Thinking Buddy

Happy Monday na ka. This is happy jing jing as it's still a long weekend!

I read a newspaper column and the term, 'Think Buddy' ignites my urge to write ka.

The author was saying that in an office where there's a 'Think Buddy', leaders should take advantage of her thinking to see how it could be turned to actions.

Right away, I thought of myself....not as a 'Think Buddy' kaaa. Rather, as one who enjoys having a few 'think buddies' until now.

Before I left Fulbright, I was feeling sad not to enjoy a circle of thinking buddies that much anymore. I always loved it when my team and I argued (and sometimes argued hard!) since more often than not, it would lead to good solutions. Sometimes, it could seem to be like a sarcastic statement. But when we took it up seriously, it could become one excellent idea. 

Let me quote this article to you as some of you may have some good ideas from his sharing (ธัญ ธำรงนาวาสวัสดิ์) on Krungtepdurakij today, of different positions of people expressing different statements.

You: I have a crazy idea.

Bad boss: I don't have time.

Good boss: Tell me how you are going to do it.

Co-worker: Okay. Why don't YOU do it first?

Mentor: Don't repeat these mistakes.

Coach: How much have you been thinking about it?

Who are you actually in this conversation ka? It's a good conversation to show how people could react differently.....sort of a stereotype too ka. I don't really agree with him talking about mentor's response though! 

Anyway, I'm still blessed to be around a few who've been my best 'thinking buddies' and I can't be happier.

Happier Monday to all ka.

GMS, talents and culture

Hello all.....for those who're still actively working full time, do you feel Monday Blue mai ka? It so happens that since I retired, my attempt to avoid Monday seems to work quite well ka:))! 

The past week, I teamed up with a few highly capable ajarns and colleagues to help run a forum for university presidents in the GMS region.....they are 24 who are members under SEAMEO RIHED’s GMS-UC (University consortium) on capacity building covering key issues on leadership, management, teaching, research, cross-border, and harmonization. SEAMEO RIHED has got this 2-year funding from ASEAN under its Japanese-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF). 

Like what OHEC has been trying to do under EdPEx for universities/faculties to do whatever is responsive to their specific contexts, it’s a real challenge to think strategically, moving away from having too many less impactful event-based activities. More learning and sharing is needed and cooperation within the universities and country will be the best. Strategically, international organizations like SEAMEO RIHED can play a leading role to communicate with both the ministry and university levels and help push key issues to be taken up much faster. 

A little note about our keynote speaker, Khun Shannon Kalayanamitr, who started from asking a question what we wanted from life and the word, 'happy'. The correlation with happiness are Career (Core, collaboration, communication, critical thinking, creativity), Character (Grit, resilience, adaptability), and Life (financial health, global, career management).

I’ve also skimmed summaries (Talent Magnet By Mark Miller and The Culture Code By Daniel Coyle) and let me share what I like ka:

1. Ask the right question with potential applicants at the center: On "War for talent", which isn't to search for "What skillset and experience do we need from these applicants"" The first question should be, "What are THEY looking for in a new job opportunity?" Understanding the needs of our ideal top talent is a quality approach to identify the right ones. 

2. Culture: “Culture is a set of living relationships working toward a shared goal. It’s not something you are. It’s something you do.”

3. Actions first: They could be as simple as listening closely, recognizing individual contributions and even picking up trash (as McDonald’s founder Ray Kroc and UCLA basketball coach John Wooden were renowned for doing) can send a strong message of inclusivity –– specifically that no one’s too important for the most menial task. 

The short paragraphs I shared have led me myself to link with GMS-UC and our regional cultures of seniority and authority. In this forum, it was repeated over and over that in working on our strategic planning and efforts to take actions, all must go beyond ranks, authorities, and seniority. New approaches to search for top talents along with a new working culture will enhance our future-proofed organizations ka.

Managing bosses

These days, I'm stuck with a book summary (from soundview I subscribe), 'Managing Up: How to Move Up, Win at Work and Succeed With Any Type of Boss' by Mary Abbajay, 2018. Really enjoy thinking along and possible ways to share it ka.

The author points out that there are 4 types of bosses and I turn the text into the following slide ka:

You may wish to ask yourself which type of the boss you are and I believe we all have combination of at least 2-3 ka.

The book also tells us how to handle each type of bosses for example an Advancer, staff should  speed up, avoid lengthy discussions, bring solutions, and don't take it personally. For me personally, occasionally, I'm an advancer and yet, I tend to lean toward an Energizer since many always say I have lots of energy mung ka:))! For this type, my team should try to build the relationship with me, think fast, move fast, don't be an Eeyore, plan and execute, and be creative ka. 

For an Evaluator, the team should learn to prepare well, raise their standards, focus on the facts, impress with detail, and manage own emotions.

As for a Harmonizer, the staff will have to focus more on the team, think about the safety (since the boss of this type concerns about safety/security), slow down, and find a mentor. Seems this type doesn't push forward and feel far too secure to do what they're doing na ka.

Which type do you think you are ka? It'd be good to know by asking own self and our teams too.

sanuk jung kaaa! happy happy me!