Rework: one tiny decision at a time…
A Better, Easier Way To Succeed In Business for ChangeThis.com
by Jason Fried & David Heinemeier Hansson
In the real world, you canʼt have over a dozen employees spread out across eight different cities over two continents. In the real world, you canʼt attract millions of customers without any salespeople or advertising. In the real world, you canʼt reveal your formula for success to the rest of the world. But weʼve done all those things and prospered. The real world isn’t a place, itʼs an excuse. Itʼs a justification for not trying. It has nothing to do with you.
continue…
Indeed, well worth making the cuppa, and sitting down for a read…
Most People Don’t Know Who They Are…
Now, this what I’m talking about…
For me, it was my first trip to Africa, and then becoming a Mother.
And for you?
Wrecked for the Ordinary: A Manifesto for Misfits
By Jeff Goins for ChangeThis.com
Something is missing. Something important. Something necessary to making a difference in the world. And most are afraid to find out what it is.
This is a manifesto about the discovery process of finding what’s missing. It’s not as glamorous as a get-rich-quick scheme or as mystical as New Age spirituality. It doesn’t shine with the veneer of a car salesmen’s suit or catch your eye like a pretty girl. No, it more likely grabs your attention like a week-old bag of garbage sitting in the corner or piques your interest like nails on a chalkboard. Yes, it’s hard, but it can’t be denied.
In each of our stories, there is a moment when all of our priorities, all of our concerns, are shifted. Our identity begins to change with it. We sense a disparity between what is and what should be. There is a nagging feeling in our souls that something’s been wrong with the world for a while, and when this Moment happens, the feeling is no longer bearable. You no longer “fit” into the old world. You’ve seen too much, heard too many things, and you can’t go back to ordinary living.
continue…
Time and travel stress…what mothers do!
This is a great little piece from Deborah Gough for The Age
GIULIA Baggio’s mad mornings are a familiar tale of hustling children from bed, dropping them to kinder and school, hurried goodbyes, then a race to work through rat runs to avoid traffic, only to be funneled, bumper-to-bumper, onto the main routes into the city.
When she sits down to a plate of cereal at her desk to ”start” her day at 9.30 am it is almost a relief…
…People who considered themselves time poor were 6 per cent less satisfied with life than those who did not define themselves that way, the research found.
Of those who said they were unhappy, 46 per cent said ”time” was a factor and problems with public transport’s cost (34 per cent), regularity (43) and availability (44) were also factors…
Abbott & Costello buying a computer….
I had to add this to the blog.
No, it’s not directly related to being an entrepreneurial mother but Yes, it could almost be a conversation I would be capable of having, only not as clever!
Besides which, it’s TOO good! I’m sure this IS what they would do if they were still here! If it doesn’t quite make sense or tickle you, then you are either too old or too young…sorry! Do yourself a favour and borrow a DVD or two of their work. Very clever…
For those of us who sometimes get flustered by our computers, or the people who know more about them than us, enjoy…
If Bud Abbott and Lou Costello were alive today, their infamous sketch, ‘Who’s on First?’ might have turned out something like this:
COSTELLO CALLS TO BUY A COMPUTER FROM ABBOTT
ABBOTT: Super Duper computer store. Can I help you?COSTELLO: Thanks I’m setting up an office in my den and I’m thinking about buying a computer.
ABBOTT: Mac?
COSTELLO: No, the name’s Lou.
ABBOTT: Your computer?
COSTELLO: I don’t own a computer. I want to buy one.
ABBOTT: Mac?
COSTELLO: I told you, my name’s Lou.
ABBOTT: What about Windows?
COSTELLO: Why? Will it get stuffy in here?
ABBOTT: Do you want a computer with Windows?
COSTELLO: I don’t know. What will I see when I look at the windows?
ABBOTT: Wallpaper.
COSTELLO: Never mind the windows. I need a computer and software.
ABBOTT: Software for Windows?
COSTELLO: No. On the computer! I need something I can use to write proposals, track expenses and run my business. What do you have?
ABBOTT: Office.
COSTELLO: Yeah, for my office. Can you recommend anything?
ABBOTT: I just did.
COSTELLO: You just did what?
ABBOTT: Recommend something.
COSTELLO: You recommended something?
ABBOTT: Yes.
COSTELLO: For my office?
ABBOTT: Yes.
COSTELLO: OK, what did you recommend for my office?
ABBOTT: Office.
COSTELLO: Yes, for my office!
ABBOTT: I recommend Office with Windows.
COSTELLO: I already have an office with windows! OK, let’s just say I’m sitting at my computer and I want to type a proposal. What do I need?
ABBOTT: Word.
COSTELLO: What word?
ABBOTT: Word in Office.
COSTELLO: The only word in office is office.
ABBOTT: The Word in Office for Windows.
COSTELLO: Which word in office for windows?
ABBOTT: The Word you get when you click the blue ‘W’.
COSTELLO: I’m going to click your blue ‘w’ if you don’t start with some straight answers. What about financial bookkeeping? You have anything I can track my money with?
ABBOTT: Money.
COSTELLO: That’s right. What do you have?
ABBOTT: Money.
COSTELLO: I need money to track my money?
ABBOTT: It comes bundled with your computer.
COSTELLO: What’s bundled with my computer?
ABBOTT: Money.
COSTELLO: Money comes with my computer?
ABBOTT: Yes.. No extra charge.
COSTELLO: I get a bundle of money with my computer? How much?
ABBOTT: One copy.
COSTELLO: Isn’t it illegal to copy money?
ABBOTT: Microsoft gave us a license to copy Money.
COSTELLO: They can give you a license to copy money?
ABBOTT: Why not? THEY OWN IT!
(A few days later)
ABBOTT: Super Duper computer store. Can I help you?
COSTELLO: How do I turn my computer off?
ABBOTT: Click on ‘START’……….…
The next SURVIVOR Series…how to be called Mum!
Whilst this is tongue in cheek, and maybe not so fair in parts, it does emphasise what many a mother could deem to be true…
Who would apply do you think?
Six married men will be dropped on an island with one car and 3 kids each for six weeks.
Each kid will play two sports and either take music or dance classes.
There is no fast food.
Each man must take care of his 3 kids; keep his assigned house clean, correct all homework, and complete science projects, cook, do laundry, and pay a list of ‘pretend’ bills with not enough money.
In addition, each man will have to budget in money for groceries each week.
Each man must remember the birthdays of all their friends and relatives, and send cards out on time–no emailing.
Each man must also take each child to a doctor’s appointment, a dentist appointment and a haircut appointment.
He must make one unscheduled and inconvenient visit per child to the doctor or hospital.
He must also make biscuits or cakes for a social function.
Each man will be responsible for decorating his own assigned house, planting flowers outside and keeping it presentable at all times.
The men will only have access to television when the kids are asleep and all chores are done.
The men must shave their legs, wear makeup daily, adorn himself with jewellery, wear uncomfortable yet stylish shoes, keep fingernails polished and eyebrows groomed.
During one of the six weeks, the men will have to endure severe abdominal cramps, back aches, and have extreme, unexplained mood swings but never once complain or slow down from other duties.
They must attend weekly school meetings, church, and find time at least once to spend the afternoon at the park or a similar setting.
They will need to read a book to the kids each night and in the
morning, feed them, dress them, brush their teeth and comb their hair by 8:00 am.A test will be given at the end of the six weeks, and each father will be required to know all of the following information:
each child’s birthday,
height,
weight,
shoe size,
clothes size
and doctor’s name.Also the child’s weight at birth,
length,
time of birth,
and length of labour,
each child’s favourite colour,
middle name,
favourite snack,
favourite song,
favourite drink,
favourite toy,
biggest fear
and what they want to be when they grow up.All the above must be completed whilst working in either full time
(preferably) or part time employment to assist in the financial input for the family.The kids vote them off the island based on performance.
The last man wins only if… he still has enough energy to be intimate with his spouse at a moment’s notice.If the last man does win, he can play the game over and over and over again for the next 18-25 years eventually earning the right…
To be called Mum!
Sass & Bide – Madame Clicquot would be proud!…
Sass & Bide’s Sarah-Jane Clarke and Heidi Middleton are the Australian winners of the Veuve Clicquot Business Woman Award 2010.
The award commemorates Madame Clicquot, who was arguably the first woman entrepreneur. Janet Holmes à Court, a previous winner of the Award and chair of the Australian judging panel, said: “Madame Clicquot was an innovator with global ambitions; creative, brave, tenacious, unconventional and ahead of her time.” said Janet Holmes à Court. “These are qualities the Veuve Clicquot Business Woman Award recognises and celebrates, and which Sarah-Jane and Heidi possess in abundance.”
The Veuve Clicquot Business Woman Award began in France in 1972 to commemorate Madame Clicquot, and to honour women who possess her qualities of vision, innovation, entrepreneurial drive, leadership, individuality and tenacity.
read on…
aCE talentNET Professional Edge Feb2010
The latest from the aCE talentNET Professional Edge…
Enjoy!
Congratulations to those of you that have successfully completed Feb Fast… and for those of you a bit more like me (i.e. totally committed to abstaining from alcohol and bad food during the week but with waning resolve during the weekend) well done for giving it a go!!! Fortunately it was a short month, made even shorter by promising pipeline activity. It seems that my predictions made at the beginning of the year are indeed holding true, with much evidence of a general upturn in recruitment activity for HR and L&D teams. Whilst a lot of activity is in Sydney, in my experience there is only a short time lag before the same activity hits the Melbourne…. so be ready!
There is also increasing evidence that more budget is being directed to leadership development. So with this in mind, it is timely to direct you to a recent article headed ‘Dirty Words’ by Jay Cross in the Chief Learning Magazine. Needless to say the article title caught my eye. But so too did it’s content. It is always a good heads up to us professionals to be reminded about how our lingo and jargon can be construed by weary executive teams. Jay considers that typical words and phrases used ad nauseum can have a negative impact on those very people we need to support these important initiatives. Read this article to find out why we should stay away from using such words as learning, learner, social learning, knowledge management, informal learning, ROI and more. You may not entirely agree but the overall sentiment of the article is indeed food for thought.
All the best for March-Madness!
Deirdre
continue…
Having it all but missing out on so much…
A thought provoking gem from Emma Alberici…
this is only a snippet so be sure to read on
…Contrary to popular opinion, when a mother works she does have it all … all the burdens of home that is. This includes the burden of guilt about the lack of time she has to devote to her children. This is made worse by the constant research papers that must surely be designed to exacerbate that guilt. Recently there have been a spate of studies showing that the children of working mothers are overweight, unhealthy, unhappy, watch too much television etc. Where are the fathers in all this?…
…Many women are enablers. Equality must start at home if it’s to be achieved in the workplace. If men aren’t demanding flexibility at the office, the women who work alongside them won’t get it either and it shouldn’t then be a surprise that women will continue to feel frustrated by a society that expects so much of them and so much less of their spouse…continue
common sense….
I’m not sure where this actually came from, but it speaks for itself really…
An Obituary printed in the London Times* – Interesting and sadly rather true.
Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape.
He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as:
- Knowing when to come in out of the rain;
- Why the early bird gets the worm;
- Life isn’t always fair;
- Maybe it was my fault;
- The laws might actually be there for a reason.Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don’t spend more than you can earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in charge).
His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.
Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children. It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an aspirin to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.
Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims. Common Sense took a beating when you couldn’t defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault.
Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement. Common Sense was preceded in death, by his parents, Truth and Trust, by his wife, Discretion, by his daughter, Responsibility, and by his son, Reason.
He is survived by his 4 stepbrothers; I Know My Rights, I Want It Now, Someone Else Is To Blame, and I’m A Victim
Not many attended his funeral because so few realised he was gone. If you still remember him, pass this on. If not, join the majority and do nothing.
why ‘mother’ is a verb….
why we love our mothers (thank you Denise den-Bakker)…
Mom and Dad were watching TV when Mom said, ‘I’m tired, and it’s getting late. I think I’ll go to bed’.
She went to the kitchen to make sandwiches for the next day’s lunches. Rinsed out the popcorn bowls, took meat out of the freezer for supper the following evening, checked the cereal box levels, filled the sugar container, put spoons and bowls on the table and started the coffee pot for brewing the next morning. She then put some wet clothes in the dryer, put a load of clothes into the washer, ironed a shirt and secured a loose button. She picked up the game pieces left on the table, and put the phone back on the charger. She watered the plants, emptied a wastebasket and hung up a towel to dry.
She yawned and stretched and headed for the bedroom. She stopped by the desk, wrote a note to the teacher, counted out some cash for the field trip, and pulled a text book out from hiding under the chair.
She signed a birthday card for a friend, addressed and stamped the envelope and wrote a quick note for the grocery store. She put both near her purse.
Mom then washed her face with 3 in 1 cleanser, put on her Night solution & age fighting moisturizer, brushed and flossed her teeth and filed her nails…
Dad called out, ‘I thought you were going to bed…’
‘I’m on my way,’ she said.
She put some water into the dog’s dish then made sure the doors were locked and the patio light was on.
She looked in on each of the kids and turned out their bedside lamps and TV’s, hung up a shirt, threw some dirty socks into the hamper, and had a brief conversation with the one up still doing homework.
In her own room, she set the alarm; laid out clothing for the next day, straightened up the shoe rack. She added three things to her 6 most important things to do list. She said her prayers, and visualized the accomplishment of her goals.
About that time, Dad turned off the TV and announced to no one in particular. ‘I’m going to bed’
And he did. without another thought.
Anything extraordinary here? Wonder why women live longer…?
Cause we are made for the long haul….(we can’t die to soon anyway, we still have things to do!)
To all the mothers reading, I salute you!
