cannyben

The family is the oldest and most enduring human institution. We have no choice over the family we are born into, and many of us go on to create and shape a family of our own which may mimic our family of origin or differ from it in startling and substantive ways. Because of the ubiquity of the family in all societies, the lock of one is considered so significant that attempts are made in many societies through law, culture and social policy to provide some form of substitute. Because of the centrality of the family to human societies, and the role it plays in socializing each subsequent generation and transmitting genetic inheritance, it is of interest to many. The family is where human needs are first expressed, and across   the world and even within societies it comes I many shapes and sizes. This very diversity is often the source of sharp philosophical, political and legal dispute. So much is expected of the family that when lives go wrong, it is often the fa...

There is this story of a lion cub and fox cubs. A lion cub got separated from its mother and was nurtured by a female fox along with her cubs. One day, the lion cub was in the jungle with the fox cubs. They saw a large number of huge elephants with big tusks. Immediately, the fox cubs started running away, but the lion cub true to its basic instinct roared at the elephants. The elephants looked at the lion cub and walked away in another direction. The mother fox realizing that the lion cub had become an adult lion,   asked to leave to get its true identity. Many a times, in life we are subjected to a variety of circumstances and influences which try to prevail upon us and alter our core and fundamental personality, values, beliefs and attitudes. It is at such juncture that like the lion cub, one has to assert oneself. It is quite right that one should not offend others to please oneself, but at the same time one should not offend oneself to please others.

To get the most out of their workforce, today’s bosses may need to look at their own role and their subordinates --- a bit differently than superiors did decades ago. A strong and effective leader certainly stands at the top of a hierarchy, but great bosses today don’t act hierarchically. While people thrive under great bosses, in today’s business world they are also looking for a safe haven work environment where trust , and encouragement are bedrocks of the work culture. Here are three ways a boss can get people to follow, and do so without being punitive and domineering: A.       Don’t treat employees like children : The level of complexity and the pace of change that leaders at all levels face today is unprecedented. The pressure for achievement is intense and when mistakes are made, or when staff show up disengaged, tempers can flare. Frustration and anger are powerful emotions, and when leaders get flooded with these feelings they typically fa...