The meaning of the word appraisal is to fix a price or value for something. This is used in finance in terms such as project appraisal or financial appraisal where a value is attached to a project. Similarly performance appraisal is a process in which one values the employee contribution and worth to the organisation. Employees across the entire organisation are appraised of their performance. This could be done annually, twice a year, periodically depending the need of the organisation. Performance appraisal is a systematic and orderly evaluation of performance of employees at work by their superiors or others who are familiar with the techniques of performance appraisal. A performance appraisal is a formal review of employee performance. At a performance appraisal, objectives or targets are agreed between manager and employee. At each subsequent appraisal, current and past performance is compared and targets are reviewed. Performance appraisals are essential for the effective management and evaluation of staff. Appraisals help develop individuals, improve organizational performance, and feed into business planning. Formal performance appraisals are generally conducted annually for all staff in the organization. Each staff member is appraised by their line manager. Performance appraisals are also essential for career and succession planning. Performance appraisals are important for staff motivation, attitude and behaviour development, communicating organizational aims, and fostering positive relationships between management and staff. Performance appraisals provide a formal, recorded, regular review of an individuals performance, and a plan for future development. In short, performance and job appraisals are vital for managing the performance of people and organizations.

360 DEGREEE PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL In 360-degree performance reviews, many different types of people are consulted about an employees performance. This includes customers, suppliers, peers and direct reports. In the case of a manager, employees are often asked to give upward feedback on how well they are being managed. If 360-degree performance reviews are performed, a Human Resources manager should coordinate the process, so that subordinate reviewers (i.e., employees) are assured that their performance reviews are kept anonymous.

The aim is to find the gap between ones own appraisal and the perceptions of others. This will in turn enable a professional to analyse his strengths and shortcomings and accordingly improve his performance. While it is true that the system serves as an excellent process since it reduces biases, it is not always successful. It is necessary to create the right culture in the company before introducing the system. If many people are unhappy or their morale is low, the situation can turn disastrous as some staffers will become obvious targets. ADVANTAGES OF 360 DEGREE APPRAISAL

Provides a more comprehensive view of employee performance.

Increases credibility of performance appraisal.

Feedback from peers enhances employee self-development.

Increases accountability of employees to their customers.

The combination of opinions can approximate to an accurate view

Comments expressed by several colleagues tend to carry weight

Some skills are best judged by peers and staff, not by manager alone

See more here:
360 Degree Performance Appraisal | MBA Articles

Be the connection to the sacred. Hold space for life. Tend the fire at the heart of creation. Bless the waters. Clear the air and sing, dance, love the world into the new time! The word genie orgenius originally meant the guiding spirit or tutelary deity of a person, family (gens), or place (genius loci). In this training you learn to tap into this resource, to become the connection to the sacred, and guide your projects and circle of loved ones into the new time.

Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing it is stupid. ~Albert Einstein

This Sacred ConnectionTraining is a newform of theMoon Priestess training, updated to the shifts and emergences happening around and in us. Thisprepares women nd menfor your role in our rapidly changing time. The concept is that duringa period of 3 months you dive into one element- fire, water, air, earth or ether- and that aspect of this work. It will be deep and intense training, and then you become certified to start workingin that area right away. As you work and share you go beyond your focus on me and myselfand your pathaccelerates. When you are ready, you can choose to widen your skills and development and starttraining with one of the other elements.

Fire: FireKeeper Training March 2015. Learn MORE>>

Ether: Sacred Space Training Sept 2015. Learn MORE>>

You are the fire of the Gods, the breath of the Wind, the hope of our children. The time is now, gift the world the greatest gift you can give: You

In the Mists of Avalon, author Marion Bradley has Morgaine le Fay say the following on what priestessing really is about:

Without her, destruction and chaos would prevail. And sobegan my initiation into the secrets of Avalon, a path that would lead me to become a priestess of the ancient religion. Gradually, I began to look upon the Great Mother as my own mother, and the mother of the earth itself.

But there was more to becoming a priestess than acquiring knowledge; there was also the task of acquiring power over every element, one by one.

A genius reminds us of the mystery at the core of creation- for she or he brings something original, of great value to the community, yet it clearly does not come from power, intelligence, physical wealth or another visible source.

Excerpt from:
Sacred Connection Training | KlaraAdalena.com | Awaken ...

It has been nothing less than fun! All you Mo-Foers, we are in the final lap of Vegan MoFo 2014, and the end is so very near! Last week I came down with a nasty bug, which put a huge dent into my personal MoFo blogging, but believe it or not, Ill be able to make all my burger posts, which goes to show that tribulations can stall the MoFo, but it doesnt have to completely halt it.

Take heart, and even if youve had some personal issues this month, the last lap is happening now, so stick with it and get those posts done.

This is my final MoFo Round-up. It has been a blast and I have loved seeing all the wonderful and really mouth-watering offerings you have all shareed. It makes me feel secure in the fact that veganism is not just here to stay, but is flourishing midst all the creative juices that flow among you amazing vegans (and those cooking vegan this month keep it up!)

With that in mind, and a bit of a party atmosphere that Im sensing on the brink, lets see what you have had to share today:

Firstly is the list maniacs of The Food Duo who have made it their mission to regale us with lists every single day this month. Today they are sharing their list of their favorite adventures for Part II of their Veg Fest UK 2014.

This just makes it very clear that I do NOT attend as many veg fests as I should. In fact, I think the last one was in Austin more than a decade ago! Anyone know if San Diego is getting one any time soon?

Next up is House Vegan. This post really had me in turmoil as to which picture to feature from it HalloweenCadrys Card SwapPeanut Butter & Co. ..or kitties! the dilemma! Spare me, wont you and just go check it out?

In the end, I chose the Trader Joes Halloween cookies because my kids have been dragging out the Halloween decorations. It is their opinion that as soon as Autumn Equinox happens, it is officially Halloween season. Not Fall. Halloween season. Officially renamed, take note.

The rest is here:
VeganMoFo | The Vegan Month Of Food: 2014

Editors note: This is a guest post from Todd Goldfarb at the We The Change blog.

Meditation is the art of focusing 100% of your attention in one area. The practice comes with a myriad of well-publicized health benefits including increased concentration, decreased anxiety, and a general feeling of happiness.

Although a great number of people try meditation at some point in their lives, a small percentage actually stick with it for the long-term. This is unfortunate, and a possible reason is that many beginners do not begin with a mindset needed to make the practice sustainable.

The purpose of this article is to provide 20 practical recommendations to help beginners get past the initial hurdles and integrate meditation over the long term:

1) Make it a formal practice. You will only get to the next level in meditation by setting aside specific time (preferably two times a day) to be still.

2) Start with the breath. Breathing deep slows the heart rate, relaxes the muscles, focuses the mind and is an ideal way to begin practice. 3) Stretch first. Stretching loosens the muscles and tendons allowing you to sit (or lie) more comfortably. Additionally, stretching starts the process of going inward and brings added attention to the body.

4) Meditate with Purpose. Beginners must understand that meditation is an ACTIVE process. The art of focusing your attention to a single point is hard work, and you have to be purposefully engaged!

5) Notice frustration creep up on you. This is very common for beginners as we think hey, what am I doing here or why cant I just quiet my damn mind already. When this happens, really focus in on your breath and let the frustrated feelings go.

6) Experiment. Although many of us think of effective meditation as a Yogi sitting cross-legged beneath a Bonzi tree, beginners should be more experimental and try different types of meditation. Try sitting, lying, eyes open, eyes closed, etc.

7) Feel your body parts. A great practice for beginning meditators is to take notice of the body when a meditative state starts to take hold. Once the mind quiets, put all your attention to the feet and then slowly move your way up the body (include your internal organs). This is very healthy and an indicator that you are on the right path.

Go here to see the original:
Meditation for Beginners: 20 Practical Tips for Quieting ...

In 1945 the United States dropped atomic bombs on Japan, and the world caught its breath.

This pivotal event deeply impacted the young Barbara Marx Hubbard, who found herself asking President Eisenhower, "What is the meaning of our power that is good"? Barbara's 40+ year inquiry, and the answers she has found, offer invaluable assistance to us all at this time in our history. Despite the state of the world, we are truly on the threshold of great possibility, of our own conscious evolution.

There is no doubt in my mind that Barbara Marx Hubbard who helped introduce the concept of futurism to society is the best informed human now alive regarding futurism and the foresights it has produced.~Buckminster Fuller

Barbara Marx Hubbard has been called "the voice for conscious evolution..." by Deepak Chopra. She is the subject of Neale Donald Walschs book The Mother of Invention. And many would agree she is the global ambassador for conscious change.

At her heart, Barbara Marx Hubbard is a visionary, a social innovator.She is an evolutionary thinker who believes that global change happens when we work collectively and selflessly for the greater good. She realizes that the lessons of evolution teach us that problems are evolutionary drivers, and crises precede transformation, giving a new way of seeing and responding to our global situation.

As a prolific author and educator, Barbara has written seven books on social and planetary evolution. She has produced, hosted, and contributed to countless documentaries seen by millions of people around the world. In conjunction with the Shift Network, Barbara co-produced the worldwide "Birth 2012" multi-media event that was seen as a historic turning point in exposing the social, spiritual, scientific, and technological potential in humanity.

In 1984 her name was placed in nomination for the Vice Presidency of the United States on the Democratic ticket, calling for a "Peace Room" to scan for, map, connect and communicate what is working in America and the world. She also co-chaired a number of Soviet-American Citizen Summits, introducing a new concept called "SYNCON" to foster synergistic convergence with opposing groups. In addition she co-founded the World Future Society, and the Association for Global New Thought.

Barbara Marx Hubbard is not an idealist, nor does she believe that social and planetary change is simple. But she does believe that humanity has the tools, fortitude, and resolve to take the leap towards conscious evolution.

Her books include: The Hunger of Eve: One Womans Odyssey toward the Future; The Evolutionary Journey: Your Guide to a Positive Future; Revelation: Our Crisis is a Birth An Evolutionary Interpretation of the New Testament; Conscious Evolution: Awakening the Power of our Social Potential; Emergence: The Shift from Ego to Essence; 52 Codes for Conscious Self Evolution and Birth 2012 and Beyond: Humanitys Great Shift to the Age of Conscious Evolution.

"Barbara Hubbard, the Head of the Foundation has been in a life time service for the advancement of the human condition and the inner quality of life of our communities and the society. As a pioneer of evolutionary inquiry, she has devoted her lifework and the work of her Foundation to the advancement of Conscious Evolution, and to programs that enable and empower individuals and communities to develop evolutionary competence so that they can create their desired future. She has made significant contributions to the cause of Conscious Evolution as an author, a public speaker, and evolutionary agent. She is one of the leaders of the recently established Alliance for the Advancement of Conscious Evolution. "The Foundation has designed and developed a remarkable set of programs, providing a comprehensive approach to evolutionary service. The program offers: the development of evolutionary knowledge base, a world-wide Internet-based program for the development of evolutionary competence, (called "Gateway"), a community-based evolutionary design program, and a weekly Internet Radio program which offers the insights of scholars and practitioners of on conscious evolution." Bela H. Banathy

Read the rest here:
Barbara Marx Hubbard | Futurist, Author, Public Speaker

Image via Wikipedia

Of all human abilities, one stands out, the ability to see the Big Picture, the things that are important in life, and not to be distracted by small, trivial, andirrelevant things; the intelligence to separate the message from the background noise.

The Big Picture is about the grand goals; the big dreams and aspirations people treasure in every stage and aspect of life. But how can you grasp and hold on to the Big Picture? What does it take?

Six rulesthat have been successfully tested in business and everyday life:

1.Get your Priorities Right

Setting priorities right is about making intelligent choices, deciding what goals to pursue in which order, which takes vision and foresight. Intelligent people rise over the hills and valleys of the present to gaze over the hills and the valleys of the future and see the invisible and the challenges it holds. Renowned entrepreneurs like Microsoft Microsofts (NASDAQ:MSFT) founder Bill Gates, Apple Apples founder (NASDAQ:AAPL) Steve Jobs, and Facebook Facebooks founder Mark Zuckerberg had such vision and foresight; they could see how technology could change the lives of everyday people; and came up with products and services that will turn their vision into reality.

Getting your priorities right is about choosing whether to go to school, start your own business or working for somebody else; whether to get married or stay singled; whether to have children or not; whether to stay married or get divorced; whether to remarry if widowed or divorced; and you have to choose how to spend your money.

2. Use Resources Wisely

Using resources wisely is also about making intelligent choices. It is about deriving the most value out of limited resources; shopping around for the right merchandise by asking three simple questions: Do I need this piece of merchandise? Is the price right? Is this merchandise the best use of my money?

In some cases, using resources wisely means more than shopping around for bargains for the right merchandise. It also means paying the least interest and finance charges for the things you buy on credit. Shop around for the lowest interest rates on a home mortgage; refinance when interest rates fall sufficiently; and stay away from consumer debt and finance charges that add to the price of the merchandise you buy.

Original post:
The Six Rules of Personal Success

Most people have heard that the Buddha was enlightened, and that Buddhists seek enlightenment. But what does that mean, exactly? What is enlightenment, and how do you know when you've "got" it?

To begin, it's important to understand that "enlightenment" is an English word that can mean several things. For example, in the West, the Age of Enlightenment was a philosophical movement of the 17th and 18th centuries that promoted science and reason over myth and superstition.

In western culture, then, the word "enlightenment" is often associated with intellect and knowledge. But Buddhist enlightenment is something else.

To add to the confusion, the word "enlightenment" has been used to translate several Asian words that don't mean precisely the same thing. For example, several decades ago English speakers were introduced to Buddhism through the writing of D.T. Suzuki (1870-1966), a Japanese scholar who had lived for a time as a Rinzai Zen monk. Suzuki used "enlightenment" to translate the Japanese word satori, derived from the verb satoru, "to know." This translation was not without justification.

But in usage, satori usually refers to an experience of insight into the true nature of reality. It has been compared to the experience of opening a door, but to open a door is still a separation from what's inside the door. Partly through Suzuki's influence, the idea of spiritual enlightenment as a sudden, blissful, transformative experience became embedded in western culture.

However,that's a misleading idea.

Bodhi is a Sanskrit and Pali word that means "awakening," and it also is often translated as "enlightenment."

In Theravada Buddhism, bodhi is associated with the perfection of insight into the Four Noble Truths, which brings about the cessation of dukkha (suffering; stress; dissatisfaction). The person who has perfected this insight and abandoned all defilements is an arhat, one who is liberated from the cycle of samsara. While alive he enters a sort of conditional nirvana, and at death he enjoys the peace of complete nirvana.

In the Atthinukhopariyaayo Sutta of the Pali Tipitika (Samyutta Nikaya 35.152), the Buddha said,

"Then, monks, this is the criterion whereby a monk, apart from faith, apart from persuasion, apart from inclination, apart from rational speculation, apart from delight in views and theories, could affirm the attainment of enlightenment: 'Birth is destroyed, the holy life has been accomplished, what was to be done is done, there is no further living in this world.'"

Original post:
What Is Enlightenment in Buddhism

(1) The Divine Languages (The Enlightenment) Contained herein are easily recognizable English language messages from otherworldly beings found woven into such historical milestones of rock 'n' roll history as Jethro Tull's "Thick as a Brick" and Jimi Hendrix's "Axis: Bold As Love". It provides proof of the spirit world that can be demonstrated to anyone around the world through the Internet today. It announces a Living God by name and title, and delivers a specific message concerning the coming new age of life and reality. The Divine Languages

(2) American Star of Bethlehem There is no sanction of astrology in the Christian religion, and they don't pay attention to signs; however, astrologers, in the form of the Magi, were used to herald Christ's birth. They were alerted to this event by more than just the Star of Bethlehem. There were convergences in the heavens, signs in the sky, and otherworldly messengers. American Star of Bethlehem

(3) There Were Signs In The Sky Impossible coincidences and signs that speak to us through our reality; doing more than just pointing the way to the Living God, they give us the divine opportunity for change. Pay close attention to signs; do not allow them to pass you by, for the opportunity of divine change comes all to seldom. Signs in The Sky

(4) Jethro Tull's "Thick as a Brick" Divinely inspired works are handed to the authors, piece by piece, along with a personal understanding of what it means to them. This can be similar to or completely different from the higher meaning intended by the one who inspired it. What the inspired artist thinks about their work depends on what they can understand and what they would believe. Jethro Tull's - Thick as a Brick

(5) American Living God (The Power of Creation)There are over three hundred ascending stages of belief through proof involved in the forty-days/temptation-test. It is administered by a Godlike being of incredible power, intelligence, and a sense of humor. American Living God

(6) In The Beginning There Was Superman (A War In The Heavens) I called upon the souls of Heaven and Hell; and, the "Normal Universe," to join me in a war against a mad God over the abomination of Hell. It was a stirring and inspirational speech, given as the Lathe of Heaven. I got an immediate response from the Living Goddess, and all of Heaven joined in. Twenty minutes later, I got a response from Hell. Someone with a high pitched cartoon character voice called back and said, "We talked it over. We're all with you!" And Superman Was God

(7) The Fledgling (The Real Story) I have revealed the future as it stands now. I have made you your own judges, and your own saviors, and I have given you a way out through change. You are making the choices right now that will determine the outcome of your souls. Choose well how you devote yourselves in each lifetime. Choose well the stories of your lives. The Fledgling's Story

(8) Elvis Presley Lives I can give you the who, what, where, and why of it all, but you will still have to face the music; one way or the other. You will still have to deal with your problems, in this life, the afterlife, or in the next life. Learning to cope is part of the process of becoming real people. The following presents an important and critical junction in your existence and poses the ever present universal question: "What are you going to do?" Elvis Presley Lives

(9) A Santa This Way Cometh (First The Good Goes) One day, I opened the Christian Bible and read just this: "First the good goes, then the world blows up, and 'then' the Savior comes flying through the clouds." I also got a cartoonish vision of a big billowy cloud, rushing through the sky with a puffy cloud face, blowing hot air through pursed lips. Original Santa Claus

(10) The Highest Probability (It's The Impossible That's True) What is real to us, could be described as a well maintained illusion to a 'being' of infinite intelligence; who maintains reality from moment to moment. In the quantum structured universe, such things as mater, space-time and gravity just could not have naturally precipitated so conveniently from a singularity. The odds of all this happening are about one chance in infinity. The Highest Probability

View original post here:
Enlightenment : The Power of Creation

Personal development includes activities that improve awareness and identity, develop talents and potential, build human capital and facilitate employability, enhance quality of life and contribute to the realization of dreams and aspirations. The concept is not limited to self-help but includes formal and informal activities for developing others in roles such as teacher, guide, counselor, manager, life coach or mentor. When personal development takes place in the context of institutions, it refers to the methods, programs, tools, techniques, and assessment systems that support human development at the individual level in organizations.[1]

Personal development includes the following activities:

Personal development can also include developing other people. This may take place through roles such as those of a teacher or mentor, either through a personal competency (such as the skill of certain managers in developing the potential of employees) or a professional service (such as providing training, assessment or coaching).

Beyond improving oneself and developing others, personal development is a field of practice and research. As a field of practice it includes personal development methods, learning programs, assessment systems, tools and techniques. As a field of research, personal development topics increasingly appear in scientific journals, higher education reviews, management journals and business books.

Any sort of developmentwhether economic, political, biological, organizational or personalrequires a framework if one wishes to know whether change has actually occurred. In the case of personal development, an individual often functions as the primary judge of improvement, but validation of objective improvement requires assessment using standard criteria. Personal development frameworks may include goals or benchmarks that define the end-points, strategies or plans for reaching goals, measurement and assessment of progress, levels or stages that define milestones along a development path, and a feedback system to provide information on changes.

Personal development as an industry[3] has several business relationship formats of operating. The main ways are business-to-consumer and business-to-business. However, there are two newer ways increasing in prevalence: consumer-to-business and consumer-to-consumer.

The business-to-consumer market involves selling books, courses and techniques to individuals, such as:

Some programs are delivered online and many include tools sold with a program, such as motivational books for self-help, recipes for weight-loss or technical manuals for yoga and martial-arts programs.

A partial list of personal development offerings on the business-to-individual market might include:

The business-to-business market also involves programs in this case ones sold to companies and to governments to assess potential, to improve effectiveness, to manage work-life balance or to prepare some entity for a new role in an organization. The goals of these programs are defined[by whom?] with the institution or by the institution and the results are assessed.[by whom?][citation needed] With the acceptance of personal development as a legitimate field in higher education,[citation needed] universities and business schools also contract programs to external specialist firms or to individuals.[citation needed]

See more here:
Personal development - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

DESCRIPTION:

Come explore what happens when classical spirituality meets modern science. Open your eyes and heart to a spirituality unfolding upward toward Christ growing in awareness of a self-reflective universe where humans, co-creating with God, unite to move the universe to a higher level. Celebrate cosmic history as sacred revelation and explore appreciative ways of thinking about the past, enlightened ways of being in the present, and empowering ways of imagining the future. We will reflect and consider Teilhard de Chardins evolution of consciousness and Christogenesis, as well as insights from Ilia Delio, Judy Cannato, Brian Swimme, Mary Evelyn Tucker, Carter Phipps, and Andrew Cohen. They will deepen your spirituality, give you a stronger sense of your connectedness with nature, and stretch your mind and heart.

This program is offered September 24, 2014. It begins at 10:00 AM and ends at 3:00 PM. The cost is $35 and this includes lunch. There is a $10 non-refundable deposit. Your registration is not confirmed until your deposit is received.

SCROLL TO THE VERY BOTTOM OF THISEVENT TO REGISTER ONLINE: (If you need some extra supportiveinformation for registering online, click HERE

(If you pay the deposit online via PayPal there is no option for coming back to pay the remaining amount online. The remaining amount must be paid by a check (mail in or pay on your arrival) or by cash when you arrive for the program. There is no way of processing a credit card at the center. If you really want to pay everything by credit card then pay in full at the time of online registration. If the program is canceled you will receive the full payment back via PayPal. If you are unable to attend the program, the remainder after the deposit will be paid back via PayPal.)

Julie Keegan, OSF, a Sister of St. Francis of Philadelphia, is an associate staff member at the Franciscan Spiritual Center. Her ministry includes authoring the Centers Blog, overseeing the website and other electronic social networks, giving retreats, doing spiritual direction and offering workshops on gratitude, Franciscan theology, and evolutionary spirituality. She has extensive professional experience in health care, nursing education, ethics, development, and has been involved in offering programs at parishes and health care institutions.

39.8772105 -75.43881929999998

Online registration has closed for this event but you can call 610-558-6152 to see if there are available spaces or to place yourself on a waiting list.

Or Download a PDF Reservation Form to send via mail.

See more here:
Evolutionary Spirituality | Franciscan Spiritual Center