Conventional wisdom tells us that we should separate our lives and our careers to keep appropriate work-life balance. There is nothing wrong with this advice as it serves a purpose. However, what if you like your job and find meaning in the work that you do. Then it becomes a way of living in the world, seeing the world, and making a living in the world. It is a pleasurable experience that means more than a 9-5 paycheck.
Consider the difference between a person who likes their job and someone who doesn't. A person who likes their job enjoys coming to work, is committed to their tasks, thinks about ways to improve their effectiveness, seeks growth opportunities, and integrates it into part of their identity. Those who do not like their job seem to compartmentalize their work, do the minimum, seek to get out as quickly as possible and have little vested interest beyond pay.
People who are actively engaged integrate their work into their lives and identity. It becomes something they simply "are" without stumbling over their career or identities. When they wake up in the morning they have positive images and impressions of the work they do. Even though the are natural up and down cycles of commitment they maintain an interested stream through it all.
For example, a person who loves designing electronic equipment will take intrinsic pleasure in playing with electronics, buying electronics, thinking about electronics, learning about electronics and/or inventing new devices. They do this because they find pleasure in the type of work they do and integrate this into their lifestyle.
On the contrary a person who doesn't enjoy their job thwarts that identity as soon as they walk out of their office in afternoon. The don't think about their occupation in the evening, show low levels of commitment, and generally disdain going into work everyday. They are externally motivated and if it wasn't for the money they wouldn't bother going.
The difference of the two can add up over time. A person who is uncommitted is likely to bounce from job to job and be generally negative in their workplace disposition. Someone more committed will find more interest in their work and stay longer at any particular organization. They will learn more and do a better job then someone not mentally engaged in their work. Integrating your work into your lifestyle is more about identity and interest than it is about overworking.
Thursday, August 6, 2015
Wednesday, August 5, 2015
The Soft Side of Retaining Officers in an Improving Economy
Military officers are subject to culture and personnel needs in the same way as any other company. Recruiting and retraining mid-level officers for senior officer positions is helpful in maintaining long-term competitiveness. The principles that apply to the military are also easily applicable to the business world.
Making sure the needs of Millennials are fulfilled helps ensure they have viable career paths that create win-win situations between all interested parties.
The military should manage for the Millenials, revamp human resource strategies and adjust command structures (Kirklin, 2015). Doing so creates a stronger environment for higher levels of military performance and skill retention that impacts leadership capacity in the future. The military is not immune to recruitment and retention strategy failures.
One of the first steps to transformation for the new generation is to understand their needs. They want more individual freedom, capacity to contribute and opportunity to grow. The recession has impacted the generation before them and a growing economy offers plenty of prospects outside of the military. Attracting and retaining high performers needs a little more emphasis.
Adventure, contribution, patriotism, opportunity, companionship and stability are some of the reasons why a person might choose to join or stay in the military. The military's culture will require a renewed focus on the mannerisms and needs of a new generation so that they can maximize their performance and make life-time careers out of serving others.
As the management guard changes from older to younger generations it is necessary to ensure that the organizations take their needs into consideration. This means that cultures will have to change in positive ways that create more capacity. Millenials seek full expression of their values and beliefs and incorpoating their needs into today's organizations can make a difference in retention.
Making sure the needs of Millennials are fulfilled helps ensure they have viable career paths that create win-win situations between all interested parties.
The military should manage for the Millenials, revamp human resource strategies and adjust command structures (Kirklin, 2015). Doing so creates a stronger environment for higher levels of military performance and skill retention that impacts leadership capacity in the future. The military is not immune to recruitment and retention strategy failures.
One of the first steps to transformation for the new generation is to understand their needs. They want more individual freedom, capacity to contribute and opportunity to grow. The recession has impacted the generation before them and a growing economy offers plenty of prospects outside of the military. Attracting and retaining high performers needs a little more emphasis.
Adventure, contribution, patriotism, opportunity, companionship and stability are some of the reasons why a person might choose to join or stay in the military. The military's culture will require a renewed focus on the mannerisms and needs of a new generation so that they can maximize their performance and make life-time careers out of serving others.
As the management guard changes from older to younger generations it is necessary to ensure that the organizations take their needs into consideration. This means that cultures will have to change in positive ways that create more capacity. Millenials seek full expression of their values and beliefs and incorpoating their needs into today's organizations can make a difference in retention.
The Practical Benefits of Learning Self-Defense
Self-Defense is not just learning how to defend yourself but also about how to live and exist in the world. People confuse self-defense with violence and this is not its purpose. It is more about health, defense, confidence, and sporting engagement than anything else. The style is less important than the process of engagement.
Consider the amount of time and focus it takes to learn various moves. One is learning to use their body in ways they have not been accustomed. This process of moving ones body and engaging in fitness to improve ability. The more one engages the stronger, more flexible, and coordinated they become.
Self-defense is beneficial in this world. We may think we live in a civilized society but this isn't always true. There are people in this world that seek to use violence and aggression to get their needs and goals achieved. No one knows they need the knowledge and ability to defend themselves until it is too late. Everyone should learn the basics.
Students will also gain confidence in their body and themselves. There is comfort in knowing that if you find yourself in a tough situation you can handle it. As the confidence rises it will filter into other areas of life such as work and friendship. This will impact how you see your world.
People loves sports and engaging in something practical has its positives. Those who enjoy self-defense appreciate the natural ability and movements that create an art form. Self-defense is on the same level as professional boxing, wrestling, and kickboxing. It is a sport people enjoy watching and learning from. At times it can also be socially oriented when you get involved in a local gym.
Consider the amount of time and focus it takes to learn various moves. One is learning to use their body in ways they have not been accustomed. This process of moving ones body and engaging in fitness to improve ability. The more one engages the stronger, more flexible, and coordinated they become.
Self-defense is beneficial in this world. We may think we live in a civilized society but this isn't always true. There are people in this world that seek to use violence and aggression to get their needs and goals achieved. No one knows they need the knowledge and ability to defend themselves until it is too late. Everyone should learn the basics.
Students will also gain confidence in their body and themselves. There is comfort in knowing that if you find yourself in a tough situation you can handle it. As the confidence rises it will filter into other areas of life such as work and friendship. This will impact how you see your world.
People loves sports and engaging in something practical has its positives. Those who enjoy self-defense appreciate the natural ability and movements that create an art form. Self-defense is on the same level as professional boxing, wrestling, and kickboxing. It is a sport people enjoy watching and learning from. At times it can also be socially oriented when you get involved in a local gym.
Tuesday, August 4, 2015
Improving Communication by Bridging the Gaps
Effective communication requires the full attention of all individuals involved. If one is distracted or working on something else they will be cognitively distracted and unable to process all of the information fully. They will also be giving off a signal that they are preoccupied that can break down the communication process.
It is also helpful to stay focused on the main discussion and state ideas as clearly and concisely as possible. Beating around the bush and mincing your words creates mixed messages that confuses people. They won't understand your main points if you don't say it in as simple terms as possible.
Make sure that channel interference is not occurring. Important conversations should not be conducted in the middle of a party. Noise and constant stimuli only detract from message retention. This leads to people filling in the blanks of what they heard and not heard to create their own construction of events that differ among the participants.
All information is interpreted based on the historical perspective the individuals. Two people can experience the same thing but make different meaning out of that stimuli. They simply interpret events base on past schematic coding of previous information. The past determines how you understand the present.
Finally, it is beneficial to recap on the main points and invite the possibility to clarify any points. Recapping ensures you briefly state or repeat back the main points and questions help clarify any gaps. This often occurs informally through the reciprocal process of community. As you become aware of your communication process you will be able to improve upon it for effectiveness to achieve the goals you want.
Small Business and the Painting of the Poulterer's Shop
The picture is one of a thriving small business seeking to sell and succeed. People who own poulterer shops purchase and hunt fresh food and game. A very important staple for survival back then and one could make a solid living.
Entrepreneurship is a foundation of any economy. Those nations that neglect or ignore the needs of small businesses will find that innovation and development will slow. Sometimes this slowing will occur over ten years while at other times its ugly head might be seen sooner. Small business hires people, grows local economies, and develops connections to neighborhoods.
The Uniqueness of San Diego's Bike Sharing Program
Bike sharing is common in many developing cities across the country. San Diego's bike sharing program unique because it is run by a company called DecoBike that doesn't receive public subsidies. The program must compete and make profit from their bikes and run an actual business while still serving their stakeholders. With as much as 180 sites planned over the next coupe of years the bike sharing program isn't yet a lucrative business.
It takes time for bike sharing programs to catch on. They need to be placed in high-density, high traffic areas, where a middle age and younger demographic resides. The company will likely chose sites that create the greatest revenue as they install stations throughout the city. The most lucrative starting first.
The purpose of a bike sharing program is to reduce congestion and improve lifestyles and this means attracting a customer base that seeks alternative and greener forms of transportation. They are not trying to attract people who already own bikes or people who are unwilling to pay for renting a bike.
Because they are not receiving tax payer subsidies they will need to be sure that each dollar they spend is returned with a profit. If this doesn't happen the bike share program will either disappear or need government money to maintain. No one wants that!
It is entirely possible to marry portions of business with government and the needs of the people. If this program is successful in the long-run it can be expected to be a model for other like-minded businesses that can both win by serving public functions while drawing a reasonable profit.
Whether you like the program or not depends on how you look at government's job. If the job is to be all and provide all for people then it would make sense to subsidize programs and keep them under the government's umbrella. Unfortunately, as we have learned in history trying to be all for everyone makes programs inefficient and costly in the long-run. San Diego's bike share program is interesting because it create a entrepreneurial public-private program with a possible win-win situation.
It takes time for bike sharing programs to catch on. They need to be placed in high-density, high traffic areas, where a middle age and younger demographic resides. The company will likely chose sites that create the greatest revenue as they install stations throughout the city. The most lucrative starting first.
The purpose of a bike sharing program is to reduce congestion and improve lifestyles and this means attracting a customer base that seeks alternative and greener forms of transportation. They are not trying to attract people who already own bikes or people who are unwilling to pay for renting a bike.
Because they are not receiving tax payer subsidies they will need to be sure that each dollar they spend is returned with a profit. If this doesn't happen the bike share program will either disappear or need government money to maintain. No one wants that!
It is entirely possible to marry portions of business with government and the needs of the people. If this program is successful in the long-run it can be expected to be a model for other like-minded businesses that can both win by serving public functions while drawing a reasonable profit.
Whether you like the program or not depends on how you look at government's job. If the job is to be all and provide all for people then it would make sense to subsidize programs and keep them under the government's umbrella. Unfortunately, as we have learned in history trying to be all for everyone makes programs inefficient and costly in the long-run. San Diego's bike share program is interesting because it create a entrepreneurial public-private program with a possible win-win situation.
Letting Customers Choose Their Marketing Channels
Marketing channels are the medium a business uses to contact and attract customers. The type of medium a company chooses will often determine the type of customer they attract. Letting your customer choose the marketing channel will help draw in more lucrative customers that are predisposed and primed through their own interest to buy your product or service.
The demographics of the customer gravitate toward different marketing channels. For example, older customers may like print media while younger customers prefer online media. The media is then broken down into specific interests such as cars, houses, garden, outdoors, etc. People will naturally select based upon their age and understanding where and how they want to receive information.
Marketing campaigns often use a mix based upon how their consumer demographics use media. Picking the wrong channels means there will be additional expenses and costs associated with marketing. The Return on Investment is likely to be low and the value of the customers will also be low leaving the company with a customer retention problem.
Think of marketing like fishing. You have to first find the right fishing hole (your customer base), use the right bait (select their channels), and jiggle your line to create interest (the actual message and images). Companies that know where the best fish are that are likely to provide the greatest amount of nourishment.
The first step of any strong marketing program is to know your customer and the media that will reach them. You may be able to advertise to related interests or piggy back off their hobbies and activities. If you understand how your customer thinks you will also understand what will motivate them to buy your product/service.
The demographics of the customer gravitate toward different marketing channels. For example, older customers may like print media while younger customers prefer online media. The media is then broken down into specific interests such as cars, houses, garden, outdoors, etc. People will naturally select based upon their age and understanding where and how they want to receive information.
Marketing campaigns often use a mix based upon how their consumer demographics use media. Picking the wrong channels means there will be additional expenses and costs associated with marketing. The Return on Investment is likely to be low and the value of the customers will also be low leaving the company with a customer retention problem.
Think of marketing like fishing. You have to first find the right fishing hole (your customer base), use the right bait (select their channels), and jiggle your line to create interest (the actual message and images). Companies that know where the best fish are that are likely to provide the greatest amount of nourishment.
The first step of any strong marketing program is to know your customer and the media that will reach them. You may be able to advertise to related interests or piggy back off their hobbies and activities. If you understand how your customer thinks you will also understand what will motivate them to buy your product/service.
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