Whether you are undertaking class research, or trying to make a difference, it is important to do a bit of planning. Sure things may not go according to plan, so be ready to change directions a bit - but still have somewhere to go when you start.
STEP 1:
What is the problem? This will be the thing you want to change, your goal. You need to ask yourself, is it realistic to try to change this? Be specific here - do you want to solve the litter problem at your school or in the whole town?
STEP 2:
List the people and things you will need to reach your goal. With people resources, consider the different tasks they might have, the skills they will need. Other resources will include things like money, office space, access to a telephone, a rubbish bin.
STEP 3:
Identify your supporters. Who are the other people in the community or area who are effected by this problem? They will probably be keen to get in there and help. While it's great to have lots of helpers, it is also important to have someone in charge who is keeping track of everything that is happening.
STEP 4:
Who are the movers and shakers you need to contact in order to get something done. At school you will need to talk to the principal and take your ideas to the school council. In your neighbourhood, you will need to contact the local council or elected officials.
STEP 5:
List the things that you need to do. These will be different depending on what your action target is. It may involve writing letters, brochures, or organising meetings or working bees. List the people you need to contact. Aim to allocate tasks to specific individuals. You are more likely to get something done if someone is responsible.
STEP 6:
How long is all of this going to take? Developing a timeline is important. This may be a general guess that, yes it should take two weeks. You could also aim to develop a project timeline.
STEP 7:
How are you going to evaluate your success? While you may be part way to your goal, it is a rare action plan that hits its target on the first go. Often you will need to stop and rethink your strategy. This does not mean that you have failed, but simply that things haven't gone to plan and you need to re-check your tactics. Of course all may be well.
The question then - is "what is the next plan of attack?" You will need some skills in order to put your plan into action.
Link: Planning for Action
Thursday, 23 December 2010
The importance of Decision Making
To Decide - or Not to Decide
Shakespeare's Hamlet struggled with his "Final Exit" dilemma of whether "to be or not to be. His classic soliloquy lives on as the dramatic portrait of any human being facing a critical decision, especially the final one.
Freely making and executing a decision is the very essence of human life, where the most complex brain on Earth can guide it (but often doesn't because emotion typically overwhelms rationality). Flowers and plants don't decide anything - they just grow naturally from the earth and toward the sun. Animals make decisions every waking moment of their lives, whether to run, search, fly or fight - but their decisions are mainly instinctive, based on automatic and built-in reflexes of continuous stimulus and response. Only humans have the rational capacity of reflecting on the consequences of decisions before making and executing them.
Even etymologically the word "decide" has ancient and profoundly meaningful origins. The word "decide" stems from the Latin root "caedo," meaning "to cut," which is exactly what a decision does: a decision cuts off most options and leaves alive only the one or few decided upon. Modern managers know this well as they face decisions daily that either make their careers or ruin them (and their organizations).
The Essence of the Executive: to Decide
Indeed, the essence of the executive, and why CEOs are paid so highly, is the enormous effect of an executive's decisions, often on millions of people, and the long-range consequences of extraordinary success (IBM's PC) or disaster (Ford's Edsel). Most people try to avoid such massive decision-making and leave it to others such as their bosses, priests, lawyers, accountants or other authorities.
But, for an executive, making such decisions each day is his essential function, the special skill or gift, which distinguishes him sharply from all his subordinates in an organization.
Link: Decision Making
Shakespeare's Hamlet struggled with his "Final Exit" dilemma of whether "to be or not to be. His classic soliloquy lives on as the dramatic portrait of any human being facing a critical decision, especially the final one.
Freely making and executing a decision is the very essence of human life, where the most complex brain on Earth can guide it (but often doesn't because emotion typically overwhelms rationality). Flowers and plants don't decide anything - they just grow naturally from the earth and toward the sun. Animals make decisions every waking moment of their lives, whether to run, search, fly or fight - but their decisions are mainly instinctive, based on automatic and built-in reflexes of continuous stimulus and response. Only humans have the rational capacity of reflecting on the consequences of decisions before making and executing them.
Even etymologically the word "decide" has ancient and profoundly meaningful origins. The word "decide" stems from the Latin root "caedo," meaning "to cut," which is exactly what a decision does: a decision cuts off most options and leaves alive only the one or few decided upon. Modern managers know this well as they face decisions daily that either make their careers or ruin them (and their organizations).
The Essence of the Executive: to Decide
Indeed, the essence of the executive, and why CEOs are paid so highly, is the enormous effect of an executive's decisions, often on millions of people, and the long-range consequences of extraordinary success (IBM's PC) or disaster (Ford's Edsel). Most people try to avoid such massive decision-making and leave it to others such as their bosses, priests, lawyers, accountants or other authorities.
But, for an executive, making such decisions each day is his essential function, the special skill or gift, which distinguishes him sharply from all his subordinates in an organization.
Link: Decision Making
Thursday, 9 December 2010
Tuesday, 7 December 2010
Tanam sayur di rumah
Saya ingin berkongsi salah satu berita besar yang bakal berlaku pada masa depan, iaitu krisis kekurangan bekalan makanan. Kerajaan Malaysia juga dikatakan turut bersiap sedia menghadapi krisis makanan yang bakal berlaku pada tahun 2030. Link untuk bacaan lanjut di sini.
Manusia ni macam mana pun mesti nak makan. Tak namanya manusia kalau tak makan. Dan tak ada manusia tak pernah tak makan. Mesti makan.
Jadi, ada baiknya kita belajar bercucuk tanam atau menternak, bersiap sedia menghadapi apa jua kemungkinan pada masa akan datang, atau sekurang-kurangnya meringankan beban perbelanjaan.
Contoh beberapa jenis sayuran yang sesuai ditanam di halaman rumah:-
1. Sawi
2. Cili
3. Terung bulat
4. Terung panjang
5. Kacang panjang
6. Kacang tanah
7. Jagung
8. Kangkung
9. Bendi
10. Ubi kayu
11. Tomato
Contoh cadangan lain di sini dan sini. Kalau ada tanah seluas kebun lagi bagus.
Minggu lepas saya berkesempatan ke MAHA 2010 melihat sendiri jenis tanaman dan produk pertanian dari dalam dan luar negara. Dalam konteks sebuah negara, pertanian adalah antara sektor paling penting kerana ia melibatkan bekalan makanan kepada rakyat dan penyumbang kepada ekonomi.
Pertanian sekarang sudah jadi industri yang menjana pendapatan lumayan, tak macam dulu lagi.
Manusia ni macam mana pun mesti nak makan. Tak namanya manusia kalau tak makan. Dan tak ada manusia tak pernah tak makan. Mesti makan.
Jadi, ada baiknya kita belajar bercucuk tanam atau menternak, bersiap sedia menghadapi apa jua kemungkinan pada masa akan datang, atau sekurang-kurangnya meringankan beban perbelanjaan.
Contoh beberapa jenis sayuran yang sesuai ditanam di halaman rumah:-
1. Sawi
2. Cili
3. Terung bulat
4. Terung panjang
5. Kacang panjang
6. Kacang tanah
7. Jagung
8. Kangkung
9. Bendi
10. Ubi kayu
11. Tomato
Contoh cadangan lain di sini dan sini. Kalau ada tanah seluas kebun lagi bagus.
Minggu lepas saya berkesempatan ke MAHA 2010 melihat sendiri jenis tanaman dan produk pertanian dari dalam dan luar negara. Dalam konteks sebuah negara, pertanian adalah antara sektor paling penting kerana ia melibatkan bekalan makanan kepada rakyat dan penyumbang kepada ekonomi.
Pertanian sekarang sudah jadi industri yang menjana pendapatan lumayan, tak macam dulu lagi.
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