Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Essay II: How to solve your Economic Problems

Why write about focusing your attention, on learning to use humor, and the need to make emotional connections? How does practical wisdom and the proper use of humor, help with solving life’s problems?  Use humor to focus your own attention and make emotional connections with others.  

When something seems wrong, it is time to reflect on your life and your journey.  So when something really seems wrong, almost enough for loud complaining, start writing in your daily diary. 

Loud complaining is frowned upon or even not allowed, especially in libraries.   All the signs say SHUSH …..  Please be Quiet.  So if you are in a library the best solution is not to complain out loud, leave and travel to a place where you can complain as much as you want.  Even do a primal scream if you think it will help.

I was in the Union College Library and the golden tongue wisdom spoke to me through the staff.  I called my lawyer who represented me in court on a landlord – tenant disagreement.  Immediately the librarian approached me and told me I was talking too loud on the phone.  I continued my conversation, and another minute went by, he approached me again and told me to lower my voice.  What was the message?  It was SHUSH … I am very annoyed and bothered by hearing your voice.  Gaining perspective and having conflict and mediation training at business school I was wise enough to apologize and agree … my voice need to be softer.  I definitely felt embarrassed and by the way he approached me I knew I was not on dean’s list this semester.  Since I wanted to put some of my leisure reading to good use, “Leading with Humor” in Harvard Business Review came to mind.  Using humor to make an emotional connection with the librarian, by giving him a tickle during the exam cram period, would have been the best solution.  Was this a humorous situation or a not humorous situation? 

The volunteer experience
So I wanted to turn my volunteer work into something more useful in an effort to solve my economic problems.  Today I use the word useful, as I adopt a need for practical wisdom.  My practical wisdom tells me that economic problems are solved first by increasing income or simply adopting habits of good decision making and right actions to reach economic solutions.  The application of phronesis boils down to using common sense.    Time spent on getting the right education and getting more than several practical degrees, I finally realize that I just need people smarts and common sense. 

Summary:
Goal:  Clear all obstacles to finding a source of income or getting a job.
Priorities:  All tasks are directed at meeting that goal.
Take Note Any Obstacles:  Best to view your new job as task leader towards project completion.  Set priorities see the practical use of your efforts and acknowledge success

Phronesis –           The Habits that enable you to
      Make the Right decisions
                                Take the Right actions
                                Relentless pursuit of excellence

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Essay I: Solving Economic Problems

The first essay on solving economic problems is about finding ways to improve your personal financial situation by increasing your income or bringing in more revenues.   If you are working on your personal finances, the chances are you need to increase income by finding a job that pays you more money.  If you are unemployed then you may just need a job.  If you are currently working, you need to get a raise, get a promotion or establish a second stream of income.  A second stream of income can be created either by securing a second job or starting a small business.

To minimize the time associated with the task of increasing your personal income, don’t spend a lot of time over analyzing the problem; instead write a paragraph or so about the best solution.  The solution should paint the ideal scenario, in a descriptive paragraph, by making statements that provide the information needed to determine how to find what you are seeking.

START WITH THE BASICS 
Decision Making Skills:  Making good decisions determines your level of success in life.  It seems like common sense but maybe many of life’s decisions are based more on common sense, less on your feelings.  Decisions cost more when you have more responsibility, at work and at home.  So developing your abilities to analyze the potential outcome of your decisions,  and being able to estimate their likelihood,  helps with the decision making process.

 Making the selection:  You hear of an opportunity from a colleague or a friend, and it offers the best opportunity for work quickly.  The real reason is you have bills piling up and you have current expenses that require you bring in additional income.   This prevents you from spending the savings you have accrued in the past.

Making the selection:  You find an open job opportunity in the newspaper.   The company becomes a target company as soon as you decide to apply.  You need connect to the hidden network by contacting employees within the organization.  In order to build the network, send email notes; make phone calls, and arranging face to face meetings.    The real goal is to get back to work quickly so if someone tells you about a job opening and gives you information about who is the hiring manager.   Then you can contact the company and arrange an interview.

Doing the Work: 
The ideal situation is to send out an application for employment.  Get called up the next week for an interview where you get a chance to meet the managers and co-workers.  Have a conversation and find you have many traits and qualities they are looking for in an employee.  You are highly skilled or have the potential to learn the job quickly.  The interview goes well.  In two weeks you are handed an offer with a start date and a salary, bonus and benefits.  The salary range is acceptable and you accept the offer and set a start date.   You have a reliable means of transportation and have the proper dress to start working.  You have two weeks to prepare, how do you prepare?

Summary:
Goal:  Clear all obstacles to finding a job thus increasing income.
Priorities:  All tasks are directed at meeting that goal.
Take Note Any Obstacles: