Shoot!!! I haven’t made an update on my blog for a long time. Got really bz with…hmmmm… I forgot actually.. Ah ok, W-O-R-K!!! and… vacation…and vacation…and L-I-F-E…in case you don’t know, I also have that.
A lot of things, events, stuff transpired since my last post and things have gone different lately. And…
I’ve started this list of lessons-learnt accumulated from every hard-hitting (or not so) experiences or from mild blow of compelling issues in my professional (What?) life. Practical lessons – originally crafted (or not?) – that may be of use to some and maybe idiosyncratic to others – it’s up to you to dissect.
So, like they always put at the ending credits of every movie – “Any similarities to any situation, places, or person living or dead is purely coincidental”. It’s my personal experience-cum-moral (not yours) – NO pun intended.
And So here’s my first twelve.
1. “Sometimes fear is the appropriate response” – but there shouldn’t be a period at the end of that statement. Read: Deal with it!
2. “Be patient even if it’s going to take…hmmm…forever?” Understand that there are people born in the year of the turtle and some in the year of the horse, and sometimes there are just people born to move like turtles and horses, and sometimes too there are people who deliberately mimic turtles or horses. Oh, I forgot… there’s no Year of the Turtle in the chinese calendar!
3. “Apologize.” (even if you don’t mean it, but don’t make it noticeable of course). They say it’s a sign of weakness, I say it’s a sign of humility. Even if it’s not your fault, as long as you’ve offended somebody, do it. It never diminish your dignity – on the contrary – you may have made someone happy which in turn will contagiously make you happy too. Win-win! As one of my friend always ask me: “Why do you always say No offense right before you offend me”, so I apologize – before … and after.
4. “Be sincere”. Don’t promise or say anything you won’t be able to uphold. Say what you mean and mean what you say. Don’t promise anything you can’t deliver, don’t deliver anything that was not promised, and lastly, Mathematics is an exact science so deal with figures – say it in numbers and stick to it – not just estimates (after maghrib, or next month?), be it delivery dates or time. So if you know that you can’t deliver a promise, then promise what (and when) you can actually deliver. My late father used to always say (and this is one of those that I could always remember) – “Liar is a thief’s next of kin”. That’s the reason why I never lie… even about my age (oh please, am not askin’ you to ask me).
5. “Feedback”. It’s the only way you make people aware that you’re “in-progress”. Imagine yourself putting up a warning sign along a road under construction. It’s like you’re holding a “men-at-work” signboard. Without feedbacks, people might “stumble” upon a huge hole of impatience.
6. “Be professional.” Professionalism is an attitude – not a title. Act your title, otherwise people will put a title on your action – and you may be surprised that it’s not your current official title.
7. “Be fair.” There’re always two sides of every story, as there‘re two sides of a coin. Treat everyone blindly – without looking at their levels, positions, or what-have-they. You’ll never guess the day when they become on top of you – twist of fate? – it happens all the time.
8. “Load even an ounce of humour.” It spices down everything lightly. It’s not available at the pharmacy or your neighborhood baqala. It comes for free and it’s funny. So load some.
9. “If you can’t beat them, join them.” Not really. Here’s how it work : yes, join them, but once you got in, you have then the opportunity to affect them rather than them affecting you – that’s when you start hitting them. Very very few unique people can accomplish that feat. At most times (and sadly) it’s only up to the “join them” part [The End].
10. “True leaders walk behind people. “ Because they believed in you, and they know you can do it. Besides, walking from behind give them a full view of where you’re heading, and they can see if you’re moving into the right direction. I know few.
11. “Make people matter… not madder. “ Most – if not all – organizations and companies tell you that employees or staff or people are the best asset of every company or org. Fact, Myth… or simply Crap? This will revert to item no. 4. If you want people to believe that, then be sincere. People inside the org are your internal customers, so deal with them as “customers”, they deserve that TLC (tender loving care… moron!). Make them matter and their performance gets better.
12. “Let the talking do the walking.” Related to item no. 4 (again, be sincere). The best statements are expressed in actions – not in words. If you want to make a statement – act it. The mark of an insincere person is a lengthy talk. Stop talking and start walking.
….there’s gonna be a continuation.
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