CHARACTERISTICS OF GREAT LEADERS

CARING "No person can be a true leader unless he takes genuine joy in the successes of those under him" (W.A.Nance). And Charles Dickens said "there is a great man who makes every man feel small. But the real great man is the man who makes every man feel great." The great leader will say, "That was superb. I really liked that." Without such caring, those who work with a leader lose interest, enthusiasm ebbs out.

CELEBRATION In a functional family, children enjoy the regularity of meals and birthdays, bed time rituals, story telling, fun times, and holidays. But we remain children at heart in the business of life. So a good leader values the traditions, and history, and stories of his people. Hard work is interspersed with times of celebration.

CHEERFULNESS We all hate the whining, miserable person. But we love the leader who smiles, laughs at himself, and has an optimistic outlook on what is happening.

CHOOSING A leader is only as great as those who work with him. That is why "A leader’s job is to find persons who have particular knowledge and skills, and then delegate responsibility to them" (Anne Wilson Schaff, Women’s reality, 1981). That is done by defining what is needed for the job, interviewing possible candidates, and picturing them as part of the team. But we are all imperfect, and a great leader can recognize a weakness, and still trust us to develop into excellence.

CLARITY Nobody enjoys working for someone who is muddle headed. We may not always agree with a great leader, but he or she must have a clear picture of what has to be done immediately, see several steps ahead, and define the final result to be achieved.

COMMUNICATION Clarity of vision does not help if the leader cannot communicate it warmly, lovingly, and preferably with good humor. This kind of communication needs constant contact in informal meetings, phone calls, and in passing by with a smile and a sign of recognition. And the communication must be two-way with the leader listening carefully to what each person wants to say.

COUNSEL The need to take counsel is not the same as government by majority vote. The good leader likes to hear alternative solutions, discover the desires of all concerned, and then seeks a solution which will satisfy as many as possible. As far as possible the great leader has already achieved agreement about a new direction before the decision is published.

COURAGE Having listened to others, and then decided on what has to be done, the good leader has the courage to act. That will often be very risky if things do not turn out as expected. But nobody trusts the person who cares about preserving status and reputation at any price.

COURTESY Great leaders know how to respect the dignity of the least of those who work with them. Nobody should be humiliated. There is a right way and a wrong way to administer discipline.

CREATIVITY People long to escape from boredom and routine. They appreciate leaders who are open to unexpected insights, new ways of doing things. Like artists and musicians, great leaders are not afraid of change, variety, playfulness. They can be quirky without losing their dignity.

Top Tips for Dealing with Exam Stress
General exam stress-busting tips:

• Believe in yourself.

       You are capable of passing the exam.

• Don’t just worry – take action!

       If you don't understand some of your course material, getting stressed out won't help.
       Instead, take action by seeing someone to help you understand the problem.

• Talk to a friend

      Talk to someone you trust and who will listen and be supportive is a great way of cutting stress & worry.

Tips for the revision period:

• Time is important!

     Boost your confidence and reduce any pre-exam stress by avoiding last minute cramming. Leaving plenty      of time to revise means you know you have prepared well.

• Play is as important as work.

    Make sure that you build in time to have fun and relax in between study sessions. Develop a timetable so       that you can track and monitor your progress.

• Take a break.

   As soon as you notice you are losing concentration, take a short break – go for a walk, talk to a friend or      just listen to some music. Then you will feel refreshed and able to concentrate on your revision again. Don’t    make it too long!

• Another cuppa? Don't think so.

  Don't drink too much coffee, tea and fizzy drinks; the caffeine will make you feel 'keyedup' and make your     thinking less clear.

• Eat some ‘superfoods’.

  Eat healthily and regularly; your brain will benefit from the nutrients. Replace sweets and sugar with ‘superfoods’ such as berries, bananas, oily fish, nuts and broccoli. 'Superfoods' can help boost your      concentration, energy and mood.

• A change is as good as a rest.

Experiment with several alternative revision techniques so that revision is more fun and your motivation to study is high. Check out these revision techniques:

• Give your body a workout (as well as your mind).

Regular moderate exercise such as a brisk walk, swim or session in the gym will boost your energy, clear your mind and help reduce any feelings of stress.

Tips for keeping calm during the exam:
It's natural to feel some exam nerves prior to starting the exam and that can be a positive feeling. However, getting excessively nervous is counterproductive as it stops you thinking clearly.

• Breathe deep.

The quickest and most effective way of cutting out feelings of stress and panic is to close your eyes and take several long, slow deep breaths. Breathing in this way calms your whole nervous system.

• Blankety blank?

If your mind goes blank, don't panic - it just makes it harder to recall information.
Instead, focus on slow, deep breathing for about one minute. If you still can't remember the information then move on to another question and return to this question later.

• Don’t dwell on past exams.

Don't spend time focussing where you think you went wrong. Congratulate yourself for the things you did right, learn from the bits where you know you could have done better, and then move on.

WISHING YOU GOOD LUCK

Top 7 Characteristics of Great Speakers

Have you admired speakers who seem to captivate the audience instantly, hold attention throughout, change the tone from humorous to intensely serious with a seamless transition, overcome distractions, generate frequent applause, and by the end of the presentation have the listeners change their beliefs, even their actions? Have you wanted to become that speaker?

I have good news for you. You can progress to that stage. How? By recognizing the top seven characteristics of great speakers.

1. AUTHORITATIVE 
   
   Top-caliber speakers strike you as authoritative. You consider them experts. Clearly, they have mastered their topic.Through long hours of preparation,possibly even years, they have earned the right to speak with credibility. 
   
   Mastery may or may not include academic degrees in that area. Primarily, mastery results from wide reading, research, interviewing experts, and learning through professional associations, not because you have to but because you have an overwhelming urge to learn all you can on this theme. 
   
   Keep this in mind: Great speakers don't settle for reading articles in popular magazines, watching TV specials, or coffee shop conversations. No amount of showmanship could compensate for lack of expertise.
2. ATTITUDE 
   
   Outstanding speakers avoid saying they are going to deliver a speech. That sounds too bland and routine, like delivering a package. Instead, they visualize having a dinner conversation with friends, when you'd share your ideas naturally, with no pretense. 
   
   In fact,the finest speech coaches suggest that a speech should become a lively conversation with your audience. Roger Ailes, who served as a speech coach for Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush, said: "The best communicators I've ever known never changed their style of delivery from one situation to another." Ailes observed that they were the same whether they are "delivering a speech, having an intimate conversation, or being interviewed on a TV talk show."
3. AUDIENCE 
   
   The audience becomes the centerpiece of attention. If the speaker focuses too much on herself and the impression she is making, she will become unnerved by a simple mispronunciation, and will lose confidence and poise. If the speaker focuses too much on the message, the event turns into a lifeless recitation. 
   
   Note: Terrific speakers focus mostly on the audience. They find ways to involve audiences, creating interactive sessions, involving attendees in discussion, and directing meaningful small group activities.
4. ANIMATION 
   
   Listeners don't want to wonder if the speaker has a pulse. So start by selecting a topic that mesmerizes you, demands your total commitment. Then you won't have to simulate enthusiasm. 
   
   Seek what actors call "the illusion of the first time." Although you have thought these thoughts hundreds of times, your listeners want spontaneity, as though you had just discovered these ideas and words. 
   
   Vary your voice in pitch, rate, and volume, just as you do in casual chit chat. 
   
   Gesture freely, naturally, without rehearsed motions.
5. ANECDOTES 
   
   Think back to your childhood days. When a parent or other relative sat by your bed at night and said, "Once upon a time," a magical world opened for you. As long as you can remember, stories grabbed you, and wouldn't let go until you had heard all of the fables. 
   
   As adults, we still respond to intriguing stories. People learn from and remember the anecdotes, not your statistics. 
   
   Paint word pictures. Create a "you are there" sensation.
6. APPEARANCE 
   
   Yes, "casual dress" has permeated the work place. The trend started with Casual Fridays, with more days added eventually. Even so, speakers need to look like professionals when they face audiences. 
   
   Your audience wants you to dress a level above their garb, just to indicate respect for them and the situation. Check with your club or convention host to determine the appropriate dress style. Fifteen years ago, a coat and tie were mandatory for male speakers. Now a mock turtle neck and classy blazer are likely to match expectations. 
   
   As casual as society has become, good grooming still matters.
7. ATYPICAL 
   
   You don't have to fit a mold that seems right for most other presenters. 
   
   Other presenters may cling tightly to a podium, while you choose to wander among the audience, even getting comments from those in the back of the auditorium. 
   
   Other speakers may never quote poetry, yet you can do that if you select a poem that illustrates your point compellingly. 
   
   Other speakers may avoid magic, acrobatics, singing, props, or impersonation. But if any of those work well for you, be atypical. 
   
   Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, "To be great is to be a nonconformist."