Saturday 12 OctOber 2013

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YOUR ULTIMATE CAREER& TALENT RESOURCE

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Find the blueoceanAdvice from USCI BlueOcean StrategyRegional Centre

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are you settinggoals?Setting the rightgoals plays a big partin your career path

Pg 08

beauty Witha heartMrs Universe 2013Carol Lee on her careerjourney so far

Jointhe dotsTake the time to reflecton how you got towhere to are andarticulate where youwant to go.

Pg 03

POINterS FrOM tHeGreat detectIVe FOr aSucceSSFuL careerPaGeS 6-7

HOw tOtHINk LIkeSHerLOckHOLMeS

mystarjob.com, saturday 12 October 2013�

Career Tips

EDITORIALAdviserRoshan ThiRanEditorLiLy Cheah

Assistant EditorevaChRisTodouLou

Contributing EditorPRemaJayaBaLan

Operations Leadhyma PiLLay

Sub EditorLee KaR yean

Layout, Art & DesignTung eng hwaZuLhaimi BahaRuddinahmad fadZuL yusofadZnam saBRimohd KhaiRuL

hafis idZLamuhd hafeeZRaZZiahshawn ng

Writers & ContributorsimRan hashimangie ngdR gLenn wiLLiamsRaChaeL fRanCissu ann Chien

TeRRy smaLLTaRCayani PReBagaRan

Sales Managerian Lee

If you have any suggestions or feedback on our content, get in touch with the Leaderonomics team at mystarjob@leaderonomics.com.For advertising and advertorials, contact ian.lee@leaderonomics.com - 016 974 7087

LiLy says

The opinions expressed in this career guide are those of the writers orthe people they quoted and not necessarily those of Leaderonomics.

Want practical tips forsuccess on your way homefrom work? We’re on

every Tuesday from6pm to 7pm.

CapiTaL FM88.9FM

in theKlangValley

TUNe iNTUNe iN

JoiN Us!

LearN how To speed readOne of the activities that takes a lot of our time at work is reading though informationthat is constantly coming our way. One way to increase productivity levels at work is bylearning the art of speed reading. This can save considerable amounts of time and makethe workload more bearable.

The great thing is, speed reading can be learned by simply looking for instructionsonline, or for those more willing to put in the effort, by attending a short class.

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Learn FrOM sHerLOCK HOLMes

KNowLedGe Besides knowing a lot, Holmes knew where to look for information. Make an effortto be well read in fields directly related to your job. While you don’t need to know everything, knowingwhere to look helps.

dediCaTioN Holmes’ passion drove him to be the best consulting detective around. Likewise, if youshare the same amount of gusto for what you do, there is very little holding you back from excelling inthe workplace.

haVe a repUTaTioN, a Good oNe Holmes was always sought after when it came tocracking tough cases. People wanted to either hire him or get rid of him for standing in their way.Similarly, it pays to be really good at what you do so that employers want to hire you or prevent youfrom leaving the company.

haVe a VaLUaBLe hoBBy Holmes played the violin to aid himself in thinking; it helped himfigure things out. Sometimes, you hit a dead-end and get stumped for ideas at work. Find a hobby or dosomething that helps you think better.

CoLLaBoraTe Holmes was a genius on many levels but we all know that he couldn’t have solvedthose cases without Watson. No matter how good you are, brainstorming or running your ideas throughsomeone really helps put them in perspective.

“i see iT,i dedUCe iT.”By EVA CHRISTODOULOUeva.christodoulou@leaderonomics.com

“IT is simplicity itself,” said he; “myeyes tell me that in the inside of yourleft shoe, just where the firelight strikes,the leather is scored by six almost paral-lel cuts.

“Obviously they have been causedby someone who has very carelesslyscraped round the edges of the sole inorder to remove crusted mud from it.Hence, you see, my double deductionthat you had been out in vile weatherand that you had a particularly malig-nant boot-slitting specimen of theLondon slavery.

“As to your practice, if a gentlemanwalks into my room smelling of iodo-form with a black mark of nitrate of sil-ver upon his right forefinger and a bulgeon the right side of his top hat to show

where he has secreted his stethoscope,I must be dull, indeed, if I do not pro-nounce him to be an active member ofthe medical profession.”

That is how Arthur Conan Doyle’smuch celebrated Sherlock Holmesexplains to his trusted friend Dr Watsonhow he can guess so much of his earlieractions that evening, by just having aquick glance at him.

The power of observation is whatleads Holmes to solve the mysteries

he encounters again andagain.

And indeed, the power ofobservation can take us to thenext level of being high calibreindividuals, very successful atwhat we do. By observing eventhe most minute of details, wecan make a big impact in the

way we do things; be it a cli-ent’s problem or an employ-ee’s qualm that can be easilyaddressed if we have noticedwhat the problem really is.

Observation and deduc-tion can take us very far incareer and life – be sure tomake the effort to look out

for the things that everyoneelse around you dismisses orjust ignores.

we see BUT do NoT see,aNd hear BUT do NoT hearI’VE been looking forward to this Sherlock Holmes issue formonths. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s master detective has been a heroof mine from a young age.

Sure, he has mood swings, horrid habits, and he makes a terriblehouse mate, but Holmes’ mind is sharp and he sees things thatothers do not. He notices the qualities of soil in different parts ofLondon. His mind can recognise different tyre tracks and tobaccoash, and from the posture of a man, he can deduce his occupation.

“The world is full of obvious things which nobody by any chanceever observes,” he says in one of my favourite cases, the Hound ofthe Baskervilles. Holmes is right, because we all suffer from a dis-ease called mindlessness.

How many times have you driven home from work and sudden-ly realised that you were already approaching home? You struggleto recall the last five to 10 minutes of the journey. Your body wason auto-pilot, and your muscles knew the curvature of the road.

What was happening to you? You were in a state of mindless-ness. It’s this concept of mindlessness that is the subject of DrEllen Langer’s research, who has been featured previously in TheLeaderonomics Show.

According to Langer, we are more mindless than we think. Howmindless are we in our workplaces, I wonder? When a familiarproblem pops up, do we automatically revert to the tried andtested solution without considering that there may be betteralternatives? When we enter our offices, are we mindful of ourcolleagues? As we do routine tasks, do our eyes glaze over or is ourmind actively taking in all the details around us? There’s a thoughtto chew on.

Check out page 4 this week for more on Langer’s work and thisconcept of mindfulness. Pages 6-7 give seven career tips from thebrilliant Holmes. Though a fictional character, Holmes still offersmany practical lessons in our career journeys.

On our other pages, we have Mrs Universe 2013 Carol Lee in thisweek’s Dare to Fail. On page 9, we feature A Day in the Life of a pal-liative care nurse with Hospis Malaysia.

I hope you enjoy this week’s career guide. Remember to keepyour feedback coming at mystarjob@leaderonomics.com. For evenmore articles, check out leaderonomics.com/articles.

Have a “mindful” week ahead!

LiLy CheahEditor, myStarjob.com

mystarjob.com, saturday 12 October 2013 �

By DR GLENN WILLIAMSmystarjob@leaderonomics.com

MANY of us can remem-ber “joining the dots”as a child. A mazeof simple dots, eachnumbered but seem-

ingly placed randomly on a page ofpaper, waiting for someone to jointhem together so that a picture cancome to life!

Somehow, as adults the “game”takes on new complexities as we tryto make sense of all the seeminglyindiscriminate parts of our lives withthe goal of determining the path wewant to follow.

Even as leaders, we sometimes findourselves confused with all of theoptions and different scenarios wehave before us, that it can be challeng-ing to know which one to choose orhow to prioritise.

Returning from an intensive leader-ship programme, I was asked to run aglobal leadership team with partici-pants from Africa, Asia and the UnitedStates. I couldn’t help but be intriguedwith how challenging it is for many ofus to find time to reflect on life’s con-nections.

In other words, taking time toconsciously evaluate the significanceor purpose of those connections,whether they are opportunities, prob-lems, projects or networks, and theirrelationship to where we are now andhow they might be instrumental inshaping our leadership experience forthe future.

Here are how some leadersdescribed their experience duringthe programme:

l “It’s nice to look back at my jour-ney and identify people and incidentsthat helped me turn into who I amnow.”

l “I saw how the same skills andstrengths I have were used and devel-oped in three very different positions.”

l “I managed to clarify my pas-sion and motivations and so have arenewed sense of energy to do what Imust. I have refocused myself.”

l “The process has been veryhelpful and caused me to think aboutparts of my professional journey that Ihave not before.”

l “I saw the connection betweenthe personal and the professional.”

Some cultures allow us to thinkinformally about these things, butoften it’s not a natural process formost of us, and we either don’t priori-tise the time to reflect on these thingsor there is the absence of a structuredthought process to guide us. This canget us into some trouble.

This is why Michael Watkins, authorof The First 90 Days, encourages lead-ers to adopt a framework that willhelp them accelerate their learningand match their strategy to their situ-ation so that they can adapt to thechanges they are likely to confront intheir current position as well as theirnext position.

This challenge is just as relevant forthe organisations where we provideleadership, as much as it is for our per-sonal leadership journey.

Recently, I had the privilege ofmeeting Nicholas Barnett, the authorof an outstanding book called GPSfor your Organisation. Ken Blanchard,co-author of the best-selling bookThe One Minute Manager, wrote theforeword.

As I stated earlier, we often lack astructured thought process to help usunderstand important connectionsthat lead us to setting clear and con-cise outcomes. Barnett has producedsuch a process here. His GPS frame-work provides the foundation for anorganisation to develop its strategicplan, business plan and budget, andactions.

GPS for your Organisation is as pro-found as it is simple. I have learnedover the last 20 years that there is anart in planning. One shouldn’t needa plethora of templates, or a processthat is so complicated. Motivation tocomplete the task would soon wanewith those. Strong outcomes are rarelyachieved in this scenario.

Whether you are a leader with alarge corporation, a small to mediumenterprise, a not-for-profit organisa-

tion, or a sole-trader, GPS for yourOrganisation is an excellent place tostart.

Having relocated from Colorado toMelbourne and then to Queensland,I soon realised how helpful a GPS is.The ability to identify key landmarks,arterial roads and major highwaysmakes driving much more enjoyable.It should be no different in runninga sustainable, high-performing busi-ness.

Essentially, Barnett argues thatthere are five GPS points:

GPS 1: ASPIRAtIoNThe way you would like your organisa-tion to be regarded by others in five to10 years.

GPS 2: CoRE PuRPoSEYour organisation’s core reason forbeing and the reason it wants toachieve it.

GPS �: CoRE VALuESThe values that are absolutely essen-tial for your organisation to adopt andcontinue to uphold if its aspiration isto be achieved and its core purpose isto be fulfilled.

GPS 4: GoLDEN GoALThe single most appropriate inspira-tional goal for your organisation.

GPS 5: tAGLINEThe description in a few words (nor-mally five or less) of what is specialand unique about your organisationand what it provides.

Joining the dots for your leadershipjourney or your organisation doesn’tneed to be complex. It is important tomake time to reflect on how you gotto where you are, be able to articulatethe direction you want to take, andknow what resources you need to getthere.

What’s the bottom-line?The best lessons in life are those

when we’ve actually decided to stoplong enough to reflect on what justhappened, to see if there are mid-course corrections that need to bemade that will benefit us going for-ward. Organisations are no different.Below are some questions to ask:

l What is one thing I have learnedfrom a previous experience that hasthe potential to change the way Ilook at my business? Relationships?Family?

l Do I own a skill or have astrength that I am not currentlyusing, that could prove extremelyhelpful?

l What is one thing I can doto refocus my efforts to clarify thedirection of my business and deter-mine a fresh set of priorities?

Do not let wisdom and under-standing out of your sight, preservesound judgement and discretion;they will be life for you.

n Dr Glenn Williams is the CEO andprincipal owner of Outward LookingInternational, an organisation thatempowers leaders and organisationsto grow their leadership capacity. Toengage Glenn for special leadershipworkshops for your organisation,email people@leaderonomics.com

Reflect onlife’s connections

joining the dots foRyouR leadeRshipjouRney oR youRoRganisationdoesn’t need tobe complex. it isimpoRtant to maketime to Reflecton how you got towheRe you aRe, beable to aRticulatethe diRectionyou want to take,and know whatResouRces you needto get theRe.

By RACHAEL SHALINI FRANCISmystarjob@leaderonomics.com

“BE in the present,” iswhat people oftensay, and really,it’s facile advice.“Because when

you’re not in the present, you’re notthere to know you’re not there,” saysDr Ellen Langer.

A PhD holder in social and clinicalpsychology and a professor of psy-chology, Langer is also an artist andauthor. She has authored 11 booksusing the lens of her theory of mind-fulness, of which Mindfulness (1989)became an international bestseller.

A Harvard professor of psychologysince 1981 (the very first woman ten-ured in that department), she is therecipient of a Guggenheim Fellowshipand three Distinguished ScientistAwards, the World Congress Award,the NYU Alumni Achievement Award,and the Staats award for UnifyingPsychology.

Born in New York, she began hercollege career as a chemist at NewYork University. A course on intro-ductory psychology then led her tochange her major.

When Langer began her career,there was a prevailing notion thatpeople acted sensibly based on theirbeliefs. Different ways of thinkingwere being studied and Langer won-dered if at times, we were in fact, notthinking.

In 1981, while she was just start-ing out at Harvard, Langer and hercolleagues sent two groups of elderlymen to a monastery, set 22 years ear-lier, in 1959. One group was asked topretend for a week that they were 22years younger, living in the 1950s. Thesecond group, arriving a week later,was told to simply recollect memoriesof that era.

Two decades ago, Langer hoped toprove through the experiment thatfixed ideas, internalised in childhood,have the potential to influence theway we age. “Wherever you put themind, the body will follow,” she says.

At the end of the study, both groupsreported significant changes, with theexperimental group looking younger.The men were stronger, more flexibleand agile; they could even manage toplay touch football with her, and someput away their canes.

“It is not our physical state thatlimits us,” she explains – it is the

way in which we view our limits thatultimately cages us in. Today, sheattributes the results of that experi-ment to mindfulness. “Men whochanged their perspective changedtheir bodies,” she says.

Mindfulness“Mindfulness – as I have been

studying it for over 30 years – is theremarkably simple process of noticingnew things. When you notice newthings, what happens is that it putsyou in the present, makes you awareof context and perspective. Mostimportant is that it reveals that wedon’t know that thing as well as wethought we did,” explains Langer.

Mindfulness is something thatcomes about without evaluation,meaning there’s no right or wrong; it’sjust noticing, and the very action feelsgood and is engaging.

Langer points out that mindfulnessis different from the concept of medi-tation. She stresses how it’s actuallyan uncomplicated process.

“It’s the very simple process ofnoticing new things. It couldn’t beeasier. It doesn’t matter if what younotice is smart or silly, as long as it’snew,” she clarifies.

She addresses how some may findit difficult or time-consuming. “(If) youwant to have a cookie, actually tasteit. I don’t think it takes more time toeat a cookie mindlessly than it does toeat it mindfully.

“People think it takes longer todo it mindfully than it does to do itmindlessly. Very rarely is time of theessence in that way, where millisec-onds matter,” she exerts.

Mindfulness naturally is very appli-cable in organisations. Langer believesthat every employee potentially hassomething to bring to the table and ifgiven the chance, can propel the com-pany forward, benefitting everyone.

enhancing controlIn one study, Langer and colleagues

attempted to study if people couldlearn how to regulate their heart rateupon learning how it varies. The studydiscovered that the most mindfulgroup controlled their heart rate bet-

ter than the rest.Langer concluded that actually

noticing change can facilitate thelearning required to allow physiologi-cal response, emotions and behavioursto be within our control.

In order to control something, youneed to be in tune with it. Similarly, inthe workplace, if we could tune intohow we negatively respond to a par-ticular stimulus, we can alter circum-stances or omit them altogether.

ProMoting innovationWe become mindless when we do

things over and over again and beginto accept it as the way it is meant tobe done. We stop looking for ways todo things better or are even unawarethat there are alternatives.

“Everything can be improved bydoing it mindfully. In organisations,we have ways of doing things, butpeople never question why we aredoing them this way.

“What you do may be based ondecisions taken in an earlier time thatmay not be relevant any longer. If youare mindful, you’ll constantly keepupdating. If not, you’ll just acceptthat that’s the way it should be done,”Langer remarks.

That to an extent is a hazard inany organisation. When we mindfullyapproach our work, we become awareof other ways of approaching some-thing. We are unlikely to miss out onopportunities for growth.

engaging attentionIn Langer’s early studies, she had

elderly people in nursing homes makesimple decisions. These decisionseventually resulted in fewer deathsamong the residents.

“In making a decision, you’d haveto think about options and you thinkabout different aspects that youhadn’t thought about before.”

“And the interesting thing is thatin this noticing, youbecome engaged inwhat you’re doingand it becomesliterally and figura-tively enlivening,”Langer explains.

Langer observes that when peopleare given experiences of mindful-ness, they appear to be more creative,productive and happier. As a resultof mindfulness, people become moreinvested in what they do and end upproducing work that is better.

affecting PersPectiveLanger advises to be less evaluative.

“Right now, we have a very strongsense of right and wrong, this is theway you do it and this is not the wayyou do it. And we need to recognisethat that’s based on perspective.So, some things look right from oneperspective but if you shifted it, itwouldn’t look right,” she remarks.

Truly internalising this has its meritsin the workplace. More often thannot, colleagues have a different way ofdoing things and instead of dismissingsomething out of the norm, mindful-ness tells us to take it in.

“Behaviour makes sense from theactor’s perspective, or else the actorwouldn’t do it,” Langer asserts. Shealso points out that once you areaware that there is anotherway of seeing things, youcannot possibly go back tothe single perspective.

Be awareLanger cautions

against looking for singlesolutions. Instead, sheadvocates looking for fivedifferent solutions. Moreimportantly, when itcomes to learning,Langer suggeststaking it inconditionallyinstead of asan abso-lute.

Langer says that to become mind-ful, we have to be aware that we don’tknow the things that we think we doknow.

“You notice all of the culturesaround the globe seem to have

a premium in certainty.You want everybody toknow but since every-thing is changing, youcan’t know. So, when

you realise you can’tknow, you natu-rally stay in-tuned,”Langer concludes.

mystarjob.com, saturday 12 October 2013�

Being MindfulBeing Mindful “(if) you want tohave a cookie,actually tasteit. i don’t think ittakes More tiMeto eat a cookieMindlessly thanit does to eat itMindfully. “PeoPlethink it takeslonger to do itMindfully thanit does to do itMindlessly. veryrarely is tiMe ofthe essence inthat way.”

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mystarjob.com, saturday 12 October 2013� mystarjob.com, saturday 12 October 2013 �

Observe mOre thanmeets the eyeAs a highly sought after detective,

Holmes stands out primarily due tohis exceptional deductive ability. His

innate talent is to connect from a universeof facts from his thorough observation tosolve any case thrown in his direction.

That impressive feat however, is dueto his different approach. Holmes givesimportance to what he cannot see as muchas what he can. A missing link, more oftenthan not, is the most critical piece of infor-mation.

He is mindful not to ignore or discard anyclues that seem to carry little significance.

For example, the absence of a dog barkingin a break-in incident could possibly sug-gest that the intruder is familiar to it. Inessence, what did not happen is equally

crucial as what actually happened.In real life, the same observation can be

helpful. For all you know, one little piece ofunknown can be the clincher that solveschallenges you face at work.

Perhaps that difficult boss is being diffi-cult because he is still developing his leader-ship/management skills – maybe you cansit down and talk to him to point out whatworks and what does not. Or that lucrativedeal you are trying to close but the clientis holding back. Perhaps it is not a budgetissue but her bosses want to know yourcompany better – go and have a coffee withthem.

There are unknowns that may be the keyto unlocking your case.

Pay attentiOntO detailHolmes can easily tell where a

person has been, his occupation,or her medical condition, all in a split

second. But of course this is not randomobservation. Instead, he has an innate abil-ity to make accurate deductive reasoning.

In particular, his incredible attention todetail is what makes him so exceptional indetective work. Every minute detail has areason and making a connection to eventsor people is crucial before coming to a con-clusion.

However, it’s not just his obsession withdetails that makes Holmes the talent he is.He invests a considerable amount of timeand effort to practise. Naturally, all that rep-etition works out very well for him, giftinghim with a unique eye for specifics.

If you aspire to become a character likeHolmes (with or without the eccentricpersonality), perhaps it will be beneficial toemulate his level of awareness to particu-lars.

Notice the tendencies of the people closeto you, and respond accordingly – you mightjust foster a better relationship with yoursurroundings. That quiet person you thinkis suspiciously quiet? Maybe he is just hav-ing a hard time adjusting. At the workplace,almost always, the tiny details are over-looked. Instead of looking at them as trivial,that small difference can make the biggestimpact.

There needs to be a balance of course.Too much of analysis would lead to analysisparalysis, and that is counter-productive.Still, use good judgement (just like Holmes).Practise to develop an eye for details, andyou will see a big difference in your qualityof output.

As the saying goes, the devil is in thedetails.

have a great PartnerIn almost all of Holmes’ adven-

tures, his trusted confidant Watsonis not far from his side. Watson plays

a very important role in Holmes’ questsas a dependable partner, helping him incrime solving from a medical perspec-tive. His excellent skills as a doctor andsurgeon contribute a lot to their for-midable partnership, instrumental inaiding Holmes in his cases.

The two, however, do not see eyeto eye in a lot of matters. In fact, bothare worlds apart. While their person-ality contrast is very distinct, theirdifferences make them a perfect bal-ance – one with intense obsessionto the big picture, the other piecesthe small bits together. And theyopenly criticise one another (withgood intentions, of course).

Similarly, in one’s career, havinga trustworthy companion is criti-cal. Two minds are better thanone, and an extra pair of eyesinjects a fresh perspective.

But the collaboration is notjust to validate, it also has to beone that keeps on raising thebar. If you read and/or observethe greatest icons, they alwayshave someone they can relyon.

The bottom line is, twominds are better than one.

PersPective mattersWith his eye for extreme detail,Holmes has no trouble solving

crimes on his own. But his partner-ship with Watson certainly gives him

an extra edge above others, with new anddifferent perspectives. This is important tobalance Holmes’ extraordinary capabilitieswith his strong headed character. Withoutdifferent viewpoints to support his observa-tion, he could overlook some telling evi-dence, jeopardising his reputation.

Watson may not be as intelligent asHolmes, but he adds value to their alliancewith his tenacity to challenge Holmes in hisown ways. As a medical practitioner, Watsongives a lot of useful insight in helping tosolve crimes. His valuable contribution givesthem the added advantage in speeding uptheir investigations and eventually comingto a sound conclusion.

Interestingly, despite his amazing mind,Holmes still depends on others. And not justhis close confidant Watson. He values inputfrom police officers on top of his own obser-vation. It helps to validate his theories andremoves possibilities of oversight. Besides,he still needs hard evidence and he can getthat through them.

Similarly, in life and work, it’s alwaysbeneficial to have various perspectives.Consider a range of views as it will open upmore possibilities. Who knows, an outsider’sstandpoint could very well be the answer tothat complex project you are working on.

Unlock more opportunities with that dif-ferent point of view.

Practise, Practise,Practise

Holmes is well known for hisdepth of knowledge. More aston-

ishing is his spectacular grasp on somany concepts. He has breadth of knowl-edge as well. His impressive command ofinformation deserves the recognition of agenius. Holmes knows this, and he couldrest on his laurels – but he does not.

A genius as he is, Holmes does not stoplearning. In fact, he continuously absorbsnew knowledge. He does not stop at whathe knows. He goes out of the way to findout what he does not know.

That persistence pays off very well forhim in his crime solving adventures. Hisability to make quick deductions is a directresult of his broad knowledge base. Holmesunderstands that the more connections he

makes from his database, the faster he cango about cracking complex mysteries.

If you observe or study any successfulperson, the perception we often get is thatthey learn really fast. But if you go deeper,the truth is they engage in a variety oflearning to pick up new ideas. That processactually helps a lot in making future con-nections at a faster pace – hence appearingto learn at an accelerated pace.

Simply put, like any skill, the more youpractise, the better you are at it.

think it thrOughGiven Holmes’ brilliant mind

and the speed of his analyticalthinking, it is fairly easy for him

to make a quick conclusion. But forHolmes, there is more than meets the eye.He takes time to ponder on his findings andmake sense of it. Sometimes the challengein front of him appears straight forward,but more often than not, there is a moreobscure mystery – the kind that makes himreally excited.

In his adventures, Holmes faces normalbut still convoluted minded criminals. Hisgreatest test though, is his arch nemesisProfessor Moriarty. A remarkably intelligentcriminal mastermind, Moriarty is by far thetoughest adversary Holmes has to face.Encounters with Moriarty force Holmes toreally think through his next steps as thestakes are incredibly high.

Your words and actions can define whoyou are – both in personal and professionaltracks. While some people may accept thatas your inherent characteristic, others mightbe less forgiving. Similar to the saying firstimpressions last forever, your behaviourcould stick in others’ minds and shape theirperception of you, be it good or bad. Onlyyou can carry your reputation in the mosthonest manner to you.

Stick true to your words, and followthrough with your actions.

always keeP OnPushing

The admirable aspectof Holmes is that he never

settles for complacency.Rightfully, his celebrity statuscould have provided a more com-fortable life. Yet, Holmes actu-ally never gets paid (nor does herequest compensation) for hisdetective work. He does it becausehe really has passion for it. More

importantly, it’s because he never stopseducating himself.

Holmes believes there is always moreto learn. This comes from a man at thevery top of the game. It’s an indication ofunderstanding and being aware of his ownshortcomings, and having the desire to keepon improving. Holmes always goes after themost perplexing mysteries, and despite notbeing able to solve the puzzle the first time,strives to be better.

Continuous learning and developing isa resonating theme especially with peopleat the top. The need to keep on upgradingis very real to continue being relevant andto still be in the running. On an individuallevel, this is essential to move on to the nextlevel. New individuals with remarkable newskills appear all the time – if you’re not fastenough, you’ll fall behind. Ultimately, yourchoice to advance will see you through for aconsiderable amount of time.

Emulating Holmes is of course no easyfeat. For one, he is fictional. For another, hisextremely supercharged personality mightnot fare well with others and can causedisharmony. That said, his exceptional qual-ity of work can be derived from his positivetraits – qualities that can be learned anddeveloped. It will take effort and time forsure, but with practice comes perfection.

n Imran Hashim is a talent accelerationmanager with Leaderonomics. He findsHolmes a highly fascinating character; hisintelligence and perfectionism, quirks andeccentrics included. He believes with practice,anyone can think like Holmes. To find outmore about the Leaderonomics talent accel-eration team, email people@leaderonomics.com

Tips To Have anexcepTionalcareer like

THe GreaTDeTecTive

By IMRAN HASHIM

imran.hashim@leaderono

mics.com

SHERLOCK Holmes is the world’s greatest

detective. It’s just amazing how he

consistently solves the most difficult

mysteries, often in time to save lives

or put a stop to an impending disaster.

Together with his ever reliable partner Dr Watson,

the crime solving duo are regularly sought after by

the police to help them crack down on crime.

Granted, the great detective lives in a fictional

universe. Even so, in all of his conquests, he works

with immaculate precision and exceptional

gravitas. And while he could easily be complacent

and rest on his laurels, he never stops challenging

himself to pursue more complex cases.

Being on top of his game every single time,

Holmes can be an inspiration to any person in the

pursuit of excellence.

THe followinG are Tips To THink like Holmes –anD in THe famous worDs of THe masTer sleuTH: elemenTary.sHerlock Holmes

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By ANGIE NGangie@thestar.com.my

FAILURE knows no bound-ary and not even the richand famous are spared. Themore successful and famousa person is, the greater the

likelihood that he or she has dared totake on more risks and overcome morefailures than the average person.

As the saying goes: No risk, no gain.In other words, the more risks one iswilling to take, the higher the chancesof securing bigger success in life.

Failures have a tendency to wisenpeople up; the secret is to learn fromit, soldier on and continue to live lifewith enthusiasm.

One such example is the recentlycrowned Mrs Universe 2013 Carol Lee,a good role model of a famous personality who has been humbled by herearlier failures.

An up close and personal meet-ing with Lee reveals that beyond her

captivating beauty and talent, Lee alsohas a big heart of gold to reach out tohelp others.

Her latest passion is lending herfame and support to raise awarenessand to help victims of domestic vio-lence.

Rather than becoming self-cen-tred, Lee chooses to look beyondherself and to channel her time andenergy towards doing good for othersthrough various charities.

The slender 173cm mother of onehas learned to take things in herstride after her first taste of failure ata beauty competition when she justturned 22.

Relating her experience to myStar-job.com, Lee says: “The biggest failurefor me was the time when I participat-ed in the Miss Chinese Internationalpageant in Hong Kong in 1995. Afterreflecting on what went wrong, I real-ised I did not make enough effort anddid not fully prepare myself to clinchthe crown.”

Lee admits that she was nervouswhen she had to answer “the all-important question on-stage” whichwas posed to her in Cantonese, andthat she did not do justice to heranswer.

“To be honest, I suffered stage frightand my mind went completely blank.The answer that I finally managed tomuster was rather incongruent andstupid,” she bemuses.

STANDING TALLRecalling that fateful moment, Lee

says her answer could have cost herthe top three position in the beautypageant and she only managed tomake it to the top 10 list.

Instead of brooding over herfailure, Lee started taking action toovercome stage fright by signing upfor Toastmaster classes and acting asmaster of ceremony at events.

“I realised there was no use cryingover spilled milk and it is more ben-eficial to look for ways to channel myenergy to overcome my weaknessesand improve myself. Ultimately, whatis important is to dedicate 100% of myefforts into whatever I do,” Lee says.

On how she feels about failure, the39-year-old Lee says: “It is true thatno one would want to fail but I havecome to accept the fact that failing ispart and parcel of life. To err is human.I take failure as a lesson in life and ithas made me much wiser and moremature in my thinking.”

Lee also believes that it is not thefailure that changes a person butrather the change in one’s mindset.

Explaining herself, Lee says: “If Iwere to fail and not reflect upon thereason for my failure and learn fromit, I could still make the same mistakeover and over again.”

Judging from what she hasachieved since that disappointing out-come in Hong Kong, Lee has indeed

overcome setbacks.She has donned two beauty crowns

since – Mrs Malaysia Universe 2013 inOctober 2012, and Mrs Universe 2013in August this year.

Lee made the country and theregion proud by becoming the firstAsian to be crowned the coveted MrsUniverse title since its introduction in2007.

Lee says she was motivated by herrenewed self-confidence to have asecond go at an international beautypageant after the “fiasco” at the MsChinese International pageant morethan a decade ago.

“This time around, I was fully pre-pared, which took up a whole good 10months. I have always wanted to dosomething for my country,” Lee says.

She had initially considered joiningsome kind of sport but scrapped thatidea, because of the age factor.

“Taking part in the Mrs Universepageant gave me a chance to helppromote Malaysia as a tourist desti-nation, and to get to know so manypeople from around the world. It istruly an honour to be the first Asianwoman to win the title,” she beamswith pride.

BEACON OF HOPELeveraging on this coveted title,

she hopes to be a pillar of strengthand extend her support to all women,especially victims of domestic vio-lence.

“I will still continue with my advo-cacy work, to stop domestic violence

and will utilise the media attentionthat I am currently getting to highlightissues pertaining to domestic violencein the country.”

Working in partnership with KLSogo and All Women’s Action Society,Lee is championing the NationwideCampaign Against Domestic Violence.

True to her childhood ambition tobe a teacher, Lee admits she has a softspot for children.

She is also making time to answerher personal calling of helping under-privileged children by working withnon-governmental organisations.

Lee currently manages her ownChild Enrichment Centre, Starz Studioat KL Sogo departmental store.

She says of her objective: “I want tofocus on grooming the non-academicaspects in children, especially whenit comes to their self-confidence. Thecourses and activities that Starz Studiooffers involve building children’s self-confidence and also overcoming stagefright.”

Lee also keeps herself busy by pre-senting the news on TV3, emceeing atevents, and managing kids in photoshoots and fashion shows.

She says her emceeing role at morethan 100 events in a spate of morethan 10 years has contributed to herspontaneity and helped her developbetter communication skills. It hasalso improved her self-confidence.

As for her personal life, Lee says sheis happy to have achieved a balance inlife – a family, career, to contribute tosociety and also have time for herself.

So what are the other goals thatshe has targeted for herself?

Lee confides that she is planning awhite ribbon campaign, to encouragemore men to come forward to say noto domestic violence.

She is also looking at coming upwith a comprehensive groomingcourse for beauty queens, and to learnMandarin, so that she can help herfive-year-old daughter, Klarissa Lee inher studies.

With such noble causes to cham-pion, Lee will certainly bring smiles tothe faces of the lucky people whomshe is reaching out to.

INsIde aNd outLee uses HeRFaMe to FIGHtdoMestICVIoLeNCe

beautIFuL

mystarjob.com, saturday 12 October 2013�

Mrs Universe2013, CarolLee is a dotingmother tofive-year-oldKlarissa Lee.

Lee believes in dedicating100% of her efforts intowhatever she does.

COMPETITION has alwaysbeen the threshold that sep-arates successful companiesfrom failures – the best willsurvive and emerge on top.

But is it enough?Today’s economic conditions coupledwith an influx of companies joiningin the pursuit for a share of the mar-ket has resulted in an overcrowdingof industries. By merely focusing oncompetition, companies will be com-peting head-on with rivals for an everdecreasing pool of customers, subse-quently resulting in a shrinking profitmargin.

In trying to outperform their rivals,business leaders are still confiningtheir companies within an existingframework where the customers andprofit, are already existing and there-fore limited.

Is there actually a way from this‘existing framework’, which is clearlylimiting in terms of growth and profit?Instead of competing for the existingpool of customers, how can a com-pany win over existing customers,without competing, while at the sametime capturing non-customers?

has it Been done?Throughout economic turbulence,unfriendly markets and industry satu-ration, there are always a few compa-nies that not only survive, but thrive.These companies have a shared trait– they redefine boundaries and theychange the rules of the game.

This, according to Raj Kumar, iswhat the UCSI Blue Ocean StrategyRegional Centre is all about.

The Centre’s senior director ofStrategy and Innovation, Raj, explainsthat leading companies are oftentrailblazers because they create ‘blueoceans’ of uncontested market spaceinstead of fighting with rivals in a ‘redocean of competition’.

As the exclusive regional authorityon Blue Ocean Strategy for Malaysiaand nine other countries, namelyAustralia, Canada, China, India,Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore,Taiwan and Thailand, the UCSI BlueOcean Strategy Regional Centre hashelped numerous businesses rangingfrom SMEs to multinational conglom-erates re-strategise to find their own‘blue oceans’ of uncontested marketspace.

Below, Raj tackles some hard-hit-ting questions he often receives fromCEOs regarding the topic.

Q: What is Blue OceanStrategy and how can it be

used in an organisation in apractical way?The Blue Ocean Strategy is a detailedand thorough study of 150 strate-gic moves across 30 industries over100 years. It was conceptualised byrespected names in business strategy,Professors W. Chan Kim and RenéeMauborgne.

In summary, it is a strategic movefor companies to leave the ‘red ocean’of cut-throat competition behind andventure into a ‘blue ocean’ of uncon-tested market space.

We help companies do this in apractical way, by using a systematicmethodology where differentiationand low cost are simultaneouslypursued to create and capture newdemand. By creating this new demand,our clients do not compete in an exist-ing market space, so the competition isirrelevant because it is not there.

This is also very practical because itis not a top-down strategy – our BlueOcean Strategy framework and toolscan be applied in all levels within theorganisation. These include the corpo-rate planning level, tactical operational

level and also basic employee level topromote innovative thinking.

In short, Blue Ocean Strategy guidescompanies using several key approach-es – Value Proposition to attract buyersto your organisation, Profit Propositionto generate wealth for your company,and People Proposition to motivate aswell as promote innovative and strate-gic thinking for employees.

Q: Why is Blue Ocean Strategystill relevant today?

Blue Ocean Strategy is still relevanttoday because it addresses threemain challenges often faced by com-panies which are 1) Profitability 2)Sustainability and 3) Growth Rate. Thechallenge is to ensure your companyachieves all three.

We use the principle of “ValueInnovation” (value up, cost down) tohelp companies achieve profitabilitywhile we use the principle of “Non-Customers” or Non-Buyers to addressthe issue of sustainability and lastlya “Reconstructionist” approach toensure a high growth rate.

The UCSI Blue Ocean StrategyRegional Centre helps companies tack-le their strategic challenges throughthree different approaches. First is theshort-term approach where we con-duct “In Action Workshops” to developembryonic Blue Ocean Ideas. Second isthe mid-term approach where we setup “Blue Ocean Labs” to address vari-ous innovation and strategy-relatedissues for our clients. The last stage isthe long-term strategy formulationto develop insightful game changingstrategic moves.

Q: Why engage the UCSI BlueOcean Strategy Regional

Centre instead of just reading thebook and applying it?We have a strong track record of suc-cessfully guiding our clients to addresstheir strategic challenges throughBlue Ocean Strategy. We have led thedevelopment of Blue Ocean Strategyin 10 countries – Malaysia, Australia,Canada, China, India, Indonesia,Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan andThailand – so we understand localconcerns and global trends.

In line with this, we have alsoformed smart partnerships withnumerous leading strategy and inno-vation firms around the world, includ-ing the European Centre for StrategicInnovation.

As a result of working with fellowstrategists around the globe, we havefurther developed and customised themethodology, tools and framework ofBlue Ocean Strategy. Just like the mar-ket, our strategies evolve.

We have heard from our clientsthat there are parties who claim tobe experts, but the UCSI Blue OceanStrategy Regional Centre is the onlyofficial regional authority for this – ourteam goes through a very rigorouscertification process that is on parwith the other Blue Ocean Strategistsaround the world.

Q: What are some examples ofUCSI Blue Ocean Strategy

Regional Centre having helpedcompanies move into uncontestedmarket spaces?We have numerous excellent clienttestimonials on our website. While Icannot reveal too many client details,one of our customers was a leadingname in the automotive industry.Through our analysis, we found outthat the second hand market wasdriven by our client’s cars but our cli-ent was not benefitting from this.

By presenting a strategic plan tothem, they are now making an impactin the second hand car market – notonly are they winning over formernon-customers (those who wouldhave not been able to afford theirnew cars), they are ensuring increasedvalue for their present customerswanting to sell off their old cars.

Another client who was verypleased with us is a respected bank-ing conglomerate. Although they hadyears of experience and a firm cus-tomer base, they wanted to reach out

to the younger customers. In a way,the management was already usingBlue Ocean Strategy in their thinkingbecause although they were leadingthe industry, they knew that it wouldbecome a ‘red ocean’ one day.

So we conceptualised a new strat-egy and they are now making theirpresence felt among the youngergeneration.

In the logistics industry, we helped amajor player create new value-addedservices, effectively expanding portfacilities and integrating operationsalong the value chain.

Even in the strictly regulated health-care industry, we have helped our cli-ent come up with innovative ways tomarket their services while remainingwithin the confines of regulations.

Q: Since even a ‘blue ocean’can eventually become a

‘red ocean’, how does Blue OceanStrategy address this?The question is, how easy is it to imi-tate the blue ocean strategy and whenshould a company create a new ‘blueocean’?

A good example would be OldTown White Coffee. When they firststarted out, their concept of merg-ing the traditional ‘kopitiam’ with amodern, comfortable ambiance reallyhit a ‘blue ocean’ of uncontested mar-ket space. Like any leading idea, it isbound to get mimicked and now themarket is becoming a ‘red ocean’.

So using Blue Ocean Strategy, it istime to think – what is next? How dowe reconstruct the existing frame-works again?

Although Old Town White Coffee isnot a client, I am personally very excit-ed to see what they will do next.

An example of a global companyusing BOS is The Body Shop. Unlike

most cosmetics giants, it did not focuson picture perfect models and usedinexpensive packaging. Major cosmet-ics companies could not copy this BOSmodel, because it would indicate thattheir current business models wereunacceptable.

Q: Lastly, who should adoptBlue Ocean Strategy?

Every organisation should! In terms ofcompany size, we have had clients rang-ing from SMEs to global conglomerates.

Sometimes, companies think thatBlue Ocean Strategy is somethingonly needed when the company isnot doing well. As I have previouslymentioned, a farsighted companywill know that even ‘blue oceans’ caneventually become ‘red oceans’. That iswhy companies must always seek new‘blue oceans’.

The new ‘blue oceans’ do not haveto be pursued immediately, but it isimportant to identify them and havethe framework in place to pursuethem.

Many senior management lead-ers also have the misconception thatimplementing Blue Ocean Strategy isdisruptive and risky. On the contrary,Blue Ocean Strategy actually minimis-es risk because it can be applied for thebusiness today in terms of maximisingopportunities but at the same timeyou can plan for future breakthroughstrategies where the implementationscan be manage progressively.

n To contact Raj, please email raj@ucsiblueoceanstrategy.com. For moreinformation, visit www.ucsi-blueocean-strategy.com or drop by the UCSI BlueOcean Strategy Regional Centre at UCSIUniversity North Wing Campus, JalanChoo Lip Kung, Taman Taynton View,56000 Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

mystarjob.com, saturday 12 October 2013 �

UCSI BlUeOCean StrategyregIOnalCentre OnCaptUrIng theUnCOnteStedmarket SpaCe

market CreatIOn nOtmarket COmpetItIOn

A REGIONALEXPERT: TheUCSI Blue OceanStrategy RegionalCentre is theofficial andexclusive regionalauthority on BlueOcean Strategyfor Malaysia,Australia, Canada,China, India,Indonesia,Philippines,Singapore,Taiwan andThailand.

VALUEINNOVATION:Using theprinciple of ValueInnovation, theUCSI Blue OceanStrategy RegionalCentre has helpedcompaniesaddress thechallenges ofProfitability,Sustainability andGrowth.

THE STRATEGIST: Being thesenior director of Strategy andInnovation at UCSI Blue OceanStrategy Regional Centre has givenRaj Kumar and his team moreopportunities to help businesses re-strategise and find ‘blue oceans’ ofuncontested market spaces.

mystarjob.com, saturday 12 October 201310

The No.1 hoT weaTher braiN driNk

By SU-ANN CHIENmystarjob@leaderonomics.com

WHEN you’re 22, theworld is your oyster.The job market isprime territory forenergetic, impres-

sionable young adults with impressiveresumes, desirable to all organisationsand industries.

The opportunities are endless andthe invitations are convivial. But itseems to be that the welcome matgrows shorter as the years go by. Atyour 40s, the invitations suddenlybecome limited.

For current Gen X-ers and BabyBoomers, the decision to switch jobsor companies becomes riskier asrecruiters are not as enthusiastic toaccept older individuals.

The truth is that there is muchapprehension amongst those who arenot considered the typical employ-able age, and that apprehension isalso present within those looking torecruit.

But instead of subscribing to thestereotype that older workers areinflexible, outdated and due for coldstorage, let’s examine the strengths ofthe 40 and above and the value thatthey can bring to organisations.

Reducing RisksThe greatest advantage of recruit-

ing an older worker is that the riskof a bad hire is reduced. When hiringnew employees, there is always theconcern that the individual does notmeet the expectations set. That anxi-ety can increase when the employeeis young, naive and has yet to under-stand the culture switch.

Given that the older employee hasbeen in the job market for a longerperiod of time, his/her work outputhas a greater chance of having morecredibility and quality.

An understanding of corporateculture is not something that can betaught, but rather caught throughexperience. For older workers tosustain in the economy, they mustalso possess good work ethics and a

number of transferable skills.Fortunately, older workers have

passed the loyalty and commitmenttest. According to the Business Insider,“the length of time a worker remainswith the same employer increaseswith the age at which the workerbegan the job”. The tenure with cur-rent employers for workers aged 45 to54 is an average of 7.6 years.

It can be especially frustratingwhen organisations invest time,energy and resources in screening andtraining employees only to find thatthey leave for “greener pastures”.

Older workers have less of a flightrisk because they understand thatattractions such as a higher pay, amore senior title or other aspects thatyoung employees chase after may notprovide as much qualitative benefitsas loyalty does, resulting in betterwork retention.

Fickleness scRappedOlder workers are less likely to jump

ship because they recognise the valueof staying put. Organisations tend tooffer more rewards to loyal employeesin the long run, such as better work-ing hours, flexible working conditions,lucrative opportunities for advance-ment and even retirement schemes.

For example, Harrods (the famedBritish department store) offers dis-count benefits of up to 50% for itsemployees. For some, the relationshipwith the company is far beyond thatof the conventional employer-employ-

ee, hence the reason for loyalty.The focus is not so much for self-

advancement or personal trajectory,but rather the more mature workeris able to understand how his/hercontributions play a role in the largerpicture.

This could be attributed to the factthat as we grow older, we begin tobe responsible for other dependents(such as when starting a family ortaking care of elderly parents), hencetheir efforts now shift away from selfto others.

In addition, mature workers arealso less fickle in their commitmentsbecause they recognise their per-sonal aims in the short and long run.Younger employees, though ambi-tious, may have yet to form a clearpicture of life goals and thus are moreinclined to see the benefits in short-term rewards.

Meanwhile, those a little more sea-soned in their careers will understandthat employment is the instrumentin achieving life goals, hence possessa more balanced perspective of workand life. Though still ambitious, theiraspirations are now more guided andless reckless.

The maTuRiTy FacToRForbes.com published an article in

September 2012 which highlights astudy done by Swiss human resourcegiant, Adecco.

The results of the study indicatethat its respondents were three times

more likely to hire a mature worker(50 years and above), with reasonsbeing that these mature workers weremore reliable, more professional andhad better writing skills.

One study is not the end all foryour recruiting decisions, neverthelessthe study shows that older workersare not headed for cold storage andredundancy in the workplace.

In fact, they are able to contrib-ute maturity to the office. Duringmoments of crisis, they can hold thefort due to their vast experience.

Without making a blanket state-ment, mature workers are moreadapted to remain calm under pres-sure because of the years alreadyaccumulated in their career belts.They can better ascertain what isimportant in precarious conditions.

expeRience poinTsNo matter how talented and ener-

getic the young new hire may be, skilldoes not substitute experience. Olderworkers are better equipped at prob-lem-solving and decision-making inthe workplace due to their extensive

history, as young employees only haveinternships to simulate a workingenvironment.

embRacingoldeR woRkeRs

There are several actions that canbe taken to further accommodateand motivate mature workers in yourworkplace. For instance, allowing flex-ible work hours enables more time forthose with families and dependentsto spend with their loved ones.

However, one must accept the factthat the cost of hiring a mature work-er may be higher due to remunerationor health expenses. Nevertheless, thetradeoff would seem fair in view oftheir quality input.

The point is not to classify workersor potential employees based on ageor background; instead opportunitiesshould be given based on merit andthe quality of a person’s work.

The young and the older shouldnot view each other as competition,but instead, move towards sharingstrengths and talents for the benefitof all.

By TERRY SMALLmystarjob@leaderonomics.com

IS there such a thing as memory in a cup? Yesthere is.

The next time you are experiencing “brainfog”, brew yourself a refreshing glass of icedgreen tea. It is a cognitive boosting brew andit’s my No. 1 choice for a drink in hot weather.

Neuroscientists aren’t exactly sure whygreen tea is so good for your brain, but itmay have something to do with the extraL-theanine.

This compound seems to jump start theareas of your brain responsible for atten-tion and memory. And who couldn’t usemore of these?

Make sure you brew your own, though.Commercial ice teas don’t seem to producethe same benefit. You get one brain, so bekind to it.

Tea has other amazing benefits goingfor it as well. Well, what are you waitingfor... start brewing!

Congratulations on learning some-thing about your brain today. The BrainBulletin is committed to help to do justthat.

Always remember: “You are a gen-ius!”

Enjoy your brain.

n Terry Small is a brain expert whoresides in Canada and believes thatanyone can learn how to learn easier,better, faster, and that learning to learnis the most important skill a person canacquire. To interact with Small, email mys-tarjob@leaderonomics.com

experieNceoVer YoUThThe beNefiTs of hiriNgmaTUre workers

mystarjob.com, saturday 12 October 2013 11

LEADERSHIP

DO you want a brighterand successful future?If yes, then start bysetting goals. Goalsare useful to help you

focus on what you want. Withoutthem, you would have no directionor control over how to pave yourlife path. Goals also help you deter-mine if you’re actually succeeding.

To accomplish your goals, youneed to know how to set them. It isnot just a matter of saying “I want”and not doing anything at all butrather making the effort to get itright. So to help you set goals, hereare some useful tips to follow.

1 GOALS THATinSpire YOU

Make sure you set goals thatmean something and that inspireyou. This way, you will be motivat-ed to achieve them with a “I mustaccomplish this” attitude.

Ask yourself this question: “If Iwere to share my goals with myfriends, would I be proud to tellthem why I am doing it?” If theanswer is yes, then the goal is rightfor you!

2 WriTe DOWnYOUr GOALS

Why? Because when you writedown your goals, it makes themreal. Use the word “will”. So insteadof writing “I would like to have anew job by 2014”, write “I will havea new job by 2014”.

Post the goals in places you cansee to remind yourself of them.You can pin them up on your wall,desk, bathroom mirror or computermonitor.

3 MAKe AnACTiOn pLAn

This is themost impor-tant step inthe process ofsetting a goal.Write downhow you planto achieve thegoal.

By writing these steps andcrossing them out when youcomplete them, you will bemotivated by the fact thatyou’re one step closer to yourgoal.

4 STiCK TO YOUrGOAL!

It is one thing to set goals andanother to actually stick tothem. Keep reminding yourselfof your goals. Revisit and reviewyour goals monthly to seewhere you are.

n Adapted from Ready4work.my. Driven by content from topemployers, Ready4Work.my isa one-stop portal to enhanceemployability of young talentsentering the job market.

SEt YouR

By TARCAYANI PREBAGARANmystarjob@leaderonomics.com

IN today’s world, leadership is notreserved to the old and experienced.Marc Zuckerberg who owns Facebookis only 29! Steve Chen and ChadHurley, founders of YouTube are 35!

Unleashing the leader in you does notrequire painstaking measures or ideas.There are simple steps that you can incor-porate in your student life to develop yourleadership attributes.

What sets you apart during collegeapplication is usually your involvement inschool clubs and societies, sports or com-munity organisations. In this article I willbe sharing five simple ways to start devel-oping leadership qualities.

1 COMMUniCATiOnA good leader is able to clearly

explain what needs to be done. Honingyour communication skills is crucial if youaspire to be a leader. Sir Richard Branson,the founder of Virgin Group incorporatingmore than 400 companies, used to be soshy that he refused to talk to adults andwould cling to the back of his mother’sskirt.

One day, one the way back from a shop-ping trip his mother stopped their carabout three miles away from home andasked him to find his way back, whichinvolved talking to people! He arrivedhome 10 hours later but that experiencemade Branson more comfortable in inter-acting with adults.

At school, you can hone your com-munication skills by joining clubs thatpromote effective public speaking, such asyour neighbourhood Toastmasters Club orGavel club if you are below 18 years old.

Besides, you can even join your schooldebate club or the English Language soci-ety. The key here is to focus on developing

your communication skills. Don’t be dis-couraged if you are not a natural speakeras these skills can be learnt and polishedover time.

2 COnfiDenCeLeaders are confident and are able

to express their opinions without shyingaway from the spotlight. Leaders shouldbe confident in making decisions and com-mit to executing those decisions.

At school, you can boost your leader-ship qualities even in class by not beingnervous to ask questions. Some of us maynot have a clue about what is going onin class or have doubts about something.Sometimes we are not able ask questionsbecause we are afraid of judgments thatwe may receive.

When your teacher asks a question,don’t hesitate to answer. Even if youranswer is incorrect, your teacher willacknowledge the courage and the confi-dence you displayed.

3 COMMUniTYTo be a leader you should always

come forward to make a difference, be itat school or your local community. Alwaysbe interested in volunteering to helppeople as this goes hand-in-hand withleadership.

You can volunteer at orphanages, oldfolks homes or even tutor your juniors atschool. The opportunity to volunteer isjust endless. Check out www.dogoodvol-unteer.com for opporutnities.

As a student, you should also rememberthat your main priority is your studies.Only commit yourself to activities that youcan reasonably juggle.

4 COMMiTMenTLeaders are committed to tasks

given to them and they execute themwith responsibility. A good leader leads byexample. At school, when you get home-work or assignments from your teachers,you should hand them in on time.

When it comes to club meetings, youare expected to be on time. Paying atten-tion to small details consistently will leadto excellence in the long run.

5 COLLAbOrATiOnTo be a good leader,

you should learn to worktogether with thosearound you. In collabora-tive leadership, a personhas the responsibility toguide and coordinate theprocess by which the groupdecides and carries outactions to accomplish itsgoals.

To learn to collaboratewith people, join activitiesthat involve a team, such asthe football club or even thechoir if that’s your interest.Being a team player is avaluable skill; as the say-ing goes, two heads arebetter than one.

All in all, leadershipis indeed a learnable skillif you are motivated to doso. Attempt at least one ofthe many steps above andyou will be on your way tobecoming an excellent leader!

GoALSRIGHt!

‘S oftHE

HonE YouRcommunIcAtIonSkILLS bY joInInGcLubS tHAt PRomotEEffEctIvE PubLIcSPEAkInG, SucH ASYouR nEIGHbouRHooDtoAStmAStERS cLuboR GAvEL cLub IfYou ARE bELow18 YEARS oLD.

mystarjob.com, saturday 12 October 201312

Dear Hui Mei,There are a few parts to your

question and I will try to address themin various sections:

> Past workingexPerience

Three years is a good time tospend in one division and one doeshave the tendency to get attachedto colleagues, especially when theassignments are enjoyable and chal-lenging. The three years you spentin the company is a good record andhopefully this has given you theopportunity to do deep assignmentsand build a good network of friendsand colleagues. This is also good foryour resume.

> organisationalcHange

I sense some pain and frustra-tion when organisational changetook place, and you used this word– “jerked around”.

Depending on the organisationalculture, sometimes the humanresources (HR) division and the linemanager are able to establish andcommunicate change well, but never-theless it can cause apprehension inthe workplace.

Having said that, the ideal state isnot found in most organisations andthat’s why in today’s working environ-ment, many organisations expect usto be agile, flexible so that we can

adapt, embrace change and move for-ward. Employees who does this wellare often more successful.

Organisations also like to some-times pilot change by moving teamsaround and challenge individuals withnew assignments so that perform-ance can hopefully be optimised andalso allow for learning and growth totake place.

Change can also be caused bymergers and acquisitions, expansionof a company, regulatory require-ments and so on. This is especially sowhen an individual has gone past theinitial years in a firm.

So, I urge that you learn to adaptto change and see the benefits ofchange, i.e. meet new people, acquirenew skills and also learn new systems.

> new offerVersus currentoutstation role

It is flattering that there is a newoffer for you that could provide thesame experience that you are seekingfor. However, you are now in a newlocation and just taking on a newassignment, and I can only assumethat it is within the same firm.

The advantage of the new role isthat you will be stretched, see andlearn new things, meet new people,and challenge yourself in a new envi-ronment. If you do well and also suc-ceed, this will be a plus for your careerand also will look good on a resume.

However, if you do go back to theother offer – a position which yourfriend will make for you, please notethat you will face challenges whichonly you can answer.

Questions you should ask yourselfare – are you taking over someone’srole? How will the division view you?Will your current boss in the newlocation or HR division be upset? Howwill you be positioned in the new divi-sion? Did you commit to any majorassignments?

You added that you find it intimi-dating to market your skills to othercompanies. You have not explainedif you have attempted and if youhave experienced rejections, so I willnot attempt to deal with that in myanswer.

My advice would be to stay put toface the new challenge. It would bethe responsible thing to do and if youdo well, all things being equal, youwill be recognised in due course.

Your bosses will appreciate yourmaturity as well. In my opinion, therisk of staying on is not high and willgive you a chance to get to knowyourself better and also know yourlimits and tolerance level.

In summary, always remember thatthings are never ideal in most organi-sations, and bosses may not alwayshave time to engage and explain theirevery decision or course of action. Thesame goes for the HR division.

Sometimes, change happens and

communication follows. Consultingbooks and textbooks will give you theideal solution but in reality, we mustembrace change, challenges and alsobe willing to be mobile in our careers.Managing your career is a “sharedresponsibility” and we must do ourbest to manage our own brand.

I hope this helps.

nancy s y siM-liM

Hi Hui Mei,The journey to grow, is muchlike the weather here - it comes

with sunny days and rainy ones– some you love and some you utterlydon’t!

As you grow in your professionalcareer, you will find that the cycle oflearning is such that you will have aseason of much joy and comfort withwhat’s familiar and another seasonwhere you may find change andlearning new things difficult, chal-lenging and sometimes a nuisance!This can sometimes be misconstruedas unhappiness.

I encourage you to take time tothink through the things you dislikemost about your current role/team.

There is a possibility of change anduncertainties as the team’s focus hasshifted. People who are change-ori-ented may welcome this with openarms. However, for those who findsafety in structure and plans, these

changes may rock their boat a littlemore.

Other possibilities could be theteam dynamics, rewards and beliefsin the job. You mentioned that youare not passionate about what yourcompany does and seem to dislikehow the management is handling thechanges.

If so, you may have to gather upcourage and start applying for a jobelsewhere. While the thought ofsomething new and unknown can bea little scary, ask yourself “what’s theworst that can happen?” There maybe some good factors arising from anew challenge and environment.

If you decide to stay on in theorganisation, I suggest to make thebest of it. Find a renewed reason ofmotivation and excitement for thejob.

Whichever you decide upon, finda friend whom you can confide in foradvice, support and encouragement.If you are uncomfortable with changeor the unknown, find friends who hadgone through these challenges suc-cessfully and let them share some tipswith you!

All the best!

elisa Dass aVin

n The opinions expressed are those ofthe authors and not necessarily thoseof Leaderonomics or myStarjob.com

Summary ofThe TippingPoint written byMalcolm Gladwell

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Delve into the realmof social mediaand careeropporunities in this line

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Pointers on how todine with confidenceduring a workmeeting

Also next week

WE have experts on careermanagment, HR and officeissues who will address yourquestions weekly. We referto them as careernomers– experts in career matterswho will help you in yourcareer journey. So if you haveburning questions, sendthem to dearcareernomers@leaderonomics.com and wewill get the panel to answerthem. This week, we haveDatin Nancy S Y Sim-Lim,senior vice-president andhead, human capital, GreatEastern Life Assurance (M)Bhd, and Elisa Dass Avin,head, talent assessment fromLeaderonomics to answer HuiMei’s question.

Dear careernoMers,I have been with the same company for

three years and have held the same role forjust over a year. I enjoyed it at first – lotsof travelling, interesting and challengingprojects, and good people to work with.

Over time, my new team changed itsfocus and got jerked around by manage-ment. I find myself disliking my job moreand more and know it’s just a matter oftime before I plan on leaving.

Somebody from another division ofthe company said if I was ever looking fora change, he has a position for me and Ijust have to let him know. I’d be doing thethings I like with people I have enjoyedworking with in the past. It would be morechallenging and would have better, long-term opportunities.

Here’s the kicker. I just moved cross-country less than three weeks ago, and thisopportunity would have me move back. I’mnot sure what to do – I’m a bit intimidatedto market my skills to other companies.

At the end of the day, I’m not passion-ate about what my company does, butthe best day of work I’ve had is doing thethings I would be doing every day if I takethis opportunity that is offered to me in theother division.

I need your advice.

Hui Mei