Social Media, the Millennials’ Dilemma, & Real Relationships

 Choice, Fascinating, Happiness, Parenting, Success
Sep 292017
 

If you are a frequent reader of OptimismMan.com, chances are you already realize that I believe there is a significant dark side to social media, beyond just the time that it appropriates rather insidiously. Every technology comes with positives and negatives, but often, the negatives are ignored until the evidence is overwhelming, common sense be damned.

Simon Sinek is one of my favorite thinkers and speakers. In the interview below, he covers an amazing amount of ground, primarily focused on what plagues Millennials in the workplace and in life. Lots of factors have conspired to make this generation have a sense of entitlement without hard work. Simon makes some great common sense connections to the role social media is playing, which results in far less real lasting connections and relationships, which ultimately matters in one’s happiness and gratitude.

Click below — this is well worth the few minutes to watch:

You have a choice. Everything needs balance. At a minimum, no smartphones at dinner is a great place to start.

I.M. OptimismMan

 

Idea Meritocracy for Better Decision-making

 Fascinating, Listening, Tools and Technology
Sep 102017
 

Much of my life, I have seen myself as an enthusiastic ideaman. I have more ideas per day than most people, I take the time to write a fair share of them down, I outline them into more than a fleeting thought, and I test them on friends and family all the time.  Unfortunately, I have found that people rarely tell me one of my ideas stinks… even though I’m certain that some of them do.  In most situations, true transparency is rare.  In companies, where paychecks and promotions are on the line, transparency is exceedingly rare.

But what if your company could be transformed into an idea-meritocracy, instead of the all-too-typical top-down hierarchy?  What if a company made decisions by truly collaborating, listening, and debating the ideas and perspectives of all, not just the few with formal power or excellent networking influence?  What if people really communicated what they believed, what they thought, and voted on who they felt was more credible and believable?

It turns out that there is such a place — and it happens to be one of the most successful hedge funds over the last four decades. Please consider Ray Dalio’s overview of life at Bridgewater… how would these concepts change the destiny of your company, if they were implemented?

I find it fascinating. Technology is making the impossible, possible, when you have a visionary at the helm.

I.M. OptimismMan