Soon after the first earthquake hit Christchurch in September 2010, University student Sam Johnson hit Facebook, and went on to create and lead the now internationally acclaimed Student Volunteer Army. Here’s the story of this remarkable and inspiring grassroots community leader who understands the ‘we’ of leadership, inspiring others around him to work as a team and together achieve huge outcomes for the community, changing culture while doing it.
Today the Mount was buzzing with healthy fitness people enjoying the second day of winter. A friend tells me that people who live at the Mount (=”Mounties”) are just fitter and more ‘out there’ walking and running than people who live, for example, over my way, near Bethlehem. I of course, feeling loyal to my own neighbourhood, debate this, but today when I saw so many people enjoying the weather and getting into the Mount Joggers and Walkers Half Marathon, I thought ‘yes, there’s something about Mount people’.
Having easy activities where anyone can have a go seems to be very popular and make communities into great places to live. Whether it’s walking around or up the Mount or participating in an organised event, there’s plenty to do for any age and ability.
When visiting a new country for the first time, it’s fairly clear that going with the attitude ‘we don’t do that in our country’ is not a great way to start. So some background reading to understand country and culture is a must for maximising the opportunity ahead. Building relationships with others is usually about doing one’s best to understand their worldview and look for things in common rather than differences.
Labour Day in New Zealand, reading at the beach
Here’s some of the background reading I’m doing:
http://www.economist.com/blogs/graphicdetail/2012/09/daily-chart-10
http://www.economist.com/blogs/graphicdetail/2012/06/focus-3
http://www.economist.com/node/21546829
http://www.economist.com/node/21554787?bclid=0&bctid=1634105566001
http://www.economist.com/multimedia?bclid=1213687645001&bctid=1745346764001
Global Trends: Facing up to a Changing World http://www.amazon.com/Global-Trends-Changing-Business-Collection/dp/0230284868/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1345184021&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=global+trends+done%5D
Reading in the sun on the back deck.
http://www.facinguptoachangingworld.com/
http://www.mckinseyquarterly.com/The_global_companys_challenge_2979
http://www.mckinseyquarterly.com/Organizing_for_an_emerging_world_2980
http://geert-hofstede.com/national-culture.html
http://images.businessweek.com/ss/07/10/1008_chinabrands/index_01.htm
http://www.mckinseyquarterly.com/India/Comparing_urbanization_in_China_and_India_2641
http://www.mckinseyquarterly.com/India/Comparing_urbanization_in_China_and_India_2641
http://www.mfat.govt.nz/NZ-Inc/index.php
http://www.mfat.govt.nz/NZ-Inc/5-Opening-doors-to-India/index.php
http://www.nzte.govt.nz/explore-export-markets/Pages/Explore-Export-Markets.aspx
http://www.mfat.govt.nz/Trade-and-Economic-Relations/2-Trade-Relationships-and-Agreements/index.php
On the 24th October 2012, I will be travelling to China with a study group from Waikato University 2012 MBA class, returning 10th November. It is an opportunity to observe business practices in China and it means having the opportunity to:
– network with New Zealanders abroad
– learn about business and forming partnerships with foreign entities and how foreign economies function
– visit Universities and attend some of the lectures
– visit corporate environments and factory sites
– meet New Zealand Government staff charged with assisting New Zealanders in business and furthering New Zealand business interests in foreign environments
I will be visiting Taiwan, Guangzhou, Macau, Beijing, Xi’an, and Shanghai, and plan to update here with reflections on this trip.
China business tour 24th October – 10th November 2012
During 2011 we saw the massive result of many people each doing ‘their bit’ to help each other, not just in Canterbury but across New Zealand. Kiwis from every part of the community each contributed their ideas, time and resources to enable others to reclaim and go forward with their lives whether damaged or ‘munted’ from natural disaster or otherwise.
There are many inspiring stories that we plan to share here.
There are also future stories that we would like you to be a part of. All it takes is for you to “Rise Up” and encourage someone else by contributing your talent, ability or gift. You are a unique individual able to make a difference to the lives of those around you.
To be a part of Rise Up New Zealand, ‘like’ our Facebook page, join a Facebook group and get connected with others in your own community and across the country. Look for an opportunity where you can help bring hope and resilience to the people around you. Nothing is impossible!
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Rise Up New Zealand Facebook Page |
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Rise Up New Zealand Facebook Group |
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Rise Up New Zealand on Twitter |
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Rise Up New Zealand on Youtube |
We use the following tools for strategic and management analysis to evaluate the potential of new businesses or ventures – SWOT, Porters 5 and PEST analysis.
Within an organisation are people who have heart, imagination, ideas and enthusiasm. This can flow strong or low depending on their own personal situation, managers interaction and leadership, alignment of their own goals with the organisational goals and opportunity to contribute ideas.
When meeting people in an organisation, sometimes more can be learned about its culture and whether that organisation may meet it’s aspirational objectives by talking with those who are involved in the day to day operations
– PUN (Purposeful Useful Notions) – meaning that everyone in an organisation has at least one vague idea or notion so I must remember to get with each pe
rson one on one and draw their thoughts out),
– the HUM score (Happy Unfettered Motivated) – which is kind of my measuring stick for picking up on how well an organisation is humming – i.e. morale. Do individuals seem happy (meeting their personal goals, enjoying work), unfettered (working in an environment where they can own their job, feel trusted by management, flourish in it confidently) and motivated (thinking ahead, keen to bring more value to their role, enthusiastic) ….so each of those out of 10 adds up to the HUM morale score out of 30 x number of people divided by 100 = percentage, which then tells me if the whole organisation is humming well or could do with more hum!
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SWOT analysis (alternately SLOT analysis) is a strategic planning method used to evaluate the Strengths, Weaknesses/Limitations, Opportunities, and Threats involved in a project or in a business venture.
PEST analysis stands for “Political, Economic, Social, and Technological analysis” and provides a framework tool to look at external factors that impact on an organisations’ strategy, helpful when conducting market research. Some add Legal (making SLEPT), or insert Environmental factors (creating PESTLE), or extend it to STEEPLE, which includes Ethics and Demographic factors. This strategic tool helps us understand where market growth or decline is happening and how the business is positioned for potential growth. With the rise in ‘green’ and energy/environmentally conscious business practice, it would seem that an updated version of PEST to include that would be encouraged. STEER analysis systematically considers Socio-cultural, Technological, Economic, Ecological, and Regulatory factors.
Porters 5 Forces considers the threat of new competition, the threat of substitute products or services, the bargaining power of customers, the bargaining power of suppliers and the intensity of competitive rivalry on a business or venture.
Introducing a new character – Richard, in his commentary on life as we know it with his own “Richard has a nose”. He susses out trends, takes a look at the changing pace of life, (i.e. has a ‘nose around’ at things), and reflects.
Today’s thought from Richard – ‘Value is the new green’
Here’s a call out to all companies – are you offering your customers something that you’ve infused the value of good value into? And are you as passionate about it as you’ve been about becoming green?
The global financial crisis changes everything – one day you’re in, the next you’re out. The success of your products and services is reshuffled as people examine their buying choices.
So green hasn’t gone away, it’s taking a back seat to the core value of value.
We talk about gaps across our communities, where children, the isolated, elderly and alone may become vulnerable. We can reduce those gaps by simply starting with getting to know our neighbours.
You already have the two things you need for getting to know your neighbour – a smile and a ‘hi’ or ‘kia ora.’
are the only ones who can we need people to take the lead and bring people together in their neighbourhood. While only YOU can get to know your neighbours, we can facilitate you in organising events to bring people together by sending you an organiser’s pack. Why not get together with one other neighbour and plan an event for your road, street, estate, or even parish if you feel really adventurous.
Back to School coffee morning
Men’s Shed event
Street BBQ
Shared vegetable gardens
Progressive Dinner – walk from house to house with each home putting on one part of a meal
24-25 March 2012 – plan to be with your neighbours. Click here for more details:
“Turning streets into neighbourhoods” Atawhaingia te Pa harakeke
Wherever you are in NZ, put March 24-25 2012 in your diary as a day to celebrate where you live and get to know your neighbours better. Just one act of neighbourliness can make a difference to the street you live in.
Building better relationships on our streets can transform whole neighbourhoods into healthy, fun and vibrant places to live. Neighbours Day Aotearoa is something all New Zealanders can get involved in.
Remember you don’t have to wait – everyday can be a neighbours day.
Neighbours Day Aoteoroa on Facebook