I would have replied to this guy but you know, I just wouldn’t know what to do with the money…

So anyone else for some SPAM??? I especially like the part about “before his father gives up the ghost” – at least 10 points for interesting grammar and creativity throughout…

From: Mr. Simon Jones
Address: Rue 33 barree Cocody
Abidjan, Cote D’Ivoire.

Please I need your assistance,

With due respect and humility I write you this letter which I believe would be of great interest to me. I am Mr. Simon Jones, the only son of late Mr. and Mrs. Aliman Jones, my late father was a wealthy cocoa merchant based in Abidjan, the economic capital of Cote d’Ivoire, before he was poisoned to death by his business associates on one of their outing to discuss business.

When my mother died on the 21st Nov. 2000, my father took me so special because I am motherless and only child. Before the sudden death of my late father on the 10th of July 2010 in a private hospital here in Abidjan.

Before he gives up to the ghost, he secretly called me on his bedside and told me that he has the sum of US$5,500,000.00(Five Million Five Hundred Thousand United State Dollar) left in account with a local banking and finance house here in Abidjan.

He also explained to me, that it was because of his wealth that he was poisoned by his business associates (as he was suspecting them). That I should seek for a foreign partner from any country of my choice, where I will transfer this money and use it for investment purposes (such as real estate management).

My money is legal and genuine, I inherited it from my late father, is only that I don’t want people here to know about it, that is why I seek for your assistance. Secondly, I don’t want to loose my life too, so please if you can help me transfer the money into your account and also arrange for my coming to meet you in your country.

Moreover, I am willing to offer you 10% of the total sum as compensation for your efforts/input after the successful transfer of this fund to your nominated bank account overseas.

Furthermore, you can indicate your option towards assisting me as I believe that this transaction would be concluded within seven (7) days, if you signify interest to assist me.

Anticipate receiving a favourable mail from you.

Thank you and God bless.

Your sincerely,
Mr. Simon Jones.

A quick post about transparency – the good and bad implications – my  blog post on AIIM Communites

I recently stumbled across this old article from Harvard Business Review written by none other than Michael Porter and some of his Harvard colleagues, containing some important lessons for CEOs that are new to the role:

• First, as a new CEO you must learn to manage organizational context rather than focus on daily operations.
• Second, you must recognize that your position does not confer the right to lead, nor does it guarantee the loyalty of the organization.
• Finally, you must remember that you are subject to a host of limitations, even though others might treat you as omnipotent.

They talk about “seven surprises”… things that a new CEO may expect until reality hits…

1. You can’t run the company (The sheer volume and intensity of external demands take many by surprise. Almost every new CEO struggles to manage the time drain of attending to shareholders, analysts, board members, industry groups, politicians, and other constituencies)
2. Giving orders is very costly (No proposal should reach the CEO for final approval unless he can ratify it with enthusiasm. Before then, everyone involved with the matter should have raised and resolved any potential deal breakers, bringing the CEO into the discussion only at strategically significant moments to obtain feedback and support)
3. It is hard to know what is really going on (Certainly, CEOs are flooded with information, but reliable information is surprisingly scarce. All information coming to the top is filtered, sometimes with good intentions, sometimes with not such good intentions)
4. You are always sending a message (A CEOs words and deeds, however small or off-the-cuff, are instantly spread and amplified, scrutinized, interpreted and sometimes drastically misinterpreted)
5. You are not the boss (Although the CEO may sit at the top of the management hierarchy, he still reports to the board of directors. At the end of the day, the board—not the CEO—is in charge)
6. Pleasing shareholders is not the goal (CEOs must recognize that, ultimately, it is only long term value creation that matters, not today’s growth expectations or even the stock price)
7. You are still only human (CEO Should recognize he needs connections to the world outside his organization, at home and in the community, to avoid being consumed by his corporate live)