I get ideas for my posts from all over. I think I must really be a reactionary sort of fellow. I love having bricks thrown at me, gives me material to make things. The title of this one came from a casual remark made by a friend I was with before we went to call […]
If you are used to me by now, you will know that I don’t mean “Public Relations” in the first “PR.” So what do I mean? Personal Responsibility, of course! If you are a Public Relations honcho and depend on that to pay your bills, lower your hackles and read on! Of course, “PR Campaigns […]
Do you have a good EQ? I think Daniel Goleman didn’t intend to mislead anyone about EQ, but I do think that many people have swung one way or the other. Seems to be the case, as always. When will level-headed thinking prevail? Quite difficult, I suppose, since emotions versus our minds are something like […]
This is not only for all who are serving in large organizations, particularly government ones. Hands up if you have used that phrase, or a similar one! Right, that should include just about everyone! Hands up if you have ever been a Chief this or a Chief that! Ok, not too may hands going up. […]
What is your USP (Unique Selling Proposition)? Heard that before? So what if you’re an employee – heard that before? I’ve always had this nagging thought at the back of my mind that if 6.5 billion people are unique, then who is? Besides, why do you want to be unique when you already are? Remember that […]
Do you admire the person who seems to be able to make seemingly difficult decisions quickly and easily? Not only does he do that, but it always seems that he’s right? Do you know someone like that personally? Are you that person? Why do I get the impression that many people are content to become […]
The first time I flew to Australia, the film “The Man from Snowy River” was being screened. No personal screens, then, you watched the movie on the screen suspended from the fuselage. I remember one of the characters, played by Kirk Douglas, if I’m not mistaken, saying “It’s a hard country. Makes for hard men.” […]
I’ve shared before about Susan Cain’s talk at TED, about “The power of introverts“. Recently, someone shared “10 myths about introverts” on Facebook. I thought they were interesting, and I encourage you to look them up if you haven’t done so yet! Who’s asking for help? Who thinks introverts are asking for help? Who says […]
Most people I meet seem to be always absorbed with their “Mission”. That mostly has to do with what they think their bosses want them to do on a daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly or yearly basis. That’s important, of course, we need to complete assigned tasks and fulfill responsibilities. Meet or exceed team goals on […]
In the post “Lead Measures. Lag Measures. So What?” written on 04 Apr 2013, I talked about what lead and lag measures are. I hope you are taking the initiative implementing lead measures in your daily business! I just came across a discussion on a LinkedIn group called “Automotive Fixed Operations Managers“. The discussion is […]
Office politics. What comes to your mind? How does the phrase make you feel? Is it an unavoidable evil or something that can be eradicated completely? Do you think that there is just too much of it where you work? I dare say that the majority would think that there is too much going on […]
When Martin Luther King declared “We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men are created equal”, he inadvertently gave a phrase and a concept for all modern-day Robin Hoods to exploit. Now, I’m certainly no fan of the Sheriff of Nottingham either, but two wrongs don’t make a right. You know by now […]
You are biased. I am biased. They are biased. We are all biased. If you encounter someone coming up to you saying, “My reporting of the case in unbiased” or “I settled the quarrel in a fair and unbiased manner”, you should quickly laugh out loud in his face! There is simply no such thing […]
The term “SOF” has become a household term because of the media. Of course, “SOF” stands for “Special Operations Force”, with all the perceived glamour that goes along with the title. Have you ever seen yourself as an SOF trooper? What makes them so special? Is that why you wanted to be part of them, […]
It seems that everyone is being encouraged to be a marketer these days. The Net’s a stage where each plays a part, and mine a blog one. I just checked – there are about 68 million WordPress blogs alone, not counting the many others. Each one is a marketing tool by default. Of course, quality […]
Have you heard leaders say things like that just before the launch of a new initiative? Or perhaps you’ve heard them utter similar phrases in the wake of a disaster or other scandal. Are you aware that most of them are lying through their teeth? Have you made such statements yourself? Taking the responsibility for […]
We have heard that an ounce of prevention is better than pounding regret, or words to that effect. Intuitively, we know that to be true. Why, then, does there seem to be such an unhealthy fascination with glorifying disasters, things which could have been prevented but left to corrode away slowly to their grim conclusions? […]
The word “lebensraum” means “habitat” or “living space” in German and was one of the components of disastrous Nazi ideology. I picked the word up when reading J.F.C. Fuller’s “The Second World War: A Strategical and Tactical History” many years ago and it stuck fast in my mind. All of us require living space, and […]
Innovation. Buzzword for our times. People who innovate are seen as rainmakers. An “Innovator” is hailed as an inspiring leader, while an “optimizer” is popularly seen as someone who just does the mundane work of running the system. Innovators are seen as creative, bold, risk-takers, visionaries, strategically-minded, and a list of other accolades. Optimizers are relegated to the […]
During the course of work, I often hear remarks like “I think the energy is low”, or “I think they need an energizer.” While this is true in some cases, it is not always so. You know it yourself. Just because you’re sitting at a table sipping coffee doesn’t always mean you’re relaxing. If you’re […]
If you’ve ever been called “Weird”, “Abnormal”, “Freak” or some other dubious accolade, you’ve probably felt an overpowering urge to conform to the lowest denominator just so you can “fit in”. Perhaps you’re one of the blessed few upon whom those titles or similar descriptive epithets have never been bestowed. If so, have you ever […]
There is a song called “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” by the group Tears for Fears. The title itself hints at people wanting to be the rock star whatever they’re doing and wherever they’re at. Have you ever thought about if everybody were to rule the world, who are the ruled? Harvey MacKay once […]
I came across an article a few years ago describing how composting is on the increase in Java, Indonesia. Artificial fertilizers in the 1970s had boosted crop yields for a short period, but yields dropped after that, and the land was poisoned. A local bank initiated a composting drive, collecting waste from markets and converting […]
The term “Clear and Present Danger” may refer to Tom Clancy’s book by the same title, the film, or a doctrine adopted by the US Supreme Court. In simple terms, a “clear and present danger” is sufficient casus belli for immediate, pre-emptive action. My friend Zaccheus remarked that he seemed to be seeing many more […]
Are we led more by Reason or are we led more by Emotion? Someone once said that we are led by both. Reason and Emotion are like two animals hitched together to the same cart. One animal is a Mule and the other is an Elephant. Which do you think is Reason and which Emotion? […]
I came across a Quartz article about how some well-known business chiefs hold ruthlessly effective meetings. I’d encourage you to read the article, and I’d just like to highlight the main points here, and what my take on them is. Throw out the least necessary person in the room Apparently, that was how Steve Jobs […]
I keep seeing posts and discussions on delegation, so I thought I’d better post this again, so that people can keep this thing called “delegation” in its proper perspective. Is the word “delegation” a dreaded word at your workplace? If you are a leader, do you know who, what, where, when and why to delegate? […]
Baby Boomers. Gen X. Gen Y. Gen Z. Gen Gap. Gen Repeat Process. Gen ad infinitum. We really love labelling, stereotyping and generalizing, don’t we? Just because some “expert” said that “studies have shown that…”, means we pick up the paint roller and give all and sundry the broad-brush treatment. Does that happen to you? […]
When will they ever learn? When will they ever learn? So go the last two lines of every verse of the song “Where have all the flowers gone?”. Sobering thought, isn’t it? When “lifelong learning” has been emphasized for decades, do you sometimes wonder what the effects of learning are, or what they have been? […]
For those unfamiliar with “Singlish”, which means “Sinful English” – no, just kidding, lah. “Singlish” is Singapore English, what someone called Toh Paik Choo used to call “Pasar Patois”. You donno? Why so goondu one? Well, for those still wondering, the title can also read “But I Know That Already!”. Of course you do. Then […]
We have heard that getting the right people on the bus is extremely important. What we may not realize is that keeping the wrong ones from coming aboard is equally vital if we are to maintain a thriving organization. We need to understand and realize that “inclusiveness”, applied indiscriminately, is the most damaging lie of […]
The more I deliver and participate in people development endeavours, the more I am convinced that all psychometric instruments are great snapshots of the people involved. They might even be great X-ray snapshots, but they are still snapshots. Snapshots are great conversation starters. They ought to be springboards toward great and fruitful relationships, but often […]
Many years ago, there was a television series called the “Twilight Zone”, which featured mysterious, paranormal-type events. Pretty scary stuff, in those days. At least, watching the episodes made your hair stand on end. Recently, we of course have had the “Twilight” series, which, as I understand, features werewolves and other similar things. I don’t […]
Of course, you can guess my age looking at the title. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, you can always stare at it in a lecherous manner, meaning go ogle it! If you understand chunking, you’ll know what I’m talking about! Did you have a great pen-pal? I never did, but I have […]
Daniel Pink, author of “Drive” and other books, says that people have three basic wants. They are Autonomy, Mastery and Purpose. You might remember that a little better if you think that people like to be “AMPed”. I wonder what he might have said about gamification. As far as I can tell, gamification also fulfills […]
What’s Fun, but a fleeting, cheap emotion? I suppose this post could also be called “I CAN Get MORE Satisfaction”. Now, before you roll your eyes heavenward, do you think I am against having fun? No, not at all! I just think that having a great sense of satisfaction is a whole lot more fun […]
Technology is looked upon as a multiplier, and of course it is. We expect it to expand our businesses, get us more customers, help us deliver better products, services and outcomes for our stakeholders and help us manage our businesses better. Just get some technology and…voila! Problems erased. Our quality goes up, capacity is increased […]
I truly am. For good reason. During those times when you had been made to feel good, maybe with goosebumps all over you, what was one positive growth outcome you experienced? Lasting growth experience, not a bout of I’ll-do-it-because-I-feel-so-amped kind of thing? Right. I didn’t think so either. Anything wrong with feeling good? Obviously not. […]
Reverence. Deep respect. Solemn, gloomy hallways. No fun. Wait a minute! Is there joy? Is there esteem for others? Esteem for self? Is there deep satisfaction? A bubbling up of enthusiasm from an ever-springing fountain? Would reverence be relevant to you? Irreverence. The opposite. Nothing is sacred. No limits. No boundaries. Free and easy. No […]
Mould in bread inspired this post. We opened a bag with two slices of bread left in it this morning and saw that the two slices of bread were mouldy. Since we’re not in the penicillin manufacturing business, we promptly discarded them as mouldy thoughts ran through my mind. The word “mould” is also used […]
Update: The video clip is now embedded here. Heard that before? What do you think? Have a look at this powerpoint show! The image is clickable, too!
“Lost Horizon” is a 1933 novel by English writer James Hilton. It is best remembered as the origin of Shangri-La, a fictional utopian lamasery high in the mountains of Tibet. I have not read the book and I have not seen the film, but I have remembered the title since I was very young. How […]
What are the more popular bandwagons in town these days? Know any? Are you riding on one, maybe two of them? I came across another article on open-plan offices, which sparked this post. Bandwagons. Jump in when they best serve your interests. Jump off when you’re done. Because if you stay on, you might find […]
You’ve probably heard that “… people may not always remember what you say but people will always remember how you make them feel…” How pathetic! Are we really such a bunch of self-interested brats that we cannot give honour where honour is due? Do we really need such simple, basic training in the quality of […]
Sounds familiar? Have you had days that felt like Humpty-Dumpty? How did you respond? Did you jump to your feet, blowing the trumpet for all the King’s horses and all the King’s men to come and salvage the situation? Or did you call for the Royal Physician to assess whether or not Humpty-Dumpty could indeed […]
The sms voucher arrived last night. Here it is: This is (restaurant) dining SMS of S $50. Value. special for (my friend). The expiry date is 30th June 2013. Only valid for the ala cart menu and not for other promotion and discount. Please show this Dining SMS to our (restaurant) waitress and my mobile number. […]
If you’re following the previous post, you would have noticed Justin Fong giving his view on what happened. At this writing, the sms voucher from the restaurant has still to make its appearance. Justin mentioned two words that are the ultimate in service recovery. That’s right, “sincerity” and “execution”. Actually, it boils down to one […]
Angelina Jolie was applauded all round on TrendIn this week. The first thing that came to my mind when I saw the title was “Sophie’s Choice“. Was it a coincidence? The TrendIn article talked about how Jolie decided to go ahead with the double mastectomy based on a “higher probability” that she would have breast […]
The title is a play on Jules Verne’s Anomalous Phenomena published around the 1880s and describing a fanciful journey on a comet through space. What’s going through my mind? Analogies, of course! Seth Godin must either be reading my mind or vice versa. Pity he doesn’t cater for interaction on his blog. I suppose it […]
While discussing the effects of strip mining and related unsustainable agricultural practices as part of our family’s syllabus, we came across the name of Georgius Agricola. It is very likely that he cared not only for the environment, but for the well-being of mine workers as well. Not something you would have thought a 16th […]
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