I had an interesting conversation with a social worker from St. Vincent Hospice in Indianapolis, Indiana (USA) about her work and thoughts on how to handle people who are elderly and dying. (I was very impressed with her - Anne Alderfer). She spoke about how it took years for us (in America) to more effectively handle the birthing process. It did finally improve. For example, in the past, the father was not even allowed in the room during the birth at a hospital. Now, the father can be in the room if he chooses to be part of the birthing of his child or children.
Our conversation led me to think more about how we handle our elderly in general, not just ones who are dying. I agree with her that we should have respect for the knowledge and experience that they can share with us. Some cultures, such as those of the Indians (from whom the land of America was taken) do revere their elderly and treat them with respect. We should do the same. We should spend time with them to learn from them and enjoy whatever valuable time we have left to share with them, especially our loved ones. We should also be sure to document any stories or information from their past for us to keep and share with future generations. I liked Anne’s idea of using a life review book to guide us to ask questions about their life to share. We can then be sure to write, audio and/or video record the information for the future.
How should we handle the case in which our loved ones are dying? We should be sure they are as comfortable as possible. We should try to reduce their physical pain. We should find out how they want to spend their remaining time and do our best to honor their wishes. Each person should be free to choose how to live their life, as long as their choice does not harm others.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Friday, April 1, 2011
Lessons from Borders and Xerox - adapt or perish
Borders and Xerox are two business organizations that can teach us a valuable lesson. Borders sells books through retail stores to customers. Xerox sells machines for making copies of papers. What could these two different companies have to teach us?
It is a lesson that we can take from nature. Charles Darwin was a scientist who realized that species (i.e. animals) were evolving over time. Species learned to adapt or risk becoming extinct. I learned much about Darwin from an exceptional movie titled Creation. This movie presents the story of how he ended up writing his book on his theory of evolution. (I am aware that there has been controversy on this book because some people believe his theory in contradiction with what was written in the Bible. That is a subject for another blog.)
Xerox successfully adapted when the business world started to reduce paper consumption and copying. Borders, on the other hand, did not successfully adapt when the world started moving more toward electronic, rather than paper books. That is why Borders recently filed for bankruptcy protection. Barnes & Noble, another bookstore retail chain, has successfully adapted thus far. For example, this organization has moved into the electronic age with its book reader and online bookstore.
Adapting is not the only condition for continued life and prosperity. To prosper, an organization must successfully implement an effective plan of strategies and tactics to become ever-flourishing. A number of organizations have utilized a Strategy and Tactic tree (from TOC) to become ever-flourishing. The key to continued life and prosperity of any organization is to not only be successfully led and managed, but also to continue to adapt to the changing environment.
It is a lesson that we can take from nature. Charles Darwin was a scientist who realized that species (i.e. animals) were evolving over time. Species learned to adapt or risk becoming extinct. I learned much about Darwin from an exceptional movie titled Creation. This movie presents the story of how he ended up writing his book on his theory of evolution. (I am aware that there has been controversy on this book because some people believe his theory in contradiction with what was written in the Bible. That is a subject for another blog.)
Xerox successfully adapted when the business world started to reduce paper consumption and copying. Borders, on the other hand, did not successfully adapt when the world started moving more toward electronic, rather than paper books. That is why Borders recently filed for bankruptcy protection. Barnes & Noble, another bookstore retail chain, has successfully adapted thus far. For example, this organization has moved into the electronic age with its book reader and online bookstore.
Adapting is not the only condition for continued life and prosperity. To prosper, an organization must successfully implement an effective plan of strategies and tactics to become ever-flourishing. A number of organizations have utilized a Strategy and Tactic tree (from TOC) to become ever-flourishing. The key to continued life and prosperity of any organization is to not only be successfully led and managed, but also to continue to adapt to the changing environment.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Planet Earth - ensuring our home is in great shape
This morning, I was enjoying my walk on the Greenbelt trail in Scottsdale, Arizona. This trail is a long one that winds through the city and forks in different directions at times. It consists of a concrete path, with large areas of grass on either side. Scottsdale (which is near Phoenix) is part of the desert. That means all this grass has been artificially implanted here, along with an underground sprinkling system to sustain it.
As I was walking, I noticed there were a number of large puddles on the concrete. I realized these puddles were not due to rain, but rather the sprinklers. I became dismayed by the fact so much water is being wasted, not just on the path, but on the implanted grass. I admit that the grass looks appealing and feels good to walk on with bare feet. However, we need to also consider the negative ramifications of our actions. Water is a valuable resource that should not be wasted.
The other night I watched an amazing YouTube video titled Home. The scenery and narrative were compelling. The objective of the video was to protect our planet, to understand how much damage we humans have caused. Watching the movie reminded me of Al Gore's work on global warming. His movie, The Inconvenient Truth, was also compelling. Even great movies, such as Avatar, The Bee Movie and The Last Unicorn convey similar ideas. Will we finally start listening to these messages and take appropriate action?
After I contemplated the movies further, I remembered some thoughts that Eli Goldratt shared in his great book, The Choice, covering his philosophy of life. He pointed out that Newton stated that nature is exceedingly simple and harmonious with itself. Eli used lessons and methods from the hard sciences to apply to developing his approach to teach the world to think (his goal in life).
My conclusion is that we need to take actions to not only protect all life on Earth (plants, animals, ...), but more importantly to ensure that the harmony is restored and sustained in the future. Nature has much to teach us about life.
As I was walking, I noticed there were a number of large puddles on the concrete. I realized these puddles were not due to rain, but rather the sprinklers. I became dismayed by the fact so much water is being wasted, not just on the path, but on the implanted grass. I admit that the grass looks appealing and feels good to walk on with bare feet. However, we need to also consider the negative ramifications of our actions. Water is a valuable resource that should not be wasted.
The other night I watched an amazing YouTube video titled Home. The scenery and narrative were compelling. The objective of the video was to protect our planet, to understand how much damage we humans have caused. Watching the movie reminded me of Al Gore's work on global warming. His movie, The Inconvenient Truth, was also compelling. Even great movies, such as Avatar, The Bee Movie and The Last Unicorn convey similar ideas. Will we finally start listening to these messages and take appropriate action?
After I contemplated the movies further, I remembered some thoughts that Eli Goldratt shared in his great book, The Choice, covering his philosophy of life. He pointed out that Newton stated that nature is exceedingly simple and harmonious with itself. Eli used lessons and methods from the hard sciences to apply to developing his approach to teach the world to think (his goal in life).
My conclusion is that we need to take actions to not only protect all life on Earth (plants, animals, ...), but more importantly to ensure that the harmony is restored and sustained in the future. Nature has much to teach us about life.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
A chance meeting on a plane with an exceptional young man
About a week ago, I met an exceptional man on my flight from Indianapolis (on my way back to AZ after visiting family there). His name is Josh Bleill. Josh lost both his legs as a Marine in Iraq during the Gulf War. Josh was travelling with his wife, Nikki, and their two month-old daughter, Allie. We had a good conversation on the hour-long flight. I was impressed with his attitude and approach to life.
Josh is the Colts Community Spokesman. It was interesting to talk with him given my family's passion for the Colts NFL football team. I started following the sport closely last year after I developed a real interest in American football once I understood more about strategy in the sport. I assumed it must have been difficult for the team and Peyton Manning (the quarterback) to lose in the playoffs in the last few minutes of the game.
Before the end of our flight, I decided to give Josh a gift: President Barack Obama's book Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to my Daughters. I thanked him for his service to our country. I didn't sign the book because it not up to me to do so. I think it would be great if our President, at the very least, signed his book.
Today, I went online to find out more about Josh. I learned that he wrote a book titled, One Step at a Time: A Young Marine's Story of Courage. He also can be booked to speak at events. For more information, go to www.colts.com/onestep.
Josh is the Colts Community Spokesman. It was interesting to talk with him given my family's passion for the Colts NFL football team. I started following the sport closely last year after I developed a real interest in American football once I understood more about strategy in the sport. I assumed it must have been difficult for the team and Peyton Manning (the quarterback) to lose in the playoffs in the last few minutes of the game.
Before the end of our flight, I decided to give Josh a gift: President Barack Obama's book Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to my Daughters. I thanked him for his service to our country. I didn't sign the book because it not up to me to do so. I think it would be great if our President, at the very least, signed his book.
Today, I went online to find out more about Josh. I learned that he wrote a book titled, One Step at a Time: A Young Marine's Story of Courage. He also can be booked to speak at events. For more information, go to www.colts.com/onestep.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Why don't we follow good advice?
Today, I was pondering the question of why people don’t follow the advice given to them. I believe there are several potential explanations regarding why we don’t do what is suggested, assuming the advice is good.
One reason is that the person really does not understand the advice. We need to be sure to listen carefully, ask questions, take notes or ask for visual aids to ensure we fully understand the advice. The key to understanding is to know what to do, how to do it and the logic underlying the recommended actions.
Another potential reason is that we don’t fully trust the person giving us the advice. In other words, we question whether or not their expertise is valid regarding the subject the advice is being provided on. One way in which we check their expertise is through questioning. Before taking advice, I first make sure I fully understand what is being recommended and why. Unless the full logic makes sense to me, I won’t act on the advice. I check it using cause-and-effect logic in general and based on knowledge I have acquired in life thus far.
Another reason for not following someone’s advice relates to the difference between what was explained and what actions you took to implement it. When I learned how to write Strategy and Tactic trees, I realized how important it is to clearly explain actions in terms of what the action is for and why the action is the best choice for achieving the objective. The only way a person can follow advice well is by fully understanding the advice. For example, it is not just about knowing the rules. When you know the rules and the logic of the rules, you can understand what to do in different situations. Then, you will know when to break a rule effectively to still achieve the desired objective.
One reason is that the person really does not understand the advice. We need to be sure to listen carefully, ask questions, take notes or ask for visual aids to ensure we fully understand the advice. The key to understanding is to know what to do, how to do it and the logic underlying the recommended actions.
Another potential reason is that we don’t fully trust the person giving us the advice. In other words, we question whether or not their expertise is valid regarding the subject the advice is being provided on. One way in which we check their expertise is through questioning. Before taking advice, I first make sure I fully understand what is being recommended and why. Unless the full logic makes sense to me, I won’t act on the advice. I check it using cause-and-effect logic in general and based on knowledge I have acquired in life thus far.
Another reason for not following someone’s advice relates to the difference between what was explained and what actions you took to implement it. When I learned how to write Strategy and Tactic trees, I realized how important it is to clearly explain actions in terms of what the action is for and why the action is the best choice for achieving the objective. The only way a person can follow advice well is by fully understanding the advice. For example, it is not just about knowing the rules. When you know the rules and the logic of the rules, you can understand what to do in different situations. Then, you will know when to break a rule effectively to still achieve the desired objective.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Are people good or bad?
Years ago, this question was posed to me in a late night discussion with Eli Goldratt. Actually, the question was about whether people should be considered good or not bad. This subject came up because his son Rami and he had reached different conclusions. One of them thought people are good, while the other thought people are not bad. What do we mean by this? Well the question is really about whether in general people are good or not.
I have reached the conclusion that, in general, people are good. I think that the vast majority of people want to do good for themselves, for their loved ones, friends and for their work. That doesn’t always mean the actions they are taking will achieve a good result. It was Reuven Brenner who stated that “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.”
I think the important issue is to make sure that people understand how to ensure that their actions do achieve the intended result (of course, assuming this is a positive change or result desired). That is what TOC provides, an effective way to think. TOC involves surfacing and challenging assumptions, evaluating decisions using cause-and-effect logic and other tools for guiding more effective thinking processes.
First, we need to start with a good objective or target – to clearly state it in writing. Then we can use the TOC Thinking Processes (TP) to figure out how to effectively reach that goal. The TP provide generic methods for figuring out what the problem is (or rather what to change), what the solution is and how to cause the change.
This isn’t sufficient though. What is needed is the understanding about what information needs to go into the TP analysis to ensure that the desired results are achieved. I will talk more about this so-called information in future blogs.
I have reached the conclusion that, in general, people are good. I think that the vast majority of people want to do good for themselves, for their loved ones, friends and for their work. That doesn’t always mean the actions they are taking will achieve a good result. It was Reuven Brenner who stated that “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.”
I think the important issue is to make sure that people understand how to ensure that their actions do achieve the intended result (of course, assuming this is a positive change or result desired). That is what TOC provides, an effective way to think. TOC involves surfacing and challenging assumptions, evaluating decisions using cause-and-effect logic and other tools for guiding more effective thinking processes.
First, we need to start with a good objective or target – to clearly state it in writing. Then we can use the TOC Thinking Processes (TP) to figure out how to effectively reach that goal. The TP provide generic methods for figuring out what the problem is (or rather what to change), what the solution is and how to cause the change.
This isn’t sufficient though. What is needed is the understanding about what information needs to go into the TP analysis to ensure that the desired results are achieved. I will talk more about this so-called information in future blogs.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Multiple Chemical Sensitivities - how not to cause harm in the world
Years ago, a member of my family was diagnosed with a medical condition called Multiple Chemical Sensitivities. Her body had developed an intolerance to various chemicals that exist in society. Her symptoms include seizures, headaches and nausea, to name a few. She needed to move into a new home, one that was prepared for people who have severe allergies. She is unable to go out in society much because the scents of perfumes and other smells can cause her to become very ill and unable to recover for days.
It wasn’t until she was diagnosed that I became aware of this type of medical condition. The plan the doctors devised to help her include eating organic foods, taking oxygen and regularly using a dry or infrared sauna to detoxify her body. That is not a comprehensive list of her treatment plan though. I just wanted to share part of her plan here.
I was surprised about a year ago to see a sign in a bathroom at a park which stated that only natural cleaning products and supplies were being utilized there because of people with multiple chemical sensitivities. These experiences, in addition to others, led me to the realization that many of the chemicals, food products and supplies we have created in this world are causing harm to people, in some cases severe harm. How much harm is it causing those of us who don’t have her medical condition? How much harm is happening in nature and to other forms of life as well?
I am not bringing this subject up to cause any kind of harm to the organizations involved in the production or distribution of the products mentioned (i.e. chemicals). I just want to further create an awareness that we can each make a choice to take actions that do not cause harm to anyone or anything in this world. I have no problem whatsoever with businesses making money, as long as the actions taken are ethical, moral and legal. I applaud any organization with a sincere goal of “Our organization is ever-flourishing; continuously and significantly increasing value (creating growth and stability) for all stakeholders – employees (including suppliers), clients and shareholders (while preventing harm to the world - society and the environment - due to our actions or lack of action)."
It wasn’t until she was diagnosed that I became aware of this type of medical condition. The plan the doctors devised to help her include eating organic foods, taking oxygen and regularly using a dry or infrared sauna to detoxify her body. That is not a comprehensive list of her treatment plan though. I just wanted to share part of her plan here.
I was surprised about a year ago to see a sign in a bathroom at a park which stated that only natural cleaning products and supplies were being utilized there because of people with multiple chemical sensitivities. These experiences, in addition to others, led me to the realization that many of the chemicals, food products and supplies we have created in this world are causing harm to people, in some cases severe harm. How much harm is it causing those of us who don’t have her medical condition? How much harm is happening in nature and to other forms of life as well?
I am not bringing this subject up to cause any kind of harm to the organizations involved in the production or distribution of the products mentioned (i.e. chemicals). I just want to further create an awareness that we can each make a choice to take actions that do not cause harm to anyone or anything in this world. I have no problem whatsoever with businesses making money, as long as the actions taken are ethical, moral and legal. I applaud any organization with a sincere goal of “Our organization is ever-flourishing; continuously and significantly increasing value (creating growth and stability) for all stakeholders – employees (including suppliers), clients and shareholders (while preventing harm to the world - society and the environment - due to our actions or lack of action)."
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