Water Reflection

Consulting tips

2006-06-20T13:54:00.000+08:00

When all is said and done, it is the clients decision not yours. The goal of a consultant is to facilitate decision-making by the client-not for the client.
Keep your ego in your pocket. Remember that you are getting paid to help the client be successful, not to make the client wrong so that you can be right.
The client often knows the right answer for them better than you do. You just need to help them discover it.
Nothing you have to say is as important as anything the client has to say. Listen actively, and empathetically. Frequently summarize the clients needs, ideas, feelings.
A consultant should try to learn not to take things too personally. The client often has a hidden agenda that has nothing to do with you.
Listen, listen, question, question, listen some more. Sub text - just shut up. This must be constantly in your conscious mind.
Focus on customer benefit, not your feature.
A successful consultant is a great listener. Listen carefully to make sure you understand the client's needs and you deliver exactly what is expected of you.
One of the most important skills we can use to be a more effective consultant is to listen!
Ask questions.
Focus on the Business Success Basics: Keep costs low, productivity high, service positively outrageous, and black ink on financial statements.
Verify how the client defines success.
Summarize. Before you end your first meeting with a new client, summarize what you think you heard. Summarize. Don't recommend. Don't empathize, apologize, or sermonize. Rather, do what you can to make sure that you understand what your client wants, and that your client knows you understand.
Leave your assumptions at the door. Every client situation is different.
Be clear with your client on what your deliverables are and make sure you have a common definition of them as well!
Never answer an unasked question.

Starhub customer service (by call) short-cut

2006-04-02T10:40:00.000+08:00

After dialing 1633, press 1-1-1-0, it will get you to a consultant.

Consistency (in customer service)

2005-11-24T16:36:00.000+08:00

Inconsistency in customer services can cause confusion. Recently I encounter a problem because the mobile service company I used asked me for a "Customer No." for a certain kind of service. I look through all the relative documents but couldn't find such a term. Then finally, I called the their hotline (while is not quite hot) and learned that it's actually the "Account No." that is printed on the bills. My goodness, why didn't they use the same term so that I could have save the time for searching?

That's one simple thing for any company to do, but a great help for people, who are the greatest assets of the company.

Open Office?

2005-10-14T11:15:00.000+08:00

After trying the OO-1.1.5, I think MS-Office is still better in its interface and functionalities. What are your opinions?

Apple's baby step

2005-10-14T10:13:00.000+08:00

After read the BusinessWeek article, I think it's very possible that Apple can make the history again.

One of the implication of the Internet is to make copying and distribution of information very easy. As music and videos can be digitalized on the PC, they are "shared" as easily as any other information on the Internet.

Eventually, this kind of "share" actions among the consumers will force the intellectual producers to change their business model in sales and distribution. And now, Apple has proposed one, though not very matural yet.

I am back

2005-10-12T10:31:00.000+08:00

After reading an interesting blog just now, I feel like returning to continuing nuturing my own after a few months of "abandon".

Read a few spam comments and some friendly ones.

To the friendly fellow bloggers, "thank you for visiting and sharing. Please leave your link if you want." :)

An inspiration from Dell

2005-03-24T14:00:00.000+08:00

"Speed is critical in computer industry." Speed is critical in the information age. Information is like computer hardware, in general, the older it is, the less value it has.

"Such rethinking of operations lets Dell operate more efficiently than any other computer company." An important character of a mechanic is to improve every component of his career gradually and continuously.

The "How Good Can You Stand It" Credo

2005-03-18T11:03:00.000+08:00

Work like you don't need the money.
Love like you've never been hurt.
Dance like there's nobody watching.

This and next month

2005-03-17T10:14:00.000+08:00

Every evening before you sleep is a time to summarize what you have learn today. Every Saturday morning is a time to summarize what you have gained last week and a time to brainstorm what you are going to improve next week.

If you haven't had this habit. What you can improve this week, next week and next next week is to form this habit of reflection regularly. Reflect when you am so relax and quiet. Reflect on your desires inside. Reflect on the actions outside.

Every month

2005-03-17T10:05:00.000+08:00

Every month, commit to changing something. Meet a mentor. Read more. Complain less. Cut your costs. Cut your calories. Change something and then measure the change. Compare. Not against others -against yourself. Don’t make it hard work. Make it easy. Make it fun.

"I do not try to dance better than anyone else. I only try to dance better than myself." - Mikhail Baryshnikov

Tools

2005-03-10T10:24:00.000+08:00

Invest a considerable amount of time to choose your tools before you begin any work.

No overtime

2005-03-07T14:29:00.000+08:00

"Working overtime sucks the spirit and motivation out of a team. Projects that require overtime to be finished on time will be late no matter what you do. Instead use a release planning meeting to change the project scope or timing. Increasing resources by adding more people is also a bad idea when a project is running late." Everyone needs time to "sharpen the saw".

About Functionality

2005-03-07T14:02:00.000+08:00

What's recommended?
"Keep the system uncluttered with extra stuff you guess will be used later." "Turn a blind eye towards future requirements and extra flexibility. Concentrate on what is scheduled for today only."

But why?
"Only 10% of that extra stuff will ever get used, so you are wasting 90% of your time. We are all tempted to add functionality now rather than later because we see exactly how to add it or because it would make the system so much better. It seems like it would be faster to add it now. But we need to constantly remind our selves that we are not going to actually need it. Extra functionality will always slow us down and squander our resources."

Simplicity

2005-03-07T13:52:00.000+08:00

Why?
"A simple design always takes less time to finish than a complex one. So always do the simplest thing that could possibly work."

How?
"If you find something that is complex replace it with something simple. It's always faster and cheaper to replace complex code now, before you waste a lot more time on it. Keep things as simple as possible as long as possible by never adding functionality before it is scheduled."

"Beware though, keeping a design simple is hard work." But it's worth it.

Iterative Development Plan - just in time planning

2005-03-07T11:45:00.000+08:00

What to plan? "User stories are chosen for this iteration by the customer from the release plan in order of the most valuable to the customer first. Failed acceptance tests to be fixed are also selected."

How to plan?
"The user stories and failed tests are broken down into the programming tasks that will support them. Tasks are written down on index cards like user stories. While user stories are in the customer's language, tasks are in the developer's language. Duplicate tasks can be removed. These task cards will be the detailed plan for the iteration."

"Developers sign up to do the tasks and then estimate how long their own tasks will take to complete. It is important for the developer who accepts a task to also be the one who estimates how long it will take to finish. People are not interchangeable and the person who is going to do the task must estimate how long it will take."

"Each task should be estimated as 1, 2, or 3 ideal programming days in duration. Ideal programming days are how long it would take you to complete the task if there were no distractions. Tasks which are shorter than 1 day can be grouped together. Tasks which are longer than 3 days should be broken down farther."

Iterative Development

2005-03-07T11:37:00.000+08:00

Just read a few great insights in eXtreme Programming:

"Divide your development schedule into about a dozen iterations of 1 to 3 weeks in length. Keep the iteration length constant through out the project." This is not only a divide-and-conquer strategy but also great in managing risk.

"Don't schedule your programming tasks in advance. Instead have an iteration planning meeting at the beginning of each iteration to plan out what will be done. Just-in-time planning is an easy way to stay on top of changing user requirements." This is a wonderful insight about project management in the modern age as user requirements can change quite rapidly.

"It is also against the rules to look ahead and try to implement anything that it is not scheduled for this iteration. There will be plenty of time to implement that functionality when it becomes the most important story in the release plan." This is the famous "put first thing first" used in project management.

But what if you can't finish the planned task during the iteration? Here's the answer: "If it looks like you will not finish all of your tasks then call another iteration planning meeting, re-estimate, and remove some of the tasks." It takes integrity.

Last piece of advice: "Concentrate your effort on completing the most important tasks as chosen by your customer, instead of having several unfinished tasks chosen by the developers."

65 Reflection

2005-01-11T17:59:00.000+08:00

People over 65 were asked, 'If you could live your life over, what would you do differently?' They said three things: 'I'd take time to stop and ask the big questions. I'd be more courageous and take more risks in work and love. I'd try to live with purpose--to make a difference.'

Do the three things everyday.

open source

2005-01-10T13:19:00.000+08:00

Documentation is one of the most important elements of the selection of open source software. Select open source project with enough, clear and easy-to-understand documentations. Preferably there is a easy-to-follow kick start tutorial.

User experiences

2005-01-10T10:31:00.000+08:00

A simple convenience that you bring to your use can bring a different sense of user experience. An accumulation of those simple conveniences can make a whole lot of differences in user decisions.

Bootstrap

2004-12-28T11:01:00.001+08:00

Carefully choose your tools. You will accelerate your progress as time goes on.

Trust

2004-12-28T11:01:00.000+08:00

To gain trust from people, we must learn to trust them first. Trust from small task to bigger and bigger task.

SamSung LCDs

2004-12-28T09:37:00.000+08:00

The company SamSung is a very good example of getting a ninch of the market and become a dominant of it. The quality of its LCDs is the major distinctive advantage. The market for that alone will make Samsung King of the hill.

AskAMaster

2004-12-08T17:11:00.000+08:00

Ask the master questions without a shame. You will get valuable learning opportunities in no time.

Diablo2Reflection

2004-12-07T16:47:00.000+08:00

I am playing Diablo 2 these few days. It’s not only an interesting game for relaxation, but also a great way to learn things to live better in real life, the Real Role Playing Game.

The purpose of Goals

One of the most important factors to make Diablo 2 so interesting is that it gives you very clear Quest Log (goals) to complete in every level of the game. If there are no such Logs, I suspect that I would probably get bored after a few hours, because my brain is seeking for challenges and accomplishments every minute. It’s the need for it to survive.

How’s your real life? Does it have a purpose? Do you have goals? You’d better have or you will be bored after a few years, months, days, hours or minutes for doing something for nothing.

The joy in the process

The Quest Log alone won’t make this game so fun. What makes the game fun is in the process of achieving each goal. You gain small joys in beating every monster on the road. The faster and the more you kill those monsters on the road, the better you feel. You gain your joys in getting treasures and useful weapons on the road when defeating the monsters. You gain the joys in improving your character’s skill levels so that he’s a much stronger and effective monster killer. You gain the joys in adjusting and improve your strategy so that you become a better player.

How do you do in your Real Role Playing Game? Many of us have clear goals, but they fail to invent a process that will create joy as they move towards their goals. Eventually they give up, because people can’t keep on doing something everyday if they don’t enjoy it.

“Life is an extension of happiness.” – Harish

To be a master of life, you need to invent enjoyable processes to your goals. It provides fuel to push you ahead. Moreover, if the essence of life is in the process, I believe joy is the essence. Know what create joy in your life and integrate it into every aspect of your life process.

Treat every unknown or unfamiliar situation or thing as a learning opportunity. Use it to improve your skill level, which is critical to your task or goal. Use it to pick up and master useful tools in your craft.

Life success is to find learning and joy in every situation everyday.

The power of focus

As mentioned in the previous section, you can improve your skills in a predefined skill set as you move along and accumulate a certain number of monsters you kill. The more and the faster you kill the monsters, the faster you improve your skills.

One challenge here though. There are many skills you can develop. And there are many levels of a particular skill. How should you invest the “monsters” you kill to improve you skills so that you can achieve maximum result (your character becomes a more effective monster killer)? Should you “diversify” or should you “put all your eggs in one or two baskets”?

In my own experience, “putting all your eggs in one or two baskets” is a much more effective strategy, because the effectiveness of monster killing depends on the mastery of a particular skill, no matter what skills it is. The more sophisticated your particular monster killing skill is, the faster and more you kill the monsters and then the faster you improve you skills. So on and so forth. It’s a positive loop.

So focusing on developing one or two critical skills to an advanced level is the secrete of playing Diablo 2.

Do you “diversify” or “focus” in real life? How’s the result?

The choice of fight model

Fight model is the way you fight the monsters. Do you have to be close to them to hit them? Do you use arrow to hit them? Do you use magic fire? Do you use cold power? Do you use the Ravens or Wolves……? Whatever you prefer, there’s pros and cons in each fight model. And each character is good at a particular fight model.

To be a more effective player, you need to choose the fight model of your character carefully. And according to the fight model you choose, you need to develop your skills and your body in a particular way to achieve maximum results.

To have a successful and fulfilling life, you also need to choose you “fight model” carefully and develop your skills accordingly.

Work less; earn more

2004-12-07T13:24:00.000+08:00

Read about Work hard, harly work. But what about Singapore and Hongkong. They are rich, but they work like hell.

Learning

2004-12-01T23:11:00.000+08:00

Invest more time to chew and digest.

Know when to give.

Know when to do; know how much to do.

Know my energy: reflective.

Everything has a cycle.

Be a pilot.

Information overloaded

2004-11-30T22:09:00.000+08:00

Don't download anything unless I am going to use it immediately. Just keep a reference to it on the browser or notes is more than enough. Try to avoid information overloaded.

NightEffectiveness

2004-11-29T10:09:00.000+08:00

Cook and eat smart size at night; drink only little a night; be online with IM only from 22:00 to 22:30.

LearnFromExperience

2004-11-28T07:00:00.000+08:00

The best way to learn from your experience is to prepare to and reflect on anything you are going to do. Before doing anything, always “have an end at the beginning”. After doing it, reflect on the results and the process. Learn as much as you can and use the learning to the doing of next time. Think it, ink it, do it, review it. Ask a series of questions, “What should I do more next time? What should I do less next time? What should I stop doing next time? What should I start doing next time?”

Questions

2004-11-28T06:37:00.000+08:00

No matter you are going to have a chance to ask, before you go to a seminar or meeting, always prepare a question list. It really keeps your mind focus on the learning you can get from the particular event. Because what you ask is what you get.

Today

2004-11-26T01:14:00.000+08:00

Communication: Seek first to understand, then to be understood.

Partnership: Trust is the first rule. How to build trust? Through interaction. By keeping promises. By keeping a high standard of integrity. By letting the other party know where you stand.

Ask and learn from mentors.

Put first thing first. Relationships are the first things.

Have an end at the beginning before any task.

LearnAndPractice

2004-11-23T10:55:00.000+08:00

If you just learn something, put it into practice as soon as you can. Or you don't learn the thing at all.

HowToFulfillAGoal

2004-11-23T10:24:00.000+08:00

1. Break the goal down into sub-goals.
2. Repeat 1 until the sub-goals become specific, manageable actions.
3. Organize the actions so that it has a sequence. So now it becomes a plan.
4. Act on the first step of the plan single-mindedly.
5. Celebrate the completion of the step.
6. Reflect on the completion of the step.
7. Use the reflection I get from 6 and repeat 4,5,6 for the next step until every step of the plan is fulfilled

Learning

2004-11-19T21:03:00.000+08:00

"If you want people to learn something, they better have a good time - especially if they're adults. And if you want to have someone learn something, they have to get physically involved." That's Mr. Ron Kaufman's (the head of Active Learning) words.

To see it in another perspective about learning, if we need to know something, we need to have a good time learning it and get physically involved.

TheThreeAnswersForToday

2004-11-18T23:40:00.000+08:00

What have I learnt (that will benefit me in future)?

I learnt the power of the subconscious mind. To use the subconscious mind, I need to always play the dream movie inside my head.

I can internalize an idea by repeating it again and again. One easy step is to get the most useful believes or quotes printed on paper and post them on my bedroom's walls so that I can read them every day.

See the beautiful scene again and again on my desktop.

Learn from the best people who knows the stuff. And I can save a lot of my time.

Give generously, and I will receive in bulks as well.

Think on paper is a simple and surprisingly effective technique for thinking and planning and executing.

What have I improved and contribute?

I controlled my time quite well today.

I think on paper.

I help my colleague to solve his problem and at the same time, I practice my ability to hunt bugs.

I give sincere compliments.

What have I enjoyed?

I enjoyed the sense of being in control.

I enjoyed doing the most important thing of the day first with laser focus.

I enjoyed helping other people and at the same time benefiting myself.

WeathQuote

2004-11-18T22:20:00.000+08:00

"Wealth is controlled time." One of my favorite quotes.

WealthTips

2004-11-18T22:18:00.000+08:00

Interesting tips from Roger Hamilton's seminar:

When it comes to creating wealth and making money, the last thing that you should be thinking about is making the money.

“When I am at my best, when I am racing and driving at my best, the last thing I am thinking about is driving.” ~ Ayrton Senna, Formula one Champion

For most of us creating wealth does not come naturally because we are not focusing on the right path. We are not moving down the right path.

Critical Failures in Creating Wealth:

1) Too much information 2) If you don't know what you are looking for you will never find your wealth. We have so many different options to choose from that some of us choose no option at all. 3) Doing the wrong thing.

There is a formula to all of wealth which includes all the advice and profiles.

Find Your Personal Path of Least Resistance:

There are eight different ways to create your wealth. You need to know which one is your personal path of least resistance. Without knowing your personal path, you will be looking at what other people are doing instead of what you should be doing.

Formula to Wealth: Wealth = Value x Leverage

“It's not a question of choosing the right investment vehicle, but whether it is the right person in the right vehicle, the one who is doing it naturally, who doesn't have to think, it just comes in a wink.”

Money Flow is like a River

Wealth –something which allows the money to flow.

Money will always flow from high value to low value.Value creates the gradient in the river that allows money to flow. Greater value creates a steeper gradient and the money will flow faster.Value alone will not give you the money.

Leverage –gives you the width and the depth of the riverYou can increase the money coming downsimply by leveraging it.

Two totally opposite ways of creating value:

1. Innovator - creates something newExample: Bill Gates

2. Timing - knows when to buyand sellExample: Warren Buffet

Two opposite ways of creating leverage:

1. Multiply - How can this be done without me?Example: Ray Kroc, founder of Macdonalds expanded his wealth through franchising system.

2. Magnify - How can this only be donewith me?Example: Tom Cruise, selling 'Tom Cruise' brand of merchandise.

You need to know which path is suitable for you or your winning formula can become a losing formula.

With each path, there are also rules to the game. If you don’t know what the rules are, you are never going to win the game!

Wealth is:

1. a foundation.

2. what you are left with if you lose all your money.

3. not about the money you have today but your ability to make money tomorrow.

If you have invested in your foundation, in creating the river, then even if the river dries up today because there is no rain it will start up again.What are you doing right now to invest in your foundation?

It’s very difficult to build your foundation if you are not focused on the path where you are naturally best.90% of your time is spent on things that make no sense and make no wealth. Yet all wealth is created in the remaining 5-10% of the time during critical moments. If you are only focused on the 90% you will miss the 10%.

Paths to Creating Wealth:

Deal Maker - knowing how to spot deals Example: Lee Ka-Shing, Hong Kong's Billionaire Owns: the timing of when products are bought and sold

Mechanic - creating a better system Example: Sam Walton, founder of Wal-Mart Owns: the entire system

Supporter - give some time to the wealth creator Example: Steve Ballmer, CEO of Microsoft since 1980 hired by Bill Gates Owns: a percentage of wealth in the company

Lord - Uses other people’s money to get the right properties at the right yield Example: LandLord Owns: the cashflow

If you are not certain of your path, you may mistakenly switch from the right path to the wrong path and miss your wealth altogether.

If you don't know your path, you are wasting your time.

It is time to discover your path.

MsVsGoogle

2004-11-18T22:07:00.000+08:00

Will they take on Google as they did for other competitors? I believe Gates is a very tough competitor. He hasn't really lost so far. I like Microsoft's strategy: Let others test the market; Learn from others' mistakes and experiences; Catch up with the opponents; Bypass the opponents.

tipsFromTonyRobbins

2004-11-18T21:59:00.000+08:00

"Success is continuous improvement. It's to know that we are growing everyday." according to Tony Robbins. And he kindly suggests three questions to ask ourselves before we get into bed:

What have I learned today?

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I improved or contributed today?

These questions will get us scan through all the events happened thorough the day and reflection on it. Wonderful tips, Tony. :)

Skype

2004-11-01T13:24:00.000+08:00

Just read Skype Is "What Evolution Is All About". It's fascinating to see people apply the same concept to different applications and achieve maximum success. I remember I did the same thing in school when I had to solve some math problems; I used the same thinking pattern again and again. It must be much more fun to apply it in real life and make lots of money from it.

Moreover, "the fast beat the slow".

bookSearch

2004-09-18T14:15:00.000+08:00

Just find that Amazon can be used as a wonderful tool to check out related books. For example, you look for "The 8th Habit : From Effectiveness to Greatness". You also get a list of other books Customers who bought this book also bought. That's much easier to find out related books.

beingPopular

2004-09-17T09:58:00.000+08:00

If you want other people to like you:

1. Learn anything that’s good in them and imitate and finally have it in you. People like those alike.

2. If you can help, try your best to help.

You learn from every experience. Why not invest in helping other people?

peopleInvestment

2004-09-13T22:40:00.000+08:00

The people around you is the one of the most important assets you have. Invest in the under value ones and you will have an handsome return one day.

HowToSell1

2004-09-11T13:31:00.000+08:00

One of the most important lesson I learnt from Dr. Jeffrey Lant's promotion email is how to get your customers' ass out of the chair:

1. Use exagerated language to begin to catch attention. His email title is: "Warning: you are not using the Internet to your maximum advantage. Change that today!". "Warning", what a word!

2. Point out the potential customers' pain in ass. And tell them that you have the cure for that pain.

3. From specific to general.

Thanks, Dr. Jeffrey Lant. ;)

knowledgeEntrepreneurs

2004-08-27T09:48:00.000+08:00

The knowledge entrepreneurs have the following characteristics:

They read a lot, are hungry for new ideas, and are always inquisitive.

They have strong research skills. They know where to go to find information, and don't depend on a single content source. They know how to cope with information overload, and are able to quickly tell good information from bad.

They write well, and know who they are writing for. They have the ability to synopsize what they have found and turn it into new content. They have the skills and the ability to collaborate with others in the creation of new content.

They are able to turn their content into persuasive presentations, and are comfortable making presentations in front of a group.

(They) know how to commission new content and (are) able to quickly judge its quality. They... know how to manage writers -- to encourage them and get the best out of them. They must know how to select the most exciting and relevant content and position it appropriately on the home page.

webGrabit

2004-08-27T09:45:00.000+08:00

I discovered a wonderful tool called WebGrabit yesterday. It’s a tool which can automatically grab and update whatever HTML on the web. Imagine you want the most updated news about the Internet. You can just search the news on Google and use WebGrabit to grab that information automatically for you every hour. How great is that!

The most important thing about this great tool is that it’s very easy to use just like the Microsoft products. That may be the most important attribute for any IT product that can sell.

ActionToTakeWhenBeingMisunderstood

2004-08-26T17:27:00.000+08:00

Shift your paradigm
Communication is two-way. You have your part to play in making people understand you. If you play your part well, that's good enough.

Seek first to understand
Try your best to understand what and why other people don't understand with their perspectives.

Then to be understood
Use simple language to explain.

growQuickly

2004-08-25T11:37:00.000+08:00

Look for someone, who’s willing to think and exchange information. Ask what he has found out lately and discuss with him. The best way to grow is to find a mentor and learn from him what he has learnt. Make every conversation meaningful. It’s up to us to do that.

tightSchedule

2004-08-25T11:27:00.000+08:00

Negotiate for a better schedule, and then you won’t be behind the schedule.

responsibility

2004-08-20T14:45:00.000+08:00

Being responsible means knowing what you are responsible for and takes care of it. It doesn’t mean you have to carry other people’s shit.

chat

2004-08-20T14:44:00.000+08:00

Chatting is a means to socialize. But most of the chats are meaningless. For how to use chatting to gain more knowledge, I have the following habits:

Find out more about the opponent’s background by asking questions, such as “What university did you go to? What was your major and why? What’s your best subject? What do you love to do most in your spare time?”

Discuss the subject that’s both interesting to the opponent and you. Ask open-ended questions. Allow information to flow and be absorbed.

discussion

2004-08-18T15:43:00.001+08:00

Ask questions instead of making conclusions and defend the conclusion with facts and logic. Communication depends on the other party. Give them a way to open themselves up and ourselves a chance to “seek first to understand”.

powerPoint

2004-08-18T15:43:00.000+08:00

After reading The perils of PowerPoint slides, I realize that it’s a common pattern of people misuse or overuse a new technology. Many times, when a new technology comes out, we use it as the vendors advocate without seriously thinking whether we really need to change our old habits. People are too lazy to think and ask the question, “What can this new technology bring to the table?” And eventually one former of laziness transforms to another form of inconvenience.

Question every behavior before it becomes a habit. What are the habits that I take for granted without thinking about it? What about you?

dellChina

2004-08-18T14:46:00.001+08:00

Dell Computer retreats from China's low-end PC market. One thing that I admire Dell is its ability to react fast. It’s a huge company, but it can change its direction in a couple of month based on its market statistics, which I think counts on its powerful digital nerve system.

But why did Dell lose the low-end PC battle in China is a question I want to ask.

askQuestions

2004-08-18T14:46:00.000+08:00

How to generate more creative ideas and thoughts everyday? I find the answer in the question. The answer is to develop the habit of asking better and better questions about everything occur around us.

If something is totally new to us, be it a situation, a person or an environment, we always can ask the question, “What can I learn from this? How can I use this? What should I do next time so that I can achieve better results?”

I also discover some of the why questions are very powerful. “Why do we do it this way?” is a wonderful question to challenge conventional thoughts and make us really understand things around us.

Questions are the key to conversation as well. Ask open-ended questions begins with What, Why, Where, When and How about other people or things they are interested in can certainly stimulate any conversation.

Ask questions! What questions have you asked today?

BetterFasterLighterJava

2004-08-12T16:09:00.000+08:00

Lately, two authors have written a wonderful book about Java namely “Better, Faster, Lighter Java”. I picked it up for the sake of better my programming habits. But then I discovered that this book offered some simple but profound principles that we can follow in almost everything we do.

Keep It Simple
“Good programmers value simplicity.” In my opinion, everyone’s life needs simplicity. The way I do it is to focus on the essence. Discover patterns for repeated problems and provide standard, well-formatted and most effective solutions.

Do One Thing, and Do It Well
“Focus is the second principle, and it builds upon simplicity. This basic premise has two underlying concepts: concentrate on one idea per piece, and decouple your building blocks.” One of the most beautiful ideas I have every known in computer science is “Divide and Conquer”. From the wisdom of the ancient Chinese, this strategy gives us incredible power to overcome complexities and difficulties by focusing our energy on a single aspect of a huge problem and solve it bit by bit.

Strive for Transparency
“When you can separate the primary purpose of a block of code from other issues, you're building transparent code.”

This principle is highly related to the first two. You separate other issues by seeing the repeated pattern and solve the problem only once, which is a way to achieve simplicity. And now you can focus on the primary purpose of the block of code.

Allow for Extension
This seems to have little connection to life but design. But to me, it is. One thing leads to another. It’s about choice. For example, when you choose to study computer science, what are the possible “extensions” of your later career? For every choice we make, have we think about what kind of “extensions” we can have?

You Are What You Eat
“Applications build upon a foundation. Too many developers let external forces easily dictate that foundation. Vendors, religion, and hype can lead you to ruin. You've got to learn to listen to your own instincts and build consensus within your team. Be careful of the concepts you internalize.”

“You've got to challenge conventional thinking. When you don't, bloat happens.”

So think before you swallow. ;)

toBeCreative

2004-07-23T13:34:00.000+08:00

FastCompany gives some guidelines for creativity. To sum up, I think there are only two points:

1. Try new things.
2. Don't restrict yourself.

theApprentice

2004-07-23T13:28:00.000+08:00

This week, Donald J. Trump has a new challenge for the apprentice: How to make as much money as possible by trading in one day with 1k as the seed money with 6 people only in your team?

It's kind of fun to see those young people working out their plans. And finally one of the teams won the game by bringing more than 1.6k in return.

Lessons from the winning team:

1. Know the strength of each of the team member.
2. Ask for expert knowledge. Make a decision and implement it quickly.
3. Be clear about what you need and try to obtain them as cheap as you can.

Lessons from the losing team:

1. Take good care of your money. Don't lose money!
2. If the team is small, have everyone together to focus on one implementation is better.

Lessons from Trump:

1. The first requirement to success is desire.
2. Trust your judgement and make a decision firmly.
3. Stand up for yourself.

edgeCraft

2004-07-21T16:01:00.000+08:00

I am fascinated by the idea of "edgecraft". It's a wonderful procedure (I'd call it a "system") that will help people to "steal" champion new ideas:

1. Find a product or service that's completely unrelated to your industry.
2. Figure out who's winning by being remarkable.
3. Discover what edge they went to.
4. Do that.

Check out Seth Godin's article for more.

onCreativity

2004-07-21T12:26:00.000+08:00

It's enlightening to read the point of view about creativity. What's more important is what actions to take to make ourselves more creative.

jobInterview

2004-07-21T10:22:00.000+08:00

Discover some useful information about job interviews. If job hunting follows the 80-20 principle, preparation should be the 80.

converter

2004-07-20T17:29:00.000+08:00

The most powerful personnel lives with a purpose and can convert any seemingly negative situation or encounter into something that empowering and positive.

judgeAPerson

2004-07-20T09:35:00.000+08:00

"To judge a person, we need to look into his everyday life. Look into the small, small things he does." I got this insight from the old people when I was young. And now I think it's so correct. But anyway, "judge less, perceive more."

simplicity

2004-07-19T11:46:00.000+08:00

Edward de Bono has a pretty inspiring idea about simplicity.

It seems to me the pattern of simplicity appears again and again in successful organizations and endevours even though they are unconciously applying the principle. In business, in government, in manufactory, in software engineering, in math and so on.

Simplicity is beauty.

theWebOfThoughts

2004-07-19T11:27:00.000+08:00

The Web of Thoughts is another to-be-good blog to check out. Let's expect it will be an interesting place to surf.

extremelyAgileProgramming

2004-07-16T17:29:00.000+08:00

While most of the innovations move the related field forward, I believe that Extremely Agile Programming will make a revolution in software engineering.

"A move to agile programming, in fact, strikes the most sensitive of nerves: honest communication. For years, corporate IT and users have worked separately. Lightweight methodologies bring everyone together face to face and keep them there."

Honest communication! Isn't that all it's about in team work?

businessInnovation

2004-07-16T17:06:00.000+08:00

A wonderful blog about businessInnovation.

e-Commerse

2004-07-16T16:48:00.000+08:00

Take a good look at e-Commerse. After the bubbles burst, most people in Singapore are afraid of the name begun with "e-", rather than thinking about the possibility of making use of the technologies in a steady way to add value into their business.

(Re) Made to Order gives an example of how some of the companies in the U.S. realise the importance of technologies, especially the Internet.

"The most fundamental lesson that I've learned is that if companies can use technology to get closer and closer to their customers, they're going to win." after several months riding the e-commerce learning curve, says John D. Kennedy, 46, a 10-year veteran of United Stationers, a Chicago-based, $3.8 billion company that stocks and distributes more than 35,000 products for retail powerhouses like Office Depot and Staples, as well as for smaller office-supplies dealers.

Take a look at the 40 UNDER 40: The 10 Richest. It "captures the American dream—rising from nothing and nowhere to achieve wealth and power—and combines it with the American obsession: speed. Dot-commers still dominate our annual list of whiz kids who made it to the top."

The ability to apply knowledge is power!

innovativeThinking

2004-07-16T16:16:00.000+08:00

Another wonderful blog about innovativeThinking.

occupationalAdventure

2004-07-16T16:14:00.000+08:00

Discover an interesting blog today: occupationalAdventure. Check it out. It's inspiring.

mindfulnessBreathing

2004-07-16T16:08:00.000+08:00

Read an article about mindfulnessBreathing. It introduces a wonderful way of releasing stress.

Too often, we are stressful because of the way we interpret the world. There seems to be too many threats around us, eg. the boss behind you; the ringing phone in your office; your landlord and so on. We feel as if there are always people chasing us while we are awake. And when we are asleep, we may be chasing by something else.

These little things suck our strength; drag our power away. What can we do immediately to get away from it? I have always believed in having a much higher purpose in life. By focusing on the purpose, we will forget sweating the small stuffs. Another way is what I just discovered from that article - practicing mindfulness of breathing. There are two ways to do it as introduced from the article:

"One involves the formal discipline of making a specific time in which you stop all activity, assume a special posture, and dwell for some time in moment-to-moment awareness of the in-breath and the outbreath."

"The second way of practicing using the breath is to be mindful of it from time to time during the day, or even all day long, wherever you are and whatever you are doing."

Check out the article. It's worth a read. The second thing to do is: ACTION!

happyBirthdayUnruledBoy!

2004-07-16T10:10:00.000+08:00

unruledBoy MSNed just now. So I know it. Happy birthday, my old high-school friend! Wish you spend your birthday meaningfully!

digitalNervousSystem

2004-07-14T15:44:00.000+08:00

In the coming years, digital technology will radically increase the speed at which business is conducted. It will change the relationship between businesses and their customers, and it will transform the roles of individual workers. How well an organization adapts to this changing business landscape will depend on the health of its internal digital processes-its "digital nervous system." Though a digital nervous system is built on a combination of hardware and software, it is not a product. Think of the role a biological nervous system plays in living organisms. It controls the basic systems-respiratory, circulatory, digestive-that make life possible. It also receives sensory stimuli, transmits them to the brain, and instantly triggers a response. In humans the nervous system makes it possible to think and plan with foresight and creativity. An effective digital nervous system performs similar functions within an organization. It allows a company's internal processes to operate smoothly and quickly, enables an organization to respond to customer feedback quickly, gives it the ability to react to its competitive environment in a timely manner, and empowers employees with critical knowledge. The key is how effectively an organization manages the flow of its digital information. All kinds of information-numbers, text, audio and video-can now be put into digital form. Widely-available hardware and software has also made it possible-and necessary-for organizations of all sizes to reshape the way they conduct their business. In fact, many companies have already made many of the necessary investments in information technology to allow employees to obtain, store, share, and act upon information in new ways, from corporate intranets to the global network of the Internet. Success in this kind of environment, however, entails more than deploying technology. The idea is to employ it in a way that enhances how people work and that transforms how organizations operate. Businesses must create digital processes that manage and deliver important information to the employees who need it, helping them to respond effectively to changes and new opportunities, make decisions quickly, and fix problems as soon as they arise. Just as machinery provides tremendous physical power, digital processes can enhance organizational intelligence by giving workers the information necessary to be more effective. There is no standard digital nervous system. Because each business is different, its digital system will reflect its unique needs and structure. Ultimately, a digital nervous system will transform three major elements of any business: relationships to customers and business partners (e-commerce), information flow and relationships among workers within a company (knowledge management), and internal business processes (business operations).

problemSolving

2004-07-14T15:37:00.000+08:00

1. Define the problem clearly.

2. Identify the root cause. Make sure that I treat the root cause of the problem, not the results.

3. Brainstorm and define solutions for the root cause.

4. Pick the best solution.

5. Implement the solution by taking immediate action.

careerDevelopment

2004-07-14T15:29:00.000+08:00

Focus on measurable, streching and valuable objectives to improve your performance and position.

How to develop a powerful skills set:

1. Analyze your skills set

2. Match your skills to the requirement of your present career or the career I plan to have.

3. Update your skills when neccessary.

4. Enhance the skills I need to achieve your objectives.

proactiveHabits

2004-07-14T14:58:00.000+08:00

The first habit of the seven habits is "Be proactive". It means different actions under different situations. I made up a few in my previous journal:

1. Listen to suggestions; think about it and make my own choice.

2. Drawing pictures and graphs helps me learn.

3. Learning is in the doing.

What's your actions?

water 滔

2004-07-14T10:38:00.000+08:00

Hello world! I have been changing names of the blog for a few times. I find that each time I will get a better one. Incremental improvement happens as we put our knowledge into action and reflect on the actions and results later on.

As the old Chinese believed, water is the higher level than the other four basic elements: metal, wood, fire and earth. It stands for reflection. It's the only way to lead us to the next level of effective living. But reflection is not the end. It's the beginning. The beginning of another level.

WaterReflection is a reflection of everyday life. Get inspirations by reflecting on what I have gone through everyday in order to act and live more and more effectively. The topics are widely spread as business, entrepreneurship, working, living, politics, internet, programming, books, movies, cooking, travelling, dating, science, art and a lot more. Anything that's worth a thought.

I truly believe in one of the teaching about Wink and grow rich: Think it; ink it; do it; review it.

Enjoy it!