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Flashback in 2009

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This was when I was uber thin...:)

Born For This

Fear. I have a lot of those. 

It started with comparing myself to others.

Others are highly logical, artistic, etc. Others are just way better than I am.

Over time, it affects me. So, I ignored.

Ignoring this little fear and insecurities birthed a gigantic bad character.

I started doubting my capabilities, talents, and skills.

I self-pity, treated myself not worth of anything higher than I thought.

I deprived myself of goodness and love from others.

I never let myself see the beauty of living a victorious life because of fear and insecurities.

So now it stopped. Fear and insecurities will now stop.

I will not make myself feel low because of others -- which I feel inferior to-- to affect the beauty and happiness I should feel.

I will not let the enemy steal my victory by inflicting fear and insecurities.

I know it's not going to be easy but I have God who will enable me to do things according to His will.

I can do this. I can make it. I am victorious.

Book Reading: Leadership isn't for Cowards

As a leader, you must be able to continually learn things (management or anything in the sun.)

I saw this book called Leadership isn't for Cowards by Mike Staver (look at his website at leadershipisntforcowards.com)

The cover page is really enticing as that's what I felt during the time I am in the bookstore. So grab it and read few chapters (yes I read 4 chapters -- I am no fast reader it's just amazing how the Author manages to write the book so comprehensively for his reader! I have to give it to him! I am so moved)

Anyhow, yep the moment I finished my first 4 chapters, I knew that this is something that I need that will help me better myself as a manager.

The book is pricey-- I have to say, but  I believe that investing in good books won't compare to the price corresponds to it.

My review for this book: 8/10

I vouch for you (the first time managers) to go ahead and grab a copy of this!

Article Share: 20 Tips for First Time Managers

Hi All.. I would just like to share you this very helpful Article from Bloomberg Business Week.
All credits are to the Author and to the Website. I didn't write nor publish this.

Hope you will find this helpful! Read Away!

Twenty Tips for First-Time Managers

By Jeff Schmitt

How Not to Blow It

That semi-competent manager you and your colleagues used to complain about is gone. And guess who's in charge now? It's you, my friend. Sure, you have integrity; everyone knows that. But you also need a vision and a strategy, and to execute it skillfully. Otherwise, you'll find yourself turning into the new bumbling fool. Here's how to succeed as a new manager.

1. Learn the Business

You'll feel tempted to overhaul and start fresh. But there's so much you don't know. Rather than risk moving too fast too soon, spend your first months observing, listening, and learning. Keep a log of everything you question. To know what's critical and what's clutter, lean on those with institutional knowledge and memory. In short, be humble and grow into the job. Take small steps so your employees have some continuity. You'll have time to leave your fingerprints as you mature.

2. Meet with Your People Individually

Don't judge the holdovers, at least not initially. Instead, give everyone a clean slate, no matter what you've heard. Remember, all your reports will be on their best behavior initially. You represent a fresh start; they want to be seen in the best light. So give them plenty of one-on-one time early. Learn about their history and aspirations. Watch them in action to see who'll tell the truth, help, or inevitably disappoint. Most important, get buy-in from your stars and respected veterans. Without their support, few others will follow.

3. Set Objectives

You have their attention: Capitalize on it. Set ground rules and expectations early. Outline your short-term and long-term vision for the department. Identify what's mission critical, why, and how everyone's roles contribute to the end result. Set goals, but keep them relatively short, unambiguous, and achievable. Establish time lines and benchmarks to measure progress. Help them understand they're working toward something larger, and how their careers, lives, and world will profit from their labor.

4. Make a Memorable Gesture

Want to make an impact in your first weeks? Strip everything down and simplify. That's right: Take them back to basics. Determine what's holding them back, such as a bad apple or redundant paperwork. Take a dramatic action to send the message that times have changed. Or build goodwill by skewering a sacred cow or making a symbolic giveback. Whether you're looking to drive service, productivity, or profitability, focus your team on that area and remove any obstacles or excuses for delivering it.

5. Have a Department Plan

An idea is doomed to failure without a plan behind it. After meeting with stakeholders, draft three- and six-month plans. Set targets, replete with starting and ending points (and the steps in between). Hold yourself accountable by evaluating progress weekly and making adjustments as circumstances evolve. At minimum, your job is to get your team members on the same page and level, and foster an environment where they can excel. Without a plan and a dedication to executing it, they will inevitably drift, gradually losing sight of their potential and value.

6. Develop Each Person (Including Yourself)

It's the universal question: How can I take my employees to the next level? Like anything, it requires planning, attention, and commitment. Start with recognizing each person's strengths, goals, and areas for improvement. From there, establish individual plans, no different from your department plan. Seek out opportunities where they can learn and contribute (and move out of their comfort zones). Check in regularly on their performance. Face it, your reports won't all stay in their jobs forever. Know where they want to go; motivate them by helping them get there.

7. Recognize Your Limitations

You haven't done the job long enough to own a real track record. Seasoned managers will condescend to you; employees will try to roll you. Your newcomer status puts you at an innate disadvantage. So don't place yourself in a losing position until you've built up your capital. Pick those fights and drive those issues you can win. And realize you can't be everything to everyone. It takes time to make things happen, and there will be mistakes along the way. Be patient and take heart with any victories you achieve.

8. Cultivate a Mentor

You've seen it before: One bad manager can stifle creativity, siphon energy, and poison relationships. And you'll have times when you'll ask if you're causing more harm than good. When this happens, reach out to someone who's already gone through that. Find a mentor who can pick you back up and put your challenges in perspective. Stay in touch regularly and take his or her advice, however critical, to heart. Chances are, a mentor will be flattered by your trust. Eventually he may be the one who introduces you to the right people and champions your cause.

9. Build Bridges with Other Departments

Along with being a manager, you're also an ambassador. Invest time in building relations with the other departments. If they're not coming to you, go to them. Sit down with their leaders and rank and file. Take an inventory of how your department is viewed. Identify areas where you could improve your performance or potentially team up with someone to help. Communicate regularly, so you keep your capabilities on their radar. It only takes one opportunity, and a mutual awareness of your unexpected synergies, to forge a long-term partnership.

10. Increase Your Team's Exposure

Take it a step further: Turn your reports into your department's ambassadors. Look for opportunities to give them the spotlight, such as training sessions, newsletters, project leadership, and success stories. Sponsor company events or causes and give out awards and gifts. Use your influence to get employees into other departments' meetings or field operations. Most important, get them face time with leadership. You want to expand their world, not narrow it, to enhance their value to the organization.

11. Prove Yourself

People often like holding a title more than the work required to keep it. Your résumé and rhetoric may sparkle, but they'll only win respect for so long. So start by learning what your people do: the constituencies, responsibilities, systems, and schedules that drive their day. Don't hide in your office; jump into the trenches and get your hands dirty. Show you can step in and do their job if need be. Similarly, notch some early victories to prove you can get things done. Bottom line: Establish your credibility. Without it, you're another dead-weight boss, the one employees know will just confuse everything.

12. Be an Example

You're wired into the powers that be. Your people will adopt your attitudes and anxieties, conscious or not. So recognize the image you project at all times. Be the example: Convey confidence and stay composed. Own up to your mistakes, so your people do the same. Follow your own rules, knowing no job or rule is beneath you. And stay approachable and positive at all times. At minimum, your people should respect you. At best, they should aspire to be like you. People watch what you do more than they listen to what you say. Always walk the walk.

13. Energize

You're a leader; you set the tone and pace and they feed off you. So pump it up. Recognize publicly and praise regularly, accentuating the positives. Reward them for excellence with unexpected treats like a free lunch or a few hours off. Bring in speakers or share articles so they're exposed to best practices. Assign projects to foster collaboration and closer relationships within your team. Bottom line: Don't let them stagnate; stay on the offensive to keep your momentum going. Reinforce every day why they want to work here, not somewhere else.

14. Treat Them Like Adults

You're managing highly driven, talented, and accomplished professionals. Chances are, some think they could (or should) be you. Adjust accordingly. That means asking questions and examining all sides instead of rendering snap judgments. Respect their time: Always be prepared, relevant, and succinct in your dealings. Don't micromanage unless they're not meeting expectations. Set boundaries, but be flexible; they have families and responsibilities, too. Keep an open mind. Don't be afraid to accept input (or even criticism). In other words, practice the golden rule.

15. Care About Them Personally

No one aspires to be a lousy manager. It's often the accumulation of little things—careless comments or hypocritical acts—that erodes camaraderie and trust. Fortunately, little things like a private gesture or kind word also set managers apart. So how can you strengthen your relationships? Start by learning what makes them tick. Are they looking for money, recognition, influence, or meaning? Who are their family members and pets? What are their interests? Most important, accept them for who they are. You won't mold everyone into a superstar, but steady performers bring equal value over the long haul.

16. Keep Out Emotion

There's a price to pay for leadership: You always have to be the bigger person. And that means you cannot take things personally, publicize your views or personal life, or get too cozy with your reports. As a manager, your guard must always stay up. Like it or not, you'll eventually hold gut-wrenching meetings on conduct and performance with your people. Your comments and relationship will be used against you. Even more, never use the threat of discipline to stifle questions or dissent. Taking your insecurities out on your employees is the quickest path to mutiny.

17. Delegate

Stepping into management is often a battlefield promotion. You may even hold onto your previous duties as you assume new ones. In this atmosphere, you can't juggle everything. No one expects you to have all the answers, and you'll only hurt your team by pretending to know more than you do. Instead, swallow your pride. Recognize your shortcomings and your reports' strengths, and capitalize on them. Step back and let them lead, checking in and providing counsel from time to time. Just be careful not to abuse delegation: It can never be a means to regularly duck work or leave early.

18. Provide Ongoing Communication

Your employees' perception of you can be your biggest asset or drawback. So how can you reinforce a good impression? It starts with reaching out. Appearances matter, so set aside time for each person to provide guidance and support. Collectively, keep them current on company developments and share what you're doing to help them. Maintain a two-way dialogue and seek feedback on what's important to them. You're now responsible for others, and they need to know you're watching out for their interests.

19. Be Consistent

Think a title automatically bestows respect? Guess again. Reality is, it ebbs and flows for many managers unless they possess a distinctive quality: consistency. As business grows more complex and uncertain, your people should never guess how you'll react. Instead, they should view you as a patient arbiter who'll provide a fair hearing and honest feedback. Otherwise, they'll invariably tell you what you want to hear rather than what you need to hear. And silence is a far greater threat to any business than candor.

20. Reflect on Your Employees

Management can be a thankless job. Some will turn your name into a punch line. Others will predictably undermine you with human resources. In these times, ask yourself: Are they right? Over time, some lose sight of the big picture, focusing on looking good over helping people succeed. But everyone, employees and peers alike, can see through the self-importance. Fair or not, your personal reputation rubs off on your department. Make sure your conduct and attitudes don't hamper your employees when it comes time for securing resources or earning promotions.

( Quick Blog ) Management: If can't manage small things, you can't manage bigger things

Yes, it is the Luke 16:10 verse that says: Whoever can be trusted with very little can be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.

It is true especially when you are in a Managerial position. There is no best illustration of my point this way: if you cannot manage your own family, then you cannot manage people in your company. if you are struggling,  then there's a solution or answer to your dilemma.

What I have learned is that, everyone has the ability to manage. Now being effective manager is a different thing. If you are not good at it -- like you spend like crazy every time its payday or if you like things the way they are and you can't manage your conflict -- managing others will be difficult.

Quick Suggestion:
1. Know yourself (do a SWOT for yourself)
2. Plan for betterment
3. Execute what you plan

happy managing! God bless!

TAO LANG AKO

Ito ang kauna-unahang tagalog blog ko. Sinadya kong gawin ito sa wikang mas komportable akong gamitin.
Napakahirap para sa aking tanggapin ang mga hindi magagandang bagay na ginagawa sa akin ng mga taong tinuring kong kaibigan at kapamilya.
Mahirap pero sa "Corporate" na mundo madaming ganito. Tama sigurong sabihin na ako ay isang "naive"  kung baga sa english o walang masyadong karanasan sa mga pangyayari sa mundong ito.

Minsan gusto kong magtanong sa Diyos kung bakit ako ay naririto sa lugar ko ngayon bilang isang tiga-pamahala ng isang dayuhan ngunit pilipinong kompanya.
Hindi ko din mai-alis sa aking isipan ang madami kong pagkukulang sa mga nakalipas na buwan at madalas kong maisip ang isuko nalang ang lahat at magbitiw sa aking puwesto.
Naiisip kong magbitiw sa madaming kadahilanan ngunit sa tuwing pinapaalala sa akin ng napakabuting Diyos na mayroon akong "purpose" kung bakit ako andito ngayon.

Nais kong sumuko dahil sa tingin ko, wala na akong nagawang mabuti at lahat ay maituturing na palpak. Anumang gawin ko, hindi tama sa panagin ng aking pinakamamahal amo.

Ako ay nagpapasalamat dahil ang Diyos ay hindi ako iniwan. Salamat sa kanya dahil sa tuwing mahirap ang gawain, at talagang mahirap para sa akin, meron akong tulong na natatanggap mula sa mga taong nakapaligid sa kin. At mula kay Katherina na aking "immediate" na amo.

Hindi naman ako nangangamba dahil ang lahat ng ito ay para sa aking ikabubuti. Tama ang si Katherina, ako ay tao lang. Gagawin ang lahat ng makakaya ko upang sa ikagaganda at ikalalago ng kompanya, ngayon, kung sa tingin ng madami ay hindi maganda -- ang sa akin ay ginawa ako sa tingin ko ay tama at maninindigan ako sa tama at sa Panginoon.

Purhin ang Panginoon dahil pwede akong pasalamatan at purihin sya sa mga ganitong pangyayari sa aking buhay. Salamat sa Diyos.