Control

The one thing that many people fear is to lose control. Control is, however, not something that one can hold on tightly or grap with one pair of hands. On the contrary, the harder one try to control, the more it is likely to slip through one's finger.

The perceived feeling of lack of control provokes uncertainties. The feeling of uncertainties create an internal sense of uneasiness. On many occasion, fustration and fear also creep in. The fear of not being in control of the process and consequences and the challenge to one's ego as well as the needs and wants for control can lead one to bend the usual beliefs that behold them so dearly. Such situation tests one's resolves and confidence. Such situations are also litmus test to one's leadership and values.

In addition, the quest for control make one focus on the macro and lose sight of the bigger picture. Energy is driven towards urgent matters but usually not the most important ones. Plan is inflexible. Actions are usually ad-hoc focusing on what are needed to steer activities within control comfort. It promotes individualism among members of a team. There is usually little tolerance to diversity.
The contradicting facts about control is that it requires diversity and variability to become successful. Control is a mindset and not an action. The amount of control one has is not about how intimately one can manipulate the situation. It comes from the throroughness of the planning. The indepth understanding of details, anticipation of the various possibilities and contingencies as well as the detail of organization during execution. Thoroughness offers certainity and awareness and, thus, control.

Dare to Fail

"It's fine to celebrate success but it is more important to heed the lessons of failure."

Bill Gates

2011: Year of Change

People who followed me on my other social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter knew that I labelled 2011 as the Year of Change.

1. Estonia adopted the Euro currency on Jan 1.
2. Tsunami and earthquakes hit Japan on Mar 11 killing more than 15,000 and another 8,000 missing.
3. Government around the world reconsidered their policies on nuclear power after the Fukushima crisis.
4. Japan earthquake prompted many global manufacturers to review and change their supply chain strategies to improve supply chain resiliency.
5. US devaluation of their currency causing inflation to many Asian countries including China and Vietnam.
6. China's intent to move away from the "Producer of the World" tag to "Consumer of the World" tag.
7. The turnaround of Indonesian economy and the rise of Mekong 3 in ASEAN.
8. Civil war in Libia - life will never be the same again for many Libiyan.
9. Cybersecurity became a focus with the cyber attack on Sony and Citibank.
10. Singapore 2011 election was a watershed election resulting in radical change to the cabinet and ministerial portfolio.
11. The rise of social media plaforms in politics - The Voices of Gen Y, especially in Singapore.
12. Increase in the number free trade agreement and non-tariff barriers resulting in changes to conventional trade and trade governing policies.

The list goes on ...

This "Year of Change" was actually meant for me. The first change will be to this blog. Not the layout but the frequency. The intent is to have more more posting but shorter ones on day-to-day subjects making them more spontaneous. The major change will be a change of environment leaving my comfort zone built over the past decade to seek new challenges and pursue new interests.

It was not that I did not like what I was doing anymore but the need to seek greater & more worthy challenges and excitement were more tempting. The need for change and injection of uncertainties excited me more than day-to-day mundane. More importantly, to follow my heart desire. Passion drove me. Challenges made me more creative. Uncertainties made me more productivity. Together, they made me look forward to the day.

I have done my part and paid my dues. Taking a famous brand unknown in this small island from obscurity to prominence. Time to move on ..... While I do not know what will be my next project but I seek the opportunity to take a local brand global. While I began the journey to explore ...more detail coming up...

Lost

Empty again. Just when everything seems to have gone well. Just when there was something to look forward to everyday. I lost .......................

Gesture of Appreciation

The deepest craving in human nature is the craving to be appreciated.

William James

The currency of appreciation - word of thanks, especially when shown in public view among peers or in the presence of any person of significant importance to the recipient, can be extremely powerful and motivational. It can break down barriers and drive towards greater achievement. On the other hand, it costs nothing but just sincerity.

The Power of Simplifying Complexity

The older I get the more wisdom I find in the ancient rule of taking first things first. A process which often reduces the most complex human problem to a managable proportion.

Dwight D. Eisenhower

There were times when we overlooked and let small detail slipped past us while focusing on the routine. There were occasion when we complicated matters allowing personal agenda and thoughts driven by past experiences to cloud our vision. We made simple task complicated by creating barriers subconciously. We made assumptions that may not necessarily be applicable to the situation. We overthink the situation, overcomplicated the problem and overworked the solution. Failing to expect the unexpected, failing to be flexible and failing to see the obvious. Thus, simplicity at its most homogeneous brought about clarity and direct action.

The Measure of Man

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in the moments of comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy" Martin Luther King, Jr.

How true is this quote in today's environment? Patience and preservance may not necessarily be virtue of the 21st century corporate environment where progression at the speed of technology is sorted. In the mind of many Gen-X and Gen-Y colleagues, challenges are fine as long as they are achievable and does not result in too much uncomfort during the process. The returns are comparable to their peers. However, controversies may not be welcome. Am I wrong or the world has changed?

World Cup Hosting Rights for 2018 and 2022

The hosting rights of the World Cup for 2018 and 2022 were awarded to Qatar and Russia respectively.

England cried foul and felt that they were victimized when they were ejected from the first round during the recent bid to host the 2018 and 2022 World Cup Finals. They felt that they had the best case and deserved to host the event. So did the rest of the bidders.


England is, no doubt, a footballing nation.  England has an established billion dollar footballing industry and an excellent league system for all levels with global brand recongnition. The country was home to some of the most famous and state-of-the-art stadiums in the world namely Manuchester United's Theatre of Dreams at Old Trafford, Liverpool's Anfield, Villa Park, home of Aston Villa, Stamford Bridge of Chelsea just to name a few.  The league has produced many talented players and also attracted the best around the world. It was without any doubt on of the the best in class, if not the best. They also have well-established infrstructures, transportation network and hotels to host the biggest footballing event on Earth. In addition, England certainly have the expertises to organize and market such events considering the success of the English Premier League and England has the track records to back the claim.

However, the world most prestigious event has over time became more than just a footballing event. The thirty days had proved to be a spectacle to bring people around the world together either physically or through media broadcast. People from around the world came together to the host country to support their teams or experience the atmosphere. Everyone, whether they were at the stadium, outside or at home, cheered, celebrated and partied together like friends from around the world.

Corporate spent billions of advertisement dollars to leverage on the attention and gain exposure for their brands. The dollars brought about interests, technologies and creativities to outshine each other to seek attention from the world audience. This also provide great opportunities for the host nation to show the world what they were made off and have to offer. 

In addition, travelling fans learnt around the host country and the continent while the local made friends from around the world. Learning each other's culture remove fear and uncertainty and enable the world to become more friendly. Thus, taking this event to new location around the world will spread the joy and comradries of football and, hopefully through football, make the world a more friendly place. This is in addition to having more football fans especially when the sport was popular but not yet at the highest level.

Statistics had shown that productivities around the world declined during these thrity days of competition and yet this event generated billions of dollar for the global enconomy from its preparation to the actual event to it aftermath. Hosting the event at locations where infrastructures and stadiums were not up to the mark provide an opportunity for improvement by the host country, both socially and economically, as upgrading and building new infrastructures will create financial and work opportunities for many people. The infrastructures will also benefit the locals and increase their social welfare. It will be even merrier with the stadiums being modular and dismantled to be given to benefit other third world countries after the event. This will further enhance the values of the sport to mankind. The sport also new new stakeholders.

This article is certainly too simplistic to holistically elaborate the benefits of the game and the influence when making decison to award the hosting rights. I hope this has, nevertheless, brought forard the points that the decision of who to host the World Cup may not neccessary be just based on footballing reasons but the survival of the game and the event for the next many centuries.

The Paradox of Mind

"We always strive after what is forbidden, and desire the things refused us."

Ovid

Paradox of Life

"Everything is relative of something. Eternality is a possibility and not reality."

"When there is a gain, there will be some lost."

Life is such a paradox.