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Unit1FamousPeopleAstheownerofasmallbusinesssellingsoftwareIfindithardtorecruitgoodpeopleintoday’stightlabormarketandhavinggotpeopleonboard,thereisanequally,ifnotmoredifficulttaskofkeepingthemhappy.Staffturnoverisarealproblem.TwoyearsagoourstaffturnoveratEpmusplcwasoutofcontrol.Wewereconsistentlylosingstaffacrossthespectrumfromclericalworkerstoseniormanagers,Butourrealworrywastheskilledtechnicalpeoplewhowereleavingus.Theycomprisedabulkofourworkforcesowebroughtinagroupofconsultantstohelpusfigureoutwhytheywereleaving.Itwasn’ttoodifficulttoseewhathadgonewrong.Gettingnewrecruitstodealwithclientswithoutanyspecialisttrainingwasn’tagoodidea.Wewereputtingourstaffinanunfairposition,especiallywhentheyhadtoreachsalestargets.Norwasthesystemofevaluatingemployeeperformanceonlyonceayearagoodidea.Itmeantwewon'tpickuppotentialproblemsearlyenough.Sohavingconductedourassessmentweestablishedaformalplantoretainthepeoplewhohadworkedsohardtorecruitandhire.Welaidoutspecificstepsforcommunicatingwithourstaff.Firstly,everyyearweclosedownthecompanyandinviteourentirestafftoanoff-sitemeeting.Wetalkshopanditgivesusachancetoreinforcewhatthecompanyvisionis.Itisafterallessentialthateveryoneisawareofwherewearegoingandwhatwehavetoachieve.Thentobuildonthisgroundwork,thesessionmanagerssende-mailmessagesevery3monthstodescribeanymodificationstherehavebeentothatdivision,astheprocesstookholdwenoticedthatdoingthisquarterlywasn’tadequate.Asaresultinowhaveameetingonceaweekwiththemanagerswhoaredirectlyresponsibletometoreviewandrevisetheirdepartmentgoals.However,inmyview,communicatingtheplanofwherethecompanyisheadedissomethingletmedownonacontinualbasiseveramidtheoftenchaoticday-to-dayundertakingsofourfast-growingcompany.IthinkthatthisjogstothememoryortobeincorporatedintoeveryCEOsusualinteractionwiththeirstaff.Ourstaffturnoverratehasfallentojustover30percentthisyearwhichwewereverypleasedwith.Andthestepswetookmightproveusefultootherentrepreneurs.Therearekeythingsthatneedtobedone.Forexample,setupmeetingsevery3monthsorsowithyourmostimportantpersonnelandusetheseoccasionstoprovidefeedback,andtalkaboutanyproblemsthestaffmayhave.Inaddition,makesurenewrecruitsareputthroughaproper2-weektrainingperiodandspendtimewithamentorwhohasbeenformallydelegatedtolookafterthemandanswertheirquestions.Alsowhenlookingtoretainstaff,don’tjustfocusoncompensation.Bearinmindthatwhenitcomestokeepingpeopleyouneedtoshowpublicitythatyouvaluetheircontribution.Therearealsoothermethodsofrewardingstaffwhostaywithyou,suchasstockoptionsandinthelongtermourgoalisforallemployeestobereceivingthese.Unit2GrowingPainsYouthisnotatimeoflife;itisastateofmind.Itisnotamatterofrosycheeks,redlipsandsuppleknees;itisamatterofthewill,aqualityoftheimagination,avigoroftheemotions;itisthefreshnessofdeepspringsoflife.Youthmeanstemperamentalpredominanceofcourageovertimidity,oftheappetiteforadventureovertheloveofease.Thisoftenexistsinamanof60morethaninaboyof20.Nobodygrowsoldermerelybythenumberofyears.Wegrowolderbydesertingourideals.Yearsmaywrinkletheskin,buttogiveupenthusiasmwrinklesthesoul.Worry,fear,self-distrustbowstheheartandturnthespiritbacktodust.Whether60or16,thereisineveryhumanbeing’sheartthelureofwonder,theunfailingchildlikeappetiteofwhat’snext,andthejoyofthegameofliving.Inthecenterofyourheartandmyheartthereisawirelessstation;solongasitreceivesmessagesofbeauty,hope,courageandpowerfrommanandfromtheinfinite,solongareyouyoung.Whentheaerialsaredown,andyourspiritiscoveredwithsnowsofcynicismandtheiceofpessimism,thenyouaregrownold,evenat20;butaslongastheaerialsareup,tocatchwavesofoptimism,thereishopethatyoumaydieyoungat80.Unit3SportsandGamesPlayisveryimportantforhumansfrombirthtodeath.Playisnotmeanttobejustforchildren.Itisaformoffreedomandconnectionthatcantapintoyourcreativity,andcanallowyouthechancetofindyourinnerchildandtheinnerchildofothers.Ihavecollectedthetopfivebenefitsofplayhere.Playcanstimulateyoutothinkdifferently.Itcangoagainstalltherules,andchangethesameoldboringwayofdoingthings.WaltDisneywasdevotedtoplay,andhiswillingnesstoopposethecommonwisdomchangedtheworldofentertainment.Thenexttimeyouarestuckinafixedandboringwayoflife,pulloutaboxofcolorpencils,modelingclay,glueandscissors,andinviteyourinnerchildoutandbreakfree.Youwillbeamazedatthewayyourthinkingshiftsthenewworldofdiscovery.Playingcanbringgreaterjoyintoyourlife.Whatdoyouthinktheworldwouldbelike-ifeveryhumanspenttimeeachdayinplay?Ibetjustaskingyouthisquestionhasbroughtasmiletoyourface.Playcreateslaughter,joy,entertainment,andafeelingofinnerpeace.Startingtoday,trytoget30minuteseachdaytoengageinsomeformofplay,andwatchyourjoyfactorrise!Playisknowntoreducestress.Studiesshowthat,ashumans,playispartofournature.Wehavetheneedtoplaybecauseitisinstinctiveandbasictohumanexistence.Withregularplay,ourproblem-solvingandadaptiveabilitieswillbeinmuchbettershapetohandlethiscomplexworld,andwearemuchmorelikelytochoosehealthyanswerstochallengingsituationsastheyarise.Itcreateslaughterandfreedomthatcaninstantlyreducestressandaddafeelingofrelaxationtoourdailyliving.Playcans