Followings are the few points that I found that are essential for bird watching to make it more enjoyable & memorable.
Good Quality Binocular.
It is a very rare scenario that you will get a closer look at the birds when you are in the jungle. But I had one such lucky opportunity during my entire trek. So carry a binocular with you for a real closer look at the birds or other jungle animals or flowers.
DSLR Camera.
If you want to bring back a good memory of all the floras & faunas that you have seen, this is another one must have item. Please carry with you at least one Tele-Zoom & Macro Zoom lens with you in your digital camera kit. Make use of the sunlight available for getting better shots while zooming for long distance object.
Bird’s Guide
There is a book published by local wildlife department and it has good information about different types of birds that can be found in the Fraser’s Hill area & their habitats. On my last day of the trip, I happened to meet the local wild life department officer Mr. Durai, who has contributed his part to this book & information board. He is also interested to share his experience of wildlife with the visitors arriving there.
Bird’s Call Audio
Person like Mr. Durai has the unique quality of spotting the bird and its name just the sound that they make. You can also search on the net to understand various sounds and matching bird’s call in audio format. You can use it to play in a portable speaker connected to your mp3 players based on the birds nearby you. This will help the bird to stay longer in the branch with echoing voice as it feels that their crowd is present there by the call.
Laser Pointer
This is very useful in case you are going as a group to notify the birds sitting position to others. But please point the laser light to the branches nearby the bird so that the birds are not disturbed.
Know The Feeding Timings Of Birds:
I learned from Mr. Durai that birds visit usual area (trees in routes accessible by us) only during their feeding timings. If we don’t know this fact it is not worth waiting under the tree to see the birds on branches. And the birds feeding timings are morning 8AM till 12 noon. Afternoon 2PM till evening 7pm. Owl does its feeding during night time.
This is what I have learned during my trip about points to be certainly take note/prepared of for any bird watching activity. If you know anything more, please feel free to comment.
Showing posts with label Tips. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tips. Show all posts
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Bring down High Blood Pressure Naturally
Are you the one sick and tired of taking Blood Pressure tablets and looking for a natural remedy? Try the few of the following steps sincerely and post your comment if it helped.Meditation: Calming your mind from high stress definitely helps lowering blood pressure. Sure way to way to achieve this is by practising meditation every day.
Garlic: Garlic is very effective in lowering blood pressure. Take 2-3 raw garlic cloves a day. It slows down the pulse rate and relieves the symptoms of dizziness, numbness and shortness of breath and formation of gas within the digestive system.
Indian Gooseberry: Indian gooseberry is also very effective in controlling high blood pressure.
Lemon: Lemon is also very effective food in controlling high blood pressure. It helps in maintaining capillary fragility.
Grapefruit: Grapefruit is useful in preventing high blood pressure.
Watermelon: Watermelon also safeguards against high blood pressure. The seeds of watermelon also can be dried and roasted and taken in liberal amounts.
Rice: Rice is low-fat, low-cholesterol and low-salt content is very good for people suffering from high B.P. who have been advised salt-restricted diet. Particularly brown rice having calcium soothes and relaxes the nervous system and helps relieve High B.P symptoms.
Potato: Boiled potatoes are very valuable in lowering high B.P. Boiled potatoes absorb very little salt and thus are very useful. Potatoes are rich in Potassium and not sodium salts and magnesium present in potato is also beneficial.
Parsley: Parsley is very useful in high blood pressure. It helps maintain the blood vessels .Parsley can be taken as a beverage by simmering 20gms of fresh parsley leaves gently in 250 ml of water for a few minutes. Drink this several times a day.
Vegetable Juice: Raw vegetable juices, especially carrot and spinach juices, taken separately or in combination, are also beneficial in the treatment of high B.P If taken in combination, 300 ml of carrot juice and 200 ml of spinach juice should be mixed to make 500 ml and taken daily. If taken separately, one glass should be taken twice daily, morning and evening.
Cut down on these: Cut down on salt, cholesterol, fat, tea, coffee and alcohol intake to keep a tab on high blood pressure.
Expres your feelings: Don't repress your feelings, talk about them to friends and exercise regularly.
Exercise: Excercising 30 minutes a day can help you lose weight, which can lower blood pressure.
Friday, April 18, 2008
Dropped your Mobile Phone in Water?
I have put my Nokia phone inside washing machine and got washed along with cloths few years back. I ran to Nokia Service Centre, they told me that any contact with liquid doesn’t come under warranty and we cannot recover the life of your phone even we after tried in our service lab, so they gave it back.
I didn't really get to know about much technique on drying it out to make it work. A week later my friend mailed me saying similar incident happened with his O2 Phone and he managed to recover it by completely disassembling it and drying it out with Hair Dryer. He was lucky until today he has no problem. I tried but it didn’t work may be mine was dead long time back and cannot be revived.
The real technique involves with drying your wet phone and removing all the moisture quickly with right amount of heating. Remember after all the phone internal main board is made up of using IC Chips and other semiconductors devices like transistor and resisters, hence they are all sensitive to too much of heat. If you have studied Electronics subjects you will know this for sure.
Today I just received an email saying a bowl of rice also can do this job and I did a quick search to see if this is for real or hoax and seems like it was discussed in Yahoo Answers and one guy mentioned about the same few months back. Somebody Else also posted an extensive article on this topic of how to save a wet mobile phone and it seems it did solve the problem. The Conetent of the mail I received is available here.
With all this I am sure if your iPod or phone happens to accidentally goes under I am sure you have the solution handy now.
Thursday, April 05, 2007
7 Dont's after meal
- Don't smoke
- Don't eat fruits immediately
- Don't drink tea
- Don't loosen your belt
- Don't bathe
- Don't walk about
- Don't sleep immediately
Experiment from experts proves that smoking a cigarette after meal is comparable to smoking 10 cigarettes (chances of cancer is higher).
Immediately eating fruits after meals will cause stomach to be bloated with air. Therefore take fruit 1-2 hr after meal or 1hr before meal.
Because tea leaves contain a high content of acid. This substance will cause the Protein content in the food we consume to be hardened thus difficult to digest. Try avoiding it for 30 minutes after your meal. Even though, some researches suggests that Green Tea after the meal will help you losing weight.
Loosening the belt after a meal will easily cause the intestine to be twisted &blocked.
Bathing will cause the increase of blood flow to the hands, legs & body thus the amount of blood around the stomach will therefore decrease. This will weaken the digestive system in our stomach.
People always say that after a meal walk a hundred steps and you will live till 99. In actual fact this is not true. Walking will cause the digestive system to be unable to absorb the nutrition from the food we intake.
The food we intake will not be able to digest properly. Thus will lead to gastric & infection in our intestine.
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Table Mannerism
Guys like myself had no chance to get to know such concept of Table Mannerism as we always sit down on the floor and eat with hand when we were bought up. But I had to change myself to follow some of this when dining out with colleagues or clients in a situation like the so called formal dinner. Here are some tips for you to read and improve your knowledge too in this very same concept of Table Mannerism.
At a formal luncheon or dinner, wait for an indication from your host before you seat yourself. The host may have a certain seating arrangement in mind.
In very formal events, there will be place holders with your name on the table to guide you.
In many cases, however, the host will either guide you to your seat personally or indicate that you may sit where you please.
Gentlemen, please remember chivalry is not yet dead! While the ladies may not give you condemning looks, they will appreciate it if you wait for them to be seated before you sit.
Now we come to the problem area - Cutlery.
While many of us may not use a fork and knife at home, you are expected to adhere to some global norms at business lunches and other formal dos.
Sounds intimidating? It's not, actually. We'll tell you why...
~ Take it for granted that the place settings on your table will be correctly arranged by the server. This means you are provided with the adequate number of forks, knives and spoons for each course that is to follow.
~ Wondering which fork and which knife to pick up from the entire spread?
Simple rule: Work your way from the outside to the inside. This means the outermost fork and knife are meant for your first course (usually salads or starters) and so on.
The number of forks and knives also indicate the number of courses in the meal (This tip is particularly handy for those who like to save space for dessert).
~ The dessert spoon and fork (if necessary) are placed parallel to each other above the dinner plate.
~ The side plate (often referred to as the bread and butter plate) is to your left, along with the salad plate. The liquids -- including water, wines and tea or coffee cups -- are to your right.
~ It is customary that you maintain the place settings through the meal. If you pick up your wine glass or water goblet to have a sip, place it back in the same position.
Now we come to the 'how to' part:
Holding your cutlery
As indicated by the place settings, hold the fork in your left hand and the knife in your right. Europeans prefer to hold the fork in their left hand with the tines pointing towards the diner. The knife is held in the right, with the sharp edge facing inwards. Americans prefer to cut the food using the fork and knife. After using the knife, place it on your plate and eat with your fork, tines facing upwards. Either way of eating is acceptable.
Slicing through
While cutting up a dish, use the fork to hold the food down and cut with the knife.
The pressure of your index finger on top of the knife should be enough to slice through the dish.
Avoid sawing (back and forth motion) with your knife; it will seem as if you are hacking your meal!
Always cut bite-sized pieces of food, so you are not embarrassed while trying to fit a huge chunk into your mouth.
Taking a breather?
When you pause during a meal, you may place the fork on the left and the knife on the right side of the plate, so that they cross over at the centre of the plate.
Second helping
If you need to pass your plate for a second helping, place the fork and knife parallel to each other at the right side of the plate, to make room for the food.
Napkin guidelines
~ While it is acceptable to place the napkin on your lap as soon as you are seated, people usually prefer to follow the host's lead.
If it is a small luncheon napkin, you can unfold it completely before placing it on your lap. In case of a large dinner napkin, fold it in half, lengthwise.
~ Use your napkin to gently blot your lips during the meal. Remember, it is not a towel to blow your nose or wipe your face!
~ If you need to get up during the meal, place your napkin on your chair to indicate you will be back.
~ At the end of the meal, place the napkin neatly on the table to your right.
Do not fold the napkin; at the same time, take care not to leave it in a crumpled heap.
10 Dining Rules
The end
The end of the meal is usually indicated by placing the fork (tines up or down) and the knife (blade facing you) parallel to each other diagonally across the plate, with the handles pointing right.
Burp! Had a nice, sumptuous meal? Hold on, you still have work to do.
Remember to thank your host for a wonderful meal. Your host would definitely appreciate a thank-you card or note or some flowers that you could send across the next day.
You can also forward this to your friends to make them aware of The Art of Fine Dining, if they are one like myself.
If you still wanna read some more about this pls proceed to Eat Out - on your terms
At a formal luncheon or dinner, wait for an indication from your host before you seat yourself. The host may have a certain seating arrangement in mind.
In very formal events, there will be place holders with your name on the table to guide you.
In many cases, however, the host will either guide you to your seat personally or indicate that you may sit where you please.
Gentlemen, please remember chivalry is not yet dead! While the ladies may not give you condemning looks, they will appreciate it if you wait for them to be seated before you sit.
Now we come to the problem area - Cutlery.
While many of us may not use a fork and knife at home, you are expected to adhere to some global norms at business lunches and other formal dos.
Sounds intimidating? It's not, actually. We'll tell you why...
~ Take it for granted that the place settings on your table will be correctly arranged by the server. This means you are provided with the adequate number of forks, knives and spoons for each course that is to follow.
~ Wondering which fork and which knife to pick up from the entire spread?
Simple rule: Work your way from the outside to the inside. This means the outermost fork and knife are meant for your first course (usually salads or starters) and so on.
The number of forks and knives also indicate the number of courses in the meal (This tip is particularly handy for those who like to save space for dessert).
~ The dessert spoon and fork (if necessary) are placed parallel to each other above the dinner plate.
~ The side plate (often referred to as the bread and butter plate) is to your left, along with the salad plate. The liquids -- including water, wines and tea or coffee cups -- are to your right.
~ It is customary that you maintain the place settings through the meal. If you pick up your wine glass or water goblet to have a sip, place it back in the same position.
Now we come to the 'how to' part:
Holding your cutlery
As indicated by the place settings, hold the fork in your left hand and the knife in your right. Europeans prefer to hold the fork in their left hand with the tines pointing towards the diner. The knife is held in the right, with the sharp edge facing inwards. Americans prefer to cut the food using the fork and knife. After using the knife, place it on your plate and eat with your fork, tines facing upwards. Either way of eating is acceptable.
Slicing through
While cutting up a dish, use the fork to hold the food down and cut with the knife.
The pressure of your index finger on top of the knife should be enough to slice through the dish.
Avoid sawing (back and forth motion) with your knife; it will seem as if you are hacking your meal!
Always cut bite-sized pieces of food, so you are not embarrassed while trying to fit a huge chunk into your mouth.
Taking a breather?
When you pause during a meal, you may place the fork on the left and the knife on the right side of the plate, so that they cross over at the centre of the plate.
Second helping
If you need to pass your plate for a second helping, place the fork and knife parallel to each other at the right side of the plate, to make room for the food.
Napkin guidelines
~ While it is acceptable to place the napkin on your lap as soon as you are seated, people usually prefer to follow the host's lead.
If it is a small luncheon napkin, you can unfold it completely before placing it on your lap. In case of a large dinner napkin, fold it in half, lengthwise.
~ Use your napkin to gently blot your lips during the meal. Remember, it is not a towel to blow your nose or wipe your face!
~ If you need to get up during the meal, place your napkin on your chair to indicate you will be back.
~ At the end of the meal, place the napkin neatly on the table to your right.
Do not fold the napkin; at the same time, take care not to leave it in a crumpled heap.
10 Dining Rules
- Never speak with food in your mouth
- If you are not comfortable using a fork to eat rice, it is perfectly acceptable to ask the server for a spoon
- Do not ask for permission to smoke on the dinner table. It is considered rude. Preferably do not smoke at all, unless the host takes the lead or grants you permission
- Avoid answering calls and messages on your cell phone during a meal, unless it is very urgent. Ideally, the cell phone should be on the silent or discreet mode
- If you happen to drop a fork, spoon or knife during the meal, do not pick it up. You may ask the server for a replacement
- Do not rest your elbows on the table during the meal. When you are not using the cutlery, place your hands on your lap. It is acceptable to lightly rest your wrists on the table
- Avoid ordering finger foods, so that your fingers don't get messy. If you do, try to use a fork to eat these. Also, never order the most expensive item on the menu unless your host urges you to try that dish
- Do not slurp while having soup. Wait for hot food items to cool sufficiently before you have them. It is not acceptable if you blow on hot food to cool it
- If you want to have bread or rolls with soup, tear a bite-sized piece, place it on the side plate, butter it with the butter knife and then pick it up with the fork. Do not hold the bread in your hand while buttering it
- If you want something you cannot reach, politely ask the person nearest to it to pass it to you. Never reach across your neighbour's plate to get something
The end
The end of the meal is usually indicated by placing the fork (tines up or down) and the knife (blade facing you) parallel to each other diagonally across the plate, with the handles pointing right.
Burp! Had a nice, sumptuous meal? Hold on, you still have work to do.
Remember to thank your host for a wonderful meal. Your host would definitely appreciate a thank-you card or note or some flowers that you could send across the next day.
You can also forward this to your friends to make them aware of The Art of Fine Dining, if they are one like myself.
If you still wanna read some more about this pls proceed to Eat Out - on your terms
Thursday, February 15, 2007
7 Secret of Success
Answer to this lies in your room. Wondering How? Read the following...
| Roof says | : | Aim High |
| Fan says | : | Be Cool |
| Clock says | : | Every Min. is precious |
| Mirror says | : | Reflect before you act |
| Window says | : | See the world |
| Calendar says | : | Be up-to-date |
| Door says | : | Push hard to achieve your goals |
Sunday, December 17, 2006
10 valuable tips for life partners
Do you know what all happy and healthy marriages have in common? In every one of them you will find two people committed to making each other happy.You will find a man who cherishes his wife and puts her needs above his own, And you will find a wife who respects and trusts her man.
We live in very selfish times. Pop-psychology messages are everywhere in the media encouraging us to love ourselves, Do right by ourselves, and
generally please ourselves first. If you really want a happy marriage, Don't buy into that type of self-centered thinking. Instead,
Try these 10 time-tested techniques and experience the happiness, peace, and tranquility of a healthy marriage.
- Make time for each other. It's so easy in our hyper-busy modern lifestyles to forget to set aside a little time to enjoy each other's company. Start a weekly tradition of setting a date for the two of you to be together doing something you both enjoy. Keep it simple. Take a nice walk together. Sip coffee together in a cozy coffeehouse. Talk to each other, reminisce, and get to know each other again.
- Take time off from each other. Give each other space and time to work on hobbies and personal interests. When you have an interesting project to work on, you will feel more fulfilled and you will be a more interesting person.
- Make little romantic gestures. Remember to compliment your spouse. Leave a little love note for them to find once in awhile. Celebrate the day you first met. Send flowers for no particular reason. You should continuously make little deposits in your spouse's emotional bank account. The return on your investment will be incredible.
- Fight fair. Little fights can add spice to each others bonding. Don't argue in front of other people. Don't insult each other or each other's families. Never threaten divorce, and never go to bed angry or without unsettled argument. Let the little things go, and don't make a big deal out of every disagreement. Before arguing, think; is this really going to matter in the long run?
- Take interest in what interests your spouse. Watch their favorite shows with them. Read their favorite book, so you can talk about it with them. Encourage them to develop their talents.
- Listen to your spouse. Husbands, remember that women need to express their feelings. Be a good sport and just listen. Don't interrupt, or get distracted. Empathize with her. Let her know that you can relate to what she's feeling. Ladies, please remember that the kind of talk you might like to have with your husband does not come naturally to most men. Just be patient. It's not a good idea to "unload" on him right when he comes home from work.
- Accept your spouse for who they are. Practice total acceptance. Don't hold your spouse to your expectations; you will only succeed at building resentment.
- Express your commitment. In little ways, you can, and should, renew your vows to each other over and over. Your spouse will feel comfortable and secure knowing that you are truly committed to the marriage. True closeness will only happen when all doubt and insecurity is replaced by confidence in the relationship. Let your spouse know that you really are in it "till death do us part."
- Trust in each other. I've earlier posted an article on the topic Trust & Relationship, Don't be suspicious. Don't snoop through each other's belongings. To help ensure the trust, be honest with your spouse in all things. Never keep secrets from each other, not even little ones.
- Make it your aim to be your spouse's best friend. Appreciate your spouse for who they are. Loosen up and have fun with each other.
If you are practicing the steps above, you are on your way to being your spouse's bestfriend. The ultimate relationship in marriage.
Read More Articles : Here
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Tips for A Happy Life
Worry is the least productive of all human activities and thoughts.
Most of things we fear never happen!!! and because of that thinking it may happen.
That is one of the biggest and most unnecessary weights we carry through our lives.
It’s the only way to handle things anyway..one by one.
They are bad and unhealthy companions for good natural sleep and rest.
They are better equipped to handle their own problems than you are.
It will always be there in your memories to enjoy..but don’t cling to it. Concentrate on what is happening right now in your life..and you will be happy in the present also..not just the past.
It is only when one listens..that one gets and learns ideas different from ones own.
Self pity more than anything..interferes with positive actions..with moving forwards in our lives.
Don’t even forget the smallest blessings.. As many small blessings add up to large ones...
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
The Science of Handshaking
Handshaking: The Psychological Meaning by Robert E. Brown (Reprinted from the NCHRC Quarterly).
Though it might seem quite perfunctory, the three-second ritual of shaking hands can provide you with as much information about the other person as a psychological profile, if you know how to read the signs. Access to this data is easily available to you insofar as this simple gesture is always performed before job interviews, performance evaluations, meetings, etc. By understanding the other person's body language, you can discover whether he/she is sincere or insincere, dominant or submissive, deceitful. This is because the body cannot lie no matter how much a person may try to cover up his/her true intentions.
This article describes how to interpret the messages of the most common handshakes. Such nonverbal information is an invaluable addition to whatever you may learn from another person's verbal responses, clothing, resume or work record. To interpret handshaking, you'll need to learn how to pick up the subtle signals that are sent during a handshake.
There four basic steps in this process include:
1. Engage. A proper handshake should engage the other person's full hand. This means that the web between your thumb and index finger should be touching your partner's. The hand should be flat enough so your palms are touching. This puts your hand in the proper position to give and receive messages.
2. Pause. Pausing is the key ingredient to a successful handshake. By pausing or lingering at the natural conclusion of a handshake, you are expressing sincerity and openness. The objective of the pause is to be the last one to release your hand from the handshake. As you pause, hold your hand slightly at an angle. Cup your last two fingers under slightly, with enough force to support the edge of the other person's palm. This will allow you to receive any of the information your partner sends during the conclusion of the shake. Being the last one to let go may seem awkward at first. But if you project a positive attitude with the rest of your nonverbal communicators (e.g. positive voice, good eye contact and smiling or restraining a smile), the lingering won't be offensive.
3. Observe. Pausing allows you to observe what type of handshake you're receiving. The hand is particularly suited to this kind of investigation because it has more nerve endings per square millimeter than any other part of the body, with the greatest concentration in the fingers. Observe whether the other person is pushing, pulling or twisting your hand. Notice whether he or she shakes your hand vigorously or barely moves. Is the hand warm and wet or cold and dry? Is it flexible or stiff? Alert your subconscious to be particularly aware at the moment you shake hands. Say to your subconscious: "while I'm doing what I need to do, collect the information you receive, sort and categorize it, and give it to me as I need it."
4. Remember. After the meeting, remember what the handshake was like. Ask yourself who shook first. Who let go first? Was the person nervous or relaxed? Was the handshake coherent with what he or she was saying? Compare the opening and closing handshakes. To remember more easily, make a visual image of the handshake each time you greet someone. Write down your impressions.
Once you start remembering handshakes, you can categorize them into ten basic types. These interpretations should be modified by your own observations but they are a good place to start.
The All-American
This is the handshake used by most leaders and corporate executives. The person delivering it will look you right in the eye, fully engage your hand, smile and pump your hand two or three times. This handshake expresses a feeling of relaxed self-confidence. The person using it will be open, trustworthy and willing to listen. There's no hidden agenda here. He or she is a good "people" person and could be trusted in a highly classified position.
The Lingering Handshake
This one is firm with a warm grasp and two or more pumps. The end of the handshake pauses or lingers. The lingering quality may denote openness and sincerity, or it may suggest that the person has something up his/her sleeve. Trust your gut feeling about what the shake means. Check the person out carefully if the other signals you get warrant it. If you find that the other person is sincere, he or she will be an excellent candidate for a job or a promotion. I would recommend that you offer people a combination of the All-American and the Lingering handshake. This will send the message that you're open and friendly, while allowing you to pick up the other person's signals.
The Push-Off
Even though this grip may be firm and warm, at the end your hand is pushed or flicked away. The Push-Off can range from a slight stiff-arm to a flat-out rejection. This handshake implies that the other person has a strong need to establish his or her own territory and agenda. He or she will tend to be a stand-offish person without good "people" skills. This person will probably not make a good manager.
The Pull-In
This person holds on to your hand to pull you closer or direct you through a door or toward a chair. This is a somewhat manipulative handshake. Because this type of person is a controller who wants things done certain way, he or she may not be a good team player. If the organization's goals conflict with this person's goals, there will be a problem.
The Two-Handed Shake
During this handshake, the person's right hand will grab yours while the left hand grasps your wrist, forearm, biceps, shoulder, or neck The higher the left hand, the greater the manipulation and control. This is the favorite handshake of politicians Because it implies a quick sincerity and intimacy. This person is trying to sell you something that's not really there, e.g., "we're great buddies." He or she would probably not make a good salesperson because other people will tend not to trust this "used car salesman" shake.
The Topper
The dominant party in this handshake has his/her palm facing down in relation to the other person. Like the winner of an arm wrestling match, the hand on top is clearly in control. To retain equality, simply step into this handshake with your left foot. This handshake says "I'm in charge, I'm the Boss." It tends to be the handshake of the conventional boss or manager who manages through control. If this person is too controlling, this can limit his/her effectiveness with other people.
The Finger Squeeze
Like the push-off, the finger squeeze is used to keep someone at a comfortable distance. This kind of handshake will hurt your hand. This is a very insecure type of person who equates brute strength with personal power. They use their hands as weapons to dominate and overpower people. These days, some women are misguidedly using this kind of handshake.
The Bone Crusher
will tend to turn other people off. However, if this person matures, he or she can be a strong leader.
The Palm Pinch
This person just offers you two or three fingers. It is usually given by a woman who hasn't learned how to shake hands properly or who has a fear of intimacy. This person will tend not to be very good at interpersonal skills. If you're going to promote the Bone Crusher or the Palm Pincher, you should tell them to shift to the All-American shake.
The Twister
In this one, the other person grabs your hand normally but aggressively twists it under his/her hand at the end. This person is saying, "We may be coming into this as equals, but in the end I'll be on top." This person can turn on you. You may think you're in control, but he/she will attempt to catch you off guard. This is a deceitful or devious type of person. Don't gloss over the Twister too lightly. The Twister is a major red flag for a serious background check This candidate may not be a good team player or a good security risk.
The Dead Fish
We all know people who offer this kind of cold, clammy, indifferent handshake. It tends to drain your energy. This individual tends to be somewhat passive or apathetic. This type of employee will usually be better with computers, machines and information than with people. If he/she has good technical skills, don't promote him/her to a managerial position. Dead Fish handshakers probably won't have the energy and interest necessary for that type of work.
This information may make a useful addition to your repertoire of people skills. You may want to practice using these skills for at least three or four weeks so that they become second nature to you. By following these simple steps and fine-tuning your own interpretive powers, you'll be better prepared to make more accurate decisions about other people based on your first impressions.
Bob has produced a book and video on the handshaking concepts contained in this article.
Though it might seem quite perfunctory, the three-second ritual of shaking hands can provide you with as much information about the other person as a psychological profile, if you know how to read the signs. Access to this data is easily available to you insofar as this simple gesture is always performed before job interviews, performance evaluations, meetings, etc. By understanding the other person's body language, you can discover whether he/she is sincere or insincere, dominant or submissive, deceitful. This is because the body cannot lie no matter how much a person may try to cover up his/her true intentions.
This article describes how to interpret the messages of the most common handshakes. Such nonverbal information is an invaluable addition to whatever you may learn from another person's verbal responses, clothing, resume or work record. To interpret handshaking, you'll need to learn how to pick up the subtle signals that are sent during a handshake.
There four basic steps in this process include:
1. Engage. A proper handshake should engage the other person's full hand. This means that the web between your thumb and index finger should be touching your partner's. The hand should be flat enough so your palms are touching. This puts your hand in the proper position to give and receive messages.
2. Pause. Pausing is the key ingredient to a successful handshake. By pausing or lingering at the natural conclusion of a handshake, you are expressing sincerity and openness. The objective of the pause is to be the last one to release your hand from the handshake. As you pause, hold your hand slightly at an angle. Cup your last two fingers under slightly, with enough force to support the edge of the other person's palm. This will allow you to receive any of the information your partner sends during the conclusion of the shake. Being the last one to let go may seem awkward at first. But if you project a positive attitude with the rest of your nonverbal communicators (e.g. positive voice, good eye contact and smiling or restraining a smile), the lingering won't be offensive.
3. Observe. Pausing allows you to observe what type of handshake you're receiving. The hand is particularly suited to this kind of investigation because it has more nerve endings per square millimeter than any other part of the body, with the greatest concentration in the fingers. Observe whether the other person is pushing, pulling or twisting your hand. Notice whether he or she shakes your hand vigorously or barely moves. Is the hand warm and wet or cold and dry? Is it flexible or stiff? Alert your subconscious to be particularly aware at the moment you shake hands. Say to your subconscious: "while I'm doing what I need to do, collect the information you receive, sort and categorize it, and give it to me as I need it."
4. Remember. After the meeting, remember what the handshake was like. Ask yourself who shook first. Who let go first? Was the person nervous or relaxed? Was the handshake coherent with what he or she was saying? Compare the opening and closing handshakes. To remember more easily, make a visual image of the handshake each time you greet someone. Write down your impressions.
Once you start remembering handshakes, you can categorize them into ten basic types. These interpretations should be modified by your own observations but they are a good place to start.
The All-American
This is the handshake used by most leaders and corporate executives. The person delivering it will look you right in the eye, fully engage your hand, smile and pump your hand two or three times. This handshake expresses a feeling of relaxed self-confidence. The person using it will be open, trustworthy and willing to listen. There's no hidden agenda here. He or she is a good "people" person and could be trusted in a highly classified position. The Lingering Handshake
This one is firm with a warm grasp and two or more pumps. The end of the handshake pauses or lingers. The lingering quality may denote openness and sincerity, or it may suggest that the person has something up his/her sleeve. Trust your gut feeling about what the shake means. Check the person out carefully if the other signals you get warrant it. If you find that the other person is sincere, he or she will be an excellent candidate for a job or a promotion. I would recommend that you offer people a combination of the All-American and the Lingering handshake. This will send the message that you're open and friendly, while allowing you to pick up the other person's signals.
The Push-Off
Even though this grip may be firm and warm, at the end your hand is pushed or flicked away. The Push-Off can range from a slight stiff-arm to a flat-out rejection. This handshake implies that the other person has a strong need to establish his or her own territory and agenda. He or she will tend to be a stand-offish person without good "people" skills. This person will probably not make a good manager.
The Pull-In
This person holds on to your hand to pull you closer or direct you through a door or toward a chair. This is a somewhat manipulative handshake. Because this type of person is a controller who wants things done certain way, he or she may not be a good team player. If the organization's goals conflict with this person's goals, there will be a problem. The Two-Handed Shake
During this handshake, the person's right hand will grab yours while the left hand grasps your wrist, forearm, biceps, shoulder, or neck The higher the left hand, the greater the manipulation and control. This is the favorite handshake of politicians Because it implies a quick sincerity and intimacy. This person is trying to sell you something that's not really there, e.g., "we're great buddies." He or she would probably not make a good salesperson because other people will tend not to trust this "used car salesman" shake. The Topper
The dominant party in this handshake has his/her palm facing down in relation to the other person. Like the winner of an arm wrestling match, the hand on top is clearly in control. To retain equality, simply step into this handshake with your left foot. This handshake says "I'm in charge, I'm the Boss." It tends to be the handshake of the conventional boss or manager who manages through control. If this person is too controlling, this can limit his/her effectiveness with other people. The Finger Squeeze
Like the push-off, the finger squeeze is used to keep someone at a comfortable distance. This kind of handshake will hurt your hand. This is a very insecure type of person who equates brute strength with personal power. They use their hands as weapons to dominate and overpower people. These days, some women are misguidedly using this kind of handshake. The Bone Crusher
will tend to turn other people off. However, if this person matures, he or she can be a strong leader.The Palm Pinch
This person just offers you two or three fingers. It is usually given by a woman who hasn't learned how to shake hands properly or who has a fear of intimacy. This person will tend not to be very good at interpersonal skills. If you're going to promote the Bone Crusher or the Palm Pincher, you should tell them to shift to the All-American shake. The Twister
In this one, the other person grabs your hand normally but aggressively twists it under his/her hand at the end. This person is saying, "We may be coming into this as equals, but in the end I'll be on top." This person can turn on you. You may think you're in control, but he/she will attempt to catch you off guard. This is a deceitful or devious type of person. Don't gloss over the Twister too lightly. The Twister is a major red flag for a serious background check This candidate may not be a good team player or a good security risk. The Dead Fish
We all know people who offer this kind of cold, clammy, indifferent handshake. It tends to drain your energy. This individual tends to be somewhat passive or apathetic. This type of employee will usually be better with computers, machines and information than with people. If he/she has good technical skills, don't promote him/her to a managerial position. Dead Fish handshakers probably won't have the energy and interest necessary for that type of work. This information may make a useful addition to your repertoire of people skills. You may want to practice using these skills for at least three or four weeks so that they become second nature to you. By following these simple steps and fine-tuning your own interpretive powers, you'll be better prepared to make more accurate decisions about other people based on your first impressions.
Bob has produced a book and video on the handshaking concepts contained in this article.
Monday, November 27, 2006
6 ways to nurture great ideas at work
Success at work is often a result of combining knowledge, skills and the ability to inject your work environment with fresh and breakthrough ideas.
While conventional wisdom teaches us to learn skills, and enhance our knowledge for the job, we often forget that we need to keep coming up with new ideas that will help the organisation succeed and also keep our jobs secure in today's competitive landscape.
We offer a few tips towards helping you break out of a routine thought process and generate breakthrough ideas.
EXERCISE YOUR MIND
Your mind, like your body, needs exercise and can get it through challenges and problem-solving. A good way to feed your mind is to read a lot and study the success stories of other businesses and entrepreneurs.
Read case studies related to your industry or biographies of successful people.
This will not only stimulate your grey cells but also provide you a dose of inspiration. Learn how other successful people generate breakthrough ideas.
CAPTURE YOUR THOUGHTS
When the brilliant spells do come, make sure you capture them. Don't rely on mental notes, you'll surely forget them. Have a notepad, PDA or voice recorder ready at all times, even next to your bed at night (who knows, you may suddenly strike gold at 2 am). Once you've recorded your idea, use it as soon as you can. I read an advertisement for IT company Accenture, which said: "An idea is like a cup of coffee, it's not going to stay hot forever." So remember that ideas are best when they're fresh.
"I always carry a voice recorder with me and tape my thoughts. Listening to them later in the day ensures that I don't deprive myself of the brilliant phases that we all have during the day," says G Rajaraman, a senior sports correspondent with Outlook magazine.
CHANGE YOUR SETTING
Your mind reacts to its surroundings and has an uncanny ability to generate new ideas when the physical setting changes. You may be thinking in a very linear and academic way while you are at your workstation, so take your laptop/PDA and sit by in your office garden/park or cafeteria and you may see some fresh perspectives. Take a walk or hit the gym. The mind is agile when the body is indulging in a disciplined and rhythmic physical activity like a jog or workout. For all you know, a change of setting may bring you the inspiration you need.
"I am at my best when I am out in the open with my laptop and listening to my favourite music during a lunch break," says Shelly Jain, a Delhi based consultant with NIIT.
You could even take a notepad and jot down your ideas and thoughts and later organise them when you get to your workstation. The time spent thinking would be worthwhile as you will be away from the usual workplace distractions.
GO OUT OF YOUR WAY TO HELP OTHERS
Step out of your job description once in a while and help others with their tasks. Do this without having to be asked. Saying, "Need a hand there?" has a two-fold effect. First, you encourage others to give of themselves, creating a more positive workplace.
Second, you buy yourself a future favour, since kindness always comes back. The people you have helped will become soundboards for your ideas and will be able to give you new ideas and suggestions that may get you thinking on a new track.
"A response such as 'This is not my area of work. Find out from the person concerned', shows that the individual is responding from his own frame of reference, an attitude detrimental for both employee and organisation," says Anil Bhatnagar, a management consultant.
Help people whenever they need your expertise. Offer your support to new emloyees as they usually have the ability to come out with bright ideas. Their minds are fresh and have not been conditioned to think in a linear fashion like most tenured employees, so they may springboard some fresh perspectives.
KNOW YOUR ORGANISATION'S AND CUSTOMERS' NEEDS
You must know if what you have to offer is in high demand at work. Find out the direction in which your company is headed and the areas in which it needs maximum improvement. This will ensure that you ideas have a business impact and act as a catalyst in your growth within the organisation. There's much strength to be derived from knowing how a company operates as a whole. Tailor your ideas to meet the organisational objectives and you will be in a position to add maximum benefit to your organisation.
Did you ever think that companies would be selling fairness cream for men? Emami, a Kolkata-based company with interests in personal and healthcare business realised the need and launched 'Fair and Handsome', a fairness cream for men in April 2006. The executives at Emami realised that in the age of metrosexual men, who go for manicures and pedicures, a fairness cream, if positioned well, could be a winner in the personal care market for men.
UNDERSTAND YOUR WORK ENVIRONMENT
In today's teamwork-oriented work environments, no man is an island. You are always a part of the bigger picture that the organisation has in mind. Expose yourself to different realities. If you are a marketing person, go and spend some time with the finance team or the product management team and ask them questions about their nature of work. Learn to see things from their perspective. The best ideas sometimes come from looking outside the familiar and that is what "thinking out of the box" means.
Google.com founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin were batchmates at Stanford when the thought of empowering people by creating an easy search mechanism hit them. The Naukri.com advertisement depicting Hari Sadu as the monster boss is a good example of out-of-the-box thinking, because it mixes humour with a message.
So keep your eyes and ears open and indulge in some idea generation activities.
While conventional wisdom teaches us to learn skills, and enhance our knowledge for the job, we often forget that we need to keep coming up with new ideas that will help the organisation succeed and also keep our jobs secure in today's competitive landscape.
We offer a few tips towards helping you break out of a routine thought process and generate breakthrough ideas.
EXERCISE YOUR MIND
Your mind, like your body, needs exercise and can get it through challenges and problem-solving. A good way to feed your mind is to read a lot and study the success stories of other businesses and entrepreneurs.
Read case studies related to your industry or biographies of successful people.
This will not only stimulate your grey cells but also provide you a dose of inspiration. Learn how other successful people generate breakthrough ideas.
CAPTURE YOUR THOUGHTS
When the brilliant spells do come, make sure you capture them. Don't rely on mental notes, you'll surely forget them. Have a notepad, PDA or voice recorder ready at all times, even next to your bed at night (who knows, you may suddenly strike gold at 2 am). Once you've recorded your idea, use it as soon as you can. I read an advertisement for IT company Accenture, which said: "An idea is like a cup of coffee, it's not going to stay hot forever." So remember that ideas are best when they're fresh.
"I always carry a voice recorder with me and tape my thoughts. Listening to them later in the day ensures that I don't deprive myself of the brilliant phases that we all have during the day," says G Rajaraman, a senior sports correspondent with Outlook magazine.
CHANGE YOUR SETTING
Your mind reacts to its surroundings and has an uncanny ability to generate new ideas when the physical setting changes. You may be thinking in a very linear and academic way while you are at your workstation, so take your laptop/PDA and sit by in your office garden/park or cafeteria and you may see some fresh perspectives. Take a walk or hit the gym. The mind is agile when the body is indulging in a disciplined and rhythmic physical activity like a jog or workout. For all you know, a change of setting may bring you the inspiration you need.
"I am at my best when I am out in the open with my laptop and listening to my favourite music during a lunch break," says Shelly Jain, a Delhi based consultant with NIIT.
You could even take a notepad and jot down your ideas and thoughts and later organise them when you get to your workstation. The time spent thinking would be worthwhile as you will be away from the usual workplace distractions.
GO OUT OF YOUR WAY TO HELP OTHERS
Step out of your job description once in a while and help others with their tasks. Do this without having to be asked. Saying, "Need a hand there?" has a two-fold effect. First, you encourage others to give of themselves, creating a more positive workplace.
Second, you buy yourself a future favour, since kindness always comes back. The people you have helped will become soundboards for your ideas and will be able to give you new ideas and suggestions that may get you thinking on a new track.
"A response such as 'This is not my area of work. Find out from the person concerned', shows that the individual is responding from his own frame of reference, an attitude detrimental for both employee and organisation," says Anil Bhatnagar, a management consultant.
Help people whenever they need your expertise. Offer your support to new emloyees as they usually have the ability to come out with bright ideas. Their minds are fresh and have not been conditioned to think in a linear fashion like most tenured employees, so they may springboard some fresh perspectives.
KNOW YOUR ORGANISATION'S AND CUSTOMERS' NEEDS
You must know if what you have to offer is in high demand at work. Find out the direction in which your company is headed and the areas in which it needs maximum improvement. This will ensure that you ideas have a business impact and act as a catalyst in your growth within the organisation. There's much strength to be derived from knowing how a company operates as a whole. Tailor your ideas to meet the organisational objectives and you will be in a position to add maximum benefit to your organisation.
Did you ever think that companies would be selling fairness cream for men? Emami, a Kolkata-based company with interests in personal and healthcare business realised the need and launched 'Fair and Handsome', a fairness cream for men in April 2006. The executives at Emami realised that in the age of metrosexual men, who go for manicures and pedicures, a fairness cream, if positioned well, could be a winner in the personal care market for men.
UNDERSTAND YOUR WORK ENVIRONMENT
In today's teamwork-oriented work environments, no man is an island. You are always a part of the bigger picture that the organisation has in mind. Expose yourself to different realities. If you are a marketing person, go and spend some time with the finance team or the product management team and ask them questions about their nature of work. Learn to see things from their perspective. The best ideas sometimes come from looking outside the familiar and that is what "thinking out of the box" means.
Google.com founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin were batchmates at Stanford when the thought of empowering people by creating an easy search mechanism hit them. The Naukri.com advertisement depicting Hari Sadu as the monster boss is a good example of out-of-the-box thinking, because it mixes humour with a message.
So keep your eyes and ears open and indulge in some idea generation activities.
Sunday, November 26, 2006
10 tips to stay Young
Research has found that people who generally live longer do so partly because of good habits. Here, Dr Vernon Coleman and others provide some of the following good habits for longevity.
- Laugh & fun, don’t be gloomy
- Let bygones be bygones. Dwelling on the past inflicts unnecessary stress.
- Early to bed, early to rise, is healthy & wise
- Stay lean, being just 30% overweight is bad.
- Keep learning, reading & socializing – an alert & active mind keeps brain cells healthy.
- Keep working, doing something you like. Don’t retire, it slows down your body.
- Be the boss of your own life. Letting others push you around produces stress.
- Too many pills ruin your body, take just what you need (if at all its completely unavoidable).
- Constantly alternating between weight gain & loss is bad
- Exercise, quit smoking and eat less fatty foods
- Do not worry about health & death, just get on with your life and enjoy it.
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Tips for becoming Good Leader
Here's how you program yourself to become a leader...
In organizations we must work with and for others. To be able to mutually achieve our goals we must be able to relate to others effectively. Leadership can be performed with different styles.
Tips from Jack Welch, respected business leader and writer :
Be a role model – Individuals listen to people they respect and admire. They are more inclined to imitate examples of effective behavior and positive attitudes. Remember that they are watching closely to see how you respond to highly difficult or challenging situations!
Some leaders lead by example and are very 'hands on'; others are more distanced and let their people do it. Whatever - your example is paramount - the way you work and conduct yourself will be the most you can possibly expect from your people. If you set low standards you are to blame for low standards in your people.
"Praise loudly, blame softly."
If you seek ONE Singlemost important behaviour that will rapidly earn you respect and trust among your people, this is it: Always give your people the credit for your achievements and successes. Never take the credit yourself - even if it's all down to you, which would be unlikely anyway. You must however take the blame and accept responsibility for any failings or mistakes that your people make. Never never never publicly blame another person for a failing. Their failing is your responsibility - true leadership offers is no hiding place for a true leader.
Accentuate the positive - Express things in terms of what should be done, not what should not be done. If you accentuate the negative, people are more likely to veer towards it. Like the mother who left her five-year-old for a minute unsupervised in the kitchen, saying as she left the room, "...don't you go putting those beans up your nose..."
Have faith in people to do great things - given space and air and time, everyone can achieve more than they hope for. Provide people with relevant interesting opportunities, with proper measures and rewards and they will more than repay your faith.
Take difficult decisions bravely, and be truthful and sensitive when you implement them.
Constantly seek to learn from the people around you - they will teach you more about yourself than anything else. They will also tell you 90% of what you need to know to achieve your business goals.
Embrace change, but not for change's sake. Begin to plan your own succession as soon as you take up your new post, and in this regard, ensure that the only promises you ever make are those that you can guarantee to deliver.
If you are interested in learning more - start with yourself.
Remember .... " TO LEAD IS TO BECOME THE LEADER "
In organizations we must work with and for others. To be able to mutually achieve our goals we must be able to relate to others effectively. Leadership can be performed with different styles.
Tips from Jack Welch, respected business leader and writer :
- There is only one way - the straight way. It sets the tone of the organisation.
- Be open to the best of what everyone, everywhere, has to offer. transfer learning across your organisation.
- Get the right people in the right jobs - it is more important than developing a strategy.
- An informal atmosphere is a competitive advantage.
- Make sure everybody counts and everybody knows they count.
- Legitimate self-confidence is a winner - the true test of self-confidence is the courage to be open.
- Business has to be fun - celebrations energise and organisation.
- Never underestimate the other guy.
- Understand where real value is added and put your best people there.
- Know when to meddle and when to let go - this is pure instinct.
- As a leader, your main priority is to get the job done, whatever the job is. Leaders make things happen by:
- knowing your objectives and having a plan how to achieve them
- building a team committed to achieving the objectives
- helping each team member to give their best efforts
- As a leader you must know yourself. Know your own strengths and weaknesses, so that you can build the best team around you.
Be a role model – Individuals listen to people they respect and admire. They are more inclined to imitate examples of effective behavior and positive attitudes. Remember that they are watching closely to see how you respond to highly difficult or challenging situations!
Some leaders lead by example and are very 'hands on'; others are more distanced and let their people do it. Whatever - your example is paramount - the way you work and conduct yourself will be the most you can possibly expect from your people. If you set low standards you are to blame for low standards in your people.
"Praise loudly, blame softly."
If you seek ONE Singlemost important behaviour that will rapidly earn you respect and trust among your people, this is it: Always give your people the credit for your achievements and successes. Never take the credit yourself - even if it's all down to you, which would be unlikely anyway. You must however take the blame and accept responsibility for any failings or mistakes that your people make. Never never never publicly blame another person for a failing. Their failing is your responsibility - true leadership offers is no hiding place for a true leader.
Accentuate the positive - Express things in terms of what should be done, not what should not be done. If you accentuate the negative, people are more likely to veer towards it. Like the mother who left her five-year-old for a minute unsupervised in the kitchen, saying as she left the room, "...don't you go putting those beans up your nose..."
Have faith in people to do great things - given space and air and time, everyone can achieve more than they hope for. Provide people with relevant interesting opportunities, with proper measures and rewards and they will more than repay your faith.
Take difficult decisions bravely, and be truthful and sensitive when you implement them.
Constantly seek to learn from the people around you - they will teach you more about yourself than anything else. They will also tell you 90% of what you need to know to achieve your business goals.
Embrace change, but not for change's sake. Begin to plan your own succession as soon as you take up your new post, and in this regard, ensure that the only promises you ever make are those that you can guarantee to deliver.
If you are interested in learning more - start with yourself.
Remember .... " TO LEAD IS TO BECOME THE LEADER "
Saturday, November 18, 2006
Five steps to keep a healthy Relationship
A relationship is like a delicate rose bush. If you care for it, it will bloom year after year with unsurpassed beauty. If you don't, you might end up with a dull, lifeless entity that is struggling to survive. Below are five ideas to keep your relationship in bloom for years to come.
If you are single, read these tips with an eye on what you will want to do in a long-term relationship. If you are in a relationship, pick one or two of the five ideas and integrate them into your relationship now. You will be amazed at how many nice feelings you can create quickly by taking a few simple steps.
If you are single, read these tips with an eye on what you will want to do in a long-term relationship. If you are in a relationship, pick one or two of the five ideas and integrate them into your relationship now. You will be amazed at how many nice feelings you can create quickly by taking a few simple steps.
- Make time for your relationship week after week. Take time for each other every single week. For most couples, it is a good idea to have a standing date night. Communicate to your friends, kids, everyone, that this night is reserved especially for the two of you. Keep the date every week, no matter what. Make it your priority.
- Do fun, pleasurable things together. Sharing fun and pleasure fosters intimacy. Intimacy is what relationships are all about. Share good meals, share play time, share jokes and funny movies, share outdoor activities. What matters most is that the activity is fun and pleasurable for each of you.
- Do long-term activities as a couple. Do something long-term together. Learn about investments, take dance lessons, refinish the furniture, reach your fitness goals. Do some long-term activity that will enrich and interest each of you, together. By doing this you will stay connected to each other and foster common ground in the relationship. Make sure that this is above and beyond child rearing.
- Resolve conflict quickly. It is hard to say you are sorry in the heat of an argument. In some ways it is easier to have a fight and go into your separate corners. But unresolved conflict, or conflict that lingers, fosters long-term hurt and resentment. It's ok to disagree. But it's important to find a resolution quickly.
- Keep the romance alive. In a long-term relationship, romance is not something that happens automatically most of the time. Everyday pressures and time constraints have a tendency to rob us of spontaneity. Romance needs to be consciously created. Remember that romance will keep your relationship fresh and exciting and will keep the two of you close. Take turns creating romance intentionally.
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