- Sandiaga Uno is listed in Wikipedia, and quoted by CNN as one of the richest men in Indonesia
- Bambang Ismawan had been a speaker at the World Economic Forum
Talk about feeling small!
Anyway, I did have a good time with the students.
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
University of Indonesia - Social Entrepreneuership - 23rd February 2012
When I was invited to present at this event, I did not realize that my photo would be put on a huge poster and displayed on a busy road in Jakarta, like a billboard.
What was even more surprising was the the other two speakers for this event were giants:_
- Sandiaga Uno is listed in Wikipedia, and quoted by CNN as one of the richest men in Indonesia
- Bambang Ismawan had been a speaker at the World Economic Forum
Talk about feeling small!
Anyway, I did have a good time with the students.
- Sandiaga Uno is listed in Wikipedia, and quoted by CNN as one of the richest men in Indonesia
- Bambang Ismawan had been a speaker at the World Economic Forum
Talk about feeling small!
Anyway, I did have a good time with the students.
Friday, July 30, 2010
Impossible Efficiency
I needed to apply for a visa to visit the USA. I filled out the application online, and made the appointment with the US Consulate in Melbourne. I even could load my photo online.
My appointment was 9:00 am yesterday. Among the things I had to bring with me was a self addressed registered post envelope - it cost me A$ 3.60. I was out of the Consulate at 10:30am. leaving my passport there for processing.
Today at 1:00pm, when I answered my doorbell, the postman was standing there with my passport, with the visa processed.
I am still trying to figure out physically how this could have been done so quickly.
My appointment was 9:00 am yesterday. Among the things I had to bring with me was a self addressed registered post envelope - it cost me A$ 3.60. I was out of the Consulate at 10:30am. leaving my passport there for processing.
Today at 1:00pm, when I answered my doorbell, the postman was standing there with my passport, with the visa processed.
I am still trying to figure out physically how this could have been done so quickly.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Humanity??
It has been ages since I wrote in my blog. Been really busy, and doing quite a bit of travelling. But all that is really no excuse. Hopefully things will change from now.
Something happened last Monday, and it really bothered me. Rather than write about it in a rage of temper and emotion, I thought I would give myself time to cool down, so that I can write succinctly.
We hired Rommel as our Accountant recently. Rommel was stricken with polio before he turned 2 (he is now 38), and has been in a wheelchair since. He is one of more than a dozen persons with disabilities (PWDs) who work for us. Like everyone else, he works from home. But last Monday, I asked him to come to the office, to meet a few people, and look at some of the things we do in the office.
Just before 8:30 am, when I got to the office, I checked with my Executive Assistant Ryan (who is also in a wheelchair and works from home), if Rommel is on his way. I was then told that he had been waiting by the roadside since 6:30 am. Whilst many empty taxis passed by, no one would stop for him. I could not believe my ears, and immediately sent my driver to pick him up. Rommel lives more than an hour away from my office.
Until now, I still feel so bad for not having been aware that something like that could happen, and according to Ryan, it often happens. Taxi drivers just do not want to be bothered with having to help people like Rommel into their taxi, and to deal with the wheelchair.
That evening, when I was in my car with Rommel, heading home, we chatted about his life. I asked him how he would survive during the times when he did not have a job. I knew that he was out of work for some time in 2004 to 2005, from his resume. He told me that he had borrowed from Ryan before. “Ryan?”, I said, but prior to Ryan working for me, he only had a part time job, and barely made enough to survive.
In 2004-2005, Ryan operated a little computer business from his home. He had 3 PCs which he would rent out to kids to play games for 15 peso an hour. And he also did a bit of printing for some clients. The business was doing well....which meant that he made almost 10,000 pesos a month.
His home was one of 3 small “shacks”, belonging to one landlord, who also had other properties. The shack beside him was empty. The landlord, upon seeing that Ryan’s business was doing well, bought 10 PCs, set up shop right next door to Ryan, and undercut Ryan’s price. This effectively killed Ryan’s business. Apart from being confined to a wheelchair himself, Ryan’s wife has only one arm.
I hope the Good Lord will forgive me for my rather jaded view of humanity as a result of this.
Something happened last Monday, and it really bothered me. Rather than write about it in a rage of temper and emotion, I thought I would give myself time to cool down, so that I can write succinctly.
We hired Rommel as our Accountant recently. Rommel was stricken with polio before he turned 2 (he is now 38), and has been in a wheelchair since. He is one of more than a dozen persons with disabilities (PWDs) who work for us. Like everyone else, he works from home. But last Monday, I asked him to come to the office, to meet a few people, and look at some of the things we do in the office.
Just before 8:30 am, when I got to the office, I checked with my Executive Assistant Ryan (who is also in a wheelchair and works from home), if Rommel is on his way. I was then told that he had been waiting by the roadside since 6:30 am. Whilst many empty taxis passed by, no one would stop for him. I could not believe my ears, and immediately sent my driver to pick him up. Rommel lives more than an hour away from my office.
Until now, I still feel so bad for not having been aware that something like that could happen, and according to Ryan, it often happens. Taxi drivers just do not want to be bothered with having to help people like Rommel into their taxi, and to deal with the wheelchair.
That evening, when I was in my car with Rommel, heading home, we chatted about his life. I asked him how he would survive during the times when he did not have a job. I knew that he was out of work for some time in 2004 to 2005, from his resume. He told me that he had borrowed from Ryan before. “Ryan?”, I said, but prior to Ryan working for me, he only had a part time job, and barely made enough to survive.
In 2004-2005, Ryan operated a little computer business from his home. He had 3 PCs which he would rent out to kids to play games for 15 peso an hour. And he also did a bit of printing for some clients. The business was doing well....which meant that he made almost 10,000 pesos a month.
His home was one of 3 small “shacks”, belonging to one landlord, who also had other properties. The shack beside him was empty. The landlord, upon seeing that Ryan’s business was doing well, bought 10 PCs, set up shop right next door to Ryan, and undercut Ryan’s price. This effectively killed Ryan’s business. Apart from being confined to a wheelchair himself, Ryan’s wife has only one arm.
I hope the Good Lord will forgive me for my rather jaded view of humanity as a result of this.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Otherwise Enabled for Work
In recent years, I have been rather passionate about putting the disabled into employment. I sit on the board of ATRIEV Computer School for the Blind (www.atriev.org.ph). Can you believe that we train blind people to use the computer, surf on the internet, and use Microsoft Office? This is not usuing braille, but rather a "screen reader".
Please check out the CSR page in www.kapient-philippines.com, my executive seach business.
I am increasingly looking at businesses which can engage the services of persons with disabilities (PWD). An example http://www.genashtim.com/genashtim/csr/disAbledtowork.pdf.
I am also on the verge of hiring a virtual assistant, who is wheelchair confined, and working from home. I spend about 60% of my time out of the Philippines. And when I am in the Philippines, and I am physically in my office less than half the time. So, for being in my office less than 20% of the time, why do I need an assistant sitting in the office?
Please check out the CSR page in www.kapient-philippines.com, my executive seach business.
I am increasingly looking at businesses which can engage the services of persons with disabilities (PWD). An example http://www.genashtim.com/genashtim/csr/disAbledtowork.pdf.
I am also on the verge of hiring a virtual assistant, who is wheelchair confined, and working from home. I spend about 60% of my time out of the Philippines. And when I am in the Philippines, and I am physically in my office less than half the time. So, for being in my office less than 20% of the time, why do I need an assistant sitting in the office?
Friday, August 7, 2009
Managing Generation Y - PMAP Magazine
So, they did publish the second part of my article about talent management...http://www.genashtim.com/genashtim/news/PMAP_article2.pdf
I remain very energized in working with young people who are passionate about what they do, and want to do it in a hurry. I do hope that the corporate world in the Philippines will try to understand the dynamics of working with the younger generation. I think that it is a much more productive approach. Sadly, I don't see much evidence of this for the time being.
I remain very energized in working with young people who are passionate about what they do, and want to do it in a hurry. I do hope that the corporate world in the Philippines will try to understand the dynamics of working with the younger generation. I think that it is a much more productive approach. Sadly, I don't see much evidence of this for the time being.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Article in PMAP Magazine
A couple of months ago, I was invited by an old friend to attend the PMAP (People Management Association of the Philippines) monthly gathering at the Intercontinental Hotel in Makati. The theme of that gathering was Talent Management, and there were many speakers presenting. After the event, I asked my friend if anyone has actually brought up the topic of the different generations in the work force today. She said “no”, and she invited me to write an article about this in the PMAP monthly magazine, People Manager.
I submitted my article, with the following statement in the opening paragraph….”I think that any attempt at any aspect of Talent Management is ill-conceived, if it is not based on a good understanding of the generational shifts.”
What I did not realize is, when my article was published in the June issue of People Manager, it was the issue focusing on talent retention. There were about 6 other articles on talent retention, including one from a prominent American professor, which made no reference to the different generations in the work force today. I feel rather embarrassed with this, and certainly would not have made my statement if I had known about this.
However, I do have to confess that I cannot help feeling a bit amused over this. The editor did insist that I should send my part II of my article for next month’s issue, so I suppose I did not really cause any damage.
My article is on page 14, and can be viewed at this link... http://www.genashtim.com/genashtim/news/project_manager_july2009.pdf
I submitted my article, with the following statement in the opening paragraph….”I think that any attempt at any aspect of Talent Management is ill-conceived, if it is not based on a good understanding of the generational shifts.”
What I did not realize is, when my article was published in the June issue of People Manager, it was the issue focusing on talent retention. There were about 6 other articles on talent retention, including one from a prominent American professor, which made no reference to the different generations in the work force today. I feel rather embarrassed with this, and certainly would not have made my statement if I had known about this.
However, I do have to confess that I cannot help feeling a bit amused over this. The editor did insist that I should send my part II of my article for next month’s issue, so I suppose I did not really cause any damage.
My article is on page 14, and can be viewed at this link... http://www.genashtim.com/genashtim/news/project_manager_july2009.pdf
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Tolerant to a fault
A couple of weeks ago, on Pasig Day, I decided that I would go and watch Transformers 2 in IMAX. Off I trotted to Mall of Asia that morning. I arrived at 10:10 am for the 10:30 am screening, and to my delight, there were only about 5 persons in front of me at the ticket line.
The next person to approach the ticket counter, handed his cell phone to the lady selling tickets, and there ensued a conversation which started with the counter lady explaining which seats were still available, and where they were in relation to the screen. You can imagine this was not easy to do on the phone. The conversation drifted to other screening times. In the meantime, the line built up to about 30 persons.
I was fuming, but did my best not to lose my cool. As a foreigner, I thought I best keep my mouth shut. This went on for about 15 minutes, and it was 10:25 am. The screening time was 10:30 am! Finally one lady from the line spoke up. But the fellow at the ticket counter was unfazed, and the ticket sales lady carried on speaking on the phone. The lady from the line then asked for the guard to look for the manager.
Whilst this absurd situation was being played out, only one person from the line of about 30 people spoke out. None of the others said a thing. This is one of those things that I find really wrong in the Philippines. People are tolerant to a fault, and accept service that makes mediocrity sound like the holy grail.
I do urge and encourage everyone to stop accepting all the crap that is going on. It does not have to be like this. My earlier story on Clark airport is a case in point.
The next person to approach the ticket counter, handed his cell phone to the lady selling tickets, and there ensued a conversation which started with the counter lady explaining which seats were still available, and where they were in relation to the screen. You can imagine this was not easy to do on the phone. The conversation drifted to other screening times. In the meantime, the line built up to about 30 persons.
I was fuming, but did my best not to lose my cool. As a foreigner, I thought I best keep my mouth shut. This went on for about 15 minutes, and it was 10:25 am. The screening time was 10:30 am! Finally one lady from the line spoke up. But the fellow at the ticket counter was unfazed, and the ticket sales lady carried on speaking on the phone. The lady from the line then asked for the guard to look for the manager.
Whilst this absurd situation was being played out, only one person from the line of about 30 people spoke out. None of the others said a thing. This is one of those things that I find really wrong in the Philippines. People are tolerant to a fault, and accept service that makes mediocrity sound like the holy grail.
I do urge and encourage everyone to stop accepting all the crap that is going on. It does not have to be like this. My earlier story on Clark airport is a case in point.
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