Business should focus on making a difference and not only on making money. And leaders need to listen more than anyone else. Furthermore, money and motivation have nothing to do with each other. Now, if you think these ideas are crazy, then how about this: It does not take a great idea to start a great company. In fact, starting a company based on an idea might actually be a bad idea.

Yes, please do not read this from the angle of whether or not you agree or disagree. Don’t read to agree or disagree. This stifles learning and this is a big challenge in these modern times of constant distraction. Give your full attention to understanding. If you fully understand and you disagree then that is your right. Having understood a different viewpoint, you are entitled to disagree. One has to learn to understand viewpoints with which you don’t agree with. You don’t have to hear what you agree with – what you agree with you know already. What one has to study and learn are viewpoints with which you don’t agree.

http://coolfidence.com/dont-listen-to-agree-or-disagree-just-agree-to-listen-solution-20065

E-mail is so easy, anyone can do it, right? Maybe not. Ultimately, sending mail is about communicating, and we can all aim to be better communicators.

http://coolfidence.com/dont-be-an-e-mail-pest-here-are-7-ways-to-be-better-at-it-solution-20064

According to Maslow’s hierarchy, we need food and shelter to survive. Love and self-actualisation are nice to have, but not essential. A new laptop or a motorbike for going on weekend brunches are not on the essentials list. So why do we need to buy so much unnecessary stuff? Is it a conspiracy dreamed up by world powers, in collusion with the capitalism machine? Whatever the reason, you probably don’t need as much as you do. You’ve already got three pairs of jeans that you never wear, why are you checking out another pair? Because they’re on sale? Because your favourite celeb wore the brand on Instagram? And do you need another novelty appliance that never gets used? When last did you juice something? There’s a chance that retail therapy may lead to actual therapy.

http://coolfidence.com/8-ways-to-combat-the-spend-trend-solution-20062

An entrepreneur is someone who makes a contribution to the world as we know it. And for this they get rewarded. Sometimes in kind, sometimes in love, and of course, sometimes in money. I know that many people in the world think that it is all about money, but I would like to challenge this view. Making a contribution to the world does not always have a number or prize attached to it. Sometimes the rewards are not things we can see.

Entrepreneurs always display the following 3 qualities: they are positive, they are curious and they are decisive. Entrepreneurs always see the glass as being half full. They want to learn, continuously. About the industry they are in. About the law. About technology. About life, people, relationships, spirituality and religion. And entrepreneurs always move ahead; even if they take 3 steps forwards and 2 steps backwards, they make decisions and they grow from them.

True entrepreneurs continually dream of doing something different. Of giving something back to society in some way. Many people miss the point in business though. The real challenge is to make a difference in the world. And if you make money doing so it simply means that your contribution was valued. Think of that old saying that the best way to receive is to give. Entrepreneurs are very giving. Of their time, their ideas, their energy, and their enthusiasm.

http://coolfidence.com/so-you-want-to-make-a-contribution-solution-20061

TV shows are a great way to connect over the water-cooler at work, or to unify communities of passionate fans. TV shows are the new independent movies, and have been for a while. Networks and platforms like HBO, Showtime, Netflix, FX and Amazon have created a new range of cultural and artistically satisfying shows. Some might say this golden age of television is currently outshining movies. Here are a few reasons why that may be.

High-octane TV shows are major talking points. I have kick-started many conversations by talking about The Americans, for example – people are hooked on shows like these, and love to discuss them. And why not – TV has never been this good.

Equipment to create moving images has gotten exponentially better and more cost effective. From camera quality and mobility due to smaller sizes, to drones replacing expensive helicopter shots, to slicker digital editing software.

Now you don’t need $237 million (3.5 billion rand) to make Avatar. Okay you probably do, but you now get better quality for lower production costs.

That said, the budget for each episode of Game of Thrones is currently $10 million per episode – so not too shabby.

One episode of Thrones costs roughly the same as 10 Leon Schuster movies, or you could make around 700 local SA films for the whole season of Thrones.

TV is getting better crews to create cinematic looks and sourcing better casts who are attracted to more challenging material. Coupled together with incredible pools of writers given freedom to experiment and surprise.

An example of all of these elements is Season 1 of True Detective.

Season 2, not so much, even though they tried hard.

We have better home viewing equipment, meaning less time required to travel to the cinema and sit in a sticky seat while someone alongside you Whatsapps and talks throughout the entire movie.

Distribution tools are better: faster bandwidth, Apple TV, Roku players and cheaper storage means viewers watch what they want, when they want.

Instead of going to a local cinema with ten movies on offer, they have the whole Internet, on demand and streaming services to choose from.

http://coolfidence.com/6-reasons-why-tv-is-kicking-films-butt-and-what-you-should-consider-watching-and-also-tv-is-a-great-conversation-starter-solution-20057

We all have anxiety due to digital overload. E-mails left, right and center, social media activity, keeping up with all the different messages. Not so long ago it was more about e-mail, but these days it is WhatsApp texts, messages on Facebook, Twitter updates. and more. And when you land and get online after a long flight it can hit hard and sometimes it is overwhelming.

It is amazing what can accumulate during a night. I know I am not alone in this modern day struggle. I have travelled with many friends and colleagues before, and when we land, there is always a rush to get online and see what’s cooking. Things to take care of, problems to sort out, people needing answers, decisions to make. And when you are groggy and tired from a long flight it can really stress you out.

I remember using the “out of office” feature on my Microsoft mail client in the late 90s and into the new millennium. But for the past 10 years I don’t use it anymore. The office is wherever you go. Good or bad, this is the modern world. Globalization is about never switching off. E-mail overload, and all the rest, is not a problem we are going to solve anytime soon.

http://coolfidence.com/5-tips-for-dealing-with-e-mail-bombardment-after-a-long-distance-flight-solution-20056

The cops don’t have guns in London, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t shooting in the streets.

The Internet has the perils of time drainage and trolls, but online connectivity has changed the film and creative game-space for the best. We write scripts and produce the project in South Africa, cast via Skype, get feedback from all corners of the planet, film in London with UK actors and crew, have our web development team in Kiev, Ukraine, connect with them on FaceTime to approve technical specs, edit in Joburg, pay American lawyers, and provide content to the world.

When it comes to equipment, pack the basics. However, you can’t always travel with lighting rigs and slide-and-glide tripods on a plane, then drag them around the streets. Outsourcing is a wonderful thing, and a solid option because of the aforementioned Internet. A simple Google search around the area we’d be shooting (Shoreditch) got us several contacts and quotes. Equipment is cheaper to buy for even the smaller UK gear owners.

Renting overseas equipment eliminates Sisyphean schlepping of heavy gear, and the suppliers can oversee specifics like technical recces and making sure there are backup facilities. Forgot your favourite lens in your other computer bag? No problem, someone else has two of them. No issues with plug points, customs’ forms for work gear (involving more expense) and mobility. Just hop into an Uber and get to the location.

http://coolfidence.com/things-to-keep-in-mind-when-filming-in-london-and-south-africa-solution-20054

Watch Saki Missaikos share his insights with us – this is part of a new leadership interview feature on Coolfidence.com.

Saki discusses some treasured stories about the IS journey, and the people in this first collection of interviews are all connected to IS, as either partners or clients: Ken Varejes, Rapelang Rabana, Ronen Aires, Zaid Surtee and Brett Morris – their experiences will inspire you.

Click here to catch all the action : http://coolfidence.com/search/t=111

The revolution around communication has literally shifted the world. Face to face, points to a conversation on screens rather than in the physical world. While chiropractors are looking forward to future injuries like ‘crouch-neck’ as people lose the ability to look up. And that’s before cellphone finger makes an appearance. One of the classic traditions is a business lunch, not too formal and not too casual, and just enough time to get through things before you have to head back to the office. But in the new world, are business lunches still a must?

http://coolfidence.com/what-does-lets-do-lunch-really-mean-solution-20047

Business lunches aren’t as formal as dinners, but you can’t be too casual about them either. If you’re involved in a start-up company, who has time for lunch? That’s something you shovel into your mouth at your desk between Skype meetings. It doesn’t have to be this way. Sure, lunch meetings can cost you unnecessary time and calories, but you need to weigh up the benefits.