So the election has come and gone and I realize I broke my own mindset of keeping things simple. Sometimes you get close to a situation and become blinded to the reality. I met a guy who was running for council in a local ward and was really impressed by him. I agreed to lend a hand knocking on doors and generally helping out in the hopes of him getting elected to council.
The candidate was about 40 years old with no previous experience in politics running in what amounts to a seniors' community. The opponent was a 76 year old woman who had previously been Mayor in two other areas and had a long track record of political experience. If someone else had explained this to me I would have told them that their guy didn't have a chance because people generally vote for people like them and an older generation in particular is going to put significant value on experience. However being personally involved and being impressed by my candidate's qualifications I let myself believe it wasn't that simple.
On election night my guy lost by a margin of about two to one. I really believed that the people in the riding would support change and a new voice but in hindsight I complicated something that was simple. It was a great experience and I still think he was an excellent candidate but the loss would have been easier to take if I had properly analyzed the situation beforehand.
Just another great example of how life really is simple but we insist on making it complicated.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Friday, October 22, 2010
Bad officials are elected by good citizens who do not vote.
Great quote: "Bad officials are elected by good citizens who do not vote." ~George Jean Nathan. The municipal election is Monday. I've seen a lot of discussion recently by people about how we need to get out and vote. This is true. However it's equally true that we need to vote with some degree of education about the candidates. There are many sources of information on the candidates in every race. Please take a few minutes and understand what the people you are voting for are all about. There are some amazing people running for office.....and there are some people who will do damage and clearly aren't fit to lead us. Please do your homework and understand the difference.
Monday, October 18, 2010
I Can Accept It....
One of the things that constantly amazes me is how people can have such different opinions. About anything.....politics, work, people you name it. However I can accept it. It puzzles me but I get that other people when presented with the exact same set of information can come to a different opinion. What I struggle with is why it's so hard for others to accept that? I'm amazed at how often people tell me: "you don't get it" or "you don't understand". Oh I get it. I'm a reasonably bright guy. I get it. I just don't agree with you. Why is that so hard for people to get?
Sunday, October 17, 2010
It's Simple
To me the company/employee relationship is simple. People like to make it complicated but like just about everything it's really simple. I have to listen to people at work everyday tell me the reasons why they are angry, bitter etc. at the place we work. To me they are angry at themselves for allowing themselves to be the victim. They may not know it but I think that's really why they are mad......because they realize at some level that they have some weakness which is preventing them from doing something about it.
About a dozen years ago I sat across the table from people representing the company and they said we will give you X, Y and Z if you come here, follow the rules and work hard. So I follow the rules and work hard and they have given me far more than the X, Y and Z that were originally promised. There are some people who want to make it complicated and claim they are entitled to more or that it should be easy or some other way of blaming a faceless company for their unhappiness but in my opinion they're wrong.
About a dozen years ago I sat across the table from people representing the company and they said we will give you X, Y and Z if you come here, follow the rules and work hard. So I follow the rules and work hard and they have given me far more than the X, Y and Z that were originally promised. There are some people who want to make it complicated and claim they are entitled to more or that it should be easy or some other way of blaming a faceless company for their unhappiness but in my opinion they're wrong.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Simplify...simplify.....simplify
I have a new manager at work (a year ago). One of the things I have picked up from him is a relentless drive to simplify everything as far as it will go. Like most work skills this has carried over into my life. I have come to really believe this skill helps in every aspect of life. There is a quote from Confucius I have always liked that says: "Life is really simple but we insist on making it complicated." There is another I love from Einstein (arguably my favorite quote ever and for those who know me that is saying a lot) that says: "If you can't explain it simply you don't understand it well enough."
There is a video I like from Connie Podesta where she speaks to why people have affairs. The gist of the idea is that it's because the person no longer feels good about themselves in the presence of their spouse. She goes on to say this is why people leave jobs and other examples. The reason we do anything is because of how it makes us feel about ourselves. An excellent two minute video Here is a link to the video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqU39qGfeGA
Another great video that speaks to the same thing is one by Larry Winget I saw today. It's called There Are No Grey Areas. His point is about right and wrong. If you have to ask if it's right it isn't is the gist of it. Another good two minute video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAnYBSALIAM
There is a video I like from Connie Podesta where she speaks to why people have affairs. The gist of the idea is that it's because the person no longer feels good about themselves in the presence of their spouse. She goes on to say this is why people leave jobs and other examples. The reason we do anything is because of how it makes us feel about ourselves. An excellent two minute video Here is a link to the video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqU39qGfeGA
Another great video that speaks to the same thing is one by Larry Winget I saw today. It's called There Are No Grey Areas. His point is about right and wrong. If you have to ask if it's right it isn't is the gist of it. Another good two minute video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAnYBSALIAM
Thursday, August 19, 2010
The Shrinking Middle
Went to the Lone Star for dinner tonight for the first time in years. Cost $50 and was good. That seems disappointing to me. Further evidence of something that I read about and that I've really started to notice lately which is that there is no room in the "middle". I can spend $100 at Moxies and have an experience. I know it's going to be great and that I am going to be happy. Going in I know I'm going to spend but I also know it's going to have value. I can go to Harvey's and spend $20 and I get good value for the money. Tonight spending $50 for good just didn't seem worth it to me. This phenomenon seems true everywhere though. I think people buy an expensive TV because they want premium entertainment or they buy a cheap TV because it's cheap. I don't think many people buy a middle of the road TV. I think it's the same with clothes. I think people buy a name brand pair of jeans that's expensive or they buy at Wal-Mart. I don't see a big market anymore for that middle of the road product that we used to buy constantly. I think this is some of the reason we are seeing the end of Eatons, The Bay, Sears etc.
The way I first became aware of this concept it was described as a "race to the bottom". If you aren't delivering tangible value then someone is always going to do it cheaper. People in the workforce or businesses in the marketplace have to realize you can no longer make an average product or do average work and make money at it. Someone is always going to do it cheaper if it takes no real skill. If you expect to be paid you need to add value. I think this is part of the problem with the way the world of work in our communities is changing and people seem to be struggling to adapt. The days of going to work and doing some unskilled labour and being paid well for 30 years until retirement are quickly ending if you look around. As Seth Godin says it is the end of ABC work. ABC stands for Attendance Based Compensation. Less and less companies are willing to pay you just to show up and put in time. I think the world is changing and you need to have a quick factual answer to how you add value. I saw a comment recently that said if you don't think your job is temporary you just haven't realized it yet. I think there is a lot of truth to that. This concept is being trumpeted by many business leaders like Seth Godin and Tom Peters. These guys got where they are because they have the vision to see what's coming.
It sounds scary but maybe it isn't......maybe we just need to work harder and make sure we deliver work or a product that's worth the money......isn't that what we were supposed to be doing all along? Or was it really fair that we expected jobs with Attendance Based Compensation?
The way I first became aware of this concept it was described as a "race to the bottom". If you aren't delivering tangible value then someone is always going to do it cheaper. People in the workforce or businesses in the marketplace have to realize you can no longer make an average product or do average work and make money at it. Someone is always going to do it cheaper if it takes no real skill. If you expect to be paid you need to add value. I think this is part of the problem with the way the world of work in our communities is changing and people seem to be struggling to adapt. The days of going to work and doing some unskilled labour and being paid well for 30 years until retirement are quickly ending if you look around. As Seth Godin says it is the end of ABC work. ABC stands for Attendance Based Compensation. Less and less companies are willing to pay you just to show up and put in time. I think the world is changing and you need to have a quick factual answer to how you add value. I saw a comment recently that said if you don't think your job is temporary you just haven't realized it yet. I think there is a lot of truth to that. This concept is being trumpeted by many business leaders like Seth Godin and Tom Peters. These guys got where they are because they have the vision to see what's coming.
It sounds scary but maybe it isn't......maybe we just need to work harder and make sure we deliver work or a product that's worth the money......isn't that what we were supposed to be doing all along? Or was it really fair that we expected jobs with Attendance Based Compensation?
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