The World Is Going Crazy Yet Again

July 30, 2011

 

Maybe you have had the following thoughts recently like I have.

“The world is upside down.”

“What a crazy world we live in.”

“The world is mad.”

Two events have me shaking my head yet again:

-  The bombing, shootings and killings by a right wing purist in Norway to launch a revolution

-   The inability of the US Congress to pass a bill raising the debt ceiling needed in order to avoid a default

Have we become so selfish, self-righteous and preoccupied with ourselves that we no longer factor in the needs and beliefs of others?  Has it come to “my way of the highway?”

In Norway Anders Behring Breivik pleaded not guilty to acts of terrorism in the killing of 76 Norwegians at last count. He told the court that he committed the deadly massacre as part of a mission to save Europe from a “Muslim takeover.”

Breivik is not a Muslim fundamentalist out to destroy the free world.

He is a Norwegian citizen. He is an extremist and a rightist. I am sure many thought that all this destruction and killing was the work of a Muslim before the individual was caught. Breivik doesn’t fit the usual pattern of a destroyer.

In the US, Congress has apparently forgotten that it is here is govern the country. Many of the newly elected members, primarily from the Tea Party, do not appear to know that getting elected to office is one political game. The other political game is to govern once they are in office. This means working within the democratic – small letter “d” – system of government. That system does not work if there is no compromise.

Have adults become like children stomping their feet and screaming when they don’t get what they want without any regard for the opinion of others?

Why can’t we work it out? Is the word “tolerance” an out-of-date concept to many? Is “dysfunctional” the new opus operandi?

 

Related articles

• Norway terror suspect’s manifesto yields insights (sfgate.com)

ARE YOU INVESTING IN YOUR GLOBAL WORKPLACE LEADERS

March 5, 2008

According to Conde Nast Portfolio, March 2008, the Democrats and the Republicans will blow ONE MILLION DOLLARS…$1 BILLION …. on getting a candidate elected this year! Is this a bargain?

Procter & Gamble spent $3.3 BILLION on media in 2006 to get customers to buy their products…products like Tide Laundry Detergent.

Beer marketers spent $1.2 BILLION during that same year to convince you to buy their beer.

What are you investing in developing your leaders to prepare them for leading global teams and working across cultures into today’s global workplace? In order to be competitive you need to engage your employees as well as get them ready to lead your company forward.

HOW MUCH ARE YOU SPENDING? Look at what you are offering to develop your future leaders. You may not need to spend $1 BILLION but….you get my drift.

Targeted training and employee development is the main way to engage your employees and keep them in your company. Are you INVESTING enough?

Your Workplace and the US Presidential Primaries

February 5, 2008

The US Presidential primaries in many ways represent what you have in your workplace. The different kinds of employees that managers and leaders have to work with are reflected in these primaries.

Here are some of the differences I have come up with that we are seeing in the Presidential candidates and you are seeing in your workplace.
1. different genders
2. different races
3. different religions
4. different generations
5. different experience
6. different regional backgrounds and cultures
7. different communication styles
8. different approaches to the various issues
9. different opinions
10. different personalities – THE BOTTOM LINE!

A lot of “differents”! These differences are obvious to many of you. They are, unfortunately, not so obvious to many who are interacting with differences on a daily basis in their global workplace. They are not operating – leading and managing – with a global mindset. There are many reasons for this that will discussed in future postings.

We need to be aware of these differences and be reminded once again that it is not business as usual and hasn’t been for a long time!! You cannot keep managing and leading in the “same ole same ole” way.

Things WILL be VERY different if Hillary Clinton, a woman or Barack Obama, an African-Caucasian, or John McCann a 71 year old, or Mitt Romey, a Mormon become President of the USA. Things ARE ALREADY different in TODAY’S workplace…………Are you?