Month: September 2018

Posted on

The TOP 5 lessons learnt from my past jobs

I have been thinking of what to write… something that can benefit people who are reading this article. There are a lot of things that can be written and suddenly I thought of this question…

“What can my past jobs (the work, projects, people) teach me to be a better version of me today?”

To some of you who has changed a lot of jobs, please do not feel bad, times have changed and we do our best to be in that job as long as we can to serve the best we can.

I strongly believe that the outcome is a win-win when we put our best effort in the job that we are doing. The company gets the results and we get to learn from the experience, preparing ourselves for something BIGGER that is coming our way.

“Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do.” ~ Pele

Please take note that the sharing is for learning purposes, contact me should you want the long version of the story as I will be putting the learning in bullet points…

Keep going and one day, you will achieve what you want to achieve.

Well here goes…

 

 

1st Job: Part-time college lab assistant which later got promoted / changed to be an IT Trainer (by accident)

  • Lesson 1: Never underestimate yourself, you can do GREAT things!
  • Lesson 2: Have the courage to speak up.
  • Lesson 3: As a people manager, fight for your people.
  • Lesson 4: Never ever condemn other people’s religion.
  • Lesson 5: Work hard before working smart!

2nd Job: Computer Instructor with a USA Franchise Computer Learning company (in Kuala Lumpur)

  • Lesson 1: Tell them what you are going to teach them, teach them and tell them what you have taught them.
  • Lesson 2: Practice integrity at all times.
  • Lesson 3: Communication skills are very important, no matter who you are.
  • Lesson 4: Never exploit people who are working with / for you.
  • Lesson 5: When you start to get greedy, you start to fall!

3rd Job: IT Officer and HR Training Executive in a Japanese Steel company

  • Lesson 1: Always have a backup plan.
  • Lesson 2: Never rush into making important decision.
  • Lesson 3: Listen to people who are reporting to you, all ideas are good ideas.
  • Lesson 4: Never get comfortable, always be improving yourself.
  • Lesson 5: Understand the culture of the company.

4th Job: College IT Training Sales and Trainer

  • Lesson 1: Change is good; if it improves the situation.
  • Lesson 2: The more you do, the better you get (provided if you fine-tune).
  • Lesson 3: You need a team to work on bigger things.
  • Lesson 4: Never fear of taking risks (manage the risks).
  • Lesson 5: Motivate your people, never wait until they are leaving.

5th Job: IT Head of Department with a Taiwanese forwarding MNC

  • Lesson 1: Respect needs to be mutual and earned NOT forced!
  • Lesson 2: Creative thinking helps to solve a lot of challenges.
  • Lesson 3: Never play favouritism!
  • Lesson 4: Office politics can cause problems.
  • Lesson 5: There are a lot of ways to solve issues.

6th Job: Sales Executive with the same Taiwanese forwarding MNC

  • Lesson 1: “The sky is NOT the limit…”
  • Lesson 2: Building relationship works!
  • Lesson 3: Be consistent (and congruent).
  • Lesson 4: Sales is a good platform to learn how to run a business.
  • Lesson 5: Customers need to be treated right! (they may not be always right)

7th Job: Branch Manager with a Systems Integrator

  • Lesson 1: there are no forever friends nor enemies in business.
  • Lesson 2: People are willing to do anything to earn big bucks!
  • Lesson 3: Coaching helps to build people.
  • Lesson 4: Follow up! Follow up! Follow up!
  • Lesson 5: Transparency is one of the success factors in business.

8th Job: Sales and Operations working partner

  • Lesson 1: Whoever that drinks with you, may not be your friend.
  • Lesson 2: One of the business focus and branding can be on premium markets!
  • Lesson 3: You always have a choice and the choice made you.
  • Lesson 4: Be truthful and be your true self.
  • Lesson 5: It is never too late to turn over a new leaf, to be a better person.

9th Job: Team manager for a USA computer MNC

  • Lesson 1: Motivate your people; recognition and rewards.
  • Lesson 2: Find out the root cause and NOT fire fight!
  • Lesson 3: You need to give some time to see improvement.
  • Lesson 4: Complete and NOT compete!
  • Lesson 5: 1×1 coaching and constant communication with people, helps!

10th Job: Sales Trainer with the same USA computer MNC

  • Lesson 1: Make learning FUN!
  • Lesson 2: Never give empty promises.
  • Lesson 3: Give recognition when it is due.
  • Lesson 4: Listen to both sides of the story.
  • Lesson 5: Dare to take risks!

There were a lot more lessons learnt from the past experience… I am just sharing 5 learning points for each job experience. Enjoy reading and select those relevant to you to apply.

If you need any help, please do not hesitate to contact me.

And if anyone of the above learning triggers you to change… for the better… WHY NOT?

“There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.” ~ Colin Powell

“Change Your Habits, Change Your World!”

 

 

Posted on

8 Steps to Successful Change

One of the books that I enjoyed reading, a fable-based book and great learning as well.

The book titled “Our Iceberg is Melting – Changing and Succeeding Under Any Conditions” by John Kotter and Holger Rathgeber. The book is available at Amazon.com…

The synopsis from Amazon:

Our Iceberg Is Melting is a simple story about doing well under the stress and uncertainty of rapid change. Based on the award-winning work of Harvard Business School’s John Kotter, it can help you and your colleagues thrive during tough times.

On an iceberg near the coast of Antarctica, group of beautiful emperor pen­guins live as they have for many years. Then one curious bird discovers a potentially devastating problem threatening their home—and almost no one listens to him.

The characters in the story—Fred, Alice, Louis, Buddy, the Professor, and NoNo—are like people you probably recognize in your own organization, including yourself. Their tale is one of resistance to change and heroic action, seemingly intractable obstacles and clever tactics for dealing with those obstacles. The penguins offer an inspiring model as we all struggle to adapt to new circumstances.

Our Iceberg Is Melting is based on John Kotter’s pioneer­ing research into the eight steps that can produce needed change in any sort of group. After finishing the story, you’ll have a powerful framework for influencing your own team, no matter how big or small.

gray concrete block

I believe different people will learn differently from the book. Depending on the different states we are in, at the time reading the book.

As for me, I have gathered good tips in practicing a successful change. In my own understanding (adapted from the book), the steps are shared as below:

Making it Possible

  • Identify a trigger to make it urgent and important; what needs to be changed immediately?
  • Setup a support team (inner circle); the power of group with the ability to lead, communicate, good branding, skills to analyse, decisive, proactive and focus on priorities.

Make a decision

  • Decide on the well formed outcome; with the right vision, goals, strategies and tactics. Journey to making a reality for yourself.

Massive Actions

  • Understand what is needed and the price to pay for embarking on the change project…
  • Overcome and remove the barriers stopping or slowing you down.
  • Go for low hanging fruits and get results as soon as possible in the short term.
  • Be aware of initial success and keep going (do not be distracted). Do it until you get the desired results…

Sustainability

  • Make it a habit culture… keep repeating the right action to produce the desired results (repeatedly).

Rest if you must… keep going and you will achieve the results that you want.

“Your habits, your future!”

 

Posted on

21 Personal Power Habits

Recently, I re-read a book by Brian Tracy, “Eat that Frog!” and it made a lot of sense. There are 21 topics that he covered in the book, I took some notes based on what I have learnt.

My humble opinion, if you are able to focus on one topic and take action for at least 30 days (it works better with an accountability partner). You will definitely see yourself change for the better.

There you go… the 21 Personal Power Habits (based on my understanding…). All the best in your action.

  1. Have a goal in writing for clarity. When you write down the goal, means you have put in some thoughts for the goal.
  2. Invest some time in advance planning. As the saying goes, “a stitch in time, saves nine…” though we have to expect the unexpected, we are preparing ourselves for any circumstances.
  3. Using the Pareto principle (80/20) to our advantage. Focusing our time and strength on the main 20% of activities to give us 80% of results.
  4. Weighing the critical-ness of the outcomes will point us to setting priorities (urgent versus important).
  5. Apply a system to assign the importance or sequence of tasks using method of preference (ABCDE, High-Medium-Low. Numbering, etc.)
  6. Effort versus results. Which area do you need to get results first? Focus on that first or get someone to help you to complete that area first before moving on to the next one.
  7. Time may be limited to finish all the activities… where you focus your energy, you get the results. Priorities on the most important ones.
  8. 6P’s on preparation: proper prior preparation prevents poor performance.
  9. Invest time in doing research to find out more before starting. What resources are needed? How can you be more resourceful?
  10. Utilise your strengths and talents. Things will be easier when you use your strengths to do it. More will be achieved with higher motivation as when focus on strengths, the less challenging the tasks will be.
  11. Determine the barriers and constraints. When the goal you set is audacious, you will bump into bottlenecks that slow you down. Once identified, get help or overcome them.
  12. Take one step at a time. Chunk the big tasks into smaller ones and keep going. Accomplish the most complicated ones, inch by inch , everything’s a cinch.
  13. Set a deadline for yourself. Some healthy pressure will be good to get things done. Remember the day before you went for your holiday… you get more things done that day…
  14. When are you the most productive? Leverage on that positive flow to achieve better results and getting more demanding tasks done.
  15. Being positive in the journey to get to where you want to be, makes life sweeter… be a fixer and focus on the solutions.
  16. Certain tasks is worth procrastinating. Focus on the high priority, important and adding more value to you.
  17. When you are fresh and full of positive energy, tackle the difficult tasks first.
  18. Divide and conquer. Segregate the tasks into manageable segments then deal with one at a time.
  19. Block your time (calendar) and make time to action with concentration.
  20. Be fast and accurate. Having the sense of urgency with quality execution is a good personal brand to have.
  21. Focus to finish. When you start and stop a task, it will consume more time to complete.

 

To learn more from the Guru, please visit this link:

https://www.briantracy.com/blog/category/personal-success/

 

Let me know how it goes. Enjoy the journey!

 

“Change your habits, change your world!”