What I learnt from Bruce Lee: How to set a goal

In January 1969, Bruce Lee wrote a letter to himself (My Definite Chief Aim) - the letter read thus:

I, Bruce Lee, will be the first highest paid Oriental super star in the United States. In return I will give the most exciting performances and render the best of quality in the capacity of an actor. Starting 1970 I will achieve world fame and from then onward till the end of 1980 I will have in my possession $10,000,000. I will live the way I please and achieve inner harmony and happiness. Bruce Lee, Jan 1969

Bruce lived just for 3 years after he made the laudable pronouncement. But you know, he achieved his goals.

I liked the fact that he was very specific about what he wanted to achieve, he included a deadline and above all, he wrote what he would have to give to achieve his goals. You can't set a goal and not be ready to commit to it - that's recipe for failure.

Read More

Learn everything Google - Google Africa Engage Academy

Another great Youtube channel I discovered today is Google Africa Engage Academy.

If you own an online store and you have signed up for Google Adwords, you should visit the Google engage Academy often.

Speakers share tips and techniques of Google Adwords.

Read More

How to Register a Business in Nigeria

Perhaps you will think registering a business is something quite difficult to do, I have registered a number of businesses and it’s quite easy.

This post shows you the steps to follow if you want to register a business name in Nigeria. In most cases the process is the same if you want to register a limited company – albeit with differences in documentation and the amount required.

Here we go folks:

Step 1:	Think about your business and then a name that fits. (often times we can create brands around any name) for example what has Apple got to with technology, or Konga 'well' got to do with selling things online?). The rule of thumb to fast track your registration process is to find a unique name, otherwise you will find yourself enmeshed in the roller-coaster of name rejection and thereby filling several availability forms. Avoid that stress by thinking of a unique name – I guess Steven Covey was right here “Begin with the end in mind”
Step 2:	Find the nearest CAC office. Apparently Corporate Affairs Commission have a website – here it is http://cacnigeria.org/
Step 3:	Pick up the necessary forms and fill them - the first you need is availability check and reservation of name.
Step 4:	Submit the availability form to the CAC office you picked it. You would be asked to check back in 2 weeks for the result – either your names are available or not. If they are not, you start the search process again. Each time you conduct a new search, a search fee is charged and of course paid by you.
Step 5:	Yaay, your name is available, so what’s next? You proceed with the registration process.

The total amount you get to pay for all these shouldn't be up to N10,000 – see breakdown of fee here. 

If you are lazy like me and you don’t like wasting too much time, you may employ the services of a lawyer – they sweat it out for you and you pay for their time.

Now you don’t have an excuse – make your business official and important with a great name (or a name that can become great if you get your acts together).

Read More

When hope is gone, Life is gone.. but God is in control over brokenhopes

This article was culled from the book "God Built" by Steve Farrar.  I am blessed by the book. I hope you enjoy this piece and know that whatever situation you find yourself, you don't give up. God is in control. He has a plan for you.

And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.  Romans 5:5 (NIV) 

Hope is the pillar that holds up the world.” - Pliny the Elder

Howard Head was a lousy athlete who radically changed two sports: skiing and tennis. And it was all because of his broken hope to be a capable athlete. Howard had wanted to be a good skier since he was a kid. But because of his poor athletic ability, just about every time he tried to tackle a slope, he wound up breaking wood skis. Even so, he held on to the hope of one day becoming a skillful skier.

That hope may have looked pretty faint to Howard at times, but not faint enough to keep him from trying something that seemed crazy at the time. The more Howard thought about it, the more he convinced himself that his problem with skiing wasn’t his skills on the slope, it was the skis! So in 1941 Howard Head, who was a brilliant engineer, took $6,000 in poker winnings, and focused his entire life on building skis out of air-craft materials. His friends thought he was nuts. Everyone knew the best skis were made out of hickory. Undaunted, Howard invested several years developing a composite ski that was virtually unbreakable- and the skiing world was changed forever.

Head skis became dominant company in the industry. Eventually, Howard Head sold his company and became a multimillionaire. Along the way, he also realized his dreams of becoming a better skier. Now rich and retired, Howard built a tennis court in his backyard and spent $5,000 on tennis lessons. But once again, his lack of athletic ability seemed to stymie him. He bought a ball machine to help him practice on his own, but he became convinced that the prince ball machine could be improved. So he bought the company and spent months improving the machine. Within a very short time, his improved ball machine captured 50 percent of the market. But he was still a lousy tennis player. Then it dawned on him that his trouble might be with the racquet. He should make it bigger.

Once again, his friends thought he was nuts- it was against the rules to have a bigger racquet. Howard Head looked up the rules and discovered that there were no regulations on the size of the racquet. As far as the rules were concerned, you could play tennis with a waffle iron. So he began to work on an oversized racquet that was two inches wider and three inches longer. He personally played with it, amazing even himself at the improvement in his game. After much trial and error and extensive tests in the lab, Howard eventually had test results that proved the sweet spot of his racquet was 20 percent greater than a normal racquet.

The prince racquet became the gold standard in tennis, and in 1982 Howard Head sold prince Tennis for $62 million. Because he had virtually no hope of becoming a better tennis player unless he improved the equipment, Howard Head did just that. And everyone benefited.

When most people lose hope, however, it’s usually about things significantly more important- and nearer to the heart-than skiing or tennis. How important is hope? It’s a fact of life that a man can live without water for only several days, and without food for a matter of weeks. But nothing kills the heart of a man more than the absence of hope. When hope is gone, life is gone.

Read More

The Wisdom to Make a Difference

Inspiration from the book “THE INFLUENCER: THE POWER TO CHANGE ANYTHING” by Kerry Patterson et al

We've all almost certainly heard of the serenity prayer, and perhaps have said it at some point in our life. Just in case you don’t remember the prayer, here it is: ‘Lord grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference”

THE SERENITY TRAP
We’ve come to believe that when we face enormous challenges that can be solved by only influencing intractable behaviors, we might attempt a couple of change strategies. When they fail miserably, we surrender. It’s time to quit and move on. We turn our attention to things that are in our control. We seek serenity.

This would be a good tactic were it not for the fact that the problems we’ve listed- along with everything from changing the culture of an organization to limiting divorce - can be and have been resolved by someone somewhere. That’s right. There are actual people out there who- instead of continually seeking the “wisdom to know the difference”- have sought the wisdom to make a difference. And they’ve found it. They’ve discovered that when it comes to changing the world, what most of us lack is not the courage to change things, but the skill to do so.

The key step to changing anything is to think differently and then act differently. All the profound pervasive, persistent problems we face in our lives, in our companies, and our world can be solved. They can be solved because these problems don’t require solutions that defy the laws of nature; they require people to act differently.

So instead of pleading for the wisdom to know when to give up, we should be seeking to expand the list of things we can change so that we don’t need to seek serenity so often. We should be demanding the names and addresses of influencers who have found solutions to the problems we face every day.

WE’ RE BETTER AT COPING THAN AT EXERTING INFLUENCE
People tend to be better copers than influencers. In fact, we’re wonderful at inventing ways to cope. For instance, at work we abandon our quality-control program and install full-time inspectors. Nobody will listen. Instead of fixing lousy schools, we complain to our friends and then backfill by tutoring our children. It’s the best we can do.

THE WISDOM TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Over the last year U.S. airlines lost over $10 billion and shed tens of thousands of jobs. At the same time, Southwest Airlines racked up its 14^th straight year of profits and double-digit growth. What do Southwest’s leaders do that others haven’t figured out? They engage everyone in doing more with less. They turn planes faster at the gates. They treat customers better. And they get a higher percentage of bags and passengers to arrive at the same location. In other words, they’ve perfected an  influence strategy that produces the behaviors that drive stellar results across their entire company.

While this has been going on in the business world, another influence genius in Dhaka, Bangladesh, helped over 4 million of the Developing World’s poor to emerge from poverty.

Likewise, thousands of previously overweight Americans declared victory in the battle of their bulges by developing sustainable influence strategies over their own unhealthy behaviors.

And finally, in Thailand alone, over 5 million people avoided contracting HIV because of a remarkably effective influence strategy developed by a quiet but enormously effective influence genius who has a lot to teach us. Read more on this here under Prime Minister, Anand Panyarachun. You may also check out this UNDP's report on Thailand's progress.

So there is hope. In a world filled with those content with seeking serenity, there are people who know exactly what it takes to exert influence over human behavior- and change the world in a good way.

We can all make a difference by avoiding the serenity-trap and praying to God instead for the wisdom to make a difference.

Read More

Around the world this week

This week has been mixed with peaks and valleys, the post is a recap of selected happenings around the world.

• US STRIPPED OF ITS AAA CREDIT RATING:

"John Santiago works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange Friday, Aug. 12, 2011. (AP Photo/Richard Drew) Photo: AP"]

The US was stripped of its AAA credit rating by S & P. Following the downgrade, the US stock market which has witnessed continuous plunge since late July 2011 got its worst hit on Monday August 8th - the S&P index plunged by 6.7 percent in the first trading session (the biggest slump since December 2008). In response to the downgrade, the Federal Reserve said "it will leave benchmark interest rate at a record low through mid 2013. Amidst uncertainty and fear and slump in major banks stocks in the US, the stock market remained largely volatile during the week - on this note it was reported that "never before has the S & P 500 index reversed moves that large each day over four sessions."  Read more here & here.

CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA NATIONALISE 3 BANKS: The Central Bank of Nigeria issued a press statement stating it's support for NDIC's (Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation) resolution to recapitalise Spring Bank Plc, Bank PHB Plc and Afribank Nigeria through Bridge Banks namely Enterprise Bank Limited, Keystone Bank Limited and Mainstreet Bank Limited respectively. In reaction to this move, the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) directed stockbroking firms and dealing members to withdraw their settlement accounts from the three nationalised banks. The move by the CBN also led to stocks value plummeting consecutively for three days. The drop culminated in a N339billion drop in total market capitalization with the banking stocks losing 9.2 percent of total value in three days. Read more here.

SAM LOCO PASSES ON:

Sam Loco

Veteran actor & comedian Sam Loco passed on, you can read more here. May his soul rest in peace.

GOVERNOR FASHOLA SIGNS LAW AGAINST ABANDONMENT OF PREGNANT WOMEN:

A pregnant woman"

Governor Fashola signs law against abandonment of pregnant women. Read more here. It is now illegal in Lagos State for any man to impregnate and desert a woman.

JAPAN CUTS GROWTH FORECAST TO 0.5%: To reflect the slump in output following the March earthquake, Japan cuts its economic growth forecast for 2011 to 0.5% from 1.5%. Watch Video here.

MASS UPRISING IN LONDON:

"A woman leaps from a burning building in Surrey Street, Croydon into the arms of police officers. The town was hit by rioting and a huge fire"
Civil unrest /riots in London by citizens who are perhaps discontent with simmering poverty and neglect in the city, according to a report, Martin Fletcher says "caught in a poverty and joblessness cycle, young people in many British urban areas have little hope of a better life." The killing of a 29 year old father, Mark Dugan, heightened the spark for an uprising whose time had come.. you can get the scoop here and more here.

THE WEB (WWW) TURNS 20



On August 6th, 1991, Tim Berners-Lee, a British physicist at the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN), in Geneva, created the first-ever web page—a summary of his WWW project along with explanations to help visitors build websites of their own and to search the web for information... today, the rest is Web History. It has dramatically changed the way we do things. Read more here.

INSPIRING STORY: THE BOY WITH THE BACKWARD LEG

A turned around leg, and still cheerful..

A 10 year old boy, Dugan Smith, diagnosed with cancer had his leg amputated at 11. He went through an unusual surgical procedure that allowed him to keep the remainder of his leg, but reattached backward - that way the cancer is cut out, but the nerve that controls the foot is intact by turning it around backward. According to the report, Dugan's calf now acts as his thigh, his ankle acts as his knee and his foot acts as his shin bone. He also uses a prosthetic ankle and foot.

For Dugan, now 13, despite a slight limp and some lingering troubles with running, he is not giving up, he says "Never give up, because 90 percent of it is in your mind. Read the full story here.

We would love to hear from you, share your thoughts, your stories just in case we missed it.

Read More

INSPIRING STORY: THE BOY WITH THE BACKWARD LEG

INSPIRING STORY: THE BOY WITH THE BACKWARD LEG

A turned around leg, and still cheerful..."

A 10 year old boy, Dugan Smith, diagnosed with cancer had his leg amputated at 11. He went through an unusual surgical procedure that allowed him to keep the remainder of his leg, but reattached backward - that way the cancer is cut out, but the nerve that controls the foot is intact by turning it around backward. According to the report, Dugan's calf now acts as his thigh, his ankle acts as his knee and his foot acts as his shin bone. He also uses a prosthetic ankle and foot.

For Dugan, now 13, despite a slight limp and some lingering troubles with running, he is not giving up, he says "Never give up, because 90 percent of it is in your mind. Read the full story here.

Read More

THE WEB (WWW) TURNS 20

THE WEB (WWW) TURNS 20

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="416" caption="The Web turns 20"][/caption]

On August 6th, 1991, Tim Berners-Lee, a British physicist at the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN), in Geneva, created the first-ever web page—a summary of his WWW project along with explanations to help visitors build websites of their own and to search the web for information... today, the rest is Web History. It has dramatically changed the way we do things. Read more here. and here for timeline.

Read More

MASS UPRISING IN LONDON

MASS UPRISING IN LONDON:

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="416" caption="A woman leaps from a burning building in Surrey Street, Croydon into the arms of police officers. The town was hit by rioting and a huge fire"][/caption]

Civil unrest /riots in London by citizens who are perhaps discontent with simmering poverty and neglect in the city, according to a report, Martin Fletcher says "caught in a poverty and joblessness cycle, young people in many British urban areas have little hope of a better life." The killing of a 29 year old father, Mark Dugan, heightened the spark for an uprising whose time had come.. you can get the scoop here and more here.

Read More

US STRIPPED OF ITS AAA CREDIT RATING

US STRIPPED OF ITS AAA CREDIT RATING:

John Santiago works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange Friday, Aug. 12, 2011. (AP Photo/Richard Drew) Photo: AP"

The US was stripped of its AAA credit rating by S & P. Following the downgrade, the US stock market which has witnessed continuous plunge since late July 2011 got its worst hit on Monday August 8th - the S&P index plunged by 6.7 percent in the first trading session (the biggest slump since December 2008). In response to the downgrade, the Federal Reserve said "it will leave benchmark interest rate at a record low through mid 2013. Amidst uncertainty and fear and slump in major banks stocks in the US, the stock market remained largely volatile during the week - on this note it was reported that "never before has the S & P 500 index reversed moves that large each day over four sessions."  Read more here & here.

In another news. JAPAN CUTS GROWTH FORECAST TO 0.5%: To reflect the slump in output following the March earthquake, Japan cuts its economic growth forecast for 2011 to 0.5% from 1.5%. Watch Video here.

Read More

GOVERNOR FASHOLA SIGNS LAW AGAINST ABANDONMENT OF PREGNANT WOMEN

GOVERNOR FASHOLA SIGNS LAW AGAINST ABANDONMENT OF PREGNANT WOMEN:

A pregnant woman

Governor Fashola signs law against abandonment of pregnant women. Read more here. It is now illegal in Lagos State for any man to impregnate and desert a woman.

Read More

Al Pacino's transformation into Phil Spector: Lessons for Nollywood

You almost wouldn't know the difference between Al Pacino, left,  and Phil Spector (a one time movie producer serving a 19 years to life jail term for the murder of actress Lana Clarkson).

Al Pacino (Left) & Phil Spector (Right), Aug 2011"

Late last year, it was announced that Al Pacino will take on the role of Phil Sector in HBO biopic movie - read more here.

Al Pacino & Spector as seen on ABC, July 7th 2011[/caption]

Although the movie air date is not set yet, Al Pacino is already doing a pretty good Phil Sector.  To this, Courtney Hazzlet, says - "If the quality of the film relies heavily on Pacino's ability to transform into Spector,  it has a good chance of doing well. "

Bringing it Home: Nollywood producers, actors and actresses need to learn from this: to play a role well, you have to be able to bring the role to life in all spheres - character, appearance, behavior, in talking, in reacting, in thinking and so on.  This requires immersing yourself in the role wholly by becoming the character you are playing. Doing that involves a lot more from majority of Nigerian actors, actresses and movie producers than they are currently giving.

Really to act well, you can't just be yourself, you need to become the character.

As usual, we welcome your stories and musings. if you've got something to share, jump in...

XOXO

Read More

Gorgeous Print Dresses by Duro Olowu

We love these maxi dresses, jump suit, ready to wear to work from Duro Olowu's 2011 Spring/Summer Collection. They are simply gorgeous and bold in African Prints.

All images are from www.duroolowu.com.

Read Duro Olowu's tale on Inspiration here or check Essense.com designer Spotlight on Duro Olowu here.

Read More

Adobe Acrobat Professional: More Than Just a Reader

Many of us are familiar with file extensions with ".pdf" (Portable Document Formats), a file format created by Adobe Systems in 1993 for document exchange.

When you convert your documents to PDF, it means your text, design and formatting stay intact. You are able to quickly share the documents with friends, family, and colleagues. What could be more interesting, your viewers don't have to worry about installing specific applications before they can view your file.

And so everyone loved PDF, it became the buzz word; it was the order of the day and the today still the global most loved format for exchanging documents across multiple platforms.

What is more interesting today is that, Adobe Reader has been extended to include more powerful features but now under the Acrobat family.

The designers were quick to differentiate between Adobe Reader and the Adobe Acrobat family (Adobe Acrobat Professional, Standard and Pro Extended).

Adobe Reader is free and it’s simply just your document reader – it is the software to view, print and collaborate on PDF files. But Adobe Acrobat Professional or the Standard version gives you more flexibility and control over your content.  Read more on the difference here.

Here are some of its features.

• Easily convert your files (any form of content – images, word documents, Excel spreadsheets etc) to PDF from within the Acrobat Professional/Standard window and also combine existing PDF documents.


• You are able to protect documents easily with the enhanced security features.


• You can easily create, customize dynamic electronic forms, automate the forms and distribute them to the recipients.


• Quickly Integrate content, insert logos and define navigation.


• Edit existing PDF files and quickly save edited versions.

In short the Acrobat Professional/Standard enables you to deliver dynamic PDF content. It’s simply an extraordinary solution to common problems.

I have been using it for about 2 years and it has really eased my processes and work-flow. And guess what, I’m still loving it.

Click here for more information.

Read More

Basic Keyboard Navigation Skills in Windows

Some Keyboard shortcuts that you may find useful in Windows environment.

THE WINDOWS KEY
Windows key (or Ctrl Esc)	Opens the start menu (same as clicking the start menu)
Windows + E	Opens My Computer (saves you time and the sometimes the stress of holding the mouse while you are typing on the keyboard)
Windows + F	Opens the Search Window (this is surely fast)
Windows + Pause/Break	Opens the system properties window (useful when you want to stop an unresponsive application)
Windows + D	Shows the desktop (very useful when you have several applications opened)
NAVIGATION BASICS
The Arrow Keys	To move between items in the active area
Tab Key	To move between fields or controls
Alt + Tab	To move between active applications
Shit + Tab	To move backwards through tabs
Ctrl + Tab	To move forward through tabs
OTHER USEFUL CONTROLS
Alt + F4	Closes an active applicationOpen the shutdown window dialog box when know application is running or active
Ctrl + F4	Closes the active document but not the application.
Alt + D	Moves the focus to the address bar. This works in Windows Explorer and your Web Browsers

Read More

Organising Meetings with Microsoft Outlook

You can organise a meeting in Microsoft Outlook using the following methods:

Method 1

1. Go to your Calendar, display the date when you would like to hold the meeting, and click on your preferred time slot. (You could just double click the time for your meeting on the Calendar)


2. Click the Plan a Meeting icon , (on the Advanced toolbar, if the toolbar is not on display, right click on any empty space around or below the menu bar, and click advance ), or Actions > Plan a Meeting.


3. Click on Add Others to add email addresses and names of participants from your address book.


4. Click on Make Meeting (this action displays a new window containing subject, location, and text area for more information)


5. Type the subject of the meeting and the details including location.


6. Click on Send

With this option, you don't need to select the date of the meeting.

Method 2

1. From your Inbox, select the drop down beside the ‘New’ option on the standard toolbar, select Meeting Request or File > New > Meeting Request. This action opens a new meeting window.


2. Click on the ‘To’ field to add your invitees. When you are done selecting contacts, click on OK (note that the addresses selected are added to the text area beside the ‘To’ field.


3. Type your subject, location, choose a date and the start and end time for your meeting.


4. Type further meeting details in the box provided.


5. Click on Send

Responding to a Meeting request
When you receive a request to attend a meeting, you will see it in your Inbox with a different icon - .

To send the organizer a response if you will be attending is pretty easy.

1. Open the request, and select one of the meeting responses:


2. When you select any of these you then have the option to:
   
   
   
   1. Edit the response before sending – e.g. if the date is not convenient you could suggest an alternative.
   
   
   2. Send the response now – the person arranging the meeting will be notified of your response.
   
   
   3. Don’t send a response

If the organizer cancels the meeting, Outlook would automatically send a mail to all recipients with a subject indicating meeting cancellation. Outlook would also delete the entry from your calendar.

One thing we all need to be aware of is that, we won't optimize the tools in Outlook if it is not used as a desktop organizer.

Read More

When good men do nothing

There are various ways to save the world, you can name them. In this short piece, I discuss the consequences of the appalling silence of good men.

Each and every time we do not rebuff an evil act, we have made a choice to promote such evil act. We are therefore guilty. Guilty of helping evil succeed.

When we do nothing, we are accomplices to gross evil. In fact the Lord despises those who are lukewarm. Let us reason together. Jesus was very compassionate and yet He was consumed with Zeal for God when it comes to rebuking evil deeds. Some examples are sufficient to drive this point home:

• John 2:13-22 - Jesus violently drove the merchants and their merchandise out of the temple for ever daring to turn God’s house into a market place


• Luke 11:37-54 - Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for their hypocrisy and insincerity.


• Revelations 3:15-17 - Jesus rebuked the church in Laodicea because they are neither hot nor cold.

It is often the case that evil succeed, not because of the numbers involved in the plot but more because good men like you and I are not willing to stand up for what is right.

Whenever you refuse to lift a finger when you see an evil deed, you are no longer a promoter of good works.

He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil. -  1 Peter 3:11-12

If we are made in the likeness of God’s image (Genesis 1:27), if God is good, we are also by nature good. It follows that whenever you tolerate an evil act, that action is contrary to your God’s given nature. You are therefore no longer good.

Whenever you keep quiet, you are not only guilty, you are making an already bad situation worse. You fiddle with your future, those of your children and children’s children, in short, your destiny is at risk!

I am afraid because we all would suffer from this “appalling silence”.  The act of promoting evil deeds, calls for forgiveness without which the Lord will deal with us all (Jeremiah 17:10).  As Martin Luther King Jr puts it:

We shall have to repent in this generation, not so much for the evil deeds of the wicked people, but for the appalling silence of the good people.

Let us think about this. Every time you correct an evil act, you are not only trying to save yourself and those who are close to you, but the world as a whole and more importantly you are saving the soul of the evildoer.  You are ensuring that the man sees his own sin. You know, ones you are aware of your sin, repentance is easier.

Every time Jesus Christ put a wrongdoer in the right perspective, I believe it’s not just for the sake of it but I suppose to ensure that they change from their evil ways and turn to God.

Perhaps, the best way to make the world a better place is to increase the number of good men. Good men who are able to speak up against evil. Good men who stand their ground on what they know to be true. Good men who are not ashamed to forestall everything shameful. Good men who won’t just stand idly by and watch evil succeed.

See friends, the heart of man is desperately wicked (Jeremiah 17:9), if we do not want evil to succeed, then we have the responsibility to speak up against it.

Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness,but rather expose them. - Ephesians 5:11

Preachthe Word;be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebukeand encourage--with great patience and careful instruction. - 2 Timothy 4:2

To model goodness, you can’t just sit idly and ignore evil works.

It starts with you and I.

Read More

Working faster in MS Excel - 4 easy tips

1.  Using CTRL 1 to format cells in MS Excel: To open the format cell dialog box in MS Excel – use CTRL + 1 – this option makes my life easier when I’m working with Excel – As soon as I select the area to be formatted with the mouse using my right hand, I press CTRL 1 on the keyboard with the left (this is easy because the two buttons (CTRL and 1) are on the left side of the keyboard).

2.  Organize your MS Excel Workbook – I like to name my worksheets, especially when working with big projects. To change the default sheet name, double click on the name (i.e. Sheet1), when it’s selected, type the new name.

3.  Using names rather than default cell positions (i.e. Revenue instead of D20) when working with complex tables. This is useful when you are dealing with a large audience because your names tell your viewers the purpose of your formula or a particular cell.

To name a cell, select the cell or range of cell > click on Insert menu > click on Name > click on Define to add a name.

Please note that defined names can be used on any worksheet.

4.  Creating a quick chart in Excel – To create a chart quickly in Excel using default settings, select your data range > then press F11.

Read More

Four ways to make people listen

Flipping through the pages of the November 2009 O Magazine earlier today, I found this piece interesting, and thought I should share it.

To get others to listen to you, John Gray, PhD says it all starts with noticing how others are reacting to you. The magazine highlighted four talking points summarized below.  (the original article can be found on pg 137.)

1. People may stop listening to your ideas because your advice always sounds like criticism. When making suggestion, you should ask questions like “would you like to know what I think?” Or “I have a different perspective – would you like to hear it?”


2. You may be loosing your audience to a discrepancy in communication styles. Point is, when communicating, try to match the speed of the person you are communicating with. If you talk too slowly to a fast-paced communicator, his mind may wander; if you talk too rapidly to a slower-paced person, he may feel flustered and tune out.


3. Next time your friends are drifting off while you’re pouring your heart out, let them know that you don’t expect them to say anything or do anything but that they should just listen because often times we share our feelings to reduce stress. This is especially true when it involves a female pouring out her heart to a male friend.


4. Lastly, if you want to be heard, if you want people to listen to you, you can’t go wrong by showing interest in what other people have to say and making them feel important. In other words, the better you listen, the more you’ll be listened to.

Read More

Nigeria Ranks 158th in the 2009 Human Development Report

The UNDP released its 2009 edition of the Human Development Report recently with Nigeria ranked 158th out of 182 countries below Uganda and Lesotho and ahead of Togo, Malawi and Niger.

Norway was ranked no. 1 on the list for the 7th time.

The Statistics for Nigeria are below:

1. Ranked 147th in Life Expectancy - 47.7years. Nigeria was just ahead of Congo DR, Guinea Bissau and Afghanistan.


2. Ranked 112th in Adult Literacy Rate - 70%. Ahead of Mali and Madagascar.


3. Ranked 114th in Human Poverty Index - 36.2 ahead of Mauritania and Burundi.


4. Ranked 8th in remittances with average of $US9,221 million representing 6.7% of GDP  (an indication that we have many Nigerians in 'greener pastures'). 42.9%  and 39.5% of the total remittances are from Europe and Northern America respectively.


5. Ranked 141st in GDP Per Capita ($1969)

Nigeria, along with Angola, Uganda, and Lesotho left the 'low' category and are now categorised as 'medium human development' group.

my Point of View: If Nigeria's aspiration is to be among the first 20 economies in 11 years from now, then our ranking here needs a paradigm shift. If our aspiration is based on current statistics, we may as well be dreaming. It would take a whole lot of efforts on the part of our leaders for this feat to be achieved. Efforts must be made immediately to improve basic statistics that affects living conditions today, this will guarantee our move towards achieving our desired state, at least.

About the HDI: The human development index (HDI) is a summary measure of a country’s human development. It measures the average achievements in a country in three basic dimensions:

1. a long and healthy life, as measured by life expectancy at birth;


2. access to knowledge, as measured by the adult literacy rate and the combined gross enrolment ratio in education; and


3. a decent standard of living, as measured by GDP per capita in purchasing power parity (PPP) US dollars.

Read More