One of most powerful concepts in the science of strategy is seeing the world as made up of balancing forces of complementary opposites. These forces include the subjectivity and objectivity, weakness and strength, problems and opportunities, creation and destruction, conflict and cooperation, unity and focus, ground and climate, costs and benefits, decisions and actions, opponents and supporters, facts and opinions, advantages and disadvantages, and so on. Definition: Complementary opposites are not simply two separate forces in opposition to one another. They are two halves of a single system, two sides of the same coin. One creates and feeds the other in an endless cycle, like breathing out and breathing in. Each half of the system is necessary and indispensable to the other. Each side not only complements the other but completes it.
Arising from the Yin Yang Philosophy of ancient China, we use the idea of complementary opposites to analyze the dynamics of all competitive systems. Situations changes as the balance between the forces of different complementary forces shifts back and force. Subjective viewpoints Decisions necessitate actions, which in turn require new decisions. Less obviously, strength arises from weakness and weakness from strength. Change and Balance: The value of complementary opposites is that the concept teaches us to leverage natural forces instead of fighting against them. In seeing the balance of the forces in competition, we avoid the mistake of seeing one half of the system as good and the other opposing half as bad. All systems inherently include both good and bad aspects, benefits and costs. We cannot stop destruction without also stopping creation. We cannot preserve the status quo and still have change for the better.
The dynamics of the competitive environment are created by the shifts back and forth, balancing these forces. Being large, for example, has certain advantages but so does being small. As the size of an organization increases the advantages of size do not increase as fast as its disadvantages. Growth is followed naturally by decline. The same is true off all complementary opposites. No half can remain too dominant for long as the system naturally balances itself. Useful Models: The science of strategy makes situations easier to understand by creating simplified models of inherently complex situations. Dozens of different complementary opposites are used in the mental models of strategy. This models simplify our understanding of the processes so we can think about them more clearly.
Good strategy is possible only by understanding the dynamics of complementary opposites. We cannot fight the forces of nature. We can only take advantage of the opportunities that the larger environment creates. Opportunity creation is are only seen clearly through the perspective of the shift between complementary opposites. Over time, these shifts create trends and cycles that we can use to our advantage.
Todd McFarlane, 48, is a Canadian cartoonist, writer, toy designer and entrepreneur, best known for his work in comic books, such as the fantasy series Spawn.
Dr. Steve Gedeon of Ryerson University talks about Entrepreneurship and the Entrepreneur.
Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, Chairman and Managing Director of Biocon, views entrepreneurship in simplistic terms – pursing an opportunity, creating a job for yourself and building a business.
Vinod Khosla is a Indian-American venture capitalist billionaire. He is an influential personality in Silicon Valley. He was one of the co-founders of Sun Microsystems and became a general partner of the venture capital firm Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield & Byers in 1986. In 2004 Khosla formed his own firm, Khosla Ventures.
Conflict is too costly to lead to success. While good strategy can help succeeding in conflict, the best strategy is always avoiding it. No matter what its outcome, competitive success is judged by its rewards and the costs of conflict always decrease those rewards. Over time, conflict has a low-probability of leading toward any type of success.
Definition: Conflict has a very specific definition in the science of strategy. The term “conflict” describes all situations where the primarily goal is to damage the opponent. Conflict is not merely the lack of cooperation. Conflict means seeking confrontations that are meant to damage, as in a war of attrition. While all competitive acts, even those that are primarily creative, can destroy opposing positions as a byproduct, conflict is purposeful destructive action for its own safe.
Since competition is a comparison of alternative positions, conflict can seem to make sense in contest for rewards. Our positions seems comparatively better if our opponent’s position damaged. However, ranking alone doesn’t define competition. Any comprehensive definition of competition must factor in the rewards gained. The reality is that we are rewarded for being cooperative much more frequently that we are rewarded for being belligerent.
Economics: The logical argument against conflict is economic rather than moral. If we try to damage others, they will try to damage us. It doesn’t matter how the rewards are defined: physical, emotional or social. If the battle is one of attrition, costs must be extracted from both parties. This exchange is always costly to both parties.
Though we cannot know the costs or benefits of any strategic move in advance, but we can know that any move that brings us into conflict with others will be more costly than any move that avoids conflict. Since the goal of strategy is not merely to win a victory but to make victory pay, conflict is conceptually counterproductive. In a war of attrition, both parties lose more often than not.
Goal Oriented: The logic of conflict is myopic. It focuses on an opponent instead of a mission. As two parties try to damage each other, the positions of both decline. If we are artificially forced to choose between them, as we are in a single political election, for example, one party can “win” through conflict, but over time, these victories are Pyrrhic. In judging such conflict, most people eventually decide for “a plague on both their houses.” In real life, a smart boss is more likely to fire rivals who work on damaging each other’s careers. Just because some games can designed as a war of attrition like chess, this doesn’t mean that the lessons from such games can be applied more generally to good strategy.
The impulse to fight, like the impulse to run away, is instinctual and reflexive. Sun Tzu taught that anger, hate, and demonizing our enemies are all strategic traps. These mindsets weaken positions rather than strengthening them.
Enmity: Understood correctly, the heart of any competition is always dueling philosophies. Positioning is a battle to win supporters and discourage opponents. When we demonize opponents, we undermine our chances of success by attracting supporters are looking for someone to hate rather than a goal to support. The character of these supporters will lead us inevitably in costly conflict. Positions built on philosophies of enmity inherently weak. Positions built on mutual rewards are inherently strong. Groups bound together by mutual enemies are, to quote Shakespeare, “full of sound and fury signifying nothing” and have been shown throughout history to fall apart once the enemy is defeated.
Establishing winning positions isn’t based on fighting others but in finding common ground with them. Strategy is based on positioning, which requires us to see how others think and feel. This requires seeing the world from the perspective of others, empathizing with them.
This book will show you how to overscome the natural fear of public speaking and even learn to enjoy it. Drawing on Dale Carnegie’s years of experience as a business trainer, this practical book will help you to become a successful speaker. His invaluable advice includes ways to: * Develop poise * Gain self-confidence * Improve your memory * Make your meaning clear * Begin and end a talk effectively * Interest and charm your audience * Improve your diction * Win an argument without making enemies. * Dale Carnegie’s methods have helped millions of people worldwide. Make sure you have the advantage, and make them work for you too. Read Here.
PRESIDENT Barack Obama has triggered controversy across the US by announcing he will give a live TV address to children today to mark their first day back at school.
Conservative Republicans have accused him of bringing politics into the classroom and school boards across the nation have been inundated with calls from parents planning to keep their children at home.
“Thinking about my kids in school, having to listen to that, just really upsets me,” said Colorado mother Shanneen Barron. “I feel very scared to be in this country with our leadership right now.”
Chairman of the Florida Republican Party Jim Greer accused Obama of “bypassing American parents through an invasive abuse of power”.
Mr Obama will make his address, to be streamed on the internet, at noon today at a high school in Arlington Virginia. Virginia’s education department spokeswoman Julie Grimes said: “The phones are ringing off the hook.”
7 Rare Copies Left
Boards in almost every state have announced they will either not show the broadcast or not compel children to watch it. “It is a good idea gone astray,” said Arizona school district superintendent Kevin Kapp.
The White House insists the 18-minute speech is apolitical, focussing on encouraging children to work hard.
“No matter what you want to do with your life, I guarantee that you’ll need an education to do it,” Mr Obama will say, according to a script released to parents yesterday.
“This isn’t just important for your own life and your own future. What you make of your education will decide nothing less than the future of this country.”
White House sources point out that similar speeches have been given by other presidents.
Some of the controversy focused on a package to accompany the broadcast, from the education department, which originally asked students to tell the White House “what they can do to help the president”.
After criticism, this was rephrased, and children are now asked to tell Mr Obama how they will “achieve their short-term and long-term educational goals.”
This has drawn the ire of many leading Republicans, among them Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty, whom many consider a front-runner for the next presidential election. “I don’t think he needs to force it upon the nation’s school children,” he said. “At a minimum it’s disruptive. Number two, it’s uninvited.”
But others are supportive. Governor of Texas Rick Perry, a Republican, said he was “certainly not going to advise anybody not to send their kids to school that day. Hearing the president speak is always a memorable moment.”
New York parent Lenore Michaels said she would have “no problem” with her 15-year-old son watching. “He’s elected as the head of our country, the fact that they would not want him broadcasting is ridiculous.”
President George H Bush, made a similar speech in 1991 after which Democrats accused him of bringing politics into the classroom.
Most professional clothiers will tell you it is better to own 1 good suit than 2 cheaper ones. Why? Because the better the suit, the more enjoyable and longer the wearing experience. The two biggest factors in the quality of a suit are cloth and construction. Cloth used for making suits varies dramatically in appearance, performance and cost. Construction is a continuum from completely hand-made to completely machine-made. Hand-made suits offer unrivaled comfort and suppleness, but at a premium price. Most suits today are predominantly machine-made. Clothing companies typically offer several collections, or labels, to provide a range of fabric and construction options. Moss Bros offer the most luxary for a sub-luxary company.
2. Pick a Cloth that Fits Your Needs
The perfect cloth for a road warrior is entirely different from the perfect cloth for an audit partner or an NBA star. If you travel regularly, a highly durable fabric such as a three season weight sharkskin will serve you better than a very lightweight Super 180’s. Similarly, if you throw the strap of a laptop bag over your shoulder every day, then you are going to need a suit made from more durable cloth than someone who does not. Also keep in mind how often you plan to wear the garment. If you plan to wear it once or twice a week, keep the pattern simple – more dramatic patterns are best reserved for garments worn infrequently.
3. Make Sure It Fits Properly
OK, you’ve picked the right quality and cloth for your suit, but what difference does it make if it doesn’t fit? Proper fit is essential to your enjoyment of your new suit – and how you look in it. First and foremost, the shoulders of the coat must fit your shoulders. This allows for the most freedom of movement and the most flattering lines. Next comes proper fit in the waist and seat, critical for both comfort and proper appearance of pleats, waistbands and other pant features. As you would expect, custom suits have a clear advantage over off-the-rack suits: a properly-measured custom suit will always provide superior fit and comfort.
4. Style It The Way You Want It
Now that you’ve addressed quality, cloth and fit, finish off your suit with the details that you want. First off: 1, 2 or 3 buttons? A matter of style in most cases, but 3 buttons on a shorter person won’t work so well. What about vent style? Side vents are suave and elegant, while the center vent is more traditional. For the lapels, notch or peak? A notch lapel is more conventional, but can be updated as well: consider a higher notch lapel for a more current look. Peak lapels are usually associated with double-breasted jackets, but can be used to raise the elegance and sophistication of single-breasted jackets as well. For the trousers, pleats or flat front? Flat fronts have been extremely popular in recent years. Cuffs or plain bottoms? Your call. Here again, custom suits offer a range of styling options that off-the-rack suits can never match.
Be sure to check out Moss Bros who have a sweet Spring-Summer Final Clearance SALE now on! Up 70% Off RRP.
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Don’t underestimate the power of the business card and what it can do for you. It portrays the personality and image of your company and can be the difference between success and failure
The following tips explain how to design a business card that will serve as an effective sales and marketing tool, while properly conveying your company’s mission. Be sure to check out Optimalprint UK and Moo.com for more ideas. 1. Customise and create
Professionals and consumers see numerous business cards during their travels so make your card a memorable one. Put on your creative thinking cap and customise every detail of your card according to the audience you are marketing to and the services you are marketing. Anyone can hand out a standard business card but the professional who expresses their organisation’s message and personality through their card will have the edge on the competition. Unlike the old days, cards can be customised easily online so you won’t have to leave your home or office. 2. Avoid flimsy cards
The weight and texture of your card is the first thing someone notices when it is handed to them. Handing out a thin, flimsy card will signal that you put little thought and even less effort into the development it. Use high-quality cards with a glossy or matte finish for a sharp look that will call your audience to action. You can also use vertical business cards to stand out among your competitors. 3. Use the back of your card
It’s important to give your business card as much leverage as possible, so use all available space, including the back. While the back content should be secondary in importance to contact information, options include coupons, calendars, appointment cards, product information, customer testimonials or quotes from your company’s leader. Business cards are small and supply us with limited space but it is important space. Don’t waste it. 4. Add a face to the name
Adding your photo to a business card can be a great way to build professional relationships, especially if you’re working in an industry such as real estate where a personal touch is important. Trust is the key to a lasting and profitable business relationship and giving your organisation a face can help this along. 5. Don’t forget the basics
It may seem obvious, but some professionals fail to list all the necessary information on their business cards. The basic elements of a business card include name, title, company name and website address, and all relevant contact information, including fax number. Try not to list more than one phone number on your card as too much information can cause confusion. Lead with your company’s name and, space permitting, include a clear, concise positioning statement or tagline. Moo.com Customised Business Cards from £12.99
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Eben Pagan, Founder of the Altitude Training Program, speaks with Drew Kossoff about the lessons he learned while building an 8-figure business. For more information and to get more valuable free training videos, go to www.GetAltitude.com
Biography:
Actor, martial arts expert. Born Lee Jun Fan, on November 27, 1940, in San Francisco, California. His father, a Hong Kong opera singer, moved with his wife and three children to the United States in 1939; his fourth child, a son, was born while he was on tour in San Francisco. Lee’s mother called him “Bruce,” which means “strong one” in Gaelic. Young Bruce appeared in his first film at the age of three months, when he served as the stand-in for an American baby in Golden Gate Girl.
In 1941, the Lees moved back to Hong Kong, then occupied by the Japanese. Apparently a natural in front of the camera, Bruce Lee appeared in roughly 20 films as a child actor, beginning in 1946. He also studied dance, once winning a cha-cha competition. As a teenager, he became a member of a Hong Kong street gang, and in 1953 began studying kung-fu to sharpen his fighting skills. In 1959, after Lee got into trouble with the police for fighting, his mother sent him back to the U.S. to live with family friends outside Seattle, Washington.
Lee finished high school in Edison, Washington, and subsequently enrolled as a philosophy major at the University of Washington. He also got a job teaching the Wing Chun style of martial arts that he had learned in Hong Kong to his fellow students and others. Through his teaching, Lee met Linda Emery, whom he married in 1964. By that time, Lee had opened his own martial arts school in Seattle. He and Linda soon moved to California, where Lee opened two more schools in Los Angeles and Oakland. At his schools, Lee taught mostly a style he called Jeet Kune Do.
Lee gained a measure of celebrity with his role in the television series The Green Hornet, which aired from 1966 to 1967. In the show, which was based on a 1930s radio program, the small, wiry Lee displayed his acrobatic and theatrical fighting style as the Hornet’s loyal sidekick, Kato. He went on to make guest appearances in such TV shows as Ironside and Longstreet, while his most notable role came in the 1969 film Marlowe, starring James Garner. Confronted with the dearth of meaty roles and the prevalence of stereotypes regarding actors of Asian heritage, Lee left Los Angeles for Hong Kong in 1971, with his wife and two children (Brandon, born in 1965, and Shannon, born in 1967).
Back in the city where he had grown up, Lee signed a two-film contract. Fists of Fury was released in late 1971, featuring Lee as a vengeful fighter chasing the villains who had killed his kung-fu master. Combining his smooth Jeet Kune Do athleticism with the high-energy theatrics of his performance in The Green Hornet, Lee was the charismatic center of the film, which set new box office records in Hong Kong. Those records were broken by Lee’s next film, The Chinese Connection (1972), which, like Fists of Fury, received poor reviews from critics when they were released in the U.S.
In “Excelling in the New Millennium: Personal Development”, Jim Rohn shares his experience with personal development revealing valuable essentials to becoming wealthy in mind and body.
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# Find out what you really want from life, what you love and what you hate, then find what will drive you everyday with passion.
# Instantly change and transform unresourceful emotions into empowering actions.
# Create irresistible rapport in your personal and professional life and master win/win methods for persuading others to your way of thinking.
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# Enjoy dramatically increased energy and with less sleep than you ever thought possible.
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Zig Ziglar teaches people all over the world the fundamentals of sales and success. Here he tells a story of a woman with a negative attitude who hated her job, shifted her attitude and changed her life.
Tony Robbins discusses the “invisible forces” that motivate everyone’s actions — and high-fives Al Gore in the front row.
Tony Robbins might have one of the world’s most famous smiles; his beaming confidence has helped sell his best-selling line of self-help books, and fill even his 10,000-seat seminars. What’s less known about the iconic motivational speaker is the range and stature of his personal clients. From CEOs to heads of state to Olympic athletes, a wide swath of high-performing professionals (who are already plenty motivated, thank you very much) look to him for help reaching their full potential.
“No two minds ever come together
without thereby creating a third, invisible intangible force,
which may be likened to a third mind.” Napoleon Hill
1. The average group works best with two to eight members, no more
than 12—time is the constraint.
2. Meet regularly, weekly if possible. Meet in a nice, preferably inspirational
place if possible. Make sure it’s a well-lit restaurant, office, home, library,
or church, etc. Have a preplanned agenda.
3. If you are in different cities, the meeting can be conducted on a
conference call. Make certain you engage an excellent conference call
company (setting up a series of 3-way calls does not work well.) You
might save a few pennies but miss a million dollar opportunity through
distractions.
4. Start the meetings by reading the MasterMind principles. This is
possibly one of the most important points of a call. Every member of
the group should read aloud all 7 Principles and the Dedication and
Covenant.
5. Each member should be supported visually, verbally and emotionally
by the others. For example: someone wants a new home. Other
members might say, “I see you driving up to your glorious new home. I
see you sunning yourself at poolside with your loved ones, friends and
me.” The principle is that we can believe for others what they cannot
fully believe for themselves. These are not idle words. You must create
and project to the MasterMind a clear vision that the words represent.
6. Your MasterMind call should run like a “Swiss watch.” Ensure the call
is timely. If you have committed to a 60 minute call, keep it within that
time frame. MasterMind members are generally extremely busy … time
is important—use it wisely. Each group should elect a MasterMind leader
to keep everything flowing freely. The leadership position can rotate
from one member to another. The group leader should be prepared to
time each person’s participation in the call to ensure it is kept on track.
Have a watch (with a second hand) or stop watch available. This point
is extremely important (do not treat it lightly).
7. Roll Call—The group leader would take a roll call and would assign
each person a number (i.e. if there are 6 people on the call, each
person would have a number from 1-6). This numbering system can
be used to designate who speaks when and should be rotated with
each call to ensure the #1 person doesn’t always speak first.
8. Good News—Starting with whichever number is designated for that
particular call, each person would be allowed 2 minutes to speak about
something very positive. They will share their “win for the week.” This
will help in creating the right vibration to get the call started in a positive
direction.
9. Wants and Needs—Again, starting with whichever number has been
designated to begin first, each person would have 10 minutes (the
group would decide on the length of time) in which to state their wants
and needs and receive their responses. It might sound like, “This is
John. This is what I want and this is what I need.” Or, “This is John.
This is a challenge I’m facing and I would appreciate the help of my
MasterMind group.” It’s important that everyone understands that the
designated amount of time allotted is both to state their want/need
and to receive the group’s response. Therefore, if 4 minutes has been
designated to each person and someone is not prepared for the call
and it takes them 3 1/2 minutes to state what they need, it allows the
group only a 1/2 minute to respond. Each MasterMind member needs
to be prepared for the call—to ensure maximum benefit. At the end of
the 4 minutes, it would be the team leader’s responsibility to say, “Time
is up.” The discussion would then come to a halt. The second person
would be asked to begin.
10. Depending on the “chosen” length of your call, you may decide to
leave room for a “free for all” at the end, at which time anyone and
everyone would have a chance to speak.
Dedication and Covenant:
“I now have a covenant in which it is agreed that the MasterMind
shall supply me with an abundance of all things necessary
to live a success-filled and happy life.
I dedicate myself to be of maximum service to God and my fellow human beings,
to live in a manner that will set the highest example
for others to follow and to remain an open channel of God’s will.
I go forth with a spirit of enthusiasm, excitement and expectancy.”
The Seven Principles:
I release myself to the mastermind
Because I am strong when I have others to help me.
I believe the combined intelligence of the mastermind creates a wisdom far beyond my own.
I understand that I will more easily create positive results in my life when I am open to looking at myself, my problems and opportunities from another’s point of view.
I decide to release my desire totally in trust to the mastermind and I am open to accepting new possibilities.
I forgive myself for mistakes I have made. I also forgive others who have hurt me in the past so I can move forward into the future with a clean slate.
I ask the mastermind to hear what I really want – my goals, my dreams and my desires and I hear my mastermind supporting me in my fulfillment.
I know, relax and accept, believing that the working power of the mastermind will respond to my every need. I am grateful knowing this is so.
–noun
1. a person who is on an opposing side in a game, contest, controversy, or the like; adversary. –adjective
2. being opposite, as in position.
3. opposing; adverse; antagonistic.
4. Anatomy. bringing parts together or into opposition, as a muscle.
