wisdom – Page 11

Well-being teams, social media & us

Posted on June 10, 2018June 10, 2018 by Nirmal Thapa

Within Instagram, there is a “well-being team” that’s just focused on fighting harassment and bullying as stated by co-founder and CTO of Instagram, Mike Krieger in The Players’ Tribune interview with Harrison Barnes.

According to Statista, in 2017, 81 percent of the population in the United States had a social networking profile, representing a three percent growth compared to the previous year. According to estimates, the number of worldwide social media users reached 2.34 billion and is expected to grow to some 2.95 billion by 2020. With this rapid growth of social media, spending hours in social networking sites has become an integral part of our daily lives.

Having a “well-being team” focused on fighting harassment and bullying is laudable but companies have to do a lot more. A new, nationally representative Pew Research Center survey of 4,248 U.S. adults finds that 41% of Americans have been personally subjected to harassing behavior online, and an even larger share (66%) has witnessed these behaviors directed at others. With so much of our lives spent in social media sites of one form or another, companies have to proactively monitor, assess and take swift actions to minimize harassment and bullying.

Is machine learning enough to counter harassment and bullying over social media? Mike Krieger of Instagram stated in the interview that “they have been doing things like training our machine learning algorithm to try to detect bullying and harassment in comments and then make those comments go away.” Responsibility of “adapting” to social media falls on all of us-parents, teachers, friends, family members, policy makers-anyone who is directly or indirectly affected by social media. In my opinion, the bigger responsibility falls on shoulders of social media giants mainly Facebook who created a product that brings billions together daily. Social media companies should also publish reports and data on how they are countering harassment and bullying over their respective platforms. Parents will increasingly need to be digitally aware and teachers to be vigilant more than ever of their students’ behavior in and out of the classroom. StopBullying.gov is a federal government website managed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and is a great resource to learn from and share with others regarding the matter.

With so much user generated content, is machine learning the only answer we have to counter online harassment? Can we leave this ever important challenge to a handful of companies alone who might have a “well-being team” to save us? Or should we first go back to the fundamentals where we treated each other with respect and love whatever our differences (color, height, weight, sex etc) and then enter into the social media world? The need to frequently discuss the benefits of social media and its challenges is greatly upon us.

Resources:

https://www.theplayerstribune.com/en-us/articles/instagram-mike-krieger-harrison-barnes
https://www.statista.com/statistics/273476/percentage-of-us-population-with-a-social-network-profile/
http://www.pewinternet.org/2017/07/11/online-harassment-2017/

Just over the hill

Posted on June 3, 2018June 4, 2018 by Nirmal Thapa

Just over the hill are the beautiful and majestic mountains. That’s Mount Everest.

You know the climb is steep. You’re ready mentally and physically to take upon the challenge. Nothing can completely prepare you for this moment, you just know that you have to keep going. The only way to go is forward. No excuses. No looking back. No U turns.

The steep climb is where your character is tested. You need to believe in yourself, be resilient and patient. It’s tough to navigate under these circumstances but you must. You have sacrificed so much for this moment. This moment is yours to cherish, yours to hold onto and yours only. The beautiful and majestic Mount Everest is just over the hill.

Principles For Success by Ray Dalio

Posted on May 31, 2018May 31, 2018 by Nirmal Thapa

I’m reading Principles: Life and Work at the moment. Almost done with the book.

If you want to get an overview of what the book is about, this video is a great resource:

Skills blog series

Posted on May 28, 2018 by Nirmal Thapa

What has helped me tremendously in my personal and professional life is developing and having the right skills to adapt to different environments. I was born in Kathmandu (Nepal) and have lived in Cairo (Egypt), New York City (US) and Amsterdam (The Netherlands). What has worked for me is having skills that are transferable, adaptive and suited to best leverage the opportunities available in each of the above cities. Over the course of the next few weeks, I will talk about the different skill sets that are very valuable to have based on my experiences so far. These skills can also help you profoundly no matter where you are currently or headed to in the near future.

Welcome to the Skills blog series-

Being financially savvy

One of the first jobs I had as a teenager was working at a magazine store. I was a cashier and worked every Saturday for most of my weekends. Having some pocket change allowed me to go to the movies, buy a few things and hang out with my friends. I learned the real value of money and had earned it from standing 6 to 8 hours to ring customers at the counter. My lunch options were McDonald’s, Subway or takeout Chinese food-things you could get for less than $5. I valued each dollar I earned and the work boosted my self esteem and confidence. For the most part of my high school, college and a short period after college, I held jobs in retail customer service and was standing 7 to 8 hours for them. Now I work on a laptop and spent most of my working hours sitting down. It’s nothing compared to the long hours spent standing, greeting and servicing customers.

Having a job even if its part-time teaches you a lot about money. You start to value it more when you have earned it and won’t spend it carelessly. It’s important to understand the value of money at an early age and I’m glad that I had part-time jobs when I was in high school. Those earlier work experiences were instrumental in helping me understand the value of hard work, money and made me financially savvy.

Key takeaways:

-Work somewhere (full time, part time, internship, volunteer doesn’t matter, just start)

-Savor the earning (feel the hard work and sweat that you put into making that first earning)

Image source: Think New Asia

Will you take us to Mars?

Posted on May 24, 2018 by Nirmal Thapa

Who’s the person in your company that takes the lead? Takes the charge to navigate the change? Has the courage to launch an initiative that he or she feels is right no matter what the outcome would be?

Elon Musk was once asked by Ray Dalio on how he came to start his company, SpaceX. Elon answered “For a long time, I’ve thought that it’s inevitable that something bad is going to happen on a planetary scale-a plague, a meteor-that will require humanity to start over somewhere else, like Mars. One day I went to the NASA website to see what progress they were making on their Mars program, and I realized that they weren’t even thinking about going there anytime soon. I had gotten $180 million when my partners and I sold PayPal and it occurred to me that if I spent $90 million and used it to acquire some ICBMs from the former USSR and sent one to Mars, I could inspire the exploration of Mars.”

Now many of us won’t have as audacious of a goal as exploring Mars but we all have ideas, dreams and goals. Will you take that initiative in your organization to lead the big goal? How about starting it on your own because you believe so much in your idea and dream? We all need someone who has the vision and the drive to take us there. Will that be you?

What’s your anchor?

Posted on May 22, 2018 by Nirmal Thapa

Getting up at 4am and believing that no one will outwork me. That’s Dwayne Johnson “The Rock”‘s anchor everyday.

What’s yours?

Seven Bucks

Posted on May 17, 2018January 23, 2022 by Nirmal Thapa

He had seven bucks in his pocket when he was cut from Calgary Stampeders, Canadian Football League. Thus, Dwayne Johnson “The Rock” named his production company, his advertising agency among others: 7 bucks. He keeps the hard times in front of his mind which helps him to go into these big moments with a different perspective. Additionally what has worked for him is that he keeps his back against the wall and knows that the only way to go then is forward.

With the Los Angeles Lakers, “The Rock” also shared two secrets to his success-things that have worked for him. He said you got to be the hardest workers in the room and can’t mess the opportunity up. Words of wisdom from one of the most successful actors and producers of our generation.

On Twitter, The Rock shared “Thank you @Lakers owner @jeanieBuss & @MagicJohnson for having me speak to the team. I don’t have all the answers for success, but I can always share what it takes to get there. #GeniusTalks #Part1“

The Art and Science of Training

Posted on May 16, 2018 by Nirmal Thapa

I started reading The Art and Science of Training by Elaine Biech.

Elaine relates the book as a recipe such as making a cake. “It’s about understanding the science behind best practices (what proportions of butter to flour to milk to sugar make the best cake) and where a little spicing up will make it taste better (adding cocoa, cinnamon, or salt).”

If you’re in the training field or aspiring to get in the field, what type of cake are you excited to make? Do you treat training as your calling or just another job that needs to get done? Are you thrilled to have the opportunity to make an impact in people’s lives everyday?

Make the most amazing cake in the world that you can be proud of.

Will you take 10 minutes to change your life?

Posted on May 13, 2018 by Nirmal Thapa

Will Smith did. He took 10 mins and did an impromptu audition at Quincy Jones’s party for the guests. Will could have waited a week or maybe even 3 weeks to prepare. However, Quincy was adamant that Will audition at the moment and not wait any longer. Well he didn’t and after that audition, Will Smith was on his way to become The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Moral of Will’s story is ALWAYS SAY YES.

The Shaq Endorsement

Posted on May 12, 2018January 23, 2022 by Nirmal Thapa

Wheaties wanted Shaq to be on the cover after he won his first championship with the Los Angeles Lakers. He declined.

Wheaties wanted Shaq to be on the cover after he won his second championship with the Los Angeles Lakers. He declined.

Then Shaq told his people to call Frosted Flakes or Fruit Loops and he would be happy to be on the cover of that. He turned down Wheaties because he never ate it so he said he can’t do it.

Shaq says of his brand deals “People look at them as endorsements. I look at them as partnerships.” He added “I’m very picky. If I’m not in tuned to the product, if I don’t like the product I won’t do it.”

Superstar athletes have global influence, persuasive power and wider reach. Influencer marketing is popular than ever and their impact on consumer behavior is profound. A Forbes article cited “authenticity is the key to capture the heart of today’s consumer.” The same article also cited that “PepsiCo Gatorade and FRS refuse to hire celebrities who have never used their products or don’t like them. FRS in fact, requires each to have a true, authentic story behind their passion for the FRS products.” Endorsing products that the athletes actually use not only creates more trust among their target audience, it also tremendously benefits the brand. Authenticity is the way to go.

Wouldn’t it be nice when athletes actually use the products they endorse? How often does Beyonce drink Pepsi or LeBron eats McDonalds? Whose responsibility is to inform the consumer about the not so healthy benefits of frequently drinking Pepsi or eating at McDonalds? Or should we just leave all the decision making to consumers because ultimately in a capitalist society all they want is better choices?

Good terms

Posted on April 30, 2018 by Nirmal Thapa

There will come a time when your goal/vision/ambition might be different than where the company is heading towards. That’s a given. It doesn’t always workout the way you initially thought it would.

When that moment to go your separate ways comes knocking, what do you do? Do you thank people for the opportunity that was given to you? Do you hold animosity towards any individual, team or the organization for the fallout? Or no matter what caused the fallout, do you still hold your head up and treat people with respect and thank them.

It’s too easy to get emotionally charged up and get negative if something does not work out. But the “better you” should always be positive, thank the people around you and walk away gracefully. Leave on good terms if it comes to it.

Image source: https://besomebodyblog.com

Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer

Posted on April 28, 2018 by Nirmal Thapa

Whoever said that could not have said it any better.

What is travel? A better question might be what do you experience when you travel. When I travel, I feel alive. It makes me realize that the world is so much bigger than where I currently am. Although technology has brought so many places (almost all) around the world much closer to us, being physically in that location is what truly does justice. Nothing beats those moments. It’s not just that you somehow know what to expect of the place based on the YouTube videos, websites or blogs you visit; it’s so much more than that.

Nothing beats taking the step to see the world for yourself. Go travel to learn, live and to discover the world.

Secret of keeping the talent

Posted on April 28, 2018 by Nirmal Thapa

People like to be appreciated. Simple as that. That’s the secret to keeping your most talented people in the team.

Some managers appreciate the little things their team members do. Other managers appreciate when the team members complete a major project or reach a milestone. Whatever your preference, just remember to appreciate when results are delivered by your team.

Giving back

Posted on April 17, 2018 by Nirmal Thapa

You have to feel the responsibility. No one can make it alone. There is always someone, a group or a community helping you to succeed. It’s only right to do your part and give back.

Giving back not only consists of financial help. Contributing your time to a project that you are passionate about, mentoring someone/group, helping others or just being there for someone not related to you goes a long way. When you give back, you also feel good about yourself and make your life more meaningful. It is also important that you are contributing to making the world a better place no matter how “small” or “big” your contribution is.

We can make a difference everyday.

Purpose, Incorporated

Posted on February 3, 2018 by Nirmal Thapa

Purpose, Incorporated is the new book from Room to Read Founder and author of Leaving Microsoft to Change the World, John Wood. The book will be launching in February 2018.

Profit should not be the only purpose for a company’s existence. It has to equally have a purpose – a responsibility to serve its people and the community. It has to contribute to a greater good than just its stockholders. With a purpose integrated in its vision, it will benefit the company, its employees and the community in the long run. I can’t wait to get a copy of Purpose, Incorporated.

Get updates on the book at https://twitter.com/PurposeIncBook

The Best Way to Find More Time to Read (Farnam Street)

Posted on January 16, 2018 by Nirmal Thapa

A colleague at work, Bijay Gurung shared a good resource on the best way to find more time to read. The blog was from Farnam Street. Found the blog very simple and insightful. I’m borrowing lines from the blog that stuck out to me:

As simple as it sounds, finding time to read boils down to choices about how you allocate your time. And allocating your time is how successful people increase productivity.

When reading, I generally take notes. I’m underlining, synthesizing, asking questions, and relating concepts from other things I’ve read. (I’ve heard that Bill Gates does the same thing while reading books).

If you’re a knowledge worker, you’re paid to use your brain, so it’s in your best interest to make that brain as big as possible.

Charlie Munger, voracious reader, billionaire, and vice chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, once commented: “In my whole life, I have known no wise people (over a broad subject matter area) who didn’t read all the time – none, zero.”

Warning: Side effects of reading more may include (1) increased intelligence; (2) an uncomfortable silence when someone asks you what happened on Game of Thrones last night and you say “Game of what?”; (3) better ideas; and (4) increased understanding of yourself and others.

Read the whole blog here.

I voted.

Posted on December 7, 2017 by Nirmal Thapa

I voted in the National Parliament and Provincial Assemblies Election today.

Voting is our right. We choose candidates and put them in charge of decision making for our greater good. This is the power that we have as citizens. It’s important to exercise that power when you have it. You can’t complain when you don’t exercise that power when the opportunity is there.

Nepali citizens have been waiting for these elections for a long time. It’s a historic day. You’re not only playing a historic role in the elections but also choosing the type of future you wish/want for the country. As a citizen, I have responsibilities just like the candidates that I am choosing to elect. One of my important responsibility is to participate in the democratic process and vote. Voting itself is an important civic duty. I strongly believe that each vote counts and no one should feel like nothing will happen if he or she did not vote. We are making important choices today for a better future: many will go vote, some will not be able to vote for personal reasons (away from the polling stations, work, other responsibilities etc) and a few won’t participate at all no matter what. Which one are you?

My appeal is that everyone should go and vote. We will pick different candidates with different agendas and goals for the future. That is an important step for us to move forward together. We need to pick candidates that are results oriented, communicate well and deliver/over deliver on what they promise.

What choice are you making today? It’s a very important one. Act wisely.

Measuring performance

Posted on December 4, 2017 by Nirmal Thapa

How do you measure your own performance? What’s your standard? Is it high enough, challenging enough, impactful enough?

The bar you have set for yourself is more important than what others have set for you. The goal is to keep pushing yourself to be better than yesterday, to be growing and evolve with the times. You can be inspired by others to push yourself. There is no lack of motivation for someone who has big dreams and chases them.

Measure your performance by the impact you have made in others’ lives, how happy you are by doing your daily work/living your passion, and what changes you have brought to make this world a better place. Now that’s quite a performance…

Right thing to do

Posted on November 19, 2017 by Nirmal Thapa

They might have not asked but you felt right to share your wisdom and experience with them. They might have not heeded your advice but you felt right to say it anyway. They might not have cared but you cared enough for them to share what you know.

Sometimes you care too much for someone and give them advice/suggestions/tips. You have to. It’s your responsibility as a leader, communicator and a human being. The journey is long and it’s important to learn from experiences and knowledge of others. We can’t afford to make the same mistakes again and again. It’s our duty to guide the next generation and give them the tools to fish.

Your job is to care enough to make a difference in someone’s life. Your job is to have empathy in others. Your job is to tell the truth and do the right thing.

Principles by Ray Dalio

Posted on November 5, 2017 by Nirmal Thapa

I first learned about Ray Dalio’s book Principles on The Tim Ferriss Show. The title on Tim’s podcast was itself profound, Ray Dalio, The Steve Jobs of Investing.

Reading Principles’ reviews on goodreads just made me want to read the book even more. Some readers on goodreads have said that Principles is one of the best books they have ever read. I can’t wait to read it and share my thoughts.

Category: wisdom