Tag Archives: values

Being a ‘Plus’1

Leave a reply

Being a ‘Plus 1’ unexpectedly can go either way and last night I had the pleasure of being at a company gathering in Dublin.  Aside from the extremely high level of thoughtfulness that had gone into ensuring guests were looked after, what struck me the most was how ‘in sync‘ the team were.  For the first time in ages, I experienced the great feeling of a company culture, that was exciting, a company ethos that didn’t need words, you felt the loyalty.  Each and every person I encountered showed a genuine interest in getting to know you and just as remarkable in the true sense of that word, was the feeling of PRIDE in being part of the company at a pivotal time in the company’s re-structuring.  A sense of quiet confidence which comes from excellent product quality and leadership with vision and a real desire to do what’s right for the future of its employees, just ‘doing’the right thing.’  My faith in good business practice thankfully was given a big reminder there are still great companies out there 🙂

Asset or Liability?

Leave a reply

With family on the other side of the world, I often read their national newspapers on line just to see what’s going on.  Quite often there are similarities in trends, research and events and it helps to get a different perspective on what are common human issues.  Take for example, a recent survey carried out by Ernst & Young on Productivity in the Workplace.  The New Zealand Herald reports (June 10th) that being treated badly in the workplace and poor communication were the biggest obstacles to increasing output.  Whilst some time was spent on social media during work hours, waiting on other people and time spent on unecessary emailing accounted for an average of one hour and nine minutes time being wasted daily. What workers want it appears to be universal.  Workers want more effective management, more motivation and more recognition.  The question is if what workers want is seemingly so simple, why is it so difficult to get it right?

don’t copy, be inspired

Leave a reply

there’s so much stuff that you can sign up to and learn from for FREE.  So much that we’re in danger of not being able to think for ourselves.  Does it matter if you take an idea from somewhere else? There are some bloggers out there who inspire and write for people to take the germ of an idea and run with it.  There are others who want to frighten the pants off you, so you don’t take a single word from what they say.  It all comes down to choice.  You can control what you think, what you write, what ultimately bothers you. Everything in life is kickstarted by something someone else has done, or something that already exists. It may be in nature, it may be something that is there but doesn’t provide the solution sought and so inspires a new product or service.  Does it matter?   Take the learning and do not copy or imitate.  Make something better and then be proud of your work. Even if it is simply being inspired to do something that already exists and making it far better, go for it. Just do the right thing and don’t forget to respect, really respect the work of others. Edward de Bono says that thinking is a skill that ought to be developed, so let your imagination be fired and challenge yourself through thinking. You’ll amaze yourself!

 janie-says be inspired by what strikes a chord, follow your intuition and always, do the right thing.

where or what is home?

Leave a reply

I’ve been thinking about this alot in recent years as my own circumstances have been changing.  Is home where you’re from, where you’re living, where you have family, where you have friends.  Perhaps the question is really what represents home to you?  For me, it’s a feeling of belonging, where my friends are, somewhere when I wake up in the morning I instinctively feel I am happy and know that I don’t live any place else. Home though, is where I need to have a base.  Somewhere I can always return to.  A place where everything is familiar, in its place. Where I have a few things around me that remind me of my journey through life.  Of the people who have been part that  journey, people who have made a difference to my life and who matter.  People who matter still, even if they are no longer around me.  It’s not about things, status, being seen in certain places.  It is that sense of place.  Of community. A sense of belonging.  Of peace. Home is where I am happy to be and where people who spend time with me, are happy to be there too.