Here is my 2009 top 5:

Passion 35%

Creativity 25%

Initiative 20%

Intellect 15%

Obedience 0%

Baseline 0% is the time spent following the rules.

Then comes the days spent trying to be smart. Next up is the Time spent waiting to be told.

The #2 is the time spent saying stupid things.

At the top lies passion and the effort of turning intent into accomplishment.

Corporate and Nation States are no longer responsible for us. The new Welfare is designed by IKEA. It comes in flat packs, with no assembly instructions.

Yet, I’m hopeful that people will see the power of being responsible of their professional lives. I’m hopeful because I’m in charge of Myself Inc. as President and CEO. I’m hopeful because I love the business at its best, and I’m hopeful we will continue to find genuine pleasure in pursuing mastery with originality, getting through the complexity of our lives.

Happy new year!

In 1999, Pope John Paul II, launched the CD ‘Abbà Pater’ on which… he raps. In the same year an amendment to the Chinese constitution says that “Private business is an important component of the country’s socialist market economy“.

Business is like a stage where we all play roles. But instead of traditional action, we play in improvised theatres. Without a script nor a director, the audience is joining the actors, asking for leading roles.

Every role is vacant. The horror theatre is open, fantastic and frightening. As our business is driven by uncertainty and fear, what is pushing us at the speed of light?

Gillette and Wilkinson keep adding more blades to razors. “Razor and blade” business model works by selling an initial “master” product at a loss (razor), while making profit with “consumables” (blades).

Gillette won a patent for its double edge razor in 1904, another for the double-blade in 1971, before the three-blades in 1998. Now Gillette sells five blades, rear blade and battery power razors. Trends indicate Gillette will ‘invent’ an eight blades razor in 2015. Because Gillette acquired Duracell, it put batteries into razors, another consumable product within the master product. Wilkinson acquired by Energizer did the same.

I’m missing the benefit of such product, as I don’t find them much comfortable. Gillette recently became supplier of Oral-B. I’m afraid they will embed a toothbrush as well in the future. What worries me more, is that Wilkinson also markets tools for Circumcision for medical suppliers…

Marketers are individuals that take energy from life and well being.

Paula Radcliffe trained 250 km per week jumping into ice bath after running, before failing to win the Olympics marathon in 2004. Trying to rationalize her excellence-misfortune, she said that life is about juggling five balls in the air. Health, Family, Friends, Integrity and Career. Career ball is made of rubber, and you can take more risk with it. The others are more fragile. You may throw the career ball higher because if you drop it, it will bounce back. The other four may shatter.

I’m  throwing high the career ball and move to EnginSoft, today. I keep on caring of the other four.

Motoring shows on the TV rarely give negative reviews of a car. The first I’ve ever seen was referred to a Chinese SUV, the JiangLing Landwind.

Also the Times was quite negative: ”…rated zero in safety tests, the most unsafe vehicle in 20 years of testing”.  A car not to buy then, though I remember the same things being said about Japanese cars during the eighties.

The Times also says that “JiangLing Landwind sold only 100.000 car in late 2006″. Only? It seems to me enough for western manufacturers to start worrying. And for motoring shows to review their reviews.

Although marketing gurus suggest to avoid doing business with friends, as it’s the easiest way to end a friendship, thousands of partnerships are created and run by friends.

25% of all European Small & Medium Enterprises are based in Italy, and despite what gurus say, most of them are friend run. Or better most of them are family run businesses. Take Barilla for example (a food company), who received the 9th annual “IMD – Family Business Award,” joining names like Lego, Henkel and  Zegna. Seems that family run businesses are more successful than friend run ones.

Maybe we should consider the following exception to the gurus advice: don’t start a business with a friend,  unless you’re planning to marry him/her.