January 2009 Newsletter
New Year - New Challenges!
Happy New Year from the team at the Newport Mirage. I hope by now all the cobwebs have cleared away and you're ready for the year ahead.
Our conference promotion is proving itself very popular. Get your conference quote in now to be eligible to dine out on us. All the details are below.
Summer is a great time for conferencing on Sydney's Northern Beaches. At the Mirage, we're lucky enough to have Pittwater on one side of us and the beaches just a stone's throw away. How about a surfing lesson for a team building session with a difference?
Summer is also the perfect time to come and do a site inspection. Before things get too hectic, come on up and have a look.
Hope to see you soon.
Paul Cutler
Sales Manager
Contents (scroll down to view):
- Inspiration of the Month
- A Taste of the Mirage - This month, the Mirage's own celebrity chef Stu, unleashes one of his own personal Barbeque favourites.
- Trivia Time - The Australia Day theme continues
- Book your 2009 Conference today!
- Upcoming events - Bridal Open Day & Australia Day Fireworks over Pittwater
- How to - Leaders are made, not born
Inspiration of the Month
'In the absence of clearly defined goals, we become loyal to performing daily acts of trivia'
- Chinese Proverb
A TASTE OF THE MIRAGE - Stu's Aussie Lamb Skewers with Potato and Salad
Ingredients (4 people)- 500g lamb leg steak, diced
- 1 red capsicum, cut into 2cm pieces
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1/2 teaspoon dried mint
- 1/2 cup low-fat Greek-style yoghurt
- 4 large Coliban potatoes
- olive oil cooking spray
- 80g mixed salad leaves
- 1 Lebanese cucumber, thinly sliced
- Thread lamb and capsicum alternately onto skewers. Combine half the garlic, 1/4 cup lemon juice and mint in a ceramic dish. Add skewers and turn to coat in garlic mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes, if time permits.
- Combine remaining garlic and yoghurt in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Pierce each potato with a fork and place on a microwave-safe plate. Microwave, uncovered, on HIGH (100%) for 8 to 10 minutes or until just cooked through. Allow to cool slightly. Cut potatoes into 1cm-thick slices.
- Preheat barbecue grill and plate on medium-high heat. Spray skewers with oil. Grill for 3 to 4 minutes each side for medium or until cooked to your liking. Spray potato slices with oil. Cook on barbecue plate for 2 minutes each side or until golden. Remove potato to a plate.
- Divide salad leaves and cucumber between plates. Top with skewers. Serve with potato and yoghurt.
Pre soak 8 bamboo skewers. Then they won't burn on the barbie!
TRIVIA TIME - All Aussie questions for an all Aussie Summer
1. Who is on the front of the current issue $100 note
a) George Bush
b) Greg Norman
c) Dame Nellie Melba
d) Dame Edna Everage
2. Who is the lead singer of Silverchair
a) Rolf Harris
b) Daniel Johns
c) Sir Les Patterson
d) Natalie Imbruglia
3. What is Australia's National Flower
a) The Gladioli
b) Golden Wattle
c) Stinging Nettle
d) Lantana
Click the email address below, type 'trivia time' in the subject line, send and you will receive the answers shortly! Every response will go into the draw for a $50 Newport Arms gift voucher paul.cutler@newportmirage.com.au
We also have a mystery theme this month. See if you can guess what or who it is.
BOOK YOUR CONFERENCE FOR '09 AND DINE OUT ON US
We have a great conference offer at the Mirage. Book and deposit your 2009 conference with us before 31 January to go into the draw to win one of two great weekend indulgence prizes.
Each Weekend Indulgence includes two nights' accommodation in a King Room, Breakfast and a Dinner at the famous Terrace on Pittwater Restaurant - 2008 'Restaurant of the Year Winner' - Restaurant & Catering Awards.
02 9997 7011 or email paul.cutler@newportmirage.com.au
UPCOMING EVENTS
Bridal Open Day
Come and experience, first hand, our award winning wedding venue. The Newport Mirage is having a Bridal Showcase on Sunday 5 April 2009. The Reception Venue will feature a wide variety of decor ideas, including the waterfront ceremony terrace. Lindy Dean, our Weddings Consultant will be on hand to help you design your dream wedding.
02 9997 7011 or email lindy.dean@newportmirage.com.au
Australia Day Fireworks Extravaganza - Newport Arms Hotel Sunday 25 January
Get your Australia Day off and running with a bang. The Newport Arms Hotel hosts their annual Australia Day eve party. More details at:
http://www.newportarms.com.au/promos/australia-day-eve.htmlLeaders are made, not born by John Adair
Whilst debate rages over the differences between management and leadership and the various qualities which may or may not be inborn, practical people just want to know what they have to do, whatever it is labeled.
In today's business climate three levels of leadership are now emerging which replace a single leader at the top. Together these form the overall leadership team of the organization.
- Team leaders - responsible for between 8 and 12 people
- Operational leaders - responsible for a sizable area of the business
- Strategic leaders - responsible for the whole organization
Character is part of leadership. Leaders gain credibility by exemplifying the qualities expected within the working group and are different from managers because they possess certain generic traits such as enthusiasm, integrity, toughness, fairness, warmth, humility and confidence. The first step in developing leadership potential is to recognize those traits in oneself.
The suitable approach to leadership is based on the use of authority appropriate to the context. There are four types of authority:
- Position - "Do this because I am the boss"
- Knowledge - "Authority flows to one who knows"
- Personality - Charisma in its extreme form
- Moral authority - the personal authority to ask others to make sacrifices
To get people to co-operate, a leader will need to understand the particular circumstances and choose which type of authority would be most effective. The leader who knows what to do inspires confidence in others. Technical and professional knowledge can make a significant contribution to a leader's development.
My approach focuses on group actions. A group of people working together develops a unique personality which has three overlapping areas of need. These needs are: to achieve the task, to build and maintain the team, and to develop the individual. Each interacts with the others, so that if a task is achieved, the team develops and individuals develop a sense of satisfaction. Equally, if the group lacks cohesion its task performance will fall, resulting in lowered individual morale.
At this point the mystique of leadership falls away - success comes from something a leader does rather than someone a leader is, so leaders can enhance their skills through practice, study, experience and reflection.
Leaders cannot avoid being some kind of example, because people constantly observe what they do and who they are. However, the individual has discretion over whether it will be a good or poor example (and people generally notice bad examples more than good). A sure sign of integrity is when a leader's words match their deeds and the best leadership example is provided unselfconsciously as an expression of who the leader is, rather than something calculated to have an effect.
- Bridal Open Day / 26th Sept - click here
- Midweek Lunch & Dinner Special Menu @ Terrace on Pittwater - click here