fabiochiu/medium-articles huggingface dataset:
Destruction Of Coral Reefs and The Impact Around Us
Tags: Marine, Environmental Impact, Coral Reefs, Marine Life, Environmental Issues

In a world full of phones, social media, and social issues, many forget the environmental issues right in front of them. Today the modern person is stuck on their phones obsessing about how they look and their immediate issues like where they should eat and what they should buy; not realizing their impact on the coral reef. Yes, something so small and what some say is so insignificant plays a major role in the overall future of not just the waters they live in but the countries they surround and the marine life that inhabits them.

Coral reefs make up less than 1 percent of the earth’s surface but do so much with just that 1 percent. It is used as a habitat for over 4,000 species of fish. This means that around 20–25 percent of fish live in coral reefs. Coral reefs are also used as food and fishing grounds by humans and other animals. The reef not just benefits humans and animals, but also protects the coast from land erosion.

So what is the issue? These incredible reefs are disappearing at rapid rates. The threats to the reefs are mostly due to human interactions. In the past 20 years, there has been an increase in four major threats to these incredible plants; overfishing, pollution, over-harvesting, and direct wasteful destruction from humans. Some common wasteful practices humans are doing to coral reefs are coastal developments, recreational misuses, and destructive fishing practices. These are just some threats coral reefs and the animals who use them are facing. The list could go on and on.

Is there any hope for the coral reef? Scientists and marine biologists say YES, but whether humans will see the issue and take action is another question that remains to be unknown. What is something you can do to help not just the ocean but the world around us? According to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, there are some major ways to help save the coral reefs even without a degree.

Choosing Sustainable seafood

Volunteering at local beaches and water sources to clean up trash

Conserve water

practicing safe boating

Don’t send chemicals into waterways

Picking up trash in the waters and environment around you

AND SO MUCH MORE

Do your part, help save these magnificent creations and the world around us before it is too late. Though they are not gone yet studies show that in 2050 over 90% of the world’s coral reefs will be gone because of causes that could have been prevented. This means fewer fish, land, food, and even an impact on the economy. Losing the coral reefs will affect more than most people could ever Imagen. Will you help make a difference or sit aside as they fade away from the world forever?
What is Beauty….?
By: Richard Bailey
Tags: Beauty, Philosophy, Pigeons, Questions, Environmental Issues

Who defines beauty?

The question of ‘what is beauty has had a place in Western philosophy since the time of the Greek philosophers and to paraphrase Plato, ‘Beauty is in the eye of the beholder’.

In ‘day to day’ art and nature then yes, beauty can be said to be in the eye of the beholder, and this can be for a multitude of reasons.

Every individual will have a different predisposition of what is beautiful, their opinions and judgements on what is beautiful will be governed by past experiences, background thoughts, cultural identities and beliefs, so much so that the definition of beauty can only ever be subjective.

A mathematician can find beauty in algebra, an artist in a particular piece of artwork, a sportsman in the swing of Tiger Woods or the leap of Michael Jordan, an author in the prose of Thomas Hardy, a gardener in the smell, colour and feel of a rose in full bloom or a newly dug up carrot.

We can of course also have something that is beautiful and ugly at the same time.

‘Aesthetically ugly’ could be a word used to describe the English Carrier pigeon.

Its long neck and distinctive wattle have been developed over many years of selective breeding, to produce what during Victorian times was called ‘The King of Pigeons’.

Someone who had spent many years breeding these pigeons to produce a prize winning specimen, would certainly say that it was beautiful, whereas someone who had spent many years breeding an Indian fantail pigeon might argue that the carrier was ugly, whereas his fantail was undoubtedly beautiful.

We can argue at length over the merits of beauty, whether the person, animal, building, flower etc has order or symmetry or any other ‘guidelines’ for beauty, but there are times when perhaps the majority of us need to make an absolute decision on the ‘objective beauty’ of a certain thing or risk the chance of losing it.

If we introduce politics and money into the equation then at some stage wider society will have to come down hard and make a choice that asserts, for instance, that certain parts of a countries landscape are indeed beautiful and that property developers or logging and oil companies should not be allowed to build on, chop down or exploit.

If a property developer decides that a hotel and car park would look good next to Stonehenge, should we not be brave enough to stand up and argue that alongside it’s natural historical importance, it’s beauty lies in its location and the fields surrounding it and such a development should never be allowed.

The majority would also surely agree that the pristine and fragile arctic landscape and seas should not be sold off for oil exploration and drilling. In a last-ditch attempt to make good on promises to the oil and gas industry, the Trump administration is rushing to formalise plans to drill for oil in the Arctic national wildlife refuge before Joe Biden takes office.

What is beauty, is a philosophical question, that can never be answered, but can also be answered in a multitude of ways….. and at times HAS to be answered.
20 ideas for becoming a full-stack frugal company in 2021
By: Abhinav Agarwal
Tags: B Corp, Innovation, Corporate Culture, Sustainability, Frugal Innovation

Full Stack Development refers to the development of not only front-end (client side) but also back-end (server side) portions of the applications.

Chris Dixon, an american tech entrepreneur first defined “Full-stack startup” as a company which develops a technology that can provide the end customer with a complete product or service which handles the entire value chain of its activity.

The “Full-stack” approach implies extending the fundamental skills of the company beyond the traditional marketing, commercial and technological skills. Frichti a french startup is a wonderful example of a fullstack startup (full article here).

French startup Frichti,which grabbed $13.4 million in 2016, perfectly illustratesthe concept of a Full-stack platform. Its economic model relies on the integrating the entire value chain within the platform, from cooking to the delivery process. “We are a restaurant, we do eCommerce and are offering logistics at the same time. We integrate the entire value chain, which enables us to better control our costs and prices,” said Julia Bijaoui, co-founder of Frichti on French television. It’s also a state of mind: we can see Frichti as a food delivery company but its co-founders primarily see it as a tech company. It’s the perfect example of how technology can solve an operational problem.

The Full Stack Frugal Company

Similarly a full-stack frugal company is a company that practices sustainability through it’s value chain while taking care of society and the planet through innovation.

A full-stack frugal company is resilient to economic shocks, social crisis and the technology tsunamis.

A full-stack frugal company is regenerative, it replenishes the earths natural ressources.

Why Frugal ?

A frugal innovation is a solution derived within acute constraints, through an ingenious combination of available, affordable and accessible resources for creating social, environmental and economic value. This is practiced in developing countries under ressources constraint. However this grassroot approach has a lot to teach to the developed countries, and here is how this approach could be personalised to SME and large corporations.

A full stack frugal company is thus an ecosystem of employees, partners, clients, shareholders, cities and the planet looking to create value by leveraging accessible ressources in a mutally beneficial way. Therefore identifying and understanding the components of the system are important to be able to identify innovation opportunities.

A system is a set of elements whose interconnections determine thier behaviour and the behaviour of the entire system.

In our non-linear world by fixating on the parts of a system, we miss understanding the whole system.

Tools, frameworks and approaches that could be used by a frugal company
Hierarchy of Creation
By: Anthony Obas
Tags: Employment, Corporate Culture, Development, Education, Leadership

Imagine having an amazing idea that help an organization propel to new heights. You have studied the works of other people, and you know your idea is just going to put them in the right direction. You collaborate with the right people to make this idea come true. What is stopping you from getting this idea approved or moving? The Gates of Creation

The Gates of Creation is a term that derives from the stage-gate process of product development. As you continue to develop a product or service to enter a new market, you have to go through a gate in order to access the next stage. The gates are 100% of the time people, and that can be a huge problem! Why?

There are some people who don’t have the qualification to be at these gates because they never successfully launched a product or service. They have always been a team member for someone else who is creative or they never took the risk of creating their own stuff. They just finesse the person they know to become the gatekeeper for these stages. However, they don’t realize how hurtful being that one-way minded gatekeeper can affect the progression of an individual or organization. They won’t let the idea pass if it isn’t done in their image. So what happens to the idea?

It just vanishes or the person continues without the gatekeeper in their life. Whatever decision the person does just know it’s for their sake and passion and no one else's. I write this memo for any creatives dealing with issues on getting their idea launched to a product or service. You can definitely get it off. Continue to find other creatives and entrepreneurs that see the vision. You will be successful. Fuck the gatekeepers who limit your abilities!
In Partnership with Reebok, DTLR Hosts Holiday Givebacks
By: Chandra Gore
Tags: Corporate Culture, Holidays, Community

DTLR has always been my store of choice in the DC Metro Area for new shoes and gear starting back when I moved to Alexandria, VA from South Carolina. DTLR stores were the epicenter of what was going on in the community with the local celebrities and in store giveaways on the radio with major artists coming and doing meet and greets.

I had a chance to ask DTLR about why the Holiday Givebacks are important and per Shawn Caesar, VP of Marketing , “As you know, DTLR is always active in the community. With so many people being affected by this year’s challenges, we know that the holidays can be extremely stressful. Many families simply do not have the means to do as much for the holidays and in knowing that, we have the responsibility to give back and be involved.”

The first two events were held in Chicago, IL and in North Carolina — The Final Stop will be in the Nation's Capitol Washington, DC on December 18, 2020.

Reebok and DTLR partnered with community organizations and plans to give away a total of (90) bicycles and bikes to boys and girls less fortunate this holiday season. The give back has takes place in three cities gifting (30) kids with a bicycle ranging from ages 5–14. This past Sunday, December 13th, Chicago kicked off the giveaway at DTLR Marshfield Plaza — 11730 S. Marshfield Ave. Chicago, IL 60643. Kids from Roseland Christian Shelter, CPS Schools Dubois and Carver were gifted with bikes. The next location was North Carolina on Wednesday December 16th.

In addition to the Holiday Giveback, DTLR has a Big Christmas Giveaway! As a part of this years’ Christmas campaign, DTLR is giving away prizes every day. Some of the prizes include PS5s, ATV, bikes, gift cards and more. For more information on how to participate visit us at www.DTLR.com

The DTLR & Reebok Holiday Giveback coincides with the release of Reebok’s latest sneaker Question Mid Street Sleigh which drops Friday, December 18th. It’s a red patent leather shoe inspired by the biker lifestyle. The shoe retails at $180. Sold at DTLR stores and on-line at www.dtlr.com

Chicago, IL DTLR Holiday Give back Event

About DTLR Inc.

DTLR is one of the country’s most successful lifestyle retailers with over 240 stores in 19 states. In fusing together our passion for fashion, entertainment, sports, and community empowerment, there is no doubt we run the streets. In the fall of 2017, DTLR Inc. joined forces with the lifestyle retailer Sneaker Villa Inc. to form one of the nation’s largest fashion chains. As we accelerate our growth, you can look forward to DTLR/VILLA continuing to bring you the hottest and latest fashions provided by top apparel and footwear brands like NIKE, JORDAN, ADIDAS, LEVIS, TIMBERLAND, UGG, NORTH FACE, CHAMPION, BILLIONAIRE BOYS CLUB, ETHIKA, PUMA, FILA, NEW ERA CAP and MITCHELL & NESS. Make no mistake: now, “Better Together,” we are the ONE STOP for young, trendsetting multicultural audiences. For more information, please visit www.DTLR.com

Follow DTLR IG: @dtlrlifestyle — Twitter: @DTLRVilla Website: www.DTLR.com
Why Corporate Professionals Don’t Accept They are Wrong
By: Ayesha Tariq
Tags: Work, Corporate Culture, Inspiration, Mistakes, Careers

Admitting a Mistake can Have Real Consequences

This is not the first time I’ve come across a professional refusing to accept that they may have been wrong and this certainly won’t be the last. The truth is, in the professional world admitting to being wrong about something is perceived as a sign of weakness. People think that saying that they may have been mistaken undermines their professional capabilities.

In the professional world, admitting to being wrong is perceived as a sign of weakness.

Still, we tend to trust a professional person’s judgement. So it doesn’t bode well for anyone if they’re wrong. Take a doctor for example, if he makes a mistake, he could be sued. Worse still, he could end up killing someone. So, as a rule, doctors never admit that they’ve made a mistake.

The truth is though, no one is infallible. So whether we admit it or not, we all make mistakes. I suppose what makes a difference is how you manage your mistakes. If a doctor is willfully negligent, then we really have a problem. But, if the doctor made a judgement call that could’ve gone either way, then it’s really no one’s fault.

You Have to Play the Blame Game…. Tactfully

This is by far the most popular game in the corporate world. Most of the time, the blame tends to get thrown around. I hate this and I would never blame another person for something that I was supposed to do. But, what I would always do is also cover for the people who were actually to blame. I learned the hard way that this doesn’t help anyone.

So instead of blaming people, I’ve learned to use a positive spin. If someone is holding up the process, and you can’t do anything about it, you can always tell your boss that the other department is working on it. Who, how long, when… it’s not your place to say.

I know this is vague and doesn’t help the bigger picture but, this is very much how the corporate world works. And if you’re not going to play by the rules, trust me you’ll get very hurt.

Don’t Make Excuses, but Learn How to Avoid an Answer

People love making excuses and deflecting questions. Some are just bold enough to completely deny ever having accepted an assignment at all.

In my earlier years, whenever I did make a mistake. I’d always say sorry. If I’d forgotten to do something, I wouldn’t make excuses. I’d say that it was my fault and get on it right away. But, then I began to realize that people didn’t see me as an honest person.

If you’re always admitting mistakes, that’s all people tend to see — your mistakes. And there’s nothing more thrilling than finding fault with someone. Remember one thing when you enter the corporate world, anything you say, can and will be held against you!

So I stopped raising my hand every time I made a mistake. No, I didn’t lie or even hide the truth. I just managed to make the situation go away. If I’d forgotten to do something, I’d simply say: it should be done by tomorrow. This always gave the other person the feeling that I’m working on it and I’ve even given them a deadline.
Now I understand how so many company interdepartmental silos are created.
By: Dasean Barnes
Tags: Corporate Culture, Leadership

Now I understand how so many company interdepartmental silos are created. I used to find myself in situations where teams like sales and creative were always at odds and even sabotaged each other’s work just to appear superior than the other and gain the leaders trust. This goes beyond just corp and political leadership, I see it in multiple child parenting styles and even with my family members trying to appease the head of the family who is NOT humble.

Humble leadership is key! *10,000 claps*
Toxic work culture
By: Pint Salt
Tags: Startup, Corporate Culture, Work

When employees fight between them for wrong reasons, or there is competition for wrong thing or smart people stop providing feedback- that’s a signal of a toxic culture. It stops people to enjoy work and put out their best. Work is extremely transaction at that point and it would be impossible to get some good output from this kind of team. If I have a chance to lead a team, I will remember to -

Give people the space to think, say and express loudly

Trust people and build relationships

Solve their problems so that they solve mine

Appreciate their good works

Be respectful on providing feedback

Never be an asshole

Provide monetary and ornamental awards for good works

Manage team with compassion

Never react. Always interact
Honey, how do I ‘boost my immunity’?
By: Iqbal Singh
Tags: Covid 19, Corporate Culture, Immunity Boosters, Health

Are you among those losing sleep over being betrayed by Dabur in fortifying your immune shield? Or are you part of the group that never bothered with home remedies and feel vindicated by the CSE ‘honeytrap’? Let me help you: it does not matter.

Sure, selling something by claiming what it isn’t goes against basic human and business principles. But losing sleep over sugar-syrup-laden honey is missing the wood for the trees. Or, in corporate terms, it is like claiming credit for a business deal where you changed the font style of a footnote in one of the appendix slides.

Extraordinary claims demand extraordinary diligence

If there is one takeout you must have, it is this: our immune system is far too complicated to be influenced by the sticky hands of one food item. Also, any time someone tells you something ‘boosts your immune system’, be cautious. Not suspicious of its composition, but cautious like you would of someone promising to double your investment when the prime lending rate is, say, 15%. It will help you appreciate both these points if I took you on a brief tour of our immune system.
5 Regras que me ajudam e podem ajudar você a se comunicar melhor
By: Frederico Costa
Tags: Jobs, Corporate Culture, Relações Interpessoais, Comunicação, Listening

Afro-Latino gay guy from Brazil. Call me Fred! How are you? I’m a proud gay man living around Philly. Find more content at brazilian-ish.com. 🦩
Why I liked Cyberpunk 2077, and why it is the end of a genre
Tags: Cyberpunk, Writing, Corporate Culture, Review

No spoilers

After spending quite a few hours in the world of Cyberpunk 2077, and a couple hours reading through the world of responses it has created online I am left with two inescapable feelings: The game is good, and it heralds the last gasp of cyberpunk as a genre. Not just because its doubtful that another piece of media in this vein will match it in terms of production — the game is as close to an action movie I’ve ever played, and a damn engaging one at that. Its because the game is just an action movie. There's nothing else there.

Modern cyberpunk is reading a warning sign after shoving your hand into a garbage disposal. Its an aesthetic we can wrap around a story because it no longer has anything else to give us besides that. It is a parody of our world that falls flat for the same reason that shows like SNL can’t wring a drop of humor out of say, Rudy Giuliani farting and making a crazy person rant in court — you can’t match the absurdity of that situation and trying to only reveals how sad it is. In the game, you see a political commercial supposed to be outlandish showing a politician shooting a bill, but that has become old hat in the US. Corporations making somber ads to sell us on how hard they’re eventually going to work on fixing the problems they’ve created is part of a regular news cycle every disaster. The worst has already come to pass, and we’ve accepted it.

There is no longer an imagined future, just a cynical retelling of where we are right now.

In the end, the most “cyberpunk” thing about the game is the product itself — a multimillion dollar corporate product that promised to let people escape the world and faces backlash from people who expected that and were let down. There is no escape. But the hype cycle we saw with this game will soon start all over again at the next promise of escape, of something bigger than life, something that will change you. Fill the void.

We no longer need a genre to tell us about a possible future when that future is already here. Like the game itself I am left feeling cynical and sad, with not even imagination left, just the desire to escape.
Christmas Wishes For Boss
By: Wishes Log
Tags: Boss, Corporate Culture, Christmas, Wishes

Most of us spend a lot of time with our bosses, and Christmas is the perfect time to let them know how much we appreciate the inspiration and guidance they have provided throughout the year.

May you never lack joy in your world, beginning from this Christmas! Have yourself a truly fabulous Christmas celebration.
Corporate Aggression 101
By: Wouter Van Der Houven
Tags: Corporate Culture, Consulting, Communication

Giving you the tools to be a tool and still act professional.

Have you ever had someone at work send you an email, saying something seemingly nice, but underneath all that kindness it was just saying you did a shitty job?

Over time, I’ve seen people tend to use a lot of corporate lingo to mask their outbursts and hide their shame, all while making it look as professional as possible.

I’ve gathered some of them here for your amusement, and my own of course. Please use them with discretion. Your co-workers have feelings too.

Feel free to jump in if I have missed any.

We will start off at some of the most benign ones, which are most of the times just a call for help.

“Feel free to jump in.”: Help me! I have no clue what I’m talking about. “Keep me honest here.”: I know I am right, but just in case I’m not, you are also responsible now. “Maybe you can speak to this from your perspective?”: I don’t know what else to say so I’ll just throw you under the bus instead.

There is also a category of more passive aggressive statements used to let you know you are talking absolute garbage, but in a nicer way.

“So just to clarify.”: What you said made no sense, so I will just repeat what you said and hope I understood correctly. “I’m a little confused.”: What you said makes no sense. “Help me understand.”: Everything you said up to this point has been wildly incoherent. “Correct me if I’m wrong.”: Let me drop some facts on you. “Does that make sense?”: At this point I’m doubting you speak the same language. “Thank you for your valuable input.”: I have just wasted my time listening to this.

Then there are ways to let people know you have no desire to be in this meeting.

“Who organised this meeting?”: I got dragged into this meeting. “What is the purpose of this meeting?”: Give me one good reason not to leave. “I have a hard stop.”: The first chance I get I am bailing out of this meeting. “Whenever you’re ready.”: I am waiting and you are wasting my time.

Then there is also those situations where the discussion is not going the way you planned.

“Let’s take a step back.”: This does not solve the problem at all. “Let’s circle back on that.”: What you just said made no sense, let’s just ignore what you said. “Let’s not reinvent the wheel.”: My solution is better and I’m going to ignore yours. “Let’s take this offline.”: I’m going to need to explain you this after the meeting, with crayons…

And of course we can not leave out the absolute classic of telling someone they need to learn to read.

“As per my previous email,”: This has been mentioned. Learn to read, you illiterate goon.
I Work On An All-Black Team and I’ve Never Felt More Accomplished
By: James Woods
Tags: Corporate Culture, Work, Culture, Race Relations, Race

When I started my new job it was completely virtual. I had no idea what anyone looked like or how they had perceived me based on body language. It was not until the third day into the job when we all showed our faces on camera that I realized the team was all-black. I was finally having my Molly moment. I could feel the veil being lifted from me and for once I felt seen and appreciated. That wasn’t fully understood until a month into the job.

In June 2020, just one month in, I saw as the United States was protesting police brutality. Normally I would have kept my opinions to myself so I could avoid any controversy at work, but I was shocked to see as my Team Lead brought it up during one of our daily stand-ups. We proceeded to have an earnest conversation about what was going on, how we felt, and what steps we wanted to take for the betterment of our community.

These are conversations that I would not have in my previous jobs. The idea of making white people uncomfortable with necessary discussions always made me avoid them. But now I was in a work environment where I had shared frustrations with my coworkers who were just as scared, upset, and hurt as I was. I felt seen, heard, and validated.

I found myself wanting to work and prove myself more. A lot of that can be attested to the fact that my manager was trusting of our team and gave words of affirmation, but I also felt motivated because I felt like my skill set was being seen for what it was. At other jobs, I felt like I was proving myself as the Black person that could do it whereas being on an all-Black team eliminated the need to dwell on the color of my skin. We were all Black and because of such, we could now let our actual skillsets shine and excel.
How Writing 400 Cards A Week By-Hand Helped Me To Move Out Of My Pit Of Hell
By: Jo Ann Harris
Tags: Working From Home, Writing, Pain, Corporate Culture, Working Moms

Comical Bullsh*t.

They got very critical of my handwriting even though I had been writing that way for over eight to nine months “they wanted me to change my handwriting.” They would say such things as, “Slow down, you write too fast.” or “Change your font size.” (WHAT?) Such comical bullsh*t was occurring. It would get worse and worse each week, but I still made my quota and made my pay.

The number of mistakes I ever made in each weekly batch was four but usually less. And the four mistakes were subtracted from that weekly pay totaling about $1.36. So serious!

I took their comments with a grain of salt. Each week the criticism got worse and worse. I was making whatever changes they wanted; I was cooperating, but it was never enough or never perfect enough for them. They were getting so wrapped up in the triviality it became unreal, and I was not going to suffer from it anymore.

Finally, after giving it a year of the “ol’ college try” I returned their box for the week and received the usual pay check and never went back again. The funny thing is no one ever noticed or asked if I was returning or what was going on. Weird! There was never a call, text, or email. It was as if I didn’t exist.

At the beginning of the new year they moved on down the road a bit and it would have been more difficult to get there as my car was not in good shape so the confusion of the move may have had something to do with it. You never know!

I would name this company except they have great prices for animal products and their delivery service is top-notch so I won’t. But their reviews from past employees are rather bleak and bad. What’s more important; making money, customer service, or employee happiness?
Gifting in 2020 — To Do Or Not To Do?
By: Leena Munot
Tags: Corporate Gifts Suppliers, Gifting Ideas, Corporate Culture, Corporate Gifts, Gifts

As we approach the end of the year, it is a time when organizations are looking at closing the year on a happy note. They are looking for ways to appreciate their teams and clients. It is a great time to show gratitude to the people we are closely related with either by blood or by business associations. If you have a good customer base for your business, there would never be a better time of appreciating them than now!

We all understand that different businesses around the world have been affected by the Corona Virus pandemic. Therefore, not many companies are planning to send corporate gift hampers to their employees and loyal customers and investors. For the few who will still have something small to show their appreciation will be highly regarded.

Many of the customized Corporate Gifts in Bangalore are very affordable and hence, they will not affect your finances in a major way. As a matter of fact, the returns you get will be much higher than the money you spend in buying the gifts. At the same time, we are not doing this to earn profit but rather to let our clients know we appreciate their continued support.

How Much Does A Gift Hamper Cost?

There is no set amount that you can spend when sending corporate gifts in Bangalore. There are different packages and it highly depends on your preference and your budget. It is also very important to make sure you understand what the recipient would expect from you. If the corporate gift hampers are meant for your employees also, choose wisely.

How to meet expectations?

Although it is not for them to choose what exactly you will send to them, it is important to meet their expectation. This means, if possible, have a friendly relationship with your employees. Understand the way they think and where they have placed you as a boss. Then convey the same information to your corporate gift hampers supplier so then can advise you accordingly.

Think long term, think wise

Never allow your budget for corporate gifts be so high that it makes you uncomfortable. Think long term. Choose a number that you can maintain every year, so there is consistency in your gifting pattern. Although gifting a friend or colleague is a matter of choice, it should not be above what you can afford. Let it be something that is of value to them and one that will also give you the pride of making the recipient smile.

The good thing about a gift is that you can present it at any time of day whether there is an occasion or not. Furthermore, it is all about making someone you care about feel loved and appreciated!

Leena Munot

Co-founder

The Giving Tree

www.thegivingtree.in
Except for Trump.
By: William J Spirdione
Tags: Retail, Corporate Culture, Health, Labor, Sleep

I will not be told what to think. It can be explained to me.
Passions Aren’t Always All-Consuming and That’s Okay
Tags: Passion, Multipotentialite, Innovation, Corporate Culture, Balanced Life

Photo by Steve Johnson on Unsplash

We’re all balancing many needs in our lives: food, shelter, connection, success, freedom, passion etc. Some people risk some needs to prioritize others while others take a more balanced path. Neither path is right or wrong. Everyone has different responsibilities, support systems, and desires. We are all capable of greatness and our road to get there becomes much smoother when they are respected.

Yet, the romanticization of all-consuming passion leads investors, mentors, sponsors etc. to bet on those willing to put all their eggs in one basket, even if spreading them out is a probabilistically stronger strategy. People with multidimensional lives bring strengths to the table that their one-dimensional counterparts might not like experience balancing competing priorities, diverse perspectives, and respect for other roles. One-dimensional is just another influential person stereotype like male or white with no correlation to potential.

Transformative ideas often combine knowledge from disparate realms like 3D printing and organ transplants or computer vision and transportation. Though few are familiar with Da Vinci’s engineering inventions or Copernicus’ medical practice, there’s no doubt that these endeavors contributed inspiration and perspective to their hallmark works. Yet our siloed culture boxes in even these literal Renaissance men according to their best known accomplishments.

Predicting the impact of a multifaceted life in the outside world is harder than that of a siloed one, which explains the corporate world’s preference for the latter. This preference comes at a cost of dividing the world into narrow-minded, supremacist echo chambers. A sustainable society needs to nurture not only the bricks in its foundation but also the mortar that holds them together.

Call to action: How do you connect different worlds? How can you strengthen these connections or build new ones?
You Don’t Need To Work Harder, You Need To Be More Excited About Work.
By: Jocelyne Msigwa
Tags: Corporate Culture, Leadership, Work Life Balance

“You always have energy Jocelyne”

This has been a compliment and sometimes a critic whenever I meet someone new!

Why really do I have such energy? 😂

How do I have all this energy? I even wonder why!

In the following paragraphs, I have tried to articulate why I do everything with energy and how it affects my effectiveness and the people around me. But here is a favorite quote to begin with,

How can you move faster than possible? Fight longer than possible? without the most powerful impulse: the fear of death.

Dk. Myles Munroe speaks about how mankind is powerless before death. However, the only way we can cheat death is by living a life of significance, impact, and purpose. Only then, will we have cheated death!

The people who go furthest in life are excited about something. Being excited allows you to do your work with energy like no other. And energy gets things done!

You just cannot go about your day to day whereabouts like a sloth! (No offense)

Source: Tenor

How you approach work begins way before you start working. It begins with your why. Why are you doing it in the first place?

If you do not like what you are doing, but you have to do it for the money, then it is not the end. You have to learn to find excitement in what you do.

Myles Munroe says if your why is powerful enough, you will always find a possible how!

Sometimes you will have to look hard. But if you look hard enough, you will eventually find it. Find what is most exciting about your work.

And once you do. Hold onto it. Cling to it. because you will need it when things get tough

When you look for what entices you, your perspective and attitude will dramatically change as you approach your daily responsibilities.

You will grow to love what you do. You will want to face what challenges you the most. And more importantly, you will do your work with more energy.

It won’t feel like drudgery, it will be something you look forward to.
Round hole, square peg- or am I tripping?
Tags: Corporate Culture, Work, Entrepreneurship, Millennials, Black Women

Round hole, square peg- or am I tripping?

Well, I am writing for the second time. I was about to remark, “Cool, they can see me questioning my life yet again” but we’ll wait till the eighth post to knight myself with such an honor.

Lately, I’ve been feeling real square peg. I log into my work computer and after a few Zoom meetings, blocking my calendar to actually think, and answering questions that already have answers, I wonder what am I giving my energy to? Is the right fit for me? Does this organization see me as I see me? Should I engage in corporate achievements (a.k.a promotions) since I’m here?

In the 6th grade, my teacher, Mr. Alcorn, would repeatedly tell the class “Time is money and money is time.” He even had fake one dollar bills posted around the clock. He claimed that a few times a year he replaced them with real dollars to see if we were paying attention. We never noticed, probably because we were focused on the clock and when the class was going to end.

Time is money and money is time. So, if I’m spending my time at work, I should try my hardest to make moves to the most money, right? And if you’re thinking what about fulfillment and value, I dare to think you’re in the wrong chat. Kidding. Maybe. Because I think my truest fulfillment will come when I am executing on all the ideas floating around in my head. However, I don’t disagree that there is intermediate fulfillment. Be my best self in my current situation to bring that self to the next step. It makes sense but it’s a bit tiring when you feel disconnected to your current self and every day I feel more square and the hole gets rounder. Not only was a misfit from my gender and race but then to not believe the corporate world is the end all be all, I’m laying the square on heavy.

But- I’m sure I’ll figure it out soon. Because time is money, fulfillment, value, purpose, dreams, and roundness.
The Chief of Staff — A Hack for Corporate Leaders
By: Yael Nagler
Tags: Corporate Culture, Cybersecurity, Chief Of Staff, Leadership, Executive Coaching

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels

There are a few different flavors of “Chief of Staff” that have a clear value proposition and yet manifest differently. They may already exist in your organization and are cloaked under different titles such as: program manager, Chief of Staff, COO, Deputy, CAO.

The below list of different ‘flavors’ of CoS is based on my first hand experience and research (yes, research) into this evolving role:

1. GSD (Get Sh*t Done) — This person is the best friggin’ executer in the universe and yet people still like them when it’s done)

2. Front Man — They can deal with all the people and they like it and god bless them. And they’re good at it too.

3. Successor — A serious incident is happening, this person could run it equally as well across all fronts as me. Or close. And when I leave they should take over)

4. Business Manager — Can someone please do the budgets and the recruiting and the vendor management and the legal contract reviews and the QBRs and OKRs and SBARs and Kanban boards and Jiras and my brain is exploding in business management terminology.

5. BBB (beers, brains, boards, behind the scenes). Pause.

This is the real deal chief of staff. This is the person you want to have beers with and debrief from the day with. It’s the person you would have family bbq with. They are the ones who you share brain power with. They are the person who fuels your geeky tank. Because they challenge you or inspire you or solve together with you. It just happens. And they know just what to say and how to say it to the boards and execs and regulators and whoever the f*ck else. Sometimes they do it. But sometimes they give me the winning words. This person:

Sees around the corner — they anticipate what is going to be needed. They know what you will be asked for, they understand timing and requests and risks, and people and corporate opportunities and responsibilities. Protects the person in charge from themselves — This person has your best interest in mind. It’s also why they are someone you can share honestly with and someone who you will listen to. They know you for your strengths and accept you for your challenges, and they fill in the gaps in a way that adds to your strength.

This is the person who doesn’t want your job because after all, they already have the best job in the world, they are a Chief of Staff.

Across each of those paradigms (regardless of how you may mix and match them), the most important traits of a good candidate are the same and seem to transcend corporate titles.

Chemistry + Commitment

Chemistry — You know it when you have it. But you may not know you don’t have it. Because things work.

Commitment — They are in it together with you. And you know when they aren’t in it, or when you aren’t in it, or when it’s ok to transition.
4 Important Traits of a Great CFO
By: Advia Consulting
Tags: Consulting, Financial Planning, Corporate Culture, CFO, Enterprise

A great Chief Financial Officer is crucial to the success of a business, but what makes a great CFO?

With a rapidly changing business environment that’s becoming more and more global, as well as advances in analytics technologies, a great CFO must possess a number of traits, beyond the obvious finance knowledge, to ensure they’re successful.

Integrity

First and foremost, a great finance chief must be honest and stand by what they believe. If the numbers suggest a course of action is taken, it’s important the CFO be able to stand behind it, whether it will be well received or not. The CFO is a guardian of everyone’s money and must be able to communicate both good and bad news when it arises. Strategic Vision

Like a chess player, a great CFO must be able to think ahead and envision multiple outcomes or paths to success. Looking at the bigger picture, the best finance chiefs help implement and execute business and finance strategies to evolve the business as a whole. Communication Skills

Communication is important to a lot of positions, but especially so when one often has to be the bearer of bad news. A great CFO is able to communicate the business’s finances both orally and in writing, as well as provide the necessary information to key personnel in an efficient and easy to understand way. Business Expertise and Knowledge of Operations

A great CFO isn’t just a numbers guy and needs to understand many of the business’s operations and procedures in order to help strategize and provide insight when problems arise. A great CFO should be willing to step out of their office and connect with all parts of the business.

A great CFO must be able to integrate into all parts of a company, rather than just being the budget guy. CFOs must possess leadership qualities and be able to adapt when things don’t go exactly as planned. A CFO who spends all their time in the office crunching numbers isn’t as valuable to a company as someone willing to dig in and connect with each department to get a better view of the big picture.
Changing culture of a team? A department? A company?
By: Igor Voller
Tags: People, Conflict, Corporate Culture, Cultural Conflict, Culture

Just imagine: as a manager you onboard a team that has culture totally different from what you are used to. And even more: you are confident that their culture is bad for business and you can prove it. Challenging, isn’t it?

And now imagine a greater challenge: your company acquires another company with its own history, traditions, corporate folklore and of course corporate culture. That of course does not match yours. And of course, at a glance you are confident that their culture is bad for business.

Which way to go? © Igor Voller

What you gonna do?

You may want to smash the “wrong” thing and replace it by the “right” one immediately but is it a right move? Will the benefit exceed the damage? And after all, if you tell people to stop thinking and see things one way and start doing the same in another one it will simply not work.

So what you gonna do?

Well, sticking with ‘The winner takes it all’ motto on your banner you may keep thinking that you are right and they are wrong. But are you sure that your culture will be good for business in their case? Especially if they are doing not exactly the same business and/or they do it in another country with local legislation and labor market specifics.

Again, what you gonna do?

Let’s start with some questions.

1. Explore the landscape

a. How strongly is their corporate culture affected by country/market specifics?

b. Do all companies in the same country/market have the same culture?

c. Are the companies that have different culture that looks better to you (if the are any of course) successful in what they are doing?

2. Now when you have a better view on the environment try to understand

a. If you implement your culture ‘as is’ in that country/market, will it be still efficient and successful?

b. What elements of their culture does make sense to keep or maybe even borrow?

c. What key elements of your culture will be non-harmful, efficient and easy to implement?

d. And finally: what new state will be acceptable for you, business wise?

3. You have a target picture in your mind now

a. What do you need to have to start moving in that direction?

b. What challenges will you need to overcome?

c. How much space to maneuver do you have?

d. How much time do you have?

And now when you got your own answers to those questions does the challenge look more doable?
De la transformación digital a la transformación empresarial
By: Asociación Española De La Economía Digital
Tags: B Corp, Corporate Culture, Transformación Digital, Cultura Empresarial, Spanish

Learn more. Medium is an open platform where 170 million readers come to find insightful and dynamic thinking. Here, expert and undiscovered voices alike dive into the heart of any topic and bring new ideas to the surface. Learn more

Make Medium yours. Follow the writers, publications, and topics that matter to you, and you’ll see them on your homepage and in your inbox. Explore
BISNIS KONSULTAN DALAM PERSPEKTIF BISNIS KONSULTAN ASING DI INDONESIA
By: Achmad Soheh
Tags: Consulting, Marketing, CRM, Corporate Culture, Business

I have skills in the field of work related to writing. Together with Medium.com I want to develop my skills