Why Do I Join The Food Technology Community?

Last post was in Jan. This looks like quarterly post now, huh? Been wanting to revisit my blog but what triggers me to do so today was due to a flashback of my interview session with the lecturer for my English course in USM. It was a simple ice breaker question but one that I will and I hope to remember for years to come.

Lecturer: So why do you choose Food Technology?

Me: I am interested to learn what Food Technology can bring to the world, in terms of food preservation and technologies available to help to feed the world.

The answer came impromptu just like that. Something that I "goreng" on the spot and hence can remember because I put some thought into it. I chose Food Technology during university entry application due to a senior giving a talk about Food Technology course he had chosen as an undergraduate. We were Form 6 students at that time, I think. 

I slept off after typing the above paragraph and woke up super early, like 4.30am. Is this called insomnia? Or maybe due to me sleeping with lights on. I have been having this quite frequently recently. When I woke up, I was thinking... but it was also due to advances in food technology, microbiology and biotechnology that we get more and more detection of food fraud, waste of food etc.

When food is made to last longer, people tend to hoard foods and just throw them away when they are no longer good to eat. Especially with our modern lifestyle where one barely get the time to cook on weekdays! 

Getting back to the reason why I am interested with Food Technology... now I am revisiting where I am, now that I have worked for  8 years. Time flies, huh? Now, I tend to get demotivated pretty fast and tend to give up finding solution fast as well and jump into conclusion pretty fast as well. First two jobs as QA for 6 years and 3rd job as Technical Service for 1.5 years. 

Looking at the statistics, it is pretty clear to say that I definitely need more honing as TS person as different skill set is needed. I took up TS job because I am greedy for exposure and want to explore the vulnerable side of me. The side of me who never felt comfortable in business setting, lack of commercial mindset etc. I think I know where I am now. I have no interest for deep understanding of food ingredient knowledge unless have to, something not a TS should be doing.

When my application to be home based wasn't approved, I was sort of relieved as I will need to leave the company somehow. Sort of not having to dilly dally between resigning or not. That decision was made in April and now it is June. After browsing through Jobstreet and Linkedin job randomly, I finally mustered the courage to click on 3 jobs. All are not food industry related and required knowledge in ISO standards which I am not familiar with. At least something to kick start with, right?

It isn't easy to change job so often, something I would never have thought of doing. There was one time when a hiking friend shook my hand and was reading my palm. She told me that I am a capable person and will work for many companies. Judging my situation now, it seemed so. 3 jobs within 8 years or working, averaging almost 3 years per job. The current situation of neither too junior nor too senior doesn't make my transition back to Penang any more easier. With the lack of sizeable food industries in Penang, I am left without much choice if I don't wish to down grade too much from KL salary.

It is all in mindset I guess. If you think you can, you can. As for interviewing, I must remind myself to introduce my self-worth and don't think of it as I am begging for the job. It is a win-win situation for both. You need employee and I need a job. It should be treated as an agreement between both parties to work together. That should be it. We all should change our mindset. With each job, I am gaining different experience, in terms of work management, human management etc. Not rosy at all times but definitely a must pass through part of my life.

Wish me luck in job hunting. I better start to contact the head hunters and my ex-employer. Who knows if I will have some luck. And work on my ex-colleague suggestion to send in resume to the company I am interested to work in, rather than waiting for any posting on job vacancy.

Jia you, Pheo. Your mindset needs quite some tuning to do!

Quotes for Charlie Chaplin's 125th birthday

Got this circulated in Whatsapp and finds it meaningful...

Charlie Chaplin... a good comedian, true to our hearts...

With his 3 heart-touching statements:

 

#1

Nothing is permanent in this world, not even our troubles.

 

#2

I like walking in the rain, because nobody can see my tears.

 

#3

The most wasted day in life is the day in which we have not laughed.

 

 

Golden Rules For Living

From LifeHack...

1. If you open it, close it.

2. If you turn it on, turn it off.

3. If you unlock it, lock it up.

4. If you break it, admit it.

5. If you can't fix it, call in someone who can.

6. If you borrow it, return it.

7. If you value it, take care of it.

8. If you make a mess, clean it up.

9. If you move it, put it back.

10. If it belongs to someone else, get permission to use it.

11. If you don't know how to operate it, leave it alone.

12. If it's none of your business, don't ask question.

Marriage - a heroic act of self-gift

Marriage - heroic act of self-gift.

New to me.

Click (Paradox of choice) to know what I am talking about.

There's a difference between

a consumer who is looking to use a person for his own end and

a lover who is seeking to discover the beloved.

 

A consumer evaluates his options;

a lover woos his beloved.

 

A consumer considers the trade-offs of not choosing Jennifer in favor of Ashley;

a lover just looks into the eyes of his beloved and asks, "Ashley, will you marry me?"

 

A consumer is enticed then carefully calculates;

a lover is bewitched then ardently pursues.

 

A consumer shops, seeking the best deal;

a lover discerns, seeking to know the other person.

 

In courting and choosing whom to marry, we would do well to focus on the person and to remind ourselves that marriage is about giving ourselves in love to another person, and not primarily about individual fulfillment. Marriage rescues us from the paradox of choice and introduces us to the paradox of gift:

 

Give yourself,

and you find yourself.

 

Focus on your needs, your happiness, your desires,

and you get neither fulfillment of your needs, happiness, nor desires.

 

Give yourself unreservedly to your beloved,

and you discover the meaning of life.

2 Quotes of The Day

You don't drown by falling in the water; you drown by staying there

- Edwin Louis Cole -
  

It is not stress that kills us. It is effective adaptation to stress that allows us to live.

- George Vaillant -

 

 

So so true...

 

We choose our own path

We live by the decision

We bear the consequence of the decision

We learn from whatever mistake made

We triumph over any correct decision made

 

Most important of all

We need to manage our own thoughts

We need to manage our own emotions

We need to learn to listen to our own voice

We need to consider the inner we

 

7 Principles of Eagles

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PRINCIPLE 1

Eagles fly alone at high altitude and not with sparrows or other small birds. No other bird can get to the height of the eagle. Stay away from sparrows and ravens.

 

Eagles fly with Eagles.

 

 

PRINCIPLE 2

Eagles have strong vision. They have the ability to focus on something up to five kilometers away. When an eagle sites his prey, he narrows his focus on it and set out to get it. No matter the obstacles, the eagle will not move his focus from the prey until he grabs it.

 

Have a vision and remain focused no matter what the obstacle will be and you will succeed.

 

 

PRINCIPLE 3

Eagles do not eat dead things. They feed only on fresh prey. Vultures eat dead animals, but eagles will not.

 

Be careful with what you feed your eyes and ears with, especially in movies and on TV. Steer clear of outdated and old information. Always do your research well.

 

 

PRINCIPLE 4

Eagles love the storm. When clouds gather, the eagles get excited. The eagle uses the storm's wind to lift it higher. Once it finds the wind of the storm, the eagle uses the raging storm to lift him above the clouds. This gives the eagle an opportunity to glide and rest its wings. In the meantime, all the other birds hide in the leaves and branches of the trees.

 

We can use the storms of life to rise to greater heights. Achievers relish challenges and use them profitably.

 

 

PRINCIPLE 5

The eagle tests before it trusts. When a female eagle meets a male and they want to mate, she flies down to earth with the male pursuing her and she picks a twig. She flies back into the air with the male pursuing her.

 

Once she has reached a height high enough for her, she lets the twig fall to the ground and watches it as it falls. The male chases after the twig. The faster it falls, the faster he chases it. He has to catch it before it falls to the ground. He then brings it back to the female eagle.

The female eagle grabs the twig and flies to a higher altitude and then drops the twig for the male to chase. This goes on for hours, with the height increasing until the female eagle is assured that the male eagle has mastered the art of catching the twig which shows commitment. Then and only then, will she allow him to mate with her.

 

Whether in private life or in business, one should test commitment of people intended for partnership.

 

 

PRINCIPLE 6

When ready to lay eggs, the female and male eagle identify a place every high on a cliff where no predators can reach. The male flies to earth and picks thorns and lays them on the crevice of the clidd, then flies to earth again to collect twigs which he lays in the intended nest. He flies back to earth and picks thorns laying them on top of the twigs. He flies back to earth and picks soft grass to cover the thorns.

 

When this first layering is complete the male eagle runs back to earth and picks more thorns, lays them on the nest; runs back to get grass on top of the thorns, then plucks his feathers to complete the nest. The thorns on the outside of the nest protect it from possible intruders. Both male and female eagles participate in raising the eagle family. She lays the eggs and protects them; he builds the nest and hunts. During the time of training the young ones to fly, the mother eagle throws the eaglets out of the nest. Because they are scared, they will jump into the nest again.

 

Next, she throws them out and then takes off the soft layers of the nest, leaving the thorns bare. When the scared eaglets again jump into the nest, they are pricked by thorns. Shrieking and bleeding they jump out again, this time wondering why the mother and father who love them so much are torturing them. Next, mother eagle pushes them off the cliff into the air. As they shriek in fear, father eagle flies out and catches them up on his back before they fall and brings them back to the cliff. This goes on for sometime until they start flapping their wings. They get excited at this new found knowledge that they can fly.

 

The preparation of the nest teaches us to prepare for changes. The preparation for the family teaches us that active participation of both partners leads to success. The being pricked by the thorns tells us that sometimes being too comfortable where we are may result into our not experiencing life, not progressing and not learning at all. The thorns of life come to teach us that we need to grow, get out of the nest and live on. We may not know it but the seemingly comfortable and safe haven may have thorns.

 

The people who love us do not let us languish in sloth but push us hard to grow and prosper. Even in their seemingly bad actions they have good intentions for us. 

 

 

PRINCIPLE 7

When an eagle grows old, his feathers become weak and cannot take him as fast as he should. When he feels weak and about to die, he retires to a place far away in the rocks. While there, he plucks out every feather on his body until he is completely bare. He stays in this hiding place until he has grown new feathers, then he can come out.

 

We occasionally need to shed off old habits and items that burden us without adding to our lives.

 

Gratitude

If you have never experienced

the danger of war or the solitude of imprisonment,

the agony of torture and hunger,

you are much ahead of the 500 million people who live in this world.

If you have food in your refrigerator,

clothes to wear, a roof on your head and a place to sleep,

you are richer than the 75% of the people who live on this earth.

If you can go to your place of worship

without being threatened, arrested, tortured or killed,

you are luckier than the 3,000,000,000 persons of this world.

If you have money in your bank account and your wallet

and some loose change in some little box,

you are one of the world's 8% well-to-do population.

Work as if you have no need of the money,

Love as if nobody ever made you suffer,

Dance as if nobody is watching you,

Sing as if nobody is hearing you,

Live as if the paradise were on this earth.

How To Succeed In Life

Talk - softly

Eat - sensibly

Breathe - deeply

Sleep - sufficiently

Dress - smartly

Act - fearlessly

Work - patiently
Think - creatively

Behave - decently

Earn - honestly

Save - regularly

Spend - intelligently

Fight - hardly

12 Symptoms of Spiritual Awakening

#1

An increased tendency to let things happen rather than make things happen

 

#2

Frequent attacks of smiling

 

#3

Feelings of being connected with others and nature

 

#4

Frequent overwhelming episodes of appreciation

 

#5

A tendency to think and act spontaneously rather than from fears based on past experience

 

#6

An unmistakable ability to enjoy each moment

 

#7

A loss of ability to worry

 

#8

A loss of interest in conflict

 

#9

A loss of interest in interpreting the actions of others

 

#10

A loss of interest in judging others

 

#11

A loss of interest in judging self

 

#12

Gaining the ability to love without expecting anything



Quotes

It has been awhile I haven't been sharing any quotes... These are among my favourite few...

There are two sides to a coin,

Always look towards the bright side when faced with a problem.

~Unknown~

If you are not willing to learn, no one can help you.

If you are determined to learn, no one can stop you.

~Anonymous~

Success is like a beautiful lover, it will leave us at any time.

But failure is like a mother, it will teach us some important lessons of life!

~Unknown~

Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom.

Mastering others is strength; mastering yourself is true power.

~Lao Tzu~

Silence and smile are 2 powerful tools.

Smile is the way to solve many problems and

Silence is the way to avoid many problems.

~Unknown~

The flower that blooms in adversity is the rarest and most beautiful of all.

~Mulan~

The miracle isn't that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start.

~John Bingham~

There comes time when you have to choose between turning the page and closing the book.

~Anonymous~

One who fears failure limits his activities.

Failure is only the opportunity to more intelligently begin again.

~Henry Ford~

The greatest mistake in life is to continually be afraid you'll make one.

~Elbert Hubbard~

Failure teaches success.

~Japanese saying~

I think it's very healthy to spend time along.

You need to know how to be alone and not defined by another person.

~Oscar Wilde~

The most difficult time in any transition is when we think that success is in sight.

~Aung San Suu Kyi~

Press on. Obstacles are seldom the same size tomorrow as they are today.

~Robert H. Schuller~

Winners never quit and quitters never win.

~Unknown~

The secret to getting ahead is getting started.

~Unknown~

You must make a CHOICE to take a CHANCE or your life will never CHANGE.

~Unknown~

Success is not a matter of being the best and winning the race;

Success if a matter of handling the worst and finishing the race.

~Unknown~

I can accept failure, but I can't accept not trying.

~Michael Jordan~

A positive attitude may not solve every problem

but it makes solving any problem a more pleasant experience.

~Unknown~

It takes a deep commitment to change

and an even deeper commitment to grow.

~Ralph Ellison~

There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice,

but there must never be a time when we fail to protest.

~Elie Wiesel, writer, Nobel Laureate (b. 1928)~

The key is not to prioritise what's on your schedule,

but to schedule your priorities.

~Stephen Covey~

DISC Personality Test

I first heard about this test from WL. I like befriending him, and I think that WL, SK, BH and I are of the same type, like motivational and personal review stuff. The only difference we have is that they puts them into action and use. Go for the free test here. This is what I knew after trying the test.

The highest percentage is likely to be your most dominant personality factor, the second highest your next most dominant personality factor and so on. As such for you the DISC factors are ordered as: Dominance, Steadiness, Influence, Compliance.

DISC Personality Model

Dominance

- Describes the way you deal with problems, assert yourself and control situations.

Influence    

- Describes the way you deal with people, the way you communicate and relate to others.

Steadiness 

- Describes your temperament - patience, persistence, and thoughtfulness.

Compliance

- Describes how you approach and organize your activity, procedures and responsibilities.

DISC Personality Profile

15 DISC Patterns or Profiles:

Achiever, Coach, Evaluator, Counselor, Creative, Individualist, Inspirational, Investigator, Objective Thinker, Perfectionist, Persuader, Practitioner, Enthusiast, Results-Oriented or Specialist.

Here are descriptions given for people who score comparatively high and comparatively low on each of the four DISC dimensions.

********************************************************************************************************

High Dominance:

They are usually direct and positive with people, enjoying being the centre of attraction and may take it for granted that people will think highly of them. They may have a tendency to be rather critical of others. Consequently, other people may tend to see them as being rather domineering and overpowering.-enjoy competition and challenges.

-are goal orientated and want to be recognised for their efforts.

-aim high, want authority and are generally resourceful and adaptable.

-are usually self-sufficient and individualistic.

-may lose interest in projects once the challenge has gone and they tend to be impatient and dissatisfied with minor detail.

Low Dominance:
They are generally well liked because of their mild and gentle nature. Other people will tend to see them as being patient, calm, thoughtful and a good listener.

-tend to want peace and harmony.

-prefer to let others initiate action and resolve problems.

-are quiet and indirect in their approach to most situations.

-are usually cautious and calculate risks carefully before acting.

********************************************************************************************************

High Influence:

Sometimes their concern for people and people's feelings may make them reluctant to disturb a favourable situation or relationship.

-are strongly interested in meeting and being with people.

-are generally optimistic, outgoing, and socially skilled.

-are quick at establishing relationships.

Low Influence:
They may well have learned and developed good social skills but they only bring these into play when logic dictates such tactics.

-are usually socially passive.

-quite frequently have an affinity for things, machinery and equipment.

-are generally comfortable working alone.

-frequently have a tendency to be analytical and once they have sorted the facts out they communicate them in a straightforward direct way.

-tend to take little at face value.

********************************************************************************************************

High Steadiness:

Generally they have the ability to deal with the task in hand and to do routine work with patience and care.

 

-are usually patient, calm and controlled.

-have a high willingness to help others particularly those they consider as friends.

Low Steadiness:
They enjoy stretching themselves intellectually and physically.

-tend to enjoy change and variety in their work and non-work life.

-are expansive by nature and tend not to like routine and repetitive work/activities.

 

********************************************************************************************************

High Compliance:

They prefer sticking to methods that have proved successful in the past. They have a high acceptance of rules and regulations.

-are usually peaceful and adaptable.

-tend not to be aggressive.

-tend to be cautious rather than impulsive.

-avoid risk-taking.

-act in a tactful, diplomatic way and strive for a stable, ordered life.

-are comfortable following procedures in both their personal and business life.

Low Compliance:

Free in thought, word and deed, they long for freedom and go to great lengths to achieve it.

They feel that repetitive detail and routine work is best "delegated" or avoided.

 

-are independent and uninhibited.

-resent rules and restrictions.

-prefer to be measured by results and are always willing to try the untried.

********************************************************************************************************

 

Well, I am of the HIGH DOMINANCE type.  What's yours? Here is mine:

"You are responsive to challenges in a practical, realistic and enthusiastic manner. You are a fact orientated person capable of providing help based on solid information. You are assertive, self-sufficient and individualistic. People are likely to perceive you as being rational and creative at the same time."

 

Positive Family

Saw this in FB,

Nice light-hearted humor yet cute enough to lighten up my day,

Nice illustration to bring out the message as well,

I like this family a lot, but hey, no joke, I don't think you want to name your kids this way...

Before You Do Anything...

Before you talk,

LISTEN.

Before you react,

THINK.

Before you criticize,

WAIT.

Before you pray,

FORGIVE.

Before you quit,

TRY.

Think Higher

A man saw a poor boy looking at his beautiful and expensive car; so he offered the boy a ride...

After the drive,

Boy: Your car is so marvellous, it might be so expensive?! How much does it cost?
Man: I don't know, my brother has given it to me!
Boy: Wow so nice of him...
Man: I know what you're thinking. You also want  a brother like him.
Boy: NO. I WANT TO BE A BROTHER LIKE HIM.

Moral: Always think and act higher than people's expectations.

New Mission

Before: 55 - 57 kg
Now: 58 - 60 kg
Target: 58 kg

State:
Pathetic, fat accumulates mostly in tummy area, as waist-to-hip ratio was slightly higher than the recommended ratio.

Goal:
Reduce weight and maintain at 58kg, nothing more, can be less.

Plan:
1. Diet control
> portion control.
> lesser carbo.
> try hard on smaller meal portion after 8pm (slightly hard since it's quite late after sports or work).

2. Exercise
> stick to weekly hiking and badminton sessions.
> can consider resume jogging, in view of upcoming Penang bridge marathon in Nov.
> still thinking whether to resume yoga classes.
> swimming... perhaps can consider... new year wishes but unlikely to happen this year.

10 W.O.R.D.S

The most selfish ONE-letter word

I

Avoid it

 

The most satisfying TWO-letter word

W.E.

Use it

 

The most poisonous THREE-letter word

E.G.O.

Overcome it

 

The most used FOUR-letter word

L.O.V.E.

Value it

 

The most pleasing FIVE-letter word

S.M.I.L.E.

Keep it

 

The fastest spreading SIX-letter word

R.U.M.O.U.R.

Ignore it

 

The hardest working SEVEN-letter word

S.U.C.C.E.S.S.

Achieve it

 

The most enviable eight-letter word

J.E.A.L.O.U.S.Y.

Distance yourself from it

 

The most powerful NINE-letter word

K.N.O.W.L.E.D.G.E.

Acquire it

 

The most valued TEN-letter word

F.R.I.E.N.D.S.H.I.P.

Maintain it

 

Words of Wisdom

The most destructive habit ... Worry
The greatest joy ... Giving
The greatest loss ... Loss of self-respect

The most satisfying work ... Helping others
The ugliest personality trait ... Selfishness
The most endangered species ... Dedicated leaders
Our greatest natural reserves ... Our youth

The greatest 'shot in the arm' ... Encouragement
The greatest problem to overcome ... Fear
The most effective sleeping pill ... Peace of mind
The most crippling failure disease ... Excuses

The most powerful force in life ... Love
The most dangerous act ... Gossip
The world's most incredible computer ... The brain
The worst thing to be without ... Hope

The deadliest weapon ... The tongue
The two most power-filled words ... 'I can'
The greatest asset ... Faith
The most worthless emotion ... Self-pity

The most beautiful attire ... A SMILE!
The most prized possession ... Integrity
The most powerful channel of communication ... Prayer
The most contagious spirit ... Enthusiasm

Life ends ... when you stop  Dreaming
Hope ends ... when you stop Believing
Love ends ... when you stop Caring
And Friendship ends ... when you stop Sharing!!!

That's why I am sharing this...

The Balance Sheet of Life

To those of you who had learnt some super basic accounting before, I believe you will like this...

Our Birth is our Opening Balance
Our Death is our Closing Balance
Our Prejudiced Views are our Liabilities
Our Creative Ideas are our Assets

The Heart is our Current Asset
The Soul is our Fixed Asset
The Brain is our Fixed Deposit
Thinking is our Current Account

Achievements are our Capital
Character & Morals are our Stock-in-Trade
Friends are our General Reserves
Values & Behaviour are our Goodwill

Patience is our Interest Earned
Love is our Dividend
Children are our Bonus Issues
Education is our Brand / Patent / Intellectual Property

Knowledge is our Investment
Experience is our Premium Account
The Aim is to Tally the Balance Sheet Accurately
The Goal is to get the Best Presented Accounts Award

Have you achieved a balanced life.... I mean a balanced account yet?

Thanks for your comment my friend

I had posted this before in mid-August and to my surprise, a good friend of mine replied. Genuine comments and advices intertwined with some lame jokes of course. But I do appreciate his comments (in italic blue) as it does reminds me not to think or expect too much, thanks T! Read the original post here.

P.A.S.S.I.O.N.
(Preserver Awake Small Simple Obligation Neurosis)

An easy 7 letters word.
(Not simple at all)

Something I am searching for right now.

Be it...

In work...

In relationship...

In life...

Recently I seem to ponder a lot,

Searching for answers which I can't find,
(There are no perfect answer to what you want to find, is what you create in life that counts)

Probably I didn't search seriously,

Perhaps I've reached the junction,
(Junction with choices in life... not the End of the road right?)

Junction where I've felt stagnant,

Finding my way,

To regain whatever self-drive purpose,

Or kick in life,

Which I am lacking now.

(Change the way you live your life, the clothing, the food, the daily routine... try new things... Change of JoB the last choice if required)

Is this called soul searching?
(No, this is called daily routine)

A search for something,

Where I have a sense of belonging?
(You belong to this life & the future, definitely not the past)

How will I know if I won't feel the same again,
(You won't... as you will not know that you have changed as what you experienced during your decision making after Form 3, Science or Art class... Ha ha)

After few more years down the road?

Is this normal?
(Very normal)

Having several junctures in life,
(Very norm also)

Where you have to do some soul searching...
(Now in 7th Lunar Month can find everywhere... No need to search far, a few circling you right now)

I don't call this emo anymore,
(No, this is insane, worrying over the same thing again & again, but expecting different result)

There was this something inside me,

Which triggers all these.

Just like when I was contemplating a job transfer,
(Wanna Change... Change lah... What to lose... if you fully consider the benefits, salary must be more than current between range 15 to 40%, future room for development, location near or far, fuel & toll to cover (Rent), company background & self satisfaction & No regrets... Any new environment will have new things to learn in life... ha ha)

Where my rational mind says go,

While my heart sends me a signal to reconsider,
(Tabulate out the Pros & Cons... If Pro is 70% more than Cons then go ahead... If the other way round then forget about it...)

Where in the end I did listen to my heart,
(Sometimes don't listen to Heart 100%, follow the facts, heart only gives you some hints)

Can it be that my heart is trying to tell me something again?

I don't believe that I felt stagnant already,

It must be that I lack something,

Perhaps a drive or something,

Maybe I am searching if this is the life I want,
(You create your life while living in it...)

Something which I myself can't answer.
Being indecisive is torturing and something which I can't help.
(Facts of life)

I know that if I don't settle this,

It will surely crop up again sooner or later.

Do I need a change?

Do I have the courage?

I just need an enlightened moment,

Once I get the answer,

I know my path will be clear,
(No one will know what he/she wants in life if there is a goal to achieve in life... What is your goal??? You are asking the wrong question...)

No more vagueness.

Of course it can still change.
(To be better or worse... It is still up to your mind to set)

A plan is after all still a plan.

Soul searching still...
(Hantu Gangster)

FYI, Hantu Gangster is a another local movie directed by Namewee, our controversial local artist.

Choosing Your No.2

Been keeping myself away from FB recently and so far it seems to work though the hands itch at times. I have resumed my reading routine especially since I have quite a number of magazines piling on my desk, waiting for me to flip open and dig into their contents. Today I have come across an article from Fortune Aug 13, 2012 edition, written by Jack and Suzy Welch on "Looking for a Great No.2?" I will skip on the American politic part to the best I could.

They listed 6 qualities that you must look for before you pick your No.2 (No.2 refers to the best man available after the leader of an organization, may be referring to vice-president, deputy director, etc, you got what I mean. Let's use the term vice-president in this context, to make description easier):

> First, a vice-president must be able to be president.

From day one alone, and not eventually. It creates confidence and sends out the message that the bottom will never fall our of the system. A No.2 should be able to take over the helm from No.1 without hesitation.

> Second, a vice-president can't be a clone of the president.

There's just no point. A No.2 must have different skills and abilities from No.1's, as meaningful as they are complementary.

> Third, A second in command has to have guts.

Why? Because No.2 has the profound responsibility to look No.1 in the eye and deliver the awkward, unpleasant, and even painful messages that no one else can: "This is what people are thinking but not telling you" or "You might come off too strongly in that meeting. To some people, it probably looked as if you weren't listening". A No. 2 needs certain fearlessness, an attitude born of self-confidence and candor.

> Fourth, A VP has to project gravitas and be a signifcant presence, but cannot overshadow the president.

The leader needs to be the focal point for the organization - fully aware and in charge. Appearances matter, also related to confidence in the system.

> Fifth, The VP has to be a real partner to the President - keeping confidences and blocking attempts from below to divide and conquer.

Organization is always filled with politicking and intrigue. We can't have a VP's office that is a place to shop ideas or slip initiatives through. Even if they disagree - which they should - in public, the VP and President must stand as one.

> Finally, A No.2 should ideally help bring a critical constituency into the fold.

It sounds awfully political but there are always factions to dealw ith, from the sales force tot he techies. In business, as in picking the second most powerful person in the land, politics matters.

Jack and Suzy Welch are Reuters columnist. Jack was the CEO of General Electric for 21 years and is the founder of the Jack Welch Management Institution at Strayer University. Suzy is an author, speaker, and former editor of the Harvard Business Review.