Be the CAUSE that brings about the desired EFFECTS

A World Class Education

“I don't want to send another generation of American children to failing schools. I don't want that future for my daughters. I don't want that future for your sons. I do not want that future for America.”

— Barack Obama, Jefferson-Jackson Dinner, Des Moines, Iowa, November 10, 2007

There are two reasons why I have chosen to be a supporter of Senator Obama. Firstly, I have always been a great fan of individuals with amazing oratorical skills, and Senator Obama has been widely quoted as one of the most eloquent speaker since JFK. It is also my firm believe that individuals who are able to communicate clearly will be able to better lead others towards a noble cause. Secondly, my support for Senator Obama is due largely to his advocacy on educational issues throughout his career.

As someone who firmly believes in the benefits of education and what education can do not just for our youth, as a leveler of societal disparity, and of course as a hope for any country; I can certainly resonate with what Senator Obama has put forth in his views about educational issues.

While I do not profess to be a know-all in his views on education; I am learning through research and reading up on this particular issue. Which is why I got hold of the book, The Audacity of Hope, recently.

I believe once we have set our mind and energy on a particular cause that we sincerely care about and wants to make a difference in this area, our lives will become even more meaningful and purposeful.

As a benefactor of the education system in Singapore, I certainly can speak for its good and also its areas for improvements. There is no perfect system, though hindsight is always 20-20, any anachronistic system that does not seek to change, for the better, serves no one but those who live their lives backwards.

Lucky You

Just today, I had the opportunity to speak with a group of educators. In fact, I enjoyed many such conversations as there are indeed many hidden gems after you ponder over it and reflect upon it.

One of the topics included the kind of advantages the new generation has over their predecessors. This reminded me of a story that was shared with me about a conversation between a child and his grandfather. The child was boasting about what the new generation has created; the internet, starbucks, computers, hybrid cars, space shuttles, and so on. The grandfather immediately shot back, saying that his generation was the one who laid all the foundations for all that were mentioned so that those creations are possible.

Along those lines, one of the educators were saying that the new generation is so lucky to have all the foundations laid out, so that when new recruits join the institution, they could just pick up and go.

This was what got me thinking. You see, back in the 80s, or even up to the 90s, some people believed that knowledge is power. That led to withholding information for fear that if someone were to get hold it, they would gain a competitive edge. So much so that when the term, knowledge worker, was coined, new concepts such as knowledge management tools appear. The whole idea was to codify tacit knowledge. In other words, to capture what you know into documents, manuals, flow charts, process maps so that even if the 'knowledge worker' walks out of the organization, the knowledge is retained. Exciting idea, but feasibility is questionable.

Flowing from that concept of knowledge management is the idea of getting organizations to adopt a particular framework, like the Malcolm Baldridge, as these are tried and tested frameworks adopted by world-class organizations. Hence the thinking behind it was, if your organizations were to adopt the same framework, it, too, can become world-class. Sounds logical but fundamentally difficult to implement.

Here, there are two seemingly different ideas but they are fundamentally the same to me. While it is true that tacit knowledge that is codified can be used and re-used again and again. And as such, these 'best practices' can be quickly adopted by individuals (or organizations as in the case of a world-class organization framework) who may have little or no experience in the area concerned. Some what, it is similar to someone who is being invited to give an after dinner speech but have no idea what to talk about and hence browse the web for witty subjects to present.

Should this person be a class-act in terms of putting up a facade, he may be able to pull this through. But anyone with a little conscience would know that you can fool some of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time. As such, even with free and widely available content, unless the person who is using it has sufficient baseline knowledge of the subject matter, it would be impossible to fake it. Or put it in another way, try memorizing some medical facts and attempt to pass off as a doctor.

So, in my opinion the availability of such wealth of information is good only when we have a purpose for it. For the implementation of the knowledge is not without significant efforts, understanding the intent of the knowledge is fundamental.

The other thing is, even with such wealth of information is not enough to get you ahead. Understanding how to make use of the information is one, knowing how to build upon it is another. Therefore, having a wealth of information do not a wise man make.

Patience: Perception and Projection

I admit it. Patience is but one virtue that I need to cultivate. Although people who have known me for sometime will be able to see the improvements I have made. There is, I believe lots of room for improvements.

I mean, I cannot pretend that I do not get agitated when I have to explain something more than once. Neither can I claim to remain cool and calm when things do not move as fast as I would like them to be.

Recently, an audio book I listened to (How to make yourself unforgettable - Dale Carnegie) defined patience as the ability to wait without feeling frustration, anxiety, and anger. There are 3 key learnings I gained from this lesson and they are as follow.

The author gave a scenario like this. It is now 8.45am and you need to be at work by 9am. You are in the queue at Starbucks waiting to get your coffee. Finally there is just one more person in front of you in the queue. While all you want is just coffee; not fancy latte or decaf, the lady in front of you seems to be exploring all options, soy or low-fat milk, with or without whipped, decaf or regular, etc.

The situation is enough to make you scream as you have been standing in line for some time now, and here is this lady (or by now one might have used less than flattering names for her) who seems to take her own sweet time to decide.

Three main concepts proposed by the author are as follow. One, instead of letting the external environment control how you feel, why not choose how you feel about the external environment? In which case, here, you will not be able to control what that lady will do (without violating her rights or being seen as a mad man screaming and shouting at her). Instead, focus on controlling your emotions or choosing the right emotions that will make you feel resourceful.

Leading to that is point 2. Should you experience emotions that place you in a less than resourceful state, why do you want to hold on to those emotions? Do you enjoy feeling this way? If not, why not choose emotions that will put you in a resourceful state?

And finally, would you prefer to be in the company of someone who is in a resourceful state or otherwise? As we are likely to choose the former, so why choose to be in a less than resourceful state and then wonder why do people not like you.

A Game for Two

Say, if you were invited to an evening with your friends for a game but you were told that only two people can participate at any point in time. Would you go?

Well that depends for most people. Some do not mind just watching by the side. Some may get the kick out of watching who will win. But others may wish to participate so if both slots were taken, they might pass.

In this case, if you are the host, you might not expect a large turn out. Or maybe you do not want a large turn out to begin with.

The same can be said of your dream or vision. Because your dream is a small one, you may find that the people who will come to work along side you may be few. Then again, some of us may not want our dream to be too big, because then you might invite the wrong crowd!

For one, if your dream is big enough then you will find many who will like to be part of the action. Say, Google for example. Because the dream of their founders is likely to be big enough, fun enough, exciting enough, even with lots of testing of new boundaries; that is the reason why, I think, they are able to attract talents to their game.

So, in our last discussion where we talked about having a BIG dream, that is one of the reasons why a bigger dream is always better than a small one.

So, how big is your dream?

The Map is not the Territory Part I

So now that we are equipped with the compass, which will always point towards our true north (mission), we are still short of realising our vision. Given that our vision is the end in mind, besides the compass we will also need a map to help us get there.

The map will be the masterplan that guide us along, providing us with the paths, showing us where the obstacles might be, and even enabling to check against certain milestones. However, the map is not necessarily the territory. In other words, while we plan and draw up the ways in which we will go from point A to point B, we will come across several circumstances where it will take us by surprise. So how we will tackle these circumstances and change our course along the way will depend on 3 things. How we respond to it, what are our strategies, and whether we believe we will overcome it.

How do we form beliefs, or more importantly why do we believe whether we will overcome it will be something we will talk about today.

Let us begin with some questions. What are some beliefs that we all have? Some of us of a certain faith believe in a man we call Jesus Christ. Some of us believe that in order to be rich, we must work hard. While others believe that we must be honest in order to succeed. So where do these beliefs, whether it is true or not, come from? Some of these beliefs were our own past experiences, while others were being passed down from our parents. It could also be a belief that you picked up from a friend, a book, or a movie! Most importantly, in order for you to believe it, you need to have references to back it up. For instance we all believe that a book would not suddenly start floating in the air, because it does not match our references (c.f. Tony Robbins).

Tony also went on to cite that many of you had passed some tests in the past, so you had references that you were smart. So, now lets ask ourselves in order to be a leader, what kind of beliefs must we have?

I think there is basically one fundamental belief we must have. We must believe what our cause is beyond self, meaning our cause must not to solely benefit ourselves. But it must be for a greater good. Donald Trump phrased it differently, but to me it is essentially the same thing. Trump says one must dream big. Vic Johnson says dream big or it doesn't matter. Some people mis-interpret it as being greedy. They think, having enough is enough so why dream big. Of course if we dream big just so as to benefit only ourselves then it is greed. Else, its about going for something that is beyond you. Something larger than you. Only if its larger than you will you be able to involve others in your dreams. And only when others are involved will they be excited.

Leadership Compass Part III

Given that, we will next look at the word "influence" to see how we can expand on it. Taking the cue from Stephen R. Covey's circle of influence, we know it is about working from inside-out. In other words, our ability to influence should be from within and not from the outside.

That is not to say that we do not at all rely on 'authority' to assert our influence. We may very well need to from time to time. Having said that, it we solely rely on 'authority' then our circle of influence is not only limited but we will also feel insecure due to the fact that there will always be situations where we have little 'authority'.

Instead, according to the ideas proposed by Stephen R. Covey, working from the inside-out allows us to tap into our internal source of security. Using this simple yet powerful concept, we then need to know how we can first, work on our circle of influence and second, expand our circle of influence.

It is here where I will like to propose the concept of neurological levels of change, first introduced by Gregory Bateson, then popularized by Robert Dilts in NIP, as a tool to help us work on our circle of influence, then back to using Covey's idea of the 7 Habits (I am now practising the 8th Habit) to expand on our circle of influence.

Using Bateson's neurological levels of change, one will start by defining your identity first. According to other scholars, that would involve shaping your mindset, while the others see it as your perspective of things. For instance if you see (perspective) yourself as someone who is an optimist (identity), very often you will be likely think (mindset) in a positive fashion. While someone who is a pessimistic (identity) person, you will likely think (mindset) the worst about things because of the way you perceive (perspective) it.

Now, that does not mean we should all go out there and just be positive all the time. There are times we should not be positive. Having said that, whether we are positive or negative in terms of our perspective, what is more importantly is what we will do in any particular situation, especially the challenging ones. For instance, in my previous blog, "There's opportunities in every crisis", I was sharing about my acrimonious situation when I was working with a friend. Someone with a different mindset will most definitely take different actions from me. I am not saying what I did is the most effective, its just the most effective for me.

So, if given a certain mindset, perspective, or identity we will take different actions (even with the same mindset, perspective, or identity we can still make differing decisions), we then need to ask ourselves how is it possible. The answers lie in the neurological levels of change, which are our beliefs, strategies, and behaviours. And the best part of it all is, it is a skill set, which means we can learn, practice, refine, and apply.

Leadership Compass Part II

Here, I will like to the scope of leadership. If we acknowledge that we can be a leader in one aspect but a follower in another, then the scope of leadership expands! For instance, you can be a leader in your professional life but in your 'people' life, you are a follower as your friend might be a better organiser for get-togethers. Or you might be a leader in your community but at work you are a follower.

So, to be a true leader, to me, we must be able to influence with integrity and we must also have the necessary technical competencies in the area where we want to lead. Let's look at integrity for a moment. Would you also agree that other than integrity we will also need to be honest and sincere, along with some other virtues. In a word, we can call them, "values".

Therefore, imagine now on your right palm you have all the necessary competencies in the area that you would like to lead. And even if you did not have them, you will be able to learn, just like learning to use the chopsticks for the first time. And on your left palm, you will have all the right values that will guide you to behave in the appropriate manner.

Leadership Compass Part I

I thought the metaphor of using a compass fits squarely with the identity and responsibilities of a leader. One of the schools we are working with once asked me how would I define "leadership".

Without a second thought I said, "two words"; influence and integrity. I mentioned influence because based on the works of John C. Maxwell, he proposes the idea that a leader is someone who is in the position to influence. I added integrity because someone like Hitler certainly has influence but integrity, he has not.

As I go through some other literature such as "The Speed of Trust" by Stephen M.R. Covey, he proposes the idea that having integrity is but only one part of the equation. He says, in order for someone to trust you, so you can influence them, you must also have competence. He went on to site examples which I can definitely relate to. My wife certainly trust me, but not in the area of cutting her hair! That competency I have not. So in this respect, she does not entrust her crowning glory to me.

There's opportunity in every crisis

Adversity gives us opportunities to grow. And we usually get what we work for. If we have problems and overcome them, we grow tall in character. — J. Willard Marriott Sr.

You might already have heard of this, that the chinese character for danger has the word opportunity in it. Personally, I was in an extremely precarious situation in 2001 where an offer to work with a friend turned out horribly wrong.

There were lots of finger-pointing, character assassination, fear, intimidation, and even potential lengthy law suits coming at me after I have decided to leave the company. I was at a lost as to what I'm supposed to do.

Then, how it helped me overcome all of that, and more, was to use a metaphor. My choice of a metaphor was that of a soldier. And it goes something like this.

Imagine a soldier and his platoon mates engaged in a fire battle with the enemy. All his other platoon mates are dead. He's down to his last magazine of ammunition. He is in a fox-hole. At this moment, the enemy doesn't know he is there. He has two options.

They are, (i) To stay put and wait till the enemy comes close enough. With his remaining ammunition, he will put up his last fight. (ii) To get out of the fox-hole, run tactically towards his enemy. And shoot some along the way.

If he chose option (i), he may end up dying of hunger and cold in the fox-hole or the enemy may outnumber him and kill him. If he chose option (ii), he may end up dying from the exchange of fire as he marches towards the enemy. So it looks like either way, he'll be dead. And being a soldier, its an honour to die fighting the enemy courageously rather than hiding in the fox-hole and hoping the enemy will not find him but die instead of hunger or from enemy's ambush.

Given that as the context of the metaphor, I then asked myself which choice should I make. It seems like either way, I'll die. But if I submit to the crisis, and pray for the storm to be over, and even if I survive, I will not be able to look myself in the mirror with integrity.

So, after consulting with a friend (thank you Teck!), I decided to move on and do what I need to do. And I must say that thank you to the forces that guided me through the last few years; I have managed to get out of the precarious situation and start all over again. At least, I can look myself in the mirror with integrity.

And that was what led me to write my own quote, which I'll like to share it with you here:

Life is full of risks, but until you turn them into opportunities, they will always remain uncertain. — Melvyn Tan

Quotes help us "think, rethink, unthink"

Today's daily quote from FranklinCovey is the following:

Write down on paper your goal in life. With that down in black and white, we really can get somewhere. Few can define their goal, much less write it. You cannot find happiness until your goal is clear and in view. — Ross Byron

Do you like reading quotes? Personally, one of my hobbies these days; besides Aikido and reading, is to collect quotes. One of the reasons why I started collecting quotes is because it can help me learn.

We all go through the learning process of (1) unconscious incompetence, (2) conscious incompetence, (3) conscious competence, and (4) unconscious competence.

How quotes help me learn is because due to the manner in which I was 'conditioned', I may respond to a given situation in a predicted way. For instance, when we hear about investments, many of us will think about risk and about the possibility of losing money. As such, whenever we are introduced to any investment opportunities, one of the first questions many of us ask is, "will we lose our money".

That is the reason why, I think, many investment products these days are labeled, "capital guaranteed", or in other words, you will not lose your initial capital. The flip side of that is, well, your upside can also be limited.

And the reason why many of us will ask that question is either because we have had previous experiences of losing our initial capital when we made an investment or we have heard of others who lost their initial capital investing in some products. And because we have been 'conditioned' to this way of thinking, we have developed an unconscious competence towards investments. Every time someone says "investment", we go "will lose money or not".

One of the best minds in investment, according to my perception, is Donald Trump. I recalled reading in "Why We Want You To Be Rich" is on the topic of investment. He introduced the concept of "investing to win" vs "investing so not to lose" in one of the chapters. And that got me THINKING.

Wow! What a great concept! If I choose to THINK "invest to win", then of course with that mindset, I will be looking out for investment vehicles that allow me to do just that! So that is when I RETHINK about the various investment avenues that will allow me to "invest to win". Subsequently, that led me to the concept of Value Investing, whereby you invest in companies that are able to add value for their shareholders, which according to Buffett, there are 9 rules to follow.

And once I have identified the various investment vehicles that allow me to "invest to win", I will put all my money where my mouth is. Right? Well, not really. Because now, with this new mindset, I could possibly narrow my options to just companies' equity! As such, I may miss out on other possibilities! Therefore, even with the new mindset, there is a need to UNTHINK.

And the amazing thing is, when I UNTHINK, the number of other opportunities appear right before me. Many of which have always been there but I just didn't see it.

So in order to help me RETHINK and UNTHINK, I rely on quotes from inspirational leaders in their own field to broaden my perspectives, see things from a different angle, explore other paths, seek out different solutions.

Of course, one of my favourite quotes (or more like a tagline, though it is grammatically wrong) is that of Apple's.

THINK DIFFERENT.

Don't Eat The Last (Siew Mai) Donut

I saw this lady reading this book on the train. Out of curiosity, I google-d it and found out it is a book about social etiquette at a business meal setting. Some key notes include, always pass the salt and pepper together (boy, am I guilty of this one in the past), order something easy to eat like fish and chips (and be accused of being unimaginative - but I like my fish!), break your bread into small pieces (that one I know; visualize you just stuffed a huge piece and need to speak!), and never wear a napkin around the neck; that's for babies (just watch out for that Calvin Klein tie in the soup).

Interesting pointers that some of us already knew (whether we practice it is another thing all together) and some we never knew (I swear I never knew about the salt and pepper).

Before I head out to consult my image consultant (there is 1 celebrated image consultant that seems to remember me though we've never conducted any business dealings before), let me, ahem, attempt a few tips here based on an Asian setting. And of course invite anyone who has additional pointers or notes to share it here.

1) Look out for where you sit. Always take the best seat in the house. So that your prospect would not be distracted by who's walking in or out of the restaurant. Of course its not always possible, so get a private room, or order your food in such a way that it comes in gradually.

2) Don't even think about ordering a laksa! Unless of course you fancy little stains of laksa gravy as designs on your Hugo Boss white shirt!

3) Don't pour vinegar into a saucer for dipping. The smell irritates most people unless you need to mask your prospect's body odour.

4) Pass both the pepper and vinegar together for the shark's fins. Boy, is this an original thought or what?!

I can't think of anymore at this point. Any takers?

Leadership Choices

How do you define Leadership?

Personally, one of my favourite quotes about leadership is by John Quincy Adams, the Sixth President of the United States of America. He said that, “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader." A leader is someone who has a vision or a dream that is beyond himself as a person. Just like what Jim Collins called the Level 5 Leadership. Collins explained that a Level 5 Leader must create superb results, a clear catalyst in the transition from good to great. At the same time, demonstrates a compelling modesty, shunning public adulation; never boastful. She must demonstrate an unwavering resolve to do whatever must be done to produce the best long-term results, no matter how difficult and acts with quiet, calm determination; relies principally on inspired standards, not inspiring charisma, to motivate. Additionally, the Level 5 Leader is someone who sets the standard of building an enduring great company; will settle for nothing less. Often, you will find her channeling ambition into the company, not the self; sets up successors for even greater success in the next generation. Collins also describes that she looks in the mirror, not out the window, to apportion responsibility for poor results, never blaming other people, external factors, or bad luck but looks out the window, not in the mirror, to apportion credit for the success of the company—to other people, external factors, and good luck.

Another interesting question that somewhat creates a dichotomy amongst scholars and novices alike is, “Are leaders made or born?” I believe that in each and every one of us we have the ability to become a leader. It may not be leadership in the corporate setting. However, leadership can take on various forms and at numerous levels. For instance, a stay-home mom is a leader where she makes the choice of what is best for her offspring. Take for instance when crisis rears its ugly head, that is when ordinary folks like you and I take on the personal responsibility to lead in such situations. September 11 was a clear example where the average firefighter chooses to lead in such trying moments for the better sake of humanity. In a somewhat less dramatic context, we lead our friends to the best place for food, drinks, or party. At a more humble level, we sometimes take the lead to undertake the necessary activities at home. Its subconscious and generally the reward were never on our mind. More often, it is a matter of rectitude that leads us to make a particular choice.

Of course many of us struggle each day to choose what we think we can and cannot do for others. One commonality amongst us is the need to feel that we have in some ways; significance or otherwise, made a positive contribution to the environment in which we live. No one will confess to a live of insignificance. Even our stay-home mom wants to be able to contribute in some ways to her offspring. There are also some of us who have been through so much pain and misery. At times some of us feel that our suffering is “rental” for our occupancy of the planet. What we need to constantly remind ourselves is to embrace all these pain, misery, and suffering; to acknowledge their existence and even appreciate it. It is this very pain, misery, and suffering that can alter our experiences in life and also help shape us and our destiny. Those in position of leadership or influence will also know that our choice of what to make out of these experiences, unpleasant as it may seems, that will enable us to redefine the quality of our life. At times, what you need is focus and belief. And the very fact that despite all these unpleasant experiences around you, you are able to maintain your focus and hold firm your unshakable beliefs that will allow you to grow stronger. What’s more interesting is, sometimes we fail to see that our leaders are not men and women of high office or of highly admirable acts of heroism. Sometimes the very leaders that we do not take notice are the ones that are right in front of us. Our spouses, our kids, our parents, our friends, our co-workers, and even our pets!

Often times, people have the misconception that to be a leader, you need to do great things. No doubt, great things must be done, but the definition of great is a matter of perspectives. Just take a look at the dailies and you will find that there are so many events and situations in the way that we feel sorry about. There are global issues that need to be addressed. There are certain individuals who we feel should be removed from where they are. And you can go on and whip yourself into a nice frenzy just by dwelling on these issues. What they fail to understand is, these are not things that can be changed or addressed at their current capacities, where they are at now. But there’s something that they can do, which is right in front of them. Day-in, day-out. You can go out in your neighbourhood and make a choice. The choice to not litter, the choice to not be angry with someone if they are in your way when you are late, the choice to be kind to the next person you meet tomorrow, the choice to say thank you to the next person who serves you, the choice to give way when someone tries to cut into your lane while driving. These and all are the choices that you can make.

And if you want to make a leadership choice, you can start by making a choice to adopt a different perspective of things, to see things through a different lens, to view it from another angle. Once you make that first choice, it will then impact on those around you, as your choices will allow them to understand that things are not always what they seem, that objects in the rear-view mirror appears may appear closer than they are. To me, this is perhaps one of the most difficult choices you need to make. However, once you choose to make it a part of you, things around you will change because you changed.

A Powerful Method of Communication

We spend most of our waking moment communicating with others, letting others know where we are going (when you take a cab), what we want (when we order our food), how we want things done (speaking to our team members at work).

Many a times we do not realise that we also communicate in a non-verbal manner. For instance, when someone stands too close to us, we let them know by shifting our body away. Some of us communicate through our eyes, for instance when I say "I love you" to my wife, it is not just the words but also how I look into her eyes.

We also communicate through our actions. Such as when we show up on time for a meeting, we are saying that I respect you taking time to meet with me and as such I am punctual. Or when we buy little gifts for our loved ones, we indirectly tell them that you are very much in my mind, such that when I saw this gift, I just knew you'd love it so I got it for you.

In business, we communicate all the time, telling prospective customers how we can value add should they choose to work with us. Or with our team on how we should soldier on together so that we can move towards our shared vision.

In addition to these methods, I have decided to use another mode of communication. And that is based on my understanding, novice as it might be, of energy vibration and the purpose of intention. Of late, we as a team have been organizing our thoughts and resources in a concerted fashion that will announce to our prospective clients of how we create, add, and maximize value for them through winning strategies.

And I decided to do so not just at a person-to-person level but at the universe level. You see, when we speak of words that come from the heart, those words carry with certain vibrations. If in doubt, just watch an angry person, the choice of words carry a level of vibration that sends out not too positive energy. And most people who are around this person gets affected, in a less than positive way.

So based on the same concept, imagine what can happen if we use the same principles in a positive aspect. How, you may ask. My suggestion is as follows:
1) write out the statement or statements that you want to communicate in a clearly defined manner. You need to write this out because if you just hold it as a thought, you may not be able to fully enjoy the benefits.

2) Next, you will need to add emotions, positive ones, to those words. How you can do that is to envisage carrying out what you have written out in step 1. Notice the feelings that fill up in your heart as you speak those words and visualize carrying out the actions.

3) Once you have step 1 & 2 done, you will need to find any opportunities you get to speak those words. When you are communicating what you have written in step 1, visualize that those words that come out of your mouth is not only reaching the ears of the person you are speaking with, but imagine those words carrying the energy that will vibrate throughout the universe and reaching the people whom this message is intended for.

4) The final step is to be aware of the people who will show up in your life from hereon and notice how they can play a part in what you want to achieve.

Try it. It really works!

What you focus on expands!

Just this recent week I was challenged, for the right reasons, that if I was already practicing the 7 Habits, then I should have been behaving in a certain manner.

Well, I can focus on the person's words and get so angry because how dare this person say something like this. What audacity! Let's wait till he try to do it himself and see how difficult it is. Does he think even the Father of the 7 Habits does not face such challenges ever?

Or, I can exercise Habit 1: Be Proactive, and say, well, I will focus on my circle of influence. That person's words or actions are in my circle of concern. But I have no control over. What I have control over are my reactions to his words, how I will response to his words, and what am I going to do. These are in my circles of influence. And that is where I will focus on as what I focus on expands.

Who am I - My Identity

Who am I? That is the question that philosophers have asked for thousands of years.

Why is answering this question important or even necessary? With the identity in which we call ourselves or how we want to be known it will determine our beliefs, actions, and hence our results.

In schools for instance, some of us get labeled as 'gifted' or 'challenged'. With that label and also due to how others response or treat us it will shape our experiences, environment, and hence our mindset. As a result of that label, it reinforce what others think of us and also how we see ourselves.

It can be a blessed or damned situation depending on which label has been given to you.

So as you can see it can have a virtuous or vicious cycle, spiraling upwards or downwards for most people.

As a result, it is critical for us to clearly define what our identity is. So how do we go about defining our identity? Well, first it may be helpful to ask ourselves what kind of label we currently give ourselves? Do we see ourselves as a leader or a follower? Or do we call ourselves a happy-go-lucky person or a planner? You see, your current label will determine what kind of actions, and hence the results, that you are currently getting.

Hence if you don't like the results you are getting now, change your behaviours or actions. Like what Einstein said, doing the same thing over and over again and expecting the results to be different is a clear sign of insanity. True? Well, not quite.

In fact Einstein also said that to solve the challenges that we are currently facing, we cannot use the same level of thinking that created this challenge. To put that into the context in which we are currently talking about, we'll need to change more than our actions or behaviours. We will need to examine deeper; we will need to examine our identity.

By examining our current identity, we are raising the awareness of how we currently see ourselves. How, when we move into a third perceptual position, do we see ourselves? How are we like when faced with certain circumstances, how do we response? By doing so, we are creating awareness. Without awareness is like, not even knowing what you do not know. If we have never given a speech in front of hundreds of people, we do not even know if we can do it or not in the first place.

To embark on such an endeavor will require support. Will require others to help us. So while I begin the next 7 days to examining our identity, I invite you to check in on me over the next 7 days to see what are some of the incidences that I've experienced.

See you tomorrow!

Power to Create

We all have the power to create, whether we realise it or not. The environment in which we live in is indeed, well, created by us. And the thing is, two people can live in the same environment but behave in totally different manner. Say, two kids growing up in an environment where there is love, given the best education, and shown equal amount of care could end up differently in life. One could become extremely successful while the other may turn to drugs. Likewise two kids living in extreme challenging environment could end up being successful or taking drugs.

The point is, the same environment while being perceived differently would lead people to behave differently. Therefore the next time you hear someone say to you, "oh, it's because my environment leaves me with no choice..." reframe their perception from another context and you may just create new meanings for them.

You see, many of us are so conditioned by the perception that it's the environment that cause us to behave in a certain manner. That is true, but only to a certain extent. If you believe you are Pavlova's dogs, then maybe it is so. Forgive me, but in no way am I suggesting that dogs are dumb. It is when we throw our hands up in the air and say, oh what's the use, that's when we've just declared ourselves dumb and submit to the 'inevitable' environment.

Just take a look at some of those life stories of successful entrepreneurs who went against all odds and succeed despite the fact that no one, at least in the beginning, believe them or would listen to them. Of course for every success story, you'd have hundreds or even millions who failed to overcome those obstacles. The main difference was not their capabilities; you and I know of brilliant people who failed, it was their beliefs. So, how did their beliefs come about? Yes, it can be shaped and conditioned by their environment, background, education, and even occupation. Then again we come back to the point that environment is what dictates our beliefs and hence our behaviours. True, if you follow the vicious cycle. But if we want to break this vicious cycle, then we need to do something.

And that something goes deeper than beliefs, which is our identity; the "who am I" question. If you see identity as someone who is not creative, then even in the most conducive environment you will still find it challenging. But if your identity is someone who is creative, then even in the most rigid of environment, you will find ways to be creative. So while the environment can facilitate, and of course it could help people break away from their beliefs and change, it cannot be the only answer. The most sustainable solution is when one can uncover that he is more capable than he thinks he is. So, how can one unleash their power to create? Uncover your identity that you are a creative extraordinary.

How can one uncover this, and is it possible for everyone? The answers to both questions are yes. And specifically how, that answer lies in our willingness to see things from a different perspective or in a different context. Jokes, for example, are usually context reframing, which is basically looking at the same situation from a different perspective. A joke where an Indian man who was thrown off the bus because he asked the lady sitting next to him if she could lift her saree so that he can "take picture"; not as in using a camera but because he dropped the picture of his wife and it was beneath the seat of that lady. So, same exact words but used in a different context or seen from different perspective brings about different meanings and their corresponding meanings.

As such, our ability (and willingness, largely due to ego) to see things from different perspectives or in a different context determines the level of our power to create. Because seeing things from different perspectives bring about different meanings, we will be able to find new solutions and sometimes radically different solutions from the norm. One exercise that we usually use during our workshops is to get people to identify a metaphor or an analogy to the situation they are faced with. While sometimes they are stuck in one area for too long, by using a metaphor it brings about new meanings because it is essentially looking at the same thing but from different perspective or context. Oftentimes, participants then begin to identify solutions, innovative and different ones that sometimes create THE ultimate solution.

While, your power to create can really enhance your ability to add value, it also places you at a level where you now set the industry standard for your competitor to follow. Not only that, with your solution, you may have just created a new market, demand, or need for something that people didn't asked for (like people in the 70s never asked for a cell phone or the internet) or didn't know that they needed it. Additionally it also brings us to the next topic of abundance, where we atune our mindset away from scarcity.

CEO Library

In our last article, our discussion on the definition of money has led us to conclude that money equals value. And the more money you have, the more you can add value to your lives. Likewise for those of us who wants more money (to add value to our lives in your own terms) should understand that the more value you can add, the more money you will have.

This article will focus on how we can increase the amount of value we have to others. One of the ways, if you look at it from the professional angle, is to attend courses to upgrade ourselves so that we can increase our value and add more value to our employers. Some may prefer to read books to build up their knowledge bank so that they can add further value to the people you serve.

Perhaps it will be wise to look at how the highest (and usually higher if you compare to the median salary of the people who works in the same firm) add value by reading books. In a recent Singapore Sunday Times article (July 29), a survey of the CEO's library gave us an insight into their professional development. It mentioned that you will not find the latest management books but what you will find are classic books by great philosophers. This finding does not occasion any surprises. If we must understand that their ability to not just solve problems, but to anticipate them or better still create a new want that people come to expect as the norm rather than the exception, then it makes lots of sense.

Given the different contexts or the different circumstances surrounding the CEO, the ability to think equates to the ability to add value to shareholders, employees, customers, and the community at large. Their ability to think brings our discussion to the next level. Thinking not only enables you to solve existing problems, it also permits you to create a new level of playing field where competitiveness is not that key element, but creation is the one. By being able to create, we do not work within the current limits nor constraints. Instead, we find new ways of doing the same thing, or new ways to satisfy a need.

Next, we will talk about how to create. Until then, think; but think different.

What is Money?

Money is something that everyone wants more of. However, only those who fully comprehend the question of what money really is, will know how it comes about and how to get keep it flowing in.

Money, as is printed on the pieces of papers that we have in our wallets are used as a medium for exchange. It is convenient. Imagine each time you go to a store, having to bring with you sheeps and cows in exchange of the goods you need. Which is what our ancestors used to do. Then of course, with the introduction of the gold standard, everything was exchanged with the number of gold ingots you have. Look at those period dramas where people buy food using those gold ingots. One wonder how they managed to take flight with those heavy metals weighing them down.

These days, other forms of currency is being invented. Companies with inflated share prices use them as collatoral or as a form of currency to acquire other companies. Of course, this is something we are all familiar with, with assets like houses, you may walk into a bank and convert that into money.

Now, coming back to the question of what money is, let us look at what we have been using money for. We use it to buy food, to get ourselves a drink, to relax at a beach resort, to purchase an automobile (though most people buy on credit), to acquire properties to live in or to invest, to trade securities, and the list goes on. Well, I take it you get the picture. Whatever we exchanged for with money, it gives us something in return. That 'something' could be to satisfy a hunger, to quench a thirst, to rejuvenate ourselves, to get us places fast, to have a roof over our heads, and so on. Notice all that have been mentioned can be categorised (or generalised) into one single item, and that is value.

The value can be real (in the case of a hunger), perceived (in the case of securities - perceived value), or otherwise. Either case, it does not matter. What matters most is that the person who exchanged his money for that something received something of value to him. We may not agree that an automobile brings about a perceived value of having 'made it', nor may we necessarily disagree that a certain kind of food brings us satisfaction. Therefore, it only means that the person who exchanged his pieces of paper (money) thinks he is receiving something of value in return.

If you think about it, most of the items that we purchase did, in fact, bring us some value. Though sometimes on hindsight it may have been an oversight, nonetheless, at that point of transaction, we believed we have gotten something of value to us, be it a tangible good or an intangible service. Hence, money is nothing but value. And the more money we have the more value we can add to our lives. Who doesn't want to be treated to the finest food or being served in the most priviledged of terms? So, here's the thing.

If we want more money, so that we can add value to our lives (be it getting the fastest car, living in the biggest house, eating the finest food, or giving it away to some needy cause), we must be able to be of value to others. If you are the top salesman through and through, you bring value to your employer by increasing his sales. If you are a consultant who is able to solve problems for your clients, you add value by enhancing their operations. If you are a chef, and your creations are unique and delicious, you add value to the restaurant by getting people to come back for more. Therefore, if you want to have more money, first you must be of value to others. And the amount of value you have will determine the amount of money you'll get. Though, there may be some who are able to reap huge profits for little value, that will not sustain.

Given this, does it shatter the believe that some have about, you need to have money to make more money? Absolutely. When any entrepreneur first start out, they may have little money. But with their ability to fulfill the needs of others by adding value, they will be able to make more money. What's even more amazing about this observation is that, anyone who is constantly able to not just add value, but is able to increase the level of value everytime will be guaranteed the constant stream of money he earns. Not only that, he will be able to increase his income overtime, not taking into account inflation.

So how does one ensure his ability to increasing add more and more value to the people he serves? That question is answered in the next article on "The CEO library".

Think-bank

For those of us who have a savings account and credit-cards debts will be able to relate to this.

Imagine you have $10,000 in a savings account and $10,000 of credit card debts, which do you think will grow faster? The savings which earns you 2 percent annually or the credit card that charges you 24 percent annually? The answer is obvious.

Now, the idea of a Think-bank works in the following manner.

Let's say that all these while, you have been harbouring thoughts of a less resourceful kind. What we mean is that, each time you are faced with a challenge, you think of it more of an obstacle, a problem, or just plain unfortunate. It can be in your professional, personal, or even spiritual life.

By continuously looking at things from a less resourceful perspective, you then feel overwhelmed, depressed, or fearful. Sometimes these very thoughts cripple you to the extent that you withdraw from it totally. For instance, someone with a less resourceful perspective may equate a loss in the stock market to their lack of 'luck' or worse, their inability to read the market. And hence swear to never indulge in stock purchases. With that, they may even tell everyone they know not to try their luck in the stock market.

Having these thoughts often will grow on you just like credit card debts. Even though you have some more resourceful thoughts once in a while, these 'minimum payment' will not be able to transform you into a more resourceful person within a short period of time. Therefore, the operative word here is consistency.

Unless you now have the awareness whereby each time you catch yourself thinking in a less resourceful manner, you immediately acknowledge it and then change it into a more resourceful one. And by doing this consistently, you will then start 'lessening your debts' and 'build on your wealth'.

So, start today by paying down your 'debts' and live your life with renewed freedom!

The Systemic Effects of Customisation

Since the widespread adoption of information technology came into place in the late 90s, customisation has become a possibility for the masses; hence the term mass customisation. The underlying theory was, previously customisation is costly as manufacturers have to tailor their production lines to suit your preferences. The quantity of your purchases does not exceed those available to the mass market, the price you have to pay increases with the degree of customisation you require. Reason is because you need to compensate manufacturers for your smaller quantity purchases.

Anyone who have had the experience of printing name cards or brochures can attest to that. However, with the fall in prices of processing power, memory chips, and server space; now more than ever, manufacturers are able to customise their production to meet your needs at a much lower cost, hence the possibility of mass customisation. Somewhat an oxymoron, but its one of those geniuses of the "And"; as Jim Collins says it.

Mass customisation has come a long way since the late 90s, as now customisation has found its way into services as well. For example, in banking you can find services that is tailored to your needs even if you are not a privileged customer. Generally, consumers become happier as the services they now received are more aligned to their needs. Just looked at Dell and their level of sales when they first rocked the industry by allowing you to pay for what you need.

Even service providers are slowly but surely (either they are enlightened or they are being pressured to) are adopting a hybrid of the "Dell" model. For our firm, we undertake to conduct an initial assessment of the organisations we serve before deciding on our professional fees. From our knowledge, that may not be something every professional firm is prepared to do.

Even in the educational arena, the way to go is to allow educators to tailor the delivery of their programmes to the needs of the pupils. These needs go beyond just learning preferences and also into the relational aspect of the pupil and the educator. The idea behind it is that, if pupils have different learning preferences or styles, by customising the delivery of your programmes so that they can understand better, they will hence be more willing to learn because it connects with them. By engaging in differentiated learning, pupils learn better and if they learn better their results will improve, and with improved results spurned their level of interest further; henceforth the virtuous cycle.

In the not too distant future, when the school-going generation comes to expect differentiated learning as an industry practice, this will naturally impact on their outlook and expectations when they join the society as economically active citizens. With that, anything less than addressing their needs will be viewed as unpreferred or worse, unacceptable. What might now be a good-to-have will become a minimum expectation.

As a result, companies or individuals leading those companies will have to live up to that expectation or be termed anachronistic. Understanding this underlying phenomenon or trend is essential for those wants to not just survive but thrive in the new new economy, where the me-too culture will be magnified many times over.

So, if there is one skill or competency that one needs to have, non-negotiable, is the ability to relate to people. Because unless you are able to decipher their needs, as not everyone will tell you upfront, you will not able to customise your approach to suit them.

So, how may I help you today?

How come he get paid more?

We have, of course, from time to time wonder why others get paid more than we do. Especially when you compare the employee at the bottom of the corporate ladder with the CEO. The multiples could be as high as 50 times or even in the hundreds. So, how can a mere mortal just like everyone else command a much salary?

In the dynamic environment that we live in, things change so quickly and even as you read. With change being being the only constant, definitely our ability to respond to such changes will determine our survivability. Consider the mobile phone industry where 10 years ago, a new model's novelty can last for almost a year. These days it seems like new models are being introduced faster than you can complete the entire owner's manual. Besides, with increased competition, mobile phones manufacturers are facing additional pressure on price, downwards that is. So, putting yourself in the shoes of the manufacturer, will you be willing to pay more for design than before; knowing that by doing so will eat into your profit margins that is increasingly being eroded by competition.

Additionally, with increased pressure to develop and bring-to-market a new product so as to maintain the lead in market share, it means each new model's novelty lifespan is drastically shortened. What would you do? Of course you will be less willing to pay hefty sums for design that goes obsolete in a matter of months. Now, from the perspective of the designer, you will need to accept declining fees for your designs, unless you are a McQueen or YSL. So what makes the difference? Why is he paid more?

Well, let's name our two friends Mr Problem-solver and Miss Creator. Mr Problem-solver unique characteristic is that given any problems he will be able to solve it; not only that, he can solve it fast and his solutions are effective and practical. Miss Creator, on the other hand, is able to create new ways of doing things that is unique and effective as well. Let us examine each of our characters in turn.

Mr Problem-solver developed his problem solving abilities over the years as he has had experiences in a wide range of industries. As he's also not a top Grade-A student, Mr Problem-solver has to always find ways and means to work around a regulation, preconceived ideas, or rules. Some people even say that Mr Problem-solver 'breaks' the rule sometimes. What they really meant is because of his limited resources he often has to study the situation carefully and find ways to arrive at his desired outcomes at the minimum costs or resources. Hence, his experiences have helped him (and the companies he worked for) tremendously. Having said that, Mr Problem-solver is not without his limitations.

Being in a constrained situation most of the times, he has developed the perspective that there are just so much to go around. As a result, he becomes so task oriented that people around him feel he just care more about solving problems than about them as people. This has created certain problems for him as he becomes seen as not people-oriented. Many of his friends and even family members find that being around him can sometimes be 'pressurising' as he always needs to get something done, needs to not waste time. Because of his 'people' problems, he sometimes find it hard to work with a certain group of people. This is because of his lack of ability to relate well with people. And some of these people have characteristics of Miss Creator.

One day, Mr Problem-solver met Miss Creator at a social function. Miss Creator finds him really attractive as he seems to know exactly what he wants, while he enjoys her company tremendously. You see, Miss Creator always believed that being in a position where you understand the needs of every individual, you will inevitably be able to relate to people very well. Like what she does at work, she does not need to fear about the competition as she is always creating opportunities for herself and her company that they are always ahead of the competition. Not only that, the company she works for is always setting the industry standard for others to follow. Hence, she believes that there is always opportunities abound as long as you are able to create them and not wait for them.

Besides, Miss Creator generosity has made her a popular person amongst her friends and families, though some always find ways to take advantage of that. However, Miss Creator is not without her flaws. Her believe that there will always be enough to go around has caused some people, including Mr Problem-solver to think that she is somewhat a slacker. Even where there are opportunities to get ahead, she does not as she finds it more fulfilling to create opportunities herself.

Soon afterwards, both decided to see each other more and subsequently fell deeply in love as one seems to be able to fill the void that the other can't. Eventually they got married but the marriage has its challenges as well. Sometimes his urgency about things driver her nuts as she views it as sweating the small stuff. On the other hand, her seemingly easy going behaviour appears to him as being laid-back. Soon, they were experiencing some problems where one seem to not able to see things from the other's point of view. Notwithstanding their challenges, they stuck together as they deeply believe they were made for each other.

One day, they decide to start a business together to achieve their goals together. But it wasn't long before they start feeling that the working style of the other can sometimes impede on each other. After some major challenges, they then realise that they were indeed working towards the same aim. By now, they start to recognise the strengths of each and instead of fighting it.

You see, just like within ourselves, sometimes we know there are two conflicting emotions within us and we fight it. However, the way around it is to acknowledge them, leverage on the strengths of each and understand that each emotion serve us as action signals. Not fight it. Like in Aikido, where you harmonise the force coming towards you and not fight it.

Seeing through the eyes of love

Have you been to a 3-D movie in the past where they hand you this pair of flimsy glasses with special lens, where half way through the movie your ears start to hurt and when you take it off, you can't figure out what's going on? My recollection of such an experience was Jaws 3D. Man, the sharks were like jumping out on you.

This is the same in life. An illustration would be two different persons who witnessed the same car accident but may describe what they saw differently. If you weren't at the scene, you'd probably think was two different accident that they were talking about. Just like in a situation where two people are faced with the same situation, one may see more problems while the other may see more opportunities. Both are not wrong in the way they view the situation, it's just their way of re-presenting those events that differ.

The reason why we view the world through probably different 'lenses' is because of our background, our culture, our experiences, or our predominant representation system. So what is this thing called the "predominant representation system"? Its essentially the way we re-present the events that happened in our mind so as to derive a meaning to it. Because events or words have no meaning accept the meanings we give to them. None of these meanings are right or wrong, but essentially with those meanings, we then create the emotions linked to it and it affects how or why we react.

As a result it would be accurate to say that the current results you have achieved to date are essentially a result of your view of the world. How you view the world is based on the meaning you give to it. These meanings will create the emotions, which in turn affects the questions you ask yourself and the options that you are prepared to evaluate. These in turn will impact on the kind of actions that you'd take and hence your results.

Now that we have understood the steps or the processes, we can go out there and change the different components that we are challenged with and bring about the results that we truly seek.

However, unless you are able to wear a pair of glasses with a lens that allows you to see things differently, understanding the process by itself is only an intellectual awareness. Besides, because this pair of glasses is new, your ears may hurt a little. But once you are acquainted with those pair of glasses, you'd feel more comfortable and confident with the way you see things. Eventually, you will even grow to love it, hence seeing through the eyes of love.

Learning to create

In my role as a consultant focusing on the development of educators, I have come across the issue of return of investment in training many times. I have also been asked numerous times how we know that the training has been effective, which is essentially the preceding question phrased in a different manner. I feel that training or learning (being more than just attending courses) goes through a 5-step process. So unless we understand this 5-step process, we will always be left to wonder how learning can be more effective. Of course we also need to understand the individual who is receiving the learning to be even more effective in our approach.

Studies have revealed the 4-stage of learning that all individuals undergo. First is the stage of unconscious incompetence, which means you don't even know what you don't know. This is probably an extremely critical stage because without knowing what you don't know, you will stick to the old ways of doing things. This is easily illustrated by a child who uses a particular study technique to help her in her work. This leads to inconsistent results, sometimes good, sometimes bad. And she doesn't know how else to make it better.

However there are other more effective techniques out there that can help her in the challenge she faces. When she sees other kids using this more effective technique, she moves to the next stage of knowing what she doesn't know; or conscious incompetence. She now wants to learn this other technique so she approaches her friends and they teach her. Now she practises using this technique but as she is still learning it, she needs to refer to her notes every time she wants to apply this technique; or conscious competence. Let's say after numerous rounds of practice, she mastered this technique and the next time when she needs to apply it she becomes so familiar with it that she doesn't need her notes anymore. This is when she achieved the level of subconscious competence.

As adults, we all have many types of subconscious competence, for example driving, cycling, swimming, playing tennis, typing, dialling in the dark. But what can allow us to not just remain relevant but also to keep us at the fore-front is when we are able to create something new, ground-breaking, or innovative. It is here that we are able to take our learning to a new level.

Continuing from our discussion above, we know that by being aware opens us up to new possibilities or new areas of learning. By being aware that there is a better way of doing something, we now know that when we master this better technique, we will be more effective or more efficient; or both. So creating awareness amongst your staff is a good start, as they now know of the benefits of this new way or this new framework. They can also understand how this new way can make them more effective. When that happens, and if sufficient awareness is being created, individuals will want to know more, or to learn it.

That's when attending a seminar or a course will help. It gives the participants the tools, techniques, and knowledge for this new way. Of course they can read a book or observe a colleague to see how it's done. Hence, attending courses is just but one of the ways. The thing is, usually after a course they are pretty much left on their own with little or no follow-up. Hence, they might revert to their old ways.

This is just like learning to type with 10 fingers after you've been typing with your index fingers for as long as you can remember. You try using 10 fingers, it feels odd, and what's worse, you may even be typing slower than before; and you wonder if typing with 10 really has any virtues at all. Hence you may revert to your old ways and stop practising. All learning may then be lost. Worse, you might even come to believe that typing with 10 fingers is worse. The next time you come across a similar course or a colleague tries to convince you about typing with 10 you can probably tell them why it doesn't work or it's useless.

Therefore it is essential that learnings be reinforced with application so that it will be strengthened towards the stage of subconscious competence. This is where guidance or coaching is critical as the learner can receive support for her application. During application, the individual may also find out the pitfalls or challenges. She may also meet with success and its through this process of application that understanding deepens. To further deepen the understanding, she can share with her colleagues about her successes and non-successes, and through the sharing, she could perhaps receive other perspectives on the challenges that might help her resolve them.

At this stage, she is likely to be in the stage of subconscious competence. Now, to further the learning is to apply the same techniques with other techniques. This is when the next level happens where the individual is able to synthesize. This coalescence of two or more techniques can bring about cross fertilisation of ideas or solving issues with a combination of more than two techniques. At this point, the learning may become so deeply entrenched that she can create new solutions or techniques to solve problems. Here, the level of learning creates new products or services that are innovative or ground-breaking. This is when the learning really pays many times over and reap returns like 2000% or more.

How an individual can achieve the last level depends on what some might say, resourcefulness or creativeness. And to be creative, you need to adopt a new perspective on the same issue. By doing so, you can then be able to create new and innovative solutions to the issues at hand.

So understanding where the individual is at is critical; understanding what kind of learning deserves such attention and allocation of resources is also extremely critical.

Different strokes for different folks

Say you were given $2000 to spend it all within 2 hours, and you can spend it anyway you choose to and with whom you will enjoy this windfall with; what would you do?

I believe some of us would spend it on something we've been wanting to if only we had some extra money; or some will choose to spend a night out with families and friends. There will be some who would expend this on some less privileged people or for a good cause. Whatever the case is; many of us would find ways to spend that money in many different ways.

The same is true on how we spend our time, money, or even our lives. We all have varied ways of fulfilling a particular need and while some may be similar, others can be bipolar. For instance, when it comes to relieving stress; we all have different ways to 'manage' it. Either go for a run, skydive, fix a strong drink, or just meditate. Whatever the case is, we find some ways to indulge in one or a combination of our senses.

In understanding this fundamental truth, we can now begin to explore how this can be applied to one of the most crucial aspects of business; sales. Sales, they say, is 100% emotions. Now, think about all the items you have bought, tangible or otherwise; it very much fulfill the number one underlying factor and that is our need to feel good. Everything that you've bought is, in one way or the other, to make you feel good, whether it is a dress, a watch, a handbag, a computer, or a washing machine. With this understanding, you can now sell anything to anyone, like they say, sell ice to the Eskimos. How can we achieve this? To do this, we will need to understand how people make choices.

One of the easiest to understand is this very concept of familiarity. There are certain items we buy again and again because of familiarity. These are items which fall into two categories; the ones we have tried before and the ones we have not but are familiar with. For example, when you have a headache and need medication quickly what do you buy? You'll probably get a paracetamol. Why, because there were instances in the past when you had a headache and taken one either bought or given to you. You'd taken it and were relieved of your pain. So whenever you are faced with a similar situation, you will go out and get the same thing. You do it over and over again to the point where you almost become conditioned to it, that you can almost link it to the very incident. Think headache, and paracetamol comes to mind. This brings us to the next point of items you have never tried before. Because the conditioning is so powerful, you link a need to that product or service.

For instance, social status for most people is linked to Mercedes Benz. Or when you think of good looking sports apparel, you think of Nike. Fast food; you think McDonald's. It is this element of familiarity with which these companies have so successfully linked their products to that their name will come to mind the moment you mention it. So for this category of products or services, you need to ensure that customers can associate with your brand or product almost immediately. How you can do that is to create such a strong conditioning that its almost natural. You see now why it can be so difficult to convince someone who is successful to drive a Korean car, when the Benz has been so strongly associated with status and class.

Even for Benz, to cater to different category of customers, they need to provide variety like capacities and styles that reach out to the conservatives or the avant-garde. Therefore, another crucial factor is variety. No one enjoys eating the same food everyday, we all need variety sometimes. Imagine going to the same resort at the same location every single year for the next 10 years for your holidays, you'll be bored out of your mind. Or asking ladies to wear the same pair of shoes everyday or the same type of dress everyday, unless of course its a uniform where you have no choice, we will want some form of variety in life.

So if you are in the business of fashion, you'd be out of your mind to only have one type of dress and in one colour, like the Ford-T where you can have any colour as long as its black. And that is because we all want variety in our lives. Which is great news because if you can convince the customers by using your product it can still fulfill the same underlying need but at least you now have a choice, just like in telecommunications where the introduction of another player gives the consumer more options to choose from. And one of the ways to convince your prospect is cost.

Imagine if you can still make the call but at two-third the price you used to pay and what's more you now can exercise your right to choose, who would you pick? It depends. If both provides the same level of service, then more often than not you will pick the one with the lower cost. This is easy to understand. However, if your pricing is not that straight forward, then you'll need to educate your customer that your product is indeed lower in per unit cost even thought it may appear more costly. One example in this category is ink jet vs laser printers.

If the consumer's primary need is to print text in black and white, by telling him to get a laser printer might put him off initially because of the cost of the printer and its cartridge. However, once you understood his needs for a printer, you can now convince him that based on a per-page basis, printing for laser is actually more economical. Not only that, you can also share with him the benefits, which brings us to the next point.

Whenever we make a purchase, it has to benefit us, even if it can kill in the longer run us. There must be some benefits involved. And unless you can convince the prospect of the benefits, you are not going to win him over. Sometimes the benefits can even be perceived benefits, like looking good or feeling good. Not all of us buy a watch for investment purposes, so unless we are convinced of the benefits that it will look good on us or even put us in a different class, we will still revert to the so-called trusted names. Therefore some of these perceived benefits like being in a class of its own is indeed a major selling point.

As human beings, we all want to be accepted. Children may even conform to the friends around them to feel accepted and that's why some kids smoke or have indulge in sexual activities in order to feel being part of the 'group'. Sounds irrational to us adults but we all do it. We all want to feel special, significant and we can do it in many different ways. We drive cars that show that we have arrived, or we dine out at members' only club, or we dress and/or speak in a particular manner to show our alliance with a particular group in society.

That's why people can spend huge amount of money just to belong to a particular club. Because it makes them feel significant. Of course it doesn't have to be in a material sense of the word. We belong to groups in society that have a certain belief/mission or to engage in a particular activity. Whatever the case is, we need to feel accepted. So if your product or service has that exclusivity feel to it then you need to accentuate it. Of course we don't always buy something because we want to be special. There are products or services that we buy because of convenience.

Can you imagine putting money with a special bank that has only one branch that operates in a secluded part of town and opens only for a few hours everyday, would you trade convenience for specialty? Not likely, so the ease of accessibility is also a crucial factor as well. Just like getting petrol has to be easily at reach or very soon you will switch to something more convenient. That is why, especially consumer products where the cost-benefits are few and not easily distinguishable, convenience becomes an extreme key factor. And the issue with convenience is of course linked to the last factor of our discussion here.

Time. It is but one of the most valuable resource and is not replenishable. So time is so crucial that we sometimes feel not being in a position to influence it. You see, there is never a better time than now to buy a product. Because the minute you purchase it, you will reap the benefits quicker. Just like buying an exercise membership, or starting with insurance, or taking nutritional supplements. Perhaps even getting a service. When you are able to distort time in such a way that it can make your prospects feel that starting early has its benefits and what's more, it gives you more time (in the sense that you do not have to spend time looking and trying the suitable product when you so desperately need it) later on.

Just like training. As long as it's seen as a luxury, there will never be a better time to start as there will always be other more pressing matters. By getting your prospects being trained early, it can bring about benefits such as increased productivity and hence place you in an advantageous position than your competitor that when the need arises you'll be more prepared and equipped with to engage the challenge.

Now that we understood the 7 factors that will influence how people choose to fulfill their underlying need, we can begin to bring our sales to the next level. Of course, the danger is to assume that everyone is the same. But once you understand that different people have different ways to fulfill the same need, success will soon follow.

Proactive vs anticipative strategies

Recently, during one of my conversation with a teacher; I was sharing with her about machines replacing analysts by scanning through press releases of companies and issuing blurts through Reuters machines. I then went further, probably too far for her liking, that perhaps one day teachers will be replaced by machines. She dismissed my thoughts and said it can never be possible.

The discussion ended when I mentioned that you can choose to ignore or deny it and continue with what she has been doing or you can acknowledge it and do something about it. Should it become a reality, you will be caught if you think the former or you will be prepared if you think of the latter. Question is, sometimes, not whether the matter will become a reality but the fact that you have such a mindset, you will always be one step ahead of the competition.

The truth is many of us are like this teacher sometimes. We sometimes know that if we continue doing what we have been doing, we will become irrelevant one day. But because circumstances have yet forced us to look squarely at it, we choose to ignore it. Let's cross the bridge when we come to it, as now there are just too many variables. However, when the worst happens, we are caught and hence react to it in ways that may not be the best of. Also, when we react to any situation, we are more often than not being at the mercy of it. Of course, some will cry out saying, why me? Others may learn from this painful episode and gain an invaluable lesson for life.

Otherwise, we can be proactive and say, well if we continue doing what we have been doing we will be irrelevant, so let us find a way to circumvent this. Let's see what we can do now so that we can become prepared for the event should it happen. Here's where we know, to a certain extent, the damage or risk involved and hence doing something about it now. That's being proactive and taking the initiative to change the way we do things so that we can remain relevant. Thing is, by being just proactive we can also sometime be caught. Because the risk could take a different form and no matter how much you prepare yourself for, the events that take place result in a complete shift of focus. You did not anticipate that something could happen that no matter what you did to prepare yourself for becomes irrelevant! Many of us have seen industries disappear almost overnight. And no matter what the companies did, it did not matter anymore because new things have happened.

Which leads us to be being anticipative. To do that, you will need to be able to anticipate possible changes that will have an impact on what you do. So, apart from being proactive and sighting what might take place, you will also need to anticipate all the various possibilities about other situations. Maybe machines will replace you, or maybe not but machines will take away the lower value added portion of your service so you will need to think of ways to hone your skills on higher value added services. So you look at what's happening in your industry but in more developed countries or what are other industries doing to cope with these changes. By doing so, you will be able to come up with various scenarios that you can prepare yourself for. Now, this is hard work as it could mean endless things you will need to do in order to prepare or it could mean you have to deal with all the underlying uncertainties, which most people are not comfortable to deal with. There are just too many variables and soon you become overwhelmed and hence result in a lack of focus where you attempt to do too many things at the same time. We all know when you spread yourself too thing, you become more susceptible to vulnerabilities.

So then, what could you do to remain relevant? I believe, when you are able to develop the skill set to formulate creative strategies, that's when you can be assured of being relevant. Think about just 20 years back. There was no demand for mobile phones and the reason was because we did not even know we needed one! Then zoom forward to 2007; how many of us feel like we are one limp short when we forgot our mobile phone or whenever the network breaks down? Between just 2 decades, mobile phone companies have successfully created the need for one. Yes, it has to do with the change in our lifestyle as we become more mobile instead of being at one place all the time, there is now a need for mobile phones. And because of the availability of this equipment, it has made it more possible for people to be mobile, hence reinforcing the need for one. Of course with the platform, companies now can create more higher value added service and thus making the mobile phone a commodity and raising it's value by appending these higher value added services to it.

Now, how does one become creative or adopt a creative mindset that allows you to formulate creative and not just proactive or anticipative mindsets? If we look at all the people who are creative in all industries, they all have one common trait that runs across. And this trait is nothing more than adopting a perspective that others don't. What I mean by that is this. When you look at iPod and the its creator, Steve Jobs, you see someone who is able to successful understand how people want their needs fulfilled. What are the ways that they have been fulfilling those needs and asking what other ways can those needs be fulfilled. If there aren't any right now; then its simple. But if there are many different ways of fulfilling those needs then you ought to find a way to create a way to fulfill the same need but in a different manner that will make people want to switch. If for example, the ideas that most people have about relaxing during weekends include catching a movie, going to the park or beach, doing some exercises, getting a massage, chilling out with a group of friends over beer, dancing the night away, or maybe just spending time with family and loved ones.

Now, how Ikea did it different is by creating an environment where going to a furniture mall is a family affair. The kids can enjoy themselves at the playroom, while mom and dad can take their time to explore ideas provided by the showroom items to furnish their place. What's more amazing is, they can actually see and touch the many items on display which helps them visualise how it will be like if they've got the same fixtures at home. Mix and match ideas are also provided so that you can buy a matching cabinet to go with your sofa. What's more interesting is the items are often inexpensive and fun to put together too. Which can also serve as a do-it-together family thing. Then when you are done shopping, you can dine at the cafe where you can also pick up some of these food items on your way out. Never has a privately-held company achieve this level of success before. And to see that reality of providing more than 20,000 items at an inexpensive price requires you to have access to thousands of suppliers worldwide which can then provide the items quickly and in a cost-effective manner.

Of course being in a position like Ikea offers you tremendous advantage, as competition will find it hard to beat. To date, no serious competitor is in sight. Also it offers you unprecedented ways to woo your customers over and over again. Ikea items are not made to last, and that is fine as they are rather inexpensive and besides when you change a sofa, it gives your place a new look and possibly a conversational piece!

So as an individual, how do you formulate creative strategies that allows you to be in the fore front and also gives you the advantage that your peers can only dream of? I believe the secret is this. To be creative, you need to be open. And to be open, it means you must be willing to look at things from various perspectives. Go beyond the usual perspective of yours and the customers, and look at it from your competitors, your non customers, your suppliers, your partners, the people in the environment you are operating in, and so on. It is important that you look from these various perspectives so that the challenge can be viewed from various angles and not just a biased point of view. Sometimes the most unattached perspectives can provide you with a solution where you were previously blinded. Once you have adopted this ability to see things from various perspectives you can be creative. However the next part will require you to take concrete actions to move forward. And then at each step of the way, you gather feedback to see what's working and what's not and you change accordingly. Remember that once you keep your eye on the big picture (of why you want to be creative), the little things don't matter as much. So go on, be creative, be playful, have fun, test the ways possible and move on.

Opportunity only knocks once; not!

I recently attended a business opportunity meeting, where the presenter was sharing with us amongst the greatest thing about the opportunity was the timing. And then he went on to mention that opportunity only knocks once. I cannot disagree more.

If you were like me, you must have heard this phrase before and it's probably told to you either by someone who loves you or someone who wants to sell you something. There are two parts to this phrase and let us take a closer look at it one at a time.

Some of us probably heard that in order to be successful, you just need to be at the right place at the right time three times in your life. That is another load of garbage. Should you believe that opportunity only knocks once; you not only believe that opportunities are in control of you and not the other way round. Also, if you'd believe it to be true, it means you should be looking out for opportunities.

The fundamental flaw with this perspective puts you in a situation where you force fit yourself into the opportunity. Let me ask you this, if you saw a $50 bill on the floor, would you keep it? Probably yes, probably not. But if you knew that $50 bill dropped out of the pocket of an elderly ladt, would you keep it? Chances are you will not. Now, was that not an opportunity to have an extra $50 in your pocket? Yes. Was it there staring at you in the face? Yes. So why won't you keep it? I think for most people it is just not the right thing to do. This is pretty direct.

Now, what happens when its a situation where you are really in dire need of a job or an opportunity to let you make some decent money. Except you are not quite sure if the product works or it requires you to persuade someone to part with a large sum of money for something you felt quite certain that its priced too high? Now this becomes a little less clear and its merits become debatable. Would you accept the offer or would you pass?

What's your choice?

My believe is it depends on how you view this as an opportunity. If you, like some people, view this opportunity as a once-in-a-lifetime chance, you'd might jump on it. That said, you become controlled by the opportunity and hence surrender your destiny to this so-called opportunity. On the other hand, if you take the view that you are able to create opportunities for yourself, you may take another look to weigh the consequences and see if the opportunity is in line with your core values. At the end of the day, you might find that this opportunity fits hand-in-glove and you grab it. Or you might find there are some issues that are in conflict with your values and let it pass.

So, some of you might say, well not everyone is capable of creating opportunities for themselves, that's why some ends up more successful than others. Well, if you have nodded in agreement, you have just succumb yourself to the principle of limiting beliefs. Think about all those people who were not only not offered opportunities but had opportunities denied from them. People like Anne Sullivan who was not only not given the chance to go to school, but was denied from attending one. And everyone around her told her they won't let her.

Or Viktor Frankl who was thrown into a concentration camp and was not just denied of survival but had survival literally taken away from him. How did these two individuals who were not only denied of almost all opportunities but also being in a disadvantage position to be able to create the opportunities for themselves and even subsequently inspired many others after them? What sets them apart from you or me? I believe fundamentally it was the choices that they need to make.

If Anne Sullivan didn't go to school, she'd probably die of some infectious diseases that killed many other children. If Viktor Frankl didn't dived into the pile of corpes, he would have been gased or tortured to death by the Nazis. The choices they made allow them to not just look for opportunities but to create them.

So, the point here is simply this, to quote Sumner Redstone, CEO of Viacom from his Commencement Keynote Address to MBA Graduates Kellogg School of Management in 2002; “Opportunities never knocks”. You need to create them if you want to succeed. If you just simply look for opportunities, it may sometimes disguise itself in a form that cause you to miss it altogether. Besides if you believed that opportunity only knocks once, it means that once this opportunity is exploited, you will need to wait a while before something like this comes around again; and you'd still might miss. So meanwhile you should just settle for a mediore life.

Additionally, holding the perspective that opportunity only knocks once means they are rare; they are scarce. In short, it's limited in supply so if you don't take it someone else will. That is true if you believe that you can only look for opportunities and not create them, because you are just not smart enough, you just don't have enough capital, you just don't have the time, blah, blah, blah.

Once you accept the perspective of abundance you will be able to not just spot, but create opportunities. Just to use an analogy, you not being able to spot opportunities or spot them too late means it is reactive. To be proactive you got to be able to keep a look out for those 'rare' opportunities. Key point here is 'rare'. If you can anticipate the opportunities that are coming up, or trend spotting if you like, you ready yourself in anticipation of the opportunities.

Sometimes you are spot on, sometimes you couldn't feel more lousy than the man who predicted the end of the world every year only to have the day past without any commotion. However, when you are able to be creative and create opportunities, then your only limit is your imagination.

So, remember that opportunity never knocks. You need to create them. And you don't need an MBA to do that. All you need, first as an important pre-requisite is to hold the perspective of abundance.