THE ULTIMATE REWARD IS THE JOURNEY
When I was young, I thought the goal was a point at the end of the journey.
I think my earlier thinking was derived from my narrow-minded view that passing the examination when one qualifies is the goal.
During my early career progressions, I was subjected to a psychological analysis for a senior role I was being considered for. I had undergone these before and I expected this to be as valuable. One learns a lot about oneself in these scenarios.
This time I was evaluated over a four day period in various role play scenarios and it was undertaken by (a group) of psychologists.
Their aollcetive finding was that I was a professional academic. I disagreed with the finding at the time because I felt that that was furthest from the truth. I disliked academic examinations and hated studying at the best of times.
What I realise now is that their findings were correct if seen from one perspective.
I was continually looking for better ways to improve systems in the work place. That meant that my quest was never complete and one could say I was an academic for life as I researched items.
When I matured from my school view that the examination goal was the pinnacle (or validation of capability) and I realised that the experiences, knowledge gained and theories tested along the way is what ultimately brings me pleasure my world evolved differently.
I found through my career and still believe today, that there is an obsession by some in their work life that getting to the corner office is their ultimate goal.
During that process some will lie and cheat to get to their target, making enemies along the way.
The real goal though should be the journey to get there during your career. That is where you are at the most valuable in your life.
The reward that this brings is worth far more in life than any corner office ever can bring you.
The lessons learnt along the path of discovery, the pleasure from roadblocks overcome and the excitement from improvements sought from failing, is what develops and makes the person(ality).
The self-satisfaction from overcoming and finding the something better is what gives the most pleasure and happiness in life I believe.
How long does it take to master this course?
I believe that this journey in these studies in the Logic-Models™ should be approached no differently.
Some may read a section and analyse the model and find it basic. Others would find the lesson explained or scenario depicted does not apply to their specific environment. Others may even feel that the model utilised to explain a scenario may be better depicted using a different illustration.
In designing my models I found that for me that was part of the process.
I would design a model and think I had found a good way to illustrate something.
In later years I would question some of the models and my thinking.
How did that apply to the new customers I was helping?
Could the model be improved upon?
Were there better explanations to show a scenario and its outcomes?
The development in Financial Reports
A good example of this would have been the developments in the Financial Statements.
Whene I started out the Income Statement was almost perceived as sacrilege. I remember my seniors drumming into me how the Trial Balance had to balance before one even attempted to do the Income Statement.
This became second nature after a while. Most modern BI reports found this report to trivial to even present and it was looked at as superfluous.
That did not mean the Trial Balance was redundant, but rather more modern packages ensured that it was automatically in balance all the time.
The Income Statement was easily derived from this report and was created automatically.
However, modern business analysts do not rely solely on the information depicted in this report. They developed other reports and new theories were born.
Economic Value Added reports are built on the Income Statement ( and therefore by implicaton the Trial Balance.
If the foundations are wrong therefore all the other reports become wrong and decisions made based on such reports would also carry the risks of being wrong.
Business finance is a journey
Through the years I found that understanding finance and what business rules applied in a particular company is a journey.
What was new ground years ago had become old hat as time passed.
What worked in one scenario needed evolving in a new scenario.
It did not mean that the principles I had learnt or mastered in my early years had now become obsolete. Quite the contrary. They still applied and perhaps were even more entrenched.
However, if I never had the basic understanding from my early years, I could not build upon that knowledge and I would not be able to learn more.
My solutions would have been inadequate. So this became a continaul journey of discovery.