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A modern parable or a moral dilemma....maybe neither?
Fancy having a short journey to make on your good horse, it's strong and proud and you ride it hard but find, through nobody's fault, that the journey was to be over a much longer distance than originally thought.
You look after yourself along the way but neglect to feed and water your horse on the journey and instead constantly promise it a rich feed when you reach lush pastures and you protest this promise this often.
As the journey lengthens and the end seems very distant, out of guilt or supposed interest in the welfare of your horse, you frequently offer it the opportunity to run away but your trusty steed never does out of its dumb loyalty and faith in you, its master; it feels it has no choice. That's who and what it is and it is integral to its great heart and stamina, attributes that have got you this far.
You ride your horse, your great friend and loyal companion, until it collapses and dies. You are yourself now stranded in the desert and though you have fed and watered yourself well to-date the way forward looks bleak, you have no friend and no transport. Sure the horse was seduced by the promise of luxurious pastures but mirage-like they came to nothing and now you are both like to perish alongside each other. All a bit grim....wherein lies the lesson?
Should the horse have abandoned it master when it had the chance, giving itself the opportunity to sustain itself, either running free on the prairies or with a new master that understood its worth or should you, the master, have realized that it was in your own best interests to succour the the horse along the way and thereby increasing the chances of you both surviving? Perhaps you feel that you have broken no contract with your horse, you had every intention to let your horse feed richly on the the green pastures at the final destination. Perhaps however being right and justified does not always produce the most sensible decision or indeed the most moral one either.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Here's a little piece I posted on Wangle re Wolf Whisltes
Only idiots wolf whistle and whilst 99.9% are men it’s true it is thankfully very few men after all and on behalf of the vast majority I reject being tarred with the same proverbial brush.
Not only does does this behavior run the risk of offending the woman in question it shows the offender to be an aggressive purveyor of their own neanderthal attitudes and bad manners. Perhaps women should not so much be offended but feel sorry for the sad perpetrator, they’re obviously not too bright and poorly tutored/poor role models. That’s no excuse of course, there’s such a thing as free will and self-control.
Sure most men admire many women as they walk on past, not to do so would be both counter to inherent programming and unappreciative of beauty and grace. Also all human beings like to be liked, liked to be admired so that’s only natural.
Sure many women dress to make themselves look their best and that inevitably means they look attractive but they have every right to do so with out being verbally and so ineffectually hit-on/accosted by a wolf whistle. Above all it lacks good manners and thankfully there are more gentlemen out there than some might suggest.
Not only does does this behavior run the risk of offending the woman in question it shows the offender to be an aggressive purveyor of their own neanderthal attitudes and bad manners. Perhaps women should not so much be offended but feel sorry for the sad perpetrator, they’re obviously not too bright and poorly tutored/poor role models. That’s no excuse of course, there’s such a thing as free will and self-control.
Sure most men admire many women as they walk on past, not to do so would be both counter to inherent programming and unappreciative of beauty and grace. Also all human beings like to be liked, liked to be admired so that’s only natural.
Sure many women dress to make themselves look their best and that inevitably means they look attractive but they have every right to do so with out being verbally and so ineffectually hit-on/accosted by a wolf whistle. Above all it lacks good manners and thankfully there are more gentlemen out there than some might suggest.
Monday, July 12, 2010
Pro-choicers vs Pro-Lifers
This is in response ot a piece on www.wangle.com.au today which had a real go at Peter Abetz MLA, I was moved to respond:
Always a dangerous topic, especially for a man but I think your challenge to “conservative” men is fair enough, in part at least: it is impossible for a man to really know how it is for a woman with the excruciating decision ahead of her in the context of considering abortion or indeed the aftermath.
A couple of things intrigue me though. Many embryos do not implant and thus do not become a foetus. But at what stage does a foetus become a baby? At what stage does a feotus become a human being? I truly don’t know the answer to this question but it always disturbs me when proponents of choice use words euphemistically to divorce that which is being aborted from humanity. Perhaps pro-lifers err in that same way at the other extreme.
Another issue that disturbs me is the question and language of “birth control.” Certainly abortion is birth control in the sense that a live healthy baby is not the result. Without getting into all the highly-argued and mostly-valid arguments re rape and dangers to the physical or mental health of women I think there is a need to limit the use of the term “birth control” and use something more akin to “pregnancy control.” Language is very powerful and a closer attachment of the consequences of unprotected sex at the outset might change some mindsets. Not much hope I know because of the very human aspect of getting carried away in this context.
And therein lies my challenge to the writer. I would hazard a guess that a substantial number of abortions are a function of it just not being the right time, not convenient just now and possibly not the desired father to have a baby just now. Where is the responsibility of one’s own action there?
If I may quote two of the paragraphs of the Wangle contributor:
“It is obviously not concern or compassion for women who experience an unintended pregnancy and it is obviously not personal experience of an unintended pregnancy!
Why can’t they trust women as autonomous, intelligent and competent human beings to make a decision about something as important as whether or not to terminate a pregnancy?”
Sure it obviously take “two to tango” but I don’t think is is a lack of compassion for women by Peter Abetz and those of similar thought but I do think that they also have a very real compassion for the unnecessary loss of life because so-called “autonomous, intelligent and competent human beings” (both men and women) have not been that smart after all as to “tango” without thought or responsibility for their combined actions resulting in “unintended pregnancy.”
Undoubtedly women get the toughest yards here, both physically and emotionally but many a man has also been devastated by the abortion of their child.
Between the “Pro-lifers” and the “Pro-choicers” I am bound to make no friends at all on either side and whilst I do not pretend to have the answers I am sure there is a middle ground in there somewhere.
Cheers, Jonathan.
Always a dangerous topic, especially for a man but I think your challenge to “conservative” men is fair enough, in part at least: it is impossible for a man to really know how it is for a woman with the excruciating decision ahead of her in the context of considering abortion or indeed the aftermath.
A couple of things intrigue me though. Many embryos do not implant and thus do not become a foetus. But at what stage does a foetus become a baby? At what stage does a feotus become a human being? I truly don’t know the answer to this question but it always disturbs me when proponents of choice use words euphemistically to divorce that which is being aborted from humanity. Perhaps pro-lifers err in that same way at the other extreme.
Another issue that disturbs me is the question and language of “birth control.” Certainly abortion is birth control in the sense that a live healthy baby is not the result. Without getting into all the highly-argued and mostly-valid arguments re rape and dangers to the physical or mental health of women I think there is a need to limit the use of the term “birth control” and use something more akin to “pregnancy control.” Language is very powerful and a closer attachment of the consequences of unprotected sex at the outset might change some mindsets. Not much hope I know because of the very human aspect of getting carried away in this context.
And therein lies my challenge to the writer. I would hazard a guess that a substantial number of abortions are a function of it just not being the right time, not convenient just now and possibly not the desired father to have a baby just now. Where is the responsibility of one’s own action there?
If I may quote two of the paragraphs of the Wangle contributor:
“It is obviously not concern or compassion for women who experience an unintended pregnancy and it is obviously not personal experience of an unintended pregnancy!
Why can’t they trust women as autonomous, intelligent and competent human beings to make a decision about something as important as whether or not to terminate a pregnancy?”
Sure it obviously take “two to tango” but I don’t think is is a lack of compassion for women by Peter Abetz and those of similar thought but I do think that they also have a very real compassion for the unnecessary loss of life because so-called “autonomous, intelligent and competent human beings” (both men and women) have not been that smart after all as to “tango” without thought or responsibility for their combined actions resulting in “unintended pregnancy.”
Undoubtedly women get the toughest yards here, both physically and emotionally but many a man has also been devastated by the abortion of their child.
Between the “Pro-lifers” and the “Pro-choicers” I am bound to make no friends at all on either side and whilst I do not pretend to have the answers I am sure there is a middle ground in there somewhere.
Cheers, Jonathan.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Refugees/asylum seekers
If we are seen to be a soft touch more people will attempt to enter illegally. It is simple as that. It is not a matter of how few have attempted this so far but more about strong borders as borders can and have collapsed elsewhere. Good or bad you only have to look at Europe to know that is true. Soft borders only encourage the people smugglers and they put people's lives at risk, again look at Europe.
Some quote numbers about numbers of boats pre or post a change of policy, others state the numbers of people entering illegally compared to the much greater number of legal immigrants. But what would be the case if we didn't set our own rules?
Australia has a very proud record of general immigration and refugee resettlement and it's one that should be valued and sustained. We need not "beg pardon" to anyone and we need not carry the corporate guilt complex so prevalent in Western society. We need not beat ourselves up or be "shamed" into something we don't want.
Australia has claim to be proud, a claim to be compassionate and is entitled to its sovereignty.
Before the rise of "ethnic" multiculturalism we just had Australians and New Australians and with every new arrival some of the the older New Australians just became Australian and what a great thing that was. Even our indigenous brethren were new arrivals once. We are an immigrant nation and those that want put up the barriers generally are those that are most exercised by illegal arrivals. Perhaps they need to reflect a little more deeply about their own heritage.
However, if you want to join a club you have to obey their rules, if you don't like the rules, don't join. Before any accusations of pedantry or "redneckiness", I am all in favour of high immigration and a diverse one at that. Remembering the root word I am also in favour of giving "refuge" to bona fide refugees or asylum seekers but it has to be on our terms.
Best regards, Jonathan.
Some quote numbers about numbers of boats pre or post a change of policy, others state the numbers of people entering illegally compared to the much greater number of legal immigrants. But what would be the case if we didn't set our own rules?
Australia has a very proud record of general immigration and refugee resettlement and it's one that should be valued and sustained. We need not "beg pardon" to anyone and we need not carry the corporate guilt complex so prevalent in Western society. We need not beat ourselves up or be "shamed" into something we don't want.
Australia has claim to be proud, a claim to be compassionate and is entitled to its sovereignty.
Before the rise of "ethnic" multiculturalism we just had Australians and New Australians and with every new arrival some of the the older New Australians just became Australian and what a great thing that was. Even our indigenous brethren were new arrivals once. We are an immigrant nation and those that want put up the barriers generally are those that are most exercised by illegal arrivals. Perhaps they need to reflect a little more deeply about their own heritage.
However, if you want to join a club you have to obey their rules, if you don't like the rules, don't join. Before any accusations of pedantry or "redneckiness", I am all in favour of high immigration and a diverse one at that. Remembering the root word I am also in favour of giving "refuge" to bona fide refugees or asylum seekers but it has to be on our terms.
Best regards, Jonathan.
Friday, July 2, 2010
Get the "good oil" from Senator Cormann on today's changes from the Government
Today Julia Gillard announced a series of changes to Labor’s deeply flawed super tax on mining. This is after the mismanagement and incompetence of this high spending, high taxing, big debt and deficit Labor administration has already done enormous damage to our economy.
Clearly Julia Gillard was desperate for a political fix. She desperately needed a political fix because the next federal election is getting closer and closer.
The question has to be asked though – would any ‘negotiations’ have happened at all if it wasn’t for the election fast approaching? What will happen after the election?
Given the track record of the Rudd/Gillard Labor government over the past three years – the $2.5 billion tax grab on our North West Shelf gas project in 2008, the failed attempt at a $120 billion great big new (Emissions Tax) in 2009 and the now failed attempt at a $12 billion Super Tax on Mining in 2010 – does anyone really believe that anything will change after the election?
Julia Gillard was part of all the decisions over the past three years – first as part of the so called ‘Gang of Four’ and now as the PM. This Labor government has sought to impose massive tax increases (with a nasty ideological bent to them) every single year they’ve been in power. Once the election is out of the way, what do you think will happen?
LABOR’S ANNOUNCEMENT:
If you’re interested in the detail you can find it here: http://www.treasurer.gov.au/DisplayDocs.aspx?doc=pressreleases/2010/055.htm&pageID=003&min=wms&Year=&DocType=
You will note that the Orwellian reference to ‘super profits’ has gone (even though the profits from which the tax is proposed to apply has been increased by 7%).
In summary:
- the Government has decided to replace the so called Resource Super Profits Tax (RSPT) with a Minerals Resource Rent Tax (MRRT);
- unlike the RSPT, the MRRT will only apply to iron ore and coal, with the Petroleum Resource Rent Tax to be extended to onshore oil and gas projects (where at present it only applies to offshore oil and gas projects – ie those in Commonwealth waters – incidentally with the exception of the North West Shelf gas project, which will now also be included);
- the MRRT rate is proposed to be 30% and, depending on various conditions it is supposed to apply to profits at 7% above the long term bond rate (so from 12-13%)
The government is asserting that they can do all of this, while revenue will only go down by $1.5 billion (from $12 billion).
THIS NEW TAX ON OUR RESOURCES IS STILL BAD FOR WA!
Colin Barnett has already pointed out that there may be constitutional issues involved, given that this is a federal tax on State owned resources. Value based State Royalties ensure that the people of Western Australia get a fair return for their State owned resources.
Australia benefits because increased revenue from royalties for Western Australia means a reduction in our share of GST revenue allocated through the Commonwealth Grants Commission and consequently and increase in the share of GST revenue going to other States.
The suggestion in the Henry Review that State royalties should be replaced by a profits based resource rent tax would mean those mining ventures not making a profit would get access to our resources for free. Where is the fair return for the community in that?
The Commonwealth has said in the past that they will refund State royalties – though the detail of all the in’s and out’s of that under this new announcement are still a bit unclear.
I wonder how much of that $10.5 billion will be coming from Western Australia? And how much of it will come back to WA after it has made its way to Canberra?
THE REALITY IS THAT Labor’s proposal for a great big new tax on mining has caused great damage to our economy. Their mismanagement and incompetence has created two months of uncertainty, which has cost investment and jobs and has trashed our international reputation. It was this bad Rudd/Gillard Labor government which created this problem in the first place. Julia Gillard was centrally involved in the original mining tax decision. As Treasurer, Wayne Swan was a key architect of the tax.
This was a mess of a policy and Labor now wants to claim credit for abandoning its own destructive, unwarranted tax. This is no way to run a country.
OUR POSITION
-
- The Coalition opposes this new tax on mining. It is still a great big new tax. It is still a bad tax.
The Government wants a new tax. We don’t.
- In any form, this is a bad tax. It damages our economy and destroys our global reputation as an investment destination, costing projects and jobs.
- The fact remains that a $12 billion tax grab has turned into a $10.5 billion tax grab – a $10.5 billion slug on industry and jobs.
- This new tax proposal will still have significant additional impacts on the small and medium mining sector.
-
- Julia Gillard is proposing to give Australia one of the most complicated resource taxing regimes in the world.
There is a serious question mark about what this will do to the budget bottom line. Labor should release the Treasury modeling immediately so it can be properly scrutinized. They should also disclose the impact these changes will have on different types of businesses across the mining sector, such as on smaller miners and different minerals, and the broader economy.
Let me know your thoughts.
Best wishes
Mathias Cormann
Senator for Western Australia
Shadow Minister for Employment Participation, Apprenticeships and Training
Level 38 Exchange Plaza, 2 The Esplanade PERTH WA 6000 | GPO Box B58 Perth WA 6838 |
PER 08 9325 4227 | CBR 02 6277 3457 | senator.cormann@aph.gov.au|www.youtube.com/mathiascormann|
www.mathiascormann.com.au/www.twitter.com/mathiascormann
Clearly Julia Gillard was desperate for a political fix. She desperately needed a political fix because the next federal election is getting closer and closer.
The question has to be asked though – would any ‘negotiations’ have happened at all if it wasn’t for the election fast approaching? What will happen after the election?
Given the track record of the Rudd/Gillard Labor government over the past three years – the $2.5 billion tax grab on our North West Shelf gas project in 2008, the failed attempt at a $120 billion great big new (Emissions Tax) in 2009 and the now failed attempt at a $12 billion Super Tax on Mining in 2010 – does anyone really believe that anything will change after the election?
Julia Gillard was part of all the decisions over the past three years – first as part of the so called ‘Gang of Four’ and now as the PM. This Labor government has sought to impose massive tax increases (with a nasty ideological bent to them) every single year they’ve been in power. Once the election is out of the way, what do you think will happen?
LABOR’S ANNOUNCEMENT:
If you’re interested in the detail you can find it here: http://www.treasurer.gov.au/DisplayDocs.aspx?doc=pressreleases/2010/055.htm&pageID=003&min=wms&Year=&DocType=
You will note that the Orwellian reference to ‘super profits’ has gone (even though the profits from which the tax is proposed to apply has been increased by 7%).
In summary:
- the Government has decided to replace the so called Resource Super Profits Tax (RSPT) with a Minerals Resource Rent Tax (MRRT);
- unlike the RSPT, the MRRT will only apply to iron ore and coal, with the Petroleum Resource Rent Tax to be extended to onshore oil and gas projects (where at present it only applies to offshore oil and gas projects – ie those in Commonwealth waters – incidentally with the exception of the North West Shelf gas project, which will now also be included);
- the MRRT rate is proposed to be 30% and, depending on various conditions it is supposed to apply to profits at 7% above the long term bond rate (so from 12-13%)
The government is asserting that they can do all of this, while revenue will only go down by $1.5 billion (from $12 billion).
THIS NEW TAX ON OUR RESOURCES IS STILL BAD FOR WA!
Colin Barnett has already pointed out that there may be constitutional issues involved, given that this is a federal tax on State owned resources. Value based State Royalties ensure that the people of Western Australia get a fair return for their State owned resources.
Australia benefits because increased revenue from royalties for Western Australia means a reduction in our share of GST revenue allocated through the Commonwealth Grants Commission and consequently and increase in the share of GST revenue going to other States.
The suggestion in the Henry Review that State royalties should be replaced by a profits based resource rent tax would mean those mining ventures not making a profit would get access to our resources for free. Where is the fair return for the community in that?
The Commonwealth has said in the past that they will refund State royalties – though the detail of all the in’s and out’s of that under this new announcement are still a bit unclear.
I wonder how much of that $10.5 billion will be coming from Western Australia? And how much of it will come back to WA after it has made its way to Canberra?
THE REALITY IS THAT Labor’s proposal for a great big new tax on mining has caused great damage to our economy. Their mismanagement and incompetence has created two months of uncertainty, which has cost investment and jobs and has trashed our international reputation. It was this bad Rudd/Gillard Labor government which created this problem in the first place. Julia Gillard was centrally involved in the original mining tax decision. As Treasurer, Wayne Swan was a key architect of the tax.
This was a mess of a policy and Labor now wants to claim credit for abandoning its own destructive, unwarranted tax. This is no way to run a country.
OUR POSITION
-
- The Coalition opposes this new tax on mining. It is still a great big new tax. It is still a bad tax.
The Government wants a new tax. We don’t.
- In any form, this is a bad tax. It damages our economy and destroys our global reputation as an investment destination, costing projects and jobs.
- The fact remains that a $12 billion tax grab has turned into a $10.5 billion tax grab – a $10.5 billion slug on industry and jobs.
- This new tax proposal will still have significant additional impacts on the small and medium mining sector.
-
- Julia Gillard is proposing to give Australia one of the most complicated resource taxing regimes in the world.
There is a serious question mark about what this will do to the budget bottom line. Labor should release the Treasury modeling immediately so it can be properly scrutinized. They should also disclose the impact these changes will have on different types of businesses across the mining sector, such as on smaller miners and different minerals, and the broader economy.
Let me know your thoughts.
Best wishes
Mathias Cormann
Senator for Western Australia
Shadow Minister for Employment Participation, Apprenticeships and Training
Level 38 Exchange Plaza, 2 The Esplanade PERTH WA 6000 | GPO Box B58 Perth WA 6838 |
PER 08 9325 4227 | CBR 02 6277 3457 | senator.cormann@aph.gov.au|www.youtube.com/mathiascormann|
www.mathiascormann.com.au/www.twitter.com/mathiascormann
Monday, June 28, 2010
Crusaders for Western Australia take corporeal form
Crusaders for Western Australia take corporeal form
Many thanks to all those involved with the inaugural event of "Crusaders...." last Wednesday evening, we have come out of the ether and taken corporeal form!
We were 60 strong and I am very grateful to those who attended and delighted with the warm and enthusiastic response to the concept. Our four speakers communicated their message with real clarity and measured passion and our support for the Global Good Foundation, though modest, was very real.
As a platform for showcasing innovators to other entrepreneurs it now "has legs" and the the coming 12 months will see another five opportunities. We have dropped some pebbles in a few ponds and '"you never know'" what may come of it.
Many thanks and kindest regards, Jonathan.
Many thanks to all those involved with the inaugural event of "Crusaders...." last Wednesday evening, we have come out of the ether and taken corporeal form!
We were 60 strong and I am very grateful to those who attended and delighted with the warm and enthusiastic response to the concept. Our four speakers communicated their message with real clarity and measured passion and our support for the Global Good Foundation, though modest, was very real.
As a platform for showcasing innovators to other entrepreneurs it now "has legs" and the the coming 12 months will see another five opportunities. We have dropped some pebbles in a few ponds and '"you never know'" what may come of it.
Many thanks and kindest regards, Jonathan.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Beware honeyed words that cloak a darker meaning/worrying mindset.
"I believe in a Government that rewards those who work the hardest, not those who complain the loudest.I believe in a Government that rewards those who, day in and day out, work in our factories and on our farms, in our mines and in our mills, in our classrooms and in our hospitals, that rewards that hard work, decency and effort." Julia Gillard, 24/6/10
On first hearing/reading those words might sound like good honest and perfectly acceptable sentiments BUT and it's a big BUT because it is illuminating in the extreme as it clearly displays the socialist mindset.
I ask you, why should the Government be rewarding anybody? Shouldn't it just be serving us....it works for us after all, not us for it! In my view Government should just in the business of facilitating business and getting out of the way of free enterprise, ensuring level playing fields, providing safety nets and other services we the people determine it should supply. We should not be supplicants and servants awaiting our Master's rewards. Beware honeyed words!
On first hearing/reading those words might sound like good honest and perfectly acceptable sentiments BUT and it's a big BUT because it is illuminating in the extreme as it clearly displays the socialist mindset.
I ask you, why should the Government be rewarding anybody? Shouldn't it just be serving us....it works for us after all, not us for it! In my view Government should just in the business of facilitating business and getting out of the way of free enterprise, ensuring level playing fields, providing safety nets and other services we the people determine it should supply. We should not be supplicants and servants awaiting our Master's rewards. Beware honeyed words!
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Don’t bother sending it on to any grasshoppers because they wouldn’t understand it, anyway.
This came to me via the email today, I can't ascribe it to an author, i don't know who the genius is but I'd sure like to.
ANT AND THE GRASSHOPPER
This one is a little different.... Two Different Versions.... Two Different Morals
OLD VERSION
The ant works hard in the withering heat all summer long, building his house and laying up supplies for the winter. The grasshopper thinks the ant is a fool and laughs and dances and plays the summer away..
Come winter, the ant is warm and well fed. The grasshopper has no food or shelter, so he dies out in the cold.
MORAL OF THE STORY: Be responsible for yourself!
MODERN VERSION
The ant works hard in the withering heat and the rain all summer long, building his house and laying up supplies for the winter. The grasshopper thinks the ant is a fool and laughs and dances and plays the summer away.
Come winter, the shivering grasshopper calls a press conference and demands to know why the ant should be allowed to be warm and well fed while he is cold and starving.
Channels 7, 9 and 10,the ABC and SBS show up to provide pictures of the shivering
grasshopper next to a video of the ant in his comfortable home with a table filled with food.
Australia is stunned by the sharp contrast. How can this be, that in a country of
such wealth, this poor grasshopper is allowed to suffer so?
Kermit the Frog appears on Oprah with the grasshopper and everybody cries when they sing, 'It's Not Easy Being Green.' Acorn stages a demonstration in front of the ant's house where the news stations film the group singing, 'We shall overcome.' Cardinal George Pell then has the group kneel down to pray to God for the grasshopper's sake.
Prime Minister Rudd condemns the ant and blames John Howard, Robert Menzies, Capt
James Cook, and the Pope for the grasshopper's plight. Bob Brown exclaims in an interview on Today Tonight that the ant has gotten rich off the back of the grasshopper, and calls for an immediate tax hike on the ant to make him pay his fair share.
Finally, Labor in conjunction with the Greens draft the Economic Equity & Anti-Grasshopper Act retrospective to the beginning of the summer. The ant is fined for failing to hire a proportionate number of green bugs and having nothing left to pay his retrospective taxes, his home is confiscated by the Government
and given to the grasshopper.
The story ends as we see the grasshopper and his free-loading friends finishing up the last bits of the ant’s food while the government house he is in, which, as you recall, just happens to be the ant's old house, crumbles around them because the grasshopper doesn't maintain it.
The ant has disappeared in the snow, never to be seen again.
The grasshopper is found dead in a drug related incident, and the house, now abandoned, is taken over by a gang of spiders who terrorize the ramshackle, once prosperous and once peaceful, neighborhood.
MORAL OF THE STORY:
Be careful how you vote in 2011.
I’ve published this to you because I believe that you are an ant – not a grasshopper! Make sure that you pass this on to other ants. Don’t bother sending it on to ny grasshoppers because they wouldn’t understand it, anyway.
ANT AND THE GRASSHOPPER
This one is a little different.... Two Different Versions.... Two Different Morals
OLD VERSION
The ant works hard in the withering heat all summer long, building his house and laying up supplies for the winter. The grasshopper thinks the ant is a fool and laughs and dances and plays the summer away..
Come winter, the ant is warm and well fed. The grasshopper has no food or shelter, so he dies out in the cold.
MORAL OF THE STORY: Be responsible for yourself!
MODERN VERSION
The ant works hard in the withering heat and the rain all summer long, building his house and laying up supplies for the winter. The grasshopper thinks the ant is a fool and laughs and dances and plays the summer away.
Come winter, the shivering grasshopper calls a press conference and demands to know why the ant should be allowed to be warm and well fed while he is cold and starving.
Channels 7, 9 and 10,the ABC and SBS show up to provide pictures of the shivering
grasshopper next to a video of the ant in his comfortable home with a table filled with food.
Australia is stunned by the sharp contrast. How can this be, that in a country of
such wealth, this poor grasshopper is allowed to suffer so?
Kermit the Frog appears on Oprah with the grasshopper and everybody cries when they sing, 'It's Not Easy Being Green.' Acorn stages a demonstration in front of the ant's house where the news stations film the group singing, 'We shall overcome.' Cardinal George Pell then has the group kneel down to pray to God for the grasshopper's sake.
Prime Minister Rudd condemns the ant and blames John Howard, Robert Menzies, Capt
James Cook, and the Pope for the grasshopper's plight. Bob Brown exclaims in an interview on Today Tonight that the ant has gotten rich off the back of the grasshopper, and calls for an immediate tax hike on the ant to make him pay his fair share.
Finally, Labor in conjunction with the Greens draft the Economic Equity & Anti-Grasshopper Act retrospective to the beginning of the summer. The ant is fined for failing to hire a proportionate number of green bugs and having nothing left to pay his retrospective taxes, his home is confiscated by the Government
and given to the grasshopper.
The story ends as we see the grasshopper and his free-loading friends finishing up the last bits of the ant’s food while the government house he is in, which, as you recall, just happens to be the ant's old house, crumbles around them because the grasshopper doesn't maintain it.
The ant has disappeared in the snow, never to be seen again.
The grasshopper is found dead in a drug related incident, and the house, now abandoned, is taken over by a gang of spiders who terrorize the ramshackle, once prosperous and once peaceful, neighborhood.
MORAL OF THE STORY:
Be careful how you vote in 2011.
I’ve published this to you because I believe that you are an ant – not a grasshopper! Make sure that you pass this on to other ants. Don’t bother sending it on to ny grasshoppers because they wouldn’t understand it, anyway.
Corporate Inertia , Fiefdoms and Status Quo
Corporate inertia, fiefdoms and the status quo - words to strike fear into the very heart of any innovator.
When bureaucracies become so large, despite being peopled by highly intelligent and committed employees, the structures themselves work against the best interests of the organization. Despite corporate commitment at the top end to constant improvements and the refining of processes the actuality can be very different when "choke points" are controlled by those for whom it is in their best interests to sustain current practice. Lip-service is paid to the corporate philosophy but real adherence is declined, deferred and ultimately denied.
Companies frequently seek to "treat the symptoms" of a problem without even acknowledging the fact of the "disease" and thus fail to make the leap of thought as to why they actually do the things they do. They can become highly efficient in ameliorating a problem without fixing the underlying cause.
Sound familiar? I am sure it is, especially when we just stop and think about it. I am personally involved in a number of situations where the innovations clearly changes the game, reduces costs, improves productivity, is easier to use than not and produce highly impressive triple bottom-lines. Can we get these products into the Western Australian market? I wish! What's not to like?
Change of course, upsetting the status quo, reducing areas of influence, altering thought processes and actually, Heaven Forbid, taking a valid decision; often not even requiring anything like a courageous decision. I had thought of 2009 as the year of the "great non-decision" where executives through all the difficulties of the GFC thought it better not to take any decisions at all. I must admit I thought this would unwind considerably in 2010 but now I'm not so sure...though I hope I am very wrong in that reassessment.
This is not just another rant born of frustration as many of you will know I am trying to do something positive about it with "Crusaders for Western Australia." Taking it back to basics, encouraging innovators to do business with other innovators and you would be mighty welcome to join me on this crusade!
Cheers, Jonathan.
When bureaucracies become so large, despite being peopled by highly intelligent and committed employees, the structures themselves work against the best interests of the organization. Despite corporate commitment at the top end to constant improvements and the refining of processes the actuality can be very different when "choke points" are controlled by those for whom it is in their best interests to sustain current practice. Lip-service is paid to the corporate philosophy but real adherence is declined, deferred and ultimately denied.
Companies frequently seek to "treat the symptoms" of a problem without even acknowledging the fact of the "disease" and thus fail to make the leap of thought as to why they actually do the things they do. They can become highly efficient in ameliorating a problem without fixing the underlying cause.
Sound familiar? I am sure it is, especially when we just stop and think about it. I am personally involved in a number of situations where the innovations clearly changes the game, reduces costs, improves productivity, is easier to use than not and produce highly impressive triple bottom-lines. Can we get these products into the Western Australian market? I wish! What's not to like?
Change of course, upsetting the status quo, reducing areas of influence, altering thought processes and actually, Heaven Forbid, taking a valid decision; often not even requiring anything like a courageous decision. I had thought of 2009 as the year of the "great non-decision" where executives through all the difficulties of the GFC thought it better not to take any decisions at all. I must admit I thought this would unwind considerably in 2010 but now I'm not so sure...though I hope I am very wrong in that reassessment.
This is not just another rant born of frustration as many of you will know I am trying to do something positive about it with "Crusaders for Western Australia." Taking it back to basics, encouraging innovators to do business with other innovators and you would be mighty welcome to join me on this crusade!
Cheers, Jonathan.
Monday, May 17, 2010
Ps She came second in the U10's
I mentioned a singing eisteddfod yesterday, well it was the Fremantle Eisteddfod and my nine year old gained a Second in the U10's and was just a couple of marks off the winners (and still with 2 x 80%)in two U13 contests. Even better without cajoling, using Skype last night, she shared one of her songs with her Nanna and Aunty in Belfast.
Those profits wouldn't even exist is there wasn't the possibility of an adequate return
Watching Q&A tonight I was struck by the fervour for the argument being somewhat disingenuously put out by the Rudd Govt that the Mining Super profits tax will ensure all Australians get a fair return for non-replaceable assets.
There is little recognition in the debate about mining companies and so-called super profits that those profits wouldn't even exist is there wasn't the possibility of an adequate return to compensate for the huge risks involved in exploration and production let alone participating in world markets. Sure the profits are large at present in raw terms but has anyone suggested looking at profits in terms of returns on the investment involved? I'd love to see some of our politicians argue over appropriates levels of ROI instead of rates of taxation or returns over the long term bond rate.
And another thing, perhaps a touch esoteric for some, but whilst there are those prepared to talk about rebating for royalties there seems to be little understanding of the factual realities of our federation. The six sovereign states that joined together to voluntarily form the Commonwealth of Australia never ceded their ownership of natural resources to the Federal Government. Our resources do not "belong" to the people of Australia as represented by the Federal Government, they belong to the people of our respective States and that's why State Government can, do and will continue to exact royalties.
Someone might kindly inform me if I'm wrong but I'd also suggest the PRRT argument is also a furphy as it pertains to profits on oil and gas from Federal waters not on State land.
Whatever the arguments for and against Mr Rudd's "great big new tax" (and there you have a clear statement of my position; some would call it bias but being biased does not necessarily mean one is wrong) on economic and even social grounds it must, in my view, be seen off as it is a direct attack on the sovereignty of our States. Many would say "who cares" but like with all freedoms hard won, they can easily lost but so very hard to regain. Let's not lose our freedoms in part from an ignorance of our history and country's foundation.
Best wishes, Jonathan.
There is little recognition in the debate about mining companies and so-called super profits that those profits wouldn't even exist is there wasn't the possibility of an adequate return to compensate for the huge risks involved in exploration and production let alone participating in world markets. Sure the profits are large at present in raw terms but has anyone suggested looking at profits in terms of returns on the investment involved? I'd love to see some of our politicians argue over appropriates levels of ROI instead of rates of taxation or returns over the long term bond rate.
And another thing, perhaps a touch esoteric for some, but whilst there are those prepared to talk about rebating for royalties there seems to be little understanding of the factual realities of our federation. The six sovereign states that joined together to voluntarily form the Commonwealth of Australia never ceded their ownership of natural resources to the Federal Government. Our resources do not "belong" to the people of Australia as represented by the Federal Government, they belong to the people of our respective States and that's why State Government can, do and will continue to exact royalties.
Someone might kindly inform me if I'm wrong but I'd also suggest the PRRT argument is also a furphy as it pertains to profits on oil and gas from Federal waters not on State land.
Whatever the arguments for and against Mr Rudd's "great big new tax" (and there you have a clear statement of my position; some would call it bias but being biased does not necessarily mean one is wrong) on economic and even social grounds it must, in my view, be seen off as it is a direct attack on the sovereignty of our States. Many would say "who cares" but like with all freedoms hard won, they can easily lost but so very hard to regain. Let's not lose our freedoms in part from an ignorance of our history and country's foundation.
Best wishes, Jonathan.
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Proud Dad and comfort zones.
My youngest daughter is performing in the Fremantle Eisteddfod today, singing in three categories and my eldest daughter is competing in the State final of Rotary's Four Way Test Speakers Challenge on Wednesday evening. Win or lose I am very proud of them and most particularly because of their involvement and participation.
The risks these young people take and the effort they put into their activities is both instructive and inspiring. They remind me of Tom Haupt's words which run along these lines: "to always retreat back to or simply stay within one's comfort zone will ultimately see it shrink in size. To take risks and leap beyond and keep doing so is to ever expand our comfort zone." We will achieve more and believe we can achieve more the more we take the risks and push out from it.
Those of us with children know this wisdom well as we live it daily encouraging them to strive and achieve more and more of their potential but most of us adults participate in "do what I say, not do what I do." That is to say we should listen to our own advice, we should learn from own wisdom and we should ever seek to move beyond what is comfortable. What am I doing that right now? Certainly I am comfortable in writing my thoughts, certainly I am even comfortable enough to take the risk of derision and censure but am I prepared to expand the circle? We shall see.
Cheers, Jonathan.
The risks these young people take and the effort they put into their activities is both instructive and inspiring. They remind me of Tom Haupt's words which run along these lines: "to always retreat back to or simply stay within one's comfort zone will ultimately see it shrink in size. To take risks and leap beyond and keep doing so is to ever expand our comfort zone." We will achieve more and believe we can achieve more the more we take the risks and push out from it.
Those of us with children know this wisdom well as we live it daily encouraging them to strive and achieve more and more of their potential but most of us adults participate in "do what I say, not do what I do." That is to say we should listen to our own advice, we should learn from own wisdom and we should ever seek to move beyond what is comfortable. What am I doing that right now? Certainly I am comfortable in writing my thoughts, certainly I am even comfortable enough to take the risk of derision and censure but am I prepared to expand the circle? We shall see.
Cheers, Jonathan.
Friday, May 14, 2010
Getting stroppy in my old age!
I wrote this following note on the Linkedin Gorgon Group discussion page and the it is especially relevant and pertinet to those members of that group. As such the challenge below is to members of that Group and NOT to followers of this blog.
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Keeping Barrow Island really really clean, enhancing Gorgon production and maximizing the triple bottom line for the benefit of the JV partners, the environment and the country. .
Wouldn't you think a product that takes 100% of moisture in emulsion out of lubricant oil and diesel fuel, breaks the acid cycle, has engines running on clean and dry oil ALL the time with all the commensurate and positive impacts on cleaner outcomes, longer asset life, reduced service and breakdowns, lower emissions and the reduction of waste oil by a factor of 20 would be of interest to participants in the Gorgon Project? Me too! See www.engineoilfiltration.com
Wouldn't you think that a product that can remove hydrocarbons and heavy metals out of water would be of interest? Me too! And wouldn't you think that a range of products that prevents hard waste from entering water courses and water tables in the first place would work well in conjunction with the absorption product. You'd be right and some! Please see www.templug.com and www.mycelx.com.au
Now here's the rub, we live in exciting times here in WA with some of the biggest projects in the world going on, all a function of entrepreneurial activity and risk taking. Billions are committed. But try and be innovative and little happens.
Now here's the challenge to those relevant members of this group. Who has the courage and the authority together with the open mind to look at some relatively new products (though tried and test) and who is prepared to contact me and find out more about one or more of these products?
Good luck! Jonathan.
**********************************************************************************
Keeping Barrow Island really really clean, enhancing Gorgon production and maximizing the triple bottom line for the benefit of the JV partners, the environment and the country. .
Wouldn't you think a product that takes 100% of moisture in emulsion out of lubricant oil and diesel fuel, breaks the acid cycle, has engines running on clean and dry oil ALL the time with all the commensurate and positive impacts on cleaner outcomes, longer asset life, reduced service and breakdowns, lower emissions and the reduction of waste oil by a factor of 20 would be of interest to participants in the Gorgon Project? Me too! See www.engineoilfiltration.com
Wouldn't you think that a product that can remove hydrocarbons and heavy metals out of water would be of interest? Me too! And wouldn't you think that a range of products that prevents hard waste from entering water courses and water tables in the first place would work well in conjunction with the absorption product. You'd be right and some! Please see www.templug.com and www.mycelx.com.au
Now here's the rub, we live in exciting times here in WA with some of the biggest projects in the world going on, all a function of entrepreneurial activity and risk taking. Billions are committed. But try and be innovative and little happens.
Now here's the challenge to those relevant members of this group. Who has the courage and the authority together with the open mind to look at some relatively new products (though tried and test) and who is prepared to contact me and find out more about one or more of these products?
Good luck! Jonathan.
Monday, May 10, 2010
Is there a magic figure?
Numbers are certainly intriguing but often not as relevant as we think. At networking functions I attend or facilitate I sometimes feel disappointed by the numbers that actually turn up despite making the public pronouncement that numbers really don't do it for me. Funny enough it is often the smaller events that turn out to be the most effective, constructive and enjoyable. No doubt there is a middle ground in there somewhere but targeting an unknown figure is not much fun. I have certainly not set out to acquire vast numbers of friends on Linkedin per se as some people do, particularly using Twitter or Facebook. As I have written before I feel these online social networking systems only truly come into their own when facilitating meeting in person, not what is recorded on screen. However, in the last year from a standing start I have acquired over 500 Linkedin contacts. Have I met them all? No, not yet but the intent is there and the mindset on these issue is not only very meaningful and ultimately self-fulfilling but also introspectively instructive. But here's the horrible rub, I feel quite proud of my 500 plus friends. Does self-awareness obviate hypocrisy? I think not and I'll have to muse on that some more. Even so from a practical point of view it is fantastic. Given, amongst others, I make two bold claims in reference to my business, those being "there's not a door in this town I can't open" and "if I can't help you myself I'll know someone who can" then the greater number of people, not that I know but who know and trust me, the better. As these numbers grow my business becomes easier and importantly more creative. Now "creativity" - there's topic for this town! Cheers, Jonathan.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Etymology and enthusiasm
My daughters had College Sunday today, a service of celebration and thanksgiving in the company of their teachers, family and "House" at School. It was a happy and inspiring occasion, a lovely combination of drama, music, singing and worship. During the homily the Chaplain spoke of enthusiasm for life and mentioned the Greek based etymology of the word enthusiasm, being "en theo" and meaning "in God." It was one of those moments of great clarity when meaning meets understanding.
I am a great believer in foundations, especially in respect to education, whether it being the study of Greek and Latin, Chaucer and Shakespeare to understand the depth and beauty of our language, the proper study of history to contextualize the understanding of our present or the understanding of religion that underpins our Judeo-Christian society; whether we wrap ourselves in atheistic or agnostic secularism or in quiet belief or overt evangelism matters not. I find myself sadly lacking in many of these areas but hopefully that recognition is leading me to seek to fill in some of the gaps.
Recent reading has begun to open the doors of my understanding on the great depth of wisdom of the likes of John Locke, John Stuart Mill, Adam Smith and many many others. These great thinkers have done so much to shape our understanding of freedom and democracy, the right to property and the right to freedom of association and speech but few of us know it. And most of us don't even know where our views, beliefs and personal ethos come from or perhaps like myself have only the scantest knowledge and briefest of learning in this area. The challenge is now to do something about it.
Best regards, Jonathan.
I am a great believer in foundations, especially in respect to education, whether it being the study of Greek and Latin, Chaucer and Shakespeare to understand the depth and beauty of our language, the proper study of history to contextualize the understanding of our present or the understanding of religion that underpins our Judeo-Christian society; whether we wrap ourselves in atheistic or agnostic secularism or in quiet belief or overt evangelism matters not. I find myself sadly lacking in many of these areas but hopefully that recognition is leading me to seek to fill in some of the gaps.
Recent reading has begun to open the doors of my understanding on the great depth of wisdom of the likes of John Locke, John Stuart Mill, Adam Smith and many many others. These great thinkers have done so much to shape our understanding of freedom and democracy, the right to property and the right to freedom of association and speech but few of us know it. And most of us don't even know where our views, beliefs and personal ethos come from or perhaps like myself have only the scantest knowledge and briefest of learning in this area. The challenge is now to do something about it.
Best regards, Jonathan.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Elephant in the room
I was fortunate enough to attend a CEDA breakfast today (and even picked up the door prize!)with the key topic being Infrastructure and mainly concerning ports around Western Australia. There is a huge amount going on in many places with plenty of decent cooperation, investment and leadership from both the Feds and the State Government along with the likes of OPR in reference to the new $4bn port of Oakajee and associated rail. In reference to this project the port is vital to provide access to the markets for the new iron province. Being magnetite this ore will need plenty of processing and that needs power. The port itself needs only around 25mw but there is no power, as yet, for the miners and one suggestion today was that they'd need gas but wait, there's a shortage of domestic gas. Throw the grave uncertainty re the Coolimba Power Project and the elephant in the room is certainly the lack of power for the region and the frightening thing is that the equation of mines, processed ore, port facilities and shipped product is all resting on there being the power to make it happen;it seems it must not speak its name. Something of a concern with approximately A$700m of taxpayers money and A$3.3bn of investors money to be invested. Cheers, Jonathan.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Reform or simply change
As we all know, language is very powerful and one example is the use or misuse of the word "reform."
One of the definitions of the word and the pertinent one for this argument is "Reform: to improve, as by alteration, correction of error, abolition of abuses and malpractices." All of these worthy aims are a matter of opinion, a subjective matter; all change is not necessarily for the better and given the unintended consequences of most government policy they must surely be challenged at every opportunity.
Governments of course always use the word "reform" when recommending their policies/proposals to the people/Parliament and why wouldn't they? They presumably believe (rightly or wrongly) that their actions are set to make things better. Why is it then that Oppositions use the same word when arguing against these proposed changes and why is it that the Press in their scrutiny of the proposals always speak of them as the Government's reforms even when they have just spent column inches pulling them apart? I contend that both Oppositions and the Press end up colluding with the Government by using this word. Improvement is the principal connotation of the word and using it when arguing against the proposals, in the minds of the listeners, weakens the contrary argument.
In the same vein I would like to see Government, Oppositions and the Press refrain ( voluntarily of course) from using the word "resources" unless they are talking about stuff in the ground or the skills of people and not as a euphemistic disguise of the phrase, "tax payers' money." Governments only have capacity to spend money that they either raise by tax or by borrowing and that borrowing both in terms of interest and capital is again paid for by taxpayers. I think if Governments particularly (and others)always substituted "tax payers' money" when they are tempted to use the word "resources" they would start to alter what they actually do say( and maybe what they actually do) and we might start, just start, to see an improvement of candour and honesty.
One of the definitions of the word and the pertinent one for this argument is "Reform: to improve, as by alteration, correction of error, abolition of abuses and malpractices." All of these worthy aims are a matter of opinion, a subjective matter; all change is not necessarily for the better and given the unintended consequences of most government policy they must surely be challenged at every opportunity.
Governments of course always use the word "reform" when recommending their policies/proposals to the people/Parliament and why wouldn't they? They presumably believe (rightly or wrongly) that their actions are set to make things better. Why is it then that Oppositions use the same word when arguing against these proposed changes and why is it that the Press in their scrutiny of the proposals always speak of them as the Government's reforms even when they have just spent column inches pulling them apart? I contend that both Oppositions and the Press end up colluding with the Government by using this word. Improvement is the principal connotation of the word and using it when arguing against the proposals, in the minds of the listeners, weakens the contrary argument.
In the same vein I would like to see Government, Oppositions and the Press refrain ( voluntarily of course) from using the word "resources" unless they are talking about stuff in the ground or the skills of people and not as a euphemistic disguise of the phrase, "tax payers' money." Governments only have capacity to spend money that they either raise by tax or by borrowing and that borrowing both in terms of interest and capital is again paid for by taxpayers. I think if Governments particularly (and others)always substituted "tax payers' money" when they are tempted to use the word "resources" they would start to alter what they actually do say( and maybe what they actually do) and we might start, just start, to see an improvement of candour and honesty.
Friday, April 16, 2010
The Run of Liberté by Anna-Rose Shack, 2010
The Run of Liberté by Anna-Rose Shack, 2010
My Liberté, we ran side by side;
Her heaving bosom, hips strong and wide
As she pounded on with shaking skin,
She knew that only truth would win.
Her coarse, hardened feet stamped the ground,
Her billowing dress loosely wound
Was slipping down off her chest
Revealing beneath her ripe round breast.
Through the city of despair and dirt,
In alleys and courtyards always alert.
And as we fought through the palace garden
I felt my heart and my mind harden
With rage against every power holder,
Their brutal murders made me bolder.
The boom and club club of cannon fire,
But on we ran, we did not tire.
Beads of sweat glowed on her brow
And with white innocence, I know not how
She trampled those beneath her feet
Striking more on each and every street.
With each vanquish she grew twice as strong
And what we did I never thought as wrong.
Liberté was the truth that did not fall;
She was the strength that broke down every wall
With, from gently parted lips a sweet sigh,
That rippled through our veins to defy
All opposed to our freedom fight.
Liberté with all her wonderful might
Thrust the tricolour above head
And kept on running though her tears were shed.
She cried, I think, for the ignorant fools
Whose blood now seeped in crimson pools;
A hideous stain on the cobbled street
But a veritas victory and a deserved defeat.
Death to twisted lies, hate and greed,
We led the people so they were freed.
Death and end to those cruel gentlemen
Who lust for power time and time again.
Lying battered and trodden, stripped of glory
Those pathetic figures told a sorry story.
But emerging on top where all could see
We ran, we fought, for Liberté.
My Liberté, we ran side by side;
Her heaving bosom, hips strong and wide
As she pounded on with shaking skin,
She knew that only truth would win.
Her coarse, hardened feet stamped the ground,
Her billowing dress loosely wound
Was slipping down off her chest
Revealing beneath her ripe round breast.
Through the city of despair and dirt,
In alleys and courtyards always alert.
And as we fought through the palace garden
I felt my heart and my mind harden
With rage against every power holder,
Their brutal murders made me bolder.
The boom and club club of cannon fire,
But on we ran, we did not tire.
Beads of sweat glowed on her brow
And with white innocence, I know not how
She trampled those beneath her feet
Striking more on each and every street.
With each vanquish she grew twice as strong
And what we did I never thought as wrong.
Liberté was the truth that did not fall;
She was the strength that broke down every wall
With, from gently parted lips a sweet sigh,
That rippled through our veins to defy
All opposed to our freedom fight.
Liberté with all her wonderful might
Thrust the tricolour above head
And kept on running though her tears were shed.
She cried, I think, for the ignorant fools
Whose blood now seeped in crimson pools;
A hideous stain on the cobbled street
But a veritas victory and a deserved defeat.
Death to twisted lies, hate and greed,
We led the people so they were freed.
Death and end to those cruel gentlemen
Who lust for power time and time again.
Lying battered and trodden, stripped of glory
Those pathetic figures told a sorry story.
But emerging on top where all could see
We ran, we fought, for Liberté.
All successful institutions have a rational basis, not
“The great achievement of the Enlightenment had one enormous and unfortunate side-effect. We gained a false sense of the power of reason. It made us think that all successful institutions have a rational basis and that there are no limits to what we can achieve by rational action” (Suri Ratnapala in 100 Books of Liberty. )
I think this is a fantastic quote and one that is quite instructive. Many of us that are endeavouring to being new products to prospective clients and who are absolutely convinced that these products will significantly enhance bottom lines and often materially impact positively on the environment are staggered not to receive a ready hearing and enthusiastic take-up. Only tenacity can win the day.
Why is this so? Many reasons certainly; perhaps the product is not as good as we think it is, perhaps it will upset the status quo and challenge fiefdoms or perhaps we're just not good enough salespeople. I could go on but the reality is that rational thought is often overwhelmed by fear, that the adventurous spirit claimed by many people and companies is just that, a claim but with no substance and more prosaically people want to buy but they do not want to be sold to, a difficult conundrum if they don't know what the product or or can do in the first place.
The solution, just work harder but also smarter. Use the network to find the right people to help you. Make it in their best interests to do and be prepared to share the profits with them. Talking my own book? You betcha but that doesn't mean I'm wrong.
I think this is a fantastic quote and one that is quite instructive. Many of us that are endeavouring to being new products to prospective clients and who are absolutely convinced that these products will significantly enhance bottom lines and often materially impact positively on the environment are staggered not to receive a ready hearing and enthusiastic take-up. Only tenacity can win the day.
Why is this so? Many reasons certainly; perhaps the product is not as good as we think it is, perhaps it will upset the status quo and challenge fiefdoms or perhaps we're just not good enough salespeople. I could go on but the reality is that rational thought is often overwhelmed by fear, that the adventurous spirit claimed by many people and companies is just that, a claim but with no substance and more prosaically people want to buy but they do not want to be sold to, a difficult conundrum if they don't know what the product or or can do in the first place.
The solution, just work harder but also smarter. Use the network to find the right people to help you. Make it in their best interests to do and be prepared to share the profits with them. Talking my own book? You betcha but that doesn't mean I'm wrong.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Tax incentives for the so-called rich
Watching Q&A last night was interesting and instructive, not least because Nicola Roxon was allowed to dominate. Still I won't wax lyrical about the bias of the ABC, well not tonight anyway.
What did intrigue me was a question from the audience that obviously wanted support for the view that tax incentives for the so-called rich should not be allowed. There was of a defense put up by Greg Hunt, not surprisingly and and an allusion to public monies for private education as well. Basically the argument runs that public support for private health and education nurtures a mixed system, reduces the burden on state health and education and promotes choice. With people availing themselves of private services (whether they are deemed to be rich or not) there is more money to be spent on those who must use or those that choose the state provided services.
Tim Wilson of the Institute of Public Policy, to his credit, argued a more philosophically pure view that all subsidies are bad, are likely to produce a skewing of resources, distort the system and thus produce poorer outcomes.
However Tim also skated across another key point. Whether it be private health or private education the relative rich have a claim on some proportion of the tax spend as they themselves pay more tax. Thus these people not only contribute more they can frequently also consume less of what the state provides to the obvious benefit of those who pay less tax but consume more of the state provided services. Thus some minimal subsidy can be justified if it promotes a lessening of demand on government and is thus a discouragement to avoid tax.
There was no time and probably even less appetite but these arguments logically lead onto the justification or otherwise of so-called "progressive" taxation, the system where the more you earn not only does one pay more in actual dollars but also a higher percentage of gross income. This is a sacred cow of our polity and hardly ever argued these days. I flag this issue tonight and will address it in my next posting. Any of your comments or thoughts will be readily received.
Best regards, Jonathan.
What did intrigue me was a question from the audience that obviously wanted support for the view that tax incentives for the so-called rich should not be allowed. There was of a defense put up by Greg Hunt, not surprisingly and and an allusion to public monies for private education as well. Basically the argument runs that public support for private health and education nurtures a mixed system, reduces the burden on state health and education and promotes choice. With people availing themselves of private services (whether they are deemed to be rich or not) there is more money to be spent on those who must use or those that choose the state provided services.
Tim Wilson of the Institute of Public Policy, to his credit, argued a more philosophically pure view that all subsidies are bad, are likely to produce a skewing of resources, distort the system and thus produce poorer outcomes.
However Tim also skated across another key point. Whether it be private health or private education the relative rich have a claim on some proportion of the tax spend as they themselves pay more tax. Thus these people not only contribute more they can frequently also consume less of what the state provides to the obvious benefit of those who pay less tax but consume more of the state provided services. Thus some minimal subsidy can be justified if it promotes a lessening of demand on government and is thus a discouragement to avoid tax.
There was no time and probably even less appetite but these arguments logically lead onto the justification or otherwise of so-called "progressive" taxation, the system where the more you earn not only does one pay more in actual dollars but also a higher percentage of gross income. This is a sacred cow of our polity and hardly ever argued these days. I flag this issue tonight and will address it in my next posting. Any of your comments or thoughts will be readily received.
Best regards, Jonathan.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Eye on the impending UK election
I am keeping a reasonable eye on the impending UK election and though the country is in a parlous state the polls are indicating the narrowest of Conservative victories or a hung parliament and the prospect of minority government. If you thought Sterling was weak already (and it certainly is) just wait till that happens. Please, no! No good for anyone. The country literally cannot afford more of the same especially with having the highest public debt ever in peace time and needing to borrow Sterling 600 million PER DAY! Yikes! Only radical action and a new direction and indeed some real pain can start to turn things around.
The UK and its woes can be analogous to us all. As Tom Haupt writes in his book, “Time-Out, Winning Strategies for Playing a Bigger Game in Life” we conspire with our core beliefs to protect our ego and to ensure that, in our view, we are always right; this only reinforces our retreat to our comfort zones precluding the ability to positively change and indeed to start to turn things round. It is some of our core and inappropriate core beliefs that need to be challenged and reprogrammed. I am only part way through the book and am finding it both confronting and liberating and I heartily recommend it to any that needs to live-in-the- now, to get off auto-pilot and be “conscious” for the benefit of their future.
Tom also believes that every time we retreat to our comfort zones we actually contract its boundaries and that only when we take risks and feel very vulnerable and uncomfortable are we actually approaching our goals. I’ll be stepping outside my own comfort zone quite significantly a number of times this week and I’ll let you know how it goes.
And now for something completely different….my family and I are going down to Cottesloe this afternoon to have a look at the “Sculptures by the Sea” which is a fabulous addition to the Perth calendar and indicative of what can be done with a space which normally has a distinctly different use and attraction. One plus one equals three. Naturally the children will have a swim and we are taking a salad to combine with the local fish and chips to enjoy a late summer/early autumn evening by the ocean. How good is that?!
Best regards, Jonathan.
The UK and its woes can be analogous to us all. As Tom Haupt writes in his book, “Time-Out, Winning Strategies for Playing a Bigger Game in Life” we conspire with our core beliefs to protect our ego and to ensure that, in our view, we are always right; this only reinforces our retreat to our comfort zones precluding the ability to positively change and indeed to start to turn things round. It is some of our core and inappropriate core beliefs that need to be challenged and reprogrammed. I am only part way through the book and am finding it both confronting and liberating and I heartily recommend it to any that needs to live-in-the- now, to get off auto-pilot and be “conscious” for the benefit of their future.
Tom also believes that every time we retreat to our comfort zones we actually contract its boundaries and that only when we take risks and feel very vulnerable and uncomfortable are we actually approaching our goals. I’ll be stepping outside my own comfort zone quite significantly a number of times this week and I’ll let you know how it goes.
And now for something completely different….my family and I are going down to Cottesloe this afternoon to have a look at the “Sculptures by the Sea” which is a fabulous addition to the Perth calendar and indicative of what can be done with a space which normally has a distinctly different use and attraction. One plus one equals three. Naturally the children will have a swim and we are taking a salad to combine with the local fish and chips to enjoy a late summer/early autumn evening by the ocean. How good is that?!
Best regards, Jonathan.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Honorary Consuls
Last Wednesday I have the privilege to attend the induction of WA's new Consul to the Kingdom of The Netherlands down at the Shipwreck Museum in Fremantle. A perfect location given the histoirical connections and shared hertiage and the host for the evening was the Ambassador to Australia though he is travelling in his private capacity, something about credentials not yet presented. The sizable Dutch population was well-represented and I think I head more Dutch spoken there than I did when last in Amsterdam. The great and good were in respectable numbers and the collection of Honarary Consuls was impressive. As a venue it is interesting, intimate and with good accoustics is well able to take a fair number of people whilst not creating a hubbub precluding comfortable conversation. A great evening and well done Arnold Stroobach.
I was a little shocked to hear from a number of locals that they had never been to the Museum but then again I know more of the UK than many of its born amd bred residients and not every Brit has seen the Mary Rose or visited the Victory.
One feature of my business that was apparent that evening and even the next morning at a Club breakfast is the lack of underatanding of lobbyists and lobbying, not doubt beacuse of the poor reputations of a couple of infamous Western Australians but like all service industries there are more good people in the game than not, that much useful and productive work is done and in terms of making a differece it can be a significant community service. Lobbyists are most needed when governments are either brand new or dysfunctional but even on a day-to-day basis there are many incidences of the community, both private and business, needing to alert their government of certain issues, problems and opportunities. Governmemt is so complex these days that many external services are required, whether they be of the direct provision of service variety and consulting or specific one-off contacts. Finding the right people to speak to can be daunting and can involve much wasted time. "Who ya goin to call?"
The Sandgroper has written lately of some of the asects of doing business in Western Australia. I have an absolute beauty to share with people but dare not "blog it." Let's know if you'd like to hear the story.
All teh best, Jonathan.
I was a little shocked to hear from a number of locals that they had never been to the Museum but then again I know more of the UK than many of its born amd bred residients and not every Brit has seen the Mary Rose or visited the Victory.
One feature of my business that was apparent that evening and even the next morning at a Club breakfast is the lack of underatanding of lobbyists and lobbying, not doubt beacuse of the poor reputations of a couple of infamous Western Australians but like all service industries there are more good people in the game than not, that much useful and productive work is done and in terms of making a differece it can be a significant community service. Lobbyists are most needed when governments are either brand new or dysfunctional but even on a day-to-day basis there are many incidences of the community, both private and business, needing to alert their government of certain issues, problems and opportunities. Governmemt is so complex these days that many external services are required, whether they be of the direct provision of service variety and consulting or specific one-off contacts. Finding the right people to speak to can be daunting and can involve much wasted time. "Who ya goin to call?"
The Sandgroper has written lately of some of the asects of doing business in Western Australia. I have an absolute beauty to share with people but dare not "blog it." Let's know if you'd like to hear the story.
All teh best, Jonathan.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Is this the Western Australian persona?
As I go on my travels from meeting to meeting and from networking function to networking function I am always amazed by the sheer courage of people to take on new ventures and in many cases forge out on their own or take on challenges that once they would have bulked. Well done to all who don't take the easy way out. As I wrote recently there is so much talent out there seeking to make its way in business and in life in general.
I was fortunate to meet with someone this morning who is absolutely inspiring but who has, to my pleasant surprise, also has experienced something that I was beginning to think was either all in my head or a function of my own poor judgment or pure unfortunate happenstance. Both of us are born and bred Western Australians but we would contend there is an undoubted reluctance of our compatriots to pay for service until the goal has been achieved and sometimes not even then. This has obvious ramifications. One, it forces people to look elsewhere and those that are reluctant to pay have to,in the main, put up with inferior service which ends up seemingly justifying their stance. A classic vicious circle.
My own experience has led to concentrate my efforts on servicing Eastern States firms, market WA innovations to overseas clients or to international companies. Eastern States firms are increasingly a profitable target client base as the resources boom returns and the relative growth rate of Western Australian vis a vis the rest of the country ex QLD attracts them to our market. Not that this is without dangers either as our friends from over East are often frustrated by arcane planning laws, archaic restrictions on trade, a Soviet approach to trading hours, a strange debate on daylight saving and again a reluctance to pay for quality. Dangerous and contentious views? Maybe so, so please feel free to challenge me on any or all of them.
Just while I'm feeling gently combative let me hit you with my view on daylight saving in general and not specific to WA. Am I missing some simple piece of logic? The original purpose of altering the clocks was to "lengthen" the day in order to conserve energy. As our summer days receive the most sunlight hours anyway wouldn't it make more sense to have daylight saving in our winter. We get up in the dark any way so there's no difference there but by moving the clocks forward it would mean that it's getting dark an hour later. Anyone who recalls football or hockey training in the midst of winter will know that by half five all had to be over because it was dark. Those children now lucky enough to have lights burn more energy and households burn more lights and more fuel. So daylight saving in winter would add an hour of usable daylight in the evening and reduce one of the key downsides of that season. Just a thought? Having it in the summer surely means we run our pool filters longer and use our air conditioners at home more. Hmmm, what a good conservation of energy that is, not! Just to be completely perverse, even so I'm actually in favour of it but that should be the argument of the nay-sayers, nothing to do with carpets, curtains and cows.
Cheers, Jonathan.
I was fortunate to meet with someone this morning who is absolutely inspiring but who has, to my pleasant surprise, also has experienced something that I was beginning to think was either all in my head or a function of my own poor judgment or pure unfortunate happenstance. Both of us are born and bred Western Australians but we would contend there is an undoubted reluctance of our compatriots to pay for service until the goal has been achieved and sometimes not even then. This has obvious ramifications. One, it forces people to look elsewhere and those that are reluctant to pay have to,in the main, put up with inferior service which ends up seemingly justifying their stance. A classic vicious circle.
My own experience has led to concentrate my efforts on servicing Eastern States firms, market WA innovations to overseas clients or to international companies. Eastern States firms are increasingly a profitable target client base as the resources boom returns and the relative growth rate of Western Australian vis a vis the rest of the country ex QLD attracts them to our market. Not that this is without dangers either as our friends from over East are often frustrated by arcane planning laws, archaic restrictions on trade, a Soviet approach to trading hours, a strange debate on daylight saving and again a reluctance to pay for quality. Dangerous and contentious views? Maybe so, so please feel free to challenge me on any or all of them.
Just while I'm feeling gently combative let me hit you with my view on daylight saving in general and not specific to WA. Am I missing some simple piece of logic? The original purpose of altering the clocks was to "lengthen" the day in order to conserve energy. As our summer days receive the most sunlight hours anyway wouldn't it make more sense to have daylight saving in our winter. We get up in the dark any way so there's no difference there but by moving the clocks forward it would mean that it's getting dark an hour later. Anyone who recalls football or hockey training in the midst of winter will know that by half five all had to be over because it was dark. Those children now lucky enough to have lights burn more energy and households burn more lights and more fuel. So daylight saving in winter would add an hour of usable daylight in the evening and reduce one of the key downsides of that season. Just a thought? Having it in the summer surely means we run our pool filters longer and use our air conditioners at home more. Hmmm, what a good conservation of energy that is, not! Just to be completely perverse, even so I'm actually in favour of it but that should be the argument of the nay-sayers, nothing to do with carpets, curtains and cows.
Cheers, Jonathan.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
So much talent out there!
I had the privilege to spend a day today with Dr Joanna Martin who generously shared her perceptions on "speaking from the stage" to a sizable audience of business owners, innovators and entrepreneurs. Proof of the effectiveness of the program will be obvious once I begin to "strut my stuff" and your support and feedback as and when will be greatly appreciated. What is apparent to me is that there is a huge bank of talent out there seeking to expand their own horizons, inflate their comfort zones and achieve success beyond the norm. Whilst there is no end of "personal development" opportunities currently in the market place there is also some very high quality on offer. People are keen to learn skills to enhance their business but today was more than that, it was exercise in upskilling people to enhance their lives. The latent talent that resides in all of us is often shielded or constricted by our own hesitation to take risk: trusting in the lessons of the past has been to the cost of faith in the future and the limitless opportunities before us all. All a bit "New Age?' Perhaps but I know myself that when I have taken the biggest risks I have experienced the biggest wins but when I have been conservative I have suffered the greatest losses. I'm in the midst of huge risk at present and I am very excited by the future. I'll let you know how it pans out. Cheers, Jonathan.
Monday, February 22, 2010
The karmic returns are beginning to flow .........
Yes, I've had a bit of a lay-off and whilst there are plenty of reasons there's certainly no excuses. Thankfully it it has just been a function of extreme busyness and not all business either. even so the networking side of things is really picking up and I have been privileged to meet some really interesting people of late. That's not to say that those I have met previously are not really interesting too but the latter ones justify the earlier ones in that the connections between them all become more and more powerful. The seems to be hardly a person with whom I cannot make a connection with someone else. I have long said that the six degrees of separation in the world translates to point five here in Perth! Of course a good deal of my connectivity is not down to me at all but is made possible by the activities of those that I meet and their own proactive natures. And what is the purpose of all this? Firstly it's just plain good fun and secondly it promotes the possibility of being able to solve problems, whether they be mine or those of others, in a more more human, personal and referenced manner. The karmic returns are beginning to flow and whereas many meetings at the outset seem to be somewhat limited they are in truth only limited by the relative openness of one's mind and time and they are rarely limiting. The only limiting factor is the increased possibility of conflicts of interest but most of those issues can easily be managed away or precluded by upfront candour. What has been evident of late with the support of social networking groups and communications in general is that one has to try very hard not to be found, the mobility of people used to severe the lines but these days one is more likely to "put it out there" or be the subject of genuine enquiry. I recently met a person whom I have never met before from a country that I have never been to and was challenged to recall our first meeting! I was "known" but it turned out that I had "been Googled" and the person had recognized me from my online photographs. Such is the nature of the internet and the unexpected impacts of our own and/or others' actions. The rise of the "tagged" photograph is a case in point. Ramifications, unexpected consequences, un-looked or undesirable outcomes are the downsides of all the positives of being wired in in this wireless world of ours. Best regards, Jonathan.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Internet censorship, nanny state, police state!?
The attack on internet freedom like so many things this Rudd Govt does or wants to do, sounds plausible enough on a superficial level but digging deeper and understanding the ramifications or indeed the unintended consequences of actions is not their strong suite. What may start out as an attack on illegal sites will very likely end up with the Government telling us what to think. You reckon I'm joking....this is the Government that requires all MP's, not just their own, to have written matter vetted/approved by them before mailing out to constituents and all criticism of policies or individuals has a very hard time getting through. The seemingly inexorable slide towards a nanny state is the same slide as that towards a police state. Freedom of speech, as I have written before, needs to be just that, not a value judgment of some government official, elected or otherwise. Bad ideas are best defeated out in the open, resentment and fomenting of suspect ideas happen most often in the dark. The though police are on the march (read Janet Albrechtsen's piece in The Australian this week, )the do-gooders and the apologists are perversely crimping the freedoms of the majority. Certainly minorities need to be respected and protected but not at the expense of our general freedoms and it needs to be a level playing field. When did Western society, generally the van of freedom, become the whipping post of other cultures in our own midst? We have actually been victims of our own cherished freedoms but the solution is not control but nurturing the freedoms we retain and pushing back the creep of political correctness, cant and prejudice. When someone says something we don't like we should say so but at the same time defend their right to say it and fair do's, when we say something they don't like then they should argue against us but at the same time defend our right to say it. Some chance but we can but try. Best regards, Jonathan.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
You gotta have some luck now and again
How's this for two stories....
In my first ever substantive interview for a broking position in London I was asked by the Managing Director if I knew anything about Australian stocks. I answered that it wasn't not a lot though I had done rather well in my Law unit on the regulation of the market and what constituted illegal transactions. That patently was not good enough and I was again challenged "Come on, you must know something about the companies, say CRA..." to which I replied "Let's be clear here, do you mean Con-zinc Rio Tinto Australia?" He did of course and generously told me that not many on his current team of experienced brokers would have known that and promptly offered me a position. It just so happens that in my last major Audit unit at University we were required to randomly pick a company and dissect its accounts and I had fortuitously chosen CRA!
On Monday I was queried about an old school pal whom both and and the questioner had lost touch with, not seen since 1975. I had no notion of where he was or what he was doing. That evening whilst scanning for a chap on Linkedin who had been in my year at University I found that he worked at a local engineering company of some note. I then scanned his company and lo and behold my old school mate used to work there too and was recorded as such on Linkedin. He now works in Zurich (but happens to be in Perth this week !) and works for UBS. Guess who I used to work for in London, yep, UBS.
Let anybody who does not rate online social networks or fails to think on the power of the universe consider these two stories. Chance, happenstance, fortuity or Providence? Take your pick or choose D, All of the above.
Best regards, Jonathan.
In my first ever substantive interview for a broking position in London I was asked by the Managing Director if I knew anything about Australian stocks. I answered that it wasn't not a lot though I had done rather well in my Law unit on the regulation of the market and what constituted illegal transactions. That patently was not good enough and I was again challenged "Come on, you must know something about the companies, say CRA..." to which I replied "Let's be clear here, do you mean Con-zinc Rio Tinto Australia?" He did of course and generously told me that not many on his current team of experienced brokers would have known that and promptly offered me a position. It just so happens that in my last major Audit unit at University we were required to randomly pick a company and dissect its accounts and I had fortuitously chosen CRA!
On Monday I was queried about an old school pal whom both and and the questioner had lost touch with, not seen since 1975. I had no notion of where he was or what he was doing. That evening whilst scanning for a chap on Linkedin who had been in my year at University I found that he worked at a local engineering company of some note. I then scanned his company and lo and behold my old school mate used to work there too and was recorded as such on Linkedin. He now works in Zurich (but happens to be in Perth this week !) and works for UBS. Guess who I used to work for in London, yep, UBS.
Let anybody who does not rate online social networks or fails to think on the power of the universe consider these two stories. Chance, happenstance, fortuity or Providence? Take your pick or choose D, All of the above.
Best regards, Jonathan.
Friends assisting
Not a lot of inspiration tonight but I just posted-up a personal note on Facebook saying that "I'm cracking-on helping other people's businesses and have a host of friends helping mine." Certainly 2010 has a much better feeling about it than last year though to be candid I do recall saying much the same at this time last year. Whilst highly nervous of the market at the time I had no idea of the scale of the GFC looming and of course the shock of it seized-up a good deal of decision-making capacity, the life blood of consulting and much else. off to bed now to contemplate a busy day tomorrow. Best regards, Jonathan.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Emmission standards are not monitored
Do people know that emissions standards especially for motor vehicles are not monitored after the car drives out of the showroom and off the forecourt? Do people know that no matter what the advertising of one petrol brand over another there is no guarantee of "clean and dry" fuel out of the bowser? Do people know that... we change oil at the same time as changing oil filters because the filters have in effect not worked, i.e they have failed to keep the oil clean. Imagine a swimming pool and its filter, it'd be a bit rum if every time you cleaned the filter you had to empty the pool and refill it with clean water. That's what you (or your servicer) in effect does every time your car goes in for service! There is so much we can do in a highly practical way to improve our emissions but the OEM's together with general societal ignorance conspire and collude to perpetuate 1930's technology.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Tenacity wins the day, the other side of cutting and running
Back in my institutional stockbroking days in London, with the encouragement of a great friend/previous client, I visited a particular institution in a particular European capital trying to convince them that both my firm and myself were worthy of their business for five years without a ticket.
Sure I was writing business with other clients in that town which gave me the opportunity to keep up the visits but as you can imagine my management had long since given up on me ever justifying that investment of time and travel. However, for the following five years that client was my largest commission generator and taker of primary product bar none and the largest offshore account of my two firms respectively during that period!
Growing my own business over the last 18 months has felt very similar. Plenty of hard work, staying the course, having faith and of course one has to have the wherewithal to achieve the results required but there is no doubt that tenacity has and will pay-off. My brother calls it doggedness, my wife determination, others persistence and myself, tenacity but I guess it is all of these and more.
Sure the business has had to evolve; early supporters will remember the original construct was to introduce people with good ideas to people with money to invest. Then of course the GFC hit and whilst the moneyed people were and are still just that their return hurdles went naturally higher and their appetite for risk justifiably declined. Hence freelance business development and with the pleasantly surprising change of State Government, political lobbying.
There remains no shortage of people with good ideas and I have not abandoned all of them though some abandoned me along the way but I have sought to help them in different ways. Some of these are now on the verge of full-on commercialization and I am pleased that Glorfindel Advisory Services has played its part in helping that happen.
A friend of mine loves MAD, making-a-difference and I guess if both people and businesses can do that along the way they will not only survive but flourish.
Best regards, Jonathan.
Sure I was writing business with other clients in that town which gave me the opportunity to keep up the visits but as you can imagine my management had long since given up on me ever justifying that investment of time and travel. However, for the following five years that client was my largest commission generator and taker of primary product bar none and the largest offshore account of my two firms respectively during that period!
Growing my own business over the last 18 months has felt very similar. Plenty of hard work, staying the course, having faith and of course one has to have the wherewithal to achieve the results required but there is no doubt that tenacity has and will pay-off. My brother calls it doggedness, my wife determination, others persistence and myself, tenacity but I guess it is all of these and more.
Sure the business has had to evolve; early supporters will remember the original construct was to introduce people with good ideas to people with money to invest. Then of course the GFC hit and whilst the moneyed people were and are still just that their return hurdles went naturally higher and their appetite for risk justifiably declined. Hence freelance business development and with the pleasantly surprising change of State Government, political lobbying.
There remains no shortage of people with good ideas and I have not abandoned all of them though some abandoned me along the way but I have sought to help them in different ways. Some of these are now on the verge of full-on commercialization and I am pleased that Glorfindel Advisory Services has played its part in helping that happen.
A friend of mine loves MAD, making-a-difference and I guess if both people and businesses can do that along the way they will not only survive but flourish.
Best regards, Jonathan.
Friday, February 5, 2010
When to cut one's losses
Circumstances (specifically my youngest daughter's swimming classes)precluded any other action such as getting there earlier or catching the train but I drove into Perth City last night to attend the free opening of Festival 2010 and then spent 40 minutes trying to find a legal parking space.
Plenty had parked illegally and perhaps I would have too if I had more clearance on my car/had been driving my wife's car but to no avail and we came home. I wasted time, petrol and above all an opportunity. Still we cut our losses, my youngest really did need to get to bed and my eldest got to watch a double episode of her favourite TV show (she was very happy) and my wife was at book club anyway. No harm done.
It struck me however that many activities including business are similar. Unrealistic goals are set without too much planning, time is wasted and opportunities go begging. One can go around in circles, all for a worthy cause but nothing is achieved and there comes a time to cut one's losses. But...someone recently told me that the light at the end of the tunnel is there and a lot closer than we think but it is around the bend and as we know light doesn't go around corners and just can't see it yet.
My conclusion, unlike last night's event (and to be brutally candid maybe I would have tried harder/taken more risk if I'd paid for tickets) where on balance it was best to cut and run, if you have a dream, are running our own business and have a realistic goal then stay the course as success whilst not visible yet maybe just around the corner.
Best regards, Jonathan.
Plenty had parked illegally and perhaps I would have too if I had more clearance on my car/had been driving my wife's car but to no avail and we came home. I wasted time, petrol and above all an opportunity. Still we cut our losses, my youngest really did need to get to bed and my eldest got to watch a double episode of her favourite TV show (she was very happy) and my wife was at book club anyway. No harm done.
It struck me however that many activities including business are similar. Unrealistic goals are set without too much planning, time is wasted and opportunities go begging. One can go around in circles, all for a worthy cause but nothing is achieved and there comes a time to cut one's losses. But...someone recently told me that the light at the end of the tunnel is there and a lot closer than we think but it is around the bend and as we know light doesn't go around corners and just can't see it yet.
My conclusion, unlike last night's event (and to be brutally candid maybe I would have tried harder/taken more risk if I'd paid for tickets) where on balance it was best to cut and run, if you have a dream, are running our own business and have a realistic goal then stay the course as success whilst not visible yet maybe just around the corner.
Best regards, Jonathan.
Focus versus perspective
I had a really really difficult day to day but there's nothing like a child's smile and all is forgotten. Well, let's be realistic, not everything is forgiven or forgotten but isn't it amazing how different things can look, albeit when there's no substantive change, with a different frame of mind.
The world of a consultant is one fraught with undervalued time and effort and full of real pleasure in adding value, making a real difference and seeing people succeed where otherwise it wasn't likely.
The biggest problem is getting people to make a decision and this is particularly frustrating when it is blindingly obvious that costs can be saved, sales could be enhanced and profit increased. I say "blindingly obvious" in a somewhat qualified sense as it might be obvious to me but not to them. Indeed I may not have the full picture and therefore not be as right as I think I am and/or they may be too close to the issue or too focused on their product/service to see what would be to their advantage.
Focus versus perspective, a desire for action and and a reticence to try something different; sounds like business/life to me. The wisdom that doing the same thing thing and expecting a different result is tantamount to insanity is instructive.
I have a business that includes management consulting, freelance business development and government relations(political lobbying)- each arm supports the other and opens up opportunities. The man of a thousand watches always has something for everyone but is that the value that the customer is after? There's the rub, finding the balance.
I will have a really good day on Monday and know that people will do the right thing, see the paths to success and accept both advice and reality. Also physician, heal they self.
All the best, Jonathan,
The world of a consultant is one fraught with undervalued time and effort and full of real pleasure in adding value, making a real difference and seeing people succeed where otherwise it wasn't likely.
The biggest problem is getting people to make a decision and this is particularly frustrating when it is blindingly obvious that costs can be saved, sales could be enhanced and profit increased. I say "blindingly obvious" in a somewhat qualified sense as it might be obvious to me but not to them. Indeed I may not have the full picture and therefore not be as right as I think I am and/or they may be too close to the issue or too focused on their product/service to see what would be to their advantage.
Focus versus perspective, a desire for action and and a reticence to try something different; sounds like business/life to me. The wisdom that doing the same thing thing and expecting a different result is tantamount to insanity is instructive.
I have a business that includes management consulting, freelance business development and government relations(political lobbying)- each arm supports the other and opens up opportunities. The man of a thousand watches always has something for everyone but is that the value that the customer is after? There's the rub, finding the balance.
I will have a really good day on Monday and know that people will do the right thing, see the paths to success and accept both advice and reality. Also physician, heal they self.
All the best, Jonathan,
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Practical, understandable..............
My comment on Tony Abbott's Wall hit Letters to the Editor of the Daily Telegraph thanks to the inspiration of a new Facebook friend! I simply said of the Direct Action Plan was that it is "Practical, understandable, AFFORDABLE, do-able and I suspect just the start of a myriad of sensible actions to change the way we l...ive and work without destroying the way we work and live. Well done Tony, well done Team."
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
The underyling philosphical difference
In no way am I claiming this to be an original thought and it's one that often been debated but it occurred to me this morning (again) that apart from all of the debate as to whether one policy is better than another, whether one is a believer or a skeptic the key philosophical difference between the Parties says it all; Labor would penalize and part compensate whereas the Liberals will reward and encourage, Labor wants a top-down big stick approach and the Liberals want a bottom-up carrot approach. Statism and Corporatism versus Individualism and Free Markets. There is the choice is increasingly clear for Australians.
I am stasggered that governments around the world and including Mr Rudd's think that they can create a marekt in a commodity overnight. The stock market has been evolving for hundreds of years and still has problems and will always do so but at least it is protected by history, experience and the clearer aspect of supply and demand. There is nothing clear about the supply and demand mechanism of any artificailly constructed market place and we'd all be hard pressed to think of any governement or bureacratic construct that doesn't eventually self-destruct because they think they know best,the Wheat Board and the Wool Corporation come to mind, the USSR!
Whilst the inexorable shift of history seems to demand more and more of governments we must become more and more vigilant to ensure that we do not end up tying ourselves in knots of our own creation with the constraint refrain of "someone (government)should do something about it."
Best regards, Jonathan
·
I am stasggered that governments around the world and including Mr Rudd's think that they can create a marekt in a commodity overnight. The stock market has been evolving for hundreds of years and still has problems and will always do so but at least it is protected by history, experience and the clearer aspect of supply and demand. There is nothing clear about the supply and demand mechanism of any artificailly constructed market place and we'd all be hard pressed to think of any governement or bureacratic construct that doesn't eventually self-destruct because they think they know best,the Wheat Board and the Wool Corporation come to mind, the USSR!
Whilst the inexorable shift of history seems to demand more and more of governments we must become more and more vigilant to ensure that we do not end up tying ourselves in knots of our own creation with the constraint refrain of "someone (government)should do something about it."
Best regards, Jonathan
·
A couple of things left off the list......................
SAS Group (www.sasgroup.net.au) This is the governement relations business of which I am associated. The three founding partners are all ex Federal Ministers and together with their US affiliate , the American Continental Group make for a powerful advocacy team.
Image Power (www.imagepower.com.au if you want training for yourself or your work foce in cultural awareness, social skills for the workplace and skills to give you an employment advatge please contact my good friend Natalia Josephs.
Office Automation (/www.smibusinessimpact.com.au)For those brave enough to accept that there can truly be a paradigm shift in the way that we conduct our business processes and that it can be WA born and bred then this is the company for you. Contact Barry Hatton or Simon Ackland at SMI Business Impact.
Cheers, Jonathan.
Image Power (www.imagepower.com.au if you want training for yourself or your work foce in cultural awareness, social skills for the workplace and skills to give you an employment advatge please contact my good friend Natalia Josephs.
Office Automation (/www.smibusinessimpact.com.au)For those brave enough to accept that there can truly be a paradigm shift in the way that we conduct our business processes and that it can be WA born and bred then this is the company for you. Contact Barry Hatton or Simon Ackland at SMI Business Impact.
Cheers, Jonathan.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
People confuse the Green Movement with the Green Party
People frequently confuse the Green Movement with the Green Party. The Movement has actually done a pretty good job as nearly all of us would now consider ourselves “green” these days in terms of nurturing and husbanding our planet. However the Party that has grown out of the Movement has many other non-green related policies that place it way out on the Left and thus make a more natural ally for the Labor Party. In addition and unfortunately many well-meaning people who have little understanding of politics only think of the environmentally friendly themes of the Green Party and don’t even delve into those policies let alone deeply consider their ramifications. Thankfully what was announced yesterday ( by Tony Abbott of the Liberal Party in Australia)will give a practical focus to many of these good people and begin to breakdown the belief that only one side of politics can look after our environment. Best regards, Jonathan.
A momentous day for Australia and a higher quality of debate
We should change import regulations to ensure that all imported engines, gen sets and turbines (close to 100% of all the engines we use) meet or exceed NAS 6 and Euro 5 oil and fuel filtration standards to reduce emissions on a constant basis, to reduce waste oil, increase asset life and reduce servicing costs.
Those not reaching those standards would be retro-fitted in bonded warehouses before being released into the Australian market.
There are proven technologies/products (see below) the OEM's don't want you to know about that would facilitate this new "world's best practice" to improve all metrics of performance at a cost REDUCTION to the current regime of 1930's thinking and technology and in reference to oil changes and pertinent to the entire inventory of the country; proposed emissions targets would then be easily attainable.
Whilst being cognizant of the dangers of promoting an individual company product this is another practical measure which would have an immense impact and though it would initially benefit ProtxL (and Australian product) it would perforce encourage all the OEM’s in reach the higher benchmark standard.
All the best, Jonathan.
Those not reaching those standards would be retro-fitted in bonded warehouses before being released into the Australian market.
There are proven technologies/products (see below) the OEM's don't want you to know about that would facilitate this new "world's best practice" to improve all metrics of performance at a cost REDUCTION to the current regime of 1930's thinking and technology and in reference to oil changes and pertinent to the entire inventory of the country; proposed emissions targets would then be easily attainable.
Whilst being cognizant of the dangers of promoting an individual company product this is another practical measure which would have an immense impact and though it would initially benefit ProtxL (and Australian product) it would perforce encourage all the OEM’s in reach the higher benchmark standard.
All the best, Jonathan.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
A prophet is not known in his own land
The theme of yesterday's service was the "a prophet is not known in his own land." Without delving into theological discussions it is a simple but fascinating revelation that the true meaning of prophecy in a Biblical sense is not predicting the future or fortune telling and that prophets are not soothsayers but rather were/are interpreters and communicators of God's Word.
My eldest daughter groans these days when I use the phrase and it has become in the lexicon of the Shack Family, "one of Dad's sayings." I admit to using it often in the context of the client's that I represent; the innovations that they bring to the market and their relative inability to commercialize their products/services here in Western Australia whilst being more able to do so in the Eastern States or overseas.
It would seem that our highly entrepreneurial and innovative society is grafted onto one of the most conservative populations on the planet and that even the innovators themselves are often loath to take on the innovations of others being so highly focused on their own product and are, in effect, blinkered.
Yes, we've suffered the consequences from some charlatans in the past and that has naturally led to some jaundiced views and whereas a healthy degree of skepticism is warranted a pervasive cynicism needs to be countered with plenty of tenacity and belief.
My hope (see Crusaders for Western Australia on Linkedin) is to see innovators reaching out and embracing each others' products so that we can lessen their need to up-sticks and find sales elsewhere without a firm base in the home market. With mutual support they will be better able to convince the nay-sayers. Sure we want to see people flourish inter-state and offshore and the more the better but not perforce because they could not gain recognition on their home turf but rather as a natural outworking of their domestic success.
Best regards, Jonathan.
My eldest daughter groans these days when I use the phrase and it has become in the lexicon of the Shack Family, "one of Dad's sayings." I admit to using it often in the context of the client's that I represent; the innovations that they bring to the market and their relative inability to commercialize their products/services here in Western Australia whilst being more able to do so in the Eastern States or overseas.
It would seem that our highly entrepreneurial and innovative society is grafted onto one of the most conservative populations on the planet and that even the innovators themselves are often loath to take on the innovations of others being so highly focused on their own product and are, in effect, blinkered.
Yes, we've suffered the consequences from some charlatans in the past and that has naturally led to some jaundiced views and whereas a healthy degree of skepticism is warranted a pervasive cynicism needs to be countered with plenty of tenacity and belief.
My hope (see Crusaders for Western Australia on Linkedin) is to see innovators reaching out and embracing each others' products so that we can lessen their need to up-sticks and find sales elsewhere without a firm base in the home market. With mutual support they will be better able to convince the nay-sayers. Sure we want to see people flourish inter-state and offshore and the more the better but not perforce because they could not gain recognition on their home turf but rather as a natural outworking of their domestic success.
Best regards, Jonathan.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
And now for something a little different
I have my younger sister-in-law from Connecticut arriving this afternoon and we're off to Camelot this evening so I thought I'd do something a little different. Most would know I have varied interests work-wise so here's a part list of firms with whom I am associated and whom I wholeheartedly recommend:
For oil and fuel filtration that actually works, reduces waste, cuts emissions, increases efficiency and asset life and reduces cost and indeed is self-funding see Winchester Global Pty Ltd and its product, ProtxL (www.engineoilfiltration.com)
For DMZ's that truly enhance and plug-up the wholes in your firewalls and take your IT security to a higher plane, indeed the highest plane possible see iwebgate (wwww.iwebgate.com)
Get with the new wave of emailing by producing video messages from your desktop and be able to run mass-mailouts, use auto-responders and double opt-ins that precludes issues with the Spam Act - see VM Direct (www.vmdirect.com)
Are you having fears or concerns about the Fair Work Act, are you compliant? Any uncertainty and you should be introduced to Complispace (www.complispace.com.au)
Are you in the building and construction industry and/or the plumbing industry? If so see Templug Pty Ltd (www.templug.com)to ensure reduced costs and a cleaner environment along with reduced OH&S concerns.
More to come. SAS Group, Image Power, Office Automation , West Sec etc
Have a great weekend.
Cheers, Jonathan
For oil and fuel filtration that actually works, reduces waste, cuts emissions, increases efficiency and asset life and reduces cost and indeed is self-funding see Winchester Global Pty Ltd and its product, ProtxL (www.engineoilfiltration.com)
For DMZ's that truly enhance and plug-up the wholes in your firewalls and take your IT security to a higher plane, indeed the highest plane possible see iwebgate (wwww.iwebgate.com)
Get with the new wave of emailing by producing video messages from your desktop and be able to run mass-mailouts, use auto-responders and double opt-ins that precludes issues with the Spam Act - see VM Direct (www.vmdirect.com)
Are you having fears or concerns about the Fair Work Act, are you compliant? Any uncertainty and you should be introduced to Complispace (www.complispace.com.au)
Are you in the building and construction industry and/or the plumbing industry? If so see Templug Pty Ltd (www.templug.com)to ensure reduced costs and a cleaner environment along with reduced OH&S concerns.
More to come. SAS Group, Image Power, Office Automation , West Sec etc
Have a great weekend.
Cheers, Jonathan
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Freedom of Speech
Back in the 80's a wave of valued immigrants arrived in Australia from Africa and many of them joined a particular political party and were most welcome to do so. They saw in that party many of the things in which they believed and had lost from whence they came. What took a little time however was for some of them to understand was that they had come to a much freer society and where most political parties were much "broader churches" than what they were used to; this prompted some spirited and in some case heated debates and created an environment, on more than one occasion, where I first experienced an attack on freedom of speech. Our "new" Australians tried to shout down those with whom they disagreed and the "domestic" members wanted the new members ejected. Both were wrong and with the foolish bravery of a youth I told both camps so in no uncertain terms. I remonstrated with the longer-term members to be patient with people learning the ropes and with much to offer and I advised the newcomers to respect other people's rights to voice their own opinions especially in the delivery of their arguments and to show their opinions through the democratic process. Thankfully good sense most often prevailed and though I can't say because I went off to the UK soon after)I am sure the boundaries blurred quickly and both camps integrated nicely. Watching the television the other evening with Mr Rodd's nephew and mate dressed-up in KKK costume brought these memories to mind. Whilst the KKK costumes are abhorrent in what they represent in the USA ( quite different in some parts of Europe) and evoke in our common consciousness disgusting acts of violence and racism the irony was lost on most of the media and probably on a good deal of the population too. The said gentlemen were trying to make the point that there are racist elements in our own society. Though they lacked taste the only oxygen they were given was by the media and they seemed to be somewhat lonely an sad individuals rather than inciters of violence themselves. It is not necessary to take stand on the issue here but I would defend their right to say what they were saying. Whether I agree with them or not is not relevant and herein lies the challenge to defending the freedom of speech; people are like to say things that we don't like. However once we erode that right it is very hard to re-institute it and I fear that we have gone a good way down the negative path already. Political correctness born of a societal guilty conscience and appeasement to those more strident and less accommodating of our own heritage end-up crimping those that could and would speak up for freedom and the right to choose. My conclusion; defend other people's rights to say what they think in a universal and not-just-for-some sense and to personally exercise that right ourselves. Best regards, Jonathan.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Australia Day always prompts debate on the nature of the country, our flag and our form (if not so much our system) of government. Even though I'm a constitutional monarchist and one who believes that our system, to paraphrase Winston Churchill, may be the worst except for all the rest, I fully understand that there are justifiable emotional reasons both for change and for retention. Whilst no overwhelming case has been made to convince me of the argument for a republic I have for many years been a fan of "if it's not broken don't fix it. " Recently however I have come to the understanding that that cliche is just an argument for the status quo which may very likely be indiscriminate; not all change is good, neither is it all bad but advancement and progression require it. This is not an argument for a republic just an openness to continue to have the debate. It amuses me that the media beat-up the case for a change to the flag at the same time it is more and more prevalent and so obviously so. The fears of jingoism and the hijacking of patriotism are I think lessened by the prevalence of the flag in all its forms. Whilst we may not treat our flag with the reverence of the Americans it is seen more and more and this precludes the impact of its use by narrow interest groups. Whilst patriotism has been called the last refuge of a fool (an individual) when taken up by the many it clearly enhances national pride, a sense of identity and yes, patriotism. However being proud of Australia is not by definition a criticism of other nations. As we can only truly love others if we love ourselves so it is with nations and a quiet sense of self worth is much more powerful than over weening self promotion. Again I am not afraid of the debates on this topic and would hope to keep emotion out of the arguments if not the position one holds. I am prompted to continue-on with this blog on freedom-of-speech but will keep those thoughts for another time. Best regards, Jonathan.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
"If you eat it you don't need it"
I write today with an overt vested interest but there are "new" revelations about the Fair Work Act daily, whether it be about the retailers claiming 3,000 job losses, the CCIWA declaring warnings and the need for more education, the rampant nature of the Ombudsman with $70m raised on behalf of 54,000 employees or $33,000 a breach levied on employers, rulings about arbitration and generally the infrastructure of government permeating all levels of employer/employee relationships. Undoubtedly most of industry has not reworked their employment contracts and need help to do so and there is also no doubt that unless all policies and procedures with commensurate record keeping are in place and in use any disputes with an employee will heavily weight the argument in their favour regardless of any natural justice and of course open the employer up for breach fines at the same time. Here come the advert; there is a group with the integrated knowledge and service together with innovative SaaS products to help and to do so in a highly cost-effect manner, yes there is very real VALUE here. By engaging Complispace employers in effect take insurance and acquire risk minimization capacity. Like other insurances you simply cannot afford not to have it and if you can't devote the resources yourself it's vital you engage outside assistance. whilst lawyers and HR consultants can certainly help they cannot provide the integrated package of Complispace. If you have any doubts please contact me to arrange a direct consultation and/or receive an invite to the next seminar. Yes, I have a vested interest but I happily disclose that and lay my credibility before you on behalf of Complispace. It reminds me of that old All Bran add, "if you eat it you don't need it." Just so with the right policies, procedures and record keeping, if you have them then your potential problems are minimized, if you don't then constipation will be the least of your problems. Best regards, Jonathan.
Local Hero
Do you recall the movie, Local Hero. It centered on a small west of Scotland coastal village and the desire of an American oil company to purchase its beach as a site for its processing facilities. A high powered acquisition lawyer was dispatched to woo the villagers and to make the purchase. At one crucial moment the lawyer was chatting with the actual owner of the beach, an old timer beachcomber and that chap offered the American the beach for a dollar for every grain sand in his hand. Of course the lawyer didn't know his beach sand stats and passed--up on his opportunity to buy the required land for some hundreds of thousands of dollars in contrast to the millions the oil company was prepared to pay. I recalled this story in a somewhat philosophical mood today whilst sitting on Port Beach watching the children play in the sand and viewing the dredging vessel deepening the shipping channel. The Local Hero story (reminiscent of a recent post) was a story of price versus value but where the value was in the community of the village not in the resources offshore or the development potential. Grains of sand come from somewhere and perhaps began life as mountains and may again, so too do companies start with a germ of an idea perhaps creating wealth and then being worn away possibly back to nothing and so the cycle goes on. Careers can be similar, waxing and waning through the vagaries of circumstance, good and bad. The real joy of all of this is that nothing remains the same except for the certainty of change. Whilst 2009 was a killer for many people, it was also a foundation year for others and whenever endeavour is invested, great things can and will happen. Where Local Hero was particularly instructive was in the realization, particularly for the viewer, that the value was not necessarily the price they could get. Similarly and to my own amusement a client recently asked the the "value" of his outstanding invoices to me, I replied paraphrasing that beautiful MasterCard advert, the outstandings are $x but the value has been priceless. Stoney silence was the not-unexpected-response but I hope, he says with a wry smile, that the point was made. All the best, Jonathan.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Catharsis
I had the pleasure of tidying-up our garage today and it did take me most of the day. We had a much bigger house in the UK and have struggled to fit into this one here and hence the garage is the main repository of our books and furniture plus all the gear you need with children and for the beach. One of the growing issues has been the retention of schoolwork over the years and my eldest did a great job this morning of culling and consolidation and now that she has no science to do anymore (joy of joys) all of that work could go out. My own clear-out and consolidation was electronics-related in that over decades one can accumulate cables, pieces of kit never used, telephone paraphernalia and videoing stuff plus the detritus of all sort of technologies, some of them now totally redundant. It was incredibly cathartic and though I know the concept of de-cluttering is well known and I can add no wisdom to it, it is nonetheless tremendously satisfying when one actually does it. Knowing the theory is one thing, doing it is another. It is a concept that I am determined to bring to my business this year, in terms of supposed clients, supposed contacts and a tendency to say "yes" to all requests for assistance;I am told this is nothing strange in the world of consultancy. Roger Hamilton of Wealth Dynamic talks of either multiplying or magnifying one's business and having spent 2009 multiplying mine I am going to spend 2010 magnifying it. Doing a better and fuller job for less clients and helping grow their business more; forgetting about growing mine and never forgetting to grow theirs. Again this is going to be a challenge and I'd invite "followers" to keep me up to the mark. Time for dinner, more soon. Cheers, Jonathan.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Price versus Value
It occurs to me that many people (though none reading this of course)are far more concerned with price than value and sadly some don't even know the difference. Often there is a perception that if something is relatively cheap it must be good value and surprise is expressed when the quality of the product or service don't live up to expectations. Consistent with that view is a defined reticence to pay for service. This jaundiced view is often a function of poor experience, making it harder for those that follow on after. Whilst there is much gnashing of teeth in terms of the lack of service in restaurants for example though by no means exclusively there is a widespread belief it shouldn’t be necessary to pay any differential to receive a better service. The corollary is that service providers can be reluctant to go the extra distance as they cannot receive a commensurate lift in margin because their competitors receive much the same sort of price for less effort. What quality suppliers know of course is that quality service with an appropriate price equals good value. Good value equals happy customers and repeat business. It can be a challenge to achieve this balance and to be frank it is a never ending battle considering competitive pressures and changing cost structures, most of which are outwith our control. What is within our control is doing what we say we're going to do, doing it right in the right time frame and above all with good grace. Whatever is our business, job or role it is our choice to be doing it. That too can be a challenge and we all need help in that regard.
Networking- a Perspective, Netweaving - a Different Perspective Networking - a Perspective
Much is made of networking and networking groups and rightly so but let me share with you some of my own views on the subject.
Many people think that exchanging business cards is networking. I think not. Certainly it maybe the beginning of a relationship but quality referrals, real connections and workable associations are not created by the exchange of cards but by the relationship created after that first meeting. Trust and understanding are not resident in a small piece of card but in shared time, experience and an exchange of views. These need to be worked at but at a minimum should be follow-up meetings over a coffee or drink and possibly a lunch. The time-honoured virtues of sharing food and drink cannot be overestimated and often determines whether the first blush of friendship/shared interests can be sustained and translated into an ongoing relationship. Obviously we’ve all limited time and one needs to be highly selective about the follow-up meetings or you would never have time for anything else. (Tell me about it!)
Many a networker tries to add people to their network; it’s an acquisitive mindset that is ultimately quite limiting. An alternative “MO” is to try to become part of another’s network. This can be partly achieved by giving value first; this is more of a giving perspective and the result is that you may become part of someone else’s network. The net effect might at first glance seem the same but the substantive difference is that now one has access to your new friend’s entire network rather than that one person just tacking on to yours .
Netweaving - a Different Perspective
As suggested above there is a real case for giving value first. It establishes the fact that one is not just “on the take, on the make” and demonstrates that one has a real interest in the other person. It has the potential, if one was purely cynical, to “bank credit” and to unbalance the ledger. This however is again limiting and lacks goodwill. Whilst there can be positive returns from doing people favours they cannot be guaranteed, they may be well in the future or not at all. Looking for a return sets one up for disappointment and resentment; even with the best intent and will in the world there may not be an opportunity or at least not for some time.
What is joyous though is putting people together for their mutual benefit and not directly yours, beyond a warm fuzzy feeling. Playing broker, exploring connections and bringing disparate people together to potentially achieve the previously unthought-of concept is brilliant. The facilitator can bask in the reflected glory knowing that they have been instrumental in creating something that wouldn’t have happened otherwise. If one is remembered, thanked or rewarded all the better but if not it is good enough to have simply done good.
I suggest reading Geoffrey Gitomer and his "Little Black Book of Connections" on this subject.
Many people think that exchanging business cards is networking. I think not. Certainly it maybe the beginning of a relationship but quality referrals, real connections and workable associations are not created by the exchange of cards but by the relationship created after that first meeting. Trust and understanding are not resident in a small piece of card but in shared time, experience and an exchange of views. These need to be worked at but at a minimum should be follow-up meetings over a coffee or drink and possibly a lunch. The time-honoured virtues of sharing food and drink cannot be overestimated and often determines whether the first blush of friendship/shared interests can be sustained and translated into an ongoing relationship. Obviously we’ve all limited time and one needs to be highly selective about the follow-up meetings or you would never have time for anything else. (Tell me about it!)
Many a networker tries to add people to their network; it’s an acquisitive mindset that is ultimately quite limiting. An alternative “MO” is to try to become part of another’s network. This can be partly achieved by giving value first; this is more of a giving perspective and the result is that you may become part of someone else’s network. The net effect might at first glance seem the same but the substantive difference is that now one has access to your new friend’s entire network rather than that one person just tacking on to yours .
Netweaving - a Different Perspective
As suggested above there is a real case for giving value first. It establishes the fact that one is not just “on the take, on the make” and demonstrates that one has a real interest in the other person. It has the potential, if one was purely cynical, to “bank credit” and to unbalance the ledger. This however is again limiting and lacks goodwill. Whilst there can be positive returns from doing people favours they cannot be guaranteed, they may be well in the future or not at all. Looking for a return sets one up for disappointment and resentment; even with the best intent and will in the world there may not be an opportunity or at least not for some time.
What is joyous though is putting people together for their mutual benefit and not directly yours, beyond a warm fuzzy feeling. Playing broker, exploring connections and bringing disparate people together to potentially achieve the previously unthought-of concept is brilliant. The facilitator can bask in the reflected glory knowing that they have been instrumental in creating something that wouldn’t have happened otherwise. If one is remembered, thanked or rewarded all the better but if not it is good enough to have simply done good.
I suggest reading Geoffrey Gitomer and his "Little Black Book of Connections" on this subject.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
The immediacy of communications is reducing our abilities to communicate!
I have recently signed-up to a service provided by VM Direct of the USA. They provide a video emailing product, suitable for mass mail-outs, the use of auto-responders, live broadcasts and double opt-ins to ensure we all adhere to the various Spam Acts. I am convinced that video emailing is the future of emailing. I am also convinced that the rise and rise of Twitter Speak and SMS Language is destroying our language and reducing the number of words in common usage, particularly, but not exclusively, amongst the young. This raises real concerns and I am reminded of Big Brother's desire to remove words from the language in George Orwell's 1984 because it reduced people's ability to think and hence increased his ability to control them. Whilst we know that that about 80% of communication "face to face" is non-verbal more and more "communication" is via various media on the Internet (using text) and of course pnoens of one description or another and thus we are missing out on many of the nuances of human interaction. Skype is playing its part and video emailing can help start to reduce that trend. We all have experienced times when our emails, texts and even blogs are written in one tone but are received in another tone and are thus have been misinterpreted. With video emailing we can add the emotion and tones that "fit"the message and can be redone if they don't sound just right. If you want to know more, either of my views or of the product before you take it please fell free to drop me a line or two. Sadly the file type of my video messaging is non compatible with the blog site and hence this typing of my thoughts. Contact me directly and I will happily video message by return. Cheers, Jonathan.
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