Sorry all, it's been more than a month since my last post. It has been a whirlwind month, to say the least. Every post covers a new area of learning for me, so you must be thinking that with so many things I have been learning this past year, what did I start with in the first place?!! Scary.
Actually, quite invigorating to know that there is just so much more out there to learn that you can't possibly get bored. I think out of the several wow moments I have had the past month, I will share with you my observations about the power of power.
What is that!!!
Power of power is what people can do together as a team, and as individuals when they are given the opportunity and power to apply their passion.
I just came back from Club Med. My sister had to drag me there kicking and screaming (it was meant to be my Christmas present). There are two things I have always said I would never be caught dead at - one is a cruise ship and the other is Club Med. You see, I hate confined places, I hate being sociable while on a holiday, I hate "ra ra" things, and I hate to be told what to do. To me, being on a cruise ship and Club Med are all these things.
Anyway, I went.
And... I thoroughly enjoyed myself and even found management applications to share with all of you.
Wouldn't you just love to know how I became a Club Med convert! It was simply the customer friendship that Club Med is all about... not customer service, not customer care, but customer friendship.
What I found in the Club Med team of GOs (Gentile Organisers for those unfamiliar with Club Med jargon) was a team who love what they do and enjoy every moment of it. They were spontaneous, they were organised. They listened, they talked. They partied and showed you how easy it was to have a good time. They did everything to ensure that their customers had a good time. There were certain mishaps that threw off their schedules and planned events, but they quickly found alternative ways of entertaining and not one of them even mentioned the mishap or sought sympathy for it. They sang as one.
I am quite convinced that their job description has just one sentence "Do anything you need to do to make sure your guests feel like family and that you have fun while at it".
And this is what we should be telling our teams in the organisations we work in and let them get on with it. As a leader, our role is to provide a vision, a direction, a method and to walk the talk. Our role is also to pass the power you have as a leader to your team and let them fly. Power releases passion and energy in individuals and team power is positively explosive. Holding back power on the other hand sucks out the passion and energy in individuals and turns them indifferent robots... really!... and you don't want that for sure.
I went to Club Med ready to sulk and scowl at the staff there. I went away with hugs not from the staff, gosh no they are not staff anymore as far as I was concerned, but from a bunch of enthusiastic, passionate and just simply lovely and gentile people!
Just as I closed this post, I decided to google "Club Med" and found that their new signature tagline is "Club Med - Where Happiness Means the World". It really describes what I have just been writing. Wow!
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Grow, but not at the expense of HEART and MIND
The discovering never stops.
I have met so many new people these past months and shared ideas with them, broke bread with them, learnt from them, and hopefully, taught them as well.
I have seen how opening my eyes, ears and mind to everything resulted in my heart opening up too.
I have seen how responding to others made others more responsive to me.
I have seen how, by letting go, I gained more in ways I never even imagined.
I have, I think...I hope...become a more complete person.
So what am I trying to get at?
Simply, as business or organisational leaders or participants, remember this:
It is very easy, as you develop your career, grow in wealth and status, you do so at the expense of your heart and mind... Unfortunately for some reason, they move in opposite directions for most of us... as you grow in material success, what shrinks in tandem is your heart and your mind... the seemingly "immaterial" things!
But the irony of it is that the "immaterial heart and mind" are not immaterial at all but so critical to being truly successful... as a person... as a human being.
So keep growing, but please... not at the expense of your heart and mind.
Until next time,
Enjoy defining your reality. Make it happen!
June
I have met so many new people these past months and shared ideas with them, broke bread with them, learnt from them, and hopefully, taught them as well.
I have seen how opening my eyes, ears and mind to everything resulted in my heart opening up too.
I have seen how responding to others made others more responsive to me.
I have seen how, by letting go, I gained more in ways I never even imagined.
I have, I think...I hope...become a more complete person.
So what am I trying to get at?
Simply, as business or organisational leaders or participants, remember this:
It is very easy, as you develop your career, grow in wealth and status, you do so at the expense of your heart and mind... Unfortunately for some reason, they move in opposite directions for most of us... as you grow in material success, what shrinks in tandem is your heart and your mind... the seemingly "immaterial" things!
But the irony of it is that the "immaterial heart and mind" are not immaterial at all but so critical to being truly successful... as a person... as a human being.
So keep growing, but please... not at the expense of your heart and mind.
Until next time,
Enjoy defining your reality. Make it happen!
June
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
The Mighty Milestones
I lost the post I was drafting. C’est la vie!
Here I go again. It’s not going to come out the same but let’s surprise myself.
Milestones are important. I know. I definitely know.
I am blessed with having absolutely no sense of direction at all. The only way I get from Point A to Point B is thanks to my mighty milestones. Everywhere I go, I look out for buildings, signs, anything at all that can be my landmarks – my milestones to pace my journey. I do quite well… mostly.
… which leads me to a story.
In one of my past lives, I used to travel to Bangkok more often than I visit the supermarket back home. Very mindful of not troubling my colleagues to ferry me to and from the office, I say “Just show me the way once, and I can direct the cab and meet you at the office”. Very quietly in the car during the “show me the way” stage, I would note all that past me by, always on the look out for something that I could use as a landmark, my milestone that said "I have reached this far", "I am going in the right direction", "I have that much more to go". Along the Bangkok highway, the easiest landmarks were the billboards, so many of the billboards became my guides.
So armed with my milestones, I would confidently make my way to the office every day... until one day.
That was the day I lost my "Blue Lagoon" billboard.
I was half dreaming in the cab when suddenly I realised I hadn't seen my "Blue Lagoon" with the picture of a happy couple hand in hand running along a beach of sorts. Where was it? Had I past it? Is it round the corner? Panic came in fast and furiously.
In the past, I ignored all other signs, buildings, other billboards and only looked for the milestones I had selected. I guess I did it on purpose so that I would not get distracted or perhaps it was because I felt that since I already had my milestones, I did not have to bother with anything else.
Now, in searching of my missing "Blue Lagoon" (what was Blue Lagoon anyway? I couldn't even remember what they were advertising for, so much for the power of advertising, but that is for another day), I looked at every other billboard trying hard to remember if they came before or after my "Blue Lagoon".
That was when I spotted a billboard publicising an upcoming Franchise Fair. Even in the midst of my panic-stricten state, I managed to jot down the details of the Fair, after which I proceeded to continue to look for my milestones.
To cut a long story short, I eventually found my way to the office (how I am not quite sure)... and where did my "Blue Lagoon" go? Apparently, the contract had expired, and the space was replaced by another advertisement.
More important, I attended the Franchise Fair, met many interesting people and gathered really interesting ideas.
Moral of the story? Milestones are mighty. They are mighty because they help pace your journey. They give you the energy and confidence you need to carry on to achieve your goal. Milestones are mighty. They are mighty deceiving and dangerous if you do nothing but plaster your eyes on them and on nothing else.
So now, I still select my milestones, but along the way, as I look out for my milestones, I also make sure I look around and enjoy the Bangkok skyline, and look out for anything that catches my eye..
I trust I can leave it to you to make the leap from my almost laughable experience to you, your business and life in general.
Till next blog,
Enjoy defining your reality. Make it happen!
June
Here I go again. It’s not going to come out the same but let’s surprise myself.
Milestones are important. I know. I definitely know.
I am blessed with having absolutely no sense of direction at all. The only way I get from Point A to Point B is thanks to my mighty milestones. Everywhere I go, I look out for buildings, signs, anything at all that can be my landmarks – my milestones to pace my journey. I do quite well… mostly.
… which leads me to a story.
In one of my past lives, I used to travel to Bangkok more often than I visit the supermarket back home. Very mindful of not troubling my colleagues to ferry me to and from the office, I say “Just show me the way once, and I can direct the cab and meet you at the office”. Very quietly in the car during the “show me the way” stage, I would note all that past me by, always on the look out for something that I could use as a landmark, my milestone that said "I have reached this far", "I am going in the right direction", "I have that much more to go". Along the Bangkok highway, the easiest landmarks were the billboards, so many of the billboards became my guides.
So armed with my milestones, I would confidently make my way to the office every day... until one day.
That was the day I lost my "Blue Lagoon" billboard.
I was half dreaming in the cab when suddenly I realised I hadn't seen my "Blue Lagoon" with the picture of a happy couple hand in hand running along a beach of sorts. Where was it? Had I past it? Is it round the corner? Panic came in fast and furiously.
In the past, I ignored all other signs, buildings, other billboards and only looked for the milestones I had selected. I guess I did it on purpose so that I would not get distracted or perhaps it was because I felt that since I already had my milestones, I did not have to bother with anything else.
Now, in searching of my missing "Blue Lagoon" (what was Blue Lagoon anyway? I couldn't even remember what they were advertising for, so much for the power of advertising, but that is for another day), I looked at every other billboard trying hard to remember if they came before or after my "Blue Lagoon".
That was when I spotted a billboard publicising an upcoming Franchise Fair. Even in the midst of my panic-stricten state, I managed to jot down the details of the Fair, after which I proceeded to continue to look for my milestones.
To cut a long story short, I eventually found my way to the office (how I am not quite sure)... and where did my "Blue Lagoon" go? Apparently, the contract had expired, and the space was replaced by another advertisement.
More important, I attended the Franchise Fair, met many interesting people and gathered really interesting ideas.
Moral of the story? Milestones are mighty. They are mighty because they help pace your journey. They give you the energy and confidence you need to carry on to achieve your goal. Milestones are mighty. They are mighty deceiving and dangerous if you do nothing but plaster your eyes on them and on nothing else.
So now, I still select my milestones, but along the way, as I look out for my milestones, I also make sure I look around and enjoy the Bangkok skyline, and look out for anything that catches my eye..
I trust I can leave it to you to make the leap from my almost laughable experience to you, your business and life in general.
Till next blog,
Enjoy defining your reality. Make it happen!
June
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
A Goal is Just Not Enough!
Greetings Leaders
Gosh.. time sure flies. Can't believe that it has been almost two months since I set up the blog, and updated it. Well's let's get rolling.
This post is about goals and more....
I have beem having lots of new experiences in the last few months, and as always, value every experience as a learning opportunity. One thing that has been reaffirmed in my mind... having a goal is critical, but it is just not enough. Unless you have a clear plan of action which includes certain criteria and parameters - what you are willing to do, what you want to do, what you are not willing to do and what you will not do, your goals will remain just where you last left them - unrealised!
Write down all the dos and do nots, wills and will nots, stamp it in your brain, tell your team about it.. do whatever you need to do to make sure you remember it and that everyone thinks and acts as one.
Even if, down the line, circumstances change and what you thought you would never consider, you are now looking at against new light, new information, that is fine. At least you are moving forward and not going round in circles. Remember that no one will throw money or resources at people going round in circles. No point. Eventually, their repeated rounds around the circle will just cause them to dig their own round grave, with all the resources plunging in together with them.
So start today. Doodle, write, scribble... whatever works for you. Paste it on the wall, the fridge, put it as a wallpaper on your computer, set an alarm for it everyday on your berry... like I said, whatever works for you.
Next time, we will talk about the Mighty Milestones.
Till then, start Defining Your Reality!! Make it Happen!
June
Gosh.. time sure flies. Can't believe that it has been almost two months since I set up the blog, and updated it. Well's let's get rolling.
This post is about goals and more....
I have beem having lots of new experiences in the last few months, and as always, value every experience as a learning opportunity. One thing that has been reaffirmed in my mind... having a goal is critical, but it is just not enough. Unless you have a clear plan of action which includes certain criteria and parameters - what you are willing to do, what you want to do, what you are not willing to do and what you will not do, your goals will remain just where you last left them - unrealised!
Write down all the dos and do nots, wills and will nots, stamp it in your brain, tell your team about it.. do whatever you need to do to make sure you remember it and that everyone thinks and acts as one.
Even if, down the line, circumstances change and what you thought you would never consider, you are now looking at against new light, new information, that is fine. At least you are moving forward and not going round in circles. Remember that no one will throw money or resources at people going round in circles. No point. Eventually, their repeated rounds around the circle will just cause them to dig their own round grave, with all the resources plunging in together with them.
So start today. Doodle, write, scribble... whatever works for you. Paste it on the wall, the fridge, put it as a wallpaper on your computer, set an alarm for it everyday on your berry... like I said, whatever works for you.
Next time, we will talk about the Mighty Milestones.
Till then, start Defining Your Reality!! Make it Happen!
June
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Defining Defining Reality
OK...I have some ramblings.
Doing some reading, I realised that "defining reality" isn't a new concept... but then how many things in life are really really new right? However, there are many uses of the term, and alot of it is in the sphere of philosophy.
What I am keen to explore is not really in the realm of philosophy. I want to apply it in business, in management and in living life. For me, defining reality and the "neng" attitude tie in together. If we have the "neng" attitude, we can define what we want the future to be... our vision of the future CAN BE our reality!
Really quite simple.
So, over the next few days and weeks, we will explore together how I think I can, you can, define my, your, our reality.
Doing some reading, I realised that "defining reality" isn't a new concept... but then how many things in life are really really new right? However, there are many uses of the term, and alot of it is in the sphere of philosophy.
What I am keen to explore is not really in the realm of philosophy. I want to apply it in business, in management and in living life. For me, defining reality and the "neng" attitude tie in together. If we have the "neng" attitude, we can define what we want the future to be... our vision of the future CAN BE our reality!
Really quite simple.
So, over the next few days and weeks, we will explore together how I think I can, you can, define my, your, our reality.
A New Beginning
Yes, coming up with this Blog certainly signifies a new beginning, almost a coming of age I think.
Well, this blog is dedicated to sharing of ideas, and learning from each other.
Here's to a long and healthy blog!!
Well, this blog is dedicated to sharing of ideas, and learning from each other.
Here's to a long and healthy blog!!
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