Managers, CEO's, and other similar titles, are manufactured human concepts that are based around a set of specifications (job descriptions) mainly designed at the start of the industrial revolution to slot people into roles, to deliver results for business owners or to create support infrastructures around these businesses.
Indeed a very successful number of decades have transpired that seem to have vindicated this structure. However, this is also the structure that created the destruction and greed, that resulted in the GFC (Global Financial Crises).
Like those explorers before us, that gave us access to lands far away and that have reached out into the cosmos, Leaders seem to come out of nowhere and stretch our imagination further than we thought was possible. Leaders like Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Richard Branson and Larry Ellison were orphans, nerds or school drop-outs. before they redefined the same world we live in.
There is no curriculum that these people followed to realize their visions to achieve such outstanding results. They merely believed in, and focused on their innate intuition, the Leader inside each and every one of us; our purpose.
Now there have been many studies, writings and biographies, designed to explain the phenomena, that these and other similar luminaries are. However, none of this literature will make another person a Leader. One might break down the successes into studies and come-up with formulas for success and possibly emulate some of their successes, but rise to their measure or even create new disruptive directions, highly unlikely.
However, there is a way, (the way these luminaries achieved their amazing feats) simply by tapping into your innate Leader, by following that which your heart tells you. Doing this because of your belief, passion and conviction and not because you need a job, a stylish car, a house the envy of the neighbourhood, or other "normal" objectives. Because you, like each and every one of us, have been blessed with an innate design that created us and made us unique. Humanity needs your unique intellect, creativity and contributions and you know what they are, if you stop the noise of "normality" and tap into the silence of your gifts. Share them with the rest of us, as this is your god given right and duty. Be proud of your purpose and do not be derailed by the voices of fear from those that, "wish the best for you", and plagued and shackled by "normality", divert you from your natural course. They too will be inspired by your eventual achievements. Be a Leader and show us the way in your chosen field, craft, business or adventure.
Go, be a Leader whether you are a store person, a reception, sales manager, CEO, entrepreneur or even a parent, and create the new in whatever you do.
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Compromise a Lose/Lose Strategy
A compromise is when 2 or more individuals almost agree, are almost happy and almost accept a less than ideal outcome for a situation. So at best, these individuals have accepted not to be totally happy, at peace, content, etc...
We have been trained to believe this is OK, and it has to be, for a society that is co-dependent. Co-dependency is not the same as respect and support. In fact it is the opposite. A compromise is about me not being true to my beliefs, visions, opinions and values, for the misguided purpose of making you happy; and this is also true for the other, who I reached a comprise with. It is synonymous to saying that my views are not totally valid unless you agree with them and vice-versa. Absolutely unacceptable!
This is both untrue and unhealthy and points to inappropriate engagement models.
My truth remains true to me independent of what you might think and at the very least, you should respect that I have every right to hold my views as it is for you. The true strength of a healthy relationship is where I honour your truths, views and ideals and you, mine. This is true relating independent of whether it is a parent/child relationship, husband/wife and any other healthy relationship.
We are all after truth and in care-taking, we abandon truth and choose what amounts to deceit.
An old adage goes, "I rather be hurt by the truth than a lie", and yet the latter seems more acceptable which is what compromise is all about. Our truths than become trapped behind the "but I do not want to upset him/her" behavior, that then turns to resentment and eventually probably rage and who knows what else.
So let's never choose a compromise, rather respect for each others opinions which is fertile ground for truth, intimacy and growth.
We have been trained to believe this is OK, and it has to be, for a society that is co-dependent. Co-dependency is not the same as respect and support. In fact it is the opposite. A compromise is about me not being true to my beliefs, visions, opinions and values, for the misguided purpose of making you happy; and this is also true for the other, who I reached a comprise with. It is synonymous to saying that my views are not totally valid unless you agree with them and vice-versa. Absolutely unacceptable!
This is both untrue and unhealthy and points to inappropriate engagement models.
My truth remains true to me independent of what you might think and at the very least, you should respect that I have every right to hold my views as it is for you. The true strength of a healthy relationship is where I honour your truths, views and ideals and you, mine. This is true relating independent of whether it is a parent/child relationship, husband/wife and any other healthy relationship.
We are all after truth and in care-taking, we abandon truth and choose what amounts to deceit.
An old adage goes, "I rather be hurt by the truth than a lie", and yet the latter seems more acceptable which is what compromise is all about. Our truths than become trapped behind the "but I do not want to upset him/her" behavior, that then turns to resentment and eventually probably rage and who knows what else.
So let's never choose a compromise, rather respect for each others opinions which is fertile ground for truth, intimacy and growth.
There Is No "I" In Nature
We live in an ecosystem that's made-up of subset and superset ecosystems. They are inter-reliant and by their nature are very fragile. This fragility ensures the ongoing evolution of the same ecosystem that relies on this mechanism as its method of survival and development.
Humankind is an ecosystem within this ecosystem. Unbalance in an ecosystem creates shifts that alter our ecosystem for the better; survival. Sometimes this happens at the cost of some specious as we have seen with the dinosaurs. If humankind really desires longevity in this ecosystem, we need to respect this balance or suffer the worst possible outcome for our kind.
All ecosystems are constantly in a state of change and rebalancing as they become more and more resilient. Humans are one phase of this ongoing ecosystem change. So by design, we are transient and as we transition to our next stage (should there be one), we need to work collectively towards this aim. There are many nascent initiatives, towards this goal, some spiritual, some industrial and others conceptual. I believe that the real answer lies in the "WE". The energy that lives these ecosystems is one energy and it is the same energy that is us. It is one and the same energy that lives and breaths us as does trees, and every other living organism. As one, we are able to continue the evolution of our species. As "I", we are one-by-one, driven by the greed and ego of "I" destroying the "We", our same humanity as we destroy our planet.
The "I" results from our upbringing, in a society that has been galvanized by the success of the individual. But this is a misguided notion as real success stories are underpinned by the work of a collective rather than one individual. The greed of our Ego is driving us to compete at any cost, in the process losing ourselves, our families, our sense of compassion and more importantly humankind, as we race blinded by the objective of being the ultimate winner who, in our culture is defined as the one with most money.
There is no "I" in nature but the collective "We" that includes the cosmos, our solar system, our beautiful planet, the trees, the oceans, you and I. Our fear and shame drives our Ego to achieve at all cost, in the process losing everything. And yet, the alternative brings so much more adundance, peace and happiness, bundles of compassion and a humanity that lives as one with nature and itself.
Call me a dreamer. However, at 55 and many of these years driven by greed, I see the only real alternative we have, which is to focus on our creativity rather than the greed of Ego. The only real and sustainable wealth!
Humankind is an ecosystem within this ecosystem. Unbalance in an ecosystem creates shifts that alter our ecosystem for the better; survival. Sometimes this happens at the cost of some specious as we have seen with the dinosaurs. If humankind really desires longevity in this ecosystem, we need to respect this balance or suffer the worst possible outcome for our kind.
All ecosystems are constantly in a state of change and rebalancing as they become more and more resilient. Humans are one phase of this ongoing ecosystem change. So by design, we are transient and as we transition to our next stage (should there be one), we need to work collectively towards this aim. There are many nascent initiatives, towards this goal, some spiritual, some industrial and others conceptual. I believe that the real answer lies in the "WE". The energy that lives these ecosystems is one energy and it is the same energy that is us. It is one and the same energy that lives and breaths us as does trees, and every other living organism. As one, we are able to continue the evolution of our species. As "I", we are one-by-one, driven by the greed and ego of "I" destroying the "We", our same humanity as we destroy our planet.
The "I" results from our upbringing, in a society that has been galvanized by the success of the individual. But this is a misguided notion as real success stories are underpinned by the work of a collective rather than one individual. The greed of our Ego is driving us to compete at any cost, in the process losing ourselves, our families, our sense of compassion and more importantly humankind, as we race blinded by the objective of being the ultimate winner who, in our culture is defined as the one with most money.
There is no "I" in nature but the collective "We" that includes the cosmos, our solar system, our beautiful planet, the trees, the oceans, you and I. Our fear and shame drives our Ego to achieve at all cost, in the process losing everything. And yet, the alternative brings so much more adundance, peace and happiness, bundles of compassion and a humanity that lives as one with nature and itself.
Call me a dreamer. However, at 55 and many of these years driven by greed, I see the only real alternative we have, which is to focus on our creativity rather than the greed of Ego. The only real and sustainable wealth!
Thursday, March 11, 2010
To iPad or not to iPad
The following are my comments on an article recently published about the new Apple iPad.
I remember the die-hard apple lovers, knocking the PC decades ago (using similar arguments to the ones above) and we all know how things evolved from there.
Now the non-apple die-hards are at it and they are equally as out of touch. Your technology arguments might be correct. However, as Microsoft proved with it's PC OS and applications, Apple is showing that it learnt it's lesson and now engages the industry developers to produce apps that will make its hardware successful. Except that Apple has a new weapon in it's arsenal, great design.
iPad is a paradigm shifter that contemporaries are not able to comprehend and I am sure history will show that negative views are just "limited vision"!
Aldo Grech - CxO Consulting
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