Archive for the ‘News & Info’ Category

Cricket World Cup History Sharpens The Knowledge Of Cricket Enthusiasts

Friday, February 24th, 2012

Cricket has always been considered as the god of all sports by its fans. With the advent of tournaments, the entire atmosphere changes to cricket mania. Adjustments of the daily schedule starts and cricket enthusiasts stick themselves to either television or websites for catching the live action. After all, keeping themselves abreast of all the detailed happenings of the tournament is mandatory for ardent cricket fans. No one wants to miss out the spinning of ball or smashing shots or centuries made by their favorite player. Cricket and only cricket has become the need of cricket lovers.

Cricket world cup history is mandatory for the cricket fans. It is because world cup is one of the most renowned tournaments in the field of cricket. The cricket world cup history depicts that this tournament started off in 1975. This special and the most important tournament in a cricketer’s life are being organized by the sports governing body, International Cricket Council. Cricket world cup history is full of events and memorable moments that will not only increase your knowledge, but can also take you back in those glorious years. Rules and regulations have been an important part of the game. The cricket world cup history has got all the details about the earlier formation of rules.

If we glance over the cricket world cup history, then it unfolds the fact that in the eight tournaments held so far, five teams have won. Australia is the current champions and have been considered as the most successful World Cup team. the main reason is that this team has walked away with the cup three times. on the other hand, West Indies has won the first two tournaments; while India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka have won one each. Cricket is one such game that have the thril and speed in it. The main reason behind this is that, cricket has given all the enjoyment and a set of emotions to the fans.

The cricket world cup history depicts the true spirit of the game. This history familiarizes the fans with the custom and background of cricket. Cricket history has always raised the curiosity of the cricket aficionado. It is because cricket history will sharpen their knowledge about the game and make a core base for them to have a deep understanding of the nuances of this game. The game of cricket has earned a wide acclaim since it became a worldwide known sport and its popularity chart is increasing with the passage of time

It is through the cricket world cup history that we get to know about the first three world cup tournament as Prudential Cup. The world cup is held after every four years and this time it is the chance of the West Indies to host the tournament in 2007. There are eight regular test teams that compete in this tournament along with the qualifiers. The world cup history is meant to create a thorough understanding of the each and every details of the tournament. In fact, it is boon for the cricket fans to get their hands on the world cup information.

Measuring Success in Leadership (Part 2 of 8) Getting Results and Setting Priorities

Friday, February 24th, 2012

Results and Priority Setting is defined by successful leaders as knowing what is expected through routine checks, hitting those expectations, communicating expectations to others and holding accountable those who report to you. Determining what is most important and accomplishing results in a way that is aligned with the entire organization’s needs.

Back in the late 90s, I knew and had lots of interaction with the head of HR for a local branch of one of the country’s foremost manufacturers in the greater New England area. This HR professional was brilliant. We know this because, if quizzed, this person could answer almost anything asked in that vast realm of HR knowledge. This category of knowledge is enormous and anyone who has spent time in the HR world knows that the exponential rate of new and vital information is startling. There is bad news here also. This head of HR unfortunately was destined to lose his job and did. What happened? The head of HR needed more than knowledge to be a successful leader. Plagued by lack of organization, missing vital commitment dates, setting inappropriate priorities and missing critical delegation skills helped him to became the poster child for “all fluff and no stuff” to his colleagues. As his personal credibility started to wane people began to go around him, not include him and eventually he became the brunt of stories between managers about not being dependable and accountable. At first, the absent minded professor thing worked, but eventually in a highly productive and dynamic workplace he began to be a drag on others’ productivity and effectiveness. Other managers started to “carry” him and in time that got tiring and eventually created resentment and even anger. The behavior of the head of HR set off a chain of events that eventually made him ineffective.

Results and Priority Setting Skills Defined:

Organizing systems in place – Leaders and managers find effectiveness in taking an existing system and making it work to the advantage of their area of responsibility. This ability at working with “what is” defines many leaders. This skill coupled with the ability to handle and lead change eases the minds of followers and makes for smoother, more predictable results.

Delegating – The recurring chuckle employees have between each other sometime goes, “Was that a delegation or a dump?” Delegation is both science and art and personal mastery not only increases a manager’s effectiveness but heightens an employee’s personal and organizational value. As a primary vehicle to create increased learning, agility in the workplace and flexibility for people, managers and leaders need to know the delegation process and create consistency in delegation.

Priority setting – Leaders need to be expert at setting priorities daily and sometimes hourly. Too often we hear that I don’t have the time and find out later that it is less about time and more about what we place as our highest priority. To be good at choosing the thing or things that give you and your organization the best chance at success is essential.

Communicating with other departments – Reaching out to others with you and your team’s best ideas, information that may aid them or simply be foundational for their work is critical in the success of leaders. When done properly and consistently the leader/manager’s credibility goes up and so does their effectiveness. If done right, the leader/manager has a solid system for communications that can be applied routinely.

Hitting Deadlines – Meeting the deadline is the minimum expected from leaders/managers. When deadline management skills are applied, the leader/manager is routinely early personally and creates a mindset in their area of responsibility that on time means NOT missing the deadlines. Get great at this category and everyone concerned will sleep better at night.

Results and Priority Setting Behaviors Defined:

Sharing communications – What differentiates this from other communication categories is the element of “willfulness”. Willfully sharing is not tactical and may or may not have an easily defined outcome. The will to share is seen by others as characteristic of trustworthy, loyal colleagues.

Inspiring action from others – Inspiration comes from personal belief and displays of energy. People follow people who “believe” and when the leaders/managers roll up their sleeves and demonstrate that belief system, it becomes contagious. We are finding that this behavior is not seen by top leaders of companies as optional anymore. This is part of what companies expect from their managers and leaders.

Handling change issues – Change is a way of life in every organization. Change is the only real constant in any business, either profit based or working in the non or not for profit world. The leader’s ability to eliminate resistance, overcome objection and transition individuals and teams to a continuously changing environment is vital to personal success.

Patience with others – Someone said that “Patience is a virtue. Virtue is a grace and both put together make a very “pretty face” and we agree mostly with the patience part. Each day we start again and we expect that leaders will be ahead of the people they work with and sometimes for. With this as a constant in work life your only real remedy is patience. Patience with those to learn and catch up, to grow each day to make mistakes and learn from those mistakes. It is all part of the behavioral pattern of good leaders/managers.

Approachability – If people are unwilling to approach you, you will have no followers. When people don’t feel your embrace, they will be reluctant to come to you with ideas, concerns, and barriers to effectiveness or any of the things that make work life collaborative. Over time your value will diminish because we as leaders are in one business and that business is the people business. If customers stop buying our goods and services, we are out of business and, if people cannot approach their leaders, they in essence will go “out of business.”