Fulfillment @ work

From left: Fernando, Chris, Patrice, Jeff, Nancy, Dave

Last month I posted three job vacancies on JobsDB.com. I was overwhelmed by the number of people who applied.

Work is not everything, but when you're doing work that doesn't engage you, or worse, work that you despise, it can massively affect every other aspects of your life. Ideally this means finding work that you are passionate about, but even if you are not in your dream job, there are ways to thrive at work.

Most men and women lead lives of quiet desperation.

Not a day goes by that I am not grateful for the gift of meaningful work. I have work that I can throw myself into with passion, energy and enthusiasmm and I am infinitely aware of how rare that is.

Surviving death

Grandma was cremated today.

Grief has come. This is my 1st real time at it and I'm a novice. It's like trying to play a game without knowing the rules.

Since gramma became bed-ridden over a period of 3 years, I had time to brace myself for her death. Time to say "I love you." Time to do what I needed to do, what I wanted to do. I had time to come to closure, to deal with many issues long repressed. I had time, and I didn't always accomplish all these things. But I tried, and trying felt good.

My grandmother's death

My grandmother Cecilia, died at her home on 22 Jan 2012 - Chinese New year eve - surrounded by those who loved her and those who cared for her. I wish to honour these people.

These were her children, my parents and uncs and aunts, who for the past 3 years, bathed her, helped her to eat, attended to her medications, helped her dress. They had encouraged her, cajoled her, been annoyed with her, answered her questions, teased her whole-heartedly, dealt with her demands, and offered her friendship. Some close, some distant, some warm, in a special way, they were always there.

And perhaps by honouring their work and recognizing what these people did to make that final moment more sacred than profane, I can find a positive meaning to my grandmother's death.

Listenh with your eyes

"Sometimes when you are not interested, you tend to show it," Ah leng rebuked.

"Listen" with your eyes. Look deeply. Mirror your interest - not the far-away look of preoccupation.

Our speaker is speaking because he/she wants us to listen. I find that when I listen more attentively - the speaker will pay more attention to me.

Should leaders apologize

"Should leaders apologize? Is it a good leadership skill? The absorbing discussion centred around these questions up at Amer Fort.

Many leaders mistakenly believe that admitting wrongdoing and asking forgiveness from their subordinates will strip them of their ability to lead, or weaken them in the eyes of the others. Quite the opposite is true. In fact, the very thing the leader fears - loss of leadership - is most often brought about because the leader did not settle the issue sufficiently in the minds of his followers by showing genuine regret and asking for forgiveness.

Show you are sincere in wanting to improve

"Our Friday presentation will be about the 4 disciplines of execution," the email started.

People only become critical of those who are not willing to try; they usually overlook lower-than-usual results if they see that you are sincere in wanting to improve.

Travel is education

SG344 touched down in Jaipur yesterday at 14.30


One of the greatest forms of education is travel. I now make it a practice to travel and experience the lifestyle and culture in a different region of the world at least once a year. A trip can combine geography, art and music in one comfortable package.

Intentions mean nothing without action

"I have no response from him 2 days to an email I sent him," Brenda wrote in an email to me.

An article of wood or metal or glass can achieve nothing. Set on a mantel in a fine home or on a mountaintop for all to see, it will never, by itself, plow a field or tend to a sick person o cook a meal. An object can inspire, arouse, prove, encourage, justify and confirm. But it can never produce.

Intentions are like physical beauty - they mean nothing. At some point, a person must actually do something. One's beliefs must become works.

When teaching, words are not enough

I visited Mani Bhavan yesterday. That's the house where mahatma Gandhi lived from 1917 to 1934.

I recalled reading about a story of a mother who brought her young son to mahatma Gandhi. She begged, "Pleae Mahatma. tell my son to stop eating sugar."

gandhi paused, then said, "Bring your son back in 2 weeks." Puzzled, the woman thanked him and said that she would do as he had asked.

2 weeks later, she returned with her son. gandhi looked at the youngster in the eye and said. "Stop eating sugar."

Grateful but bewildered, the woman asked. "Why did you tell me to bring him back in 2 weeks? You could have told him the same thing then."

gandhi replied, "2 weeks ago, I was eating sugar."

When we teach, words are not enough; we, too, must teach by example what we've realised through experience.

Stepping stones

The opening sentence in the GM of Capella's message was: "We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day." ~Edith Lovejoy Pierce

In this 1st hour of January 2012, I recall january 1987 when, at 23, I left home to start my career in Kuala Lumpur as a computer operator with American express. I worked on three shifts...including the graveyard shift. I had to overcome many obstacles all throughout my professional life.

Reflecting on those times, including 2011, I now know that rejections and obstacles continually arise, and our success is often dictated by how we deal with them. However, I've proven that an obstacle can be a stepping stone on the path to success. I hope that the information I provide will help someone overcome obstacles and reach new heights of achievement.