The year is almost over, and most of my colleagues and clients at work are off for the year. This is the time of the year when return emails all come back with a tag of "out of office". I'm still at office because I am a slow worker. My brain cannot process on-off messages fast enough. I want to maintain the always moderately on approach.
This morning, as I was getting up for work, on Christmas eve, I did not feel reluctant, instead I felt fresh and alert. This is why I would share one of the most important lessons I learnt this year.
Take two minutes to think about this if you are reading this. It does not matter if you are reading it at work, or at night as you are unwinding or in a meeting.
Whatever you are doing, it will not change the world just because of you. The problems still remain and issues still to solve. It will not go away just because you take off on time after work or skip lunch or start scolding your colleagues. Whatever will be is already set by the actions of the things in the past. If you feel your blood rising, just think that we can do more to prevent more blood rising incidents in the future, but we can never prevent it all. The mind is very strong, it influences what we believe in as well as what we want to make out of things.
5 years ago, I had started off at a client working my way up. I used to do 1901 hotdogs every lunchtime, just because I wanted the 15 mins off but also because I never had time. Now, I never hesitate to take up a lunch offer. No matter how busy we are, we need to eat. And eating well serves to fuel me for later challenges. The world will not fall apart just because a bunch of people spent time to eat. How about that?
Thanks to you who taught me this important lesson from the field.
Take two minutes and enjoy your moment. This will help other moments in the future. Panicking or rushing will not help.
Monday, December 24, 2007
Monday, December 17, 2007
Leadership by Humility
It was a lunchtime discussion. I shared how I try to teach people in my team or my organisation. I am terrible at motivating people by face to face discussions, although I have found that counselling sessions have been quite revealing. I am one who like to see people make the leap of capability on their own.
The method I wanted to share is that I practice leadership by humility. It starts with the belief that we all hire smart people to work with us. Smart people are motivated by self assessment of their own capability, and I found smart people to make a leap of capability when they conciously know that they have limitations or have made mistakes. Smart people do not like to be told what to do, or fail to reach their goals. The only way to coach smart people is to show them humility and motivate them to reach for their own the next level. Humility means accepting that you may not be as good as you are, and understanding and seeking the way to overcome that.
I would like to ask all of you, who have teams to lead or is in a team - tell those who work for you something new everyday, and learn something from them. Humility could work both ways.
I am still learning how to do this well.
The method I wanted to share is that I practice leadership by humility. It starts with the belief that we all hire smart people to work with us. Smart people are motivated by self assessment of their own capability, and I found smart people to make a leap of capability when they conciously know that they have limitations or have made mistakes. Smart people do not like to be told what to do, or fail to reach their goals. The only way to coach smart people is to show them humility and motivate them to reach for their own the next level. Humility means accepting that you may not be as good as you are, and understanding and seeking the way to overcome that.
I would like to ask all of you, who have teams to lead or is in a team - tell those who work for you something new everyday, and learn something from them. Humility could work both ways.
I am still learning how to do this well.
Monday, December 10, 2007
My luck can only get better...
Would you be one who believes in Luck?
I cannot believe I have not been blogging for the last 1 month + for this blog. Spate of events and spate of bad luck happened, which included my being down and out in a series of flu and coughing fit which lasted almost 3+ weeks. I have been drinking cough medicine for the last 3 weeks. I wonder if that helps explain my sluggishness...
No great idea or story has come out of me since I've been under the daily influence of cough mixture. I cancelled two big client meetings with many important people, missed the Singapore Marathon, and could not speak for 5 days last week.
As in all days which has been bad, a good leader does not blame the luck factor, but if one will let me word it differently, I tried to be positive - I do think my luck can only get better.
My esteemed organization's international chairman, who was previously leader of the group I was in, told us this once when we were at a global leadership seminar - he said - there are three things you must do to be successful - you must work hard, you must be very smart, and last of all, you must be lucky.
If not, I'd just start the next year 2008 afresh ...
I cannot believe I have not been blogging for the last 1 month + for this blog. Spate of events and spate of bad luck happened, which included my being down and out in a series of flu and coughing fit which lasted almost 3+ weeks. I have been drinking cough medicine for the last 3 weeks. I wonder if that helps explain my sluggishness...
No great idea or story has come out of me since I've been under the daily influence of cough mixture. I cancelled two big client meetings with many important people, missed the Singapore Marathon, and could not speak for 5 days last week.
As in all days which has been bad, a good leader does not blame the luck factor, but if one will let me word it differently, I tried to be positive - I do think my luck can only get better.
My esteemed organization's international chairman, who was previously leader of the group I was in, told us this once when we were at a global leadership seminar - he said - there are three things you must do to be successful - you must work hard, you must be very smart, and last of all, you must be lucky.
If not, I'd just start the next year 2008 afresh ...
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Intent from the Heart
A year and a half ago, I attended a leadership development course from my firm.
It was unlike any other training courses where you go for a few days, maybe a week, get into a surreal environment and then the next Monday, all the desire to change has gone back to square one when the burdens of the daily work comes crashing back in.
Suffice to say, the program was a 9 months long, strong camaraderie with a team of global upcoming leaders, a chance to be close to the global leaders and also a memory which has lasted that I work for a global firm.
One of the most unique experience was during a second workshop when we got together. We spoke about two very personal items which the coaches wanted us to share - one was the personal journey line, and the other to develop our own teachable point of view (TPOV).
My teachable point of view was intent from the heart. It was about how I serve with good intent. It is what makes me go home, sometimes tired, sometimes elated, sometimes stressed, but everyday, I know I am not wrong in my principles; and everyday, I also know I can do better.
They made us speak about our TPOV on video, and I still have that DVD. Almost 1.5 years later, I could still feel the genuine-ness of my video, and this serves to still remind me why I am always eager to provide service.
Today, our people are more passionate, more ambitious, more daring. Yet, not many serve with intent from the heart, not many serve with intent to help others.
And halfway down my career, I am still not perfect, but I can claim to go on each day with good intent.
This is the career experience I hope all our new joiners aspire to have .... to serve with intent from the heart.
It was unlike any other training courses where you go for a few days, maybe a week, get into a surreal environment and then the next Monday, all the desire to change has gone back to square one when the burdens of the daily work comes crashing back in.
Suffice to say, the program was a 9 months long, strong camaraderie with a team of global upcoming leaders, a chance to be close to the global leaders and also a memory which has lasted that I work for a global firm.
One of the most unique experience was during a second workshop when we got together. We spoke about two very personal items which the coaches wanted us to share - one was the personal journey line, and the other to develop our own teachable point of view (TPOV).
My teachable point of view was intent from the heart. It was about how I serve with good intent. It is what makes me go home, sometimes tired, sometimes elated, sometimes stressed, but everyday, I know I am not wrong in my principles; and everyday, I also know I can do better.
They made us speak about our TPOV on video, and I still have that DVD. Almost 1.5 years later, I could still feel the genuine-ness of my video, and this serves to still remind me why I am always eager to provide service.
Today, our people are more passionate, more ambitious, more daring. Yet, not many serve with intent from the heart, not many serve with intent to help others.
And halfway down my career, I am still not perfect, but I can claim to go on each day with good intent.
This is the career experience I hope all our new joiners aspire to have .... to serve with intent from the heart.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
A Choice to Enjoy
Rarely have I seen people glow with the excitement of their job than one of my client members today. Enjoying what you do certainly drives energy and passion. It was a very different Mr K I last saw or that I rarely heard off. Today, he was passionate about what he could do, and excited about meeting people to turn around things.
I really think that what sets us different from the expats I've seen in my life at work is that the expats are here because of choice, and they chose to be here, to do something they are good at which they enjoy, and they get paid for it handsomely as well!
Now, that is what I call enjoying work...
How many of us are doing what we are doing by choice?
What if you choose to do differently?
Take action... to enjoy what you do, and the results will be different. Or find something you enjoy to do.
I really think that what sets us different from the expats I've seen in my life at work is that the expats are here because of choice, and they chose to be here, to do something they are good at which they enjoy, and they get paid for it handsomely as well!
Now, that is what I call enjoying work...
How many of us are doing what we are doing by choice?
What if you choose to do differently?
Take action... to enjoy what you do, and the results will be different. Or find something you enjoy to do.
Friday, October 26, 2007
One wish
I learnt something from a humble Japanese man that day. It was the one wish which is the symbolic heart of leadership.
Recently we had a big "kick-off" meeting in Putrajaya, where the senior leadership of the company across APAC came together to plan for the next company fiscal year.
During one of the sessions, we had four of our geography leads on the stage - they were from India, China, Japan and the rest of SouthEastAsia, Australia and Korea - these were the 4 largest geographies we had in the region.
The question one of the audience asked - "What is the one wish you have if you could ask for from all of us here?" - bearing in mind this was being asked to each of them, and the audience was a 400+ strong senior leadership representation across the various APAC countries.
The one wish which bears the most meaning to me was when the Japan lead said that he wanted each of us to give each of our team career counselling everyday, to touch each of our people and guide them when we could, daily. As a multinational company, we had so many challenges, virtual teams and also a 180,000 strong global employee base. Our people are indeed our biggest asset and as leaders we sometimes chase after too many deadlines or requests that we forget the soul of our own organisation is indeed those who work with us.
I ask you - reach out to someone who works with you today, and say thank you to them for being there, or contributing to something. It will not make you less a leader, instead it will make our lifes richer with meaningful interactions.
A powerful "one wish" which is practical, yet easy to request for from all of us.
Do it today.
Recently we had a big "kick-off" meeting in Putrajaya, where the senior leadership of the company across APAC came together to plan for the next company fiscal year.
During one of the sessions, we had four of our geography leads on the stage - they were from India, China, Japan and the rest of SouthEastAsia, Australia and Korea - these were the 4 largest geographies we had in the region.
The question one of the audience asked - "What is the one wish you have if you could ask for from all of us here?" - bearing in mind this was being asked to each of them, and the audience was a 400+ strong senior leadership representation across the various APAC countries.
The one wish which bears the most meaning to me was when the Japan lead said that he wanted each of us to give each of our team career counselling everyday, to touch each of our people and guide them when we could, daily. As a multinational company, we had so many challenges, virtual teams and also a 180,000 strong global employee base. Our people are indeed our biggest asset and as leaders we sometimes chase after too many deadlines or requests that we forget the soul of our own organisation is indeed those who work with us.
I ask you - reach out to someone who works with you today, and say thank you to them for being there, or contributing to something. It will not make you less a leader, instead it will make our lifes richer with meaningful interactions.
A powerful "one wish" which is practical, yet easy to request for from all of us.
Do it today.
Monday, October 22, 2007
Charisma - the secret sauce of leaders
We have definitely chosen the right man to go to space. Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor definitely has charisma.
My father is a certified coach and a learned man - he mentioned to me, this guy has charisma and he definitely charmed the school children, the local media, the foreign media and even the ministers and scientists, not forgetting the fellow astronauts.
Charisma, is in fact, the main element behind leadership. I have personally believed that one is born with charisma, but without it, one learns to adapt using social intelligence.
Surprisingly, we all agreed he has charisma, he is able to answer and motivate even the minister to a level of pride in the country's achievement in sending the first man to space.
I am sure he will be able to do more now as he has arrived back on earth.
It is hard to define the word charisma, but it is a mixture of charm, intelligence, friendliness and the ability to express this in one's behaviour, appearance, words and actions. It is indeed the secret sauce for extreme leadership.
After all, who does backflips interviewing with the Science, Technology and Environment minister? And manages to teach me something on surface tension by sucking a drop of liquid "caught" with a spoon!
Dr Sheikh Muszaphar, welcome back to earth. You have ignited the imagination of a nation, and I am sure we will hear more from the leader in you in the coming months and years.
Space, the final frontier.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
