General

I have recently returned from an extended-stay training course in Washington, D.C. Although the training course stayed away from more of the technical on-the-job skills, it did focus on quite a few soft skill areas that brought about quite a few thoughts in my mind. However, for today, the discussion won’t be in relation to the soft skills, it will be more focused on how positivity affects your work life. The background to this is that almost on a daily basis I was speaking with three or more people who did not seem to appreciate their job as much as I think they should.

Yes, yes I do understand that everyone has different work situations and that mine may just be better than theirs but I think that sometimes the little things get in the way of the larger picture and we can’t dwell on that. I mean, we can dwell on it but it doesn’t get us anywhere. We all know the saying “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade“. Its somewhat similar to that but, I think that some need more of a push in terms of motivation than others. Well, how can you be more positive, you ask? Easy, lets take a look at a few big things I noted:

1) Peer distractions – Sometimes what may tend to happen is that one may get caught up in how others view them or if they have any issues with their co-workers. Everyone has their issues and I have had them in the past myself but you have to look beyond that. You have to look towards the future and say “Okay, now that I have this situation, how can I still complete my tasks?”. When it comes to tough co-workers, its not necessarily avoidance or the silent treatment. It’s the involve treatment – where you try to involve them more and attempt to listen to their issues to see if there really is something you can correct or assist with.

2) Team Spirit – It may seem that you don’t consider yourself part of the team and usually leave work as you are done. Sometimes, projects require that you associate with other staff and connect with them and help them when they need it. This builds the team spirit. If you help your peers once or twice, they will remember and assist you when you are crunched for time at a later time.

3) Recognition/Feedback – If you are in a manager and up position and you have people that work below you, feedback is crucial for personal development. Furthermore, if you seek the recognition or feedback then you need to raise your concerns with your local human resource team or request your manager or superiors for feedback as you complete a task or a project. The process of giving and receiving feedback is highly satisfying at an emotional level and from the standpoint of professional development.

These are things that most of us deal with on a daily basis or even if it isn’t on a daily basis, it is something that causes issues at our work place. Hopefully we can work to resolve the issues and make our work environment not just suitable but beyond suitable for our needs. Hope you guys have a great weekend!

Recently, I came across some details regarding the Fuji Xerox Corporation most commonly known as Xerox Corporation in the USA. Its a unique type of setup for a company that is known for its multifunction printer and xerox equipment.

The structure that Fuji Xerox follows is that of the Good Company Concept. Under this concept, a good company must be “strong”, “kind” and “interesting.” A “strong” company can deliver excellent products and services that satisfy customers and also reward its shareholders on an ongoing basis. A company must be “kind” by contributing to the local and global communities in terms of environmental conservation, ethics and corporate citizenship. Employees find their life and work interesting at an “interesting” company. Fuji Xerox aims to be a company with a good balance of all three attributes.

Fuji Xerox produces and designs versatile multifunction printers to print, copy, fax and scan quickly and conveniently in color and black and white varieties. Fuji Xerox is part of a world leading enterprise for business and document management services. Through its broad portfolio of document technology, services, software and supplies, Fuji Xerox provides essential back-office support that clears the way for customers to focus on their core business. With awards from the United Nations and the Banksia Environmental Foundation, Fuji Xerox is well recognised for its commitment to sustainability.

Fuji Xerox (Japan) is a subsidiary of Fujifilm Holdings of Japan (75%) and Xerox Corporation of the USA (25%). Its a fairly interesting company with a significantly interesting corporate structure. Its something definitely worth reading and looking into.

Sitting in the drivers seat of your favorite car going down the open highway or the relaxing “pilots” chair of your RV or the balcony of the suite in the cruise ship or lastly, the seat at the gate at your local airport. No matter what your preference is, it seems like there is someone who enjoys each of these very different traveling options.

I prefer getting on a plane and resting while on my way to a vacation spot but there are people who like to experiment with the not so standard traveling options such as RVs or even driving to a camp site with their favorite coleman tents ready to weather what the night will bring.

To me the idea of outdoor travel or vacationing just doesn’t seem luxurious enough and I understand that its not meant to be luxurious but I just can’t seem to come to terms with vacationing at a camp site. I wonder how many people still prefer camping as their choice of vacation travel and if so, aside from some of the popular destinations and some of the normal camp site activities – wood fire, hiking, biking, etc, what would be something more adventurous that people do nowadays.

Recently I read that due to the harsh economic times, some families are turning to camping and I questioned how many people actually do go camping. I also read that Coleman was the most preferred brand for camping equipment and it would be tough to argue with that – with everything from inflatable rafts, tents, flashlights, Coleman seems to accommodate most camping needs.

The question that comes to mind is – what is your preferred method of travel? and if you are a camper, what kind of activities do you indulge in?