Welcome to our blog, the digital brainyard to fine tune "Digital Master," innovate leadership, and reimagine the future of IT.

The magic “I” of CIO sparks many imaginations: Chief information officer, chief infrastructure officer , Chief Integration Officer, chief International officer, Chief Inspiration Officer, Chief Innovation Officer, Chief Influence Office etc. The future of CIO is entrepreneur driven, situation oriented, value-added,she or he will take many paradoxical roles: both as business strategist and technology visionary,talent master and effective communicator,savvy business enabler and relentless cost cutter, and transform the business into "Digital Master"!

The future of CIO is digital strategist, global thought leader, and talent master: leading IT to enlighten the customers; enable business success via influence.

Wednesday, March 27, 2024

Influence via Versatility

Professional capability and core competency development require character, determination, discipline, dedication, and practice in the present and a continuum.

In modern society, many industries and professions face difficulty in reinventing themselves. Organizations become more complex, and running a business is also more challenging, with heavy workloads, multifaceted tasks, and fierce competition. Professional capability is crucial for people to get the work well done, not only for surviving but thriving in the interdependent global society. 

The basic capabilities keep you surviving, and the differentiated capabilities allow you to stand out. All high professionals need to continue sharpening their skills and building their integral professional capability

Put many hats on: This describes someone who can handle a variety of tasks and responsibilities, showcasing their adaptability and versatility. Professional capability is something deeper that empowers or boosts skills. But how to identify it, acquire it, improve it, or stimulate it? It has to be identified and developed by discovering the strength, learning, and practice

Capability is usually underpinned by more hard and soft factors such as talent, process, motivation, special training, etc. People are always the most invaluable asset or human capital in organizations. Businesses need to cultivate more talented people who demonstrate integral skill, and cohesive capabilities to put many hats on, play multiple personals, and solve complex problems structurally.

Have their finger on the pulse: It’s the ability to catch the trends for either capturing opportunities or avoiding risks. With the increasing pace of changes and unprecedented level of uncertainty, the more accurate the prediction - the better chances for survival are. People who have their fingers on the pulse can be aware of current trends and developments in their field, highlighting their knowledge and awareness. They embody vitality, imagination, hope, predictive analysis, and a sense of energy.

Grasping growth opportunities requires the ability to decide times and act boldly to achieve. Preventing problems requires information, processes, and systems to analyze and predict the possibility of a problem. All of those capabilities are critical to surviving in the “VUCA” reality. Visionary leaders are effective in manifesting their vision, creating specific, achievable goals, initiating action, and enlisting the participation of others.

Be on top of their game: That describes talented people who are performing at their peak level, consistently delivering excellent results, and demonstrating their mastery of their profession. The one thing to differentiates talented people (either high performance or high potential) from mediocrity is MINDSET which further drives attitude.

If you want to create a truly high-performance team, you have to deal with the mediocre. You have to determine why they perform the way they do; help people overcome their deficiencies and become high performers consistently. High performer keeps engaging in their current positions with expanded knowledge, sharpened skills, and enriched experience. But more importantly, they need to have a “beginner’s humble attitude, keep learning, and explore their potential.

Every professional has their journey of growth either personally or professionally based on their perception, talent, skills, life experience, training, and refinement. Professional capability and core competency development require character, determination, discipline, dedication, and practice in the present and a continuum.

Insight of Presentation and Exhibition in Taipei II

People come and go; good exhibitions leave us with good memories to digest, ignite our passion to grow, and provoke our thoughts to keep reinventing our modern society.

There were quite a few professional exhibitions in Taipei this month. They were diverse and educational, providing information for people in different industries to learn and participate; they also became the catalyst to share knowledge, boost energy, ignite professional passion, and recover the economy in the spring days.

The Taiwan Machinery and Tool exhibition was held recently. Most of the tools exhibited were heavy hardware tools being used in various manufacturing industries. Besides local manufacturers, there were enterprises from overseas organizations coming to participate in the exhibition. Most machines and tools are large-sized heavy-duty hardware. I didn’t see software-led digital technologies tools or gadgets on display. I saw robot hands were spinning around there, but lack of fully functioning robots to execute more complex tasks via machine-human communication and interactions.

I saw some student boys come to visit the show, but girls didn't come, perhaps girls and ladies like myself, were pondering about how to make those tools lighter, nimber, and multifunctioning, using less material, but adding some digital themes and advanced information technology in them. How shall we keep reinventing tools and gadgets, improving productivity, creativity, and sustainability?

“Let gear turn, so does the world” I like this slogan posted on the wall. Good tools and machines help to improve productivity, process efficiency, automation, product quality, and precision in the industrial era. So people can build skyscrapers, advanced transportation tools, and all sorts of manufacturing solutions. How about other industries, and how to generate more creative tools and create more opportunities for unleashing “humans+tools” collaborating potential, to reflect the digital era we live in?

In this very “hard” machine and tool exhibition, surprisingly, a few exhibitors took a moment to sing and play instruments to entertain the audience with some soft touches. I had my first laugh while participating in so many serious professional events in Taipei recently.

Every exhibition provided a platform with opportunities for buyers and sellers to share knowledge and enforce communication. But every exhibition has its limitations. So as participants, we should gain knowledge, but more importantly, break down constraints, let our imagination fly, apply critical thinking to dig deeper, and generate new knowledge & solutions.

A while ago, I also visited the travel exhibition and home furnishing exhibition at different conference centers, to get to know the local businesses and culture better. Those exhibitions are consumer-friendly. People went there to pick their favorite leisure solutions. Organizers offered some goodies to cheer up their prospective customers. We participate to support organizers; we should also practice critical thinking to suggest how to improve the presentations. If I saw lots of traditional services, my thoughts would be how to integrate different pieces of services into more personalized digital solutions.

People come and go; good exhibitions leave us with good memories to digest, ignite our passion to grow, and provoke our thoughts to keep reinventing our modern society

Laws in Laozi Philosophy Revealed in a Brief Story

 By applying Lao’s philosophy, wise ones carved out a niche in the ever-changing market. They won’t fight the current, but become the stream to grow customers by understanding them better, and providing more value-added solutions.

Laozi and their associate, the revered philosopher and author of the Tao Te Ching, placed central importance on nature and its inherent laws in their philosophy. Those principles are critical to striking the right balance of creativity and standardization; process and flexibility, change and stability. Being effortless doesn’t mean not working hard, but about following your interest, discovering your talent, achieving more with less, and inspiring a benevolent, advanced society.

Living in Harmony with Nature: According to Laozi and the team in their time, humans should strive to live in harmony with nature. This means observing nature, understanding its principles, and aligning our actions with its natural order and flow. People in modern society are usually busy and feel exhausted. They should take a break, and go to new places, at which they can interact with nature, recharge themselves, keep the environment green, and develop creativity.

Simplicity and Humility:
Laozi & associates emphasize simplicity and humility as virtues. They believed that humans, by following the example of nature, should strive for a life free from unnecessary complexities, follow their hearts to do things they are good at, and shape their minds to respect nature, keep things simple, and show humility and good attitude to get things down resourcefully.

Influence on Social Order:
Laozi's ideas extended beyond personal conduct and influenced the views on social order. They believed that rulers should govern with a light touch, following the natural order and allowing things to unfold organically, rather than imposing rigid rules or processes. On one side, modern society needs to enforce the law and governance discipline, and provide a framework for running a modern society; on the other side, increase flexibility - give people a certain level of freedom to break down conventional thinking, over-rigid social hierarchy, and advocate authenticity.

Lao’s philosophy builds a foundation to drive changes without brute force; cultivate talent without too much push or unhealthy competition; and run an advanced society with natural harmony. Here is a short story on how to apply Lao’s law to overcome business challenges.

A business owner of a struggling company had a very difficult time running their business continually due to fierce competition, and new emerging trends. So the managers start to explore different approaches for improving business models or taking more aggressive marketing strategies. They participate in local entrepreneurship events and learn different philosophies for brainstorming ideas. One of the Laozi researchers shared her knowledge of Laozi’s law of nature order. She explained how forceful marketing, like pushing water uphill, could backfire. "Perhaps," she said, "focusing on what you do best, like the steady rhythm of your operation, will attract the customers who value it."

So they invest in some lightweight digital technology, and do a certain sentimental analysis of their customers, discover their purchasing patterns, gain more customer insight, and offer customized solutions to fit their needs naturally. Instead of bombarding customers with promotions, let the quality of the products/services speak for themselves as well.

By applying Lao’s philosophy, wise ones carved out a niche in the ever-changing market. They won’t fight the current, but become the stream to grow customers by understanding them better, and providing more value-added solutions. They become a source of nourishment to improve customer experience and achieve people-centricity.

Descartes’ Quotes & Lessons Learned

We learn from those male and female ancestors and use their theories to doubt, and enhance understanding.

R
ené Descartes was a French philosopher, mathematician, and scientist in Ancient times. He & associate is famous for the skeptical method of doubt, which he used to question everything he thought he knew to find a foundation for certain knowledge. Descartes' most famous statement is "Cogito, ergo sum" ("I think, therefore I am").

René Descartes wasn't known for writing a large volume of books, but his ideas were highly influential. Here's a breakdown of his key works and some famous quotes:

Descartes’s famous quote was: "Cogito, ergo sum" ("I think, therefore I am"). It expresses the idea that the very act of doubting one's own existence proves that one must exist as a thinking thing. So as intelligent human beings, we should ponder deeper about ourselves, who are we, where we come from, and how about our consciousness, subconsciousness, unconsciousness, or superconsciousness. What we know about ourselves is only the tip of the iceberg.

"Doubt is the origin of wisdom.": This quote highlights Descartes' emphasis on questioning important things, and seeking clear and distinct knowledge. Doubt like conscience is a regulator of our mind: A doubtful mind has its positive side, it is our natural endowment to create, to invent, and to change. If doubt is a brief precursor that stimulates questioning and learning then it is a positive state of mind. When doubt turns to overly self-doubt and begins to erode one's self-confidence, then it is a negative state of mind.

The quote: "The greatest minds are capable of the greatest vices as well as of the greatest virtues," reflects Descartes' belief in the power of human reason, but also acknowledges the potential for its misuse. We are all individuals with different grades of humanness.

The profundity in thinking at the philosophical level helps people develop virtues like non-egoism, tolerance, self-sufficiency, self-reliance, uprightness, gratitude, etc.

"To live without philosophizing is in truth the same as keeping the eyes closed without attempting to open them": This quote expresses Descartes' belief that philosophical inquiry is essential for understanding ourselves and the world around us. The quintessential of Philosophy is the history of ideas and an ongoing inquiry into the nature of things based on abstract reasoning. Philosophy is the discipline of seeing beyond the visible, understanding things underneath the surface, in pursuit of wisdom.

"The reading of all good books is like a conversation with the finest men of past centuries.": This quote reflects Descartes' appreciation for learning from the ideas of collective wisdom. Learning is a journey; on one side you learn from others; on the other side, you doubt, challenging common beliefs. Seasoned persons in life become aware when some of the long-acquired knowledge is no longer applicable in certain situations. You have learned to no longer apply that knowledge in those specific cases. So learn, delearn, and relearn all the time.

Descartes' writings and ideas continue to be studied and debated by philosophers today. We learn from those male and female ancestors and use their theories to doubt, and enhance understanding. It’s also important to leverage advanced technology and methodology to break down outdated knowledge and tradition, generate common values and virtues, and advance humanity.

Value-Added Seven-Eleven Stores in Taiwan

 Those people-centric convenience stores provide a small window for people to understand local culture, food, and people, allowing them to take a break, and focus on their goals.

Seven Eleven is a brand named convenience chain stores across continents. Most 7-11 stores are open for people to buy some daily items for their convenience. But Taiwan Seven Elevens are much more customized and thoughtful. They are located in tourist hot spots, museums and libraries, residential areas, colleges, and communities. They provide hot water, utensils, microwaves diner tables and chairs, and convenience for people to take a break, and have simple meals or snacks. They also provide other value-added services to customers such as adding funds to their transportation cards, offering phone-related services, etc. Here are a few 7-11 stores I visited in Taiwan and why I was impressed by their thoughtful services.

7-11 in the conference center: Taipei hosted quite a lot of trade shows annually and attracted numerous tourists globally. When I participated in the international book fair in Taipei last month, it was very crowded, and there were not so many restaurants nearby. I saw quite many people waiting in lines to buy lunch in the 7-11 inside the building. I joined them and figured out their value-added service. Not only you could heat your lunch box but could you also sit in the restaurant-like dining room to enjoy your meal and take a break. It was very thoughtful for conference participants to take a rest, save time & cost, and focus on professional activities with a tight schedule.

7-11 as a cafe in the workplace area or city center: Taiwan does not have many chain store cafes in which you could sit down to surf or study. I saw a few professionals sat down to sip their coffee and used laptops in a spacious 7-11 store for quite a while in the community center. But most stores have small capacity without such facilities. Almost all convenience stores here offer some breakfast items, and the residents come here to buy them frequently

7-11 in the parks and resort centers: Taiwan has many mountains and resorts. Unbelievablely you could find 7-11 convenient stores on the top of mountain peaks. That is truly value-added for tourists to buy food, drinks, and other handy items, instead of carrying them over when they do exercise. You could also taste locally made snacks in those stores in the resort area. That gives the tourists a good impression on their visit to hot scenery spots by soothing their exhaustion and deepening their understanding of local cultures.

7-11 in libraries & colleges: People come to study and those convenience stores offer the facilities for them to take a break or have a simple meal to save time and energy so they can become more productive, focusing on learning, and creating.

Global tourists are coming to visit Taiwan every year. Those people-centric convenience stores provide a small window for them to understand local culture, food, and people, allowing them to take a break, and focus on their travel goals. It provides an anthropological touch with warm tones to welcome global guests and optimize their experiences thoughtfully.

Libraries in Taiwan

Modern libraries have centuries of history and are established across modern societies all over the world.

In large metropolitan areas libraries are nice places for people to explore different knowledge disciplines and enjoy being modern human beings. Compared to other urban cities on other continents. Taiwan has fewer libraries. I visited the National Central Library and Beitou Library in Taipei

On one side of the Zhongshan S Road, we can pass through the Liberty Square & Gate - implying we all have opportunities to make achievements. On the other side of the wide Zhong Shan Road, we can study in the national central library -learn grow, and innovate, building a solid knowledge foundation to achieve our goals and fit our purposes.

The library staff there were friendly, checked my ID, and gave me a permit to visit the library. It is a mid-sized library with a few floors. Besides adult readers, quite many students come here to do studies. On the second floor, there were book collections of different genres such as business, literature, science & engineering, history, linguistics, religion, etc. Besides desks and chairs in the hallway; there were some sofas in one small room, so people could take a rest if they felt tired.

On the third floor, there were periodic magazines and old newspapers from the last five years, which were bound together like large-sized thick books. I didn’t see very enriched content in the magazine session. Should they digitize the old newspapers rather than keeping the paper version?

On the higher floors, there were laws and other research sections. On the underground floor, there were reading rooms, a cafe, and 7-11 convenience store. Overall it’s a reader-friendly environment, the book collection is limited though.

Weeks ago, I also visited the Taipei Library Beitou branch, near the subway station. I like a set of books to introduce ancient culture history and philosophy there. The collection and space are also limited, some tourists visited there and a few locals sat there reading. I also saw some mini libraries located in the underground shopping center, parents brought their children there for borrowing and returning books.

Besides libraries in Tainpei, I visited the small community library in Hualien and saw some libraries in Taichung. Although the library was small near Hualian train station, it provided a place for people to sit down and find information.

Modern libraries have centuries of history and are established across modern societies all over the world. They are undergoing digital transit to generate value continually.

Tuesday, March 26, 2024

Interdisciplinarity

The digital paradigm that is emerging is the sociological organization which is holistic, vibrant, energetic, fluid, creative, and resilient with a hybridity of knowledge, processes, workforce, and competencies.

The organization consists of an amalgam of bio-systems, socio-systems, techno-systems, and econo-systems. Understanding that real-world development is multifaceted. Organizations that are skilled at managing people complexity, organizational complexity can gain advantages by pushing the boundaries of a more holistic integration that provides opportunities to accelerate performance and unleash collective potential.

It’s important to understand people or society from a biological perspective, which enables leaders or professionals today to dig deeper into the context of their environment: Humans are a remarkably diverse species with variations in physical identity and spiritual beliefs. This diversity arises from mutations and adaptations throughout our evolutionary history. They evolve four things; body, mind, emotion, and energy. Everything is energy and the human condition is the conditional form of our energy signature, and it moves from one conditional state to another. Such a biological mind implies change and develops creativity.

Humans can adapt to various environments through biological and behavioral means. The human nervous system is incredibly complex, there is still a mystery about our consciousness and superconsciousness. Not only do we only know the tip of the iceberg about what’s going on in our environment, but also we know so little about ourselves: Who are we? Are we more than just body and mind? If so, what's behind the wheel? By understanding our origin, and biological characteristics, we can appreciate our place in the natural world, and strive for a future where technology and biology work in harmony.

It’s important to understand people from an anthropological perspective: We live in a complex society in which a variety of people think, work, and live in their own way. The anthropological discipline can help people expand their vision of society, traditions, and cultural diversity, shift their thinking to a variety of perspectives, and enable them to navigate a variety of cross-cultural situations.

The digital workforce is multigenerational, multicultural, and multidevicing. Thinking through the anthropological dimension questions one’s assumptions, which tend to oversimplify other cultures. Anthropology presents every aspect of the human world and elucidates the cultural traits, complexes, and motives of specific human behavioral aspects. People with anthropological perspectives can experiment with different ways of doing the same things and are more tolerant of cultures and customs other than one’s own. They can become more inclusive, unifying us and others, and collaborate seamlessly.

It’s important to understand people and their minds and actions from a sociological perspective
: We learn how to behave, think, and feel through a lifelong process called socialization. Sociology studies humans and their relationships. According to social constructionism, the mind would be more between people, in their interaction. If the mind is a characteristic of living creatures, then it is highly related to what makes a living creature. How deep your understanding is based on the mindset, knowledge, experiences, lenses, and methodology you leverage to interpret things.

So make thought-provoking inquiries about the Social System: Where the whole has purposes of its own as well as the parts. where the organization has purposes of its own and the people working there maintain purposes of their own. Sociologists of work and economy study the social organization of work and the economy. They are interested in how work is changing, how the economy is structured, and how these changes affect people's lives. How to design an organization, that is a socio-technical system, is the order of magnitude more difficult than designing a "data-driven mechanistic system"; and a "data-driven mechanistic system"? And ultimately, how to run an advanced society to unleash collective potential.

In today’s complex business environment, there are all sorts of circumstances and different perspectives and there are many variables in problem-solving. The best we can individually do is to start breaking chains of habitual thinking, perceiving, willing, and feeling, continue updating knowledge, skills, and capabilities, to drive the change we want to see and lead the journey of business transformation. From an interdisciplinary management perspective, the digital paradigm that is emerging is the sociological organization which is holistic, vibrant, energetic, fluid, creative, and resilient with a hybridity of knowledge, processes, workforce, and competencies.

RiskIntelligence

A contemporary organization's success is, in large part, driven by how wisely it takes risks and how effectively it manages the risks.

Enterprise-wide risk management intends to manage enterprise risk systematically and effectively. Assessing and managing risk effectively is an important step in improving organizational maturity and achieving high-performance results. In reality, most organizations are not perfect but they are inching their way to full agility. Identifying, mitigating, preventing risks, and improving risk intelligence are the keys to running high-performance organizations. The main pillars of a Risk Management Framework can be summarized in five key areas:

Risk Identification: This is the foundation of any risk management practices. It involves systematically identifying potential risks that could threaten your organization's goals, assets, or reputation. This includes internal risks ( human error, process ineffectiveness, system failures) and external risks (economic downturns, cyberattacks).

Sociologically, the major risk overlooked by Risk Practitioners arises from a fundamental misunderstanding of human behavior and human nature (the Social Element). There are "human factors" such as irrational, cognitive, or behavioral aspects. We can't and won't be able to manage or predict completely, but methodologically, by mapping and measuring complex interactions in real-time can gain early warning (anticipatory awareness) of possible/plausible negative impact...NOT reflexive or post-loss.

Risk Assessment:
Once risks are identified, they need to be assessed for their likelihood of occurring and the potential impact they could have. This helps prioritize risks and allocate resources for mitigation strategies. Techniques like probability and impact matrices are often used in this phase. Attitude and experience of the risk manager ask questions; and do the pre-work before risk assessment in the correct manner.

Risk Management Strategy: After assessing risks, the next step is to develop and implement strategies to reduce their likelihood or impact. This can involve various methods like avoidance, reduction, transfer, or acceptance. Team and leadership "buy-in" is extremely important for any risk strategy to get off the ground and to maintain effectiveness and efficiency. It's not possible to "set and forget.". Strategies for governance and risk management must be woven into the fabric and aligned with the business culture and process.

Integrating risk into resource prioritization and planning processes. It’s important to define the organization’s appetite for risk and then to identify whether the risks identified are above or below risk appetite which gives a priority list. The risk management process helps to prioritize the activities they are committed to resourcing in addition to serving as a cross-check for anything that they may have missed or are doubling up on.

Risk Monitoring and Reporting: Making the exercise comprehensive yet simple at the same time; to ensure it is not taken as a burden by employees responsible for it and truly adds value to the organization. Be able to identify risks and report to the corporate board in a manner that brings about the right conversation about risk management among the board members.

Risk management is an ongoing process. It's crucial to monitor the effectiveness of mitigation strategies and continuously identify new risks. Regularly reporting on risk management activities to stakeholders, keeps everyone informed and ensures accountability.

Risk Governance: This pillar establishes the overall structure and ownership of the risk management process. It defines roles and responsibilities for risk management activities, ensuring clear communication and decision-making throughout the organization. Leadership commitment to risk management is vital for its success.

An integrated GRC discipline enables organizations to enforce their management disciplines. Governance artifacts include such as planning, policies, processes, etc to reduce risk. Risk management artifacts include identifies, quantifies, and evaluates risk in part to determine where more or less governance is appropriate.

A contemporary organization's success is, in large part, driven by how wisely it takes risks and how effectively it manages the risks. These elements work together to create a comprehensive and effective Risk Management Framework. By implementing the best and next practices, organizations can proactively manage risks, minimize their impact, and achieve their objectives.

Profundity

Profundity is important to connect the mind, close gaps, and unify the difference.

With the increasing pace of changes and hypercomplexity, today’s organizational leaders and professionals need to increase their cognitive agility, cultivate a discerning mind, explore alternative viewpoints, and enforce cross-disciplinary reasoning. It’s always important to demonstrate authenticity by thinking, speaking, and doing things that are aligned with your inner self. It’s also critical to think beyond the surface, break through conventional understanding, enhance trust; and become more profound in understanding, communicating, and problem-solving.

Seek the root, not the surface:
Don't chase surface-level solutions. Understand the underlying causes for issues that need to be solved. The problems usually have many causes and can be very complex, you can't figure out the exact cause and effect so the solutions are vague. Challenge assumptions and delve deeper into hidden complexities.

It’s not so effective to use linear logic to understand highly complex, nonlinear cause-effect relationship scenarios to solve complex problems. If you only fix the symptom, not the root cause, then it perhaps causes more problems later on. So it’s crucial to apply multifaceted logic and structural processes to diagnose the real causes, in order to solve a set of issues thoroughly.

Listen to the whispers, not just the shouts; sometimes silence speaks volumes: Pay attention to subtle cues and quiet voices. Sometimes the most profound truths are unspoken. "listen to what is not being said." Listen and hear what people are saying or trying to say, even try to figure out what’s in their mind, is not being said yet. you are not profound.

Respect other people as if you were in their position. Learn to listen beyond words and listen to both sides of the story. If you only listen to one side of the story, you are not profound. Listen to both the “Naysayers” and “Yay sayers” when it comes to deep and far-reaching change.

Question the obvious, and explore the unseen: Doubt is the seed of growth; question your own understanding. Challenge yourself to think critically and evolve. True critical thinkers are able to see things underneath and around the corner, perceive the invisible, catch “implicit” elements, and recognize connections and interdependencies.

If you only read the content without contextual intelligence, you are not profound; if you only believe what is being told, you are not profound. It is important to encourage critical thinking, open attitude, constructive behavior, and collective wisdom

Wisdom can come from unexpected places. thinkers of consequence, not thinkers of convenience. You become wise when you are humble enough to be aware of and admit what you don't know and share what you know. Profundity is important to connect the mind, close gaps, and unify the difference.

Fable to Reveal Aristotle’s Thoughts and Unleash Human + AI Potential

The potential of AI for good depended on the purpose we gave it, the "telos" we designed it to fulfill.

Aristotle (384–322 BCE) was a student of Plato and is considered one of the most influential thinkers in Western history. He and his associates - both female and male thinkers in their time wrote on a wide range of topics, including logic, metaphysics, ethics, politics, physics, and biology. How can professionals in contemporary societies apply his philosophy to deal with real-world issues insightfully?

Rain pattered against the window of Fay’s cluttered apartment. A self-proclaimed "digital nomad," Fay had spent years chasing the next viral trend online, flitting from one passion project to another without ever mastering any. Today, however, a notification from his favorite philosophy forum piqued his interest. A heated debate raged about artificial intelligence (AI). Some argued for the creation of "superintelligent" AIs, while others feared the consequences. Fay, ever the observer, scrolled through the arguments, none resonating with him.

Suddenly, a new post caught his eye. It was titled "Aristotle and the Missing Telos." The writer argued that the current debate missed the mark. AI, like any tool, needed a purpose, a "Telos" as Aristotle called it. Intrigued, Fay delved deeper. Aristotle, the writer explained, believed everything had a natural purpose, a function it was meant to fulfill. Similarly, AI shouldn't be an unmoored intelligence, but one designed with a specific goal.

The idea struck Fai. He'd been treating his life like a formless blob of potential, lacking any clear purpose. Maybe, he thought, it was time to identify his own "telos." He spent the next few days reflecting. He realized his true passion wasn't the fleeting fame of viral trends, but the joy of creation. He loved building things, taking ideas, and turning them into tangible products.

With newfound focus, Fay began crafting educational apps, and tools designed to make learning engaging and accessible. Slowly, he found his niche, his "telos." His apps weren't instant hits, but they brought him a sense of fulfillment he hadn't experienced before. Years later, Kai was a successful designer, creating AI-powered learning platforms. He believed AI wasn't a threat, but a tool, just like a well-designed app. Its potential for good depended on the purpose we gave it, the "telos" we designed it to fulfill.

Fay's journey, from a scattered nomad to a purposeful creator, became a testament to the enduring relevance of Aristotle's philosophy in the digital age.

Philosophy of Mozi & Associates

Mozi’s ideas on universal love, non-violence, and meritocracy had a lasting influence on Chinese thought and societal revolution.

Mozi, was a philosopher who lived in the 5th century BCE China. His contemporaries, both female and male thinkers offered a unique perspective on how to promote peace and cooperation by encouraging people to consider the well-being of all; and how to manage a civic society by promoting the worthy based on merit and ability, rather than solely on social status or hierarchies.

Universal Love (Jian Ai): Mozi's central concept is "universal love," which goes beyond familial ties or social obligations. He believed everyone should be treated with impartial concern, regardless of their origin or social hierarchy.

Harmony & Frugality: Mozi strongly condemned warfare, and advocated for resolving conflicts peacefully through diplomacy and reasoned arguments. Additionally, he promoted a life of moderation and criticized excessive rituals or extravagant activities that drained resources.

Utilitarianism: Mozi's philosophy aligns with a form of utilitarianism. He believed actions should be judged by their outcome; actions that benefit the most people and promote social order are considered good, while those causing harm are bad.

Science & Logic: Mozi and his followers placed a strong emphasis on logic and reason in their arguments. They were also known for their advancements in science and technology, particularly in areas like engineering used to deter warfare.

Mozi's philosophy faced criticism for potentially undermining traditional social structures and hierarchies. However, his ideas on universal love, non-violence, and meritocracy had a lasting influence on Chinese thought and societal revolution.

Monday, March 25, 2024

Responsibility

Responsibility is everyone’s business: Be responsible for what you say, decide, and do and set the right goals to generate value for not only ourselves but also our global societies.

As uncertainties are a common occurrence in any walk of our progress, the business leaders and their teams cannot afford to be unprepared for the challenging task of facing the “VUCA” digital realit. Business transformations are generally associated with high-cost initiatives around risk, uncertainties, sourcing, and capability enablement. Either at the individual or organizational level, people need to take responsibility for making sound judgments, solving the right problems, and achieving more with less.

We are responsible for the choices we make: "Every action has an equal and opposite reaction": Any action taken (cause) will have a corresponding response or consequence (effect), even if it's not always of the same magnitude or directly opposite. People or organizations are different, they have different mindsets; they have different goals and expertise, they compete in different areas, and they have a different scale. So they set different goals and make different choices.

In a modern and fair society, people need to be responsible for their decisions and actions to create order from chaos, and build a collaborative society. Collaboratively, if we all work towards common goals, it becomes far easier to achieve. We have a problem to solve together to build on morale and real productivity; advocating open leadership, professionalism, and mutual sharing in successes.

Our actions have a ripple effect on the world around us: "You reap what you sow": This proverb emphasizes that our actions (cause) have direct consequences (effect). If you plant good seeds (positive thinking and actions), you can expect good results (positive outcomes). Conversely, negative mindsets or actions will likely lead to undesirable consequences.

The truth is that each of us is a complex blend of contrasts - positive and negative; intuitive and analytical with imperfect judgment. So it’s important to define a set of common values, but also appreciate fresh ideas, unique insight, and bold actions to achieve value-added high performance. Accountability needs to be well-embedded in the organizational culture. Responsibility is everyone’s business: Be responsible for what you say and do and set the right goals to generate value for not only ourselves but also our global societies.

Careful planning and anticipating potential outcomes can lead to better results: "Failing to plan is planning to fail": This maxim emphasizes the importance of planning and strategizing (cause) to achieve desired outcomes (effect). Without proper planning, individuals or businesses are more likely to encounter challenges and experience setbacks. Appropriate planning and estimating should be done on the front end of the initiatives.

However, those initiatives, especially the large-scale ones, never go from being well managed, on budget, and on schedule to outright failure overnight. There is always a transition period when the business initiative is “troubled.” If you can get through the noise to see the real issues, you have a window of opportunity in which the initiatives can potentially be rescued. So things are dynamic, planning is crucial, but be flexible on the way of making appropriate adjustments.

In the face of the increasing pace of changes in, a more hyperconnected & interdependent global society, there is no “one-size-fits-all” approach to addressing the different psychological responses to changes happening in our professional and personal lives. So it is important to try to find ways to make people feel involved in the design and implementation of the change. The more transparent a change effort, the less uncertainty, and consequently less fear. All people should take a certain level of responsibility for their judgments and behaviors, and work in building a contemporary organization or society.

Liberty

Liberty is- not just a slogan; freedom is - neither about free falls nor undisciplined addictions; it’s the way to -listen to -your inner calling, follow your passion, and live an authentic life, coherently.

Wander around in -

Zhongshan roads;

stand in front of -

square of liberty;

ponder around -

the global standard of-

common value,

capture ancestors’

collective philosophy.


The ivy-white arch gates

are grand enough

allow a crowd of diversity

to pass through;

the blue ceiling with -

printed characters of liberty,

inspire us to -

watch beyond the reality,

contemplate the future,

in solitude.


Sunshine spills -

the light on -

the flower blossoms -

soaks us in the warmth of -

energetic garden;

birds sing loudly at -

the top branches of-

strong trees,

people come and go, wishfully;

breeze touches -

our souls

boost our energy to -

fight for freedom, tirelessly.


Liberty is-

not just a slogan,

freedom is -

neither about free falls

nor undisciplined addictions,

it’s the way of -

listening to -

your inner calling

follow your passion,

live an authentic life, coherently.

A Fable to Learn Laotzu "Effortless" Philosophy

The philosophy teaches us to become less meticulous, and more insightful through effortless understanding, discovering the rule of nature, inherited the spirit of Mother Nature.

L
ao Tzu and his philosophy about following nature's patterns & rules, rather than using forte forcing to solve problems had gained respect by both the Eastern and Western societies. Regardless of the verified historicity, Lao Tzu is revered as the founder of Taoism, a major philosophical and spiritual tradition in China. The Tao Te Ching (or Daodejing), a foundational text of Taoism, is attributed to Lao Tzu. Modern scholars believe it was likely compiled by various authors over time, but Lao Tzu remains the symbolic source.

 Although due to historical limitations, some named philosophers in Ancient times were males, I believe their female associates (family members, team members, etc) had made significant contributions to sharing collective wisdom. Here is an interesting fable to teach us the philosophy of Laotzu.

In the deep valley, where mist clung to the forests and wisdom whispered in the wind, lived an insightful philosopher named Lao. Unlike other gardeners who meticulously pruned flowers, Lao's garden was tangled, vines snaked through crooked branches, wildflowers bloomed naturally, and a single, gnarled peach tree stood resolute in the center.

One day, a group of students, both ladies and gentlemen were eager and ambitious, approached Lao. "Master," they bowed, "why is your garden so untamed? Lao chuckled, with a sound like wind chimes, and said, "Nature thrives when left to its course. The river doesn't force its way to the sea, it simply flows. The peach tree doesn't strain to bear fruit, it blossoms when the time is right. We need to respect Mother Nature, isn't it?" "The Master's power is like this. They let all things come and go effortlessly, without desire." [Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching]

The students frowned. "But how can we achieve greatness without effort?" Lao led them to the gnarled peach tree. Its branches, though twisted, held fat, juicy peaches, basking in the sun. "See," Lao said, "the tree expends no energy on its appearance. It focuses its strength on what truly matters - bearing fruit. That is the way how our mother nature nourishes our world. Effortlessness is not about laziness, but about focus and harmony; how to align your own strength with the natural flow." When we respect nature, capture the quintessential of life, and discover patterns of the natural world, we can achieve more with less.

The garden demonstrates the beautiful natural world, with butterflies and bees dancing effortlessly from blossom to blossom to pollinate the flowers, and birds singing around cheerfully. The young girls asked a lot of interesting questions, they cultivated a lot of flowers and plants at their home, and now they knew the butterflies and bees dance with purpose -doing pollination for the plants, and they became better natural scientists in Ancient times. "The wise person is the one who knows what thy does not know." "Knowing how to yield is strength."

Suddenly, all the students understood. True achievement wasn't about forcing a result, but about understanding the nature of things and acting in harmony with it. From that day on, they learned from the effortless flow of the wind, the unwavering strength of the mountains, and the wisdom of the untamed garden.

In time, lady naturalists became less meticulous but spent their energy on nourishing a great environment to reap what they sow, not through struggle, but through effortless understanding, discovering the rule of nature, respecting their ancestors, and inheriting the spirit of Mother Nature.

"In dwelling, live close to the ground. In thinking, keep to the simple. In conflict, be fair and generous. In governing, don't try to control."

Ideals

Ideals emerge, or fade away; ideals expand, or shrink; ideals converge, or diverge; ideals got isolated, misunderstood, distorted, can we clarify them, spark the right focus, on reimagining, refining, resonating, blending in, mixing up, tearing down the outdated commonality, reinvent the ideal world, ultimately.

The ideal is the threshold,

stringing up our visions, hopes,

personal goals;

shaped by -

past experience, personal history, 

cultural heritage; individual taste;

the ideal path has less friction,

more passion to-

thrive on the journey being called life

Ideal friendship is more supportive, honest,

understand each other, empathetically;

ideal society has-

more freedom, less chaos, to-

generate common value, harmoniously;

allow us to -

become fulfilling human beings.



Ideals could be -

happiness, love, achievement,

ideas focus on purpose, justice,

make differences.

The world is diversified with -

vast ideals,

a broad spectrum of beliefs;

some pursue individualism;

others advocate collectivism;

ideals could be -

as grand as an ecosystem;

small as -

a moment of freshness.

Ideals are like -

the remote mountain peaks,

either far away, or approachable,

should you pursue them, persistently;

Would ideals be like the mirage-

the shadow of plants,

reflected on the water;

not so real anyway?


Ideals emerge, or fade away;

Ideals expand, or shrink;

Ideals converge, or diverge;

Ideals got isolated, misunderstood, distorted,

can we clarify them,

spark the right focus on,

reimagining, refining, resonating,

blend in, mix up,

tear down the outdated commonality,

reinvent the ideal world,

ultimately.