Agoge means conduct, although I use the word ‘being’. It’s a word that is meant to connect our way of business (day to day) with our purpose (people matter, leaders, ingenious, lucrative) to bring a common story. It means to ‘be’ day to day the things we have said we want to be.
Unfortunately too often in the last 18 months we have struggled to connect our actions to our purpose.
While we have had some great stories, we have had some really bad stories as well.
All this goes to show that as the leader of Agoge I have a lot to learn.
Month: May 2010 (Page 1 of 3)
I can’t remember my first day at school, but my dad can. He was told off for eating his lunch at morning-tea time. Told off as in 1940’s told off.
Schools have changed significantly over the years. They are more creative, more interactive, with better teaching and more opportunities. They have also made huge in-roads into catering for various learning styles.
I think the next big leap for schooling is focusing on strengths. Our national program still seems to focus on creating students who are all OK at everything. They still struggle to deal with a kid who excels in Math, but has work to do in reading.
The focus goes on reading, which reduces the enjoyment of the child and therefore effects math.
Took this photo as I was wondering how Jayden’s first day of school would go. All 3 of our children have hit school at 3 very different strengths.
I wonder what his strengths will be?
I took Jayden to kindy for his second to last day as I was travelling on his last day. Realised that this is it, Kindy is over for me. 🙁
Maybe one day I will get to go to grandparents day at kindy, but for now it is done.
A Social Enterprise is a business that makes profit to effect social change by giving its profits to a charity or cause. It has been touted as the way increase funding for charities beyond donors.
At first glance it seems easy. Set-up a business, make money, give the profits away.
The reality is a lot harder. As a business you still need capital, profit and cash. Did I mention cash!
Added to that is the complexity of trying to tell an honest story about what you do (do, as in actually do, not plan to do). There is also inherent social and brand responsibilities to actually deliver profit to the cause, as many of your customers purchase from you because of your story. Finally social enterprise is generally driven by the conviction of founder, which makes failure so much hard.
For the record I consider myself a social entrepreneur. I love business and long to make social change through it. Social enterprises are not impossible, just significantly harder.
A couple of cool social enterprises are Café Agora (www.agora.net.nz, where this picture was taken) who sell Wurld Water (www.wurld.org.nz) check them out.
Was thinking the other day about things we own just in case we need them. A fire extinguisher is an extreme example. They hang around looking all red and waiting for its big moment that we hope will never come.
But that’s at the office surely we don’t have ‘just in case’ things at home. Like appliances packed at the back of the cardboard, just in case. Or clothes we never wear but keep, just in case. Or exercise equipment we will never use but keep, just in case.
I wonder how much money I have spent or misused or wasted, just in case.
A significant amount I would expect.
A study was conducted that reviewed all the weather forecasts in the US to see which one was the most accurate. They discovered that the most accurate weather forecast is this.
“The weather tomorrow will be the same as today”
It’s true. Its not completely accurate by any means, but it is more accurate than what you see on the news. If the weather is changing the news will be more likely right.
The weather in Hamilton was raining today. The long term weather forecast on the news says it will rain for the next week. But then so does the short forecast above.
In life, this also reminds me that tomorrow will be by and large the same as today. Same things, same routines, same people. They change from time to time. But forecast is generally “tomorrow will be the same as today”.
Star Wars, X-men and soon even Lord of the Rings will all share one thing in common; Prequel’s. Prequels are the story before the central story, the journey of characters and lives that connected and ultimately lead to the finale.
This shot is of the basic storyboard for ‘Jesus: The Prequel’, coming to a theatre near you. Well maybe not, but spent some time with Campbell and Dean mapping out the themes and stories and characters and nation that lead to Jesus. By understanding what went on before we learn so much more about God and the context into which Jesus came.
So that got me thinking about the prequel to my life, about the themes and stories and characters that went on before me that indirectly shaped whom I am. I realised that I know very little about their stories and I have very little knowledge or heritage to pass onto my kids.
Thinking ‘prequel’ could shape conversation at the dinner table of our parents moving forward.
I have a strange abnormal admiration for the window cleaner guy. Not only does he charge significant coin but now he seems to have an employee to do the dirty work.
Make no mistake he has provided the valued staff member with a waterproof jacket. Which is handy given that the boss hoses down the windows directly over, around and through, the employee as he scrubs the windows with a brush.
Definitely a nominee for ‘the worlds greatest boss’ awards.
As evening approaches the mist rises slowly from the ground. By daybreak it will be thick heavy fog that will blanket the Waikato for most of the morning.
I understand what causes fog, but I don’t understand why fog exists. Maybe fog’s purpose is to reduce our view, to dim the sun, to close airports and make us feel gloomy.
Maybe fog’s purpose is to enhance our enjoyment of the sun and beauty and the use of airports more once it clears. Once it is lifted. Once things return to normal.
NB: There are life lessons I’m sure from fog, just not sure what they are yet. As fog season has arrived I’m sure I’ll get the opportunity to think of some before my next fog picture.
I took this photo while I was exasperating daughter. While the shot is random and not normal and partially blurry due to the light, I like the colours and effect.
Above all I love her smile and think its beautiful.
Pete Murray’s song, Smile, says
‘I have seen days
When your smile goes on forever
You light up the room
In the deepest darkest weather’
That is true of smiles. It is true of my daughter.