What does 2012 hold for The Monkey?

Innovative in spirit, Monkeys get a helping hand in 2012 from the Year of the Dragon. Opportunities for growth are many and doing things for the general good of those around is recommended. Research/study and taking on activities to push their own personal growth will be on the anvil and prove exciting. With a taste for adventure and their love of partying, Monkeys will be wearing their social hats, throwing many a swanky do or taking trips around the world.

That is so accurate there might be something in this after all…

My view, believing in the good stuff only makes life better, gives you something to smile about, even have a daydream about what could be. The year of The Dragon is a very auspicious one, symbolises power, strength and good luck – we all need to believe that right now, wouldn’t it be amazing if we all did?

I’m not suggesting that thinking about it alone will make the difference as the Psychologists would say this is “external locus of control.” A kind of fatalism, where people believe that they can do little or nothing personally to change their lives. Because of this, they either merely hope for the best, focus on trying to change their luck by various kinds of superstition, or submit passively to whatever comes—while complaining that it doesn’t match their hopes.

To improve your fortune, first decide that what happens is nearly always down to you; then try focusing on what works and what turns out well, not the bad stuff. Your “fate” really does depend on the choices that you make. When random events happen, as they always will, do you choose to try to turn them to your advantage . . . or just complain about them? Thomas Jefferson is said to have used these words: “I’m a great believer in luck and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it.” Ralph Waldo Emerson said: “Shallow men believe in luck. Strong men believe in cause and effect.” Your luck, in the end, is pretty much what you choose it to be.

I’m thinking the opposite “internal locus of control.” People that believe that what happens in their life is nearly all down to them; and that even when chance events occur, what is important is not the event itself, but how you respond to it. This makes them pro-active, engaged, ready to try new things, and keen to find the means to change whatever in their lives they don’t like. They aren’t fatalistic and they don’t blame bad luck for what isn’t right in their world. They look for a way to make things better.

I’m born in the year of The Rooster 2012 brings new adventure, the Year of the Dragon will support every encounter and provide new avenues of change. On the professional front, starting up businesses or finding their expertise in demand will be some of the highlights for Roosters as they march to the beat of their own drum. It’s all about colour, variety and personal freedom. For all of you that know me, you know that’s pretty spot on too, not because I read it but it’s because I will make that happen.

What about you?

Would we ever expect our manager to be sacked because we weren’t performing?

Being a member of the England football squad is like being part of a project team. It’s not your day job and you have two bosses. You are bringing together a group of talented individuals that are going to work together towards a common goal… like winning the World Cup (we wish). The components that have to come together to succeed are complicated. It is not as straight forward as an employee having the fear of losing their job, or even that different people are motivated by different things… money, recognition and sense of achievement. The key to successfully managing a team of this nature is more about building a community than traditional managerial motivators.

Community Management what does that mean?

It has more to do with understanding the bigger picture, seeing the vision and getting people to buy into their part in that vision. This is not in the traditional corporate mission, vision, values context but in a more pragmatic, holistic way that exposes the fact that you do not have control over all the decisions you would like to make and because of that you put more accountability and ownership on those indiviuals who have the skills you require to deliver the end goal.

When Fabio’s management style was being scrutinised by the media, my contribution was “I wonder what would happen if Fabio asked the players “who is up for it today?” “where would you like to play?” and the ownership was on the players themselves to say for the good of our end goal this is what should happen! This may sound like nonsense but when you strip all the crap away these are guys that love nothing better than to kick a ball around a field and win – sometimes we add so much more to these situations than there should be and the simplicity is lost.

Why have a Manager then?

Someone has to pick the members of the community and getting that right is essential. Here there needs to be the courage and strength to pick the stars but also pick the players with potential who are hungry to show what they can do. Then there is the huge task of managing and motivating the individuals. Teams who do not work together on a daily basis have different needs to those that do and the motivation to succeed is different. This is not about money, it is more about how the world see you and may be even an opportunity for you to give something back, develop in a different way. There has to be much more focus on what an individual will get out of this so that the team bond can be formed and developed.

Football like work is a big part of our lives, real change here could inspire us all

On this occasion Richard is quite literally ‘reaching for the stars’, but it is fair to say that this has always been his business and life philosophy. So what makes him so different?

It’s Not Rocket Science

The difference between Richard and most other people is that he reaches beyond the stars. If pushing the boundaries leads to success or failure, he takes a ‘nothing ventured, nothing gained’ approach.

I know we don’t all have the resources and freedom to aspire to the extreme projects of the Virgin empire, but it is important to remember that all of us have the power to challenge ourselves to achieve higher and higher levels of success.

Set Some Goals

Setting goals is important! We all need goals in life, both business and personal, they help us to focus on what we want to achieve and motivate us to do what it takes to succeed. It sounds simple but it is surprising how many of us are drifting.

It’s a great feeling to reach a goal and it is truly something to be celebrated, once you have felt that feeling of elation it’s addictive. what’s left to do? Make new goals!

Don’t Get Stuck in Your Comfort Zone

Nobody wants to fail but setting goals that you know you can consistently achieve will not buy you a ride on ‘WhiteKnightTwo’ get out of your comfort zone and lead the way to something new.