Can the Caribbean work together?!?

 

Absolutely, the Caribbean region can work together to survive these tough economic times. Here's a breakdown of steps and strategies to facilitate sustainability, increase productivity, and encourage regional trade:

Steps to Facilitate Sustainability of Caribbean Economies:

• Diversification: Reduce reliance on single industries like tourism by investing in sectors like renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, and technology.
• Climate Resilience: Build infrastructure and economies that can withstand the impacts of climate change, such as hurricanes and rising sea levels.
• Debt Management: Explore debt-for-nature swaps and other innovative financing mechanisms to alleviate debt burdens and free up resources for sustainable development.
• Green Economy: Transition to a green economy by promoting sustainable practices, investing in renewable energy, and creating green jobs.

Working Cohesively to Create a Cost-Effective Trade Region:

• Reduce Trade Barriers: Eliminate tariffs and non-tariff barriers to facilitate the free movement of goods, services, and people within the region.
• Harmonize Regulations: Align standards and regulations to reduce bureaucratic hurdles and make it easier for businesses to trade across borders.
• Improve Infrastructure: Invest in transportation, communication, and energy infrastructure to reduce the costs of doing business in the region.
• Promote Regional Branding: Develop a strong regional brand to promote Caribbean products and services in international markets.

Increasing Productivity to Facilitate Shifting Economics:

• Invest in Education and Training: Develop a skilled workforce that can meet the demands of a changing economy.
• Promote Innovation: Encourage research and development, support entrepreneurship, and foster a culture of innovation.
• Improve Efficiency: Streamline business processes, reduce bureaucracy, and adopt new technologies to increase productivity.
• Strengthen Institutions: Build strong and transparent institutions that can support economic development.

Economic Shifts to Encourage Regional Trade and Benefit the Region:

• Value-Added Products: Focus on producing higher-value-added products and services to increase export earnings.
• Regional Value Chains: Develop regional value chains to promote local sourcing and reduce dependence on imports.
• Targeted Investments: Invest in sectors that have the potential to drive regional growth, such as renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, and technology.
• Data and Information Sharing: Improve access to data and information to facilitate informed decision-making and promote regional trade.

Additional Considerations:

• Collaboration: Foster a culture of collaboration and cooperation among governments, businesses, and civil society organizations.
• Inclusivity: Ensure that the benefits of economic growth are shared by all members of society.
• Sustainability: Prioritize sustainable development to protect the environment and ensure that future generations can also benefit from the region's resources.

By working together and taking these steps, the Caribbean region can overcome the challenges ahead and create a more sustainable and prosperous future for all.

Is the personal side of our development hampering SMEs?

 

Life is an experience that everyone goes through at different levels. However, when one zooms out their view, it is recognized that the more things change the more they remain the same. Business is not only comprised of what happens during business hours, but includes what happens on the personal time of the business owner and their team members outside of the said hours. 

At the end of the day, the heartbeat of the business are the individuals who work there. Who provides the information and service so critical to its success. What would be needed to create an atmosphere of support that encourages people to have delightful experiences at work? 

For some, life at home can be hard, and they may not get the appreciation there. 

I remember serving at church, and as we greeted attendees coming to the service, some collapsed and cried when they received a warm greeting from someone who barely knew them and vice versa. 

In his book How to Win Friends and Influence People, Dale Carnegie states that deep down in individuals is the craving to be appreciated. The use of the word craving conveys the level of seriousness that appreciation can play in the lives of others. 

This is not to be done in a manipulative manner. We often call out people when they do things wrong, but when they do things right, we tend to behave as if that's what they are supposed to do and don't provide the accolades that may serve to reinforce positive behaviour. 

In life, our colleagues/workmates will encounter some form of tragedy. Death, divorce, accidents, and robberies are some negatives that come to mind. Others that impact positively also impact our lives and result in changed behaviours. Marriages, birthdays, and promotions, to name a few, also require some changes that others may need help understanding. 

Why would people who would support you in a particular type of business not do so should you leave to begin your own? Can it be some emotion that you would rather not discuss here? 

You have to be perceptive and discerning when you're in business. Keep learning - both formally and informally. There's not everything you need a certificate for, but learning is to fulfil your curiosity. 

Have fun while working. Your work day can take over 1/3 of your life; ensure it is not miserable. With the personal/career aspects of your life in balance. There is nothing to stop you from accelerating towards your goals. 

COVID 19 - School Leavers and the Workforce

 

Every year, there's a question that rears up within the work force? Can these new school leavers do the job? Questions seem to crop up, not so much over the academic achievements, but over the competency to fulfill the requirements of the job role. Despite the presence of the pandemic, we must be aware that the next few years will surely be different as it relates to recruitment and the job market. Will job hunting be tough as always? Yes, but this time it will be on steroids. 

Academia Vs Competency

In many instances, educational institutions rarely have had the opportunity to prepare school leavers for the world of work. With the pandemic last year and a great deal of this year, coupled with volcanic eruptions affecting the region, education has been disrupted quite badly. Given these instances, they are situations where people are not coping well with remote schooling. There are still some elements of the curricula that require physical teaching methods which are not easily replicated in the virtual world; especially when students don't have the foundation experiences to draw upon for a full appreciation of the information being conveyed. 

Inabilities to communicate effectively

Have we recognized that, with all the methods of communicating, that actual communication is at an all time low. It is a skill that is actually suffering quite significantly. Even people within the same household can't seem to get along since they may be of different generations and interact differently. We have developed a displaced approach to culture, whereby we think that speaking in dialect is common place for every situation. We are now failing to recognize that there is a time and place for everything; including verbal, written and other forms of communication. 

There seems to be a lack of respect for others and it is growing. People seem to believe that since they are qualified they can interact with others as they like and the rest of the world must conform to their standards. 

There will be a requirement that organizations address their standards in the early so that those serving the company in varying capacities know how to interact. 

Employment opportunities and the job seeker

In short form, it is going to be tougher to get a job. Why? Well, everyone felt the impact of the global shut down due to the pandemic. It came in waves causing people and organizations to have to endure multiple shutdowns impacting income in a negative way in most instances. 

Currently, school leavers of all ages are not being adequately prepared for the world of work. The emphasis is on education in a very academic sense and competency is taking a blow depending on how those programs are being executed. 

Another consideration is that job seekers will now have even more limited work experience and try to embark on businesses which if they don't receive technical assistance to guide them will result in massive failures among start up enterprises and SMEs. The work ethic which usually develops from applied learning will suffer since the metrics for ensuring discipline are not able to be readily enforced due to the remoteness of the current educational environment. This results in limited checks and balances that provide feedback to the student as to how to translate their education in to practical settings required for the world of work. 

Training systems in a disoriented and displaced workforce

To become/remain competitive businesses are going to need to invest in the training of their human resources. Prior to, but especially during COVID-19 the methodologies of training have evolved. We have gone from beginning to embrace online to being predominantly online; with many not becoming used to the virtual world despite the best of efforts. 

Despite the best of preparation, we have the instability of the internet through the service providers which serve to increase levels of stress due to the uncertainty. At times there can be challenges with the competence using the technology on the part of the presenter/student (participant). 

Conference call clashes seems to be the order of the day which in many cases may also result in work/study stays being extremely long. Remote workers and students can become faced with fatigue of being in front of the computer or being sedentary for too long. Presenter skills have to be en-pointe to hold the attention of the participants to the various programs. 

Employment and employees - Who's ready?

The environment we are currently facing is one that is unprecedented. Yes, we have faced challenges before as countries within the Caribbean. However, in this instance they are not spaced out as in the past and all of these environmental challenges have a multi-pronged impact on its residents. What is meant by this? 

1. COVID-19 Pandemic
2. The volcanic ash flow
3. The hurricane season
4. The rainy season

Additionally, there is the issue of man-made challenges through the instance of disposal practices especially as it pertains to modern conveniences. 

Are we prepared? No one was/is! There is a need to innovate, to pivot, to revise and revamp. To create this system of what I'll term "neuvo-employment". 

We have to identify how we can harness the imaginations of the youth and the experiences of those who are older. 

Fine tuning competition with existing workforce

Make no mistake about it, we can decide if we are going to compete or if we are going to innovate. Attention has to be given as to how we will be sustainable in this environment. How can we ensure that the necessary resources are accessible. 

Leadership is key in this environment. Fortunately for Barbados, our government and in particular our current Prime Minister Mia Mottley has to capacity to communicate at levels that no one is left out. I would use this opportunity to say thank you to our government for their practical measures in helping us to ride these waves of uncertainty. 

It should be noted that in this current and future environment there will be a requirement for teams to work collaboratively with experience harnessing innovation. We have some insights as to how this can be done and will share more in the near future. Keep locked in to your media channels. 

You may also keep updated on our website about various business topics and discussions at www.bladesandbladesconsultancy.com 

The impact on the workforce is real, but not insurmountable. You must however have a plan. 

Professional services - a little insight

 

Professional services have long been the but of many jokes, particularly when it comes to the realm of consultancy. Everyone needs them, fewer want to acknowledge they have the need, and still fewer want to even pay them for their services. 

It has been observed that many don't know the difference between investment and expense. This carries forward into the way they treat their employees in the tone that they set for their organizational culture.

Too often, for those who have been willing to serve various governments, the lament often revolves around the length of time it takes to be paid. This is after being asked for in many cases rock bottom discounts in the name of nationalism and "patriotism" along with all the other glowing teams that people trump up at the time. 

Civil servants look at the sums charged and think that the money invoiced is more than their pay and, wow...that's a lot of money for one person to be making. 

Confessions, one person, especially those worth their salt doesn't make nor keep the invoiced sum. The person that you see isn't the only one working on your project. One has to employ others [yes, teams], even if they are independent contractors to assist in expediting the work quickly and efficiently. It isn't advisable to try to keep all the work for one's self when you can draw on the experiences of others who may have even more insights because they are specialists in their respective areas. 

Information is expensive to access, and unless you want free information that may be decades old and no longer relevant, it takes money to access documents which can begin with fees of US$500 and pushing north to just gain access. Sometimes after paying these fees, you may have to pay additional fees to get supporting information for what you're researching on the behalf of the client. 

Cash flow is key, and when people make glib remarks about having money to pay your commitments. Do they expect someone elses project to pay for their expenses. YES, THEY DO! Would they want it to happen to them? NO! 

When work is done for government, certain departments are quick to ask you to serve, but loathe when it comes to payment. At payment times they play the I-N-O [ I ain't know] card, and it's always with another department until you trace it and find out whose desk it is on in the processing phase. It has gotten to the stage that good, solid people who work in the realm of professional services have vowed not to do any work for government ever again, and they remain resolute to that decision. 

Government is not alone in this, private sector also has its share of skeletal disorders when it comes to paying for professional services. To draw on a personal experience, a west coast client needed services that we provided, and the conversation went well up to a point. They then said that their payment policy was 90 days after the service is completed. It's important to have standards as a small business, I responded that we were more like Chefette [a really successful local fast food chain] in our business model - you can look at the menu all you want, but until you pay for what you require, it would not be served for you to consume. We then understood each other and I never did that assignment and prevented both parties from encountering a potentially unpleasant experience. 

Professional services if employed correctly can enable your business to experience significant growth and stability. However, you have to be fair and pay properly and on time; that way everyone wins. 

Do you know your reputation?

 We are all known for something. However in many instances, it would appear that we ourselves may be unaware of the reputation we carry. It may be due to many of us not paying attention to ourselves and what we portray. 

We often have opinions of others based on our interaction with them. Yet, we don't seem to be always aware of what others think of us, and often in the cases when we do, we are often wrong in our determinations. 

It's time to become conscious of who we are and whose we are. What are the standards we have developed and inculcated over the years of our existence? 

In 2020, we were forced to stop at times and reflect on our lives, our environment and the situations we faced. We reflected on the lives of those who passed away and the impact that it had on us. I wondered, if they were ever heard/were told any of the things we hear of them when the tributes came in. As a friend of mine, long gone from this life said to me when I was growing up; "were they alive to smell the roses". 

Many of us will receive bouquets when we die, but does it mean that we haven't truly lived if we never received a bouquet while we are alive? When we do, how do we take in the moment and crystalize the experience in our psyche?

Do people know us in a lopsided manner? Only by our work, our family lives, our church personas? How many of us can say that we are known totally by anyone where those who know us can truly speak of our character? 

We compartmentalize so much that many of us can be Saints-on-Sunday and Sinners-the-rest-of-the-time. 

Sometimes, we as a people lament that we are not appreciated by others. Yet, have we take the opportunity to appreciate ourselves for just who we are? 

We don't seem to be learning! Just recently there was a gun battle between youth, who aren't even old enough to have experienced life in its fullest; yet they were so willing to take the life of another. In the media, as someone who impacted us significantly in one way or another move on, we only then take the time to appreciate them after they've gone. 

Let's live life on new terms:

• Become a greater supporter of our fellow man;
• Exceed the expectations of others in your service to others;
• Recognize it's not the big things that seem to be in the spotlight that mean the most, but those seemingly insignificantly things that may seem to go unnoticed that make the biggest differences; 
• Love unconditionally; 
• Do things "Just-because". E.g. we sometimes get together for family celebrations, just because, we can. It doesn't have to be commemorating anything other than the freedom of life to commune and share with each other. There's so much that can be learned about each other just by sharing a meal. The generation gap is bridged, family values are shared, we get to value others as we share a kind word/moment. 

Start today to determine and shape the reputation that you want to have. Yes, you'll make mistakes along the way; it's part of the process. Get to know, who you are and whose you are; and live! 

Using your mobile technology to build your business

Businesses are becoming smaller in size, and hopefully with some planning, they can become more nimble within their environments. Many have been displaced within recent time and with their resources being limited, they need to have ways that they can get up to speed quickly. How can they do this, and do it well? This time, more than any, is when consideration needs to be given to the acquisition and use of mobile technology. 

The presence of so many different types of mobile technology in the market place gives rise to a diverse set up applications for a significant number of business opportunities. 

Many businesses are now functioning semi-remotely. Despite resources being scarce, there are mobile tech hardware and software that can help businesses gain traction within their chosen markets. There's literally no excuse not to function competently. 

Here's why:

• Smartphones can cost more than laptops/desktops and are versatile in their applications and dexterity of  functioning while the businessman/woman is on the move. 
• There are paid and free apps that enable the businesses to do the work of entire offices while on the go; and the available platforms support this process. 
• Delegation is easy and reliable. 
• Collaboration is easy, reliable and functional.
• Response rate is almost instantaneous. 
• Document management was also mobile complete with the virtual filing system(s). This is largely due to the memory capacity on most devices. 
• Backup systems are in the cloud making it absolutely difficult to lose information. 

Now that you are aware you have the technology. Here are some things that you need to be aware of:

• Changing devices is easy as information updates are instantaneous when you log in with you profile credentials. 
• Backups/Restoration is easy and reliable. 
• Your contacts are readily at hand should you need to make contact with them. 
• You can process invoices, refunds and track your bookkeeping activity directly from your mobile devices. 
• There are endless security services to protect your data. 
• You can easily manage your devices from your administrative panels and the information they can access. 
• You can see your schedule at a glance. 
• There is seamless integration between devices which means you can continue working even on the move. 
• There is talk to type technology so that you don't break stride with your productivity. 
• You can access movies and music should you need to gear back for a break. 
• There are a plethora of courses, workshops, and webinars to keep you in the know as you seek out more knowledge. 

No excuses are available any longer. Use your preferred mobile technology and get busy on building and developing your future and safeguarding your livelihood and that of those you care about. 

Check our website bladesandbladesconsultancy.com for continued posts and updates. Hope this helps move you in the direction of your most dominant thoughts of success.