Hello all.
As of November 1, maverickSolutions will be known as mavSolve inc. You can expect the same level of service; we are changing only our name and organization.
Thanks again for reading.
-j
Friday, October 31, 2008
"Abba Zaba - You my only Friend"
With all that's going on, I thought I would lighten up the posts today. Halloween is
A little known trick with Abba-zaba: If you eat it rather cool (not warm it too much with your hands), you can break pieces off. The trick is to leave the wrapper intact. Using your thumb and forefinger, choose the section you want to break off, then slowly begin to bend it one way, and the abruptly bend it hard back the other. The piece between your thumb and forefinger should break with a clean break. Give it a try.
Everyone have a great halloween; enjoy your candy and your kids and be safe.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Why does collectivism cause war?
Power is the answer.
Through guilt, fear or force, those who seek power convince others to become "followers" of their cause. I wanted to use the term "idea" or "principle", but Ideas and principles are adopted by individuals of their own accord. Individuals use reason to judge ideas and either accept or reject them as truth. But, collectivists don't seek to allow reason and judgment. If you are a person of reason, how many times has someone called you "...too judgmental..." The collectivists seek to indoctrinate, not educate.
HOW MANY TIMES have you disagreed with the notion of Anthropogenic Global Warming and had a collectivist respond with "It is accepted science", or "My sources, who also agree with me, are professors at MIT..." ??? As if WHO believes it is more important than the ideas themselves. As if the argument can not stand on its own merit, point of fact, or evidence and, thus, must be bolstered by the "others" who believe it.
So, how does collectivism cause war? Us against them. This abandonment of reason, personal responsibility and accountability is the beginning of war. The left marches around telling us that they are anti-war, but you are your brothers' keeper, or else you aren't a good person (Jesus tells us so...). The "right" marches around telling us they are pro-life, but if you want to live your life married to another of the same sex, you aren't a good person (Jesus tells us so....). In this country, they are both collectivists, and anyone who values individual liberties is in awe of the implications.
The true war-mongers hide behind the majority. "Majority rule", if we all believe it, you must too. Now, we took a vote, and it looks like you won't be able to be married anymore. We all say so. Oh, majority rule: we all took a vote and we aren't coming back to work unless you give every one of us two more dollars, 5 minutes more on our break, and pay our union dues. Hey, we all took a vote and, as it turns out... oh wait, we didn't vote on this one, this was mandated by the people we put in power to make sure our collectivist butts were covered, but you are going to have to subject yourself to a strip search each time you want to get on an airplane... oh yeah, you are going to have to pay for that too. Yup, your taxes and ticket-price hired that really intelligent, thoughtful and kind customer service representative who's yelling "Take yo' shoes off! Put 'em in da tray! Don't walk fo'wad until you hear da beep!"
How do we prevent war at all cost? WE DON'T. As long as collectivists seek to control through majority power, guilt and fear, we will need to defend ourselves with force. We must protect individual liberties. The right to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness". We need to, once again, teach our children how to think and judge based on principles, and to no longer accept guilt, fear or force as the arbiters of right. We have a right to liberty, not security. If we, as individuals, want to give up the right to liberty in favor of security, each person should be allowed to do so, on his/her own terms. They should not have the power to infect or burden others with their fear, or enslave them under duress in order to quell those fears.
I could go on for hours, so I'm going to stop here. Have a great Thursday.
-j
Through guilt, fear or force, those who seek power convince others to become "followers" of their cause. I wanted to use the term "idea" or "principle", but Ideas and principles are adopted by individuals of their own accord. Individuals use reason to judge ideas and either accept or reject them as truth. But, collectivists don't seek to allow reason and judgment. If you are a person of reason, how many times has someone called you "...too judgmental..." The collectivists seek to indoctrinate, not educate.
HOW MANY TIMES have you disagreed with the notion of Anthropogenic Global Warming and had a collectivist respond with "It is accepted science", or "My sources, who also agree with me, are professors at MIT..." ??? As if WHO believes it is more important than the ideas themselves. As if the argument can not stand on its own merit, point of fact, or evidence and, thus, must be bolstered by the "others" who believe it.
So, how does collectivism cause war? Us against them. This abandonment of reason, personal responsibility and accountability is the beginning of war. The left marches around telling us that they are anti-war, but you are your brothers' keeper, or else you aren't a good person (Jesus tells us so...). The "right" marches around telling us they are pro-life, but if you want to live your life married to another of the same sex, you aren't a good person (Jesus tells us so....). In this country, they are both collectivists, and anyone who values individual liberties is in awe of the implications.
The true war-mongers hide behind the majority. "Majority rule", if we all believe it, you must too. Now, we took a vote, and it looks like you won't be able to be married anymore. We all say so. Oh, majority rule: we all took a vote and we aren't coming back to work unless you give every one of us two more dollars, 5 minutes more on our break, and pay our union dues. Hey, we all took a vote and, as it turns out... oh wait, we didn't vote on this one, this was mandated by the people we put in power to make sure our collectivist butts were covered, but you are going to have to subject yourself to a strip search each time you want to get on an airplane... oh yeah, you are going to have to pay for that too. Yup, your taxes and ticket-price hired that really intelligent, thoughtful and kind customer service representative who's yelling "Take yo' shoes off! Put 'em in da tray! Don't walk fo'wad until you hear da beep!"
How do we prevent war at all cost? WE DON'T. As long as collectivists seek to control through majority power, guilt and fear, we will need to defend ourselves with force. We must protect individual liberties. The right to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness". We need to, once again, teach our children how to think and judge based on principles, and to no longer accept guilt, fear or force as the arbiters of right. We have a right to liberty, not security. If we, as individuals, want to give up the right to liberty in favor of security, each person should be allowed to do so, on his/her own terms. They should not have the power to infect or burden others with their fear, or enslave them under duress in order to quell those fears.
I could go on for hours, so I'm going to stop here. Have a great Thursday.
-j
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
What do you do in the meantime?
At lunch with friends yesterday, we started speaking about the situation of the world and what may become. We all see some major issues with the entire system and are concerned that at some point we may wake up with a "failed" economy and fiat money which is worthless. Wow! That's a daunting thought. What should we do in the meantime?
So, we discussed preparation: "I'm going to buy land with water; somewhere remote", "Buy ammunition", "Max out my credit cards and buy 'stuff' that will be worth something".... But what until it happens? Do we freeze and wait for it? What if it doesn't happen?
We can run into this same situation in business. When we endeavor into something new, it is often easy to pin our action to some pivotal event, and freeze until that happens. But, it isn't appropriate behavior. When we match it to business, it's obvious that it doesn't fit, whereas in our personal lives, it seems to make "less of a difference", but it does. So, prepare for the pivotal event, but stay your current course until it happens. One of the best strategies in uncertain times is to unencumber yourself of the unnecessary. Make yourself and your business agile and adaptive in these times. Keep your eye open for unique opportunities to do more with less. Examine problems as opportunities; if they fit your core competencies, jump on them.
So, we all left feeling better that we weren't alone in our concerns. We all re-learned something new about each other and (I at least) came away feeling that I had found some kindred spirits upon whom I could rely when the proverbial SH&T hits the fan.
...
So, we discussed preparation: "I'm going to buy land with water; somewhere remote", "Buy ammunition", "Max out my credit cards and buy 'stuff' that will be worth something".... But what until it happens? Do we freeze and wait for it? What if it doesn't happen?
We can run into this same situation in business. When we endeavor into something new, it is often easy to pin our action to some pivotal event, and freeze until that happens. But, it isn't appropriate behavior. When we match it to business, it's obvious that it doesn't fit, whereas in our personal lives, it seems to make "less of a difference", but it does. So, prepare for the pivotal event, but stay your current course until it happens. One of the best strategies in uncertain times is to unencumber yourself of the unnecessary. Make yourself and your business agile and adaptive in these times. Keep your eye open for unique opportunities to do more with less. Examine problems as opportunities; if they fit your core competencies, jump on them.
So, we all left feeling better that we weren't alone in our concerns. We all re-learned something new about each other and (I at least) came away feeling that I had found some kindred spirits upon whom I could rely when the proverbial SH&T hits the fan.
...
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
New things become old and vice-versa
Today I'm having lunch with two old friends. Ironically, I got in touch with them using a relatively new technology - social networking.
It is kind of funny the way new opportunities or experiences will sometimes lead to reliving of old things. It isn't the first time in my career or life where a new method, technology, process or way of thinking has brought on a wave of nostalgia. Perhaps it is the endeavoring into new territory that actually gives us the reminder of school days and learning? In any case, the message for today, for myself anyway, is to throw off being a luddite and continually move forward. Each new experience brings opportunity for connection with both the future and the past. Being open to new experiences helps us to adapt to an ever changing universe.
I'm looking forward to having lunch today with some old friends I made on a new medium.
Cheers...
It is kind of funny the way new opportunities or experiences will sometimes lead to reliving of old things. It isn't the first time in my career or life where a new method, technology, process or way of thinking has brought on a wave of nostalgia. Perhaps it is the endeavoring into new territory that actually gives us the reminder of school days and learning? In any case, the message for today, for myself anyway, is to throw off being a luddite and continually move forward. Each new experience brings opportunity for connection with both the future and the past. Being open to new experiences helps us to adapt to an ever changing universe.
I'm looking forward to having lunch today with some old friends I made on a new medium.
Cheers...
Monday, October 27, 2008
I came across this question on linked in this morning. I was pleased, yet disheartened, to see that others are experiencing and starting to speak about the same issues as I. The organizations we have currently built are dysfunctional. They are formulated for the rise and maintenance of power over others rather than the delegation of work for the purpose of efficiency.
Obviously, this isn't true for every organization, but it is true in the majority of corporations within which I have worked.
How can we make it better? Bring back personal accountability at all levels of the organization.
Individuals are hired to do a specific job. They should be given the tools needed to complete the job, be given incentive to succeed, and then allowed to do it. Instead, we bring them in, tie them up with administration, and then let them flounder on and on, endlessly, on the same mundane task of building consensus until the reason for hiring them in the first place becomes blurred and they are just another cog in the wheel of the empire. Give them the freedom to fail and the incentive to have them fail quickly.
Also, stop expanding your organization just to make it look bigger. Why do you need to do HR? There are so many talented companies out there providing far better HR services (including recruiting) than your internal people. I.T. ? Do you need internal people? Should you, a mortgage company, really be building your own software? Can you do it better than anyone else and still be the best mortgage company? Or would you be better off having a strategic (visionary) officer who understands technology and process and allow him to outsource it to a provider who specializes in the development of software? Which will render better results in both your software and your mortgage business?
To close: We must get back to a country of individuals, focused on individual liberty, achievement and value. Our companies, corporations, etc. must also begin to reward and recognize individuals, hold them accountable, and, at the same time, set them free to do their job.
Obviously, this isn't true for every organization, but it is true in the majority of corporations within which I have worked.
Boss is feeling insecure…
We are living in a competitive world. Promotions and salary hikes are no longer associated with years of experience. It’s all about intelligence and performance. You perform and you get rewarded…and move up the hierarchy. Old people and experienced people are asked to report to younger and dynamic managers. It’s all about your performance on the day…during the quarter…during the year.
This has certainly put some managers of old management school into dilemma. They feel insure in their role and position. They have devised one methodology…to sit on the work.
They keep their subordinates busy by assigning them unwanted projects / assignments.
They put their one team member against the another so that they do not get time to unite.
If there is any work that needs immediate attention…they sit on that work for their life.
They are too scare to take any decision. There are always plenty of reasons not to take a decision, reasons to wait for more information, more options, more opinions.
They don’t want their team members to interact with members of other teams.
And lastly, it has been seen that such managers work for longer hours.
Have you worked with such manager in your career…in your department or another department?
How do you handle such bosses?
Looking forward to hear from you and learn from your experiences.
How can we make it better? Bring back personal accountability at all levels of the organization.
Individuals are hired to do a specific job. They should be given the tools needed to complete the job, be given incentive to succeed, and then allowed to do it. Instead, we bring them in, tie them up with administration, and then let them flounder on and on, endlessly, on the same mundane task of building consensus until the reason for hiring them in the first place becomes blurred and they are just another cog in the wheel of the empire. Give them the freedom to fail and the incentive to have them fail quickly.
Also, stop expanding your organization just to make it look bigger. Why do you need to do HR? There are so many talented companies out there providing far better HR services (including recruiting) than your internal people. I.T. ? Do you need internal people? Should you, a mortgage company, really be building your own software? Can you do it better than anyone else and still be the best mortgage company? Or would you be better off having a strategic (visionary) officer who understands technology and process and allow him to outsource it to a provider who specializes in the development of software? Which will render better results in both your software and your mortgage business?
To close: We must get back to a country of individuals, focused on individual liberty, achievement and value. Our companies, corporations, etc. must also begin to reward and recognize individuals, hold them accountable, and, at the same time, set them free to do their job.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Passing this on; was sent to me in email.
Dear ....
Before you mentally check out because of the "Save America" headline on this email, please read the next 2 paragraphs.
This is not a conservative or liberal, Republican or Democratic letter. This is for anyone who is angry about how our government is running, or who is frustrated by a feeling of helplessness, or who feels unable to do anything about our current mess. A legislature that has a 9% approval rating, ONE MONTH before an election, just passed a bill that constituents' comments ran 100 to 1 AGAINST! Not only did they ignore voter opinion, but under extreme scrutiny they STILL added lots of breaks for cronies, and they did so KNOWING that 90% of them would be re-elected ANYWAY. This letter is long, but at the end I will tell you how I think we can do something about it.
My name is John F. Dini. I am a small business owner in Texas, with 4 employees and well under a million dollars in gross revenue. I have lived in both red and blue states, on the east coast and the west. I don't think what I have to say should offend anyone. That's why I'm willing to put my name on it. My email is jdini@mpninc.com. Unlike many of our legislators, I will take personal responsibility for my actions. You are welcome to let me know what you think, and whether you're signing on to this.
If you don't want to read about the bailout bill, skip down to where the bullet points end.
Last week Congress passed HB 1424, the "Emergency Economic Stabilization Act." As you've probably heard, it was a bit more than just the bailout bill. I've gone through all 451 pages. Here are some highlights:
·Sec. 103: The Treasury can also purchase mortgages on apartment buildings. To my knowledge, those who own apartment buildings aren't usually in danger of having their house taken away.
· Sec. 110 allows the regulators (there is a whole new bureaucracy being formed) to make any change to any troubled mortgage, including giving the property away.
· Sec. 116: Keeps the bureaucracy in place until the last asset is sold, or the last loan is paid.
· Sec 122: Raises the debt ceiling to $11,315,000,000,000. For historical reference, we broke the $1 trillion debt limit in the Reagan administration. That runaway borrowing is what George H.W. Bush called "Voodoo Economics" Last week we borrowed another trillion in a day.
· Sec. 132 suspends FASB 157. That's what made banks show the real value of their assets on their books, even if it had fallen to zero. That is no longer necessary, (but we WILL form a commission to decide later on what they should be showing to their shareholders, presumably something other than the actual value of their assets.)
· Sec. 136 raises the FDIC published coverage limit to $250,000 per account. What they haven't mentioned is that this higher "coverage" expires in 15 months, and the FDIC is ordered NOT to adjust the insurance for these new risks. That law actually just orders the FDIC to change the number $100,000 to $250,000 everywhere, nothing else.
That is the first 112 pages. The next bill (actually several different laws, passed on the same vote) extends a bunch of energy tax breaks for wind, clean coal, biofuels, geothermal, and others. It also gives credits to the steel industry, for plug in vehicles (in addition to the $25 billion handout to GM and Ford last week), for the black lung trust fund, and for home appliances that recycle gray water.
The next bill tacked on is a Tax Relief bill. That one raises the AMT trigger by a fraction (from $66K to $69K) and has special tax breaks for:
·Restaurant and retail depreciation
· Rum from Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands
· Businesses in American Samoa
· Mine rescue training
· Businesses on Indian Reservations (casinos)
· Railroad tracks
· Motorsports Racing Facilities (the "NASCAR" break)
· Employees of companies affected by Hurricane Katrina
· Investing in Washington DC
· Wool producers
· Film and television production
· Wooden arrow manufacturers
· Winners of Exxon Valdez lawsuits
· Farming Machinery purchases
Also, the failed 2007 Paul Wellstone mental health bill is included here, which requires all health insurers to cover mental health treatment just like physical illness. I'm not sure how long this bill has been trying to get passed, but Senator Wellstone DIED in 2002.
Under "other" THAT bill has another 100 pages including the following:Funding for schools, roads, weed control, forest ecosystems, improved cooperation among Federal agencies and the Oregon & California Railroad.
· Secure payments for states with Federal Lands, which you would think was everybody, but is defined as only LA, CA, OR, PA, SC, SD, TX and WA.
· A call for proposals to cooperate with Federal agencies, which upon reading is actually a requirement that BLM accept a minimum of 50% 0f timber logging contracts over the next 3 years.
· Doubling of the "Mine Reclamation Fund"
· Rewording of the Katrina relief bills to include IL, IA, IN, KS, MI, MN, MO, NE, and WI
· Further extension of Katrina Relief to ANYONE "affected" by Hurricane Ike.
My sympathies to the folks in Maine and North Dakota, who appear to have been left out (unless that's where the wooden arrow makers cluster.) Actual outlays are not $700 billion, but an estimated $852 billion, apparently not counting tax reductions.
Are you angry yet?
END OF BAILOUT BILL DISCUSSION
In her 1957 novel "Atlas Shrugged" Ayn Rand foresaw an America where corrupt businessmen and politicians allied to loot the country for all they could get. They got away with it because most people either believed that a bit more hard work, a bit more struggling, would see things turnaround eventually, or that everything was beyond their ability to control anyway. Many people disagree with Rand's conclusions and philosophy, but on this she was truly clairvoyant.
Most voters believe that Congress is full of bad actors, EXCEPT FOR THEIR GUY! Your congressman (or woman) came to your Rotary meeting, or saved a local industry, or got funding for your favorite park, and therefore is one of the "good guys." I put forward the idea that if any one of them was truly above the corruption, he or she would have been back in your district screaming bloody murder rather than in DC casting a vote for or against this farce. Instead, every single Congressman is telling you that it was the other guys who got us into this mess. They are cultivating and depending on our fear of each other to stay in power.
WHAT YOU CAN DO TO SAVE AMERICA
I don't "do" chain letters, even the ones my relatives send me that say "return this to show you care for me." This is my first-ever exception. I care enough to risk your annoyance with me for sending this. It's up to you to decide whether you care more about saving this democracy, or having a friend, customer or client think you are "too political."
I believe that if we continue "business as usual" by returning over 90% of Congress to office, we are rewarding their arrogance; and surrendered any fantasy that our government is answerable to the people. They obviously don't believe it. That is why Congress has exempted itself from labor law, equal opportunity, OSHA, Social Security and any liability. This may be our last chance to remind our elected officials that this is supposed to be a government by the people.
"My vote can't do anything"
You can't vote to throw out the other guy's representative, you can only vote for or against your own. In 2006 the Democrats won their average district with a 54.8% vote, considered a landslide. The so-called Republican Revolution of 1994 was won with an average of 51.6% of the vote. So if one person in twenty changed their vote, the result would be an almost complete turnover in Congress!
Our Founding Fathers designed the checks and balances of government well. The Senate is supposed to change slowly, so that it provides a longer-term perspective. Congress changes every two years because it is supposed to reflect the current mood of the people! Returning 90% of Congress to office year after year, decade after decade, is surrendering the responsibility that Jefferson, Adams and Washington placed in us. It confirms their belief that they are untouchable.
On November 4th, vote for whomever you feel would be the better President, Senator, Governor, and for any state or local office, BUT VOTE AGAINST YOUR INCUMBENT CONGRESSMAN OR CONGRESSWOMAN. It doesn't matter who it is. It doesn't matter who the other candidate is. Cross party lines. Close your eyes or hold your nose when you do it, but do it. In 30 days we can send the biggest message to Congress of the last 100 years. It's a message that says "You aren't above the law. You are answerable for this mess. You still serve the people of this country."
And pass this along widely and quickly. Remember, we have less than 30 days, and it will only take one in twenty.
Thank you. John F. Dini, CMBA, BCB, CBI
President, MPN Incorporated - (210) 615-1800 ---------------www.MPNinc.com
Thursday, October 23, 2008
A rant....
"I wish a buck was still silver..."
I do. But, wishing won't get us back there. This is representative of something bigger than just the silver dollar, of course. It is a symbol of a time when things were much more "real". They were more real in terms of our liberty, our opportunity, and the consequences thereof.
How can we fix what is happening? I look around and I see people swallowing stories that are so incredibly wrong, and they don't see the errors. How can the federal reserve "print" $1 Trillion and not create inflation? Is wealth actually being generated that rapidly? I don't think so. So, we get triple taxed in that equation, right? First, the dollars we currently hold lose value and buy less, second we have to pay the money back, and third, we have to pick up the interest on the interest on the interest. And, yet, people around me are just so glad the government was there to swoop in and "save us". That isn't their job.
Folks, the government's job, as established by our constitution, is to protect us, not save us. We have become a nation of takers. We need to get back to focusing on liberty. We need to get back to protecting individuals from tyranny. Right now, our government is very much a tyranical giant operating on the guilt and fear of its constituents. They made you believe a war in Iraq was the "ONLY" solution capable of making you safe from planes flying into your houses. They made you believe that a loan from the Fed for $1 Trillion was the only salvation from financial collapse. In each case, we have given them more and more dictatorial power, and WE ARE PAYING FOR IT. It's like hiring a body guard and then having him tell you you can't leave your bathroom. ??
I am concerned about this election; more than I have been concerned about any election in recent times. While I realize that, constitutionally, the president has limited power, we are in very real danger of handing him/her the keys to the kingdom. Every day, our liberties shrink and we become further enslaved to the burden they have created. Think really long and hard about this election and you will come to realize that neither of the major party candidates have anything more to offer than further enslavement. The only responsible vote is one against them both.
I do. But, wishing won't get us back there. This is representative of something bigger than just the silver dollar, of course. It is a symbol of a time when things were much more "real". They were more real in terms of our liberty, our opportunity, and the consequences thereof.
How can we fix what is happening? I look around and I see people swallowing stories that are so incredibly wrong, and they don't see the errors. How can the federal reserve "print" $1 Trillion and not create inflation? Is wealth actually being generated that rapidly? I don't think so. So, we get triple taxed in that equation, right? First, the dollars we currently hold lose value and buy less, second we have to pay the money back, and third, we have to pick up the interest on the interest on the interest. And, yet, people around me are just so glad the government was there to swoop in and "save us". That isn't their job.
Folks, the government's job, as established by our constitution, is to protect us, not save us. We have become a nation of takers. We need to get back to focusing on liberty. We need to get back to protecting individuals from tyranny. Right now, our government is very much a tyranical giant operating on the guilt and fear of its constituents. They made you believe a war in Iraq was the "ONLY" solution capable of making you safe from planes flying into your houses. They made you believe that a loan from the Fed for $1 Trillion was the only salvation from financial collapse. In each case, we have given them more and more dictatorial power, and WE ARE PAYING FOR IT. It's like hiring a body guard and then having him tell you you can't leave your bathroom. ??
I am concerned about this election; more than I have been concerned about any election in recent times. While I realize that, constitutionally, the president has limited power, we are in very real danger of handing him/her the keys to the kingdom. Every day, our liberties shrink and we become further enslaved to the burden they have created. Think really long and hard about this election and you will come to realize that neither of the major party candidates have anything more to offer than further enslavement. The only responsible vote is one against them both.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
System Complexity
Half the complexity of most systems is their initial organization. As I look at the systems within companies, and our government, I'm reminded that simple is always better. The less encumbered an organization is, the simpler it's processes can be. When you add layers to the organization of the system, the complexity grows, but must it?
In some cases the answer is yes, immutably. Volume always adds complexity because in every system there are gates and valves which are created for a certain throughput. When you increase volume you tax these constrictions. So, we must create further gates and valves in order to control flow through the initial gates and valves so as not to overwhelm them.
Can we make it better? Of course we can. How? Plan for expansion. When we create systems, think, up front, about the potential for growth in the system. When you plan for capacity, multiply it ten-fold, assess if that is realistic, and then back down from there according to budget. But, you have to address the trade-offs at some point. If you hit that ten-fold volume and didn't plan for it, the first thing that happens is that you have people in remote areas of the system creating valves and gates without regard to the downflow stream to others. They become myopic regarding their specific portion of the system. This causes people to start focusing on results instead of causes, which can lead to all sorts of crazy happenings.
There is no set answer to the problem here, but it is interesting to ponder in mechanical as well as political systems. In some instances with the political organizations, the complexities are designed into the system from the outset to force others to focus on results instead of causes. When we are drowning in media hype about how our "economy" is going to fail, it's easy to forget that we believe, as a principle, that government shouldn't be involved in our economy. When faced with the potential of unknown masked men flying planes into "our houses", it's easy to forget that WE DIDN'T do it and give up our individual liberties in favor of the appearance of increased safety.
The point being: The complexity of the system can be due to its volumetric requirements, or it can be falsely complex in order to confuse, entangle and confound its constituents. In the case of the American political system, the latter is becoming more and more true every day.
In some cases the answer is yes, immutably. Volume always adds complexity because in every system there are gates and valves which are created for a certain throughput. When you increase volume you tax these constrictions. So, we must create further gates and valves in order to control flow through the initial gates and valves so as not to overwhelm them.
Can we make it better? Of course we can. How? Plan for expansion. When we create systems, think, up front, about the potential for growth in the system. When you plan for capacity, multiply it ten-fold, assess if that is realistic, and then back down from there according to budget. But, you have to address the trade-offs at some point. If you hit that ten-fold volume and didn't plan for it, the first thing that happens is that you have people in remote areas of the system creating valves and gates without regard to the downflow stream to others. They become myopic regarding their specific portion of the system. This causes people to start focusing on results instead of causes, which can lead to all sorts of crazy happenings.
There is no set answer to the problem here, but it is interesting to ponder in mechanical as well as political systems. In some instances with the political organizations, the complexities are designed into the system from the outset to force others to focus on results instead of causes. When we are drowning in media hype about how our "economy" is going to fail, it's easy to forget that we believe, as a principle, that government shouldn't be involved in our economy. When faced with the potential of unknown masked men flying planes into "our houses", it's easy to forget that WE DIDN'T do it and give up our individual liberties in favor of the appearance of increased safety.
The point being: The complexity of the system can be due to its volumetric requirements, or it can be falsely complex in order to confuse, entangle and confound its constituents. In the case of the American political system, the latter is becoming more and more true every day.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Overwhelming Tasks; How to Handle Them.
As I was unwinding last night, I came across a new web-site which gave me some hope:
http://www.freedom-force.org/freedom.cfm?fuseaction=home
One of the things that G. Edward Griffin advocates here is to continue working on the problem. I have always been in favor of quick eradication of issues and problems and a positive re-instatement of the good. But, that doesn't always work. I have seen projects where the gutting of a team and recreation of a project from the ground up has been very effective, but you have to have completely willing stakeholders to get there. And, typically, when this is effective, the project has already hit rock-bottom.
So, how can you be effective in creating change in an organization where you don't have the authority or charter to "start over"? You have to march forward with a mission. Find the intended goal and begin to publish it. Along with that goal, publish the precepts, or principles, which will get the team to the end, and continually champion the virtues, or values, of following those principles with respect to reaching the goal. You have to go into each meeting or task with the energy to stand your ground on the principles and not get sideswiped arguing about the day-to-day exceptions and concrete examples of results, as opposed to principles.
G. Edward Griffin, as published in his web-site above, is attacking a much bigger project than I have. He is applying this methodology toward the abolition of the Federal Reserve and returning us to freedom. In that fight, I intend to help. But, we can all help modify behavior and reestablish virtue by taking the core principles to everything we do.
http://www.freedom-force.org/freedom.cfm?fuseaction=home
One of the things that G. Edward Griffin advocates here is to continue working on the problem. I have always been in favor of quick eradication of issues and problems and a positive re-instatement of the good. But, that doesn't always work. I have seen projects where the gutting of a team and recreation of a project from the ground up has been very effective, but you have to have completely willing stakeholders to get there. And, typically, when this is effective, the project has already hit rock-bottom.
So, how can you be effective in creating change in an organization where you don't have the authority or charter to "start over"? You have to march forward with a mission. Find the intended goal and begin to publish it. Along with that goal, publish the precepts, or principles, which will get the team to the end, and continually champion the virtues, or values, of following those principles with respect to reaching the goal. You have to go into each meeting or task with the energy to stand your ground on the principles and not get sideswiped arguing about the day-to-day exceptions and concrete examples of results, as opposed to principles.
G. Edward Griffin, as published in his web-site above, is attacking a much bigger project than I have. He is applying this methodology toward the abolition of the Federal Reserve and returning us to freedom. In that fight, I intend to help. But, we can all help modify behavior and reestablish virtue by taking the core principles to everything we do.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Beginning of the week
And so another week begins. I didn't get much done this weekend; got hit with one of the nastiest colds I can remember. I felt miserable for two days from a little head cold. Now I have so much work to make up.
This week is all about deliveries. I have done a ton of research and thinking on a number of projects, and now it is time to deliver some documentation and results. Expect some better posts from me later in the week.
This week is all about deliveries. I have done a ton of research and thinking on a number of projects, and now it is time to deliver some documentation and results. Expect some better posts from me later in the week.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Do the work
A good friend of mine once told me: "There is only one way through it; through it!" I will never forget those words. It was at a time when I wasn't sure I could get through the things happening in my life. That doesn't mean I was looking for a way out, but we all have a tendency to procrastinate the stuff we feel uncertain about. Well, I'm here to tell you, whatever comes your way, you can handle it. So grab on to the rails and start pulling.
This feeling we have, of uncertainty, others leverage that when they can to gain control and power over our lives. The government and other elitists have been doing it for so long it's hard to remember how it started. They are all here to save us from ourselves. Well, I suggest, push them off.
In your personal life and your business life, once you set on a path, the only way to get to the end is to do the work. So, put your fears aside and face the next task. You will figure it out as you go along. Go into it with the knowledge that it will be difficult, tedious, perhaps painful, but the only way to get to the end of it is to do the work.
Enough preaching for this morning. Cheers..
This feeling we have, of uncertainty, others leverage that when they can to gain control and power over our lives. The government and other elitists have been doing it for so long it's hard to remember how it started. They are all here to save us from ourselves. Well, I suggest, push them off.
In your personal life and your business life, once you set on a path, the only way to get to the end is to do the work. So, put your fears aside and face the next task. You will figure it out as you go along. Go into it with the knowledge that it will be difficult, tedious, perhaps painful, but the only way to get to the end of it is to do the work.
Enough preaching for this morning. Cheers..
Monday, October 13, 2008
How do you figure it out?
So many perspectives. So many choices. So many avenues. Which should you believe? How should you decide?
Reason. There are those who hold that reason is only a production of logic. But, in the human condition, that is not the case. Because we are subjective beings; with emotions, and concepts beyond just perception, we have the ability to use our minds to figure things out. You are saying: "DUH !", but we don't all do it. When we step into the arena of anything emotional, sometimes we let rationalization rule instead of reason. We make excuses instead of finding solutions.
Recently, I made a decision to incorporate my business. There are three forms of organization available to me right now: Sole Proprietorship, LLC, and S-Corporation. Each has its advantages and disadvantages. I spoke with my accountant, who admitted she didn't know everything, and listened to her recommendation and asked why. I spoke with other trusted advisors, and I even asked my network on LInkedIn for suggestions, recommendations and reasons. Ultimately, I made my decision, and decided to become an S-Corporation. In order to decide, I had to prioritize my values and match them to the benefits / drawbacks of each type of organization. (btw: I also did traditional research on the difference between LLC and S-Corp. and found that the information available is ambiguous at best).
So, the biggest factor which put me in S-Corp territory is its formality in division. With an LLC, you are skipping the creation of an entity unto its own. This means that you are really just creating a more abstracted DBA and notifying people that this entity is exclaiming its independence from the individual who created it. However, the assets of an LLC belong to the individuals within as a percentage of their ownership. They do not belong to the LLC itself. This may seem unimportant, but it became the deciding factor for me because I value the ability to hold my company separate from myself. As time goes on, I may want to do all types of things regarding expansion, etc... and I want the company to stand on its own as that happens.
So, long story short, this is just a simple example of gathering information and then making judgement based on values. Both individuals and businesses should behave this way.
Reason. There are those who hold that reason is only a production of logic. But, in the human condition, that is not the case. Because we are subjective beings; with emotions, and concepts beyond just perception, we have the ability to use our minds to figure things out. You are saying: "DUH !", but we don't all do it. When we step into the arena of anything emotional, sometimes we let rationalization rule instead of reason. We make excuses instead of finding solutions.
Recently, I made a decision to incorporate my business. There are three forms of organization available to me right now: Sole Proprietorship, LLC, and S-Corporation. Each has its advantages and disadvantages. I spoke with my accountant, who admitted she didn't know everything, and listened to her recommendation and asked why. I spoke with other trusted advisors, and I even asked my network on LInkedIn for suggestions, recommendations and reasons. Ultimately, I made my decision, and decided to become an S-Corporation. In order to decide, I had to prioritize my values and match them to the benefits / drawbacks of each type of organization. (btw: I also did traditional research on the difference between LLC and S-Corp. and found that the information available is ambiguous at best).
So, the biggest factor which put me in S-Corp territory is its formality in division. With an LLC, you are skipping the creation of an entity unto its own. This means that you are really just creating a more abstracted DBA and notifying people that this entity is exclaiming its independence from the individual who created it. However, the assets of an LLC belong to the individuals within as a percentage of their ownership. They do not belong to the LLC itself. This may seem unimportant, but it became the deciding factor for me because I value the ability to hold my company separate from myself. As time goes on, I may want to do all types of things regarding expansion, etc... and I want the company to stand on its own as that happens.
So, long story short, this is just a simple example of gathering information and then making judgement based on values. Both individuals and businesses should behave this way.
Friday, October 10, 2008
The problem with democracy
Is that it is organized mob rule. You wouldn't allow your business to be run by democracy; If you did, pretty soon you would be the only one working while every employee kicked back, smoked a cigarette and drew some pay. Oh wait, that is what is happening in our country too.
Now, we are going to let Tom Citizen go to the polls and vote on who we get to love and marry? We already let Joan and Tom go to the polls and decide how much money they will let the government steal from those of us working in order to pay those of us who are not.
The government was built in three branches for a reason. With three branches of government, no one branch could ever garner enough power to dictate law. The rule of law, or principle was to be the prevailing form of judgement. Ideas were the method of government, not men. Men were only the keepers of the government, and yes, we elected them democratically, but THEY DIDN'T CAMPAIGN. Now we have everyone running around campaigning for the role of prom king/queen, and we pay them handsomely, to steal from us.
This post is a bit disjointed, and rambling, but I needed to get this off my chest. Don't EVER model your business organization, structure, or goals after anything that is currently being done by the US Government.
Now, we are going to let Tom Citizen go to the polls and vote on who we get to love and marry? We already let Joan and Tom go to the polls and decide how much money they will let the government steal from those of us working in order to pay those of us who are not.
The government was built in three branches for a reason. With three branches of government, no one branch could ever garner enough power to dictate law. The rule of law, or principle was to be the prevailing form of judgement. Ideas were the method of government, not men. Men were only the keepers of the government, and yes, we elected them democratically, but THEY DIDN'T CAMPAIGN. Now we have everyone running around campaigning for the role of prom king/queen, and we pay them handsomely, to steal from us.
This post is a bit disjointed, and rambling, but I needed to get this off my chest. Don't EVER model your business organization, structure, or goals after anything that is currently being done by the US Government.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Put it out there....and they will come?
I have often been told that I am extreme. Throughout my life people have attempted to moderate me. For the last few years I have fought an internal battle, feeling that I had a voice which needed to be heard against learning to "moderate" myself in order to reach the goals of others. I think this affected many around me, negatively, as I was in constant turmoil; wanting to scream out that the emperor was naked, only being subjugated by the fear of reprisal from my colleagues. What is the message here? We need more loud voices in disagreement. We need healthy debate in our corporations to arrive at the best decisions. We need to test our ideas against those of others to prove / disprove their worthiness.
How many times have you heard the saying "two heads are better than one"? Well, do we think that is because of consensus? It's not. Two heads are better than one for the same reason that GPS works better than Loran-C. The more input we have from different perspective, the more able we are to arrive at the "truth" of our situation, which will lead to better solutions. Too many times have I seen "two heads are better than one" become a power-play, rather than a debate.
And, what about consensus? So much time is spent on meetings to drive consensus. Is that really the right way to lead? Well, I suppose it is the right way to manage; but, not the right way to lead. We spend a lot of time coddling. I don't mean to be harsh here, but we need to return to a philosophy of personal accountability, individual differentiation, and independant thought. We should surround ourselves with those of a different perspective, who will argue with us, so that we have the opportunity to test our ideas. We should pursue the ideas that are "right" because they have been tested, and we believe in their success, not the ones that are agreed upon under force of politic.
There is a lot to be written on this subject, and I haven't done it a great deal of justice here, but I intend to in the future, so keep reading.
How many times have you heard the saying "two heads are better than one"? Well, do we think that is because of consensus? It's not. Two heads are better than one for the same reason that GPS works better than Loran-C. The more input we have from different perspective, the more able we are to arrive at the "truth" of our situation, which will lead to better solutions. Too many times have I seen "two heads are better than one" become a power-play, rather than a debate.
And, what about consensus? So much time is spent on meetings to drive consensus. Is that really the right way to lead? Well, I suppose it is the right way to manage; but, not the right way to lead. We spend a lot of time coddling. I don't mean to be harsh here, but we need to return to a philosophy of personal accountability, individual differentiation, and independant thought. We should surround ourselves with those of a different perspective, who will argue with us, so that we have the opportunity to test our ideas. We should pursue the ideas that are "right" because they have been tested, and we believe in their success, not the ones that are agreed upon under force of politic.
There is a lot to be written on this subject, and I haven't done it a great deal of justice here, but I intend to in the future, so keep reading.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Body, Mind and Soul
Have you ever noticed how natural things come when all the parts of you are focused in the same direction? When you have a pursuit and a passion, it is easy to get to the gym, fulfill your spiritual requirements, and get all your work done. This is the same with organizations as with organisms. Look at a school of fish. I know, they are unthinking creatures, but when we observe them in the water, the entire organization almost seems to be one being.
How can we get the same results in business? Again, it comes down to the articulation of goals, philosophies and principles to each person in the organization. We don't have mid-lines like fish, or sonar like Dolphins. We haven't all figured out how to tap into our empathy well enough to call it ESP. We need to discuss ideas, philosophies and principles and allow others to come to the same conception as we.
If you are a business leader, you should be asking questions of your employees and colleagues to make sure they are on the "same page" as you. If not, don't be afraid to have arguments with them. Healthy debate is the human mind's means of reason. Not everyone has the same perception, so convincing them to go your way will take some reasoning. Invite others to join in, the more ideas on the table, the more you encourage innovation, while at the same time having an opportunity to continually re-enforce the company's business principles and philosophy.
The goal to all this is to get your organizations Body, Mind and Soul all headed in the same direction. If you have ever been in a business environment where everyone marches in the same direction and doesn't constantly waffle; because they all know why they show up every morning and what their mission is, then you know how productive that situation can be. I try to impart this paradigm to each client organization I visit. From the CEO to the janitor, everyone should be able to give you the "elevator pitch" on what their company is and does; what their part in it is; and why they chose to take that role.
Cheers...
j
How can we get the same results in business? Again, it comes down to the articulation of goals, philosophies and principles to each person in the organization. We don't have mid-lines like fish, or sonar like Dolphins. We haven't all figured out how to tap into our empathy well enough to call it ESP. We need to discuss ideas, philosophies and principles and allow others to come to the same conception as we.
If you are a business leader, you should be asking questions of your employees and colleagues to make sure they are on the "same page" as you. If not, don't be afraid to have arguments with them. Healthy debate is the human mind's means of reason. Not everyone has the same perception, so convincing them to go your way will take some reasoning. Invite others to join in, the more ideas on the table, the more you encourage innovation, while at the same time having an opportunity to continually re-enforce the company's business principles and philosophy.
The goal to all this is to get your organizations Body, Mind and Soul all headed in the same direction. If you have ever been in a business environment where everyone marches in the same direction and doesn't constantly waffle; because they all know why they show up every morning and what their mission is, then you know how productive that situation can be. I try to impart this paradigm to each client organization I visit. From the CEO to the janitor, everyone should be able to give you the "elevator pitch" on what their company is and does; what their part in it is; and why they chose to take that role.
Cheers...
j
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
busy...busy...busy...
It's often hard to believe how fast the day goes when you are busy and enjoy what you are doing. Silly to focus on that, I know, but today screamed by. I started the day working on some self improvement at the gym; even had a consultant (personal trainer) helping to whoop me into shape. Then, I went through some of the minutae of managing a business, paid some bills, designed some code, wrote some code, had a little lunch, wrote some more code, sent a few emails, scheduled a few appointments, and now, here I am blogging. Whew.
One of the things most important when managing a consultancy/business on your own is making sure to leave time for marketing, networking and sales. When you are swamped with work for clients, it is really easy to forget that, at some point, this work will end. You need to constantly be looking for that next opportunity, and be ready to pounce on it when it comes along. I didn't get any in today, but met with a colleague yesterday and had a catch-up session to make sure he knew where to sell my capabilities, and where I could sell his.
So, tomorrow is out at clients, see you then...
One of the things most important when managing a consultancy/business on your own is making sure to leave time for marketing, networking and sales. When you are swamped with work for clients, it is really easy to forget that, at some point, this work will end. You need to constantly be looking for that next opportunity, and be ready to pounce on it when it comes along. I didn't get any in today, but met with a colleague yesterday and had a catch-up session to make sure he knew where to sell my capabilities, and where I could sell his.
So, tomorrow is out at clients, see you then...
Monday, October 6, 2008
Fail Quickly.
One of the most important aspects to business innovation is learning how to fail quickly. I have been in many situations and business environments where the organization is so set on success of a project, they don't look at the outcome to understand if they should be continuing their development.
Project/product managers and line managers should be equally accountable for constantly checking premises, testing results, and understanding the benefits of success. While it is true that this is risky behavior, in the sense that speaking up and declaring failure may lead to a dismissal, or closure of "your" project, the right thing to do is to always keep an eye out for the ultimate, rather than the intermediate success of your product. What is the ultimate success? DOES IT COMPLETE ITS MISSION? In most cases, especially in today's financial climate, that test should be: Does it gain us market share? Will it make us more margin? Will it increase sales? Will it completely change the marketplace? There are many other "litmus" tests for your project, but you should continually ask them, always taking the risk that the answer is no.
On the other side is the result of not failing quickly. I have seen companies spend MILLIONS of dollars on projects; never to have them succeed. We aren't talking about striving to be the first to the moon here. We are talking about mid-tier management tools, with intentions of simplifying business process, which end up mimicking current process and never make things better. Furthermore, they were undertaken on political rather than profit-margin motives, and their success or failure was based on completion, not on benefit. In each of the companies I have seen this behavior, they are now suddenly in financial strife. (one of them so worthy that moniker that they are the motivator for our government's "financial bailout package").
We have to assume this behavior isn't just in technology, but also in the politics at the "top levels" of the organization, where people are thrown political bones for their favorite political scheme. So, if we see it in the IT arena, we should assume it trickles upward into the core philosophy of the organization. As a consultant, I have the opportunity to raise the awareness as high as it can go, and tell the CEO or even the board: "Sirs, the emperor is naked. You should clothe him immediately, or advertise him as naked. More importantly, you should FIRE THIS TAILOR!"
So, keep the words in the back of your head. Fail Quickly.
Project/product managers and line managers should be equally accountable for constantly checking premises, testing results, and understanding the benefits of success. While it is true that this is risky behavior, in the sense that speaking up and declaring failure may lead to a dismissal, or closure of "your" project, the right thing to do is to always keep an eye out for the ultimate, rather than the intermediate success of your product. What is the ultimate success? DOES IT COMPLETE ITS MISSION? In most cases, especially in today's financial climate, that test should be: Does it gain us market share? Will it make us more margin? Will it increase sales? Will it completely change the marketplace? There are many other "litmus" tests for your project, but you should continually ask them, always taking the risk that the answer is no.
On the other side is the result of not failing quickly. I have seen companies spend MILLIONS of dollars on projects; never to have them succeed. We aren't talking about striving to be the first to the moon here. We are talking about mid-tier management tools, with intentions of simplifying business process, which end up mimicking current process and never make things better. Furthermore, they were undertaken on political rather than profit-margin motives, and their success or failure was based on completion, not on benefit. In each of the companies I have seen this behavior, they are now suddenly in financial strife. (one of them so worthy that moniker that they are the motivator for our government's "financial bailout package").
We have to assume this behavior isn't just in technology, but also in the politics at the "top levels" of the organization, where people are thrown political bones for their favorite political scheme. So, if we see it in the IT arena, we should assume it trickles upward into the core philosophy of the organization. As a consultant, I have the opportunity to raise the awareness as high as it can go, and tell the CEO or even the board: "Sirs, the emperor is naked. You should clothe him immediately, or advertise him as naked. More importantly, you should FIRE THIS TAILOR!"
So, keep the words in the back of your head. Fail Quickly.
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