Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Noreen.is.Snoring...: The Power of the Six Sigma
Noreen.is.Snoring...: The Power of the Six Sigma: "Sitting on the bookshelf, this book has always caught my eye. I always wondered what the 'Six Sigma' was all about, but I thought, 'It's pro..."
Friday, November 12, 2010
What really triggers motivation?
I was chatting with my nephew last night about the usual - the latest movies, video games, and well, school. I am proud that he has taken up the challenging IB program- the poor guy gets up at 4:30 AM, sits on a bus for two hours to get to school, comes home after a 2 hour bus ride, works on a pile of homework and is lucky to be in bed by 11:00 - certainly not enough sleep for a 15 year old.
In any case, I wonder where all that motivation goes after we start our careers. I think back to when I was in school - what triggered me to make sure I made it to school every day (besides the parent dragging me) - and that I strived to make it to the top of my class at all costs - be it sleep or tv time? Certainly not pay.
Perhaps the idea that we could be going to the best universities? Being socially accepted (so that if someone didn't make it to university they were a social outcast)? Fear? Or, maybe it’s just down to the environment one is surrounded with.
One of the toughest things to deal with at work - is when mediocrity becomes accepted. Being motivated to stay late at the office, go above and beyond at a project, even perhaps state an extra opinion or present passion about something in a meeting is hard to do when one's colleagues are not faced with consequences or the same expectations. I wonder how much motivation really has to do with the 'reward' factor versus being surrounded by people who are held to the same standard and are driven by the same set of goals.
It worked for me at school - we were all enrolled in the IB program, we all had the same goals - and well, if you were not capable of producing results - then off to regular high school curriculum you went.
What motivational triggers are organizations lacking that so many of us in our youth already had?
In any case, I wonder where all that motivation goes after we start our careers. I think back to when I was in school - what triggered me to make sure I made it to school every day (besides the parent dragging me) - and that I strived to make it to the top of my class at all costs - be it sleep or tv time? Certainly not pay.
Perhaps the idea that we could be going to the best universities? Being socially accepted (so that if someone didn't make it to university they were a social outcast)? Fear? Or, maybe it’s just down to the environment one is surrounded with.
One of the toughest things to deal with at work - is when mediocrity becomes accepted. Being motivated to stay late at the office, go above and beyond at a project, even perhaps state an extra opinion or present passion about something in a meeting is hard to do when one's colleagues are not faced with consequences or the same expectations. I wonder how much motivation really has to do with the 'reward' factor versus being surrounded by people who are held to the same standard and are driven by the same set of goals.
It worked for me at school - we were all enrolled in the IB program, we all had the same goals - and well, if you were not capable of producing results - then off to regular high school curriculum you went.
What motivational triggers are organizations lacking that so many of us in our youth already had?
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Managing the demand for tricks & treats!
The jack-o-lanterns are carved, the ghosts and goblins are looming, the witches are stewing their brew and the kids are busy finalizing their costume and hunting down the biggest pillow case for their candy. And the parents? Well, I know my mom is probably excitedly shopping at the local store for the coolest stock of Halloween candy to give out - only to be disappointed when all of 5 kids will show up at the door screaming "Trick or Treat!!"
It never ceases to amaze me, how excited my neighborhood still gets for Halloween. Neighbors that saw me grow up continue to decorate and get into the Halloween spirit, which in my opinion is fine, but they also continue to have extremely large stocks of candy to distribute - despite the fact that hardly any kids come to trick or treat in the area anymore. "Well you never know when a bunch of children might just show up, its always good to be prepared." says Mom. (Prepared for "how things always have been" or "how things are changing?")
Let's examine the trends.
Of course I know! 15 years ago, this neighborhood was relatively new; plenty of kids and young families. The average family spends about 10 years in their home, before either they move into smaller dwellings or their kids grow up and move on to universities. This neighborhood has simply aged. The children have grown up and out of the trick or treating phase. There is simply no demand left for the treats. Yet we expend our time and resources on Halloween extravaganzas, buying loads of candies only to have a personal collection of candy leftover - resulting in your own higher blood sugar and extra indulgences.
Didn't anybody notice that things have changed?!
I guess if we indulge in Halloween treats, it shouldn't come as a surprise when we indulge on our resources within our organizations. We continuously fail to understand true business demand and define proactive behavior by purchasing extra disk space or extra PC's just because "we never know when a bunch of requirements might just show up." Also, by the way, resulting in higher blood sugar and plenty of unnecessary indulgences. Happy Trick or Treat'n!
It never ceases to amaze me, how excited my neighborhood still gets for Halloween. Neighbors that saw me grow up continue to decorate and get into the Halloween spirit, which in my opinion is fine, but they also continue to have extremely large stocks of candy to distribute - despite the fact that hardly any kids come to trick or treat in the area anymore. "Well you never know when a bunch of children might just show up, its always good to be prepared." says Mom. (Prepared for "how things always have been" or "how things are changing?")
Let's examine the trends.
Of course I know! 15 years ago, this neighborhood was relatively new; plenty of kids and young families. The average family spends about 10 years in their home, before either they move into smaller dwellings or their kids grow up and move on to universities. This neighborhood has simply aged. The children have grown up and out of the trick or treating phase. There is simply no demand left for the treats. Yet we expend our time and resources on Halloween extravaganzas, buying loads of candies only to have a personal collection of candy leftover - resulting in your own higher blood sugar and extra indulgences.
Didn't anybody notice that things have changed?!
I guess if we indulge in Halloween treats, it shouldn't come as a surprise when we indulge on our resources within our organizations. We continuously fail to understand true business demand and define proactive behavior by purchasing extra disk space or extra PC's just because "we never know when a bunch of requirements might just show up." Also, by the way, resulting in higher blood sugar and plenty of unnecessary indulgences. Happy Trick or Treat'n!
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