Vacation is over

Vacation is over and the work starts again.
During my 3 weeks holiday in Italy I evaluated my professional career.
It can be enhanced if I improve myself and execute more ideas. Normally you think 'I should do this or that' and then you leave it. Main excuse for that is 'I have many other obligations and have no time for it'.
Well,.. manage these 'other obligations' in a proper way, organise it, and give yourself time to do things you think are good.
See what happens.

Have fun!

Friday I had a baseball training together with several other 40+ people. I realized that my condition was not that bad and that I really liked the game.
I enjoyed it very much and thinking of making it my second sport activity next to badminton.
When having fun and meeting new people, it stimulates the mind and gives you more than you expect.
Fun in a project at your work is also very important. Sometimes when things are evolving not the way you want it is good to make a joke out of the situation (take into extreme) or/and involve complete new people in the project (for a short term).
The latter is a famous management trick, but it works to keep people alert.
Have fun!

Justin Verlander

Justin Verlander seems to be a famous baseball player.
I will try to play this game on Friday.
As kid I always liked the game and now I'm 46 I will try to play the game for fun.
I'm looking forward to it, and hope to become a relatively good player.
I realize that I will never be as good as Justin Verlander.
A shame.
When I should follow my feeling earlier and started to play the game when I was 18, maybe I was now (stil) playing in the USA????
We should follow our dreams and interests immediately.
It would change our lives.

Managers, managers, who's doing the job?

In lots of organizations a lot of people are afraid of doing the job.
There are many excuses for not doing the job. You can imagine yourself.
But, in some circumstances it is efficient and good for your leadership to do a job yourself. Especially when nobody wants to do the job.
In those cases you give an example to the rest.
And that's what managers need to do!

Ask questions

Always ask questions!
When a project is not progressing or an employee does not perform....,
ask questions, direct questions.
We (the Dutch people at least) have the habit to find out through others and trough circumstances to identify what the problem is.
But it is much easier just to ask the person or the project leader what the problem is. If you get an unsatisfactory answer, appeal to the higher goal, and demand that you want to know.
If you got further resistance appeal to your function and responsibilities and his function and responsibilities. Do not threat but push a bit and give it a day to react. Do not come to a situation that you say 'if you do not deliver it, then....'. That is only a very last solution. In that case you can say goodbye to the loyalty of the employee.

Lou Knickerbocker died

Lou Knickerbocker seems to be a famous person in USA.
On the 24 of April he died.
It seems strange, but also for famous and rich people counts that simple things really matter. Especially when you die just the immaterial things passes by in a few seconds as a complete film of what was important to you.
During our professional life we do not take any time for valuable moments, we are only focused on results and production.
What should it cost to spend some time on valuable moments in our professional environment. Say that you appreciate that someone is there and does a job for you. Ask from your hart about how someone feels (in his/her life) etc.
Remarkable things can happen, expect the unexpected...
Curious to know what really mattered to Lou.
God bles.

When someone dies

The mother of a friend died a few days ago and the funeral is today at 14.00 hrs in Paris. Unfortunately I can not go there, but maybe more honest, I do not know the women. Still I had an idea to go there, only to comfort my friend. Because of the costs and time involved I decided not to go. Then, as a moment like now (when it's too late) I realize the following.
'What is more important, friendship or time and money?????'

We live in a very selfish community where an excuse of distance, time and money is an acceptable excuse.
I think that the only person who can answer the question if it is a valid excuse or not, is you yourself.
Feel your own answer and act accordingly.

Then you are yourself.

You can feel your answers on every question, if you act accordingly you shall enjoy it, you receive positive responses and you shall feel much better!
Try it!

For me it's too late to go to the funeral, but I did send a warming e-mail.
That felt relatively good!