That Special Time of the Year
Posted by Craig | Filed under General
I know. It has been a very long time since the last post. The reason for this is not because there is nothing to talk about. In fact there is so much going on so there is plenty to write about. But I’m going to hold off till 2009.
This is a very special time of the year for the entire gyrationfive crew. We love Christmas time so we will be taking off a few days to be with family and to get ready to launch into 2009.
Before we go I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New year. May this time be filled with Peace, Love and Happiness.
Keep an Eye on the Numbers
Posted by Craig | Filed under General
Previous posts focused on people and the value that their personal dreams and work ethic can bring to an organisation.
Another key factor is the numbers side of the organisation – Every organisation (and even individual) needs a strong financial support structure.
A strong handle on your financial position keeps your feet on the ground! Dream (by all means) but have a plan to help realise your dream.
Your vision drives you. It helps you get through the day to day challenges and victories as you pursue your goal. Finance is the enabler. It allows you or your organization to acquire the resources (people and technology included) to reach your goal.
So be sure to keep your eye on the numbers. Get it wrong and you get caught up in the realities of debt and the challenges of inconsistent economic times. Get it right and you are able to respond to, and act on, more opportunities even in a tough and fickle economy.
Leadership
Posted by Craig | Filed under People
Nations need leaders.
Businesses need leaders.
Good leadership has a positive effect on our surroundings. I can go on forever and write paragraphs on the topic of leadership, but I won’t.
I want to make one point: Leaders are not machines or algorithms, they are people. Human beings like you and me. While we may not all be leading countries or companies there are many other opportunities where we can shine as leaders.
Our communities need leaders.
Our homes need leaders.
This can be you (and me).
Tags: leadership, People
The Value of Technology
Posted by Craig | Filed under Technology
Imagine a world with no Internet. This means
- No information at your fingertips
- No sharing of ideas and opinions
- No “instant” communication
The Internet – What an amazing resource for business and personal growth. The reality is that many of the young people that I interact with (and many South Africans in general) still live in a world with no access to the Internet.
I believe that there are many reasons for this and I won’t go into those reasons right now, but I am excited to note that things are improving.
To me, this reality highlights the opportunities that exist for so many young people who do not currently have this powerful resource at their disposal.
I have so much more to say on this topic (and over the coming months we will explore many of these thoughts), but for now this is a good place to pause and emphasise another key building block of gyrationfive – Technology (specifically, the Internet).
Personally, being connected has been enjoyable and profitable (and yes, it is important to disconnect sometimes). We would love to hear how technology is impacting your life. Share your experiences, views (good or bad) with the rest of the WWW by leaving your comment(s).
Oh, remember to check back as we explore more around this topic. You can also subscribe to this blog using this RSS feed or click on the button in the sidebar.
Tags: Technology, the internet, www
Navigating Tough Economic Times
Posted by Craig | Filed under General
It has been a few days since my last post. So much going on – thankfully all good.
Given the current economic situation, internationally as well as here in beautiful South Africa, these are testing times. It has been interesting to observe how business leaders are responding to these conditions.
Despite some of the negativity there are still some organisations that are flourishing.
Look beyond the numbers and I’m confident that the key contributor to their success is their investment in their people.
People that understand how they contribute to the success of the organisation will remain focused, watch for opportunities and in doing so they become the organisations most valuable asset.
Add to this smooth systems and processes and you have an organisation that is flexible to navigate through this period of economic uncertainty.
Times are tough for everyone and in my opinion relationships will be key to get us through this one.
Tags: business, People, recession
Business: The Balanced Approach
Posted by Craig | Filed under General
Passionate people, empowering tools and an ultimate goal (or dream) – In my opinion these are vital building blocks for success in business and/or personal lives.
As we grow our business , achieving balance between these building blocks is extremely important .
Without a goal, you can sell yourself or your business short .Without motivated and passionate people or with inferior “tools” you often faced with a job half done. Ideally we want our organisation to reach maximum potential.
To help create balance in your organisation, we recommend implementing systems and processes to help optimise how these elements need to integrate for the organisation to achieve the best results. Documenting the systems and processes in your organisation will be very beneficial in the long run. Don’t overcomplicate things. Start small – but do your best to have something in place!
Tags: business, People, systems and processes
People – Any Organisation’s Most Valuable Asset
Posted by Craig | Filed under People
People are important – in fact people are the reason that gyrationfive exists.
They come in all shapes and forms, some are quirky, some serious and others funny. While we are all different, we all have needs. For some, these needs are very basic while for others it is more complex. What I find amusing is that even when you put a group of really “smart” people together there is no guarantee that they will produce the “smartest” results.
There are many reasons for this. One reason is that no matter who we are or what position we hold, we need some kind of direction or leadership en route to our goal. To tap in to our full potential we need to be mentored and, when the time comes, be able to mentor. I recently a read an excellent article that speaks to this point.
It has taken a few months for me to crystalise why I started this organization and more importantly what the next steps are to be to realise the gyrationfive dream. Thanks to the input of some key individuals, I have managed to formulate a plan to get the ball rolling … and things are finally coming together.
My Point – I needed the tough questions (you know who you are), great recommendations and the support and encouragement to move to this level and to map out the next few steps on the journey. Equally important is finding the right people to run things by. In a way they have become an advisory board to me and the organization – and I am grateful for every bit of input. I hope these partnerships and friendships will keep growing and stand the test of time!
Tags: mentorship, People
Knowledge, Experience and Ability
Posted by Craig | Filed under General
People are smart. You may have read my previous post and be of the opinion that a dream on its own means nothing.
I agree. To achieve success in anything that you set out to do requires hard work. It is a simple principle: Your dreams mean nothing unless you DO something about them.
If you have a specific goal (personal or professional), you will need to develop and practice your skills daily in order to become the best at what you do. For me, this translates to having a sound work ethic and a clear understanding of what drives you.
“If money is your hope for independence you will never have it. The only real security that a man will have in this world is a reserve of knowledge, experience, and ability.” – Henry Ford
Your dream is what gets you out of bed every morning! Then what? Nurturing the skill to achieve is the difficult part. However when we overcome the difficulties and focus on the job at hand, the reward can be very sweet….
Turning Dreams Into Reality…
Posted by Craig | Filed under General
People should have a dream. I like this quote by Victor Hugo;
” There is nothing like a dream to create the future. “
Big or Small, having a dream helps us to push beyond the boundaries and challenges that life sets for us.
Welcome to gyrationfive.com – our home on the World Wide Web. We too have a dream and this is our platform to share some of our experiences in our journey to realising our dreams. Over the next few months the story will unfold and we hope to impact ”real” people on this journey. We encourage you to get involved. Connect and share some of your stories with us!
Let’s get going…
Tags: dreams, goals, gyrationfive, quotes
