The day was June 29, 1998, the place was Lyon, France, and I was just an 16 year old boy watching Germany playing Croatia in the World Cup. It was the first year I showed interest in football, and I instantly fell in love with the Mannschaft (the German football team).
To be honest, I was not a big fan of the skills the German players showed, nor of their techniques, but I was a huge fan of their fighting spirit, and of how they ran across the field from the first minute till the final whistle.
On that sad day, Germany lost 3-0 against Croatia in a very dramatic match. Nobody expected that, and I remember my uncle cursing loudly. 4 years later, Germany reached the finale against Brasil, and lost 2-0. Another 4 years after that, they reached the semi final and lost 2-0 against Italy. Another 4 years, and they lost 1-0 against Spain. And tonight, 16 years later, they crushed Brasil (the hosting country) 7-1 in the semi final (They reached the semi finals 4 times in the last 4 tournaments, a world record).
Plenty of lessons are there for us to learn from the German. I could only come up with 5 in such a short notice. 5 lessons for startups to learn from the Mannschaft.
1) Determination.
They never quit, they fight one battle after another, one match after another, and they never throw the towel. Startups go through roller coasters all the time, if they are not in it to win it, then they should not even bother book domains for their sites.
2) Learning from the competition.
In 1998, France won the world cup against Brasil through 2 headers by Zizou (Zinedine Zidane) an Algerian immigrant who joined the Gallic roosters at an early age. Zidane was not the only player in the French team who was a foreigner. France won through a team of immigrants that had the talent, the attitude, and what is most important, a healthy integration.
In 2002, Germany had a multicultural team that consisted of players who had Polish, Spanish, Italian, and African roots, among others
Having a banquet of multi-ethnic players was not the only thing Germany learnt from the competition. When tiki-taka proved itself as winning football technique, the German greatest football club, Bayern Munich hired one of the scholars of this modern technique, Barcelona's ex-manager Pep Guardiola. This move gave Joachim Löw (The Mannschaft's manager) a front seat view to learn all the tricks of tiki-taka. Joachim clearly used what he learned in this world cup so far, and it is paying off.
Startups should keep a close eye on the competition, local and global ones, and they should learn from them.
3) Flexibility.
"Release fast, release often, and iterate" these golden words describe the best approach toward releasing a new product in any startup. Changing the formulas, and business tactics is viable for any startup to survive. Don't stick to your original plan, if it does not work, you better be quick enough and alter your moves.
Joachim Löw changed the formation of his squad so many times before he picked the 23 players who are going with him to Brasil. He did not stop there, he changed the tactics, alter the players, and moved from one formation to another during this world cup till he found the perfect 11 man team.
These men won 7-1 against Brasil tonight.
4) Keeping all eyes on the goal.
If you get the chance to walk into the German football federation building, you will find a picture of the famous Maracana stadium in Rio De Janeiro, where the final match will take place next Sunday.
Everyone in the German football team, the players, the managers, even the physicians kept an eye on where they are going, what their goal is, and kept visualizing how they would get there, to that stadium, and nowhere else but it.
Startups should keep their goals, and KPIs written, and hung on the wall for every employee to see, and remember. There is no room for distractions where winners come from.
5) Seize all opportunities, score all goals, be limitless.
The Mannschaft scored 5 goals in the first half an hour of their game against Brasil, but they did not stop there. They scored another two in the second half, and would have scored more if the game stretched for more than 90 minutes. They did not say that's enough for us, this is our limit, this is more than we expected. They kept going.
Startups should be limitless, fearless, they must believe that they are good enough, strong enough, and that even the sky is not their limit. Startups must stand tall against a competing business, no matter how big that business is, and they should take a shot after another, till they remove that business from the top.
It was a long journey for the Mannschaft from 1998 till 2014, and I bet you money that they will keep on teaching us lessons till the end of football days.
Wednesday, 9 July 2014
Tuesday, 8 July 2014
Adjusting to Parenting
Becoming a parent isn't going to be the easiest task in your lives, dear parents. Going down this road will be as challenging as any other major change in your life. Unfortunately, you will have to change many things that were once a huge part of your life - now you have other priorities, your child and your family.
Career
If you were planning to be a careerist, I am sorry to break it down to you, but you will probably have to forget about this one. Of course, if you can organize your time well, if you are a workaholic and especially if you can work from home, then you can somehow succeed in improving your career, but most parent are not that lucky. They have to work hard to provide for their families and still be present and work on raising their children.
Hobbies
Demanding hobbies that you used to fill your time and something that will relax you are no longer your priority once you become a parent. No one says that you should quit doing what you like, but when your children are still really young, it will be hard to cope with all obligations and still .
Pets
No matter how much you love your pets, they will come second to your child once you become a parent. Don't let this burden you, since there are many tips on how to successfully manage taking care of your baby while having a pet in your home. In addition, if you are lucky enough to live in a house and have a yard, you can choose to keep your pet(s) outside - this is not a bad and selfish solution, and don’t feel guilty. As long as you are a responsible parent towards both your pet and child, you are doing the right thing.
Socializing
You will have to cut going out a little bit, prepare yourself for spending more time at home. This might cause other problems such as depression and boredom, but if you find a way to make parenting a fun and creative process, you can still feel fulfilled. Plus, if you feel entrapped and need some time off, you can always make an agreement with your partner or find a babysitter who can take care of your child during the weekend, then you can always manage to go out at least once in two weeks. As time passes, and your child/children grow, you will cope with these things more easily.
Smoking
Smoking inside a home where there are small children is a NO NO, while pregnant women should try to quit smoking even during their pregnancy. Look at this as a way of saving some money for something that your baby might need, you don’t have to buy a pack or two of cigarettes each day.
Home Décor
You home will be a mess and you will have to make some changes when it comes to organizing your furniture when a baby comes. So, if you care about the organization and decoration of your home, you will be a bit disappointed - but all of this is a cost of becoming a parent. Making room for a nursery is just a first step, but be prepared to find baby things all over your home. Baby clothes, toys and feeding equipment are just some of the necessities, according to experts, and when the little ones start to grow, having a messy home is inevitable. You can even expect that some of your favorite pieces of furniture are going to end up ruined.
Travelling
Travelling won’t be something that you are going to be able to afford when you become a parent, and I am not talking about money… At least, not the way you remember it. This is so primarily because doctors suggest that you shouldn't take your infant too far from home during the first couple of months. Climate changes and long trips aren't something that the little ones can deal with in the same manner as the adults.
Good luck adjusting!
Career
If you were planning to be a careerist, I am sorry to break it down to you, but you will probably have to forget about this one. Of course, if you can organize your time well, if you are a workaholic and especially if you can work from home, then you can somehow succeed in improving your career, but most parent are not that lucky. They have to work hard to provide for their families and still be present and work on raising their children.
Hobbies
Demanding hobbies that you used to fill your time and something that will relax you are no longer your priority once you become a parent. No one says that you should quit doing what you like, but when your children are still really young, it will be hard to cope with all obligations and still .
Pets
No matter how much you love your pets, they will come second to your child once you become a parent. Don't let this burden you, since there are many tips on how to successfully manage taking care of your baby while having a pet in your home. In addition, if you are lucky enough to live in a house and have a yard, you can choose to keep your pet(s) outside - this is not a bad and selfish solution, and don’t feel guilty. As long as you are a responsible parent towards both your pet and child, you are doing the right thing.
Socializing
You will have to cut going out a little bit, prepare yourself for spending more time at home. This might cause other problems such as depression and boredom, but if you find a way to make parenting a fun and creative process, you can still feel fulfilled. Plus, if you feel entrapped and need some time off, you can always make an agreement with your partner or find a babysitter who can take care of your child during the weekend, then you can always manage to go out at least once in two weeks. As time passes, and your child/children grow, you will cope with these things more easily.
Smoking
Smoking inside a home where there are small children is a NO NO, while pregnant women should try to quit smoking even during their pregnancy. Look at this as a way of saving some money for something that your baby might need, you don’t have to buy a pack or two of cigarettes each day.
Home Décor
You home will be a mess and you will have to make some changes when it comes to organizing your furniture when a baby comes. So, if you care about the organization and decoration of your home, you will be a bit disappointed - but all of this is a cost of becoming a parent. Making room for a nursery is just a first step, but be prepared to find baby things all over your home. Baby clothes, toys and feeding equipment are just some of the necessities, according to experts, and when the little ones start to grow, having a messy home is inevitable. You can even expect that some of your favorite pieces of furniture are going to end up ruined.
Travelling
Travelling won’t be something that you are going to be able to afford when you become a parent, and I am not talking about money… At least, not the way you remember it. This is so primarily because doctors suggest that you shouldn't take your infant too far from home during the first couple of months. Climate changes and long trips aren't something that the little ones can deal with in the same manner as the adults.
Good luck adjusting!
Monday, 7 July 2014
Anger management tools
We all have our anger, but have we ever reflected how it affects our daily lives and those we interact with? How does it portray your personality? Here are some practical suggestions for dealing with anger;
1. When you are angry say nothing.
If we speak in anger we will definitely aggravate the situation and quite likely hurt the feelings of others. If we speak in anger we will find that people respond in kind, creating a spiral of negative anger. If we can remain outwardly silent it gives time for the emotion of anger to leave us.
“When angry count to ten before you speak. If very angry, count to one hundred. “ -Thomas Jefferson
2. Be indifferent to those who seek to make us angry
Some people may unfortunately take a malicious pleasure in trying to make you mad. However, if we can feel indifferent to them and their words; if we feel it is beyond our dignity to even acknowledge them, then their words and actions will have no effect. Also, if we do not respond in any way to their provocation, they will lose interest and not bother us in the future.
3. Use reason to stop anger.
When we feel anger coming to the fore try to take a step back and say to yourself “This anger will not help me in any way. This anger will make the situation worse.” Even if part of us remains angry our inner voice is helping us to distance our self from the emotion of anger.
4. Look kindly upon Others.
Another visualisation, suggested by spiritual teachers is to see the anger-rousing agent as a 5 year old child. If you think of the other person as a helpless 5 year old child your compassion and forgiveness will come to the fore. If your baby brother accidentally stabbed you, you would not feel anger and desire to retaliate. Instead, you would just feel he is just too young to know any better. This exercise may be particularly useful for close members of the family who at times evoke your anger.
5. Value Peace more than anger.
If we value peace of mind as our most important treasure we will not allow anger to remain in our system. You may have every right to be angry with someone, but you know that by getting angry with him you will only lose your precious peace of mind.
6. Always try to understand those who are cross.
Don’t worry about feeling the need to defend yourself from their criticisms. If you can remain detached and calm they may begin to feel guilty about venting their anger on you. Inspired by your example of calmness, they will seek subconsciously to do the same.
7. Focus on Something Completely Different.
Suppose someone has done something to make you angry. Think about something which will make you happy. The best antidote to negativity is to focus on the positive.
8. Breathe Deeply.
The simple act of breathing deeply will help considerably with removing anger.
9. Meditation.
Practise meditation regularly to bring your inner peace to the fore. If we can have an inner access to our inner peace we will be able to draw upon this during testing times.
10. Smile
When we smile we defuse many negative situations. To smile is to offer goodwill to others. Smiling costs nothing but can effectively defuse tense situations.
Common Sense
If you leave your unlocked car in the centre of town, it is likely to get stolen. This can be frustrating and is likely to give rise to feelings of anger. Of course, we should minimise this kind of situation – simply remember to lock your car.
If we feel there is an injustice in our workplace, we should work to resolve it; this will make our work environment more peaceful and less prone to creating anger
If we have a partner who is abusive, the solution is not just dealing with our own anger, but finding a more peaceful living situation.
When we try to transcend anger, it doesn’t mean we have to acquiesce to injustice and unfairness. We should strive to make the world a better place. However, whatever our goals, it is always best to act with poise and a clear mind. Acting under the influence of anger makes it more difficult to attain what we wish to achieve.
Finally as a manager and leader, I occasionally feign anger to make my staffs pay attention; sometimes, you need to show a stern face. However, as a leader you can’t afford to allow yourself to be over-run with the emotion of anger because then you may over-react and create more problems!
1. When you are angry say nothing.
If we speak in anger we will definitely aggravate the situation and quite likely hurt the feelings of others. If we speak in anger we will find that people respond in kind, creating a spiral of negative anger. If we can remain outwardly silent it gives time for the emotion of anger to leave us.
“When angry count to ten before you speak. If very angry, count to one hundred. “ -Thomas Jefferson
2. Be indifferent to those who seek to make us angry
Some people may unfortunately take a malicious pleasure in trying to make you mad. However, if we can feel indifferent to them and their words; if we feel it is beyond our dignity to even acknowledge them, then their words and actions will have no effect. Also, if we do not respond in any way to their provocation, they will lose interest and not bother us in the future.
3. Use reason to stop anger.
When we feel anger coming to the fore try to take a step back and say to yourself “This anger will not help me in any way. This anger will make the situation worse.” Even if part of us remains angry our inner voice is helping us to distance our self from the emotion of anger.
4. Look kindly upon Others.
Another visualisation, suggested by spiritual teachers is to see the anger-rousing agent as a 5 year old child. If you think of the other person as a helpless 5 year old child your compassion and forgiveness will come to the fore. If your baby brother accidentally stabbed you, you would not feel anger and desire to retaliate. Instead, you would just feel he is just too young to know any better. This exercise may be particularly useful for close members of the family who at times evoke your anger.
5. Value Peace more than anger.
If we value peace of mind as our most important treasure we will not allow anger to remain in our system. You may have every right to be angry with someone, but you know that by getting angry with him you will only lose your precious peace of mind.
6. Always try to understand those who are cross.
Don’t worry about feeling the need to defend yourself from their criticisms. If you can remain detached and calm they may begin to feel guilty about venting their anger on you. Inspired by your example of calmness, they will seek subconsciously to do the same.
7. Focus on Something Completely Different.
Suppose someone has done something to make you angry. Think about something which will make you happy. The best antidote to negativity is to focus on the positive.
8. Breathe Deeply.
The simple act of breathing deeply will help considerably with removing anger.
9. Meditation.
Practise meditation regularly to bring your inner peace to the fore. If we can have an inner access to our inner peace we will be able to draw upon this during testing times.
10. Smile
When we smile we defuse many negative situations. To smile is to offer goodwill to others. Smiling costs nothing but can effectively defuse tense situations.
Common Sense
If you leave your unlocked car in the centre of town, it is likely to get stolen. This can be frustrating and is likely to give rise to feelings of anger. Of course, we should minimise this kind of situation – simply remember to lock your car.
If we feel there is an injustice in our workplace, we should work to resolve it; this will make our work environment more peaceful and less prone to creating anger
If we have a partner who is abusive, the solution is not just dealing with our own anger, but finding a more peaceful living situation.
When we try to transcend anger, it doesn’t mean we have to acquiesce to injustice and unfairness. We should strive to make the world a better place. However, whatever our goals, it is always best to act with poise and a clear mind. Acting under the influence of anger makes it more difficult to attain what we wish to achieve.
Finally as a manager and leader, I occasionally feign anger to make my staffs pay attention; sometimes, you need to show a stern face. However, as a leader you can’t afford to allow yourself to be over-run with the emotion of anger because then you may over-react and create more problems!
Sunday, 6 July 2014
Manage your emotions! How?
Emotions are a fact of life, we all have them and they are available all the time, either getting in the way or getting you on the way. They are constantly, continuously and automatically influencing your actions and inactions thereby affecting the results you end up with in any area of your life. They affect your success, whether to you success means wealth, great relationships, spirituality, career, good health or mental growth. Emotions affect your relationship with everything around you, money, yourself and other people.
Have you ever been afraid of not having enough and that stressed you? That fear of not having enough also affected your wellness and the quality of decisions you make as a result. Yet for many of us we have never really been educated around emotions, the best we were ever taught is ‘’think with you head and not your heart’’ or ‘’ don't be emotional about it’’. These lessons are not quite useful when you are going through a negative emotion that is interfering with the outcomes you want. How can you not be emotional when you are an emotional being and we all know there is no thought without an emotion and that means there is no decision where emotions are not involved. So suppressing, denying, ignoring exaggerating them might not be useful and the question to ask is how do we manage them for success? How do we leverage emotions to get us on the way to the results we want instead of getting in the way and blocking us from achieving the outcomes we want.
Think about it, what are your dominant emotions? We live in a world where people are dominated by anxiety triggered from fear of traffic, fear of crime, insecurity, fear of loss, fear of failure and so forth. This anxiety triggers in us the ‘’fight or flight’’ syndrome and we react to some of life’s natural, usual and necessary challenges as if they were life and death threats. You lash out at your partner as if they were a lion about to tear you apart and they from their side may also do the same. The result is a lost relationship, emotions got in the way and in this case the emotions may not really be coming from an issue in the relationship, they have just been displaced. Or if they are, one lost perspective because of the alarm bell from the survival instincts triggered by other life events.
Emotions have to be navigated with awareness and some ways to navigate include:
•Be aware of emotions and notice how they affect your behavior
•Don't flow back on yourself, that is emotions are supposed to move through and out, not to be hoarded. Tools to use include the Emotional Freedom Technique and Transforming Emotions through questioning them
•Be present, most negative emotions are triggered by a past or future event
•Celebrate the hero in you
•Become conversant with your life story, most of us are tripped backwards by unprocessed negative emotions from the past
Have you ever been afraid of not having enough and that stressed you? That fear of not having enough also affected your wellness and the quality of decisions you make as a result. Yet for many of us we have never really been educated around emotions, the best we were ever taught is ‘’think with you head and not your heart’’ or ‘’ don't be emotional about it’’. These lessons are not quite useful when you are going through a negative emotion that is interfering with the outcomes you want. How can you not be emotional when you are an emotional being and we all know there is no thought without an emotion and that means there is no decision where emotions are not involved. So suppressing, denying, ignoring exaggerating them might not be useful and the question to ask is how do we manage them for success? How do we leverage emotions to get us on the way to the results we want instead of getting in the way and blocking us from achieving the outcomes we want.
Think about it, what are your dominant emotions? We live in a world where people are dominated by anxiety triggered from fear of traffic, fear of crime, insecurity, fear of loss, fear of failure and so forth. This anxiety triggers in us the ‘’fight or flight’’ syndrome and we react to some of life’s natural, usual and necessary challenges as if they were life and death threats. You lash out at your partner as if they were a lion about to tear you apart and they from their side may also do the same. The result is a lost relationship, emotions got in the way and in this case the emotions may not really be coming from an issue in the relationship, they have just been displaced. Or if they are, one lost perspective because of the alarm bell from the survival instincts triggered by other life events.
Emotions have to be navigated with awareness and some ways to navigate include:
•Be aware of emotions and notice how they affect your behavior
•Don't flow back on yourself, that is emotions are supposed to move through and out, not to be hoarded. Tools to use include the Emotional Freedom Technique and Transforming Emotions through questioning them
•Be present, most negative emotions are triggered by a past or future event
•Celebrate the hero in you
•Become conversant with your life story, most of us are tripped backwards by unprocessed negative emotions from the past
Saturday, 5 July 2014
From Joseph Kony to Boko Haram, Your peers can build or destroy you and the society!
Do you remember Kony?
Joseph Kony, the leader of Central Africa’s militant/terrorist child-kidnapping group “Lord’s Resistance Army.”
Chances are you or someone you know was responsible for one of the 100+ million views of the video “KONY 2012” on Vimeo and YouTube….100+ million views in six days…beating, according to audience data service Visible Measures, Lady Gaga’s Bad Romance video which took 18 days to reach that number.
The video created a viral sensation and instant fame for the Non-Profit that was responsible for its creation “Invisible Children.”
Rihanna, Justin Bieber, Diddy and of course the Kardashian sisters, among many others, tweeted their support, and Invisible Children processed 500,000 orders for their $30 activation kit.
Jason Russell, who ran Invisible Children and was responsible for the video, was a media darling and traveled the world giving interviews and raising money.
And then it all crashed. Critics questioned their methods and motivation; conspiracy theorists accused them of fraud, and it became clear that they were neither experts in African politics or NGO activities.
Russell had a nervous breakdown and, although still quietly in operation, they have gone from a high of $27 million in revenue to $4+ million today and have basically halved their operations.
Most of the viewers of that historic viral video, KONY 2012, have long forgotten him…And Joseph Kony is still running around Africa….as are many other terrorists of his ilk.
Now, I am sure that you remember the 250 Nigerian girls kidnapped by Muslim extremist group Boko Haram…
And no doubt you saw – somewhere – the picture of First Lady Michelle Obama tweeting a #BringBackOurGirls message that received 58,000 retweets, adding to the 2M+ retweets that the hashtag received in total.
I guess that 250 kidnapped girls was not as exciting as a video, so 100 million views becomes 2 million retweets…but at the end of the day the outcome is the same – Kony is still out there and sadly, so are the girls.
All of which brings me to the recent cold-blooded murder of three kidnapped Israeli teenagers whom all of the social media activation in the world did nothing to save and is too new and raw to forget yet…
And, sadly, as well, the cruel kidnapping and killing of a young Palestinian boy...
And then I had an epiphany…
We talk about community with almost religious reverence as we hype our digital networks for monetization. The Digibabble is never ending as we talk about our ability to connect – to anyone… anywhere…anytime.
In his Letter to Investors as part of the IPO filing, Mark Zuckerberg wrote about Facebook’s mission and role in improving the world:
“To get everyone in the world connected.” “To strengthen how people relate to each other.” “We are extending people’s capacity to build and maintain relationships.” “A network built from the bottom up or peer to peer.”
So where were the peers who had seen the teens — all four of them — or heard of their abduction? Why hadn’t they cried out and connected?
Where are the peers who know where the kidnapped girls were being held? Why aren’t they sharing and helping?
Where are the peers who know where Kony is hiding? Why aren’t they connecting and screaming his whereabouts?
It’s bad enough that we allow ourselves off the action hook with a hashtag and a share or two – but I would like to think — I hope and pray — that many of us…most of us —would be on the action side of helping — of clicking and shouting if we were given the chance — understanding that part of the covenant of this truly connected social world is to use that power to change it for the better…not to passively allow it to get worse while we tweet our protests.
Seems to me that if we really want to change the world – not just make our shopping experiences better – it’s time to reframe our notion of community.
Community was once a place of action linked to emotion…a powerful hub and spoke of social change.
Nowadays anyone on a compiled data file can be considered to be part of a community….how the mighty have fallen.
Make your communities real – help them activate – get them offline – unplug them and really connect them – click and shout…really loud…
We can change the world — but not if we click and forget…
Joseph Kony, the leader of Central Africa’s militant/terrorist child-kidnapping group “Lord’s Resistance Army.”
Chances are you or someone you know was responsible for one of the 100+ million views of the video “KONY 2012” on Vimeo and YouTube….100+ million views in six days…beating, according to audience data service Visible Measures, Lady Gaga’s Bad Romance video which took 18 days to reach that number.
The video created a viral sensation and instant fame for the Non-Profit that was responsible for its creation “Invisible Children.”
Rihanna, Justin Bieber, Diddy and of course the Kardashian sisters, among many others, tweeted their support, and Invisible Children processed 500,000 orders for their $30 activation kit.
Jason Russell, who ran Invisible Children and was responsible for the video, was a media darling and traveled the world giving interviews and raising money.
And then it all crashed. Critics questioned their methods and motivation; conspiracy theorists accused them of fraud, and it became clear that they were neither experts in African politics or NGO activities.
Russell had a nervous breakdown and, although still quietly in operation, they have gone from a high of $27 million in revenue to $4+ million today and have basically halved their operations.
Most of the viewers of that historic viral video, KONY 2012, have long forgotten him…And Joseph Kony is still running around Africa….as are many other terrorists of his ilk.
Now, I am sure that you remember the 250 Nigerian girls kidnapped by Muslim extremist group Boko Haram…
And no doubt you saw – somewhere – the picture of First Lady Michelle Obama tweeting a #BringBackOurGirls message that received 58,000 retweets, adding to the 2M+ retweets that the hashtag received in total.
I guess that 250 kidnapped girls was not as exciting as a video, so 100 million views becomes 2 million retweets…but at the end of the day the outcome is the same – Kony is still out there and sadly, so are the girls.
All of which brings me to the recent cold-blooded murder of three kidnapped Israeli teenagers whom all of the social media activation in the world did nothing to save and is too new and raw to forget yet…
And, sadly, as well, the cruel kidnapping and killing of a young Palestinian boy...
And then I had an epiphany…
We talk about community with almost religious reverence as we hype our digital networks for monetization. The Digibabble is never ending as we talk about our ability to connect – to anyone… anywhere…anytime.
In his Letter to Investors as part of the IPO filing, Mark Zuckerberg wrote about Facebook’s mission and role in improving the world:
“To get everyone in the world connected.” “To strengthen how people relate to each other.” “We are extending people’s capacity to build and maintain relationships.” “A network built from the bottom up or peer to peer.”
So where were the peers who had seen the teens — all four of them — or heard of their abduction? Why hadn’t they cried out and connected?
Where are the peers who know where the kidnapped girls were being held? Why aren’t they sharing and helping?
Where are the peers who know where Kony is hiding? Why aren’t they connecting and screaming his whereabouts?
It’s bad enough that we allow ourselves off the action hook with a hashtag and a share or two – but I would like to think — I hope and pray — that many of us…most of us —would be on the action side of helping — of clicking and shouting if we were given the chance — understanding that part of the covenant of this truly connected social world is to use that power to change it for the better…not to passively allow it to get worse while we tweet our protests.
Seems to me that if we really want to change the world – not just make our shopping experiences better – it’s time to reframe our notion of community.
Community was once a place of action linked to emotion…a powerful hub and spoke of social change.
Nowadays anyone on a compiled data file can be considered to be part of a community….how the mighty have fallen.
Make your communities real – help them activate – get them offline – unplug them and really connect them – click and shout…really loud…
We can change the world — but not if we click and forget…
How to achieve job satisfaction
My colleague quit his job last week to concentrate on studying for grad school full-time, and while I pride myself on being one of his biggest supporters, I know that his real motive for leaving was to ultimately pursue a career that he is passionate about. Of course, he won’t be able to tell you what that is, just that he hopes to discover it.
His departure got me thinking. I’d be lying if I said that I was passionate about my job, but I don’t dread coming to work every day. Most days, as a matter of fact, I truly enjoy what I do. While I consider myself a lucky employee, surrounded by a circle of coworkers and a boss I adore and admire in and outside the office, I attribute much of my professional happiness to my workplace mindset. I’m a firm believer that with the right attitude, my dream job might not be light years ahead of me (move over, Anna Wintour!).
During the few short years I’ve been in the working world, I have accumulated 5 tricks that get me out the door in the morning, coffee in hand, all by opening bell.
Getting Enough Sleep
There was a (short) period of time in my life, post-college, that I had a hard time adjusting to having to work straight through an entire eight-hour day (hel-looooo, late nights!). Whether you are a new member of the corporate world, or have been immersed for years, being well-rested proves essential to a fresh morning outlook. Psssst… java helps, too!
Managing Your Time, Efficiently
My day-to-day workload varies, and during my busiest weeks, I understand that managing my to-do list (and my social time) simultaneously manages my stress level, which dictates my mood. While I always consider myself to be diligent and mindful of everything on my plate, making lists and checking them multiple times throughout the day always keeps me in check, and work completed on-time.
Knowing When You Need a Snickers Break
I have firm opinions on work hours, and although sometimes a project may require me to stay at the office later than usual, I make sure that I maintain a nice office/life balance that works for my schedule. That’s the thing about balance: We all have different thresholds. Know your limits, and keep your time managed well enough so that your workload is conducive to your schedule. Seems like a “Millennial” concept, but it can successfully apply to all of those who budget their time wisely (see above trick).
Admitting Your Mistakes, Taking Credit For What is Yours, Giving Credit When It’s Due
They say that sharing is caring, and when you share not only the credit, but the blame, you’re saving someone else from humiliation they may not deserve. Admitting to your wrong doings builds character, and allows your coworkers to trust you more easily. By the same token, take stock in your work, and accept praise for exceptional output. Taking blame and credit are two-way streets. Make sure to look both ways.
Helping everyone. Yes, everyone.
My biggest pet peeve in the workplace is when someone asks for help, and they just don’t get it. Making excuses for leaving your coworkers in the dust, or reactively helping (instead of proactively!) is actually hurting them, and you. Personal feelings aside, lending a hand to someone who is drowning, or who simply needs it, is not only a good deed, but is a positive reflection on the kind of person you are. And If your boss is watching, you better believe you’ve got some good karma coming your way.
His departure got me thinking. I’d be lying if I said that I was passionate about my job, but I don’t dread coming to work every day. Most days, as a matter of fact, I truly enjoy what I do. While I consider myself a lucky employee, surrounded by a circle of coworkers and a boss I adore and admire in and outside the office, I attribute much of my professional happiness to my workplace mindset. I’m a firm believer that with the right attitude, my dream job might not be light years ahead of me (move over, Anna Wintour!).
During the few short years I’ve been in the working world, I have accumulated 5 tricks that get me out the door in the morning, coffee in hand, all by opening bell.
Getting Enough Sleep
There was a (short) period of time in my life, post-college, that I had a hard time adjusting to having to work straight through an entire eight-hour day (hel-looooo, late nights!). Whether you are a new member of the corporate world, or have been immersed for years, being well-rested proves essential to a fresh morning outlook. Psssst… java helps, too!
Managing Your Time, Efficiently
My day-to-day workload varies, and during my busiest weeks, I understand that managing my to-do list (and my social time) simultaneously manages my stress level, which dictates my mood. While I always consider myself to be diligent and mindful of everything on my plate, making lists and checking them multiple times throughout the day always keeps me in check, and work completed on-time.
Knowing When You Need a Snickers Break
I have firm opinions on work hours, and although sometimes a project may require me to stay at the office later than usual, I make sure that I maintain a nice office/life balance that works for my schedule. That’s the thing about balance: We all have different thresholds. Know your limits, and keep your time managed well enough so that your workload is conducive to your schedule. Seems like a “Millennial” concept, but it can successfully apply to all of those who budget their time wisely (see above trick).
Admitting Your Mistakes, Taking Credit For What is Yours, Giving Credit When It’s Due
They say that sharing is caring, and when you share not only the credit, but the blame, you’re saving someone else from humiliation they may not deserve. Admitting to your wrong doings builds character, and allows your coworkers to trust you more easily. By the same token, take stock in your work, and accept praise for exceptional output. Taking blame and credit are two-way streets. Make sure to look both ways.
Helping everyone. Yes, everyone.
My biggest pet peeve in the workplace is when someone asks for help, and they just don’t get it. Making excuses for leaving your coworkers in the dust, or reactively helping (instead of proactively!) is actually hurting them, and you. Personal feelings aside, lending a hand to someone who is drowning, or who simply needs it, is not only a good deed, but is a positive reflection on the kind of person you are. And If your boss is watching, you better believe you’ve got some good karma coming your way.
Friday, 4 July 2014
Self appraisal: I have been a bad manager!
Anyone who has been a leader of people; whether a manager or a president, has at some point not done it particularly well.
I subscribe to the "3 Kinds of Bad Manager" scenario.
Bad Manager 1 has no idea that she is a bad manager. No one has told her. She is only doing what she has seen done by other bad managers before her and she honestly thinks that what she is doing is the right way to do it.
Bad Manager 2 knows he is missing the mark. He knows he isn't that great and feels a bit insecure about it. But he also wants to be better. He just doesn't always know how to go about it.
Bad Manager 3 is what I like to call the Tyrant. You'll generally find them as CEOs or high-level regional or national managers. They don't care that they are a bad manager. It's their way, or the highway.
I like to think that I have been both Bad Manager 1 and Bad Manager 2. I have not yet enjoyed the perks of being Bad Manager 3 and I am not sure that I ever want to!
In the spirit of often being Bad Manager 2, here's an honest look at 4 ways that I have missed the mark as a manager.
1. I Flipped. Then I Flopped.
There are only a few times in my career that I haven't trusted my own very well-researched position on a topic. That's of course, until a fast-talking, empire-building, pushy bulldozer of a person has come to present their "much better idea" that has no research to back it. It's amazing how often I have lost confidence in what I was doing simply because I have been baffled with the fast-talk of someone with a loaded agenda and a lack of respect for how hard I work at making sure the decisions I make are right.
Considering that I have not built my career on being a tyrant or by "sucking up" to the right people, I can only assume that my career has been built upon merit and my value to the companies I have worked for. So why am I so easily rattled?
My team have benefitted when my vision has been clear and my mission has been stable and consistent. They start to fall when my mission pivots for unclear reasons and my vision is clouded by the influence of "she who yells the loudest".
Whilst I have improved greatly in this area, my confidence is still rattled from time-to-time by aggressive people who know how to talk in circles. There is clearly more work for me to do.
2. No, you go home. I'll work the weekend instead.
I have often dismissed a team member's offer to help with after-hours or weekend work and shouldered the burden myself instead. In fact, I did it this very same weekend on which I am writing this piece. I am not sure whether I have done it out of a genuine concern for them to rest on their time off, or whether I did it to be a hero. I certainly hope it's not the latter. But there have been so many times when I am sure they really did want to help. Instead of showing them how hard I work and the commitment I have to my work, I am just showing them that they are not valued enough to be part of that work and that if they want to one day rise in to my position, that they too will be expected to do the same. Is it any wonder no one in my teams have ever wanted my job?
This is an area of my management techniques that I still need to work on today.
3. I can't make the meeting, therefore the meeting is cancelled.
Of all the things I have done that completely invalidate the abilities of my team, this is perhaps the one I am most ashamed of. By cancelling a meeting simply because I can't be there, I am telling my team that none of them are capable of running a meeting and they can't make any decisions without me being present.
I can only remember two occasions when I had to over-rule decisions made my senior team members. And in both cases that was due to new information coming to hand that changed their assumptions leading in to the decisions being made. My team have watched me run a meeting enough times and have watched my decision-making process enough times now to know what my input would be and why I would make the decisions I make.
Recently I have released the running of my team's daily "stand-up" meetings to the team themselves. They rotate it through them. And they are really good at it. Im fact, a few of them do it better than I do. And I couldn't be more proud.
4. Follow-up? What follow-up?
"Sure, we'll catch up next week and put that development plan in concrete".
Those were the famous last words of a staff development plan from last year. And naturally I have all the most valid excuses in the world as to why, 9 months later, we still haven't gone any further with discussing their goals and career aspirations.
It takes 15 seconds for me to set a reminder in my Google Calendar to call or follow-up on something. I takes about 6 seconds for me set a reminder using Siri on the iPhone that is permanently attached to my body.
There is no excuse. By not following-through with my staff on matters such as their development plans, I am showing them that they are not valued, not worth my time and not really a priority to me.
Clearly this is already part of my own development plan for the next 2 months.
Speaking of which; perhaps it's time I started putting my own Staff Development Plan together. Maybe I'll even post it on here?
I subscribe to the "3 Kinds of Bad Manager" scenario.
Bad Manager 1 has no idea that she is a bad manager. No one has told her. She is only doing what she has seen done by other bad managers before her and she honestly thinks that what she is doing is the right way to do it.
Bad Manager 2 knows he is missing the mark. He knows he isn't that great and feels a bit insecure about it. But he also wants to be better. He just doesn't always know how to go about it.
Bad Manager 3 is what I like to call the Tyrant. You'll generally find them as CEOs or high-level regional or national managers. They don't care that they are a bad manager. It's their way, or the highway.
I like to think that I have been both Bad Manager 1 and Bad Manager 2. I have not yet enjoyed the perks of being Bad Manager 3 and I am not sure that I ever want to!
In the spirit of often being Bad Manager 2, here's an honest look at 4 ways that I have missed the mark as a manager.
1. I Flipped. Then I Flopped.
There are only a few times in my career that I haven't trusted my own very well-researched position on a topic. That's of course, until a fast-talking, empire-building, pushy bulldozer of a person has come to present their "much better idea" that has no research to back it. It's amazing how often I have lost confidence in what I was doing simply because I have been baffled with the fast-talk of someone with a loaded agenda and a lack of respect for how hard I work at making sure the decisions I make are right.
Considering that I have not built my career on being a tyrant or by "sucking up" to the right people, I can only assume that my career has been built upon merit and my value to the companies I have worked for. So why am I so easily rattled?
My team have benefitted when my vision has been clear and my mission has been stable and consistent. They start to fall when my mission pivots for unclear reasons and my vision is clouded by the influence of "she who yells the loudest".
Whilst I have improved greatly in this area, my confidence is still rattled from time-to-time by aggressive people who know how to talk in circles. There is clearly more work for me to do.
2. No, you go home. I'll work the weekend instead.
I have often dismissed a team member's offer to help with after-hours or weekend work and shouldered the burden myself instead. In fact, I did it this very same weekend on which I am writing this piece. I am not sure whether I have done it out of a genuine concern for them to rest on their time off, or whether I did it to be a hero. I certainly hope it's not the latter. But there have been so many times when I am sure they really did want to help. Instead of showing them how hard I work and the commitment I have to my work, I am just showing them that they are not valued enough to be part of that work and that if they want to one day rise in to my position, that they too will be expected to do the same. Is it any wonder no one in my teams have ever wanted my job?
This is an area of my management techniques that I still need to work on today.
3. I can't make the meeting, therefore the meeting is cancelled.
Of all the things I have done that completely invalidate the abilities of my team, this is perhaps the one I am most ashamed of. By cancelling a meeting simply because I can't be there, I am telling my team that none of them are capable of running a meeting and they can't make any decisions without me being present.
I can only remember two occasions when I had to over-rule decisions made my senior team members. And in both cases that was due to new information coming to hand that changed their assumptions leading in to the decisions being made. My team have watched me run a meeting enough times and have watched my decision-making process enough times now to know what my input would be and why I would make the decisions I make.
Recently I have released the running of my team's daily "stand-up" meetings to the team themselves. They rotate it through them. And they are really good at it. Im fact, a few of them do it better than I do. And I couldn't be more proud.
4. Follow-up? What follow-up?
"Sure, we'll catch up next week and put that development plan in concrete".
Those were the famous last words of a staff development plan from last year. And naturally I have all the most valid excuses in the world as to why, 9 months later, we still haven't gone any further with discussing their goals and career aspirations.
It takes 15 seconds for me to set a reminder in my Google Calendar to call or follow-up on something. I takes about 6 seconds for me set a reminder using Siri on the iPhone that is permanently attached to my body.
There is no excuse. By not following-through with my staff on matters such as their development plans, I am showing them that they are not valued, not worth my time and not really a priority to me.
Clearly this is already part of my own development plan for the next 2 months.
Speaking of which; perhaps it's time I started putting my own Staff Development Plan together. Maybe I'll even post it on here?
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