Patience.
Calm
Stressed to the Max
At Peace with one’s self
Fast
Slow
Too Much
Too Little
Knowing more than enough.
Not knowing enough.
Silence
Chaos
Destruction
Renaissance
Sadness
Joy
Old –
Young.
SKINNY
fat
An exercise in introspection.
“Space: the final frontier. These are the voyages of the Starship Enterprise. Its five-year mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations — to boldly go where no one has gone before.”
Espace Bell…what a journey it has been.
In the early days, Bell Distribution was where it was at. Limitless possibilities, highly motivated individuals who worked as a truly unified team to revolutionize the way Bell Canada and Bell Mobility did business. Looking back over the seven years, my company (and I will always consider BDI to be my company even though I am no longer employed by BDI directly) has evolved in ways its initial founders could never have imagined.
In its simplest form, BDI was created to merge the operations of PhoneCentre/TeleBoutique (Traditional Bell Canada Wireline Retail locations) and the independently owned/controlled Bell Mobility retail locations in order to create synergies, operating efficiencies, scalability, economies of scale, and provide a new growth engine for the enterprise.
BDI’s founding members had all the drive, excitement, passion, and economic resources to truly invigorate the way Bell Canada did business. A clear, well thought out mission and vision was key to BDI’s runaway success. BDI was a combination of both old and new; Partnering and Co-Operating were the new defacto standard. As an employee of BDI you fully understood your role; everyone at BDI was responsible for truly managing some facet of the organization. Bottom up management was deemed as the only productive and value creating way. Virtual teams, cross functional teams, and true customer focus. It was about the relentless pursuit of charting uncharted territories. True responsibilities, accountabilities, and rewards were the norm.
Age, Politics, Gender, Race, and Socio-Economic status were irrelevant. It was about who could do the best job; Every single employee truly brought value to the organization. Why do I say this? Because a great deal of effort went into planning the organizational structure and employee hierarchy within BDI. Even BDI’s flagship head office was developed and designed in a way that promoted barrier free, open thinking. An employee’s dream work oasis (at least it was for me).
So what’s my point? I’m hoping with the right people engaged we can reclaim this culture. Re-invigorate. Plan a new future together and boldly go where others dare not. Selfless motivation and the relentless pursuit of excellence is what I believe to be the key to reinvigorating our workforce. Each and every one of us is responsible for instilling motivation and work-life balance so that people can breathe, have fun, and be extremely productive stakeholders.
So I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately. I’ve been evaluating my priorities, my quality of life, the things that drive me, the things that make me weak, and really have taken a step back to think. I’m going to use the next week to come to terms with my life strategy to see if maybe there needs to be an adjustment.
Somewhere along the way I’ve lost track of my personal goals. I’ve been so caught up with everything around me that I’ve forgotten about the most important things in my life.
First of all, I’ve been in a fitness rut…my health has probably been one of lowest items on my ‘list’. I’ve not been eating properly (actually I’ve been eating a lot of crap), I haven’t been exercising (I use to be a gym freak). My energy levels have probably been the lowest they’ve ever been.
I’ve had a lot of things on my mind as of late. What do I want out of life, how do I change my life to ensure that I’m getting what I want out of it?
That’s it for now…we’ll talk again soon.
Medium sized corporations – how do they fit in today’s global economy? Is larger better?
At what point due inefficiencies begin to make their way into growing companies? Growth creates pressure points on a companies ability to operate at the most efficient level. There needs to be a balanced approach to growth. Grow your company too slowly and you’ll get gobbled up by the big guys; grow it too quickly and you’ll get gobbled up by yourself.
Relatively new medium sized corporations are distinct legal entities, with the same entitlements as you or I formed by people who had the drive, and leadership to travel along uncharted territory. Growing corporations have the power to be as sucessful as the next. A brand can only be as powerful as the people who grow it. Officers sometimes fail to take a stand back and evaluate.
How can this be accomplished? – Evaluate using the question , Why?
To really evaluate analysis must go deep, getting at the very core of the corporations existence. Analysis need not take a lot of time, just a great deal of effort. One need only analyze the answers to the following questions in order to do an evaluation:
1. How is the corporation surviving
2. How is it thriving
3. How is it diving
Some of my best friends are Who, What, Where, When, and Why. Bureaucracy is inevitable – its something that will always exist in large corporations. It’s how large corporations survive. An enterprising organization takes a balanced approach to figuring itself out.
A corporation needs a self identity regardless of how big or small – and it is usually when a corporation whose performance has been lack lustre in the past few year which eventually precipitates a loss of self identity. A loss of corporate self identity can also lead to lack lustre financial performance. It is my understanding that small to medium sized corporations have the best understanding of their companies self identity, its strategic thrust, its reason for existence. In medium sized corporations fewer people have the ability to instill greater change (when compared to larger organizations with greater amounts of people). This is not to say that these larger organizations should respond by divesting themselves of their employees and associated intellectual capital, but rather create new enterprises where these people will have a greater opportunity to succeed, thrive, grow revenues and profits.
Balance. Innovate. Take risks which require little mitigation, yet reap in-proportionately large rewards. Do the hard things.
So I think its time for a little rant.
Where did all of my creativity go? It feels like I’m being ‘consumed’, sucked dry of the qualities that make me, me. Conform to the Norm? That’s fucking bullshit.
What intrigues me?
Innovation
New Technology
Politics
World Issues
Social Economic Trends
People
This thing called ‘The Universe’
Our E-volving Global Society
I’m not sure if its time for a life change, but it sure is getting close. I can feel it.
I can feel that happiness is hard to achieve. Its hard to achieve because we don’t let ourselves achieve it.
I thought things would get easier with age, but they are just getting harder.
I want to be able to better ‘leverage’ my abilities, my dreams, my skills, my knowledge and its capacity to influence the future.
Everyday should be like a fresh of clean air – strong, invigorating. I’m going to remember to breathe a little more often.
Research on the origins of sexual orientation is not a recent phenomenon; however, it has received much attention in recent years. This recent public attention is most likely due to the findings steady with the notion of relatively simple links between genes and sexual orientation. Research into sexual orientation simplistically referred to as “gay gene” research is an example of research that provokes intense controversy. Following a thorough analysis of the argument regarding whether or not to conduct genetic research into sexual orientation, I will argue that genetic research should not be conducted into sexual orientation.
Genetic research into sexual orientation has been taking place for years. This research however, has not brought about any substantial findings to indicate the basis for sexual orientation to date, and has taken place in many forms. Researchers have looked into evidence of sexual orientation in bodily features; have looked at neuroanatomical structures, the endocrine system, bodily postures and behaviours as well as studying identical and fraternal twins. Even with this vast amount of research, there has not been any revelation as to the source of the origin of sexual orientation. It previously appeared that sexual orientation was the result of a combination of both genetic and environmental influences following twin studies however recent heritability studies consistently find that almost half the twins pairs are discordant for sexual orientation even though they share the same genes and similar environments (Boetzkes, 470). Clearly, this finding re-emphasizes how little is actually known about the origins of sexual orientation.
This research is discriminatory and worrisome since it has been used to harm homosexual people. Many gay men and lesbians have been forced to undergo “treatments” in order to change their orientation. Other people who are vulnerable to the discriminations of society undergo treatment to escape the discrimination and social disapproval. This type of research treats homosexuals as though they are “unnatural and not normal” human beings. Gay and lesbians are already living in such a suppressed homophobic society and having research conducted into their sexual orientation just reiterates the view of homophobias that being “gay” is wrong and that we must find out the cause so that it can be preventable in the future. Hence, genetic research should not be conducted because it is leading to the “treatment” of homosexuality.
Furthermore, in regards to “gay genes”, genes cannot even directly specify any behaviours or psychological phenomena. In order for the term “gay gene” to have an accurate connotation scientists need to propose that, a particular gene organizes the brain specifically to support the desire to have sex with people of the same sex. However, no one yet has obtained evidence in support of such a simple and direct link between genes and sexual orientation (Boetzkes, 471).
In addition, genetic research into sexual orientation should not be done since its very motivation for seeking the “origin” of homosexuality has its source within a homophobic social setting. Homosexuals are still being treated as “outcasts” and different amongst our so called “normal” society and this type of research is just perpetuating and strengthening the prejudicial attitudes that exist. This type of research will accentuate the views that homosexuals are abnormal and unwanted. By conducting such research, we would be sending a message as though being a homosexual is a “disease” in which we need to find a cure for in order to prevent future people from contracting such a terrible “disease”.
Consequently, genetic research could lead to prenatal tests that claim to detect for genes or hormonal levels that might predispose for homosexuality (Boetzkes, 472). In response, if parents believe that they are able to predict the sexual orientation of an unborn fetus by using a prenatal screening technique, it is possible that they will choose to abort the fetus. By introducing such research and prenatal screenings, we are opening the door to eliminating any person that does not fit our “perfect ideal, ‘normal’ ” person within our highly judgmental society. People would be classifying homosexual tending fetuses as a means to abort just as people classify predisposed mentally retarded fetuses. Similarly, already in China, prenatal testing is taking place to determine the sex of the fetus. If the fetuses are female, they are a means to abortion. Are we going to kill off every fetus that does not live up to the perfections or expectations of society?
It might be objected to my thesis that genetic research into sexual orientation will provide answers to century-old questions surrounding the view that homosexuality is unnatural or abnormal. Furthermore, if indeed sexual orientation is found to be genetic than maybe it will alter the belief system of those people who believe that sexual orientation is a choice when it is not. It may also provide answers to lesbians and gay men themselves who want to know how they developed their orientation. It could also provide answers for heterosexual parents who have bred homosexual children. In addition, since “God” has declared homosexuality sinful and unnatural, a found genetic basis could alter the views of the church. Knowing that a person has not chosen their sexual orientation could also make the case for gay and lesbian rights. (Boetzkes, 473). The idea is that scientific research will reveal that people do not choose their sexual orientation and therefore should not be punished or discriminated against (Boetzkes, 474). Genetic research into sexual orientation is encouraged by some people because they feel that it will help dispel homophobic attitudes in society. People argue that if you can show that homosexuality hash a strong genetic component than homosexuality is not the result of some “sinful” or unethical choice that individuals have made, but rather has a biological origin.
The idea of prenatal screening has also been objected. It has been said that abortions of predisposed homosexual fetuses should not be a concern because it has been claimed that this sort of genetic screening will not become a usual act, because “diagnostic testing is at present the exception rather than the rule” (Boetzkes, 475). It is believed that most people would not choose to have such prenatal testing conducted.
Lastly, various scholars in defense of this genetic research appeal to the “value of truth” stating “knowledge is better than ignorance”. (Boetzkes, 476).
These objections however fail for numerous reasons. The idea that genetic research will provide answers about the origin of sexual orientation, particularly if it is biological, will only be serving the interests and minds of discriminatory societies, not the gay or lesbians that live within it. What good will this genetic research serve to homosexuals? What if we find out the origin of homosexuality whether it be biological, genetic, or environmental and we are still not able to alter it? Then what will be people’s response? The bottom line is that it should not matter if the origin is biological environmental or a mixture of both. Gay and lesbians should have rights no matter what the basis is. The fact is that many homosexuals have accepted their lifestyles and have adapted quite well. Furthermore, even if people have “chosen” their sexual orientation they should be given the same rights and opportunities that heterosexuals are given. We are living in a country that has the “right to choose”. Basically, “we should not grip arguments that seek to legitimate homosexuality by denying that there is any choice in sexual preference, because the implicit premise of such arguments is that if there was a choice, then homosexuals would be blameworthy” (Boetzkes, 475). Clearly, I believe that people will always have their homophobic attitudes regardless of whether the origin was biological or not. Lastly, in response to genetic screening, if this testing became available people would definitely want to use it because such traits are so heavily undesired by a largely prejudicial society.
Obviously I cannot imagine any good that could come of genetic research into sexual orientation due to our overwhelming homophobic societies. To what extent will researchers go to find their answer? Research is extremely costly, and the knowledge of knowing the origin of sexual orientation is definitely not sufficiently necessary. Money should be going towards the research of severe life threatening diseases and towards educating the youth of tomorrow of the differences that exist within our society and how to accept them.
Society should be focusing on “curing” homophobic people in societies rather than the homosexuals themselves.
Intrapreneur is a person who focuses on innovation and creativity and who transforms a dream or an idea into a profitable venture, by operating within the organizational environment. Thus, Intrapreneurs are Inside entrepreneurs who follow their founder’s example. Intrapreneurs, by definition, embody the same characteristics as the Entrepreneur, conviction, passion, and drive. If the company is supportive, the Intrapreneur succeeds. When the organization is not, the Intrapreneur usually fails or leaves to start a new company.
Your work day resides within a welcoming, open environment
You believe in the power of new ideas
Where one of your policies is “Honesty is the best Policy”
You have an “I can do it, and will” attitude
You know the power of “Execution, Execution, Execution, and more Execution”
Everytime a roadblock appears, you speed right through it
You understand the matchstick analogy
Hi Everyone,
It’s been qutie awhile since we’ve last chatted. I hope your holiday season went well, as usual mine was quite hectic (but festive and memorable at the same time).
My parents and grandparents went in together and gave me my NANO CUBE…it’s awesome. It’s taken awhile, but I now have the correct specific gravity (salinity of water) and my live sand substrate in the tank. I’m ordering the live tonga rock from BC (the supplier is currently out of stock) and I am hoping to have it live in the tank by mid month.
Now…as for 2006. I’ve decided that 2006 is going to be dedicated to the re-invention of myself. You might be asking yourself…why would you need to re-invent yourself. Well the answer to that question is that I had become complacent, and frankly quite bored with my life. Now this isn’t some new years resolution (although it may seem like one). I’ve been slowly re-inventing myself and the things I do, over the past month and a bit.
I have always lived by my mantra of ‘continuous improvement’.
I started this blog over a year ago, as a means of self expression. The intent of this blog was for no one elses benefit but my own. I always found writing to be an effective tool for self expression, and it made and continues to make logical sense to use this medium.
I have significant milestone coming up in 3 months, it’s my induction into the ‘Quarter Century Club’. Scary…yes real scary. What’s even more scary is that five years ago I would never have imagined my life to be as it is today(both good and bad).
I think I’m starting to ramble…oh well. Just a reminder to all of you out there, January 23, 2006 is election day in Canada. It appears that the Conservative camp have released what it seems to be the first negative campaign ad. Interestingly enough, they aired the ad based on speculation that the Liberals would be launching a negative ad campaign. AU contraire, the somewhat slow and obviously ill-strategized campaign seems to have made the last half of the election campaign. GOod ones Harper clan…now that Liberals can state that it was in fact the conservatives who launched the negative campaign…and that in fact they were merely “REACTING”.
Hahahahahaha…this is going to be quite the interesting election night lead up
Strategic Initiatives – What are they?
Strategic initiatives are projects which add value to an enterprise through the use of information technology. In order to achieve success, the project team must ensure that the project will create a significant return on investment for the organization’s stakeholders.
How the project should be evaluated:
The acceptable Return on Investment amount (dollar or percentage) should be agreed upon prior to the analysis work being initiated.
Substantial research should be undertaken to determine the specific reaons for the project’s creation. This research should include productive discussions with the project sponsor. The information collected should act as a base from which the project’s scope can be created. Based on the project’s scope, one can then estimate the approximate cost associated with the project’s implementation. The next step includes analyzing the potential value the project will create. The expected benefits associated with the strategic initiative must then be analyzed against the expected or estimated cost. A dollar value must be associated with the tangible and intangible benefits. The dollar value associated with the strategic initiatives intangible benefits should be validated with Subject Matter Experts.
Once the project costs and benefits have been analyzed, the project team along with the Project Sponsor will determine whether the project creates enough stakeholder value to warrant the strategic initiative.