When yesterday was said and done, I sat down to reflect on what I thought was a tough day at the office. I wanted to say those two very simple but powerful words, 'Thank You', and I thought I would have to dig pretty deep to find something I was grateful for...It turns out it wasn't that difficult after all.

So I want to say thank you for fellow teachers who chose to smile at me as they walked by or even managed to take the time to ask how I was doing.

For all the students who challenged me and made me wonder what I could have said and done differently.

For those kids in the back row who knew how to push all the right buttons, and made me think twice about teaching that way again.

For the quiet ones in the corner who did all the right things and then shyly said goodbye as they left the room, and made me smile.

For the struggling student who finally 'got it' - And let the whole class know about it.

For the diligent students who handed in a masterpiece (and reminded me that some of them do actually listen to instructions).

For the co-workers who lent an ear or a shoulder, until I once again came up with my own reasons why I have chosen this challenging path (and perhaps why it keeps drawing me back).

For the books that messed up my desk as I tried to find new and interesting ways to teach the same thing (knowing that somewhere in the world a teacher would love to have that as a problem).

For the endless stream of fresh water, coffee, tea, milk and sugar and morning teas served up right here in the staff-room.

For classrooms fitted out with every possible teaching aid and the latest pieces of technology (even if I don't really know how to use any of them very well).

And thank you for the eager, smiling faces of those students who say good morning to me as I rush by each day and actually seem pleased that I am back to do it all over again!

Maybe I can teach them facts and figures, or how to string a sentence together in a foreign language...and maybe they will never remember any of it, who knows?

I do know that every day I come here as a teacher, knowing very well that I am the one who is here to learn...and that I indeed have a lot to be thankful for.

Nicole Papasidero

Nicole Papasidero teaches Japanese to Grades 7, 8 and 9 in a country school in New South Wales, Australia. Feel free to email Nicole and let her know how today's message touched you, at: nici@mosaic-m.com.au

Malcolm Gladwell on the challenge of hiring in the modern world.

Have you ever wanted to attend a Tony Robbins event?  Now is your chance! … Tony has impacted the lives of more than 50 million people from over 100 countries. Robbins invites you to a weekend of powerful immersion into the finest strategies, tools and resources available for creating an extraordinary quality of life—where you not only achieve your ultimate goals, but you also experience the profound fulfillment that you may have only dreamed about in the past. Get your own Life-Changing Strategies

If the Secret and the process of attraction still have you baffled, try this video. The process is explained very simply - and persuasively!The secret to attracting with your mind

As HBS professor Laura Morgan Roberts sees it, if you aren't managing your own professional image, others are.

"People are constantly observing your behavior and forming theories about your competence, character, and commitment, which are rapidly disseminated throughout your workplace," she says. "It is only wise to add your voice in framing others' theories about who you are and what you can accomplish."

There are plenty of books telling you how to "dress for success" and control your body language. But keeping on top of your personal traits is only part of the story of managing your professional image, says Roberts. You also belong to a social identity group—African American male, working mother—that brings its own stereotyping from the people you work with, especially in today's diverse workplaces. You can put on a suit and cut your hair to improve your appearance, but how do you manage something like skin color?

Roberts will present her research, called "Changing Faces: Professional Image Construction in Diverse Organizational Settings," in the October issue of the Academy of Management Review.

She discusses her research in this interview.   ... Read it here

 

While meetings are wonderful tools for generating ideas, expanding on thoughts and managing group activity, this face-to-face contact with team members and colleagues can easily fail without adequate preparation and leadership.  Article continues

George Carlin, the legendary comedian who passed away last night at the age of 71 became famous for a routine called, "Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television." But making lists of dirty words wasn't all this legendary comedian did. Most of his humor and insights were actually clean. And some of them offer sage advice for planning meetings. Here's a few:

Read on ...

This inspirational poem has been made into a video.

If you're like most people, you probably measure your qualifications by your technical skills...

Your ability to design a web site...

Your ability to write sales copy...

Your ability to drive traffic...

But the reality is, NONE of that matters.

Building a business is a FORMULA. If you can understand instructions and follow the formula, you WILL make money online.

So if it's that simple, why do SO MANY people fail at it?

Personality!

See, there are certain personality traits -- inherent in some, but  LEARNED by others -- that allow people to easily succeed, and  other traits that cause people to constantly FAIL.

If you could identify those traits, wouldn't you have a better  chance at being successful?

Well, here's your opportunity to find out...

... because I've been authorized by none other than Derek Gehl  *himself* to offer you a FREE copy of his brand-new report,  which lays out the exact traits necessary to succeed online.

The report is available now and is based on Derek's personal  observations following a DECADE of working with thousands  of successful Internet entrepreneurs from around the world.

http://www.marketingtips.com/qualify/t/1087521

And like I said: he's allowing me to offer a copy to all of my  best customers for free... no strings attached.

When you get it, you can do one of two things:

1. Nothing... which is definitely an "unsuccessful trait".

2. Study it and figure out if you have the inherent prerequisites for success, or if you need to LEARN them.

So if you would like a copy of this report, for FREE, go to:

http://www.marketingtips.com/qualify/t/1087521

... and follow the instructions there!

All the best,

Bronwyn

http://www.marketingtips.com/qualify/t/1087521

Is your genius at work

4 Key Questions to Ask Before Your Next Career Move
by Dick Richards 

From the reviews

You have some special capacity to make a positive impact on the world in your own unique way. You may have an inkling of that. Or no clue at all.

No matter. Either way, this refreshingly different book from Dick Richards will help you put your finger on your special "energy" and help you direct it in meaningful ways.

Dick Richards (part shaman, part businessman) presents engaging ideas and well-defined processes for identifying your unique personal gift, which he calls your Genius. He also presents helpful ideas and processes for discovering your personal Purpose (your life's mission) so that you can point the energy of your Genius toward fulfilling your Purpose.

If you like, you read about the connections between many time-honored and far-flung spiritual and philosophical traditions underlying these ideas (across the globe and through millennia). Richards has woven a nice tapestry of these disparate threads.

 

Seriously, you can ignore all the stuff about spiritual and philosophic traditions, and just work your way through the practical processes. Either way, you're going to arrive at a deeper understanding of yourself and a clearer vision of your individual potential within the world.

The book pushes us to think outside the box when looking for our core genius.

 

 The content is fantastic. The writing style is approachable and includes stories I can relate to and that illustrate the points very well. The layout if the book is outstanding - there are helpful illustrations and plenty of room for notes - an important consideration for a book like this. Above these tangible dimensions, the feeling I get when reading is book is positive. The author cares about his readers and it shows in every part of this book.

Many personal development books contain miserably pointless exercises, but this book is the exception to the rule. Its exercises are intelligent, well-designed, and insightful. There are no pointless quizzes that force you to rate yourself on some arbitrary scale. I also liked that all the exercises are put into a separate section of the book, so first you can read through all the content, and then you can work through the exercises.

 

Also noteworthy, Richards generously includes resources to assist other coaches and consultants to teach his methods. And he provides help for groups of people who want to collectively support each other as they make their way thru this highly personal work.

This is a pleasant read with potentially profound implications for people who avail themselves of its wisdom. I am buying several copies for loved ones, clients, and friends.