...life long learning

I must admit I felt an old familiar feeling of trepidation when typing the title. I imagine that if someone told me as a younger miss (I'm still young ;)) that life long learning was unavoidable I would have felt a little faint to say the very least. School?!?!?!? Forever?!?!? I could imagine my younger self saying, interpreting the phrase in its most literal sense. The truth is ... we do learn forever, whether or not we choose to admit it. The degree to which we may benefit from the inevitable lies in how we embrace this learning.

Yes, there is lifelong learning in the literal sense manifested in the many degree and non degree courses available. There is also the learning that takes the form of work experience, learning from reading a book, learning from seeing a situation through the eyes of another et cetera. The prospect of the unknown, the lesson to be learnt, is naturally met with a little hesitance, though masked at times by bright eyes and excitement. This prospect, however,  provides much promise once we are able to go beyond the fear and hesitation to experience what is being taught. These lessons come from clients, fellow employees, competitors, mentors, even the ride to work each day!

How do I react to the prospect of learning forever now? I say... why not?

Forever learning,
SB

...experience

Words many job hunters fear. Usually accompanied by at least _ years, (usually at least two). My problem with this word, and it has always been my problem, is... where does one get the years experience required to do a job if everyone is asking for x or y years of experience? Being one of the persons unfortunate enough (maybe not) to have graduated in the midst of a global recession, I met these words countless times. There were (and still are) jobs that I could do and would qualify for save for the fact that I may not have experience in said industry.

This ponders the question of organisation's willingness to train. I am forced to wonder if by requiring a certain amount of years of experience for a job the company is saying (in less words) we don't train, you're on your own? It is understandable that training staff does require time and money but wouldn't any new entrant (with or without) into the company need some amount of orientation being that no two organisations are the same? I do agree that with years of experience it is possible to cut orientation time significantly but who determines whether the x years that one has accrued are a good marker of what value he or she will deliver? The human resources department, usually the first department to interact with the applicant, acts as a talent scout (so to speak). This should mean that it is HR's responsibility to develop or at least enforce more definitive markers to determine one's aptitude during an interview.

Clearly there are usually other variables at play, but as a once frustrated job seeker, I wish more could be done to assist persons entering the working world. Many times the industry persons do get work in is worlds away from the one they hoped to enter when in school. This sometimes is a blessing in disguise. Everyone couldn't have attended an Ivy League University or graduated with highest honours from their school, but I believe everyone who is able to work hard enough to get a college degree deserves at least a fighting chance SOMEWHERE.

We all have some value to add and it is important we never lose sight of this!

Valuably thoughtful,
SB

...crests and troughs

As I sit here trying to find my way through the darkness of blogger's block, I realise that what lay just behind me is the trough that was the last week and a half or so. I'm not sure when or how it began but it seemed that unlike my normal self, I found inspiration in nothing. Looking back, that is a scary thought! What does one do when faced with these moments of darkness? Keep moving! I figure one of two things is bound to happen... either some light will shine through a crack and you'll make it to the "crest" or you'll trip and fall. Not that there's anything wrong with falling, the worst thing one can do is fall and stay fallen, so fall, get up and keep moving, light is bound to appear at some point.

How does this manifest itself in business?

Imagine a retail store. It's Christmas season and from about October sales are steadily climbing as persons scramble to find the perfect gifts for friends and loved ones. Good times. Then, Christmas is over, valentines day comes and goes, so does easter and sales slow to just a trickle. What to do? It is in the troughs that one must make the most of the free time to plan advertising strategies, research activities and find the next big things in preparation for future crests. Also, it is during the troughs that all the savings from the crests (given that you did allocate funds wisely and save some) will help the most. One should prepare for the slow times just as carefully as you would for the busy periods. Also, it is during the troughs that all staff need to understand the big picture and how their functions contribute to the whole usually because it is at these slow periods that no one's job is "safe".

So the same principle applies in business as in life. Keep moving.

Move with me :)
SB

...green eggs and ham.

What an odd title right? Not really, Dr. Seuss's Green Eggs and Ham happens to be one of my favourite books. I remember to this day cracking up while Sam I am tried to get the gentleman (so to speak) to try the green eggs and ham (in a box, with a fox, on a train, in a plane etc.). I loved that at the end of the book the gentleman found that when he ACTUALLY TRIED the green eggs and ham ... he liked it! At the time I wasn't thinking about the true meaning behind Sam I am and his green eggs and ham but now... Eureka!

It appears to me that Dr.Seuss wove the tale of the green eggs and ham to teach little children (unbeknown to them) not to say you don't like something until you've tried it! What genius! Looking back... I realise that the gentleman didn't initially accept the green eggs and ham because really; he didn't know what green eggs and ham were! Of course we know now that Dr. Seuss is big on life lessons.

Clearly the concept of eliminating prejudice without knowledge must be used within reason. You wouldn't try something that you knew was hazardous to your health (like drinking dish washing liquid), but with the right knowledge, said concept is vital! Think of how many lives could be spared and relationships built.

From a business perspective, think about the discoveries that would have been missed if the initiative was not taken to investigate them (for example: penicillin from bread mold). It is up to us to look around and examine what opportunities resemble the green eggs and ham and with the requisite research, and give them a try. Who knows, maybe we'll like it!

...billboards and the one word resume.

Earlier today a friend of mine challenged me to think up a one word resume for myself. The only think I could think of at the time was available, this given that from about 2 pm the previous day I had been in dialogue with my classmates about some paperwork for an event we happened to be planning. While I do not mind the constant feedback that comes with planning programmes and the like, I began to wonder if I was really being of assistance or just filling a space because the persons who had the job originally were otherwise occupied?

I then thought of another word, adaptable, this word is especially important in doing group work (fortunately I learned this from very early on). Adaptable within reason. Yes it's more than one word, but the within reason ensures some amount of stability. Back to group work; when placed in a group with other persons there is bound to be some difference in opinion about one aspect or another of the project. However natural going with gut feelings may be, in group work, gut feelings alone won't get you far. There comes a time when each person's input has to be taken, molded and reformed into a unified presentation. The trick to successfully doing this is knowing when to yield to every suggestion and when to say enough.... in other words how to adapt.

In an era where innovation driven by globalization has forced many companies to adapt, that word (adapt) seems to resonate with me as a marker of interest. Not only does the word bring to mind other words like change, innovate, create, agree. Businesses, in order to be truly competitive forces, tend to find themselves adapting to the needs of a specific customer, adapting to the schedule of a supplier, adapting to the economic environment in which the business exists. All within reason of course.

So now for the billboards. The resume, in my opinion, is like a sign that says: Hey i'm here! Hire me! Usually; it precedes the applicant and tells the prospective employer what he/she should expect; much like a billboard advertising good food, good books a place to rest and the like. They really do perform a similar function albeit to totally different audiences (unless you are bold and cashy enough to place your resume on an actual billboard).

That being said, if I had a one word resume (billboard) what would it read?
Just as I said before:
Adaptable
but I wouldn't leave it there; just as on many billboards there's a little section that says *conditions apply, I think the same wording is applicable.

What will your one word resume say?

Adaptably yours,
SB

...an F word

:) no no not the curse word...
Failure used to be the worst F word (in my opinion). Loved by few, feared by most, experienced by all at one point or another. Recently it seems that I'm seeing this F word more frequently in many blogs and business articles, it has even been emphasised in course content. Even more shocking is that sometimes this F word is viewed as good! *clutches chest* Failure?!?!? Good?!?!?!? SHOCK!!! (not really).

It seems that this very feared and once widely avoided and villianised concept of failure is not the beast we need to avoid; instead, what we need to avoid is maintaining the mindset that caused the failure in the first place. Failure may be regarded as a concept because it takes the shape of each situation; there is no black and white criteria for it (even with grades). The newer school of thought has identified failure as not such a bad thing. Many times it is from close calls with failure, fear of failure, other person's failures, personal failures that our greatest successes become realised. I think of it as the cocoon that the caterpillar has to go into before it becomes the beautiful butterfly.

It seems that change is inevitable, we are faced with many different challenges on a daily basis and as the world has gotten smaller the driver (change) has begun to force many persons out of the all inclusive "comfort zone" mindset. The road tends to have many potholes (failures) and although these are to be avoided for obvious reasons; damage to finances, family life and other things, when it does happen, failure is to be regarded with great care, pulled apart and examined so we learn and grow. It appears that failure can be a good thing after all! This is not to say we should aim to fail, quite the opposite, but if we do fail or we seem near to fail we should stop, examine and learn from said situation, solicit the advice of others and bloom!

SB

...looking in from outside

Many of us tend to wonder what it's like to be in other person's shoes but have we ever wondered what persons would experience if they were in our shoes? This may sometimes be difficult to imagine because in the words of Bob Marley; "every man thinks that his burden is the heaviest". I would dare to say that it would be quite interesting to see how another person would approach things that I have had to grapple with or have been able to accomplish. Many times the very answer we seek is right in front of us but we become so distracted with everything else that it remains lost in plain sight.

This sounds a little crazy; but every time I am having a difficult time overcoming an issue I tend to look at other persons who have faced similar situations and have found ways to overcome said issues and I think..."why not me?". It was this very method of thinking that helped me survived one of the lowest points in my life to date. When faced with the reality of losing my mother who became in recent times one of my closest friends, I remembered a young lady who lost her mother when we were in high school. This young lady forged ahead past the grief and pain to become a very successful person. So... why not me? As I watched my mother take her last breath, my will to succeed strengthened  because although she was gone, I had to make my biggest cheerleader proud. So, once again... why not me? It is this very question that has helped me to push myself beyond where I thought I could go and do things I never thought possible in that short space of time.

In the end, another man's shoes may fit differently, it's best to walk in your own, try as best as possible to make your "shoes" fit. Many times the very struggles we watch others go through are waters we have tread before or will tread eventually. In good and bad times instead of asking why me? Think about the persons who have gone on before and say... why not me? What am I to learn from this? Where will I go in these shoes?

Walk good
SB

... the meaning of mint chocolate

I must say that mint happens to be one of my favourite additions to anything from leg of lamb to chocolate cupcakes (and even coffee!). Mint is one of those things that adds that little hint of spicy freshness that I really appreciate! I recently realised, however, that many close friends of mine do not share the same sentiment (AT ALL).

I remember being taught as a young girl to respect the preferences of others because it's just the polite thing to do. General rules of etiquette. I remember just practicing (or at least trying to) such rules of etiquette by rote until recently when I realised that etiquette isn't intended to make you "stuck up"; etiquette just ensures that you behave in such a way that other persons enjoy having you around. It's probably something I should have realised before but doing things like eating with your mouth closed (because chewed up food looks disgusting) and saying goodmorning, please and thank you (because it makes persons feel appreciated); are little ways to make life better for others. Example: If I wake up on the wrong side of bed and head into a store because I need to buy a notebook, chances are, the store that has the customer service rep with the helpful attitude and warm greeting is the one I'm more likely to spend money with even if they may not have the notebook I want at that time.

Fortunately (or unfortunately), marketing is not the only tool businesses need to succeed in today's global market. The ease on barriers to trade enables any firm to introduce a good or service locally and prove quite a force to be reckoned with. Many of times, along with a comparable product and a stronger dollar, the firm is able to sensitize employees to the value of good customer service. Several companies have tried endless ad campaigns in order to recapture market share with no luck while their counterparts, with similar efforts have been more successful based (many times) on good customer service ... or even the illusion of it... and innovative offerings to back up the ad campaigns. Being nice really matters, even in business!

And all this from a conversation about mint chocolate... :)

Give me my York peppermint patties, Andes chocolates and mint Oreos any day!
If that's not your cup of tea, it's alright :)

Fresh and spicy,
SB

...baking again

I remember when I used to rush home after work to bake. I remember enjoying measuring and carefully combining the ingredients to produce (usually) awesome treats. The thing I like about baking is that as long as you understand how each ingredient adds to the look, taste and feel of the final product; then you can manipulate  any recipe and make it your own (insert life lesson here).

A lot has happened since that baking phase, other than the mandatory few pounds from "quality control testing". It seems that somehow, even though I may not have as much time or the equipment I'd like; that baking bug begins to bite every once in a while (even when I try to avoid it). I have always been encouraged to do something with this talent, maybe I will eventually. I do know that the moment I get frustrated enough (see first blog post) and decide to bake, I want it to be excellent!

Sweetly yours,
SB

...things to blog about

While I do tend to read many blogs, as I may have pointed out last time, I have never been keen on keeping journals...ever...

I find that this blogging thing is a good way to force my creative juices to flow. It seems that this may be the start of me being able to let go of myself and begin to write what I'm thinking...minus the fear of people thinking that I'm writing garbage. I don't have a boyfriend to cook for or children to write about. I have no time to go on adventures (I'm in school), or have fabulous hobbies that I would show off, simply because I was never encouraged to brag as a child. 

I like reading books, I do not have a favourite author, I tend to just read what catches my eye (right now it's Valley of the Dolls by Jacqueline Susann). When the time permits, I like going on road trips, although more often than not I stay home and watch Home and Garden Television all day :). I like long walks in the park and...(just kidding). 

Today I must say how much I love my new template! It reminds me of my desk at home during exam time. During the rest of the course, the only thing that never changes about my desk is the cup of coffee. I do adore a cup of black coffee with a tablespoon of brown sugar and a pinch of salt (yes... you read right...salt). Nothing like a pinch of salt to take the bitter edge off that cuppa coffee! I can't imagine a life without coffee (the real one... decaf is not my kinda thing) and so even though gallons I drink per week have begun in recent times to cause a problem; I still must have at least one tiny cup :) .

There you have it! Another attempt to let my creative juices (or in this case creative coffee) flow.

'til next time,

SB

...the perfect idea

It has been a thought of mine lately that with the job market being the way it is, the only way I will be able to "make it" is by embracing my inner entrepreneur...wherever she is. I cannot begin to tell you how many blogs I've read or stories I've listened to or seen in the paper about persons leaving the corporate world to embrace a new career as a baker, stylist, translator, business person etc. There was even one story I read about a young woman selling all but one piece of furniture so she could turn her home into a bakery and realize her dream of becoming a caterer of fine pastries. It occured to me that the common threads in every story are a need to be met, passion, a dream and utter frustration (yes, frustration).
Although many of the heroes/heroines of these stories were aware that they were faced with various adversities, they were passionate enough and frustrated enough to leave their other jobs behind or ignore any discouragement in order to pursue their dream. Every time I read such stories I wonder, why not me? What could I be awesome at? What could make my idea the best there is? What resources do I have to pursue such a venture? Many agencies offer help in the form of loans and business pairings to "small business" operators, so why be afraid to take the first step?...I'm still trying to answer that question. So far I've wanted to make syrup, candles, environmentally friendly packaging, do interior design, make soap, sell hair, make burlap market bags, bake cheesecake and cookies... I could go on forever... My problem, it seems, is that practical Justine always steps in analyses the situation :) and dismisses the idea.
It appears that practicality, in my case, may be a hindrance to finding my "mojo". It may also mean that I'm not frustrated enough. Nevertheless, I am still thinking of my perfect idea. I have faith that it will come one day; it may even come, like most of my ideas, in my sleep. Until then I will continue to add to my available resources so that when the perfect idea comes, I'll be ready to get up and go!
Much thanks to my friend ultimatebrowning for inspiring me by giving me the little nudge I needed to begin blogging.
See you soon!