the learning student

Just came back from a 3 day 2 night chalet by the sea. (yea!) I thought that it was a wonderful time well spent with the ones I love.Yesterday morning, I took a dip with my sarong on. lol! I was the only person in the green waters of Changi where you’ll find private yachts parked in between the main land and Pulau Ubin. People may have thought that I am some crazy fella trying to attract attention, but really, I can’t hold myself back at the sight of green water. I spent 4 years of my life as a sea cadet, and am truly missing the sea (and all the water sports).

Most if not all people love the sea. If there is only one cheap way to reward one’s self after a super hardcore semester, I will say lying down by the side of a breezy beach listening to the waves while you fall to sleep.

I remembered a tv programme on the beauty of chek Jawa (which I just found out that it is actually @ pulau Ubin, took a $2.50 bump boat with my younger bro there, and [almost] reached Chek Jawa with a $2 rented bicycle). It highlights the relationship between Man and Water, and why we, humans need to once in a while “retreat” to the sea. It also explains why we feel a certain form of attachment to the sea from a historical view point. Human needs water, not just because we need to eat and drink but because we have a long history of close proximity with the ocean.

Here are Five great ways I hope,someday I can keep myself in touch with water:

(i) Snorkeling

Heard from HS and NH how great their trip to Terengganu (Malaysia) was. Can’t say anything much here,it must have been great disturbing and looking at the (living) underwater creatures.

(ii) Sit near the Niagara Falls and put my leg into the fast-flowing River

Hmph, wonder where is the nearest waterfall to home. Niagara Falls, waaaa, the closest I got to it was the omnitheatre large scale screening at the Science Centre. =)

(iii) Scuba

Do you need a license for this one everywhere in the world?

(iv) Swimming in the Dead Sea

I won’t comment on thalassotherapy, but assuming it works, it will be an added motivation =).

(v) Long Distance Kayakking

The furthest I have covered is round the sunny Island of Singapore in a two-men Canoe.

Hmm what other ways can we do this, gentleman? =)

Photo from the StarGazer

Last Academic Semester, it was Aslaksen’s magnificent Heavenly Mathematics module. For my 5th Semester, this Human Capital Management Mod has made the most impact upon me. The entire module was conducted in a 13 session-seminar-style with 20 other participating classmates. It was definitely our passionate lecturer, Dr Winston Lee Piak Nam, a very experienced management trainer who made the class alive with the hands-on games and management role-play. Almost every week, we find him breaking the orderly arrangement of the classroom (yawnz) into a discussion-friendly setting( =) ) whereby all of us are able to see one another to share our thoughts on the concepts learnt in the previous class.

I had so many nice things to say about this module (SA will agree with me, he say his lecturer loves him so much), but lemme start with an overview of the topics covered today, =) I shall refrain talking about the project (a wonderful group effort, with NH and HS) as well as the reflection paper, for no special reason.

Thinking back, according to my rough interpretation (not looking at any “syllabus breakdown whatsoever) , the scope covered was essentially divided into three major parts,

[1] the environment (Summary: Be Aware, else you DIE!)

Every organization is subject and are influenced by both its internal and the external environment. Major topics discussed are the

- Globalization (Both the Good and the Bad as well as how people have responded to them) / Diversity (Importance in the workplace – the video: the peacock in the land of the penguins was shown to us in class – was truly a great eye opener!) The mini choose-your-favorite-tie session tells us that diversity is not only in the obvious- ethnic and gender; but also in our underlying and past experiences that affect our life choices. Diversity is very much a double-edged sword.

- Organization Life Cycle: Organization Birth/Organizational Growth/ Organization Decline /Stages of Group Development; this segment basically explains that for any organization to thrive it needs to have an awareness of which stage of organizational life cycle it is currently undergoing. Every Growth Development has its crisis, and every stage of organizational death has its remedy – though it gets harder and harder to pick up as you fall, so know that you have a problem early. The Stages of Group Development concepts was imprinted with a very intelligent “foreign ambassador’s building project” which has so many learning moments including the need for leadership (acknowledgment) and agreement (signing).

- How the world is changing: The New Economy and the three phases of socio-economic human development, i.e our transition into the knowledge age

[2] Management Styles / Organization Structure (Summary: Be a Great Leader!)

- At the peak of the discussion on the knowledge age, we were brought into perspective the changes in management styles in the past centuries; from the scientific management to the concept of a knowledge worker. Understanding how a knowledge worker works is very important; he/she is motivated with challenging tasks and roles

- we then were introduced to various organizational culture – essentially the cultures espoused by Arthur F Carmazz. During the reflection session the class expressed that the “Blame Culture” is one that seems very close to heart (we all experienced this), something that we all wish had never existed in any phase of our lives; and of course everyone’s dream working environment is the “power enriched culture” – especially to those who were thinking along the lines of research and engineering. We then were taught the concept of organizational values, and were then explained the conept of “tacit assumptions” a.k.a the “unwritten rules” in an organization

[3] The Self – You and Your Organization (Summary: Be a great team player)

- The transition was smooth, from the tacit assumptions, we were brought to the concept of tacit knowing (arguably called tacit knowledge): from what I understood it is a knowledge that is possessed but never realised by the owner; very fluid, but is essential for an organization.

- converting tacit knowledge into explicit knowledge is of utmost importance; it takes time but it will benefit the organization to a large extent

Peter Senge's the 5th Discipline

- Here we were brought into topics associated to learning – very interesting!- topics discussed include topics from the popular Peter Senge’s “the 5th Discipline” – and we dived into understanding about “learning disabilities”, and barriers to learning. We then were presented the importance of a double-loop learning approach and had a mini role-play on PDCA – ( Plan- Do – Check-Action!) Drill and the “Why Did that Student Fall?” Drama. Yeah, and I am the “Do Guy” who blames the “Check Girl” all the time.

- we then reach to, what I thought as the most profound part of the course – the self, which is very much sociology. Quite a “deep concept”, not easy to understand as stated by NH in his blog. But really, we all learn by play – learning who we are , which is “the “I” and game – what we meant to the other team players , the “me” (Mead’s Self Concept)

- We also learnt the Cooley’s “Looking Glass Self” – the search for our identity via interacting with others.

-The Johari’s Window was also introduced – essentially, how do we reduce the size of our “blind spots” thorugh feedback and good communication.

- We then expanded into career guide and topics; from how to conduct yourself in an interview to the know-hows of choosing “the career” of life. Career Competence must align with the core competence of your organization. The importance of education, certification and what titles like Beng (Bachelor of Engineering) and Meng meant are also covered. Here I suddenly fell into the realms of life- what do we want to achieve in the end?

- We concluded the module with one final role-play game of how an “external party” can work wonders for you and your organization. Think out of the box, be open minded and too many leader wannabes kill team spirit and organizational objectiveness.

Seems like a lot of concepts, but as I emphasized in the beginning, the lecturer was superb and flamboyant that everything was done with due depth covered; and most importantly in a fun and interesting manner. I would like to end this post with his translated (from chinese) quote:

“Learn until old Age!”

photo property of Z.Equiano

The longest battle of this current phase of student life so far is finally over. The 14-day battle was no doubt tough, spending most of my waking hours in isolation (as if it is something new, lol). The preparation stage though no doubt enriching, was strenous. God willing, it seems to me that these times have brought much more benefit to me than ever before, praises to al-Mighty God.

This semester’s exams may not have turn out the way many of us have expected, and my hope is that I could safely transit to the next stage of my learning journey in this wonderful institute of learning. I have so many people to be grateful to for making this experience less threatening, reducing this personnel his casualty rate.

How it have benefited me, insya allah I will expound in the posts to follow, insya Allah. =) As for this december, it is a time for detox, time to get the mind body and soul back on track. I need to firstly, physically detox myself, of course, from all the red-bulls, caffeine, green tea , panadols, and all those “junkies”.

Just to side track a bit, =) .. …

Question: What happens when you mash up six songs?

Answer: You’ll get an idea how I am feelin’! Lol. Enjoy the following video! =) A gorgeous masterpiece of the Norwegian Recycling.