Focus, Situational Awareness & Office Politics
©GC Diaries

I received a new laptop and had started using it two days earlier. My day started off with a meeting to discuss a particular case which was on-going. In this meeting, I was quite impressed to see one of my colleagues swiping and zooming the slides from his touch screen laptop as he took us through the presentation.

"That's really cool, I wish I had one like that," I remarked silently. I told myself to focus and quickly ignored the distraction of the side show.

Later in the afternoon, my boss came over to my desk to discuss some things. As I tried to explain a particular figure on the spreadsheet infront of me, I accidentally touched my laptop's screen....the stuff on the screen moved!

We looked at each other and he asked, "Is your laptop touch screen?"

"It looks like it, I had no idea," I said.

"Oh man, how long have you been using this laptop? You need to improve on your situational awareness." He said and we laughed.

As I reflected on this incident, I wondered if he was actually right?

This took me through an interesting journey that has to taught me a few things about myself and life.

I am that guy who can walk in the office, seat on my desk and only stand up when I leave at the end of the day.

I can talk to someone, a few people or no one at all - I am fine and confident in my own skin.

I am generally not in the habit of "loitering", joining conversations I am not invited into nor looking to be the guy that win the silent popularity contest.

I can visit a new town for a few days and spent the entire weekend in my hotel room...at peace with myself - reading a book, writing or catching up with family on the phone.

I can use the same road to go to work everyday throughout the year....infact, make that 7yrs.

If you pass through my desk and invite me to join you for coffee downstairs; I was "busy."

Yes, boring but I believe in habits.

My effectiveness and success (or lack of it) to this day has largely been grounded in identifying the key drivers of success and breaking them down into daily habits.

So in many ways, I believe I am focused - it has been a tool for my effectiveness but also a shield against many hazards.

Through this incident though, I actually realised that my strength was also my weakness.

The pursuit of focus had some unintended consequences and came at the expense of my situational awareness.

When I opened my laptop that day, all I wanted to do was work...I had no time fooling around touching the screen and starring at each blinking light.

I was not going to get caught up in distractions...or were they?

I was self-aware but hardly as situationally aware as I ought to have been.

It seems like the more focused I was, the less situationally aware I became.

Perhaps, it is worth it to fool around and touch the screen sometimes.

Perhaps, it is worth it to take a different route once in a while.

Perhaps, it is worth it to leave the house without knowing where you are going.

Perhaps, it is worth it to walk into a bookshop saying I am going to buy the 7th book on the top row of the 3rd shelf under the second section - whatever it is about.

Perhaps, it is worth it to seek and strike a conversation with someone we have never spoken to every 3 days.

Perhaps, it is worth it to have coffee, a drink or lunch "downstairs".

Don't gossip, but it may be woth it to occassionlly say good morning to the gossiper.

All these things are not distractions as such, but opportunities to improve our situational awareness. They can enrich our world view and help us to effectively focus on the one thing we must do.

Over time, I was forgetting what my basketball coach taught me:

In defense, we must focus on making sure the opponents don't score.

We do that by making sure that at any point, you know where the ball is, where your man is, where the ring is and you are between the ring and your man》situational awareness.

Most of us hate politics at work, but maybe because we perceive it to be politics and a distraction.

Indeed, it can certainly be toxic.

However, changing our perceptions can change our attitudes.

I have learnt that some of what I thought was office politics, were just opportunities to raise my self-awareness and improve my effectiveness on the task I needed to focus on.

I need not play politics but situational awareness was a pre-requisite for my effectiveness - I needed to master the difference.

Minding my own business took a different meaning....it also means keeping an eye on anyone's business that might affect mine.

©GC Diaries

The One Question We Must Answer, Daily!
©GC Diaries

Life can be demanding.
It has so many difficult asks.

It's easy to forget what we ask of it.

I have heard that the quality of your life is determined by the quality of your questions.

So in search of answers, I flipped the script.

Instead, I took some time to think about the most important question I was ever asked in my whole life.

Surprisingly, it was not from an interview, whose job finances our livelihoods.

Nor was it from an exam paper set by a very wise Professor with thick glasses.

This question, it turns out, was asked by my first grade (Grade 1) teacher in primary school....at a sugar plantation town called Triangle, Zimbabwe.

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO WHEN YOU GROW UP?

I may not recall my answer then, but everyday, it is the question I want to ask myself.

The one question I must answer, daily.

It is a question that calls me to dream,
To open my eyes and see potential/possibilities beyond now's shortcomings and limitations.
To ignite that aspirational flame of a better me and a better tomorrow.
To challenge today
To choose to live and act with passion and intent
To answer my destiny and respond to the devine call on my life.

Because I may be here now,
A few kilos overweight,
A few tears on my cheeks & blood on my nose,
A few scars from past mistakes,
A little worn out by battles in the trenches,
A few empty seats in my heart,
and
A few dollars short.

But when I ask myself this question.
The future rolls a red carpet in front of me,
Inviting me to have a glimpse of bright possibilities that lie ahead,
Inspiring me to use my rock bottom as the solid foundation of my success.
A call for renewed vigour and action.

For tomorrow gives us all a chance for a new beginning,
A new choice,
A new thinking,
A new path,
Towards what we want to be when we grow up.

This question,
I ask myself everyday....in my quiet time.

It forces me to ask again, yet another question:
Is what I am doing now,
The way I am living now,
Will it take me there?
To that person I want to become and that place I want to be,
...tomorrow, next week, month, year or decade.

Because it is so true
That what you become when you grow up,
Is determined by what you do when you wake up.

To grow and keep growing,
You have to keep asking:

WHAT DO I WANT TO DO WHEN I GROW UP?

 ©GC Diaries

Great Leaders Don't Speak ((sometimes))
-  ©GC Diaries

Since I am away from home, one of the things I look forward to in my day is that call home. Its always good to catch up with the children; their ups and downs are a unique opportunity to share their excitement and cheer them on, but also to encourage and reassure them of their greatness despite some grey spots in their day.

Yesterday, I learnt that Eliecia (7) had a group activity at school. She was a bit upset that she never got a chance to speak even though she thought she had brilliant ideas. As a result, she thought she deserved more marks than she was awarded. I must say she is one creative, thoughtful and smart minds her age - okay, I am her dad and am allowed to be biased.

As I looked out through the window of my hotel room to search the stars above the impressive Dubai skyline, it bothered me that my impressive girl's star had not been given a chance to shine.

What do I tell her?

Was she supposed to join the battle of voices and shout to be heard?

Was she supposed to stop paying attention to her peers and focus on creating space for her thoughts?

Was she supposed to be rude and interrupt other group mates just to show how brilliant she was?

Was she supposed to trade her tenderness and considerate attitude for aggression?

I thought about this. I actually slept over it.

Upon reflection, I realised that this group dynamics challenge persist through to adulthood.

As it happens in  classrooms, we see it in boardrooms.
You sit there and see people "fighting" for a chance to speak in a meeting.
You observe a few people dominating a conversation between themselves and not giving others a chance to contribute.

This challenge is even compounded by cultural differences that may exist within the team.

More importantly, there is a temptation within organisations and institutions to believe that people who speak more, faster, louder, smoothly and have an opinion on everything are more knowledgeable than the person who is decent enough to give others a chance to speak up, sober enough to listen to alternative views and thoughtful enough to sit quietly.

Their brilliant ideas suffocate in the boardrooms and only find space in the quiet safety of bedrooms, corridors and the playground - what a waste!!

It is a mistake, unfair even, to think that this special class of people has no valuable views to offer.

It is a mistake, unfair even, to judge this special class of people without giving them a chance.

We have heard that great leaders speak last. They listen to everyone's opinion, try to understand other people's views and integrate them into their own to formulate a richer perspective of the dynamics playing out in a situation.

This is true, but we have forgotten that this is hard to do.
One has to learn and put in years of practice to master this art and skill.

This is true, but we have forgotten that, like all learning, there are risks on this path.
The biggest risk is that while you are listening to others, the meeting actually ends without your full contributions having been heard.

So my daughter, is a great leader who has just started to learn, practice and develop her leadership role at an early age.

She has a gift of creativity and thoughtfulness which no "voice crowding" can take away.

She is very talented with the ability to listen, not only to the words but the feelings of other people.

She is a great leader in the making and she must enjoy the journey.

When she gets there, she must also realise that great leaders, give everyone in the room a chance to be heard.

Great leaders don't speak, sometimes.
It might seem unfair but that is her unfair advantage - the leadership advantage.

She already has the leadership attributes that are hardest to acquire, and we have a strong base to build on.

This is exactly what I will tell my daughter...and I will learn with her and from her!

 ©GC Diaries

The Great Opportunity of Great Shortcomings

- ©GC Diaries

It was in an internal memo of 1876 that the Western Union said that; "The Telephone has too many shortcomings and it inherently has no value to us."

Fast forward to the 20th and 21st century, the telephone (esp. the mobile flavour) has become a key part of our lives - economically, socially and otherwise.

They saw Great Shortcomings and missed the Great Opportunity.

Many times in our lives, we complain about lack of opportunities - in business, career and elsewhere.

We are frustrated by the lack of our own progress and are experts in spotting why something will not work.

We are reluctant and suspicious of stretching beyond our comfort zone because we see GREAT Shortcomings.

We keep our hands down, instead of standing up to be counted.

I remember the first day I held a basketball in my hand....it was this big, heavy thing which I couldn't throw far/high enough to reach the hoop.

It was easy for me to see the great shortcomings and join others at the terraces - missing the great opportunity to enjoy this wonderful game that has created many fond memories and taught me so much about life.

I remember the first time I rode a bicycle....I collided into the wall, fell, bruised my knee and cried.

It was easy to see the great shortcomings and miss the great opportunity of fun, exercise and transportation.

I remember my first international consulting assignment...it was to spend 6 months in a country better known for its war and conflict.

To break out and break in, I had to go where others were not willing to go - where they saw Great Shortcomings, I had to see Great Opportunities.

Sometimes it just takes your willingness to say "YES", to give your career a leap - inspite of the discomfort.

Sometimes it just takes your willingness to try out a new business idea, to build an empire - inspite of the challenges.

Sometimes it just takes a small seed of faith, to move a mountain, inspite of its size.

Great Opportunities and Great Shortcomings are two sides of the same coin;

Where one exists, the other resides.

Flip the coin and begin to see value where others see no value.
Flip the coin and begin to see solutions where others see problems.
Flip the coin and begin to see possibilities where others see impossibilities.

Often we see the shortcomings and run away.
We ought to sober up a little, man/woman-up a little and run to them.
Let's see the Great Shortcomings for what they really are - Great Opportunities.

True, we need courage and boldness.
True, we will be bruised and even fail.
True, it will be painful.
And true, we will experience some shortcomings.

But you must remember that shortcomings come for a short time.
Like a speed bump, they may slow you down but can not stop you.
Soon, you will be on the straight and wide.
Exploiting and enjoying the fruit of the Great Opportunities.

They will hear about you.
They will read about you.
They will watch you.
Their lives will be changed by you.

One day, they will ask you.
How did you do it?
And please, answer them honestly.

That you sought to challenge the challenges.
That you knew that discomfort was the door and the ticket to your comfort.
That you saw a Great Shortcoming and pursued it.
You flipped the coin and grabbed the Great Opportunity!

"Greatness is built on the mountain of Great Shortcomings."

Because Great Shortcomings ARE Great Opportunities!

©GC Diaries

Your Life, Your Rubik Cube!

©GC Diaries

This, Ladies & Gentlemen, is LIFE!

With its six sides of:
-family (& friends),
- work,
- health,
- wealth,
- growth and
- the relationship with your maker;

Our starting points may differ.
Our journeys may differ.
Yet we all seek the same things:
- joy & happiness
- achievement & fulfillment
- impact that makes a difference and
- to have each piece in the right place

It can be tough,
To get all the pieces in their right place.
Some make it (for a while);
Faster than others, perhaps.
But others never make the balance.
The puzzle, forever puzzling us.

Does that mean its not worth it?
Does that mean we must give up?

Well, the most important thing;
Is to TRY & KEEP TRYING.
You don't have much choice, do you?

"You cannot wait for the storm to pass;
You must learn to dance in the rain."

Life is not the result,
Its the journey to the result.

Afterall, all life results in death.
Enjoy every moment & make the most of it.

Its your Life, Your Rubik Cube.
Enjoy the Puzzle.

©GC Diaries