Ethics in Unethical Situations

A young American friend of mine (we'll call him "David") was vacationing with a friend in Mexico when he got into a very minor fender-bender with a taxi, resulting in a small dent.

When David offered to exchange information, the taxi driver publicly and vehemently demanded $150 US. While David and his friend and the taxi driver were in their discussions, a police officer arrived at the scene. The police officer very publicly and vehemently demanded $300 US, the alternative being spending the holidays in a Tijuana jail. David did not have the cash on him, but the police officer offered to stay with his friend and the car until he returned with the money.

David went to the nearest ATM and withdrew the cash and returned with it. The police officer divided the money with the cab driver (David thought that the cabbie got the $150 he had originally demanded) and everyone went on their way.

Knowing that I have an interest in ethics, David's mother asked my opinion.

I hesitate to give one. Clearly, the young man was under quite bit of duress and his options were limited.

One could argue (and I often do) that when you're visiting a different culture, it's not your place to judge or attempt to change things unless someone is obviously being harmed. Maybe the legal system there is so corrupt that this was the best "justice" that could be expected. On the other hand, without some resistance, entrenched unethical situations never change. Perhaps a police officer that did not take bribes (which is apparently an entrenched system in Tijuana) would not long survive, and some police protection is better than none?

What would you advise? Should David, the cabbie, or the police officer have acted differently?

Merry Christmas

A very merry, snowy (if you like snow) and happy Christmas to all of our readers!

May Santa bring you whatever you're wishing for this year!

(Big Ben, Paula & John - Deer Valley, UT 2008)

Will We Have a Global Currency?

Reuters reported today that Japan, Germany and Canada, and Japan pledged new measures to confront the financial crisis.

The Belgian government officially collapsed over the weekend.

In neighboring Belgium, King Albert consulted political leaders after the government collapsed following its botched attempt to bail out financial group Fortis.


Prime Minister Yves Leterme tendered his government's resignation on Friday after a report by the Supreme Court found signs of political meddling to sway a court ruling on the future of the bank, a victim of the credit crunch.

This worldwide nature of the crisis, and the multinational efforts to meet it, call for extraordinary measures. Could one of those measures be to create a global currency? Some advantages:

• It simplifies commerce between countries
• It provides stability to volatile currencies
• It lessens the fluctuations for global organizations, that may buy materials in one country, have manufacturing in another, and sell in another.

People that won't like it:

• Companies that make money from the cost differential. There will still be a cost differential, just as San Francisco is more expensive than Topeka Kansas, although they use the same currency.
  
• Individuals that make money betting on the foreign exchange.
  

Is that really such a bad idea? :-)

-Paula

Press Coverage for the American Businesswoman's Politically Incorrect Guide to Bangalore

Just a quick note - the Tooele Transcript Bulletin published an interview about The American Businesswoman's Politically Incorrect Guide to Bangalore.

Color photo and everything!

Very nicely done, and thanks to Doug Radunich for being such a great interviewer/conversationalist/listener. I really enjoyed the discussion!

For more about the book, see http://www.bangaloreforbusinesswomen.com

Status of Professional Businesswomen in India

In the past, the Indian traditions followed from ages never allowed a ‘Woman’ to rule the business world like her male counterpart could. In this country, women play a prominent role in the well-being of her family. It may be due to this reason, Indian Women were discouraged from holding high managerial roles of the corporate world over the last decades.

The courage and determination exhibited by many enterprising women of the country to revolt the traditional rules has helped ‘Indian Women’ find a more respectable status in the society and encouraged the new generation to follow. Currently, India is undergoing the feminist phase that U.S. went through during the early ‘70s. The advent of globalization encourages educated middle class women to take up opportunities to build her own dreams and excel in professions which were earlier perceived as complete male domain.

Although it’s quite ironic that ours is a nation where maternal mortality rates are among the worst in the world, yet the country can boast of the world’s largest number of professionally qualified women when compared with developed countries.

I would personally state the impact of the increased role of the private sector, the IT boom and the increase in the number of MNCs that have sprung up all over the country are among the notable reasons behind the success of the professional businesswoman of the country-in both professional and public sphere.

Have you changed your business travel plans or habits because of terrorism?

A very dear friend of ours lives in Mumbai.

In fact, she persuaded me to drink coconut water (an excellent cure for "traveler's tummy") in the Sea Lounge in the Taj Mahal hotel, across from the Gateway to India monument on the Mumbai waterfront last March.

She works at the Times of India and was in the neighborhood of the recent attacks in Mumbai. In fact, the Times of India building was fired upon. We had not heard from her for several days and did not know what to think, but I'm relieved to report she's unhurt. She just didn't have access to email for a few days. She watched the Taj and the Oberoi go up in flames.

My husband and I were discussing the events in Mumbai over the weekend, while sitting in a restaurant in Salt Lake City. Ironically, while we were sitting there, we saw lights through the window and heard sirens outside. There had been a very bad car crash outside the restaurant.

This put these events in perspective for us. We are concerned for the safety and happiness of our friends and family, wherever they are, and we take what precautions we think are prudent when we travel, but the fact remains that the statistical likelihood of being harmed in a terrorist attack is so low it is almost negligible compared to everyday risks like driving a car or crossing the street in our own neighborhood.

Would I return to Mumbai tomorrow? Absolutely. Would I stay in the Taj or the Oberoi? Absolutely, if they're open. They are beautiful, historic, wonderful hotels and will be so again.


I posted the question on my Linked In profile, and wanted to share some of the responses with you:

Have you changed your business travel plans or habits because of terrorism?

Here are the responses I received.

_________________________________

No. But, I am keeping extra time for obvious checks and delays at check-points during travel.

I am avoiding meeting people in soft targets, and keeping the entry and exit routes in perspective while entering a crowded place.

Subhas C Biswas
Trainer, Consultant and Auditor (9001, 14001, 16949 & 18001). subhascb@gmail.com
______________________________

I will probably be staying at less high profile hotels for future trips to locations that may be targeted.

Other than that and the points mentioned by Subhas, I will not make any changes.

Martin Kubler FIH
International Hotelier
__________________________

I have made allowances for longer delays at airports for security checks and certainly I pay more attention to the news of what is going on at my destination. On the whole NO.

Oussama Salah
Head of Quality Assurance and Safety at AJA
________________________

I continue to travel as I have always done even after 911. If an incident of terrorism had occured somewhere today I will not be rushing over there but if I had to go there in a week or two I have no problem in visiting that city on business. Terrorism has become a worldwide threat and we should not let that get on top of us. We need to stay on top!

Cheers

Raja
International Strategic Business Consultant, Life Science, Animal Health, Pest Control, raja@biznezconsultant.com
______________________________

Dear Paula,

I was at the SF airport while all hell broke loose in Mumbai. And honestly it was very frustrating considering that I had at least 4 meetings while I was in US where the decision-makers were to visit us in India between Dec and Feb and my first reaction was that they will now not come. But I spoke with them on Friday and they all plan to stick by the initial itinerary irrespective!

So, I think that today a business traveler’s mentality is so attuned to terrorism that such incidents rarely have effect on their direct and physical dealing with any region globally. I mean you could be in Paris, New York or Joberg and still be under as much threat.

Of course unless you are talking about war zones where chances are that on any given day you would get caught in crossfire, that being said I think while visiting India fighting pollution, water-born diseases and traffic is a bigger challenge than terrorism!

On the whole I am kind of happy that the security checks at both airports and hotels will get ramped-up, it will make me feel more secure. I will make more time for all of that.

But other than that me or anyone I know personally is no way changing travel plans because of the utterly sick yet freak incident in Mumbai.

Thanks,

Viraj
Viraj Kalra
Vice President Animation and Media at Planman Technologies

PS - I read the content you sent across earlier and I think it is a great read and as informative as it gets.

_______________________

Given the overall freak-out of 9/11 and the London-based cell that sparked the liquids bans/restrictions, Mumbai's attacks won't have that much of an impact on domestic US or US to EU business travel. For all of the horror of Mumbai, the US DHS "alert" is so high as it is that the attacks didn't even register a blip. (No doubt the fact that the US has so little influence on Indian domestic policies plays the most significant role here.)

That said, I would encourage President Obama's DHS people to drop the daily security "alert" from Orange back to Green. We've had seven years of "high-alert" conditions now, it's the norm. Put some respect back into the system, and then TSA could raise green to yellow for things like Mumbai.

Edward Branley
Storage Area Networking Expert (HDS & EMC), Published Author, New Orleans Historian, Streetcar Historian/Afficianado
________________

Hi Paula,

I have changed any plans. I think it would be a shame if anyone did, albeit appropriate precautions should be taken by all including the authorities. We just can't let terrorists run our world.

Josh.
Josh Chernin
General Manager, Itinerant Writer, and Decent Little League Coach

______________

No. I plan to work at home just the way I was before Mumbai.

Serously, I told my friend Kevin Wall that I'd head to Mumbai this week, to help hold together the Live Earth-India concert that was scheduled for Mumbai on Dec. 7, but Al Gore, Wall, and Rejendra Pachauri canceled the event. It is easy for me to say since my name isn't on the line for it, but I do feel that it was the wrong move, and that Gore was a fraidy cat for pushing the other two partners to cancel.

First of all, there's so much vigilance, Mumbai is going to be one of the safer mega-cities for a while. Terrorists hit where people aren't looking, not where they ARE. So it is kind of naive to back out bc of a 'heightened threat level.'

Second, they could've scaled back the concert into something very small, somber and symbolic, all Indian artists, and it would have been an even more important event than any kind of 'Bon Jovi Against Global Warming' concert would have been...but they backed out. It was a gigantic opportunity and they missed it. Sad but true. This has a down-impact for sure on travel and smothers what could have been the first positive news from Mumbai since the attacks.
Links:

• http://www.gamechangers.com

Mike Bonifer
Author, Educator, CEO at GameChangers

___________________________

Unfortunately, I've been forced to cancel today's arrival in Bangkok and travel via Singapore. On the return portion of the trip, I hope to be able to stop in Bangkok. I will be careful. But I refuse to allow terrorists to keep me from traveling. I could more likely be killed jay-walking in Paris or in NYC.

Links:
http://www.bonjourparis.com
http://www.tripso.com

Karen Fawcett
President at Paris New Media, LLC & BonjourParis.com

____________________________

Paula,
Can you predict where the next terrorism attack will take place? I can't, so how should I change my plans for business or pleasure?

If people begin to run scared of a perceived attack, then they win! My ego will not permit it. Which city will you give up:
NY
Paris
LA
Madrid
London
Dublin
Jerusalem
Cairo
Mumbai
Amman
Argentina
What have I forgotten?

Adrienne Sasson
Travel Specialist (LION) at Rubinsohn Travel

_____________________________

Nope, I have not changed any travel plans. But surely staying away from gatherings or any other crowded places

Pooja Gupta
Project coordinator at Brickwork

________________________

Hallo Paula,

Thank you for this question - which is interesting because the welfare of our global economy, even in these uncertain times, depends for a great deal on the continued exchange of capital, goods and services worldwide.

As far as I am concerned, I guess I wouldn't cancel a businesstrip to Mumbai if the business requires my traveling there. It seems to me that there is no more actual danger, either in Mumbai or anywhere in the world, than one would come across in Belgium when negotiating the ring road around Brussels, or any road of the sorts, during rush hour.

As a matter of fact, terrorist threats pose a problem all over the world, and no less in Europe than anywhere else. I guess we will just have to learn how to cope with a lasting feeling of unsafety and uncertainty created by our current political turmoil.

I realize that this attitude of mine might well be influenced by the mere fact of my belonging to an at first sight insignificant national citizenship (Belgium). I am not quite sure that I would be as much at ease if I would be holding an American passport.

However: Even for Americans, the news might not be all that bad, for, as Fareed Zakaria has mentioned in his much acclaimed The Post American World (2008), "It seems that we are living in crazily violent times, but don't believe everything you see on television. Our anecdotal impression turns out to be wrong. War and organized violence have declined dramatically over the last two decades."

So, it appears that, maybe, our world and our global exchange situation isn't in such bad health after all.

Kind regards,

Michaela Broeckx
International & Intercultural Business Trainer

Links:
http://www.fareedzakaria.com/

________________________________

What do you think? Reply below or write to paula@ravenwerks.com

Do’s and Don’ts for American Businesswomen in India

We get used to the culture of the country that we are brought up in. So long as we don’t have to deal with people from different countries we never give a thought to the concept ‘Cultural Differences’. It is always beneficial to understand the culture of the country where you intend to do business.

‘Indian culture’ can take an American by surprise at all stands. For instance, the perception of ‘Time’ to an Indian differs considerably from what it means to a westerner. India is a vast country and hence one should not be surprised to note that cultural differences vary from region to region, state to state, and Men to Women. Hence a smart American Business woman will research about Indian culture before arriving at this Land of Cultural Diversity.

There is no denying the fact that women in India have made a considerable progress in the last fifty years and treated with a high degree of respect. A business woman greets an associate in India with folded hands – a gesture popular as Namaste. Women are expected to dress conservatively- usually in saree, Formal Pants and Suits, Salwar-Kameez. Such a dress code will get you an instant acceptance and help to avoid upsetting experiences.

While using the first name is not common in business circle, seniors and superiors are addressed formally and with respect. Although Indians are known for hospitality; one should not expect to be entertained at home at the very first instance. Among the other significant business etiquette, giving or receiving using the ‘Left-hand’ will be considered offensive by an Indian.

I am sure that reading this small article would have taken you by surprise. You will certainly agree with me that a little preparation before your Indian business trip, or for that matter, to any foreign country, will save you the expected ‘Culture Shock’!

Is Now a Good Time to Consider a Venture in the US?

I wrote this as an introduction for 16 Vital Questions, A Primer for Indians Traveling in the U.S. ICFAI Books will be publishing this book soon as a guide for students and interns from India planning a sojourn into the U.S. for work or school.

But I thought it would be particularly relevant to the group here as well since we talk about multicultural issues and the interdependence of our economies!


Introduction –Is Now a Good Time to Consider a Venture in the US?

Mr. Muralidaran, the General Manager at ICFAI Books, wrote me a question last night that gave me pause.

In view of the recent happenings in the US (financial crisis, recession in the economy, job cuts, and the presidential elections) I was wondering whether you would like to make some modifications to your book.

My first thought was that I didn’t want to change or add anything.

The information in the book is as complete as we can make it, barring the usual volatility of situations. Everything is still true and correct. The opportunities in the U.S. are always changing, but there are always excellent opportunities here for bright, ambitious people.

But then I started thinking about all of the parents that will read this book as they consider educational and professional opportunities for their children. My son Michael (we call him Mickey) just moved into the dorms and started as a freshman at the University of Nevada Las Vegas, which is about six hours by car from where we live. As a parent, this still seems like it’s a very long way away. If the best opportunity for his particular desires and ambitions had been literally halfway around the world, I would have had some trepidation. I would want to know everything I could find out about the place he would be spending time. These decisions bear careful consideration and what we’ve been reading and hearing in the news is enough to make anyone second-guess a good decision.

I decided that 16 Vital Questions can’t be published without some mention of the unprecedented activity of the last three to six months.

Economics and politics work in cycles, like the weather. We know that every year there will be winters and summers, as well as some unpredictable “storms.”

Economics – The cycles of the stock market are well known. Recent banking failures give us all pause. These organizations made bad financial decisions and, although there is disagreement among Americans about whether government (taxpayer) money should be used to sustain and repair them; the decision for better or worse has been made and we will find out how things progress.

The long-term implications are unknown, but history tells us that the United States has a very resilient economy. This may be the “winter” part of the economic cycle. There is lots of discussion about how long or cold the “winter” may be where the next storms might happen, but no one doubts that there will be a recovery. The very size, diversity and complexity of the U.S. economy create new opportunities out of every failure. If stockholders who held shares during the Great Depression of the 1920s (the worst financial crisis in our history) had simply held on to their stocks for one or two years, their holdings would have come back to their previous value.

The Financial Times of London reports today (11/18/2008)

Economists believe that the US has been in recession since April and will remain there until the middle of 2009, according to a survey by the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia.

This is actually excellent news for anyone planning an education or venture in the US. Prices for housing, fuel and food are lower than usual at the moment; and as the economy improves, (as it certainly will in the next one to three years) there will be more opportunities in that follow.

It’s not a bad time to begin a career in the US, if one can find a solid opportunity in a growth industry in some parts of the US. Unemployment is higher than usual at the moment, and it may be prudent to look very carefully at the finance and heavy manufacturing industries until we know more about how events will play out in the next few months. But there are industries that are doing very well.

Two examples of heavy manufacturing depend a great deal on a variation of product and region - The automotive industry in Detroit Michigan is laying people off, but the Cessna small airplane factory in Independence Kansas has not even slowed down.

Good opportunities can be found if you research variations within an industry and look in different parts of the country.


Politics – Barack Obama’s election has created excitement among young people all over the world.

Last night, (11/17/2008) my blogging buddy Rajani Paniker from Bangalore posted this on the Ravenwerks Blog:

The Chancery Pavilion at Bangalore witnessed Obama’s supporters eagerly waiting for the latest U.S. Presidential election updates. When the final results were telecast on the television, a loud cheer was heard and people were found hugging and congratulating each other. . . .

Events here in the US impact India much more than they did several years ago, and events in India are watched from the United States with much greater interest as we find our companies, economies, friendships and families more interconnected than ever before.

Conclusion -

I look forward to an era of continued cooperation, collaboration and prosperity between the U.S. and India. In four years, when my son Mickey graduates from college, I expect that we will be back to the “summer” part of the cycle yet again. If you, or your loved ones are able to make a trip, I hope that the cycles of economics and politics work in your favor. I am sure that traveling and commerce brings us better understanding, prosperity and friendship.

Warm regards and best wishes in your endeavors and travels,

-Paula Williams
www.ravenwerks.com
Transcending Boundaries

Election of Barack Obama and Bangalore

Barack Obama led the Democrats to a sweeping victory in the U.S. President elections recently. His victory was rejoiced in all parts of the world. As the world celebrated this historic victory, India was not far behind. Although the election was held at the United States, rallies by the Bangalore techies were conducted during weekends to induce awareness among people on the importance of Obama’s Victory. Obama supporters from India were found Texting, calling up, emailing friends and relatives in the U.S. to cast their vote for him.

The Chancery Pavillion at Bangalore witnessed Obama’s supporters eagerly waiting for the latest U.S. Presidential election updates. When the final results were telecast on the television, a loud cheer was heard and people were found hugging and congratulating each other at the Chancery Pavillion. The Barack Obama Bangalore Fan club has nominated volunteers to attend his oath taking ceremony to be conducted on Jan 20^th of 2009 and have decided to donate $4, 100 to his election fund. Along with the World, Bangalore rejoices Obama’s Victory in the hope of better global economic and political stability.

Business trip to Bangalore - A must

With globalization there is increasing importance on the etiquettes and nuances of international business. Bangalore has companies from across the globe and most people have worked in organizations based in several countries. They carry with them experience of varied work cultures and organizations. In addition work cultures in India are often the result of parent company work culture and Indian influence. An American business woman can immensely benefit from such exposure and acquire knowledge on a work culture that has evolved from the parent but is an amalgamation of the parent and the location.

Being the software capital of India, Bangalore has had a constant influx of business travelers. The inhabitants of the city are habituated to western business travelers and welcome them in their midst. An American businesswoman will be welcomed with a warm, friendly and helpful attitude by the people of Bangalore. The software culture has spread a patina of professionalism in Bangalore which comes through as a pleasant surprise. An American businesswoman will instantly fall in love with the garden city of India.

Bangalore has been the melting pot of different cultures and has been a cosmopolitan society. In addition to being the software capital Bangalore also offers several tourist attractions within easy reach for a busy businesswoman on travel. There are tourist attractions to suit all interests ranging from history, culture, beaches and nature. A quick weekend getaway is an incentive for every business traveler, Bangalore with its comfortable moderate climate and numerous tourist attractions offers the perfect opportunity for a weekend holiday during a business trip. Bangalore offers compulsive shop-aholics and food lovers the perfect blend of shops and restaurants.

The Misplaced Arrogance of Some Foreigners

My friend Ange "the cactus" has pointed out one HUGE reason to do research before undertaking any international business travel or projects with multicultural teams. Sometimes misinformation can lead to some HUGE misunderstandings.

I cannot stress the danger of making assumptions enough!

http://thisbluemarble.blogspot.com/2008/11/misplaced-arrogance-of-some-foreigners.html

Sometimes, friends should be frank. Ange can always be counted on for that!

-Paula

Drama in the Family Business

I received this feedback on the Family Business - The Perils and Positives of Working with Family article, and thought I'd post it here in case any of our other very smart readers have good advice for this reader.

-Paula

I just have a question about family who gossip and cause drama at work. I have a family business and they are all family and all they want to do is talk bad about each other and then cause drama and my husband and i have to deal with it. What should i do? please let me know. I need help with this situation .

N.L.

Rule #6

Rule #6, according to Dr. Wayne Dyer, is to "Stop taking yourself so #$! seriously!"

Very good advice, especially in the midst of an economic downturn, an election that's turned pretty grim, and with the weather starting to turn nasty.

Halloween couldn't come at a better time!

I work at a small software company that really goes all out for Halloween. All 60 or so employees dressed up, many included skits and pranks and other shenanigans. It was a great opportunity to remind each other of Rule #6, and to remember that we really to like each other no matter how focused and crazy we've been lately.

This is me as the fun-loving Senator Sarah Palin extolling the virtues of gun ownership over barbecue at the company Halloween party. The button on my lapel says "Cuter than Joe Biden." :-)

(My costume is in no way intended to reflect my political views. In fact my friends would be surprised that I would be caught dead dressed as a Republican.)

Hope you all had a wonderful Halloween, and best wishes as we get into the crazy holiday season. And here's to Rule #6! We could all use a little more compliance.

10 Ways Ravenwerks can Improve Your Life

1. Find a solution to a sticky business ethics problem. We have everything from tribal warfare to making good kills to life in a cubicle zoo to collaborating with dragons to rising above negativity.
2. Do business better from anywhere. Learn effective long distance collaboration, write a great work at home agreement and when you do need to travel, be effective with etiquette on the road.
3. Find a new job. We have job hunting advice, etiquette for job hunters, and headhunter etiquette.
4. Look better at work. Learn how to dress for all occasions and locations, facilitate better meetings, give better presentations, and get better at strategic communication write better reports and emails.
5. Make the case for a promotion by providing measurable results.
6. Enhance your leadership ability. Learn how to lead genX teams, manage innovation, raidproof your employees, make yourself obsolete with good succession planning, effective workforce management, how to run a family business, and “cute” management tricks that don't work.
   
7. Globalize yourself. Learn to do business in Europe and India, or about strategy drivers for international and global business, including technology, political factors, business environment, and economics.
   
8. Enhance your skills, like your creativity, ability to deal with office politics and ability to resolve conflicts
9. Use technology better. Learn when to rent technical people or buy them, do business at warp speed, confuse yourself more efficiently, learn gadget etiquette and when not to buy software.
10. Ask a question. Our best ideas for articles and blogs come from our readers, and you’ll get some great advice.

As always, all of our articles are free!

Join our mailing list, bookmark us, visit often, and remember that we welcome your suggestions, comments, questions and participation!

-Paula

Was Columbus a success?

"Success does not always go along with merit: America is not named after Columbus."


-Sigmund Freud


I disagree with Freud- the fact that America is not named after Columbus has less to do with the relationship between merit and success, and more to do with how we define success.   


We'll set aside for the moment the arguments aboutwhether Columbus actually "discovered" anything (of course people who already lived here knew it was here all along!)  And there is the embarrassing but enduring faux-pas of calling the natives "Indians" thinking that he had reached India. There's also the question of whether the  continent would have been better off left alone, but we'll set that aside too. 

(Drawing - Encounter by Octavio Ocampo)

America, in case you've forgotten your middle-school history, was named after Amerigo Vespucci, a Florentine who explored Venezuela years after Columbus reached the continent.  The misnomer happened when a German mapmaker published a map with incorrect information.  Karma, perhaps, for Columbus' misnaming the "Indians?" 

Anyway, back to my question:

Was Columbus successful?   Here are the facts:

• He created a plan, and executed it almost entirely with Other People's Money (OPM) - Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain bankrolled the entire affair.  This was a huge feat of salesmanship!   
  
• He executed (and collected on) one of the largest contracts on record in his time - 10% of all spices, gold and other riches found. 
  
• He was prepared to endure great physical hardship and risk to achieve his goals. 
  
• He overcame substantial opposition to his ideas. People had laughed at his plan to sail perpendicular to the coast, which had never been done before. 
  
• He proved his skill as a navigator and mapmaker. He left a legacy of maps, journals and writings that were the benchmark of cartography for years. 
  
• He proved the concept that the world is round. 
  
• He (and his family in perpetuity) were awarded nobility in Europe.  He was conferred the title of "Don and High Admiral of the Ocean Sea."
  

Columbus never stated in his writings that he intended to have the continent named after him. We assume that he thought he would find more gold, spices, and silks and other wealth as measured by the standards of the time, since he thought he would establish a shorter trade route to the Orient.  So that didn't work out the way he had planned. 

So, I would say that he was a huge success, but in a way that was more and less than what he had planned.   Isn't it the same with everyone?   Our greatest plans and efforts almost always lead us somewhere worthwhile, but not always where we think we wanted to go. 

-Paula

No Bank Left Behind?

Like everyone else, I have pretty strong feelings about the bank bailout plan that the President is proposing. 

Remember No Child Left Behind?  The legislation that purported to create accountability in schools and ensure that schools that received federal funding met certain criteria? 

We were talking about it last night, and my charming husband (usually the conservative at our house) said "well, it was a good idea."  I interrupted him with "No, it was a TERRIBLE idea. Even the name is terrible!"  

Our capitalist democracy is based on competition. If children get the idea, from their earliest days, that it is somebody else's job to make sure they don't get "left behind," then they get the idea that it requires no effort on their part to succeed.   

At least when I was a kid, I would get away with whatever I could get away with. While my parents were visiting  a friend's house and I was outside with the kids, my Mom would have to call me two or three times to come in now because she was ready to leave. I knew she wasn't going to leave without me.  

On the other hand, on mornings when I had to catch the bus myself and was responsible for getting myself ready for school, I made darn sure I was up and dressed and caught the bus, because the alternative was walking.  Knowing that there would be consequences for my actions influenced my behavior.  

Intervening in the space between action and consequence rarely helps.  

I don't believe the government did much good with No Child Left Behind.  We hear numerous reports of unfunded and cumbersome requirements taking teacher's time out of the classroom in order to compile and file reports and statistics.   There have been reports of teachers teaching children to take standardized tests rather than teaching them useful skills like math and science. A report from the UN Children's Fund says that the U.S. is one of the worst countries for kids, citing falling ratings in education. 

Given the government's stunning success in the field of education, I have no reason to believe that they will do any better in the banking industry. What little I can understand of the crisis is that the trouble stems from bundles of securities that are complex and may ore may not contain mortgages that may or may not have a high risk of default. Now, if the bankers and finance geeks of the world can't figure out what one of these securities should be worth, I doubt that the government will do much better. 

Another editorial in the Salt Lake Tribune says "Public shares the blame in creating Dr. Frankenstein's Wall Street." While many people suffered from fraud at the hands of hucksters (and I sympathize and hope they take the hucksters to court and win!)  Many members of the public made a lot of money from flipping houses in an overpriced market.  That's fine, but it's risky. Sooner or later the musical chairs would stop and somebody would get hurt. 

There are natural laws at work in business, as well as everything else.   The banking crisis is a great example of how, when natural laws are broken, everything goes awry.  The answer is not more intervention, it's being honest, allowing consequences to occur, and not tinkering with the  natural laws that run the economy as well as everything else. 

Trust is the Key Issue in Teleworking

Hurricane Ike hasn't even hit yet and has caused a 20 cent spike in gasoline prices, highlighting the need for businesses and employees to find alternatives to the daily commute.

Telecommuting has become more and more popular in the face of energy costs, globalization and other forces. But many employees still find resistance when they ask for a work-at-home arrangement.

Interestingly, today the AP ran a story - Bosses Worry if Telecommuters are Really Working. hitting the nail on the head of the key issue in teleworking or working from home. Most bosses don't trust their employees. Many bosses won't say so in so many words, but one did in this article, voicing an opinion that many, many bosses have but may or may not say outright.

Lloyd Princeton, the president of Design Management Co., said "The biggest issue I have is tracking time and knowing when he's working . . . The doubt starts to happen when he has offsite meetings -- various doctor appointments or the vet." Of course, most of us juggle personal appointments with our daily grind even if we work in an office, but it makes bosses feel better when they can see us come and go.

I think this is probably compounded when popular books like the Four Hour Workweek advise employees to manipulate their output to make it look like they're more productive while working at home than working in the office. Author Tim Ferriss may have done "the cause" more harm than good for the with that little gem.

So, where does that leave you as a work-at-home employee or an office dweller that wants to negotiate a work-at-home deal?

Clearly. trust is the key.

Here are some thoughts on how to build trust with your boss:

• Show commitment to your job and your team. Never let anyone down that's depending on you for something, including your boss.
• Quantify your output. Create and email regular status reports, even if your boss hasn't asked for them. A good format is to list tasks you expect to achieve this week, and then use the same list to report on progress the following week, followed by a new list for the new week.
  
• Maintain a transparent schedule. Don't make anyone come looking for you or wonder where you are.
  
• Find out your bosses favored method of communication- some dislike email, instant messaging, or phone. Use what they prefer, not necessarily what makes the most sense to you. If your boss isn't happy with the way you're communicating, you're wasting your time making the effort.
  
• If you do work at home, make sure you sound professional on the phone during working hours. Make arrangements for kids, dogs, and others in your home, and have a quiet room or office where you can do business uninterrupted.
• Maintain "face time" in one way or another - when ARE in the office, be very visible. Walk around and make small talk with everyone. Get a camera for your computer so that you can do instant messaging from home. People believe what they see.

Some ideas to build trust with your employees:

• Set expectations and model good behavior. Be a team player, make sure decisions are made for the good of the project or the company rather than individuals.
  
• Set up a system that quantifies output in an objective way. Set up a format for status reports that works for you and makes it easy for you to see what is (or isn't) getting accomplished.
  
• Maintain a transparent schedule. Set up a web-based or software-based calendar program so that you can see who is "on duty" at any given time. Enforce its use.
  
• Set checkpoints using your favored communication vehicle. (Phone, email, IM, etc.)
  
• Set expectations that anyone who works at home has agreed that other responsibilities (kids, pets, etc.) are taken care of some other way and don't become an excuse for not getting work done. (Within reason- of course if there's an emergency your employee would leave his cubicle to take care of the situation - expect the same at home.)
  
• Arrange for bonding time with your team on a regular basis - weekly or monthly meetings to ensure communication is good and some healthy socializing takes place. People communicate better, and have more accountability to, people that they see on a regular basis.
  

Whether you're the boss or an employee, the best way to ensure your work at home privileges is to work on trust.

On Jihad and Music

I know this post is going to cause trouble, but I thought I should write it anyway.

I was listening to an interview on NPR with the Karim Wasfi, the conductor of the Iraqi National Symphony Orchestra. He risks his life, the lives of his musicans, and the lives of crowds of up to 600 Iraqis who come to listen to the orchestra play. Gatherings of any kind are still risky in Bagdhad, and music has been targeted by some extremist groups.

He indicated in the story that conducting music was his way of bringing hope, courage and beauty to a place that badly needs it. It is his own act of rebellion against the status quo. He risks his life because he would rather die in the service of God and his fellow man than to possibly live longer while failing to perform his personal jihad or calling. This is a very different use of "the J word" than the warped, politically motivated view of Islamic extremists, which is the view we've heard in the news lately, and it's closer to the definition "to strive or struggle" in Arabic.

Of course, using the "J word" has probably just brought me under the scrutiny of Homeland Security for using it in my blog! But if people like Mr. Wasfi are willing to take risks for the sake of art, literature and normalcy, I can take that this small risk myself.

I think it's time the more moderate view got some airtime, and Mr. Wasfi's story does it very nicely.

Mr. Wasfi's efforts to bring music to Baghdad brings new meaning to Emerson's quote - "Most men die with their music still in them." Mr. Wasfi is doing more than most of us (and against greater odds) to make sure that doesn't happen.

Most of us feel that we have a calling to serve, work or struggle toward a goal, which usually involves a service we can do better than our peers, and that makes the world a better place. Muslims might call this jihad, Hindus may call it dharma, Christians may call it a calling or a vocation. Athiests or agnostics might use any of these terms, or others. Regardless of what we call it, most of us have our moments when we know we're doing what really fulfills our purpose. For most of us, not every single minute of every single day at work is this inspired, but it stories like this make us realize that it should be.

Most of us find that our lives are a work in progress as we try to fine-tune our life around what inspires us. We try to find the right balance between our income-producing job, our family, our religious life, and our intentions to help people or make the world a better place. Some of us are lucky enough to combine more than one of those things into a single activity, but all of us struggle for balance of those four elements.

Well, after this peaceful and inspiring interlude, I'm going back to my usual Thursday task list, hopefully with better discernment of what fits my personal calling to "get my music out there."

Thanks Mr. Wasfi!

Is The Four-Hour Workweek a Scam?

Isn't it strange the way you see things more clearly sometimes through someone else's eyes?

I read the The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich by Tim Ferris some time ago, and I highly recommended it to my friend Julie. Julie finally got around to reading it and came away with a completely different impression than I had.

Reading the reviews on Amazon.com, I've discovered that there is a third point of view that is extremely prevalent.


I read the book about a year ago, from a very practical point of view, and my impressions at that time were that there were some good ideas in it, and that the author was absolutely right about the fact that the 8-hour workweek was arbitrarily set in a time gone by. Managers who measure productivity by hours worked are obviously missing the point. I love the idea of applying creativity and energy to working toward your goals, and saying "why not?" to the most bizarre "dreamlines." I also like the fact that, like Ravenwerks, the book works toward transcending barriers.


Everyone knows I'm a big advocate of flexible and virtual work, and have published several blogs and articles on the subject, including "Getting More Done By Not Going To Work," "Virtual Teamwork - Long Distance Collaboration" I'm also convinced that people need to do a better job of financial planning and that everyone should have a source of residual income so that they're not dependent on their current job - financially independent people work together because they want to, not because they need to; and sometimes that makes all the difference in the world.


My friend Julie's first impression (having just started the book) was the point about delaying retirement until we're almost dead from overwork is a societal ill in the U.S. that needs to be corrected.


The vast majority of the reviews on Amazon paint a picture of a completely different book. They focus on the author's admitted looking for loopholes to achieve some objectives (his kickboxing title is the most glaring example) and taking advantage of the inattention of employers to get what one wants. (Minimizing one's productivity while in the office, and maximizing visible signs of productivity while working outside the office as evidence to support a request for virtual working arrangements.)

There was a lot of invective in the reviews about outsourcing and geographical arbitage. I don't see that either offends my moral compass, in fact, I think that the walls coming down is our greatest hope for intercountry understanding, working for mutual good, and world peace. Ferris takes the examples a bit far to prove a point when he has his personal assistant in India apologize to his wife when they were having a disagreemnt. But again, his purpose is to raise controversy.


Admittedly, I wrote off a great deal of the book as "not for me," I care enough about people (customers, co-workers, people on "my teams") that I would have trouble with not answering my phone or emails for extended periods. Ferris classifies most social interaction having to do with our day-to-day jobs as a "waste of time." While I agree that a lot of time gets wasted in ineffective meetings or idle chitchat, I think we would miss the deep and meaningful interactions that are the fabric of life without working together toward mutual goals that can only come from working with people. I also think it's disingenuous to exploit a work-at-home situation to the point that Ferris advocates.


Although one can argue that "the system" has exploited employees for years to put in unnecessary hours, slacking isn't the answer. You can't "get back at the system," two wrongs don't make a right, and Karma is alive and well. One should give fair value (and then some) for the salary one is being paid. If you have a decent boss, you should be able to get what you want and need without being exploited or being dishonest. If you don't have a decent boss, then you have a different problem altogether.


I care enough about people who have worked hard to be excellent in their sport or profession that I wouldn't exploit a loophole to gain a title that the other competitors and the judges did not feel I had earned, whatever the letter of the rules say.


But different people have different ethics, and I'm certainly not going to say that a book holds no value if the author's values don't mirror my own.


I would still give the book five stars by Amazon's system, just because Ferris does what he says he will do - challenges our assumptions and presents alternatives in a very entertaining and provocative way. The book is badly needed as an antidote to the lethargy, acceptance and entitlement that pervades the American workplace. Just because we don't wholeheartedly embrace everything he advocates doesn't mean that the book didn't fulfill its purpose.


I was shocked by the rancor in the Amazon forums. People sound really angry that the author displays such a disdain for hard work and social conventions. Is this because they feel cheated for buying a book that does not deliver on its promises, or because they are jealous that he is getting away that something that they cannot or will not "get away with" because they're not willing to pay the price in social comfort or prestige?


Did you read the book? What was your impression?

Randy Pausch's Last Lecture - The Basics

I saw Randy Pausch's Last Lecture on YouTube and highly recommend it to everyone, for a number of reasons.

Of the many, many points he conveyed very poignantly, one stuck out for me today.

I was in a meeting that had gotten heated. Someone had "dropped the ball." Apparently some people in the meeting thought that that someone was probably me. I argued that it had never been my ball to start with. Of course I said so, rather eloquently, I thought.

The only way to resolve the dispute was to go back to the basics. My role in that organization is to be the product manager. The question was, did this particular issue fall into my purview?

It came back to the question I've pondered many times (as a product manager.) What, precisely, in this context and in this organization, is a product? A simple question, but shades of nuance change the way that I approach everything. If this thing we were arguing about was, in fact, a product; then I was responsible for ensuring that it adequately went through our company's processes. If it was not a product, but a service we had contracted to perform as a one-off item, then I our product life cycle wasn't relevant.

So, was it a product?

I still think the logical answer is no, but the correct organizational answer was yes. So I'm fixing the problem. :-)

Have a great weekend!

To "Go Native" Or Not

The article "Why You Need a Good Tailor in Karachi - How to Pack Light, Dress Well, and Make Friends When You Travel Internationally" has brought up a very good question.

Is more patriotic to dress like an American when you're abroad?

My thoughts-

If your objective is to be observed (if you're giving a lecture, attending an "official" function, representing your company or your country or whatever,) then, by all means, you should "dress like an American." John often a business suit with cowboy boots. He doesn't quite go so far as to break out the Stetson hat, mostly because it's a it large to travel with. :-)

If your objective is to observe, (as a tourist, a family friend, a businessperson there to meet with peers or negotiate a deal as an equal, etc.) then you should "do what the Romans do" and wear clothes that fit with local styles and customs as much as possible.

Two tales of misplaced fear

I'm interviewing women for my upcoming book on international business travel for women, and learning a lot about fear. Many women don't travel because they're worried about things that could happen. Well, things will happen, whether at home or abroad, both good and bad.

Rinku Sood, a retail specialist, related a story about how she set off alarm bells in an airport in China with a bag she was carrying for her boss, Mr. Sharma. Raising the level of anxiety, Rinku was traveling with a pregnant colleague who was suffering from stomach distress.

Apparently Mr. Sharma is a vegetarian and he carries food and utensils with him when he travels, and the bag he had asked Rinku to carry happened to have a knife in it.

Between recent terrorist activities and difficulties with the language barrier, our friend Rinku could have ended up in a Chinese prison - she said she was having unpleasant scenes from old movies running through her head while the police were called.

Eventually, cooler heads prevailed, the situation was explained and Rinku was able to catch her flight with her sick friend.

The other story also involves a knife - in this case, a teenager at a high school had helped a friend move over the weekend, and in the untidy mess of kitchen stuff a knife had fallen to the floor of the car, and remained there unnoticed, until . . .

The boy drove his car to school as usual on Monday and parked it in the school parking lot. Later that day, a security guard at the school was walking around the parking lot and happened to see the shiny knife sitting on the floor of the car. (Recently publicized events of violence in schools apparently came to his mind.) Since the school had a no-tolerance policy for weapons, the boy was EXPELLED from SCHOOL while an investigation ensued.

School officials interviewed the kid's friends, parents and teachers to ensure that he wasn't depressed, suicidal or crazy, and eventually he was allowed to return to school.

The point (bad pun) of both of these stories? We live in a society where most fear is misplaced and causes much ado about nothing. If we live among other people, we have to live with the fact that they have the potential to do us harm, with or without a knife. We just need to recognize that the probability of that that potential usually amounts to nothing.

We can't eliminate all risk, just be rational about it. The probability of staying home and dying from heart disease (due to stress, overwork and inactivity) is much greater than the probability of death or injury from anything that could happen while traveling internationally.

But for some reason, our fears are all in the wrong place.

How I Made My First $100 Online

I’ve never really separated “online” from “real life.” The internet is just another vehicle. Would you say that you made $100 from the postal service if that was your means of advertising, taking orders and shipping products? A business is a business. That said, here’s how we made our first $100 “online.”

Years ago, as my husband and I studied for our advanced degrees (his in International Business, mine in Adult Education and Distance Learning) we wrote a lot.

We wrote papers, dissertations, theses and essays. We did a lot of research and interviews. Just by virtue of the amount of writing we were doing, and the quality of people we were interviewing and researching, some of the materials we wrote turned out to be pretty darned good. They were too good to just file away and never be seen again. In a lot of cases, we could see that people might be able to save themselves a lot of time and hassle if they had this information handed to them in a neat format, rather than learning things the hard way, as we did.

We were also experimenting with web technology at the time, so we built a very simple website that organized our articles into topic

• Global business
• Leadership
• Teamwork
• Marketing
• Etiquette and Communications
• Customer Service
• Technology
• Finance
• Small Business and
• Aviation & Travel
  
  

It may sound like a strange collection of topics, but we’ve found that many people who are interested in one of these topics is often interested in another.

Thus, Ravenwerks was born.

We had no idea how to “monetize” the site, and our first objective was simply to monitor traffic for fun. We had little informal competitions about whose articles were more popular. (My article on etiquette usually edge out John’s on International Business and Finance, which is a constant source of glee for me.) We did some search engine optimization and experimentation with meta tags to see what would happen. We were doing great, and getting lots of traffic, and said to each other many times in the ensuing months that we should DO SOMETHING with all this traffic. We’d heard about many people making money on the Internet. While I was between jobs, we experimented with affiliate programs and with EBay. We made almost nothing with the affiliate programs. We made some money selling the stuff out of our basement, but we quickly qualified our demands of our “dream retirement job” as something that would not involve inventory, shipping or returns.

The breakthrough came when I was using Google’s search engine optimization tools, and happened upon the Adsense program. I was skeptical because of our experiences with the affiliate programs, but I put the code on one of our page, anyway.

The Adsense program involves a set of tools that allows you to customize an advertising space on your website. Using simple tools, you designate the size, colors, whether you want display or text ads. The weird par t is that you have no idea what ads will actually show up on your web pages. You are handing control of that small space, within the parameters you specify, to Google.

By some bizarre magic, Adsense evaluates your web site and places ads that are relevant based on your web site content. I have no idea how it works, and frankly, sometimes a rather weird match shows up. Occasionally you’ll get something regarding power tools on an etiquette article. But for the most part, the ads that show up are relevant.

Another nice feature of Adsense is that they have a monitoring page where you can log in and see, real time, how much money you’ve made that day, week, or month. You can run custom reports, export to Excel, and so forth. We became addicted to watching the reports.

We immediately made over $10 in one day! I was thrilled.

Our site was built with Dreamweaver templates, so it was fairly simple to add the Adsense code on all of the pages in our site. In our first month, we’d easily made $100. We’ve made as little as 9 cents per day, and as much as $18.37; but we can pretty much count on it for $100 -$200 per month. This is not much, certainly not enough to quit one’s day job, but it’s almost entirely passive income from articles and papers that would otherwise be lying around useless. We occasionally contribute a new article or blog to keep the site fresh, and we’ve met a lot of very nice people who write to us for advice on various matters.

In watching the traffic, I’ve discovered niches that lead to other business ideas. As an example, I’ve found that etiquette and international business travel for women makes a nice intersection that is absolutely fascinating. People have questions – should a woman pack a business suit with a skirt or with pants (or a burqua, for that matter!) for a business trip to Oman? More and more women are traveling to the Middle and Far East on business. I’ve started interviewing women (and men) who are frequent business travelers to these areas and am writing a book, organized by city. I’ve started a new web site (connected to the old one) to monitor and generate interest.

Making money online, at least for us, has not been quick or easy. Like any other business, you get rewarded for providing real value to real people. The internet just makes that simpler and easier.

Feedback on Small Business Article

Thanks for the article on small businesses! It was concise, easy to read and simple to follow.

It was also relevant in the sense that it reiterated the need for small business to be professional in their outlook, and not use their being small as some sort of excuse to 'get away' with minor mishaps. (If that doesn't sound too harsh!)

Thanks again,

Will
___________________

Will -

Thanks for the day-brightener! The article was a bit of a rant, but I enjoyed writing it.



Paula Williams
www.ravenwerks.com
Committed to Your Success

Headhunter Etiquette

Hello,

There is one scenario that I’ve been wondering about which wasn’t covered in the article. (Etiquette for Job Hunters) A work colleague was asked if she knew anyone who was interested in an open position (by a headhunter). She thought of me and emailed me the headhunters name & contact information.

Is it inappropriate to call and ask for more information so that I may edit my resume? Or should I just send my resume and cover letter? I think this would be particularly useful. Since my gut tells me it’s 50/50. There are pro’s and cons to both sides.

Kindest Regards,

C

______________

Dear C,

I would agree with the 50% of your guts telling you to call the headhunter.

You will have the opportunity to introduce yourself, ask questions, and fine-tune your resume and cover letter, if you use one. You can simply say “Alice told me that you were looking for a person to fill a _____ position and I wanted to let you know of my interest in that field.”

Your resume will be much more targeted and relevant if you are able to ask questions about the opportunity beforehand, and it allows the headhunter to give you more information and ensure you’re a good fit for the potential position.

As an FYI, it’s not a bad idea to cultivate a networking relationship with headhunters, even when you’re not looking for a job. If you’re in a position to know a lot of people in your industry, you will always know of someone who needs a position filled or someone who needs a job, and headhunters are always glad to have sources of information. Help them out when you can, and don't be bashful about asking for help when you (or a colleague) needs assistance they might be able to provide.

Best wishes, let me know how it turns out!

-Paula Williams
www.ravenwerks.com
Committed to Your Success

Has the War In Iraq Been a Success? It’s a Matter of Point of View.

We’ve heard that there are two sides to every story. To every really complicated story, there are hundreds, or even thousands, of “sides.”   A couple of the more credible but apparently polar opposite points of view:

           New York Post, June 9, 2008 – Arthur Herman

America has won, or is about to win, the Iraq war.

The latest proof came last month, as the Iraqi army - just a few months ago the target of scorn and abuse from Democratic politicians and journalists - forcefully reoccupied three cities that had served as key insurgency bases (Basra, Sadr City and Mosul).

Sunnis and Shias alike applauded as their nation's army compelled insurgent militias to lay down their arms. The country's leading opposition newspaper, Azzaman, led the applause for the move into Mosul - a sign that national reconciliation in Iraq is under way and probably irreversible.

USA Today, June 10, 2008 - Lolita C. Baldor, Associated Press

Uncertainty over Iraq security pact could outlast Bush's term

WASHINGTON — The Bush administration is conceding for the first time that the United States may not finish a complex security agreement with Iraq before President Bush leaves office.

Faced with stiff Iraqi opposition, it is "very possible" the U.S. may have to extend an existing U.N. mandate, said a senior administration official close to the talks. That would mean major decisions about how U.S. forces operate in Iraq could be left to the next president, including how much authority the U.S. must give Iraqis over military operations and how quickly the handover takes place.

 

So which is true?   Probably both.   So how do you measure success of a complicated project?  We can learn a lot from the Iraq war that we can apply in project status meetings!

•  Define (and communicate) the mission, goals and objectives as simply as possible.  If we all agreed on what the mission, goals and objectives were for the Iraq war, we’d have some common ground.  Unfortunately, there are many different thoughts about what those objectives are and which of them are most important among international entities and even within the U.S. government.  You may never get consensus, but if you don’t lay out what success is supposed to look like before you get started, you’ll never be able to know or communicate when you’ve achieved it. 
• Use the same metrics.  If you measure things a different way each time, you have no basis for comparison.  Different groups use different metrics to prove their own point.  In your projects, you have the advantage of agreeing beforehand with the stakeholders about what metrics will be used and how they will be measured.
• Use relevant metrics.  From listening to many demonstrations, the number of U.S. casualties is the only important metric for how we’re doing in the Iraq war.   But some of the bloodiest conflicts in human history were also seen by history as great victories when measured by other metrics.  (Defending against the Nazis in World War II, for example.)
• If you need help with metrics, see Measuring Results - Are We There Yet?
• Know when you’re done.   Set clear criteria for ending the project – whether it’s a success or failure, it will have to end sometime, and this is best done at logical decision points, rather than by inertia.   This is easier for most of us than it is for the strategists of the Iraq war.  Since “terrorism” has existed since the beginning of human history, it is not likely to end. So the “War on Terror” is, by definition, unwinnable.
• For more help on  killing projects that go south on you, see Making Good Kills  - Stopping Projects, Quitting Jobs, Terminating Employees, and Other Necessary Failures 

It’s easy to second-guess and armchair-quarterback.  John and I have mixed feelings (as most couples probably do) about the Iraq War, and I often have mixed feelings myself, depending on the news, which inevitably comes from different points of view. 

It certainly gives us a good example, though, of how success of a “project” can become a very subjective thing.

One thing we agree on is that we are very grateful for the men and women serving in our armed forces.  If you have served in the military, thank you for your service.  If you’re a family member or loved one of a service member, thank you for  your service as well. 

Getting More Done by Not Going To Work

I have the best boss in the world.

She doesn't let the trappings of authority get in the way of reason and practicality.

As a product manager, I attend a lot of meetings during the week. I also accrue a lot of action items from the meetings, and I'm responsible for doing long-term planning and strategy that is hard to do in a cubicle with a lot of distractions.

About a month ago, I started working at home on Thursdays. This happened to be the day that was lightest on meetings, and the one regular meeting I have on Thursdays is a call-in with people in another city, anyway. So for the last month my productivity has gone through the roof. And I'm more relaxed and have more time for people at work.

Now everything I come across that requires concentration and doesn't require collaboration with others goes on my "Thursday List." This includes at least an hour of brainstorming and future planning that would NEVER get done if I were in the office. I get a lot of items checked off my list on Thursdays, since I have almost eight hours uninterrupted (I do answer the phone and check email several times during the day so that I'm available for those weird little emergencies that always happen.) And I'm less stressed about getting work done during the week, so I'm free to linger and chat after meetings and I'm more welcoming to visitors to my cube who drop by with an idea or a concern.

As we all know, those conversations are often the most enlightening and valuable part of the day.

The expensive gas I save, the fact that I'm not adding to the summer smog, the extra hour that I'm not spending in my car, and being able to work in jeans and sneakers is a beside the point as far as my boss is concerned, but it means a lot to me!

For some tips on how to make telecommuting work for you, see Virtual Teamwork - Long Distance Collaboration on the Ravenwerks site.

Have a great day!

Why taking time to celebrate is worth the time and money

DSC03048
Originally uploaded by paula.williams

My son graduated last night. Some of his contemporaries (and these are high school kids I'm talking about) felt that "walking down the aisle" was an unnecessary formality - they just wanted the diploma.

Of course, I'm a bit biased because it's my kid, but I am SO GLAD we had the opportunity to show up, yell really loud when his name was called, and show support for the achievements these kids have made.

We have little victories every day, as do our families and our co-workers. Taking time to celebrate is not a luxury, it's a necessity. Celebrations mark occasions, show appreciation, draw attention to our achievements, and encourage others to achieve.

Celebrations give us something to shoot for, and give us a memory (including sights, sounds, tastes, smells and everything) that keep us going through the tough times.

Ask Neil Diamond and Tiger Woods why Practice and Persistence Is Worth More than Talent

I was having quite a day yesterday. Things had been coming easily to me lately and I was feeling sorry for myself when a couple of planned events fell through and I found myself having to work harder than I liked to get things to work.

We all admire celebrities - people for whom things seem easy. The ZZ Top hit about two laborers who catch a glimpse of a musician on MTV would have us believing these people get their "money for nothing and their chicks (or whatever) for free."

The real story is not so easy. There is not much evidence to substantiate that long-term success is easy for anyone. Those truly great musicians and athletes, truth be told, work pretty dang hard.

After the ZZ Top song, the radio I was listening to on the way to work this morning played a Neil Diamond song from his new album. The DJ mentioned something I didn't know - at the age of 67, after more the 47 years in the music business and producing more than 37 albums, countless singles, concerts, tours, and show-biz appearances, no one can argue that Neil Diamond is a huge success. But the one thing that had always eluded him was a number-one-ranked album. Until now.

On May 15, 2008, the Billboard Hot 200 listed Diamond's album, Home Before Dark, at number one, marks the first chart-topping album of Diamond's storied career.

By the time I got to work, I was thinking, but what about younger artists and performers, like Tiger Woods? Surely he was born talented! I looked him up on Wikipedia.

According to most sources, Woods was a "child prodigy" In 1978, (at the age of three) he putted against comedian Bob Hope on a television appearance.

As it turns out, he'd been put in more hours on the driving range and the golf course than most hobbyists do in a lifetime by the time he was 14 years old. His famous dad sawed off a club for him at 9 months, and got him a professional coach when he was four.

At age 20 in 1996, Woods became the first golfer to win three consecutive U.S. Amateur titles and won the NCAA golf championship.


Okay, so both of these guys were dang hard workers. I guess I'd better quit whining and get back to work! :-)

Have a great day!

-Paula

American Idol, EBay and Other and Tales of Rampant Capitalism and Democracy

Last Friday, while driving around Salt Lake City, (where we live) my husband and I saw huge banners and signs on businesses congratulating David Archuleta, the American Idol finalist who is also a high school student at Murray High School. Traffic was tied up all over town by cars with orange balloons and pedestrians with orange T-shirts emblazoned with David’s name and slogans of support. 

They had a pep rally at the high school, a hot air balloon ride to a nearby stadium where David sang and was presented with awards and basically adored by his millions of screaming fans.

The best part of this story is that David seems like such a nice, ordinary kid.  When Ryan Seacrist asked him to join the group he thought was “safe” from elimination from the show, this young gentleman sat down right there on the stage rather than pass judgment on his fellow contestants. 

This is a purely human story, with purely human characters. But what makes this possible is the technology that allows millions of Americans to cast votes, real time, to make their opinions heard.  I think people probably have more faith in the system that tallies votes for American Idol than they have for the system that elects our presidents – probably because the system is so transparent and so immediate.

More than 30 million votes are cast, and although there are some problems (people can vote as many times as they can push the right buttons on their cell-phones during a 2-hour voting period) people apparently get a big charge out of having a say.

John and I experimented last summer with eBay, we sold a mobile home that John had inherited and a lot of used books that were taking up too much space.   In three months we became PowerSellers and we were thrilled to rack up the 158 positive points on our feedback profile.  All of our feedback is 100% positive, by the way – which is very hard to do – imagine meeting 158 random people and making ALL of them happy!)  We earned a cute little turquoise star and really feel like we’ve accomplished something worthwhile, when really all we did was clear some space in our basement and make some new acquaintances.

 

The great thing about eBay is that technology allows it to be so transparent and immediate.  You can see, real time, who has the thing you’re wanting to buy. You can find out how long the seller has been selling, and you can see how people rate their transaction with that seller.  You can see the prices change as people cast bids.

 

Technology makes it possible to gauge public opinion on any topic. You post your reactions on forums on any topic – from American Idol to EBay to the current political situation in Darfur to the Presidential Election.

 

How can this help your business? 

According to Charlene Li in her book Groundswell: Winning in a World Transformed by Social Technologies  you can very powerfully use social networks and related technologies (YouTube, blogs, social networking sites, podcasts, etc.) to reach new consumers, address consumer problems and objections, and place your product or service right where it’s needed when people are most ready to make a purchasing decision.

 

In about fifteen minutes, without spending any money, you can review your Customer Relationship Management systems and processes – Our CRM Demystified – Customer Relationship Management isn’t Magic  article can spark the thought that will let you harness immediate feedback and transform your business!  

Let us know what you've tried and what's worked for you. 

Best wishes, (and Happy Monday!) 

-Paula