Cognac

Can you be unracist?

Is campaigning against racism, by nature, promoting racism?

I'm not saying we should not campaign against racism - I'm just not sure how to do it without making the problem worse.

This all started when I read about P'Diddy commenting on "his people" - and the thought occurred to me that until "his people" means everyone, it is inherently racist.

Effectively, any targeted campaign against discrimination risks seperating the world into two groups: the minority and the majority: Men and women, Black and white, Christian and Muslim - which risks reinforcing the very distinction of "them" and "us" that we seek to remove.

This leaves a true yet hard to convey "tolerance and diversity" message, devoid of any examples (Or again, we must choose sides).

In this context, you can see power of words.  The need to avoid, not just change, labels - for examples avoiding racist, sexist remarks - perhaps on the day there are no labels, there can be no discrimination?

Loud Silence

I find it hard to do nothing - yet I know we all need time to clear our minds...

One thing that works for me is "loud silence" - something loud enough to block out the "noise" in my head yet invisible enough to give me clear space:

• Music I know really, really well - I use "chillout"
• Climbing hills - especially ones with a great view
• Skiing is still the best for me, but harder in short doses!

Any other suggestions welcome...

Christmas Lights

I've just put my Christmas lights up.  A long row of "icicles" along the ridge of our garage and along the fence.

Last year, it took nearly three hours.  They were beautifully laid out, attached with about ten little screw hooks, perfectly following the line of the roof.

This year, it's raining and blowing a gale.  It's also dark and I'm hungry.

Entire job: 3 minutes.  Thrown over a light and wound around the fence.  And although they sag a bit, I don't think anyone will ever notice or care.

I wonder how many times I spend three hours doing a job that I could do quite happily in three minutes.  Note to self: Pick my battles.

Do you take your own advice?

I keep catching myself giving someone (what I hope and believe is) really good advice ... only to realise that I'm not truly using it myself.

Perhaps that's why I noticed the "problem" and gave the advice in the first place.  We're all fantastic at spotted our own flaws in other people.

I now try and at least consider my own advice when I give it.  Perhaps it's really meant for me.

Why do clubs get old?

Have you ever noticed how most old clubs get old?  Rotary started out for workers - but most members are now retired.  Many, many professional clubs battle with an aging membership.

I realised recently that it's simple mathematics and most people know people like them.

Imagine you have 100 members with an average age of 40.  You recruit 10 new members - also with an average age of 40.  A year later, you're all 41.

Even if you actively recruit half your new members to be 30, a full decade younger - as an organisation you still get six months older that year.  Five years in a decade ...  If people didn't retire, you would all end up 70, still bringing in people just like you.

Is retirement the only thing that keeps your membership young?

(PS: I have nothing against people of any age - I'm for diversity not pro-young people!)

Your first week in a pub...

I was talking to Oli Barrett the other day, and he gave a wonderful analogy...

Imagine your first week in a pub.  It's a shambles.  Every where you look: Peeling wall-paper, the stock-rooms a mess, chipped ashtrays, faded carpet.  50 problems - all need fixing.

The next day, you don't notice the faded carpet.  Now there are only 49 problems, yet you haven't done a thing.

Every day you slip slowly into acceptance, blind to what's going on.

The same happens in your first week in a new job.  You'll start off frustrated by stupid systems, needless jargon - you may even be on a mission to make a difference.

Do it now.  50 days later and you won't even see them.

Who do you know that has just got a new job?  I would love to speak to them; now, while they're still ready to do something!