Effective vs Efficient

Lets say for a moment you plan a hiking trip to climb Pikes Peak Mountain in Colorado. Pikes Peak is one of the dozens of “14ers” in Colorado. A 14er is classified as a mountain that meets or exceeds 14,000 feet above sea level. Your goal is to reach the summit of Pikes Peak. You have done your research and prepare for the hike. You have a light pack that you will carry, and in it you have all the necessary gear designed for light weight and efficiency. You have also done some physical training prior to the climb to insure you are in good shape and to contribute to the success of your climb. It is early in the morning and off you go. The air is crisp and clean and you are off to a great start. You feel good and are making great time.You eat, drink a bit of water and continue on. You come to a false summit and realize you are not there yet, but on schedule and should be there soon. Because of your preparation and stamina you have a successful climb. You see the summit and your so excited to achieve your goal and all that you have worked for. You get to the top and look at the sign and…..you have climbed the wrong mountain. Instead of climbing Pikes Peak you actual have climbed Longs Peak.

Effective VS Efficient

Effective: 1. producing a result that is wanted : having an intended effect 2. successful in producing a desired or intended result.

Efficient: 1. (esp. of a system or machine) achieving maximum productivity with minimum wasted effort or expense. 2. (of a person) working in a well-organized and competent way.

You see, many people think that if they work efficiently that they will get their desired results. Many times when that doesn’t happen, they wonder what went wrong. They prepare correctly and executed correctly and in a very efficient way, the problem is, they were climbing the wrong mountain.

If your desired result was to reach the summit of Pikes Peak, you clearly didn’t achieve your goal. No matter how efficient you were in the task, you missed the mark.

The flip side of this is if you are effective but don’t have any efficiency then it may take you an extra long time to reach your goal. You don’t necessarily want this either. A balance of both is crucial to realizing your goal in a decent amount of time.

This is also one of the differences between leaders and managers. Leaders tend to be on the right mountain and managers tend to prepare for and execute an efficient hike. Many times you have to play both roles in your business but ideally if you lean one way or the other, then finding another team member who has what you don’t have is a recipe for success.

Knowing the difference between effectiveness and efficiency and also how they work together is key. Take time to evaluate your goals and make sure your daily tasks align with whatever it is that you are trying to accomplish. Make course corrections as necessary and keep moving forward!

Jamie Lazar

Investor, Entrepreneur

Sources: LinkedIn

Jamie Lazar

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10 Soft Skills You Need to Master Now

Your experience and hard skills might get you initially noticed by employers, but it’s your soft skills that will advance your career.

If you’re seeking to get a leg up in your current job or find a better opportunity, it’s important to realize that 77 percent of employers believe soft skills are just as important as hard skills. Employers desire well-rounded employees who are motivated, enthusiastic, and committed to performance in the workplace.

Here are 10 soft skills to master:

1. Positive attitude.

Employers want to hire people who are pleasant to work with and bring uplifting energy to the workplace. According to Millennial Branding, 84 percent of companies look for candidates who have a positive attitude.

2. A great work ethic.

Your hard work and dedication will take you far in the workplace. In fact, 73 percent of companies value strong work ethic as one of their top soft skills.

3. Excellent communication skills.

Eighty-three percent of employers value communication skills in the workplace. Whether you’re a writer by trade or not, you need be able to send well-written emails and deliver solid presentations.

4. Be dependable.

When 73 percent of employers seek dependable candidates during the hiring process, make sure you never let your boss or coworkers down.

5. Ability to work in a team.

Regardless of the type of job you have, there will probably be a time when you have to work in a team and collaborate with others. According to Millennial Branding, 74 percent of employers desire candidates who can work in a team.

6. Motivate yourself.

Motivation is another important soft skill to possess because it increases your productivity and morale at work. Sixty-six percent of employers value individuals who are self-motivated.

7. Strong organizational skills.

Fifty-seven percent of employers desire candidates who can stay organized at work and manage multiple priorities. If you want move forward in your career, show your employer you’re able to stay on top of your projects, deadlines, and daily tasks.

8. Be flexible.

Flexibility is an important quality to have in the workplace because it allows you to be prepared for anything and adapt to changes. Half of employers believe it’s important for employees to be flexible at work.

9. Handle pressure.

Sometimes work can be difficult or stressful, which is why 57 percent of employers look for people who are able to work well under pressure.

10. Confidence is key.

There are a number of reasons 46 percent of employers value confidence in the workplace. Whether it’s being confident enough to share ideas or lead a team, this is another important quality to have.

What soft skills do you believe are important in the workplace?

Image Courtesy of Bigstock

About Heather R. Huhman:

Heather R. Huhman is a career expert, experienced hiring manager, and founder & president of Come Recommended, a content marketing and digital PR consultancy for job search and human resources technologies. She is also the instructor of Find Me A Job: How To Score A Job Before Your Friends, author of Lies, Damned Lies & Internships (2011) and#ENTRYLEVELtweet: Taking Your Career from Classroom to Cubicle (2010), and writes career and recruiting advice for numerous outlets. Follow Heather below to receive all her articles!

Facts about Food

• onion is Latin for "large pearl"
• marketers didn't like the name Chinese gooseberry, so they renamed it "kiwi" after a bird that it resembles
• one of the expensive coffee in the world is brewed from beans partially digested and defecated by the Asian palm civet  - it's called Kopi Luwak*
• rosemary oils can be used as a natural meat preservative
• pineapple is a natural painkiller
• cinnamon significantly reduces blood sugar
• the antioxidant content of oregano is higher than that of blueberries
• during the Middle Ages, a lemon slice was served with the fish because it wasthought the juice would dissolve any bones that were accidentally swallowed
• the chemicals in garlic are so potent that you can suffer severe burns just by placing a garlic clove against your skin
• 30,000 years ago the only food that tasted fantastic was honey and it was dangerous to get.

Facts about Tea

Tea is the most drunk beverage in the world (just behind water), being the favorite drink of the world's two most populated nations - India and China. Interestingly, these two are also the top two producers and in the same order. Apart from these, Tea is also the national drink of Iran, Turkey, UK, Egypt, Ireland, Morocco and countries in the middle east. 

An average of 3 billion cups of tea are consumed every day. That is one cup per day for every adult human in the world. Tea consumption and cognitive impairment and decline in older Chinese adults

Tea is considered among the healthiest  of the beverages with their flavanoids. White tea can help fight  Parkinson's disease, heart diseases and some forms of cancer. Types of Teas and Their Health Benefits 

Chai stores are ubiquitous in India and forms the biggest chunk of retail "ventures" in the country. 

Tea was discovered in 2737 BC in China, when an Emperor reportedly found tea leaves accidentally fallen in his hot water. Until 18th century, China was the only source of Tea in the world. 

In Tibet, Tea is added with salt and butter.

The world's priciest Tea is made from Panda's poo and sold at over $200/cup  The Secret To World’s Most Expensive Tea? Panda Poo

Although Coffee is their main  beverage, Americans gulp over 50 billion cups of tea every year. On an  average day, half the American households consume tea. 85% of the  consumption is through iced tea.

Turkish people are among the heaviest drinkers of tea in the world - consuming over 2.1 kg of tea every year on an average.

Tea was introduced in India by the British in 19th century. It is primarily grown in Assam, Darjeeling (both in India's northeast) and Nilgiris (in the south). These Indian varieties are considered among the highest qualities of tea.

The most common types of Tea are Black tea, White tea, Green tea, Oolong tea. White and Green tea are considered the healthiest.However, all these are originated from the same plant species. 

Tea, when used without milk and sugar, has no calories and only half as much caffeine as an equal sized serving of Coffee

Interesting Facts about India

1. India has the largest number of mosques. 300,000 which is much more than the muslim world.
2. Before 1896, India was the only place in the world where Diamonds could be found.
3. India has the largest postal system in the world.
4. India exports software to 90 countries.
5. Martial Arts were first created in India, and later spread to Asia by Buddhist missionaries.
6. Varanasi is the oldest, continuously inhabited city in the world today.
7. India leads the world with the most murders (32,719), with Russia taking second at 28,904 murders per year.
8. India is the only place in the world where you can find lions and tigers coexisting together.
9. Chandragupta Maurya, a famous king of India, was guarded by a band of women on horseback.
10. Jawaharlal Nehru, Lord Mountbatten and MK Gandhi were unaware that MA Jinnah had been diagnosed with terminal cancer. Had they known this, independence could have delayed and India would still have been a single undivided country.
    
    Sources:
    Interesting Facts about India
    61 Interesting Facts about India

Countries you probably never heard about.

Countries you probably never heard about.

You really have to be a geography freak to know about these countries from the list. It’s irrelevant to us how recognized they areas countries but they surely look at themselves like that. Of course a special thanks to Wikipedia for the article’s research.

10. Vanuatu, 90% of Vanuatu people household and consume fish, and 80% are living in rural, isolated villages with their own gardens and food supplies. Scuba diving is a very popular tourist attraction here. Tsunamis are not a rare thing in Vanuatu, and earthquakes have a negative affect on the country’s economy.
 

9. Nauru, a former German Empire colony is alsoknown as Pleasant Island of the South Pacific. The people of Nauru are collecting rain water during monsoon rains between November and February because they are very limited on natural fresh water. The most popular sport in this country is Australian rules football, and they have football league with seven teams.
 

8. Tuvalu, is a constitutional monarchy with Queen Elizabeth II as head of state. They don’t have regular military forces, and spend no money on defense. Tuvalu is the 4th smallest country in the world. The first inhabitants of the country were Polynesian people.
 

7. Comoros is African island nation in the Indian Ocean between Mozambique and Madagascar. The island is an old French colony, and today there is about 300 000 Comorians living in France. 98% of the population is Islamic.
 

6. Guernsey is under the responsibility of the United Kingdom but they don’t count as a part of the U.K, as well as the European Union. Guernsey is located in the English Channel on the coast of Normandy. They have complete autonomy over internal affairs, and they are discussing total independence from the British Crown.
 

5. Isle of Man, also known as Mann, is self-governing British Crown Dependency, with a location in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland. They are not a part of the European Union. Isle of Man economy is based on offshore banking and tourism. The island has been inhabited since before 6500 BC.
 

4. Tokelau, is a non-self-governing territory of New Zealand that consists of three islands. The name Tokelau is a Polynesian word that means “north wind”. The island has the smallest economy of any country in the world that makes them almost completely dependent on subsidies from New Zealand. 96% of the population is Christians and 57% of these are women.
 

3. Cook Islands, are a self-governing parliamentary democracy. With over 90 000 tourists per year, tourism is their far best industry and their leading element of the island economy, far ahead of offshore banking, marine, pearls and fruit exports. Cook Islands got named by the British navigator Captain James Cook when he arrived the islands in 1773.
 

2. Pitcairn Islands, officially named the Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie and Oeno Islands, are a group of four volcanic islands that are formerly a British colony, the last remaining in the Pacific. The population’s language is a mix of English and Tahitian. In recent years the church has been closed because only 8 islanders have been visiting it regularly. There is only one Café and Bar on the island, and the Government Store is selling alcohol and cigarettes. They used to have moral strict laws which prohibited dancing, smoking and consummation of alcohol.
 

1. Nagorno-Karabakh Republic is the independent republic located between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Nagorno Karabakh is one of the most heavily mined regions of the former Soviet Union because of the 1991-1994 Nagorno-Karabakh War. They are still not recognized by any state, including Armenia. 95% of the population is Armenian, and the rest are Greeks and Kurds. Their tourism are basically directed to Armenians that live in Western countries.

Owning the Owned - The British East India Company

The British East India Company is now owned by an Indian.

From 1600 this notorious company ruled India by  suppressing, massacring and implementing the infamous divide and rule policy on Indians. Now an Indian owns it! .. 

Sanjiv Mehta - The owner of The East India Company 

East India Company now has an Indian owner - Hindustan Times

Tardigrade - World's Toughest Animal

• This crazy looking thing is known as the Tardigrade!! Tardigrades (also known as waterbears or moss piglets) are water-dwelling, segmented micro-animals, with eight legs.
• It is the hardiest known animal in existence. It can survive for ten days in vacuum whereas the amount of time a human can survive in space unprotected is 2 minutes.
• Tardigrades are the earth’s most tenacious creature can live in boiling water, solid ice, and the intense radiation of space. It can survive a decade in a desert, without a drop of water to drink, or in the deepest trenches of the sea

5-reasons-why-the-tardigrade-is-natures-toughest-animal

Mind blowing facts about China

In human history, nothing has changed faster than China’s fortunes: the country has shown brutal, breathtaking, miraculous, and stupendous economic growth.The future may well belong to China notwithstanding the lack of democracy, institutions, demographic dividend, market-driven economy, and transparency.

Steeped in its ruthlessness, China can collapse only because of its own “screwing-up”; others don’t seem capable of toppling it. The Chinese story is here to stay.

The Chinese Economic Miracle (some samples)

• Which country spends more than $1bn per day to build world-class infrastructure?
• Which country can add the equivalent of 100 Channel Tunnels in just 5 years?
• Which country consumes half the world’s cement, one-third of its steel, and one-fourth of its aluminum?
• Which country can boast of building a skyline (in 10 years) that is twice that of Manhattan (built over 100 years)?
• Which country runs the fastest train in the world?
• Which country has more Starbucks than the US?
• Which country buys more cars, trucks, refrigerators, washing machines, air-conditioners, and other kitchen / home appliances than the US?
• Which country can add 105 GW of power in one year, equal to the entire generating capacity of India?
• Which country is the world’s largest producer of power from renewable energy?
• Which country could build 50 new Nuclear Reactors by 2020, whereas the rest of the world will have only 15?
• Which country produces 95% of the rare-earth metals like yttrium and lanthanum that are needed for everything from iPods to precision-guided weaponry?
• Which country insists that producers who want to use these rare metals have to set up shop there (in the home country)?

Quiet Please ???

Shhhhhh......

All about Snipers

Snipers ? They blow up people's minds.

More seriously:

• The verb to snipe originated from any hunter adept enough to kill the snipe, a species of bird with a long, slender bill.
• Snipers were originally called "sharpshooters" not because they had to have sharp eyesight, or sharp aim, but because of their use of a Sharps rifle.
• The first ever documented use of snipers was in the American Revolution, where colonists hid in the trees and shot at British troops with rifles.
• Contrary to popular portrayal, snipers often work in pairs, with a spotter holding a short-range weapon to protect the soldier with the long-range weapon. In addition, they often switch to avoid eye fatigue.
• An early sniper motto: "He who shoots and runs away, lives to shoot another day."
• There was a sniping school founded at Linghem, France in 1916.
• The British at some point used paper-mache dummies to draw sniper fire. They even lit fake cigarettes to make it appear more realistic. Once the dummy was fired at, the soldiers then used triangulation to determine the location of the sniper. They then used artillery to destroy the sniper.
• Sniper Simo Häyhä had 505 confirmed kills in 100 days.
• The longest sniper kill distance is 2.47 km, as noted by Deepak Mehta.Computer simulations predict that there would have been a six second gapbetween the firing of the bullet and collision with the target as the bullet sailed through the air. During that time, the bullet would have dipped 2.8º. IN addition, a small breeze of only 2.7 m/s would have diverted the bullet 9m off course.
• In another notable incident, a two-man sniper team of the Royal Marines each killed people at a range of about 860 m with shots that, due to strong wind, had to be fired "exactly 17 meters (56 ft) to the left of the target for the bullet to bend in the wind."
• Mike Plumb, a SWAT sniper in Columbus, Ohio, once prevented a suicide by shooting a revolver out of the individual's hand, leaving him unharmed.
• Snipers are trained to squeeze the trigger straight back with the ball of their finger, to avoid jerking the gun sideways. Some doctrines train a sniper to breathe deeply before shooting, then hold their lungs empty while they line up and take their shot. Some go further, teaching their snipers to shoot between heartbeats to minimize barrel motion.
• People around a sniper's target won't hear the bang of the bullet being fired. They'll just see the target fall to the ground.

Sources: Facts, Discussion Forum, and Encyclopedia Article, The long view - Telegraph, and Wikipedia page: Sniper

Coffee Bean

There Are Two Kinds of Beans

The two kinds of beans are Arabica and Robusta. The have different tastes and different caffeine content; Arabica beans are more popular around the world. In fact, 70% of coffee drank on earth is Arabica.

Robusta beans grow in different climates and are found largely in Africa and Indonesia. Although most people prefer the taste of Arabica, Robusta has it's fans, and Robusta beans have twice as much caffeine as Arabica!

Pack Leader

I don't know about wise but this is definitely powerful and inspiring

English Flag

Ever wondered why there are three terms you commonly hear people saying when referring to England. Almost all people freely use the Great Britain and the United Kingdom as substitutes for England in general speech. So, is there any difference between the three terms?
              As a matter of fact, there is a big difference, and to understand it, the best way is to get help from the three respective flags. Let's go through a few flags and you will understand the meanings of all three terms.

Flag of England:

Flag of Scotland:

Now, these two countries along with Wales constitute the Great Britain and the flag of GB is also an amalgamation of these flags joined together.

Flag of Great Britain:

Add to these the Northern Ireland, and you get the United Kingdom. The same goes for the flag too.

Flag of Northern Ireland:

Flag of the United Kingdom

So, the next time you want to refer to England, just say England. :)

Adoption

Squirrels  are actually very kind to each other and will adopt abandoned baby  squirrels if they notice a relative has not come back for them. 

A con man sold the Eiffel Tower (almost twice)

en.wikipedia.org and commons.wikimedia.org

"Count" Victor Lustig was famous for being one of the smoothest con men in history, but his most impressive stunt was when he convinced six scrap metal dealers to bid on the Eiffel Tower.

The story goes that Lustig got the idea when he read an article about how the Eiffel Tower was rusting, and the high cost of its maintenance and repairs. Since the tower was only supposed to stand for 20 years, some Parisians were saying it should be taken down entirely.

Not one to miss an opportunity, Lustig devised a plan to convince the city's biggest scrap-metal dealers that he was a government director charged with the discreet task of selling off the Eiffel Tower's scrap metal. He rented limousines and gave tours of the landmark, and insinuated not only that this was very hush-hush government business, but that he could be bribed into accepting the winning bid.

One dealer was convinced, and paid Lustig $20,000 in cash plus an additional $50,000 to make sure his was the winning bid. Once he had the money, Lustig raced off to Austria to lay low while the story broke - but it never did since the dealer was too embarrassed to report Lustig's scam.

Lustig later returned to Paris and gave it another try, but was worried one of the scrap dealers had notified the police. He fled to the U.S. where he was ultimately caught. Read more about Lustig's life here.

Iceland

1) Iceland has no army and is also recognized as world's most peaceful country.

2) Iceland is the most sparsely populated country in Europe.

3) Life expectancy is 81.3 years for women and 76.4 for men– one of the highest in the world. 

4) An international study done in 2006 ranked Iceland as the “Fourth Happiest Nation” in the world.

5) Icelanders value literacy and hold the world record for number of books per capita.

The heartbreaking fact is, I am not an Icelander.
In fact, 99.9956% people of the world's population don't live in Iceland.