Matters of a commercial heart

[Patience a vital currency]

I saw on Twitter a clip of Jack Ma in 1999 with 17 people in his apartment, selling them his dream for Alibaba. It's quite fascinating how clear he was on his vision and how ready he sounded for the rough journey ahead. This reminded me of a briefing I just attended not so long ago for a new exciting journey in a startup I got invited to join in, of which I did.

"My people, today we are here filling seats around the table, but one honest truth is that on the day we truly start, after many false starts, we won't be as all. There'll be empty seats, and that's the nature of it for I've been through this before with others in other entities" said the opportunity bringer upon our first sitting. I am today reporting to you now that in just 5 new weeks we are 1 soldier down. He was right. This is a known tale for many of you who have started something with others. It's rare to start and reach the end goal together.

I once said this too to others: "starting a business is like a voyage. We all prepare with excitement and but when day comes to board the cruise ship, be that some can't afford the cost of staying in, though having afforded the ticket". It's not a story that the first 3 - 5 years are the toughest, and it ain't a joke. Patience whilst pushing is the currency you'll need to have to stay in. To another, 5 years can give them a degree and a year's work experience, so, why not pursue their career instead of chasing after a cheap dream sold as vision that might not even materialize after all, sold by someone with a glittering academic credentials? People want to be safe and don't want to be wasted their precious time.

Nothing is as tough as exhilarating an opportunity experience as selling your vision to the next with an empty stomach that's at will choosing to grumble. It tests not only you, but rather also the mettle of those you're pitching it to. The toughest part is walking the process together and sharing the same bottle of water and eating papadams and paninis in your way to success.

In conclusion: it helps, as a leader, to now and again be checking with those who're holding on to your loop. Be displaying your gratitude to them and their strength will be rejuvenated. Truth is, every leader needs a right-hand-man and a firm believer who'll keep assuring others to march on, that's important for him to have focus on their vision.

We all start with a dream, and remain forever with a vision to sell, nurture and grow into, but bear in mind it all get protection if you are able to afford that vital currency; patience. Stock pile on it if you're to make it...dp

[Power]

Remember the story of Samson's defeat by Delilah? Look around you and you're to recognize there're many of them in both your career life and social life. The Samsons of today aren't of strength in their hair, but are blessed with special kind of powers that they don't protect the way they should. Be Solomons of the new world and be the smart thinkers with the power you're reckless with.

Each one of us has a hidden power given unto them. Chances are, you may not be awoken to it but is there and for the purpose of your survival and thrive if not to conquer. Some sold out theirs whilst others robbed out of theirs, but in some cases be that you're lucky to have been chosen to be blessed with another chance of being bestowed upon you again power, unlike those who after their squander be left sans a tickey wake of any droplet of favour, not even leftovers of boldness.

Power is a great phenomenon that's full of enabling oomph, resourced attraction; that we fail to rightfully claim and be responsible enough with to multiplicate to our availed advantage. Given that we aren't gifted asame, when boosted with a chance to enhance your power, summon your inner voice to call upon your most sacred guides of your soul to navigate you successfully out of all negative steers away from your glory.

Your power is your secret, hence it's sacred nature. Its danger solely its ability to be taken away from your possession if tempt it. Best you be usable for it and see its rewards thereafter. Gentle and fair if you're unaware of it, tolerant of your ignorance to its existence, and ruthless on its assault when forced out as it leaves behind shrapnel that burns your shell infinitely.

In conclusion: as a mighty birthright of unquestionable note; power is important, power is everything, power clothes the soul, dignify the lesser of you, grace your dare spirit, and solidify your being, so, protect, respect, and know it, so it knows not to render you corruptible and usefulless. Be on point for yours, for your sake, for once gone never too easy to return. Don't be like Samson, don't sell out to your power...dp

[Tuff love]

Some hates others because of it, but true bonds are strengthened by that. I know it makes it hard to practice as some fear the level of despise that comes with being labeled negative, rude, bitter, and all other words for tuff love. People are comfortable with leniency, fragility, etc. in dealing with them. Tuff love is necessary but not appreciated in many quarters, and the reason being it's manner of application.

What we sometimes forget is that on its own tuff love is a wake-up call or reality lid tilter that instil a holistic sense of responsibility in reproach. There comes a point in life where you start realizing that you no longer need discipline but instead self-management, and on this I stand corrected. Responsibility is maturity and if can harness that with the right attitude that's from tuff love, then you're done. Do away with negativity that implodes from many who fail to understand what tuff love is really about. Tolerate it and you're to see the damage you were inflicted with without it.

Tuff love is undeniably unattractive, and is hard to comprehend it and its benefits sadly. In order for it to produce results, it should be enforced at first to after be instilled, and maybe the main cause to its rejection by many recipients. Fact is, you can't make progress with tuff love if you aren't militant in the elementary stage of its application. One good thing though is that its announcement into one's soul a stint that sticks, therefore a register does tick its mode. Tuff love is good, just but not an easy path to trek.

Now, given the subject you're dealing with, which type of tuff love is applicable as per your observation? Depending on the type of leader you are, it needs a bit of match to make it work. It's either you'll apply the visible one or the invisible. The visible tuff love is the default mode and the most applied as it's live and direct to put it bluntly, whereas the invisible tuff love is as it suggests, requires situational influence. It's a challenging exercise in that it test both of you but producing best outcomes as it has no embarrassment or direct action because of your absence in the picture of the subject, but behind them in blind spots.

In conclusion: love entails empathy, good intents, emotions, wishful thinking, hope, affection, attachment, keywords that're of admiration and kindness, and so is same with tuff love, just that it lessens the respect advanced though out of reasonable necessity. Tuff love is full of passion and desire to push you to where you're to realize full potential of self and knowing to derive pride out of being you in your fulfillment. Tuff love is about teaching you how to have reason in your acts with understanding, awareness and intricate diligence to your behaviour. Tuff love is compulsive and obsessive if its visible and gentle when invisible, but both modes meaning well, just that the input of each giving outcomes differently.

Should you find someone who's prepared to disregard the negative steers arising from your misguided belief in how you react back due to their process on you for tuff love, know you're lucky to be that important to them because it's a draining undertaking that's met with unappealing situations of unappreciative recipients. It pains to love, and worse is the pain of treating that which you love with impact than effect, but for the greater good of the loved subject because it's hard for them to see it in the beginning hence some cut their journey with their attached soles for their freedom before knowing the liberty hidden in tuff love. Try it on your loved subject and you'll see that the positive damage from it far outweigh the negative damage from not instilling it. It is intriguing indeed witnessing the benefits of it...dp

[Take sides for gain]

We all are caught up in one for a moment after the other in our lives, a challenge of having to take sides between allies is one aspect of coexistence that we just can't live without. Then, still on that note, comes enmity and rivalry, two of the main ingredients in business and political relations. If you don't know as yet, chances are it's still on its way, or you aren't active, or be it purely lucky.

Allies disagree and clash everywhere over this if not that, and if you're in business and politics you know it's a norm and order of the day whenever the parties are more than one. So now, what do you do to resolve that? Naturally, it all the time head to where you are faced with the challenge of siding with one in them. In partnerships such dilemmas play out more. But, one thing I sort of like about choosing sides, is the play out of one's wit and social intelligence.

When you have to take sides, look not at the emotional impact of your decision but rather the practicality thereof. Taking one's side is a sacrifice on its own and if not do it right will suffer the consequence of just that. There should be a gain for you first before the party you side with. Respect your future in your choice by securing the interests of your head, and do so with awareness that it won't be the last time you're ever to do that as they'll expect same of your choice in future.

In conclusion: it's no secret that business and politics are riddled with personal draws of your both personality and character, and such being said, meaning you can't hide whom you are as a business person or a politician. With being yourself you're bound to churn out your true colors, a grey denominator that others will be assigned to its subjection of either tolerating you or tossing you out.

Taking sides is tricky though in that it isn't permanent in both fraternities however you look at it. One may side with you in a specific issue but not in others, or be for the sake of someone or something in the picture, or be because of whatever reason, but sure thing is that long-term siding is a rare find as a position to hold in the worlds of business and politics. With personal and group gains in sights, taking sides has a bad way of coming back for a bite and it never miss the sweet spot unfortunately, hence it's important to be calculating in your allegiances, whether in the short or long-term. Know the value of your gains, your worth depends on that...dp

[Reshuffling your cabinet]

How big is yours? And how small can it be? How you decide on it entirely up to you as the controller of your destiny. It's a wise decision to have a consultry and a cabinet, or a fusion of both in one if you are a leader. The formation of this group of your surrounders should be informed by the size of your operations or of your entity. Truth is, having them a cost that's but a worthy bud to your growth stem.

For those with either or both, it's worth your while to exercise a reshuffle thereof that may be guided by tenure timelines or by performance, of which performance is the best guide most of the time. The core ingredient to winning through your use of surrounders is the composition elements of it. Is your composition a result that's comprised of a formation by your friends, relatives, academics, retired experts, professional practitioners, etc? This is a key component of your decision in how you're to deal with your surrounders and reshuffles heading forth.

It's always easy and stress free to handle affairs with professionals than it is with family and friends, and best you believe me, same will apply with running your surrounders. Mind you, this concept comes as a supplement mode for your business's stability and growth that but can end up being a stranglehold of it. The danger is it may tore your decision-making astride and delay the very progress you wanted for your business from the start.

To be safe, you need to have good rules drafted to govern your relations with your servers. Without a formal regulatory bind document of control and enforcement, your cabinet and or consultry is of no use to you. Appointees must be mandated and obligated to deliver as per your set goals to achieve the executive vision for your entity or self. Also, the number of your surrounders should be capped to a minimum of 3 to a maximum of 5. It's always good to be mindful that they're not a board but your board supplement rather, and that it's advisable to not blurt it out to your business partners as it may see side meddling in play at times should they even have reach to them.

In conclusion: should it be well formed by a well thought out deployment by servers with best interests at heart, this is a good concept that may also work for you. Sad thing is, if appoint servers with bad faith intents, would see you destroyed. Suited best for a personal brand is the cabinet whilst for a corporate brand is consultry. Both are designed in mind with growth enhancement but differ in scope of creep and outcomes expected, so, know beforehand where to point your desires.

If you want your climate of fortunes to be better complexioned, you need to know which energy lotion to apply to your team spirit, as such, be the enabler of your own success by setting realistic goals that'll see your appointee servers perform best and avoid constant reshuffles as they'll be assured of their value to you, but not ruling out the importance of reshuffling as it helps in doing away with stagnation, sabotage and functionalism...dp

[The first time]

Nothing excites and terrifies the soul's core like doing it for the first time. Be it a soft or hard activity, it shakes you innate. We all go through that and one thing we can't lie about is the countless times we experience it on almost daily basis. The challenge is that not all of the experiences gets registered because we at times go through our first time without any fanfare to the occurrence. There're those though who're too observant and do get to be aware of many of their firsts that most not really care of.

Whether it be intellectual harvesting or sensual harvesting, the thrill won't be same as would the outcomes, and but one thing common is they happened for the first time to someone. Doing something for the first time needs setting of one's mind in how to approach it, how it'll feel, what to do if it may go wrong, who to do it with, and so forth. The wrong way to going about it is just to think about it and say that you're ready. It's important to prep self for anything, and yes, some prepping requires only setting up the mind whilst some requiring a practice prior to its execution. You should best be prepared for it no matter how easy it may sound or look, as what at times seem too easy by another mayn't be for the next, which may sadly happen to be you.

Does the first time activity requiring you to do it alone or not? Or does it need a sit up or not? Such are important questions to entertain as well. If it require you to be taught upfront then let it be. The clumsiness and mischecks that goes with first time are massive in some cases and the results may kill your spirit or hurt your pocket, and whatever the case may be, sometimes not worth it picking pride over practicality and safety. Be cautious when going in all the first times.

In conclusion: do yourself a favour by honestly asking self if you can do it, if you are ready for it, if you are fit for it, and why you want and have to do it; it should arguably start there prior to commencement. If you destine at the same embankment for your third rest then can positively decide on your move. Taking the first time of doing it for granted may leave you forever scarred if you're not careful, so, cease being casual and be aware fully afore your attempt. Respect the impact of first time experience on anything and you'll live a more positive life without many unnecessary regrets. Love yourself enough to protect your emotions of negativity, try better next time in your first...dp

[The jail of life]

How do you control your workforce? Their perception of you, what is it? Being a leader isn't a default position for just about anyone, hence any leader needs to undergo a particular program that is specifically designed for their role prep in their lead. The challenge with leadership is your consistency in choices, character and observations of life, business, law, politics, spirituality, education and religion.

The issue of alcoholism, smoking and drug abuse is a serious worry for many a small startup entity operators. The problem is, it goes two ways; first with a leader who is and the latter as a staffer who is. Picture a leader who parties with staff, cool to most I know but ethically not sound. This may come across as an attack to some but not my intent to. We just have to address that which is wrong and applaud that which is right sans any name mentioned.

A drunkard or junkie for a leader is worse of the two pictures, but not saying it's to encourage it in employees either. To choose a career such as leadership isn't a day in a mall without money, and but a big responsibility that'll have an impact in the lives of others directly and not, but at the end of the day affected as a result of your choice in decision making and taking.

The link between your thought and action is one fascinating drama within that may sadly be hampered by your lifestyle choices to be less effective. Take a lesson on motor neurons, with synopses in check and you're to think in a different way if can see the damage that alcohol and drug abuse cause to their functions. A leader ought to be reliable, sound and equitable in their delivery of decision and action, and if it be not then untrustworthy.

Think about what your peers see and say whenever you emerge. If you don't worry about such as a leader then dooms bay is where you're headed. They say "don't pay attention to others' sayings about you" but it's not advisable honestly. It's a must to follow what's being said about you in mentions, that's key in forging your campaign to successful leadership.

In conclusion: flip the script and switch to the unorthodox path, and turn to see their looks on you. What people say of you and your life may put you in the jail of life, but then again, what about what's not said of you? Do what give back a feed, it's vital for your progress and a key to parole as a life liver.

In the jail of life your bail gets paid for by the public, and what they say about you is crucial. Who takes a drunkard serious? Think of everything that goes wrong when one is drunk, and you'll expect not a lot from people if you're that. Nothing is beautiful about drugs and alcohol if done excessively. Do smoke, do drink, and can't say a thing about sniffing dosages, but won't it be liberating if done with you exercising caution to display your control over them? I can't know to say stop, no, all I can say is step off for your sake as a person first before as a leader. Do what's respectable, serve in the good jail of life, where the sentence is clean image, sober appearances, occasional fun, private smoking and drinking, etc. your tickets of favour out of the bad jail of life...dp