Uncategorized
Neurological system
16-04-2012
Music was / is in my whole life important. It heals, makes you happy, eases sadness and let energy flow. I read many books about music and one of the most difficult books about music to read is: Understanding Music from Jeremy Yudkin. A very analytical essay about what music does and how we process this. My neurological system was completely blocked in 2010 (compressed coral spine by a hernia). A coral spine processes second order transactions like driving our movements of the hands, legs etc. In the coral spine there is brain liquid. If brain liquid doesn’t flow in the coral spine (by the blockage) then I faced during summer 2010 an other reality. Time was gone and my brian power diminished heavily. My second language English vanished in days. After the surgery the motion came back by learning to walk again and to exercise and reach my body limits and to push the body limits. But how to recap brain power….. Simple tasks like administration looked to me as climbing the Mount Everest. I noticed that thinking about problems, gaps, objectives of life was changed and had the “feeling’ that my IQ dropped or even a part of my identity as human was alternated. During all this I still listened to my iPod, Day in – Day out. And….some rewiring started.
Oliver Sacks, a neurologist, is quite clear about what music can do to the neurological system. The book: The Mind,s Eye is a must read. During my own investigation driven by my disability. I discovered that music has a direct impact on my neurological system. It balances feelings, emotions and reinforce the neurological system and I am convinced that it helps rewiring my thinking. Here is clip (yes it is long) and explains how a person can access his memory by music. See: http://musicandmemory.org
SMART
22-05-2011
Objectives are set based on expectations of your boss, the company and of course yourself. It helps if a value matrix will be filled with the objectives and show if your are inline with the achieved results. Even when achieved results are not in line with the objectives you will adapt decisions cycles and manage and drive on the gravity points of the objectives. Blue chip companies works in general with objectives and try to capture this in a SMART model.
SMART stands for: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Time Phased. But SMART is a flat model and if your boss has no clue about the companies strategy else then more sales. How will you create a nuanced objective model…CLEAR & PURE can help you to set certain dynamics in the objectives. CLEAR stand for Challenging, Legal, Environmentally, Agreed and Recorded. PURE stands for Positively stated, Understood, Relevant & Ethical.
In stat of dealing with 5 blocks, in SMART, to get a good picture of the expectations for objectives. You add human elements with PURE and context with CLEAR. Even when a company strategy is blurred for or by your managers. You expose leadership with these 14 building blocks.
Na de verkiezingen
15-06-2010
Volgens Mark Rutte zou er in een kleine twee weken bekend moeten worden hoe het kabinet er uit ziet. Alexander Pechtold was hier gelijk heel duidelijk over en zei dat het moeilijk wordt. Het lijkt erop dat nog steeds alles mogelijk is in de formatie en elke partij die winst heeft geboekt in de laatste verkiezingen wil erkend worden en gaan (mee) regeren.
De stekker werd in het laatste kabinet eruit getrokken door de PvdA. Dus waarom zou de PvdA weer is niet een tijdje in het oppositie bankje gaan zitten. De PvdA wordt dan genoodzaakt om een frisse wind door de eigen gelederen te laten gaan. Dat zou wel eens ten koste kunnen gaan van GL en SP die de linkse vleugel uitstekend hebben kunnen vertegenwoordigen en waarbij het GL en SP weer linkser wordt zoals ze ooit waren.
Een (midden) rechts kabinet zou slagvaardig moeten kunnen handelen t.a.v. de crisissen die de monetaire unie treft en een zeker hoofd kunnen bieden aan de begroting tekorten van de zuidelijke Euro landen. Het ambtenaren stelsel zou grondig herzien kunnen worden waarbij Agnes volledige steun heeft van de linkse oppositie en er weer eens wat politiek vuurwerk is.
Maar een rechts kabinet zou een maatschappij wel eens, in korte tijd, kunnen gaan polariseren waardoor Nederland voor andere problematieken komt te staan en het verworvene van de afgelopen decennium als burger teniet doen. Een maatschappij is geen bedrijf en vice versa. Ook al wordt soms de term Nederland B.V. gebruikt.
Als de VVD, PVV, CDA gaan regeren dan zou de Jager (zie zijn twitter meldingen over zijn voorkeur stemmen) weer de functie van Minister van financiën ambiëren. Wat geen slechte keus is. Het CDA en VVD zal haar invloed moeten gebruiken om de problemen binnen de PVV in zekere mate (van coalitie oogpunt) te begeleiden. “Mij lijkt dat er veel problemen binnen de nieuwe fractie gaan komen van de PVV.”
Het CDA wordt nog met iets heel anders geconfronteerd n.l. “de ontzuiling” van de afgelopen decennia in combinatie met een afgezwaaide leider die ruim over de houdbaarheid datum was resulteert in structureel zetel verlies die op een andere manier terug gewonnen moet worden. Een tijdje wonden likken, zelf analyses en niet in het macht centrum zitten kan tijd geven om te hergroeperen.
Een interessante tijd.
Consulting & Performance Delivery
12-06-2010
Many consulting companies are still selling hours without taking the responsibility to deliver where they stand for. If a project objective isn’t defined clearly then there is logic to do so. However many projects have a deadline and the core pieces of the project are know and reflected in the business requirements and / or deliverables. Consulting companies should initiate always a (short) assessment to map the requirements and objectives. The time to do this can be consolidated in the project itself and protect the expectations for the consulting company and the customer on the deliverables. This sound obvious but many projects start in a wrong way and consulting companies are forced just to sell hours without a performance matrix.
Consulting activities should be professionalized in the next decade. This can be done by improved communication cascading about Project Key Performance Indicators, the quality of the consulting to execute the project, meet the customer expectations and just have common sense in the way how project will be executed.
The word “high performance” in consulting is a perfect marketing word but key stake holders will judge this if this is true.
DAM
14-04-2010
Digital Asset Management can work very well to support Product Information Databases. Product information databases needs to be accessed by marketing, operations, construction, CAD/CAM departments, the supply chain and most important by the customer. PIM can drive e-commerce applications and enhance customer engagement. Many organizations do have ERP systems with the PIM information and move PIM data with a store / forward transaction to the web shop (and gather information in the same way). If PIM data is coming from more “internal” sources then the CMS backend of the web server / web shop is even more important.
Digital Asset management which can drive PIM data with 2D, 3D, meta data can be very useful to present data to all relevant stakeholders, as mentioned, without making this a massive IT challenge. PIM / DAM is also the tool to drive e-commerce applications in a better way.
BPM
13-04-2010
Business Process Mapping is an important tool to see what artifacts happens in an organization. It explains also what people are doing and a discussion can start “why are you doing what you do”. Business Transformation can easily be guided with BPM and business decisions can be fact based in stat of “Gut” based. It would be so nice if the BPM would be showed in a 3 D model. The high level 3D explanation can be grasped by anyone and detail can be unleashed as soon as you zoom in.
BPM can also be used for the Business Intelligence teams. BI analyst are , in general, very good to create specific dashboards, tools & reports but struggle to approach data from an operational point of view. 3 D BPM can help them to add more value with their solutions.
Some nice URL’s
17-02-2010
Many people use in the UK / US the website alibaba (www.alibaba.com) to get their products manufactured in Asia. Alibaba is a less known site in Holland.
How can you contact people in the fortune 500 or get in touch with the right people in big cooperates: Try: www.lead411.com The core trail is free.
Get the Fogra softproof handbook: http://forschung.fogra.org/index.php?menuid=62&reporeid=122&getlang=en
Cognos
17-02-2010
Hele volks stammen gebruiken Cognos als pakket om data goed uit ERP/MIS/Main frames/ Mini’s/Servers te trekken. Menig aanvraag om een andere rapportage te maken van produktie data, financiele data duurt lang. Operations hebben , nu meer dan ooit, produktie data nodig om organisaties zo efficiënt mogelijk te kunnen sturen.
Toch zit hier een enorm potentieel voor bedrijven als Quark, Pageflex, Objective Lune. Deze bedrijven zijn gewend om met variabele data te werken, snappen template, stijlen beter dan wie dan ook maar hebben niet in de markt de plaats die cognos heeft. Misschien een uitgelezen kans voor grafische bedrijven om banken, verzekering maatschappijen , pensioen fondsen, gemeentes aan te schrijven.
Universal Music International Change in leadership
12-02-2010
Vivendi: Lucian Grainge promoted to Chief Executive Officer, Universal Music Group.Doug Morris to remain as Chairman.
Vivendi announced today the appointment of Lucian Grainge as Chief Executive Officer of Universal Music Group (UMG), the world’s leading music company. Mr. Grainge is promoted from his current role as Chairman and CEO of London-based Universal Music Group International (UMGI). He will take up the position on Jan. 1st 2011, succeeding Doug Morris, who will remain as Chairman. He will relocate to New York from July 1st 2010. During these six months, Doug Morris and Lucian Grainge will act as co-CEOs of UMG. Lucian Grainge will report to Jean-Bernard Levy and become a member of the Vivendi Management Board. Under Lucian Grainge’s leadership since 2005, UMGI has grown its market share worldwide, broken global acts and led the music industry in developing a range of new digital services. He started his career with CBS/April Music in 1979, advancing to positions in Artists & Repertoire (A&R) and talent development, and rising to senior management positions at PolyGram UK and Universal Music internationally. Doug Morris commented: “The time has come for Lucian to step up to the CEO role. I am very happy with the new organization as I have been grooming him to succeed me for quite a while now. I know he is ready, willing and able to attack the challenges of the new decade.” Commenting on the appointment, Jean-Bernard Levy, chairman of the Vivendi Management Board, stated: “I am delighted that Lucian Grainge has agreed to move to New York to take on the Chief Executive role. His track record speaks for itself, finding stars, growing revenues and building new business models. He has the right combination of experience and innovation to take UMG forward as the migration into the digital era accelerates.” Jean-Bernard Levy went on:”I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Doug Morris for the extraordinary results he has achieved over the years in a very tough environment. After starting out as a songwriter in 1965, Doug has overseen 35 years in the business and taken it from Vinyl to Vevo. Lucian will be able to benefit from their period in tandem. I know Doug, as the chairman of UMG, will continue to provide a major contribution to the business and the music industry as a whole.” Lucian Grainge added: “Stepping into Doug’s shoes is an honour and a privilege. This is a great industry which I believe has as much to look forward to as to be proud of. If we keep getting the basics right of exceptional music and artistry, backed by a great team and sound business sense, then we’ll continue to achieve success.”
About VivendiA world leader in communications and entertainment, Vivendi controls Activision Blizzard (#1 in video games worldwide), Universal Music Group (#1 in music worldwide), SFR (#2 in mobile and fixed telecom in France), Maroc Telecom Group (#1 in mobile and fixed telecom in Morocco), Canal+ Group (#1 in pay-TV in France), GVT (#1 alternative operator in fixed telecom and internet in Brazil) and owns 20% of NBCU (leading U.S. media and entertainment group). In 2008, Vivendi achieved revenues of €25.4 billion and adjusted net income of €2.7 billion. With operations in 77 countries, the Group has about 43,000 employees. www.vivendi.com <http://www.vivendi.com>
Een CEO, CFO, COO gedreven organisatie
11-02-2010
Het is gebleken dat korte termijn strategie om de winst onnatuurlijk te vergroten en aandeelhouders gouden bergen te beloven slecht gewerkt heeft voor diverse industrien in de afgelopen decennia. Het veroorzaakt Zonnebloemen die in korte dermate groot worden en knakken in de wind of dat de Zonnebloemen niet met de zon mee kunnen draaien en dood gaan.
Vaak is er in de top van een corperate een volledige afwezigheid van wat hun eigen bedrijf als produkten of diensten nou eigenlijk levert en nog belangrijker wat vinden en willen klanten die producten en diensten. Zodra directie , board of directors naar de werkvloer gaat, klanten interviewt en weer de synchronisatie krijgt zie je dat realisme in de gestelde doelen en winstverwachting komt.
Socks, Commissie tabaksblad… geeft een mooie ethische lijn in een organisatie weer maar corperates kunnen zo complex in elkaar zitten dat deze regels alleen maar op geconsolideerde data en systemen uitgeveoerd wordt en niet weergeven wat er eigenlijk gewenst wordt “transparancy”.
Het spanningsveld COO,CFO,CEO is belangrijk in deze en zou op regelmatige basis getoetst moeten worden door aandeelhouders & commissarissen.