Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas people. 2011 has almost comes to the end, and we are about to receive 2012 in another week. I wish you all the best on whatever you are up to, and a wonderful year of 2012 ahead. For those who has been following my blog, thank you for reading my thought and being supportive. I will keep working on my words, so I could better express my opinions. May God bless all of us. Last, show you guys a interesting video from Jeff Dunham on youtube, and wish the laughter stays with you all 2012.

Get Your Company A Speaker

Events and media have been the most well know marketing tools so far. Marketing representative utilize different media to present their product to consumers. Events are held for introducing new projects. However, they all focus on introducing the unique selling point of products; those obvious ponts. Mobile devices, computers and other electronic emphasis on tech specs when advertise. Service provider such as hotels and resorts focus on restaurants type, room size and design. However none have get someone who can embrace the product with a story that can inspire people to pursuit a belief; to believe that the product is something they need and always wanted.

The success of Apple was built by thousands of Apple employees, but known through one person, Steve Jobs. Sadly, none has learned from him, and understand the key for Apple’s well known success.

Whenever he was on product launching, he was always selling a dream, not the product. He explained his dream again and again as a story. He linked this dream of changing the way technology was with Apple's new product. “We have reinvented the phone”, he said while introducing iPhone. We can easily felt his belief through those words, and were influenced. Their advertisements concentrated on the meaning behind the design instead of explaining the tech specs. He has built a belief in us, and made us willingly to spend more for Apple’s product.

It is always much effective while inspiring people to do something instead of rewarding them to act. Announcing all those figures behind the product is consider as rewarding the consumer for their action to purchase. Tell them a story and involve them into such story can motivate them to go after the product. To sell a story, one needs a great speaker; a speaker who can influence people through words. Start searching for those talents within your establishment and utilize them wisely. 

Don't tell me words don't matter.

What would you do? part 2

This video was shared by my friend via Facebook. Again reminds us to stand for those needs help. Let's focusing on doing the right things instead of only doing things right.

What would you do?

We, people who claim living in liberal city. We educated our kids not to bully. We complain no one gives a hand when things happen to our family or us. But what have we done for others when they indeed need our support?

I was shared with the attached youtube video, and feel sorry for us who enjoy freedom in our life. We become disconnect with things around us. We focus only on those concerns us. We care only for no one. We stand for no one. The worst, we even scare to stand for our own belief and integrity.

We need to wake up. We need to change. We need to start caring again.

Learn from our younger generation

Through TED, I have got to learn about Adora Svitak, a great young author from America. When I called her young, I mean it. She is only 14. I watched her speech in TED, and was totally blown away. I would strongly encourage everyone to experience her powerful words from http://www.ted.com/talks/adora_svitak.html. The topic she has shared is “What can adults learn from kids?” and I found this topic extremely important to us, especially to our leaders.

Often we forgotten to listen and lend an ear to our younger one. We tend to share more of our experience to them instead of understand what’s in their mind. We lead them by our pass experience and expect their success. I would say at most of time, we have just simply ignored their voice. We forget the fact that the world has changed, and we did not catch up these changes better than our youths.

We communicate more rapidly through technology nowadays, which in fact we weren’t as good as our youngsters. We can learn more through Internet now, but we spend less time in comparison to our youngsters. We need to admit the fact that we can actually learn from our younger one in many aspects.

By empowering them to share their thought with us, we then get opportunities to learn. We can learn how to improve our management skill through Internet, and yet such learning can be costless. We can learn how to better communicate with others through technology, and again many of these tools are free. Through exchange ideas, we can identify much efficient ways to achieve result, and yet with lower price.

Lend an ear to our next generation, and allow them to share their opinions with us. Allow them to achieve their need of supreme through this little action, and you may avoid them to obtain responsiveness through miss behaviors. We will be surprise with how much we can learn from our youth, and yet how much they would appreciate such interaction from us.

I want to be "happy"

I have found this picture from Internet, and feel like sharing with everyone. I am not a parent yet, but I was once a child. I understood how depress that is to have an adult tackle me down by their experience.

Time has past and things have changed. Whatever we have experience before will never stay the same. I have once heard a great saying, “the only certainty of this world is uncertainty”. Due to technology development, things change rapidly around us. What was seem unachievable before, might be easily performed at this century.

Motivation is something we need in this century. We need to allow our youngster to be more creative and to try on different things. We need to allow them to learn to make decision. Through making decision, one would learn to take responsibility and face the consequence behind.

Through motivation we empower our younger generation to grow, which will lead to a better future of our society. This will not only benefit the youth around us, but the entire human nation. Our creativity has lifted us to the current development. We need more of this practice by everyone.

Therefore, stop punch ourselves down by those experiences we gained from life. By enable ourselves to live outside of box, which never actually existed, will allow us a better life. A life John Lennon has mentioned, life of “Happiness”. We enjoy life with music, movie, literature, invention, and food. They are all results from creativity.

Four Basic Human Needs - Antonio 2011

We all have heard of different theories regarding to basic human needs. I have been learning about them and using them as part of my training when relating to motivation. After few years of experience, I have finally developed my own opinion in basic human needs, which are need of security, status, involvement and supreme.

Need of “Security” is the ultimate need of human being in my opinion. It is a need, which we keep pursuing. We will work through obstacles to achieve such need, even if it requires risking our life or freedom. Need of security includes food, shelter, clothing, safety and saving. Saving, is the define factor that makes each individual different within this very basic need of mankind. The amount of saving I have in order to provide me a sense of security varies with others. We all need to observe a certain amount of saving in order to feel assured about the future.

As I have mentioned earlier, people could risk their life or freedom to pursuit for the need of security. Therefore, often we witness people commit crime while suffer in financial drawbacks. Our ancestors demonstrate the desire to fulfill this need by hunting animals that can be stronger and more vital. In addition, they also practiced to save food for future, which put my earlier statement with proof.

Our 2^nd basic need is “Status”. We all looking forward to obtain a certain status, and be recognized by the society. Status is a need that incorporates closely with our need of security, because recognition from the society forms secure feeling. We work hard to get promotion or achievement in order to have a title to share amount communities. We often believe the higher the status the more secure the life is. That’s the reason why we observed the princes fight for crown and children fight for parents’ business ownership.

Through the status change, our need of security changes too. When we are young, we only wish to have a car to take us everywhere. When we become older, we start to dream for Porsche. This is all due to status change. The need of status is getting more critical nowadays, which results credit debtors. People try to fulfill their need of status through luxury goods. This often happens to youngster, because they only have limited chance to acquire a status. Therefore, they shift their focus to those goods that can represent a certain status amount friends.

I would summarize the above needs as tangible needs. Both needs serve almost the same purpose, which is a secure life. As mankind, our security often builds on material goods instead of inner peace. Our ancestors searched for cave and we look for houses, place where we can touch and feel secure.

The next two needs are consider intangible needs. They are more spiritual, and related to our inner feeling.

“Involvement”, we all seek to involve in the society. We all desire to be part of a group. We need a sense of belongingness. Therefore, we hang out with people that share the same interest. We desire to be heard and identified as individuals. As a result, we use Facebook, Twitter, and start a blog. This is all due to our need of involvement.

Involvement helps us to feel important and unique. We gain responsiveness through participating in activities and groups. We found our love one, because they recognize us differently compare to others. They love us more than others. They consistently listen to us, and try to agree with us at most of time. They encourage us continuously and never give up on us easily. Detect those failure marriages around us. Majority of them fail for the same reason, there is no significant love between the two parties. They fail to engage each other in their life. They fail to involve each other. However the best thing is, we will keep finding the right the one or get a pet, so we can fulfill the need of involvement easily at home.

Last, the need of “Supreme”. This is a need that helps us to be different, which is anticipated by all mankind. Many have put it in better words such as self-actualization or contribution. I would prefer to call it as the need of supreme. This need provides people a reason to do things that return only a good name. Charity is one of the ways to fulfill this need, especially for the world leaders. The act of performing charity furnishes us a sense of supreme amount others. We feel good for such act, and we share amount friends. One can prove me wrong by telling me stories about anonymous helping the poor, and my 1^st question would be “How do you know it?” We partake social responsibility, because we need to feel different and better. We know people will compliment us on such act. We do not need to hear those compliments in person, because we foresee it happens.

In fact, I name the last need as the need of supreme, for our world leaders. Countless world leaders have been consistently participating in charity work, while they also unfailingly purchase new luxury automobiles, or collect more properties. Imagine if our world leaders would truly desire to find a solution to solve the poor’s problem. Would there still be the problem? There are millions of people suffering in hunger in the world, and our leaders cannot do anything to solve this problem. They have been donating a lot of money, but the problem still exists. Better yet they still could afford another Lamborghini or jet. They still take 1^st class seat during business trip. These indulgence behaviors are total contradiction with their statements to help the poor. Hence, I have finally recognized and realized that the act of helping the poor serve only a purpose in them, to feel supreme and beyond others. This totally makes sense if we look back at our M-shape society again.

Anyway, I should stop diverse my writing.

The above four needs are those I found important to human, and considered as basic needs in my opinion. I am glade to present my view with you for those reading this blog. Thank you for helping me to fulfill both my need of involvement and supreme. I knew that I have not done any charity work here, through this blog. Yet, by sharing my thought and try to influence a group of people, it is consider a way of fulfill our need of supreme too. So, thank you.

Let's help each other....

For me, this picture draws out our current economical situation. We are living in a M-shape society, which the poverty gap will only increase further if we don't change. This is a problem for everyone, not just the poor or middle class, but everyone including the rich who is sitting at home while people are making money for him or her.

I totally agreed with those occupied Wall Street, demanding a fair share of wealth, because after all they did somehow contribute to the growth of their nation and deserve a piece of such success. However I oppose the emotion of hatred against the wealth. It takes a lot of courage to invest and start a business. It is never easy to be successful in this competitive world. Therefore these rich deserve to be rich as well, for being different. No one should encourage such emotional conflict between poor and wealth, because it will only bring chaos.

We need to find a right balance between the two.

I would strongly recommend the wealth to settle for compromise. Just like what we have learned from “Spider Man”, greater power comes with greater responsibilities. Money, status, and reputation represent power to mankind, therefore our fortune one should start taking their responsibility, to balance this society financially.

Mainstream organization in the world aim for higher profit each year, and such growth only impacts a very few individuals in the world, the investors. One needs to understand that success or growth does not just exist without anyone’s effort. Gandhi didn’t become one of the most influencing people in the world by his own. He succeeded, because many anonymous supported him. President Obama, the 1^st African American president of United States, did not win his election single-handed, but with thousand and thousand of people backing him up.

Without the majority of the labor force in the world, there won’t be any successful establishment at all. This is a true fact that everyone needs to recognize. Our rich need to wake up and start paying their employee fairly. They need to face the fact that inflation is happening to everyone. We need to help each other in order to survive. They need to stop buying new cars, jets, fancy suit, watches and bags, but to reward their invisible partners who spend hours to fulfill their dream of being success. Stop looking at the grass above the ground, and ignore the fact that there will be better return for your willingness to give.

I knew many rich would disagree with me, and prove me wrong by their consistent charity work.

Let me present my idea in another way. The amount of money contributed to the charity should be given to your employees, so we can have more middle classes in this society. More middle classes represents more people can perform charity. By doing so, you do not just provide the need of security to your followers through fairly paid salary, but also enlighten them the opportunity to achieve their highest spiritual need, the need of contribution.

Your act has a great impact in mankind by allowing more love floating around us. Your act will also allow more money floating in the market. The only sacrifice you made is your tax deductible through charity, which if you insist you can still do it by saving your money from not buying a new extra Porsche.

Please allow me to conclude. I do not against the rich. I do not represent the majority of poor. In fact, I am a middle class person. I represent no one, but myself. I just wish to share an idea that can bring us together again. We, human, have gone through so much difficulties through years to reach the current century. There are so many amazing things happened around us daily, but none of us can stop our step and appreciate them. Let’s help each other to fulfill those basic needs, so more of us can slow down our pace after money and spend more time in those truly matters to our life. Let's help each other to fulfill the ultimate need of self-esteem and make a better future together.

Love those...

Quote that someone has shared with me today, and find meaningful to share with everyone of you. Love those who hate you, for being better than them in somehow. Love those who look down on you, because they have yet figure out your capability. Love those who stop you from dream, because they have never live.

Management for the New Generation

Management, the word invented by mankind in 20th century. It has been evolving through years from micro-management, open door policy, carrot & stick, empowerment and lately, ownership. Due to uncertainty of the world economic, industries have to make changes to better enhance management efficiency and productivities.

However, there are still industries fail to catch up or develop into the next business model, such as service industry. Majority still serves the golden rule of “customer is always right” or “customer first”, and continuously matching the wants of their customer instead of needs. The greatest need of all customers is engagement, not a room upgrade, free meal or any free gift. Of course, they are something we love to have, but not need to have. We all desire to engage and form some sort of friendship while experience a service, but we often can’t, due to unhappy employees.

Executive management from service industry complains on the current workforce and blames on their ego. Needs of our younger generation are fail to observe by this industry, which conclude with short labor.

One needs to be paid fairly for the amount of work contributed, even if it is only mechanical works that require no initiative. Employees should be treated with respect through salary as well, which many insist to ignore although it was clearly stated in most of human needs theories, the need of security.

In addition, one should be given a clear path to success for the challenge face, and such path should not be recognized as a gift from the company. Company needs to grow talents in order to sustain, and talents need company as a platform to shine. It is a win-win situation. Nevertheless managers often believe there will be another talent coming on his/her way to their organization, but disregard the fact that there are a lot of platforms out there waiting for talents too.

Last, I would like to encourage executive management from service industry to start recognizing our younger generation as individuals. Respect their need of being significant; allow them to implement their own personality into their task. Your customers are craving to interact with another individual, not robots that treat them like king or queen. (Of course, there are still people who wish for such kind of attention, but trust me they are getting lesser.)

Pay your employee equitably, and allow them to fulfill both their career and personal goals at yours. You then will be rewarded financial without trouble yourself with the hack of managing your people.

Strawberry Generation?

I have been hearing a lot of negative comments on the current younger generation work force. Many would refer them as the “Strawberry” generation, which reflects their inability in handling pressure and difficult environment.

Is it true?

I would strongly disagree. Due to the natural of my job, I have been working with a lot of youngster over the last few years, and majority of their age falls under the category of the “Strawberry” generation. But in conflict, I saw their energy and passion in work.

Most of them received at least a certain level of education, which lead them to become better thinker. They have rich knowledge beyond their education field and working industry. They come with great ideas, which are totally out of our mind, and these ideas work well in practical with just a little reality twist. They work hard and truly enjoy their work life. They aim to succeed and they knew what it takes. They constantly create new connection through conversation and Internet with their habits. They are faster learner than us, and the best is that we keep learning without bias.

Let me share one example here;

I got to know this fresh grad Chinese boy from China in Singapore who is working in an international hotel as a front desk agent. This role is totally new to him. He has no experience at all, and he was only in Singapore for less than 4 years to receive education in English, which he wasn’t familiar at all before leaving China. He had only up to 20 days of training with me to learn how to perform his role.

When he was first released to front, his senior teammates criticize him badly when he forgets things, does not follow the SOP completely, does not meet up to their expectation, and etc. He was unhappy. Therefore, he came to me as I was his trainer, and shared this frustration with me.

As a trainer, I can’t blame my senior employees, because they were doing what they believe is right; setting up the standard and following the book. So the only thing I asked this boy is “Did you learn from those criticizes, and are you capable to avoid being criticize on the same task again?” The boy answer me “Yes”. Then I told him “So in such case you have won this bet. You have won the bet for being criticize once on a specific issue to avoid to be nag ever again.” I can see from his eyes that he was not satisfied with my way of handling such issue.

Therefore, I prompted him the next question, “Why do you choose to stay and work in Singapore than return home?”. The young gentleman looked me in the eyes and reply, “I want to return home with experience, so I can earn more salary than others and better support my family”. So I told him, “Then continue to learn and outshine yourself amount the team. You will only return with success after you earn a title here.”

Another month later, I have learned that the boy has been the top performer within the team and has helped the hotel to generate great extra revenue from upselling.

He did not succeed because of my words. He succeeds because he has re-recognized his goal again. At least that’s what I have learned from him through the conversation conducted later.

Our younger work force just needs someone to show them a value, purpose and meaning in their role to motivate them in life. Most them do not want to work for money only and will always seek to further enhance their life with putting everything with a value. Motivate and lead our youngster, we need to learn how to work with them. This is actually much more beneficial for us instead of them at this moment. Do not label them with a tag and excuse ourselves from ignoring their way of living.

Thank You Taiwan

Happy Birthday Taiwan.

I am actually a Malaysian, but was born and raised at Taiwan. Compare to Malaysian, I'm much likely to be recognized as a Taiwanese.

I enjoy every bits in Taiwan; street snack, online shopping, transportation system and etc. The only downfall over here would be the mess politic situation. All politicians are here to gain their share of power and wealth only. Everyone worries about their next election instead of the benefit of general Taiwanese.

I truly wish to see a peaceful Taiwan with someone who fights for great people in this lovely island. I truly wish to see someone who makes decision for the overall benefit of the Taiwanese than his or her next election.

Thank you Taiwan. Thank you for your beauty. Thank you to be my home.

Thank You Steve Jobs

One of greater evil in life is not appreciating another living being. One of the greatest evils in life is not appreciating another living being who has served life to change other living being’s life.

Steve Jobs, one of the greatest visionary legends has left us today. He has spent his whole life in promoting an ideal life to all human being, an ideal life where technology is no longer cold machine but our daily partner. With his persistent, we got to witness the change of personal computer. With his innovation, we involved in the raise of digital music. With his ambition, we have been privileging with the development of mobile device.

Be it if you are a supporter of Apple or not, one cannot or I would say should not ignore the significant contribution from this great leader. iPhone, iPad, iPod and Mac might not be the best product for someone, but they are definitely the trend setter of the current technology industry.

Before iPhone, there were no phones with multi-touch screen. With the announcement of iPhone, all smartphone must have multi-touch screen now. Before iPad, there was no such hand-held device ever, or at least not successfully being known. After announcement of iPad, there are plenty of similar hand-held device on the market now for us to select. Last but not least, without iPod, we may still be waiting for an awesome digital music device to define our daily entertainment.

I agreed Steve Jobs should not be deified, but should absolutely be remembered by all, and grateful with what he has left for us.

Last, I would like to thank Steve Jobs personally for something he did not know that he has contributed. I felt in love with public speaking after watched one of his announcement podcast years ago, and this began my career as a trainer. Due to such change, I have finally synchronized my mind, body and heart to do something I truly passionate about for living. In another word, it helps me to find my inner voice, and allows me to start help others to find theirs. Therefore, thank you Steve, rest in peace and may God bless your family for your contribution.

Branding - Internal Customer

Branding has becoming extremely important to any successful company in this century to sustain its business, and even to overtake the leading position in its related industry. Many companies have invested a lot of effort in creating a positive image toward its consumer, and the most popular way nowadays would be involving into the social responsibility sector; energy saving, charity, fair trade and etc.

However internal customers, employees, are actually the 1st contact point toward such brand image shaped. Comments from employees regarding to the organization would be the most reliable source to the public in identifying a company’s true character.

Majority of company performs great while the employees are still with the establishment. Many have failed to maintain such positive brand image while dealing with due to depart staff. This will essentially create two main problems toward the company.

1st, this departed staff may perceive such poor treatment as the actual brand culture of the corporation. Furthermore, share amount his or her own effective circle. In such situation, the reputation of the organization will definitely be damaged although one may doubt on the level of damage may occur in such scenario. One should never underestimate the possible harm that may arise with the currently well-developed Internet platform.

On the other hand, such poor treatment on the resigned staff could also damage the brand image installed within the organization. This could influence the remaining staff’s belief toward the brand, and further encourage higher turnover rate. In addition, this could also hinder the future recruitment of the company.

One should always remain a positive image toward the team in any circumstance. Word of mouth is the best marketing tool, especially in this century.