Computer-Security | TravelBuddies.us ? Travel Tips

Computer Security

In Today?s Society, Protecting Your Computer Is A Requirement

Advances in computer technology is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it affords us quick and easy access to numerous conveniences such as bank statements, favorite shopping centers, school and health records, and more. On the other hand, it can also grant the same access to those who aren?t supposed to get it. Although it?s a rare occurrence, hacking has become the biggest criminal nuisance in computer history.

Make no bones about it. There?s nothing innocent or cute about the hacker. Today?s hackers aren?t the pimply-faced teen rebels that you might be thinking of. Instead, this generation of hackers are grown individuals who are more than likely earning a living by stealing the identities of innocent, law abiding individuals and then selling those identities to others who want to slip by the system. And the only protection against these seedy people is prevention.

Computer security couldn?t be more important than it is today and that?s why we?ve taken the time to introduce it to you. You can reduce the probability of experiencing identity theft by making your computer as hacker-proof as possible. All that?s needed is a little software and a lot of common sense.

1. Install an anti-virus/anti-spyware program. Anti-virus/anti-spyware software will stop malicious code from downloading and installing onto your computer while you peruse the Internet. Known as viruses, worms, or spyware, this malicious code can destroy important files and render your computer good for only one thing: sending sensitive data back to the server of an identity thief.

2. Don?t store sensitive data on your computer in the first place. Should your computer get infected with a virus, worm, or piece of spyware, you can thwart the individuals responsible by not storing your personal information on your PC so that when and if your computer does send back data ? it won?t be anything valuable. Hackers look for things like full names, social security numbers, phone numbers, home addresses, work-related information, and credit card numbers. If these things aren?t saved onto a computer, there?s nothing critical to worry about other than restoring your computer to a non-virus condition.

3. Don?t open files without scanning them with an anti-virus/anti-spyware program. In the past, the warning was to avoid opening files from people that you don?t know. Today it?s really not safe to open files from anyone (without scanning the files) because that?s how viruses get spread ? through files ? even by mistake. So even though your co-worker may have emailed a funny video, it?s no more safe to open than a video downloaded from a complete stranger. Be safe and scan each and every file you download from the Internet or receive through email regardless of where it came from.

4. Create a barrier between your computer and prying eyes. Anti-virus/anti-spyware programs are only effective after the effect. But you can prevent identity theft from occurring by installing a firewall. A firewall is software that checks all data entering and exiting a computer and it then blocks that which doesn?t meet specified security criteria (user-defined rules).1

5. Don?t click on website links in spam messages. In an effort to obtain personal information, some spammers will send email that asks you to click on a link. The email messages are often disguised as important messages from well-known online establishments, and they often try to scare their readers into clicking links with threats of closing an account of some sort. Sometimes the links are harmless and attempt to con the reader into volunteering personal information (credit card number), but other times the links attempt to download harmful software onto a computer.

Your best protection against computer crimes is your own knowledge. Hopefully the suggestions above will prompt you into taking appropriate action and into protecting your computer with the suggested tools. In doing so, you?ll not only protect yourself, you?ll prevent the spread of these malicious activities and protect others at the same time.

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Putin tightens grip with new government

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin unveiled a government dominated by loyalists on Monday, tightening his grip on the economy and national security after protests, and limiting Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev's ability to pursue market reforms.

Putin, 59, opted for continuity by retaining his ally Igor Shuvalov as first deputy prime minister in charge of economic policy, while Igor Sechin will remain his energy chief in a role outside the government.

The former KGB spy consolidated his hold over the "power" ministries by naming Moscow police chief Vladimir Kolokoltsev as interior minister, in a sign of trust in a man who has at times used heavy force against protesters demanding Putin quit.

Putin also signaled continuity on foreign policy and military affairs by leaving Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov in place.

"Work will be difficult, given the concrete situation in the world economy," Putin told a meeting in the Kremlin, where he sat at the head of the cabinet table with Medvedev to his right.

An important test of the government will be the speed at which it implements a privatization program and a drive to reduce the dependence of the $1.7 trillion economy on oil and gas exports.

Putin has also faced the biggest protests since he was first elected president in 2000, caused initially by allegations of electoral fraud but fuelled by anger and frustration that his 12-year domination of Russia has been extended by six years.

The opposition, representing a civil society that is finally emerging more than two decades after the collapse of the Soviet Union, says its views are being ignored and Putin is stifling economic and political reforms in the world's largest country.

His appointment of Kolokoltsev to the Interior Ministry sent a clear message that he does not intend to bow to the protesters' demands for more political choice and the end of a political system imposing strong central control over a country sprawling from the Baltic Sea to the Pacific Ocean.

"This is a man who breaks up peaceful meetings with the help of cudgels," opposition leader Boris Nemtsov told Reuters. "This all fits into the logic of modern Putinism."

GROWTH AGENDA

Medvedev, 46, named premier after Putin returned to the Kremlin on May 7, has said he will push pro-growth policies and the privatization drive.

But, even though the partners in Russia's ruling 'tandem' announced they had agreed to switch jobs last September, the long and secretive process of forming a government raised concerns that it would be riven by factional conflict.

The line-up brought in a couple of new faces from the team of young market liberals that served in the Kremlin during Medvedev's four-year term as president, during which he promised far-reaching reforms but carried out few of them.

One, Arkady Dvorkovich, was named among six deputy premiers and was expected to have responsibility for energy and industry policy - areas over which he had little influence while serving as Medvedev's economic adviser.

The energy minister's job went to Alexander Novak, a former deputy finance minister, indicating that Sechin would maintain control over Russia's strategic oil and gas sector despite leaving the government.

Another Medvedev aide, former power industry boss Mikhail Abyzov, missed out on an energy role and was named last on Putin's list as coordinator of an "open government" forum backed by Medvedev that has until now produced talk but little action.

Putin, who stepped aside as president in 2008 because of constitutional limits, extended his influence over economic policy - traditionally the preserve of the prime minister - by ensuring that the finance and economy portfolios were taken by placemen who support his credo of state-led development.

Career bureaucrat Anton Siluanov stays as finance minister, while a pro-Putin economist, Andrei Belousov, was promoted to economy minister.

NOT A BREAKTHROUGH

"This is not a breakthrough government," said former Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin, a fiscal hawk ousted from government last year in a power struggle with Medvedev. He is still close to Putin and has been named as a possible future prime minister.

"I doubt greatly that it will be able to rise to the challenges facing Russia."

Analysts said the cabinet would probably lack independence. They looked to the Kremlin team being formed by Putin for clues on the direction of policy during his six-year term, after which he could seek re-election and try to rule until 2024.

"This cabinet will be one that is not fully independent from the Kremlin," said Tom Mundy, chief strategist at Moscow brokerage Otkritie. "The market might may be slightly disappointed not to see more high-profile liberal names."

Although latest figures show Russia's economy grew at a 4.9 percent rate in the first quarter, that has been pumped up by lavish pre-election spending that has driven up the oil price at which Russia's budget will balance in the future.

"The oil curse will get us sooner or later," said German Gref, head of Russia's largest bank, Sberbank. "The government has no option but to create a favorable climate for investment and growth."

Gref's bank is at the top of a list of state assets slated for privatization, but the sale of a 7.6 percent stake planned for last September has been repeatedly delayed.

Shuvalov recently vetoed a near-term sale due to poor market conditions, that have since deteriorated further, reducing the value of the stake to $4.3 billion.

The English-speaking lawyer is seen as one of the few officials who can mediate in the battles for power and influence between the market liberals and another faction of men with a background, like former KGB spy Putin, in the security services.

"Shuvalov ... has been a proponent of privatization in the past. Whether it goes ahead and at what speed ... depends on the oil price," said Peter Westin, chief economist at Moscow brokerage Aton.

(Writing by Douglas Busvine; Additional reporting by Melissa Akin, Darya Korsunskaya, Maria Tsvetkova, Megan Davies and Jason Bush; Editing by Timothy Heritage)

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Mowing down seagrass meadows will cut loose carbon

They may be trickier than trees for environmental protesters to chain themselves to, but it turns out that seagrass ecosystems hold as much carbon per hectare as the world's forests ? and are now among its most threatened ecosystems.

In the past century, 29 per cent of seagrass has been destroyed globally", mostly by water pollution, dredging for new developments, and climate change. With seagrass meadows disappearing at an annual rate of about 1.5 per cent, 299 million tonnes of carbon are also released back into the environment each year, according to research published this week in Nature Geoscience (DOI: 10.1038/ngeo1477).

Piecing together old and new data from 946 seagrass meadows around the world, an international team of researchers estimated that seagrass captures 27.4 million tonnes of carbon each year, burying it in the soil below. And unlike forests that hold carbon for about 60 years then release it again, seagrass ecosystems have been capturing and storing carbon since the last ice age.

That means that up to 19.9 billion tonnes of carbon are currently stored within seagrass plants and the top metre of soil beneath them ? more than twice the Earth's global emissions from fossil fuels in 2010. If the seagrass dies, all of that could be released into the environment, says marine ecologist and study author James Fourqurean from Florida International University in Miami, US.

"These are scary numbers," says Gary Kendrick, a co-investigator on the project from University of Western Australia at Crawley, Australia. "It would put us very much into the extreme of greenhouse situations very very quickly."

This grim outlook is reinforced in a study published at the same time in Nature Climate Change (DOI: 10.1038/nclimate1533). Gabriel Jorda from the Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies in Esporles, Spain, found the warming climate is eradicating the Mediterranean seagrass Posidonia oceanica, which is likely to be extinct before 2050. That is particularly worrying because Posidonia oceanica holds about 10 times as much carbon as most other species.

"It does look like there's going to be a global tipping point for many of these environments," Kendrick says.

Seagrass physiologist Peter Ralph from the University of Technology Sydney in Australia, who was not involved in the research, said continued destruction of seagrass meadows could ultimately "release the genie from the bottle".

"Destroy them and we're going to release a lot of carbon that we have assumed is sequestered and tied up for a very long period of time," says Ralph.

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Judge refuses to delay Jerry Sandusky's trial

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When is the iPhone 5 coming out?

The release date for when the iPhone 5 comes out is the most frequent question we're being asked these days. Apple, of course, hasn't even announced a next generation iPhone yet, much less the release date. If we use past behavior as the best indicator of future behavior, and mix in some of the information we've heard, can we figure out a best guess?

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Rentoa ? Blog Archive ? Marketing Skills

Some years ago we learned with astonishment and admiration that the Real Madrid football club had negotiated the transfer of Cristiano Ronaldo to a value no less than 94 million euros!. And that exorbitant amount leads to an obvious question: What makes a player like Cristiano has commercial value of that dimension? What he has done to deserve a salary of 9 million euros a year?. "What we pay for is worth it. I paid because it returns the money, and returns it with interest. That is, players in this category make our sponsors, our TV contracts, contracts with sportswear, a dramatically increasing Have you ever wondered how to make a career writing books or articles for various publications? Or are you looking for a viable opportunity second income but do not know where to start?. You do not need special qualifications to be a freelance writer and make money. What you need is ambition, diligence in his art and eager to learn the necessary skills. Of course, you need to read and write in a popular language, especially English to communicate with a large readership and sell their work widely. Starting as a freelance writer is easy compared to what it takes to get into other careers. It is necessary to evaluate your marketing skills so you can choose what to write. What skills or training do you have? Are there issues or events that are more familiar with? What are your hobbies and interests? These and other questions answered, but be established on the road to being a writer. However, it may be necessary to learn the art of handwriting experts and that is why you should take a writing course. There are many writing courses available and appropriate Internet search reveals some, that may be suitable for you. While some courses are full time and may require minimum entry qualifications you can find a lot of others who are part-time and require no special qualifications. A good option is to take a distance learning course and there are several in this category. These give you the opportunity to study at home at your own pace. Among them are those offered by the two schools in the UK and are available for writers around the world possible. One is offered by the Writers Bureau of Manchester United Kingdom. The university offers a course to freelance writing distance learning leading to the issuance of a certificate at the end and gives you a chance to earn while learning to write. The other university is the London School of Journalism, which offers graduate degrees and diplomas in written messages. Many areas of writing are covered by both universities and it is recommended that you enroll in one of these courses to hone their talents and opportunities that go with your study. In case you do not feel like enrolling in writing courses for any reason, all is not lost. There are vast resources on the Internet and elsewhere that you can use for learning to write. You can read several essays on the writing on the Internet written by experienced writers. There are many of them and it's only a matter of knowing how and where to find them. There are also books about freelance writing that may be ordered from bookstores or directly from publishers. A visit to your local library may also be useful in unearthing useful information in writing. Once you have embarked on writing you need to keep a notebook or journal to record wild ideas as they come to mind, or when reading various publications. To find ideas for your writing you need to widely read magazines, newspapers, books, watch TV and so on. Give the news and have a second thought, study critically and ask questions about what is contained in them. Imagine what would have been the situation if the above facts had not. Have passed since how can the situation be made better? What are the effects of these events? Think more about them. Dream and take notes. Now comes the hard part of putting their ideas in black and white. This part can be difficult depending on your circumstances. You may have many ideas that are overwhelmed by the vast amount of information they have collected. You're stuck with lots of information sheets that you have written I do not know where to start. Alternatively, you can only have a few ideas to fit a single page and do not know where to find information to write the rest of your book or article. These are the dilemmas faced by writers at different points in time may reflect the lack of tact in handling their own work. As a writer you have to do proper planning to prevent either of these scenarios you need to have researched your market first, even before investigating the matter. This brings us to the issue of market research. It is necessary to study the audience to know your requirements. In the case of articles, you should study the writers and submission guidelines and some number of publications to know their markets well. Many writers and publications have submission guidelines on their websites. You then have to be familiar with the style guidelines. These are more or less the same as the guidelines of the writers, but may include topics such as spelling, punctuation and other aspects of grammar. It is important to read the style guidelines to prevent items being rejected. If you do not know where to find them then it is advisable to write to the editors of copies. Alternatively, you can find some in libraries and bookstores. As important as market research is research on the topic you want to write. Write down every idea you have about the topic as they come to mind without editing. Turn upside down to get new ideas. Next, decide on the angle and the inclination thereof. The last year has generated a lot of material, which can be used as a basis for his story. Then, depending on the type of article you are writing can do extensive research, taking notes as you go forward. The research could be on the internet, which is a good place to start or publications that are in the library. You may have to buy some books that are not available locally or pay for the photos to media agencies. Alternatively, you can use the services of hired researchers or research organizations. A good source of research papers is the British Library, which can for a small fee to send copies of requested material anywhere in the world. The Library of Congress has a similar service. You can also search for experts in the local directory that can provide useful information. In short there is unlimited scope for research and can only decide on the limit based on the requirements of the article. You must then organize the ideas and research information in a concise and coherent order. This is the face of planning where you decide the structure and format of your article, choose what is relevant and move towards the goal and spirit of your article. Select the ideas of research information and not word for word copy. Be careful to avoid being accused of plagiarizing the work of others or violate their copyright. Write several drafts until the full story has taken the shape and tone you like, check spelling, punctuation and other aspects of grammar and style for each project to achieve a polished article. Not a bad idea if you seek a second opinion from his colleagues before preparing the final draft. There are thousands of online writing communities that can help in that regard. What will make a successful article? Well, the answers can be varied depending on the scope and nature of the article. I think there can be no standard way of writing an article. However, we can at least agree on some universal principles of what constitutes a good article. First, any item should be captivating to the recipients or the audience. Readers should be glued to it and have a thirst for reading to the end. It will read two, three or even more or keep as a souvenir for the days and years ahead. This article is ideal and if yours can get to that level then the better. Your article should provide useful information that the reader can use to their advantage or at least enlighten you on important issues. If it's a story that will give the reader a temporary relief and inspiration in a particular subject. Dream or will be full of imagination, which gives you a feeling of relaxation. Soon you will entertain. How will you accomplish that? By organizing this on a logical and structured. Going to use words to convey ideas, precisely, that will speak his mind and think what you say. Choose the right words to convey the desired message. You swear not to use metaphors and jargon incomprehensible and if it does then you are sure you are at the level that your audience is familiar with ease. Use the appropriate similes and aphorisms. Be concise in their use of language, sentences and paragraphs that flow smoothly with similar ideas and flowing properly grouped in a logical and enjoyable. The paragraphs are short and measured. Everything that is not easily achieved with the stroke of a pen and you have to do much of the learning and imagination to reach that level. Hopefully there is no easy road to that goal. This is through constant reading, especially fiction, as they are a great resource of ideas are imaginative and use patterns of language. Read regularly and take some notes down. Do not leave books of fiction, but also read magazines, newspapers and other works of nonfiction. See what other successful writers have done and follows the principles behind his writing success. Let us now see how the writing. An article consists of three main parts is the introduction, body and conclusion. The introduction may be said to be the most important part of the article. This is not belittling the other two parties, or say that we have an article without the other parties. We want rather to show its importance in interesting to your readers want to read the article. This is exemplified by the opening paragraph of the first popularly known as the leader or lead paragraph. It is a strength that aptly summarized the subject of the article. Most will probably be a single sentence, but no harm if split into two or three sentences. The body of the article that follows after the introduction and is divided into several paragraphs, depending on the length of the article. The theme of the paper is developed here. The arguments and counter arguments are made. The incident shed. Comments are made. The analysis was performed. Without the body does not have the article with success and no article at all. His credibility as a writer is judged by how successfully handled the drafting of the body. Your readers will not regret having gone beyond the introduction and enter the body. If they are satisfactory in writing, the suspense until you reach the above conclusion. To conclude the article, the witty writer in a few sentences summarizing the article topic. Do not recap the facts cited in the body, but gives the reader the sequel of the story. Everything requires creativity to write a good conclusion leaves readers with a good memory of your article. The conclusion leaves unanswered questions minds of his readers, but gives a final word on the subject. In matters that are full of uncertainty, the writer speculates on the likely outcome. Here comes the most important. You have taken several days or weeks of data collection, gathering ideas, writing and polishing your article and it's time to be won by their sweat. There are several approaches for the sale of your item. Each has its own advantages, but most experts are unanimous that the consultation is the best option. This is simply because it is cheap and gets the value of what you work for, even if after a while. It is free of problems and, though not without its disappointments, is relatively less painful if you get a rejection. Consultation is the first thing you should do after having formed a clear idea on the subject of your article. Check the directory publishing and Internet addresses of the editors responsible for accepting the work of freelance writers and then write them down before them by their names and titles. A query is a page from one or more letter to an editor of a publication called asking for an opportunity to contribute an article for publication. It contains a brief summary of the main theme of the article, suggests the length, it is likely that it will deliver if you put in place to write, the potential benefits arising readers of the article and why you are the right person to write the article. You should put a lot of imagination in writing the query letter like this is your best chance to convince the editor of its ability to fulfill its promises. If you have a good resume to attach or mention briefly the relevant content that makes you stand out as the most suitable for writing the article. Editors prefer experienced writers to novices and if you have what it takes then say so. Otherwise, if you are a beginner, but say they are few examples designed to appeal to readers of publications. If you use special or exclusive sources of information then do not forget to mention that in the query. How many times must a query per item? As often as possible, as long as you are able to fulfill their promises, given time constraints. In fact, for writing business to be viable must send many queries to ensure that their earnings potential will be able to sustain his career. However, you should be wary of a situation where you receive multiple acceptances on the same subject and send exact replicas of the article. Try a different twist and change the text to suit different publications. Take work according to their ability and capacity. The other alternative to the commercialization of their work is to write articles for mass audiences to imagine their needs and preferences and submit to various publications. It is the aim of several publications in a category that you feel is most appropriate to accept the subject of your article. You can also copy your article on your disk or computer, and paste in the virtual communities of web site publishing or email the article to several publishers. This is a quick and inexpensive to make multiple submissions of your articles. We talked about the virtual communities of web publishing and I think we should explain briefly what they are. These are Web sites that accept articles or writers working shape and sell to several publications and will pay a small fee. They are a good starting point for the beginner, as they provide fast results to see their work published. To be honest, it's hard to win writing assignments without some experience of writing or proof that you are a published writer. These websites provide an easy way to prove yourself and earn some of their work. However, these websites may have their own pitfalls, as out of business before receiving payment or benefit from their work and gives little in return. One consolation is that still retain their copyright and can sell your articles to other publications. Please consider these sites as sources of additional income and not the end markets of their written work. While doing your marketing you will experience some difficulties, as some publications that have come out of circulation or publishers who do not respond, but more often, you will receive many rejections polite. Some editors may wish to give suggestions to consider before accepting his proposal. In all we have to accept that rejections are a fact of life and have to live with them, but it will be much wiser if you study the reasons for rejection so you can improve your future reference and presentations that increases their chances of acceptances. While some publishers may not be interested in the topic you are proposing to others who have not been satisfied with their level of experience to handle the items you are proposing to write. It could also be that the publication has received a similar query from another writer or has plans to write a similar piece with his editors. Probably have published an article on the subject recently and feel that they have addressed the issue comprehensively and unless you have something new and refreshing that they are not accepting proposals today. Read what they write to you and learn from their reasons. Do not be discouraged, but send more inquiries to other publications. Choose popular topics for articles and add more value in them, such as statistics, photographs, expert commentary and an objective assessment of the issues. With time and patience ultimately will succeed. As you continue with your writing that you need to organize to successfully exploit the opportunities present themselves, and to make sure they do not cease to beat deadlines. There are basic needs, such as stationery, including manuscript files of clippings and photographs. You need to keep track of your items for which they were published, when and payment tracking. You may have to draw up contracts, write your articles, publish or send via email. Develop and follow a work plan that can succeed in researching and writing articles. Dealing with a first assignment before going to the next. Devote as much time as possible to writing and that this is the main function of his career. If you write less, less is going to win and that will be less motivated to continue writing. Also need to devote much time to consult on the ideas of sundries. This is important as it aims for future sales. Although specializing in a genre that is good, from time to time to look for other areas of writing and markets to maximize their chances of making sales. Manage your financial affairs as well so you do not cripple your career, your income budget and invest in books and other publications or keep your ideas moving train again and again. Do not forget to invest in savings and other lucrative opportunities for the occasional rainy day. Once you have a steady income can open a small office and hire staff to help in the tasks of research, writing and other important. This allows you to produce more items every month, if you handle everything yourself. Keep costs to a minimum and go to high-paying markets. You can build a career out of writing and earn extra income part time or full-time regular income from freelance writing. However, it is necessary to study the art of writing, to organize and the constant search for markets to stay afloat.

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Mad Men, Episode 9: Team Building Lessons On Hierarchy, Ego ...

Mad Men, Episode 9: Don leaves behind Michael Ginsberg's ad concept

Team building lessons from the most creative, dynamic, and dysfunctional ad agency?s creative department on television today.

If you follow our articles here at the Team Building Blog, then you know that we?re big fans of The Apprentice. It is, after all, a reality television series that casts real-life business professionals, and constitutes them into teams for the purposes of making compelling television programming. In the process, we get to observe the both the best practices and pitfalls of the team building process, all at an incredibly accelerated pace.

For as much as The Apprentice is our favourite reality television programme around here, Mad Men ranks as our most beloved fictional series: compelling characters, a candid look into American culture in the 60s, and, most of all, a realistic depiction of the inner-workings of a burgeoning Madison Avenue ad agency whose success and demise hinges on delivering fresh, creative ideas to both existing and prospective clients. For as much as Mad Men is a scripted show, its producers know what they?re doing; the tensions, issues, and processes played out in the office each week are compelling and ? for the purposes of this blog ? educational.

Let?s take a look at what happened last week, in episode 9.

If you sift through the episode?s debauchery and domestic drama, you discover a kernel of team building insight. We see Donald trying to reassert his creative prowess in working on the ?snowball? ad campaign for a prospective client. His concept ? a creative play on the ?snowball?s chance in hell? clich? ? is matched in creativity by the work of new creative department team member?Michael Ginsberg, who develops a humorous series of ad images depicting respected and authoritative figures like police officers and politicians being pelted by snowballs.

Both ideas are equally compelling, but in the end, Donald decides to pitch only his idea to the client ? and wins with it. This decision, of course, leads to new tensions between Donald and Michael. It is obvious that Donald feels threatened by Michael?s work when it competes against his own ideas. While he tries to justify his decision to Ginsberg by stating that he believes that pitching two ideas is ?weak,? Michael implies an accusation that Donald made the decision based on his ego. The episode ends with Donald?s divisive barb to Ginsberg: ?It?s a good thing you work for me.?

Not a very healthy team building strategy!

The Team Building Lesson

Hurt Feelings: Don't ego-based decision will have damaging effects on the team

The tension in episode 9 of Mad Men is worth noting: while Donald is the Creative Director of his own company and seen as the real talent behind the department?s efforts, his role has become increasingly hands-off, allowing the bulk of the work to be done by the team itself. This is a typical, real-life migration that many managers and directors transition into. For as much as business professionals often aspire to achieve directorial positions, pulling away from the doing can hit their egos hard: those at the top of the organisational chart often feel the need to assert themselves as the ?best? at what their department does.

Other managers and directors always remain hands-on, and continue to be productive alongside other team members, in spite of having hierarchy over them. This can also be a sensitive situation, since business roles become blurred; team members can be made to feel as though competing with ideas against their boss might be damaging to their own career!

If you are in Donald?s position at your business, then a decision has to be made when it comes to team building and managing: are you going to be a hands-on or hands-off manager? If the latter, then a candid discussion between yourself and your team is in order: while you may be the one who gives the marching orders, those job it is to develop ideas that may compete with yours should know that they are invited to be competitive and give their very best with no fear of doing so. Then, of course, you need to live up to that promise (which can be tough, no doubt).

And if you decide to pull back from being hands-on, then understand that jumping back into the business process ? for any reason ? can be damaging to your team?s workflow and creative process. If there is a legitimate need for you to get your hands dirty on a project, again ? make sure you?re communicative with your team on why.

Don?t take Donald?s approach. While he was indeed entitled to make the decisions made in episode 9, those decisions will have negative repercussions. That will make for some good television, but not for a healthy work environment.

Thanks for reading our article! Be sure to check out Accolade Corporate Events? wide range of team building events that can help your business?s departments achieve maximum productivity.

Question: Who do you think had the better ?snowball? ad ? Donald or Michael ? and why?

Tags: Mad Men

This entry was posted on Sunday, May 20th, 2012 at 2:54 pm and is filed under Team Building. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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