Management - Episode II - A new beginning

Monday, 18th April 2005

It's a new leaf in my career as I started something new, I hired a person & she started working under me.

Well, I have recruited many people before, even more Marcus Evans, but for this time, the recruitment is for myself and I stand to be responsible for whatever that happens in this step.

Though it's quite harsh comparing with AIESEC, when I did recruitment, but the cards played are quite different ...

> Heavier & more severe risks ... it gets marked in my report, so while returns are high, so are the costs in this stake

> I have more aces in the sense that I have money as a main card, extra to other sub aces which I have a long time ago with AIESEC & gained some skills to survive with only that.

> Get more mature & materialistic people (oh, I fail fluffy people who are NOT motivated by growth, power & money ... cause they are categorized as 'attitude' cases)

So, we shall see ... Vynnie has been quite independent (so far), so looking to see how she turns out.

Wait for Episode III - the 2nd new recruit

Interesting week

It would be wrong to single this week as an extraordinary one, but if looked from relationships side, it's definitely one moving ahead with interesting fronts ...

Where to start? ok, probably you heard of LinkedIn and hi5 communities which are kind of corporate & friends circles ... things which I have been for a while, but just to keep my contacts alive.

So, on Saturday I received the 1st ... a contact from LinkedIn asking if I would be interested to cooperate, coming from a guy who's into personal training ... particularly on life direction and consulting ... and it's quite a peculiar yet coincidental because this is what I planned to do in long term. The rest is history ... meeting up Dave on Wednesday ... curious to see what's on his mind ...

And on hi5, I got this message from Wong Mane (yes, this is her name) and her message goes ...

"i am gal from KL. i study pharmacy course in KL.I like to approach the green environment.My hobbies are cycling,swimming,reading and travelling. i really admire yr working attitude .So wanna to be fren with me?
my motto:no venture,no gain"

Since it's not everyday that someone will approach me .. just took a chance to reply and now we are getting in touch. Another option for me to keep open ... hahahha

Work ... ah ... I met this cute girl from sales dept. back a week ago and having a meeting with my team from there, I was looking forward to meet her. I stole a few glances with her and with some audacity, just asked her to join in for drinks later the day ... quite happy to see her there and had some nice chat with her. There's something about her ... just can't get her off my mind ... but since she said she will call me tomorrow, we shall see ... it's another new week anyway ...

and the absolute arse who's clearly disliking me at office, took me for mickey mouse ... pulled a fast one on my boss by making a formal complaint against me with his friend (someone I interviewed for a job in ME) as the accomplice ... saying I bad mouthed him and was unprofessional. So anyway, his friend must be pretty dumb to throw away his employment chance by backstabbing me ... and twisting facts.

another was that, people are not quite comfortable with me being less formal in work, where I can be quite a maverick, hothead and too-casual-for-senior dress code on Fridays ... so as it seems they confided in my ex boss, Abid. He, being the big-bro figure ... advised me ... but I really don't know ... I gave up a lot to make this jump & promotion .... not sure if I want to concede myself further in my style & image. Is it the time to grow up? Is it time to move up? As I have told others before, not ready is no an excuse for not taking things up. Sigh.

Last (though not really human) is that my car will finally arrive next week ... so I am quite happy that my 'freedom' will be expanded with my own set of wheels to move around ...

I like this picture, it can be interpreted in many perspectives. Took this in my last 2 months in Slovakia. Whenever I look at this, I think of my great experience during my time there. 

I love this picture, it's my 1st night in Slovakia and this is the picture of Zilina town centre, with the church & city hall together on the hill 

My 1st toboggan ride ... really a great experience slidingdown the hill & tumbling at the break  

bratislava 

Leadership

Jack Welch authored a new book, Winning and it was a great relection of thoughts on a great leader for change. I loved the book as it relfects a lot on my beliefs & style for leadership.

Leadership is a word with much paradox. How Welch summarizes that is by:

#1
Leaders relentlessly upgrade their team, using every encounter as an opportunity to evaluate, coach & build self confidence

> I agree ... I would always put team as the key structure & talent to put ideas to task

#2
Leaders ensure people not only see the vision, they live and breathe it

> as I love to believe ... talking, understanding & accepting does not equal to making it happen

#3
Leaders get into everyone's skin, exuding positive energy & optimism

> leadership has to be in the air ... it akins to aura, a character with a life & destiny of it's own

#4
Leaders establish trust with candor, transparency & credit

> don't lie ... tell all that's needed to be told ... praise when it's deserving ... mentor when it's time to learn ...

#5
Leaders have the courage to make unpopular decisions & gut calls

> it takes conviction & responsibility to take on a tough call

#6
Leaders probe & push with curiousity that borders on skeptism, making sure their questions are answered with action

> we look for the best, not for any 2nd hand solutions ... we are men of action for our conviction

#7
Leaders inspire risk taking and learning by setting the example

> for every war won has a background of battles lost ... and no pain, no gain

#8
Leaders celebrate

> recognition and positive affirmation reveals & cultivates passion ...

underground-paris 

Change agent - What does it take?

Many think this term was something quite cliche in my past 5 years of life where people from AIESEC like to term almost anyone possible as change agent, from being a normal starfish picker to biggies like Kofi Annan.

I would like to see myself as one, being someone who had a profound effect on others. Am I?

I almost thought I lost that aura for the past 10 months of my life, ever since I walked away from AIESEC to chase a capitalist career ... going full blast for glory in the corporate arena. Looking it at a perspective, I have become less idealistic, less argumentative and more result (& solution oriented) than the old me. Just don't tolerate bad attitude, idealists, anarchists and rebels anymore.

And what a good break I thought, away from the old me, trying to change things. But yesterday, it's quite surprising to hear from others that by just keeping to my work, I have become a change agent. These were the feedback:

> I take initiative, do not wait for others or instructions when something goes wrong. The thing is, while others take time to think if it can or should or could be done (or should they do it), I am doing it.

> I question, do not accept processes thought redundant and just show a better way.

> I walk the talk, whatever that's promised, is sure as delivered ... upon my word of honour

as I realize, ... change agents don't need to be loud, vocal, starry or visible; in fact ... I have been the unassuming change agent ... quietly showing others that it can be done ... change is not bombastic ... it's not showy ... it's not hard ... just a matter of perspective (again)

While many people think (& assume) my position is quite envious ... guess people always see the grass on the other side as greener. Can't be too bothered with these ... I am not after the quick ascent that I have been given ... rather restoring me to my former position as norma staff would be quite cool ...

Another crazy day passed ...

a day full of significant things done, but nothing related to my project ...

and it's crazy ... like getting my Product 5 a great team to sell it ... then earlier was doing my 1st thing as senior producer in briefing others ... then getting a hot lead for my translator ...

quite frustrating ... but this is the life ... don't get me started on my other non-work things to think of .... sigh

Is life a spring or winter?

The picture below of the flower was taken just during the spring when I was in Slovakia ... and it came out in a place full of rot and desolation after a heavy winter ...

and what I really liked about this flower is that it bloomed amidst everything around it ... and I was quite sure that it's bloom will lead to many others within days.

and isn't it very much like life? There have been many times when I faced a crowd full of people who take life negatively ... a tilted view ... an unoptimistic view?

amazingly, most people wait for a bright star to shine into their lives ... for someone to lead the way ... so spread the postiveness ... but once it starts, it's all downhill ... just like this flower.

How many of us are like this flower?

Reminisce ... sunset in Bystrica

just looked back at my photos ... this one's a great one taken from my bus seat ... showing the sunset in the horizon ... it's a photo of the moment back then ... when starting my 10 month sojourn in Europe ... a truly time of my life ... just enjoying each day ... each moment, not thinking too far into the future ... facing the challenge of being in a foreign land

spring 

sunset 

paris1 

Memories of Paris ...

exactly 2 years ago, I fulfilled a childhood dream of visiting one of the world's seven wonders and I achieved that by being in Paris, enjoying the splendour of a magnificent city in the romantic setting of spring ...

it was a magnificent feeling to walk all the way along the Champs de elysses (think that's how it's spelled) and being at the Arc de troimphe ... walking along the Seine river, the richly embanked river with many famous buildings of magnificence, like the Notre Dame, Eiffel Tower, the museum ....

I recapture the feeling of the cold breeze sweeping across my face as I whisked through the park in slight drizzle, watching others enjoying their stroll as well ...

what an amazing feeling to be eating crepe while watching ducks swimming on the pond, the colours of spring bursting out in the flowers and trees ...

to be walking on the zig-zagged underground trains tunnels & links, to listen to the music peddled on the streets.

I shall cherish always this trip as a dream fulfilled, making space for me to strive for others ....

Ever the dream chaser ....

underground - Paris