Stroking...

An ego is a the strongest part of a human being.  In business the clash of different ego's is what at times creates progress and other times chaos.  Each individual has their own ego.  Some egos are stronger than others.  The word "ego", comes from the same Greek word meaning ME.  All about yourself and nothing else really matters.

When a person is an egoist, the more attention they are paid the happier they are and the stronger they get.  There are certain time that ego's clash with each other.  The EGO is the part the mind the that care about you and thinks of you as being the best.  There are times when your ego has to take a tremendous mental beating.   The ego becomes stronger when it learns to let the outside mental attacks roll away without feeling any mental pain.

The ego of a person is the driving force behind a strong successful lifespan.  Usually we all want to succeed and this is because our ego commands us to do so.  There are are other times when our ego leads us to mischief and misbehavior in the quest for satisfaction.  Depending on the situation a person's ego can go from pussycat to lion in a split second.

The world could be a much better place if we have more control over our ego and work to be part of a society without egoism.   Arguments go on for long periods because  the different parties involved think that they are better than one another.

People are all born in the same fashion and  live in pretty much the same way more or less.  The nicer we are to each other the better the outcome of what we want to achieve occurs.  Many people have such an inflated ego that instead of having a little bit of courtesy, mountains are made of mole hills.  When the ego is inflated and it is only about you then there is no movement on either side.

Get Things Done....

Be Cool.....

Two-faced....

When a person states one statement to a particular person or group and in the same instance with reference to the same subject, expresses a totally opposite opinion or statement, they are two-faced.   As the world grows and the workplace environments get larger and the likes and dislikes of the employees can vary infinitely.  The world economy began through the small business but as population grows and through free economy attrition, the "mom and pop" businesses are being edged out.  Most all people become cut-throat and selfish and do what they need to do to survive with sentiment for their fellow human.  In the name of survival people many times speak from both ends of their mouth.

With the idea, that "you have to look after number one",  every person is looking after themselves and making sure that they are secure in their place (work or society).  In a way being selfish is O.K., but to an extent that it does not do tremendous harm to other people.

When people are say one thing to you and say something else to others, they are "two-faced".   When business do similar things that is called business strategy,in the free economy and that the "buyer beware".  When countries say one thing and do another, there are repercussions  (political and economic).  To avoid being two-faced people first have to calm down and second set a calculated plan that would displaced the least number of people and will do the maximum amount of good.

Wars are started because one country begins something that will benefit mostly one side.  Mean while any treaties or agreements the were long agreed up, are breached.

It is perfectly fine to get your agenda completed, as long as you are open with your plans and do not have any intention of deceit.   When you try to get something done by telling  tales this is when the misunderstandings start.  In a perfect world every person would get what they want without impeding anyone else's space (physical or mental).  

What a world it would be, where yes is yes and no is no....perfect.

Deal With It!

Life goes on from the day it starts.  People are born and people die but the race keeps going.  For a period of time, things go smoothly and sometimes we fall and stumble.    There are many successful people in the world.  There are also far more failures walking around.  Some people are born with a silver spoon in their mouth and a head start in life.  Others have to begin from scratch and fall a few times before they make it or not.  To see if you are a success you must make an attempt at whatever it is you like in life.  

Everyday when I walk there are all kinds of people around in the upper middle and lower classes.  Every person has problems and they each deal with them differently.  The key is not to let the down turns of life keep you depressed.  My wife tells me something that makes sense and I like, "the too, too bad and the too, too good do not last too, too long".  

The point is to savor the good moments and do not let the bad moments take up too much of your memory because everything is temporary.  An apple can be eaten with or without the peel.  If you are given too many lemons you should make lemonade.
You are in a restaurant and order a steak medium rare and the waiter brings it to you, well done, the choice is eat it or send it back, definitely eat it.  If you send the steak back to the kitchen chances are it is going to take time out of your schedule and it still will not be the way you want it.  When you go out to dinner with someone, most of the time it is not about the food, it is about the person you with and subject matter of conversation during the meeting (business or pleasure).

I remember being a youth and visiting an aunt in Greece, the country of my ancestry.  Whenever she would invite me over to her house, she would say, "Louis, what can I offer you? I do not have much," and I would reply "That is O.K. I am not here for your offerings, I'm here just to see you."  The people of this world are too preoccupied with the what, where,  when, instead of the who and why.  Who you are with and why are you here are keys to positive outcomes in life.

The what, where, when are not as significant and should not be a nuisance in the quest for success.  Deal with it and move on is what I suggest.   Life is too short to dwell on the bad too long.  Any and all stumbles in life should be learning experiences.  

LEMONADE RECIPE

10 Lemons
20 cups oWater
1 cup of Sugar

Cut the lemons in half.
Squeeze the lemons in large container
Stir sugar in container
Pour water in container while stirring.

Enjoy Life!!!

Customer Service...

At last night's dinner table, the topic of conversation was my wife's trip to and from Montreal, Canada, on the Greyhound Bus.  After September eleventh 2001 any type of travel has become more secure and cumbersome, on the part of the traveler.  All the people involved in the industry have become more empowered and unwilling to deal with even the slight amount of questioning.  I agree with the philosophy of "the customer is always right" but with in boundaries.  If the antics of the patron(s) interferes with the safety of the everyone in the establishment or if  their requests have nothing to do with what they are purchasing then the customer is not right. 

The bus driver tells everyone on board to turn their radios off or wear  headphones because he needs quiet when driving.  Someone on board does not understand because of the language barrier between English and French and a little while later he is off the bus.  Montreal in the French speaking part of Canada called Quebec.  If you are running a service that requires translators, please make sure that they are stationed where they should be, assisting distressed clients.  It is understood that a pilot or a driver of public transportation should not be harassed or threatened in any way, but asking general questions does not warrant any "Authoritarian Behavior" on their part.

One more word and You are Out!!!

It is understood that when you sit for a meal in a fine dining establishment you expect a certain level of food and service to be equivalent with prices that are charged on the menu.  There is no doubt that the customer(s) have to be absolutely satisfied with their experience.    Anything in life that has to do with a person's tastes is very sensitive.  Clothing, cars, homes and food are businesses that are geared to the likes and dislikes of people.  Too loose or too tight, too long or too short can be adjusted.  Cooking temperatures are also matters of personal taste.  I like my steaks cooked medium rare, slightly bloody and reddish pink.  For people ordering beef in a restaurant it is best to order something undercooked, this way if it needs to be adjusted, there would be no problem of over cooking.

The transportation business is no longer accommodating to the customer as it used to be prior to 2001.  We are living in a world of "you get what you get and don't get upset, or else".  Since September eleventh 2001, everyone is on alert for terrorism.  Therefore any time there is someone or something that is different from the norm, things turn suspicious and tolerance  minimizes.  If someone does have a complaint or dissatisfaction with product or service, their voice is trough pen and paper.  Even  in writing a person must choose their words carefully as not to be misconstrued.

Customer Service.....Tread Lightly.

Playing Games.....

When a person works for a large company, they have many personalities to deal with on a daily basis.  In the complicated world of business things happen that need to be dealt with professionally.  In the world of business people come and go.  The workers tend to stay where they are and drive the company along with upper management.  Low level managers (wanna be's) tend to move often and also are those to do the most damage to morale and amount of friction that exists in a corporation.

Entry levelers are usually the ones doing most of the dirty work for upper managers or owners.  New management trainees are willing to do any and all the dirty work with the premise that they are going to get promoted.  My philosophy is that if you choose to be the company henchman, things will work out more or less that you also will be sacrificed sooner or later by someone else looking to go up the ladder of success.  The secret is that if you do not it to happen to you do not do it to others.

It is a shame some people want to get promoted in life by going "piggyback" on you.   When our ancestors were growing up, it seems there was more honor in their business dealings.  Everything would happen  with  a handshake.  Today people are much more hungry than they were.  Job security does not exist for non-union employees.   It is not good when someone says one thing and really they are plotting another.  This usually happens because people are trying to make themselves look better in the public eye.
As the economy becomes tighter and jobs are more difficult to find, everyone is more willing to be a traitor to each other.  Everyone involved in the workplace serves each other worthless stories.  This happens constantly, in order, to keep their jobs going.   Unemployment is high and this forces everyone in the workplace to have no loyalty other than to themselves.  We are in an environment of cut-throats every moment where everyone is looking out for themselves and you only matter if the results are because of you.
Because they are low on the totem pole, managers only have loyalty to themselves.  No one is secure and everyone must watch their tail.  Corporate philosophy is to constantly be one the warpath with the employees and have everybody on edge.  Mutual respect has gone out the window now we are in a place where everyone is suspect of one another.  Sort of a do it or else atmosphere.

Yes today does not necessarily mean yeas tomorrow.

Using More Than One Bathroom....

There are three bathrooms in my house and I am comfortable in all of them.    Use of a bathroom is a daily necessity for every normal human being.  To a man it makes no difference which bathroom he uses to do his necessities.  To a woman the use of a bathroom is like going to a holy shrine.  There is no religion involved in the use of a bathrooms it is simply part of life no matter where you come from or what your beliefs are.  Kitchens and bathrooms go hand-in-hand.  If you happen to eat a meal that is "off", the next place you are going to visit is......"the bathroom".   What a relief!

This the reason all media is still in business

The room you do most of your growing up or where a person has his eureka moments is?...."The bathroom."   The lavatory in many senses should be called the multipurpose room.

Honey!! Bring Me The TV Remote.

This is so convenient                                    You Look Marvelous

I like to have plenty of light when shaving, this way I can see my fairly handsome storefront (face) when I shave every day.    Women on the other hand like to take over the bathroom and they want to tell everybody sharing with them how and when they can use the facilities.  
The bathroom in many households is a place where people do their contemplating and information gathering.  Reading is the number "three" thing people do after number "one" and number "two".  In cases where you are waiting for number"two", you are actively coin "three"...reading.

Reading is the key to frictionless communication in the world we live in.  The bathroom is the place where we spend a few hours everyday and with this amount of time at hand some of the biggest ideas are born.  For many people their bathroom is their library.  For other people the lavatory is their place to relax and unwind from the stress of the daily grind.  Bubble baths massage oils and candle light make for a very happy life.  Any way you slice it the bathroom is an integral part of human life and I want to use whichever one is more comfortable to me at the moment no matter who says what!!!

Use The Bathroom...Clean The Bathroom...Otherwise...No! No! No!

Change...

Life begins and ends for people but do things never really change.    People throughout the years of their existence have been living their lives the same way and repeating their history with every generation.  There is no problem with wanting to be a strong leader and succeed in life.  Acquiring the spoils the life has to offer is every one's goal.  The way in which we all try to achieve our goals does not see to change, for this reason a person would think  that we should not be making the same mistakes.

With the population of planet earth being about seven billion, and everyone wanting to go ahead in life, things are bound to be repeated.  Each individual has their own agenda and it is going to collide with another person's if there is no plan of avoidance or a personality that is accommodating.  Statistically, people are born alone and for the beginning of their lives, until they begin going to school are used to having their way.   Having things your way makes every selfish.  It is a good thing sharing and playing together is taught from an early age in nursery school and kindergarten.  Things do not change in life because people become comfortable in their ways and then lethargic and refuse to move.  Meanwhile,  you want to move and your neighbor is in your way because he is doing something that does not involve you.  The fact that I want to work in my place of business and earn  a living honestly and legally, annoys the random citizen that is used to something happening without me in their way.  Well get over it change is part of life and things eventually are the same.