Recently this was a ho topic within the university regarding the interplay of marketing and recruitment of students.
via The Case for Placing Marketing within Enrollment Management.
The quiet revolution: What the rest of the world can learn from Africa – Opinion – nation.co.ke
Against the drum-beat of bad news, we too often forget the other story — the good news, if you will. And yet it is there in abundance, almost everywhere you care to look.
The quiet revolution: What the rest of the world can learn from Africa – Opinion – nation.co.ke.
Africa’s Problem ! | YALDA USIU
The tragedy is that the youth have subscribed to this skewed thinking by discarding their culture; taking to western consumerism in all aspects and idolizing western heroes disregarding the real heroes – those who liberated the African people.
The Richest Man in Babylon – A Money Book Summary
The Richest Man in Babylon, by George S. Clason, 160 pp..
Originally written in the 1920’s, this beloved classic has sold millions and just keeps on selling. What’s the appeal? The delightful story format, set in ancient Babylon, makes otherwise dry financial concepts come to life.
Bansir has distinguished himself as a fine chariot-maker. Yet, he has no money. He decides to seek the wisdom of his old friend Arkad, who’s known far and wide for his great wealth. As youth, they were financial equals. Bansir assumed that fortune had simply looked more favorably upon Arkad. Arkad replies,
“If you have not acquired more than a bare existence in the years since we were youths, it is because you either have failed to learn the laws that govern the building of wealth, or else you do not observe them.” (p. 10)
Thus, Arkad shares “the laws that govern the building of wealth” in the story of his own rise to riches.
The premise: “Lo, money is plentiful for those who understand the simple rules of its acquisition.” (p. iii)
The Wisdom:
1. Seek the advice of the wise
“Counsel with wise men. Seek the advice of men whose daily work is handling money.” (p. 20)
“Seek to associate thyself with men and enterprises whose success is established that thy treasure may earn liberally under their skillful use and be guarded safely by their wisdom and experience.” (p. 85)
2. Start thy purse to fattening
“I found the road to wealth when I decided that…a part of all I earned was mine to keep…. It should be not less than a tenth no matter how little you earn…. Pay yourself first.” (pp. 13,14)
3. Control thy expenditures
“Now I will tell thee an unusual truth about men and sons of men. It is this: That what each of us calls our ‘necessary expenses’ will always grow to equal our incomes unless we protest to the contrary.” (p. 29)
4. Make thy gold multiply
“Every gold piece you save is a slave to work for you. Every copper it earns is its child that also can earn for you. If you would become wealthy, then what you save must earn, and its children must earn, that all may help to give to you the abundance you crave.” (p. 14)
5. Guard thy treasures from loss
“…behind the impregnable walls of insurance, savings accounts and dependable investments, we can guard ourselves against the unexpected tragedies that may enter any door and seat themselves before any fireside.” (p. 90)
6. Make of thy dwelling a profitable investment
“I recommend that every man own the roof that sheltereth him and his.”
7. Insure a future income
“…invest thy treasure with greatest caution that it be not lost. Usurious rates of return are deceitful sirens that sing but to lure the unwary upon the rocks of loss and remorse.” (p. 20)
8. Increase thy ability to earn
“Opportunity is a haughty goddess who wastes no time with those who are unprepared.” (p. 18)
“…cultivate thy own powers, to study and become wiser, to become more skillful, to so act as to respect thyself.” (p. 41)
“…I urge all men to be in the front rank of progress and not to stand still, lest they be left behind.” (p. 41)
9. Beware of unwise debt
“…hopeless debt is like a deep pit into which one may descend quickly and where one may struggle vainly for many days. It is a pit of sorrow and regrets where the brightness of the sun is overcast and night is made unhappy by restless sleeping.” (p. 80)
10. Help the less fortunate
“…have compassion upon those who are injured and smitten by misfortune and aid them within reasonable limits. He must do deeds of thoughtfulness to those dear to him.” (p. 41)
“Nothing revolutionary here,” you might complain. True, it’s just ageless principles of finance. But how many of us can put these principles into life? Arkad did. By reading this book, we see how he applied these principles in ancient Babylon. Somehow, seeing the principles of wise money management applied in a long lost culture , we see more clearly how to build wealth in our own culture.
Post Courtesy of http://www.character-education.info http://ow.ly/85l7x
Creating own social media presence that works for your firm
One of the drivers of social-media success is having a clear voice with plenty of personality
Posted Friday, June 24 2011 at 00:00
Create a social media presence that highlights your expertise,” I once told a room full of entrepreneurs. “And that will do more to drive business to your site than anything else you can afford during your start-up phase.” Then an audience member asked a familiar question that I have come to dread.I talk to a lot of business audiences about how they can use social media to build their reputation, and there’s always someone who wonders if that strategy is really viable within his market, field or budget.
“How could this work for me?” asked a man who runs a small chain of language schools and is seeking to increase the demand for his after-school classes for kids. “What’s the best way to get more customers for my schools?” Businesspeople around the world can create top online portals in their markets, too, if they can find a unique way to speak directly to customers. Here are five ways to do it:
1. Use vocabulary that speaks to the market. Usually I advise people to avoid jargon, but if you are trying to reach a specific professional audience, jargon can work in your favour. Using language that is specific to your market – particularly words that are frequently searched online – can help ensure that your website comes up in the results when people search for a topic within your field.
2. Focus on a location. Maybe yours won’t be the top English-language website about early childhood language education in the entire US, but perhaps you can provide the top English-language Twitter feed for early education resources in Pittsburgh, or the most comprehensive set of YouTube videos about dance studios in Los Angeles, or the best blog about job recruitment strategies in the Southwest. Define your location focus very clearly (in the name of your blog or in your Twitter handle and description) and make sure that a solid majority (70 per cent or more) of your content is geographically specific.
3. Focus on one demographic. One of the drivers of social-media success is having a clear voice with plenty of personality. But it’s hard to create an online presence that appeals to everyone. Defining the demographics of your target customers at the outset can help determine your voice and focus. Then you can tailor your message accordingly: Market software to aspiring chief information officers with a Twitter feed geared toward midlevel tech managers, or pitch your restaurant to the after-work drinks crowd with videos that appeal to 20-something singles.
4. Add a keyword. If you search for skiing videos, you’ll see how hard it would be to market your ski resort by attempting to create the definitive website on skiing technique. But add the keyword “telemark” to your search, and the field narrows by 97 percent. So find the keyword that represents your area of greatest strength, and focus on being the top expert in that subarea. Often it’s a matter of identifying an intersecting point between two different topics: You may not be able to create the top website on action movies or athletic gear, but you can develop the top site for athletic gear spotted in action movies. You may not be the top expert on banking or women-owned businesses, but you can produce the top Twitter feed offering banking and finance advice for women-owned businesses.
5. Focus on Facebook. Familiarise yourself with Facebook and Google, which allow you to advertise in slightly different ways. Facebook lets you target customers by age, education level, interests and relationship status (among other things); Google lets you target by gender, location, the electronic device being used to search, and, of course, by the keywords your potential customer has typed in. If you’re focusing your social media presence (and especially your Facebook presence) on a demographic that Facebook’s ads can target – like single, college-educated women who are interested in travel – you’ll find it that much easier to use ads to build awareness of your online efforts.
Samuel is the director of a social media agency.
Retrieved on the Business Daily website.
Two Horses
Just up the road from my home is a field, with two horses in it.
From a distance, each horse looks like any other horse.
But if you stop your car, or are walking by, you will notice something quite amazing….
Looking into the eyes of one horse will disclose that he is blind. His owner has chosen not to have him put down, but has made a good home for him.
This alone is amazing. If you stand nearby and listen, you will hear the sound of a bell. Looking around for the source of the sound, you will see that it comes from the smaller horse in the field.
Attached to the horse’s halter is a small bell. It lets the blind friend know where the other horse is, so he can follow.
As you stand and watch these two friends, you’ll see that the horse with the bell is always checking on the blind horse, and that the blind horse will listen for the bell and then slowly walk to where the other horse is, trusting that he will not be led astray.
When the horse with the bell returns to the shelter of the barn each evening, it stops occasionally and looks back,
Making sure that the blind friend isn’t too far behind to hear the bell.
Like the owners of these two horses, God does not throw us away just because we are not perfect or because we have problems or challenges.
He watches over us and even brings others into our lives
To help us when we are in need..
Sometimes we are the blind horse being guided by the little ringing bell of those who God places in our lives.
Other times we are the guide horse, helping others to find their way….
Good friends are like that… You may not always see them, but you know they are always there..
The Father’s Eyes
The Father’s Eyes
This teenager lived alone with his father, and the two of them had a very special relationship. Even though the son was always on the bench, his father was always in the stands cheering. He never missed a game.
This young man was still the smallest of the class when he entered high school. His father continued to made it very clear that he did not have to play football if he didn’t want to. But the young man loved football and decided to hang in there. He was determined to try his best at every practice, and perhaps he’d get to play when he became a senior.
All through high school he never missed a practice nor a game, but remained a bench warmer all four years. His faithful father was always in the stands, always with words of encouragement for him.
When the young man went to college, he decided to try out for the football team as a “walk-on.” Everyone was sure he could never make the cut, but he did. The coach admitted that he kept him on the roster because he always puts his heart and soul into every practice and, at the same time, provided the other members with the spirit and hustle they badly needed. That he had survived the cut thrilled him so much that he rushed to the nearest phone and called his father.
His father shared his excitement and was sent season tickets for all the college games. This persistent young athlete never missed practice during his four years at college, but he never got to play in the game.
It was the end of his senior football season, and as he trotted onto the practice field shortly before the big play off game, the coach met him with a telegram.
The young man read the telegram and became deathly silent. Swallowing hard, he mumbled to the coach, “My father died this morning. Is it all right if I miss practice today?”
The coach put his arm gently around his shoulder and said, “Take the rest of the week off, son. And don’t even plan to come to the game on Saturday.
Saturday came and the game was not going well. In the third quarter, when the team was ten points behind, a silent young man quietly slipped into the empty locker room and put on his football gear. As he ran onto the sidelines, the coach and his players were astounded to see their faithful teammate back so soon.
“Coach, please let me play. I’ve just got to play today”, said the young man. The coach pretended not to hear him. There was no way he wanted his worst player in this close playoff game. But the young man persisted, and finally feeling sorry for the kid, the coach gave in. “All right,” he said. “You can go in.”
Before long, the coach, the players and everyone in the stands could not believe their eyes. This little unknown, who had never played before was doing everything right. The opposing team could not stop him, he ran, he passed, blocked and tackled like a star. His team began to triumph. The score was soon tied. In the closing seconds of the game, the kid intercepted a pass and ran all the way for the winning touchdown. The fans broke loose. His teammates hoisted him onto their shoulders. Such cheering you’ve never heard!
Finally, after the stands had emptied and the team had showered and left the locker room, the coach noticed that the young man was sitting quietly in the corner all alone. The coach came to him and said, “Kid, I can’t believe it. You were fantastic! Tell me, what got into you? How did you do it?”
He looked at the coach, with tears in his eyes, and said. “Well, you knew my dad died, but did you know that my dad was blind?” He swallowed hard and forced a smile. “This was the first time he could see me play, and I wanted to show him I could do it!”
10 Easy Steps For A Healthy Relationship
10 Easy Steps For A Healthy Relationship
By Dr. Grace Cornish Livingstone
Are you ready for real love? In this day and age of fast-paced and short-lived relationships, it’s challenging and many times difficult, to find good, solid, effective, and useful, information that helps to build healthy and long-lasting romantic relationships. Whether you’re single, married, divorced, or looking-to-be-married, these time-tested steps will help you and your current or future mate to create a long-lasting romantic bliss:
Always Be Your “True” Self
You are wonderfully and uniquely made by a loving Creator. If you find that you have to act or try to become someone you weren’t born to be, in order to fulfill someone else’s expectation, then something is seriously wrong. A true love will appreciate you for who you are and what you bring to the relationship, and vice-versa. If you feel as if you’re being pressured to alter your character to do things you wouldn’t usually do (drink, drugs, pre-mature sex, lie) so that the person will continue to see you, that’s a certain sign that things are unhealthy. Your true love will gladly embrace you just for who you are-so don’t be afraid, step out in faith and show your true self.
Develop Deep Communication with Each Other
A healthy relationship goes much deeper that a surface affair. Even though you may both look good arm-in-arm, or standing next to each other, whether at a concert, family reunion, Movie Theater, or at church, can you talk when you’re alone? What’s going on in your conversations-are they deep and meaningful or surface and bland? Do you discuss personal hopes, dreams and goals, or just talk about the weather and the plot to the latest drama? Can you count on each other to lend a listening ear, good advice, and undivided attention?
Good, honest, and deep conversation will keep you deeply connected. When in doubt, talk it out. Always keep the lines of communication open in your relationship.
Don’t Ignore, but Explore Your Differences
Do your personalities blend well? Is one of you on the optimistic path while the other is on the pessimistic side of the road? Opposites may initially attract, but eventually they can repel each other. It’s important that your personalities are compatible.
If one views life through rose colored glasses, while the other is always singing-the-blues, then you have to make some sort of adjustment to accommodate each other. The simple truth is oil and vinegar make an excellent salad dressing, but they don’t mix well in romantic relationships, unless both personalities can explore each other and find some sort of balance. If you can adjust and love each other’s personalities, regardless of any differences, and bring out the best when you’re together, then this is a winning combo, and you could very well be a dynamic-duo in a life-long healthy relationship.
Share Similar Interest and Values
You don’t have to have the exact interests. As a matter of fact, having diverse preferences can help you to share new and exciting things with each other. However, make sure you have at least a few common interests, so it won’t be an ongoing battle over what to do and where to go to keep you both satisfied. You may have to compromise in some areas like sports, politics, movies, shopping, music, etc. Keep in mind that compromising doesn’t mean depriving each other of their individual interests but instead it means participating in each other’s interests.
Discuss Your Spiritual Beliefs Together
If you’re not on common ground with your beliefs about who and what God means to each of you, this will eventually cause a rift in your relationship. Don’t try to conceal your true beliefs and hope that it will all just one day fall in place-it won’t. Make sure you talk about your faith honestly and openly with each other. There’s a wise adage that states, “The couple that prays together, stays together.”
Appreciate Each Other’s Unique Body Temple
Let’s face it, we’re all built differently. We come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and shades. In order to have a healthy physical and emotional relationship, you must embrace and appreciate each other’s total package. One of the worse things a couple can do to each other is to fantasize or try to fit their mate into someone else’s body image. When you throw away preconceived “ideal body type” perceptions, you’ll enjoy the true worth of your partner.
I remember years ago, one of my college friends, Nicolette, a five-foot-eight-inch, former beauty queen, adamantly refused to date any man under the six-foot mark. Her preconceived idea of the “ideal match” was “an athletic hunk who would be paid well for playing ball-footfall, basketball, or baseball would qualify him-as long as he had the height, the muscles, and the billfold.” Well, after many heartbreaks, shallow relationships, and adopting a completely new outlook on life, she eagerly reports that she has been very happily married to a five-foot-five-inch dentist for over five years and “has since been blessed with two wonderful children to complete her healthy marriage.”
Nicolette would have missed out on the love of her life had she remained stuck with false perceptions. Don’t let this happen to you. Admire, appreciate, and enjoy your companion’s body temple.
Talk About “The S-&M Factor” (Sex & Money)
Two of the biggest destroyers of healthy relationships are the misuse, abuse, lack of or over-use of sex and money (the S & M Factor). Both are very important and very personal in your love life. Yet, unfortunately, most couples make the mistake of not setting quality time aside early in their relationship to discuss these two vital components. To put it bluntly, “You’ve got to know where you’re heading, before you get to the bedding; and know what you’re spending before it gets beyond mending.”
In deep romantic relationships, there is a world of difference between “having sex” and “making love,” just as there is a major difference between being “involved” and “being in love.” The misuse of sex, just like the misuse of money, causes major turbulence in relationships. These can be dangerous influences which overwhelm your relationship; or they can be healthy tools for intimacy and success. It’s up to both you and your partner to know what sex and money means to each of you, and to make sure that you share your beliefs and feelings with each other. Otherwise, both the sex and money issues can become major conflicts which will destroy even the deepest love.
Try to Get Along With Each Other’s Friends-n-Families
Although your happiness ultimately depends on how well the two of you get along with each other, some input from loved ones can be frosting on the cake. Do you have a healthy interaction with each other’s close associates? Make sure you ask some supportive family members and/or dear friends their opinion about your choice in mate. If the advice is not what you want to hear, examine it closely, evaluate the source, pray about it, and make up your own mind anyway. Make sure you also meet your mate’s family and closest friends, and discreetly observe their interactions with each other. Look if there is any dysfunctional family pattern that you need to address and get help with. There is a wise old saying, “Show me your company, I’ll tell you who you are.” Chances are, if your partner has a healthy interaction with loved ones, you will also get the same treatment-and so much more!
Stay Away From Negative People
It’s important to make a special note here, that although the interactions of relatives and friends can be a plus in building a healthy relationship, some, unfortunately, can also be a minus. If you face unhealthy interference and discouragement from loved ones because of their personal insecurities, don’t let them have any influence in your relationship. Both you and your mate must be on the same page and decide to keep negative people out of your personal love life in order to love and grow together in a harmonious, healthy relationship.
Learn to Laugh Together
This one doesn’t need much explanation-if there’s no joy, there’s very little hope. Laughter keeps love alive. Find something that you can both get a good hearty laugh from. Here’s a little secret that works wonders: A good sense of humor and a pleasant disposition has a magnetic attraction that makes people always want to be in your presence. How can that special person resist your gorgeous smile and sparkling eyes? Go ahead, laugh a bit-have fun and enjoy!
There you have it-the practical, useful and effective steps that will surely enhance your current or future relationship. You deserve to have an enjoyable, exciting, and loving healthy relationship with someone who loves you, just for who you are. You are worth it!
———–
Dr. Grace Cornish Livingstone, on-air staff psychologist for the former Queen Latifah TV show, is one of America’s foremost relationship consultants. She is an award-winning, bestselling author of ten popular books, including 10 Bad Choices, The Band-Aid Bond, The Sacred Bond and You Deserve Healthy Love, Sis! Dr. Grace is currently the popular relationship columnist for the London-based Pride magazine.
If you would like to read Dr. Grace’s views on many current relationship issues or to leave a comment please visit www.myhealthyloveblog.com
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