The Dunning-Kruger Effect

I am wiser than this man, for neither of us appears to know anything great and good; but he fancies he knows something, although he knows nothing; whereas I, as I do not know anything, so I do not fancy I do. In this trifling particular, then, I appear to be wiser than he, because I do not fancy I know what I do not know. (Attributed to Socrates, from Plato) 

The Dunning-Kruger effect, named after David Dunning and Justin Kruger of Cornell University, occurs where people fail to adequately assess their level of competence — or specifically, their incompetence — at a task and thus consider themselves much more competent than everyone else. This lack of awareness is attributed to their lower level of competence robbing them of the ability to critically analyse their performance, leading to a significant overestimate of themselves. Put more crudely, they're too stupid to realize they're stupid. 

The inverse also applies: competent people tend to underestimate their ability compared to others; this is known as impostor syndrome. 

If you have no doubts whatsoever about your brilliance, you could just be that damn good. On the other hand... 

(Author Unknown)

What I do not understand!

Is attending training this week at a mayor tertiary institution in the capital of Gauteng.  

The past few weeks I've been struck by the new of students (30 odd) disrupting the TUT over fees.  Stopped the whole institution for continuing with lecturing to students.  Then I learnt that, after two weeks, a lecturer indicated that the reopening of TUT was fast on him/her and that the students will not have class.

Here is what I do not understand:

• How can the TUT and the government allow 30 students to disrupt a complete campus?
• How can Mr Blade Nzimande complain about a quite, functioning, delivering university for not being transformed, while not mentioning the chaos created on a "transformed" institution?
• How can we expect students to be focused and wanting to learn when those employed to teach, not upheld their end of the bargain.  Their end, in my view, is not only lecturing but also displaying ethical behaviour, being on time, being prepared, being knowledgeable, setting an example in behaviour, language and attitude.
• How can tertiary institutions allow students to behave like @$%^#*'s, dress like @$#%&'s and expect them to be professional once they obtain their degrees and diplomas?
• How can a student, who was allowed to attend class with plakkies (or not), unwashed shorts, hair not combed, etc, ever be expected to be a presentable professional with ethical behaviour - when he/she never had the opportunity to be like that before?  (Absolutely, not all are to blame and not all are @$%#&'s.)  I'm not promoting everyone acting like jocks and wearing suits, but how do you show your are being proud of the institution your are enriching yourself in and preparing yourself to achieve something and be of value to humanity if you look like something that escaped from a washing basket?  Once again - I know I'm generalising a lot, please forgive me and see what I'm  trying to say. Was I ever a student? Yes, it amused me then and it is frustrating me now.

Attending school is a must, attending any tertiary institution thereafter is a privilege. If you agree, why do you allow those attending to not act as if it is a privilege?  

If I offended you to the extend that I made you think - good!

Politicians, learned colleagues and those of you who have the opportunity to study - please consider this; it is not about you, it is about the community that you are about to serve once you graduated.  Once you understand that you are there for common good, then you have learnt! 

Project 1725 – Sharing your Wisdom

In previous generations knowledge and wisdom were shared via interaction, from elders to children around camp fires, around dining tables and other instances of interaction.  Grand parents, parents and elders telling stories and sharing wisdom, calmly guiding the young into their life of responsibility.

Wisdom was transferred from one to another in the form of information within context.

Today there is Google.  People, young and old visit Google as the ultimate information source, without knowing that not all information in Google can be trusted, or it can be completely out of context – resulting in poor understanding and decision making.  Google does not understand context, it does not know why you asked the question.  We don’t talk anymore.

Why Project 1725?  We are making the most far reaching and life changing decisions during the ages of 17 to 25.  We decide on career, a life partner, buying vehicles and a house, to start a family; all while we are not really up to it.  Think about it, how prepared were you when you were faced with these issues when you were 17-25 years old?

Project 1725 is a challenge to create a pool of wisdom (on any topic), which we can freely attribute to and share.  A pool of wisdom or life’s lessons which will assist others with common sense in decision making, guidance in building of relationships, frames of reference to assist with thought and actions.

Call for action; what is your role?  Send JCC Projects an email and we will collate and share.  Send an email to johan@jccprojects.co.za and answer two questions:

1. What was the best advice ever provided to you?
2. Where you are now, what is the best advice you can provide for a 1725er?

You make a living with what you have.  You make a life with what you give!

Share as much as you like!

Hedgehog or Fox?

I've been blessed with the ability to do almost "anything".
I've been blessed with a career which lead me throughout the country, enabled me to work at almost every level of an organisation and in a production as well as advisory role.
I've been blessed to meet a large number of people (and learned to like most of them).
I've been blessed to have the opportunity to share my knowledge and experience, as well as to provide direction to individuals, teams and organisations.
I've been blessed with a keen ability to see what other do not see (especially wrt behaviour).
I've been blessed to be very skilled in terms of facilitating individuals and teams through difficult situations and projects.
I've been blessed to empower and support people in their quests.

I'm frustrated with people continuously asking what your core competence is; what is it what you really do well, only to frown when I explain what I do .... to be knowledgeable, to see the bigger picture, to guide people on their road to success, to stand between foes, to be the buffer, to make you look good, to make things happen - without kicking people in their teeth (well, sometimes they need it).

The fox and hedgehog concept is based on the Greek parable that states: "The fox knows many things, but the hedgehog knows one big thing."  Many a writer built on this and divided people and organisations into these two concepts - emphasising that the hedgehog wins or becomes great on one thing.  Applying the model goes through the process of (1) understanding your passions, (2) understanding what you can be best at (3) understand how to generate sustained cash flow and profitability, (4) identify the overlap between the above and then (5) review/make your strategy and plans.

Do I differ from the above; no, I do not!  It is a good model and does make a lot of sense, I used it to help a number of people, and it worked.

But I differ as well.  You see, the challenge lies in the balance of things.  If you only have staff that is very good at one thing, there will be no integration and lots of misunderstandings.  Being very good at one thing also poses challenges of staying up to date with continuous change, you can becomes so focused on that one thing that the world/market passed you by!

I believe that success lies in the blend of foxes and hedgehogs.  In the blend of products and services.  In the correct compilation of teams.  There is no "or", you need both.  There is a "need layer" between these two - foxes need hedgehogs and vise versa.

Are my blessings turning into a workplace curse?  No!  It however does pose some challenges when I need to sell my services, when I need to explain what I do!  However, in all the things I can do and do well, facilitating (taking people on a journey) is the one thing I can do best of all ......

Minderwaardig of nie?

Daar is heeltemal te veel mense wat hulself as minderwaardig sien - so, hier is my siening van minderwaardigheid ........

Hierdie is die oggend van vrae ….

Rate jouself gou oor hoe jy oor jouself voel vandag – jouself, jou gesin, jou familie, jou finansies, jou werk, jou geloof?

Dink gou ‘n paar oomblikke oor hoe suksesvol jy is?  Onthou die punte en dan vra jy jouself watter boublokke het jy gebruik om jou sukses te meet; ‘n motor, werk, huis, geld in die bank, vakansies, status?

Hoe voel jy wanneer jy in ‘n geselskap is? Hoe voel jy wanneer jou familie in die omtrek is?  Hoe voel jy wanneer jy in ‘n winkelsentrum rondstap? Hoe voel jy wanneer jy vir ‘n werk aansoek doen of vir ‘n onderhoud gaan?

Is jy fyngevoelig?

As jy kon verander, wie sou jy wou wees?  Hoekom, wat het of is daardie persoon wat jy nie het of is nie?

Jou antwoorde op bogenoemde vrae sal vir jou ‘n baie goeie aanduiding gee oor jou dunk van jouself; sien jy jouself as suksesvol of nie of sien jy jouself as waardig of nie.

Sien, baie van ons probleme lê gewortel in die volgende dinge:

• Hoe ons bepaal of ons suksesvol is of nie.
• Of ons fondasie in die lewe reg is of nie?

Ek het slegte nuus vir julle; niemand van ons is suksesvol as ons definisie van sukses gewortel lê in wêreldse terme nie.  Kyk maar om jou rond; die manne en meisies met geld, hulle het hulle eie problem, want hulle maak nie meer op God staat nie, hulle is self sterk genoeg.  Saam met aardse sukses kom baie uitdagings, “greed” is ‘n vernietigende dryfveer.

Daar word nie verniet gesê dat ‘n man se grootste toets is waanneer hy alles het nie; en ‘n vrou se grootste toets is wanneer haar man alles verloor het nie.

Storietyd.  ‘n Kraak word ontdek op die 42ste verdieping van ‘n 50 verdieping gebou.  Die eienaar word ontbied en die ontbied onmiddelik die ingeneurs en die bouinspekteurs, ens.  Hy is briesend en wil onmiddelik ‘n antwoord op die problem hê.  Ongeduldig wag hy op die 42ste vloer.  Uiteindelik gaan soek hulle die ingeneur en vind hom in die kelder van die gebou.  Die eienaar is moeilik en sê dat die probleem op die 42ste vloer is, waarop die ingeneur antwoord dat as daar ‘n bars hoer op in die gebou is, dan is dit omdat die fondasie verkeerd is.  Om die gebou te red moet die fondasie herstel word.

Moeilikheid.  Reg, almal van ons het moeilikheid, sommige net meer as ander, en van baie weet ons nie eers nie.  Daar is mos die gesegde wat lui ”dat hoë bome val harder”.  Die Bybel erken dat dat ons moeilikheid het, sien

2 Kor 1:3-4.  Aan God, die Vader van ons Here Jesus Christus, kom al die lof toe!  Hy is die Vader wat Hom ontferm en die God wat in elke omstandighede uitkoms gee.  In elke moeilikheid help Hy ons. 

My vraag is nou: “indien jou gebou krake het, hoe goed is jou fondasie”.  Voel julle ook of julle in ‘n hopelose situasie verkeer – soos Paulus gvoel het?

Vanoggend wil ek help om julle (en myne) fondasie te herstel, sodat ons almal kan excel in Jesus.  Wie is ons in Jesus:

• Gen 1:26 En God het gesê: Laat Ons mense maak na ons beeld, na ons gelykenis.
• Gen 1:31 ….Hy het na die mens gekyk en gesê dit is goed.
• Ps 8:4 wat is die mens dat U aan hom dink, en die mensekind dat U hom besoek?
• Ps 8:5 U het hom weinig minder gemaak as ‘n goddelike wese en hom met eer en heerlikheid gekroon.
• Jer 29:11 Want Ek weet watter gedagtes ek aangaande julle koester, spreek die Here, gedagtes van vrede en nie van onheil nie, om julle ‘n hoopvolle toekoms te gee.
• Joh 1:29 (Johannes sê) ….Daar is die Lam van God wat die sonde van die wêreld wegneem.
• Joh 16:33  ….In die wêreld sal julle verdrukking hê; maar hou goeie moed, Ek het die wêreld oorwin.

Wat staan jou te doen?  “Where your attention goes, your energy flows”. 

Kies waarop jy fokus.  Herprogrammeer jouself oor wie en wat jy in Jesus is.

• Weet dat jy deur God geskep is en dat Hy jou liefhet.
•  Deur Jesus is jy vrygespreek en is jy soos HY.  EK is reg met God deur Jesus.
• Aanvaar dat jy foute het, maar niemand is ‘n mislukking omdat hy foute het nie.
• Aanvaar dat jy graag mense wil gelukkig maak en dat hulle van jou moet hou – maar jou selfbeeld en waarde is nie afhanklik van wat hulle van jou dink nie.
• Verstaan dat alhoewel mense jou kan verwerp, God jou nooit sal verwerp nie – jy is Sy kind.
• Weet dat ongeag hoe baie jy val of misluk, God jou nooit sal verwerp nie.
•  Besluit om van jouself te hou (liefhê) – jy hoef nie te hou van alles wat jy doen nie, maar jy gaan nie jouself verwerp nie.
• Verstaan dat daar in Jesus oorwinning is – Hy is ons fondasie.
• Glo dat jy tot enigiets instaat is deur Jesus.

Vra God, en Hy sal van jou gemors ‘n bediening maak – sodat jy ander kan help wat met dieselfde moeilikheid sit.  Onthou, jou hele lewe is ‘n ministry.

Verstaan dat baie suksesverhale is gebore uit een of ander terugslag, ongeluk, krisis of swaarkry. 

• Charles Kettering het ‘n motor se “starter” ontwerp toe die “crank handle” sy arm gebreek het.
• Jacob Schick was ‘n goudprospekteurder, wat die elektriese skeermes ontwerp het omdat dit te koud geword het om te skeer.
•  Eugene O’Neill het begin “plays” skryf toe hy in ‘n hospitaalbed gelê het.

·         Luister mooi na God se stem, dalk is Hy besig om met jou te praat.

·         Onthou dat jy eerste die geveg in jou kop verloor, voordat jy dit fisies verloor.

Is jy dus minderwaardig – te swak om voor mens of God te staan?  Kan nie wees nie – jy is soos God, Jesus het vir jou sondes gesterf, jy is ‘n kind van God en daarom is jy soos Jesus se broer/suster.  Hoe hoog wil jy wees?

Ek daag jou uit.  Gaan uit en wees anders; stap in Jesus se spore, volg sy voorbeeld en verbaas jouself.  

Jy is suksesvol en waardig as jou fondasie God se liefde en Jesus se voorbeeld is!

The Cape is clean!

I like to travel.  If I could I would make a living out of travel.
Went to visit the Cape the weekend past - what an exceptional place.  We had four days of brilliant weather and travelling.
For you that knows the Cape Flats; we lived in Simon's Town and from there traveled to Gordon's Bay, Hermanus, Franschoek, Paarl, Melkbos and Blaauwbergstrand, as well as the peninsula - covered about 1000 kms during our stay.
What struck me was how clean the Cape was, very little anything laying around with the roads in working order and maintained.
The only place where I found it dirty was where the N2 crossed the Baden Powell, in the river - looked like Gauteng.
My question is - why is it clean there and not in Gauteng.  Why is clean next to the N3 to Durban but the moment you cross the border to Mpumalanga or Gauteng it becomes a dump?
Is it because of the wind in Cape Town, is it because of the government or is it due to the people living there appreciating their environment and personally making an effort to "be clean" and preserve?
I don't know - however, it was nice visiting the Cape.

'n Kiewiet se Moed!

Kiewiet-moed
Nico Loggenberg

 
Daar kom hy in die beestepaadjie aan,
hy stuit vir niks, hy’t reeds sy weg gebaan.
Die middagson op sy blinkend goue vel,
hier tussen sy trop koeie is daar niks wat hom kwel.
 
‘n Volle elfhonderd kilogram weeg hy swaar,
as hy aankom, sy nek trots omhoog, gee pad jy maar.
Dis my stoet se nuwe Limousin-bul,
hier in sy kamp loop hy net waar hy wil.
 
Hier voor my oë is vandag iets vreesliks aan’t gebeur:
in die beestepaadjie staan ‘n kiewiet met haar kroos.
Eers lyk dit of die bul hom glad nie aan haar steur,
vlerkies wyd gesprei, kwetterend,
ter wille van haar kroos roep sy na God om haar te troos.
 
Kiewiet met jou kleine kuikens, vandag word julle die grond ingetrap.
Vir wat gaan staan jy nou in die paadjie waarop die beeste stap?
Sy deins nie ‘n tree, maar begin net harder skree!
Agter haar vlerkies skuil haar kroos, sy retireer nie ‘n enkele tree.
 
Die bul laat sak sy massiewe nek:
Kiewiet, hierdie is my plek!
Sy pik na die bul se neusring met haar kleine bekkie:
O nee, hierdie is ook ons ou plekkie.
Sien jy dan nie die engel van God hier langs die paadjie staan?
Ons het na God geroep en jy sal nou om ons moet gaan.
 
Die bul retireer ‘n tree, stap ‘n ompad om die kiewiet en haar kroos.
Waarlik, God het hul in hul benoudste uur getroos.
Die Kiewiet-ma laat sak haar vlerke,
Maar haar vreugde ken geen perke!
In haar deur God ingebou, is ‘n innerlike sterkte.
 
O Heer, dit het my meer gefassineer as manne- of leeuemoed.
Ag, Heer, as ek soms ontsteld is of ek verkeer in groot gevaar,
Gee my dan asseblief van die Kiewiet-ma se moed
en laat my vyand op die vlug slaan as hy met ontblote swaard,
Die engel wat God gestuur het, gewaar.
 
Soms voel ons boere terneurgedruk, ons moet mos alles sluk.
Die mielieprys vandag weer af, die dieselprys weer op.
My God, wanneer sal al die dinge dan stop?
Sal ons regtig die vrugte van ons arbeid eendag pluk?
 
Skep moed, skep moed, van die Kiewiet-ma se moed.
Sprei jou vlerke teen die sonde,
roep tot God, dan bly jy ongeskonde.
 
(Nico Loggenberg boer tussen Koppies en Parys, Noord-Vrystaat.)