What It Truly Means To Be Pro-Life

by Lucira Jane Nebelung | Opinion

We are literally One Being with 7 billion faces, 7 billion Unique Points of Light. What we see in others is ourselves. What we do to others, we do to ourselves.

You can call yourself Pro-Life IF and ONLY IF you stand for and actively care about, understand, respect, and respond to each and every person as a human being, to all life and to our environment so that everyone and everything thrives.

Pro-Life means that we honor our Oneness, Uniqueness and Free-Will as the expression of Spirit's Love that is Self-Love.

Pro-Life means that each and every human being IS Loved: cared about, understood, respected, and responded to.

Pro-Life means that each and every human being feels safe and secure, freed from fear.

Pro-Life means that each and every human being has healthy food, clothing and shelter.

Pro-Life means that each and every human being has quality medical care.

Pro-Life means that each and every human being has a quality education.

Pro-Life means that each and every human being has a livable income.

Pro-Life means that each and every human being realizes their full potential as a human being, as the Love of Spirit in matter.

Pro-Life is Gratitude and Sharing.

Pro-Life nurtures and protects all living beings and the environment.

This is Service. This is Compassion.

Then we will have Peace on Earth. Anything less blocks and destroys Life. We are ALL in this Life together. Any other use of "Pro-Life" is hypocrisy.

Can you honestly say that you are Pro-Life? You Lead as Love!

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* This excerpt by Our Associate Lucira Jane Nebelung Was First published on LinkedIn.

Identifying Real Beauty And Why We Should Not Compliment Deceit In Place Of The Real Thing

by Benson Agoha | Opinion

Does a spectacular combination of brain, good looks and confidence, two of them, important attributes of power, symbolize beauty? Is there a correlation between beauty and power?

For example, can we conclude that `beauty is powerful' and conversely, that `power is beautiful?' Perhaps, it's all matter of perspective

But in so far as our varying convictions about beauty go without a doubt, there are those who will argue that they recognize it when they see it. Do you?

Besides, custodians of `beauty' claim that they know it when they have it. One a sage admonishes that beauty is transient and ephemeral - just like power. Perhaps, this is why lovers of beauty seek it, to find it, understand it and know it - in case it disappears.

Some say beauty empowers uniquely. But, as much as it does, it is only internal strength that truly exposes and drives it to the surface. Simply put, power projects beauty. So beauty is a derivative of power.

How then do you recognize, and progressively reinforce latent strengths in others, to stimulate their beauty?

Psychologists believe that beauty is a product of happiness. In other words, if you want to be beautiful, try to be happy, even though you still have to pursue happiness.

Happiness, itself, is a `state' induced by different variables in exchange for its own by-products of varying behaviours that depend on the individual, and his personality characteristics.

Mystics and astrologers believe that beauty is a product of a different `state' that depends on an individual's `self-rising'. Self-rising increases one's sex appeal and radiance. Each of the standpoints have their relevance.

Furthermore, if recognizing what triggers inner strength proves difficult, defining `beauty' appears even more so. Yet many of us crave for beauty more than a superior inner strength.

Without inner strength, beauty exudes a forlorn and despondent morph of an outlook. Without `inner strength' also, `will' is lost, and without `will', there is no `hope'. Without `hope', radiance varnish. Without radiance, there can be no `confidence'.

There are then five variable features of appreciable beauty - all of them, in varying degrees, as shown in the above beauty pyramid:

Inner Strength: this harbinger of beauty is the energy necessary to consciously articulate and aim for a given cause.

Will: the determination to unwaveringly peck away on that cause towards the desired outcome - often seen as positive.

Hope: the belief that there is a future positive result that is derivable from that pursuit. Often, this is more tasking when all else points the vector to a wrong direction. Hope sustains trials and failures and encourages successive repeats.

Radiance: the noticeable result of that conviction that you are doing the right thing towards a desired goal. It is often seen and once manifestly leads to peak performance. It is the point at which `beauty' is observable.

Confidence: The point at which possessors of beauty are seen to exhibit noticeable self-belief as expressed in their postures. In turn, confidence produces an element of calmness and self-worth exemplified by inner peace.

Inferentially, beauty is a product of inner strength, will, hope, radiance and confidence - in that order.

Let me tell you guys a true story. I was once fascinated by a particular face - a Facebook friend. She was this exciting types with seemingly no dull moment. She radiated happiness, seemed on top of her game - each and every time. But with some 6,000 miles between us, physical proof of that personality was not possible.

One day, she uploaded new photos, looking faultless, her smile hiding any wrinkles, her chicks well rounded, two parted lips, beautifully coated with thick veneer of red gloss, exposed a perfectly brushed set glittering in front of the camera. Her eyes were hazel and caught at the right angle by the camera, it simply came out at you. Hair nicely done too.

I was sold to her beauty, and posted up my compliments: "Nice one Tiff...you are adorable, awesomely pretty you couldn't pass without heads turning...bla..bla..bla".

No doubt, as `many us' do to `many of them' on daily basis, I made her life easier. From across the pond, I could only imagine how she would have grinned from ear to ear, feeling like that proverbial Cinderella. Till her brother spoilt the fun for her.

"Bobby......it's all done ooo.." he said, and added "..it's all done - hair done, nail, done, teeth done, eyes done. Y'all got to learn to treat these women, the way they really are...it's all done!"

Of course, most women won't let anyone see them without being "done". It's the reason we are often reminded never to judge a book by its cover.

Plato sought to assuage the feelings of diffidence, and the confusion that beauty quest creates in and for people and, and after exploring what true beauty really is, he concluded that "beauty is in the eyes of the beholder!"

Are you beautiful and, importantly, can you recognize beauty when you see it in others?

We may live in a world where courtesy and mischief have teamed up to culturize the art of complimenting deceit in place of beauty, but whenever you recognize the `truly beautiful', don't hold back.

Be generous - after all, generosity is beautiful!

Paris Attacks v Boko Haram Attacks: Why That Argument Is Not Valid

by Benson Agoha | Opinion

Like many others, I changed my Facebook photo in solidarity with France (right).

Surprisingly, questions are being asked why the world easily aligns with the French in such cases, when it has not done so for Nigeria, over Boko Haram.

As often is the case, many have argued that although Britain and America have the ability to wipe out Boko Haram, they have failed to do so because of what is essentially, a regional consideration. In order words Nigeria doesn't matter as much to them.

While it is tempting to ignore these insinuations and maintain a degree of silence, after all, they are arguably, to all intents and purposes, mere conjectures, it does seem in order if one made a different contribution.

In truth, no one may say, with certainty, what the determining factors for high level governmental decisions are - unless they have been privileged to be part of the relevant committee to recommend it. But given what we know, I have had to argue that our disposition to issues that concern us, also affects other people's reaction to our predicament.

Inferentially, a leader's initial reaction to acts of terror against his people, affects his capacity to attract outside help. It is a simple matter of syllogy - if you hate a certain pain so much, you are almost certain to be willing to accept help when offered.

Time and time again, France, and indeed, all civilized nations have shown their disdain for any form of acts of terror - irrespective of whether the individual is a citizen or not. Terror is terror, and as very often seen, it hardly does a victim any good.

Now, in the case of Boko Haram, one must ask - did the Nigerian government show immediate reaction and determination to counter it?

I remember watching a video of a BBC interview in which former President Jonathan Goodluck was almost loosing his temper during an interview, when the journalist wondered why Nigeria had not showed as much seriousness in fighting back until the last months of his administration.

His response included that the country had no weapons to fight, having not fought a major war since the Nigerian civil war ended in 1970. So, weapons had to be ordered, and allowed to arrive before something can be done.

Yet, despite not having fought a major war, Nigeria has had to deal with several home grown rebel movements which tasked its armed forces on law enforcement. Nigerian forces have also been involved in peace keeping missions abroad over the years, including Somalia, Sierra Leone, Liberia.

In Nigeria, the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) is a `secessionist group', the Oodua People's Congress (OPC) is `militant group' while (Boko Haram), took violence to a new level, and made it to the terror list. But violence is violence.

Together with several other groups, these rebels have unleashed many years of abductions, killings, blackmail as well as disruption to affairs of civil society.

President Goodluck told his interviewer that "...no President would be happy to be loosing citizens". Perhaps so. But would these happen in France, Britain or Germany, and not be tackled decisively?

As has been demonstrated time and time again, France, and indeed Britain and America do not tolerate any form of terrorist attack. For a grievance to be entertained, you are encouraged to channel it through the courts - and accept the verdict, by which the government also pledges to abide.

No form of violence is entertained, and whether it is home grown or foreign import, is immaterial. Therein lies the difference.

In 2015 Britain, culprits of the August 2011 riots are still being tracked and whenever any is caught, he or she will still face the law accordingly.

Doesn't one wise saying insist that "as you make your bed, so you will lie on it" Let's `make our bed' rather than argue over those who have made their's.

Making A Case For Equal Opportunity Employment: 'No Name CV' To The Rescue

by Benson Agoha | Opinion

"We can talk all we like about opportunity, but it is meaningless unless people are judged equally" - PM David Cameron

With the above statement, Prime Minister David Cameron set a new challenge for employers to prove that when they say "We are an equal opportunity employer", they actually mean it.

I reckon that, by the time you read this, more organisations would have signed up to, what is becoming one of the fastest responses to a call for paradigm shift.

That the government will team up with employers and the unemployed to co-create a new reality for equality is one that will have a major positive impact, not just in Britain, but globally.

And for those yet unfamiliar with the scenario, emerging report says some of the large Companies, organisations and governmental agencies rapidly, positively responding to that call include, the BBC, NHS, HSBC, the British Civil Service, Virgin Money, and Chartered Accountants Dolloitte and KPMG and many other MNC's.

They are all signing up to the "No Name CV" theme - a new resolution to judge applicants based on fair conditions stripped of racial or identity biases. To build a fair society where no one will have to protest for missing out on invitations for interviews till they change their name.

Not that the issue began with Jorden Elizabeth Berkeley, sited by the PM in his example. What is more important is that, her experience has prompted something good from it all.

But calls for fairness or its implementation can be extensive. And so, hopefully, persons and groups. as well as organisations who still indulge in designing unfair and inappropriate conditions and cultures that make it difficult for fairness to thrive in the environment, will allow themselves the opportunity to be impacted by the new positive wave.

Instances where someone who finds himself/herself in a position of authority begins to design a hostile condition, either anchored on spiritual manipulation of others of plotted to affect and encroach and zoom in on their faiths/beliefs, aiming to deny them that which should have been beneficial to them is condemnable. 

In this new dispensation, we should all learn from the leadership we have been provided, to successfully lead our subordinates in a fair, inclusive and mutually tolerant direction, where they too will understand they are expected to pass it on. 

Amilcar Cabral once reputedly noted that socially constructed universes are capable of change, and that these will be made by those who constructed it - the society.

Sexually exploiting job seekers, or new employees or needy people in order to do them a favour is one despicable act which almost always leave a bad taste in their mouth. Sometimes, it even backfires on the employer who may find himself/herself in court, with reputation in tatters.

Physical changes are, very often more durable than spiritual changes, and with effective communication, more implementable. So when leaders physically embrace the principle of fairness and lead by example, the benefits to the organisation are almost certainly priceless.

Hopefully, this case for equal opportunity will have the right impact, not just on the big organisations listed above, but also from our micro environment - homes, work places and stores. It's about understanding that how we treat people leaves a multiplier effect on the larger society.

Change is good!

As Alexis Tsipras Quits, His Story May Shed Light To That Of Jeremy Corbyn's

Greek Prime Minister's call for early elections seems to be the perfect strategy to win absolute majority, but his retaining Greece within the EU afterall, should shed light to what labour members can expect from Jeremy Corbyn, if he eventually wins the keys to No.10.

As Greek PM announced his resignation last night, and called for an early election next month some think it is much too 'smart' a move at this time.

But Alexis Tsipras has already sought the opinion of his people twice, as he tries to negotiate a financial bailout for his country.

The greek bailout referendum of 2015 took place on 5 July 2015. That his country followed his guidance to reject the bailout condition, even though he believed the country should still reach an accord with the EU was one sure way of accessing their belief in his administration. They listened to him and resoundingly rejected the bailout.

As the country prepared to continue negotiation with the EU, former Finance Minister, Yanis Varoufakis,  known for his hardline position to the harsh bailout conditions, was forced to resign. But even at that, he was proud of his position. That Tsipras accepted his resignation, was purely designed to make headway at the negotiation table.  Greece was close a default and would have had to leave the EU.

Former Greece PM, Alexis Tsipras, wants to be sure
he has the support of his people all the way.
(Photo Credit: via Wiki.)

Despite their tough stance and harsh conditions, the EU wanted Greece to remain within the block. And accepting the terms was the only way to ensure the country remains in the eurozone, which opinion polls have shown the vast majority of his population wants.

In the past one week, a bailout deal worth Euros 60 billion - enough to secure Greece for the next three years have been sealed. But it has come at a cost. And not many within his coalition government feel happy about it, even though a more stable Greece reported an economic growth during the same period.

One condition that has been seriously highlighted is the planned increase in the rate of VAT - one move that is sure to push up prices, and make life tougher living in a country where shelves were emptied as a result of panic buying in the face of a series of deadlocks and break-down in talks.

In 2013, Greece was forced to increase taxes for economic aid.  Within the past months since Tsipras assumed power, capital controls have had to be imposed limiting the with-drawable amount by each individual to £40 a day. It is a relief that this has been relaxed once again. Greek stocks have also taken a beating, as the news of the tougher outlines filtered out.

His decision to quit - only 8 months after taking over the reigns - is certainly a bold move, but with his achievement in first securing an interim bailout deal and before a longer deal - tougher as the conditions may seem, he is almost certain to win the absolute support of his people to govern without the need of a coalition.

To have the tenacity to sustain the negotiations, despite several breakdowns, tumultuous protests and riots at home and having to shuttle around the world in search of possible alternatives in case agreement proved impossible from negotiations, Tsipras has displayed some good qualities of an inspiring leader.

It will not be a surprise if he wins an absolute majority in September's general elections.  But if he fails, he sure won't lose the respect and love of his people.

The lesson in all this is that those who express fears that Jeremy Corbyn may be anti-business and anti-city, if he wins the keys to Downing Street, will see easily that the man may actually turn out to be a business booster for the city. 

Politicians are, more often than not, forced to make payment and humiliating adjustments despite their initial take on issues. When the real issues have to be addressed, a `deal' mindset is usually brought into the scene.

In this regard, it will seem too presumptuous to assume that his seeming hard line take on some issues now will be unchangeable. Unforeseen circumstances often make this necessary.

Isn't it said that the taste of the pudding, actually, is in the eating?

It's All About LEADING As Sir Alex Ferguson Readies To Talk About Leadership

by Benson Agoha | Public Lecture

Finally, the public are about to get the chance to hear Sir Alex Ferguson talk about leadership outside the football pitch - the way they have expected.

It is still a mystery to many, how he managed to achieve the extraordinary feet that saw him keep Manchester United in a dominant position in the Premier League - for such a long time.
 

He managed Manchester United from 1986 to 2013. And by the time he retired, after 26 years at the club, he had won 38 trophies, including 13 Premier League and two UEFA Champions League titles. His announcement of his plan on 8 May 2013 left some Manchester United fans devastated.

His successor, former Everton Manager, David Moyes, lasted only one season before being sacked for a lackluster performance after Manchester United finished 7th on table (below) with only 64pts.

Thought no Premier League Club is taken forgranted, the 2013-2014 season was one which Manchester United would hope is removed from its history, because in that year they missed the Champions League and even Everton finished above Manchester United - as you will see from the table below.

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League Table for the 2013/2014 Season

Sir Ferguson, who has co-authored a book with Sir Michael Moritz (the Chairman of Sequoia Capital and who has sat on the Board of Directors at Google, Yahoo!, PayPal and LinkedIn.) titled `LEADING' will, according to the organisers, be discussing the key tools he used to deliver success both on and off the field, including the pivotal leadership decisions of his extraordinary career and how these leadership lessons can be applied far beyond the football pitch.

The lectures which will kick off from September 21, 2015 at the Southbank Centre and will be held in three other centres across the UK including Manchester, Glasgow and Aberdeen.

 

For more information visit: www.alexfergusonleading.co.uk/.

Awakened Mind - Empowered Heart - Empowered Mind - Awakened Heart

by Lucira Jane Nebelung

* Lucira Jane Nebelung

"I am a Partner in a Dance. I am one part of a greater whole. My facet is complete unto itself. Yet it really takes a shared moment for this to come alive as intended. I live for the sensation of being tapped, of being asked to give of my essence and let the Truth resound all through my Being. How can I not seek the charged moment of encounter? I am the breath of new Life, awaiting winds that blow." ~ Ellias Lonsdale

Each and every one of us is a Centerpoint for Being, a point of balance, of stillness where our body, mind, heart, and soul are in integrated wholeness, in integrity and authenticity as our unique Truth and Freedom and in unity with the flow of Life as Love.

Each and every one of us also has a predominant ego structure that we have taken on as "true" and "real" that separates us from our Centerpoint. Mine is a need to be "valued" so that I lived others' expectations for how I should show up, for what I should say or do, or what I should not say or do.

The price I paid was a loss of Self-Value, Self-Worth, Self-Love. As I showed up more and more as the Truth and Freedom of my heart and soul, the price I paid was the loss of "friends" who couldn't look in a Mirror of Self-Love. What is caring to the growth of the soul often seems "punishing" to the ego.

Truth Heals, bringing Freedom as we accept that no matter how disruptive or uncomfortable to our ego structure, Love is inviting us back into Being ourselves. It takes great strength and courage to look at one's self and one's life through the eyes of Love as Truth and Freedom.

Your Centerpoint for Being

• Is your personal Truth and compass for Compassion, the ultimate flowering of Love.
• Attunes you with your Heart-Mind, the impulse and flow of Life as Wisdom, Love and Service.
• Is your Unique Purpose, Power and Passion, Your Contribution to the Whole that brings Peace, Joy and Fulfillment.
• Is the catalyst, source of and channel for your greatest Potential and Growth.
• Gives you boundless Freedom of Spirit and expression.
• Provides your Path of integrated wholeness, giving you a nonjudgmental context and vantage point for yourself and your Life. When you are clear about who You Are, what no longer Serves you falls away.
• Is your foundation for Self-Love.

You Lead Your Life

Perhaps our greatest fear is of Love as Truth and Freedom. There is no past with regret, guilt or shame. There is no future with expectations, apprehension or anxiety. There is no comparison, competition or conflict. There is no hate, the rejection of Love, or evil, the absence of Love.

There is only the excitement of Now, with all its messiness as Life unfolds. We Are Present, wide open, courageous, without labels, ideologies or rules that tell us how to look, what to think, say or do, what goals to go after, or what we must have in order to "fit in."

Freed of the belief that conformity means you are connected and belong, there is no need for approval that we take as "love." You Are an integral part of and moved by Life Itself, inspired by your unique Centerpoint within. You Are the Power of Love.

Leading as Love is our mastery of Being a human being, our Heart-Mind of unity and infinite intelligence as Spirit in physical form consciously creating Life. It is only as you Lead your Life that you Lead others.

As We Love We Lead - As We Lead We Love

Leading as Love is the conscious, active application of your Centerpoint for Being, your unique guiding principles, for every aspect of Life to unfold as Love. I guide you to your own inner voice of wisdom to consciously experience deeper meaning, purpose, contribution, growth, and choice.

- In your 20's and 30's - Establish your inner foundation for Life.
- In your 40's and 50's - Discover your universal contribution to Life.
- In your 60's and beyond - Actualize your legacy in Life.

We work together in a grounded, practical way in all aspects of your day-to-day life.

I Serve as a Friend who is a Maverick, Mystic, Messenger, Midwife, Mentor, Minister, and Partner in Life. As a coach, I work with you in the discovery and exploration of your Truth and Freedom. You strengthen and expand your expression of your unique Centerpoint for Being. You Lead as Love.

The commitment to Lead as Love is the one change that changes everything.

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* Lucira Jane Nebelung, Founder & Principal of "Leading as Love" and faculty member at The Graduate Institute, writes from Connecticut, USA.

Why Leadership Predictability Does Not Translate To Effectiveness

by Benson Agoha | Management

It makes for a good brainstorming session `whether the predictable leader is an effective leader'. And I imagine that discussion on such a topic will be fluid for a good reason.

Matter-of-factly, such discussion will, almost certainly, be better understood when considered with inferences from familiar environment. And it is the reason why I am focusing on one whose magic wand is increasingly holding everyone spellbound.  He is Mark Carney - the Governor of Bank of England.

Since the new Bank of England Governor took over reigns at the Apex bank, different interest groups have always tried to predict him and his next move - especially with regards to raising or lowering of the interest rate.

The interest rate is a very important economic index and has cumulative effect on the whole economy because price stability depends on it. It is the rate at which the banking system functions - it guides their lending and borrowings. At the current rate of 0.5%, British Banking sector is experiencing the lowest rate ever.

But against popular expectation, the result has been good for the economy. Which is why we have had a deflation - a period of generally falling prices, instead of inflation - that of rising prices. And when prices have risen at all, it has been marginal. As in March when he explained: "The fall in inflation we’ve experienced is in large part down to falling energy prices."

Results are proofs of competencies pulled together.

Over the past two years, Carney has meandered around public expectation with respect to when the interest rate will rise. While stake-holders are staring at the benchmarks, the governor has often reminded them that the posts are not static - that they can be moved - depending on what happens in between time. When they have pointed `west', he had skillfully pointed `east', reminding them that it was possible too and giving reasons why.

Sometimes, leadership decisions are not very easy for the public or colleagues to under-stand, but a leader's capacity for rationalization makes the difference. If you need the support of your peers, you better have a convincing explanation at your finger tips.

In the aftermath of September's Scottish Referendum, the Bank of England Governor was asked whether the `NO' result was good for Scotland and why. "The NO result was good for Scotland," he says, because the government "policy of more money going to Scotland and less coming out of Scotland." Such arrangement will no doubt result in development of the region and even Scots who perhaps voted `YES', will begin to see why a `NO' was better for them.

When Unpredictability is Dynamic Competence
An effective leader must be concerned with the important attributes of the job that makes success possible, irrespective of whether he comes across as unpredictable.  Predictability does not translate to dynamism, if it obviates the overall goal.

Leadership unpredictability can be evidence of a dynamic competence because it tests his ability to guide his organisation through turbulent times, which affect its operations. The problem though, is that this also tests the competences of other `action watchers' who have to deliver based on one leader's actions.

This capacity to deliver at uncertain times is one of the factors that makes the difference between a good leader and a great leader. Another factor is the ability to communicate your unpredictability.

How a leader communicates the underlying reason for his actions that negate popular expectation also goes a long way to influencing the reaction of his bosses, colleagues and other stakeholders, and may win him their patience, time and co-operation for his actions to translate into visible results.

Target Setting is a powerful guide, provided the

route to attainment is flexible.

Set Target And Don't Prevaricate

Attempting to be predictable against all odds makes for bad management. The reason is simple, a driver who keeps a straight course and ignores potholes and artificial humps strategically designed for safety purpose, will almost certainly not make the journey, and potentially may even miss his target.

Setting a target helps a leader navigate public expectations as long as he allows for enough room to maneuver along the route. This is the test of his skill.

A leader must be prepared to resist unnecessary interjections and interruptions, knowing that when you are on the wheel is not when to prevaricate. Competence breeds confidence while success reinforces it.

Avoid Predictability If It Proves Destructive

The predictable leader is not necessarily the effective leader, and where as predictability does sound good for the ears, it can be destructive too.

In an environment replete with the competition, your next move may be terminal for your organisation, if it is too predictable. It is the reason why legal experts don't usually give away much in case their defense is compromised and marginal edge become eroded. For high profile cases, predictability may prove too costly.

For Technology Companies, things appear different, but it is nevertheless present.  If a new product is due to be upgraded with a new feature, predictability can give the edge away to the competition who may incorporate it into their own products and arrive at the market ahead of your own. For brands with low goodwill, this makes a whole lot of difference.

When Unpredictability is Predictable

Understanding your environment is the best way to predict it. In volatile environments, it may be best to adopt the view that unpredictability is predictable.  In such situations, production system can be adjusted to move with the times. It was this type of situation that introduced the idea of `Just-In-Time' Production.

When time are changing fast, the leader must organize his firm to respond accordingly, as this is what makes the difference between the market leader and the followers. Those who lag in highly volatile environments risk it all.

Back To Base

When a leader is defensibly unpredictable, his followers learn to trust his judgement and leadership, and predictably, to follow him with trust especially when he delivers consistent positive results. Tidjane Thiam did it at Pru. Mark Carney is doing it at the apex bank.

In the case of the BoE Governor, those who have jumped at the conclusion that a rise in interest rates may likely happen in early 2016, have been reminded again that a rise is still possible in 2015.

Just Never say Never!

Sometimes, All It Takes Is Self-expression!

Self-expression makes the difference!

When you are tempted to do more, to go the extra mile when a shorter route would do. When competition is crude and unfair.

When they say the only way is the tough route. Or that all there is left, is the devils alternative. Remember, it isn't over until it is over.

Sometimes, all it takes is self-expression!

Get it right and get it done!

Share your thoughts!

Olga Kalinina

To contribute to Leadership Lane:

Email: bensonagoha@yahoo.com

Mobile: 0745 960 0852

How To Live With Relationship Laws That Will Ever Remain Worrisome

by Benson Agoha | Opinion

Let me say from the outset that I am not gay and the use of the flag is not a sign of my support for same-sex relationships. I am not attracted to fellow men and doubt if I ever will.

The recent approval by the highest legislative body in the United States has ruffled, and perhaps will continue to ruffle feathers. But at least, like civil rights, every American is now aware, if ever they were in doubt, of the inclusive nature of their constitution.

The process of promulgating a new law in a democratic society is a rigorous one which often tasks the mental and moral state of the members of the legislature, who often find they would have to make concessions, accommodate desires, make counter demands and or resort to compromises in order for a bill to sail through the final stage.

So it is a little surprising that President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe would have reacted so emotionally over such bill when passed.

The line "EVEN SATAN WASN’T GAY" justified by its compliment .. "he approached naked Eve instead of naked Adam" was credited to the Zimbabwean President and appear very convincing - but only until you pay closer attention to the issue.

We now understand how subjective humanity often become when defending values to which they have clung so tenaciously over a long time.

Masturbation: the ashes of Vesuvius
caught and preserved a man in the
act of masturbation.
(Credit: via Wiki)

Meanwhile even before President Mugabe's marriage proposal, Linda Barnette, a US Marriage Licence Officer dignifyingly resigned because of the new law - perhaps to saturate her conscience over an issue she knew she could never reconcile with.

Even for Christians, it may not be lost on many that the world has never and may never agree on certain issues that bother on values, including religion and its by-subjects of which same-sex relationship is one.

But same sex relationships are not new. In fact, if there is one legacy from the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79AD, it is a reminder that some of the issues we would be faced with in years to come are not new, but have been embedded in society through culture and traditions that have survived the better of several thousand years - whether partially or generally embraced.

So when the Italian cities Pompeii and Herculaneum were eventually rediscovered, and later recovered from under the many tons of pumice and volcanic ashes of Vesuvius, archaeologists confirmed what existing scrolls already tell them about events from ancient times.

They discovered, for example, evidence of masturbation, bestiality and same-sex relationships. In fact, they discovered that all vices that we have in present day, date back to ancient times. And they discovered also that ancient rulers have always had to worry about the same issues, when searching for ways to exercise peaceful rule over their communities.

Bestiality: a man indulging himself
 with an animal was caught in the act
and preserved for posterity.
(Credit: via Wiki)

In Imperium, Robert Harris, masterfully told a story of Cicero (albeit fictional), through the narrator of his Secretary Tiro, who under the instruction of Cicero himself wrote down for the benefit of posterity, a semblance of true account of how men of politics and power grappled with the task of promulgating, adjudicating and implementing the law within an organised society.  Placed in perspective, anyone can soon see the reverberation of the same issues.

Men can't usually tell if a woman is sleeping with one or several men a day until she becomes, and perhaps chooses to keep her pregnancy. And the only difference between the attitude of ancient and present day societies towards issues such as same sex relationship is that of openness. In one, perpetrators were more discreet, in another, they are now more open.

Though a Christian, I have chosen not to argue this issue from the point of view of religion for personal reasons, but at the same time, I recognise that even if I do, it just might not be changing anything.

As it stands today, same-sex relationships will ever remain selectively worrisome and never generally acceptable because it is an issue strongly entrenched on `values'. Even in the United States, it seems it will remain debatable whether it makes the union more perfect, even though no one will contest the underlying reason for its promulgation.

Imagine that for thousands of years humanity never managed to solve the mystery behind one of the most common issues facing the family, yet everyone is affected by it. The declaration by the US Supreme Court that "love is love" is much like Einstein solving the mystery of Relativity - it was always with us but we never managed to understand why whatever goes up, comes crashing down.

See the progress we have made since Einstein's discovery? Now watch the progress we will make from now - but we must keep an open mind. In this regard, anyone inclined to same-sex relationship must be open, direct and honest about it when meeting new people so that people are neither offended nor taken advantage of.

If Love is Love, at least, it is not by any means blind. Therefore, every transgender person must, for the same purpose, reveal themselves before having sexual relationship with strangers.

Consider! Why tell a man who would never imagine bedding a fellow man, that you were a man before you changed to a woman, if that will come only after you have had sexual intercourse with him. It smirks of disrespect an amounts to fraudulent behaviour, and many a man would kill for such dubious conduct.

Human society may have evolved, but it has always been multi-dichotomous and poly-autonomous and in the end, thrives in ambiguity of perspectives. The only perfect glue holding the world together appears to be the acknowledgement that we will always disagree to agree or vice versa.

So the future belongs to societies that understand the principles of inclusiveness in diversity.

What do you think?

Using humour to uncover consumer insights: the new way to gather intelligence?

by Benson Agoha | Business

Ever wondered what lay hidden in humour?

We may not know it, but there is an element of truth in things that make us laugh. At least if Tom Yortom's claim that "Things are funny when they are true" and that "we find this is a great way to get to those kernels of truth, of what people really reel about different topics.  It engages the brain differently." holds true.

In his latest article, Nigel Hollis disclosed how Firefy Millward Brown (Brand intelligence provider) teamed up with a comedy troupe called Second City to produce a "Consumer Theater" that monitors theatre goers reaction to what they heard and analysis it further.

This radical new way, ignores the formal creative process, to unearth consumer insights using just humour and its derivative feedback. "Sometimes, a little humour is all you need to transform your understanding", he says.

The collaboration Nigel Hollis said is designed to apply the philosophy of improvisation to generating and developing consumer-generated ideas and works by ideas being gathered from real life consumers that are recruited to take part in a consumer theater session.

So based on what they hear, members of the Second City cast then create and improvise skits in response to the consumer feedback. When the consumers are quizzed on their reactions, the feedback is used to develop the new program further.

Immediately afterwards, a final phase builds in the observations and reactions from client and agency team members who attended the Theater session.

According to the developers, the system uses empathy, humor and the power of improvisation to uncover deeper insights more quickly for idea creation and development.

And it is a highly engaging experience that includes client and agency stakeholders, creative consumers, a strategic Firefly moderator and improvisational actors from The Second City.

It can be employed very early in the creative development process– after brand positioning is established, the say.

It isn't a very simple method but it is still in development. And of course, its adoption will depend on the consistency of its results. Otherwise technology and big data may yet have to carry on.

What do you think?

See also: Millward Brown uses humor to uncover consumer insights by Nigel Hollis.

Self-driving car trials move over to real road conditions as Google roll out driverless cars

by Benson Agoha | Technology

With the Royal Borough of Greenwich being an approved trial borough for self-driving cars, it may not be too long before we begin to see the likes of the Google Car on our roads.

The Google Self-driving Car.
(Credit: Google).

This is because Google has given the green light that its self-driving cars may be a reality far sooner than the public expect.

And Chris Urmson, Google's Director of the self-driving car project is excited to see the actual project has moved to something that is starting to come to being realise, saying the goal is to actually see people using it.

Releasing the video on youtube on Friday, Google said "We started designing the world’s first fully self-driving vehicle to transform mobility, making it easier, safer and more enjoyable for everyone to get around."

"Now we're ready for the next step of our project: this summer, our prototype vehicles will leave the test track and hit the familiar roads of Mountain View, California, with our safety drivers aboard.

And according to Google's System Engineer for the self driving car project, Jaime Waydo, google said "..every moment has been building towards putting these cars on the goad where we can even start learning more from them."

In a blog release on titled "Green lights for our self-driving vehicle prototypes", google said the auto-driving cars are being released unto the roads so that the 2023 target date will begin to feel real.

"We've made the car hard, we've made the car cold, we've durability testing, we've driven through reliability bump track." Waydo said.

Google said, it is also advisable for the car to leave their Californian trial base, where it has been confined, so that researchers can monitor its performance on the roads, in the real world.

Urmson said the car they rolled out in December had everything integrated into it, making it their first real push to making the car usable in real conditions.

He said getting the cars out will allow people to react to them and for google engineers to keep watch and monitor it's performance - at junctions, when people cross the road, or traffic lights and so on. "Most importantly, it is a necessary step to get them to try it themselves". 

"When we think about safety, when we think about giving people mobility, and when you start to think in longer term about the impact on cities, and reliability and reclaimed space, and to reduce congestion and freer parking - this is something that will have a huge impact."

See this video:

Three remarkable moves that contributed to the Tory win

by Benson Agoha

The election has come and gone, but it was one in which the parties played all their cards and by the evening of May 8th, the winner had taken it all.

No one thought things would end the way it did, not least Lib Dem’s Nick Clegg, who said on the night of March 27, during his opening speech at the Leaders Debate that:

“I think it is pretty obvious that no one standing here tonight is going to win this election outright, so you will have to choose, like you did last time who is going to work with whom…”

Analysts from the Labour camp are working hard to isolate what went wrong and to right it before the game is on again.

Some of the factors that contributed to the decisive win of the Conservative Party, against all expectations include:

A) Effective Use of Noise: By insisting on the 7-Party Leaders’ Debate, the conservative party ensured that all the major parties had a chance of being heard. But was the information too much for an electorate that has been used to focusing on two leaders from two major parties?

Effective use of noise helped because the deluge of party policies, many of which are similar but being presented with bogus descriptive words designed to make it unique, became just too much for them to process.

When the brain has too much information, it will either reject some, reject all or decide to maintain the statusquo. And the fact that good news continued to emerge from official statistics about the economy was enough to make a decision.

Take for example the first question asked by a student of politics by name Jonny Tudor during the Leaders Debate:

“How will each of the party leaders believe they will be able to keep their promises of eliminating the deficit without raising certain taxes or making vast cuts to vital services?”

All 7 party leaders had to answer this question in one minute, but how many of what was said by each of the seven leaders would you remember after 7 minutes, if you had not been taking note? So how much of that would you remember the next day?

B) That New Memorable Phrase: Whereas Ed Miliband was relishing his growing #Milifandom base, David Cameron’s `I am pumped-up for this election’ arrived in the nick of time to reverse this.  It has already a phrase of choice and a new vocabulary that is enjoying increasing patronage from writers.

“Taking a risk, having a pun, having a go – that pumps me up.” He told city workers that, with 10 days to go “If you think I’m gonna let Ed Miliband and Alex Salmond wreck that, you've got another thought coming.” David Cameron energetically told a group of City workers just a week before the election.

 C) Video Message: the short video Message made by David Cameron in which he asked the electorate to “vote for the Conservative Party” if they wanted him to remain in office. Was very effective. He said “Don’t vote for others and hope that I will win.”

Direct video messages never to fail to appeal, especially if it is correctly handled. And the short but direct message employed, helped to work the magic.

So with data about rising local auto manufacturing, increasing foreign direct Investment, rising profile for London as well as decreasing unemployment figures, strong indices that any government should be proud of, the Tories milked it for all its worth.

This goes to show that strategic deployment of noise, can swing the pendulum to your favour. It’s a matter of how.