Rowan Spazzoli

Benchmarking is comparing or evaluating something to a standard. In the education system, for example, there are standardised tests such as the Matric Exams which are used to evaluate students, schools and areas.

The important thing is that these comparisons are done using significant volumes of data and a uniform method of measurement. It then makes sense to contrast different schools or districts which can then inform policy makers where to direct more attention or resources.

Personal benchmarking

We get so used to this system that we continue to subconsciously (or consciously) benchmark ourselves into our adult lives. There is so much that we want to compare, with questions such as:

• How much is everyone earning?
• Who is getting big positions/promotions?
• What is the right age to marry? Why are some people getting married so young/old?
• How much leave/holiday time are people getting compared to what I get?

These sort of questions jump out at us all the time. And when we hear someone has gotten more/ better than us we tend to think we’re doing badly.

The problem with doing this is that these comparisons miss the fundamental components of benchmarking:

1. There is no standardised way to assess
2. Your sample size is often limited to a very small sample (usually just a story from one friend)
3. There is no set/average/normal level

This makes these comparisons futile exercises. Your benchmarking process is a complete waste of time.

The solution? Well… that ranges from fixing your internal dialogue to changing the way school assessment happens. There’s a lot to be done.

But the principle is simple: go at your own pace, and realise that trying to benchmark yourself is a flawed process. As long as you’re happy with your reality, then you’re doing it right.

Image is of Jared getting in the way of my sunset pic 😉

Song of the day: Porter Robinson - Language

Blog 158/365. Read more about my #365of25 journey here

I remember a scene in “The Matrix” where Trinity and Neo come across a helicopter. Neo asks Trinity if she can fly it and she replies with “not yet” and proceeds to call the operator. She asks for a pilot program for a B-212 helicopter, which the operator is able to find. He uploads it to her and she is able to learn the commands instantly.

“Let’s go” she says to Neo as they hop in the helicopter and fly away.

Learn Instantly

At the time I thought that having something uploaded to your brain like that would be one of the most astonishing abilities.

• Wanna learn karate? Done
• Need to learn quantum physics? Sorted
• Going to China and need to speak the language? 简易!

If Elon Musk has his way, this might be a not to distant reality, thanks to things like Neuralink.

But we’re actually kind of living in an age like that anyway. With access to high speed internet, it is possible to learn anything we want, whenever we want to. It takes a little longer than it does in the matrix, but it’s still possible.

For example, today I needed to change the battery in my car. I had never done something like that before. But on the way back from the battery centre I read two articles and watched a sort YouTube video.

And bam! I had learnt how to do it myself.

I’m basically a mechanic now.

Learning to leverage

We have access to more knowledge than we can ever comprehend. Knowledge used to be one of the most valuable assets. But it’s becoming more open and more free.

It’s now about being able to acquire that knowledge quickly, leverage it and apply it.

You can learn to do anything. So what are you waiting for?

Image was taken this afternoon on my run 🙂 first time I’ve run in a while and I managed 10km. Was aiming for 20km but my knee started giving me problems

Song of the day: GoodLuck & Boris Smith - Be Yourself

Blog 156/365. Read more about my #365of25 journey here

After speaking to various stakeholders on my current consulting project, we realised that the existing plans have major flaws. Essentially, the client is spending a huge amount of money unnecessarily. The product they want to build already exists. But they have chosen to ignore the evidence

It may be one of the most frustrating things I’ve encountered in my work. They commissioned us to make a recommendation but, in essence, have already decided what they want to do.

In theory, once you come up with a superior strategy it should be easy to implement. But in reality this depends on a myriad of political and social forces.

The sad truth is that you can get as much help as you want. But if you ignore the evidence, you are no better off than when you began.

Image was taken this morning from our apartment 🙂

Song of the day: Peter Cincotti - Goodbye Philadelphia

Blog 151/365. Read more about my #365of25 journey here

One of the things I love most about teaching/lecturing is seeing my students graduate. This past week I was able to witness this with two different groups of students. My MTIP students graduated with their PGDip in Management and my Strategic Thinking students B.Bus.Sci degrees.

It’s a great feeling to know that in some way, however small it might have been, you contributed to their learning. And now they’re going to use those skills out in the real world.

Image is of a tutorial that one of my students handed in in 2014. They had given it to a friend to hand in, and left them with a few post it notes. The friend submitted it without removing these post it notes. One of the notes (in Orange) says “I’m drunk” :’). I never let her live it down.

Song of the day: Able - Plush

Blog 151/365. Read more about my #365of25 journey here

In 2017 I lived alone for most of the year. From May onwards I was completely by myself after my flat mate moved out officially. I’d grown used to living by myself.

But recently I’ve moved in to a new place, with two flat mates. It’s the first time I’ve had proper flat mates before. And it’s been a welcome adjustment.

Even though we mostly do completely different things, it’s nice to have a sort of family around. One that can get you up out of a hole or go with you when you’re wanting to mission.

So thanks to the Jar(r)eds, it’s been great living with you 🙂

Image was taken this afternoon out in Table view

Song of the day:Seven Lions - Fractures

Blog 141/365. Read more about my #365of25 journey here

A combination of FOMO and not wanting to let people down used to drive me to go to events that I wasn’t happy to be going to. I’d often sacrifice desperately needed “me time” to make it happen. And if I was to bail, I would make up a complex excuse as to why I couldn’t make it.

But over the last year or so I’ve stopped caring as much. I’ve begun to realise that it is much more important to set boundaries. Claiming “me time” is not selfish, it’s essential.

I do still feel some guilt sometimes, though I’ve become used to managing it.

The happiness of others is important. But your own mental health and well being are more important, and it’s okay to turn people down.

(Quick shoutout to my uncle Massimo for being my co-pilot this week)

Image was taken at the waterfront today. A candy floss store opened up next to the ice cream sandwich place. My risk of diabetes just doubled

Song of the day: Leave out all the rest - Linkin Park

Blog 138/365. Read more about my #365of25 journey here

This week I taught a module on leadership for the BUS4050W class. One of the concepts I emphasised was from Jim Collins “Level 5” leadership. Collins says that a level 5 leader has a paradoxical blend of humility and fierce resolve.

I closed off the session with a quote from  Lao Tzu. I heard it for the first time  when I was in Switzerland last year. It was used at the end of a presentation by a social entrepreneur and it reads as follows:

“Go to the people. Live with them. Learn from them. Love them. Start
with what they know. Build with what they have. But with the best
leaders, when the work is done, the task accomplished, the people will
say ‘We have done this ourselves.” – Lao Tzu

This is definitely my favourite quote on leadership, and it’s something that I hope to emulate in my work 🙂

Image was taken during my hike last week 🙂

Song of the day: Mitis - Forests

Blog 133/365. Read more about my #365of25 journey here

Today a good friend of mine, Cindy Mkaza, gave a guest lecture to the Strategic Thinking class. Cindy founded an organisation called Emagqabini which aims to help high school learners in Khayelitsha to succeed. They describe themselves as follows:

Cindy’s concern about her sister’s academic performance was driving force behind the establishment of the academy. When her mother told her that her sister had done badly in yet another term; Cindy remembered that as a child growing up in Khayelitsha no-one in her family could assist her with her school work as well – because of their own illiteracy. Cindy also realized that the academic struggle was not unique to her sister but a reality to many young South Africans, especially from under-resourced communities. As a result, the drop-out rate of high school learners in South Africa was 46% in 2016.  This means that many young people did not reach matric and this, leaves them vulnerable to various social-ills.

Thus, to try and assist her sister and to make sure that the generation of her younger brother and the other kids in the neighbourhood benefit, with her husband, Cindy started Emagqabini as a homework support programme.

The homework support programme used to take place in people’s living rooms in Khayelitsha. Each home hosted a tutor in a particular subject and the learners would rotate. Once the learner number grew we then moved to the nearby library. This year (2018) our learner number has tripled, we are currently supporting 100 learners in grade 8 – 12.

Thank you to Cindy for coming through, we loved hearing from you!

Image was taken during the lecture today

Song of the day: Davido - Fall

Blog 132/365. Read more about my #365of25 journey here