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March 2024
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AGAINST OBSCURITY1/15/2024 Purpose-driven organization executives are not supposed to be selling and being overtly demonstrative about what they do, their organizations' achievements, and ambitious goals. Wrong. You cannot generate the funding and resources base that you need to grow your organization by being obscure and being rated second-class. You cannot grow unless you have good strategies and the discipline to focus your energies on the right tools, techniques, and approaches. You cannot maintain your successes without seriously creating more opportunities for your organization by being bold enough to put a definite mark on what you do best. In other words, being top-of-mind is the antidote for obscurity and being obsolete. Learn to ride with the waves and avoid getting entangled with the thorns floating along the way.
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MISTAKEN NOTIONS11/14/2023 As a new instructor in a university way back circa 2000s, I was mistaken to be a student trying to attend a faculty orientation training program. When I told the nun I am an instructor, her eyeballs grew big. As a consultant in a room of community service providers, they think I was there trying to get their monies out of their budget into my pockets. People have stereotypes of consultants. I told them, " I'm just here to help." As a Filipino immigrant, I was always perceived to be a caregiver or a nurse by way of just knowing my ethnicity, they could guess my employment or occupational interest somehow. I usually told them otherwise. As a minority writer and author of a commercial book, my publisher was perceived to be more partial and welcoming of unheard and non-mainstreamed voices in the sector. What's wrong with that? As a job applicant before, I was told that they are looking for a senior professional who had previously taken executive-level positions. I had to do a short litany of what I had accomplished at a younger age. Age is not a defining factor of competence. As a diaspora in Canada, some people assume that I have married my husband to get permanent residency and citizenship. My husband is quick to correct that notion. As an instructor, I was told that my stories tend to convince them that I am an expert in the course. Yes, I'm really the expert. That's why they've better listen up. As a social enterprise, I was told that I'm very entrepreneurial. I had to be. I'm running a business not a charity. Even charities must be entrepreneurial to survive. Mistaken notions perpetuate when you don't enlighten them in that moment. Surely, we all have the fair share of these on a regular basis. What matters is what we say and do when we catch them. You may only have one chance. Do it well.
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LISTENING5/5/2023 For the past few weeks, I have been busy preparing my community for its first beta program. I know I have a few interests but as I looked at their profiles in their application, I noticed a few things. These are the people that are undermarketed, under-reached, and would be unable to respond to any North American programs unless, these programs are totally free or heavily subsidized. Some of them do not have a credit card system or functional online payment system in their countries. Some have no means whatsoever to afford any continuing education or coaching support. Some have a variety of outstanding responsibilities and will not have the time. Some will have it for later and for next year. This is the reality of the market. I am continuously listening and reiterating to determine what seemed to be the best course of action, the best product, and the best market and for the right value. If you're not listening to your market, you're listening more to yourself, which is the default position. There is no first-time got-it-right kind of way. Everybody's adjusting and reframing. What are you reiterating today? What is this reiteration based from? |