Illustrasjon Ros

Generous with Praise

/i , /av

Bente’s story

Bente worked a job where it wasn’t common to praise people. It was quite simply not the done thing.
But eventually she changed jobs and after a month with her new employer she and all her new colleagues were gathered in the canteen.

Bente’s manager, Arne, got up and requested the floor. He looked at Bente and said: “I would like to honor and praise Bente for stepping in and taking the initiative in our last project. She contributed new ideas and found solutions. If it hadn’t been for her, we would never have made it. Many, many thanks Bente!”
Everyone clapped – there was wild applause and whistling!

Bente, who was unaccustomed to praise, blushed. She leaned over to her colleague and whispered: “If I was going to die, I could die now!”

I think this is a powerful story. It shows how important praise and recognition are. Mankind’s need to be seen.

Be generous with praise!
It’s free.

nothing box en
/i /av

Much has been written about why men and women are so different. Men are from Mars and women are from Venus. Or the opposite. When I watched “A tale of brain”, a video by Mark Gungor, I really realized why communication between men and women is sometimes demanding. The answer is found in their brains, which are really rather different.
Men’s brains are extremely well structured. There is a box for every single subject. Women’s brains, on the other hand, consist of threads connecting everything together with everything else. This forms the basis for the communication challenges.

However, my own major “wow” moment when I watched the video was that perhaps I have to accept how men think instead of trying to get men to think the same way as me. And instead of being envious of men who have a “Nothing box” in their brain, which women know nothing about and that men retreat to as soon as they get the chance, perhaps I just have to live with it…

But that particular box is at the top of my Christmas list this year. I would like a “nothing box” that I can use. But only when I need it most.

Illustrasjon drit i janteloven horisontal

Screw the Law of Jante!

/i /av

The Law of Jante, formulated by Dano-Norwegian author Aksel Sandemose in 1933, provides an excellent overview of ‘mankind’s inherent evil and ability to push each other down.’ The way the Law of Jante is practiced these days, it is difficult to forget what it stands for.

The Law of Jante:

1. You’re not to think you are anything special.

2. You’re not to think you are as good as we are.

3. You’re not to think you are smarter than we are.

4. You’re not to convince yourself that you are better than we are.

5. You’re not to think you know more than we do.

6. You’re not to think you are more important than we are.

7. You’re not to think you are good at anything.

8. You’re not to laugh at us.

9. You’re not to think anyone cares about you.

10. You’re not to think you can teach us anything.

I’ve met people who have done nothing with their dream simply out of fear of what their neighbor will say. I grew up in the small community of Misvær in Northern Norway. The Law of Jante, as well as Tor Jonsson’s ‘bygdedyr’ have both taken root here. It made me mad and reckless – it gave me the impetus to show what I could do! The more adversity I faced, the harder I worked.

I hate the Law of Jante and its entire spirit. Its negative, repressive attitude is one of the biggest obstacles there is to people growing and making the most of their potential. It limits people’s opportunities to advance with their dreams, plans and visions. That’s why the Law of Jante has created losers and done a great deal of harm to many people. Whether you are affected by it – or practice it:

it’s best – if you ask me – to screw the Law of Jante.

Bokstavelig talt.