Thursday, November 27, 2008
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Kendo VS Fencing
Saw this while Youtube-surfing. By the way, the kendoka scored the point because the fencer hit an invalid target (the thigh area) while the kendoka hit the fencer's head (which is a valid target in Kendo).
The fencer is trained to make aggressive attacks (the forward lunge is one example) to achieve maximum surprise using the momentum of his attack and the effectiveness of his reach. As for the kendoka, he reacted to the attack like a trained kendoka would in defence: jerking his target area back (the head), keeping the level of his arms steady, and striking back when the opportunity arises.
Some lessons on leadership
In critical times like this, the world looks to its leadership even more for guidance. However, in many countries, there is a dearth of leadership as few dare to rise up to the challenge, or there is simply no one capable of exercising effective leadership.
I've been reflecting on some of my experiences in leadership and found to my dismay that while I've made improvements in many aspects, I've also not made any progress in some.
Management gurus often advocate the use of a journal to chart one's progress and reflect on successes and failures in the learning process. After all, someone who makes a mistake without realising it, nor makes a conscious attempt to correct it, will most probably make the same mistake the next time. This logic, although sounding very much like common sense, is commonly or conveniently overlooked by most people.
Using the microcosm of a team, let me list some lessons on what worked for me and what improvements can be made:
What worked:
I've been reflecting on some of my experiences in leadership and found to my dismay that while I've made improvements in many aspects, I've also not made any progress in some.
Management gurus often advocate the use of a journal to chart one's progress and reflect on successes and failures in the learning process. After all, someone who makes a mistake without realising it, nor makes a conscious attempt to correct it, will most probably make the same mistake the next time. This logic, although sounding very much like common sense, is commonly or conveniently overlooked by most people.
Using the microcosm of a team, let me list some lessons on what worked for me and what improvements can be made:
What worked:
- Having a vision and an even better plan of realising it: A team with a leader but without a vision and a proper plan to realise that vision is doomed to miss the mark. Most of the time, it is the leader who provides the vision and who has a somewhat general plan of realising that vision. It is up to the team to further refine the plan and achieve it.
- Adopting a facilitative style of leadership: As an intermediary of sort, the leader has to provide a platform for an intense and close-knit working environment for team members to not only know each others' working styles, but also know each other on a personal basis. A team whose members' working styles complement each other, and have friendship as a secondary enforcing layer, will be more effective than others.
- Inspiring members by example: Team members will subconsciously observe and learn from the leader the best and worst case practices. A leader who comes late for meetings or leaves early while his team members are still slogging through work will only inspire the same behavior and mentality. Similarly, someone who is bold and goes all out to achieve his objectives will inspire confidence and hope. In crises, team members will always look to the leader for guidance and inspiration.
- Don't be afraid to delegate work: Don't do all the work or the bulk of it yourself, no matter how tempting it is. While questions of the members' ability to do quality work will arise, they are your team members and do deserve a certain level of trust and respect.
- Involve members throughout the entire process: Involving them only at the middle or the end will only limit their operational knowledge to those parts of the project. They will not take too much of an initiative to improve upon the project should they see any weaknesses in it.
- Don't rush the planning process: The boldest of goals and best of intentions can be mislaid by rushing the planning process. Problems will arise such as (1) proper objectives are not set, (2) contingencies are not prepared, (3) the wrong people are chosen to handle the wrong set of responsibilities, and of course the most overlooked aspects of the project: (4) post-project activities and the future direction of the project.
- Align the aims of the project with the wants of the members: Too many times, people leave the project or express dissatisfaction with their contribution because (1) they feel that they are unable to contribute much, (2) they are not given more room to contribute or learn, or (3) the aims of the project are not aligned with their personal aims and values. No matter how diverse the team is, the leader has to align these goals and values together for maximum retention of members in the team.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Plans for December
It's not yet December and my exams are due in a week's time. Anyway, it wouldn't hurt to do a little bit of planning eh?
(1) Clear IPPT (Silver)
(2) SMU Ambassadors elections + dinner (Dec 1), hone my personal campus tour script
(3) Attend NLDS Malaysia on Dec 8-11 (not confirmed), Developing Leaders' Day & AIESEC 60th Anniversary Gala Dinner on Dec 13
(4) Meet up with friends (i.e. CJC choir gathering on Dec 12, lunch with army friends on Dec 23)
(5) Go traveling to either Philippines or Indonesia from Dec 15-20 (not confirmed)
(6) Thailand recce trip (Dec 26-31)
(7) Elephant Nature Park fund-raising preparations + team bonding (throughout Dec)
(8) Learning more and planning my social business (throughout Dec with Yuan Tian)
(9) Freelance work with Youthink (time to write a feature article or 2!)
(10) Admin stuff (i.e. POL 2008 CIP hours, ASMU Handbook)
(11) Catch up on reading
Oh, I just can't wait for the exams to end!
(1) Clear IPPT (Silver)
(2) SMU Ambassadors elections + dinner (Dec 1), hone my personal campus tour script
(3) Attend NLDS Malaysia on Dec 8-11 (not confirmed), Developing Leaders' Day & AIESEC 60th Anniversary Gala Dinner on Dec 13
(4) Meet up with friends (i.e. CJC choir gathering on Dec 12, lunch with army friends on Dec 23)
(5) Go traveling to either Philippines or Indonesia from Dec 15-20 (not confirmed)
(6) Thailand recce trip (Dec 26-31)
(7) Elephant Nature Park fund-raising preparations + team bonding (throughout Dec)
(8) Learning more and planning my social business (throughout Dec with Yuan Tian)
(9) Freelance work with Youthink (time to write a feature article or 2!)
(10) Admin stuff (i.e. POL 2008 CIP hours, ASMU Handbook)
(11) Catch up on reading
Oh, I just can't wait for the exams to end!
Obama's acceptance speech & McCain's concession speech
"The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even one term, but America – I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you – we as a people will get there.
There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who won't agree with every decision or policy I make as President, and we know that government can't solve every problem. But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you, especially when we disagree. And above all, I will ask you join in the work of remaking this nation the only way it's been done in America for two-hundred and twenty-one years – block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand."
- President-Elect Barack Obama of the USA
"I urge all Americans ... I urge all Americans who supported me to join me in not just congratulating him, but offering our next president our good will and earnest effort to find ways to come together to find the necessary compromises to bridge our differences and help restore our prosperity, defend our security in a dangerous world, and leave our children and grandchildren a stronger, better country than we inherited.
Whatever our differences, we are fellow Americans. And please believe me when I say no association has ever meant more to me than that.
It is natural. It's natural, tonight, to feel some disappointment. But tomorrow, we must move beyond it and work together to get our country moving again."
- Presidential Candidate John McCain
Things that I really miss now
The serenity of the seaside at Pulau Ubin...
Eating chill crabs with lots of bread and gravy by the seaside...
The charm of Mumbai with all its buzz and glory...
Satyam Technology Center - My living quarters in Hyderabad City...
Tucking into raw fish at a restaurant above a wet market in Busan, Korea...
And finally, authentic HK cuisine (only from HK lah obviously)...
Eating chill crabs with lots of bread and gravy by the seaside...
The charm of Mumbai with all its buzz and glory...
Satyam Technology Center - My living quarters in Hyderabad City...
Tucking into raw fish at a restaurant above a wet market in Busan, Korea...
And finally, authentic HK cuisine (only from HK lah obviously)...
A thought about group dynamics
The problem with group dynamics is that they can either be inclusive or divisive.
I'm sure everyone will have experienced the joy and satisfaction of being part of a group, or the dread and disgust of not being able to really be part of a group.
Blame it on our human nature. As much as we like to compartmentalize our time and finances, we also like to compartmentalize our friends, acquaintances, and groups, as well as how much time we like to devote to them accordingly. Call it the curse of our human rationality.
As much as we claim to treat people equally, that will never happen. We are sometimes nicer and more attentive to some people than others.
Managing people is an art. Managing group dynamics is an exercise of patience, humility, mutual understanding and enlightenment all in one. But unfortunately, leaders who truly appreciate and understand this constraint are rare.
On a personal note, I seldom see the point to really try to fit into any groups where I feel I won't be accepted completely as a part of. Call it cynicism or a result of some innate defence mechanism but when people have the choice to be part of a group, they should also have a choice not to part of it.
Time is so short and our efforts so limited. Like the saying "choose your battle wisely" goes, I think we can choose the groups of people that we really want to fit into. It's much less time and headache.
I'm sure everyone will have experienced the joy and satisfaction of being part of a group, or the dread and disgust of not being able to really be part of a group.
Blame it on our human nature. As much as we like to compartmentalize our time and finances, we also like to compartmentalize our friends, acquaintances, and groups, as well as how much time we like to devote to them accordingly. Call it the curse of our human rationality.
As much as we claim to treat people equally, that will never happen. We are sometimes nicer and more attentive to some people than others.
Managing people is an art. Managing group dynamics is an exercise of patience, humility, mutual understanding and enlightenment all in one. But unfortunately, leaders who truly appreciate and understand this constraint are rare.
On a personal note, I seldom see the point to really try to fit into any groups where I feel I won't be accepted completely as a part of. Call it cynicism or a result of some innate defence mechanism but when people have the choice to be part of a group, they should also have a choice not to part of it.
Time is so short and our efforts so limited. Like the saying "choose your battle wisely" goes, I think we can choose the groups of people that we really want to fit into. It's much less time and headache.
The world has changed in the past 2 weeks
"Are you watching closely?"
That unforgettable quote from The Prestige says it all. The world has turned on its head in the past 2 weeks and many of us have been caught off-guard.
But while 2008 has been a a year of triumphs and failures, it has also been a year of opportunities for the world. History is, and will continue to be rewritten. Let's take a look at 3 major trends for the world:
(1) We are officially in a recession
Yes, we have the subprime crisis, bailouts of mega-huge banks and insurance companies, and IMF aid to some countries begging at its door, including many rich Western countries. But the statistics prove it. The US, the bulk of the European Union, and many countries including Singapore, have now registered a technical recession.
But what makes this recession so different from the others it that it occurred despite countries having strong economic fundamentals. The US, even with its high BOT and fiscal deficit, culture of over-consuming, and Wall Street's oversight, has one of the soundest and most resilient economies in the world.
What made this recession all the more possible was the extent of the spread of toxic investments around the world, the increased interconnectivity of capital markets, and the lack of regulation in response to these 2 factors. As the world globalised, we were caught off-guard by these crises, and governments acted too late and too hesitantly to have much of an effect.
But with a recession comes new opportunities: banking systems will be strengthened (with more regulation, I hope), social responsibility will replace self-obssessive greed, global cooperation will intensify, and there will be a period of postive self-reflection for all.
(2) Black is the new cool
And just about any other colour that characterises minority groups. The election of Barack Obama as the 44th US President, and Lewis Hamilton's epic win, has led many to believe that the the world can become colour-blind if it really wants to.
In Singapore, one of our raging debates is whether we are ready to accept a non-Chinese Prime Minister. Similarly debates are raging in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, France, the UK and many countries with huge minority groups.
What this also means is that minority groups are psychologically empowered, even in countries where they are less vocal and even oppressed by their rulers. Traditional power structures will have to accomodate the less empowered as rulers become more sensitive to what minority groups say and do.
A little more political accountability for many parts of the world wouldn't hurt at all.
(3) East will be the new West
We are already observing a seismic shift in economic and geopolitical power from the West to the East. Just check out the just-concluded G20 economic forum: the West is now looking to Asian countries like China and Japan for assistance to revive the global economy. They are now being given front-row VIP seats to watch the concert. No longer will Asian countries continue to play a "supporting" role in influential organisations like the IMF, World Bank, and perhaps the UN.
In today's world with an economic recession, money talks. Japan and China have indicated their readiness to contribute over US$100 billion and US$550 billion respectively to combat the world recession, either in the form for capital injection into the IMF (by Japan) or more direct spending to boost the world economy (by China). In fact, developing countries are slated to drive world economic growth for 2009 and even 2010.
Many great thinkers, including our own Kishore Mahbubhani, have predicted this shift as the East (especially the economically vibrant Northeast Asian region) catches up economically with the West, and outperform them in many cases.
What this recently-concluded forum shows is that the West can no longer deny, nor delay, the inevitable influence and power of East Asia. Rather than wait for another 50 years for Asia to rise up, we are perhaps seeing the beginnings of an Asia-centric world order. Hopefully, it will be an era which will be better than the Western-centric world order that the world has witnessed for over 2 hundred years.
I feel proud to be an Asian. I'm sure many hundreds of millions of people out there too feel the same way.
That unforgettable quote from The Prestige says it all. The world has turned on its head in the past 2 weeks and many of us have been caught off-guard.
But while 2008 has been a a year of triumphs and failures, it has also been a year of opportunities for the world. History is, and will continue to be rewritten. Let's take a look at 3 major trends for the world:
(1) We are officially in a recession
Yes, we have the subprime crisis, bailouts of mega-huge banks and insurance companies, and IMF aid to some countries begging at its door, including many rich Western countries. But the statistics prove it. The US, the bulk of the European Union, and many countries including Singapore, have now registered a technical recession.
But what makes this recession so different from the others it that it occurred despite countries having strong economic fundamentals. The US, even with its high BOT and fiscal deficit, culture of over-consuming, and Wall Street's oversight, has one of the soundest and most resilient economies in the world.
What made this recession all the more possible was the extent of the spread of toxic investments around the world, the increased interconnectivity of capital markets, and the lack of regulation in response to these 2 factors. As the world globalised, we were caught off-guard by these crises, and governments acted too late and too hesitantly to have much of an effect.
But with a recession comes new opportunities: banking systems will be strengthened (with more regulation, I hope), social responsibility will replace self-obssessive greed, global cooperation will intensify, and there will be a period of postive self-reflection for all.
(2) Black is the new cool
And just about any other colour that characterises minority groups. The election of Barack Obama as the 44th US President, and Lewis Hamilton's epic win, has led many to believe that the the world can become colour-blind if it really wants to.
In Singapore, one of our raging debates is whether we are ready to accept a non-Chinese Prime Minister. Similarly debates are raging in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, France, the UK and many countries with huge minority groups.
What this also means is that minority groups are psychologically empowered, even in countries where they are less vocal and even oppressed by their rulers. Traditional power structures will have to accomodate the less empowered as rulers become more sensitive to what minority groups say and do.
A little more political accountability for many parts of the world wouldn't hurt at all.
(3) East will be the new West
We are already observing a seismic shift in economic and geopolitical power from the West to the East. Just check out the just-concluded G20 economic forum: the West is now looking to Asian countries like China and Japan for assistance to revive the global economy. They are now being given front-row VIP seats to watch the concert. No longer will Asian countries continue to play a "supporting" role in influential organisations like the IMF, World Bank, and perhaps the UN.
In today's world with an economic recession, money talks. Japan and China have indicated their readiness to contribute over US$100 billion and US$550 billion respectively to combat the world recession, either in the form for capital injection into the IMF (by Japan) or more direct spending to boost the world economy (by China). In fact, developing countries are slated to drive world economic growth for 2009 and even 2010.
Many great thinkers, including our own Kishore Mahbubhani, have predicted this shift as the East (especially the economically vibrant Northeast Asian region) catches up economically with the West, and outperform them in many cases.
What this recently-concluded forum shows is that the West can no longer deny, nor delay, the inevitable influence and power of East Asia. Rather than wait for another 50 years for Asia to rise up, we are perhaps seeing the beginnings of an Asia-centric world order. Hopefully, it will be an era which will be better than the Western-centric world order that the world has witnessed for over 2 hundred years.
I feel proud to be an Asian. I'm sure many hundreds of millions of people out there too feel the same way.
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