SynergyWeb7

SYNERGY - The Second Principle

2009-06-23T14:20:00.000-07:00

Each participant must be HONEST with himself and others in expressing his true ideas and feelings without fear of reprisal. Do not accept anything at face value without putting in the proper amount of study, prayer, pondering, comparing, experimenting, etc.

To be continued . . .

William H. Clausen
Synergistic Solutions
503-678-6522
synergyweb@yahoo.com

SYNERGY - The First Principle

2008-06-26T13:21:00.000-07:00

My first opportunity to apply the principles of synergy to a practical situation came when I was a Chief Engineer. I was assigned to redesign a hinge that was not working properly. I asked my draftsman to work with me to redesign this hinge. But before we began I shared with him the ground rules for this project. I shared with him the concept of synergy and how the results were not going to be a compromise but a whole new level of understanding that both of us would completely agree with. This is what I shared with him:

Principle One
Each participant has different styles, talents, backgrounds, viewpoints, ways of processing, etc. These differences are the necessary ingredients for pollination of ideas on a higher plane to take place. “If both of us are the same, then one of us in not necessary.” Accept and utilize these differences, therein lies the power of synergy.

To be continued . . .

William H. Clausen
Synergistic Solutions
503-678-6522
synergyweb@yahoo.com

Lessons Learned from Working for Others Part 2

2008-06-26T13:05:00.000-07:00

In the following articles I will review my experiences related to making a living. You may find that you have also had some of the same experiences.
These articles are about what I learned along the way that may help you.

It was during this time of re-evaluating my career that I stumbled into the field of nutrition and multi-level marketing, as a result of searching for health answers for my wife, I had found a new passion that combined health and a potential career. It took 20 years of trial and error with different companies to realize that to grow a Multi-level business, depending on other unskilled sales people, didn’t work for me. I always ended upon carrying the major portion of the load, running out of useable time while not earning enough to replace my full time income.

In the 5th year in the insurance field, I had a vivid dream about getting into business with a specific person and marketing some type equipment that I had never seen before. Not long after this dream, a friend asked if I would be interested in a business opportunity that he had just got involved with. I said I would be interested. He brought a man over to talk with me about the business. When I first saw the man, I recognized him from the dream, which triggered my enthusiasm even more. While discussing the business and the equipment we were to market, I recognized that the equipment was just exactly what I had seen in my dream. In the dream I was cautioned that it would take some time to get the business going. So, off we went.

Two years and 3 businesses later, overzealousness of government inspectors, theft, greed, dishonesty, lack of funds and a multitude of unfortunate events caused all three businesses to be dissolved voluntarily. In one of these businesses, four of the partners walked away, leaving unpaid loans in the amount of $70,000. Contemplating upon those three businesses I learned that it is rarely a good idea to go into partnership with others, especially friends. The other lesson is that the cost of going into business and the risk of failure are extremely high for start up companies.

Once the last business had been dissolved, I found a job working as a draftsman for a company in the semi-conductor industry. In a short time I became a Project Engineer. After two years, this company began negotiations with a large European Corporation in a buyout bid. I didn’t feel comfortable with the negotiations, and decided to seek other employment. I found a position as Chief Engineer with a manufacturing company. One month later the previous company was closed down and everyone was let go. It was a corporate take over that hurt many people.

To be continued . . .

William H. Clausen
Synergistic Solutions
synergyweb@yahoo.com
503-678-6522

Review of The 8th Habit by Steven R. Covey

2008-06-04T11:39:00.000-07:00

One of the things that I have learned from working for other is this: there is a major shift going on in our economy that we should become aware of and then take steps to position ourselves to take advantage of this shift.

I remember reading in Steven R. Covey's book "The 8th Habit" the following concept: "The five ages of civilization's voice: first, the Hunter and Gatherer Age; second, the Agricultural Age; third, the Industrial Ages; fourth, the information/Knowledge Worker Age; and finally, an emerging Age of Wisdom." (page 12)

As each age emerged in the world the old ways began downsizing and the new ways increased as the pioneers paved the way to higher productivity. Most jobs today are based in the Industrial Age philosophy. "The main assets and primary drivers of economic prosperity in the Industrial Age were machines and capital - things. People were necessary but replaceable. You could control and churn through manual workers with little consequence - supply exceeded demand." (page 15)

● According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, mass layoffs reached a 10-year peak in the first quarter of 2005.

● In January 2005 alone, 2,564 different large layoffs, affecting 239,454 workers, occurred.

● 1500 jobs are eliminated daily in U.S.

The rest of his book explains how you can find your voice and apply this knowledge to upgrade your stability and financial worth in the coming years as we move into the next era.

● According to a industry expert Home-based business is a $427 Billion a year industry. That’s more than the pharmaceutical industry, food industry, and consumer goods industry combined!

● The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that there are now over 18.3 million home-based businesses in the United States. (Entrepreneur Magazine)

● According to the Small business Administration, today more than half (53%) of all small businesses in the U.S. are home-based.

● Every 11 seconds someone starts a home-based business.

The book has given me a new lease on life. Go to Search 2.0 (just below my profile on the right) and find The 8th Habit in Amazon.com so that you may order it and upgrade your life also.

William H. Clausen
synergistic Solutions
synergyweb@yahoo.com
503-678-6522

Lessons Learned from Working for Others Part 1

2008-06-03T15:04:00.000-07:00

In the following articles I will review my experiences related to making a living. You may find that you have also had some of the same experiences.These articles are about what I learned along the way that may help you.

When I was young the future looked so bright and the path so clear. I knew what I wanted out of life and I prepared myself appropriately. My two passions were pitching in baseball and designing things. I had a natural ability for throwing a baseball, which I developed with hours of practice each day. From grade school on I studied very hard to get good grades and attended a boy’s technical high school to further enhance my education. I spent a lot of evenings studying while others were enjoying fun, after school activities. I felt strongly that the proper preparations, hard work and sacrifices would guarantee my success in the future.

The course of my life changed during my first year in college when I signed up to go into the Army in which I served 18 months in Viet Nam. While in the service, I experienced a whole different world which caused me to search for a philosophy of life that would strengthen my resolve not to fall into the moral decay that was all about me. It was during this time that I meet a member of a Church whose example attracted me. After much study I joined that Church and that has made all the difference in my life.

After returning home from the military, I served a two year Mission for my Church which definitely expanded my life’s views. Following the mission I returned to finish my education. One of the benefits of military service was the G.I. Bill which enabled me to obtain both a Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering, and a Master’s Degree in Structural Engineering. During this period I still had a desire to pitch, but it became obvious that in order to complete my education on time I would need to give up my baseball career for a more enduring career in engineering. Graduating gave me such a great feeling of accomplishment.

After graduation I returned home and obtained a job as a Structural Design Engineer for a Consulting firm. My career was started and life looked great! We (my new wife and I), bought a new home and started to build our family. Then, to my surprise, things changed again. The economy took a nose dive and I was let go after only 5 months. What a blow this was to find out there really is no security in working for others. I finally found a job working for an Insurance company as a technical services specialist. This new job was a ‘temporary’ step to help until I could get back into structural engineering. However, that did not happen as I had planned.

To be continued . . .

William H. Clausen
Synergistic Solutions
synergyweb@yahoo.com
503-678-6522

SYNERGY

2008-06-02T11:40:00.000-07:00

Before we can embark upon this journey, we must first come to understand why I entitled my blog “SynergyWeb7”.

SYNERGY is the process of creation by which Jehovah organized the worlds. It is also the process by which we complete our individual puzzle or mission in life. The basic definition is as follows: the whole is greater than the sum of its individual parts. For example, fire is the result of a synergistic combination of three separate constituents: oxygen, combustible material and sufficient heat. Fire has the power to propel a jet aircraft thousands of miles per hour or burn down an entire city. However, if you take away any one of its elements there is no fire, no power for good or bad. Thus the power to accomplish any goal is in the proper combination of the individual ingredients. For example, the individual colors of the rainbow when combined synergistically form light, which gives life to all things. Synergy is how it all fits together perfectly.

Typically, in many situations in which I have been involved, the process of coming up with a solution to a problem was more political than scientific in nature, more a compromise than a higher level of understanding. In today’s world, short term thinking dominates because of power and greed. The time pressures created by this type of thinking demands that those in subordinate positions compromise their desire to produce quality work for the demands of management to move ahead immediately, despite the problems. This method produces many long term problems.

To be continued . . . When we will consider the First Principle of Working Together Synergistically

William H. Clausen
Synergistic Solutions
synergyweb@yahoo.com
503-678-6522