After my first week in Bloemfontein and being back in the Free State after 7 years, I made an observation (which I think is quite funny and ironic!).
In Johannesburg life is a rush. You are spending a lot of time in the car and every day it just feels like you don't have enough time to do what you have and want to do. You are forever rushing everywhere (yes, I admit, maybe my time management skills are not tip top, but it also isn't that bad at all!).
In Bloemfontein my experience this week has been that I have a lot more time to do what I want to do and I am not nearly as rushed as I was in Johannesburg (or did my time management skills evolve over night?).
I am spending 10 minutes to get from where I am staying to the office on the other side of town in Bloemfontein. In Johannesburg it used to be at least 25 to 30 minutes and even up to 45 minutes to drive a mere 15 kms.
So according to me - Bloem affords me more time and very little rush - Johannesburg afforded me less time and rushing a lot.
Here is the punchline:
In Johannesburg most people drive slowly at about 80 km/h when not on the highway. In Bloem I am driving at the same speed and I am overtaken by millions of drivers driving at a much faster speed... in town!
So my question is: Why if you have more time are you rushing to get somewhere and where we had less time we are driving at a slower speed?
Ironic!
Sunday, August 07, 2011
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Saturday, July 09, 2011
Tenure means very little
I've been going through a lot these last couple of weeks and I am realising more and more that there is still so many people that think "years of service" still mean something. That it entitles them to benefits. Entitle them to promotions. To seniority.
Wake up and smell the coffee!
What you did yesterday, counts for very little today. It is what you do today that counts. Not just only what you do today, but what you are able to do today, what you will be able to do tomorrow. It is about how you made sure that you are the one that is the expert in your field. About how much you invested in yourself.
I heard someone making a comment about the youngsters that haven't been around long, but they just walk in and get all the jobs while the people that has been around for much longer don't get a chance. I am one of those youngsters. My question to the person that made the comment is: "What did you do the last 15 years?". I did not sit on my arse. I did not think I know it all and that I can't learn anything new or even worse, that I don't need to know more than I do and that it isn't really necessary to more than the next person.
If you are one of the people that has been around a long time and you believe that that entitles you to anything, all I can say is change your attitude. Change your view. Wake up!
In the last 3 years I presented so many people with opportunities to enhance their skills and grow their knowledge. Very few completed their qualifications and none of them did it the first time round. Even those that did complete (which was about 30% of everybody) also had to rewrite an exam because they did not pass the first exam.
I can write a book about this topic, but the people that needs to read the book simply won't!
Francois
Wake up and smell the coffee!
What you did yesterday, counts for very little today. It is what you do today that counts. Not just only what you do today, but what you are able to do today, what you will be able to do tomorrow. It is about how you made sure that you are the one that is the expert in your field. About how much you invested in yourself.
I heard someone making a comment about the youngsters that haven't been around long, but they just walk in and get all the jobs while the people that has been around for much longer don't get a chance. I am one of those youngsters. My question to the person that made the comment is: "What did you do the last 15 years?". I did not sit on my arse. I did not think I know it all and that I can't learn anything new or even worse, that I don't need to know more than I do and that it isn't really necessary to more than the next person.
If you are one of the people that has been around a long time and you believe that that entitles you to anything, all I can say is change your attitude. Change your view. Wake up!
In the last 3 years I presented so many people with opportunities to enhance their skills and grow their knowledge. Very few completed their qualifications and none of them did it the first time round. Even those that did complete (which was about 30% of everybody) also had to rewrite an exam because they did not pass the first exam.
I can write a book about this topic, but the people that needs to read the book simply won't!
Francois
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