Would you allow company romance?

 

This is a tricky question. On one hand, when there is office romance, how do we ensure decisions made are not biased by the relationship? Even when they are not, how do we ensure they are not PERCEIVED to be biased? Is separating the couple to different departments sufficient? Is it even the right thing to do, since it may force them onto career paths they may not have chosen otherwise? On the other hand, some of the happiest couples I know are from office romances. Should a company have the right to interfere in employees' personal affairs? 

What's your take? 

People are easy to understand

 

We sometimes find it hard to understand people mainly because we are not able to set aside our own egos and accept others as who they are. We tend to see things only from own our positions. If we are able to put ourselves into the other party's shoes, we will be able to empathise much better. Being able to empathise is a very powerful tool. It is how we are able to truly communicate and build trust. 

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If you want a change in outcome, you have to make a change in your actions

 

How often do people wish to be richer, healthier, smarter and having better relationships, but are not willing to change themselves or their daily habits? If you do not change your actions, why are you expecting a different result? 

If you want to be healthier, are you ready to cut down unhealthy food and exercise more, on a daily basis? If you want to learn a new instrument, are you ready to allocate a few hours every week practising? If you want to get more business are you ready to spend more effort on marketing and networking? If you want better relationships, are you ready to make time for your friends and loved ones? 

It's a simple deal. When you are willing to sow, you will harvest eventually. 

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Why team-building activities are annoying

 

Some leaders see team-building activities as a chore, a task to complete for the sake of letting the "young ones" have some fun. They are done half-heartedly or delegated to someone who is even less enthusiastic. It is no wonder then the rest of the staff sees it as a superficial exercise that wastes time. 

Team-building is an important tool to build the right culture for your organisation. It must be done with a clear goal, and planned according to that goal. Whether and how your leaders conduct team-building activities communicates a lot to your people. 

This and other tips in my book Every Employee an Entrepreneur: 

• Shopee Malaysia
• Lazada Malaysia
• Google Playstore e-book
• Amazon
• Amazon Kindle e-book

Hello Johor Bahru

I made a day trip to Johor Bahru to conduct training for a group of company directors and business owners. One thing that I had not anticipated was I conducted the whole session in Chinese. The session was booked a few months ago and I was asked to conduct the session in English. All my materials were prepared in English - the slides, the handouts, the case studies, the activities. I did my rehearsals in English. On the day itself before my session started, I noticed the attendees were all speaking Mandarin privately, despite presentations being in English. So right before my session started, I asked whether they would be more comfortable if I did the session in Mandarin.

Now that might not have been a good idea. Although I am a native speaker, I had not conducted this particular training in Mandarin before. All my preparation had been in English. This was like asking Jacky Cheung to change all the songs five minutes before the concert starts. He probably can do it but it will likely be disruptive. Was I going to shoot myself in the foot?

The group said yes, let's do it in Mandarin. They explained that normally they had non-Mandarin-speaking attendees. It was coincidence that all present that day were Mandarin-speaking. So okay, here we go. I certainly stumbled over a few terms and what the best Chinese equivalents would be. However the overall session was much more impactful and engaging. The attendees eagerly opened up to discuss issues they faced. We had deep and meaningful discussions on the topic. I had a great connection with the audience. I could deliver the messages and concepts powerfully.

In the end it's about doing what's best for your clients through understanding their needs. Some risks are worth taking and some prices worth paying, when you can give the best value to your customers.

Tips for building relationships - offer to meet at their convenience

 

"Where are you located? I can come and meet you." This is just a small gesture, but when you suggest to meet at a place more convenient for your business counterpart, it shows you are a giver and care enough to see things from their perspective. In contrast, consider this, "Let's meet up! Can you come to my office?" You are indirectly saying that your time and convenience are more valuable than theirs. 

You can also suggest to meet in the middle. It shows you respect their time and you are a fair person. It also puts you both on an equal and collaborative footing. 

When you treat people with respect and when you are considerate, you earn respect and goodwill, which go a long way in building healthy business relationships. 

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What hiking taught me - live the moment

My father, a yoga practitioner, always uses this phrase "here and now". One thing I like about going hiking is how it allows me to live in the "here and now". I am focusing on every step I take, deciding where to place my foot next, making sure I have a firm footing. I am not thinking about how far more there is to go, whether I'll be late for my next appointment or whether it is going to rain. I am looking down and taking one step after another, and enjoying being focused on just this one thing. After a one and a half hour hike, I feel refreshed and recharged. 

When you run a business, many worries, issues and goals constantly wear you down. Make time to do one thing which allows you to live in the moment. It gives you clarity and helps you sustain. 

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The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

Ben Stiller is in many silly comedies, but this one is something completely different. It is a movie that gives you a new perspective in life.  

How loyal are your employees?

 

You should never ask your employees to be loyal to your company. This is an outmoded mindset. Instead you want to influence them to be loyal to your core values, while you also consistently live these core values. People stay with companies which are aligned with their personal goals and values. If an employee decides to leave because she wants a bigger role, higher compensation or new learning opportunities which you can't provide, you should be happy for her and wish her well, and be proud that when she moves on to a different organisation, she continues to uphold the core values and quality of work learned from you. She becomes an ambassador for your company. 

Employees are not and should not be loyal to an entity called a company. They are loyal to what the company means to them. Always be clear who you are. 

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