The Silly escape from Recession!

This writing is all about providing simple solutions to recession. Most of the concepts discussed here has been published in my book: The Jawbone of an Ass: secrets to gaining financial freedom and getting out of life’s messy situations. [Feb 2008; iuniverse], I have warned my readers ahead of time about the present recession. I said it there that the tide could change, that the table could turn. I said it earlier that life is full of uncertainties and several unpredictable changes do occur. Slaves do become princes and princes do become slaves. And it can happen at any time. When home owners begin to lose their homes, when landlords, farm owners begin to lose their properties, assets; when mortgage owners begin to sleep in the streets without a shelter any more; then it is already happening.  It takes strategies, wisdom and a miracle to turn around a situation of scarcity.

Miracle in time of old is experiencing new thing, new happening, and newness. It’s when something that has never happened before happened .innovation means the same thing. There is a similarity between miracle and innovation. The stimulus package that Barack Obama’s administration is introducing is like a miracle. It is a miracle for those who have no way out of their financial mess. Somehow, a ray of hope has finally come at last; but there is more to it than that. It will only work if the right principles are adopted with it. If the same principle that Joseph used in Egypt was followed doggedly; if productivity culture, saving culture and investment culture is reintroduced with proper inspection; keen monitoring and much more constant feed backs are adopted. If consumerism is truly reduced in the people’s lifestyle, the end has come to recession.

It should be noted that God is not happy about scarcity. Through men, God will be bringing miracles into workplaces, communities, neighbors, et.al that will put an end to recession. God had made provision for this time ever before it happened. If nations facing recessions can go back to their foundations on God, and in God; there will be great turn around for them. For instance, I observed that a part of the Canadian’s Anthem said: “O Canada… we stand on God for thee”. And the American dollars have an inscription that said: “In God we trust. A part of Nigeria’s anthem has this: O God of creation, direct our noble path…”  We all seem to have forgotten where we were coming from. The founders of our land believe in someone, in some certain principles. They are divine principles. They were dependent on supernatural power. They believed in God.

Today, we have a distorted concept of God. It is so sad that an average North American does not have a religion. If s/he does; s/he does not believe in sovereignty of the God of heaven. God can be anything to some people. He is not a buddy but a bad boss. Some do not even believe in anything. Little wonder; where we are finding ourselves. The provider of life and the creator of everything have been removed from the picture. Our lives and economy is falling like pack of cards. One of the truest ways to recession proof ourselves is to start thinking of going back to God. It is time to start asking the right questions, redefining what are the bases of life? What do we believe in? Who did the forefathers trusted in? Who was their help in times of old? God is His name. He is the help of the helpless. He is our help in the ages past; He is our hope for the years to come.

Another secret to getting out of recession is to ask ourselves these questions: what are we inventing now? What are we contributing to the world? What are we giving back to the society? What new concept, what new brand are we introducing? Barack Obama’s concept of Bio-generating plant for energy production is an invention, which will make a whole lot of difference in the America’s economy. If it is whole heartedly embraced, without some people somewhere planning on how to frustrate this noble project. It will be one great way to surviving the present economic scarcity in USA. The secret is to become inventors. It is to become more creative. It is to look within for what is available as a leverage with which one can navigate the season of scarcity. It is by becoming more enterprising that recession is ameliorated.

An average individual needs to become more enterprising. Develop entrepreneurial spirit. Start your on business. Do not depend on one source of income. The fact that you are an employee does not stop you from having a trade on the side. You can use a part of your home for business. Then your home business can relieve you of the amount of tax that is being paid to the government. At your leisure, you can even make some crafts, arts, weave and paint to make some more money, rather than just wasting time playing away opportunities in guise of a time wasting game. Time is a valuable asset. A mind is a terrible thing to waste. Once you become resourceful. You would have recession proof yourself. You will be difficult to sack during downsizing.

In bid to be retained during downsizing, some staffs in some companies, try to hide information from colleagues so as to be the indispensable staff that will be retained at workplace. The point is this that is a crap way of becoming indispensable. You are insecure because you know you don’t have what it takes to be retained. If you develop yourself, acquire multiplicity skills, you will be more resourceful to the company you are working for. And you will be confident about who you are where you are. We must try to be valuable anywhere we find ourselves. We must be the solution to the system. And this can only happen if we work on our selves. If we don’t sit on our laurels; if we continue to strive to become better citizens of the state we live in.

Recession is not new. It has happened before. It has happened in the time of Joseph while in Egypt. The bible recorded how they dealt with it back then. They went into production of more goods. They also saved more than they consumed. I talked about the importance of becoming a “positive human octopus” in my book, as a way of getting out of financial mess. A means to overcoming unpalatable financial scarcity is to acquire multiplicity of skills to the end of becoming so indispensable and resourceful such that you are ever needed irrespective of whatever happens. This self development principle needs to be adopted by every individual. The next age is going to be filed with uncommon things, new concepts, innovations and more. More of these will come through people who are prepared and whose minds have been developed. What we will be experiencing will be astounding. Brands will be seriously redefined. Corporations will be diversifying at the speed of light. Individuals will be loaded. Industries all over will improve, expand, increase to what we can not but pause and ponder over. There will be true miracles in guise of innovation in all sectors, all walks of life. There will be results that systems, nations will come and study as a program is being studied in the institutions. All these and more will work as the antidote to the present scarcity and the future recession once we start doing them. Once we start contributing our individual parts right now.

Analyzing Trends

Have you ever seen a tattoo on someone? Or do you have any tattoo on your body as you are reading this? Have you ever asked yourself, what is so trendy about a tattoo? What is so special about making some kind of body marks, drawings and/ or paintings? This writing is about some new trend called tattoo making and ringing body parts. A justified case study on tattoo, nose rings and lips rings may not be easily made in just a simple writing; however, I will try to do justice to this and still make it concise. Just before I continue, let me digress a little by saying that having had a diploma in General Agriculture plus another Bachelor degree in Agricultural Economics; I know to a large extent about branding and the essence of branding. To a large extent, It is solely for identification purpose…Among several other reasons. It is so that the farmers don’t misconstrue or mix up the breeds of flocks, so that they don’t make mistake in overdosing the same animal in the course of administering some form of treatment or the other. Also, it is for the farmer to be able to recognize the particular animal that has been mated on the farm. It is to also distinguish which animal has undergone artificial insemination from the ones that has naturally mated and so on. Right from the olden days up to now, farmers have engaged in branding their livestock so that they won’t get lost, mistakenly mixed up with another farmer’s flock, or get stolen or missing. Cattle are painted in ink. Some livestock and even dogs are hooked with rings in noses, ears, necks, et.al.

Enough on Agrology class! We are analyzing the common trends such as tattoos, nose and lips rings. Somehow it seems to me that we are really in the age of paradox. I mean, an age where what used to be contempt is now being celebrated. Slaves used to be branded with marks and rings in times of old. The slave masters do so in order to prevent their slaves from running away. Masters may design the ring in a way that will make it easy to see each slave from afar such that such slave becomes known, distinguished from the rest of the other slaves on sight. Today, what used to happen to slaves and beasts has become fashionable to man. The trend has begun where men are freely dressing up as slaves and beasts were compelled to appear in times of old. The reverse angle is that animals no longer have branded materials as the case was in times of old. There is no more slave trade yet we have the reminders of these experiences around us today. There is now such thing as Animal rights. So, men and women are now feeling the pains those animals used to feel. The rights of men to live a dignified life are now exchange for animals. Men are now taking on the experience which was once “animalistic”, animal-oriented and slavery oriented. Men and women are now branding their bodies like animals bodies used to be branded. They are now painting their bodies as animals used to be painted, ringing their bodies as slaves and dogs would have been ringed. We are stooping so low all in the name of being trendy through tattoos making and body ringing. What does it really mean to be fashionable? Is it only through tattoo fashion and body ringing that true trends can be quantified?

It’s now becoming “normal” and fashionable to have a ring in the tongue, nose, lips, and so on. There is always a difficulty identifying a man who dressed like a lady with so many rings in his ear, nose, and mouth, all in the name of trend. Those crazy trend pioneers who make people insert pins in the mouth, lips, tongues and some other parts of the body; were not dully informed about what they are doing and so can not inform other concerned people that there could be some dangers of infection or some possibilities of cancerous growth resulting from such holes that were made as a result of rings or tattoo designs. In asking why they do it in the first place. Some do these tattoos because they wanted to gain attention from other people. Attention seeking individuals could have resulted from having been a child without enough care. Such childhood programming arising from abandonment from parents which a child may be trying to reconcile, resolve as adult, could lead to tattoo and ring fashion endpoint. The worst scenario is this, that some folks don’t actually have any reason for painting themselves in tattoos. Some do it in order to blend in, out of peer pressure, and to have a sense of belonging. On the other hand, there are those who do not even know why they are doing what they are doing. I understand that there are new businesses arising from this trend. These businesses are devoted to making these tattoos for those who want to have it on their body. It’s regarded as a fashion business because some people believe that it beautifies them, and if it looks good on others, why not try it on. Hence, there is a need for someone to make it for those who want it on. There are some forms of competitions surrounding it. Somehow, whose tattoo is the best? The most pronounced tattoo? Which is the most complex tattoo? There is a group or the other on social networking websites which has emerged from tattoo fashion and trends.

As more and more people tend to celebrate how much branded they are. What do we see tattoo resulting into? Will more people begin to behave in part as animals? Will there be more slave mentalities? Or men and women would rise up to live a life of decency, moderacy, dignity and integrity? Will men live as men and dress like we want to be addressed? Think on these things.

THE GREAT GAMEPLAN OF GREATNESS

In asking who is the next icon of change? The answer can be found in the words of a great woman: “One can never consent to creep, when one feels an impulse to soar!” - Helen Keller

Everyone must aspire to be the next icon of change. Live beyond the trend. Maximize change. Amidst pressure of various kinds of daily lives; it could become challenging. Amidst numerous challenges, we want the edge…topping the career ladder, getting mortgage, changing homes as we change diapers, settling down, raising kids among several. Generally, our priorities differ. Considering what we face daily, amidst normalcy of daily routines, in the race for survival, there is that dilemma to be successful achievers. We want to be better, to be more. With every desire comes the will to win, to get financial secure, to become richer. And lurking secretly is the ambition to be known and famous. We want to matter in our generation. Beyond the routine of feeding our hungry stomachs; and more; becoming significant and getting better is another goal for so many. Therefore when faced with the daily decadence that looms at us; we ask how we will be able to reconcile them all. Nevertheless, we choose our path in it all. Our life moves in the direction of our heart. We chose to die or thrive in it all.

It’s a new move in the New Year and the slogan says: The change we want. If you are asking how far can you go in life? You are asking for a change. It is no longer how far you can go. It is why not go there? If you have been thinking of becoming significant; what will you allow to stop you from reaching those places this year? Haul all the fight against mediocrity! Aspire and desire the peak! Be the best you can! And if you are ready for the top; then the top is calling for you. Self-ask: how can I get there? Yes! The top is good but what is my strategy? What is my plan? How much can I give for it? What will it cost or take me? What am I giving up? Where do I love to be? And when will I like to be there? What am I giving up for it? What new move am I making daily? That is pushing me upwards? What deliberate steps? What drastic measures are my making? Somehow you must understand that you need people to get there. And that means not just ordinary people. You need to meet or make extraordinary people to reach the height you see. How do I mean? Read on.

There is a strategy to bonding with greatness. You deliberately meet people of timber and caliber, you are loved, and you are invited into their fraternity. Oh! It’s not that simple. I know. On the other hand, you can make ordinary everyday people into the ladder you climb through your influence. You can make something out of them if you are ready to give them all the resources for development, confidence they need. There is a law called the law of influence. It is an art of winning. This taught how to persuade people. There is a place for staying in, staying put and staying there throughout the process of their learning. Involvement cannot be separated from requirement for part of what qualifies you to lead. There must be a role play, a contribution, a support or more; for you to be respected and permitted to lead. There must be some inputs, some values, something you’ve given or you are giving, or you have given in time past for us to believe you are qualified to really lead. And we believe that you have to give such support, concern; tangible or intangible things all the way through leadership era and beyond. Sacrifice and leadership goes and in hand. Authority actually means responsibility according to God’s word.

Somehow, there are people who know how to relate well with other people in such a way that, through their relational skills, leadership skills; some people just like them, opportunities arise for them and through that they are able to leverage to the actual top. We must learn from such people. When you intentionally cultivate a habit of networking with people; following up with newly met guests, you are becoming a “human octopus”…someone who is able to strategically draw a team, a following, an association or a community of people. You are like a positive and healthy ganglion, spreading your self upwards. You have wings to fly to the top. Your influence is extending and it can get you somewhere. It is by being able to influence people, businesses and more. By being able to develop community of people that can surround a noble cause. That is when a society is said to have been taken. It is the responsibilities of leaders to take over communities, societies and nations for a positive reason and motive. It is not for mere men. Today, as policies, laws are changing and bills are being passed daily at each nation’s senates. We are either losing territories or gaining them.

Due to the fact that it is costly to raise a people through influence route and the processes described above; the tendency to cling to power is more rampant in today’s leaders who want authority without responsibility. In capturing a society, you cannot use force, brute methods. You will become an oppressor, a tyrant and that way, you are not really fulfilling purpose. You can never change a society by showing that society the dysfunctional it possesses. You can only change the society through models. Showing the model of what the society ought to be. The principle is still the same. In order to conquer a people; you must capture the commerce, reshape the people’s philosophies, affect their education , change their orientation, change their laws, their way of thinking, indoctrinate them in a new paradigm, lead them out into a desired culture and do everything to change their lifestyle. That is why there is a measure of assertiveness to this thing. For a people to change, it will require influence. And if the change agent is not celebrated and accepted, it will be oppressive. Sometimes, tactical compulsions or imposition may be required in the process of changing leadership. That was the way changing of kings and governors of old was done. It might be barbarous but it was result oriented. Since, it seems to me that there is no point where there will be no more war in the world. As in those days, so it is in our days. How do we then capture societies in our day without learning from history? In taking over a society; we need right strategies. Model Leaders must be detailed, thorough and result oriented. To achieve that, they need to be tutored in decision making, policy implementation and plan evaluation. They must master the art and science of team management and more. We need to measure our progress per time, per value added to the system. We must measure civilization by what we have been able to add to people’s lives beyond the city terrains. We must adopt policies that will advance our nations at grass root level upwards. The essence of our leaders’ attempting second term in office must be to benefit the society. Their coalition into new political parties must never be for recycling dysfunctional leaders. True leaders will respond more to issues in a timely manner so that things will change.

Descent culture, right values don’t just jump on people. These things don’t start overnight. It evolves in process. It takes a period of time for culture to be. It takes a true leadership and a willing followership. Our traditional clothes, music, and dressings are not all what it means to appreciate our culture. Neither is clinging to heritage and freedom which some people fought for, and for which they even laid down their lives. There must be a kind of spirit. A kind of attitude; and it has to spring from a core, not just a superficial “thing”. When people see that, they know it, they can identify who we are by mere seeing these things. In the way we live, in how we view issues and respond. And it says a whole lot about us.

Connecting innovation, change, and business

In the religious organizations, it is called prophecy. In the science world, it is predictions, in research, it is called forecasting techniques, in commerce world, its called innovation. In this writing I call it innovation edge and it requires creative intelligence to see it. The world has been looking for managers, bankers, stock brokers and employees who can master the art of innovation management. The bookshops are filled with variety in titles but rarely will you see any shelve committed to innovations. We have been searching for value in personal lives as well as in business sectors for several years. Corporate bodies, business experts in the market called it different names but it is the same thing we are likely looking for. It is for significant economic worth for our invested efforts and time. To some it is one or more of the following profit, turn over, customers’ retention, volume, possibilities. And to some others it is the combination of all and much more. The word is value. The answer lie in innovation intelligence and the end is innovation edge.

Since the beginning of time, change has been, the race has been a matter of adapting to change. The world has seen enormous, thrilling and mind blowing revolutions. Although some of this transformed our minds, some numbed us. Most transformation has brought advancement. To stay abreast, alert, attuned, competitive with edge amidst psycho -cataclysmic changes occurring at light speed is by continuing to innovate and not attempting to master uncertainties and instabilities that could run one crazy. It is no longer a question of being current or being informed rather it is of leadership edge that is able to bring out an innovation edge through a system of management that can predict and adjust, forecast and fine tune as it goes.  It has to be able to analyze impending happenings, events before they occur; and then go ahead to position the business rightly in the future for it. Their innovation does not have to be famous or even celebrated to sell inside the organization. It has to follow healthy business ethics, corporate integrity with her team to succeed. It could come in form of promise to stakeholders of their job security through consistent implementation of trade policies and corporate decisions made. It should protect their rights and interests. It may bring dividends, bonus or a raise much later, but it will not navigate to recession. In essence, corporate bodies may not necessarily have to promise a bonus, give a raise, or even declare dividend in the immediate but they are able to salvage their business from decline. They are committed not to stoop to downsizing for the sake of their stakeholders.

Moreover, older businesses and organizations understand that by being able to hold the decision making power through timely information, they can bond with stakeholders; determine the market determinant forces. For new companies, it’s in being able to assure the stakeholders. It is being able to appreciate employees. It is bonding through acquisition, mergers with shakers and movers of the market. It’s the ability to take the market by surprise through innovation. It is by introducing indispensable product brands that relates to the needs of their customers at the moment and in the future. It could be the corporate capacity to grow and develop unto one that is able to secure future value, market share through intelligent marketing and monopolistic edge.

Ending Idea rut.

“Don’t ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go and do that. Because what the world needs are people who have come alive.”                                                                                                        -Harold Whitman

It is not how big you are, it is how bigger you want to be? It is not about how great you are presently. It is how greater you can become? Could it be that; it is not just that it is too expensive to pursue and reach our dreams but that it is a matter of whether or not we are ready to die and go bankrupt for it. We are afraid because we are parochial and paranoid. We are under-achieving because we jointly suffer from a disease called idea paralysis… Which causes idea rut or innovation decay. On an island of doubt where dreams are buried, we pass through and also offer ours for penny.  We didn’t take time out to ask soul-searching questions like: Where we could possibly reach through our single contribution of innovation? What growth we may possibly attain through personal creativity? Who our idea could possibly influence and rescued? Where our businesses could grow to? What we can become because of all these? Some other question is how will we know when we’ve had the best innovation or idea that the world is expecting, which the world has never known? When will it occur that we have reached there? What will the idea look like?  When we are scared of being jeered at, when we are afraid of failure; how do we possibly try? How do we get to test our ideas?

The question is do you want to be an innovator or not? The other option is to be some grumpy feet dragging frustrated folks, who hanker after life guessing and cursing, waiting for what is coming next. If you want to be an innovator, who will change the course of history; it is not why but when?  You want to reach those laudable and beautiful goals and aspirations and feel you have labored for something that mattered which will transcend you. So, I dare to what have you ever dreamt of? What are you scared of dreaming of? Where does your thinking stop and why have you stopped dreaming? Whatever happened to your creative mind? Do you feel that since your creativity does not yield monetary value you should stop? Where do you tend to conceive creative idea the most? What have you ever wished in your mind which has never been? Why will you want to stop even when it appears as if it is stupid wish dreams, and no one is appreciating it? Why are you discouraged of dreaming when no one is supporting you? What is the mental barrier against your cognitive and imaginative abilities?

It is not that some of us are not dreaming or that we are lazy dreamers; rather we all at one time or the other probably got overwhelmed. We count the cost and avoid the hard work involved with our dreams wherein what is required of us is more than the best we could to offer. There is fear inside and out. It is tough to maintain consistent patterns of creative thought which is required for the discovery of innovation. It’s like some imaginary lines are shut down. Lines of beautiful thought patterns that evolve into downloadable, scientific compact system of thoughts. These lines may be inkling associated with solution processes that brings positive, creative thoughts. Innovative intelligence therefore cannot come through haphazard thinking. It does not arise from worry or a thinking pattern, that merely take long walks, deep pauses, sits quietly somewhere beside lake, on sofa indoor; Imagining some fairy tales. Could it be that, it is in asking certain soul-searching questions that imagery of innovative thoughts are provoked towards the end of positive results. It always ends in desired destination without removing people from the big picture. Therefore it is not about where you really are? Because, every innovation often shows the mind and the perspective of the innovator and innovation location is in the mind and faculties of the innovator, a mind is a terrible thing to waste. The end of every innovation edge will therefore partly reflect the mind, its beliefs and core values. It will reaffirm the whole creation from coast to coast as connected and beneficiaries. The actual test of innovation intelligence may not be in eloquence of innovator or in certifications, not in all the years wasted in laboratories discovering nothing, not in many long pauses or breathe taken, rather in it may be in this: the mind-color, the motive, the vision, the strength of idea, the beneficiaries, the nature and features of innovation and more. This is how it connects us. This is all what it meant.

OVERCOMING INNOVATOR’S DOUBTS.

“Take what you want,” said God, “and pay for it.” – Spanish proverb

Have you ever doubted something authenticity? Have you ever been in a doubt of someone’s genuineness? What does it mean to doubt? Who faces the greatest life doubts? I would call them change agents or innovators.What does it mean to be a change agent at the precipice of change? To save your precious time. To be on the cutting edge of innovation is to be at the precipice of change; influencing change. It is to be a student of change and “implementer” of change. The journey actually starts with individual self discovery. And you must be ready to pay the price of greatness. It begins with personal discovery and strong determination towards personal development.

It means that in order for you to innovate intelligently, you must deliberately cultivate the attitude that can attract success. To become a part of the world change agents. It is to be the change and start the change; first from within you, then through your areas, and spheres of influence. As a trend setter, you must never allow any self-doubt to set in or eat up at you. Work on your core values, areas of interests and visions.It becomes possible if you can dare every obstacle with audacity. If you can put everything on the line for the dream you see.  If you can have singleness of purpose that will press on doggedly come rain or sunshine. If you can be latent with confidence, powerful information, relevant ideas and a burning desire that comes with some measure of convictions. You can reach there.

For instance, Barack Obama went through difficult obstacles to emerge the first black man who became the president of United states of America. Nelson Mandela  became the first president of South Africa after apartheid ended and all in all; i saw a trend in these icons of excellence and leadership.The boldness to face their self doubts. After several years of incarceration, Nelson Mandela won in his struggle. fter series of campaign and blackmail Obama won the election. Like every great men ever written of in history. There should be this doggedness in us that must be ready to surf through oppositions through the enduring power of our vision, ideas, creative intelligence, faith, audacity of hope and perseverance of faith.

It goes without saying then that innovators have doubts like everybody else. And their ideas may be doubted by them most of the time. Yet the difference between us and them is that even they have doubts, they still head on.When your idea is not celebrated, when your ideologies seems unpopular, or not marketable. When you appear as a foolish pioneer,that is when you may have to stay with that thing; why? because it is known as innovation. Just  stay with it, provided it has value, substance and you are convinced by it. Invest your time in it. You will surely get there.

Come to think of it, even Jesus Christ had doubts when he got to the garden of Gethsemane where he was faced up with decision to either go to the cross or retreat. Had he retreated, he may have lived some one hundred years more but it may be forgotten years in obscurity. He may never be known by all and sundry as it is today. The price he paid was the crucifixion he wanted to retreat from. You must know yourself first. Test your passion and vision. And learn to choose your battles wisely. Know what your capacity is. Then pursue your cause and never allow yourself be deterred until you reach your goals. Always know that there is no man who can stop you and there is a special place for you up there at the topmost floor, if only you believe, persevere and push your way up.

There is only one place you must never look towards; there is just one direction you must never face if you really want to get there; and that is backwards. Do not focus on your mistakes, pasts, and backstabbers.  If you will really become so restless for success, and embrace hard work you will win. By possessing the doggedness to go from door to door receiving no! Going from door slams to cheek slaps and yet refusing to quit.  All that will be based on your capacity for rejection and putting doubts in perspective.

Individual process for innovation actualization

There is an individual course work and progression towards innovation realization. We all have a responsibility in this journey. We need to ask if all around us; we are supporting innovation and innovators. If we embrace noble dreams, visions, and ideas of others irrespective of their brand names.We will be objectively do that.

Needless to add; if we must operate intelligently towards innovation actualization; we must not allow any idea to die in our hand, or in the file somewhere in our desks. Don’t forget that there is power in one man’s decision. And any innovative opportunity buried away in your drawer either consciously or unconsciously is a fight against innovation actualization. The odd may be insignificant today but it poses a very great evil at the next innovation world we are approaching very shortly.

There is an unconscious realization  that innovation decay and idea rut are unrealistic. The quickest way to end  the next age  impending development and advancement is to oppose innovation today. The fact remains that certain innovation in the next age will come with their pedestal firmly braced upon the previous generation and works. They will look like a “new” brand from the old.

Therefore, do not permit any brilliant idea expiration in your hands. Don’t sanction evil reports and then allow good suggestions get ignored in a meeting. Don’t oppose any noble idea or any opportunity for growth just because of ego. Do not attack the reputations of others in order to become popular; do not stop people’s dreams by your own influence. This is the gradual road there- our daily routines, our smallest decisions, our policies and the personal decisions we make.

As much as you can; try to bond with people; bond with change agents, create a community, start a positive epidemics of change, encourage change agents out there. Above all, if you cannot beat them, do not join them. Don’t give up, let up or shut up! Never allow mediocrity reign, do not celebrate corruption, or worship people because of money.

Negative impacts of modern culture on creative intelligence.

The modern culture is becoming more and more indifferent to those things that count, like community, brotherhood, reunion, unionism, patriotism, solidarity and more. There seems to be few or nothing that may be seen as exact, real and sincere models or replica of truest community these days. Kindness and love are not given in the public place anymore. it is either out of a spirit of order rather than togetherness. Out of legal reasons other from love. We are all on our own. We mind our own businesses; eat alone, work alone and die alone. You may involuntarily sneeze on bus, or in a public place and no one would say “bless you” or “sorry”. What are you sneezing for?! You better be sorry! I remember how at my workplace sometime ago; on some different occasions with some different colleagues who I was trying to assist in doing certain things, either picking up of fallen objects, carrying heavy stuffs, or lifting somethings; I have heard some shocking psychotic response in some kind of snappy way. Such response like “Oh! I could do this or that alone, or I am okay by myself, or you don’t bother”. You too must have heard the same slogan around. Such snobbish reply towards a kind gesture offered are like coldness of snow upon a furnace. I feel electrified when i hear such things like:“I don’t need help, thank you” or “you can go, don’t worry about me, i will just be fine”. These are bad comments to me. Moreover, such attitude are common such that mere chivalry is no longer received or appreciated even when it is offered or attempted at all. People don’t want to recieve help and courtesy from others anymore probably due to ego or out of mere pride.Even when courtesy is given at all, we decline from recieving it. So, what does it matter when the other person [the recipient] does not want it? Why try to give it in the first place? And gradually, we are being broken apart by cruelty, evil belief and vulgarity, which we allowed to sneak into our culture and now they are eating away at us all. We are so sedated that men are never allowed to check on one another anymore without having some important reasons for visiting. You may be regarded as gossip, or one who is trying to pry into other people’s affairs. So what we used to call love has given way to numbness. And our new found liberty, which is the replacement for love, is now over-extended beyond the territories of moderations. Such that it is actually breaking us down, apart, and off from reality.

Our culture is undergoing degradation at an unprecedented rate such that things that really mattered then are no more valued today. Such things as family, family reunion, family ethics, family business, family culture, moral discipline, ethics and more, are not important anymore. Discussions or Issues that focus on patriotism, sacrifice, endurance, perseverance and things that promote character are being dropped and replaced with mere entertainment. Here the Truth is not just fallen in the streets but it is already being trampled upon and the hope of raising standards is almost fading away. We do not want to talk about it at all. And we all watch to see who will try to bell the cat and then beheaded? I hope that we wake up on the right side of the bed someday. Or even if it is on the other side of the bed that we woke up from, at least some measure of reasoning, retrospect, positive thinking and analysis should become of us. We may at least find out what we have missed. Discover some good things that we have dropped and return to them. We may realize what we have missed more than we can imagine and then find ways to return, repent, and recover them. Lest we find out in the end that we have lived for nought and we are now all alone with our hopes, riches and comfort all gone.

We are lonely people but our loneliness may not be in terms of population or congregation but in terms of connectedness, togetherness, love, kindness, and more. Our zeal, concern and love for our fellow brothers and sisters all over the world which made some of us travel distance to volunteer in noble causes are all gone. Our passion is wane. But the truth is, despite all that; we all still seek to connect with one another unconsciously. We seek a very vital part of life [which is humanity] in guise. We go to cinema, we go for recreation, we go for vacation from work, and camp at places where we will meet with faced up nature and humanity. Again, it all bores down to this fact that although we are really running from, but towards people; we cannot truly escape one another. I am not too surprised that the internet various websites are the meeting points these days. More and more reasons are arising for some more social networking websites. It seems they are becoming countless in our today’s world of separation. It was to help heal up disenfranchised people everywhere. Our situation is critical. The circumstances surrounding man is beyond the societal challenges or the instability of the economy. The uncertainty of the future can be traceable to the untrustworthy,unreliable nature of man himself. The system is run by man for man. We may all try but until we re-orientate one another rightly, it will get more and more pathetic. Until we fight for survival from some gaseous life-snuffing numbness. That intangible spirit of negligence and indifference which clung to us daily, trying to separate us all from one another. We may gradually go extinct, not in terms of population growth but in heart and some matters of the heart. Why? Because, we are people meant to connect with one another. No man is an island. We get together, we go shopping, bowling, rainbow-walk, dog-walk, jogging, gaming and party; that we might see and meet people like us who are probably facing the same life and its struggles. Sometimes we may not really need what we are shopping for but we go anyway. We may not really feel so thirsty for caffeinated drink or some tea but we go out anyhow. We just want to connect in look, in observation, and in meditation. For the reason of watching other people,we  dress up and go. Just to see the new style, beauty and more.We jump out of our domicile where boredom is hammering us quietly in our corner. Our corridors are too small to contain us when the need and desire for connectivity is so pressing. Hence, we are constantly striving to meet and network with people either consciously or unconsciously just because we are created for one another.

So what does all these has to do with innovation edge or innovative intelligence? You may ask. Everything! Firstly, we can never think of any positive thought, idea or innovation towards the end of advancing people if we are not concerned about them. If we have no faith in them what is the use for connecting with them, thinking for them, or reasoning about them? How can we suddenly turn around towards a people we do not care about or love to be creating innovatively for them? It is impossible! It is when we are ready to love, to give and recieve from people that we can really sacrifice some time for them. It is when some people matter to us that we will sit to engage in some noble thoughts for them. This means that the ability to think creatively, imagine laudable dreams, think positive thoughts and dream big dreams for humanity may largely depend upon concern for them. This capacity may gradually fade away if we continue to neglect each other’s value. There is every tendency that some vital part of our brain that is responsible for that particular assignment may begin to sedate gradually. And the creative intelligence’ initiating cells of the brain may begin to be inactive. The result will be innovation-rut, idea rut and dead dreams and hopes. Then stagnancy of man.The outcome will be so sad and pitiful that, man may begin to retreat and withdraw into degradedness again through indifference, negligence, “normalcy” and more. Secondly, the reason for idea, innovation, or creativity, is not so that they will be expressed and shut up in vacuum but it is so that, they will be seen, used, appreciated and celebrated by all and sundry.

Reframing Yes we can, to Yes we should!

I was in Winnipeg, Manitoba on the night the result of the USA election 2008 was released on air. Although, there was serenity around most parts of Canada; a handful of blacks may be rejoicing in their homes almost quietly. Majority of united state’s citizens were full of excitements and cerebration. The white, blacks and colored and I, watched Senator Mc Cain addressed the crowd about his loss and Barack Obama about his victory. We saw how the president elected; Barack Obama delivered his first speech as the united state president elect in Chicago. We saw the crowd weeping for joy, singing the slogan: “yes we can!”. It was obvious that what we all saw that night was enough to explain what cutting edge innovation is. When we saw an order defied, a barrier broken, a new thing happened. We can not flinch as if it was normal. Who some people are trying to cut in size now is Barack Obama but what could not be resized, disregarded and downplayed was innovation, change and newness that have occurred. It was more than personality issue, racism issue. It was innovation issue.We knew that innovation has been birthed when the same America turned from bias perspective to embrace what came from where they had formerly rejected .If Martin Luther king was to be alive today; he would surely sing a joyous song. That indeed dreams do come through and true.

Doubtless, a new beginning has come for the citizens of the united state and the entire world. And this is the reality of this novelty change that has happened. The fact is that most American have not seen this new beginning as it is. Although, an unexpected record has been made. A world record about racism and prejudice has been broken. History has been made. Yes! The first black president has been elected on 4^th November 2008 in united state of America. And a landmark has been made but what is so significant about this? What was the edge of this innovation? This is significant because it was the first of its kind. A first in his order just as Christ was the only begotten of the Father in Heaven. It became an edge because it has to do with something that has not been but which has connection with the struggles of previous decades. It will forever be spoken of; just as the dream of the Martin Luther King’s, the Mathman Ghandis’s revolution, the Nelson Mandela’s struggle because it was first thought as impossible, unrealistic, unbelievable but it later became a reality.

Although this book is not about racism or Barack Obama; however, it is noteworthy that that event should be seen as innovation that may bring the edge that America seek especially if encouraged at this crucial moment that the economy is facing certain crisis. The fact that Barack Obama made it to the white house is the beginning of creativity test because he will be putting the integrity of his order, genre, to scrutiny. Innovation intelligence is therefore required for a successful tenure in office of the president. It must never be assumed now that he has won that since, he faced rejection before coming into office. He should relax, rest on his laurel and feel that all will be well all through. I am expecting him to brace up for a turbulent tenure at least for the first two years if not for his entire tenure as the president. Why? Because many of the people who never believed in what he saw, may still need to be convinced to change their minds when they see results and proofs. However, it will not stop certain people from trying to stop, frustrate this noble innovation from bringing such results it possess. It is not enough to choose the best of teams together; although it is good. It is important to project through innovative intelligence for innovation to bring positive result that will justify all efforts expended.Every great men of past generation encountered their sheer of rejection first, and then acceptance. Barack Obama may not assume that he is already accepted until he has left office. Your exit is more important than your entry. Who knows if he will be stoned with not a pair of shoes like his predecessor; that he may be stoned with rocks if he should disappoint the people?

Although, most innovation faces rejection, prejudice and more, the innovators who have taken time out to reach out from obscurity, ordinariness and “normal” in this world may be misconstrued and rejected. Every new idea is subjected to test. In their struggle to bring change, they may lose their life just as Jesus Christ was crucified in his mission of reconciling men to God. The subtle truth about innovators that gives them an edge over others was their committed-ness, their bold heart, passion, power of conviction. This is the secret of their success. But much more what made them become extraordinary and great was their focus on their assignment, visions, ideas, service. Sacrifice was in the core of their hearts. Their songs and heart cry was for people, change, creative intelligence and innovation edge.

So, what has an election of a nation got to do with innovation edge? How can a controversial personality be a model for a cutting edge innovator profile? You will ask? The spirit, attitude and resolve with which Barack Obama carried out his cause as the aspirant who won the election was what one could describe as a cutting edge innovation is about. Signs, statistics, history, experience and every indices proved that he would lose but he went on unflinching. That is what it means to live on the precipice of change. To hang on, to stay on the cutting edge of something, an event, a business, is to believe in innovation. That spirit and fervor makes you grab whatever the whole world say you cannot lay hold of. It is to prove the critics wrong. It is to prove a point to yourself first and then show it to others that YES! You can! Obama has proved that that never again will any black man be able to use the color of his skin or the limitations from his environment, as an excuse for mediocrity and complacency. That never again will a man whether white or colored, minority or majority will find an excuse for not moving towards his/her dreams or have an explanation for innovation-decay or idea-rut that happens to people who abandon their dreams. A man has proven that the time has come for all men whether white or black skin to see beyond the melanin pigmentation, to align their mentality with ability to progress and potentials for possibilities. To stand up and be counted for change, and be able to say: Yes we can to all dreams, ideas and visions!

The future campaign should no longer be how we can make our cities cleaner, our environment safer, or how we can care for the destitute on our streets; even though these are laudable causes. Yes! We can create such opportunities and more but we should move to the next level of innovative intelligence where we can change the manner of livelihood, system of governance in every countries of the world. And yes we can! If we would make the move to think creatively out of the box… We can have good schools, infrastructure and more. Yes! Those policies that could bring positive change and global peace should be built implemented. We can have effective police service in all regions of Africa where bribery and corruption has become normal. The slogan should be reframed from “Yes we can!” to “Yes we should!” We should enlighten, orientate, and pay the right, good salaries. Yes we should do all that. We can run great businesses that will inspire change and transform our societies. We should encourage that. We can optimize our potential. And now is the time we should do that.

And here is the edge! And this is the assignment: it is to live to break the barriers! To break those limits, the unbreakables ,the impossibles, to live where most call desert but lie within coast of potentials and opportunities. To walk away from wrong and pursue after right; to walk where the angels fear to thread! Yes, we can! Yes we should! We should achieve these. We should work hard at those ideas, dreams and vision. And Yes! We can live in the afterlife in peace and glory; If we can allow the will of God be done in our cities as it is in the days of heaven.

Innovative intelligence.

In my previous writings, I have discussed “Sniff”, as the ability to see, to observe and take the opportunities that is already available around you. The intuitive ability or craft to maximize resources that is already in existence. However, here, I am discussing innovative intelligence as something slightly different from sniff. This is the ability to think what is not there at all. Meaning that, it is the creative intelligence that can pick from the invisible realm. It is to be able to imagine some thing new and birth it in terms of implementation towards problem solving. This is an intelligent thinking that yields result. The aptitude of the thinker to propound an innovation that will become so valuable, indispensable and irrefutable such that even your business competitors, team rivals and political opponents and so on, would want to be a part of it. This is the way of the champions; they always operate in such a way that they are able to recruit opponents, tame competitors to their sides through mergers, acquisitions, synergy and alliances.  Conquering opposing forces and triumphing is a vital part of the game. If you are unable to do so; you may not be  operating with an edge that could take over businesses and/or society. It may mean that you are not persuasive enough in taking what is required to give you some edge. Seeing an end ahead of time may require persuading relevant people, forces that count towards rallying round the noble cause you see. And you cannot persuade people [friend or foe] until you have been able to show them results. The result is a part of the game that innovative intelligence produces. You may ask why persuade the opponent? You are leaving your back doors unclosed if you don’t.

If there is any reason for an innovation; it is that it will be able to meet certain specific needs. It takes innovative intelligence to propound relevant ideas and innovation that has never been; and yet it will become so indispensable and relevant to the society. Innovative intelligence is therefore a capacity to propose an idea, the aptitude to plan and implement it such that it will become so valuable to the target group be it customers or client. Since, the end of any innovation that we can ever think of is to add value, to develop, implement ideas that will meet needs of the target audience. Then it is required that we understand where the market was, where it is presently, and where the market is likely going. This is not guess work. This is not mere forecasting. Sometimes prediction can be very correct. It takes right predictions to become resourceful. More valuable than we can imagine is where innovative intelligence can take us. It can see the difference which forecasting cannot and then tell the error margins. It goes beyond the limits of scientific predictions. In leadership, it is able to see ahead and take the audience where they cannot see yet. It is able to move the people to where they have not thought of being before. It can take them beyond where they never thought they can be.

Every inventor was able to imagine what will suit the end they saw and then intelligently walk through the history lane with the enemies and friends as a part of the picture. Their enemies may not necessarily mean their critics, competitors or rivals but they are definitely not their fans. Sometimes many businesses’ specific goals amongst several are beating competitions in customer service, marketing and sales. The requirements it takes to reach their corporate goals may vastly depend upon their customer records and inventories. Innovative intelligence propounds innovation beyond corporate goals, which means that it may not depend largely on what is already on record. It may be out of the box imagination. It may imagine relevant idea but which may not be customer’s demand of today but which will definitely be so relevant and indispensable to customers tomorrow. It takes innovative intelligence to embrace innovation edge when they are presented.