Are you a bricoleur or a planner?

Do you look at your fridge and make do with what you have or do you list down what you don't have and have a trip to the grocery?

Do you look at what's already working in your organization and build from your bench strength or you're always looking for some best practice out there and apply it across the board?

Do you have a tendency to conform to the standards of 'doing things right' or your organization create your own good practice consciously?

In resource-scarce and start-from-scratch organizations, bricolage is not just pragmatic but it helps managers and leaders get on with their agenda. They shun the demand to be 'follow the dream' with more inputs, but understand that their paths can lead them to second-best options.

In a perfect environment, the best planners win. In a non-perfect world, the bricoleurs and improvisers get things done and accumulate rapid success with less.  Talent, creativity, and improvisation are great combinations in times of crisis and ambiguities.

Know yourself and the connections, networks, knowledge, and resources that you have at your disposal. 

Dig in deep and marvel at what you can achieve, now.

The Gloomy Facts in Canada: 

1M job losses in March.

2M job losses in April.

More facts to come as we learn more about the state of the economy in the new few months. This the new volatile world. 

With these sordid facts, we can hypothesize the following scenarios: 


Some businesses and organizations will not survive. This is a fact. Take the case of the Army & Navy. 

Some businesses and organizations are still on stabilization and will do a 'wait-and-see" until this is completely over. This is a sad fact when they can start looking up. They are missing a lot of opportunities. 

Some businesses and organizations in certain industries are making a killing. They are immune or some are more in demand in this time. What does it say about that-there are inequalities of impacts and unexpected opportunities for some! That is a fact too.

Some businesses and organizations are hell-bent on maximizing this new environment and are up re-rigging continuously until they find the right balance between what works now and what will work in the new future. This is the new fact.

Where are you in this spectrum?

Are you in the first, second, third, or fourth group?

Your current responses dictate your future. Your past successes do not translate to your future success. 

​Talk to me if you want to be in the fourth group. 

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We live in an age where there is an oversupply of choices and options.

I remembered, I was two or three, when we only had 2 channels in our black and white television set which was given away by a generous relative. Those days when only a few people in the community can afford to own a set, the whole community will gather to watch whatever show it had on. It was fun, having all your neighbors in one room, all glued to the tube. Those were the days. 

Now, we have hundreds of channels to choose from cable and over the video streaming, there are hundreds of shows to watch. There are also pay-per-view channels to choose from and of course, the extinct DVD/CD watching, which became a staple in 90s and early 2000s. 

How is this  oversupply of choices make for decision-making?

We become paralyzed, unable to make the right choice.

We have to conduct research to suit our 'unique' situation and preferences, and most of the time, postpone making a decision.

When the need to become more informed is a prerequisite, it has become too much of a burden to even do it.

Most of the time, we listen and rely on the most popular feedback or comment about the product or service from friends and people we trust.

This has not changed although, there are more creative and insidious ways than ever before to promote and spread buzz around. There is a store in our area that says 'closing sale' for few consecutive years now. They haven't closed ever. 

This paralysis analysis over products and services will continue because we will have more choices for some things and less for some things in the future. That distinction is something that we need to grapple on.

​At the microcosm of the decision-making, here are some ways to stamp out the paralysis analysis: 

1. Know the 'musts' and be open to 'preferences.'
There are certain things you can't live without and there are certain things your spouse/children or relatives or friends would prefer more than you do. You can live with the latter.

2. Know the real need it is trying to resolve.
The seller will sell you all kinds of features but is it actually resolving the need, replacing the old, and giving you a new framework to live with?


3. Investigate but keep an open mind.
There are tons of fake news and comments about products and services. 1/2 of the people will say it is good and half will say don't even go there. But it is up to you to you know what you don't know and try it before you can make an honest judgement.


How are you dealing with too many choices and considerations? Share your thoughts here. 

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There are many approaches and methods that one can use to deal with a management issue. Not all of them, though can get you directly to the solution. 

Some are too cumbersome, you don't even want to embark on the program. Even for the personal empowerment solutions, you wonder if the nine steps towards debt-free lifestyle can make you even broke!

That nine steps or twelve stages will not get you closer to your destination unless you break it down and only use what is pragmatic for your situation.

Blindly following the prescribed actions without considering if it is appropriate, value-adding, and practically easy to execute is wasting precious time and effort.

Do the needful-get a big cauldron and mix them all.


1. What gets traction, has long-term promise & viability, and resonates well with the culture and direction of your organization? 

2. Aside from costs, what time commitment and effort are involved?

3. Who is championing this and will ensure that things get done properly?

If you find it difficult answering these questions, then you have yet to learn about the proposed solution and get your head down to work. 

Look for evergreen principles and eschew the fads and newer models.

In five years, these will fade and you will be surprised Drucker's ideas are as relevant as fifty years ago!


Go figure-:





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Executives trying to make a difference in their roles, making an important decision, or improving their organization should always ask: So what? 

Data is easily generated these days. Sometimes, it takes the place of Strategy, instead of using judgements to create a singularity of purpose. When this happens, data will fail in pointing you to the right direction. Humans interpret data, not the other way around. 

Creating a calm above the data noise is very important. Asking so-what questions eliminates the overdependence on data and trends, focuses the attention on the long-term objectives, and frees up the mind to think beyond the here-and-now, short-term gains.

Do you ask a lot of so-what questions, lately? 


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A few things about me:

I  am not a best-selling author. 
Having this label means one day you are the top of the heap. That being said, you can say that you a 'best-selling' author.

I didn't do TEDx.
TEDx self-selects those that will be in front of the audience. 

I am not in a millionaire/billionaire league. 
This is the worst league to be in when you don't have a message just the monies to throw around.

I am not a PhD.
Having a PhD doesn't make you successful, smart, and happy.


I am not covered by Fast Company, New Times Journal, Time Magazine, etc.
Being covered by those media companies is great but it is more an icing to the cake. 

I am not voted 43 out of 45.
Who gets to do that? Those people that are looking for more subscriptions.

I am not in the whos' who list.
You pay your way in there. 

I am not in the Speakers bureau.
You have to audition and they get a cut out of your hard-earned work.

I am not in the YouTube, Facebook, or Twitter ad.
Trolling in those media is not what by clients do.

I am not a podcaster, TV or media host sensation.
Buying your way into this business is a sure sign you are in deep trouble.

I didn't speak with Deepak Chopra, Tim Robbins, or Michelle Obama on stage.
Having shared a stage with these personalities does not make you effective, relevant, and truly amazing. 

Who has this profile? Thousands of people claiming to be a celebrity expert, author, blogger, marketer, consultant, etc.


But who am I?

I help organizations and individuals achieve organizational excellence. 

I mentor many people from different parts of the world. 

I am a community collaborator and builder.

I navigate many spaces and interesting networks that I enjoy learning from and giving value.

I have a lot of friends in many industries and sectors.

I am a global person with deep roots in communities.

I love to travel and enjoy cultural and psychological aspect of it.

I believe that you can make it anywhere.

Genes and your upbringing contribute to  your resilience and grit.

I love my family, neighbors, friends and church.

I love to share my insights, lessons, and knowledge to those that are ready to hear.

I believe in the honest-to-goodness decency and goodness of people.

I believe in values, virtues, and principles to live by.


Being real is not hiding behind these labels and approval sheets that can be manufactured overnight. Being real is knowing that you can make a difference in real-world and in real-time to real people.

So tell me, who has the real worth, the fabricated sense of self or the real self?