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.

INTERNATIONAL STUPIDITY:Social networking site abuse [Part Two]

International stupidity is a display of folly, crudeness and infantile behaviors in one way or the other on a larger spectrum, in which people are disappointed concerning the ways in which the behavior is being exhibited. This can be easily observed on social networking sites like Face book. There are people who don’t care to say anything or post anything on a website, no matter how unreasonable it may be. Most common example is the display of pictures of nudity, ridiculous actions, rude comments, racist comments, rude statements and so on. Other examples can be found in several other areas in the way some people appear as a group, in the way they pose in their pictures, in how they talk about what they don’t know, write or blog about topics, discuss about certain issues, subjects or something which  they don’t fully understand .

Although, I am not a human behavior expert, I have observed that it does not require more than a level of common sense to weigh whatever you are sending out to the public before doing so. Stupidity springing from boredom, idleness, laziness, and so on; these in turn spread in time through idle moments into Social networking sites and blogs all over the internet. It later transform into abuse. The abuse could come in various forms. An abuse could go beyond a mere abuse of privilege, abuse of access, an abuse of people, abuse of human rights and son on. The display of stupidity in general can go to a larger scale from mind level into an international scale. All in the name of doing something “weird”; some people have become internationally stupid. They do some things ignorantly which they may never have realized that may be stupid in form. Pictures, comments, articles could be posted on the internet which could infringe on the rights of others. When they should actually be what will add values, teach morals and entertain other people irrespective of the distance or region they are on the planet earth. When stupidity moves to an international level it is catastrophic in that the whole world now seems to know how much of wisdom the fellow needs to live through life. Most comments and posted videos are bizarre such that you tend to laugh uncontrollably at times when you read from people you feel should know better.

So here is the point,if you don’t want to be an international fool who uncovers his her nakedness in the public to the disgrace of his person; i will advise you ask God for wisdom to live life. You can live a life of impact through addition of value to others rather than being an internationally stupid person. Pray for grace to relate with other people wherever they are irrespective of race, distance, affinity or closeness of ties. The writer of the book of James in the scripture says “if any man lacks wisdom let him ask from the Lord who gives liberally without denying or withdrawing his gifts.

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.

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.

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.

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.

INNOVATION EDGE’ [Part One]

How can an idea become unique? How can an idea get into a continuous process like chain reaction of positive change that affects several generation after? How can you get an edge in life through uniqueness of your idea? How can creativity yield more than profit in perpetuity? How can innovation transcend business ethics and etiquette into a phenomenon; influencing environment, transforming lives of people and more? Through their idea, every great men and women who ever lived attained stardom. Since every innovation came affecting men; the innovators concerned themselves with what really mattered, who really mattered to them? People? When all has been said and done, what transcends relational skills among people may be few. Besides, vision and idea implementation require people to make them work. However, where there is a crowd without a vision, there is a tendency to have a destructive mob in waiting and wasting. Then where does the journey leads, even with people and vision?

An innovation management is the innovation principle which capitalizes on the advantage that an idea posses. It is in continuous process, generative techniques, and renewal that value is added. Ideas stand the test of time for human benefit based on the edge they have in comparison to others. Management of idea is thus an art of maintaining ideas through improvement upon the previous, for the sake of posterity. It is done, sustained, through nurturing, foreseeing changes and moving congruently to become compatible, through actions and evolution of more innovation. So what must we look for towards experiencing change? In the end of change, what would have changed? Beyond rhetoric, various questions arose in the course of writing this, that made me pause and ponder; such were: Can fulfillment and profits be merged in individual and business life? How can maximization of opportunities be attained and retained in pursuit of service? How then can that edge become resourceful?  What is special about innovation? In respect to every other sectors of the human society, knowing fully well that everything is connected? How does innovation connect to our daily life or how can it be connected? Can we then lead the change we have all been talking about and looking forward to? In the era of innovation what will the edge look like? How can we attract real and enduring values from any field of endeavor through this edge? These and more are what innovation edge answers…

The irrefutable laws of significance

In becoming significant; we must ask certain fundamental questions which are:

Are we making the rich, richer? Are we serving or reaping off people? Are we listening to people after attaining certain figments of prominence? If we want to become significant; there are some basic principles to follow. These are the irrefutable laws of greatness. Follow these fundamental principles and you will get there.

1. The Law of learning is searching for right knowledge, seeking information deliberately. Observation, study often comes before action that eventually leads men to greatness. This law is same thing as the principle of self-emancipation. The mind is what gets liberated first before the body gets free to significance from insignificance.

2. The law of gratitude. Is the process of believing in “you”. Appreciating what you have precedes going to work with it and on it. It is to become somebody of value; appreciate people of value. What you appreciate, you will attract. You become great by appreciating great people. You may be able to become their friend. Before taking action on any raw material to get the finished good; the “thing” worked upon must be valued. You need to appreciate the raw materials latent in your dream, vision, people or yourself. The principle of appreciation is universal. Everything gives back something for what they receive. Companies perform corporate social responsibilities to stay relevant.

3. The law of action-The Newton law of motion state that: Every object stay at the state of rest until a force is applied. This is the same as emergence. You must do something in order to be reckoned with. Those who do nothing be nothing. Law of action means mobilization or movement. It is to keep climbing the ladder of significance through each step taken at breaking inertia. Immobilization leads to nothingness. It kills potential. You lose opportunities. If you want to be significant, you must be the very first person to take initiative. You must take right actions in noble causes. You must develop the art of taking decision faster, when others are still confused and wallowing in self pity and self doubts. Oftentimes people are waiting in valley of indecision for who will bell the cat. Who will be bold enough to take a step here? Sometimes what you are to do next is locked up as clue in the first move. When you move; you will realize the next step naturally unfolds. Most next actions are tied up successively in precedent action. People often wait in self denial, deprivations for years, where no one makes a move. They don’t want to appear foolish, so they remain static and suffering in silence. The reason you must be the one to take action is that you are self aware and aiming at significance. Some forms of awareness come from self consciousness through knowledge of “who” you are, where you are and where you are going? There must be a sense of knowing, direction and understanding of vision or goals to actively act in life. Most people don’t know who they are. And they don’t know that they don’t know. Some hang in the shadow of others; some are trapped in their challenges, caught in the web of thinking on what they do not have, rather than appreciating what they do have then taking action towards significance. If you want to be successful always see and appreciate what you have more than what you don’t have. Then use what you have to reach what you want. Think on how to improve upon what you already have, while at the same time look out for more opportunities to work and get what want. To be able to act; you must see the future more than the present. Live in the future today, live the future now! Think it, drink it and breathe it! Go there more often in your meditations, prayers, thoughts, conversations and actions.

4. The law of permission states that: in other to be significant, always look out for significant people or those who have potentials to be significant to come into your life. You must permit greatness to come into your life before you can be great. In the course of relating with people no one can hurt me without my express permission. Although accidents do occur, most hurts from mean men, most disappointments happened by permission. It happens when we want to force a leopard to change its skins. No one can disappoint me, or break my heart without my negligence, ignorance and carelessness. I gave the people who hurt, defraud and abused me in the past, the permission to come into my life. I seduced some; I invited some others; that was why they were able to do what they did to me. Whatever you permit, you cannot complain about. If you are to fully use this law to your own advantage, you must understand how it works, that in the course of relating with people, your first impression counts, your instinct matter. Your perception, sensitivity, all comes to play to distinguish significant people from insignificant people on sight or after each encounter. Although, your assessments mean tactfulness but not to become paranoid. When you abuse access given; you will be kicked out. You will lose the privilege to continue with the nobles. Hanging with great people means self comportment. Playing by certain rules that they set down.

5. The law of leadership is the same thing as the principles of men building. People are carriers of the visionaries and their visions. No vision gets accomplished without people. When people’s capacities are not built; they remained liabilities. We cannot neglect this law if we must attain significance because our significance is measured in the context of people. What is the origin of leadership? Leadership does not arise from having read books; it comes as a result of what people see in the leader; the charisma, influence that are worth emulating. It is being able to work on one’self; the ability to lead one’s life firstly. It is embracing discipline, sacrifice, as indispensables requirements of leadership. One must basically brand one self in order to attract people as followers.

6. The Law of loyalty is being faithful to the organization, her core values and more. The employee that refuses to stay loyal gets in the black book of the employer and is kicked out. Loyalty makes us win the heart of the leader, who then certify, confirms us into the league of greatness with him/her. The spirit of fanaticism is required for loyalty to be maintained. The word fanaticism means passion. The dedication, devotion of follower-ship to the cause of the leader that makes the follower wins the heart of the master. in such a way that access is earned , permission is granted for follower to freely associate with the leader beyond the normal region of Boss to employee, superior to subject relationship. The way the subject climbs into the circle of influence of his master. A follower commands the blessing, favor of the master such that mentoring from the heart occurs. Impartation of the same kind of spirit extends to such follower in the process. By following though the processes involved, he becomes an authority. It takes loyalty to stay with process. Significance is a game of process. Somehow people’s patience gets wane, passions diminish in the process and compromises occur.

7. The law of exchange states that value must be offered for value you to be able to attain significance. What do you have? What do you seek? What you have is a key to getting what you want. You give something significant; which you have to get or gain something significant that you don’t have. Sometimes life entails trade by barter. You must be able to trade in values. Exchanging value for values is the currency of this world.

8. The law of uncommon sacrifice states that by giving much more value, by offering more solution, substance to an organization, a cause, a leader separates the follower from the lot. The value offered than the rest of the people on the same pedestal in the organization makes that particular follower rise more than the rest of the team. Some believe in lobbying, those who can give additional substance, offer extraordinary value to their organization don’t need to lobby. They automatically get promoted.

9. The law of specialty is the staying with one thing, getting focused to a particular vision. It is this specificity of purpose. It’s this branding of one’s image, idea, business as different from the whole lot; that get attention from people faster. This law is the same thing as the principle of consistency. It is staying in one thing for a long period of time until we can become an authority in it. People must know where to find you and define specifically what you do.

10. The law of flexibility states that being adaptable to life circumstances, as soon as possible and not waiting till situations change but getting changed for things to change. If a man cannot change a situation, the best thing is to change his own self. This dogma is the same as diversification. Adaptability for survival is a key to significance.

11. The law of timing – the ability to sense the right time for every intention, idea, and right action then move to execute accordingly. This is what all of life is all about. Understanding timing, maximizing time and seasons. They are basic order through which we live our lives. We are influenced and affected by time. We only have time to trade for money and no one can buy it back once it is lost. Time must be invested in noble cause for significance to happen. The value of life is measured in significance not in the time spent. The value of significance is partly measured in time.

12. The law of intentional alliance states that we must seek to be associated with greatness in other to become great. We can only be wise by associating with the wise. Since, it is easier for people, things to naturally sort out after their kinds. Water easily finds it own level, we must deliberately associate with significant people to become like them. This will require paying every price possible to be a part of greatness. This was one of the reasons why kings of old pay tributes to higher authorities. Weaker kings pay tributes to stronger ones. It’s an olden day principle in which kingdoms pay obeisance to another greater king or kingdom. They are under the provincial rule of the kingdom they pay tribute to, and as such they are protected by that kingdom. They are accorded respect based on the kingdom they are associated with. Some may call this law unnecessary and untrue concerning greatness, based on the fact that it promotes dependence but a cursory look shows, we cannot all be powerful at once. There are other people whose help will become so needed by us. It therefore reasonable to state that: in becoming great, we should look out for such “Bigguns”, give something to them in form of gifts and establish a true “commensalisms” relationship. Attach to greater personalities whose influence and power can project some respect and acceptance for you till you can be strong enough to stand recognizable too. This principle of synergy is in form of amalgamation, inclusion, assimilation of individual, teams, people, unto your side. This is the art of winning people over. It is acquiring smaller businesses. Merging your business. Negotiating with stronger people to become powerful. To capture the market and take over business opportunities by combining with highly effective people. It is looking out for people who have greater productive capacities. It is to achieve more through their incorporation. It is to use the principles of negotiation; the ability to know how to make deals with greater and ordinary people alike. It is merging to get to where you want to be, especially when you don’t have adequate resources. It’s paying your way through the art of making deals. Whenever you can’t win them all; when you cannot get it done alone; when your own way is strongly opposed, and you can’t totally change others’ perspective. This law will get you out to somewhere further than being static. You would have moved rather than resigning to inaction and being nobody.

13. The last law is the law of ending well states that your exit will be remembered much longer than your entry. The end of a thing is better than the beginning thereof! How you end really count than how you start. You will be remembered longer for what door you shut than those doors you opened. You will be judged more based on the problems you created than the ones you solved. To end well you have to see ahead. Where you have been is not as half important as where you can be! Where you are presently can be a limitation if you keep looking backwards and relishing old achievements instead of thinking on how you aspire to greater heights. What you have done is good but it is not as important as what you can still achieve. Where you will reach, if you move on, is what can prove your hunger for significance? Decide to settle for the less and you cannot aspire and attain significance. The status quo may be convenient but every man that sees a greater end will strive towards it! He will work tirelessly and attain it. I have observed that anytime a man exhaust himself on a particular plain, another level of opportunity will open up, on other plains. It could be in form of a link from previous phase that was well-handled. Always try to end whatever you begin, and try as much as possible to end it well.