A Changed Ecosystem

Do you feel it?
I do. I can feel the calmness. A deep sense of calm-knowing that whatever happens, it will be business as usual sooner or later. Its frightening really this feeling.

In the Economics of Trust, John Whitney asks " How often have you fixed a problem only to find that it crops up again - perhaps in a slightly different guise, but the same problem nevertheless...it will soon become clear that these problems most in need of a new theory". He then proceeds to list 12 of this often recurring problems. May I add one more? The recurring global economic slump.

It is said that when the human self is faced with a situation so dangerous and possibly fatal, the mind assumes a quality that it seldom bestows on the self. Calmness. The mind subdues every single one of the billion other chemical reactions and signals that are being sent out to the brain by every single organ in the body and it gives the self the gift of Calmness. At that moment the self is akin to a floating cocoon of peace and serenity in a raging ocean. This mechanism is designed to allow the self to calmly think through and take appropriate measures to ‘save’ it self from the impending danger.

And all these happen in a split second. The self wriggles it self from the mortal danger and just as quickly the waves of usual thoughts and feelings floods the self and life is back to its ‘normal’ chaotic amalgamation of feelings, thoughts, rights and wrongs.. At this point, even the self may be surprised to see the kind of heroic and Herculean tasks accomplished or the kind of amazing decisions made to save it self from the danger. Like how a mother of a teenage daughter beats off two parang wielding intruders with nothing more than a role of old newspaper.

But, it is also said there are times when the self goes on an extended period of calmness and serenity and sometimes never emerges back from this state. At this point we can conclude that the mind for some reason has ‘shut it self down’. The self now is ready to be institutionalized. You get the point.

The way business leaders and policy makers are behaving now is similar to the mind staying calm and composed while trying to preserve the self but the only problem is, it has gone on for far too long. I am afraid such calmness is no longer healthy. It looks more like Lunacy now.

The first ‘calm’ decision made by nations the world over was to formulate, announce and release billions of dollars worth of stimulus packages. Many of this has even expanded to its second and third versions. Billions of dollars were used to nationalize what used to be private enterprises. Billions more were channeled into failing businesses whose business models and ideas are grossly irrelevant to today’s business ecosystem. But save them governments did as their collapse will unleash a chain reaction that could wipe out hundreds of other businesses and eliminate millions of jobs. Then, we also hear of how millions of dollars were channeled into businesses that were in fact the perpetrators of the economic crisis we are facing today.

Companies and enterprises have also ‘calmly’ announced what they term as strategic decisions. They are decapitating their work force by reducing their numbers in the name of cost saving.

Everybody is happy as these decisions provides action and action always make people feel good. In fact any action can provide that feel good feeling especially when you can hardly grasp what the problem is all about in the first place.

No doubt we need monetary injections into the business ecosystem but how about injecting some Integrity and Accountability too. Don’t we want to make sure that 10 years from now, we don’t have to do this all over again? Don’t we want to cure the disease and not just the symptoms?

What was the cause of the quagmire we are in now if not for the Greed and Unbridled Entrepreneurial Spirit of the those who were out to make money and nothing else. A bad debt could be ‘restructured’ in such creative ways until they look like a product that one can own by borrowing more money (hence more debt) to buy the first debt. With enough people selling and buying, you have a guaranteed ecosystem where the economy is a false economy and the consequences is a foregone conclusion. Yet it did happen didn’t it?

So I think it is prudent to develop a set of safety measures; a new theory even, to ensure that it doesn’t happen again. We need to revisit the lessons of this crisis and turn them into learning points for future leaders; both in public and private sectors.

I for once do not believe in the hype the world over that the government is pumping in all that money for the benefit of the people. Most governments are for big businesses and not for the people! The least these governments can do for the ‘people’ is to ensure no more of tax-payers money is used to clean the putrid mess created by corporate greed.

The eco system has changed. It is no longer acceptable for us to be told that it is a normal economic cycle for the entire global economy to crash every 10 years. If there is a predictable cycle, there is a design. If there is a design, there is a designer. We know the designers of this crash. Go after them and make them into a lesson for the sake of future generations.

So, instead of asking for the resignation of Wagoner as the chief honcho of GM, the Obama administration should make him stay and clean up the mess and then ask him to go. Anyway, the auto industry was not the catalyst for the current crisis. They were just caught with their pants down.

The Co-existence of the Opposites

Deepak Chopra often says that we are an amazing array of co-existing elements of sacredness and profanity. We have within us both the pure and impure; wisdom and ignorance. This simultaneous co-existence is like a diamond that shines differently as light falls on different facets of the diamond.

In my daily being as a corporate citizen, I am often at war between this duality in my own existence. I know I have the sacred within me and yet I also know that there are times when I give more room for the animal in me to surface. I know I have the knowledge to do what is right but often end up merely doing things right. I have both the far-sightedness of a leader and the short-sightedness of a manager. And, constantly...constantly...I am at war with my self on which I should give my attention too.

And, I am enjoying it!

Surprised? Read on....

There was a time in my evolution when I used to be torn within; a time when I would berate my self for failing to do things right, be in control of my composure,be nice to others and say all the right things ALL THE TIME! Not anymore.

My evolution has taken me where I am today and I know I am evolving still...and I know I am on a constant correction to become better at what I do. I know that because I no longer feel bad about doing what is right even when it doesn't make me feel good. I am no longer a mindless slave doing things right just to satiate my hunger to be liked and feel good. There are times when I could have chosen a less stressful path and feel good about it and I know that would be good for my ego but not for those who may depend on me to be honest. It may be painful now but it will surely be appreciated when they themselves have evolved to appreciate it much like how we appreciate the various seemingly not so nice things our parents have said or done to us. We know better than that now. We have evolved.

So, I invite you to allow this duality to play in you freely. As long as this play is directed by truth, honesty, sincerity and good faith - you should feel no less of your self to lead others or guide others.

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People speaks of Private Victory and Public Victory. For me, your private victory begins when doing what is right still pains you but you can live with it.

60% Marketing.....40% Product

Langkawi was a pleasant surprise. It was such a great place to block out the world and crash on the beach....and yes....you can get cold beers and what ever else that you feel like drinking. Best of all, when you think your money is running out, the mamak shops are always on stand-by for rescue work.

And, as most places in this gorgeous land, I left Langkawi with a sigh of desperation. Why oh why we never market our selves better? Langkawi, Melaka, Penang, Kota Kinabalu, Karambunai, Sipadan may be known but not as known as Phuket, Bali or the Maldives. The thing is, our very own holiday spots don't lack in anyway.

Then, there I was at Kelana Jaya this morning, in a mamak shop (I busted my budget buying single malt whiskeys at Langkawi duty-free!) after sending my trusted car for its long delayed service when I overheard this serious looking gentlemen talking about business in general to three of his teh-tarik mates. After a couple a minutes, their conversation became animated and this gentlemen with almost a sense of desperation waived his hands in the air and proclaimed " They just don't understand la....its 60% marketing and 40% product...so stupid la" I wondered if he too just came back from Langkawi...or maybe from Kundasang.

Well, we may argue about his equation in terms of percentage but the fact remains that marketing is key and without effective marketing, our products and services will be like the Americas before Columbus bumped into them and 'marketed' it to the gaping and wide-eyed royal houses of Europe. In terms of tourism marketing, Malaysia truly has everything for everybody. Whether you are a Muslim or whatever, whether you are a single or whatever, whether you are a straight person or whatever, you have a place to visit in Malaysia as long as you respect the local cultures and know your limits. You will not be attacked for having a good time within reasonable boundaries. My girl-friend and I stayed in a Muslim-run Inn, had our breakfast in Muslim restaurants and our dinners in a Spanish restaurant called La Playa and a fusion Indian-Western restaurant called the Oasis. Both were right smack on the beach! I mean, I witnessed one of the most beautiful sunsets with a cold beer in hand and munching nachos right from where I was sitting at La Playa (which incidentally was behind the Tomato Nasi Kandar which is facing the main road of Pantai Cenang...for those who prefer the good-old Malaysian dusty restaurant dining experience). There were loads of Indian tourists too. They were trying about everything offered at the beach in terms of water sports. And yet, have we ever used a Bollywood film to do product placing for Langkawi or any other Malaysian holiday spots for that matter. Product placing is a conscious and deliberate way to get your product known to the masses. Its like Will Smith showing off his Converse shoes in I-Robot. Shah Rukh Khan filming in Melaka don't count as the post production guys in India will make Melaka look like Madrid (that's how they save money!). Remember the controversy surrounding the movie Entrapment? Yes. So whats the big deal? They super-imposed some parts of Bangkok with Petronas Twin Towers and they re-named Bukit Jalil LRT station. Did anybody bother to put a sign board saying "This is where Catherine Zeta Jones sat!"

I guess this has something to do with our value system of "don't make so much noise....work hard...people will know!" Well, I am afraid we need to modify that to Work Hard and SHOUT EVEN LOUDER. Because...the Thais, Indians and Australians have been shouting at the top of their lungs and they are getting a bigger chunk of the tourism dollar. I was once told by a Malaysian tourism player that, most visitors who come to Malaysia do not return.This is unlike Thailand and Indonesia where they get repeat tourists.

Anyway, I must say that I absolutely appreciate the taxi drivers in Langkawi who despite not using the meters, charged us standard fares. They were friendly and didn't look at all carnivorous.

By the way, I think it is also appropriate for me here to make a little correction. It was pointed out to me by my new friend, Amata that in one of my postings I have said that "...people buy on logic and justify on emotion....". As Amata pointed out, the opposite has been proven to be true and I absolutely agree with her. That was what I meant to write but in my haste, I must have written it the other way around. Thanks Amata.

Nations & Companies Endure; Economic Crises Don't!

Its nice to be back writing on my blog again! More importantly its nice to sit back and reflect and re-align one's thoughts and actions to the bigger purposes intended.

I wish our companies and our government will do the same.

Being busy can be a curse. It lulls us into a false sense of gainful activity without much long term benefits. Being busy for the sake of busy merely keeps one active but not necessarily productive. I have seen that in many of my career transition (outplacement) candidates. After the initial shock of job loss dissipates, they embark on a series of actions and activities produced my their meandering thoughts. This sudden rush of activities/action gives a sense of relieve from the paralysing fear that they had felt just days or weeks before. And so, they go on being active for weeks and months and fill their daily routine with various tasks which are designed for the sole purpose of keeping them 'busy'. Then, after much coaxing, prodding and eventually through some meaningful coaching, they accept the truth that all their actions and activities have not brought them that one result they so desperately need : A job or at least an interview. When this is accepted, they open up and they are willing to consider concrete suggestions and ideas from me which are solely designed to to do one thing and one things only : To provide them with all the information that they need about themselves and the jobs that they are targeting so that they can make an informed decision.

I fear that many of our companies and our government's policy makers are behaving like my candidates in their early stages of career transition : being busy for the sake of being busy lest unpalatable thoughts and realities rise to the surface. Lets be busy...busy...busy and bury all these negative thoughts stay buried. They will disappear or at least if I can bury my self in 'work' long enough, they will soon become somebody elses problem. And so, they keep them selves busy.

One of the products of the policy makers' busyness is the rapid fire announcements of packages to retrain retrenched workers. More funds have been announced to retrain jobless college graduates. There are funds to train those who are interested in biotechnology business even if they had graduated with a social science degree. There are funds to train those who are interested in ICT business; it doesn't matter who you are. You just have to show up. May I ask, what are all these actions intended to achieve and to what end?

How is it that a graduate with four years of tertiary education and prior to that at least 11 years of basic education come out into the job market without adequate communication skills in the English language and how is it that a 3 weeks or 3 months program is going to remedy that and miraculously enable them walk into an interview room with new found confidence and land a fat paying job? Anyway, where is the job or jobs that everybody is talking about? Oh yes! The 30,000 odd government jobs. The good old public service. Yes! Lets dump all and sundry into the school system and pray to the Lord that they will somehow; maybe through divine intervention, will realize how much they love the teaching profession and dedicate their lives to years of dedicated performance as educates of our children. By the way, we could also send some into our fishery departments and task them to passionately defend and develop the rights and welfare of our army of poor fishermen. Hmm...lets see, the security forces will also be able to absorb some. You don't have to be that smart to fire a machine gun or hurl a grenade right? I hope you didn't say yes to that!

So, what will also these monetary allocation really do for our economy in the end. Probably nothing much and maybe a little bit more damage. We will have mis-fits in various sectors. We will have teachers who can't teach, we will have 'entrepreneurs' who can't do business and we will have police officers who can' police.

Now, some of our corporate organizations aren't doing that great either although many of their 'policy makers' have MBAs and DBAs. But I must say, there are those who are enligthened enough to do what is right rather than what is expedient only.

You see, nations and corporations will endure but economic crises do not. So, what we do now in this crises must take into account the repercussions that will be felt a few years down the road when the economic crisis is but a distant memory. At that time, we will feel the true weight of the consequences of what we do today. If we slash our head counts blindly and allow valuable talents walk out of the door, if we fail to take care of the myriad of worries and fear felt by those who are with us, if we behave ruthlessly for the sake of quarterly financial figures, we are doing nothing but setting up the company for failure in the future when everything is just right for the company to actually surge forward.