Human Development Index

I could NOT believed that Malaysia is just graduated from medium human development category to high human development.

This is due to improvement in their standard of living (Malaysia’s per capita GDP at PPP).

But no. 61 of all countries?

Wake up!!!

Check it out yourself here and here.

Hmmm....

First Anniversary

I have always set high delivery standards in almost everything that I do.

Why?

Because I think I will only do a mediocre job – with all the efforts and my wishful thinking. To the end, I am an average Joe. I am QUITE certain about this.

Thus, almost in all evaluations and appraisals, I will definitely fall short of my super high expectations. It is guaranteed & the only question is the margin of the gap. But, that is okay with me. After all, I will die sooner compared to my other compatriots. Seriously, I akan mati lebih awal from the average Joe of my batch.

For this efforts & deliverables – it is only a C-

So no bonus for you this year.

Cheers!

1+1=3

“The whole is more than the sum of its parts” said Aristotle, more than 2300 years ago.

In charting your career path, you ought to develop ‘allies’ within the organization. Allies are few trusted inner-circled associates in strategic position within several departments whom you nurture over the moons.

These allies will lend you some unparalleled advices, vital inside information, and specific do’s & don’ts.I will not named it as an office politic though. It is more of your own ‘diplomatic-envoys’ in managing your long term career.

However, please note that allies may be a double-edge sword. Just like mutual protection alliance between sovereign countries, you do not want your allies to be your liability, one way or another. Thus, few golden rules to be observed:

1. Your chosen one must share a common goal as far as career is concerned. Verified their past career movement. Understand their motives. You do not want to choose your potential rivals.
2. Choose your allies carefully. Never put your trust blindly. Spread it out well within the organization. Never put all your eggs in a basket.
3. Prefer allies with high potential in moving to higher level. Higher level is a relative connotation. Do not exclude driver, tea-lady, secretary, committee from sports & recreation or Khairat Kematian etc.
4. Allies must be at least a proven average performer within the organization. Nobody wants to be associated with the pariahs
5. Allies must enjoy sufficient amount of “visibility” in the eyes of senior management level. I will explain more on visibility in different blog entry
6. Always have a safe and sound escape plan to get out from the alliance. Watch survivor or apprentice series to learn more

Support your allies well and make them oblige to return your favor – when you need it. When the time is ready, use your allies as wild card. Be it a promotion, transfer, bonus payment, special assignment, etc whatever your interest serves you.

Believe me, in a rat race, you must work hard to climb the corporate ladder. It would be even faster if someone push you up as well.

World Cup Fever

Want a free 10-days MC from general practitioners?

Wait until the first round settled. The game is more exciting towards the quarterfinals

1. Take a stick of Marlboro (not the menthol or light version ya...)
   
2. Soak it in a glass of warm water for about 15 minutes.
   
3. Rinse your eyes – pleased ensure full contact with your eyeballs (please note that you will feel a mild prickly stinging sensation. Your eye will turn into half-reddish. No worry though – that is the price you pay for cheating your employer)
   
4. Wait for ½ hour
   
5. See your least favorite panel of physician during early hour
   
6. Complain about the burning sensation on your eyes
   
7. Sign the claim form – if applicable
   
8. Collect your MC chit
   

Good luck.

Caution: Proceed at Your Own Risk

SHRMZB

Wishing all of you:

"SELAMAT HARI RAYA EID FITRI

& MAAF ZAHIR BATIN"

May the chi of Eid Mubarak makes us more giving and caring this year.

A New Beginning

How to Skin MY Cat

Read a research journal on common traits of successful leaders (political, cultural, social, spiritual and economic). Then, crossed-reference the findings with successful entrepreneurs and innovators. From the study, it been concluded that all successful people shared two qualities:

1. They sleep less hours than ordinary Joe
2. They read, read and read. Considered it as an obscene act of reading.

Well, it is a good motto for a social agenda. Kind of more-with-less thingy (-more reading, less napping- will look good in a placard), except these indicators did not accurately forecast our future talent.

What are the observable attributes that differentiate Gates, Rowling, Powell, Fuller, and Buffet? Tutu, Lama, and Ibn Sina? Roosevelt, Mahathir Mohamed, and Mandela? How do you identify these rare talents as early as possible? Hopefully, they will do same research on them soon.

As an HR practitioner, finding a less-than-mortal talent is a mountain to move by itself. You can’t find them by sifting through those glossy resumes. Talent is not hereditary, unfortunately. Upon extensive assessments, interviews, profiling, reference checking etc, there are three observable behaviors that matter:

1. ATTENTION TO DETAIL


2. HIGH PACE


3. RESOURCEFUL

There you go - the secret of successful people. I will give you the description of these observable behaviors later.

*wink-wink*

MEOW!

Why I Don't Like HR?

I found an interesting article by Keith H. Hammonds of FastCompany.com. Here are some of the excerpts:

…“Why are annual performance appraisals so time-consuming -- yet so routinely useless? Why is HR so often a henchman for the chief financial officer, finding ever-more ingenious ways to cut benefits and hack at payroll? Why do its communications -- when we can understand them at all -- so often flout reality? Why are so many people processes duplicative and wasteful, creating a forest of paperwork for every minor transaction? And why does HR insist on sameness as a proxy for equity? …”

His reasons:

1 HR is second rated job for underachievers. “HR people aren't the sharpest tacks in the box…. Some are exiles from the corporate mainstream: HR represents a relatively low-risk parking spot.”

For example, how many decent HR practitioners in the world are able to
answer the following questions?

1. Who is our Company's core customer? “Have you talked to one lately? Do you know what challenges they face?"
2. Who are our competitors? "What do they do well and not well?"
3. Who are we? "What is a realistic assessment of what we do well and not so well vis-à-vis the customer and the competition?"

2 HR pursues efficiency in lieu of value. HR provides the number of people it hired, the percentage of performance evaluations completed, and the extent to which employees are satisfied or not with their benefits. But only rarely does it link any of those metrics to business performance.

How many HR regularly asks its employees question such as "Do they understand the company's strategy?" "Do they see the connection between that and their jobs?" "Are they proud to tell people where they work?" …

Then, HR will correlate the results to a survey of 2,000 customers, as well as monthly sales data and brand-awareness scores.


3 Typically, HR people pursue standardization and uniformity in the face of a workforce that is heterogeneous and complex. My previous Company called it – ‘consistency’. “Bureaucrats everywhere abhor exceptions -- not just because they open up the Company to charges of bias but because they require more than rote solutions. They're time-consuming and expensive to manage. Make one exception, HR fears, and the floodgates will open.”


4 HR waits to hear from top management. HR is clueless as far as the business issues are. HR afraid to step up and assume responsibility, rather they wait for ‘higher order’ to knock on the door. Then, HR reacts.

And that's why he doesn’t like HR...

Hmmmm?

Tender your resignation (with dignity)

Anyone can quit a job. Easy. But you must plan it appropriately so that people will see credibility in you. At least, they will not have any opportunity to pass the blames to you later.
I assume that plan B, plan C etc are readily available. Otherwise, please don't be a stupid donkey.

1. Plan & prepare your resignation letter with the effective date accordingly. Check your calendar thoroughly. Make full use of public holidays, Saturdays and Sundays. Send the letter on Friday after 5:00 pm.
   


2. Never disclose your next station. Ever! Even if you have a special relationship with your current immediate supervisor or your smoking buddy. Mention something like "you are currently negotiating with few Companies and still finalizing the details".
   


3. Avoid airing any dirty laundry to anybody except your immediate supervisor and your immediate's immediate supervisor. Move on and get a life. Or, at least a hobby such as blogging. Ha ha ha
   


4. Go on and have farewell lunches with your colleagues. But please, do not go missing or abandon your current assignments. One or two days of medical leaves within the transition period are acceptable, though. Please do not go slow and abandon your assignments into the handover sheet. Maintain your pofessionalism. People will know... & appreciate you better.
   


5. Prepare a complete handover sheet - detailing all your outstandings. Stay focus. Continue working diligently even to your last day.
   


6. Thanks everyone. Even if they do not deserve it at all. Maintain good relationship with few allies
   

Once your resignation is tendered, always expect the unexpected. For better or for worse.

Good luck!