Don't go home

During the early years in college, I collected comic books as an investment when I learned that like other form of arts, its price appreciates. I bought some of it and saw other investing materials from the shop where I bought those comic books. As time went by, my collection evolved and I later collected Sports card - basketball to be exact.

Usually they are bought in packs of 5 to 10 and it is not easy to get good ones and the better players are sold at higher price.

It was a hit and many people in Manila spend fortune to get rare cards of their favorite players. I tried to sell some, earned instantly and I got more interested in it. My collection grew and sold more cards.

When I had a binder full of cards, it just came out of my mind that I haven't seen any shops in our province (Bulacan) that sells cards as such. My mother's owns a store and she agreed on helping me sell them. I was a working student then and I showed my collection and plan to my co-workers and they wished me luck.

It was a Sunday then when I was about to go to the store. I happily left the house and on the other side I saw my uncle. He is a famous in our place as he is a good basketball coach and an influential person. I excitedly showed my collection and told him my plans. After listening to my story, without emotion on his face, he said "No body will buy those".

My excitement turned into sadness and I felt devastated with his words. I just smiled then waved good bye to him and walked… slowly... going to the store. After some paces, I ended up standing in the corner where I can see the store or and our house. My mind went blank for a while.

When I came back to life, I just smiled and told to myself "I'm selling cards". So I went off to the store, posted 2 banners with the words "NBA cards for sale".

After only a month of trading cards, form my profit, I can already often eat at nice restaurant and fast foods chains. That was "cool". Every Sunday, kids and teenagers would ask me for new items. I actually became famous. After 3 months, I was already paying for my monthly lodging fee in Manila. The following semester, I paid for my school fee and I made my mother very happy. I also saved some money in the bank.

My trading in the province ended after only a year when competition came in and more serious businessmen erected shops like the ones in Manila.

Fortunately, I did not dwell on the worldly things that I gained. What I considered to be of highest value is the decision that I made. Without that decision, I would have never earned those.

I can still remember that day when I went on even if there was resistance from a known person. After that, every time I want to do something good and fair and people will say I cannot do it, or if any other resistance comes in, I would tell myself "Glenn, don't go home".

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Off-road Driving

Our GM Mike Kingston invited us on the trip to Snake Valley River, still here in PNG. He had an invite from Hon. Sam Basil of Morobe Province. Aside from going to another place, what gained my interest is that the invitation says only 4X4 vehicles can climb this area.()

The time of departure was7:30 on 14 June 2010. I have been awake on the night before it as I have been with my friends, having fun playing cards. I just thought of sleeping on our way as I will just use a spare seat of those with the ideal cars for the trip. I only had minutes to prepare and after that, my co-worker came with his car and he said he is not coming. I drove the car to the meeting place and still thought of transferring to a different car. I really don’t want to drive knowing I haven’t slept for more that 24 hours straight.

Then there is this manager, who I know that can help me – Bruce, who works on the other side of PNG, also with K.K.Kingston, I just tried to ask him which car he will use and learning that he will just be a passenger, I asked if he can drive us, at least until I get some rest. Hearing my story, he said it is not right for me to drive. So he did and I slept most of the way. After probably more than 2 hours of resting, I said I am good and I can take it from there. I thought that he will go with be with his wife when I said that and fortunately he stayed.

When I drove and I forgot that to consider that I have never driven in a dusty rough road before. He found some weak spots in my driving. I have never driven in a terrain as such and I am doing it as it is on paved road. He gave me some tips on our first stop and he was happy with my quick improvement the next time I drove.

On the last stretch to our destination, we got tied up in this very steep road. I had problem with it so he easily drove after changing the other shift stick of the 4x4 car - something that I wanted eagerly to learn.

After the very relieving journey we had, we headed back home. He asked if I need his help. I said I can drive but hope he can hop in to our car because help might be needed. Then after that, before I asked him, he said he will teach me how to use the “low range”. I got excited that I did not think of the long drive we are about to take.

Rough road was fine, but he just gave me some tips on riding in a road on cliff like the one we took. It was the first time I drove on a one way road on a corniche. We used the low range and told me how to it works, it just became semi-automatic, but the main thing is that the breaks should not be pressed. I had some mistakes, he saw it, and reminded me that it is very dangerous on narrow roads and most especially at the side of a mountain.

After some practice and turns, we had to pass muddy and narrow road which made driving more interesting. And there is where these low ranges are very useful. I also had time when I slid on mud and he told me what to do.

Many people who came to that long trip were so tired after but I was pumped up learning and having this new experience. Good thing I did not rest the night before.

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Next Job

Luke is one of the first subordinates I had here in PNG. He was our maintenance co-ordinator and worked on our computerized maintenance management system/software. After working with me for a year, a job opening came, still here in the same company but suits him more because it is his course from college – IT. I had small chats with him all along and just lately he told me that he is leaving and this time to a different company which offers a lot better than the current one can give.()

I had a chance to ask him about it and he felt guilty saying that he is leaving. I saw myself in him in this situation and told him that in Philippines, the first thing I do when I start working in a company is to look for the next one. This is a good strategy for me as it helped me study everything that I can whenever I can. Looking for the next one, I have accepted additional jobs that are beyond my boundaries and learned different aspects of the business. With it, I did not get comfortable no matter how good the company and its benefits are. I also did not get bored while in the factory as I have used all the free time I had checking out things that I don’t know yet.

As a Plant Engineer here in PNG, this is where I have used and is using all the knowledge gained from the Philippine companies I have been to. Here, I am also bounded by contract that I have to at least finish. It is more of the management stuffs that I am gaining more while working.

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Debts

Getting an expat job, I have been fortunate to have erased my debts. I am happy that I am in a better position and have been paying school fees for my kids and college plans which aren’t from loans which are how I paid them while working on my previous company. Way back, I really hated debts and would use all my physical power to work overtime to pay them early. As I get paid, the next thing in my mind is to pay my loans the soonest.<>

While we are on a trip, I asked Joecy to practice some things I learned (from reading and from the experienced ones) for her business, one of them is asking for [long] term of payment for her dental business which means that we have to borrow from the supplier. This is a very hard thing to do for her as it is to me, but I told her that it is a key to earning a bit more. I told her that she can use the money she has for slow moving items and have the fast moving items be paid after 30 days and just issue a check. I told her that she can earn more if she has more stocks and she can only get it by getting some leverage.

Now that I have gained a lot from Robert Kiyosaki’s writings, I now look for ways to get debts, Joecy reminded me of how I hated debts. I explained to her about the two types of debts which are good and bad debts. Robert explains it simply as good debts makes you rich and bad debts make you poor. In doubt that she listened, I even asked her to repeat what I said which she recited it smiling.

This is just a small deal to make but is very hard for someone like her and me that are inexperienced to this stuff. After much motivation, she promised to ask the supplier on this or any options possible for us to get help.

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MIP

In our first badminton tourney this year, our team was not that successful. On the second one, our team won the title but I was not a major part of it. On the third one, after much research and practice, I have managed to play in the Men’s double where the better players are and also participate in coaching. Though I am ranked lowest in that division, at least I managed to step up my game and filled in a slot where the better ones play.<>

I have always been keen on improvement on many aspects of my life. In our badminton club, from the last mini-tourney we have, I was named the most improved player. Many have improved but I probably showed more interest in it, looking at video tutorials and listening from the people who plays a lot better than I am.

I am just fortunate that there is such an award but I would make improvements even if there are none to be given. All I want is to move out of my comfort zone and check my capability. Many things still to improve at but at least I have made my first moves.

Another thing where I have moved out of my boundary is using my skill/talent in motivating. It is part of my job and it was not easy at first to as my team mates are also managers of other companies. Sometimes is tough to make people do what is right and would want to do it their way. It should be just for fun, but having a passion of being a coach/teacher, I just used this opportunity to use what I have learned.

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Transition

When new things are added to my task or when I am making self-improvements, I have this feeling of uneasiness and my heart also beats differently. I usually go out of office and go to other KKK sites/factory to make myself busy with other things. It takes time before I get a hold of the new situation I am in or new load that is given to me.<> During that period, the main thing I do is keep thinking that I can do it and everything will be OK. I look at it positively as I know I am moving out of my boundary. The criticality of what has to be done depends how long I have to bear the said feeling. Sometimes there are waiting time and I just make sure I focus on other jobs that needs to be finished.

When it is done, things will be at normal again. I may feel uneasy and sometimes gets nervous, but I like that feeling as I know, when it is over, I moved out of my comfort zone. I know that I will have new things coming simply because I look for them and always think about expanding knowledge and gaining more experience on different areas of either work or personal matters.

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Level up

Work – as I talk to more experts on other field, my view gets broader. I don’t see learning as just adding a knowledge 1 at a time as you gain them rather I see learning more to be added incrementally. When I gain knowledge, there is usually a parallel instance of it in other field and that is usually what I look for. Not only that my knowledge gets at least a level higher but also my creativity is boosted whenever problems arise. I really try to use all the gained things I have to produce solutions making it easier and easier to solve problems or produce something for improvement of the factories.

Computer – when asked what my hobby is now, my answer would be - programming. My last blog is about my laptop and in it is a web design tool. Web designing involves a lot of applications like photo editing and flash. Just had few tutorials and I am already making a quite neat website which I will place here later. As I have done some programming before, learning other programming language is not that easy but fortunately, I can cope with them. In Autocad, I have been using them for years, but the new set up as of 2009 is very different environment that I have to cope with.

Badminton – as with any games, I just think of me as the only enemy I have. Instead of focusing on winning and on the weaknesses of my opponent, I focus on improving myself. Win or loose, as long as I am taking risks on shots made, practicing more, getting fit and doing what I have planned to improve at, it is already a win for me. But in spite of not being keen on just winning, getting better with my games makes my level higher and now already playing with the better ones and giving them a good game… win or loose.

Friends – Here in Papua New Guinea, I made a lot of friends and acquaintances with different personalities. As my friend Jun noticed, I am a very flexible person that can talk and play with the matured ones down to the kid’s level. I can also play almost any games that we have here. For them, what I practice is timing on jokes and giving more advice in a level that they can understand.

Family – though away, I know that my communication skills have gone better, and still keep on improving them. I and my wife have less arguments as we had before and things, same as at work, problems can be solved easier now. She is very supportive of me now than ever before and same with me to her. Arguments don’t last long now. My kids listens to me when I speak (trouble is that I am usually away from them.)

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Spare Time

Having personnel to attend night shift was an issue then in Glaxo. When it was settled, what I did was just look for something positive for us being there at night time. In Engineering and Maintenance department, usually personnel in the ranks would just wait when there is trouble to work on. What to do with their spare time is up to us.<>

In Glaxo, when free, we have an internet access which I used so I can learn new things aside form the time to time surfing for the things that is related to my job. I learn to do some 3d animations. I also learned how to make a website and did visual basic programming. Though I don’t recall all of them, knowing the basics made it easier for me to understand other programming languages. I reaped the benefit when I studied PLC which is a high form of programming in the electrical world. I also had a chance of using the intranet’s online courses. Things like Communication and Production operations were part of the choices and it did help me a lot. I did made the most out of my spare time. Even in breaks, I would listen to funny to people to be relaxed and have fun or listen to matured ones to gain knowledge.

Now, it is more of applications of what I have learned, but I still work on improving what I have and continuously learn more. Spare time is usually time to relax and learning for me. I make sure they are balanced as doing one of them often would be boring. I spend them wisely that I would use all the resources around me to learn, grow and make life easier.

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Habit #1

I am very fortunate to have a seminar on Stephen Covey’s “7 Habits of Highly Effective People”. In Glaxo, all employees especially the Med-reps have to undergo this seminar. It was very meaningful and I practiced them for some time. I forgot it easily as it is not a technical thing. I have to read the book when I remembered that can help me in my new endeavor. Nowadays, I would teach them to my men based on His words and with my experiences. <>

The first one of which is “be proactive”. We would hear managers tell their people to be proactive, but usually means to work, to work, and to do more work. As a leadership advocate, I would tell them to be proactive in Stephen Covey’s way.

When I am with personnel of mine, I would give them advice depending on their needs. I ask them what they would like to be. When I hear their answer, the initial thing I would be telling them is to be responsible for what they want to become. This is Covey’s words with moving out of the comfort zone. Those words are powerful especially when I give them my personal example on how I made it to where I am now. I may not have gone very far, but far enough to motivate them.

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don't go home

When I was a kid, I got hooked up in collecting and trading NBA basketball cards in Manila where it is a hit back then. After some time, I learned that there is not one store that sells them in our province, so I thought of selling them in Bulacan. I built up my stocks of cards (by saving money from my school allowance) and placed them in a nice black ring binder. Soon, I piled up my cards, and got ready to sell them in our mini store in Atlag. From our house going to the store, I saw my uncle who is an influencial person in our place and is known in the field of basketball. I told him merrily that I am going to sell cards, then he uttered, "hindi ka makakabenta dito n'yan!". As a very very shy person, my heart was pounded with his "brutal words". I just smiled at him and pretended I heard nothing and continued walking. After few strides, I stopped and thought twice - should I bring the items to the store or go home. My heart was still beating very fast, and after a while, I told my self "I'll sell cards". From then, I earned good sum of money and sold items until competition came. This event, is still very fresh in my mind and serves as an inspiration whenever people tell me I cannot do things. As I see it now, the money I earned is worthless compared from what I learned from it. I've seen a lot of people stop, think twice then go home (comfort zone) whenever other people tell them they cannot do it, even if they know they can and there is nothing to loose.

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