How do we ensure brighter futures tomorrow for the children of today?
I’m not talking about global warming, wars, or future financial conditions; these are beyond our control. What I want to know is: How can we ensure that our children grow into confident, happy, and positive adults? Unfortunately, this article will not give you the answer.
However, early childhood education in my opinion provides a haven for all children to experience an equal and well balanced education.
The reason we decided to aim NetPay (online payroll solution) at the childhood sector was not only to help centres decrease the costs associated with payroll, but more importantly to save centres time and give managers the peace of mind. Even if you have the best and most qualified staff, this is meaningless unless they have time to spend teaching the children. Any errors with your PAYE will mean a heavy penalty from IRD.
This year I was lucky to take part in the NZ Childcare conference in Rotorua. I met many teachers, managers and licensees. I learnt a lot from the conference: the childcare sector thrive off chocolate and are totally dedicated to providing the best education to young children of
This year’s winner of our fantastic Samsung Galaxy Tab prize is Karen Wyatt of Freyberg Community Preschool.
Karen said, “I would rate the NetPay system 10/10 - I can complete the weekly payroll in a matter of minutes - it is the easiest system I have ever used. I have recommended this system to other businesses outside of ECE that find it difficult to calculate sick and holiday pays - with NetPay it is sooooo simple!!”
Congratulations Karen, you’re doing a great job!
DataHelp – Datacom’s Cutting Edge Online Help System
As
DataHelp’s philosophy is targeted to simplify payroll concepts and processes in order to increase usability by you, our payroll software users.
Free. With Datacom managing the servers for DataHelp, we can provide a highly reliable and consistent level of service to you with no cost.
Fast. Simply go to www.datahelp.co.nz and log-in using your ESS, EasiPay Online or DataPay log-in. Click on the question mark symbol beside your username when you’re logged in online and be instantly directed and logged into your own DataHelp page.
Accessible. DataHelp is a fully web browser enabled allowing access to the system from any location a browser enabled computer is available.
As long as you have an internet connection, you will be able to log-in using your ESS, EasiPay Online and DataPay log-in and get the assistance you require anytime of the day or night.
Reliable. The information provided on DataHelp is constantly revised and with Datacom managing these updates; you can have faith that you will get firsthand information at your fingertips today and tomorrow.
You can experience the benefits of DataHelp. No longer will you need to hear the ringing tone of the telephone or the sound of a voicemail in your ear. DataHelp gives you the power to get the answers you want.
Where in the World is this?
In our June edition of our monthly newsletter we started a competition open to all our readers. The challenge was to identify a breathtaking
We would like to congratulate the winner, Devendra Lala who correctly identified the below location which was
It is situated on the most northerly point on the
For the month of September, we will be having our second installment to the competition.
If you can identify the part of
The most accurate answer will be in to win two movie passes complimentary of Datacom.
The Golden Rules of Great Leadership
A leader is best when people know he barely exists, when his work is done, his aim is fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves. ~ Lao Tzu
Leadership isn’t just for CEO’s, coaches and managers. Throughout your life, your ability to perform as a leader can make all the difference between the experience of success and ease, and a feeling of frustration and powerlessness. Many of you are true leaders without even knowing it! If you are a parent, married, manage a family budget or teach a class, you are a leader!
Thousands of books are written about leadership and management and how best to meld together the best of both worlds. Companies spend millions in training their youngest brightest talent and rightfully so – leadership in specific business divisions can be a demanding role which requires skilful management of both people and situations. However as with everything else in life, the key to successful leadership is rather very simple.
The golden rule of leadership can be expressed in many ways, and here are a few ways:
There are good role models.
Great leaders lead by example. They don’t ask other people to do something they are not prepared to do themselves. They exemplify the type of behaviour they would like their employees to exhibit, for example risk taking, proactively engaging in tasks and most importantly self-reflection accompanied with a healthy dose of honesty.
They empathise. A good leader will put themselves in the shoes of others. They understand that nobody is trying to do a bad job; everyone has the same end goal in mind however the road to reach that goal might be a difference of opinion. It might not be the road thought to be best however there needs to be the recognition that there is no single tried and true road to success, leaders need to illustrate a genuine willingness to understand the points of view of others.
They are adaptable. There are many ways to get a job done…and a leader needs to recognise this fact. The views of others need to be sought and personal preferences should be amended to reflect what has been learnt. Flexibility is fundamental.
They embrace contrast. Everyone is different, and a good leader will use this diversity to his advantage. Contrast and diversity leads to innovation. A poor leader will attempt to assert their position by imposing uniformity yet a good leader will encourage thinking outside the box, creativity and originality.
They communicate. A good leader doesn’t expect people to read their mind and she knows that good communication is very difficult. It requires a lot of care and a lot of patience; they will spend time and energy trying to communicate in ways which are best suited to their staff. Meetings and conversations will be interactive where parties will actively engage in seeking for a solution which can accommodate the needs and communication styles of all involved. Transparency is a vital component in this process along with willingness to look under the surface to see what other people are really trying to say.
They give praise. There is always good stuff happening! When a leader has to critique performances a good leader will always accompany the bad with the good. Leaders will focus on employees’ successes and admirable personal qualities however this needs to be consistently addressed as positive reinforcement is an on-going, long term process.
They trust people. I’m sure we have all worked with bosses who (literally) peer over your shoulder to see what you are doing. A good leader will set clear expectations regarding conduct and work ethic and, in understanding that everyone is different, will leave employees to find their own methods of fulfilling these expectations.
They empower others. We all feel capable of making a difference, and a good leader recognises this. They will not hold on too tightly to the power that accompanies their position, instead they will redistribute this power to employees and promote an autonomous working environment. This will enable employees to grow not only within their role but to also add value to the company through new innovative and creative ways.
They have a light touch. Holding on too tight, being too inflexible – these actions are destined for failure. A poor leader will try to control too much however a great leader will understand the importance of power and therefore know when to put it in the hands of others. Lao Tzu wrote, “governing a great nation is like cooking a small fish – too much handling will spoil it’
Many more traits could be identified but the ‘golden rules’ of leadership tie all of these qualities and behaviours together. It unifies that apparently diverse skill set of good leaders and informs their thinking and actions. Can you see what it is? And, most importantly, can you put this into practice in your own life.
Written by Mark Harrison