Memories of a Traveler

Salaam and Greetings All,   The haze is nauseating. The heat is unbearable. Thank God for the rain past couple of days, though it made me stuck in traffic for almost two hours on Monday. The good news is that, as of today, it seems that there is a change in wind patterns that could change the weather for the better.   I am a strong believer in getting the foundation right. In getting the concepts right before moving on to more advance or complex matters. The downpour on Monday was a great example of understanding the basics. The downpour was caused by cloud seeding. Basically (the pun is intended), clouds are water vapour. Basically (again..) rain occurs when clouds become saturated with water, and when the clouds can't hold the water anymore (critical mass - also used in nuclear fusion and fission), it rains. So, seeding the rain, is merely to induce or speed up the process of saturation and precipitation.   Cloud seeding is a complex process, no...

I understand the concept. I think. I even understand what it is all about. My only challenge is the Why and How.   Reading on this, tells me we are quoting people who got it right on the What, Why and the How.   Unfortunately, most Leaders, be it in the Business or Public Service or Politicians, I truly believe got it wrong. Most of them are enamoured by the idea of Leaving a Legacy. And I am not wrong to say that for most of them, Leaving A Legacy is all about "Fame and Fortune". About being visible.   In my working experience, I have met a few, that Leaving A Legacy is the everything.   What I do know of the great leaders who left a legacy, is that, Leaving A Legacy is a by product, of the Why and the How.   Martin Luther King Jr. Mahatma Ghandi. Even our own Tuanku Abdul Rahman. They didn't sought out to leave a legacy. They wanted to free the citizens of their own country. And they walked the streets, meet and talked to them, as equals. They inspired th...

  I have always dreamed of building a business where people are always put ahead of everything else, be it the customers, or the employees.   I always thought it cannot be done. I have worked in quite a number of companies this past decade, and always thought this is an elusive dream. Like chasing the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. I practically gave up. Because I thought it is a dream. Or more like a nightmare.   I never thought it can be achieved. My air-head day dreaming fantasy. And I have met people who laughed at me. Some are bosses, some colleagues, some my team members. They must be thinking I am nuts.   But, these guys did it. And better, it is a franchise.   Look at what they want to achieve,  "We want people to grow and to say, 'Anytime made me a better person,'" . I have seen enough, to know, many companies do say that somewhere in their companies' mantra. However, I hardly see that happening.   Why can't we put the people first? Wh...

Greetings and Salaam All,   I do apologize for the long silence. Yes, it has been almost two years since I wrote anything. I used to write a lot some 3 - 4 years ago. Somehow, work got in the way. Yes, blame it on work.   I drafted this article a few weeks back. Wanting to finish it and polish it. Then I realize, I lost it. I guess I have to write it again, from memory. Well, it is not actually a bad idea, to lose it and rewrite from memory.   My premise for this topic is that, most people, who gives out feedback, either as a boss, a friend or a work colleague, almost always have this in mind, that Feedback is a Gift, and the people should appreciate it. Whether they are conscious about it, or not, is not important. But, somehow, they believe it is true.   True, the intention on the concept of "feedback is a gift", is to help those people receiving the feedback. And they should take it as a gift. Unfortunately, that concept, got lost in translation, or the inten...

What!!! "Self before Others"? What selfish person I am? Actually, in a lot of situation, we must first think about ourselves, before we can think about others. Board a plane lately? Remember the safety presentation the cabin crew does? Always put the oxygen mask on you before helping others. Self before others. How can you take care of the sick and poor, if you are sick and poor? Self before Others. How can you develop and coach others, if you are not coached and developed? Self before Others There are many bosses, managers, and supervisors I have met, who are adept and skillful in  telling rather than showing instructing rather than developing speaking rather than listening demand rather than earn you get the picture.... I believe they lack the necessary knowledge, skills and most importantly proper mindset to be a leader. Let's take one simple example. Reading. Look at your boss. Does he/she read a lot. If yes, Excellent. If not, you can t...

Salaam and Greetings All,   Another interesting article. I read about followership some 20 plus years ago in a now defunct magazine “World Executive Digest”. Wished I had kept the magazine, but since I read it in the Army Camp library I was attached to, can’t possibly take it as mine.   What’s interesting is not just me having read it some 20 plus years ago, but I came from a school that puts emphasis on “Serve to Lead”.   Those words doesn’t really mean much except that when you were 16 & 17 years old, you tend to take it quite literally. You serve before you can lead. Not an entirely wrong concept.   However, past few years, have taught me that, leadership is also about serving. Serving your constituents, your followers, your people and also serving your bosses (in itself, means you are a follower). Of course it also begs the question, whether as a boss or a leader, you are worth being followed.   I too have made that error in jud...

Salaam and Greetings All,   Hope this messages gets to you in the best of health. Despite the heavy haze and the gloomy days.   I love this type of writing is that it puts things into perspectives. A simple unadulterated perspective. First thing he said is, “ A simple, non-bureaucratic system ”.   I can’t say I have seen it all. However, I have seen enough to know, a lot of organizations can’t seem to fathom the idea of simplicity. Somehow they believe, if it is complicated, it is sophisticated. If is sophisticated, then, the designer is intellectual. Somehow, I fail to see the logic.   When I was in the Army, I was trained, the more steps, more stages you have in your plans, the more chances it will fail. Keeping things simple and easy, less likely for the plan fail, easier for people to understand and implement.   I have also seen a lot of companies, who have succeeded very well in making it simple. They somehow focused not so much i...