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Editor’s Note
for employees productivity. I have penned two articles , one on the occasion of World Organ Donation Day (13th August) asking corporates to introduce awareness programs in their CSR activity schedule, and other on the importance of having women leaders on board of corporates.
Our staff editors have given us stories on Elon Musk, Data Science eptember is first month of last as a career & an elaborated study trimester of 2021. of the impact of COVID9 on retail We saw many turning events go- market vs Ecom. ing offline in last month of Au- Hoping that you will like the congust. Tokyo Olympics 2020 finally tent and choice of topics in this happened and we covered a story issue. on adopting a serious thought on sports industry and its significant Please do subscribe our youtube channel @Lstartegyq and Our development in India. Podcast @Bizemag on the several COVID19 took a lowest curve all podcast channels and social meacross the world in last 3 months dia. and we noticed governments and corporate showing positive sign Mail your articles, feedback, for opening physical offices and sponsorship query to : asking workforce to return. But Contact@business-strategy.in are we prepared ? is a big question Best Regards for corporate heads. Beautifully written by Famous HR strategist Dr. Vaneeta Aggarwal and helping organisations in re- L’strategyq Advisors developing , George Kemish is an Business Strategy e-magazine article addressing this issue.
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Dr. Neeta Pant has probed the issue of managing procrastination 4 Issue 15, September 2021 | CONTENTS
COVER STORY “SPORTS “ More Than Just a Game
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T
he Olympics is just past us, and we did well. It was India’s best-ever performance beating its tally count at the 2012 London Olympic games. But, as we all know, sports is very much visual to the fan and observer alike. So here is a graphic that will tell you India’s 2021 Olympics story.
Concerning their international counterparts, India is slowly taking its place as one of the world’s centers. And it is pretty interesting to note how athletic and sports performance increases with the influence of the particular nation. And the Tokyo 2021 Olympics suggests India is no ex-
Pic Courtesy : Gov. of India website
ception to the rule.
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The point is- India is catching However, the glorious tricolor has up in sports infrastructure, and received significant help from the there’s no denying that. efforts put in by individual ath- A discussion on Indian sports inletes and increasingly modern frastructure remains incomplete and vigorous sporting infrastruc- without mentioning the SAI ture. It is not perhaps comparable (Sports Authority of India) facility to developed nations, but things in New Delhi. It has experienced are getting better. One critical up-gradation several times. Othfactor that determines the infra- er regions are catching up, too, if structure of a particular sport is not exceeding the standards set its popularity. But the paradox by SAI, New Delhi. is that you need to perform exceptionally well to draw in the Such state-of-the-art infrastruccrowds and the investment with ture is primarily led by private it. A specific section of sports ex- institutions like Vijayanagara’s perts concedes that private un- (Karnataka) IIS (Inspire Institute dertakings in such infrastructure of Sports). However, Bengaluperform better than those of the ru and Ahmedabad are not that state-sponsored infrastructure behind either, thanks to PDCSE (Padukone-Dravid Centre for we have in place. Issue 15, September 2021 | CONTENTS
7
Sports Excellence) and TransSta- cilities. dia, located in the mentioned or- On the other hand, the sprawlder. ing 42-acre IIS campus focuses The PDCSE facility is spread on four particular athletics and over 15 acres and is in the vicin- sports played at the Olympic levity of Bengaluru’s International el: boxing, track, field, wrestling, Airport. The facility opened its and judo. IIS boasts 400m syndoors in 2017 and is named after thetic and 200m eight-lane grass the stalwarts of Indian sports- tracks. It also sports a square 62m Prakash Padukone, the ace shut- combat hall. This hall houses tler, and Rahul “the wall” Dra- three boxing, wrestling, and judo vid. PDSCE houses the world’s mats. first private badminton academy. The last thing to mention about As authorities profess, the ini- this impressive set-up is its contial funding came from private venient location. Hospitals, edsources, and public financing ucational institutes, and enteralso came into the picture, albeit tainment complexes are all in the later. The badminton arm aimed vicinity. IIS also has a residential to help national-level badminton area with beds for 300 athletes players compete internationally and a state-of-the-art perforby providing all the necessary fa- Pic Courtesy : PDCSE Twitter
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There are many legal complications in sports management in India that need to be sorted out if India is ever to become a sports powerhouse and not indulge just in its cricket prowess. We wouldn’t be getting into the details of the legalities of sports management. Still, it is very much there with many grey areas that need to be redrawn in black and white. mance center with a 16,000 sq ft multi-gym. There are lab and massage facilities available too. Due to the very nature of the world, like believers, there are detractors too. And the latter often have some very valid points that we should consider. For example, there are some widespread complaints about sports management in our country. The opposing camp alleges that unaccountability has led to nepotist behavior and decisions. Moreover, corruption in the form of financial irregularities is rampant, they allege. However, sports programs are indeed getting more and more attention like the Khelo India Games program funds. The $120M allocated for the same is expected to rev up the sports and athletic motors in the country.
Another critical problem sports and athletics face is that governmental policies too, like the legal specifics, are unclear. Indeed, the government has taken several steps to promote such physical activities. Still, often we find that there are no fixed jurisdictions or other specifics and the overlaps raise plenty of questions. For example, the particular coverage of the two Khelo Programs (Khelo India School Games and Khelo India Youth Games) is not clear. Further, detractors are quick to point out that the objectives of the two programs too remain unIssue 15, September 2021 | CONTENTS 9
ernments and the performance of Indian athletes have restored some lost glory to the rich sporting traditions of India. But the need for accountability seems to be due. The key to this is the right people in the right places. And this is something you can’t achieve playing politics or running organizations with your relatives. It isn’t literal always, but nepotism is something that has seeped right into the very way numerous institutions function, and it needs to be weeded out at the soonest. clear, and experts associated with them state conflicting views. But experts agree to the driving principle behind the programsfostering a sports culture from the ground up. One fundamental issue that is a blot that the recent Olympic success has managed to make up for to some extent is the suspension of IOA (Indian Olympic Association) in 2012. It was the result of the members of the body having criminal cases pending against them.
Despite the challenges, it is for sure that there is significant progress in building sports and athletics infrastructure. Karnataka, Punjab, Haryana are all hotspots
in the Indian sporting map, albeit with specializations in the particular sport they promote. Experts feel that often sports education can give athletes the spur they need even without worldclass infrastructure. Knowing the soft skills of the athletic world how to train more effectively, create home pseudo-gyms with affordable and easy to obtain
Another common complaint amongst members of the sports fraternity and people associated with it is that the problem often isn’t lack of resources but underutilization of the same. To fulfil our dream of becoming a sports powerhouse, we need to invest heavily in sports infrastructure, which would help budding talent from the grass-root level itself.
Another issue is the lack of adequate financial support for budding sporting talent. Most experts don’t doubt the government’s good intentions, but the plethora of challenges to be surmountThe actions of subsequent gov- ed make them anticipate a relatively pessimistic outcome. Lack
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of transparency, faulty resource allocation, poor asset management, and lack of investment outcome of assessment procedures and frameworks make the task an uphill one.
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equipment substitutes, can help a lot. They cite the epicenter of the running world, Iten in Kenya, as the kind of model countries with scarce resources should follow. Yet another issue is that very few families support their kids in their sporting passion unless it is something widely popular like cricket. Studies and jobs are the set path, and any deviation is strongly discouraged.
CELEBRITY OF THE MONTH
But there is progress; make no mistake about that. Even civil society is slowly but surely waking up to its moral responsibility by contributing to India’s sporting aspirations. Organizations that encourage and facilitate sports at the grassroots level are increasing by the day. They encourage daily participation in sports and, as a consequence, make these youngsters confident and have a positive personality and self-image. Further, they inspire these talents to pursue their passion as a career. To greater heights!
ELON MUSK 12 Issue 15, September 2021 | CONTENTS
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E
lon Musk is a legendary businessperson, entrepreneur, futurist, and visionary who has played a vital role in developing SpaceX and Tesla Motors. His companies have created some of the hottest products in the world and revolutionize an industry, changing lives and expanding societies while doing so.
Childhood and study life
not do well at school. He was expelled and failed his Junior Certificate. However, he completed his studies in America. Musk attended Middlebury College in Vermont. He graduated in 1993 with a degree in physics and a minor in math. After leaving college, Musk worked at Bovada in Las Vegas and VINCI in France. He also started his own company, Zip2.
When Zip2 closed, Musk was left Musk was born on February 4, with £37,000 to his name. Musk 1971, in South Africa. His father is founded X.com in 1995. Turkish, and his mother is British. Musk has stated in interviews that Elon Musk’s Invention he always knew that he would Elon Musk invented the Powerone day have to leave his home Wall battery for homes and the country because of apartheid, PowerPack battery for commerand he did so aged 11. Musk did cial and utility installations to 14 Issue 15, September 2021 | CONTENTS
make solar power more reliable and economical. The idea came to him when he was at SpaceX and seeing solar panels on rooftops that had to be connected to the grid at night. Before the PowerWall, homes used rooftop solar panels that were supposed to work only during the day. So at night, you had to use an inverter (the device that converts solar power into a DC to plug into your electrical grid) to take the solar electricity and convert it to a standard AC. By reducing the amount of solar power that was needed at night, more energy could be produced.
ate about computers and robotics. His parents were engineers, and he was often exposed to technical manuals and video tutorials. During his teenage years, Elon Musk founded his first computer games development company and created virtual reality computer games. Since he was young, he had experimented with alternative fuels and fuel cells. He also became a big fan of racing sports cars. Elon Musk moved to Canada in the mid-90s and started making his first fortune selling an artificial intelligence (AI) company he had developed to Microsoft.
Initial Ventures
stories
Entrepreneur’s
success
As a child, Elon Musk was passion- Elon Musk co-founded Paypal in 1998 alongside Peter Thiel, who co-founded, among others. Musk took Paypal public in 1999, and his shares in the company currently trade at $128 per share – meaning that he is currently worth around $15bn. He has also co-founded Tesla Motors, Inc. (NASDAQ: TSLA) – a car manufacturing company – and Solar City, a renewable energy company. Musk is also CEO of the Boring Company, building an underground network of tunnels to transport people, cars, and Issue 15, September 2021 | CONTENTS 15
chant for refusing to take no for an answer may explain his awkward behavior on various media platforms.
Philanthropy
goods. Musk has won numerous awards for his entrepreneurial and pioneering work. He is one of the youngest billionaires globally and the world’s 46th richest person in 2018.
time. Musk plans to create a tourist vehicle of this caliber that will cost around $200,000 (£160,000) per ticket and is capable of holding six people. This project, when launched, will make it possible for tourists to travel through space.
SpaceX : Innovating the Controversies dream of reaching Mars Musk is the founder of Space X, which aims to be the first private company to put people on Mars and colonize the red planet. Space X has been developing the SpaceX Raptor rocket for years, which would be capable of carrying 10 tonnes into low-Earth orbit (over 17,000 km/h). SpaceX has even set a goal of opening up space tourism and hopes to put people into space in the minimum possible
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Musk’s Internet success, rather than his business successes, has led to his newfound celebrity status. His eccentricities have also garnered a lot of attention. He was involved in a variety of incidents and has endured controversy surrounding his business. He’s also come under fire for some of his unorthodox corporate policies, including getting into Twitter battles with celebrities. Musk’s pen-
Elon Musk’s charitable giving can be traced back to his upbringing in South Africa. He has stated that his parents encouraged him to give whatever he could to help the needy and underprivileged worldwide. For more than 20 years, he has been involved and supporting various charities and projects that aim to fight poverty. In 2014 alone, he committed over $10 million from his fortune towards this cause. Musk has been a philanthropist for quite some time: donating $100 million to the Open AI Vertebrate Fund (the AI research arm of SpaceX) and more recently $300 million to the Water Project, to name a few.
certainly made a mark on the world. Unfortunately, however, Musk is no longer the ambitious and daring man he once was. If his involvement with Mars One is anything to go by, it seems that Musk has become one of the most famous yet most muddled businessmen in the world. He seems to attain the same level of success with SpaceX that he had with his previous ventures, only to be left with nothing when the next business opportunity comes along. Is Elon Musk a billionaire himself? Not quite.
Elon Musk’s Contribution to Cryptocurrency Elon Musk, the founder of Tesla, has contributed to cryptocurrency through his work on Open AI. Open AI is a non-profit company
Future Business Plans At age 46, Elon Musk is now going for the very top in business and technology. He’s achieved something few people have – he’s managed to turn around a fortune of $4.5 billion in just eight years. In an age where no one can achieve that level of success, Musk has Issue 15, September 2021 | CONTENTS 17
dedicated to developing artificial intelligence for the good of humanity and preventing this technology from being used to control society. He has made 147 million USD in cryptocurrencies through his work, thus making him the 1st person to reach this mark. In 2013, Elon Musk invested in a bitcoin company. In 2018, he revealed that he had been mining Ethereum, a cryptocurrency. He believes Bitcoin will become the world currency. “I would go so far as to say that Bitcoin will be the world currency, along with conventional currencies such as dollars and pounds,” he says. For several analysts, it all began when a blog post appeared on cryptocurrency websites claiming Musk is Satoshi Nakamoto, the enigmatic cryptocurrency creator. The billionaire denies the allegation, claiming that he lost his Bitcoin. Elon Musk has been in the spotlight lately, particularly for his contributions to cryptocurrencies like Dogecoin. Dogecoin becomes a market fascination in part due to Musk’s tweet featuring the cover of the publication “Dogue.” Despite the absence of clarification, several users interpret this as another association to 18 Issue 15, September 2021 | CONTENTS
Dogecoin. Musk, without explanation, adds the hashtag “#bitcoin” to his Twitter profile. Within moments, Bitcoin surges by up to 14%, surpassing $38,000 on rumors that he is a Bitcoin holder.
All Pic Courtesy : Twitter & Internet resources Issue 15, September 2021 | CONTENTS 19
IMPACT OF COVID19 PANDEMIC ON BUSINESS Consumer Retail Market Vs. E-commerce
W
hile the flames of the pandemic burning revenues of consumer retail, might have eased up slightly, it still hurts. The current mass vaccination programs undertaken by almost all major countries, including the US, have kindled the hopes in the hearts of retailers of things finally getting back on track eventually. The keyword here is “eventually,” as most of the hurdles that such businesses face in the near future remain more or less the same. Further, consumer behavior has changed significantly due to the health hazards of the pandemic and its resultant change in lifestyle. Even experts aren’t sure if such transformed consumer behavior is the new normal.
the present rather than the near future. One thing is for sure; a rollback to the pre-pandemic “normal” ways of retail consumers is unlikely. And to keep your business floating, companies must adapt, innovate and tweak the different aspects of their existing operating models. The pandemic, in all probability, changed the very nature of the economy, healthcare, and society like little else before. So let’s take a birds-eye view of e-commerce and consumer retail in the pandemic affected world:
And being prepared for the potential new normal is, therefore, an intelligent move to make. The first and foremost aspect of the new normal is the home-delivery expectations of consumers. Unfortunately, most companies have tried to cut down the slump in revenue rather than invest more in business aspects that might give them an edge in the post-pandemic world. The majority of retailers, including those who thrived, still focus on 20 Issue 15, September 2021 | CONTENTS
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• E-commerce Went From soared by over 32.4%, according to the stats projected industry auStrength To Strength
thority eMarketer. Further sales The moment the pandemic be- likely rise to $795 billion in 2020, came a significant problem in the up from the 2019 figures of $600 US, e-commerce sales surged. To billion. stop the virus from spreading, the government passed orders to peo- Experts expect social commerce ple to abstain from doing their to bloom further likewise espedaily activities outside wherev- cially on platforms like TikTok er there might be a gathering of and Instagram. So naturally, such platforms are likely to tweak their people. user interfaces to make buying Unsurprisingly, consumers easier. turned to buy things online like never before under such circum- The e-commerce sector grew as stances. As a result, the increase in much in a single year due to the yearly sales in retail e-commerce pandemic as it would have taken
it several years otherwise. Such growth naturally led to retailers adopting technology more to stay competitive.
• Footfall At Retail Stores Plummeted Followed By A Modest Recovery You need not be a genius to figure out that footfall in physical retail stores plummeted in the af-
termath of the pandemic. At first, the government’s orders were to close stores altogether as they grappled with the crisis. When such lock-downs came to an end, the footfall didn’t quite reach pre-pandemic days. People were avoiding visiting physical stores unless it was necessary. 22 Issue 15, September 2021 | CONTENTS
While March, April, and May of the previous year witness to fall by an apocalyptic 26%, 45%, and 30%. Things got slightly better after that, with traffic fall reducing by 13%-18% on a month-by-month basis. However, a more flourishing consumer retail business still eludes us as mass vaccination programs are underway. Retail also needs to take stock of the po-
tential effects of changing work culture, people leaving cities, and general uncertainty about the economy. Coronavirus means social distancing is a necessity leading to longer wait times and more significant queues. Most consumers would not simply tolerate that Issue 15, September 2021 | CONTENTS 23
The Return of People to the Workplace Causes Uncertainty Are You Ready for Change?
and instead buy online and get things delivered to their homes.
• Consumer Sales Overall Was Resurgent But Apparels Took A Major Hit March and April 2020 were the worst for retailers as sales nosedived by as much as 1% and 16%, respectively. However, summer was better as retailers became more acquainted with the new lock down rules and operating procedures. Added to this were the greater feelings of safety amongst the general population, and sales grew by over 11% year over year in the three months of June, July, and September. The stimulus provided by the federal government and postponed demands resulted in relatively strong retail sales in the fall. Things got even better during the holiday season of December when people bought gifts with the money they would have paid for vacations. The result was a handsome increase of 6.7% in retail sales.
25%, and 20% from the months of March to July. Apparel sales didn’t increase in any month after March 2020 till the year’s end. A decent enough holiday sales figure was the only silver lining that prevented the closure of many businesses in this particular category.
BY : GEORGE KEMISH
The overall retail scenario in the US points to a badly hit but resurgent segment while e-commerce is flexing its muscles like never before.
But not all sectors experience a similar resurgence in the period. The year-by-year fall in apparel sales stood at 53%, 89%, 64%, 24 Issue 15, September 2021 | CONTENTS
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Returning from Remote Whilst you might learn the theory through attendance of formal Working Despite team meetings and support from line management, there is no getting away from the fact that people who have been working remotely have been working in isolation for much of the time. This, in turn, can bring about unexpected change and not only to the relationship between the employer and staff or even between staff members who were used to working in a team environment prior to the COVID crisis. The CEO at Goldman Sachs has stated that remote working is not ideal where a business relies on collaboration and innovation and, of course, he is right.
training courses, a great deal of professional development is nurtured through the learning undertaken in the workplace – especially in the picking up of ‘tacit’ knowledge which requires both the identification of a lesson to be learned and also an understanding of the context in which it was identified and in which it can add value. This raises further questions when it comes to having people return from working remotely. Have staff members experienced a change in customer expectations? Has this, or other events, brought about changes to work practices?
If staff have taken it upon themselves to change their work practices whilst working in isolation, this could bring about two distinct problems. • Firstly, if this has resulted in different work practices being adopted across the organisation it is likely to cause confusion for the End Customer and is unlikely to meet customer expectations when it comes to continuity of service. • Secondly it could result in workplace conflict with staff trying to leverage differing work practices when they return. So, what does this mean for the employer? There is a need for the employer to establish any lessons learned by members of staff, whilst they were working remotely, and to gain an understanding of how these may have resulted in changes to work practices. Once this data has been collected and evaluated, there is a need for business leaders to assess whether there is a need for changes to be made to work practices and, if so , then get feedback on following :
sation itself ? What effect will such changes have on Value Chains (working back from the Customer) and to the inter-departmental interactions required to support them? However, it is not just about changes brought about by the workforce.
What changes will business leaders have, or likely to, put in place in order to move the business forward How these changes might add value and ensure future continuity? to the Customer and to the Organi26 Issue 15, September 2021 | CONTENTS
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Have there been changes to the perhaps re-titled as ‘Reintroducstructure of the Organisation and, tion Training’? perhaps, to the culture that business Return from Furlough leaders would like to leverage? In addition to some of the changWhat effect will this have on lines es that have been highlighted in of communication and collaborarespect of people returning from tion within the Organisation? remote working, for those returnHas there been changes due to new ing from furlough there is also technology being introduced into a need to look at the problem of the workplace? skills-fade :
• Can this training be undertak- How well have you prepared for en prior to businesses re-open- the return of your staff? ing? • What will be the cost?
Conclusion I have no doubt that other people will pick up on other areas that will need to be researched when people eventually return to the workplace (given that every organisation tends to be unique). However, business leaders need to ensure that the structure of the Organisation is such that it can support the leveraging of the ‘right’ strategies, capabilities and culture required to encourage the innovation and creativity needed to ensure business continuity.
When did staff last receive training • How long is it since these peoin Health & Safety; Equality & Diple actually utilised the skills versity etc? required for them to do their job? This will need to be relayed to the staff as they return. Can this • Is there a need for re-training? be communicated, along with If so, what will be length of the any changes brought about due training programme? to lessons learned by staff whilst • What effect will this have on working remotely, through a proproductivity within the Organgramme of induction training – isation? 28 Issue 15, September 2021 | CONTENTS
In addition, they will need to ensure that people returning to the workplace understand the Value Chain (working back from the Customer) and the inter-departmental interactions (such as collaboration and lines of communication) required to support it. Any changes to work practices need to be identified and unified before moving forward.
My suggestion to the business leaders is to ponder upon -
AUTHOR: GEORGE KEMISH
George Kemish LLM MCMI MIC is a HR strategist and business consultant specialising in organisational design, workforce planning and business transformation. Currently working with Specialist Human Resources Ltd. , UK
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MANAGING PROCRASTINATION
BY DR. NEETA PANT
A
You cannot escape the responsihhh…. If the answer to most bilit y of tomorrow by evading it of above is YES, Procrastinatoday tion might be something that you ~ Abraham Lincoln are struggling with which brings us to the question :
What is Procrastination?? Let us dive deeper into the psyis the Proact • Do you find yourself strug- Procrastination chology of procrastination.
gling for time?
• Do you feel you have too much to do and there is hardly any time? • Do you feel your ‘to do’ list never ends?
of delaying or postponing a task or set of tasks. It is the force that prevents us from following through on what we set out to do. Procrastination is the habit of delaying an important task, usually by focusing on less urgent, more enjoyable, and easier activities instead.
• Do you feel the moment you finish one thing, there is something else that needs your attention, something already waiting for you to be catered crastination is derived from a latto next?
in word which is –Pro – means • You plan to do something but ‘forward’ & Crastinus – means ‘of end up doing something else? tomorrow’ • You find it hard to stick to rou- A procrastinator moves things forward, to the next minute, next tine/schedule? hour, next day, the day after and • Do you end up getting dis- so on. It is the practice of carrytracted easily and get over- ing out less urgent tasks in preference to more urgent ones or whelmed and exhausted? doing more pleasurable things in place of less pleasurable ones. Procrastination is something that 30 Issue 15, September 2021 | CONTENTS
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FOUR types of Procrastination
we end up doing occasionally but not everybody is a procrastinator. The trouble emerges when, overtime, procrastination turns into a habit. Habits are nothing but repeated unconscious patterns of behaving, thinking and feeling. The consequence of procrastination is truly unpleasant, it may lead to -
Feeling overwhelmed
-
Increased Stress
-
Feeling behind
-
Running against time
-
Lack of energy to start
- Feelings of helplessness -
hopelessness/
Self-doubt
- Insecurities about our own abilities 32 Issue 15, September 2021 | CONTENTS
-
Chronic anxiety/depression
Why do we still Procrastinate? Simply because the moment we procrastinate and keep something for future, it gives us a temporary relief & relaxation.
1. OVER DOER – They take on too much on their hand. They have unrealistic expectations, they have so much to achieve, and thus they have unrealistic goals. They end up scheduling more work than is possible which ends up in them not having enough time for daily routines even. The classic ‘over-doer’ belief around procrastination is “If I don’t accomplish all of this, then I’m not good enough”. The fear of not living up to their own impossible standards causes them stress and anxiety, which some people then deal with by procrastinating. This can further lead to feeling of burnout, guilt, self-doubt, and lack of confidence. How To Overcome It “Un-schedule” is the key here. This method involves filling the schedule with rest and fun activities before scheduling the day. For example, if one typically finds oneself browsing through social media for 20 minutes, add this into the schedule and plan work around that. This scheduled downtime or fun will prevent one from over-scheduling and overwhelming oneself.
2. ‘PLEASURE/FUN’ PROCRASTINATION – These people think there are so many fun and exciting things in life that one can do instead of essentials. The pleasure/fun procrastinator would prefer to be doing anything else as opposed to the actual task at hand. How To Overcome It One can attempt method called as “structured procrastination”. By starting a different task on the to-do-list, one has already given less priority to that project one has been dreading, and yet in the meantime, one is still being productive with one’s time. It’s a win-win. If one is going to procrastinate anyway, so why not do so by tackling something else on the to-do list rather than online browsing? 3. ‘PERFECTIONIST’ PROCRASTINATION – These people have very high standards set for themselves. They want to do everything in the most perfect way. For perfectionists, the fear of failing or producing work to a low standard, can be so overwhelming they never actually get around to starting anything. The typical perfectionist belief might Issue 15, September 2021 | CONTENTS 33
would have. 4. ‘PLENTY OF TIME’ PROCRASTINATION - These are people who think they have plenty of time to finish a task or to achieve almost everything. These are people who see the deadlines placed in future. They choose to engage in activities that are more rewarding in the short-term believing that there is plenty of time. They chose to put off tasks for days and weeks. sound something like “If I don’t do the task extremely well then I’m a failure”. The perfectionist begins procrastinating when becoming overwhelmed with the fear of producing work of a low standard, or fear of failing.
How To Overcome It
By setting deadlines and publicly announcing them, one is generally much more likely to complete the task, and even execute it well. If you are one of the types, try telling your co-workers, family, and How To Overcome It friends when setting deadlines. Procrastination can be consid- This form of public commitment ered a good thing for perfection- is likely to motivate you to meet your deadlines and keep you on ists as long as they have a lot of track. time to complete a task, they fantasize about doing the perfect job. Three strategies to manage ProLeaving it to the last minute is a crastination way of permitting oneself to do a merely adequate job which is the 1. Where is your focus? need. One way to assist perfec- Identify the Rocks, Pebbles and tionists from procrastinating, is Sand in your life - Our ROCKS to identify each time they didn’t in life represent things that are do ‘the perfect job’, yet the conse- most meaningful to us, gives us quences were the same as if they pleasure, happiness, joy, sense of 34 Issue 15, September 2021 | CONTENTS
accomplishment, purpose. PEBBLES are the smaller task that we accomplish on daily basis to keep life running and going. SAND represents the tasks that we feel that we are seemingly busy with throughout the day, distractions that take our attention away from the big rocks. We resort to these distractions to feel better & relaxed but in doing so all the rocks of our life get totally missed out.
the time on the small and insignificant things, we will soon run out of room for the things that are important for us. 2. Manage the ‘Instant Gratification Monkey’ In our minds, there is a rational
Identifying what is taking up most of the space in our life is most crucial. We must ask ourselves - what are we busy with, filling up the jar with sand or rocks or pebbles? If we fill our life with sand and small pebbles, there is no space for rocks. If we spend all Issue 15, September 2021 | CONTENTS 35
Rational Decision Maker = Adult who acts based on reality principle Instant Gratification Monkey = Distracted child based on pleasure principle Question here should be WHO SHOULD BE IN-CHARGE? decision maker which suggests that we do things that make sense and think long-term. Rational mind actually is the driver until this Gratification Monkey takes over and suggests that tasks can be postponed, and one can resort to fun activities instead like watching TV, online shopping, going out with friends etc.
important point to note here is that important tasks should never become urgent. Urgent Tasks – are things that you feel like you need to react to immediately.
Important Tasks – are things that 3. CATEGORIZATION OF contribute to our long-term misTASKS - All tasks can be divid- sion, values and goals. ed into two parts – The URGENT and the IMPORTANT. The urgent are not important, and the 36 Issue 15, September 2021 | CONTENTS
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Tips For Procrastinators
ing on the task.
Fortunately, there are many • Eliminate Distraction : Ask what pulls the attention away things one can do to avoid prothe most and turn off those crastination sources of distraction. • Make A To-Do List : Will help keep one on track, place a due • Reward Yourself : When a task gets completed on time, date next to each item. congratulate and reward by in• Take Small Steps : Break down dulging in something appealthe to-do list into small, maning. ageable steps so that tasks don’t Coming out of the procrastinaseem so overwhelming. tion trap isn’t easy. The urge to • Recognize The Warning Signs put things off can be strong, esIf one begins to think about pecially when there are so many procrastinating, force oneself entertaining distractions. While to spend a few minutes workprocrastination might not be
something one can avoid entire- AUTHOR: ly, becoming aware of the reasons why one procrastinate and how DR. NEETA PANT to overcome those tendencies can help.
A man who procrastinates in his choosing, will inevitably have his choice made for him by circumstances. ~ Hunter S. Thompson
Senior HR Professional Clinical Psychologist, Executive Life Coach, Soft Skills trainer, Graphologist, NLP Practitioner & Hypnotherapist
All Pic Courtesy : Dr. Neeta Pant
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Facilitating Organ Donation
Corporate Social responsibility By Dr. Vaneeta Aggarwal
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Long gone are the days when businesses meant just revenues and profits. Instead, businesses of today have evolved into organizations that also contribute to the overall welfare of society. Today, businesses serve to create jobs and aid the community and its constituent individuals in a wide variety of ways. Thus, CSR or Corporate Social Responsibility is not limited to large corporates anymore. More and more businesses are getting involved in making their societies and communities better. In this context, we will promote the upcoming World Organ Donation Day on the 13th of August.
to the failure of finding a suitable donated organ. While donating an organ is in no way an easy, painless and straightforward process, it is an action that gives another person a new chance of leading a normal life. Of particular interest are paediatric transplant centers with high survival rates that perform a wide range of organ transplants like liver, kidney, and heart. The following set of facts is sure to help illuminate the readers’ minds on the two constituent processes, i.e., donating an organ and then transplanting the same. • One Single Donor Can Affect Eight Other Lives
Importance Of Organ DoNo, you didn’t read it wrong. The nation organs and tissues of one individConsidering the above, it is only ual are enough to benefit more because the media does its bit than eight other lives, including to spread awareness of its imsome lifesaving ones. These doportance. People need to donate nors help restore eyesight in othbody organs and other associaters, get a fresh lease of life through ed transplantable body parts like replacement of damaged tissues tissue and eyes to save someone with normal ones and restore else. The organization United the body’s other vital functions. Network for Organ Sharing or It can be illustrated through the UNOS, in short, estimates that 2014 figures of 29,532 transplants about 120,000 people need lifetaking place from a pool of mere saving organ transplants in the 14,412 donors. US alone. Unfortunately, more than 21 people die each day due • Anyone Can Potentially
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Donate Organs
the liver, to someone who needs There are no set rules for being it. an eligible donor due to factors • You Do Not Have To like race, age, and medical histoSpend Any Money To ry. While there is indeed a mediDonate Organs cal history assessment process to Donors and their families need figure out if a person is eligible to not pay any medical fees or indonate organs, this is performed cur other medical expenditures by specialized organ donation when choosing to donate an orprofessionals. Recent medical gan or tissue. Instead, the agency breakthroughs in transplantathat is collecting the organ typition science have made it possically pays for these costs associble for a more significant number ated with organ donation. of people to donate organs than at any other time in the past. Fur- • Timing Is Essential In Organ Transplant ther, adults also have the option of making living donations. Liv- One of the most significant chaling donations refer to instances lenges to a successful organ transwhere adults donate organs that plant is its time-sensitive nature. are unnecessary for survival, like A large team comprised of over kidneys or part of an organ like
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These include the organ type. Just consider the following fact; livers and kidneys can stay healthy outside the body for 24 hours while the figure stands at a significantly lower 5 hours for the heart. Benefits of Businesses
ten medical professionals like nurses, surgeons, anaesthesiologists, and other specialist professionals is involved. When the donor is ready to go ahead with the process, one surgeon prepares the recipient to receive the organ extracted from the donor at another medical center by another doctor. Doctors are racing against time during a transplant, and coordinating the transfer and delivery processes is a tremendous challenge by itself. 44 Issue 15, September 2021 | CONTENTS
CSR
For
Businesses should take a step in educating employees of the need and importance of organ donation. Companies with sufficient resources can also give time off for organ donating employees or provide other incentives to encourage such generosity. By doing so, the business itself stands to benefit from the following ways: • It Boosts Employee Satisfaction Levels It is little secret that the attitude towards the larger community surrounding a business is telling how it treats its employees. HR experts have found definite correlations between the respect and support they receive in their jobs, productivity, and job satisfaction levels. Many liberal HR respects concede that providing an opportunity to employees to Issue 15, September 2021 | CONTENTS 45
serve as volunteers helps foster community feelings both within and outside the organization. This strategy is beneficial when you let them perform such tasks within the office working hours themselves. Such activities boost motivation levels, and employees take more pride in their work due to the personal development opportunity they receive. While serving the community as a business employee, elevate them to the status of brand ambassadors. Such enhanced engagement and being invested with the business and the community surrounding it boosts productivity. And more engaged employees mean significantly better profits. A particular study found 21% better profits resulting from greater employee engagement. CSR thus keeps employees happy, promotes your business as a brand, and helps the larger community.
ing maximum exposure for your and employee engagement and actions. teamwork. • Greater Customer Loyal- • Fosters Creativity ty Levels For businesses trying to spark off Nielson found out in 2016 through that flight of imagination in their a survey that a top purchasing employees and develop innovafactor for a whopping 56% of sur- tive, new ideas that defy previous vey participants was brands with thinking, CSR is a good thing to a known contribution towards so- try out. This is because CSR, by ciety. Another 53% of the partici- its very nature, encourages empants revealed that they viewed ployees to practice new activities brands with solid community and get a fresh flow of blood by service as a leading purchasing the time they return to their work factor. desks. itself is a significant PR achievement. In addition, when your business serves your community, it earns goodwill from your community, affecting your brand’s reputation positively. People feel better about purchases made from a business that has done a lot for them. It is only human nature.
You also need to publicize your • Enhanced Public Percepsocially responsible actions to the tion Of Your Business greatest extent possible. Let peoThe digitization of the world ple know about the efforts your makes it easy for businesses to business and its employees have attract attention for their social- put in to benefit the people. Like ly responsible actions. It not only many other aspects of marketing, gives them greater exposure but social media affects how successhelps them get accolades. That in ful you ultimately are in achiev46 Issue 15, September 2021 | CONTENTS
When the personal values are in line with the importance of a business, that is known to boost customer loyalty significantly. Another thing to consider here is that demographically speaking, millennials now form the most significant population segment. Experts don’t fail to point out that this particular demographic is known for its strong preferences. They prefer businesses with a strong social message, adopting high ethical standards, and employing sustainable manufacturing techniques. By being socially responsible, your business acquires the ability to portray its high corporate values and its commitment to the community
Such involvement in social work encourages an employee to feel empowered. They start not only to see the bigger picture but start to contribute to it too actively. It gives them the mental freedom to develop new ideas and share them with the business management. Such innovative ideas encompass products, processes, and solutions to existing business processes under its scope. CSR makes employees aware of the values and passions of the business; as a result, employees feel more at home while coming up with new and better ways of going about their tasks.
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WOMEN IN CORPORATE
WHY SHOULD THE CORPORATE WORLD SUPPORT AND REQUIRE WOMEN LEADERS? By Dr. Vaneeta Aggarwal
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s per various reports and studies, companies having women holding executives roles show better sales growth and accomplish the goals. Hence, many famous investors like Warren Buffet encourage female entrepreneurs and invest in women-led companies present in the corporate world. As per various investors, their 30-40% investment goes to the companies led and run by women. The reason is that women accomplish their financial targets with sincerity in a quick turn around time(as per data). Not only this but according to various researches, 80% and above American getting graduated from the universities prefer to establish their firms instead of landing up their dream job. On the contrary, companies run by women are not only beneficial for the investors but also the employees. Ultimately women as board members are undoubtedly good for employees and businesses. Now, let’s understand the advantages of women being council members, directors, CEOs, and leaders in several aspects of being a board member.
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Enhanced Performance Undoubtedly, you’ll come across various news posts, blogs, and articles that claim that womenled companies perform better in most aspects. If you just check out the latest Fortune 1000, the number of women mentioned in this list increases every year. As per one survey conducted in
Europe, women as chairman or director of the company perform far better than other competitors. Women take their competition more seriously and prefer to outsmart their competitors instead of just focusing on networking and profits. Including experienced women in the core business functions and the decision-making process, you’ll Issue 15, September 2021 | CONTENTS 51
Women Are Desirable Leaders
Highly
The term ‘desirable’ has a different meaning in the corporate world. As per various reports, 50% and above Americans prefer to work in companies where women are HRs, directors, board members, and CEOs. It’s not that male-led companies aren’t good, or they don’t pay you deserving wages. Women-led companies focus more on the employees’ overall well-being than the monthly targets. For example, whatever is your gender, women-led companies don’t only focus on you, but they also provide some perks for your family members. The work culture in women-led companies is far different, and you can’t see that everywhere. Compassion, collaboration, and freedom to work and speak are something you’ll experience experience better outcomes, at companies run by women. more fruitful profits, and higher Women are good mentors and life returns. coaches, which is essential for our Women dominate in the youth generation. corporate world, not because Women are good at leadership of irrelevant facts, but they are roles, and they will mostly show good at socializing, networking, you the right direction in your making profitable decisions, and life. If a woman is your senior cum don’t believe much in myths. mentor, you’ll learn to become a 52 Issue 15, September 2021 | CONTENTS
leader instead of a good salaried past. Women-led companies never believe in hiring top-notch and professional. well-experienced professionals. Women keep updating the They turn amateurs into industryleadership norms for developing ready professionals, and that’s new fruitful cultures for the why women are always the center employees and businesses. of attraction in the corporate Better Engagement world. If you’re not good at engagement, forget about becoming a leader in the corporate world. This is what women believe, and they also struggle to develop good connections and engagement skills. Women entering the corporate world are shy and don’t speak independently to the seniors and other colleagues.
Over time, women in the corporate world succeed just because of their skills. Women as board members interact well with their employees, understand their ideas and day-to-day challenges.
Thus, if you’re getting some good growth opportunities from women-led companies, you can definitely give it a try and nurture your professional career. They Widen The Talent Pool Women entrepreneurs understand the needs of women in executive positions. They encourage everyone to stop
Many people believe in the myth that makes women get more perks in the corporate world. Being a female entrepreneur is pretty challenging, and every moment one has to solve specific problems. Some can only become better at communication, engagement, and networking when he/she has faced numerous challenges in the Issue 15, September 2021 | CONTENTS 53
Have A Look At Some Key AUTHOR : Features • Employees of the women-led companies are likely to benefit from the work from home policies. • Women-led companies perform better in the real estate sector that also enhances overall employee engagement.
getting addicted to the ‘salary.’ But, they never only prioritize women; they select the deserving candidates for their firms. They also encourage employees to utilize the talent growing inside them and lead a better lifestyle. This is the ‘female management style’ which is not much accepted in the corporate world. As males more dominate the professional world, there are FEWER CHANCES of widening the talent pool. Women are not given many opportunities to hire fresh talents and welcome them in the corporate world. As per various reports, talent is both underused and wasted in 54 Issue 15, September 2021 | CONTENTS
the corporate world. Over time, the salary becomes a drug for both male and female working professionals to quit their life goals and stay loyal to their companies. But, this kind of attitude and work culture is decreasing because companies are supporting female professionals. Female leaders understand the importance of building bridges into leadership. They encourage everyone to unleash their potential and work on their dreams. Mentoring is one of the keys to success in womenled companies that are probably not seen even in multinational companies.
• Employees nurturing themselves at women-led companies are particular about their company’s mission and objectives. The Takeaway
Dr. VANEETA AGGARWAL CEO, Founder L’strategyq Advisors and Business Strategy E-Magazine
Overall all the reports and surveys show that women-led companies are better in many aspects. If the corporate world understands that making gender diversity a priority is essential, everyone will succeed and accomplish their long-term goals. So what are your thoughts regarding the women-led companies? Are they really worthy or just overhyped? Let us know in the comment section.
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CAREER BYTE What Advantages Data Scientists Give Businesses
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id you know that more than 1.7 MB of Data is created every minute for every person worldwide, according to Harvard? It is, therefore, essential that we investigate such data further. Furthermore, to make sense of all the information, it contains we have to structure it adequately followed by proper and accurate interpretation of the data before publicly revealing it to the people in a meaningful way. These all are tasks that data scientists excel at and bring to the table as employees of a business organization.
after everyday operations like: • Enhancing supply chains • Minimize Costs • Make sure sales processes are optimum
But the sad thing is that even in the businesses that have woken up to Data and its immense value, data monetization is a practice they are not familiar with. According to studies, only one in twelve companies using Data is optimally monetizing it as well. And that means that their investments in salaries and tools related Though in the literal sense, you to the field are not getting them need not be a data scientist to ac- the revenue they need to sustain complish the same. Still, such dis- the investment in the long term. tinguish will be more of a literal meaning than an actual, real and Monetization of Data is the next big thing within data science. practical one. MIT’s Sloan School of ManageBusinesses are full of available ment in the recent past prepared data, and with the expertise of a a report highlighting the use of data scientist, they can put it into available data by companies for practical use. Some of the ways monetization. Such data monewe can use data are as follows: tization is achieved by optimizaMonetize The Available Data Of tion of internal-facing processes and enhance external-facing proA Company cesses like client services. Some The field that affects the finances sectors that stand to benefit sigof a business is naturally the most nificantly from such data monetiimportant to them. Though many zation are as follows: companies have indeed started setting up analytics teams to look • Fraud detection for financial
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Have The Expertise To Be A Part • Targeting tourists and retail of Insights-as-a-Service Firms services and organizations
customers based on geograph- The insights resulting from data ical location can achieve several things which • Providing digital advertisers are simply terrific for businesses. with click-stream insights and We have mentioned most of them in the paragraphs above. But the smart targeting point is that very few companies • Using IoT (Internet of Things) can afford data scientists and Apps For Revenue the working environment necessary to gather and analyse data and produce insights. As a result, businesses are outsourcing data intelligence tasks leading to an insights-as-a-service segment. Studies indicate that 66% of enterprises outsource a significant (11%-75%) amount of business intelligence applications, according to the predictions of Forrester that this market will grow 2x with increasing traction. Even companies with data science professionals are likely to hire such insightsas-a-service firms to supplement their existing data science abiliThe initiative taken by John ties. Deere, a manufacturing compa- Be A Part Of The Core Decision ny, deserves a special mention in Making Team this respect. They gave data analytical tools to estimate things like Data Science has acquired so crop insurance costs, yield fore- much popularity for its usefulness casts, and managing related risks, that Chief Data Officer (CDO) is which significantly boosted their a position that a large majority of companies (57%) already have. revenues.
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Such personnel is part of the top management team at corporate organizations. More than half of all CDOs report to their CEO, increasing 40% in just a year. In addition, a whopping 85% of all companies in the US are trying to foster a data-driven internal work culture. Among the typical responsibilities of a CDO or a data scientist includes:
AI and Machine Learning have come to be through the emergence of the field of data science. With their capabilities, the latter is almost on steroids when data science combines with them. Indeed, the job portal reports that 75% of all data scientist roles include the terms “AI” and “Machine learning” in the job descriptions. As a result, professionals with AI • Creating a data-driven internal skills are much in demand which has risen 2x in the last three years. culture • Support such a culture
You Can Help Make Better Products
• Distribute data insights across The better suited a product is for diverse business lines its intended target audience, the • Find out innovative uses of more chances it has of succeeding available data to achieve supe- in the market. An analysis is due rior business processes, servic- To achieve the best fit for solving es, and products. customer problems. This analysis needs to have data as its basis. Become An AI Specialist
Companies should be able to attract their customers towards products. Therefore, they need to develop products that suit customers’ requirements and provide them with guaranteed satisfaction. Therefore, industries require data to build their product in the best possible way and need the advanced analytical tools used by data scientists.
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But industries also take into ac-
count market trends while developing products that lead to products that are more updated and targeted with their intended audience. With the rapid expansion in the growth of available data, businesses in all kinds of industries are better positioned to create new products employing various innovative strategies. We can cite the example of Airbnb in this context. Airbnb data scientists process and analyse customer data available to the company to meet consumer needs better and offer better premium services.
torical Data. There are numerous software tools for data scientists to carry out, such as SAS, SPSS, and SAP HANSA. Businesses stand to benefit in various ways by using predictive analytics, which is as follows: • Assessing risks • Sales forecasts
Utilize Predictive Analytics to Forecast Outcomes Without a doubt, predictive analytics is one of the most critical functions that Data plays in the functioning of a business organization. Through the advanced tools and tech of predictive analytics, businesses are better placed to use various types and forms of data properly. The word predictive is pretty accurate as through predictive analytics; statistical data analysis is carried out. Such analysis is done along several machine learning algorithms to predict future outcomes indicated by available his-
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BRAND STORY
The Power of Sound Captures the Transformation of Energy in Stunning Detail
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rtist and Photographer JORDAN LEE GARBUTT
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PROPOSAL - a unity of paths JORDAN LEE GARBUTT and souls bound by love. This increates Art from Sound Resulting ternational artist will undoubtain Stunning, Award-Winning In- bly be a household name by the end of this year. terior Décor. rtist and Photographer
Cape Town, South Africa July 16, 2021 – Many homeowners and business owners alike struggle with selecting art and creating a unique reflection within interior spaces. Artist and photographer Jordan-Lee Garbutt brings a completely new concept to the table with his latest exhibition, “The Power of Sound.” Jordan-Lee Garbutt’s talent is unquestionable, and his customer reviews say nothing less – with beautiful words from incredible customers who are beyond pleased with their purchases, that are sometimes even assisted with Jordan helping his clients through the selection process and as a result are exuberant about the new look and feel of their space. The last exhibition includes CONNECTED - the only Artwork in “The Power of Sound” series that shows no source or end, CELEBRATION- an electrifying piece that elicits numerous eruptions and finally 64 Issue 15, September 2021 | CONTENTS
“My mantra is to change the consciousness of the world, by opening people up to new experiences and emotions, that affect their outlook in positive ways,” said Jordan-Lee Garbutt, Artist and Photographer. “As a photographer, it is fascinating to capture something that you cannot see with the human eye.”
inks used, and all artwork is original, sure to please the savvy art buyer. Last, when you sign up for Jordan-Lee Garbutt’s newsletter on the website below, subscribers will receive a free 26-page E-Guide on “How to Choose Art of Your Home.” “My art is all about building a fairly repeatable process, letting go of what I couldn’t control and controlling what I could. As a result, it gave me, including the process freedom to create,” said Jordan-Lee Garbutt, Artist and Photographer.
Jordan-Lee Garbutt truly provides not only a unique gift, but a one-of-a-kind opportunity to create unique indoor living spaces with photographic art.
“After the first photograph, I knew I had to automate the process. Nobody would ever have the reactions to capture what I did based on reflexes alone.”
Additional collections include “THE LIVING GALLERY” - an experimental space that is forever changing and evolving and “THE JOURNEY OF LIFE” based on photos of the artist’s international travels and experiences. Jordan-Lee Ga butt creates a profound sense of feeling with every one of his photos his customers purchase. In addition, all printing is done in the USA, each work of art is museum grade quality with verified archival material and
About Jordan-Lee Garbutt After graduating with distinction at the top of his photography class. Jordan followed his dreams and moved to Cape Town to be at the heart of the South Africa’s entertainment industry. Working his way up from making coffee and washing dishes on ground zero, he would soon feel the industries heartbeat. Three short seasons along, and Jordan had assisted on shoots from stock li-
braries to magazine editorials. His road has taken him to the jugular of his trade, where he assisted the likes of award-winning photographers such as Annie Leibovitz and Vincent Dixon. A guest speaker at the Photo and Film Expo’, Africa’s largest photographic event in 2015, Jordan has grown and evolved. The Director, once full- time photographer captured the industry with his exhibition, “The Power of Sound”. Its successes have seen him featured on major online, print and television media platforms across South Africa. Jordan’s plans for the future comprises of creating a variety of photographic series, as well as getting a TV series that he has created and filmed. For more information or to purchase, please visit: https://www.jordanleegarbutt.com/
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MONTH’S HOROSCOPE Aries (Ram): March 21–April 19
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lthough you are known for your independence, your desire for unfiltered and raw intimate passion will hit a high note when Mars moves into Libra on September 14. Often times commitment comes with a price. It’s up to you to decide if you can adhere to the rules of the relationship.
Taurus (Bull): April 20–May 20
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hough your docile and calm nature usually makes you play by the rules that others have created in an effort to get along with the majority, it’s time to make your own mark on how the game is played — in business, love, and friendships
Gemini (Twins): May 21–June 21
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eptember’s breeze is offering you a moment to reflect on your next great visions, particularly during the new moon and harvest full moon on September 6 and 20. By the time Mars and the Sun enter Libra on September 14 and 22, your life will be buzzing with creativity. Opportunities that allow you to infuse your artistry and intellectualism together will fall in your lap, allowing you to blend romanticism with work.
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Cancer (Crab): June 22–July 22
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his month, you’ll have to go deeper within your heart to remember the pain, joy, thrills, and excitement you once experienced in order to become a better version of yourself in the current reality you live in and redecorating as Venus brings out your artistry. Let your heart wander back in time and find activities that you loved in your youth.
Libra (Balance): September 23–October 23
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ride and integrity are forcing you to manifest your uttermost desires. With the right planning, you can make any intention real — as long as you believe that you are worthy of receiving amazing gifts from the universe for your hard efforts. Venus’s splash into Scorpio on September 10 and Mars’s leap into Libra four days later will give you the tenacity and passion to make your dreams a part of your everyday life.
Leo (Lion): July 23–August 22
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he new moon on September 6 and full moon on September 20 are pushing you to evolve this month — which will prove to be harder than it seems, especially when Venus moves into Scorpio on September 10, which creates a seductive vibe that can make it hard to move forward out to others. Allowing yourself the grace and patience to understand this will make it easier for you to work through these setbacks.
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isengage from the negativity and align with positive sentiments. You’ll decide during the Virgo new moon on September 6 and the Venusian alliance on your Sun sign, which begins to manifest on September 10, that you don’t have to be a part of the gossip and chaos that’s swirling in your orb from your friendship circle. You’re realizing it’s best for you to focus solely on yourself and not the drama in your peer group.
Virgo (Virgin): August 23–September 22
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nything and anyone that is currently weighing you down needs to be expunged from your life. Whether it be an intimate relationship or professional partnership, you’ll find that it’s important to cut off energetic vampires who aren’t reciprocating the love and care that you’re giving to them during the new moon on September 6 and the Full Harvest Moon on September 20.
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Scorpius (Scorpion): October 24– November 21
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Sagittarius (Archer): November 22– December 21
eing a part of your community will make you feel as though you have a lot of support throughout the dog days of September. This sentiment is going to be very helpful when times get tough, you feel extremely lonely, and a helping hand is needed. You won’t feel alone when in your darkest hours as a result of their tender actions. In return for their kindness and generosity, you will offer them a meaningful friendIssue 15, September 2021 | CONTENTS 69
Capricornus (Goat): December 22– January 19
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nfortunately, you’ve gotten yourself caught up in the mundane energy of life. The good news is that the Virgo new moon on September 6 is awakening you from your seasonal slumber. It will inspire you to take major leaps and make decisions towards evolving your world for the better. Last week will charge up your energy again, and allow you to take greater risks in the work you do.
Aquarius (Water Bearer): January 20– February 18
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ou have been feeling restless and uncertain about the future — truth be told, we all are. But, you are letting your worries and anxieties get the best of you by letting them live rent-free in your head. You are not alone in these sentiments. Reach out to a friend, family member, or therapist to discuss your fears.
Pisces (Fish): February 19–March 20
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t’s been a long road towards achieving and attaining success — and that moment is finally here. Venus’s shift into Scorpio on September 10 is giving you the push to capitalize on your artistic talents and gifts. If you’ve been thinking about sharing a bunch of handmade goods on Etsy, then September is a great time to start.
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