Management Tip of the Day: 3 Tips to Avoid Wasting Time Online

If you are like most internet users, you've probably chastised yourself for wasting time on the web. Research has shown that our brains enjoy being distracted and that the internet feeds that distraction happily. To avoid wasting time online, try these three things:

1. Stay healthy. Getting rest and eating right makes your brain less prone to distraction.
2. Avoid known time wasters. If you've wasted too much time already on a blog or forum, don't go there again. Or, set limits on your time there.
3. Work smart. Working long hours can tire your brain and make you more likely to seek out distraction. If you have to put in a long day, schedule breaks in advance and know what you will do with that time.

2010年世界与中国经济走势预测报告

http://www.ebusinessreview.cn/c/forum_article-layoutId-50-id-4852.html

Management Tip of the Day: How to Deliver Bad News to a Group

Disappointing news is never easy to deliver. Whether you are announcing that you haven't made your numbers or that there will be no bonuses this year, here are three tips for delivering bad news in a way that minimizes stress and negative impact on productivity:

1. Do it as soon as possible. Bad news travels fast. Don't sit on information — get out there and share it as soon as it's feasible.
2. Give context. Don't try to soften the information but do contextualize the news in the bigger picture. Explain the response to the situation and ask for the group's help.
3. Prepare for questions. Any engaged group of employees will want to know more. Try to anticipate the most burning questions and prepare answers that are candid and respectful of peoples' anxieties.

效率极低人群之七大习惯

http://forum.elegantliving.ceconlinebbs.com/FORUM_POST_2_7_20188_0.HTM?click_from=3000001864,8947279912,2010-01-21,ELOL,NEWSLETTER&topic

从电动自行车看中国民族性-华尔街日报

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小一个电动自行车，这些年它在中国的起伏与兴衰，生动揭示了中国的民族性，也深刻反映出中国经济的活力以及致命短板所在。

在中国，再好的经也能被歪嘴和尚念砸了。比如说，传销作为一种销售形式，在国外风行了几十年，似乎也没捅出多大娄子，然而一到中国便"橘生淮北而为枳"，牵扯上许多违法乱纪的事，弄到几无生存的余地。与之类似，电动自行车本来是一种便捷、清洁的出行工具，很适合中国国情，但由于政府的乱开口子，百姓的乱钻空子，这一便民交通工具竟然成为了马路杀手。

首先，正是因为许多城市脱离经济发展的现实水平超前禁止摩托车，才导致电动自行车的使用空间被人为撑大，为其以后的无序发展埋下了祸根。其次，中国老百姓无与伦比的钻空子能力彻底将电动自行车推入了死角。电动自行车按自行车管理，准入门槛低，而它的电驱动特性又使其可以具备很高的速度，这种两面性给天性爱钻空子的中国老百姓提供了广阔施展空间，于是电动自行车的速度越来越块，体积越来越大，终于诞生出一批在街道上横冲直撞的马路巡洋舰，交通执法部门的监管不力又为之推波助澜，电动自行车也越来越引起社会的公愤。

但如果我们对电动自行车与中国国民性的联想到这里便告打住，那就有失肤浅了。《华尔街日报》中文网昨日刊出的《中国经济高速增长奇迹即将落幕？》一文吸引了众多读者的关注，说实话，任何高增长局面都有结束的一天，真正的"奇迹"是，以中国政府在管理社会事务方面常常表现出的"业余"水平，以及中国民众法纪意识的普遍薄弱，中国经济为何能够实现几十年的高增长？

基于从电动自行车获得的启发，我觉得这个问题可以这样解释：改革开放这几十年，中国政府一直保持了比较强的危机意识，在不威胁其根本原则的前提下尚能变通处理社会中的各种矛盾，也就是说撞了南墙知道回头，这从政府在舆论压力下迅速取消电动自行车限制规定这点上就能看出；老百姓的民间商业行为虽然乱乱哄哄、难以形成有效合力，但鉴于中国的经济发展道路有如迷宫一般障碍重重，分头出击、瞎打误撞反而可能是克服障碍的最高效办法，中国老百姓高超的钻空子本领最适合这种打法。谷歌在中国因"水土不服"而一肚子苦水，而在非洲同样"遇到很多问题"的中国企业却在那里游刃有余。或许，市场秩序不完善的经济环境最适合善钻空子的中国人生存。

但现代市场经济毕竟是法治经济，如果政府一味摸着石头过河、百姓一味投机取巧，那么当中国的经济发展走出迷宫、开始步入较正常轨道之时，中国的高增长奇迹恐怕真要戛然而止了。

（本文作者刘罡是《华尔街日报》中文网编辑兼专栏撰稿人。文中所述仅代表他的个人观点。）

http://cn.wsj.com/gb/20100119/EDR154402.asp?source=newsletter

Management Tip of the Day: 4 Tips for Deciding Whether to Accept a Project

Being presented with a new assignment can feel flattering, or like an increased burden. Consider these four tips when making your decision to accept or not:

1. Imagine yourself doing the assignment. When you envision yourself performing the tasks involved, do you feel invigorated or unmotivated?
2. Research the project's history. Find out as much as you can about the origins of the project and what brought it to you.
3. Know what the stakeholders want. An obvious step is to know who the stakeholders are. But go a step further and find out what their interest in the project really is.
4. Look at your whole plate. It may be that your plate is simply too full. Assess the project with your other commitments in mind.

The Daily Stat: Face Time Really Matters

Because of the importance of nonverbal forms of communication, face-to-face interactions have a big impact on people's thinking and emotions. In a research study, some30% of the variation in university students' political views turned out to be a function of their face-to-face exposure to others' opinions, according to Alex Pentland of MIT.

Source: Defend Your Research: We Can Measure the Power of Charisma in Harvard Business Review, January-February 2010