Being Strategic

At last something I thought worth blogging about. This morning I finally got down to analysing some survey data that I had collected recently. Can't reveal much here as it will first need to be published the Management and then shared on BFM 89.9 first before I can divulge more details here in my personal blog. However, suffice to say that most senior Malaysian HR leaders view their roles from a much more strategic perspectives in the future than they are currently.

That is good news as I often draw laughter when I ask in my workshops "If you were a CEO, who would you take out for lunch...the financial guy or the HR guy?" The answer is of course obvious and my participants know it too.

The not so good news, which was not revealed by the survey though but rather from my observation, is that most business leaders who are heading businesses now don't know how to and/or don't want to elevate the status of their respective HR departments to a more strategic position. They are content to make the HR deal with union issues, policing the workforce and organise annual dinners.

So then the question is what will it take to make the HR team in every organisation more strategic? Well, the question really should be 'what needs to change for HR to become more strategic?' The answer to that is until an unless Malaysian organisations believe that strategy should drive culture HR professionals real worth as a strategic business partner will never be realised.

Now, say that I am a CEO of a local MNC in the telco industry. One day I wake up in the morning and wield my CEO wand and decree that henceforth the international operations will be hived off into a separate unit while the Malaysian operation will be managed independently. I then wave my CEO wand again and say the magic words
"Now go forth and do your stuff".

And magically my people go forth and do their stuff. The same stuff!

What will happen here you think? The poor man or woman who is going to lead this 'international operation' will then try to find the best square pegs from among his or her existing team to fit into the new hole of international business. This picture will of course will be entirely different if I as the CEO had used my CEO wand and asked the magic mirror this question : "Dear magic mirror on the wall....who among the fairest should make up the team of my new international business team?" The magic mirror will then say something like this "Dear master with the CEO wand....the ones who should make the new team must have the following 6 core competencies; they should have the following 7 skills and the leaders among them must have the following...." Now, what do I do? Do I say "Fine...people go and do your stuff"? No. I will go and find the HR guys on the whatever floor they have been holed up and tell them " Hey you HR guys, my strategic business mirror on the wall says that I need people with the following core competencies and their leaders apparently need to be able to demonstrate among others a 'global mind set'. Now what should I do.....I mean what are you going to do about that? Huh?

There....right there...when that beautiful question was asked...dawns the era of Strategic HR in my organisation!

A fairy tale you think?

2010 FIFA World Cup

What an apt time to get back to my blogging. Been travelling (on holiday) and working on 14 -16 hour-days lately and just so into what I am doing in my career that I just could not find the time to write although somehow I seem to find the energy to write for a business publication.

Anyway, today seems like a good time to get started again. World Cup Day!
In about 3.5 hours from now, South Africa will take on Mexico in the opening match of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. A football tournament that is used as a calender baseline for many including me. I look at things happening in my life in terms of 4 year time-blocks...when the World Cup is held. I measure years in that format. Its football and its THE World Cup! There is nothing grander or more passion inducing than the World Cup. And, it is indeed a 'world' cup. Unlike the 'world' series and championship played in certain sports in a certain country. This is the mother of all 'world cups' baby!

The 2010 World Cup is so imbued with meanings and messages that even those who are not particularly big fans of the game have to take note of. Firstly, it is being held in South Africa and the African continent for the first time. The fact that it is being held in South Africa is a symbolic thing all on its own and that God has been kind enough to allow Mr. Nelson Mandela to witness it is another matter altogether. South Africa had hosted and won the Rugby World Cup; so gorgeously illustrated by Hollywood through Invictus. It has also hosted the Cricket World Cup. But, the FIFA World Cup is to me the one thing that will change the image of the rainbow nation and the African continent forever. This is the moment for the dark continent to rise and show the world that Man and civilization began there. It is ground zero for humanity. And the one truly global and democratic sport, football (or as some call it, soccer)is the best way to welcome Africa into 21st century and to remind the 21st century that Africa will carve its place now. I remember blogging some time ago that I think the next frontier in human capital and talent will be from Africa. This is the beginning.

Right, lets get back to the tournament it self. I am Argentinian when it comes to football. Maradona is to me in football what MJ was in music. Pure passion. Red hot energy. All human. This time he is the coach. Many have dismissed him and this team's chances. Well not me. In the study of history and its methodology there is a theory called the 'great man theory'. I believe Maradona, as a man, will take this team very, very far. He will not do it as the coach. But, as Diego he will and I hope his charges like Messi and Tevez have realized that they have been touched by the 'hand of god'. With a possible 3-4-4 formation, it is going to be both nerve wrecking and exciting for me to see how he is able to gel together what is undoubtedly one of the best set of players on earth into a tournament winning team.

Let the party begin and let us remember, at least for the next 30-days that there are indeed things on this earth that can bring us together. Things that can make us nod in appreciation when the 'enemy' shows something sublime. Football is one of those things.

As for tonight's match, I will be rooting for South Africa. I have always liked the Mexicans as for me they are one of the more talented teams around but for some strange reasons have developed their own invisible limits. The Bafana-Bafana will have my support tonight. A win will give South Africans a night to remember regardless of how they do for the rest of the tournament. A win will be good for South African wounds.

All the best Boys!

No Drama Management

Why all that drama?

Think about the following and allow the answers to surface at your consciousness level. "How much time do you spent at your workplace managing all the drama that unfolds around you?" "Are you a Leader/Manager or a stage co-ordinator/actor"?

Lets define workplace drama - A set of workplace actions, reactions,behaviors and mind-set that engulfs one self and takes him or her away from the core objective of a task or job".

Lets examplify this - A manager is tasked to downsize a particular business unit and she will be held responsible for the entire process. Now lets list a typical drama that will unfold:
1. The manager is worried about her own position and switches on her own survival mode
2. She refuses to accept oustide expert help to manage the downsizing fearing that she is only making her self redundant
3. The senior HR leaders try to play the good-cop role by deflecting all blame and anger towards the manager or the 'HQ in US"
4. The affected employees withdraw into a cocoon of self blame, anger and frustration
5. The non-affected employee attempt to play nice to both sides
6. The business leaders become apologetic and end up making promises that they will ultimately fail to fullfill
7. The drama continues....on and on.

Lets look at another example - The management team is divided in their opinion as to who should be promoted into a new critical Sales and Marketing role. The choice is beween "the well liked Kumar" or the "hard driving Razak".
1. The management team divides it self into 2 opposing camps where old grudges surface for a final 'score-settling"
2. Kumar launches his campaign
3. Razak launches his own campaign
4. Both sets of team members launch their campaigns too!
5. Somehow, in some amazing ways, this selection proces is made out to be "the indication of what type of comapany this is and the prospects for our future"!
6 The drama goes on and on...

Why the drama? The answer is simple. The leadership of this organisation had allowed for drama to flourish. In fact they have themselves practised 'Management by Drama'.

At the core of the first example is a simple objective : To downsize for corporate financial reasons. It has a simple truth too : There is nothing you can do about it as it is within the company's right to do what it takes to continue returning value to the share-holders.

In the second example, the core objective is to select the most suitable candidate for the job based on what is expected out of that role for the company. The simple truth in this case is : The expected outcome of the role should determine the choice of selection and not the other way around.

I find there is simply too much drama around us. Now, dont get me wrong. I am not proposing that we go about our business like Spock. No, we are not androids with a heart. Not at the least. We are emotional creatures driven by logic. What I am saying is that leaders should be aware not to set the wrong example by engaging or tolerating too much dramas in their organisational ecosystem. Allow for creative emotions, drama, politics even but always keep the script and stage time short and sweet. Go back quickly to the core objective to conclude the drama.

Here is where a clear non-dramatic communication style will come in handy. Compare the following 2 statements and ask your self which leader is the easier to read and align your contributions to.
Leader 1 : I am 100% a business man
Leader 2 : I am a give and take leader

Now the answer to that question is obviously will be determined by your own sense of being of course. You may not be a 'business is all' individual or you may not be 'live and let live individual'. But, whatever your style is, I think you will find it easier to deal with Leader 1 because his non-dramatic communication style has made it plain and clear that even if you are a 'live and let live type' you had better do it with a profit for the company!

( I just stopped a minute to browse the web on this issue and I was not dissapointed. Here is something that I just found at http://stopyourdrama.wordpress.com/2010/02/05/7-ways-to-stop-workplace-drama/)

Negativity is the number one productivity problem in the workplace. Signs of negativity include backstabbing, gossiping, power struggles and lack of teamwork. The end result is absenteeism, low morale and turnover. Here are seven tips for improving workplace relationships and reducing negativity.

1. Facilitate Regular Staff Meetings
When done properly, regular meetings provide a forum for listening, problem-solving and honoring peak performance. Meeting mistakes include lecturing instead of engaging the team, inconsistent meeting times, no agenda, and no fun.

2. Institute a DRAMA-Free Workplace
Make relationships a priority and support the relationships with a standard operating procedure and employee manual. Review at least once a year and let the rules be the “bad guy” when it comes to discipline.

3. Eliminate the Open Door Policy
The door should only be open during specific hours and preferably by appointment. This prevents casual visits to vent or tattle.

4. Stop Office Gossip
Sally comes to you and says, “Don’t tell Donna, I said this, but Donna is unhappy with…” Discourage hearsay with a calm question, “Why are you coming to me with Donna’s problem?” Send the message you do not tolerate “rescuing” behavior.

5. Teach Problem-Solving
When an employee comes to you with a complaint, acknowledge the complaint, then schedule the employee to come back with all the facts, and an idea or potential solution.

6. Require Rejuvenation
No rest and recovery equals irritability, impatience, rude behavior and more mistakes. Managing energy is crucial to peak performance and productivity. Make regular breaks mandatory at least every two hours if possible.

7. Be the Change You Wish To See
Master your communication and relationship skills. Set the example: Master your emotions, be fair, listen, have integrity, show respect and have fun. Remember the words of William Penn: “No man is fit to command another who cannot command himself.”

Go to www.stopyourdrama.us to get a more in depth discussion of the 7 Ways to Stop Workplace Drama.


Lets de-dramatize the workplace. Its the better way to manage.

Perform Meaning...Add Meaning

Finally today I was able to experience a little of the magic of Deepak Chopra's philosophy and techniques. This was courtesy of Tony Pinto who is a certified Chopra Centre trainer. It was calming to be in his office which was furnished with furniture from my grandmother's era. I am sure your grandmother's too. Perhaps it is Tony's strategy to put me at ease. It worked on me wonderfully what with his soothing bhajans and incense. Who does not feel a sense of warmth and love when thinking of their grandmother. I surely do whenever I think of my late grandmother.

Anyway, my idea was to take a Saturday off for something other than work related stuff. So, for the first time in a long time since I joined my current organisation, I didn't switch on my office laptop first thing on a Saturday morning (I did so at 4pm after returning from Tony's office though...good enough for starters)or sit at the Starbucks at the Curve reading the Economist.Yet, as I was enjoying my conversation with Tony, I noticed a little poster on his wall that said " Perform meaning...add meaning" and my thoughts went straight back to work! So here I am blogging about work...I guess its an incurable disease but love it. In a sense your calling never leaves you and I guess I should not be complaining as some people spend a lifetime trying to find theirs. Tony found his after over 50 years of searching.I found mine when I was perhaps 20 years old.

That phrase on Tony's wall is powerful and I have seen its power. In fact just a few days ago, I delivered a half day seminar for a client and I witnessed how powerful it is when you spend some energy in determining what exactly the meaning behind what you are doing. Essentially, at least for me, what it means is that you need o find what exactly the meaning behind what you are doing and having found that meaning continue to add more of that meaning into your action so that it becomes filled with meaningful discovery, knowledge, experience, emotion, learning, etc for yourself and others. In my chosen calling, often times it is not what I have to say that is important but what my audience needs to know that becomes the key concern. I can be armed with the best research or equipped with the most advanced tool but they are of little use if they can't provide the meaning (read value)that my audience is seeking for. Sometimes we do great injustice to the product or service that we have when we think that the product by it self should be sufficient to attract a potential customer. In my experience the more sophisticated or cutting-edge your product or service is, the more you rely on the product or service to sell it self. In other words, you don't add meaning/value. You don't innovate, improvise, re-configure, change or adapt. You become the GM and Ford of the past (present too perhaps?).

Guess what? It is also very easy to find out what meanings you customers want out of your product or service. Just ask them. Tell them what you have and ask them what they need and end by telling how much of their needs your product is going to fulfill. Finally, suggest ways how you are going to help them meet their needs or requirements which your product will not be able to satisfy. Now, that's what I call adding meaning to what you do.

Someone once told me that people don't buy a Nike because they want shoes. How true.
They buy the meaning behind Nike and Nike has added lots of that into its products.

Game Over...in the Tunnel!

Can anybody tell me how much money is going to exchange hands now that the US has finally decided to reform its health care system? Did you say about a trillion dollars? You are right I think. Can you tell me how much of this Malaysia is going to benefit from? Wait a minute you say. What does this first significant 'win' of the Obama presidency got anything to do with us? Plenty I say. In fact its going to be in the hundreds of millions of dollars and its not us who will get to enjoy that but Indian and Philippine outsourcing firms.

Think about it! Who is going to do the paperwork and data management that will be the first tangible result of this overhaul in the American health care? Not the Americans themselves that's for sure. They have gotten used to Indian doctors reading their x-ray images and I am sure they don't mind giving a little bit more paper work for Bangalore. And imagine all that financial transaction that needs processing. Dont forget too the demand for the whole range of medical professionals and its supporting industries.

So, there you go. We had lost the game in the locker room. We had lost before the race even began. Oh, we might get some of course. Maybe. A little as what we have gotten used since the BRIIC babes came along and carted away all our suitors of the past (the additional I is for Indonesia...read the financial papers, you will see).

Its funny how most countries and organisations look at 'competition' in terms of competing with other organisations and other countries for market space. They never consider that the real competition today is not in the market or in the R&D laboratories. The real competition is actually in the talent-space. Its in the
schools,colleges and universities. The most dire need for many organisations today is not about culture change, change management or team building. All these will come to nothing if you don't hire the right people. The most critical need now is to empower the hiring ecosystem of an organisation so that it is able to identify, attract, select, develop and retain the best and most talented.

Its sad really if you think that by just copying Google style 'campus' environment, you can produce the right people. You need the right people to benefit from Google style environment. Google, Infosys, 3M, IDEO, AirAsia,the Ritz know exactly the kind of talents they need. They then hire these talents after an exhaustive identification and selection process and along the way also provide whatever it takes to retain these talents. These companies start winning the game way back in the tunnel while their competitors are vigorously warming up on the pitch waiting for the game to begin. Its game over by then really.

I think it was last year or late in 2008 that I wrote about how Africa will rise soon. I have changed my mind since. Its not Africa that will rise but rather Africans who will rise and compete aggressively. Africans who are now forming a significant diaspora community in many parts of the world will form a critical mass in the next 5 years and will displace newly minted talents from the developing world. As a continent, Africa may take some time to threaten others but as a People, Africans will rise much sooner. The war talent will go up a notch.

So where does all these leave us; both as a nation and as corporate leaders. Well, lets not worry where it leaves us but rather think about where it will take us if we ride the wave smartly. We should now start thinking about competition as a far more overarching thing than just competing for market share. We should have Chief Hiring Officers or Chief Recruitment Officers who does nothing but develop and execute strategies to attract the best and brightest.

Plan Once...Review Constantly

Whether you are leading a multi million dollar business or managing a group of 5 front desk operators whose work quality will impact directly on your own deliverables, you should remember to Plan your Plan and Review that Plan.

The mistake that we often make is that we get excited about how fool-proof our plans are and how well thought out they are to the extent that we actually believe that it will work it self out. But a plan will not work it self out. A plan will only work when you work the plan. The most effective way to ensure that you are working your plan is to constantly review it.

Once again, it doesn't matter what your role is or what your business is as the habit of reviewing plans will provide you with the following:

1. Tell you how far you have come (or not come) since you put the plan in place
2. Allow you to modify and alter your approach as although your plan may be water-tight the environment in which you function is always in a flux
3. Enables you to decide whether your resources are adequate and used efficiently
4. Helps you to stop doing the 'interesting' stuff and start doing the 'meaningful' stuff. Or at the least, with a proper balance of both. The meaningful stuff are essentially those things that give you a revenue while the interesting stuff are 'the nice to dos'.
5. Ensure a sense of urgency is maintained. Notice how the board-room air is thick with energy and enthusiasm while the plan is being debated and how it slowly ebbs away as the days go by. Well, that's natural. It is bound to happen. Frequent reviews will pump in that energy and sense of urgency
6. Creates space for team members to provide their own inputs to make the plan work better
7. A sense of direction that you are heading the right way towards your annual goal or budget.

A review doesn't have to be all formal and serious in the sense that you don't have to drag your team into the board room all the time. Quarterly reviews could be done formally but your mid-quarter or even monthly sales reviews could be done (in fact I strongly suggest this) over a cup of coffee or lunch. If you are going to do this over drinks at the pub, then I suggest you do the review first before you view the drinks! For obvious reasons of course.

I have an interesting experience with conducting a business review at a pub. This happened many years ago at a pub in the city of Sandakan, east Malaysia. My boss and I had just delivered a workshop for the first time for a particular client and wanted to discuss on whether we had pitched the first-day of the workshop at the right level. We discussed this over coffee at the pub and did in fact work-out some critical changes for the next day. Once that was out of the way, we ordered our favourite beers and soon enough, we had our ideas flowing freely but all within the parameters that we had already decided just an hour earlier. I am not proposing that you run off to the pub every time you do a review. But a relaxing environment does indeed help.

Now, I am emphasizing on the nature of review setting is because of the following reasons. For any review to be effective, it must be:

1. Free of threat and pressure
2. Free of blame game
3. Full of respect and ownership
4. Full of goal focus
5. Always friendly and motivating
6. Always inquiring and advocating

So, a relaxed and friendly environment will help with the above.

Remember. A plan is only as good as how effectively you review it.
Go review!

The New Economic Model - Old Wine?

One of the things that I will certainly remember come December 31st 2010 is the fact that to the best of my knowledge my organisation was the first to talk about the New Economic model. I did this in a radio interview in early January on BFM 89.9 fm. To date, except for one or two other consulting companies, nobody has really spoken about the NEM nor provided any thought leadership on this matter. I am proud that I had done my part through my organisation. I remember telling my team that "the NEM is the thing for 2010"!

Since then I have been waiting eagerly for the NEM to be unveiled. It was supposed to be end February but now I am told that it will be in April. Why the eagerness? Well, I wil be 40 this year and I am very sure that the NEM will in one way or another determine my life for the next 40 years as a professional, as a Malaysian and as a world citizen. In fact it will largely influence me on whom I am going to vote against in the next general election. It will also, more importantly, determine the type of country, society and polity that my children will live in. For these reasons, the NEM is very important for me. So, they had better not mess this one up.

And here is my wish list that I hope the NEM will reflect:

1. It must be a workable and realistic plan to achieve tangible economic goals. It must be worded in objective and clear language and not in opaque politically expedient rhetoric
2. It has to be an economic model not a political model though I believe if it is well conceptualised, articulated and executed, it will also become a successful political model which will once again place Malaysia as model democratically Islamic country
3. It must be an economic paradigm that is aimed at quantum changes and not incremental changes. The world is too fast now for incremental changes. The NEM must take this strong sturdy ship that we know as Malaysia into the high seas instead of staying pitifully close to safe harbour
4. It must be a model that gives rise to real meritocracy
5. It must be an economic model that finally interprets the federal constitution both in letter and its spirit
6. It must be an economic model that hammers in the final nails on the coffin of downstream manufacturing as the life-line of the country
7. It must be (oh God!) it must be a Malaysian NEM and not a Peninsular NEM.
8. It must be the catalyst for a radical and revolutionary change in our education, employment and immigration laws.
9. It must be the catalysis for a a true managed-free market system and not a manipulated-free market system.
10. AND it has to be an economic model that rides on ASEAN, India and China. In fact, there must be a supporting and documented strategy for this last point. I have no doubt that the future of this country will be closely tied to the future of ASEAN,India and China.

My biggest fear is that the NEM is the new NEP!...old wine in a new fancy face-book laced bottle!
God forbid for the sake of Ahmad, Chong, Raju, Jack, Mojuntin and Pinto.

Pillars of Confusion

I love ‘pillars’. I love them for the images that they create in my mind’s eye. I love them for the potentiality that they promise. A potentiality for continuity, stability and familiarity. Somebody once said that each ‘door’ is the pathway to a new universe…a new dimension. For me, ‘pillars’ gives me hope that things will be alright; that all will be well. When everything crumbles, there will still be some things still standing...thanks to the pillars. Strangely enough I often reflect on this as I drive on the MRR2.

Pillars are quite amazing really. You see, some of the world's most renowned buildings have awe inspiring pillars. From the temples of ancient Greek gods, to the buildings of mighty Rome to the magnificent Indian temples to the majestic Japanese imperial buildings – they all have pillars. In fact their pillars are what that strikes you the most.

But as grand, majestic and beautiful they may be, pillars are merely there to play a utilitarian function. They may look big and intimidating but with closer scrutiny (and maybe some reflection) we can see that they are nothing compared to the super structure they are supporting. They are puny in comparison to the foundation on which they are standing on. They are meant to do nothing other than support the structure of the building. Within that building there are wonders that need to be kept safe from man and nature and the pillars are an important component of the total ‘security system’. They are tasked to maintain and secure. They are given the responsibility to hold and protect. Everything within these structures owe their safety, security, and continuity to these pillars.

Pillars are never meat to achieve something new. They are there to protect what has already been created. Pillars also do not take us somewhere new by themselves. They don’t and can't give directions. They can't drive us to do anything new. They are majestically passive in just maintaining. Never attempting to change. That's what they are really good at and meant to be.

Pillars are static…lifeless…dead. But they look grand nevertheless for the uninitiated.

So now the question is : if pillars are not meant to take us anywhere, then does it matter that we have pillars be it 8 pillars, 600 pillars or 6000 pillars? Well, of course it does. It matters to those who want to keep things as they are. It matters indeed to those who want to protect and preserve the existing foundation and the roof on which it stands.

It will not and should not matter to those who hunger for change. For them, it isn’t the pillar that is the problem but it is the foundation that needs to be looked at. They want to have a new foundation. In fact they want to dig out the old foundation, break down the old roof and build a new structure : with even newer pillars to support this new creation because some of the existing pillars have become weak by neglect and corrupted by man and time. For them, pillars are just a hindrance towards what is possible. They never focus on the pillars as its the foundation that needs attention.

Things can get more confusing of course as you will find that one pillar sometimes looks exactly the same as the next. I leave it to you to make senseof it all.

Or maybe you are like me...more interested in the foundation and keenly aware that the roof is leaking.

Oh the glory of creation!

Oh what glory it is
To create.
A song, a tale, an art.

Oh what glory it is
to be lost in the ecstasy
of it all
where time is of no essence
when the universe stills down
to a trod.

Oh what blessed souls
those who create.
Beauty and pureness
that lifts the spirit.
Through the rhythms and prose
for mortals who seek
a moment of oneness.
Always sailing around
Never into.

Oh what glory it is
to create.

Shame..shame..
scratching the surface
of it all.
Never feeling the throbbing flow
of what is could be.
Oh! What wretchedness!
Not to create
we those made by Gods to be Gods!

Oh! Where are you thou
Don’t forsake me now
I seek thou all my life
And I saw behind the stars
Fleetingly
Oh! Don’t forsake me now Goddess.
I beseech thou
open that window
let me soar.

To create.

Connect. Communicate. Collaborate.

I saw a billboard recently with the following words : Connect. Communicate. Collaborate. Not sure whether I have got the exact sequence but the message is clear. The product being advertised (by a Malaysian telco)is meant to make it easier for us (the users) to communicate, connect and collaborate. Or maybe to make it easier for us to collaborate by connecting and communicating. Whatever. It got me thinking nevertheless.

I was in Jakarta recently to conduct a workshop for a fantastic group of regional managers of a client. Fantastic because they were on the pulse of things even though I pushed them from 8am to 8pm and also because I was amazed by the feedback that they gave about the program. It showed clearly that they were listening and digesting and figuring it out how to apply whatever that I was proposing to their workplace challenges.

That's not all. As much as they had learnt from me, I think they had learnt much more from each other. They came from different markets with different experiences and challenges. Each one of them came with a field of knowledge and perspectives that were fresh in the eyes of the others. As one explained about a particular people challenge, another quickly suggested an approach that had worked at her workplace. When one talked about a product related challenge, yet another shared his own experiences. In the end, I ended up playing my intended role : as a facilitator of discovery. Although that's how I often introduce my self in my workshops, I usually end as the 'teacher' instead. I guess some cultures are more comfortable to learn from teaching while others by discovery. I love to do both.

But imagine for a second here how much inherent knowledge already existing in your organisation. Then imagine how powerful your teams will be if each knows what the other is doing and is capable of doing. Also, imagine how much more effective your organisation will be if there is a seamless transfer of knowledge and skills from one to another; locally, regionally and geographically.

Now, I know what you are thinking! Knowledge Management right? Bah. That's a fancy word for something so simple : Sharing. Its an expensive word too. KM has its place. My own organisation has its KM system which I love BUT it is so effective precisely because there is genuine sharing between all members of my organisation. The KM system helps us to Connect. But, we are the ones who Communicate and Collaborate. The system can't do the latter; only the former. Let me give an illustration. Just a couple of hours before I began writing this piece, I was on the office communicator with my colleague. I didn't ask for any support. I was just updating her on a particular project. Before I ended our 'communisation' she had emailed me some stuff that may be useful to me later for this project. And, this happens even when I am talking to my colleagues who are hundreds and thousands of miles away. Interestingly, although even those I have not met before seem to share willingly, I do find that those with whom I have shaken hands or had a drink during our regional meetings or programs, seem to share much more and far more speedily. There seems to be more than just connection...there is also communication and collaboration too.

The thing is, I feel many organisations have forgotten that some of the most high return strategy are sometimes unbelievably simple. You want your regional teams to work more efficiently cross-border? Don't just invest in a fancy conference call system. Make them meet! Eye-to-eye. Body-to-body. Let them go for a dinner or two. Trust me, you will get better returns from your conference call hardware after that.

Then just this week, I was conducting a workshop for a group of Gen Ys. We were discussing a particularly difficult personal career management issue. Of course, I said everything that I had to say. I pleaded and cajoled them not to feel helpless. Nevertheless, I could see that they were not convinced. Who could blame them. A 40 year old (Yes! yours truly is 40 this year. I had trouble accepting that in January but I am over it now!)telling them that they are just worrying themselves silly for nothing. What would I know! Then, I remembered talking to one of them just an hour earlier during lunch and he was sharing with me how he had personally overcome that very particular problem we were discussing about! As I turned my head instinctively towards him, I saw his eyes shining with anticipation. He knew I was going to call him out to share his experiences. He came over to the front (I moved to the back) and he spoke a good 20 minutes on his experiences. And wallah...believers were in the flock.

Amazing...this connecting, communicating and collaborating. Go try it with your teams. Ask your CEO to invest some money into this.

Can You Be The Biggest AND The Best?

I had just sent my Toyota in for its scheduled service at a local Toyota service centre; which I am told is the biggest in South East Asia. The people of Toyota have always been professional when dealing with me. So far, I have no complaints with the service I have received or with my car. In appreciation, I have taken the time to complete the relatively extensive customer service surveys that they have sent out. I have responded to two surveys so far. And, for each survey I am given an e-voucher valued at RM20.00, redeemable at the next service. In both occasions, I had also written some suggestions for service improvements.

As I was waiting for my service technician to take over my car for the next 1 hour or so....it felt like letting go off my baby. But, I digress.

As I looked around the service centre, I could not help but wonder what is going through the hearts and minds of these excellent employees of Toyota. With all the bad publicity surrounding Toyota these days, it must be difficult for those on the ground who have been thought and imbued with the DNA of Toyota : Quality.

The crisis of confidence engulfing Toyota stemming from a steady stream of vehicle recall must be heart-wrenching for this proud and storied Japanese giant and its well trained and loyal employees. My colleague in Japan wrote to me to say that it is suffering from a crisis of confidence even in Japan. Can’t be a nice feeling when your own homeland doubts your quality. I also read that Japanese newspapers, both from the left and right, are united in raising concerns that the Toyota debacle will seriously undermine Japan’s painstakingly built status as a high technology, high quality country. I suppose, if you can’t trust Toyota, you can’t trust much of Japan! And, you definitely can't trust Japanese made airline seats!

Now, let’s attempt to answer the question. I think the answer is NO.
Being the biggest car maker requires a set of behavior which may not necessarily prepare an automotive company to also be the best. You don't necessarily use the same mind-set that made you the biggest to become the best too. It seems that many in Toyota had already been voicing their concerns since the 1990s as Toyota set its eyes on loftier goals. In fact there is a conspiracy theory swirling around that, this is an engineered crisis by Toyota to NOT be labeled as the No. 1 car maker. According to this theory, Toyota executives have realized that being number one in this industry is not a joyful experience. Hence, an engineered crisis to knock it self off from the perch.

Conspiracy theories aside, there are many lessons to be learned from the Toyota Experience….there you go…the title of the next hit book to replace the Toyota Way. Once again, you read it here first though I am sure somebody else will write it!

Toyota is a company that relies on quality improvements. To be precise, incremental quality improvements. Toyota, for many years behaved like a gifted child embarrassed by her own abilities. She progressed by leaps and bounds but always incrementally; a slow and steady evolution if you like. Or at least that's what they believed they were doing. But somewhere along this incremental improvement approach they managed to introduce the Prius to the world which today commands a premium for its category.Then, its Lexus was spoken in the same breath as BMW and Merc. Then, it became the biggest car company in the world. Wait a minute! You did all that by being 'incremental'?

I don't think so. Something had to give. In this case it was the inability to manage the quality of its vendors and parts makers. So far, this is where I will put my money on if you ask me where exactly Toyota had messed up.

While we wait for more details to distill our learning, I hope our very own Proton and Perodua and to a certain extent Naza will take notice of this. You can screw up in the domestic market and somehow get back to your feet. After all we Malaysians have a short memory. But if you mess up in the international market; you have very little chance for a come back. And PLEASE don't ever think that since even Toyota can make such mistakes, it is therefore forgivable for you to do so!

On the sidelines, I am also wondering how the problems facing Toyota and lately Honda too will benefit the Tata's and Hyundai's of the world.

Wishing all of you a Happy Chinese New Year. Remember : We have only one natural resource and that is Unity. Spread the cheer of unity in this festive period. Be careful of what you say about others in front of the young ones.

Investor-Employees

Your employees are your investors. I am not referring to those who have share options and other type of ‘ownership’ of the company. Even if your employees are like my self – those who work for a salary and has no real ownership of the company they are still your investors. You will be in trouble if they realize that and behave as such while you go about treating them like...well...workers.

I am an investor in my company and I behave like one. So, I bet the serious ‘investors’ among your employees will do the same and expect the same.

How do your employees qualify to be called your investors. Well, its pretty obvious isn’t it? While your share holders pay money to own a piece of your company, your employees pay with their Time, Energy (physical, mental and emotional) and their Knowledge (which includes such payments like creativity, innovation and loyalty). In return they expect hefty profits in the form of equitable salary, increments, bonuses, and other benefits. Their investment is usually with the intention of long term staying aspiration unlike your other type of investors.

An investor-employees in this context, they will exhibit the characteristics of your typical share-holding investors. They watch your stock price, they keep a look out for good news and bad news especially if you are a global company, they keep pushing to get that one bit of extra value more before they finally give up, throw in and sell out. They are also increasingly concerned whether you are doing your business ethically and possess genuine awareness of your social and environmental responsibilities. In fact, you may hoodwink your share-owning investors with glib PR driven ‘social campaigns’ but not your investor-employees who knows exactly who you are. Are you green enough? Are you promoting equal opportunity? Are you diversity friendly?

Now, I suppose not many organizations would really want their employees to be walking around like investors. Smug with their knowledge of power and authority. That would not be very palatable for many CEOs I guess. But, imagine for a second that your employees do indeed behave like investors. Let me share an example here. A hilarious one, at least to me, but one that should get the point across. Many years ago, I was a consultant for a 3- man boutique consulting company. I worked for this company as a consultant and got paid handsomely with car and housing allowances thrown in as the business grew and in between many other benefits and support. Years later, when I called my clients and friends to tell them that I will be leaving this company but that I will still be doing work for it on an independent basis, on more than one occasion during this calls; I was asked how much I was making by cashing out. It was only after the first two explanations, did it dawn on me that these people actually thought that I did in fact own part of the company. Now, how did they get that impression? Simple – from the way I behaved when I was representing it to them. Yes. I must have walked and talked as if I owned it. I must have done work for them as if it was my business. In fact, I did. And that was entirely because, my employer knew the power of ‘ownership’. How much return did I get from that company for my investment; which was substantial in terms of my output, I must say that it was very good. How much value did that company derive from me? I must say that it was many fold as I left behind quite a huge amount of intellectual property.

I am now with another company and one, through enlightened leadership, allows me the space to strut my ownership stuff. My breakfast shop guy asked me today why is that I am always doing work during my breakfast ( I am usually drafting important emails or proposals while I am having my First Coffee!)? I wanted to tell him – Why not? After all, I just opened for business. Although the official opening time for my company is 9 am, I am more than happy to get going an hour or more earlier. But I just smiled to him and said – banyak kerja lah! Well, I have invested in my company and I want to make sure every minute of the market opening hours count. As all investors, I want a guaranteed return for this month and for many more months. And some more.

Sounds too idealistic to strive for in your 30-employee or 3000 or 30,0000 employee company? It may be.

But imagine all these investors waiting to invest in you more?
What have you done today to attract their investing sentiments as they clocked in today?

The weekend is here and I will be working through it for my business as I need to get a proposal out by Monday. You want your employees to do the same? Make them your investors.

Fears and Aspirations

It never fails to amaze me to hear how even the most seemingly beneficial and well intended plans in an organisation can be read with mistrust, trepidations and even anger. Take for example, Coaching.

We, in the world of talent development will swear by how impactful a well designed and thought-out organisation-wide coaching initiative can be. We know that it is a win-win proposition for managers, their team members and ultimately the organisation. But hey, wait a minute! Not everyone may see it that way. Rightly or wrongly, some may actually feel that "...this new thing called coaching in my organisation is nothing but a new way to make me work more for less pay"! They may sit around over cups of coffee and justify their 'argument'. In the end, the well intentioned OD team or the HR team will be flabbergasted and just scrap the whole idea in disgust.

Sounds familiar? I bet it does. But, here is the thing : It doesn't have to be that way.

A colleague of mine told me recently that when someone resists change, you can take it that this resistance is not merely in some nebulous mental capacity or at some subjective attitudinal level. Such resistance may actually be physical in the sense that there are physical parts of their brain that just cant assimilate this new information. It is almost like there is a physical clash of some parts of the brain which refuses to work or think in new, un-familiar ways.

So, don't take things for granted. Accept the fact that good intentions are not self explanatory. They still need to be :

A. Communicated,
B. Debated,
C. Deliberated, before being
D. Executed.

The time taken to transit from one stage to the next as I had proposed above, will be determined by how important the new initiative is and how much 'the way we do things here' need to change. The more change is needed, the longer the first 3 stages will take before you can finally execute your plans. Similarly, the more importance is given to the plan by the stake-holders, the longer it will take.

In this respect, it is absolutely exciting days for me now because a distinguished client organisation is taking a very deliberately planned approach to begin stage one of my 4-stage process above. I have faith that with this approach, the plans in place will be well received by all the stake holders.

The Chair by Any Other Name.

I saw this message at a quaint little cafe called the Haroo Cafe and Bar on Langkawi island last year and copied into my hand set and forgot all about it until last night when I was reflecting on what Malaysia's New Economic Model is going to look like. It read " A comfortable chair isnt revolutionary. But it gave people a place to sit, read or strike up a conversation. Something as simple as a chair changed the way people drank coffee...".

I was thinking about the new darling phrase of Malaysian policy makers : Creativity and Innovation. The New Economic Model is supposed to take us out of the middle income trap and move us up unto the stratosphere of high earning developed nations. And, the engine that will drive this transformation is the services industry with creativity and innovation as it's fuel. That's as much as I can understand from the little pieces of information that are availbale on the NEM so far.

My colleague told me that there was already a forum held to discuss this issue. The meaning of what exactly 'creativity' and 'innovation' are were apparently discussed. I am no expert on this and I will leave the semantics out and just focus on what I do know .ie. the workplace ecosystem and by extension, the business ecosystem.

For me, innovation is the ability to find new uses to existing creation (a result of creativity). It is the knack for fnding new uses for established processes. It is the capacity to look at things (already existent)inside out. It is not about constantly inventing new chairs but finding new uses for them.

It is easy to rattle of examples of innovation (and creativity). It is also quite nice to hear these examples as it gives us a warm feeling to know what unimaginable power exsits among our employees. Stories of how 3M came up with the post-it, anecdotes of how Google'ians develop new ideas, the feats of engineers building structures at locations not 'designed' for such structures and others are testimony to the inherent innovative ability of people. If you go to the jungles of the Amazon and the villages of India or to the remote hamlets in central China, you will see how indigenous innovation have long been a hallmark of the people's ability to live in and with their natural environment. Everything from cheap flood mitigation, pest control to traditional medicine are in essence a result of innovation The things needed for these efforts were already there. Somebody just found a new use for them.

Herein lies the enigma : Why is that some companies (and socities) seem to be more innovative than others? What makes them so?

This is my attempt to answer these questions. I believe the following must be present before a company or for a group of employees can become innovative:

1. Freedom of thought AND action
2. Generosity with knowldge sharing
3. Free flow of information
4. Dedicated experts within the organisation (something like Chief Innovation Officer)
5. A reward system that recognizes creativity and innovation regardless whether it has immediate returns for the organisation
6. Dedicated experts within the organisation who are trained to bring together the various generations in the workplace. Say, a Chief Inclusivity Officer! Her job is to facilitate the interaction between the Gen Ys with the rest in the organisation. I believe there are critical untapped competitive edge in our Gen Ys at the workplace. Unfortunately these are drowned out by the noise from the 'this is how we do it here' generation.
7. Leverage on technology. When Gary Kasparov was defeated by the Deep Blue in 1996, we thought it was only a fluke. A machine can never be superior to the human intellect and intuition. Then, the machine beat the grandmaster again. It has been doing so since then and today we play chess with AI for fun. The ability of some of the more advanced chess AI is mind-boggling. So, technology is a tool for innovation.
8. Innovation culture requires a Leadership that is 'innovation-friendly'.


On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the best, I will give Malaysian organisations in general as score of 4 when it comes to having a suitable workplace evironment that can foster innovation.

There is much work to do to realize the promises of the NEM and I hope I can play a role in making it a reality.


NOTE : A few postings ago, I questioned whether I am keeping true to the essence of this blog. After much thought, I have come to realize that I have been. As I reflected back on my previous postings, I realized that I have not been as 'blinkered' as I thought I have been. I have indeed commented on the social and political set up of this nation and how it helps or hinders our business ecosystem. After days of observing, reading and listening from others I have made this conclusion : Prosperity begets peace. Poverty begets bigotry. I am on the side of prosperity. So, for me the NEM has a far deeper importance to the future of this nation. As a consultant, I will do my part: Thinking Fresh, Being Real, Doing Right.

Surprise…Surprise!

Not all Indians are Hindus
Not all Hindus are Indians
Not all Christians are whites
Not all whites are Christians
Not all Muslims are terrorists
Not all terrorists are Muslims

Not all Indians are poor
Not all poor, are Indians
Not all Chinese are busineness men
Not all businesness men, Chinese
Not all Malays are emotional
Not all emotional,Malays

Not all who shout are pious
Not all who are pious shout
Not all who preach are godly
Not all who are godly, preach

Not all reasons universal
Not all universal reasons, reasons
Not all truths are self evident
Not all evidence, truths
Not all honour, victory
Not all victory, honourable

Not all kings wise
Not all wise, kings
Not all fair, good
Not all good, fair

Not all history, true
Not all truths, history
Not all laws, just
Not all just, judge

Not all patriots, kill
Not all who kill, patriots
Not all loyalties, endure
Not all that endures, loyalty

But…
All that we are…
All that we were
All that we will become
Are but a lump of earth!

Till then though…
We are brothers.

Malaysian 9/11

Twice since yesterday evening, I wrote something and deleted it.Twice I could not decide whether I should publish it. Twice I grappled with a simple question : what is the essence of my blog? Why do I write this pieces. The answer to the latter is quite a straight forward one. I write to release the multitude of ideas,thoughts and strategies that swirl through my mind every waking moment. I write to release my creative energy. The question of what is the essence of this blog is becoming a little more difficult these days though. My ideas and thoughts are almost exclusively related to my passion for leading, managing,business and commerce in general. I view everything else in this light. So, you can almost call me a communist ( I did read Marx when I was 15 much to the displeasure of my English teacher!). I view everything that happens to man on this planet from the perspective of supply and demand. I interpret everything from the fact that man needs work and fulfillment from the work he does. I have very few other passion in life. I am not a passionately religious person. I know my relationship with the Universe and I know for a FACT that there is a power greater than mine. That is all I need to know and I am not interested in convincing others. I am not a passionately nationalistic person. I am in essence a global citizen and for me a human being is meant to be borderless both in action and spirit. For me, the idea of nation states are no longer applicable. I function on gratitude and loyalty to what is fair and just regardless of where, who or what. So, anything other than the world of supply and demand (in all is forms and functions) does not interest me much.

This is the reason that I have always kept my postings as close as possible to business and management. In the few instances when I did write on other matters, I viewed them as 'events'.

In my previous posting, I wrote about the dangers of this country heading the way of Myanmar. Yesterday, we effectively took the first steps on that journey. But, when I wrote that 'Myanmar' piece my hypothesis, if you can call that, was very much based on our failures or potential failures in economic and business strategies. Yes, I did consider the fact that the continuous functioning of our relatively harmonious social structure will be critical too but I didn't really think that that will become a serious problem. Despite all we are not a nation that are militant. We don't burn each others places of worship. We should be fine in that respect. So, I figured that the only reason we may end up like Myanmar is if we mess up our economic and fiscal policies.

I may be wrong.

Maybe, far more important than getting our economic strategies correct, we need to get our social structure correct. Maybe, before we begin a New Economic Model we need to have a New People Model. A new model where the people of this nation are re-oriented to who we are and what is the REAL and TRUE relationship we have with each other. We need to understand, all over again, who our neighbors are. We need to fall in love with each other all over gain. Then maybe after that, we can begin the New Economic Model.

But, that is day dreaming I know. It will be nice but next to impossible. In reality, the New Economic Model and the New People Model need to happen simultaneously as each will influence and play a critical role on each other's success or failure. They must happen con-currently. They must be dissected and debated and strategised together; not in different and separated pieces.

If that is true, what then should the essence of this blog be. Can I, as a consultant and trainer, continue to think and behave exclusively on management and business terms. Or, should I now also become a New People Model strategist (activist?). If the latter is one that will bring the best results to my clients and this country, then I will have to delve into much more than the safe and sanitized world of management and corporate business. I will need to look out of my window of corporate mind-set and comment on the repugnant landscape of the bigotry and social breakdown. If previously I can comment that the past failure of Proton was due to its poor leadership quality, now I will have to say that the many things left unsaid; many of which had nothing to do with the management per se. I may also have to say that Proton was almost a mono-culture company and hence did not enjoy the full benefit of a creative citizenry. If previously I can talk about the brain drain as the cause for our lack of young talents and do it in an almost clinical manner, now I will have to say that the reason why the brain drain is occurring is because of the unfairness inherent and embedded in the very fabric of our systems.

Do I want to do this? There can be a separation of the church from the state (it feels strange using this phrase under the circumstances!). But, can there be a separation of the social ecosystem from business and management?

I am not sure. I am taking a break to ponder this. Whatever it is, the only question that I will ask of my self is : How best I can add value...REAL and TRUE value? And, stay true to the motto of this blog : Thinking Fresh, Being Real, Doing Right!