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Acting the manager…
An interesting article about some of the talents and skills needed to be an effective manager
Chalk and Cheese…
Employee segmentation is an important consideration for all organisations, large and small. This article tales a practical look at the subject.
Rewards Rethink …
This article provides some interesting insights into the impact of rewards and incentives
Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire ...
Liars have always been amongst us and the telling of lies is hardly a new concern. Everyone tells lies, to some extent at least. In fact, one study performed by psychologist Robert Feldman at the University of Massachusetts found that 60% of people lied at least once during a 10-minute conversation, telling an average of two to three lies. (1) This human propensity to lie has been repeatedly identified in all kinds of studies. It is just part of what we do and it is almost as if we are genetically programmed to lie. That said, studies also show, that for the majority of us, our lying is confined to the ‘white lie’ category without any major consequences for us or others.
Elephants are self-aware ... you'd wonder about some humans though!
Elephants are self-aware. At least, they are, based on the findings of research conducted many years ago at Bronx Zoo with Asian elephants. According to the study, reported in LiveScience[i],just the researchers using specially designed mirrors proved that elephants can indeed recognize their own reflections, something until then it was believed that only humans, apes and to some extent dolphins could do. One of the results that surprised the researchers was just how quickly the elephants came to terms with their own image and began interacting with the mirror. They did not appear to mistake their reflections for strangers and try to greet them, as the researchers had suspected they might do. It is believed that this self-awareness contributes to the social complexity seen in elephant herds and could be linked to the empathy and concern for others in the group that they have been known to display. Even now, the researchers believe we know but a fraction about their true capacity for self-awareness.
WDYDWYD? - A short story to help you reflect
Life went whizzing by.
The elderly man had just stepped down from the train and was steadying himself for a moment on the busy platform; as usual, it took him a while to adapt to all the to-ing and fro-ing. Out of the corner of his eye, he spied a quiet spot behind a pillar to his right and then, as if swimming against a shoal of humanity, he weaved his way to the calmness and placed his small suitcase on the ground.
In that welcome pool of tranquility, standing with his back to the pillar and holding his hands rigidly by his side, he began to stretch out his aching back - as his doctor had shown him how to do - by shifting his shoulders slightly upwards and gently moving his head up-and-down and from side-to-side. Then he began to raise himself up on his tippy-toes, or as close to that goal as the old legs would muster, whilst slowly moving his hands away from his body in a sort of flapping motion.
From a distance he looked as if he was attempting to levitate, or for those under the influence of narcotics, to take-off in slow motion; at least that’s how it appeared to the two laughing teenagers on a nearby train who, using their cell phones, were now capturing the strange ritual unfolding before their glazed-eyes. This is awesome grass, dude.
