Information and knowledge
- 1. POWER OF INFORMATION •Albert Einstein said Information is not knowledge. It is what we do with information that matters. •Information is knowledge communicated concerning some particular facts, knowledge or event. •Ultimately Information is processed to yield knowledge. •No thief, however skillful, can rob one of knowledge, and that is why knowledge is the best and safest treasure one can acquire.” •Knowledge is gotten from books, news, experience from other people, research.
- 2. INVESTMENT IN KNOWLEGDE • Knowledge is the ultimate weapon and we should be armed with it. The more we know, the greater our ability to learn, and the faster we expand our knowledge base.” • We should always have it at the back of our minds that it is not just obtaining knowledge that counts, it is getting QUALITY KNOWLEDGE that counts and quality knowledge is one that is likely to earn the most amount of wealth, increases our income or one that is beneficial to ones health, loved ones and the society at large. • Before now, there was great reliance on exploitation of natural resources e.g oil, mining and a huge workforce. But the trend has changed and there is a shift to Knowledge, intelligence and 21st century skills. The combination of these 3 giants have produced thousand of mobile apps, software programs, innovations, ground-breaking research in health, agriculture, manufacturing e.t.c which has made living an the world an easier place. • Quite unfortunately, quite a number of us are still caught up in the past and this explains why there is so much unemployment our society. Companies downsize every month just because, they need employees with innovation, creativity and intelligence and simply won’t pay for employees who lack these skills.
- 3. 21st Century Skills . • These include: • Research skills and practices, interrogative questioning • Creativity, artistry, curiosity, imagination, innovation, personal expression • Oral and written communication, public speaking and presenting, listening • Environmental and conservation literacy, ecosystems understanding (experts in recycling) • Health and wellness literacy, including nutrition, diet, exercise, and public health and safety
- 4. • Information and communication technology (ICT) literacy, media and internet literacy, data interpretation and analysis, computer programming • Civic, ethical, and social-justice literacy. Economic and financial literacy, entrepreneurialism • Global awareness, multicultural literacy, humanitarianism. Scientific literacy and reasoning, the scientific method • In as much as there would constantly be need for doctors, nurses, Engineers, the world cannot advance beyond they really cant perform their magic without new technology, innovations, skills. • we become. The question we should ask ourselves is ARE WE GOING TO BE LEFT BEHIND.? Are we going to sit and fold our arms and watch the world from a distance? Lanre Olushola is a life Coach. ( life coaching is the process of helping people identify and achieve personal goals) Being a life coach is different from mentoring, counseling and consulting. We should visit his website to take a personality test, it is quite interesting) .He is not a therapist or a healthcare provider and yet and he is cashing out by giving advice and motivational talks. That is why MTN will pay Joke Silva just to mentor young competitors. Fela Durotoye. • Someone said New knowledge is the most valuable commodity on earth. The more we know, the richer Forbes.com recognises some set of people as INTRAPRENEURS . These set of people are given the authority and support (within an organization) to create a new product without having to be concerned about whether or not the product will actually become a source of revenue for the company unlike an entrepreneur whose source of income and success depends o the revenue gotten from a product. Examples are Research and development, sales and production. Intrapreneurs within Google developed Gmail, Googlenews, Adsense. Imagine working in abank and you don’t have to meet targets.
- 5. HOW TO continually ACQUIRE KNOWLEDGE • Most of us know a great deal beyond what we think. • We should read voraciously. HE WHO READS IS KING. THE PEN IS MIGHTIER THAN THE SWORD. Read on your vocation, your career, your business. Loosing my virginity, who moved my cheese, Rich Dad, Poor Dad, Richest Man In Babylon. E.t.c • Aim to improve yourself at all times. Ask questions from people who know more than we do. (Rich Dad, Poor Dad, Who moved my Cheese, Loosing my virginity- Richard Branson- opened my eyes.) • HARNESS THE OPPORTUNITIES PRESENTED BY THE INTERNET. There are a lot of websites we can obtain information, increase our IQ, attend skill acquisition programmes for free; mrsceonaija.com is a site that aims to empower women for better homes and the community. www. Biography.com tells the success stories of people around the world. We can draw inspiration/tips/ideas from lots and lots of these people. Quora.com, TED.com, brainpickings.com, dailywritingtips.com. Freelancesites for Graphic Artistes, lawyers and writers. You never can tell where /how useful knowledge gotten can be useful. • We should make use of SOCIAL MEDIA. People have made money buying and selling on Instagram and Facebook daily. I have bought as well as sold on Instagram. I have contact with people. There are adverts for Free business seminars or a just a token with MD/CEOs, successful entrepeneurs giving out advice. E.g. While most of us just gossip away on Social media, people make money from social media as Companies, celebrities and politicians now hire social media managers, Publicists and brand ambassador • IDENTIFY SKILLS IN HIGH DEMAND. Recycling ,greenhouse emissions, software programming. In law, Mediators and Arbitrators, make a lot of money. • DROP THE ATTITUDE. A lot of us would know more if we stopped looking down on people. A lot of us are different people at work, home and different persons in church. I got my second job from a woman I saw just once. Listen more. • IDENTIFY TIME WASTERS. E.g. watching too much TV . • Know what wont make you smarter (Teebillz and Tiwa). Sieve every information and take out what is best for you.
- 6. • Know what wont make you smarter . Sieve every information and take out what is best for you. • We should teach ourselves to be THOROUGH. I learnt the hard way. N5k for every mistake on Company Letterhead. I had a boss who would make me read every sentence , every phrase and every paragraph of my letters and speeches and explain to her. I almost ran mad…… but it helped me a lot. • LEARN A SKILL. A VOCATION. It was in the news that Aliko Dangote was forced to source for over 20,000 wielders to work in his cement factories. • Tara Durotoye, Ewar, Banke Meshida charted the course for make-up in Nigeria. Hair-making, Garmenting. Toju Foyeh, April by Kunbi, Elvira Jude…. • White collared executives should attend seminars, conferences and read more in their field of study. What you know is with you forever. Certification. HR, ICAN, • Make connections. Meet people. Talk to people. Example about My second job
- 7. Information& Knowledge on Healthcare • I want to quickly share something on Parabens • PARABENS • Are inexpensive chemicals used as preservatives and have been used in cosmetics over 70years ago They are used to increase the shelf life of most products and can be found in almost Everything we use, soaps, creams, toothpaste, deodorants eyedrops, baby creams, baby oil, shower gels. Methlyparabens, butylparaben, proplyparaben… there is a list of dangerous chemicals …. • And there are claims they are dangerous too. Parabens have been said to interfere with glandular and hormone production. They have been said to cause development disorders, learning problems and reproductive disorders in children. It has been argued that Parabens can increase cancer tissues leading to breast cancer in women. In a journal published by the Institute of Toxicology, USA, facts emerged that 18 out of 20 malignant breast tumors showed high concentrations of Parabens . Parabens have been linked to low sperm count, skin diseases and infertility in women, breast cancers e.t.c. though there have been arguments about whether or not it is safe but why the sudden increase in deaths occurring from cancer? • Why are some products labelled PARABEN-FREE. Mind you if you google Parabens, the 1st page on google will show you arguments and articles in favor of parabens but move o to the 3rd and th pages to read the real deal
- 8. Parabens Contd • What do we do with the above information? Read on Parabens and draw your conclusions. I try as much as possible to avoid products containing parabens and avoid its use as much as possible. use organic products. • I share this information with as many people as I can. That is an example of the power of information. • We wont see these things on the front pages of newspapers. • Petrolatum, a major ingredient in plain old Vaseline or Petroluem Jellies is actually impurities found in Petroleum. It has also been classified as a dangerous chemical causing breast cancer . (there are arguments on the fact that it is when they are mixed with other dangerous chemicals) Most un- pronounceable chemical ingredients on our skincare products are toxic. • We need to help ourselves with some information so that we can have less prayer point/request, knowing about one of the causes of cancer has reduced our chances of having cancer by a certain percentage so we will rather channel the energy we should use to pray for the cancer cure to wealth or something more meaningful
- 9. • Let us remind ourselves that there is an entrepreneurship programme set up by Mr. Tony Elumelu, the former MD of UBA. The Foundation is giving out seed capital to entrepreneurs and in 2015 alone, the Foundation empowered a thousand African youths within the age-range of 21-40. It came as an Email and I pursued it. Now I know what they want when I apply next. • People have benefitted from this Programme and I hope people who intend to start their own businesses can apply. There is nothing wrong in trying. TEEP FOUNDATION. (tonyelumelufoundation.org). • The Bank of Industry, through the Youth Enterprise Program also has a competition that finances Small scale businesses but on some certain terms and conditions.
- 10. Summary • What we are reminding ourselves either you are a Business owner or white collared executive • Read. Read and Read more: When you read, you become an intellect and there is greater reliance on intellectual capabilities than on physical inputs (that is why an accountant will always make more money than a bricklayer) or natural resources in the world today – • Knowledge Economy. • We should keep improving ourselves. Be curious • Don’t be quick to judge • Be observant • Learning and being knowledgeable is work in progress