Category Archives: Random thoughts – keeping you on your toes

Judging Results

Is it good or is it bad.  Judging the answer can be based on or influenced by your personal feelings, tastes, or opinions.  That is a subjective view.

Alternatively the decision can be based on facts, putting opinions aside.  This is considered to be an objective perspective. The challenge with this approach is first obtaining facts at all Hsometimes these are not readily available) and secondly to interpret the facts logically and without bias is not always easy.

Measuring Results

Achievements and successes  whether arrived at through your individual or collaberative efforts, or perhaps by others efforts entirely, can be viewed positively or negatively.

The results can range from extremely bad to exceptionally good and everything inbetween.    The ranking method can range from subjective to objective and everything in between.

To assess results in the most objective way defining the specific and measurable expectations before hand is the best approach.

For example, the expectation could be defined as running a distance of one mile in four minutes.  When you start running a timer can be initiated and stopped when you reach a mile (the distance needs to be measured and marked in advance).

The timer provides an accurate result which could equal four minutes or more or less.  Whatever the result, it can be compared to the four minute objective to determine success or failure and even the degree of same.

This works well when objective measures are available, sadly for many things, from taste in food to your day to day behaviour the measure is often subjective.

That is things like, you look good, good work, nice tie.  Without a clear target to measure against ( define looking good, performing well, etc],  disagreement with the assessment of the result can be rampant.

Development of Character

As we grow older, we develop personal characteristics.  Each individuals characteristics most likely develop over time as a result of genetic and environmental influences.

The basic nature versus nurture discussion is currently leaning toward a balanced approach between these two factors.  That is development is driven most often by a combination of these two influences.

It is this very combination, balance of nature and nurture influences,  that leads to a wide variety of unique results.  The outcomes of the exact combination of these two prime influencers are to a degree unpredictable.

Character Development

Switching from the phrase “development of character” to “character development” creates a very interesting nuance.   Character development is most commonly used by authors and script writers in reference to their fictional creations.

The stories are crafted to develop the charateristics of the people that are intrinsic to the plot.  In these cases the perceptions of the viewers and readers are manipulated purposely to interrpret the characters in the way the authors intended.

In real life our individual characteristics develop based on our environmental and genetic inputs  as governed by how we want to see ourselves.

Unlike the script writers most of us do not develop our characteristics based on how we want to be percieved but rather grow depending on those basic drivers – our genes and our environment.

Strangley thoug, however we personally manipulate our individual characteristics what really matters is how others see us.   Basically the screen writers have got the write approach.

Don’t waste your time developing character (i.e., letting it happen) rather focus on character development (making it happen).

Defining Yourself

Things become what you perceive them to be.  While one person might believe a golden bracelet to be a thing of great value and beauty, another might find it uninteresting.

To a large degree perceived function and value can define reality.  For example the Nintendo SNES retro game console is currently in huge demand and sold out everywhere.

The function of this toy is just entertainment (nothing life sustaining) and the cost outrageous, for something completely outdated and that you probably bought for half the price 20 years ago.

Yet, the console is in high demand because it is percieved to be something good. People believe in it.

Who are you

In a similar way we are all defined by how others view us.  You can believe you are polite, intelligent, capable and so on, but if others do not share this perspective, than in reality it is not true.

Recognizing that we are defined by what others think about us is a key underpinning to self awareness.  In brief, this is simply being aware of what you want to be and crafting your behaviour to make it so.

Of course being successful at both being what you want to be and ensuring others view you that way is dependent on your sensitivity  to how others perceive you and using that knowledge to craft their perceptions to the image you desire.

The first step toward being seen the way you wish to be seen is understanding and accepting that what others believe about you is reality.  From that point crafting that reality is just about shaping the environment to support your desired image.

 

Constraints Real or Percieved

Limits and restrictions can constrain your behaviour.  They can take both physical and mental forms.  In some cases the constraint only exists because you believe it does.

For example, a stop sign limits your ability to speed through an intersection.  The sign itself is not a physical limitation but most perceive the need to adhere to the instruction.

In this case, given the potential consequences, taking the risk of challenging the limitation is probably not prudent.  However, when racing to the hospital with your pregnant wife you might push the limits relative to stopping, particularly at 2 a.m. when little other traffic is around.

Physical constraints like handcuffs or being held firmly by the arms by two burly individuals might be more difficult to resist, depending on the circumstances though, one might try.

Stepping out of the Box

Circumventing constraints, reaching out of the box, can be risky but also rewarding.  Conscious awareness of your own personal appetite for risk is important in helping you decide how forcefully to challenge the constraints.

A rule of thumb might be, behave in search of personal excellence.  That is, mind the consequences of the constraints, but push yourself to exceed regardless of the challenge in doing so.

Nothing is like the good feeling of success and acknowledgement of great achievements, of course when deservedly so.  My advice, don’t let a percieved constraint hold you back from greatness.

Freedom to Choose

Yesterday the Quebec national assembly unamiously passed a resolution to request merchants no longer use the currently common greeting “bonjour/hi” but rather replace it with just bonjour.

French is after all the official language of la belle province, and including English in the greeting is annoying, apparently.

A one sided approach

Of course the required greeting for all federal agencies “bonjour/hello” is okay, Canada the nation is bilingual  so this greeting is common sense but it is in fact mandated by the agencies.

Almost all my siblings work for the federal government and they have told me it is a serious offence for any employee to not open the conversation in both official languages.

If the government representative is prompted to continue in a language they do not speak (not all federal employees are bilingual, although many are) they must immediately seek support of a colleague that does speak the language the citizen prefers (English or French)

Contravening this requirement is considered a serious performance infraction and if discovered becomes part of your permanent performance record and if repeated can lead to dire concequences.

Is Quebecs appraoch this really important?

The national assembly is really reinforcing the symbolic importance of language to the culture.  For bilingual Canada reinforcing the multilingual culture is a critical statement for our country.

All provinces come under this bilingual umbrella and although Quebec considers itself unique I find this trivial waste of time on language trivialities insulting to the rest of Canada.

Imagine the furor in Quebec if another province requested their merchants to never greet a customer with bonjour.

Ah the insanity of it all, can’t we just be friends?

Belief

We all belief in things.  That is the acceptance of the truth, existence or confidence in someone or something.  This can include things for which the physical or literal existence cannot be validated.

You cannot see, touch or talk to god (two way talking) yet this is a belief many hold as absolute.  The belief can be so strong it drives behaviour.

In some cases, this behaviour might not conform with social norms, for example the suicide bomber who shouts “God is great” before obliterating both themselves and those around them.

Devoid of Belief

While skepticism is a true and demonstrated behaviour, that is a suspension of belief, on the whole individuals are not able to live their lives without some core beliefs.

Philosophically the need for belief could be  illustrated through a bastardization of Descartes famous “I think, therefore I am”.  Something like “ I do not believe, therefore I am not”.

An exaggeration certainly, with a foundation of truth.  Life without belief, at least in something or arguably even a belief in nothing (the giant void) is a belief.

Understanding and Accepting your Beliefs

Self contentment requires a recognition that you believe in something  even if that belief is nothing.  Nothing does exist and has a physical representation, a numeric  “0”or alpha null, so you can believe in it.  (I believe in the power of null)

Belief drives behaviour, comfortable behaviour is peaceful and requires an understanding of your personal beliefs in order to attain this state.

Symbols

To a great amount of hype, the engagement of Englands Prince Harry to commoner Meghan  Markle was announced on Monday.  The last time an English royal married an American divorcee, there was an abdication.

If all goes ahead as planned this will be the first time a person of color, American and a divorcee actually joins the royal family.

Prompted by this announcemnt  and the associated level of interest, one of my colleagues asked a most interesting question,  what do the royals do?

Symbolism

Do you believe in Santa Claus?  Well you might not believe in the existence of an actual Santa Claus, as a descrete entity,  it is likely the concept and philosophy he symbolizes resonate with you.

Although the royals do exist, unlike Santa, the parallel is like Santa Claus, what they represent is larger and more powerful than their actual existence.

What you Do/What you represent?

Actions are critical, what you do is what you are.  In the case of symbols, e.g., royals, religious icons, fictional idols, it is not what is done but rather what is represented.

So, the answer to what the royals do is; support the symbolism.  Missteps on their part can damage the image of what the symbol stands for,  but to a large extent this damage can be overlooked in favour of the value provided by and the need and desire to believe what is being represented over what is occurring.

Organizational Change

There are three major grocery retailers in Canada, Sobeys (a division of Empire company), Loblaws (George Weston Ltd.) and Metro Foods.

Last week Sobey’s announced a major re-organization which will reduce their office staff across the company by about 800, as it is implemented nationwide.

Why Re-organize

The goal of changing the structure of an organization typically is one to all of the following:

  • Address changing market forces which are attacking the organizations business model. In the case of Sobey’s the rise of on-line retailing is beginning to impact the food sector. The signs of major impacts like those that affected book,  music and general retailers are clearly present.
  • By changing the way you do business and even in some cases focusing or expanding the business scope, a key objective is improved efficiency and higher quality so the business becomes sustainable
  • Reduce resource cost (expense reduction) without impacting volume or quality of service or product by changing processes and practices both significantly and rapidly (not a slow continous process improvement but a drastic one in a fell swoop)

Cutting Staff

Some organizational changes increase staff but often expense reduction is one of the goals (not always though).  Unfortunately the press has focused on the Sobey announcement as a staff reduction.

This is a good way to sell news content but the perspective is a little unfair to Sobey’s.  The reality is any retail company can go bankrupt in the current consumer environment (e.g., Sears and Toys r Us) , size is not a protection.

Sobey{s move to sustain the company by changing its business model is both strategic and wise.

Self Awareness/ Confidence and Arrogance

The ability to focus on yourself separate from the environment and other individuals, is the basic concept underlying the emotional intelligence attribute of self awareness.

Typically this requires an internal belief in the abilitiy to rely on yourself and your judgement.  You believe and trust in yourself.

Combined these behavioural traits can appear to others as an attitude of superiority manifested in an overbearing manner or in presumptuous claims or assumptions (i.e., arrogance)

Avoiding the Arrogance Label

While confidence and self awareness are powerful personal attributes, valued and invaluable tools for you to achieve your personal goals, being percieved as arrogant is something to avoid.

The ability to be both self aware and confident in a way that is not percieved as arrogant requires concious effort.  By default these behaviours can send the wrong message.

As you travel down the road of winning friends and influencing others (to quote Dale Carnegie) make sure you use your sensitivity to balance the way you are percieved.

That is, use your self awareness of others reactions toward you to influnce and change those reactions.  Manage your personal behaviours in a way that those you are interracting with like.

This is not a natural or unconcious approach.  Be fully aware of how you are behaving, constantly judge how others percieve it and change as needed to get the desired reaction.

 

 

Make Every Moment Count

A humans life span is infinitesimal compared to the age of the earth or perhaps the universe.  On a relative basis, even just a second of your life is significant and matters.

We might not know or understand why we were born or what our purpose is, that is evolution or creation, but we do know we are here and alive.

Our capability to think is theorized by many as the underlying proof of our existance.  “I think therefore I am – Descartes”.  Regardless of the why’s and wherefores, we have been given the gift of existence.

Explanation not Necessary

The value of the gift of life is not dependent on the reason for our existence.  The opportunity for pleasure and happiness exist, why question it?

Enjoying every moment, nano second by nano second, is the only logical approach.  I do not mean a hopeful and confident approach to the future (practising optimism), rather than believing in the positive or hoping for it,  I refer to actually being positive, always.

Simply put, I do not need to know why I am here or to be told explicitly by others what my purpose or objective is.  Albeit, oft called a hedonistic approach, I seek maximum pleasure.

I don’t need to be told this approach to life is okay or accepted by others nor do I need their approval. It is after all my life and my obligation is  to enjoy it to the maximum.  After all no one else is going to do it for me, nor could.