Link: http://www.contractworld.com.au/reloaded/ica-news.php

On October 8th in Sydney, the Minister for Independent Contractors, Craig Emerson, will conduct the national launch of two significant publications into independent contractors:
Ken Phillips's book ‘Independence and the Death of Employment’, and Monash University's research ‘The Forgotten Workforce’.

For details, please go to:
http://www.contractworld.com.au/reloaded/ica-news.php
and follow the links in the ‘Major Initiative’ box near the head of the page.

Regards

The Team at Independent Contractors of Australia

Link: http://trax.fastcompany.com/k/w/mailman/fasttake/20080910/granular_thinking

by Shawn Graham for FastCompany.com

I once worked for a boss who accused me of being granular or always looking at things from "in the weeds." Ironically, that couldn't have been further from the truth and maybe that's one of the reasons I'm no longer there. But I digress.

It used to really frustrate me that, no matter how high level, big picture, or blue sky my suggestions were, my contributions and perspectives were always dismissed as being "too granular."

read on...

Link: http://www.forbes.com/entrepreneurs/2008/09/06/sales-compensation-bonus-ent-sales-cx_gp_0906askanexpertglennportercompensation.html?partner=smallbusiness_newsletter

Chances are that others can do what you do.
The difference: relationships and reputation.

read on...

thank you to whomever wrote this
and thank you to Paul for popping it in my inbox!

A carrot, an egg, and a cup of coffee...
You will never look at a cup of coffee the same way again.

A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and
how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was
going to make it and wanted to give up, She was tired of fighting
and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one
arose.

Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with
water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil.
In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs,
and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit
and boil; without saying a word.

In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the
carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and
placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed
it in a bowl. Turning to her daughter, she asked, ' Tell me what
you see.'

'Carrots, eggs, and coffee,' she replied.

Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots.
She did and noted that they were soft. The mother then asked the
daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell,
she observed the hard boiled egg.

Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The
daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma. The daughter then
asked, 'What does it mean, mother?'

Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same
adversity: boiling water. Each reacted differently. The carrot
went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being
subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The
egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its
liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its
inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique,
however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed
the water.

'Which are you?' she asked her daughter. 'When adversity knocks on
your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a
coffee bean?

Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but
with pain and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my
strength?

Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with
the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup,
a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened
and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I
bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart?

Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot
water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water
gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like
the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and
change the situation around you. When the hour is the darkest and
trials are their greatest do you elevate yourself to another
level? How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg or a
coffee bean?

May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to
make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human and enough hope
to make you happy.

The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of
everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along
their way. The brightest future will always be based on a
forgotten past; you can't go forward in life until you let go of
your past failures and heartaches, whether they be personal and/or business and career.

When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was
smiling. Live your life so at the end, you're the one who is smiling and everyone around you is crying.

May we all be COFFEE!!!!!!!

Link: http://www.humanresourcesmagazine.com.au/articles/E3/0C0598E3.asp

by Emma Egan, manager, Hays Human Resources for HumanResourcesMagazine.com.au

Q. I’ve been working as a contractor in various HR roles – some specific assignments such as recruitment and LandD, and some more generalist type roles. I feel that the experience I have gained has certainly added to my knowledge base and competencies but was interested to know what you thought about contracting generally – are there long-term benefits or is it the kiss of death for my career?

A. This is a great question, because many people “find themselves” in a contracting role and rarely stop to think about the possible implications of that until a year has passed! There are a number of key factors to consider – the most critical being to first establish your longer-term career goals.

keep reading...