Down memory lane by the sea with management gameplan

I have not been writing for almost a week now, but in the late evening I am already jotting anything that I could remember,  just recuperating from the blues of  3 days 2 nights hectic workshop down memory lane in the Zon Regency by the sea at Stulang Laut, Johore Bahru. It's a good job to be away from office for a while, at least to revitalized my bored and mind boggling brain, at least for a change in atmosphere... But thats not a rest at all, to be away was meant to be strained again, cranky day and night from 8.30 am untill 11.00 pm bull shitting with the group mesmerizing and trying to chew the hard and dormant cake called the management gameplan or the organization's strategy... The management gameplan has been there for over 2 years already and was developed long time back since 1998... The vision has always ... To Become World class Organization by 2010... but time is almost there, less than 3 years now.. but are we ready ???  We are desperate, are we ?? but do we understand in the first place about what has been documented ??  Well...

"Ideas won't keep. Something must be done about them"

Alfred North Whitehead.

As organizations become team oriented, more of peoples' time is taken up with meetings. That becomes problematic when the outcome of those gatherings is a lot of talk about vissionary objectives that are never accomplished.

There is nothing more debilitating to the energy of a group than inaction on the ideas they generate. It is a waste of time and money to bring people together to be creative, to talk about situations and ideas, and then have them leave with no action plans.

Perak Regent: Don’t let power lead you astray

By CLARA CHOOI The STAR.

IPOH: The Regent of Perak Raja Dr Nazrin Shah has urged leaders to learn from the failures of empires and nations, and even monarchs and leaders.
He said historical evidence showed that many people were given the opportunity to become leaders but only a handful rose to be successful leaders who created history and built civilisations.
“This happened because many of those given the chance to lead allowed the joy and passion of having power to lead them astray. Some among them became complacent, some went astray, some were ill advised, some adopted wrong decisions and some made miscalculations. "

Service award: Raja Dr Nazrin Shah presenting the Outstanding Mosque Officer award to Radhi Kamarul Hailan as Mentri Besar Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin looks on during the state-level Maulidur Rasul celebration at the State Secretariat in Ipoh on Thursday.“Such are the historical accounts of leaders and leadership which the ummah (people) of today should learn from so as not to repeat the mistakes,” he said at the state-level Maulidur Rasul celebration and presentation of prizes for memorisation of the Quran at the State Secretariat here yesterday.
He said the failures were mostly due to leaders who lost their way in their eagerness to seize more power.
He said a good leader was one who realised he was no different from the subjects he led and possessed the qualities of humility, discipline, commitment, honesty and willingness to sacrifice. “The act of leading is a responsibility that should be fulfilled with trust,” Raja Dr Nazrin said.
He said Muslim leaders should use the Quran and Hadis as their sources of reference for guidance in discharging their role as leaders.
“He who leads must know that he is always under God’s watchful eye and is always being weighed and measured by his people,” he said.
Raja Dr Nazrin said a responsible leader should identify the road ahead for his followers.
“Leading is a responsibility that should be accomplished by trust,” he said.
“The leadership of giving prominence to the ummah practised by Prophet Muhammad garnered the people’s support for Him, and also for the teachings laid down by Him. As a result, Islam underwent rapid expansion in a short time, cutting across cultural, geographical and political boundaries.
“Islam was universally accepted and was no longer restricted to being the religion of the Arabs in the Arab land. The leadership of Prophet Muhammad was also accepted and recognised worldwide, even long after He had passed away,” he said.
Raja Dr Nazrin said he did not want celebrations such as Maulidur Rasul to be treated as mere “routine” and “ritualistic” functions.
“Each celebration involves time, money and much effort. Therefore, each event should bear its purpose and be productive in nature,” he said.

Produktif jika ketawa

" Laughter is inner jogging"

Norman Cousins

Ketawa membawa banyak faedahnya - walaupun ditempat kerja....serius! Ia meleburkan stres, mengembalikan kesihatan diri. Ianya mengerakkan reaksi kimia dan kreativiti yang membawa individu atau kumpulan kearah pemikiran yang serius yang tidak pernah dibawa mereka sebelum ini.

Apakah kita lakukan bagi menggalakkan ketawa di tempat kerja? Ada kalanya serius yang mutlak diperlukan, tetapi bukan lah setiap hari, setiap minit atau saat. Kadangkala silap sedikit maka keceriaan menghilang dan membawa masa yang panjang mengharung kembali fokas yang penuh stres. Kita sebagai pekerja harus membawa kegembiraan dan terus produktif. Bagi yang membawa keseronokan bekerja yang serius, dengan senyum dan ketawa sebenarnya yang banyak menghasilkan output kerja, dan mereka juga yang sanggup menghadapi cabaran cabaran baru dan senentiasa memperbaiki kelemahan diri. Buka langkah dengan senyuman, Pimpinlah dengan ketawa sedikit dan orang lain akan mengikut kita dengan gembiranya. 

Leadership is graft free administration

Stay away from corruption, Cabinet told

By V.P. SUJATA and MAZWIN NIK ANIS; The STAR Online.

PUTRAJAYA: Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi expects those in his new Cabinet to stay away from corruption, serve with integrity and dignity, go to the ground often and organise frequent meet-the-grassroots sessions.  The Prime Minister also wants his ministers to be people-friendly wakil rakyat, be ever willing to serve, and be ready to continue with government policies that are popular among the people and the private sector. During his inaugural post-election Cabinet meeting, Abdullah reminded his ministers to be well-behaved. “They must completely reject corruption. They must stay away from corrupt practices and there should be no compromise on this issue.  “We are waging a war against corruption and we are serious about it,” he told a packed press conference after the meeting. Abdullah also spoke at length on the importance of addressing and attending to issues that had emerged during the election, adding it was crucial to take note of the message that the people had relayed to Barisan Nasional through the election results. He said the issues that would be closely looked into included judiciary reforms, inflation, crime and the aspirations of the younger generation. “We need to understand them and respond to their needs. At the same time, we need to step up implementation efforts. It has to be effective, vigorous and be carried out with greater determination. We must ensure that our projects create greater success and bring more prosperity to the rakyat,” he said.  On the Ninth Malaysia Plan, which has entered its second phase, the Prime Minister said whatever that has been drawn up must be carried out, adding the Economic Planning Unit would draw up a study on the matter for the Cabinet to review and discuss. On the fate of the projects that were drawn up for the five states that had fallen to the opposition, Abdullah said he would be discussing with the respective state governments as some of the projects had been decided upon and money had been paid. 

Abdullah also briefed his ministers on the decision to have everyone publicly declare their assets, which would be done twice throughout the five-year term, adding that the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) would come up with forms for them to fill up for the process of declaring their assets. 

He said that an annual review would also be held to gauge the effectiveness of the government’s actions, especially in responding to issues and problems, adding the present system of having a review at the end of every four years was insufficient. The Prime Minister said that Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak spoke on behalf of the rest, pledging their support and loyalty to the government and promised to work hard for the people, adding he was touched to see their determination, which reflected unity and the spirit of togetherness.  

The GOD -Government Of the Day

Perhimpunan bulan Mac 2008

Pagi ini jam 8.30am, 19 Mac, 2008 berlangsungnya perhimpunan ketiga bagi tahun ini, cuaca amat baik dan redup. Pentas hadapan diisi oleh Y.Bhg. Dato' KP, Y.Bhg. Dato' Ong Siew Heng dan Ir. KJ Abraham. Majlis didendangkan dengan kumpulan koir ibupejabat dengan dua nyanyian lagu 'Negara Ku' dan 'Perkhidmatan Awam' sahaja, tidak tahu sebab kenapa kali ini lagu 'Cemerlang JPS' tidak dinyanyikan. Tahniah kepada Ir. Hj Zul Mohamad wewakili BSGE membaca doa majlis dengan nada yang bersemangat. Sekali lagi saya meneruskan usaha merekodkan hasil luahan dan harapan Dato' KP tu kerana hanya dengan blog ini saja sesiapa saja boleh membacanya, merenung dan mengimbas kembali apabila perlu, diantaranya adalah :

• KP menarik perhatian mengenai keadaan hujan kelmarin di beberapa tempat di Subang, Shah Alam yang beliau rasai keamatan yang begitu tinggi dan mengakibatkan berlakunya banjir jika tempuhnya berlanjutan. Fenomena perubahan cuaca yang tidak menentu dan ketara boleh menyebabkan kejadian banjir berlaku tanpa musim dan ini memperlihatkan peri perlunya Jabatan sentiasa cergas melaksanakan program mengatasi banjir yang amat diperlukan.
• Beliau juga menyatakan tanggungjawab tugas tebatan banjir adalah masih relevan dan harapan pihak Kementerian dan rakyat begitu tinggi keatas permasaalahan ini dan Jabatan perlu amat proaktif dan segera dalam menjalankan tugas tersebut. Beliau menyatakan kejadian banjir 2006 dan 2007 terutamanya di Johor sudah ada peruntukkan tapi masih lembab dilaksanakan oleh Jabatan, perkara ini perlukan penekanan yang amat serius dan gerakan perlu segera di jalankan.
• Oleh itu, penekalan program banjir adalah utama dan beliau telah mengorak langkah menstrukturkan tugas tugas ini dan memberi notis awal akan perubahan beberapa keperluan penting rancangan ini termasuk menempatkan dengan menukarkan secara pentadbiran pegawai pegawai dimana perlu didalam usaha memperkemaskan dan mengerakakan keutamaaan program tebatan banjir ini. Beliau mengingatkan kepada pegawai pegawai supaya menerima tanggungjawab tersebut jika diarahkan bertukar demi perkhidmatan awam dan surat pertukaran adalah didalam proses.
  
• Y.Bhg. Dato' KP memaklumkan keputusan perlantikan Menteri Baru bagi Kementerian iaitu Y.B Datuk Douglas Unggah Embas dan Timbalan nya Y.B. Datuk Seri Abdul Gapur Salleh dimana kita disarankan akan memberikan kerjasama terbaik keatas kerajaan yang memerintah kali ini.
• Tidak lupa juga beliau mengucapkan selamat berjaya kepada Y.B. Datuk Seri Azmi Khalid yang tidak lagi bersama kita kali ini dan menyifatkan beliau sebagai Menteri yang teliti dan amat tegas didalam menjalankan tugas tugasnya yang memerlukan komitmen sepenuhnya daripada semua yang terlibat.
• Y.Bhg. Dato' KP mengumumkan penerimaan kelulusan keatas Perlantikan TKP(Operasi) oleh Ir. KJ Abraham dan Pengarah Sungai & Pantai oleh Y.Bhg. Dato' S.H. Ong bermula dari 1 April 2008 dan mengucapkan tahniah. Namun Jawatan TKP(Pembangunan) masih belum diterima lagi. Bagi jawatan jawatan lain JUSA, J54, J48 dll sudah lama dihantar dan kemungkinan jawapannya juga akan diperolehi tidak lama lagi.
  
• Y.Bhg. Dato' KP memaklumkan kepada semua pegawai pegawai yang mempunyai ijazah kejuruteraan tetapi masih tidak diserapkan ke jawatan Jurutera hendaklah melapurkan status mereka dan mendaftar segera untuk ditemuduga melalui Pengarah Khidmat Pengurusan.
• Keperluan Fail Meja bagi setiap pegawai hendaklah sentiasa ada, perkara ini sudah menjadi dasar kerajaan yang ada didalam pekeliling, beliau meminta supaya setiap pegawai sudah mempunyainya dan meminta Pengarah Kualiti dan Audit Prestasi mengerakkan pengauditan diatas perkara ini jua.

Asian bosses need to improve workers’ benefits: Study

MANILA: Asia’s aging population and an expected shortage of skilled workers in the future makes it important for the region’s employers to offer cost-effective benefits to keep increasingly scarce talents, a survey released Monday said.The 2007 study of workers’ attitudes by management consultant Watson Wyatt Worldwide showed Asian workers gave their employers low ratings on pay and benefits and effective internal communication practices. Those are key drivers for workers’ “engagement,” defined as commitment to the company and efforts to make it successful.More than 6,500 full-time employees covering all major sectors in Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand were surveyed, with a 1.2 per cent sampling margin of error. Some 27 per cent of workers surveyed indicated they were actively considering leaving their current employer, the study found. Workers’ engagement was found at a low of 39 per cent of respondents in Japan to a high of 78 per cent in India.
“Programs that increase engagement can improve individual performance and productivity as well as reduce employee turnover,” the study said. Companies need to offer a competitive pay and benefits package and to communicate their value effectively to workers, it added.Forward-looking companies, it said, are replacing one-size-fits-all programs with flexible ones that target their most valuable employees.“In this war for talent, only those with the best competitive solutions can expect to win,” said Adrew Heard, Watson Wyatt’s Asia Pacific benefits practice director.An earlier study by the company showed that by 2050, Asia will be home to a billion people aged 60 and above, causing workers’ shortage in Japan, South Korea, Australia, Hong Kong and Singapore unless they become more flexible in keeping older workers employed.James Matti, Watson Wyatt Philippines’ managing consultant, said in the Philippines, which has a young population, overall worker turnover is at 11 per cent a year. Business process outsourcing companies, however, see at least 23 per cent of workers leaving yearly. - AP

The Business Times Online : 18 March 2008

Cuepacs on reason for reduced majority

PUTRAJAYA: The government's refusal to pay civil servants RM2,000 each in honorarium and its competency level appraisal system, Penilaian Tahap Kecekapan (PTK), caused a drop in the winning majority of Barisan Nasional's Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor when he won re-election to the Putrajaya seat, said Cuepacs president Omar Osman.
Public servants make up the majority of voters in Putrajaya. Omar said national issues such as high prices of goods also caused more voters to back the Pas candidate. He said Cuepacs' stance on PTK was clear."We want it to be abolished as it is the cause of pent-up frustration among civil servants, especially the seniors."
Omar also said Cuepacs would bring up the matter again in its meeting with Public Service Department officers on March 25.

The NST Online : 18 March 2008

Kegagalan adalah Kejayaan

" Sucess is 99 percent failure"

Soichiro Honda

Failure is success if we learn from it.

Malcolm Forbes

Berapa banyak tenaga dan sumber sudah dileburkan didalam mengelakkan kegagalan? Tiada siapa pun yang gemarkan pembaziran. Ego meluap. Kekeciwaan dan kehampaan membawa kekesalan yang tidak terhingga. Tetapi kita seharusnya memberhentikan pembaziran sumber tenaga ini dengan melihat bahawa kegagalan adalah satu peluang yang dapat kita pelajari. Gunakan kegagalan itu sebagai batu loncatan kearah memenuhi puncak matlamat akhirnya. Buat penilaian keatas apakah tindakan yang perlu dilakukan bagi mencapai kemenangan selepas itu. Kaji keperluan dan penuhi kemahiran baru untuk mencapainya. Apa nak dirisaukan jika membuat kesilapan, betapa banyak sekalipun, akhirnya kita akan meraikan kejayaan jua.

Akur muhassabah diri

It's harder to defeat

Than it is to spell,

Revenge is not sweet,

It's bitter as Hell

Duke Ellington

Adakalanya kegagalan milik kita.  Ada masanya kekalahan kita ditangan orang yang sombong, pentingkan diri, dan cuba menghina kita didalam proses selanjutnya. Menumpukan usaha membalas dendam tidak menolong sesiapa pun.

Usaha yang negatif akan meleburkan tenaga diri kita. Bertindak terus melawan mungkin menampakkan kebodohan orang yang jelas kalah. Terimalah sebarang kekalahan dengan semangat cekal, berani dan bermaruah. Tumpukan kearah memperkukuhkan visi jangka panjang. Kembalilah ke gelanggang pertempuran, tapi dengan azam mencapai matlamat murni bukan untuk membalas dendam.. akhirnya kemenangan kita diperlakukan kearah niat yang lebih hebat untuk semua jua dengan menjauhkan dendam kesumat.