Leaders Focus on World Series Run
If you’re a “due factor” bettor, you might be smiling this week after National League won the 2010 Midsummer Classic for the first time in over a decade. “Over” bettors might not be so happy, as the game featured some impressive pitching.
Online sportsbook had the Total set at 8.5 to 9 across the board by gametime, with several reporting 60% to 70% of the Over/Under action coming in on the “Over”. It really didn’t get close, as the final was 3-1.
That win means the National League finally won homefield for this year’s Fall Classic. But will the NL come away with the World Series in 2010?
Despite the dominance of the AL in past All-Star games, the results have been close to even when it comes to World Series titles with the Junior Circuit taking six of them since 2000 and the Senior Circuit taking four – the Philadelphia Phillies were the last team from the NL to win the World Series, back in 2008.
You know the Atlanta Braves (NL East), the Cincinnati Reds (NL Central) and the San Diego Padres (NL West), all division leaders, were hoping for an NL all-star win to claim homefield.
Of the three current division leaders, the Braves have the biggest lead, with a four-game cushion on the New York Mets.
Sportsbook currently have Atlanta listed at -175 to take the division, +300 to take the NL pennant and +900 to take the World Series.
Looking over the Braves’ second-half sked, they play 13 series against teams from within their own division.
The Atlanta Braves have done well in their last 20 overall against teams from within the NL East, going 14-6 straight up and in their last eight such games, there have been only 2 Overs and 6 Unders.
It looks like the Braves will have to fight off both the Mets and the Phillies in order to win the division and take a run at the World Series.
While the Braves are 13-7 SU in their last 20 overall against the Metropolitans, they are only 3-5 SU in their last eight and the last 10 meetings between the two have all gone Under.
Against the Phillies, the Braves were on a 4-8 SU slide but things have picked up lately and they are 6-2 SU in their last eight against Philadelphia.
The Reds currently hold a one-game lead over the St. Louis Cardinals in the NL Central and Cincy is -110 to take the division, +800 to win the pennant and +2500 to win the World Series, something they haven’t done since 1990.
Cincinnati’s road to a division title and the postseason, based on the current standings, looks to run through St. Louis.
However, the Reds only have six more games against the Cards (three at home and three on the road) and Cincinnati has struggled against the Cardinals in St. Louis, going 6-14 SU in their last 20 at Busch Stadium.
The L.A. Dodgers and the Colorado Rockies are tied for the NL Wild Card spot currently and they are also both two games back of division-leading San Diego.
The Padres are +1500 to win the World Series, +800 to take the NL pennant and the odds-on to win the NL West at -300.
If it goes down to the wire with the Rockies however, Colorado could have the upper hand.
In the San Diego Padres’ last 10 overall against the Rockies, they are only 3-7 SU with seven of their last nine going Over.
While the Padres are only 5-5 SU in their last 10 overall against the Dodgers, there have been 2 Overs and 8 Unders.
The NL ended an All-Star game losing streak to the AL in this year’s All-Star game taking homefield for the World Series.
But homefield advantage won’t mean a thing if the NL teams don’t win the World Series.
4 Steps To Actively Personal Transformational Leadership
Perhaps the most fundamental characteristic of leadership, and transformational leaders, therefore, is personal leadership. The leadership ability to define what you want out of life and how you are going to get there is the first step in developing leadership. To define what you want out of life and how you lead there is the first step in developing the ability to get going. With that being the starting point, it all seems pretty local, however there are other parts to the experience that are not always easy to access. With that being the starting point, it all looks good locally, but there are experiences that are not always easy to have access to other parts.
As a transformational leader there are many uncertainties to navigate. A transformational leader, as there are many uncertainties to navigate. There will be times when you are shaken to your core, and put in positions that you would not likely have chosen to be in, had you the choice. There are times when you’re shaking your core will be, and the posts that you are not likely to be chosen to be kept, you had the choice. Nevertheless, there you are, in the situation, and the person that can help you out right now, is You. Nevertheless, there you are in a position, and the person that can help you right now, you are. You are the one that will make a choice as to what you will do next. You will do next as you’ll have to make a choice are.
Knowing about your BEING as much as your DOING will assist you in finding your own guidance on the matter. As much as you’re having your thing you will assist in finding your own guide to learn about. Any experienced leader will tell you that it is a mixture of head and heart that will guide you to your destination. An experienced leader to tell you that it is a mixture of head and heart that will guide you to your destination. Personal transformational leadership is about more than doing. Personal Transformational leadership is about doing more. It is about being the master of your internal and external realities. About its internal and external realities is the owner.
Here are some steps that can guide you on your path: here are some steps that can guide you on your way:
1.Know who you are
This is critical. This is important. If you are able to define who you are, and never lose sight of that, you have a solid standpoint to come from. If you are able to define who you are and never lose sight of that, you got a solid approach. There will be forces that seek to pull or push you off your path, and you may be taken off track more than once. There are forces that push pull or you’ll be looking my way, and you can be taken off the track more than once. If you can know who you are, you can return to that, time and time again. If you know who you are, you think, can return to time and time again. When all when everyone
Characteristic of leadership
else around you makes no sense, you can trust yourself. Someone around you makes no sense, you can rely on yourself.
2.Be prepared to change
Life is change. Life changing. Change is all around us. Change is all around us. What we see in front of us, may not always be what is real. We see before us, can not always do what is true. Our minds can trick us into believing all kinds of lies about ourselves, others and the world around us. All kinds of our minds can trick us into believing lies about themselves, others and the world around us. If you are willing to shift your perspective, and be flexible, your Transformational Leadership journey will be easier to walk. If you’re willing to shift your perspective and be flexible, easy to visit their transformational leadership will be running.
3.Do what it takes – lead by example
When you are willing to do what it takes to change for the better, or to weather adverse situations, others are more likey to respect that. When you do to it better, or to adverse weather conditions to change are willing to take, respect others and are more likey to do that. If you are asking others to change, they will most likely check your integrity before they fully commit to the vision, mission or goal. If you are asking others to change, they will most likely check their integrity before they fully vision, is committed to the mission or goal. They want to be able to trust you, and you are willing to lead by example, you increase the chances of that happening. They want to be able to trust you, and you are ready to lead by example, you increase the chances of that happening.
4.Be Authentic (Yourself)
In a nutshell, it is about being authentic. In short, it’s about being authentic. The real you, as you are. You real, as you are. Be honest and be human. Be honest and be human. We are all in this together. We’re in this together. If you are trying to be someone else, or wear a mask to influence or manipulate others to follow, they will eventually see through it. You to someone else, or to influence or manipulate others to follow are trying to wear masks, they eventually will see through it. Besides, it takes a huge amount of energy to keep that facade up, doesn’t it?. Also, it takes an enormous amount of energy to keep the mask, right?. Being yourself, you can relax, and focus on the most important issues, rather than being stressed out and anxious about how others are going to see you. Being yourself, you relax, and can focus on the important issues, rather than being stressed out and anxious about how others are watching you.
As a transformational leader, you can activate your personal transformational leadership by being aware of yourself. As a transformational leader, by being aware of you own personal transformational leadership can activate. Be willing to change the parts of you that no longer serve you or those around you. You ready to change the parts that no longer serve you or you keep them around. Then you will be respected for who you are, not just for what you do. If you do not you just for who you are, will be respected.
Three Dilemmas For Women in Management – Secrets for You to Get Past Them
There are a lot of challenges that women in management face on a daily basis but some of the toughest to master relate to managing themselves, the culture and their employees. The so-called soft business challenges. Through our experiences working with women in management, we have placed them into three categories - risk taking, lack of growth and decisions around firing someone.
Women in management are often encouraged to take risks. Easier for some; harder for others. But it’s impossible to grow a business yet along a career, without taking some chances. The issue is the perception in taking risks and fearing failure. If however, failure in this context is seen as growth, gaining important experience and not labeled as a failure, then more women in management as well as men would be inclined to take more calculated risks.
The challenge is to remove this stigma of failure from those who are willing to try. In order to make it more likely that others will take risks when they see that the positives far outweigh the negatives.
The key is to focus on the lessons that result from the mistake. The biggest impediments for women in management, goes back to beliefs and experience and how they are imbedded within the culture of the work group or organization.
One of the real benefits of hiring a diverse group of employees from different backgrounds is that it may enable you to gradually build a business culture that is less punitive about risk. People of different backgrounds will approach success and failure differently.
By hiring people with different levels of risk aversive attitudes, you are maximizing your chance for positive results. It just needs to be embedded into the culture. It’s a constant challenge and learning process that fortunately becomes easier with practice.
The second challenge that women in management face is hitting a career plateau where the current job does not provide the energy and passion to drive success. This applies to individuals as well as organizations. Many women in management may hit a brick wall and struggle with maintaining the energy to keep driving results. Without this energy and passion, both your career and organization could suffer.
Women in management can overcome this plateau by understanding that all leaders, from CEO to entry-level, need to continue to learn, train and reinvent themselves. Likewise, the business itself also needs to grow and change. What got you to the first 100 million in sales may not get you to the 200 million. Focus on growth is the key to get unstuck
Accepting and dealing with change for women in management is important because their competition will also be growing and changing as well. Typically a new business begins by being outwardly focused on the markets and customers. Then as success develops, volume and stuff increase and the leaders will then look inwards to concentrate on the systems and infrastructure to maintain the growth and not have things fall through the cracks.
When competition comes along, it is then necessary for women in management to switch focus back to the outside. This whole process of reinventing yourself and your organization by assessing and changing your internal and external focus is critical.
Finally, women in management positions often face difficult hiring and firing issues as the organization grows. People who were right for certain positions may not be any more as the company evolves. One of the most difficult situations is, knowing when to get rid of someone who is marginal.
The textbook answer suggests that, hedging the bet for too long is not beneficial to anyone. Though these situations seem uncomfortable, it is generally the case that your employee knows she is not succeeding. In fact, the change often becomes a turning point for them. There is also the case in which an employee is excellent at her job, but does not fit in with the culture. Though it is an extremely difficult act for women in management to get rid of a good, income-producing employee, it is generally more important to maintain a positive work culture.
All of these issues impact women in management’s ability to achieve personal and business success. How you deal and interact to these challenges on a regular basis will determine how successful you will be.
It is important for women in management to keep in mind, however that, like anything else, running a company is a learning process and you are sure to improve as time goes on. Presuming you will not blame yourself for failures but look at them as learning opportunities and chances to improve.
Timeless Wisdom For Modern Leaders – Lead with Possibility Thinking
Lead with Possibility Thinking
Wise leaders are possibility thinkers. They look for opportunities for development, where others are talking about problems.
Solomon says: “The intelligent man is always open to new ideas. In fact, he looks for them.”
The aim of wise leaders is to develop the accepted facts so they can create the new, better, or greater “something” that will endure over their lifetime and well beyond.
With the big picture of the desired situation in mind, leaders seek perspective that stimulates new ways of thinking and viewing. This releases energy into planning programs and activities for moving ahead.
In the same way, wise leaders support their team in the direction of their envisioned positive future. They impart their vision complete with attractive opportunities for team members to create and contribute to greater value for customers, employees and stakeholders. Not only do they inspire the team, but they also support each individual so all team members are lined up and happily pulling in the same direction.
Solomon says: “Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts.”
Our thoughts are powerful resource in creating what we want – or don’t want. They direct our actions and shape our lives and futures.
Whatever we dwell upon and think about grows and expands in our individual lives. Our thoughts are like seeds in a garden. What we plant today will grow tomorrow. If we plant roses, we reap roses. If we plant weeds, we will reap weeds.
Someone once said that we will be what we are thinking of each day. We therefore need to be aware of how we use our ability to think and how it will affect our lives and leadership.
When we are focusing our thoughts toward a positive future we become more full of energy, self-confidence and joy. Each situation we face becomes a positive one when we decide to see it as an opportunity to learn, grow, and develop toward the achievement of our deepest dreams.
Solomon says: “The wicked man’s fears will all come true, and so will the good man’s hopes.”
Our thoughts and internal pictures are continually affecting our achievement.
If we grow positive expectations, they will lead to better performance. They become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
When we focus on the possibility of success, we will act decisively and with optimism. We realize – that is we make real – that which we see within us.
All things are created twice: First inside, in our thinking, and then outside, in our doing. We are creating first mentally what we then physically implement, step-by-step, in our development process.
When we grow in possibility thinking, we are moving ourselves towards what we want. The opposite is problem thinking that concentrates on what is not working or is wrong.
A possibility thinker moves the question from “What it is that is not working?” To “What do we need to do to make it work?”
A wise leader strengthens the group by encouraging members to focus on the positive side of every situation and to see each other as resources for their development and success.
A positive and constructive approach towards our business environment gives us rewards in several dimensions.
Solomon says: “When a man is gloomy, everything seems to go wrong; when he is cheerful, everything seems right!”
Wise leaders understand their role to be supportive of the individuals as well as the group to make choices toward positive pictures of the future.
With an attitude of faith in the team’s capability to handle the challenges that lies ahead wise leaders keep the hope alive. This helps the group to create an attitude of faith in the future and to build the determination to go there.
Likewise, the leader supports the group with reflections about the performance and thinking processes that have led to success in the past.
What are the three or four most important things we have done that has brought us to where we are today? What are we most proud of having accomplished?
Leadership is a major resource within us.
Solomon says: “A cheerful heart does good like medicine, but a broken spirit makes one sick!”
To see things from the brighter side is a prerequisite for a healthy and active life. We feel better and live longer.
Feelings are infectious, and when we radiate an attitude of wellbeing it lifts others. Wise leaders feel good about themselves and infect others with their good humor. This includes being able to laugh at themselves and their situation from time to time.
They see their coworkers as valuable and important for the company’s overall success, which helps create a culture where everyone is optimistic, responsible and serving each other and an organization’s customers with pride and joy.
Solomon says: “Only a simpleton believes what he is told! A prudent man checks to see where he is going.”
Thinking positively of the future is not the same as being naive.
Even if wise leaders are optimistic and recognize the positive about the future, they understand that setbacks, difficulties and suffering will come. It is a natural part of life and entrepreneurship that strengthen the passion and the purpose.
Solomon says: “A prudent man foresees the difficulties ahead and prepares for them; the simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences.”
It is the ability to offer constructive analysis—to help ourselves to insight and self-knowledge—that gives a way out of the feelings of dejection we sometimes encounter.
Adversities inspire us in this way to grow despite the situation and to make the best of everything that happens. Wise leaders don’t just ignore problems. They acknowledge them, think positively, they analyze, course correct, and move ahead.
To become a wiser leader:
• See the future as a possibility and an asset.
• Constantly look for opportunities for development.
• Focus your thoughts on what you want to achieve.
• Be aware that you are creating that which you expect – so expect what you want!
• Believe in yourself and your capacity.
• Look at other people as an abundant resource for development and success.
• Recognize that it is your choices, decisions, and actions, not your circumstances that determine how the future will be.
• Look for that which is good and constructive in all situations.
• Embrace humor and laugh at yourself and your situation now and then.
• Regularly exercise and build energy in a playful way.
21st Century Leadership Empowers Leaders at Every Level
Historically a new-hire moved from learning the required tasks of their particular job to eventually understanding the goals, strengths, and weaknesses of the business in an orderly way – often having as much to do with their getting older as with their getting better, smarter, or more capable.
They were then promoted from actually doing the work as a productive part of the organization, to supervising others who are on their way up.
Much later, if the politics of birth, etc. were right, he moved from telling selected people what to do, to the head of the business where he now taught what he knew to the people who were telling the others what to do.
That went on until it was time or past time for him to be let out to pasture.
That was then, “Doing it Right” is now and the future.
“Doing it Right” is based on the principles of right action, the right people doing the right things in the right way and for the right reasons.
For instance, in 2006 a new-hire may know as much or more about the right way as the old man.
The right way to do things is only the right way if it results in pushing us in the right direction.
The old man has valuable insights the new-hire needs to understand, sooner rather than later, about what really is the right direction. And the people in the middle add value to those below and above them.
Contributions to future success come from all levels of the enterprise – and its not just the boys any more.
The problem in many companies is that everyone has their picture of the right ways, the right directions, and the right reasons. They assume their picture is what everyone else is seeing.
A few years ago there was a lot ink dedicated to the revolutionary idea of the “flattened hierarchy” style of management, where bureaucratic organizations were eliminating some if not most of the levels within their organization.
The idea was to get ideas, strategies, etc. from the top to the very bottom in 2-3 steps. This was supposed to enhance communications, efficiencies, innovations, etc. This was so obvious. What was the big deal?
The vast majority of all businesses already had that sort of organization in place. And they were not any better at doing things right. Just because they did not have the money to have more levels of management did not mean they were more productive.
Today companies are successful not because of their organization charts but because of an internal attitude that supports the principles of doing it right.
The 21st Century version of the flattened hierarchy is to empower individuals wherever they are in the organization to step outside their defined boxes and contribute.
It is about an atmosphere of learning, doing, and teaching simultaneously by everyone to everyone for the benefit of everyone.
When the machine operators, supervisors, managers, and owner/operators (you fill in your job descriptions) effortlessly pass information and respect up, down, across, and around the organization, they’ve got it.
If a new-hire thinks they know best about how things should be done, they should be taught why, in terms of the organizations mission to help them confirm to themselves and others that their idea are valid.
Or to teach them more about the direction we are headed to make sure their how will actually take them that way.
The old man needs to know what to look for when putting on more new hires and promoting more people into the roles of a successful 21st Century company.
The more he knows about what is really going on out there on the floor, in the community, and the industry, the better choices he can make.
The people in the middle, the supervisors and team leaders, traditionally being pushed from one direction and pulled from the other, need to learn how to effectively turn this pressure into steam that drives the organization.
So, what is my point? Well it is not your dads or granddads business environment any more. And if that is true how can everyone contribute as team members, cooperate as team players, to create a winning team?
First an atmosphere free of traditional labor vs management must be present. In the 21st Century long-term interdependent relationships based on this old model will not survive.
There is more external competition than we can stand already, we do not need it inside the organization too.
Second the people at the top must admit that they do not know everything and that just because their partner’s daughter is twenty three and has been there four months, does not mean she doesn’t have excellent/valid input into the way things ought to be.
Third everybody else must admit that just because the boss is old (55+) does not mean he “just doesn’t get it” and that he will “never change.” Both groups have so much to offer the team and being able to offer it without fear of criticism is mandatory.
And finally there should be a structured way of systematically reinforcing the right actions we understand, learning the ones we don’t, and communicating them within the organization.
Human nature keeps drawing us back to where we are comfortable, so we need a continual push until the new place is more comfortable than the old.
The introduction and reinforcement of right action strategies is the purpose of “Doing it Right,Realizing Your Company’s Potential.”
It dovetails with existing task oriented training to provide the framework for overall actions.
It provides a context for sponsoring organizations, trade associations for example, to better serve their constituencies by providing a framework around their existing educational programs.
The principles of right actions are vital for you personal and business success “Doing it Right” may offer you the best way to establish and maintain those right actions.
And now, its content is available online at no charge. There will be no more excuses for not doing it right.
Women Entrepreneurs
A successful future depends as much as anything else on engaging all members of the community, especially women and the poor, in a constructive manner. Casting a spotlight on women entrepreneurs all over the world, they are fast becoming entrepreneurs to be reckoned with. In large numbers, more than ever before, women are stepping away from traditional economic roles, and venturing into businesses of their own.
In every imaginable field, and even in the most “masculine” of fields, female entrepreneurs are overcoming obstacles and challenges to achieve great success.
Many changes are taking place all over the world, opening up many doors for entrepreneurs of both genders, creating massive opportunities. Manufacturing is on the decline in many first world countries, but the growth of service industries is on the increase.Globalization of the markets and competition, new technology and instant communication, is paving the way to many new opportunities. The way we used to communicate in the past is long gone, opening up for many new opportunities, and women are taking advantage of this gap in the marketplace.
Change is inevitable and taking place at an accelerated pace in developing countries, with modernization happening rapidly, with the result that females are becoming a powerful, driving force in growing, and developing economies the world over.
Due to changes in the world economy, the place of women in business has changed dramatically.
New opportunities have opened up new challenges, fulfilling the need for greater demand of skills and knowledge.
Therefore new ways of thinking should be examined.
The style and way women lead is particularly valuable in the marketplace.
Should you be piqued to find out more about women entrepreneurs, why not contact us today?