tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38560498322743843742024-02-20T20:48:58.701+01:00Time for ChangeDevoted to thought process and industry insight within the human resource and career management sector for banking and financial services.George Sannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01902222831866971319noreply@blogger.comBlogger90125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3856049832274384374.post-85428601519447290482020-04-11T16:55:00.003+02:002020-04-15T09:45:58.468+02:00A day in the life of a fruit and vegetable delivery driver..<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1z0KcQ0eiv18YY6baqZn_pyam45dVnladu47VZrtyiG-dEkD86n_XWGusUA8zLMrysnSSaDv_E3P6l2h9U6w26jGKnA3wA_Zb7Ecr1ZxpMtQp8Wb7oGXhjyt2-UsIM4K8-4t0JPpyhD8/s1600/Fruit+and+veg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1z0KcQ0eiv18YY6baqZn_pyam45dVnladu47VZrtyiG-dEkD86n_XWGusUA8zLMrysnSSaDv_E3P6l2h9U6w26jGKnA3wA_Zb7Ecr1ZxpMtQp8Wb7oGXhjyt2-UsIM4K8-4t0JPpyhD8/s320/Fruit+and+veg.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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I am now entering my third week working part time delivering fruit and vegetables to people’s houses across
London. Many things catch my eye in this extraordinary period we are all experiencing.
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Amongst the fewer cars and very little
congestion, it is the delivery vehicles, emergency services and the largely empty red Double Decker
buses that appear mostly to occupy our roads. Most drivers
including the bus drivers are patiently allowing each other through and each
time we wave a hand to say ‘thank you.' A higher number of cyclists and joggers too are making use of our emptier roads and streets. It is the all too familiar black cabs that are noticeably not present. </div>
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I drive on into Wandsworth. The
children are happily enjoying their brief interlude of being outside in the
streets, playing with a kite, hopscotch or with some ball upon the careful watchful eye
of their mothers and being told to keep their distance. Mothers are talking to one
another across the streets without the noise of cars (except my own purring electric one) or a plane above which under
normal circumstances, would make their conversations entirely inaudible. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Amusingly I notice the fathers taking it upon
themselves to do their duty and pushing their sleeping babies in their prams whilst
going for a nice stroll.<br />
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I drive through Clapham on toward Greenwich, South East London and enter a street upon a hilltop of identical looking Victorian houses. People are doing DIY on their homes. I observe a man standing on his ladder outside his semi detached house. This particular gentleman clearly wanted to be different; he took it upon himself to paint his house bright red. Here, like in South West London, there are many spring blossom trees covering almost the entire residential streets with fantastic array of white, blue pink and yellow colours. It seems urban nature is displaying its magnificence and no doubt taking this moment to breathe their new lease of life.</div>
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I head Northwards to Stoke
Newington, Tottenham Vale and the North East. I could not help noticing something
outside my normal world; a Jewish community in their traditional clothes walking
the streets, entire families keeping close to one another at the same time keeping
themselves apart from other families, with their children beautifully dressed
in bright tasteful colours and similar patterns of clothing. They seem happy with little concern on what might be going on in the outside world. It then occurred
to me they were celebrating their Passover. In Highbury many young men and women
in modern semi high rise buildings sitting on their balconies either reading their books or tapping on their laptops, generally relaxing and soaking in the glorious sunshine.</div>
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It is the cleanliness of London
that also caught my attention, very little litter in the parks, on our
pavements and on the side of our roads. With almost entire high streets shops
closed, pubs have transformed themselves into bakeries. There are the large queues
outside the supermarkets in some places as long as the eye can see. The long
queues too outside the small garden centres, the pharmacies, the local butchers and particularly
large are the ones outside the occasional wine merchants. It is the social
distancing that makes them appear long and yet with a little patience I guess they
move quickly enough.</div>
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I witness too the suffering.
There is an increased level of sirens and ambulance drivers on our main roads.
They turn their sirens off once they enter a residential street so as not to
abruptly frighten this peaceful new way of life that we are slowly coming to
terms with. An elderly looking gentleman is taken out of his home in a wheelchair with a heavy mask around his face. He is carefully taken into the
ambulance and driven off to the closest hospital where no doubt our formidable nurses
and doctors will take care of him. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And at times I deliver fruit and vegetables to those who are suffering from this
terrible illness. It takes a simple knock on the door to inform them that food
is outside. I feel they too are not forgotten. </div>
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A life exists in London but it is
a different one. A respectful, calmer, patient and more compassionate world
appears to shine through on what might be considered at times a darkened and more
brutal one. A kindness seems to have descended upon this great city. And nature
appears to be enjoying its brief interlude of its newly found freedom. Even when looking out from my own home in Twickenham, a plane normally descends every 45
seconds, today there are practically none. Frankly I don’t miss them. Instead, the birds
and lots of them are singing unusually frantically as if for the first time telling us they
are in charge. Above all, it is this time for one other that is so precious and discovering what is essential in our needs, something I felt we had lost in the days if not years before, as I endeavour to drive on in
this eye opening journey under this testing time of Easter….</div>
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Happy Easter to you all!!</div>
<br />George Sannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01902222831866971319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3856049832274384374.post-60999472527935634572018-09-07T19:08:00.002+02:002018-09-07T19:09:11.300+02:00A trip to lost property?<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGD4EkSlCR8Q_BXfqTknoutml5MUGjXM12plnft6RtCaCIFMNxJ9WH2bcuRl2r5F3r09TQH9MdUxkh4Icj8gTqC0JmH5_IbtnUoGB3YXrDXgntrdizwy_pqYhwBWpDu75gZtn2Eir3PlU/s1600/lost_found.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGD4EkSlCR8Q_BXfqTknoutml5MUGjXM12plnft6RtCaCIFMNxJ9WH2bcuRl2r5F3r09TQH9MdUxkh4Icj8gTqC0JmH5_IbtnUoGB3YXrDXgntrdizwy_pqYhwBWpDu75gZtn2Eir3PlU/s200/lost_found.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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A lady had lost her purse and passport after she had been travelling to her destination by train. She became frantic. Her friends and family searched and helped her to backtrack through her muddled thoughts. Someone suggested, ’have you tried the lost property at the police station?’</div>
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After seeing through all options to no avail she went to the lost property at the police station and explained her predicament. The person at lost property said, ‘Ah madam. I am so sorry to hear this. Just wait a moment and I will see what I can do.’ 10 minutes later after the lady had waited patiently, the man came back and asked, ‘Your passport is secure although I am afraid was delivered to the UK Home office for security reasons and is this the purse that you have been looking for?’ At that moment the lady jumped with joy, and shouted ‘Yes it is!’ She was so relieved as she quickly regained confidence in all those willing to help.</div>
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Another gentleman went to lost property and said, ’I lost my job’<br />
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‘Ah’ said the man at lost property. I can see your predicament and a challenging one to boot. Hold on a moment, if you give me 10 minutes I’ll be back in a tick.’ </div>
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He came back with a small envelope. 'Here you are, a little envelope of good contacts, tips, leads and those that can nurture your talents to bring you back into the right direction with a little bit of money; all to help get you back onto your feet again. You’ll be fine.’ </div>
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A young man working from home was staring outside from across the room through his dirty windows. He felt the loss of light and for months now he was pondering on his windows that really needed cleaning. Except he could not find the energy to deal with it whilst he had so much on his plate. </div>
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The man from lost property came back with an idea. Suddenly there was knocking at the door. Two English lads were there canvassing to clean windows. The young man stood and thought well why not? He then offered a decent price so they could get on with it. Shortly thereafter, and the next day at his work, the sun was streaming through his windows that had revitalized so much energy and positivity in his work place and into his ‘new’ home office.</div>
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A business man who appeared a little shaken, went to lost property and said to the man, </div>
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’I lost a deal, what shall I do?’<br />
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'Hmm, you lost a deal. Have you lost deals before?’ Was it a big one?'<br />
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‘Well yes and it depends what you mean by big. Something happened, well this is different, it is hard to explain.’</div>
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‘I see. Just a moment. I’ll be back in minute.' The guy from lost property came back. 'Try not to worry. You have come to the right place. I cannot give you that deal back, but I can say this. Try to understand in yourself what you did wrong without passing blame on others and then learn to accept it and next time you make a deal let it come naturally, in good time, with meaning, according to your conscience, farsightedness, and by trusting your own intuition and your own values. This way I am certain, next time you will win.’</div>
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The last man went to lost property and said ‘I have a lost my faith...’ </div>
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The man at lost property stood calm and by now was feeling quite challenged and exhausted. This was a tough one. He gave it a thought. 'Hold on a moment. Let me see if I can find anything.’ He disappeared for 10 minutes and then came back. ‘I cannot find a pot of gold, a fast car with a woman sitting in it, with everything in the right places, a holiday in Ibiza or anything of that nature, except I can only suggest you to find those close to you, those that love you, those that you trust, and are positive and are willing to listen to so as to reassert yourself and to help find your peace of mind. Then just take it from there and for heaven’s sake don’t do anything stupid!’ </div>
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<i>Behind every material or immaterial loss is a personal gain</i></div>
George Sannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01902222831866971319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3856049832274384374.post-54817374989117223722018-04-27T13:33:00.006+02:002018-04-27T21:26:37.333+02:00How can we manage stress?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I fear is a topic that is fast becoming a
real challenge in our modern day lives. It is just as much linked to our fears
as it is to our health and well being. Yet it is a
complex topic as it differs to each person and interpreted differently
according to the human time cycle. It can just as much affect our private
lives as to our career. Stress cannot really be dealt with in a written page
and I would prefer to examine it through examples. The worst forms
are the ones which can lead to burn out and are commonly prescribed
in a general level as to one’s aspirations that have quickly collapsed
resulting into a lack of interest or indifference into our work. The danger is
that our defence mechanism weakens and it can turn into a depression and
deep unhappiness resulting to more harm onto yourself and perhaps even to
others around you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">In reality it can also
be associated with a cross range of topics such as work overload, or
inefficiencies, deadlines, lack of recognition in our work, work/life
balance, poor sleep and diet, rushing about not allowing time to think nor to
reflect, noise, driving, debts, high risk taking, grievances and so on. Deeper
issues such as lack of meaning in our careers and lives, resulting to general
demotivation in which in more severe cases issues of identity, beliefs and
conflicting values in you, would require redressing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">One time quite recently I had met a group of civil
servants from the European Commission. I asked them the most common difficulty
in their work place. Their response was that in general many employees
felt unrewarded in what they did. Most bright new people that entered into this
organisation came in with dreams and aspirations of perhaps the European ideal.
Nowadays this is quickly vanquished. It becomes a job for a salary. An example
they gave was some civil servants get asked by their bosses to do wonderful
projects that carry meaning for a common good or greater purpose. After many
months or longer of hard work and once the project almost comes to an end,
there’s been a change and it is all of a sudden binned before any positive
impact might come about. They say this is common practice. Not surprisingly we
can feel unrewarded. We can quickly not care and or become indifferent. For
those who try harder, this can turn to stress, unhappiness and even burnout.
How would you address this? We can address this at individual level, yet if it
is a wider problem, then issues of leadership and political governance might
have to be addressed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Another example could be when another
person is mistreating you in business and we could look at management
ruled by fear. It could be that your manager knows that he or she pays
your salary and may feel authorised to order you around, exploit you to
his or her convenience where you could quickly fall victim. The bigger the
status this person carries, the more fearful he or she could be. These
situations can quickly turn a culture, toxic and highly stressful. Someone who
rules by fear is a reflection of weakness and cowardice from that person
therefore the problem is with him/her, not in you. Don’t allow yourself to be
bullied nor intimidated and don’t allow the problem to turn onto you.
Self-confidence, self-control and courage are much needed attributes here to
defend your own territory and integrity.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The fundamental real dangers of stress, if
not managed well, are that the mind and the body need that release mechanism
which quickly becomes empty and somehow it needs to be fulfilled to replace
this emptiness. We could lapse into some form of pleasure seeking such as
exaggerated urges of drink, sex, or online porn gambling amongst others in
some deceptive manner or denial that somehow we feel cured whilst really we
remain undervalued, each time lessening our hope for a brighter
future and a worsening of our own self-esteem. Some might become
intolerable whilst in a social environment; others might be so embarrassed in
how intolerable they are and simply close themselves up. If we were to
hear something nasty or idiotic, a common response is ‘this person has
issues’ or ‘it’s his midlife.’ In many ways you could be right but we don’t
know anything or what happened to this person.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">For those who feel this could be happening
to you, try never to despair. There will always be some small flame however
small it may be that needs rekindling telling us to live and change. There are
always others, friends and family there to help you to help yourself to
redefine who and what you are. A good boss with foresight would detect
issues arising with one of the co-workers and would instantly try to identify
them and meet the needs through training or other help in order to bring this
person back to his or her potential. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">From a personal level I have understood many aspects of my own earlier life stresses. Having analysed back then the root causes I came to the conclusion that my main driver in
business quickly became money and my aspirations were purely superficial. It
made me acquire very little beliefs and conviction leading to a lack of
fulfilment and confusion. Thankfully this had changed as something had to give
and I began to understand that life had a greater meaning and of purpose which
in turn had a positive impact in my behaviour and my actions. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">How would I advise an unexpected stressful situation? I would advise the importance of creating an environment of calm, with emotional
self-control, & patience, in so as to have time to think
if need be before making a decision. Yet this is all easier said than done as
humanity as I am all too aware remains vulnerable and imperfect.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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George Sannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01902222831866971319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3856049832274384374.post-31029205568192494182018-04-23T18:03:00.000+02:002020-04-13T21:40:45.229+02:00Is it the little things that matter most?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1qWx_V3d15dTnRaKwpb8uKNisUyP1vdDHPCRGjZKGuJ4KVPZDSWQeaQUgQElyOG_5-ZLou7m5Noi3U0uNDYS_J799qvdTMuVjB82nHir3nRFzWm7rZNT_mJv11WzQ9tF_fKn6LsRDcrg/s1600/4-matter-more-40-years.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="333" data-original-width="500" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1qWx_V3d15dTnRaKwpb8uKNisUyP1vdDHPCRGjZKGuJ4KVPZDSWQeaQUgQElyOG_5-ZLou7m5Noi3U0uNDYS_J799qvdTMuVjB82nHir3nRFzWm7rZNT_mJv11WzQ9tF_fKn6LsRDcrg/s320/4-matter-more-40-years.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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At times we may get distracted by shareholders, politics and our competitors or simply a case of being too self-absorbed and yet as so often the case it is the small things and in how we relate to
others that matter in life and that can matter most. A simple smile can make
the world of difference to your colleague. A compliment can really lift a person’s day. Rather than the superficial courtesies, it is the simple genuine <i>thank you’s</i>,
<i>pleases</i> or <i>or how is your day going</i> when given consistently that can work wonders. All humans beings at all level deserve recognition
and to be treated with kindness and respect. Sometimes it is these details we
take for granted that we forget that can have very serious consequences. </div>
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Sir Alex Ferguson, one of football's greatest coaches and a great leader, shared some of his secrets in a short film. He took a personal approach to what mattered most in his organisation. The staff, the players and their families. He got this right and it would show on the pitch and then delight the fans. Not just all the players. he also knew everyone's first names in the entire organisation, the reception lady, cleaner or laundry woman. He knew their names because he took an interest in what they were all doing and how they were progressing. Something leaders often forget that it is just as much about the staff in the reception desk as it is the star biller in an office.<br />
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One time I wondered into a supermarket. I reached the counter and the lady at the
cashier almost fell apart. Whilst I was paying and started thanking her, I
asked if everything was alright. She responded that it was sometimes very
tough to be in this chair and simply not to be recognised. She mentioned that
typically most customers, who pay, are for example very busy on the mobile
phone, impatient and pay no attention to her. She apologised in that it was
sometimes very difficult. Then she shouted out at the top of her voice. ‘I exist!’</div>
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Another time a chap took the Eurostar to the continent and whilst he was passing through the security baggage check in. As you can imagine it was busy, yet all seemed to go well and it
wasn’t until he reached the queues of the passport office he realised he did not
have his on him. Frantically he looked all over and began to retrace his steps.
Fortunately one of the security ladies ran over with a concerned and
determined expression and asked. ‘Is it your passport that you left behind at the baggage security check in?’ </div>
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‘Yes it must be.’ He replied with great relief.</div>
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He followed her back to retrieve it while she began to explain how she had searched everywhere for me. She then handed it over.</div>
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‘You are an angel’
were the only words that he could think of. </div>
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She thanked him with a huge smile, and said that that was the nicest thing anyone had said to her all day. </div>
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<i>The small things can yield great dividends</i></div>
<br />George Sannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01902222831866971319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3856049832274384374.post-71544686472670597982017-03-21T15:01:00.000+01:002018-08-23T15:44:21.855+02:00How can I resolve a conflict?<div style="text-align: justify;">
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We all have personal stories. Many are exciting, adventurous and even inspiring. Yet sadly many have stories that are conflictual that can cause harm to one other or are self-inflicted. The types of harm can be emotional, physical or mental. Some can be very personal, where deep suffering can occur, which can even break a person. The source of all conflict is our failure to handle loss or broken bonding. It will always start at individual level and if not handled well, the conflict can resonate and divide families, societies, businesses and nations. This source of conflict can lead to anger or hatred, even violence and vengeance, more so if it is under false objectives or at the expense of the common good.</div>
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Some deeper issues of conflict can be very difficult to resolve. It requires great strength of character, with a certain amount of patience (linked to time), courage, humility and forgiveness in the person who is personally involved. Men and women with great experience perhaps in their own lives would best be able to attempt to help others in these situations if called to do so.</div>
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In order to attempt to resolve conflicts, here's the thing. Accredited psychologists from <a href="http://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html" target="_blank">Maslow</a> to Freud have made the distinction between the two; material interests or personal needs. Interests in this case are tangible. This can be jobs/career, money, land, materials, and just simply things. We can trade this stuff and they can be chopped and changed, negotiated and compromised. Whereas needs, this is different. These are linked to our identity, inner security, values, respect or recognition which is down to the very core nature of our own human dignity. These needs that we carry in our hearts and minds are not for trading and not to be compromised. The most damaging conflicts are linked to our needs. One would have to be pretty on top of oneself to crack the nut and be able to distinguish between the two if you are personally involved in them. To make it sound simple, if you make a decision on an interest that may compromise your own integrity, good luck! Unfortunately this can happen as we are unwilling to cut our losses by exposing a small part of ourselves as we wish to show. </div>
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When there is a conflict of interests (jobs and material) involving different parties, mixed up with a lack of personal needs (identity&values), this results in a problem. If this situation persists long enough, there will, virtually in all cases, be a value breakdown, a breach in trust occurs, increased barriers arise and a time of crisis may unfold as the problems will slowly be revealed. A value breakdown would have to stem from something rotten in the foundation or at the source.</div>
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Let’s take some of the deeper problems we have already experienced in some of our businesses or in finance as an example, where we deal with money (interest). How can we make this interest turn on its head by respecting the needs whereby regaining the much needed confidence, and trust in humanity or our society? Well, with some ingenuity, one solution could be to create your money for a purpose fitting to the times of today. An example could be sustainability. Create a mission statement, ‘we make our money work for ecological development and employment.’ You have a win-win outcome. The needs are respected and no longer trampled on as we start believing in ourselves whilst our insecurities subside. We start blending the two as we avoid creating dangerous conflict, harm or any long term suffering or damage not just to ourselves but to others.</div>
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In short, great personal awareness, grace and poise with a ῝<em>maître de soi῞ is needed </em>so as to re-define our purpose. What do I have to lose? In the long term you will win. You will reach the heights of your goals, hopes and dreams despite the transient opposing forces or circumstances. You will find that conflict moves away elsewhere as it is uncovered or self-destructs thanks to the unique virtues that you hold. The life of the green shoots from the banks of the flowing rivers will blossom. This is our enduring promise. This is how some of the greatest of men in the history of mankind have existed including <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2007/mar/15/secondworldwar.poland" target="_blank">many</a> quietly behind the scene of all types. Men and women of meaning like Gandhi or Malala Yousafzai. Those with with the inner peace, of untold belief and of vision. And those with joy bearing a great standing and understanding that have entered into the realm of our living history.</div>
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<em><br /></em><em>'Just imagine what I can do'</em></div>
George Sannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01902222831866971319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3856049832274384374.post-25929617049236103092016-09-29T09:51:00.001+02:002017-08-18T16:09:57.042+02:00Why?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This is a question we may ourselves regardless whilst searching for answers to justify our acts resulting from our own lack of comfort or peace of mind. Why does nothing ever seems to go right whenever I might or ‘might not’ make a decision? Why do I often feel so disappointed, either with myself or with others? Why am I not rich? Why do I feel so unhappy in my job or even hate my job? Why am I unable to fulfill a long lasting loving relationship or end up watching online pornography? All this online stuff and the drink? Why do I hate myself? Why am I so often angry, get manipulated or abused or feel walked over? Why am I emotionally void or physically in so much pain? The drugs. Why are they prescribing them to me? This dark tunnel where I am longing to see some light. This vicious circle which continues to torment me, this Jekyll and Hyde in me is pulling me into a bottomless pit. Why is this happening? Why do I even exist? I don’t understand, it’s just not fair and sometimes I can’t take it anymore…..</div>
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Are these fearful questions ? Of course they are.</div>
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I make no claim as some miraculous guru who expects to give answers to such deep and potentially alarming questions, nor will I do myself justice to make any attempt to. Yet in some cases immediate answers and help will be required to those who sadly might feel deeply unhappy or close to being either mentally, emotionally, spiritually or physically broken. Is our Google screen or our virtual world really the solution? Maybe we can tackle this differently as the question 'why' as so often the case is to do with something that has already happened and in this instance most likely connected to our past shames, our erroneous ways or harmful acts that we might be aware or unaware. Let’s break this down in to three letters. W.H.Y.</div>
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W can stand for WAIT…..</div>
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If we wait rather than seeking immediate answers, or acting on impulse or even running, the answers will come. In time the truth and of the unknown linked to our past will always bear fruit at various times in our own lifetime. Patience is a great virtue worth living for that can help us to cope and bring out of us a sense of calm and self-control. If we wait diligently, we will find a way of living that is more humanly sustainable for long lasting and inner happiness.</div>
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H can stand for HOPE…..</div>
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Hope is a form of longing to live for something greater, something positive, and simply getting there. A deep desire to attain total happiness almost deservingly so. Here we can learn to trust too, not just in ourselves and others but into something greater than just ourselves. This way this hope that we carry and ingrained in us, can keep us going. Eventually something or someone will help us to reach our aspirations, out of our discouragement and into a type of solace that can eventually inspire us to act in the right way and all will be ok…….always.</div>
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Y can stand for YIELD....</div>
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Yield is a form of giving way as we potentially make that step, and submit ourselves as we recognise our faults then learn to accept. We surrender ourselves, our bad habits, our past wrongs, and our shames. We will feel totally vulnerable. A fear we can overcome as we put down our arms and lay bare.<br />
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I knew an individual in business who suffered his own ‘depression’ some 8 years ago. It was just something in him saying that something was not right, and that he had had to change in his acts. He recognised he had been an arrogant person and had been a ‘taker’ for too long, leading a callous lifestyle of instantaneous gratification for short term thrills in business and in private often correlated with sex, money and power or status. He had submitted defeat in his fears of losing his inner and outer battles after eventually being broken and having his aspirations crushed. A long solitary painful cry went out....W.H.Y?<br />
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And then it came, together with outside help, a mysterious and yet glorious gentle touch of love even mercy that picked him out from the bottom of that pitfall of mud and of despair. Following many sorrows, he had found his way back up into something greater. He had found a key, a key that had unlocked him, into his genuine self and his life started to transform professionally, socially and privately. It took great humility. He became a true Man. </div>
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In short let’s try to refrain ourselves from the question ‘why’ to all our problems, wrong doings or mistakes, instead over time continue to hope, and submitting all and accepting all. Once we learn to accept, we can overcome them and instead ask ourselves, what is it that I must do in order to solve this or that burden I carry? What is it that I must change to overcome my own weaknesses? Where in myself can I make an effort to act differently? What is it that I must do to find forgiveness for the harm, not just for what I have done to myself but also for what others have done to me?<br />
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Once we find the key, who knows? I suspect another world will treat you differently, and give you another chance. It may present to you with problems and great challenges for you to solve and opportunities for you to dive into, drawing onto your own real expertise, renewed talents and skills with greater clarity, courage, and joy.</div>
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<i>Aide-toi et le ciel t’aidera</i></div>
George Sannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01902222831866971319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3856049832274384374.post-48890411242220895692016-07-04T18:31:00.005+02:002018-09-07T19:06:16.100+02:00A trip to lost property?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A lady had lost her purse and passport after she had been travelling to her destination by train. She became frantic. Her friends and family searched and helped her to backtrack through her muddled thoughts. Someone suggested, ’have you tried the lost property at the police station?’</div>
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After seeing through all options to no avail she went to the lost property at the police station and explained her predicament. The person at lost property said, ‘Ah madam. I am so sorry to hear this. Just wait a moment and I will see what I can do.’ 10 minutes later after the lady had waited patiently, the man came back and asked, ‘Your passport is secure although I am afraid was delivered to the UK Home office for security reasons and is this the purse that you have been looking for?’ At that moment the lady jumped with joy, and shouted ‘Yes it is!’ She was so relieved as she quickly regained confidence in all those willing to help.</div>
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Another gentleman went to lost property and said, ’I lost my job’<br />
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‘Ah’ said the man at lost property. I can see your predicament and a challenging one to boot. Hold on a moment, if you give me 10 minutes I’ll be back in a tick.’ </div>
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He came back with a small envelope. 'Here you are, a little envelope of good contacts, tips, leads and those that can nurture your talents to bring you back into the right direction with a little bit of money; all to help get you back onto your feet again. You’ll be fine.’ </div>
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A young man working from home was staring outside from across the room through his dirty windows. He felt the loss of light and for months now he was pondering on his windows that really needed cleaning. Except he could not find the energy to deal with it whilst he had so much on his plate. </div>
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The man from lost property came back with an idea. Suddenly there was knocking at the door. Two English lads were there canvassing to clean windows. The young man stood and thought well why not? He then offered a decent price so they could get on with it. Shortly thereafter, and the next day at his work, the sun was streaming through his windows that had revitalized so much energy and positivity in his work place and into his ‘new’ home office.</div>
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A business man who appeared a little shaken, went to lost property and said to the man, </div>
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’I lost a deal, what shall I do?’<br />
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'Hmm, you lost a deal. Have you lost deals before?’ Was it a big one?'<br />
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‘Well yes and it depends what you mean by big. Something happened, well this is different, it is hard to explain.’</div>
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‘I see. Just a moment. I’ll be back in minute.' The guy from lost property came back. 'Try not to worry. You have come to the right place. I cannot give you that deal back, but I can say this. Try to understand in yourself what you did wrong without passing blame on others and then learn to accept it and next time you make a deal let it come naturally, in good time, with meaning, according to your conscience, farsightedness, and by trusting your own intuition and your own values. This way I am certain, next time you will win.’</div>
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The last man went to lost property and said ‘I have a lost my faith...’ </div>
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The man at lost property stood calm and by now was feeling quite challenged and exhausted. This was a tough one. He gave it a thought. 'Hold on a moment. Let me see if I can find anything.’ He disappeared for 10 minutes and then came back. ‘I cannot find a pot of gold, a fast car with a woman sitting in it, with everything in the right places, a holiday in Ibiza or anything of that nature, except I can only suggest you to find those close to you, those that love you, those that you trust, and are positive and are willing to listen to so as to reassert yourself and to help find your peace of mind. Then just take it from there and for heaven’s sake don’t do anything stupid!’ </div>
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<i>Behind every material or immaterial loss is a personal gain</i></div>
George Sannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01902222831866971319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3856049832274384374.post-41772756482338932502016-06-25T19:38:00.000+02:002016-07-05T12:31:20.520+02:00What type of Governance are we seeking?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I voted remain. For two reasons. First and foremost as what any referendum does, it makes it personal. I based it on my identity. I am a European although half-British by birth where I was educated have lived and worked a third of my life. Secondly, it was for a wider reason. I believe we are better off in a United Europe by pooling our sovereignty to resolve the wider issues for the greater and common good as we live in a more connected world. Like many that night I struggled to sleep at night. I was curious; I kept on looking at the mobile phone on all the developments. It was not until I had read about the dramatic fall in Sterling resulting from traders having speculated on remain, that this could be a Brexit. My goodness. I quickly came to terms with this eventuality and then comfortably fell asleep. I woke to find out, that it was indeed a Brexit. Although surprised, I am neither shocked, but certainly sad mainly for the difficulties and potential division that lie ahead for many people and their families.</div>
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Since the financial crisis, and our bail outs, this country, and not just this country has been suffering from very large financial cut backs as a result of the massive mistakes by the capitalist and financial system. The hubris and greed of some banks, many intermediaries and corporations all too often trapped within their game of reoccurring conflicts of interests, shortermism and the Machiavellian pursuit of profit often at the expense of not just themselves but others. Many of us knew that the economic and financial system was making little sense even those working in it. Our culture and our society have suffered at a large scale with increasing social issues, unhappiness in the work place, vast inequality and housing too expensive for any young honest professional to even contemplate getting onto. </div>
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Other countries like Belgium suffered with their own problems incapable of making changes in their highly taxed and over bloated public sector. Holland has stagnated for a long time. France and Southern European countries have made many similar mistakes as a result of some of their politicians and leading businessmen and others. Many nations have been swimming in large pools of debt. As a result many Europeans were becoming weak in their soul and it became increasingly hard to find any meaning, loyalty and motivation in the workplace in this fast, nonsensical and impulsive world. Reputed economists, businessmen, politicians, and journalists have been scratching their heads for solutions without offering any answers whilst at the same time there have been these pockets for a more sustainable direction for a smoother ride ahead. </div>
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Some CEO’s from the baby boom generation were held accountable for their poor conduct in front of the commons select committee. Was this not shameful enough for them? The CEO and Chairman of HSBC both turned up. A hedge fund manager. Some said sorry. Some said we will change. Some like Philip Green muttered ‘<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/philip-green-tells-tory-mp-to-stop-looking-at-him-weirdly-in-bizarre-committee-exchange_uk_5761178fe4b03f24e3dadd3d?edition=uk" target="_blank">why are you staring at me?</a>' How is it that these people in the end have walked off scot free? Some brokers from a well-known Broker firm had bet on Brexit but voted for remain. Yes they made a fortune for their bank. They don't care. Nothing is done, nothing changes. We speak about it, we know and yet it all continues. ‘That’s business!’ would be the common justification that I was all too familiar with from these types.It is all too late.</div>
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Friday 24th June something happened. The people spoke. They had had enough. A type of countryside and the real economy vs Brussels. Those bright fun loving carefree civil servants and lawyers often bogged down in the paperwork in multi languages among st the fine words, fine wine and fine lunches. A type of country side and the North vs. London, our power house, the last remnants of our true Empire still dominating the world and where money, commerce, power and transactions are rapidly exchanged sometimes in the most shadowy, peculiar, non-transparent almost lawless way. </div>
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What does this all mean for our future?</div>
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I have great empathy for those honest and sincere people who have offered their entire careers and loyalty to their firms and may now have to seek new challenges, and yet beyond my sadness and initial surpriseI am not shocked. Apart from the fact that I have experienced, witnessed and believe me seen it, myself included, many dysfunctional and conflictual situations, some of which have been pretty evil. As one friend agreed with me, we were working at the tail end of the baby boom generation that had become reckless and left us one big upheaval. Since the financial crisis, and after my own personal transformation, I have stood for change. All over Europe the warnings shots and sentiment were rumbling under our feat of our inflated financial and economic system partly built on sand. Many powerful and yet weak politicians and corrupt businessmen building their lives with little foundation and wisdom resulting from our fast, and instantaneous world. Stress, burn out, aggression and loss of values in the work place had become a common theme with so many left out. Anybody with any common sense had known that something of the wider scale was going to have to give. If indeed Brexit will be the way for this wake up call, then let it be. </div>
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Questions are to be asked about our governing system and over the last decade. How is it that we allow powerful businessmen to be able to get away free for their very own failures and mistakes? Why is it that not one financier has been jailed or held accountable for the financial crisis? Why have we been printing money without any strategy or plan and even have the audacity to lend it back into the very same culture that initiated the financial crisis in the first place? Where did all that money go? How come we are so in debt and we have no proper road map to deal with our debts? Could we make economics more human? Might it be possible we could re-build a financial system with our intermediaries into making money not as a means to an end but into something more purposeful that carries a benefit into something more tangible, something greater even idealistic for a more stable long term future? </div>
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I was taught in politics A level, that it was the parliamentary governance, the rule of law, the church and the ‘fourth estate’ that were our authorities. What’s happened? Instead we have been witnessing those with power and influence, albeit from a minority of businessmen, in commerce and the banks, politicians, people in the media weak in principles dictating to us, with endless compromise, manipulation and agendas often abusive like a stampede of bulls almost out of a chapter of Dante’s inferno into a mode of self-destruction. <i>Qui bono</i> in this impasse? Very few.</div>
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My goodness we need a deeper philosophical look at ourselves, perhaps questions such as how we make money and how we spend it? How do we relay our news responsibly? Are our own values coherent to the values of our business? How can we see beyond the palm; of our hands?<br />
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We know we are imperfect and yet we know it is in our nature as humans beings that we seek justification in our acts. Surely on the outset this justification is always noble and the closer and more coherent it is to our hearts and minds, the nobler it is. Are not those the ones we must admire and listen to?</div>
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In short I believe in change and these are undeniably dramatic times. The change I believe in is one that is inspirational in leadership, one that is genuine and coherent. A change that has a law and order, that holds those to account for their mistakes rich or poor so that we can learn from those mistakes and move on. A society that commands respect for our authority that has become all too self- serving rather than serving. A change that plays to our strengths and not our weaknesses. A change that can provide a long term sustainable direction for all those in finance, manufacturing, commerce, agriculture, and education, that benefits our children, society, our environment and our world. </div>
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If our exit from the EU requires more localised governance then let this governance offer a vision that touches the entire nation with London at its capital and at its heart that serves its nations needs first and foremost and then elsewhere. It is these types of quality people that can rise to the top that our young can look up to whereupon we can attain a new hope. Then let this be our chance for the great and the good to be there, to re-instil that confidence, and much needed inner belief consistent to our values that this nation seeks. That way in our current British retreat we can solve our inner and outer challenges rather like washing a pair of trousers inside out before which we can start wearing them. I suspect many of us will materially become poorer for it across the entire spectrum which we will have to learn to accept. This part will be hard and yet we will come out stronger in the long run. This way we can show the rest of our European neighbours, even the world that we can be admired for in our resilience and pragmatism, our humour, our self-control, our inventiveness, our sense of adventure and our inspiration all the great attributes that we were once so proud of in our history. Do we not owe this to our children?</div>
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<i>Real freedom always comes at a price</i></div>
George Sannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01902222831866971319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3856049832274384374.post-54190122518318706522016-06-10T13:46:00.003+02:002016-06-10T13:47:50.491+02:00Brexit. Bridging or detachment?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf4miaW9mLkPTep9yRK8U8V4F327B7aaHnKf-HrhWpbxYy8Nlp5GoPNxZxOYYGMMdRdM19n3BOAirODGteQqG4c-_qP4sb156V3w8eZaQI1rHdNv-J3tfsshifdchzlw7dL5ZnpMtsLOA/s1600/shutterstock_130660901-GEDBLog-Study-BREXIT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf4miaW9mLkPTep9yRK8U8V4F327B7aaHnKf-HrhWpbxYy8Nlp5GoPNxZxOYYGMMdRdM19n3BOAirODGteQqG4c-_qP4sb156V3w8eZaQI1rHdNv-J3tfsshifdchzlw7dL5ZnpMtsLOA/s320/shutterstock_130660901-GEDBLog-Study-BREXIT.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Admittedly as an Anglo-Norwegian now living in London, I have enjoyed the opportunity living and working in different parts of Europe. Consequently I always take a certain pride in how we can bridge with our fellow Europeans. I feel it might be worthwhile making a few explanatory points on our current debate over the European Union. This year Britain is bringing forward a referendum on a mammoth decision whether to leave the European Union commonly known as Brexit.</div>
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This is a tough one and I can sympathise with those who might be sitting on a fence. Those that might lack the knowledge or who do not simply understand a system that we are, in part, responsible for having created over the last forty odd years. As we are confronted with today’s challenges, not just at geopolitical level in how Britain and France as nuclear powers can at least pretend to counter the weight of an increasingly unpredictable let alone erratic Russian President still espousing its <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-32668511" target="_blank">military prowess</a> playing chess on the world stage but also in solving the issues closer to home of our ever increasing difficulties of our migration and economic crisis.</div>
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Let me draw onto those with some arguments that may help us to reach our own conclusions. For the sake of clarity and for the sole purposes of this article I shall refer to myself as ‘we’ when referring to the British rather than Northern European.</div>
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Historically, in military terms Europe has always been a hotbed of competition and conflict. Often Britain has been on the side lines but on the larger and more defining conflicts we were involved. Britons died and laid down their lives on continental soils. I am sorely reminded by my Dutch friends over the battle of the Medway where Admiral de Ruiter had beaten the British navy along our very own River Thames in 1667. Or when my Norwegian family candidly talk about their Viking ancestry in Scotland or as a German friend visiting Amsterdam pointed out that the last time a family member of his visited this town, it was in a tank!</div>
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Nowadays these relaxed albeit friendly conversations of our momentous often horrific competitive past might occur within the confides of a cosy cafe whilst eating a toasted cheese sandwich, awash with a Belgian beer on a rustic cobbled street corner overlooking perhaps a peaceful sunset, a cathedral or a picturesque canal.</div>
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In contrast today unlike our Russian counterparts to the East we no longer measure up so much in military prowess as to who has the greatest army, largest naval force and so forth largely because we have been at ‘peace’ for more than 70 years with less if not little understanding today of whom our enemy really is.</div>
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Instead for better or for worse we measure ourselves in economic terms. Some might argue that finance is a separate issue and requires a separate debate not least because Finance is in a world of its own, has become a noun rather than a verb, defining its own set of rules and where I believe the brunt of our current malaise and problems lie. It will need to come on board and play cricket if it wants to find its feet again.</div>
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Nevertheless the tangible economic argument carries a certain weight as a good part of our exports are within the Union. In 2014 Britain exported GBP 230 billion of goods and services which amounts to <a href="http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20160105160709/http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/international-transactions/outward-foreign-affiliates-statistics/how-important-is-the-european-union-to-uk-trade-and-investment-/sty-eu.html" target="_blank">44.8% of our total export market and we import slightly more</a>. We export to Europe perhaps due to proximity but largely due to what is now called the European Union. This is an internal single market where we trade goods and services without barriers and tariffs. Those outside the Union might refer to this as some sort of cartel or monopoly that they too would like to be part of. In essence this is what our union is about; a pooling together of our natural resources to neutralise competition. In other words let’s produce coal and steel, trade it, and enrich ourselves for the purposes of peace and harmony. Yes by and large the EU has increased our standard of living and we have all benefited except we have all since moved on from coal and steel. </div>
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Today Europe has now developed and connected itself with a fantastic array of motorways, railways, bridges and, tunnels, supported by some of the best automobiles, locomotives, haulage and ships. Its engineering and technology is often cutting edge. Airbus employ 15.000 UK workers! Its retail and food outlets, we are spoilt for choice. It has now developed into the largest trading block in the world. Quite rightly there needs to be a type of governance and this is when it becomes political as governance is always political unless there is cohesion. Cohesion can only come about on the rarest occasions by strong leadership and grounded principles and steering us toward a common objective. It is those that govern often set the rules, put structures in place and makes the decisions. Luckily if things start to go wrong we developed a system initiated by the ancient Greeks better known as democracy where if we don’t like these rules imposed on us, well let’s then vote these rule makers out! This might work at national level. At European level, it appears we may have a long way to go….</div>
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Like any corporation has corporate governance, a single market requires governance. This is so we can all produce and trade fairly on more or less equal terms and so on, by maintaining good neighbourly relations whilst not getting ahead of ourselves. It is that governance linked to our trade that requires a common interest therefore requires a supranational interest resulting into what is commonly known as a loss of sovereignty. Herewith lays the conflict?</div>
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Not least because Britain prides itself as a sovereign state, a parliamentary government supported by the rule of law and headed by a Constitutional Monarch, our Supreme Governor. Even our legal system is different to our European counterparts. As a nation it has always strived in competition and entrepreneurship which our European counterparts remain somewhat adverse to. This therefore poses a direct challenge in that if we want to produce, trade, and have the free movement of goods, service and now people, common sense dictates that we would need supranational governance.</div>
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The Commission, the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers exists on this basis. If for example the Commission identifies a barrier within its own common market and borders resulting to unfair competition or poor practice, it readily acts, it steers and it legislates. A useful example is the elimination of <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/oct/27/europe-abolishes-mobile-phone-roaming-charges" target="_blank">EU mobile roaming charges</a> that is directly beneficial to the consumer. Another example is the EU 2020 climate initiative in order for the EU to reach a reduction in CO2 emissions. When it becomes law, it is either called a Regulation or a Directive. Regulation is a binding regulatory act and is directly applicable in the entire EU and a Directive is an objective directly implemented into the National Parliaments.</div>
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It might worth pointing out that The Commission mostly <a href="http://ec.europa.eu/atwork/index_en.htm" target="_blank">prepares proposals</a> for legislation based on identified needs. Needs are assessed from what’s called an '<a href="http://ec.europa.eu/smart-regulation/impact/index_en.htm" target="_blank">impact assessment</a>'. The lobbyists from automotive, agriculture, pharma, and NGO’s for example are known as so called stakeholders or special interests. They are either just being heard or protecting their interests. As per when a proposal comes about, they are passed onto two equal chambers; the Council of Ministers and the European Parliament. They in turn debate, change, modify or scrap as they are not obliged to approve it. Note before proposal is shown to the two chamber system it is automatically shown to National Parliaments where it can already be vetoed.</div>
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In short as a fervent European at heart I am somewhat disillusioned with Europe. Many of my French, Dutch and German friends too and economically we have run out of ideas. Has it become overly bureaucratic with many careerists that negate rather than create. Has it lost its founding principles, its cohesiveness, its motive therefore its purpose resulting into a potential crisis of confidence whilst becoming a 'soft' touch? Has it reached a type of plateau, caught in a rut between its own comfort zone and its need to streamline and reform. How can it become stronger, more accountable and in which direction?<br />
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Somehow we need to find a new way to bridge with each other in our advance forward and for the private sector to kick off? If it is no longer coal and steel what other natural resources do we have? What other areas of expertise and sectors can we pool together, produce and then trade? Great strides are being made in areas such as renewable energy, infrastructure, biotechnology and utilities. Can 'Finance' play a pivotal role in this type of bridge building by becoming a verb? Could we ever build the world’s longest suspension bridge over the channel with an electric motorway with the help of some of our migrants? We have the ingenuity, the expertise, the resources and even the money. After all the ECB and BoE print money do they not? </div>
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Before I digress, a sensible approach might be that Britain needs to be involved in order to help steer it into a new direction and influence this reform as that is where our main interests lie despite the EU's shortcomings. Better the devil you know. Others might say that Europe is failing anyway and with Britain leaving, this will provide a shock and the EU will be forced to change. We may learn to regret this not least if Scotland decides to rejoin. If we leave we will survive and at least we can take some comfort in having left behind for the benefit of our European counterparts the use of the English language commonly spoken within the wider corridors of the EU.</div>
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Interestingly in the past whilst attending our global partnership meetings I had quietly observed my global colleagues. The Brits were jokingly hanging out with the more boorish Americans and Australians. The Dutch tagged along with the Brits. The French stood politely amongst each other. The Scandinavians were understated, and reserved. The Italians and Spanish were happy go lucky. The Russians were always helpful. And everyone appeared to like the Germans. In terms of our bridging are we really any more detached than others?</div>
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<i>Be strong, be connected, be British, be European !</i></div>
George Sannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01902222831866971319noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3856049832274384374.post-84251109291412844242016-04-13T14:03:00.000+02:002017-08-18T15:51:37.241+02:00How can we deal with inequality?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnJRBm-1qSQJb4hLsOaIPIGW19wrPHpW26aBgDKac_Euwood_EhWlUnb8SKlv4FeM4yn_4PVGyuYqij4QJxBTUi9wKWSLtt7ZyzeO1ctzzQAQb_mkjRxHVFE8hJwfTACNG9Lnh3L1SdYc/s1600/RELEASE-POSTER.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnJRBm-1qSQJb4hLsOaIPIGW19wrPHpW26aBgDKac_Euwood_EhWlUnb8SKlv4FeM4yn_4PVGyuYqij4QJxBTUi9wKWSLtt7ZyzeO1ctzzQAQb_mkjRxHVFE8hJwfTACNG9Lnh3L1SdYc/s320/RELEASE-POSTER.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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A personal friend of mine
recounted a small story written in his grandfathers diary that rings in my mind to this very day. It was back in 1923, his grandfather was staying in a small town in Germany with his young
son and eating a small meal in a restaurant. In a largely empty room, the other persons present were a very wealthy Jewish family having a
lavish party with champagne and lobster. Meanwhile he witnessed a wide gathering of adults and children peering through the windows with a mixture of hunger, awe and envy. Somehow he understood and with a tinge of embarrassment by his own presence, he said to his son ‘Trust me this is
all going to end and fall apart.’ <o:p></o:p></div>
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Unfortunately, history at times
can have an uncanny resemblance in repeating itself. Today it might be a mix of
different races or different ethnic groups, and through the internet, who knows? What we do know is resentment
or envy can be a brutally negative emotive state and comes part and parcel to our human nature. There
are many today including those that are university educated, who struggle in life and who cannot get the
job they wish or seek, struggle to feed their families and pay the bills. At
the same time so called ‘billionaires’ or the ultra-wealthy might appear so content
and happy enjoying every material thing that is given to them and might go as
far as living their own laws within their own bubble. This can easily resort to an anger, or an unhappiness, a sense of hopelessness and insecurity in our society where the danger is
we may say or do something stupid.<o:p></o:p></div>
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There are things that we must
bear in mind in our lives, whilst we can all hold prejudices in our
sub-conscience to another person regarding his or her so called ‘superior status' in
looks, money or possessions; we do not know what cross the other may be carrying. We do know that we can
try to worry less with these issues and there are sensible ways in dealing with
it as they over time have a way in resolving itself. <o:p></o:p></div>
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There is no doubt, that if a
billionaire or super rich (or any other person for that matter) does not seem to care, remains
indifferent and only concerned on how to make more, this can come across as pretty unattractive. It may turn out that the particular individual operates with no integrity away from his or her heart driven by greed, status or power and has only got there through exploitative or
aggressive means. A type of Darwinian delusional 'survival of the fittest'. Imagine that on top of this, the individual might have a stark win lose mentality or ends up walking over people with little respect
for self or others, our environment or our planet!<br />
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How do you deal with these types? I suspect that often these people very
likely get caught out or fall off a cliff in the long run. Others,
who are privy, might stand up or encourage them to behave
differently. If you notice these days it is all security cameras, gates and walls that are used to protect them, unlike in the old days it was a small army of sorts. They too can clearly
feel insecure, or vulnerable implying that they are not Gods and just
human. <br />
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Nevertheless one element about the tabloids and the internet and their grasp on mainstream, despite all their
misgivings or voyeurism, their brutal emotive nature can quickly change
overnight and rather than calling these types successful; here they might just
name and shame them.<br />
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Suffice to say we can also understand that people can endure great human difficulties. It has been reported in the media that John Caudwell a self made billionaire, <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/celebritynews/11881516/Phones4U-billionaire-John-Caudwell-devastated-after-whole-family-diagnosed-with-Lyme-disease.html" target="_blank">is suffering from unhappiness, deep family problems</a> and is intent on giving half his wealth
away to charity. We must also bear in
mind that many have worked hard by building a successful corporation or companies
responsible for a lot of employment and livelihoods. Many great philanthropists give away a lot
for other causes that carry meaning. There are also ways to approach them,
their foundations, in order to support particular causes or raising capital for
a new enterprise that can captivate even their own imagination and which can
permit for example to leave them a quiet legacy. On its own the charity
and generosity of <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-28953237" target="_blank">this couple</a> stands out as particularly impressive.</div>
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My impression that the way our
societies are being led right now more so in the UK, the future looks pretty grim toward an
increasingly polarised society. A debt for example, might mean a trade product
to one person but a real loan for real needs to the other? It is well known that<i> one man’s food is another man’s poison.</i> This attitude has the danger of bringing resentment, bitterness, envy, anger or whatever negative emotive
state, that can sadly result to a type of vulnerability or self-destruction that history has
proved to us on many occasions. We may resort to blaming a religion, or
non-religion, a race or a particular group or individual. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Unless we of course and this is
where I remain hopeful, as human beings, raise ourselves, take destiny in our own
hands, become more resourceful, believe more in ourselves and release our insecurities. Courage, passion or boldness do not come from the mind, they come from the heart. Reason and vision come from the mind and our conscience is formed from our spirit.<br />
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With this in balance and in check which is tough stuff, we can try not to worry about others in this way. We can stand up to those who might bully you, rich or poor and at
all levels. We can find that job or our vocation. We can work toward better
social cohesion and a higher conscience; possess more charity to those in real need. We can combine this, by taking positive risks, with a more long term inspirational approach with
our businesses, enterprises and aspirations large or small and still make a living. This will lead us toward a
better and more sustainable future.<br />
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The questions will always remain how do we get there and what
type of world do you want to leave behind for our children? We want them to look up to us with pride and
not at us in the way that I have described. In the long run I am certain, if we get this right we
will all be winners.<o:p></o:p></div>
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George Sannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01902222831866971319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3856049832274384374.post-7218251479709301032016-04-08T10:51:00.001+02:002017-10-04T09:51:39.244+02:00What is Leadership?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcv7abN799ejZhB5RF-ZbARvMMLTUaHX1h27MLJFd_h7-I86YsjeNA48QnedVtAKMivb625hDTXsMnPjQJsu6yxYXFkXoyhDIKHH8Bypa37ZB-vMkpkV2lsTpRxnvYBqaI-lEQPe-Ps54/s1600/orchestra.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcv7abN799ejZhB5RF-ZbARvMMLTUaHX1h27MLJFd_h7-I86YsjeNA48QnedVtAKMivb625hDTXsMnPjQJsu6yxYXFkXoyhDIKHH8Bypa37ZB-vMkpkV2lsTpRxnvYBqaI-lEQPe-Ps54/s320/orchestra.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">I often meet with
senior people in Finance on career issues. I might ask them questions about why we are confronted by so many problems and what sort of solutions they envisage. Some might
respond by saying. ‘I love finance and worked all my life in it.’ Others have said, ‘Finance is corrupt’ or ‘we are paid too much.’ Then how can Finance be incentivised to help the real economy
particularly here in Europe and not amongst each other or in far reaching
places which most of us have no affinity with?
One overworked jaded and tired looking head of a private equity gave an air of dejection. ‘There is no vision, no leadership.'</span></div>
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In a world where democracy
appears to have gone wild, where capitalism could fast be losing its sense of
purpose and in a world where we might often seek something new or something majestic; the issue of leadership is
often talked or written about and yet to put yourself into a
position under such circumstances and to fill in the gap for the few must be
daunting at best for fear of either sending us into the wrong direction or possibly bringing out the worst in us.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Once upon a time I played the
violin in an orchestra. An orchestra was structured into four groups with sub
groups. We had the strings that included the 1<sup>st</sup> and 2 violins,
violas and the cellos. They were in the
front. Further back we had the wind instruments that included clarinets, bassoons,
flutes and oboes. We had the brass including trumpets and trombones. The nosier instruments
such as percussion were put at the back. In front of us was the audience; a general public that might listen then applaud and ‘if ever’ give a standing ovation.</div>
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The person I admired the most was
the conductor. He was in the middle and on an elevated platform so we could all see him. I almost envied him. How was he able to read let alone
understand that score sheet with so many different notes and sections? How was
he able to see ahead and turn the pages before we had even finished the previous movement?
How was he able to have everyone from different sections, playing different instruments
in tune from the same song sheet at different times? How was he able to bring
such entertainment and pleasure to the audience? I just thought this guy must be so gifted and
so talented whilst all I was doing was making my simple contribution by playing
what was set in front of me. <o:p></o:p></div>
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And yet all he was doing was
leading and he understood what and who he was leading and for what purpose. He
had the gift, experience or training of course in how to read a score sheet by connecting
the dots with the eyes. During rehearsal he knew who was not pulling his or her
weight. If he heard those that were out of sinc or out of tune, he might single
them out, embarrass or shame them with a slight twinkle in the eye. He would tell them what
they were doing wrong and how to improve. He may change their positions if they
were not partnering well or demote or even remove them if things got grave. We
were given credit where it was due and promoted up the ranks according to
merit, talent and hard work and sometimes upon the recommendation of group leaders. Once we were all on the same song sheet, we were playing and by god did we
play. More than we could ever imagine from a script that was already discovered
by others. And the audience loved it! <o:p></o:p>We were proud!</div>
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Today and after many years it seems the type of music that
is coming out of some of our powerful segments in finance, business and or politics is dying whereby affecting the wider economy and peoples careers and honest aspirations. The
script that is being played has either become twisted, sad, non-inspirational
and depressing, full of holes and no one is playing from the same song sheet.
The write ups from certain sections of our media are condemning, manipulative often abusive to whomever they chose. The
audience are walking out. They are no longer interested nor willing to pay the
price. Many are left out or in debt and can not afford to even pay. Some are even prepared to throw rotten apples and tomatoes or resort to discriminatory issues. Meanwhile the
conductor is exasperated. He no longer knows his score sheet. He has run out of
ideas as he remains in denial or walks out in shame, and misery. There is nothing
to play for except to each other. No light, no confidence. Only darkness as the curtains are drawn. It’s all over…..<o:p></o:p></div>
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Whose fault is this? Is it the conductors, the players or
the music score? Or is it what the man said, there is no leadership or no
vision.<o:p></o:p></div>
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However you may look at this, as
a head of a government, a bank, an industry or an SME, a leader will realise
that having this awareness I suspect must be paramount. That someone, however small
or large the organisation is leading, is able to connect the dots
with the eyes and see ahead. It is that personable approach whilst having a
grasp of the big picture. We can only imagine that the script, the project or the product is
already written or invented often by those or others who had the remarkable foresight or vision and is right there ready to be grasped or tapped into! The
talent is right in front of you willing and waiting. Our audience, the general
public or our paying customers are eagerly expecting. Yes some of them have the
better seats and pay higher fees and whilst most have seats for the less well off. This
is the way the cookie crumbles as we all, in time, get a taste of it. </div>
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Yes, with our differing talents, respected professions and career choices we want the freedom to play from the same
song sheet and as our productivity grows so does our economy. The audience are captivated and want more. We could
be playing or working in the grandest of operas houses or companies exemplifying our work that could roar on softly, or touching those by peacefully captivating their imagination. In all its rhythm and glory, we can all
each fall into place thus raising our confidence and making the greatest positive impact on the other, our society, our environment and on our
world.....<br />
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<i>Just imagine</i></div>
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George Sannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01902222831866971319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3856049832274384374.post-62697207841599832352016-03-17T23:50:00.001+01:002016-06-10T13:37:05.128+02:00Brexit. Bridging or detachment?<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: white;">Admittedly as an Anglo-Norwegian
now living in London, I have enjoyed the opportunity living and working in
different parts of Europe. Consequently I always take a certain pride in how we
can bridge with our fellow Europeans. I feel it might be worthwhile making a few
explanatory points on our current debate over the European Union. This year
Britain is bringing forward a referendum on a mammoth decision whether to leave
the European Union commonly known as Brexit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">This is a tough one and I can sympathise with those who might
be sitting on a fence. Those that might lack the knowledge or who do not simply
understand a system that we are, in part, responsible for having created over
the last forty odd years. We are confronted with today’s challenges, such
as at geopolitical level in how Britain and France as nuclear powers can
at least pretend to counter the weight of an increasingly unpredictable let
alone erratic Russian President still espousing its <a data-mce-href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-32668511" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-32668511" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">military prowess</span></a> playing chess on the world
stage but also in solving the issues closer to home of our ever increasing
difficulties of our migration and economic crisis.<span style="color: rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.701960784313725);"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">Let me draw onto those with some arguments that may help us
to reach our own conclusions. For the sake of clarity and for the sole
purposes of this article I shall refer to myself as ‘we’ when referring to the
British rather than Northern European.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="color: white;">Historically, in military terms Europe has always been a
hotbed of competition and conflict. Often Britain has been on the side lines
but on the larger and more defining conflicts we were involved. Britons died
and laid down their lives on continental soils. I am sorely reminded by my
Dutch friends over the battle of the Medway where Admiral de Ruiter had beaten
the British navy along our very own River Thames in 1667. Or when my Norwegian
family candidly talk about their Viking ancestry in Scotland or as a German
friend visiting Amsterdam pointed out that the last time a family member of his
visited this town, it was in a tank!<span style="color: rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.701960784313725);"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">Nowadays these relaxed albeit friendly conversations of our
momentous often horrific competitive past might occur within the confides of a
cosy cafe whilst eating a toasted cheese sandwich, awash with a Belgian beer on
a rustic cobbled street corner overlooking perhaps a peaceful sunset, a
cathedral or a picturesque canal.<span style="color: rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.701960784313725);"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">In contrast today unlike our Russian counterparts to the East
we no longer measure up so much in military prowess as to who has the greatest
army, largest naval force and so forth largely because we have been at ‘peace’
for more than 70 years with less if not little understanding today of whom our
enemy really is.<span style="color: rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.701960784313725);"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">Instead for better or for worse we measure ourselves in
economic terms. Some might argue that finance is a separate issue and
requires a separate debate not least because Finance is in a world of its own,
has become a noun rather than a verb, defining its own set of rules and where I
believe the brunt of our current malaise and problems lie. It will need to come
on board and play cricket if it wants to find its feet again.<span style="color: rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.701960784313725);"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">Nevertheless the tangible economic argument carries a certain
weight as a good part of our exports are within the Union. In 2014 Britain
exported<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><a data-mce-href="http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20160105160709/http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/international-transactions/outward-foreign-affiliates-statistics/how-important-is-the-european-union-to-uk-trade-and-investment-/sty-eu.html" href="http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20160105160709/http:/www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/international-transactions/outward-foreign-affiliates-statistics/how-important-is-the-european-union-to-uk-trade-and-investment-/sty-eu.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">GBP 230 billion of goods and services which amounts t</span></a>o
44.8% of our total export market and we import slightly more. We export to
Europe perhaps due to proximity but largely due to what is now called the European
Union. This is an internal single market where we trade goods and services
without barriers and tariffs. Those outside the Union might refer to this as
some sort of cartel or monopoly that they too would like to be part of. In
essence this is what our union is about; a pooling together of our natural
resources to neutralise competition. In other words let’s produce coal and
steel, trade it, and enrich ourselves for the purposes of peace and harmony.
Yes by and large the EU has increased our standard of living and we have all
benefited except we have all since moved on from coal and steel. <span style="color: rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.701960784313725);"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">Today Europe has now developed and connected itself with a
fantastic array of motorways, railways, bridges and, tunnels, supported by some
of the best automobiles, locomotives, haulage and ships. Its engineering and
technology is often cutting edge. Airbus employ 15.000 UK workers! Its retail
and food outlets, we are spoilt for choice. It has now developed into the
largest trading block in the world. Quite rightly there needs to be a type of
governance and this is when it becomes political as governance is always
political unless there is cohesion. Cohesion can only come about on the rarest
occasions by strong leadership and grounded principles and steering us
toward a common objective. And yet it is those that govern often set the rules,
put structures in place and makes the decisions. Luckily if things start to go
wrong we developed a system initiated by the ancient Greeks better known as
democracy where if we don’t like these rules imposed on us, well let’s then
vote these rule makers out! This might work at national level. At
European level, it appears we may have a long way to go….<span style="color: rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.701960784313725);"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">Like any corporation has corporate governance, a single
market requires governance. This is so we can all produce and trade fairly on
more or less equal terms and so on, by maintaining good neighbourly relations
whilst not getting ahead of ourselves. It is that governance linked to our
trade that requires a common interest therefore requires a supranational
interest resulting into what is commonly known as a loss of sovereignty.
Herewith lays the conflict?<span style="color: rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.701960784313725);"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">Not least because Britain prides itself as a sovereign state,
a parliamentary government supported by the rule of law and headed by a Constitutional
Monarch, our Supreme Governor. Even our legal system is different to our
European counterparts. As a nation it has always strived in competition and
entrepreneurship which our European counterparts remain somewhat adverse to.
This therefore poses a direct challenge in that if we want to produce, trade,
and have the free movement of goods, service and now people, common sense
dictates that we would need supranational governance.<span style="color: rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.701960784313725);"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">The Commission, the European Parliament and the Council of
Ministers exists on this basis. If for example the Commission identifies a
barrier within its own common market and borders resulting to unfair
competition or poor practice, it readily acts, it steers and it legislates. A
useful example is the elimination of <a data-mce-href="http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/oct/27/europe-abolishes-mobile-phone-roaming-charges" href="http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/oct/27/europe-abolishes-mobile-phone-roaming-charges" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">EU mobile roaming</span></a> charges that is directly
beneficial to the consumer. Another example is the EU 2020 climate initiative
in order for the EU to reach a reduction in CO2 emissions. When it becomes law,
it is either called a Regulation or a Directive. Regulation is a binding
regulatory act and is directly applicable in the entire EU and a Directive is
an objective directly implemented into the National Parliaments.<span style="color: rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.701960784313725);"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">It might worth pointing out that<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><a data-mce-href="http://ec.europa.eu/atwork/index_en.htm" href="http://ec.europa.eu/atwork/index_en.htm" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The
Commission mostly prepares proposals</span></a> for legislation based on
identified needs. Needs are assessed from what’s called an '<a data-mce-href="http://ec.europa.eu/smart-regulation/impact/index_en.htm" href="http://ec.europa.eu/smart-regulation/impact/index_en.htm" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">impact assessment</span></a>'. The lobbyists from automotive,
agriculture, pharma, and NGO’s for example are known as so called
stakeholders or special interests. They are either just being heard or
protecting their interests. As per when a proposal comes about, they are passed
onto two equal chambers; the Council of Ministers and the European Parliament.
They in turn debate, change, modify or scrap as they are not obliged to approve
it. Note before proposal is shown to the two chamber system it is automatically
shown to National Parliaments where it can already be vetoed.<span style="color: rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.701960784313725);"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">In short as a fervent European at heart I am somewhat
disillusioned with Europe. Many of my French, Dutch and German friends too and
economically we have run out of ideas. Has it become overly bureaucratic with
many careerists that negate rather than create? Has it lost its founding
principles, its cohesiveness, its motive therefore its purpose resulting into a
potential crisis of confidence whilst becoming a 'soft' touch? Has it
reached a type of plateau, caught in a rut between its own comfort zone and its
need to streamline and reform? How can it become stronger, more accountable and
in which direction? <span style="color: rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.701960784313725);"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">Somehow we need to find a new way to bridge with each other
in our advance forward and for the private sector to kick off. If it is
no longer coal and steel what other natural resources do we have? What other
areas of expertise and sectors can we pool together, produce and then trade?
Great strides are being made in areas such as renewable energy, infrastructure,
biotechnology and utilities. Can 'Finance' play a pivotal role in this type of
bridge building by becoming a verb? Could we ever build the world’s longest
suspension bridge over the channel with an <a data-mce-href="http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/electric-motorways-uk-charge-your-car-as-you-drive-10460121.html" href="http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/electric-motorways-uk-charge-your-car-as-you-drive-10460121.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">electric motorway</span></a> with the help of some of our
migrants? We have the ingenuity, the expertise, the resources and even the
money. After all the ECB and BoE print money do they not? <span style="color: rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.701960784313725);"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">Before I digress, a sensible approach might be that Britain
needs to be involved in order to help steer it into a new direction and
influence this reform as that is where our main interests
lie despite the EU's shortcomings.<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><em><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Better the devil you know</span></em>.
Others might say that Europe is failing anyway and with Britain leaving, this
will provide a shock and the EU will be forced to change. We may learn to
regret this not least if Scotland decides to rejoin. If we leave we will
survive and at least we can take some comfort in having left behind for the
benefit of our European counterparts the use of the English language commonly
spoken within the wider corridors of the EU.<span style="color: rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.701960784313725);"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">Interestingly in the past whilst attending our global
partnership meetings I had quietly observed my global colleagues. The Brits
were jokingly hanging out with the more boorish Americans and Australians.
The Dutch tagged along with the Brits. The French stood politely amongst each
other. The Scandinavians were understated, and reserved. The Italians and
Spanish were happy go lucky. The Russians were always helpful. And everyone
appeared to like the Germans. In terms of our bridging are we really any
more detached than others?<span style="color: rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.701960784313725);"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<em><span style="color: white; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Be strong, be connected, be British,
be European !</span></em><span style="color: rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.701960784313725);"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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George Sannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01902222831866971319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3856049832274384374.post-76714940912050033122015-11-23T22:36:00.000+01:002015-11-28T18:19:05.523+01:00Who would I like to be?<br />
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Four years ago, I was taken on as a lawyer in joining a prestigious firm focusing on corporate law. This crisis and the great recession we learnt at University. It was something to do with our wider business culture, not being fit for purpose and triggered by the financial sector. No big deal. I was a lawyer not a financier. Things were pretty hectic in this firm as cases were pouring in. I wanted the bigger ones. It was the cash cows that I was only concerned with. This way my fees could be guaranteed. Our fees were getting higher. In fact I was so good that I started charging 500 pounds an hour. Very soon I could get that latest Audi that I so wanted. Law was easy. My clients had their grievances and most of them were the same. Litigation, money lost here and there etc. I hardly listened to them, because our principle was the same furthermore I was familiar with case law. I would be ruthless in winning their cases as I had a knack. I knew how to win them and the adrenaline in the court room was what I loved. I had to work hard until late at night. It was the pressure from our bosses as they wanted more billing and more revenues as that was how we based our success. It did not matter as I charged by the hour and the more hours I charged the more money I made. That’s how it worked. Alcohol and women were my release mechanism. In any case the women loved me, it gave me the confidence and in return I gave them what they wanted. It was awesome! A magazine had printed a review about my firm mentioning me as an example for others. I was the envy of my colleagues. God I was good. This would give me the catalyst that in case I would not get that partnership they promised, I was out of here and my clients would most likely follow me.</div>
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It was one morning back in the summer, I had a problem. Alarm bells! A woman called me claiming she had a child and the baby was mine. She wanted alimony and most of my assets. There was no way! She wrote to my bosses. I was summoned. They were asking questions. Threats of Law suits and DNA testing etc. What was going on in my life? What are my parents going to say? What did I do wrong? Did I take too many risks? Was it my education? I don’t understand. I feel trapped. No one loves me. I am so scared. Oh the shame. I should have listened to my conscience.</div>
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Lack of love, lack of duty and lack of meaning...<br />
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Four years ago I was taken on by a prestigious law firm. I studied hard at Law and wanted to become a Lawyer because I felt the sense of injustice felt by others when something was sincerely wrong. I was given the small cases to start with. I loved my job and I was given the support when needed by my colleagues and vice versa. I really spent time with my client in understanding their initial needs and getting to the truth in why this injustice came about. As so often the case through time and effort and as we dive deeper, we discover an ulterior motive behind this injustice. With the lighter cases, I always wanted them to try to solve their differences through synergistic third alternatives. As I was taught at law school that a litigious culture is unhealthy for our society as it breeds mistrust whilst everyone appears to be compromising. This is why I had so many training's in negotiations and counselling. A law suit would have to be the very last resort. I really had this passion in wanting to make a difference out there. Our fees were charged according to what my clients could afford. </div>
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I was always inspired by a book called. ‘To kill a Mockingbird.’ I had also suffered from the separation of my parents at a younger age from their mistakes and foolishness in their past professional lives. And yet I had learnt to accept it and found my own peace. I had this urge to put things right based on a higher moral compass that I lived by. I am newly married with a small growing family. Yesterday an old client called me who was so grateful for my work and offered a top position in his growing firm. I felt honoured and yet I politely declined as I was very happy where I was. At the same time life was challenging and great fun.</div>
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Love, duty and meaning…..George Sannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01902222831866971319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3856049832274384374.post-79902712574175529702015-10-01T16:22:00.002+02:002016-04-11T17:40:20.659+02:00How can my career benefit others?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi57s0ZL5T5oRApToXg3eBdukSVInGegF8Ms9nP9b5yRnEXbj1XdMrgS3zVoKEw33fjGRZG16F_ORPqU8nX77su5nwAh-uQDpwNqm7z0FsCY3Sx6DVerGmmtHKZqfGTBQyBI-22Ytg3saM/s1600/images+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi57s0ZL5T5oRApToXg3eBdukSVInGegF8Ms9nP9b5yRnEXbj1XdMrgS3zVoKEw33fjGRZG16F_ORPqU8nX77su5nwAh-uQDpwNqm7z0FsCY3Sx6DVerGmmtHKZqfGTBQyBI-22Ytg3saM/s1600/images+%25281%2529.jpg" /></a></div>
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It is very difficult that when you read the news, that one can generalise, become cynical, a critic, unfocused, angry and depressed. Every headline appears to be a negative one. One wonders if the world really is like this, going through some compulsive disorder, a state of mind in search of its soul, or as GK Chesterton once put it ‘a maze with no centre’ or is it simply the power of the commercial mainstream media that plays to our weaknesses and negative sentiment. In some of my articles I have had no inhibitions in my limited capacity in taking a tough approach not just to those who put themselves on a pedestal with ambition above ability, self-recognition above talent, humour with spite and self above service, but more importantly to the media with its sensationalism, or aggression who at times celebrate or even crush such characters even situations in such a way that simply deteriorates our situation and sets a very poor example to others. I am beginning to wonder whether the internet, TV and our media is now on balance any longer a force for good in our era. </div>
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Here in the UK (a temporary return to part of my roots) one’s impression is that this maze is reserved solely to this continued mega conflicting powerful trio of a minority in the media, our business culture and politics, weak in imagination and cohesiveness that no longer see their work as a vocation or as a service to others resulting in a potential force of destruction like a stampede of bulls or a herd of barking dogs falling into Dante’s inferno of indifference, unhappiness, and despair. One has to ask ourselves. <em>Cui bono</em> in this impasse? The answer is very few. It is not surprising that these powerful segments are fast losing our interest let alone respect and by which they will come to realise that they only have themselves to blame.</div>
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Earlier in my career, I had come across some pretty rotten apples, those that had enacted some shameful deeds in Business through greed, corruption, sociopathic and narcissistic behaviour and then again how was it that I was amongst them? Did this mean that I too was tainted or dysfunctional in some way? Of course as it takes two which is entirely of my own making and yet people can change even if we reach the bottom, and yes we can pick ourselves up. And when you change you understand the mistakes that you made and learn to become the person that you are and have a better sense of right and wrong and of oneself. You become stronger more purposeful, ready to contribute to the true needs of others, our environment, our society and away from the re-occurring floating bubbles thus reverting ourselves to our nature of being.<br />
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By becoming our own green shoot you begin to see the beauty of the world; you surround yourself with those that inspire you almost sub-consciously, to better ourselves so that in turn you can inspire others become creative and brand ourselves more authentically. Furthermore we learn to encourage those whilst accepting the encouragement of others, gently challenge those and accept to be challenged and readily act on situations that are within our control for a better and more hopeful future whilst being better attuned in sensing, let alone, avoiding any danger.</div>
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That is not to say that there will be times when you will be tested where absolute vigilance will be required and yet beauty, respect, kindness, and forgiveness is thus in the eye of the beholder.<br />
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Above I have added a picture of a stunning French Gothic cathedral in Reims I had visited this summer. It had caught my imagination as not only was it the place where historically the French coronations occurred, it is also an icon of an architectural master piece built by those from a different era with no doubt a greater sense of pride and of glory that we very rarely see or encourage today.</div>
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Difficult eras in our European history such as today have always occurred and many people see this as a time for renewal, of greatness and of change. How can we achieve this? One way is to re-discover our vocation (fulfilment and purpose) within our business and careers within the real economy in terms of how we make things, what we produce, how we finance, engineer, supply and deliver linked to our attributes, strengths and talents that are inevitably sustainable and carries longevity of which there are many great scenarios out there. </div>
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And equally as important by combining this challenge with how we can reconcile ourselves by re-discovering our source that re-links us to the non-physical, the infinite, and the immaterial linked to our being, time and space thus reverting to the natural order of all things that govern. Is this not a key to how we can benefit others linked to our peace of mind and fulfilment that we all seek in so far as reclaiming our greatness, our pride and our glory?</div>
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Here is something I have enacted inspired by a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7plNRs5kwgE" target="_blank">song written by The Waterboys</a> in the 80’s and it goes like this.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGhRfTsabSHSOH1GOAS8VTuN0aFy8EkIb2NPasDhFvlI1rK_QxT8qsh4URWKDDAeOE8tIO4lyXnlY5K7DQHCaGRh5Tm5v72sCQI77L95LD2KD0kpm9FFcKALtGl7x6VrCBneBj5PidXDk/s1600/spirit.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGhRfTsabSHSOH1GOAS8VTuN0aFy8EkIb2NPasDhFvlI1rK_QxT8qsh4URWKDDAeOE8tIO4lyXnlY5K7DQHCaGRh5Tm5v72sCQI77L95LD2KD0kpm9FFcKALtGl7x6VrCBneBj5PidXDk/s1600/spirit.png" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoKLpFjioiKepZ7e_wFh15YyDV16aiVs1y3h-cNDWszkNYi7qi-0K5wPdOHCkPLjQpGu18-GOWy8rxHJuyHGTL2BOQLkEd3jNZGWGJjYqFqej5JYMt4UHkpXckuRj_Kw-3W24cMkEVuY4/s1600/Man.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoKLpFjioiKepZ7e_wFh15YyDV16aiVs1y3h-cNDWszkNYi7qi-0K5wPdOHCkPLjQpGu18-GOWy8rxHJuyHGTL2BOQLkEd3jNZGWGJjYqFqej5JYMt4UHkpXckuRj_Kw-3W24cMkEVuY4/s1600/Man.png" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI7yFm5gxBuMRiyEuXsnuH1LnRZvhyaTsjf9RxjnjHW9m047oSPiKC1KCi7SAlyr-Vl4TBZZez_bCSF-MdCBZAsTIdO930eEEsNewQ8i7Gf894C8Iy3SKeeSfIVX10jjgNxbqyKRxvyu4/s1600/man2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI7yFm5gxBuMRiyEuXsnuH1LnRZvhyaTsjf9RxjnjHW9m047oSPiKC1KCi7SAlyr-Vl4TBZZez_bCSF-MdCBZAsTIdO930eEEsNewQ8i7Gf894C8Iy3SKeeSfIVX10jjgNxbqyKRxvyu4/s1600/man2.png" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhONQ4QdKUz73_xFmTi3mbd4hQCn7DgYKWnOAVK6GYB9L4NbpToSTfWD90clmR17rE0M9qn48szM_NCFn0YMYYW3BgJNl4PdHr3HwIbyCPJN8fY9rt5Pg3goVikZp5oLYCftyO8XK7RcGA/s1600/spirit4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhONQ4QdKUz73_xFmTi3mbd4hQCn7DgYKWnOAVK6GYB9L4NbpToSTfWD90clmR17rE0M9qn48szM_NCFn0YMYYW3BgJNl4PdHr3HwIbyCPJN8fY9rt5Pg3goVikZp5oLYCftyO8XK7RcGA/s1600/spirit4.png" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA1d5zYYiyRs_urqc0nQ6Xy44Xf1R4tjJ4xexZMNs4_mAP8TYxZYxgJX1I_31Mm74CK1PX2XCW3TnttpM4DUn_A0CF-_BkWhTxAG2EeIXmedRI4Gaka10ikaySsBBdkJXPeTO7ZGIkYB4/s1600/man3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA1d5zYYiyRs_urqc0nQ6Xy44Xf1R4tjJ4xexZMNs4_mAP8TYxZYxgJX1I_31Mm74CK1PX2XCW3TnttpM4DUn_A0CF-_BkWhTxAG2EeIXmedRI4Gaka10ikaySsBBdkJXPeTO7ZGIkYB4/s1600/man3.png" /></a></div>
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<em> Only our source frees us from our own maze</em></div>
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George Sannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01902222831866971319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3856049832274384374.post-52769366052488988292015-05-29T10:27:00.001+02:002015-06-23T13:49:47.565+02:00Where is Europe going?<div style="text-align: justify;">
In a time of great confusion and muddling interests we seemed to have uncovered a world of far reaching smokescreens, and mirrors with an in excess of conflicting self-interests. All moral standing has been blown into the wind, freedom of speech is a right and then suppressed if you speak your heart and mind, and justice is a thing of the past. All this magnifies a blurred sense of right and wrong justifying poor conduct in an economic, social and political system that is fast losing its sense of purpose. Another hot topic this time in the football world is the subject of corruption. This prompted to ask a professor in finance in how he would define the meaning of corruption. He came out with a stunning thought provoking definition:</div>
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<em>At the expense of the common good, consciously compromising one's principles or timeless ethical standards in pursuit of personal interests</em></div>
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One could almost deduce that based on this meaning, corruption remains rife and is everywhere. This is seemingly more apparent in politics and in business with many falling victims from perpetrators whilst most are apathetic, in an economic system that many might argue is in free-fall compounded by a minority in business, the media through sedition, intermediaries, leaders and politicians at the top causing harm in a human race with such a poor outlook where even our most basic of universal principles such as reciprocity, trust and integrity have vanished in a puff of smoke.</div>
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The European Commission argues corruption is <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-26014387" target="_blank">costing our economy €120 billion</a> annually yet this is a narrow view related solely to fraud and bribery when in fact the above definition is related to something so much deeper that being our moral interior. €120 billion is just the tip of the iceberg. Our belief, our value system our conscience, our strength of character, our capacity to serve, to create, to teach, to encourage, to lead and contribute to the needs of others has been pulled into the opposite direction by external perhaps inexplicable forces which are really and truly narrowed down to personal or self- interests.</div>
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Here in Belgium we are commemorating the 200 years of the Battle of Waterloo. Napoleon in our history makes for a very intriguing leader that brought meaning, pride and honour to many French people. A man with immense enthusiasm. (Enthusiasm was a term used by the ancient Greeks as those to have divine manifestations). His strength of character displayed by a belief of applied intelligence, a hierarchical system based on merit, hard work, mental toughness and physical courage, law and order, and contempt for anything that is self-serving. We can take light from such influential figures in our history.</div>
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By contrast today it is the term self–serving, our sense of entitlement and lack of belief and common purpose that negatively sticks out most in parts of our culture falsely perceived by some common diktat that the world owes us every thing as the key to our happiness and yet if I want to have a bigger garden, is it the dog in me that will dictate or is it my master?</div>
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How are we going to command respect to our leaders when such people in responsibility such as Mr.Juncker is seen <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hl83Jpd_OI" target="_blank">manhandling all the country leaders</a> and <a href="http://www.liberation.fr/monde/2015/05/26/gifles-bisous-et-potacheries-jean-claude-juncker-technocrate-sans-filtre_1316618" target="_blank">not remembering their names</a> making a mockery of the dignity of office of the European Union that he represents? Other leaders are having secret meetings about <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/eu/11630468/France-and-Germany-behind-plans-for-common-EU-corporation-tax.html" target="_blank">taxation</a> as if taxation is the only solution to all our problems. Belgian politicians are talking about legalising sexual liberty for <a href="http://www.rtl.be/info/belgique/societe/l-open-vld-veut-autoriser-le-sexe-des-14-ans-les-jeunes-doivent-pouvoir-experimenter-leur-sexualite--726123.aspx" target="_blank">14 year old girls</a> whilst the issue of sexuality is one of the most personal of all matters linked to our identity and dignity and to many is not an open book that instead can have a reverse effect in encouraging more deviances and lack of respect.</div>
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In finance many people including Warren Buffet predict some crash some day. The stock market has become a measurement system that has simply lost its long term serving benefit that it once had and has instead become tyrannically abused by short sighted wealthy and powerful speculators that are only interested in their short term gain with no higher purpose except one’s own. This is having a devastating perhaps even psychological impact on listed companies which is a true test of their character when making long term decisions. This corrupt out dated and beleaguered system has evidently played havoc in our lives and resulted in a culture of short term insecurity rather than long term fulfilment.</div>
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A senior Banker mentioned to me in horror that Bonds have been the hottest thing on the market. Corporate bonds that are nicely packaged and passed around and no doubt will be nicely laid into colourful looking 'assets' creating nothing from nothing. Déjàs Vu? A good name for this game could be ‘musical debts’ where you pass the debt by dancing round in circles and cracking over the champagne. What happens when the music stops? <a data-mce-href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/economics/11625098/HSBC-fears-world-recession-with-no-lifeboats-left.html" href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/economics/11625098/HSBC-fears-world-recession-with-no-lifeboats-left.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">HSBC would rather go down with the Titanic.... </a>presumably with a glass of Bollinger joined by Goldman’s who are only now beginning to admit <a data-mce-href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/economics/11625406/The-world-is-drowning-in-debt-warns-Goldman-Sachs.html" href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/economics/11625406/The-world-is-drowning-in-debt-warns-Goldman-Sachs.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">that the world is over bloated with debt</a>....one suspects instead with a glass of Cristal.</div>
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In a increasingly corrupt economic, social and political system it is very difficult for the weak or for any of us for that matter to rise up and assume responsibility and even the fittest can feel vulnerable. Nevertheless there are always solutions and a chance to show our true colours. And yes it's possible. We need visionaries for change, visionaries with true character that can lead us away from the devastating impact of the consumer debt culture into a more imaginative and sustainable future. Political leaders with the courage that is willing to make sacrifices not for their personal ambition but for the greater and common good. A justice system that can regain its respect by acting more like the wisdom of Solomon. We need employees in the work place that find the strength to stand up if need be to their bosses when they sense that something is not right. More tangible and meaningful ways are needed in how we measure how success.</div>
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We need those that understand that it is not taxes and regulation or a nanny state that is the answer which instead crowds us out. We need people that care for the needs in our society, the vulnerable, and the ever enlarging widening inequality gap and for our environment. Those that understand that the race for growth in this economic war carries absolutely no meaning that builds our system on sand and not on rock. We need people that also understand that economic exploitation is cruel to humanity, and that we are not units nor are we a cost not part of a capital group. We need an attitude that wealth creation in its purest form from the cradle to the grave is not an innate right. On this matter, I am surprised neither Forbes nor Fortune has yet to come out with rich lists on who has the most expensive graves!!</div>
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In short my hope is that one day we find a way to move away from our debt consumption fuelled economy that has trapped our culture into a new era of real freedom, and empowerment unleashing humanities ingenuity. As unique individuals willing to contribute including our footballers, we deserve to be respected for our talent and treated with dignity, deserving of a more fulfilling and creative future where there is a place for each and every one of us.<br />
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George Sannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01902222831866971319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3856049832274384374.post-52796986618854714872015-05-20T20:58:00.003+02:002015-05-22T14:58:41.354+02:00Renewable Energy. Do we have the will?<div style="text-align: justify;">
While several institutions such as the Rockefeller Foundation is <a href="http://time.com/3416032/rockefellers-family-divestment-fossil-fuels-rockefeller-brothers-fund/" target="_blank">divesting its investment</a> away from fossil fuels assets and reinvesting in clean or renewable energy, the demand on climate change, the effects it has on our eco system and what we eat is carrying a big voice. Too many it is evident that fossil fuels (oil, coal and natural gas) as a primary energy, <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2015/03/23/paris-tries-to-fight-smog-by-banning-half-its-cars-from-the-roads/" target="_blank">causes pollution</a> and global warming. If we burn such fuels at an alarming rate together with <a href="http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/deforestation-overview/" target="_blank">deforestation</a> (to allow space for planting crops or crazing livestock for example) then through sheer logic we could really be in a critical fix. NB. From a point of view of semantics, 'respect for our environment' rather than 'climate change' is more apt. A revolution to renewable can only be a good thing by this we mean any power that is generated through, wind, sun and water and lest we forget the EU's ambitious 2020 target. Frankly it is becoming harder and harder to justify for such companies as Shell and <a href="http://www.adn.com/article/20150402/exxon-ceo-talks-arctic-oil-drilling-risks-lessons" target="_blank">Exxon</a>, <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/may/18/shell-arctic-oil-rig-hundreds-protest-seattle" target="_blank">extracting oil in the Artic.</a><br />
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A while back when I lived and worked in Amsterdam, I would drive my car some 1.5 km to my office. I would laugh at the Dutch on their bicycles. What on earth are they thinking? Look at me. Yes me. I have a brand new BMW still hot off the conveyer belt straight from Germany. Leased too! They’ll just never learn will they?<br />
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Moving on from those aimless days, people’s attitudes and not just my own are really changing. A revolution would imply that coal, oil, and combustion engines will move into the history books as some 20th century adventurous experiment. Oil and our insatiable appetite for it has caused so much harm and despair in the last Century. Even mankind’s worst battle in history, the battle of Stalingrad was down to Hitler’s objective to get hold of the rich Oil fields in the Caucasus.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flyingmag.com/news/airbus-build-electric-plane-factory-france" target="_blank">Aeroplanes</a>, <a href="http://www.ecomarinepower.com/marine-renewable-energy-for-ships" target="_blank">Shipping</a> and haulage would need to revert to renewable. Electricity would have to be generated differently to satisfy our household consumer appliances, as well as TV, sound, lighting, machine equipment, trams, and trains and so on. The transition to get there would be formidable and the change and effects would be enormous. The effects are enormous because quite frankly with the amount of energy we use would very likely exceed the supply. And yet do we have the will? Could this mark the end of industrialisation or a consumption driven economy? The simplest way to deal with the challenge is for lifestyles, hearts and mentalities to shift in so as we consume less, live more simply and in a sustainable manner. It would also mean our industries producing sustainable goods.<br />
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Change in hearts and mentalities is easier said than done as more often than not it takes a bolt of lightning to trigger. Apart from governments lacking a serious strategy due to short term panic thinking and basic economics, this divestment of assets from oil companies to re-invest elsewhere is surely an effective way to carry out this transition as this would influence the bottom line in such companies. Could the banks and financial sector take the bold decision to divest their assets, lending and investments (or reduce their exposure by 20% would make mathematical sense) from oil including fossil fuel dependent companies and redirect them into renewable energy companies?<br />
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Apart from generating a switch to countless new opportunities, jobs and ingenuity bringing us into an exciting new era, what about our everyday lives? Let’s take a car for example where Elon Musk the CEO of Tesla, appears to be making his mark. It clearly takes energy to produce and process a car. Plastics, steel, and even rubber would be needed. Then all this would need to pass through the supply chain and then assembled, to make the car. When we drive we use energy whilst we stand idle in traffic, accelerate and even break.<br />
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To produce and assemble an electric car would have to be the same. To make the batteries, compounds such as lithium, copper and nickel are mined from the Earth and processed in a manner that demands energy and can release toxic components. No doubt there have been studies done on such things to compare the energy life cycles between the two. Is the chemical plant willing to revert to renewable energy? Is a steel company willing to revert to renewable energy to extract iron ore? Or could we make a car from something more sustainable?<br />
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Here in Belgium, electric cars are hardly sold due to the lack of investment the government has made in public recharging facilities. ‘The revolution is on its way but we are far from ready,’ the VW salesman pointed out the other day. Nevertheless, having tested an electric car, a <a href="http://nl.nissan.be/BE/nl/vehicle/electric-vehicles/leaf.html" target="_blank">Nissan Leaf</a>, besides the fact that there was a huge reduction in the noise and air pollution in our streets, it was the easiest thing to drive and very enjoyable. Was it made and assembled from using renewable energy? Unlikely. Yet are we on target in reducing greenhouse emissions by 20% from 1990 levels? Not sure.<br />
Having finally learnt a simpler solution north of the border, I have reverted to just riding a bicycle which uses the best energy of all and hey presto it comes with a little dynamo creating its own light and to potentially recharge the mobile phone.<br />
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In short it is really down to each of us and how much responsibility we are willing to bear. It is probably virtually impossible to produce goods that are 100% biodegradable or in a natural way. At best it comes down to a respect and love for our environment. This starts from the respect of oneself. Where does that respect of oneself come from? Our family, our upbringing, our education, our values and an awakening of our conscience. This way we begin to appreciate our land, our surroundings, our buildings, how we contribute or benefit, what we make and create, who we serve and the people we meet. This is needed more than ever in our desperate world that has been passed down to us from so long ago, so as to discover our paths and to hold onto it with gratitude, meaning and with care. If one person gets it, others will break the waves with you, enabling a life of not just a rippling energy but of immeasurable, infinite beauty and fulfillment. </div>
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<em>Where there is a will there is a way</em></div>
George Sannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01902222831866971319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3856049832274384374.post-89525944258552466562015-05-05T17:14:00.002+02:002015-06-01T19:06:34.718+02:00Our compass. Which way is it pointing?<div style="text-align: justify;">
Many of us today have the inclination that humanity out there is being tested in every single direction albeit from an economic, environmental, or moral standpoint. Our businesses small, medium and large are being squeezed, with very tight budgets and much smaller margins. Our USP’s are no longer what they used to be. Competitiveness becomes very tricky. Loyalty is a bygone word. Trust and integrity such intrinsic values that were once so valuable that reflected our respected structures and institutions have been battered and quite frankly whilst many people agree there is a lack of respect in our leaders everywhere. France, UK, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Greece and Holland and even the EU. Is the rumble of change under our feet? </div>
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It is also very difficult for many of us to know where to look and to understand which way the wind is blowing as our anxieties and fears tend to increase. </div>
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My generation who grew up in the 70s and 80s are learning fast from the great recession which I might add is a good thing. Those of us who perhaps had a taste of, or were used to, the good life earlier this century (and the last), have had to wake up, do some thinking, come to terms with some of the foolishness of our past, assume our own responsibilities and get some of our priorities right. In making the necessary sacrifices this is essential in order to live in the present to build those necessary inner resources and if need be offer those a helping hand in so as we can inspire ourselves and others to move ahead in our careers and private lives with confidence and with hope. </div>
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Infact there are still several questions whose answers I still need to spend time to figure out in today’s culture. The questions that remain a concern; Is it not possible that once you put yourself on a pedestal however lonely it might be up there, that we can remain coherent to whom we are in the good sense of the word? How is it that the powerful mainstream media create such false people who put themselves in the limelight for others to look up to? Why is it that when something goes wrong it is always others or circumstances that are to blame? And our politicians or those who have power and influence, why do they so often have to compromise their own integrity making them look fundamentally weak or even at times unpleasant or dishonourable? And then how is it that so many of these same types are unable to see beyond the palm of their hands? And finally why can’t our children play openly in the streets?</div>
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To attempt to answer some of these tricky questions, I suspect it is to do in part that we build walls around us. It is in our nature. We always have done. Not just our inner walls but our outer walls too. We build these walls to protect ourselves because we are vulnerable. We are vulnerable because we all make mistakes and hide from them. It is that vulnerability that we fear the most which can only imply that the greatest enemy is in us, more so than what is out there. By which the only solution through sheer logic is to build on our inner resources to allow us to me more open, assertive, forgiving and confident. Moreover when times are tough, imagination is required.</div>
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In 1937 when Japan invaded China a Japanese soldier witnessed what he thought people that at the time had lost their sense of self-worth. They could not understand the weakness in the Chinese character and in that they lost lives for this. To them such a battle seemed meaningless. If ever, heaven forbid, Europe was invaded, or endured some widespread civil unrest, by an extreme force of some nature, we could be a walk over. This would be a sad reflection on our own character. </div>
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In May 1940 whilst Britain was close to its knees, Winston Churchill, a man who often had enough foresight in warning his people against the tide of mainstream, was in a room alone with the then Prime Minister Chamberlain and Halifax the next expected leader. The PM had asked Halifax to take over the reins from which he had politely declined. There was only one person left in the room. Churchill noted. ‘On this occasion I was silent’ He felt the tap on his shoulder. He must have felt the eyes of the world were on him and that lions roar in him.</div>
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Some of us may have the lion’s roar in us, whilst others may wait patiently or silently for that tap on our shoulder. Yes we need strong characters, real men, and real women that are prepared or cope with the unexpected. We need men and women with integrity and the wisdom of lifes experience that inspire greatness in that we are not a soft touch by allowing us to see beyond the palm of our hand. Those with enough forsesight, a sense of calm or self-control that can master or bridge our differences into something greater. That way we can begin to see the world not as it is but as we are.</div>
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In short, if the enemy is in you; shake it off. If that wall is in you, knock it down. Have the courage to breathe in and gently blow that hand in front of you outwards. Blow your arms outwards. Blow into the wind, see ahead, beyond the horizons, and on upwards. Allow that old ear in you to disappear and the new one to replace it. The respect in you will allow the respect for others. That compassion in you will allow the compassion for others. That inspiration in you will inspire others. As a Dutch business leader in Finance quite eloquently put it, it is that magnetic compass in all of us that points north that measures our confidence. I could not agree more and yet right now the needle appears to be spinning in every single direction that could prick us accidently until we bleed into a deep sleep or like a dog chaising its tail.</div>
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Well let’s blow that compass back North wards with all that you've got!</div>
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<em>Inner peace is our path to greatness</em></div>
George Sannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01902222831866971319noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3856049832274384374.post-9276186093404634562015-04-27T15:08:00.000+02:002016-04-18T14:45:15.213+02:00Who would I like to be?<div style="text-align: justify;">
I am 30 years old and I was employed as a trader 4 years ago in the repo hair cut investment business by a large bank. We had learnt about the crisis from 2008 up to 2016. No big deal. We had different products and better systems now and we have caught up with ourselves. We look for cheap stocks. We were good at what we did. I could talk the talk and had a certain feel for numbers. My goodness we made money. Life was great. Fast cars, the night life, alcohol and birds. Fantastic. I had a great apartment on an avenue overlooking the Hudson River. My bank offered me a cheap mortgage. I had all the latest designs and best cut suits. I could not wait for my next bonus to get that Porsche. God I was good even a column was written about me in Traders magazine. It was great marketing and a perfect platform that once I had made enough money I was out of here. </div>
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My bosses told us we were great and making a great contribution to our firm. You see we had little respect for neither politics nor the regulator as they had little understanding in what we did. In any case I always found a way around them. They were in their own cloud cuckoo land as far as we were concerned. We were the ones who knew how it worked and we monopolised the market. You see my work was looking for cheap small companies on the internet. I was not sure entirely what they did but I just relied on my intuition. When it felt good we took them over with a small cash injection with the liquidity we had and with strings attached. We set up our own products and securitised them and sold them on to other FI’s and our perspective clients. </div>
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Somehow we controlled the markets. It was a great business, although often stressful as our incentives were linked to this. The playing hard was my release mechanism. You see one of my great inspirations was from that film in the 80s. Wall Street and that Gordon Gekko character and I also lived off this Anglo Saxon motto ‘work hard and play hard.’ I also had this Ford Mustang from 67. It made a hell of a noise and that way I could make a hell of an impression. I had everything I could wish for. Awesome! </div>
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It was one Tuesday morning back in 2016, we had a problem. Alarm bells! It was something to do with a computer glitch in our systems. Things were not right. We had a call from the Feds. We were not sure what that meant. Did we do something? It was not my fault. It was my bosses, they took me on. …Writs from clients….My goodness, what on earth is happening in my life?.... My parents had abandoned me long ago and gone their separate ways. I’m so scared. I don’t want to get fired. It was not my fault. My life is falling apart. I had no one. No one loves me. I should have listened to my conscience. I can’t take it anymore…..</div>
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<em>Lack of love, lack of duty and lack of meaning</em></div>
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I am 30 years old. I was employed by Bank 4 years ago. A great place to work with awesome colleagues. I was known as a scouter. I did not like the word as it sounded like the football world. You see, I had to search for small ideas that were innovative. These were ideas that were in line with our leadership thinking in line with the EU commitment for 2020, in reducing carbon emissions. I loved this idea of thinking. It gave us meaning. It meant that we could live in a more sustainable world that respected our environment and nature. We were all in it for the long haul. I had to scout for new ideas. I found many people on online social media. You see our bank was committed, it had the liquidity and it had the political backing and in turn I respected my leaders for this. I found so many new ideas that I could propose to my bosses for investment opportunities and our 2020 fund. It was very cool. I found people in garages, their back gardens or at colleges working on environmental ways in reducing plastic packaging, improving food standards, improving emissions in transportation, agri business, biotech, improving clean water and renewable energy. One guy had developed a way to transform household waste into some biomethan which could supply his house with his own energy needs. Some of these people were geniuses. With my passion I was able to ask some very good questions in their interest. This gave me understanding in so as I could connect the dots with the eyes. <br />
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I felt I had a duty to be committed. It just made sense. You see I was taught at school how the financial crisis and the great recession had come about from short sightedness and greed and how so many people were driven by money and how unhappy their lives became. We were also taught that big margins from many big companies, therefore big marketing budgets made no sense due to the social, health and environmental hazard caused what with the lack of quality in products and the harm it had done to the empty fabric of a debt driven consumer fuelled society. <br />
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A book that really had inspired me was ‘One day in the life of Ivan Denisovich.’ A Russian writer called Solzenitzen who was imprisoned in the Siberian prison camps under Stalin. It was a story of humility, survival and how small things mattered in life which kept him going. This for me was my starting point. I was looking for small things small ideas, the simplicity of life how we could help develop and give a helping hand that was totally in line with the vision of our firm. I tried to lead a simple life and one of my few pleasures, I inherited a Ford Mustang from my father from 1967 and through my scouting knowledge I found a genius that converted the engine and now it is solar powered. It made that small quiet purring noise. Wow! <br />
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I had suffered from the divorce, the mistakes and selfishness of my parents and yet I had learnt to accept them and found my own peace. I am now happily married with a small growing family. Yesterday I had a call about my next promotion. I could not be happier.</div>
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Love, duty and meaning…?</div>
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Hmm……one can only wonder....</div>
George Sannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01902222831866971319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3856049832274384374.post-37321061433745971902015-03-30T15:24:00.000+02:002015-04-28T16:56:45.862+02:00How can we regain our self-respect and confidence?<div style="text-align: justify;">
In our careers, mental health, stress, burn out, and suppression of our talents or fearmongering by others and being in a job that is not consistent to our values in my view is fast becoming a disguised major problem in our work place that is not talked about enough nor acted upon by a likely fear of losing one's job. I had only just recently met a financial institution that was under so much pressure to perform with its relentless pursuit of profit driven by its shareholder a venture capital firm and as a consequence burn out was common place. Something I come across more frequently in other firms. This has the potential of fast becoming a legitimate human rights issue.<br />
When human nature is stretched to its inner limits and lacking understanding or purpose, we can become deeply unhappy. We can trap ourselve into losing our self-respect, whereby potentially losing our self-esteem and confidence. These different states of being yet inter-twined can affect our productivity or potential not just in ourselves but in our business too. In worse case scenarios this can lead to dark thoughts, aggressiveness and possible vengefulness. By this I mean that the more we become more engrossed in ourselves by losing sight of ourselves we become unaware of what mistakes or self harm we are capable of doing. This would undoubtedly prompt the wider deeper questions not just in us but in how, the way in which, and for what purpose we conduct business. </div>
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Not that I may be privy to suggest a link, it may come as no surprise that <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_largest_selling_pharmaceutical_products" target="_blank">the highest selling pharmaceutical</a> drug is an anti-depressant by the name of Aripiprazol. It might be worth mentioning that this is clearly not helped by our young who will one day follow, having traumatic experiences when a member of a pop group by the name of One Direction leaves that said in his own direction. (Note my generation were brought up never to idolise pop culture as I recall being pretty undeterred when Supertramp split)</div>
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Before I digress, all this begs the questions? Are we doing something wrong? What are our very own beliefs and what do we stand for? What is wrong with our leaders in our peculiar age? Is it really so difficult to be inspired? Do we read the right books? How does the future bode for us all?<br />
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Be it what it may we must never despair. There are on occasion the great stories that capture us. A part Belgian sponsored Swiss manufactured solar powered aeroplane is <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-32110747" target="_blank">flying across the globe</a>. I believe this to be one of the greatest innovations of our current generation that I have encountered. The Netherlands has set up the <a href="http://www.citylab.com/commute/2014/11/the-netherlands-gets-the-worlds-first-solar-powered-bike-lane/382480/" target="_blank">first solar powered bicycle path</a> for its cyclists. Something our cities may soon simply adapt. The Secretary General of Europa Bio had informed me that in the Biotech industry washing powders containing biotech enzymes can save up to 30% energy consumption in our homes because the enzymes allow us to have great results washing at just 30 degrees. By using industrial Biotech products too we can reduce chemical steps with biological steps and also allows to transform raw materials (either plants, plant waste or household waste) into added value products thus helping us to move away from a fossil fuel based society to a renewable material based society whereby dramatically reducing CO2 levels.<br />
<a href="http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/sep/22/rockefeller-heirs-divest-fossil-fuels-climate-change" target="_blank">The Rockefeller Foundation</a> and the <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/mar/18/wellcome-trust-sold-off-94m-exxonmobil-oil-investment" target="_blank">UK Wellcome Trust</a> have announced their divestment from fossil fuels and oil. Is all this paving the way for others and our financial institutions to follow suit seeking real change in energy, infrastructure, manufacturing and our environment toward a bright and very interesting future with new meaning? Could this also deter Shell or <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/u-s-oil-council-shale-won-t-last-arctic-drilling-needed-now-1.3012163" target="_blank">Exxon Mobil</a> to think twice and change their business strategy, before exploring any further oil exploration from our last few vital untouched wonders such as the North Pole? </div>
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In short to replicate ancient Chinese proverb when a crisis occurs it is a time for great change and opportunity. To really be part of the now and to make way for a bright and hopeful future, as humans we will need to re-adapt, come to terms with our past, pull out of our comfort zones, understand our real needs, open our hearts and change the way we think. Furthermore it is only by discretely regaining an inner self-respect, having a proper sense of ones own dignity that we can begin to see and respect others and the beauty around us. By this we can learn to accept that we make mistakes know our limitations, live by our values and as a result our self-esteem and confidence may be lifted. Simply through our sense of curiosity we can seek the good and not the pleasure, search for compassion and not indifference. We can gently challenge others whilst accepting to be challenged. And in being coherent, solid and firm in ourselves we can begin to understand the suffering of others. That is one thing that we Europeans have going for ourselves. We are a resilient bunch. We have the ability to fly the flag into battle with full confidence, renewed hope and purpose in our very challenging, eventful and ever changing world. </div>
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<em>Become what you are…</em></div>
George Sannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01902222831866971319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3856049832274384374.post-28016137728293961312015-02-26T11:26:00.004+01:002017-03-21T15:06:56.405+01:00How can I resolve a conflict?<div style="text-align: justify;">
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We all have personal stories. Many are exciting, adventurous and even inspiring. Yet sadly some of us too can have stories that are conflictual that can cause harm to one other or are self-inflicted. The types of harm can be emotional, physical or mental. Some can be very personal, where deep suffering can occur, which can even break a person. The source of all conflict is our failure to handle loss or broken bonding. It will always start at individual level and if not handled well, the conflict can resonate and divide families, societies, businesses and nations. This source of conflict can lead to anger or hatred, even violence and vengeance, more so if it is under false objectives or at the expense of the common good. </div>
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Some deeper issues of conflict can be very difficult to resolve. It requires great strength of character, with a certain amount of patience (linked to time), courage, humility and forgiveness in the person who is personally involved. Men and women with great experience perhaps in their own lives would best be able to attempt to help others in these situations.</div>
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In order to attempt to resolve conflicts, here's the thing. Accredited psychologists from <a href="http://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html" target="_blank">Maslow</a> to Freud have made the distinction between the two; material interests or personal needs. Interests in this case are tangible. This can be jobs/career, money, land, materials, and just simply things. We can trade this stuff and they can be chopped and changed, negotiated and compromised. Whereas needs, this is different. These are linked to our identity, inner security, values, respect or recognition which is down to the very inner nature of our own human dignity. These needs that we carry in our hearts and minds are not for trading and not to be compromised. The most damaging conflicts are linked to our needs. One would have to be pretty on top of oneself to crack the nut and be able to distinguish between the two if you are personally involved in them. To make it sound simple, if you make a decision on an interest that may compromise your own integrity, good luck! Unfortunately this can happen as we are unwilling to cut our losses by exposing a small part of ourselves as we wish to show. </div>
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When there is a conflict of interests (jobs and material) involving different parties, mixed up with a lack of personal needs (identity&values), this results in a problem. If this situation persists long enough, there will, virtually in all cases, be a value breakdown, a breach in trust occurs, increased barriers arise and a time of crisis may unfold as the problems will slowly be revealed. A value breakdown would have to stem from something rotten in the foundation or at the source.</div>
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Let’s take some of the deeper problems we have already experienced in some of our businesses or in finance as an example, where we deal with money (interest). How can we make this interest turn on its head by respecting the needs whereby regaining the much needed confidence, and trust in humanity or society? Well, with some ingenuity, one solution could be to create your money for a purpose fitting to the times of today. An example could be sustainability. Create a mission statement, ‘we make our money work for ecological development and employment.’ You have a win-win outcome. The needs are respected and no longer trampled on as we start believing in ourselves whilst our insecurities subside. We start blending the two as we avoid creating dangerous conflict, harm or any long term suffering or damage not just to ourselves but to others.</div>
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In short, great awareness, grace and poise with a ῝<em>maître de soi῞ is needed </em>so as to re-define our purpose. What do I have to lose? In the long term you will win. You will reach the heights of your goals, hopes and dreams despite the transient opposing forces or circumstances. You will find that conflict moves away elsewhere as it is uncovered or self-destructs thanks to all your virtues that you hold. The green shoots from the banks of the flowing rivers will blossom. This is our promise. This is how some of the greatest of men in the history of mankind have existed including <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2007/mar/15/secondworldwar.poland" target="_blank">many</a> quietly behind the scene of all types. Men and women of meaning like Gandhi or Malala Yousafzai. Men with the greatest interiors. Men of untold belief, men of vision, joy and great standing and understanding that have entered into the realm of our living history.</div>
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<em>'Just imagine what I can do'</em></div>
George Sannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01902222831866971319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3856049832274384374.post-86885344553114593492015-02-20T15:41:00.002+01:002015-02-26T13:59:31.460+01:00Power vs our identity<div style="text-align: justify;">
I seemed to have taken a small break from my last article written in November on <a href="http://blog.timemcg.com/2014/11/how-easy-is-whistleblowing_28.html" target="_blank">whistleblowing</a> in the Financial sector. The sector is often in the news and certainly not necessarily for the right reasons. The largest Bank in the world, HSBC and arguably the most powerful business institution around is being scrutinised for its breakdown in principles. More CEO’s are in trouble and more public figures muddling through sometimes too distracted by feeding the barking dogs. The changes in our financial sector are cumbersome, so ruled based and exhausting. If some of these companies are bigger or more powerful than small nation economies and require changing, then leading one might mean that you need to be made of the right stuff.</div>
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The problems that require solving are down to issues of leadership, governance, accountability, incentives, principles and purpose which is no mean feat when it could come into direct conflict to identity and our culture. Over the last lost decade it appears that the rumble of the quiet guillotine is out in force for those who led or had influence around that crazy shallow and corrupt time by which little surpise can be made on offer. No one seems to be walking off unscathed and yet is it our very own ‘liberal’ attitude, indifference or even guilt that does not permit for a few people to be prosecuted for serious wrong doings? This is all the more troublesome, when we could be dealing with our very own kind.</div>
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It is no doubt a great challenge to remain coherent and true to oneself once we put ourselves on a pedestal. A well-known celebrity was quoted as saying recently ‘<a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-31299171" target="_blank">No one can underestimate the power of what I have achieved</a>.’ A sentence that alone requires taming. Has this person and his media moguls lost a sense of who they are? It reminded me of a time, during my shameless, younger days, I introduced a lady to a friend. Whereupon he made every effort to chat her up, 'Google me, I am a millionaire!' He said to her. The place happened to be the early hours of a seedy night club, and all feeling worse for wear on drink. By contrast this poor chap was being serious on prime time mobile television. </div>
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Humanity of course is weak, no one is perfect and yet at the same time we want to excel. This really is partly down to our inner struggle. Who we are, what we are made of and what we stand for. This is the very foundation of our very own identity. Just as our power structures and system of governance require checks and balance, it is always the case that our inner nature functions likewise. This is just so we do not get ahead of ourselves, veer off course or cause trouble. Everything on the outer is a reflection of the inner. We might in some cases have a dark side in us that might unfortunately also want feeding, this will reflect on how we behave or act on the outside. If we do not look or listen to ourselves, little understanding will come of each other, and we can quickly lose respect for ourselves and therefore easily influenced by others. Worse still so called ‘clever’ people come into the midst to quickly play on our very weaknesses, those of which we ourselves ignore or run away from. A recipe to potential havoc! </div>
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Many so called rotten core apples are about by which the ripe ones don’t quite know how to respond. If you are made of the right stuff, it is very likely you will get in that small lighter space at the top of the tree most likely when you least expect it, which has little to do with the pursuit of personal interest such as ambition, status, power and money and worse still when one’s principles are compromised at the expense of the common good or under false objectives. The rotten ones, well, if you notice, they stubbornly hang heavily on the bottom or middle branches, hide behind the ripe ones and sometimes with trickery show their shiny side where appearances often deceive. They just don’t quite make it and while most generally disappear or fall by the wayside, some are lucky enough as I was, to recognise it in themselves that they too can change.</div>
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A well-known proverb ‘One man’s food is often another man’s poison’ and what might seem glamorous and exciting to some can be a dangerous trap to others. In short, we are all each unique as human beings, that are gifted in our different ways faced by adversity and often tested if we get it wrong. A few of us can lead and we can aspire for greatness. We can stand up for moral laws with reason, and reach out for the stars. We can put our money where our mouths is and act like real men. Like most of us too we just simply want to contribute in one form or another, through service, encouragement, the sharing of knowledge, creativity and ideas, in a world where there is a place for everyone. Furthermore if this world is crying out for a different direction, does that not imply a new era worth embracing of countless new opportunities and needs? Which inspiring group of leaders is truly willing to step up to the task at hand? </div>
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<em>Alexander Pope — 'Blessed is he who expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed</em></div>
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George Sannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01902222831866971319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3856049832274384374.post-23765776825352550882014-11-28T09:30:00.001+01:002015-10-15T12:18:53.069+02:00How easy is whistleblowing?<div style="text-align: justify;">
We have heard endless serious mischief within parts of the banking sector with no solution in sight that quite frankly could pull us all down. The debate often mentions <a href="http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/2/ce216134-e6c7-11e3-9a20-00144feabdc0.html" target="_blank">whistleblowing</a> as a type of solution to part of the problem. Let’s see if we can diverge deeper into this debate. The idea of whistleblowing is not a novel one. It is simply someone blowing the whistle behind the scenes confronting a situation that is either deemed as unethical or carries long term detrimental effect following a type of misconduct affecting or harming others and the reputation of the firm. Once something detrimental comes out into the open, well something can be done about it, improved, changed or disciplined before it is too late. This sounds like how we were brought up as children and in the end pretty straight forward does it not?<br />
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As easy as this may sound, unfortunately these situations are sadly far more complicated as many adults still remain or become rebellious children. Let’s take a hypothetical example. You suspect that someone close to you in the company that you work for is defrauding another party in a business deal. It is a large deal, and encompasses a large amount of immediate profit for the company in question. The person (Let’s call him Johnny du Little) involved in this transaction is wealthy and successful or seemingly so and has a strong personality. A slightly chubby fellow wearing spectacles. He is also very high up the hierarchical ladder, in a position of responsibility and has many friends in high places or at least gives that impression with a small herd of so called followers. Take note crooks are generally mistrustful of others and don’t have many friends or it so happens they are very clever at pretending to make friends with a few key people such as the accountant or lawyer, the regulator or tax collector and even the lender or investor. This is just so Johnny feels well protected. <br />
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At this point in time you suspect fraud and are 99 % certain. You feel helpless, trapped as you are not as successful and slightly lower down the food chain plus you have fewer allies. In other words you feel in a position of weakness and not of strength. What do you do? Do you go along with it and become an accomplice or do you turn a blind eye and walk away? What if this person happens to be your boss?<br />
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These are very difficult situations neither of which are ideal as a combination of fear and palpable stress creeps in as most likely job security remains on the balance. <br />
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Let’s see if we can enlighten further pointers into this scenario by turning this into a kind of fiction as you decide to do something in which you have your reasons.<br />
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First of all find an ally. He can be a colleague a kind of person you trust that you can bounce off with. The point here is that by having an ally will encourage you to help alleviate your own fears. Ideally this ally is in a stronger position or furthermore pretends to be a confidante of Johnny's. It becomes a game. Call it the shadow game. Therefore write down conversations and pick up evidence in this game, for you have now gone into battle and knowing your enemy is paramount. Challenge Johnny in a clever way. It will arouse his suspicions yet not to worry as the last thing Johnny will expect, is to be double crossed. Meet your ally in outside places you are likely not to be noticed to discuss strategy. Be patient and above all calm, as there is a saying in battle ‘Wait until you see the white of the eye.’ The moment has to be right before you make your move. Johnny will make mistakes. They often do as they are blinded by their own arrogance or greed. Johnny could even be proud in what he is doing as you pick up more evidence that affirm your own suspicions. <br />
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You make your move. As Johnny is higher up the food chain, the best move to make is go higher up than Johnny and report his or her misconduct, knowing that your job is at stake. This is the risk you are prepared to take to do what is right as it is highly possible that at this point Johnny becomes very suspicious of you and will do everything in his power to get rid of you. This is good as Johnny has no evidence, just hearsay, and the higher the suspicions, the more irrational, threatening, paranoid, or even dictatorial Johnny becomes whilst he slowly feels the noose around his own neck. The stakes get higher as above Johnny, people may also be fearful what with litigation and confidentiality issues and so on yet it is important you fall onto someone you perceive, has the right amount of integrity and authority to do something about it. The story may involve further shadow games as you develop one or two more key allies as you may lose your job and so on….and yet together in your tight nit group you stick to your guns….<br />
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Do you get the picture? Not easy is it. Let me make it plain. Whistle blowing is not for the fainthearted. Look at this person Alayne Fleischmann an <a href="http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/the-9-billion-witness-20141106?page=6" target="_blank">ex JP Morgan Chase</a> securities lawyer although if true, perhaps she could have been a little more clevere about it. If the CEO of <a href="http://www.psmag.com/navigation/business-economics/turmoil-at-jpmorgan-secret-tapes-federal-reserve-bank-monitoring-95144/" target="_blank">JP Morgan Chase</a> and his motley crew whose behaviour are made out to be sociopathic as reflected in both articles, well they need to be held accountable with the possibility of licences revoked from conducting business here in Europe. I would support this lady wholeheartedly. Fortunately legal protection is under discussion in some governments to encourage more people to come forward.<br />
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The higher the stakes, the higher the risk I suppose, yet the action remains the same albeit if you were part of a small organisation or a larger one. If you feel uncomfortable with all this, take light from this story. During his meeting with Hitler, the Finnish Field Marshall Mannerheim lit a cigar. Mannerheim supposed that Hitler would ask Finland for help against the Soviet Union, which Mannerheim was unwilling to give. When Mannerheim lit up, all in attendance gasped, for Hitler's <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-tobacco_movement_in_Nazi_Germany" target="_blank">aversion to smoking</a> was well known. Yet Hitler continued the conversation calmly, with no comment. In this way, Mannerheim could judge if Hitler was speaking from a position of strength or weakness. He was able to refuse Hitler, knowing that Hitler was in a weak position, and could not dictate to him.<br />
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Another way to look at it, is fast forward a few years. The biggest financial cover up in history had been unmasked practically causing the entire financial system to collapse, in which plenty of people are put on trial with many facing prison sentences. You were there as a banker and did nothing perhaps even remained an accomplice in hiding and will regret this for the rest of your life. Or you did something by averting this disaster, as you look back in hindsight. Well it was not that bad was it and moreover it changed my life forever? Which path would you choose?</div>
George Sannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01902222831866971319noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3856049832274384374.post-87119856438963155422014-11-27T10:01:00.000+01:002015-04-23T15:46:16.470+02:00What is faith?<div style="text-align: justify;">
A great film that I would recommend people to see called ‘<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1613750/" target="_blank">Kon-Tiki</a>.’ This is a film based on a true story about a famous Norwegian explorer and anthropologist called Thor Heyerdahl that had led the Kon–Tiki expedition in 1947. An entire museum in Oslo that I once visited is dedicated to this story which I will outline as follows. Heyerdahl spent much of his time in Polynesia and was convinced that there was migration between South American natives into Polynesia around 1000 to 1500 AD, way before European settlers. He had figured out this theory based on drawings he had discovered whereby concluding that people must have migrated with the trade winds and currents on wooded rafts with basic sails. </div>
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The explorer was determined to prove his theory and in doing so he wanted to cross the Pacific on his very own wooded raft made from basic material such as balsa wood and other basic equipment similar to those used in that previous time. He led the expedition together with a small voluntary and resilient crew, where they had set off from Peru. According to their nautical calculations the winds and current would change at a certain point out in the middle of the pacific to bring them on target to the Tuamotu Islands in French Polynesia. </div>
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Once out in the middle of the ocean it seemed apparent that the winds would not change. Heyerdahl’s crew’s morale was quickly diminished and hope was rapidly dissipating. As one member of the group had shouted out in distress to their leader ‘We don’t have your faith!’ It seemed that they would all perish and drown in the middle of the ocean. Yet the leader had never doubted his inner belief let alone his inner strength. He was so certain his theory was true, in that they would not perish and that the tide would eventually turn bringing them in the direction where they wanted.</div>
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Several days after this hair-raising situation, the current had changed. Suddenly the winds had led them into the right direction. All hope was restored and morale was high. Eventually after 101 days out at sea, the group had made it to Polynesia.</div>
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This is a remarkable story of human endeavour given the great adversity that this expedition was up against. One can draw whatever parallels from this story in our lives and even to nature. It is a story of remarkable leadership of a man who never abandoned what he believed in. It might be, for example that the winds and the current did not have to change and yet they did. Some might call this luck. For me this an example of the simplicity of faith. </div>
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Today in Europe many of our businesses and in particular our banks and political leaders struggle to define a coherent path, a higher purpose or at least do not adhere to their own vision. This is where things start to go wrong, adding to our lack of confidence and of a self-belief that is being eroded day by day. For example some might believe that economic growth is our sole destination, whereas is it not that growth is the positive result once we know where we are heading? Moreover if we do not know our destination, how is it that the tide is able to turn? </div>
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Our current economic system confirms that many of us out there feel; that we are in fact out in the middle of the ocean having no idea where we are heading, with others thinking yes we may as well jump ship, sink or perish whilst dark clouds are upon us. Some may talk the talk yet have no idea how to walk the plank ..er I mean walk the walk. Others make short term decisions putting plasters wherever there is a leak in our balsa wood or a rip in our sails hoping things may get better.</div>
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The Norwegian explorer knew his destination. It was simply a question how to get there, even in the face of adversity by putting his crew at risk then bringing them to hope and safety, and yet I am certain our leaders can learn that to get from A to B requires a coherent vision, a certain resilience, and above all, belief, to allow us to be consistent to that vision. We must know what ‘B’ is and then when knowing our destination we can rely on such great people for the tide to turn. And yet my undeniable optimism is that there are many more men or women out there not necessarily at the top of the pile that exist that can make that difference that understand that we must work together, understand in what direction we are heading, and knowingly how to reach it; Men and women of extraordinary coolness, talent, vision and most of all of faith.</div>
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<span class="st"><em>Be bold in the face of adversity and humble in triumph</em></span></div>
George Sannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01902222831866971319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3856049832274384374.post-41360887380446114352014-11-04T17:13:00.002+01:002017-10-04T10:00:18.948+02:00What is fear?<div style="text-align: justify;">
Often these articles are showing an interest in social philosophy in order to help and provide more meaning in our lives in the context of our business culture today using examples from others, from what I read, people I meet and my own personal experience. This is so we can make that difference, through creativity, ideas, sound judgement, far-sightedness and the use of knowledge for the advancement of others. As this in my view is the right way to view humanity so that we, as human beings can strive for our hopes and dreams. Today there is a hindrance into this way of thinking as something in us is pulling us back, in our ability to move forward in a different direction. It's seemingly very likely that this deterrence is a fear of some loss, yet in the end, as so often the case, time will tell us what it was. And if my judgment serves me correctly it will confirm that this loss was based on some illusion or myth.</div>
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Today I would like to write about fear. What is it? Is it a state of being? We have many fears. The deeper ones are fear of change or of loss, which may link to our lifestyles, and comforts, fear of being judged as inadequate by others, or fear of being hurt emotionally, mentally or physically. </div>
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Yet all these fears are linked to our future which in short is the fear of the unknown, plus they relate prior to the act, as so often the case we act on impulse, basic instinct without taking the long term implication into account as we run away from the unknown factor and what will it do to me kind of thing. So how do we fight these fears in us? Is it by having courage? Is it by having a higher belief? We all have courage if we were put to the test. We all have beliefs, well supposedly, otherwise how would you define who you are? </div>
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No, it is before that act; therefore in thinking you are doing the right thing which is where we need encouragement, or reassurance. This is linked to our confidence adding to our inner sense of security. This encouragement which can help anchor us can come from friends, family, great colleagues, teachers, love of our work and so on or elsewhere. Courage is different as once you are committed to the act, you know you are doing the right thing, even in the face of adversity or facing an unexpected situation. There are so many <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzrAW-0zb8c" target="_blank">unsung heroes</a> in our world. Often their modesty and discretion is what describes their very nature of them.</div>
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The mainstream media have no idea how to find them or perhaps they have no idea how to define true heroism, nor success. And as so often the case the media’s only concern resorts to the depravity and sensationalism around us making all of us see the world in a negative way adding to so many of our problems and solving nothing, which arguably creates a far more dangerous situation making some of us more fearful and others more immune than ever. </div>
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Today Europe appears to be trapped, possibly in denial of its past, fearful of its future and so are our banks and we are seeking for a way out except that we cannot find the key. This is partly linked to our lack of confidence. Did you know there is a bank out there that defines sustainability, in the true sense of the word? By this I mean <a href="http://www.triodos.com/en/about-triodos-bank/what-we-do/" target="_blank">they actually act in what they preach</a>. I would describe this bank as a heroic and pioneering bank with courage in the face of regulation and media adversity. Perhaps the media may describe this as an example for others, in so as others can be encouraged to follow suit. Could this help to answer to some of our fears? </div>
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In short to fight our fears, it simply means double checking in what I am doing is what is right. A kind of someone telling you, ‘you can do it attitude’ that builds our confidence. We all know what is right, if we take the time to think as we all have a conscience and yet we will always be seeking that reassurance. With that reassurance, the fear subsides, nothing else matters and the peace in you just takes over as we become more attuned to sensing danger.</div>
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Hold on I have not acted yet? Well we have to act. This is how others will radiate around you as you have to throw a stone to get the pond to ripple otherwise nothing will happen, and nothing will change. Or there will always be that distinct danger that the wrong people in responsibility do the acting in our world or shall I say play acting which brings us back to that state of illusion whereby deepening our fears…..</div>
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<em>To conquer fear is the beginning of wisdom.</em><br />
Bertrand Russell</div>
George Sannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01902222831866971319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3856049832274384374.post-50095587813242023532014-10-28T15:23:00.001+01:002020-03-30T18:30:33.370+02:00What is freedom?<div style="text-align: justify;">
There was an old film I would like to write about. I would recommend businessmen to see if ever you found the time, and in how it defines real freedom. It is a film from '99 called ‘<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6uQ_jFh-3I" target="_blank">Instinct</a>’ based on a story from a writer named <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Quinn" target="_blank">Daniel Quinn</a> where clearly much of the credit is deserved. The film stars Anthony Hopkins, as Ethan. I will not deny is one of my favourite actors of all time. </div>
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Ethan, an ecologist and anthropologist learns to live with animals and in this case Apes. He learns their sense of community, of protecting or guarding one another including their sense of compassion for each other. Man comes along and shoots several apes in their natural habitat. Ethan is stunned and blinded by his own rage, defends them by instinctively killing two of the park rangers with a club. He is caught, brought home and put in a criminal mental institution awaiting trial.</div>
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Meanwhile an aspiring psychiatrist (acted by Cuba Gooding Jr) named Theo is interested in taking his case. Yet he is only interested in the case for his own self-interest. Career breakthrough, personal ambition, recognition, challenge, money or vanity (selling a book) we could go on with man’s list of inner weakness and his selfish desires. He is not interested where he could help him or really understand him. He thinks he is, yet it is purely an ‘illusion’. We see this in many ways as Theo was told to look after some of the other patients in the facility which he takes unkindly to as he is soley focused in ‘helping’ this one guy. Ethan refers to these people as the ‘takers’ in our world, and senses this in the psychiatrist almost by looking at him and through his acts, which tends to spark off his anger. In doing so he puts Theo to the test by exposing the psychiatrist’s lack of qualities, in an excessive yet challenging way.</div>
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Under Ethan’s challenge of hard knocks, the psychiatrist in the end learns to change and to see the world differently. No longer interested, in his self-interests, Theo realises his own stupidity, at the same time treats Ethan differently, more intelligently and more humanely. Theo is forever grateful to his new way of being. He says to him whilst weeping. ‘You taught me how to live outside of the game, you taught me to live’ In other words his true self came back, his own self-respect, his humility, his dignity and sense of compassion. He becomes more professional in his work, stronger, more authentic and more real. Ethan in turn learns to unlock his own final barriers and finds his peace of mind from his anger so that he too can continue his life with hope. (He also manages to escape) </div>
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We may of course interpret this film in hundreds of different ways. I for one, used to be a taker, in a world of takers some worse than others. It was more who was the best at this game? You deal with people of the same kind. It is a very stressful business to think this way. It can be unpleasant particularly if someone takes from you as we deal with it by harming ourselves or others in another form or become accomplices. The barometer of trust and integrity, well, it drops and it drops into storm clouds like a rock in a hard place. Good people also accomplices in many cases, that can lack courage, suffer whether they feel exploited or humiliated; they too, can feel stressed, unhappy or lost. Infact everyone loses. </div>
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I would shamefully admit whilst I look back in those days as I had reached the top in this game, that I had, or lost, half a brain, yet how could I define the best qualities in others when I myself was missing half my own qualities? It takes a lesson of hard knocks, and shocks for the ‘taker’ to find his way out, to be open, searching, to have a sense of curiosity so as to live a life more fulfilling, more enriching, with a peace of mind and with hope. And yet this all depends on the choices you make and the journey you choose, and even according to the talents and virtues that your life is given to you along your path. Or shall I say given back to you once you wake up.</div>
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The world is full of takers, and as so often the case, it is in our sub conscience, and even if we still think we mean well, we could still be living a life so far away from the truth in ourselves. More worryingly we have them in <a href="http://armstrongeconomics.com/2014/10/25/something-is-dangerously-wrong-at-the-new-york-fed/" target="_blank">our leadership</a> and at the top impacting and influencing our society who lack the quality, vision and sense of humanity to bring us forward. Take for example these employees at <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/10/24/us-spain-housing-specialreport-idUSKCN0ID0GP20141024" target="_blank">Goldman’s Sachs</a> who are accountable for millions if not billions in our economy and define how <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/the-gselevator-guide-to-being-a-man-2013-9" target="_blank">to become a man as follows</a>. Quite frankly there are parts of our culture that are shameful and perhaps it must learn how to weep?</div>
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As I always say, outside every external loss is an internal gain, in whatever profession or sector you choose to work in, albeit the financial sector and parts of the business sector, the media, the political world where a lot of the power and influence is, yet are deemed the least trustful and least respected. Does this mean we need to change jobs in this game? Not at all, it just means we do things differently, that’s the game changer. As the film quotes in its lesson of hard knocks, ‘You have lost nothing but your illusions and a little bit of skill’ </div>
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That skill of course can be gained back differently as we continue our journey to become real men along our path to true freedom. By this way we can gain back a new era where we inspire success based on long term ideas, true talent and leadership, merit and of creativity for the common good of humanity and for the safeguard of our environment, our society and our children. <br />
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Jean-Jacque Rousseau said '<em>Man is born free and is everywhere in chains</em>.' And yet it can only be that..</div>
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<em>True freedom is the unleashing of the inner chains</em></div>
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George Sannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01902222831866971319noreply@blogger.com0