Management: The French Touch

Management is the key to success for a company. Today managers, good managers know how to lead a team, how to make them work well for the company but also know how to congratulate them and above all how to stimulate them. They know how to stimulate each member of the team showing him or her that his or her part of work is important for the company.
But French managers are still working like if they were a few centuries ago when a manager was a little king of his or her company. First of all, they don't know how to really smile when they get in the company. On the contrary they always frown and when they try to smile it is obvious that it is a false and a strained smile. It is very rare to hear a French manager greet the team.
So that is just to start. As for leading the team it is like if we were in the Middle Ages in front of the master of a castle who had all rights toward his people because they used to be his property.
Some people might think that I exaggerate but unfortunately not. I live this everyday in the company where I work. But the worst of all is that those so called managers are absolutely incompetent and have no sense of what a real leader should do in a company. They still act as if the company was theirs and the staff their slaves. At each meeting, we hear absurdities from people who are sure that their word is the absolute truth. One can say that it is typically French as these people are arrogant and think that they are superior to the rest of the world.
All around me, I have people who have worked in other countries, like the USA, the UK and even Brazil, who have the same comments about French managers. In fact it is the exact replica of what happens at all political levels in France. Once a French man or woman is elected at a political position, he and she forgets what democracy means and only thinks of him and her. We can see it at the highest level of political life where even former presidents, former ministers, members of parliament and senators are sure that first they acted perfectly well when they were holding a position and second that they need recognition and money and privileges given to them by the state. To cut a long story short by taxpayers money.
Last but not least thing: promotions and responsibilities. A good manager cannot keep a good team without promoting and giving them higher responsibilities after a while in the company. But only on merit. In France promotions and responsibilities are given to members of the staff who are friends and members of the manager's families. Not to mention that people from Arab and African descents don't get high position in companies because French people are still racist towards these two "races".
But the worst, is that this situation will not change soon.

Bad Weather in Paris Means Bad Thoughts in Heads

It seems that winter has already arrived in Paris. After a few weeks of great heat it has quickly started to be cold and rain made the temperature drop. Unfortunately it is the weather in France and in part of Northern Europe. Is it the reason why people always look sad and grumpy? Not really but it might be one of the reasons. People don't look at each other in Paris. They always look sad and never smile. In the metro it is incredibly gloomy and people either listen to their music with their Iphones or look at nowhere in particular but never to each other.
It is true that living in a place like Paris, in particular and France in general, is not satisfactory as people are always complaining about everything and anything. But it's depressing. This country is a depressing one as everybody complains all the time. In fact nothing has changed for ages.
My dream is to go back to the USA to live and work. One of the things I learned there is never to give up dreams and projects. Even at my age, I have to believe in the future and in the fact that it will be much better than it is now. I need to go on working on opportunities to leave here for good, this time. I have made a lot of mistakes that I am paying for now. However, I cannot go on beating myself up and thinking that nothing good will happen to me. On the contrary, I need to go on being optimistic about my future. And I am which is great. The problem sometimes is that I don't really know how to act in order to see my dreams come true.
It is a pity that I haven't lived in the USA during the Obama's years as president. I try to follow what he does almost everyday and I feel some melancholy to be away from the USA now. I do think that the election of Obama as a president in the USA is a great page of history that have been written by the Americans. They showed the whole world that even though there still is some racism in the country, a majority of Americans cast their ballots for him. Isn't that great?
This day was a rather good day although grey and rainy. But interesting.
OK guys, I'll leave you with a question: how can I do to go back to the USA?

Incompetency in business: a given in France

France is a country where incompetency is not important in business. What is important is to be sure that one has someone he or she knows in a position instead of looking for someone who would be the right person for the job. I have been thinking that it was exaggeration from my part while I have been seeing this situation repeatedly in companies where I went to give languages lessons. But now that I work in a French one, it is so clear that the skills of someone for a specific job are not what will give it to him or her. What is important for French so called leaders, is to put someone they know to work with, someone they can control. In fact, what is happening is that they are so arrogant and so selfish that they really think that they are good in everything and therefore they make the right decisions by naming someone they know to a position. But in reality, it is just because they are so unsure of themselves that they better have someone they can control to keep their job. Everyone unknown is a danger for them. He or she could be much more competent than them and it is a danger for them. But one can see this very clearly everywhere. Just look at the French importance in the world. Fortunately the country and the people don't have any importance in the world. One has to live an another country to see this reality.
That was great for me when I was living in the US and before in England. And when I went to Brazil it was also clear. Not one single mention of France in my everyday life.
Unfortunately now I am in Paris and I have to live through this. If one believed in what he or she hears on the radio or TV, one would think that the whole world works thanks to the French.
I really don't like this country and even less the French. But I need to work this out by myself in order to be able to go somewhere else for a better life.
What I did learn in the US is never to give up. I want something therefore I need to work on it to make it happen. It is not easy, for sure and with age it is becoming harder but until my last breath I will do anything to leave France.
My dream is to go back to the USA because life there is great. Now I do know for sure that the famous "American dream" exists and happens much more than one can think. So I have it in my mind and I'll make sure that it'll happen for me.
Just one thing is important: I cannot give up nor hope nor efforts to make it happen.
And another thing: I need to keep it easy for my mental health. I need to keep on smiling and being positive. And it is not only a decision but a state of mind.
Today, September 12, 2013, I swear that I'll succeed in leaving France for ever and to succeed in business.
And I need to forget about incompetency in this country and think of my skills and my expertize that could and must be used somewhere else by people who understand its value.

The Russian's Proposal to Syria Might Be the Perfect Solution

Finally, as I wrote yesterday, the Russian proposal to Syria, to put its chemical weapons under international control to avoid US military strikes, might be the perfect idea to avoid a war in the region. Because it is clear that if the US had struck Syria there would have been retaliation or at least attempts to retaliate. Maybe not from Russia or China, the two major allies of Assad and two big superpowers, but from isolated people, probably even from "terrorists" who would have used these strikes as excuses to attack the USA and Americans.
But the solution has not been yet sorted out. We have to wait for various answers: first Assad and his government's response to the proposal, then what the Americans will say. We have to wait and see if Assad the decision (if he accepts the Russian's proposal) to let international experts destroy and control its chemical weapons stock. Then there is the question of its membership to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) which is the other part of the Russian proposal. Will Syria become a member and therefore abide to its regulations about chemical weapons?
It seems that Syria is not against the proposal but there are probably various factions within the Assad regime and some might not accept. Now if Assad agrees and starts moving, will he be strong enough to oblige whoever is against to accept his decision?
Now what about the international reactions to the Russian's proposal? For the moment, various head of states have welcomed the proposal although with care. It is the case of David Cameron and even Barack Obama who are now waiting for the Syrian's answer. In fact it is, in a way,  a relief for all superpowers, even if they do not admit it officially. I don't think Obama would really want to start a war, because if the US strike Syria, it is a war that will probably begin and nobody knows when it can stop. Obama has criticized his predecessor to have started the Iraqi war and he was right, and it would be ironical if he would do the same thing.
The other good news is that the Americans don't want another war that would cost them a lot of money and a lot of casualties for nothing. To tell the truth the Americans are not really threatened by Syria's attack with chemical weapons. To be very cynical Assad's army attacked Syrian opponents with chemical weapons (if it is true that it was the army that used them because some people are saying that it was the opposition that did it) and not the Americans. Syria did not threatened the United States nor the Americans. At the same time it is also true that we cannot stay mute while a country uses chemical weapons to attack part of its people. Nobody can watch this without taking a position and eventually intervene. But at the same time nobody, except the UN (but we all know that this organization is very often useless in tackling international crisis), can be the law officer of the world.
So now it is a question of hope and of wait to see what will happen in the next few days. But hope is possible. Hope to see Syria accepting the Russian proposal and to defuse the crisis.

Great Proposal from Russia to Syria to Avoid a War

It is a great proposal that Russia gave to Syria to avoid a war. Russian foreign minister stated that Putin told Syria to put its chemical weapons under international control in order to avoid US military strikes. And the Russian president, through his foreign minister, told Syrian authorities to go even further by destroying all its chemical weapons and becoming a member of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).
One has to say that this proposal could avoid US strikes on Syria and a non ending war, like the one former president Bush started against Iraq. Not to mention the financial cost of such a war for the US.
As a lot of Americans are against any war in Syria, which is a good news, they will be relieved if Assad accepted. Of course, that would need a strict control on the chemical weapons and the opening of all its sites to international experts to see that Syrians are serious about their decision. Americans don't see any threat, at least directly, from Syria even if the country doesn't accept the Russian proposal. And it is true that there is no threat against Americans, which is the same situation than with Saddam Hussein. In this case, it was the madness of George Bush that lead to a non ending war in Iraq. Everybody knew at the time that Hussein did not have any weapon of mass destruction but that was the false reason Bush gave to justify the war. And ten years after what is the result: a destroyed country, Iraq, people killed including American troops, and a financial crisis in the USA and in the world that is only starting to end. Americans paid a high price for a war that was not necessary and a lot of them remember this terrible reality and don't want to repeat the same mistake in Syria.
One can understand that a strong country would like to help people killed or repressed by their own government. But the super powers are divided and they cannot come to agreement in such situations. China, Russia are against any military strikes against Syria as well as British people. Prime minister Cameron asked the British parliament that did not allow his government to participate to any strike or war in Syria. Other countries, like Brazil, India, Australia, Canada and South Africa gave a negative answer to the US proposal to strike Syria. So what now? The US would go alone to a war that will not bring anything positive to the country? I hope that Obama will not make this mistake. It will be a big and long mistake that will not bring anything good to the Americans.
Now the question of Assad stays open: what can we do? A large chunk of his people don't want him and have been fighting against the loyal troops. As much as 110,000 deaths since April 2011 when the uprising started. It is more than enough and Assad should understand that his regime cannot rule anymore without taking into account his opponents. But what is the solution?

The Situation in Syria is Worrying

What can we do about Syria? The president Assad is killing his people, that is a fact. The problem today is that a lot of people got involved in this conflict which is not any more a Syrian conflict. Too many different interests, Arabs and non Arabs, are now claiming that they side Assad or his opponents, the Syrians who are opposed to his ruling. So it is hard to really understand what is happening and what could be the solution for this bloody problem.
Then there is the chemical attack on the forces against Assad, called by his regime "rebels" and "terrorists". A lot of things have been said about the use of chemical in Syria and apparently doctors and UN inspectors who were allowed to inquire about this, claimed that indeed it is true. Western intelligence also claimed that Syrian government used chemical against opponents and a lot of tests have been conducted leading to believe this terrible fact. Intelligence also said that they intercepted communications between senior officials in Damascus stating this fact.
As the same time some countries, like Russia, said that it was the rebel forces who used the chemical in order to attract international attention to the problem and to provoke a military action against Damascus and Assad. The only sure thing that one can say is that the problem is becoming hard to ignore and even harder to sort out.
What is sure is that Assad's regime has never been a democratic one but on the contrary a dictatorship like so many regimes in the region. If the opposition has all rights to demand a change in the regime, it is also helped by external forces that have nothing to do with establishment of a democracy but other ideas in mind that are difficult to apprehend.
At the same time there is one key question we can ask ourselves: can the international community let a regime kills its own people without reacting? This situation is, unfortunately, very old and has been happening for years and there is no sign that shows that it will end sometime soon.
The other question is about any international intervention: which country or organization has the right to attack another country because of what is been done to the people? We all have the example of Iraq that is still in turmoil and where the situation is as bad as it has been since US invasion of the then Hussein's country. I don't have any idea on what we could and should do. Pressuring Assad, could be the best solution but unless Russia forces him to stop attacking his opponent and sit around a table to negotiate, nothing will be possible. At the same time, everybody knows who rules Russia and what kind of regime he imposed in his country. It looks like a catch 22 situation. Let's hope that something good will happen shortly to stop this bloody repression of Syrian people by their own regime.

Sometimes The Future is Not as Bright as It Appears

Where am I going? Sometimes it is hard to see what it is going to happen. Sometimes, in one's lifetime, it is a wall that one has in front of him. It is the case for me these days. Since the incident I went through, I don't know where I am going to. It seems that there is nothing for me in the future. It seems that I don't have anything in view and that nothing will happen. It is not a call for help or a desperate call but I feel that there isn't anything that will happen to me, at least something positive. I will not give up nor stop trying to find jobs or consulting missions but it is a hard moment to go through. And I have to realize that in a few days I'll have more work to do and therefore I'll be busy and we'll make more money. I still hope that the project with News Group International will take place and that I'll be working with them. I still hope that a company will hire me. I still hope that I'll get consulting missions. It seems to me that the incident I went through was a warning that I have to take seriously. Of course, I'll do all the tests to understand, or try to understand what has happened to me and to cure it. I do think that it is my head that is inventing things that are happening to me and that I am still living in the USA. I do love the USA and hope to go back there for good but for the moment as I am here I must try hard to find other income and a good job. I need also to make enough money in order to be able to have our own apartment. We need to be at home, to have a normal life and also to be able to travel. Because I love traveling and since I have been here I haven't been able to travel for leisure. The money problem is serious and it makes our life miserable. However we shouldn't let ourselves be influenced, negatively, by the situation. At the same time, I need to overcome my health problem by seeing the future more brightly than it appears.
This coming month, I'll have more work and I'll be able to do what I wanted to do: to rent an apartment and to live peacefully with my wife.
How hard it has been for the last 12 years. Once again, I made a mistake by leaving the USA for something that I saw quickly as a scheme organized by an incompetent and mythomaniac person. The other mistake is to have stayed in Morocco when I realized that nothing good would come out from the project. I should have gone back to the USA, find a job and bring my wife there.
Now 12 years or so after, I am here and even though I don't like France and French, I am here and I must get over it and work hard. I need to go on looking for good things to do, more money to make and live more happily than now.
Plus what the USA gave me is optimism. I will never give up looking for a better job in order to make more money and to get rid of our problems.