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Connecting

Walking meditations

October 31, 2021
30 Day Challenge, Connecting, Personal Change, What I'm reading
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Where are you going?

Going nowhere during quarantine? How about travelling inward.

Mindful of each breath. Mindful of each step. Mindful of each thought.

Today we have so many technologies, the mobile phone, whatsapp, zoom. But do we really connect? We forget that our mind and body are connected. “Our body is here but our mind is somewhere else. We easily get caught up in our work, our plans, our anxieties. Our breadth is the bridge connecting our body and our mind.”

Meditation can be taken out of the retreat and into the kitchen and the office. Thich ask “How can we practice in a way that removes the barrier between practice and non-practice.”

A friend does walking meditation between business appointments, walking mindfully between buildings and as a result his meetings are often pleasant and successful.

Meditations do not need to be around a mandala or even in a maze. They can be part of our daily life.

May I

May You

May They

May All Beings

“How to See”, “How to Walk”, “How to Connect”, Series by Thich Nhat Hanh

Bloom where you are planted …

April 14, 2021
Connecting
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Bloom where you are planted, and other gardening myths.

Sun loving Vanda Ms Joaquim

Some orchids love shade, some like the Vanda Ms Joaquim love the sun. Sun and rain.

Are you sun loving or shade loving? Are you a houseplant or you grow better on turfs like the Japanese rose? Introvert vs Extrovert.

Knowing your personality tendencies is not an excuse for your behaviour but understanding how you tick and not try to be like someone else!

#orchids, #vanda #preference #personality #types #typology #Jung #introvert

How to be creative

February 28, 2021
#creativity, Connecting, creativity
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Quote from Steve Jobs in Wired (1996):

“Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn’t really do it, they just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while. That’s because they were able to connect experiences they’ve had and synthesize new things. And the reason they were able to do that was that they’ve had more experiences or they have thought more about their experiences than other people.

Unfortunately, that’s too rare a commodity. A lot of people in our industry haven’t had very diverse experiences. So they don’t have enough dots to connect, and they end up with very linear solutions without a broad perspective on the problem. The broader one’s understanding of the human experience, the better design we will have.”

https://www.wired.com/1996/02/jobs-2/

Networking at Career Talks

February 21, 2021
Connecting, Networking, Small talk, Table Topics
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Career fairs are around the corner. Job search especially networking can be stressful. Why attend when we can read online company info?

Make your presence felt at these pivotal moments. Practice in small doses to acclimatise your amydala. The ability to ask insightful questions reflects an intelligent mind.

Ask not questions from available open source material such as company website, Hoover, Bloomberg etc. Demonstrate the extent of your research by asking insightful questions.

Note that timing is important when asking questions. The questions below only serve as a guide. Use your judgment as to when you should ask the questions. Pay attention to the “flow” of the conversation to avoid the conversation sounding awkward and abrupt.

Questions about the company

  1. Where do the great ideas come from in your organization?
  2. How will you measure success?
  3. Between two equally-qualified candidates, what’s the deciding factor whom to hire?
  4. How do you encourage creative thinking within your organization?
  5. What do you want to see accomplished in your team/ department/ company in the next 3 to 6 months? What would be ideal outcome or key performance indicator?
  6. What impact, if any, has Web 2.0 made on your organization or you personally?
  7. What is the biggest challenge facing your industry today?

Questions to the speaker at a personal level

  1. Can you share what insights impacted you most personally as a leader? Was there someone who was a mentor to you? In what way was this person an impact on your life?
  2. Is there any way I can be of help to you right now?
  3. What advice would you give someone going into this industry for the first time?
  4. What do you like to do? (Instead of what do you do?)

Don’t crowd the CEO of the company. Younger company reps may have more relevant advice since they were  in your shoes, not too long ago.

News-worthy events

  1. How do you read the impact of a [XXXX] on your industry?

Questions to the speaker

Michael Hyatt is one of my favourite gurus. Do check out his website and podcasts.

  1. What are the most important decisions you make as a leader of your organization?
  2. As an organization gets larger there can be a tendency for the “institution” to dampen the “inspiration.” How do you keep this from happening?
  3. How do you or other leaders in your organization communicate the “core values”?
  4. How do you encourage others in your organization to communicate the “core values”?
  5. How do you help a new employee understand the culture of your organization?
  6. What is one characteristic that you believe every leader should possess?
  7. What is the one behavior or trait that you have seen derail more leaders’ careers?
  8. What resources would you recommend to someone looking to become a better leader?
  9. Could you share some of the resources you use to ensure you continue to grow and develop as a leader?
  10. What are some of your go-to resources for guidance in your field of work?

What other questions would you add to the above list?  Pls comment below.

Happy Networking and career success.

What if…

January 10, 2021
30 Day Challenge, Connecting, Happiness, Personal Change
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Yesterday, I saw a newsclip about an ebtreprenurial Singaporean male who sold off his SHN items. SHN stands for “stay home notice”, a word which many shudder during covid. It means you stay at home and cannot have contact with the outside world.

This guy had two SHNs, in total stayed home for 28 days.

What if this happened to me? How could I make the stay more comfortable? Or if I had to be isolated for 14 days in a small hotel room?

During covid, I discovered my greatest fear, introvert that I am, was “social rejection, loneliness and boredom”.

I used to play a game of “What if… I got stranded on an island, what 5 items will I bring with me”. I actually said my identity card. Less than three months later, I really lost my ID card with $400. Why I carry so much cash? Advice from my mom that during state of emergency, I cant go to the bank. Ironically she told me the same thing the night before #lockdown or what we know as #circuitbreaker. I forgot that we now have credit cards and Paynow.

Anyway, what would I bring?

1. Handphone and charger

2. My mask and beauty routine

3. Laptop and battery charger + yeti mike + earphones

4. Eye drops

5. Precept Bible + flags + TSW book

6. Blank journal + drawing stationery

7. Exercise mat + hoola hoop

8. Flask and tea bags

9. Cute Socks + sweater + mom’s bolster + blanket from brother + pajamas + clothes

10. Credit cards

With my hp and laptop, I can work and connect with anyone. I can pray, listen to sermons, worship etc. I can even go to church via my laptop, ie attend church service. :-))

I can follow exercise routines. I can even order anything I need and pay via internet. Rest is really luxury.

Seriously, time to begin minimalist lifestyle and focus on the important. Maybe even start a healthy diet.

What would you bring if you were under quarantine orders?

Workplace Loneliness and me

July 15, 2020
Connecting, Networking
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The Human Capital Institute shared on a post that workplace loneliness is on the rise, citing a study conducted by Edelman and Cigna, in 2019, 45.7% of American workers reported feeling lonely at work. This is up from 44% in 2018.

In a study on Cigna US Loneliness Index, the numbers are even higher for Gen Z, workers aged 18-22, of whom 73% report sometimes or always feeling alone, up from 69% a year ago (Source: CNBC).

Ju Ming sculpture in Buona Vista, Singapore

Why is it a concern?

According to Cigna CEO David Cordani, disconnections show up in other mental health issues such as depression or stress. Many young people feel that there is no one to turn to at the workplace whether it is to have a coffee or chill.

What can I do?

Make suggestions for workplace connecting. Build trust and fun activity that colleagues can do together to break the ice. I recall my colleagues in France bring a cake to office to chill. We in Singapore took turns to bring breakfast to work. My younger colleagues brought breakfast from their culture such as putu mayam, bought from the hawker centre across the street.

Trust and connections take time to build. We are all waiting for someone to reach out and make the first move. Why not make the first move?

If you are a worplace manager, consider what you can do to improve workplace culture. Hint: Open office layout and “work from home” are not solutions to lower loneliness at work. More suggestions.

How about setting a challenge for yourself and make the first move?

Share with me your thoughts in the comments below.

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/01/23/loneliness-is-rising-younger-workers-and-social-media-users-feel-it-most.html

Our focus?

June 19, 2019
Connecting, Networking, Personal Change
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Some months back, I asked Mr L if he would join me for a lunch catch up with a mutual ex-colleague, Mr T. We have not met in 14 years. Mr L was busy being angry about everything, his former employer, his PHd application being rejected by XYZ University.

Fast forward to June, I found out that if Mr L had joined me for lunch with Mr T, he could have walked his way into a job vacancy in Mr T’s company.

Is this how Krumboltz’s Happenstance works? Sometimes opportunities whiz by and miss us because we are engrossed in the past.

Lesson learnt today.

As an IJ, unplanned meetings drain me. But think of the exciting future that awaits you from the little step you take.

Mapping the Future of Global Civilization

June 7, 2019
Connecting
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https://www.paragkhanna.com/connectography

Why Supplychain is a sexy career. As sexy as global power can be.

Supplychains are now race for the top, not to the bottom. Empires were built on infrastructure and connectivity. Which model will China adopt? British Empire, Dutch Empire, Spanish Empire, Portugese Empire or American Empire?

“We are moving into an era where cities will matter more than states and supply chains will be a more important source of power than militaries — whose main purpose will be to protect supply chains rather than borders. Competitive connectivity is the arms race of the 21st century.”

CONNECTOGRAPHY: Mapping the Future of Global Civilization — Parag Khanna

#goodreads #globalisation #strategy