Are leaders successful because of their charisma? Or do they develop charisma by being good leaders?

That is the chicken-and-egg question addressed by Prasad Balkundi, assistant professor of organization and human resources in the School of Management, in a recently published paper in The Journal of Applied Psychology.

Balkundi and his co-authors studied how leaders interact with subordinates when they work with small groups and how the leader’s interaction affects the group’s performance.

Several prior studies have shown that the higher the charisma of the leader, the more productive the team. But the nature and factors that predict charisma remain unclear.

“Charismatic leaders are typically depicted as extraordinary individuals capable of inspiring their subordinates,” Balkundi says. “Howeve

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According to the new rule, borrowers have two options for handling any disputed amount above $1,000:

1. Pay off the outstanding balance in full
2. Document a payment arrangement that can be submitted to FHA. The payments must be included in the borrowers debt-to-income ratio

Credit disputes from more than two years prior to the loan application are not included in the new rule. Credit disputes related to identity theft or unauthorized users are also excluded, but borrowers must document a police report or an identity theft report from the creditor on any fraudulent charges that appear on their credit report.

Preapproval first, shop second

This new FHA rule gives borrowers all the more reason to get preapproved for a mortgage loan before they start shopping for a home, says Gail Kullman, a senior loan officer with Prime Lending in Alexandria, Va.

It may take time to gather the documentation from a creditor or the police department if you are an identity theft victim.

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Know any “lucky” people? You might want to pass this article along to them so they don’t wind up in hot water with the IRS. With revenues declining for local, state, and federal governments, you can be sure the Tax Man will be on the lookout for his cut of your winnings, even if those winnings aren’t in cash.

Being lucky may not be all it’s cracked up to be. Most people realize that winning a huge jackpot automatically means a large chunk of change goes to Uncle Sam, but gambling winnings can show up in the strangest of places. Like where?

Various sites around the Internet giving away prizes ranging from iPads/Pods/Phones to costume jewelry, and winners are required by law to report those prize winnings on form 1040.

TurboTax or H&R Block – which one is better? Find out wh

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After seeing success with last year’s “Match My Miles” promo, Capital One has brought back another potential 100,000 point sign up bonus for its Venture Card. Under this year’s promo, called the Venture Double Miles Challenge, your bonus will be limited to double the amount you spent on a single competitor’s consumer travel credit card (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover) up to a maximum bonus of 100,000 miles per account.

That means in order to max your bonus, you must have spent $50,000 last year on a single travel credit card. Small bus

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When the insurance company’s claims payment philosophy changed, George Keys did not. “I honestly never thought I would leave the employment of the insurance company.” This is the first thing George Keys said when asked about his work with policyholders.

For over thirty years, George W. Keys, Jr., SPPA, has dedicated his professional life to being a voice for policyholders in property insurance claims. Today, Mr. Keys works as a public insurance adjuster, appraiser, and umpire, but it is his interesting background that impacts how he views and handles insurance claims when he is adjusting a claim or working on an appraisal.

Starting in 1978 as an adjuster trainee for Commercial Union Insurance Company, Keys was trained by the insurance company. He was educated on how to properly and promptly handle claims. Polic

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When buying a home is low financial standings one can always opt to do mortgages. These will help in ensuring you never lose out on getting to buy that home or piece of land you have your eye on. Mortgages are a secure way of getting loans when in need of extra cash. Though as much as getting a mortgage is beneficial, it is still a risky affair to be in especially if you are in it when you do not anything about mortgage or even if you do know something it is not the least bit beneficial to you when seeking to get a mortgage.

A mortgage is a well-known form of security when one is applying for a loan. Getting to know what are the best rates for you is what becomes the main area of focus to that you minimize of the possibilities of you feeling the pinch of repaying the loan in time. Do your homework well before settling for any mortgage. This helps in your decision making. Full Article…