May 3, 2008
The whole world watched Chris Moneymaker as he turned a $40
online entry fee into an astonishing $2.5 million dollars by
winning the World Series of Poker and as you may have guessed,
knocked out some pretty substantial players along the way.
An accountant who graduated from the University of Tennessee,
Chris Moneymaker wanted to play poker but will have never
dreamed he would get a golden opportunity like this. After
winning his way to the World Series of Poker from the PokerStars
website, Chris could not have imagined what kind of instant fame
he would earn after winning the tournament.
Maybe he was still in such shock from the win at Poker Stars he
didn’t realise the likelihood that he would be a viable
contender at the World Series Of Poker. Not only was Chris a
possible challenger, he was also a tough opponent and proving as
much to the others at the final table.
If people were amazed when he made it to the final table, they
would have been bowled over with shock when Chris Moneymaker
became the 2003 World Series of Poker Champion.
He gained the instant respect of those who played with him in
the tournament and always made everyone feel it was worth his
time to stop and enjoy a little conversation. He is an overall
nice guy who is playing it smart right now with his winnings and
has just launched “Money Maker Gaming” which looks set to be a
big hit. The website offers an online assortment of gifts and
apparel for gaming enthusiasts.
Though many poker professionals insist it was definitely his
good luck that put him into instant “stardom,” skill is
certainly keeping him there. In 2004, Chris came in second at
the Bay 101 Shooting Stars World Poker Tour Event which shows
his poker skills are still very much intact.
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“Do not pay attention to every word people say…” (Ecclesiastes 7:21); “I have become like a man who does not hear, whose mouth can offer no reply” (Psalm 38:14).
It helps us to know that the wisest and the best can — and will be — misread and misquoted. Jesus’ family thought he was crazy: “When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, `He is out of his mind’” (Mark 3:21). We then shouldn’t take the time or bother to worry about what others say about us. To paraphrase Romans 8:31: “If God is for us, why be troubled about who is against us?” If we are doing God’s will and purpose, then “Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns?” (Romans 8:33,34).
This world harbors accusers of the brethren whose delight it is to execrate and implicate. What’s worse, the accusations may have a ring of truth, because the only perfect Person on earth was Jesus Christ. Even the best have blemishes that mar the face of the spirit. It is possible that God is using the person who is bent on bending us to his or her preconceptions. After all, “Who can discern his errors?” (Psalm 19:12). Personally, I believe that God allowed relatives to keep us humble!
We also learn from this not to form great expectations of others’ actions and reactions. We have knowingly and unknowingly wounded enough people ourselves through our sins of commission and omission. Another’s judgment, false or true, ought to send us to our knees in prayer for forgiveness for the accuser and the accused. And, like David, we can become like one who does not hear and will not justify the accusation.
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Now we turn the corner to our final phase: Re-Discovery.
Last year marked the 200th anniversary of the expedition of Lewis & Clark, and much has been written about their remarkable journey up the Missouri River and on to the Pacific. This band of explorers was aptly named The Corps of Discovery. In reality, The Corps made two trips, the second being their return. It is likely that the unheralded return journey was more revealing and insightful than the outbound leg, offering them a chance to re-discover with clearer vision what they had already seen.
It is in this frame of mind that your organization will embark on the Re-Discovery Phase of building an effective management system.
Management Policies and Procedures
The Re-Discovery Phase completes the loop of the entire project, and then overlaps with The Discovery Phase of the next year. Therein lies the “never-ending cycle” of the project. The Re-Discovery Phase allows your organization to migrate from a “fix it and done!” mentality to one of continuous improvement. In Re-Discovery/Discovery Phases you will always be reviewing and assessing your organization for ways to improve performance, compliance, and effectiveness.
As in all Phases it is wise to identify a Project Leader to manage document controls, lead the audits and report to management.
Review the Audit Results and Process Measures
When we pass down a street for the first time, our minds are focused on reaching the destination. Upon returning, we are able to notice things that were previously missed. Returning allows us to go through the same path of the original Discovery Phase in this different light.
This will involve reviewing audit results, process measures and customer satisfaction to determine possible adjustments to the mission, objectives and action plans as well as effectiveness criteria. You will want to asses the appropriateness of these elements now that you have completed your “outbound journey” through the Planning, Development and Implementation Phases. What will you see differently? How will you prepare for the cycle to begin again next year?
Culmination of Policies and Procedures Project
In Phase I, we learned how your organization specifies the project mission, objectives and effectiveness criteria. Phase II entailed setting requirements for project tools, budgets and schedules to manage your project. Phase III taught us about identifying and testing processes within the system. And in Phase IV we learned about learning. So now the Re-Discovery Phase will culminate the project that started 6-12 months ago (time certainly does go by quickly, doesn’t it?). And with these five phases completed, you will have undertaken perhaps quite a long process - but also one that will lead you to building (and maintaining) an effective management system.
Chris Anderson is the managing director of Bizmanualz, Inc. and co-author of policies and procedures manuals, producing the layout, process design and implementation to increase performance.
To learn how to increase your business performance, visit: Bizmanualz, Inc.
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Playing games has been a common activity of humans since ancient
times, not just for fun but also aimed at learning basic life
skills. PC games come in a large array of forms and intended for
the most diverse objective from mere entertainment for leisure
time to children’s early instruction at home, thanks to their
undeniable power to motivate them to approach learning from a
fun perspective.
Baby computer games are a useful tool for parents fostering
valuable early skills in areas such as strategic thinking,
socialization and collaboration, while developing basic
understanding of their surroundings by identifying colors,
shapes, numbers and more, associating at the same time places
and names in an easier way with the aid of the games audiovisual
experience.
Many parents and even educators still underestimate PC games
considering them as a waste of time and irrelevant to set the
basic of learning for kids during preschool age, and even
considered harmful for individuals of any age. Fortunately, the
percentage of adults who are convinced of the role of fun in
education are higher today and the computing industry develops
new digital games for both, learning and fun each and every day.
The surprising benefits of PC games have been evident over the
supposed disadvantages and the branch of baby computer games
offers a range of activities from early stimulation to the
learning of basic skills and challenges useful for preschool
children.
Most baby computer games stimulate the baby’s brain development,
coordination and motor skills enhancing language and
problem-solving skills, making a strong bond between baby and
parents because playing computer games with babies can become a
pleasant family activity. Encouraging baby intellectual
development is necessary but love and physical closeness is as
important as the learning itself for healthy emotional growth.
Educators promote PC games
as a fun activity for children and parents making a
retrospective on how families were engaged though time in
various activities that created stronger ties. The bedtime story
tradition that still survives in many homes, the family shared
time listening to popular radio shows that later evolve to
watching TV together, the picnic and camping days, and so on.
Today time runs fast and for many parents is not possible to
continue old traditions, but computers and the internet era have
brought a whole universe of exciting family activities. PC games
are classified by ages as baby computer games, toddler computer
software, preschooler games and activities, etc. Regardless of
the age, games are equally exciting for parents and teachers.
If you are a parent seeking PC games for your children, keep in
mind that most baby computer games are just for fun but are an
aid in developing the baby’s intellectual, emotional and
physical stability.
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