Archive for Online Psychology Resources
December 31, 2008 at 10:03 am · Filed under Online Psychology Resources
“Our responsibility as individuals is to be true to our own souls and NOT sell out to the System. If we cannot help heal the System we are in, then we must leave the System and find a better opportunity, even if we have to create our own system to do it.” Dorothy E. Fischer, “The System Versus the Soul,” an essay in Rediscovering the Soul of Business: A Renaissance of Values
Spirit and meaning is a missing link in many lives, teams, and organizations. Many who have material prosperity live in spiritual poverty. That’s what’s driving the rapidly growing number of meaning seekers in society. We want to know that our lives count for something. We want to make a difference. Our work and our lives become ever more meaningful the more they are in harmony with who we are and touch the very core of why we exist. We are spiritual beings having a human experience.
Psychologist, Abraham Maslow, developed a hierarchy describing our progression from the most basic to the highest needs of self-actualization the fulfillment of our full potential. He believed that “the unhappiness, unease, and unrest in the world today are caused by people living far below their capacity.”
In his book, The Greatest Miracle in the World, Og Mandino spins a tale of his encounters with Simon Potter, a humble and learned wise man. In one conversation, Og and Simon discuss the miracle people can perform in their own lives by resurrecting their dead spirits. Simon explains the need for this miracle, “Most humans, in varying degrees, are already dead. In one way or another they have lost their dreams, their ambitions, their desire for a better life. They have surrendered their fight for self-esteem and they have compromised their great potential. They have settled for a life of mediocrity, days of despair, and nights of tears. They are no more than living deaths confined to cemeteries of their choice.” We need to be less afraid of death and more frightened by an empty life.
When we feel the most love, passion, or energy is when we are the most alive. That’s when our soul sings. In Leading with Soul: An Uncommon Journey of Spirit, organization consultants and professors, Lee Bolman and Terrence Deal (co-author of the classic Corporate Cultures the 1982 book that popularized the idea of organization culture) conclude, “The signs point toward spirit and soul as the essence of leadership.”
The culture of a family, team, or organization is “the way we do things around here.” A toxic culture is loveless, passionless, and meaningless. It has a weak heart and a sick soul. A healthy culture is engaged in meaningful doing through purposeful being. It has a high-energy spirit. Leaders make work, families, communities, or life in general, purposeful. I can only do that if I am filled with purpose. Spirit and meaning starts inside the leader. They can only be developed from the inside out.
In their big busyness, organizations can easily lose their heart and soul. Without realizing it, or ever intending to, they can lose their deeper sense of meaning. Goals, plans, reports, and numbers take over. In the harsh glare of hard-headed analysis, soft “touchy, feely” emotions like spirit and meaning evaporates as dew in the morning sun. It’s like an academic study of a deeply moving story. The dissection may help us understand the technical pieces, but misses the feelings that touched us so deeply.
Regardless of our positions in an organization, we need to do whatever we can to help change that. We need to be part of the solution, not part of the problem. But we need to ensure we’re not feeling like victims of a heartless team or organization with a hollowed out soul. It’s too easy to find ourselves being numbed by jobs that aren’t a passionate joy but really feel like work. Profit, wealth, or careers can become goals in themselves rather than the means to fulfilling our deeper, more meaningful destinies.
If we’re not in touch with our own heart and soul we may not realize how our life energy is being slowly drained by work that doesn’t feed our spirit and give us richer meaning. If we’re not careful, we can become hollow victims with our lifeblood sucked out of us. But I can’t blame “them.” I may not choose to be victimized by a toxic team, family, or organization, but I chose whether to be a victim. The choice is mine.
Excerpted from Jim’s fourth bestseller, Growing the Distance: Timeless Principles for Personal, Career, and Family Success. View the book’s unique format and content, Introduction and Chapter One, and feedback showing why nearly 100,000 copies are now in print at http://www.growingthedistance.com Jim’s new companion book to Growing the Distance is The Leader’s Digest: Timeless Principles for Team and Organization Success. Jim Clemmer is an internationally acclaimed keynote speaker, workshop/retreat leader, and management team developer on leadership, change, customer focus, culture, teams, and personal growth. His web site is http://www.clemmer.net/articles
December 30, 2008 at 11:16 pm · Filed under Online Psychology Resources
Some of the best persuasion techniques have been developed from NLP (neuro-linguistic programming) methods. For example, if you hear a person saying, “I see,” a few times, they are probably processing information visually, according to NLP. To influence them then, you would use phrases like, “You can see how…” or you would actually show them things. A more auditory person would be influenced by, “I hear what you’re saying,” and “Listen.”
Notice if they use visual, aural, or kinesthetic words. If you want to convince your spouse to go to the Bahamas, it makes a difference which words you use. “We’ll be feeling that sun on our backs,” is not the same as “We’ll see sunny beaches,” or We’ll listen to the waves at night.” You may use all of these, but one of the three types of words will be more influential for most people.
More Persuasion Techniques
1. Use a person’s name. You have undoubtedly heard salesmen use and abuse this technique. Maybe a statement like “Look Steve, you can see the benefits of this…” just turns you off. Using a person’s name IS a powerful persuasion technique, but there is more subtlety and art to persuasion than just following simple rules.
People do love to hear their own name, but you have to be careful how you use it. First of all, use it how they want to hear it. Ask how they prefer to be addressed. A Mike may not like “Michael,” and a Joseph may be irritated by you calling him “Joe.”
Second, use it at the right time. Unless you are great at reading people and know it is okay, don’t say “Hi Betty!” the moment she walks into your office. Wait until there is a bit of rapport, and sometimes even ask permission (”Is it okay if I call you Betty?”).
2. Use motivating words. Say “think about,” they’ll do that. It is not a call to action. Use words like “today,” and “now,” and “do this.” Many subliminal experts will tell you that even using “by now,” repetitively, as in “By now you can see that this car is luxurious,” is subconsciously taken as “buy now.”
Remember to use THEIR words. If they use the word “efficient” often, then it’s an important word to them. Start using it: “You can see how efficient this RV is in it’s use of space.” Pay attention and pick out any words they use often. Persuasion is easier when you speak the same “language.”
3. Be a chameleon. Change your language to more closely match theirs. Slow or accelerate your speech to match theirs. Sit in the same position that they sit in. Use the same facial expressions. Laugh when they laugh.
This technique is called “mirroring and matching,” and, when done well, you can establish rapport quickly and easily with most people. Most people will never notice you’re doing this, but don’t be too obvious. The person will just feel like you’re like they are, that you can “relate” to them. A bond will begin to develop between you, and you can test this bond by “leading.”
This means that once you have established the bond, you can change your body posture, to see if they unconsciously do the same. If so, they are ready to follow. You continue to mirror and match, but you also start to lead them right to the bottom line on the contract, or to whatever action you want them to take. This is one of the more powerful persuasion techniques.
Steve Gillman has been hunting down obscure knowledge and useful secrets for years. Learn more about subliminal persuasion, and get a free gift at: The Secret Information Site (http://www.TheSecretInformationSite.com)
December 27, 2008 at 6:39 pm · Filed under Online Psychology Resources
Depersonalisation is a lesser known mental condition that can be very disturbing and unpleasant for the sufferer. It is a depressive disorder, which is usually brought on by a stressful event or situation.
As well as depression, the main symptoms are difficult to describe. It is a feeling of unrealness, of not being really “alive” or in full conciousness. Being out of oneself or lost. Thought and access to memory is slowed. Speech can be affected as words are harder to access. Emotions are felt much less and do not feel important. Sometimes there is numbness to the fingers and other symptoms. It can feel worse under fluorescent lighting. It is advisable to see your doctor to check this diagnosis.
The feelings can last for just a few minutes, reoccur, or remain continually for a long period. The sufferer should of course get out of the stressful situation if at all possible. However, this may not, in itself, cure the condition. It would seem that the brain is reacting to the stress by putting itself into a “safe mode”. However, it then can get confined in this condition.
Altogether it can be quite debilitating, but it a big problem when it comes to making others know how you feel. The sufferer is often told how well they look!
Treatment is often by way of anti-depressant tablets. This can alliviate the symptoms but seldom cure the problem. If you have this condition it is easy to become self-obsessed with the problem. As this will cause more stress it is best to live as normally as possible and to try not to think about it.
http://writingup.com/blog/rambler
December 26, 2008 at 11:47 am · Filed under Online Psychology Resources
Since moving to Northern New Hampshire seven years ago, I have observed an unusually large number of my friends and neighbors, many of who are of so-called Baby Boomer age, dealing with the myriad of issues associated with elderly parents. I have been struck by the great dignity and grace with which they have done this and wish I could somehow document it. Of course it is a very personal thing to discuss and each of us has our own way of dealing with it. Yet, if we can learn from each other’s experiences, perhaps in some small way it can help make this difficult phase a bit easier.
Whether it’s rural New Hampshire or urban Boston or wherever, it’s something many of us have to do when our parents reach an age where they can no longer care for themselves. Back sometime in April 1980, my dad approaching ninety, found himself in this situation so it was time for me and my siblings, only one of whom lived in Chicago at the time, to make a difficult and collective decision about locating a nursing home in the Chicago area. That particular sibling, my sister, would assume the awesome responsibility for watching over dad. We honed in on one in Rogers Park area of Chicago that seemed appropriate, but we had our own litmus test and that was that the attitude of the people in charge would need to be responsive to my father’s special needs and would endeavor to provide him with full dignity in his final days. After all, “Big John” as he was known, was our hero and we were determined to give him the very best we possibly could.
Before flying to Chicago from Boston, I arranged an appointment with Father Ballwebber, the home’s young director, to discuss these things having outlined beforehand a number of questions. I had been told that the good father was a realistic man knowledgeable about the sometimes hardscrabble life and mean streets of Chicago and would be straight with me. On the way I stopped to buy a bottle of something stronger than tea so that our mutual comfort might be a bit more positive…. if he were so inclined.
When we met, I was surprised to find we were both about the same age and that our backgrounds were not all that different. Both of us were first generation Americans and we had both grown up in the same Chicago neighborhood. We had been athletes in high school and college and were vaguely aware of each other’s reputation in that regard. So we started on solid common ground.
Well, I never got around to my specific questions, but we talked a lot about the Vietnam War, politics in general and corporate and Papal politics in particular. Wediscussed Papal Encyclicals, Jesuit Intellectualism, prejudice, love, divorce, annulment, death, and a whole lot of things in between. We used some coarse language when we hit on growing up in a tough city as we both had memories we just as soon forget. On a different level, he described how politics were not all that different from those in the business world and that sometimes people of the cloth were passed over for promotions for the same dubious reasons…and something, a nuance…..passed between us. We discussed excommunication and how unfair I thought it could be. We hit on how difficult it was for both a lay person and a priest to be a “good Catholic” and just what being a good Catholic meant.
Father Bill had placed two glasses on his desk when I first entered his office and we worked my bottle pretty good along with a pack of Salem’s. We sipped as we discussed the responsibility children must assume for their parents. I talked about how dad and I were very close despite our great age difference. I mentioned how he would always come to watch me play football and baseball and how he cheered wildly during my many amateur boxing matches and how he would jump into the ring after a fight and put ice on my face if I had lumps or bruises and towel me down. We talked about going smelt fishing in Lake Michigan, going for Sturgeon in Northern Wisconsin, and spending time at a hunting cabin in frigid Yankton, South Dakota or Lake Zurich, Il. Father Ballwebber said he had similar experiences and remarked how his father had nurtured and coached him as he became a college-bound halfback and pro prospect, but how his father was so proud when he had decided on the priesthood as his life’s work.
We went back and forth like this for a another hour or two, sometimes laughing, sometimes with moist eyes. At one point he said, “you truly love him, don’t you?” I nodded and said I want him to live out his days peacefully and without suffering.” He said he would do his very best but that was something no one could really guarantee. I knew he was right. I also knew right there and then that we had made the right choice. Finally, I said I had to return to my sister”s home and meet with the siblings, as I had a flight the next day and was starting to feel just a tiny bit lightheaded. He said he was as well and we both laughed and shook hands firmly. He didn’t say anything else but looked straight at me in a way that left no doubt he understood what I wanted for my father. Curiously, I had never asked him one single pre-outlined question.
On the way to my sister’s, I reflected on our lengthy conversation and the soulful quality of the priest. It wasn’t as much about religion as it was about two 43 year old men finding a common ground on something upon which neither of us could probably put a handle. For me, it was about finding a level of comfort and confidence that made me feel my dad would be just fine in this man’s care.
After reaching agreement with my siblings, making final arrangements and visiting with my dad, I drove to my hotel knowing that I might never see him again, for I would soon be going to Switzerland on a lengthy business trip. I had tears in my eyes and prayed mightily to my God that I had done the right thing. Well, “Big John” passed away just a few months later and he did so peacefully and with grace and dignity.
So as many of you find yourself in a similar situation, there are many different ways to make this excruciatingly difficult decision. This was simply one way of engaging it, and I thought I would share it with you. If there is anything that resonates in some useful way, then I will have achieved my purpose.
“The greatest gift I ever had came from God, and I call him Dad!” Anonymous
Ted Sares, PhD, is a private investor who lives and writes in the White Mountain area of Northern New Hampshire with his wife Holly and Min Pin Jackdog. He writes a weekly column for a local newspaper and many of his other pieces are widely published.
December 25, 2008 at 9:57 am · Filed under Online Psychology Resources
Like it or not, we think in line with our customs and tradition often times, right down to the level of how we think of death, or about death. I was a licensed counselor for many years, and the issue came up a few times, and I was sad at its results, to hear Americas shamefully trying to avoid talking about it. But let me put that aside and finish the article. Yes customs and traditions set down; do play a big part in how we view death. Death being a normal and natural thing; we mimic our parents and our TV heroes, and how they portray death. Why so much gloom out there on death [?] It has been around for a long time, as long as I’ve been around anyhow, fifty-seven years. It is often a taboo subject to talk bout it in certain places. But you can see a lot of books on the subject; more than I can count.
I live in Minnesota, and Peru, and I have traveled much through Mexico, Central America, and South America. The Maya, the Inca and the Aztecs took dying as a preparation period, along with rituals to be put into place; when they knew it was near; my mother was much like them. She told me about her preparing for death, three years before she died at 83, in 2003. She was looking death into its face. And just before she died she said, “I’m ready, I’m alright with it, let me go.” I was sad, but being sad only says we had good times together, that is what brought my tears, no more times. Selfish in a way; also, my mother left me with some fine last words, something TV never leaves out and parents that do not allow their children to see their dying grandparents, and so forth; on TV, or at the movies, all one can find are grunts for their disappearing heroes. That is not life.
People fear to talk about death, as if it was a storm out of control, brewing just for them. Death is seldom viewed by children in America (as I previously implied), as if it was a private affair. I seen my mother in the hospital 26-times in 23-days, when she was dying; and she was laughing and joking in her death bed. I am grateful for that time. It is a choice I feel, and I’m glad I had the deciding vote. I believe children should be allowed to visit and see their grandparents on their dying beds, should they so wish to, and even pushed a bit to do so. My son’s daughter saw her grandmother while she was dying in the hospital, and started crying, she was but a child. But what I feel she will remember is not her crying, but her great-grandmother’s smiling, for that was the last picture she saw of her.
Perhaps death is too much like hell for Americans, because most people I talk to think everyone is going to heaven, and thus, hell no longer exists. Be that as it may, hell and death seem to be connected; as my mother used to say, “Dennis, why does everyone think they’re going to heaven.” I couldn’t answer that, but now I can, hell is too close to death, and death is their nemeses.
Author and Poet Dennis Siluk, his web site is: http://dennissiluk.tripod.com
December 18, 2008 at 8:49 am · Filed under Online Psychology Resources
Anxiety disorder treatments offer the ability to stop worrying. Those that suffer from this condition often face day in and day out of worrying. They fight to find a way to do the simple things that many people take for granted. Yet, if you are facing anxiety disorder symptoms, you can and you should seek out the help that you need for them. Anxiety disorder treatments vary from person to person, but the fact is that people can find the help that they need so badly.
The first thing to do is to be diagnosed with anxiety disorder. You likely know what your anxiety disorder symptoms are. They may be things like excessive worry, unfounded tension, fears of embarrassment and frustration and many others. If you find yourself in this situation, you should seek out a trusted doctor. While this is often a big step for someone that is facing anxiety panic disorder or any form of anxiety disorder, it is the hardest part yet it is the beginning of the end of worry.
Your doctor will provide you with a bit of testing. You will likely be tested to determine if you have a specific type of anxiety disorder such as obsessive compulsive disorder, separation anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder or several other conditions. Once this ruling is done, the right form of anxiety disorder treatment will be pursued.
Treatments are likely to be in several forms:
Psychotherapy: You will work with a doctor to learn how to control your anxiety disorder symptoms. This will include learning how to relax when it seems nearly impossible to do. Additionally, you will learn how to reduce stresses in your life, recognize panic attacks, and how to realize that life does not have to be a constant state of worry.
Medications: Anti anxiety medications are available to help as an anxiety disorder treatment. These medications include Diazepam and Lorazepam as well as many others. Your doctor can work with you to select the medication that is right for your condition. Often anti depression medications can be helpful as well.
Self Help: In self help for anxiety panic disorder or other forms of anxiety disorders is also another treatment option available. You can find several herbal remedies that have shown to improve your overall state of well being and to relieve anxiety disorder symptoms. These supplements can naturally and effectively help to relieve your condition.
Anxiety disorder symptoms are often life altering. What you may not realize is that you can have a life without worry, tension and stress. The fact is that once you are in this state of being for so long, you may not realize that there is help out there for you. Yet, anxiety disorder treatments are available and can benefit you significantly. Seeking out diagnosis and then treatment options is the path to less worry overall.
Sandy Sizemore writes on many consumer related topics including mental health. You can find info on anxiety disorder symptoms and anxiety disorder treatments and more by visiting our mental health website.
November 3, 2008 at 5:47 am · Filed under Online Psychology Resources
Being able to review another persons work is one of those extremely valuable skills that someone shooting for any kind of leadership position needs to master. It can be a very challenging and intimidating task, but it doesn’t have to be this way. Below I’ve outlined some basic tips that will help you to not only be up to the task, but excel at it as well.
To note: The kind of review that I will be referencing for this article is what I call an In-Depth Review. That means that it is for both content as well as your basic grammar and spelling.
- Be familiar with the subject matter - This may seem like a no-brainer if you’re doing a content review, however you might be surprised how often this is not the case. If you’re not familiar enough with the subject to make a good review, let them know. The last thing you want to do is make their work worse after they incorporate your comments. One of the worst outcomes of this is that one of your comments could make their work actually incorrect, which can cascade into a bunch of different issues.
- Have a template for your comments - Many a time I’ve had someone return my work to me with their comments scattered all over the document, making me search through the document to find out what they said. This is a very time consuming process, and it also leaves room to miss a comment, especially if it’s a large document. Don’t get me wrong, it’s ok to make inline comments, however you should also mark where these comments are in a predefined template. This template is usually pretty basic, a simple example would contain the name of the reviewer, date of the review, work being reviewed, and then for each comment there would be a reference number, location, and description.
- Be descriptive - If you’re going to make a comment, make sure you explain exactly what you are trying to get at. It doesn’t have to be a thesis, but writing down “Wrong” won’t cut it and only leads to you having to explain each comment. A few short sentences should usually be sufficient to explain yourself. They should contain what you are referencing, and how you think it needs to be changed. If you need more than that, it’s probably just better to note your comment and talk to them about it.
- Be constructive with your criticism - This goes hand-in-hand with the point above. If you think something needs rework, don’t put “This sucks, get rid of all of it then play in traffic”. While it may be true that they need to do a lot of work, instead of pure negative criticism suggest a way in which it can be improved.
- Be objective - This might be the most important piece of advice I can give you. Lot’s of times at work we are asked to review the work of someone who we might not necessarily like or respect. This should NOT be brought into play when you actually do their review. Remember, you are reviewing their work, not them personally. Even though you may not like them, their work could be important to your project. Making it worse or not helping to improve that product will do you no good in the long run.
- Make sure you have the latest version - This is a two way street. While it is the other persons responsibility to make sure you have the latest and greatest copy of their work to review, it will be your time that is wasted if you review the wrong copy. Before you start reviewing, do a final check with them to make sure you have the correct copy.
- Set aside conference time - Make sure that you are prepared to take some time out and answer questions about your review. I’ve never had a review where either I wasn’t asked questions or asked questions myself. Know this is going to happen, and try to plan accordingly. A good idea if you are pressed for time during the day is to schedule a time to go over the review, and make sure that they have all their questions ready for you when you meet.
I can’t stress this enough: Being able to effectively and thoroughly review someone else’s work is one of the most important skills you can develop in today’s workplace. Leading others is one of the major milestones in most people’s careers, and in order to do that you need to be able to review what they produce.
Kevin Augustine is the administrator for Workplace Life - Where Every Cubicle Has a Window. Visit us for helpful articles on common Microsoft Office software such as Microsoft Word and Excel. We also have articles on career management, surviving in the office, professional email tips, and bits of humor to lighten up your day.
November 3, 2008 at 4:29 am · Filed under Online Psychology Resources
In today’s world the telephone has become the most essential medium of communication. Telephones are widely used all over the world mainly for domestic use or may be for office use. In case of Office Phone Systems, the system is so designed that it allows its user to share the same external telephone lines rather than using individual telephones. These telephone systems are mainly designed for several phone users at a single location. By using these types of phone systems lots of money can be saved as it is very cost effective in comparison to any other phone systems.
The Private Branch Exchange or the PBX phone systems are telephone systems which are created specifically for business purposes in offices. This private branch exchange for Office Phone Systems is created mainly to form a private network between all the users, those who share the selected external telephone lines. This type of office phone systems is ideal for large and medium sized organizations or companies. These phone systems are very cost efficient as they allow sharing a few external lines among the users rather than having individual users use their own external lines. By using a PBX phone system it is very easy to reach someone within the phone system by dialing only a three or four digit extension. In PBX phone system there is some additional features like voicemail with forwarding, reminders, screen display and screen call options. The private branch exchanges for office phone systems are also capable of answering the phones and greet their clients with auto-generated messages and there is also an option for live call transferring in this system.
The Automated Attendant is a phone system accessory that can answer the phone calls by generating automatic messages electronically. The callers are allowed to route themselves through a series of menu prompts by the Automated Attendant. The voice mail systems are generally equipped with the basic automated attendant system. An ACD or Automated Call Distributor is a phone system accessory which helps to route incoming calls among a set of extensions and handles them efficiently. ACDs are mainly used in call centers or enquiry offices where it can process many incoming calls at a same time. The CTIs or the Computer Telephony Integration have broad category of applications. The CTIs are used to connect a phone system to a computer. The CTI retrieves important data from any incoming call and with their expertise and process this data for useful business purposes. The Key System Unit (or KSU) have features like call forwarding, extension dialing and voice mail options. The Voice Over Internet Protocol or VoIP helps users to place voice information in digital form using the Internet.
The office telephone systems are integrated with standard analog telephones, fax machines, cordless and cellular phones with the traditional telephone network and also have the option for the Internet by Voice over IP. The office phone systems have become very popular as they can deliver an easy configurability connection with unprecedented prices.
Tyson J Stevenson has a wealth of information on http://www.office-phone-system.be as well as further discussion at http://www.news2reviews.com.
November 3, 2008 at 1:17 am · Filed under Online Psychology Resources
Why Should I Use Electronic Signatures?
This is a rational question with rational answers, but not everyone has the time or the tenacity to sit down and read the Electronic Signatures In Global and National Commerce Act (”ESIGN”), Uniform Electronic Transactions Act (”UETA”) or the stacks of other regulations and guidance that make this technology not only legal, but also stress the vital importance of adopting electronic signature technologies.
Today the average American office worker consumes (12,000) pieces of paper a year, with an average annual printing expense per employee ranging from $600-$2000. Storing paper and retrieving stored paper is also quite costly. The U.S. government estimates that (1 Lbs) of paper costs ($19) a year to store and manage. At that rate, assuming your business stores only 60% of the paper printed by your employees, your business is spending $1,500 annually per employee on paper storage alone.
There are obvious other costs associated with paper, for example the costs associated with faxing, shipping, receiving and time factors such as waiting for a job to finish printing or waiting on a package to arrive. In the end all businesses feel these costs, but most look at it as a fixed cost of doing business. In reality this is a variable cost of doing business based on old fashioned processes, and the United States government along with virtually every other developed country has passed legislation and regulations encouraging businesses to change the way they do business today, and take advantage of new legal and secure alternatives.
All businesses are looking for a competitive edge, and electronic signature technologies can and will play a vital role in helping businesses find and achieve this competitive edge. Look at the simple cost savings your business can achieve by eliminating some of the hard and soft costs mentioned above. (1) Gigabyte (”GB”) of hard drive space costs ($.50), and this (1) GB of storage will store (100,000) pages of single spaced text. This is the equivalent of ($19,000) of storage savings, ($11,000) of printing savings, and countless savings on time and miscellaneous expenses. Using electronic signature technologies will allow your business to send the previously printed materials securely and immediately to anyone anywhere in the world. Once they receive the file the recipient can legally electronically sign the file, which allows your business to act immediately, and never wait for a package to arrive from the client or prospect again.
This simple process will have wide ranging effects on your business, and the businesses you work with. Sales and production cycles will be shortened, employees will be more efficient, and complying with strict federal and state guidelines will become increasingly easier as your business processes move toward electronic communications and storage.
In the end the decision is not whether to move to an electronic format, but which format is right for your business. Some may feel that electronic signatures are too expensive or complex to implement into their business, but this is no longer the case. There are several pay-as-you-go services on the market today that will allow you to send files and capture secure and legal electronic signatures regardless of your budget. For larger corporations these pay-as-you-go services offer fast, affordable convenience, and in many cases these services offer better options and are easier to use than large and complex in-house solutions.
You can do a Google or Yahoo search to find a list of electronic signature service providers, and determine which one is right for you. There is also a helpful competition analysis put together by PrivaSign.com, which you can review at http://privasign.com/esign-competition-analysis.asp. Have fun and explore all of your options. The goal should be to become more efficient, and during this process your business will certainly save money, become more productive and save time.
By:
Jason McKay
Jason McKay is a Founder of the Electronic and Digital Signatures International Standards Commission. Mr. McKay is a well published author on the subject of electronic signatures, and has written many research articles and informational articles on the subject of electronic signatures.
November 2, 2008 at 2:30 pm · Filed under Online Psychology Resources
Yes, it’s ok to allow yourself the luxury of being enthusiastic, light hearted, inspired, relaxed and happy at workplace. If you don’t do this, you are self-denying your true potential.
It’s unfortunate that many people think that a happy demeanor at office would appear ‘Strong’ and ‘out of place’ to other people including coworker, clients and employee. Often they wrongly assumed that if someone is looking happy, he/she must be satisfied with the status quo and, therefore, lacks the necessary motivation to excel in his/her work or to go to the extra mile. And s/he simple can’t compete in a competitive environment.
This sort of thinking creates huge amount of stress at workplace. Many employers are of the view that they should not allow their employees to be very happy as they may lose their edge.
It’s absolute non-sense to believe that a relaxed, happy person is necessarily lacking in motivation. In reality, happy people are almost always the ones who love what they do. It has been observed again and again that people who love what they do are highly motivated by their own enthusiasm and continue improving themselves and their performance. They are not only good listeners but also quick learner. Further, almost all of them are highly creative, charismatic, easy to go around and very good team players.
On the contrary if we consider unhappy people, we find that they often held back by their own misery or stress, which often distract them from success. Rigid and stressed out people are a drag to be around and difficult to work with, always adding negative vibes in the environment. They lack motivation owing to their being consumed with their own problem, lack of time and stress. Unhappy people often feel victimized by others & their working conditions. It’s difficult for them to be solution oriented as they see everything as someone else’s fault. In addition, they are usually poor team players because they are often self-centered and pre-occupied with their own issues. They are defensive and almost always poor listeners. Despite having o many negative traits, if they are successful, it is despite their unhappiness not because of it. If an unhappy, stressed out but successful person can learn to become happier, he or she will become even more successful.
So my dear friend! Please rest assured. It’s okay to be happy, kind, patient and more relaxed at workplace. It will be to your great advantage - both personally and professionally. You won’t lose your edge.
Just be happy and be natural with a positive frame of mind at your workplace. Dong this, you will not be uncaring or unmotivated. Rather you’ll feel more inspired, creative and driven to make an even greater contribution than you do right now. This habit will give you the ability to see the solutions and opportunities where others see problems. Similarly, rather than being discouraged by setbacks or failures, you’ll bounce back quickly and resiliently.
I one read in a book that if we start thinking positively and act happily, positive force of the nature start attracting towards us. Dare to be happy and your life will begin to change immediately. Your life and your work will take a greater significance and it’ll feel like an extraordinary adventure. Others’ll love you. Number of your friends will soar and that of your rivals/enemies will drop.
Eklavya is a simple student of meditation based in India. He provides knowledge of meditation through his website Meditation is Easy (http://www.meditationiseasy.com). This website provides knowledge of meditation (& various meditation techniques) to general public in a simple and idiot-friendly language ! Along with a collection of 112 Meditation techniques of all times (for all people of all age), you will also find a useful collection of various tips for stress-free life http://www.meditationiseasy.com/tips/index.htm) including workplace tips, health tips and Soul tips ! Have a look..
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