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yoda
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| 04/29/2010 2:02 PM |
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Tony Blair - Lessons Learnt and Notes from his message at NAC 2010
Yesterday at 9:48pm
Lessons that I learnt from Tony Blair
Summary by Ben Love
1. Difference brings about Unity
When we meet people who are different from us, then ALL THE MORE we should be INTERESTED to know more about them, about their culture, their creed, their faith, etc. Just as there is so much they can learn from us about us, there is so much we can learn about them from them!
This brings about mutual understanding and opens the door for peaceful co-existence among fellow human beings.
If scientist and astronauts are so eager to look for “LIFE” in outer space, how much more should we take an interest in PEOPLE who are different from us, and not go hunting for extra terrestrials! If we can be accepting of aliens, shouldn’t we accept our FELLOW HUMAN BEINGS first?
2. Equality in an Organization
Mr. Blair’s first point was on the need to have Humility to Learn. This shows that as humans, we are not perfect and we always have things that we can learn.
Therefore in an organization, despite your ‘position’ in the company, we should learn to come together as EQUAL TEAM-MATES and COLLABORATE ideas on an open playing field where everyone is equally important, and thus resulting in Productive Brainstorming where everyone is involved.
Another perspective on corporate equality would be the fact that every person, every department has different functions that are interdependent on each other. And the more ‘prominent’ your position or department might be, then all the more you should be using your ‘prominence’ to SERVE the ‘less-prominent’ departments of your organization.
‘Servant-Leadership’ where the top serves the bottom always begins from a place of great humility, and in this management style, Equality would always seem as an understatement.
Enjoy the rest of Mr. Blair’s speech in my notes below 
Ruben Potter
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Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair shared 11 great lessons which he learnt throughout his life and during his 10 year term in office as Prime Minister, inspiring thousands who attended the National Achievers Congress in Singapore today.
1. Have the Humility to LEARN
We learn something new every single day. We have to acknowledge the fact that there always are things which we do not know, and things that we need to constantly improve.
Education is a life long thing, keep learning, and never for once think that you know it all.
2. Anyone that's successful starts with an ANALYSIS of their Situation
The nature of the modern world we live in today is really a bubble.
A crisis in one part of the world convulsed every single economy on the planet.
Eg. Lehman Brothers (a group of brothers that didn't do what was right - joke)
No country in the world is an island.
The G8 summit which used to comprise of eight of the top nations in the world have now become G20. We need to include emerging markets in our modern day living, because every nation is collaborating for something better.
APAC, ASEAN, EU, and such organizations are formed because countries MUST cooperate on a global basis to see any significant change in the world that we live in today.
3. In a fast changing world, you cannot STAND STILL
The speed of change in our modern world is just too overwhelming even for people who are diligent in moving forward. The "bubble" of our times moves extremely fast, and the whole world has to be interdependent on one another.
- You've got to be ready to adopt and adapt
There are one thousand reasons why you should stand still and do NOTHING.
But there is ONE good reason for why you must DO IT.
- Rethink our positions in the world
Countries that were once the "leaders" in our economy have to realize that without newer blood, they are nobody.
China + USA
EU + Mid East
India, Brazil, Indonesia are all emerging rapidly
BE PREPARED
1. Understand the nature of the Change
2. Analyse & Access the situation
3. Rethink your position
And you've got to change fast too. ACT NOW.
4. New thinking & New ideas Don't come to CLOSED MINDS
One of the most important fas-sets of modern day living is to be open minded.
We are GLOBAL CITIZENS, having different races, creeds, cultures and religions.
We need to be open minded to people who are different from us.
OPEN-MINDED = TOUGH
- Globalization is an incredible force -
Do you see it as an OPPORTUNITY or as something FRIGHTENING?
Only you can decide.
- Characteristic of Open Mindedness -
Tolerant, Respectful, Interested in other people
- Characteristic of Closed Mindedness -
Difference-Oriented, Fearful, Worried, Opposed, Focused on OWN Ability
Eg. London
Portrayed by what it used to be centuries ago, but that’s not what it is today!
OPEN COUNTRY = OPEN TO POSSIBILITIES
London is a Melting Pot of different people from all races, creeds and cultures.
Don’t live in the Past or the Future
Eg. Global Economic Crisis 2008
Opportunity to promote Free Trade, NOT Protective Trade
Economic Nationalism (Isolation) is a BAD Idea
- Be Open to the Possibilities -
Greater Trade & Intercourse between countries is a GOOD thing
Eg. Economic Recovery 2010
The Private Sector should be responsible for the Recovery of the Economy, not the Public Sector.
The Government’s role should be to SUPPORT the Economy, NOT RUN IT.
- State Market IS NOT EQUAL TO Global Bureaucracy -
What Governments SHOULD DO is to emphasize on the IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION.
5. Success is about Developing Your Potential – Ie: EDUCATION
Our world is full of people with great Ability, Aptitude and Enormous Potential.
It is EDUCATION that gives them the opportunity to excel in life.
- Provide Education in a way that’s suitable for today’s time -
6. CHANGE is the HARDEST Thing
Making a change carries A LOT of Resistance
Eg. Britain Healthcare Reform
Great opposition from the people
To be a strong leader, you have to implement changes that are beneficial and not just popular among people.
- Politics is not a popularity contest -
But if you DON’T CHANGE, you will NEVER SUCCEED
- The process of changing is like going through hell -
But after the change, people will think that it was always that way.
Expect Change to be TOUCH - MASSIVE CHALLENGE - DIFFICULT
- But often after change happens, you will kinda think you could have done MORE -
7. Success is about Great Partnerships of Great Individuals
KEY: How Good are you are BUILDING SUPPORT?
- Build stakeholders and partners who will always support you -
There are huge struggles in the world that can only be resolved with the right partnerships and cooperation.
TEAM WORK = Ideas cannot be achieved without partnership
8. Partnership and Prejudice DOES NOT Compliment each other
- We are all EQUAL before humanity -
Ideology of inequality and superiority WILL FAIL.
Create a great organization where people are EQUAL to each other.
9. Your Idea has within it a Set of VALUES
People’s successes does not come just from doing something, but from their Values.
Successful people carry within them not only the desire to do something exceptional,
but at the same time something that they can RECOGNIZE WITHIN THEMSELVES and be PROUD OF IN THEIR HEARTS.
10. People who Succeed have certain OPTIMISM in them
Sense of POSSIBILITY in Everything
Overcoming Challenges are seen as “Difficult” and NOT “Impossible”
Spirit of Adventure in them
When you go through Success and then Failure,
Or you try to achieve Success and still Fail,
It can be very difficult and humiliating.
Eg. Before Mr. Blair entered Parliament
He has been trying many different constituencies to give him the chance to be elected as a member of Parliament, but he was being rejected by one after the other. He came to a point that he was so depressed that he couldn’t carry on any further.
And his wife said this to him, “Stop Moaning. Start Believing in yourself. Dust yourself Up, Dust yourself Down, Start all over again”
And it happened that the very next constituency elected him to parliament.
Moral of the Story: NEVER GIVE UP
If you don’t face difficulties, you’ll never succeed.
But look at it with the right attitude: Oh, what a world of Possibilities and Opportunities ”
Eg. Singapore
Birthed out of adversities, and didn’t just come about because of a desire to build a great nation.
It came from years of hardwork, labour and sacrifice from great leaders who had the right vision and the right strategies who MADE IT HAPPEN.
Eg. Britain
Positive way of looking at negative things in our society:
”Treat the media like the Weather!”
”A grateful nation awaits!”
Eg. Peace Process
Conceptual Framework.
Never give up. Either SOLVE it or MANAGE it.
Eg. Fighting Poverty
NOT a Donor-Recipient Relationship, but one where we help countries to stand on their OWN FEET.
Eg. Religions Faiths
Should pull people together, and not push people apart (source of friction and division)
Solution: Knowledge and Understanding teaches people to Respect each other and to love in Equal Co-Existence
Ignorance brings about fear and conflict.
11. Success DOES Require HARDWORK & DETERMINATION
Effort ALONE will not get you anywhere, but IT IS NECESSARY.
Some successful people make their successes seem EFFORTLESS.
APPEARING “EFFORTLESS” IS VERY MISLEADING
Eg. David Beckham
Worked harder than anyone else on his team
Eg. Rock Singers, Performers, Artistes etc.
Work so hard in the background and have such SELF DISCIPLINE that they are able to succeed.
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