Ted Tuesday: Without Self-Meaning, Money Means Nothing

"This is the battle cry of the millennial generation who is shaping the future of the workplace, here at FSO, and everywhere."

Good Morning Folks,

When I shared a Wharton Americus Reed, II's (the Whitney M. Young Jr., Professor of Marketing at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania) take on today's TED Talk on LinkedIn, a colleague  stood up and took immediate notice.

Her takeaway was that money, in the abstract, is meaningless. Just chits on the digital page, dollars in the trading account.

It's a tool, like a hammer.

A hammer is meaningless until you lift it and build a house, or smash a skull. A hammer can be good, or bad.

Likewise, money.

It means nothing until you do something with it.

Bad, frivolous, or good.

Opined Professor Reed in a Huffington Post review of this Ted talk, "If I had a dime for every business student who entered my office; lamenting the self-described drudgery that is their work-life. They thought that a career on Wall Street or in heavy duty consulting would bring that pristine pot of gold. They were right. And wrong. Yes, those hundred plus hour weeks catapult you into that illusive 5% earner stratosphere. But if I had a dime for every student who would later confide in me: "it just was not fulfilling," ironically, I would be as wealthy as the financial institutions from which they feverishly depart.

"

Enter social psychologist Paul Piff and his provocative TEDx talk "Does money make you mean?" Sixteen and a half minutes of summarized laboratory and field data show an association between wealth, and lack of compassion, empathy and pro-social motivation.

It's amazing what a rigged game of Monopoly can reveal. In this entertaining but sobering talk, social psychologist Paul Piff shares his research into how people behave when they feel wealthy. (Hint: badly.) But while the problem of inequality is a complex and daunting challenge, there's good news too. (Filmed at TEDxMarin.)



Professor Reed, II observes, "This Isn't Your Father's Business Person Identity--therein lies the paradigm shift. There is a new model of business and business student afoot: The student who enters my office with a deep passion to do two things. Make money and do good. Business schools are "rebranding" themselves to welcome this new identity. It's being called "social impact." The identity of the student, who has realized that mindless self-investment into the false idol of material things for their sake, is an empty void--a fast track to an empty soul--is changing. Business students are becoming much more aware, and self-reflective."

This is the battle cry of the millennial generation who is shaping the future of the workplace, here at FSO, and everywhere.

Watch the short 16 minute presentation and see if you don't agree.

Whatever your takeaway is, it takes a brave person to take on the Corporate interests in today's world, because they are global and pernicious - just like they have always been. Bravo Paul for helping us (re)IMAGINE new and different possibilities.

Let’s have some fun.. ITS OUR TIME, together we can do it.

Mitchell D. Weiner

Chief Happiness Officer  

Ideas are not set in stone. When exposed to thoughtful people, they morph and adapt into their most potent form. TED Tuesdays on MitchWeiner.com highlights some of today's most intriguing ideas. Look for more talks on Technology, Entertainment and Design -- plus science, business, global issues, the arts and much more— HERE. 

Ted Tuesday: The Talks Everyone Talks About

"Google was not the first search engine and Facebook was not the first online social community. Very few TED Talks are about original ideas. Simon Sinek was not the first person to talk about identifying the purpose for your life and work, nor was Amy Cuddy the first person to talk about how your body language and posture shape your self-confidence."

Good Morning Folks,

The TED platform is about “ideas worth spreading.” Watch any TED Talk and you can observe that everything a speaker says is in service of advancing one key idea, and making audience members so passionate about the idea that they want to spread it as well. This is why so many TED Talks go viral. The speaker does not just successfully convey an idea — they make everyone watching excited to share it too.

If you look at any TED Talk, you will discover that the thought leader’s delivery style can be categorized in one of the following five ways. The speaker is either a:

==> Change agent: 
Uses language, stories, and pictures that show what is possible when the change being shared happens

==> Scientific expert: 
Relies on logic and evidence to present an idea

==> Performer: 
Incorporates theatricality into the delivery of a message

==> Vulnerable expert: 
Connects life experience and stories to a message

==>  Inventor: 
Discusses an original idea, product or service and breaks it down into easy to understand, digestible parts

When you look at the most successful companies — such as Google and Facebook, or popular TED and TEDx Talks by Simon Sinek and Amy Cuddy — most are not household names because they came up with something original. Google was not the first search engine and Facebook was not the first online social community. Very few TED Talks are about original ideas. Simon Sinek was not the first person to talk about identifying the purpose for your life and work, nor was Amy Cuddy the first person to talk about how your body language and posture shape your self-confidence.

What each company or person did, however, was improve upon an existing idea. That should be the goal of entrepreneurs. While being first to market is nice, it’s rarely possible. If an idea can be monetized, it likely already has been. Plus, the first incarnation of a product or service often has significant flaws in its design or user experience. Entrepreneurs can and should focus their attention and strategizing on advancing business ideas that already exist by improving upon problems or frustrations for its customers and clients.

Check out our extensive library of Ted Tuesday Talks featuring Simon Sinek and Amy Cuddy and others on life, love and happiness, HERE (scroll backwards).

Thanks to Forbes for today's message and to you for listening.

Have a GREAT day and…. Love Life,

Mitchell D. Weiner

Chief Happiness Officer  

Ideas are not set in stone. When exposed to thoughtful people, they morph and adapt into their most potent form. TED Tuesdays on MitchWeiner.com highlights some of today's most intriguing ideas. Look for more talks on Technology, Entertainment and Design -- plus science, business, global issues, the arts and much more— HERE. 

Ted Tuesday: Dr. Michael Norton: What To Do With Your Money?

Dr. Michael Norton shares his research from behavioral economics about ways to spend money to increase happiness. Hint: it is not about buying more for ourselves..

Good Morning Folks,

I'm on the road so I have to be brief but I've found a special treat to inspire you on Ted Tuesday.

Harvard Business School professor Michael Norton's counter intuitive talk challenges the way we think about money. If you think money can't buy happiness, maybe you're not spending it right.

Indeed money can buy happiness — when you don't spend it on yourself. Listen for surprising data on the many ways pro-social spending can benefit you, your work, and (of course) other people. (Filmed at TEDxCambridge.)

OK folks. I have to run or I will be late. Promise me to not let anything get in the way of your passion to succeed. Reach. And to be the best you can be. So go out of your way to smile to everyone. Or to nod. Or to introduce yourself. You are the right people at the right time to make something great.

Have a GREAT day and…. Love Life,

Mitchell D. Weiner

Chief Happiness Officer  

Ideas are not set in stone. When exposed to thoughtful people, they morph and adapt into their most potent form. TED Tuesdays on MitchWeiner.com highlights some of today's most intriguing ideas. Look for more talks on Technology, Entertainment and Design -- plus science, business, global issues, the arts and much more— HERE. 

An Awesome Autowala: A Story of Service at its Finest

"Annadurai spends more than 5,000 to give his customers an auto ride like no other in the city, yet makes a good living. "What gives me pleasure is that people remember me and are grateful for the service I offer.""

Good Morning Folks,

I am always on alert for that skip in a step, fire in a belly and twinkle in an eye!

So when I read this story on Facebook about how Annadurai (re) IMAGINED the taxi ride, I just had to share it with you to kick the week off on an inspirational note.

Annadurai owns an Auto Rickshaw(similar to Taxi) in Chennai City Tamil Nadu, India. Similar to the other Auto-drivers he also does the same thing but What makes his auto from other Auto's is he provides a lot of things inside the Auto for the passengers/ customers… which include...

1. Free mobile battery charger
2. Watch T.V for Free of cost
3. Free WiFi
4. Free Books to read
5. Bumper prize contest for customers
6. Refer a poor child for Studies
7. And discount in fare for teachers and on special days.
8. Mobile and DTH recharge

Annadurai is now 29 Years old. His main goal is to get his customers feel happy and he needs customer satisfaction. The vehicle is WI-Fi enabled and, if you're not carrying a laptop or smartphone to connect to the internet, Annadurai will slip you a 10-inch tablet. He carries an internet dongle attached to a WI-Fi router and offers free access to the internet. "Most people who take my auto work for IT companies and I know access to the internet is important for them," Annadurai says. "It takes about half an hour to cover the distance between Thiruvanmiyur and Sholinganallur. Why waste that time?" Says Annadurai

The auto also has lots for magazines and newspapers that contain the latest editions. Annadurai spends 4,000 Rupees a month on subscriptions to 35 various news publications. There are dailies for the customers who need to keep up on the news, weekly magazines for passengers who are taking a long ride, and glossy fortnight-lies for those interested in lighter reading.

Annadurai spends more than 5,000 to give his customers an auto ride like no other in the city, yet makes a good living, taking home a profit of around 1,000 a day. "That is more than enough for a bachelor like me," he says. "I drive from 8am to 1pm and from 5pm to 11pm," he says. He charges Rupees 15 for the 11km route he covers, while other share auto drivers demand 20 for the same distance. "Money really isn't too important to me," he says. "What gives me pleasure is that people remember me and are grateful for the service I offer," Annadurai Says.

Truly powerful people like Annadurai  have great humility. They do not try to impress, they do not try to be influential. They simply are. People are magnetically drawn to them. They are most often very silent and focused, aware of their core selves. They never persuade, nor do they use manipulation or aggressiveness to get their way. They listen. If there is anything they can offer to assist you, they offer it; if not, they are silent.

Annadurai, like the beloved members of our FSO family are the real deal. I love your energy everyday. You make me proud this year and beyond.

Believe in your leaders, follow their instructions, trust your teammates and know that together there is nothing we can't accomplish. 

Have a great day and excited to start an awesome week. 

Love Life!

Mitchell D. Weiner

Chief Happiness Officer  

......................................................................................

“Somewhere out there is a bullet with your company 's name on it. Somewhere out there is a competitor, unborn and unknown, that will render your business model obsolete… Competition today is not between products, it's between business models, and the hottest and most dangerous new business models out there are on the Web. Success and failure in the electronic age is binary; you are either one or a zero. Innovation determines who wins and who loses"  ~~ Gary Hamel and Jeff Sampler in the December 7, 1998 issue of Fortune

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Discover what makes FSO GREAT and Different HERE

Ted Tuesday: Without Self-Meaning, Money Means Nothing

"Wow. Very Eye Opening!" 

~~ Pat Mustico PhD, VP National FSO Sales

Good Morning Folks,

When I shared a Wharton Americus Reed, II's (the Whitney M. Young Jr., Professor of Marketing at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania) take on today's Ted Talk on LinkedIn, our new VP of Sales, Pat Mustico, stood up and took immediate notice.

His takeaway was that money, in the abstract, is meaningless. Just chits on the digital page, dollars in the trading account.

It's a tool, like a hammer.

A hammer is meaningless until you lift it and build a house, or smash a skull. A hammer can be good, or bad.

Likewise, money.

It means nothing until you do something with it.

Bad, frivolous, or good.

Opined Professor Reed in a Huffington Post review of this Ted talk, "If I had a dime for every business student who entered my office; lamenting the self-described drudgery that is their work-life. They thought that a career on Wall Street or in heavy duty consulting would bring that pristine pot of gold. They were right. And wrong. Yes, those hundred plus hour weeks catapult you into that illusive 5% earner stratosphere. But if I had a dime for every student who would later confide in me: "it just was not fulfilling," ironically, I would be as wealthy as the financial institutions from which they feverishly depart.

"

Enter social psychologist Paul Piff and his provocative TEDx talk "Does money make you mean?" Sixteen and a half minutes of summarized laboratory and field data show an association between wealth, and lack of compassion, empathy and pro-social motivation.

It's amazing what a rigged game of Monopoly can reveal. In this entertaining but sobering talk, social psychologist Paul Piff shares his research into how people behave when they feel wealthy. (Hint: badly.) But while the problem of inequality is a complex and daunting challenge, there's good news too. (Filmed at TEDxMarin.)



Professor Reed, II observes, "This Isn't Your Father's Business Person Identity--therein lies the paradigm shift. There is a new model of business and business student afoot: The student who enters my office with a deep passion to do two things. Make money and do good. Business schools are "rebranding" themselves to welcome this new identity. It's being called "social impact." The identity of the student, who has realized that mindless self-investment into the false idol of material things for their sake, is an empty void--a fast track to an empty soul--is changing. Business students are becoming much more aware, and self-reflective."

This is the battle cry of the millennial generation who is shaping the future of the workplace, here at FSO, and everywhere.

Watch the short 16 minute presentation and see if you don't agree.

Whatever your takeaway is, it takes a brave person to take on the Corporate interests in today's world, because they are global and pernicious - just like they have always been. Bravo Paul for helping us (re)IMAGINE new and different possibilities.

Let’s have some fun and lets LIGHT UP THE NATION.. ITS OUR TIME, together we can do it.

Mitchell D. Weiner

Chief Happiness Officer  

Ideas are not set in stone. When exposed to thoughtful people, they morph and adapt into their most potent form. TED Tuesdays on MitchWeiner.com highlights some of today's most intriguing ideas. Look for more talks on Technology, Entertainment and Design -- plus science, business, global issues, the arts and much more— HERE.