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For millions of people, public speaking is a fear that they cannot overcome. Some experts believe that it is because it is the fear of speaking to peers or people who the speaker perceives to know more about whatever subject they are speak about. This occurs even though to become a public speaker, one needs to be proficient in the subject.

Even the most seasoned public speaker will get butterflies in their stomach just before their appearance. No one is immune to this. It does not matter if you are speaking to a group of a thousand or a group of ten that little knot in your stomach is the fear that you will freeze at the podium or worse.

Studies have shown that the fear of public speaking is not an isolated event. One study showed that forty percent of people were so afraid to speak in public, that they could safely say that they would never consider a position where it was necessary.

There are many studies on this subject. One such study done was a study of fear. When the group in the study were asked question related to public speaking, seventy percent of them agreed that they would only speak in public in a panic situation.

In still another study, eighty percent of those asked responded that they would rather face eminent death before speaking in front of large crowds of people.

It takes a special kind of person to become a public speaker. It not only requires you to have knowledge on a specific subject, you also need to be strong and confident as well as skilled at the art of public speaking.

There are several things that you can do to perfect your public speaking skills if you choose to add this to your career. A good public speaker will create a lasting impression when they speak in front of a large crowd.

When you are a public speaker, you need to be confident enough to deliver a speech that is compelling and convincing whether the audience is large or small. A well-delivered speech does not only make the audience respond favorably, it also make the person delivering the speech feel like they are on top of the world.

Fear is a normal part of life. It is our defense mechanism that warns us upon impending danger. While in most cases of public speaking the danger does not apply, fear of looking foolish in front of great crowds is a normal reaction. Nobody is perfect, and a fear of making mistakes is what keeps millions of people from becoming public speakers.

No one who is a successful public speaker was born that way. Even the most seasoned speaker has had years of practice. There are many places where you can practice speaking; you can practice in front of a mirror, in your car on your way to work, or even in the shower. When you are ready to try your hand at speaking in front of people, use your family as the audience. Practice is the most powerful tool that can use to improve your public speaking skills.

In order to be a successful public speaker, you have to have confidence. This is something that is gained over time. When you practice, you are also building confidence. It is important that you overcome any fear of public speaking. If you give in to fear, it will take away any chance you have of becoming a public speaker. When you overcome your fear, you are effectively eliminating any limitations you may have.

Nobody in this world is perfect. The majority of people who have a fear of public speaking have that fear because they see flaws within themselves. They are afraid that they will fail; therefore they do not even try.

The power of the mind is an incredible thing. If you can convince yourself that you can succeed at public speaking, you are taking the necessary steps to improve your life. Having a positive attitude will only aid in your quest for a successful public speaking career.

About this Author

Leon Edward helps people improve IQ, focus, public speaking, memory, concentration, creativity, speed reading, time management and reducing stress. Download his IQ Mind Brain Memory Self-Help library at his website http://www.IQMindBrainLibrary.com

Leon Edward helps people improve in Goal Setting, Success, Leadership, Motivation, Self-Improvement, Happiness, Memory Improvement, Stress Reduction and more through his articles, blogs, reports and self-help success roladex-on-line. Visit his Success-Leadership Library, Articles and blog at http://www.AwesomeSuccess.org

Leon Edward Helps people to start, grow and maximize online business income with training articles, reviews, marketing log… ideas and opportunities. Download his FREE Report – How to Find A Solid Home Business Opportunity without Getting Scammed! – Find online business training articles, an internet business in a box, FREE Content , starting a business free ideas, residual internet income opportunities and top network marketing home based businesses… all at http://www.HomeBusinessIT.com

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A home-based business becomes for the business owner, an entity in and of itself. Because so much hard work, blood, sweat and tears goes into every home-based business, it is easy to view it as having a “life” of its own and a home-based business can be more real to the business owner than anything else in their lives.

However, there is also a dark side to a home-based business, especially one that is failing miserably. Part of being successful within a work-at-home dream also means knowing “when” to quit, or “fold”. A home-based business can be like a game of cards, when the “losses” exceed the “wins”, it may be time to give up on the business and either start another one, or look into other forms of outside employment.

It has been said, “that most entrepreneurs fail three to five times” before they actually start a business that succeeds. Although it is imperative that entrepreneurs be persistent, not being able to accept failure, when it is obvious that failure has occurred, can be extremely detrimental.

So, how does an entrepreneur “know” when it is time to give up or when they should continue? Simple, the amount of actual “suffering” needs to be measured. The following “suffering measurement” should take into account:

1. What type of debt the entrepreneur is accruing, and how many bills and necessary needs are being neglected. No one should live without food, clothing, shelter or the necessary medical care needed for a gratifying life. If a home-based business is constantly leaving the business owner without funds with which to sustain life, then it is probably time to quit.

2. What type of emotional pain is the entrepreneur facing? If the business has become so stressful because of mounting debt, or the entrepreneur’s family is turning against them because of the business, then it is probably time to quit.

3. If there is a chance of losing a home or other holdings and property because of the bills engendered during the business, then it is probably time to quit.

4. If the frustration of having the business and handling the day to day operations surrounding the business is greater than the pleasure of owning the business, then it is probably time to quit.

Notice I have only mentioned the fact that it is “probably time to quit”. No one but the actual business owner can sufficiently measure when a business should be declared a failure and when they, the business owner, should walk away.

Let’s face it, even older businesses can face renewed challenges to their survival. Markets can change drastically sometimes, seemingly overnight. Consumer behavior also can change quickly. Newer businesses can face start-up challenges, but older businesses can encounter significant “bumps in the road” to business success as well.

All the above factors need to be weighed carefully before deciding either to “quit” or “stay” with the home-based business.

There are some methods that can be successful for alleviating some of the financial and emotional stress that accompanies a failing business:

1. An outside source of employment can be taken “temporarily”, and the business can be worked on “part-time” in an entrepreneur’s free time.

2. Loans and grants can be taken to alleviate financial strains until the business becomes solvent.

3. The entrepreneur can enlist the aid of family and friends, by allowing them to “buy into” the business, or by forming an LLC (Limited Liability Corporation), wherein the business owner is no longer solely responsible for debts or liabilities. Most new business owners start with a Sole Proprietorship model, so switching to the more encompassing LLC may indeed aid the business in its quest for survival.

4. Business owners can “downsize” their expenditures, both in the business, and in their personal lives. Downsizing of expenditures can literally save thousands per month and may indeed “save” the business from ruin!

In reality, there is no “shame” in failure. Failure at anything only teaches valuable lessons, lessons that may be incorporated into success at another time! If you’re suffering in your home-based business, don’t allow pride to stop you from admitting defeat and moving forward in another area of life! That’s what being an entrepreneur is really all about.

———–
Vishal P. Rao is the owner of Work at Home Forum, an online community of people who work from home.
———–

No novice cook can consider themselves a gourmet cook. Achieving that status comes only at the end of a long road of cooking. Like any other art …. it takes practice, practice, practice to become a gourmet cook.

Perhaps it comes after long years of schooling where cooking, cooking, cooking is the word of the day and the end result is working in a top notch A – list restaurant in New York or Paris.

Then again. . ….. maybe the mother at home cooking meals every day for her family one day finds herself spending hours in the kitchen preparing one meal.. just because .. and loving it.

Could there possibly be a working mother who one time found preparing meals at the end of a long work day extremely tedious … finding herself looking for that extra special recipe for her husband’s birthday meal?

However achieved ….. it is after years of study and practice or years of doing everyday meals that one becomes a part of the “gourmet cooking world”.. suddenly opening up to the fact that not all recipes are the same .. and that cooking food has suddenly become an exciting challenge and fun.

Suddenly you can tell by just looking at a recipe whether it will taste good or not., how healthy it is, how appropriate to fill a “mood” …… simply by the combination of ingredients and spices and herbs and flavorings.

Those recipes that in the past seemed way too complicated or intricate now beckon you enticingly and family and friends begin looking forward to each and every meal you serve.

Your table settings become more simply elegant.

You find yourself looking more and more at kitchen “gadgets”.

In response to comments such as “that must have taken you forever to make” you honestly answer.. “oh not at all.. it really was simple!!”

To you .. the gourmet cook … it didn’t take long at all and it was simple.

To the novice cook .. it would take an eternity … far far from simple… and if you stop to think… that was you not all that long ago.

You have become a gourmet cook without even trying.

Your life cooking will never ever be the same as it was.

No longer will you be satisfied to make those “meat, potatoes and gravy” meals without that extra “something” in it.

No longer will you be satisfied to set your table without having candles on it.

No longer will you be able to let anyone leave the table without that one taste of sweetness that is dessert to balance the meal.

Perhaps you have recognized that in yourself … perhaps you haven’t … even though it is there.

Gourmet Cook.

It is not just the well schooled in France who achieve that status.

Congratulations!

You are an achiever!

Get great indispensable tools for the gourmet cook here…. Put a smile on YOUR gourmet cook’s face [http://www.usfreeads.com/993345-cls.html]!

Socialisation is so vitally important that it almost outweighs all other considerations. The fear of infections has led breeders and owners alike to make the tragic mistake of keeping their puppies isolated until they have completed their vaccinations. By taking this stance they risk ending up with a fearful, timid dog that may become aggressive in later life, (FACT) “95% of all reported dog bites are fear related”.

Owners should strike a commonsense balance. Puppies, especially from birth through to 16 weeks must be exposed to a variety of experiences including people, places, and meeting other vaccinated dogs (this is perfectly safe). There are many activities and places to take dogs, without endangering their health or their lives. It is vital that you take the time to expose your new pup to as many of these situations as possible. This is especially true for one’s second or third dog; it is too easy to keep the new pup in the company of the older dogs, depriving him of the opportunity to develop self-confidence of his own, without relying totally on the older dog/s and their protection.

There is a vaccination that has been available for two years, where the full course can be administered by ten weeks rather than the normal twelve, therefore allowing two extra vital weeks of socialisation. The vaccine is made by Intervet and is called Nobivac D.H.P.P.I/L. I would discuss this with your Vet, if they don’t supply it ask why?

Having said all that, genetics as well as socialisation ie Nature x Nurture have a major impact on your dog’s ability to cope successfully with life. Some are so solid genetically that whatever life throws at them they just bounce back. I have a little rescue Jack Russell/Dachund cross whose early experiences were so horrific that he should have every hang up in the book, the abuse and injuries suffered by this poor dog included his leg being fractured and snapped out of the hip socket, and all his ribs systematically broken.

Over a period of time and with the ministrations of a fabulous veterinary nurse I was asked to look at his temperament with a view to rehoming. After meeting him and hearing his awful story I decided to treat and rehome him with me. He has now made a full recovery, his confidence has soared, once again he loves and trusts people, his tail a constant blur is testament to his ability to cope with everything life has thrown at him. So despite a traumatic start “the abuse started at four months old” he has overcome this and is now one of the nicest and most loving dogs I have ever owned.

Unfortunately other dogs are not so genetically sound. Even with an ideal environment, early socialisation and the perfect owner. This will not be enough to help these hereditary unstable dogs. Their genetic temperament can and will determine how much improvement in personality and social skills the dog can achieve. It is about time that some breeders came to the realisation that that temperament not looks or conformity should be the main reason for breeding. Not money or accolades!

Don’t expect a 100% cure there is no miracle word or magic wand, and don’t underestimate the amount of work involved. Yes you can create a less fearful and anxiety ridden dog but only to the level that the dog can sustain. The type of owner or trainer that believes that the fearful dog should be thrust headlong into every situation, and that it will desensitise and cure them are I am afraid sadly disillusioned.

The old trick of throwing a child into a swimming pool in the hope it would quickly learn to swim, is now hopefully outdated and outmoded, it achieved nothing except possibly leaving the victim with a lifelong fear of water. Crashing headlong into circumstances the dog cannot cope with will normally produce similar results.

You should also give careful consideration as the whether you want, or indeed have the time the stamina and the patience to treat and work with a dog that has irrational fears and phobias. If you do not possess the above traits, it may be better for both of you to separate and the dog be rehomed with someone that is hopefully experienced with this type of dog, and who has the necessary temperament to deal with a dog that can at the best of times exasperate and at the worst infuriate.

Distance Learning

To gain and improve a dog’s confidence and reduce the level of anxiety and timidity you need to use a consistent, gentle, positive, and measured approach. If you try to speed up the process beyond the capability of the dog, then you will go backwards and your dog’s new found confidence will plummet. Firstly you must work out the distance where your dog feels fearful of a given situation, let’s say it is another dog, then you need to approach the dog with yours on a lead, do not tighten the lead as this will convey your own anxiety to your dog. Watch your dog’s body language as soon as you see any submissive, aggressive or fearful reaction then stop and back up until the dog is relaxed again.

Once you have found the distance that allows the dog to relax then either treat or play with your dog using a favoured toy. What we are looking for is a positive association whereby the dog sees the feared object which could be anything from a vacuum cleaner to a bus. As a matter of interest dogs will not take food when they are fearful or stressed. This is instinctual as the flight mode kicks in, your dog does not want a full stomach when it may need to run away. This can also be used as an indicator of the dog’s state of mind even if there are no outward signs of distress.

Move in stages a little closer to whatever is causing the aggression or fear keep talking and reassuring the dog, you should be aiming to stay at a distance that allows the dog to feel reasonably relaxed. Gradually, over what could be many sessions you should reach the point where the dog will be comfortable, even though he is near to the object that caused the initial fear/reaction. Irrespective of whether it is another dog, place, or object gradual desensitisation should work for all.

Play or Training Therapy

There is an exception to this, if the dog has been recently frightened say by fireworks, you can actually act very blasé and go immediately outside and play with toys such as balls or Frisbees even a training session where you can praise for actions other than the fear this can be done whilst the noise is going on. You may therefore overcome a potential problem immediately.

Why this works is the same principal as for instance flying, the plane suddenly hits a lot of turbulence, watch everyone’s first reactions, they look to the Stewards/Stewardesses to see if they are showing anxiety. If they are calm and acting perfectly normally then our anxiety and fear also dissipates. It is worth trying this tactic when your dog has any negative experience, even though it does not appear too affected, just in case of a potential phobia later on.

Focused Attention

One way of getting your dog to overcome certain fear situations is to gain the dog’s attention with treats, toys or your voice as you walk past whatever is causing the problem. This has a similar effect as using distance because the dog is thinking about something else instead. Therefore the intensity of the fear is reduced.

You will need treats or toys for this method I recommend either cheese, liver, or puffed jerky, do not use treats to lure dogs keep them out of sight till required. Sit next to the dog and call its name, it is even better if you can get a partner or friend to help on the other side, sit the dog between you and your partner or friend and say the dog’s name. If he doesn’t look at you, give his ear a gentle tug to gain his attention so that he turns his head towards you, As soon as this happens praise and treat enthusiastically or play or use a toy, get your partner/friend to do the same and keep repeating back and forth for a few minutes, do this regularly and for the rest of the dogs life, and he/she should always respond enthusiastically whenever his name is mentioned. Never use the dogs name in a negative situation, ie do not scold or punish using his/her name. Once you have got the dog to acknowledge his name then start these exercises:

To start focused attention say the dogs name and move immediately away from the dog when he moves towards and with you PRAISE and TREAT/PLAY immediately you can use a clicker for the praise or a target word, I use the word “good” in these circumstances. Remember to not show the treat until you are ready to give it or it will become part of the command.

When you give the treat try and align it between both yours and the dog’s eyes this will make sure you are making good eye contact after a while you will see the dog making eye contact regularly you can treat this action at this time so as to embed it. Do these sequences at least 4 times in a row, ie name/move/praise/treat. The repetition is what teaches the dog to maintain that attention until you give the release command. The release command can be OK or whatever you choose to use. Practice this everywhere you go including training classes.

What you are looking for by performing these exercises is to tune out outside influences including the ones that are causing a fear or aggressive response. Once you can comfortably perform this exercise use it to move gradually ever closer to the problem you are trying to overcome. Over time you can momentarily release the dogs attention, increase this as you would using the distance technique, if you get a fear response then you have moved too far too fast. And you must go back to where the dog last felt comfortable.

Punishment is not an Option

It is of no use whatsoever punishing the dog for its fearful actions, this only causes more stress and therefore more fearful behaviour, therefore in the case of interdog aggression even more defensive behaviour, remember the dog had really only three choices when confronted with a fearful situation these are commonly listed as the three Fs. Freeze, Flight or Fight. If the first two are found not to work the third one kicks in.

Let’s take the vacuum cleaner as an example. If you had watched your pup from the first time it was confronted by this “demon of the dark abyss” he would more than likely have crouched down as low as possible his body rigid, if the noise and the monster continued the puppy would have run away, probably under a table or a chair and if it came closer it would have growled and snarled probably making darting and biting motions especially when you playfully pushed the Hoover closer to see the pups reaction. Anything ring a bell?

Some pups will be SO traumatised by the noise and the movement of the cleaner that they go into total freeze mode, our initial instinct would be to pick up and cuddle and comfort the frightened puppy. Perfectly natural human behaviour, something is frightened then nurture it. Unfortunately to a dogs mind this indicates that it is being praised for the fear, confirming his need to be fearful. If this happens when to pup is between 8 to 11.5 week old, which is the first of several fear periods throughout the dog’s life, then that fear could be so deep rooted as to be almost impossible to eradicate completely.

Obedience Classes?

Some dogs that are fearful or timid may benefit from a training class especially one that uses positive methods. I, the case of a rescue dog or any adult dog that you have rehomed, I would wait at least six weeks before embarking on this method. Some very fearful dogs may be too nervous for class work until you’ve done some remedial work first. A private trainer or behaviourist should be able to help structure a positive approach to build up confidence in your dog, and also help determine when the dog is capable of class work.

Do not make your dog jump into the deep end at classes or you can go undo all the good work so far. Initially keep the dog on the outer edge of the class and at a distance from anything the dog fears. If you’ve developed focused attention before starting class, then this will be extremely useful for helping the dog relax in these situations. Some dogs may need several visits starting with very short periods at a time before actually participating in the classes. Unfortunately some dogs may never be able to function well enough for this type of remedial work.

What Other Treatments Could Help?

Change of Diet: A good quality food helps in many cases, most cheap food has cereal as filler, this can lead to a lack of serotonin, and low serotonin has been linked to aggression and anxiety. Feeding a good quality dog food has other benefits, it need not be more expensive as you do not require as much to get the same calorific intake, so it works out good value for money, but more importantly you are giving your dog a scientifically developed formula that is best for him or her. The nervous dog who eats a food overly-high in protein or sugar can experience even higher levels of anxiety. Therefore consider switching to a food with slightly lower protein levels.

To check on the level of protein of your dog’s food, look on the back or side of the dog food bag or can, where the percentage of protein will be listed. Levels usually vary from 14% (for aged dogs) all the way up to 25% (for puppies and working dogs). I am not a fan of canned food I find a quality dry all in one food is a much better option,especially with the fearful phobic dog

If a nervous, hyper dog eats food with protein levels at around 22%, for example, consider trying a food with 18-20% protein. Doing so may help calm him down. If done in conjunction with regular exercise and desensitisation program.

These are a number of homeopathic and mainstream drugs that can be used in situations of stress, fear, aggression, barking, and noise aversion etc; these are a few of the ones available:

• Dr Bach’s Flower Remedies: They are made from wild flowers. These gentle remedies are used to help relieve emotional and stress related disturbances in people and animals. The most common one used is Dr Bach’s Rescue Remedy Available Me,Chemist, health food shop or internet

• Skullcap and Valerian: A traditional herbal remedy for the symptomatic relief of anxiety, nervousness, excitability and travel sickness, and an adjunct in the treatment of epilepsy in dogs and cats. Normally supplied in a sugar coated tablet, it helps to calm and relax dogs and cats suffering from, apprehension, phobias or hyperactivity.

Available Me, Chemist, health food shop or internet.

• Clomicalm About 14 per cent of dogs suffer from “separation anxiety” – a fear of being left alone – and Clomicalm claims to deal with the barking and “destructive behaviour”. Its human equivalent is Anafranil, an anti-depressant. Unfortunately the side-effects can include vomiting and diarrhoea.

Available Vets

Clomicalm is a mainstream drug and I would be loath to suggest its use except in extreme cases where a anxiety desensitisation program using perhaps just herbal helpers initially has not worked. It is far better to work on the symptoms that mask them with drugs.

With all the above it is always prudent to discuss any medication with your Vet before embarking on any treatment program

Stan Rawlinson Dip MTCBPT. MPAACT Adip.CCB

Stan is a fully Insured professional Dog Behaviourist and Obedience Trainer, who has owned and worked dogs for over 35 years, starting with gundogs then moving to the behavioural and obedience side of training companion dogs. He has a successful practice covering Greater London, Surrey, Middlesex, Berkshire, Kent, Sussex, Hampshire, Though is available to travel to any location in the UK if required.

Recommended by numerous Vets, Rescue Centre’s, and Charities. He writes articles and comments on behavioural issues and techniques for dog magazines including Our Dogs, Dogs Monthly, Shooting Times, Pet Talk and Pet Owner Magazine. He has acted as a behavioural expert for Disney, Sky, BBC, ITV, and LBC. and has appeared on television, radio and in national newspapers on numerous occasions. He is currently filming for a new eight part series for Television which is due to be aired late autumn/early winter.

He is the Founder Member and current Chairman of PAACT
The Professional Association of Applied Canine Trainers He is also the designer and developer the amazing new training aid The Jingler.

Stan also acts as an expert witness in cases involving the DDA (Dangerous Dogs Act 1991. and lectures and gives practical demonstrations at national and international meetings and symposiums.
He also gives practical demonstrations of his remarkable ability to work with all dogs by taking them out of the audience. He is currently filming for a series on Sky one HD and Sky one called Dogumentary

© Stan Rawlinson
Telephone: 0208 979 2019
Mobile Number: 07976 153161
E-mail:enquiries@doglistener.co.uk
web site http://www.doglistener.co.uk

The need for high performance maneuverability of tractors is same in Japan and America. People of America have big farms compared to Japanese. Kubota Corporation is a top tractor-manufacturing unit that has origins in Japan. The firm established in 1890, and today it has become an international leader in tractor manufacturing. With a focused approach and dedicated hard work, Kubota has gained global recognition. The company is selling 130 different Kubota tractors in the market, through direct deals and affiliates

Kubota tractors built to meet demands of farmers in Japan, but soon they spread their roots to America. Even though American farms are bigger in size than farms in Japan, Kubota tractors deliver better performance in channelizing American soils. Kubota Corporation launched its tractor in USA, 1969. The tractor filled the empty space left by tractors of America, and became the most powerful product sold in USA. Kubota 21 horsepower L200 was the first product launched in USA. Soon with the success of its tractors, the Kubota Corporation built a complete manufacturing unit in USA in 1974 and launched wheel-drive based vehicles for farmers

Variants of Kubota tractors

BX Series, B Series, TLB Series, M series, and L Series tractors manufactured by Kubota. BX Series tractors have compact structure, offer better utility. These tractors blend with 4WD handling to provide convenience to people in cleaning gardens. BX Series engines have 18.0HP-25.5 HP and are suitable for gardening, home mowing, towing, and light material handling. L Series tractors power 3.0 HP-59.0 HP engines. Used in small farms, landscaping, equestrian operations, and estate maintenance.

B Series tractors power 18.0 HP-32.0 HP engines are suitable for landscaping, ground maintenance, vegetable gardens, home, and commercial use. TLB Series and M Series are used for common applications like landscaping, light construction etc

Environmental Friendly Kubota Tractors

Landscaping or livestock operations tractors of Kubota can do all jobs. People can choose any tractor according to their requirement. With changing trends in economy and pollution standards, these days’ people are looking for environmental friendly vehicles

Kubota Corporation is now manufacturing tractors that produce low emissions. Environmental friendly tractors are good at yielding best results in farming. These orange tractors are affordable and come with a warranty. Kubota Corporation offers damage replacement on its parts, during the warranty period

Comparing Kubota with Its Opponents

Kubota Corporation was the first tractor-manufacturing unit to receive prestigious “Deeming Award” for manufacturing environmental friendly, economical, and high performance tractors. The company competes with many leading tractor brands like John Deere, Ford tractor, Holland and Cub Cadet. People looking for small, compact and convenient tractors for their yard work, can have a look at landscaping BX Series tractors. All tractors of Kubota have best re-sale value

Economical Kubota Engines

Kubota tractors equipped with diesel or gasoline engines. To keep environmentally friendly, most of the tractors are fitted with gasoline engines. These engines cause less pollution. All Kubota engines have following features: compact, tough, lightweight, liquid-cooled, turbocharged options, low noise, and low vibration

Low Market Imports of Kubota Tractors have led to grey market imports of tractors from Japan to North America. Some of these tractors had problems with safety measures followed in USA, so in 1974 Kubota started its company in USA. There are nearly 1040 authorized Kubota dealers in USA, and all of them are supported by the company headquarters in California. Recently, Kubota Corporation has approved the use of Bio-diesel fuel for some its tractors. B20 bio diesel fuels comprise of 20% bio diesel and 80% petrol diesel

Kubota Safety Features

Kubota provide operator optimal safety and comfort, all B-series tractors of Kubota are equipped with multiple safety features. Some of the common safety features included: backlight dash panel to track vital functions, multi-reflective headlights for better visibility, standard metal hood for providing better front view visibility, ROPS (Roll over protection structure) standard for protecting driver from getting hurt during accident, wide step area, more legroom, high back seat, and large flat deck platform.

Farmers and people who wish to know more about safety can either request “Ten commandment of tractor safety” brochure from dealers, or check it online. Kubota tractors have warranty on all its models. The safety equipment of all tractors checked perfectly and provided without damage

The following are suggestions to the client involved in a contested divorce case, motion to modify or paternity case in which custody or temporary custody is or may be at issue. Also, remember that there may be a request for change of custody or temporary custody in the future and therefore, the following suggestions should always be taken into consideration.

These suggestions are made for the present and future benefit of your children and your goal as a parent should always be to improve the children’s lives and to better provide for their needs.

Remember: Everything you do or do not do as a parent affects your children and their future.

1. Exercise your custody rights to the maximum, but always remain flexible to accommodate special circumstances relating to either the children or the other parent. Try to determine the real needs of your children and really listen to what they have to say, and equally importantly, what they are not saying. Do not attempt to become a private investigator and do not speak disparagingly of or belittle the other parent or stepparent, or any other significant person in your children’s lives. Enjoy the time you spend with the children and allow them to enjoy you and the time that they spend with you.

2. Regularly keep a journal or diary of events in order to remember and be able to point out dates, witnesses, facts, etc., pertaining to significant events and problems regarding the children. Maintain this diary in a secure place where it is not accessible to the children. Do not let the children know that you are keeping this diary.

3. Learn how to be a better parent. Begin by selecting, from the bookstore or library one or two books on child care, child raising, and parenthood that are written for parents of children of your children’s ages or any special needs they may have (for example, being children of divorce or having an absent parent suddenly reappear). If you are considering joint custody or if the other party is requesting joint custody, read some of the available books on the subject. Knowledge is power and it will help you make the best decisions for your children and yourself.

4. Be involved in all of your children’s activities, including school, sports, scouts, counseling, medical and dental care. Get to know those people who teach your children, run their extracurricular activities and care for them. Generate and maintain a genuine interest in these areas. Maintain communication with the other parent about these issues. If you feel excluded, take action to remedy the problem. Go to the school, attempt to get information from the other parent and document those requests by sending letters or e-mails and keeping copies for your files. Do not quiz the children. If you can not get the information you seek, talk to your attorney about the options that you have.

5. Attend the church or temple activities of your choice. Become active in the affairs and social activities of your church or temple. Get to know and be known by those who actively participate. Take the children with you to these activities and otherwise involve them whenever possible.

6. Develop a plan showing how you would provide care, love and guidance and meet the other needs of your children should you be awarded custody. If you have custody and are involved in a Motion to Modify, be able to speak on how you do so now. Examples: where the children would live, their daily routine, who would care for them when they are not in school and when you are not physically present; educational and religious plans; what visitation and custody plans you would work out for the other parent (be liberal in your thinking and planning); what custodial arrangement you ultimately wish to obtain. Develop a workable, reasonable, and logical daily routine for the care of your children and be able to point out how your plan, care, and attention to the needs of the children is better than the existing one and how it will be better for the children in the future.

7. Make a list of relatives, close friends, and neighbors who have been or will actively assist you in providing for the needs of the children. Enlist these people and involve them with you and the children. Have your children get to know these people and establish a meaningful relationship between these individuals, the children and yourself.

8. Make sure the physical facilities of your home are totally adequate for the children. Try to step outside yourself and view the situation from a neutral vantage point. Look at it with a critical eye to be able to realize where improvements and changes are needed and make them. A clean and well-organized home is necessary. The children must have adequate shelter, food, and around-the-clock care, attention, love, supervision and discipline. You will need to show your home surroundings are or will be beneficial for the children. If you have a pre-school aged child, consider contacting the “Parents As Teachers” programs run by your local school. It is free to all, and they are an excellent source of information and guidance.

9. If you will require daycare for your children, investigate several alternatives that will suit your particular circumstances. You should be able to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each option, taking into account location, hours, level of care, reputation in the community, and, of course, cost. Be realistic about what you and the other parent can afford. The State of Missouri has a “Family Care Safety Registry” that may be accessed by calling toll-free 1-866-422-6872 or http://www.dhss.mo.gov/FCSR/. BJC offers a free booklet with tips on choosing a quality daycare that may be obtained by calling 314-454-KIDS or visiting http://www.bjc.org.

10. Develop common interests with your children and continue to be involved with those that already exist. Become a part of, share, and enjoy their world with them. Do not forget birthdays, Christmas, parent-child events at school or church and other special occasions that mean so much to children. Other than just gifts, you must give of yourself. Be an active parent, interested in their schoolwork, outside school activities, their sports, clubs, organizations, friends, and their plans for the future.

11. Make a study of the schools your children are or would be attending if living with you. Know and familiarize yourself with bus services or other transportation, hours of school, before and after school care, extra-curricular activities, etc., and have a good working knowledge of this important area of your child’s development. By law, each public school is required to produce a “school report card” with basic statistics about the school. Call the schools in your area and in the area where the other parent lives and get copies of these documents. Read them carefully and talk with school personnel if there is anything that you do not understand.

12. Obtain friends, relatives, neighbors, bosses, fellow employees, and church members who will be willing to testify in court as to your behavior patterns, reputation, responsibility, interaction and relationship with the children and general fitness as a parent. You will need to discuss this frankly with each of these people. Give us their names, addresses and telephone numbers and a brief statement as to what they are able and willing to testify to in the actual trial of your case. Advise us if you do not wish us to call them without first talking to you.

13. You need to honestly prepare a statement of constructive criticism of yourself and your spouse or former spouse, any stepparents or significant others in a stepparent role, as parents. Be fair and accurate, and put down facts and circumstances that can be proven or about which proof should be obtained. This statement tells why a change in custody is necessary or why you should retain custody. It should be detailed, and you should forward it to us as soon as possible. Remember that it is a sign that you are a good parent that you can admit that there are ways that you can improve as a parent.

14. Do not have members of the opposite sex to whom you are not related spending the night with you when the children are there. The court may consider this to be a negative factor when determining custody.

15. Have, maintain, and show an open healthy attitude toward visitation and custody of the other parent. The children need the love of both parents, and your own attitude in this respect is important to the children and will be given some weight by the court. The greatest gift that you can give your children as they grow up without both parents in the same home is the ability to love the other parent.

16. Your own emotional and physical health are important factors that will be considered by the court. It is important for you to be composed and in full control at all times and to be able to prove your maturity, responsibility, and self-management. Remember that actions speak louder than words and that there is no excuse for you to disagree disrespectfully with the other parent in front of the children or to discuss adult issues such as why you and the other parent are not together or the financial arrangements between the parents for the support of the children even f they ask or even if they have inaccurate information. Simply tell the children that both parents love them and that they will be taken care of and whatever issues they have are between the adults and that you will not discuss them. If this is a problem in your situation, talk to your attorney about your options.

17. It is important for you to be able to discuss in some detail your strengths and weaknesses as a parent and your spouse’s or former spouse’s strengths and weaknesses as a parent, as well as those of any step-parents or significant others. Remember, if your spouse did not have significant good points and strengths, you would not have had children with him or her. Similarly, you should be able to discuss your children’s strength and weaknesses in some detail. It is a positive attribute of a parent to be able to recognize both positive and negative in his or her children, him or herself and others.

Leigh Joy Carson, St. Louis Family Law Attorney

Television has taken on an entirely new look and feel, even in the past decade. What was once an industry based on three major networks with very limited programs in the 1950′s has erupted into many major networks and thousands of cable channels available throughout the world in every imaginable language. Television has truly become a three-dimensional experience for producers, directors, project coordinators and other professionals in the industry, not to mention a multi-dimensional experience for viewers. With a variety of genres and styles of programming available, from news programs and specials to different types and lengths of commercials, sit-coms, dramas, reality programs, game shows and countless others, being someone involved in television production is both wrought with opportunity and teeming with challenges.

Finding inexpensive background music and production music for television programs can be much more difficult than finding it for other types of media projects because the medium is so diversified and so societally pervasive. As a director or producer of television programs looking for ear-catching television music for your show, you have to be very cognizant of not only your target audience, but also what you are up against in your allotted time slot. Sometimes whether a show succeeds or fails has nothing to do with its quality. Success in television programming has more to do with what you are up against and the time and day your program airs. If you are producing a talk show, for example, you might be on at the same time as more than five or ten other talk shows. Or your program might conversely be when no other talk shows are on television, but at a time when typically people are more likely to watch news programs, Sit-coms or other types of programming.

Still, choosing the right television music can certainly help you make the most out of your particular project. Again, because of the diverse nature of television, there are many different types of production music and background music to choose from. There is music for commercials, music for dramas, music for news programs and specials, music for sit-coms and many others. As a producer of a television show, you probably also will have to consider how your music will blend in with the music of commercials that might air during your broadcast. Because the line between commercials and programming has been blurred, starting in the 1960′s commercials have become an integral part of all television shows, sometimes not only on network television but also on cable television. Before the mid-1960′s, commercials used to have to be signaled in all television programs by an announcement that they would begin. Similarly, announcers were responsible for signaling the return of the regular program. Now, there is not always any clear sign where the show ends and the commercial begins or vice versa. It’s all about the timing.

Because Copyright Law has become stricter to account for the proliferation of diverse recorded music, finding and affording production music and background music for television programming has been further complicated. Before the 1980s, music in commercials and even on many television programs was limited to jingles and transitional music, most of which was instrumental or with very brief and simple vocals. Occasionally lyrics to popular music would be changed to fit a particular product or the theme for a show, a phenomenon that would not work easily or cheaply under today’s copyright standards, and didn’t come inexpensively then either. Still, while some pop and rock songs were re-recorded for television programs and commercials, the cost of licensing original recordings was very daunting until the late 1980s when it became more doable.

Today commercials use many popular songs as background music and production music, and many programs, particularly those geared towards young people use popular music regularly in an effort to promote burgeoning music groups. Television has become such a cultural phenomenon and a showcase for music that many shows, including “Dawson’s Creek” and “The O.C.” have even gone on to put out music compilations based on music heard in episodes of the show throughout specific seasons. Previously, songs were often used without artist consent, but thanks to stricter Copyright Law this is no longer a possibility. Still, most artists are willing to accept often high payment for use of their songs in popular television programs and enjoy the exposure they get as a result to very specific markets made up of people that will buy music they make in the future.

Using popular music in television programs and commercials can be incredibly expensive for the typical producer and director. Whether your show is a hit with a large budget, or a smaller show just starting out, you want to make an impact musically at minimal cost, as there are so many other elements to consider in the production of television projects. Fees for use of popular music can total thousands of dollars, and when you multiply that by how often you will probably use songs as themes, production music, background music and other incidental elements, the numbers can add up quickly. But, even though you want to save money on television music, you certainly don’t want to skimp on quality.

What are your options when it comes to production music and background music for your television projects if you want to build a collection inexpensively and still honor the spirit of your project?

As a producer or director of television programs, you most likely travel in circles of artists and musicians. You might know some good composers or bands, or people you know might know some that would be happy to help with music for your project. Because of the almost culturally invasive nature of television, most struggling musicians or composers would not object to helping you out with your project in exchange for exposure and the chance to work on something beyond the norm. Many bands have been launched when their song was chosen as a theme song for a television series, and many composers have broken into the film, television and music industry after working on scores for television programs.

Finding under-appreciated talent in your network is a good option and often one that could help get you a deal on production music or background music, but it is by no means a simple solution, nor one that is long-term. If your show is a hit, or your theme song or the band that sings it is a hit, you will be morally, if not legally obligated to pay more for the music you are using. This either leads to the same problem you had before of expensive music or back to square one, looking for inexpensive television music.

Another option for inexpensive production music, and one that more producers and directors are choosing every day, is royalty free music provided by reputable music companies. Choosing royalty free music allows you access to a catalog of music in varying styles and can be downloaded directly from a centralized royalty free music company website online. Well-known companies such as Royalty Free Music.com give you music libraries with songs you can add permanently to a collection. This means you can build your own store of production music and use it in present and future projects. And because of the nature of the music, you just pay a very low upfront fee to satisfy all aspects of Copyright Law.

Television production gets more complex as time and technology progresses, but directors and producers will never lose the ability to control what production music and background music fits best with their projects. Television music is critical to keeping a program or a commercial at the top of its game, and helps communicate important themes to viewers. As a producer, director or project coordinator, the musical choices you make are some of the most important decisions.

1. “It is the duty of every citizen according to his best capacities to give validity to his convictions in political affairs.”
   — Albert Einstein
2. “Politics, n. Strife of interests masquerading as a contest of principles.”
   — Ambrose Bierce
3. “Man is by nature a political animal.”
   — Aristotle
4. “I have come to the conclusion that politics are too serious a matter to be left to the politicians.”
   — Charles De Gaulle
5. “The mistake a lot of politicians make is in forgetting they’ve been appointed and thinking they’ve been anointed.”
   — Claude D. Pepper
6. “Politics is made up largely of irrelevancies.”
   — Dalton Camp
7. “Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it whether it exists or not, diagnosing it incorrectly, and applying the wrong remedy.”
   — Ernest Benn
8. “Being in politics is like being a football coach. You have to be smart enough to understand the game, and dumb enough to think it’s important.”
   — Eugene McCarthy
9. “We would all like to vote for the best man but he is never a candidate.”
   — Frank McKinney Hubbard
10. “When the political columnists say ‘Every thinking man’ they mean themselves, and when candidates appeal to ‘Every intelligent voter’ they mean everybody who is going to vote for them.”
    — Franklin P. Adams
11. “Run for office? No. I’ve slept with too many women, I’ve done too many drugs, and I’ve been to too many parties.”
    — George Clooney
12. “My choice early in life was either to be a piano-player in a whorehouse or a politician. And to tell the truth, there’s hardly any difference.”
    — Harry S. Truman
13. “Nothing is so admirable in politics as a short memory.”
    — John Kenneth Galbraith
14. “The word ‘politics’ is derived from the word ‘poly’, meaning ‘many’, and the word ‘ticks’, meaning ‘blood sucking parasites’.”
    — Larry Hardiman
15. “Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.”
    — Lester B. Pearson
16. “Politics is war without bloodshed while war is politics with bloodshed.”
    — Mao Tse-Tung
17. “Nothing can so alienate a voter from the political system as backing a winning candidate.”
    — Mark B. Cohen
18. “You can lead a man to Congress, but you can’t make him think.”
    — Milton Berle
19. “Politics is the art of the possible.”
    — Otto Von Bismarck
20. “In politics, an absurdity is not a handicap.”
    — Napoleon Bonaparte
21. “Politics is the art of preventing people from taking part in affairs which properly concern them.”
    — Paul Valery
22. “Politicians are wonderful people as long as they stay away from things they don’t understand, such as working for a living.”
    — P. J. ORourke
23. “In politics you must always keep running with the pack. The moment that you falter and they sense that you are injured, the rest will turn on you like wolves.”
    — R. A. Butler
24. “Politics is largely a matter of heart.”
    — R. A. Butler
25. “Politics is perhaps the only profession for which no preparation is thought necessary.”
    — Robert Louis Stevenson
26. “Politics is not a bad profession. If you succeed there are many rewards, if you disgrace yourself you can always write a book.”
    — Ronald Reagan
27. “Politics is supposed to be the second oldest profession. I have come to realize that it bears a very close resemblance to the first.”
    — Ronald Reagan
28. “A politician is a fellow who will lay down your life for his country.”
    — Texas Guinan
29. “The political machine triumphs because it is a united minority acting against a divided majority.”
    — Will Durant
30. “The more you read and observe about this Politics thing, you got to admit that each party is worse than the other. The one that’s out always looks the best.”
    — Will Rogers

Resource Box – © Danielle Hollister (2004) is the Publisher of BellaOnline Quotations Zine – A free newsletter for quote lovers featuring more than 10,000 quotations in dozens of categories like – love, friendship, children, inspiration, success, wisdom, family, life, and many more. Read it online at – http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art8364.asp

Collector Car Insurance and Classic Car Insurance

If you are fortunate enough to own a classic car – or any collectible automobile – then you want to ensure that your luck does not run out because of having inadequate insurance coverage. Call it covering your butt – or covering your “asset” – but by all means, call one of the major providers such as American Collectors, Haggerty, or Parish Heacock insurance companies and let them put you in the driver’s seat in terms of professional protection of your cherished automotive investment.

How to Kick the Tires on Classic Car Insurance

The whole idea of insurance is that it needs to do what you expect of it in an emergency, when the rubber really hits the road. And classic car insurance is as different from conventional auto insurance as, well, a classic car is from your run of the mill generic vehicle.

When you buy a classic car insurance policy, you are essentially purchasing protection for those times when – God forbid and knock on wood it doesn’t happen – disaster strikes in the form of a fire, a collision, or an act of theft or vandalism. Just as we now have modern airbags to save us in the event of a crash, we also have collector’s car insurance, to protect us with adequate moneybags when calamity throws a wrench in the works.

The time you invest in choosing the right classic car insurance coverage is well worth the value and peace of mind that a quality collector’s insurance policy delivers for owners of classic motor cars.

The Nuts and Bolts of Classic Car Insurance Coverage

Collector car insurance is not the same as the insurance you buy for normal coverage of your daily transportation. Collector car insurance, or classic car insurance, is made especially for the needs of the car collector. And while ordinary insurance does offer some protection, no matter what you drive, it can leave you high and dry in the event of a loss that it not effectively covered by the terms of the insurance contract.

For example, you may have a garage-kept Cadillac Sedan DeVille with swooping fins your grandparents bought for $7,000 brand new back in the 1960s. But dealers have offered you three times that much, and you saw another one sell at an auto show for $35,000. If you don’t have special collector car insurance or classic car insurance, and the car is totaled, you will be lucky to get $7,000 for it. With depreciation calculated in, the insurance statisticians may decide that it is worth only half that much, or less, and you could wind up with two or three grand in exchange for your dream machine.

Stipulations or requirements normally encountered while shopping for collector car insurance or classic car insurance:

• A decent driving record.
• At least 10 years driving experience
• No teen drivers on the policy or drivers with poor driving records
• Secure and out of the weather garage
• Proof that you have another car for daily transportation
• Collector vehicle insurance is sometimes limited by the age of your car, and if your car is too young it may not qualify for a particular policy.
• Limited mileage. You probably don’t want to drive your creampuff car all the time, and your insurance company doesn’t want you to either. Mileage limits have increased recently, though, so if you can live with 250 miles a month you’re probably okay.

Coverage with collector car insurance or classic car insurance: Three kinds of value are important to understand when buying your policy. 1) Actual cash value: This is what you usually get with ordinary insurance, and is based on replacement cost minus depreciation.

2) Stated value:

The insurance company pays up to the stated value of the car, but may not guarantee the full stated value. And deductibles of up to $1,000 usually apply.

3) Agreed value:

In most jurisdictions, those who provide collector car insurance or classic car insurance are allowed to insure for a value that you and your insurer agree upon. And for most autos, there is no deductible. If your $100,000 vintage Rolls get trashed, you get a check for 100 grand, plain and simple – which is exactly why collectors use special classic car insurance coverage.

Do a periodic review of your coverage limits, because classic car prices are rising. What you insured your cherry classic for ten years ago may be a fraction of what it’s worth today. And if you are restoring a vehicle, ask your agent to give you appropriate insurance. There is no need to pay extra based on mileage statistics, if your car is up on blocks with no engine inside it. And as the car’s value increases thanks to your hard work of restoring it, you should raise the coverage to keep up with the added value of the restoration.

Keep all your receipts and paperwork – for everything from parts and labor to expenses incurred to take it to a classic car show – so that you can document the total investment your collector’s car represents. And take photos and keep them updated, for the same reason. And Last But Not Least: Special Savings Opportunities

As long as you meet the criteria in terms of how you use and take care of the car, you can usually buy a policy.

Traditional insurers will either refuse coverage, offer only a replacement value based on the nuts and bolts (minus heavy depreciation) of the car, or will charge you a prohibitive amount for the premium. But many collectors find that special collector’s coverage saves them money – as much as half – while insuring them for higher limits, sometime three or four times what a traditional company gave them.

Yes, it’s possible to get collector’s insurance coverage for full market value for your car, and save up to 50 percent off of the premium you’d pay with ordinary insurance. That makes classic car insurance a must-have for any serious car buff.

Below is information about three of the most reputable and dependable collectors and classic car insurance companies in the USA (All information listed below subject to change, please contact the insurance companies listed to be sure.):

Hagerty Insurance P.O. Box 1303 Traverse City, MI 49685-1303

Email: auto@hagerty.com Toll Free: 800-922-4050

Qualifications:

• Similar to the others listed below, but please contact Haggerty for details.

American Collectors Insurance P.O. Box 8343 Cherry Hill, NJ 08002 Email: info@americancollectors.com Toll Free: (800) 360-2277 Qualifications (subject to change or regional laws so check with the company for specific up-to-date information).

• At least 15 years old
• Garage-kept
• Driven on a limited, pleasure-only basis (up to 5,000 annual miles – available in most states)

You may also qualify by:

• Having at least 10 years driving experience
• Having a good driving record
• Having at least one “regular” vehicle for every licensed driver in the household You may request a policy application either directly from American Collectors Insurance or through your local insurance agent (rates are the same either way).

Parish Heacock Classic Car Insurance P.O. Box 24807 Lakeland, FL 33802-4807 Email: info@parishheacock.com Toll free: (800) 678-5173 Qualifications (subject to change or regional laws so check with the company for specific up-to-date information).

• Each household member of driving age must have at least 10 years driving experience or be excluded.
• Each household member must have a regular use vehicle less than 15 years old that is insured with liability limits equal to or higher than the limits being applied for on the collectible vehicle.
• All licensed members of household and any other drivers of the vehicle must be listed on the application.
• Maximum of two accidents or violations in the household, maximum of one per licensed household member in past 3 years. No major violations permitted in past 5 years.
• A Driver Health Questionnaire must be completed for all drivers over 70 years old.
• Auto must be stored in a locked permanent garage facility when not driven.
• Auto may not be used for commuting to or from work or school, used for business purposes or as a substitute for another auto.
• Autos not covered while on a racetrack or when being used for: racing, speed, driver’s education, or timed events.
• Must display pride of ownership: well maintained, in restored or well-preserved condition.
• Vehicles under restoration must be stored at residence or a restoration shop, with a target date for completion. Agreed value coverage is not available on cars under restoration. Eligibility subject to company review.
• Replica Vehicles and Pro Street vehicles are subject to company review.
• Trucks and Jeeps must be over 25 years old, and not be used for towing, hauling, off-road or utility use.
• Generally do not require appraisals, but may ask for one if vehicle value is difficult to determine.

Michael Modica is an avid musclecar fan. He is the webmaster of the world’s leading Second Generation Camaro resouce, http://www.nastyz28.com

When most people hear the phrase “organizational politics,” they react very negatively. They see politics in the workplace as forming clicks and another way to keep those who go against the status quo labeled as an outsider. People also think that it’s a toxic dynamic that allows manipulative behaviors for people to get what they want by stepping on their co-workers’ backs. But not every instance of workplace politicking is a selfish maneuver to win.

The text “Building Great Teams: Charting the Path of Organizational Politics” (Book Surge, 2007) takes you inside one of the greatest team building organizations in the world, the United States Marine Corps, to examine and discover the strategies that business leaders must be willing to learn, use and employ for building ordinary groups into extraordinary teams; leading the right team of commandos who understand what it takes to win on the business battlefield and defeat workplace politics using warfare as the key to experience a significant win. The strategies within the text defines workplace and office politics as “the path to smart growth…using the power to accelerate the careers of high potential future leaders and teams power in the workplace.” It implies that office politics are not always negative, but offer opportunities for greatness. And while workplace politics aren’t necessarily avoidable, people can learn to understand their purpose, find their voice and understand how-to strengthen and build the teams dynamics and interpersonal communications skills – all while managing responsibilities with tact, poise, and polish.

The game of politics, when understood how-to use it as a strategic weapon, helps to successfully chart the path of personal and professional growth as the essential task to achieve personal mastery from the results of peak performance. Organizational politics also offers the hidden treasures that allow people to stand-out from the crowd. They learn to demonstrate their ability to navigate the maze of successful team building – a task that is viewed as positive organizational behavior from the individual that is perceived as an extraordinary leader. This is the type of person that others seek to follow and emulate for the greatness they wish to develop for themselves.

Workplace Politics vs. The Battlefield Engagement

Just as in any military engagement, in order to win one must know the rules better than his/her competitor to outsmart them on the battlefield. It also is beneficial to be a part of the right team for controlling the elements of the battlefront. However, some might claim the workplace and the military are very different in many ways. Thinking from this approach causes significant missteps in organizational politics. There are significant issues that are similar in the workplace and on a military battlefield. For starters, the one constant is “people.” Any time that people are involved in a scenario, decision-making must play a role in the ability to win. Using the strategies from the United States Marine Corps, people are responsible for making critical decisions from the highest ranking officer down to the lowest ranking enlisted – and the decision could mean life or death.

Well, the same goes for the workplace. People are responsible for making critical decisions that could mean that the organization acquires strategic assets (executive suite decisions) or that a customer is treated in a way that causes them to continue doing business with the organization. Both can be seen as life or death for the organization. As seen with Wachovia bank, a decision from the top level leadership was made to acquire Westgate Financial to boost their mortgage business. When the U.S. mortgage markets and industry imploded during the financial crisis, the organization was effected with incredible implications – it became the beginning of the end for one of the country’s largest banks and people lost careers and more. Similar to the likes of a military battlefield engagement and a series of wrong decisions made by leadership, loss of life was experienced.

But what most people fail to realize is that the workplace is too a battlefield. Business is warfare and those who understand how to navigate the politics always win. Consider the game of chess. Chess can be low-key and quiet, a friendly game between friends. Or it can be explosive and highly competitive, set amid a crowd of observers, where the ultimate winner reaps world-wide accolades. Consider the skill behind the game of chess. It requires well-planned strategy and a great deal of mental acuity and patience, not to mention years of practice to reach an elite status.

These are the same skills required by a great leader, one who has the ability to guide an organization and one who understands the world of workplace politics. On the other hand, while playing a game such as chess, there can only be a single winner where there often can be a more neutral outcome in the world of workplace politics. With the proper skills of negotiation and influence, savvy leadership might be able to create a win-win situation.

The Truth about Politics in the Workplace

Politics will always be part of an organization because people are people. The dynamic relationships of individuals who run a business enterprise play an important part in how the business operates: How the mission map, posture statements, vision, values and organizational culture is forged. And while the average Jane or Joe might feel like they are being run over by co-workers who manipulate the system, bully, gossip, backstab and brown nose to get what they want, there is more to workplace politics than those negative daily encounters. The quintessential aspect of organizational politics is the team. Building great teams’ hits at one of the most discussed topics in business media and the workplace: Organizational Behavior, transformational leadership, organizational renewal and inter-office politics. The day of the individual worker is over, as today’s business arena demands that workers possess the ability to effectively work as team units that consistently produce extraordinary outcomes from their performance. It is a scenario all top leaders and managers knows well: The organization, their people, and their systems all require efficient and effective processes to remain constant in its approach to move quickly toward new and innovative ways of reaching mission-critical objectives.

Good leaders are a thing of the past, as global economies now require more than good – they seek greatness and ordinary just does not fit the bill any longer. They now require the ordinary to be “extraordinary.” The new battlefield in the workplace requires the extraordinary leaders’ understanding of workplace politics and the accompanying landscape to be significant. They can no longer work in the old silos of the past that was developed by the silly political conflicts. No, these extraordinary leaders can no longer exhibit the behaviors that ultimately invite disaster. This is not to say that leaders of the past demonstrated the behaviors that put-up with negative politics that caused disastrous outcomes nor does it imply every good leader has found his/her way to the top of the heap by climbing over the bodies of crushed co-workers. It simply means that leadership understands workplace politics well enough to use them as “strategic weapons” to produce positive returns without the mud slinging and backsliding of unethical and immoral actions.

Understanding how-to chart the path of organizational politics means being able to maneuver using political warfare to enhance the organization’s ability to rise to the top of its industry, without leaving one of its warriors lying wounded on the battlefield. It means having a well crafted Battleplan, understanding the players, building positive alliances and coalition of forces, using the art of war as a significant warfighting strategy that all stakeholders understand and buy-in to for winning, and finally, developing a compelling case study for the associates of the organization to understand the comprehensive approach for integrating strategic human capital and team development initiatives into the fold.

Convert Uniqueness into Ultimate Power

The best leaders are the people that understand the nature of warfare in dealing with and overcoming workplace politics. These are the men and women who have a tone on the pulse of the workplace – internal and external – and know what it takes to remain on task “ethically” to lead others into greatness. Here are five important things to know about politically savvy leaders:

° They understand the critical importance of the team associates to be “LeaderShaped” into

GREATNESS. They understand the “what” and “how” in developing a GREAT team.

° They make decisive decisions for the benefit of the Future Picture

° They understand the “culture” in the system that the team must influence.

° They know what it take to strategically “execute” and win as a team.

° They know how-to use the “Six Political Signs of Business Leadership” to achieve

professional mastery to the people and organization:

1. a clear “Vision” of issues.

2. Understand the “Value” drivers within the team.

3. “Behavioral” influence of leadership to the Future Picture.

4. “Strategy” Modeling (Enterprise Decision Making).

5. Strategic “Execution” (Governance).

6. “Duplication of Protocol” (learnable-teachable methods for future engagements).

Engaging the battlefield that is influenced by workplace politics, for many, may mean asserting their power, pushing and shoving like the elementary school bully until they get what they want. But that’s really just the toxic behavior and conduct that eliminates the possibilities for leadership and the organization they influence to win. One of the best ways to lose power is to overtly use it. Instead, the best leaders know that power comes from influence – and influence is subjective to behavior, character and the value system that drives the people responsible for charting the pathway.

In the text, the author also outlines how, in most cases, team leaders never hit their goals – not because they lack talent within the associate ranks, but because they are naïve to the complexities of team dynamics. The author outlines the strategic-execution methods that smart leaders understand and use to determine what type of team model best suits their specific environment, what key skills to look for (and which to avoid), and how to coax top performances from everyone starting from day one.

Author Robert Dilenschneider explains in his book, “Power and Influence: The Rules Have Changed”: True power and influence means accepting responsibility, taking the heat and keeping your word. So even if someone supports the supposition that leadership is just another way of playing political games, it doesn’t necessarily mean this is a bad thing. When properly played, workplace politics can lead to great achievements and outcomes. Pitts believes that extraordinary teams that are great engage politics well. They are LeaderShaped and driven by extraordinary people who make a distinctive impact – they deliver significant and superior performance over a long period of time. There are some striking characteristics of great teams who achieve sustained success within their mission across its life cycle. They experience an increased level of professional mastery in developing and executing as great teams do. These teams have gone through a process; a process that is forged in a furnace of professional development, transformational thinking, and strategic-execution.

Workplace politics, good or evil, are a very real part of the work environment. Whether people subscribe to the belief that leadership is just another way of engaging the political battlefield or not, it is important to keep in mind that as long as there are people working together as great teams do, there will be politics, but the outcomes will be far different from the results of the past. Great teams are the way to successfully engage the battlefield – greatness from the team is how to engage politics well and win it using fair tactics.

For additional information on using the strategies, please contact Solutions@thebisongroup.com.