The Chinese zodiac sign for 2012 is the dragon. The dragon resembles a powerful creature, capable of being dominant and ambitious. Dragons prefer to live by their own rules and if left alone, are usually successful.
Here are a few links which describe the nature of the chinese zodiac
2012 has just begun. The new year brings new challenges, new aspirations, new motivation and desire to achieve greater heights. 2011 left us with memories, lessons to learn from and some events that will go down in history.
The dawn of 2012 is on the horizon and the dusk of 2011 has set. This leads us once again into a year of great expectation and new resolutions to be achieved. There will be success stories and failures to learn from the past, decisions to be made and many more milestones to be met.
The future has become the present, and the present will soon become the past. The only thing that we must know is to learn from the past, to live in the present and to envision the future. A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. A step that we all must take with humility, confidence, and lessons learnt from mistakes in the past. The future is not the past, and the past will never be the future if we learn from our failures that should never be repeated.
Achievements, goals, desires and visions to be relalized in the seamingly near future should be atempted with courage, deligence, and the right effort for it to be reality. Nothing is impossible, if we believe in ourselves and have full faith that the things we do is for the betterment of our families, society and ourselves.
Change is inevitable. We should learn to adopt to new circumstances and be flexible whenever we can to be at the frontier of change. Change with proper reason and criticism is important for us to move in the direction that would bring us to greater heights. Change without reason would only destroy us and bring further frustration, therefore it is important to have a clear vision and make changes that would stear us closer to our goals.
Google showing a little bit of creativity with
google doodle.
The ability to motivate employees is one of the greatest skills an entrepreneur can possess.
- Be generous with praise. Everyone wants it and it’s one of the easiest things to give. Plus, praise from the CEO goes a lot farther than you might think. Praise every improvement that you see your team members make. Once you’re comfortable delivering praise one-on-one to an employee, try praising them in front of others.
- Get rid of the managers. Projects without project managers? That doesn’t seem right! Try it. Removing the project lead or supervisor and empowering your staff to work together as a team rather then everyone reporting to one individual can do wonders. Think about it. What’s worse than letting your supervisor down? Letting your team down! Allowing people to work together as a team, on an equal level with their co-workers, will often produce better projects faster. People will come in early, stay late, and devote more of their energy to solving problems.
- Make your ideas theirs. People hate being told what to do. Instead of telling people what you want done; ask them in a way that will make them feel like they came up with the idea. “I’d like you to do it this way” turns into “Do you think it’s a good idea if we do it this way?”
- Never criticize or correct. No one, and I mean no one, wants to hear that they did something wrong. If you’re looking for a de-motivator, this is it. Try an indirect approach to get people to improve, learn from their mistakes, and fix them. Ask, “Was that the best way to approach the problem? Why not? Have any ideas on what you could have done differently?” Then you’re having a conversation and talking through solutions, not pointing a finger.
- Make everyone a leader. Highlight your top performers’ strengths and let them know that because of their excellence, you want them to be the example for others. You’ll set the bar high and they’ll be motivated to live up to their reputation as a leader.
- Take an employee to lunch once a week. Surprise them. Don’t make an announcement that you’re establishing a new policy. Literally walk up to one of your employees, and invite them to lunch with you. It’s an easy way to remind them that you notice and appreciate their work.
- Give recognition and small rewards. These two things come in many forms: Give a shout out to someone in a company meeting for what she has accomplished. Run contests or internal games and keep track of the results on a whiteboard that everyone can see. Tangible awards that don’t break the bank can work too. Try things like dinner, trophies, spa services, and plaques.
- Throw company parties. Doing things as a group can go a long way. Have a company picnic. Organize birthday parties. Hold a happy hour. Don’t just wait until the holidays to do a company activity; organize events throughout the year to remind your staff that you’re all in it together.
- Share the rewards—and the pain. When your company does well, celebrate. This is the best time to let everyone know that you’re thankful for their hard work. Go out of your way to show how far you will go when people help your company succeed. If there are disappointments, share those too. If you expect high performance, your team deserves to know where the company stands. Be honest and transparent.
