Archive for March, 2011

Monday, March 28th, 2011

Why is it that the answer…

Why is it that the answer after the fact is always right?

How is it that what might have seemed obvious is always obvious after the fact?

And explain the phenomenon of winning the war after the battle is lost…

Some call it 20/20 hindsight – that unique talent for looking at history and predicting the outcome.

In the United States it’s often called the Monday morning quarterback (a U.S. football reference) – the amazing ability to call every play in a game the right way…but the morning after.

In life I’d call it passing the buck – the comforting notion that you can, with impunity, comment, analyze and pontificate as an expert on any subject as you watch the issue fly by to land, often with a sickening thud, elsewhere.

Look at the news any day. See what I mean?
Look around your work environment – I’m sure you can spot it.
Look around your circle and I bet it exists.

It’s the pundits who knew that the Japanese reactors were a disaster waiting to happen. It’s our colleagues who knew the account was in danger. It’s our friends who knew the relationship wasn’t meant to be.

Now – to be fair – there are prophets out there. Not the kind in long robes with wild hair (although the hair part is sometimes true…), but people who think, look ahead, analyze, have no personal agenda (think politicians) and who have the courage, or better, the integrity to speak up and out.

So there were those who made the case for Japan, and by the way, for the world, and were often dismissed as fringe players. And there are those who speak up in business before they are silenced by the forces of short-term profit. And, yes, we have all had that friend who tried to save us from ourselves and whom we no doubt dismissed as being jealous or not personally loyal.

However, we usually realize how right they were only when the “historians” jump in and loudly rehash the issue, object, problem, and ride the waves of awareness, disappointment, fear and anger.

Clearly the events of the past few weeks, and even months, have been on my mind and in my posts – the “surprise” events in the Middle East (including the ever-evolving surprise outcomes), Japan, my own business life and friends’ personal problems….

And when I saw the following thought, the source talked to me. Listen:

“In the business world, the rearview mirror is always clearer than the windshield.”  Warren Buffett

Known as “the Prophet of Omaha,” Buffet is always looking forward. He takes responsibility; he learns and moves on; his integrity is real and his values are basic.

I read this as “life” and I read it as an admonition not unlike those from the prophets of old.

Think about it.  Maybe we need to turn on the wipers full speed…and always…What do you think?

Posted by David on 03/28 at 03:04 PM
Monday, March 21st, 2011

The Tragedy in Japan is Still Unfolding

The tragedy in Japan is still unfolding.

New Zealand is still digging out.

Haiti has yet to fully recover.

New Orleans is still trying to find itself.

The world is no stranger to the terrible scope of natural disaster – as far back as history records.

Pompeii – now a museum exhibition.

Krakatoa – subject of books and movies

China 1931 – the Yellow River Flood – one of the worst natural disasters ever recorded – 1 to 4 million dead – but little known because it was China….

Now let’s move on…

Libya; a bus accident in the Bronx of New York City; Chernobyl; the Gulf of Mexico BP oil rig explosion – tragic disasters all – but not so natural…in fact all are related to people, lack of accountability and sheer disregard for anything but self, profits and passing the buck.

What got me started today was actually Japan – it seems that to add tragedy to tragic – the in-actions of Japanese Nuclear executives – specifically Tokyo Electric Power Company – might very well have escalated the very real threat of a nuclear meltdown and all its attendant horrors.

The question is, were they complacent? Were they worried about ruining a huge investment? Did they wait too long to take action. I imagine that as the story unfolds we will learn more and no doubt bucks will be passed, fingers will be pointed and eventually someone will be pinned with the shame.

Kuni Yogo – a former atomic energy policy planner in Japan’s Science and Technology Agency – has been quoted as saying, “They weren’t in a panic…their main concern was the reactors…economically it is tough to decide to use seawater…” that is seawater to cool the reactor down, a procedure spelled out very clearly in the GE (who build similar reactors) protocol and procedures. And on and on.

So we look at Libya and a Dictator whom the world has now declared a horror, but who only a few months ago was still on his “rehabilitation” tour of those same countries now united against him – and maybe the biggest irony is that they are all worried about terrorism initiated by him in their own countries; we look at the bus accident and the sheer disregard for law and life; Chernobyl and its children are still feeling the effects of incompetence and BP? Books are being written about the sheer laxity of their management and total disregard for safety.

And there you have it.

It’s bad enough when nature hits us and despite the best planning, forecasting and preparation we still get hit and hard.

It’s worse when the enemy is us. Far worse.

So as the news from Japan angered me this morning – I found this thought – Listen:

“Foolproof systems do not take into account the ingenuity of fools.”   Gene Brown

And there you have it….nothing is foolproof – nothing – seems to me that it makes us fools thinking so…

One last word – when all of the great Gods of technology fail – it’s left to the little humans to clean up the mess – think about the 50 or so nameless and faceless Japanese technicians who have stayed behind to try and control the reactor – beyond our prayers, there are huge implications for all that we do and think here….

What do you think?

Posted by David on 03/21 at 03:22 PM
  • Friday the 25th is the anniversary of another human fueled disaster -- one that led to huge reform and change in workers rights and building rights -- The Triangle Shirtwaist fire 100 years ago exactly in New York City http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-mind-set-that-survived-the-triangle-shirtwaist-fire/2011/03/22/ABh20rEB_story.html
    Read more >
    Posted by david sable on 2011-03-23 11:47:28
  • David, another thing you can add to the list is Ireland`s economic meltdown , all down to human mismanagement and greed by a relatively small number of bankers and builders.
    Read more >
    Posted by Barry Kennedy on 2011-03-22 11:01:30
  • David, all these natural and not-so-natural disasters around the world coupled with events around my own country have been eating at me for a while. And I can't agree more with you when you say that we're our worst enemy. Increasingly I feel that our complacency - not simply those who lead communities, businesses, countries.., - but the complacency of all ...
    Read more >
    Posted by Nadine Filipe on 2011-03-22 10:38:15
Monday, March 14th, 2011

Who hasn’t?

Who hasn’t had the community discussion with a client or a friend?

You know which one I mean – “let’s build a community.”

A community of users…of whatever…

A community of deodorant rejecters…

A community of activists…of just about anything…

A community of people who are community members….

No s—t, I have heard all of the above. And more.

Let’s be clear – there are serious community aggregations out there. And they can be powerful. From Egypt, to stopping human trafficking, to ending hunger, to providing support for those devastated in the way-too-many tragedies – naturally and otherwise occurring – that fill our news and senses every day. Groups of people coalesce around an issue – recruit others, solicit help and often funding, and strive to make a difference in the world.

But ask yourself – in the quiet of this reading – is the accumulation of brown-sugar- water drinkers who like to post pictures of themselves drinking or doing funny things with the empty bottles a community? Fill in any other like group that comes to mind and repeat.

When you sit in a restaurant, go to a movie, sit on a crowded plane or an overcrowded bus – do you feel that you are in a community?

Versus when you go to your church, mosque or synagogue, or any other faith-based gathering – if you are so inclined. Or to a family event or a friend’s reunion, or even to work…in the best of places.

I began obsessing on this notion a while ago – and see it linked to the sadly skewed notion of what friends are that I am happy to say is beginning to change. As I always ask when I speak at conferences after I query who in the room has 500 or more friends on Facebook – “And how many of them will pick you up at the airport?”  The nervous laughter always answers the question and makes the point.

It was also driven home to me as I sat down to write this morning (rather early – we just turned the clock ahead) and check Google Trends, curious to see what the world was searching, and was once again saddened to see that most of the world is paying little attention to Japan, even when it was Top of Search on Friday.  It’s already being supplanted by the latest pop news and such – except for Nuclear Meltdown as some see it as one big live Disaster Movie.

So what is a community? Try this – listen:

“Without a sense of caring, there can be no sense of community.”

Anthony J. D’Angelo

So what do you really care about?

What really makes for a community?

What communities do you really belong to?

And maybe – just maybe – we can come up with a better term to define those less- than-community gatherings – and leave the term for when it really matters.

What do you think?

Posted by David on 03/14 at 02:41 PM