At first I wanted to write: "LCPs of the world". But then I thought that non-aieseccars won't know what that means. And for a headline its too long to write "Local Committee Presidents of the World". So the outcome is: Leaders of the World.
And you know what, guys - thats who we are! We are the leaders of the world. Not in ten years, not after we finish with AIESEC - we are it t o d a y. If you think about it, its logical.
Throughout this conference we have heard from different speakers how important it is to activate the local environment, to have the people, who will execute the things in their society. Its easy to write a big check but in the end, its no use, if you can't find the right channels to use the money. For example: billions of dollars are given to HIV/AIDS, but the money isn't doing what it should be doing. And that is so because they don't have the right channel.
Dear LCP's, we lead those right channels. We are responsible of changing our society today by the projects our LC leads. It doesn't matter that much if there is a learning environment around it or not. What matters is that our projects, our message, our events are communicating the right message, are bringing here the people, who make the change in the companies or schools or in whatever place you target your project.
Your proud and honored teammate,
LCP of AIESEC Pärnu
Mari
I planned to write something much different, but I'll leave it to some other time :)
Monday, August 27, 2007
You have a point there
"Good is the enemy for Best and Good Enough is never."
"If you want to be seen, stand up.
If you want to be heard, speak up.
If you want to be nice, shut up."
Have you been tested?
I took part of HIV/AIDS learning network. Scary. Didn't expect it to be that. We didn't talk about people dying and we didn't looked at pictures of people who have HIV/AIDS. We emphasized on what we - aieseccars - can do, when we go back to our homes.
I've never been tested for HIV/AIDS. Why should I? But at the point when we were working out ideas how to grow awareness of this disease, I suddenly felt to be scared as hell. Not a nice feeling. A bit later on I found out that if I start to think about prejudices like "I'm not gay" or "I don't do drugs" or "I don't sleep around", it calmed me. But the point is, that these prejudices are wrong.
We know you're sure. But are you a 100% sure? Get tested now!
For more information or places where you can get tested, look at www.aids.ee
I've never been tested for HIV/AIDS. Why should I? But at the point when we were working out ideas how to grow awareness of this disease, I suddenly felt to be scared as hell. Not a nice feeling. A bit later on I found out that if I start to think about prejudices like "I'm not gay" or "I don't do drugs" or "I don't sleep around", it calmed me. But the point is, that these prejudices are wrong.
We know you're sure. But are you a 100% sure? Get tested now!
For more information or places where you can get tested, look at www.aids.ee
Arthur's blog
Check out Arthur Josephson's blog at arthur.nomadlife.org. His an ex-aieseccar with loads to say. Very interesting.
Saturday, August 25, 2007
The AIESEC solution by DHL
Today we had a presentation form our global partner DHL. It's always interesting to hear our partners talk about AIESEC and why do they co-operate with us.
One thing what is common for our partners is that they always say: "You can feel the energy in the room". And they never miss a chance to try out a role call or a shout. Every time when partners speak, we get another confirmation to the fact that our culture IS unique and it is something what companies dream of.
DHL, like most of our partners, is very conceus on the fact that they can have a big impact on the society. Its in their hands to choose whether they want it to be good or bad. I'll bring out couple of trends that DHL is doing. To me, these trends also show the connection between us and them. They show the link, why we co-operate.
Firstly, DHL is a logistics company which means that they use a lot of gasoline. Now what DHL has come up with is that they use vegetable oil in running trucks. Now I'm not sure if that is right - it seems too science fiction to me, but thats what I heard.
Secondly, DHL wants to be the first choice for their clients. Sounds familiar? To those who aren't aieseccars - our vision for 2010 also states that we want to be first choice in our target group.
For DHL being first choice starts from employees. For them, happy employees equal happy customers. Its an easy formula, but most of the companies haven't realized it. Taking care of customers is critical to obtain your market share and on the whole - just to survive. Its the way the customers are been treated that makes the difference.
Now, 7 caracteristics of being a great leader by DHL:
1. Positive can-do attitude;
2. Passionate work ethic;
3. Build relationships;
4. Strong values and character;
5. Set others up for success;
6. Socially responsible;
7. Sense of humor.
The one which touched me the most is nr 2. You have to be passionate about what you do and you'll never work a day in your life. I relate to this, because my AIESEC work doesn't feel like a work at all. It's more like a hobby and sometimes it just feels like I'm pampering myself by working :) Its a great feeling!
DHL spoker said that don't listen to people who say what you have to do that you'd make a lot of money. In the end, if you don't like what you are doing, you won't get the money anyway. And it was good to hear that from a respectful person, who has proved himself. This is something with what we struggle in AIESEC daily.
One thing what is common for our partners is that they always say: "You can feel the energy in the room". And they never miss a chance to try out a role call or a shout. Every time when partners speak, we get another confirmation to the fact that our culture IS unique and it is something what companies dream of.
DHL, like most of our partners, is very conceus on the fact that they can have a big impact on the society. Its in their hands to choose whether they want it to be good or bad. I'll bring out couple of trends that DHL is doing. To me, these trends also show the connection between us and them. They show the link, why we co-operate.
Firstly, DHL is a logistics company which means that they use a lot of gasoline. Now what DHL has come up with is that they use vegetable oil in running trucks. Now I'm not sure if that is right - it seems too science fiction to me, but thats what I heard.
Secondly, DHL wants to be the first choice for their clients. Sounds familiar? To those who aren't aieseccars - our vision for 2010 also states that we want to be first choice in our target group.
For DHL being first choice starts from employees. For them, happy employees equal happy customers. Its an easy formula, but most of the companies haven't realized it. Taking care of customers is critical to obtain your market share and on the whole - just to survive. Its the way the customers are been treated that makes the difference.
Now, 7 caracteristics of being a great leader by DHL:
1. Positive can-do attitude;
2. Passionate work ethic;
3. Build relationships;
4. Strong values and character;
5. Set others up for success;
6. Socially responsible;
7. Sense of humor.
The one which touched me the most is nr 2. You have to be passionate about what you do and you'll never work a day in your life. I relate to this, because my AIESEC work doesn't feel like a work at all. It's more like a hobby and sometimes it just feels like I'm pampering myself by working :) Its a great feeling!
DHL spoker said that don't listen to people who say what you have to do that you'd make a lot of money. In the end, if you don't like what you are doing, you won't get the money anyway. And it was good to hear that from a respectful person, who has proved himself. This is something with what we struggle in AIESEC daily.
Friday, August 24, 2007
Developing Leaders Day
Today we had a Developing Leaders Day (DLD) which was facilitated by AIESEC global partners Cadbury Schweppes (CS) and ABN-AMRO. I'm not sure, but I think that AIESEC and CS has co-operated since 2000. Co-operation consists of different parts, one of them is DLD. This year the co-operation is expanding, involving also ABN-AMRO. We had approximately 40 people from both of those companies. Those people who are executive officers came specially to Turkey to facilitate DLD for 650 AIESECcars. Wow :)
Overall, it was fresh, exciting, proactive. I want to thank group nr. 16 facis Linda and David for the awesom day! "choky! choky! choky! - yum! yum! yum!"
The DLD 2007 promise was "By the end of the day, you will be able to have a better understanding of what unique role you play in driving high performance in your team." This should give the general idea of what the DLD was about.
The part which was more excited for most of us, I think, was self discovery. We made a Belbin Test which showed a general view of what type of a person we are. I am a Teamworker :) My strengths are that I bring co-operation, I'm mild, perceptive and diplomatic. I listen, build and avert frictions. My weakness is that I am indecisive in crunch situations. That is what the test said. To most of us in group 16, what the test said, was very true.
For me it was good to get a confirmation on what I have been thinking of quite lot. I've always considered myself to be a very result orientated person. But lately (past 6 months) I've found that it's not entirely true. Many of my behaviors seem to go more on to person orientated type.
So I've learned first hand, how important it is to really know who you are. In the past I've made many decisions based on the knowledge, that I'm very result orientated. In team work, it has been hard to find how I really suit to the team. After I've been starting to realize that I'm really more people orientated, many of questions about "how to work in a team" or etc, have become a bit more clearer to me.
So I recommend to all of you to find out who you are. Or at least in general, what type of a person you are. Don't take that seriously what other people think - you have to make up your mind on that.
And BTW - finding out what our weaknesses are, is one step closer to improving them ;)
Overall, it was fresh, exciting, proactive. I want to thank group nr. 16 facis Linda and David for the awesom day! "choky! choky! choky! - yum! yum! yum!"
The DLD 2007 promise was "By the end of the day, you will be able to have a better understanding of what unique role you play in driving high performance in your team." This should give the general idea of what the DLD was about.
The part which was more excited for most of us, I think, was self discovery. We made a Belbin Test which showed a general view of what type of a person we are. I am a Teamworker :) My strengths are that I bring co-operation, I'm mild, perceptive and diplomatic. I listen, build and avert frictions. My weakness is that I am indecisive in crunch situations. That is what the test said. To most of us in group 16, what the test said, was very true.
For me it was good to get a confirmation on what I have been thinking of quite lot. I've always considered myself to be a very result orientated person. But lately (past 6 months) I've found that it's not entirely true. Many of my behaviors seem to go more on to person orientated type.
So I've learned first hand, how important it is to really know who you are. In the past I've made many decisions based on the knowledge, that I'm very result orientated. In team work, it has been hard to find how I really suit to the team. After I've been starting to realize that I'm really more people orientated, many of questions about "how to work in a team" or etc, have become a bit more clearer to me.
So I recommend to all of you to find out who you are. Or at least in general, what type of a person you are. Don't take that seriously what other people think - you have to make up your mind on that.
And BTW - finding out what our weaknesses are, is one step closer to improving them ;)
Principles for a strong team
Today we had a performance by Rice Ignasi, who works in one of AIESEC global partners Cadbury Schweppes (CS). Ignasi has worked in many parts of the world under CS. His known for leading strong teams that bring strong results.
Here are shortly 8 principles that he applies for his team:
1. Everybody needs to share the same vision.
2. Clear roles and responsibilities.
3. Diversity makes the difference.
4. Keeping people motivated.
5. Setting up team principles and being true to them.
6. Learn from failures.
7. Use "we" instead of "I".
8. Write the book together.
Here are shortly 8 principles that he applies for his team:
1. Everybody needs to share the same vision.
2. Clear roles and responsibilities.
3. Diversity makes the difference.
4. Keeping people motivated.
5. Setting up team principles and being true to them.
6. Learn from failures.
7. Use "we" instead of "I".
8. Write the book together.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Read more about IC!
You can read more about IC 2007 from AIESEC Estonia MC blog, where MC should put up new postings hopefully every day.
Also vistit live.myaiesec.net - you can see there pictures from IC, videos from IC, etc etc.
Also vistit live.myaiesec.net - you can see there pictures from IC, videos from IC, etc etc.
Monday, August 20, 2007
If you've been to one international conference, you've seen them all. I came to IC expecting that I would probably not now anyone. But as I arrived, I found out that from CEE region there are so many familiar faces. I've met those persons either in EnterCEE conference in Hungary or in CEELDS conference in Estonia or in both of them. So to my surprise I found out that I really do have a lot of people here with whom I have "common history".
The other thing is that even with those people that I don't know, its really easy to connect. Most of the people I have met are very opened and ready to share. So in these past few days I have met a lot of people, not only random contacts but people whom you really have something to talk with.
The atmosphere here doesn't seem to be that different. I think the biggest difference (and which I really like) is that there is no place for criticism. Everything that is said is for improving - so you don't say what is lousy, you say that that could be improved and how.
So for me all of this proves again that IT IS important to attend international conferences. Right now I'm thinking that we have the priority to send people to conferences, but we didn't planned the support for international ones. We need to raise more money :) Anyone up for some X selling? :)
20 minutes = 6 country contacts. About this I'm very EXITED :D Yesterday, on 19th of August (I have to remember the date ;)), I asked Deniss to tell me something about the countries which deal with tourism. But instead of just naming the countries, Deniss started to introduce me to different people, from different countries. So basically in 20 minutes I got 6 MC contacts from different countries, who are working with the issue tourism and are very interested in co-operating. Who ever said networking is hard?!
So what does this mean? It means that if we will follow these contacts up, realizing exchanges will be so much easier! We can have agreements with different LCs to recruit EP (exchange participants) for us, for a certain job description. And for our EP's - they can find much easily a good internship place.
So basically I got my IC goals realized before the actual IC started. I'm amazed. Now I'm trying to gather those LCPs that are here, together. Lets see what happens ;)
BTW - this is my first blog-posting ever :) Thank you for the attention :)
The other thing is that even with those people that I don't know, its really easy to connect. Most of the people I have met are very opened and ready to share. So in these past few days I have met a lot of people, not only random contacts but people whom you really have something to talk with.
The atmosphere here doesn't seem to be that different. I think the biggest difference (and which I really like) is that there is no place for criticism. Everything that is said is for improving - so you don't say what is lousy, you say that that could be improved and how.
So for me all of this proves again that IT IS important to attend international conferences. Right now I'm thinking that we have the priority to send people to conferences, but we didn't planned the support for international ones. We need to raise more money :) Anyone up for some X selling? :)
20 minutes = 6 country contacts. About this I'm very EXITED :D Yesterday, on 19th of August (I have to remember the date ;)), I asked Deniss to tell me something about the countries which deal with tourism. But instead of just naming the countries, Deniss started to introduce me to different people, from different countries. So basically in 20 minutes I got 6 MC contacts from different countries, who are working with the issue tourism and are very interested in co-operating. Who ever said networking is hard?!
So what does this mean? It means that if we will follow these contacts up, realizing exchanges will be so much easier! We can have agreements with different LCs to recruit EP (exchange participants) for us, for a certain job description. And for our EP's - they can find much easily a good internship place.
So basically I got my IC goals realized before the actual IC started. I'm amazed. Now I'm trying to gather those LCPs that are here, together. Lets see what happens ;)
BTW - this is my first blog-posting ever :) Thank you for the attention :)
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