Would You Speak The Truth?

 

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Publication: Tayo Solagbade’s Weekly Public Speaking IDEAS Page (PSIP) Newsletter

Date: Monday 8th October 2012

No: 58

Title: Would You Speak The Truth?

Author & Publisher: Tayo K. Solagbade [234-803-302-1263]

Blog URL: http://www.spontaneousdevelopment.com/blog

Archive (For E-mail only version started 14th May 2012): Click here to view

Archive (For Blog version started 24th September 2011): Click here

Hi,

Please find below the latest issue of my weekly Public Speaking Ideas page for 2012. 

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No. 58: Would You Speak The Truth?

Click now to view Al Bagocius' discussion on LinkedIn.com:

When I came across a discussion with the above theme, started by Al Bagocius in our LinkedIn speaker’s group some weeks ago (at http://lnkd.in/Pi85iP), my interest was instantly roused.

He wrote: Are you afraid of being criticized when posting your opinion on your LinkedIn profile or in group discussions? How much do you value free speech among your LinkedIn connections?

Members of the LinkedIn group who responded to Al’s question were generally in agreement that it was important to speak one’s mind. They also felt that many people shy away from doing so, especially when it relates to networking interactions on a platform like linkedIn.com, to avoid losing business opportunities (e.g. by turning off potential clients).

My interest in this subject stemmed from observing the above mentioned trend, which bothered me a lot. I had seen it lead to innocent people being left to suffer injustice, because “good” but fearful people chose to look the other way, rather than speak out.

Therefore, in making my contribution to that LinkedIn discussion, I posted an excerpt from an article I wrote in 2006, to drive home my point (see screen below).

An excerpt from an article I wrote in 2006, to drive home my point. Click now to view the LinkedIn.com discussion

Drawing The Line: Political Correctness Vs. Freedom Of Speech

I could be wrong, but it appears there are more “fearful” people – including speakers – today, than there probably were a few decades back. And most of them let their fears keep them from voicing their honest opinions especially publicly.

That’s not a good thing. But one does not have to look too far to understand what is responsible for this trend.

Sociopolitical sensitivities in different societies across the world are at an all time high. In many countries today, you can get into big trouble as a public figure – and even as an ordinary citizen – for making what is considered a politically incorrect statement.

To risk doing that, you need great conviction, and also access to accurate information and facts to back up your claim. Also be prepared to weather “attacks” from critics and others who will take offense.

As a public speaker, the need to be alert to subtleties of societal interaction cannot be overemphasized. Take speaking to an audience comprising people from widely differing backgrounds for instance. You MUST tailor your message in a manner that ensures you do not offend any segment of your audience.

Your use of examples and even humour must be balanced to convey your recognition of the different groups represented e.g. in terms of their sociopolitical, religious, and even sexual leanings.

But having said the above, where do you draw the line between being politically correct and exercising your right to freedom of speech? Or your right to be true to yourself?

Would You Voice Your HONEST Opinion, If Doing So Could Cost You?

Sometimes your core values may require you to speak some truths that not everyone listening will like to hear. And it may not always be during a formal talk or presentation. Sometimes, it will be an informal gathering.

One Example: Let’s say you’ve just addressed a group of young people (and their parents) – in a non-religious setting – on the subject of sex and abstinence. Imagine if during the question and answer session, a parent asks for your opinion on abortion – citing a tragic case of a young girl who accidentally got impregnated by a rapist.

Her question: “Would you advise her to go ahead and have the baby whose father is a rapist? Or would you recommend that she have it removed as quickly as possible?”

How would you answer THAT question?

Would you speak based on your true feelings on the subject…which could be pro-abortion, if the victim was your kid or a loved one? Or would you choose to make what you consider a politically correct statement, based on how you think most of parents in the room feel about abortion?

The above scenario typifies a point where your obligation to act in accordance with your true values, can present a formidable challenge. And this is just one of many possibilities.

A Real-Life Example Of A Speaker Voicing His Opinion At The Risk Of Suffering A Serious Loss

A few years ago, Barack Obama was engaged in the presidential election debates towards winning his first term in office as US president. At the time, one subject I was keen to hear him take a stand on was abortion (given his pro-abortion antecedents as Senator).

My interest arose from learning that he was an active member of a Christian church. And the fact that I knew abortion was generally frowned on by Christians in particular, and religious persons in general.

So, I wanted to see how Obama would choose to stand on that sensitive subject – especially since he would be looking to garner voting support from the church community.

“Will he let the fear of losing votes that could cost him the presidential election make him change his stand on abortion”, I wondered?

My concern was not out of place. Even observers from my part of the world (where religious beliefs forbid abortion) who learnt of Obama’s stand on abortion readily faulted him on that count. The argued that if he claimed to believe in God, there was no way he could condone abortion under any guise.

But I (and others who were willing to be objective) saw where Obama was coming from. He believed that certain unique situations required giving a woman the right to choose whether or not to have a baby. By the end of the debates, it was obvious that Obama was a man who was clear about his values.

He knew he believed in God. But he also wanted to use his God-given ability to apply discretion, in evaluating the real life implications faced by those saddled with the burden of unwanted pregnancies in various ways. So, he made it clear he supported reproductive freedom under specific circumstances. This is now captured in the statement reproduced below from the abortion act(see below):

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Abortion will not be covered in the Pre-existing Condition Insurance Plan except in the cases of rape or incest, or where the life of the woman would be endangered.” – President Obama’s statement on the H.R. 3 No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act on 14 July 2010.

Source: http://2012.presidential-candidates.org/Obama/Abortion.php

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As you can imagine, Obama’s position on abortion was not popular countrywide. However, he made it firmly clear where he stood, and worked harder on his campaign. In the end, he won the elections without letting a fear of possible defeat prevent him from being true to himself.

Notable Change Agents & Thought Leaders Are Known For ALWAYS Speaking Their Minds!

People who don’t like to rock the boat or stand out/be different, can never be notable change agents or influential thought leaders!

And speakers who make memorable impacts on audiences tend to be those who make profound declarations based on their deepest feelings and passions – even when it may offend some individuals or groups.

Yes, it is generally wise to speak in a manner that ensures you do not offend others. But how much should you let such considerations determine what you say as a speaker – when hard truths need to be told?

For instance, there are times when being a speaker makes others look to you for direction with respect to an issue. If you succumb to the fears you have, you may fail to voice essential truths – and lose the important benefit of impacting those who follow you.

For instance, if asked by a journalist, what would be YOUR opinion on your country’s handling of corrupt public officers or citizens? Would you sit on the fence, because powerful people would be offended, or would you speak with conviction about what you believe is the right way to handle people found guilty corruption?

Remember – some people look up to you (including your kids). They believe in your sense of judgment. When you fail to make a stand, you let them down. And you also make them prone to being manipulated by others they may turn to for guidance!

You have a God-given role to play as an expert-who-speaks in your society: On a formal level as a professional, and a non-formal level as a respected, upstanding member of society. Do not fail to play it well.

Summary: WALK YOUR TALK!

On a final note, remember that you must also speak with integrity. Let it be known – and obvious to all who care to check – that you walk your talk. That you practice what you preach. And that your hands are clean!

One speaker who continues to inspire me by the way he leads by example in the manner described above, is (Pastor) Tunde Bakare. I’ll mention two well known and verifiable instances:

1. During the January 2012 Anti-Fuel Subsidy Protests at Ojota (which I actively participated in), apart from leading the protests, he made sure his own family members were physically present at every rally. A journalist asked him why. He replied that he would have no moral right to ask thousands of other people’s children to risk coming out, if he kept his family safely tucked away. A message many “leaders” should learn!

2. Just yesterday, I listened to him on TV delivering an excellent message titled “The Hidden Cost Of The Easy Way“. And one of the highlights of that message was the need for parents to avoid playing favorites amongst their offspring. Apart from having a divided home, doing so could ignite deadly sibling rivalry. Bakare added that he never played favorites with his kids – and that ALL five had been taught to stand by one another, and never let outsiders turn them against themselves. A lesson many parents badly need to imbibe!

In both instances described above, Tunde Bakare boldly spoke his mind without letting the fear of ruffling people’s feathers bother him significantly. But he also backed up what he said by walking his talk.

Since I’ve used a pastor to illustrate my final points, I might as well end on a “religious” note, by saying:

Go thou and do likewise :-)

Comments?

What do you think of the above message? Do you have any personal experience to share on this subject? Are there some other points you feel can be added, to help persons looking for answers? Please share your thoughts – click here to post a comment on the blog!

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Have a lovely week!

Tayo K. Solagbade*

Self-Development/Performance Improvement Specialist

*Sole Agent For Burt Dubin’s Speaker Mentoring Service In Africa

Mobile: 234-803-302-1263

http://www.spontaneousdevelopment.com

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Self-Development/Performance Enhancement Specialist – Tayo Solagbade– works as a Multipreneur, helping individuals/businesses develop and implement strategies to achieve their goals, faster and more profitably.

Visit Tayo’s Self-Development Nuggets™ blog to find out how you can get your FREE copy of his new Practical Guide to Important Feed Ingredients (with high resolution pictures, prices, nutrients, uses etc). When he’s not amazing clients with his superhuman skills (wink), Tayo works as the creative force behind his Cost-Saving Farm Business Ideas website, and the Public Speaking IDEAS newsletter (which he publishes to promote Burt Dubin’s Public Speaking Mentoring service to experts working across the African continent).

Depending on his availability, Tayo accepts invitations to deliver customisable talks and keynote speeches on topics relating to his areas of experience based expertise and interest. Visit http://www.tksola.com to learn how you can invite Tayo, to speak at your next meeting/event.

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Should You Worry About Getting Blog Comments? – No. 1 of 4

This is a potentially controversial topic, going by the trends in discussions I’ve come across on a number of blogs. Some bloggers argue that a blog without comments might as well be dead. Another group points out that many excellent content blogs go for weeks with few or no comments. And yet, the owners get quality engagement and more importantly, sales through them!

Views on this subject can be fairly wide ranging, and in some cases extremely polarized. I know this, because I have spent weeks sorting through threads discussing this subject. And I have encountered compelling arguments for and against.

However, despite reading those different perspectives, my views on the subject remain the same. And I have felt this way from the day I launched my first attempt at a blog back in 2009. My thinking derives from over 7 years of monitoring statistics for my web marketing efforts (more on this).

IMORTANT NOTE: This is the first in a multiple post series. I decided it would be impractical to try covering everything in one post. There are different perspectives. And this is why many people struggle to decide what to think or do. So, I aim to end up with a comprehensive “guide” to help interested blog owners decide if their kind of blog needs (or does not need) comments to succeed – and steps to take in either case.

Not Everyone Needs Blog Comments To Succeed!

Yes. That’s my view. And it’s based on my personal observations – guided by data evidence. The operative words here are need and succeed. You can want comments – maybe so you can be like other blogs and brag about your large active "community" :-)

But you may not need comments on your blog to achieve success at it (read: financial success – especially)!

It’s important to make this distinction. People sometimes get focussed on the wrong goals. That can lead to needless waste of time, effort and even money. We’re talking blogging by results focussed business persons here, and not people on ego trips, who want to look/feel good. The former usually want results in form of sales and quality leads. So, some sell direct advert space while others use Google adwords. Another group sells services and products. While for others, a mix of different strategies works best.

But not all of these blogs will be better able to achieve their goals, if they get a large volume of blog comments – no matter how interesting!

It does not matter what industry you serve. As long as you blog with a business (especially income earning) focus in mind, then what I’m saying here applies to you.

So, let me repeat myself: No matter what anyone says, the FACT remains that not every blog will need comments to succeed (especially financially).

How Can I Be So Sure?

For a start, many online arguments I’ve found not to be in support of chasing blog comments (during my online research), do not exactly oppose placing importance on getting them either. They simply challenge the blog owner to look carefully at choosing the right metrics for evaluating his/her blog’s performance.

And that assessment would have to be done with the desired business GOAL of the blog owner in mind. So, if getting more comments moves you closer to your blogging goal, then by all means do what you can to get more (ethically of course – more on this). Otherwise, don’t stress yourself!

This aligns perfectly with what I know from carefully monitoring reliable indices for my work online.

Here’s another reason I’m sure: I checked comments volume and quality on blogs run by some high profile – and highly successful – experts in certain relatively "quiet" business fields (e.g. consulting, coaching/mentoring etc). Then I compared with what I saw on blogs owned by people with followers who tend to be more "expressive" (e.g. writers/bloggers).

Guess what? The blogs in the less "chatty" disciplines tend to get much fewer comments. And yet, going by what the owners reveal in the email newsletters they publish (which I subcribe to), their rate of engagement by way of sales conversions can be quite high. Indeed, it would appear that the little "commenting" that does happen on such blogs mostly occurs via emaila, online chat or telephone. And the quality of interaction tends to be much higher.

In other words, "activity" or "busy-ness" in a blog’s comments section may not translate to "higher profitability" of a blog!

We Have More Opinions Than Valid Statistics/Data!

That’s my view – but then it’s also an opinion! Having said that, the truth is different people have different reasons for emphasizing the importance of blog comments.

The PROBLEM I see, is that no one has put up any comprehensive statistics (as far as I know), that shows a distinct positive correlation between the volume of blog comments received and the success (especially financial) of a blog (s).

It would be nice to do that – I’m toying with the idea of a questionnaire survey to blog owners. (Email me via tayo at tksola dot com, if you’re interested) One could publish a table of data with charts showing blogs from different industries comparing their average comments per blog post, with other perfromance criteria(especially sales made or pre-qualified leads generated). It would be great if anyone who has such data already can beat me to it, of course…do drop me a line so I can check it out (Or maybe I’ll design a simple spreadsheet template that people can download, and use to monitor their own blogs…we’ll see.)

Without hard data to back up our claims, whatever we say or think about this subject really amounts to conjecture at the end of the day.

That could mean that I’m wrong in saying not everyone needs blog comments…right?

Well, no, in the sense that I’m saying each person should test and find out what works in his/her case..like everything else we do online. Check your stats – and be sure you’re measuring what you think you’re measuring (In statistics it’s called ensuring the "validity" of your chosen measure).

What you learn will help you decide how much of a premium to place on getting comments on your blog.

"Some people make the mistake of equating consensus with truth. That you, and others who think like you, agree among yourselves that a centipede is a millipede wearing a metal coat, will not make the centipede become a millipede." – Tayo Solagbade

For now, let’s be clear about one thing: You need not bother yourself about what anyone – – expert or critic – with contrary opinions say. If they visit your blog and announce that something is wrong because your have too few – or no – comments, don’t take it to heart.

That’s just their opionion.

So, What Can You Do?

Set up your blog with tools that help you reliably measure the progress you make (I’ll be sharing details of very useful ones I use for this blog in the next post on this series). And so long as you see your performance indices improving, you have nothing to worry about. Remember that what most others express are just opinions. Even experts can be wrong! And when it comes to the Internet and what works, no one can claim to know everything.

Why not find out what works for YOU? You already have most of what you need…and through this series, you should be able to get everything else…hopefully :-)

I’ll be going into more specific details in my next post in this series, which comes up next Saturday (in line with my new blog content publishing schedule). I want to exhaustively treat the different aspects of this subject that have occurred to me. So, stay tuned!

Next Post:Deciding If Your Blog Needs Comments To Succeed (5 Questions To Ask Yourself)

Blog Comments Multi-Post Series – Table of Contents

Post 1: Should You Worry About Getting Blog Comments?
Post 2: Deciding If Your Blog Needs Comments To Succeed (5 Questions To Ask Yourself)
Post 3: Six Potentially Useful Measures of Your Blog’s Performance (Hint: Comments Vs. Five Others)
Post 4(Final): Using Your Blog To Make Money – Little Used Strategies You Can Exploit

TO GET THE NOTIFICATION IN YOUR E-MAIL CLICK HERE TO JOIN MY MAILING LIST (You get multiple gifts – instantly!)

Protect Your Child From Rickets Of The Mind!

Kenya’s 13 year old Richard Turere made the news for inventing – at the age of 11 – a lighting array device to scare Lions from attacking cattle he tended on behalf of his family. The device mimicked the light from a torch held by a human.

Turere’s example is one of two mentioned in Dayo Olopade’s New York Times article titled “Baby and Child Care, the African Way(African Hands-Off Parenting Breeds Resilience In Kids). The other is about Malawi’s William Kamkwamba, who – at the more tender age of 9 – used “junkyard scrap” to build the windmill powering his family’s farm – earning a feature on Oprah Winfrey’s talk show!

Access to useful knowledge, information and ideas can help a child learn how things are done in countries s/he may never visit. This will make him/her less prone to saying something is impossible simply because it’s never been done in his/her society. At the same time, s/he will be more willing to try developing his/her own solutions.

Do You Nourish Your Child’s Mind?

“Some people read so little they have rickets of the mind. Miss a meal if you have to, but don’t miss a book” – Jim Rohn

Jim Rohn passed on a few years ago. But his words continue to inspire and educate many.

To me, “rickets of the mind” refers to a condition equivalent to the conventional rickets that develops in a person due to his/her  intellectual malnourishment.

Without a willingness to go after new knowledge in as many forms as it is available, a young person or child would over time develop a kind of rickets of the mind.

I suggest 3 ways you can go about giving your child intellectual nourishment:

A.         Actively Engage Them in Conversation

“The mind must be exercised if it is to grow and strengthen. The more you use your mind, the
more it will improve your ability to think” – Jay Anderson

  1. When was the last time YOU sat down to have a conversation with (NOT lecture or scold) your kids?

 

  1. How often do you really pay attention to the questions they ask and give carefully thought out answers that help them achieve real understanding?
  1. Do you encourage them to try and THINK up their own answers or solutions?

 

Sometimes it does NOT help to TELL them “the” answer(s).. You may find it helps to give them room to learn by discovery. That breeds independent thinking and creativity. This was the inadvertent outcome for the two child inventors mentioned above – when adverse circumstances forced their parents to hand them early responsibility/freedom.

B.         Build A Real-World Relevant “Library” – And Get Them To Read

Do you buy and read books? What happens to them when you’re done? A bookshelf stocked with useful books can stir your child’s curiosity and interest in reading: especially when s/he sees you pick and read from there every now and then.

Some of the books by Wole Soyinka (e.g. Aké, his childhood memoir) reveal that he received intellectual nourishment from a variety of sources. A challenging school system, and a home rich in learning resources provided by a headmaster father saw to that.

So do Chinua Achebe’s books. Anyone who reads these authors’ works and/or listens to them speak will see that they often hold well balanced views on any issues they choose to comment upon. Even when it’s on a sensitive subject like Nigeria’s civil war – as is evident in excerpts I’ve read from Achebe’s new book (There Was a Country).

“Reading can be a powerful catalyst for thinking; it has the potential for stimulating wisdom.”
– Michael Angier.

Soyinka has written about spending hours locked away in his father’s study, devouring huge volumes of books on virtually any subject. The more he read, the more he wanted. He thus developed an ability to view issues from different perspectives. A valuable skill!

Little wonder that later in life, he chose to take the risk of flying into Biafra as civil war hostilities threatened (5 decades ago), to explore the possibility of brokering peace. He saw beyond tribal lines, because of the quality of his thinking. He also knew the risks. Yet he did it anyway – eventually getting locked up by the Nigerian authorities. (He had activist role models in his parents, as well as his uncle and aunt i.e. Fela Kuti’s parents.)

We need more adults with critical thinking skills like the above mentioned men in society! And YOU can raise a child who will manifest such qualities…

C.  Challenge Them to Think Deeply and Question Everything

Interestingly, Soyinka’s books reveal that he survived his ordeal in prison by doing what he’d done since childhood: reading, thinking and writing – with purpose!

“Reading without thinking gives a disorderly mind, and thinking without reading makes one
unbalanced” – Confucius

Make out time to sit with your kids and discuss the books they read. Not just academic books. Suggest others on literature, history, current affairs, science and technology. Let them know it’s okay to explore subjects outside those they are already familiar with. Quite often, kids not given this guidance miss out on opportunities to discover learning outside the fields they are exposed to in school. That’s not a good thing.

But most importantly, teach them to question what they read. They should understand that authors often present their own views and opinions. Encourage them to do their own thinking and come up with new or even better ways to see the same issues. And see if you can get them to give short talks and write short pieces on their own views.

Important note: I must stress at this point, that by reading, I do NOT refer to studying of religious literature for religious purposes. Society already provides ample opportunity for that to happen through various gatherings organized on a regular basis. I’m concerned instead with a child developing the ability to competently extract useful learning (by reading books) that s/he can put to productive use for himself or society.

Conclusion

Intellectual nourishment is one gift we can give our kids that will boost their ability to achieve relevance to the benefit of society, and recognition for themselves. This works in business or life in general.

It can also give them the capacity to bounce back/recover – as many times as may be necessary – from any setbacks they suffer, to achieve their valued goals.

Here’s a thought to drive this point home: Decades ago, when he was much younger, Wole Soyinka took a series of actions that at a point made academic peers and even relatives refer to him in less than flattering terms. He even lost friends. But it was mostly because they could not see the big picture he saw!

Today, the same Wole Soyinka is a nobel laureate – and he’s written books about the above experiences and more.

With the right kind of intellectual nourishment, you can be sure your child will also end up making YOU proud.

Another great mind had this to say:

The brain can be developed just the same as the muscles can be developed, if one will only take the pains to train the mind to think…The brain that isn’t used rusts. The brain that is used responds. The brain is exactly like any other part of the body: it can be strengthened by proper exercise, by proper use. Put your arm in a sling and keep it there for a considerable length of time, and when you take it out, you find that you can’t use it. In the same way, the brain that isn’t used suffers atrophy.” – Thomas Edison
(Source: Hill N., Think and Grow Rich, New York, Hawthorn Books, Inc, 1966.)

Comments?

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Why Schools Should Teach CV Writing (True Story)

It was a good day to visit. They both welcomed me excitedly. We had not seen each other for months. The Muslim holiday presented me a perfect opportunity to keep the promise I’d made to visit them eons ago (after they moved to their new house).

Hakeem teased me about my timing, since they were just getting ready for lunch. We all laughed, as Sheri – his wife – left us to set the table. Later, as we ate, Hakeem asked about my new CV writing service (now discontinued). He was a seasoned HR professional, and few weeks back had pointed out an unattended niche market that he felt badly needed the service.

I replied that my checks on the “untapped” market showed the prospects were good. And that was why I put my plans on hold: To re-write my copy to accommodate prospects from there.

Someone needs a CV/resume “makeover”…

Just then Sheri said they had a friend’s son who was looking to get a better job. He’d graduated four years earlier and had since worked in two different companies. She picked up an envelope from the side board next to the dining table, and slid it across to me.

In it was a two page resume. She explained that it was for the young man, and that Hakeem would be helping him submit an application in response to a large company’s advert closing in 3 days time.

After looking through the resume however, they’d both told him that it needed to be completely re-worked. It was therefore interesting that by some strange coincidence, I had chosen that day to visit!

I scanned the document, and immediately saw they were right. This one certainly could do with a makeover. So many things were not right. I would have to re-write the resume, within the next 48 hours.

But he’s unavailable to provide critical details…!

Now, this would not have been a big deal if the job seeker (and owner of the resume to be worked on!) had been within reach. Unfortunately, I was told he was away on an urgent trip and would not be back before the submission deadline.

1. Reaching him via e-mail or phone was not a viable option because he was at a retreat in a remote area, where connectivity was poor.

2. To make matters worse, neither Hakeem nor his wife had details I wanted – for the standard questionnaire I would normally administer to a client I’m preparing a resume or CV for!

3. Another problem was that I did not know what specific job or position he was applying for. All they could tell me was that it was in the area of Information Technology, which he had acquired multiple Microsoft level certifications in, but which he did not study in the university.

The real question that therefore tugged at my mind was whether I could deliver anything close to satisfactory – the goal being to WIN an interview invitation – if I could not get any input from him.

Getting no answer to my silent question, I realized that I was, in effect, on my own. Not being one to back away from a challenge – and really wanting to do my bit to help – I agreed to do the re-write.  It was the least I could do for my friends.

Less than 48 hours later, I dropped off a printout of the “pimped” resume at their place. My work schedule since our last meeting had been tight. But I had eventually managed to spend about 4 hours working on it. They both looked through it and said it “read” much better.

I told them to keep me abreast of the job application progress. I’m thinking it would be interesting to see how this “blind” job I did turns out. I’ll be sharing whatever news they send me as soon as I get it.

Below: Screenshot of the resume BEFORE the re-write…

Screenshot of the resume before the makeover - click to request PDF

Below: Screenshot of the resume AFTER the re-write…

Screenshot of the resume AFTER the makeover - click to request PDF

Your Comments: I know there’s not much to see, but if you’re keen, post your comments about the differences you can see between both resumes shown above. Let me know which one you feel would command more attention from the decision maker looking to shortlist interview candidates. And share your other thoughts on the subject.

GET THE FULL RESUME IN PDF: If you want to see a comparison I’ve done of the BEFORE and AFTER versions of the CV, fill and submit the form here and I’ll send it to you.

But for now, here’s a potentially serious issue thrown up by this incident…

Why don’t schools teach resume writing, if it’s so important to “job-hunting” success?

Getting back home, I could not help thinking about how so many young people finish from school and have to endure this CV/Resume writing ordeal.

Proper preparation of this document is so crucially important to job search success.

Yet our schools do not include it in their curriculum. What is that so?

Is it wrong to expect society will run schools that equip its young to emerge as COMPETENT adults, capable of meeting society’s requirements to compete effectively?

That question needs to be answered not just by educators, policy makers and administrators, but also by PARENTS.

The young man who had the CV problem already had internationally recognized IT certifications. Yet, when it came to creating an instrument with which to sell himself, he failed – due to no fault of his.

From nursery classes till we complete higher education, many life skills and competencies we need, are not formally taught in most institutions of learning. That’s why so many young people find themselves at a loss as to why their schooling seems not to be enough to do well in certain areas of life.

Some school leavers/graduates are lucky to have relatives who know enough to help them fill in the gaps. Others are forced to find out by painful trial and error.

But should we let this happen? I say NO. Is it not possible to do it better? I say YES!

I believe education via formal schooling can be made more complete and rounded. Some societies and institutions already do this or are working towards it. Some already do – but many more parents need to realize the importance of getting involved.

Not everyone will choose (or be able to afford) the option of paying for a writing service.

And even when you use such a service, knowing what makes a good CV or resume can help you in assessing the quality of work done for you by a CV/Resume writing service provider!

Your Comments: Post your comments about the differences you can see between both resumes shown above. Let me know which one you feel would command more attention from the decision maker looking to shortlist interview candidates. And share your other thoughts on the subject.

==

IMPORTANT NOTE: What you have just read is based on a true story. However, I must state here that I have made very deliberate efforts to disguise the identity of the young man whose CV is the subject of this story, in order to protect his privacy.

For instance, I’ve employed creative dislocation of REAL events in terms of their period and sequence of occurrence. Indeed, I went as far as weaving narratives involving people from a totally different social event into the story, for effect.

One FACT however remains intact: I was requested by certain “people” to help re-write a CV for a young man, towards a mass recruitment of some sort, they got news was being planned by a large organisation.

And I agreed. No lies have been told. The message being passed in the post about for schools not teaching basic resume writing remains valid. And I look forward to your feed back in the comments – if any :-)

Click the links below to view latest posts in each category on the SD Nuggets blog

Entrepreneurship [Tuesdays]

Self-Development [Wednesdays]

Career Development [Thursdays]

Parenting [Fridays]

Writing/Blogging [Saturdays]

Public Speaking [Mondays]

How To Overcome Problems: Two Success Stories About People Just Like YOU!

In this article, two true stories are narrated to illustrate the amazing power of self-belief and desire, backed by dogged persistence. With those 3 ingredients alone, any person CAN successfully apply simple self-development principles, to achieve valued goal(s) despite the perpetual presence of adverse conditions. I say this with every sense of responsibilty – based on VERY personal experience. Read this post to learn how to discover what Napoleon Hill referred to as your other self!

(This article is one of twenty-five(25) contained in Tayo Solagbade’s Ebook titled "25 Articles/True Stories On Self-Development, Entrepeneuring & Web Marketing To Help You Succeed More Often")

First published online: June 2006

Story 1: A Mother Who Knew How

Adrenoleukodystrophy or ALD for short. That was the name of a terrible disorder that afflicted the child of an American woman in a film (based on a true story) I watched some years ago. It was an ailment the child’s doctors believed could not be treated. The mother of the ALD afflicted child was however not like most others and refused to sit back and watch her child waste away while she hoped for a miracle.

Through relentless personal efforts, she practically created the “miracle” that saved her son(the disease affects only boys – usually between ages 6 and 10). She went from doctor to doctor, specialist-to-specialist and visited libraries, reading all manner of books, articles, research reports etc that had even the slightest relevance to the subject of ALD.

She remained undaunted in the face of repeated discouragement from those she approached for help.

Instead, she chose to empower herself by becoming as knowledgeable as the medical practitioners themselves, on the subject of ALD and its treatment etc. It was this focus, determination and perseverance that eventually paid off, resulting in her helping to discover a viable treatment for her child – and by implication, those of others.

(The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) maintains an information page on ALD).

The foregoing narrative illustrates how an individual, through self-help/belief, can achieve what – before then – would have been considered "impossible".

Michael Angier – in one of his SuccessNet.org articles(titled "Leaders are readers") – once wrote that Abraham Lincoln used to walk miles (from/to his house) to borrow and return library books, which he read, by candlelight.

That the knowledge he acquired from reading all those books made a significant impact on his ability to succeed is certainly not in doubt today. I once read somewhere that "books strengthen the mind". In Lincoln’s case, his healthy reading habit apparently gave him the mental stamina to carry on, (DESPITE failing repeatedly in pursuing many important goals he set out to achieve in life) UNTIL he achieved noteworthy success.

As pointed out by Angier: in Abe’s case, the phrase “Leaders are readers” could not be more appropriate.

Story 2: An Employee Who Knew How

Consider another true story of a 29 year old brewer in one of the Nigerian plants of a multinational blue chip manufacturing company.

He decided to attend a 3-month practically intensive French Language course in his spare time (which wasn’t much). During this period he would close night shift at 7.00am on Monday for instance, get home by 7.30am, sleep till 10.30am then rush out to resume French lessons by 11.00am for 4 consecutive hours.

Many times after classes, he would insist on staying on with his Cameroonian teacher to practice speaking/writing fluent and grammatically correct French. He kept this up till the 3 months expired – and continued afterwards to visit the teacher to consolidate his learning.

The latter, being very impressed, arranged later that year for the “student” to spend 3 weeks in Cameroon living with his (the teacher’s) family. During this period, the young man went out daily to interact with people in different places and practice carrying on everyday conversations in French with a view to achieving fluency.

As the end of his three week stay approached he was pleased to note – based on comments from his hosts and friends he had made, that his fluency had improved noticeably. The trip had served useful purpose after all.

A Run Of Bad Luck?

When it was time to return to Nigeria, things did not however go exactly as he had planned. As a matter of fact, his trip back home turned out to be most traumatising, due to an unexpected failure of a friend he had made on arrival in Cameroon, to return an amount of money he(the friend) had borrowed. In order to get back to Nigeria and resume shift duty on schedule in the brewery, he was forced to travel 12 hours overnight, by sea, under heavy rainfall, in a leaky boat from Douala Cameroon to Oron in Nigeria.

NB: Read the full story of that harrowing experience in next Wednesday’s Self-Development Nugget’s post. TO GET THE NOTIFICATION IN YOUR E-MAIL CLICK HERE TO JOIN MY MAILING LIST (You get multiple gifts – instantly!)

Reaping The Rewards

That was in July 1999. In April 2001(almost 2 years later), this young man was nominated by his company along with 3 others to attend a 1 week International Course in Douala, Cameroon (note that the company/most of its managers had no idea at this time that he could speak/read or write French).

It was just a day after the course began, that the expatriate MD of their Cameroonian sister company visited, and joined the Nigerian delegates in their hotel bar.

For some strange reason, the MD singled him out and asked him “Tu parle Français?”(“Do you speak French?”).

The young man naturally responded “Oui, je parle un peu”(“Yes, a little”) a bit surprised at being taken up so directly. Both men went on to converse fluently for about 15 minutes in the same language while the other Nigerians looked on in amazement.

One of them was to later say to this young man “Ol boy, so you can speak French!? I knew you took some classes, but I didn’t know you could speak it so well. Man, I’m impressed!”. Another said ”You’ve really demystified this language for me now – I must learn to speak French too”.

While they were still at the bar, the MD called another Cameroonian, a senior manager, and said (pointing to the young Nigerian) “Il parle Français comme un Camerounais!”("He speaks French like a Cameroonian!").

Needless to say, he subsequently became very useful as an interpreter for his Nigerian colleagues, whenever they visited their choice restaurant to eat – since the steward there could barely manage a few words of greeting in English. The same thing happened whenever they had to ask for directions when they went out on their own.

But most importantly, you can imagine the high regard in which his colleagues began to hold him for his ability to speak a foreign language they wished they could speak, and so fluently too. Of course he got noticed for that many times afterwards, and made friends much more easily as a result. In fact, after the course, one of the Cameroonian delegates invited him to spend a number of nights with his family at Yaounde – and even went out of his way to help locate the family of the young man’s teacher in the Francophone capital.

The significant recognition and high profile that his French-speaking ability brought him served to make the pains of learning to speak the language well worth it.

Now, Let Me Ask You A Question

What if his company’s management had later decided to send someone on secondment to work in the sister company in Cameroon? And what if they had to choose from amongst a large number of qualified managers – which included our young friend?

Do you think he would have been one of those to be given very serious consideration/possibly chosen?

I do. And by the way, that young man was this writer. And it did happen that during the course in Douala, the idea of having an international mix of facilitators to implement the roll out of the course within each country was muted. A suggestion made by one of the expatriate course facilitators was that our young Nigerian, being already French speaking, would be well placed to help the Cameroonians with the implementation in their country.

Were They Just Lucky?

It could be argued, that the individuals I have described above, were just lucky to have been in the right place at the right time.

My response would be that anyone who thinks so, has probably not heard the very apt saying that goes something like this: “Luck is often what happens when preparation meets opportunity”. In other words, a person can ensure that he becomes perpetually lucky (successful) by simply preparing himself ahead of time for possible experiences (or opportunities) s/he might be exposed to in the future.

This can be done first by reflecting on previous experiences – and current happenings – as well as carefully evaluating signs or signals of likely future occurrences. Having done this, the individual can then proceed to prepare –against the backdrop of the reflections – by acquiring the relevant skills and/or knowledge needed to effectively tackle the challenges that the future brings. By the time s/he actually encounters the challenges or undergoes the experiences, it would likely be with a feeling of having done it before – what is sometimes called “Déjà vu”.

"Luck is the residue of diligence"

Summary

People in different areas of human endeavor sometimes complain that they can’t succeed or achieve advancements in their personal/work lives. Their reason is often that they lack the needed resources or enabling environment for them to do so. (An example is the case of employees working in an organization).

The truth however is often that within that same environment, working alongside those same complainants, are some individuals who – despite the lack of resources/favorable environment – are continually achieving the desired successes.

By this I do not mean individuals who have godfathers making things happen for them from behind the scenes, regardless of their actual abilities or workplace performances. I also do not refer to persons who employ crooked means to achieve their "success(es)". No.

Those I am concerned with here are persons who by dint of sheer hard work, diligent preparation, perpetual self-education, and rugged perseverance, continually overcome (perceived) limitations in their environment, to achieve practically ANY objectives they set for themselves.

Final Words

In saying the foregoing, I must emphasise that sometimes, one may have to (as Jim Rohn said) change the environment(s) in which one seeks to succeed. This can be especially relevant to persons engaged in activities outside paid employment. In following Jim’s advice however, some people may need to improvise(like I have), as not everyone will be able to "re-locate" physically to another environment.

Thankfully, technology and the Internet have today made it easier to increase your chances of achieving success. They do this by affording you convenient access to more favourable environments that are physically beyond your reach, while you remain where you are. One example: A freelance writer based in Nigeria or India for example, can get betterpaid – than s/he would at home – to do work online for clients in the US, Canada etc. 

This Marketing Mistake Will Cost You Very Badly!

 

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Publication: Tayo Solagbade’s Weekly Public Speaking IDEAS Page (PSIP) Newsletter

Date: Monday 1st October 2012

No: 57

Title: This Marketing Mistake Will Cost You Very Badly!

Author & Publisher: Tayo K. Solagbade [234-803-302-1263]

Blog URL: http://www.spontaneousdevelopment.com/blog

Archive (For E-mail only version started 14th May 2012): Click here to view

Archive (For Blog version started 24th September 2011): Click here

Hi,

Please find below the latest issue of my weekly Public Speaking Ideas page for 2012. 

=====

No. 57: This Marketing Mistake Will Cost You Very Badly!

What do you call a speaker who keeps an outdated website or has none at all? - 2012 Independence Day Riddle  - By Tayo Solagbade

Yep, I share the above “wise old goat’s” sentiment! If that sounds harsh, it’s nothing compared to the rejection such a speaker will suffer in a market where pure merit determines who gets gigs!

We now live in a fast paced, technology driven 21st century world. Today, even farmers in African villages use mobile phones to monitor prices so as to sell smarter. Read: F-a-r-m-e-r-s in Africa!

That’s why I consider it a serious crime for any business service provider to lack a website.

In today’s world, an expert-speaker lacking a website is more or less doomed to marketing irrelevance compared to his/her contemporaries. But, probably worse off than the one who has none, is the speaker who maintains a website that features obsolete content!

Why Does It Matter So Much?

“Many people make the mistake of thinking marketing is about selling. The truth is that it is NOT. Marketing is about getting noticed and building credibility in the minds of potential buyers, until they are convinced enough to take buying action – which then leads to the sale.” – Tayo K. Solagbade

Results focused prospects won’t be happy to discover they cannot independently evaluate what you offer via a website. Neither will they be ecstatic to find obsolete information on your website. Both are sure ways to “de-market” yourself…for want of a better word :-)

One Example: I recently saw a professional speaker’s LATEST ARTICLES website page with  publish date for its most recent article displayed as 21st January 2009!  And the NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE page only had “Coming Soon” written on it…in 2012…three years after…Wow!

A results-focussed meeting planner who encounters such a website would probably think this to herself:

“What? You’ve had no new article to add to your website for 3 years? And YOU want ME to hire YOU? Huh, you’ve got to be the biggest joker (recall the wise old goat?) on Earth! How do I justify choosing you to prospective attendees who are bound to Google your name to check your website? And what do I tell other decision makers when they take me up? I’m looking to hire a speaker who will make ME look GOOD…not one who’ll get me into trouble!

Special offer for

Africa-based experts who want to speak internationally:Enroll now for 18

months of one-on-one telephone mentoring by Burt Dubin…internationally

acclaimed mentor of some of the highest paid professional speakers in the

world.

Call: 234-803-302-1263 or E-mail: tayo@tksola.com

 

But “I’m A Veteran!” You Say…

Well I’m sorry Akpos, but so are many others out there :-) And any fair minded meeting planner will likely check them out as well, to be sure of making the best possible choice. A non-existent or poorly updated online presence puts you at a serious disadvantage, my veteran friend…

Please note that this talk about a website is not about web design sophistication. It’s about having one that equips you to deliver content considered highly valuable by your target audience.

Incidentally, many veteran experts-who-speak, understand. That much is obvious from the way they actively use high profile websites to boost their marketing appeal. For instance, check out websites used by these 3 veterans (click each name): Zig Ziglar, Brian Tracy and Burt Dubin.

Okay, So What Do I Need To Do?

What you want is for MORE potential clients to come to you by themselves.

For that you need what I call a Web Marketing System (WMS) i.e. a self-sustaining mix of time, effort and cost-saving web based marketing tools and resources.

It will give you timeless marketing exposure with minimal effort on your part. If you use it for long enough, it will generate valuable sales leads of pre-qualified prospects, even while you sleep!

1.         First Get A CMS Based Website

Central to the successful operation of a WMS is your website. So, start by purchasing a domain name and hosting account. Choose your web host wisely. Trust me, you don’t want web hosting headaches. You have more important things like writing useful content to worry about :-)

I suggest you adopt a Content Management System (CMS) like Word press (or Joomla!) to build your website. For most people, WordPress is a better fit (Joomla! has a fairly steep learning curve). Within seconds, you can install WordPress and in a few hours get up and running.

As an expert-who-speaks, you need to propagate your “content” as widely and frequently as possible, with minimal expense of time, effort or money.

A website based on a CMS gives you the instant convenience of a dynamic, database driven online presence that YOU can easily update by yourself ANYTIME.

2.         Then Integrate Other WMS Elements

Other possible components of a WMS include (but are not limited to):

  1. automated mailing list subscription system (to capture email addresses of visitors to your website)
  1. social media integration (to link your website content automatically to your Facebook, Twitter etc accounts)
  1. website contact form automation (to capture more information from visitors who send you messages)
  1. content syndication via guest posting, article marketing (in that order).

It goes without saying that your content has to be compelling in its originality and relevance. Otherwise, this entire process could end up hurting your brand, if anything at all.

To learn more about using a WMS, read my article titled Potential Benefits of Promoting Your Business Online Via Articles, Newsletter & Facebook Marketing

Summary

It does not matter how old (or young) you are. To effectively market yourself as an expert-who-speaks in today’s world, you need a website.

However, it’s not just any website. You need one built into a 24/7 sales leads generating WMS.

Define and differentiate yourself: Aim to use your inexpensive and high impact WMS to “sell” unique and exciting value adding programs to your market.

Prospects will come to see you as a preferred speaker in your niche, ahead of competitors.

This cannot happen overnight, but it WILL happen – if you diligently promote an actively updated online presence using your well conceived WMS. Sooner than later, they’ll get in touch.

You only need tenacity and patience. But most importantly, be prepared!

“Unless the person running your marketing is patient, it will be difficult to practice commitment. View marketing as an investment, be consistent, and make prospects confident. Patience is a guerrilla virtue.” – Jay Conrad Levinson in “The 15 Secrets of Guerrilla Marketing” – http://www.gmarketingcoach.com

“Success is what happens when preparation meets opportunity” – Anon

Special Offer for Experts In Africa: Become a High Earning Public Speaker in 2 Years for $177 (Click here!)

Need help?

Are you thinking of setting up a website using Joomla! or WordPress? Or would like a WMS developed for you? Click here to send me a message stating what you need help with.

Have a lovely Independence Day holiday!

Comments?

What do you think of the above message? Do you have any personal experience to share on this subject? Are there some other points you feel can be added, to help persons looking for answers? Please share your thoughts – click here to post a comment on the blog!

Share this issue!

Do you know anyone who might benefit from reading this newsletter issue? Why not hit the forward button now, and send it to him/her with a short recommendation. You can also use share it via your social media channels. Thanks in advance.

View Tayos video tutorials and demonstrations on Facebook Productivity Tips, Web Marketing, and for his Custom MS Excel-VB driven software applicationsConnect with Tayo on LinkedIn.comConnect with Tayo on Facebook.comConnect with Tayo on Twitter.comConnect with Tayo on Google Plus

What fears or doubts are keeping you from (a) taking up Burt Dubin’s $177 monthy speaker mentoring here, or (b) buying his products here?

Send me an e-mail with your questions via tayo@tksola.com. In the meantime, why not get started by subscribing here to get his 7-Part Course (How To Succeed And Get Paid As A Professional Speaker) .  . . and receive his monthly newsletter (Speaking Biz Strategies Letter) at no cost.

Have a lovely week!

Tayo K. Solagbade*

Self-Development/Performance Improvement Specialist

*Sole Agent For Burt Dubin’s Speaker Mentoring Service In Africa

Mobile: 234-803-302-1263

 

http://www.spontaneousdevelopment.com

Platinum Quality Author at the Ezine Articles Directory:

http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Tayo_Solagbade

Self-Development/Performance Enhancement Specialist – Tayo Solagbade– works as a Multipreneur, helping individuals/businesses develop and implement strategies to achieve their goals, faster and more profitably.

Visit Tayo’s Self-Development Nuggets™ blog to find out how you can get your FREE copy of his new Practical Guide to Important Feed Ingredients (with high resolution pictures, prices, nutrients, uses etc). When he’s not amazing clients with his superhuman skills (wink), Tayo works as the creative force behind his Cost-Saving Farm Business Ideas website, and the Public Speaking IDEAS newsletter (which he publishes to promote Burt Dubin’s Public Speaking Mentoring service to experts working across the African continent).

Depending on his availability, Tayo accepts invitations to deliver customisable talks and keynote speeches on topics relating to his areas of experience based expertise and interest. Visit http://www.tksola.com to learn how you can invite Tayo, to speak at your next meeting/event.

 

==================

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If you need help purchasing ANY of Burt’s products and services, call me on 234-803-302-1263 or email tayo at tksola dot com with details of the assistance you require.

ue

8 Questions A Catfish Farmer MUST Answer “YES” To, In Order To Make GOOD Profits!

As more and more catfish farms spring up, every catfish farm owner will have to contend with increased availability of the same products(fingerlings and table-size catfish) in the same market. To avoid losing out, the wise catfish farmer needs to start exploring Variable Cost Reduction initiatives that will enable production of larger numbers of catfish(fingerlings and/or table fish) at lesser cost, in lesser time, and using lesser resources. Are you planning to(or already) own a catfish farm? If yes, I urge you to go beyond enjoying the psychological satisfaction that people think you are making money from it. Instead put your hard earned startup capital to good and lasting use, by doing the things I have described in this report to ensure you do make GOOD money in form of tangible PROFITS.

(First published online: 15th November 2005)

Because its purpose is to create a customer, the business enterprise has two – and only these two – basic functions: marketing and innovation. Marketing and Innovation produce results. All the others are costs” – Peter Drucker

Catfish Farming Is Not Like Trading(Buying and Selling)

The first encounter I had with the catfish was when in Secondary school, I and some fellow boarding students discovered a deep hole which had — on the surface at least – been dry all through the dry season partly filled with water, and to our surprise, some adult catfish! We harvested them using mosquito nets and enjoyed a good meal by frying them using butter on stoves. I would later wonder about how the catfish had survived in the dried up pond all through the dry season up till the start of the rainy season. That experience made me develop a keen interest in learning more about rearing catfish.

Catfish farming has really caught on in Nigeria. Many people today are eager to learn about it especially after hearing about how lucrative both the fingerlings production and grow out ventures can be. Typically, the adverts and articles on the subject present impressive data on startup costs and turnover expected. But that’s where they stop – Turnover. Few, if any, venture further to talk about HOW the prospective farmer will ensure s/he can CONTINUALLY achieve REAL profits (i.e. the difference between turnover and expenses incurred) from running the business.

The reality after all is that once you start a livestock production venture like Catfish farming, your plan is not likely to be to simply complete one cycle of production, make money from selling off your fish, and take off to spend your profits. That is often what obtains with trading, supplies of materials and other businesses that deal with intangibles or are time-bound in nature. With Catfish farming, once you start it, the engagement is likely to be long term. Which is why you must look for every possible way to operate that will enable you stay reasonably profitable and competitive regardless of marketplace occurrences.

Your Farm’s Operating Costs MUST Be Constantly Monitored And Controlled

Let’s be honest here. If you do not keep a grip on your cost of production, your turnover may not give you much profits. On a number of occasions when I have met with persons involved in this business, and tried to get specific details of profit margins achievable, the best answers I got was “Ah, the market is embarrsasing.Your expenses will be nothing compared to the turnover you will record.” That’s simply too vague, and will certainly not easily convince any smart investor to buy into your farm venture.

It is actually true that the catfish farming business offers attractive returns on investment. However that benefit does not go to everyone who ventures into it – only those who do it right, consistently. To do it right, anyone going into business (no matter how micro or small it is) MUST take the pains to measure and monitor the profit margins and other performance indicators of her business so that the true health of the business will never be in doubt at any point in time. This requirement is especially true in the case of production based processes like Catfish farming.

Do you have farm records?

Most Nigerian Catfish Farms DO NOT KEEP DETAILED/USEFUL RECORDS. For most people who venture into business in Nigeria, records of revenue/earned income and expenses over time(daily, weekly, monthly or yearly) are never diligently kept, nor does the business owner ever bother to review or analyse those documented records. The result is that when the profit margins for instance begin to drop gradually, it is not noticed until it it’s too late. From my interactions with many catfish farmers in Lagos this problem of lack of detailed, accurate record keeping for business performance evaluation is widespread.

Okay, Maybe They Don’t Keep Records, But They Still Do Well – Don’t They?

You could argue that it does not matter since they still seem to be doing well. But I would say it depends on the farm. The truth is that it cannot cost all the farmers in Lagos the same amount of money to run say their fingerlings production ventures for the 4 to 6 weeks needed to get ready-for-sale fingerlings. Now if the foregoing is correct, the question to ask is how profitable can it be for everyone to sell at N10.00 per fingerling for instance,if some people achieve N9.00 cost of production per fish and others N5.00?

Every process is different from the other. Each farm will have had its own peculiar needs, problems etc. Some people have to pay for water or for fuel to power the gen that pumps water. Some will use Artemia(which is not cheap to buy) while others will get daphnia from stagnant pools around. A farm might experience a disease outbreak and have to purchase drugs to control it. Many things could(and do) happen that would make each farm end up spending more or less than the next farm to get its fish to the age/size where they are ready for sale.

Now, at the point of sale, the total cost of production for the batch of fish to be sold, would be the cost of electricity, water, feed, drugs, labour (and cost of fish losses/mortalities i.e. dead) and every other material used during that production run divided by the total number of fish left for sale. This would give the actual cost of production for EACH fish. Having derived this, the farmer would then be better informed as to what selling price to adopt .

But what happens in real life is that most people simply rear the fish and sell them at whatever they consider the prevailing price. In other words, they never really know for sure: (a) How much profit they make (b) If the profit will be adequate to meet the cash flow etc business needs.

Some Questions A Catfish Farmer MUST Be Able To Answer “YES” To In Order To Make GOOD Profits!

If you are a catfish farmer, and can answer YES to the following questions, then consider yourself as one who does not need to read the rest of this report.

1. Do you know how much it costs you – in Naira – to produce one(1) catfish fingerling or adult?

2. Do you know what the difference – in Naira – is between your cost of producing one(1) fingerling or adult, and the selling price you adopt?

3. Do you know what the trend in your total profit margin for your catfish farm has been since you started it? Has it been rising upwards, going downwards, or remained at the same level?

4. Can you produce detailed and traceable data to back up your claims/answers to question 1, 2 and 3?

5. Do you use (a). weekly pond records forms and (b). pond conversion ratios forms on your farms?

6. Do you know how much of your feed(in bags or kilograms etc) will be used to raise one batch of fingerlings to table size? Can you supply data to back up that claim?

7. Do you know how much you spend on marketing/sales to dispose of each batch of your catfish production? Do you reflect that in estimating your selling price – and eventual profits?

8. Do you have any process management system in place on your farm to ensure your operating costs are kept at an optimal level that will always ensure comfortable REAL profit margins are recorded?

The Challenge for Catfish Farmers

A BIG challenge awaits many who venture into this catfish business which few(if any) of them will be forewarned about. More people learning about this lucrative vocation, which means the overt time a larger number of producers are likely to increase availability of fingerlings and table-sized fish in the market. This in turn will tend to either keep prices fixed or competitive market forces will see price drops by certain producers so that they can quickly turn around their processes.

What is the challenge I speak about? It is whether catfish farmers will be able able to continue selling at prices that are profitable even as catfish producers increase in number in the market.

The Solution: Efficient Process Management via Variable Costs Control/Reduction

You cannot manage something, if you do not measure it, nor can you measure it if you do not record it. For instance, feeding of the fish constitutes a major chunk of costs incurred in turning out a batch of fingerlings or table-sized fish. Often up to 80% of the cost of production is due to feeding expenses. However, most Nigerian fish farmers do not keep reliable or regular records of feeding done, so it is difficult for them to accurately assess whether or not they/their operatives are overfeeding or not.

The farmer who can CONTINUALLY sell at stable(or lower) prices while earning the same(or greater) profit margins by driving costs down, compared to competitors will always do better! To do this s/he will develop best practice process management systems to effectively control and reduce where possible, the Variable (or Operating) Farm Costs. For as long as s/he keeps exploring ways to reduce the cost of producing each catfish, opportunities to recover profit margins that could be lost as a result of market price drops are likely to periodically emerge.

The result would be that s/he stays in business profitably even during what rivals consider “bad” sales seasons. The foregoing philosophy is one closely adhered to by many highly successful multinational manufacturing organisations locally and internationally. It explains why they have been able to continuously weather the adverse business environment in a place like Nigeria for example.

Read my article titled You Can Increase Your Profits Without Raising Your Prices to learn more about Variable Cost Control/Reduction.

Summary

As more and more catfish farms spring up, every catfish farm owner will have to contend with increased availability of the same products in the same market. As has happened with the GSM business, some farmers will have done their process management so efficiently that they will be able to drop their prices significantly below the market price(or refuse to increase them), and still make as much profit as (or even more than!) their rivals.

To avoid losing out, the wise catfish farmer needs to start exploring Variable Cost Reduction initiatives that will enable production of larger numbers of catfish(fingerlings and/or table fish) at lesser cost, in lesser time, and using lesser resources. Specifically, questions like the following would require serious consideration: How can you modify your production process to significantly reduce time taken or materials used to produce your fish? Are there cheaper alternative feeding stuffs offering similar nutritional benefits that you can use ? Do you know where to find them in the quantities that you need? Would it be useful to have stocks of them in your store in case of unexpected outage of the feeding stuffs you currently use?

Other questions remain. I could go on, but I think the point I’ve made here is clear enough already. So much thinking/re-organisation will have to be done initially to develop the needed systems. But the process once started, can only get easier. And the positive benefits from adopting this approach will be immediately obvious.

Are You Planning To(Or Already) Own A Catfish Farm?

If yes, I urge you to go beyond enjoying the psychological satisfaction that people think you are making money from it. Instead I urge you to put your hard earned startup capital to good and lasting use, by doing the things I have described in this report to ensure you do make GOOD money in form of tangible PROFITS that will reflect in your having what Jeffery Meyer calls an MBA (Massive Bank Account)!

If you need help setting up the Variable Costs Monitoring and Control/Reduction systems I’ve described, first fill/submit this form (making sure to mention the title and web address of this THIS article), and then call me on +234-803-302-1263 or +229-66-122-136.

PS: This article is an educational commercial about an aspect of the Best Operating Process Management System (BOPMS™) that SDAc’s CB Solutions can help you setup for your farm business.

In the BOPMS™, major emphasis is placed on the need to streamline operations(via best practice initiatives) in a manner that allows easy integration of PC automation to reduce time, effort and resources needed PLUS increase output and accuracy in the entire farming process,so that the business becomes MORE profitable. Click here to learn more.

Producing Good Catfish is Important, But Finding Good Buyers is Imperative!

As I have said on my Cost-Saving Farm Business Ideas website, and also in many of my previous write ups, I have gained unique insight into the business of catfish farming as it is done here in Nigeria. I have moved around quite a lot within Lagos especially, visiting various farms in places like Iyana Ipaja, Egbeda, Ojo, Gbagada, and outside Lagos, more recently,in Akute – Ogun State. During my interactions with the farm owners, I typically ask the same questions about operational practices being used, farm output achieved, expenses incurred etc. My objective is always to establish how efficient and profitable the individual operations are.

(First published online: 1st June 2007 )

To Succeed, You Must Adopt A BOPMS™

As I have said on my Cost-Saving Ideas Farm Business Support mini site, and also in many of my previous write ups, I have gained unique insight into the business of catfish farming as it is done here in Nigeria. I have moved around quite a lot within Lagos especially, visiting various farms in places like Iyana Ipaja, Egbeda, Ojo, Gbagada, and outside Lagos, more recently,in Akute – Ogun State.

During my interactions with the farm owners, I typically ask the same questions about operational practices being used, farm output achieved, expenses incurred etc. My objective is always to establish how efficient and profitable the individual operations are. Time and time again, I have found that most of these farm owners are simply focussed on doing what they do in the same mechanical manner they have always been doing them. Little or no effort is made to spend some time THINKING about how to operate more efficiently – especially in order to reduce the time, effort, money and labour needed to produce – and sell – the same output within a production cycle.

But times are hard. Business is tough. Costs have risen. To continue to profit, it has become even more imperative today, for EVERY business to explore ways of LOWERING operating costs, even as they maintain or possibly INCREASE output. That is why IDEAS – NEW IDEAS – about how to better run the business MUST be routinely solicited, and explored practically, with a view to improving the way we work, so that the business can perform better.

But there is something even more compelling: SELLING.

This is the ultimate objective of a business enterprise, which if NOT actively pursued could lead to its eventual demise. Until you get PAID CASH for your product or service, you have NOT done business profitably! And that applies to ANY business. I had to say this at the risk of stating the obvious, because it seems so many business owners often forget this important FACT.

In fact many people seem to go about their businesses focussing more on DOING the technical, production related aspects, and sparing minimal thought for the SELLING part. Yet, if you do not have customers READY and WILLING to part with CASH to get your product or service, ALL your technical, production related know how and skills amount to nothing! Your bank account would be empty!!

This is a message that needs to be drummed into the heads of many Catfish Farm (and other business) owners out here. I have been repeatedly contacted by people who seemed more interested in TESTING my knowledge of how to "inject" catfish or "strip" them of eggs, than they were in hearing my practically tested ideas, for instance, about how they can rear daphnia in glass tanks to feed their catfish fries instead of wasting time/labour scouting for dirty pools of water on different streets, to harvest wild daphnia from – or worse, feeding their catfish fries exclusively with expensive Artemia.

Anyone Can Be Taught To Breed And Rear Fish Using Today’s Methods!

I often wonder if it ever occurs to them that today, almost ANYONE – even the unschooled – can be taught to independently carry out virtually all aspects of breeding and rearing of catfish for commercial production. Is it not obvious from the rate at which seminars, manuals and VCDs teaching the subject now abound in various locations (with adverts appearing in mass media like newspapers, etc)?

The truth is we have a lot of people engaged in producing catfish in different ways, at various scales of operation out here today.

But Not Every Farmers Knows How To Attract PROFITABLE Buyers

The PROBLEM however, is that very few, if at all any, are doing it by following any tested or proven standard operating procedure that guarantees consistent output of quality product. Worse however, and which is the POINT of this write up, is the near TOTAL lack of attention to developing reliable strategies for FINDING GOOD buyers for the ready-to-sell catfish, be it fingerlings, juveniles or table sized ones.

This latter point explains why in my discussions with many owners, they typically complained of being frustrated by the very exploitative offers made by market women who come to buy their harvested fish. The tales of woe they have told me, about how these greedy traders take advantage of the farmers’ need to get the "ready" fish out of the ponds, to buy them at very low prices (and later sell at maximum profit) are heart rending.

Each time I have been told about this problem, I have responded by telling the farmers to take personal ACTION to find BETTER buyers, so that such traders would NO LONGER feel farmers have no alternative. This is where farmers need to employ CRITICAL THINKING skills. The farmer needs to think of ways to find other people who will want his fish produce, and who will be prepared to pay what they are worth!

Some Ready-To-Use Ideas For Finding Good Buyers

In case you are wondering how the farmer will achieve this, I offer some ideas based on my personal experiences and observations.

For table size, ready to sell catfish: The farmer will need to look for beer parlours, restaurants and bars, hotels, motels, entertainment venues, event organisers etc who may need regular or periodic supply of catfish in bulk quantities at good prices. Such buyers are more likely to offer rewarding prices, compared to the market women. Actually they WILL offer better prices – I say this because I am aware of the prices some of them buy from the farmers that supply them.

The challenge is for YOU, as the farmer, to invest reasonable time and effort into locating and approaching them with an attractive offer. The resulting relationship would be mutually beneficial: they get bulk purchase of good quality catfish at AFFORDABLE prices. You get reliable, TIMELY and regular sales outlet for your catfish at PROFITABLE prices that enable you STAY in business for the long term.

Similar thinking will allow you find better sales outlets for fingerlings, if you choose to do so.

You would ask yourself questions like this: Who else would need or can use this catfish product, apart from those I am already dealing with? The answer will lead you towards securing more potentially rewarding sales outlets for your business.

You see, if you do not GO OUT and actively recruit potential bulk buying customers for your harvested catfish, to the extent that you are always able to sell off whatever you produce, at a profitable price, your business will suffer. I have seen farms with impressive looking LIVE catfish produce, but with no idea how to get enough buyers for them. And the owners just sat there – complaining lamely!

Quite often, these owners attend the training and learn how to rear the fish successfully. But their trainers (assuming they knew!) would have "forgotten" to advise them on how to get their produce sold!! The enthusiastic startups would thus launch out assuming buyers would come down in large enough numbers to empty out the ponds, at harvest time. When this does not happen, they are forced to continue spending money feeding the mature fish – inevitably increasing their cost of production.

My argument is that these farmers should have started looking for – and notifying – possible buyers some months BEFORE the fish became due for harvest. That way, they could even have gotten some intending buyers to book for the fish in advance.

Without Profitable Sales, Your Farm Biz Will Die – Even If You’re The World’s Expert On Catfish Farming!

A business that is NOT making sales will DIE. Producing (or retailing) good products and services is good, BUT of much GREATER importance, is the effort you put into finding the RIGHT type of buyers for them, who will pay you profitably.

In essence, I am asking you NOT to stop at priding yourself on the fact that you know how to make a good product or deliver a great service. Spend MORE QUALITY TIME THINKING of how to find people who WILL PAY YOU WELL to get YOUR good product or great service. If you fail to do at least that, you risk FAILING financially, in that business of yours!

Note that the approach I have described above is what I have used successfully for years now, to boost sales of my own products and services. It is based on my experience based understanding, that ONE good paying client is better than ten (10) miserly and/or exploitative ones. It can be applied to ANY business, with equally effective impact.

If you wish to learn more about using this approach or strategy to find BETTER paying customers for your business, first fill/submit this form (making sure to mention the title and web address of this THIS article), and then call me on 234-803-302-1263.

PS: This article is an educational commercial about an aspect of the Best Operating Process Management System (BOPMS™) that SDAc’s CB Solutions can help you setup for your farm business.

In the BOPMS™, major emphasis is placed on the need to streamline operations(via best practice initiatives) in a manner that allows easy integration of PC automation to reduce time, effort and resources needed PLUS increase output and accuracy in the entire farming process,so that the business becomes MORE profitable. Click here to learn more.

How To Use The Self-Development Nuggets™ Blog

SD Nuggets™ (i.e. http://www.tayosolagbade.com/sdnuggets) is a multi-disciplinary blog.

As a result, you may find that not everything published on it interests you.

This is why I would suggest you use the links provided below to subscribe to the category you want.

That way, when new content is published on the blog, only those belonging to your preferred category will be dispatched to you via RSS feed.

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Through posts in this category, I offer what you could call parenting best practice ideas. The objective being to help others give their kids the best possible start in life. My approach is to use true stories of my personal childhood experiences, in conjunction with insights gained from “parenting” my own kids over the past 10 years. For those who are interested, I offer special coaching programs for kids (and their parents). The approach to “parenting” that I advocate for use with kids is based on a coaching technique I developed 15 years ago, which I call “Multi-Dimensional Peer Pressure (MDPP)™“.

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Posts in this category will feature my unique take on various aspects of writing as well as blogging. For instance, what is it about blog comments (or the absence or presence of blog comments) that seems to attract so much debate and controversy? I bring my capacity for objective analysis to bear on such issues, to offer clarity and give people a sense of what works, and what to do. You can look forward to some unconventional ideas based on my experience :-)

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Posts in this feed will link to my weekly Public Speaking IDEAS newsletter, published since September 2011 to promote Burt Dubin’s Public Speaking Mentoring to experts on the African continent. I began representing Burt as Sole Agent in Africa in May 2011. But I actually began following his work way back in 2000 while still in paid employment. Don’t be fooled by the fact that his website features mainly public speaking training offers. A closer look reveals it also houses an intimidating wealth of business marketing wisdom that can be profitably applied in ANY kind of business. I know because I’ve used them to successfully reap profitable returns in various business endeaours, that had NOTHING to do with public speaking. The “messages” in my posts will sometimes be woven into real life stories. Hopefully, you’ll learn enough from reading my stuff to understand why choosing Burt Dubin to mentor you would be a wise thing to do!

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