Human Mechanics: Awareness, Learning, and Context - Part 1

I have recently found myself picking apart the mechanics of fundamental human processes: Decision-making, learning, adapting, dealing with change, etc. To mention nothing of the psychology involved, it certainly has been a multi-disciplinary approach. Fields ranging from Information Theory to physics have found their way into my process and analysis of this academic study: One that I hope will have practical applicability.

Where to start?

General wisdom through the ages has passed on the adage that people have a tendency to do two things: Seek pleasure and avoid pain. Fueled by advancements in current technology this has been challenged. Dr. Gregory Berns of Emory University has dug more into the “what do humans want?” question. If pleasure is a sensational emotion that only happens occasionally then, it stands to reason, that something more substantive must exist along the way. Take from this that the ideal place to be is somewhere between pleasure and pain: Satisfaction. Let’s first examine this by looking at the definition of pleasure with a simple “define:” search in Google.

“· a fundamental feeling that is hard to define but that people desire to experience; "he was tingling with pleasure"

· joy: something or someone that provides pleasure; a source of happiness;”

Two definitions stand out, yes: The second pointing at joy, or a source of being happy. The first one points to the simple abstraction and how difficult it is to pin down the true meaning of pleasure. Of course, it’s a subjective term, but pleasure is always a positive thing—therefore finding a definition across a sampling of many individuals, many subjectivities, shouldn’t be impossible.

Next, satisfaction:

“· The human experience of being filled and enriched by their experience.”

And:

“ · act of fulfilling a desire or need or appetite”

Imagine moving up a hill: The hilltop represents the completion of the task, winning the prize for the effort that you’ve exerted. Although this supersedes satisfaction into pleasure, pleasure—especially in this context—is fleeting. There is also the downside that exposure to too much pleasure could desensitize its recipient to all but the most intense forms of it. Satisfaction, on the other hand, is achieved as a feeling of atonement for the accomplishment of component tasks of a larger pleasure-bringing project. In the long run, the seeking of satisfaction is better than the seeking of pleasure.

As with all behavioral mechanisms—satisfaction-seeking and pleasure-seeking, for instance, there is a “spectrum” to be observed. On one side of the spectrum of satisfaction there is complacency. Complacency is the maladaptive form of satisfaction. Destructive pleasure-seeking is the maladaptive form of pleasure. We’ll re-visit this topic later.

When we are trying to remember something one way of increase retention levels is to couple the proposed memory with something pleasurable. I’ve heard this recommended as coupling things you want to remember with thoughts of sex; while this might work (especially as a pleasurable form of memory utilization) , it fails to get to the heart of the matter and how memory really functions. Research into how people store memories show that the brain doesn’t store discrete pieces of data—such as the way a hard drive stores data as “1’s” and “0’s”. Instead the human memory is contextual in nature: When a topic was brought up by a person you were having a conversation with, did it make you remember something else? People have different types of memories. Among these are procedural and episodic. As you would imagine, episodic memory deals with the types of memories from your personal experiences and your past. Procedural memory, then, is what I often refer to as “drill memory,” or the type of memory that you utilize when you are doing something that is a set series of steps like brushing your teeth, combing your hair, arming a landmine, or formatting a report.

I read somewhere that people will remember about a third of what they read, half of what they see, and all of what they feel. Why does the “remember something alongside sex” trick work so well? Sex, generally, makes a person feel good: Thoughts that are coupled with satisfying or pleasurable feelings are well-retained. That is not to say, however, that data coupled with painful feelings doesn’t get remembered: It’s just that painful memories can be more easily forgotten and replaced with bad memories or otherwise repressed.

Basic Game theory in Corporate Combat

“Do not take the first step without considering the last.”

—Karl von Clauswitz, “On War”

Anyone can be taught this doctrine for decision-making in the combat of business; but when it comes down to it, everyone makes decisions of risk using their heart: Whether this be from the rational logic of a veteran and hardened combat commander, or based on the feeling leader's passions and prejudices. In a system where multiple intelligent agents come together and the numbers of the interacting agents are small enough as that each has a perceptible influence on the others, a model can be created to describe, predict, and control these interactions. All this is done to maximize returns from these interactions, and in the case of combat: To win.

Games studied by game theory are well-defined, finite, discrete objects. Inasmuch, it consists of a set of players, a set of strategies available, and a return for each combination of strategies. Normally, each player has some information about the choices of the other players, but there are still variables involved. Again, we are trying to eliminate the risk of those remaining variables and uncover the values of all variables possible.

No matter how many variables you uncover, you may not know exactly what the enemy commander will do, for his or her "split moment" decisions are often driven by their instincts: The inherent dispositions towards particular actions; generally inherited as patterns of responses or reactions to specific kinds of situations. They are most easily observed in responses to emotions and actions, generally serving to set in motion mechanisms that evoke an individual to action and are influenced by learning, environments, and natural principles.

Moreover, the better a player's education level, it seems, the more rational their reactions and decisions tend to be.

A symmetric game is one where the returns for utilizing a particular strategy give the same returns regardless of who is playing them. Asymmetric games are often (but not always) such that there are not identical strategy sets for both players. When all strategy combinations add to zero (or, when one player benefits equally to the amount of the others' loss). This is called a zero sum game.

In our battlespaces, all games should be considered sequential games such that later players have some knowledge (but not necessarily perfect knowledge--when all players know the moves previously made by all other players) of the actions of earlier players. This allows for using the "economics of experience" to help in the decision-making process.

Determining the outcome of the geometries of the battlespace can be complex, but remember: Intelligence drives the process of good decision making. Often, the intelligence cycle often uncovers updated or new information. Bayes Theorem shows us an understanding how the probability that a theory is true is affected by a new piece of evidence. One thing that Bayes Theorem shows us is that too much information can adversely affect the decision making process. Too much information can cloud judgment and hinder the combat solution from being a process with a simple result.

This being said: Competent, trained, experienced intelligence staff analysts should be able to turn the incoherence of much information into a coherent stream of highly useful intelligence for its customers. Regardless of how complex the process as a senior combat decision-maker with your staff is, keep the input and the output of the system as simple as possible: Clear, precise, simple orders and maneuvers help to eliminate confusion in the chain of command. Competent and experienced staff advising the commander and the subsequent echelons of leadership helps ensure that the intelligence process runs smoothly, and thus, the decision-making process.

Monkey Mondays: Three For the Price of One

Cowboy Monkey!



Baby Monkeys come to Des Moines...again!


Case of the stolen monkeys!

The Role of Decision in the Enterprise, Part 2

Decision-making is like any other great process: Part science, part art. The science that goes into a decision, however, is quite the feat: Including probability theory, risk assessment, and information theory, just to name a few disciplines that go into something that each of us practice each and every day.

Whereas just a generation ago information was usually consumed in discrete pockets: Morning newspapers, evening newscasts, and perhaps hourly news on the radio, for instance. Today, though, the amount of information in our everyday lives is only limited by our willingness to ingest it—or block it from our lives. The Internet, for instance, has democratized the access to information: Everyone with news facts to present or an opinion to offer has an outlet to readily remove barriers to getting this information to the widest audience possible.

Information is essential to making decisions, right? Yes. The more information, the better, right? Not necessarily.

A man that understood the science of a decision was a humble British Presbyterian Minister that also dabbled in mathematics. Thomas Bayes, known best by his theorem—aptly titled Bayes’ Theorem—is a result in probability theory whereas an event that is conditional on another happening is generally different from the second event being conditional on the first. Bayes’ Theory explores the relationship between the two: Essentially, it informs us how to update or revise beliefs in light of new evidence dependent on experience.

Can we have too little information with which to make a good decision? Yes. Is more information better when making a decision? Not necessarily. Perfect decisions are made with the perfect amount of information—that is, not too much, not too little. One of the ramifications of Bayes’ Theorem is that too much information can exist and befuddle the decision-making process native to the decision maker. My current studies into decision making are towards the end to develop a practical and reproducible process with which a decision maker can come to make the perfect decision.

Practically speaking, the perfect amount of information may not be easily achievable, for the attainment of information is something that can change from moment to moment. Take my Battlemaster experience, for example. Battlemaster is a lightweight, text-based online game which is set in the period of the middle ages; the game is part roleplaying, part strategy. I began playing mostly for the strategy elements, but have participated quite a bit in the roleplaying elements as well. Each group consists of characters, created by players, in realms. Each realm has knights, lords, dukes, and four members that are commonly called the realm council: The ruler, general, judge, and banker. Each performs duties that are commensurate with what you might think they might be—the banker is in charge of the economics of the realm, for example. When my first character became the general of the realm of the realm of Eston, he co-developed a battle doctrine with his aide de camp. The Kane-McKay Battle Doctrine was the culmination of experience in combat, producing a construct for waging wars and winning battles that created more undefeated military commanders than any other doctrine that I have ever come across in the entire game, in all my years there. The first thing that the Doctrine emphasized was:

“Combat is a fluid situation.

Strategy dictates tactics only loosely: Tactics are how strategy is adapted to the battlefield under the circumstances of the moment. As such, strong tactics drive good strategy, and vice versa.”

In other words: While staying true to your principles—don’t budge on your ethics or morals—be certain you can adapt your tactics to suit the environment of the moment. Every element of warfare may be able to be predicted down to the minutest detail; however, the entrance of the human component into any military plan renders it fluid, possibly chaotic, and definitely entropic.

So, when making decisions: Be sure to make them with the understanding that they are rarely made in a vacuum. Decisions are most often made as part of a larger context that changes with each passing moment.

The Role of Decision in the Enterprise, Part 1

“Be willing to make decisions. That's the most important quality in a good leader.”
—General George S. Patton

What separates a rank-and-file member of an organization from a leader in the same? While most of the production and support staff have duties that fall within the category of drills—sequences of discrete actions which comprise a larger task. While these are typically things that can be learned and easily repeated instinctually, they differ from the decisions that leaders make by their very nature of not being what drills are: Something that can be repeated on a mechanical basis.

Not surprisingly, the power of the decision has historically been important in combat, just as it is in the enterprise. Think about the great decisions throughout the history of business:

· The decision of John D. Rockefeller to combine the multitude of Standard Oil companies into one “trust.” Not only did this revolutionize the oil industry in that day and age, it produced the world’s first billionaire, one of the world’s first multi-national corporations, caused the United States government to form “anti-trust” laws, and re-define the ways of philanthropy by a single man and his family. According to Wikipedia: “Standard paid out in dividends during 1882 to 1906 in the amount of $548,436,000, at 65.4% payout ratio. A large part of the profits was not distributed to stockholders, but was put back into the business. The total net earnings from 1882-1906 amounted to $838,783,800, exceeding the dividends by $290,347,800. The latter amount was used for plant expansion.”

· The decision of AT&T on January 8, 1982 to settle a lawsuit and agree to divest its local exchange service operating companies in return for an opportunity to enter the burgeoning Internet services business: “Effective January 1, 1984, AT&T's local operations were split into seven independent Regional Bell Operating Companies known as "Baby Bells." RBOCs were originally known as Regional Holding Companies, or RHCs.” The ramifications? The telecommunications giant additionally became an Internet Service Provider and most of the companies that were divested eventually merged back into a couple companies—in fact, one of the divested companies acquired the parent company AT&T to become, once again, AT&T. The current AT&T has a market capitalization of $1.18 Billion USD.

· The decision of a small Seattle company to start selling cappuccino and espresso drinks instead of just purchasing coffee beans from growers and selling them as a premium product revolutionized the coffee house industry. The name “Starbucks” is synonymous with the word “coffee” and its variations (i.e. very high Top of Mind Awareness, what marketers like to call TOMA). In addition, the cash flows of Starbucks are so high that they can open a store in Great Britain once every two weeks!

· The decision of Jay Van Andel and Richard DeVos to expand from such business ventures as a hamburger stand, air charter service, and a sailing business into a company simply called “Ja-Ri” in 1959 that would later change its name to a concoction of the two words “American Way.” Millions of people would become “downline” distributors, and thus their own bosses, and work towards being part of the “American dream.” The company was Amway and has thoroughly become seated in the American culture as something with a good and bad image.

· The decision of individuals working for energy trading giant Enron towards impropriety, especially of the financial variety would revolutionize the United States business environment by wiping out one of the five major accounting firms of the country and influencing Congress to enact laws on corporate governance.

And, lastly:

· In September of 1995 a computer programmer with a personal website put his broken laser pointer up for sale. When he astonishingly sold it for $14.83, Pierre Omidyar contacted the winning bidder and reminded him of the state of disrepair of the laser pointer. To his amazement, the buyer stated that he collected the unique item. eBay is now the holding company for eBay.com, online banking company Paypal.com and Voip service Skype and had 2006 revenues of $5.969 Billion USD.

The importance of the decision is truly an astounding one; one that we will certainly pursue further. To close, a quote from Napoleon on the nature of decisions in warfare:

“There are times when a battle decides everything, and there are times when the most insignificant thing can decide the outcome of a battle.”
—Napoleon Bonaparte

"Pre-Command"

The following is adapted from materials that I previously wrote to train new military leaders. Enjoy!--Matthew

Every person serving in any position, any rank, throughout an organization must understand, display, and demonstrate the values inherent in that organization. Part of the task of senior leadership is to make these values well-known to the entire membership.

Some duties and responsibilities of all members of a larger organization include, but are not limited to:

· Exercise command. Be sure to exercise it within accordance with the proper rules and regulations set forth by your particular realm or organization.

· Are accountable for mission accomplishment, business unit readiness of their respective team, and performance of their "piece of the greater picture."

· Establish or interpret policy, set standards for personal and group performance as appropriate, and establish procedures and guidelines to meet goals set by leadership. This could mean simply ensuring your business unit is ready and as agile as need be.

· Manage and allocate resources appropriately. One resource often overlooked is time. Leadership in any organization often requires resources at certain places at certain times. Not having all "pieces of the puzzle" come together at the right place at the right time can be devastating to any mission.

· Plan, provide resources, and conduct and evaluate training. Are you at the right place at the right time? Are you skilled enough as a team member or leader to be effective in your mission?
If you are leading a business unit, is their training satisfactory to meet or exceed missions set out by your leaders? How will you get there, what resources you need, and what can you do to be more efficient and effective in this process.

· Maintain professional standards established by your leaders.

· Support your leadership effectively.

· Maintaining job proficiency. As a leader, you must be expert in keeping and maintaining a business unit in working order.

· Initiative. Take the initiative. Be an active participant in, and your capabilities will often be noticed. Your leaders do not possess any sort of extra-sensory perception, so unless you let them know what you desire or are capable of doing, they likely do not know.

· Total competence. While the head of your organization decides the vision of the realm, your vision guides your operating unit towards that larger goal. Your competence in the areas set forth in the vision of the leader of your organization will go to add to the synergies in the entirety of the organization.

· Maintain established standards.

· Information! Information! Information! Intelligence is often a driving factor in any operation. Without the right people knowing the right information, operations unnecessarily lose their effective qualities that make them successful.

· Seek guidance when necessary: Uncertain about what to do, where to go? Go to a trusted peer or superior that would be able to clarify things for you.

· Support priorities established by the commander: One of the duties of a commander at any level is having the right resources at the right place at the right time. You and your unit or skills is a resource. Are you where you need to be, when you need to be?

· Support and be able to explain the reasons for current policies: Sometimes policy is derived simply as an extension of personal preference of the leader, but oftentimes it is linked into a larger, more complex system of industrial politics, market forces, and goals.

· Loyalty: Above all, any that you belong to organization should have your loyalty. As a leader, it is part of your responsibility to cultivate this loyalty in those in your charge; but you also need to develop this quality yourself—and be able to demonstrate it.

· Respect. If you want to receive respect, offer it. This goes equally for your subordinates and your superiors.

The Force Multiplier Effect

We look around our worlds, as we each meander through our daily lives, and we see any number of people just trying to “get by.” They wake up in the mornings and perform a routine series of activities until such time that they can go home; washing, rinsing, and repeating the next day. So many things in our lives, and their effectiveness, are measured by a stick of limited means: An easily quantifiable action producing an easily quantifiable result in the manner that an equal force begets an equal reaction.

There are things in this life, however, that aren’t so discrete. Some things add to the equal force-equal result equation allows the result to become worth more than the sum of the parts put into it.

There are many things in nature that exhibit the same sort of phenomenon: Take the particles that you find inside the nucleus of an atom: Protons and neutrons. In and of themselves, they have limited value. When they are held together with their opposing charges, they can lump themselves into a (known number) of 118 different combinations. These combinations are the elements which we find in the universe—from the common sorts of hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen to the less-common such as gold and uranium. In various combinations they make life possible and each of those things that we take for granted on a daily basis. By themselves, the universe’s smallest particles mean little to nothing in the greater scheme of things, for instance; but the sum of their parts is greater than science can fathom yet.

I first realized this when I was working at Windy’s Pizza (we were also a bar). In fact, this was my first “real job” working for someone else: Where I learned that, while sometimes work is just a monotonous process that you go through. Other times, however, there are things that increase your morale so much that the process which you’re going through becomes something that you’re more effective, efficient, and, ultimately, better at. At Windy’s, this was music. Clint Revelette and I would play music while we were cleaning up on a Friday evening after busy dinner rushes.

I would go through other jobs and see many, many other examples of this morale-building principle. I quickly learned that music in itself wasn’t a fundamental force multiplying principle; instead, it was morale that I determined to be a fundamental force multiplier.

Expect this to be merely the tip of the iceberg for this topic, for it’s a very important addition to the toolbox of a leader.

Monkey Mondays: Monkey and the Kitty!

Monkey saves the kitty!

Jack of All Trades

Ever hear the saying “Jack of all trades, master of none?” How do you feel about this phrase? The person it represents is the one whom probably comes from a background where mastery of a scholastic or trade skill was paramount to earning a good living and being successful in life. Instead, have you ever heard of the story of the young M.B.A. recruited into the large corporation; instead of being placed in a single department or discipline for his or her career there, they were shuffled around between departments as if they were being groomed for something bigger?

Throughout history the work environment in which most people reside has changed at points of major technological changes. In the United States, hours worked in the nineteenth century—around the time the Industrial Revolution made its way here—were easily “first light to dark” until legislation was enacted. The trend in the 1900s would move the average hours worked by an American from 55 hours per week to 37 hours by the beginning of the 21^ST century. The shift in the hours resulted in technological revolutions: The Industrial Revolution shifting to the Information Revolution via the assembly line. What’s more, one hundred years ago no less than 85 percent of the population were entrepreneurs of some sort—shopkeepers or independent farmers. The shift in technology has brought about the ability to have more leisure time and develop a specialized skill set in a modern economy.

So, the “jack of all trades, master of none” comment finds its origins here: As the generations that came home from two world wars went to work in specialized professions—doctors, lawyers, engineers, artisans, or in some other trade skill. When you were young, chances are that your parents and teachers wanted you to “get good grades, get into a good college, and get a well-paying job.” Doctors, lawyers, engineers, accountants and the like: We’re conditioned to fit into a mold that is supposed to result in living the “American Dream” with the white picket fence, 1.54 children, pets, and a green lawn.

The person that popularized the aforementioned phrase was in the working class: Either middle class or poor; my money is on the middle class person. While many may be perfectly happy in the role of the middle class family, I think that many people are selling themselves short, so to speak. If I’ve said it once, I’ll say it a hundred times more: Money is like oxygen—the more you have, the easier it is to breathe. Success, while it means many things to many people, is often fueled by a person’s financial picture: Financial success allows you more freedom in your life to determine which path you want to take, and not necessarily the one you need to take to keep the lights on, a roof over your head, and food on your table. Money buys you options.

Financial success is achieved not necessarily by one skill, but by myriad skills that fit together and work together towards an end of leading and executing. Just like the CEO that needs to be sufficiently familiar with the functional areas of the enterprise, or the general that needs to understand the concepts of combined arms in order to be able to employ resources effectively towards the cause that works towards his or her vision.

Each person has at least one gift that accentuates and somewhat defines their being. One of my backgrounds being in human resources, I have become somewhat adept at categorizing people into occupational fields & disciplines due to what I perceive is their particular skill set. Good with numbers and like to reconcile things? You’ll likely get categorized as an “accountant” in my head; different skill sets to different occupational specialties. Business would classify these skills that we could do second nature and employ best in any given situation “core competencies.” Just as core competencies are critical to our ability to earn an income, I recall hearing a saying once that went “people are often just one skill away from success.” Think about it. A profound statement, isn’t it? A medical doctor, for instance, usually attends 4 years of undergraduate school, 4 more years of graduate school, 3-7 years of a residency program, and (under some circumstances) a fellowship program that could last 1-3 years in a particular sub-specialty. A recent study found that physicians across multiple specialties in 2002 earned a median annual salary of $228,615.50. Despite this high level of income, what is the price paid to get into this time-honored professional occupation?

“Despite the fact that doctors are among the best-paid professionals in the country, some worry debt and other financial considerations could affect career decisions made at the end of residency…A 2000 Contemporary Issues in Medical Education (CIME) report raised a red flag, stating that "at a $150,000 level of borrowing, a borrower's career decisions such as whether or not to pursue a fellowship program, to subspecialize, to practice in an underserved area, and other practice location decisions may be adversely impacted by their level of educational debt...’It used to be horrible for us to see a student whose debt surpassed $100,000,’[Pamela Nyiri, director of financial aid at Yale University School of Medicine for the past 20 years] said.’"Now it is horrible to see a student whose debt surpasses $200,000.’"

And none of this even touches the spending habits of individuals who have typically needed to put off any degree of luxury spending for at least a decade.

The same can be found for other specialty and professional occupations as well. Take attorneys, for example:

“About 80 percent of law school students obtain loans to pay for law school, and the average loan debt is $76,763 for private law school graduates and $48,910 for public school graduates.”

What is the way to get ahead? In his book “Rich Dad’s Guide to Investing,” Robert T. Kiyosaki explains the concept of learning to be a business owner and investor over the path of becoming someone who works in a “job” or starts working for themselves as a “solo professional.” In the latter two options, your destiny is tied directly to a routine of “go to work every day” or your income will suffer. They are both based on earned income—that is, income that you must tend to on a regular basis in order to maintain. It is the type of “work” that a person must be tied to in order for it to succeed. As a worker, you are tied to the whims of an employer; and often as someone working as a solo professional, your destiny is tied to the professional skill which you bring to your business concern. In a business entity you allow others to manage the day-to-day affairs of the business (if you choose) and work to gain you wealth; you are investing in people and materials and reaping a return on your investment equal to the productivity of each individual within this business organization. The investor, then, is one who transcends normal paradigms and is able to move money and other assets around into various investments and reap the passive income-generating benefits that are offered by them. In the first alternatives: Worker and professional, you must play a very active role in order to reap the rewards—you trade your labor for financial benefit. In the business owner and investor you instead work your mind, using your intelligence, experience, and other resources to make time work harder for you, instead of you working harder with your time.

This sort of paradigm is not necessarily achieved by means of sitting in a single occupation or industry for several decades and comfortably accumulating wealth; instead it arises from a broad skill set manifest of experience and education—both self-education and formal education. Instead of sticking with one skill set, you don’t take jobs or offer your expertise for things that will necessarily make you money; instead, you find job opportunities to expand your amount of skill sets—increasing your core competencies—and thus offer you a broad level of experience that is deep in several fields. This offers you a background that allows you to look at life’s multitude of opportunities in a creative manner: One that allows you to spot opportunity more readily than others and apply the resource pool, the mental box of tools which you’ve constantly been expanding, which you have to exploit the opportunity at hand.

So, instead of becoming a “master of one trade,” become a “jack of many,” and be able to hire “masters” for those trades which you want work done in.

The One and Only

“You put me through it, I'll still be doing it the way I do it. And yet, you try to make me forget,
Who I really am, don't tell me, I know best: I'm not the same as all the rest.”

Each leader has their own style—while the principles of success are broad and varied, but fairly standard and uniform—and they express that style in the things that they do. They are not the same as all the rest.

“I am the one and only, nobody I'd rather be. I am the one and only, you can't take that away from me.”

Be you; be the only you. Be the only you that is indispensable to the mission of your organization, whichever organization that is. And, just as Eleanor Roosevelt is famous for saying “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”

“I've been a player in the crowd scene, a flicker on the big screen: My soul embraces one more in a million faces. High hopes and aspirations, and years above my station, maybe, but all this time I've tried to walk with dignity and pride.”

Leaders come from all walks of life. Leadership knows not social strata, income level, geography, or demographic. What it does know, however, is psychographic: The psychology of a person, the way he or she thinks. No matter how high your hopes, dreams, visions, and aspirations the leader always tries to stand tall, look good, be dignified, and have a healthy amount of pride in what they do.

“I can't wear this uniform without some compromises, because you'll find out that we come,
In different shapes and sizes. No one can be myself like I can, For this job I'm the best man.”

Sacrifice comes with any role that you take on, given that you decide to do it well. If you’re performing in your role well, make yourself the best person for that role and succeed in your mission.

Quote: Loyalty

"When we are debating an issue, loyalty means giving me your honest opinion, whether you think I'll like it or not. Disagreement, at this state, stimulates me. But once a decision is made, the debate ends. From that point on, loyalty means executing the decision as if it were your own."
—General Colin Powell

Advantages of Technology ala Entertainment

Regardless of how much of a workaholic or not the business leader is, everyone shares a common denominator. A good friend of mine once let me in on an insight of his: People do everything they do for the satisfaction of being entertained. Whether they seek that entertainment in books, work, or watching your favorite weekly drama or comedy, this common denominator is true of everyone.

Technology can not only help to make our work lives more productive, but it can help to make our leisure time more leisurely.

1. Digital Video Recorders. The DVR, or Digital Video Recorder, are becoming more and more prevalent in American households. Allowing you to pause, fast forward, and rewind live television (actually, delayed by a few seconds), this is widely considered to be the greatest invention since the remote control. I agree. Not only can it record television programs or movies for you at any time of day, it can also help you watch television more efficiently. Ever think that was possible? Being able to fast forward through commercials and the duller moments of the programs which you watch, the digital video recorder, also going by the brand name “Tivo,” is a great, great thing. Whoever had this idea…I want to shake their hand.

2. GPS. Once upon a time, the military decided that they needed to determine exact locations on the face of the planet, at least down to an accuracy of a couple meters. This technology, the Global Positioning System, has permeated the private sector and civilian life. Companies make these devices for walkers and bikers through the most die-hard of travelers. Being able to tell you where you are, where to go to get where you want to go, and even how to effectively make your way through traffic jams are all within the capabilities of these great pieces of electronics.

3. MP3 player. The general rule of thumb in the computer industry—in fact, the principle which the entire company of Intel is founded—is that things will get smaller and faster over time. In the 1990s when engineers were able to shrink a hard drive enough to put into a computer that you could put onto your lap, they shot for greater feats such as increased amounts of data in these hard disk drives and make a version of the hard drive that is without disk—a solid-state device which revolves around “flash” technology: The same technology that the memory cards in most digital cameras use. This revolution in technology has manifested itself in a plethora of consumer devices…such as the MP3 player. They come in all sizes, shapes, and for every use.

The greatest of these devices is the iPod. Coming in versions with flash technology that are lighter or those with hard disk drives that are more robust, the iPod is the epitome of style and, with Apple’s iTunes software, it becomes a great device to listen to music, podcasts, and—on certain models—watch video.

If video is more up your alley, though, and you want to be able to use your MP3 player in a more connected capacity, you might want to look into a device such as the Archos digital media players. Aside from a relatively large video screen, it also possesses wireless internet capability which allows it to surf the web with an included web browser.

Blog Maintenance: Tomorrow!

Sorry about the mix-up with the blog posts!

Tomorrow expect to see the continuation of the Technology Series!

The Marriage Premium

Some people grow up with the notion that taxes penalize married couples, while some have the notion that married people can earn more money. Who has it right?

The short answer: Married couples, of course.

Richard Morin, of the Washington Post wrote in June 2004:

“The notion that marriage gives a financial boost to men goes back three decades. It became so well-established that economists and social scientists even gave it a name: "the marriage premium." Married men, the researchers hypothesized, could spend more time working, preparing for work or simply resting up for the job and therefore earned more money than their single counterparts. Why? Because many of them could concentrate on their jobs while their dutiful wives took primary responsibility for the home front. This specialization was good for both spouses, according to this theory. Husbands went further in their careers and earned more, and their wives shared the benefits.”

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints was able to quantify this phenomenon:

“On average, marriage increases income by about $1,800 for every year of marriage…[and] because married couples have an obligation to others, they tend to be more financially responsible are more likely to save money. They also have the opportunity to combine their strengths. For example, a husband who is skilled at fixing things can save a family a great deal of money, as can a wife who is skilled at managing money. When marriage partners pool their resources, both people benefit.”

There you go: Linear and non-linear payoffs of marriage. There are also a slew of other financial benefits. A few are:

· The ability to file joint tax returns

· The ability to set up a family partnership whereas all profits are shared amongst family members

· Estate taxation benefits

· Receiving government benefits on behalf of your spouse

· Receiving family rates for insurance

There are a few downsides, however. According to research reported by Mr. Morin, in regards to women, any “extra income was often offset by a drop in their wives' earnings…The paychecks of many married women declined—or stopped altogether—after they became brides or mothers.” At any rate, a 21-year study concluded that while “’single men have the same total family income [per family member], regardless of whether they are single, cohabiting or married,’ she wrote, adding that ‘marriage and cohabitation confer sizable -- and identical -- financial benefits on women while men break even upon entering either type of union.’"

An up-and-coming social trend, also, is the civil union trend. Whereas it remains a staunch political fight whether homosexuals can formally wed, some legislators in state governments across the United States have introduced the concept of the “civil union” such that partners, such as those of the same sex, can enjoy the benefits of married life without the necessary religious vows. While the politics of this matter, and several others, are outside the scope of this blog, I will leave the matter be as to say this: Expect the civil union debate to continue for some time and affect everyone for whom marriage is—or is not—an option.

The Technology Factor

Technology is a wonderful thing. “One machine can do the work of fifty ordinary men,” American writer, publisher, and artist Elbert Hubbard once said. The use of technology can certainly, as history has shown, be used to add more value to our daily business, squeeze more productivity out of our resources, and get more done with what we have than we might have once through possible. In the hands of the adequately skilled leader, the limits of technology are only limited to the boundlessness of creativity.

From the most basic perspective, the time savings, efficiency and commoditization of routine tasks and services allowed by computers and other pieces of technology has been able to free many the business leader to focus on the more pressing, creative, problem-solving, and desirable aspects of our trades or businesses. Computers, however, being the blessing that they are can also cause headaches or lack of productivity if they are not correctly tailored and utilized in the capacity that meets the missions of the business concern. When looking at computers, for instance:

1. Get a computer that meets your needs: Word processing? Spreadsheets? Financial management? Presentations? Personal information management? Sales management? At the very least, make sure you use a suite of programs designed to protect your computer against “malware:” The general type of malicious computer software which includes viruses, spyware, Trojan horses, and the like. While there are many programs that you pay for on the market, my experience shows that you can also achieve the same level of protection from the right mix of free programs. For instance, at home I use AVG Anti-Virus Free, Windows Defender, and Spybot Search & Destroy. This has been able to hedge against any malware problem I have on my computer at home, and what I’ve seen with others using these.

2. Organize your computer. Investing some time now on organizing your computer will very much add to your efficiency and productivity later. Be descriptive enough with your titles in order to convey your message to yourself or others. Be certain to use a system that is logical and makes sense to you.

3. Keep email short and direct when you send it. When you receive it, scan messages by subject header. Only give your email address out to people as necessary to avoid unsolicited junk or “spam” email. Designate a discrete number of times in the day, usually 1-3, to review and respond to emails. Studies have shown this to be the most productive approach.

Three ways that your computer can do for you to make your life easier:

1. Internet faxing services can remove your need to have fax machine in your office; instead, with the use of email (and possibly a scanner), you can have people fax you and you can also fax other people! These services include, but are not limited to: eFax, MyFax, RapidFax, Metro Hi Speed, FaxAge, FaxMicro, Send2Fax, and SRFax. Not sure if you want to pay? Try advertising-supported FaxZero!

2. VoIP, or Voice Over Internet Protocol, allows you to escape the confines of traditional phone plans and call anywhere using your broadband Internet connection in conjunction with your existing phone system, or simply a headset attached to your computer. The latter would find you using a program & service called Skype. The former, using your own phone system, will find you either using a local Internet provider or services such as Vonage, 1TouchTone, Verizon VoiceWing, or Lingo, for example. Want to know who ranks the best? Visit here.

3. The podcast is an excellent and efficient way to stay connected with news, opinion, and entertainment on the run. Essentially podcasts are just “radio on demand” programs from anyone with a few pieces of software to record, edit, and upload what they have to say to the Internet.

Next, how other parts of technology can play an effective part in the business leader’s everyday life.

Monkey Mondays: Lion-eating Chimp-Gorilla!

More new monkeys found!

“Deep in the Congolese jungle is a band of apes that, according to local legend, kill lions, catch fish and even howl at the moon. Local hunters speak of massive creatures that seem to be some sort of hybrid between a chimp and a gorilla.”

Who needs a guard & attack dog when a monkey (ape) can do it for you!

“The Hardest Job Kids Face Today is Learning Good Manners Without Seeing Any.”

Fred Astaire, musical comedian, said the above. Although some may see etiquette as an antiquated notion in our modern times, it has also been said that “A man's manners are a mirror in which he shows his portrait,” (German Johann Wolfgang von Goethe). Whichever way you look at it, manners and etiquette are very important things in the repertoire of the business leader.

Take, for instance, something we do on a daily basis: Eating. There are a few rules of etiquette to follow. Mind you, these are just a handful:

1. Do not sit too far back in a reclined manner or put your elbows on the table, or otherwise lounge.

2. If possible, never cough or sneeze at the table; don’t make any noises while eating. Do not talk while your mouth is full.

3. Be cheerful in conduct and conversation.

4. Do not play with table utensils.

5. Never leave the table before the rest of the family or guests, without asking the host or hostess to excuse you.

A bonus one, for this has always been a favorite of mine:

· Wishing to be served with more tea or coffee, place your spoon in your saucer.

In addition, those rules of etiquette aimed at girls in the Victorian Era that each of us might find a place for in our everyday lives:

1. Rise to one's feet as respect for an older person or dignitary. This also applies to a gentleman, for a lady.

2. Speaking of gentlemen: A true gentleman tips their hat to greet a lady, opens doors, and always walks on the outside.

3. An interesting one: A young lady should be expected to shine in the art of conversation. Etiquette books of the era concentrate on the voice, rather than the content of speech, encouraging her to cultivate that distinct but subdued tone. In the current era, content is just as remarkable as tone and inflection.

While manners are largely an unenforced construct of standards in social behavior in which the person possessing them are portrayed to be polite and cultured, the art of the manner has degraded throughout the years. Although unenforced, they fall within the same scope as laws in that good manners may go rewarded and poor manners may be punished. Saying “please,” “thank you,” “pardon me” (or “excuse me”) are the most basic manners that we should follow.

Manners and etiquette exist such to show respect for those around you, and to show respect for yourself.

“Manners are very important in life. Good ones that is. You can get attention if you use proper etiquette. Politeness is what most guests look for. If your parents raise you correctly, you will probably have fair manners.”
—Judith Martin, a.k.a. “Miss Manners

Personal Responsibility and When Kids have Kids

Kids should not have kids.

Nevada Couple Blame Internet for Neglect.

From the article:

"Michael Straw, 25, and Iana Straw, 23, pleaded guilty Friday to two counts each of child neglect. Each faces a maximum 12-year prison sentence.

Viloria said the Reno couple were too distracted by online video games, mainly the fantasy role-playing "Dungeons & Dragons" series, to give their children proper care.

"They had food; they just chose not to give it to their kids because they were too busy playing video games," Viloria told the Reno Gazette-Journal."