miller

Interested in learning more about ways to pursue your true life passions? Life Coach Laurie Knight offers a free ezine, THE DIVA DIRECTION, that includes helpful tips/ tools/ and lots of FREE resources to help you Organize and Simplify so you can stay inspired, motivated, and on fire about life. Sign up today at http://www.GoingDiva.com

Personal growth and development is an individual responsibility. It is a continuous process that ends in death. It is an indisputable fact that maturity does not go along with age. It is amazing that there are many people who don’t show signs of growth and development in their character and conduct.

Let me share with you 12 ingredients for personal growth and development. I hope you will find these ingredients of great help to you. They are as follows:

1. Passion

Personal growth and development is a journey that has to start with the passion within an individual. Every great thing starts with a desire or passion. You must develop a passion within you to grow and develop in the areas of your life.

2. Self-awareness

You start with passion and the second thing that you need to do is to identify areas in your life where you are strong and areas where you are weak.

The process of self-awareness demands you to let people close to you be honest with you in terms of giving you a feedback about your strengths and weaknesses. Be honest with yourself and admit that there are weaknesses in your life that need to be taken care of.

3. Commitment to change

After you have identified areas of strengths and weaknesses, you must commit yourself to changing those weak spots. You must be willing to break those old bad habits you have developed over the years.

It is not an easy thing to go through the process of change. Change is both painful and uncomfortable. It takes commitment for change to take effect in our lives.

4. Vision

Many people are so mistaken that they think it is only companies, businesses, governments, leaders and other organizations that must have vision. You must have a vision for yourself as an individual. Vision will challenge and stretch you. It will enable you to broaden your horizon. You will see beyond where you are now because of it.

Vision will inspire and motivate you to work hard in order to get where you are going. It will undergird you to overcome obstacles until you reach your goal.

Write your vision down, look at it everyday and you will stay inspired and motivated by it.

5. Goal-setting

The process of personal growth and development demands you to set goals for growth. Success in life comes as a result of having clear objectives. Set of goals becomes a map for you to follow so that you can grow and develop.

When you set goals for growth, you need to make your goals clear, simple, measurable and attainable. Follow them through until you achieve them.

6. Willingness to take risks

You are going to take risks if you want to grow and develop. If for example, the goal that you have set needs you to change a career, you must be willing to take a risk of studying something that you have never studied before.

Successful people have taken risks to be where they are today. Leadership guru and author, Steven R. Covey, asserted, “The greatest risk of all is the risk of riskless living.”

7. Personal-organization

Organized people have a sense of purpose and direction. If you want to grow and develop in all areas of your life, you need to be organized. When you are organized, you walk along and do your job with confidence.

When you are organized, you set your priorities, you do your projects one at a time, you plan your day, week, month and your year accordingly. Organized people expect some unexpected interruptions in their lives and they decisively deal with them as they come.

8. Good association

The people closest to you determine your growth and development level. If you keep company of people whose character is flawed and dubious, you will end up being like them. It really matters most who you associate with.

Associate with people who are effective and successful in their personal lives. Surround yourself with people who will add value to your growth and development. Negative association leads to negative growth. Be careful who you associate with.

9. Listening

If you really want to experience growth and development, you need to be a good listener. Give people a space to express themselves. When people share their ideas and their views with you, listen to them. When they advise you concerning a particular issue, listen to them. Don’t undermine people’s advises and suggestions. They will help you in decision making.

10. Willingness to learn

Growth and development is possible when there is a process of continuous learning. Successful people don’t stop acquiring new skills. You will grow and develop when you commit yourself to learning new things and to acquiring more information and knowledge. Knowledge is power; it enables people to make informed decisions.

The process of personal growth and development requires you to put a certain amount of money aside to spend it on good books and good tapes. You must also be willing to spend money on attending informative seminars, workshops and conferences.

Don’t be lazy to further your studies. Enrol for other short courses so that you can acquire new skills. Learning process will surely challenge and stretch you towards growth and development.

11. Hiring a mentor or a coach

Hiring a mentor or a coach who will help you set clear goals, identify your areas of strengths and weaknesses, is of utmost importance in personal growth and development. There are life coaches whose job is to help people who need to succeed in their lives. You can also get someone experienced whom you admire so much to mentor you in your personal growth and development endevour.

You can also get a coach or a mentor in the form of buying and reading his or her books; buying, listening and watching his or her tapes.

12. Execution

The most important factor in personal growth and development is the ability to translate your vision, goals and all that you have learned into action. You must add action to your goals. Execution is what makes things happen. You have to be an action person if you want to grow and develop in your areas of strengths and weaknesses.

Conclusion

Personal growth and development is a journey that demands your energy and commitment. The 12 ingredients that I have provided you with need to be embraced, and nourished and you will live a successful life that will ultimately add value to other people’s lives.

Happy personal growth and development!

Copyright©2007-2009 by Gerald Mohlabe. All rights reserved
http://www.goaldrivenconsulting.com

Gerald Mohlabe is a leadership consultant, outstanding motivational speaker, relationship expert, the founder and president of Goal Driven Consulting Company, an international company. He works with business owners, managers, leaders and executives who want strategies to excel and win in leadership. His passion to make a difference in people’s lives, in leaders and organizations drives him to excel in an admirable way.His outstanding style of communicating issues to people, organizations and leaders leaves them mesmerized and seeking for more. He is popularly known as “a man of knowledge and wisdom.”

He has authored a hot selling E-Book titled, ” The leadership ladder: Discovering how to move from one rung to the other in leadership”. His understanding and knowledge of human and organizational behaviour transcends human understanding.

Diarrhoea, fever, shock and bullous skin lesions after ingestion of raw oysters

• Vibrio vulnificus
• septicaemia
• oysters
• poisoning

A 38-year-old man presented to the emergency department with a 2-day history of cramping abdominal pain, severe vomiting, diarrhoea, and fever with chills. He reported eating a large quantity of raw oysters at a local restaurant, one day prior to the onset of symptoms. The patient had a significant history of daily alcohol consumption (12 cans of beer and one bottle of wine) for many years. On examination, the patient appeared toxic, with a systolic blood pressure of 90 mmHg, pulse of 116 beats/min, respiration rate of 22 breaths/min and an oral temperature of 39°C. Right basal crackles were present on auscultation of the chest. Cardiovascular examination showed tachycardia with normal heart sounds. Abdominal examination revealed a tense abdomen without evidence of ascites, with diffuse tenderness and hyperactive bowel sounds. The patient’s skeletal muscles were tender to palpation and movement. Joint examination revealed no evidence of synovitis. A few hours after admission, multiple 1–2 cm skin lesions were noted predominantly on the truncal area (figure). Over the next 24 hours, these evolved into haemorrhagic bullae with purpuric centres.

Laboratory findings were significant for severe leucopenia (1000 cells/mm³), hypo-albuminaemia (1.7 g/dl), abnormal liver function tests (total bilirubin 5.3 g/dl; lactate dehydrogenase 1544 IU/l; aspartate transaminase 615 IU/l; alanine transaminase 465 IU/l), elevated creatine phosphokinase 14 600 IU/l, prolonged prothrombin time 15.9 s, INR 1.6, and lactacidaemia (4.6 mEq/l). Empiric antibiotics using a third generation cephalosporin and doxycycline were started immediately after blood cultures were drawn. However, within 8 hours of admission the patient became diaphoretic, tachypnoeic, hypoxic, and his mental status deteriorated.

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Figure Skin showing early target lesions and bullae over the truncal area