Strike, strike more.

For me who is just a amateur badminton player, some more an ordinary one, smashing doesn't give me a lot of advantage in winning points. Usually for my badminton gang with the similar standards, they are able to retrieve my attacking shots. In fact, the aggressive playing style will drain me more energy, considering that I'm not that young any more. However, I enjoy the adrenaline rush of attacking, so that my principle is "attack is the best defense". I will rather to play a game whereby I am satisfy to give out my best to charge than winning a game by dragging and defensing. That probably explain part of my intrinsic character.

Rosy Vision vs. Reality

Yesterday, I had a lunch with a customer whom i knew in the past. Our conversation naturally touch about the previous servers that we had sold to them in my previous company. It was touted by my previous company that it's one of the most powerful machine on the earth, with ease of deployment and simple management. However, from what been told, there are apparently some hiccups in the production, and performance is yet to be tuned to the level we preached. Sometimes in sales organization, I tried to be as honest as possible to the customer, but a lot of time that the materials downloaded to us by the company was packaged too perfect. I have to remind myself in future that I shall be true to myself and reckon that I shall not oversell for the benefits of myself and our customers.

Priority

I remembered years back, there is a project manager told me that "You need to prioritize" when she respond to the problem of under-resource in our team. My objection was "well, i can prioritize, but can I drop those items in the bottom of the list". My objection was futile then, i still need to complete everything, but by wielding the magic wand of prioritization, all tasks will be completed brilliantly.

Nonetheless my topic today is not about priority in work, but priority in life. Last week, i heard a talk by my fellow toastmaster. He told us that he sworn to himself that he will spend at least 45 minutes daily with his kids. He said that he rather do it early than late, while he can still shaped the mind of his kids. He told us that if our kids are neglected, you won't know who do they mingling with and you may regret one day. I start reflecting myself, is family my priority, why do I spend much time in front of my laptop or hand phone? Do i spend enough time with my kids.

I think I need to remind myself more often.

Generous gifts

This morning a colleague who just came back from Thailand hand me a bar of chocolate as a souvenir gift. The price tag was still on the gift, I notice that it cost almost RM50. Considering we are not very close yet, and my another colleagues are also receiving other gifts. So far this is the most generous gift i received from a colleague after their trip. Usually we will receive some post cards, sea shells or refrigerator magnetic but seldom "pricey" item like this :) My the other colleague quip that, "she is rich...". Anyway, it's with good intention, it doesn't mean rich people are necessary generous, in Chinese saying, "For some people, the richer they are, the more stringier they become". So we are still feel grateful to her.

Then I share this story with my younger sister. Apparently she has similar experience. Once she received a travelling gift from an fund analyst which worth around RM 100. Considering there is no direct interest on their working relationship, so there is no question of business conduct violation.

For me, I think it boils down to which social classes we usually mix around. For some people, my story may be worthless to brag about. So, what's the most expensive gift that you ever receive in work? Of course, you shall only count those without any intentions behind.

They don't care about what you knows, until they know how much you cares

It happens that after I blog the last post, I run into the above quote "They don't care about how much you know, until they know how much you care". It makes me feel guilty for being too cynical in the last post. What happens outside of me, I can't do anything about it, but I can think positively towards it, and get myself adapt and make use of the external environment.

I feel the quote is very true, and decide to share it here. For if you want others listen to you, you first have to listen to them and understand what's their motive.

Things which are more important than knowledge

After working for a darn 15 years, i am getting more convinced that there are always things which are more important than knowledge. Things like your face. Yes, like it or not, handsome or pretty person has the advantage. People just loath to talk to you, avoid staring at your face, and there you lose your deal. Secondly is about the command of language. Though I had been learning English for good old 20 years, nonetheless flowery words just can't flow out from my mouth naturally. It's merely because I grown up in a non-English speaking environment, I just don't blend in naturally to those English speaking circles. Then it's about how your lifestyle, the more down-to-earth are you, whereby you rather play badminton than play golf, there you choose the place you end up with. I have seen people, now most of them are younger than me, drive the posh car, dressed in the latest vogue, they don't even need to speak, they already win. Who really care what's inside behind your skull. There are just too many other things, like who you know, who's your buddies, who's your drinking partners... so if you prefer to go back after 5, and lock yourself up with your family, you just not belong into the class. Therefore, the world operate in such a order that the technician knows better than the engineer, and the IT architect is talking about business and not IT. The IT vendor are educated to talk business and ROI, the customer told them so "I don't care how the system works, how it's going to benefit my BUSINESS?"

Time's up, I have to get back to my work and continue cram in impressive statements into my business value proposal.

A swimming pool saga

Yesterday, i brought the kids to swimming pool, my youngest is so excited when she reached there, she immediately jump into pool with the lifebuoy surrounding her neck instead of properly putting it on round her waist. Imagine this happened to a 2 years old kid. Immediately she submerge into the water. My father and wife straightaway ask me go into the pool to pull her up. Without thinking twice, i ran into the pool and bring her up back to the pool side. She is okay due to the flash rescue.

Then i realize my phone is still inside the pockets of my trousers. I instantly pull the phone out and see the display is showing distorting images. My heart sinks. Based on what i learned from others, i take out the battery and switched off the phone. After went back home, i use the hair dryer to blow it thoroughly. Then i left it overnight, praying everything will be fine again. I spent a whole night without the phone. I start worrying about my phone contact, my tons of application, data, task lists, e-books, photo etc. Like everybody else, today the phone had become so private and become actually part of you.

Next morning, first thing i do is to turn on the phone, and found the display show yellowish display. I'm thinking I will lost it forever. I switch it off again, and turn it back on after i reached office. I am so grateful the phone revive suddenly, may be water inside the phone had evaporated. I quickly backup everything inside the phone lest it may die again.

This small incident testify again how most of us today are so reliant and mentally attached to our phone. I know this is not a good thing, may be one day when i am no longer working, then i will have the luxury to have some "phone-free" day.

Victory has 1000 fathers, and defeat is an orphan

Ugly faces in workplace

One of the most loathsome things in the workplace for me is seeing a bunch of your colleagues flatter the so-called "expert". The expert do carry some credibility, however the way these people treating him as if he is the god really make me feel sick. In such situation, you have 2 choices, 1) to follow the majority and betray your own conscience; 2) to be yourself and make yourself the only eccentric, and eventually you will be thrown out from the circle.

Whatever you want to say i am just sour grape, but I really wish one day I do not need to deal with this bullshits.

Secret of happiness

Having a lunch listening to friend complaining about his work. The whole conversation becomes grey. That makes me reflect that am I such a person most the time. Will like to know how to become a positive person, and spread the positive energy. Emotion can be contagion. There is always thing that you can't own or get in life, why some can just easily get over it while others not.

That keep me wonder about the secret of happiness. I am seeking the answer.

Some are looking to come in, some are looking to go out

The above statement can't be more true in the sales organization. Recently saw an exodus of employees from our company. And funny still, just recently chat over with a customer whether he/she should accept job offers from our company. Some one I knew in the internet said this is first time she ever immediately reject job hunter's offer even before listening to him. Whether a company is shabby, has nothing to do if it's a company suits you. Some of the friends apparent works in the best performed company but also curse and swear all days.

Don't save a penny, but lose a dollar