You Can Take It With You

Which of the following would most appeal to you? An opportunity to: (1) receive an astronomical amount of money, such as $1 billion; (2) become a famous actor, rock star or athlete; (3) receive great power, such as being the CEO of a Fortune 500 company or the leader of a great nation; (4) be endowed with remarkable beauty—or (5) receive perfect character? Which would you choose, and why would you choose it? Understand that only one of these conditions is permanent. Only one will not fade with time. Only one cannot be taken away from you by circumstances beyond your control. And only one will outlast your physical life. Which of the following would most appeal to you? An opportunity to: (1) receive an astronomical amount of money, such as $1 billion; (2) become a famous actor, rock star or athlete; (3) receive great power, such as being the CEO of a Fortune 500 company or the leader of a great nation; (4) be endowed with remarkable beauty—or (5) receive perfect character? Which would you choose, and why would you choose it? Understand that only one of these conditions is permanent. Only one will not fade with time. Only one cannot be taken away from you by circumstances beyond your control. And only one will outlast your physical life. Does this cause you to reconsider your choice? It should. Pursuit of Futility Samuel Butler, a famous English author, declared, “Pleasure…is a safer guide than either right or duty.” It would seem that modern society agrees. Seeking out and doing what feels good—pleasure—drives the minds of many, without any notion of resistance to anything on the basis of right and wrong. This thinking ultimately leads to a life of utter futility. In other words, such a life brings no useful result—like one laboring for the wind (Ecc. 5:16). Though completely unaware of it, the vast majority are living this way—literally chasing after nothing! Most are aware that life demands action—one must wake up each day and purpose to do something. True happiness cannot be achieved through idleness (though some may speak as if such a life would be “fun”). One’s time must be occupied with worthwhile pursuits. However, for many, the sole purpose of life is the pursuit of pleasure. Most seek money as the solution to all their problems, with many even resorting to robbery to obtain it. For example, in 2003, there were an estimated 413,402 robberies in the U.S. alone—just over 47 per hour. A combined total of $514 million was lost—an average of $1,244 per victim. Others, not being satisfied with the amount of money they have, opt for an “easy” route to acquire more, such as lotteries and gambling. For example, in 2003, Americans spent an astonishing $45 billion on lotteries and $27 billion on casino gambling. All this money is spent in the hope of “winning big” in order to “live the good life.” Most fail to consider that even large sums of money can easily be depleted. Consider that “about once a month on average, a hapless millionaire winner of one of the 37 [now 40] state lotteries goes bust and files for bankruptcy, experts say. That’s the rags-to-rags fate of about one-third of all winners” (“Lottery Raises Issues of Cents and Sensibilities,” New York Post, November 14, 1997). Then there are those who seek fame and power, with, of course, wealth being a welcome benefit. Many covet the “big life” that movie stars, rock stars, athletes, CEOs and other top executives seemingly enjoy. It is thought that if fame is achieved, the ultimate “wonderful life” would result. In a recent New York Times article, a former comedian and director explained the typical Hollywood financial story: “When you make money in this town [Hollywood] it’s very fast, and it feels like it’s never going to end. I’ve done it myself. I’ve been the [person] who was spending money and then thought, ‘Wow, I haven’t had a job in two years.’” Of course, the money—and the fame and power that yielded it—does eventually come to an end! Many also seek “sex appeal” as a way of life, keeping up with the latest fads and trends. Billions of dollars are spent each year by people seeking to become or remain beautiful. In the fashion and cosmetic industries, new and exciting products and procedures are constantly being introduced, promising breathtaking beauty. Plastic surgery is becoming a booming industry as well, with many teenagers seeking to become more attractive. Procedures such as liposuction and botox injections are increasing in popularity. But, like money, fame and power, beauty will eventually come to an end. The Bible provides an interesting account of the futility of pursuing pleasures to the extreme. Notice what King Solomon wrote near the end of his life: “So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me. And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy [pleasure]; for my heart rejoiced in all my labor: and this was my portion of all my labor” (Ecc. 2:9-10). Solomon made it his mission to enjoy every conceivable pleasure. God allowed this so that mankind could learn from his experience. Here is what Solomon concluded: “Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labor that I had labored to do: and, behold, all was vanity [futile] and vexation of spirit [frustration], and there was no profit under the sun” (vs. 11). He continues, “For that which befalls the sons of men befalls beasts; even one thing befalls them: as the one dies, so dies the other; yes, they have all one breath; so that a man has no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity [futile]. All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again” (3:19-20). You Can Take it With You Solomon came to realize that we all eventually die. There is no escaping this fate. And when death arrives, the things that most pursue (wealth, fame, power, beauty and pleasure) also come to an end. But there is one thing that does survive the grave: character! What is true character? It is the ability to come to the knowledge of the right from the wrong—the true from the false—and to choose the right, and possess the will to enforce self-discipline to do the right and resist the wrong. The reason we were put on earth is to build perfect, righteous character. Ultimately, without character, we are nothing. Understand. God has and is perfect character. For example, He cannot lie. He has perfect willpower—perfect character—making it impossible for Him to lie (Heb. 6:18). And His goal is to build this same perfect, eternal, indestructible character in you. (Our booklet Why Do You Exist? explains this, and the purpose of mankind, in more detail.) Free Moral Agency Imagine what life would be like if there were no choices or decisions to make, as if you were simply living according to a script. If this were the case, what would be the point of existence? God designed life to be full of choices—what to eat, what to wear, what to drink—how to live. Throughout any given day, thousands of decisions are made. It can be said that life is as a series of choices, with each decision having an impact on future decisions. This ability to choose is free moral agency. Many are somewhat familiar with the account of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Notice: “And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat: but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat of it: for in the day that you eat thereof you shall surely die” (Gen. 2:16-17). One often-overlooked aspect of this account is that Adam and Eve were given a choice—to eat of a particular tree and die, or to avoid it and live. God did not force them to do what He commanded. Being given a choice is the only way to build character. Because they did not believe God, Adam and Eve decided to eat from the wrong tree. They rejected God’s authority over them and thus were banished from the Garden of Eden. However, their choice not only affected them; it caused all humanity to be cut off from God. Like Adam and Eve, you are presented with choices. And like them, the decisions you make will affect others—even though you may not be able see it. God realizes that free moral agents can reject His rule over them. However, He also understands that only free moral agents can develop His character. Coming to Right Knowledge If you look around the world, you will observe confusion—everywhere. There are approximately 6.5 billion people on earth, each having his or her own view of right and wrong. For example, among those who say that taking a human life is wrong, there are various philosophies as to when it would be “right.” Then, there are those who say lying is wrong, but think that there are circumstances in which deceit, such as “little white lies,” would be acceptable. Why do people not agree? Because human beings do not inherently know right from wrong! One may think he has all the answers, concluding that a particular idea is correct, ignorant of how wrong he is. Notice: “…the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walks to direct his steps” (Jer. 10:23). In the book of Proverbs, Solomon stated this fact: “There is a way which seems right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (14:12). By taking a cursory look at the society in which we live, the truth of Solomon’s statement, inspired by God, should be most obvious. God—and only God—can set the standard for right and wrong. As our Creator, He has this authority. If you were to invent a new piece of machinery, you would know for what purpose you invented it. And you would write an instruction manual on how to use it. God designed and created us, with the Bible as our Instruction Book. God’s Word lays the groundwork from which to base our decisions. Remember, character involves making the right decisions. Not knowing absolute truth would make character-building impossible. The Ten Commandments—God’s great spiritual Law—are absolute truth. Sin is the transgression of God’s Law, with death being the result (I John 3:4; Rom. 6:23). Simply put, God reveals through the Bible the knowledge of right and wrong. Doing the Right—Resisting the Wrong As free moral agents, we possess the will to do what we want, whether right or wrong. Think of will as a mental, spiritual muscle, needing to be exercised in order to grow and become strong. Choosing to do right in the face of pain or discomfort—making the tough decision—exercises this muscle, building character. The more this is done, the stronger and more solidified our character becomes. The ultimate goal of a true Christian is to build God’s perfect character. This can only be done by resisting the wrong—no matter the cost. It can be said that knowledge is knowing what is right; understanding is knowing why it is right; and wisdom is doing it. You can take it one step further and say that character is doing it repeatedly. Knowledge and understanding are important building blocks in attaining wisdom. Without either, there can be no wisdom. However, you can have knowledge and understanding, yet lack wisdom. Knowledge and understanding are useless without wisdom. And wisdom is only of value if it ultimately leads to character. You may have heard the expression “No decision is a decision.” Most put off decisions until a “more opportune time,” using their indecisiveness as an excuse. However, “halting between two opinions” (I Kgs. 18:21) invariably defaults to doing wrong. Also notice the following scriptures: “Every way of a man is right in his own eyes…” (Prov. 21:2) and “…we are all as an unclean thing, and all our [righteousness] are as filthy rags…” (Isa. 64:6). People have the natural tendency to think that what they are doing is right. But God views our righteousness—our “morality”—as nothing more than a dirty cloth. Choose Life Recognize that there are only two paths in life from which to choose—one leading to life and the other leading to death. After delivering ancient Israel from captivity, showing them many signs and wonders, and giving them His Law, God said, “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both you and your seed may live” (Deut. 30:19). In other words, He gave them a choice. If they obeyed Him, great joy would fill their lives. But if they disobeyed, misery would result. Ultimately, every human being who has ever lived will be confronted with the same choice. The only difference is that the choice will be between eternal life and eternal death. Pursuing money, fame, power, beauty or personal pleasures as your sole purpose in life will bring upon you unhappiness, grief and the feeling of utter futility. In order to travel on the road to true happiness and fulfillment and, ultimately, eternal life, right decisions must be made, and character must be built. Link to the website with the article.- Courtasy-Real Truth Magazine. http://www.realtruth.org Does this cause you to reconsider your choice? It should. Pursuit of Futility Samuel Butler, a famous English author, declared, “Pleasure…is a safer guide than either right or duty.” It would seem that modern society agrees. Seeking out and doing what feels good—pleasure—drives the minds of many, without any notion of resistance to anything on the basis of right and wrong. This thinking ultimately leads to a life of utter futility. In other words, such a life brings no useful result—like one laboring for the wind (Ecc. 5:16). Though completely unaware of it, the vast majority are living this way—literally chasing after nothing! Most are aware that life demands action—one must wake up each day and purpose to do something. True happiness cannot be achieved through idleness (though some may speak as if such a life would be “fun”). One’s time must be occupied with worthwhile pursuits. However, for many, the sole purpose of life is the pursuit of pleasure. Most seek money as the solution to all their problems, with many even resorting to robbery to obtain it. For example, in 2003, there were an estimated 413,402 robberies in the U.S. alone—just over 47 per hour. A combined total of $514 million was lost—an average of $1,244 per victim. Others, not being satisfied with the amount of money they have, opt for an “easy” route to acquire more, such as lotteries and gambling. For example, in 2003, Americans spent an astonishing $45 billion on lotteries and $27 billion on casino gambling. All this money is spent in the hope of “winning big” in order to “live the good life.” Most fail to consider that even large sums of money can easily be depleted. Consider that “about once a month on average, a hapless millionaire winner of one of the 37 [now 40] state lotteries goes bust and files for bankruptcy, experts say. That’s the rags-to-rags fate of about one-third of all winners” (“Lottery Raises Issues of Cents and Sensibilities,” New York Post, November 14, 1997). Then there are those who seek fame and power, with, of course, wealth being a welcome benefit. Many covet the “big life” that movie stars, rock stars, athletes, CEOs and other top executives seemingly enjoy. It is thought that if fame is achieved, the ultimate “wonderful life” would result. In a recent New York Times article, a former comedian and director explained the typical Hollywood financial story: “When you make money in this town [Hollywood] it’s very fast, and it feels like it’s never going to end. I’ve done it myself. I’ve been the [person] who was spending money and then thought, ‘Wow, I haven’t had a job in two years.’” Of course, the money—and the fame and power that yielded it—does eventually come to an end! Many also seek “sex appeal” as a way of life, keeping up with the latest fads and trends. Billions of dollars are spent each year by people seeking to become or remain beautiful. In the fashion and cosmetic industries, new and exciting products and procedures are constantly being introduced, promising breathtaking beauty. Plastic surgery is becoming a booming industry as well, with many teenagers seeking to become more attractive. Procedures such as liposuction and botox injections are increasing in popularity. But, like money, fame and power, beauty will eventually come to an end. The Bible provides an interesting account of the futility of pursuing pleasures to the extreme. Notice what King Solomon wrote near the end of his life: “So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me. And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy [pleasure]; for my heart rejoiced in all my labor: and this was my portion of all my labor” (Ecc. 2:9-10). Solomon made it his mission to enjoy every conceivable pleasure. God allowed this so that mankind could learn from his experience. Here is what Solomon concluded: “Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labor that I had labored to do: and, behold, all was vanity [futile] and vexation of spirit [frustration], and there was no profit under the sun” (vs. 11). He continues, “For that which befalls the sons of men befalls beasts; even one thing befalls them: as the one dies, so dies the other; yes, they have all one breath; so that a man has no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity [futile]. All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again” (3:19-20). You Can Take it With You Solomon came to realize that we all eventually die. There is no escaping this fate. And when death arrives, the things that most pursue (wealth, fame, power, beauty and pleasure) also come to an end. But there is one thing that does survive the grave: character! What is true character? It is the ability to come to the knowledge of the right from the wrong—the true from the false—and to choose the right, and possess the will to enforce self-discipline to do the right and resist the wrong. The reason we were put on earth is to build perfect, righteous character. Ultimately, without character, we are nothing. Understand. God has and is perfect character. For example, He cannot lie. He has perfect willpower—perfect character—making it impossible for Him to lie (Heb. 6:18). And His goal is to build this same perfect, eternal, indestructible character in you. (Our booklet Why Do You Exist? explains this, and the purpose of mankind, in more detail.) Free Moral Agency Imagine what life would be like if there were no choices or decisions to make, as if you were simply living according to a script. If this were the case, what would be the point of existence? God designed life to be full of choices—what to eat, what to wear, what to drink—how to live. Throughout any given day, thousands of decisions are made. It can be said that life is as a series of choices, with each decision having an impact on future decisions. This ability to choose is free moral agency. Many are somewhat familiar with the account of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Notice: “And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat: but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat of it: for in the day that you eat thereof you shall surely die” (Gen. 2:16-17). One often-overlooked aspect of this account is that Adam and Eve were given a choice—to eat of a particular tree and die, or to avoid it and live. God did not force them to do what He commanded. Being given a choice is the only way to build character. Because they did not believe God, Adam and Eve decided to eat from the wrong tree. They rejected God’s authority over them and thus were banished from the Garden of Eden. However, their choice not only affected them; it caused all humanity to be cut off from God. Like Adam and Eve, you are presented with choices. And like them, the decisions you make will affect others—even though you may not be able see it. God realizes that free moral agents can reject His rule over them. However, He also understands that only free moral agents can develop His character. Coming to Right Knowledge If you look around the world, you will observe confusion—everywhere. There are approximately 6.5 billion people on earth, each having his or her own view of right and wrong. For example, among those who say that taking a human life is wrong, there are various philosophies as to when it would be “right.” Then, there are those who say lying is wrong, but think that there are circumstances in which deceit, such as “little white lies,” would be acceptable. Why do people not agree? Because human beings do not inherently know right from wrong! One may think he has all the answers, concluding that a particular idea is correct, ignorant of how wrong he is. Notice: “…the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walks to direct his steps” (Jer. 10:23). In the book of Proverbs, Solomon stated this fact: “There is a way which seems right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (14:12). By taking a cursory look at the society in which we live, the truth of Solomon’s statement, inspired by God, should be most obvious. God—and only God—can set the standard for right and wrong. As our Creator, He has this authority. If you were to invent a new piece of machinery, you would know for what purpose you invented it. And you would write an instruction manual on how to use it. God designed and created us, with the Bible as our Instruction Book. God’s Word lays the groundwork from which to base our decisions. Remember, character involves making the right decisions. Not knowing absolute truth would make character-building impossible. The Ten Commandments—God’s great spiritual Law—are absolute truth. Sin is the transgression of God’s Law, with death being the result (I John 3:4; Rom. 6:23). Simply put, God reveals through the Bible the knowledge of right and wrong. Doing the Right—Resisting the Wrong As free moral agents, we possess the will to do what we want, whether right or wrong. Think of will as a mental, spiritual muscle, needing to be exercised in order to grow and become strong. Choosing to do right in the face of pain or discomfort—making the tough decision—exercises this muscle, building character. The more this is done, the stronger and more solidified our character becomes. The ultimate goal of a true Christian is to build God’s perfect character. This can only be done by resisting the wrong—no matter the cost. It can be said that knowledge is knowing what is right; understanding is knowing why it is right; and wisdom is doing it. You can take it one step further and say that character is doing it repeatedly. Knowledge and understanding are important building blocks in attaining wisdom. Without either, there can be no wisdom. However, you can have knowledge and understanding, yet lack wisdom. Knowledge and understanding are useless without wisdom. And wisdom is only of value if it ultimately leads to character. You may have heard the expression “No decision is a decision.” Most put off decisions until a “more opportune time,” using their indecisiveness as an excuse. However, “halting between two opinions” (I Kgs. 18:21) invariably defaults to doing wrong. Also notice the following scriptures: “Every way of a man is right in his own eyes…” (Prov. 21:2) and “…we are all as an unclean thing, and all our [righteousness] are as filthy rags…” (Isa. 64:6). People have the natural tendency to think that what they are doing is right. But God views our righteousness—our “morality”—as nothing more than a dirty cloth. Choose Life Recognize that there are only two paths in life from which to choose—one leading to life and the other leading to death. After delivering ancient Israel from captivity, showing them many signs and wonders, and giving them His Law, God said, “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both you and your seed may live” (Deut. 30:19). In other words, He gave them a choice. If they obeyed Him, great joy would fill their lives. But if they disobeyed, misery would result. Ultimately, every human being who has ever lived will be confronted with the same choice. The only difference is that the choice will be between eternal life and eternal death. Pursuing money, fame, power, beauty or personal pleasures as your sole purpose in life will bring upon you unhappiness, grief and the feeling of utter futility. In order to travel on the road to true happiness and fulfillment and, ultimately, eternal life, right decisions must be made, and character must be built. Link to the website with the article.- Courtasy-Real Truth Magazine.

http://www.realtruth.org

Prasad’s Painting Exhibition in Chitra Sante-25th January 2009.

As i have been painting from young age and being a self taught Artist, i did exhibit my paintings in Chitra Sante-2008-2009-25th January 2009. Here are the links for photographs of my paintings.

Link to mixed media paintings
http://www.bubbleshare.com/album/534433/overview
Link to Water colour Paintings
http://www.bubbleshare.com/album/534440/overview
Link to Pencil Paintings
http://www.bubbleshare.com/album/534392/overview
Link to Pastels Paintings
http://www.bubbleshare.com/album/534411/overview
Link to Oil on Canvas Paintings
http://www.bubbleshare.com/album/34705/overview

If you require any of these paintings you are welcome to contact me on my Cell:91.98450-12673, or emails: cpbprasad@gmail.com, cpbprasad@yahoo.com and you are welcome to forward the links to friends /relatives who may be interested in buying Art.

In the meanwhile I dedicate this show to my Guides- Teachers
-Instructors -Motivators, as they have influenced and helped me.

Ms.Marion Boddy-Evans-Artist-London, England.
Mr.Robert Genn -Artist -Surrey, Canada.
Mr.Nitin-Artist-Bangalore, India.
Ms.Insa-Artist-Karnataka Chitrakala Parishad, Bangalore, India.
Mr.Krisha Rajendra Kumar-Prof-Artist-Karnataka Chitrakala Parishad, Bangalore, India.
Mr.VRC Shekar-Prof-Artist-Karnataka Chitrakala Parishad, Bangalore, India.
Mr.Madhu-Artist-Karnataka Chitrakala Parishad, Bangalore.
Mr.M.B.Patil-Artist-Bangalore, India.

Chitra Sante -25th January 2009, 9am to 7pm.

Karnataka Chitrakala Parishat is holding a annual event of Chitra Sante on 25th January 2009 between 9 am to 7 pm in the premesis of the college. I think art will give the hightest return on investment of all asset classes, where research has shown that it has even beaten Gold. If you have spare money and would like to buy a good piece of art and display the same in your office or home, than you can go and buy art in the event. I would expect the buyers keep buying and also resale the same for higher amount if any of your friends or customers like what you have brought. All the artists displaying in the event have been approved by the college committee of the event. Event Address.

Karnataka Chitrakala Parishat,
Kumara Krupa Road,
Kumara Park,
Bangalore-560 001.

Sabse Saste 3 din -(Lowest price for 3 days).Jan 24 to 26

I think one rupee saved is two rupees earned. Big Bazaar(106 Stores all over India) is having the big event where there are many offers which has buy one and get another free. If we get a disount on any product which we keep using every month and save on the same, than we have made good purchase decision. I thought the information would help many people save some money in this reccesionary times. More details on there website.

http://www.futurebazaar.com

25000 MTS Wheat For Sale From Food Corporation Of India.

FCI has released a tender for sale of 25000 Metric tonnes of wheat under QMSS(D) Scheme. I thought the business opportunity was big for anyone in the trading/hospitality business. More Details could be had from the below mentioned office.

Food Corportaion of India.
#10, East End Main Road,
4th T Block,
Jayanagar,
Bangalore-560 041.
Phone:080-26633432/26633572/26633840/26633398.
Fax:080-26633424,26635318.
Mr.Y.K.Kunju,
General Manager.

Tom Peters Times–December 2008, Advice for Tough Times

This special edition of the Tom Peters Times contains contributions from around the Tom Peters Company team. We are collectively frustrated at the general air of negativity in the business news, so we decided to compile an extra TPTimes edition with personal stories, advice, and selected media clips to help sustain you through these testing times.

Visitors to the blog on tompeters.com know that Tom frequently recommends tactics for this most disruptive of eras. We have synthesized some of Tom’s most compelling messages into six pieces of “Advice for Tough Times.” Using this list as a template and an idea from Tom as introduction to each section, TPC-ers have added their contributions under the following headings:

Excellence
Opportunism
Visibility
Transparency
Demeanor
Paradox

We hope that our observations, insights, and stories will inform and inspire your own action agendas. Think of this as a smorgasbord of ideas! Enjoy! We’ve posted the text on our website, also, to give all our readers the chance to revisit this newsletter if you choose.

Madeleine McGrath
Managing Partner, UK

Excellence

Get on with doing the business you have and see it through brilliantly. Stick to the basics. Keep it simple! The devil is always in the details.

When it comes to focusing on the basics, cash flow and customers both come near the top of most peoples’ agendas. Recent entries on tpwireservice.com, offer some great advice on these subjects.

In “Hug Your Customers,” we are reminded about good habits that can turn customers into a cadre of unofficial marketing evangelists and keep our business in the forefront of their radar screens.

“Economy Requires ‘Back to Basics’ Cashflow” presents reminders and tools to help us stay focused on the lifeblood of our businesses–CASH!

And a recent BusinessWeek feature warns that the current financial crisis requires a different approach to the fundamentals of our businesses in “Why Traditional Recession Tactics Are Doomed to Fail This Time.” On the basics theme, one of their key observations is that “strategists must rediscover the lost art of authentic value creation.”

Lessons for us all?

A.Are you doing all you can to ensure that the resources you have at your disposal are deployed on the products and services in your portfolio that create the most value for the customer?

B.Are you making it absolutely clear to everyone who works with/for you that the fulfillment of the customer work you do have must embody the highest level of excellence that you can collectively achieve?

Opportunism

Opportunism–there may be a lot of room for it–will pay off through speed off the mark and excellence in execution.

Richard King, Managing Partner, UK, observes that, like London buses, recession and business opportunities often come along at the same time! Virgin Chairman Richard Branson is currently talking to a group of interested parties about a possible bid for London’s second largest airport, Gatwick. The UK Competition Commission has ruled that Gatwick’s current owners, BAA, may have to sell the airport because of their market domination. BAA also owns London’s Heathrow and Stansted airports. In these difficult times, Gatwick may turn out to be worth a lot less than its £2.5bn market valuation. So, it’s “opportunity knocks” in recessionary times for Sir Richard, who never needs asking twice, and a big challenge for Virgin to put together the consortium needed to pull off what would be a major coup, for Virgin and for all victims [Richard’s word] of the current London airports’ customer service!

Madeleine McGrath has unearthed an opportunistic proposal from the New Zealand Institute (NZI) to their Government that may have ramifications for business leaders. Previous recessions have seen unsettled expat New Zealanders move back to the Australasia region, but too many have chosen to settle in Australia rather than coming all the way back to their homeland, says the NZI. The intention this time is to compete aggressively to encourage talented Kiwis to return home and deploy their skills in support of their own nation’s economy. (See the NZI’s October 2008 paper, “Economy on the Edge.”) How many employers see their current employees as an asset rather than an expense when times are tough, let alone their former employees? Yet businesses often lose their best people to the competition, and this downturn may be the chance to get some of them back!

Lessons for us all?

A.Are you thinking laterally enough about opportunities and needs that are being manifested in your marketplace?

B.Are you thinking laterally enough about your talent pool, and using the recession as an opportunity to attract the very best?

Visibility

March toward the sound of the guns. MBWA (Managing By Wandering Around). People have to see who they are working for and who they are dealing with.

Tom Peters says “Treble Your MBWA”: “One of my favorite quotes, from Carolyn Lamb … goes like this: ‘A year from now you may wish you had started today.’ Yes, today many of us wish we had ‘wildly’ ‘over’ invested in those employee-vendor-client-community relationships when the market was heading North and there was a little slack in the system. Well, perhaps we didn’t, but … it really is never too late. … Work the damn phones. Keep working the damn phones. Show up. Keep showing up. Call clients and suppliers, ask them how things are going, and how you can help. This is not about sales (directly), but about ‘showing up’-taking time from your busy affairs to offer assistance of any sort. (E.g., offer up your network … Etc.) This is even more important with our employees. ‘Over’inform–the rumors are invariably worse than reality. ‘Over’do your MBWA …” (Read the complete blog entry.)

Richard King has this story for us all: “Like most business leaders these days, the CEO of a specialist manufacturing group I know well has planning and implementing cost reductions right up there at the top of his jobs list! Last week I heard that one of his Directors had missed a committed savings milestone. This delinquency had come to light in the week before the Director concerned had booked a family holiday. Rather than reacting immediately and risk spoiling the whole family’s break, the CEO lived with his frustration until after the holiday. When the Director returned, he was invited to an offsite one-to-one session with the CEO–on his first morning back. I’m sure there was some pretty straight talking done, in private, between the two of them! How do I know this story? The Director told it to me because he knew I was looking for stories of leaders facing up to the unpleasant realities of this recession. He especially wanted to express his appreciation for the considerate way his CEO had treated him.

Lessons for us all?

A.Are you tracking numbers of customer, prospect, and networking contacts in your regular reporting and recognizing those people who are working hardest on relationships?

B.Have you adopted/recommended “face to face” as the management medium of choice for delivering tough news to employees, colleagues, and partners?

Transparency

Be absolutely straight with people, especially those at the front line. People who play the blame game in any way, shape, or form are out of here!

“Our people are our most important asset,” or so says many an annual report. Val Willis, a U.S.-based Facilitator, spotted a great example of a business facing up to the challenges of these tough times, but staying true to its people principles. In San Antonio, Texas, the downturn forced Toyota to close their plant for three months. The dilemma they faced was how to handle this in regard to their 4,500-person workforce. According to Financial Week, Toyota is redeploying their workers on community work, retraining, and education classes in lieu of layoffs. “This was the first chance we’ve really had to live out our values,” said Latondra Newton, general manager of Toyota’s Team Member Development Center. “We’re not just keeping people on the payroll because we’re nice. At the end of all this, our hope is that we’ll end up with a more skilled North American workforce.”

In a second example, Ruth Smith, a UK Facilitator, explains how a retail client had set about responding to their constantly changing market conditions by instigating weekly management/front line sales reviews to pick up and respond to trends in customers’ purchasing habits quickly. At the meetings, they make instant decisions on changes to promotions and product offerings in order to capitalize on customer demand. This week-by-week approach had led to criticism by staff of so-called “knee jerk and reactive” managers, and changes were often resisted by front liners until they were brought in on the review meetings. Once managers took the time to engage everyone in the process, rapid adjustment and constant change have become normal business.

On tpwireservice.com, we find this Daniel Goleman article entitled “Tea and Empathy” from strategy+business. Goleman identifies what he calls the crisis of accountability that organizations are facing, and contends that transparency, social and emotional learning, and leadership must take a much higher profile on the leader’s agenda.

Lessons for us all?

A.Are there any ways in which you can use layoff situations to build and strengthen your workforce and your culture?

B.Are you doing everything you can to keep all employees informed of your emergency plans and strategies?

C.How tuned in are you to the emotional temperature of your business?

Demeanor

Banish “gloomy” from your persona, even if it kills you! But remember, “sunny” is pretty stupid, too. Who do you think you’re kidding?

As we watch the media pundits and commentators pick holes in the world’s politicians’ brave attempts to address the current economic mess, a new book from one of Tom’s Cool Friends, Raj Setty, is a welcome ray of light. The book’s title is Upbeat, and it contains many gems of inspiration to encourage a positive attitude during tough times. At the outset, Raj sounds off at the insidious impact that negative conversations have on your life. If every conversation that you have begins with a depressing catalogue of doom and gloom, not only are you setting a depressing tone, you are also wasting that time. In that context, banning gloomy conversations about things over which you have no control becomes an immensely sensible, positive resolution. Think about it!

UK Executive Coach David Pilbeam helps to shed more light on what leaders can do to engender a positive attitude in their people and sustain an upbeat atmosphere in the workplace. “People always feel better and can perform better when they are in situations where they can use their strengths,” says David. So he recommends that leaders take the time to think, or discover, what the strengths of their key team members are, and to reframe work projects so that people can use their natural strengths and the business can benefit from them. Productivity, performance, and personal confidence all go up.

Lessons for us all?

A.Are you doing your best to stay out of negative and unproductive conversations? How about stimulating the opposite?

B.Are there any ways in which you can reframe what your people are working on in order to make better use of their strengths?

C.Consider appointing a “mood monitor” to give you direct feedback when your demeanor is becoming too gloomy (or vice versa!).

Paradox

Have a positive mental attitude AND be ready for the worst.

Mike Neiss, U.S. Facilitator, reports that he recently attended a meeting at a client company whose market had just tanked. Rated the number one place to work in their industry by Fortune, this business is in Fast Company’s top fifty innovative companies in the world, and its latest product line is winning rave reviews from publications ranging from Wired to BusinessWeek. The COO announced that it was essential to make an immediate workforce reduction, and because the company was already quite lean, the reduction would really test the mettle of the organization. They discussed how to act in strict accordance with the core values of the company and how they would ensure the business reasons for the cuts were communicated to everyone. They were concerned about the impact on the essence of what had made them a great company, and the heavy additional burden that would be transferred onto those who remained. The COO then revealed the information they would be sharing with employees about the company’s future plans, including continued funding of R&D projects, investments in employee development, and improving the infrastructure of the business. “This was clearly not just PR spin,” Mike reflected afterwards, “but actual plans with real numbers coming directly from the top officers of the company.” The confidence that they would emerge from this recession a stronger company “with their soul intact” was obvious. Mike left the meeting impressed with their commitment to be absolutely honest with their workforce and inspired by their confidence about the future. Not a word was said about creating or protecting “shareholder value,” but Mike is convinced that market value will increase as a result of the changes.

Necessity and hard times often go hand in hand with invention. With this in mind, Helen Green, another of the UK team, reports on a letter she saw in the London Times. The writer, British Academic Brian Kettell, drew attention to the explosion of innovation that took place during, or shortly after, the Great Depression of the 1930s … “frozen food, jet engine and Sellotape (1930), electron microscope (1931), Polaroid and parking meter (1932), FM and stereo recording (1933), cat’s eyes [retroreflective safety device] and Monopoly (1934), canned beer, nylon and radar (1935), voice recognition systems (1936), photocopying (1937) and ballpoint pens and instant coffee (1938)” … the list goes on and on!

For more ideas about how to stimulate innovation, don’t forget an all-time favorite, Tom’s “Pursuit of Luck,” which gives you lots of ideas about ways to break free from your current thinking patterns.

Lessons for us all?

A.Have you been back through your list of cutbacks to be sure that you are not draining off your future lifeblood, personal or business?

B.Are there any uncomfortable changes you have been avoiding (be honest!) that you really should act on now?

C.Have you considered making a list of the things you will be most proud of achieving in 2011?

I thought the information provided by Mr.Tom Peters in his newletter was very important and could be used by all of us as we are living in tough times and we would require all the help from people like Mr.Tom.
The information courtesy is from him and you could get more info from his website too.

http://www.tompeters.com

Credit Cards Unkindest Cut For U.S. Consumers, James Saft, Reuters.

James Saft Great Debate — James Saft is a Reuters columnist. The opinions expressed are his own –

Government intervention or not, banks will be cutting up America’s credit cards at an unprecedented rate, with grave implications for the economy and company profits.

The U.S. Federal Reserve last week added more nutrition to its alphabet soup of rescue programs when it unveiled the Term Asset-backed Securities Loan Facility (TALF), under which, among other things, it will lend up to $200 billion to investors in securities backed by credit-card, auto and student loans.

It did so for a very good reason: the securitization market’s freeze now extends beyond mortgages, imperiling run-of-the-mill consumer financing and making it a certainty  that many people who use credit to get them over “cash flow” situations will be, well, denied.

And even though the U.S. car industry may implode if starved of finance and many students will have to defer education, the real potential disaster is in credit card funding, which could push lots of households over the brink and in the process consumption and every business which depends on it, which would be all of them.

Put simply, even with an apparent will to try anything to bring the wheels of finance back into motion it will be very difficult for government to quickly fill the hole left by private finance. Details of the plan are still sketchy, but let’s just take it for granted that it works, even if the plan, at only one year, will give them huge fears about how they get out of their positions at the end of 2009.

Beyond that, the Fed is seeking to kick start securitization by attracting back a species of investors, leveraged ones, who don’t really exist any more.

All other things being equal, the amount the Fed is putting into the TALF should take the ABS market back to about where it was in the first half of 2008, which itself was only a third of the volume we saw in 2007.

But all other things are not equal.

The banks that provide the bulk of credit card funding  generally want to cut back, pushed by their own woes, a conservative read of the economic situation and, potentially, regulatory changes that, while intended to ward off the excesses of the last bubble, will magnify the impact of its bursting.

Meredith Whitney, the Oppenheimer and Co analyst who has so far been ahead in identifying and explaining the weaknesses in the banking system, thinks over $2 trillion of credit lines, or 45 percent of lines available, will be pulled out from under American consumers in the next 18 months, a figure that puts the Fed’s $200 billion for asset backed finance in its proper perspective.

“We are now entering a new era within the financial landscape that will be characterized by expanded forced consumer de-leveraging with a pronounced downshift in consumer spending,” she wrote in a research note.

“We view the credit card as the second key source of consumer liquidity, the first being their jobs. Pulling credit at a time when job losses are increasing by over 50 percent year-on-year in most key states is a dangerous and unprecedented combination, in our view.”

BIG BANKS ALL WANT TO CUT BACK

Whitney notes that the three largest credit card lenders, Bank of America, Citigroup and JP Morgan, who between them account for more than half of U.S. credit card outstandings, have each discussed reducing card exposure or slowing growth. Capital One and American Express, who are another 14.5 percent, have also talked about limiting lending.

That will set the tone for the rest of the industry, which will be grappling with new regulation that, if goes ahead as planned, will impair profitability of credit card lending and push more off-balance sheet securitizations back on to the banking industry’s already strained books.

Cutting back on abusive lending and forcing banks to recognize and account for the risks they take are surely good things, but will have the perverse effect of making the credit crunch worse, at least temporarily.

And looking at the balance sheets of individual Americans, there is good reason to think that the credit crunch should get worse: that they should consume and borrow less and save more. I’d argue that far from being non-functioning, financial markets are closer to pricing in the true risk of lending to consumers now with credit cards charging about 10 percentage points more than 5-year Treasuries than they were six months ago when it was only about a 7.65 percentage point gap.

But the mother of all unintended side effects is that the faster consumers cut back, the worse it will be.

The kind of consumer cut back implied by the consumer credit crunch that now looks likely would blow a hole below the waterline in the U.S. economy, and in U.S. company profits and the stocks that reflect them.

The Federal Reserve and U.S. government’s use of unconventional measures is only just beginning.

–  At the time of publication James Saft did not own any direct investments in securities mentioned in this article. He may be an owner indirectly as an investor in a fund.

Comments on the article:
A piece written by Micahe Farrell; “Welcome To the Keynesian Nightmare” spelled out the dilema many months ago. “It is no secret that the US is a country driven by debt. It now takes approximately $3.25 of total debt in the US to generate $1 of GDP, a significant increase from 1952, when it took just $1.30 in debt to generate $1 of GDP. However, in 1952, government debt—federal, state and local— was $244 billion and accounted for 55.1% of the $443.6 billion in total debt outstanding in the US. Today, government debt stands at $7.2 trillion but accounts for just 15.7% of the $45 trillion in total debt. Household debt today has a much larger impact on economic growth than government debt— at $13.6 trillion, it is almost twice as much as government debt, while in 1952 it was just one-third of government debt.” The unwinding of U.S. consumer debt is underway. The implication is that the economy will not bounce back to what it was. It will be “pay as you go” for some time to come.
-By Paul

I think all of us should rethink the way we spend our money and also think twice before we take a loan. The above article courtesy is from Reuters News Service.

http://www.reuters.com

10 Tips for Hard Times of Bear Market.

When the things are going fine nobody will see how things are moving. Only when things turn out that the biggest banks starts to fall, we would wake up. Already many people have reported that their credit/debit cards are not working in India. These are very hard times and few tips would help.

1.Remove all money in the saving accounts and current accounts and move it to liquid funds.
2.Check your fuel bill. Reduce it as far as possible.
3.Do not buy anything which you may not need immediately.
4.If your have savings in US$ or any other currency than move them to Indian Rupee.
5.If you have a SIP running keep it going, this is the only way you could really build part of a large wealth. If you do not have one, than you could start one.
6.Do not sell you old car and try to borrow money for new one, just try and manage with the old model for sometime till the economy improves.
7.Pay off your Credit Cards fully if you have money in saving account  immediately.
8.Put in more hours in your job/business.
9.Keep fit and Keep away from hospitals – Reduce your partying.
10.Check your bank, whom you are banking with. Many banks have failed and many may fail within the next one year. In India only Rs.1 Lakh/account is insured from the government. If you have more money in deposits than divide and covert the deposits in the names of other members of the family.

Mutual Funds and ETF’s Which Stood Out:

Mutual funds which invested in gold mining companies and the Gold ETF’s did perform and stood out in this market meltdown (which are down by almost 40% from the peak). I feel that they are going to do so in the coming years too. On an average these funds have given a ROI of more than 35% in less than a year, and they would surely sustain a ROI of more than 15% in future. If any investers would like to invest in these mutual funds could contact me.

C.P.B.Prasad
Wealth Management Consultant.
Cell:91.80.98450-12673.
email: cpbprasad@yahoo.com

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