We cannot be overburdened by what the society wants us to do, what the school or the future work sector we want to work for wants us to be, or the future employer we are targeting wants us to have. Amazon didn't even ask us, the consumers if we want to buy things online. They just did it!

The industry data and the employer preferences are mere signals, either we can allow it to shape our actions  or allow ourselves the latitude to create our own path way. Organizations with boiler-plate plans, visions, and mission statements are suffering from lack of originality  for the sake of being in the 'in' group. This is at the expense of their own business value. 

Use your best judgement knowing that you have these data in front of you and can have more data if you so choose. There will be more data by the way I end this blog! 

I was in an Advanced Data Analysis course last year and it made me more assured that data will not make us think better. It will make us think less! It is us, humans who will interpret and use the data to have a best-guess of what is to come. 

We have our senses, our experiences, and life-long learning, and appreciation for practicality to guide us. Before AI and machine learning, we used a lot of those and our wisdom carried us through. Now, there is so much noise we can't have the silence we need to think and meditate on our situations. 

Do we want data to do the thinking for us or give the data its rightful place- as part of the tools in our modern toolkit?

​My article was featured at the Canadian Women's Foundation blog website featuring women mentoring myths and the joy of finding the right mentor without the baggage we attach to it.

Enjoy the read!

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https://www.canadianwomen.org/blog/womens-mentorship/

Seriously? Yes, this has followed me throughout my career. Any time you bring that added enthusiasm in all your conversations, which I would do most of the time, things just fall into place.

I remember when I was working in a government organization, they were hiring for the HR Director. I heard it was quite an intense process. I heard who eventually landed with the job. She was brimming with a lot of enthusiasm and she stood out from the competition.

Enthusiasm is contagious, so it says. 

All things being equal in intelligence, experience, knowledge, competencies, the next step is who has a lot of energy and enthusiasm for this job/business? 

That is one defining quality that can really create a huge difference.

Just completed my presentation at the annual CSAE Conference here in Vancouver. Lots of learning, networking, and building up the Canadian association sector's assets.

At the end of my speech, there is always something for everyone.

Well, when all else fails, the right diagnosis can lead you to the right solution.

• Is it a strategy issue? re-visit your grand vision.
• Is it a planning issue? Had planning taken over strategy? Re-rig the plan.
• Is it an implementation issue? Do we have the resources and accountability? Re-cast your leaders and resources.
• Is it a communication issue? Re-engage the audience.
• Is it a culture issue? Moving an inch, rather than a  mile. Re-vitalize it again.

If you haven’t failed, you might done so cautiously that you have not done at all, then doing so might be failing by default- JK Rowling


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I have never talked about silence yet in the context of business and in organizations. Silence is as powerful as the words we speak.  Learn to use it intelligently.


Silence during conversations is a sign of real power. 

Not trying to fill the void and overpower the other person..

No trying to put words into their mouths...

Not anticipating the negative thereby undermining your efforts...

Not being tentative, uneasy, and ready to compromise...

Just plain silence, creates the conditions to ask the right question.

Let the ideas simmer until it is ready.

When words are not enough, silence is the best expression. 

When it is ready, it is time to act. 
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How are you doing with silence? 

There are major shifts happening in the sales world.

Call it buyers' empowerment. Before they even call or make inquiries, they are already familiar with what you offer, scouted around for the best price, quality, and features, asked around for feedback and comments, and almost always ready to buy.

What sales and marketing folks forget is that, instead of ramming through all the features, benefits, and salient points of your services and products, they need to ask the buyer, these probing questions:


1. Why did they come to them? 

2. Who they consulted/checked first? 

3. What are they looking for outstanding value?  as it relates to need

Once you know the answers to your questions, you can create an irresistible offer that is incomparable from all the places they had visited/consulted. Emphasize what owning the product or service will have on the quality of their lives or relationships or health or status. 

Don't forget people buy, not based on logic, but on emotions.