The Principles...Part 4

Ahhh...a cup of freshly brewed Vietnamese coffee... This will be a very significant milestone for chuntoicracks.blogspot.com as the post was actually completed in Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam on 28th May 2010. The fourth and last of my original principles "Use Common Sense"...there are actually more than 4 principles...after making Adjustments to new requirement and scenario...lain kali saja lah...

Common Sense is a very huge and deep subject...as it is a very subjective matter. In fact, a few years back, I had a 3hours long debate with Stephen "The Botak" Tan where he argued that a person's Common Sense might not really be another person's Common Sense...that is actually a totally different argument altogether...

Anyway, there are however, quite a few universally agreed "Common Sense"...like a boiling pot, naturally, Common Sense tells us that it is very hot, therefore, do not touch or you'll burn your hand...you don't really need proofs or case study because some dumb prick touched it a long long time ago...hehehe...

Isn't it also a Common Sense that we would handle something fragile carefully because it'll break easily?

Before crossing the road, looking to you left & right & left again would be a Common Sense in Malaysia because of our road system...however, in our neighbouring countries like Vietnam & Cambodia, it would be the reverse...left hand drive mah...better yet, you don't really need to look as the drivers or motorbike riders should be looking at you and "Siam" you while you cross...strange...

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The term "Common Sense" is explained in the Dictionary as "Sound judgment not based on specialized knowledge; native good judgment." while Thesaurus as "The ability to make sensible decisions: judgment, sense, wisdom. Informal gumption, horse sense.".
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A 19th century Swiss philosopher Henri Frederic Amiel quoted "Common Sense is the measure of the possible; it is composed of experience and prevision; it is calculation applied to life.".

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Another great mind also from the 19th century, Henry Ward Beecher also quoted on the subject, "The philosophy of one century is the common sense of the next.".

Now, how will this fourth principle works...looking back at the earlier 3 principles, they are very much measurable and objective driven while Common Sense can be very "Subjective" yet "Judgment Based"...which gives the principles a balanced.
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Take working on a BAT project for example, the inexperience juniors in the Brand team will not know the full Standard Operating Procedure that G2 personnel needs to go through in order for a request as simple as purchasing 300,000pcs of Lighters.

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Using Common Sense, the logical next steps would be identifying the Lighter design, the material, the type, the sample, the colour combination, the brand language, the message (If any), the quantity, the budget available, the unit price, the delivery date, the method of delivery, the packaging, the Indirect Procurement policies, the competitive quotes, the Production Estimate, the approval process, the Purchase Orders, the Invoices, the FA files, the Colour Separation files, the production, the QC...With all the steps mentioned above, using Common Sense again, it would be vertually impossible to complete everything in one month's time...unless they are talking about the RM1 Cricket Lighters...
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With Common Sense, Covering All Angles and Attention To Details through a thorough Thinking Process, it should give you enough bullet to convince the client by using the skill to Manage their Expectations rather than agreeing and taking that instruction or request without providing any suggestion or better solutions...
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Furthermore, those steps mentioned above, are pretty much applicable to almost everything requested by BAT personnel, be it a Pack Insert, a Point Of Sales Material, a Packaging, an Activity or even an Event...therefore, even though they can also be categorised as processes, they should be part of the G2 BAT personnel's Common Sense...

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In fact, it should also be BAT personnel's Common Sense too...the lack of it in this context, would result in demanding for crazy requests to be fulfilled...which could cause a lot of unnecessary stress...unfortunately (For some weaker or inexperience G2 BAT personnel), that is the case...as they (Both G2 BAT personnel and BAT personnel) are unable to rationale or negotiate with the client or their superiors. Eventually, most of the stress and pressure are being transferred to other G2 BAT departments as well as suppliers...

Circumstances require the blogger to go deeper into explaining the final principle and possibly, revisit and edit some of the earlier posted subjects as there are potential "Danger" when one missed the plot completely...
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Finally, don't just take my words of the 4 principles, read more articles, books or google them on the internet, you will get a lot of website that dedicate and advocate the same concept...possibly delivering the same message slightly differently.
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Vietnam did give me some inspirations, a different perspective even...their history gave the Vietnamese some very strong characters and it shows...I was a Chun Toi experiencing their country for the 1st time, thanks to Nick Lee, Yee Mei and Daniel for showing us the rope...Although I have a very strange concept of Common Sense but after all, I'm still me...a Chun Toi with Cracks.

The Principles...Part 3

Just presented only my third pitch of be-actu8...we were the 1st to present...others are presenting next week. Will it be a long and agonising wait? Will we get the job? Hmmm...we'll see...

Anyway, finishing up this post so that I can go for a 5days-4nights, long holiday in Vietnam with the wifey...plus meeting up with some "Old Friends" and possibly even potential business contacts.
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Maybe it's my normally already high, expectations...maybe it's for my own satisfaction...or be it my own principles in approaching the pitch...I believe I blew them away with the comprehensiveness of our ideas, solutions and forward thinking...but I definitely...really...literally...blew them away with the Costing slide at the end...hahaha...

Jokes aside, in that case, I believe I utilised the 3rd Principle to perfection where I've covered every possible angle in managing The Internal work related matters, addressing The Brief's objectives, meeting The Agency's standards, covering and possibly even over achieving The client's expectation (From proposal to costing...hahaha...).

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I believe I have "Covered All Angles".

Together with the fourth principle (Which will be posted later...when I return from Vietnam...kekeke...), I managed to apply the 1st two principles of "Managing Expectations" and "Attention To Details" while "Covering All Angles" to make the presentation, complete.

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Although, there's still a lot of "Uncertain Gaps" to be filled later, upon confirmation of the project and work-in-progress, the presentation went smoothly as I also managed to engage in a very fruitful two way communication with the clients....answering every question the best that I can possibly give.

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Covering All Angles is about thinking further and looking at an issue or a brief from all possible angle and through the perspectives of all stakeholders...it's definitely not easy...but if you can isolate and address it one by one, along with the other principles...and the Thinking Process...it is not that difficult after all...

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To those that is aware of the principles, I've always talk about this very much in a one dimensional 360degree where the angles are already "Infinity"...no matter how you look at it...it's still one dimensional...

Here, let me introduce a the totally fresh new perspective to this 3rd Principle...Imagine yourself in the center of a sphere looking outwards in a 3D environment...it has so much more "space" and depending on the size of the sphere you are in...it also carry that much more depth.

Another general rule...common sense even...Every Action has a Reaction...therefore, if you look outwards from the center, upon completion, you should bring yourself outside and look back into the sphere.

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For some strange reason, after some emotional roller-coaster past few days, I am in a very playful mood today...completing this post in an hour as the words just flow and starts to spin its story.

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Although I'm playful, a playful Chun Toi for that matter, I'm still me...a Chun Toi with Cracks that always Cover All Angles.

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P/S: Maybe the Vietnam trip will give me some new inspirations and perspectives looking at the fourth principle...till next time children...

*And now it's back to enlightening my little confused 'in a dilemma' Toh Dai....sigh...

The Principles...Part 2

The second serving of my "Principles"...

Before we start today's lesson, boys & girls, let us revisit the previous post...and put the learning from Managing Expectations into practise immediately...

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To Manage everyone's Expectation, ChunToiCracks says:

"Although the posts from this blogger (or bugger) come in different times but it is progressive and has linkage as most of it don't work on a standalone basis.

Just like the Principles, each one links very closely with another while all 4 basic principles should be applied together when you deal with any situation while mapping against the "Thinking Process".

Therefore, to get the most out of it, you really need to take them all in and apply them."

Now, moving on, from Managing Expectation, we take a closer look at "Pay Attention To Details".It is bizarre...as mentioned in Part 1, I would've posted this one after "Managing Expectation" weeks ago if not because of "Adjustment"...as here's something I got from Jen Lee the other day...

1st year students of MBBS (A Medical School...I believe) were attending their 1st anatomy class.

They all gathered around the surgery table with a really gorgeous but dead blonde.

The Professor started the class by telling them two important qualities as a Doctor.

The 1st important quality, "Never Be Disgusted For Anything About Body"...He then inserted his finger in the blonde's anus and on drawing back, tasted it in his mouth.

Then he told everyone to do the same.

The students hesitated for several minutes.

But, eventually, everyone inserted their fingers in the blonde's anus and then tasted it.

When everyone finished, the professor looked at them and said: "The most important 2nd Quality is Observation, I inserted my middle finger but tasted the index finger.

Now, learn to Pay Attention To Details.

Moral: Life is tough but it's a lot tougher when you are not paying attention.

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Take working on BAT projects as another example, which targets up to 90,000 outlets nationwide where the list of deliverables can grow up to 50 or more different items per campaign while some of the items can reach the amount of 300,000units.

Although the G2 and BAT processes will help ensure having certain level of safety measure not allowing the possibility of mistakes such as wrong quantity ordered but without having enough Attention To Details...Shit Can Hit The Fan...

Just imagine the consequences of ordering 30,000units instead of 300,000units? The campaign will not have enough material to roll-out as reordering takes time. Or ordering 3,000,000units instead of 300,000units? Who will pay for the additional 2,700,000units?

Apart from an eye for details, having an "Owner's Mindset" or "Ownership Approach" will definitely help elevate the level of Attention To Details. Again, imagine yourself paying for every single items required with your own, hard earned money for the campaign, just like when you are buying a new car, new iPhone or new Blackberry...whatever...you would scrutinize every part of the item looking for tiny little 1mm scratches, right?Why not apply that Owner's Mindset when you are dealing with campaign material? Is it because you don't pay for them or it is just "Work"?

I'm sure everyone went through tthe satge of having to face the consequences which resulted from Not Paying Enough Attention To Details but it is important that we learn from the mistake and not repeat them.

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I noticed things as I do Pay Attention To Details...In fact, that is why I notice the "Crack Marks"...hehehe...and after all that...I am still a Chun Toi with Cracks...

The Principles...Part 1

Be prepared...the upcoming 4 posts will be quite dry as they require the necessary examples in order to fully explain them...

As mentioned in my 1st post...I didn't realise that I was operating under these principles until I started categorising them...during my Account Management days.

Let me also clarify that these "Principles" is not something that is cooked up by me without any basis but it's really...universal terms and you can actually google them...It is how I operate under the guidance of these principles...Thinking back, all the situations that I was caught in...the principles have yet to fail me. If you do not have any better solutions...try them. Although, it's very "Work" orientated but they are truly applicable in any position, any rank, any field and anything that you are currently doing. And, it does not clash with any working style that you may already adopt.

Once you've mastered the "Thinking Process"...use the step by step guide and map against these principles. You will be able to notice the differences in the results...

They are:

1. Managing Expectations

2. Pay Attention To Details

3. Cover All Angles

4. Use Common Sense

In Part 1 today, I will only elaborate on Managing Expectations. What is Managing Expectation?

Everyday, everything that we do, whether we are aware of it, we ARE actually managing expectations from people around us.

Take an advertising agency as an example, everything an Account Executive (AE) does is actually Managing Expectation. A request from a client, An instruction from a superior, A feedback from internal Creative or Production personnel, A directive from Management...

From the client's request, they expect the AE to do the necessary in order for the request be met and eventually delivered and roll-out into the market.

After an instruction from a superior, the superior is expecting the AE to perform the task given and execute them to perfection.

The Creative, Production and in a lot of ways, the Traffic Dept expects the AE to send a timely and clear instruction of the request in order for them to perform their role...up to the expected quality and standard.

Therefore, by performing the tasks mentioned above, up to the expectations of the clients, the superior or any other internal personnel, the AE is naturally, Managing Expectations.

On the other hand, the clients is expected to give clear a direct request, the superior is expected to give clear instructions and set the expected deadline & result with proper guidance while the other internal personnel are expected to provide the necessary support.

At every level, every one needs to Manage Expectations of a different type while the expectations from different parties will also differ.

From managing expectations where the optimum is meeting "What is expected"...which does not really spring any surprises, the next level would be "Exceeding Expectations"...

Another good example would be meeting deadline. By meeting the deadline, you are Managing Expectations while delivering earlier than deadline, you are actually Exceeding Expectations. Similarly, if a deadline is set but you are unable to meet them, Manage the Expectation by negotiating a better deadline rather than informing the recipient on the day of the deadline that you will not meeting it as it will be a huge disappointment.

There's a major different between Covering Backside and Managing Expectations. Covering Backside is most commonly linked to "Tai Chi" (Another famous Kung Fu Style based on Ying and Yang where the exponent uses the strength of the opponent or diverting it...) while Managing Expectations deal with the issues - Head On.

To master the skill of Managing Expectations, apart from the above mentioned, the most important point is ensure that the expectation level is set and agreed before any action is taken to avoid any subjectivity upon completion of a task as well as disappointments.

Just last Friday, some exPB&Fers were celebrating Ms Law "Dragon Lady" Swee Kheng's 35th or 53rd Birthday at Reggie Lee's LOL Cafe in Subang...I can't confirm the actual number as they only lighted one candle...hehehe...Anyway, I had the privilege to chat with the love of her life, exCEO of Euro RSCG, Mr Steve Teoh. To him, Managing Expectations is an Art Form.

Now...that is a totally fresh new way (To me anyway...) of looking at Managing Expectations as I've never look at it in that manner before this but it does make sense...If you have master the skill, you should be able to beautify it into an art form...why not?

It's very strange, bizarre even and you can also term it as faith actually...if not because of the sudden "Adjustment" to the sequence of my posts, I would've posted this subject (A lot dryer...) at least three weeks ago...I guess, the short interruption above, spiced up the content a little more too. It also proved that the principles are not something where I'm the only one adopting...

If any of you remember "An Intro", I believe I found my "4o years old Dude" in Steve Teoh...only 15 years later...or 15 years too late...hehehe... Talking with him, makes me realise that I am heading toward the right direction while confirming that I still have plenty to learn.

So, go out and find your own "40 years old Dude" (Metaphorically speaking...of course...), listen and engage with an open mind & open heart...What have you got to lose???

Although I'm a Chun Toi with Cracks, Steve shared his wisdom generously and offered more in the future...Thanks Steve! I appreciate it a lot...I've also gain more knowledge as well as a few new tricks...hehehe...but no matter what, I'm still a Chun Toi with Cracks.