F# Major

I haven't read Sheryl Sandberg's book, Lean In, and may not do so. But I feel that much of her advice applies to men and women. To lean it, you got to show up! Take decisions...some of them may not be easy - life rarely comes packaged that neatly. Some of them may thrill some and annoy others - there are tradeoffs to be made. Oftentimes, the timing of the decision may be more important than the quality - some things can't wait. If you are a leader, these things have to be done. Show up and lean in. Understand people and tap into their strengths. Much of what happens in organisations makes it very difficult for people to do their best. It encourages fear rather than joy! It's time to show up and lean in to change what's wrong with management and our organisations today!

Interesting to see how HR has come under attack this year. 8 June 2015: Why human resources is dead --> Forbes 25 June 2015: Harvard Business Review says its time to Blow Up HR . In 2014, it gave suggestions April 2015: McKinsey says its time to get beyond the bureaucracy in human resources . Why is HR being spoken of in these terms and what can it do to add value to any organisation, public or private sector? In 2014, HBR proposed some suggestions on what it will take to fix HR . Are these workable? Is it more a war for talent today than it is to fix HR? I do know that most issues that affect performance in organisations is caused by poor HR decisions and the inability of HR departments to really understand their role in driving this performance or to convince people of the importance of what it is that they do.

Herbivore men and Japan's demographic crisis. And while on Japan, children grow up to be pretty independent, and an informative piece why there was so little looting after the 2011 tsunami. 2,000 people bare their deeper feelings about advertising . (Only) 9 hard-earned leadership lessons. " Ugly truth about women in sports and social media " and a BBC reporter gets harassed while doing a story on street harassment. Baby, you can drive my car? 1 October 1985, Level 42 released their album World Machine. Does anybody remember this stellar song ? Hollywood to help fight ISIS? Improvisation is re-writing management training. “Being relentlessly present is a survival mechanism for life, but people don’t remember it,” Instant coffee has been around for .... 250 Years!!! And 15 other amazing facts , given it's World Coffee Day! Fighting climate change with efficient housing . Interesting piece on why " news " is different. Is there any such thing...

Paul Krugman explains Keynesianism . I've started enjoying David Brook's columns in the New York Times since I read this one and this one. Now I want to get his book . Drew Price tried 12 extreme diets in a year. Hear of his experience in his podcast . I'm curious about this book ... Speaking of books, making time for them is good. A new New Order album can only be good news. "Restless" until 25 September. And I am thrilled to see Don Henley's back ! The Boys of Summer will forever remain in my top 10 of favourite songs. A new a-ha album??? So much for Ending on a High Note...but why is it as expensive as a boxed set? Don't use bullet points in your presentation. Five great reasons to change jobs. The first three were spot on! It's true: falling in love is easy!

Two stories that I chanced upon today, one that gives me hope, the other that doesn't. Apple: new products - here's Buzzfeed with key video moments from the event - and a new(?) look at Steve Jobs . " In a fascinating interview last year with Graydon Carter of Vanity Fair, Jonathan Ive, Apple ’s famed designer and longtime friend of Jobs, recounted a telling story. He remembered a time when Jobs had been tough — too tough, in Mr. Ive’s estimation — on his team. Mr. Ive pulled him aside and told him to be bit nicer. “Well, why?” Jobs replied. “Because I care about the team,” Mr. Ive responded. “And he said this brutally, brilliantly insightful thing, which was, ‘No, Jony, you’re just really vain,’ ” Mr. Ive recalled. “He said, ‘You just want people to like you, and I’m surprised at you because I thought you really held the work up as the most important, not how you believed you were perceived by other people.’”  How good are you at reading people's emo...

Did love really die in 2015 ? Does it really matter? How to stay strong during uncertain times. I like the point which says that some things are really not in our control. It reminds me of the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode Peak Performance, where Captain Picard tells Data " It is possible to commit no mistakes and still lose. That is not a weakness; that is life." London , World War II and the German assault. Never underestimate how small things can have a large impact. Want to improve your r é sum é ? Britain's mafia state ? Britain and mafia in the same sentence...let me think that over, but nevertheless, an interesting article. " Property in this country is a haven for the proceeds of international crime." The book This Changes Everything — Naomi Klein’s opus on how climate change could be our greatest opportunity to reinvent the world before we destroy it — is now becoming the movie This Changes Everything . You should also read Earth in ...

Winning the War for Talent : The Best Companies Use Training. Major takeaway for me - the holistic approach works better. Teach people about the organisation, not just their department. Pakistan's Privatisation Czar sounds off, here Supertaskers : How Some People Task-Switch Faster and How You Can Too .  I've lived in Manila; I've changed my energy savers with LEDs, also. We have to do whathever little we can because it all adds up. " Believing in something with conviction does produce results in the long term. Our battles, small or large, define who we are and what we believe in. And a little win like this will give me the energy to fight many more battles they are worth the cause." Read more . Want to learn how to write well ?  I am impressed! Talk about [not] putting your money where it shouldn't be in the first place. Perhaps it's no coincidence that I've been watching re-runs of Knight Rider (the 80s version) on Universal Channel t...

5 Ways to Always Be the Most Interesting Person in the Room. What successful people do every Monday morning. The myth of the idea person.  One-on-one meetings are good for you , says Harvard Business Review. Some other ways on handling stress. How do you tell the good guys from the bad? Constantly complaining isn't too good for you. Charlie Munger shares his thoughts in Academic Economics . Effective thinking requires a mental framework. And speaking of which, read more on mental models . Whether you're an investor or not, the Berkshire Hathaway annual letter is always worth a read.

Some stories that I've been coming across recently: Lean in?...or just leave? Women and tech don't seem to be a good fit anymore. The New York Times had a similar story from across the World (China). Adam Grant and Sheryl Sandberg release their fourth article in the series on women in the workplace.I'm not sure I understand the bedroom reference here! "Many women in technology believe Silicon Valley is stuck in the past. They say they are rarely hired, promoted or taken seriously, and are confronted on a daily basis by sexism and harassment. They feel demeaned and discouraged." Ellen Pao sues her former employer in 2013 and the courtroom proceedings have begun. Pao is seeking $16 million in damages after claiming she was passed over for a promotion because she is a woman and then fired in 2012 after she complained. Read the related Yahoo! article here and the NYTimes here . One of our local papers had a good writeup .

Parents, at least those in the U.S., feel that communication skills are most important for children to learn followed by reading, math, teamwork, writing and logic. Science fell somewhere in the middle. Among parents, mothers highlight this importance more than fathers do. Read the Pew analysis here . The Institute for Consumer Antitrust Studies of the Loyola University, Chicago has two online courses if you're interested in competition law. And on competition, Whither CCP ? Never expect the media to be your ally or supporter. This is major blowback and as Ian Read sa id , "You Gain Respect in Drops, But Can Lose It in Gallons." Eric Shinseki said that one doesn't get many do-overs in life. He also said that one's going to miss 100% of the shots one's not going to take. Nutella... cause -and- effect ? And speaking of ISIS, The Wall Street Journal blames Turkey for its rapid growth in recent years.A former senior bureaucrat talks about governance overhaul...