Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
T: 03 7966 8388 F: 03 7955 3355
Do what you love
YOUR ULTIMATE CAREER& TALENT RESOURCE
Saturday 1 auguSt 2015
DIFFICULT TIMESEmployed but still struggling to make ends meet?
Pg 10
MALAYSIAN WINTERAn ice hockey player’s story of having puck on his side!
Pg 09
JUDGE NOT!Don’t be influenced purely by the first impression
Pg 05
HErOES at rISKtHE ENEMy OF My ENEMy PagES 04-07
Which counts?It’s a battle between intention and action
Pg 03
mystarjob.com, saturday 1 August 20152
Want practical tips for success on your way to work? We’re on
every Monday from 7am to 8am.
Capital FM88.9FM
in the Klang Valley
tUNE iN
The opinions expressed in this career guide are those of the writers or the people they quoted and not necessarily those of Leaderonomics.
karEN SayS
Do you have an opinion you’d like to share with us? Visit leaderonomics.com or write to us at [email protected]
Please provide your full name, occupation (designation and employer) and
telephone number.
try thiS!
Want more content sent directly to your
email? Subscribe to our Leader’s Digest
by emailing leadersdigest@
leaderonomics.com
If you have any suggestions or feedback on our content, get in touch with the Leaderonomics team at [email protected] For advertising and advertorials, please contact Ameera Hussain at [email protected] or +6012 3239 481
EditorialAdviserRoshan ThiRanEditorKaREn nEoh
Contributing editorsPREma JaYaBaLannina TiLim LaY hsUan
Sub-editor LEE KaR YEan
Layout, Art & DesignTUng Eng hwaZULhaimi BahaRUddinadZnam saBRihaFis idZLa
shanKaRmohd KhaiRULmUhd haFEEZRaZZiah
Writers & ContributorssaRa YEEJosEPh TanJasminE chUah
RichaRd nEwTonLEE hwai TahaRiELLE YEn
JoiN US!
107.6FMin Penang
QUotES
01
02
0304
05
SNap-E JUDGEMENtBy SARA [email protected]
I have been told that people, when they first meet you, size you up in the first few seconds of the encounter, long before the first word is uttered.
Humans judge within that timeframe and perhaps due to the fact that it is in the very few seconds that your percep-tion of a person is formed, outward appearances do matter.
After that, once the relationship goes deeper, it’s harder to say what else will determine how one perceives another.
People evaluate others all the time and by different criteria. Thus, people can judge the same person based on a gen-eral set of information but if that general consensus is unanimous, the crowd is more likely to believe.
>> Power of PercePtionPerception is an extremely power-
ful force because as creatures of habit, humans perceive and judge everything around them to minute detail without being aware that they are doing so.
With social media, the reputation of a certain person can be painted through what they post online, therefore shap-ing people’s perceptions.
So be careful of what you post because it may change a person’s per-ception or worse, give them the wrong impression.
Your working persona should be something that is open so that people can get to know you more easily and perhaps change their perceptions and
misconceptions about you. Being open means you are
transparent and people have less doubt about you because you have nothing to hide.
>> if You Are onthe other end
It is normal to judge in the spur of the moment of meeting a person; when you size someone up, but beyond that, you should observe as to how that person interacts with others and with you, how they work and personally, how they act as a person.
You should never judge people solely on what you hear from others. Instead, get to know people better and who knows, maybe all those things you heard are not true.
If you want to get to know someone better, this is the way to do it – learn more about them.
Invest some time to get to know this person; this can help you to change your understanding and perhaps open up your social circle a little bit more.
>> finAl thoughtsBefore you judge, always spend some
time with people. Get to know them better beneath the skin that you paint on them.
You will be surprised by what you can discover in another person, as some-times perception differs greatly from reality.
In line with our issue about Snape, try not to make any Snap-e judgments, alright?
“Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.” – Oprah Winfrey
“The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper.” – William Butler Yeats
“Humans see what they want to see.” – Rick Riordan
“What you see and what you hear depends a great deal on where you are standing. It also depends on what sort of person you are.” – C.S. Lewis
“Because one believes in oneself, one doesn’t try to convince others. Because one is content with oneself, one doesn’t need others’ approval. Because one accepts oneself, the whole world accepts him or her.” – Lao Tzu
BE a hEroPEOPLE come and go, and our lives are enriched by every connec-tion we make. At least mine has been. I love the fact that this week’s issue, my last, is about the unsung hero in the shape of Prof Severus Snape. Misunderstood and vilified for the better part of the seven Harry Potter books, Snape was a character who came to the fore right at the very end – as Potter finally understood that his foe was truly his protector.
And so it is that we may discover long after we have gone our separate ways, that we learn from everyone we meet – even the ones we may not have seen eye to eye with at the time.
Like most heroes in disguise, Snape had both intention as well as action. Joseph Tan urges us not to have one without the other, and as leaders, we should always act on our intentions.
Jasmine Chuah peels back the layers to reveal the extent to which Snape was a true hero, and makes us wonder how we would approach the same (abhorrent) situation should we be given the chance to step up and change the world.
Richard Newton goes on to apply how allowing ourselves to rely only on first impressions can do everyone at work (and in life!) a disservice. On a related note, Lee Hwai Tah poses some difficult soul-searching questions on how we would have the world view us: do we prioritise “image” or “authenticity”?
On an unrelated note (for a change), Nina Ti shares the success-es, trials AND tribulations of a rare breed in tropical Malaysia – an ice hockey player – a national ice hockey player to be precise! A day in a life filled with skates, pucks and the occasional bruise.
In Learning from Books, Arielle shares the experience of workers surviving on a minimum wage, offering several points of view and also how we, as customers and fellow human beings, can play a role in making their lives more bearable.
The day has come. It has been a difficult decision, compounded by the fact that I have a wonderfully dedicated team I do not want to leave. For me to continue on my path to “Save the world!” that I mapped out with my Pa, today I sign off my last pullout.
I am truly at a loss of how to adequately express my thanks to everyone who reads and supports our little pullout, everyone at Leaderonomics (I wish I could name you all!); Tung Eng Hwa, Mohd Khairul (YB for short), Hafis Idzla and Lee Kar Yean at The Star.
The team. For the past year, the people who have really worked tirelessly: Lim Lay Hsuan, Nina Ti, Prema Jayabalan, Hyma Pillay, and our amazing interns Sarah Tan, Tara Thiagarajan, Jasmine Chuah, Sara Yee and Arielle Yen. I thank you.
In the coming weeks, we will introduce you to our new editor Sandy Clarke. All the best to you Sandy and your new team!
While the complexity and enormity of Snape’s life and death can and has played out in the lives of real heroes, let us not forget that unsung heroes exist in our midst. Perhaps by virtue of these heroes and leaders being selfless to start with, their stories often go untold and we urge you to share them! My last request – write in and share their stories so they may inspire others to go beyond.
Bye bye readers. So long, and thanks for all the awesome feed-back, kind words AND constructive criticism. Remember, we can all be heroes and leaders!
God bless you all.
KAREN NEOHEditorleaderonomics.com
By JOSEPH [email protected]
“Even a child is known by his actions” – a Hebrew proverb
THE reality of human nature is such that I tend to be lenient with myself and more exacting on others. Let’s face it – if given a choice, we would all rather be
the judge of our lives rather than subject ourselves to an external standard that may not necessarily conform to our inter-pretation of the world around us.
Left on my own, my preference is this – I judge myself by my intentions and I judge others by their actions. Here then lies the source of most relational conflicts– we expect others to go easy on us whilewe lament that others are not doing what they should be doing.
While there is nothing inherently wrong with having good intentions, we need to understand that when it comes to the proper functioning of a society and organisation, we all need a visible reference point by which there is proper accountability for law, order and perfor-mance.
Imagine a country that is ruled by the intentions of its citizens rather than the produced actions. A thief caught stealing could plead his intentions by saying – “I steal because I need to feed my family, my intentions are noble but it is society which forces me to take this action, so in this case, you should judge me not by my action of theft but by my intention of wanting to provide for my family.”
Here are two possible “intention traps” that may dilute your organisational effectiveness:
Trap 1: ‘They don’T appreciaTe me enough’
Lack of appreciation ranks high as a major reason why employees leave. While it is valid that as human beings, we have a natural desire to be appreciated and affirmed, there is also the danger of falling into the trap of self-entitlement. Entitlement views appreciation as a right rather than the result of performance which meets or exceeds given expecta-tions.
A self-entitled employee usually sounds like this:
Why do I keep getting jobs which do not measure up to my qualifica-tions? A lot of what I am asked to do is so menial and routine, I am destined for greater things!
My parents would not speak to me like that. Why can’t people here treat me with more care?
Why am I always bypassed for promotions? What’s wrong with the system? It must be the politics.
I have no doubt that everyone turns up for work with the intention of wanting to do a good job – however, there is a world of difference between desiring to do a good job compared with delivering a great job.
For starters, the delivery of a great job entails agreed factors negotiated between supervisor and subordinate. Unless there is an attempt to negoti-ate the definition on how the actions look like, any fall back on good inten-tions would seem like a temperamental response.
A set of agreed delivery factors would include the following:
l An understanding of the employee’s strengths.
l A description of how success looks like (measurable and time-bound).
l Availability of materials and equipment to do a good job.
Trap 2: ‘The boss always misundersTands me’
While it is ideal that we expect our bosses to have the ability to read minds and understand the emotional make-up of each employee under his or her care, the fact of the matter is that bosses also have their bosses to be accountable to as well.
So, much of the pressure you face is a result of the pressure your boss faces from his or her own boss. The principle is this – communication along the “corpo-rate food chain” is clearly marked by mile-stones of targeted actions rather than persuasive intentions.
However, this is not to say that man-agers should not treat their employees as individuals. In fact, managers ought to provide opportunities for employees
to do what they do best every day. That being said, the ownership for commu-nicating job and career aspirations falls within the personal jurisdiction of the employee.
In other words, it is totally unrealistic for the employee to expect bosses to read minds and hearts. Your boss already has enough on his or her plate in terms of organisational performance to be also play-ing the role of a supporting psychologist.
The employee who does well does not assume that his or her intentions are automatically understood – in fact, employees who progress well in their career are those who act on their inten-tions, not just gripe about missed oppor-tunities.
acT on your inTenTions
Here are a few tips:
1 Review your job description regularly and suggest ideas to
enhance your role. Do not feel limited to the current description of your role.
2 Take time to understand your supervisor’s goals – make an
effort to understand the pressure from his or her perspective. When you take time to understand others, they are then more inclined to do the same for you.
3 Link your intentions with clear measurable outcomes. For exam-
ple, instead of saying, “I just want to do a good job” (intention), rephrase it to an action-oriented perspective – “I have connected with the client to kick-start three projects for the next quarter”.
conclusion – iT is abouT personal accounTabiliTy
Roger Connors, author of The Oz Principle – Getting Results Through Individual and Organizational Accountability defines accountability as “a personal choice to rise above one’s circumstances and demonstrate the own-ership necessary for achieving desired results”.
It is the commitment to making a set of right choices which will translate your good intentions into a series of great actions.
Intention without action leads to day-dreaming, whilst action with intention leads to drudgery – so in the final analysis, as human beings, we cannot escape from the emotions of intentions but we need to be aware that the world around us recognises the “currency” of action. Not just any action but actions that are well planned and followed through. Act on your intentions.
mystarjob.com, saturday 1 August 2015 3
INTENTION OR ACTION: WHICH COUNTS?
n Joseph Tan is CEO of Leaderonomics Good Monday. His passion is to work with perfor-mance-focused leaders to capture the hearts and minds of their employees through a strengths-based and accountability-driven approach. Much of what is shared in the article above comes from his work as a Gallup-certified strengths coach. If you would like to enhance the engagement level of your organisation, email [email protected]. For more interesting arti-cles, log on to www.leaderonomics.com
INTENTION WITHOUT ACTION lEAdS TO dAy-dREAmINg, WHIlST ACTION WITH INTENTION lEAdS TO dRUdgERy. ACT ON yOUR INTENTIONS.
mystarjob.com, saturday 1 August 20154
By JASMINE [email protected]
WE take a closer look at the Hogwarts potions master Prof Severus Snape of the Harry Potter series.
LiLy Evans“After all this time?”
“Always,” said Snape. It is undeniable that the main motivation of
most of Severus Snape’s actions was his love for Lily Evans, Harry Potter’s mother. After all, she was the reason for his protection of Harry. Her death was also the main reason for Snape’s eventual involvement in the destruction of the Dark Lord, Voldemort.
Doing things out of love, however small that love is, will always work for the greater good.
HaLf-BLood PrincE“You dare use my own spells against
me, Potter? It was I who invented them – I, the Half-Blood Prince!”
Snape pays homage to his heritage by calling himself the ‘half-blood Prince’ in his copy of Advanced Potion Making. The name is something that burdens him as much as it brings comfort. It is both a reminder that he is in a distant way a pure-blood, by way of his mother’s line, as well as a self-recognition of his intelligence which is demonstrated throughout the spells written in the sides of the pages as well as the effective changes made to recipes, in the book.
Your past does not make your present, you have a say in who you become.
sLytHErin“No,” agreed Dumbledore. You are a
braver man by far than Igor Karkaroff. You know, I sometimes think we Sort too soon...”
He walked away, leaving Snape looking stricken.
Slytherin was very instrumental in the formation of Snape’s character. It was in this house that he learnt the dark arts and ascend-ed to greatness. He probably even had many friends there and eventually joined with them in the service of Voldemort. Strangely enough, as the Slytherin house teacher, he later demon-strates the quality of a Gryffindor: courage.
You don’t have to conform to your environ-ment; you have the power to change it through your character.
dEatH EatErThe main
lure of being a Death Eater was power over the general populace: non-pure-bloods in particular. It was prob-ably because he didn’t want to lose that sense of belonging. Unfortunately, it took him down a dark path.
Whatever you do, the higher moral ground is always better.
traitor “The — the prophecy . . . the pre-
diction . . . Trelawney . . .”“Ah, yes. How much did you relay to Lord
Voldemort?”“Everything — everything I heard! That is why
— it is for that reason — he thinks it means Lily Evans!”
One of Snape’s biggest turning points is his unintentional betrayal of Lily, Harry’s mother which resulted in him reporting back to Voldemort on the prophecy. Voldemort then sought to hunt and kill Lily and family.
The crisis would have been completely avert-ed if not for Pettigrew who betrayed the loca-tion of Lily and family. Snape never really recov-ered from the guilt of being the initial cause.
Ambition, when taken one step too far can be the cause of down-fall, including your own.
HEro“My word, Severus,
that I shall never reveal the best of you?’’
Motivated by a combina-tion of love for Lily and guilt over being the initial traitor, Snape began seeking retribu-tion from the day she died. He renounced allegiance to Voldemort and began assist-ing Dumbledore in his dual quest of protecting Harry and destroying the Dark Lord.
He was a double-agent before Harry was born and died as the final cog in a complicated plan to destroy Voldemort. All the while, only Dumbledore knew.
It doesn’t matter if you don’t get recognised now,
recognition will come even-tually; it always does.
Potions MastEr“I don’t expect you will really
understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses...”
Snape always wanted to be the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, but was never allowed to leave the role of Potions master till Harry’s 6th year. I think it was a direct reflection of his character.
Snape, no matter how much he wanted to fight openly against the Dark Arts could not do so due to his role as a double agent. However, he was the more subtle panacea and poison for the situation and that was very much reflected in his role as potions master.
Sometimes, being on the frontline doesn’t really help the situation at all; it’s okay to be a follower, just be an awesome one.
JaMEs PottErJames Potter, even in death, was
an enormous influence on Snape. In life, James was his main motivation to become powerful. In death, James had left a legacy: his son, Harry. James was the ultimate root of conflict within Snape’s character: every time he had to protect Harry, it felt like protecting his former bully.
It says a lot about Snape’s character because Harry never came to any harm at his hands. It also says a lot about the weakness of Snape’s character which allowed Harry and friends to suffer a lot.
Don’t let the past distract you, it might be in the way of your own development.
duMBLEdorE’s ManDraco to Dumbledore: “He’s a dou-
ble-agent, you stupid old man, he isn’t working for you, you just think he is!”
“We must agree to differ on that, Draco. It so happens that I trust Professor Snape.”
It was Dumbledore that Snape ran to when he accidentally betrayed Lily. It was Dumbledore who gave him that much needed second chance and Snape proved himself all the way: Dumbledore knew Snape best and trusted him most, even with his own death. Because of that chance, Snape grew to be a better man.
Don’t be afraid to give someone a second chance, you never know when it might be their turning point.
couragEous“DON’T – ” screamed Snape, and
his face was suddenly demented, inhu-man, as though he was in as much pain as the yelping, howling dog stuck in the burning house
behind them “CALL ME COWARD!”To the very end, Snape was just that:
Courageous. He had the courage to stand between two of the most powerful wiz-
ards of his time as a double agent and to choose love, even a long-gone love,
over bitterness.
Courage is doing the right thing even though it’s hard. Do it.
n Jasmine does not like Snapeon principle but grudgingly admits that his character is one of the best ones in the Hogwarts universe due to his conflicted make-up
and actions. To this day, she still wonders what would have happened had Lily fallen for Snape and whether the Marauders held their own Triwizard tournament. She is currently on a Hogwarts adventure with her sisters: Lego Harry Potter Years 5-7, and is looking high and low for the kitchens. To read more of her articles, log on to www.leaderonomics.com
sEvErus snaPE10 LayErs of
“tHE Mind is a coMPLEx and Many-LayErEd tHing, PottEr... or at LEast, Most Minds arE...”
mystarjob.com, saturday 1 August 2015 5
By RICHARD [email protected]
A few years ago, I went back to the town I went to school in. I met up with some friends I had been to school with (a long
time ago). When I met my friends,
they were sitting with an old man whom I vaguely recognised. It turned out he had been a teacher at my school.
We had a very pleasant evening reminiscing over old times. I enjoyed his company very much.
What was surprising is that when I was at school, I strongly disliked this teacher. I never enjoyed being taught by him.
Now, he seemed like a nice person. I was learning that my school boy judge-ments of someone might not be that accurate after all.
Anyone familiar with the Harry Potter series will be familiar with a more dra-matic example of making the wrong judgement about someone – in the char-acter of Severus Snape.
Throughout the story, many of the other individuals in the book, as well as most readers, got the wrong impression of Snape. At the end of the story, Snape turned out not to be the monster we thought he was, but instead one of the heroes of the story.
These are instances of a pretty universal phenomenon – the phenomenon where we find out that our judgements of someone else turned out to be wrong.
We have heard their words and seen their behaviours and come, usually very quickly, to a judgement about them. We have limited information on which we have based this impression, and often ignored anything which might lead to a different judgement.
The common reality is that our judge-ments about people, like most people’s assessment of Severus Snape, are often wrong.
It StartS WIth thoSe DangerouS FIrSt ImpreSSIonS
There is an old expression “first impressions count” and the associated follow-up that “there’s no second chance to create a first impression”. This is worth remembering because many people will judge us on first impressions.
For instance, it is thought that most people make up their minds about an interview candidate in the first few min-utes of a job interview. This is prior to asking the most important questions on which the judgement should really be based upon.
Imagine you are going for an interview. Now, consider that you are going to be judged by first impressions. Obviously you should try hard to create the best possible first impression.
But, when you think you are going to be judged on first impressions you prob-ably consider that as unfair. There is so much more to you than that first impres-sion.
But let’s turn the table around. Rather than imagining you are the one being judged, you are the person doing the judging. The sad truth is that you almost
certainly judge some people only on first
impression basis. This is not just unfair
– it will mean you miss out on all sorts of oppor-tunities from people who
could be great to work with. You ignore them because of your probably poor first impression.
First impressions can create an overly bad or
an overly good judgement about someone. I am not advising you not to form first impressions. That is impossible. We automatically make judgements about people based on first impressions. I am asking you not to be fixated on this first impression.
As you interact and observe the person over a longer period of time, even if this is as short as an interview, keep yourself conscious of the judgements you are forming.
Try to moderate them as you find out more about them. Challenge yourself – does the judgement you have formed really stand up to all the information you have?
the perSona aDopteDThe problem lies not only with first
impressions. Snape did not just create a bad first impression – he continued to reinforce this with ongoing unpleasant behaviour.
Some people adopt a certain persona or way of interacting at work which is not a reflection of who they truly are. Often, we judge such people on how they make us feel, rather than what they achieve. What they achieve is a much more rel-evant judgement in a professional situ-ation.
When you judge someone as difficult, unlikeable or demanding, try to work out if the person you see is the real person. Might it be a role or persona adopted in specific situations?
At school, how many of us had poor impressions of teachers we did not like, but who on reflection in later life, we had to admit did a good job of educating us.
Some of us have to work with people as difficult as Snape. You would have to be a saint to have given him the
benefit of the doubt. But there are many people whom we form bad
impressions of unnecessarily. If we take the time to get to
know these people a bit better, or if we judge them on what they achieve rather than how they make us feel, we may create a much more positive image.
ConCluDIng thoughtS Avoid getting fixed on your first
impressions. First impressions rarely give the rounded picture on what we should really judge people on.
When you find yourself developing negative impressions of someone, take the time to work out if that is who they really are, or if it is just a way of inter-acting.
Give people a bit more time and take the effort to get to know them and you will find they are really much better than you thought.
Of course, there will be some people you will never like. Even then, don’t be hasty to judge them harshly.
It’s great when we like the people we work with, but professional relation-ships are not always about making friends.
They are about getting work done, achieving outcomes and delivering results. Judge the people you work with on how well they do these things.
n Richard Newton is an internationally renowned author and consultant. He has written 12 books, which have been translated into 17 languages – including the award winning The ManagementBook. His latest book Managing Your Team Through Change was published in December 2014. Richard works worldwide throughhis consultancy Enixus Limited, helping corporations to deliver organisational change and performance improvement. His details can be found on LinkedIn atuk.linkedin.com/in/richardjenewton/en, and he can be followed on twitter at @RJNtalk. Send us your feedback at [email protected]. For more leadership insights, visit www.leaderonomics.com
LESSONS FROM
SEVERUS SNAPE
ALAN RICKMAN as Professor Severus Snape in Warner Bros. Pictures’ fantasy adventure “HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS – PART 2,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
DON’t bE iNFLUENcED by tHE FiRSt iMPRESSiON
By KAREN [email protected]
IT is with a heavy heart that in my capacity as the editor of our little pullout, I pen this final article. This last year has been a roller coaster ride with ample opportunity to grow, to meet amazing people and to connect with
yet many others worldwide. The small and incredible team I work with has
certainly gone over and beyond to develop con-tent which we hope have inspired you, our read-ers to do some soul searching perhaps, invest in some “me time” for personal growth, and in turn to reach out to the people around you to help them grow.
The editorial team also epitomises the story of the unsung hero – like Prof Severus Snape, the leading man in this instalment of our work. Misunderstood and vilified for the better part of the seven Harry Potter books, Snape was a char-acter who quickly came to the fore right at the very end – as Potter finally understood that his foe was truly his protector.
Not only did Snape not receive recognition, he assumed the role in secrecy and at great personal cost. I suspect my brother figured it out sooner than most – perhaps because Ken is a hero in his own right!
Heroes wHo build livesAs much as I would like to share how I, Karen
Neoh, leapt out of my seat to cheer and simulta-neously weep for the fallen Snape, I think there are more important stories to tell.
Snape was many things, but perhaps we should not forget that he was, first of all, a teach-er to Potter and his friends.
There’s a teacher I briefly met – let’s call her Rachael Francis – who is a teacher stationed in a somewhat remote part of the country. The only interaction we have now is through her Facebook posts of encounters, activities and successes (great and small) with her students. Her enthusi-
asm and zeal to grow her students just leaps off the page.
There was a meme floating around the interweb recently about how teachers are
the rare breed that buy and use their own stationery for their school kids,
rather than “procure” office stationery for personal use. The teachers I know are no exception.
A basketball coach devises all sorts of drills and innovative uses of everyday items to get the play-ers learning (or at times unlearn-ing bad habits!) – working till the wee hours of the night to develop a new way to inspire and impart.
It’s riveting to see a coach who is so clued in to his stu-dents – sensing when they aren’t getting it, approach-ing the class from angle after angle till the lesson becomes clear.
There are people in our lives who may not bear the role
of “teacher” but who generously give their hearts to build and grow
others. People like the Leaderonomics Youth team and their “extended” team of alumni who still tirelessly dedicate themselves to building young people.
Do find someone in your life like that – and go give them a hug and the respect they so deserve!
Heroes in disguiseRather than talk about Tony Stark or
Spidey, I would like to call attention to the profession many don’t immediately associate with heroic gestures.
I recently watched A Civil Action, an old movie starring John Travolta playing a personal injury attorney. Not exactly a highly regarded type of lawyer, but the type that has been stereotyped as “ambulance chasers” who encourage victims who have suffered from a com-pany’s negligence to take them to court for huge claims.
Travolta’s character reluctantly takes on a case that he realises would not be profitable for the law firm. Over time, he becomes more involved in the lives of the families who had lost their loved ones, and continues going up against a large conglomerate suspected of contaminating their water source with harmful chemicals.
As it turns out, it becomes a long drawn out case – in the process, he loses his wealth, friends and firm – and yet, this “shyster” is unwilling to give up on them.
A real life hero, someone we featured ear-lier this year, is Leena Ghosh. As a youth, the passion for human rights had already been ignited and today, Leena is a human rights lawyer working at the Asean regional level. So hang on to your dreams, but definitely take action to get you closer to them.
It seems obvious. Find a job or a calling that fulfils your purpose in life, stay true to it and have work life balance. But one of the important lessons I learnt from my Pa is never to feel that you need to wait till all your ducks are in a row, that you have the necessary qualifications or that dream job.
Stating that I wanted to “Save the world!” but lamenting that I could not help anybody as a kid, Pa always said that I should just do what I could with whatever skills and resources I had at the time. Because if not anything else, the person needing that assistance needed it at that moment.
Heroes at risk Often, I sit at my desk (or beanbag as the case
may be), wondering how through my writing I can help change the world. We know of many courageous writers who have placed themselves at great personal risk to bring about change.
Here I would like to focus on people in social work – the people we hear about quite rarely – the people portrayed in movies as being over-worked and underpaid, and grossly unappreciated.
I had the good fortune of working with many dedicated social workers during my time in Cambodia – people who had for example, worked with the authorities to rescue women and chil-dren who had been trafficked and abused. People who work to change policy in order to protect their rights. And the social workers who work directly with the women and children during rehabilitation – I am afraid I cannot mention names as they themselves are often at great risk.
Extra security is provided to social workers as they go to and from work, because apparently estranged husbands or irate pimps stalk them to discover the location of the shelters.
Why? To forcibly return the women to the nightmare they were rescued from.
Unsung? By design yes. Even so, caregiv-ers and social workers deserve more than the recognition that sometimes they cannot receive. Always giving a piece of themselves to their wards, the phenomenon of compas-sion fatigue is very real. Closer to home, a tiny shoutout to Divya Chandy.
So even if I haven’t been gifted to be a doctor or therapist, I did spend a big part of my life trying to find ways to facilitate their good work. Helping and supporting the true heroes is rewarding too!
Heroes wHo were persecutedAllow me to highlight the story of Alan Turing
who was engaged by the UK government’s intel-ligence agency during the Second World War. Having only read about it and watched snippets from the movie The Imitation Game, here is a brief rundown of his story.
“…Turing was a cryptanalyst who ended up pioneering computer programming and helped the Allies win the war by cracking the Enigma code. He was also a homosexual during a time in Britain when such things were deemed a felony, however, and as the film recounts, he was forced to endure ‘chemical castration’ treatments after
being arrested in 1952.” – Rolling StoneCracking the code meant that Turing was
responsible for saving many lives, and changing the course of history. Still, the government did not apologise for the heinous treatment he received till many years after his death, nor was he offi-cially pardoned until 2013.
While there seems to be some healthy debate about who invented the first computer, I can still credit Turing for allowing me (to some extent), to keep in touch with at least one hero who has been persecuted for helping others.
My friend (and again I am unable to pro-vide a name here) fled his country about 20 years ago as he had been imprisoned (repeatedly) and beaten (repeatedly).
For what, you ask? During his student days, he mobilised his group of friends to find ways to help the underprivileged com-munities in his impoverished nation. Step by step, they began to make a difference – and gained the recognition and respect of the people.
Unfortunately, some thought this unac-ceptable and persecuted the entire group of young students. After trying to locate his friends over the past two decades, my friend fears that he may be the only one to survive.
And after waiting for more than a decade him-self, he has finally been relocated to a safe place and begins a new chapter in his life. Did I men-tion that even in his state of destitution, he still
continued to help everyone around him the entire time he was a refugee?
Heroes wHo save livesIt might be a while before I write again, so let
me conclude with my favourite topic. Health and caring for people.
Unlike Snape and Spidey, the movie here is based on a real person living in West Virginia. Patch Adams inspired me not to worry about being different – but in fact to thrive and choose to be different, better – as long as I remain true to my purpose in life.
This is corny, but Patch made sure “care” was a part of “healthcare” – finding ways to overcome the odds to attend to the healthcare needs of underserved populations.
In my years, I have met many selfless healthcare professionals – the first one being my own mum Mi. As a nurse, she remembers a time when she delivered hundreds of babies in the homes of poor neighbourhoods.
She also recalls a time during which con-fused patients screamed insults and even threatened her with bodily harm – even as she and the doctors worked to save their lives.
And she has left her legacy through my sister, practicing as a doctor and impacting the lives of many in Northern Ireland.
As a health economist, I counted myself lucky to play a role in supporting the good work of health professionals – allowing them to be able to provide the right care to the right patient at the right time.
There are so many unseen and unsung heroes in healthcare – the intricate network of people, equipment and organisations that need to be orchestrated to support the entire gamut from preventive health, to curative and rehabilitative care, to palliative care.
From the organisational point of view, it is heartening to know that everyone – from the nurse director’s office to finance, from engineer-ing and maintenance to the surgeons, from the housekeeping staff to the front desk – knows how their role is important in ensuring the best patient outcome.
Before I close, allow me to highlight a young pharmacist – quite the local hero – Syed Azmi Alhabshi. Although a healthcare professional, Syed Azmi doesn’t allow his zeal to help make the world a better place to be hampered by lack of imagination or his professional degree – and goes over and beyond to understand the needs of people, and to deliver. Hats off to you, Syed Azmi!
concluding reMarksThere’s a reason there are unsung heroes.
Perhaps by virtue of them being selfless to start with, their stories often go untold. As someone pointed out recently, if the motive for the hero-ism is purely for bragging rights, then well …their rewards have already been received.
But if by sharing the stories of the unsung hero, the lightbulb goes on for others, the initial heroic deed could be doubled, quadrupled, and increased exponentially.
So maybe banging away on a computer can still help save the world – if only by proxy.
It’s my last article (for now) – please help me help others! Write in with stories of the unsung heroes you know – so that they may inspire oth-ers to make a difference, no matter how small.
Let us share their stories (in a way that they are comfortable with), stand back and watch it ripple out to others.
Thank you readers! Thank you for all your feed-back, kind words, and constructive criticism. You have definitely helped me grow and be a better person (albeit very much a work-in-progress!).
mystarjob.com, saturday 1 August 2015 7mystarjob.com, saturday 1 August 20156
be a hero: it’s never too soon heroes wanted - all shapes and sizes welcome!
n Karen has rather bizarrely maintained a childlike side to herself – always keen to see, learn and do new things. Yet she has remained grounded on finding the best way to help people – especially those who have the skills and heart to do incredible things. For leadership content, do go to www.leaderonomics.com
1 Cryptanalyst Alan Turing, played by Benedict Cumberbatch, in the movie The Imitation Game
2 The role of Patch Adams masterfully portrayed by the late Robin Williams
2
1
there’s a reason there are unsung heroes. perhaps by virtue of them being selfless to start with, their stories often go untold.
but if by sharing the stories of the unsung hero, the lightbulb goes on for others, the initial heroic deeds could be doubled, quadrupled, and increased exponentially.
mystarjob.com, saturday 1 August 20158
Image vs authentIcItyWhat Does the WorlD see In you?By LEE HWAI [email protected]
AS leaders and people who carry a certain weight of authority, we may constantly face this dichotomous (or so it seems) dilemma: which “self”
do we project to the world, our image or our authentic self?
Our image is the face (or faces) we wear for people around us to see – the self that we consciously project to the world.
Our authentic self is the true essence within, the inner man or woman – who we really are, especially when no one is looking.
When people find out that our image (who people see) is very different from our authentic self (who we really are), things can get pretty embarrassing, to say the least.
It’s not surprising that many leaders and famous people (think politicians, heroes, celebrities) painstakingly craft an ideal image for the public eye. It seems that their true selves have not caught up with the images that the public idolises!
“Do I Look Great?”When you care too much of how you
look to others and focus on getting their approval and acceptance, you are guided by your image rather than your authentic self.
You present yourself as more than who you are – you misrepresent your perso-nas, values, beliefs and other information to gain favour.
There’s totally nothing wrong with desiring to project a great image for the world to see. It’s important to bring your best self to win in the marketplace and for the world to like you.
However, when your image is totally disconnected from your authentic self, you have to constantly keep “shining” and improving your image, for fear of what truth the others may discover! It’s very tiring to live this way.
I’ve seen and known some leaders who operate very much in their image persona, and I could feel the pressure that’s imposed (mostly by themselves) on them.
Because they’re not in touch with their true selves, you don’t feel the authenticity in their words and actions; shaky grounding and little trust, devoid of power.
Your image and your authentic self do not have to be in conflict. Your image can be based on your authenticity instead of the masks you try to put on.
How Do You See YourSeLf?When we think about our true selves,
most of us inevitably would first see the faults, black spots and the ugliness.
We instantly recall the criticisms and negative remarks that have been thrown at us especially in our early years, even from people who are dear to us like our parents, family members, teachers, etc.
Most of us grew up in a society that catches us when we’re doing something wrong rather than when we’re doing something right.
Those well-intended “corrections” affected us more than the little praises that we get occasionally. Inevitably, all that influenced and shaped how we see ourselves.
tHe trutHHere’s the truth. You do not know who
you really are. You do not know the true extent of your capability, the real size of your capacity and how surprisingly beau-tiful your true essence is on the inside.
It’s true that you have your weakness-es and flaws – we’re only human. And it’s precisely our humanity and vulnerability that make us beautiful and real.
People are drawn to your real story, not a made-up fairy tale. People get con-nected with you when your authentic self shows up. They get put off by some inflated image.
People can identify with your vulner-ability, and get inspired by what you can do in spite of that.
A perfect Superman that doesn’t get affected by Kryptonite won’t make a very compelling story, would it?
Your autHentIc SeLfCriticism cannot affect or hurt our
authentic self. You may think it can, but you’re merely operating at the “image” level – you care more about how good you look rather than expressing your real self to the world.
The value of your authentic self is innate, completely
unaffected by criticisms. You
can, however, be informed by what those criticisms are trying to tell you, so you can bring more value to the world.
I would encourage you to explore some of these questions on your own:
l Do you want to look good or tomake a difference?
l When was the last time you letyour guard down? Was it fine?
l How comfortable are you in“your own skin”?
l Would you feel happier if youachieve great success through a
fabricated image and celebrate with many raving fans, or if you achieve some success through your authen-tic self and celebrate with the circle of people who accept you for who you are?
l How can your image be moreof who you really are?
l What benefits can you gain byallowing the world to see and con-nect with your vulnerability?
l What would it look like ifyou’re totally unaffected by criti-cism, and allow your true self to express itself in the world?
Yes, imagine what that would look like...
n Hwai Tah is the founder of
Coaching-Journey.com and a certified professional coach
and associate certified coach with
ICF (International Coach Federation).
To connect with him, email [email protected].
For more articles on leadership and personal
development, visit www.
leaderonomics.com
mystarjob.com, saturday 1 August 2015 9
Ice Ice baby!By NINA [email protected]
ICE hockey players in Malaysia are used to seeing a range of frozen expressions – and it has nothing to do with the cold.
Khoo Seng Chee, a defender with the national ice hockey team laughingly admits to receiving a fair share of puzzled reactions for his pursuit.
“People are surprised when they first hear that we play hockey on ice,” Khoo says with a grin, adding that many Malaysians find the idea of winter sports in a warm country simply bizarre.
He continues, “They can’t believe their ears when we tell them that there is even a national team!”
This disbelief lingers for a long time, and for other reasons as well. Spectators watching a league outing at the local rink are often psyched out by both the grace of movement and brutality of impact in the game.
Ice hockey is a serious contact team sport involving skaters in full protective gear, and those who watch a game are in awe for more than just the fact that it is played on a cold, slippery surface.
TAKE NO PRISONERSKhoo is an accomplished athlete who
has represented Malaysia twice at the Asian Winter Games, donning the nation-al colours for the Olympic Council of Asia event in Changchun, China in 2007 and in Almaty, Kazakhstan in 2011.
On the ice, this strapping 29-year-old is known for his elite-level playing abilities and astonishing top speed.
He raves, “I have been a member of the national team for the last eight years and it has been a dream come true... an experience that I never thought possible in my life.”
Khoo, who has been playing since the age of 12, recounts how his parents play a huge part in sustaining his passion for ice hockey.
“They have always given me their unwavering support. When I first started, my mother would generously buy me all the equipment I needed to play without questioning,” he shares.
Khoo continues to enjoy his family’s loyal support, and shares his successes with them, although he admits they are not completely overjoyed when he comes home with injuries and bruises.
In addition to the Asian Winter Games, Khoo’s international career includes participating in six Challenge Cups of Asia, where he helped his team capture podium placings in a grueling tour that has included India, Hong Kong and Abu Dhabi.
As a high-level athlete who is used to the rigours of competition, he finds the inten-sity and speed of the game exhilarating.
“Ice hockey is one of the fastest team sports in the world. Because it is also a contact sport where high-speed collisions are common, those who excel in ice hock-ey appreciate the fact that it is both very physical and adrenaline-driven,” enthuses Khoo, when asked to define his zeal for the rough game.
AN OBSESSION BEGINSKhoo admits being born into a typical
old school Chinese family where studies mattered a lot.
“I had very few toys growing up. Sports were the only thing my mother allowed me to do in my free time. While the emphasis was on studies, she also made sure that I played all kinds of sports, including ice hockey,” discloses Khoo, who holds a bachelors degree in manage-
ment and finance.When asked why he would choose ice
hockey at a time when it was virtually unknown in the region, he admits that he was inspired by the movie The Mighty Ducks (1992).
“The movie really sparked my interest! After watching it, five of my friends and I got together to play for a team called the Bloodhounds. We first started with roller hockey in our housing area park, and later pursued our training in the Arena Sports Center opposite Assunta Hospital in Petaling Jaya.
“And when Sunway Pyramid was built back in 1997, we successfully transi-tioned our hobby to ice hockey,” explains the energetic Khoo, who till this day con-tinues to train at the Pyramid Ice rink for at least nine months in a year.
Pyramid Ice is the sole training venue at the moment, and provides a limited number of hours per week to the ice hockey federation for team training and development programmes for juniors.
THE JOURNEY THUS FARKhoo admits being frustrated by the
slow development of ice hockey as a credible sport in Malaysia. One of the biggest challenges for the national team
is the lack of infrastructure, namely not having access to a dedicated ice rink for practices, or even one that is Olympic-sized.
Ice hockey fans will also be shocked to learn that Khoo’s team, the ROCKTAPE Wildcats, is self-funded and self-coached despite producing such brilliant results in international competitions.
So what keeps him fully committed to the sport?
“The passion, love and friends in the sport keep me going. Ice hockey has been a part of me and my life for many years, and my ultimate motivation is to win gold medals for my country and make Malaysia proud,” declares Khoo, a young man who plans to marry soon.
PARTING ADVICE Earlier this year, Khoo was elected as
assistant captain of the team – a coveted position that has proven both his prow-ess at running a power play and being a leader that could inspire others.
“Someday when I am unable to play for the national team, I would probably be coaching as I want to help the devel-opment of the sport and raise the aware-ness of ice hockey in the community,” he declares, explaining his long-term goals.
Asked if he has any advice for our young, emerging leaders who may be interested in pursuing a career in sports, he responds: “My advice to everyone, and especially the children who are still devel-oping their skills, is to enjoy what you’re doing. Always appreciate the fun in train-ing even when you are pushing yourself to the limit.”
He concludes this interview by say-ing, “Be honest with yourself, and know clearly what it takes to be a champion, because champions do not sit around and wait. They take the lead and do what it takes to win.”
n Are you in a sui generis role? If you have an unconventional job or go to work feeling that your portfolio is out of the ordinary, get in touch with us today!Write to [email protected] – because we would love to tell yourstory.
Hearts are meltIng for Ice Hockey
“cHampIons do not sIt around and waIt. tHey take tHe lead and do wHat It takes to wIn”
National defender Khoo Seng Chee putting his best skates forward in a game of speed, accuracy and agility.
as tHe sport gaIns promInence, one player tells us HIs story of HavIng tHe puck on HIs sIde
By ARIELLE YEN [email protected]
LINDA Tirado’s Hand to Mouth: Living in Bootstrap America is part memoir, part exposé and part angry letter to the public. Tirado emphasises the difficulties
of working minimum-wage jobs with strenuous work hours whilst juggling marriage, accommodation, children and studies.
Hand to Mouth isn’t Tirado’s story alone. It isn’t even just the story of those living in poverty. It’s the story of every person in the world struggling with a job they might not enjoy, a job that doesn’t pay enough, or a job that only adds to the weight of their responsibilities. It could even be your story.
Through Tirado’s account, we realise that there are a lot of issues within the working world that exists not just in “bootstrapped America” but wherever we are, too.
Safety firStAbraham Maslow, a psychologist,
derived a theory whereby our human needs are categorised into five sections: physiological, safety, love and belong-ing, esteem, and finally, self-actuali-sation (reaching your full potential).
Maslow’s theory suggests that no matter what our situ-ation is, our needs remain the same.
The first and foremost need is our physiologi-cal need: having food, water, shelter, sleep and so on.
Tirado describes working 14-hour shifts, and standing for seven or eight hours at a time with feet so swollen she can no longer fit into her shoes.
Some of us may struggle to juggle studies with work, or work two or more jobs throughout the week.
Working long hours will, among other things, make you fall behind in your duties rather than get more work done.
When discussing working life in Malaysia, my friend told me that an audi-tor friend of hers would come home at 3am in tears, exhausted from working long, tiring shifts.
Several of her friends had quit their jobs as auditors. She explained to me that the auditing profession, in particular, has a high turnover rate because so many people can’t take the sheer stress of their heavy workload.
Safety, another key issue and the sec-ond step on Maslow’s hierarchy, is much overlooked. Not too long ago, there were reports of deaths occurring amongst con-struction workers working on the mass rapid transit line, due to an apparent lack of supervision by contractors.
It is granted that with dangerous jobs like working with heavy objects and con-struction vehicles, the risk of danger is a large and unmistakable threat.
Tirado recalls her own experiences working in the kitchen, getting burned by oil from fryers and slicing her fingers to the bone while using kitchen knives.
She says, “Stuff like that is unavoida-ble; it’s the nature of the work… The point
is more that the risk is devalued – that our injuries, rather than being seen as a sign of our willingness to literally bleed for our employers, are seen as a liability.”
Being underappreciated also won’t help employees feel like they belong, that they’re cared about and won’t give them high self-esteem or actualisation.
It’s hard to prevent accidents from happening, especially in high-risk workplaces, but more preventative measures should be taken to lower the risk and probability of these incidents occurring.
Accidents should never be trivialised.
Supporting yourSelf, Supporting each other
Have you ever gone to a shop or res-taurant and received less-than-stellar service? Or have you ever served some-one who was unreasonable, rude and demanding?
The way we treat others (badly or well) is an important but often trivialised aspect of customer-employee relations.
It may seem like an inconsequential matter, but the way customers and employees interact may increase or decrease the value of the entire brand or company.
It is a commonplace problem. If you’ve heard someone saying, “Don’t go to that restaurant, the service is terrible,” or “The staff in that shop are helpful, highly recommended!” you will ordinarily be influenced to seek or not seek out their services.
Yet, it’s difficult when emotions are strained, especially when one is under a lot of work or other-related stress.
Tirado, from an employee point-of-view, explains that sometimes, the dis-respect directed towards them by some customers is demotivating.
“Our jobs are as much emotional labour as they are physical... If you want us to be happy to serve you, make it worth our while and be pleasant.”
Whilst customer service has much to be improved here in Malaysia, all of us as participating customers should also be mindful of how we interact with others and how we could affect someone who is trying to do their job.
poverty: the WorSt form of violence
In most places around the world, there is disequilibrium between rich and poor. The rich earn plenty, whereas the poor don’t earn nearly enough.
Another friend of mine worked part-time at a coffee shop and earned mini-mal wage. A one-day shift, consisting of more than five hours, could barely pay for more than a cheap meal. For a minimal amount of money, she stood on her feet at a counter, for several hours.
Unemployability or having to work minimum wage jobs is more serious than we think. Up to 40% of public university Malaysian graduates have either not found jobs within six months after gradu-ation or are working in a mismatched field.
Poverty is rampant here. Many of us might not pay much notice to the old men and women crouched over on the ground selling RM1 tissue packets or the mothers and children on dirty blankets. When we go home to our showers, kitchens, and beds, where do they go?
Tirado talks about not being able to afford necessities such as milk, or com-modities for her children. It makes us wonder about the children we see bare-foot on the dirt-covered roads.
Do they have enough? Will they ever have enough, or will they be caught in the vicious cycle of indigence forever?
in concluSion Trying to close the gaping wounds of
working world issues is a long shot, but any small change makes a difference. How often have we heard of people being injured at work due to safety issues, or people being paid incredibly small amounts whilst working long hours or frequent shifts?
Ask yourself: how many people are actually utilising the skills they’ve learned? Or how many people get the chance to learn skills that will take them further in life?
Tirado doesn’t have any solutions, yet. Instead, she proposes that people start to understand each other. The influence of problem recognition will hopefully then trigger a need for us to act with compas-sion, concern and desire to help each other.
mystarjob.com, saturday 1 August 201510
Living beLow the LineA Story of Poverty And Job diSSAtiSfActionAre yoU eMPLoyed bUt StiLL StrUggLing to MAke endS Meet?
n Arielle isfortunate enough
to enjoy the job she currently has.
She hopes that one day, more people
can say that about their own jobs. She believes in equality and the sharing of
happiness, and that in the workplace
we should try to put this into
practice as much as possible. What do
you think? Write to us at editor@
leaderonomics.com or visit
leaderonomics.com for more valuable
insights!
how MAny PeoPLe Are
ActUALLy UtiLiSing the SkiLLS they hAve LeArned?
how MAny PeoPLe hAve the chAnce to
LeArn SkiLLS thAt wiLL tAke theM
fUrther in Life?
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs pyramid diagram
Self-actualisation
Esteem
Love & belonging
Safety
Physiological
11myStarjob, SATURdAy 1 AUGUST 2015
mystarjob.com, saturday 1 August 201512
If you have any suggestions or feedback on our content, get in touch with the Leaderonomics team at [email protected] For advertising and advertorials, contact Ameera Hussain at [email protected] or +6012 3239 481
The significance of music
Also next week
Discover yourselfearly in life
Imagefrom campus to corporate
Youth Power – the impactful generation
WORK HARD,‘COSPLAY’ HARDERVALuAbLE LESSOnS fROm tHE WOnDERfuL WORLD Of COStumESBy SARA [email protected]
IN the early morning of Dec 23, 2013, I find myself standing in front of the four-foot-long mirror in my bedroom as I hurriedly threw on my clothes and packed the remainder for the
rest of the day – to be donned when I arrive.
Travelling to my destination, I tell my father about how this is something I had never expected I would end up doing – cosplaying.
What I now know about cosplay came mainly through what I learnt from friends in university and college, those who were already practitioners in the field.
When I first saw the pictures and notes posted on Facebook; gathering of friends, arms akimbo, all smiles, I thought how wonderful!
Then the opportunity presented itself in the form of an invitation. My dear friend (you know who you are), sells me a costume, once hers.
I wore it to a cosplay convention – and that was the turning point of my life.
Starting OutGoing through the experience of cos-
playing was something that changed me; I learnt that one would need a lot of hard work and dedication to perfect the craft.
After much research, I began produc-ing my own costumes – a craft which I am still working on very hard until today.
Certainly, I had never touched a sew-ing machine before. Now I’m working towards getting one and learning how to make my own clothes.
My parents feel that this is an interest-ing pursuit. They are supportive of me and that matters a lot.
With my father’s help, I have learnt how to handle a Dremel (a hand-held rotary tool that American cosplayers seem to swear by) to cut and craft props.
I also spent several days in my grand-father’s backyard trying to spray-paint a wooden stick and several other items without choking on the fumes.
Stepping intO the reaLMAs with all things, one has to start
from the ground up and with my journey into the cosplay realm, I have had to learn the basics of the craft.
With every completed project, I am moving closer to my goal. But setbacks always occur during a journey and in my case it was a fear and reluctance of going near a sewing machine because I was paralysed by insecurities and this device was strange to me.
Fear holds one back but once you real-ise that there is nothing to fear, you can push forward.
When I push harder I learn that that extra bit of effort usually pays off. When one pushes on despite obstacles, it becomes worth it.
Oftentimes, even with a project that is enjoyable, I have seen people give up when they hit roadblocks, and not want to push forward.
I have these roadblocks too and many a time the urge to give up is strong. But I battle these obstacles and keep moving forward, one step at a time.
You, dear reader, can do the same; if you are currently stuck in a situation that seems insurmountable, take a step back, break it down into smaller pieces and deal with each small piece at time. Better
to pick up pebbles than trying to move a whole mountain.
puShing paSt the FOgWhenever the journey seems tough,
just remember that you will eventually reach the end of the tunnel and perhaps the most important thing to know is that you are not alone. Do not be afraid to ask for help; it is something that will be immensely beneficial to you.
If you can, ask for constructive criti-cism. Perhaps this will give you an insight into the solution for your roadblock. You may have missed a particular area.
A second opinion could be helpful too. As my granduncle pointed out, I could make a glowing jewel out of a clear bot-tle with coloured water instead of using silicone, which prevented much light from shining through anyway.
This is because the coloured water was less dense than the silicone, hence more light can pass through it.
Learning FrOM experienceCosplay, as I have learnt, requires hard
work and dedication. With my journey into this new realm, I believe that there is still much for me to discover. Learning is a never-ending process.
As Isaac Asimov, the great pioneer of sci-fi fiction once said in an interview, “People think of education as something they can finish. And what’s more, when they finish, it’s a rite of passage. You’re finished with school. You’re no more a child and therefore anything that reminds you of school – reading books, having ideas, asking questions – that’s kid’s stuff.”
There is no “rite” that one has to pass when it comes to learning – cosplay included. You keep the process going. There are no checkpoints in the game of learning, you just keep going.
You get to save as and when you need but there will always be quests for you to complete and the best part is that you get to choose which ones you want to do.
cOncLuding thOughtSAsimov goes on to say, with regards to
life and learning, “what a great tragedy to pass through and get nothing out of it.”
It is true, doing something, however small and getting something out of it is better than doing nothing at all.
As with just about any other subject, you should always learn, get better, teach others and learn more. Of course, the most important thing, as with all things you do, is to have fun.
So go forth, work hard and cos-play harder!
n When Sara first told her father she wanted
to cosplay, he predictedthat her first characterwould be blue-haired. When the day finally
rolled around, she wore – you guessed
it – a blue wig. To find out about the many
fantastic characters she has played since then,
write to her at [email protected]
Here is a rough guide to the cosplaying process from start to end.
1 Cosplayers at the St Jo’s in Gurney Paragon.
2 Some take the trouble to arrange for elaborate props for their costumes.
Selection of character(s)
Gathering references for character(s)
Gathering materials
Making the costume and props (if any)
Testing the finished products; make adjustments if needed
Complete!
12
34
5
62
1
