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And I've regretted it the rest of my life.

There she sat taking in the sights and sounds of the Pacific Ocean breaking against the sun soaked sand below her. A son or son-in-law, or just younger man who cared, had wheeled her to the top of the sand dunes where she admired the ocean in a way all of us have throughout our years.

My daughter and I approached from the beach, sand clinging to our feet, smiles locked to our faces.

As we walked past her we caught just the briefest part of woman's conversation. The slightest hint of a deeper conversation she was having with the younger man. A story was being discussed that was both sad and profound.

"I really wanted to go, but I was just that little bit tired, and I've regretted it the rest of my life," she said.

I heard no more than those words. I have no idea what she regretted, but she could have done it, was tired and now will regret it, possibly until she dies.

As I strolled away, I loved the way she said those words, and the words washed over me. I wondered what things will we choose not to do. Because we are tired or can't be bothered, or just because...

What things will we live to regret.

I hope that her words will echo into my life. I hope they will impact my relationships and my time.

"I really wanted to go, but I was just that little bit tired, and I've regretted it the rest of my life."

Gone by lunch time.

Been learning about Samuel and Saul and Kings.

King Nahash, had a proposition for the people of Israel. They could make peace with him and then return, he would gouge out the right eye of everyone, then they could live at peace.

News spread of this peace offer and finally reached the newly appointed King Saul. He was out plowing a field. The king, out plowing.

‘Then the Spirit of God came powerfully upon Saul and he became very angry’. He called the people to follow him, all 370000 of them. The next day he took on King Nahash and his team, and “slaughter them the whole morning”. Home for lunch.

I wonder to myself, how different would my life be if I allowed the Spirit of God to come powerfully upon. I wonder what more I would achieve as a husband, a leader, a man. What things would be dealt to by lunch time.

What if the Spirit of God came powerfully upon me and I …

What would I be called to do?

Tiny drops of energy...

I have often heard of a bucket or tank being used to describe energy in life.

At the bottom of the bucket are leaks, small drips that drain energy, reduce it.  If my bucket gets to empty, completely empty, then my passion dies, drip.

I stop enjoying life, drip.

Or worse, I become a DRIP.

If the bucket is full, I bounce around the world. On fire. With passion.

If life is like a bucket of energy, it would be good to know what builds into it. And what reduces it.

So I started to focus on reducing the leaks, patching them up, stopping the drain of energy. With hindsight I see that it doesn’t solve the problem at all. If my energy is all but gone, stopping the leaks just slows the process of turning into one giant drip.

Of course, what a drip I am! So I focus on filling my bucket. I start searching for a tap, or a fire hose. A quick refill.  Anything instant.

But it too is allusive.

Then today as I try to take pictures of water drops in the rain. I realise energy comes one drop at a time.

Drop,

Drop,

Drop.

Once you have more drops coming in, that drips leaking out, your bucket starts to fill, your energy rises.

I’m sorted now of course. Most lakes and rivers are filled one drop of water at a time, I just need to hunt for drops, not drips. I would prefer steady rain of course.

Then it hit me. As my energy drips away, as my bucket gets empty, I become more of a drip. Then, I can become a drip to other people. I start draining their energy.

I realised that I need drops of energy, so that I can give drops of energy.

And I need to give drops of energy, so that I can get drops of energy.

This week I resolve to go in search of drops of energy.

Those poor happy people...

I was talking to an ex-colleague the other day who fulfilled her dream and went to Costa-Rica. She said that she stayed with a really poor family by some beech for 2 weeks, and they were the so incredibly happy.

Poor happy people!

Then I found a recent article that states a full 27 Million Americans are now on anti-depressants. 10% of their entire population.

Rich unhappy people!

Maybe poor people don’t take anti-depressants because they can’t afford them. I am sure there are plenty of sad poor people around. OR maybe if we, (Western culture ‘we’), weren’t so worried about climbing the socioeconomic ladder, we wouldn’t be so sad.

Maybe then, we would focus on doing things that bring true happiness and not focus on buying things that brings happiness.

Maybe…

 

21 years ago today my life changed

I remember it because it was the 8th of 8, 88.

Bob Addison and Dale Henderson took a punt and gave a young, uneducated, skinny bum the opportunity to work at Baycourt theatre.

I had been hanging around the theatre for about 5 years, and looking back I must have been one frustrating young guy. Full of potential but lacking discipline and a little bit strange to boot.

But I got opportunities to clean toilets, learn more about sound and lighting and play with pagemaker on computers (no mean feat in 88).

I learned about creativity, long hours, leadership, communicating with people older than me and doing crap jobs I didn’t enjoy.

I was 18, and I was privileged that Bob and Dale gave me a shot. After a while I moved on and learnt other things from other leaders. But they were some of the first people to see something in me, I didn’t see, even though they never got to see it delivered.

So anyway two key points I considered today.

1. 21 years later, I wonder which 18 year I should be giving a similar opportunity to?
2. Where did 21 years go?

What will I be doing in 15 years time?

Interesting question isn’t it? I often struggle to know what I will be doing next week, and in moments of absolute brilliance, I might do some top level thought into next 3 – 5 years.

I’m skim reading a book called “Total Leadership” at the moment and one of its exercises is to write down what your life and leadership will amount to in 15 years.

15 years is a long way away.

In 15 years, I will have been married for 27 years!

In 15 years, my eldest daughter will be 24!

In 15 years, I don’t want to be doing the same things I am doing now.

In 15 years, I want to have made a significant impact on the world.

It is an interesting think about 15 years from now. I have never done it before, but I sense that it will help give perspective to the small issues I currently face.

Successful People

Saw an interview on 60 Minutes this week with Kiwi Kerry Spackman. Kerry is a Neuroscientist for sports stars like Lewis Hamilton.

He was asked what made them successful and gave these four qualities

1. They are phenomenally hard workers

2. Their attention to detail was second to none

3. They have an ability to get over disappointment

4. They have an unshakable belief in themselves

A timely reminder to me!

Metaphorical mountains

I was chatting with friends this week about mountains

Metaphorical ones.

Those huge obstacles in front of us. Projects, struggles, illnesses, financial problems, relationship issues … things that seem too BIG to handle.

We were discussing about how we often cry out to God and ask him to pick them up and through them into the sea. To make them go away.

And yet we need to climb mountains. They are good for us and through them we learn heaps and are cultivated and grown.

The problem with mountains is often the obstacle in front of us, is the issue of the moment.

We forget about what the view from the top of the mountain will be like.

We forget the satisfaction that comes from making it to the top.

We forget that climbing mountains is worth it.

We just see the obstacle!

Maybe when we remember how good the mountain can be for us, we will stop asking for it to be taken away, be thankful for it.

Maybe we will then focus on the more important task of getting to the top.
 

Personal development

"I believe that I am responsible for my own personal development. Only I know who I want to become. Only I know my real strenghts and weaknesses, my passion and my talent. Only I know the price I am willing to pay to be who I can become."

- Fred Smith Sr.

How very true of me!

I have ego

Discovered this week that the Greek word for "I" is "ego" (εγώ).

The english definition of ego is often around a person having egotism, conceit or self-importance. I guess ego is I-ism to the extreme. Beyond self confidence. Much more that good self talk.

So when I next say 'I' in english, I want... I need... I think..., in greek I am saying ego, ego want... ego need... ego think.

Not always a bad thing, but certainly worth thinking about.

Indifference

The opposite of love is not hate, its indifference.

- Elie Wiesel

Stomping on white grass

Yesterday was a picturesque day.

As I headed to Tauranga for work I had my kids in the car who were destined for a stay at my parents house.

We had some ice on the car before we left home but as we progressed east most fields and roadsides were covered with a brilliant crisp white frost.  The sun had yet to rise sufficiently above the Kaimai ranges to burn off the white ice and return the scene to lush green grass.

I had a reasons not to stop. Work, my mum was waiting, and it was cold.

But I stopped anyway.

Let the kids out of the car to stomp on the thick white frozen grass. The loved it, had ice on their shoes as they returned to the car and were invigorated by the fresh air. (just what my mum needed!)

In my journal this morning I rated the trip to Tauranga A1.

A1  A = Builds Energy;   1 = Very Productive

This week I have dedicated a couple of pages of my journal to tracking my days with the specific purpose of reviewing energy and productivity. In broad stokes I am giving activities ABC ratings for energy and 123 ratings for productivity.

I was thinking about why I would rate letting the kids out as very productive. After all it cost my 10 minutes and when compared to some other meetings I have had this week that I rate 3, unproductive, it is kind weird.

I realised that, for me, productivity is about production.

About producing.

                            But is not about producing something.

It is about producing me!

When I stop to let the kids stomp on white grass I am producing a father who values fun and living and adventure and the impromptu.

I produces a better me,
                                      therefore
                                                      I am productive!

vividly live...

Death is more universal than life;
everyone dies but not everyone lives

- Alan Sachs

Like a wild donkey at mating time.

I was reading about Jeremaih this morning and came across this phrase that Israel was like a wild donkey at mating time.

I briefly thought about it, having no knowledge about donkey mating, and decided that it must mean the donkey bangs one donkey, then goes in search of another.

This would tie up with the general context of the chapter were God says "I remember how eager you were to please me as a young bride long ago, how you loved me and followed me."

Its a grass is greener thing and I thought about this in a few contexts.

Firstly, heaps of people are like wild donkeys in their jobs. They go hard to get a job, promise to conquer huge mountians, but quickly start looking for other donkeys.

Secondly, is marriage and relationships. The donkey element is clearly evident here.

Finally, in pursuit of God. It is easier to chase after other donkeys and forget that they are the very things you orginally turned to God from.

I thought about how much I am like a wild donkey at times. I forget why I chose my current job, why I chose and pursued my wife, and why I sought out God.

I forget easily and pursue donkeys.

Do you?

Reckless Courage

Our task today is recklessness.
For what we Christians lack is not psychology or literature,
We lack a holy rage.

The recklessness that comes from the knowledge of God and humanity.
The ability to rage when justice lies prostrate on the streets . .
and when the lie rages across the face of the earth --
a holy anger about things that are wrong in the world.

To rage against the ravaging of God's earth,
and the destruction of God's world.
To rage when little children must die of hunger,
when the tables of the rich are sagging with food.
To rage at senseless killing of so many,
and against the madness of the militaries.
To rage at the lie that calls the threat of death and the strategy of destruction -- peace.
To rage against complacency.
To restlessly seek that recklessness that will challenge and seek to change
human history until it conforms with the norms of the kingdom of God.

- A peom by Kaj Munk, a Danish pastor killed by the Gestapo in 1944. Cited in Exiles by Michael Frost, and The Irresistible Revolution by Shane Claiborne.

I think I do…

Imagine you’re at a wedding and the Minister asks the Groom. “Will you take Jane to be your wife?” and then the Groom responds, “I think I do”.

To that question there is only one correct answer. One of action. “I do!”

How many people do you know, that know the right thing to do? They could fix the process, eliminate the stress, mend the relationship, change the world and yet do nothing.

Doesn’t it really bug you when other people don’t take action and just complain about the problem. It is so flippin annoying.

Yes flippin I say!

The problem is not that they don’t think, but that they don’t do. Why cant they just get on and do something. Anything. Now!

Why do some people have all the knowledge I ask myself, and yet do nothing?

Why? In a John Campbell voice.

Clearly, I have decided, there are two kinds of people. “I think” people whom think and never do. And “I do” people who actually make things happen.

Two kinds of people.

And for the record “I think” people really flippin bug me!

So with that in mind which one are you?

                                                   Unfortunately …

           I am both …        and I flippin bug myself. 

Mowing the lawns ... oh JOY!

One of my earliest childhood memories is chasing my father around the lawn with my toy lawn mower. Not surprisingly this wore off in my teens when I was forced to actually mow the lawns with a crappy old lawn mower that you had to start with an electric drill.

Nowadays I actually like mowing my lawns. (You will notice I said my lawns; I probably wouldn’t enjoy mowing your lawns.)

Mowing my lawns brings some form of escapism and satisfaction. I plug in my MP3 player, zone out and get an uninterrupted hour to myself.  The satisfaction comes from completion, the finished product, and it looks good.

Over the weekend I was mowing the lawns and Jayden woke up and decided he would take his plastic lawn mower and “help” me mow the lawns.

He starts by zig zagging all over the place, bouncing around like a rabbit on steroids. At first I think it is cute and it brings a smile to my face. After a while it becomes outright dangerous as he cuts in front of me and instigates lawn mower head on collisions.

My frustration starts to set in. Not because it is genuinely dangerous but because he interrupted my routine, my thoughts, MY time!

I start to get annoyed, and at that precise moment I miss the point of life.

Jayden was having fun, enjoying life while his old man was selfish, grumpy and annoyed. The five minutes extra it took to have fun with my son, was just 5 minutes I would spend on the couch later that day.

I was reminded that I need to be joyful. To delight in everything. In all things. To make my sons day. 

Joy, afterall, is something God wants us all to have.

Strangely, the times I have the least joy seem to be the times that I am self-centered and concerned more for my problems and myself. My needs become more important that the needs of my son or my family or my friends ... or ... people!

In order to live vividly we need to take every opportunity to experience joy.

So ... What if I focused less on myself and more on bringing joy to those around me? What would happen to me if I did this? Would I experience more or less joy?

Persistence

Persistence isn't using the same tactics over and over. That's just annoying.

Persistence is having the same goal over and over.

From Seth Godin's Blog

Ancient words...

In essentials, unity;

in action, freedom;

and in all things, trust.

- Aristotle

Sexy

SEXY.

For some reason I really like the provocative nature of this word. Its a funny word because said in the right situation with the right amount of, well, passion; you can actually make grown men flinch.

Noticeably flinch!

The America Heritage Dictionary says that it is slang for HIGHLY appealing or interesting.

For me, sexy is a great way to describe the need to build a brand that is fun, fascinating, fanatical, and edgy.

It encapsulates, and provokes, a dynamic that I would like every organization and industry I work with to have. That is, that they become HIGHLY appealing.

That they become interesting.

That they become sexy.

The problem with sexy is that it is hard to catch if you don’t have it.

You have to      c  h  a  s  e     i  t  .  .  .

And sometimes when you get it, it was not what you wanted. Just ask Don Rabbit.

[NB I think this is a post about being appealing, just in case you wondered]

Born or made?

We share the conclusion with others that the right answer is between these two extremes ...

There is no question that some people come into the world endowed with self-confidence and a keen intellect. That is clearly an advantage. But of that group, only a small number move on to remarkable achievements as leaders. The difference appears to be hard work, thoughtful and tenacious effort, zeal for learning, and a willingness to extend beyond one's normal comfort zone.

The Extraordinary Leader pg 231

Expectations

Recently I flew on Pacific Blue for the first time.  As it was my first flight I had expectations. Big Ones. Cool crew, more seat room, modern planes. It was to be an adventure.

On my first flight the crew were dull, boring and lifeless. Their attempts at humour were staged and had as much heart as frozen dead fish. My second flight was far more entertaining, the crew obviously enjoyed each other and started their own onboard dating service over the PA. On my final flight the crew were chatty and entertaining.

Surprisingly however, Pacific Blue did not live up to my expectations.

The first crew let them down. I hadn’t expected the seats to be so hard (yip really). I hadn’t thought about the fact I would need to buy a drink of water, and that the minimum visa transaction was $10. I don’t carry cash.

They did not meet my expectations. Not through any fault of their own but because I had the wrong expectations.

Jim flew with them a week later and loved them, metaphorically of course. His expectations were different. 

So…

In business, in life, or in love, expectations are the root of most problems.

Over and over and over again I have expectations for people that I forget to tell them about.  I think it is one of my greatest leadership struggles as it happened to me twice on Friday. They in turn have expectations of me that they don’t tell me about. I fail to meet their expectations and they mine.

All because we didn’t communicate well.

We become disappointed with each other,

Annoyed,

Even ANGRY!

Expectations, if I don’t communicate them, ARE MY PROBLEM.

Without you...

Without each individual drop of water there would be no puddles, no streams, no rivers, no ocean, no life.

You may feel as significant as a drop in the ocean, but without you we are nothing.

Follow the leader

It is interesting as I look back over my life how many leaders I learnt from:

• From Glyn I learnt a habit of purposefully saying Good Morning.
• From Dave I learnt the importance of structured sales calls.
• From Jeff I learnt heaps about strategic thought.
• From Bruce I learnt about the importance of process and detail.
• From Jim I learnt to think outside of the things I already know.

There are also a number of leaders who inflated into their roles, whose ego was more important than the people they lead. From them I learnt what not to be.

I would often have disagreements with my bosses. But if they made a decision I would generally do my level best to support them and own the decision like it was my own. I can think of a couple of examples where I didn’t and I learnt less and annoyed the crap out of my boss along the way.

I would not be the person I am today if it were not for these men and many many others inside and outside of the business world.

It stands to reason then, that to become a leader you must first become a follower.

A great follower.

A point understood by those who grow, a point lost on those who inflate.

Something profound that someone just said to me...

Its amazing how things are waiting for you to make the right step and then the other things will just fall into place.

The simplest form of Leadership

I wonder sometimes if I don’t over complicate leadership.

Maybe the most important, most necessary, most essential attributes of a leader could be summed up in these two ideas;

Communicating Stunningly

to

Implement the Future.

Maybe these two ideas are all that leadership is!

The problems arise when you try to explain what these ideas really mean. At this point you need a whole set of attributes for each of these ideas and lose the overarching ideas themselves.

Kids

A hundred years from now it will not matter
What your bank account was,
The sort of house you I lived in
Or the kind of car you drove
But the world may be different
Because you were important in the life of a child'

- Anon

Attack that author and you attack me!

I’m reading a book at the moment by an Author that I respect and who’s books I have enjoyed a lot in the past.

In this current book he takes about one paragraph to have a go at authors (generally) who promote routine feeding of babies and wraps it some psycho stuff about a baby needing love not enforced routine.

I immediately start to write off the author. I start to think, “what would he know”, “psychological rubbish”. I stop reading.

Stop hearing his message.

I don’t take it in.

All because of one paragraph in a book of 300 pages.

As I considered this tonight on slow drive home from Auckland Airport I realised this: I am writing him off because by attacking these authors, he is actually attacking me.

I stop listening because he has said something is wrong with something I have done.

Something that has worked for me.

Something I believe in.

Just 1 paragraph which is not the theme of the book, just his option, and he is written off (well almost).

Interestingly, I am sure I do this to people all the time in conversation. Have a dig at a world view that a someone they respect has communicated and by attacking the world view, I attack the person I am talking to.

I attack their belief.

They stop listening.

…

I am not sure I can stop having an opinion but it is worth thinking about.

The most trusted of 2007...

There I was waiting. Killing time, hanging around for my appointed time at the doctors. Having parked myself on a padded bench seat not much more comfortable than an old church pew I search for something to read.

I flick through a readers Digest (June 2007) and discover an article about the most trust New Zealanders and Brands.

Top Brand is Cadbury, which is interesting because unlike Whitakers they don’t make “good honest chocolate”. In the bottom slot at number 25 was Palmolive. A couple brands of interest to me are New Zealand Post at #14 (a number I am sure they would like to improve), and Farmers at #24 (which actually really surprises me given their history).

Anyway the #1 most trusted person in NZ in June 2007 was …#1 Sir Ed (No surprise). He rates above Sir Peter Snell (#4), Queen Elizabeth (#19), Sam Morgan (#30), Helen Clarke (#58 ironically the most trust politician), Matthew Ridge (#71).

Now of the 75 people who were on the list, who do you think is at number #75? None other than Bishop Brian Tamaki.

Yip.

Want to say more but wont.

Makes you think a little about what it is that make people trust you or your brand.

I think words like consistent, authentic, connected, reliable and considerate would come to most people’s minds.

These are words that normal kiwi’s don’t associate with politicians or Palmolive or Brian Tamaki.

I am sure they all think they are trustworthy its just people don’t believe them.

If people don't believe your message. They dont trust you.

Taking Initiative

Initiative

You probably hear this word quite often in statements like “oh that person doesn’t show any initiative”. Often I find the term is used in relation to how a person thinks, but the word actually means to “initiate action”.

Dictionary.com describes it like this
–noun
1. an introductory act or step; leading action: to take the initiative in making friends.
2. readiness and ability in initiating action; enterprise: to lack initiative.
3. one's personal, responsible decision: to act on one's own initiative.

The more I think about it the more it makes sense. In most cases it is not that people do not know what to do, or what to try. They normally at least have an idea.

They just have no desire to take action. Or just do nothing.

They don't act!

So Take Action.

Today.

Show initiative.

Great Leaders

Love, desire, motivation, inspiration, and passion are in the final analysis the greatest differences between good leaders and great leaders.

- The Extraordinary Leader pg 136

Sir Edmund Hillary

Sir Ed was a hero of mine and I don’t use that word lightly.

Obviously because he climbed Everest and was an amazing adventurer, and fiercely competitive.

Of course it was because of the work he did in Nepal, building schools, hospitals and medical centres.

But what made him a hero the most to me was his typical bloke authenticity. He had some really dark patches in his life and admitted them. He was open about how he lacked self confidence in his earlier years.

And finally he was a reminder that we can achieve our goals with a intense determination, team work, a bit of cunning and hard work.

Sir Ed is a man I have never met, but greatly admire. I shed a tear when I heard of his passing.

He will be missed by his family, country and the people he helped.

He was a true hero.

An Adventurer

Authentic.

Living Quote

We are always getting ready to live, but never living.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

I like the quote. Emerson himself believed some wacky stuff.

If I just had...

A friend of mine has a new toy. It is a Lama V4 remote controlled Helicopter. He is seriously addicted and now so I am I.

I wish I had known about these before Christmas. I mean if I had a Lema V4 my life I think would be all but complete. Seriously, what more could I want. Really?

It is interesting to me that so many of our wants revolve around “if”.

If I just had …

If only …

If …

I am drawn to these toys, the same way I can be drawn to many other things. It is almost as though I have fondness to whatever the “if” is. As though by not having this thing, I miss out. I am deprived of some great pleasure.

In reality of course by not having a Lama V4 I miss out on little (Or a lot depending on your world view). But I actually have everything I need.

What I am really trying to say is this: “If” can be a dangerous word.

Footnote: I did $65 dollars damage to his Lama the first time I flew it. I could have flown to Tauranga in a real plane for that price.

Disclaimer: Nothing in this post should be read to indicate that I will never buy a RC Helicopter. As I said I am now addicted and that may be the theme for another post.

I hope you rest!

It was a beautiful evening and I left Auckland amongst the heavy Friday traffic and made a bee line for Tauranga. Well actually it wasn’t so much a bee line as a zigzag. Nevertheless I head south and choose my route carefully, using my local knowledge to the best of my advantage to reduce precious minutes from my driving time.

Everything was going well, traffic was busy but flowing and I soon found myself heading down the Kaimai’s into my home town and the picturesque Bay of Plenty. Suddenly the display on my dash popped up a message I had not seen before. It was a picture of a tree with a picnic table underneath it. Below the picture the words “Rest Reminder” appeared. A rest reminder built into a car. Handy.

I was thinking, sometimes it would be great if we could get those reminders in life. You know when you are moving at 100 mph, when even a good nights sleep doesn’t bring rest. Wouldn’t it be handy if a display popped up and said hey you need to rest.

Really REST.

Resting is more than having a sleep in or taking it easy for a day or not going to work.

You can do all these things and still have a million things or worries or uncertainties in your mind. You can take a rest physically and yet not rest mentally or spiritually.

What if really resting means something more than just having a break.

So if we have burdens and baggage, if we have been toiling and labouring hard, if we have a million thoughts and worries running around in our heads, if we have been trying hard on our own to be nice rather than naughty.

Jesus has something really profound to say to us who are like this.

He said “Come to me”, and

“I will give you rest”.

I know he means real rest. Rest mentally, spiritually even though you may not be physically resting. Rest for our souls.

After the reminder popped up on my dash, I pressed cancel and kept driving. Ironically for me physical rest leads to mental rest, leads to spiritual rest. Quite often I press cancel part way through this journey and just keep going.
 
So rest this Christmas. Rest physically. Rest mentally. Rest spiritually.

Rest!

Training

In 2004, Starbucks spent more money on training and recruitment than on advertising. It understood that customer experience and positive word of mouth would do more for the brand than lots of ads.

- Simon Young (Idealog Jan/Feb 08)

Rich people keep driving

When I was in Fiji recently, Karina and I hired a car for the day. We wanted to drive to places that most people wouldn’t go. We wanted to see the people of Fiji. To experience. To open our eyes.

On this particular day we met with Karl (from Malomalo). He graciously led us down the coast where we checked out the water. Karl explained that the average income for the people of Fiji is $1 - $2 per hour. But the cost of living is basically the same as New Zealand.

Our journey with Karl took us down some serious back roads which was fun. We travelled through villages that 99.9% of visitors to Fiji will never see. Unlike the Villagers on the main road, they are not sponsored by Coke or Pepsi. They don’t have signs up saying they are supported by NZAID. They are just villages.

On the way back to our resort. I took these two pictures. The first is 3 guys working collecting sugar cane. As I slowed on the railway lines I took another, because I thought the lines of the track were cool. One of the guys called to this older man and he stood and posed for the picture.

I took the picture, gave him a wave and kept driving. At the time he was just a picture. Now the picture has become so much more.

I didn’t care about his circumstances.

I don’t know his name.

His family.

His needs.

Him!

He may not have had needs. He may have been happier and more content than me. But to him, I am sure, I was just another rich tourist who took a photo and kept driving.

The picture will be a vivid memory of the day I went to see the needs of the people of Fiji and forgot to see the needs of the individual before my eyes. I forgot to be.

I think we do that often.

Self Correction

"Aggravate that most useful human characteristic, the horror and neglect of the obvious.

You must bring him to the condition in which he can practice self-examination for an hour without discovering any of those facts about himself which are perfectly clear to anyone who has ever lived in the same house with him or worked in the same office."

- Screwtape Letters pg 11

Highly Predictable

There is a standard rule in communication theory. It goes like this: when predictability is high, impact is low. If I think I know what you are going to say and you go ahead and say it, I am not likely to be very affected by your message. The inverse is also true: when predictability is low, impact is high.

- Michael Frost (Jesus the fool) pg 27

One life

Friends, in what other life are you going to go all out? We all have one shot and one shot only to leave a lasting legacy - a definitive mark on this world that reflects our decision to lean into, not away from, our areas of holy discontent.

- Bill Hybels: Holy Discontent (pg 136)

Continuous Improvement

Anything that doesn't add value is waste. Good business managers have an obiligation to constantly eliminate it.

- Pat Lancaster, chairman, Lantech

Whats your hobbie?

There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."

- Dave Barry

A wise life?

When you boil it all down, this is what you've got.
... You can live a wasted life.
... Or you can live a wise life.

Getting There - Steve Farrar (Pg 11)

Getting on board

In response to the question "How long would an executive last who didn't agree with where the organization was headed?" the answers range from days to minutes.

- Less is more (pg 31)

Do you love life?

Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that is the stuff life is made of.

- Benjamin Franklin

Grafism

Grafism (Gr' af 'ism) – noun

Used to describe someone with one or more of the following traits;

1. casually changeable,
2. overexcited; overstimulated; flamboyant;
3. resulting from originality of thought, expression, etc
4. obstinate in your opinions

And I didn't even know it was a real word.

Doing good part 2...

This from Indexed today.

Faith means doing good stuff

So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.

– James

Give it a try

If you didn't want anything in return, nothing at all, what's the most generous thing you could do for your best customer, your best friend, your most important prospect? Give it a try.

- Seth Godin

Are you in the top 10% of performers?

Michael Port wrote this recently.

Business Week polled 2,000 executives and middle managers with the intent of getting a picture of the future state of work. Overall the results were pretty positive. Although one result was shocking, sad, and funny all at the same time.  It turns out... "Over 90% of respondents believe they're in the top 10% of performers." Huh? Houston we have a problem. Apparently, 80% of these folks are kidding themselves.

It made me think about 2 things:

1. How many of my team think they are in the top 10% of performers? I think it would be significantly more than 10%. They may be in the top 10% of the jobs they do, but not in the top 10% of the company.
2. It also made me think of the "differentiation" process that Jack Welch used at GE. Reward the top 20% stunningly, look after and develop the middle 70% and remove the bottom 10%.

Food for thought and discussion I think.