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<title>Latest Articles by mphcoach</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/</link>
<description>Articles at Populate.NET</description>
<language>en-us</language>
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<title>Loan Consolidation Student Style - The Deal That Works For You</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Finance/Credit/debt-consolidation/loan-consolidation-student-style-the-deal-that-works-for-you.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Finance/Credit/debt-consolidation/loan-consolidation-student-style-the-deal-that-works-for-you.html</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 21 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ Student being students, they have a bit of a tendency to spend more than they bring in :-). It goes with the territory! And yet when the time comes for a bit of maturity, it's vital to make the step to clear those unwanted and often expensively accumulated student debts while you can.

With student loan consolidation, that's where many students can take advantage of clearing everything so that it's under one roof. There are a number of agencies out there just waiting for your call, so that they can offer the perfect consolidation deal that is just right for you.

This form of consolidation is really convenient way to pay off your often high interest rate debts (like credit cards, amongst others for example).  How would it be if you could swap all these odd payments for one monthly payment at a great rate of interest? Yep, it surely is one excellent idea. So, let's take a look at how it works in practice then.

How Student Loan Consolidation Works

Student loan consolidation is about reducing your monthly payments overall as well as simplifying the repayment method.  It helps you gain control over your spending and much more effectively plan your budgeting, as well as giving you more money each month too!

You get all your deals together and just owe to one lender, merging your previous loans into one single payment, which is far easier to track, as well as much more difficult to screw up and get behind with. With your student life behind you, it's a good time to move onwards and upwards!

There are lots of positives in student loan consolidation, like lower rates of interest (often locked in at preferential lower interest rates); lower payments going out each month; less hassle with only one deal to watch out for and usually, you can get a longer repayment period, which helps lower the payments even more. These deals often depend on you getting things sorted out within a few months of graduating, so don't you dare miss out!

Want A Better Credit Rating? Then Consolidate!

Student loan consolidation will also help you get a much better credit rating, because you will find it easier to make regular payments when you have to pay less. And a track record of regular payments, that you don't miss, is always regarded as a top point-scorer by the credit rating agencies.

Look, as you emerge from the financial black hole of your student life, you haven't had much chance to generate a good credit history. And this is likely to hold you back in the future when you might want more credit, like for a mortgage maybe. So using student loan consolidation to help your financial credibility is a real wow factor!

Consolidation of your varied student loans can drop your monthly payments, virtually overnight and change your life (and credit rating, of course), for the better.

Student Loan Consolidation Makes Great Sense

And when did students show much common sense! Well, if you are serious about getting ahead in the grown-up world, maybe it's time. And what is there to lose here?

More monthly income; less debts; better loan schedule. Consolidation is among the most critical and useful decisions new graduates and former students can make.

Are you crazy - or are you smart? Now is the time to use a student loan consolidation deal as your big leap forward! ]]></description>
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<title>Dental Insurance Cover - Why It Saves You Money</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Finance/Insurance/dental-insurance-cover-why-it-saves-you-money.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Finance/Insurance/dental-insurance-cover-why-it-saves-you-money.html</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 21 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ First of all, if you really want to save yourself a lot of money in the future, you must take preventative care with your teeth and gums. Having a simple and regular routine for brushing and flossing is required to keep your mouth in its best state.  This alone will keep your costs down, so get the information you need and make sure your routine includes dental health.

If you have dental insurance cover, then you will be well placed to discuss a suitable regime with your dentist as part of what you pay for. Whilst this in itself isn't a good enough reason to take out a dental plan, it is a great opportunity for your overall health if you get what's inside your mouth just right!

Paying For Your Dental Treatment - The Best Deals?

The important thing with dental costs is to ensure that you get the best dental insurance cover deal. For some, the small amount of treatment they need (being blessed with excellent teeth and gums), may mean that a dental insurance cover plan isn't that good value, unless they can get a deal that reflects the minimal needs they have (and plans are usually scored to ensure this is still great value).

For those lucky folk, even 'pay as you go' might work well. These people are lucky indeed! For the rest of us, we need to consider whether we take pot-luck and find the cash when we need it, or we plan ahead, make regular payments and rest assured that we are covered.

There is a third way as well. In this form of dental plan, costs are either capped or alternatively, you get a payment towards your total costs, thus taking the sting out of it. As you see, there are a lot of different options and finding one that suits you personally will be your biggest challenge!

When To Buy Your Dental Insurance Cover

You should not wait until dental treatment is absolutely necessary - or you really will pay through the nose. You must get yourself into some form of regular attendance at your dental office so that you can ensure that you start off on the right foot, thus preventing extra expense later on.

For those with kids, it's never to soon to have them visit with their dentist, as early preventative treatment for them can make all the difference to their dental health through their whole life.

This really is when dental insurance cover might seem to come at the most costly time for a family, yet it's so valuable in the years to come.

Dental Insurance Cover - When It Really Pays Its Way

Whilst an early start will help your dental health overall, there may be a time, if you have teeth like most folk, that you need dental treatment for a particular problem. 

On these occasions, your attendance will be deemed acute and, as well as the occasional check-up, you will show up at your dental office when something falls out, or starts to decay. This is a real bonus as you sometimes even get cover abroad, when you may be faced with unknown circumstances and something oral that needs urgent attention.

Starting dental insurance earlier rather than later will also keep premiums down. Remember that the monthly costs you may have can depend on an assessment of your dental health, so if you've let things drift, your monthly costs will start from a higher level.

Dental Treatment Costs - Are They Worth It?

The truth is that your teeth and mouth hygiene are vital to you. In fact, it is well known that the health of your mouth is relevant to the whole of your body. So, taking care of it is a vital step to take.

If you are worried about costs, then it is surely better to be able to pay regularly from as soon as you can to keep healthy and keep those big bills down. Dental insurance cover will help you do that. ]]></description>
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<title>Muscle Building Training - Your Perfect Body Awaits You!</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Fitness/Muscle_Building/muscle-building-training-your-perfect-body-awaits-you.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Fitness/Muscle_Building/muscle-building-training-your-perfect-body-awaits-you.html</guid>
<pubDate>Sat, 19 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ Muscle building programs are geared to build muscle mass quickly and they are especially productive when used together with a healthy diet and regular programmed exercises.

Because of the way muscle builds, it's vital to follow a good regime of exercise and rest together, or you will, likely as not, hold yourself back, slowing progress towards the body you want.

If you are looking for other needs in your overall fitness program, then take the time to find out the most effective mix of exercises. Then program it so that you do the various muscle building exercises with the right regularity.

This can keep you working out frequently, with the relevant program on the right days, resting the muscle sets that need recovery time for optimum development.

Diets And Muscle Building Training - The Best Combination?

Bottom line is that muscle development comes from the training you do, not the supplements you take, or the food you eat.  Think about it - if you are a couch potato eating the perfect muscle building diet, you are just not going to create the right body shape now, are you?

So, let's be clear from the start, diet and supplements have a part to play, but they are less important than the work you put in.

That said, you can really help yourself by getting great advice on what you need to be eating, to make the most of the work you are putting in! Muscle building requires the right combination of protein and amino acids coming into your system to provide the building blocks that new muscle cells require.

So, adding to the mix of the right muscle building training, getting a good idea of what you need to eat, drink and use as supplements has a vital part to play.

Muscle Building Training - Where To Find It

You need to remember that you are not alone and many have been down this path before you. If you are a member of a gym, then there will be no end of folks there who are willing and able to give you hints and tips about the muscle building training they have used, to give them the muscle definition that looks and feels great.

Usually at the gym you will also find professional experts who know a lot about muscle building training and what works best for someone like you. They often have the experience to be able to size you up and start you off. So, pay attention to them!

Don't forget that there is a lot of information out there on the internet. Great websites, lots of easily downloadable books, often from the pros who have been there, done is and gotten the tightly stretched tee-shirts!

Have Bodybuilding Fun!

Whilst it's great to be passionate, bodybuilding should be something you enjoy, making sure that you get the body you love. Focusing on building rippling muscles is just a fine tuning of the whole bodybuilding regime.

At the end of the day, muscle building is no bad way to spend your recreational time. It's time to look good and feel great. Enjoy! ]]></description>
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<title>Natural Skincare Products - Great For You, And The Environment Too!</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Beauty/natural-skincare-products-great-for-you-and-the-environment-too.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Beauty/natural-skincare-products-great-for-you-and-the-environment-too.html</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 18 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ Our skin is our largest organ and is a live body system performing amazing functions. So it's vital to keep it well looked after. Skin is affected by the weather (don't we know it!), and particularly in the severely drying conditions found in warmer climates, where there is plenty of sun, as well as dry, cold climates too.

In fact, any climate can affect your skin, that's what your skin is there for, to interact with the outside world. So there is no rest when it comes to effective skin treatments. Whilst, despite the claims of many manufacturers, it's difficult to tell just how deep treatments work down into the layers, putting products on your skin definitely makes a difference. For healthy skin, it's what you put on it that counts.

Natural Skincare Makes The Difference

You see, many natural skincare products have qualities that nourish and care for the skin.  And there are a number of businesses all over the world now, who are focused on delivering the best, the safest and purely natural skincare products, when it comes to skin care and natural beauty.

Natural skin care products often have plant extracts beautifully combined with specialist man-made ingredients to make them most effective. In this respect, they are usually healthy, chemical free alternatives to give you great, healthy looking skin - maybe even knocking years off you! 

Natural Skincare Products Are Perfect For Your Skin

Skincare products, with their ingredients carefully extracted from nature, might well be all that you need to give you your beautiful and healthy looking skin. Because they are from nature, is quite obvious that they will blend more easily on your skin, which is a part of nature itself.

They fit well, look and smell just great and you have the satisfaction of knowing that they are healthier for your skin, for you, and for the environment at large as well. It simply makes better sense to 'go natural', whether it's skin care, what we eat, what we wear or anything we choose to use anywhere in our lives.

You can imagine that products made from plants, natural oils, the sea and elsewhere in nature (where, of course, it hurts nothing at all), can have the most wonderful effect on your body. Not forgetting that natural skincare products are often a lot less expensive than some of the man-made junk you can find in just about any store.

Natural Skincare Products - Or Organic, That's The Question

The major difference between natural and organic is the standards that apply to the ingredients in the organic skincare products. In fact, whilst there is nothing wrong at all with natural skincare products, they are a bit of a half way house in terms of quality and provenance.

In many countries, organic skincare products are made with enormous investment upfront to get the soil quality right, before they open themselves up to scrutiny by the attesting body. And that can be why some organic products are a bit more expensive - yet for many, it's a price worth paying for the knowledge that they are getting absolutely the purest ingredients for their skin care.

Natural Skincare Products Have It All

Natural skin care products are manufactured only with ingredients derived simply from nature.  They are growing in demand throughout the world, to the surprise of few. You see, when nature is the ingredient to use on your own body, then the chances of great success are so much better.

You see, natural skin care products are the better alternative, for everyone, everywhere. ]]></description>
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<title>Why Clone Golf Clubs Are Seriously Worth A Second Look</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Recreation_and_Leisure/Sports/Golf/why-clone-golf-clubs-are-seriously-worth-a-second-look.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Recreation_and_Leisure/Sports/Golf/why-clone-golf-clubs-are-seriously-worth-a-second-look.html</guid>
<pubDate>Thu, 17 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ Clone golf clubs are not the same as the well known brands they have become associated with, yet they are made from pretty much identical quality materials and they are designed with just as much care and technology.

Indeed the shaft and heads and grips often come from the same manufacturers. It's just that you simply would not know it!

Clone Golf Clubs Really Are As Good As It Gets

These clubs are definitely much less expensive than the names you know well, but there is no less effort put into giving you the very best quality, for a mere fraction of the cost.

So, if it's value for money you are looking for, with little or no compromise on standards, then clone golf clubs will certainly fit your bill. And it's just as likely that your score will fall too!

But, Will My Game Get Better?

You know, some clone club manufacturers are so confident that their clubs will improve your game, they even offer you a money back guarantee! Whether you are a beginner or moving up the ranks, the thrill that your clone clubs will give you will build your confidence such that you can hardly fail!

With great performance, top-class manufacture and styles to suit all, cloned golf clubs fit a perfect niche in club availability for anyone and everyone who is playing today - even the pros! It's an intriguing question to ponder - just how do branded and cloned clubs differ then?

Clone Golf Clubs - What's The Difference Then?

Well, of course, players from beginners to pros, have heard of the big name brand manufacturers of golf kit, like Ping, Taylor Made, Callaway and all the others.  Truth is nowadays, although those brand names might deny it, clone golf club manufacture is at least on a par (forgive the pun!) with the names you pay more for.

At the end of the day, the price you pay is more for the name and prestige of having a brand name poking out of your golf bag, rather than quality. So, the difference is more what you pay and your ego, than anything to do with quality or ability to play well.

Why Do Brands Cost So Much Than Clone Golf Clubs?

Brand name manufacturers spend a lot! Be it in advertizing or sponsorship, that's their way of selling more, and someone has to pay. Thing is, if that's you, then you're just getting a name in your bag to show off to your golf buddies. And, of course, it's you who is paying for the privilege - if that's what you want to do!

So, your posh brand name clubs cost so much more than clones because name brand club manufacturers have to cover their costs for TV advertising expenses and the endorsement contracts for the well-known name players on the tour. Yet clone golf clubs go through all the same performance testing that the brand names do anyway - and definitely do the job expected of them!

Clone Golf Clubs - The Bottom Line

The cost of name brand golf clubs can be way into the thousands of dollars, and not everyone can either afford that, nor want to.

If you would like to take a peek at the lesser known brands, with the highest product standards, then it really would be worth your while to check out the clone golf club brands and make your decision.

It's a choice that you most likely won't regret at all, because clone golf clubs are the value conscious, quality alternative to the top brands. ]]></description>
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<title>Easy Lawn Treatments For The Green, Green Grass Of Home!</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Home/Gardening/easy-lawn-treatments-for-the-green-green-grass-of-home.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Home/Gardening/easy-lawn-treatments-for-the-green-green-grass-of-home.html</guid>
<pubDate>Thu, 17 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ In today's market, lawn treatments are affordable, costing only a few dollars to treat a lawn the size of a typical family garden.  Whilst treating your lawn is important, it's only one aspect of getting the best from your lawn.

The key point here is that if you realize it's not going to cost you much, then you are much more likely to carry out the work, and reap the rewards of a beautiful lawn. It's time to get simple!

Lawn Care Treatment - The Basics

Even without use of specialist treatments, one really important tactic you can adopt is to create strong, deep-roots in your grass.

The important thing here is to water well and long, rather than in short bursts - and at the cooler parts of the day (morning seems to be most favored, followed by evening, especially in hot climates).

Short bursts of watering encourages shallow rooting - and weeds then thrive too, being able to adapt to minimal moisture, spreading easily where watering is only sporadic.

So by being organized with your lawn watering, you will, without any costs or real effort, create strong grass growth root formation and by doing that, minimize weed proliferation too. Easy!

Keeping It Natural - Organic Products Are The All The Rage

Organic lawn care treatment begins with a belief in the importance of each of us to carefully manage our environment, in whatever we do. Lawn care with organic products is a safe, valuable and caring alternative to the use of toxic chemicals and fertilizers, which are known to threaten our health and leave a damaging legacy to our environment.

Using natural and organic products in your lawn treatment regime is likely the very best solution, especially in a family environment.

Your little ones will thank you for what you do today, to protect the world for their tomorrows. And still have a great looking lawn!

Making Lawn Care Effective

By ensuring that whatever treatment you use on your lawn, you get the products that are specific to the issues you are facing. It's a pointless waste of time and money, treating problems that either aren't there, or are irrelevant for your type of soil or location.

You see, any preventative lawn treatment is made to minimize a problem or group of associated problems, so it's best to choose carefully and use ingredients that you need.

If you organize yourself properly and build up a regular pattern of working on your garden, only four lawn treatments per year, used according to season are all you need to do.

Then you can truly enjoy the beautiful green carpet you've created all the year round. ]]></description>
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<title>Student Loan Consolidation - A Great Boost For Your Bank Balance!</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Finance/Credit/debt-consolidation/student-loan-consolidation-a-great-boost-for-your-bank-balance.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Finance/Credit/debt-consolidation/student-loan-consolidation-a-great-boost-for-your-bank-balance.html</guid>
<pubDate>Thu, 03 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ Using student loan consolidation is a useful financial instrument to help you keep down your payments by lengthening your repayment term and is usually backed by the federal government. generating this way of paying less is pretty much free, though you will pay over the years through the interest you pay.

Putting Your Student Loan Payments Together

Student loan consolidation is the act of putting the various loans you took out over your college time, into a new loan, specially created for that purpose.

It is a simple and relatively cheap way to cut your loan payments by pulling them together through one specialized lender. 

Consolidate Your Student Loan When The Going Gets Tough

By exploring ways to save thousands of $$$'s on your variety of monthly payments, you will become much happier with your finances.  It's a great tool to use, especially if you get yourself organized right after college ends - it's even better if you are starting to financially struggle with your student debt.

So if you need help because you are starting to fall behind with your payments, you really must consider a consolidated student loan. In fact everyone wins when you do this!

Where To Find Help To Consolidate Your Loan

First stop to find a good deal is to talk with your former classmates. It's more than likely that one of them has jumped the gun and already got a good deal, so learn from them.

Talking to your former college or employer may find special deals that will help you too - you will be amazed at the contacts they have built up over the years and that can be very much in your interests to explore.

Finally, checkout online - there are loads of banks and other finance organizations just dying to help you out with something tailored to meet your personal needs.

Federal Student Loan Consolidation - Security Government Backed

For a fixed-rate refinancing program that pulls together all of your current federal student you need a Federal student loan consolidation package. A Federal student loan consolidation arrangement is way more advantageous for the borrower.

Whilst these deals can sometimes be regarded as refinancing, actually all that happens is that the loan rates are simply fixed, for the benefit of all concerned. 

Student loan consolidation is a strong financial package backed by government to help you with lower payments. It does this by extending the loan period, so that you pay less now and for longer, which in many cases is a much less painful experience. ]]></description>
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<title>Maui - Your Vacation Paradise</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Recreation_and_Leisure/Travel/Destinations/maui-your-vacation-paradise.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Recreation_and_Leisure/Travel/Destinations/maui-your-vacation-paradise.html</guid>
<pubDate>Sun, 16 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0800</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ The island of Maui is the perfect destination for a fun-filled and relaxing getaway.

One of the most popular Hawaiian Islands, Maui is a tropical paradise filled with amazing sights, incredible beaches and thrilling recreational activities.

By the time you finish reading, you'll be ready to pack your bags and head for this wonderful jewel in the Hawaiian Islands. Maui's extensive stretches of gorgeous sandy beaches will leave you breathless.

For the perfect afternoon in the sun, visit the shores of Kaanapali Beach, which is considered on of the best beaches on Maui because of the great snorkeling at Black Rock.

Pristine sand and beautiful scenery can be found at Kapalua Beach, which is known for its exceptional swimming and sunbathing.

If you want the windsurfing experience of a lifetime, head to the northern shore. Hookipa Beach Park is world-renowned for incredible windsurfing conditions. Expert surfers should head over to Honolua Bay during the winter for some incredible waves.

Haleakala National Park is great for hiking and nature lovers. The park has one of the world's largest dormant volcanoes. You can hike up to the summit of the crater for a bird's eye view of the gorgeous green landscape below.

While you're at the park, don't miss out on the Kuapo Gap Trail or the Kipahulu Area. Respectively, you can check out the various ecological areas surrounding the mountain or experience awe-inspiring waterfalls and subtropical rainforests.

If you want to check out the culture and city life, head to Lahaina. The famous Old Lahaina Luau attracts many visitors to experience traditional music, cuisine and crafts in an authentic island experience.

Lahaina's Front Street has many great restaurants, shops and boutiques. Pick out some island-themed souvenirs for the friends and family back home. 

One of the most incredible experiences you can have while visiting Maui is at the Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. You are especially lucky if you are visiting the west side of the island, near Kihei, between September and May, because you have the opportunity of going on a guided boat tour or whale-watching cruise.

The winter and spring months are ideal for sighting the humpback whales in their amazing and breathtaking water acrobatics. If you are unable to get a close encounter with the humpbacks, chances are you can see them in the distance from the shoreline.

How can you resist choosing Maui for your next vacation? Once you've figured out all the fun things you want to do and see, you should consider your accommodations.

There are many vacation rentals on the west side. You can choose a resort condo, a beachfront villa, or a luxurious home. In a vacation rental, you will be comfortable and close to all the attractions you want to see.

Whether you choose to stay near the beautiful beaches or on a scenic hill, a vacation rental is the perfect way to spend your vacation here. Rentals on the island fill up fast, so you will want to make arrangements for your rental as early as possible.

The Hawaiian Islands are incredible places to spend a restful and romantic vacation, but Maui really stands out as an exceptional vacation locale.

Don't miss out on this gem of the Pacific and make your arrangements for a vacation rental as soon as possible and experience the unique beauty of the island of Maui. ]]></description>
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<title>What A Difference A Week Makes</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Business/Communication/team-building/what-a-difference-a-week-makes.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Business/Communication/team-building/what-a-difference-a-week-makes.html</guid>
<pubDate>Sun, 16 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0800</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ Sometimes a little tweak in how you manage your people can make all the difference.

And sometimes, it's vital to look for something that will change relationships - and that can mean moving your focus slightly for a while.

I'm a great believer in the simple things in management. It is NOT hard to so - it's simple.

One of the most valuable activities a manager can take is just to get into conversations with his people.

A middle manager I've been working with, recently found this out the slightly hard way - then again he got there! And what a difference it made.

New in his management, he'd really struggled. There was a mountain of things to do in his new department and every one seemed vitally important. That's just the way it is sometimes.

So he made a small and yet critical decision. He focused on the things he had to do, rather than the people he had around him. In fact he got on with the 'stuff' of the business, rather than getting used to the people.

Truth is, in a department his size, the stuff is not what a middle manager is there for. It can't be, otherwise he would end up doing all the work himself - and that is just impossible.

In our discussions, it was clear that he was finding the going tough - so I gave him a week off! I asked him to consider spending time with his people, coaching, supporting and mainly listening to his people.

Engaging them in the conversations they wanted, whatever they were about.

During that week, he was weak - and he didn't spend every working moment in conversations with his people. He did a few bits of 'stuff'!

That was OK - I let him off!

What he did find was that his team of people were truly up to support him, now that he'd taken the time to make friends and show an interest in them as people. Living breathing humans who have a life outside work.

By showing an interest in them as real people, he was able to gain their support and have a whole raft of willing, capable and enthusiastic people around him.

Key relationships are not just about the limited number of direct reports a manager has. It's about encompassing the whole team, so that your character, your interests and your caring permeates right down the levels of whatever hierarchy your business has.

Working with people in a way that empowers them and unleashes the potential they have is amazing. And so my client found.

That's management and why it's simple, NOT hard. ]]></description>
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<title>Accepting Thanks With Good Grace</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Business/Communication/team-building/accepting-thanks-with-good-grace.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Business/Communication/team-building/accepting-thanks-with-good-grace.html</guid>
<pubDate>Sun, 16 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0800</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ There is a huge value in accepting help in your business, to build your own capacity as well as growing your team too.

And often, when we are given a compliment, or someone says 'Thank you', we feel it is polite to gently decline. We say things like 'It's nothing' or 'No, no - it was all you'.

As part of a business transaction I've been involved in, which has not gone that well and one which I have been chasing hard to make anything out of for a bunch of other people as well as myself, we had a minor success.

To one of the partners, it represented something far bigger than it did to some of the others, despite being less than anticipated.

Financially, it was very important to him. So he sent me a gift for the effort I'd made. It was a small gift and one which he could ill-afford.

Now he told me he was sending this small gift and it would have been easy to say 'You shouldn't have'. Instead, I said 'Thank You'.

I appreciated, following the reminder that a boss gave me a few years ago, that the choice of making the gift was theirs and thus important to them.

In fact it was a big financial decision, given the state of their finances. Dismissing it with the 'You shouldn't', would undo a lot of their decision making and choice to make a gift.

So, I said 'Thank you, I appreciate that you have made this gesture, and I'm very grateful'.

My business experience of this was when I was once given praise for a piece of work where I dismissed the praise with, 'It's just my job'.

Quickly and supportively, my boss said this to me, 'It's always best to accept thanks and praise with good grace, that is how it's given'. And so I always have since then.

Why is this important? Well, when individuals offer thanks or praise, it is their gift to give, not yours to decline or dismiss.

Gifts like this are hard to give, especially when courage and strength is needed to even speak up, as in some organizations. Respecting this, is where you come in.

Accepting the gift with honesty and appreciation is a wonderful gift back, though mainly unspoken and intangible.

It's like saying, 'Well, well, how wonderful that someone appreciates what I do sometimes, you are so kind for giving me the feedback that what I do is valued'.

This builds relationships hugely, builds teams and overall means that all pulling together, appreciating each other and valuing the closeness, are important even though sometimes unspoken.

It's worth reflecting on the form of words you can use to someone who shows you appreciation for something you did and thank them for taking the time to thank you, without deflecting that in any way.

You, they and your organisational morale will find great value in this. ]]></description>
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