Coaching and EdPEx

I spent my weekend learning about 'how to become a coach' and found it really challenging.

It was from several activities we were asked to try that made me learn more about myself, my approaches, and my habits ka.

Two were activities I tried before. Yet, even I knew it, it was tough to be very focused on my own task assigned. 

The first one was that we were asked to form a circle and once my name is called, I couldn't step out to replace the caller's place until I called out someone's name. It sounded simple but boy oh boy! it needed a lot of focused self to remind me of my own assigned role then only. 

The second was to look into our pair and guess if the person was thinking about a sad or happy story, without saying a word. This was quite ok for me as I didn't look at the body language only but would also feel along!

The third was toughest to act as a coach, trying to ask questions to come up with a goal of our coachee, her real situation, options, and what to do next. I tended to have some answers in my mind when I was stopped from doing so because it would be for the coachee to think for herself and choose the best to act and launch the actions herself.

After the two days, I reflected my learning. I learned that empathy could be my strength. It was also obvious that I've assumed a role as a mentor for so long that I get stuck with the approaches I've been using.....so used to managing people when I may have not been so thorough what I could have done about my own issues on my plate. 

It taught me about 'context' and 'autonomy' that led me to think of 'EdPEx'. In fact, these two words weren't stressed much at all in the training. 

I think coaching techniques to pose right questions for individuals to think for themselves could be very helpful for EdPEx since universities need to think and act further on their own with some guiding questions for them to be more aware of some aspects and some issues they think could be their challenges. In any case, for coaching and EdPEx, we must let them think, express, and decide on their own. This is definitely true for coaching. What about EdPEx ka?

It could be too soon to conclude that becoming a coach isn't for me. Deep down inside, I'm telling myself so lae ka. Should I try learning further? I'll keep exploring it ka.

Diversity, management, leadership

As I was reflecting what I did last week, I think I have several matters to share ka.

First, I’m quite concerned about the merging of higher education and science ministries and so when I read an article by Vivek WadHwa on, ‘Why liberal arts and the humanities are as important as engineering’ (LinkedIn. June 13, 2018), I summarized it in a slide as follows ka:

“To create the amazing future that technology is enabling, we need our musicians and artists working hand in hand with our engineers. It isn’t either one or the other; we need both the humanities and engineering. ……for empathy and creativity”

Second, I was invited to a brainstorming session for an organization’s next 5-year plan and it reconfirms that these issues stay crucial for us to take up seriously: management for the future; sense of urgency; empowerment to think, express, and experiment; and younger generations as a key stakeholder to design their own future world. I should also include that in this type of forum, seniority and authority have to be lessened to allow more creative thinking and expression with increased openness and less fear!

Third, I read an article on leadership written by Fahmi Abdein… ‘A Leader’s Guide to Creating Your Own Dynasty’ on August 17, 2017 and I summarized into 5 key points as seen below.

•       Stay focused on execution – process rather than results

•       Create great culture with leaders’ actions

•       Make continuous change and creative improvements

•       Look at big picture and not get hung on abstracts

•       Compete today to be better than yesterday

Lastly, as I’m preparing an orientation for a small group of American and Thai students, I may add this one from Adam Lashinsky about Apple Finds its Core, in Fortune. Sept. 15, 2017.

Steve Jobs: We’re here to put a dent in the universe. Otherwise why else even be here.

Tim Cook: When asked how Apple changes the world, he said, ‘Our products’

Lots of interesting issues to draw for discussionsssss today ka!

Happy Monday.

life and the sea

Hello everyone! this is the second story that I have on my mind after I heard about it ka.

I was chatting with a married couple about their family life and work. While being very proud of his very talented wife, he thinks she has been focusing far too much on her work.

He said it was like his wife was rowing a boat out to the sea and it so happened that she could get a lot of fish. Others who saw her would keep complimenting how great she was to the point that she had to keep rowing out farther and farther till she was in the middle of nowhere in the sea and it could be too far to see nor go back to the shore.

To me, it was an analogy that was so right about our work and family ka. I did add to it, saying that her husband should not forget one thing too.....even in the middle of the sea, his wife was able to catch even more fish (both in quantity and types) and would get louder admiration. 

I tapped his wife's shoulder, telling her it's the situation I certainly understand very well.

In any case, we concluded that such an achievement has a price to pay and it would be up to both of them to decide what would be best for their family.

This could be a picture that is seen in quite a number of families to wrestle between family and career, especially when women have more opportunities to climb up the ladder and are real gritty to fulfil their passion.

Along with other thoughts, I wonder if this would this be in the similar situation if it happened to be the case of a husband, not wife? I feel part of it could also be because of the social expectations of women. I also think about life ka....how little we are to steer a bigger boat to go out and make changes and have to try to balance our own family life! tough mak ka!

Another story to share and ask you what you think ka.