Speak and Think Effectively

POPICAT technique

2011-02-14T01:43:00.005+08:00

Before your meeting, project, marketing, sales, communication etc..... use POPICAT in planning to ensure you are clear what you want to achieve and how best to achieve it.

Purpose

Outcome

Persons involved

Implementation approach and process

Challenges and issues

Agenda and duration

Time, date and location

You can use POPICAT in many other activities, even in preparing for wedding functions. Keep using it, and it will become natural habit.
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Argument

2010-12-11T17:55:00.000+08:00

1. To disagree is one thing; to be disagreeable is another.

2. It will do no good to argue if you're in the wrong, and if you're right -- you don't need to.

3. Many an argument is sound -- and only sound!

4. The more arguments you win, the fewer friends you'll have.

5. Before you have an argument with your boss, you'd better take a good look at both sides -- his side and the outside.

6. The weaker the argument, the stronger the words.

7. Sometimes when you're arguing with a fool, he's doing the same thing.

8. An argument produces plenty of heat, but not much light.

9. You get out of an argument exactly what you put into it -- a lot of hot air.

10. In an argument the best weapon to hold is your tongue.

11. Discussion is an exchange of knowledge; argument is an exchange of ignorance.

12. A husband and wife in Montana make it a point not to argue over anything not worth arguing about. Of course, this leads to some dandy fights over whether or not a subject is worthwhile.

13. An argument is a collision in which two trains of thought are derailed.

14. If you must argue, the best way to win is to start by being right.

15. Don't argue at the dinner table. The one who is not hungry always wins the argument.

16. When an argument flares up, the wise man quenches it with silence.

17. Arguing about religion is much easier than practicing it.

18. It is a rare thing to win an argument and the other fellow's respect at the same time.

19. It is fair to hear both sides of an argument, it is heavenly to hear the end of it.

20. An ounce of facts is worth a ton of arguments.

21. More homes are destroyed by fusses than by funerals or fires.

22. There's one thing to be said of ignorance -- it causes a lot of interesting arguments.

23. When a man uses profanity to support an argument, it indicates that either the man or the argument is weak -- probably both.

24. What a great World this would be if people would spend as much energy practicing their religion as they spend quarrelling about it.

25. Strong and bitter words indicate a weak cause.

26. Silence is one of the hardest things to refute.

27. Argument is the worst sort of conversation.

28. A sure way to stop a red-hot argument is to lay a few cold facts on it.

29. The only thing worse than being on the wrong side of an argument is being in the middle.

30. The only people who really listen to an argument are the neighbors.

Never wrestle with a pig. You will get dirty and only the pig have fun.

p/s - someone sent the above to me. Credit to the orginal unknown author.

Effective Presentation Slides and Delivery

2010-11-23T13:07:00.005+08:00

The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs

View more presentations from Carmine Gallo.

Additional articles:

- Learn Steve Jobs presentation techniques: be laser focused, give audience something new, forget bullet points, repetition3, evangelize

- Visual simplicity: telling story

- Promote your products: technical tips

- More tips on presentation slides and deliveries on Google
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Smile is Charity =8)

2010-11-08T12:32:00.000+08:00

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thank you michael

To Innovate

2010-04-28T05:07:00.001+08:00

Copied from Yayasan Inovasi Malaysia

Food for thought. TO INNOVATE . . .

Make the box bigger, or better, imagine there is no box
Question what hasn’t been asked
Make new connections
Relate the unrelated
Connect emotions with thoughts, actions, values and beliefs
Appreciate restlessness as a signal for a chance to do something differently
Increase satisfaction, meet yours and people’s needs in new ways
Question the status quo
Create more desirable futures
Let the past be a guide post, not a hitching post
Be open to experiment
Adopt a ‘let’s learn from our mistakes’ attitude
Realize that the first idea is a rough draft, open to refinement
Keep your sense of humour
Give yourself new experiences
Learn something new
Find out what troubles confuses others, then find new ways to ease their pain

Yayasan Inovasi Malaysia

2010-03-28T00:50:00.002+08:00

Yayasan Inovasi Malaysia was established to promote and champion Innovation

Check the resources and activities on www.YIM.my
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SCAMPER

2009-12-09T02:44:00.008+08:00

Use SCAMPER to generate new ideas or to enhance existing products/services:

S = Simplify, Substitute

C = Combine

A = Adapt, Alter

M = Magnify, Minify, Modify

P = Put to other uses

E = Eliminate

R = Reverse, Rearrange

For examples and more details, goto these websites or more websites.

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Six Thinking Hats

2009-12-08T03:05:00.000+08:00

The Six Thinking Hats technique from Edward De Bono is still useful today for individual and for a group. Its applicable in meetings, problem solving, new ideas and more.

For more info, goto these
~ websites
~ or diagrams
~ or video1 and video2

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Tanya Soalan!

2009-11-05T01:51:00.003+08:00

Tanya soalan, dengar dan ulang..... dengan perasaan empati.

The Martial Art of Difficult Conversations
By Peter Bregman

My wife Eleanor and I used to live in a small house in Princeton, New Jersey. One night we returned home to find a car parked in our single space driveway with no owner in sight. We were tired and had nowhere nearby to legally park our car. So we had the car towed, parked our car in its place, and went to sleep.
The next morning there was a loud knock on the door. Eleanor was the first to answer. She immediately regretted it. It was our next-door neighbor, we'll call her Leslie, and she was mad. As soon as she saw Eleanor she burst forth with a barrage of angry words and accusations. I was in the back of the house and could hear her clearly.

It turns out the mystery car we had towed belonged to her son. Eleanor, usually calm and collected, began to defend herself against the bombardment of accusations, which only made Leslie angrier and louder. So they went at it, both arguing their points.

Meanwhile, I had a brief moment to consider the best way to rescue Eleanor. I had to diffuse Leslie's anger, otherwise we'd never get anywhere. The only way to do that was to give Leslie the experience of being heard. Once she felt we understood her point of view and appreciated how angry she was, she'd calm down. Then we could talk.

I decided to do three things that, together, communicate listening:
Ask questions. I would ask open ended, exploratory questions. Who, what, when, where, how, why, etc. Questions that would clarify what she was saying and feeling. Questions that would help me unpack the situation from her perspective. I would stay away from leading questions and statements that pretended to be questions but wouldn't fool anyone, like "You don't actually believe that, do you?"

Actually listen. I would shut up and hear what she had to say. And I would avoid thinking about anything except what she was saying. I would also try to hear what she wasn't saying but was implying, the desires, fears, and assumptions that were behind what she was saying.

Repeat and summarize. I would recap what I heard, trying to use the same words she did. I would also summarize what I heard and check with her to see if I understood her correctly. If she told me I didn't get it, I wouldn't ask her to repeat herself because, well, she would and I'd hear the whole thing over again. What I really wanted to know is what I got wrong. So I'd ask her what I missed. Once she told me, I'd repeat that part again and ask her if I got it right this time.
Most importantly, I wouldn't bother to defend our decision until her anger was diffused. And I picked a sign for myself: once she took a deep breath and relaxed her shoulders, I'd make my point.

I felt as ready as I was going to be. My adrenaline was pumping as I walked to the doorway where they were standing yelling at each other. "Leslie," I broke in, "Hi. You're obviously really angry about something." She saw a new victim and pounced. "Angry doesn't even begin to describe it . . ." I listened. I asked questions. I repeated and summarized. Eventually, I felt like I really understood why she was so angry.

After about 15 minutes I said, " So your son only visits once in a blue moon and you really want him to have a good experience when he's with you. And then the people who you think are your good neighbors have his car towed. One more reason for him not to come home."

"Yeah, that's right," she said, a little more softly. And then . . . nothing. She was silent. She had nothing left to say. I had understood the depth of her reaction. Her emotional transaction was complete. She felt heard.

At that point I had enough space in the conversation to tell her we were sorry. That because her son came so rarely we didn't recognize his car. And since he didn't leave a note on it, we had no way of knowing it was his. It was late — too late to go knocking on everyone's doors just to see if the car might belong to them — and we needed to park. It was the best decision we could make at the time. Still, we were sorry to have towed her son's car.

She softened more and thanked us for understanding. She suggested that she let us know when her son came home. And then she left . . . smiling.

The only reason I was effective in that situation is because I had a minute to think. But while I'm a big believer in pausing before responding, it's hard to do in the blur of an attack. If I had answered the door instead of Eleanor, I would have reacted even more defensively than she had.

When people learn a martial art, they practice the same move endlessly until it becomes automatic and available when they are ambushed. I realized that day that I needed the conversational equivalent. So I resolved to make a change. I created my new knee-jerk reaction: Ask a question.

Whenever I'm surprised and I don't know what to say, I now ask a question. Even if that question is: "Can you tell me more?" That gets the other person talking and in a difficult conversation, it's always useful to let the other person go first. It reduces their defensiveness, you might learn something that could change your perspective or at least help you frame your perspective so they could hear it, and you'll provide an example of good listening they might just follow.

That night we heard a knock on our door and we both jumped. "Your turn," Eleanor said. It was Leslie again. She asked if we wanted to grab a bite to eat.
Startled by her gesture, I responded instinctively, "What did you have in mind?"

"More Than Words"

2009-10-26T15:02:00.004+08:00

Kata-kata yang kita gunakan mempengaruhi sikap dan emosi kita. Gunakan perkataan yang dinamik seperti

Awesome
Funtastic
Marvellous
Excellent
Well Done
Great
Hebat
Mantap
?

Jauhi perkataan yang melemahkan semangat dan merendahkan diri, seperti

Alah
Siapalah aku
Dah nasib
Letih lah
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2009-10-23T11:42:00.002+08:00

Arsene Wenger has great management style, beautiful football strategy and interesting quotes. Here are some of his quotes:

Our Favourite 60 Arsene Wenger Quotes

To commemorate the old boy's 60th birthday...

1) [Upon being asked what he does with his spare time] "I watch football."

2) "I tried to watch the Tottenham match on television in my hotel yesterday, but I fell asleep."

3) "When I first came to Arsenal, I realised the back four were all university graduates in the art of defending. As for Tony Adams, I consider him to be a doctor of defence. He is simply outstanding."

4) [On the qualities of Dennis Bergkamp] "Intelligence and class. Class is of course, most of the time linked to what you can do with the ball, but the intelligence makes you use the technique in an efficient way. It's like somebody who has a big vocabulary but he doesn't say intelligent words, and somebody who has a big vocabulary but he can talk intelligently, and that's what Dennis is all about. What he does, there's always a head and always a brain. And his technique allows him to do what he sees, and what he decides to do."

5) [After the Arsenal fans booed a 1-1 draw with Middlesbrough in November 1998] "If you eat caviar every day it's difficult to return to sausages."

6) "A company works best when everybody does the job he is paid to do."

7) "Sometimes now, when I watch continental games on television, I'm a bit bored. I'm thinking: 'Where is the intensity?'"

8) [In 2003] "It's not impossible. I know it will be difficult for us to go through the season unbeaten. But if we keep the right attitude it's possible we can do it."

9) [On Jose Mourinho after the then Chelsea boss accused him of being a voyeur] "He's out of order, disconnected with reality and disrespectful. When you give success to stupid people, it makes them more stupid sometimes and not more intelligent."

10) "A football team is like a beautiful woman. When you do not tell her, she forgets she is beautiful."

11) [In response to Sepp Blatter's accusation that big clubs were guilty of 'child slavery] "If you have a child who is a good musician, what is your first reaction? It is to put them into a good music school, not in an average one. So why should that not happen in football?"

12) [After the departure of Sol Campbell to Portsmouth] "It is a big surprise to me because he cancelled his contract to go abroad. Have you sold Portsmouth to a foreign country?"

13) "I believe the target of anything in life should be to do it so well that it becomes an art. When you read some books they are fantastic, the writer touches something in you that you know you would not have brought out of yourself. He makes you discover something interesting in your life. If you are living like an animal, what is the point of living? What makes daily life interesting is that we try to transform it to something that is close to art. And football is like that. When I watch Barcelona, it is art."

14) "When you represent a club it's about values and qualities, not about passports."

15) "If I go into a season and I say, 'For fu*k's sake, if we don't win anything, they will all leave,' I have already lost. The problem of the media is always to imagine the worst. The problem of the manager is always to imagine the best."

16) [After the success of the Great Britain team at the Olympics] "I didn't know the English were good at swimming. I have been in this country for 12 years and I haven't seen a swimming pool."

17) "The biggest things in life have been achieved by people who, at the start, we would have judged crazy. And yet if they had not had these crazy ideas the world would have been more stupid."

18) "There is no better psychological education than growing up in a pub when you are five or six because you meet all different people and hear how cruel they can be. You hear the way they talk to each other like saying 'You're a liar.' And from an early age you get a practical psychological education into the minds of people."

19) "I started at 33 as a manager and sometimes I felt I wouldn't survive. Physically I was sick."

20) "Politically, I am for efficiency. Economically first. Until the 1980s the world was divided into two, people were either communist or capitalist. The communist model does not work economically, we all realised that, but the capitalist model in the modern world also looks to be unsustainable. You cannot ignore individual interests, but I believe the world evolves slowly. The last 30 years have brought a minimum amount of money for everybody in the west, the next step, politically, would be a maximum amount of money earned by everybody."

21) "As long as no-one scored, it was always going to be close."

22) "If I asked you who was the best team in the world you would say Brazil. And do they play good football? Yes. Which club won everything last year? Barcelona. Good football. I am not against being pragmatic, because it is pragmatic to make a good pass, not a bad one. If I have the ball, what do I do with it? Could anybody argue that a bad solution like just kicking it away is pragmatic just because, sometimes, it works by accident?"

23) [In response to Sir Alex Ferguson's claim that he possessed the best team in the league despite Arsenal winning the title in 2002] "Everyone thinks they have the prettiest wife at home."

24) "Ferguson should calm down. Maybe it would have been better if he had put us against a wall and shot us."

25) "He [Ferguson] doesn't interest me and doesn't matter to me at all. I will never answer to any provocation from him any more."

26) [To journalists regarding Ferguson] "What I don't understand is that he does what he wants and you are all at his feet."

27) "Ferguson's out of order. He has lost all sense of reality. He is going out looking for a confrontation, then asking the person he is confronting to apologise. He's pushed the cork in a bit far this time."

28) [Upon being asked if he had received the apology that Sir Alex had announced he had sent to Wenger] "No. Perhaps he sent it by horse."

29) "I'm ready to take the blame for all the problems of English football if that is what he wants."

30) [After Jose Royes announced he wanted to leave Arsenal] "It's like you wanting to marry Miss World and she doesn't want you. I can try to help you but if she does not want to marry you what can I do?"

31) "Despite the global warming, England is still not warm enough for him."

32) "Gerard Houllier's thoughts on the matter [international football] echo mine. He thinks that what the national coaches are doing is like taking the car from his garage without even asking permission. They will then use the car for ten days and abandon it in a field without any petrol left in the tank. We then have to recover it, but it is broken down. Then a month later they will come to take your car again, and for good measure you're expected to be nice about it."

33) "Gerard is an open-minded and passionate man. I am the opposite: stubborn and stupid. But sometimes stupid behaviour makes you win."

34) "I do not think about the national team too much because footballistically it is not of too much interest."

35) [On losing the lead of the league in November 2004] "It's like a child who is used to having ice cream whenever he wants. When it doesn't come when he asks he tends to get confused and nervous."

36) "Any man who concentrates his energies totally on one passion is, by definition, someone who hurts the people close to him."

37) "We were considering him [Ruud van Nistelrooy] and Francis Jeffers and, in the end, we went for Jeffers."

38) "Maybe people will be surprised that I have signed an Englishman but I looked at his quality and not his passport. Francis is a 'fox in the box'."

39) [On Ruud van Nistelrooy in 2003] "He can only cheat."

40) "I think in England you eat too much sugar and meat and not enough vegetables."

41) "I lived for two years in Japan and it was the best diet I ever had. The whole way of life there is linked to health. Their diet is basically boiled vegetables, fish and rice. No fat, no sugar. You notice when you live there that there are no fat people."

42) "One of the things I discovered in Japan was from watching sumo wrestling. At the end you can never tell who has won the fight, and who has lost, because they do not show their emotion because it could embarrass the loser. It is unbelievable. That is why I try to teach my team politeness. It is only here in England that everybody pokes their tongue out when they win."

43) "What's really dreadful is the diet in Britain. The whole day you drink tea with milk and coffee with milk and cakes. If you had a fantasy world of what you shouldn't eat in sport, it's what you eat here."

44) "If you do not believe you can do it then you have no chance at all."

45) [On Arsenal's recruitment policy] "If I give you a good wine, you will see how it tastes and after you ask where it comes from."

46) "I don't kick dressing room doors or the cat or even football journalists."

47) "At some clubs success is accidental. At Arsenal it is compulsory."

48) "Nobody has enough talent to live on talent alone. Even when you have talent, a life without work goes nowhere."

49) "You have to be a masochist to be an international manager."

50) "For me, when you change more than three players in a team, you always take a technical risk because you change the deep structure of the team and the deep balance of the team, mentally and technically."

51) "We do not buy superstars. We make them."

52) "The real revelation of a player's character is not in his social life but in how he plays. In my social life I can hide my real personality."

53) [After Martin Taylor snapped Eduardo's leg in half] "The guy should never ever play football again."

54) [On how long Tomas Rosicky would be ruled out for at the start of his 18-month recuperation] "Days not weeks."

55) "I am in a job where you always look in front of you. Unfortunately, the older you get, the less distance there is in front of you."

56) "We try to go a different way that, for me, is respectable. Briefly, these are the basics. I thought: "We are building a stadium, so I will get young players in early so I do not find myself exposed on the transfer market without the money to compete with the others. I build a team, and we compensate by creating a style of play, by creating a culture at the club because the boy comes in at 16 or 17 and when they go out they have a supplement of soul, of love for the club, because they have been educated together. The people you meet at college from 16 to 20, often those are the relationships in life that keep going. That, I think, will give us strength that other clubs will not have."

57) "What motivates me is an ideal of thinking about how football should be. And to try to get near this way of playing. And to try to improve all aspects of my personality that can help me get near this ideal way of playing football."

58) [On Emmanuel Adebayor's stamp on Robin van Persie] "I watched it when I got home and it looked very bad. You ask 100 people, 99 will say it's very bad and the hundredth will be Mark Hughes."

59) "I did not see the incident."

60) "I do not like to make a fuss, it'll just be another day. I want to stay 59."

More Arsene Quotes, click here
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2009-10-14T12:39:00.002+08:00

Got this from my wife.....

Lovers of the English language might enjoy this. It is yet another example of why people learning English have trouble with the language. Learning the nuances of English makes it a difficult language. (But then, that's probably true of many languages.)
There is a two-letter word in English that perhaps has more meanings than any other two-letter word,
and that word is 'UP.'

It is listed in the dictionary as being used as an [adv], [prep], [adj], [n] or [v].

It's easy to understand UP, meaning toward the sky or at the top of the list, but when we awaken in the morning, why do we wake UP?
At a meeting, why does a topic come UP ? Why do we speak UP, and why are the officers UP for election and why is it UP to the secretary to write UP a report? We call UP our friends and we use ! it to brighten UP a room, polish UP the silver, we warm UP the leftovers and clean UP the kitchen. We lock UP the house and some guys fix UP the old car.
At other times the little word has a real special meaning. People stir UP trouble, line UP for tickets, work UP an appetite, and think UP excuses.

To be dressed is one thing but to be dressed UP is special.
And this up is confusing:
A drain must be opened UP because it is stopped UP.

We open UP a store in the morning but we close it UP at night.We seem to be pretty mixed UPabout UP !

To be knowledgeable about the proper uses of UP , look the word UP in the dictionary. In a desk-sized dictionary, it takes UP almost 1/4 of the page and can add UP to about thirty definitions

If you are UP to it, you might try building UP a list of the many ways UP is used. It will take UP a lot of your time, but if you don't give UP, you may wind UP with a hundred or more.

When it threatens to rain, we say it is clouding UP . When the sun comes out we say it is clearing UP. When it rains, it wets UP the earth. When it does not rain for awhile, things dry UP.
One could go on & on, but I'll wrap it UP , for now ........my time is UP , so time to shut UP!

Oh...one more thing:
What is the first thing you do in the morning & the last thing you do at night?

U P

Send this on to everyone you look up in your address book.

Now I'll shut up

Real Leaders Ask Real Questions!

2009-08-06T12:43:00.003+08:00

Soalan yang betul akan menyelesaikan masalah dengan betul :)

How to Ask Better Questions

One of your direct reports walks into your office looking for help: the rollout of the new line of Web-based products she is managing is falling behind schedule. All the prototypes have been created and beta tested, but she is having trouble getting final sign-off from the VP of IT. Deadlines have come and gone, and no amount of reminding or cajoling will get him to focus on her project.

As her manager, what should you do? If your first instinct is to suggest a solution, think again.

Although providing employees with answers to their problems often may be the most efficient way to get things done, the short-term gain is overshadowed by long-term costs. By taking the expedient route, you impede direct reports' development, cheat yourself of access to some potentially fresh and powerful ideas, and place an undue burden on your own shoulders. When faced with an employee's problem, you can respond in a much more value-adding way: by asking the right questions, help her find the best solution herself. We aren't talking about asking just any questions but, rather, employing questions that inspire people to think in new ways, expand their range of vision, and enable them to contribute more to the organization.

Questions packing this kind of punch are usually open-ended — they're not looking for a specific answer. Often beginning with "Why," "How," or "What do you think about...," they are questions that set the stage for subordinates to discover their own solutions, increasing their competence, their confidence, and their ownership of results.

Here is a framework for asking the right questions at the right time to create clarity and agreement around issues and to empower your direct reports.

Ask the right kind of questions
The word "empower" gets bandied about so much that one could be forgiven for overlooking what it actually means: to imbue someone with power, to instill in the individual a sense of his own strength and efficacy. "When the boss asks for a subordinate's ideas, he sends the message that they are good — perhaps better than his. The individual gains confidence and becomes more competent," says Michael J. Marquardt, a professor of human resources and international affairs at George Washington University (Washington, D.C.) and author of Leading with Questions: How Leaders Find the Right Solutions by Knowing What to Ask (John Wiley & Sons, 2005).

But an empowering question does more than convey respect for the person to whom it's posed. It actually encourages that person's development as a thinker and problem solver, thereby delivering both short-term and long-term value: the short-term value of generating a solution to the issue at hand and the long-term value of giving subordinates the tools to handle similar issues in the future independently.

A disempowering question, on the other hand, undercuts the confidence of the person to whom it's asked and sabotages her performance. Often, these types of questions focus on failure or betray that the questioner has an agenda.

The most effective and empowering questions create value in one or more of the following ways:

They create clarity: "Can you explain more about this situation?"
They construct better working relations: Instead of "Did you make your sales goal?" ask, "How have sales been going?"
They help people think analytically and critically: "What are the consequences of going this route?"
They inspire people to reflect and see things in fresh, unpredictable ways: "Why did this work?"
They encourage breakthrough thinking: "Can that be done in any other way?"
They challenge assumptions: "What do you think you will lose if you start sharing responsibility for the implementation process?"
They create ownership of solutions: "Based on your experience, what do you suggest we do here?"

Create a culture that embraces questions
To foster a culture in which questions are widely used to create value, begin by letting direct reports know that you value their queries. "For example, tell them to bring their best questions into their performance appraisal," Marquardt says. These might be questions they posed in the past year that led to new ideas and solutions for the company or questions they would like to ask you during the review to boost their own effectiveness and that of the unit or team.

Just as important, it is up to you as the leader to model the question-asking approach so that your team, in turn, will employ it with their own reports. For example, you can track how well the team is working together by asking questions like:

We've been working together for three hours today; what did we do best as a team?
What enabled us to be successful in coming up with an innovative strategy?
How can we ask better questions?
How can we apply what we are learning to other parts of our work?
What leadership skills helped us succeed today?

What you get by asking
While going into your team or one-on-one meetings with a list of questions rather than points to be made takes some thoughtful planning, the payoff can be huge. Marquardt experienced this himself when he was executive director of the former Arlington, Va.–based World Center for Development and Training.

He asked each of his direct reports, "What one idea and/or strategy that we are not currently implementing do you believe would best contribute to the success of our company?" The responses this question generated were amazing, he says. "We came up with a marketing strategy that I had never considered before and added a couple of new services for our customers," including a short-term certificate program and courses that blended classroom and online learning. As a result of his query, the group also examined new markets in Eastern Europe and Southeast Asia and developed local partners in those regions. And because these were their ideas, Marquardt's direct reports were committed to putting them into action. "They accepted responsibility in designing, marketing, and implementing the new programs," he says.

By leading your team meetings with questions, you will also help eliminate ambiguity and create alignment around issues. "Most groups are not aligned when they come together," Marquardt says. "When a leader goes into a group and states a problem, everyone assumes that they understand the problem in the same way. In reality, that is false." If, for example, a product isn't selling, you may assume that it's because of a flawed marketing program. But what if others think it's a flawed product? You won't learn that without asking, "What do you think the issue is?" Without consensus on the problem, you can't define a strategy to address it. Asking such questions enables team members to understand one another's perspectives and agree on what they are dealing with.

What not to ask
Marquardt points out that, contrary to the business truism "There are no bad questions," several types of questions can have a negative effect on subordinates.

Questions focused on why a person did not or cannot succeed force subordinates to take a defensive or reactive stance and strip them of their power. Such questions shut down opportunities for success and do not allow people to clarify misunderstandings or achieve goals. These questions include:

Why are you behind schedule?
What's the problem with this project?
Who isn't keeping up?
Don't you know any better than that?

Leading questions seek a specific answer, one that puts the person being asked the question in a negative light, pushes through the questioner's agenda, or exerts social pressure to force agreement. Among their many downsides, leading questions such as the following inhibit direct reports from answering candidly and stifle honest discussion:

You wanted to do it by yourself, didn't you?
Don't you agree that John is the problem here?
Everyone else on the team thinks John is the problem. What about you?

While closed questions, which require specific answers, can be a good way to open and close a conversation, a whole string of them in a row, such as the following, will make subordinates feel they are being interrogated:

Is this a good time to talk?
What time is the meeting?
How many people are coming?
Who else will be there?
When will the report be ready?

Their success is your success
As you strive to lead by asking rather than telling, remember that leaders are only as successful as the people who report to them. By asking your direct reports the right questions, you can help them develop their ability to solve problems, their creativity, and their resourcefulness. Not only will their greater strength in these areas reflect well on you, but it also will enable them to better help you and the whole unit when fresh challenges arise.
"You don't have to have the answer to ask a great question," says Marquardt. "A great question will ultimately get an answer."
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Words of Wisdom from Dale Carnagie

2009-07-30T12:26:00.002+08:00

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Thinkertoys

2009-07-02T01:37:00.013+08:00

In Year 2001, each of SKALI Team members was given a copy of the book "Thinkertoys: A Handbook of Business Creativity" by Michael Michalko (www.creativethinking.net)

It is a must have book for all business employees, managers and owners!

Below is list of techniques detailed and illustrated in Thinkertoys,
http://www.mycoted.com/Thinkertoys

Linear Thinkertoys
False Faces
Slice and Dice
Cherry Split
Think Bubbles
SCAMPER
Tug of War
Idea Box
Idea Grid
The Toothache
Tree Phoenix
The Great Transpacific Airline
Future Fruit
Brutethink
Hall of Fame
Circle of Opportunity
Ideatoons
Clever Trevor
Intuitive Thinkertoys
Chilling Out
Blue Roses
The Three B's
Rattlesnakes and Roses
Stone Soup
Color Bath
Dreamscape
Da Vinci's Technique
Dali's Technique
Not Kansas
The Shadow
The Book of the Dead
Group Thinkertoys
Brainstorming
Rice Storm

Optimus Prime :)

2009-06-28T19:30:00.000+08:00

I AM
73%
OPTIMUS PRIME Take the Transformers Quiz
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"Optimus Prime is the heroic leader of the Autobots. He is the personification of courage, strength, and integrity. His personal motto is that “Freedom is the right of all sentient beings.”

Like Optimus Prime, you are good by nature. But beware because mischievous thoughts sometimes tempt you. You are inspiring, confident, and a natural leader. The Autobots have chosen well. In addition, you enjoy being one step ahead of your friends as far as trends and technology."
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Man in the Mirror....

2009-06-27T15:14:00.003+08:00

Michael Jackson: Wikipedia ** Google ** Youtube

Kenangan daripada Michael Jackson.... "Man in the Mirror"

Gotta make a change, For once in my life
It's gonna feel real good, Gonna make a difference
Gonna make it right

And no message could have been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself and then make a change

I'm starting with the man in the mirror
I'm asking him to change his ways

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUrqFkR7QlI

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Secrets of Body Language

2009-06-15T00:23:00.004+08:00

Satu dokumentari menarik di History Channel bertajuk "Secrets of Body Language" atau "Rahsia Gerak Badan".

~ Tonton dokumentari tersebut di YouTube Video 1 hingga 9

~ Maklumat tambahan Body Language dan Bahasa Badan

Video No 4 menunjukkan bagaimana bahasa badan mempengaruhi perasaan pembeli. Dan pada display minit ke 8.50, anda dapat melihat bagaimana bahasa badan Angelina Jolie menunjukkan beliau mempunyai perasaan mendalam pada Brad Pitt.... sebelum tersebar mereka ada affair.

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Sleep well, for tomorrow begins tonight

2009-06-01T13:20:00.000+08:00

I wish I received this kind of advice when I was younger...

Star Online, Soo Ewe Jin
HAVE you been sleeping well of late? Are you all stressed out over the KLCI and every other world market from New York to Sydney? Do you worry that our economy will shrink even further? Or that the A(H1N1) will mutate into something more terrible?

Dr David White, the chief medical officer at Philips Home Healthcare Solutions, will probably tell you not to lose too much sleep over matters you cannot control.

“People lose sleep either because they cannot sleep (insomnia) or because they are not setting aside enough time for sleep – both of which can happen because of work-related stress in the current economic environment,” he said.

Although the scope of his study did not encompass Malaysians, I am sure the trend would be similar, more so if you add in the political dimension and the fact that good football matches are always telecast live in the early hours.

The Philips study, however, is focused on the workplace. Conducted in five countries around the globe, it showed that 40% of those questioned blame the state of the world economy as the major reason for their lack of sleep.

The survey was undertaken in March and covered 2,500 managers – equally split across Britain, Germany, the United States, Japan and The Netherlands – using an online poll. (For the survey, goto Sleep deprivation: a health hazard yet to be taken seriously)

The Americans worry the most, and the Dutch the least.

In response to the question, “Do you believe the worsening economic climate is affecting your ability to sleep well?”, just 15% of Dutch respondents agreed while the global average was 39%. The Americans were highest at 30%.

The Dutch are also less concerned about world events (1% compared with the average 3%), stress at work (12% against 22%) and money worries (5% versus 13%).

Maybe the windmills and the tulips have something to do with this.

A vast majority of respondents (61%) say they have had their work impacted negatively by lack of sleep. On average, each estimated 6.2 days per year were impacted by inadequate sleep – costing companies around the globe millions.

And here is the irony: Because they cannot sleep well, 70% said that their work suffered as a result.

So you get the drift? You cannot sleep because you are stressed at work, and you cannot work because you have not had enough sleep.

Sounds like a vicious cycle to me.

“Sleep is not optional – it is absolutely critical to people’s health,” said White. “The consequences of not sleeping enough are well documented. People who do not get enough sleep can gain weight, are prone to diabetes, high blood pressure and even heart attacks. We are facing a serious healthcare problem if we do not take sleep more seriously.”

Wow. No wonder his study was taken so seriously and was featured in many newspapers throughout the world last week.

A doctor friend challenged us the other day with this question: Do you rest for the day’s work or do you rest after a hard day’s work?

He explained that the situation is not similar. If you think that you are all zonked out after a hard day’s work and therefore need to sleep, you have got it all wrong.

Rest, he argued, is to prepare our body for the day ahead. If you think that way, you will be less stressed out.

Or, as a tagline for a famous brand of mattress puts it, “Sleep well, for tomorrow begins tonight!”

Deputy executive editor Soo Ewe Jin feels the key to a good night’s sleep is not counting sheep but counting our blessings, one by one.

Watch Your....

2009-05-28T00:13:00.001+08:00

Madah yang menarik....

Watch your Thoughts because they will become your Words.

Watch your Words because they will become your Actions.

Wacth your Actions because they will become your Habits.

Watch your Habits because they will become your Character.

Watch your Character because that will become your Destiny

~ Matt Morris

Big difference between local and overseas graduates

2009-05-12T04:04:00.003+08:00

That's what Mr Ronin wrote in the Star newspaper. Is his generalisation true?
Other than revamping the education system, what interim solutions available?

Source: The Star online

I REFER to Ganesh Ramanathan’s letter ‘With a good command of English, we can do better’ (The Star, May 8).

The writer found it difficult to compete with overseas students due to lack of ability to express himself. He also stressed that presentation skills need to be given more importance. I concur with him on this matter.

I was a product of the Malaysian education system. Unlike Ganesh, I did my undergraduate studies in Malaysia. Upon graduation, I noticed a vast difference between local and overseas graduates.

The overseas graduates were more confident of themselves. They spoke well and could do public speaking with ease. They were not tongue-tied when speaking to higher management or people of higher stature. They were also good at doing research and project work.

The local graduates were the direct opposite. Why? From young, we were spoon-fed with answers and there was only one right answer to any question. Any other answer was wrong and those who answered “wrongly” were punished. That cultivate an attitude of fear of being wrong. And that fear still haunts many of us even when we have become adults.

In my days, students should not question the teachers. We were not encouraged to voice our opinions. Doing so was deemed to be rebellious. ‘Speak only when you are asked’ was the acceptable norm.

Education was all about passing the exams. And that meant reading the textbooks and doing all the homework given. We were not given projects, no research to do and no opportunity to do public speaking. I have lost touch with the education system but I hope that what happened were history. If not, then it is time we revamped the education system.

RONIN TAY, Cheras, Kuala Lumpur.

Secrets of success in 8 words and 3 minutes

2009-04-15T02:09:00.006+08:00

Why do people succeed? Is it because they're smart? Or are they just lucky?
Neither, according to analyst Richard St. John at TEDTalks

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6bbMQXQ180&feature=related

The secrets of success in eight words are:

Passion
Work
Good
Focus
Push
Serve
Ideas
Persist

Men's brain and Women's brain

2009-04-03T14:48:00.003+08:00

The brain of men and women are wired differently. This does not mean one is better than the other. It simply means diversity in God's creations.

Understanding the differences will help men and women communicate better with each other (especially between spouses)! And also to maximise the potential value which can come from that diversity.

This video is a hilarious yet informative way of understanding the differences between men's brain and women's brain....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuMZ73mT5zM

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Spelling is Important?

2009-03-14T02:25:00.001+08:00

The power of mind..... lets see if you can read this paragraph:

fi yuo cna raed tihs, yuo hvae a sgtrane mnid too. Cna yuo raed tihs? Olny 55 plepoe can. i cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rd anie g. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno ‘ t mtaetr in waht oerdr the ltteres in a wrod are, the olny iproamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whotuit a pboerlm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Azanmig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt
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CEO Exchange

2009-03-13T02:56:00.003+08:00

The "CEO Exchange" is series of lively interviews with CEOs of major corporations. They share insights about their business strategies, leadership styles and personality.

You can also learn a lot from the CEOs' different communication styles. Their body language, voice control, answering techniques, eye contact etc. Also can learn the do's and dont's when giving interviews especially on television! For example.... don't fidget, scratch your hair or touch your body parts!

The website has more information and snippets. Goto CEO Exchange.

There are also some samples on YouTube.

In Malaysia, you can watch this series on ASTRO Awani, Channel 501.
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Yusuf Estes

2009-02-17T03:26:00.001+08:00

Yusuf Estes is a captivating communicator. Model his techniques :)

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Extraordinary Spokesman

2009-01-15T11:42:00.003+08:00

Steve Jobs is an excellent communicator. The following is excerpt of an article which compile examples of his videos as an extraordinary spokesman:

Throughout his second tenure at Apple, Steve Jobs has been recognized as a master showman. Since his return in 1996, Jobs has turned Apple from a company near death and spiraling toward irrelevance to one with a booming PC business and some of the hottest gadgets on the market.

Any move that Apple makes today grabs attention, not only from techies like us but also the mainstream press. Without Jobs at the helm, it's quite possible that this wouldn't be the case. While Apple is not a one-man show, and many competent, capable people work for the company, Jobs has led the way.

And many product announcements have come out of Apple since he returned. Here are a few of the bigger ones, and what they've meant to Apple.
More on PCWorld.....

Eduardo after the ugly collision!

2009-01-15T11:33:00.004+08:00

Eduardo is back playing for Arsenal after nearly a yearof rehabilitation. Lessons of grit, determination and power of mind. For articles on Eduardo, Google here. Read exclusive interview from DailyMail, click here

We can all remember the ugly scenes on February 23 last year. Eduardo was lying motionless, his body still in shock following the challenge by Birmingham defender Martin Taylor that left the striker with a broken left fibula and dislocated left ankle.

Eduardo said: 'At first I couldn't believe that this was happening to me. Then I thought, "No, this is how it is", so I resolved to try to do everything I could to come back as quickly as possible.'

When I was in hospital I realised I had to take this process step by step, so I started setting gradual goals. First of all it was to see how things were going day by day, so every day was a victory in that way.
'Then, as the injury was getting better, I started pushing every week to see how I was improving, and then it got to the point where it had been so long that I was taking things monthly until I actually got back to training.'
Nearly a year after his left leg buckled under the force of that thunderous challenge, the Arsenal striker is preparing to make his first-team comeback.

Communicate as Muslims

2009-01-12T17:55:00.001+08:00

A calm, confident and convincing communicator has greater prospect to succeed in parenting, socialising, networking, working, discussing, dakwah etc. Muslims should communicate with manners, hikmah and techniques which reflect the beauty of Islam.

Good akhlak is the best dakwah! Some lessons to communicate as Muslims:

~ The Muslim Way of Speaking (HarunYahya)

~ Communication and Argument in the Quran (HarunYahya)

~ Some tips to help you communicate with your teens and others

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My "BUT Problems"

2009-01-05T13:52:00.003+08:00

My resolution for 2009 is to overcome my "BUT Problems" namely:

No more BUT
I resolve to delete the word BUT (@ "TAPI" in Malay) from my dictionary. I will not start my sentences with the word BUT. I will stop saying "Yes But". I will change my thinking process and my speaking rate to avoid the word BUT.

Get off my BUTT
I resolve to better use my time for tasks which create value. I will reduce my time potatoeing infront of television. I will stop reading political blogs. I will avoid poisonous people. Will be 44 years old in 2009, the remaining time must be spend purposefully for dunia akhirat.
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Higher Order Thinking Skills ("HOTS")

2008-12-22T15:38:00.001+08:00

source: Iowa State University

Basic thinking
Problem Solving - Designing - Decision Making

Critical thinking
Analyzing - Evaluating - Connecting

Creative thinking
Synthesizing - Elaborating - Imagining

Critical Thinking, Reading and Writing

2008-12-21T01:27:00.005+08:00

Students should view the following videos on using critical thinking skills in reading and writing [right-click the link to open a new tab or page]

~ Critical Thinking, Reading and Writing, Part 1
~ Critical Thinking, Reading and Writing, Part 2
~ Steps in Writing an Argumentative Essay
~ Steps in Writing the Argumentative Research Essay
~ Writing the Analysis/Evaluation Essay
~ More videos from EdMcCorduck

Also view these Google search results:

~ websites on critical thinking
~ focused websites on reading writing and critical thinking
~ diagrams on critical thinking concepts
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Clarify or Counter "Facts"

2008-12-19T03:26:00.002+08:00

Source: Anthony Robbins book "Unlimited Power"

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Theory of Multiple Intelligences

2008-12-18T18:09:00.000+08:00

Dr. Howard Gardner, a professor at Harvard University, said intelligence based on I.Q. testing is far too limited. In 1983, he developed the theory of multiple intelligences to account for a broader range of human potential:

Linguistic intelligence ("word smart")
Logical-mathematical intelligence ("number/reasoning smart")
Spatial intelligence ("picture smart")
Bodily-Kinesthetic intelligence ("body smart")
Musical intelligence ("music smart")
Interpersonal intelligence ("people smart")
Intrapersonal intelligence ("self smart")
Naturalist intelligence ("nature smart")

Click on the image below to see a summary of the eight intelligences.
For more discussions on Multiple Intelligences, click here

credit: image from M.I.Smart
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Great Minds

2008-12-18T10:40:00.000+08:00

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Small minds discuss people,
Average minds discuss events,
Great minds discuss ideas !

(Eleanor Roosevelt)

Minda kecil bincang tentang orang,
Minda biasa bincang tentang keadaan,
Minda cemerlang bincang tentang idea-idea!
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Curiosity

2008-12-18T01:46:00.000+08:00

"Curiosity kills the cat" is a very negative and limiting phrase which must NOT be taught to children and adults! There is a similar phrase in Malay "kalau kail panjang sejengkal jangan diduga lautan dalam". Both useless phrases discourage innovation!

Curiosity..... is the mother of intelligence and innovation. If your child ask questions, don't tell them to shut-up. If your students ask questions, don't ridicule them. If your colleagues ask questions, don't say "you mean you don't know ah!".

Encourage curiosity! Nurture inquisitive minds! There are no "stupid questions"! What goes around comes around. Curiosity will benefit that person and his/her team and organisation.

Consider Leonardo Da Vinci as a proof that "curiosity is the mother of invention":

Leonardo (born 1452) was an architect, anatomist, sculptor, engineer, inventor, geometer, musician and painter. Leonardo's invention came from the fact that he was infinitely curious. Leonardo kept notebooks throughout his life, in which he wrote daily.
Showing his curiosity, Leonardo often made lists of things he wanted to learn more about, and he usually started these lists with the phrase, "Tell me."
It is purported that Leonardo had over 13,000 pages of notes by the end of his life. Leonardo Da Vinci invention covered many different fields - from military applications to flying machines, from “robots” to clocks to automobiles. ~ gadgets-gizmos-inventions.com

“Iron rusts from disuse; water loses its purity from stagnation ... even so does inaction sap the vigour of the mind” Da Vinci's quote.

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reFrame, reView, reThink,

2008-12-18T01:37:00.000+08:00

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If you keep doing what you've always done, you'll keep getting what you've always got (unknown)

Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting different results (einstein)

Problems cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them (einstein)

If what you're doing isn't working, then do something different (unknown)

Never ASSUME because it makes an ASS out of U and ME (unknown)

Try not! Do or do not! There is no try (yoda)

Work on Solutions, not problems (mie)
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Where the Hell is Matt?

2008-12-04T19:15:00.003+08:00

Matt travelled around the world dancing silly and got paid to do that. His "videos" are also known as "where the hell is matt". This is an example of making money out of nothing.

More interesting is to learn how he manage to get all those people from around the world to do the silly dance with him. Communicate nicely and clearly, even strangers will follow you. Especially when they see what's in it for them.... in this case, fun and happy :)

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Make It Happen!

2008-12-04T01:33:00.005+08:00

"Whether you can or cannot, you are right!". That is an often quoted phrase which says that we can if we believe we can, and we cannot if we believe we cannot.

If your colleague or staff says "cannot", avoid asking him or her "why not?". That will just trigger all sorts of excuses and wasteful arguments.

Next time someone said "cannot" or "impossible", ask the person "what should we do to make it happen?" or "what do you need to make that possible?". That will focus everyone's attention and energy on the solutions (instead of on the excuses or problems).
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Opinion

2008-11-19T13:32:00.003+08:00

The feeble tremble before opinion
the foolish defy it
the wise judge it
the skillful direct it

Jeanne-Marie Roland
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The Miracle Man

2008-11-14T12:34:00.001+08:00

Morris Goodman.... "The Miracle Man"

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"Yes We Can!"

2008-11-06T01:54:00.002+08:00

Great leaders are great communicators (but it is not necessary true the other way). Below is part of Obama's acceptance speech. For more Obama's speeches, click here. Observe and learn:

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Rapid Instructional Design with Thiagi

2008-10-29T02:24:00.004+08:00

Below is a talk by Thiagi on rapid instructional design for trainers and training. He said good trainers don't have to be subject matter expert, don't need good presentation skills and must be inconsistent. The video is 1 hour 40 minutes. Some related links:

~ Thiagi.com: Article on RID ** Tips, Tricks, Techniques
~ Search Thiagi on Google
~ Sponsor of the video: UMBC Training Forum

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How to Remember Names

2008-10-23T23:15:00.002+08:00

Ability to remember a face together with his/her name is very valuable. There are various techniques to sharpen that skill, a few of them listed below:

Four ways to remember names
Commit
Concentrate
Repeat
Associate
Five ways to memorise a name
Be interested for once.
Link his/her name to a famous person.
Make use of their facial features.
Picture it the name on the forehead.
Repeat, repeat, repeat!
Seven hacks to remember any name
Trust Yourself
Seeing Faces
Using Sound Tricks
Hear the Sounds Repeated
See the Spelling Visually
Writing it Down
Keeping Records
"Try using these techniques one at a time. Practice, and when you feel comfortable, try another. Believe in yourself; the more you want to remember a name, the easier it will come".

More techniques ~ Search Google here
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"Dare to be Angry"

2008-10-20T21:32:00.003+08:00

MCA Party president Datuk Ong Tee Keat said "members must adopt the attitude of dare to be angry, dare to speak up and dare to act in order to re-engineer the party to regain the people’s confidence. Being daring should not only be the party’s slogan but should also be the characteristic of its politicians."

So it all boils down to being angry. BN componets angry, Opposition parties angry, Muslims angry, non-Muslims angry, Hindraf angry, non-Hindraf angry, cronies angry, non-cronies angry, bloggers angry.... everyone seems to be angry. Will the winner be determined by ~ Who can scream at highest pitch; Who can shout the loudest; Who can spew the most sophisticated crap?

Being angry is easy. Keep repeating the problems like verbal diarrhoea is easy. That is why many people focus on talking about problems and then getting angry. Its so easy and it gives the illusion of doing something useful and very important.

The tough part is working on the solutions. We need bona-fide leaders to show the way, supported by sincere participants. We need to ensure mutually beneficial solutions for the sake of our children, grandchildren and this country.

I have decided to stop reading all blogs and articles which focus on anger and hate. I will stop listening to so-called leaders, friends and anyone who are negative. I just realised that I am slowly filled with anger, hatred and negative thoughts. What a waste of my time and energy......

Work on Solutions, not problems!
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If you not a solution, don't be a problem!

2008-10-16T20:40:00.002+08:00

Last month I went to Pos Malaysia at Ikano. Renewed my insurance (including changing to different insurance company), renewed the road tax and collected the rebate all at one go. I had to pay only the net amount (insurance plus road tax less rebate). Nice :)

All transactions completed less than 10 minutes and I have to pay only RM1.00 for the parking at Ikano. I am very pleased and I am sure many customers also thankful for the convenience. Saved me the hassle, time, petrol and parking from going all over the places.... and also saved me from paying runner's fee.

Today I came across an article "A kind of government! One kind of government". It was published in "the might of the pen" and copied in "malaysia today". In a nutshell, the author is suggesting that the rebate should be distributed by JPJ and not Pos Malaysia! And some other readers joining the chorus.

Maybe your home is next to the JPJ office lah! But you expect my father-in-law to travel from Felda settlement all the way to Johor Bahru just to collect the rebate for his honda kapcai! You know how many JPJ offices nationwide or not? This JPJ branches and manpower sure cannot handle the volume. Otherwise, JPJ would not appoint Pos Malaysia for renewal of roadtax and driver licence.

Pos Malaysia handled the distribution of rebate in July very well.... thousands of people. An sms from customer to a newspaper even congratulated Pos Malaysia for completing the transaction in 45 seconds (that uncle actually timed the transaction!). They have nearly 700 branches and now we can also collect rebate online. Pos Malaysia is the designated payment centers for many companies and agencies. Covenience for us right?

Whatever axe you want to grind, please lah make sure your suggestion enhanced the process instead of causing hardship. Damn if I have to travel all the way to JPJ office just to collect the rebate. You want some share of the commission, buy lah Pos Malaysia's shares..... now stockmarket very cheap.
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Biden vs Palin

2008-10-04T01:18:00.003+08:00

Eye contact, body language, voice tonality and lastly words used..... are important for effective communication. For any leaders, those are extremely necessary skills. Viewers voted that Joe Biden won the debate against Sarah Palin. Watch this video and you decide:

This is one example of many comments about Palin's delivery (source: Improper.com)

Personally, I was offended by Palin's pandering to the TV audience with her folksy expressions, smirks and winking. As a woman (and a mom) I was annoyed by Palin's obvious need to rely on her charm rather than substance. And peppering economic policy discussions with expressions like "you betcha," "doggone it," and "Say it ain't so, Joe" just does not come across as presidential or even professional.
Biden showed remarkable restraint in not correcting Palin over her snide jabs and repeated incorrect references to a "General McClellan" when she wrongly attributed a comment to General David McKiernan (the U.S. general in Afganistan).

Meanwhile, Biden did a solid job defending Barack Obama's policy positions, while Palin spouted off platitudes about ridding Wall Street of corruption, yada-yada. Again, the first-term Alaska governor spoke in cliches and failed to adequately defend McCain's position on important issues.
In the weeks leading up to the vice presidential debate, the general consensus was that she wasn't ready for the presidency; that she lacked knowledge and substance and only had canned responses in her arsenal. Her scripted answers in the debate confirmed this.
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If you want to copy.....

2008-09-20T23:35:00.001+08:00

A popular motivational speaker was entertaining his audience.

He said: "The best years of my life were spent in the arms of a woman who wasn't my wife!"

The audience was in silence and shock.

The speaker added: "And that woman was my mother!"

Laughter and applause continued!

A week later, a top manager trained by the motivational speaker tried to crack this very effective joke at home. He was a bit foggy after a drink.

He said loudly, "The greatest years of my life were spent in the arms of a woman who was not my wife!"

The wife was in shock and rage.

Standing there for 20 seconds trying to recall the second half of the joke, the manager finally blurted out "....... and I can't remember who she was!"

Moral of the story: Don't copy if you can't paste!

[thanks to Hanita]
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Moments that take our breath away!

2008-09-15T22:01:00.004+08:00

Not sure who wrote this, but interesting food for thot:

The paradox of our time in history is that:
we have taller buildings but shorter tempers,
wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints.
We spend more, but have less,
we buy more, but enjoy less.
We have bigger houses and smaller families,
more conveniences, but less time.
We have more degrees but less sense,
more knowledge, but less judgment,
more experts, yet more problems,
more medicine, but less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values.
We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.

We've learned how to make a living, but not a life.
We've added years to life not life to years.
We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor.
We conquered outer space but not inner space.
We've done larger things, but not better things.

We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul.
We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice.
We write more, but learn less.
We plan more, but accomplish less.
We've learned to rush, but not to wait.
We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion,
big men and small character,
steep profits and shallow relationships.

These are the days of two incomes but more divorce,
fancier houses, but broken homes.

These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom.

Remember, spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.

Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.

Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.

Remember, to say, 'I love you' to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.

Remember, to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.

Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the "moments that take our breath away".

Parkinson's Law

2008-09-14T03:11:00.003+08:00

Parkinson's Law
= work expands to fill the time available for its completion
~~~> manage your time effectively!!

Parkinson's Law of Triviality
= organisations give disproportionate weight to trivial issues
~~~> prioritise and use common sense!!

- more articles on Parkinson's Law
- list of eponymous laws
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Take Time

2008-09-09T04:44:00.000+08:00

Take time to think,
thoughts are the source of power.

Take time to dream,
dreams show you what is possible.

Take time to read,
reading is the fountain of wisdom.

Take time to work,
work is the price of success.

Take time to do your work well,
pride in your work nourishes the mind and the spirit.

Take time to laugh,
laughter is the music of the soul.

Take time to play,
play is the secret of perpetual youth.

Take time to show appreciation,
it's the frosting on the cake of life.

Take time to give,
sharing brings joy to your heart.

Take time to be friendly,
friendships give life a delicious flavor.

Take time to love,
loving is what makes living worthwhile.

Take time to pray,
prayer is the rock of strength in time of need.

(author unknown)

Barack Obama

2008-09-03T00:04:00.003+08:00

Beberapa kemahiran berkomunikasi yang kita boleh ambil iktibar:

Lain-lain video Barack Obama
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"Why Me?"

2008-07-23T21:59:00.005+08:00

Arthur Ashe, the legendary Wimbledon player was dying of AIDS which he got due to infected blood he received during a heart surgery in 1983. He received letters from his fans, one of which conveyed: "Why does GOD have to select you for such a bad disease"? To this Arthur Ashe replied:

"The world over:
50 million children start playing tennis,
5 million learn to play tennis,
500,000 learn professional tennis,
50,000 come to the circuit,
5,000 reach the grand slam,
50 reach Wimbledon,
4 to semi final,
2 to the finals.
When I was holding the Wimbledon cup I never asked GOD 'Why me?'.
And today in pain I should not be asking GOD 'Why me?' "

Happiness keeps you Sweet,
Trials keep you Strong,
Sorrow keeps you Human,
Failure keeps you humble
Success keeps you glowing,
but only Faith & Attitude Keeps you going...

Also learn the lessons from Nabi Ayub @ Prophet Job

I had the blues coz I had no shoes...

2008-07-15T14:02:00.000+08:00

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"I had the blues coz I had no shoes, until upon the street I saw a man with no feet" (unknown)

Meet Hugh Herr. At age 17, Hugh lost BOTH his legs below the knee following a climbing accident.
What would you do if you were in his shoes?

Hugh Herr bounced back from his tragedy to earn a degree in physics, then a MIT master's degree in mechanical engineering, followed with a Ph.D. degree in biophysics at Harvard. He now spends his time directing the Leg Lab and Biomechatronics Group within MIT's Artificial Intelligence Laboratory!

His tragedy inspires him to research and invent high-tech prosthetic and orthotic aid.

Make no more excuses!

~ Hugh Herr: Back on Top

~ Images of Hug Herr

~ More articles on Hugh Herr

~ Movie "Ascent: The Story of Hugh Herr"
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Pursuit of HAPPYness

2008-07-15T14:01:00.000+08:00

If you are still whining about so many things you don't have and you don't get.... then I suggest you watch the movie "The Pursuit of HAPPYness".

Its based on the real story of Chris Gardner. Immerse yourself in the movie. Feel the sufferings and humiliation of this man. Sense his patience, persistency and perseverance. Note how he work on the solutions. And don't be ashamed to wipe your teary eyes at the end of the movie.....

Stop whining..... work on solutions!

~ About Chris Gardner

~ Movie The Pursuit of Happyness

Interaksi Yang Baik

2008-01-26T16:14:00.000+08:00

Dalam video di bawah, Nabil (calon Raja Lawak Astro) menunjukkan beberapa contoh teknik yang boleh digunakan untuk meningkatkan interaksi dalam berkomunikasi:

1. Penonton diajak mengambil bahagian di awal pembukaan;

2. Penyampaiannya tidak mendatar sahaja dan juga tidak hanya terpekik-pekik. Dia menggunakan kepelbagaian suara, intonasi dan kelajuan;

3. Dia tidak menghina orang lain untuk menjadi bahan jenaka, tetapi menggunakan dirinya sebagai lawak;

4. Isi kandungan ceritanya mudah difaham dan tidak membodohkan penonton;

5. Dia "berbual" dengan penonton.

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Most Feared Thing in the World!

2007-12-28T03:01:00.000+08:00

Public speaking is one of the thing most feared by many adults worldwide. Probably this is one of the reason why..... i ii i i i iii iii iiii

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Scrap the Sarcasms

2007-10-26T02:23:00.000+08:00

Interesting notes from a friend:

There is a Chinese saying which means "A speech will either prosper or ruin a nation." Many relationships break off because of wrong speech.

When people is too close with each other, we tend to take the relationship for granted, thus forgetting mutual respect and courtesy. We may say anything without considering if it would hurt the other party.

A friend and her millionaire husband visited their construction site. A worker who wore a helmet saw her and shouted, "Hi, Emily! Remember me? We used to date in the secondary school."

On the way home, her millionaire husband teased her, "Luckily you married me. Otherwise you will be the wife of a construction worker."

She answered, "You should appreciate that you married me. Otherwise, he will be the millionaire and not you."

Frequently exchanging negative remarks plants the seed for a bad relationship. It's like a broken egg - cannot be reversed.
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Donald Trump

2007-10-02T23:46:00.000+08:00

Trump said "I am having a great time" ~ to be successful you must enjoy what you are doing!

And he is also an excellent communicator ~ a core skill of many successful men and women.

Visualisation

2007-09-25T02:23:00.000+08:00

The visual thinking company..... goto www.xPlane.com to see example how this innovative group simplify complex concepts by visualisation.

A picture tells a..... :)
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Pursuit of Happiness

2007-07-02T15:09:00.000+08:00

The pursuit of happiness is a matter of choice.

It is a positive attitude we consciously choose to express. It is not a gift that gets delivered to our doorstep each morning. And certainly that our circumstances are just a small part of what makes us joyful. If we wait for them to get just right, we will never find lasting joy.

The pursuit of happiness is an inward journey.

Our minds are like programs, awaiting the code that will determine behaviors; like bank vaults awaiting our deposits. If we regularly deposit positive, encouraging, and uplifting thoughts; if we continue to bite our lips just before we begin to grumble and complain; if we shoot down that seemingly harmless negative thought as it germinates.... we will find that there is much to rejoice about.

(source ~ exotic flamengo)

Speak to Me lah...

2007-05-22T02:38:00.000+08:00

How many times you been in presentations where the speaker spent most his/her time speaking to the projection screen or to the white board? And usually what happened then? Maybe you lost interest or your mind drifted away?

A speaker/presenter must maintain eye contact with the audience. That is the most basic yet important "rule" which applies to one-to-one conversation, group presentation and public speaking.

Do not read the screen and do not show your back to the audience. Usually that happens when a speaker is very nervous, is over excited about his/her slides or when the person is not prepared. In future post, we'll discuss how to manage those issues.

When presenting, you can have a quick glance at the computer screen to check which slides being projected or to glimpse the points. You must be conscious about where you are looking at all time. After a while, it will become good habit.

Keep eye contact with the audience and converse with them :)
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Do Not Sighhhhhh

2007-05-21T10:47:00.000+08:00

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Recently I watched an inventor being interviewed on TV.

Everytime before he answered the host's question, the inventor took a deep breath and then released a long sigh. After a while, it gave the impression as if he's answering questions which were beneath him. As if he thought the questions were dumb and wasting his time.

Maybe that was never his intention. Maybe he was just nervous. But he came across like a person who thinks too highly of himself and someone who looks down upon others who are not in his league..... because he kept sighing.

When speaking and discussing, be conscious of your breathing.

Do not sigh and do not be seen like you are sighing.
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Stand to Deliver

2007-05-21T03:15:00.000+08:00

If you are giving a presentation, it is best to stand and deliver your presentation.

Standing will allow you to make eye contacts with the audience. You can control your voice better. You can be more animated. And the audience will appreciate it because they do not have to stretch their neck in trying to see you.

Respect your audience and they will respect you.
Stand up to deliver your presentation.
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Please Adjust Before Starting!

2007-05-02T16:06:00.000+08:00

I attended one briefing which was presented by a lady senior manager. There were about 50 people in a packed room. Everyone were paying attention because the briefing was about government grant (money will always get fullest attention!).

In the middle of the presentation, the lady speaker slid her hand under her jacket and adjusted her bra strap.... whilst continuing her presentation. A few minutes later, she did the same thing.... but on the other strap! Aisehman???

Ladies and Gentlemen, make it a good habit..... complete all your adjustments BEFORE you enter the room to give presentation or speech.

Adjust your shirt, pants, belts, straps, shoe laces, stokings etc and get that out of the way. Also, put aside all your keys, mobile phones, PDAs etc so they do not distract you and your audience.

Do not distract your audience (unless you purposely doing that for a good reason!).
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English?..... very easy!

2007-02-21T13:28:00.000+08:00

Kepada adik2 dan anak2,

You know you are very weak in English. You know it will be very difficult to get a job without good command of English. You know you will cry if interview is in English.

Now you are very worried = = = Can you get a job after graduation? How are you going to help your family? Will you continue be a burden to your ageing parents?

No worries!!! Since you already accept the fact that you have a challenge, what you need to do is to take action and overcome the weakness. Start speaking in English.... make it fun. Go to classes. Learn from Internet and books. It is easy.... just practice, practice, practice.

Other than death, all other problem has solutions.
Work on solutions, not problems!!
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FumbleRules

2007-02-09T13:44:00.000+08:00

Once you have the basic English skills, the following FumbleRules can help you write effectively:

1. Avoid run-on sentences as they are hard to read and they are often hard to follow the meaning of that the writer intended when he sat down and wrote what you are reading right now.

2. No sentence fragments.

3. It behooves us to avoid archaisms.

4. Tame the temptation to test the tolerance of alliteration.

5. Also avoid the allure of allowing abundant assonance.

6. There are no apostrophe’s in plural’s that aren’t possessive’s."

7. Don’t use no double negatives.

8. If I’ve told you once, I’ve told you a million times: resist hyperbole.

9. Avoid commas, that are not necessary.

10. Verbs has to agree with their subjects.

11. Avoid trendy, slang lingo that sounds flaky.

12. Writing carefully, dangling participles should not be used.

13. Kill all exclamation points!!!

14. Never use a gargantuan word when a diminutive one will be sufficient.

15. Proofread carefully too see of you mispelled any words or if you any words out.

16. Take the bird by the horns when it comes to not mixing metaphors.

17. Don’t verb nouns.

18. Never, ever use repetitive redundancies over and over again.

19. A preposition isn’t the best thing to end a sentence with.

20. But, if necessary, the previous rule is something with up you don’t have to put.

21. Do not be afraid to use contractions. They are perfectly acceptable, even for business communications.

22. Be careful of sentences which misuse relative pronouns, that are very clumsy.

23. It is un-necessary, even non-sense, to over-hyphenate words with pre-fixes.

24. But in reader focused, high end writing, hyphens are a top notch way to add message enhancing clarity to your writing.

25. Last but not least, avoid clichés like the plague.

Fumblerule describes an error of style or grammar, while simultaneously providing an example of that error. Click here for more FumbleRules.
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You Have Potential

2006-10-21T16:27:00.000+08:00

Achieve your full potential....

First stop fooling around, then stop being a fool!

Once you are focused, you shall unleash your full potential

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Decision Shapes Destiny...

2006-10-08T10:55:00.000+08:00

Tony Robbins talks about how to unlock your true potential. A fast-paced, mind-expanding, motivating TEDTalk for high achievers and those who wish to be (Recorded February 2006 in Monterey, CA.)

~ Technology Entertainment Design Talk
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Keep A Career Journal

2006-10-07T16:04:00.000+08:00

Everyone should keep a journal throughout their career.

Keep track of the:

tasks you completed,
projects involved,
clients served,
partners managed,
presentations made,
training attended,
lessons learned from mistakes,
value added from successes, and
ideas generated for the organisation

..... just to name a few of the things you should keep track.

The journal will come very handy in the future.
Start TODAY.
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From Zero to CEO

2006-10-06T03:23:00.000+08:00

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CPA Australia 4th Undergraduate Conference at Metropolitan College,
theme ~ "Kick-Start Your Career!"

a. CPAcareers.com.au
b. CEO Forum Group, australia
c. Sun Tzu, science of strategy
d. google ~ Best CEOs
e. google ~ Worst CEOs
f. google ~ How to Become CEO
g. wiki ~ chief executive officer
h. wiki ~ list of Billionaires
i. wiki ~ Wipro Tech
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ZIYAN Corporation Sdn Bhd (ZIYANC)

2006-01-01T02:15:00.005+08:00

ZIYANC provides business training, management consulting and e-business solutions.

Our mission is to empower individuals and businesses achieve sustainable success. We add higher value by sharing applied knowledge, proven experience and fresh perspectives.

For more details, goto www.ziyanc.net

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