How to protect your home during the holidays

Summer is coming and many people are already starting to plan their holidays to be able to disconnect from the routine by taking a trip or moving away from their usual residence for a few days. Even so, before leaving the house alone, we need to take into account some important aspects to avoid surprises on our return.

The return to normality after the sanitary crisis was a source of joy for many citizens who could finally enjoy their summer holidays without restrictions, but it also cheered up people prone to kleptomania, whose usual line of ‘business’ had been disrupted by the virus.

Theft claims at the height of the pandemic were down 23.5% in 2019, but over the past two years we have been approaching the figures prior to the movement restrictions. During holiday periods and weekends, home burglaries tend to increase and, according to a study by Unespa, Catalonia, with 58%, is the autonomous community with the highest probability of suffering a home burglary.

We would therefore like to give you some simple tips that you can follow to avoid burglary in your home while you are away on holiday or, at least, to alleviate the possible consequences.

Basic precautions before leaving

• Do not leave valuables in easily accessible places. If you do not have a safe, it is preferable to take them to a specialised company to store them before hiding them in a corner of the house. If this is not possible, write down the serial number, make and model of the objects to facilitate their identification in case of theft.
• Notify a trusted person of your absence to collect the mail or raise and lower blinds on a regular basis, but avoid telling everyone in the neighbourhood or posting it on social media.
• Make sure you close doors, windows, openings in interior courtyards and the garage. Don’t forget to set the alarm. Even so, try to make the house look occupied with the help of a trusted person who can enter from time to time or with a home automation system that allows you to programme the lights on and off in the house.
• Don’t leave a message on your mobile or landline answering machine that you are out. You can always activate call forwarding or reply to messages when you have access to Wi-Fi if you are outside Europe and don’t want to spend money on calls.
• A home insurance policy with theft cover is a highly recommended option. Bear in mind that it also protects you against unforeseen events, such as a water leak, and can provide cover in the event of squatting or theft from people outside the home.

On your return, in the event of theft

• Do not hesitate to call the police or the 112 emergency telephone number immediately if you hear noises inside your home or find doors or windows forced open.
• Contact your insurance company and have the inventory of stolen objects ready.
• File a report and notify your bank if you suspect that a computer or any other digital device that could contain relevant information about your financial data has been taken, so that they can override your online banking passwords.

If you want to discover fair insurance for your home and for society, check 11Onze Segurs.

T’has llegit la pòlissa de la teva assegurança de la llar? L’error més habitual en contractar una assegurança és no revisar quines cobertures inclou la pòlissa. Per evitar sorpreses desagradables d’última hora, et detallem alguns punts del contracte en els que t’has de fixar.

La cobertura de continent cobreix els costos de reparació o reconstrucció del teu habitatge en cas de desgràcia. Per a diferenciar-ho del contingut, una fórmula molt gràfica és imaginar que podem posar el nostre habitatge cap per avall. Tot el que cauria seria contingut, mentre que el que no cauria seria continent.

Cal tenir en compte que el valor de la cobertura de continent no representa el preu de compra o el valor de mercat del teu habitatge. Tampoc hauria d’incloure el valor del sòl sobre el qual es va construir la casa o l’edifici. En realitat, és la quantitat que es necessitaria per reconstruir l’habitatge i deixar-lo com estava. Aquest valor es coneix com a “cost de reconstrucció”.

L’assegurança de llar també inclou una secció dedicada al “contingut”, és a dir, les teves coses (televisor, roba, ordinador, bicicleta, etc.). L’import que apareix en aquesta secció és la quantitat que l’assegurança et pagarà com a màxim si passa alguna cosa amb les teves coses, d’aquí que hagi de correspondre’s més o menys amb el seu valor real.

Les clàusules de la pòlissa, a examen

Aquí tens alguns elements que hauries de tenir en compte per no pagar de més i que l’assegurança no et pagui de menys en cas de sinistre:

• Evita duplicitats. Si la teva finca té assegurança, comprova les seves cobertures, ja que podràs excloure de la pòlissa particular els elements del continent que ja estiguin inclosos en l’assegurança comunitària. Tingues en compte que, en cas de sinistre, si un element està cobert tant per l’assegurança comunitària com pel teu particular, no el cobraràs dues vegades.
• Assegura’t que la valoració del continent és correcta. Si els capitals assegurats estan molt per sobre del valor de la teva casa, estàs pagant per una protecció que no necessites, ja que en cas de sinistre l’assegurança només pagarà la reconstrucció, res més. I, en el sentit contrari, si el valor de reconstrucció de la teva casa està per sobre dels capitals assegurats, l’asseguradora només pagarà fins als capitals assegurats, deixant-te coix en la teva recuperació. Per tant, has d’ajustar la pòlissa perquè estigui lleugerament per sobre del valor de la teva casa, però sense pagar per una cobertura innecessària. De manera orientativa, tingues en compte que la valoració hauria d’oscil·lar entre uns 800 euros per metre quadrat en els pisos normals i els 1.300 euros en una casa unifamiliar.
• Comprova que la valoració del contingut és adequada. Tingues en compte que les assegurances imposen límits al valor individual de les teves coses que cobreixen per defecte. Normalment, els teus objectes valuosos necessitaran una cobertura addicional. Per tant, cal que els donis d’alta o la teva companyia només et retornarà fins al límit individual que tens per defecte en la teva pòlissa. Et recomanem fer fotos (o un vídeo) de totes les teves coses. Per a estimar el seu valor, convé fer primer una llista amb els objectes de valor i calcular el seu cost, i després estimar la xifra dels articles menys valuosos, com roba i utensilis de cuina, i arrodonir el seu valor.
• Vigila com es reflecteix la cobertura dels vidres. La cobertura de vidres inclou des de finestres fins a miralls. Has d’assegurar-te que les finestres s’incloguin dins del capital i cobertures de continent, mentre que els miralls interiors s’inclouen en el contingut. De vegades les asseguradores utilitzen aquesta separació per excloure part dels vidres de la cobertura, així que fixa’t si tots estan coberts.
• Tingues en compte la cobertura dels danys estètics i la pisa sanitària. Banys, plaques de cocció i altres elements han d’estar protegits per aquestes cobertures. Algunes asseguradores inclouen aquests elements com a part del contingut, la qual cosa pot perjudicar-te si el capital assegurat està per sota del real. A més, pot fer que banys i cuines quedin fora de cobertures específiques, com els danys estètics, si només es cobreixen els danys del continent i banys i cuines es consideren contingut. Has de comprovar que la cobertura de danys estètics cobreix les reparacions necessàries per a mantenir la uniformitat estètica de la teva casa després d’un sinistre, ja que les asseguradores juguen molt amb les limitacions d’aquesta cobertura, especialment en banys i cuines. Comprova que la teva pòlissa cobreix la pisa sanitària com a continent i no té exclusions ocultes. Ni tampoc els danys estètics, que han de cobrir un capital mínim de 2.000 euros.
• Assegura’t que l’assegurança cobreix el valor de reposició del contingut. El valor real és el valor que calculen la majoria de les asseguradores per a substituir les teves coses robades o danyades. Es calcula partint del que costaria avui aquest mateix article (el valor de reposició) restant la pèrdua de valor a causa de l’edat, el desgast i els trencaments (depreciació). D’aquí la importància que l’assegurança no cobreixi el valor real, sinó el valor de reposició, que ve a ser el preu pel qual es podria comprar avui el teu article (de la mateixa marca i model) si fos nou. En definitiva, el valor de reposició és el preu de mercat. Si la teva assegurança utilitza el valor real, probablement et compensa buscar una assegurança amb preu similar que utilitzi el valor de reposició.
• Comprova que la pòlissa s’inclou defensa legal. Sense aquesta cobertura, la teva assegurança no t’oferirà el suport d’un advocat en cas de conflicte legal. Aquesta és una de les primeres cobertures que les asseguradores tendeixen a retallar per oferir preus més baixos.
• Repassa si el preu contempla els elements de seguretat. El fet de posar una porta de seguretat fa que la majoria de les assegurances abaixin el preu de les cobertures relacionades amb robatori. I el mateix succeeix amb mesures de seguretat com a alarmes o reixes. També elements com a sensors de fum o aigua haurien d’ajudar-te a reduir el preu de les cobertures relacionades amb aigua i foc. Assegura’t que aquests modificadors estan inclosos en la teva assegurança si els tens.

Com a resum, podem destacar que és fonamental que revisis els capitals assegurats i l’adequació a les característiques del teu habitatge; comprovis que tots els límits són correctes i cobreixen allò que esperes, i que la teva assegurança contempla alguns modificadors en el preu per ajustar l’import que pagues cada any als canvis que realitzes en la teva llar.

Si vols conèixer una assegurança justa per a la teva llar i per a la societat, descobreix 11Onze Segurs.

The general rise in prices is complicating the finances of many households. It is becoming increasingly difficult to balance the books to make ends meet and even more difficult to dedicate part of our income to savings. In view of this situation, here are eleven tips to improve household finances.

1. Apply the 50/30/20 rule. This first piece of advice is very simple. It is about spending 50% of our salary on basic needs (light, water, rent, mortgage, telephone, food, studies, and so on), about 30% of our salary on leisure (out-of-home breakfasts or lunches, holidays, gifts, and so on), and the rest, the remaining 20%, it goes to savings. 
2. Cancel unnecessary subscriptions. To how many digital platforms are we subscribed? Do we use them all? Should we continue to pay them? What about that subscription to that magazine we never read? All automatic subscriptions must be reviewed, and we must choose whether they are necessary and useful for us to continue paying. Today there are several online content platforms that are legal and free, you just have to look them up on the Internet. And remember that libraries are also a major source of books and also audiovisual content.
3. Review your electricity, gas, and phone contracts. We need to look very carefully at the contracts we have with the various electricity and gas companies and the type of contract we have for our mobile and home telephones. This is one of the factors that makes us spend money without being aware of the total expenses at the end of the year, as these are expenses without which we cannot live, but we can indeed reduce them.
4. More meals at home. Reducing the number of times we go out to eat or buy take-away food can become a very good source of savings. We must not stop going to restaurants either, but we must reduce meals outside, especially if our family is large; our pocket will appreciate it.
5. Reuse. When something gets damaged, see if you can repair it and extend its life before throwing it into the rubbish. Buying second-hand clothes, books, furniture, and even household appliances is also a good saving tool.
6. Avoid impulsive shopping. One of the main reasons why we do not make good use of our money is compulsive shopping. From now on, when you want something, give yourself time to think about whether you really need it. You will find out that you do not need much of what you want to buy.
7. Compare prices. How many times have you bought a mobile phone, for example, and the next day you see an offer for the same product in another shop? That’s not comparing. We must learn to compare everything we buy, including food when we go to the supermarket or when we buy in superstores.
8. Use the car less frequently. The car is an expense many people cannot do without, but we can reduce it. If possible, try to share a car or make use of the means of public transport. As far as possible, use a bicycle, and above all, use your legs, for walking is healthy and free.
9. Choose a good financial institution. How many credit cards do we have? Do we need to have so many? What commissions does our financial institution charge us? We think it is enough to have a financial institution that supports us because that is where we keep our money, we receive our salary, and we are charged all our expenses, as well as where we pay our bills. But we have to check if this financial entity helps us to have a good personal economy, or if, on the contrary, we need a change. Nowadays, there are many financial institutions with tools that help you to control your expenses and at the same time help you to save: let’s choose a good financial institution for our future.
10. Adapt to your income. If you earn a certain amount, do not do more than your economy can afford. You do not have to go all out; make responsible use of your money according to your earnings.
11. Be far-sighted. We should analyse the evolution of our expenses in recent months to see where our money is going and where we can cut back. Given the current inflationary situation, in some cases, it will be necessary to apply a “war economy” depending on how we foresee the evolution of income and expenses.

Money does not create happiness, we know this already. But we can transform our money into a tool that can bring peace of mind to our personal economy. Given the current inflationary situation, in some cases, it will be necessary to apply a “war economy” depending on how we foresee the evolution of income and expenses.

If you want to discover the best option to protect your savings, enter Preciosos 11Onze. We will help you buy at the best price the safe-haven asset par excellence: physical gold.

Here we present 10 recommendations for you to enjoy your holiday and save on bookings and many other things.

This year, many people are expected to go on holidays in July, but will we have money for our much-desired holiday? I am sure we are all thinking about summer and, therefore, on the holiday; many of you already have in your mind the place where you want to travel, but you are waiting for new recommendations on whether we will finally be able to take a plane and enjoy a well-earned disconnection.

Holidays are necessary to reset ourselves, to enjoy our beloved ones’ presence, which is very necessary, and to recharge the batteries to get back to work with a clear head. It is also a time when we try not to pay so much attention to expenses: we usually eat too much, we buy things we know we will not find in our city, and we go to that hotel that we desired so much. That is why we are telling you some tips for saving on holidays, so that the return in September is more tolerable and free of headaches.

1. Start saving a year earlier if you can. The first recommended step is to create an estimated budget of the amount you want to invest in your next destination so that you can create a savings plan a year earlier. The most comfortable method is opening a savings account or wallet at your bank and making a recurring automatic monthly transfer; this way, before you start your holiday, you will have the saved amount you need to avoid unforeseen expenses. 
   
2. Book in advance. The online world provides us with a huge price variety. Besides, if you can have the dates for your confirmed holiday at the start of the year, you can save a lot of money, you will get better prices on your plane or train ticket, etc. The earlier you book it, the better! And the same thing will happen with the hotel; we even recommend that you book a table in that restaurant you’ve been following on Instagram using applications that offer very interesting discounts, even 50%. It is important that you check cancellation costs on your bookings, in case it is necessary. 
   
3. Take advantage of breakfast. Everyone knows breakfast is the most significant meal of the day, and it is necessary for large walks. Make use of breakfast if it’s included in your hotel nights; get ready and eat like a king; take advantage and grab a fruit for mid-morning, in case you get hungry before lunch. 
   
4. Schedule sites. If you love making a presentation of your next trip and sharing it with the rest of your travelling companions, you’re lucky, because this is another way to save money. If you list the sites you want to visit, you have the option to visit their website and make the reservation. You can find promotions and, if you are several people, you can benefit from group discounts. In addition, if you purchase the ticket in advance, you may even avoid long queues. 
   
5. Currency exchange. Even though currency prices cannot be controlled, before exchanging currency, check with your trusted bank a few weeks before your trip, to know if it is better to wait till the day before the departure. In many cases, the recommendation will be to do so at the airport, as exchange houses try to offer the best prices. One important thing: if you want to make credit card purchases during your trip, exchange an amount, even if it’s small, in case any unforeseen event arises (train ticket, tips, etc.). 
   
6. Use cards moderately. As we mentioned before, when you’re on holiday, the last thing you want to think about is how much you’re spending, but we almost always exceed ourselves… Try to implement the recommendations that we have made so far and try to avoid the use of credit cards as much as possible if it is not planned in your priorities. At that moment, it will be an impulsive purchase, but later, it will become a significant amount of spent money. 
   
7. Road trip. If your holiday option is to take the car and go to some nearby villages, use GPS, which always recommends the best route to avoid making unnecessary miles and thus save on petrol. Visiting destinations near home is a highly recommended option; we often forget the wonderful places we have neared our city that we can visit without taking a plane. 
   
8. Avoid restaurants for tourists. Plan your time well and, when you visit some particular place, if it is in a tourist area, avoid rush hours for lunch or dinner: normally, restaurants in these areas are of poor quality and high cost. It is preferable to walk four steps and look for alternative places that are frequented by locals, to ask the hotel receptionist, the taxi driver, and, of course, to look at the options Internet searchers provide. 
   
9. Hire free tours. Find them in the centre of big cities or ask that friend who travels a lot, who has certainly used them. They’re tour guides that take you around the city and tell you a lot of very interesting things without a specific fee. If you like it, it’s optional to leave a tip. 
   
10. Finance your holiday. If it has been a difficult year, and you cannot follow some of the advice that we have mentioned, such as planning in advance, do not give up to a few well-earned days of rest, find your closest travel agency, and finance that trip you are so excited about; you can also consult your bank and extend your credit card so that you can cope with your expenses or borrow a small loan that you will return comfortably month by month.

Summer is here. Use these recommendations and start daydreaming. And remember, split the amount established for your pleasure throughout your holidays and do not spend more than expected.

11Onze is the community fintech of Catalonia. Open an account by downloading the app El Canut for Android or iOS and join the revolution!

The world is changing and so are the risks and the way we deal with them. Insurers’ offerings have to adapt to new needs. The property crisis, the mobility revolution, medical breakthroughs, the growing importance of intangible assets and climate change will shape the future of the industry.

We live in a society marked by globalisation, digitalisation and hyperconnectivity. In addition, artificial intelligence is advancing by leaps and bounds and climate change is an increasingly palpable reality. All these elements are changing the insurance sector and the range of products we will have at our disposal in the coming years.

Artificial intelligence, in particular, will move the business from claims management to loss prevention and risk advisory services. Big data will enable the volume of claims to be reduced to a fraction of what it is today.

Experts suggest that the insurance experience as we know it will lose value and insurance will tend to become just another feature of a product or service provided by an actor trusted by the consumer. 

Five radical changes

Against this backdrop, we outline the major trends that will shape the industry in the coming years:

1. The crisis of ownership. New generations tend to own less stuff and rely more on the consumption of shared products and services, which will require major changes in business areas such as car insurance.
2. The mobility revolution. We are moving towards mobility systems with increasingly autonomous, connected and shared vehicles. Mobility understood as a service that can involve different means of transport on each journey will mean that insurers will have to rethink the concept of vehicle insurance in favour of “travel” insurance, the price of which will be adapted to each journey we make.
3. The rise of preventive medicine. In health, special attention is being paid to concepts such as preventive medicine, pharmacogenomics and remote assistance. We will have more and more tools to monitor our bodies and analyse our health. But with an increasingly long-lived society, it will not be enough to monitor and digitise everything. The human factor will continue to be an important element.
4. The importance of intangible assets. At present, there are relatively few policy options for intangible assets that are becoming increasingly important to companies, such as intellectual property, brands, networks or customer data. And all of these are critical assets for businesses. 
5. Extreme weather. With climate change, natural catastrophes will tend to increase over the years. Insurance companies will need to develop capabilities to guide their users on how to live sustainably and avoid risks. In this respect, the evolution of predictive technology will be a great ally in alerting, preparing and making decisions in the face of fires, floods and other natural disasters.

If you want to discover fair insurance for your home and for society, check 11Onze Segurs.

May Day was historically associated with pagan festivals linked to spring until the Second International established May Day as a labour holiday. It did so in 1889 to commemorate the bloody struggle of American workers for the eight-hour working day.

The fact that International Workers’ Day is celebrated on 1 May has its origins in the American workers’ struggle for a shorter working day, which in the second half of the 19th century often stretched to 16 hours. 

As the capitalist system took hold in the large industrial cities of the United States against a backdrop of high unemployment, workers’ working conditions had become increasingly harsh. Faced with this situation, the American Federation of Labor called for a general strike to begin on 1 May 1886 to demand the eight-hour workday.

Workers’ repression

On 3 May, the protests in Chicago turned violent when the police acted extremely harshly against the workers as they demonstrated. The next day, a rally held in the city’s Haymarket Square turned bloody during police intervention. A bomb exploded among the ranks of the uniformed officers, although historians are unclear whether they or the workers were the target, killing seven policemen. The officers then opened fire on the demonstrators, killing several and injuring hundreds.

As a result, a trial was held and eight men were convicted for the action. Four of them ended up on the gallows, although no evidence was presented linking them to the bombing. Nor was the international campaign to save their lives of any use. The words of August Spies, one of the condemned men, just before his execution were prescient: “There will come a time when our silence will be more powerful than the voices you strangle today”.

Recognition of the workers’ struggle

The Second International established 1 May as a labour holiday in 1889, giving rise to today’s International Workers’ Day. Paradoxically, the United States, the country where the events took place, wanted to dissociate this date from the workers’ movements. That is why President Grover Cleveland had Labour Day celebrated in September.

Prior to the Chicago events, May Day in the United States and parts of Europe was a date marked to celebrate the exuberance of spring in rural areas. The origin of this holiday can be traced to ancient Roman practices of celebrating spring flowering. 

11Onze is the community fintech of Catalonia. Open an account by downloading the app El Canut for Android or iOS and join the revolution!

Do we live in a meritocracy, where effort is rewarded? Does the social lift really work? Numerous studies question whether people’s socio-economic success depends on their merits or whether it is predetermined by the privileges granted by their place of birth or social class. 

The saying that the future is in our own hands, which we have heard so often from our elders, is in question. At least if we do not belong to a wealthy family. An Esade study shows that equality of opportunity in Spain is a fallacy: it is 24 times easier to end up in the top 1% of the population if you come from one of the families with the highest income than if you belong to one of those with the lowest.

The situation in Catalonia is much better than in Andalusia or the Canary Islands, as it offers the highest level of absolute and relative intergenerational mobility in the sample, with rates similar to Scandinavia. But, even so, the social lift is clearly out of kilter. 

A contested model

After leaving behind feudal society, which was made up of rigid estates, bourgeois society, based on theoretical equality before the law, was supposed to allow people from the lower classes to progress socially if they worked hard enough. Traditionally, education was the main way for the lower and middle classes to move up the ladder. However, more and more experts point out that education no longer guarantees anything and that meritocracy does not exist.

The idea that effort takes precedence over privilege in our society is fundamental to legitimising Western liberal political and economic systems. To maintain the established social order, most individuals must believe they can get ahead if they try hard enough.  

However, as Harvard Law Professor Michael Sandel warns, “the first problem with meritocracy is that opportunities are not really equal for everyone“. In fact, in the so-called Ivy League universities, which include eight of the most prestigious in the United States, there are more students who belong to the top 1% of the country’s wealthiest families than to the bottom 60%. 

Daniel Sanabria Lucena, Professor of Psychology at the University of Granada, adds that in reality “the best predictor of academic performance and later professional success is not cognitive performance, it is the socio-cultural context, that your parents have money. 

The adventure of entrepreneurship

The success stories of young entrepreneurs such as Steve Jobs, who founded Apple in his garage, have become popular. However, these are not representative cases, but highly unusual, stories that only happen to one person in a million. Moreover, in many of these cases, there are determinants of success that go beyond merit and personal effort.

Research has shown that the most common characteristic among entrepreneurs is access to capital, either through family or contacts that facilitate financial stability. Rather than a genetic inclination, it is often money and a safety net that enables entrepreneurs to take risks.

In fact, famous research by economists David Blanchflower and Andrew Oswald indicates that personality measurements and psychological test scores do little to predict who will run their own business. In reality, “it’s the start-up capital that matters,” they state emphatically in their study.

In this regard, the latest Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, which analyses entrepreneurship around the world, warns that businesses are often started with money from family, friends and colleagues. And it should be noted that many startup founders do not draw a salary for some time, something few people can afford. 

The rich of yesterday and today

It seems that the wealth of family dynasties is perpetuated over time much longer than previously thought, as research by Italian economists Guglielmo Barone and Sauro Mocetti suggests. By testing intergenerational mobility and wealth distribution in Florence by comparing records from 1427 with those of 2011, they found that the wealthiest Florentine families still had the same surnames almost 600 years later. And other studies suggest that this is not a phenomenon unique to Tuscany.

Individual effort is no guarantee of success for young people today. A Spanish government report even acknowledges that “being born into a low-income family conditions educational and development opportunities much more than in other European countries”. Poverty is increasingly becoming a cage with no way out for a significant part of the population.

While qualifications and specialised training generally increase employability and average income, most analyses show that those sections of the population that are born into a social position tend to live and die in that position. 

Indeed, young people have seen their present ignored and their future mortgaged. In recent years, when it comes to cutting large budget items, education has fared much worse than health and pensions. As a result, the main dynamo of the social lift is squeaking more than ever. And the amount of public debt they will have to pay off in the coming years has skyrocketed.

11Onze is the community fintech of Catalonia. Open an account by downloading the app El Canut for Android or iOS and join the revolution!

From the outside, the manager of a company may appear to be an omnipotent figure. The one who has more experience and who knows how to coordinate and manage different problematic situations for the same company, but who cannot always make safe and correct decisions. He or she may fail or be confused and not quite know what to do. However, one of these options has been punished more than the other

In the business world, it is often said that it is better to be wrong than confused. Put like that, we might all agree, but the problem with such arguments is that they are often made by managers who prefer to defend their mistakes by saying that it is better to be found out over time that they were not right, and by emphasising that being confused is much worse than being wrong. But in business, much worse than confusion (which in many cases and temporarily may be necessary and unavoidable), is the determination to stay in the wrong for too long and not wanting to see reason to get out of it. Justifying the error is much worse than the confusion, and also does not make us evolve in the rationality that we need so much. And it may happen that we have employees who are tired of repeating arguments that cry out to heaven and that would allow us to get out of the chaos (confusion), and out of the error, at the same time.

• Moving from error to personal evolution

Defending that I have every right to be wrong and that it is all right if I am wrong is a truism. And to defend it stubbornly enters the realm of the most absurd irrationality. In the short term, it can be argued that I would rather believe in something, and come to the conclusion that it makes no sense, than live in confusion without having any formed opinion because I lack information. But living in error should be an accidental matter, a transitory state while I gather more information to see if I have to continue in the same error, or if I can change my state and evolve towards a better truth. The problem is that many managers, especially those who have been successful and believe that success has been theirs alone, would rather be comfortably wrong than go through a period of inner turmoil, sharing with others and accepting new things.

As individuals, and even more so if we impact on others, we should want to pursue options that bring us as close as possible to the truth. Accepting that it will never be achieved, but trying. We have to keep in mind that it is very likely that in the short term we will find ourselves in the wrong situation, but if we are really interested in understanding what is around us, we should not want to establish our residence for too long. The mistake should become an experimentation. We try out options that seem reasonable to us and see as a team if they work for us. If they don’t, that’s fine, we move on to other options. Error and confusion should be transitory.

In improving rationality, both error and confusion have their mission. But error should not be preferred over confusion. Walking towards authenticity and managerial maturity is not done by prioritising error over confusion, but by seeing in each case whether one is confused or mistaken. And trusting others, because in a team it is easier to overcome confusion and unnecessary mistakes.

• Making mistakes is also a necessary factor

It should also be kept in mind that decision-making in companies is often based on finding options and giving arguments for and against them. Most often, the decision-maker has his or her own preferences, based on his or her professional background, life experience and also on subjective questions that may have more or less rational support. It is necessary that one knows oneself and knows what preferences one has and what they are based on, seeing the advantages and disadvantages of following them. This implies a certain process of professional maturation based on doing, failing and starting again. Knowing the pros and cons will sometimes lead to a change of mind, but at others it will only make us aware that our preferred option must be faced realistically. This decision process, with options and knowing our preferences, what they are based on, examining the strengths and weaknesses they have, is the most complete decision making process.

We must strive to resolve confusions, but above all without being stranded in our right to be wrong: it has been shown that managers are hardly ever denied this right. While sometimes these same managers deny any experimentation to their employees. Whether they create mistakes or not. Managers should encourage experimentation, giving their people (and themselves) the confidence to accept error, but without over-entertaining. Without dawdling too much – being confused is not the worst thing, being knowingly wrong for too long is!

Quan som petits, reforçar allò que fem bé, es considera bàsic, i tots els pares i mares ho intentem fer amb els nostres fills. Però ens anem fent grans, i anem entrant en una societat i unes empreses on elogiar, de vegades, s’observa amb certa distància i suspicàcia. Per què hem creat aquest vincle malaltís entre l’elogi i la manca de sinceritat?

“– Què vol de mi, que m’afalaga tant? Segur que em vol demanar alguna cosa”. Sembla que hem creat un divorci entre dues paraules: elogi i sinceritat. Si et dic “cul d’olla” soc sincer, però si et comento que ho has fet molt bé, em mires amb cara de sospita. Mirat així, com podem girar la truita? Una veritat universal (o quasi universal, sempre hi ha gustos per tot), és que ens agrada que ens elogiïn. Una altra veritat universal és que ens agrada més la sinceritat que la hipocresia. Una altra constatació empírica és que l’elogi crea en la persona que el rep la sensació que tot pot anar millor. El fa creure en ell, el fa sentir optimista.  Però, i pel que fa a les empreses? Es pot utilitzar de la mateixa manera?

L’elogi com a feina que fomenta la productivitat

M’agradaria centrar-me en certs estudis que han mostrat resultats contundents, trobant que l’elogi fa que el treballador estigui més content i sigui més productiu. Quina novetat! Això ja ho sabíem. El problema és veure perquè el vinculem amb la hipocresia. A conseqüència d’aquesta troballa organitzativa, algunes empreses aconsellen als directius dir als treballadors que són bons. Imaginem un cas en què després d’elogiar a tort i a dret a tothom, enviem a un cert grup de treballadors un fred e-mail, comunicant que els acomiadem. Com lliga això amb l’elogi anterior? És aquesta la manera d’acomiadar a qui valorem? Encara que reduir la plantilla es trobés justificat, algú valorat de debò, segurament mereix un altre tracte. Aquest treballador i els que es quedin, després d’aquesta experiència, es prendran els elogis de manera diferent. De fet, promoure receptes empresarials a curt termini, com ho és voler aconseguir que els treballadors estiguin contents i produeixin més, dient-los elogis, perquè sí, i no perquè se’ls mereixen, porta lligada la hipocresia. I reforça la idea que quan se’m diuen coses bones és perquè es vol quelcom de mi. 

Més important que discutir les bonances de l’elogi “sí” o l’elogi “no”, seria bo entrar en un debat de productivitat a llarg termini: elogi com i elogi quan.  Que les bones paraules proliferin tant se val si toca o no, agreuja el problema de què en general a qui les diu se’l veu com un hipòcrita. I ens allunya del benestar real que produeix rebre elogis. Només ens dispensa una minsa alegria a curt termini, però si arribat el moment, els fets ens fan notar que tot era fals, ens tornarem sarcàstics i malfiats d’aquelles bones paraules que tant necessitàvem.

Elogiar no és igual a “perdre autoritat”

Quan a algú li donen un càrrec de responsabilitat per primera vegada i en cas que tingui persones a càrrec seu, el dubte que li sorgeix és com pot aconseguir que les persones se’l prenguin seriosament i implicar-los en el projecte. Alguns opten per pensar que són de massa bona fe, i per tant que els caldrà mostrar una cara artificial i dura cap als seus subordinats.  D’altres opten per a ser tot el contrari, deixar fer tot allò que el treballador vulgui i ser un cap “bonàs”. El què amaguen les dues opcions és una manca d’experiència, una manca d’acceptació i maduresa de com som i de com portem el fet de manar i ser manats. Dirigir equips de persones vol disciplina personal i haver aprofundit i voler continuar aprofundint en l’autoconeixement de cadascú i en l’empatia cap als altres. I això implica saber valorar la qualitat del teu equip humà i quan cal reconèixer una bona feina feta.

Per aconseguir un bon clima i treballadors motivats, les empreses necessiten promocionar l’elogi, però per motius no instrumentals. I més ara, que moltes persones que tenen feina, tenen por de perdre-la, i poden perdre-la, tot i no merèixer-ho. Darrere l’elogi, a sobre i a sota, hi hauria d’haver sinceritat i autenticitat. Les persones notaríem que es creu en nosaltres. I això com es fa? Doncs vinculant aquest elogi a coses concretes, que siguin constatables. I no contradir-lo amb fets que maltractin als treballadors. I complementar-lo amb altres fets que el sostinguin. 

 Ser humà vol dir necessitar rebre bones notícies dels que ens envolten, sobre les nostres qualitats i resultats, i notar que aquestes persones creuen de veritat en nosaltres. Que no volen merament instrumentalitzar-nos, per ser una eina més al servei dels seus objectius. Tots hi guanyaríem i aprendríem des d’una actitud més propera a la nostra naturalesa humana, tan necessària de fomentar en temps de xarxes socials.

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Últimament, es parla molt de les start-ups i de les possibilitats de futur que generen. Aquestes estan envoltades d’idees creatives, innovadores i amb un fort component tecnològic fent que siguin les grans competidores de les empreses tradicionals. Ara bé, també requereixen certes directrius per tal que puguin arribar a tenir un lloc al mercat.

Els sistemes de control són totalment necessaris per poder tenir certa informació de l’empresa, de com s’estan utilitzant els recursos i de com s’estan assolint els objectius. Sense una mínima informació que diagnostiqui com està anant el negoci, difícilment es podran prendre decisions. Assignar responsabilitats i fer un petit organigrama d’aquestes és bàsic. Normalment, això tothom ho veu clar, i els socis, que acostumen a ser els primers promotors de la idea, de manera informal ja es distribueixen les responsabilitats segons els seus perfils i preferències. Aquest fet és clau, i normalment es fa de manera informal.

Passat un cert temps, això fins i tot pot requerir una certa formalització per evitar problemes amb les persones que es puguin anar incorporant. Però més enllà de tenir aquesta mínima formalització dels rols, funcions i responsabilitats, moltes empreses que comencen no es plantegen formalitzar massa el control de gestió. Si a més aquestes empreses es plantegen anar creixent de manera més orgànica i progressiva, moltes vegades no existeix un control formal fins que comencen a venir determinats problemes. Aleshores es comença a veure la necessitat de formalitzar el seguiment d’objectius, fer un pressupost o pla i fer-ne el seguiment i ulteriors ajustos. El què passa és que aleshores, aquest creixement que ha portat a la necessitat de formalització porta a una formalització excessiva, perquè es dona la responsabilitat de tot el que no va bé a la falta de control formal.

Suposa el control una pèrdua de l’ADN de l’start-up?

Cal en aquests casos ser curosos, i anar incorporant els controls formals i revisant els informals a la vegada. Només cal afegir l’estrictament necessari, donat que el control informal ha anat creant una cultura organitzativa i una organització informal que no es poden menystenir i que cal només variar quan creï problemes. Tot allò que les persones fan més enllà del control i que ha portat també a l’èxit, cal continuar-ho fent. Els canvis bruscs no es trobarien justificats quan una part del sentiment de pertinença a l’organització és el que ha ajudat a fer-la funcionar tot i tenir mancances en els controls formals.

Les start-ups es plantegen creixements molt elevats. Des dels inicis aquests creixements s’han de finançar moltes vegades amb recursos externs, i precisament són aquests inversors qui demanaran com està anant la seva inversió i si dona els resultats esperats. Per tant, aquestes start-up, des dels seus començaments ja incorporen professionals experts en la recerca de finançament i també en el control de com estan anant les inversions. Això porta al fet que calgui formalitzar aquest seguiment amb determinats documents, que mostrin a persones externes a l’empresa, com progressa i si es van complint els objectius. Si en aquest moment la start-up entén la importància d’un cert control formal, és probable que les probabilitats de funcionar correctament siguin molt superiors. És un bon moment per aprofitar i fer un pressupost, un seguiment, complementar el control informal existent amb un cert control formal, o fins i tot incorporar algun gestor extern expert.

És molt important ser conscient que les empreses tenen més garanties d’èxit, i encara més en empreses com les start-ups amb creixement ambiciós, si incorporen certs controls formals des del començament. Això sí, tenint en compte tres aspectes molt importants:

1. El control formal ha de ser el mínim necessari i mai ha d’anar en contra dels controls informals o la manera de ser dels emprenedors.
2. El control formal sempre ha de donar valor afegit a la gestió, perquè un mal control formal sempre és pitjor que no tenir control.
3. Ser conscient que a mesura que l’empresa vagi creixent, la tendència a resoldre els problemes incrementant la formalització és elevada.

En realitat els problemes importants se solucionen mirant als sistemes de control informals. De fet, l’infern és aquell lloc ple de lleis que mai es poden complir, i hem d’evitar convertir la nostra empresa en un infern per les persones que hi treballen.

11Onze és la fintech comunitària de Catalunya. Obre un compte descarregant l’app El Canut per Android o iOS. Uneix-te a la revolució!