Blue Ocean Strategy Seminar

I am glad that I have just attended two days of this great programme. It is an opportunity to structure our thinking. I was push to do right brain thinking more than my left brain thinking. It was a great birthday gift for me.

I am know eager to share with my team as I hope they could learn it the same and start doing the right brain thinking, helping them in your tasks and approaches. This will be a survival tool for them in our competitive market. We need to create new opportunities, bringing the competition to the next level.

The thinking process of the future in the team is limited. We are more of fire fighting team rather than developer of new avenue. We are more towards a maintenance acts rather than developing new business. To survive in our competition, we must do more attacks rather than defensing.

Scenario thinking is another tool which is critical for high power management today. We need to be able to think various scenarios for consideration to take the best approach.

Again and again, leadership is the centre of good management. As leader, the direction and example are crucial in leading the team to pratice all the available thinking tools to move the organisation and business.

Last but not the least, I have decided to buy the book for my more detailed study and perfected my thinking. I always believe a seminar is just a catalyst act for one to learn up new skills and they need to enhance their learning through practice and soon it will be come an acquired talent.

2 days into last quarter of 2010

Time really flies and does wait for us. Today is already the 2nd day. It has been a challenging quarter and I have gone few patches of difficulties. Overall, the team and I managed to put in our best effort. Though we may be trailing against our budget but our spirit seems to be stronger than ever. I am glad to have few strong ladies with me pulling through such feats. Of course, Jesus has been nice to us. I need to put my strong faith though the temptation of devil is there.

Soon, I will be presenting my review report on last quarter and provide estimation how we are going to fare in the last quarter. Yes, the projection for the year end results.

The important lession that I have in my career is that "never lose your faith no matter how tempting is the other side. Give your faith stronger, live with it truely to the love of Christ, Jesus will not forsake us and He will keep us always by His side and we will come out victorious!"

Indeed, I will continue to walk with my saviour Jesus Christ, to complete this journey strongly.

My team and I will move in tandem and unitedly to achieve our goal !

Yes we will !

15 years as Insurance Player

Time indeed flies as I have just crossed my 15th anniversary few days back as an general insurance practioner. I have started my journey back in 1995 with Hong Leong Assurance (HLA) as a management trainee. On the first day of work, I was told by Lim Sze Yeen, the then HR executive I was one of the eight candidates selected out of nearly 120 applicants for the opportunity. Hmm, felt proud and honour of such feat. It is at HLA, I build up my foundation in my corporate career. It was shaping strongly to be a honourable entrepreneur through its 8 corporate values. Till today, I could still remember the values deep in my root.

Quality, Entrepreneurship, Integrity, Honour, Human Resource, Unity, Progress, Social Responsibility

Before securing the job in HLA, I had actually took up a two months temporary job as a production executive at the leading Taiwanese textiles factory operating in Nilai, Seremban. The main objective at Hualon Textiles is to earn my fund reserves so that I could secure a better opportunity in my career.

Graduated as the first batch of molecular microbiology, I was supposed to take up a job in the lab or pharmaceutical lines of selling. I did try to apply for those jobs but the requirement was to have own transport by way of car as it involves sales. I have only cub chai and I am not prepared to invest in car in West Malaysia. I was only focusing on getting a job that I could later continue back to Kuching or Sibu. I was waiting for my girl friend to graduate and that wait is at least two years.

I went for few interviews and one interesting interview was that the GM and Directors were trying to bash me up mentally and accusing me of prejudice. We argued on the definition and finally I left the interview more informed of corporate approach. The very next day, I received a call from the Sales Director offering my the job. I declined the offer nicely if not I will be in Boreinger Manheim, a pharmaceutical firm (May be I should have tried and probably I will be in Germany for free training...kekeke)

I have been travelling on my cub cai to KL/PJ almost every week for nearly a month. I study the road map carefully before riding my faithful to interview place. It is a good experience.

Then came, the opportunity in HLA, an opportunity informed by my girlfriend who spotted the advertisement. The first interview that I had with HLA was over the phone. An English communication test and I passed the test and was advised for interview the following week. Arriving at 18th floor of Wisma HLA at Jalan Raja Chulan, I was guided to a room and was given 3 essay questions for a pick to write only one. (I remember that in the room there were 3 other candidates). I chose to share the best experience that I have in the last 3 years. I wrote about my deep learning as resourceful and resilience (never die attitude) of a final year student when I was challenged to the max in completing my honours project. I think it took me 1 hour to write the 3 pages and I guess about 600 words. Ideas was flowing easily as it was my personal experience.

After I submitted the essay to a lady (I could not remember the name), I was advised to wait for my turn for actual interview. As an innnocent young man, I entered the interview room and there Sze Yeen and a small fella with a moustache by the rank of GM were ready to interview me.

...to be continued...

My Own 2010 KRAs

Top line - RM19.9m

Bottom line - RM1.0m

Teambuilding 2009

It is another accomplishment for this year. This event has definitely melt down the "I" among the team members and I hope the "WE" is budding strongly.

This one and a half day session which is divided into 3 main activities beside lunches, dinners and sleeping sessions has really nurtured team members to breakdown their defensive walls and nurtures their understanding as team members and friendship.

The 3 main activities are as follow;
a) Dry Session, where sharings were done in classroom style
b) Jungle Trekking, walking, climbing and crossing a 2km jungle trail
c) Building sand castle or designs at the beach

The group of us totalling 17 was divided into 3 groups namely "Kuat Makan", "Not Yet" & 'MPIB Boleh". Throughout the activities, team members have been working very closely in the name of TEAM WORK...(it really alive)...

The minor shortfall of this event would be...
a) We missed two of the team members who was unable to make it due to personal commitments.
b) We could have engaged a professional coordination for "full blast" effect (will make a difference in 2010).

Above all, I am personally satisfied that this team building event has achieved all the three objectives;
a) Deleting "I"
b) Budding "WE" values
c) Enjoy & Have Fun

I am looking forward to the maturing of "WE" values and growing in our personal values among all team members in facing the new challenges in 2010.

Key Performance Indicators (KPI)

I have learnt about this indicator eversince I joined the corporate world way back in 1995. It is a must in corporate organisation where results of the work is utmost upheld. Each employee is given a set of indicators to track their performance throughout the financial year. This indicator will be reviewed and discussed during the annual performance appraisal where the bonus, increment and promotion are considered.

Nevertheless, that is on the individual level and when all the indicators are combined, it must support the overall company's goals and objectives for the financial year. The CEO will be having the overall responsibility to ensure the KPI of the company is achieved through the implementation of various individual units.

Today, the government under the leadership of our PM had openly declared the KPIs must be in place and is to be achieved for good governance. Agreeable, this is a good approach to lead a good governance. However, a good declaration and the success of this implementation is very much depending the real performance review and follow up actions periodically. Any of the minister who perform below average must be identified and replaced whilst those perform well, must be appreciated and entrusted for bigger roles. Likewise it goes down the hierarchy to the respective ministries, departmental, unit heads.

Quarterly result must be disclosed and reviewed to ensure the progress is tracked and if any of the actions need to replaced or enhanced, it can be identified and acted upon.

In company, the internal and external customers will be providing feedbacks, constructive complaints or even mere dissatisfaction or grouses over the services or implementation of programmes not effectively meet the needs of the users. In the same manner, NGOs, oppositions or rakyat could air through proper channels to provide feedbacks to the government on the non-performance.

It is also encouraged that if any of the good performance delivered, an appreciation of support should be made unselfishly as to spur the performers to continue with their good action rather than just highlighting the weaknesses which could be counter productive.

I believe if everyone subscribe truely to the goodness of KPIs, we will be building a great company, supporting in our effort to support a progressive nation leading to greater respect by others.

Cash Before Trial

In corporate environment especially in the financial industry, it is a very sacred understanding of having highest integrity. One may always be hearing a lot hidden doings but true enough many were caught not charged. It may also due to long delay of authority investigation or probably the softer part of Malaysian culture or tidak apa attitude of us locally which may have encourage more became bolder in their action.

One may escape the charges but will not escape the punishment of life. Easy come and easy go. Time will prove if one has the patience.

Setinggi-tinggi tupai melompat, akhirnya jatuh ke tanah juga. One may thought that the community may be forgiving or forgetful but when one is caught, he or she may just have to count their days....praying for understanding and consideration but it will be definitely a disgrace to oneself, family & friends. So better do not cash before trial...it is never worth to be part of this evil acts...