Tips for Smart Women Defeat Office Politics

Are you a working woman, working in a corporate world..working in a jungle? Are you a prey or a predator?

Becoming politically savvy is not always viewed as a wholesome, worthy goal. The mere mention of the word "politics" triggers negative connotations.

A good friend of mine, an HR Director shared with us that she got frustrated after she was not promoted to VP-HR because a colleague was promoted ahead of her was less qualified but really good in "politicking."

In her article titled Seven Career Killers, author Erin Burt warns "avoiding politics altogether can be deadly for your career. Every workplace has an intricate system of power, and you can -- and should -- work it ethically to your best advantage." By becoming politically adept you can learn to:

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  Rise above power plays and interpersonal conflicts



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  Build a reputation as a go-to person, expert, or leader



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  Gain access to resources, information and opportunities



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  Influence outcomes and get buy-in for ideas and initiatives.

As you acquire the ability to navigate office politics effectively, I encourage you to let go of negative assumptions about office politics, and consider these alternate perspectives:
New Perspective #1: Replace the word "Politics" with the term "Organizational Awareness". Doesn't that sound better already?
New Perspective #2: Workplace politics is all about understanding communication and relationships, which women can excel at.
New Perspective #3: Make a personal commitment to use your organizational awareness in a way that is ethical and authentic.
Now that you are armed with a positive perspective, consider taking the following steps to use office politics to your strategic advantage.
Step 1: Map the Shadow Organization In parallel to a company's traditional hierarchical organizational chart there exists what is known as a shadow organization. The shadow organization is an unofficial, informal network of relationships and coalitions. Understand your shadow organization and you will understand how power and influence play out.
Investigate your shadow organization by playing the role of observer, as though you are a corporate anthropologist. Notice who has influence, who gets along with whom. Discover who is respected and who champions others. Who are the hubs of social interaction and corporate intelligence? Find out who really gets things done.
Create a visual map showing all key players. Classify every interrelationship, noting whether it is built on friendliness, advocacy, respect, or coercion. Note the strength of each connection, and the direction in which influence flows.
For example, when a Project Manager mapped her shadow organization, she discovered she had strong bonds with peers, but not with higher-ups.
Step 2: Build Relationships Identify people with whom to build relationships. Take at least one month to build your network without imposing an agenda on any of the relationships.
A Manager of Human Resources went out of her way to build strong ties with her company's marketing department after she noticed they were always first to hear about new products and trends. Having access to this information allowed her to gain greater credibility in her own department, where she is now has a reputation as having a finger on the pulse of the business.
Step 3: Leverage Your Network After relationships mature, your network can help you accomplish valuable goals and influence. For example, you can use your network to build visibility, improve difficult relationships, gain access to information, and attract opportunities.

By changing your perspective on politics, and using your network, you can dramatically improve your opportunities for recognition and advancement.

Life Is Beautiful! :D

There were times when we wondered if we could make it today. Let us think of our accomplishments, many blessings and even the hardships that made us stronger and a better person.

Let us go through this day with a smile in our face and a happy heart. Let us marvel with God’s seemingly small gifts, the sun, the trees, the birds and the flowers around us.

Let us share our happiness in our hearts with other people. Let us make someone smile and happy today. Let us forgive those who had hurt us and perform an act of kindness to someone we don’t even know.

Let us give sincere compliment to someone who seems down. Tell someone how special he/she is and tell somone how you love and deeply cared for him / her.

Let us quit worrying and instead be grateful for all the wonderful things that God has given us.

Let us remember that getting mad and frustrated are just a waste of time. God has better plans for us.

And tonight before we go to bed, we should stand and raise our eyes to see the beauty of the stars and the moon and thank God for all the beautiful things that happened to us and for all the right people who walked into our life.
Life is beautiful! :D

Soul Mates

My personal belief is that Soul Mates come in a variety of categories and all of us have soul mates. I've read this in the internet and it explains the different categories of soul mates:

SOUL MATES are THE SPECIAL PEOPLE in our lives… People who we have shared previous lives with, who we have loved, and helped and strove towards understanding and bonding with. Soul mates are People who when we meet, we feel a connection, a rapport and a sense of familiarity. We feel comfortable with these people and the relationship we share is usually on a POSITIVE LEVEL. While you may experience some friction and a few problems the negativity is easily resolved and, once understood, serves to help both of you to learn identical lessons.

There are 4 distinctly different types of soul mates. Each has a unique set of characteristics that makes them unmistakable from those others who come into our life. LET’S begin with the most challenging first and end with the general conception of soul mate…
1. TEACHER SOUL MATES, these folks are usually the most difficult soul mate relationship we have. these souls agreed to help us learn an uncomfortable lesson, we agreed to work with and experience this lesson for our soul’s growth. These folks volunteered to be the villain or that ROUGH teacher for us. We sometimes have problems understand the connection, or the love, when they challenge us so constantly and we have difficulty achieving rapport with these people. They force us into growth situations and make us often very uncomfortable with where we are so we are forced to change, they rarely stay in our lives forever but are forever remembered as…””??? IF that person had not done ????….. I would not be or be doing … THIS now..……””

2. COMPANION SOUL MATES are people who are going to help us accomplish a goal and are here to assist us with a SPECIAL purpose. Their help is sometimes a chance encounter, a comment made, a smile, a kind word, a connection when you think you cannot go forward another step. They help you in various ways when you need it most. They offer a mutual gift of learning, sharing and help even in a brief encounter.
We meet companion soul mates every day in a variety of situations and circumstances. You recognize them as the stranger or acquaintance who offers you good advice about a problem or just listens when you need to sound off. They are there when your car breaks down, when we need a teacher to learn, Sometimes just when we need a quarter for the telephone, or when we need a smile to brighten our day, or someone to make eye contact so that we know we are being seen.

3. These soul mates are the ENCOURAGERS who help us to TRY something new or different. Sometimes they come as a boss who appreciates you and these are the people in your life who you feel good about and who assist you in feeling better about yourself.
We have spent a brief time with these folks and there is not usually a SERIOUS bond between you and the present association you have with them now…. I think that in previous lifetimes perhaps we helped these souls and now they are returning the favor. These soul mates rarely are in your life forever but were there when you needed their connection to assist you. I believe that these souls can, if we work towards a more lasting relationship this lifetime become in another lifetime.

4. TWIN SOUL MATES are people who have shared a special bond of friendship and love with in many lifetimes. You feel that complete, natural and open energy with them. Meeting a twin soul mate is like running into a good friend you have not seen in years. There is a connection, and comfortable feeling and you almost seem to pick up the relationship right where it left off in a previous lifetime. These folks have the connection with you and a feeling of continuing something comes when you meet.
We recognize a twin soul mate as someone with all the characteristics of a COMPANION soul mate but with a much stronger and more lasting bond between you. Twin soul mates usually are close family members, special friends, and people who understand you completely and do not judge you the same way others do.
There is very often a spiritual and almost psychic connection with this soul mate. Very often we do not even need words to communicate with them because your souls are in tune on telepathic levels and you almost intuitively know their feelings. We look at these people and smile and feel good.
Your life experiences often parallel the life experiences of your twin soul mate. Together you help each other in many different ways to grow and learn and your friendship becomes even stronger this lifetime.
Your present relationship usually lasts from several years to an entire lifetime. If you part, you do it in a positive way and value the time, energy and the friendship you shared with them. You have many of these people around you and all it requires is to trust, be open to being a friend and this person becomes so much more.
We often marry this soul mate and many of us wonder what is missing because we are sometimes looking for a TWIN FLAME SOUL MATE …and do not appreciate the gift we are given with this tremendous connection.
TWIN FLAME SOUL MATES are not there each and every lifetime for us. Some lifetimes we must learn to care for self, be self sufficient and not bond into this strong and passionate We are one energy losing our sense of who we are as an individual. This is the one and only CONNECTED part of yourself soul, it is almost as if you are ½ and this person is the other ½..
But, as I said, this is NOT FOR EVERY lifetime and the downside to this soul mate is usually that one person disappears into the other person as they join lives. This is the one path, one way, one unit energy. Also, Living without this person is very hard if not impossible when one or the other passes over to the other side first.
There is a deep and meaningful spiritual bond that creates a special rapport with this person. A rather electric current of energy flows between you and you know on some level that you have known this person forever and that YOU BELONG with them and you cannot be apart. Your soul recognizes and remembers your twin flame soul mate. There is only THIS one soul which is your perfect counterpart and together there is created a special magic between the two of you. You will not totally experience this with anyone else and this is NOT to be experienced in every lifetime. AND that is as it is intended to be for our soul’s growth.
So the problem with our soul recognizing that there is this type of relationship is that we do not always meet our TWIN FLAME each lifetime. Sometimes we search and search and pass up wonderful relationships that have much growth, learning and joy within that union looking for this merging of spirit.

Please realize that each lifetime carries energy, this energy is your life path and sometimes your path is to assist others, be a healer, teacher, guide, pioneer, leader, warrior, spiritual advisor for others, whatever, and this path must during many lifetimes be done without the twin flame soul mate being there to distract you from your path..

This does not mean we must be without love; on the contrary realize that in every relationship there is a learning, an lesson and the ability to turn this into a new and closer connection between your two souls.
Some have companion soul mates and a few are twin soul mates. The trick of this is to make each relationship that we are in the best it can be. We must honor, nurture and allow our relationships with others to grown and become the most empowering for both souls that is possible in order to reconnect in other incarnations with these wonderful souls and have even more of them come to us when we need assistance in this lifetime and the next..

Remember that with pain sometimes comes growth, but LOVE should NOT BE PAINFUL MOST OF THE TIME. IF it hurts too much that is a very good indication that this is NOT a soul mate who is here to stay a lifetime with you.

We have angels and guides and much help here in this incarnation. Remember that you can be a SOUL MATE for many people in your life and in doing this; you will attract those others from your past lives to you.

Work at being a good friend, teacher, neighbor and human being and you will find the thousands of connections out there waiting for you. AND for those of you, who believe you have found your TWIN FLAME, remember that this is NOT A PAINFUL relationship, but a joyous union as 2 souls join into one to encourage growth and good for the world and each other………. AND all soul mates Are here to help us grow …

If it makes some sense to you, great. If not, then move onwards with your own truth and beliefs. There are many paths and they all should be led with our hearts and by listening to that which resonates and feels RIGHT within ourselves.

Hope this article helped you in understanding meaning of SOUL MATES.

A Hotline for Abused Women

I have read an article saying that there are lots of kinds of abuses - physical, emotional and financial. The most usual form is intimate-partner violence or abuse among married or unmarried couples. Among the cases, the most common is battery or pambubugbog. These abuses can result to low self-esteem.

But even well-educated women are not exempted from violence. Most women are experiencing belittling from their husbands, putting them down to condition these women that they are not good, that they will be miserable without their husbands. Psychologists warned that oftentimes, violence enters psychologically before it manifests in the physical through coercion or verbal abuse.

To prevent such abusive situations, it is important for woman to value themselves first and to affirm their rights as individual. How should a woman look at herself? Women have to be keen with what's going on in the relationship. If you've observed that you are being controlled, you have to be very open to discuss it with the person. You don't have to separate immediately. There should be care and respect for each other. When you feel these things are not present anymore, deal with it. Don't put it aside.

If you need help and guidance, you may go to Women's Crisis Center 3/F, ER-Trauma extension Annex building of East Avenue Medical Center, Diliman, Quezon City. Hotline numbers: 922-5235 / 926-7744.

source: PDI by Allison Lopez

Worst Flood in the Philippines - sidetopic

I won't ever, ever forget Sept. 26, 2009. For 4 months I've been preparing a party for my husband's 40th birthday. We were so excited but the party never happened. When I switched on the TV, I was really sad when I saw my fellowmen lost their houses, cars and their loved ones. This was the worst flood, typhoon ever happened in Metro Manila since 1967.

Philippines is very lucky. There are many good samaritans out there. Rich and poor were united. So I call on to my fellow women. Pls. let us help our countrymen. You can send cash, food, clothing, beddings or help in packing relief goods to the following relief centers:

1. UP College of Arts and Letters Go to: College of Arts and Letters (CAL) University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City Hotline: 09296454102 (Prof. Roselle Pineda) Look for: Guard on Duty (in UP CAL)Operations: 24 hours until Wednesday tentatively You can:
Donate medicines, clothes, blankets, food to be distributed by Citizens’ Disaster Response Center.

2. Erica Paredes Go to: Katipunan Avenue, Quezon City (Call or text contact number for complete address) Contact #: 09174741930 Look for: Erica Paredes Operations: Throughout the week tentatively, from 10 am to 6 pm. You can:
Donate ready-to-eat foods like hard-boiled egg, bread, packed juice, sandwich filling
Volunteer to prepare sandwiches and distribute goods

3. NoyMar Relief Operations – QC Go to: Balay Expo Center, Farmers Market, Cubao or in White Space, Pasong Tamo Ext., Near BMW, Makati Look for: Clare Amador or Jana Vicente Hotlines: 09285205508, 09285205499, 0908-6579998, 0939-3633436, 9137122Operations: 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. throughout the week until further notice.Website: www.marroxas.comYou can:
Donate drinking water, old medicines, clothing, blankets, canned goods, noodles
Volunteer to man stations and repack food.

4. Miriam Quiambao and World Vision Development Foundation Go to: One Orchard Road Building in Eastwood or at the World Vision office at 389 Quezon Avenue, corner West 6th St., Quezon City Hotline: 0917-8623209Look for: The guard in the lobby (on One Orchard Road) Website: http://www.twitter.com/miriamq, www.worldvision.org.phOperations: Until Sept. 28, 2009 (Monday), 24-hour operation You can:
Donate goods like clothes, blankets, canned goods, crackers, mattress, hygiene kits, noodles, bottled water, oatmeal, instant coffee, sugar (for relief pack to be distributed by World Vision)
Volunteer to help repack relief goods for World Vision starting today at 7pm
Deposit cash donations to World Vision Development Foundation, BPI savings account number 4251002415 and BDO savings account number 270043411

5. Philippine Army Go to: Philippine Army Gym inside Fort Bonifacio, Makati or General Head Quarter’s Gym in Camp Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo, EDSA, Quezon City Hotline: 892-3417 (direct line), 845-9555 (trunkline) local. 6464 and 6466Look for: Any personnel on duty Operations: Ongoing everyday for 24 hours until further notice You can:
Donate relief goods (no cash)
Call hotline for rescue, evacuation or relief assistance.
Call to report missing persons

6. Papemelroti Gifts and Decorative Accessories Go to: 91 Roces Ave., Corner Scout Tobias, Quezon City or mall branches in Ali Mall Cubao, SM City North EDSA, SM Fairview, SM Megamall, Glorietta 3 in Makati, SM Centerpoint, SM SouthmallHotline: refer to website for individual branch numbers Website: www.papemelroti.com Operations: Mall hours (10am-9pm), ongoing everyday until further noticeYou can:
Donate goods like canned goods, clothing, blanket, cooking utensils and other relief goods EXCEPT cash.

7. Ateneo de Manila University Disaster Response Group Go to: Ateneo de Manila University, Loyola Heights , Quezon City, Manuel V. Pangilinan Building Center for Student Leadership Lobby, University Dorm Cervini Hall Hotlines: 09089977166, 09178952792, 4266001 local 5050Look for: Gio Tiongson, President, Sanggunian ng mga Mag-aaralWebsite: www.ateneosanggu.comOperations: 24-hour operations for the entire week. You can:
Donate goods like bottled water, sardines, canned goods, candles, cup noodles.
Volunteer to help repack relief goods, administer basic first aid.
Report missing persons.
Seek evacuation/temporary shelter at University Dorm Cervini Hall.

8. Citizens Disaster Response Center (CDRC) Go To: 72-A Times St., West Triangle Homes, Quezon City.Hotlines: 9299820, 9299822Operations: 8 a.m. onwards.You can:
Donate money, old clothes, blanket, bigas, munggo.
Volunteer to help distribute goods.

9. Radio Veritas Go To: Veritas Tower , West Ave. corner EDSA Look For: Karla Turingan Hotlines: 9257931 to 39, 0918 VERITAS Operations: 24-hours, tentatively until Tuesday.You can:
Donate old clothes, food, assorted goods, bottled water, cash.

10. Our Lady of Pentecost Parish Go to: 12 F. dela Rosa cor. C. Salvador Streets, Loyola Heights , Quezon City Hotlines: 632 4342397, 63 2 9290665Operations: 7 a.m. till 10 p.m. Sunday, until further notice.You Can:
Donate packed meals, bottled water.

11. MAKATI/TAGUIG/MUNTINLUPA Victory Fellowship – Fort Bonifacio Go to: Victory Fellowship, Every Nation Building , across Market-Market, Fort BonifacioLook for: Pastor Bernard Marquez Hotlines: 813-FORT, 8171212Operations: Tentatively until 5pm, may may extend hours. Entire week until Friday.Website: www.twitter.com/VictoryFort

You can:
Donate canned goods, milk, bottled water, clothes, cash.
Volunteer to help pack relief goods

12. Sacred Heart of Jesus Chaplaincy Go to: Hillsborough Village, Cupang, Muntinlupa City, Metro ManilaHotline: 8428148, 8079847Look for: Genelyn Sembrano, Meanne Cuneta Website: www.sacredheartofjesus-alabang.orgOperations: Tuesday-Sunday (Sept. 29-Oct 4). 8 am to 12 noon, 2 to 6 pm. You can:
Donate water, blankets, shoes, clothes and other goods
Donate in cash
13. PASIG CITY LUZON RELIEF: Volunteer / Donate / Pray Go to: Renaissance Fitness Center, 2nd Floor, Bramante Building, Renaissance Towers, Ortigas, Meralco Avenue, Pasig City Hotline: 0929-8713488Look for: Warren Habaluyas, co-founderE-mail: luzonrelief@gmail.comOperations: Monday to Saturday (Sept. 28-Oct. 3), 9am-7pm

You can:
Donate non-perishable food items, beddings, pillows, blankets, clothes
You can donate cash but it is not encouraged

THANK YOU IN ADVANCE!

How to Apply the 80/20 Principle in the Lives of Smart Women?

1. Time Management

Every Monday (and then every morning), list down what you have to do. Now which of those tasks matter most to your job objectives? If you don't know, then it's time to sit down with your boss. Identify which projects matter to him / her and to the company. Factor in your boss idiosyncrasies too. You may have noticed the he/she gets obsessive about particular details - as long as those are in order, you are fine.

2. Business

If you sell products or services, most like 80% of your sales come from 20% of your customers. Nurture the 20%. Pamper those clients or improve the benefits of your fast moving products. That runs counter to most entrepreneurs' instinct to go after new accounts or promote the less popular items.

3. Job Hunting

Job seekers spend 80% of their time looking for job postings online and newspaper ads, but how many times have you been hired through a "cold" application? The best rackets and positions you've ever had were when you were recommended by someone within the company or industry. So do not go online - GO NETWORK. Build your relationships with people in the field in several months before you plan to resign.

help from WM team

21 Free Ways to Feel Calmer, Happier & Richer

1. Enjoy what you have - and know what you have
2. Find a prayer buddy
3. Make a happy playlist
4. Throw out you bad shoes
5. Make an " I did!" list
6. Make friends in the school parent committee
7. Find a crush - come on, it's fun to gush- whether it's over a fictional vampire with a sensitive soul, or the guy in the other department, your neighbor or an artista :)
8. Embrace the "downs" in the relationship with your kids - you simply can not force intimacy with them. But they will always love you and they will come back, one way to another.
9. Find ROFL YouTube links - ROFL (rolling on the floor laughing) videos of cute babies, pets, sitcoms. These are free and abundant on YouTube.
10.Invest in a really good pillow.
11.Keep a journal or a blog :)
12.Have a gay friend
13.A Cheap thrill - something fun that you can get any time like chocolate cake, an ice cream, chocolate mallows etc.
14.Chilled wine
15.Give yourself permission to change your mind
16.Start your own bank account - your own money for your own use. It's empowering to know you can walk out of a bad job, a bad marriage with something in your pocket. :D
17.Find a woman group - join our group!
18.Set clocks 20 minutes early
19.Find an office mentor
20.Eat lunch alone sometimes - it can help you clear your head and calms you.
21.Get moving - we won't say exercise. Just get active - a sport, a hobby, an evening walk with your friends or hubby.

Compile by: WM Team