Take-Off Value (TOV) Calculation for Mentor-Mentee

Bengkel Akademik di De'Palma pada 12-14/8/11 telah bersetuju untuk menggunakan formula berikut (wbp urusetia belum keluarkan minit hasil bengkel secara brtulis) :

Lima (5) subjek2 SPM utk pengiraan TOV adalah brbeza2 brgantung kpd BIDANG prg yg diikuti spt berikut ... :

ENGINEERING (English, Mod Math, Add Math, Chem, Physics)
ACCOUNTING/COMPUTING (Math, English, BM + 2 others)
CORP COMM n TESL (English For ST, English (+3 others)
BUS n MGT (Any top 5 credits)

Actually ada bbrapa cara utk mengira TOV, ini satu daripada nya ..

• Ambil / pilih 5 subjek terbaik dalam keputusan SPM pelajar tersebut. Perlu ambil numerical result setiap subjek. Contohnya A1 kita ambil 1, C4 kita ambil 4, P7 kita ambil 7, F9 atau Gagal kita ambil 9.
• Kemudian tolakkan nilai numerical result ini dari nombor 9. Kalau A1, maknanya 9-1=8; kalau C4 maknanya 9-4=5
• Jumlahkan kelima-lima nilai dari hasil tolakan dari 9 tadi. Kalau semua 5 subjek terbaik adalah A1, maka kita akan jumlahkan 8 (yg dperolehi drp 9-1) sebanyak 5 kali atau 8+8+8+8+8=40. Bermakna 40 adalah highest possible total. Kemudian markah 40 ini akan di transform menjadi 4.00. Mathematically senang jer…bahagi dengan nilai 10 jer…maka itulah TOV pelajar tersebut.

Contoh :
Jika 5 subjek terbaik SPM bagi si Yusop adalah A2, C3, C3, C6, P7. Maka ..

· Numerical values yang diambilkira adalah 2, 3, 3, 6, 7
· Setelah tolak each number from 9, kita dapat 7, 6, 6, 3, 2
· Campur kelima2 nombor ini: 7+6+6+3+2=24
· Bahagi jumlah ini dengan 10, kita akan dapat 24/10=2.40

Maka TOV bagi si Yusop adalah 2.40 ! Senang jer kan ? Selamat mncuba .. ;)

Problems Faced By Employers In Hiring Fresh Graduates

I got this stats from NST (10 Jul 09). The survey was conducted by Jobstreet.com. Saja nak kongsi ... Lu pikir lah sendiri ;)

55.8% Poor command of English
37.4% Poor character, attitude or personality
33.0% Asking for unrealistic salary / benefits
30.2% Mismatch of skill
27.7% Choosy in job or company
25.9% No demonstrated ability to solve problems
23.8% Skill knowledge not in depth enough
15.6% No suitable operning available
14.4% Ill prepared for job interview
13.2% Poor general knowledge
7.8% Little or no interest in job applied
2.2% Graduated from lesser known university
1.9% Unemployed for too long
1.3% Female graduates less suitable
1.1% Poor command of Mandarin
0.7% Poor command of Malay (BM)
7.9% Other reasons

In the same article, MEF (Malaysian Employers Federation) cited examples such as :

a) Out of 10 unemployed graduates, 7 have communication problems.

b) At a recent job opening for call centers, only 8 out of 80 applicants were selected as the others had fared badly in English.

So camner tuh ?

ENHANCE STAFF PRODUCTIVITY BY PROMOTING THEIR STRENGTHS

Many bosses spend too much time trying to change employees under their charge who are under-performing. They believe that they can change an employee to improve on his performance by simply giving him additional training or sometime even give them a threat of dismissal !

Any successful boss normally concentrates on developing the strengths of his/her team members, and not trying to correct their weaknesses ! Sometimes you have to work round a weakness, but you cannot change people into what they are not ! No matter how much force you exert on them ...

If you have a staff on your team who is not performing, not giving cooperation, creating problems or not reaching the KPI quota, then you have to decide on what to do with him. You can't just close one eye hoping for it to settle by itself.

An employee may try to convince his boss all out, of his capabilities because he is unwilling to accept defeat, but many people are in the wrong jobs and industries. Bosses should ask these questions: Is this person not producing results because he does not have the ability, or can that be resolved with more training? Or is there another reason behind his poor performance?

It is important to recognize that the individual simply cannot do the job. So what you can do in this situation is to assign him duties in areas where he can produce better results. If that does not help, then as last resort, get him out of your team.

Sometimes bosses have to accept the fact that some employees simply do not have the cut, skills or the characteristics to do the job. No amount of training, motivation or pep talk can change that. In my past managerial experiences, I often find that these people are dissatisfied with their jobs and are more than happy to be transferred.

If you are faced with this dilemma, this may not be easy to solve. But as a manager, you need to address these issues immediately for the good of the team and the organization.

It is vital to give your staff feedback on their strengths and their weaknesses. However, these should only be weaknesses that you know the individual can do something to improve it.

Do not waste your time and effort trying to work on weaknesses that cannot be sorted out. Accepting the fact that some people just cannot build relationships with customers or cannot work as fast as they are required, may be better in the long run.

To be productive, provide your staff feedback on their strengths and how they can develop or enhance that even further. Many bosses spend most of their time with team members trying to resolve their weaknesses and have little time to point out their strengths, which to me is more critical actually !

HIRE for ATTITUDE, TRAIN for SKILL

Two weeks ago I had the opportunity to be involved as trainers for two consecutive sessions of staff induction program involving roughly 100 new KPTM employees – both academic and non-academic. It was held at Legend Resort Cherating Pahang and Nur Lembah Pangsun Ulu Langat respectively.

Our team was given the task to handle the motivation modules and management games activities to instill spirit of teamwork, promoting feelings of belonging, positive work culture and loyalty to the organization.

Throughout the sessions with the participants, I realized how crucial it is for organizations to recruit people with the right personality and thus the right attitude towards work. Skills can be trained, but attitude is either you have it or you don’t. That's why most people say that SUCCESS = 90% ATTITUDE + 10% APTITUDE.

From own experience, it’s actually not impossible to find satisfaction in our daily work. The most satisfied people are those who understand their purpose in life, and have positive, open attitudes about whatever they set out to do.

Surveys by researchers found common traits among people who love their jobs. They all have the “right” work attitude that enhances their job enjoyment, and ultimately increase effectiveness and productivity. The following are recipe for cultivating JOYFUL JOBS :

BE ENTHUSIASTIC

You can know how enthusiastic you are about your work by looking at your use of the work hours, or by how often you’re absent or late. Many people dislike what they’re doing, so they make the hours go by with endless meetings, coffee breaks, lunches and daydreaming.

Our sense of personal worth is closely connected to a feeling that we are accomplishing something purposeful with our lives. See how we can best deliver on an assigned task, concentrating on the skills-development and how our existing abilities are being enhanced in the process.

By this, you are reinforcing your worth as a valuable employee. Since enthusiasm is contagious, it rubs off on your colleagues as well.

BE FOCUSED

Stay focused in every aspect of work, such as how we treat our customers, how we respond to the boss, how we relate with colleagues, how we handle company property, and especially how we deal with everyday “irritations”, and see these as opportunities to make a difference in our workplace.

Choose to be whatever we are now. If you’re an academician, really cherish your students. If you’re a manager, diligently manage your team. Work responsibly and be conscious of the task at hand. You’ll reap personal satisfaction, and not only be happier but get more done, too.

BE POSITIVE

Get rid of any mental block and give your job a chance. How many of us have unconsciously created negative attitudes about our work by verbally belittling or running-down our own tasks, bosses and colleagues ?

The trouble with this is that it can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. When we keep complaining about our jobs, for real or imagined reasons, we soon start to believe it. It would be much better if we speak positively about our personal enjoyment of our work. Stop badmouthing your own job !

BE PATIENT

Patience and hard work go hand in hand. Our natural instinct is always to run away from stressful situations, which makes us end up hating our jobs. Accepting job stress as part of working life is therefore the first step to overcoming it.

It helps to see problem situations as opportunities to get better at what we do. Our confidence grows when we are able to manage situations which initially seem uncontrollable.

Also, facing hardship, challenges and persevering through difficult times builds character. By developing patience, and looking for solutions rather than scapegoats or someone to blame, we become an asset to our organization.

BE CREATIVE

If you’re bogged down by mundane routines, and your scope of work is basically repetitious, then you have to set new limits – try looking at them from different perspectives. See each repeat or routine task as an opportunity to try something different and find better and more efficient ways of doing it.

For instance, if you’re a secretary, check if there’s a better way of organizing your filing system. If you’re in marketing, think out of the box and look for new ways and approach to position your product to new and existing customers. As you complete each task, you’ll boost your sense of accomplishment, and this will motivate you to do more and more.

BE BALANCED

More than half of our waking hours are spent working, but that doesn’t mean we should let it take over our lives. If our motivations are purely making more money, gaining more power, getting the praise of our boss, or outdoing our colleagues, then we’re a high risk for becoming a workaholic.

The fact is, people who assign top priority to their work will eventually lose out on the real meaning of life. We risk burn-out if we fail to see work as only one of the many important components of healthy living.

While work is necessary for survival, it should not either be overdone or ignored, but balanced with personal, family and community time. Set limits to avoid work-time eating into other areas or sapping your emotional energy.

Keep family appointments just as we would for clients. As we do this, our lives become more complete, more purposeful, more meaningful, and definitely more satisfying.

Having the right attitudes in mind can make our jobs more joyful. Being happy or fulfilled with our job is not up to our company or boss, but actually it’s our choice.

B UR OWN LABEL = POYO ?

It was about middle of last year when my colleagues and I were involved as trainers to a group of college student facilitators at Kem Rebutia (somewhere in Gombak area). Participants and trainers were clowning around during a group photo shoot at the closing ceremony when suddenly one of my female colleagues exclaimed, "Tn Hj, you ni POYO lah !"

I was taken aback and curious as this was the first time I ever heard the word "poyo". So I asked her what does she means by POYO ?

She gave me quite a lengthy explanation, but at the end I still couldn't figure out what exactly "poyo" means. Then finally she said to me, "POYO is YOU. YOU are POYO !" Lagi lah I tak paham ...

And today, after "looking at the mirror" many-many times, I thiiink I now know what "poyo" means. But I still cannot define it with one word. The followings are what I think what POYO is ...

Firstly, it is about having an extra edge by just being your own self. It is about being your own LABEL. It’s about being happy and accepting you as you are. As-is-where-is-basis or stock and barrel kind of thing.

Accepting both plus and minus, good or bad about yourself, and of course always projecting the good and positive ones. Always looking at the glass as half full, rather than half empty.

It’s about being honest and confident with yourself. Having guts (keberanian), grits (ketabahan) and gumption (kecerdikan) to do things you feel strongly about. Never having to hold any punches. Shoot from the hip - just like the cowboys do. Dare to criticize, even your own leaders, especially when they do wrong.

It’s about not afraid of taking the path less traveled. Dare to be different. Dare to be criticized. Dare to fail. It’s about being adventurous, enthusiastic and always on the lookout to try new things, new approach.

Poyos don’t just play the game, but compete to win. Accepting that win or lose is part of the game, so it doesn’t matter if they lose, but at least they strive to win and be the best.

And of course, to be your own label, you never rely on others to motivate you. You're a self-motivator. You motivates yourself. You don't need others to motivate you. If you are not given the opportunity, you creates them ! You always look at the positive side of things.

“I will not say I failed 1000 times, instead I will say that I discovered there are 1000 ways that can cause failure.” (Thomas Edison)

It is also about “shameless marketing” - that is by turning yourselves into brand names. You become the benchmark. Poyos are people who are very comfortable talking about themselves – but of course, in a way that doesn’t put people off. They have the ability to communicate “who they are and what they bring to the table, unashamedly.”

Frankly, how comfortable are you about talking about yourself? Can you talk about yourself, sharing your skills and abilities? Can you say with confidence: “I am the best candidate for the job?” Of course, people may say that you're "POYO" if you say that, but who cares?

Imagine that you have a reputation so strong that the people / marketplace comes to you. It recognizes your personal value and will seeks you out for your unique talents and accomplishments that you have.

Poyos don't just add years to their life, but they add life to the years ! - thus making their years lively and colorful.

Imagine standing apart from your peers, confidently expressing your distinctiveness as a leader and human being. You're always the leader of the pack, no matter how small the pack is. People look at you as a catalyst. People gets excited and motivated when you're around.

Be your own label is a personal branding strategy that allows you to shape (or reshape) how others perceive you, create visibility and drive demand for your services. It is about letting the people around you know exactly what you stand for.

Your brand synthesizes your image themes and accomplishments as well as your personal attributes that conveys who you really are. It is based on your authenticity – and held in the hearts and minds of those around you.

Every one of us needs a personal brand. What more when you are working in the corporate "dog-eat-dog" world. You need to stand out from the crowd. To thrive, you need to manage your career with the same mentality that you bring to your business initiatives. A personal brand is an integral part of career management.

And even if you are already happy with where you are, and have no plans to “move up and out”, your brand is the insurance that you won’t fade away.

Personally I think all of us have a bit of "poyo-ness" inside us. It's just a matter of how much. Some of us may be at beginner level (POYO 101), intermediate level (POYO 201) or an advanced level (POYO 301). So which level of poyo do you think you belong to ?

In fact, think of it this way, after all of those years of hard work and accomplishment, you owe yourself a compelling personal brand. You deserve to be a poyo. So ladies and gentlemen, the ball is now in your court... ;)

AGREE TO DISAGREE

In any arguments people will normally be willing to do just anything or whatever necessary to get their messages across, trying to get others agree and concur with them. 

Sometimes they may get successful and sometimes not.   We may have heard this saying before. “No two persons are exactly identical. No two minds think alike. Not even identical twins. Differences are bound to exist.” 

And that’s actually what make each one of us special !   But what happens when another person does not share our views? Can we agree to disagree? Is it the end when both sides cannot agree? What happens next? Do we just walk out?   

Many times this phrase was used to end an argument. Sometimes, no matter how heated that argument might be, when a person says “Let’s agree to disagree” we see voices and aggressiveness immediately tone down.   

I have seen numerous examples of the effectiveness of “agree to disagree” in debates, meetings, discussions, gatherings and so on. It’s something like an agreement for a win-win situation. Actually, when people on opposing sides can accept each other with different views, then both sides win.   

Personally, I feel that if the issue is not a halal-and-haram or life-and-death matter then we should go ahead carry the attitude of agreeing to disagree. Some people call this sportsmanship or being sporting. But of course, there will be people who may agree and disagree with me.   

It is hoped that one day we can look into each other’s eyes and discuss matters with a high level of maturity without feeling offended. The saying of “do unto others what you want others do unto you” always helps me.

We can argue and disagree but we can shake hands after that.   Well, we are destined to live and work with one another. We are citizens of the same country... and the same planet earth! Why choose to make life difficult? Be merry and thankful that we have people around us who argue with us to make life more interesting.   Can you imagine a life without argument?  

(Original article : “Can we all just agree to disagree?” by Andrew Yap – The Star 18 July 2008)

A GOOD ATTITUDE MAKES A GOOD JOB

Everyone wants a good job. But exactly what is it, that makes one job good and another job not so good ? Comedian Sam Levenson once said,

“When my immigrant father came here from the old country, he found out three things; that the streets were not paved with gold; that most of the streets were not even paved; and that he had to help pave them.”

We would all like to have big, glamorous, important jobs. What we find when we get one, however, is that it is full of mundane details and isn’t so glamorous after all. It can even get downright boring and frustrating some days. We have to do many things we really don’t want to do. We have to deal with many people with all sorts of profiles and personalities. But we forget that small, dull, routine jobs can sometimes be important.

Couple of years ago when I was complaining about being stuck in a “bad job", I received some good advice from one close relative. She suggested that if I couldn’t find a job I liked, I should concentrate on what I liked in the job I already had. She went on to say that my attitude flavored the way I looked at my job.

She was right. Attitude is important. A good attitude can make a good job. A poor attitude can turn even the best job sour. In almost any job, there is usually an element of excitement involved; whether or not we find that excitement actually depends on our attitude.

Here are four thoughts to help you maintain a “good job” attitude :

• Think about who or what benefits by what you do. Even if you’re only a small part in a major operation, remember that each and every one of us has an important link – and that makes you important.
• Comfort is a deadly trap. History teaches us that soft living leads to a decline as most satisfied people don’t push for change or growth. Struggle produces progress. Think about how you could improve what you’re doing. Striving to meet a challenge can add excitement to any job.
• Find something to get excited about. Something to look forward to. Something to dream about. Something to devote your life to.
• Keep telling yourself that you can do it. Be positive and stay away from cynics, whiners and complainers. They’re not going anywhere – you are ! If you keep telling yourself that you can do it, you probably will. Don’t let anyone tell you not to give your dreams a second thought. Aim to soar with the eagles !

All in all, your job can be wonderful or miserable. The difference is really up to you - as it’s all in your attitude. Wallahu'lam.

Developing SELF CONFIDENCE

It is a well known fact that the happiest and most successful people always see themselves as winners or champions and maintain an optimistic and positive outlook as they move toward their goals.

On the other hand, unhappy and unsuccessful people often have a pessimistic outlook on life. They lack confidence and have a deep rooted belief that they cannot do much or do it well. They do not realize they are advertising themselves as losers.

Developing self-confidence and a winning mindset will put you on the path to success in whatever you do. Of course, confidence in you doesn’t come easy – you’ve got to built it up gradually, one success at a time.

Of course, some people can fake confidence, in fact they may need to at first. That's okay. But real self-confidence comes from a history of small victories and accomplishments that add up to a sense that you can handle yourself well in almost every situations.

Self-confidence is knowing that you have the "capability" to function reasonably well in the world. In other words, you can’t be confident if you’re fearful or easily intimidated.

Here’s an exercise: Take an inventory of the major accomplishments you have achieved over the past few years. Then remind yourself of the minor ones too. Counting your blessings and victories will build your confidence - no matter how small or trivial they are.

What about the computer course you completed? Have you built anything by yourself that’s still standing? What about those kids you’re raising? That’s an accomplishment too. It is from these "minor" successes that motivates you to do more and better everytime. You have to start somewhere.

Don’t be modest. Tell the truth about how hard you worked, what sacrifices you’ve made. If you can’t think of any, then begin by congratulating yourself for living as long as you have. Sheer survival is an accomplishment these days.

Find ways to reward yourself, even small ones, for reaching your goals and for taking better care of yourself. Treat or reward yourself to something you like most, may be a new pair of jeans or an ice-cream sundae?

Ask what is unique about youself ? What skills do you bring to your family/home, organization or project that you can count on? What is it that you can do better than others ?

So the next time you want to develop your SELF-CONFIDENCE, start by first APPRECIATING YOUR STRENGTHS - no matter how small or trivial they are. Seriously, it pays to take the time to know your strengths and appreciate them. That is the only path to developing self-confidence.

What To Do When You're Over 50

Today I'm "JUST" 49, and insyaAllah will hit 50 come next March 2009. But I'm already anticipating on what to do when I finally "hit 50" ...

The following are some of the advices I got from books and friends - just thought of sharing with others especially those in the same age category with me ... hehehh :)

ACT AND BEHAVE YOUR AGE
Face and accept the reality of getting old, its consequences, and the limitations which growing old brings. Stop fooling yourself by trying to look like you were in your youth.

MOVE ON
Focus on enjoying people and not on indulging in or accumulating material things. Enjoy life, go to new places and meet new people. Do the things you have always wanted to do but was unable to do so. Follow your dream and your hearts’ desire.

PLAN TO SPEND WHATEVER YOU HAVE SAVED
You deserve to enjoy it and the few healthy years you have left. Travel if you can afford it. Don’t leave anything for your children or loved ones to quarrel about. By leaving anything, you may cause even more trouble when you are gone.

LIVE IN THE PRESENT
Live in the here and now, not in the yesterdays and tomorrows. It is only today that you can handle. Yesterday is gone, tomorrow may not even happen.

ACCEPT YOUR HEALTH
Enjoy whatever your health can allow. Accept your physical weakness, limitations, sickness and other physical pains. It is a part of the ageing process.

LOVE YOURSELF
Accept yourself for what and who you are. People, who truly love you, love you for yourself and not for what you have or for what you can give them. Anyone who loves you for what you have will just give you misery.

RETIRE
Enjoy what you are and what you have right now. Stop working hard for what you do not have. If you do not have them, it’s probably too late or not meant for you.

SPOIL YOUR GRANDCHILDREN
Enjoy and spoil your grandchildren (if you are blessed with any), but don’t be their full time babysitter. You have no moral obligation to take care of them. Don’t have any guilt feelings about refusing to baby sit anyone’s kids, including your own grandkids.

Your parental obligation is to your children. After you have raised them into responsible adults, your duties of child-rearing and babysitting are finished. Let your children raise their own offspring.

FORGIVE AND FORGET
Forgive and forget all those who have wronged you. Forgive yourself and others. Forget the slights, hurts, and misfortunes of yesterday. Look towards the future. Enjoy peace of mind and soul.

BEFRIEND DEATH
Don’t be afraid of death. It’s a natural part of our life cycle. Death is the beginning of a new and better life. So, prepare yourself not for death, but for a new life… Life in the Hereafter !

How To Stay YOUNG

1. Throw out non-essential numbers. This includes age, weight and height. Let the doctors worry about them. That is what you pay "them" for !
2. Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down.
3. Keep learning. Learn more about the Quran, computer, crafts, gardening, whatever. Learn a new skill or a new language. Never let the brain idle. "An idle mind is the devil's workshop." And the devil's name is Alzheimer's.
4. Enjoy nature and the simple things in life. Go trekking and camping once in a while.
5. Laugh often, especially at your own faults & mistakes. Laugh until you gasp for breath ... so to speak.
6. The tears happen. Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person, who is with us our entire life, is ourselves. Be ALIVE while you are alive.
7. Surround yourself with what you love, whether it's family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever. Your home is your refuge.
8. Cherish your health: If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.
9 Don't take guilt trips. Take a trip to the mall, or even to the next kampong, state or county; to a foreign country but NOT to where the guilt is.
10. Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity.
11. If you're not given the opportunity, create them.
12. Don't just add years to your life, but add LIFE to those years.

= AND ALWAYS REMEMBER =

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

And if you don't send this to at least 8 people - who cares? But do share this with someone. We all need to live life to its fullest each day!!

IDENTIFYING LIARS

HOW TO TELL WHEN SOMEONE IS LYING ? ANY CLUES ?

Experts say we all lie more that we realize. Furthermore, the more often we tell the same lie, the more we forget that it is a lie. If we repeat it enough, we may even believe that the lie is actually the truth !

Also, the more we tell a particular lie, the better we get at it. A lie is easiest to detect the first time it is told. When we lie, our behavior changes, and normally it is at odds or conflicting with our words. This is true for both spontaneous and prepared lies.

According to the experts who study lying, there are several clues to watch for to determine if someone is lying to you.

FIRST

When someone is telling a prepared lie, they often give unusually brief answers or answer too quickly. Their responses may sound rehearsed. After responding they may nod their head, scratch their body, or rub their hands together.

SECOND

Spontaneous liars also give very brief answers, pause much more than usual, and avoid any discussion of details. They make lots of false starts and reverse direction in their responses. They also make more grammatical errors and use broad terms like “all” and “always.”

It would be very useful to know if and when someone is lying, especially when our work is dealing with people – be it as an administrator or as a lecturer.

MENTOR-MENTEE : how to ?

In most educational institutions today, each new student will be assigned an advisor or mentor who is normally an academic faculty that will help in advising and guiding them on matters pertaining to academic programs through out their stay at college or university.

Similarly in big organizations, a more experienced worker (the mentor) may help the new and less experienced colleague (the mentee) to

• Become more skilled at his/her work
• And/or become more knowledgeable about the organization
• And/or become more effective in setting appropriate career goals.

Sometimes, especially in big corporations, such assistance is formally planned, organized, and supported by the employing company. But more often it takes place on an informal basis.

Regardless of the degree of formality, mentoring almost always involves a more experienced employee (mentor) helping a less experienced employee (mentee) to develop. The relationship between the two workers is a helping relationship and involves the playing of various roles between them.

If you are going to be a mentor, you may prefer to play any one or all of the following mentoring roles. You may assume these as guidelines :

AS AN ADVISOR
Help mentee set and achieve career goals. How ?
Help mentee clarify career interests, competencies and values.
Assist the mentee in setting specific career goals.
Jointly develop strategies for achieving career objectives.

AS A COACH
Help mentee meet job performance norms. How ?
Model exemplary work outputs.
Share effective and efficient performance practices.
Provide feedback regarding the mentee’s job performance

AS AN EXPLAINER
Provide mentee information on policies and procedures. How ?
Inform mentee on the nature of the organization’s culture.
Tutor mentee on how to get things done in the organization.
Assist mentee with routine paper work and procedures.

AS A PROTECTOR
Help mentee avoid costly career mistakes. How ?
Point out things that might reflect negatively on mentee.
Maintain good relationship with mentee and his/her immediate superior.
Agree to a no-fault and win-win conclusion of mentoring relationship.

AS A SPONSOR
Help mentee secure positions and assignments. How ?
Make introductions to influential people in the organization
Make recommendations for assignments and advancement.
Publicly praise the mentee’s accomplishments and abilities.

AS A VALIDATOR
Provide mentee psychological support during transition. How ?
Make mentee feel welcome and a part of the organization.
Serve as a confidant, offering reassurances and encouragement.
Assist the mentee in resolving crisis situations.

Conclusion : COMMON UNDERSTANDING IS IMPORTANT
Important to determine the congruence or similarity between the mentoring roles a mentor most prefer to perform, and the mentoring roles a mentee most prefers their mentor to perform. A common understanding on the expectations from both sides will ensure success and effectiveness of the program.

MENTORING - not for everyone

A BRIEF HISTORY OF MENTORING
It all started in the 19th century when a Greek warrior named Odysseus went to war and left his son Telemachus with a man named Mentor to get guidance and education from him. Mentor was a person of trust, responsible and intelligent who acted as an advisor and guru. Among the popular mentor-mentee are Socrates-Plato, Plato-Aristotle, Aristotle-AlexanderTheGreat, … and in our local scenario MNasir-Mawi !

WHY HAVE A MENTORING PROGRAM ?
A mentoring program develops and protects your most valuable asset, your people. Compared to physical and financial assets, exceptional people are harder to replace. Mentoring promotes cohesion between the senior and junior personnel, thus ensuring company solidarity at all levels.

Perhaps one of the biggest values in mentoring is the transfer of tacit knowledge which cannot be written or stored. Mentoring is the only vehicle in which the experience and knowledge in the heart and mind of a senior manager can be passed to the junior manager effectively. It is a way of keeping alive the invaluable spirit and style of work, even after the flag bearers retire.

Mentors impart not only knowledge but a sense of care and guardianship toward their mentees. The one-on-one time and guidance given to mentees ensure that talented employees get the attention they deserve and are groomed, promoting a feeling of security in the ranks. High performing mentees will see that they are progressing in the right direction and sense real personal growth in the company, resulting in low turn over of high performers.

WHO SHOULD YOU MENTOR ?
A good mentoring program must have an organized process of selecting individuals who should be mentored. Some examples of people who should be mentored (or you risk losing them) are :

• employees with the potential to support strategic company goals
• employees with specialized technical know-how
• career oriented individuals
• personnel with a sense of ownership towards tasks
• high energy talented individuals who are on a fast track and can take more responsibilities.

A good mentor can channel the mentees’ energies, talent and time towards learning new skills and experiences, and see that their needs are fulfilled.

Individuals who lack ambition and energy should not be mentored. However, pay close attention to people who have potential but do not seem to fit, individuals who “are not like the rest of us.” This is usually true of minorities whether ethnic, social or psychological. Individuals who do not easily fit in can feel out of the loop.

Talented valuable individuals can be identified and groomed to bloom through a mentoring program, irregardless of whether he or she seems like everyone else. Implementing a planned mentoring program while taking these factors into account can pave the way to success.

The TEACHING PROFESSION - Am I cut for it ?

Some called them a teacher, others called them an instructor, a lecturer, a facilitator, a tutor, a trainer, and an educator. They may come in various hats, but one thing for sure, they all TEACH others to be a better person !

Webster’s II New Riverside Dictionary defines "to teach" as follows :
i) to communicate knowledge or skill (to)
ii) to provide instruction in
iii) to give insight by example or experience.

Synonyms to the word “teach” are instruct, train and tutor. Whereas “teaching” is defined as :
i) the act, practice, or occupation of teachers
ii) something taught, especially a precept or doctrine.

In Islam, "teaching" is a noble profession. In fact one of the four important characteristics of our prophet Muhammad S.A.W. is TABLIGH, which literally means “to deliver” (menyampaikan) – that is the sharing & dissemination of information, in the spirit of giving advice or reminder (memberi peringatan).

One may ask : What does it takes to be a good teacher ? From my 20 odd years in the education sector, I found that those who wish to choose a career in teaching must have the following :

ATTRACTIVE – pleasant personality, smile more, well dressed, remember you’re a role model to your students

WILLINGNESS TO LEARN – be a learner. Always attend seminars, workshops, reading, listening and watching to positive CDs and tapes, engage in group discussions, get latest info from the internet

SELF CONFIDENT – build self-confidence, be the best of yourself, demand 100% from yourself

SELF DISCIPLINED – develop a reputation as a person who is personally self-disciplined, this will win you respect

CREATIVE THINKING - a creative problem solver

Somewhat REBELLIOUS - not a crowd-follower !

Ability to MOTIVATE & LEAD others

HUNGRY TO SUCCEED – always looking for someone better and more successful than you, try to emulate them as role model

EXTROVERT – not selfish, a people-person who really care for their students right from their heart - ask more than telling, not harsh, reminding them that you’re there to help them, never be defensive, encourage them to share their challenges with you, build on their strengths, find out what their goals are and help them keep those goals in focus, help them deal with failures, give them personal attention – like sending personal notes (sms /email) to them, cut out relevant and helpful articles and make copies for them.

BALANCED in his / her personal life – show respect, interest in outdoor activities or other extra-curricular areas. Willing to do whatever it takes – in order to learn and teach the students more effective skills

OPTIMISTIC – give them incentives for top performance, praise them individually in public more, encourage more, teach them to deal with objection or failure

Other criteria are : ambitious, think big, energetic, entrepreneurial, commitment towards profession, articulate, good interpersonal skills

Remember that you cannot talk and listen at the same time – therefore, good communication skill is crucial. Whether we like it or not, our oral communication habits create impressions on others. The following are a few pointers :

The voice reflects the level of excitement and enthusiasm of the speaker. As much as 80% of the message can come from the tone and quality of the voice.

Avoid monotone. Change your tone from time to time by lifting the tone of your voice.

Able to interject with some appropriate humor will also help.

Pace yourself - avoid speaking too quickly or too slowly, as these habits can easily annoy the listener and finally will either tune out or go to sleep.

Avoid non-words, nasal whining, mumbling, swearing, curse words, or speaking too loudly. Words like “um”, “ah”, “er”, “right”, “okay”, “man”, “shit”, et cetera are irritating to listeners.

And finally, watch your body language – stand tall and be yourself.

BERFIKIR secara HOLISTIK

Setiap pancaindera yang dianugerahkan Allah kepada kita mempunyai peranan dan kaitan rapat antara satu sama lain. Ianya saling memerlukan dan bergantungan antara satu sama lain. Tanpa salah satu darinya, kita akan jadi pincang.

Apa yang dilihat, didengar, dirasa, dihidu dan disentuh sudah pastinya mempunyai kaitan. Bak kata pepatah “cubit paha kanan, paha kiri terasa”.

Begitu juga dengan cara kita berfikir. Ia seharusnya di buat secara holistik, yakni berfikir secara menyeluruh. Berfikir secara menyeluruh tidak menyempitkan seseorang.

Malah ia membawa kita untuk meneliti, mengkaji, menilai dan membuat kesimpulan terhadap sesuatu perkara berasaskan data dan fakta yang lebih luas dan menyeluruh.

Ia mampu membimbing kita berfikir dengan waras dan betul, mencari pendekatan yang lebih tepat dan menghasilkan natijah yang lebih adil dan sempurna.

Remaja Islam amat dituntut berfikir secara holistik. Ini adalah kerana jiwa dan emosi remaja amat mudah terpengaruh dengan faktor hiburan, kesukaan, dan berfoya-foya.

Tanpa berfikir holistik tentang akibat, para remaja mudah terjebak dengan perangkap kebebebasan, hiburan dan keseronokan duniawi yang boleh menyebabkan mereka hilang peribadi dan integriti diri, rugi dan menyesal di kemudian hari.

Berfikir holistik bagi remaja tidak semestinya menolak bulat-bulat keperluan untuk berhibur, berseronok dan berkebebasan. Sebelum melakukan sesuatu, kita fikirkanlah tentang akar sebab (root-causes), baik-buruk dan akibat yang bakal berlaku sekiranya sesuatu itu dilakukan.

Sebelum belajar merokok umpamanya, fikirkanlah dahulu tentang akibat jangka panjang amalan tersebut, terutama tabiat ketagihan yang terlalu payah untuk dikikis kemudiannya. Menyesal dahulu pendapatan, menyesal kemudian tidak berguna.

Pendekatan ini melatih kita mencari opsyen terbaik bagi mengatasi sesuatu isu. Ia menjadikan kita berpandangan jauh, tidak gopoh dalam membuat penilaian dan keputusan, tidak berfikir secara serpihan tetapi melihat sesuatu secara totaliti atau menyeluruh.

Biasakanlah dengan pemikiran secara holistik kerana ia mampu memberi kesan baik dan positif terutamanya apabila berdepan dengan tanggungjawab dan cabaran yang pelbagai.

InsyaAllah kita akan mampu mengendalikannya dengan lebih berhemah, saksama, strategik dan bijaksana.

The Challenge of Teaching

I guess one of the most frustrating experience being a lecturer is teaching unwilling and uninterested students. They attend classes, but their minds are elsewhere.

They come to college with no clear goal or objective. They are also not ready to pursue knowledge, what more to acquire technical or life skills.

Education to them is a past-time. They kill time by being idle and unproductive. They spend time chit-chatting and doing things that can better be done at home or elsewhere.

The worst thing is their stubbornness, they refuse help and counseling. They can be aggressive and can even turn violent if provoked. They have ears that do not listen, and heads that work only one way – their way !

They want freedom and do not want to be tied down by the college time-table and rules and regulations. When it comes to homework and exams, they produce inferior second and third class work.

They seem to be not interested in studies. The more such students there are, the less pleasurable a lecturer’s life is, and the more stressful too !

We always hope such students will one day change. Being young and innocent, we tend to forgive them. But they must also realize that if this attitude prolongs, their future is at stake...

Can Money Bring Happiness ?

Since at young age, I was always been taught and reminded by my parents that "it is better to give than to receive". No arguments made. Sami'na wa atho'na (I listen and I abide). Until recently I read this one article in The Star entitled "Money can buy happiness, if it's spent on others" by Deborah Jones. It was based on a research published in the Science journal that proves the scientific grounds that it is emotionally better to give than to receive. I said to myself : Wow, it has now actually been proven scientifically !

The researchers ran 3 experiments to measure how happy people felt after
a) spending money on themselves, or
b) giving money to pro-social causes (like buying someone a meal or give a charitable donation)

They found out that people who reported spending money on others were happier. Previous studies also found a correlation between happiness and charitable giving, but the new research revealed that pro-social giving is an actual cause of happiness.

The 1st experiment measured how happy 630 Americans said they felt, rated on a scale of 1 to 5, after they either spent money on themselves or gave to others.

The 2nd experiment measured the change in happiness of workers at a company after they spent a profit-sharing BONUS of between US$3,000 to US$8,000. Those who spent more of their BONUS on pro-social spending were happier. What affected happiness was not so much the size of the BONUS but how they spent it.

In the 3rd experiment, university students were given either US$5 or US$20, and instructed to spend the money the very same day. Half were told to spend the money on themselves, while the rest were told to treat others. At the end of the day, students who spent their money on others reported being happier !

So, can money bring happiness ? Yes, if it's spent on other people ! It's not how much money you make, it's how you use (or spend) what you have, that determines how happy you gonna be.

The moral of the story ? Those who received 1.5 month bonus should treat or "belanja" their 1.0 colleagues more frequently ... hehehhh :) Wanna be happy ? Treat someone for a meal !

DON'T CONDEMN, BUT CONTRIBUTE !

Sorry guys, no new postings 4 quite sometime. Been quite busy lately ... but today I've one. Happy reading !

We have a natural tendency to complain about the slightest problem and discontentment. No doubt some grouses are legitimate and “deserved” to be complained about, but most are sometimes embarrassingly unreasonable.

Yes, we are a democratic nation, and yes, we have freedom of speech – but honestly, some of the complaints and issues brought up at times can be ludicrous, and even hilarious.

Actually, there are many things in our day-to-day life that have improved tremendously that we sometimes take for granted. There is so much to be grateful for.

The fact that we woke up this morning, after sleeping comfortably, in the love of the family members, is already something to be thankful for. People in our neighboring country are losing loved ones and homes, and experiencing tragic disasters.

I am not suggesting that we should not address our problems. It is easy to be a spectator and just throw our opinions in the open without backing them up with action. Walk your talk. We must cooperate collectively as a community to ensure the welfare of the nation.

Lets put our thoughts into mature perspective, and be truly grateful for the many things that we do have.

In this fast-paced world, we have more demands and higher expectations. We want things done immediately in an instant. If our life could be like a vending machine, we will be most gratified.

There was a time when we had to queue up overnight just to get a number to get an application form for a passport. If you survive this stage, you will have to pray hard that the counters don’t close before your number is called. And getting one’s road tax and license renewed was a case of either paying off the touts or enduring multiple trips to the nearest RTD office.

Today, one can get a passport in two hours. The cynic will immediately say that this is only available in a small office and it is nothing to shout about unless it is available nationwide.

Never mind the naysayer. The fact of the matter is that the majority of us appreciate these positive changes and though we may not say it openly, we know our quality of life has improved tremendously.

So let us learn to appreciate such blessings in our lives, and the people who make them happen. Cheer when things improve. Let's do things today better than we did yesterday.

Don’t condemn, but contribute.

The Little Things That "Annoy" Us

After Sept. 11th, one company invited the remaining members of other companies who had been decimated by the attack on the Twin Towers to share their available office space.

At a morning meeting, the head of security told stories of why these people were alive … and all the stories were just : The 'LITTLE' things.

As you might know, the head of the company survived that day because his son started kindergarten.
Another fellow was alive because it was his turn to buy donuts.
One woman was late because her alarm clock didn't go on in time.
One was late because of being stuck on the NJ Turnpike because of an accident.
One of them missed his bus.
One spilled food on her clothes and had to take time to change.
One's car wouldn't start.
One went back to answer the telephone.
One had a child that dawdled and didn't get ready as soon as he should have.
One couldn't get a taxi.

The one that struck me was the man who put on a new pair of shoes that morning, took the various means to get to work but before he got there, he developed a blister on his foot. He stopped at a drugstore to buy a Band-Aid. That is why he is alive today.

Now when I am stuck in traffic, miss an elevator, or have to turn back to answer a ringing telephone … and all the little things that annoy me, I'll think to myself - this is exactly where Allah wants me to be at that very moment …

So the next time your morning seems to be going "wrong", like the children are slow getting dressed, or you can't seem to find the car keys, or you hit every traffic light, etc - don't get mad or frustrated, as Allah is watching over you.

May Allah continue to bless you with all those “annoying” little things and may you remember their possible purpose.

Cracked Pot

Hope this article will bring smiles on for the week ... happy reading.

An elderly Chinese woman had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole which she carried across her neck.

One of the pots had a crack in it, while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water.

At the end of the long walks from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.

For a full two years this went on daily, with the woman bringing home only one and a half pots of water.

Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it could only do half of what it had been made to do.

After two years of what it perceived to be bitter failure, it spoke to the woman one day by the stream.

"I am ashamed of myself, because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house."

The old woman smiled, "Did you notice that there are flowers on your side of the path, but not on the other pot's side?"

"That's because I have always known about your flaw, so I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you water them."

"For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table. Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house."

Each of us has our own unique flaw. But it's the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding. You've just got to take each person for what they are and look for the good in them.

So, to all of my crackpot friends, have a great day and remember to smell the flowers on ur side of the path ! Remember that all of us r created for a purpose, and whatever happened, happened 4 a reason.

Do not undermine ur worth by comparing ur self with others. It is becos we r different that each of us is special. Have a nice day !