Leadership - Escalations

I am busy preparing for my exam tomorrow but this keep haunting me.

We study so many styles of leaderships in Managements but at time we find that none of what we learned was applied. Managers and Executives were told to attend leadership courses but at the end of days, there is very little change.........do we at any one time ask WHY ?

We heard on so many occassions that employee's actions drive the leadership attitudes. But, have the leadership ever think that their attitudes also drive the employee's decisions and behaviour ?

We have our limitations .......not so much of capability, knowledge, skills but more to seek opinion and get approval.....which is termed as Escalations. In most cases, escalations are also the Exceptions but if any leadership would think or assume Escalation is something within the SOP, then they are wrong as there is no need to escalate if situations is within SOP ........again, how come people don't think employee escalate for WHAT & WHY ?

Many of the managers have been manager for so many years and sometime I wonder why people assume or treat them not like one .........is it that they are not good or the environment, culture or the leadership does not allow them? WHY ?

When leadership expect prefectness, is important for leadership to do differently in order to get a different results. If we do not change the way we think and actions, the results will be the same. Similary, if leadership expect the team to be different, it starts from the leaders. We must remember the quote "Leadership by Example"

Personally I have worked with many Managers, General Managers, Directors and even MD and Presidents. Fortunately I see the true and FINE TOUCH of leaderships among the MD and President that I have worked with.

For a start, MD for Guocera under Hong Leong Mr Richard Ng is one superior that I will always remembered. He is one of those who is the recipient of the Hong Leong's Chairman Award. Although he is over his retiring age but the company still continue engaging his service. A man of vision and wisdom. I remembered me asking him for the forms to fill to obtain his approval for travel and his response was....is this official ? If yes, why need approval. Go ahead and inform HR.

I remember Mr Richard Ng calling me for feedbacks or asking me to look into some matters but never, never once he is rude or sound demanding. I salute him and have a lot of respect for him.

Also in Guocera, I also respect the President as we met him once in a month. He is another leader who earned the top management respect.

While in Arrow Programing Services, I report to a Director Mr Doug Mack located in Reno Nevada. I will like to work with him if given another opportunity. At that moment, our President was Mr Shaun Fernandez. He made a trip to meet with MIDA in KL and I was with him. As this is a local flight, I took the economy class but he was flying from US and transit in KL. After the meeting and while at the airport waiting for flight to Penang, I enquired why he is not in Business Class? His answer brought tears to my eyes. This is his reply "I got my secretary to change to economy after I realised I will be on the same flight with you to Penang" . By the way, he does not like onion !!!

Another leader is Tonnie Vonk who I had tough time when I first join NEC Computer in Penang but after that, I realised he is a great person. He wanted me back and what touches me is he openly mentioned to his group of friends in one of his birthday party that I am the one he wanted.

Why and what these leaders have done to me ? Oh yes, there was another by the name En Ahmad Illahi when I was with Federal Aluminium. I had so much of problem with him and one day, he asked me if I want to LEAD or follow ? He said if want to follow, you cannot lead. So, from that day onwards, I have decided ......To Lead !

And, in my current position, with one of the aerospace company in Malaysia, a man who has all the experience that every company would like to have is Mr Robert M. I learned tremendously a lot from him and especially his vision and foresight. Extremely strategic in his approach and I continue to learn and work very well with him.

 

As managers, I sincerely hope all managers will make their employees proud and remember them like what I remembered my superiors.

What is Management ?

I have recently met with a Professor who is specialized in Human Resoucres or now also known as Organizational Behavior in the academic.

Is interesting to learn that we manage in three (3) levels which most of us do not realised or fail to manage. Seems that most managers manage from their Heart but if this is not working, they need to manage with their Brain. However, if this still do not work, then the last is to manage with your Guts ! 

Is interesting to note that today's manager is not only expected to manage but more important, is to LEAD his team for performance. Looking at the day-to-day, I tend to agree as individual has limitation and hence, the need to delegate is critical for the success as well as future of the organization.

People today rely too much on technology and their behavior has changed towards this era. Young executives today want easy life with high remunerations.

Best meeting another, Best !

November 2012, the top management of ACMSB lead by the General Manager, Mr Robert Moray together with Habibah, LP Chong and David Khor visited OYAGSB, UUM for the first time. This is the first step for the two organization committing to work and assist each other in the near future.

This important meet is initiated by Prof Dr Dilip Kumar from OYAGSB, UUM after a visit to ACMSB and meeting with Puan Habibah on the HR developments.

@ Trane (Shanghai) China

In November 2012, we were at the Trane China facilities to perform the fitting test together with our contractors for some of the new equipments. I was there for another purpose but spend a day at this facility.

With the globalization, I am delighted that now the China people are also able to communicate well in english which once upon a time was not possible. Communications make the world go round.

The Team @ ACMSB

This is the current team at the Procurement Department and was taken during a brief but meaningful occasion where the managers of the company and some of our valuable associates met with our General Manager, Mr Robert Moray and also our exco member from the BOD.

This marked another important achievement for ACMSB.

My son (Khor Wen Jian) convocation

 

After seeing him from baby and now, graduated is definitely any parents proud moment. "My son, you are now a young adult or to us, still a big boy".

 

Many parents forces their children in their studies and fetching them to one tuition after another. Sad (and happy) to say we do not impose that on our children but alot of freedom and exposures so that when they are grow up, they already know what to do and where to go.

 

My daughter (Stephanie Khor Wen Hui) graduation is also very soon and I wish her the very best in her examinations.

UUM MBA - Management Accounting

I am surprise and very ignorance..........................however our lecturer, En Amin Ali has managed to make us better understand the subject matters.

We now not only have a better understandings oif the scope and objectives of Management Accounting but also learned and able to apply the various terms and calculations on ABC, Support Cost Allocations, Balanced Scorecard, Mix Products, etc

We are lucky to have such a wonderful lecturer and Thanks En Amin !

Famous Quotes

Here are a few of my favorites:
1. "Well done is better than well said."Benjamin Franklin(1706-1790)
2. "A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to put its pants on."Winston Churchill(1874-1965)
3. "Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless."Mother Teresa(1910-1997)
4. "Liberty, when it begins to take root, is a plant of rapid growth."George Washington(1732-1799)
5. "The time is always right to do what is right."Martin Luther King, Jr.(1929-1968)
6. "All the adversity I've had in my life, has strengthened me. You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you."Walt Disney(1901-1966)
7. "Leave nothing for tomorrow which can be done today."Abraham Lincoln(1809-1865)
8. "The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will."Vince Lombardi(1913-1970)
9. "It is better to light the candle than to curse the darkness."Eleanor Roosevelt(1884-1962)
10. "A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both."Dwight Eisenhower(1890-1969)
11. "The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall."Nelson Mandela(1918 - )
12. "We must become the change we wish to see in the world."Mahatma Gandhi(1869-1948)
13. "The best and most beautiful things in life cannot be seen, not touched, but are felt in the heart."Helen Keller(1880-1968)
14. "Failure is only the opportunity to begin again more intelligently."Henry Ford(1863-1947)
15. "Life is one grand, sweet song, so start the music."Ronald Reagan(1911-2004)

The 4th Autoclave @ ACMSB

From the left is Lee (Finance) , Chan KC (Materials) , Joseph from Sholz Germany, Myself & Teoh (IS)

7 Habits of Highly Effective People

While I was in Hong Leong Group, above training is mandatory across the board for Executives and above - Stephen Covey's Seven Habits of Highly Effective People

Habit 1 - Be proactive
This is the ability to control one's environment, rather than have it control you, as is so often the case. Self determination, choice, and the power to decide response to stimulus, conditions and circumstances

Habit 2 - Begin with the end in mind
Covey calls this the habit of personal leadership - leading oneself that is, towards what you consider your aims. By developing the habit of concentrating on relevant activities you will build a platform to avoid distractions and become more productive and successful.

Habit 3 - Put first things first
Covey calls this the habit of personal management. This is about organising and implementing activities in line with the aims established in habit 2. Covey says that habit 2 is the first, or mental creation; habit 3 is the second, or physical creation.

Habit 4 - Think win-win
Covey calls this the habit of interpersonal leadership, necessary because achievements are largely dependent on co-operative efforts with others. He says that win-win is based on the assumption that there is plenty for everyone, and that success follows a co-operative approach more naturally than the confrontation of win-or-lose.

Habit 5 - Seek first to understand and then to be understood
One of the great maxims of the modern age. This is Covey's habit of communication, and it's extremely powerful. Covey helps to explain this in his simple analogy 'diagnose before you prescribe'. Simple and effective, and essential for developing and maintaining positive relationships in all aspects of life.

Habit 6 - Synergize
Covey says this is the habit of creative co-operation - the principle that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, which implicitly lays down the challenge to see the good and potential in the other person's contribution.

Habit 7 - Sharpen the saw
This is the habit of self renewal, says Covey, and it necessarily surrounds all the other habits, enabling and encouraging them to happen and grow. Covey interprets the self into four parts: the spiritual, mental, physical and the social/emotional, which all need feeding and developing.

[Have U heard of the 8th Habits ? If interested, get in touch with me]

The Count-Down.....ITM Exam

Above are the pix taken (by our Professor Dr Azizi) during our ITM examination session and .....you will notice most are wondering where to find the answers. Very ingenious way of creating the questions......which is not more than 3 lines....easy Q BUT hard and difficult answers.

Well, I think most must have done well as the lecturer did prepared us well with all the assignments we need to go thru......

PDCA

PDCA which stands for Plan, Do, Check and Act !

On Tues ( April 28th 2009), had a meet up with my depatment (Operations Support) and attended by all the Managers and Executives.

Took an hours to run through the PDCA with them as well as some assignment so that they understand the concepts and the importance of this.

I hope they can practise this not only at work place but also at home.

Class of ITM - UUM, MBA @ Kulim 2009

This is the case of the FIRST !!!

The first we had weekly assignments....The first for the students to have our own blog........The first to have a Group Chat on the subject matters........The first for us to dress-up for our presentations and......again, last Sun the first for us to have group photograph with our lecturer, Dr Azizi (seated in front right at the center).

747-8 Intercontinental Passes 25 Percent Design Milestone

These images are available for editorial use by news media on: boeingmedia.com
EVERETT, Wash., April 27, 2009 -- The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] has passed a major milestone in the design of the 747-8 Intercontinental, completing 25 percent of the design releases for the new passenger airplane. This means a quarter of the information needed to build parts and tools for assembly has been completed and released for fabrication or procurement. "We have made tremendous progress on the design engineering," said Mo Yahyavi, vice president and general manager for the 747 Program. "The engineering is proceeding as planned and we are a step closer to bringing the 747-8 Intercontinental to market."
Since much of the design is the same as the 747-8 Freighter, which Boeing is building first, the engineering focus is on work that is unique to the 747-8 Intercontinental, comprising mostly fuselage and interior design. The most obvious difference is that the 747-8 Intercontinental fuselage will boast an extended upper deck.
On the interior, the airplane will incorporate features from the 787 Dreamliner, including a new curved, upswept architecture that will give passengers a greater sense of space and comfort, while adding more room for personal belongings. The architecture will be accentuated by lighting technology that provides smooth transitions for a more restful flight.
"The 747 family has been a favorite among passengers," said Michael Teal, 747-8 chief project engineer. "The 747-8 Intercontinental will build on the memorable experiences they've had on a 747. The moment passengers step aboard a 747-8 Intercontinental, they will know it's a brand new airplane and enjoy a more relaxing flying experience."
As for the airplane's performance, the 747-8 will be stretched 18.3 feet (5.6 meters) from the 747-400 to provide 467 seats in a three-class configuration and a range of approximately 8,000 nautical miles (14,815 kilometers). It will deliver nearly equivalent trip costs to those of the 747-400 and 13 percent lower seat-mile costs, plus 26 percent greater cargo volume. The 747-8 Intercontinental also will be 16 percent more fuel efficient and create a 30 percent smaller noise footprint than its predecessor.
"The 747-8 Intercontinental will be a great airplane for our customers," said Yahyavi. "Our team is focused on completing the remaining detailed design needed to deliver the airplane in late 2011."
The 747-8, which includes the 747-8 Intercontinental and the 747-8 Freighter, was launched in November 2005 by Cargolux Airlines and Nippon Cargo Airlines. Lufthansa was the first airline to order the 747-8 Intercontinental in December 2006.

What Is Right ?

I am confuse........but not lost but any comments are welcome.

When You are nice .......People just have the mind to think otherwise. If you are nice to a lady, People probably think we want to get "fresh" with the lady. In my life I can said many ladies have make my life different and this of course starts with my most valuable mother. A mum is everything a child needs. Frankly, they are many ladies who have also helped me in one way or another in some parts of my life.....so again to all the ladies, thanks and you are not forgotten.

When You are nice to the lecturer(s), other students think that you are trying to get close or in Malay is termed as "Kipas". Just fyi I am taking an off-campus course in MBA by UUM at Kulim, Kedah (Malaysia). All the lecturers travel 3.00 - 4.00 hours (both journeys) from their homes. They spend about 6 - 8 hours a day in the class with us. This is not easy and I know as I have worked outstation before. These are the people that put their weekends away to impart their knowledges and skills to make people like me, to be more knowledgeable and have a better qualifications. Lecturers like us, are human too and little appreciation can go a long way.

Similarly, in many cases People always treat kindness as weakness and sometime, this is very foolish and stupid. Their actions drive another human's behaviors.

An Evening with our beloved ITM lecturer

On the evening of April 25th 2009, some of the students for UUM-MBA @ Kulim gathered at one of the nasi kandar in Kulim ......... to spend time with our beloved lecturer, Prof Madya Azizi Bin Zakaria for some light refreshments. Prof Madya Azizi is our ITM lecturer for the Feb-May 2009 semester.

Although we were given many (too many) assignments, we also cannot denied that we have learned alot from him and towards the end of the class, each of the students have our own blog and I think this is the real great achievement for us as individuals.

Apart from this, in terms of IT knowledge I dare to speak on-behalf of the class that we have better knowledge and become more IT savy too.

Is interesting to note that learning is an on-going process and I infact, learned alot from this class.

This is especially helpful for me as IS Department is part of my scope and responsibility in Asian Composite Manufacturing (M) Sdn Bhd (ACM), Bukit Kayu Hitam, Kedah. I do find that I have more confident in dealing the day-to-day issues as well as discussions with vendors and suppliers. The best part is that this course provided me the confidence and competency to go into meetings with our Customers as well as our share-holders like Boeing, USA on IT matters.

So, to our beloved Prof Madya Azizi, Terima Kasih and you will not be forgotten.

Money is Not Everything

I used to have one Asst Manager by the name Mr Poh and at that time I was working in Acidchem (M ) Sdn Bhd. He was my best friend as we work half day on Saturday and will normally have lunch and the rest of the Saturday together. Then one day he complaints about a serious headache and one of the team members (a lady) told him to go for a check-up.

After the check-up and when the results were known, things changed. He was dignosed with Cancer and.....he went to Singapore for operations. Actually he was meant to be promoted to full manager and as manager, he has so much benefits compare to his existing position as Asst Manager.

Our Marketing Manager, Mr Jason Lee accompanied him. In the office, we do not like him as he is Mr Perfect. But, the I realised Jason is a very kind hearted man.

After the operation in Singapore, he returned but they found fluid in his head. He went for further operations but was done in Penang. Things did not improve. We visited him at his house and noted his mum feeding him milo even though he is not taking any.

We visited him at Bagan Specialist and by this time, he is no longer conscious. He left us and we were at his funeral. To me, I lost not only a potentially good boss but a good friend.

Today, at ACMSB I was told that someone also dignosed of cancer and I quickly got in touch with another person who survived colon cancer. He was 50 with a son at 3 years old then. he is now based in Hong Kong and his only advice is to Pray Hard !! and Fight it throught !!!!

I lost Mr Poh and therefore, I am not prepare to loose anyone else. Let's pray and "doa" for this very special and kind hearted lady.

My Salute to the Traffic Police of Alor Star.

On the same day the Autoclave arrive at ACMSB, many did not realised that this is one of the teams that help make it happen. They accompanied the equipment from Kuala Kedah on Friday @ 10.00 pm sharp and rode with the equipment till arrived at ACMSB @ 7.30 am on Sat. They brave through rains, flood and without sleep.....they are the hero in my eyes.

In our life, we must learn to appreciate as little appreciation can go a long way....

Story of a Blind Girl

Someone sent me below and I think is not only interesting but I like to keep this and share with those around me.....to calibrate ourselves once awhile.....

A Story to live by There was a blind girl who hated herself because she was blind. She hated everyone, except her loving boyfriend. He was always there for her. She told her boyfriend, 'If I could only see the world, I will marry you.'

One day,someone donated a pair of eyes to her. When the bandages came off, she was able to see everything, including herboyfriend. He asked her, 'Now that you can see the world, will you marry me?' The girl looked at her boyfriend and saw that he was blind. The sight of his closed eyelids shocked her. She hadn't expected that. The thought of looking at them the rest of her lifeled her to refuse to marry him. Her boyfriend left in tears and days later wrote a note to her saying: 'Take good care of your eyes, my dear, for beforethey were yours, they were mine.'

This is how the human brain often works when our status changes.Only a very few remember what life was like before, and whowas always by their side in the most painful situations.

Todaybefore you say an unkind word - Think of someone who can't speak. Beforeyou complain about the taste of your food - Think of someonewho has nothing to eat. Beforeyou complain about your husband or wife - Think of someonewho's crying out to GOD for a companion. Todaybefore you complain about life - Think of someone who diedtoo early on this earth.Beforeyou complain about your children - Think of someone whodesires children but they're barren... Beforeyou argue about your dirty house someone didn't clean orsweep - Think of the people who are living in the streets. Beforewhining about the distance you drive Think of someone whowalks the same distance with their feet.And whenyou are tired and complain about your job - Think of theunemployed, the disabled, and those who wish they had yourjob. Butbefore you think of pointing the finger or condemninganother - Remember that not one of us is without sin. And whendepressing thoughts seem to get you down - Put a smile onyour face and think: you're alive and stillaround.

======================I PRAYTHIS MOVES AROUNDTHE ENTIRE UNIVERSE...

Autoclave for ACMSB

This is the 4th Autoclave for ACMSB but the largest so far we have.

This picture was taken on April 7th 2009 at Kuala Kedah. Autoclave is still on the barge and when we move this to ACM, you will be surprised that Tenaga, Telekom and Police are involved.

This equipment is so large that it cannot use the highway.

This equipment is all the way from Germany. Today I am very proud that the Consultant, Contractors and ACM hold hand in making this happens. Thanks everyone for the job well done !