Message from Shoi...Hi Warmest welcome to our new readers and regulars. Trust you had a good, restful weekend and batteries are all charged, ready to tackle a new week, new month. Last week, I watched a re-run of "Bicentennial Man" (re. one robot's 200-year quest to become an ordinary man). Have you seen it? Anyway, I feel moved to share this one part with you because not only did it strike a chord within me... but it also jangled a couple of nerves. In the movie, the "hero" (played by Robin Williams) is asked a question regarding his humanity: "Why do you want this?" -- His answer was profoundly simple, "To be acknowledged, for who and what I am. No more. No less. Not for acclaim, not for approval, but for the simple TRUTH of that recognition... This has been the elemental drive of my existence, And it must be achieved, if I am to live, or die with dignity." I must have watched this movie 1/2 doz. times in the past, but did not connect with the full significance of this statement until now... or maybe I did deep down, but just wasn't ready to accept the responsibility/consequence of living this truth -- At some point early on in my life, I'd started to compromise, or hide, "who and what I am"; I'd been raised to believe that another's approval, acceptance or "good" opinion of me was more important than my own. In time, I lost more and more of the authentic "me". The more I tried to please other people, the less I knew/pleased myself, and the more vulnerable and disconnected from reality I became -- Today, this is not the way I choose to live or relate to the people in my life. I know it's not going to be an easy journey (thankfully, I've got Ray to coach me and kick butt), and I may have to face some painful "rejection" along the way. But, with courage, grace and the will to change... perhaps the REAL Shoi (work-in-progress, warts and all) can finally stand up. Am I nervous about this? Hell yes. Part 2 of Our Series Starts Today...Today, Raymond kicks off Part 2 "Due Diligence and the Question of Accountability" with a short but revealing intro where he states his intent for this series -- Read Ray's article In our next issue, Ray will be writing on "Intelligence Trap and Intelligence Paralysis", so be sure to join us again next week for this.
If you like our series and you think it may help somebody, do forward this issue to as many of your friends as possible and encourage them to subscribe to in-the-loop Ezine.
I also want to thank Adam Kovitz of The National NetWorker for continuing to plug us in his newsletter. in-the-loop eSpecial OffersLast week I sent out 2 subscribers-only Exclusive Offers -- A gentle reminder that both offers end this week. If you missed these earlier mailings, do check them out online at...
Shoi's Pick for EasterIf you've ever been stuck looking for that perfect gift to mark a special occasion for your daughter, niece, grand/god daughter... Don't miss Shoi's Pick for Easter -- I'd like to show you Amy Steinberg's special collection of beautiful, charming, meaningful gifts... just for little girls.
If you like what I'm doing in Shoi's Pick as well as the values reflected in our ezine, and you personally know of any designers/artists/artisans who'd make a great feature here... do refer them to us. Thanks!
Thanks for sharing your time with us. Have a great week... and blessed be. 
Editorin-the-loop™ Ezine
|
Inside Today's Edition
Food for Thought~ Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama) ~ Hell begins the day that God grants you the vision to see all that you could have done, should have done, and would have done, but did not do. ~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe ~ Want Your Own Daily Dose of Inspiration? Subscribe to Daily Contemplation or visit website for Bodhi Fellowship
in-the-loop eSpecialSpecial Offer for Spring
|
| Special Feature |
The Coming Alive of Internet Marketing - The Series
Introduction to Part 2, Due Diligence & Accountability© 2007 Raymond SiewI was going to start Part 2 by talking about how we do due diligence on the WWW and what I see as the lack of accountablility caused in part by distortions in the definition of "products" and "services". Then I was reminded of the other dimension of this topic, from my correspondence with Lisa Lamoreaux (the artist who gave her comment in last week's issue). She thinks I'm brave to come right out to say what I say and she also asked me my intent in this series -- So instead, I'm going to write on conducting my own due diligence and the accountability to myself before checking out the external aspects of this topic. To see the log in my eye before the mote in others' -- Thanks, Lisa. I think I was going to chicken out. (Another change is I will be writing the rest of the series myself. I have found it very disruptive to the flow by trying to include other writers in this series for now.) This is what I think. I have worked with many sharks before. There was one in particular that I observed closely -- He never apologised for being a shark. He never even bothered to come disguised in sheep's clothing, like most would. He was a fully-adapted predator. You know if you slipped up, you're breakfast. Yet, he was strangely charismatic and exuded an immensely powerful aura. I think I know why now. He had zero conflict. I, on the other hand, was always full of doubt, troubled, conflicted. I was afraid of being judged by my peers of being weak, of being identified as a bleeding heart, of not being a hardcore businessman... and so I struggled to make sense of it all somehow. But I too want to be powerful; I love making deals, I love solving complicated and complex issues. I love making sense of the whole and the parts. I love playing the angles, seeing the possibilities. This is how I express my creativity and I have studied the art diligently -- BUT, I also want my deals to be about beauty, not tainted by destroying another's hopes and dreams or giving false hope. Another paradox? Do these deals exist in the business world? Is it real? ...I need to pay my bills, feed my kid, school him. Be responsible. And besides, "it's not my problem". Heck I even have a latin word for it, "Caveat emptor" (Let the buyer beware). I know they are going to lose their pants but hey, they pay my bills. I just won't lie. I'll just neatly compartmentalise the issues... ...But can I continue to look the other way? Doesn't a part of me die each day. Protected, or so I think, by my mental constructs, denials, rationalisations. By the machinations of a frightened inner child in a hostile world... Really, I was no match for the sharks, they played my own conflicts against me. Without drawing a clear line, more ground was lost daily. So is it bravery, Lisa? I don't know. Maybe it is the fear of waking up one day and not recognising who I've become. I know I weary of feeling guilty, in some strange way, for being a businessman, for wanting surplus. I refuse to be conflicted anymore. I will not be afraid to declare unequivocally... YES, I love profits, but under this scenario: In my deals, no one gets hurt because relevant information is withheld from him. NO, I will not partner someone whose values are not in alignment with mine. So what is my intent? I have this tool. A self-targetting viral tool that can circumnavigate the WWW. I want to know if I am alone. I want to know how many others think like I do, how many agree? I want to be accountable to who I am and this is my due diligence.
|
|
About the author: Raymond Siew is the Business Development Strategist at eMasters. He has 21 years of corporate experience in deal-making, negotiations & business strategy and now shares his personal insights and knowledge. Raymond is also the author of the work "The Sentic Negotiator", a book that he is still writing and hopes to publish soon. The word "sentic" comes from "sentient" and denotes "awareness". In his book, Raymond attempts to demonstrate that self-awareness is the cornerstone of any successful negotiation. NB: This article DOES NOT come with reprint rights. It can only be distributed, reproduced or published in any ezines/websites in its entirety and with the author's resource box intact. |
The Coming Alive of Internet MarketingTABLE OF CONTENT
|
[ Back to top ]
| Shoi's Pick for Easter |
|
[ Back to top ] |
| Manage Your Subscription |
|
You are recéiving this email because you signed up for an in-the-loop Ezine subscription. Your subscription details are:
Name: {!name} Email address: {!email} Signup date: {!signdate long} NB: To manage your subscription, please use the automatic link at the bottom of this email. Advertising Disclaimer: Paid ads published in in-the-loop Ezine are written and offered by the Advertiser and do not constitute a recómmendation by in-the-loop Ezine. Always conduct your own due díligence before purchasing -- Please contact the Advertiser directly with enquires or when dissatisfied with a product/service. Do not hit reply. Know of someone who will benefit from in-the-loop Ezine? Do forward them a copy of this issue... and encourage them to sign up. |
Want Your Own Copy of
|
