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Your turn, today, right now, to make that difference at work

11 June 2018
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Categories: Afternoon Tea in Jerusalem, Blog, Business, Israel

It’s the beginning of the week. The coffee is flowing. We are all aware of the subconscious that is screaming out “how can I make today meaningful?”. And that does not matter whether you are the big boss or the newbie in the outfit. What is it that you can do that will make a difference for yourself and for those around you?

I want to introduce you to three inspiring items that have come across my path in the past 24 hours. By sharing them with you and by comprehending the simplicity of these actions, I hope to inspire you towards that something extra special.

The first item comes from Sunday’s demonstration in central London. This was the annual march of those people who support Hizbollah, and it is known as a hate fest against Jews and Israel. Attempts to ban the event fail, as only the military wing of the movement is considered terrorist.

So imagine the sight. On a summer’s day, around 3,000 angry demonstrators are about to set forth, with full police protection. And then suddenly, the whole show comes to a stop before it has started.

Mark Lewis is a prominent lawyer in London. He is also confined to a wheelchair, due to MS. His treatment has been the subject of a television documentary. With the help of his partner, he merely wheeled himself out to the beginning of the path of the procession. The effect? The police refused to let the demonstrators proceed until the threatening (?) obstacle was removed.

Brave, daring and highly effective. I can but assume that the police feared for the safety of Lewis, although why anybody would want to attack a person in a wheelchair is beyond me.

Moving on, this morning I found myself listening to a TED Talk on why some people live longer than others. Delivered by Susan Pinsker in August 2017, exercise and better diets were not the core items of her approach. She emphasised “close personal relationships and face-to-face interactions”. And she added that in general, women excel in these fields better then men, and they live longer.

However, let us be honest. How many of us – particularly those from the big cities – struggle in performing such basic social functions as saying hello to the janitor in the office or smiling at colleagues? I have to admit that last summer I was on holiday in Cornwall, England, and locals would just greet you with a friendly ‘good morning’. It took me 48 hours to acclimatise.

Similarly, I opened a link on Facebook from Jay Shetty. The original post, which I cannot find, came from a marriage guidance counsellor. He can predict with extreme accuracy, which marriages will last, or not. The trick is in the little things – the email sent for no particular reason but expressing love, the extra kiss of care on the forehead, sharing a TV night in together, etc. All of these ideas rarely cost large amounts of money.

The link between all three items is that very often it does not take a lot to make that essential difference, whether it be in the world of politics or everyday social situations. What we are required to do is take five minutes of quality time in order to think carefully and quietly and with due purpose.

Have a great day!

 

 

What is just so ‘wow’ about Israeli entrepreneurs?

10 June 2018
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Categories: Afternoon Tea in Jerusalem, Blog, Business, Israel, Palestinians

TechCrunch Tel Aviv 2018, held last week, was yet another thrilling exhibition of Israeli entrepreneurship. As one speaker described it – the ability to find a big problem and then to create a global solution.

I was particularly struck by the observations of Uri Levine, the founder of Waze . It is five years since he sold out to Google for over US$1 billion. Dressed in a t-shirt and jeans, he announced that he had arrived on a bicycle.

And Levine posed the question: If today Israel is a leader in automobile technology – just think how ironic that statement is, when you reflect on the Arab oil embargo of old – what is the next target industry? Construction maybe? That too would be ironic in light of the poor building safety standards in the Holy Land.

There are those who argue that not enough software engineers are produced by the local education system. Professor Eugene Kandel, CEO of Start-UP Nation Central, discussed in a newspaper article on Friday that only 7% of the workforce is employed in high-tech. That figure should double in order for the country to maintain its competitive advantage.

As if to prove the point, Amazon is opening a huge warehouse centre in Israel. In order to staff this operation, the company is stealing / enticing / bribing techies away from Intel and other r&d leaders in the country. And these companies are already considered amongst the top payers.

According to an article in the newspaper “Ha’aretz”, a software engineer costs an Israeli employer around US$130,000 per annum. This compares to US$35,000 for an Indian.

Interestingly, the cost of employing somebody from the Palestinian territories is about US$42,000. And it appears that this is one of the areas the Israelis are turning to. TechCrunch featured the cooperation with firms in Gaza. Mellanox, an Israeli company quoted on NASDAQ, employs over 100 Palestinians.

What next for the Start-Up Nation? Chemi Peres from Pitango believes that Israel has shown the way forward in AI, which connects IOT to with human intelligence. His portfolio already includes companies looking at flying cars.

Can you literally “run off” your problems at work?

5 June 2018
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Categories: Afternoon Tea in Jerusalem, Blog, Business, Jerusalem

Coaches and trainers of all fields tell us that if we would just do some physical activity, we will feel better. If nothing else, a little bit of exercise is supposed to be good for us. So just try it, no?

My role as a business coach and mentor has forced me to dig deeper into this theory. After all, I cannot merely rely on the miraculous air of Jerusalem, where several of my clients hang out, to get them and their businesses into shape.

There is now plenty of literature that establishes a clear link between exhaustive activity and (ironically?) better thinking. As Melissa Dahl summarised, run and “new cells pop up in the hippocampus, a region of the brain associated with learning and memory.”

She continues:
Other post-run changes have been recorded in the brain’s frontal lobe, with increased activity seen in this region after people adopt a long-term habit of physical activity. ….. After about 30 to 40 minutes of a vigorous aerobic workout – enough to make you sweat – studies have recorded increased blood flow to this region, which, incidentally, is associated with many of the attributes we associate with “clear thinking”: planning ahead, focus and concentration, goal-setting, time management.

And I have proved this with my own clients. There have been times, when the standard meeting has proved uninspiring, I have invited them – not giving them much of a chance to refuse – to a quick yet stirring physical challenge. This is usually greeted with initial disbelief. However, as one person remarked to me twenty minutes afterwards, “Michael, I don’t know what you have done to me, but my head is rushing with ideas.”

Neuroscientist Hannah Critchlow confirms that neurogenesis, the birth of new brain cells, takes place in adults, particularly when running. However, she takes her research a stage further.

There’s a huge amount that seems to be hardwired into us and predetermined. You are born with a particular brain and that shapes your perception, shapes what you are hardwired to find rewarding. You are brought up in a particular environment and that reinforces what you are born with. (Thus,) if your perception of the world is based on prior experiences and hardwiring, then that shapes your reality, which goes on to affect your decision-making. A large amount of your decision-making taps into your reward system in your brain. Although there is scope to change certain behaviours, you have to make a real conscious effort in order to break habits and change how your reward system affects your motivation. I think neuroscience can be very empowering in that, in making me go for a jog rather than reach for a bottle of shiraz.

I have written previously about my own running efforts. There is no doubt that I can record the positive change that they have had in my career. I would like to sign off with a very different case study, which refers to a very brilliant yet fidgety individual, who has been asking me to help create a new professional path for him.

He realised his mistake only after he had told me that he used to run marathons, although you could not tell that from his current bodily outline. He has since run tens of kilometers – for me and for himself. And as per his running, his pace of commercial progress has also increased noticeably.

What does Roman Abramovich bring to the Israeli economy?

1 June 2018
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Categories: Afternoon Tea in Jerusalem, Blog, Business, Israel

I grew up in West London. I have been supporting Chelsea FC since I can remember. Last summer, like a little schoolboy, I took a tour of the club. Should I be pleased that Roman Abramovich, owner of the team and who has pumped hundreds of millions to secure success, has come to live in Israel?

It has been a rough few weeks for the Russian billionaire. Chelsea’s results have not met his expectations this season. He was refused a work visa to enter England (and thus missed Chelsea’s one triumph), probably on the back of the recent spying scandal. Plans to develop a new £500m stadium have been shelved. Rumours abound over key players to be released, as well as the possibility of him selling his properties in the UK.

Out of the blue, Abramovich announced that he is coming to live in Israel, a move which would earn him the title of the wealthiest person in the country. Under Israel’s updated “law of return” for Jews, he would be entitled to a healthy range of tax breaks for ten years.

In the framework of what is referred to as the Milchan Law, Abramovich gets a 10-year exemption from tax and from reporting to the tax authorities in Israel on income and property originating overseas.

Abramovich already has several investments in Israel. For example, in 2015, he acquired the Varsano boutique hotel in Tel Aviv for NIS 100 million, which he is converting into his Israeli home. A year previously, he invested US$10 million in StoreDot, which develops fast batteries for cars and smart phones. He has also invested US$0.5 million in an Israeli-Russian medical consultation group.

But why the publicity over the announcement? Abramovich is man who represents the typical oligarch, who made his fortune as Russia emerged out of the mess of the USSR. His path to success was solidified by massaging good relations with the Kremlin. As one Israeli journalist wrote today, he surely has the blessing of Putin to live in Israel.

And if Putin is involved, the mind starts to wander. To be blunt, people in Israel view Putin as ex-KGB, who rules Russia like a benevolent dictator. Who around him has not become mega-rich over the past couple of decades?

You have to assume that all this will have an impact on Israel’s relations with Russia. How? We can but speculate. The Israeli Prime Minister is another politician who has let himself be surrounded by those who have attained financial success. I wonder what the American State Department is thinking.

Small biz owner: Looking for that extra bit of luck?

30 May 2018
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Categories: Afternoon Tea in Jerusalem, Blog, Business
person wearing red low top sneakers and jeans
Photo by Nick Demou on Pexels.com

One of the well-trudged phrases I hear as a business coach and mentor is “if only I had that one piece of luck to make things go right for me”.

I sometimes feel like I am placed in the position as a commercial shrink. New CEOs or seasoned-tested executives turn to me despairingly and say that they deserve that extra something to go right for them. “Why me? Why is it not my turn for something nice to happen in business?

These people are lost for an alternative constructive strategy about what to do next. And the result is commercial immobility, which is frequently the predecessor for starting to go backwards. They become stuck in mud.

When you are the owner of a small or medium sized business, that emptiness can be depressing.

The scenarios are probably similar to some of my readers. It often starts when a series of clients end their contracts, often unexpectedly and at the same period. You then realise that the pipeline of potential revenue has dried up. Concurrently, that one additional unexpected large expense hits you between the eyes. And this is usually the time, when somebody in the family is unwell.

There is a saying that bad luck comes in “threes”. The reality is often much more harsh and rapid. So what can be done?

I do not believe in luck just turning up. I believe that we have to create our own luck. That means we have to be proactive. Here are three brief case studies to indicate what I mean.

  1. This week, I have been working with a couple of clients, who were concerned that sales have been slowing down. Their plea was that I come up with a plan. During some rather painful sessions, I encouraged them to come with their own ideas – what had been tried successfully in the past and could be repeated, or new approaches that had yet to be tested. And yes, matters have begun to move forward.
  2. I was asked by somebody to help them sell their property, as they had no real leads from their own efforts. We created a Facebook campaign together, and today there are two serious buyers on the map.
  3. A CEO was looking for additional financing, pursuing the customary channels via their own bank and private investors. A revamping of the proposition very quickly resulted in an injection of new cash flows.

That all sounds very quaint, but here is the catch. In none of the situations did the success actually emerge from the expected or intended sources. For example, new sales came via word of mouth rather than a calculated strategy. The prospective purchasers of the property had never seen it advertised on Facebook. And the extra cash is to come from the bank and other unexpected sources.

Luck? Definitely not. But in each of the cases, the change in fortunes resulted from the renewed efforts of the CEO. These created an unexpected chain reaction of events, which in themselves have led to the right result.

The lesson? Next time you feel stuck, take yourself off to a different environment. Start rolling out a strategy  even if it is not the most coordinated of moves. You are creating “noise”. And it is amazing just how many are out there waiting to hear from you.

VR demonstrates the place of Israel in the world economy

28 May 2018
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Categories: Afternoon Tea in Jerusalem, Blog, Business, Israel

I do not normally reproduce word for word a press announcement, but this one comes with a real punch. Coming from Israel’s Innovation Authority, the subject matter is:

South Korea and Japan’s Largest Corporations – Toyota, Hyundai, Yaskawa, Mitsubishi, Samsung and Fujitsu – to Meet with Israeli Virtual and Augmented Reality (VR & AR) Companies

On the surface, so what? Most of these conglomerates already have r&d centres in the Holy Land. Now think again!

It is still only three decades ago that these firms and many like them complied with the Arab Boycott of Israel. Today, that evil discrimination has evolved into BDS. As I have written many times in the past, this is just a politically correct version of anti-Semitism.

When you read the message below, just imagine how less well off the world would be if it boycotted such advances pioneered in Israel.
Tel Aviv, May 27, 2018 – The 5th ‘Road Show’ sponsored by the Foreign Trade Administration of the Israel Ministry of Economy and Industry and the Israel Innovation Authority will take place in South Korea and Japan from May 27th-31st. This year’s delegation is comprised of companies from the fields of virtual and augmented reality (AR & VR) and robotics. Seven Israeli companies will meet with business entities, production facilities, government officials and leading Japanese and South Korean corporations in a number of cities with the goal of strengthening trade and business relations.

Participants in the road show – organized by the Asia-Pacific Division at the Israel Innovation Authority, the Israeli Ministry of Economy and Industry’s Trade Mission in Tokyo, and by the KORIL Korea-Israel Foundation – include companies in the fields of AR and VR such as: Asymmetric Medical LTD, Newsight Imaging, Elbit Systems Land and C4I, Intuitive, Actiview, Elbit Systems HQ and White Raven.

The road show is just one important element in the range of activities carried out by the Israel Innovation Authority to make the Far East and Asian markets more accessible to wide sectors of Israeli industry. In light of the complementary nature of Israeli and South Korean and Japanese innovation, potential for technological cooperation between the countries is significant. Countries throughout Asia are seeking to invest in advanced technological solutions and are looking for innovative components to implement in their products.

The week-long series of meetings will enable the Israeli companies to have direct interaction with local companies, and lay the groundwork for significant R&D cooperation, investment and future business opportunities.

Israeli Minister of Economy and Industry Eli Cohen: “We are excited by the enormous global interest in Israeli innovation. The road show will assist several Israeli companies to penetrate Asian markets and is one more stage in the deepening technological and economic cooperation already taking place. This is an additional tool in the toolkit we have developed over the past few years to promote Israeli companies in the Asian market in a number of areas.”

“The world of robotics is a broad and highly advanced field in Japan and South Korea, but still has plenty of opportunities for growth and development,” emphasized Avi Luvton, Executive Director of the Asia-Pacific Division of the Israel Innovation Authority. “The combination of Israeli innovation with Japanese and South Korean capabilities may lead to significant cooperation in these fields.”

Noa Asher, Trade Attaché in the Israeli Ministry of Economy and Industry’s Trade Mission in Japan, said: “There is significant interest in this delegation in Japan, which included intensive meetings with leading Japanese companies like Fujitsu and NTT, as well as a seminar supported by the Japanese government. Japanese companies are scouting for innovative technologies in Israel. Robotics is one of the significant fields of interest in Japan, due to the government’s desire to advance the Japanese manufacturing industry while preserving its position in the face of competition from China and South Korea.”

Deborah Schabes, Director of the KORIL Korea-Israel Fund in Israel, noted: “In South Korea, as in Israel, there is a lot of R&D in robotics in general and in related technologies. Among the South Korean companies that will take part in the seminar and meet the delegation are Samsung Research, NT Robot, Hyundai Motor, as well as government research institutes.”

For additional details:
Brandon Weinstock
Foreign Media Advisor to the Israel Innovation Authority
052-7567211
innovationisrael@headline.media

F-35s: From Beirut to Jerusalem, ….and back?

27 May 2018
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Categories: Afternoon Tea in Jerusalem, Blog, Business, Israel, Jerusalem

Last week, the Israeli air force deliberately released a picture, depicting one of its new F-35s flying serenely over Beirut, arguably the first operational sortie of its kind in the Middle East. Clearly a big wow, and obviously sending a message towards the Iranian leadership.

Let me move on from the diplomacy and recall that F-35s are manufactured by Lockheed Martin. This huge conglomerate has been supplying Israel with planes for decades. However, the commercial links between the defense manufacturer and the Holy Land are just as significant.

For example, Lockheed Martin is estimated to have spent around US$1 billion is reciprocal purchasing arrangements in Israel since 2010. Back in 2015, it had already invested US$10 million in Cybereason, whose software prevents the hacking of large systems. And last week, the company opened a new office in the desert town of BeerSheva to coordinate its operations with the Israeli army.

What I have found fascinating is the latest news that Lockheed Martin is to open a preschool facility in Jerusalem called “Madakids”. (Mada means science in Hebrew).  It is to be deliberately located in one of the poorer neighbourhoods of the city, aimed at giving children a chance to develop their instinctive innovative skills.

The project is a first for the company, which is known to invest in primary and secondary schooling around the globe. The investment will only cover the funding of the science curriculum.

Assessing the value of money for a Palestinian – depends who you ask

23 May 2018
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Categories: Afternoon Tea in Jerusalem, Blog, Israel, Palestinian Society, Palestinians

The clashes on the Israel-Gaza border fence came to a head 2 weeks ago. At the cost of 60 lives, the leadership of Hamas secured an international PR triumph, while Israel ensured that no violent protesters were left free to attack townships nearby.

But what did the average Palestinian obtain out of his violence? After all, since the protests began on 30th March, about 120 people have been killed. According to Amira Hass in Ha’aretz, who is known for excellent contacts in the Palestinian territories, 42 were members of Hamas. A further 20 or so belong to another terrorist organization, Izz ad-Din al-Qassam brigades. Why the 58 remaining citizens were not prevented from going into a war zone is beyond me.

It is well established that the economic situation in Gaza is simply dire. In fact, one person was recently filmed committing suicide, possibly due to financial distress. The World Bank’s latest report details: –

  • 44% unemployment.
  • A drop in real wages by 27% since Hamas seized power from the Palestinian Authority a decade ago.
  • At least a third of the population survives below the poverty line.
  • Most of the water is unfit for drinking, while there are frequent power cuts.
  • And so the list goes on.

How much would it take to fix all this? According to an item in Yediot Ahronot newspaper, US$1.3 billion alone is required to clear up the water system. And relaxing border regulations with Egypt and Israel would contribute and additional 11% to the GDP – although for now this is unlikely, because the main export from Gaza is terror.

In parallel, there still appears to be enough resources available to invest in the continuous improvement of Hamas’ offensive capabilities, despite the freeze in wages.

Now pause for a moment. While people were dying in Gaza, what was the situation in the West Bank? Troubles and protests? Yes, but to a very limited extent.

Let me explain the difference, by looking forward to an event, which is due to take place in Jerusalem in May 2019. That is when Israel is expected to host the Eurovision Song Contest. Amongst the significant logistical demands that such a show creates, the host city will be flooded with thousands of additional tourists and also members of the numerous TV crews.

Jerusalem only has about 9,000 hotel beds. Capacity is normally high in May in an average year. Thus, other cities will be called into help to take up the slack, and that list will probably include Bethlehem and its 1,000 bed capacity. In other words, Israel can share part of this economic bonanza with the Palestinians, who are hardly likely to boycott this cultural cooperation.

Can you imagine Hamas accepting such cooperation and an influx of capital? In doing so, it would have to give up on its policy of violence.

 

Business culture, CEOs, and the one that got away

21 May 2018
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Categories: Afternoon Tea in Jerusalem, Blog, Business

Last week, I discussed how so many CEOs earnestly create a business culture, only not to practice what they preach. This results in employee disgruntlement, lost motivation and eventually a draw down on the bottom line of the P&L statement.

I do want to mention the latest article by Dr. Robert Brooks, which was posted a few days ago. He noted just how many people appear to be unhappy at work. He suggests four possible responses or changes in habit that can result in an emotional reappraisal of the situation. I suppose that they can be applied by either side of the table.

However, what happens if the roles are reversed? What can be done if an employee takes advantage of the culture for their own benefit, much to the annoyance of management? Maybe company policy or etiquette is threatened. This was the gauntlet thrown down to me, as a business mentor, by an owner of a factory far away from Jerusalem.

For some reason, I automatically thought of my daughter. Many years ago, she had felt humiliated by a senior teacher at school. She devised a plan of revenge for the following day. While not seemingly sinister, the result was that the headmistress was scared out of wits and I was immediately summonsed.

Let me be clear. What she had done was wrong, and I made sure that my “little girl” understood this from me in front of the staff. However, I had previously asked those in charge if a similar incident had already taken place. When they answered in the affirmative, I questioned why their response had been inappropriate. Why had the matter been left “unsorted”?

In other words, why had they allowed my daughter to move the goal posts – push back the boundaries? My teenage daughter had not been responsible for their inappropriate actions.

Now, I do not know the hard details of the story, which is evidently bugging my challenger in his factory. And I would guess that the issue is clouded by employment legislation. That said, I would argue that the first thing to do is to make known precisely to any “troublesome employee” what is and is not acceptable under the corporate culture.

Those lines cannot be broached, for the sake of the colleagues and for the benefit of the company as a whole. It is the responsibility of the CEO to ensure that those landmarks and their implications are understood by all.

 

 

 

Business culture – why CEOs lie about it

16 May 2018
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Categories: Afternoon Tea in Jerusalem, Blog, Business, Jerusalem

I have recognized that there are three elements to a culture: behaviors, systems, and practices, all guided by an overarching set of values. A great culture is what you get when all three of these are aligned, and line up with the organization’s espoused values. When gaps start to appear, that’s when you start to see problems — and see great employees leave.

Thus argues Melissa Daimler in response to her question in the Harvard Business Review as to why great employees leave “great cultures .

All of us have stories of organisations who talk about delivering something, but end up demanding the very opposite in practice from their employees. I recall one factory in Jerusalem, where the CEO really tried to be in touch with all the workers, yet one shop floor staff member was regularly required to turn out 33% overtime…despite a muscular problem with his hand. Or how about a large public charity, where one of the back office team feels obliged to work until 11.00pm on a frequent basis. Seemingly, no real appreciation is extended.

To summarise Daimler’s argument: So many CEOs preach a set of values and practices, which are just not matched by their own behavior. It is easy to ask why they act in this abhorrent manner. It is relatively simple to throw out a few obvious suggestions. However, in my experience as a business mentor, most of the guilty CEOs are simply oblivious of the dilemma, and which they have created

I was told of one senior employee, who left a multinational after years of devoted service. Their influence had been felt outside their own immediate territory. They were known to the top team, a team that insists on liaising with such employees before they depart the premises for the last time.

And yet, not a word was said, not even a brief email to say “thank you”. This silent message – call it the cold shoulder treatment or showing your back – does eventually reach others.

So what? There is a reason for creating a corporate culture. It drives motivation, which in turn drives sales.

So many CEOs are the very enemy of what they are striving for. From my anecdotal evidence, they have one thing in common. They are surround by ‘yes people’. And maybe that is why they do not realise the need to say ‘thank you’.

 

Palestinian poverty – the hidden analysis

14 May 2018
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Categories: Afternoon Tea in Jerusalem, Blog, Business, Israel, Palestinian Society, Palestinians

This week, Palestinians are being encouraged to demonstrate, and in some cases, violently. Today, America will open its embassy in Jerusalem. Tomorrow will see the culmination of six weeks of riots on the border with Gaza, which ties in with Naqba Day.

One of the motivating factors behind these tensions is the poverty in the Palestinian territories. And it is generally accepted that Israel is to blame for all the woes. Israel is rich. Israel occupies. Ergo, Palestinians are poor.

The fact that the leaders of Fatah, the main faction of the Palestinian Authority (PA), and Hamas are stinking rich seems to be irrelevant. Similarly dismissed is the issue that under Israel governance, the Palestinian economy boomed until the late 1990s.

Ha’aretz, an Israeli paper not known for being sympathetic to the current government, gave light on Friday to a very different approach. It discussed how at a recent Fatah conference in Ramallah, the non payment by the PA of April’s salary to 40,000 civil servants in Gaza was the hot topic.

Remember that it is now over a decade since Hamas violently eradicated the PA from the Gaza Strip. And the attempt on the life of the PA Prime Minister while visiting Gaza is still seen as a major insult by President Abbas.

These civil servants represent about 14% of the work force in Gaza. The value of their salaries is about 80 million shekels, the equivalent of a little over US$20 million. Throw in the fact that Hamas has increased taxes over the past year, and all this adds up to a dearth of money in the Gaza economy…. in the very week that Ramadan is about to commence.

According to Reuters, May’s wages have turned up, but with a 20% pay cut automatically docked. The squeeze is on, and Israel is merely a bystander in this powerplay? Well, not entirely. Potentially, it could up even further the humanitarian supplies flowing into the costal territory via the Kerem Shalom crossing point.

The problem is that on Friday the border post was thrashed by Palestinians, causing an estimated US$9 million worth of damage. As if to make my point for me, an Israeli news site reported that:

A Palestinian source in Gaza, meanwhile, told Ynet that Hamas has been profiteering considerably as a result of the crossing’s destruction. The Kerem Shalom crossing is operated by the Palestinian Crossings Authority, which is controlled by the Palestinian Authority (PA) rather than Hamas, he noted.

The source then explained that Hamas was encouraging rioters to damage crossings, thereby causing the PA to lose revenue from customs and other taxes levied on incoming goods.

Bringing the goods in through the Rafah border crossing, the source added, will allow Hamas to pocket such tax levies.

The riots over the next few days will distract international news media partially from reporting on the American embassy in Jerusalem. They will help to sow new hatred, both between rival factions and against Israel. They will also ensure that the poverty remains exactly where it is, so that swords are not turned into ploughshares.

Time to blame Israel again?

 

This week in Jerusalem, explained in stats

13 May 2018
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Categories: Afternoon Tea in Jerusalem, Blog, Israel, Jerusalem

Today, Sunday 13th May, is Jerusalem Day, recalling the unification of the city in 1967. Tomorrow, the USA will formerly moves its embassy to the Holy City. Tuesday is Nakba Day (Day of Catastrophe), which Palestinians describe as the day when the modern state of Israel was created in 1948.

Exhausting? Wednesday sees two other embassies inaugurated and Friday is the start of Ramadan for Muslims. I think the police may have cancelled all leave!

Why all the fuss? I think that part of the answer lies in the numbers. Since 1967, the city has grown from 266,300 to 882,700 citizens. 62% are Jewish, of whom 41% can be described as members of the ultraorthodox communities.

These numbers continue to grow. The average number of births per family is 3.2 children including both sides of the religious divide. However, there is a much larger figure for religious Jewish families.

As is almost customary at this time of the year, the government announces special schemes for the capital. One item that caught my eye is the 445m shekel allocation, about US$125 million, for improving the education sector for the Arab community.

Spread over five years, the plan takes in several aspects. These include advancing courses in innovation and entrepreneurship, as well as  in non-formal methods of teaching. I was also encouraged by the increased emphasis to be placed on teaching Hebrew, thus securing a greater level of integration.

And if you still think that Jerusalem’s economy remains based around tourism and the government ministries, take a look at these three headlines from the past month or so:

The city is hungry for more growth. Long may it be united, open to all-comers

An Intel-ligent way to respond to Israel’s critics

11 May 2018
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Categories: Afternoon Tea in Jerusalem, Blog, Business, Israel, Jerusalem

The hostile interview conducted by the BBC of the Israel ambassador in London, Mark Regev, is seen as typical as to the way many view the government in Jerusalem. Somehow the show’s host seemed to ignore that Iran had sent a fuselage of 20 rockets of Israeli civilian centres and implied that the Israeli retaliation through heavy air strikes was out of place.

Less than a month ago, Brian Krzanich, the CEO of Intel, attended a different aerial display. Barely spending a day in the Holy Land, he attended the official ceremony, celebrating 70 years since the country was founded. The central focus of an event was a special display of Intel’s Shooting Star fleet of 300 drones.

Intel has been associated with Israel since 1974, a period when the old Arab boycott was in its heyday. Today, there are roughly 11,000 workers, approximately 10% of the company’s manpower, spread over five sites, including one in north Jerusalem. The chips for the world’s current generation of computers are developed in Israel.

Intel’s exports from Israel are valued at over US$3.5 billion dollars, a nice chunk of the firm’s US$ 62 billion in global sales. There are current plans to invest a further US$ 5 billion in the country, in addition to the US$11 billion already spent.

Krzanich’s trip was his second to Israel in as many months. In March he had turned up to meet with the Jerusalem-based automotive chipmaker Mobileye , which Intel had purchased for US$15.3 billion a year earlier.

His interview with the Yediot Ahronot with Sever Plocker newspaper was revealing. He described how Intel is in Israel not just for the government grants and support. He values deeply the country’s human resources and intellectual skills. And he went further, referring to Mobileye’s contribution:

In 10-15 years time, we will look back and ask ourselves how we were able to live without automatic cars….

And I have to ask myself: Will that same BBC reporter and his ilk ever be able to come to terms with the many positive contributions Israel makes to this world, including the brave decisions it takes when responding to tyrant regimes?

Why you do not have to be “nice” at work

10 May 2018
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Categories: Afternoon Tea in Jerusalem, Blog, Business, Israel, Jerusalem

My friend Seth Vogelman, a commercial connector from Jerusalem, sent me an intriguing blog called “The unintended consequences of a too-nice work culture” by Jonah Sachs. Bottom line? Lower level colleagues are so afraid of offending others that vital information is not passed on and upwards.

In other words, the corporate outlook may be chummy and pally, but the opportunity for increased profits is dulled.

As a business mentor, I have seen this scenario played out several times, when entrepreneurs approach investors. As the former try to endear themselves to the person authorizing the cheque, they become over charming. All well and good, but what is of more interest to the target is whether the business owner can be hard enough to drive a new enterprise. A smile may get you some of the way, but only so far.

I recall that in one of my former positions in a large corporate in Jerusalem, I did everything I could to curry favour with the top team. And yes, I was appreciated. However, the colleague  – a really nice guy, I add – who secured the advancement was the one who reported in straight terms as to what needed to be changed.

Some people see business mentors and coaches as having the role of playing “Mr. Nice Guy”. I have long since picked out such potential clients as the ones that I am unlikely to sign with. My role may be to show empathy, but not to hide the sometimes painful facts.

Just this week, I met up with some young entrepreneurs with an interesting idea for a innovative app. By the end of the conversation, I had demanded a rethink. The market was too narrow and they had not conducted a reasonable survey of consumer expectations, amongst other issues. They looked a bit numb, but appreciated the frank approach.

And today, I encouraged yet another client to go back to their accountant and demand that they produce financial statements that have meaning. Why book keepers so often have to forced into making their reports functional is beyond me.

And for those who do not like confrontation on the work floor? Just think of the damage caused by not sorting out the mess, firmly yet with a smile.

 

 

In order to change the world, you need to ….

4 April 2018
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Categories: Afternoon Tea in Jerusalem, Blog, Business

In order to change the world, you need to change your mind.

This is a line, which is almost lost in the finale of a great musical by the name of Kinky Boots. I can assure you that once you think about it, you will realise how powerful it is. I often incorporate it into my work as a business mentor.

I was reminded of the phrase earlier this week for two reasons. First, on a personal note, I have had to overcome a personal challenge. Things were not going right. I looked around for external inspiration. Nothing has really fitted the ticket.

It was only when I appreciated that the change had to come from me, somehow, did I begin to edge forward. All very painful, and not so simple.

At about the same time up popped a commentary on one of Will Smith’s little videos. He has a knack of summarizing complex subjects in a couple of minutes.

Self discipline is the center of all material success. You cannot win the war against the world if you cannot win the war against your own mind.

It is not that people are born with more self-discipline. It is that others have learnt to adopt more resilience to outside pressures and interference. For them, those grey clouds in our minds barely exist. Why? Well that can be to do with our upbringing or otherwise, but it is something that can be learnt and adapted.

I would like to take this concept one stage further. Ironically (?) yesterday, I was reading about exercises or postures that will either make us feel or be perceived as more confident. It could something as basic as smiling more often or listening to a motivational song.

The tip that most strikes a cord with me is that so many of us hold ourselves incorrectly, and I am not writing as a chiropractor. We tend to slouch when sitting or drop our shoulders as we walk. The truth is that when you sit or walk tall, you feel better. You talk more positively. You radiate an aurora of confidence, which impact on others.

Now I challenge you. Just how much are these tips worth to you in generating more value out of what you are trying to achieve at work or elsewhere?

4 practical suggestions for a business owner

2 April 2018
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Categories: Afternoon Tea in Jerusalem, Blog, Business, Jerusalem

Almost everyday, I find myself inundated with motivational videos and blogs. Some work, and some….well, they are a bit weak.

So, I am going to spoil you dear reader. What follows are four links to some of the better pieces of content that have come my way in the past few days, with the message summarised for you. They are primarily targeted at the owners of small or medium sized enterprises. I hope you find them not just interesting, but useful and applicable as well.

The first one is for those who sometimes find themselves feeling a bit down – rejected is often a phrase that comes to mind. You have lost a contract. A trusted employee has walked out. You know that these things happen, but ………

Dr. Robert Brooks reminds his clients, when they talk about not receiving a work interview: “They didn’t reject you, they rejected your resume. . . . “. He develops his argument by noting that just because we see something right now as ever so excruciatingly important for ourselves, maybe it is actually merely a nice diversion. You learn to appreciate that there are many different paths that contribute to a life filled with satisfaction, hope, caring, compassion, and resilience.

My second item refers to that employee, who you have rejected and fired. Or maybe you did not realise they had been unhappy and they decided to leave. Do you know how much it will cost you to replace them?

Never mind the loss of knowledge of knowledge. Typically,

Employee turnover results in costs (internal and outside services) to the employer, including those for employee separation/departure, lost productivity, recruiting and hiring replacement employees, orientation and training of new employees, etc.

Put that into dollar terms, and you are finding you are starting to pay an extra half month’s salary just to keep you from moving backwards. Hefty on the cash flow of a SME. Do you want to go there?

Moving on to long-time entrepreneur, Richard Branson. I was referred back to an interview with him from 2015. He was asked what kind of people he recruits to run his businesses. The core of the answer referred to demonstrate that they can lead through ‘motivation’.

However, Branson prefaced his response by admitting how important it was for him not to run those new business units he had created. His experiences taught him that the day-to-day operations should be left to somebody else with a fresher approach. His added value is that of chief strategist, and that did not require him to be on centre stage 24-7.

Finally, but definitely not last, are arguably the ten greatest business bungles of all times. They are astounding to recall. They certainly put into perspective mistakes I have made or seen others carry out. My all-time favourite remains Number 2.

Nevertheless, for all the smirking, the video highlights a vital message, one that has not changed over the centuries – even if so many of us keep ignoring it. Know your market! And if you think you know what that is, go and check yourself again!.

I feel that all four items do come together under on theme. My role as a business coach and mentor is show my clients how their failures or those of others are not something to laughed about nor to be ashamed of. They are the basis for your next successful endeavor.

The silent peace process between Israel and the Palestinians

29 March 2018
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Categories: Afternoon Tea in Jerusalem, Blog, Business, Israel, Palestinian Society, Palestinians

On the surface, it is that time of year when the Israelis and Palestinians are about to strike up another round in their war of rhetoric. Tomorrow, residents of Gaza are threatening to march on the border fence with Israel. The week has already witnessed a series of illicit border crossings.

And meanwhile, the USA is ready to impose financial sanctions on the Palestinian Authority if it continues to use its budget to support convicted terrorists in Israeli prisons. Sweet news for Israelis, who have been campaigning on this issue for nearly two decades, to the understandable disgust of their opponents.

So, the summer Mediterranean heat is nearly upon us. The politicians are becoming more agitated. The peace process is looking more and more like a stagnant pond.

And yet………

Just over a month ago, the Israeli Minister of Finance, Moshe Kahlon, paid a visit to Ramallah. Press reports indicate that this was his third meeting since June 2017 with the Palestinian Prime Minister, and the next one is planned to take place in Jerusalem. Evidently both Abbas and Netanyahu are fully aware of all the details.

What has been on the agenda?

  1. Setting up a joint industrial zone near Modi’in Illit. Not solely designed for Palestinians, it will also target finding employment for around 2,000 ultra orthodox Jews.
  2. Reaching an understanding so that the tens of thousands of Palestinian labourers in Israel receive full pension rights, which are also paid out accordingly.
  3. Further improvement of the sewage systems, as the polluted drain offs have made its way into Israel.
  4. Improvements to the Palestinian mobile phone infrastructure.

Kahlon is not the only Israeli minister who has visited the Palestinian territories. Eli Cohen, the Minister for the Economy and a colleague in the same political party, has been looking at ways to improve the road system around a Palestinian new city.

I would not leap into the air too much over these moves. However, they do show what can be accomplished when there is good will on both sides. They also reveal the level of nonsense surrounding the public rhetoric of the negotiations from both sides.

This weekend, Jews around the world celebrate the festival of Passover, when Moses led the Jewish people out of Egypt. May senior politicians of both sides find the strength and wisdom to create more such talks, rather than guide their followers towards violence along border fences.

When an Israeli business coach confronted Jeremy Corbyn

28 March 2018
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Categories: Afternoon Tea in Jerusalem, Blog, Business, Israel, Jerusalem

It is two decades since I learnt a very valuable lesson in human resources. The incident was painful and embarrassing, but remains hugely insightful even today.

I was attending an extended training session. I was sitting in a circle, amongst my colleagues, one of the more senior members of the team. My assistant complained that I had not listened to him on a certain issue. I answered back. He then proved to me that this had occurred several times previously. And on each occasion, there had been a negative fallout.

Punch line – said in front of everyone. “Michael you cannot keep ignoring all the time what somebody is warning you. And then once the mistake has happened, you blame somebody else.”

In other words, at what point in time was I prepared to take responsibility for my actions, and how I had trained my own unit?

I went home a lot of humble pie.

I have since move on to become a business coach and mentor, primarily in the Jerusalem area. I have frequently confronted by CEOs, determined to shift the focus of their troubles on to the shoulders of their employees. Showing these leaders how they can change and thus an impact a situation is one of my challenges and thrills of my work.

And all of these thoughts can flooding into my mind when yet again I was reading about Jeremy Corbyn, the leader of the Labour Part in Britain. Now, as somebody born and educated in London, UK politics still interests. And to observe the need for British Jewry in the year 2018 to demonstrate against the demonic rise of anti-semitism in the Labour Party is deeply concerning.

We know that Marxists have a fundamental problem with Judaism. They, including Corbyn, claim not hate Jews. However, the religion is also a nation, which emerged long before the modern Israel-Palestinian conflict. That is an anathema; complete no-go territory.

Has Corbyn been warned previously that his words and actions (or lack of) and those of his supporters are offensive, degrading and unacceptable? The answer is a categorical yes, as this link will testify.

How many times? According to Labour MP John Mann:

Seventy-four is the official figure but there is a very significant number of others that have not been properly registered. It is many more than 74. There are around 130 other cases I know of which have been put in. They are going to be resubmitted, and I am asking for them to be properly assessed. What is depressing is that there are so many cases being dealt with officially – and that it had taken so long to deal with them. We are talking the last two or three years.

So Corbyn has been told of the issue. And he has done nothing about it, or next to nothing. That makes him the root of the problem. As per the theory laid our above, he is the one that must change.

Maybe he can start by recognising that Jews pray to Zion, and that is located in Jerusalem. That could be so confrontational, that it might conjure up a painful shout of “oi vay”!

(Just as I finished writing this blog, it emerged that Corbyn has been a member of 5 virulently anti-Semitic Facebook groups).

 

Israel’s economy at 70

25 March 2018
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Categories: Afternoon Tea in Jerusalem, Blog, Business, Israel, Jerusalem

Israel is on the verge of celebrating 70 years of Independence – a massive opportunity for a fun day with the family, as well as mega photo shoots for the politicians of today.

And there are two causes for all of this. First, for all the geopolitical threats over the decades, Israel is here to stay. Even Saudi Arabia is now letting planes fly over its airspace to Israel. Second, Israel has transformed itself from a backward agricultural economy to a high-tech giant. Israel is an OECD member with a stock market that has a top tier ranking.

The question is how has Israel moved from rank bottom to top 25?

Go back to 1948 and the early 1950s. The country was broke. Minimal imports. High unemployment. No industry. War reparations were a miracle gift. Still, the victories of the Six Day War in 1967 were followed by another depression. And nearly twenty years further on, Prime Minister Peres had to freeze prices and wages, while the stock market was temporarily closed.

So the question remains, why is Israel of 2018 a headline-setting example of innovation, entrepreneurship and hightech wonders? What has made the difference?

Sever Plocker is one of the country’s leading economics reporters. Writing in Hebrew last Friday in Yediot Ahronot, Plocker highlighted Israel’s immigration policy. In effect, what he was saying that every economic boom was preceded by a significant amount of new arrivals to the country.

For example, the 1950s were noted for the hundreds of thousands who fled Arab countries such as Egypt and Iraq.  Between 1956 and 1958, 37,000 rushed out of Poland, due to the country’s new anti-semitism. Add in the many who left Russia in the 1990s, and Plocker suggests that over three million people have arrived in 70 years.

The main waves occurred just before an economic boom. The current GDP per person is about US$40,000, twenty times that of 1948. And today’s total population is a little over 8 million, roughly equivalent to the size of Wales. It is the talents of these people, who support the phenomenal changes realized at companies like Checkpoint, Mobileye, Elbit and others.

Where are today’s core economic problems to be found? The OECD finds that Israel’s roads are amongst the most congested in the world – ironic for a country that was subject to an oil embargo. There is a chronic shortage of beds in hospitals. And large members of the potential workforce, particularly in the ultraorthodox and Arab communities remain just that – potential participants only.

To that list, I would add the centralisation of certain sectors; the lack of reforms at Israel’s ports and the restrictions on food imports are just two obvious examples. And these are opportunities to be exploited by vested interests. From here, it is only a short jump to cries of corruption amongst senior politicians.

That said, Israel has done phenomenally brilliantly in 70 years. I raise my glass to the next few decades of economic freedom and triumphs in the Holy Land.

I had one of awful those days, and you want to motivate me?

23 March 2018
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Categories: Afternoon Tea in Jerusalem, Blog, Business, Jerusalem

It happens to all of us from time to time. Suddenly you realise that everything is going wrong at work – Out of nowhere, an argument has erupted with a key customer; your next project is cancelled; that key worker passes away unexpectedly; and much more.

What do you do?

In truth, all of these happened to various clients and acquaintances of mine this week. You could claim that I have jinxed them. From the depths of their despair, they turn round and say: “You are my business coach and mentor. What do I do now?”

It is not so much a request as a demand for you to wave a magic wand and to make it all better in a jiffy. I suppose it is somewhat ironic that as I wrote this, I happened to be listening to R.E.M. play “It’s a bad day“!

Motivating is rarely the easy task as television and the cinema portray. We all wish that we had a Herb Brooks speech ready-to-go at the drop of a hat. You can hear him now urging on his ice hockey troupe –  “You were born for this”.

It ain’t that easy. I was running in the Jerusalem marathon a couple of weeks ago, and was in desperate need of some choice words just past the half way mark. Nobody was around. I had to make a determined effort to change my line of thought.

This assertiveness is a trait that some prefer to ignore. It is seemingly easier to be placid and friendly. I suggested to one CEO this week how it can be applied at work. However, by the end of the day he had written a brief email, describing how the advice had backfired. I actually believe that he may have blinded by immediate setbacks, which will be replaced by longer term achievements.

Hollywood actor Will Smith in a recent video put this very succinctly.

When you get to the gym and work out, you are seeking failure.

Now there’s a thought. Yup, he is right. He could even have said that we want to fail in order to succeed. And that is why is went on to state:

Get comfortable with failure……….because that is where growth is.

Remarkably, a few hours after listening to Smith, I came across a quote from an old man with a strange bushy haircut. “Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.” (Albert Einstein).

So, next time you have a “downer” at work,……………

 

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