5 Leadership Qualities Petting A Dog Can Teach You

If you want to keep a pet, most likely it will be a dog. Either a dog with a pedigree for status quo or that ubiquitous village dog we call Aspin or Askal to serve as the household guard dog. But petting a dog should be more of a learning and fulfilling experience. If you would have your dog for companionship, a relationship must be built between the two of you. Training is essential to make him well behaved and to let your dog know what you want or do not want.

Dogs are naturally social animal. They live in a group called a pack. Every pack is like a community in which hierarchy exists where there is one regarded as the pack leader. In your home or territory the pack leader should be you, your dog must understand that he belonged to the lowest rung in the hierarchy of the household. This is where your leadership is brought to the test.

There are five leadership qualities that petting a dog can teach you: communication skill, trustworthiness, discipline, confidence and responsibility.

Communication Skill

The first thing that you must fully develop in yourself is communication skill. Why? Between two different specie you and your dog will be talking in different languages. So you have to learn how you can make your dog understand what you require of him. This is not really a big problem as there are techniques you can use to convey your message. Sign language is one tool that you can use together with your verbal command. After learning how to give your command and require obedience from your dog, relating to him also require that you learn how he expresses his feelings. Learning how they communicate will help you understand their moods and wants. Once the communication gap is bridged then the relationship can really be successful.

Trustworthiness

Relationship is an action and reaction situation - a good act shall reap a corresponding good reaction. Animals do have feelings and sensibilities too. They know how to fear, to be traumatized, to exert their wants and could challenge your leadership. One of the most admiring characteristic of dogs is their loyalty. They will serve you to their end, even die for you. They will be loyal but in return you have to properly care for them. They shall be depending on you for their upkeep - food, health, shelter and their total well-being.

Discipline

Keeping your pet also requires a healthy life and the most effective way of keeping fit, not only your dog's but for you as well is an exercise regiment. OK, we are all busy with full daily schedule - professional, family, social and spiritual. So how could we still insert a time for your pet's exercise? This where the discipline to manage time comes in. A daily walk as exercise requires no more than 30 minutes to an hour. Why not wake up 30 minutes earlier for the exercise? A well managed time also makes your day a non-stressful day. So both of you are benefited with a healthy life.

Confidence

Your dog looks up to you as the pack leader. Being a leader requires an aura of confidence. Once he sensed that you lack the confidence, you cannot exert your full authority. If that happens, he can challenge your leadership or may not be as obedient as you would require.

Responsibility

Keeping dogs or any animals carries our responsibility to the community where we live. There are rules, regulations and laws we have to be aware of. Like preventing them to stray and could endanger neighbors, especially children.

Do you think you have these five qualities of leadership? If not, then I advise you to keep a dog and practice, it could bring a change in your career or life.

Helping The Poor Goes Beyond Rhetorics

Dole outs have been proven by time not to be the solution to help the poor. It comes in many forms accomplishing nothing but the satisfaction of the ego. Used and abused by those who professed to be benevolent benefactors. Rhetorics will not alleviate their poor condition, instead they will only remain in the mire they are trapped in. The cycle of poverty will just continue dragging with them their hopes and dreams.

Empathizing with the poor will help you to understand that what they want most of all is to keep their dignity. That they receive dole outs does not mean they would like to rely on it but are merely forced by circumstances to satisfy their immediate and pressing needs for the moment. If you sit with them and try to listen, what you will hear is their yearning to be given the opportunity to labor or to have stable jobs to sustain themselves and their family's basic needs - food, clothing, education. They are human after all.

Helping the poor has evolved into a social science. It is an effort that is not done haphazardly with mitigating motives. It is done with a heartfelt undertaking. Carefully planned and implemented.

A sustainable project that can be nourished progressively is the key to alleviate their condition. A program that will ensure that their long term need shall be met. Providing them with opportunities to become productive members of society. One step at a time.

No one man or organization nor the government itself can alleviate their condition doing it alone. It must be a communal endeavor where every member has a role even the beneficiary himself, for it is his future that is at stake.

A development partnership or coordination among major players such as government, development organizations and corporations is the other key to poverty alleviation. Everyone must have a stake in the development of the community:

1. The not for profit organizations that specializes on community development each with its own unique programs for the poor - education, skills training, livelihood, counseling, even micro-financing.

2. The government provides the necessary infrastructure and resources, including funding. It may also integrate their own programs to supplement the project.

3. Privately held Corporations to provide for additional funding and sometimes human resources. Responsible corporations have included it in their mission to be active participants in social development. In times of profits, they set aside certain funds to give something back to the community that contributed to their profitability. It is better to spend these hard earned money prudently. Even marketing funds must be spent astutely to achieve a long lasting effect on their consumers - whether for customer retention or for winning new ones. A development project will have more positive impact to the people and their community.

4. The beneficiary to actively participate in the molding of his future. He must understand that the project is not being force-fed but requires a voluntary participation.

There now lies the difference. A dole gives them joy for the moment. Opportunities give them joy for a lifetime.

Note: The author has worked with Gawad Kalinga, an organization that is committed to poverty alleviation through community development.

Corruption Kills!

In a statement made by the FSGO, a group of former government officials, it was corruption that led former Sec. Angelo Reyes to his death. It is true. I believe it is.

Before his death Sec. Reyes planned to issue his own statement, wherein he stated that when he got into the government he was already walking into a culture of corruption. A situation every neophyte will have to learn to live with - dance with the tune or turn a blind eye.

Corruption has long been a major disease that ails our country, not only in the military but in every services of the government. It has become endemic in our culture that what it needs is a major surgical operation to completely remove it from our society. No one person, even the President, or group like the Church can do it alone. And I don't expect it to be finished in my lifetime.

The ongoing investigation of corruption in the Senate must continue even with the death of the person they have trained their guns on. It should be pursued with vigorous statesmanship and patriotism and not become another worthless endeavor as what they are famous for. Sadly, nothing has ever come out of these Senate investigations, nothing has been achieved except for a show of their seemingly intellectual prowess and arrogance.

There are evidences and facts that supports the notion that corruption is one of the main source

of poverty anywhere in the world. The Philippines, a developing nation, included. It is very much in evidence as we can glean on the scarce activities in our economy.

If what killed former Secretary Angelo Reyes is corruption, then how many more ordinary people been killed by this cancer in our society.

How many jobless Filipinos driven to despair have committed suicide?

How many desperate mothers have committed suicide because they can no longer bear seeing their children go hungry?

How many babies were killed through abortion because their mothers do not have the means to sustain them?

Corruption has robbed us of the basic and essential services we must have or are all entitled to as guaranteed by the constitution. Corruption has robbed us of the necessary investments to create jobs and stimulate economic activities.

I hope that the honorable gentlemen of our country realize that they can not protect their circle forever.

Do I Need Expensive Devices for My Computing Needs?

Recently, my attention was caught by an article about what device you prefer to work with. Nowadays, with the advent of so many computing devices including the so-called smartphones, it has become harder to decide. Especially if you will consider the price factor.

However, it only boils down on whatever your needs are. I myself has learned to use two devices for my computing needs. Both are of mobile category but not the expensive types - I'm using a wifi capable myPhone QW28 with java installed. With it I can also access my email and social network sites on the go just as you can access them with an expensive smartphone. I also use it as my eBook reader.

I keep my needs as simple as possible - my IT related work on systems and database; my personal needs - writing, photo processing and social connectivity. Wherever I may be.

I have started my transition to cloud computing, that is all my files, contacts, calendars and everything else, I have been uploading them to my Google account. I do not want to buy a desktop/server to store all my files as they are expensive. Besides, maintaining two or more computers is a tedious job.

Google has almost everything you need - word processing, spreadsheet and even presentation. Attending seminars and conferences, I use the Google Notebook for my notes. Most of these venues have wifi facilities.

Connectivity nowadays is not a problem anymore - wifi is almost available anywhere you go, and if it is not, there is the GSM which you can use through your phone or a usb type broadband device which you can attach to your notebook or netbook.

I use my phone a lot now to connect and access my files in the clouds whenever I'm on the go. It is more convenient than toting your notebook or netbook along every time. Another advantage of cloud computing is I don't have to use a flash disk to transfer files. I really am not a fan of these devices as they tend to be easily infected by viruses that can harm any of my computing device. If you need to transfer any files, just access your files from the clouds and download or forward them to anyone. It is a lot safer. Google's security is mostly commendable so you do not have to worry about viruses and hackers.

With this infrastructure available, why would you need expensive devices or very large capacity hard disks for your computer? How your device can connect to the clouds and its capability to process your files are the only factors you have to consider if you are buying a device. Cost is not a hindrance anymore to be able to be productive or to satisfy your needs for computing.

No, I don't need expensive smartphones or computers.

Maintaining Relationships – Are we Accusers or Comforters?

We are again being bothered by a brewing outburst of feelings among some members of our community. Is it something new? I don’t think so.

Pondering deeply… this is the root cause of all troubles that have arisen in our community - Maintaining relationships.

It seems the strength we used to be proud of as members of the community is again being tested. Maybe not among those who are in the ground but in the upper echelons of the community. However, if it is happening up there, surely it could be happening in every level down the line. Have we become so proud of our own achievements and that we have become blind or unable to distinguish the work of the devil from the work of the Holy Spirit? If we remain set to our ways and reluctant to examine our thoughts and attitudes, we shall remain undisciplined and subject to the influences of the evil one.

There are two forces we have to contend with in our struggle to the daily challenges of our lives. The forces of good and the forces of evil. The former symbolizes unity and the latter of division. Consolations govern unity; accusations lead to division.

If our words are often full of accusations – founded or unfounded - towards one another, then it creates division. The relationship turns to mistrusts and suspicions. One’s shortcomings are magnified to the extent that one is made to feel useless and unworthy.

In contrast to the divisive nature of our thoughts is a kind and compassionate heart. If we tend to look at people with kindness and compassion, then we become comforter ourselves as the Holy Spirit is the comforter of souls. This brings unity and love among friends and families.

St. Paul exhorts all of us to fill our thoughts with “whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, and whatever is gracious.” (Phil 4:8)

Let us all be comforters, not accusers of one another.