Last night, my wife and I went to Sunway Pyramid (rank 97th in the top 100 largest shopping mall in the world at the time of writing) with our teenage daughter. My wife and I wanted to go to the Home Living Exhibition while our daughter wanted to shop for something. When we left the exhibition hall, we called our daughter and it seems that her mobile was out of battery/coverage! We went to a few of her favourite outlets but she wasn't there. I then went to the information counter and requested that they help us make an announcement for our daughter to come to the information counter immediately! I then stood at a location near the information counter where I could view all areas leading to the information counter as well as the floor below. Some minutes past when I saw her just a floor below and that was that!
Talking to our daughter after that, we learned that she didn't hear the announcement. She just happen to be walking pass the area when I saw her! This reminded me of my trip to Japan in June 2015. A friend took me to Asakusa and as we were walking along the stalls, there was this announcement of a lost little boy. It was followed by this lady speaking in a Malaysian/Singaporean accent calling to her son to go to the information counter!
There are many things we teach our kids. Don't talk to stranger. Always put on your seat belt. Look left, then right and left again (or the other way round) before you cross the road etc. I think we need to also advise our kids to listen to public service announcement! I also learned from last night incident the importance of having a contingency plan.
Sunday, 28 February 2016
Friday, 26 February 2016
Usage of title and adjective you give yourself and your work
I recently received an email from a colleague from another department and noticed that he carries the title of an "eSpecialist Learning Innovator!" This reminded me of an incident years ago when I was embedded with a team in a multinational company. We came up with an design that we thought was clever enough to deserve a presentation to their Intellectual Property Department. During our presentation someone in the panel raised his hand and asked a question. Interestingly, he chose to introduce himself before his question with the statement and I quote "I am also an inventor. ..." That got one of my team member so confused he scratched his forehead using only his middle finger!
See personally, I think the title of an innovator and the adjective of being innovative is one that ought to command a lot of respect and is not one we would use simply. From a communication perspective, calling oneself an innovator/inventor can be perceived as condescending and may not do anything to improve communication. Unless, of course, if that is exactly what is needed at the time.
An equivalent of this is the title of Master. Calling oneself an innovator/inventor is like a martial artist calling himself/herself a Master. This potentially open oneself to be challenged or have a challenge accepted as the following Wushupedia video illustrates. I am actually very impressed with how respectful the MMA fighter is.
David Bao, a Wushu and Tai Chi instructor from China now living in Malaysia, seems to be someone who also subscribes to this philosophy. He has, on many occasions, when his students call him master, would say that he is only a teacher and not to address him as master. From our conversation with him, it gives me the impression that to him the title of Master is not a title you give yourself!
See personally, I think the title of an innovator and the adjective of being innovative is one that ought to command a lot of respect and is not one we would use simply. From a communication perspective, calling oneself an innovator/inventor can be perceived as condescending and may not do anything to improve communication. Unless, of course, if that is exactly what is needed at the time.
An equivalent of this is the title of Master. Calling oneself an innovator/inventor is like a martial artist calling himself/herself a Master. This potentially open oneself to be challenged or have a challenge accepted as the following Wushupedia video illustrates. I am actually very impressed with how respectful the MMA fighter is.
David Bao, a Wushu and Tai Chi instructor from China now living in Malaysia, seems to be someone who also subscribes to this philosophy. He has, on many occasions, when his students call him master, would say that he is only a teacher and not to address him as master. From our conversation with him, it gives me the impression that to him the title of Master is not a title you give yourself!
Monday, 8 February 2016
Keep your mouth shut if you are warm and happy even if you are in a pile of shit ...
My older brother told me this story when we were probably in our secondary school and though I have found several versions of this story online, I thought it may be worthwhile to include it here as the version my brother told me has a slightly different conclusion.
A non-conforming bird started its migration south for winter after everyone else have left and the weather was starting to turn cold. Flying alone in the frigid cold one night, this bird found its wings frozen and fell to the ground near a barn. A passing cow dropped some dunk on it warming it back to life. Warm and happy the bird started to chirp/sing happily. That got the attention of a cat nearby. The cat took the bird clean it up and promptly ate it.
The moral of the story are as follows:
- He who shits on you may not mean you harm.
- He who helps you may not mean you good.
- If you are warm and happy, keep your mouth shut!
The people you think you know is not as good or as bad as you think they are
As with all articles in this blog, the following are based on real events. Some details are however altered to hide the identity of those involved as it is not the person I am talking about (be it good or bad) but the lesson(s) to be gained from these events.
Case 1: The Director for Security of a multinational company was fired and within weeks the Managing Director of the same company was replaced. Rumour has it that these senior management staff was caught colluding to falsify some data when reporting to HQ. About a year letter, I happen to meet this Managing Director and our conversation lead to an opportunity for me to ask about the event that lead to him leaving that multinational company. His story makes sense and very believable. From what I know of him, his story is very creditable. Turns out the way security personal search an operator suspected of stealing inappropriately and that caused the Director of Security his job. Taking responsibility of the whole sorry sequence of events the Managing Director left his job. So he is really not as bad as many of us thought he was. Or is he?
Case 2: A head of a department (HOD) was the project manager of a very successful project. This project team has made many breakthrough and won numerous awards. It is also very clear that the success of this team is very much due to this HOD. So successful, a video was made of this team. When the production team talked to the founding pioneers of this team it seems that this team's initial project was approved not by this HOD but by a somewhat gung-ho staff of the department. It was also learned that back at the time this project team started, this HOD was fairly upset that the project which costs at least 25 times the usual costs of a similar project was approved without first consulting him. Though this HOD never openly blame this staff, his action at the time did suggest that he was not happy and that he wanted this staff to continue to taking charge of the project. Which he did. This staff personally paid for the purchase and claimed it from the company upon completion of the project. In a way, transferring the risk of the project to himself personally. As the project was a success, this became the HOD's project and the staff backed off. The official story from the HOD is that he has always been supportive of the whole thing from day one. So the facade we see can hide the mess behind it.
The story behind the split between Adolf and Rudolf Dassler forming Adidas and Puma overnight is yet another example. We really do not know what is the real reason for the split. If Rolf-herbert Peters' book "The Puma Story: The Remarkable Turnaround of an Endangered Species into One of the World's Hottest Sportlifestyle Brands" is credible, then the good guy may not really be the good guy and the bad guy may not really be the bad guy and someone else may be the cause of it after all.
What I am trying to say is this. I was once informed of the background story related to some people movement involving a number of organisations. As it was the talk everyone was talking about I noticed that one person, let's call him Greg, was fairly quiet! Not only quiet, Greg would avoid any discussion anywhere near the topic - awkwardly at times. Later, after the dust has settled, I learned from Greg the other side of the story. Withholding some key information, a story can make someone a hero and another a villain. When the whole information is put together the hero is not quiet the hero you think he/she is and the villain is not the villain you think he/she is. Accordingly, whenever you are told a behind the scene story, don't be a gullible fool like me. Take it with a pinch of salt and remind yourself that the other side of the coin could be very different.
Case 1: The Director for Security of a multinational company was fired and within weeks the Managing Director of the same company was replaced. Rumour has it that these senior management staff was caught colluding to falsify some data when reporting to HQ. About a year letter, I happen to meet this Managing Director and our conversation lead to an opportunity for me to ask about the event that lead to him leaving that multinational company. His story makes sense and very believable. From what I know of him, his story is very creditable. Turns out the way security personal search an operator suspected of stealing inappropriately and that caused the Director of Security his job. Taking responsibility of the whole sorry sequence of events the Managing Director left his job. So he is really not as bad as many of us thought he was. Or is he?
Case 2: A head of a department (HOD) was the project manager of a very successful project. This project team has made many breakthrough and won numerous awards. It is also very clear that the success of this team is very much due to this HOD. So successful, a video was made of this team. When the production team talked to the founding pioneers of this team it seems that this team's initial project was approved not by this HOD but by a somewhat gung-ho staff of the department. It was also learned that back at the time this project team started, this HOD was fairly upset that the project which costs at least 25 times the usual costs of a similar project was approved without first consulting him. Though this HOD never openly blame this staff, his action at the time did suggest that he was not happy and that he wanted this staff to continue to taking charge of the project. Which he did. This staff personally paid for the purchase and claimed it from the company upon completion of the project. In a way, transferring the risk of the project to himself personally. As the project was a success, this became the HOD's project and the staff backed off. The official story from the HOD is that he has always been supportive of the whole thing from day one. So the facade we see can hide the mess behind it.
The story behind the split between Adolf and Rudolf Dassler forming Adidas and Puma overnight is yet another example. We really do not know what is the real reason for the split. If Rolf-herbert Peters' book "The Puma Story: The Remarkable Turnaround of an Endangered Species into One of the World's Hottest Sportlifestyle Brands" is credible, then the good guy may not really be the good guy and the bad guy may not really be the bad guy and someone else may be the cause of it after all.
What I am trying to say is this. I was once informed of the background story related to some people movement involving a number of organisations. As it was the talk everyone was talking about I noticed that one person, let's call him Greg, was fairly quiet! Not only quiet, Greg would avoid any discussion anywhere near the topic - awkwardly at times. Later, after the dust has settled, I learned from Greg the other side of the story. Withholding some key information, a story can make someone a hero and another a villain. When the whole information is put together the hero is not quiet the hero you think he/she is and the villain is not the villain you think he/she is. Accordingly, whenever you are told a behind the scene story, don't be a gullible fool like me. Take it with a pinch of salt and remind yourself that the other side of the coin could be very different.
Thursday, 4 February 2016
Anchor memories
Have you noticed that there are certain things or past events you can remember very vividly and some of these memories hold significant meaning and may even cause you to be emotional just to recall them? These are some examples. As usual, these are based on real cases/events but without revealing the identity of the individuals in these stories.
Ravi is someone I was introduced to back in 1995. I noticed that Ravi is someone who would do anything for his oldest sister. He would joke around his other siblings but listens to his older sister and never say no to her requests. I happen to be in the car with him one day and our conversation turned to the very topic of his relationship with his oldest sister. To the shock of my life this big hero of a man was in tears when he recalled the day his oldest sister gave him a T-shit when he was very little. See Ravi came from a big family and shall we say not too far from the poverty line. Life was difficult and his oldest sister went out to work early on in life to bring some income for the family. He was so trilled by his oldest sister's gift he still have that T-shirt today.
I too have a very similar experience. I didn't realised it until one evening when I was invited by a fellow postgraduate student at Monash Uni., to his home for dinner. He was from Hong Kong and some 15 or so years older than I. To set the mood, he play a CD of a very old Chinese song. Song my mother would listen to when I was little. It triggered an image of my mother smiling and singing along with that very song at the house I grew up in and I just cannot control the tear and the emotions that was following through me. My mother worked and scarified a lot for the family and even though it was an image of her smiling and singing I felt the pain of her scarifies. So emotional in fact I had to asked my friend to switch it off.
There is yet another image of an event involving my mother. I think it was at a kindergarten. A classmate was eating something I have never seen before and I was very interested. Don't know how my mother realised I was interested, she asked this classmate and pass her (I think it was a girl) some money and I had the luxury of tasting it the following day! I also recall the countless time I lose my pen and she would give me money to buy new one. One of those Chinese Hero pens!
As a little kid, every now and then, my father would come home with some delicious food and we would gather round to enjoy it. Often enough that there are images of these still firmly stuck in my head.
I call these anchor memories. Memories that has so much impact on me that my view of a person changed. My view and my world are filled with these anchored memories. Having kids, I realised that they too refer to some past evernts where they have learned something or has changed their views. I think creating anchor memories is an "amazing tool" that allow us to shape/create the world of those around us. Whenever possible, create anchor memories in those close and dear to you. Not to manipulate them but to create meaningful memories to fill their world.
Ravi is someone I was introduced to back in 1995. I noticed that Ravi is someone who would do anything for his oldest sister. He would joke around his other siblings but listens to his older sister and never say no to her requests. I happen to be in the car with him one day and our conversation turned to the very topic of his relationship with his oldest sister. To the shock of my life this big hero of a man was in tears when he recalled the day his oldest sister gave him a T-shit when he was very little. See Ravi came from a big family and shall we say not too far from the poverty line. Life was difficult and his oldest sister went out to work early on in life to bring some income for the family. He was so trilled by his oldest sister's gift he still have that T-shirt today.
I too have a very similar experience. I didn't realised it until one evening when I was invited by a fellow postgraduate student at Monash Uni., to his home for dinner. He was from Hong Kong and some 15 or so years older than I. To set the mood, he play a CD of a very old Chinese song. Song my mother would listen to when I was little. It triggered an image of my mother smiling and singing along with that very song at the house I grew up in and I just cannot control the tear and the emotions that was following through me. My mother worked and scarified a lot for the family and even though it was an image of her smiling and singing I felt the pain of her scarifies. So emotional in fact I had to asked my friend to switch it off.
There is yet another image of an event involving my mother. I think it was at a kindergarten. A classmate was eating something I have never seen before and I was very interested. Don't know how my mother realised I was interested, she asked this classmate and pass her (I think it was a girl) some money and I had the luxury of tasting it the following day! I also recall the countless time I lose my pen and she would give me money to buy new one. One of those Chinese Hero pens!
As a little kid, every now and then, my father would come home with some delicious food and we would gather round to enjoy it. Often enough that there are images of these still firmly stuck in my head.
I call these anchor memories. Memories that has so much impact on me that my view of a person changed. My view and my world are filled with these anchored memories. Having kids, I realised that they too refer to some past evernts where they have learned something or has changed their views. I think creating anchor memories is an "amazing tool" that allow us to shape/create the world of those around us. Whenever possible, create anchor memories in those close and dear to you. Not to manipulate them but to create meaningful memories to fill their world.
Sunday, 16 August 2015
Speak and write as though it is to be made public!
There was an occasion, when I was a young graduate just starting work in 1995, I received an email containing a project plan from my project lead. I just assumed that the project plan was from our boss and felt that the project plan is very unrealistic. Unhappy about it but unsure how to go about it I expressed my dissatisfaction to my project lead saying that our boss is disconnected from our work. With a shocked expression, my project lead told me that the project plan was from him not the boss! I had essentially told my project lead that I think he is disconnected from the project and his plan is unrealistic!
At another job, I responded to an email where I was asked my opinion how best to deal with a specific situation and unfortunately my response in that email kinda indicate that another colleague has not been as detail in her work as she could have. She was subsequently added into the email thread where what I wrote was available to her. Like the above case, I ended up telling the person what I think in a manner that I would not have had I expressed my opinion or responded to what I was asked in the presence of or directly to the person involved.
What I have learned from these and other similar incidences is that always say/write as thought what you say/write is going to be made public or at least to the people concerned. If you have to say something concerning someone, say it in a way where you would say it directly to that person even if that person is not present at the time.
Taking this a step further, at Intel, we were all expected to make decision and act in a manner such that we expect our decision and action will be made public! In other words, if we are in the position where we have a choice, we are expected to make a decision thinking that our action will be made public. The thought that everything we do is transparent help guide us in our action. You will not dare do anything illegal or unethical or is against company policy etc.
At another job, I responded to an email where I was asked my opinion how best to deal with a specific situation and unfortunately my response in that email kinda indicate that another colleague has not been as detail in her work as she could have. She was subsequently added into the email thread where what I wrote was available to her. Like the above case, I ended up telling the person what I think in a manner that I would not have had I expressed my opinion or responded to what I was asked in the presence of or directly to the person involved.
What I have learned from these and other similar incidences is that always say/write as thought what you say/write is going to be made public or at least to the people concerned. If you have to say something concerning someone, say it in a way where you would say it directly to that person even if that person is not present at the time.
Taking this a step further, at Intel, we were all expected to make decision and act in a manner such that we expect our decision and action will be made public! In other words, if we are in the position where we have a choice, we are expected to make a decision thinking that our action will be made public. The thought that everything we do is transparent help guide us in our action. You will not dare do anything illegal or unethical or is against company policy etc.
Sunday, 4 March 2012
It is my duty to inform you that you are about to make a mistake!
A few years ago, I was involved in a project for the design and construction of a machine that is an information kiosk come vending machine. The design team went through various concepts and selected what was the coolest concept to be presented to the client. I felt that the design was too big for its purpose and I could see technical and operational issues with the design. But the team indicated that my concern is not valid without going into the details and I didn't push it beyond raising my concerns. So we went ahead with the presentation to the client. To my surprise, the client approved the design! I still remember being puzzled and was asking myself why did the client accept this?! Anyhow, the team build it. As expected, the team ultimately face those technical difficulties I thought they would and this design did not fly.
This event has been troubling me for a long time and more because of my inaction at various occasions of the project than anything else. I could have put myself in the client's shoe and insist that the team answered everything to the nth degree before we present it to the client or the other extreme of not challenging anything. Or somewhere in between these two extremes. Now, I am sure, one who questions everything to the nth degree will be seen by his/her teammates as being difficult and the one who ask nothing as one who does not add value to the team! I believe most of us will raise questions/concerns as we become aware of them and the difference between all of us is probably the degree or depth we pursue answers to our concerns. I also believe that most of us will at least perform what we believe is our duty - i.e, what we believe is expected of us.
What would be the proper thing to do and what is its principle? Recently, I saw this in my sister-in-law facebook update. This is rather poignant and clear.
"The important thing is, you must like it. Because chances are if you don't, the clients won't. Make it something you like to see and don't give a damn about everyone else." - Old, rejected, psychotic man without a lunch partner.
Consider this. We all work for someone or have a client/customer. Even when we are self-employed, someone is paying us to do a job. This may be to design a product, a poster, a video etc etc. For everything we do, there is our own standard as well as our preferences. There is also the client's standard and the client's preferences. Independent to all these are constraints. Time constraints, budget, scope etc. Ultimately, it is to satisfy a well-informed customer/client. Allow me to elaborate.
If you know your client and understand his/her standard and preference, meet and exceed it. If you do not yet know your client's standard and preferences, perform your duty to your own standard and learn your client's standard and preferences as you work with him/her. In either of these cases, keep your client informed of areas of concerns so that he/she can make an informed decision as he/she will have constraints to balance as well. Informed here includes informing and explaining to your client that he/she is about to make a mistake - tactfully of course.
[This is based on true events. Certain details have been changed to protect the identity of those involved without changing the essence of the story.]
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)