Davos 2011 - Global Leadership: A New Era?

The growing prominence of the G20 has captured headlines globally, but the widely shared perception is that the world's problems are now more difficult to solve than ever before.

· Eric I. Cantor, Majority Leader and Congressman from Virginia (Republican), 7th District, USA
· Christine Lagarde, Minister of Economy, Finance and Industry of France; Member of the Foundation Board of the World Economic Forum
· Anand Sharma, Minister of Commerce and Industry of India

Moderated by
· Nik Gowing, Main Presenter, BBC World News, United Kingdom
Click to watch the video then you decide or discuss your opinion about the role of leadership in the world.
Thanks
Rony Delgarde

I AM LEARNING HOW TO PERSUADE MYSELF NOT TO BE LATE AGAIN

We all know that being late is closely linked to many other bad habits such as being lazy, avoiding responsibility, ineffective time management skills, being unable to understand that making other people waiting is not good, or a lack of motivation, procrastination and many more. It is so true, I have ever thought that such a habit as being “late” can be associated with something quite negative, incompetence, self-centeredness, lack of integrity or increased stress and just being lazy in everything.

People who know me know that I have never been late for anything in my whole life. But then I was brought up that way. My parents taught me a lesson that all latecomers didn’t learn or neglect. When I was 6 years old and older my father would make me miss whatever or wherever it was I should have done or been if I couldn’t be ready 25 minutes early to the time estimate to get anywhere or do anything. Whether I had appointments, went to soccer practice or Judo training deadlines, or even attending churches or catching a movie on a regular basis I had to technically give myself 25 minutes early. At first, I had a very hard time to proper measure my times but when I realize the more I was on time the more respect I owned from my peers so somehow I felt less stress about what I was doing.

My father always believes that being late is the rudest things. He thinks it is something everyone can learn. For example, I had a typical neighbor and friend who was constantly and embarrassingly late and I hated it. It wasn't laziness or lack of caring, just poor estimation of how long something would take him to just get done on a timely fashion. One day, I advised him to follow my father’s secret system for being late. I know it was stupid but maybe he could just start with small stuff first like brushing his teeth, or taking a shower. So we would end up leaving 10 or 15 minutes after we should have done. At least I was not able to help him be ready 25 minutes early but he was always ahead of his daily schedules and everyone thought he became a punctual person.

As my father has decided ‘years’ ago to teach me how to be on time, today I can confirm how easy it is to handle punctuality. I can go to bed at 2 am and up at 5:30 am every day no matter during week days or weekends. I’m rather a few minutes early to my appointments than just being on time. A couple months ago, I gave a talk about leadership to a small group student at Clark Atlanta University in which I gave an extended version of this article. One of the students in the room gave me this compliment after my presentation that ‘‘I would be never late again and would never miss an appointment’’. I wish I had a father like yours when I was growing up.” I was chocked but knew I would make a difference in her life. That is my harvest of the seed I’ve put out several years back. One answer I gave to a question from the crowd was ‘when you are on time, you feel more in control of your life you feel more in balance. Although, I use my blackberry to carry my appointments and meetings but I don’t need a reminder on my mobile, I have a good feeling of what my transition time is and I put in some extra empty times like 25 minutes to allow me to be on time and no stress, not late, no loss of credibility.

I have an old and very dear friend who is constitutionally incapable of being on time. Although I won’t say her name here because I have many many very punctual friends, It's literally her only fault, I absolutely love her but I think she has a kind of tolerance about being late, almost as if she's trying to prove something. I've watched her trying to keep appointments and she will only just start to prepare for the meeting at the appointed hour. For example, if she has to be somewhere at 11:00, then at exactly 11:00 she will say "oh shit, I better start putting my make-up on" and laugh. Even though, she knows it’s going to take half an hour to get there. It frustrated me so much about her I would say something to her, but I don't remember it would drive her to change her behavior towards being on time. It simply just does not occur to her to do things such as check on time. There’s time she can remind herself to, but sometimes she just doesn’t, and she really feels she has no control over her behavior.

For all you latecomers out there, it is very important for you to understand that it is necessary to teach yourselves to be punctual. Making other people waiting, missing deadlines and running behind their schedules is something that may cause significant impact on everyone around them, and it actually contradicts with the full idea of a great leader. We all do it when we get closer to an appointment, you always feel the desire to do something other than getting ready or you want to see if you can get one more thing done before you go. So you end up being late and sometimes making other people who have waited for you late as well. That is why in order to break down the wall of being unpunctual; you should develop a learning process that will allow you to proper manage your times. A good exercise can be first writing down all your tasks and actions for the day, and then prioritizing them accordingly. Write the most important and the most necessary things to be done on the top of your paper or on your calendar, followed by less important and the least important things. Choose to do first only the things which are vital and essential for you, and understand the fact that watching the 10 top plays on ESPN Sportscenter or cleaning the house are not that important sometimes. Also, increase your awareness of the fact that being on time is also a key factor that plays an important role and can serve you for good in a great deal of various situations in your life! Very punctual people are always higher achievers, more discipline, appreciated, respected and are generally more successful in their life than latecomer folks.

Ok those are good lessons and tactics for being punctual, and how to change our bad habits and take more control of our life in order to become a better and more responsible person. What other advice do you have for people who will read this article but can’t figure out how to be always on time? Let us know your tips and techniques in the comment box bellow.



Thanks for reading my blog!!!



Rony Delgarde

6 Ways To Lead The Best Life You Possibly Can

By Dan Preston

For most of us our daily lives seem to repeat day after day with little or no noticeable change. In the morning you get up, commute to work, come home, go to sleep exhausted and then start the whole process over again the next day.

The only thing really happening is were all getting older.

While preoccupied with our daily routines, we sometimes fall into a trap where we really don't care or realize that there is a world full of excitement just waiting to be discovered.

It is now time to change your outlook and pull yourself out of the daily rut called life?

1) Face Your Fears: There are not many people in this world that like to do things outside of their comfort zone.

Whether it be a fear of pain, fear of failure or whatever it may be, in order to grow as a person we all need to step out of that comfort zone and push ourselves to do more so we can become more as an individual.

2) Treat Others As You Would Like To Be Treated: This is such an old saying that has been repeated time and time again, but unfortunately its one that is not practiced often enough. Far too often we lash out at others because something is not happening in our favor or we let greed get the best of us.

So the next time your about to let off steam or do something you know is wrong, try to pause for a second and just think how you would feel if someone were about to do the same to you. It is hoped that you will see more clearly and choose a more compassionate approach when dealing with problems.

3) Don't Blame Others For Where You Are In Life: As hard as it may be to accept, everyone is where they are in life because of the decisions they make from day to day. It is far too easy to put the blame on others for our troubles and misfortunes when in fact we are in certain predicaments because we have allowed ourselves to be pulled into them in the first place.

The next time your looking to pin the blame on someone else for the troubles you are having, try and be constructive in your thoughts to overcome the obstacle in front of you and accept the situation at hand as a learning experience.

4) Look For And Bring Out The Good In People: When involved with people in our daily lives it is way too easy to pick out a persons faults or wrong doings which in turn always seem to overshadow the good.

The next time your dealing with someone that you really just don?t care to strongly about and for whatever reason it may be, try changing your attitude to a positive one and attempt to shift the mood by being kind and courteous to them in hopes they will see their faults and in turn give you the same respect that you deserve.

5) Be A Giver: A person's greatness is measured by what they do or give to other people in need, while not expecting anything in return.

No matter if you just give your time, knowledge, or a helping hand, the gratification of knowing you did a good deed should be reward enough for someone who is a true giver.

6) View Life As A Giant Classroom: Everyday you wake up treat it as if it were your last chance to learn about the things you want to know about.

View the people you work or interact with as your classmates and no matter how little it may seem, all have some kind of life lesson you can use to develop into the person you want to be.

(c) Dan Preston - All rights reserved

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As a busy person, there is always times that I feel overwhelmed with thoughts about things I want to accomplish, but seem to never have enough time to complete everything. This article was such a fundamental inspiration to me. I hope you enjoy each points because the Author was very sincere which in turn helps me focus on a more efficient way to live my life while appreciate just every little things. I hope this article gives you a chance to open up more opportunities to do the things you’d rather be doing in life and make a significant impact in your community.

Thank you

Rony Delgarde

"My New Year Messages"

I am back on blogging. This is good for me because it is a new year so it’s time to set goals to overcome my bad habits and focus on keeping myself and I super busy this year. Personally, I have had a great year in 2010. It was a year full of ups and downs, happy and sad moments, fun and painful occasions. Though there have been touchdowns and misses in every sphere, overall, it has been a good year. I am very enthusiastic about 2011. I think the New Year will usher in new promises, hopes, and challenges. Whether your goal is about changing your career, weight loss, relationship, anger management, patience, kindness, peace, or care, make the most of every passing moment.

This year I worry about having an existential crisis with the Haiti Earthquake. I have personally lost more relatives and friends from the earthquake than the United State lost on 9/11. The number of people killed from the earthquake is greater than a quarter of million, and millions of people in Haiti suffer daily from famine, cholera, and other disasters. I personally thank the international organizations for their help and support for the people of Haiti. Haiti has finally gotten international attention but the country still has a long way ahead (but that could just be my thoughts).

I like what Victor Frank says in his famous book "Men search for meaning" about purpose. Life has meaning if we lead a purpose driven life. And purpose is derived from values.

As I contemplate for being grateful, I realize that much of my purpose has to do with my relations with God. I know I am good at listening to the higher power and I intent to tie to my purpose as he will guide my values in 2011.
When asked recently why we are on the earth, I hurriedly replied "to run successful businesses - what else? To be famous?” As I ponder more, I realize, for me, the quick and easy answer is that I have been diligent in giving back to the community and am recognized for my contributions. I think sometimes we don’t look at our lives and forget to see how truly blessed we are. I am blessed to have a great education, good friends, a roof over my head. I am blessed that I could go to sleep and don’t have to worry about what I am going to eat when I wake up in the morning. As a non-profit entrepreneur and Senior Executive Consultant, I want to devote my time and energy in providing outstanding strategies to provide more efficient assistance to the poor, is a good part of my purpose and how I can have the greatest positive impact in this world.

Thanks for reading my blog. May your year be full of the things that bring you the most joy and happiness, whether it be family, happiness, love, blessing, success, a new job, or relief from pain or some combination of all of the above. I wish you a very prosperous one in whatever you do.

Rony Delgarde

Why Should Anyone Be Led By You? - Authentic leadership

This is a very well articulated presentation about Authentic leadership. I think the author could have used examples for each Principle to be more thorough. However, he was very thorough in his presentation and explained intelligently. Enjoy the 10 minutes presentation!




Rob Goffee and Gareth Jones discuss the CASE framework, a central element of Why Should Anyone Be Led by You? the research and thought leadership of London Business School professor Rob Goffee and Gareth Jones, authors of the best-selling Harvard Business Review article and book of the same name.

Thank you

Rony Delgarde

My latest book review is on the "Authentic Leadership" Rediscovering the Secrets to Creating Lasting Value by Bill George

I read a great book on leadership - Authentic Leadership: Rediscovering the Secrets to Creating Lasting Value by Bill George– If you are an ambitious and conscientious business leader looking for inspiration, mentorship and guidance in a business climate that has been stained by acts of arrogance, greed and stupidity, this is the book for you. I'm always looking for business books that will help me improve my leadership skills as well as inspire me to learn new tricks for daily business. This book does both. It's an inspiring message to follow our values, to look at the long term picture, and also has a lot to say on work/life issues.

Authentic Leadership is the “Leadership Manual" for a new generation of business leaders. In his book, Bill George encourages the leaders of tomorrow to ask themselves some of the most fundamental questions that many business managers and leaders are privately and sometimes publicly, asking themselves today. What is my mission in life? What do I want to get out of a career? Which company do I want to work for? How do I make priority calls between my personal life and my career?

Looking back at my years in active world of business, I realize just how fortunate I was to have the opportunity to reach my goal. I am the first member of my family to attend college, receive my bachelor's degree, and earn my MBA. While in college, I was one of my classmates to believe in both creating opportunities for others and finding a special company that could influence my values. Well It didn’t take me long enough to realize how the complete collapse of corporate governance and the extreme greed of certain corporate leaders that has been exposed in the past years made that both too clear. At the time, I had just radical ideas because I looked at leaders around the world as powerful people running large organizations, countries, and often wonderful families. As I look at leaders today, I can easily change the story because leaders do not address the deeper needs at stake. Bill George has boldly deviated those old ideally leaders but claimed his generation of business leaders as responsible the current ethics crisis in business today and is appealing for the emergence of a new kind of business leader, authentic leaders, to restore order to the global business climate. He relates his own successes and failures in a manner that is easy for young business leaders to identify with and even addresses many of the issues that you don't often find in business texts - such as finding the right balance between your home and work lives.

Like many young professionals, I caught by fire in a business world that moved at fast speeds and was driven primarily by short-term results. As I have never known any other way to do business, I found Mr. George's insights into how he developed his own personal brand of leadership over the course of his career compelling. I most appreciated the fact that, unlike the arrogant texts of some other high-profile CEOs, he does not claim himself to be a model for what you and I should or should not be. His goal is to share his own experiences and allow you the opportunity to form your own opinions about what Authentic Leadership means to you. In fact, he strongly argues that it is not the place of any author or educator to relay to you what is "right" and "wrong" in terms of leadership. Instead, developing your own brand of leadership, one that continues to evolve and change as you gain experience and deal with failure, is the only true path to becoming an effective, Authentic Leader. He makes some very convincing arguments as to how Authentic Leaders link the long term needs of customers and employees to enhancing share holder value and he demonstrates his own encounters with morally and ethically challenging situations that serve as a reminder that all of us will have to encounter crossroads at some point in our careers.

I highly recommend Bill George's book. It is personal, entertaining, motivational and, most importantly, actionable. Invest a few hours in this book and you will reap the benefits for years to come.

Those who connect with me on twitter or LinkedIn know I like quotations. Quotations are a way to state a view without having to take the blame for that view

One of the quotes I liked in the book: “Ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country” by President John F. Kennedy

Thanks for reading my post...

Rony Delgarde

"I am learning how, who and what to delegate"

It was a very busy weekend for me. I worked 12 hours both Saturday and Sunday. Today I had a couple of interviews (and yes, I am looking for work and who is not looking these days?) then I attended the United Way Board of Director class, is a 10-week, 40-hour training program designed to develop and enhance leadership skills, increase diverse volunteer participation in nonprofit board and leadership positions, and increase placement and retention of individuals from metro Atlanta communities.

So I never stop learning. Now I am home doing a bit of email clean up, budget work and numbers review but other than that, I have been keeping with the media in Haiti for most part. I didn’t watch Monday Night football today but I plan to check online for the results, just playing technology….

Tonight I have been thinking about delegation. I know in order to grow, I need to learn how to delegate. I learned the theory of "delegate anything that someone else can do significantly easier, faster or less expensively than I can" from my Business class. I learned the theory of "include the why, not just the what needs doing" by practice.

The thought I have is on what is appropriate for me to delegate? What resources I have to delegate to? I am thinking of approaches to the challenge. I am going to monitor my time use for a week or so to see what things I might be able to delegate appropriately.

Sometimes in delegation, there is a relationship that is creating between the delegator and the delegatee (if that is a word..lol) and a learning curve for the delegatee. So I have to consider that in my analysis. One thing that can stop my growth is not accepting that others can often do something better than me (even though it is not necessarily to the same way I would have done it). I believe everyone has a unique talent and skill. As leaders, we all realize that is challenging sometimes to let go of our standard and accepting something less. Well, it has taken me a long time to realize that perfectionism can kill growth sometimes. So the ultimate key is to find balance and appreciate others for their contributions.

So right now, no answers, just thinking and analyzing.

I often hear one of my associates said they have no one to delegate to since no one works for them. Sounds familiar? Well, I believe they can delegate to peers, to suppliers, to customers or to the person they work for or people in other departments or their family members. The key is appropriate delegation. Sometimes I can solve a problem with just a quick call or an email that might take someone hours to figure out and then plan along the way.

So my tip for future leaders is to look at what you might have that you can delegate it’s also called “comparative advantage”

Please leave your comments, thank you!

Rony Delgarde