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PROFESSIONALISM IN WRITING

5/26/2017

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YOU CAN'T TAKE BACK A BAD FIRST IMPRESSION
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While preparing a lesson for a class on Professional Image, I wondered if writers have a clear idea of what professionalism means in the field of writing.

We often hear that writers should act like professionals. And we should. But what, exactly, does that entail?


To write this blog, I delved into the subject and, to my dismay, discovered there's very little out there on what professionalism is. Currently, there are blogs about what authors should and shouldn't do on the social media, but professionalism goes far beyond that.

According to Michael K. O'keffe, a well-known and respected business advisor, "First impressions count…and you can't take back a bad one."

WHAT IS A PROFESSIONAL?


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Technically, a professional is someone who is engaged in an activity or occupation for compensation as a means of livelihood. The term used to refer to occupations such as doctor, lawyer, engineer, architect, military officer, but today it's significantly expanded to other types of work.

I don't intend to debate the dictionary or common definitions … I want to articulate what writers should and shouldn't do to look like, act like, and be "professionals".

CHARACTERISTICS OF A PROFESSIONAL

The Monster Career Coach writes, "Acting like a professional means doing what it takes to make others think of you as reliable, respectful, and competent. There are, however, quite a few common traits when it comes to being professional…"

On the same subject, Author Simon P. Clark says "Professionalism in this case [being a writer] is as much a way of viewing yourself, your success, and your approach to the book world as it is something you act out. Seeing yourself, and being, professional can make a real difference in what you expect to achieve and how you feel about acting upon those dreams."

I've combined several lists of professional characteristics and added comments about how they apply to writers.


● Competent
The professional knows and exercises the craft and has achieved a high level of skill in not only in writing, punctuation, and grammar, but editing, management, and marketing.

The professional has learned the rules of the writing/publishing industry, and follows them. Writers need to let go of the pretension that writing is an art and doesn't need rules.

A competent professional produces quality work and pays attention to details. Everything you produce says something about your competence and professionalism. Present polished and finished work. This doesn't mean you can never make a mistake. It should mean that you catch those mistakes they become "public".

Do your homework. Be sure you know what you're talking about before you speak, and qualify the statement when appropriate. Don't say something is true or desirable just because someone has told you that it is.

● Reliable
The professional can be counted on to deliver on commitments in a timely and competent manner. That means the writer is able to accurately estimate the time it takes to accomplish a task, knows when to say no, and when to negotiate deadlines/other matters. The professional says "no" to socializing and other routine activities when there is the need to complete a deadline [outside or self-imposed]. Being punctual, when it applies to a writer, is part of being reliable.

● Honest
The professional tells the truth and is upfront about where things stand, but knows how to deliver the message in the most effective and unhurtful manner.

● Has integrity
The professional lives and works within consistent principles, doesn't gossip or divulge confidential matters [their own or anyone else's], and acts with integrity. For example, the professional doesn't try to corner an editor in the restroom and pitch his/her book.

● Respects others
The approach of a professional is to sincerely treat all people as though they matter. Respect the opinions of others and let them have their say, whether or not you agree. A professional knows when a debate is appropriate and when it's not. And they don't take differences of opinion as personal.

They don't attack or trash others, particularly editors and reviewers, even if they believe they have good reasons.

The professional not only considers the feelings of others before speaking or acting, but also considers how others not involved will react to what is said or written. You can voice your opinion without being nasty or shooting yourself in the foot.


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If you use social media, be cautious and discreet about what you say and how you say it. You are putting your image out there on display for everyone to see.

And for everyone's sake, turn off your cell phone or set it on vibrate when you're in meetings or talking to other people. There's nothing more disrespectful. If, by chance you forget, don't answer and turn it off.

● Self-Upgrading
Professionals don't rest on their laurels. Rather than letting skills and knowledge become outdated, they seek ways to stay current and learn new things.

Devour training opportunities that will keep skill levels above the competent level and ahead of the curve. Take classes, join professional organizations, teach, try something new, write in a different genre, test your limits, think outside the box. Grow constantly

● Has a positive attitude
No one likes a constant pessimist. Many writers are insecure about their work. A professional believes in his/her product and has an upbeat attitude. Remember, this is a business. Rejections are not personal attacks on you or your writing. There are many reasons for a rejection that have nothing to do with the writer or the quality of writing.
Think positively about the editing process. It improves your work.

Reviews are one person's opinion. Look for grains of truth in even the worst reviews.

● A problem solver
The professional sees the signs of problems before they occur and searches for solutions.


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Subroto Bagchi, vice chairman and cofounder of MindTree Ltd. and a columnist for "Forbes India" writes, "If communicated proactively to the right person, most problems not only get addressed, but they can also be converted into an opportunity." But never bring a problem to someone without suggestions for a solution.

● Pragmatic about the business of writing
A professional approaches the business of writing with down-to-earth pragmatism. Author Simon P. Clark writes "Was your book rejected? Okay. Move on. It's a business. Did you get bad feedback from a critique? Work on it. Tone down your ego."

He also includes in professionalism: "Be courteous and businesslike in letters to editor, agents, publishers, and others." And "Follow guidelines lines and directions on websites." [Agents and publishing houses]

● Supportive of others
Share the spotlight with colleagues, take time to show others how to do things properly, and lend an ear when necessary. Give a pat on the back to other authors for their achievements.
Professionals share their knowledge with others and don't "hoard" it hoping that it will give them an extra advantage, or just can't be bothered with beginners. Others have helped you on your way to professionalism; it's appropriate to "give back".

Show that you know it's not all about you.

● Work focused
The professional does not let private life needlessly have an impact on the job [as a writer].

● Reasonable to work with
Someone who makes it difficult to do business with is not a professional. If the person is not serving the customer (in the writer's case, the publisher and the reader), then they are pursuing a hobby, not a profession.

This doesn't mean you don't stand your ground when something matters to you or violates your principles, but don't dig in on everything. Always be courteous and polite.

● A careful listener
When others are talking, in a meeting or directly to the writer, pay full attention and hear what is being said. Don't display bored or uninterested body language, and don't talk or text during meetings, training classes, and group situations like critique groups.


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Another piece of O'keefe's advice that applies to writers. "A good rule to live by is that you have two ears and one mouth for a reason. Try and develop a habit of doing twice as much listening as you do talking. Leave all profanity and “street slang” at home."

● Dresses appropriately


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 As a professional writer, you can sit at your computer wearing anything you want, including your birthday suit or a three piece business suit.

When you're presenting yourself to others, err on the side of business dress rather than sloppy or too casual. Even if the editors taking pitches look ultra casual, you should dress like writing matters to you and your career is on the line.


● Pays attention to e-mail etiquette
Introduce yourself early in the message and, if the recipient is someone you don’t know well, let the recipient know how you know them.  Also, try your best to keep the message concise and to the point. Put the bottom line (the action needed, the request, the information being conveyed) up front.

At the bottom of your message, always include a signature block with your contact information. Keep the signature block to three or four lines. For writers, this means that no one wants to read a list or see the covers of every book you've written. It's better to have a signature block with your name, author brand and links…and let it go with that.

ACTING LIKE A PROFESSIONAL
The definition of "professional" is the definition. The issue is what behaviors and conduct does "professionalism" encompass? You can be a professional by definition and not conduct yourself as one.

Here are my additions to the list of characteristics, based on my experience as an architect, urban planner, and manager.

● Make informed and thoughtful decisions
I believe this is the key to professionalism. Gather the facts and assess them from all angles before you formulate your opinions and/or make decisions. Then don't hesitate to carry out those decisions.  Don't act impulsively or emotionally. Get the facts first.


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● Know the Consequences of your actions and reactions
An important part of informed decision making is knowing your business well enough to:

1) Know your options
Example: You get a hateful review on Amazon or a review site. What are your options? First, if you decide to do anything except ignore it, determine if you will deal directly with the individual in a personal communication or if you are going public (social media, etc.) Second, decide if you going to react defensively or you are attacking. Then consider the following.
     a) Ignore (don't acknowledge the review in any way);
     b) Thank the person for taking time to read the book and writing the review;
    c) Same as b only point out that you regret the reviewer didn't enjoy the book (and maybe that other reviewers did);
     d) Write a mild rebuttal, pointing out where the reviewer is mistaken, misunderstands, or overlooked something;
    e) Come out swinging and write a scathing response. For example, Alain de Botton's comments to fellow author Caleb Crain, who reviewed de Button's book in the NY Times.
"Caleb, you make it sound on your blog that your review is somehow a sane and fair assessment.... In my eyes, and all those who have read it with anything like impartiality, it is a review driven by an almost manic desire to bad-mouth and perversely depreciate anything of value.... I will hate you till the day I die and wish you nothing but ill will in every career move you make."


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Ouch!

     f) Indulge your hurt and angry feelings and write the letter or comment, put it away for a day or two, re-read, and never send it. I suppose sending it is an option, after it's been a few days, but an ill-advised one.

2) Know the consequences of those options
Using the same example and options, what is the worst (and best) thing that could happen to you, to the author of the review, and to others, as a result of following up on the various options.

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3) Consciously decide the degree of risk you're willing to take in relation to the consequences.
What are you willing to risk? You may not care what the reviewer thinks, but what about readers? Play it out and be sure you know what your risks are.

● Own Responsibility for you Actions
If you make informed decisions, this shouldn't be a problem, but you own your actions.
 
● Put your profession first.
Whether or not writing is how you support yourself, if you are serious about writing, it should come first. That doesn't mean if your mother is in the hospital, you should sit at your computer and not be with her. It doesn't mean you quit your day job or write on your employer's time and not do the work you're paid for.

It does mean that if you have a deadline you've committed to and your child has soccer practice, you either negotiate the deadline with your editor or you find someone else to take your child to practice. It does mean you'll have to miss the once-a-year sale at Nordstroms if you have a conflict with your writing commitments and needs.

● Time is of the essence.
This isn't just a cute turn of phrase: it's a legal term which, in effect, says: the specified time and dates in this agreement are vital and thus, mandatory, and "we mean it." Therefore, any delay, reasonable or not, slight or not, will be grounds for cancelling the agreement.

As the cliché goes, Time is money. It's a "professional" necessity as well as a courtesy. If you have three months to do something, schedule it, but don't wait until the last possible moment, unless you're forced to. It's similar to what author and teacher S.L. Stebel says about feeding information to the reader (in a novel) at the right time: "If later is good, now is better."

If you can get it done earlier than the deadline, do it.

● Know what you are committing to.
Be sure when you make a commitment, you're able and willing to do what's required to deliver. Don't commit to something you know you can't do. If you don't know what it takes, find out before you agree to take on the task.

Right now it takes me close to a year to write a 100 k novel. I could probably do it in nine or ten months if I made some changes in my life and pushed myself. But I should not agree to eight months, particularly with the expectation that I can always ask for an extension when the time comes. I might need that extension for a real emergency such as serious illness, someone in my family is injured, my house burns down, etc.

You can always indicate that you have to think about it or check your calendar before you answer … and then do some calculating, check your calendar, and get back to the person right away … not a week or a month later.

You can always negotiate at the beginning, particularly if you know you have a conflict scheduled. If you agree to a time frame, but you've paid for a cruise with your husband for two weeks out of that time, talk about it. Most of the time, you and your agent/editor/publicist/whomever can work out something reasonable.


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● Control your time.
Easy to say and hard to do. But as a professional, it is a requirement of the job. Do your best, but constantly work at improving. Most important, don't procrastinate. There is no excuse for that.

● Always acknowledge the receipt of something someone sends to you.
Even if you can't address it right away, let the person know you received it and, preferably, what to expect will happen, such as you'll get back to them later.


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● Don't burn your bridges
Telling some off may make you feel better, but it might not be good for your career in the long run. (Go back to consequences of your actions.)

● Don't expect special treatment
If you're Nora Roberts or J.K. Rowling, you'll get it anyway. Otherwise, writing and being published doesn't make you "special". You're just another of thousands of people who write and are published. Remember that not everything is about you. You're part of a business…and a big one.

● Take pride in doing good work
Do good work. Make it the best it can be. Don't undersell yourself. Not only should you be proud of your work, be proud of being a writer and don't be shy about publicizing your work.

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YOU BE THE JUDGE
Here's a practical example of a real life situation which is indicative of an author's professionalism.

Is it professional behavior to request, beg, plead, or otherwise ask other authors, readers, and friends to vote for your book in an unjuried competition [meaning that the winner is selected by popular vote and not by a panel or jury of experts] or to "like" your book on Facebook, Amazon, or B&N?


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Have you ever voted for or "liked" a friend's book or someone on one of your loops? Did you read the book first? Was it your honest opinion based on an unbiased evaluation of the book, or were you being supportive of another author? Do you believe it doesn't matter since these are just popularity contests anyway?

What's your opinion? I'd love to hear it. Can you think of another such situation when professionalism comes into play?


Resources
http://monster.typepad.com/monsterblog/2011/08/10-unprofessional-behaviors-to-avoid.html
http://www.writersandartists.co.uk/2013/04/acting-like-a-pro
 http://ezinearticles.com/?Unprofessional-Behavior-Eventually-Destroys-Completely&id=3530415
http://www.expertbusinessadvice.com/experts/business-consulting-management-expert-business-professional-mike-okeefe.html
http://www.expertbusinessadvice.com/leadership/The-First-Step-to-Being-a-Professional-is-Acting-Like-It-201.html


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WHY CAN'T A WOMAN BE MORE LIKE A MAN? - THE USE OF COSMETICS

5/19/2017

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SHOW, DON'T TELL!
Recently, I read a blog by a male romance writer and friend of mine, Bob Richard, entitled Guys don’t wear makeup so why should you? http://romancetheguyspov.blogspot.com/ January 3, 2016.

The piece addresses the title question from the male point of view. "Women sometimes dress up and put on makeup to attract men. But most guys basically don't care. Sure, they'll notice, but are you their type? I'll venture to say that every man has preferences and sometimes getting to know a woman trumps that."
That got me to thinking. Have I been missing an opportunity in my writing. The use of, and attitude toward, cosmetics is one way, out of many, to show a heroine's (or hero's) character rather than describe it.
But first, let's look at where the practice same from.


BODY DECORATING
Body decorating dates back to the African Middle Stone Age (about 100,000 years ago) when the Neanderthals, our closest relatives, are believed to have painted their bodies even before they wore clothes.

Researchers say that the ritual of body art, decorating the body in some form, existed in all tribes/ cultures/ societies in all locations of the world. Rituals are a true universal human constant, and body decorating and painting can be described as a ritual of identification and initiation, and was used for the following:
   ● Group/tribe identity (expression of one's culture)
   ● Important changes in an individual's life (such as puberty or marriage)
   ● Honoring or celebrating religious beliefs
   ● Individual expression and identity
   ● Attracting a suitable mate

The art itself could temporary, paint or henna, or permanent, such as tattoos or piercings.

ALL ABOUT COSMETICS
These pre-historical rituals of body painting continued and 12,000 years ago began to morph into the beginnings of the cosmetic industry.

Around 10,000 BC, the Egyptians discovered the healing properties of scented oils. Soon they began using them to clean and soften skin and to mask body odor. By 4,000 BC, Egyptian men and women used soot and other natural minerals to decorate their faces as an important part of their identity as a culture and religion.


By 3000 BC, Egyptians applied galena mesdemet (made of copper and lead ore) and a green paste of malachite to their faces for color and kohl to shape their eyes. Even in those ancient times, women carried makeup boxes to parties and kept them under their chairs. They also employed a combination of beeswax and resin as a hair-setting lotion and a treatment for graying hair. Lip and cheek cover was enhanced with rouge made from ground up carmine beetles. These practices spread from Egypt to Rome and Greece and became popular. Roman women whitened their faces with chalk and lead.

Within the same time frame, women in China and Japan used rice powder and shaved their natural eyebrows, replacing them with painted ones. The Chinese also stained their fingernails with gum Arabic, gelatin, beeswax and egg white. At first royalty wore gold and silver nails, then later black or red. However, the use of bright colors on nails was forbidden to commoners.
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There are references in the Bible to the use of cosmetics, and makeup was worn by the peoples of Persia and the Middle East until the people converted to Islam. According to Wikipedia, in Islamic law women are permitted to wear cosmetics for their husbands and family, but the makeup may not be made of substances harmful to the body.

During the Middle Ages, after the church condemned women wearing makeup, but the practice continued, at least among the rich. Pale skin has always been associated with social status and wealth because the rich could spend time indoors without working under the sun. From the sixth to the sixteenth century women used dangerous blood-draining techniques to achieve a pale complexion. Others applied egg whites or white lead-based paint which sometimes resulted in tumors, muscular disorders, and even death.

And so it goes!

By the 1800s, zinc oxide powder replaced the deadly lead and copper mixtures. Queen Victoria proclaimed publically that makeup was improper, and the use of cosmetics became regarded as vulgar. Through the early 1900s, cosmetics were not used by most western women.

And then along came the movies. Ta-Da!

The acceptance of cosmetics has had its ups and down in terms of popular, religious, and social acceptance. Still today, the argument rages about whether or not women should wear makeup and how much.

Whatever your position on the subject, let's face it. Today the cosmetics industry brings in over $50 billion a year, just in the United States. Worldwide, it's well over one hundred billion dollars. The industry takes advantage of social standards and the human instinct to look young, attractive, and healthy. That is unlikely to change. Cosmetics are here to stay for the foreseeable future.

THE QUESTION IS WHY?
In ancient times, cosmetics were used by both men and women. In the 21st century, their use is predominantly the realm of women and cinema makeup artists. The Why is both very simple and yet complicated because it is instinct stretching back to our prehistoric roots.
   ● Group/tribe identity (expression of one's culture)
   ● Important changes in an individual's life, such as puberty, marriage, etc.
   ● Honoring or celebrating religious beliefs
   ● Individual expression and identity
   ● Attracting a suitable mate

Today, the first three reasons tend to be expressed through body decorating most often as clothing and jewelry. The first, group identity, is integral. Being accepted by the group is a driving instinct among humans. In prehistoric times, those who were not part of a group didn't survive.

The fourth, individual expression and identity, also employ body and face painting, clothing, jewelry, tattoos and piercings, but also includes possessions such as cars, furniture, and so on.


Attracting A Suitable Mate
Research shows good-looks is important in attracting a mate, and that people generally choose mates with a similar level of attractiveness. The evolutionary theory is that by mating with someone who has similar genes, one's own genes are conserved. Volumes of research have been documented and, in terms of natural selection in both the animal and human worlds, "sex sells". Thus, striving to look attractive is not so vain after all.
CONCLUSIONS
After spending far too much time researching, reading articles, and thinking about this, I've tried to formulate some conclusions for what they're worth.

● The social standard for beauty today is impossibly high—a nonexistent ideal—and "the only people who expect us to look flawless are ourselves."

● Good-looks (beauty) does matter on a number of different levels beyond attracting a mate. Looking good boosts self-confidence and self-esteem, which shows in other ways than physical appearance.

● It's a basic instinct to want to look attractive, and definitely nothing to be ashamed of.

● It's basic instinct to want to be accepted by "the group" (whatever that is to an individual) and, again, definitely nothing to be ashamed of.

● No one agrees on what the "right amount of makeup" should be or whether a woman should wear any.

● People who are good-looking will be so with or without makeup. For those of us who are not in that category of beauty (however you define it), certain improvements in looks can be made with color, contouring, covering blemishes and correcting flaws we can't otherwise change.
● Makeup is an art form. It can be fun, creative, and challenging.

● Makeup is a legitimate way to express your individuality.

● When you buy makeup, you're buying the brand name. Expensive or not, the contents are essentially the same and there are no controls on what the cosmetic companies promise.

● Natural does not necessarily mean healthy or undamaging to the body.

● Women wear makeup for themselves rather than others. Whether or not a woman wears makeup or how much she wears is a choice that does say something about the woman's character.

● Makeup and cosmetics can become an obsession, and when that happens, it has damaging effects like all other obsessions.

That's my take on it. Just don't forget makeup when you create characters. It's so much a part of our lives.

Resources
http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/04/women-wear-too-much-makeup-because-they-mistakenly-think-men-want-them-to/361264/
http://www.wisegeek.org/why-do-women-wear-makeup.htm
http://thoughtcatalog.com/alyssa-mathews/2014/03/4-reasons-why-women-wear-makeup-for-those-who-just-dont-get-it/
http://www.bustle.com/articles/3243-why-do-women-wear-makeup
http://legacy.jyi.org/volumes/volume6/issue6/features/feng.html
http://scienceblogs.com/observations/2010/11/04/the-science-of-makeup/
http://www.bella-volen.com/Body-Painting-History-Bodyart-History-Geschichte-der-Koerperbemalung.html
http://dailycreativity.net/history-of-body-painting/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_cosmetics
http://www.ancient-origins.net/body-art
http://www.webmd.com/beauty/makeup/history-makeup
http://www.alternet.org/story/148140/the_cosmetics_racket:_why_the_beauty_industry_can_get_away_with_charging_a_fortune_for_makeup
http://www.beautyresource.org.uk/content/history-beauty-industry.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_Stone_Age
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_painting
 
 

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LEADERSHIP VS FOLLOWERSHIP

5/12/2017

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"NEITHER A FOLLOWER NOR SUBORDINATE BE."
Not exactly Polonius' advice to his son. [Hamlet, Act I, scene 3, 75-77], but it's close to the current philosophy. In fact, no one ever advises someone to be a good follower, at least in this country.

How many high school or university valedictorians have your heard who praise the virtues of followership? God forbid! We are the future leaders of yada-yada-yada.
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According to popular belief, it's leadership that counts. It's also a popular belief that if you're a follower, you're also a slacker. This is a good example: http://www.inspirationalarchive.com/1505/leaders-vs-followers/

●    When leaders makes mistakes, they say, "I was wrong."
      When followers make mistakes, they say, "It wasn't my fault."
●    Leaders work harder than followers, and have more time.
      Followers are always "too busy" to do what is necessary.
●    Leader make and keep commitments.
      Followers make promises and forget them.

I'll spare you the rest. I found this insulting to the many hard workers who get the job done. The article really made me mad and inspired me to write this blog. While I assume the article was intended to be inspirational, it couldn't be further from the truth.

YOU CAN'T LEAD IF NO ONE FOLLOWS.

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I got myself in hot water when I was Planning Director for Fresno County over that statement.  The County wanted certain policies affecting all the incorporated cities within the county, and the cities were opposed. At a public hearing before the Board of Supervisors, one of the supervisors was going on and on about how the County had always been the leader in these matters. I open my big mouth and rebutted that I'd always understood that to be a leader, someone had to be following, and in this case, no one was.

Well, the County Supervisor was not happy with me, but afterward he showed me a great deal more respect, even though he never stopped referring to the Planning Department's recommendations as "sophistic."

WHAT IS LEADERSHIP?
Joseph Rost, one of the foremost thinkers in the leadership field today says leadership is “an influence relationship among leaders and followers who intend real changes that reflect their mutual purposes.”

By this, he means that the essence of leadership lies in the process of influencing; that leadership is a process — not a person, not personality traits, not the behaviors — but a process that leaders and followers engage in together. Without influence no one can exercise leadership


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e process of influencing can't occur without interactive relationships between people that make that influence possible. Influence relationships are mutual, reciprocal and multi-directional. In other words, followers influence leaders, leaders influence followers, and peers influence each other.

An article on changingminds.org characterizes the relationship as "the leader-follower dance". It takes both parties, and it is the choice of both…a balance of give and take, influence and motivation. It achieves strategic and practical goals through professionally social means.  And it's one of the highest arts of changing minds.

ARE LEADERS BORN, NOT MADE?
According to psychologist Richard D. Arvey, the scientific studies his researchers conducted "support the idea that leadership can be rooted in an individual's nature and a built-in drive to lead comes in the form of genes passed on from parents." He also points out that there is no "leadership" gene. Hundred of genes interact with a great deal of complexity to produce the biological tendency to want to wear the crown. One of the conclusions of the study is that about a third of the tendency to desire to lead is genetic.

That leaves two thirds of the "drive to lead" up to the individual's environment, their upbringing, education, and life experience.


HOW YOU FOLLOW DETERMINES HOW YOU WILL LEAD

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Dr. Bret L. Simmons [College of Business, University of Nevada] has some keen insights into leadership.  Since most people have the opportunity to follow and to lead, even at the same time [but in different way or on different tasks], how a person follows will determine how that same person will lead. Dr. Simmons says you have to learn to be a good follower in order to be a good leader.

● "If you wait to be told, do it and then stop, or criticize and complain, and don't do what you're supposed to do, you'll never be a leader."

● "If you give 110% and do your job well but never challenge or make suggestions, you'll probably become a leader but you will lead in the same manner: i.e. not appreciate suggestions and challenges as opportunities to improve the project/project."

● "If you give 100%, do a good job, look for ways to make the project better, are willing to look for what you can do right now to help, and challenge and make suggestions for ways to improve," you will not only become a leader but a good one.

So, the bottom line is that individuals are not just followers or leaders. They can be, and probably will be, both.  So learn to be a good follower so you can be a good leader, too.

FOLLOWERS CHOOSE TO FOLLOW
Leadership is not a supervisor/subordinate relationship.  Sure, as a manager or supervisor you can be a good leader, but just because you're in that position and others have to do what you tell them, does not make you a leader.

Ask yourself the question, "Why do people follow leaders?" People don't choose to follow just anyone. Even on the job, where you are required to do what your supervisor says, you make the decision [consciously or unconsciously] whether or not you are going to be the follower in the Inspirational Archive article I began with, or to become a real follower.

Research indicates these are the basic reasons why people will follow one individual and not another:
● Faith in the leader
● Intellectual agreement
● Buying into the vision/the solution
● Respect and mutual support

ARE THERE LEADERSHIP ROLES FOR AUTHORS?
I'm an advocate for making informed decisions. I believe people should make choices because they know what the choices are and have weighed the consequences, and not act emotionally without thinking about it or without information.

There are roles for leadership in every profession. I'm not sure what I want writers to take away from this blog, but leadership and followership opportunities exist everywhere. We're faced with these choices daily. Perhaps understanding the dynamic will assist in identifying those opportunities which come your way and help you make conscious choices.

If nothing else, a good understanding of the "leader-follower dance" will come in handy in developing characters with leadership roles and challenges in your novels.
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Resources
http://www.inspirationalarchive.com/1505/leaders-vs-followers/
http://crowinfodesign.com/2009/11/17/leadership-vs-follower-styles/
http://www.exe-coach.com/arti.htm#leaderFollowerRelationships
http://changingminds.org/blog/0701blog/070103blog.htm
http://ldrflr.blogspot.com/2006/04/leader-vs-follower.html
http://wildfiremag.com/command/leaders_become_followers/
http://www.livescience.com/17116-life-extremes-leaders-followers.html
http://www.bretlsimmons.com/about/
 
 


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When Is A Bear Not A Bear?

5/5/2017

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WHEN IS A BEAR NOT A BEAR?
There are a number of answers to this question, but the primary one is: When it's a Koala.
(If you wonder what a "Water Bear" is, that's another subject entirely.)

Picture
Actually, the koala is an arboreal herbivorous marsupial native to Australia. It is the only extant representative of the family Phascolarctidae (You really needed to know that, right?), and its closest living relatives are the wombats.

The koala and the bear share scientific classification to the point of both being mammals, but from there they part ways. Marsupials give birth to their young at a very small and immature stage (about 2 centimeters long, blind, and hairless).

The baby, called a Joey, is then transferred to the mother's pouch where it matures, nourished by the mother's milk. When the Joey outgrows its safe little pouch-home, the mother carries the juvenile on her back.


           At birth                                Pouch Juvenile                        Back Juvenile
 n fact, the koala is more closely related to a kangaroo than a bear. What a buzz kill!
 
FROM WHENCE THEY CAME
Forty-five million years ago, the land mass which is now the Australian continent, drifted northward and gradually separated from the Antarctic land mass.

Scientists believe Koala-like animals first evolved on the Australian continent where fossil remains of Koala-like animals have been found dating back to 25 million years. There are at least six (and possibly eight) extinct species.

Australia's indigenous people are believed to have arrived in Australia 60,000 years ago, and they found the ancestors of the koala a readily available source of food. Part of the Aboriginal philosophy is to never take more than is needed, and all animals were important to their cultures. Each Aboriginal tribe had a different name for the koala, including koala, kaola, koolewong, colo, colah, koolah, and more.

Koalas and humans co-existed peacefully until Europeans came to Australia.  John Price was the first European to record Koalas in 1798. The animal was given its scientific name in 1816. After that, it was discovered that the Koala was not a bear at all.
In addition to clearing the Eucalyptus trees for farming, the new European settlers discovered that the Koala was a source of fur that could be traded. Millions of koala were killed for their pelts. By 1924, the animal was extinct in South Australia, and almost extinct in other locations.

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In 1927, the public was outraged by the slaughter of 800,000 koalas in one month and, by the late 1930s, all states in Australia had declared the koala as a protected species. However, no laws to protect their habitat, gum trees (the only source of food for the koalas), were enacted.

Koala pelts - Photo from John Oxley Library, Brisbane, Australia
Loss of habitat has continued to be a serious problem and, in 2012, Koalas were declared as a 'Vulnerable Species' under the Environmental Protection and  Biodiversity Conservation Act. Still, nothing was done to protect the habitat.
 
INTERESTING FACTS
These facts are almost word for word what is listed on the "Save The Koala" website. There aren't too many ways to express these facts. https://www.savethekoala.com/

● Koalas can only live in the wild in one place in the world: Australia.

● Koalas eat only Eucalyptus leaves (also called gum leaves), and they smell like Eucalyptus. The koalas climb the trees and hop from tree to tree to get the leaves. Adults eat 2.5 pounds of food a day. These leaves are a very low-energy diet and renders the animals susceptible to stress.

● Koalas have a fiber-digesting organ called a caecum -- Other mammals have them, including humans – which contains millions of bacteria to break down the fiber into substances easier to absorb. But the Koala can still only absorb 25% of the fiber eaten. This is the reason they have to eat so many leaves.


Picture
 Most of the time, except in cases of drought, Koalas don’t need to drink water because they get all the moisture they need from the gum leaves (Eucalyptus).

● Koalas have 5 digits on each front paw, two of which are opposed to the others, much like our thumbs are able to be moved differently from the fingers. This helps them to hold firmly onto the branches and grip their food. The 2nd and 3rd digits on their hind paws are fused together to form a grooming claw.


● Koalas also have finger prints which resemble human finger prints. Finger print experts are known to have had difficulty being able to tell if the prints are from a human or koala. Any kind of finger print is rare among mammals that climb trees.

● Koalas are primarily nocturnal. While most nocturnal animals are awake at night and asleep during the day, koalas sleep for part of the night and also sometimes move about in the daytime. They often sleep for up to 18-20 hours each day (16 hr. average) because it requires a lot of energy to digest their toxic, fibrous, low-nutrition diet.

● Koalas live in complex social groups and are not migratory, but highly territorial. In stable breeding groups, individual members of Koala society maintain their own "home range" areas.

● Each koala’s "home" is made up of several trees called "Home Trees" which they visit regularly. The area covered by these trees is called the Koala’s "Home Range". Each koala had its own Home Range which may overlap those of other Koalas.

A mature male has a dark scent gland in the center of his white chest which exudes a dark, sticky substance. He rubs this on his trees to indicate to other Koalas that this is his territory.


Picture
Unless breeding, they don’t normally visit another koala's home trees. The size of each home range depends upon a range of factors including the quality of the habitat and the sex, age and social position in the population of the Koala.

● Koalas also communicate with each other by making a range of noises. The most startling and unexpected of these in such a seemingly gentle animal is a sound like a loud snore and then a belch, known as a "bellow".

Picture
● A forest can only have a certain number of Koalas living in it. This is called the forest’s "carrying capacity" because the available gumtrees can only feed a certain number of Koalas. 
 
CUDDLING KOALAS
One of the highlights of my trip to Australia was a visit to the Brisbane Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, a facility dedicated to the rescue of injured and abandoned koalas and kangaroos. Some can be released back into the wild, others remain residents of the sanctuary.

Some of the koalas can be held. Laws limit the handling of a koala to 30 minutes a day, so there is constant rotation of the animals.  Studies show that koalas are far more stressed by human encounters than previously thought. The animals become stressed by noisy and up-close encounters with human visitors.

Cuddling a koala is only possible in Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia. Unfortunately, it is illegal in New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania or the Northern Territory.


Picture
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This was the highlight of our trip for my granddaughter
Who wouldn't want hold one of these cute, cuddly animals?

Koalas have brownish-grey or silver-grey fur and a big pink and/or black nose. They look so cute and cuddly and soft. But actually they aren't soft and furry. The texture of their hair is coarse and rather stiff, which surprised me. In contrast, the area between a kangaroo's ears is extremely soft.
Picture
While holding the koala, the handler is feeding the animal constantly. There are about fifteen locations where the hands-on experience of holding a koala is available. If you ever get the opportunity, don't miss out. It is a "bucket list" experience.
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Resources
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drop_bear
https://www.savethekoala.com/about-koalas/interesting-facts
https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koala
http://www.koala.net/
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2633081/The-Koala-bear-humans-Researchers-warn-animals-far-stressed-encounters-previously-thought.html
https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g255055-i120-k464102-Holding_Koalas_and_Wombats-Australia.html
http://www.koala.net/
https://news.experienceoz.com.au/where-to-cuddle-a-koala-in-australia/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lone_Pine_Koala_Sanctuary
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/k/koala/
https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koala


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    Author R. Ann Siracusa

    Novelist, retired architect and urban planner, world traveler, quilter, owl collector, devoted wife-mother-grandmother, great-grandmother, and, according to some, wild-assed liberal.

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