WASHINGTON - The Bush administration would require commercial airlines and cruise-line operators to collect information such as fingerprints from international travelers and send the information to the Homeland Security Department soon after the travelers leave the country, according to a proposed rule.
The proposal, which will be announced Tuesday, will close a security gap identified after the 9/11 attacks and identify which visitors have overstayed their visas.
Airlines and cruise ship operators must already provide the department with biographical information on international passengers before they leave the country. But this rule would require biometric information — such as fingerprints — to be collected and then transmitted within 24 hours of a visitor leaving the U.S., according to a Homeland Security official who spoke on condition of anonymity because the announcement had not yet been made.
Over 10 years, officials estimate it will cost air and sea carriers about $2.7 billion to carry out the requirement. The department plans to enforce the rule by June 30, 2009. Some air carriers have complained the federal government should cover the cost of implementing this rule.
U.S. officials already collect fingerprints from visitors when they come into the country, but the administration has yet to complete the exit portion of the tracking program — known as US-VISIT.
Lawmakers, including Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., have pressed the department to roll out its biometric exit system for more than a year.
"Any uncertainty about who is entering and leaving our country is an unacceptable risk that must be addressed," Thompson, chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, said in a statement Monday.
There will be a 60-day comment period for the proposed rule.
Minggu, 18 Januari 2009
Getting Things Done
Getting Things Done (commonly abbreviated as GTD) is an action management method of The David Allen Company, and the title of the book by David Allen which describes the method. Both Getting Things Done and GTD are registered trademarks of the David Allen Company.
GTD rests on the principle that a person needs to move tasks out of the mind by recording them somewhere. That way, the mind is freed from the job of remembering everything that needs to be done, and can concentrate on actually performing those tasks. What distinguishes David Allen's book from most other time- or action-management literature is the level of detail to which he describes a possible way to organize oneself.
How does GTD work?
GTD is strictly defined by David Allen on his website [1]. In time management priorities usually play a central role which is less emphasized by Allen. Instead, he promotes two key elements in time management — control and perspective. Allen advocates three major models for gaining control and perspective:
1.A workflow process
2.A framework with 6 levels of focus
3.A natural planning method
The first major model is the workflow process, which is used to gain control over all the tasks and commitments which one needs or wants to get done.[2]:20 The workflow process consists of five distinct phases listed below (with each described in greater details in the Principles section):
1.Collect
2.Process
3.Organize
4.Review
5.Do
Allen uses an altitude analogy to illustrate his second major model, 6 different levels of focus, and give perspective on tasks and commitments. These 6 levels of focus, from the bottom up, are [2]:51 :
1.Current actions
2.Current projects
3.Areas of responsibility
4.Yearly goals
5.5 year vision
6.Life goals
As you "move up" in altitude, you are able to consider the "bigger picture." The bottom level — your current to do list — is at "runway" height, and the top level — Life Goals — is at 50,000 feet, with the other 4 areas of focus at metaphorical 10,000 feet increments between the two. Considering projects, actions, unfinished business or commitments ("open loops" in GTD terminology[3]), and other "input" from a variety of "heights" gives one varying perspective.
Allen strongly advocates doing a weekly review process which utilizes the different levels of focus. The perspective gained from utilizing these different levels of focus should drive one's priorities, which in turn determines the priority of when and if one is to do the particular individual tasks and commitments gathered during the workflow process. During this weekly review, the user also determines the context for the tasks and places them on the appropriate lists. Examples of grouping together similar tasks include making a list of telephone calls to make or errands to do while downtown. Context lists can be defined by the set of tools available or by the presence of individuals or groups for whom one has items to discuss or present.
Allen expects that the first two models are sufficient most of the time to gain control and perspective on the majority of tasks and projects. However, there are some cases in which more involved planning and thinking are necessary.[2]:54 This leads to the third major model, which is the natural planning method. While the workflow model has a "horizontal" focus on doing individual tasks, the natural planning method has a "vertical" focus on planning projects and thinking through topics. The planning model consists of 5 stages which are:
1.Defining the purpose and principles
2.Envisioning the outcome
3.Brainstorming
4.Organizing
5.Identifying next actions
The psychology of GTD is based on making it easy to store, track and retrieve all the information related to the things you need to get done. Allen suggests that many of the mental blocks we encounter in regard to doing certain activities are caused by insufficient 'front-end' planning (i.e., for any project we need to clarify what is to be achieved and what specific actions are needed to achieve it). It is most practical, according to Allen, to do this thinking in advance, generating a series of actions which we can later undertake without any further planning.
Allen also contends that our mental "reminder system" is rather inefficient and seldom reminds us of what we need to do at the time and place that we can do it. Consequently, the "next actions" stored by context in the "trusted system" act as an external support which ensures that we are presented with the right reminders at the right time. There are many associated personal management tips and tricks detailed in Getting Things Done which can be useful for implementing the workflow described by Allen.
A capsule description of GTD from Allen's book Ready for Anything:
“Get everything out of your head. Make decisions about actions required on stuff when it shows up — not when it blows up. Organize reminders of your projects and the next actions on them in appropriate categories. Keep your system current, complete, and reviewed sufficiently to trust your intuitive choices about what you're doing (and not doing) at any time.”
Principles
The core principles of GTD are:
Collect
The notion of stress-free productivity starts with this step by off-loading what needs to get done from your head. Capture everything that is necessary to track, remember, or act on- in what Allen calls a bucket: a physical inbox, an email inbox, a tape recorder, a notebook, a PDA, or any combination of these. The idea here is to get everything out of one's head and into a collection device, ready for processing. All buckets should be emptied (processed) at least once per week.
Allen doesn't advocate any preferred collection method, leaving the choice to the individual. He only insists upon the importance of emptying the "buckets" regularly. Any storage space (physical inbox, email inbox, tape recorder, notebook, PDA, etc) that is processed regularly by the individual is acceptable.
Process
When processing a bucket, a strict workflow is followed:
Start at the top.
Deal with one item at a time.
Never put anything back into 'in'.
If an item requires action:
Do it (if it takes less than two minutes), OR
Delegate it, OR
Defer it.
If an item does not require action:
File it for reference, OR
Throw it away, OR
Incubate it for possible action later.
If it takes under two minutes to do something, just do it immediately. The two-minute rule is a guideline, encompassing roughly the time it would take to defer the action formally.
Organize
Allen describes a suggested set of lists which can be used to keep track of items awaiting attention:
Next actions — For every item requiring attention, decide what is the next action that can be physically taken on that item. For example, if the item is, "Write project report," the next action might be, "Email Fred for meeting minutes," or, "Call Mary to ask about report requirements." Though there may be many steps and actions required to complete the item, there will always be something that needs to be done first, and this step should be recorded in the next actions list. Preferably, these steps are organized by the context in which they can be done, such as "in the office," "by the phone," or "at the store."
Projects — Every open loop in one's life or work which requires more than one physical action to achieve becomes a project. These projects are tracked and periodically reviewed to make sure that every project has a next action associated with it, and thus can be moved forward.
Waiting for — When an action has been delegated to someone else, or when one is waiting for some external event before a project can be moved forward, this is tracked in the system and periodically checked to see if action is due, or a reminder needs to be sent.
Someday/Maybe — Things to be done at some point, but not right now. Examples might be "learn Chinese," or, "take diving holiday."
A calendar is important for keeping track of appointments and commitments; however, Allen specifically recommends that the calendar be reserved for the hard landscape: things which absolutely have to be done by a particular deadline, or meetings and appointments which are fixed in time and place. To-do items should be reserved for the next action lists.
A final key organizing component of GTD is the filing system. A filing system must be easy, simple and fun. Even a single piece of paper, if needed for reference, should get its own file if it doesn't belong in an existing folder. Allen suggests a single, alphabetically organized filing system, in order to make it as quick and easy as possible to store and retrieve the needed information.
Review
The lists of actions and reminders will be of little use if not reviewed at least daily, or whenever possible. Given the time, energy and resources available at that particular moment, decide what is the most important thing to be doing right now, and do it. If one is inclined to procrastinate, one may end up always doing the easy tasks and avoiding the difficult ones. To solve this, one can decide to do the actions of the list one by one, following their order, just like processing an inbox.
At least weekly, the discipline of GTD requires that all your outstanding actions, projects and 'waiting for' items are reviewed, making sure that any new tasks or forthcoming events are entered into your system, and that everything is up to date. Allen suggests the creation of a "tickler file" in order to help refresh one's memory each week with the outstanding tasks and projects.
Do
Any organizational system is no good if excessive time is spent organizing tasks instead of actually doing them. David Allen's contention is that if one can make it simple, easy, and fun to take the necessary actions, one will be less inclined to procrastinate or become overwhelmed with too many 'open loops'.
Tools and techniques
Tickler file
A slice of '43 Folders'
One device that Allen suggests is the tickler file for organizing your paperwork (also known as the '43 folders'). Twelve folders are used to represent each month and an additional 31 folders are used to represent each day. The folders are arranged to help remind you of activities to be done that day. Each day you open to the numbered folder representing today's date. You take all the items out of the folder and put the empty folder into the next month. This sort of management allows you to file hardcopy reminders to yourself. For instance, if you had a concert on the 12th of the month, you would store the tickets in the 12th folder, and when the 12th came around, they would be there waiting for you.
Software tools for GTD
Software tools were specifically suggested by Allen as helpful and important for implementing GTD, including digital outlining, brainstorming, and project planning applications. However, in 2001, Allen bemoaned the general lack of "good 'project management' tools," concluding:
... less structured and more functional applications will emerge in the coming years, based on the ways we naturally think and plan.[4]
Since that prediction a virtual explosion of GTD-supporting software has emerged, underscoring the influence of GTD on the world of time management. In April 2008, more than 100 software tools existed that provide the core features needed to implement Getting Things Done.[citation needed]
These software tools range from simple list managers for individuals to collaborative web applications, both free and commercial, for all popular platforms and devices. Much of this software specifically automates or reinforces the GTD methodology of collecting, processing, organizing, reviewing, and doing.
GTD rests on the principle that a person needs to move tasks out of the mind by recording them somewhere. That way, the mind is freed from the job of remembering everything that needs to be done, and can concentrate on actually performing those tasks. What distinguishes David Allen's book from most other time- or action-management literature is the level of detail to which he describes a possible way to organize oneself.
How does GTD work?
GTD is strictly defined by David Allen on his website [1]. In time management priorities usually play a central role which is less emphasized by Allen. Instead, he promotes two key elements in time management — control and perspective. Allen advocates three major models for gaining control and perspective:
1.A workflow process
2.A framework with 6 levels of focus
3.A natural planning method
The first major model is the workflow process, which is used to gain control over all the tasks and commitments which one needs or wants to get done.[2]:20 The workflow process consists of five distinct phases listed below (with each described in greater details in the Principles section):
1.Collect
2.Process
3.Organize
4.Review
5.Do
Allen uses an altitude analogy to illustrate his second major model, 6 different levels of focus, and give perspective on tasks and commitments. These 6 levels of focus, from the bottom up, are [2]:51 :
1.Current actions
2.Current projects
3.Areas of responsibility
4.Yearly goals
5.5 year vision
6.Life goals
As you "move up" in altitude, you are able to consider the "bigger picture." The bottom level — your current to do list — is at "runway" height, and the top level — Life Goals — is at 50,000 feet, with the other 4 areas of focus at metaphorical 10,000 feet increments between the two. Considering projects, actions, unfinished business or commitments ("open loops" in GTD terminology[3]), and other "input" from a variety of "heights" gives one varying perspective.
Allen strongly advocates doing a weekly review process which utilizes the different levels of focus. The perspective gained from utilizing these different levels of focus should drive one's priorities, which in turn determines the priority of when and if one is to do the particular individual tasks and commitments gathered during the workflow process. During this weekly review, the user also determines the context for the tasks and places them on the appropriate lists. Examples of grouping together similar tasks include making a list of telephone calls to make or errands to do while downtown. Context lists can be defined by the set of tools available or by the presence of individuals or groups for whom one has items to discuss or present.
Allen expects that the first two models are sufficient most of the time to gain control and perspective on the majority of tasks and projects. However, there are some cases in which more involved planning and thinking are necessary.[2]:54 This leads to the third major model, which is the natural planning method. While the workflow model has a "horizontal" focus on doing individual tasks, the natural planning method has a "vertical" focus on planning projects and thinking through topics. The planning model consists of 5 stages which are:
1.Defining the purpose and principles
2.Envisioning the outcome
3.Brainstorming
4.Organizing
5.Identifying next actions
The psychology of GTD is based on making it easy to store, track and retrieve all the information related to the things you need to get done. Allen suggests that many of the mental blocks we encounter in regard to doing certain activities are caused by insufficient 'front-end' planning (i.e., for any project we need to clarify what is to be achieved and what specific actions are needed to achieve it). It is most practical, according to Allen, to do this thinking in advance, generating a series of actions which we can later undertake without any further planning.
Allen also contends that our mental "reminder system" is rather inefficient and seldom reminds us of what we need to do at the time and place that we can do it. Consequently, the "next actions" stored by context in the "trusted system" act as an external support which ensures that we are presented with the right reminders at the right time. There are many associated personal management tips and tricks detailed in Getting Things Done which can be useful for implementing the workflow described by Allen.
A capsule description of GTD from Allen's book Ready for Anything:
“Get everything out of your head. Make decisions about actions required on stuff when it shows up — not when it blows up. Organize reminders of your projects and the next actions on them in appropriate categories. Keep your system current, complete, and reviewed sufficiently to trust your intuitive choices about what you're doing (and not doing) at any time.”
Principles
The core principles of GTD are:
Collect
The notion of stress-free productivity starts with this step by off-loading what needs to get done from your head. Capture everything that is necessary to track, remember, or act on- in what Allen calls a bucket: a physical inbox, an email inbox, a tape recorder, a notebook, a PDA, or any combination of these. The idea here is to get everything out of one's head and into a collection device, ready for processing. All buckets should be emptied (processed) at least once per week.
Allen doesn't advocate any preferred collection method, leaving the choice to the individual. He only insists upon the importance of emptying the "buckets" regularly. Any storage space (physical inbox, email inbox, tape recorder, notebook, PDA, etc) that is processed regularly by the individual is acceptable.
Process
When processing a bucket, a strict workflow is followed:
Start at the top.
Deal with one item at a time.
Never put anything back into 'in'.
If an item requires action:
Do it (if it takes less than two minutes), OR
Delegate it, OR
Defer it.
If an item does not require action:
File it for reference, OR
Throw it away, OR
Incubate it for possible action later.
If it takes under two minutes to do something, just do it immediately. The two-minute rule is a guideline, encompassing roughly the time it would take to defer the action formally.
Organize
Allen describes a suggested set of lists which can be used to keep track of items awaiting attention:
Next actions — For every item requiring attention, decide what is the next action that can be physically taken on that item. For example, if the item is, "Write project report," the next action might be, "Email Fred for meeting minutes," or, "Call Mary to ask about report requirements." Though there may be many steps and actions required to complete the item, there will always be something that needs to be done first, and this step should be recorded in the next actions list. Preferably, these steps are organized by the context in which they can be done, such as "in the office," "by the phone," or "at the store."
Projects — Every open loop in one's life or work which requires more than one physical action to achieve becomes a project. These projects are tracked and periodically reviewed to make sure that every project has a next action associated with it, and thus can be moved forward.
Waiting for — When an action has been delegated to someone else, or when one is waiting for some external event before a project can be moved forward, this is tracked in the system and periodically checked to see if action is due, or a reminder needs to be sent.
Someday/Maybe — Things to be done at some point, but not right now. Examples might be "learn Chinese," or, "take diving holiday."
A calendar is important for keeping track of appointments and commitments; however, Allen specifically recommends that the calendar be reserved for the hard landscape: things which absolutely have to be done by a particular deadline, or meetings and appointments which are fixed in time and place. To-do items should be reserved for the next action lists.
A final key organizing component of GTD is the filing system. A filing system must be easy, simple and fun. Even a single piece of paper, if needed for reference, should get its own file if it doesn't belong in an existing folder. Allen suggests a single, alphabetically organized filing system, in order to make it as quick and easy as possible to store and retrieve the needed information.
Review
The lists of actions and reminders will be of little use if not reviewed at least daily, or whenever possible. Given the time, energy and resources available at that particular moment, decide what is the most important thing to be doing right now, and do it. If one is inclined to procrastinate, one may end up always doing the easy tasks and avoiding the difficult ones. To solve this, one can decide to do the actions of the list one by one, following their order, just like processing an inbox.
At least weekly, the discipline of GTD requires that all your outstanding actions, projects and 'waiting for' items are reviewed, making sure that any new tasks or forthcoming events are entered into your system, and that everything is up to date. Allen suggests the creation of a "tickler file" in order to help refresh one's memory each week with the outstanding tasks and projects.
Do
Any organizational system is no good if excessive time is spent organizing tasks instead of actually doing them. David Allen's contention is that if one can make it simple, easy, and fun to take the necessary actions, one will be less inclined to procrastinate or become overwhelmed with too many 'open loops'.
Tools and techniques
Tickler file
A slice of '43 Folders'
One device that Allen suggests is the tickler file for organizing your paperwork (also known as the '43 folders'). Twelve folders are used to represent each month and an additional 31 folders are used to represent each day. The folders are arranged to help remind you of activities to be done that day. Each day you open to the numbered folder representing today's date. You take all the items out of the folder and put the empty folder into the next month. This sort of management allows you to file hardcopy reminders to yourself. For instance, if you had a concert on the 12th of the month, you would store the tickets in the 12th folder, and when the 12th came around, they would be there waiting for you.
Software tools for GTD
Software tools were specifically suggested by Allen as helpful and important for implementing GTD, including digital outlining, brainstorming, and project planning applications. However, in 2001, Allen bemoaned the general lack of "good 'project management' tools," concluding:
... less structured and more functional applications will emerge in the coming years, based on the ways we naturally think and plan.[4]
Since that prediction a virtual explosion of GTD-supporting software has emerged, underscoring the influence of GTD on the world of time management. In April 2008, more than 100 software tools existed that provide the core features needed to implement Getting Things Done.[citation needed]
These software tools range from simple list managers for individuals to collaborative web applications, both free and commercial, for all popular platforms and devices. Much of this software specifically automates or reinforces the GTD methodology of collecting, processing, organizing, reviewing, and doing.
Fatal shark attack forces beach closures near San Diego
SOLANA BEACH, Calif. - A shark believed to be a great white killed a 66-year-old swimmer with a single, giant bite across both legs Friday as the man trained with a group of triathletes, authorities and witnesses said.
Dave Martin, a retired veterinarian from Solana Beach, was attacked at San Diego County's Tide Beach around 7 a.m., authorities and family friend Rob Hill said.
Martin was taken to a lifeguard station for emergency treatment but was pronounced dead at the scene, according to a statement on the Solana Beach city Web site. His injuries crossed both thighs, San Diego County sheriff's Sgt. Randy Webb said in a news release.
Scripps Institution of Oceanography shark expert Richard Rosenblatt says the shark was probably a great white between 12 and 17 feet long.
"It looks like the shark came up, bit him, and swam away," said Dismas Abelman, the Solana Beach deputy fire chief.
There was a single bite across both of Martin's legs, Abelman said.
The attack took place about 150 yards offshore. Several swimmers wearing wetsuits were in a group when the shark attacked, lifeguard Craig Miller said. Two swimmers were about 20 yards ahead of the man when they heard him scream for help. They turned around and dragged him back to shore.
Swimmers were ordered out of the water for a 17-mile stretch around the attack site and county authorities sent up helicopters to scan the waters for the shark. Eight miles of beach were closed.
"The shark is still in the area. We're sure of that," Mayor Joe Kellejian said.
Hill, a member of the Triathlon Club of San Diego, said he was running on the beach while about nine other members were in the water when the attack took place.
"They saw him come up out of the water, scream 'shark,' flail his arms and go back under," Hill said. "The flesh was just hanging," and Martin may have bled to death before he left the water, Hill said.
A witness, Ira Opper, described the victim as "burly and athletic." He said the man was wearing a black wetsuit that was shredded on both legs.
Martin's relatives visited the lifeguard station in small groups, emerging in tears, before his body was transported to the county medical examiner's office. A man who identified himself as Martin's son answered the telephone at Martin's home a few blocks from the beach but declined to comment on the attack.
Club members had been meeting at the beach for at least six years and never had seen a shark, Hill said.
However, Hill said he saw a seal or sea lion on the beach earlier this week. Miller said a seal pup was found on the beach Friday morning before the attack and was taken to a marine animal rescue center.
The shark may have confused the wet-suited swimmers with his prey, Hill said.
Rosenblatt, the shark expert, said white sharks travel through the area, and the way the man was attacked and the "massive" but clean wounds "sounds like what a white shark would do."
White sharks hunt along the bottom, look for seal silhouettes above and then rise to attack, he said.
"A human swimmer is not too unlike a seal," he said.
Shark attacks are extremely rare. There were 71 confirmed unprovoked cases worldwide last year, up from 63 in 2006, according to the University of Florida. Only one 2007 attack, in the South Pacific, was fatal.
The last fatal shark attack in California, according to data from the state Department of Fish and Game, took place in 2004, when a man skin diving for abalone was attacked by a great white shark off the coast of Mendocino County. On Aug. 19, 2003, a great white killed a woman who was swimming at Avila Beach in San Luis Obispo County on the central California coast.
Solana Beach is 14 miles northwest of San Diego.
Dave Martin, a retired veterinarian from Solana Beach, was attacked at San Diego County's Tide Beach around 7 a.m., authorities and family friend Rob Hill said.
Martin was taken to a lifeguard station for emergency treatment but was pronounced dead at the scene, according to a statement on the Solana Beach city Web site. His injuries crossed both thighs, San Diego County sheriff's Sgt. Randy Webb said in a news release.
Scripps Institution of Oceanography shark expert Richard Rosenblatt says the shark was probably a great white between 12 and 17 feet long.
"It looks like the shark came up, bit him, and swam away," said Dismas Abelman, the Solana Beach deputy fire chief.
There was a single bite across both of Martin's legs, Abelman said.
The attack took place about 150 yards offshore. Several swimmers wearing wetsuits were in a group when the shark attacked, lifeguard Craig Miller said. Two swimmers were about 20 yards ahead of the man when they heard him scream for help. They turned around and dragged him back to shore.
Swimmers were ordered out of the water for a 17-mile stretch around the attack site and county authorities sent up helicopters to scan the waters for the shark. Eight miles of beach were closed.
"The shark is still in the area. We're sure of that," Mayor Joe Kellejian said.
Hill, a member of the Triathlon Club of San Diego, said he was running on the beach while about nine other members were in the water when the attack took place.
"They saw him come up out of the water, scream 'shark,' flail his arms and go back under," Hill said. "The flesh was just hanging," and Martin may have bled to death before he left the water, Hill said.
A witness, Ira Opper, described the victim as "burly and athletic." He said the man was wearing a black wetsuit that was shredded on both legs.
Martin's relatives visited the lifeguard station in small groups, emerging in tears, before his body was transported to the county medical examiner's office. A man who identified himself as Martin's son answered the telephone at Martin's home a few blocks from the beach but declined to comment on the attack.
Club members had been meeting at the beach for at least six years and never had seen a shark, Hill said.
However, Hill said he saw a seal or sea lion on the beach earlier this week. Miller said a seal pup was found on the beach Friday morning before the attack and was taken to a marine animal rescue center.
The shark may have confused the wet-suited swimmers with his prey, Hill said.
Rosenblatt, the shark expert, said white sharks travel through the area, and the way the man was attacked and the "massive" but clean wounds "sounds like what a white shark would do."
White sharks hunt along the bottom, look for seal silhouettes above and then rise to attack, he said.
"A human swimmer is not too unlike a seal," he said.
Shark attacks are extremely rare. There were 71 confirmed unprovoked cases worldwide last year, up from 63 in 2006, according to the University of Florida. Only one 2007 attack, in the South Pacific, was fatal.
The last fatal shark attack in California, according to data from the state Department of Fish and Game, took place in 2004, when a man skin diving for abalone was attacked by a great white shark off the coast of Mendocino County. On Aug. 19, 2003, a great white killed a woman who was swimming at Avila Beach in San Luis Obispo County on the central California coast.
Solana Beach is 14 miles northwest of San Diego.
Housing rescue package set for House vote
WASHINGTON - A broad housing rescue package aimed at preventing foreclosures would have the government step in to insure up to $300 billion in new mortgages for struggling homeowners.
The plan, designed to stabilize a key sector of the shaky economy, is set for a House vote Wednesday. It would let the Federal Housing Administration insure more affordable fixed-rate loans for borrowers currently too financially strapped to qualify.
The White House says President Bush would veto the measure, calling it a burdensome bailout that would open taxpayers to too much risk. That's despite Democrats' attempts to attract Republican support by including a grab-bag of measures Bush has called for.
They include legislation to overhaul the Federal Housing Administration, the Depression-era mortgage insurer, and to more tightly regulate Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the government-sponsored companies that finance home loans. Also part of the plan is a measure, which Bush has repeatedly requested, allowing state and local housing finance agencies to use tax-exempt bonds to refinance distressed subprime mortgages.
Its main element, written by Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., the Financial Services Committee chairman, is designed to help roughly 500,000 borrowers at a cost of $2.7 billion over the next five years. Under Frank's bill, the FHA would relax its standards to let debt-ridden homeowners refinance into more affordable, fixed-rate mortgages if their lenders agreed to take substantial losses on the original loans.
Borrowers would have to show they could afford to make payments on the new mortgages. They would have to share with FHA at least half of their proceeds if they profited from selling or refinancing again.
Frank, working closely on his plan with Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, has picked up some Republican support, especially among lawmakers representing areas hit hardest by the housing crisis.
But GOP leaders strongly oppose the bill, which they say would help reckless borrowers who overextended themselves, unscrupulous lenders, and investors who tried to game the market at the expense of renters and homeowners who made wiser choices.
The plan is to be combined with $11 billion in housing tax breaks, including a $7,500 credit for first-time home-buyers that would function like a zero-interest government loan, to be paid off over 15 years.
As part of the package, the House is scheduled to vote on an amendment — bitterly opposed by the financial services industry but championed by governors — that would ensure that neither the FHA plan nor other banking laws pre-empt state foreclosure laws. It's aimed at letting states that have recently moved to make it harder to evict homeowners continue those efforts.
The House also plans a vote on a separate bill — also facing a veto threat — to send $15 billion to states for the purchase and rehabilitation of foreclosed properties in the hardest-hit areas.
Critics say it would reward lenders, many of whom are in part to blame for the housing chaos, and act as an incentive for them to foreclose rather than find ways to help struggling borrowers stay in their homes.
The plan, designed to stabilize a key sector of the shaky economy, is set for a House vote Wednesday. It would let the Federal Housing Administration insure more affordable fixed-rate loans for borrowers currently too financially strapped to qualify.
The White House says President Bush would veto the measure, calling it a burdensome bailout that would open taxpayers to too much risk. That's despite Democrats' attempts to attract Republican support by including a grab-bag of measures Bush has called for.
They include legislation to overhaul the Federal Housing Administration, the Depression-era mortgage insurer, and to more tightly regulate Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the government-sponsored companies that finance home loans. Also part of the plan is a measure, which Bush has repeatedly requested, allowing state and local housing finance agencies to use tax-exempt bonds to refinance distressed subprime mortgages.
Its main element, written by Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., the Financial Services Committee chairman, is designed to help roughly 500,000 borrowers at a cost of $2.7 billion over the next five years. Under Frank's bill, the FHA would relax its standards to let debt-ridden homeowners refinance into more affordable, fixed-rate mortgages if their lenders agreed to take substantial losses on the original loans.
Borrowers would have to show they could afford to make payments on the new mortgages. They would have to share with FHA at least half of their proceeds if they profited from selling or refinancing again.
Frank, working closely on his plan with Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, has picked up some Republican support, especially among lawmakers representing areas hit hardest by the housing crisis.
But GOP leaders strongly oppose the bill, which they say would help reckless borrowers who overextended themselves, unscrupulous lenders, and investors who tried to game the market at the expense of renters and homeowners who made wiser choices.
The plan is to be combined with $11 billion in housing tax breaks, including a $7,500 credit for first-time home-buyers that would function like a zero-interest government loan, to be paid off over 15 years.
As part of the package, the House is scheduled to vote on an amendment — bitterly opposed by the financial services industry but championed by governors — that would ensure that neither the FHA plan nor other banking laws pre-empt state foreclosure laws. It's aimed at letting states that have recently moved to make it harder to evict homeowners continue those efforts.
The House also plans a vote on a separate bill — also facing a veto threat — to send $15 billion to states for the purchase and rehabilitation of foreclosed properties in the hardest-hit areas.
Critics say it would reward lenders, many of whom are in part to blame for the housing chaos, and act as an incentive for them to foreclose rather than find ways to help struggling borrowers stay in their homes.
If You Want to Be a Master Communicator ... Shut Up and Listen!
There is no one in the world more powerful than a great communicator.
The ability to communicate masterfully is like The Midas Touch. It allows you to turn virtually any opportunity into pure gold. Through skillful communication, success becomes possible in every area of your life - career, relationships, finances. Effective communication is key to all of these and more.
So just what is it that makes someone a great communicator? What is that rare ability that allows some people to forge real, meaningful, mutually-satisfying connections with others?
For years I've taught classes, conducted seminars and coached individuals on their communication and presentation skills. And just about everyone I've worked with believes that being an effective communicator simply means being able to get their point across, to successfully express their thoughts, ideas and feelings to others.
But in fact, that is just a very small part of the equation. This ability alone will not allow you to forge meaningful connections. In fact, if all you focus on is your personal agenda, there's a good chance you'll get nowhere. How many times have you observed an eloquent speaker with what appears to be all the right techniques, a great vocabulary, all poise and polish, only to find that his or her words ultimately fall flat?
Look up "communication" in the dictionary, and you'll see that it derives from the Latin word communicare, "to impart, share," literally "to make common." So real communication isn't simply a transmission of ideas; it's an exchange, a dialogue of sorts. Effective communication is a sharing of information, a coming together of two unique points-of-view, the communicator's and the person being communicated with. Sometimes those points-of-view are in sync, sometimes they are in conflict; but they are always distinct. No one's perspective, experience, interpretation, concerns, goals, mood, etc. is identical to yours. Understanding this fact is key to making powerful connections.
If you take nothing else away from this article, please remember this statement: effective communication is always a two-way street.
In order for real, meaningful communication to take place, information must flow in both directions - not just from you, but to you. By fully appreciating this concept, you will be able to do what is necessary to make real connections with others, and ultimately improve your odds of getting what you want from each communication encounter.
Just how can you make this exchange possible? Stop talking -- and listen.
Most of us are actually pretty good at talking. We talk like crazy. We talk about our problems, our accomplishments, our relationships, our headaches, our dreams. We talk about everything that matters to us. Unfortunately, those issues are rarely what's of greatest interest to others.
On the flip side, sadly most of us are lousy listeners. In fact, most people, even when they appear to be listening intently to someone else, are actually lost in their own thoughts, often thinking about what they will say next.
Really hearing what others have to say, what matters to them, what they want, what they fear, what they hope for, will ultimately make you better able to connect with them, and help them to understand your message.
Being an effective listener is probably the single most important quality of a great communicator. Just observe some of the best there are. It's often been reported by those who know him that President Bill Clinton makes every person he speaks with feel like they're the only person in the room. The Reverend Billy Graham is able to touch the emotions of thousands of people at the same time, who feel that he's speaking personally with them. Winston Churchill tapped into the fears and dreams of an entire nation, and inspired them to greatness. Think about the great communicators you've met in your own life, and how they somehow seemed to speak a language you really understood.
Speaking the language of others. That's what real communication is all about.
Think of it this way. Supposed you had to deliver some important information to someone, but that person only spoke Japanese, and you did not. What would you do? You might have your message translated for you, or have an interpreter on hand. But if you didn't figure out how to somehow impart your message in the language that person understood, it would fall on deaf ears. No matter how eloquently you made your point, it would remain meaningless, because you didn't speak the language.
If you're going to be one of the world's great communicators, you will have to learn the language of others, and then frame your message in a manner they will understand and appreciate.
Here are a few things you can start doing right now to make yourself a more effective communicator.
1. Train yourself to really listen. When you're attempting to connect with someone, really focus on them, what they're saying and how they're behaving. Consciously try to block everything else out - your thoughts, distractions around you, etc. Make a point of not speaking yourself until the other person has expressed a complete thought. Fight the urge to interrupt or finish their sentences. Try to be genuinely interested in every word they say.
2. Acknowledge others' words and feelings. When it is your turn to talk, begin by confirming for the other person that you really heard them. There are several ways to do this. You might want to comment on what they've just told you. "I can imagine that was difficult." You might ask a question. "Wow, what happened after that?" Mirroring is another good technique for letting someone know you heard them. Basically, it is simply repeating back to the other person what they just said, and asking them for confirmation that you understood. "So it sounds like this was a really positive experience for you, is that right?" When you let people know you're really listening to them, they will be more interested when it's time for you to share your thoughts with them.
3. Listen with your eyes. There may be no better way of letting someone know you're listening than by maintaining strong, consistent eye contact. This is very important when you're speaking, but even more so when you're the listener. Don't look down. Don't look around the room. Don't look at other people. Look into the eyes of the person speaking to you, and they'll know you're interested in what they're saying. (Important! This might sound crazy, but you have to pick one eye to look at. That's right, left or right, your choice. But you have to focus on one. If you don't, your gaze will drift from one to the other. You'll exhibit what is commonly referred to as "shifty eyes," which most people interpret as a sign of nervousness.)
4. Relate your thoughts to theirs. Finally, it's your turn to express your ideas, feelings and desires. To be most effective, try to build your thoughts on what you've just heard. "I'm glad you brought that up, because I've been thinking about something very similar." Even if you're point-of-view is opposite theirs, you will make it more meaningful to your listener by pointing that fact out. "I certainly hear what you're saying, and I understand why you think that way. But I have a different perspective on the situation. Let me explain." By connecting your point to theirs, you make it relevant to them.
It all boils down to this: masterful communication is a conscious act. It requires focus, attention, forethought and an appreciation of the person with whom you hope to forge a connection.
Take the time to learn and apply these few skills, and you'll be on your way to becoming a great communicator, and to reaping untold rewards in the process.
The ability to communicate masterfully is like The Midas Touch. It allows you to turn virtually any opportunity into pure gold. Through skillful communication, success becomes possible in every area of your life - career, relationships, finances. Effective communication is key to all of these and more.
So just what is it that makes someone a great communicator? What is that rare ability that allows some people to forge real, meaningful, mutually-satisfying connections with others?
For years I've taught classes, conducted seminars and coached individuals on their communication and presentation skills. And just about everyone I've worked with believes that being an effective communicator simply means being able to get their point across, to successfully express their thoughts, ideas and feelings to others.
But in fact, that is just a very small part of the equation. This ability alone will not allow you to forge meaningful connections. In fact, if all you focus on is your personal agenda, there's a good chance you'll get nowhere. How many times have you observed an eloquent speaker with what appears to be all the right techniques, a great vocabulary, all poise and polish, only to find that his or her words ultimately fall flat?
Look up "communication" in the dictionary, and you'll see that it derives from the Latin word communicare, "to impart, share," literally "to make common." So real communication isn't simply a transmission of ideas; it's an exchange, a dialogue of sorts. Effective communication is a sharing of information, a coming together of two unique points-of-view, the communicator's and the person being communicated with. Sometimes those points-of-view are in sync, sometimes they are in conflict; but they are always distinct. No one's perspective, experience, interpretation, concerns, goals, mood, etc. is identical to yours. Understanding this fact is key to making powerful connections.
If you take nothing else away from this article, please remember this statement: effective communication is always a two-way street.
In order for real, meaningful communication to take place, information must flow in both directions - not just from you, but to you. By fully appreciating this concept, you will be able to do what is necessary to make real connections with others, and ultimately improve your odds of getting what you want from each communication encounter.
Just how can you make this exchange possible? Stop talking -- and listen.
Most of us are actually pretty good at talking. We talk like crazy. We talk about our problems, our accomplishments, our relationships, our headaches, our dreams. We talk about everything that matters to us. Unfortunately, those issues are rarely what's of greatest interest to others.
On the flip side, sadly most of us are lousy listeners. In fact, most people, even when they appear to be listening intently to someone else, are actually lost in their own thoughts, often thinking about what they will say next.
Really hearing what others have to say, what matters to them, what they want, what they fear, what they hope for, will ultimately make you better able to connect with them, and help them to understand your message.
Being an effective listener is probably the single most important quality of a great communicator. Just observe some of the best there are. It's often been reported by those who know him that President Bill Clinton makes every person he speaks with feel like they're the only person in the room. The Reverend Billy Graham is able to touch the emotions of thousands of people at the same time, who feel that he's speaking personally with them. Winston Churchill tapped into the fears and dreams of an entire nation, and inspired them to greatness. Think about the great communicators you've met in your own life, and how they somehow seemed to speak a language you really understood.
Speaking the language of others. That's what real communication is all about.
Think of it this way. Supposed you had to deliver some important information to someone, but that person only spoke Japanese, and you did not. What would you do? You might have your message translated for you, or have an interpreter on hand. But if you didn't figure out how to somehow impart your message in the language that person understood, it would fall on deaf ears. No matter how eloquently you made your point, it would remain meaningless, because you didn't speak the language.
If you're going to be one of the world's great communicators, you will have to learn the language of others, and then frame your message in a manner they will understand and appreciate.
Here are a few things you can start doing right now to make yourself a more effective communicator.
1. Train yourself to really listen. When you're attempting to connect with someone, really focus on them, what they're saying and how they're behaving. Consciously try to block everything else out - your thoughts, distractions around you, etc. Make a point of not speaking yourself until the other person has expressed a complete thought. Fight the urge to interrupt or finish their sentences. Try to be genuinely interested in every word they say.
2. Acknowledge others' words and feelings. When it is your turn to talk, begin by confirming for the other person that you really heard them. There are several ways to do this. You might want to comment on what they've just told you. "I can imagine that was difficult." You might ask a question. "Wow, what happened after that?" Mirroring is another good technique for letting someone know you heard them. Basically, it is simply repeating back to the other person what they just said, and asking them for confirmation that you understood. "So it sounds like this was a really positive experience for you, is that right?" When you let people know you're really listening to them, they will be more interested when it's time for you to share your thoughts with them.
3. Listen with your eyes. There may be no better way of letting someone know you're listening than by maintaining strong, consistent eye contact. This is very important when you're speaking, but even more so when you're the listener. Don't look down. Don't look around the room. Don't look at other people. Look into the eyes of the person speaking to you, and they'll know you're interested in what they're saying. (Important! This might sound crazy, but you have to pick one eye to look at. That's right, left or right, your choice. But you have to focus on one. If you don't, your gaze will drift from one to the other. You'll exhibit what is commonly referred to as "shifty eyes," which most people interpret as a sign of nervousness.)
4. Relate your thoughts to theirs. Finally, it's your turn to express your ideas, feelings and desires. To be most effective, try to build your thoughts on what you've just heard. "I'm glad you brought that up, because I've been thinking about something very similar." Even if you're point-of-view is opposite theirs, you will make it more meaningful to your listener by pointing that fact out. "I certainly hear what you're saying, and I understand why you think that way. But I have a different perspective on the situation. Let me explain." By connecting your point to theirs, you make it relevant to them.
It all boils down to this: masterful communication is a conscious act. It requires focus, attention, forethought and an appreciation of the person with whom you hope to forge a connection.
Take the time to learn and apply these few skills, and you'll be on your way to becoming a great communicator, and to reaping untold rewards in the process.
How to Chair the Perfect Meeting
Preparing for a Meeting
Know how many people you want to attend the meeting and make sure everyone you want to attend receives an invitation. Ensure they respond to the invitation regardless of whether they can attend or not. This will make it easier when preparing documentation and other materials. Once you've determined how many people will be attending the meeting, preparing all materials including hand-outs, power point presentations, a meeting itinerary and other materials at least a week or two in advance will give you enough time to make changes or corrections. Having help at this stage can make this process much smoother. If you need to send materials to those attending, do so as soon as you have them done. Create extra copies in case people forget to bring them to the meeting.
Starting the Meeting
Before the meeting starts, make sure you introduce yourself. This can make people feel more comfortable and relaxed. In order to chair a successful meeting, make sure all audio/visual equipment is working before the meeting starts. This will prevent the meeting from starting and ending later than it should. Open the meeting by explaining why it's necessary to meet and what you hope to accomplish by the end. Ask that everyone introduce each other. If you're following a specific itinerary, begin talking about the first topic. After a few minutes, people will begin asking questions and offering their opinions. While this is what you want during a meeting, you will need to ensure that everyone stays on track so all topics are covered in the time allotted.
Keeping the Meeting on Schedule
If you feel a discussion has gone on long enough, ask that everyone move on to the next topic. You can always return to the topic if there's time after the other topics have been discussed. Most people will agree and will move on. If someone in the meeting refuses to move on to the next topic, you may need to let them know that they are free to discuss it later. Your role as the chair of the meeting is to make sure that the meeting is productive, enlightening and informative to all who attend. If there is a need to return to a topic that was discussed earlier, use your best judgment and return to an earlier discussion when necessary. Closing a Meeting Once you've gone over all the topics on the itinerary, you should close the meeting by summing up what was learned. Allow those in the meeting to provide any final remarks and then end the meeting. While chairing a meeting can be stressful, if you are able to maintain control over the discussion topics and the length of time people spend talking about them, you can accomplish everything on your agenda in one meeting.
Know how many people you want to attend the meeting and make sure everyone you want to attend receives an invitation. Ensure they respond to the invitation regardless of whether they can attend or not. This will make it easier when preparing documentation and other materials. Once you've determined how many people will be attending the meeting, preparing all materials including hand-outs, power point presentations, a meeting itinerary and other materials at least a week or two in advance will give you enough time to make changes or corrections. Having help at this stage can make this process much smoother. If you need to send materials to those attending, do so as soon as you have them done. Create extra copies in case people forget to bring them to the meeting.
Starting the Meeting
Before the meeting starts, make sure you introduce yourself. This can make people feel more comfortable and relaxed. In order to chair a successful meeting, make sure all audio/visual equipment is working before the meeting starts. This will prevent the meeting from starting and ending later than it should. Open the meeting by explaining why it's necessary to meet and what you hope to accomplish by the end. Ask that everyone introduce each other. If you're following a specific itinerary, begin talking about the first topic. After a few minutes, people will begin asking questions and offering their opinions. While this is what you want during a meeting, you will need to ensure that everyone stays on track so all topics are covered in the time allotted.
Keeping the Meeting on Schedule
If you feel a discussion has gone on long enough, ask that everyone move on to the next topic. You can always return to the topic if there's time after the other topics have been discussed. Most people will agree and will move on. If someone in the meeting refuses to move on to the next topic, you may need to let them know that they are free to discuss it later. Your role as the chair of the meeting is to make sure that the meeting is productive, enlightening and informative to all who attend. If there is a need to return to a topic that was discussed earlier, use your best judgment and return to an earlier discussion when necessary. Closing a Meeting Once you've gone over all the topics on the itinerary, you should close the meeting by summing up what was learned. Allow those in the meeting to provide any final remarks and then end the meeting. While chairing a meeting can be stressful, if you are able to maintain control over the discussion topics and the length of time people spend talking about them, you can accomplish everything on your agenda in one meeting.
How to Beat Nerves before a Presentation
Create a Professional Presentation
Most presentations focus on one or two topics and can last anywhere from ten to twenty minutes. Before you begin preparing, ask the people in charge of the meeting how long your presentation should be. Take into consideration slides, handouts or other visual aids you want to use so you can create a presentation that is the perfect length.
When drafting your presentation, make sure you understand your topic so you can interact with your audience easily. During a casual presentation you will be able to use visual aids, ask and answer questions and repeat important pieces of information in order to reinforce your points.
Practice your presentation using visual aid devices that will be made available to you at the meeting. This will make you more comfortable changing from slide to slide, starting or stopping a power point slide or referring to documents you've given to the audience.
If you choose to hand out information before, during or after the presentation, make sure you bring enough copies for everyone. Find out how many people will be attending and make at least five extra copies in case additional people decide to attend.
Choose the Right Outfit
Wearing your favorite suit on the day of your presentation can help reduce any stress you have. When you know you look good, your body language will become relaxed. You may even feel more comfortable answering questions during the presentation. If you don't have anything suitable to wear, consider buying a new outfit to make the occasion even more special. Choose a neutral colored business suit (pant or skirt suit), polish your shoes and wear a white shirt underneath so you don't stand out from other people in the room. Brightly colored suits are usually not appropriate for presentations and may distract others from listening closely to what you have to say.
Talk to the Audience
Meeting with those who you will be presenting to is a great way to reduce stress. Knowing more about your audience will make them seem less intimidating. Arrive early to set-up and join the group for coffee or tea before the meeting begins. Even if you will be presenting to co-workers, make sure you mingle with other people in order to calm your nerves.
Giving a presentation can be stressful, but if you've prepared your materials in advance, you should be able to overcome any feelings of nervousness once you start talking. Make sure you listen to yourself as you give the presentation. If you feel you're talking too quickly, take a deep breath in order to slow down. This will keep you focused on what you're saying and keep the audience engaged too.
Most presentations focus on one or two topics and can last anywhere from ten to twenty minutes. Before you begin preparing, ask the people in charge of the meeting how long your presentation should be. Take into consideration slides, handouts or other visual aids you want to use so you can create a presentation that is the perfect length.
When drafting your presentation, make sure you understand your topic so you can interact with your audience easily. During a casual presentation you will be able to use visual aids, ask and answer questions and repeat important pieces of information in order to reinforce your points.
Practice your presentation using visual aid devices that will be made available to you at the meeting. This will make you more comfortable changing from slide to slide, starting or stopping a power point slide or referring to documents you've given to the audience.
If you choose to hand out information before, during or after the presentation, make sure you bring enough copies for everyone. Find out how many people will be attending and make at least five extra copies in case additional people decide to attend.
Choose the Right Outfit
Wearing your favorite suit on the day of your presentation can help reduce any stress you have. When you know you look good, your body language will become relaxed. You may even feel more comfortable answering questions during the presentation. If you don't have anything suitable to wear, consider buying a new outfit to make the occasion even more special. Choose a neutral colored business suit (pant or skirt suit), polish your shoes and wear a white shirt underneath so you don't stand out from other people in the room. Brightly colored suits are usually not appropriate for presentations and may distract others from listening closely to what you have to say.
Talk to the Audience
Meeting with those who you will be presenting to is a great way to reduce stress. Knowing more about your audience will make them seem less intimidating. Arrive early to set-up and join the group for coffee or tea before the meeting begins. Even if you will be presenting to co-workers, make sure you mingle with other people in order to calm your nerves.
Giving a presentation can be stressful, but if you've prepared your materials in advance, you should be able to overcome any feelings of nervousness once you start talking. Make sure you listen to yourself as you give the presentation. If you feel you're talking too quickly, take a deep breath in order to slow down. This will keep you focused on what you're saying and keep the audience engaged too.
How to Ask for Good Feedback
Asking for feedback is a great way to get information from others that helps us make improvements on any number of projects or situations.
Recently, I was looking for feedback and asked my peer the following:
"I've attached the two ads that I spoke to you about when we met. If you have a moment, could you please take a look at both and give me your feedback?"
This was her response:
"I do not like either. The image looks very phony to me. But if I have to choose, I would choose the one with the special introductory offer."
Having asked her to clarify what she meant by "phony," so I could find an image that looked "less phony," she responded that she doesn't like stock photography.
It was obvious to me at this point that I wasn't clear regarding the kind of information I wanted from her. This resulted in her giving me her opinion, not constructive feedback.
The purpose of constructive feedback is to provide timely, honest, useful comments and suggestions that contribute to a better process, result or improved behaviours.
I realize now that when I'm asking for feedback, I have to ask specifically for the information I need for the purpose of improving. It's my responsibility to guide them to provide me with the type of information that I seek to make the result better.
Ask Specific Questions, Get Specific Answers
I should have asked specific questions for feedback, such as:
Is the ad eye-catching? Would it be seen in a sea of other ads and newspaper copy? What could be done to make it more noticeable?
Is the wording effective? Do some sentences flow poorly? What could improve it?
Is the ad an appropriate size to be seen easily in the newspaper? If not, what would be better?
In addition to the specific questions you'd like answered, ask for any additional comments, suggestions, or observations they may have which your questions might have overlooked.
Make Sure You Ask the Right Person.
When considering what kind of feedback you want, let that lead you to the person who is best suited to respond. Choose people who can provide you with the most valuable, actionable feedback possible. It can take some thought to determine who they are, but it's well worth it.
Understanding what it is that you want from the person giving feedback helps them respond more effectively and provide you with the information you need to improve.
Recently, I was looking for feedback and asked my peer the following:
"I've attached the two ads that I spoke to you about when we met. If you have a moment, could you please take a look at both and give me your feedback?"
This was her response:
"I do not like either. The image looks very phony to me. But if I have to choose, I would choose the one with the special introductory offer."
Having asked her to clarify what she meant by "phony," so I could find an image that looked "less phony," she responded that she doesn't like stock photography.
It was obvious to me at this point that I wasn't clear regarding the kind of information I wanted from her. This resulted in her giving me her opinion, not constructive feedback.
The purpose of constructive feedback is to provide timely, honest, useful comments and suggestions that contribute to a better process, result or improved behaviours.
I realize now that when I'm asking for feedback, I have to ask specifically for the information I need for the purpose of improving. It's my responsibility to guide them to provide me with the type of information that I seek to make the result better.
Ask Specific Questions, Get Specific Answers
I should have asked specific questions for feedback, such as:
Is the ad eye-catching? Would it be seen in a sea of other ads and newspaper copy? What could be done to make it more noticeable?
Is the wording effective? Do some sentences flow poorly? What could improve it?
Is the ad an appropriate size to be seen easily in the newspaper? If not, what would be better?
In addition to the specific questions you'd like answered, ask for any additional comments, suggestions, or observations they may have which your questions might have overlooked.
Make Sure You Ask the Right Person.
When considering what kind of feedback you want, let that lead you to the person who is best suited to respond. Choose people who can provide you with the most valuable, actionable feedback possible. It can take some thought to determine who they are, but it's well worth it.
Understanding what it is that you want from the person giving feedback helps them respond more effectively and provide you with the information you need to improve.
The World’s Crisis Why We Need a New Solution?
Of course we have seen many summit meetings of International institutions, such as G-8, UN, IMF, ADB, World Bank etc to make a new solution from the world’s big problems that we are having it today. The international institutions get the final result calling together resolution. But we never see good implementation at field going on. Example the crisis food, why many countries are panic together? They don’t know what kind of right solution will be using to solve the problems. Today in the world there a lot of many face problems without solution in other word it will be worse. How is working UN, IMF, G-8 to see the global crisis such as global warming, energy and food crisis, war in Iraq, the death in Africa, the destroying forest in Brazil and Indonesia, the nuclear crisis in North Korea and Iran? They just give statement but for being implemented there is no good formula as solution.
So as the world citizen, what would like to do? Just seeing the problem is happening, or gives voice to international institutions as input to make solution.
The meeting of World Economic Forum on East Asia in Kuala Lumpur, 15-16 June 2008 try making a new solution based on analyzed the problems in the world. The participants are realizing the real solution is the best way. People are too tired getting a lot of problems such as the global warming-oil price-food crisis. The problems make the standard of living is more worse. Today many people in the world to get access in standard of living such as healthy service, good education, and standard salary for monthly needs are too difficult. Meanwhile, the leaders of world never get a good solution.
In international trade, we know the agreement of WTO, APEC, and NAFTA etc. But the free trade is not lifting the standard of living for farmers, employees, and citizen. The biggest industries from developed countries push developing countries in all sectors. It’s stupid agreement. We make it together but we kill the weak countries. There is no equal position when the trading goes on.
America is known as the country is difficult to make cooperation with other countries in Bush administration. America is just seeing the global problems from only their reviews. When we give other reviews from another perspective, America is refusing these reviews. We know America today is single super power. They want to keep international supremacy. But remember America is living in global world today, America needs making a new solution with other countries in the world. We need a global consensus to make a new solution for all of us. World’s consensus must be stepping ahead. The equal position must be creating. If we just look at single power as Manager to finish all problems everything going difficult. America has to give more politics space to other countries following as participants. We can see war on terror in Iraq and Afghanistan, America is looking at tired actually; America has spent too much budget for war’s cost. The bad impact for us happens in economy sector. Local economy sector in America is having very big problem in financial sector. Many people are difficult to buy a home and majority is American-Hispanic as example. Bush’s administration is divided for two focuses, first local economy growth goes on very slow and second they don’t know until when Iraq’s war will finish.
Some globalization experts say that America’s supremacy is reducing to give the global institutions working fully as its capabilities. West countries domination are not giving more space to global institutions to work. National interests become the main policy face and making difficult to be independent. To solve the world’s crisis Asia’s voices must be having full attention. Asia countries such as Japan, China, India, and South Korea are the new global partner. The screening of world of global economy is multipolar corporation. The countries are dependent each other. Did you know? Asia’s position on the global state is lifting lately especially in economy and business sector. But Asia voice is in politics world too weak, only China is having full attention by Europe and America of its voices. The balancing of power is having by America, Europe Union and China. But China is having a great potential to be the number one superpower status
together with America and China goes on to get this supremacy.
So as the world citizen, what would like to do? Just seeing the problem is happening, or gives voice to international institutions as input to make solution.
The meeting of World Economic Forum on East Asia in Kuala Lumpur, 15-16 June 2008 try making a new solution based on analyzed the problems in the world. The participants are realizing the real solution is the best way. People are too tired getting a lot of problems such as the global warming-oil price-food crisis. The problems make the standard of living is more worse. Today many people in the world to get access in standard of living such as healthy service, good education, and standard salary for monthly needs are too difficult. Meanwhile, the leaders of world never get a good solution.
In international trade, we know the agreement of WTO, APEC, and NAFTA etc. But the free trade is not lifting the standard of living for farmers, employees, and citizen. The biggest industries from developed countries push developing countries in all sectors. It’s stupid agreement. We make it together but we kill the weak countries. There is no equal position when the trading goes on.
America is known as the country is difficult to make cooperation with other countries in Bush administration. America is just seeing the global problems from only their reviews. When we give other reviews from another perspective, America is refusing these reviews. We know America today is single super power. They want to keep international supremacy. But remember America is living in global world today, America needs making a new solution with other countries in the world. We need a global consensus to make a new solution for all of us. World’s consensus must be stepping ahead. The equal position must be creating. If we just look at single power as Manager to finish all problems everything going difficult. America has to give more politics space to other countries following as participants. We can see war on terror in Iraq and Afghanistan, America is looking at tired actually; America has spent too much budget for war’s cost. The bad impact for us happens in economy sector. Local economy sector in America is having very big problem in financial sector. Many people are difficult to buy a home and majority is American-Hispanic as example. Bush’s administration is divided for two focuses, first local economy growth goes on very slow and second they don’t know until when Iraq’s war will finish.
Some globalization experts say that America’s supremacy is reducing to give the global institutions working fully as its capabilities. West countries domination are not giving more space to global institutions to work. National interests become the main policy face and making difficult to be independent. To solve the world’s crisis Asia’s voices must be having full attention. Asia countries such as Japan, China, India, and South Korea are the new global partner. The screening of world of global economy is multipolar corporation. The countries are dependent each other. Did you know? Asia’s position on the global state is lifting lately especially in economy and business sector. But Asia voice is in politics world too weak, only China is having full attention by Europe and America of its voices. The balancing of power is having by America, Europe Union and China. But China is having a great potential to be the number one superpower status
together with America and China goes on to get this supremacy.
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