Thought 30NOV2007

POINTS TO PONDER - [General George S Patton, Jr]
Picking the right leader is the most important task of any commander. I line up the candidates and say, "Men, I want a trench dug behind warehouse ten. Make this trench eight feet long, three feet wide and six inches deep." While the candidates are checking their tools out at the warehouse, I watch them from a distance. They question why I want such a shallow trench. They argue over whether six inches is deep enough for a gun emplacement. Some complain that such a trench should be dug with power equipment. Others gripe that it is too hot or too cold to dig. If the men are above rank of lieutenant, there will be complaints that they should not be doing such lowly labour. Finally, one man will order. "What difference does it make what that old SOB wants to do with this trench! Let's get it dug and get out of here."That man will get the promotion. Pick the man who can get the job done!
Quoted by Porter B Williamson in Gen Patton's Principles for Life and Leadership - Extracted from Reader's Digest, March 1995 - Points to Ponder

The more you sweat in peacetime, the less you bleed during war - Chinese Proverb

Thought 29NOV2007

ON RISK
To hope is to risk pain. To try is to risk failure. But risk must be taken, because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing. The person who risks nothing does nothing, has nothing, and is nothing. He may avoid suffering and sorrow, but he simply cannot learn, feel, change, grow, live, or love. Chained by his addictions, he's a slave. He has forfeited his greatest trait, and that is his individual freedom. Only the person who risks is free.
Leo Buscaglia (1924 - 1998) - Educator and writer, Cited in BITS & PIECES

There are always ears on the other side of the wall - Chinese Proverb

Thought 28NOV2007

HIS LIFE's WORK
When his wife died, the baby was two. They had six other children - three boys and three girls, ranging in age from 4 to 16. A few days after he became a widower, the man's parents and his deceased wife's parents came to visit. "We've been talking," they said, "about how to make this work. There's no way you can take care of all these children and work to make a living. So, we've arranged for each child to be placed with a different uncle and aunt. We're making sure that all of your children will be living right here in the neighborhood, so you can see them anytime..." "You have no idea how much I appreciate your thoughtfulness," the man responded. "But I want you to know," he smiled and continued, "If the children should interfere with my work, or if we should need any help, we'll let you know." Over the next few weeks the man worked with his children, assigning them chores and giving them responsibilities. The two older girls, aged 12 and 10, began to cook and do the laundry and household chores. The two older boys, 16 and 14, helped their father with his farming. But then another blow. The man developed arthritis. His hands swelled, and he was unable to grip the handles of his farm tools. The children shouldered their loads well, but the man could see that he would not be able to continue in this vein. He sold his farming equipment, moved the family to a small town and opened a small business.

The family was welcomed into the new neighborhood. The man's business flourished. He derived pleasure from seeing people and serving them. Word of his pleasant personality and excellent customer service began to spread. People came from far and wide to do business with him. And the children helped both at home and at work. Their father's pleasure in his work brought satisfaction to them, and he drew pleasure from their successes. The children grew up and got married. Five of the seven went off to college, most after they were married. Each one paid his or her own way. The children's collegiate successes were a source of pride to the father. He had stopped at the sixth grade. Then came grandchildren. No one enjoyed grandchildren more than this man. As they became toddlers, he invited them to his workplace and his small home. They brought each other great joy. Finally, the youngest daughter - the baby, who had been two years old at her mother's death - got married. And the man, his life's work completed, died. This man's work had been the lonely but joyful task of raising his family. This man was my father. I was the 16-year-old, the oldest of seven.
By Wyverne Flatt - from Chicken Soup for the Soul at Work, Copyright 1996 by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Maida Rogerson, Martin Rutte & Tim Clauss

He who asks questions, cannot avoid the answers - Cameroon Proverb

Thought 27NOV2007

MY FRIENDS
It is that my friends have made the story of my life. In a thousand ways they have turned my limitations into beautiful privileges, and enabled me to walk serene and happy in the shadow cast by my deprivation.
Helen Keller (1880-1968)

Nothing is worth more than this day - Goethe

Thought 26NOV2007

EARTH STATUS REPORT - 2006
If the population of the Earth was reduced to that of a small town with 100 people, it would look something like this :
57% Asian, 21% Europeans, 14% Americans (Northern & Southern), 8% African
52% Women 48% Men 70% Coloured-skins, 30% Caucasians
89% Heterosexuals, 11% Homosexuals
6 People would own 59% of the whole world wealth and all of then will be from United States of America
80% would have bad living conditions, 70% would be educated, 50% underfed
1 would die, 2 would be born, 1 would have computer, 1 (only one) will have higher education
This morning, if you woke up healthy, then you are happier than the 1 million people that will not survive next week.
You are happier than 500 million people in the world, if you have never suffered a war, the loneliness of the jail ell, the agony of torture or hunger.
You are happier than 3 million people in the world, if you can enter into a mosque or church without fear of jail or death.
You are richer then 75% of the people in the world, if there is a food in your fridge, you have shoes and clothes, you have a bed and a roof.
You belong to the 8% of the people of the world, who are well-to-do, if you have a bank account, money in your wallet and some coins in the money-box.
Source Unknown - received from Hanapiah (Atan)

If we knew that tonight we were going to go blind, we would take a longing, last real look at every blade of grass, every cloud formation, every speck of dust, every rainbow, raindrop - everything - Pema Chodron

Lembu is Missing - But Replaced

This small kitten, aptly named "Lembu" by Yameen who have been with us for a few months, suddenly went missing. It came to us during the fasting month, frail looking and thin. We took it in, takes good care of her and even made ready a cosy bed for her in the kitchen. But suddenly, one fine day last week, she left and never came back.

"Lembu"

One fine evening, while walking back home from the field, Ang was followed by a small cute little kitten. Then, according to him; 3 other kittens emerged out of the bush and together followed him. We took all the 4 kittens and since then takes care of all of them.

We have not named any of them as yet. It has been 3 weeks now and they are all healthy, cute and very manja.

Guiding them were at first not easy, however after a few coaxing by our Kak Yanti, they all now know where to do their 'business' and sleeps together with Kak Yanti in her bedroom.

They might by somebody's cute little kittens. We know that as when they arrived, they are all cleaned and already cute. If anybody comes and claim them, we will gladly give them up, if it is the real owner who comes to claim!

There you have it Meen. Lembu had been missing for about 3 weeks. She had been 'technically' replaced by 4 other cute ones, aren't they ???!!!

Thought 23NOV2007

ALWAYS BELIEVE IN YOURSELF
Get to know yourself - what you can do and what you cannot do - for only you can make your life happy. Believe that by working, learning and achieving, you can reach your goals and be successful.

Believe in your own creativity as a means of expressing your true feelings. Believe in appreciating life. Be sure to have fun everyday and to enjoy the beauty in the world.

Believe in love. Love your friends, your family, yourself and your life. Believe in your dreams and your dreams can become a reality.
by Susan Polis Schutz

Terrible or not, difficult or not, the only thing that is beautiful, noble, religious, and mystical is to be happy - Arnaud Desjardins

Thought 22NOV2007

TWELVE LIFE VALUES

The Value of Time

The Success of Perseverance

The Pleasure of Working

The Dignity of Simplicity

The Worth of Character

The Power of Kindness

The Influence of Example

The Obligation of Duty

The Wisdom of Economy

The Virtue of Patience

The Improvement of Talent

The Joy of Origination

extracted from 'Management Thoughts' by Promod Batra, Golden Book Centre Sdn Bhd, reprinted 1995

The secret of contentment is knowing how to enjoy what you have, and to be able to lose all desire for things beyond your reach - Chinese Philosopher Lin Yu-Tang

Apai's Convocation - 21NOV2007

Today our eldest son Fairuz (Apai) graduated Bachelor of Science - Architecture (2nd Class Upper) from University Teknology MARA.

One of our proudest moment having children.

The beautiful sunny but hot and humid day does not damper loads and loads of parents who came from all over the country to watch their children received their scroll.
We had special access right and parking right next to the hall, as Dean Mala has VVIP sticker since she need it to attend her Faculty's Convocation. The rest of the parents were transported in by UiTM purple coloured beautiful busses.

May the world be kinder to our children - starting life

Thought 21NOV2007

THE COOKIE THIEF
A woman was waiting at an airport one night, With several long hours before her flight. She hunted for a book in the airport shop, Bought a bag of cookies and found a place to drop. She was engrossed in her book, but happened to see, hat the man beside her, as bold as could be, Grabbed a cookie or two from the bag between, Which she tried to ignore, to avoid a scene. She read, munched cookies and watched the clock, As the gutsy "cookie thief" diminished her stock. She was getting more irritated as the minutes ticked by, Thinking, "If I wasn't so nice, I'd blacken his eye!" With each cookie she took, he took one too. When only one was left, she wondered what he'd do. With a smile on his face and a nervous laugh, He took the last cookie and broke it in half. He offered her half, as he ate the other. She snatched it from him and thought, "Oh brother, This guy has some nerve, and he's also rude, Why, he didn't even show any gratitude!" She had never known when she had been so galled, And sighed with relief when her flight was called. She gathered her belongings and headed for the gate, Refusing so look back at the "thieving ingrate." She boarded the plane and sand in her seat, Then sought her book, which was almost complete. As she reached in her luggage, she gasped with surprise. There was her bag of cookies in front of her eyes!" If mine are here," she moaned with despair, "Then the others were his and he tried to share!" Too late to apologize, she realized with grief, That she was the rude one, the ingrate, the thief!
Valerie Cox - extracted from 'a 3rd serving of Chicken Soup for the Soul', Jack Canfield & Mark Victor Hansen, Health Communications, Inc; 1996

Tough times don't last, but tough people do - French Proverb

Thought 20NOV2007

A LEADERSHIP PRIMER - [lesson 16]
{this is the last in the series}
"The commander in the field is always right and the rear echelon is wrong, unless proved otherwise"
Too often, the reverse defines corporate culture. This is one of the main reasons why leaders like Ken Iverson of Nucor Steel, Percy Barnevik of Asea Brown Boveri, and Richard Branson of Virgin have kept their corporate staffs to a bare-bones minimum - how about fewer than 100 central corporate staffers for global $30 billion-plus ABB? Or around 25 and 3 for multi-billion Nucor and Virgin, respectively? Shift the power and the financial accountability to the folks who are bringing in the beans, not the ones who are counting or analyzing them.
General Colin Powell - Chairman (Ret), Joint Chiefs of Staff - Former Secretary of State - USA

Always talk big and you will never be forgotten - French Proverb

Thought 19NOV2007

A LEADERSHIP PRIMER - [lesson 15]
Part I : "Use the formula P=40 to 70, in which P stands for the probability of success and the numbers indicate the percentage of information acquired"
Part II : "Once the information is in the 40 to 70 range, go with your gut"
Don't take action if you have only enough information to give you less than a 40 percent chance of being right, but don't wait until you have enough facts to be 100 percent sure, because by then it is almost always too late. Today, excessive delays in the name of information-gathering breeds "analysis paralysis." Procrastination in the name of reducing risk actually increases risk.
General Colin Powell - Chairman (Ret), Joint Chiefs of Staff - Former Secretary of State - USA

Remember that everyone you meet is afraid of something, loves something, and has lost something - French Proverb

BSU - Operations Dept, Affin Bank - Gathering 18NOV2007

For the 2nd time, they organised a gathering of all former and present Branch Supervision Unit staff of Operations Department AFFIN Bank. This time it was at held at Renaissance Hotel. About 45 people attended the gathering. Some brought grown up kids, growing kids, small children and cucus.Rahim, Sidah, Me, Midah and Midah's daughter.

Norazha, Mrs Norazha, Midah & Fazi

Banyak nak cerita - Khamsiah & Sidah

Some others invited could not make it. They will be organising another one soon. Some thought that it would be nice to organise them every half-yearly. After all they do get great bonuses from AFFIN, so what's the problem.

Alin, Sidah and Hariana (dah kurus)

It was a wonderful idea to hold these gatherings so we may keep in touch and not forget each other when the meetings and interactions are done continuously.

The whole gang (most of them) were there.

Gathering started from 12:30 pm and is supposed to end by 4:00 pm. Somehow or rather, due to lots of old stories to be talked about and some catching up to do, we ended leaving Renaissance Hotel at 5:30 pm after the buffet tables have been cleared (macam suruh balek je).

Spending some time for photographs

The group photos before we left

It was 5 hours well spent. I wouldn't miss it for the world.
Looking forward to the next one.

Ampang Road Boys School 1971

Dr Dzulkifly Hashim, my primary school friend send me this photo (with his wife Mar, in it). I could not remember when and where this photo was taken. But it must have been Form 3 in Ampang Road Boys School, Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur.

As far as I can remember, standing the most left is Ahmad Zaki (who was once Director of Pusat Terjemahan Negara), then Shukran (then lived in Kg Dato' Keramat), then me. Standing most right is Khairuddin and next to him is Fadzil (Ahmad Zaki's twin brother). The twins used to live in the Jalan Bunus Flats next to the river on Jalan Tun Razak (now where the flyover connecting Tun Razak to Ampang over the river - near Megan Philleo). I used to live at the Jalan Aman (Jalan Damai) Police Barracks. I could not remember of the girls at all (apparently they all went to Ampang Road Girls School) next to our school (behind Sucasa).

Thought 16NOV2007

A LEADERSHIP PRIMER - [lesson 14]
"Great leaders are almost always great simplifiers, who can cut through argument, debate and doubt, to offer a solution everybody can understand"
Effective leaders understand the KISS principle, Keep It Simple, Stupid. They articulate vivid, over-arching goals and values, which they use to drive daily behaviors and choices among competing alternatives. Their visions and priorities are lean and compelling, not cluttered and buzzword-laden. Their decisions are crisp and clear, not tentative and ambiguous. They convey an unwavering firmness and consistency in their actions, aligned with the picture of the future they paint. The result : clarity of purpose, credibility of leadership, and integrity in organization.
General Colin Powell - Chairman (Ret), Joint Chiefs of Staff - Former Secretary of State - USA

Love is the dawn of marriage, and marriage is the sunset of love - French Proverb

Thought 15NOV2007

A LEADERSHIP PRIMER - [lesson 13]
"Powell's Rules for Picking People"
Look for intelligence and judgment, and most critically, a capacity to anticipate, to see around corners. Also look for loyalty, integrity, a high energy drive, a balanced ego, and the drive to get things done.How often do our recruitment and hiring processes tap into these attributes? More often than not, we ignore them in favor of length of resume, degrees and prior titles. A string of job descriptions a recruit held yesterday seem to be more important than who one is today, what they can contribute tomorrow, or how well their values mesh with those of the organization. You can train a bright, willing novice in the fundamentals of your business fairly readily, but it's a lot harder to train someone to have integrity, judgment, energy, balance, and the drive to get things done. Good leaders stack the deck in their favor right in the recruitment phase.
General Colin Powell - Chairman (Ret), Joint Chiefs of Staff - Former Secretary of State - USA

Young people tell what they are doing, old people what they have done and fools what they wish to do - French Proverb

Thought 14NOV2007

A LEADERSHIP PRIMER - [lesson 12]
"Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier"
The ripple effect of a leader's enthusiasm and optimism is awesome. So is the impact of cynicism and pessimism. Leaders who whine and blame engender those same behaviors among their colleagues. I am not talking about stoically accepting organizational stupidity and performance incompetence with a "what, me worry?" smile. I am talking about a gung-ho attitude that says "we can change things here, we can achieve awesome goals, we can be the best." Spare me the grim litany of the "realist," give me the unrealistic aspirations of the optimist any day.
General Colin Powell - Chairman (Ret), Joint Chiefs of Staff - Former Secretary of State - USA

To be loved is the best way of being useful - French Proverb

Thought 13NOV2007

A LEADERSHIP PRIMER - [lesson 11]
"Fit no stereotypes. Don't chase the latest management fads. The situation dictates which approach best accomplishes the team's mission"
Flitting from fad to fad creates team confusion, reduces the leader's credibility, and drains organizational coffers. Blindly following a particular fad generates rigidity in thought and action. Sometimes speed to market is more important than total quality. Sometimes an unapologetic directive is more appropriate than participatory discussion. Some situations require the leader to hover closely; others require long, loose leashes. Leaders honor their core values, but they are flexible in how they execute them. They understand that management techniques are not magic mantras but simply tools to be reached for at the right times.
General Colin Powell - Chairman (Ret), Joint Chiefs of Staff - Former Secretary of State - USA

If you would understand men, study women - French Proverb

Thought 12NOV2007

A LEADERSHIP PRIMER - [lesson 10]
"Never let your ego get so close to your position that when your position goes, your ego goes with it"
Too often, change is stifled by people who cling to familiar turfs and job descriptions. One reason that even large organizations wither is that managers won't challenge old, comfortable ways of doing things. But real leaders understand that, nowadays, every one of our jobs is becoming obsolete. The proper response is to obsolete our activities before someone else does. Effective leaders create a climate where people’s worth is determined by their willingness to learn new skills and grab new responsibilities, thus perpetually reinventing their jobs. The most important question in performance evaluation becomes not, "How well did you perform your job since the last time we met?" but, "How much did you change it?"
General Colin Powell - Chairman (Ret), Joint Chiefs of Staff - Former Secretary of State - USA

Life is an onion which one peels crying - French Proverb

Thought 09NOV2007

A LEADERSHIP PRIMER - [lesson 9]
"Organization charts and fancy titles count for next to nothing"
Organization charts are frozen, anachronistic photos in a work place that ought to be as dynamic as the external environment around you. If people really followed organization charts, companies would collapse. In well-run organizations, titles are also pretty meaningless. At best, they advertise some authority, an official status conferring the ability to give orders and induce obedience. But titles mean little in terms of real power, which is the capacity to influence and inspire. Have you ever noticed that people will personally commit to certain individuals who on paper (or on the organization chart) possess little authority, but instead possess pizzazz, drive, expertise, and genuine caring for teammates and products? On the flip side, non-leaders in management may be formally anointed with all the perks and frills associated with high positions, but they have little influence on others, apart from their ability to extract minimal compliance to minimal standards.
General Colin Powell - Chairman (Ret), Joint Chiefs of Staff - Former Secretary of State - USA

It is by believing in roses that one brings them to bloom - French Proverb

Thought 07NOV2007

A LEADERSHIP PRIMER - [lesson 8]
"Organization doesn't really accomplish anything. Plans don't accomplish anything, either. Theories of management don't much matter. Endeavors succeed or fail because of the people involved. Only by attracting the best people will you accomplish great deeds"
In a brain-based economy, your best assets are people. We've heard this expression so often that it's become trite. But how many leaders really "walk the talk" with this stuff? Too often, people are assumed to be empty chess pieces to be moved around by grand viziers, which may explain why so many top managers immerse their calendar time in deal making, restructuring and the latest management fad. How many immerse themselves in the goal of creating an environment where the best, the brightest, the most creative are attracted, retained and, most importantly, unleashed?
General Colin Powell - Chairman (Ret), Joint Chiefs of Staff - Former Secretary of State - USA

Friends are lost by calling often and calling seldom - French Proverb

Thought 06NOV2007

A LEADERSHIP PRIMER - [lesson 7]
"Keep looking below surface appearances. Don't shrink from doing so (just) because you might not like what you find"
"If it ain't broke, don't fix it" is the slogan of the complacent, the arrogant or the scared. It's an excuse for inaction, a call to non-arms. It's a mind-set that assumes (or hopes) that today's realities will continue tomorrow in a tidy, linear and predictable fashion. Pure fantasy. In this sort of culture, you won't find people who pro-actively take steps to solve problems as they emerge. Here's a little tip: don't invest in these companies.
General Colin Powell - Chairman (Ret), Joint Chiefs of Staff - Former Secretary of State - USA

Fortune is a woman; if you neglect her today do not expect to regain her tomorrow - French Proverb

Another Small Gathering - Elfian's Place

Excellent Hosts (Elfian and the 'better half')
40 year old stories to be told
much to discuss and laugh about

Following through the last 'small gathering' we had at my place, Elfian did another one at his house in Taman Subang Murni. Mad Yusof, Haji Mohamed Meon, Dr Dzulkifly Hashim, Dato' Jamshah, Dato' Fuad and me were there to enjoy the roti jala with chicken curry, mee hoon goreng, kek kukus, and host of other foods. It was an afternoon well spent, still with old 40 year old stories.

Even the respective wife followed, except Haji Mohamed Meon's wife who is in East Malaysia. Discussion went over to creating industries or businesses in the Kuala Pilah area. With our respective expertises in our own area, we could start something back in Kuala Pilah. After all, we gather that there are a lot of abandoned land that could be turned to be used for something very productive. In the agriculture and food area, Dr Dzul will be the main person to consult.
Dr Dzul - Haji Mohammad Meon - Elfian - Aziz Alhaj
Dato' Jamshah - Dato' Mohd Fuad - Mad Yusof
Aziz's Son - Dean Mala (Mrs Aziz) - Mrs Mad Yusof

Dean Mala (Mrs Aziz) - Datin (Mrs Dato' Fuad) - Dato' Fuad's Daughter - Datin (Mrs Dato' Jamshah)

Lets have this 'small gathering' again; in Kuala Pilah. We can have more friends chit chatting 40 year old stories to more people. We'll see !!! Have to start calling old friends again.

Lets go to Guru Besar Zainiyuddin's House - that's an idea !!!

BE GOOD - DO GOOD - THINK GOOD - FEEL GOOD

Thought 05NOV2007

A LEADERSHIP PRIMER - [lesson 6]
"You don't know what you can get away with until you try" You know the expression, "it's easier to get forgiveness than permission."
Well, it's true. Good leaders don't wait for official blessing to try things out. They're prudent, not reckless. But they also realize a fact of life in most organizations: if you ask enough people for permission, you'll inevitably come up against someone who believes his job is to say "no." So the moral is, don't ask. Less effective middle managers endorsed the sentiment, "If I haven't explicitly been told 'yes,' I can't do it," whereas the good ones believed, "If I haven't explicitly been told 'no,' I can." There's a world of difference between these two points of view.
General Colin Powell - Chairman (Ret), Joint Chiefs of Staff - Former Secretary of State - USA

To change and to improve are two different things - German Proverb

Thought 02NOV2007

A LEADERSHIP PRIMER - [lesson 5]
"Never neglect details. When everyone's mind is dulled or distracted the leader must be doubly vigilant"
Strategy equals execution. All the great ideas and visions in the world are worthless if they can't be implemented rapidly and efficiently. Good leaders delegate and empower others liberally, but they pay attention to details, every day. (Think about supreme athletic coaches like Jimmy Johnson, Pat Riley and Tony La Russa). Bad ones, even those who fancy themselves as progressive "visionaries," think they're somehow "above" operational details. Paradoxically, good leaders understand something else: an obsessive routine in carrying out the details begets conformity and complacency, which in turn dulls everyone's mind. That is why even as they pay attention to details, they continually encourage people to challenge the process. They implicitly understand the sentiment of CEO leaders like Quad Graphic's Harry Quadracchi, Oticon's Lars Kolind and the late Bill McGowan of MCI, who all independently asserted that the Job of a leader is not to be the chief organizer, but the chief dis-organizer.
General Colin Powell - Chairman (Ret), Joint Chiefs of Staff - Former Secretary of State - USA

May your anger set with the sun and not rise again with it - Irish Proverb