"The world is moving so fast these days that the man who says it can't be done is generally interrupted by someone doing it."
— Harry Emerson Fosdick

"Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter."
— Izaak Walton

"I am always doing that which I can not do, in order that I may learn how to do it."
— Pablo Picasso

"It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the ones most responsive to change."
— Charles Darwin

This month’s trivia are in honor of next year’s Conference in Niagara Falls. Are these statements true or false?

Answers are at the end!

- Niagara Falls is the largest single waterfall in the country and is about 3000 years old.

- The Falls have stopped flowing twice, and they have frozen.

- Fifteen people are known to have gone over the Falls and none of them lived.

Phone: 1-800-913-1961 info@apccanada.com

Thanks for the memories!

Four hundred Administrative Professionals spent four days in Toronto at the lovely Westin Harbour Castle, learning, growing, networking, renewing their spirits, and enjoying themselves. Take a look at some highlights from this year’s event! Click here and follow directions to view snapshots from the Conference.

Make Something Happen: A Personal Action Plan

Have you ever left a conference, speech or training program feeling energized and motivated to make some changes—only to find that, once you’re back in the thick of things at work, your good resolutions fade? Most of us have. We get so caught up in the daily demands of our jobs, that we put our goals on hold. That’s one reason we’ve created the APC 2007 Action Learning Plan.

The Plan will help you remember those motivating moments from the Conference, set goals for yourself and achieve more! And if you are like many of the APC attendees who go back to work and share their learning experiences with colleagues, this Action Learning Plan is your first step in creating an effective summary of the sessions you attended.

>> Click here to download the Action Learning Plan.

Get ready to
Recharge!

Austin Powers, the fictional spy and a “guest” at this year’s conference, said, “I'll go back to the 60's, recharge my mojo to beat Dr. Evil, and be back in time for tea."

When your motivation lags at work, it might not be quite that easy for you to lift your enthusiasm but there are things you can do:

• Go all out when it matters the most. Balance effort with payback by making sure your time and energy are used most with more important projects—and that you put yourself out for people that matter most, too. Do something everyday that is important to you and gives you a sense of achievement.
  
  
• Unclear goals or expectations drain your motivation. When something is delegated, make sure you understand what results are expected, how much authority you have and what resources are available. Plan your projects in stages so you can “see” your progress.
  
  
• Don’t be afraid to set limits. Do you need to be a team player and be cooperative? Yes, and you also have a right to work reasonable hours and to say “no” to requests for favors. Be clear about what is and isn’t your job if someone is taking advantage of you.
  
  
• Get organized. One thing that drains us at work is when we feel out of control and overwhelmed. Even if you do have to stay extra at work, take the time to clean up and organize; you’ll feel much better.
  
  
• Nourish yourself. Give yourself praise when you do a good job and tell others about it. Make sure you develop your own professional skills and grow interpersonally. And take the time to do things you enjoy professionally and personally.

What Conference 2007 participants told us:

"I am still reeling with excitement over the Conference. I learned a great deal and feel that I learned so much about myself. I left there feeling very empowered."
Kim Conrod, IWK Health Center Halifax, NS

"This Conference has been of great benefit to me as we all have room for improvement in our work life. I have certainly grown with my career and advanced myself with all the inspirational keynote speakers and valuable concurrent sessions."
Bertha Li, Executive Assistant Surrey Place Centre

And a note from one of your 2007 faculty: Marilyn Debora

It is hard to believe that the APC has come and gone and is now a very positive memory. This was my sixth APC and I have enjoyed all of them. It is always great to meet up with past participants and to hear how well they are doing and how much they learned from us, the facilitators, and from each other. I also enjoy meeting new delegates and hearing about their challenges and triumphs. I was impressed with the women I was fortunate to work with this year. This was the first year I spent time with Admin Professionals who also have supervisory responsibility. These women were bright and confident and very capable. It was an honour to work with them; their direct reports are fortunate to work with such capable women.

One of this year’s popular sessions? Performance Evaluations!

Lorinda Lewis’s “How to Create a Performance Evaluation and Measurable Objectives” session offered tips on tracking accomplishments, setting and achieving goals, and assessing your own performance.

When you are asked to evaluate your own performance, one of your first tasks is to document your actions and results. Be specific—consider what is observable and can be measured. Go beyond just listing your duties, and be sure to provide examples. Here are seven questions that will help get you started:

1. What have you done over the past year that increased revenue, decreased costs, saved time or reduced errors?

2. In what ways, specifically, have you performed your job responsibilities above expectations?

3. How do you demonstrate professional attributes like consistency, teamwork, reliability, collaboration, leadership?

4. What specific problems or challenges have you solved in the past year?

5. What special projects did you undertake and with what results?

6. What are your goals for the coming year and what resources do you need to accomplish them?

7. In what areas do you need support, direction, training or structure in order to develop?

Brainteaser answer:

- False. There are actually three falls at Niagara: American Falls, Bridal Veil Falls and the Horseshoe Falls. The Falls at Niagara are approximately 12,000 years old.

- True. All three falls stopped flowing for a day and a half in 1848 because of an ice jam at Lake Erie. The American Falls was dammed up by the Army Corp of Engineers in 1969 so they could study the erosion of the rock. In 1938, the American Falls completely froze over, and people were able to walk on top of the Falls. You have to wonder what made them think it was safe to walk on, though!

- False. While 15 people are known to have gone over the Falls, amazingly enough, 10 survived.