To Rule the Night

â€Å"To Rule The Night† by James B. Irwin English 10 2/14/09 â€Å"As we flew into space we had a new sense of ourselves, of the earth, and of the nearness of God. I sensed the beginning of some sort of deep change taking place inside of me† -James B. Irwin The author’s purpose in the biography, â€Å"To Rule The Night,† by James B. Irwin, is to inform the reader of his life, particularly his trip to the moon and how God opened doors for him to share the word with thousands of people. Also in his book he talks about his childhood and how his father was a big Air force addict which influenced him to join the military. He also talks about what happened when he got back to Earth, about all the interviews, and the famous Postage stamp incident that occurred between the crew and a German stamp dealer. (64)â€Å"†¦to show that our good postal service delivers any place in the universe, I have the pleasant task of canceling , here on the moon, the first stamp of a new issue†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Dave went on to sell all the new stamps to the German stamp dealer. I believe that he did achieve in informing me on his journey to the moon and his life. I did enjoy this book also I thought it was encouraging how he was saved, (60) â€Å"certainly God had been watching over us that day. † I think this book was meant for who ever was reading it because of all the interesting details, any kid could be interested in because he talks about living in zero Gs and how you eat with no gravity. (24) â€Å"All food containers were labeled A, B, C, D, E, and all meals were color-coded†¦. So if a meal floated by and you identified it as red, you could say, ‘Hey Dave you’ve lost your entree. Also for an adult because of the actual story of it the fact that he went to the moon and the maturity it was written in. It was appealing even from a Christian stand point because no matter where you are God can work in you. Well I believe the message I got from it was that God is everywhere and loves us enough to make the moon and all the stars. One of the themes that I noticed was he was a hard worker and was a respectful person. But I noticed a difference in him after he got saved; he was happier and was looking for opportunities to share the gospel. Well a element that contributed to the theme has to be the vastness of space, because how can you go into space and not realize how magnificent God is if this is just what He made. The tone of the book seemed to be a very experience filled life. He did well in high school, joined the military, went into the air force, became a pilot, joined the space program, went to the moon, and became a revived Christian. Well while reading the book some elements that helped me identify the tone was the detail everything was described, (48) â€Å"Of course, you are constantly dodging rocks and craters. You hit a rock and you are literally airborne. You just bounce into space, float for a while, and then come down. † I think first of all the authors purpose, like I said before was to inform us of his adventure, and the tone just goes along with it. He seemed to be a well educated man with great imagination and ability to retain facts, individual moments and tell it back to you so that you felt like you were right there with them. (33) â€Å"I wish we had such things as drops in space, but without any up of down, water doesn’t drop out. It just makes a blob, and the blob just keeps on getting larger and larger. The vocabulary was not hard to understand; almost anyone could have read this book really. But at the same time it wasn’t to simple to were you thought the book was for a child, (127) â€Å"My new home was a rambling wooden building up on the hill that must have been the old officers quarters back during World War 2. † There really weren’t an y unusual qualities, except that the way that the book was written. It started out with his journey to the moon, then his childhood and worked its self back up. The book had much detail and really did a great job of catching my attention. Also I enjoyed reading this book because I thought I was on the moon. But it wasn’t just that that caught my attention at the end of the book was the best part to me, (200) â€Å"There were 5000 in the audience, with the floor and aisles packed absolutely to capacity. I had a terrible stomach ache, and I asked the Lord to give me the right words and to give me strength. He really answered my prayer. About a hundred people came forward, and I felt that we had enjoyed a great experience. † Well, I think that, if you mean James B Irwin when you say â€Å"subjects†, he accomplished a lot in his life. That his life is an example that you can go to the moon and god still not be done with you. (203) â€Å"I have a sort of clarifying sense of uncovering Gods plan for my new life on earth. God has permitted me to live on top of the mountains, and when I have been cast down, He has brought me back on the tops of the hills again. Being able to give my testimony before people without fear, to share my spiritual voyage and to ask them to accept Jesus Christ, has been a tremendous experience for me. † He seemed to emphasized in the end of his book the importance of his wife and there relationship with God. 205) â€Å"The whole experience in the Holy land was the most inspiring to way to turn the corner of the old year into a new year for High Flight. The experience moved us and gave us a chance to rededicate ourselves to each other as a family and to our mission. † Well since the book was a biography there were many environments, when he was in space, on the moon, coming back , all the press, his child hood, his marriage problems, sharing the gospel round the world. But, something I noticed was he was never prideful or self centered, (180) â€Å"Frankly I do not care for all the fame and publicity†¦. A historical detail was, (18) â€Å"We knew that if we cleared the tower we had reasonable chance of survival if something should go wrong. I watched all the systems I was responsible for on my side of the spacecraft. We cleared the tower. It was almost the happiest moment of my life to realize that after all those years it was now my turn. At last I was leaving the earth. † I think that it has a major effect on him, (43) â€Å"There was a excitement of exploring a place where man had never been before, but the most exciting thing, that really moved me and touched my soul, was that I could feel Gods presence there. Something that I learned from him was that his NASA training was hard and he almost dropped out, (180) â€Å"I had been so program med I was like a robot. I had to eat, drink, sleep, and dream my work- I had to be saturated†¦. When I told Mary that I might drop out of the program†¦ † I learned from him, when he didn’t drop out, I learned that you have to persevere threw hard times. I want to join the Navy and I know that its going to be hard but it was herd for him and his wife, but he didn’t drop out or give up. The only main incident that he brings up in the end of the book was his relationship with his wife. He talk about how much happier they are together and that God has really helped them grow together. (205) â€Å"Mary is a lot closer to me bow that she has been-we have both changed a great deal, and she is tremendously reinforcing me. † It reveals that when it comes down to it none of his experiences matter to him, just him, his wife and God. (211) â€Å"Mary, you know, is the greatest nurse I could ever ask for. And she took care of me the way she did ten years before, after the crash. It has been an ideal relationship since I got back†¦Ã¢â‚¬  After reading this book I would say that God is great because, James Irwin had grown up in a Christian home but, never truly followed Christ until he went to space. Afterward, you see a huge difference in his life, and a growth of sincerity with his wife. I learned that I shouldn’t let my achievements or pride get in the away of my walk with God. And I think that James Irwin does a great job of setting that example. I chose this book because I was curious to what it was like to go to space and how it would affect someone if they did. Plus I didn’t really know too much about the Apollo missions and what they did. Some ways that I relate to him is my stubbornness; he was stubborn to his physical welfare, and im stubborn about my points of views. He told the press in his book that he never was physically fatigued while on the moon, but I remember him saying that he was on EVA2. Another way I relate to him is that he loved to fly. James B. Irwin wrote that he was depressed when he had his first heat attack because he couldn’t fly. I liked this book and really enjoyed reading it. I wasn’t too excited at first about reading a biography. But, it turned out to be a great book. A couple of reasons I like â€Å"To Rule The Night† was because of the detail he used to describe going to space, and how the book was geared toured God and trusting Him. One of my favorite parts of the book was when he described the living conditions of living in a no gravity environment. I like it because it’s different and unique; it’s not something you would find in any book. I wouldn’t change anything in the book it is well written and has much detail. I think anyone that is interested in the experiences of few, and how a Christian is suppose to live for Christ, would like this biography of James B. Irwin.

Business Law Court Paper Assignment Essay

On November 5, 2008, I came to observe a proceeding in the King County Superior Court where the judge’s name was Shaffer Catherine. I did observe the closing arguments and the jury’s motion to the case in a criminal proceeding where subject of the case was assault in the second degree. Mark Alan Bell, as the defendant in the observed case, was charged with second degree assault for punching a man named Jesse Gill at a wedding reception, and eventually knocking him down to the ground. Bell was alleged to have punched Gill because the latter was then sexually harassing women at the wedding reception. Gill, with all freedom, also alleged to have harassed Bell’s wife and in return he got punched in the face by Bell. To stop the commotion caused by the harassment by done Gill and the eventual punching against him, people at the wedding responded by calling the police. The state ended up charging Mark Bell for assault in the second degree for the alleged punching against. With Bell having been charged with assault in second degree in a criminal proceeding, it was a big surprise to me when Judge Jude Shaffer changed the case into civil one because of self defense invoked by defendant Bell. At this point, the court went to recess before bringing the jury back out. While in court recess, we went to the defendant’s lawyer and asked him a couple of questions. I am not sure as to what the lawyer’s name but she was the only one that was willing to talk to us about the case. The prosecutor simply walked out as soon as the court went to recess. The defendant’s lawyer told us that the trial has been going on for about two weeks then and that luckily the judge had decided that the defendant was not guilty to the second degree assault charge when we came to observe. The same lawyer also told us that she was still waiting for the jury to come out and decide whether or not Bell should get the money back from the state, e. g. money he had lost from work while in court, lawyer fees, parking fees, etc. The defendant’s lawyer gave us a very informative briefing and was very helpful. After talking to the defendant’s, lawyer the court resumed and the jury was brought into the courtroom. It was interesting to see them come right out and sit in a very organized manner. The defendant’s lawyer and the prosecutor both talked to the jury and explained their side of the argument. The defendant’s lawyer seemed to convince the jury that the state should pay Bell all of the money that he had lost as a result of being brought to court. After the prosecutor and the defendant’s lawyer got done explaining their views to the jury, the judge summarized parts of the case to the jury and concluded by saying that the defendant was not guilty to the second degree assault charge. The judge then asked the jury two questions. The jury could only say a simple â€Å"yes† or â€Å"no† to each question and nothing else. All twelve said â€Å"yes† to each question. Soon after that the criminal case was dismissed by the court, happiness broke out for the defendant, his lawyer, and his family. The prosecutor quickly congratulated the defendant’s lawyer and walked out the court thereafter. Bell had about three family members that were in the court. Including us, it was a total of 5 people listening to the case. This seemed odd to me because I had always thought that a lot of people would be inside the court just like the movies and television shows. As we were leaving the court, we also congratulated the defendant’s lawyer and thanked her for the help. We asked the lawyer if we could get some documents explaining the case and what had happened during the two week trial. The lawyer gave us a case number and told us to go down to the sixth floor and use the computers they have there to search documents using that case number. We did as she had said, but unfortunately we found no documents as they were not yet available for this case. Part 2 – Opinion This case was a very interesting event. I always knew but never truly accepted the fact that any offense in this country could actually go to court. Protecting yourself or others could still get you into trouble and you could still be made to answer in the court of law. Mr. Bell was found by police to be the one assaulting but his act as came out of decision was in defense of other persons including his wife from being harassed. His act of punching Gill, the harassing person, was seen by the police as an act of assault and for which reason he was charged with a crime of assault in second degree. But since Bell was doing what was normal in humans, as found by court, in order to assert their right of defending other people’s honor or person, then, I believe the courts’ decision to change from criminal case to civil case must not be baseless after wall. The court may have found that there was no criminal intent on the part of the Bell to be charged of the crime since Bell was fully exercising a valid of defending another person including his wife or primarily defending first his wife before the others. Indeed how could he be charged something when he was not doing the punching to attach Gill for nothing but was using necessary the means to alert Gill that was already out of his mind or perhaps committing a crime in making the harassment? Having right people to help you out and protect you in a court case or situation must be interesting because one’s honor or liberty is at stake. I mean the defendant could either win or lose the case. If he loses he goes to prison or if he wins he gets free. If Mr. Bell did not have a good lawyer to help him out, he would have been totally charged with assault and would then have to face serious consequences. To have observed the defendant’s lawyer in helping Mr. Bell out with all the accusations against him was rather touching. So much pathos has to be used in order to overcome the facts on paper. In other words, the lawyer had to be emotional by having others imagine if they were in such a situation. I think it is the human drama in court that made my court experience very much interesting although I may not agree with the outcome of the court’s decision. My reason for disagreeing in the decision is that I would be mad if my girlfriend was sexually harassed or other women in front of me but I find not a valid excuse to lay a hand on someone else for mere harassment. I don’t believe that I should have the right to defend someone else, unless they are being physically hurt and even then the best thing to do is to stop the action and not cause more damage. In my understanding, Mr. Bell was never once touched during the wedding; rather he started the fight and the damage by â€Å"punching† another guy. As bad as it sounds to a person’s pride or ego, Mr. Bell should have totally been charged with assault. I thought that the attorney did a pretty decent job defending Mr. Bell. I mean, given the fact that I am against the outcome of the court, the lawyer must have done a good job to get him out of the trouble that I think he should be in. Perhaps my understanding was not supported by evidence as presented or controverted by the lawyer as there is the possibility that the fight did not really start from Mr. Bell and that he was acting in defense of his wife’s honor. If such was the real case borne by evidence, I believe there should be justification for the dismissal of the charge against Bell. To believe this latter version would seem reasonable because the punch was in direct response to the dishonor caused to the wife due to the harassment. I mean punching a man by another to the defend a wife’s honor need not me unreasonable enough to justify the assault. But then as I said, this latter version is different from my own understanding as stated earlier. The trial could be described as well run with the defense lawyer, prosecutor, the judge and the jury having performed their functions in the case. But again, since I do not agree with the decision due to my own understanding of the facts, I feel not emotionally at ease with the way things have come about. However, the fact that the criminal proceeding was change to civil proceeding and the fact that the judge had the agreement from the jury on the questions propounded, it stands to good reason that perhaps justice is served upon the accused or defendant. The fact the lawyer also mentioned about the defendant having to claim the lost amount of money or damages against as a result of Bell being dragged to court, may be taken as a reason to merit the strength of the decision acquitting the defendant. To sum it all, I believe the difference of my opinion as to what should have been done by court and my disagreement with the result would have to be considered really on the basis of what really happened as borne by evidence. Since I may not know the complete facts if my only basis is my observation, I believe I should have the access to more information that may have to answer questions in my mind as to the result of this case. I believe the case is important or any even any case that would merit the attention of the judge and jury. To be brought to court which could put one’s life, honor, property or person at stake must be of paramount importance. Nobody wants to have a guilty person set free but nobody wants to see an innocent person also to be in jail. Work cited TITLE LXII, Criminal Code, Chapter 631, Assault And Related Offenses, Section 631:2, {www document} URL, http://www. gencourt. state. nh. us/rsa/html/LXII/631/631-2. htm, Accessed November 18, 2008

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Junior Seminar class - Essay Example l Wild Animals made up 58.3% of the animals featured, Real Domesticated Animals made up of 8.3% of the animals featured, Fantasy Wild Animals made up of the animals featured, and Fantasy Domesticated Animals made up 25.0% of the animals featured. The magazine was made up of 62 pages which means that there was an animal featured for every 5 magazine pages. It is also interesting to note that except for the bird, no other animal was featured twice in the magazine. Other animals featured include the Marine Iguana, Wild Tortoise, Ocelot, Crab, Sea Lion, Elephant, Shark, Monkey, Crocodile, Water Buffalo, and the Horse. Given the nature of the statistics taken from these data, it can be inferred that the publication places a focus on nature and its elements because of the high rate of animals featured in it. The society may also be expected to be a nature loving one because of the emphasis placed on exotic creatures. It may also be noted that a great degree of importance is placed on the animals because of the advertisements and articles made that feature

Macbeth Essay Example for Free

Macbeth Essay In Shakespeares famous play, Macbeth, the themes of murder, guilt, ambition and the ruthless pursuit of power is explored. He does this through the characters of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth who are tied together in an eerie search for absolute power. Throughout the play, Macbeth reveals many traits that have horrible consequences for Macbeth himself and for Scotland. In the beginning of the play, Macbeth portrays himself as a noble, sincere man who would die for his country but as the play moves forward we discover that we may have been misled. At first it seems that Macbeth is a noble warrior, but as time goes on it becomes apparent that he is a cruel, heartless tyrant, particularly when he murders Duncan and Macduffs’ wife and babes. At the start of the play, Macbeth believes the witches’ prophesies which foretell that he will become king. After he tells Lady Macbeth ‘My dearest partner of greatness’ of the witches prophesies, Lady Macbeth hatches a plan to kill the king of Scotland, which eventually results in horrible consequences for Macbeth and Scotland. Lady Macbeth explains her plan to Macbeth and her vision for his accession to the throne which would require the removal of Duncan. She suggests the murder of Duncan. Macbeth begins to feel weary and starts to have doubts. Lady Macbeth is insanely ambitious for her husband to become king, so much so that she states ‘I would, while it was smiling on my face, have pluck’d my nipple from his boneless gums, and dash’d the brains out’ rather than go back on her word like her husband has just done. However, little did either of them know that the repercussions for the killing of the king would lead to their own deaths. The people of Scotland were living in fear of an uncertain future, which influenced them to turn against their new king. Lady Macbeth is the driving force behind the murder of Duncan. She is ruthless. She was prepared to kill Duncan herself but found that he reminded her of her father and failed to go through with it only to find a few hours later, that Macbeth had carried out the deed. From there on it was a downhill slide into insanity for Macbeth as he could not live with the guilt. After murdering King Duncan, Macbeth fears he will never sleep again ‘Methought I heard a voice cry â€Å"Sleep no more! Macbeth does murder sleep†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢. The consequences for Scotland were catastrophic as they lost their noble king and instead found themselves being ruled by a psychopathic tyrant. Macbeth became paranoid and suspicious of everyone around him. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth could never have envisaged the consequences for themselves and their plans for the future began to fall apart. Keeping the murder of Duncan a secret tormented the couple, leading Macbeth to commit further murders. Banquo posed a threat because Macbeth feared he would get in the way of accession to the throne. He decided to hire assassins to kill Banquo and his son Fleance. Banquo is murdered and Fleance flees. That night, Macbeth is crowned and a banquet is held to celebrate. During the banquet Macbeth see’s the ghost of Banquo and has a breakdown. Lady Macbeth comes to his rescue. She tells his guests that he is having hallucinations which he has suffered from since childhood. In this scene we see Macbeth being driven mad with guilt. ‘It will have blood; they say, blood will have blood’. Behind Macbeths back, somewhere in Scotland, Lennox is walking with another lord discussing the consequences the death of Duncan will have on Scotland. Both suspect Macbeth whom they have called a ‘tyrant’, of the murder of Banquo even though Fleance has been blamed. The lord tells Lennox that Macduff has gone to England, where he will join Malcolm in pleading with England’s King Edward for aid. News of these plots prompted Macbeth to prepare for war. When Macbeth realised that Macduff had gone to England, he brutally murders Macduffs’ wife and babes who were left unprotected. All sympathy for Macbeth vanishes and is seen as a cold-blooded murderer. Macbeth reaches his lowest ebb after the murder of Macduff’s wife and babes. When Lady Macbeth commits suicide he is left with no alternative but to face his demons. Macbeth now faces the consequences of the murders alone. He goes into battle defiant and is determined not to give up. Going into war, Macbeth is faced with the prospect that he might die. He then recites his famous last words ‘Yet I will try the last. Before my body I throw my warlike shield. Lay on, Macduff, and damn’d be him that first cried, â€Å"Hold, enough! †Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ and is killed by Macduff in battle. The question remains, was Macbeth a tragic hero or was he in fact an overly ambitious, ruthless tyrant? The killing of Duncan does have terrible consequences for Macbeth and for Scotland, but after Macbeths’ death, Scotland’s reputation was restored. Freed from tyranny, the rightful king, Feance, took Macbeths place and descended the throne.

Influence of Personality on Success

Influence of Personality on Success The present paper attempts to examine the inherent connection between personality and success. The term personality is derived from Latin word persona, a mask worn by actors in classical dramas. Behaviorist psychologists feel that if a person has some kind of impact or makes a certain impression on others, it must be because of his actions. The simplest meaning of personality, therefore, is the pattern of responses which characterizes the individual. An individuals personality is invariably revealed through interactions in the personal, social and the professional arena, for the act of communication determines how one views and in return is viewed by the world around. In the modern world of professional rivalry and competitive business, obsessed with power and achievement, personality becomes the byword for success. There are qualities that enable one to evolve and grow into an empowered and well-balanced personality, a choice that proves to be a wise investment for long-term achieve ments. Such qualities along with the ability to effectively communicate and interact have become much sought after, with everyone trying to understand how one may acquire them. So much so that soft skills and personality development have become the new slogans for professional and career advancement. The paper examines a few such skills and also how one may cultivate them. The paper also takes a look at whether these should be/can be acquired merely for material success or else, these constitute an inherent part of a certain way of living having roots in time-tested and acknowledged cultural practices that leads one to peace, harmony and happiness. Contrary to the general idea that good personality refers to good physical features or trendy looks, personality includes many other important behavioral and mental features. Take the example of Mahatma Gandhi. Most people did not find him to be attractive or impressive as far as his physical make up was concerned. Yet, this short, meek looking, bald, dhoti clad old looking man moved and inspired the entire nation to stand up and demand freedom. Even today he is known for his Personality which established everlasting impression on the people around him and made him the man of fame and world. There have been many others too, relatively recently being Barack Obama, the President of America, who electrified Americans, captured their imagination, inspired million viewers with his twenty minutes speech at the stage of 2004 Democratic National Convention. He, with his outstanding soft skills and emotional intelligence not only transcended race and historic barriers, but also conveyed his vision, inspired confidence, persuaded and motivated people and became Americas first African American President. Thus what makes the difference is the understanding of what is commonly called, the soft skills. Soft skills are essentially people skills the non-technical, intangible, personality-specific skills that determine ones strengths as a leader, speaker, listener, negotiator, and conflict mediator. It means skills related to human attitude, team work, leadership qualities, over all human nature enhancements. Soft skills thus is a sociological term relating to a persons EQ (Emotional Intelligence Quotient), the cluster of personality traits, social graces, communication, language, personal habits, friendliness, and optimism that characterize relationships with other people. They are, in many instances, complementary, and serve to unlock the potential for highly effective performance in people qualified with the requisite hard skills. In broader terms soft skills is a range of abilities including work ethics, courtesy, teamwork, self-discipline and self-confidence, professional presence, language proficiency, cultural sensitivity, communication skills, ability to accept and learn from criticism, ability to handle client relationships, networking, creativity, ability to motivate yourself and lead others, time management, leadership and interpersonal skills. Studies have shown that personality measures parameters like conscientiousness, dependability and agreeability and they are equally important predictors of work success as cognitive ability and work accuracy. These parameters or traits can yield significant return on investment for an organization. For this reason, soft skills are increasingly sought out by employers in addition to standard qualifications. The wide rivers of culture, language and environment can only be crossed with being proficient with soft skills. Also, today Indian companies are facing inten se competition from MNCs who are offering identical services in their own backyard. The only way that Indian companies can continue to dominate this space is by up-skilling their employees in soft skills. Importance of Soft Skills There is an axiom in business circles which suggests hard skills will get a person an interview, but soft skills will land that person a job. Thus, an applicant with years of education and experience in the field might have the hard skills necessary to fill the position, but lack of soft skills such as leadership ability or self-motivation will not allow one to accomplish the task in the desired manner. Research in many fields such as sales and marketing, software development, engineering and law, has shown that to be successful in the workplace, knowledge alone is not enough. Soft skills play a vital role in dealings with the external world and help us to work in a collaborative manner with our colleagues. Studies by Stanford Research Institute and the Carnegie Mellon Foundation among Fortune 500 CEOs found that 75% of long term job success depended on people skills and only 25% on technical skills. This is true at other levels as well. For effective performance in the workplace, companies need their employees to have not only domain knowledge, technical and analytical skills, but also the skills to deal with the clients, customers, vendors and to work in a collaborative manner with their colleagues. We manage and think with our head. ­Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ­ Service learning, Critical thinking, problem solving, decision making are related to our thinking processes, which we manage with our mind. ­ Functions of the heart are related to people and caring. We relate to people by accepting differences, adopting conflict resolutions, putting into practice social skills, showing cooperation and keeping the channels of communication open. The second function we perform with our heart is caring. We care through nurturing relationships, sharing, empathizing and displaying genuine concern for others. This all constitutes Soft Skills. Indiana Business Research Center (IBRC) has found that, while credentialing in the form of degrees and certificates is important, development of soft skills-skills that are more social than technical-are a crucial part of fostering a dynamic workforce. Skills projected to be in the highest demand include active listening, critical thinking, speaking, active learning, writing, time management, and social perceptiveness. Hence, one must focus on learning and putting into practice various soft skills. The Important soft skills and the ways one may perfect them are: 1 Positive Attitude We have all heard that its better to see the glass half full instead of half empty. And in the workplace, that type of positive thinking can go a long way. A person who focuses on the brighter side of things is definitely much sought after as compared to a fellow who wallows in negativity. An overall positive outlook leads to a positive attitude and that can be a valuable asset in work environments that typically breed cynicism and negativity. The key to having a winning attitude is readiness to face and tackle obstacles and challenges that come our way. For example, instead of complaining about a stressful workload, one may think about it as an opportunity to show off ones abilities and getting through it productively and efficiently. Shiv Khera rightly puts it, Stick to the fight when youre the hardest hit (68). 2. Effective Communication Skills. Effective communication skills help in transforming a manager into an efficient leader. It includes both oral as well as written forms: oral skills for public speaking, presentations, negotiating, conflict resolutions, knowledge-sharing; writing skills for preparing reports, proposals, instruction manuals, writing memos, notices, official correspondence etc. As English for Indians is a second language, so for good communication skills, constant practice at home/school/college followed by language-lab sessions is need of the hour. While good oral skills inspire and motivate employees and win over customers, the written communication helps in following it up at front and back office jobs, clinching deals and ensuring retention of valued employees and prized customers. 3. Confidence and Self-efficacy In almost every situation where one is trying to impress others, confidence is the key. While its important to accept our limitations and act humble when we receive praise, its also important to acknowledge our strengths and embrace them. If one acts confident in some of ones job responsibilities like at written communication, project management skills or leadership abilities, one must make sure that it is based on genuine, positive reinforcement. Confidence comes from preparation, which is nothing but planning and practice. According to Albert Bandura, self-efficacy is the belief in ones capabilities to organize and execute the courses of action required for managing prospective situations (1977; 2). Thus self-efficacy is a persons belief in his or her ability to succeed in a particular situation. In other words it is confidence that Bandura believes can be developed in leaders and employees for specific tasks in given situations. Confidence is not only open to development, but the more confident the individual, The more likely the choice will be made to really get into the task and welcome the challenge. The more effort and motivation will be given to successfully accomplish the task; and The more persistence there will be when obstacles are encountered or even when there is initial failure (2000; 42). This profile of a highly confident leader or employee seems ideal for effectiveness and high-performance in todays workplace. In addition to performance outcomes, confidence has been shown to positively affect goal aspirations and attainment. This strength and positive attitude has also been shown to have an impact on strategy formulation, entrepreneurial start-ups and managing very difficult situations. 4. Creative Skills Creativity and imaginative thinking are valued in any job. Even the most technical positions require the ability to think outside the box. Whenever handed a tedious task, one should try to tackle it in a way that allows it to be completed more efficiently. When a problem comes along that others are reluctant to take on, the one who dares to jump at the opportunity to find a creative solution is the ideal performer. 5. Accept and learn from criticism This is one of the most challenging soft skills, which is why it is typically one of the most impressive to employers. Our ability to handle criticism says a lot about our willingness to improve. At the same time, being able to criticize the work of others in a constructive way is just as important. It requires enormous maturity to be aware of how defensive one gets when confronted by negative feedback and how not to reject a piece of constructive criticism completely without acknowledging that at least part of it is helpful. Hence how to offer criticism in a diplomatic manner is an important skill to work at. 6. Motivate yourself and lead others It is important for an employer to know what type of person his employee is. If one is a self-starter who takes initiative, such an individual must be given space to carry out his/her activities. This means constantly seeking out new ways to keep the job interesting and motivational, even if at the surface it seems repetitive and mundane. Creativity plays a big role in this, but theres more to motivation than just that. It requires courage to pursue ideas one has had stuck in the back of the mind, and dedication to follow through with them and be successful. The important skill to work at is to be able to nudge others in the same direction to work towards a common goal. If you want to climb the echelons of success, you should show a personality with strong leadership skills. One must always remember that a good leader leads by example. Proactive Being proactive means thinking and acting ahead. Basically, this means using foresight. It is a great method for avoiding more work down the road and for averting disasters. By planning well for the future and instituting systems at work, makes life easier not just for oneself, but for others as well. This can be done by following some procedures: Try to prevent problems from ever arising. This means tackling possible failings in advance to prevent them from becoming a reality. Get into the habit of taking precautions and developing fallback plans As Shel Leanne advises Sweep aside low-priority issues, and promote most assertively those ideas of greatest importance, and shine a light on them. So one should be aware of the tasks to be considered on priority basis and those which can wait. Eliminate altogether any task that is truly unnecessary. Evaluate procedures and processes while in use. 8. Wide Perspective Looking at the larger picture in the work means being able to see the determining factors of the success. It also means recognizing a risk thats worth taking, and knowing when to take it. Thus for example, if one is in advertising and has to handle the task of creating a campaign for a brand of soap one must recognize that the goal is not just to sell soap, but also to satisfy the client and provide him with a quality service. Feeling pride in ones job and having a sense of accomplishment are necessary ingredients of a well-balanced personality. 9. Interpersonal and Teamwork Skills Interpersonal and teamwork skills contribute to higher productivity and better environment as people work together to reach common goals. Some individuals are born leaders or intuitively adopt the traits required in team work. However, in general, these skills need to be taught or can be learnt through practice and awareness. As leader or as member of a team, a worker at times has to handle interpersonal conflicts, personality clashes and other issues related to the team. One should be able to analyze the differences in various persons in the team and take impartial decisions. For this a motivational leader is required who inspires a team to new levels of innovation and productivity by working with the following dimensions: Assertiveness is the quality necessary to learn so that one is able to get the point across in a forceful manner and show others that one will not back down. If the leader does not then he/she will get run over and ideas which are probably good will be thrown righ t out of the window. One must be able to persuade others to get the job done in a timely manner and also in an efficient one. Persuasion is a nice and more gentle way to motivate than assertiveness, but since there will be diversity within the group, we must understand that everyone is motivated in different ways. Empathy is important because we must not assume that everyone has the same background or same feelings about certain topics. Diplomacy is essential because negotiation between members is highly important. We have to bring ideas together not just say that one way is the best. 10. Presentation Skills People, who are working in the corporate sector, need to be good presenters. Every area of corporate life requires presentation. It can be presenting before existing or prospective customers, suppliers, media or people within the organization. It is very important to have necessary presentation skills to present the service, plan or product before the audience. One should customize ones presentation according to the audience. It should be based on the level of education, interest, requirements and suitable time of the audience. Presentation in both forms; oral as well as written form, should be well taken care of by the managers. Other Live skills required for improving Personality are: Etiquette Etiquette refers to the socially accepted behavior and manners to be followed in formal situations. It includes office manners, eating etiquette and procedures to be followed in different situations. Etiquette differs according to the cultures and nations. But there are certain common features which are generally accepted in the corporate world. For example; giving respect and being gentle with elderly people and ladies, taking care of the guests, being gentle and polite in our words and movements, eating without making loud noise, etc. Todays manager is a participative leader with the appropriate etiquette. Personal Hygiene and Grooming It is implicitly believed and expected that the employees should take care of their personal hygiene for their own, as well as for the sake of the organization. An employee must take care of the body odour, bad breath, unkempt and crumpled clothes, dirty finger nails, shoes and socks, unruly hair and unshaven face. Neat people are appreciated and accepted in all organizations Grooming implies mainly the presentability of a person. It is about the right dressing sense of the people according to the situation. Men and women should be impeccably but comfortably turned out according to convention and the occasion. Dress code of the organization should be given due respect. People with right dressing sense are appreciated in all organizations. Body Language For achieving effective personality, proper body language is required. Body language is a non-verbal communication which is expressed through facial expressions, gestures, posture, and body movements. These gestures and postures say a lot about our personality. There are various body language movements and expressions you need to have to develop a positive personality: Maintaining eye contact is a sign of respect and interest towards the other person. If someone is talking and you make sure you are keeping your eyes focused on them then this will make them feel that you are in fact interested in what they have to say. Your facial expression is very important. If you are always frowning, this would indicate that you have a negative aura, and this will push others away. Whereas if you are constantly seen smiling, you are going to attract other sunny and happy people to you. Posture is also very important. You need to sit properly, avoid slouching, and if you can, keep an open posture at all times, leaning towards the speaker whenever necessary, to show that you are interested. Flexibility Flexibility stands for the ability to be open to changes, new ideas and environment. It needs a lot of effort to accept, listen to and respect others opinions. A successful and efficient manager will show flexibility in listening to the opinions of the team and take every one into confidence while taking important decisions. Management should accept new thoughts and ideas for its growth. Time management A stitch in time saves nine. A professional should be a good example to others by setting a high standard on time management. If things are not planned or completed on time, it will have adverse effect on the organization. In todays competitive age, everyone is running behind time. It has become a necessity for all companies to work on timely schedules to meet and surpass the competitors. Work Ethics Work ethics is a set of values based on the moral virtues of hard work and diligence. It is also a belief in moral benefit of work and its ability to enhance character of the employer or any individual. A work ethic may include being reliable, having initiative or maintaining social skills. Apart from that a sense of responsibility, honesty and commitment may also be included in it. Work without ethics will not give a long life to organizations as well as individuals. Adhering to the general principles and guidelines is mandatory for the company to function smoothly in the market. Each employee should stick to the work ethics and cultures of the company. In order to possess the above discussed skills one needs to be self-aware and cultivate positivism in thought and approach. Common sense What is lacking among most people is common sense. People are good in repeating what others do or what the boss says. Many people fail to think on their own and take appropriate decisions at the time of crisis. The solutions to many of the problems are related to basic facts and minimum efforts. But people think much and work less towards the solutions. People at the managerial level are expected to have the knowledge of basic facts, simple solutions and common sense. Conclusion To conclude, the above mentioned skills are easy as well as difficult to incorporate in ones personality; easy, because these are simple values mostly already instilled in us right from childhood by parents, teachers, culture and religion, so just need to be reinforced, strengthened, and difficult, because these require constant and continuous effort, and a sense of deep-rooted commitment to certain ideals in life. The important thing to remember and realize is that these are skills; as such anyone anytime can learn them, put into practice to embellish ones personality. After all we determine what choices we make in life. Community service, volunteering, leadership, responsible citizenship and contributions to group effort are our way of giving back to the society. ­ We work through our marketable skills, teamwork and self-motivation to get the things done. All the soft skills listed above are essentially choices that we make about the kind of life we want to lead. Healthy lif estyle choices, stress management, disease prevention and personal safety are our prime concerns for better living. Success at economic, social, professional as also personal levels actually is a natural and logical outcome of the efforts we put in to acquire these skills and subsequently put them into practice. In an increasingly competitive, globalized world, the practice of these soft skills may be the only way we may lead peaceful, harmonious, satisfied, happy lives. Hence, self-esteem, self-responsibility, character, managing feelings and having self-discipline must be practiced without fail. In a nutshell, the essence of life skills is share well, care well and fare well. Works Consulted: Bandura, A. Self-efficacy: Towards A Unifying Theory of Behavioural Change.Psychological Review, 1977: 191-215. Bandura, A. 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Journal of Organizational Behavior.23, 2002:695-706 Leanne,Shel. Say It Like Obama: The Power of Speaking With Purpose And Vision: Tata Mc Graw-Hill,2008 Soft Skills Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soft_skills Stajkovic, A.D. Luthans, F. Self-Efficacy And Work Related Performance: A Meta-Analysis.Psychological Bulletin 124, 1998:240-261.