Year End Review

Today has been declared a public holiday to celebrate Malaysia's victory in the Asean Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup championship. Today also coincide with the New Year eve. We will definitely celebrate the holiday in the Malaysian way. It is also a time of reflection of the year 2010 as a whole.

Looking back, we saw the developments in the following areas:

Development of Little India in Brickfields
There was both positive and negative feedback in the Little India project in Brickfields. The residents and the stakeholders are still raising their feedback in turning Brickfields into a one-way traffic. The residents and the stakeholders may have to adapt to the new transformation of Brickfields.

Demolition of Pudu Jail
The iconic building of the Pudu Jail has to make way for new development and also an underpas which is part of the road widening project. The demolition of Pudu Jail will be a historical event.

The facelift for Pudu Raya
Pudu Raya will be given a new coat of paint and will be upgraded in terms of the facilities. The building was in a terrible state of condition and also it lacked ventilation. As such, the facelift for Pudu Raya has received positive comments.

On a personal note, we have to reflect on our own achievements in 2010. We have to make new year resolutions to better ourselves in year 2011.

Happy new year 2011.

Christmas spirit

Christmas eve is a time for celebration. It is a time of reflection on the year as a whole when it is drawing to a close. The Christmas story, as we know embodies the very best of attributes: love, truth and grace. In the spirit of Christmas, gift exchange is inevitable.

I have had my fair share of joy when we had gift exchange on 23 December 2010 at my office. The value of the gift was fixed at RM15.00 and above and we were expected to go green as the gifts are to be recycled. It was not so much the value of the gift but rather the joy of receiving and giving. We also incorporated the lucky draw of the balloon snowmen as consolation prizes. The spirit of Christmas was truly reflected in the attitude of forgiveness, happiness and joy.

Merry Christmas to one and all.

The Art of Managing

The art of managing human resources in an organisation is definitely easily said than done. Managers want feedback, be it positive or negative. Praise can be easy enough, however managers shy away from constructive criticism. Yet without critique, it is hard to improve. Managers at large refuse to acknowledge their flaws and their constant micromanaging style.

Managers should encourage their staff to give positive feedback on their managing style. Managers sometimes tend to be very difficult or the impossibly complicated procedure involved in getting day leave. Some Managers even go to the extent of penalising their staff and blaming them squarely for certain issues. Instead of motivating the staff, these Managers are demoralising the staff by their derogatory remarks. These Managers lack management skills and are not people centric. Instead of finding solutions, these Managers are letting out on the staff.

Something for sharing.

Negotiation

Negotiation is not about winning, it is a win win situation. More often than not, it will be with a client you cannot afford to lose. It is also about getting the best deal with the client. As the cliche says, they may have won the battle, but they won't have won the war.

Negotiation can be very tense affairs. Understanding the other side's agenda can be the formula for success as we can put forward a proposal best suited for both parties resulting in a win win situation. Negotiation is not only for the exchange of money, it has a much deeper meaning than just about financial benefits. Having clarity about the best alternative to negotiated agreement gives one the ability to follow through with the deal which is beneficial to both parties and to know when to walk away.

Something for sharing.

Sleep

Lack of sleep can have grave consequences and also it affects the health. How much sleep is considered adequate? It is determined that seven hours of sleep is optimal for maintaining one's health. There is a saying `Early to bed, early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise'. Having adequate sleep will lead to a healthy life, however wisdom and wealth do not really equate to sleep regime let alone the lack of it.

Each night we go through three distinct stages of sleep ranging from light sleep to deep sleep and finally to rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. A complete cycle consists of REM and non REM cycles. REM sleep helps in mental consolidation while non REM helps in cell growth, physical repair and rebuilding.

The earlier part of sleep is mostly non REM. The latter part of sleep is more and more REM type. To be mentally alert during the day, the latter part of sleep is more important.

Something for sharing.

Change

`Change is the essence of life. Be willing to surrender what you are for what you could become.'

Change is inevitable and is not a constant. Change is affecting each one of us. We experience change as we move on in life. Some people resist change for reasons best known to them. Some people readily accept change as they dare to venture out and move out of their comfort zone. It is easily said than done to move out of comfort zone as we tend to be complacent.

On a personal note, we desire improvements in life. We start first with our mind. By changing our minds, we change our life. We are master of our own destiny as we ourselves can only change our minds. It begins with the thought in the mind and we see for ourselves the mind is indeed a powerful tool. Whether we are receptive to change depends a lot on our mind as to how we view change.

Something for sharing

Steamboat

We were invited to a friend's place for steam boat. Just imagine a simmering metal pot of stock. A healthy way of having dinner. The soup was very tasty after all the sliced meat, leafy vegetables, seafood and mushroom were placed into the pot to cook. We were having great company, not to mention a sumptuous dinner as well.

Well, we will to take the definition of steamboat. It has 2 definitions, one is a simmering metal pot of ingredients and the other is a streamer which is a ship in which the primary method of propulsion is steam power.

Having steamboat in cold places is a fun thing to do. Usually people have steamboat in winter. The next time you decide to have steamboat, preferably have it in cold places. It will make a difference.

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Learn To Be Content

We are not contented with ourselves. We spend much of our life pursuing things that the world tells us are important - power, prestige and wealth. If one day we attain wealth and power, are we contented with what we have? Are we sharing our wealth and status in life with someone we care and love?

I read in the media that there is an elderly couple who won a lottery. The couple kept a portion of the winnings and contributed the rest to charities, hospitals and churches. The couple has this to say `What you've never had, you never miss.' The statement struck a chord `We can never miss what we have never had.'

Wealth does not reveal much about our lifestyles. We have to love and cherish our family and friends. Even the very rich and powerful will say, as they face the reality of their mortality, that they wished they had spent more time with their loved ones and friends.

`Content makes poor men rich; discontentment makes rich men poor'

Be yourself

How often do we act ourselves? At times when situation warrants, we tend not to be ourselves. Be ourselves is easily said than done. As an illustration, we do not act the way we are in front of our superiors and we tend to be a yes man. However, deep down in our hearts we have formed other opinions. We do not voice out our opinions for fear of being ridiculed for ideas not accepted and labelled as stupid.

The risk of being ridiculed, disappointed, dismissed or perceived as uncool is ever so present, so much so our reactions to situations may be based upon these fears. These fears are so real and the moment we can overcome them, we are a cut above the rest.

Something for sharing.

Weight Management

For many of us, losing weight can be extremely frustrating. There are a few options available as follows:

Skipping meals
Many of us have the thinking that skipping meals will greatly help in losing weight. In order to drop the kilos, all we need to do is to downsize the calories intake. It is the calories that matter most. We still can enjoy a nutritious meal if we are mindful of the calories intake. Skipping meals is definitely not the best solution as it is not the body fat that we are losing but water weight only. Eat healthy is easier than we think. Spread out our calories throughout the day into light main meals and small snacks. We are what we eat.

Eating fast
We have to eat slowly as research has shown that it takes about 20 - 30 minutes for our stomach to communicate with our head to signify that we are full. Do eat slowly to enjoy the food intake. Eating fast does more harm than good.

We usually have the impression that exercising will help in weight management. It does help to a certain extent. It will take a longer time to burn off the extra fat by only exercising. It is therefore much easier if we are sensitive to the calories intake.

Something for sharing.

Auspicious Day

10.10.10 has been an auspicious day for business establishments wanting to make a move to boost revenue and also for newly married couples. It is considered a significant day when things will turn for the good. There are many wedding receptions on this day 10.10.10 as it falls on a Sunday. 10.10.10 is just another day and it depends on how one perceives this day.

Talking of an auspicious day, consider this as well 20.10.2010. Another significant day in 2010.

Well it is opens to debate on the significance of a day. There are different schools of thought in relates to auspicious day. However, 10.10.10 is a day when it is easily remember for anniversary etc.

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Snatch Theft Incident

There was an article in the press relating to a home tutor who cheated death after being dragged several metres when she was a victim of snatch theft and her handbag was taken forcefully. The tutor was nearing her car when she felt that her handbag being tugged from behind. This could be the tip of the iceberg and there could be more cases that were unreported.

What are the remedial actions to be taken to change the image of Malaysia being prone to snatch theft?

To tighten the security in theft prone areas
The Law Enforcement Agency has to play a bigger role in beefing up the security in theft prone areas. Their presence should be felt at all times by increasing the patrol. The public can also assist in this area by rendering a helping hand in notifying the Law Enforcement Agency of such cases as the victim may be traumatized by the incident.

Be alert to the surroundings
We have to be alert to the surroundings at all times. We have to be on the lookout for any suspicious character. For those on the street, to face the traffic and be aware at all times.

Something for sharing.

The Lion King 2 - We Are One (English)

We are one - 1 Malaysia concept the brainchild of the Prime Minister. It was announced in his maiden speech when he was sworn in as Prime Minister.

There are two key elements in One Malaysia concept namely mutual respect and thrust among the different ethnic races in Malaysia. One Malaysia , People First and Performance Now is a continuous effort to unite Malaysia as one nation with no differences in religion, race and creed. The concept is based on positive values centred on social justice and acceptance of a multiracial society.

Malaysia has to strive as one nation and a nation disunited is doomed to fail in this fast forwarding economy. We must lift the spirit of tolerance and we must teach our children as they are the future leaders in One Malaysia. The needs of the citizens and the nation must take precedence. Malaysia must earn its rightful place on the world place and ready to take on all the challenges that might come its way.

There must be an effort made to work through differences for the betterment of the people. One Malaysia means that this nation is a family and to sink our differences and every Malaysia’s strengths are recognized and tapped. All ethnic groups irrespective of race have the same share of the economy’s pie in One Malaysia. Malaysia is ready to scale new heights once we are One Malaysia for all Malaysians.

No Malaysian should consider himself as a second-class citizen nor feel sidelined in terms of opportunities. Everyone has a role to play no matter how great or small in making One Malaysia a success. Only through focusing on people’s strength and making an effort to identify can this concept of One Malaysia be a success.

Active Learning

Active Listening is not social work. How often do we listen carefully to others? By not listening carefully, we will be making assumptions that others think exactly like we do. Sometimes we tend to interpret things differently. It works like this, to me a `yes' may mean `maybe' but `no' means `never'. But to my friends it may mean differently as my friends view things from a different perspective.

Active listeners give you a sense of being heard. Being properly heard allows you to come to terms with whatever is bothering you and move on, builidng confidence and self esteeem. Hearing and listening is different as hearing may not be taking the issue to heart. Being a good listener encompasses more in that it put you in a powerful position. Active listeners do not judge or form opinions about someone. They just listen to the other person's point of view and make them feel that what they have to say is worth listening. Active listeners are the ones who lend their ears to others. In the nutshell, active listening is a structured way of listening and focusing attention on the speaker.

Something for sharing.

Durian mooncakes

The traditional mooncakes of yesteryears were that of lotus paste. Since then, there are many different types of mooncakes beside lotus paste. We are spoilt for choice selecting mooncakes. However, the snowskin durian mooncakes are something to shout about. The snowskin durian mooncakes have the strong aroma and it melts in the mouth. I have had the priviledge to taste the snowskin durian mooncakes and guess what, it has live to the expectation of being different.

Given an opportunity, you may try out the snowskin durian mooncakes and experience for yourself the strong aroma of durian. As the saying goes, `the taste of the pudding is in its eating' and you have to taste it and be your own judge.

Let us keep the legend alive year after year as we continue to share this joyous occasion of togetherness and abundance as familes reunite under the full moon and enjoyed mooncakes not forgetting the tales of yesteryears.

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Limit on Credit Cards

In line with BNM's objective to control spending and also to reduce the number of bankruptcy resulting from credit card usage, it will be unveiled in the forthcoming Budget on restricting the number of credit cards issued to individuals. At the same time, the qualifying income will be raised from the existing RM18000.00 per annum to RM24000.00 per annum. It is also learnt that an individual can only own credit cards from two banks of their choice. It is open to debate as to whether there are restrictions on the numbers of credit cards issued to an individual. Is the bank allowed to issue 2 cards to an individual, a Visa and Mastercard? How does owing credit cards from two banks of their choice helps to reduce the number of bankruptcy and control spending?

The move will prevent individuals from holding a string of credit cards. Unlike the yesteryears when a string of credit cards speaks for itself in terms of the financial standing of an individual. However in current situation, holding a string of credit cards means the individual is in heavy debt.

It is increasingly easy for a fresh graduate and the newly employed to own credit cards. However, this group of people does not control their spending resulting in failure to settle credit card debts.

Basically at the end of the day, it all depends on how an individual manages the finances. Do not live beyond your means.

Something for sharing.

Malaysia Day

September 16 has been declared as a holiday in commemorate the establishment of Malaysian Federation. In retrospection, the establishment of Malaysian Federation which comprises of Malaya, Sabah and Sarawak on 16 September 1963 has gone down to the history of Malaysia. Initially there were teething problems resulting in the delay of the formation of Malaysia. Commencing 2010, September 16 is a federal public holiday.

It is not so much the holiday but the historial event behind it that counts. Celebrate Malaysia Day in a Malaysian context.

Well, happy Malaysia Day.

Decision Making

Whether it is in the corporate world or personal life, there are times when we have had to make decision. Decision making is an art and not a science. Right decision making is very crucial as it will make or break it.

On a personal note, there are times when we have to make decisions such as:

Changing employment
We do not know what to anticipate in the new environment. Questions are unanswered such as the adaptability to the new environment, working colleagues and also the chemistry with your immediate supervisor. When we change jobs, we are taking the risk. It can be a change for the better or worse.

Changing employment can be a stepping stone to new challenges and better prospects. By staying on to your current employment, we tend to be complacent and sometimes can be regarded as a deadwood.

Setting up a business venture
If we are venturing into setting up a business venture, we have to consider a lot of factors as we are venturing into unchartered waters. Besides the capital layout, there are other factors to take into account such as location, staffing and many teething problems.

Besides the above two scenerios, there are other situations whereby decision making is called for. Whatever decision we make, we have to respect them.

Something for sharing.

Management

What do you understand by the word `Management'? There are different forms of management such as management by exception, management by walking around and management by leadership etc.

Those in the management team should have set an example for the downlines to follow (ie Management by Leadership). Management personnel should take cue from the management techniques to further improve on human relationships to form a better working team. Sad to say, not all in the Management level know how to effectively and efficiently handle human relationship. There are some who have failed to even effectively coach an employee so that he or she can become competent again but instead have killed their motivation at work. Instead of giving positive feedback, their remarks tend to have a negative impact on the performance and productivity. By giving negative remarks it would demoralize the staff further by having an impression of being ineffective, inefficient and non performing and as a result the productivity is badly affected. Management skills are not easily acquired and those who do not possess it will fail eventually in leading a team.

Something for sharing.

Fraud Awareness

We have to undergo elearning on fraud awareness. We do not need the experts to tell us that fraud stems from greed. The fraud triangle model which says that for fraud to occur, three elements have to be present ie pressure, opportunity and rationalisation.

Pressure
It is sometimes labelled as motive or incentive that leads a fraudster into engaging into misconduct. Generally the factors are related to financial needs. There are various reasons that push the fraudster into commmitting fraud such as job insecurity, difficult economic environment and peer pressure.

Opportunity
This often arises from the organisation's poor internal controls. The fraudster will capitalize on the weak management and lack of internal controls. In order to circumvent this, organisations should tighten their proceseses and procedures ie to plug any loopholes if any

Rationalisation
The perpetrators are able to rationalise their actions by convincing themselves that they are underpaid and they are only taking what is due to them. The perpetrators are just finding justification for their action.

Something for sharing.

Greed

There was a report on the number of people who have fallen prey to scratch and win scams that have been escalating since 2006. People have been duped by such scams where victims were told they had won luxury items such as cars.

Is it greed that the perpetrators are capitalizing on? Greed has been defined as an excessive desire to possess wealth or goods. We sometimes are not able to visualise the situation and we are blaming the victims for so easily taken in by such scams. Let me relate to you one incidence. I was at the LRT when I was approached by a guy who gave me a card to scratch. I was advised that there were attractive prizes to be won. At that spur of moment, I was so pressurized that I wanted to scratch the card and also to get him off my back. However, I was late for an appointment and I told the guy that he could have the card and to retain the prizes for his safekeeping in the event there was any winning. I just walked away and I was totally amazed when the guy started to raise his voice. Was there excellent customer service as the customer should have been given the liberty of choice. Looking back now, I was thankful I did not become a victim of the scam.

Something for sharing.

Keep customers coming back

Take a moment and reflect of any organisation, restaurant or company to which you feel absolutely loyal. In other words, this is the place you choose to go even though you may have other choices. Think about it why you feel loyal to a particular organisation.

One way to better understand customer loyality is to consider that every interaction you have with anyone has two levels - the business level and the customer's level. For example how do you feel when a doctor treats you only on a business level without understanding your immediate requirements. In the same token when a doctor treats you on a more human level, how do you feel?

Let me relate to you one incidence of good customer service. I together with my group of friends were at the cafe with the objective of surfing the net. We were disappointed when we could not locate the plug point. The Management has in fact utilised the plug point for other purposes. My friend knows the supervisor at the cafe outlet personally and she inquired as to the availability of the plug point. She was advised that there is only 1 plug point which is located at the entrance. At that juncture of time, the place was occupied. This supervisor has gone the extra mile by advising my friend that he would reserve the place once it was vacant. We went on to order our drinks. My friend and I ordered honey lemon drinks and my friend requested the supervisor to add more honey. Guess what, we have a separate top up of honey. At one point of time, the Supervisor even offered to let us charge our battery at his cashier's counter.

Here was an opportunity for the Supervisor to make a difference by deliverying quality work in a caring way at each `moment of truth' with us as customers.

Something for sharing.

Humiliation

Humiliation is the feeling of being put down, made to feel less than one feels oneself to be. It can be brought about through bullying, intimidation, physical or mental mistreatment or by embarrassment.

Feeling of humiliation can be turned inward which result in apathy and depression and when turned outward can give rise to paranoia and fantasies of revenge. Not all acts of humiliation are intentional. They can be committed quite accidentally. Sometimes can arise simply because of misunderstanding.

I was humiliated in front of a crowd of people on 11 August 2010. I felt I have nowhere to turn to and at that juncture of time, I wanted just to walk away. However, I have to maintain my cool and took things in my own stride. Deep down inside me, I felt the fury and kept telling myself why I have had to go through such an ordeal when in the first place, I have done my level best to preempt the other party of the consequences. Given a chance, I would have prefer the choice of action which I have taken steps to inform. The other party did not adhere to it resulting in the public humiliation which should not be called for in the first place. I hope I will not have to go through such an unpleasant situation, moving forward.

Something for sharing.

Job Recognition

How often do we get recognition at our place of work? More often than not, we do not get any recognition from our superiors.

Importantly, recogniton does not have to cost anything. Taking just a few minutes to pen a handwritten note to relate the message that the support staff are appreciated and their input into the business is acknowledged. Other cheap and effective recognition include remembering birthdays and even one off rewards.

If the superior use more carrots and fewer sticks, not only do they have happier employees and at the end of the day lower turnover. It also means getting better results in terms of job performance. Saying `thank you' and `I appreciate your valuable input and opinion' is priceless.

In the end, it is a chicken and egg situation.

A bit of encouragement will goes a long way in ensuring staff loyalty towards the organisation and happier employees.

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Manage Stress Effectively

We are face with stress in our life, be it emotional and organisational stress. A bit of stress may have positive outcome as it become a challenge.

Organisational Stress
Priority of work
Prioritise work and do what is urgent and important first. Also learn to delegate to our colleagues according to their strength so that we are confident of getting the assigned job completed on time and with the desired results. We are to capitalise on people's strength. We do not want to have a situation whereby we are trying to cope with excessive workload and the fear of not completing the assigned task on time. The consequences may be low morale and even panic which result in emotional response of fight or flight.

Time Management
We have to learn how to manage our time effectively. We may have the option of partnering with a colleague who is good at time management and is willing to mentor.

Being able to say `No'
This is difficult but sometimes we have to reject tasks diplomatically. This is indeed a tall order.

Manage personal stress
We are not to bring our personal problems to the workplace. If our personal problems are brought in the workplace, chances are our productivity will go down the drain. We are to resolve our personal problems with the appropriate solutions such as conflict management.

If we able to apply the above techniques, we will be more productive and our stress level will decrease.

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Medan Trip

I went for a vacation to Medan with a group of my close friends. This is in fact my second visit to Medan.

We checked in three bags and we were given 3 baggage identification tag at LCCT. When we arrived at Polonia International Airport Medan, we were subjected to strict security check. We have no qualms over the strict security check, however we were totally amazed at the number of counters at the Immigration. We are to collect the baggage as soon as it is available at the places of destination. Just imagine how were we to do so when we were held up at the Immigration. When we finally cleared the Immigration, we have the greatest shock of all. One of the baggage was lost and no where to be seen. My friend was desperate over her lost baggage and she checked with the Airport Authorities. We were told to hold on till the last passenger has cleared the Immigration. There was no unclaimed baggage and we were advised to report the matter to the AirAsia Office.

Meanwhile, we have to inform the local Tour Guide of our predicament. While we were reviewing the situation, there was a local who offered the assistance to carry the remaining baggage on a trolley to the waiting coach. Guess what, the local was claiming for porter fees and he was not willing to accept anything less than RP3000.

We have to be mindful at all times that there is NO free service. The local was able to capitalise at the point of time when we were in doubt of our next step of action. We considered ourselves lucky in that it was the porter fees he was asking and not again another lost baggage.

My friend then reported the case of lost baggage to AirAsia Office. She was requested to give her Malaysian house contact number to which she was not happy as her handphone has international roaming service. She saw no rationale of giving her Malaysian house contact number. She eventually sought the assistance of the local tour guide and gave his handphone number to AirAsia office.

My friend was very upset as it was not the baggage but the value that was attached to it which cannot be replaced. She even comtemplated taking the next connecting flight back to Malaysia.

She eventually agreed to stay on and she has to make some back up plans. She went to the nearest Mall to purchase some essentials.

Eventually, she received a call from the Airport Authorities stating that her baggage has been recovered after 4 long hours. She went to claim back her lost baggage. When she questioned as to how the lost baggage was recovered, she got evasive answers. She noticed that her padlock was picked.

We have had a pleasant trip. Guess what, we also have a good opening story of Medan trip.

Something for sharing.

Excellent Service

What is excellent service? Meeting a customer's expectation is one of the aspect of excellent service. Both the retail and service industries can use the methods in the manufacturing industry to make customers happy.

Both the six sigma and lean methodologies have been used by companies in the manufacturing industry to improve their quality levels. Toyota for example has employed the lean methodologies to improve the production line and the corporate culture have been built around the lean concepts. Lean methodologies cover the following areas:

o Supply on demand based on customer's pull;
o Value. What are the values that will contribute to customers' satisfaction?;
o Value stream. Eliminate non value steps and creat a value stream;
o Flow. Ensure the flow is smooth and no interruption;
o Perfection.

Motorola has popularised the Six sigma methodology which follows a prescribed path of defline, measure, analyse, improve and control.

Quality is a prerequisite for achieving service excellence. Customers expect a flawless, friendly and prompt response every time. It is no longer adequate to just deliver it with a big smile. It goes beyond the big smile.

There is a need to continuously identify gaps in processes and to address the issue at hand immediately in order to deliver truly excellent service to customers and build customers' loyalty.

Demolition of Pudu Jail

Pudu Jail should have been preserved as a National heritage. Instead, Pudu Jail has to tear down at the expense of development. The controversial demotion of Pudu Jail began on 21 June 2010 (Monday night) when the walls of the historic 115 years Pudu Jail were torn down. The facade of the entrance should have preserved for historical reasons and its significance as the prison was one of the country's oldest building.

Why were plans to tear down the infamous Pudu Jail not met with objections? The mural by the convicts on the walls of Pudu Jail has set a record and it is definitely sad to see the iconic building go.

Sad to say, a historical landmark has to go after so many years

Jet Lag

Jet Lag is the reaction to the changes in the time zones when we travel particularly from West to East or vice versa. Jet Lag sure can dampen the travelling spirit. The other day I was having a discussion with a friend of mine on how to reduce symptoms of jet lag.

The following are some of the ways to reduce symptoms of jet lag:
Keep your posture right
Keep your posture right is the key. Do not slouch.

Reset your watch
Simply setting your watch to the time zone you are travelling can make the difference as you are mentally preparing yourself to the time difference. Get enough sleep so that you are at ease and energetic once you are awake.

Hydrate yourself
Drink plenty of water to keep your body hydrated. Avoid caffeine and alcohol as they dehydrate the bodies fast. Fruit juices or water are the best to stay feeling good throughout the journey.

Stretch
Improve circulation by stretching your limbs as and whenever possible. Remove your shoes when you stretch your feet.

Take deep breath
Take deep breath so as to enable your brain get enough oxygen.

Keep yourself busy
If the need persists, read a book or listen to music. Interesting activities such as reading a book, listening to music will help pass those long hours. Relaxing is also very important as you travel.

Last but not least, ensure you eat right, carry light and keep yourself stress free.

Something for sharing.

Myths About Being Thin

We are what we eat. Fashion experts glorify size zero and many attempt to look beyond a woman's size or weight and say that ultimately it does not matter that much. Size does not matter.

Append below are some the myths about being thin
Myth: Thin people are healthy
Healthy people are fit from the inside out. What we see outside may not really be the truth as thin people may be having illnesses such as digestive problem, infections and so on. Likewise on the other side of the coin, plump people are also encountering the same problem.

Healthy people have a healthy mind and body and able to balance between work and play.

Myth: Starving is a good way to lose weight
It would not be advisable to starve oneself as one may be depriving of proper nutrition. There are side effects if one starve oneself as it will harm the entire body and its mechanism. Starving oneself and becoming anorexic is definitely not the answer.

Myth: Thin people do not need to exercise
If one engages in physical exercise/activities, it will boost the energy to a level of great health benefits.

Myth: Being thin makes you happy
Being happy is a state of the mind. It does not have any co-relation with being thin. Happiness comes from a sense of achievement, good and healthy relationship and positive thinking. Happiness also depends on one's interpretation of life.

Myth: Thin people are not prone to heart diseases
This is a common misconception. Heart diseases are related to one's stress level and the cholesterol level and any one may be at risk irrespective of the body's weight.

Myth: Thin people can eat and not get fat
No, it depends on how fast one can burn the calories and maintain the weight according to the body metabolism.

Something for sharing.

BE Activities

I attended a BE dinner at Lemon Garden on 040610.

The purpose of a BE dinner would be manyfolds:

o to establish closer working relationship with my peers, superiors and colleagues;
o to maintain a better two way communications with my working colleagues;
o to take a good break from the work and be able to relax.

However, it did not really achieve the objectives, simply for the reason that layout of the tables was such that staff tend to sit with their colleagues in the same unit. There should be intermixing the staff so as to get to know each one better.

BE also encompasses the best practices such as organize birthday celebrations, out of office activities such as dinner and games. In this manner, employees develop a strong emotional bond and team spirit with one other. I strongly believe the the BE champion will have to co-ordinate the activities in such a manner that staff will get together to have fun and interact with staff of other unit ie fostering a better working relationship with others.

Something for sharing.

Knowing me, knowing you

I have attended a course `Knowing me, knowing you' from 25 May 2010 to 26 May 2010. It relates very well to the song `Knowing me, knowing you' by Abba. It also inspired me to register for the course as I need to understand myself first before others ie me before you.

The course covered the following areas:

NLP Communication Model
Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) embraces the art and science of personal excellence. It is think, act and results. Thinking by visualisation in picture form, then putting into action and having the desired results. The power of the brain was clearly demonstrated by focusing on the pencil attached to an end of the string by forming a visual picture of the pencil turning in a circular movement. I also experienced using my inner senses to fully relax in a state of mind without any pressure and still receptive of the surroundings.

DISC Personality Profiling
By observing the DISC personality, it goes a long way in us having a win win situation with our customers. It also assists in our interpersonal skills and relationship with your peers, superiors and friends. Half the battle will be won if we can analyse our customers DISC personality. We even went to the extent of profiling strangers on the street by identifying the manner they carried themselves and the way they talked.

The power of words
The words we used have a direct impact on our thinking and feelings. We have to change the word `failure' to `learning curve' or `feedback'. There is no failure, only feedback. It will have a more positive impact that failure. Change the negatives into positives. We will we respond to the positive faster than the negative.

The importance of nutrition
We are what we eat. In this era of fast paced and stressful working environment, we have to maintain a healthy body in order to face the challenges ahead.

Last but not least, we have a facilitator that is very entertaining at times. Adrian (the facilitator) has his sense of humour and that made the difference. Adrian also have an innovative way of presenting the certificates at the end of the day. Each of the participants has to identify the rightful holder of the certificates.

At the end of the day, it is still me and only me that will decide my destiny in life. I first need to make the change by thinking positively, take the necessary action to get the best of the desired results.

Bak Kut Teh

The test of the pudding is in the eating. How very true. We were at the Ka Ka Bak Kut Teh store in Jalan Kepong, opposite Carrefour Kepong. We were impressed by a lot of diners when we passed Jalan Kepong some time back. The number of diners is testimony enough of good food.

Ka Ka Bak Kut Teh has tables placed in the open air. We got to enjoy a pot of Bak Kut Teh in herbal soup together with crunchy `yau zher kwai'. We were very impressed by the onion rice and guess what my friends all have had a second helping of the rice.

At the time we left the place, the diners did not fill the place to its full capacity, reason being most of them would have stayed at home to witness the semi Final Thomas Cup between Malaysia and China.

Well, you may have Ka Ka Bak Kut Teh in mind if ever you decides for a pot of pork cooked in herbal soup.

Something for sharing

Traffic Rules

`Red means stop' is the fundamental rule in the traffic light. The different colour of the traffic light denotes something `green' allows traffic to proceed, `amber' is a signal to slow down and prepare to stop and `red' means stop.

However motorists have not observed the rules of the traffic as some motorists have blatantly crossed the junction when the traffic light has turned red. Are they ignorant of the rules or are they adopting a `tidak apa' attitude? Whatever it is, the motorists should not do it at the expense of others particularly when a human life is involved.

How many road casualties have to occur before the motorists realise the importance of adhering to traffic rules? These are simple fundamental rules and motorists should not have brush them aside in their haste to reach their destination.

Just imagine how chaotic the traffic will be when motorists choose to ignore the rights of traffic from the opposite direction.

Don't wait until untoward accident to happen. Right now, change your attitude and don't take the gamble.

Something for sharing.

Mother's Day

It is the time of the year and day to honour mothers and motherhood. Mothers have given unconditional love to her children as she has placed herself last with her loved one having the first placing.

I do admire ladies who are wives, mothers and career women. They have managed to juggle between the different roles and play them successfully. Being mothers to her children after work, being wife to her spouse and a career women at work.

I have something to share about the great work of mothers.

Joyfully she raises me.
Sincerely she understands me.
Tenderly she advises me.
Devotely she stands by me.
Unceasingly she loves me.
Proudly I say `That's my mum'.

Mum I love you because you are mathematical.
You multiply the joy, divide the sorrow.
Substract the past and add to tomorrow.

Doubt that the world is round, doubt that the skies are blue,
doubt that the grass is green but never doubt my love for you.

Happy Mother's Day to all

Two to Tango

I read about an article about a traffic police soliciting for bribes and at the same time sexually harrassing two ladies at a roadblock in Cheras. Why should the two ladies be victimised? We want Malaysia to be a developed nation and Kuala Lumpur to attain the status of a developed city. Is that the price to pay?

We know very well the importance of enforcement in our quest to achieve a developed nation. The law enforcement officers are considered the machinery in maintaining an orderly manner and they also have to deal with hawkers, vandals, jaywalkers and the list goes on. This does not give the police the mandate to take law into their own hands.

At Malaysia, we are the firsts in all things. First in Malaysia Boleh, Vision 2020, culture of excellence in 1 Malaysia concept etc. We certainly do not want to be the first in corruption, sexual harrassment and crime rate.

Just when the police have been in bad light, it is shocking to note that there are bad hats in the police force. It could be a tip of the iceberg and many more may have gone unreported.

It takes two to tango, not only the law enforcement officers but the public must play their part in ensuring Malaysia attains a developed nation. Ladies must be mindful of their conduct and do not become victims of sexual harrassment moving forward.

Something for sharing.

IP Man 2

IP Man 2 is the much anticipated movie for 2010. I have missed IP Man movie which has earned a reputation of a good movie. I told myself I would not miss IP Man 2 this time.

Following the sucess of IP Man, the movie proceeded with IP Man fleeing from Fusan to Hongkong. Donnie Yen as the wing chun master in IP Man 2 is a peace loving man and he has to face the harsh realities of life. He has to be accepted by the local kung fu practitioners to set up his school to spread the wing chun style.

However his real opponent was not the local kung fu practitioners but a western boxer by the name of Twister. Twister has no respect for Chinese martial arts let alone the practitioners.

Naturally when all else fail, IP Man rises to the challenge of facing his opponent in a western/chinese boxing competition. At one stage of time, IP Man was refrained from using his legs. IP Man managed to claim back the dignity of the chinese.

A movie worth viewing.

Labour Day

Labour Day or Workers Day renews the commitment of the working class to stand in solidarity against exploitative nature of capitalism. As we celebrate Labour Day, it is imperative for us to reflect upon the challenges which we face from day to day.

The call for workers to unite
Globalization is one factor to consider in the wake of an uncaring form of capitalism. Even the banking sector is not spare as banks have to merge to become stronger in terms of assets management. We have seen banks merged to become giants in the industry. Of late, we have being hearing of Hong Leong taking over the assets and management of EON banks.

The divide between the haves and have nots has increased since the advent of globalization. This has all at the expense of lowering cost to maximize profits.

Outsourcing of work is also another manner in which Corporations/Companies lower wages and maximise profit by shifting labour intensive work to an outsourced Companies. Is this a better management of staff? This leaves much to be desired.

Happy Labour Day to one and all.

Sons versus daughters

Generally daughters stand by their parents. In this modern world, parents still pray for the gift of boys rather than girls. Chinese tradition is that the child should carry the surnames. Girls tend to be more filial towards her family as they place more importance on family values. Girls support their mothers morally, financially, mentally and physically even when they are married. Do boys display the same behaviour? Your guess is as good as mine.

Girls also do not enjoy the same privileges in terms of family wealth. In terms of family wealth, the boys tend to have a bigger slice of the cake. Why girls do not get equal share of the cake when they are also part of the family? Why do parents differentiate between sons and daughters?

Do parents hope that their sons will support them financially after their retirement? Parents still claim to have sacrified their life for their sons. Do their sons think wise?

Following traditional Chinese culture, daughters are not allowed to pay their respect to their ancestors at the grave simply because they no longer carry the family surname.

Gender should not be used as dividing factor and parents should give undivided love and affection to their sons and daughters. Forget about the notion of surname not being passed on to the next generation.

Food for thought.

Langkawi Visit

Recently, I have had my vacation at Langkawi. It has been sometime since I last visited the island. Langkawi has been developed and due to its duty free status, it has attracted tourists from near and far.

Makam Mahsuri
The famous tale from Langkawi was associated with a woman, Mahsuri who was accused of adultery. She was executed despite her pleas of innocence. When she was executed, it seemed white blood was flowing from her body. From the story, she has proceeded to curse the island for seven generations.

Dataran Lang or Eagle Square
The eagle is symbolic of Langkawi island as its name was derived from the Malay word of eagle. Dataran Lang is located at the jetty of Kuah town.

Galeri Perdana
Galeri Perdana houses the archives of state gifts to Tun Dr Mahathir during his reign as the Prime Minister. Galeri Perdana houses 3 blocks of building, Block A - Block C.

Pantai Cenang and Pantai Tengah
The seaside resort hotels are all located in this area.

Pulau Dayang Bunting (Isle of Pregnant Maiden)
One of 99 islands surrounding Langkawi and apparently, there is a legend attached to it. I did not have the opportunity to visit this island.

During my tenure of stay at Langkawi, the weather was hot. My fond memories of Langkawi would have been the visit to Galeri Perdana and the Thai food.

Something for sharing.

Be Engaged

Be engaged is the buzzword in any Organisation. Employees engagement is the extent to which the employees are totally committed to the organisation. This can be measured by 3 factors:

1st factor of `Say'
The employee consistently speaks positively about the organisation to co-workers, friends and customers. The employees feel proud to be a part of the organisation.

There is a co-relation between employee engagement and a wide range of organisation performance. It has shown that an engaged workforce means higher customer satisfaction, better returns in terms of profit and higher productivity.

2nd factor of `Stay'
The employee is very loyal to the organisation and despite opportunities to work elsewhere, the employee stays as he/she wants to be a member of the organisation.

Employees want to know that they have a promising future in the organisation and that their efforts are adequately rewarded. There are factors that affect existing levels of engagement:

o sense of accomplishments;
o customer focus

3rd factor of `Strive'
The employee gives extra effort that contributes prositively to the business success.

In my organisation, the current focus is on employees engagement. We as employees have been receiving updates on how to stay engaged via the bulletin and emails. We even appoint a `BE (Be engaged) champion'. The role of the BE champion is to co-ordinate activities within the department by getting the staff engagement. Guess what, my name was recommended to be a BE champion. However after nomination, I have not been selected which could be a blessing as the role to champion for activities and getting the staff engaged is definitely a tall order.

Something for sharing.

Assertivesness

What is the difference of being passive, aggressive and assertive?
An illustration will bring more light
Being passive (child)
Passive response would be let the person stay in front. If you are not able to stand for yourself, you are being passive.

Being aggressive (parent)
Aggressive response be would be assumed they did on purpose and say `Hei, no cuts.'
If you able to stand up for yourself but disregard the rights and feelings of others, you are being aggressive.

Being assertive (adult)
As assertive respone would be `Excuse me but I was in line.'
Assertivesness is the ability to express one's feeling while respecting the rights of others. Assertive communication is direct, open and honest and able to state the facts right without offending others. Many view assertiveness as a personality trait that a forunate few are either born with or develop during their formative years. Assertive persons have positive self esteem.

There are 3 skills of an assertive persons:

The ability to say `no'
Many people may find it difficult to turn down a request for fear of offending the other party. We may say `no' in a diplomatic manner by offering alternatives.

The ability to ask
One should learn how to ask without imposing by making the request at the right time. When to ask and how to ask are also equally important factors.

The ability to craft assertive messages
Adopt assertive bahaviour such as maintaining good posture and looking people in the eyes and being decisive.

Now the in thing is being assertive and not aggressive in your approach to life.

Something for sharing

Taiwan Trip

7D/6N Taiwan's Round Island Charm was considered a hectic one. 6 nights with 6 different experiences of hotel stay.
Taipei's Stay
Among the places of interest include the following:
Visit to the shopping complex and 101
101 is the landmark skyscraper in Taipei. On the day of visit, the sky was not cloudy and as such we did not get a breathtaking view from the top. It would have been different on a clear day.

Discovery Centre of Taipei
The Discovery Centre of Taipei invites us to delve into the history of Taipei.

National Palace Museum
In this, we find priceless Chinese art treasures, one who spans over China's nearly 5000 years history.

Farm Stay
This was where we related to nature. It was a relaxing environment that offers more than just beautiful nature. We went to the fruit orchards and picked fruits. At night, we made a wish by releasing a sky lantern. It is considered good luck to release a sky lantern and many also believe they are symbolic of problems and worries floating away. One also sends wishes with these lit lanterns. DIY on the designing of the T-Shirt and Bag. We have the option of choosing the T-Shirt or the Bag for designing. After that, the T-Shirt or the Bag was for our safekeeping.

Sun Moon Lake
Sun Moon Lake is the largest lake. However, there was nothing to shout about as the Sun Moon Lake was drained off water.

Wen Wu Temple
The temple was built to enshrine and worship Confucius, Guan Gong and Yue Faye. We have to gain entrance through the left (dragon) and exit through the right (tiger).

Traditional Dance
The stay at the Highlands where we experienced the following:
o Indulged in the experience of hot springs;
o Witnessed the traditional dance arranged specially for the hotel guests.

All in all, it was an enjoyable trip with a very entertaining local tour guide. Something for sharing.

Awards

Thanks for the award and support. Very encouraging for a new blogger like me as the award has brought me sunshine. I did not expect to receive any award and it was indeed a surprise. I should say that my inspiration in blogging started off when you received awards.

If not for your advice, I will not blog. With this award it will go a long way in me continuing to blog. I am definitely taking a step in the right direction. Given time, I will find more blogger friends. Thanks for reading.

Team Building

Team Building refers to a wide range of activities for improving team performance that can range from simple bonding exercises to complex stimulations. Corporations in an effort to enhance people engagement will send their employees for team building. The rationale behind team building is to bring out the best in a team in terms of problem solving, building up relationships and foster closer bonding.

There are resorts which focus on team building facilities. Team building activities range from abseiling, go-carting, flying fox which one has to challenge oneself to the best.

In the spirit of team building, one can work to its optimum level to achieve success for the group and ultimately the Corporation as a whole. However in the corporate rat race, it is easily say than done as everyone wants to outdo each other. There may be the case of team building in the outdoor activities, however there is no team building at work.

People engagement is still a buzz word. It is a process whereby the employees are roped in for activities together on continuous basis. A fully engaged employee brings out the best and is committed to the work. Employee retention is an outcome of engagement and engagement is an outcome of how well you recruit and induct new employees.

So now, people engagement is the ultimate solution to bonding.

Something for sharing.

Brain Development

What is the most important part of our body in relation to leadership? Undoubtedly, it is the brain. What we learn in leadership abilities and skills is nothing when we compare to the brain as our emotions, intellect, knowledge are all residing in the brain. Management gurus always say `think positively and look at the bright side of things' is nothing but the programming of our brains. If we programme our brains to think positively, then it will send positive signals to the body as well and we will respond to the matter at hand positively. See how powerful the brain is. Positive affirmations go a long way in programming the mind as well. That is why we have to tell ourselves `We have a great day ahead'.

High energy and positive leaders effortlessly transfers optimism to his followers while the negatives ones wear down their peers.

There is 1 interesting advertisement that I recall relating to the brain. There is this infant formula which boosts the brain development by connecting the neurons. The more connection it makes, the better the brain development for the child. Interestingly enough, our brains actually gets better the more we use it. Those who are constantly learning and actively challenging their minds live longer than some who don't. The secret recipe for maintaining a sharp and productive life is to spur new neuron growth. Remember an idle mind is the devil's playground.

The brain thinks in picture not words. That is why pictures are broadly use in adult learning as it leaves an impression in the brain. Schoolgoing children are also using pictures to depict an action.

I recalled attending a training course and that was the first time I heard of the word `brain food'. We were given raisins as brain food by the trainer. Basically brain food helps us to think better and improve our memory.

The brain is 80% water. Drinking lots of water keeps it hydrated and listening to baroque music increases our ability to learn.

So maintain a positive outlook by first actively engage ourselves in brain exercises.

Something for sharing

Crime Rate

Crime rate is on the rising trend. Much has been said about street and property crime. As the war against crime is being waged, we need to accept certain realities that such phenomenon does not go away overnight. We are looking at reduced crime rate, be it on the street or in the property. It is not an understatement to say that crime rate cannot be eradicated totally but it can be managed to a certain extend.

Street Crime
Snatch theft though small in gravity is something we cannot ignore. At times the victim of the snatch theft get injured in the process. A sizeable proportion of this crime goes unreported and we should not rest on our laurels.

Preventive Measures
We are advised to face the ongoing traffic and to wear less jewellery. There are now more anti crime road blocks and also the installation of closed circuit television (CCTV) at high risk areas to deter the occurrence of snatch theft. The CCTV may not be very effective as a deterrent, however the CCTV assisted in the investigation of crime cases. Fighting crime should always be a joint effort between the public and the law enforcement unit.

Property Crime
This include loss of property where there is no use of violence by the perpetrators. Included in this category are housebreaking, theft of vehicles such as motorcycle and scooters. The perpetrators are closely monitoring the movement of their victims. Unknown to the victims, the perpetrators will know when the best time to strike.

Preventive Measures
There have been much talk on guided and gated community. Is this the answer to reducing the property crime? Well, the need for co-ordination between the various sectors is the key to combat property crime.

The police is to ensure that more patrols are done for high risk areas. The presence of the law enforcement unit does have an impact.

Something for sharing.

Stay positive

How to stay positive at all times when the negativity sets in? There are the 3Ps that makes some people positive despite the direst circumstances.

Is it personal?
Whenever a co-worker grumbles in response to certain situation, ask yourself `Are these really direct to you?' Most of the time you will be surprised that remarks are not meant for you as people seldom think of you. In the event the remarks are not directed to you, then you should not get personal over it.

Is it permanent?
This should have pass as you can see the `light at the end of the proverbial tunnel'. Having that in mind, you can remain positive despite of the obstacles/happenings.

Is it the big picture?
When you are in a difficult situation, always look at the big picture.
As an illustration, how to remain positive when your boss started throwing tantrum. Well, a good approach would be `when your boss is screaming, turning bright red, simply look at him but in the back of your mind thinking `when they record the history of time, will this event be documented?'

People who have balanced lives - family, career, friends tend to fare better as at any one point of time they can look to alternative areas to bolster their confidence, self esteem and sense of belonging. Having good friends to support you morally is tantamount to remaining positive at all times.

Counteract the negativity with positive experiences and get on with life.

Plastic War

With the imposition of the Government newly RM50.00 service tax, banks are now engaging in a plastic war to retain their existing card base. As it is now, it is a great challenge to solicit or sign up new customers as the market is already saturated. In an effort to keep cardholders `tied', banks are offering innovative loans, easy cash and balance transfers just to name some. Credit card new acquistion has been slowing down as we are totally aware of the RM50.00 service tax. The credit card cancellation rate has been escalating with cardholders retaining 2 cards ie one Visa and one MasterCard only.

We have to be mindful at all time of getting caught in the credit circle as it is very hard to get out of it. It is not how many credit cards we have but rather how we use the credit card.

Credit card issuers are not subsidising the RM50.00 service tax that came into effect on January 1 this year. All credit card issuers impose specific conditions upon cardholders in order to offset the amount. Among which included the following:

Rewards points
Credit Card Issuers allow the amount of RM50.00 to be offset against the reward points earned.

Minimum spending level
Another mechanism offered is a RM50.00 cash rebate and it requires cardholder to utilise/spend their card with a minimum value transaction.

Happy reading

Lunar New Year

Today is the first day of the lunar New Year. We are having 2 celebrations, one the lunar New Year and Valentine's day. When we have events such as Raya and Chinese New Year, we called `KongsiRaya'. In this year, when we have 2 events again, one the lunar New Year and Valentine' Day, shall we call it `KongsiValentine'.

As many are returning to their homes for lunar New Year, February 14 is quiet this year. Florist business has to take a dip when the Valentine's day is overshadowed by Chinese New Year as many are home bound.

Let us celebrate the two events with a sparkle and spirit as these are lacking in today world. We should not view the events as another holiday but instead as an opportunity to renew our ties with our family and loved ones. The deserted roads in KL must be a great relief for those remaining in the city. Just imagine a good population of the working public is from the other states.

Here's to a roaring start in the Year of the Tiger.

Office Chinese New Year Decorations

My office was initially devoid of Chinese New Year decorations. It only takes the first step to start the ball rolling. True enough, with the contributions we have managed to put up decorations in line with the New Year. We have used the concept of reuse and recycle. The last year ang pow packets then came in handy. We arranged the ang pow packets in such a way that it formed the word `fook'. Everyone has had their fair share of contributions. At the end of the day, everyone was pleased with the result. It is not an understatement to say `Many hands make light work'.

Many businesses are cashing in on tiger merchandise that pays tribute to the big cat. The movie `WooHoo' also plays a part to popularize the tiger merchandise. Guess what I personally have a prize collection of tiger merchandise.

Another tradition in Chinese New Year is none other than the lion dance. In this year of the tiger, we may even expect to witness the tiger dance. I personally have marked in my calendar the date of the lion dance performances at complexes. I am looking forward to these super lion dance performances.

Last and not least, HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR.

Managing Stress

Stress is inevitable in our working life. Stress is in fact our body's reaction to the demands that we face in our working life. We will be able to manage our stress effectively if we listen to our body's signals. Our body talks to us constantly, however at times we choose to ignore it. If only we listen to our body and the signals it try to convey, we may be able to nip the problem in the bud.

Broadly speaking, stress can be categorised as physical, emotional and mental stress.

Physical Stress
We will hear it through aches, pains and discomfort when the voice of our body is physical. Find the physical exercise that works best for us and start immediately. Nutrition and sufficient rest are the keys to good health that can create a profound sense of relaxation to our bodies.

Emotional Stress
We should not react to our emotional stress such as anger, disappointment, frustration. The most effective way to manage emotional stress is to find our support people. Our support people may be our spouse, friend or family who are willing to lend a listening ear. In so doing, we can deal with the situation in a much more healthy manner.

Mental Stress
Mental reaction which comes through our self talk. When we tune to our self talk, we will be surprised to discover that it is mostly focused on negative, filled with complaints, insecurities etc. As our self talk is often repetitive and persistent, an excellent way to to circumvent it is by repetitive positive affirmations.

We cannot eliminate stress totally. However we are in control if we have an effective stress management programme. Once we are in control, we are in a better position to stay focused by taking positive action.

Something for sharing.

Tiger Dance for the Year of Tiger

A friend of mine has invited me to the show `Woohoo'. At first I was very sceptical as I do not normally go for Mandarin movies let alone local production. However my friend of mine said that this movie has a good rating. How wrong was I as my perception changed when I saw the movie. It has a good plot with meaningful message that relate to day to day happenings.

`WooHoo' (the tiger dance) is a tradition practised in a small village in Kuantan, Pahang. The elder who knows `woohoo' is not longer able to perform as it is taxing on his age. His filial granddaughter wanted to please his grandfather (the elder) put up an advertisement for young `woohoo' players. There are 5 youngsters who have applied to be `woohoo' players. They have to undergo intensive training and they even be penalised for not following the terms in the employment contract. It was eventually revealed that they are not going to be paid for their services. One of them wanted to turn back. However, he was touched by the village people who are simple and yet truthful. Of course, the road to success was not an easy one as the only `tiger head' was accidentally destroyed by the mischievous kids in the village. Guess what, the 5 `woohoo' players managed to pull through and put up a splendid show. Well that would not be possible without the team work of all the villagers.

The message is such `why fight it, when you can make the best out of a bad situation. Every cloud has a silver lining.' How true when the villagers set aside the differences and put their effort in making the event a success despite the setback of the `tiger head' being destroyed.

Is then the tiger dance a new dance? Well, it is not actually a new dance. Tiger dance originated centuries ago in China. It has a style and choreography that is similar to a lion dance. The dancers athletic prowess, martial art skill and coordination are what counts.

To mark this Year of the Tiger, what other dance but the tiger dance is most apt.

Hope the Year of the Tiger brings with it an exciting year ahead and opportunities for one and all.

Feng Shui Seminar

`Succeeding in Turbulent Times' is what we expected in the year of the metal tiger.

I have personally attended the Feng Shui Seminar by Joey Yap on 16 January 2010. Below are the pointers for consideration:

The Feng Shui masters have given us an update of the expectation in the year of the metal tiger. We usually believe a good start of the year is tantamount to good happenings in the year ahead. Questions include the following:

o When is the best time to start work in the year?
o When is the best time to get marry?
o How to enhance the existing relationship for married couples?
o When is the best time to receive the God of Wealth?
o The general expectations for the year.

Is Feng Shui an art or a science? Well your guess may be as good as mine. Basically Feng Shui is the movement of the stars. Every year the star position changes and as such the outlook is different due to the changes in the stars position. We have to establish first 2010 Flying Stars Diagram. Once the Flying Star Diagram is determined, one can superimpose it to the house and even the face to establish the best sectors. As an illustration in year 2010:

South West - 5 Yellows
North East - Grand Duke
North - 2 Killings

In Feng Shui, there is a sitting position and a facing position. If we sit in the North East, we are facing the South West.

In Feng Shui, we also have to consider the Chi, be it in the interior or exterior of the house/working area. To the Chinese, Chi is the ever present force that circulates and move to the environment both indoors and outdoors. Chi is everywhere and wherever Chi settles it brings with it a special kind of energy that attracts extreme good luck.

Human Chi differs in quantity and quality from person to person. Often Chi currents get blocked causing ailments that result in negative outcomes. Thus techniques are developed to enhance human Chi through meditation and special breathing techniques.

Enhancing human Chi alone is deemed insufficent. One also has to live in harmony with the environment. Thus the Chi of the human body has to be in harmony with the Chi of one's surroundings. Household Chi and Human Chi have to flow smoothly, one in rhythm with the other. Today we know that this harmonious interaction of the two kinds of Chi defines what good Feng Shui is all about.

Something for sharing.

A matter of choice

In today's world the difference between success and failure is not whether we can recognize our strengths and weaknesses. Today the real long term competitive edge is the ability to maintain positive image. Not merely that, it is the ability to sustain the positive image and outlook in life in order to achieve our long term goals and mission.

There are indicators that we should consider when we position ourselves either as winner or loser. Are we always looking positively at situation or should we be prepared for the worst? It is similar when we look at a glass of milk, is it half full or half empty? It is merely a matter of choice. It is up to us to decide whether the choices that we make will be fruitful or fruitless ones.

We sometimes will have setbacks in life and things do not work the way we expected. Don't be afraid of failure. It brings knowledge that something didn't work. Try something new - we can always go back to what we did before. Looking back at history, it took Edison 10,000 experiments to get the light bulb right and Alexander Fleming failed with the experiment he was doing but discovered penicillin.

More importantly, it is a matter of choice between success and failure.
Something for sharing.

Monday Blues

When Monday comes and you seem to drag your feet to work, looking forward to Friday again. Sounds familiar as you are not alone as there are millions of working adults worldwide who are hardly motivated at work.

Let me relate to some incidences today, Monday.

LRT breakdown due to technical problems
Working adults rely on the LRT as their convenient way of transportation. Just imagine the crowd at the LRT stations when the trains broke down due to technical problems. There is no alternative means of getting to work. What a terrible start of the day particularly on a Monday. Monday blues. Since LRT play such an important role in the day to day transportation, steps should be taken to ensure that incidences of breakdown be reduced to a bare minimum. The transportation system should be more reliable and in doing so, the number of cars on the road can be significantly reduced when the working adults opts for LRT and leave their cars behind at home.

Annual Adjustment
Today is the day when we have our notification for the annual adjustment. You win some and you lose some, as the saying goes. There are some who are happy and some who are not. Whatever it is, it depends on how you look at a situation. Has anyone ever seen a genuinely contented look on an employee who had just received the notification? Probably not, as humans are never satisfied with what they have. However, all is not lost yet. Tell yourself you are still the best and one day you will be rewarded accordingly.

Receipt of Calendar
I have had a pleasant surprise when a colleague of mine presented me with a calender. The calender is not available for free and you have to purchase for it. I am indeed thankful not so much for the calendar but the underlying thought behind it. My colleague could have given the calendar to someone else. However, he chose to give me one. Very appreciative.

So at the end of the day, was it a Monday Blue or a Monday Cheer?
Leaves it to your imagination. Well.

Scarce Commodity

Diary and calendar are hard to come by these days. Corporations have in their effort to cut cost are not longer printing diary and calender. Gone are the days when diary and calendar are given out freely as an advertising tool.

Listed below are some of my requests for calenders:

Incidence 1
A colleague of mine has given me calendar from an Optical shop. The calendar was only given on collection and when purchase was fully made.

Incidence 2
A friend of mine has purchased exceeding RM150.00 at a Pharmacy shop. When she requested for the calendar which was to be given for purchase of RM150.00, she was informed that the stock was no longer available. It would indicate that the printing of the calendar was low or alternatively the demand for it was great. Well, I would leave it to your guess.

Incidence 3
Guess what, I was on the line with an business associate when I did mention that it was difficult to obtain a calendar let alone a diary. This business asociate took immediate action to get me a calendar.

How thankful was I when I have obtained 2 calendars, one to be placed in the office and the other at home.

Something for sharing

Decision Making in Job Offer

A colleague of mine was headhunted by a recruitment Agency for a key position in a established organisation. However, my colleague did not take up the offer for reasons best known to her/him. Did my colleague make the right decisions? We can make a right decision wrong. In the same token, we can make a wrong decision right. It all depends on what motivate staff. Among the motivation factors are the following:

Self Actualisation
Job satisfaction and recognition. Today, employees want rewards for their performance and they too want the Management to recognize their contributions and efforts in their work. If organisations want to see better performance from employees in order to achieve their vision, then they must be prepared to provide everything to reinforce them.

Safety
This what we term as job security.

Physiological
This includes pay and basic needs support (welfare). Rewards such as performance bonus, free transportation, meals and accommodation have boosted employee morale to be more committed and dedicated to their work. Using Maslow's theory of needs, we will understand what drive us to work harder for our material needs. Monetary rewards are the best option for employees who have to meet their basic needs. Besides monetary rewards, good working conditions are also a necessity. The organisation also has to consider the walfare of its employees.

Sometimes we may have encountered a similar situation whereby we have to make a decision on a job offer. What is the worst thing that could happen? If the worst thing happened, what would you do? Where could you go from this? From whom could you get support? `Follow your heart' may be a good option.

I will end with a smart quote `Low paid work is not necessarily either a stepping stone to greater things or a sentence to life drudgery.'

Human Management

We will be able to make an impact in the Organisation if our human management skills are good. We also will make good managers if we exercise effective human management. Well it is easily say than done.

Let us look at two pertinent issues, behaviour and character.

Behaviour change
If we have staff who are constantly late to work, it may be considered as a behaviour. To address a behaviour, we have to exercise tact in saying `You are an excellent worker, however your punctuality is something you may need to look into.' In this manner, we are addressing the behaviour of a staff and it can be changed.

Character change
Let us look at the story of a scorpion and a frog. A scorpion was seeking the assistance of a frog to carry him across the river. The frog was afraid of being stung but the scorpion pleaded with the frog. The scorpion reassured the frog that if it stung the frog, the frog would sink and the scorpion would drown as well. Finally the frog agreed to assist in getting the scorpion across the river. Nevertheless, in mid river the scorpion stung the frog, dooming the two of them. When asked why, the scorpion explained `I'm a scorpion, it's my nature.'

The moral of the story is that it would not be possible to change nature. Likewise, a character of a person cannot be changed. In the same light, if we will to say to our staff, `You are late habitually, a late person'. What we are doing now is addressing the character of a person which cannot be changed.

From the above illustration, when we are exercising human management skills we have to diplomatic particularly in our choice of words.

Something for sharing.

Organisation Set Up and Changes

2010 is in the 2nd day and new year resolutions seems to be the talk of the town.

The country as a nation talks of what lies ahead in terms of economic and social developments. Developers, bankers and agent look at the property market and the outlook for the coming year is going to be challenging. Developers are going to give double-digit disocunts for some of the most prestigious and attractive projects.

What we are seeing are plans by the governments and the large players in the industry to spearhead the economy. However, we have to look at the organisation as a whole and the role it plays in realising the objectives of the government.

Let's take a look at the organisation itself and the proactive steps to take in changing the organisation.

Look at the selection process for hiring staff
This is critical as the hiring of the incompetent or unsuitable staff may lead to more problems later on. HRD needs to be more aggressive in sourcing for the right candidate by being more proactive rather than reactive when a vacancy exisits.

Develop an on-site development for staff
Off-site development programme such as seminar, courses and team-building only contributes about 20% towards staff development. Off-site development programme may be a good break for the staff at times. As an illustration a staff will feel more motivated and having the energy recharged after a course break. However on-site development is still the key. If a staff has been identified in a certain area of work eg negotiation, then the Company should take the staff to the next level of negotitation.

Encourage people to disagree
If an organisation is sharp in decision making, then once and for all kill off the culture of `yes men'. An organisation will proceed faster when is receptive to changes and opinion. Do not stick to the old traditional way of doing things, be more innovative and accept changes in the process.

Understand people better by means of psychology
The science of understanding how people behave, think and feel may be the answer towards solving problems as are all people related. We can't change people. We can only alter their behaviours. To change their behaviours, we must change their feelings and beliefs.

Motivation of staff
Pride is a powerful motivator.

The subject has remained something close to our heart.

Last but not least, happy new year 2010