Planning

Planning is the primary management function that gives focus to any organization. Without proper planning, there will be no achievements in any organization. Planning defines an organization on the basis of work undertaken, customers targeted, why it performs its duties and the future focus for the organization. Without planning, all other management functions cannot be performed well. This is why managers in every organization should work on their planning skills in order to improve the organizational performance leading to attainment of the targeted goals

Planning is the key function that encourages innovation because it is a decision-making process, which gives rise to creative thinking that improves performance. This leads to growth and expansion of an enterprise, which is one of the most important aspects in any institution. Planning helps the process of management by defining the organizational objectives and goals and gives a close focus to organizational goals for employees. Planning reduces uncertainty about the future because it defines the organizational future plans (Alexander, 2011). It also improves the employees’ morale by helping them define their duties in the organization. Planning facilitates all other functions in management such as coordinating, organizing, controlling, staffing and provides organization with order.

Planning helps the organization have a competitive format in the business atmosphere. Hence, it helps managers have the right attitude to the work environment. Management becomes easier where there is a proper planning and helps managers understand their weaknesses and strengths (Alexander, 2011). This gives a proper look on issues of the organization leading to higher performance in the organization. Planning improves the organizations competitiveness, giving it strength to maneuver in the world of business competition. When there is proper planning, the company is able to propel through any hardship without affecting the performance of the organization (Morphet, 2012). In any organization, the management should have the ability to effectively plan methods, which help the organization propel through the world of competition.

Types of Planning

Planning can be divided into three major types. These are operational planning, tactical planning, and strategic planning. The top management in every organization sets strategic plans. These involve the long-term plans for the organization that are to be the framework of the organization for the period. These may include expansion of the business and other long-term goals, which help in customer satisfaction (Morphet, 2012). These goals must feature the improvement in productivity, profitability, and customer service. The top-level managers provide plans that are the framework to the middle and low-level managers. The lower-level managers are the persons who implement plans passed down by the top management. The strategic plans feature the plans that can take tears before they are implemented. Plans such as improvement of infrastructure and industrialization of the organization need more time before they can get implemented. Tactical plans are also very important in any organization (Morphet, 2012).

These are plans the middle managers are responsible for. Their goals are to provide support to the strategic plans. They reduce the major plans by dividing them into the constitute plans that are workable for the distinct parts of the organization. Due to the broadness of the strategic plans, they need to be split into smaller constituent parts, where they will be implemented in a more elaborated manner. This is where the tactical plans are enacted They give each distinct department of the organization a role to play in the attainment of the assigned goals. This is why planning, as a function of management, is very important in any organization.

Operational plans are the plans that are made by the low-level managers about daily operational tasks within the organization. Routine tasks should be well-planned by the low-level management, so that the routine work in the organization would not stand still at any moment. Operational plans can be either single-use plans or routine plans. Single-use plans are plans that are intended for use only once. Routine plans are laid down and used on a daily basis. There are also the ongoing plans that are policies, rules, or procedures. These help managers in citing their routine responsibilities. These are the rules that every employee must abide to as long as he is working for an organization.

Contingency plans should be put into consideration in every organization. These plans are very important in the modern rapidly changing business environment. Modern business environment is very spoilt, and every organization should adopt measures to adapt to such business environment (Gahlot, 2010). These plans allow for flexibility in the field of business. If the ongoing business does not perform well, one can shift into another business sphere, which can give better results. If the current business is running at a loss, the top management should not have to waste a lot of time sitting down and looking for solutions, but to change the business into another more profitable business.

This gives clear evidence that planning is a very primary function of management. Management cannot perform well without proper prior planning. Hence, this gives managers a crucial task to make plans before getting involved in their enterprises.

Functions of Management          

To be successful in organizing function of management that deals with resource utilization and relationship among the workers, there is a need the planning. Planning is a function that works hand in hand with all other functions of management. Organizing function deals with implementation of plans that are set. Organizing all workers in an organization needs proper prior planning so that every employee can know the responsibility he/she is responsible for to in the organization. Every employee understands what is to be done and at when the work should be carried out. Staffing function of management deals with acquiring qualified personnel to work in the organization. During staffing, work done by individuals is analyzed to get the actual picture what personnel are needed.

 During staffing, managers should follow the rules that were set during the planning process. Directing function of management needs planning, so that managers could know where they are directing the workers. No rules can be followed in the case where there are no plans. Every management will be very successful when there are appropriate plans lay down. The different levels of management perform different tasks in the management process.

Steps of Management

 The top management performs the duties of laying down plans that are to be followed through out the organization. The management must be an example in the organization, so that other junior staff members can follow. The top management is endowed with the responsibility of appointing the middle-level management. This top management is the one that controls all other departments. This is the department that deals with the foreign affairs and controls all the finances of the organization. It is the overall management department that all other departments report to. This is the law-makinng body that controls all other distinct parts of the organization.

Middle-level management is below the top management, and it helps the top management in performing their duties. They make departmental goals and rules that govern the distinct departments. They are the middlemen between the lower-level managers and the top management, and they also define and communicate the organizational policies and plans to the lower management. They are endowed with the power to implement motivational systems through out the organization to create good interrelationship between the workers in the organization.

 The first level management consists of supervisors, foremen, and heads of the departments in the organization. They are the people who are at the roots of the organization and who deal with the workers at the ground level. These are the people who are the implementers of the organizational goals and who know the complaints of workers on the ground. They should report the workers’ complaints to the middle manager for the problems to be further channeled to the top management. They report on the performance of workers to the middle managers that then channel them to the top management. The first managers are the role-models to workers and should always motivate workers.

Planning is a very primary function of management. Planning should be undertaken before any other function is to be carried out. Organizing as a function of management cannot bear fruits without the planning function. Hence, planning must come first for management to perform well in any organization. All the types of plans should be laid down before initiation of any organization. This is because no organization can go on without the goals and targets that are to be achieved in the organization. If the organization is initiated without any objectives, it will automatically collapse. Goals and objectives govern every organization to work hard so as to achieve its goals. When there is a proper planning utilization of resources, the processes become better and lead to good results during the realization of organizational goals (Gahlot, 2010). Plans will help have peace and respect to each in the organization due to good leadership that is emphasized in the organization. This helps to have healthy working environment and gives motivation to workers in the organization.

Planning ensures that all factors required for production, good coordination in all departments, realization of the organizational goals and objectives are put in place. Planning also assembles all resources such as human resources and raw materials for better attainment of the organizational goals (Gahlot, 2010). Planning the future of the organization is very important, because the fame of the organization does not show when the organization is starting, but is very important, as it grows old. This shows that the organization management has to put in place measures and good plans that will sustain the organization to achieve its goals and objectives. Planning gives the workers the moral code to work with in order to take the organization to higher levels, which will make them gain more fame as workers of the organization.

 Planning has led to major developments due to competition, hence, more innovations in the world of business. It has led to growth in terms of infrastructure and other major developments in the world. It has also led to better relationships between organizations, hence helped in the world’s globalization and communication. It has led better international relations, leading to trade from country to country, improving living standards in many countries. A plan laid is like a half-implemented deal. Thus, planning good topics for informative essays is very important in every case of life.  

The Ethics of Leadership

 Business leaders – what ethical standards are they being held? There are different arguments about the moral values and actions of business and political leaders. Some of them are represented in the works “Is It Better to Be Loved than Feared?” by Niccolo Machiavelli and “Servant Leadership: A Journey into the Nature of Legitimate Power and Greatness” by Robert Greenleaf.

In “Is It Better to Be Loved than Feared?” Machiavelli argues that the real leader must better be feared but not be hated. His argument is mistaken because the leader must be neither feared nor loved – these both feelings are ultimate and not proper. When people fear their leader, they will do everything he commands, but eventually they can rise against him. The true leader must not be a tyrant or a person who uses his power and authority for threatening his subordinates. On the contrary, he has to understand the needs and consider the opinions of his people in order that they might respect him.

The same is with love: the leader is not a child or a pet to be loved. Again, people must esteem him, but not love – the love for the leader may become fanatic. When people love their leader, they obey and follow him blindfold. They may do everything he tells and laud him to the skies. He becomes an idol, a god for those men. However, a veritable leader will not want his subordinates to love him in such a way. He will rather earn their respect with his noble deeds than get their love with honeyed promises.

As stated above, one can make a conclusion that finding the golden mean is the most important thing for being a good leader. He must be prudent and wise and should have high moral qualities. Machiavelli writes, “…it is well to seem merciful, faithful, humane, religious, and upright, and also to be so…” This is a true statement because a good leader must be an example of the grand manner and should behave properly. This implies that people should hold their business leaders to higher standards. A leader must be highly educated, good at speaking and persuasive; he should stick to his word and be sure of his acts. He should behave in such a way that people would trust him and respect him.

Hence, the question comes: how do we determine what individuals should be held to the highr standards and which not?  The answer is following: people always need to have some leaders to listen to and to be led. There would be total economic and political chaos without leaders in the world. Therefore, such individuals must be held to higher ethical standards to make their subordinates attain to the level of the best. It is very difficult to be the best, and only few may become so, that is why there is no reason to set high limits for everyone.

At the same time, it is not enough for leaders simply to appear ethical. They must be ethical in their minds, every day and every night, even if there is no one beside them. They must be not only ethical, but also wise, smart and reasonable about business they do. If a leader merely pretends to be ethical, but he is immoral in his daily life, the truth will out in the end. However, who will believe and respect the unethical leader?

One more quality that is important for a good leader is an ability to serve people and to elicit trust. Robert Greenleaf assures that the real leader must be a servant for his subordinates. He is right, because the servant-leader cares about others needs and leads those people to the right goal. Moreover, people will believe such leader and follow him in every direction.

How can one identify a true servant-leader? He must have good spiritual values, be competent in his judgments, and prove his faithfulness and service to the people by his actions. Someone can argue that every leader may appear to serve people and to make gains on it by compelling his subordinates to serve him. Many business leaders behave in such unfair way in our days. They convince people of the truth of their words, promise them improvement of their lives after doing something, and get their way. However, this can not go on forever. People are not blind, and they will understand everything after a while. The unfair leader will be brought to a stop. The other leader will come, and he will need some time to prove his faithfulness. The life is so that there are not so many individuals who really want to serve people. Nevertheless, if such a person will gain human confidence, he will succeed in his leadership.

Machiavelli argues that a leader must have not only good qualities but contrary too. He writes, “…but the mind should remain so balanced that were it needful not to be so, you shhould be able and know how to change to the contrary.” His argument is right because every situation has different solution. A good leader must be able to discern people one from another, not to confuse good with evil, and to change against the circumstances. He has to know how to put himself in somebody’s place and when to be a “lion” and when to become a “fox”. He must be flexible and be able to adjust to the situation. However, a perfect leader can not forget about ethics and morality. Even with evil, he has to stay moral and fair.

Robert Greenleaf assures that every achievement must start with a dream, and a leader must be a great dreamer. His argument is excellent but one can argue that the leader must have not a dream but a plan. He must know clearly what does he want and how to achieve his goal. A dream is something not real but a goal must be the first in the achievement. A good leader always has a goal and knows in advance, where he should find cheap custom papers and what do to attain it.

One more quality of a great leader is very important. It is an ability to satisfy others of the rightness of his goal and to persuade people to help him in its achievement. Such leader must arouse interest of his subordinates in his goal, be able to convince them that this goal is theirs too and they will benefit from it. Of course, it must be really so. Then people will follow their leader and bring the aim to reality.

 In conclusion, it is worth mentioning that the ethics should hold a high position in business leadership. Business ethics is not so widely distributed among the present leaders but it is still viable. The younger generation should do everything to save such qualities as morality, faithfulness, honesty and friendliness to make business relationships better for both leaders and their subordinates. There is no doubt that business leaders should be held to higher ethical standards but not to different ones. They should not be allowed to play by different rules because it would not seem fair with other people. Special rules for leaders may cause big changes in the human relations, even the war. That is why the standards must be the same but a little bit higher. In addition, leaders must behave in such a way that people will respect them but neither love nor fear. When a leader becomes an example for imitation, he will succeed in his business beyond all doubt.

How Alan Watts Changed My Life

Alan Watts is a comprehensively developed and talented person. He is one of the most famous philosophers, writers and lecturers of the modern world. In his works, Watts compares his experience and scientific knowledge with western and eastern religions and philosophies. Writer’s interest in the cognition of all unknown sides of life did not arise accidently. Under the influence of a deeply religious mother, a natural curiosity about the study of fundamental principles around the world was born in Watt’s soul. Alan also loved to read fiction, especially romantic stories about the mysterious Far East. Later this interest has grown into a certain ideology that changed a lot of human lives.

The most mysterious and exciting theme is the subject connected with the interaction of a man and nature. When I was 17 years old, I started to read my first book written by Alan Watts. It is called The Meaning of Happiness. This book affected me and changed my view on different things that had happened in my life. The writer’s approach to the overall theme is really thrilling. I was astonished that his work contains jokes and is full of humor because of its deep philosophy content.

The life of every person on the earth is a hard way that that he or she should go. Someone easily overcomes it and someone has to deal with difficulties and to solve immediate problems every day. Once I asked myself a question why my neighbor has such a good life without any difficulties and problems, and everything is going smoothly. However, after having read Alan Watts’ book, I have understood that everything is comparative. First of all, a person has to look through his own life and think what should be done to change it in the right direction. Everybody needs to start with himself or herself.

When a person has a clear understanding of life and happiness, how it should be lived and how to succeed, then one can make a bold step on it without the fear of stumbling. Watts’ lectures have taught me that life is a reality that does not know such words as “tomorrow”, “the day after tomorrow” or “next month”. Many definitions are given to the word “life”, but the one that I like most of all is that it is faith, and I agree with him completely. It has been asserted by several authors that only faith is the whole force. This conviction changed everything, in what I had believed before. Alan Wats’ studies helped me believe in my strength, when it was most needed.

I cannot imagine how this philosopher managed to convey all that I could feel and determine only at the level of feelings so beautifully and accurately. The book Nature, Man and Woman at the same time looks like and unlike other works of Alan Watts. The author develops and deepens his favorite ideas about the fundamental unity of a man and the world, and of polar opposites and non-verbal comprehension, which allows people to feel this unity and polarity. At the same time, this book gave me the opportunity to take a fresh look at the work of a man, who had made a great influence on the spiritual side of my life. Similar to The Way of Zen, this book contains memorable lines about enlightenment and how it transforms everyday life in something unique (Watts, 2000). However, in contrast to it, Nature, Man and Woman is not limited to the consideration of Zen Buddhism; it deals with many aspects of eastern and western thoughts. I was impressed and intrigued by this work. It showed me the way of the ancient ideal of sacred love. After having read Nature, Man and Woman, I radically changed my life. I became a more concentrated and sensitive person, and started to understand my role in this world.

Zen Buddhism is a way of life and outlook on it, which cannot be reduced to the formal category of modern thought. It is not a religion, philosophy, psychology or science. The purest form of Zen Buddhism is practiced in monasteries. In Japan, there are about sixty communities. These are isolated from the world, located in the woods or on remote mountain slopes, where monks are not distracted from the internal world (Suzuki, 2010). I hope that one day I will visit such a monastery and cognize all the power and essence of Zen Buddhism. Alan Watts became my teacher and mentor of the awareness and purpose in my own life. Now I can achieve the condition of a cleared mind, having no goals to suppress thoughts, no purpose to keep them or interfere with their flow. It is achieved through training the awareness of feelings and thoughts (Robb, 1987).

According to the Watts’ study, every person has to share gained knowledge. Everything that people feel and think about themselves is the reflection of all actions and thoughts. Therefore, one has to learn how to control thoughts to control the life. This world is created for the development of the soul, and a man is its next creatiion. Now, I know how the world is organized, who is a human, and whom he is meant to be. Alan Watts’ books are the ones, which perhaps are the most important and have to be read by each person. Otherwise, one can live the whole life and die, and not understand why he has come into this world. A person can touch the truth and become initiated to some degree. However, the most important fact is that one will realize that he or she can be free and happy. I managed to do it by myself and hope that more and more people will chose the right way to the best future.

Additionally, the works of this famous British philosopher gave me strength to change myself and try to influence others in a positive way, beginning to change their worlds. However, this is a very thankless job. People have strange needs and desires, which I do not sometimes understand, and they are not discharged from them. In general, words will not help to make the world better; it can be made only through human examples. Not so long ago, I discovered sport and forced my friend to engage in it. He does it with a huge pleasure. Now, my friend and his sister are addicted to sport, and they train with passion. I am very glad that Watts’ lectures have left mark on my outlook, and I can help others achieve their way even by little steps.

Alan Watts is a person, who teaches to feel the life, listen to the heart, but not the mind. One chooses the purpose of life individually, but it is not a secret that benefitting, using and processing responses that a person gets to questions depend on the reality that is conditioned by consciousness. That is why, the only right decision here is to expand consciousness, getting rid of its conventions and obtaining spiritual revelation. I was taught to enjoy pristine beauty, and discover new and amazing nuances in the world. The brilliant intellect of Allan Watts will not leave anybody indifferent. I look forward to each of his new books, waiting for his wisdom, which is decorated by a particular sense of humor.

Everything in SuperbEssay is committed to growth and development, and constant striving for greater happiness is in the nature of man. Nevertheless, the achievement of the desired does not bring ultimate satisfaction. The irresistible force of evolution pushes human beings forward towards new goals, where ones try to find the fullness of existence and become a man literally. Everybody has the purpose of life and confidently strives to achieve the posed desires.

The top 10 cities for travel and play according to Mastercard

Mastercard's Global Destination Cities Index: Play takes a look at international destinations with the highest concentration of visitors travelling for relaxation and leisure.

International travel continues to grow at an incredible rate, transforming local economies and enabling people to broaden their horizons – whether they travel for work or for play. Building on nearly a decade of insight into international travel trends, the Mastercard Global Destination Cities Index: Play shows that special cities and college papers online around the world are building a brand of fun, relaxation and enjoyment for like-minded travellers.

Punta Cana leads the list of top ten cities where more than 90% of overnight visitor travel in 2017 was for purposes beyond business, such as vacation or family visits. The list includes several lesser-known destinations that cater to eco-tourists, history buffs, beachgoers and adventure seekers.

With cultures uniquely their own but with a common focus on relaxation and fun, the top 10 cities include:

1. Punta Cana, Dominican Republic (99.9%)
2. Cusco, Peru (98%)
3. Djerba, Tunisia (97.7%)
4. Riviera Maya, Mexico (97.5%)
5. Palma de Mallorca, Spain (97.2%)
6. Cancun, Mexico (96.8%)
7. Bali, Indonesia (96.7%)
8. Panama City, Panama (96.3%)
9. Orlando, United States (94.1%)
10. Phuket, Thailand (93%)

Effective Strategies for Getting Good Grades in English 101

Almost every freshman has English 101 as an entry-level course in the schedule. What are the peculiarities of the course? Are there any strategies on passing it successfully? Here are the most effective tips that will come in handy in order to pass the discipline with flying colors.

Study the Basics

Before signing up for the course, it is recommended to check on your knowledge regarding English grammar and writing. As the majority of high school courses require good literature knowledge, you need to get some practice in basic writing conventions. Therefore, it is important to develop writing skills, such as sentence structure and grammar, beforehand.

Use the Available Resources

In the beginning of the course, you will be provided with the list of literature to read and writing skills to master. It is essential to consider this list rather than ignore it. Take advantage of these sources in order to learn from them and improve your knowledge of English.

Textbooks

In addition to the list of available resources, you will receive two textbooks for the course. Typically, you will get cheap custom papers and a writing handbook. It is very useful to read the first one in order to take some notes and increase your general comprehension of the course. The second textbook is beneficial in terms of essay writing. The information provided in this handbook will be helpful throughout your college years.  

Writing Centers

Students can get help in various college writing centers when it comes to creating essays. Traditionally, there is a tutor who is ready to assist students in organizing the structure of an essay or polishing their writing skills. The tutor will most frequently work one-on-one with every student who has difficulties in composing essays.

Essay Writing

Writing essays is the most common task in English 101. In high school, you were taught how to organize and write a 5-paragraph essay, weren’t you? In college, you will have a chance to expand your knowledge of different writing formats, conducting research, information search, and analysis, etc.  

Avoid Plagiarism

Make sure you realize the meaning of plagiarism and do your best to avoid it. Plagiarism instances might seriously spoil your reputation and, consequently, your college career. Thus, it is recommended to submit only 100% original papers. If your experience troubles organizing words in a unique way, it is better to ask the tutor from the writing center. This way, you will clearly understand the peculiarities of plagiarism and get some help.

Keep in mind these tips in order to be successful in English 101. In addition, you will be able to pleasantly surprise your professor with good and deep knowledge of the course.

10 Key Characteristics You Need to Teach Your Child

There are a number of character traits that kids need to learn to be successful in life, and to be well-rounded people. Many of these traits will not only serve children well in their adult years, but will also aid them in achieving academically. The following are ten essential character traits all kids need to buy essay now and continue to develop in their adult years.

Curiosity

Kids’ natural curiosity can seem like an annoyance to busy parents, but it is an important trait that should not be stifled. Many of the world’s leading inventors and entrepreneurs point to their natural curiosity as the roots of their successes. “Curiosity is one of the most permanent and certain characteristics of a vigorous intellect,” observed author Samuel Johnson. Curiosity can make learning more interesting and result in more active rather than passive thinking, which is good for the brain. “For too many children, curiosity fades,” explains Dr. Bruce D. Perry, M.D., Ph.D. “Curiosity dimmed is a future denied.” Be sure to encourage your kids’ curiosity, take them to new places and teach them new things. Ask them questions to keep them interested in the world around them.

Social Skills

Social interaction is a basic part of life for both children and adults. So learning appropriate social skills is essential. Children with good social skills tend to do better in school, have a better self-image and are better at resolving conflicts. Some kids are born with the charm and outgoing personality needed to get along with others, but for some, socializing may be more difficult. Just playing with other kids is helpful, but when social skills are a challenge, parents can use activities to build up these skills in children, such as learning to read facial expression or playing charades to pick up on body language.

Resilience

Life can be hard, even for kids. Everyone needs some level of resilience to get through the tough times. When children learn to be resilient, they are better able to deal with the traumas and difficulties they will surely face. Many parents understandably try to shield their kids from painful situations, but teaching them resilience will serve them better in the long run. If your child is having a problem in school or with friends, try problem-solving together so he learns how to manage the problem, instead of just running away from it. And parents can help kids put their problems in perspective, so they learn most problems are not as big or as insurmountable as they may first seem.

Integrity

Often, it is not until children do something dishonest that parents have a discussion with them about what it means to have integrity. But ideally kids should learn this characteristic before they are faced with challenging ethical questions. Discuss your family values with your children and try asking what your child would do if faced with ethical dilemmas, such as seeing a friend steal from another student’s desk or cheating to get better grades. Talking through these questions will help prepare a child for real life situations.

Resourcefulness

Resourcefulness—finding solutions to problems—is a trait that businesses look for in employees and it should be developed in childhood. When kids have all their needs met, as middle class American children usually do, they are not often called upon to be resourceful. Having the Internet and limitless apps at their fingertips is convenient, but not helpful in building resourcefulness in kids. So parents should work to nurture this trait in their children. Try some activities that will help your child to be resourceful and think out-of-the-box. For example, challenge them to create new uses for old objects, such as plastic bottles, an egg carton or rubber bands.

Creativity

Most think of artistic expression when hearing the word “creativity,” but it encompasses more than that. It involves imagination and creative expression in whatever form that takes. In addition to academic endeavors, children should take time for creative activities, such as music, photography, theater, making creations from clay or other materials, visiting museums and nature preserves, as well as drawing and painting. Fostering creativity in children will benefit them in other ways as well, including building their communications skills, improving their cognitive abilities such as problem-solving, and developing their emotional development. Experts also advise that children are given free time without the screen time every day to develop their own creative thought. “Kids without freedom to play won’t find their creative selves,” says pediatrician Kenneth R. Ginsburg, M.D.

Empathy

In a study by Harvard University’s Making Caring Common Project, 80 percent of kids surveyed said they valued achievement or happiness over caring for others. And those surveyed were three times more likely to agree with the statement, “My parents are prouder if I get good grades than if I’m a caring community member.” It’s up to parents to encourage kids’ natural sense of empathy for others and to stress the importance of caring for others as much as getting good grades. Raising an empathetic children is not just good for the community; it will also help them to have better emotional intelligence and maybe even be more successful. There are a number of ways to build your children’s empathy, including modeling empathy and expanding your kids’ outer circle to include people different from themselves, and that can even include diverse characters in books and movies.

Assertiveness

Somewhere between being overly aggressive and painfully timid lies assertiveness. It involves being bold and confident, and speaking up when necessary but still remaining respectful. Being assertive “fosters insight, wisdom, patience, tolerance, confidence and acceptance,” says Lisa M. Schab, author of Cool, Calm and Confident: A Workbook to Help Kids Learn Assertiveness Skills. “It is the necessary building block to mature and peaceful relationships between all human beings.” Steps to teach assertiveness include explaining the various communication styles and role-playing different scenarios to teach the child how being assertive can be effective.

Humility

There is an important balance between having positive self-esteem and remaining humble that all kids and adults need to learn. In today’s parenting culture that emphasizes praise and validation, it can be a challenge to ensure that kids still have humility. Kids who lack humility may grow up to be arrogant adults, and no one wants that. Yet humility can be in harmony with confidence and positive self-esteem because when a child is self-assured and does not feel inferior to others, he won’t feel the need to brag about his talents and achievements. Teaching humility to children begins with modeling it. Parents should admit when they’ve made a mistake or don’t know the answer and be willing to give credit to others. Then they can encourage kids to do the same. Role-playing games and praising humility when kids demonstrate it is also helpful.

Confidence

Experts say that having positive self-esteem has a strong correlation to behavior and happiness, so teaching a child to have confidence is important. “Because there is such a strong parallel between how your child feels about himself and how he acts,” says William Sears, MD, “it is vital to discipline to raise a confident child.” Experts suggests realistically praising your child—constant and excessive praise is not effective—and rewarding positive behavior rather than focusing on bad behavior. Also allowing children to fail at times and to overcome obstacles on their own will build their confidence for future endeavors. Remember, they won’t always have parents to help them out, and will need to believe they can face challenges on their own.

There is a lot to learn in life that goes far beyond the academics of math, science and literature, and many of these lessons must come first from parents in the home. Be sure your children learn these important life lessons so they’ll be well-rounded, happy and successful adults!