Management of People's Relations, Moods and Tempers

Having studied human communications throughly, through a couple of semesters in college, i thought i knew how to handle and understand how people read each other, and understand each other. I was wrong.

I've been going through a very turbulent last few years with the office. The 9/11 crisis, the economic recession in 2009, and now the expansion, we've gone from free to very busy. I'm stretched to the limit, and i do think my fellow colleagues are too. Temperament flares, moods swinging in extreme ways, human behaviors at its worst ( or perhaps only i think so).

I've been blessed with a very good team. But even the best team goes through a spectrum of moods. It's in every human nature to complain and bitch. And not everyone gets along with everyone. And i understand that. But all I just pray in 2010, for the rest of the year, my team would be understanding, and come into office smiling, and have a happy mood when coming to work. And i've read that i should not embrace a "work sucks, i hate coming to work" and hating doesn't begat goodness, cos i believe if you're not happy, perhaps it's time you decide your future. We can't always have a happy ending, and not every year everyone can leave work early, and be free enough to go for a cup of coffee. Work is work; a company need to stay profitable or perhaps the company should close.

Go to work happy, and make it work for you.

If you hate it, perhaps it's time to go.

Live life as a Christian, and love thy neighbor as thyself.

Only then, will others know that we're Christians, and know that Christ is the way of life.

Amen!

A holiday for family? or for progress?

As i hear the F-16s' engines roar by my window sill, i can't help but feel the pride being from Singapore. It's the nation's 45th birthday. And the 10th National Day celebration i've been home from US. As with most public holiday, it's family time. Today i had lunch with mom over brunch. We had a good chat over how Singapore has grown, and how happy we are living here. I had a 2pm deadline for that lunch, and had to drop her off for her to do her own chores. I have a meeting. Yes, a 2pm meeting on a public holiday. A national holiday gazetted by the government, and more importantly, a holiday that should be very important to every Singapore citizen. Alas, work has to be done, and i went.

I walked out semi thankful it ended an hour 30 minutes. With a acne infection, throbbing pain, on my nose tip, i just wanted to have a stress-free day with my family and friends. Well, things are moving along. They have came to an understanding of the stress and the demands the market is moving at, compromising certain concerns that i have.

I am appreciative for what God has given me, and presenting the chance for me to grow up in a place where i love, and my family and friends. Happy Birthday Singapore!

----------------------------------------------------------

Over the weekend from Saturday, i had a dinner with my girlfriends, their husbands and the babies. Relaxing weekend, and i can't help but feel good about the weekend. Sunday was spent recuperating on the lack of sleep, but I went for a lil jog walk at Henderson Waves, Hort Park, to check that i can move. Well, i can't, but still i manage to workout a lil. And had a good night with my friends sharing waffles, burgers, while they had some beer.

Now that marks a very good weekend.

I lost my temper

I always felt that the customer is always right. Always always right, well there're always exceptions. I've been very exhausted from endless meetings, 12 hours notice period for meetings, and basically a change of my standard operating procedures.

Does the customer recognize the pain in making the contractors / suppliers go through, when you force a change upon them? Do they realize the efficiency of meetings and changes? You're outsourcing yet you choose to dictate how the outsource runs their companies. Errmmm... why outsource?

I've outsourced a number of projects out to other corporations, to ease my headache. In good faith, you trust these guys to do well. Just like a delegation of jobs to your subordinates or to your colleagues. You do it in good faith.

I do not disagree that sometimes the good faith the client has upon the suppliers is tarnished by a certain individual, and thus the need to impose changes and regulations to assure the quality, or even adding the pressure on others to confirm to more stringent controls. I cracked under these very sources of pressure given by other allies / rivals / competitors who dirtied the name and game of the business.

Ahhh, the perils of corporate world. Am i giving a damn about the pressure? No, i'm just going to pick and choose my battles. Am i ready to fight back harder? You bet your last dollar i am. :) Watch out world , here i come.

Choosing what to grow...

Being a businesswoman, i'm often faced with challenges. The same challenges i'm sure a lot of Small Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs) faces.

1. Financial Cashflow, Balance Sheet, Profit & Losses
2. Risky Business. Seemingly, the more risky the business venture seems, the more money it rolls.
3. What aspects do we expand, if forced to do so?

So what do i do? Do we try the new venture in baby steps? or go with a big bang? The everyday decisions that seemed to bog me down. I can't seem to go on any kind of runs, or workouts. Or am i just procrastinating them?

Whatever the case is, i am always sleepy.