I was at the boarding gate “scanning machine point” this morning for a flight to Surabaya.

There were 4 people in front of me and they were talking, laughing and taking their own sweet time in taking off their belts, jacket, watches etc, oblivious of the queue behind them.

I was annoyed and I am sure it showed on my face. Well nothing can be done, so I just waited.

It was then my turn. I reached out for a plastic container to put my watch, belt and handphone ; and suddenly, this middle aged lady with her branded hand-bag, jacket and 2 plastic bags just “jumped-queue” to the front of me and started unpacking her stuff to be put on the container.

Unbelievable !! I had to wait again ? I was already ready to be scanned, and it was MY TURN !!

With anger, I took my container , walked pass her and shoved my hand carry and container thru the machine agressively.

Later, sitting in the plane, I realized that I was being petty and there was no need for me do what I did. It was infact a small matter.

It was ugly and I realized that I had just behaved in a bad manner merely because of the insensitivity of others. What did I hope to achieve ? What did I want to prove ? Simply to beat her in the queue ?

I have thus been upset, displayed an ugly behavior and wasted some precious “emotional calmness” for myself.

Perhaps in this lady’s mind, she did not even know she was wrong and she did not even care what I did.

The point is – do not let other peoples’ weaknesses, lack of courtesy or misbehaviour bring out any anger or ugliness in us (as a reaction or a response). It is not worth it and if we allow ourselves to become ugly, we then become “one of them” too.

PS : Applicable in meetings and our daily interaction in our professional lives too.
28 Feb 2016

Listen to understand FIRST ….. and not to respond with pre-conceived answers.
When one is too busy formulating answers even before one understands the quetions, it is disrespectful.

One of the most powerful skill for anyone to possess would be the ability to listen attentively and respond specifically based on  current matter at hand ; as how the matter needs to be understood.

It is a shame when one has already made up his mind on how the answers should be without even understanding the questions first.

Most great solution starts with “listening”.

Someone knocked at my door last evening. When I opened it, I saw a guy from Domino’s holding a chicken pepperoni pizza with extra cheese and onion rings.

“I haven’t ordered any pizza” I said. “This must be a mistake”

“I know” he replied.
“Your neighbour forgot his Facebook password and wanted to show you and everyone in the neighborhood what he will be eating for dinner”

😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃

Happy Wednesday … Gong xi … gong xi.

Why I Sometimes Ask for Help from a 5-Year-Old
Jan 11, 2016 (author – Bob Nardelli)
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/mind-skills-gap-why-i-sometimes-ask-help-from-bob-nardelli
My social media skills – OK, occasionally even my digital technology skills in general – are lacking.
There, I’ve said it. While I wasn’t exactly brought kicking and screaming into the digital age, I recognize that I haven’t fully embraced all that these powerful tools have to offer. Yet. My goal in 2016 is to become more technologically savvy.
A baby boomer, I grew up listening to “The Lone Ranger” on AM radio. We could view the three major networks on black and white TV, and we got two newspapers (local and national). That was the sum total of my media experience into adulthood. Fast forward to today where every tweet (admittedly, I used to call them “twits”), has the power to make or break your business, and you can understand why the learning curve for my generation presents a steep — if not vertical — slope.
I was first introduced to these amazing new technologies while at GE Power Systems. When CEO Jack Welch got the first Blackberry at GE, he brought it to a quarterly meeting of the Corporate Executive Council. He couldn’t put the thing down, and proceeded to show off this new skillset. In typical GE fashion, he set the pace, and soon, we all had Blackberries.
Jack fully embraced the most advanced technologies, and in the mid-90s he mandated that each of his business leaders meet weekly with an Internet mentor. My first seemingly daunting assignment: order a book from Amazon.
Since then, I’ve witnessed the digital transformation at an incredible pace. Whether at GE, Home Depot or Chrysler, I have been in the midst of it as we made the transition from legacy analog programs to the digital age. At Home Depot, for instance, I vividly recall the executive vice president of Internet sales drawing blank stares as he introduced us to the idea of Cyber Monday. And while that idea seemed amazing, our bricks and mortar company certainly didn’t envision the cultural shift now taking place as Cyber Monday eclipses the traditional Black Friday.
In addition to online business, retail stores and corporations alike must embrace another trend: big data and data analytics. The massive amount of detail available to you about your customers’ demands, preferences and personal habits is mind-boggling. These incredible tools provide continuous feedback while easily and effectively targeting your audience. If you haven’t embraced them, you’re falling behind.
Of course, the digital age comes with a downside. Since we are reachable 24/7, most jobs will never again truly be 9-to-5. Work-life choices, then, have become more challenging than ever before. On the upside of this difficult environment: more businesses are embracing the concepts of working from home, and the ability to job share is greater than ever before.
When it comes to social media, I’m navigating a continuous learning curve as I work to embrace all that it can offer. I’ve developed my own website, http://www.bobnardelli.com, expanded my participation on LinkedIn, and am discovering how to increase the value of posts and “twits.”

Obviously I’m no expert, but here are some of my observations after consulting with some:
• Your company’s leadership must embrace the digital age and social media at the top if your organization is going to use it constructively.
• Your brand now has incredible market access at lightning speed, so use that access responsibly. Like carpenters who measure twice and cut once, read your posts at least twice before pushing that button.
• The Internet has opened a whole new opportunity for commerce and business development with a plethora of potential apps. You’ll need to sort through those apps carefully as they relate to your personal life or business, or run the risk of being overwhelmed.
• Speaking of which, don’t let the Internet take over your day. Inquisitive people can spend hours searching for information they didn’t even know they needed.
• There’s a big difference between knowing the technology and understanding your audience, so don’t assume that the communications major straight out of college is savvy on the finer points of posting. That often takes maturity and knowledge of your unique business.
• Create business guidelines, and don’t allow everyone on your team to post for the company. Provide a gatekeeper for post approvals.

No matter your feelings about social media, the fact is that you can’t ignore it. Conversations about your company will take place, whether you are a part of them or not. Obviously, it’s much better to be involved!
For me, the digital age has been intimidating and at times a little embarrassing, but I’ve tried to move beyond that as I recognize the importance and relevance it plays in our everyday lives. This was clearly a skillset I needed to acknowledge if I was going to be at all relevant to millennials, not to mention my grandchildren. It’s OK to say you don’t know, or you don’t understand, but you can’t stop there. Recognize that you need to learn.
That’s where my 5-year-old grandson comes in. He seems to know all about Instagram and Snapchat, and he loves to reach out to me on FaceTime. And I’m learning. In fact, my latest gadget these days is the Amazon Echo. Not bad for a guy who was afraid to order a book from Amazon not too many years ago, right?

Willie’s comment –
Great article. Am totally in agreement. Sadly, today, many Sr Mgt are still measuring businesses in the olden days method and looking at how they achieved their successes without the Digital Tech and Soc Med. some are still very caught up with historical reviews rather than looking ahead and creating new avenues.