My family went to an antique festival the other week and met some interesting people. One of that was the balloon lady who was hired to provide balloon entertainment to children.

I had a conversation with her briefly because she was prolific in what she was doing. Apparently with one masters, it didn't work for me so she is taking another masters which this particular job is paying for.  

Two masters and you can't get a decent job in your line of profession is tragic. It speaks about how education is not in-line with the needs of the economy and how young people are victimized by this thinking that when you get a higher education, you automatically are good for life! 

I asked her with all the knowledge that she had (knowledge is power right?) she can build a business and say no to a 9-5 routine and get herself established. She said, "but I love living in a student dorm."

I understand the love for learning if this is your thing but clearly,  this is the case of failure-to-launch, staying for the comfort of the educational system and fearing to venture out in the unknown and flexing your muscles or bruising your body to a certain extent to get to what you want. I have met some people who stayed in universities for the longest time they want because out-there is too disorganized and chaotic. 

In life and business, to stay where you are  is never an option. You need to step boldly into the what constitutes the next feasible and achievable progress for your personal and professional development. Failure to try to win is an abominable state of affairs. 

Knowledge alone is not power. The creative and innovative use of knowledge is power. This is not textbook knowledge but application of knowledge for human progress is powerful. 

This is no wonder, that she can't get past how the university hockey players she is tutoring were amazed that there were textbooks for the tutorial. Well, these varsities are living their dream, though.

I was at the Lacombe Field Day yesterday learning about different crop varieties and the beauty and challenges of raising the "next best" variety that farmers and producers can use. The climate, time of planting, the "best use" are some of the variables that interplay in the selection of the variety that will correspond to the specific needs of the industry, whether they are farmers, processors, investors, seed growers, and end users. Agronomy is not for the faint of heart.  

Surrounded by scientists, agronomists, farmers, students, and industry leaders, one session leader asked, "you want high yield, high protein content, maturity, stability, good disease package, then, you want it all. You can't have it all. What are you willing to lose? 

We can't have it all, although pop culture, movies, songs, and fiction books parade a cornucopia of pipe dreams that are only good for watching.

There is no such thing as a spectator in life and business. There are clear choices and options you must make. What are your musts and what are your wishes? Learn to distinguish them in your important negotiations and decisions.

The recent local headline shocked me today. A city is complaining that another bigger city had stolen jobs from them by giving millions of money to a Corporation so that the Corporation can create more jobs in their city.

Well, this is the case of dumb management. I thought the municipality is responsible for job creation through enabling the economic environment to actually become the best environment to get, hold, and maintain jobs and employment for all citizens. 

Now what is happening is the worst case of identity crisis and totally misunderstood mandate. Governments should not manipulate the market to create jobs for people. The bureaucracy is already a big employer in itself. Cities, town, and municipalities should get their hands off the companies and corporations who are more than willing to receive the taxpayer's monies for any reason.

So  this "you want to buy me a job so that I can get a job" is distorting the market, colluding with corporate entities, and imposing enormous risks for citizens. There is no limit to stupid ideas being peddled as innovations or new ideas. What is obvious is the lack of creativity, innovation, and ingenuity of our current municipal leaders to think that by 'throwing more monies, you can let things appear just like that.'

No way Jose! Job creation is a complex results of systems integration of market forces that encourage entrepreneurialism and risk-taking in the atmosphere of favorable business environment. Sans that, small businesses who are the top job creators end up being squeezed to death even before they can launch successfully. 

Who is the one laughing its way to the bank now?


All Rights Reserved. GSC 2019 

Facebook has recently announced its new cryptocurrency which is called, Libra. Libra will be independent of Facebook and will evolve not only as a currency but a financial institution eventually. Facebook being one of the three tech giants, entered the cryptocurrency race and this is not surprising. 

Governments and regulators are uniquely aware of the benefits as well as the concerns about the dominance of the big 3:  wiping small competitors, disregarding regulations and rules, and imposing their heftiness on every one else. 

When giants ruled the earth, a billion years ago, the rest of the species grew too. And yet in the era of uber-competition and massive technological race, it is really a zero-sum game- the swiftest with the mostest?

If the government can't battle with the billion-dollar corporations in terms of implementing regulations to support consumers' interests, where will the consumers go for protection, support, and welfare?

In geo-politics, the rise of the two superpowers 60 years ago culminated in the dominance of only one big superpower- the United States of America which became the 'accidental cop' of the world. Yet, regional powers have emerged with renewed vigor, upsetting the hegemony of a superpower using trade, economics, and partnerships to leverage their reach amongst other nations and impose their interests.

This echoes what has been the current narrative about it: it is good when it is benevolent and moral, and it's really bad when it acts like an evil empire- which can be embodied in one organization at any given time. 

Scarcity mentality in people is very dangerous. And if applied in organizations, it is doubly lethal.

It can cause organizations to be reactive, defensive, and insecure, hoarding the little asset they have thinking that it would protect them from the ravages of change.

With little that they have, they are afraid to invest in strengthening their core and increasing their value, thereby getting stuck in diminishing returns.

They are not ready to innovate, experiment, take prudent risks, change anything substantial because they are afraid to lose.

Being afraid to lose instead of going for the win is what separates the winning organizations from those that have decided to stay behind and wait. 

Have you heard lately? People in organizations say beware of the consultants. They borrow your watch and tell you the time! 

There is a reason for that. From top 5 consulting giant firms, to any Tom-Dick-Harry, everyone is saying they are consultants. From coaches, mentors, palm readers, salespersons and marketers, suppliers, computer geeks, web designers, coders, and anybody that is a solo business owner, they call themselves consultants too!

Well, there are management consultants, technical consultants, executive coaches, psychological counsellors, legal advisors, and many more are plenty around in different professions. 

The marketplace is field with consultants of various stripes and colors, peddling different sorts of solutions based on various formula and potions.

Nowadays, there is a bit of cynicism about consultants because not all are good, not all are ethical, and not all could make it in six-figure take home income.

There may be hundred of consultants in one room but there is a huge diversity in application, in background, in skills set, in expertise, in geographical, sectoral experience, and many other essential variables.

It is up to the discerning client or prospective client to figure out the fake from the true ones, filter out the noisy from the substantive elements, and engage those that have actually created real value to comparable organizations in this sector.  This is not a daunting task and more and more organization need that extra third party, objective, external validator, verifier, sounding board, advisor to accelerate your growth goals to the next level.

-Check them out. Get recommendations and references from previous clients. 

-Know what you really want to achieve in every transaction. Just like any partnership, it should be a win-win proposition. 

-Does this person have the credibility, integrity, expertise, and connection that you need? Are there things in your list that are a must or good-to-have? 

-Don't go around shopping for the cheapest one. Price is not a predictor of value. Look for quality, value, and undisputed credibility in the field. 

Whether you are buying a  training material, planning a company retreat, or designing a performance management program, know you needs versus what your want. This will save you lots of time, effort, and troubles. 

Take it from me. I am a consultant.