Leadership

Everyone has a chance to be a decision maker, to be a leader. You make decision on daily basis, from which restaurant to dine, to uncountable tasks in everyday lives. You may not born to be a leader, but you can put in effort to train yourself become the one.

What makes a good leader? I got this article from one of forwarded mail, which I would like to share it with you.

(1) Communication
Communication is one of the most key elements of leadership. Good communication skills need to be learned to effectively become a good leader or manager. When communication occurs, as a leader, you will be able to accurately convey your ideas and thoughts to those that work for you.

In fact, a good communication skill puts you in the right direction for leadership. If employees have no idea what is on your mind, your leadership is going to falter. Employees are not typically mind readers.


(2) Motivation
Motivation is another variable that plays into good leadership. Employees tend to stagnate when motivation decreases…and it will decrease, without proper motivation. Many leaders try to motivate the old-fashioned way…through fear. (Do what I say or something bad will happen) This is not advisable, since it tends to only deliver short-term results and cause even less competent work in the long run, due to resentment resulting from the fear tactics. Instead, try adding challenges for employees.

A fresh challenge always adds excitement and spawns creativity. Challenge your employees with tasks that may be slightly out of their range and let them at it! This increases motivation. If they run into a snag, guide them towards a solution but don’t offer the actual solution outright. Coach them into discovering the solution themselves. Once they have, their self-esteem will rise, thereby raising their motivation level.


(3) Teamwork
Teamwork is always something to consider when striving to become a good leader. This means not only teaching your employees to work together but to become part of the team yourself. Use others’ potential. Many times, employees’ potential is wasted. A good leader recognizes and trust his employees' ability. A good leader doesn’t manage every single detail. Use others’ potential to your benefit. You will find that you have become a better leader for it.


I believe in "Praise in public, Punish in closed door". Being a technical support, we expected to fix thing when there is problem arise. For me to start the investigation and fault finding, I always start the question, "what just happened?". I have no intention to know WHO did it, but WHAT has changed and HOW it happened. Blaming cannot get the things back to original, so I prefer to investigate with WHAT and HOW, but not WHO. It works for me most of the time.

Everyone can lead, but not everyone can be a good leader. Are you?

看病记

上星期终于如愿到了香港扫货，怎知竟然惹祸上身。没办法，中国的进口护肤品比大马贵一倍，香港的价钱虽然也贵，但至少比中国便宜20-30%。都是爱美惹的祸，听信了柜台小姐的花言巧语，买了个新的脸霜，开心地当晚就立刻开包敷上脸，第一晚还好，第二天回到上海，觉得脸痒痒的，还不觉得什么。怎知到了晚上，脸上突然红卜卜的，还以为几天的香港大吃大喝搞得食物敏感，几天应该就好了。最糟的是，隔天还必须顶个大苹果脸去上班。

过了一天，脸上红斑没有减褪，反而泛滥成灾。事态严重，没办法下去看了医生。可能你奇怪我怎么刚开始发病不看医生，别怪我，中国医生习惯帮你打点滴。他们不用针筒，发烧泻肚都让你吊几小时的点滴。这是他们的习惯，医院到处可见大人小孩都吊着点滴到处走，但我可不习惯，感觉蛮严重的。

还有，我不习惯他们的看病制度。可能院方担心病人看了医生没钱给，什么事情都钱给了再说，no money no talk.

第一步：在A柜台拿个牌register看病

第二步：在B柜台给registration费

第三步：在C柜台“排队”看医生（一些大医院制度都蛮好，每人都依号码排队；一些比较小的小区诊房，时常会被一些auntie uncle插队）

第四步：看了医生拿了药方，到D柜台给药钱

第五步：在E柜台拿药

是不是很麻烦？记得一次我肚泻得手软脚软，病情严重没办法下去看医生，结果还要step by step去ABC柜台，而且每个柜台都散布在东南西北，finally见了医生，要test blood，结果多了F柜台去给钱，再去G柜台做blood test，等进一小时拿了report再回去C柜台给医生看，才到柜台D给钱和E柜台拿药。很confuse ler。已经痛得天昏地暗，还要跑来跑去的，回到家已经剩下半条人命了。如果你是第一次去中国医院，根本一头雾水，不知该往哪里去。

终于看了医生，才知道罪魁祸首是那脸霜，医生说病情严重，必须要至少一两个星期才能消掉。但我不能一两个星期才上班，休息了两天，又顶了个大苹果去上班了。医生交代不可晒太阳，结果我就必须做两星期Puteri lilin，见光死。

从今以后，再也不敢乱试新产品。如用了一天觉得不妥，应该停止使用，可能老了迟钝了，脸上出红点了才发觉不对劲。现在都尽量戒口，得等到脸上这大苹果消了，才可以吃牛肉海鲜，咳。。。