Contacts
Info
Every few days, I publish a post on my blog (http://www.APConsulting.tech) about leadership, technology, and business. Each post is a story inspired by a photo I took during my travels....
show more
Every few days, I publish a post on my blog (www.APConsulting.tech) about leadership, technology, and business. Each post is a story inspired by a photo I took during my travels. I invite you to listen to short reflections on these posts. I use Google NotebookLM to create them.
show less
Wellbeing by Aleksander Poniewierski Consulting
Wellbeing by Aleksander Poniewierski Consulting
Aleksander Poniewierski
Transcribed
16 NOV 2024 · Jake Paul defeated Mike Tyson. The real sensation would have been if the result had been the opposite. But is that truly the case? Instead of commenting on the fight itself, I’ll focus on the business model concept of capitalizing on sentiment. It turns out that grand comebacks and “golden shots” are natural business models embedded in the life cycle of an investment project. Leveraging sentiment or reviving an old, well-known brand can serve as a way to extend the S-curve in Porter’s theory. Products (and undoubtedly, sports stars are also products) that evoke nostalgia and remind us of the most exciting times of our lives—when they were out of reach, too expensive, or inaccessible—sell exceptionally well when we grow up. However, this "second life" of a product is a unique offering that requires skillful marketing. Efforts directed at a singular event, such as the “boxing match of the century” or a concert featuring a band giving a one-time-only performance after 20 years, must be monetized to the fullest: a Netflix documentary, a “new” yet familiar album, or an array of merchandise. The art lies in maximizing profits from that one “shot.” The situation is different with the comeback of brands. Many iconic brands return after a period of obscurity with a new twist, achieving varying degrees of success. Retro watches, chewing gums, juices, car brands, shoes, or eyewear—all share a common goal: finding a new audience by tapping into the nostalgia of parents or guardians. Big comebacks aim to preserve the seemingly iconic appearance while integrating significant doses of modern technology. It’s like a “wolf in sheep’s clothing”—of course, in this comparison, both the wolf and the sheep carry positive connotations. Sometimes, however, companies opt for a “botox injection.” A powerful and profitable brand, threatened by a new competitor, decides to buy them out to extend its own glory. An intriguing example is Unilever. After numerous acquisitions in the shaving market (including Gillette), it faced the rapid rise of the subscription-based startup One Dollar Shave Club. This business model quickly became a hit in the U.S. Unable to compete with the phenomenon, Unilever decided to acquire the company. For a time, the company attempted to reconcile two different business models under one roof, but this proved unworkable. The values a company upholds and communicates to its customers must remain consistent. While it’s possible to own various brands catering to different demographics—wealthier and less affluent audiences, for instance—operating two business models is inefficient. Last year, Unilever sold One Dollar Shave Club to the Nexus fund. The very next day, a negative campaign began, and the iconic Gillette started regaining market share. Business botox or “powdering the nose” (not to be confused with the concept from Pulp Fiction) can be highly profitable if well-planned. However, as with any interference with “nature”—in this case, the market—it can lead to devastation and a bitter aftertaste.
Transcribed
11 NOV 2024 · MAKE POLAND GREAT AT LAST – on Independence Day, November 11
People have very different views on the world around them. An old Indian parable about a group of blind men and an elephant perfectly captures the classic issue of perspectives and awareness. It goes something like this: several blind men touch an elephant and try to describe it. One touches the trunk and says, "The elephant is a soft tube." Another touches the tail and says, "No, the elephant is a thick rope." Yet another touches the tusks and says, "Absolutely not, the elephant is a smooth stick." Of course, each of the blind men is right, but only in a certain part of the reality. In consulting, they say the secret of success lies in the ability to see the whole problem—the *BIG PICTURE*. Without getting into details, without interpreting individual features, flaws, or advantages. Only by seeing the whole and removing emotions can we assess the situation and choose an appropriate strategy. Today, there is much talk about the state's digitalization strategy, an AI strategy for our country, and investment plans. And it’s very good that this is being discussed. It’s very good that people are interested and that there are those who want to make a difference. However, observing this, I see a certain trap, like in the elephant parable—the lack of a clear, single-sentence *"why."* Donald Trump, in his previous presidential campaign, had a fantastic slogan: *"Make America Great Again."* Wonderfully simple and very meaningful. For me, America was a dream. During my studies, I wanted to flee to America and start my professional life there. Later, I visited the country hundreds of times. I have businesses there. It is a wonderful country, but something went wrong. It lost its charm, declined. And people living there, not seeing the change, long for a return to the status of the 1980s—Ronald Reagan’s America. Great, magnificent, a leader setting trends in all disciplines. *"Again"*—a clear direction for another chance. *Why* do we need a digitalization strategy or AI development in Poland? Certainly, we can’t copy the concept of "Again." But perhaps we should have our own *"At Last"*? The last 30 years have been an exceptionally important period for Poland. Wonderful. From political transformation, through economic, to cultural. At least two generations of Poles have benefited from this period. Everything has changed for the better, whether in the countryside or in the heart of an urban agglomeration. In my view, however, we still underinvest in science and education. There is also a neglected area of resource and energy independence. I remember nearly 20 years ago when successive governments were urged to modernize energy, water management, and public services. But there are always more urgent issues. Only when it hurts do we address it. We even have our own saying: *"A Pole is wise after the fact."* We have had substantial support from EU funds for the last few years (3-5). The question is, can we use them wisely? At least as well as we did with infrastructure? But this time, let’s do it for services and knowledge. Let’s invest in the information society, in ecosystems for creating technological solutions (and not only ICT, though that’s the easiest to focus on). Are we afraid of war? Rightly so. Let’s invest in defensive, but also offensive, cyber technologies. Are we afraid of losing competitiveness? Let’s invest in logistics and planning data and algorithms. Are we, finally, afraid of the demographic crisis? Let’s invest in new competencies and sectors of the economy, where relieving people from trivial tasks through AI will allow us to use human resources for creative work. We have our window. Most importantly, we have incentives (even a few) and funds. Let’s strive to motivate as many blind men as possible to express their opinions about the elephant, but let the enlightened, those who see the big picture, also operate efficiently, for heaven’s sake. This is our patriotic duty, as well as our pride and responsibility for the future of our children.
Transcribed
10 NOV 2024 · When I Am a (Romantic) God
Monday, June 24, 2024
by Aleksander Poniewierski, APConsulting
In my hometown of Katowice, in the district of Bogucice, lived the king of early Polish hip-hop - Magik. He wrote in the words of an iconic song:
> "(...) Because I am God, realize that
> You hear the words that make your hair stand on end
> Oh dear, oh dear, I am unbeatable (...)"
He was talented but born in the wrong place and time. Nowadays, Paktofonika’s music and its bone-chilling lyrics would likely struggle to get airtime on commercial radio stations, but at least he’d have a chance to pay the electricity bills with royalties. As the saying goes, you have to choose: either you're a legend, or a commercial influencer leaving nothing behind. The band was great, and Magik’s story will live on in the history of the Polish music scene. Probably, his death significantly contributed to the myth. Mystery and speculation fuel imagination. Assumptions are made, and a sense of injustice grows. This is precisely what drives popularity—in his case, unfortunately, posthumously.
Last week, we had two viral stories. The first was about the departure of one of the masterminds behind OpenAI, Ilya Sutskever, the company’s chief scientist, who decided to start his own AI firm based on deep ethical values—a company called Safe Superintelligence Inc. The announcements are enormous. Safe super AI, ethical creation and use. The internet buzzed because, either with Elon Musk’s circle of investors, he’s trying to prove it can be done differently, or he knows something we are not fully aware of and wants history to judge him not as a misjudged genius but as a rebellious one. On the other side of the internet, we have a girl known as "hawk tuah," who participated in a street interview, gave a humorous answer to a question, and not only went viral but within just 48 hours generated a craze for T-shirts, caps, and song remixes with her answer (which I won’t quote here for obvious reasons). In Tennessee and even other states in America, people are searching for this “star,” while tattoo studios are recording record profits from creating tattoos of her likeness and the slogan that will undoubtedly become the summer hit.
We need idols and contemporary crowd-pleasers. It has always been this way and always will be. We need sensation and speculation. We need legends, even if they are stars of a single sentence, like our “spitter.” We need moving stories and, as Gen Z says, drama. We need to envy, even if just for a moment, the luck of being in the right place at the right time. We need heroes who defy the mainstream. Defiant rebels. Konrad Wallenrods fighting the system, or Magiks who tell of their lives in a romantic way. We need someone to say "no" for us—rebels. We also need the circus of “pathology” to say... what kind of people, what kind of values, while sharing their content further, for laughs, for fun, and for a semblance of disapproval.
Transcribed
4 NOV 2024 · (In) a Different Light Uncertain times.
Or perhaps highly predictable ones. We’ve grown accustomed to a very simplistic view of the world. In politics, the Left fights the Right; Democrats battle Republicans. For the past several decades, economic, political, and social analysts have been confidently predicting what will happen. And things did happen, following a readable pattern. Whenever analysts forecasted a crash in gold or cryptocurrencies, instead of selling, one should have bought. When a hot summer was predicted, it was almost certain it would rain. Something seems broken now. The recent elections in France are thought-provoking. The U.S. presidential candidates, their public speeches, and debates make us wonder how it's possible that, in such a large country, there aren’t more suitable politicians to lead the world’s largest economy during a crisis and offer hope that everything is under control. Or perhaps that’s precisely the point—to shake everyone out of the sense of security and the belief that everything is okay. Tech companies visibly struggle to find a new strong development trend. AI may still inspire hope for a better tomorrow, but when you look at the broader IT market, a slump is visible after the extraordinary growth during the COVID era. Property owners are starting to realize that the seemingly safe and profitable rental business is slowing down, if not becoming outright unprofitable. And finally, the intensifying atmosphere of impending armed conflict in more and more parts of the world exacerbates the sense of uncertainty. Nothing that was once considered certain seems so anymore. Moreover, there are no new safe havens or hopeful prospects emerging for ordinary people, businesses, or even entire nations. Depolarization began some time ago, as wise minds have noted. Now it’s time for a new worldview, one likely different from the one we’ve known. There is a lack of clear leaders to show a new direction. Universal prosperity pushes us to focus on at least secondary matters (take, for example, the issue of bottle caps or phone chargers). Harder issues, though visible, await self-resolution, in line with the classic principle that half of all problems solve themselves, and someone else will take care of the other half. But I have a feeling that this time, it may not work that way. You’re probably wondering why this blog is here and why it has such a gloomy tone. It stems from my observations of the ongoing debate over the past few months, the decisions being made by democracies worldwide, and the matters dominating the headlines. Prepare for the last "standard" summer. Autumn will bring a turning point for everything.
Transcribed
3 NOV 2024 · Patterns of Eternity
It is often said that history repeats itself. There is little doubt that due to human nature, technological cycles, economic phases, and daily life tend to follow familiar patterns. Nations are oppressed, they fight for freedom. A revolution, often bloody, reshapes the fate of a polarized society. The oppressed win and, with songs on their lips, proclaim ideas of freedom. This state doesn’t last long, however, as power corrupts—as Lord Acton once said. After some time, something in the system shifts, and those who were once oppressed begin to oppress their former oppressors. And so the cycle repeats. In business, it's similar. A company emerges out of nowhere, achieves success. This state lasts a few years, or in some cases, decades, until eventually someone comes along and disrupts the established order. Giants fall into history, and new ones rise from their ashes. In small towns, wealth accumulates around families running businesses. Within a few seasons, they become the wealthiest family; everyone talks about them. Then something happens—either they go bankrupt or get into trouble with the law, after which they disappear from the scene. For a time, legends circulate about how wealthy and influential they once were. Locals remember their grand house, and the most prominent family tomb remains in the cemetery. Those who learn from history strive to preserve the memory of their greatness forever. They invest in a "legacy"—something intended to outlast them. In America, they fund universities or build infrastructure. Leaders have monuments erected in their honor, and biographies are written about businessmen. Scientists lend their names to discoveries, formulas, or inventions. Everyone wants to live forever, hoping that the memory of their achievements will overshadow the negative stories of their lives. Sometimes this works; sometimes it doesn’t. Technologies, too, have their cycles. The most groundbreaking ones, even when no longer protected by patents, remain part of our daily lives. Georges de Mestral, who invented Velcro in the 1940s, knew that his invention needed to reach "the masses." Today, we can’t imagine a ski jacket or motorcycle gear without Velcro. His invention only became widespread, however, after NASA used it in astronaut suits. We all use the Internet, but only a few know who developed the TCP/IP protocol. The same goes for medicines and consumer electronics. Historical, economic, and technological cycles share another distinctive element. Each new cycle champions an ideal and negates the previous state. This pairing—new and old—is ever-present, like the sun and the moon, night and day. To communicate with people, the masses, you need models, simple frameworks. Only then can they understand and accept. In a short span, people cannot grasp abstract concepts. Effective marketing, therefore, points out the flaws of the previous solution and finds patterns associated with well-being. "Don’t eat chemically stimulated food; eat organic because it’s healthy." "Don’t use combustion engine cars; use clean energy." And even though we sense a certain manipulation in such messages, we accept it. We even actively seek out these patterns. Because each of us likes to complain and believes in a better tomorrow.
Transcribed
29 OCT 2024 · The Perspective of "Otherness"
In my Project 2/3, I decided to take a close look at issues I’ve observed over the years in my professional career—this time with conscious awareness and a bit of distance. One such topic is being surrounded by people who have perspectives different from our own. Personally, I believe that when we talk about "diversity," this is what holds the greatest value. It’s not about someone’s race, gender, or whether they believe in God. It’s about the fact that being raised in a particular culture or possessing certain predispositions provides an extraordinary “booster,” as Americans say, in teams where such talents come together.
Experience can be very deceptive. As we develop habits, we start losing sensitivity to critically analyze reality. Corporations use the term “detached from reality.” You don’t remember what it was like when you were just starting out; when you celebrated small successes, or when you could work for hours to solve a problem. Now, with 30+ years of experience, you believe that the only path to success is the tried-and-tested (by you) one. We often say that routine can lead us astray. In our private lives, we blindly choose wine at a restaurant based on the region, a car rental based on the brand, and a holiday spot based on star ratings and reviews on Booking.com.
In the professional world, it’s exactly the same. Established paths, tried-and-true tricks—even working with people with whom we’ve already achieved success. Why take risks?
A long time ago, my mentor gave me life advice. I didn’t understand it at first, but as I started to apply it, I realized it was a million-dollar piece of advice. He told me to change my life every so often (once every 5 years), setting entirely new goals that would require great sacrifices and relearning from scratch. He said that most people are satisfied with what they have and what they’ve achieved. They fear taking on new challenges because they don’t know if they will lead to the same success. And after all, no one likes to fail. This approach requires courage and, from experience, a search for new people from whom you can learn.
This doesn’t mean quitting your job or family to go to the ends of the earth and become a monk in a Buddhist temple (though that is also an option). It’s about stepping outside your comfort zone. Listening to others who are better than you, more experienced—in a word, different. To experience the joy of becoming good at a different discipline.
This is how diversity works. If you’re completely “fixated” on your own beliefs, you lack understanding for other perspectives. We can’t tolerate other beliefs and viewpoints. In the end, we look in astonishment at differing opinions, and sometimes the wall we build becomes high enough to ignore any harm.
Some people can be reached through arguments—they’ll understand and agree. Others need to be persuaded to bend their views. Some are content being victims, as it gives their existence meaning. There are those whose goal is to shout about injustice. When the world changes, they look for another target to once again cry out about injustice. And there are those who strive to educate, explaining that different perspectives or simply other forms of existence are naturally correct. In my opinion, these people are valuable. Lastly, there are those who, through their own actions, demonstrate the benefits of otherness (though calling it that is quite inappropriate).
Transcribed
28 OCT 2024 · It's Not Worth Being Naive; You’re Important When Someone Needs You.
Buena Vista Social Club. It was a music project and a huge success. In 1996, the song "Chan Chan" ruled the radio stations. Beautiful and atmospheric, it brings back memories of the island’s best times for those who have been to Havana. The music video showcases life in Old Havana, with people and stereotypes: old cars, cigars, rum, and, of course, elderly gentlemen in white hats playing guitars, bass, and trumpets. The production won a Grammy, and a documentary was filmed to the music from the album. In the years following the project’s success, tickets for "evenings" with BVSC music could be bought in Havana and Miami. The package includes dinner, wine, and a cigar, with dancing, fun, and an incredible atmosphere. The show (concert) ends, and tourists head back to their hotels, richer in cultural experience and with the naive belief that they have encountered the last bastion of true culture.
Compared to other Caribbean islands, Cuba is still shrouded in a melancholic mist of romance and regret for lost time, but also respect for how the nation has managed to preserve its roots. Despite poor conditions on the island, a lack of infrastructure, and unattractive dining and sanitation conditions, the place is full of tourists. When I first visited Cuba in the 2000s, I was robbed but felt happy. In the next decade, I returned to the island, and it had changed beyond recognition — for the worse. My last visit before COVID left me feeling completely disappointed. Although more and more hotels are being built there, even luxurious ones like Kempinski, the charm has vanished. At least for me.
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel explains that the deteriorating situation in Cuba is due to debt, embargo, and general backwardness. Lack of fuel and energy shortages prevent attracting investors. Economic uncertainty and a complicated import-export system mean this island, which isn’t self-sufficient, has to import products like tobacco from Vietnam. Even though there’s a fishing industry, it’s impossible to buy fresh fish. The lack of foreign currency means the country can’t pay off its debts. The cycle closes in on itself. The main export commodity is doctors and nurses. Officially, this is called the export of professional services, which is three times larger than other goods like cigars, rum, or even nickel, not to mention tourism revenue. Even cooperation with China can’t improve the situation.
And this point is particularly interesting. Theoretically, in this situation, Russia or China could, at minimal cost, effectively colonize Cuba. But that’s not happening. Moreover, contracts with China are of an interventionist nature, if not outright humanitarian aid. And one could ask what this story teaches us from a modern business perspective. I know this may come as a shock. Why am I comparing an economy to startups? But I’ll continue with this thread. First, the survival of a business depends on its market and its capacity. Secondly, having the right partners and implementing a collaboration strategy is crucial, but the most important is not to rely on help when the other party has no vested interest. In discussions about building startups, we often talk about Product-Market Fit or production costs. It’s precisely the definition of mutual or three-sided interest that is the most critical success factor for continuity, if not survival.
Transcribed
23 OCT 2024 · Will generative AI be for businesses what ketchup is for fast-food?
At the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th, the world was going through the second industrial revolution. Every day, piles of new applications appeared on the desks of patent offices. Everyone wanted to invent something. We know examples of completely misguided ideas supposedly meant to make our lives easier or to make our work more productive and easier. From this time comes the most famous statement that "everything that can be invented has already been invented". This statement is attributed to Charles H. Duell, an American lawyer and government official who served as Commissioner of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) from 1898 to 1901. Regardless of whether he said this or not, there is some irony in it. In most cases, inventions or rationalization designs are invented by people to improve existing solutions. Even the concept of innovation comes down to transferring a solution that works in one area (sector) to another, making it more effective.
In January 2024 , I conducted a survey on LinkedIn asking where the biggest benefit of generative AI is seen. Of course, the survey is not representative, but I think it well reflects the current market trend. 67% of responses indicate that generative AI will be used to increase work efficiency (it should make the work I do easier), 19% and 13% respectively for making my life easier and developing my skills. These responses do not surprise me and confirm the research conducted by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the International Labour Organization (ILO). Looking at history, particularly the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, over 70% of patents were issued for work-easing solutions. Wait a moment. Isn't the greatest fear of introducing AI or other modern technologies the loss of jobs? Of course, it is. It was, is, and will be because progress forces us to adapt and learn entirely new things useful in new conditions. This can be called development, competence change, or simply adaptation.
A few days ago, I had a discussion with one of my friends about why AI is a hot topic now. We pointed to solutions that have been working for at least 10 years, making our lives easier or our work more pleasant. And it's all based on AI. So why is there so much talk about generative AI now? Do companies need to find another topic for development (with the failure of METAVERSE, although I think in a few months it will be loud again when you can buy a new Apple VisionPro), or perhaps because technology company employees are being laid off en masse (though we are talking about single percentages and according to star theory those more administrative than substantive).In my opinion, about which I have already written in several previous articles, three conditions have been met. Cheap, quick results, and most importantly, easy to use. This is what generative AI is today. There is one more interesting (though not surprising) element. Dozens of organizations and startups are springing up, creating their own often open-source solutions. Most of them are trying to address some specific productivity enhancement problem or a scalable use case. One can certainly compare the patent fever with what is happening today. However, there is one significant difference that we do not notice at first glance. Boredom. After the crazy signing up of users for OpenAI subscriptions, the number of users in the last month has fallen by over 10%. And it will fall.
Those who saw the potential for REPEATABLE improvement, easing their work, will use it. Those who wanted to try but didn't change their habits will stop using or change the platform to see something new. Just like 20th-century inventions, some are with us today, while others have been forgotten. Those who stayed and are part of everyday life either changed our habits or cemented them. The same thing happened with the Google search engine or social networks. They're like bottle caps or straws for a frappuccino. We don't think, we just use – automatically. Generative AI and most of the use cases currently being tested will tend to hide (white label), weave between currently used solutions, and converge with other technologies. They will be like syrup for a drink or ketchup for fast food. Then we will stop asking ourselves whether AI will destroy us, replace us at work, and whether it will have a negative impact on our lives. Today we don't ask these questions when we think about the Internet. And what's more, we don't blame the Internet (as a technology) for pathologies or negative effects. We blame users for using it badly. And I wish the same for generative AI, that we could blame people for misuse, not the technology itself.
Transcribed
21 OCT 2024 · Innocent Game
What if I told you that your children are likely engaging in gambling every day? Not in casinos or gaming arcades, but at home, in front of a computer, and with the full approval of the state. To be clear, this isn't just a phenomenon in Poland, but in the entire digital world.Box Opening or Skin Trading – it all starts with livestreams, where lengthy gaming sessions of idols from the younger generation are recorded live. At first, the CS (Counter-Strike) matches appear innocent. The player, part of a team, engages in matches, experiencing smaller or greater victories. Over time, they acquire new skills, and the platform itself starts offering various incentives to continue playing. They find a discarded rifle, knife, or chest containing hidden items. But to keep things exciting, an element of randomness is introduced. As Forrest Gump’s mother once said, you never know what you’re going to get in a box of chocolates. And here, young fans watching the players receive a dopamine boost. They cheer, hoping the chest will contain a rare and valuable item. Sounds innocent, right?Simultaneously, and often in opposition to official rules, underage players can trade or buy the items they find. The amounts of money involved are small. Everything looks colorful and harmless. But this activity isn’t just about spending pocket money. Children are being taught the habit of gambling. It becomes addictive and encourages them to look for shortcuts instead of achieving success through effort. Why play for 100 hours when you can buy winning attributes for just $9.90?A massive business is flourishing behind all this. Of course, it exploits legal loopholes and cunningly uses the influence of young generation idols. Influencers, players, and streamers lure naive kids with promises of doing nothing and getting rich. As you might expect, this business is shady and murky. But since you can top up your account with a credit card or through well-known payment operators (who are supposedly monitored by regulators), it doesn’t seem as bad. After all, you're not handing cash to a dealer on the street or sending it secretly through a locker system.Online safety isn't just about hacks and financial fraud on banking websites, but also practices like these. Recently, we’ve witnessed a surge in such activities. Just a few days ago, there was a big scandal about online lotteries used for money laundering and VAT fraud.Maybe it's time someone addressed this issue systemically? I have the impression that nothing is being done because there’s a lack of awareness among those setting the rules and regulators. But the scale of this problem is so vast that something needs to be done.
Transcribed
19 OCT 2024 · Jealousy, Envy... Oblivion
People are just people. We are ruled by very animalistic instincts. Even though we try to control them, they are stronger than us. The recently deceased Philip Zimbardo conducted the famous prison experiment. A film was made about it, and the experiment became the basis for many stories and anecdotes. Under certain conditions, people behave brutally, aggressively, and, worst of all, they derive pleasure from the suffering of others.
Widespread, cheap communication, social networks, and the democratization of content creation and sharing make this aspect of human nature more visible than ever before. The sense of anonymity leads to the expression of negative opinions that we usually hide under the mask of being a mature member of society. We control ourselves. When a neighbor buys a new car, a sense of jealousy arises among the others. If jealousy serves as a motivating factor and pushes other members of the community to put in the effort to keep up with the rising standard, everything seems fine. If the neighbors don't believe they can reach the new level set by the leader, envy comes into play. Unfortunately, in most cases, envy is negative or extremely negative. Somehow, part of the community prioritizes explaining the success of others by attributing it to negative or illegal actions. In their system of values and assessment of possibilities, there is no room for success. If the most I can earn is the national average, then someone earning ten times more must either be using magic or stealing. Since magic doesn't exist, they must be stealing.
A wide range of connections, cognitive abilities, creativity, or hard work is, for most people, a spark that transforms jealousy into envy. Interestingly, envy is a destructive trait. People who find confirmation from others that "something's off" get drawn deeper into this state. Like sinking in a mental swamp, they start finding more and more objects to envy. At some point, this "bitterness" becomes the driving force behind their actions. However, when successful business leaders, artists, or athletes manage to escape the grip of "hate," society forgets about them. Some leave, others disappear from the media, and still others deliberately generate public news of failure. Nothing pleases the envious crowd more than confirmation of their suspicions. Then the crowd lets go. Envy fades and moves on to its next target. You can't fight it. The only solution is to manipulate the crowd. The only cure is to show weakness or create the myth of a tyrant. Either show that you're not as perfect as the public sees you, or build a fortress of fear and inaccessibility. It’s a sad truth but one that's been around for thousands of years. The photo was taken in Bogotá, Colombia. A street vendor selling rat, bat, and dead cat toys sells his creations and finds buyers. I dedicate this to the leaders going through the stages of jealousy, envy, and oblivion. I wish you to enjoy jealousy as long as possible, pass through envy as quickly as you can, and savor oblivion for as long as you can.
Every few days, I publish a post on my blog (http://www.APConsulting.tech) about leadership, technology, and business. Each post is a story inspired by a photo I took during my travels....
show more
Every few days, I publish a post on my blog (www.APConsulting.tech) about leadership, technology, and business. Each post is a story inspired by a photo I took during my travels. I invite you to listen to short reflections on these posts. I use Google NotebookLM to create them.
show less
Information
| Author | Aleksander Poniewierski |
| Organization | Aleksander Poniewierski |
| Categories | Business , Education , Technology |
| Website | www.APConsulting.tech |
| aleksander@apconsulting.tech |
Copyright 2024 - Spreaker Inc. an iHeartMedia Company
