Aha! – Ellery's Essays

In Cost Reduction, Context Matters

It’s a commonly asked question from business leaders. ‘How can we reduce costs?’ Answers arrive almost immediately. Reduce head counts. Buy cheaper stuff. Cut overtime. Save energy. The list goes on. A large multinational corporation initiated a ‘cost improvement program.’ Departments were asked to submit reports on cost improvement projects they initiated and implemented. ThoseContinue reading “In Cost Reduction, Context Matters”

I am an Engineer Even If People May Not Think So

In a meeting of a building association’s board of trustees, the building administrator recommended purchase of a flange-type water sub-meter to monitor the loss of water from the building’s cooling towers. I suggested the engineer look at other ways to measure the water flow as the water meter would cost PhP 40,000 ($USD 666 approximately). Continue reading “I am an Engineer Even If People May Not Think So”

Both Hard Work and Luck are Essential to Success

There are self-proclaimed experts who would tell you to “do what you love” and “follow your passion.” They’d say that the financial rewards would come naturally. I had been hearing these lines for years and I can tell you they’re hogwash. What I did learn was that hard work and luck were essential to success. Continue reading “Both Hard Work and Luck are Essential to Success”

Waiting for My Car’s Licence Plates—A Case of Urgency vs. Importance

I bought a new car on April 29. The dealer via the Philippines’ transportation bureau, the Land Transportation Office (LTO), gave me the registration papers twenty-seven (27) days later on May 26. The licence plates were finally released on June 17, twenty-two (22) days after the registration papers and forty-nine (49) days total from theContinue reading “Waiting for My Car’s Licence Plates—A Case of Urgency vs. Importance”

Goodbye, Sky

My home’s solar panels don’t start generating until 8am every morning. A nearby high-rise building to the east of my home obstructs the rays from the rising sun, preventing my house’s roof-mounted solar panels from generating electricity. The same happens at 4pm when another high-rise to the southwest blocks the sun. My home, therefore, onlyContinue reading “Goodbye, Sky”

Avoiding ‘We’ in Writing

I had been using ‘we’ in my essays and in conversations. Priests & pastors after all use them often in their sermons. I had surmised that using ‘we’ provided an interpersonal connection with the audiences I address. Some advice gleaned from the Internet, however, tell me to avoid using personal pronouns and that I shouldContinue reading “Avoiding ‘We’ in Writing”

Separating Facts from Inferences

When it comes to solving urgent problems, I use whatever information is already available. I don’t spend any more of my valuable time to gather or validate any more data. Time is of the essence. I’d like to remedy any adverse situation as fast as possible. In some cases, the remedy does the job. ButContinue reading “Separating Facts from Inferences”

Never Make the Boss Wait

A field sales manager was late in fetching his boss, the multinational corporation’s director of sales. Rumour had it that as a result of that snafu, the field sales manager was passed over from promotion and was eventually re-assigned to an obscure position at the logistics department. Some years later, the field sales manager resignedContinue reading “Never Make the Boss Wait”

It’s a…What Is It, anyway?

Subic Bay at Luzon island, the Philippines, is a former United States naval base. In its heyday from the 1950s to the 1970s, it was the Americans’ largest military facility in the Western Pacific. Subic Bay served as a logistics hub and port for the US Navy. Together with the nearby Clark Air Base, SubicContinue reading “It’s a…What Is It, anyway?”