Reinventing oneself

This is an entry I hope will further inspire my readers and anyone who is thinking of making a change.

Three years ago I made a decision to move on after 14 years in a company. I have shared how difficult it was to make the decision, but now I want to talk about what happened after that.

Whilst I was going into a similar industry, mobile business was something I never did seriously before, especially when it is core business. I knew little else beyond the mobile phone I had in my hands of which I wasn't even paying for. I just knew it worked when I needed it to.

Stepping into my new place, I had a lot to learn and extra effort to make, for my fresh perspective to be heard (at least I thought they were), to speak with credibility on a business I have limited experience in, amongst the many experts who have slept, ate and breathed mobile most of their working life. And by experts here, I don't mean only locally, they were also global multi market experts.

There were moments I got inspired. There were moments I got frustrated. Sometimes, I was scared. But I was focused on learning, leveraging all my past experience and market understanding into this new area and contribute. Then I was slowly given more projects within the mobile business, not just postpaid but also partnerships involving prepaid business. I gained the trust of a boss who saw the potential in me.

Long story short, here I am today, presenting in a room full of media and press representatives on our latest mobile offering. I am also now responsible for the product development, management and marketing of mobile business in the Enterprise segment which has an annual turnover of more than RM1billion. As cliche as it may sound, I feel this is an accomplishment for myself. I still have plenty to learn as this industry hardly stops evolving thanks to our friendly competitors but I believe the challenges ahead just promises more excitement!

So to you out there contemplating a change, don't be afraid. Reinvent yourself. The worst that could happen is you discover yourself and move on. 

Good luck!

Reliable is not boring

August marks my 17 years as an employee. Where I started my career, there were many who worked their whole life in the company and at that time, knowing of anyone who has worked 20 or 30 years made me go wow..that's a long time. But here I am now, 3 more years into my own 20 year mark :/

I didn't find the transition from school was hard. School was fun but I believe school always feels more fun after you leave it :P

Anyway, back to the topic today. Throughout my career I have probably had around 12 bosses (must have forgotten a few too when they really didn't make an impression..haha. we'll talk about bad bosses next time. I'm sure we've all had one). I want to talk about what I found common including for me as a leader today.

All bosses want reliable employees. By reliable I mean someone I can trust to deliver any task required, in good quality and on time. Someone who may not know 100% of everything but will ask and manage my expectations on timelines.

Opposite to this is someone whom cannot be trusted with deadlines. That I have to keep following up with and asking what is progress. Worst, someone who just keeps his or her head down until the work is overdue and come up with a million excuses why it wasn't done.

So you see, while being super intelligent, competent, innovative, proactive, high energy, diligent bla bla are qualities all bosses like to see, let's not forget the basic of just being plain old reliable. It creates trust and that believe me, is important to be happy at work. Trust is fundamental to empowerment and empowerment means freedom. Freedom means happiness.

So what's your reliability rating?

Confetti and such

You may say I've been on a blogging sabbatical. I know I know, there are those who tell me I have to be consistent to capture followers. That is undeniably very true. Some days I get carried away with the routine of everyday that I forgot how important this is to my future dream. The dream of early retirement and running my own business. What has it got to do with blogging you ask? Apparently, famous people are more successful in business....so I have a few more years to get famous!

I popped confetti in the air today. Me along with about 100 of our business partners. It was fun. Like those shower type fireworks, but of course a lot more tame. By business partners I don't mean the kind whom you co-invest in business with. Business partners here are business owners who work together with us to take our products to market, reach our customers and for many, are the face of our brand. The people who make or break us.

Whether you're working for a company or managing your own business where you depend on others to 'sell' your services, this post is relevant to you. I find this relationship is most fragile in most business. To reach that win win situation, a term so freely used actually takes a lot of hard work and consistency. Trust need to be built and honoured. Like all relationships, it can get personal as at the end of the day we are dealing with people. Loyalty is hard to gain but easy to lose.

And as in life, you cannot please everybody. Nevertheless, the common values (sometimes uncommon!) holds...sincerity, humility and willingness to listen. Ultimately of course, actions speak louder than words. Hence, promises need to be delivered. By both sides.

Choose the right partners but don't forget to also be the right one! Good night.

People Management

Part 1. Simply because I think I will write about this topic again in future. Never short of experiences to write about when it comes to this.

There are a lot of books out there on leadership and specifically on managing people. The ones I have read almost always talks about the same things, the same tips. I can't remember when I stopped buying them. Nowadays, I think the Harvard Business Review keeps me updated enough on the new adaptations (I say adaptation because people management principles don't change, we just need to flexibly adapt to the generation and lifestyle we live in), latest research and management fads. And more so since over the years of being a people manager, nothing is like truly experiencing it on the job, everyday. Obvious, you could say.

I realized managing people has many similarities with managing your own children. Except in this case you have many (many many) more and that they're all adults who have been nurtured differently, come from different environments, have different perspectives on life and other people in general. Nevertheless, there is one dilemma about people management I find consistent with raising my own children. When do you be all supportive, encouraging, motivating and when do you be firm, demanding i.e. tough without necessarily meaning you 'love' them any less?

It's situational. 

There are times when a little bit of unreasonable-ness is needed to drive change. Else, everything stays status quo because it is the path of least resistance. 

There are times when you are extra supportive because you feel guilt that you have somewhat 'neglected' that particular area and your team is obviously trying hard.

There are times you need to be more motivating and understanding, not because you want to be popular and be liked but because we are all humans, and we need that encouragement occasionally.

..and there are times when toughness and 'guru besar' discipline is just needed. period.

Nevertheless, a key condition to situational leadership is professionalism. It's not personal and should not be.

Also, the further we climb up the ladder, expect that you will 'receive' TLC and 'tough'ness in a whole different light (darkness sometimes :P) and in different form than before. But that is fair, as demands and expectations of you are also higher.

Agree to disagree with me?

Negotiating your salary

So I haven't written in ages and in this constantly online world, 'ages' can feel much longer than calendar dates. I haven't written not because I stopped believing in this cause but I just did not take the time to sit and write.

But now I have many things to write about. Because I've been busy and experienced new situations. A few days back I attended a Women Leadership Conference and that was inspiring. To listen to stories of international level achievements, of women like Datuk Dr Mazlan who deals on a daily basis with Russia and NASA and Tan Sri Datuk Dr Rafiah. What is more interesting is they each have their own story to tell which makes them seem human...like you and me. So yes, we can!

I have also finally started reading Sheryl Sandberg's Lean In. Admittedly, it didn't quite take my fancy before, I was afraid that it would be too cliche (I hope that's not what people feel about my blog) but I think curiosity took the better of me. And there is a chapter on Negotiating your Salary. I haven't read it but it inspired me to write my own take on this topic.

There seems to be a general perception and even research I read before that women are more afraid than men to ask for what we deserve. And because of this, I have read many articles urging women to be more assertive in this area.

My belief is that this is not and cannot be a general rule. There are situations when it is best that you leave the 'valuing' of your skills and capabilities to the boss. As long as you know he or she is not discriminative in any way and especially if you believe in achieving greater things ahead with the new project or role you're undertaking. I believe it leads to a more positive starting point. The last thing you want is to 'win' the negotiation but with resentment, pushed beyond your capabilities just because the boss thinks you should then take on more.

However, if you do feel undervalued, address it. Do it professionally. I recommend listing down your experience and past achievements and how it makes your potential, how you would use them to add value to the current or future task at hand. Don't complain or whine and do not compare with someone else's salary even if you peeked through Salmah's salary slip the other day :/

Choose a good time which means not Monday mornings, not before a big meeting or right after a difficult meeting. I think Friday is a good day, for me it would be Friday mornings (ok now you know but if you're from my team I'll be off next Friday :P). Ideally, set a proper appointment and not barge in. You want to be able to say everything you need to.

And if it is a new job, email is best. The same guidelines would apply on the content. Ok now good luck!

Spaghetti Carbonara

Since it's the weekend I thought I'd write about something different.

I enjoy good food. I am the kind that will not hesitate to try places where people recommend there's good food, no matter how far. I will plan for it and eventually try.

But I don't just love looking for good food. I also love making them.

Cooking and baking (besides shopping of course) is therapeutic for me. 

Unfortunately, as ChairWoman, I only get to do this on weekends. But that's ok. Weekdays I get good food from mom whose an even better cook! (Ya ya I saw your eyes go green with envy..)

And this is amongst my favorite dish to make simply because my boys love it so much and...it's pretty easy to whip.

I learned this recipe sometime ago watching a TV program hosted by Chef Nik 

Yes the cute one (..but of course. Important motivation. Haha)

If I recall, his father is Italian and this is his Dad's recipe.

This picture could be better but my children were already pestering me to serve. No time for professional photography. That's how good it is! LOL.

Ingredients:

1/3 Pasta of the normal pack (best with Fettucine, Spaghetti or Penne)

Beef bacon (ones with some fat on the side)

Quarter bulb of a large yellow onion

A teaspoon of crushed garlic

1 bay leaf

Cooking Cream

(depends how much gravy and creamy you want it to be but I use about 500 ml)

3 tablespoons grated Parmesan

1 egg yolk

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Steps:

1. Boil pasta with a bit of salted butter. El dente. Drain. You don't want mushy pasta in cream sauce (ugh!)

2. Put olive oil in a pan. Put in bay leaf and beef bacon. Saute till brown and slightly crisp at the edges. Add yellow onion till soft.

3. Add garlic. Stir till fragrant

4. Add cream. Medium fire and let simmer

5. Add salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

6. Add pasta and mix

7. Now here's the difficult part. Add lightly beaten egg yolk and stir quickly over slow fire (avoid the sauce from curdling). Take pan off fire and serve

Absolute awesome and easy recipe.

Don't believe me? Ask this boy.

Setting Expectations

I am an Engineer by education. And whilst I have stated in one of my earlier posts that I did not enjoy the subject much, in many ways it has shaped my thinking. More left brain. More structured. 'Square' as a few who knows me inside out would describe.

My grandma on my graduation (me so nerdy!)

We were cool from back then :P

But the non interest in engineering as a subject has also seeded my passion for marketing. The right brain stuff. Not the extreme right but enough to appreciate the right brain thinking and ideas. And a related area that interests me in particular is sociology, the understanding of human behaviour. Malcolm Gladwell's books like Blink, Outliers and his latest David & Goliath are my favourites. It helps me with life in general, understanding my children better, understanding the people I work with. It helps me work on improving my leadership.

And I am fortunate to observe lately that leadership is not just about setting strategies and directions. It is more and one underestimated but very important aspect is setting clear expectations.

Expectations about not just deliverables but mindset, values and behaviour as an individual (especially if you are managers yourselves because what you do and what you say shapes others' mindset!), expectations how people should work together and the list goes on. 

Sometimes we take that for granted. Sometimes we assume people should know. But I have seen almost always, leaders achieve better outcomes when expectations are made clear..and consistent. It's time tested. This video is proof of it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WUxb8YB88o