Cookies & Milk - Warm & Fuzzy - keep life simple!

People Helping People - Make it your way of Living

2009-02-20T01:15:00.000-08:00

People Helping People ... is whats wrong with the world's citizens these days.

It's just not happening ... people helping people anymore, that is... as people are spending all their time worrying about themselves.

OK, maybe in today's world people are just finding it difficult to put food on the table; keep the family healthy; and educate the children. But, I really believe if we could get back to our grandmother's days... when neighbors baked cookies and brought over hot meals when the neighbor was sick in bed we would find a lot more success stories in our lives.

I really don't believe I am over simplifying the issue. There are really a class of people out there that do try to be helpful to others.

Of course there are exceptions in every environment of both extremes; but, I am talking about the masses.

One such class of people are the past employees of Hewlett-Packard Company. The HP Way as it is called

My HP employee number was in the 14 thousands but my managers and some of my long time HP friends had employee numbers in the hundreds.

Back in 1976 when I joined HP, I remember clearly a conversation I had with my boss named Bill (no, not Bill Hewlett, but I knew him too), about the lack of procedure manuals. I had just come from a few year experience with the Bechtel corporation which had a procedure for everything almost. I said to my new HP boss.... I worry about re-inventing the wheel... where are the procedure manuals here at HP.

Bill said to me... there is the telephone, if you want to know something, call someone in the HP world and ask. Build that person to person relationship and don't worry about re-inventing the wheel - maybe you will re-invent it better!

He went on to say, get out of your chair (in your wall-less office) and go to the various HP sites (around the world - managing by wandering around) and see how we do things at HP and build those personal relationships. Fortunate to be at HP in these times, I visited sites from Bristol England to Malaysia and all across the USA.

Everywhere I went, I found it to be the same... People Helping People!

Yesterday, I received a voice mail from a man named John in Andover Massachusetts inquiring about my Red Bead Experiment product. Being located in Europe, I waited for morning In the USA and called the number. A really nice lady andswered the phone and when I inquired about the call the night before, she answered, yes my husband John called, because he wants to purchase your game (she was knowledgeable too).

I found her voice to be pleasant, she was polite and helpful and gave me her husbands's office number to call and even said call right away as he is in his office before an upcoming meeting. So I called immediately and John answered the phone and after I introduced my self he thanked me for the prompt return call.

He went on to ask me how I got involved in the Deming Red Bead experiment - he was actually interested in me as a person - a nice surprise I thought to myself. When I replied oh, I was at HP in 1982 when Dr. Deming was there, he replied I too was at HP in previous years.

Then it hit me! This was like the HP I spent almost 19 wonderful years at.

Nice people desiring to be polite, and helpful to each other. Wanting to care and wanting to be involved; not just, a quick how much for your product and how fast can you ship it to me.

Right away, I felt good - and my desire to to provide customer delight was at the top end of the scale.

It does work and I does not have to be only at Hewlett-Packard Company. It can be anywhere in the world (HP proved that to be true) and it can be at your company and organization. All you have to do is want it to be that way and practice being helpful to others - like the Golden Rule - do unto others as you would want others to do unto you.

There are more examples other than John; like Betty and Vern, with their low HP employee numbers less than the hundreds who are still working with me today to develop Packaged Training programs to teach others about collaborative work. And like a lady named Pat in California whom I watched and mentored from an entry level position to obtain her college dipolma. And there was Dot, who brought me flowers the day she got her promotion to be an executive assistant to an HP Vice President because I had given her one of those tough performance reviews (HP was famous for) a couple of years earlier.

This trip down memory lane is bringing a tear to my eye as I sit and give thanks to my first HP boss Bill, who taught me the core value of People Helping People.

Give it a try and stop worrying about your mean old boss - take charge of your life and do what you know in your heart you need to do. Just do it and start today!

.

Dont Just Walk the Talk - Learn to Live the Talk

2009-02-05T03:58:00.000-08:00

Author's note: The following discussion may not be complete and may include some inconsistencies. It will be reviewed, expanded on and "flushed out' over the next several days. 5 Feb 2009 -- 15:06

Reference: slide package - may be downloaded & viewed separately

I continue to be amassed at the number of management "how to" books, videos, DVDs, etc. that are sold; but, the theory published in the content seems to be still inside after the new owner has placed it down.

Why is it, that people - good and smart people - don't appear to be learning more about this theory and all the historical results that have been around for years?

Some people now say that we must "Walk the Talk"; but, my observation is that the talk... is only talk... and nothing appears to be improving.

I believe that the world's leaders, managers and individual workers have to start first with themselves. They need to internalize all this theory and make a commitment to personally perform an honest days work for a reasonable days pay. Eliminate the greed that is killing us.

In so doing, day by day, they will begin to Learn to Live the Talk and through their interactions with others both up and down the chain of command they will make a difference. Its kind of like a recipe for making cookies - there is a personal recipe for success.

To succeed in today's world, what we do must be both Green (environmental friendly) and cost improving to our business.

Purchasing however, must resist their buying habits of accepting and desiring initial lowest bid cost. Rather, we need to think a little longer term and make our buying decisions based on a more Total Cost of Ownership basis.

The theoretical costs are the summation of the various tasks that need to e accomplished, times the time it takes to perform these tasks, time the cost per unit of time to pay for the effort.

But, I suggest that this is NOT the true Total Cost of Ownership.

The Total Cost of Ownership must include the more hidden costs associated with the following three categories:

1. REWORK COSTS - If there were not good techniques and procedures used in the effort and/or if the workers were not properly trained, then you will have the opportunity to rework and do some or all of the work over again at a later date.

2. WASTED TASKS - If the required materials, supplies and labor were not at the correct place on time, then all sorts of additional costs may be incurred. Good planning is one of the most important aspects of keeping total costs low.

3. CHANGES in MIND - If expectations for the end result of the effort were not clearly and measurably communicated to all parties associated with performing the work, then there is a high potential that the completed work will not meet the expectations of the requester. Good clear communication techniques and easy to understand, measurable expectations are also most important in successful low cost results.

Some studies have found that these three types of hidden costs may account for 25% or more of the Total Cost of Ownership over the life of the effort.

The Master Reset Button of Life has been pushed

2009-01-29T05:45:00.000-08:00

Aren't the daily new Headlines depressing these days?

One after another, job loss, profit declines, bad food recalls, scams, suicides; it goes on and on!

Are you like me - beginning to find a common thread through all these or at least the majority of these headlines?

GREED

Yes, its greed at its worst!

And maybe a good dose of stupidity.

I used to call it a lack of common sense; but, now it's simply stupidity and lack of concern for others including family, friends, co-workers and so on.

What happened?

Did I grow up in some sort of shell and all this has been happening this much for years?

Or has mankind lost its way?

I am passed being shocked and dismayed.

Anyone have any ideas or thoughts on this?

Anyone have any suggestions on what or how we change the course of this supertanker to destruction?

What is it going to take before people wake up an see the root cause of the problem?

I know, I have lots of questions and not many ideas or answers.

But, I believe it is time for all of us to wake up and "get back to the basics".

Get back to those Saturday afternoon chats with your grandmother or Uncle we had when we were small children and think about the lessons of treating others with respect and not to be too greedy along the path of life.

The "Master Reset Button" of life as we know it is now being pushed and we have the opportunity to come back a better person, and a better world.

How about it?

Twitter - a technology to experiment with

2009-01-25T02:26:00.000-08:00

Its been a year now since I first logged into theis new site Twitter. Really not impressed at first so simply ignored Twitter since.

However, It has managed to stick around and more and more people are beginning to talk about their Tweets, and it is not something to eat.

So perhaps we should reconsider and take another look.

This I have done this weekend and I still am not a real believe of any significient value but have decided to give it another try anyway.

Check it out and consider following my Tweety messages fom one of my sites:

www.twitter.com/livethetalk/

www.twitter.com/redbeadinfo/

www.twitter.com/healthylinen/

www.twitter.com/rigarooster/

The TWEET messages have also been embeded in my BLOG sites

I will do my best to make a TWEET every other day or so with some profound statement of some sort.

.

Please let me know what you thing... is there any value?

Workplace Tragidity something we need to consider carefully

2008-11-15T23:54:00.000-08:00

It is with great hesitation that I post this at this time. But after very careful thought, I believe I should go ahead and make the post.

The "Master Reset Button" is being pushed on our World As we knew it and that will create I am sure more of the very sad events like what occured in Santa Clara, California, this past Friday, 14 November 2008.

The newspaper headlines reads:
Suspected gunman arrested in 3 deaths at Santa Clara chip startup

Apparently a small company terminated the employment of an employee and a few hours later the employee came back to the work office and killed three of the senior managers of the company.

A very sad day for the company, the employees families; associates and the other employees at the company.

The world has changed and we need to be aware of what is happening and change how we approach our lives, our jobs and our relationships.

Life is way too short and special for this type of tragidity to occur. We must - all of us - look deeply inside of us and look for ways to change our way of life and avoid at all costs a repeat of this tragidity.

I am sure that it will happen again and again somewhere in the world. But we need to do everything in our power to try and prevent it from happening.

In the meantime, take stock of your personal mental condition and seek help if you feel you need it.

Reach out to others if you can and be a shoulder for others in need to talk to.

But, be careful and not allow yourself to be in a position as these unfortunate people were in Santa Clara, California, this past Friday afternoon.

It should not have happened; it may have been preventable - who knows - but it did happen.

All we can do now is to take action to reach out and try to avoid future situations that lead to this type of unfortunate event.

Again my deepest of sympathies to all that were affected in this Santa Clara situation.

There was one post that I read on the Internet website that I felt summed up how I personally feel about there the world has come. That is whay I "checked out" of the Silicon Valley rat race in 1999.

Now I realize, why I did, and why I can never return to that way of life again.

Mike Johnson, an American living in Europe, with a new lifestyle

Please take a moment and read this ladies comment:
A very sad but true comment from a posting

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Santa-Clara-Work-Place-Shooting-Leaves-Three-Dead.html?corder=reverse&pg=4#comments

My Husband was CEO of a rather well known SV co. We had our multi million dollar home and lifestyle, a fat portfolio and life was great. Five years ago the company was bought out, but part of the negotiations was extending my husband's contract 5 years. Our lifestyle remained the same. However I watched my husband get more stressed as each year passed. We never discussed it. Late August he came home and told me he had to let go 3/4 of the workforce...it made the news. He was heartbroken as it was a close knit group he considered them alll family. Then he was told AFTER he did this company's dirty work that his services were no longer needed when his contract expired Oct 31st. He still reported to work each day even though he did absolutely nothing for 2 months. The writing was on the wall....Karma? No the fat days were just over. He has no job, he's 58, all the toys, house everything is gone, the portfolio worth nothing. It occurred to me hearing this last night how lucky I am that at least we still have each other. It is not just the blue collar people. It is the way this world works now. GREED & POWER, we are ALL guilty of wanting it all. I do not care what country we are from what color are skin is. This whole planet needs a wake up call, but that will never ever happen. What happened yesterday is a sad commentary of what we have all become, puppets. ...

.

Yes We Can America - Hope and Change

2008-11-04T22:41:00.000-08:00

Yes We Can - by working smarter - not the same old ways cause permanent change to how America responds to the issues. Its time for something different as the past 20 years or so has been full of too many special interests and GREED has been the trademark.

Its time for all of us to do our part, share and work together to change how we think; how we manage; and how we lead.

I promise to do my part. How about you?

.

Lets heal America and return it to the people

2008-10-30T01:58:00.000-07:00

It's time for new leadership

.

Customer Service - American Style - too much show and no class

2008-10-10T23:22:00.000-07:00

Americans, often times have a very narrow view of the world and it's complex issues.

Americans would be quite surprised to find that many people from other countries and cultures believe strongly that American's methods of customer service are overdone and phony.

Many foreigners who have not had an opportunity to experience American culture and some that have - believe that Americans push and shove others around and are far too much in their face - so to speak.

... believe it or not, that's what many others think...

take a look at this funny - but so too real video skit ....

and see if you can see some of what this Rooster is writing about.

Look how much the interviewer is focusing on the how to of the survey form rather than trying to learn and understand what the interviewer was saying.

A lot of real useful information is lost many times.

Be sure that you spend more time learning the theory than you do on the mechanics and methods and your customer service improvement programs may achieve better results.

More about how Americans need to be more worldly wise (watch video clip).

.

Sara Palin has new Admirer - It's not me

2008-09-17T02:43:00.000-07:00

Jon Stewart announces that he is In Love !

Wow - join me in blinking now !
.

Emails from Alaska - Great Bedtime Reading about Sara Palin

2008-09-16T06:41:00.000-07:00

Looking for something to keep you awake at night?

Then don't read these Letters from Alaska that are a tell - all about Sara Palin!

If you are considering to vote for the mcCain ticket come November, please read and at least think twice about what you may have read.

Just like in court, the test should be questionable doubt!

.

The Thought of Palin as President Scares me too !

2008-09-14T02:57:00.000-07:00

Please watch ALL of this video

2008-08-25T21:47:00.000-07:00

I normally don't get excited about politics; but, this video in my opion is a MUST WATCH for all Americans and for most people around the world.

I believe there are serious lessons of how to make the world a better place from this videos message.

I don't expect each and every one of you watching this video to agree with all the aspects but I ask you to listen closely to all - yes all 100% of this video and consider how you may learn and change your life from what you have heard!

Thank you for watching !

Regards, Mike Johnson

.

Cuil problems - Ok no communication - bring on the "trite" terms

2008-07-31T21:38:00.000-07:00

Cuil's launch this week with its set of problems is being well POSTed by the world's high tech ambulance chasers and then some just like me looking how to keep from becoming too stressed.

SO, yes, I have had my chuckle and made my angry POST about copyright issues and now looking for a little fun at their expense - and perhaps a few play on words, too.

But first, more seriously, these folks have a major issue at their hands and that is a shame. It does however, point out Mr. Murphy's Law still applies.

Now, the big question is ? ? ?

How will Cuil's team handle this issue or will their "silence be deafing" like many other failures before them?

Public Relations so called PR experts have been quick to jump on the bandwagon and make all kinds of comments; but no real suggestion other than Cuil's team needs to start communicating. Many people facing much more serious issues have found that a quick and effective communication strategy lessened the fallout and hangover from the initial problem.

Ah ha - here is one suggestion on how to avoid egg on your face.

But in keeping with the theme of our BLOG, whay do we always seem to make life so complex and worrysome?

Cuil's technical problems are just that. A technical problem. No blood is flowing and no human being is being run over as yet we know.

So to use another slang trite expression " chill out" or maybe it should be "Cuil Out" in this case.

Maybe one teams problems can be anothers opportunity.

Bring on - the Tee Shirt vendors with CUIL Out on the front or back ?

Or perhaps it should be simply CUIL or that infamous red circle and a slash around the word Cuil.

Whatever, lets cheer on the underdog Cuil Team and hope their next game will be a winner.
.

I especially liked the BLOG summary from the New York Times that presented some clichés quotes from Bull Durham by way of IMDB.com
.

Has anyone seem the Resume Doctor stalking the rear entrance door at Cuil's headquarters yet? Perhaps he can find a way to wipe this time off their CV's with some clever wording or just some good ol White Out.

Next there is the conspiracy theory that this Cuil exercise is simply a ploy to get a lot of publicity and then sell themselves for a whole lot of money to Microsoft.

Who really know what is happening inside Cuil's offices. Based on what has transpired so far, perhaps we shall never know for sure and the Cuil experience will slowly go down the drain of other Silicon Valley start ups. I feel a little bad for the water quality of San Francisco bay however.

I just read a BLOG post that quoted one Cuil team member as these are normal startup issues - to be expected.

My response to that is: HOGWASH !

But maybe we should call in the famous Myth Busters to figure it if Cuil is real or just another myth and present it to us on Discovery Channel.

I believe thay also reside somewhere close to Cuil's headquarters. Does ayone have Adam or Jamie's phone number?

.

To sum it all, this Reply to another POST I read this week on TechNewsWorld Site says it like it should be!
I came, I saw, I tried, I left!!

.
That's all folks !

.

Serious problem with how Cuil.com displays images and links

2008-07-30T11:35:00.000-07:00

Searching my interests using the new Cuil Search Engine have lead me quickly to a major copyright concern about how my photos, logos and images are being displayed next to my competitor's search result. (see example right)

To make it worse, when you click on my company's logo, the link is to my competitor!

For a live example, click here to search using the new Cuil site for terms "riga latvia visitor information"

http://www.cuil.com/search?q=riga%20latvia%20visitor%20information&pi=11&sl=long

In addition, many of my company's images are showing up on these search result pages. Some are posted next to my website results and at other times next to someone elses results.

To make it even worse and rub salt in the wound, it is linking my company to a STAG party advertisement. This is a topic our company has been directly and verbably agressive against advertising for our city.

In my opinion .... its NOT COOL - Cuil ! ---

But Googles' recent release of their new KNOL site has not been much better and Google's lack of response to the problems has been quite unacceptable.

.

FEDEX's Silence is Deafening - Fed Ex Customer Service Failure

2008-04-10T21:49:00.000-07:00

Federal Express Service Failure - FEDEX's Silence is Deafening

Its now been seven days since we dropped off a small 3 pound package at one of Federal Express' points around San Jose, California on Thursday 3 April 2008.

The package headed for Puerto Rico should have been an easy one for FEDEX.

We also dropped off I believe two other packages at the same time and one of those was also going to Puerto Rico - It was delivered - on 8 April.

There was no scan of the missing package showing on their system; but, there was a scan that the package arrived in the Memphis FEDEX HUB at 2:55 PM on 4 April. Its sister package was scanned on drop-off at 4:08 PM and arrived at the same time in Memphis.

So what do you say, a package is not scanned. Maybe some one missed it, maybe the scanner did not read it. No BIG DEAL perhaps.

The big deal is: that its now been 3 days and FED EX isn't talking. We call the 1-800 number and the agent says SORRY BUT.

Not the people are investigating and have NOT updated the system so I (FEDEX Agent) can not give you any better information.

Again you might say so what just an isolated FED EX System failure. There must be a few of these failures in Federal Express' history of success stories.

That would be true except there have been a statistical run of FED EX system failures with my shipments and invoices this month.

The Silence of FED EX Customer Service staff to simply tell me what is going on is deafening and tell a story loud and clear.

Putting all this together, I am assuming that FEDEX is experiencing some growing or at least operational pains at a time when it should be humming along trying to save money and make up for the increasedfuel costs.

No you say call the competition. Not so fast, neither DHL or UPS can do any better and maybe experience shows perhaps even worse.

The real test will be to see if FED EX will start to communicate and tell really tell what has happened.

UPDATE 01:05 PM PDT, 11 April 2008

Fed Ex's customer service lady told me by phone this morning (07:15 PDT) that my package was in Memthis and delayed due to weather.

I first ask her how bad was the weather?

Than I asked what day did the package arrive? she replied 4 April.

I then asked what day is it today? she replied 11 April.

Weather, must be rotten!

The rotten is the something else I believe ?

This was the last straw, all of FED EX's SORRIES don't cut it any more. They have proven they don't care about me as a customer.

Oh by the way. a lady somewhere in the FED EX team finally took interest in my package this mid day. She was able to find in in just a few minutes in their lost and found department.

Again the SORRIES started flowed like water over the falls.

But these Sorries are falling on my deaf ears now.

What is the UPS phone number?

Has Fed Ex Out-sourced Telephone support to Central & South America ?

2008-04-09T23:59:00.000-07:00

As many insurance and other large companies in the USA have out-sourced their customer service telephone call centers to India, It appears that FED EX - Federal Express has outsourced theirs to Central and South America.

My personal experience with the India based call centers is that the level of English language skills is quite good with excellent pronunciation.

Not so with my FED EX experience yesterday.

The first call I ask to speak with a USA domestic representative and I got routed to Brazil (I believe). The male voice on the other end of the long phone line was not understandable at all. I asked where he was located and I believe he said San Paulo - but not 100% SURE.

So, I hung up and re-dialed and ask for an International representative. This call was rerouted to Central America. Again a male voice and again a very thick accent; but, this person was somewhat understandable and with FEDEX trademarked dripping lips sweet polite (which I don't like at all) - its so phoney!

He checked some things on my delayed shipment stuck in the Memphis HUB; sent Memphis an urgent message and told me I would receive a call in a few hours by phone. He double checked my phone number.

No phone call was received and its been 25 hours just about.

So much for FEDEX's telephone support.

Yes, my package is still shown last scan received in Memphis?

Has anyone experience with FED EX Customer Support they would like to share?

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Update 10 April 2008, 10:00 CET Riga Latvia
Placed another call to the USAQ 1+800 number and was routed to a call center in Central America. The voice was barely understandable. He told me no news on my stuck package and he said he could do no more to help me. That bothered me and I insisted that he send another message to Memphis. He said he would.

Update 10 April 07:35 PDT Riga Latvia
Still no call from FED EX USA about shipment in Memphis HUB.

I did receive a followup call from my new FEDEX friend located in Sweeden who is assisting me to resolve my issues.

As I told him on the phone just a couple of minutes ago. The fact that we are having this call is exciting. DHL's management refused to provide any level of support when I had serious problems with their service in Europe last year.

-

Federal Express - Experiencing a mid life crisis

2008-04-08T01:31:00.000-07:00

If you haven't chatted with a Federal Express Customer Service Representative recently, ignore this POST. If you have, I would love to hear your story.

Sugar dripping friendly with their opening line - I am Sorry to hear about....

I am sooooooooo tired of hearing the word SORRY - because if they were truly sorry, they would find a way to improve their service that appears to be slipping as fast as their cost of shipping increases.

And heaven help you if you ship Internationally and have to speak with a USA based International Represenative.

Dummber than a door knob - about other countries and our cultures.

Somwhat like the famous You Tube video that has been around for a year or two

The NEW Fed Ex website is simply awaful as well. And the newer FLASH version is even worse yet. Thank goodness they give you a way to roll back from the FLASH version to the Older less awful but still unfriendly version.

Also anyone notice that package scans not showing up and packages going for long periods like maybe even a day without moving then only to show its delivered. It happening all the time to me these days.

Pretty much 7 out of 10 packages is experienceing some sort of issues.

This week two can't deliver exceptions in Europe - with perfectly good addresses. Perhaps the workforce is overworked? Don't know.

And the final straw that lead to this POST was in the Country of Latvia (yes their USA Reps don't have a clue where Latvia is located)

My Latavian language speaking wife telephoned the local FED EX office to schedule a pickup. She specifically ask them to bring a FED EX Large Box and quantity five (5) weighbill forms.

The driver showed up without anything. No forms at all. He said in English, they told him we had a box and a form.

For some reason, here in Latvia they treat the weighbill forms like GOLD leaf. They will give you one and only one for each shipment and then only when they show up for the shipment.

So you have to write quickly increasing the chance of making a mistake - leading to a future delivery exception - as the driver stands looking angry because they don't want to be at you office in the first place.

So much for the state of small package industry - oh did I mention, DHL is much worse and UPS well I stopped using them a very long time ago.

So we will stick to FED EX for now unless they lose another package for 7 days like they did late last year in Copenhagen airport.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Update Tuesday, 16:22 PM CET Riga, Latvia
P.S. Sent email to the President of Federal Express this morning about 10 AM. By noon I had received a telephone call from a FED EX manager ready to listen and assist. Impressive response. DHL or the other providers couldn't even come close to this response time. Now the ball is in my court to give him some specifics. Lets see what whey will do.

Update Wednesday, 09 April 2008
Compiled issues and sent three (3) emails to FED EX representative that has appeared in my life after my email to the FED EX President. He acknowledged my emails and told me he forwarded the various issues (invoice problems, delayed shipments, not deliverable addresses that are actuall quite ok - problems with deliveries to Ireland as they have no Postal Codes) to responsible persons. Told me he would personally keep on top of the issues.

Update Thursday 10 April 2008, about 03:00 CET - about 5PM 09 April in California
Checked status of my package stuck in the Memphis HUB to find its still there. Sent email asking for help from my new FEDEX friend.

Update Thursday 10 April 2008, 00:30 PDT
Wrote new BLOG POST about my experience with outsourced FEDEX call call centers not speaking understandable English yesterday.

Update Thursday 10 April 2008, about 09:30 CET, Riga Latvia
I received a call from the FED EX Manager for Baltic countries. We had almost a 45 minute constructive call. Several serious issues were discussed and he promised me help with problems in Latvia. He has also sent me an email with his and local contact nemes and phone numbers. I was impressed.

-

Email Communication - ways to avoid frustration

2008-04-02T22:31:00.000-07:00

Have you been frustrated with people you have sent email requests to ... not answering your questions and especially, ALL of the questions that you ask.

Maybe there are a few tricks that you might use to... SET UP... your email requests to be answered in a more complete and effective manner?

Perhaps there are some additional tricks that you can do ... to be a better answerer yourself ... to email questions that you have received from others?

Here are some of my thoughts. No priority just as I thought of them. I will come back in a few days and add more and re arrange the order perhaps.

1. Read emails multiple times a day like clockwork.

2. Read emails the first thing in the morning and last thing at night

3. Answer emails as fast as possible with short consise, simple language but complete thoughts

4. If replying to an email, ALWAYS change the SUBJECT of the email to match the topic you are discussing in your email response. It's OK to leave the senders topic as written; but may, be add some additional info at the beginning of the subject line.. maybe even use a dash - RE: original subject

If creating a new email, make the SUBJECT line clear, and match the topic without being too wordy.

5. If sending a new email, make the Subject short clear and informational.

6. Never - REPEAT NEVER, if at all possible (he he he) cover multiple topics in the same email unless it is a friendly hello chat. This allows the receiver to forward and save the message the best way they need to. It also allows the sender to save and followup later.

7. Almost always send yourself a copy of the email or set up a separate email account and send a copy of all emails to this LOG account. This allows you to make sure the email was sent properly and to be able to get a copy if your computer malfunctions.

8. Create a FORMAT for your SUBJECT LINE and your email bodies to make them easier to compose especially if they are repeated types of email.

9. DO AS I SAY.... not as I do ( he he he he) all things in life are easy to say and hard to do.

As always, your comments, reactions, suggestions to make my BLOG entry better? are encouraged and welcomed.

Have a question or a comment?

2008-02-14T04:03:00.000-08:00

Your comments and/or questions are encouraged. Your active participation in these discussions will make the true value appear. www.redbead.com/contact/

Leave your comment or question below and we will respond within 24 to 48 hours.

More Information

2008-02-14T04:01:00.000-08:00

Click the link for more information or TO ORDER the Red Bead Experiment

Preview Video - Learn to Live the Talk - Beyond Total Quality Management

2008-02-14T02:47:00.000-08:00

The original Red Bead Experiment, inspired and used by Dr. W. Edwards Deming. There is a lot of management training hype being taught in companies and schools all over the world. What is important is to practice what is being taught.

We must learn to live the way we talk. Practice what we preach!

The name Red Bead is a metaphor for the problems that we experience every day in our life. The world is a never ending supply of problems. Each day, you get up in the morning to solve the problems of the day. Solve one problem and more problems appear. It is the way of the world. After World War II, Dr. W. Edwards Deming went to Japan help them recover from the devastation of the war. Japan's success is a fact in history. Even today, the Japanese economy is strong and one can make the case stronger in some ways than the USA and most of the world.

In 1982, a teaching tool was created with Dr. Deming that he used in his seminars around the world to teach his famous 14 Obligations of Management. Dr. Deming called this training tool,

The RED BEAD Experiment or Red bead Game.

When you play the game, each player uses a special metal paddle to draw small red and white colored beads from a large bowl. Each draw of the paddle gets 50 beads. Some are white and some are red. The white beads symbolize the good things that we experience each day as we do our work and the red beads symbolize the problems or bad things that we experience. As each player draws their paddle full of beads each player receives a different mix of red and white beads. It's a random draw.

There are many teaching examples as you play the game. One of the examples is that that our lives experience different things each day; some good and some bad. We as willing workers most of the time have no control over our experiences. We the willing worker did not make the company; our bosses did, and we should not be held responsible for most of the problems or mistakes. Yes, we can control about 4 out each 100 problems but not the other 96; as they are problems created by the system. If our bosses want us to do better work, they need to use specialists to ask us questions and then design improvements to the system to remove permanently the problems (red beads) that we find each day.

Yelling by the bosses at the workers will not do any good. Actually yelling just makes the workers more quiet and shy and the names of the process problems will be hidden even more. So the workers have a very important role in assisting the bosses to improve. They know the names of the problems and our bosses should create a friendly work environment that make the workers feel free (not afraid) to speak up and share what they know.

On and on the game is played and more and more management points are discussed.

This is the parable of the RED BEADS as Dr. Deming calls it in his books.

The American Dream comes to Latvia !

2008-02-14T02:31:00.000-08:00

By Mike Johnson, Riga Latvia

Many time people ask me “how and why did you come to Latvia to Live”

I usually ask them if they want the long or the short story!

Raised as a loyal American in a lower middle class family in the small town of Olympia, Washington, for some reason I had a deep desire to explore. Perhaps it is in my genes as my grandfather was an engineer much like I turned out to be. My father was also very clever and risk taking. Everyone was his friend.

Some accuse me of being an opportunist.

I like to believe that I maneuver my life using a combination of the best of these attributes.
I have always felt that I should wake up each morning wanting to squeeze the most out of the next 24 hours that I can; not worrying where the day will take me. Explore, question, experiment, take risks sometimes being successful and sometimes spending the evening hours wondering what went wrong. Every once and a while even being tired like hell; having the wonderful feeling that the days events and achievements were all worth it!

Yesterday was one of those days ! Yes it most certainly was. I made a difference in some one else’s life and for that I am very proud and all the hard work was definitely worth it.
The man’s name is Andy Ruments and he was born in Riga Latvia and is about 3 years older than me.

At the age of three he fled Latvia as the Natzi’s and Russians were about to make a mess of this wonderful country. (http://www.enjoylatvia.com/)

He told me his short story of leaving Latvia on a ship and then on a rail car with American solders tossing him his first orange as his open door train car sped past the American army patrol.

He ended up in East Germany and being taken care of by a loving Latvian family with children of their own. They eventually moved to the United States and he was raised in the mid-west. After starting college he went his separate way losing track of his step- family.

Yesterday, after 62 years, I had the pleasure to welcome Andy back to his country as I now operate a tourist office in the Latvian capital city of Riga.

With tears forming in his eye, I took him to the small LIDO Latvian restaurant
(www.rigalatvia.net/lido/) a block away from the apartment that I rented to him. How could someone become emotional over mashed potatoes (best in the world in my opinion) some beef & pork cutlets basically meatloaf prepared like a thick hamburger patty all smothered with mushroom and onion gravy, I wondered.

Wow, he told me this is exactly the same as my grandmother used to make 40+ years ago.
Then he tried some pink colored sweet pudding like desert and he was speechless as it tasted exactly the same as he remembered so many years ago.

As we sat at the table he mentioned that one object stuck in his mind all these years to remind him of the city of his birth. He wanted to see Freedom Monument the Latvian Statue of Liberty and the symbol of Latvian Freedom.

He made it sound like it was so far away and such a “big deal”. So I casually said, well lets take a walk and see it before it gets dark. So off through the park and over to the canal we went. As we approached the canal, I could see that the angle of the sun was just right for his next wonderful surprise.

Walking along, I said, take a look up there Andy - as his eyes caught the sparkle of the bright even sun reflecting off the three gold stars at the very top of the statue.

Now I have tears in my eyes as he exclaims his excitement at being home in his birth city after being absent for so many years.

George W. Bush is also coming to visit Riga this week and creating havoc as the overwhelmed Latvian government struggles to deal with Mr. Bushes entourage of 700 people, four large jet planes and 50 vehicles. The city is being encircled and shut down to even many of the locals for the 36 hours or so Mr. Bush will be here.

On one hand, I am outraged that my company and all the other service providers in Riga are having to do somersaults to deal with all the demands. But, when I think of Andy Ruments and many others just like him; I put into perspective the fallout of the World Wars that set up tiny Latvia, the Baltics and Europe to just survive for the last few of decades.
Then on the other hand, I am disgusted about the world that leaders like Mr. Bush have created since the end of World War II !

I have lived the American dream – for that I am thankful! I had my six figure income; my Mercedes convertible (two of them) my speed boat on San Francisco bay; my vice president title; my expense account; my California dream house and more.
But one day as I checked myself into the Palo Alto hospital basically suffering a stroke at the age of 46, I figured out that I as many other Americans had taken a train that was sidetracked by the hype of the politicians and society itself!

I was really living a fake dream fueled by the desire to die with more toys than the other guy.
So I called my wife of 20+ years, signed all the assets over to her; quit my job with all the perks and said goodbye as I planned to live my life for me - just one day at a time.

I eventually found my way to this historic city Riga Latvia (http://www.rigalatvia.net/) thousands of miles and an ocean apart from Andy Ruments who had basically switched lives with me.

I found the love of my life here in Riga and took over the operation of her family business that she founded as a single mother of two when the Soviet system collapsed in 1991.

Yes, I am working 24 hours a day 7 days a week 365 days a year to provide experiences for people like Andy Ruments.

But all that effort is worth it when the miracle happens as it did yesterday.

But there are many times in the middle of the night when I wake up screaming because I have seen a speeding locomotive heading straight toward me on the tracks of life. This week, I have seen the locomotive again and there was a picture of George W. Bush on the front of it. Wearing his Yankee Uncle Sam hat with all the Stars & Stripes in living color!

I came to Riga to get away of American politics and the fast life on the wrong side track only to have Mr. Bush coming to dinner in Riga this week!

Thanks for coming Mr. Bush, as Latvia deserves the recognition for its standing up to the evils of occupation all these years. But, please Mr. Bush slow down and for once put yourself in the shoes of the average person and see life as we see it. Understand that people like Andy Ruments and me only want to be happy and help to keep them on the right track of health; happiness; world peace and care for our neighbors and the environment.

Life is far too short and far to precious to be wasted lying sick or worse “injured” on the side of the fastlane. Or worse yet away from the land that they love so very much!

So if you are of Latvian heritage please consider coming to visit soon. If know a Latvian, please encourage them to visit our website or call today for more information.

Life in Latvia has many lessons that still remain unlearned. It has put many years back on my life line ones that were at risk due to life in the sidetracked fast lane.

When was the last time you enjoyed the experience?

2008-02-13T23:33:00.000-08:00

uh ummmm

Tasty

Memories

????