Be Hungry to Learn

I am nearing the end of a 7-month training project, in which I train and coach senior managers who are based in China, Taiwan and Hong Kong, conducting sessions in Mandarin. One thing which impresses me tremendously is how keen my participants are to learn and grow. They ask challenging and in-depth questions. We dissect real-life scenarios which they share. It has been a very rewarding journey. as I accompany them in implementing changes and observing the outcomes of actions they take. I have learned from them. They remind me to stay hungry too.

Leadership Pitfalls: The bosses who want you to suffer as they have

 

Have you come across such a type?

Some people had to go through much hardship to become successful. They were treated unfairly. They had difficult working conditions. But they survived, and thrived. Because of that, they believe others should go through the same in order to be successful. Not that they are intentionally malicious or that they want others to fail. Their value system has been shaped by their past experiences. I've met a business owner who pays low wages and expects his employees to do extra work utilising company resources to earn more. I've met a training company owner who pays newer trainers low rates, because he believes that's the way the industry is. One analogy I use is this - if you have suffered from abusive parenting, why would you want to impose the same on your own children? Have you come across such a type? Or are you unconsciously one of them?

Do you talk about your personal life at work?

 

A: I'm here to work, to make money. Not to make friends. I go somewhere else to make friends. I'm a professional and I get things done. I respect you and I do my part so that we get our work done. But I don't need to be your friend. I'm your colleague. I don't expect you to need to befriend me. No such pressure. Don't waste your time. I respect your time and your privacy. I expect the same. B: If we are going to be working together, why not get to know each other as persons? I don't force anyone to be my friend, but I want to know you better. Maybe we can be good friends. What's the harm in exploring? Strong relationships and trust help us all enjoy our work and when we enjoy our work we are more productive. Why not choose to be happy at work? Why cordon off work from life as if it's toxic? Are you more an A or a B?

Never get comfortable

 

When you are at an event where 95% of the participants are half your age, do you feel old? Or do you feel young? I participated in the 48-hour Global Game Jam event over the weekend, when thousands of people across 131 countries came together to form teams, brainstorm and create games, both digital and analog. It was something new to me. Also a little awkward as I found myself in a room of mostly digital creators, when only a handful like me are making analog games. It was a great learning experience. Intense and inspiring. Seek out the unfamiliar and put yourself in uncomfortable situations. That's how lifelong learners continuously grow. Be proactive. Be observant. And you will find new ideas. It may not be what you expect, but that's the adventure. Happy learning!

Training is not fun and games

 

If you are to write a caption for this photo, what would you write? This photo is from one of my training sessions. Yes, they are fun and engaging, and I specialise in giant business simulation activities, but ultimately training is not about fun and games. It is about change. One client whom I did training for in December shared that after the training, they saw a change in behaviour in their team. This is what we aim to do through training. We learn to be better people. We learn to operate better as a team. We become a more productive organisation.

Generic motivational posts

 

We see plenty of these. It is the start of the year, so we see even more. For example, those with a celebrity photo in black-and-white, accompanied by some quote. I post on social media regularly too, so I often think about these. 1. Personally I find these generic motivational messages tiresome. They get repetitive. They are not that different from the good morning messages that some WhatsApp groups ban. I sometimes feel some of these posts are written by a junior employee or by an AI. But this is one person's opinion. 2. It is social media marketing. If you are a public figure, you want to put content out to remind people of what you do. To continuously build your public face. Your persona. This is value to you. 3. There are people who find these encouraging and inspiring. I may not like or need these, but there are people who do. There is value to readers of these posts. 4. What can be done better? Share genuine personal experiences and practical tips. Share something of value. I've seen comical Thai ads which inspire me, more so that most motivational posts I see on social media. If we want to say something, let it be because it's something worth saying, not because we want to say something. What is your experience with motivational posts on social media?

What's up 2024?

 

I saw this cartoon at a meme website. Low resolution, poorly-cropped, and re-used, but the message is very much valid. No point dwelling over how bad things can be or will be. What are you going to do about it?