Page 13 - ARUBA TODAY

A13
Wednesday 22 May 2019

Where is your mental maturity?

By Cdr. Bud Slabbaert you wonder how we forgot what
ST. MAARTEN — The older I get, we did at age three. Keep asking
the more I start asking why, and I “Why”! Why the heck are we doing
start questioning all the answers. this and especially why this way?
Maybe it’s a remnant of the child Why isn’t there a better way? In-
in me. When children are getting dividuation is the process through
to the age of three, they start ask- which a person or a business be-
ing questions. It heralds a sudden comes its “true self”.
upsurge in their intellectual de-
velopment. The very youngest will In psychology it is considered the
simply accept that things are the process whereby the innate ele-
way they are, like mother milk. ments of personality; the different
Past a certain age the child with experiences of a person's life and
a greater degree of mental matu- the different aspects and com-
rity will want to know why. You are ponents of the immature psyche
an adult, where do you stand? Do become integrated over time into
you estimate that you have men- a well-functioning whole. Take a
tal maturity enough to stop asking pause, try to digest the bit of psy-
questions? Wow, I got you there! chology, and read again but this
time apply it to a business.
At the age of around three, the minds keep going on. People love Prize!
process of "individuation" occurs. to quote Einstein because quoting Individuation is stabilizing a profes-
Children begin to become aware him gives an impression that one Individuation is best for business sional’s personality, or a business;
of themselves as individuals and also has intelligence. A bit like rub- In business, individuation parallels it is also a process of establishing
start to see the gap between how bing off. What better way to show specialization and increases ef- a competitive edge! Understand
the world is and how they want it one’s intelligence, than agreeing ficiency. It serves as a means for why the why-questions are so valu-
to be. I bet that most of you still see with a genius? It is funny though individuals to find comparative able and we should not stop ask-
the gap, but what are you doing that there is a quote from the ge- advantage in their working envi- ing them? In fact, we should ask it
about it? Be honest with yourself; nius Einstein himself that you don’t ronment or career. For business it more because we all know darn
most likely nothing! You do what see much; he said: “It's not that could create a comparative ad- well that we ourselves, our society,
you need to do and not what you I'm so smart, it’s just that I stay with vantage in the marketplace. Isn’t our business and industry are not
want to do, and that's how life problems longer.“ That is what Ein- that what most of us want, be bet- perfect.
continues to run smoothly. Right? stein was all about! That may give ter and make more money? Let’s
Is that your way or his/her way? you a hint why, where mediocre think of that kid’s stuff above, put Stop the world; start asking why!
Okay, have it either way if that sat- minds consider questioning a nui- it into place here, and you will see Yes, I have come to the conclu-
isfies you. You see? That is where sance and the brilliant minds cre- that it is what is needed most in our sion that most things we do in life
Individuation comes in, and it ap- ate a new theory and get a Nobel business and our industry. It makes or do in business are just a bunch
plies to our private life just as much of nonsense and what is worse that
as to business and even industry. we keep doing it for no good rea-
Or…, one could just go by the op- son at all. Some will blame it on the
tion that what seems to be is better boss, some on the weather, others
than nothing. on childhood or their mother-in-
law. Oh, almost forgot hurricane
Most of what we do is a bunch of and recession. More asking Why
nonsense! can make us wiser, more com-
“Why” is not simply about curiosity. petent and improve our mental
It is about asking for a reason. Ask maturity.q
the why-question to people in any
kind of activity. Most likely you’ll get About:
the answer that they were told to Cdr.Bud Slabbaert is the initiator
do so or have always done it that and coordinator of the annual
way. Often the “Answer” to the Caribbean Aviation Meetup
“Why” is more like “Rocks are hard conference which will be held
and water is wet”. People really on St.Maarten/St.Martin, June
start slipping and sliding with their 11-13 (www.caribavia.com).
responses, when more why-ques- The international results and so-
tions are coming thick and fast, lution oriented event brings airlift
and go on like a broken record of stakeholders from both aviation
whys. One is becoming subject to and tourism industry, as well as
be considered a nuisance. Who government authorities togeth-
wants to be a nuisance? And so, er. Slabbaert’s background is
that’s where the questioning stops accentuated by Business Devel-
most of the times. opment, Strategic Communica-
What is considered a nuisance tion, and Journalism.
here, is where the most brilliant