News satire from The Onion. It is funny, well done, and like most good humor … it has an insightful kernel of truth. This one provides a different perspective on employment and outsourcing.
Business
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What If You Outsourced Your Job Overseas?
News satire from The Onion. It is funny, well done, and like most good humor … it has an insightful kernel of truth. This one provides a different perspective on employment and outsourcing.
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PC Prices – An Offer I Couldn’t Refuse
Does it make sense to try and fix a broken PC? I used to think so; now I’m not so sure.
I’m often early adopter of technology. That’s kind of code for “I’ve had to reformat my computer many times over many years”. And when it came to hardware, let’s just say that the local CompUSA people smiled when I walked in the door. I love technology; and it seems that I never met a faster video card, bigger hard drive, or clever invention that I didn’t want to buy.
Your Rules of Thumb May Be
Out-Dated. Mine Were.Over the years, I developed a strategy for acquiring new computers.
I typically bought the absolute top-of-the-line, as soon as the second
version of it came out. Oh, I bought many when the first version came
out; but that’s how I developed a strategy to buy one-step back from
the newest and best.A lot has changed in the PC industry. For example, our local CompUSA and Circuit City stores are now closed, and today I got a pretty good idea why that happened.
My laptop finally gave out; and all of my software utilities, Internet searches and efforts had failed to bring it back to life. My wife made me promise to go get a new machine before I drove myself (or her) crazy.
What Kind of Deals are Available Today?
So this morning I walked into my local Best Buy determined to find a worthy replacement. I was quite surprised to find that I walked out the door with a brand-new laptop, much more powerful than the one that had broken, for less than $500.
I also found a desktop machine with Intel’s newest chip, 9-gigs of memory and a terabyte hard disk for about $1,000.
That means hardware is becoming disposable. There comes a point where it’s literally not worth trying to fix something, or re-load an operating system and your programs to make something work reasonably well, when you can upgrade to a newer more stable platform for so little money.
What Does This Mean For You?
The point is technology is now cheap enough that you should look at your business and think about the point of diminishing returns. Which machines are calling-out to you that they are past their prime, and it’s time to replace them with something new?
The PC manufacturers are trying to get rid of their Vista machines … because the new Windows 7 operating system officially comes out this fall. I recommend you take this opportunity to investigate what is out there … and bring some of it home.
-
PC Prices – An Offer I Couldn’t Refuse
Does it make sense to try and fix a broken PC? I used to think so; now I’m not so sure.
I’m often early adopter of technology. That’s kind of code for “I’ve had to reformat my computer many times over many years”. And when it came to hardware, let’s just say that the local CompUSA people smiled when I walked in the door. I love technology; and it seems that I never met a faster video card, bigger hard drive, or clever invention that I didn’t want to buy.
Your Rules of Thumb May Be
Out-Dated. Mine Were.Over the years, I developed a strategy for acquiring new computers.
I typically bought the absolute top-of-the-line, as soon as the second
version of it came out. Oh, I bought many when the first version came
out; but that’s how I developed a strategy to buy one-step back from
the newest and best.A lot has changed in the PC industry. For example, our local CompUSA and Circuit City stores are now closed, and today I got a pretty good idea why that happened.
My laptop finally gave out; and all of my software utilities, Internet searches and efforts had failed to bring it back to life. My wife made me promise to go get a new machine before I drove myself (or her) crazy.
What Kind of Deals are Available Today?
So this morning I walked into my local Best Buy determined to find a worthy replacement. I was quite surprised to find that I walked out the door with a brand-new laptop, much more powerful than the one that had broken, for less than $500.
I also found a desktop machine with Intel’s newest chip, 9-gigs of memory and a terabyte hard disk for about $1,000.
That means hardware is becoming disposable. There comes a point where it’s literally not worth trying to fix something, or re-load an operating system and your programs to make something work reasonably well, when you can upgrade to a newer more stable platform for so little money.
What Does This Mean For You?
The point is technology is now cheap enough that you should look at your business and think about the point of diminishing returns. Which machines are calling-out to you that they are past their prime, and it’s time to replace them with something new?
The PC manufacturers are trying to get rid of their Vista machines … because the new Windows 7 operating system officially comes out this fall. I recommend you take this opportunity to investigate what is out there … and bring some of it home.
-
Xobni: Looking at Your Inbox Backwards
I think Xobni is a great tool. Here is a video demo showing how it can help you.
Microsoft Outlook is one of the most important computer programs that I use. I say this because so much of my day is spent interacting with it.
I'm not the kind of person who watches for each incoming e-mail message, and constantly re-prioritizes my day. Nonetheless, I subscribe to a number of newsletters and alert services, and interact with many people throughout the day (some via e-mail, others by phone). That means Outlook is my hub, and I find myself there many times a day. So finding tools to help organize, search, and make better use of this type of information better is important to me.
One of the tools that I've come to rely on is called Xobni. In case you're not familiar with it, that spells "in-box", only backwards. And the reason is that it gives you a totally different perspective on your in-box and how you access and manage your personal information. This tool has gone through several iterations, and I consider it fairly mature. It adds the ability to see all the information about the person who sent you an e-mail including all prior e-mails, their contact information, a live link to their Linked-In and Facebook information streams; any files exchanged, a list of related contacts, and a bunch of other features. Rather than try to describe all that for you here. Take a look at the video; it does a pretty good job of explaining why this can save you time and make your experience with Outlook easier and more productive.
Here is a link to Xobni's Product Page.
Here is the announcement of Xobni Plus.
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Xobni: Looking at Your Inbox Backwards
I think Xobni is a great tool. Here is a video demo showing how it can help you.
Microsoft Outlook is one of the most important computer programs that I use. I say this because so much of my day is spent interacting with it.
I'm not the kind of person who watches for each incoming e-mail message, and constantly re-prioritizes my day. Nonetheless, I subscribe to a number of newsletters and alert services, and interact with many people throughout the day (some via e-mail, others by phone). That means Outlook is my hub, and I find myself there many times a day. So finding tools to help organize, search, and make better use of this type of information better is important to me.
One of the tools that I've come to rely on is called Xobni. In case you're not familiar with it, that spells "in-box", only backwards. And the reason is that it gives you a totally different perspective on your in-box and how you access and manage your personal information. This tool has gone through several iterations, and I consider it fairly mature. It adds the ability to see all the information about the person who sent you an e-mail including all prior e-mails, their contact information, a live link to their Linked-In and Facebook information streams; any files exchanged, a list of related contacts, and a bunch of other features. Rather than try to describe all that for you here. Take a look at the video; it does a pretty good job of explaining why this can save you time and make your experience with Outlook easier and more productive.
Here is a link to Xobni's Product Page.
Here is the announcement of Xobni Plus.
-
Bezos’ Video About the Zappos Acquisition
Amazon acquired Zappos this week. What follows is a terrific video where Jeff Bezos says he shares “Everything I Know” about business, and offers a peek inside the entrepreneurial spirit and culture of Amazon.The four main points are:
Obsess Over Customers. While they pay attention to the competitive marketplace, they don’t let competitors determine what they do. Instead, it is the customer that drives their strategy.
Invent. A critical part of what Amazon does is to invent solutions for, and on behalf of, their customers.
Think Long-Term. Amazon strategists take a long-term perspective. They are willing to take actions that quickly offer benefits to customers, even if those actions don’t offer a pay-off for the company or its investors for five to seven years.
It’s Always Day One. There is always a bigger future and more opportunities to invent for customers. It’s never over, or too late.
Yes, it is a simple list. Still, it is worth watching.
It gave me a sense that Amazon not only preaches these principles, but practices them as well.
Also, here is a link to Zappos’ CEO, Tony Hsieh’s letter about the acquisition.
And here is a link to Four Questions About the Acquisition.
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Bezos’ Video About the Zappos Acquisition
Amazon acquired Zappos this week. What follows is a terrific video where Jeff Bezos says he shares “Everything I Know” about business, and offers a peek inside the entrepreneurial spirit and culture of Amazon.The four main points are:
Obsess Over Customers. While they pay attention to the competitive marketplace, they don’t let competitors determine what they do. Instead, it is the customer that drives their strategy.
Invent. A critical part of what Amazon does is to invent solutions for, and on behalf of, their customers.
Think Long-Term. Amazon strategists take a long-term perspective. They are willing to take actions that quickly offer benefits to customers, even if those actions don’t offer a pay-off for the company or its investors for five to seven years.
It’s Always Day One. There is always a bigger future and more opportunities to invent for customers. It’s never over, or too late.
Yes, it is a simple list. Still, it is worth watching.
It gave me a sense that Amazon not only preaches these principles, but practices them as well.
Also, here is a link to Zappos’ CEO, Tony Hsieh’s letter about the acquisition.
And here is a link to Four Questions About the Acquisition.
-
Genius Catalyst Tips
I enjoy Michael Neill's work.It combines business understanding, common-sense, and a little bit more.
His Genius Catalyst Tip-of-the-Day is often terrific. Here is an example of one of them.
My Favorite Prayer.
Success means we go to sleep at night knowing that our talents and abilities were used in a way that served others.
– Marianne Williamson, A Return to Love
When I was around 25 years old, I had the dubious distinction of being brought in as a "ringer" for a UK baseball team based in South London. The assumption was that as an American, I must be genetically crafted for optimal baseball action. Unfortunately, as I was only an average player when I stopped playing at 14 and this was a team made up of former minor leaguers and die hard British jocks, I turned out to be less of a ringer and more of a dead loss.
Our team batted first and keen to maximize the advantage I was sure to bring them, I was first up. 80 mile per hour fast balls whizzed by my head, and the highlights of my first at bat were a) not dying and b) actually touching the ball with my bat on one pitch. (The ball promptly ignored my bat and continued unimpeded on its journey to the catcher's mitt).
Disappointed, the team captain sent me out to right field to lick my wounds and I thought about what I could do to keep the day from being a complete waste. Suddenly, a prayer popped into my head:
Give me a chance to serve, using the gifts that I have.
Not being a particularly religious right fielder, I can't say who or what I was praying to, but the words kept coming like a mantra:
Give me a chance to serve, using the gifts that I have.
Despite my early failure, I knew I must have some relevant gifts for the task at hand. After all, I reasoned, I was a reasonably fast runner. I could throw a ball in something resembling a straight line. And while I was a great proponent of Dr. Arthur Slater-Hammel's 1950 study which "proved" that it is physically impossible for a human being to hit a baseball :-), I did know how to catch one. Suddenly I was excited instead of scared, leaning forward instead of back, and looking for opportunities to put my gifts to use instead of waiting for the chance to hide my inadequacies and run from my failings.
Within a few minutes of beginning my prayer, my first "chance to serve" came – a line drive over the second baseman's head. I ran in, stuck out my glove, and caught the ball to end the inning. Suddenly I was 'one of the guys' again, and I engaged with the game and my teammates in a whole new way for the rest of the day.
Although my exploits on the field quickly faded into obscurity, the power of that prayer stayed with me:
Give me a chance to serve, using the gifts that I have.
Here's a few distinctions I've made in living that prayer during the ensuing years…
1. Give me a chance to serve…
About a year ago, I was discussing with a friend my goal of increasing the readership of these tips to 100,000 people by the year 2005. "Oh," she replied. "You want to expand your ministry." After gagging on my cappuccino, I spent the next hour arguing that the word 'ministry' was totally inappropriate for what I do.
When I calmed down, I did some research. Turns out 'ministry' is a wonderful word. While I had always used it to refer to either religious proselytizing or the home of a government organization (like the Ministry of Defense or the lesser known but much more fun Ministry of Sound :-), "ministry" actually refers to the act of ministration – being of service to, aiding, and assisting those around us.
To expand your ministry simply means to be of more service to those around you, be it through your work, your family, or your faith. Here's how George Bernard Shaw put it:
"I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work, the more I live. I rejoice in life for its own sake.
Life is no "brief candle" to me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got hold of for the moment,
and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations."By thinking of our lives as our ministry, we will find ourselves surrounded by opportunities in any moment to be of service. And each opportunity for service brings with it the opportunity for fulfillment, meaning, and joy.
2. …using the gifts that I have.
I have always thought and taught that our gifts are those things in your life that come naturally to you, without any undue personal effort or struggle. Another way of identifying your gifts is to think of your strengths – those skills, abilities, or personality traits you exhibit which are so much a part of that you can't remember learning them and can't imagine not having them.
Martin Seligman is a former president of the American Psychological Association and long-time researcher into depression and learned helplessness who more recently turned his life's work on its head to become a pioneer in the field of Positive Psychology. Over the past few years, he and his research team have identified 24 'signature strengths' – core traits that are valuable in their own right but even more so when you put them into action in the service of your highest values and purpose.
Here are the 24 strengths:
1. Curiosity/Interest
in the world2. Love of Learning
3. Judgement/Critical
thinking/Open-mindedness4.
Ingenuity/Originality/Street Smarts5. Social
Intelligence/Emotional Intelligence6. Perspective
7. Valor/Bravery
8.Perseverance/Industry/Diligence
9.
Integrity/Genuineness/Honesty10.
Kindness/Generosity11. Loving/Allowing
Oneself to be Loved12.
Citizenship/Duty/Teamwork/Loyalty13.Fairness/Equality
14. Leadership
15. Self-control
16.
Prudence/Discretion/Caution17. Humility/Modesty
18. Appreciation of Beauty
and Excellence19. Gratitude
20.
Hope/Optimism/Future-Mindedness21.Spirituality/Sense
of Purpose/Faith/Religiousness22. Forgiveness/Mercy
23. Playfulness/Humor
24.
Zest/Passion/EnthusiasmAs Seligman says in the book Authentic Happiness:
"Herein is my formulation of the good life: Using your signature strengths every day in the main realms of your life to bring abundant gratification and authentic happiness."
In response to which I would simply say:
Give me a chance to serve, using the gifts that I have.Today's Experiment:
1. Go to the Authentic Happiness website, and take the online VIA Strengths Survey. After identifying your top 2 or 3 strengths, look for opportunities to put them to use throughout the week.
2. Ponder these words from Quaker Faith and Practice – Advices and Queries :
Live adventurously. When choices arise, do you take the way that offers the fullest opportunity
for the use of your gifts in the service of God and the community?3. Let your life speak."
If your life could speak, what would it be saying? What would you like it to say?4. Just for fun, try your luck at hitting a 90 mph fastball online by going to the Exploratorium.
Have fun, learn heaps, and let your life speak!
________________________________________
Visit Genius Catalyst for more great tips!
His tip is Copyright 2001-2009 – Genius Catalyst / Michael Neill. All Rights Reserved. -
Genius Catalyst Tips
I enjoy Michael Neill's work.It combines business understanding, common-sense, and a little bit more.
His Genius Catalyst Tip-of-the-Day is often terrific. Here is an example of one of them.
My Favorite Prayer.
Success means we go to sleep at night knowing that our talents and abilities were used in a way that served others.
– Marianne Williamson, A Return to Love
When I was around 25 years old, I had the dubious distinction of being brought in as a "ringer" for a UK baseball team based in South London. The assumption was that as an American, I must be genetically crafted for optimal baseball action. Unfortunately, as I was only an average player when I stopped playing at 14 and this was a team made up of former minor leaguers and die hard British jocks, I turned out to be less of a ringer and more of a dead loss.
Our team batted first and keen to maximize the advantage I was sure to bring them, I was first up. 80 mile per hour fast balls whizzed by my head, and the highlights of my first at bat were a) not dying and b) actually touching the ball with my bat on one pitch. (The ball promptly ignored my bat and continued unimpeded on its journey to the catcher's mitt).
Disappointed, the team captain sent me out to right field to lick my wounds and I thought about what I could do to keep the day from being a complete waste. Suddenly, a prayer popped into my head:
Give me a chance to serve, using the gifts that I have.
Not being a particularly religious right fielder, I can't say who or what I was praying to, but the words kept coming like a mantra:
Give me a chance to serve, using the gifts that I have.
Despite my early failure, I knew I must have some relevant gifts for the task at hand. After all, I reasoned, I was a reasonably fast runner. I could throw a ball in something resembling a straight line. And while I was a great proponent of Dr. Arthur Slater-Hammel's 1950 study which "proved" that it is physically impossible for a human being to hit a baseball :-), I did know how to catch one. Suddenly I was excited instead of scared, leaning forward instead of back, and looking for opportunities to put my gifts to use instead of waiting for the chance to hide my inadequacies and run from my failings.
Within a few minutes of beginning my prayer, my first "chance to serve" came – a line drive over the second baseman's head. I ran in, stuck out my glove, and caught the ball to end the inning. Suddenly I was 'one of the guys' again, and I engaged with the game and my teammates in a whole new way for the rest of the day.
Although my exploits on the field quickly faded into obscurity, the power of that prayer stayed with me:
Give me a chance to serve, using the gifts that I have.
Here's a few distinctions I've made in living that prayer during the ensuing years…
1. Give me a chance to serve…
About a year ago, I was discussing with a friend my goal of increasing the readership of these tips to 100,000 people by the year 2005. "Oh," she replied. "You want to expand your ministry." After gagging on my cappuccino, I spent the next hour arguing that the word 'ministry' was totally inappropriate for what I do.
When I calmed down, I did some research. Turns out 'ministry' is a wonderful word. While I had always used it to refer to either religious proselytizing or the home of a government organization (like the Ministry of Defense or the lesser known but much more fun Ministry of Sound :-), "ministry" actually refers to the act of ministration – being of service to, aiding, and assisting those around us.
To expand your ministry simply means to be of more service to those around you, be it through your work, your family, or your faith. Here's how George Bernard Shaw put it:
"I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work, the more I live. I rejoice in life for its own sake.
Life is no "brief candle" to me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got hold of for the moment,
and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations."By thinking of our lives as our ministry, we will find ourselves surrounded by opportunities in any moment to be of service. And each opportunity for service brings with it the opportunity for fulfillment, meaning, and joy.
2. …using the gifts that I have.
I have always thought and taught that our gifts are those things in your life that come naturally to you, without any undue personal effort or struggle. Another way of identifying your gifts is to think of your strengths – those skills, abilities, or personality traits you exhibit which are so much a part of that you can't remember learning them and can't imagine not having them.
Martin Seligman is a former president of the American Psychological Association and long-time researcher into depression and learned helplessness who more recently turned his life's work on its head to become a pioneer in the field of Positive Psychology. Over the past few years, he and his research team have identified 24 'signature strengths' – core traits that are valuable in their own right but even more so when you put them into action in the service of your highest values and purpose.
Here are the 24 strengths:
1. Curiosity/Interest
in the world2. Love of Learning
3. Judgement/Critical
thinking/Open-mindedness4.
Ingenuity/Originality/Street Smarts5. Social
Intelligence/Emotional Intelligence6. Perspective
7. Valor/Bravery
8.Perseverance/Industry/Diligence
9.
Integrity/Genuineness/Honesty10.
Kindness/Generosity11. Loving/Allowing
Oneself to be Loved12.
Citizenship/Duty/Teamwork/Loyalty13.Fairness/Equality
14. Leadership
15. Self-control
16.
Prudence/Discretion/Caution17. Humility/Modesty
18. Appreciation of Beauty
and Excellence19. Gratitude
20.
Hope/Optimism/Future-Mindedness21.Spirituality/Sense
of Purpose/Faith/Religiousness22. Forgiveness/Mercy
23. Playfulness/Humor
24.
Zest/Passion/EnthusiasmAs Seligman says in the book Authentic Happiness:
"Herein is my formulation of the good life: Using your signature strengths every day in the main realms of your life to bring abundant gratification and authentic happiness."
In response to which I would simply say:
Give me a chance to serve, using the gifts that I have.Today's Experiment:
1. Go to the Authentic Happiness website, and take the online VIA Strengths Survey. After identifying your top 2 or 3 strengths, look for opportunities to put them to use throughout the week.
2. Ponder these words from Quaker Faith and Practice – Advices and Queries :
Live adventurously. When choices arise, do you take the way that offers the fullest opportunity
for the use of your gifts in the service of God and the community?3. Let your life speak."
If your life could speak, what would it be saying? What would you like it to say?4. Just for fun, try your luck at hitting a 90 mph fastball online by going to the Exploratorium.
Have fun, learn heaps, and let your life speak!
________________________________________
Visit Genius Catalyst for more great tips!
His tip is Copyright 2001-2009 – Genius Catalyst / Michael Neill. All Rights Reserved.
