The transition from grade to paid

Every year, if you ever get to be near a graduation listening to people speak, there is often the reference to finishing studying and entering/continuing in the world of work. This is often met by the private chuckle of the experienced listener since they know full well; the course of studying is never done.

When you go through the discipline of studying, you must recognize that the courses you study are only a segment of the education. Additional lessons can be derived from learning the techniques of studying since it is going to be required throughout your working life if you are to remain relevant.

There are some things in life to notice when you're out here in the world.

• Those who have the best grades don't necessarily get the best career opportunities. 
• The A students work for the C students and the B students work for the government. 
• I have personally observed this many times over after reading it in the Rich Dad Poor Dad series. Don't be so afraid of being wrong that you lose the opportunity to learn from the experiences. 
• You will have tough times, but it isn't about you. Often times you will be an inspiration to others, but your experiences will enable you to speak from a standpoint of practicality. 
• Though your work is difficult enough, there are some people who will deliberately try to make your days more difficult to frustrate you for reasons you can't comprehend. 

Group work within the educational system is supposed to prepare you for working in teams where you have to interact with many others who may not share your value system. The personality traits that you'll see displayed enable you to realize that you're interacting with children in adult bodies. 

In short, to be paid well, you have to excel at what you do. Don't just show up, but execute on what is going to enable the entity you represent as a whole to benefit. Remember, it's not about you. Studying is a lifelong skill. Learn it to really accelerate in life. 

Barbados' 5 considerations in a dynamic business environment

Barbados is in an environment that it never really experienced before. Yes, we have had tough times, but there are some new elements which have become newsworthy which are entirely new to us, and the scale at which they took place the majority of Barbadians have never witnessed before.

The island, like many other jurisdictions, has placed a heavy emphasis on entrepreneurship. For many, the learning curve will be quite steep, since they would have gotten into business based on a skillset. As we have learned over time, having a particular skill set does not equip you for running a business.

Against this background, the rules for being involved in businesses are changing most rapidly with factors that are outside the range of control for those who are in business. What does this mean?

1. Businesses have to consider more than ever how they can become export ready. 
2. They have to establish and maintain statutory compliance. 
3. All businesses must be aware of their environment at micro and macro levels, noting how the actions of people in key roles can impact them in ways they have no control over.
4. Sources and usage of funds/funding since everything and everyone will be under scrutiny. Know your customers well!
5. Develop and implement strategies for navigating this environment from marketing, finance and investment, operations, and legal standpoints. 

There is a need to demonstrate a higher level of maturity when operating in business. Those in business advisory roles must step up to the plate upgrading their knowledge, skills, and abilities that would enable their entities to cope. 

A new defining moment...

Over the years, black people have been called many degrading names. One, in particular, has many people dancing around in their conversations in order to be politically correct. Recently, I saw a rant by someone who was called this to their face, and I got to thinking.

My thoughts came to how should a conflict be resolved, and one of the techniques is reframing the problem. Looking at the situation from now on, rather than get bitter I will get better. Yes, I'll change the vowel from i to e.

Therefore to the next person that refers to me or my kind as a N-i-G-G-E-R. I'll now take it that they mean:

• Naturally
• Intelligent
• Genre of 
• Genes
• Emitting 
• Radiance

This is how I'll be, whenever anyone calls me by this name. I'll emit the radiance of God that they wish they had. I'll emit the great and charming qualities of my personality and character. No longer will I be lead into expressions of anger. I'll take it that they see the inert outstanding qualities in me they wish they had and step into my season of flowing in them. 

The next time a person refers to me or anyone like me as a nigger, then we'll know that rather than pulling the plug on us, they want us to switch on the power we were born with and flow as the Human Beings The Almighty intended us to be. 

People are fascinating to observe

I'm sure that at some point you've heard someone say that they wished they could be a fly on the wall. It's usually because they want an opportunity to just observe. Looking at people and questioning certain behaviors can give rise to more questions. It can lead you to see motivators that you would not believe could have existed in the situations where they occurred.

Some behaviors observed are:

• jealousy, gossip, selfishness, scheming, dislike without a reason, violence, following the masses and the list can go on with these more prevalent negative behaviors. 
• Alternately, we see though more infrequently, generosity, calm, patience, love, passion, concern

The situations within which we see these behaviors, good and bad, demonstrated are dynamic. Siblings having a serious quarrel can become quite defensive of each other against a third party who may intervene for whatever reason. 

How does this translate to our work lives?

All too often, we see disputes within organizations, and between organizations and customers that need not be so. Many situations can escalate to unnecessary proportions just because one part of or both parties did not seek to understand the other persons' perspective. The result is conflict. 

If we were to look back over a lifetime at the conflicts that we were involved in, what would we think of our behavior? Did we really handle that situation well? or could we have done better? Why do we so easily get drawn into situations of conflict?

Let's make a conscious effort, all readers, to be aware and not be so easily duped into becoming involved in a conflict. 

Ineffective Telecom Usage

Mobile phones have become mainstream in most societies. Virtually everyone has access to one for their usage on a daily basis.

Recently, I was driving through Wildey and saw a business promoting their power tools, and I got to thinking that there were mobile phone units that cost more than these tools. Neither the power tools nor the mobile units were cheap.

Then my mind took me to the thought of how they were used. The power tools were used for the specific purpose for which they were intended. The mobile phone has the main characteristic of communication, however, I don't think we do it very well.

Many of us seem to have the daily ritual of sending good morning messages, jokes, and bad news/warnings. Often the recipient gets the same message at least 4 times; a conversation with the sender may reveal how hard things are for them, yet they never sent a tip out as to how they may have been able to help someone in need. The thing is many are in business.

Since most phones are priced higher than some desktop/laptop computers, how can we make them a productivity tool that aids us in advancing through this life we live? When we think about it, we can be:

• mobile
• productive
• informed
• administrative
• researched 
• and so many more things, all from the palm of our hands. 

Why are we not living better as a result? It may be due to not having goals as it relates to our usage of the mobile phones.
E.g.s

• Do you have standards where those with whom you interact know when they can expect feedback from you when the contact you via one of your many communication methods available on your mobile phone? 
• Are you one of those people who feel immediately pressured when the phones rings or dings that you have to mindlessly jump to respond to those on the other end, even when you have your day scheduled? 
• Do you even have a schedule for when you interact with others via your mobile? 
• Do those with whom you interact know your preferred media for when they wish to communicate with you on a business-related matter? 
• Do you feel compelled to have more than one mobile to handle your business related/personal calls? 
• Do you feel overwhelmed and underproductive? 

You are not alone since many people face this dilemma daily across the globe. The thing is, what are you going to do about it to regain control over your life? Make the plans and then adhere to them. This is key for gaining control over your most important asset - TIME. This also helps you have better controls over your expenses in terms of costs/earnings. 

Is there anything done yet?

It is no laughing matter when you see that this is already the 10th week of the year. With the speed of which we got here and the changes that are going on around us, we need to ask. What have we accomplished? Are we on target to realize anything?

Time is an asset that is often misused. If we lose money, chances are we can make it again. However, losing time; well that's gone for good. 

With the other 42 weeks left, what will we experience? 

• Entire governments are changing
• New inventions and innovations are being introduced
• Businesses are opening their doors for the first time while others close their doors for the last time
• The landscape is changing with people of all age categories dying, yet others are being born and are making strides at a pace faster than the eras past

What will be the contributions that those of us who are currently alive make that can positively impact those around us? There are opportunities via businesses/charities even our daily activities to add value. Who would have thought, 25 years ago, that you would be able to look into the palm of your hand and see/speak/interact with someone who may be on the other side of the globe and more for free?

People who are younger than we are, who barely entered their 20s became mega-successful financially.  Many of us are yet to grasp that givers gain. The more we give, the more we gain. Success rarely follows the selfish. 

As an assessment of your progress, ask yourselves; is there anything done yet? 

We must bear responsibility

Almost daily, the news media is flooded with messages and opinions about the government. It is not unique to Barbados, but many nations face this dilemma. Usually, I observe, tending to keep my opinions to myself, and certainly not becoming involved in political discussions of any sort. By now, if you have gotten this far and read the topic then you must know when I'm coming from and wondering where I am going.

Politicians, to those who are interested, seem to play to the gallery of onlookers. Often they say things to press the emotional buttons of the listener to spark either their support for their party or for themselves, as we're seeing in recent times. There are some things that are common among them that I have an issue with; not with the politician, but with the people who listen/not listen to them. This concern for the people includes me as a citizen.

For too long, politicians have been throwing no end of buzz words, cliches, and phrases that are little more than wandering generalities rather than meaningful specifics at the populous. This is especially apparent when elections approach and they are seeking votes. Often their utterances include lots of blaming of the current government and promises of what they will do when they get in are the center of discussions. Perhaps this is politics!

The people then say they are neglected, ill-treated, marginalized and other such terms; I wonder who is truly to blame. Since many practice partisan politics blindly without question. Others just look at what they are going to get out of the promises uttered from the platform. Few, if any, really question in depth.

Glossy manifestos are pointless, and the noise from platforms are of little use to the people if we don't demand more. We must be mindful that those who are seeking to run for political office do so for the right reasons. Reasons that benefit the nation, it's people and the society as a whole.

One should expect some of the following and others not even mentioned here to be addressed:

• What is the vision for this country and its people?
• What model of governance will be used to address the current situation the country faces and how would the human resources be mobilized within this cause to allow us to become restored as a nation? 
• A government has many moving parts, how can they be all orchestrated to ensure that the country as a whole meanders the various storms it faces socially, economically, and environmentally. {This needs to be a comprehensive approach] 
• If taxes were to be reduced and the operations governing collections enhanced; how would it serve to boost the economy of the country. Certainly we the economic minds and computers that we have available within the present day, we can arrive at a variety of models that would serve the various stages of our redevelopment. 
• How can the new government garner the support of its citizens to be committed to correcting the path of the country by addressing the challenges facing our country head-on, and having the requisite strategies developed to address the said challenges at the micro and macro levels? 
• How can we ensure that education is not just formal but also informal enabling the powering of entrepreneurship to move towards the stage where exportation of goods and services becomes a priority complete with incentives in place to encourage exports and foreign exchange earnings?
• We the people, complained vehemently about ham prices, and the costs of living; however, what are we doing on a national scale to adjust our lifestyles and communal practices to ensure we enhance our livelihoods within the nation? 

Let's move beyond the blame game and take responsibilities for our actions, words, and behaviours. Let us involve every aspect of our society address the problems and challenges that affect us all as long as we are resident in Barbados. Let us look at the problems facing us, but focus on the solutions and remedies to rectify our situations as a people so that the entire nation benefits. We have to be our brother's keeper. We have to look at multiple streams of improvement within our society. We have to prove to ourselves and the world that as a nation we can be strong and resilient, reclaiming what we lost and building for a brighter future. We must be a people that demand and adhere to accountability as one of our characteristics.