The meeting with the CIO went well this morning. My portion was quite small and I spoke only for a few minutes. It was a good meeting and the CIO is very down-top-earth and sensible. She will be a breath of fresh air. I hope my performance in the meeting will help my cause. I did not get to talk to her too much as did not have an opportunity. Actually, I was not able to sleep well last night although I should not have been stressed out. I woke at about 3am and could not sleep again. So I went and listened to the audio book I borrowed yesterday.
I just finished Churchill's 'The Grand Alliance'. It was a good book but 2 CDs were damaged. So I returned it to the library and borrowed Die Sijie's 'Balzac and the little Seamstress.' I listened to disc 2 and went back to bed at about 5:30am hoping to get an hour of sleep before leaving for office. In fact I was able to doze off and slip into a deep sleep as I started to dream. It was a good dream and just when I was settling into a relaxed state, I was woken by my alarm clock. It was 6:30 am already and I had to be ready for work. As usual my mind kept whirling in the dark and I tried to count my breath and meditate to control my thoughts earlier. But no luck so I had to get up and listen to the audio book.
Listening to audio books gives me a different sensation. Firstly, one knows immediately if it's a great work. But the sensation of hearing the words as compared to reading seems to diminish the impact. I think reading gives a feeling of a greater grandeur in the way the words are formed and assembled. But hearing the words spoken seems to lessen the appeal like it was common place. But listening to the works of Churchill or JM.Coetzee, one knows that the writer is of a significant and powerful substance. The effect is to have a more down-to-earth and simple effect rather than having a feeling of being in the company of great people. Sometimes that becomes my problem because I use a lot of abstract the high falluting words.
During the early morning episode, lying in my bed in darkness with my thought whirling, I realized that I have a deficit type of thinking by dwelling on my thoughts. I was worried and fretful and realized that I should convert my thinking into a so-called asset based thinking - to think in abundance. For instance, I wondered why I should be worried and I should in fact swagger into the room with confidence and speak in a calm and relaxed manner. In fact the project has been done and completed despite the 3-month delay and issues encountered. So I should dwell on the success instead of the long gone issues that were already resolved long ago.
Friday, August 29, 2008
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Road to China
The next phase of the project roll-out is China. Now that the first pilot project in Thailand has gone live, work is now beginning for the next factory located in the northeastern part of China. I have been to this factory many times in the past and it will be good to return again. I actually love this place with it's Manchurian history of the Manchus and the Japanese invasion. I also like the cold and the winter scapes and especially visiting the old Manchu palace in winter with the snow covering the imperial palaces is a refreshing and rare sight. I also love visiting the burial grounds temples and large parks and lakes. But sometimes the cold is very difficult as well with the cold wind burning your cheeks and seeping into your bones. I remember the park near my hotel with the huge statue of Mao and the large number of bikes moving silently in the early morning as their riders went to work. It was actually this large north eastern city that has given me my most concrete impression of China.
Last night I attend a short workshop on trading. It was a good course and complimented my recent attendance of an investment fair a few weeks back. I am thinking of buying a CD library which has about 24 CDs for a home study course on trading. The cost is discounted but still amounting to about SGD $ 1000.00. I wonder if I am wasting my time in this area and should focus instead on my writing. This can be a distraction but also another stream of income if I am successful. But I read somewhere that people successful in trading comprise only about 5% of the total population especially for forex trading. The same low success rate goes for options, CFDs and warrants. But one interesting choice may be the so-called e-minis which is actually futures of the S&P 500 index or Russell index. So the question is should I invest in the library or focus on my goal. I guess I am hedging my bets by having another option in case I fail in my primary goal.
I am also thinking about improving my sports game. Golf is too expensive and sometime I think I waste my time in the greens. But I have spent so much time trying to be good at it but I have not improved my game despite the time I spent. So I am thinking of getting an instructor. In the past, I pursued this course because it helped me handle my stress by keeping me focused on my golf swing. I have kept my cost down by spending most of my time in the driving range instead of the greens. It was more a satisfaction of an urge to follow my father's lead and learn a new sport. But now I felt I have not achieved much and should get an instructor. At least, I could boast of having a respectable game and handicap instead of being a very poor player. Now I feel that time is running out and I should try to accomplish a lot more until age creeps up.
I will be presenting to the new CIO tomorrow who is in Asia. It will be a short presentation and will cover the project we have just deployed in Thailand and soon deploy in China. I will keep it short and precise and hope to give a favorable impression. CIO may help me in the campaign to transfer me overseas to the new job. I hope I can do a good job. I have had many presentations in the past and I don't feel any particular pressure. The experience and training I have had in Toastmasters and presentations to the boss man should be helpful.
Last night I attend a short workshop on trading. It was a good course and complimented my recent attendance of an investment fair a few weeks back. I am thinking of buying a CD library which has about 24 CDs for a home study course on trading. The cost is discounted but still amounting to about SGD $ 1000.00. I wonder if I am wasting my time in this area and should focus instead on my writing. This can be a distraction but also another stream of income if I am successful. But I read somewhere that people successful in trading comprise only about 5% of the total population especially for forex trading. The same low success rate goes for options, CFDs and warrants. But one interesting choice may be the so-called e-minis which is actually futures of the S&P 500 index or Russell index. So the question is should I invest in the library or focus on my goal. I guess I am hedging my bets by having another option in case I fail in my primary goal.
I am also thinking about improving my sports game. Golf is too expensive and sometime I think I waste my time in the greens. But I have spent so much time trying to be good at it but I have not improved my game despite the time I spent. So I am thinking of getting an instructor. In the past, I pursued this course because it helped me handle my stress by keeping me focused on my golf swing. I have kept my cost down by spending most of my time in the driving range instead of the greens. It was more a satisfaction of an urge to follow my father's lead and learn a new sport. But now I felt I have not achieved much and should get an instructor. At least, I could boast of having a respectable game and handicap instead of being a very poor player. Now I feel that time is running out and I should try to accomplish a lot more until age creeps up.
I will be presenting to the new CIO tomorrow who is in Asia. It will be a short presentation and will cover the project we have just deployed in Thailand and soon deploy in China. I will keep it short and precise and hope to give a favorable impression. CIO may help me in the campaign to transfer me overseas to the new job. I hope I can do a good job. I have had many presentations in the past and I don't feel any particular pressure. The experience and training I have had in Toastmasters and presentations to the boss man should be helpful.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Strengths and Liabilities
Looking at the results of the strengths finder I find that my strengths like ideation and learner and input also keeps me distracted and un-focused. I remember that I should team up with another whose strength on focusing. Last weekend, I used up all my library privileges as well as both my sons. So I borrowed books on Asian furniture, Malaysian and Philippine interior design and architecture, Alan Greenspan's 'The Age of Turbulence', Tim Ferris's 'The 4-Hour Work Week', 'The Elements of Style', Winston Churchill's 'The Strategic Alliance' and DVDs on Indian classical music, documentary on lake Victoria in Africa and a movie on Filipino - Chinese.
Aside from that, I have committed to read my stack of old newspapers and magazines which I neglect to throw away until I have read them. All these to satisfy my so-called strength of input and learning. It is as if I am afraid that I will miss something. So reading Tim Ferris book is very enlightening. I should not work too much but instead work smarter is essentially the message. I have too much in my plate though I would think that it was a strength rather than a weakness. In fact, I am actually stagnating because there is too much input without the corresponding output. Embarrassingly, my output is only my blog and my Toastmaster speeches. How pathetic is that? I remember a line from Joseph Conrad about feeling like a drowning man which seems to fit my situation.
So my strength actually a liability because I lack focus and would like to do many things that I end up doing nothing. So maybe the trick is to learn how to manage or control your strengths rather than your weaknesses or liabilities. This is one area that was not discussed in the books by Marcus Buckingham or the Gallup websites. I wonder if there are other people who have the same problem. In fact to restate my situation, how to make turn my strengths into productive and focused effort instead of dissipating my energies into unproductive ventures. Is this the insight that I should learn from the strength finder exercise?
Aside from that, I have committed to read my stack of old newspapers and magazines which I neglect to throw away until I have read them. All these to satisfy my so-called strength of input and learning. It is as if I am afraid that I will miss something. So reading Tim Ferris book is very enlightening. I should not work too much but instead work smarter is essentially the message. I have too much in my plate though I would think that it was a strength rather than a weakness. In fact, I am actually stagnating because there is too much input without the corresponding output. Embarrassingly, my output is only my blog and my Toastmaster speeches. How pathetic is that? I remember a line from Joseph Conrad about feeling like a drowning man which seems to fit my situation.
So my strength actually a liability because I lack focus and would like to do many things that I end up doing nothing. So maybe the trick is to learn how to manage or control your strengths rather than your weaknesses or liabilities. This is one area that was not discussed in the books by Marcus Buckingham or the Gallup websites. I wonder if there are other people who have the same problem. In fact to restate my situation, how to make turn my strengths into productive and focused effort instead of dissipating my energies into unproductive ventures. Is this the insight that I should learn from the strength finder exercise?
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Building Strengths
After finding out the results of the strengths finder, it seems that most of my talents reside in my mind and seem to refer more to thinking. My themes don't seem to lie on action or dynamic attitudes and don't lie in the area of extroversion or in working and/ or meeting with others. So following the theory, what are the skills or knowledge that I need to gain to develop my talents and, thereafter, increase my strengths? This is my present challenge for me to think about.
I guess I now realize why I like to write so much. Or also on why I like visual thinking tools. Both skills help me in some of my themes like increase my input, strategy, ideation, intellection and learning. It helps me settle my mind by allowing my thoughts to be clarified and able to express my thoughts and ideas. Similarly, joining Toastmasters does not seem to improve my strengths as it does not seem to be a talent of mine. It would be more like a skill that will help me expound and express my ideas or learning to a public audience.
What about being a business man? It seems I may have no talent in this area although I may have some in investing and trading since it should appeal to my strategic or learning or input side. So making an investment is more like implementing a strategy that will earn me money. Of course, the strategy should be informed with the proper knowledge and insight. So gaining this knowledge will play to my talent of learning and input and intellection. So again, these seems to be more of an individualized activity as compared to working with many people.
What about being a writer? I guess some of the talents I have would support this profession because it would require intellection and ideation. But I still need to develop more creative writing skills or even the passion and excitement needed to complete the book. In fact most of the samples in the themes reported by strengths finders seem to involve writing. So there are some skills needed to make this career succeed although I may seem to have some talents here.
What about project management? Some examples from the test also show that my talents help me in this area. Specifically, strategic or intellection and maybe even learner because I do need to learn many new things when moving to different project areas. This is an interesting exercise of self-discovery and I have started to think about how to maximize my strengths and perhaps move towards a more enriching life and career.
I guess I now realize why I like to write so much. Or also on why I like visual thinking tools. Both skills help me in some of my themes like increase my input, strategy, ideation, intellection and learning. It helps me settle my mind by allowing my thoughts to be clarified and able to express my thoughts and ideas. Similarly, joining Toastmasters does not seem to improve my strengths as it does not seem to be a talent of mine. It would be more like a skill that will help me expound and express my ideas or learning to a public audience.
What about being a business man? It seems I may have no talent in this area although I may have some in investing and trading since it should appeal to my strategic or learning or input side. So making an investment is more like implementing a strategy that will earn me money. Of course, the strategy should be informed with the proper knowledge and insight. So gaining this knowledge will play to my talent of learning and input and intellection. So again, these seems to be more of an individualized activity as compared to working with many people.
What about being a writer? I guess some of the talents I have would support this profession because it would require intellection and ideation. But I still need to develop more creative writing skills or even the passion and excitement needed to complete the book. In fact most of the samples in the themes reported by strengths finders seem to involve writing. So there are some skills needed to make this career succeed although I may seem to have some talents here.
What about project management? Some examples from the test also show that my talents help me in this area. Specifically, strategic or intellection and maybe even learner because I do need to learn many new things when moving to different project areas. This is an interesting exercise of self-discovery and I have started to think about how to maximize my strengths and perhaps move towards a more enriching life and career.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Strengths Finder
I finally did the strength's finder test last night. I bought the latest book with version 2.0 from the Bangkok airport. I did not have the time last week to take the test even though I was on leave the whole week. Based on the test, my strengths are:
1. Input
2. Strategic
3. Intellection
4. Ideation
5. Learner
Based on my earlier feeling on what my strengths were I was able to guess right only 2 strengths: Ideation and Learner. I also got to thinking about my weaknesses. The theory goes that I should learn how to manage my weakness. I guess this is were I am not doing very well. In fact doing the test has opened my eyes on how to handle my weaknesses. Looking at these strengths, my weaknesses come in better light. What are my weaknesses:
1. Doing detailed plans
2. Doing reports and time sheets
3. Communication to stakeholders
I realized that my strengths do not lie in project management. In fact it is in the more creative aspect that I may be excelling: thinking and designing solutions (Ideation, Input), solving political problems (Strategic) and adapting to new ideas or business process (Learner). These strengths have made me excel in project management by getting the job done. But the more formal process of project planning and risk management are not my strong points.
But strangely I used to love some of these tasks when I was working back in my old job. Now in my new location, I seemed to have lost the touch. The only thing that has remained from my old tasks which I enjoy is working and supporting the users. This has remained although I am less and less excited by it. Looking at my strengths, I seem to be ready to move towards right-brain work following the ideas expounded in 'A Whole New Mind'. These strengths seem to be the ones needed in the new world where routine work are outsourced to places like India.
This is the reason why I pursued the taking of the strengths finder to guide me in my next moves in the new phase of my life. I feel that I need to change and I want to make sure that I go towards the correct direction where in I have a natural advantage and following the trend of the future. I have not yet read the full-report but my strengths seem to guide me towards some sort of designing work, perhaps also teaching or journalism. I feel that the findings seem to make sense.
I spent most of last week at home, watching the Olympics in TV, jogging, going to museums, reading and/or listening to audio books, watching movies and going to free seminars on finance and investing. I am thinking of buying a set of CDs on being a trader amounting to about USD $ 800 as an alternative career but I think it can help me as well in other areas such as being an educator. I am not sure if I now have a future on being a writer following the results of the strength finder. But I guess an exam does not really portend my future but offer only some possibilities or potentials.
1. Input
2. Strategic
3. Intellection
4. Ideation
5. Learner
Based on my earlier feeling on what my strengths were I was able to guess right only 2 strengths: Ideation and Learner. I also got to thinking about my weaknesses. The theory goes that I should learn how to manage my weakness. I guess this is were I am not doing very well. In fact doing the test has opened my eyes on how to handle my weaknesses. Looking at these strengths, my weaknesses come in better light. What are my weaknesses:
1. Doing detailed plans
2. Doing reports and time sheets
3. Communication to stakeholders
I realized that my strengths do not lie in project management. In fact it is in the more creative aspect that I may be excelling: thinking and designing solutions (Ideation, Input), solving political problems (Strategic) and adapting to new ideas or business process (Learner). These strengths have made me excel in project management by getting the job done. But the more formal process of project planning and risk management are not my strong points.
But strangely I used to love some of these tasks when I was working back in my old job. Now in my new location, I seemed to have lost the touch. The only thing that has remained from my old tasks which I enjoy is working and supporting the users. This has remained although I am less and less excited by it. Looking at my strengths, I seem to be ready to move towards right-brain work following the ideas expounded in 'A Whole New Mind'. These strengths seem to be the ones needed in the new world where routine work are outsourced to places like India.
This is the reason why I pursued the taking of the strengths finder to guide me in my next moves in the new phase of my life. I feel that I need to change and I want to make sure that I go towards the correct direction where in I have a natural advantage and following the trend of the future. I have not yet read the full-report but my strengths seem to guide me towards some sort of designing work, perhaps also teaching or journalism. I feel that the findings seem to make sense.
I spent most of last week at home, watching the Olympics in TV, jogging, going to museums, reading and/or listening to audio books, watching movies and going to free seminars on finance and investing. I am thinking of buying a set of CDs on being a trader amounting to about USD $ 800 as an alternative career but I think it can help me as well in other areas such as being an educator. I am not sure if I now have a future on being a writer following the results of the strength finder. But I guess an exam does not really portend my future but offer only some possibilities or potentials.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Mistaken Boredom
I see my mind wander these days when I try to complete some project task. I soon realize it is really boredom. Sometimes I feel that I am not fully skilled to work on the project management tool to plan my projects. But in fact I mistake a perceived lack of skill and enthusiasm to boredom and disinterest. During the last few meetings with top management, a remark was made our top honcho to think deeply about our motivation and drive. The recent re-organization and transformation may have sapped the one's remaining interests in work. As one of the document's state that people will leave the company due to the drive towards operational excellence.
So I always blamed the background noise of outsourcing and re-organization as the reason behind my lack of focus and commitment sometimes. But I realize my emotion as what it really is: perhaps boredom of working on my job. I have become a salary man just waiting for my pay at the end of the month. Yesterday, we oriented the young outsource team from India. We explained all the systems that was developed and deployed for about 10 plus years. It was like I was seeing a flashback of my life because I have worked on these projects in one capacity or another in the past. It seemed that my career was dieing as I prepared to turnover all my work to another.
I had dinner with an old friend last night. He used to worked with us but moved to another company. We compared notes and experience and realize that both companies have different perspectives. One focused more on the technical skills while the other focused on the interpersonal development and alignment. One was more process and machine-like while the other was more humane and personnel development. We guessed that it was due to the nature of the business where one earned about 10% gross margin while the other about 60% margin. So this fundamental different provided the different perspectives.
I will be on leave for a week and hope to do some soul searching and relaxation. I need to rest and relax and enjoy myself. Hopefully I can write my book, play some golf, apply for immigration to Australia or Canada, determine my strengths and work on my resume. I have not had a decent rest since the start of the year. So I hope to catch up of some of the things that I enjoy and watch some movies as well. Seems to be hectic but actually a good way to relax and kickback.
So I always blamed the background noise of outsourcing and re-organization as the reason behind my lack of focus and commitment sometimes. But I realize my emotion as what it really is: perhaps boredom of working on my job. I have become a salary man just waiting for my pay at the end of the month. Yesterday, we oriented the young outsource team from India. We explained all the systems that was developed and deployed for about 10 plus years. It was like I was seeing a flashback of my life because I have worked on these projects in one capacity or another in the past. It seemed that my career was dieing as I prepared to turnover all my work to another.
I had dinner with an old friend last night. He used to worked with us but moved to another company. We compared notes and experience and realize that both companies have different perspectives. One focused more on the technical skills while the other focused on the interpersonal development and alignment. One was more process and machine-like while the other was more humane and personnel development. We guessed that it was due to the nature of the business where one earned about 10% gross margin while the other about 60% margin. So this fundamental different provided the different perspectives.
I will be on leave for a week and hope to do some soul searching and relaxation. I need to rest and relax and enjoy myself. Hopefully I can write my book, play some golf, apply for immigration to Australia or Canada, determine my strengths and work on my resume. I have not had a decent rest since the start of the year. So I hope to catch up of some of the things that I enjoy and watch some movies as well. Seems to be hectic but actually a good way to relax and kickback.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Transition Begins
This week 2 resources from the outsource company have started work in the office. They will be here until November. We presented the overview of the software applications to them. They are charming young team from Hyderabad, India. Some of my resources in the former company in the Philippines have also said their goodbyes. Of few of them have begun to work in the new company that bought them. So times are a changing. The transition has begun.
The target is to move all maintenance and development support by the end of the year. The support staff will be coming over in the coming weeks from the Philippines to orient the team from India. They will be discussing the details of each application that they support. It will be like a revolving wheel where the former resources will return back to a new job once the transition of their particular application is completed. The outsource team will be getting the responsibility of support little by little as the transition move along like an unstoppable train.
Our infrastructure team will outsource their work by the end of the year to the giant American company. I heard that the infrastruture team will be absorbed and move over to the American company as well. So it has been a good transition for both the Philippine company as well as the local infrastructure team. They will have a nice package plus a new job. For those of us remaining, I hope the story will also end well. I think we may stay for a few more months until the situation is stabilized.
Within our team, there are news already on our respective fates. One will be re-trenched, another will move to China while another is being offered to work with the outsource company. My boss has also moved to another job within the company. As for myself, I was advised to keep doing my project until further notice. Hence, my situation is still status quo although I have heard from another source that plans are a foot to move me overseas to another assignment. In fact the assignment seems to good to be true.
So I am left now with the task or continuing working with my current project and training the outsource agents on the other applications that will move to them. The next place for deployment is China after completing the pilot in Thailand. So my attention remains in my current work while pondering my future. I still have time to plan for the next project using the enterprise project management tool. I hope to do good this time around as the first pilot was not done well. So I have a chance to redeem my reputation and I am working the new staff from the project office.
It feels like I am consolidating my experience for my next assignment or transfer. I just completed my 60 PDUs to extend my PMP certifcation and I am working on completing the next level of my Toastmaster's course. So it feels like I am bidding my time for the next big change in my life and I hope that my training and experiences will have prepared me for it.
The target is to move all maintenance and development support by the end of the year. The support staff will be coming over in the coming weeks from the Philippines to orient the team from India. They will be discussing the details of each application that they support. It will be like a revolving wheel where the former resources will return back to a new job once the transition of their particular application is completed. The outsource team will be getting the responsibility of support little by little as the transition move along like an unstoppable train.
Our infrastructure team will outsource their work by the end of the year to the giant American company. I heard that the infrastruture team will be absorbed and move over to the American company as well. So it has been a good transition for both the Philippine company as well as the local infrastructure team. They will have a nice package plus a new job. For those of us remaining, I hope the story will also end well. I think we may stay for a few more months until the situation is stabilized.
Within our team, there are news already on our respective fates. One will be re-trenched, another will move to China while another is being offered to work with the outsource company. My boss has also moved to another job within the company. As for myself, I was advised to keep doing my project until further notice. Hence, my situation is still status quo although I have heard from another source that plans are a foot to move me overseas to another assignment. In fact the assignment seems to good to be true.
So I am left now with the task or continuing working with my current project and training the outsource agents on the other applications that will move to them. The next place for deployment is China after completing the pilot in Thailand. So my attention remains in my current work while pondering my future. I still have time to plan for the next project using the enterprise project management tool. I hope to do good this time around as the first pilot was not done well. So I have a chance to redeem my reputation and I am working the new staff from the project office.
It feels like I am consolidating my experience for my next assignment or transfer. I just completed my 60 PDUs to extend my PMP certifcation and I am working on completing the next level of my Toastmaster's course. So it feels like I am bidding my time for the next big change in my life and I hope that my training and experiences will have prepared me for it.
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Preparing the Future
I have been reading books about the 'future' since news came out a few years back that our jobs will be outsourced. So I have been reading a few authors like Thomas Friedman, Alvin Toffler, Daniel Pink and Marcus Buckingham. There seems to be a thread of thought running through these books. It's like the 'future' is clear for them and that steps can be taken to prepare oneself for it. I am not sure if I am ready but the reality if losing your job is enough to depress into in action.
I think the argument is clear and Daniel Pink was best able to explain the path forward. Thomas Friedman and Alvin Toffler showed us the reasons why the changes have occurred. Now how to prepare for it is bet explained by Daniel Pink and Marcus Buckingham. So with the prospect of losing my job in the medium term gives me some sudden panic and I have been reading all these books to keep me prepared. But I can't help but be fretful of the future. Reading the book 'Free-Agent Nation' is another good book but it seems that the environment that is conducive to adapting is in the USA.
So I am gorging myself on all sorts of books especially audio book CDs that help me absorb new knowledge anywhere. So it is quite as speed ride driven by panic and ceaseless anxiety. The trip to Thailand was a welcome respite being back in the provincial air of Saraburi. We move the application to production and we dare that the project is live. But the main resource person on the planning process has just resigned and we hope the new team will be able to step up appropriately. I have also been informed that I am being proposed to be transferred to USA and I am not sure this will push through. So many changes are coming which I feel that I should not be unprepared.
The career guide provide by Pink maybe useful in these new world. So I am guided by his advise. The steps are:
1. There is no plan.
2. Think strengths, not weaknesses
3. It's not about you.
4. Persistence trumps talent.
5. Make excellent mistakes.
6. Leave an imprint.
These are interesting advise which also jives with the insight from Marcus Buckingham - which is to build on one's strengths. So these are the guidance I can rely on and I feel that I am stepping into the unknown. I am not sure if it is the correct path or I am being driven by naivete. I am also listening to the audio book 'The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt' and provides an inspiring example in these times of confusion and anxiety. It is always an American example that lead the way.
I think the argument is clear and Daniel Pink was best able to explain the path forward. Thomas Friedman and Alvin Toffler showed us the reasons why the changes have occurred. Now how to prepare for it is bet explained by Daniel Pink and Marcus Buckingham. So with the prospect of losing my job in the medium term gives me some sudden panic and I have been reading all these books to keep me prepared. But I can't help but be fretful of the future. Reading the book 'Free-Agent Nation' is another good book but it seems that the environment that is conducive to adapting is in the USA.
So I am gorging myself on all sorts of books especially audio book CDs that help me absorb new knowledge anywhere. So it is quite as speed ride driven by panic and ceaseless anxiety. The trip to Thailand was a welcome respite being back in the provincial air of Saraburi. We move the application to production and we dare that the project is live. But the main resource person on the planning process has just resigned and we hope the new team will be able to step up appropriately. I have also been informed that I am being proposed to be transferred to USA and I am not sure this will push through. So many changes are coming which I feel that I should not be unprepared.
The career guide provide by Pink maybe useful in these new world. So I am guided by his advise. The steps are:
1. There is no plan.
2. Think strengths, not weaknesses
3. It's not about you.
4. Persistence trumps talent.
5. Make excellent mistakes.
6. Leave an imprint.
These are interesting advise which also jives with the insight from Marcus Buckingham - which is to build on one's strengths. So these are the guidance I can rely on and I feel that I am stepping into the unknown. I am not sure if it is the correct path or I am being driven by naivete. I am also listening to the audio book 'The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt' and provides an inspiring example in these times of confusion and anxiety. It is always an American example that lead the way.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)