Control Your Destiny or Someone Else Will

FACE REALITY AS IT IS, NOT AS IT WAS OR AS YOU WISH IT WERE

The above statement is as true for organizations as it is for individuals. From an organizational viewpoint, too many corporations stagnate on their past success. They keep on using the processes and methods that brought them previous success. What was right and what brought success in the ‘old days’ may not necessarily be the right processes or methods for today.

Success formulas change every day.

Control Your Destiny or Someone Else Will

For example, Kodak and Fuji, the worlds leading photo film makers will have to accept the reality that in 5 years time, there will be minimal demand for their product because of digital cameras. As much as there is a sentimental feeling for their product, they will have to move on into the arena of cameras, photocopiers etc. They will have to accept the reality that although they were No 1 in their product line a few years ago, they are now way back in the pack as far as their new products are concerned.

On the other hand the traditional mini-market must realize that with the hypermarkets, they will have to offer value added services to compete. Subang Grocer a mini-market in Subang Jaya allows it’s customers to buy products online and then undertakes to deliver these products to their consumers homes. In spite of the presence of CarreFour, Makro, Giant and now Mydeen, this mini-market is doing very well. Its success is largely due to the fact that it faced reality and reasoned out that to compete with these hyper-markets, it had to concentrate on value added services. It could not do business the ‘old’ way anymore.

In the course of my training, I have gone to many organizations where I always feel that the main problem is that senior management did not want to face reality, but hoped that things would change or else interpreted reality in their own lopsided way. When sales go down, they come up with statements like, “Don’t worry, it will turn around”, “it’s only a short down turn, sales will go up in the next six months”. When informed that China or India will be a threat in terms of competition, they go into denial mode and remark that it will not happen during their lifetimes. Slowly, but surely, organizations like these will wither away, and one of the main reasons for this is that reality was too difficult to face.

The message above is also relevant from an individual perspective.

· How many of us have improved our skills and competences to take into account the changing working environment.

· How many of us have changed our mindsets to take into account the different values and work ethics that new employees bring to the workplace?

· How many of us have learnt new skills that were not relevant or important 10 years ago, but are critical today. Not knowing how to touch type for example is a serious handicap for employees today. To remain ‘relevant’ I believe that managers must make efforts to discard some of these outdated, culture-influenced ‘mental models’ and to adapt to the changing needs of the very competitive business environment.

A positive start would be for CEO’s and all managers to adhere to the following three simple principles:

Indulge in less rhetoric and more action in terms of best practices.

Surround yourself with good managers/people.

Accept and encourage contradiction at all times.

Practice of the above will most certainly go a long way to ensure continued success of organizations in the current volatile business environment.

Thank you very much for taking the time to read this. I really do hope you have enjoyed reading the above, and I have in a small way, added to your management knowledge.

Reach the unreachable

We reach the unreachable by making it happen little by little, is like walking in front of a dragon, waiting for the best conditions in order to walk very slowly in front of him. But in the path to success, what is the meaning of slowly? We are going to illustrate it here.

One of the most interesting stories happened in this coastal city. The weather was good, the sea was calmed, the wind was soft. Then the people of this town decided to make a race and many became most interested, and from one day to the other, there were many sailboats in the sea, but only one of them was not at sea, it took him two days to sail and then the sailboat went to the sea.That very same day, the weather conditions changed, the sea became tough, the wind stronger and with crossed currents, then, all the sailboats sank, the people fell to the water, while seven sailboats were lost.

But the latest to ship was prepared for this match because he knew that at that time of the year, many natural changes occurred. And the last to leave, could pick up the shipwrecks still alive, and he was the only one who returned to the port. These persons were grateful and saddened at the same time and when they got to the shore, they said to him: " We thought that you would lose the race, but now the facts and things are different

You are not only the winner but a hero who has saved us all. But what was the reason of what you did, how did you know, whom did you consult, are you maybe a magician or fortune teller?" And he said: " I was also in suspense but I learned from my mistakes. There is a superior word that is better than magic, better than good luck; and I learned this from an old captain, who when he realized my errors, told me:

" Look, we are all like you when we start, we are reckless navigators, without fear, but you must consider beforehand, what can happen.

I am going to give you a great secret, this secret has hands, but does not have feet, and it will help you a great deal.But you always must carry it, otherwise, it would be like walking in the darkness with an unlit torch. I will give it to you, it is like a seed, that you must cultivate, care, treasure and develop. He then, gave me a coin and said: This coin has its worth but the word can guide you if you want to, and in that case, it will take you to the greatest of success.

I read the word and the word said: "Prevention."I did not understand it at the beginning but after some reflection, I realized that I had been acting without taking into account the changes that might happen.That was what I learned, and that was the reason that I did not leave in the first moment but stayed observing the beach, and very soon the sea was getting tough, out of control, I then got prepared, put the strongest ropes, took the rescue equipment and that is why we are here now.

If there is somebody to thank for, is not me, but the one who taught me and showed me, that great treasure. And luckily another thing happened, I asked that captain: What will I get with that word? And he answered: " If you cultivate prevention, you will achieve what is impossible for most people."

7 habits revisited

stephen covey's seven habits of highly effective people®

habit 1 - be proactive®

This is the ability to control one's environment, rather than have it control you, as is so often the case. Self determination, choice, and the power to decide response to stimulus, conditions and circumstances

habit 2 - begin with the end in mind®

Covey calls this the habit of personal leadership - leading oneself that is, towards what you consider your aims. By developing the habit of concentrating on relevant activities you will build a platform to avoid distractions and become more productive and successful.

habit 3 - put first things first®

Covey calls this the habit of personal management. This is about organising and implementing activities in line with the aims established in habit 2. Covey says that habit 2 is the first, or mental creation; habit 3 is the second, or physical creation.

habit 4 - think win-win®

Covey calls this the habit of interpersonal leadership, necessary because achievements are largely dependent on co-operative efforts with others. He says that win-win is based on the assumption that there is plenty for everyone, and that success follows a co-operative approach more naturally than the confrontation of win-or-lose.

habit 5 - seek first to understand and then to be understood®

One of the great maxims of the modern age. This is Covey's habit of communication, and it's extremely powerful. Covey helps to explain this in his simple analogy 'diagnose before you prescribe'. Simple and effective, and essential for developing and maintaining positive relationships in all aspects of life.

habit 6 - synergize®

Covey says this is the habit of creative co-operation - the principle that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, which implicitly lays down the challenge to see the good and potential in the other person's contribution.

habit 7 - sharpen the saw®

This is the habit of self renewal, says Covey, and it necessarily surrounds all the other habits, enabling and encouraging them to happen and grow. Covey interprets the self into four parts: the spiritual, mental, physical and the social/emotional, which all need feeding and developing.

Stephen Covey's Seven Habits are a simple set of rules for life - inter-related and synergistic, and yet each one powerful and worthy of adopting and following in its own right. For many people, reading Covey's work, or listening to him speak, literally changes their lives. This is powerful stuff indeed and highly recommended.

This 7 Habits summary is just a brief overview - the full work is fascinating, comprehensive, and thoroughly uplifting. Read the book, or listen to the full tape series if you can get hold of it.

Tension

One Moment listen please

The Moment you are in Tension
You will lose your Attention
Then you are in total Confusion
And you will feel Irritation
Then you will spoil personal Relation
Ultimately, you won't get Co - Operation
Then you will make things Complication
Then your blood pressure may raise Caution
And you may have to take Medication
Instead, understand the Situation
And try to think about the Solution
Many problems will be solved by Discussion
This will work out better in your Profession
Don't think it's my free Suggestion
It's only for your Prevention
If you understand my Intention
You will never come again to Tension

- Bill Gates -

Service Flow

WHICH WAY IS YOUR SERVICE FLOWING?

We all serve others.

We give internal service to colleagues and external service to customers. With service partners we work together. You might serve a manager. Servant leaders serve their teams.

Tennis begins with service. Cars are regularly serviced. And from time to time, computers need servicing, too.

There is community service, religious service, food service, civil service and military service. Prisoners are serving time.
Others are serving humanity.

When you Serve you give and energy flows from you to others. That creates a vacuum, so life flows energy back to you.

When you Con-serve, you put something aside so it can serve again in the future. When you Pre-serve, you protect something today so it can serve again tomorrow.

But when you think too hard about what you De-serve, your energy shifts from giving, to getting. The flow starts going backwards and you may debase, degrade, and decline.

Key to success

"The secret of success in life is for a man to be ready for his opportunity when it comes."- Benjamin Disraeli -

So how do you spell success? I guess it depends on who you ask. Success, it seems, means a lot of different things to a lot of different people. Benjamin Disraeli seemed to spell success p-r-e-p-a-r-a-t-i-o-n, reminding us of the importance of being ready when opportunity presents itself.

That’s seems like a good spelling lesson, since success has often been defined as the moment preparation meets opportunity. And Henry Ford, one of America’s greatest success stories concurred, saying, "Before everything else; getting ready is the secret of success."