... of reflections.
Teachers on a strike
The teachers' union in Brasilia are again in campaign for better salaries and work conditions. At least that's what they say. They are threatening the local government - and the population - with strike again.
They are obviously free to use whatever instrument they see fit to reach their purposes. However, what deeply bothers me, is the fact that they claim to be forced by the government to go on a strike.
Sorry. No one can be forced to go on a strike. If they do it, that's because they believe they have exhausted all possibilities of negotiation or protests and their last resource is to strike for better wages or work conditions.
They must admit it, instead of blaming the government.
The fact that teachers keep using the same tactics year after year makes me think that the strikes are totally political. When I listen to their claims on the radio, it seems the same message from five, ten years ago. They complain about the same problems and use the same tools to solve them.
Everyone long knows that you'll get the same results if you keep doing things the same way. And, please, forced to go on strike?
Responsibility, again
The teachers' threats made me think of responsibility, again. It seems to be much easier to find excuses to validate and justify actions. Instead, I wish people would use their energy and intelligence to plan their actions, reflect, talk and try to do the right thing.
“Most people do not really want freedom, because freedom involves responsibility, and most people are frightened of responsibility.”
Sigmund Freud, Civilization and Its Discontents
Career development
Reflecting on responsibility, made me think of careers, again.
No one is responsible for someone's career, except themselves. It's not the company's, it's not their bosses'.
Earlier this month, I was talking to a classmate from the MBA course. He was telling me how obtaining a certain international certification in his area - IT management - helped him get a new job. I remember him talking about it since last year. No one told him to do it, he knew it would help him professionally, so he invested in it - money, time, energy.
This is so different from being in a company and only doing anything to improve professionally if offered benefits or raises or promotions.
It is obvious that having perspective is what makes us improve professionally, but one should be in constant improvement to be ready when the perspective becomes real.
"If you don't have your own plan, someone else is going to make you fit into their plan." Anthony Robbins
Motivation
Careers made me reflect upon motivation. One of the biggest topics in psychology of education and teaching. Intrinsic or extrinsic. Which one is stronger and which one really makes a difference?
I now believe that both have their roles, but extrinsic motivation without the intrinsic one is unsustainable.
My classmate from above clearly had an extrinsic motivator. However, he was intrinsically motivated to keep his formation, even though he only had possibilities for the future.
"The quality of a man's life is in direct proportion to his commitment to excellence, regardless of his chosen field of endeavor.”
Vince Lombardi Jr.
“Do you want to know who you are? Don't ask. Act! Action will delineate and define you.”
Thomas Jefferson
The Pope
None of the above reflections made me think about the pope, but his election is something to be commented on.
I was in class and half of the group, including me, made the same joke, almost in chorus: the pope may be Argentinian, but God is Brazilian. In Portuguese, it sound even better: o papa pode até ser argentino, mas Deus é brasileiro. This joke must be old by now, but it still works.
In crisis or not, no other church or religious organization the same mass media power as the Catholic Church. And for two days, this great power was based on a smoke signal. Amazing.
ME
Teachers on a strike
The teachers' union in Brasilia are again in campaign for better salaries and work conditions. At least that's what they say. They are threatening the local government - and the population - with strike again.
They are obviously free to use whatever instrument they see fit to reach their purposes. However, what deeply bothers me, is the fact that they claim to be forced by the government to go on a strike.
Sorry. No one can be forced to go on a strike. If they do it, that's because they believe they have exhausted all possibilities of negotiation or protests and their last resource is to strike for better wages or work conditions.
They must admit it, instead of blaming the government.
The fact that teachers keep using the same tactics year after year makes me think that the strikes are totally political. When I listen to their claims on the radio, it seems the same message from five, ten years ago. They complain about the same problems and use the same tools to solve them.
Everyone long knows that you'll get the same results if you keep doing things the same way. And, please, forced to go on strike?
Responsibility, again
The teachers' threats made me think of responsibility, again. It seems to be much easier to find excuses to validate and justify actions. Instead, I wish people would use their energy and intelligence to plan their actions, reflect, talk and try to do the right thing.
“Most people do not really want freedom, because freedom involves responsibility, and most people are frightened of responsibility.”
Sigmund Freud, Civilization and Its Discontents
Career development
Reflecting on responsibility, made me think of careers, again.
No one is responsible for someone's career, except themselves. It's not the company's, it's not their bosses'.
Earlier this month, I was talking to a classmate from the MBA course. He was telling me how obtaining a certain international certification in his area - IT management - helped him get a new job. I remember him talking about it since last year. No one told him to do it, he knew it would help him professionally, so he invested in it - money, time, energy.
This is so different from being in a company and only doing anything to improve professionally if offered benefits or raises or promotions.
It is obvious that having perspective is what makes us improve professionally, but one should be in constant improvement to be ready when the perspective becomes real.
"If you don't have your own plan, someone else is going to make you fit into their plan." Anthony Robbins
Motivation
Careers made me reflect upon motivation. One of the biggest topics in psychology of education and teaching. Intrinsic or extrinsic. Which one is stronger and which one really makes a difference?
I now believe that both have their roles, but extrinsic motivation without the intrinsic one is unsustainable.
My classmate from above clearly had an extrinsic motivator. However, he was intrinsically motivated to keep his formation, even though he only had possibilities for the future.
"The quality of a man's life is in direct proportion to his commitment to excellence, regardless of his chosen field of endeavor.”
Vince Lombardi Jr.
“Do you want to know who you are? Don't ask. Act! Action will delineate and define you.”
Thomas Jefferson
The Pope
None of the above reflections made me think about the pope, but his election is something to be commented on.
I was in class and half of the group, including me, made the same joke, almost in chorus: the pope may be Argentinian, but God is Brazilian. In Portuguese, it sound even better: o papa pode até ser argentino, mas Deus é brasileiro. This joke must be old by now, but it still works.
In crisis or not, no other church or religious organization the same mass media power as the Catholic Church. And for two days, this great power was based on a smoke signal. Amazing.
ME
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