Giants

My co-workers and friends sometimes ask me question(s) about life. Like them, I sometimes would be amazed with myself with the answers that I give them. I would not take credit for the words that I used and tell them where I got it – author and/or books, if what I am narrating to them does not come from my personal experience.<>

Leveling up in terms of maturity did not happened to me by chance. Aside from my experiences, it is a product of the written scriptures that the Masters I have followed have written and spoken (e.g audio books.) Doing this makes it easier for me to see what other cannot. Names like Tony Robbins, Robin Sharma and John Maxwell are just some of the few who have influenced me to be the person I am now in terms of leadership and regarding life.

As I learn more from them, I also try to impart that knowledge to people who needs assistance and advice. As time goes by, the quality of help I have been giving, in my opinion, improves. Though I know I still have lot of grounds to cover, I am very happy and very thankful when I hear people say that I am wise and/or smart.

“If I can see farther than others, it is because I am standing in the shoulder of the giants”

- Isaac Newton

Continue reading...

Relief

We went out of Lae last Easter and it gave me a different sense of easiness. Looking at the scenery on our way to Goroka, even with the long drive ahead of us, gave me calmness not same as the relaxed feeling I have while making decisions and solving problem.<> Not thinking of and away from work even for a day helped me relieve whatever is in me that I have carried for a while.

Even though I stay calm at work, hearing and seeing adverse events still produces these little things called stress. Stress is something that will come to us inevitably and for me, relieving and handling it is what matters. Instead of letting it build up, best to let it off before it produces problems. I may usually be relaxed but in case pressure builds up on me, I would always have outlets and going some place new to me will be one of them.

I would like to have rests like the Goroka trip we had, maximize time and go somewhere whenever I can. Carefree, I was like a kid then playing with the offspring of my friends, taking pictures and being amazed by the views. I felt like a different person coming back to Lae after the trip. I am very close to my 3-week leave and I would also want my family to experience the same – to just have fun and enjoy wherever we will plan to go.

Continue reading...

Not what you know

One thing I like about boarding in a new company is the Orientation day/week. This is where I have to be introduced to the personnel in the whole factory. Being in Engineering and maintenance, I have to deal with almost all the groups there is on the factory. So when they are introduced, I would remember names of the main people who I’ll be working with. One thing I would ask is their expertise.<>

Knowing them really makes my life at work easier. I would not know everything in a company, but I should know the people who can help me. In a company, when you are not the authority in a field, some times, no one would dare listen to what you say - even if you are right. Knowing the expert, asking them and making them say to the concerned parties what you think is a better way to say what I want. Sometimes, you don’t have to be the one to do most of the job but the one who understands the best.

In case of a deadlock with other departments, I would go to the higher authority. In Glaxo, we would ask for the help of the ones who makes rules and the more experienced people outside of the Cainta Plant e.g. Singapore Site. I may not even know them personally, but knowing that they exist already has helped me in winning debates. I have done this as I am not keen on taking credits anymore. As long as things will happen the way I want it, it’s fine to me for them to be the hero.

There are times when in dealing with a problem or some decision have to be made, “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know”. I later found a more elaborated version and it says “It’s not what you know; it’s who you know and what you do with who you know.”.

Continue reading...

New Addiction

We had a chance to go to out last weekend to Goroka, a small town that is known for coffee. It is still in PNG but at least it is 300 km away from Lae (more than 4 hours of driving.) Found lot of things to take pictures of and got busy with them. Since I went to 8 mile and taken good photos, I have been imagining things that I want to take pics of.<>

Below are my favs from our latest journey. I have been experimenting and making sure that the subject would not look like hanging/floating.

Time consuming - waiting for the right time taking pics with insect in it but it's worth it.

I knew I bought an old book on photography and dug it out of my big box full of books. I located it and checked what other subjects can be taken. I got hold of great tips as the book is entitled "Learn from the Experts" and found it very motivating.

Continue reading...

Practice Makes Perfect

Background: most Filipinos, which are at least are high school graduates, understands great deal of English. Unfortunately, due to not practicing, they are very afraid to speak with this foreign language. Most Filipinos are also very keen on English grammar that when you speak to them, usually they are just waiting for your errors.<>

In Glaxo, about 5 years ago, I had a chance to work with a British bloke, Raphael Dixon, when I was tasked to undergo training on the new Purified Water System (PWS) the company acquired. I cannot talk to him continuously at first. That time, I really wanted to increase my confidence in speaking with foreigners and we also need it during audits. Having a lot of foreign friends, I asked my wife, Joecy, how to deal with them. She looked very enthusiastic to answer my question and said that I just have to be frank, if you forgot the word, do a sign language or ask if he/she knows what you are talking about. She also added that they are not keen on grammars.

Upon hearing the tips, I talked to Raph more, and even if I make lot of errors, I just to kept with his pace of speaking. Seeing that he doesn’t mind my mistakes gave me more confidence but I still made sure to improve it. About a year and a half since then, I am surprised when Raph suddenly mentioned that I have improved a lot since we first started talking and that the way I talk is totally different.

After some more time of working with him, the two of us went to a hotel bar one night, ordered some drinks and talked. The lady bartender heard our chat and curiously told me that she thought I am a Filipino. I said “I am, why?” She replied hesitantly, “Because you sound much like the one you’re with”.

Note: The 8-ball picture above is drawn in AutoCAD 2008.

Continue reading...

Dream Photos

On Palm Sunday, my friends went to St. Joseph Tech in 8 Mile to be a part of their kids’ summer camp. I have nothing to do that morning so I ended up coming with them. It is the last day and while they are in the hall with the kids during the short program, I stayed outside. I saw some good flowers and with the camera I have, I took pics of them. I tried some settings in the camera and found out how to capture picture which looks like the ones I found in magazines.<>

One type of photos that I love to see is subjects with blurred background. This can be done thru digital applications but seeing that I can do it without the use of editing and even with the not so very sophisticated equipment I have, I can already consider it as an achievement. Below are pics that I took when I learned this trick.

Click here to see pics from 8 mile.

Continue reading...

Communication 101

While in Glaxo, I was the one in charge of water systems. I have read thick books regarding it and spent time monitoring the process. In time, I have learned the whole system and easily I can detect things before it becomes a problem. Unfortunately, my manager then did not know the knowledge that I already acquired. I struggled telling them what has to be done or what made an incident happen but with negative result even if I am very sure of them.

While on a visit, I told what happened to one of our suppliers of water filters. All things he said regarding water system, I can understand. He would also agree on details I narrated to him. He smilingly told that what I need is for my hair to be grey. He had the same experience and he told me and when he got older and had almost all hair turn grey, most people believed in him. I told myself then that I don’t want to get that old before that happens.

I went thru an online communication course in the intranet and read books for such, I realized then that it is not the content but the approach that I used that probably caused the problem. I may be right, but making other people think they are wrong doesn’t help. Sometimes I am unaware of using a loud voice even if I am not angry. I was very surprised to hear that from my co-worker when we were having a simple chat.

After those, I have managed to lower my voice most of the time, even if the situation a bit adverse already. I have been calm and before reacting to situations, I would tell myself to speak politely no matter what. I have been successful with it and is more often automatic and people listens well to those that I am saying – without the use of grey hair.

Trivia: Studies have been done that show us the percentage of understanding that is gained from the spoken word. It is considerably less than the meaning that people gain from listening to a person's tone of voice and looking at their non-verbal communication. The percentage of how people accept what we tell them is as follows: 7% Spoken words (Content of what we say), 38% Tone of voice and 55% Non Verbal (Body language.)

Continue reading...