Fundamentals | Luca Massaro

Who Can We ‘Rely On’ Really?

Family? Friends? Employers? Politicians? I could go on. From the way my Twitter followers act it appears the only thing they rely on is Eastenders being on the TV four times per week… and when it isn’t… you better find a World War bunker.

The topic of relying on people is a general discussion and it amazes me how the consensus is that you have to rely on people in life. But do you really?

To be perfectly honest, i find Bruce Wayne/Batman to be much more of a role model when it comes to proving that with determination, self belief and being proactive, you can achieve without having to rely on anyone else.

It was a quote within ‘Batman Begins’ that really made me think that dismiss the obvious fictional creation; Batman and Bruce Wayne stand for a whole lot more.

“It’s not who i am underneath, but what i do that defines me.”

With this in mind, i wrote a post about relying on people, and whether it is within yourself or others that defines what you stand for. Cos Who Can We ‘Rely On’ Really?

The Government? Please…

At the time of writing this, the General Election is the main topic taking over the minds of the general public, and while i did not vote, i won’t comment on the current situation.

But why i chose not to vote points back to the title of this post and it is simple.
I do not rely on the Government, i do not believe their sales pitches and to be honest my mum talks about it more than enough for me to spend my time watching the news or reading about it.

Should i pay more attention to the Government and their policies? Maybe. But give them one chance to let you down and you’ll be forever cursing them so i’ll leave you to decide if politics has much of a point and whether your vote/voice/opinion actually makes a difference.

Don’t Sell Yourself For Cheap

It’s the same with everything in life. Leave your fate in someone else’s hands and its like being put on eBay at a starting price of 99p. The risk is always there and you could get sold short.

Take control of your decisions and have 100% belief in yourself over anything else and you will find that you are less likely to face a problem. Simple outlook right? Kinda…

But at some point you will reach a stage where you may need to rely on someone to get you to the next step. Whether it may be a contact to introduce you to someone, looking for work and relying on either the recruiter or the employer to believe in you or even maybe just waiting for someone to arrive before you can crack on.

Bruce Wayne Gets It!

Relying on people is just a part of life and where you will always face rejection in one way or another, you overcome it by knowing where you are heading and having enough belief in yourself to just brush aside any doubts.

The message i portray on this site has always been and will continue to be that to succeed, you must rely on yourself.
You must rely on your own knowledge, power, experience and resources.

You must be self-determining like Bruce Wayne! No, I’m not saying to hibernate into a cave but i suppose if you had Bruce Wayne money things would be different. I’m saying be resourceful, be appreciative of life and be proactive.

Know that there is no absolute security in anything, and push the boundaries without relying on anyone!

That being the case, get in the thick of it and fight! Create the life you would choose to have, and whether you achieve it exactly or not, just an effort is noble. Failure is not an option!

I Am Batman

What is so significant about a comic book film that simplifies determination and discipline, is that regardless of who you are, you will be judged. It is your actions; it is my actions that will tell the final story.

With this in mind, i have put myself in the position i am in and my future relies 100% on the decisions i make and the opportunities i present myself.

For example, while i created this blog to assist and help people with easy-read articles about development, it is also my personal platform to leverage me to the next step. I rely on my determination to stay active, current and informative with articles and entertaining pieces.

Bare in mind, i am no journalist and it is not in my general skill set to write articles or stories; so ask yourself why you think that i do this and maybe you can figure out what it is that you really want to achieve and also how you will go about reaching that goal.

I am Batman and Bruce Wayne together, minus the bad ass suit and the millions, i have the discipline and the determination to overcome any hurdle that may stand in my way.

Final Thought

Rely on yourself, be proactive and don’t leave your career, your future, your life in anyone’s hands but your own!

Communication And The Importance of Meetings

What Do We Mean By ‘Communication’?

Upon a simple Google search of the term ‘Communication’ i found a barrage of articles about this topic. Communication is a fundamental part of any business. We spend our whole lives wrapped around modern technology making it easier to communicate, yet we seem to still find it difficult to keep track of our conversations, progress, tasks and deadlines.

Why Is This?

Most conversations sort of drift along; in business, this is wasteful; as a manager, i seek effective communication rather than general chit chat. To ensure an efficient and effective conversation, there are three considerations:

you must make your message understood
you must receive/understand the intended message sent to you
you should exert some control over the flow of the communication

I find that i spend most of my days in and out of meetings, with clients or with team members, i am hopping from meeting to meeting without any clarity or substance.

In any organization, “meetings” are a vital part of the organization of work and the flow of information. They act as a mechanism for gathering together resources from many sources and pooling then towards a common objective. They are disliked and mocked because they are usually futile, boring, time-wasting, dull, and inconvenient with nothing for most people to do except doodle while some opinionated has-been extols the virtues of his/her last great (misunderstood) idea.

Break The Mould

Your challenge is to break this mould and to make your meetings effective. As with every other managed activity, meetings should be planned beforehand, monitored during for effectiveness, and reviewed afterward for improving their management.

“A meeting is the ultimate form of managed conversation; as a manager, you can organize the information and structure of the meeting to support the effective communication of the participants.”

I love the quote above. “A meeting is the ultimate form of managed conversation.”
Such a powerful statement. So why do i chose to place myself in meeting after meeting, than just sit at home handling emails and organizing my schedule and tasks via my personal computer?

Other than getting me out the house and forcing me to jump into my Superman phonebooth to become the business warrior i am; nothing achieves a higher and more definitive rate of productivity than a face to face meeting with your team.

It allows you and your team to express opinions, problems and queries and clear them up without having to wait for your mail to refresh.
You can explain in depth your theories, practices, strategies and plans.
Most importantly it allows you to take time and understand each other, creating valuable group cohesion and work bonded relationships.

Take Action

While you may spend a lot of time organising meetings and attending meetings, it is ultimately down to you what you achieve from these meetings.

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