FOXNews.com - Gore's Global Warming Film Gets Rave Reviews From Climate Scientists - Science News Current Articles
Tonight my husband, my 13 year old-daughter, her girlfriend, and my 10 year old son went to see An Inconvenient Truth, Al Gore's documentary about global warming. Other than me, my son was the only one that really wanted to go, but I let everyone know (other than Kelsey's friend) that staying home wasn't an option. Kelsey thought it would be "boring", too much science. She couldn't have been more wrong. And we all agree - including Kelsey - everyone on the planet needs to see this movie.
Al Gore presents just the right amount of scientific fact to wake us all up to an incredibly scary issue. Our planet and our lives are in jeopardy IF we don't make changes NOW. In fact, I walked out wondering if it could be too late. AND I am an optimist. Kelsey said she is not sure if she wants to have kids. My husband said the movie should be shown in every school. I said that the movie should be shown in every business.
This is a movie that matters. It matters more than any other movie you might consider seeing this year. And guess what, it's time to wake up and smell the coffee.
As I have said before, we are not bad people. We are simply unaware of the impact of our actions. This film lets us clearly understand the impact we are already having on the planet. In the movie, Al Gore writes these two equations. Old Habits + Old Technology = Predictable Results. Old Habits + New Technology = Unforeseen Consequences. He uses the example of how warfare changed as we went from simple weapons like spears to guns, tanks, and then the atomic bomb. Suddenly, we became aware that our old habits of taking up arms could destroy the planet! Well, in every industry, in every past-time, we are using new technology that requires energy to do it's thing! Much of that energy burns and adds carbon into the atmosphere, thickening the blanket that keeps us warm. Unfortunately, this is causing some unforeseen consequences... the ice caps are melting. The hottest 10 years on record on the planet have occured in the last 14 years. Check out the climate change facts. The unforeseen consequences are actually very visible in this film, and the path ahead looks very dim, unless we collectively open our eyes and take action.
So see the movie. Bring your kids. Go with friends. Organize a group to attend together. Read the book. Click here for some actions to get started - as a citizen.
And now let's talk a little bit about one of the IBM Values--Innovation that Matters to our company, our clients and the world.... Where there is a challenge- - like global warming, there is an opportunity. In this case, a tremendous opportunity to innovate. As corporate and global citizens, we need to leverage our research and development, our existing technologies and our ingenuity and creativity to find more energy efficient and environmentally sound business, engineering, and production processes! AND we need to design and develop energy efficient, environmentally sound products! And in IBM, we are doing some of that. I say, let's kick it up a notch or two (or ten!).
Most of us have an innate desire to live a life that matters. Sometimes, we think it's enough to raise a loving child, or help a friend, and these are important actions. I am asking you each to consider playing bigger - maybe even playing a Bigger Game. Like Al Gore. His game field is the planet. His compelling purpose is to wake us up so we can save it. I'm in - how about you?
Hi all! My purpose here is to share my personal journey, my writing, my musings and wonderings, and to encourage deep dialogue about this life we get to live. Each generation evolves humanity, and I'd like us to get a bit more intentional about who we are becoming! So let's evolve together...
Thursday, June 29, 2006
Friday, February 17, 2006
IBM to Focus on Infection Disease Containment, and Finding Your Passion at Work
IBM and Scripps Research Institute to Collaborate on Pandemic Research; ''Project Check-mate'' To Focus on Infectious Disease Containment. This is what makes me proud to be an IBMer. And absolutely, this is about playing a bigger game. For me, from inside of IBM, it feels like we are beginning to put some real meat around the IBM Value, Innovation that Matters. Believe it or not, we have a VP of Global Pandemic Strategy (Roland Harris III).
I know how important it is for me to feel like my work at IBM makes a difference. And it seems that I am not alone - we all want that, don't we? Personal passion or full engagement at work is getting lots of attention right now in popular business books. There is research from Gallup , Institute for Employment Studies, and the Corporate Leadership Council and other sources that indicates that a very large percentage of the workforce is not fully engaged at work, and this is drastically impacting business results!
Many books have been written in the last 5 years that speak to igniting the passion in the workforce, getting the right people in the right jobs, leveraging their strengths, and increasing innovation and productivity. I think one of the best books is The Power of Full Engagement: Managing Energy, not Time is the Key to High Performance. The book is based on years of experiencing in training worldclass athletes to be at their best, and has since been leveraged to build "corporate athletes". Other books include Covey's The Eighth Habit, and Marcus Buckingham's Now Discover Your Strengths. And I stumbled on these books without even trying!
My job at IBM is to develop and enhance the leadership competencies of our sales leaders. Well, guess what? The highest level competency behaviors require a fully engaged employee. Think about it, if you're not fully engaged at work, are you going to take strategic risks, embrace challenge (really!), and go out of your way to develop yourself and other people? Our most effective and inspiring leaders breathe passion and engagement, and they breed it in those around them, like an infection!
These are the leaders, fully engaged, at IBM, and all over the world, that will drive "Innovation that Matters to IBM, our clients and the world". Because they know "what matters" to them, and they care enough to find out "what matters" to their clients. And they are bold enough to draw outside the lines of a typical seller, who will "meet a client's needs", or help a client "solve a business problem" (which are still important - of course!). They will stretch themselves and their clients to play bigger. To dare to think beyond driving profit, and cutting costs, to make an positive impact in their industry, and to drive the human race forward, intentionally. At our best, IBM is already working on curing cancer, stopping pandemics, improving healthcare, transitioning IBMer's to teaching positions, and so much more, as is offered up in our current report on Innovation in Corporate Responsibility.
So let's get personal here... How engaged are you at work on a scale from 1 - 10? How often do you notice yourself "disengaging" - from a conversation, a project, a conference call, a colleague? What brought you to your current job/career? How engaged are your peers, and other employees? How can you increase the passion, and the sense of fulfillment that you get from your work?
Maybe the most important question of all.... what matters to you? And how can you be doing more of that?!!
I know how important it is for me to feel like my work at IBM makes a difference. And it seems that I am not alone - we all want that, don't we? Personal passion or full engagement at work is getting lots of attention right now in popular business books. There is research from Gallup , Institute for Employment Studies, and the Corporate Leadership Council and other sources that indicates that a very large percentage of the workforce is not fully engaged at work, and this is drastically impacting business results!
Many books have been written in the last 5 years that speak to igniting the passion in the workforce, getting the right people in the right jobs, leveraging their strengths, and increasing innovation and productivity. I think one of the best books is The Power of Full Engagement: Managing Energy, not Time is the Key to High Performance. The book is based on years of experiencing in training worldclass athletes to be at their best, and has since been leveraged to build "corporate athletes". Other books include Covey's The Eighth Habit, and Marcus Buckingham's Now Discover Your Strengths. And I stumbled on these books without even trying!
My job at IBM is to develop and enhance the leadership competencies of our sales leaders. Well, guess what? The highest level competency behaviors require a fully engaged employee. Think about it, if you're not fully engaged at work, are you going to take strategic risks, embrace challenge (really!), and go out of your way to develop yourself and other people? Our most effective and inspiring leaders breathe passion and engagement, and they breed it in those around them, like an infection!
These are the leaders, fully engaged, at IBM, and all over the world, that will drive "Innovation that Matters to IBM, our clients and the world". Because they know "what matters" to them, and they care enough to find out "what matters" to their clients. And they are bold enough to draw outside the lines of a typical seller, who will "meet a client's needs", or help a client "solve a business problem" (which are still important - of course!). They will stretch themselves and their clients to play bigger. To dare to think beyond driving profit, and cutting costs, to make an positive impact in their industry, and to drive the human race forward, intentionally. At our best, IBM is already working on curing cancer, stopping pandemics, improving healthcare, transitioning IBMer's to teaching positions, and so much more, as is offered up in our current report on Innovation in Corporate Responsibility.
So let's get personal here... How engaged are you at work on a scale from 1 - 10? How often do you notice yourself "disengaging" - from a conversation, a project, a conference call, a colleague? What brought you to your current job/career? How engaged are your peers, and other employees? How can you increase the passion, and the sense of fulfillment that you get from your work?
Maybe the most important question of all.... what matters to you? And how can you be doing more of that?!!
Thursday, January 26, 2006
Innovations in Corporate Responsibility - IBM
This was a headline on our IBM corporate Intranet this morning, and it really caught my eye. IBM.com has just published "Innovations in Corporate Responsibility 2004-2005", which highlights the company's corporate responsibility activities and updates most of the data that IBM reports on a regular basis.
I haven't read it yet, but I know IBM does some really great things, more than I realized. And I hope to read how much more we are planning to do... More comments after I actually read the report, and I would love your comments too. What do you want from our major corporations, many of them with more economic pull than medium sized countries? What do you expect beyond shareholder returns? And how do you let them (big corporations) know what's acceptable, and what's not?
Corporations are constantly trying to assess marketplace needs and wants, and they are looking at the some really simple things, like what are people buying! So basically, everyday as we purchase products (groceries, electronics, vacations, supplies, gifts, services, gas, power...), we are voting "yes, more of this!". We are rewarding producers of goods and services with our $$$, and basically telling them that we support their practices and methods by which these good/services are produced and delivered to us.
Frankly, I never thought of it this way until fairly recently. So it's not even a conscious vote, I believe, for most people. Many of us are just on auto-pilot, trying to provide for our families and our future - right? We are good people, overall, and we don't know what we don't know about the environmental and economic impact of these purchases. Until we really start to look... And I have started to look, and to "vote" much differently with my dollars.
I am buying almost all organic foods, not just because I want the best health/least risk for my family, but because I want to support companies and small businesses, and farms that produce these goods with much less impact on the environment! I am buying environmentally friendly cleaning products, and in general, to buy from companies that I believe are "doing the right things" for the world. In 2006, I plan to purchase windpower for my electricity at home. I plan to shift my investments to socially responsibile corporations/funds. And you know what, it takes a bit more conscious thought, but it feels really right, and empowering. And I am trying to teach my kids to think about these things as well (but that's another blog topic!).
So I encourage you to think about how you are voting with your $$$. Even small changes can make a difference, and send the message to corporations and other institutions that we do care about our neighbors, and the health of our familes, and our environment. And if you want to be more explicit about that message, here's a link to the "Take Action" page on Co-op America website, one of my new favorite places for exploring more socially responsible living.
Is my skin turning "green"? No, not visibly... But I think my heart is...
I haven't read it yet, but I know IBM does some really great things, more than I realized. And I hope to read how much more we are planning to do... More comments after I actually read the report, and I would love your comments too. What do you want from our major corporations, many of them with more economic pull than medium sized countries? What do you expect beyond shareholder returns? And how do you let them (big corporations) know what's acceptable, and what's not?
Corporations are constantly trying to assess marketplace needs and wants, and they are looking at the some really simple things, like what are people buying! So basically, everyday as we purchase products (groceries, electronics, vacations, supplies, gifts, services, gas, power...), we are voting "yes, more of this!". We are rewarding producers of goods and services with our $$$, and basically telling them that we support their practices and methods by which these good/services are produced and delivered to us.
Frankly, I never thought of it this way until fairly recently. So it's not even a conscious vote, I believe, for most people. Many of us are just on auto-pilot, trying to provide for our families and our future - right? We are good people, overall, and we don't know what we don't know about the environmental and economic impact of these purchases. Until we really start to look... And I have started to look, and to "vote" much differently with my dollars.
I am buying almost all organic foods, not just because I want the best health/least risk for my family, but because I want to support companies and small businesses, and farms that produce these goods with much less impact on the environment! I am buying environmentally friendly cleaning products, and in general, to buy from companies that I believe are "doing the right things" for the world. In 2006, I plan to purchase windpower for my electricity at home. I plan to shift my investments to socially responsibile corporations/funds. And you know what, it takes a bit more conscious thought, but it feels really right, and empowering. And I am trying to teach my kids to think about these things as well (but that's another blog topic!).
So I encourage you to think about how you are voting with your $$$. Even small changes can make a difference, and send the message to corporations and other institutions that we do care about our neighbors, and the health of our familes, and our environment. And if you want to be more explicit about that message, here's a link to the "Take Action" page on Co-op America website, one of my new favorite places for exploring more socially responsible living.
Is my skin turning "green"? No, not visibly... But I think my heart is...
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