Making A Diffrence - Teacher vs. CEO

WHAT TEACHERS MAKE

The dinner guests were sitting around the table discussing life.

One man, a CEO, decided to explain the problem with education. He argued, “What’s a kid going to learn from someone who decided his best option in life was to become a teacher?”

He reminded the other dinner guests what they say about teachers: “Those who can, do. Those who can’t, teach.”

To stress his point he said to another guest; “You’re a teacher, Bonnie. Be honest. What do you make?”

Bonnie, who had a reputation for honesty and frankness replied, “You want to know what I make? (She paused for a second, then began…)

“Well, I make kids work harder than they ever thought they could.

I make a C+ feel like the Congressional Medal of Honor.

I make kids sit through 40 minutes of class time when their parents can’t make them sit for 5 without an I Pod, Game Cube or movie rental.

You want to know what I make. ? (She paused again and looked at each and every person at the table.)

I make kids wonder.

I make them question.

I make them apologize and mean it.

I make them have respect and take responsibility for their actions.

I teach them to write and then I make them write. Keyboarding isn’t everything.

I make them read, read, read.

I make them show all their work in math. They use their God given brain, not the man-made calculator.

I make my students from other countries learn everything they need to know in English while preserving their unique cultural identity.

I make my classroom a place where all my students feel safe.

I make my students stand, placing their hand over their heart to say the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag, One Nation Under God, because we live in the United States of America.

Finally, I make them understand that if they use the gifts they were given, work hard, and follow their hearts, they can succeed in life.

(Bonnie paused one last time and then continued.)

“Then, when people try to judge me by what I make, with me knowing money isn’t everything, I can hold my head up high and pay no attention because they are ignorant… You want to know what I make?

I MAKE A DIFFERENCE. What do you make Mr. CEO?”


His jaw dropped and he was silent.

The First 20 Hours - How to Learn Anything: Josh Kaufman

Forget the "10,000 hour rule"

what if it’s possible to learn any new skill in 20 hours or less?

In The First 20 Hours video, Josh Kaufman offers a systematic approach to rapid skill acquisition: how to learn any new skill as quickly as possible. His method shows you how to deconstruct complex skills, maximize productive practice, and remove common learning barriers. By completing just 20 hours of focused, deliberate practice you'll go from knowing absolutely nothing to performing noticeably well.



1. What do you want to learn?
Just to reinforce the purpose of this post, that you can acquire and master skill quickly, I'll add what Tim Ferriss has said too below.


2. What do you want to start to learn today?

Interesting Campaign Video - Reverse Psychology?

I don't like smoking, period. Exclamation mark. If i go out on a date and if she happen to smoke. That is it, major turn off. Total irreversible turn off, however charming personality she may have.

The Ogilvy's Anti-Smoking ad campaign in India is very interesting from concept  and execution point of view. But when it comes to most commercially motivated anti [ Something ] campaigns i've my own reservation about the whole thing, they won't achieve the desired result. Instead they accomplish the opposite 

For example: The ad that says "Don't by this Jacket"  made Patagonia 40% increase in sales.  This must be a good example of reverse psychology in advertising campaign. Read the email that they sent on Cyber Monday

The Dignified Man - A Manifesto

ROI of Effective Dwarfs The ROI of Creative

I've learned the "ROI of effective" dwarfs the "ROI of creative".


Creativity: I've been struggling with this for a long time in my entrepreneurial life. Almost always i try to be creative(or you could say ultra-creative) But in the process i sabotage myself from moving forward and executing things ASAP because i could not quench my creative thirst on projects.

 Effective: knowing what i know now "creativity is over rated" so main focus (80%) will be devoted to effectiveness. I've learned the "ROI of effective" dwarfs the "ROI of creative".

 I chose the latter. I rest my case. Yours Truly.


PS. At FlyingCocoon | Social Media Agency We chose ‘effective Work’ over ‘creative work’.
 Effective - When the work explains what we do.
 Creative - When we have to explain the work. 

 P.P.S Action to be effective must be directed to clearly conceived ends. ~Jawaharlal Nehru

The Curious Case of Kony 2012 And Its Flaws.

So many thoughts are running in my head, i don't even know where to start? Ok, Since I'm an entrepreneur and  social media consultant, let me first talk about the social Media strategy part of Kony 2012 and then i will talk about my view on the behind scene-politics in the grand scheme of things. Its surprising how Kony video went viral 


First, Social Media:  Its a campaign that managed to steal the limelight from Apple’s iPad launch. It has achieved important mile stone in digital activism. It just showed us the glimpse of the future social media enabled activism and whats possible in hyper connected world. As a person heavily involved in social media marketing, i've  appreciated the quality of the work and the style of story telling in a way that engaged the viewer instantly. 


In general Kony 2012 movement across different social platforms  is truly inspirational for many in a context of social activism.  For years the governments has been at the top and the people at the bottom but now the tables have turned for almost a decade. After all we live in an age of wikileaks. WE have a say, and what we say matters--especially if our collective voice is loud enough.  Think about what else we could do with this social power!  Besides, this campaign is helping thousands and thousands of young people feel important and like they have made a difference--you can't steal that away from them. 


 And the clip has clear end goal: From marketing perspective i must say it's well executed piece of project. Hope to see more and more real world problem solving viral videos in near future.
In my perspective, i feel the video nailed the following points pretty well. We the social media strategists could learn from.


No1. Buy people's emoting by Appealing to their emotion.
No.2 Have a simple A-call-to-action for people to act up on.
No.3 Target Influencers to amplify the message and the cause.
No.4 Make people know the commitment has a dead line.


While runing  Hyderabad Twestival's social media campaign with friends to help a charity( Aashayein) that supports underprivileged children education, i know how difficult it is create awarness and make people part of it and act. But now because of Kony 2012 for once it actually feels good for people to participate in something this big. There is nothing wrong with trying to do a little good in this rotten world, and if we can unite people in doing it.






Secondly, lets talk the politics from behind scene
The short film narrates a story in the name of antagonist Kony, who represents or creates obstacles that the protagonist US-govt must kind of overcome in order to secure their oil from Uganda in a fictional way. Where is equally bad dictator government of Uganda, and the real voice of Ugandan people in the film? There is always danger in single side of story


Its True, Probably these three guys are doing much more than what you and me could articulate while sitting on the bean bags. But there are real isuses i feel i should bring to light for the viewers while i applaud the the effort of the social media strategy team behind Kony 2012. As an online & offline activists, Doing something may not always be the best option? We should act intelligently. Meaning we must know more than what was presented in a few minute clip.
Invisible Children  started a social media campaign to garner support and awareness of the LRA and Joseph Kony. The campaign focuses on the website that features a roughly 30 minute video and social sharing tools, and a plan for encouraging activism and bringing public awareness for the end goal of capturing Kony in 2012.


I'm against Joseph Kony, and also i'm  against the very point that this video is trying to make (Direct Military Intervention to catch Kony). It has long term political ramification on the people of in that country. I feel Its a slap on the face of Uganda's people. Thanks to Europeans, they are the genesis of the problem when they divided southerners and the northerner. History tells us a lot about that, you could look it up. After all these hangama and social media drama what's gonna happen to KONY? You might say he'll be arrested and presented to ICC. (International Criminal Court is a joke for me, that tries only African leaders who are against the west interest) Here is my problem. Capturing Kony will achieve little...the war has been over for 6 years. Lets spend our resources rebuilding Uganda's infrastructure, and by giving the Ugandan people tools to support themselves.


So you assume that the soldiers of Uganda are going to find and capture Kony without a fight? If the US-supported Ugandan military forces go after him 30k people may die because he will use every person under his army(children) as a human shield till his last breath.  We all know someone had to keep re-arming Joseph Kony since 1980s, they also have to stop selling weapons over to rebels. This is a practical start that will hurt not just Kony, but the entire LRA and other militants.


In addition here lies the long term interest of US, geologists recently discovered oil in and around Lake Albert -- seems another reason for closer cooperation and for stabilizing the area. But even so, for obvious reasons it is unusual to publicize the movements of special forces in advance of their deployment. The US may denie interest in Uganda's oil, but who will believe to them.
What scares me is looking at the US's track record in Iraq, I think they'd be better off being left alone to a comparatively small scale tribal war. Without the need for the US to kill more than 500,000 people in the name of  'safeguarding the people' We know how well the good intentions of US intervention works out. Mass Murder, Occupation, and Corrupt tyrants protected by US power that torture and destroy the wealth and rights of the people(eg. Haiti, Libya, Iraq, Afghanistan).
No offense to anyone, Nobody kills like the US war machine---And its economic sanctions create famine. Kony is a Minnow of menace compared to the Leviathan of Mass Murder and War Crime the US practices across a few continents.
What we need to do is protest and put an end to the people supplying guns to "rebels" around the world. Kony is to Uganda what the rebels in Libya were to Ghadafi. The American Military Industrial Complex is responsible. The UN and other countries such as France that sell & distribute  arms are responsible.

Someone commented saying: They go into these countries, give arms to rebels like Kony, then go and sell arms to the country's government to get the rebels, and make zillions from it. It then installs a "Federal Bank" (privately owned in reality, nothing Federal about them) and then taxes its innocent citizens with an "income tax" to pay off the debt that their government accumulated from the interest of the debt for the weapons it wouldn't have needed if it weren't for the armed rebels in the first place, which it can't repay.After not being able to repay the loans for the arms, the same companies that sold them the weapons takes the country's natural resources like oil, for free.Then to further plunge the country into debt, they PRINT money, then lend it to countries like Uganda AGAIN at interest to pay for Infrastructure, with the work being carried out by the same people's companies!!!Uganda hasn't seen LRA since 2006  but KONY 2012 ignores that success, preferring to cast Ugandans as weak, defenseless, and besieged, and in need of immediate white/American/Western/privileged intervention. Seriously, what the hell?

My Fear, now this movement will give free passage the US army to the country (which they were doing it in low profile for a while) and they will twist the arm of the country for their oil that was discovered recently. Wait and see People, This is the real scam behind.


Liking on Facebook is OK; Awareness is OK; calling your congressman is OK; marching is OK; Tweeting to celebrity is OK, but OK don't mean any thing for the people of Uganda. Think it through, act as a responsible citizen, and understand the consequences of your actions both positive and negative. 


I don't want to say much about the donation that is pouring at the moment.
Why donate to people making videos in America when you could  donate to Ugandans working (in Uganda!!) with the victims? I surly know that Non-profits are still a business. We just hope they do some good along the way. I personally prefer donating to someone like Sam Childers. ( Those who watched Gerard Butler's The machine Gun Preacher will know what i'm talking about)


One last thing? But once the Kony posters are up, who will clean it all up? Who? You can bet it won’t be Kony. Nor Invisible Children. I foresee, we need another social media camping for that?



Sorry for such a long post. But if you made it this far. Please listen the Song "The Keeper"

Social Media Ad Amiee Mullins

NEWS Flash: I'm not paid for this ad. I'm sharing it because of the value it convey.
Meet the new brand ambassador for L'Oréal Paris, Aimee Mullins. Vote for the her video on TED Ads Worth Spreading: http://bit.ly/TEDAimee TED Ads Worth Spreading is an initiative to recognize and reward innovation, ingenuity, and intelligence in advertising. Share with your friends and vote for Aimee and her inspiring story. Brand: L'Oréal Paris Agency: R/GA New York

I Always Wonder Why.

My Flash Mob - Parody

As you enjoy your first weekend of the year 2012. Take a look this short FLASH MOB Parody. [49sec]


Why so serious? Have Some fun. 


Gone are the days what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. Now what happens across the web stays on the web else where in some form or the other. Look at an old post of mine that i found while scrolling down the Facebook timeline. Since it already exist somewhere where i can't delete it, i thought i might as well re-make it. See if you LIKE it.
Visit: http://facebook.com/FlyingCocoon

The Overlap Of Worry And Imagination.

My work requires me to be creative and during this process of creativity, keep catching myself red handed either using my imagination or worrying. At a times the dividing line seem too blurry to me, how do you know whether you are imaging or worrying? 
And YOU? How do you draw the line that you are whether imagining or worrying at any given moment? Especially when you have performance anxiety causing big project in front of you. Of course i’ve faith in God, But i should also so work out my faith na? What do you think? I want to know your thoughts on this.

My Personality Test

• Extraversion - Energy, enthusiasm, socialable
• Agreeableness - Altruism, helping others, affection, friendliness
• Conscientiousness - Control, will, constraint, dependability
• Neuroticism - Negative emotions, nervousness
• Openness to Experience - Originality, culture, open-minded, intellect

• You scored average for this trait, suggesting you lead a balanced life between extraversion and introversion.

•  You scored really high on this trait, suggesting you are a very friendly, cooperative and trusting person.

• You scored really low on this trait, suggesting you're less focused and more easily distracted.

• You scored really high on this trait, suggesting you love art and try to keep open-minded.

• You have 2 significant personality traits that we've identified.
• If the traits are hurting your life, you may consider seeking out further assistance for them, by consulting a psychologist or other mental health professional.
• Please remember, this is not an official diagnostic test. It is only a general quiz to give you a broad understanding of common personality factors.

When Only Love Could Make A Way

When only love could make a way
You gave your life in a beautiful exchange
When only love could break these chains
You gave your life in a beautiful exchange

When only love Could make a way
You gave Your life In a beautiful exchange...

 You were near, Though I was distant
Disillusioned I was lost and insecure...

Trading Your life, For my offenses
For my redemption, You carried all the blame... I love people who can articulate ideas very well. I've been a big fan of John Battelle for a decade, He is the co-founder of Wired, Founder of Federated Media and Executive Producer of the Web 2.0 Summit. He’s also the author of an upcoming book, What We Hath Wrought, which gives us a forecast of the interconnected world. In short the book is about, can we handle what we are creating? Thirty or so years from now, will we be questioning ourselves – “Lord, what hath we wrought?” Or will we look upon what we hath wrought, and be pleased? I think the answer lies in exploring where we are, right now, and laying out the implications of our actions today. (And yes, I’m an optimist, which is why I moved the “hath” over one position in the title…)
Please watch this conversation between John Battelle and Brian Solis on SOCIAL MEDIA.

Happy Mid Year - Triumphant March

Half of Twenty Ten is gone. I wanna say HAPPY NEW HALF YEAR AHEAD. Looking back past six months, what do you see? No matter what you see that is not my point. But when you look ahead, i encourage myself & you to hold on this prophetical promise of Triumphant March.

This is not just an idea or philosophy rather a prophecy that came in yesterday at monthly mid-night prayer @duke's place. 
(2 Cor2:14) Now thanks be to God who ALWAYS LEADS US TO TRIUMPH IN CHRIST,

Remember: In a good days. In a bad days. When you are in Him, you are in the triumphant one. As much as new year is a time of new beginnings, so is Mid-year(i believe). Wish you,Triumphant March on the road of your DREAM.

Nothing is impossible.

Leadership lessons from the dancing guy

APC+PCC@ECC=STANDOUT2010

This picture frame brings lots of fun memory to my eyes :)
Click on the picture to enlarge it!

Life = Risk

If you have never failed, You've never lived.