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 TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENT ALONE IS NOT ENOUGH TO MODERNISE BUSINESS - THIS IS WHY It is easily acceptable that modernisation is necessary for continued business existence and success, however the methods and things involved in modernisation of business are debatable. The most telling example of modernisation and keeping with the times in business is technological advancement in the form of information communication technologies(ICTs) and artificial Intelligence (AI). Great strides have been made on this front, use of these tools has resulted in unprecedented efficiencies in doing and running business operations. However the above mentioned examples are only a part of the business set up, the non-human element which must be blended with the human aspect to complete the set up. Technological advancement alone is therefore not enough to modernise business, there has to be a shift in paradigms from the old which were exceptional at their adoption but have become ineffective vis-a-

MILLENNIALS IN THE WORK PLACE -  WHY WE SEEM TO WANT IT ALL HERE & NOW, HEAR IT OUT "Patience is a virtue", "Rome was not built in one day"....so goes a couple of adages in the English language both asserting the importance of patience and ability to stick out the course of time. Very well and true indeed, things happen all in good time and with time we gain invaluable experience and insight into the work we do and our existence in general. However there is a generation to which this writer also belongs, the generation of MILLENNIALS! This generation it would appear is lampooned as the instant, impatient, ungrateful generation of clueless people who demand it all here and now. When they come out of various professional and tertiary training programs and guilds they want occupations with immediate  "perks" which their predecessors had to "earn" through commitment and loyalty to their organisations during the course of time proving thei

WHEN YOUR ANSWER IS NO! - BE UNDERSTOOD STILL, IT'S PROGRESSIVE COMMUNICATION This life is a continuous series of choices and decisions we make as individuals and collectively. We come to moments of agreeing or disagreeing and agreeing to disagree with others. We aslo come to simple yet often difficult situations for us especially as individuals where we have to give our answer as a definite  YES or NO. In leadership the ability to unequivocally give one's position and answer in the form of YES or NO when it is required is very important. One ought to be decisive like that, those working with and under such a leader are bolstered and convinced by the single mindedness which executes with power, focus and direction. It is much better, meaningful and productive to follow a leader who is able to make decisions even tough unpopular ones for the overall good in the long run looking at the bigger picture than following a vacillating unsure leader who hardly makes calls when

WHY YOU SHOULD TAKE ABSOLUTE CHARGE OF YOUR CIRCLE OF INFLUENCE - IT'S YOUR PERSONAL DOMAIN! Daily living is a series of happenings divisible into just two categories i.e. those happenings we have control over and those we have no control over. It is important to realise and accept that some things will happen which we can only express concern about without taking any direct decisive action of our choice to influence the outcome. However it is a mixed bag of such happenings that we have to deal with day in and day out.  Symbolically our existence is simultaneous within two dynamic spheres around each person i.e. the smaller sphere of influence which is representative of all the things we wield influence over, those things over which we have near total if not absolute  control. The second sphere is larger and contains the smaller sphere within it and it is the sphere of concern, it contains all the things in the world which affect us yet we have no direct or any meani

EXPERIENCE ACCRUES TO THE DOER - FELLOW MILLENNIALS & YOUNGER ONES, HERE'S MY TWO CENTS A very true statement nearly all of us grew up hearing; "experience is the best teacher". No matter how much theory one may gather on a subject of practical application, one can never fully grasp its essence without putting the theoretical knowledge to test practically and physically executing. Many a young person complains about being handed the mundane, tiresome and boring tasks at work by their supervisors and managers who are usually a generation or two older, we are often heard saying to our peers "I do all the hard work" Well guess what dear young person; getting to do "all the hard-work" is a blessing in disguise right there! It's an opportunity to test and prove all the theoretical learning one may possess and even formulate new innovative methods in the process. Those "mundane", tiresome and "boring" tasks by virtue

WHEN ONE BETS ON SELF, ONE HAS TREMENDOUS POWER OVER THE ODDS - HERE'S HOW Based on verifiable empirical evidence and algorithmic success of bookies in giving probabilities and expected outcomes it is overwhelmingly convincing to take the odds as they are given. However there is  a different form of bet, a bet so dynamic it can defy the odds anytime and give unexpected results -  the bet on oneself. Betting on the self is a very challenging and daring yet worthwhile move in situations that we come across as people. Nobody is able to say with finality when an individual will break or give in even under extreme circumstances as long as there is life and breath in that individual with a sound mind. One may ask how come? or why? This is because every enlightened individual understands the inherent power to make a call or decide for oneself what to do or how to react in the face of externally induced or created circumstances no matter how good or bad they are. So when one'

BUSINESS TO BUSINESS RELATIONSHIPS - WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THEM WELL, IT'S MORE THAN JUST CLIENT & SUPPLIER TRANSACTIONS Transactions take place around us every day in the form of individual to individual, individual to businesses as well as business to business arrangements. Individual to business transactions like walking into a supermarket and purchasing groceries are simply straight forward with no upfront need for formation of any relationship between the transacting parties. However the other two i.e. individual to individual and business to business transactions are different and it is important to understand them well in order to benefit, grow from them and realise synergistic success. This is important especially for business to business transactions. In business, through the concept of synergy, well-built and nurtured relationships yield much more than the monetary value of the actual transactions to produce a combined effect greater than the su

DID YOU KNOW - YOUR WORK & MINE ALL HAVE A SILENT YET POWERFUL DISTINGUISHING SIGNATURE AND DNA? The level of passion and real, direct interest in what we do forms the DNA and signature to our work. Though intangible and invisible in the physical realm of things it is recognisable and powerful, it can be felt and perceived in the form of vibes and energy around us as we go about doing what we do. Passion and intrinsic interest in one's tasks and activities trumps accumulated credentials and experience tainted by complacency and cockiness any day! It is being present in every situation not only physically but emotionally and mentally as well maintaining focus, being alive to it and sustaining the requisite energy levels to see the task at hand through successfully. Ever experienced a scenario where a situation or anonymous document was being analysed and somebody remarks "this has so-and-so written all over it!"?  Exactly!! How does that happen? - it's that

CAN HARD WORK AND EFFORT REJUVENATE? - YES! HERE'S HOW  & WHEN. Ordinarily hard labour under pressure in gruelling situations where maximum concerted effort is required leaves one exhausted and drained of every ounce of drive and enthusiasm. However, it is possible to be charged up and rejuvenated by hard work and fully exerted  effort. To begin with it is the attitude and stance we adopt in the face of demanding circumstances be they physical or intellectual that determines whether our hard work and effort rejuvenates or leaves us reeling under stress and fatigue. Secondly it is the presence or absence of purpose and vision as we go through these difficult and demanding situations. Picture the following scenario; A football match tournament final  pitting two big teams fighting tooth and nail, they apply all the energy, power and skill employing best strategy and tactics for ninety minutes with the scores tied up, they take a short break and go at it again for another

ARE YOU WAITING FOR PERFECT CONDITIONS TO START WORKING ON YOUR DREAMS? - WELL, GUESS WHAT, THEY'LL NEVER BE PERFECT SO YOU CAN START ANYWAY! Unfavourable circumstances and unconducive conditions  are the most common excuses for the individual who wouldn't start working towards their own aspirations and dreams. These excuses are the kith and kin of procrastination the parent of forfeited success. If and when we are able to articulate our dreams, it is enough to know who we are, where we stand relative to where we intend to end up when our dreams have been broken down to goals with actionable tasks and executed fully. We begin right away from there with the littlest of resources available to us or within our reach. Perfect conditions are an utopia and we do not live in utopia we are in the world on planet earth where conditions never adjust perfectly  to suit an individual's requirements rather the individual studies them carefully and adapts accordingly in order to

BENCHMARKING - WHY IT IS IMPERATIVE NO MATTER HOW DIFFERENTIATED YOU ARE We all strive to be differentiated as organisations and individuals, to stand apart and ahead of the pack in order to achieve recognition, positioning and build a following based on the uniqueness of our offering.  However as important as it is to achieve differentiation there is need to realise that everything we do in our lines of work and business emanates from basic common fundamentals. The common fundamentals combine to form the basis of industrial and professional benchmarks. In our context here and consistent with the New Oxford American dictionary we define the term "benchmark" as "A standard or point of reference against which things may be measured or assessed." Therefore in the process of ascertaining our own level and state of differentiation we discover that it is imperative to benchmark success or direction for improvement. At the present  rate of technological advancem

CAN WE ALL HAVE HAPPINESS RIGHT WHERE WE ARE? - YES WE CAN & HERE'S WHY Happiness happiness, elusive happiness, how shall humanity attain happiness and contentment? So much has been said, researched and written about happiness and its pursuit. We pause for a moment and ask ourselves is happiness really attained by pursuit? or can it be attained by relentlessly going after it like a predator pursues prey? The world is awash with examples to show there are no guarantees for success in that approach. Happiness is actually available to all of us, every living being, how so? Happiness is first of all a state of mind and a conscious choice we make no matter the prevailing material circumstances because it comes from a higher level than just the physical and tangible. Happiness must  ensue from us rather than be pursued as an external object because it will never be found stashed in some secretly located warehouse or hidden treasure trove, each day we wake up we have a choice

WHO WORKS FOR A GOOD COMPANY, SO GOOD THEY CAN BRAG ABOUT? WELL CONGRATULATIONS....BUT, CAN THE COMPANY EQUALLY BRAG ABOUT YOU??? We all have an idea of "THE" companies and organisations which everyone envies to work for, these companies are the standard bearers in their fields of operation within various economies from country to country, some are international  and even rule the roost in the global stage. Such organisations have been built by visionaries, passionate entrepreneurs  with focus and unwavering purpose. The question therefore to each one of us who finds themselves in the payrolls and premises of such companies daily is; ARE WE DOING OUR BIT diligently and vigilantly to ensure we propagate the vision, culture and most of all the kind of work ethic expected of individuals working for such organisations?? If we found it being an iconic organisation getting all the accolades, what are we doing today, right now to ensure the accolades keep coming and the organi

BEYOND THE PAYCHECK AND THE PROFIT-SHARING - WHY WE SHOULD ALL TAKE A PEEK, IT'S WORTH LOOKING Fact: Bills are paid with money, the goods we consume even the most basic ones are bought with money! Hence the necessity for all independent thinking individuals who attain legal age of majority to rise up daily and literally earn a living until they reach at least retirement age when this socio-economic obligation to earn a living gets relaxed. In light of the above we are driven as people to pursue money with ruthless tenacity all  in a bid to secure a comfortable life and get out of the proverbial rat race, we pursue it even with vengeance for being elusive and denying us the good things of life we desire. It is whilst we get lost in these   maddening pursuits and exploits in our various occupations that we lose the point of being alive and forefeit certain invaluable and priceless benefits of being in a work environment and belonging to a certain community with common objectiv

LEADERSHIP; WHY YOU SHOULD NEVER FEEL ALONE THROUGH CHALLENGES AND CONTROVERSY AS A LEADER No matter how good a leader one is, troubles and challenges are guaranteed to come one's way along the course of leadership. This is due to the varying and in some instances competing schools of thought out there and belief systems. So anticipating challenge and controversy is good strategic thinking on every leader's part. Every leader who is authentic and democratic gets buy in and voluntary following of those who share a common vision and ideology with them. This literally makes the leader the face of the group as well as it's voice. However when the inevitable happens and challenges come one's way sometimes leaders feel attacked as individuals and faced with mountains to move alone. This can be disheartening and devastating. It is under such circumstances that as a leader one must realise that as  somebody once said "Though he may battle alone, he fights with the

DID YOU KNOW? - THERE'S PHYSICS AT PLAY IN EVERY SUCCESS STORY Desire alone is not enough, it is a good place to start though, desire is scalar in nature it has magnitude, so much magnitude it can burn one on the inside and we call it a burning desire. However to unlock it and realise victory we must employ  actual calculated vectorial action with both magnitude and direction to get us from where we are right now to where we intend to get, once the action gets rolling and we maintain focus doing what needs to be done in good yet tenacious and unrelenting faith we find ourselves even beyond our imagined ultimate destination. When energy is thrown behind a genuine cause of which there is total conviction no amount of pitfalls and obstacles should deter us from manoeuvring and staying the course. Desire to succeed alone is not enough, it requires the tenacity, determination, perseverance and sober mindedness. Sometimes we need to dig a little deeper and put in more than the bar

WHEN THE VISION FINALLY SPEAKS, WHEN IT TARRIES NO MORE! Having envisaged a certain desired state of affairs and order of things with faith and trust that it surely comes to pass when the time is right, with vivid imagination one can't help but feel as if they have experienced that scenario before in real life. One may also initially feel as if one's mind is playing games with them as things play out, however we soon realise that it is all real and could be happening a second time indeed because it would have occurred in the mind already and validated by our desire to realise it because a visionary always works with the end in mind. The strategy is designed backwards from finish to start and executed forwards with fiery determination. This is what happens when the vision speaks! When it finally comes to pass and tarries no more at the appointed time. Our faith is revived and whatever doubt that may have crept in during the season of waiting is dispelled like the darkness

HOW STEWARDSHIP ACHIEVES MORE - MERE COOPERATION BECOMES TOTAL COLLABORATION Stewardship as a concept is phenomenal, historically a steward was an officer in a royal household  and if one looks up the definition of this word we find among others these three meanings given as follows; (i)A person employed to manage and take care of another's property, big house or estate. (ii) An official appointed to  supervise arrangements or keep order at a large event (iii) A person who looks after the passengers on a ship, aircraft or train and brings them meals It is interesting to note that in one dimension the steward seems to be a lowly individual who looks after passengers, brings them meals whilst they sit and give orders, in another dimension the steward is an official who is appointed to manage the property of another, supervising with authority. The two dimensions may seem to be on the extreme opposite ends with one wielding power and the other having power wielded over them

GOVERNANCE - HOW DO WE ADDRESS SYSTEMIC CRISES WHOSE EFFECTS AFFECT US DIRECTLY AND PERSONALLY? In my formative years with English language not being my mother tongue I would often hear the term GOVERNMENT harped about in the news both on radio and television as well as amongst adults as they deliberated on current affairs. " Government has done this and government is saying that" On and on the discussions would go, so my young self got the impression that Government was this big, strong, powerful, living and breathing  individual who could decree and declare things as he pleased to his subjects. Thanks to education and growing up I began to appreciate as the years went by up to this day that there is no such individual but rather Government is a system by which a nation, state or community is regulated, controlled and run generally. Having grasped the concept of government looking at how things work between citizens and their respective governments and how crises are

MANAGEMENT -  WHY THERE'S A THIN LINE BETWEEN MONITORING AND MEDDLING Managers and leaders work through people, in professional work set ups the relationship between managers and the people under them is that of supervisor and subordinate. In this context we are using that premise to say everyone to whom another person reports is a supervisor  be it the chief executive or president and whoever reports upwards is a subordinate. Supervisors therefore have a duty to ensure that their subordinates understand what is expected of them and impart the relevant knowledge and provide adequate skills training to them in order to carry out their work. As a subordinate carries out tasks repeatedly they gain experience and what is called task-relevant maturity. This is a very essential element for the supervisors to grasp and learn to exploit well. Andrew S. Grove in High output  Management says Task-relevant maturity, has nothing to do with a subordinate's general work experience or

WHEN THE WOES MOUNT & THERE'S NO WAY OUT, REMEMBER THIS - THERE IS ALWAYS A WAY!! There is absolutely nothing new under the sun! Yes nothing at all! One may pause and say really? did your forefathers use nano technology or ever sit in a driverless car? Well they didn't BUT they had their own go at innovation and technological advancement from the stone age, iron age right up to this digital and information age, yet as much as all this may be several centuries apart there is a common denominator - we all have used matter and substance to create what we need and how sophisticated what we have created is relative. So it has always been matter and substance so yes nothing is new under the sun! We have used material analogy above to qualify our statement that nothing is new and the same holds true for life situations good and bad no matter how extreme. So one may find themselves in a fix looking  around and see no solution in sight or way out of the difficult and impossib