Does your company have a shit filter in place?

Life in a large corporate is never dull. Never...

The larger the corporate, the more the layers, the bigger the shit filter. Why? Who knows...well actually we all know - why...What is more deeply concerning is that the shit filter is culturally acceptable and filtration encouraged. Wow. Double Wow.

Water cooler banter and corridor chatter all know of the shit filter. And, bizarrely it works both ways. Up and down. But instead of being consistent, the upstream effect is quite different from the downstream and the positive and negative flows are contradictory depending on the direction and mood.

So poop flows down more easily and fluidly than bad news goes up. So you are more likely to get poop (multiplied) piled on you when you are at the bottom of the pyramid. But bad news seems to peter out up the chain because your boss just doesn't really want to deliver bad news to their boss etc. etc.

Similarly, good news is absorbed by those you report to and in true "pointy haired boss" fashion not exactly fully satisfying by the time you get the casual "thanks for all the hard work" compliments for your 250 weeks for the last 15 months to deliver an Invisibility Cloak that Harry Potter would be proud of.

Bah humbug. The good shit flows down and is slowly absorbed by all the scaly bastards we report to while the bad shit flows as freely as water off a ducks back straight down our necks.

Do you bypass it if you want to get a point across? That is totally up to you. But if the filter is deep, then go for it. I can't stop you.

Can one person really change the world?

The short answer is "Yes".

But how can that be? What gives little me the power to move mountains...?

I work in a large corporate. Very big indeed. Located one all major continents. But I have learnt much over the last few years.

1. If you believe in something, then really put your back into it.
2. Tell anyone who will listen, follow the chain of command up until someone hears what you have to say.
3. Listen to everyone - even if you don't agree - there is always something useful in what they have to say.
4. Develop your argument as you go.
5. Never give up.
6. Start again at point number one.

Yes. You can change the world. And only when you have exhausted all avenues - then quit. And take your brilliant idea elsewhere, because someone will listen and act... Yahoo!!!!!

Life is about the meaning you give and make. So make meaning....

The New Revolution

We complain and moan about politicians, big business, local government, petrol prices etc. etc. And all things considered I believe we have finally recognised that "we" are part of the problem. Given recent events, protests that have literally changed the world, e.g. in Egypt, Libya and India, you can only have your head in the sand to not realise that the people have the power and these events have maybe made us, the people, reclaim our power.

The New Revolution has been slow in evolution, but is powerful when unleashed. So all you governments and businesses, just watch out - because your time is nigh.

That said. South Africa's recent blunder with the Dalai Lama's visa is a clear indication that some are not taking things as seriously as I would have hoped. But maybe we are just aiming too high - going for the big fish before we deal with more immediate issues. OK then, maybe Blackberry's next. Wow, I wonder how many illicit meanderings were trounced during the recent outage? I heard a couple of folks on public radio admonishing Vodacom for their meager compensation this morning. A New Revolution is brewing there too.

The world is changing. We are gatvol (pissed off) about just being a number, just having a job where we do not understand the meaning of our contribution, chasing a salary.

Ja, I am just meandering amongst the ruins of last week, but there is hope. The New Revolution is coming to a country near you. We are reclaiming our connection with nature, our families and redefining our contribution to the world - even putting our lives on the line for it. Viva, viva, viva...

You're preaching to the converted bru...how lame

Have you ever thought how ridiculous the phrase "You are preaching to the converted" is? I only really thought about this for the first time yesterday while pondering other challenges at my door.

If you are of religious persuasion and attend some regular gathering of believers you would not expect one of your fellow faithful to hop up during a sermon and shout "hey dude we already believe - get on with it". It is just not the done thing. Almost all religions understand that you need continual "topping up" - if not weekly then daily. It is part of the accepted practice. So why should business be any different.

Even when things are going well in business, your deliveries speak volumes about the chosen "religion" be it technology or a particular product choice.

So for those who feel the need to use this phrase - please refrain from expounding this particular piece of drivel next time, because I will continue to "evangelize" my view because I believe in it with all my heart for the fear that someone should forget that we just do it better than anyone else.

There - I've said it.

Change the World or go home

I read the title for the first time on Hugh Macleods gapingvoid site many years ago. I can't help but try and apply it in my daily life.
This morning I was chatting to some collegues at work and was astounded when the comment was made that 'you can't change the organization'.
My first reaction was to laugh because I could relate knowing the company we all work for. My second reaction was to go and look up my hacked version of the Blue Monster bizcard Hugh drew all those years ago for Micrsoft. It reminded me of the fact that anyone has the ability to change the organization, especially if you are part of it.
In fact it is your obligation to continue to try to do so. Change the world or go home...and repeat...

The human condition

I read an article by Russel Brand this morning regarding the passing of Amy Winehouse. It touched my life in many ways. I tweeted this morning that when you find yourself painted into a corner that you need to paint yourself a door out of that room. Unfortunately Amy did not manage to do this...or maybe she ran out of paint. At least she may have thought she did.

I find myself in a corner now, career wise (and in some aspects in other avenues in my life too.)

Finding the right door to draw is not that easy. But knowing that you can't go back the way you got there is the first step. I came across something he other day that really punctuated my status of immobility. It said "If you are looking for a sign then this is IT." No more farting around for me...so take heed and start drawing your door too.

The I-Phone is hot

It is my first foray into the world of serious smart phones. I am seriously impressed by my lovely new I-phone 4. Hell yeah...

The Munniks

Two weeks ago I decided to ride in the Dirtopia Marathon. Against my better judgment I decide to do the 60km (two loops) and ultimately only completed one lap a puncture that I nursed for 12km to the finish of the first lap and my body saw to that. Tough as anything I have ever ridden – may not be much, but Dr Evil could not have done better. Every single bit of terroir  made an appearance.

I ended up under a “First Ascent” sun shade with the Munniks – Peter, Oli and Simon and some of their friends. A nicer bunch of guys are hard to find. A good bit of cussing and moaning about Merant’s course and a few beers were enjoyed by us all.

My mate, David, finished the two laps much to my embarrassment, but that is his nature and good on him. Sorry about the flat Dave.

Parental guidance

On Saturday I took my son Matthew to Elgin for a bike race. He was pumped, I was pumped too. 10km of beautiful forest and a morning together – bonding.

Matthew is an exceptional child. At 8 years of age he still sees no barriers to his life or achieving anything he sets his mind to. It is remarkable to see.

So he told everyone who would listen that he was going to win. At the gun he raced off in first place with me chasing him across the field into a short section of single track and onto the jeep track.

“My god he’s leading out the race” was my first thought. Sure this is just a fun ride, but my boy is out there showing his stuff and really believes that he can do this.

The lessons in life come from everywhere, but none are better than from our kids. He went on to take 4th place and even though it was an untimed event he crowed about his victory to anyone who would listen – a perfect cyclist in the making. Now I just need to make sure that he applies this to his school work too. Being a parent I still need to ensure that he has an education if the pro cycling thing does not work out. And we need to work on his downhill and single track speed…

Our kids will always teach us stuff if we are just willing to listen. It is stuff we forget and forgo regularly…

And as an old colleague says in his cartoon today - “Be the person you were born to be.” Matt – continue believing your dreams and I will support you.

“Gamification” of the Internet

This post was initially about why I believe that the “gamification” of the Internet is an entirely negative thing. While I still believe that accumulating followers on Facebook etc. is wasteful use of the Internet, there are aspects of community interaction where this may be of benefit to the world and our combined future on this earth. Why?

While I was researching “gamification”, I came across a TED presentation by Jane McGonigal that suggests that the combined online gaming communities could be leveraged to solve some of the worlds problems if utilised correctly.

Imagine the combined intelligence of the World of Warcraft (Jane’s own example) applied to world hunger or the energy crisis. Wow.

I am sure that if the game was find “Bin Laden” he would have been found some time ago already.

But, as Jane mentions in her talk, the key still needs to be found that would unleash this awesome mind power. It is possible that a real world scenario be built in WoW that could be used to test the theory.

It may, h0wever, be difficult to do this. Generally people who play in these communities do so as a diversion from life’s woes. Is life too complex, to dreary and just too damned difficult for us to consider and apply our minds in games to find solutions to the worlds problems? Jane appears to suggest that in gaming the final objective – no matter the obstacles – is easier to envision that those we experience in real life. Maybe because we can just go back to the last save and try again? Maybe because we fundamentally accept that it is just a game and that the consequences of cocking up are not that final as Fear and Death…. Or maybe it is just that we are more willing to risk everything in a digital world than the real one – just look at the shit people put up on their Facebook walls etc.

So, while the “gamification” of social sites may still be a bugbear for me, MOG’s could be a place of huge problem solving, life changing solutions.

So keep gaming in games, and social spaces for making connections that are meaningful and not numbers driven.