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September 2023
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PROUD TO CREATE2/26/2020 My daughter would say: "You don't have to tell me, I know it already."
Knowing it from the headspace is different from executing the learned skill. There is no shortcut to creation, not mere copying, curation, critiquing, and putting on a show to mimic actual work. Creation is the best way to release your thoughts, put it on paper, speak about in public, share it to colleagues, and get feedback when ideas are fresh and not stalled by indecision and self-doubts. Creation stimulates new thinking. Like a muscle that is conditioned and toned, the skill will become stronger and robust over time. Like any great artist, it starts from a hundred iterations, until a better form surfaces. Last week, I saw a great quote from an office - do not stop until you are proud of it
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GET OUT OF THE WAY2/24/2020 A few years ago, I have written about the concept of blue ocean.
To fortify this idea, I have encountered recently that it is wise to move upstream when there are bigger sea creatures and not get clipped by a speeding boat and hit by ski boards when you are closer to shore. The former gives you the wide room to maneuver and avoid the predators while the latter constricts your basic movements. Organizations concoct arbitrary rules, policies, and standards without due consideration to the actual costs and value that these inputs could do to obstruct relations with their customers, suppliers, and partners. More rules created becomes barriers for taxpayers, businesses, and stakeholders to access services, programs and opportunities for partnerships. Designed to safeguard an objective process, smaller organizations become their own enemies when they make these arbitrary rules to their detriment. There is a word for that 'bureaucracy.' Bureaucratic organizations tend to treat themselves as insulated from growth and results orientation, with the pr0pensity to perpetuate themselves regardless of their impacts and relevance to society. From non-profits, associations, community clubs, government organizations, and other types of community initiatives, and social enterprises, the first question to ask: how can we get rid of the problem so that we can get out of the way?
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NATURALLY IMPERFECT2/12/2020 Did you notice in the grocery produce section that they sell those naturally imperfect fruits and vegetables? There is nothing wrong with them.
They weren't squeezed or plucked during the process but naturally looking ugly or simply not that 'pretty sight' to see-with pockmarks, dents, and unusual coloration. There is nothing wrong with how you look, how you talk, how you walk or how you move when these are all natural, as in your genetic predisposition. What is wrong is the over-reliance on how other people's comments and opinions about your looks, your speech, your movements dictate your overall perception about yourself and negatively affect your well-being and healthy sense of self. Turn around, there is no such thing as perfect human being. Enjoy what you have, improve what you have, and believe in your fundamental goodness and completeness. We are all frightfully and wonderfully made!
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CONNECT AND GIVE2/5/2020 A recent meeting with another organization led me to believe that not all efforts are wasted on merely connecting. In the era of social media and autobots, in-person connecting is very primal-it is akin to breathing. We are social beings.
When businesses and organizations connect with one another on the basis of exchange of goods, services, and ideas, an exponential gain happens. But when results do not come quickly or clearly, we tend to see 'connection' events as good to have but not easily transmutable to business bottom lines. How many connections fizzle away because we force the issue on people, whether it is an idea, ideology, religion, product, or service? How many connections we didn't even try because we thought, it wasn't worth to even break a leg? How many connections just die because both parties have found it to be totally pretentious? How many connections led to many more fruitful encounters with mutual benefits outweighing the costs of the transactions? Think about what you have to offer, not what you can get. Be a connector between people and learn to give and reciprocate a kind gesture. We are all in this together whether we acknowledge this or not
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INSIDE/OUTSIDE2/3/2020 Do not believe what you hear from people.
They do what they want to do, despite being presented with the evidence that an opposite or alternative behavior or thinking is better. They say what they say, but action speaks louder than words. What institutions/organizations do inside their walls manifest outside in the most flagrant way. What institutions/organizations project outside their walls reflect what they do inside. How are they inside/ how they are outside? Is there a dissonance? an asymmetry? a camouflage? a game of smokes and mirrors? Too much hype, no credibility. Too serious, no creativity. Too scared to play, they run around in circles, no clear way forward. What comes around, goes around. It is not because of lack of trying but they trying the wrong kinds of things. It is not because they lack persistence; they persist on maintaining those things that should be discarded long time ago. It is not because they lack the good heart to serve, benevolence is not enough. People trust on the basis of actions, never on promises or empty commitments. |
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