Saw this on a bus in Florida.
It’s an important message.
Take Action. Stop Child Abuse.
Children are innocent!
The adults who commit the abuse and trafficking are animals.
If you see something, say something to the authorities.
You may just be saving a child’s life.
Protect our children…they are our future. 😉
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
There is too much violence in the world.
Physical violence.
Verbal violence.
Emotional violence.
When there aren’t body sores.
There are emotional and mental ones.
So much suffering.
The silent masses.
Their doors close.
But behind them.
And outside.
In the chaos of the streets and on the subways.
You can see it in the eyes.
And hear it in their voices.
Maybe they are black and blue.
The people are troubled.
The world is insane.
The children are especially innocent.
The weak at the hands of the strong.
Anarchy reigns where G-dliness is absent.
Why? Why? Why?
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
Someone brought me a copy of this photo from their office.
It says:
Stop Harassholes Y’all
Not bad.
Harassment plus as*holes = Harassholes.
Thank G-d, there are some very good people and managers out there.
But unfortunately not everyone is, and so there are also some real stinkin’ abusers too.
These types of people should never be in power, since they misuse it!
They do not use the power they have been entrusted with to advance progress, and do good for the organization and its people, but rather they clumsily wield power for their own selfish, personal pleasures and vendettas–bullying and harassing others–and simply because they can.
Belittling others, making them feel stupid and worthless, and then going after them for whatever they want.
Through intimidation, they keep others from talking…shhh! hush!
Emotional, verbal, and even physical abuse can be common.
I remember one colleague telling me how their boss would literally throw things at them in their office while they had to sit there “taking it.”
Another has a boss that makes them do the stupidest, most trivial tasks–completely worthless stuff–just to prove a point…that they’re in charge.
Marginalization, threats, bullying, abuse, harassment…it goes on and it shouldn’t!
In some cases, the harassholes are even protected from someone above.
Money, power, honor…more, more, more!
But G-d sees these people too and eventually cuts the bad ones down to size.
My father used to say:
G-d does not let any tree grow into the heavens!
Eventually, I am pretty sure that harassholes end up getting some very BIG hemorrhoids or something from above that teaches them to use G-d’s gifts for the good, and to properly love, care, and empathize for other human beings–G-d’s children!
I never knew why hemorrhoids existed in this world, but there is a purpose to everything under the heavens. 😉
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
I don’t know about you, but I am so tired about all the whining about China.
– They are stealing our intellectual property.
– They are hacking into our systems.
– They are unfairly forcing us to transfer technology to them.
– They aren’t opening up their market to us.
OMG stop the complaining already!
If you don’t like what they are doing, then do something about it.
Tariffs are a start, but just a small one.
Seriously, if you can’t incentivize them to stop the harassment and unfair trade practices by adding them to the World Trade Organization, investing in them, and partnering with them, then you need to actually compete with China.
– They steal our sh*t–you help yourself to a generous serving of theirs.
– They break into our systems–you find your way into their systems.
– They try to unfairly take away our markets and jobs–you take away theirs big time.
Everyone knows that to deal with bully, you must fight back!
The more we are scared into inaction, the worse it gets.
This doesn’t mean that we should get into a military exchange with China, but we do need to get into a confrontation over what economic and global partnership should mean and look like.
China is an old and truly great nation and their people should be highly respected.
However, the USA should also be treated right, and if that means it’s time for a heart to heart and some evening up of the playing field then that is what has to happen.
We have to restore respect to America, not by becoming bullies ourselves, but by standing up to them when we are being taken advantage of. 😉
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
So sometimes you don’t know that something is happening until it is too late.
A colleague yesterday told me this great simile:
It’s like when you put a frog in a pot of water and turn up the heat, the frog doesn’t know what’s happening until it’s too late, and he ends up being boiled alive!
With better knowledge of the context, of course, you can have the foresight to act, to fight, to get out, whatever.
Similarly with the frog, if you throw him into an already boiling pot of water, he immediately jumps out, and viola he’s saved.
It’s really important to have good situational and political awareness.
Not everyone out there is so innocent–even when they have a good act and pretend, “Who me?”
Many of them know how to work the system, so that the system works for them.
G-d forbid, when you’re in the way, they’ll often turn up the heat.
And if you don’t realize what going on, you’ll be the frog that’s a not so tasty dinner. 😉
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal
So I’ve learned it’s not all about the money and the title.
What is the most important is being around good, decent people.
I’ve always heard that your relationships are most important.
But it’s not just relationships, it’s also who you are relating to.
There are good eggs, and there are not such good eggs.
Don’t get fooled by what’s on the eggshell–that is certainly no yolk.
Most of eggs know who and what they are.
Some eggs like to scramble the others.
Some eggs like to poach on the others.
Some eggs like to crack the others’ shells.
But then there are other eggs that like it over easy with the other eggs.
They all want to get the meal cooked and have it tasty and nutritious, but some eggs just don’t know how to treat others eggs with decency, respect, and integrity.
It’s best to be around those eggcelent eggs, and that is where the best happens and the good eggs gravitate to.
Be careful what eggs you associate with, because there is nothing that smells worse than a rotten egg. 😉
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
As the fortune cookie I came across yesterday says:
“Leadership is action, not position.”
And actions demonstrate a good or evil heart.
When everyone hates a leader is that a “leader?”
– Fear is not leadership.
– Bullying is not leadership.
– Corruption is not leadership.
Leadership is:
– Showing others what is right and being a good influence.
– Rolling up your sleeves and doing the hard work alongside everyone else.
– Helping others to achieve their potential.
– When others see you as a leader based on your integrity of purpose and actions.
How we treat others is as true a test of leadership as of where we want to go and how we want to get there.
G-d sees everything man (leader or not) does, and only He in Heaven is the Leader of Leaders and the King of Kings. 😉
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
There’s this funny line that some managers use with their employees.
It’s when they harshly criticize, pick on, or even bully their hard working and good people.
What do they say when they do it:
“It’s nothing personal.”
Ha, that’s sort of funny, but really it’s sad.
I asked an executive colleague about this and this is what they profoundly said:
“It’s my favorite line when the boss says it’s nothing personal. Of course it’s personal. Is there anyone else in the room!”
When people misuse/abuse their power to hurt others whether at work or even in other situations like with small children or anyone else in a subordinate position:
– That’s not business.
– That’s not professional.
– That’s not being a good human being.
People are not punching bags because someone else is having a bad day.
We need to rise above the occasion and be better than that.
It’s better to be humane, compassionate, and emotionally intelligent.
And not just because someday, we are all in that position where someone bigger is facing off against us.
But rather we need to behave kindly to others, because they too are G-d’s children and our brothers and sisters, and it is the absolutely the right way to behave–whether it’s business or personal. 😉
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
Since the days of slavery, workers have had very little in terms of rights or protections.
The rich and powerful capitalist employers hold all the cards.
Like this poster says:
“Which Shall It Be?
Duke: ‘If you demand your rights, no more crumbs from my table.’
Working Man: ‘Give me my rights and keep your crumbs.'”
The capitalist owners enjoy being able to give “trickle-down economics” to the average working man.
Basically, it’s just crumbs from the rich man’s table.
And if you don’t like it, and you want rights, protections, and more…tough luck, and no more crumbs for you!
But the little guy who breaks his back to earn his daily bread, wants his dignity and respect more than the crumbs from the “capitalist pig” taking advantage of him.
Trickle-down is bullshit!
Crumbs aren’t going to raise the standard of living for the working class.
We need living wages, social and income equality, and workers rights and protections to keep the little guy from being bulldozed by the rich and powerful.
Certainly, there are many rich and powerful people that are good and generous, but not everyone is that that way.
And we can’t have mistreatment of people by those wielding a whip over them.
Yes, workers need to perform and conduct themselves professionally–that is their job.
But workers shouldn’t be taken advantage of with poor wages, little to no benefits, and miserable working conditions (including bullying, harassment, and hostile work environments).
Remember that in life tables can get turned and the rich and powerful can become the poor and the weak.
Therefore, pay and treat your workers as you would want to be paid and treated.
No one is so big as to be untouchable by G-d.
Money and power will not save anyone from illness, accidents, disasters, and misfortune.
The only thing that does save people is good deeds, kind words, compassion, faith, and prayer.
Crumbs are for the birds, dignity and respect are for the people!
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
So some people have this notion about management that is all wrong.
– Management is not a right or entitlement.
– Management is a wonderful privilege!
The privilege comes with responsibility and is earned by knowing how to manage and treat your people right.
That means:
– Acting with integrity
– Treating people fairly, with dignity, and respect
– Showing you value them
– Helping to develop them
– And of course, achieving results together!
I heard it said well like this:
“If you don’t treat people well
you won’t be a manager for long.”
Again, it’s a privilege, not a right, to manage and lead others.
Those who abuse their privilege and people–it’s like the cycle of life. 😉
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
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