Competence!

I read this somewhere so don’t blame this on me.  But it says it like it is…

There are four types of people:

1. The Unconsciously Incompetent. 

They know nothing and don’t even know it.  They think that all they know is all there is to know.  Steer clear of these people

2. The Consciously Incompetent

They know a little more.  But they don’t know the line between what they know and what they don’t but they know that their knowledge is limited.  Sometimes they reach into areas where their knowledge is incomplete so be careful of these people.  But you can work with them.  Maybe even teach them to know and understand more and where the line is between what they know and what they don’t.

3. The Consciously Competent

They know a little more again.  But this time they know where the line is between what they know and what they don’t.  These are the people you hopefully get to work with the most.  Most of us are like them.

4. The Unconsciously Competent

These are the Einstein’s, the Savants, the Rocket Scientists.  They know everything and don’t even know that they know it.  In fact there is little they do not know.  You will seldom have to work with these people because there are so few of them around.  They don’t really need us but thank goodness the world has been graced with their presence on many occasions.

The Sayings of the Great and Their Moments of Greatness

We have all heard and remembered them, the sayings of the great.  The moments in history when words were immortalized, to be remembered hundreds, even thousands of years later.

From Julius Caesar’s: Veni, Vidi, Vici (I came, I saw, I conquered)

To Churchill’s: … We will never surrender.

Then JFK’s: We choose to go to the moon and do these other things …

And finally the most repeated and remembered words of all, the words of Martin Luther King: I have a Dream.

Wow.  So inspiring and emotional.  But these words are remembered not because they were said but because something was done.  Words such as these only give the one who says them a chance to achieve greatness if something is achieved and what is prophesied in the words comes true.  So my mind moves to the present (or the last 6 to 12 months at least) and the words of President Elect Obama promising to make the USA independent of foreign oil within ten years.  Think about it.  The greatest super power the world has even known, and its new President, like JFK, promising to achieve something unimaginable within a ten year period.

People must have thought at the start of JFK’s presidency, when he uttered those words about going to the moon, that he was crazy.  It just could not happen.  Land a man on the moon within ten years!  Never.  But they did it.  So too it is with the words of President Obama … make the USA independent of foreign oil within ten years.  Can it be achieved?  You’ve got to be kidding.

Well yes it can, to paraphrase his campaign slogan.

But only if … Only if he uses the opportunity presented by this terrible recession to make brave decisions.  Let the big auto companies go the way of the dinosaur and (rather than spending money keeping them afloat) spend money on directing efforts away from an oil based economy (whether foreign or domestic oil it does not matter) and on to renewable energy solutions.  Turn GM and Chrysler into Wind Turbine Manufacturers.  Have them build hydrogen powered autos.  Let the others build the oil based beasts.  I mean think about it.  In the next 50 to 100 years there will be no more oil anyway.  Why wait?  Why keep GM and Chrysler afloat, to carry on building autos using an old oil based technology.  I understand that he is trying to save jobs.  But the jobs are going to be lost sooner or later UNLESS there is a change to create jobs in new industries.  Ones that use new technologies.

Which gets me thinking …. What letter of the alphabet best defines the USA over the last 50 years.  I’ll give it to you.  It is the “V”.  The V8 and the Saturn V Rocket.  Both boosted the USA to greatness.  Both have had their day.  Raw power is no longer cool.  The USA has to come up with a new letter that will define the country for the next 100 years or more.  How about “G” for Green?  You can do it America.  You can be great President Obama, as long as you give delivery to the prophetic words you have uttered … to make the USA independent of foreign oil within ten years.  Personally I would drop the “foreign” and just go for independence from oil.

History is filled with stories of the rise and fall of nations.  At some point in time great nations have collapsed when the thing that made them great disappeared.  Is the USA’s case it is Oil.  So my prediction is simple: When the oil runs out (as it will) the USA will cease to be the super power and great nation that it is today … UNLESS it finds the leadership and courage to change and to find a new “thing” on which to carry on and build its greatness.  What is that new “thing”.  It has to be a new and alternative form of energy.  Find it you get to keep being the greatest nation in the world.  Hold on to the past, to the oil based economy and for sure you will go the way of past Nations who rose and fell.

But, I think the USA has the leader.  My only question is do they have the courage?  Only time will tell.

So President Obama: Will you be remembered in the future for your prophetic words that came true or will you be forgotten with the rest who may have had the words but not the ability to bring them to fruition?

Welcome to my blog! I hope you enjoy your stay

My name is Mike and I own and run Merlin Software – a family run software development company.

Merlin develops software for use in the Vacation Ownership and Timeshare Industry.   With the help of my team of programmers,   we’ve created a range of online software services that cater for all types of businesses in this industry.

They say a brand needs to listen to its consumers, to interact and let the consumer talk to the brand.  Usually it’s the brand doing the talking.

So I needed a way of getting the industry and our current clients to talk to me and our brand in a relaxed and informative way.  Which is why I decided to get on the band wagon and create a personal blog.   A place where anyone can have their say.   And why not!  It’s supposed to be fun.

And it ain’t no fun if no one comments.  So please, leave me with your thoughts or questions.  I’m listening.

Thanks for visiting.

Mike

Mike Pnematicatos