December ~ National Write a Business Plan Month. Whether your New Year's resolution is to start your own business or to keep it going, December is the time to start planning. A good business plan should define your goals, set objectives, identify your niche, and create a timeline for reviewing your progress.

December ~ Safe Toys and Gifts Month. Don't let potentially harmful presents turn your holiday celebration into a trip to the emergency room. Prevent Blindness America cautions gift-givers to buy age-appropriate toys, review warnings, and avoid any toys with pieces that shoot or fly off. 

December 1 ~ World Aids Day is an opportunity for people worldwide to unit in the fight against HIV, show their support for people living with HIV and to commemorate people who have died. World AIDS Day was the first ever global health day and the first one was observed in 1988. For information about events or available services, visit the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.

December 7 ~ Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. The date is observed annually to remember and honor all those who died in the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.

December 21 ~ Hanukkah begins. Hanukkah is an 8-day Jewish holiday celebrating the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem.

December 21 ~ First Day of Winter

December 25 ~ Christmas Day. For Christians, Christmas is a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. It is observed among Eastern Orthodox on January 6. In 1870, the U. S. Congress made it a federal holiday, making it a secular celebration that many non-practicing Christians celebrate as a family holiday.

December 26 ~ Kwanzaa begins. Kwanzaa is an African-American celebration of traditional African values of family, community, commerce and self improvement. Based on the Nguzo Saba (7 guiding principles), one for each of the 7 days of the observance.

§ Management Workshop

Build a culture that supports high performance

Employees reflect the culture of their workplace. If you expect high performance from your employees, you have to create a culture that inspires them to work to the best of their abilities. Start with these key principles:

• Communication. Do employees know how their performance contributes to the organization’s success? If they don’t understand how their day-to-day activities affect profits or customer satisfaction, they won’t know what to focus on or why. Effective, two-way, face-to-face communication is vital.
   

• Capability. Do employees have the knowledge and skills they need to do their jobs? Training in technical skills may be necessary, but don’t forget other areas. “Soft” skills, such as communication and teamwork, are just as important.
   

• Resources. Tools and equipment are important resources, of course, but don’t neglect other, less obvious needs. The workplace itself is a resource, for example: Do workers have enough space and light to perform their jobs? Do they have adequate contact with each other to share ideas and make group decisions? The culture and atmosphere are also key: Do workers trust each other—and you? Do people work as a team or jealously guard their turf? And don’t forget the most vital resource of all—time. Do employees have the time they need to do their jobs?
   

• Motivation. Employees must want to do a good job. Money is an important factor, as long its connection to performance is clear. But praise and recognition are powerful motivators as well; so are opportunities for development and advancement. Every individual responds to different motivational stimuli, so be sensitive to each person’s unique needs.

§ Inspiration

Carry out a random act of kindness, with no expectation of reward, safe in the knowledge that one day someone might do the same for you.
~Princess Diana

Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.
~Carl Sagan
 

§ Chuckles

In an experiment conducted in Britain, people around the world were invited to judge jokes on an Internet site as well as contribute their own. The LaughLab research, carried out by psychologist Dr. Richard Wiseman, from the University of Hertfordshire, attracted more than 40,000 jobs and almost two million ratings. After a year-long search, the scientists say this is the world's funniest joke:

Two hunters are out in the woods when one of them collapses. He doesn't seem to be breathing and his eyes are glazed. The other guy takes out his phone and calls the emergency services.

He gasps: "My friend is dead! What can I do?" The operator says: "Calm down, I can help. First, let's make sure he's dead." There is a silence, then a gunshot is heard. Back on the phone, the guy says: "OK, now what?"