Set them Up For Success Not Failure

I thought I’d share something about work today.

I remember that one of my New Year resolutions was to start working again? 

I can officially say that this resolution has a solid tick next to it now. Yipeee!

Every second Friday for eight weeks I pay a 5 hour visit to one of my clients (a world renowned chocolate maker ). During these visits I facilitate (or rather guide) an *RPL  session for 19 staff members who work the production line. I’m taking these learners through a Food and Beverage qualification which the client has initiated as part of their staff skills development plan.

I’m talking about them today because there is a certain lady in my class (Phumla) whose resilience amazes me. She’s was born somewhere in the fifties and has never had formal schooling. Any writing and reading skills she has are the result of self teaching. I watch her every Friday struggle through the sessions and I find this both heartbreaking and motivating. It breaks my heart that she has been put in a program without someone really assessing her learning needs. An immediate remedy would be to assign a mentor to help her through the program but despite my many requests none is forthcoming. I don’t think the coordinators appreciate how easy is it to extinguish that little flame of hope and desire some people have for learning if they have been out of school for a long time. Most become disheartened when they realize how much commitment goes into acquiring a new disciple (i.e. learning to learn). 

This is where I wish learning in the workplace was more about the people and less about the bottom line. As good as idea as it is, the reality is that most companies are just putting people through training for the tax  incentive.

Source

All that being said, I have never met someone that possesses more determination or fighting spirit as does Phumla. Away from our contact sessions, she finds it impossible to read and interpret the amount of content she has to cover. Yet every week she pitches up having resourcefully found her way through significant amounts of it (despite the fact that most is copied word for word from her learning material or additional resources). 

I’m afraid at the end she will not make it through the programme, not because she didn’t put everything she has in her work but because the system has failed her. Whatever diagnostic assessment was done that resulted in her attending this class had it wrong…..and sadly, the wheels of bureaucracy turn far too slowly to help this one diligent student. 

Why do we set people up for failure? This is the one time where truly one can see that in our good intentions we can do more harm than good.

I hope when the time comes I will be fit for the job in that I help her recognize the nuggets she has acquired by attending the program and put them to further use. Phumla is definite proof that learning is a lifelong and continuous process and we who are in the field have a responsibility. Our responsibility is to nurture the desire to grow and learn when we see it because for the Phumla’s of this world, this is a lifeline in a long barren stretch of road.

*RPL (Recognition of Prior Learning). This is basically a learning program where you are assessed based on previous work experience in order to formalize it into a qualification.

Elaine Talks Addiction

My friend Elaine Harman, owner of the revolutionary Time Clinic, wrote this article so long ago I'm ashame to mention when that was. I've finally gotten around to publishing it and even though it was written a while ago, I believe this topic has no sell by date. It will be relevant as long as there are human beings walking the earth. So hear I hand over to Elaine.

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Addiction - something we really need to get our heads around

I’m going to take a controversial stand here and say that I really do believe that addiction is a disease.  Why controversial you may ask? Even despite the growing amount of psychological and biological evidence that suggests this is so?

Well, the truth is, it is often addicts themselves that choose not to refer to their affliction as a disease as they feel it is disempowering. As a non-addict myself, who has chosen to study the field of addictions counselling, the profound differences between an addicted brain and one that is not have really made me question, “Is this not a disease?”, and though I deeply respect many addicts’ choice to reject the label of an official diagnosis, I often wonder if it would not it easier and assist in remove damaging stigmas if we accepted that addiction is a condition? A condition to view in the same light as diabetes or bipolar, as examples?  

Perhaps the timing is wrong, and we need more a little more science to light our paths.  In the meanwhile, let me tell you what I have learnt about this condition, and how much I have come to respect those who fight it every day.

Let me state clearly now that an addict is not a weak willed person!  A person’s measure of willpower has nothing to do with addiction. Until we let go of that notion, we will never understand addiction and will be guilty of discriminating unfairly on the basis of misunderstanding.

The addicts I have met are the strongest people I have had the privilege of knowing. This disease is one of the most crippling and powerful and scary I have ever seen, and I am in daily awe of all of you who overcome it and stand strong ‘one day at a time’.

I am sure that many of us have asked ourselves at some point in our lives, “are we addicted to xyz?” Or “do we have an addictive personality?”  The truth is there is no such thing as an addictive personality.  You either have the predisposition towards addiction, or you don’t.  It does seem to run in families.  The bad news is it can be quite random, and you might be able to ‘successfully’ use something like alcohol for most your life only to one day suddenly discover your substance / addiction of choice such as cocaine (or even gambling) which sets the brain alight and proceeds to take over your entire life!

How do we determine whether or not a person is an addict? Well, biologically addiction consists of a pre-occupation with the substance (or behaviour) that is activating the specific reward centre in the brain.  MRI imaging shows us that an addicts brain lights up pretty much like a Christmas tree when exposed to the substance / behaviour in question, and it appears additional receptors ‘grow’ in order to absorb the reward centre chemicals produced by exposure to the substance or behaviour.  

MRI imaging also shows us that in a recovered addict, the neurons lie dormant and can be re-activated at anytime, hence the need for abstinence and lifestyle change.  In a non-addict the brain does not grow these additional receptors.

How do you know if you are an addict? Well the pre-occupation is the warning sign. If a drink or a hit of whatever-it-may-be is all you can pretty much think about, chances are you are hooked.  Addiction becomes a problem when you start making excuses, hiding your habit, damaging your relationships, taking time off work and getting into debt. 

Alcohol is a tricky animal.  What people do not realise is there are many different forms of alcoholism.  You do not need to drink everyday to be an alcoholic.  If you are driving under the influence, chances are you are suffering from one of these as you are acting in an irresponsible manner and you really need to question your relationship with this substance.  There is no excuse for putting other people’s lives at risk, even if you do not care about your own!

The biggest misconception that the public hold about addicts is that an addict needs to hit “rock-bottom” in order to be able to pick them-selves up again and “get over it”.  The problem is that rock bottom for an addict often means death, and people do not realise that left to their own devices, an addict will use or drink themselves to death.  If you care for someone who is suffering from addiction, never leave them to their own devices.  Research shows any intervention, voluntary or not, has an equal chance of success.  You may feel the person does not want your help, but chances are they need it.

Society has become a very sad place.  If we look at what comprises most forms of entertainment these days, it involves eating, drinking or ‘clubbing’.  Alcohol and drugs are everywhere.  Community is on the decline.  I have the greatest amount of empathy for anyone suffering from this affliction as they are constantly exposed to their demons at every point and turn.  Their condition is misunderstood.  Peers and work colleagues pressure them into having ‘just one drink’ not realising they are potentially activating a chain of events that could destroy the person’s life.

It is an affliction that must be fought every day, hence the AA motto “One day at a time”. There are many precious lives lost to this terrible condition, and the tragedy is these are often our artists, our great thinkers, our creatives, our talented individuals, our writers, and our musicians! Addiction seems to be attracted to talent!

If you know an addict, support them with care and understanding.  If you know someone who is struggling with addiction, educate them and attempt to refer them to a place of treatment as often as you can.  If you suspect you might be an addict yourself, do not be afraid, there are fantastic networks in place and professionals that can assist you every step of the way. Do not delay in getting help.

Denial is the devil’s handmaiden in the addiction game.  It is the mechanism that causes everything to get out of hand.  Be aware of this thorny, barbed self sabotaging mind-trap, and don’t let denial block out the truth of your situation until your life is completely out of control.

I have the greatest amount of respect for those of you who have beaten this condition and continue to fight it daily. I honour your strength and commitment and I hope you realise how incredibly powerful you really are! I look at addicts in recovery and am humbled how much they have grown as people, their incredible honesty moulds them into outstanding human beings.  I apologise to you, on behalf of all of us, that our society does not recognise you or accommodate you as it should. 

For those of you who need help or are looking for a treatment centre in South Africa, I would highly recommend contacting The Houghton House group of Treatment Centres on (011) 787-9142 (24 hour number) or visit www.houghtonhouse.co.za.

Elaine Harman is a corporate and life skills facilitator who uses psychology to assist delegates in overcoming negative self sabotaging patterns in their lives such as procrastination.  Her flagship course, The Time Clinic, incorporates techniques taken from the human sciences in order to assist delegates in changing their behaviour in order to better manage their time, their tasks and ultimately themselves.  Elaine has studied as an addictions counseller and seeks to educate the public to assist in overcoming biases and support the addicted community.  Visit her website or contact her on www.timeclinic.co.za.

Elaine Harman

071 685 5449

elaine@timeclinic.co.za

www.timeclinic.co.za

Juice It All Up.....

I've always thought that if I were an animal I'd be a dog. I love horses but definitely a dog. Even though I've frequently denied it, all my friends always said I'm "wife" material. Secretly I knew that I'm extremely domesticated. I love looking after my home (especially before I got married because I had all that time). I feel a great flush of pride when my kids and husband look good. I also never tire of thinking of ways of entertaining everyone or cooking meals they love or searching for bargains to improve the aesthetics of my home. Nothing tickles my inside like walking into a beautiful home that I live in. I think it might be the same feeling an author might get when they get their first print of a knew book they've labored on.

I guess that's why I can get as excited as I've been about getting a juicer for a present. My hubby got me one of these about two weeks ago and I've had an entire two weeks of splendid juicing. What is it that excites me so much. Well I love that I now don't have to rely on vitamin supplements alone to make sure that the daily nutritional requirements are met. First thing in the morning I've been making sure that all the kids have a glass of fruit or vege juice freshly extracted.

Yesterday I even got my husband to commit to drinking a glass of a mixture of beetroot and carrot juice first thing in the morning to help with his high blood pressure and eye sight.

But what I am most excited about is not having to buy baby food because no matter how organic a product is, if it has to be on the shelves then there must be preservatives in it. In fact we bought a couple of banana puree's which baby refused to eat because they were so sour to the taste, and yet they were organic.
So i'm sure you can understand how happy I am that when I'm cooking for the family I can take partially boiled veges and puree them for her.

I've also been struggling with carb and sugar cravings for a while now so I suppose it really is true, a craving is a signal that your body is screaming for nutritional fulfillment in a certain area. My sugar and bread intake has reduced significantly to no gassy drinks, refined bread or sugar.

And best of all, now vege or fruit has the chance of going bad. Everything from broccoli to cucumber is getting slushed. Its amazing how nice everything tastes when you add some pineapple or chilies or salt, pepper, etc to it.

So I say Yes to Juicing IT ALL!
What health benefits do you use your juicer for?


By the way, I made my first teacher appreciation gift for my son's teacher. Its far from perfect (and I promise myself to do better with the stenciling next time) but what do you think? Its a hand sanitizer that I wrapped up. I think every teacher appreciates one of those for their desk.

I'm grateful to Julie at A Less Than Perfect Life of Bliss for her tutorial on how to do this. She is a phenomenal DIY DIVA.