IMF-World Economic Outlook proposes steps to move Africa forward

The October 2009 edition of the World Economic Outlook published by the IMF says growth in Nigeria will slow to 2.9% in 2009 and expected to rebound to 5% in 2010. For Africa as a whole Real GDP growth is expected to decline to 13/4% in 2009 (it averaged 6% between 2004 & 2008) before accelerating to 4% in 2010. The reason for the slump in growth is as a result of collapse of global trade and disruptions in global financial markets.

On the outlook for the Sub-Saharan African region, the report says "poverty could increase significantly as real GDP per capita contracts in 2009 - the first decline in a decade - unemployment rises, and the region suffers from a lack of extensive social safety nets."

Going forward, the report proposes that Africa must:

• move ahead with a series of reforms to strengthen the region's resilience to external shocks and growth prospects,


• promote the development and implementation of sound and transparent public policies  - which include improved capacity for public financial management, creation of fiscal room for the enhancement of transport, health and education infrastructures and introduction of well targeted poverty reduction programs,


• business environment should be further reformed to facilitate private sector growth especially those that bothers on start-up costs for new enterprises,


• banking supervisory capacity is to be strengthened and the scope of financial sector regulation and supervision should be expanded, and


• some countries should also make efforts to further integrate their economies with the rest of the world.

The points above are necessary steps for Nigeria in particular if we are to take advantage of the many riches of our land and very crucial for the government if it is to achieve its vision 202020. There is no better time than now to be fiscally prudent, to create an economy with sound infrastructure (especially education, healthcare, power and roads) and safe institutions.  I believe in this country!

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Microsoft Office Tips & Techniques: Basic Shared Features

If you work in a corporate environment, then you probably have used any of the Standard Microsoft Office applications – MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint or Outlook. Despite the ready availability and popularity of this group of applications, I am not sure we utilize up to 50% of its capabilities which are meant to simplify business processes.

MS Office tips and tricks would be providing you with ways and techniques to improve your knowledge of Office applications from write-ups on the fundamental tools to postings on how to complete seemingly difficult tasks. The goal is to ensure that you maximize the potentials that the application has to offer thereby leading to efficient and improved performance.

I hope you find this beneficial.

So here is the first edition of the tip & technique.

Enjoy.


Microsoft Office Basic Shared Features

Quick Introduction: What is Microsoft Office? (Most of us may be familiar with this already).

I would say it’s a suite comprising of a word processor (MS Word), a spreadsheet application (MS Excel), an E-mail client (MS Outlook ), a presentation application (MS PowerPoint) and in some fuller / professional versions – you could have a database management application (MS Access), MS OneNote, MS Visio, MS FrontPage, MS InfoPath, MS Publisher and others.

Things to note:

• The programs are all desktop applications which can be used on Windows and Mac OS X platforms.


• The software is designed to aid administrative, communication and other business processes and generally make your life easier and improve your day- to-day functionality.


• All the applications within the suite are interrelated and have many shared features (you would learn more on this in future posts) – the focus of the current post is on some the basic shared feature.


• Understanding the basic/shared features in, for example, MS Word means you would not need to go through the learning process in MS Excel.

Basic Shared Bars

Bar	Description
Title Bar	Names the application
Menu Bar	This is the second bar after the Title bar – it contains File, Edit, View, Format, Tools, Table, Window and Help Menus. The Menu Bar is like the powerhouse. Everything you need to get around any Office application is contained in the Menu
Standard Tool Bar	shows all icons and shortcuts to frequently used menu commands such as file operations (New, Open, Save), Undo, Redo, Copy, Cut & Paste, View etc
Formatting Tool Bar	Shows all the icons you need for basic formatting from Font type, Size, Alignment, tabs, bullets and numbering, borders and shading. The formatting toolbar can be of great help because it makes all your formatting needs just a click away.Formatting toolbar vary depending on the application
Task Pane	Always on the right hand side. Commonly and frequently used features are grouped on the task-pane for convenience. The item on the task changes in line with current action.
Status Bar	Displays page number / slide number and other document / presentation / worksheet properties.

Note: Pointing the cursor on any toolbar icon displays the name of the icon – this is true for all MS Office applications and some other Graphic User Interface such as Windows/Mac OS X based applications.

Figure 1



Basic Shared Controls / Short cuts (more on specific controls / shortcuts in future posts)

Command	Description
F1	Help menu (this control also initiates the Help Menu in Windows).
F12	‘Save As’ or ALT F A (does not work in Outlook).
Ctrl P	Print
Ctrl C, X and V	Copy, Cut and Paste.
Ctrl N	Creates a new blank document/workbook/presentation etc.
Ctrl O	Opens a document.
Ctrl Y & Z	Undo and Redo
Ctrl F4 or Ctrl W	Closes current document/spreadsheet/presentation etc
Ctrl Home	Navigates to the beginning of the page.
Ctrl End	Navigates to the end of the page
Alt F4	Closes application i.e. MS Word, PowerPoint, Excel.
Ctrl B, U, & I	Bold, Underline & Italicize.
F7	Runs spelling and grammar check.
Shift F7	Runs the thesaurus.
Ctrl A	Selects All

Please note: the list is not exclusive and this post was written with MS Office 2003 in mind. MSOffice 2007 is different with regards to the standard and formatting toolbars (they have been replaced with the ‘ribbon’) and looks really complex at a glance. By the way, the release of MS Office 2010 was announced by Microsoft Corporation in July 2009 with better functionality and improved user experience.

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The Garlic Miracle

The Garlic Miracle"

I hated garlic. I am disgusted by the smell of it. I have a couple of friends who feel the same way. I don't know about you. What I do know now is that garlic is very good for the health.

Today, I discovered the many wonders of Garlic. Garlic is the miracle food we all hate. No, at least some of us, (to say that would translate to committing the fallacy of hasty generalization). Garlic has the capabilities of protecting the heart, and the body against cancers and other fungal and microbial infections like Candida.

I read that when garlic extract were injected into some

mice with Candida infections, after the first day, Candida colonies numbered 400, compared with 3,500 among the mice given only a salt-water solution. After two days, amazingly, the garlic treated mice were free of Candida. (Read original story here)

So, friends let's start Garlicing. It's good for your health. If you hate the odour so much, get the natural garlic powder and add it to your cooking or get Garlic tablets for a more structured plan.

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What Are Your Life Goals? John Goddard: A life example.

The LA Times called him - "The real life Indiana Jones" and one of his expeditions, "the most amazing adventure of this generation."

“to dare is to do… to fear is to fail” - John Goddard

In 1972, Life magazine published a story depicting the adventures of John Goddard. His story was one of undying determination filled with personal purpose. When he was fifteen, he heard his grandmother say, 'If I had only done this when I was young.' Determined not to spend his life playing the 'if only' game, John Goddard sat down and decided what he wanted to do with his life.

When he finished writing, 127 goals came to being; he called it his Life List.

John Goddard decided there were ten rivers he wanted to explore, along with seventeen mountains he wanted to climb. He decided to become an Eagle Scout; Visit every country in the world; Learn to fly an airplane; and dive in a submarine. He wanted to retrace the travels of Marco Polo and ride a horse in the Rose Parade. And this was just the beginning.

John Goddard committed himself to reading the Bible from cover to cover, reading the entire works of Shakespeare, Plato, Dickens, Aristotle, Socrates and several other classic authors. He planned to read the entire Encyclopedia Britannica and yet have time to learn to play the flute and violin.

Marriage? Yes! Children? he has six, and his plans also included a stint with church missions, along with a career in medicine.

At forty-seven, 1972, John Goddard, had accomplished 103 of his 127 goals and according to the speakers source book by Glenn Van Ekeren,

“Goddard exemplifies the excitement of determining a purpose in life, setting goals, and pursuing them with determination"

At 84, John Goddard still hopes to achieve his remaining goals. He has just 18 more to go.

You may not have much interest in exploring rivers and climbing mountains, but how would you answer the question:

"What are your life goals?"

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The Peaks and Valleys Philosophy: A Philosophy with Skills

“The secret to happiness is to truly appreciate and enjoy each time for what it is while you are living.”

Spencer Johnson, M.D., the No. 1 bestselling author of “Who Moved my Cheese” in his new book, “PeAks and Valleys: Making Good and Bad Times Work For You – At Work And In Life” tells the story of a young man who lived unhappily in a Valley, dissatisfied, he headed for the Peak where he met an old man that told him the story of the Peaks and Valleys approach to managing good and bad times. Read the publisher’s note here.

You may ask, what are these Peaks and Valleys? Peaks and Valleys are not necessarily the physical peaks and valleys that we observe, but are rather the high and lows of life, or the good and bad times and the way we feel about them. They are not just the good and bad times that happen to us, they are also how we feel inside and respond to outside events. It is natural for everyone everywhere to have peaks and valleys at work and in life. Peaks are moments when you appreciate what you have, valleys are moments when you long for what is missing.

I discovered, just like the young man in the book, that it doesn’t matter where a person lived – whether in a fertile valley or on a magnificent peak, like the old man described in the book, what matters is how a person lives. ‘Peaks and Valleys’ teaches us how to work through the ups and downs of life and live in a more peaceful and successful way in both good and bad times. Highs and lows should be seen as normal occurrences in life… and just like the author said “A joyful rich life is a naturally changing landscape of Peaks and Valleys”. I think we can all master this Philosophy of Skills by choosing a better belief today to look and do things differently by creating a SENSIBLE VISION – which makes us get to our destination sooner… before you reach your destination, you would have been there in your mind.

MAIN POINTS TO NOTE:
It is not enough to simply know about Peaks and Valleys in your head, and talk about it, you need to Live the Peaks and Valleys Philosophy. And the more you do, the more you learn and grow and the more calm and successful you become.

• Both the good and bad times in life are truly gifts, and that each has great value, if you manage them well.
• Humility enables you to remain more on your peak longer.
  Our fear keeps us trapped – you can change a Valley into a Peak by letting go of your fear and getting outside of yourself.
• To get to your next Peak, create and follow your Sensible Vision – one that makes sense to you and is realistic and attainable.
• Valleys will definitely come your way (work and life would always be a series of Peaks and Valleys), but whenever you get confused about how to get out of a Valley, remember that
• Peaks and Valleys are opposite, so look at what you did that put you in the Valley.. and when you do just the opposite, you are bound to get opposite results.
• As we grow, we will be able to pass through our Valleys with increasing grace and serenity.
• It’s never too soon to make good and bad times work for you.
• Avoid Comparison and stop believing things are better than they really are when you are on a peak, or worse than they really are, when you are in a valley. Make reality your friend.
  

QUESTIONS TO ALWAYS ASK IN ANY SITUATION (Relevant for Individuals and Companies):

• What is the truth in this situation?
• How can we use the good that’s hidden in this bad time to our advantage?
• Do I/we want to create a sensible vision – a picture of a better future that makes sense to me/us?
  

USING YOUR PEAKS AND VALLEYS AT WORK AND IN LIFE:

• To manage your good and bad times: make reality your friend. Whether you are temporarily up on a Peak or down in a valley, ask yourself: what is the truth in this situation?
• To get out of a valley sooner: find and use the good hidden in a bad time. Relax, knowing that valleys end. Do the opposite of what put you in the valley. Get outside of yourself: be more of service at work and more loving in life. Avoid comparisons. Uncover the good that is hidden in a bad time, and use it soon to your advantage.
• To stay on a peak longer: appreciate and manage your good time wisely. Be humble and grateful. Do more of what got you there. Keep making things better. Do more for others. Save resources for your upcoming valleys.
• To get to your next peak: follow your sensible vision. Imagine yourself enjoying a better future in such specific, believable detail, that you soon enjoy doing what takes you there.
• To help people: share it with others! Help people make good and bad times work for them, too.

BRINGING IT HOME: some lessons for the individual, businesses and for managing our relationships.

For the Individual:

“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeing new landscapes, but in having new eyes.” – Proust

• When you aspire for the Peak, you would be discouraged by people around you from going where they themselves had never been.
• It is absolutely alright to have feelings that there is different way of life outside what you are currently experiencing.
• You only get to the Peak through self-discovery… when this is done, you would gain a better view of the world and feel a sense of freedom that we all desire.
• Overcome your FEARS by moving beyond them. Beware of fearful vision when attempting to reach your peak.
• Until you change your methods or position you won’t see new opportunities. While you are in a valley, imagine seeing things you might see if you were on a peak.
• You don’t have to be old to gain wisdom.
• It is important that in our journey to go higher, we seek and gain insights into deeper truths of our own by listening to our hearts and thoughts while recalling real moments in our work and life.

Advice for Businesses:

• Never let success get into your heads.
• Continue to do the things that made you successful.

“To stay on a peak longer: be humble and grateful. Do more of what got you there. Keep making things better. Do more for others. Save resources for your upcoming valleys.”

• Never loose that sense of urgency and curiosity.
• Never stop being of service to others.

Advice for managing relationships:

• Decide to grow into a more loving and attractive person.
• By becoming more loving – replacing fear with love – you are more likely to be loved and attract truly fulfilling relationship into your lives.

Your thoughts on this Summary are greatly appreciated. If you've found this piece interesting, please share it.

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PeAks and Valleys: Making Good And Bad Times Work For You - At Work And In Life

I guess many of us are familiar with the book "Who Moved My Cheese". Here's another interesting title from the author (Spencer Johnson, M.D.) - "PeAks and Valleys: Making Good And Bad Times Work For You - At Work And In Life".

I am currently reading the book and would be glad to share the basic lessons as soon as I am done. So watch out.

In the meantime, here is the Publisher’s note:

"Peaks and Valleys" is a story of a young man who lives unhappily in a valley until he meets an old man who lives on a peak, and it changes his work and life forever.

Initially, the young man does not realize he is talking with one of the most peaceful and successful people in the world. However, through a series of conversations and experiences that occur up on peaks and down in valleys, the young man comes to make some startling discoveries.

Eventually, he comes to understand how he can use the old man's remarkable principles and practical tools in good and bad times and becomes more calm and successful himself.

Now you can take a similar journey through the story and use what you find to your advantage in your own work and life.

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“Now’s the Time to Invest in Africa”

The February 2009 Issue of HBR had this article titled “Now’s the Time to Invest in Africa” by Paul Collier and Jean-Louis Warnholz and its interesting to know that growth in Sub Saharan Africa surpasses that of Asia (Nigeria among the countries mentioned).

Highlights of the article are as follows:

• Sustained growth in Africa driven by stability, favorable policies, higher profits and opportunities.
• From 2002 – 2007, average annual return on capital of the companies studied was 65% to 70% higher than that of comparable firms in China, India, Indonesia and Vietnam. Analysis conducted on1,869 African companies confirms that these companies’ median profit margin was 11%, better than the comparable figures for Asia and South America.
• While the IMF projects a 2009 growth rate of 6.3% for sub-Saharan Africa, it says that Nigeria, Tanzania and Uganda will record a growth that is higher than 8%.

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Tim Ferriss: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich”

Today I came across Timothy Ferriss’ (Tim Ferriss) website, the author of the Best Selling title “The Four Hour Work Week: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich”

Many of us want to live our dream life wishing we had more time and more money… from learning a new language, cruising through Europe and going on holiday in a chateau in France.

Tim offers a no-regret guide to what it takes to change your life. I have found the book fascinating because it tells you how to live like a millionaire today.

But who is Tim: A graduate of Princeton University, born 1977 and has amassed a diverse roster of credentials and experience:

• Princeton University guest lecturer in High-Tech Entrepreneurship and Electrical Engineering
• First American in history to hold a Guinness World Record in tango
• Advisor to more than 30 world record holders in professional and Olympic sports
• National Chinese kickboxing champion
• Glycemic Index (GI) researcher Political asylum researcher and activist
• MTV breakdancer in Taiwan
• Hurling competitor in Ireland
• Actor on hit TV series in mainland China and Hong Kong

To learn more about Tim and his book click here

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