Lutgard Musiime - Page 16 of 31

Pet peeves in business

June 15, 2021

It was a hot afternoon, the sun was on an unknown competition with someone and it was clear it was in the lead because it was just midday yet the scotching heat left everyone rubbing pools of sweat from their faces. Being the era of face masks, the whole combination left one very exhausted early in the day. My goal was to go purchase a pair of shoes in the shortest time possible for an upcoming function that was a few days away and race back home to complete a proposal that was long over due. I walked into this shop and a very good looking lady, worn to the nines was busy on her phone. At first it did not hit me thinking whatever it was that had robbed her attention must have been important. I stood infront of her and it took her about two minutes of my being there to lift her head. In the 90th second my irritation was beginning to rise but I struggled and kept calm. When she finally lifted her head, in what looked like a scene in an Indian movie, very sluggishly, she asked what she could do for me. Mark you the whole time she was glued to her seat, legs crossed over her thighs and mouth in her nose. Her attitude had one of the worst foul smells I had come across in such a long time. Greeting for her was not part of the menu, needless to say it felt like she was helping me. Long story short I packed my sweaty, hot tired bones and left her shop before I could lose my mind. Poor customer service has got to be one of if not the biggest pet peeves for me.

Very many people wonder why some business do not live to their 2nd birthday and among the many reasons, it is for pet peeves like these that have sent so many businesses down the drain. You may be wondering what a pet peeve is? A pet peeve is a behavior or display that generates slight annoyance in people. They aren’t things that are so inappropriate and rude that they necessarily warrant taking action, but they’re generally bothersome in a way that will make one roll their eyes in frustration or whatever emotion they employ to express their frustration. I have put together a few pet peeves that could help business owners and not leave their clients spreading the worst gospel about their business which works more against them than anyone else.

Being distracted

Being distracted mostly by the gadgets we have with or around us like a mobile device or television has got to be one of the biggest breaches of business etiquette one can do. It is very impolite for you to be using a smartphone or other mobile device during meetings or infront of a client unless you’re dealing with some sort of an emergency, which in any case you would let the person know. If it is not an emergency, it can surely wait and give the person infront of you undivided attention.

“Many times I have seen people try to sneak a peek at their phone in the middle of a business meeting or simply set their phone on the table and in the end get distracted thus frustrating the other party, What this indirectly communicates, is that they (the client) are not that important and they can wait. You will be lucky if someone tells you off that they are offended but most of them will go tell someone who will tell someone and the damage chain will go on. Months down the road you will be wondering how this all happened forgetting the 6 minutes you threw your business to the dogs. Developing business relationships is so important, and getting a chance to be physically present with clients in the this fast progressing Fourth Industrial Revolution where many things are going online is becoming increasingly rare. Take full advantage of those opportunities by being present and making the people you are with feel important and valued. Turning your attention to your phone will not do that.

Crossing boundaries

Getting too personal can be very irritating for all of us at a point. Much as I know that being friendly in business is good, too much intimacy can easily be misunderstood and misconstrued. During small talk the line is really thin of crossing lines so try and refrain from sharing intimate details of your personal life in a business setting. You can have a brief talk on the current affairs in the country but do not be caught in the cross fire of discussing the better political party or the must go to church around town. Your recent break-up with your significant other has nothing to do with a client so save yourself and the client from the awkwardness.

Too much information syndrome

Ever got to a business page and see alot of information but fail to make use of any? We are in times where very many businesses have gone online, using mainly social media to market their items and or services to the whole world. Now because of the looming competition that seems apparent, business owners feel the need to pour as much information as possible onto these sites. Having a structured way of sharing information and well thought times to share as well as putting out only information that needs to be out there will save you the energy and do your business justice. Try to keep the business pages professional and be careful not to share personal information on the business pages.

Not being respectful with time

There is an old saying the reads, “Time is money.” It is my belief that etiquette anywhere really boils down to showing respect to others and this applies in businesses too. If you made an appointment with someone, why would you wait for them to call you first or reach in the agreed venue before you? Why? They have the luxury to be late but you don’t. Remember what they say about customers? A customer is king. As a rule always be aware of other people’s time. Pay attention to being timely for meetings (I cannot emphasize this enough), do not overstay your welcome, be succinct, prepare and listen. Be aware of others and listen.

What pet peeves have you experienced receiving a service? Let us help business owners today?

Lifestyle

How positioned are you for the revolution?

June 14, 2021

Right from the 18th century the world has been experiencing industrial revolutions that impact the world’s economic status in a very profound way. Towards the end of the 18th century in 1784, the world received it’s very first industrial revolution with the emergence of steam powered factories. The second industrial revolution happened in the 19th century in 1870 where we got to see the application of science to mass production and manufacturing. Things like an assembly line was invented and the industrial sector speeded up exponentially. The third industrial revolution came in the 20th century in 1969 with advances in computing that led to machine programming. This opened the door to progressive automation. Now the 21st century has seen the emergence of the fourth industrial revolution in 2016 which is building on the third, comes with the fusion of these technologies and their interaction across the physical, digital and biological domains. The Fourth Industrial Revolution’s technologies, such as artificial intelligence, genome editing, augmented reality, robotics, and 3-D printing, are rapidly changing the way we create, exchange, and distribute value.

The technologies of the fourth industrial revolution include the following;

Artificial intelligence – this is the combination of algorithms formulated with the purpose of creating machines that have the same skills as a human being. Although this technology still seems to be distant and mysterious, there is a sure constant presence in our day-to-day lives for some years now. Look at robots, facial recognition features in phones now, virtual voice assistants like Siri to mention but a few. A.I is slowly but surely taking shape.

Internet of things – Studies show that more than 8 billion devices are connected to the Internet of Things (IoT) and this figure is set to triple in the coming years. With this we are already seeing new technologies making possible traffic flow analysis, programmable signaling, car park sensors; connected appliances, voice assistants, remote surveillance via mobile in homes all made possible by Internet of Things.

Cobots – We are increasingly seeing that robots and humans can work together like colleagues thanks to the boom in collaborative robots. The use of cobots in industry is changing production processes because unlike industrial robots, they work efficiently, safely and skillfully with other employees on all types of tasks. Experts tell us that cobots share jobs with operators, collaborating, manoeuvring and interacting with them. They are not intended to replace humans, rather become their bodyguards. These machines release operators from dangerous, repetitive and burdensome tasks, reducing absence due to illness and occupational illnesses which has always affected work and production. They also have sensors that detect human presence and react, for example by slowing down to protect humans from injury. We all know countless people who have lost body parts and even lives trying to get their work done. I believe there is a sigh of relief in that area.

Augmented reality and virtual reality – This is a technology that allows virtual elements to be superimposed onto our vision of reality. Through this technology surgery now can be done in detail, you may yourself how? Through tablets or holographic glasses, doctors can visualise organs in 3D or consult the patient’s history before or during a surgical intervention. Runners, cyclists, mountaineers, and hiking enthusiasts can now explore their routes in 3D by projecting them into any surface allowing them to plan their next adventures and share their activities. In architecture, companies can now use artificial reality to enable clients check in real time how their house will look once the work is completed or how their furniture will fit in with the rest of the decor. From trying on clothes virtually to watching an interactive campaign on a wall in the middle of the street, the sales and promotion potential offered by artificial reality to brands is incalculable. Are you seeing how to position your business already?

Big data – Nowadays, over 6,500 million connected devices share information over the Internet and now with the COVID pandemic forcing everyone to work more from home, this figure has most definitely shot up. So big data analyses this “sea of data” to convert it into the information that is transforming our world. Big data is the set of technologies created to store, analyse and manage this bulk data. To break down this a little further, I will give some examples; GPS systems can detect traffic jams in the area checked by a user and suggest alternatives; a subscription streaming TV channel has created the characters and plot of its most successful series by analysing the contents its viewers consume and prefer to watch; smart watches monitor the heart rate of millions of users and identify patterns that can anticipate to and prevent cardiovascular diseases; humidity sensors in crop fields plan the irrigation frequency, combining their data with the weather forecasts, should I continue? Is this something you can make use of? How are you dealing with data at your disposal? Are you still piling box files in your stores?

3D and 4D printing – 4D printing uses 3D printers to create live three dimensional objects without wires or circuits. It does so by using intelligent materials, which can be programmed to change shape, colour or size when they receive an external stimulus. Intelligent designs that adapt to the environment and transform over time is the highlight of this technology. Clothes that adapt to weather conditions, furniture that assembles itself when taken out of the box, pipes that regulate their width according to the flow, prostheses that adapt to growth and disintegrate once they are no longer needed are just some of the present and future applications of 4D printing. 4D printing makes it possible for an object, to bend, repair, assemble or even disintegrate itself. It acquires a new shape or functionality on its own by reacting with the environment. How interesting can the fourth Industrial revolution get!!!!

On the whole, there are four main effects that the Fourth Industrial Revolution has on business; that is, on customer expectations, on product enhancement, on collaborative innovation, and on organizational forms. Whether consumers or businesses, customers are increasingly at the epicenter of the economy, which is all about improving how customers are served. Physical products and services, moreover, can now be enhanced with digital capabilities that increase their value. New technologies make assets more durable and resilient, while data and analytics are transforming how they are maintained. A world of customer experiences, data-based services, and asset performance through analytics, meanwhile, requires new forms of collaboration, particularly given the speed at which innovation and disruption are taking place. And the emergence of global platforms and other new business models, finally, means that talent, culture, and organizational forms will have to be rethought. The onus is now on everyone to see how to position oneself appropriately for this revolution in whatever sector of life you are in, be it business, product or service provision. Do not be left behind, it might be too late to catch up.

Uncategorized

Vitiligo

June 11, 2021

Vitiligo is a long-term condition where pale white patches develop on the skin being caused by the lack of melanin, which is the pigment in skin. Any area of the skin can be affected, but it commonly happens on the face, neck and hands, and in skin creases. You may think that the only problem is the change in the appearance of the skin, but more than often it can be life-changing. Those afflicted with the condition and sometimes, even their families face alot of social stigmatisation which can lead to low self-esteem, embarrassment, anxiety, frustration, and even serious depression.

I chose to end this week of Advocacy raising awareness about a condition that is not necessarily fatal but has killed and continues to kill self esteem in a very profound way. Let us demistify the myths that continue to float in our society about these people. I remember while growing up we were told that twins ‘burn’ and so people who had patched skins like we see with persons with vitiligo had been so unlucky to undergo the same fate.

Myths and facts of Vitiligo

Myth; Persons with vitiligo are born of parents of mixed races

Fact; Vitiligo has nothing to do with ethnicity of the parents and it may not be present at birth either. Even though it generally occurs in a young person before the age of 20, it is likely to occur in an older age.

Myth; Vitiligo is contagious

Fact; Vitiligo is not in anyway contagious nor infectious, and it cannot be passed through contact. Do not be afraid to come near them,there is no reason to avoid people who may have the condition . It cannot be transmitted via touch, saliva, blood, inhalation, sexual intercourse or the sharing of personal items (i.e. drink bottle, towels, etc). This is the easiest way to overcome stigma for people with this condition.

Myth; They should be paying for something

Fact; There are some who believe it is a punishment for wrongdoing, or something called past karma. This is a lie and all these ideas are completely baseless and false. The actual cause like earlier mentioned is the loss of the pigment melanin from our skin. This is a scientifically proven biological process, totally unrelated to the nature of one’s behaviour although there are factors that can increase or aggravate the condition for example new patches can appear after a trauma like scratches/burns/cuts, emotional stress, etc

Myth; Vitiligo afftects only dark skinned people

Fact; Vitiligo affects people of all races equally although it is more noticeable in people with dark skin.

Myth; Vitiligo heals itself

Fact; Just like any other auto-immune disorders that do not heal by themselves; vitiligo needs proper and scientific care. Dermatologists tell us that the treatment is complicated and it requires years of specialisation and training. If left untreated, the condition may remain as it is or even spread gradually with the development of new patches or an increase in the size of existing patches. Journeying with a skin specialist is advisable for more information about the condition and the natural course of this condition.

Myth; Vitiligo is untreatable

Fact; Unlike the earlier decades, medical science has advanced a lot and treatments have emerged like immunomodulating drugs, steroids, Ultraviolet A, and the newer narrowband Ultraviolet B are available. Some have even gone ahead to explore multiple surgical options like split-thickness skin grafting and melanocyte transfer.

Myth; Vitiligo is related to other skin diseases like albinism and skin cancer

Fact; Vitiligo is completely a separate condition not related to skin cancer, leprosy, or even albinism. Individuals with albinism are born with little or no melanin, whereas vitiligo onset occurs when melanocytes are destroyed and it rarely encompasses the entire body like albinism. Skin cancer on the other hand is a result of mutations in the DNA which causes cells to grow abnormally and uncontrolably. Leprosy is an infectious disease caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium leprae. It can cause nerve damage which can lead to weakness and gradual loss of function. Interestingly vitiligo is not detrimental beyond the change in skin colour and does not cause any physical impairment. It is important to reach the correct diagnosis and not mistake one disorder for another which is why you should at all times consult a skin specialist when in doubt.

What other myths have heard in your community? Share and let us burst the bubble.

Lifestyle

Are we doing enough?

June 10, 2021

One time I was scrolling through the internet and came across an interesting feature on a lady called Haben Girma. She is the first deafblind person to graduate from Havard law school and is now a disability rights advocate. What I like the most about her is her belief that disability is an opportunity for innovation, and she has made it her life purpose to teach organizations the importance of choosing inclusion. Go read about her and you will understand how important disability inclusion is to the world.

Disability Inclusion

This simply refers to making sure everybody has the same opportunities to participate in every aspect of life to the best of their abilities and desires by including people with disabilities in everyday activities and encouraging them to have roles similar to their peers who do not have a disability .

Disabled persons are entitled to have their special needs taken into consideration at all stages of economic and social planning. This does not only stop at policy makers but each on of us from content creators to the different service providers in our community. How inclusive and mindful are we to these people. It is advocacy week here at #WinterABC2021 and am here to highlight some simple ways each one of us can be inclusive of persons living with disabilities in the simplest of ways.

Content creators

97% of websites have access barriers according a report by United Nations and these digital barriers create an information famine, limiting employment and educational opportunities for people living with disabilities around the world and yet there is technology that exists to render digital information accessible to them. To bring this into perspective, I can give an example; blind individuals can use a software called screen readers that allow the content of websites, apps, and documents to be read aloud or be displayed in Braille on a connected Braille device; Captioning on videos will provide deaf viewers access to audio content. This is to content creators that programming for accessibility will allow a greater number of people to access your videos, webpages, articles, apps, and other information.

If you are wondering how this is meant to happen, I am happy to inform you that guidelines exist to help you make your information accessible. There are Web Content Accessibility Guidelines in place which are a set of technical standards for making websites accessible. Developers can refer to the iOS and Android accessibility guidelines to design accessible mobile apps . Programming for accessibility generally does not change the appearance of websites and apps.

Employers

If you an employer, you may want to consider the value of a person with a disability joining your team. This will not only reduce turnover costs, increase productivity, but also strengthen your company’s corporate culture. Studies still show that 1 in 5 persons living with disabilities are employed. Many of these persons are judged from the word go instead of identifying their strengths and capitalizing on those. You will be amazed at what a person is capable of doing but this is not possible if they are not given the chance.

A good example for this can be seen in a medical drama called The Good Doctor. The series follows Shaun Murphy, a young autistic surgeon with savant syndrome who relocates to work at the prestigious San Jose St. Bonaventure hospital but has to prove beyond all odds that he has what it takes to preserve life as a doctor despite his condition amidst doubts and ridicule from his colleagues. If you have not watched, it is not too late, it has only 4 seasons so you can catch up.

Make spaces accessible

This goes to all public areas including offices, restaurants, churches, event planners name it, please plan to see that your space and or venue for an event or provision of a service takes into account people with both physical and intellectual differences. This can be as simple as putting in place screens which can rely information for those with hearing differences through screens that have captions or making a sensory-friendly space to cater for those who are easily overstimulated due to conditions such as autism and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Does the venue cater for easy access of people in wheel chairs or do you want to be greeted with a scene of a wheel chair stuck in the terrace?

Learning institutions

Our overall cultural consciousness on how we treat and interact with disability ought to change, right from elementary schools. There is need to celebrate our peers for their differences and if this is taught at a young age, less discrimination and more social inclusion is bound to occur. Having children, both the able bodied and those living with disabilities learn side-by-side helps everybody appreciate the talents and gifts all children bring with them. It is our duty to promote the inclusion of our differences.

In addition how about we included disability history in the school curriculum. My question is how can a person living with a disability acknowledge and identify with his/her history if it’s not widely taught? How can the community be embraced if their civic background is never taught? Tell me one school here in Uganda that has a discipline on disability being taught. I think it is time as scholars to rethink our curriculum in that line.

Disabled or able-bodied, we all have the power and responsibility to make society more inclusive for everyone. Inclusion leads to increased participation in socially expected life roles and activities such as being a child, student, worker, friend, community member, patient, spouse, partner, or parent.

Let us always remember that disability inclusion means understanding the relationship between the way people function and how they participate in society, and making sure everybody has the same opportunities to participate in every aspect of life to the best of their abilities and desires. We all can do it beginning right from your area of influence.

Let us meet again tomorrow as we wrap up the Advocacy week.

Please stop it, it is not helping

June 9, 2021

What is the first thing that crosses your mind when you lay eyes on a person living with a disability? Empathy? Pity? What emotion crosses your mind?

People living with disabilities have continuously faced stereotypes from every social group and even their families. Although lately, the world is showing more respect towards them there are still some things that able bodied persons say and do, many times meaning well that come off offensive. The next time you come face to person who is differently abled there are things that you may want to caution your brain not to process and your mouth not utter them.

Things you should never say/do to a person living with a disability

Offering help without being asked

You must be wondering why I had to begin here but where else if not here. Naturally we are empathetic beings and more than often we shall offer help when our minds perceive that the other person is finding difficulty accomplishing a particular task. Persons living with disabilities may take time to accomplish a task but that does not mean that they cannot do it on their own. Whilst offering assistance every now and then would make life easier for them, it is actually rude to ask this person not to stress and you go ahead and do it for them. It is best for you to allow them to try out some things on their own until they ask for your help or until you see them struggling and then ask for their permission if to offer them assistance.

You are such an inspiration

Inspiration is a feeling of enthusiasm you get from someone or something, that gives you new and creative ideas. If you describe someone as an inspiration, you mean that they make you or other people want to do or achieve something. When referring to that person living with a disability as an inspiration, is this what you mean? If it not please save yourself and say nothing

For able-bodied people, living with a disability and being able to live normally must be one of the bravest things possible reason many people feel the need to tell people living with disabilities that they are inspiring or brave either in a way to encourage or just to voice out how they feel about the person’s disability.

Unfortunately, kind as it may sound, many people living with a disability don’t want to be considered brave or inspiration just because they are able to live with their disability. Unless this person has performed a task worthy of praise, you should never tell them that they are an inspiration by virtual of their existence in the typical world.

Asking what got them where they are

“Curiosity killed the cat” is one of the most used proverbs which simply refers to being inquisitive about other people’s affairs which may get you into trouble. Poking your nose into someone’s business is one of the most disrespectful thing you can do to anyone, not only persons living with disabilities. Never look at this person and dare ask, “What is wrong with you?” Of what help will this be if this person told you? Can you do something about it in the first place? So why ask anyway.

Try to imagine how you’d feel being asked about your medical history by someone you hardly know! As you get to know someone better, you might start to talk their about their disability and in most cases it comes from the person themselves but remember some people might be very comfortable talking about their disability, while others may not be, so take cues from the person themselves before indulging into that conversation.

I know someone who knows someone who can fix you

Remember the uncalled for help I talked about earlier? This deserves its own special mention. There are people who always know a wonder drug, a special physician, or miracle working pastor/priest they are willing to offer to anyone who cares to listen. Disability comes with a plethora of emotions for both the bearer and those around them, something I talked about here. So chances are that the time you come offering your uncalled for help, they have explored more than enough options many of which could have been so disappointing. Again unless asked you may want to keep that information to yourself or find creatives ways to make recommendations.

Refrain from comparison

“You don’t have to do what everyone else is doing.” – Oprah

So you know someone A living with a disability and in your judgement someone B’s disability is not as serious as the other person. in no time you find yourself saying “You are lucky your disability is not as bad as the other person“

Many people with disabilities come across this statement in their workplace, schools and social gatherings. Sometimes this statement is made as a form of encouragement in a way to tell the person with the disability that they should be happy that their condition is not as worse as the next person. Other times, it could be said to evaluate how much help someone is entitled to.

Whatever the case may be, the statement is wrong and counterproductive. People living with disabilities have varying strengths and weaknesses and should never be compared with others living with disabilities for whatever reason. Most people tend to show more compassion for people with physical disabilities as they consider their situation more serious than those with mental disabilities. It is best to never assume what someone with a disability is going through because you do not have the slightest idea what their world is like.

Talk to me normally

One person living with a disability complained that, ” It’s irritating when people talk to me as if I’m a child – they spot my hearing aids, and they suddenly think they need to revert to loud, slow baby-talk for me to understand them. But I struggle with my hearing, not my comprehension. I can ask you to speak up or more clearly if I need you to! “

While some people slip into childlike language, others feel the need to pump up the volume or start talking really s-l-o-w-l-y. However, even if the person you’re talking to has a hearing impairment, neither of these things actually help (sorry, but it’s true). It is helpful to just speak at your usual pace and volume, and make sure the person you’re talking to can see your mouth (in case they rely on lip reading). If they don’t understand, don’t repeat yourself over and over – just try phrasing things in a different way.

Always remember that beyond that disability that you see, there is a whole person and the key is in understanding disability is just a part of that person’s identity and NOT the entire identity. Let us all be advocates for our brothers and sisters. It is Day 7 of the #WinterABC2021.