A positive influence

In 2008, my creative mother gave my brothers and me a branding iron. This brand came in a nice wooden box and it was crafted in the shape of our initials. Accompanying this wonderful gift was a letter. It encouraged us to leave our mark on something or someone, to do something that would leave the world a better place than we found it.

We are now over a week into 2012 and many of us may have made resolutions to better ourselves. These resolutions may have come in the form of goals intended to improve our physical appearance, emotional state, mental abilities, or professional status. These goals are all important and I have set some of my own in these areas. But life is short and in light of some recent events, I have given myself to serious contemplation about how the goals and priorities we set may influence the lives of those people around us – our family, co-workers, and community. 

Family

Firstly, I am going to focus on family. I love and value my family, but they are often the ones that get neglected while I am working at pursuing my goals and ambitions. We must make the conscious choice to cherish our family. They may infuriate you and drive you to despair, but they are the only family you have. Learn to get along and support each other. If you can do this, even when you do not see eye to eye, you will learn a lot about being mature and this will help you in your relationship with others. In many cultures, the family group includes children, parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews. This is something that has been lost to great extent in Western cultures. Although they still exist, the break down of the nuclear family has cost us a great deal. Let us not be afraid to look to other cultures for the lessons they might be able to teach us about the importance of family.

Workplace

Secondly, we spend most of our lives working with others. At work it is easy to focus on our job responsibilities and career advancement. For those that are goal oriented, this sometimes means that we focus on our careers at the expense of others. If making someone else look bad makes us look good it is just the price we pay to get ahead. You may work for a terrible boss or (if we are honest with ourselves) we may admit that we are terrible bosses. For those in this category it is not too late to learn the ‘soft’ skills required to be a good manager or boss. If you are a manager you have within your power and influence the ability to make the lives of your employees wonderful or miserable. It is easy to make our employees lives miserable. All it takes is for us to decide that we want things done our way. A 2009 survey conducted by the Ministry of Economic Development found that New Zealand had some of the worst managers in the world. This is not good news for our employees who we depend on to get things done. Improving workplace culture is almost solely in the hands of the management. But making these changes often means that the manager has to learn and adapt. In 2012 I plan to focus on helping the people I work with to perform to their fullest potential. This may mean that I have to get out of the way. 

Community

Finally, there is room for me to reach out to others. I have always had a passion for politics and community service. My view of politics has always been altruistic – people making personal sacrifices in order to serve the greater good. Unfortunately this is not what politics is like. As with all things there are exceptions to every rule, but it seems that in many cases politicians focus on what they can get out from their position and influence. In contrast, community service is something entirely different. Community service is about helping others, being dedicated to local causes that help local people. These acts of service usually go unnoticed and unrecognized by the wider world. But that doesn’t seem to matter to those involved. They seem content to do what they love to do all while helping others. If you are not already involved in your community, consider in what ways you can get involved in 2012 to be a positive influence.

Further Reading

Coleman, J., & George, B. (2011, December 30). Five Resolutions for Aspiring Leaders. HBR Blog Network. Retrieved January 8, 2012, from http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2011/12/five_resolutions_for_aspiring.html?cm_mmc=email-_-newsletter-_-leadership-_-leadership010512&referral=00206&utm_source=newsletter_leadership&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=leadership010512

Hart, S. (2011, October 15). Management training below par. NZ Herald. Retrieved January 8, 2012, from http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10759111

Daily Mail. (2012, January 3). Why natural leaders make bad bosses. NZ Herald. Retrieved January 8, 2012, from http://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=10776492

APA formatting by BibMe.org.

Grassroots change

America is in trouble.  From where I sit, the President and Congress have lost the ability to make the fundamental changes required to restore stability to the America.  Too much political will and influence has been squandered on saving face, jockeying for position, and trying to capture (or re-capture) the White House in 2012.  Wake up folks.  The prize isn't the White House.  The prize is a country that continues to function responsibly.  If America misses the present opportunities to show real leadership, I fear it will be a long time before the balance of political and economic power sways back its way.  If there isn't a sense of urgency about this among the American people then a huge opportunity is going to be lost.  Throughout history, major change was accomplished, not by the ruling class, but by small groups of discontented citizenry.  Although a corrupted form of capitalism has seemingly trumped democracy in America, the majority still holds more voting power than the ruling elite does.  Americans at the grassroots can still make a difference in this present situation.  In fact, making a deference isn't optional.   

John Kotter (2008) argues that for any change to take place a sense of urgency needs to exist.  To the Baby Boomers who hold a tremendous amount of power and influence, I urge you to use these assets to make sure that there's an America for the next generation.  For the X, Y, and Millennials, we need to work with the Boomers to face the challenge that few generations have faced before - the restructuring of a society and culture.  In 1862, Abraham Lincoln said to Congress:

The dogmas of the quiet past, are inadequate for the stormy present.  This occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise with the occasion.  As our case is new, we must think anew, and act anew.  We must disenthrall (set free) ourselves, and then we shall save our country."  

Those words were spoken in the middle of the American Civil War.  The country was divided over philosophical and moral differences about where the country should go.  The country is again divided over philosophical and moral differences.  This time, the war isn't being fought with guns but with money.  The country is struggling over where it will go in the future.  No country has ever survived for long with out a robust middle class.  When the divide between rich and poor becomes too great, the country disintegrates.  This is a defining moment for America.  The middle class has been gutted.  It seems that they are waiting for a political saviour to rescue them.  Guess what?  That's not going to happen.  The Tea Party cannot fix this issue, nor can the President or the Republicans and Democrats in Congress.  It's an issue that needs to be sorted out at the grassroots.  I think Lincoln's words provide us with some good advice on what we should do.  We need to think and act anew. 

Vote everyone out of Congress

This is a radical and revolutionary idea.  Kotter (2008) suggests that first tactic to bring about needed change is to bring the outside in.  The present Congress has shown that their experience counts for nothing.  They have been unable to call upon what they know because they learned it in a world that is vastly different from the one in which we now live.  This occasion is piled high with difficulty and it requires us to think and act in new ways.  We don't need experience in Congress; we need people who can think for themselves and for their constituency.  Elected officials are not there to build a career and lifestyle for themselves.  They are there to represent your interests.  If the American people can call and write to their elected officials in record numbers and still have Congress do the opposite - then its time for them to be shown the door.  I saw a billboard on the CNN website that said: "You can't fix stupid, but you can vote them out of office."  The current Congress doesn't know what to do because their experience has them trapped in the past.  What worked yesterday isn't going to work today.  

Identify someone YOU know to run for the office

The current political system requires those who run for office to receive an endorsement from the party.  This endorsement usually means that the person has jumped through all proper hoops; they've put in their time.  But a person who has spent this much time trying to impress the king makers is hardly going bit the hand that puts them in office.  From the grassroots levels, we need to start identifying people we know and trust.  People who love the country and want to see things change for the better.  This isn't about Republican or Democrat; but about finding Americans who will serve their country out of a sense of duty.  These people will be hard to find, but they're out there.  It's not impossible.  Their primary ambitions shouldn't be to become life long politicians, or to win re-election.  They should be dedicated to rescuing America from its current crisis - or to die trying.  These people should not only think differently, they should act differently.  

Do something - ANYTHING!

Apathy isn't going to change anything.  Neither will giving up on doing good and making a difference locally.  The system may be broken but it can be fixed.  Too many have been distracted by the consumerist lifestyle.  We're busy trying to pay the bills and keep on top of the everyday things of life.  We're too busy to get involved.  We need to make it a priority to save the democracies in which we live.  If we've enjoyed the life we've had in the land of the free, we need to ensure that future generations can continue to do the same.  I recently read two quotes in Tom Peters, The Little Big Things (2006).  

The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself.  Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man." - G.B. Shaw, Man and Superman

Whenever anything is being accomplished, it is being done, I have learned, by a monomaniac with a mission." - Peter Drucker

Don't adapt to the world any longer.  Stop doing things just because that's what others do.  Moreover, get a mission for your life.  If you don't know what your purpose is, find it!  

Works Cited

Kotter, J. (2008). A sense of urgency. Boston: Harvard Business Press. (Amazon)

Peters, T. (2006). The little big things: 163 ways to pursue excellence. New York: Harper Studio. (Amazon)

Make that change

I grew up in a rich country. My family wasn't rich by any stretch of the imagination but we had everything we needed. As a result I learned from an early age that there was a clear difference between what I needed and what I wanted. There was a reason why my parents didn't buy me everything I wanted. For starters, I was one of four boys, so there were multiple needs that they were required to meet. I knew in one sense that I had everything I needed and for that I was grateful. When I got my first job and started earning I began to buy some of the things I wanted - a new bike, a CD player, CDs and more. Because I was still living at home under the gracious care of my parents most of my basic needs were still being looked after. This spending freedom meant that I denied myself nothing. Trouble began for me when I moved out on my own and had to start looking after my needs as well as my wants. I had grown accustomed to getting the things that I wanted. When my needs cut into my discretionary spending I did what most college students do - I took advantage of one of the two dozen credit card offers that targeted students living on little income. By this point my college tuition and books ate up most of my money. So to eat and buy the CDs I 'needed' I had to use a credit card. I could have changed my behavior; I should have changed my behavior. Whenever I thought about making a change I would take a look around. Everyone else was doing exactly the same thing. Why should I change? No one else seems to be worried about the debt they were piling up. "I'll be okay," I told myself.

Lost opportunities

When I left College I was given an opportunity to go to Graduate School. My grades were good enough to get into the programme but the tuition bill frightened me. I had just completed four years of study with what I thought to be a sizable student loan. The tuition bill for the Masters degree was going to be ten times what I already owed. So I put it off. I decided to continue to work in the hope that I would be able to save enough to pay off my student loan and one day be able to go back and study. But this was a lot harder than I thought. I did what I thought I could to get by, but this included the continued use of a credit card to help out.

Chen and the 'benefits' of Affluence

Why am I telling you all this? I read two articles this week that sparked some reflection on the current state of the world. The first article was about how young Chinese workers are beginning to say no to dead end jobs (Foreman, 2010). Foremen spoke with Chen Qinghai, a 19-year old factory worker who was looking for a more fulfilling job. Speaking about the difference between his and his parent's generations, Chen told Foreman that, "It's true that we're less willing to eat bitterness" (Foreman, 2010). Chen also informs Foreman that his generation is better educated and know their rights. This morning when I woke up, I woke up with over a two billion other people who want a better life then they have now. What's the difference between me and Chen? I want a better life, but I don't necessarily need one. I'm already living better than the majority of the world's population. What will happen when my generation discovers that the privileges we grew up with aren't necessarily our rights? When I realize that all that I have is not a right, but a privilege, how will that change my thinking about my current way of life? A 'generational war' has commenced according to Bernard Hickey of interest.co.nz. In Hickey's terms, the war is between Baby Boomers and Generation X. He is right in one sense, but I don't think the war will be that simple. Battles will also take place among Generations X, Y, and Millennials who will be up against the billions in Asia and other parts of the developing world. We won't be able to fight a war on two fronts. We'll either squabble over the inheritance that will be whittled away by parents and grandparents by ballooning health care costs while paying higher taxes to help support the greater strain on public funds, or we'll come to the realization that times have changed. An affluent lifestyle isn't my right. My focus needs to be on what I can do or create to help my family and others as opposed to waiting for what I believe I deserve. But we haven't learned much from the GFC (Global Financial Crisis). It feels like we're just waiting for things to come right so we can resume our way of living. But things have fundamentally changed.

This leads me into the second article. Jaime Doward (2010) reported on research conducted by two Canadian economists, Curtis Eaton and Mukesh Eswaran (2009). In brief, Eaton and Eswaran found that once a reasonable standard of living was reach by a country's population, there is little benefit, in fact, a negative benefit to gaining greater wealth. In other words, buying 'toys' will make me feel good but will potentially make others feel worse, especially if they can't afford the same objects. Status symbols with no intrinsic value will drive those without to want these symbols so that they fit in. This will drive them to use debt to achieve a lifestyle that really can't be sustained. This was me during my university years. I wanted the status symbols (CD players, iPods, cell phone, etc.) so that I would fit in. These were all things that I couldn't afford, but they made me feel better (at least until I got the credit card statement). 

Making a change

It's been ten years since I graduate from university. Much in my life has changed, but I still get aggravated by the fact that I was not able to change my spending behaviors when I was younger. I see now the difficult financial position I put myself in and often wish I could have a few words with the university 'me' that applied for that credit card. It was my fault that I got into the financial position I was in. But I was helped along by a culture that held up 'things' as a sign of importance. I was alright if I had things. I was just like everyone else. I fit in. But I can recall few peers or superiors who demonstrated a different kind of lifestyle and who chose to behave differently with their money. I'm in a much better position now thanks to my wife. Living in relationship has taught me a lot about reorganizing my priorities. I still get things mixed up from time to time, but I'm getting better (I hope). So on the back of reading about Chen and the empirical study that shows that I'm worse off when I have more than I need, what am I to do now to change my behaviors, particularly with regards to spending?

Firstly, I need to rethink my attitudes and behaviors toward money. I think one of the hardest things to do is to fast. A fast is when you give something up for a specified period of time. If you want to try something hard, give up spending for a day, week, or month. Spend money only on necessities like food, your mortgage/rent, and bills. For those of you who are religious, don't give up on tithing. See how you go with this. Budget agencies will often get you to ask the question: "Do I need it?" A need is defined as something you can't live without. I can't live without food so this is obviously a need. But do I need to eat fish and chips from the take-away shop or will I save money by making fish and chips at home? I don't need the latest Lady Gaga CD, although I may want it. It's pretty simple to determine the difference between a need and a want. But it's something entirely different to ask and answer the question when you're holding a shiny new Blu-ray of your favorite film.

If you have trouble determining whether or not the object you're holding will satisfy a need or a want, the second question you can ask is: "how will this investment help my family or others?" If you have trouble saying no to something you want it can often help to think of someone else while making your decision to buy. This one can be just as tricky as the first, but it moves the decision from self to others, which may help you paint a more realistic picture of reality. If I'm thinking about buying a house, for example, I might be able to justify the purchase if I think that my family will benefit from having a home of their own. If I have a suitable deposit and can afford the mortgage payments without having to use my credit card on a regular basis to pay for my basic needs, then a house purchase is probably a good idea. If I don't have the deposit and know that the monthly payments aren't sustainable, but do it anyway just because others are doing it and I don't want to miss out, then it's probably not a good idea.

Finally, I need to think about others more often than I do, even when I'm not being faced with a decision to purchase something. When I read about Chen this week I realized that there are a lot of people in the world striving for a 'reasonable standard of living'. Eaton and Eswaran (2009) found that greater affluence leads to a breakdown of trust and community because we spend more time pursuing status symbols and less time focused on people. I need to think of my family first but I can't stop there. I must consider my neighbors, community, country, and the rest of the world. This is a pretty big task which is probably why most of us don't bother. It's so much easier to just think about ourselves.

With these things in mind, we might just find happiness in the middle of a recession. If enough of us try living this way, we might even find ourselves coming out of the recession as the result of dealing with the fundamental behaviors that got us into the mess in the first place.   

References

Doward, J. (2010, March 15). Life & Style: Too much wealth can make us worse off: study. New Zealand Herald. Retrieved from http://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=10632032

Eaton, B.C., & Eswaran, M. (2009). Well-being and affluence in the presence of a Veblen good. The Economic Journal, 119 (539), pp. 1088-1104.

Foreman, W. (2010, March 15). Economy: Younger generation of Chinese reject dead-end jobs. New Zealand Herald. Retrieved from http://www.nzherald.co.nz/economy/news/article.cfm?c_id=34&objectid=10632062

Hickey, B. (2010, March 15). Business: Show Me the Money: First shots in generational war. New Zealand Herald. Retrieved from http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10631831