Persistence: Be Like a River

Let's imagine a mighty river such as the Rajang River in Sarawak. A powerful river gains its natural power, size, and landscape from its smaller tributary or contributory rivers. It begins in the higher parts of the catchment; then the rain water run off down the slopes upstream and proceed with its journey to the lower parts towards the open sea.

The water as we can see never get tired in penetrating its long journey to the sea. Water also always consistent in looking for its own level.

I bought a very good motivational poster on persistence of a running water with a picture of a tall waterfall and pasted it on the wall of our common area in the office to keep motivating sales team. Attach here are few photos of a river taken at a famous picnic spot at the foot of Gunung Nuang; Hulu Langat; Selangor.





The poster said something like this:

"In the confrontation between the stream and the rock, the stream always wins... not through strength, but through persistence."

Another poster on the same topic of persistence also said:

"You will need to make many turns and overcome many obstacles to create the path you desire."

Lesson learned: In the same way, in our confrontation between our journeys(in whatever we do) and the obstacles, we also can always win and successful at the end... but remember; it is not through our physical strength per se, but it has something to do with our level of persistence or never give up attitude.

Yearn For a Return To Normalcy?

The world's economy is not fully emerge from recession after global meltdown. Post-crisis was creating many wishes and fantasies that thing will be going back to where it used to be. However, to be realistic, let's call it out here - that there will be no going home again for the average of us.

The surest thing now is that the business environment and its whole landscape has been forever altered. Many global companies(MNCs) and financial institutions not only affected badly, but some even wiped out from the market such as Lehman Brothers. Googling for and browsing at Lehman's website today creates a kind of loss and historical feeling; and it is as good to say - study about dinosaur extinction !

In the aftermath of this unprecedented crisis, regulators(Central Banks) and governments around the globe will now map out better control mechanism. Expectation on "rational behavior" that suppose to safeguard us from faulty or bad decisions economically is now no longer reliable.

In assessing this post-crisis issue, the psychology is now also going to be totally different. The new economic order is very interesting and promising, however, it is too early to yearn for "return to normalcy" after many months living in uncertainties.

Isn't Planning Without Execution Pointless?

How often have you spent hours, days, weeks, or months formulating a life master plan, but only to follow it for a little while or never follow it at all? This is happening many times among us. Isn't it pointless to formulate a life plan that we might not intend to follow? It is good to make a pledge that your life plan should be a promise to yourself- a promise for your life path to your future. Also it is good thing that you formulating the life you want to live - your own storyline and travelogue for your legacy.

You need to remind yourself all the time by coming back to the master plan so that you not deviate from your original goals. You need to see your promise or pledge at the first place to assist you clearly, else you would not make the sustained effort to achieve your goals.

There are many factors could preventing you from executing and achieving your goals outlined in the master plan such as fear of failure or fear of success. Always remember the famous saying - 'plan your work and work your plan' and 'if you fail to plan, you are planning to fail' may be just sounds cliches but they have proven to be withstood the test of time.

Mind elasticity

What is mind elasticity?
Our past experience, present state of mind, and feelings will decide the meaning of what we see, hear, taste, touch, and smell. Thus, our perception on so many things is very subjective. At the same time, this is the reason for us to be selective in our attention to things happening around us. The same reason also made every individual very unique. Therefore, no two people will tell the same story or event with the same perception. It must be slightly different. It will never be exactly the same 100%. That is what we call 'mind elasticity.' This natural formation of our thinking ability will determine different individual will have different potential. Uniquely, everyone has this hidden potential.

Wrong focus
We always forget about this very unique potential. Many time, we always tend to waste precious energy worrying about what we cannot achieve rather than focusing on what untapped potential we have and what we can be today or in the future.

Good quote from Tryon Edwards (1809 - 1894)
"There is nothing so elastic as the human mind. Like imprisoned steam, the more it is pressed, the more it rises to resist the pressure. The more we are obliged to do the more we are able to accomplish."

Note: 'To do' as in the above quote meant our determination, and 'accomplish' meant to undertake whatever our mind can dream of able to achieve.

Leardership - Anyone Interested?

What is Leadership?

I trust we are reading many texts on leadership. There are many ways to finish the sentences, "Leadership is...."

Leadership defined
Leadership is a process whereby an individual influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal (Northouse, 1997).

Leaders and followers are closely linked
The people who engage in leadership will be referred to as leaders and those individuals toward whom leadership is directed will be referred to as followers. Both leaders and followers are involved together in the leadership process. Both of them are cannot be separated from each other. If they are separated and if there is no link, leadership process may not take place. In short, leaders need followers and followers need leaders (Burns, 1978; Jago, 1982; Heller & Van Til, 1983; Hollander, 1992).

The Leader must be the torch bearer
Although leaders and followers are closely linked, it is the leader who often initiates the relationship, creates the communication linkages, and carries the burden for maintaining the relationship relentlessly. The leader cannot blame the followers for any weak links in the process. He should be looking at himself and must be quick to analyze his weaknesses and remedy it.

TEAM Paradigm

The "Team Paradigm" Definition
TEAMS can only function and work effectively if they are allowed to work together over time in an environment that demands and promotes teamwork.

There is no specific definition of what 'team' really meant. The best definition that we could think of is - Together Everyone Achieves More because teamwork will be generating Synergy, Security, and Serenity. When these triple 'SSS' exists in a team, then the team will really has 'teamworks' spirit.

Teamwork and Good Leader
Teamwork today centers around within and around a group of individuals instead of of a strong leader. Leaders come and go, but strong team even stick together during hard times although a good leader may leave them. The trend today is moving towards self-directed teams where self-leadership prevails over strong leadership. This needs heavy responsibilities from each team members.

Shared Vision and Values
Having said that, however, a group of strong personalities does not mean a strong team. They should be embraced the same shared VISION and VALUES to make them stay together through thick and thin. That should be the team bondage and starting block for the common traits of sustainable T.E.A.M.W.O.R.K.S. .

In short, real teamwork can only be achieved through an environment of constantly working together as a team. Learning together is an effective and proactive.

Acronym of Teamworks
Trust each other with respect.
Enthusiasm in team shared vision and values.
Agreed on the best and most viable solutions to any challenges facing the team.
Members must be honest in supporting team leader and vice versa.
Work delegation among members to lessen the team burden should be encouraged.
Ownership to the common goal setting and any possible drawbacks.
Regular communication to keep everyone update on team progress.
Keep emotions out from the team struggle.
Synergy will come automatically to the team if all the above being observed.

Make Sure You're Not Among The 10%

As many companies are bracing for hard times, many direct employees around the world being laid off to make them remain afloat. If you are salaried worker, make sure you're among the 90% who are employed. Make sure you're not among the 10% of who are unemployed. Now, how would you want to make sure that you would not fall into the 10% category? Here are few tips to make sure yourself still relevant and marketable:

1) Training
Now is the good time to go for extra training that in one way can add up to your soft skills. Do touch base with your HRM of your company for suitable training.

2) My plate is full
This time around is not the good time to complain about things - 'this is not my duty.' The rule for now is better to have your plate full rather than empty.

3) Value added to company
Show your true potential and how company could get added value from your ideas and inputs.

4) Productivity is the new game
During hard times, productivity is the rule of the game. That's why company always scrutinize the first 10% from the bottom. Increase your productivity.

5) Resource allocation
Company will move resources to more productive area, product, unit, and department. If you are 'burn out' now maybe it is the right time to change for internal transfer. Please talk to your supervisor about your individual development plan. Make it transparent to him or her. Above all, make sure you're sought after kind of staff.

6) Discipline
Self-discipline is very important. Come early to clear some works so that you always ahead of the rest. Long hour in office doesn't meant discipline if times spent unproductively.

Bracing For Hard Times

I've been not posting any article for a long time since Nov 08 to attend to more pressing matters.

The starting point of a credit crisis that caused current global recession is generally a kind of "Goldilocks Scenario." It is characterized by overwhelming liquidity (not only on the investor side, but also for companies), by low default (and high recovery) rates, and by subdued risk aversion among credit investors. Global recession sparked by a chain of reactions happened in this order:

It started with excessive liquidity, then linked to -> excessive lending -> excessive leverage -> excessive risk-taking. Then, this activities followed by tremendous spread tightening especially in credit derivatives universe, then trail by credit bubble - exogenous shocks and/or fundamental dislocations. Lastly, the burst of the bubble that caused the spiral global credit crunch which in general all the economist called it "global recession." And today the crisis is really really really global.

In summary; this is how normal folks like us to understand what actually happened in this sequence:1) First-order effects: direct credit-linked losses(investments). 2) 2nd round effects: Spillover effects onto other financial market segments. 3) 3rd round effects: Spillover effects onto the real economy. I'm sorry for unable to put this in simple term, but how to explain it to our normal folks in the villages or smaller towns. Just explain and focus on the 3rd round effects will do, e.g. :

1) Reduction of rubber prices from what used to be around RM4.00++/kg to around RM1.00++/kg.
2) Reduction of CPO prices from what used to be around RM4,500/ton in Jul 08 to hovering around RM1,200/ton in early Nov 08.
3) Add on - closing down of Western Digital in Kuching Sarawak(Malaysia) and many employees being laid off as the business cannot maintain cash flow stream to keep afloat due to contraction in production demands.

We have to somehow to face it right here and now especially for the first 6 months of 2009. That is the time where the real 3rd round effects will be 'acute' and nobody knows when it will last or hit the rock bottom. The best way is to downsize in everything that non-core in our daily expenses. In my case, I adapt to the crisis with no driving to my work place daily, just come inside Light Rail Transit(LRT) capsule and within 30 minutes will reach my office. The car just park at driveway and just need to start once a while or joining colleagues for short coffee talks after working hours.

By just doing that small adjustment, the saving on fuel, tolls, and parking fees can be quite substantial. Skip the unnecessary jammed and stress. I can relax and better prepared for the day far ahead of the curve - reading books, journals, periodicals, pullouts etc. We have to change, adapt, and look for many options for efficiency during this tumultuous times.