The following are some lines I’ve heard bosses tell their subordinates when the latter are feeding back about difficulties in their jobs: “Be creative.” “Just do it.” “Don’t give me problems.” “If there’s a will, there’s a way.” “I can count on you.” “That’s what I pay you for.” “That’s what I hired you toContinue reading “Delegating is a Subset of Teamwork”
Category Archives: Aha!
Can’t Fight City Hall
Can’t fight city hall is an idiom for any futile effort against a large institution like government. If you’re just one among millions of citizens who has a complaint about a government law or regulation, chances are you’d be unsuccessful, if not dismissed at the start. Paying taxes and fees to the Philippine government isContinue reading “Can’t Fight City Hall”
There’s Air Up There
The scuba dive instructor was teaching us first-time divers what to do if we run out of air underwater. He pointed his finger to the sky and said, “Go up! There’s plenty of air up there.” It does not deserve any thought. If we scuba divers run out of air underwater, we simply go upContinue reading “There’s Air Up There”
The First Step is Always the Hardest
We won’t regret it when we do.
Being Proactive Requires Reviewing Our Values
My boss asked me to finish a report by Monday morning. I was planning to submit it by Wednesday next week but my boss wanted it earlier. Because he asked me on Friday, I had to cancel my weekend plans. Some bosses pile on work on their employees. The bosses would believe there is goodContinue reading “Being Proactive Requires Reviewing Our Values”
The Devil is in The Details
I was reading the San Jose Mercury News one morning while staying with my brother during a visit some years ago at San Mateo, California, USA and I noticed that the front page of the paper featured a repair of a road culvert. The culvert, a canal by the side of a main thoroughfare, wasContinue reading “The Devil is in The Details”
We Need Librarians More Than Ever
How relevant are librarians in the 21st century? In the 1970’s, when I was much younger, a library was that room of stand-alone shelves filled with books, spaced by a few tables and chairs. The librarian was the one minding that room, making sure we who visited kept quiet while we browsed through the titlesContinue reading “We Need Librarians More Than Ever”
Finding the Right Management Style
“Different Strokes for Different Folks” are what we apply when we as managers deal with subordinates. “Different strokes” imply that we should behave differently toward different people. But behaviour just by itself might not be enough. A household of two (2) married relatives of mine has two (2) female domestic helpers and a male familyContinue reading “Finding the Right Management Style”
Blaming Doesn’t Solve the Problem
Frustrated by their violations of rules and disorderly conduct that led to disturbances, a homeowners association banned mainland Chinese people from leasing residential houses within a posh village in the southern suburbs of Manila. Majority of the homeowners cheered the resolution released by the board of governors of the village. A very few who raisedContinue reading “Blaming Doesn’t Solve the Problem”
Finding Fault in Who versus in What
There seems to be a lot of finger-pointing going around. People pointing to other people as causes of problems: One country points to another for the coronavirus pandemic. One politician points to another for failure in stopping the spread of the virus; A restaurant owner blames a vendor’s delay in deliveries as reason for theContinue reading “Finding Fault in Who versus in What”
Ellery's Essays 