Mankiwwa

Mankiwwa the Social Change application of Sri Lanka. If you have not heard of Mankiwwa as a Sri Lankan you should. It's a mobile application that you can lodge complaints and social services. This is made for citizen empowerment to report anything from a roadside water leak, illegal garbage dumping, taking it all the way to a roadside accident or a robbery.

Mankiwwa has won so many social accolades over the past year. Getting them noticed in the social change and digital infrastructure circles of Sri Lanka.

This is not the reason why they are silent heroes, it is because they travel all over Sri Lanka trying and getting appointments with local authorities to educate them of the application and trying to sign them up. It is because they are empowering citizens silently where they already have users reporting such incidents and local authorities having a spark of light to green light the application.

They also have been taken note by Child Protection in Sri Lanka. They are trying hard to change Sri Lanka one person at a time, one authority at a time.

NOT ALL HEROES WEAR CAPES

Cheers!

LISWITH

To whom it may concern; my vision for Sri Lanka's Tourism

To whom it may concern,

Sri Lanka Tourism has improved over the years, but never ceased its true potential.

Sri Lanka is now featured on a travel magazine, article, blog, and vlog as the destination to be at.

I would suggest some improvements I think Sri Lanka tourism should do.

It should be briefed to the hoteliers & travel agents that it is not their product that should be marketed but Sri Lanka as a destination, simple logic should be shown the first step should be convincing a traveler to come to Sri Lanka then the rest of the thought process of travel agent and hotels shall follow.

Secondly, Hotels in a singular area, for example, Ella or Ratnapura should take initiation along with the Tourist Board to promote the City. Sri Lanka does not exist of Colombo, Galle, Kandy and Nuwaraeliya other cities should be promoted, including why they should travel to Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka is not a cheap destination, never should be marketed as one. Sri Lankan hoteliers, agents and tourist board to sell the experiences of Sri Lanka more neatly and more professional. Sri Lanka is not only a country for Kandy temple, Sigiriya and to be guided to a tea plantation. Sri Lanka is made of rich culture, a wide variety of species.

Ayurveda, meditation, and spas the wellness holiday theme is greatly marketed around the world, we should take initiation for all who graduate as an Ayurveda Doctor should be recruited to the hospitality trade to shape this new trend in the world.

If you have notices yoga is very booming in Sri Lanka, mainly not done nor taught by Sri Lankan's hence to promote this among Sri Lankan youth they should be shown there are many career paths within this trade to be learned and earned from.

We should learn to market Sri Lanka to Michelin Chefs to showcase their meals, we should put initiative to help bring down marine biologists from all over the world, we are not only famous for monkeys let the world see we have more animals invite zoologists to come and write about us, let historians come and see our culture and make documentaries.

Make the national parks, museums and historical sites more than here is a famous rock see this rock.

Make it more organized everywhere in the world it is not about pointing at a historic icon and saying why it is open. All these location museums, castles everything should be interactive with the clients where they engage with the culture and participate in depicting this great tale of Sri Lanka that they are experiencing.

I am stressing this time we break the barrier and bring tourism over the top.

The world seems to be talking about us, but we don’t seem to be. What last time a hotel promoted Sri Lanka and not the Jacuzzi in their room, what was last time an agent educated new markets about Sri Lanka, but not told how they can undercut their competitor by five dollars?

Sri Lanka pricing should maintain a standard that is worth it. We should improve our service along with it, train staff in the Tourist Board, Hotel School and Hoteliers from outsiders. I have seen the skill of Sri Lankan's in the hospitality trade in other countries because they are motivated, engaged and trained to push the envelope to grow themselves in the trade. Let them see the world what new things are out there and how we can incorporate them into our cycle of things.

Teach the hospitality industry next time they talk to a vendor sell Sri Lanka, not their property or company.

Teach Hoteliers are not here for the market share, the day comparison hotels share their information with each other they can improve together as they are already in comparison with each other.

Teach agents it is not selling the package ten dollars less, it’s about selling authentic Sri Lanka to the world show we are a lot more and we have much more to give.

These are tiny ideas we should hyper think about, we have a great opportunity where Lonely Planet and Trip Advisor and every other article is featuring. We now should create a return on investment.

Cheers!

LISWITH

Ven. Ajahn Brahm; the Business Community and Professionals.

This is a short blog post, things I heard on my amazing experience listening to Ven. Ajahn Brahm.

There were certain things he explained which was valuable advice and eye openers wanted to share with you briefly my experience.

Have empathy towards your leader, you would not know not what that person of authority goes through. Would you be able to do or react the same in the same position?

Don't take decisions from a point of fear.

Teach yourself to go to work thinking of making another happy (smile, kindness, educate)

The boss is the bottom of an inversed pyramid, they are support system to all.

Amount of hours worked is not productivity, after a while the mind gets exhausted does not become productive. Hence rest whichever way you can take a break.

For innovation to happen sometimes ideas should come from other mindsets than from the same trade. Two different mindset ideas synergizing as one.

How to criticize an employee. Sandwich method, first layer give them praise, appreciate their good and dedication then comes the BUT filling, you say what they did wrong, what they haven't improved on. Last layer is the thanking for been there and their loyalty.

Any employees’ top performance is only 70%, 30% is what the leaders join in to improve their employees.

Have meetings of what worked, not what failed. Find the reasons why it worked, motivate your business other family. What made today a happy day a good day not the days when it didn't. Focusing on mistakes cultivates negativity.

Difficulties of life is where we grow.

Hope this was an interesting read for you.

LISWITH, Over and Out!

Startup Pavilion

Infotel 2017, Startup Pavilion.

This is a place for all entrepreneurs from different trades to be at get inspired.

I saw many familiar faces all with new ones. Everything from Robotics educational services for youngsters, E wallets, Sri Lanka produced gaming, B2B total solutions, Doctor Services via video chat, Enterprise retail solutions, VR experience for a apartments or hotels, and Social Media gurus who take care of your online marketing solutions.

YES!!! Sri Lanka is going places.

This is was great to see young generation getting together under one roof and showcasing their hard work.

What I see as an outsider was that they lacked the support of the trade. No one told them how to create leads, that when they speak to a potential user they should be enthusiastic about it, that no one will walk to their stall and ask Hi! What does you company do? They had to believe in themselves and fuel that inner fire to set fire to each person that spoke to them. Word of mouth the oldest form of marketing. They were not mentored to market themselves along with their product. Not taught to educate a novice what they do.

Today I am writing to inspire all of you at the Startup Pavilion, bring your "A" GAME everyday.

Show people proudly what your passion built and what places you are heading, don’t shy away from educating anyone you meet what you do, what you product does, and how you are the next big thing.

Cheers to all you BRAVE Ladies and Gents who are taking part in this amazing showcase called the STARTUP PAVILION.

Cheers!

LISWITH

Success Growth : what do we do to achieve it?

Recently a life event reminded me of an experience that was shared with me, which has such great meaning and understanding. 

There was a training, and the trainer handed over balloons and pins to all the participants. Later he informed to blow the balloons tie and keep it with them. 

As the participants were blowing their balloons, he quietly went around them and drew an enclosed borderline boxing them in. 

When the participants were done, he said I have a timer as soon as I say 1,2,3 go it starts. Your duty is to protect the balloon you own and never step out of the boundary. It seemed very simple and easy. 

He said 1,2,3 go. The end of the word GO the participants were in so much energy, they went running and chasing to burst the balloon of the other. So much excitement, all you heard was the pop sound of balloons. 

It got interesting, the athletic dudes who survived till the last one minute of the round had a surprise heading their way. Then you saw teamwork the guys whose balloons had burst were racing as a team to the few people who had survived. The time eventually ended, around two people were left from the crowd with balloons on hands. 

The trainer said well done that was a lot of energy shown right there. 

He continued on to say, we are thought to compete since school. Be the first in the class, where is the missing two marks? Why only two A's? 

This is what we carry forward as an adult. I never specified to burst the other person's balloon, I said protect your balloon for four minutes. Your lizard brain initial kick in, was to bring down the other. Lifting the balloon with one hand you just ran. 

Then the mentality escalates, multiple people who have not succeeded on the goal got together to bring the survivors down, amazing teamwork don't you think? 

Now can I ask the participants who are still holding the balloon what did you different? One replied, he just concentrated on protecting the balloon. This says at no time was he trying to bring down the other but worked on achieving his goal. 

I'll leave you thinking right there. Today and now think ponder, what change do you want to inflict, what change are you trying to influence.

LISWITH OBINAMUNI

I lack the stones to be one

Many years back a gentleman I love and respect immensely wanted me to be an entrepreneur.

Entrepreneur, dictionary states: a person who sets up a business or businesses, taking on financial risks in the hope of profit.

My background is that I am taught, influenced and educated by some of the greatest entrepreneurs and minds of the current age. It's a daily influencing factor to think bigger, think of society, and the lives and people you shall touch.

My life I have learnt hard work, ever since a child my father always mentioned that a man works hard.

Now getting back to the answer to the initial question of do I want to be an entrepreneur, my answer was I lack the stones to be one.

My life experiences taught me of certain fears, one been letting people down. An entrepreneur word itself is a risk. The self-made MBA anyone can own is been a true entrepreneur.

Yes my whole life I do dream to be one. This is written to inspire people to be an entrepreneur, written so I and others learn to conquer fears to achieve greater dreams, written to show a focus is a 24 X 7 job there is no time one can drop the ball.

Cheers to conquering your dreams.

YOU NEVER LOSE UNTIL YOU GIVE UP

Liswith

Challenges

This is something I am still struggling to face head on.

Many years earlier into my working career I learnt sometime I am given tasks that are beyond me.
Firstly, I was very discouraged, simple thought process your washing your hands-off work and dumping on me. Years later anger turned to frustration this sent on a resentment spiral of people.
With the experience years of work grew, I learnt I am feeding my mind at a fast speed pace. A pace that left me constantly hungry, I always need to breakdown and know the why and the how? Most people now portrait this obsession of mine, as a negative.

How I over challenges that were put up against me like a wall was purely selfish. I understood what is taught to you, what you self-learn or any hurdle you over is a benefit on you. What is learnt by you cannot be stolen, this is all you. This was you hard work that paid off not for others but for yourself, this is greater experience that can make you a better employee and a person.

This constant hunger let me over most challenges put up against me, the first thought I always now think is what can I get off this lesson that I am trying to overcome. Don’t let is misguide you thinking I face all of my challenges head on and with confidence yes, I shall have a smile upside down but yet try to accomplish it. There are many challenges I have not faced yet and still have to face.

This trait can make you a more reliable friend, family member or employee.

Next challenge, think what can I learn off this to my life’s curriculum vitae.

Cheers!

LISWITH