Sunday, August 19, 2012
Kick it like Africa! Bremerhavens Vorstellung zur WM 2010!
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
2010 FIFA WORLD CUP SOUTH AFRICA - GAMEPLAY (PS3GAMER SHOW #4)
Sunday, August 12, 2012
Bài hát chế World cup 1990 (World In Motion) - Các nghệ sỹ hài [GALA CƯỜI 2003]
Saturday, August 11, 2012
Portrait of Nelson Mandela- Dry Brush Technique (Oil Paint)
Wednesday, August 08, 2012
How Earth Made Us 2/5 Water (BBC Documentary)
Tuesday, August 07, 2012
Witness - Witness - Congo my Foot
Monday, August 06, 2012
Thomas Mueller - 2010 FIFA World Cup
Friday, July 27, 2012
Extremest golf aperture ever! 1.000.000 USD for a aperture in one!
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Uruguay semifinalista en la Copa Mundial de Fútbol Sudáfrica 2010 p1 (Fox Sports 02-07-2010)
Monday, July 23, 2012
Nike for FIFA World Cup 2010 South Africa
Sunday, July 22, 2012
Cristiano Ronaldo with Portugal @ HOTEL [HD] allotment 2/2
Friday, July 20, 2012
World Archery Field Championships 2010 - Visegrad - Hungary - TV Magazine
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Riz Khan - Inside the apperception of Nelson Mandela
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Gibbon Slackline Worldcup @ Outdoor 2010 & - Official Video
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Compayito Borracho sudafrica 2010 Despues del mexico vs argentina
Saturday, July 14, 2012
British & Irish Lions 2009 Highlights
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Wavin` Flag - K´Naan ( Cover )
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Zinedine Zidane- A Legend Tribute •HD•
Sunday, July 08, 2012
Learn to Speak Afrikaans in 5 minutes! - Vocabulary Basics
Friday, July 06, 2012
Tuesday, July 03, 2012
Riz Khan - South Africa's columnist beneath threat
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Old South African Adverts
Thursday, June 28, 2012
FIFA World Cup South Africa 2010 Official Theme Song + lyrics!!!
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Riverdance - Live from Beijing 2010
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Best of Table Tennis [2].
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Live fifa worldcup 2010
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Black Nerd Comedy - TOP 5 Wii Games of 2010
Monday, June 18, 2012
CRAZY GIRL WITH KNIFE! (6.17.10 - Day 413)
Saturday, June 16, 2012
Viva Futbol World Cup 2010 Edition [HD]
Friday, June 15, 2012
Cristiano Ronaldo ● Portugal ● ►CR-7◄ ● Skills 2012 ● Welcome To EURO HD
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Xavi Hernandez - The Best
Monday, June 11, 2012
Robocup 2010 Germany / Germany (Final)
Saturday, June 09, 2012
The Atherton Project - Assaulting Adversity
Wednesday, June 06, 2012
USA vs Ghana World Cup Match (Simulated with Fifa 2010 South Africa)
Tuesday, June 05, 2012
Rugby Test Match 2010 - Argentina vs. France
Monday, May 28, 2012
Red Bull Romaniacs 2010 - Day 5 "Final Day"
Sunday, May 27, 2012
TRIBUTE TO ALESANA TUILAGI
Friday, May 25, 2012
Jenyne Butterfly at Miss Pole Dance SA 2010
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Germany vs England *Games 4of7* BBC Müller´s account uncut
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Cristiano Ronaldo CR7 The Legend Part 1
Saturday, May 19, 2012
Pikes Peak 2010 - Porsche GT3 Cup In-Car
Friday, May 18, 2012
[HD] Ryo Miyaichi - Japanese Sensation [Feyenoord 2011]
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Monday, May 14, 2012
Pepe Reina accent Show in Madrid - Mundial Sudáfrica 2010 ( Subtitles )
Saturday, May 12, 2012
Lionel Messi Battle vs Real Madrid 2006 - 2012 HD - YouTube.flv By Ali Khatib
Wednesday, May 09, 2012
Tuesday, May 08, 2012
FASTEST MEN IN RUGBY EVER...[VERSION 3]
Sunday, May 06, 2012
Tuesday, May 01, 2012
Water Fun Facts - Interesting Water Facts for Kids
Leonardo da Vinci (the famous Italian Renaissance artist and inventor) knew a thing or two as you probably know, but did you know that he wrote this? "Water is the driving force of all nature." It certainly is, as an adult's body is 70% water and our brain consists of around 75% of water, so when we sweat and urinate we lose water which needs to be replaced so that our bodies function as they should. Without water we would die, and it has been estimated that we could only live for a week without water, but could live without food for a month.
Our planet consists of more water (around 77%) than land, but unfortunately for us most of that is undrinkable as it is found in oceans seas and geysers and so on. Fresh water makes up about 1 % of all water on Earth, and yet we waste it every day. We use hoses to wash our vehicles instead of buckets of water and take baths instead of showers. We often leave dripping taps to drip without bothering to fix them and we use a lot of water when we flush toilets, although now there are short flush options available.
"All the water that will ever be is, right now." (National Geographic 1993) This means that the water molecules we drink has perhaps been through the systems of dinosaurs and other long-extinct creatures, as the world's water supply is the same as it always has been, because of the hydrologic cycle. We can only get more drinking water if we have more desalination plants that can turn salt water from seas into drinking water.
97 per cent of water on the planet cannot be drunk for the reasons mentioned above, while 2 percent is locked away in glaciers and ice caps. That means we have only one percent of fresh water for industrial and agricultural purposes and for our personal use. Icebergs are made up of fresh water (which is why they don't sink but float) and they are made when ice breaks off from glaciers and ice shelves in the Arctic and Antarctica. They are subjected to wave movements and tides, and so smaller icebergs break off from the huge ones, in a process called 'calving.' If the ice at the Poles melts very rapidly this will cause some of the world's major cities to flood, including London (which is why there is a flood barrier), New York, Sydney and Karachi the main port in Pakistan, which is a megacity.
We need to have around eight cups of water a day, although w get this from all the drinks we consume as well as all the food we eat as water is in nearly everything we consume. Water isn't always in liquid form.
While I was researching for this article I discovered that in Candy, on the island of Sri Lanka there are public baths with a difference; they have a bath for elephants which really appreciated a daily swim and rub down at the baths!
http://www.herbs-treatandtaste.blogspot.com This site has lots of pictures of the food we eat and the plants an use for health. It should be used under parental supervision however as some information may not be age-appropriate for young children. However there are recipes which are different and easy to follow and information about such exotic items as the snake fruit. Why not click on the link and decide for yourself if it is a good site or not?
Friday, April 27, 2012
Boulder WC 2010 address #3 - Vail
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Abdul Razzaq 109 off 72 assurance adjoin SA
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
FIFA World Cup 2010 South Africa - Trailer
Monday, April 23, 2012
Ronaldinho in AC Milan !! Magia !!
Sunday, April 22, 2012
TYT Extended Clip - November 10th, 2010
Saturday, April 21, 2012
2010 DH World Championships
Thursday, April 19, 2012
The Best Multivitamin For Men at Different Ages
Aging and the exposure of men to stress and high level of physical activities require that multivitamins supplements are used to make up for these demands because it is impossible to acquire all that is needed for bone and muscle growth as well as a healthy and satisfactory sexual life.
For Men Below 40 & Physically Active Male
B vitamins and vitamin C help to fight the increased stress levels associated with an active lifestyle in men. Multivitamins intake should therefore target stress reduction and so apart from vitamins B and C, should contain L-Glutathione, Calcium, and Magnesium known to support adrenal function concerned with stress and fatigue reduction.
The level of physical activities in men demand high oxygen intake and for the body to attain the level of oxygen uptake to meet the demand- malic acid, coenzyme Q10 and ginkgo biloba must be part of any multivitamins formulation for men, which improves energy production and enhances performance, stamina and endurance. Ginkgo Biloba is known to enhance oxygen circulation in the brain through increased blood flow to the organ.
Electrolyte Replacement - potassium, calcium, magnesium and sea salt take part in replacing and balancing the minerals and electrolytes lost through strenuous activity. Example, a lot of salt is lost from sweat alone.
Exercise causes a lot of muscle strains and exhaustion; for proper recovery following exercises, N-acetylcysteine, phosphatidylserine and L-glutamine should constitute multivitamins for physically active men.
For Men Over 40 Years
As men advance in age, they become increasingly exposed to risk of heart diseases owed mainly to their kind of life style. To prevent flabby muscles and other cardiovascular diseases vitamin B6, B12 & folic acid help to maintain heart muscles integrity and reduce blood levels of homocysteine, to reduce the risk of cardiovascular problem as a result of blood clot.
"Potent antioxidants like Vitamin E may help reduce the risk of certain eye diseases, heart disease, and even Alzheimer's disease," says Jeffrey Blumberg, Ph.D., a professor of nutrition at Tufts University.
About 400 international units (IU) a day, is require since very little is taken in meals. (A typical multivitamin formulation contains just about 45 IU.) Vitamin C is another very potent multivitamins and is very essential for older men.
L-Glutathione, vitamin A, C and beta carotene, contribute to the support and maintenance of healthy eyesight, including inhibiting the formation of cataracts, a disease of the eye that involves the crystallization of lens of the eye causing opacity in a part or entire body of the lens.
Blood Pressure and Cholesterol control maybe achieved by multivitamins formula containing coenzyme Q10, niacin, choline, inositol, and bioflavonoid.
For Men Over 60 Years
From the age of 60 years, men become prone to prostrate diseases like Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia and Prostrate Cancer. Men with the highest boron intakes are 65 percent less likely to develop these conditions than men with lower levels, studies have shown. American men have one of the lowest boron intakes in the world. So it is logical therefore that prostrate pathology may be prevented if Boron intake is increased in Multivitamins. About 3 milligrams (mg) of Boron Citrate a day is capable of serving the purpose. USDA researchers found that at this dosage, memory and concentration are improved.
The recommended calcium intake per day is about 1000mg of Ca per day. We also know that most men don't get the recommended amount as a cup of milk contains just about 300mg. We hardly hear of men who drink 3 to 4 cups of milk everyday. The target for calcium intake can be achieved if multivitamins contain 500 mg calcium citrate. This taken twice daily can ensure that the average calcium requirement is met -- one in the morning, one at night, to maximize absorption. These together with a cup of milk a day, maybe all that is needed for strong bones and teeth in men.
Chromium is a muscle-building supplement but also useful in overweight men and those with a high chance of becoming diabetic. These are people with a first degree relatives (mother, father, brother or sister) who is diabetic or second degree relatives (uncle, ante etc.) that are diabetic.
The product we personally use called Total Balance by Xtend Life contains all of the nutrients that we have mentioned and much more.
Jonathan Tan & Cynthia Wang-Tan are the editors of Best-Multivitamins-Guide.com, discover why you should only consume the best multivitamin supplement and what to look out for when choosing one for your family.
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Volkswagen 1L
A concept car designed by Volkswagen, the Volkswagen 1L, is an innovative vehicle which is designed to be highly efficient in fuel consumption. The 1L, or 1 litre, is named after its task of running for a total of one hundred kilometres whilst using just one litre of fuel. In another unit of comparison this is; 235 miles per 1 US gallon of fuel. The car is a two seater, with the two seats being linear, i.e. in tandem, opposed to being side by side, like in the majority of cars to date. The Volkswagen 1L is designed to be road worthy and practical as an everyday car, yet extremely efficient to reduce fuel consumption.
The immense efficiency of the car is achieved by a mixture of lightweight components and panelling, highly efficient parts, optimal use of car space, and great aerodynamics. Having seats which are linear, instead of side by side, result in a thinner car with less drag. Drag reduction and aerodynamics are further enhanced by the absence of side mirrors, and a sleek back end design which is minus a viewable back window. The issue of visibility and safety is answered with the use of high end camera and displays which show all round views to the driver. The thinner shape, due to the seating configuration, allows for the rear wheels to be positioned closer together, creating a highly efficient streamlined body.
The aerodynamic body of the Volkswagen 1L is unpainted carbon fibre. The frame of the car is magnesium alloy, with all components being made with weight in mind. The overall weight of the car is just less than three hundred kilograms, around six hundred and forty pounds.
The concept car is fitted with a zero point three litre engine, which uses diesel to output eight break horsepower. The efficiency of the car is enhanced by an automatic six speed transmission, whilst the driver only has control over three options; neutral, drive forward, and reverse. The car is designed with safety in mind, equipped with crumple zones and rolling protection.
Volkswagen cars for sale [http://volkswagen.thatsexactlywhatwewant.co.uk/] on That's Exactly What We Want, as well as Volkswagen Golf for sale, and other cars for sale [http://www.thatsexactlywhatwewant.co.uk/index.php/cat/Vehicles/sub_cat/Cars].
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Eight Below for Devotion, Loyalty and Teamwork
The feature film, Eight Below, presented by Walt Disney is a wonderful example of devotion, loyalty, and teamwork.
"The film tells the story of three members of a scientific expedition: Jerry Shepard, his best friend, Cooper, and a rugged American geologist, who are forced to leave behind their team of beloved sled dogs due to a sudden accident and perilous weather conditions in Antarctica. During the harsh, Antarctic winter, the dogs must struggle for survival alone in the intense frozen wilderness for over 6 months."
- Film Description
The humans are leaving by plane. The plane will return in three hours to rescue the dogs before winter sets in with a massive storm. To make sure the dogs are there for the return trip, their collars are fastened tightly to chains. The plane doesn't return.
One by one the dogs slip their collars or help each other slip the collars. One doesn't make it. The dogs revert to pack behavior, which is a highly structured team environment.
When a flock of birds is seen nearby, Maya, the lead sled dog takes over. She positions the six dogs and then circles and crawls toward the birds. Finally she barks and charges the birds and drives them into the jaws of the waiting dogs. The dogs eat; sometimes abandoned supplies from the Soviet Union; sometimes on a killer whale carcass, and sometimes more birds.
Finally, the human crew is able to put together some financing. They hopscotch their way across the Southern Pacific and the Antarctic, arriving in a borrowed tracked vehicle and trailer. They find five sled dogs in good condition. Maya, badly wounded in a fight with a leopard seal, was still alive and being cared for by the rest of the dogs.
The dogs stayed together for warmth and comfort as well as protection. They hunted together and cared for each other. They never sat around and moped or complained about supplies and lack of support from home base. They survived. Isn't that what work teams do?
Author Don Doman: Don is a published author of books for small business, corporate video producer, and owner of Ideas and Training (http://www.ideasandtraining.com), which provides business training products. Don also owns Human Resources Radio (http://www.humanresourcesradio.com), which provides business training programs and previews 24-hours a day.
Sunday, April 15, 2012
#12 Ghana Freestyle - Edgar Davids Street Soccer Tour 2010
Friday, April 13, 2012
Looking For More About the Progressive Commercial Girl
Is she really all that great looking? What is really so great about Stephanie Courtney? She is actually a virtual unknown until Progressive Insurance came out with a commercial. So now she's the Progressive Commercial girl.
Although not spectacularly beautiful, Stephanie Courtney, the Progressive commercial girl, has been making waves over the internet. She started as a comedian and transformed into an actress. She has appeared in several bit roles or voice over roles in television.
The Progressive commercial is probably finally getting more recognition than she ever has before. After all the internet is global, and she is getting global attention.
Of all the people who have read about her, how many have actually seen the her in action? Being a commercial is really not a good gauge of one's acting ability. With such a short exposure on the screen, it's a wonder she even got noticed!
That just goes to show that either Progressive Insurance is working double time making sure there's a buzz about Stephanie Courtney, or she really is one of the greatest actress of our time!
What do we really know about the new Progressive commercial girl? "Wow" - that's her famous tag line. Isn't that adorable? Of course, you have to hear it to appreciate it.
At any rate, the new commercial girl is the cashier named Flo is now the only Progressive commercial girl. She comes out as Flo in a series of Progressive commercial, always playing Flo, the cashier. Her character is gorgeous and charming. From the Progressive commercial, this girl has managed to book several TV appearances and is fast becoming an actress worth taking a second look at.
With all the great looking girls in Hollywood today, Stephanie Courtney is definitely going in the right direction, and doing it the right way. Viewership in television has dropped considerably with the introduction of the internet, so it just makes sense to try to make it big in cyber world as well as television. Great job, Stephanie. Super job, Progressive Insurance!
Author's name is Umer Hayat and is manager in one of the most famous multinational insurance company. He have vast experience in Insurance industry and it's types. He was also the member for many other international insurance companies. so he know almost everything related to insurance and it's types.
You can check his sites related to Progressive Insurance Commercial [http://www.umerinsurance.com/] - in which he provide almost everything what you want to know and you can easily find almost any question that is in your mind related to topic above.
But if you only want to read more about the above thoughts then you need to work with this link. Progressive Commercial girl [http://umerinsurance.com/autocar-insurance-reviews/progressive-insurance-commercial-girl/]
Hopefully you will find everything that you are looking for.
Learn and Enjoy
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Sudáfrica 2010 - Grupos y partidos / South Africa 2010 - Groups and matches
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Top 10 Celebrities Who Had HIV
The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) strikes anyone - young and old, the rich or poor, the famous and unknowns. The nameless victims who get infected go unnoticed, but celebrities who do, always get the world's attention. This is a list of the top 10 celebrities who are known to have or to have had the virus known as HIV, including those who have died (whether from AIDS or another cause).
1) Rock Hudson - Iconic Hollywood leading man, the first major American celebrity whose AIDS diagnosis was made public. Unquestionably, he was one of the most popular and well-known movie stars of his time. The public got a double shock when it was revealed he had AIDS and was gay. In 1985, Hudson died at the age of 59.
2)Freddie Mercury - Queen's lead singer noted for his vocal abilities and his charisma. His death led to The Mercury Phoenix Trust anti-AIDS charity and the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert for AIDS Awareness. Died in 1991 at the age of 45 and was inducted into Rock and Roll's Hall of Fame in 2001.
3)Liberace - Flamboyant Las Vegas singer and piano player known for candelabras, lavish costumes, exotic cars and kitchy homes. In the '70s and 80s, Liberace was a major box office attraction in Las Vegas. In 1987, he died due to complications from AIDS.
4)Arthur Ashe - one of the greatest tennis players of all time. Was the first African-American to win a Grand Slam and he went on to collect three. Ashe transcended tennis to become a social activist who led public protests against apartheid in South Africa; became infected with HIV via transfusion during heart surgery. This Tennis Hall of Famer died in 1993 at the age of 49.
5) Isaac Asimov - famous science fiction writer and biochemist. Two of his works were turned into highly successful films - I, Robot and Bicentennial Man. Asimov, who was also popular for his science books, became infected by transfused blood during heart surgery.
6) Earvin "Magic" Johnson - One of the greatest NBA players of all time, Johnson is widely considered as the best point guard ever to play the game. Since publicly announcing he had been infected with the virus HIV, Johnson continues to be an advocate for HIV/AIDS prevention and safe sex.
7)Greg Louganis - Olympic gold medalist in diving. Was the most outstanding amateur athlete in 1984 and went on to win back-to-back Olympic golds in both the 3m and 10m diving events. Following the announcement of his HIV status in 1995, Louganis was dropped by majority of his corporate sponsors. Since retiring from diving, Louganis has ventured into acting mostly in off-Broadway plays.
8)Tommy Morrison - world champion boxer better known for his role as Tommy Gunn in Rocky V. In 1996 it was revealed he was HIV-positive which automatically retired him from boxing as a competitor. Currently, he is pursuing a career in Mixed Martial Arts and is trying to mount a comeback in boxing.
9)Ryan White - expelled from high school because of his infection which he got from contaminated blood during treatment. White, who was a hemophiliac, became a poster child for HIV/AIDS at a time when the public knew very little about the disease. White made many celebrity friends including Michael Jackson whose song "Gone Too Soon" was a tribute to the teenage AIDS victim. White died in 1990 at a young age of 18.
10) Esteban De Jesus - a world lightweight champion boxer from Puerto Rico. Famous for his trilogy with Roberto Duran, "Vita" had a life full of controversy, problems and scandals. Sentenced to life in jail for murder, he became a preacher and started to turn his life around. De Jesus acquired HIV and succumbed to full-blown AIDS in 1989.
When you think about the celebrities on this list, appreciate the importance of practicing Safe Sex. It is an effective way to prevent yourself or your partner from getting the HIV virus or other STDs. Want to know more about Safe Sex? Click here. Want to know more about HIV/AIDS and STDS? Click here
Saturday, April 07, 2012
Pomeranian Cuts Are Really Cute
A Pomeranian is a toy dog. Pomeranians are designer dogs, as many celebrities own these little dogs. They carry them wherever they go, whether it is to a highbrow party or to their hair salon. They are always groomed and dressed very fashionably. The Pomeranian cuts on these dogs are becoming more recognized worldwide because of these celebrities. There are only three basic Pomeranian cuts that are normally seen on these dogs. The teddy bear cut is the most popular, the lion cut is the second in line for popularity and the shave comes in last. The shave is least popular because it can harm the dog if the whether turns cold. Since these dogs are small they need their coats to keep them warm. They can catch cold from sitting too long in front of an air conditioner. Pomeranians are happiest when they are groomed. They love the attention and when a Pomeranian goes in for a specialty cut, the salons dote on the dogs.
Because Pomeranians get groomed so often they must get used to the water, clippers, trimmers and brushes at an early age. Pomeranian puppies must be groomed at a young age to get them used to the process. These dogs will eventually love their trips to the salon to receive their Pomeranian cuts. They love the attention they receive during the washing, trimming and brushing sessions. These dogs seem to know instinctively that they are to show off their gorgeous longhaired coats in a glamorous fashion.
So it is only natural that so many people dress their dogs in a fashionable manner and carry them wherever they go. Pomeranians are fun but arrogant dogs and know they are beautiful animals and this is probably why the teddy bear Pomeranian cut is the most popular cut. This Pomeranian cut will show off the luxurious long haired coat to the utmost degree. This is, by far, the most popular Pomeranian cut in the American Kennel Club competitions.
Pomeranians can instinctively display glamour. They are aware when they are groomed beautifully and want to display themselves to the world. The best of the Pomeranian cuts is a teddy bear cut. This Pomeranian cut can be maintained with weekly brushings and monthly trimmings. There is no shaving involved in a teddy bear Pomeranian cut. As long as the dog's coat is free of knots and matting, the cut is easy to maintain.
And a well maintained Pomeranian cut means a happy dog. There is no shaving involved in the teddy bear Pomeranian cut, only short trimming sessions to keep the Pomeranian cut in a uniform shape. It is common for a matted, knotty Pomeranian to be a very unhappy and unfriendly dog. They want to be beautiful and they want to show the world how beautiful they are. The teddy bear Pomeranian cut is the best for this display of beautiful. The beautiful coat of a Pomeranian is beautiful to behold and it would be sad to not let the dog display its most beautiful asset.
Rosie Allan is an expert on British royal dogs and lives in the countryside of London with two Pomeranians. The Pomeranian [http://www.officialpomeranianguide.com/], a favorite of royalty, is a descendant of the Spitz sled dogs. Queen Victoria of England, who once had 35 Pomeranians, made the dog popular in England in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Helpful Pomeranian information [http://www.officialpomeranianguide.com/Pomeranian.php] such as that found here is also available at libraries and through the American Kennel Club.
Friday, April 06, 2012
Boulder World Cup Finals Munich 2010: Boulder 1 and 2
Tuesday, April 03, 2012
Underperformance in the Workplace - The Leader's Responsibility
"I'm looking at the man in the mirror"...
After listening to the arguments for dismissing employees for underperforming I would like to challenge the Employer to take a look at "the man in the mirror". We cannot change anyone except ourselves. Anyone who has tried changing a spouse or a life partner will know how difficult it is to get "them" to do what "we" want. So, let us begin with the one person we can change, ourselves. Too often we "blame" others as it takes the responsibility away from us. It's them not us! It excuses us. In my recent work and research I have found that underperformance seems to have become the order of the day. I have spent hours observing teams and groups at work and have come to one conclusion, the onus rests on the Leader/Manager/Owner to turn the tide. The focus needs to shift to the Employer and Top Management, are they themselves "engaged", committed and credible? Do they know where they are taking their teams, how they going to get there and why? Do they care about the team, the goal and the organization? Or is their ineffective leadership manifesting in the underperformance of the team?
According to research there are very valid reasons for underperformance in the work place. Surely no-one wakes up in the morning and says "let me get to work so that I can do a really lousy job!" We have to believe that people get up in the morning with every good intention. The Leaders and Managers and CEOs are the people who set the direction and lead their teams. They either create or do not create a culture that encourages high performance behaviours. Are their behaviours then not inextricably linked to the behaviours of the teams they lead, whether good or bad? Let us find out.
Research as recent as 19 April 2010 and is South African specific concludes:
"South African Companies should not be sitting on their laurels... fewer than HALF are currently happy in their jobs; 47% say they are comfortable or happy and the remainder are frustrated and miserable." (JobCrystal Happiness Factor) Let us pose the question, how can anyone who is frustrated and miserable, perform well or be motivated to perform better? In a skills shortage country we cannot persist with the outdated and arrogant attitude that employees can be happy to have jobs! We, as employers, should be striving to retain talent and become preferred employers so that we have the choice of the best people. You know the Japanese have a theory about motivation, they say if you want to motivate employees, then EMPLOY motivated employees.
Research shows that issues such as:
• Weak management and leadership
• Inadequate or no induction training
• Unclear or no job descriptions;
• Ambiguous role definitions;
• Poor relationships with managers and or colleagues;
• Wrong fits;
• Fuzzy goals and accountability - no clear Vision;
• Health and wellness issues;
• Physical and environmental facts - poor working conditions;
• Company policies and politics;
• Salary;
• Inconsistency in the workplace;
...are all reasons why employees underperform. All or most of these issues can be controlled by Management. Hence, we need to look at the man in the mirror.
In order to understand performance one has to understand what drives a person; what motivates a person to perform. Elsabe Manning, in her EQ Workshop, maintains there are 3 factors that are responsible for losing motivation: lack of confidence; lack of focus and lack of direction. It is the leader's responsibility to instil confidence in the task, the organization, and the cause. It is the leader's responsibility to set the direction and to focus on the end result or the goal.
We have all heard of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. As far back as 1959 Herzberg was fascinated by what motivated some employees to perform while others did not perform. He published his findings in his book The Motivation to Work and his theory became known as the Hygiene Theory or the Two Factor Theory. Herzberg found that the factors causing job satisfaction and job dissatisfaction were two different entities and not two opposites of the same pole. He called the factors causing job satisfaction the motivating factors and he called the factors causing job dissatisfaction the hygiene factors or the "KITA stuff" (acronym for Kick In The Arse). The top 6 factors leading to job satisfaction and job dissatisfaction are:
-Satisfaction Dissatisfaction (KITA)
-Achievement Company policy
-Recognition Supervision
-Work itself Relationship with boss
-Responsibility Working conditions
-Advancement Salary
-Growth Relationship with peers
Only once these negative factors have been uncovered and removed can we start addressing motivation to perform, job satisfaction, employee engagement, call it what you like. You may well find that once the KITA stuff is out of the way performance naturally starts to improve.
When faced with poor performance - management needs to take a critical look at the reasons for underperformance. If the issue is not addressed it will lead to a spirit of apathy within the organisation, a culture of blame and underperformance. Even the motivated employees will stop performing as there is nothing more uninspiring than for a motivated employee to arrive on the job and see the acceptance of mediocrity and underperformance. Soon they too will be underperforming as a result of this. Management often accept mediocrity and as a result of tolerating and accepting poor performance they are indirectly encouraging high performance employees to start underperforming.
The steps to addressing under performance is first to assess. Once the KITA or hygiene factors have been uncovered, remedial steps can be taken. Certain things may need to change, be implemented or removed. Leaders' behaviour needs to be examined and if found lacking in skills or ineffective they need to be coached into high performance behaviours. And then, if "behaviour breeds behaviour" our own changed behaviours should ignite the positive behaviours in our team, the behaviours needed to promote performance! This change of behaviour cannot be taught in a classroom but rather in a manner where the leader can achieve a higher degree of self-mastery and self-awareness. This is achieved in one on one coaching over a period of time. The coachee is encouraged to discover truths about what drives him or her and to improve his own performance behaviours. Coaching will stretch the coachee and create the desire to move from the existing state to the desired state.
Much has been written on Management and Leadership, enough to know that there is a wide range of opinions and theories on this topic reflected in a variety of books, articles and dissertations. From Machiavelli to Townsend to Tannenbaum to Harvey-Jones there is very little consensus what makes a good leader. One thing almost all of these authorities agree on is that good leaders are good communicators. If leaders can learn excellent communication skills, then it may follow that they become more effective as leaders. More effective leaders will result in more effective teams. It follows then that teaching leaders excellent communication skills is of absolute importance. If coaching can teach a leader excellent communication skills and produce high performance behaviours within him or herself, and behaviour breeds behaviour, then it should follow that this effective leadership ability will automatically improve the performance of the employee, team or department. And so the corollary should be true too; if the leader does not display excellent communication skills and high performance behaviours then this will be reflected in the poor performing employee, team or department.
One of the best known authors on Leadership issues is Warren Bennis. He describes the differences between leaders and managers as follows (for which he has been highly criticized and misunderstood for his views but here they are anyhow):
Managers Leaders
-Focus on systems and structures Focus on people
-Accepts the status quo Challenges the status quo
-Has his eye on the bottom line Has his eye on the horizon
-Does things right Does the right thing
-Is a function Is a role
Perhaps this is where we go wrong when we recruit promote employees to become Managers. We assume that the person who performs the best will automatically make the best Manager. But this is not necessarily true. People need to learn to lead and manage. When Bennis described the skills of a leader he described them as four management competencies:
(a) Management of attention - leaders must be able to encapsulate a vision that other people are able to endorse and buy into, they must bridge the present and the future, and encourage their team to take steps to create that future for themselves. Coaching can do this. Coaching generates improvements in individuals' performances. It helps develop self awareness, it improves behaviour, and it corrects behavioural difficulties. Coaching benefits the organization when the coachee demonstrates fuller use of his/her potential and talents, it increases creativity, learning and knowledge, it intrinsically motivates people, it improves relationships between people and departments and it facilitates the adoption of a new culture or Management style.
Leaders who think they can communicate the Vision and Mission statement and then think the job is done have missed the point completely, this is an on-going process and good leaders work at their vision continuously;
(b) Management of meaning - good leaders articulate business purpose and priorities accurately, succinctly using language that encourages intelligent questioning and that creates a positive and creative environment;
(c) management of trust - this is the emotional glue that binds the leader and the team together; it is this very rapport that connects people in the organisation and creates an environment for people to perform;
(d) management of self - credibility is the cornerstone of employee "engagement". Managing oneself gives the leader credibility - walk your talk - display a level of self discipline that is more demanding of oneself than of others, be persistent, master self awareness and be open to learning. Effective leaders create a virtuous cycle of ambition within the organisation; they have remarkable resistance, when things go wrong they admit their mistakes and draw appropriate lessons and incorporate that into their vision too.
The problem is how do we help people develop these skills that will elevate them from supervisors to effective leader/managers? The answer lies in coaching... Developing these skills is not a classroom exercise but a continuous process that can be achieved through coaching... learning needs to come from reflection about specific instances and behaviours over a period of time, not from a text book.
Coaching Leaders to Communicate
Leaders, who do not communicate well, are not really leading at all. It is one thing to have the position, another to fulfill the role. The standard remedy, it appears, is to provide executives in this position with some form of presentation skills training. This might help them give a speech, but it will do little to help them become genuine leaders.
To achieve successful leadership skills, the executive must:
• achieve a higher degree of self-mastery and self-awareness;
• learn how to be a superb listener, before they can begin to become a better talker;
• actively manage themselves as role models - for learning and for the corporate values;
• uncork their imagination (so often suppressed through years in risk-averse or over-controlled corporate cultures);
• learn how to link their imagination and emotions to the ambitions they have for their team, department or organisation, so they can express ideas in ways that will capture the imagination and emotion of others.
This is, however, just a starting point. Managing oneself is a long-term, continuous project, but the more self-aware the manager is, the easier it will be to communicate with genuine passion, time after time. Having built the basic capacity to communicate, the executive can now make further strides toward becoming an effective leader. Coaching is designed to help your leader/manager to become more aware and to manage by example, accept responsibility, treat people with respect, integrity and dignity, involve employees, have clear goals and a clear vision, empower themselves and employees, give them responsibility and hold them accountable, be consistent, encourage employees to be proactive, and develop strategies that encourage creativity in the work place. A leader that is "engaged" has his finger on the pulse. One who keeps the passion alive in himself will naturally ignite the people around him. A leader is one who shows commitment not only to himself, but to the organisation, the goal and the team. A leader promotes collaboration, and encourages development. A leader has credibility as this is the cornerstone of employee engagement. Walk your talk. Leaders must have the ability to form and maintain meaningful relationships with their people, demonstrating respect and understanding for individual and cultural differences.
Leaders need to use language that encourages building self esteem, speak positivity, encourage the use of positive language, encourage praise, build his people and stretch them continuously to achieve better results. If the bar is raised the level of performance will follow. If we treat employees like underachievers they will underachieve. It is known as the Pygmalion Effect. It is fact that people will do more for recognition than they will for money. A compliment from your boss is worth more than the extra R500 if we reach our targets. I'm not saying do away with monetary incentives but find out what motivates your people, build relationships with your employees, get to know them, and understand what makes them tick. Treat them as individuals and not as a group, treat them as adults and creative thinkers not as children. What works for one doesn't necessarily work for another. Avoid becoming too involved with the processes and functions of management and develop the knowledge and skill to understand human behaviour. 80% of most jobs is the ability to develop and maintain good relationships. Learn to manage and retain talent; skills are short in South Africa and we need to do everything in our power to retain our talent and become a preferred employer of choice.
Although it is generally accepted that employees are an organizations critical success factor, employers are still unable or unwilling to effectively manage their employees' contribution to the organization and ultimately to the bottom line. It becomes evident then that it is of utmost importance for any organization to create an environment where employers manage their employees effectively. The key word is effectively. Create an environment where exceptional performance is encouraged. It would be far more encouraging for employers to have signs up such as "here out OurCo we ensure that our employees are given every opportunity to exceed their maximum potential", rather than the same old vision and mission statements on display year after year. Talent in an organization needs to be recognised, managed, nurtured and grown.
Dr Ilke Incleglou, a senior research Psychologist in the UK, who has a PhD in Organisational Psychology from the University of Munich, focuses much of her recent work on what is known as employee engagement, work motivation and person-job fit. She says that "engaged employees" are the employees that perform excellently. Engagement is referred to as a psychological state people are in when they work and is linked strongly to performance, it's more than just about job satisfaction. Engagement is now one of the hottest topics of management. The Corporate Leadership Council defines employee engagement as "the extent to which an employee commits to something or someone in the organisation, how hard they work as a result of this commitment and how long they intend to stay with the organization". And the "extent to which the organisation enriches their life and work experiences". It is a two way process. Gone are the days where employers can arrogantly think "they are lucky to have jobs"... It is normal human behaviour to ask WIIFM? And when an employee asks this question he should be able to answer it confidently and positively taking into account the financial benefits, career advancement benefits, developmental benefits etc. If an employee is engaged he is motivated to perform well. This comes from being energized by your job and what needs to be achieved. Incleglou expresses for employees to become engaged management has to put very clear criteria in place, what does the CEO want, what is the strategy, consider how this is related back to the employees, create clear expectations. In all studies on engagement one thing is clear: no-one impacts the state of engagement more than an employees' immediate leader!! Leader's engagement drives employees!
Having an engaged leader beats any time management workshops, motivational workshops and goal setting workshops!
In Bennis' research and Clutterbuck's book The Winning Streak they focused almost entirely on senior leaders, CEOs and Presidents of Corporates but came to the same conclusion: the same basic skills appear to apply at all levels even down to the most junior of Team leaders. In fact it boils down to two basic questions:
(a) Does the leader know where he wants to take us and why?
(b) Does he or she care? (About me, about the team and about the goal itself)?
As leaders of organizations, take a critical look at your own behaviour and make sure you are displaying all the good characteristics of an effective Leader and demonstrating high performance behaviours yourself.
Article written by Heather Craemer, Synergy Human Resources, http://www.synergyhr.co.za 2010 ©