Year of Ox-ymoron

Hi my friends.

We just celebrated the Lunar New Year welcoming the Year of the Ox.

I will like to start the Year of the Ox, with a bunch of ideas that are, well, OX-ymoron.

We've all heard about the characteristics of the Ox that those born in the year of the Ox are known to be pragmatic and down-to-earth.

It is also known that Ox people (like someone who is close to my heart) are self-motivated and really hard working.

Also they rather independent though they sometimes place too much trust in others; just like others find it easy to trust them too. They also tend to establish strong bonds with their partners, families, and friends.

They can also be quite open-minded, but once they have decided about something, they rarely change their minds. This can sometimes be seen as being obstinate.

Taking the cue from some of these characteristics, let's see what we can learn from and also to chart our moo-ves (pun intended) onwards in today's environment.

Given the current economic situation, most are being fearful and uncertainties abound. Hence, it is even more important to be pragmatic in our approach. Having said that, we still need to trust in our hopes, dreams, and vision. Someone said to me that vision is a dream from God. Therefore, to me, believing in my vision is putting faith in that through God I will fulfill my dreams.

Also, we need to be independent as it has shown that while we can depend on others or institutions (or even government) we need to be independent in that we need to account to ourselves (and not blame others when banks go bust) and take responsibilities for our actions. To this end it is still critical that we establish strong bonds with our families and friends. Doesn't mean that being independent will see us being distanced from others.

More than that, while being independent we need to establish strong bonds with others so that we can create, add, and maximise value for (or with) them. That way they won't see us as a free-rider but more of someone they can count on. They can trust.

Finally, while remaining down-to-earth and not being boastful or become complacent with our achievements, we need to keep an open-mind, as you may have noticed that the world has shifted tremendously (will be blogging on how we must seriously re-examine our mindset and challenge certain assumptions we've held onto for so long) and hence keeping an open-mind will allow us to seize opportunities where others see gloom.

Of course it is good to re-examine those assumptions, we still need to learn from the Ox and embrace obstinacy in a different light. I believe we should stubbornly adhere to our visions and dreams and be obstinate and not give up no matter how bleak the situation seems. Remember the Lord works in mysterious ways.

Now, how's that for OX-ymoron?

(By the way, President Obama was born in the Year of the Ox. Is he, in any way, being oxymoron by selecting old-guards in his team of "Change-Agents"?)
Respectfully yours,
Melvyn Tan
(Sent from Blackberry Bold)

Blog Block

Do you ever suffer from blog block? I have. Right now.

Ever since I started using "posterous", I have been having blog block. And the fact that I have given up my E71 (I sold it recently over the net, but what's more amazing was the SPEED in which I sold it - I post the ad at around 9pm, interested party emailed me at 11pm, and by 11.40pm the transaction [actual face-to-face] was completed) just adds to the stoppage.

So, there are many reflections and thoughts about whether it is the platform, where I am more comfortable with blogger compared to posterous?  Or was it because the momentum was lost.

Both are possibilities.  To be honest, when I was publishing my blogs to blogger, I usually did it either before I sleep or while riding the train to go for my appointments.  Now, using posterous, I have to send it via an email.  Which seems kinda odd.  Of course its in the mind, but I suppose the difference in environment do makes a difference.  Another reason could be that, with posterous, I kinda know who's reading (through their subscription) but through blogger (and auto-import to facebook) I wasn't sure who could be reading.  Were these people my friends or could they be anyone who happens to land on my page?

Then of course I thought of using blogger for my usual discussion about issues pertaining to business in general, while using posterous more for discussion of "engaged mastery".

Am still trying to figure that one out.  Partially it was also because of the momentum, as we were on vacation for 14 days and there was little or no access to internet.  So, that 14 days did in fact breaks a habit.  But then again, if 14 days could have caused this habit to change, there is another habit that I kinda very quickly got back on.

Same issue with Obama.  Smoking.  Yes, of course there have been attempts (sincere) to quit.  And I thought, well, if I can do it for 14 days, I figured I got that one straighten out!  Could it again be environment because the people I chill out with smokes too?  Then of course it comes back to the Personal Mastery 101.  Do you shape the environment or do you let the environment shapes you?  Of course if you let the environment shapes you, then you will have little control over what happens.  As it is foolish to think you have 'everything under control'.  And if you have little or no control over what happens, then you'll be faced with lots of uncertainty, which then leads to stress.  And when you get stressed up, of course you are not able to think with a calm mind.

So, ok.  I know all these intellectually, but why did I let the 'environment' shape me?  Didn't I talked about personal mastery and to work from inside-out?  And that if you think the problem is out there, that very thought is the problem?  Well, several explanations.  One is that, hey!, I am human after all!  And like you, and everyone else, we have struggles, we get put to test.  We do all sometime acknowledge that common sense does not equate common practice!  Another explanation could be, well, when it comes to smoking, it is not all that simple as there is that chemical equation when it comes to quitting smoking.  So even when you want to quit, there are chemical reactions that will cause the withdrawal effects to pull you back.  Then of course one could argue that there are individuals like J. Paul Getty (in his autobiography "As I See It") where he related an incident where he got up in the middle of the night while on the road and found he's out of cigarettes.  Instinctively, he put on his jacket and was about to brave the weather to get a pack.  At that point, he laughed and said he could control hundreds or even thousands of people and yet he couldn't control himself (letting cigarettes control him)?!  And from that point onwards, he's never touched another cigarette again!

I suppose, it works differently for different people.  Having said that, in applying my success process - I call it TEAM - (to my NLP course mates, you probably recall hearing me talk about developing my own success process? Well, here it is!) to this situation, here is how it works.  While working from inside-out is indeed a fabulous idea, in real life, we must also acknowledge that we also need to be 'systems thinker' to get this to work.  How so?  The success process goes like this: with a particular MINDSET, we will have certain ATTITUDES.  For instance, if my MINDSET is "I am an educator", then my ATTITUDES towards the child could be "every child learns differently" or "every child WANTS to learn".  Given these set of ATTITUDES, how much EFFORTS we will put in will also differ.  For instance, if those were our ATTITUDES, then we would make the EFFORT to treat every child with respect and find ways to engage the child!  And as a result of our MINDSET, ATTITUDES, and EFFORTS, we will see whether our TARGETS will be met or not.  So, if our TARGETS are not met, then we will have to work backwards, checking on our EFFORTS, ATTITUDES, and MINDSET to see what can we do so that our TARGETS can be met.

Hence, in a way, the process is just like bootstrapping, where we can borrow the term as a metaphor for a series of self-sustaining processes, without external help, that continue until the TARGET is met.  Therefore, what's key here is that our TARGET must be clear, precise, specific.  Else, this process can possibly go on forever!

So, back to blog block again.  It does look like the block has been cleared.  Later today, I will be getting my Blackberry Bold, so perhaps with that tool, I will be blogging away again soon!

Posted via email from Leadership

Increase our ability to act with integrity

Integrity, by our definition, is "moral capital".

We see it that way because having integrity is where we are able to

1. Pause
2. ASK with good intentions
3. LISTEN with empathy
4. ACT with courage

In fact, over the next few days we will be taking about the various forms on "capital" in this New Economy.

Before the recent financial crisis, everyone knows about financial capital and how with financial capital we are able to do wonderful things, or so it seems.

However, in this New Economy, there are essentially four types of new capital, chiefly,

1. Intellectual Capital,
2. Moral Capital,
3. Social Capital, and
4. "Me" Capital.

Never fear the space between your dreams and reality. If you can dream it, you can make it so. -- Belva Davis

 

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The first is the last and the last is the first

Leadership,
–noun
1. the position or function of a leader: He managed to maintain his
leadership of the party despite heavy opposition.
2. ability to lead: She displayed leadership potential.
3. an act or instance of leading; guidance; direction: They prospered
under his leadership.
4. the leaders of a group: The union leadership agreed to arbitrate.
 
Sources:
American Psychological Association (APA):
leadership. (n.d.). Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Retrieved
January 07, 2009, from Dictionary.com website:
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/leadership
 
Chicago Manual Style (CMS):
leadership. Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Random
House, Inc. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/leadership
(accessed: January 07, 2009).
 
Modern Language Association (MLA):
"leadership." Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Random House, Inc. 07
Jan. 2009. .
 
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE):
Dictionary.com, "leadership," in Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1).
Source location: Random House, Inc.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/leadership. Available:
http://dictionary.reference.com. Accessed: January 07, 2009.
 
Our definition of leadership is someone who is able to live each day
according to the 9 principled-centered values of being a leader who is
able to influence with integrity. To unpack this further, when we say
"live each day" we are looking at it through the three major roles
that almost all of us play daily; i.e. personal, people, and
professional. Briefly, "personal" means our relationship with self;
"people" is our relationship with others; and "professional" is our
relationship with our colleagues, partners, clients, and the like.
The "9 principled-centered" values are SERVES ALL (self-discipline,
empathy, rectitude, vision, engage, synergy, abundance, leverage, and
legacy). "Leader" is someone who works on the T.E.A.M. approach,
meaning s/he will examine issues in this order; Mindset, Attitude,
Effort, and Targets. "Influence" can happen easily only when we have
gained the trust of others; and for that to happen, we will need to
have both Competency & Character (c.f. Stephen M.R. Covey). And
finally, "integrity" is guided by our compass or our conscious, which
is aligned to rectitude.
 
Hence, when we talk about leadership is not about being served, but to serve.

Posted via email from Leadership

Self-discipline forms the core of our character

Character has always been the one thing that is much talked about but
very very difficult to teach and measure.
 
As we work with the Schools, many a times they struggle with the
issues on character education and how they can have programmes that
will drive the right characters and also measure its effectiveness.
 
I suppose within the realm of "engaged mastery"; first, we need to
exercise self-discipline. It could mean really difficult situation
for some people as it calls from abstaining from certain activities or
breaking of certain habits.
 
Then again, once we are able to discipline ourselves and hence win the
battle with ourselves, the activities or habits will give us the
momentum to not only surge ahead, but also to face the world with
strength and purpose.
 
Hence, bringing us back to our personal mission, where it will be
linked to our "spirit" domain of engaged mastery.

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Where there is no vision, the people perish

It's into the 5th day of the New Year and already there is so much to do... I must admit that although it is just the second working day of the New Year, it is already feeling like work is taking over me. Spent some time today translating my reflections of 2008 into goals that I would like to achieve this year. Firstly, my reflections were sub-divided into nine areas namely; body, mind, spirit, personal, people, professional, time, emotion, and economics. No specific order were they arranged but for me, I found it useful to think of it as a three-tiered.
 
Now that the reflections are being done, it is time to then think of what my vision will be for 2009. Given the overall vision for 2009 is defined, it is now time to translate it into goals. After the goals are being identified, the next step would be to break it down into smaller sub-goals that can be done progressively at a daily, weekly, or monthly level.
 
Some examples include a daily reflection, weekly write-ups on materials that are relevant to me professionally, weekly family time, monthly review of financial position, quarterly spa retreat (I like this one very much), 6-monthly visit to the dentist (not a pleasant thought though, LOL).
 
Of course after this it calls for self-discipline to see things through and/or leverage to get things done.
 
[I'd be glad to walk anyone through these steps, if you'd drop me an email.]

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Engaged, not managed

We manage resources, finances, and things; but we engage people. People, unlike things/objects, have self-awareness and intelligence.

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Engaged Leadership

The next level is Engaged Leadership, which is to say how we can engaged another person or group of people to embark on their journeys towards Personal Leadership. There are also 4 areas, like Personal Leadership and they are (i) empathy, (ii) synergy, (iii) abundance, and (iv) leverage.
 
Of course the link between Personal Leadership and Engaged Leadership is Engaged Mastery.

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Personal Leadership

Leadership has several levels. We first start with Personal Leadership; which focuses on 4 areas namely, (i) self-discipline, (ii) vision, (iii) rectitude, and (iv) leave a legacy.

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