Carrot Sticks

This ain't about food.
This has more to do with motivating our employees & resources to achieve project goals. Oftentimes, managers choose between a carrot (providing rewards and incentives) and a stick (providing penalties) to ensure project success. Some managers often have a preferences depending on their very own nature. They normally tend to go with what they themselves see as their very own motivating factor. In reality, both carrots and sticks are needed, although in most situations, a carrot is more appropriate. Sticks are used when situations call for more drastic measures and the opportunity to reach for the carrot becomes futile.
It is quite unfortunate for me (and more unfortunate for my teams) that I am now required to pull out my stick. I'm still hoping for the best though but am constantly preparing for the worst.

Coffee and Car Batteries

Ok. Now what do these two things have in common? Nothing really. To me however, it made my day last thursday.
After bringing my eldest daughter to school, I decided to make a really quick trip to starbucks to get some coffee for myself and some breakfast for as well. And so I illegaly parked at the sidestreet thinking to myself it's 8 in the morning and no one would mind a 5 minute stop.
Indeed, it took me less than 5 minutes even to get back to the car. I cranked the ignition and...

crank. crank. crank. the car wouldn't start.

Oh sheet. The car batteries look dead. Yet I said to myself this is a 2007 model car. The batteries couldn't possibly be dead this early?

Yet after getting an automechanic to look at it, apparently it was.

So what's the lesson here?

Simple.

1. There are just some things you cannot plan for at all. You can only plan for so much contingency. In this case, I had no contingency. No extra cash tucked away for such a time as this.
2. Lack of contingency often makes matters worse. In this case, since I did not have cash, I had to resort to using up my allowance for my trip to Mumbai.
3. When risks become issues, you have to look at other risks if they are impacted by the change of events. Apparently, I just realized that I had to leave my ATM home since my beloved SO needed to pay the rent while I'm out. I now have 66% less money than what I originally had as an allowance.
4. When it rains, it pours. I just found out today that the magnetic stripe of my credit card aint working properly. I will now be leaving the country with 66% less cash, no ATM, and a personal credit card that might not work.

However, good managers like you and me don't get down so easily. Situations like these call for one to plan again, looking at the current situation at hand.

So what's the plan? I don't know yet. I just trust that my instincts will see me thru.