Free NFL Football Picks – NFL Recap Week 7

Week 7 NFL is finished after the Eagles/Redskins game Monday, and now we’ll give you an inside look at the events that took place over the weekend with a complete recap. You’ll get scores and stats from every contest, including some key information to help you beat the Week 8 NFL Picks coming up next. If you decide you are ready to give Free NFL Football betting a try, then sign up for a new account at Betrepublic

Packers defeat Browns 31-3 - Green Bay put together 21 points in the third quarter, and kept Cleveland out of the end zone for the entire game. Aaron Rodgers was efficient, completing 15-of-20 passes for 246 yards and 3 touchdowns. Ryan Grant rushed for 148 yards on the ground and a touchdown.

Texans defeat 49ers 24-21 - Houston took a 21-0 lead into halftime, but a frantic second-half rally by the 49ers made this thing a lot closer than it needed to be. Shaun Hill was benched, and Alex Smith came in to throw 3 touchdowns passes, all to TE Vernon Davis. Matt Schaub now leads the NFL in passing yards, and he put up 264 more Sunday while throwing for 2 touchdowns.

Chargers defeat Chiefs 37-7 - In a must-win game for San Diego, the Chargers responded thanks to 268 passing yards and 3 touchdowns from Phillip Rivers. Vincent Jackson accounted for 142 receiving yards in the first half alone as the Chargers took a 20-0 lead into halftime and never looked back.

Steelers defeat Vikings 27-17 - Pittsburgh’s defense won this game for them, returning a fumble for 77 yards and an interception for 82 yards, both in the fourth quarter and both for touchdowns. The Vikings actually outgained the Steelers 386-259, but the Steelers’ defense was the difference with two huge plays.

Colts defeat Rams 42-6 - Indianapolis handed St. Louis their 17th straight loss, and it was the 16th straight regular season for the Colts in the process. Peyton Manning didn’t top 300 yards passing for the first time this season, but his 235 yards and 3 touchdowns were more than enough to put the Rams away.

Patriots defeat Buccaneers 35-7 - In the third-annual London game, it was Tom Brady and New England who stole the show. Brady threw for 302 yards and 3 touchdowns, while the Patriots’ defense held Tampa QB Josh Johnson to just 9-of-26 passing with 3 interceptions.

Bills defeat Panthers 20-9 - Another poor outing from QB Jake Delhomme had Buffalo coming out on top. Surprisingly, Buffalo was outgained 167-425 but 3 interceptions and a lost fumble from Delhomme put a halt to four Carolina drives. QB Ryan Fitzpatrick made the start in place of Trent Edwards, and he did all that was asked of him by throwing for 123 yards and a touchdown without an interception.

Jets defeat Raiders 38-0 - Three turnovers by JaMarcus Russell in the first half, 2 interceptions and 1 fumble, led to his benching and a 24-0 lead for New York by the break. Rookie RB Shonn Greene led the way on the ground, rushing for 144 yards and two touchdowns after Leon Washington went out with a broken leg. Thomas Jones also rushed for 121 yards and a touchdown in the win. Mark Sanchez got back on track, completing 9-of-15 passes for 143 yards and a touchdown without an interception.

Bengals defeat Bears 45-10 - In what was a statement game for Cincinnati, the Bengals took a 31-3 lead into the half. Carson Palmer was flawless, completing 20-of-24 passes for 233 yards and a career-high 5 touchdowns. Chad Ochocinco caught 10 balls for 118 yards and 2 touchdowns. Jay Cutler threw 3 interceptions for Chicago, not helping their cause.

Cowboys defeat Falcons 37-21 - After falling behind 0-7, it was all Dallas the rest of the way as they scored 17 unanswered points in the second quarter. Tony Romo threw for 311 yards and 3 touchdowns, and WR Miles Austin had his second consecutive big game with 6 catches for 171 yards and 2 touchdowns. Austin now has 421 receiving yards and 4 touchdowns in the Cowboys’ last 2 games, alone.

Saints defeat Dolphins 46-34 - It’s hard to believe that New Orleans was down 3-24 in the first half at one point. But they got a touchdown on the final play of the first half on a QB sneak by Drew Brees to make it 10-24 to give them some momentum heading into the break. The Saints outscored the Dolphins 22-0 in the fourth quarter, and Drew Brees finished with 298 passing yards, 1 touchdown and 3 interceptions. But Brees rushed for 2 touchdowns to help New Orleans remain unbeaten on the season. Miami’s Ricky Williams rushed for 3 touchdowns in the loss.

Cardinals defeat Giants 24-17 - The Cardinals’ defense was the difference. Arizona forced Eli Manning into 3 interceptions and also forced a key fumble by Ahmad Bradshaw late. The Cardinals outscored the Giants 14-3 in the second half.

Eagles defeat Redskins 27-17 - DeSean Jackson rushed for a 67-yard touchdown on an end-around less than 2 minutes into the game. He also caught a 57-yard touchdown pass from Donovan McNabb late in the third quarter to put the Eagles up 27-7, and basically put this game out of reach. Washington actually outgained Philly 308-262 and had 21 first downs to their 11, but 3 lost fumbles and an interception gave the Redskins no chance to win. LB Will Witherspoon made a big impact after getting traded from the Rams earlier this week, returning a Jason Campbell interception for a touchdown to put the Eagles ahead 14-0 in the first quarter.

For More Check out…..

NFL Week 7 Quick Hits

Defeated in Steeltown- Its about time something slowed down that Brett Favre love train.  I mean seriously, I don???t think anyone has expected him to play as well as he has this year, but do we really want to keep feeding that beast? We all know what this offseason is going to entail so why contribute to the inevitable, ya know? If this Vikings squad was going to make any more of a march towards an undefeated regular season, than my Sunday morning ritual (which is really no different than my 3-S routine on any other day of the week) would have included a fourth S. Self induced vomiting.

The Steelers came to play with their usual ???step yo game up??? versus a legit opponent attitude and locked down the Vikings on pretty much all fronts.  Sure, the Ole Gunslinger had a comfortable 334 yards passing on 33 completions but the Steelers were able to keep him out of the endzone. Most importantly, they were able to limit running back Adrian Peterson to just 69 yards on the ground while taking advantage of two very opportunistic turnovers that were taken to the house.  All in all it was a recipe that worked as Pittsburgh looks to reassert itself atop the AFC North after a slow start to the year.

For More Free NFL Football Picks

Cedric the Entertainer- Cincinnati running back Cedric Benson???s playing career was left for dead after three seasons in Chicago that probably had the same production equivalencies as a two year old trying to walk before it could crawl. Through his stint in the Windy City, he never eclipsed the 700 yard rushing mark, never garnered more than 4.1 yards per carry, never played all 16 games, and most importantly, was never able to win over his teammates and coaches (most of which probably was his own doing).  Compound that with two alcohol related arrests in a 5-week period and suddenly the former 4th overall draft pick found himself on the scrap heap after the Bears released him before the 2008 season began.

The Bengals swooped and since signing with Cincinnati during the early parts of last season, Benson has been both resurrected and vindicated.  Two weeks after breaking the Ravens 40 game streak of not having allowed a 100-yard rusher (he rushed for 120 yards in a week 5 victory), Benson and the Bengals squared off against his former team.  Not only did the team make Jay Cutler and company look like a pack of girl scouts pretending to know how to play football, but Benson laid out his Windy City demons with a stout 37-carry, 189 yard, 1 TD showcase that easily became his career best performance.  Through the first seven weeks Benson is the NFL Football Picks leading rusher and a huge reason for much of the Bengals offensive success.

NFL Power Rankings week 9 :Denver Broncos Demise

The results of the Saints vs Falcons Monday night NFL game are still pending but our week 9 power rankings are ready to go.

The week 9 NFL power rankings are set and we are assuming that the undefeated Saints are going to be able to get past the Falcons in the Monday night game.  If the Falcons manage to pull off the upset then we’ll adjust our week 9 NFL power rankings but it doesn’t appear they have much of a shot against the Saints with New Orleans currently favored by 12 points on the spread at  BetRepublic.

We will go with the top 10 on the week 9 NFL power rankings for now and will provide a complete list of all 32 teams after the Monday night matchup.

The week 9 NFL power rankings top 10:

1.New Orleans Saints
2. Indanapolis Colts
3. New England Patriots
4. Minnesota Vikings
5. Dallas Cowboys
6. Philadelphia Eagles
7. Cincinnati Bengals
8. Pittsburgh Steelers
9. Denver Broncos
10. Baltimore Ravens

New Orleans gets the top spot in the week 9 NFL power rankings after the Colts struggled badly and looked off against the 49ers while the Eagles and Cowboys have been playing impressive football the last two weeks.  The top 4 of the week 9 NFL power rankings could very well be a playoff preview with none showing many signs of weakness.

Nhl Power Rankings

Power Rankings for this week.  A special thanks to, BlueJacketsHockey

1. San Jose Sharks (26-4-3) 55 points
Yes, I know they lost twice this week and once to the Blue Jackets, but as of now I still think, by a slight edge they are the best in the NHL right now.
2. Detroit Red Wings (22-6-4) 48 points
Yea, they were one of the teams that beat the sharks last week and I know I’ll have some angry Bruins fans, but they beat the best team in the NHL, they gotta be here.
3. Boston Bruins (24-5-4) 52 points
Don’t get me wrong Bruins, I think you are a great team and that you will someday be 1 or 2, but the Wings beat the Sharks last week and I don’t think it’s fair to make the Sharks move from 1 to 3 when right now, they are still the best team in the leauge, but I think that the Bruins may be number 1 in a few weeks to come.
4. Chicago Blackhawks (18-6-7) 43 points
Can you say on fire? I’m not sure the Blackhawks can’t beat anyone right now there on a 7 game win streak right now, and I don’t care who you beat 7 games in the NHL is impressive, and Toews and Kane are two guys that can make things like that happen for you, also great goaltending by Nikolai Kabibulin, and Cristobal Huet.  That’s the game to watch this week friday night, Flyers and Hawks.
5. New York Rangers (22-12-2) 46 points
They look solid as always, and yes I am taking into account that they have played alot more games than every one, but even if you let people catch up they are still doing just about as good as the Flyers or Caps. Even without Jaramir Jagr they have been able to consistantly put up points and that is the key to success.
6. Philadelphia Flyers (18-8-7) 43 points
With an impressive 7-1 win against the Caps this saturday I think they Flyers have hit a hot streak and they are still without Breiere.  I think when he comes back, you will see an extremly effective offense and an underrated goaltender blosum in Antero Nittymaki.
7. New Jersey Devils (19-9-3) 41 points
Speaking of hot, is there anyone who can beat the Devils? (BlackHawks) This team is 7-1-1 this month and they can prove there selfs this week if they can beat the Bruins, Pens, and Rangers.  I think if they can take 2 of those 3 then more people will start to notice the Devils are for real, even without Brodeur.
8. Washington Capitals (20-11-3) 43 points
They are playing good hockey right now, problem is alot of teams are playing better hockey, they need to start getting a little more effective in the defensive end, especially in the slot area, and I still think it’s a misstery why they sent down Simeon Varlamov, he was 2-0 with a GAA of 1.50 and a save % of .953. Also known as alot better than Jose Theodore, but hey, maybe that’s why I’m here doing this and I’m not in the front office.
9. Montreal Canadians (18-9-6) 42 points
After being cold for a while, a win against a solid Sabres team has put them back on track, If there injuries heal up any time soon they could make a run and get in good playoff position by the break.
10. Pittsburgh Penguins (17-11-4) 38 points
They have been playing sub-par latley, and just got thromped by a not so impressive Maple Leafs team.  Malkin keeps puttin up points, but what does it matter if your falling out of the playoff picture.
11. Calgary Flames
12. Vancouver Canucks
13. Anaheim Ducks
14. Buffalo Sabres
15. Carolina Hurricanes
16. Phoenix Coyotes
17. Minnesota Wild
18. Nashville Predators
19. Florida Panthers
20. Toronto Maple Leafs
21. Colorado Avalanche
22. Columbus Blue Jackets (14-15-4)  32 points
The Columbus Blue Jackets had a overtime win over the previously only 5 time beaten, San Jose Sharks 2-1 in OT. On the very next night they played the Dallas Stars and put in their goalie that just came off the injury list, Pascal LeClarie. He gave up 5 goals in the 3 periods though the Blue Jackets also answered with 5 goals. In the shootout stars won 2-0. CBJ this week, 1-2
23. Edmonton Oilers
24. Ottawa Senators
25. Los Angeles Kings
26. Dallas Stars
27. Atlanta Thrashers
28. St. Louis Blues
29. Tampa Bay Lightining
30. New York Islanders

My Top 3 Contendors for MVP

1.Evgeni Malkin- He has been so efficent on the powre play this year at the point and it seems that when ever I see the Pens on a power play on TV they score and if it’s an assist or a goal he is always in on it, and he is similar to last years MVP (Alex Ovechkin) In that he bring alot of energy to the team, and who wouldn’t love to play with that
2. Alex Ovechkin- He had an average week, but week in and week out Malkin always has great weeks, Ovechkin has been a goal scoring machine latley, but not so much this week, I think he should get right back into the swing of things against the Rangers.
3. Jeff Carter- He has been great this year, and I’m not sure anyone could have called this season, he is first in the NHL in goals (25) and 6th in points (39) he also plays great Defense and forces alot of turnovers, and most importantly his team is successful right now.  If the Flyers keep winning, and he keeps putting pucks in the back of the net, I think he might stay on this list, and even climb up it.

My Top 3 Contendors for Defensiveman of the year

1. Dion Phaneuf- The guy just continues to play physical hockey and never let’s so much as a pop corn vendor go by him, he is also contributing on the offensive end with 20 assists.  i think it will be a while before someone knockes him of this list.
2. Zdeno Chara- He plays the boards so well and now in the NHL it is hard to cut threw teams so when you have a big body like him who understands his size, and what his limitations are, you have an unstoppable force on defense, which creates a good offense.  And that’s why the Bruins are playing so well right now.
3. Mike Green- Skates like a center, toe drags like a winger and hits like a Defensman.  If he had the smart of the two guys above him, and didn’t have the injury problems, he might be first on this list, he throws tuns of open ice checks, which you don’t get from D guys as much these days.  I think if he can stay health he might go up this list.

My Top 3 Contendors for goaile of the year

1. Henrick Lundqvist- He is playing great hockey right now with a record of 18-10-2 with a stagering save % of .913 just a little bit better defense and that record might look a lot better and there power ranking might go up a little bit too.
2. Evgeni Nabokov- He hasn’t played as many games as he’s liked this year because of injury, but he’s 18-3-2.  it’s hard to argue that, if he gets healthy he might be number one and the Sharks might beat everyone they play.
3. Roberto Luongo- He’s still hurt and I think this might be his last week on this list for a while.  He has 5 shut outs and his defense is not all that great he’s 11-5-2, and it would be better if he was a bruin, or a shark.  I hope he can get healthy so he can keep making great saves, and giving offenses fits.

BCS Rankings Week 12: Latest Edition

2009 BCS Rankings Week 12:  The BCS Rankings of Week 12 were released on Sunday. One interesting thing we have to notice for week 12 BCS rankings is that the top 8 teams remain unchanged. In week 12 rankings, Florida is on top followed by Alabama, Texas, TCU, Cincinnati, Boise State, Georgia Tech, LSU, USC, Iowa and Ohio State.

The top eight teams stayed put in the BCS Rankings Week 12. The first change in this week’s top 25 BCS ranked teams occurs at number 9, where Pittsburgh jumped from 12 to 9. Former number 9 USC dropped all the way to 18 after being destroyed by Stanford.

In fact, that win enabled Stanford to jump in the BCS Rankings Week 12 all the way to number 17, ahead of USC. Stanford had previously been unranked, but a 55-21 win placed them in the rankings. It was the most points USC has ever given up, going back to 1888.

In terms of the top eight in the BCS Rankings Week 12, those would be Florida, Alabama, Texas, TCU, Cincinnati, Boise State, and LSU. All we were helped by an upset-free Saturday, at least for the top 8.

The top eight teams ranked in the BCS poll in week 11 did exactly what they needed to do to hold onto their positions as the week played out. As I said last week, TCU, at number 4 in the BCS rankings week 12, is the highest ranked team that does not secure a BCS berth automatically by virtue of winning its league. This is the highest BCS ranking ever for any team without an automatic bid to any of the big-money college bowl games.

Present Rank        School            Record    Average    Previous Rank

1                          Florida            9-0          0.9843          1
2                         Alabama          9-0          0.9517          3
3                        Texas              9-0          0.9237           2
4                         TCU                9-0          0.8623           6
5                        Cincinnati         9-0          0.8580           5
6                        Boise State      9-0          0.8127           7
7                       Georgia Tech     9-1          0.7553           10
8                         LSU                  7-2          0.6137           9
9                         USC                 7-2          0.5923           12
10                       Iowa                8-1          0.5743            4

See Complete BCS Week 12 Rankings

What Will You Do When You Run Out Of Leaders? Leadership Development Training

What Will You Do When You Run Out of Leaders?

In this era of the disappearing leader, what are you doing to develop your next generation of leaders, http://www.ihhp.com/webinars/?

The most frequently asked question put to the Society of Human Resource Management is: “How do we keep talent from jumping to our competitors?”

There is good reason, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD), and the Rand Corporation all agree on one thing: “whether in the form of labor or talent or skill or knowledge shortages, we are about to face a battle for talent that has no parallel in recent history”.i David Calhoun is one of those scarce knowledge workers so highly prized by organizations. He is a talented leader who had profit and loss and responsibility for a large part of the General Electrics (GE) business. He left his job at GE to head up privately held VNU, a Dutch outfit which own AC Nielson research business, Billboard Magazine, and other media properties. [Fortune Mag Sept 2006]

What is significant about Calhoun is not that he was rewarded with upwards of 100 million dollars to make his move but that he represents a picture of what is the single
biggest issue of the coming decade: retaining and engaging your best leaders. More specifically, what Calhoun’s case demonstrates is that business will have to rethink how to keep top talent because the battle will be brutal. And obviously, not everyone has the kind of money that a privately held company like VNU has in getting top talent like  Calhoun.

What Does the Leader of Your Future Look Like?

This article will focus on the kinds of leaders you want to retain in your organization. What do they look like? What do they do? What financial impact do they have? And, most importantly, how ready are your potential leaders to step up and fulfill your not so distant future leadership needs. Let’s start with readiness.

Bench Strength: The Glaring Weakness of Most Organizations

A significant percentage of newer and younger leaders do not have the necessary skills and personal qualities to take on the demands of the new economy. A recent study
estimated that almost one- third of current managers and executives are severely lacking in management abilities ii. Being a leader requires an uncommon ability to
demonstrate a combination of business sense and interpersonal savvy. Many leaders simply are not qualified and do not have the right mix of skills.

This lack of readiness shows up in the reasons why leaders ‘fail’. Most experience failure not because of problems with task or strategy or knowledge, they fail because they lack the personal qualities or interpersonal skills iii. The Center for Creative Leadership found that senior executives were most likely to experience failure when they had poor working relations, low adaptability, and the inability to build an effective teamiv. These “derailers”
describe personal and interpersonal qualities that are outside the domain of technical job competence. In fact, many of these interpersonal and personal qualities appear in individuals with strong Emotional Intelligence, http://www.ihhp.com/what_is_eq.htm. Emotional Intelligence or Quotient (EQ) is the capacity for effectively recognizing and managing our own emotions and those of others.

The Leaders You Want to Retain and Engage

Not surprisingly, it is these same qualities of Emotional Intelligence that differentiate the leader you want to retain and engage in the future. Not just because they are nice to have around but, as this white paper illustrates, because they achieve results: they perform at a significantly higher level and they retain and engage your other valued
employees at a higher level.

EQ and Performance

In our studies of high performers at the Institute for Health and Human Potential, http://www.ihhp.com/, (including over 119,000 individuals who have participated in our assessment center) the
difference in performance is clear: Emotional Intelligence can make the crucial difference in leadership performance.

The Top Ten Percent

One way to look at the data is to examine the top ten percent of performers and correlate that with levels of EQ. Our analyses show that 62 percent of leaders with a high EQ rank in the top ten percent of performers in their organizations (see Figure 1). While, only 32 percent of leaders with low EQ scores are in the top 10 percent of performers. This means that leaders in the top 10 percent of performers in their organization are twice as likely to have high EQ scores.

What Part of EQ Matters Most?

We correlated ratings of the 11 EI360™ factors (a fully webenabled, multi-rater tool that assesses individual strengths and developmental needs in the core competencies of EQ as well as at the team level) with job performance and found statistically significant relationships for every factor. In other words, all of the EI factors are meaningful  predictors of success on the job.

Figure 2 shows the factors as a group that represents the strongest predictors of overall job performance. Each of these factors accurately distinguishes between high and low performers.  See Appendix 1 for competency definitions and descriptions.

Our research reveals that:

All components of the EI360™ are correlated with high performance. The EI360™ accurately distinguishes between high and low performers and helps leaders, when
receiving EI360™ feedback understand how they compare and where they need to work to become more effective.  The difference between a high and average EQ leader
equates to $21,600 per year; for an organization with 2,000 leaders this figure multiplies to $43.2 million in human capital asset value per year.

Financial Return for EQ

High performing leaders like David Calhoun also bring financial return to organizations. Calculating an economic value requires converting observed differences into dollar values. Using this method, we can convert differences in performance attributable
to EQ into financial terms. Based on the current research, we know that leaders with higher EQ are more valuable for the organization (i.e., they are more productive and have greater human performing leaders is to base value on overall salary).

In a sense, leaders are human assets that an organization “leases” to run its business. When you have a more capable leader, you have a more valuable human asset. Leaders should return to the organization a level of value in proportion to what they are paid.

We started by looking at the average effect size between top 10 percent and lower 75 percent of leaders. The effect size metric is a standardized method for calculated the magnitude of the difference between the two groups. The difference between high and lower EQ leaders is 0.72, a large differencev.

Using methods based on Spencer’s (2001)vi recommendations, we determined the value in performance differences between high and low EQ leaders. Assuming an average leader salary of $75,000 per year, the difference between a high and average EQ leader equates to $21,600 per year. For an organization with 2,000 leaders this figure multiplies to $43.2 million in human capital asset value per year. While this is a large number, it still does not account for the human capital asset value improvement experienced by leaders’ direct reports. Leaders’ value extends far beyond their individual contributions.

Therefore, leaders with high EQ are likely to have more productive employees that will magnify the overall contribution of their skills. These leaders are also more likely to retain and engage employees over a longer period of time – the very issue that Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD), and the Rand Corporation are ringing the alarm bells for.

Based on the data from Figure 3, even a slight improvement in EQ would lead to large benefits for an organization. For example, a program yielding a one percentage point
improvement in leader EQ would provide incremental human capital value of $2,160. Even if this program cost the organization $500 per person, the ROI (Return on
Investment) would be 332 percent. Clearly, investments in improving EQ have the potential for dramatically improving the productivity and value of leaders in organizations.

The Value of Getting Your Future Leaders Ready

With the number of external candidates for leadership positions dwindling, wise organizations today are focusing more intensely than ever on developing their own people for future leadership roles. The question, however, is can leaders learn these valuable skills? One study evaluated a program where leaders went through the following intervention: an initial one- to-two day diagnostic assessment and feedback
session followed by a coaching phase, which involved one day of training per month for the next six months.
Specific behavioral learning objectives were developed for each individual. These objectives where defined in terms of expected on- the-job behaviors. Each person’s goals were unique, based on an integration of the organization’s description of the person’s needs and the results of the diagnostic assessment. Ratings of each behavior were collected from the participant, the coach, and the participant’s supervisor before coaching. These ratings were compared with scores immediately after training and six months after training was completed. Vii

Results of the evaluation indicated that all three ratings— before, just after, and three days following the program— showed improvement on behaviors targeted for coaching.

Interestingly, bosses actually perceived more positive change than did participants, and the changes persisted through the six- month follow-up.

Summary

Organizations that are not identifying and developing their next generation of leaders will lose in the marketplace. The battle for leaders will only get more brutal as the demographic shift hits and good people become even scarcer. Emotional intelligence plays a key role in the development of the kinds of skills and competencies required to be a top ten percent performer- and these qualities, given the right training, can be
developed. The economic value a top ten percent leader brings to an organization is not only measurable, it is significant.

Appendix 1

Self Regard—The ability to maintain a strong sense of identity and purpose that is characterized by confidence, conviction, and decisiveness.

People with high scores in self-regard tend to have strong sense of who they are and what they stand for. They are willing to accept their true selves and do not aspire or pretend to be anything more or less than who they are. Self-regard is critical for high performance because it makes individuals feel confident and keeps them focused on the task at hand instead of trying to manage their own insecurities.

Empathy—The ability to tune into others feelings, listen effectively, and see things from others’ perspectives.

People with high scores in empathy are great listeners and most people feel comfortable opening up to them and sharing their feelings. They are very good at sensing changes in others moods and will often ask others how they are feeling.
When employees believe that their leader understand them and listen to what they are saying, they are more likely to develop a sense of trust and build good relationships.
Empathy helps employees to resolve unwanted tension and confusion that evokes difficult to manage emotional responses.

Adaptability—The ability to respond to change with an open mind, consider alternative paths of action, and modify behavior to fit the demands of the situation.

People with high adaptability/flexibility scores respond openly and positively to change and consider it to be a natural and expected part of life. They don’t mind situations with high ambiguity and they are comfortable “waiting in limbo” until the right path of action becomes apparent. Change triggers an emotional response because it’s uncertain. When leaders suddenly feel unsafe and feel like we can’t get things done, they clam up and are projective. People who are able to adapt to change can manage their emotional reactions better.

Personal Drive—The ability to maintain high levels of energy and commitment to tasks, even when faced with challenges.

People with high personal drive seem to have a real zest for life and remain committed and unwavering in their pursuit of goals. When a group is faced with a challenging task, these individuals are usually the first people to volunteer their time.  Leaders with personal drive are high performers because they are focused on action and enjoy stimulating challenges.  They have learned to translate their aroused emotional states
into fuel for accomplishing goals.

Self Assessment—The ability to objectively assess one’s strengths and weaknesses and the willingness to make adjustments, listen to feedback, and share self-perceptions.

People with high scores on this competency tend to be introspective and accurately assess their ability to perform tasks based on their current skills. They regularly seek out
feedback from others and try to gain information about their performance. With their keen understanding of themselves, people with high self-assessment scores don’t get
emotionally hijacked when they run across information that is inconsistent with their own perceptions. They can take feedback from their employees and are good listeners.

Authenticity—The ability to express oneself openly and honestly in a consistent and forthright manner.

People with high scores in authenticity are willing to address issues directly without sugarcoating or pushing hidden agendas. Coworkers describe these individuals as being
“down to earth” or “what you see is what you get.”  Employees often think that leaders with low authenticity are hiding something. This creates a negative emotional state that diverts employees’ attention away from their work as they try to figure out what their leaders are thinking.

i [Introduction to the Special Issue on Employee Retention and Engagement Journal article by Fredric D. Frank; Human Resource Planning, Vol. 27, 2004]
ii Research finds management skills lacking among managers and executives (2004, December). HRFocus, 81(12), 9.
iii Bernthal, P.R., & Wellins, R.S. (2005). The Global Leadership Forecast. Development Dimensions International: Pittsburgh, PA
iv Leslie, J.B., & Van Velsor, E. (1996). A look at derailment today: North America and Europe. Center for Creative Leadership, Greensboro: NC.
v Cohen, J. (1988). Statistical Power Analysis for the Behavioral Sciences, 2nd ed. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum. According to Cohen (1988) iv, an effect size of .20 as small, an effect size of .50 as medium, and an effect size of .80 as large.
vi Spencer, L.M. (2001). In Cherniss, C. and D. Goleman, eds. The Emotionally Intelligent Workplace: How to Select for, Measure, and Improve Emotional Intelligence in Individuals, Groups and Organizations. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass/Wiley.
vii See Model Programs, El Consortium and Peterson, D.B. (1993a, April). Measuring Change: A Psychometric Approach to Evaluating Individual Training Outcomes. Paper presented at the annual conference of the Society for Industrial and Organizational
Psychology, San Francisco.

Temporary Car Insurance for Your Needs

If you want to drive on the streets of Philadelphia or Pittsburgh, Chicago or Boston, you need to be sure that you have a valid driver’s license, car registration papers and also auto insurance that is valid and updated. Failure to have all of these valid documents could expose you to run-ins with the law, something that is certainly not warranted in this day and age. This is also why so many people need valid temporary car insurance when they drive under certain circumstances.

One of the primary causes of why people need temporary car insurance is when they have to travel to a new city for work or for pleasure. A business person from NYC may need to be in Dallas for a month on work. This is when the person would need the temporary or short term auto insurance in order to be able to drive around in that city. This may also be true of students who are studying in college in a different city and who get back home during vacations. Such people who want to be on the right side of the law would need to take the benefit of temporary car insurance so that they do not have problems in the event of any event of accident involving their car.

Temporary car insurance is needed as one cannot assume that the annual auto insurance that they have in their permanent place of residence would suffice and be valid in the new location to which they have been relocated for a short period of time. Such an assumption is not only presumptuous but also fallacious as it means that a person would not have the wherewithal to be on right terms with the law enforcement agencies should they choose to check the validity and veracity of auto insurance papers. Just because you have your driving license and car registration, you cannot run the gauntlet with the law as this is foolhardy and could also cost you quite dear.

Getting temporary car insurance is no big deal as you can easily avail it online. You can make an online payment and even print out the policy from your home printer.

This Race Has Been Crazy All Year!

Just when you think the wild and wacky NL West had begun to define itself, the Los Angeles Dodgers had to go and upset the apple cart one more time last night. With several thousand fans already gone from Chez Ravine, Nomar Garciaparra capped off an incredible comeback as LA moved shockingly back into first place.

The Dodgers win 11-10 and hit seven homeruns, yet the Padres still found a way to emotionally recover and score in the 10th.

But on a night when Grady Little’s charges would not be denied, leadoff batter Kenny Loften walked and Nomar followed with the unlikely blast. Those remaining from the capacity crowd of 55,831 at Dodger Stadium stood and cheered for several minutes afterward.

Garciaparra had to talk his way back into the lineup after not starting two games because of a strained left quad. Manager Grady Little relented. Things began to unravel for the Padres when JD Drew and Jeff Kent opened the 9th with dingers. San Diego then went to their ultimate stopper Trevor Hoffman who is just 3 saves shy of Lee Smith’s major league record of 475.

No problem right? Wrong. Two pitches later, the score was tied, courtesy of Russell Martin and Marlon Anderson.

In a year where all 5 teams within the division, Colorado, Arizona, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, have all sat upon the perch at one time or another, why should we be surprised?

This week both, combatants from last night will play series against identical teams in Pittsburgh and Arizona. The tricky part will be the last week when both take to the road with San Diego in St. Louis and Arizona while the Dodgers go to Colorado and then close against hated rivals San Francisco. If you want to do some baseball betting at the sportsbooks, check out their odds first.

I look for the Dodgers with their big name players to get it done, although there will be more fireworks to come!

Bob Acton

Sports Betting

Campus for Finance 2010 draws Memorable Speakers

Every year for the past ten years,the students of the WHU, Otto Beisheim School of Management in Vallendar/Koblenz, Germany, have held their own New Year’s Conference on finance. Putting internationally renowned speakers from the worlds of politics, academia and industry together with exceptional graduate and undergraduate students, the conference invites a thought provoking environment in which creative minds can interact and exchange concepts regarding finance in today’s global arena. For two full days, participants listen and learn, while engaging in friendly dialogue and debate about the issues most important to them all. The students work to prepare the conference in conjunction with Prof. Dr. Markus Rudolf, the Dresdner Bank Chair of Finance. Their goals include creating an atmosphere in which participants can discuss challenging issues, win insight into urgent topics in the realms of finance, and establish new contacts in the world of finance.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the conference; and on January 14 and 15, it will be held under the title “Finance 2020 – Perspectives on Tomorrow’s Markets.” The conference is held entirely in English, and all papers presented will be in English. The list of the event’s sponsors holds some of the best known names in the world of finance, including Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Deutsche Bank, The Boston Consulting Group, Rothschild and more. It will be held on the school’s picturesque campus, on the banks of the famous Rhine River. The school is under an hour away from Cologne and Frankfurt and only a few miles from the historic old town of Koblenz. Participants will be wined and dined in style, and provided with first rate accommodations in a nearby hotel. For students, it’s an opportunity to mix with heavy hitters who have risen to the very top of their fields. For executives and academics, it’s a chance to share ideas with international colleagues and to be ignited by youthful passion.

The participants in this year’s conference have the exceptional good fortune of being joined by no less than three Nobel Laureates, the first of which is Prof. Robert J. Aumann of the Center for Rationality, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Israel. Born in Germany in 1930, Prof. Aumann fled with his family at the onset of the Holocaust and was raised in New York, where he attended Jewish day schools and received his undergraduate degree from New York’s City College and his doctorate in mathematics from Boston’s MIT. The following year he moved to Israel to join Hebrew University’s math department, and he has been there until today, over 50 years later. Twenty years ago he co-founded the university’s Center for Rationality. The center performs research using the concepts of Game Theory, and its members hail from every nearly discipline within the university. Prof. Aumann has written six books and scores of papers, and has served as visiting lecturer at some of the America’s top schools, including Princeton, Yale and Stanford. Of the numerous prizes and honorary doctorates he has received, the most outstanding is the 2005 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics.

The second Nobel Laureate attending the conference is world renowned Prof. John F. Nash, Jr. Prof. Nash was born in West Virginia in the United States, the son of a teacher and an electrical engineer. He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the Carnegie Institute of Technology in Pittsburgh, PA, following which he enrolled for his doctorate studies at Princeton University. There he wrote a dissertation entitled “Non-cooperative Games” inside which he published a theorem that became known under his name as the “Nash Equilibrium” theorem. He later worked at Princeton as a teacher, and at MIT as a science assistant. While illness prevented him from further publication, he has remained an avid mathematician and researcher. In 1994 he was co-recipient of the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics for his work on game theory.

The third Nobel Laureate is Prof. Reinhard Selten, who was actually a co-recipient of the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics in 1994 alongside Prof. John F. Nash. Born in Breslau, which is now a part of Poland but which was in Germany at the time, Prof. Selten received his master’s and doctorate degrees in mathematics from the Johann Wolfgang Goethe University in Frankfurt. He went on to build an enviable academic career, lecturing as a professor in universities throughout Germany and co-founding the International Academy of Sciences in San Marino. He became internationally known for his work on game theory and his research into bounded rationality, and is known today as one of the founders of experimental economics. In addition to his academic work he is on several editorial boards and is part of the lobbying efforts to introduce Esperanto as the official language of the European Union.  

One of the conference’s esteemed corporate participants, Dirk R. Notheis is the CEO of Morgan Stanley Bank AG, and the head of operations in Germany and Austria. Dirk Notheis was a student at the University of Mannheim as well as at the University of Stuttgart, combining the study of philosophy with that of political science and business administration, earning a doctorate in business administration and a Diplom-Kaufmann degree. Following university, Dirk Notheis began working in the field of banking by signing on with SGZ Bank. Five years later he moved to Morgan Stanley, where he has remained ever since, climbing the ladder from head of various industries and the public sector, to ultimately serve in the bank’s highest position.

Dame Clara Furse DBE, who once held the position of Chief Executive of London’s Stock Exchange, is another valued guest at the conference. Dame Furse was raised on several continents before finding her way back to England, where she received her bachelor’s degree in economics at the London School of Economics. Following school she became a broker at the firm of Phillips and Drew, now known as UBS, rising to become first company director, then executive director, managing director and ultimately the Global Head of Futures. Two years later she left to become Group Chief Executive of Credit Lyonnais Rouse. Three years later she was appointed the stock exchange’s chief executive, a role she performed for the next 8 years. In 2008, she was named a Dame Commander of the British Commander for the important role she had played in the British Empire’s Financial Services industry.

Adding to the list of participants who hold the title of CEO in their companies, Karl-Georg Altenburg joins the roster. A wunderkind who in his mid-40s has achieved the inestimable honor of being named CEO of JP Morgan in Germany, Austria and Switzerland as well as the region’s senior country officer, Alternburg has also worked for Salomon Brothers investment banking firm and Arthur Dl Little, as well as at Inquam Ltd, where he served as CFO after cofounding the company. Highly educated, Altenburg has a doctorate in engineering and another in technical science. His love of the art world is expressed through his role as Curator of a museum in Berlin and member of one of Frankfurt’s most famous museums.

Alexander Dibelius joins the conference bringing with him a vast amount of experience not only in the world of investment banking but in the field of medicine. Studying to become a doctor, Dibelius received an MD and a PhD from the University of Munich back in the 80s. He chose to enter surgery, and became first a surgical intern and ultimately a practicing surgeon at Freiburg, Germany’s university hospital. Switching gears, Dibelius joined McKinsey & Co.as a partner, then moved to Goldman Sachs in 1993 first as an associate, but making vice president that very same year. Working his way up to managing director, Dibelius was named partner in 1998 and today serves as head of the company’s investment banking, with the additional responsibility of overseeing business throughout Russia, Eastern Europe, Central Europe, Germany and Austria. Known for his widespread expertise, he has been solicited to serve in a supervisory capacity for a number of portfolio companies in Germany, and the German Banking Association has made him a member of their credit committee.

From the world of real estate comes Prof. Axel Wieandt, the Hypo Real Estate Group’s CEO and chairman of the board. Prof. Wieandt is returning to his roots in his attendance of the conference, in that he received both his master’s and his doctorate from WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management. He followed these two degrees with a master of management from the Kellogg School of Management in Illinois, USA, and he has since parlayed all three into a highly successful career. After working as a consultant for McKinsey & Company, both in their US and Germany offices, Prof. Wieandt served for one year at Morgan Stanley in London and then at Deutsche Bank Group in Frankfurt as the Global Head of Corporate Strategy. There he rose in the ranks to ultimately become the Group’s Global Head of Corporate Development and Global Head of Corporate Investments. In addition to his corporate responsibilities, Prof. Wieandt returned five years ago to his alma mater to lecture the next generation of business students. In 2009 he left Deutsche Bank to become CEO of Hypo Real Estate Holding.

Hines Ward 1998 Draft Day Pick

Hines Ward was born on March 8, 1976 in Seoul, South Korea. But although Ward was born in South Korea, he soon enough made his way to the United States. He has never been the biggest, fastest or strongest player on the football field, but it is safe to say that his will to win is like none other. For this reason Ward has been able to overcome many obstacles on his way to becoming one of the best players in the NFL.

Ward started his football career at Forest Park High School in Georgia. During his high school days he displayed great athleticism from his quarterback position which led him to being named the Offensive Player of the Year in Clay County for both his junior and senior seasons. He also excelled in the classroom where he managed to receive a 3.81 GPA.

After high school Ward decided to take his game to the University of Georgia. Although he played many positions in college, Ward was primarily used as a wide receiver. He finished his career with 1,965 yards on 144 receptions. Being that he also played running back and quarterback he ended up amassing 3,870 total yards of offense.

Despite a solid college career, many NFL teams passed him by in the 1998 Draft. But with the 92nd overall pick the Pittsburgh Steelers decided to choose Ward. This ended up being one of the greatest selections that the Steelers have ever made on draft day.

During his time with the Steelers Ward has been named to four Pro Bowl Teams, and was also named the team’s Most Valuable Player on three occasions. To go along with this he was named Super Bowl MVP in 2005 after he led the Steelers to victory.

Up to this point Hines Ward has had a great NFL career, and it is safe to say that this is going to continue for many years to come.

Next Page »