A Positive Attitude: Survive, Keep a cool head and Be productive

One does not buy positive attitude from a pharmacy nor can one order it online. But it is both a prescription and a character that is indispensable. It is as important a subject as medicine, engineering or law.

Jane works as Muni-Train driver and she plies the longest routes from one end of San Francisco to another. One end is North Beach and the other is South Beach. She is used to being asked questions about the Bart (Bart is another transport form in the Bay Area), about which cab to take, how much fare to pay and where to get off if one is in Oakland ( Jane is a San Francisco Muni employee). She tries her best. On top of everything, sometimes the train has a fare who just wants to sleep! All this is taken up by Jane with equanimity and suave. At the end of it all, Jane is still smiling. “It is part of the job, “she says with a dismissive shrug.

Tom, is a new immigrant from Mexico and he lost his house after 3 months following his arrival in San Francisco. He had to look for a job and housing at the same time. He did this and after two weeks got a job as a security guard at a construction site on Howard Street. He worked at night and during day he volunteered as a store keeper for half a day. He slept in a corner of this store for two months and managed to save enough to get a shared apartment. He also enrolled at a college and he is about to complete his Medical Transcription and Filing Course. These two examples show what positive attitude means.

Positive attitude is one of the greatest assets. Progress and success, whether in the classroom, at home, in life, during recreation, on the job, or at home, are affected largely by it. One’s personality also reveals one’s readiness to assume the responsibilities involved in day to day life’s activities, one’s job, social life. There are universes of responsibilities such as those that are: work-related, parenthood-related, filial-related, social-related, road-user-related, host-related, guest-related, professional-related, conduct-related and individual-related. Jane and Tom understood and had a grasp of their different universes and the mechanics involved. They knew what it takes to survive, to keep a cool head and be productive. This is what matters at the end of the day.

At the individual level, one has to examine one’s inner self critically to ensure that no negative tendencies intrude. Gauge your environment, engage in virtuous activities however pressing matters may be, avoid feelings of inferiority, don’t make excuse for poor work or too little done. These are negative traits cause depression, tension, irritation, and intolerance. One’s attitude toward one’s fellow classmates or workers, toward supervision and toward responsibility is as important as one’s attitude about oneself. Great motivators like John Maxwell Company or Key-note speakers talk about this. This becomes your way of doing things and it eventually becomes an enduring structure of beliefs that will make you persist even when many seem to be giving up. A positive attitude builds a positive mental concept of our ability and worth. This is extremely important in striving toward a goal. Conversely, it is impossible to progress satisfactorily in work or live a meaningful life if one is filled with negative perceptions. Perception of yourself is a powerful force that influences and guides you. If you perceive yourself as becoming successful, you will see yourself as responsible for your progress and you will pinpoint what you do. You will reinforce your attainments and correct your errors. You know that you guide your destiny; and since you perceive that you are competent, you will invest your time, energy, and talents in full measure today so you may reap the benefits of a superior typing tomorrow. Jane has worked with Muni for 15 years and she says she will be around for another 10 years. Tom is committed to making it as well. He sees his life getting better every day and he has overcome his fears. You need to cultivate a positive attitude. It is your own way of watering your own garden of life. Do not give up.

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“Gender” From a Public Health Perspective

Gender as both a term and an aspect of socio-bio-culture, is like a vehicle.  Both women and men can drive it. To drive a vehicle one needs a permit. To get a permit or license one needs to attend driving lessons and pass testing after. Gender is such a tool too. It can be studied, analysed, synthesized and thematized.

Gender is a systematic progress towards actualization for both women and men. It should be a means to give both men and women a means to learn to negotiate with each other and explore each side's uniqueness with both given an unbiased start. It must be a socialization that highlights the unique contributions of women and men. It has to show how inequality can be addressed. Gender to be relevant to both women and men, it has to improve on accessibility, affordability, sustainability, negotiation, conservation and accountability as far as resource use goes. Gender must the desire to steer the dialogue towards how inequality can be addressed. Gender must be a means to show that all sexes can be productive and all that is required are spaces where that can be allowed to take place. Gender must allow for skills transfer to next generations both horizontally and vertically.  By horizontal means is meant the passage of skills from one generation to another. Vertical skills transfer is when it happens across sex, gender and cultural diversities. Gender is not simply an euphemism for anything to do with women. It should not be dismissed as feminization, emasculation. It is the broad sweep in which seas, mountains, forests, rivers and valleys are the vista that greets one’s view.

Women have performed well in positions and roles that have been thought to be a reserve for men. Granted there are roles that women alone can do by virtue of anatomy such as gestation, lactation and nursing. On top of these, women can engage productively in roles that men have been engaged. There has to be an infrastructural mechanism to allow this to happen. Many have used such mechanisms like: feminism, pro-active inclusion, education of the girl-child, women movement building to name but a few. True, we may need reminders, in form of women or men to sharpen our focus on the usefulness of gender as a tool. But, it should not mean men will be served after all women have. Gender is about institutionalizing mechanisms through with women and men are able to fully actualize. 

Women have proved they too can be as productive as men and contribute to the general well-being of society. This can be seen across many cultures during meal times. Women contribute so much time to feeding the world. It was a woman who is credited to have invented a first computer. During the Beijing 1995 Women Forum, Robin Abrams a senior woman leader and innovator gave an in-depth presentation on the roles women played in early years as well as now, to design products and provide tools that elicit the best in people. She was referring to a computer. But there are other examples from Architecture, Medicine and Physics (e.g, Madam Curie). So, it would be so Jurassic Age-like to even start a debate that tends to cast women as weak! The thing to do should be how we institutionalize gender to serve all sexes.

Imagine a consistent effort to make amends, re-educate ourselves and equip our minds with an ability to think towards institutions. Gender can be a systematic progress towards actualization for both women and men. Right from childhood certain stereotypes that promote denigrating power roles can be challenged. In her blog on challenging traditional gender roles, Marsha R. (2012) shows how through the gifts given to girls and boys or women and men on Mother’s and Father’s Day each May and June of every year as an example of “countless ways we perpetuate the stereotypes and biases about what women and men are supposed to like and be like.” In it she continues to say “ our media, marketing, language, and culture about these expectations and assumptions filter down to the youngest of us.”

Gender must be a socialization that highlights the unique contributions of women and men. It is this attitude and paradigm shift that is critical to cause a much needed change among men and women. This change according to Sara Delamont (2001) will provide a structure that allows for detailed exposition of studies about gender differences and for a cumulative argument about the significance of changing social institutions.

Whenever the word gender is mentioned it should trigger the desire to steer the dialogue towards how inequality can be addressed. Gender to be relevant to both women and men, it has to throw light on accessibility, affordability, sustainability, negotiation, conservation and accountability that benefits all.  Gender must be a means to show that all sexes can be productive. Gender must allow for skills transfer to next generations both horizontally and vertically.  By horizontal means is meant the passage of skills from one generation to another. Vertical skills transfer is when it happens across sex, gender and cultural diversities.

REFERENCES:

1. Linda Lee Lindsey, 2014 December 11. Gender Roles: A sociological Perspective. Routledge

2. Marsha Rakestraw, 2012 June 11. 12 Children’s Picture books that challenge traditional gender roles. Retrieved from Institute for Humane Education website

3. Robin Abrams, 1995. Looking at technology through women’s eyes. Retrieved from http://gos.sbc.edu/a/abrams.html.

4. Sara Delamont, 2001. Open University Press.

The American Corporate Value Infrastructure: Lessons for African entrepreneurs

There are values embedded in American entrepreneurship and its high scale of productivity. By productivity is meant the number of skilled people, able to get into a form of work force,  have a purchasing power and contribute to producing consumables. The values are: Thrift and Planning; Knowledge of Navigating Agency; Principles of team building and maintenance; Cognizance of Project cycles; Ability to generate largest possible beneficence; Drive for efficiency; Highly aware populace; Evolving US Foreign and Trade Policies; A really large middle class; and Focused leadership. 

These 10 points constitute the yeast that leavens the entrepreneurship bread of USA.This paper is the result of my research from 2013-2015 in USA. Corporate Africa can copy these value in order  to behave like corporate America. The objective of this paper is to point out what distinguishes Americans as astute and competitive entrepreneurs who maintain corporate standards.

Two friends, I talked to as I was breaking down the 10 points that make up the frame of this paper asked me once; "what do you admire most about Americans?" You realise they had used the superlative. I answered without butting my eyes: "Institutionalized social services and redress systems."  It is through these institutions (an infrastructure of redress, means of claiming rights and execution of responsibilities) that democratic values e.g. individual dignity, diffuse government, freedom of expression and dissent, equality of opportunity, private property and due process of the law are perceptible to an ordinary citizen and resident of USA. It makes it possible for there to be accessible health facilities, education, housing, care for seniors and minorities. Meanwhile, governance is such that the activities of government, civil order, commerce and security go on regularly as citizens and residents pursue a livelihood with a promise of happiness. 

This paper is for African entrepreneurs who want to trade with America.

"Entrepreneurship brings down barriers between communities and cultures and builds bridges that help us take on common challenges together. Because one thing that entrepreneurs understand is, is that you don't have to look a certain way, or be of a certain faith, or have a certain last name in order to have a good idea."

 President Obama at the Global Entrepreneurship Summit in Kenya, July 2015.

America is seeking to work with grass root community entrepreneurs in Africa and the bulk of Trade and Business in which people are involved is what this paper seeks to address. This paper seeks to bring on board ordinary people who don't run mega-corporations and are not involved in boardroom mega contract deals. This paper is for those individuals who together will form the largest ground swell of entrepreneurs who will be able to promote energy conservation, ford streams and bridge valleys leading in and out of their rural homes. Eventually, with infrastructure of this kind it will be possible  to bring mega corporation officers who are Tech-savvy and familiar with air conditioning and coffee breaks with scones in same negotiation rooms with persons who may not be familiar with corporate world nuance and culture. In the 21st Century and beyond this potential population must have a crier who will prepare a way for them to bring their bit-coins to the Corporate wagering tables. 

America has a critical number of consumers and producers in form of: poultry, horticulture, apiary, pisciculture, leather tannery, environment cleaning, environment conservation, construction, heavy machinery, specialized technology and science, heavy machinery operation, jewelry, stationery, clothing, education,  informal sector, formal sector and in the skills development (vocational, business, technical, critical, analytical and practical) areas.

Africa, on the other hand, has to reciprocate by positioning itself as a people centred empowerment and wealth creation continent. Eventually critical numbers to contribute to capital development will be created.  Africa will eventually move out of the production style that transpired in pre-civil-war America.  In order to get there, Africa has to learn the following  soft standards from America:

1. Thrift and Planning

Thrift, a level of sacrifice and self-discipline, patiently weighs one's options and delays self gratification. This is planning for Institutions that last beyond the lifetime of an entrepreneur. There are practical lessons one can learn and use: Developing a wish-list; making priorities depending on cost-benefit outcomes that localizes wealth.

2.  Knowledge of Navigating Agencies

Business and entrepreneurship is built on social capital as well as cash input. Understanding the world of entrepreneurship is so important. Governments that establish structures through which eligibility is assured as well as allowing consumers to navigate them helps in building investor confidence.  In USA, a number of companies and agencies may be involved at federal, state, local, citizen, business, design, construction and consultant level in case of, say,  road infrastructure establishment. Understand the world view psyche of the American as you work together. Imagine if you are a high-way construction representative from Africa. You need to understand what it takes for a company in Africa to do a business. Your American counterparts , who may be into road-construction, know their system well and theirs comprises of:

FEDERAL-  Federal Highway Administration; US Secretary of Transportation

STATE-   Department of Environmental Protection; Department of Transportation; State Inspector General

LOCAL-       Building Department; Fire; Police

CITIZENS-   Conservation Law Foundations; Historic Review Commission

BUSINESS- Business Roundtable

DESIGNERS- Civil Engineers; Trasport Engineers; Architects; Graphic designers

CONSTRUCTION- Project Managers; Construction Contractors; Material suppliers; Equipment suppliers; Labour; Unions

CONSULTANTS- Testing laboratories; Surveyors; Public Relations  

3.  TEAM AND TEAM BUILDING

There are three duties one has to engage in, in order to build a robust team. Partnering; conscious reaching out; and setting aside time to learn how others do their work. One has to be ready to create an environment for making friends. Even if it meant making friends with competitors. Any project to succeed must engage in encouraging both external and in-house team building to improve on organization, skills and motivation of persons involved. This builds confidence for all. The contract or any process language that shapes roles and responsibilities should be studied and  understood. It is possible to create a culture ( rituals, values, stories and conduct) that is common. Other human aspects are shared and learned. Such teams own the vision and mission without so many complications.

4. FULL COGNIZANCE OF PROJECT

It is necessary to understand and ensure the fulfillment of project characteristics such as:

a) defined goal or objective

b) breakdown specific tasks in definable steps which become the project roadmap.

c) define a beginning and end. Defined deliverables become tangible or felt. They are the programme. A  certain quantity of work will be completed according to certain specifications within a certain time frame.

d)forecasting resource consumption (Time, money, equipment, labour, materials, transportation, storage, security).

e) set aside time for interactive processes such as redesigning, reviewing and re-organization.

5. GENERATING LARGEST POSSIBLE BENEFITS

The practice of analyzing benefits and costs as a discipline rather than an option, is a business choice that opens paths to profits and welfare of individuals. This helps investors in committing capital where they will gain.

6. EFFICIENT TECHNOLOGIES AND CONSERVATION PRACTICES

Optimum use and productivity ensure that the following resources: humans; prepared plans; food; homes; work; energy; communities; culture and science are in good supply and that they promote welfare of communities.

7. MOBILIZING COMMUNITIES TOWARDS CREATIVITY AGAINST POVERTY AND STARVATION

Constructive means and designed structures against against social-ills are shaping how societies channel their contribution to development. This pattern involves people. The people are then categorised as producers or consumers. Progress, development and shifting the mindset towards creating value and opportunity for immediate individual creativity become shared goals.

8. EVOLVING US FOREIGN AND TRADE POLICIES

US is increasingly adopting a non-partisan, non-patronizing, non-ideological political approach. It is an active global leadership, promoting intellectual and social upliftment across the globe's old or new allies (e.g. Cuba and Africa). There is a shift towards reliance on social institutions such as global politics, schools, church, sports teams, hospitality entities, transport networks, chain stores and public-private enterprises to influence fair markets.

9. DEFINING AND MAINTAINING A MIDDLE CLASS STRUCTURE

Such essential services like: Educate to Innovate Campaign, is a nationwide effort to move American students back to the top in science and maths education, taking big chances on big ideas by both private and public sectors supercharged with an infusion of personal responsibility; and revisiting healthy practices are some of the key investments and mainstays keeping a robust middle class in America.

10. LEADERSHIP

Pointing out clear distinctions of what leaders do and what constituents expects e.g. the expectation that one is skilled in, say, the five practices of exemplary leadership:

a) Modelling the way

b) Inspire a shared vision

c) challenging the process

d) Enabling others to act

e) Encourage the heart

Engendering commitment to planned activities:

• Find your voice by clarifying your personal values.
• Set the example by aligning actions with shared value.
• Envision the future by imagining exciting and ennobling possibilities.
• Enlist others in a common vision by appealing to shared aspirations.
• Search for opportunities by seeking innovative ways to change, grow and improve.
• Experiment and take risks by constantly generating small wins and learning from mistakes.
• Foster collaboration by promoting cooperative goals and building trust.
• Strengthen others by sharing power and discretion.
• Recognize contributions by showing appreciation for individual excellence.
• Celebrate the values and victories by creating a spirit of community.

These ten questions were formed in my mind as a result of meeting with various people in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Oakland, San Jose and San Francisco. I got insights from friends at the Black and Filipino Chambers of Commerce. As someone introducing them to Africa and the opportunities  this would avail to entrepreneurship, I realised there was a discordance in beliefs and values African entrepreneurs needed. We had a conference with delegates from Africa in 2014. I engaged the delegates in pointing out their understanding of what it took to do business with Americans. Some answers were vague, nebulous and sure to confuse than to cause partnerships. I developed these 10 points with the help of many friends at the African Empowered Communities-USA. This write-up is dedicated to all those African entrepreneurs who want to do business with Americans.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

1. Ellen Ruppel Shell, 2009. Cheap: High Cost of Discount Culture, Penguin Press New York.

2. Fredrick E. Gould, 2005. Managing the Construction Process: estimating, scheduling and project control. Prentice Hall, New Jersey, 2005.

3, 4, 5. Glaister Stephen, 1994. Cost Effectiveness. Cambridge University Press.

6. John Michael Greer, 2009. The Ecotechnic Future. New Society Publishers

7. Anita Roddick, 2001. Take it Personally. Conari Press.

8.  i. Alonzo L. Hamby, 1992. Liberalism and its challenges. Oxford University Press.

     ii. George Lakoff, Farrar, Strauss and Giroux, 2006. Communicating Our American Values and Vision. New York

    iii. George Friedman, 2011. The next decade. Doubleday, New York.

9. Arianna Huffington, 2009. Third World America. Crown Publishers, New York

10. Kouzes-Posner, 2002. Leadership; the challenges. Jossey-Bass, San Francisco.

Living in a Long Term Relation With Technologies

                  Do we realize that we are living a closeted long term relation with our technologies? Is that how you see it?

                 It is easy to rely on oneself to make a list of all "technologies" one uses, but that is until you come across a checklist that has all the  "Home Technology Inventory." It is a surprising list. It is a list I used to check what I use at home, in the bus, in the train, in different buildings like offices or restaurants and our own daily activity spaces. The list was an eye opener. I was abe to place electronic devices, combined devices, cooking devices, locomotive devices ( escalators, elevators ( where I used to come from we call them lifts), automatic doors, smoke sensors and engines. Armed with this check list I realised I was taking so much around me for granted. The immediate 11 technologies I travel with are: my ID card that has all my biometrics; my Credit cards; a modem; two mobile phones; an IPAD; a laptop; digital watch; Transport/Pass Card; Kindle; a combined campus/GPS; and chargers.

               I have used the GPS from 2011 to navigate my way around the cities I have lived in USA. I have increasingly relied on the phone and filled in my contact addresses with emphasis on the Zip-code. This shows am increasingly relying on technologies and creating in myself the tendency to acknowledge technologies in my private spaces. This has enabled me arrive on time, appear professional and improved on my vocabulary. It is a thin line between private and professional as far as technologies go.

               I was surprised when I attempted using a GPS for the first time. My heart was in my throat out of excitement but at the same time trepidation. I re-read my user's manual. I opened my map browser, signed up/registered and a map of the USA was there before me. I do use the GPS a lot so this format was familiar. I followed the instructions as soon as I clicked on San Francisco. That entry window that popped up was user friendly and am sure I used it to the maximum.

               I am sure I have the competency to exert myself and be productive. When it comes to using technologies I have tested myself with the following instructions: 'For many technical issues you can use the Browser test on your Blackboard My Home Page to analyze your computer's settings and make sure they are optimized for the online learning environment e.g., Firefox, GoogleChrome, Safari and Internet Explorer. To test my self, I joined and contributed many blogging sites. I was able to create accounts, upload photos, start a conversation, discussion and ask a question as well as be able to read from others.

I realize that I shall use the computer in a more productive and consistent way. To compare this with a marriage, my output will be the ring to show in this union with the virtual internet based technology.

What are the public and private components of health ?

I have always been confronted by this question.

What are the public and private component of health? Is health something we can package like the computer world performs such activities like we see search engines do?  I chose to partly pursue this interrogation through a scholarly path.

Theoretically and by definition, "health" is the sound physical or mental condition (Merriam-Webster Dictionary). It is also the level of functional or metabolical efficiency of a living organism. It is the ability of an individual or community to adapt and self manage when facing physical, mental and social challenges ( see Wikipedia).WHO, health is: "a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. 

Health involves prevention, healing and care. Prevention can be all those activities one engages in to avoid getting ill, sick or not sound. Healing is making one sound or whole. Health care is a combination of efforts or initiatives to maintain or restore health. What one does as an individual must be done in such a way that it will promote soundness and wholeness for self and community. That is the nature of health. It is a highway that perennially connects as commune-members whether we like it or not. We, as individual, have the responsibility to keep our health sound. Our communities have the responsibility to keep our health sound. Awareness becomes important. This is both the public and private components of health that immediately come to my mind.

I am a volunteer with different teams here in San Francisco. I realize I have done much work around health. I came across a Livestrong article when I was running to fundraise money for a Cancer award. It listed 10 reasons for poor health. I read this article towards the end of 2014. The points are still fresh in my mind. One can access more details via Livestrong .com. The points are:

1. Smoking cigarettes

2. Poor feeding (I like to call it malnutrition)

3. Lack of sleep

4. Infectious diseases

5. Genetic disorders

6. Excessive Alcohol Consumption

7. Stress

8. Poor Oral Hygiene

9. Inactivity

10. Injuries

I hope this makes me an individual who is more responsible, I hope it enables me contribute towards sound health. I am sure I shall be a better community member and a ready person to help our communities have the responsibility to keep our health sound. I hope the 10 listed reasons for poor health will be something I can effectively help build interventions against.

A Positive Attitude begins by understanding one’s surroundings

My Professor told me a positive attitude is one of the greatest assets. She advised that I guard it carefully. Progress and success, whether in the classroom, at home, during recreation, on the job, or at home, are affected largely by it. One’s personality also reveals one’s readiness to assume the responsibilities involved in a job or social contacts. There are categories of responsibilities such as those that are: work-related, parenthood-related, filial-related, social-related, road-user-related, host-related, guest-related, professional-related, conduct-related and individual-related.

At the individual level, one has to examine one’s inner self critically to ensure that no negative tendencies intrude. A martyr complex, feelings of inferiority, making excuse for poor work or too little done, are examples of rationalizing deficiencies. These are negative traits. Other negative traits that drain one of vitality, rob efficiency, and dull one’s brainpower are: depression, tension, irritation, and intolerance. One’s attitude toward one’s fellow classmates or workers, toward supervision, and toward responsibility is as important as one’s attitude about oneself. Great motivators like John Maxwell Company or Key-note speakers talk about this.

Psychologists tell us that attitude is an enduring structure of beliefs that causes us to behave selectively toward physical objects, events, and behavior. Thus, we conclude that a positive mental concept of our ability and worth is extremely important in striving toward a goal. Conversely, it is impossible to progress satisfactorily in work or live a meaningful life if one is filled with negative perceptions.

Perception of yourself is a powerful force that

influences and guides you. If you perceive yourself as becoming a successful typist, you will see yourself as responsible for your progress and you will pinpoint what you do, or fail to do, that causes your success or failure. You will reinforce your attainments and correct your errors. You know that you guide your destiny in typing; and since you perceive that you are competent, you will invest your time, energy, and talents in full measure today so you may reap the benefits of a superior typing tomorrow.

One’s writing methods form one of the most important ways of conveying information. The forms one chooses to convey a message will be judged by the quality of the product, and one’s attitude will be displayed by the output.

Two of the most important aspects of a positive attitude are interest and desire. If one is interested, one will absorb more information from one’s surroundings, and one will become aware of opportunities that further one’s goal. Desire will make one more creative. These attitudes make one search for new opportunities and new approaches to implement ideas. A person with a positive attitude reflects a sense of accomplishment.