yeah....Things will only get better

Ok... Rooney's one helluva good buy for Man Utd. Don't think that the following terms" potential, boy-wonder, one for the futurE" does justice anymore. He has arrived!!

Scary as it may sound, but well, youthful arrogance is defintely his achilles heel. I don't know much about him, except the fact that he cost Manchester United some ?27,000,000. I don't know if I will ever earn that amount in my entire life time. Sir Alex believes that he can handle this prodigy. He has a way with young players of course. However, this is one ?27 million worth. He can't be another Gazza or Georgie Best.

I'm saying this because it hurts me that many young people wasting their precious lives. Especially the very fact that they have a talent that not many have. Instead of developing them to the maximum, they indulge in lifestyles that
bring them more harm than good. Gazza and Best became alcholics.

Many of times, talented people are given special privilleges. They are in turn expected to return the favour, making use of their talents for the betterment of the organization. Every year, the Singapore Government gives out many scholarships to deserving students. The defintion of deserving here, well, shall not be debated. The issue of whether this practice is feasible or not, shall also not be discussed.

However, on the recepients' part, take it upon yourself, to develop your talent to the fullest, maximising the resources in making you a better person and repay the favour.

My laptop has gone mad? No choice have to use another alternative. Thinking of getting a new one.... grrr.... I guess I'm too dependent on it. Nevermind... anyone any recommendations??

These are really cool~~



Eyepower... no wonder so many of our soldiers wear specs??



Extra duties?? Part n parcel man... realli hv to know how to siam



Chao Keng, this is the word... haha... we see it all too often. Surprisingly, the regulars are doing it too...



Yeah.. for fuck??



I don't agree with this. As fuck up as SAF is, when it's time for the crunch, we have to do it. AWOL wad??

Haven't been doing book reviews since Secondary School.

Read about Attila the Hun. Scary person.

Atli, or Attila, was called Etzel by the Germans and Ethele by the Hungarians. He was a member of the ruling family of the Huns, a nomadic Asian people who spread from the Caspnian steppes throughout the Roman Empire in search of global conquest. By AD 432, the Huns had gained so much power that they were receiving a large annual tribute from Rome.

By AD 451, Attila's army consisted of 700,000 warriors, and was content with nothing less than the ransacking of Rome itself. They had earlier moved against the Chinese Empire but were turned away. The Huns had a reputation for cruelty and barbarism that was not undeserved. They ate their meat raw (often human flesh), had little use for virgins, and possessed a strong appetite for murder and mayhem. No one could look Attila in the eyes, not even any of his 400 wives.

This is what taught or believes in, while training his chieftains to be better leaders.

( Words in brackets are inferred)

THE LESSONS OR SECRETS OF ATTILA
#1: YOU'VE GOT TO WANT TO BE IN CHARGE -- You've got to be ruthlessly ambitious. Never be bored, disinterested, or cowardly in any way about always strengthening your position. Good leaders are lustful leaders. Power is like sex, but don't appear overeager, just extremely determined to succeed under any circumstances, fair or unfair. [This will inspire confidence in those you lead]

#2: ALWAYS APPEAR AS THE ONE IN CHARGE -- Dress appropriately for your high station in life. Own the biggest horse and sword. Be first in everything, but never appear pompous. [Be marked with armament that distinguishes you from the masses]

#3: MAKE OTHERS ADAPT TO YOUR "CUSTOMS" -- Make people do things your way, not their way. Make them adjust or adapt to you. Express this as the way things are going to be from now on, or pretend it's the way things have always been. Refuse to acknowledge any other way of doing things other than the way you do things. [This will extract tribute and praise from those you lead]

#4: NEVER CONDONE A LACK OF MORALE OR DISCIPLINE -- Terminate people at the first sign of disrespect for the common good, but by no means stiffle individualism or punish the innocent who don't know the common good. Definitely, do not allow uncontrolled celebration. Pillaging and looting are only fun if done in the name of nationalism. [Discipline will build morale]

#5: NEVER TOLERATE ANYONE WITH THEIR OWN AMBITIONS -- People who are "cunning" are dangerous, especially new people who have just joined the organization. Be vigilant about how people lose their ambition and become team players; that is the pattern you want everyone to follow. Never reward anyone for what is a common effort. [The spirit of unity must prevail]

#6: PERPETUATE A LEGEND OR REPUTATION FOR YOURSELF -- Find out whatever it is that your worst enemy calls you, and try hard to live up to it, with a passion. This will have its advantages to you whenever you need to use your fury and power, and it will accumulate minor privileges to you along the way. [You are your reputation]

#7: PICK YOUR ENEMIES WISELY -- Do not consider all opponents, or everyone you argue with, as enemies. These are accidental enemies. Choose your enemies with purpose. They may be people you have friendly relations with, and in fact, you should let them think of you as a friend, all the while never telling them anything, and lulling them into a state of complacence and acting prematurely. [Do not make enemies unless you mean it]

#8: EXPECT CONTINUAL IMPROVEMENT -- You must encourage learning and innovation among those you lead. This can be done in several ways, by creating competitions among the people. Never allow them to wander aimlessly. Regularly upgrade your standards of performance. [This fulfills most of a leader's duties]

#9: USE TIMING IN MAKING DECISIONS -- Never rush a decision, although sometimes you have to because the moment is ripe or an omen exists. It's better to use timing, to find the obscure places and critical elements needed to ensure you always make the right decision. This way, you ensure that even a less-than-perfect decision is followed. [Time your decisions]

#10: EXPLOIT THE DESIRE TO ENJOY THE SPOILS OF WAR -- Harness your peoples' desires for short-term gains. Grant small rewards for light tasks. Reserve heaps of booty for other times, and be generous with items that hold a value to yourself. [Never underestimate the ability to buy obedience]

#11: ONLY ENGAGE IN WARS YOU CAN WIN -- Use diplomacy, negotiation, or other techniques of conflict in battles you cannot win. When in a political war, always keep an eye to your rear. When in an external war, go all out. [Waging war is a natural condition]

hahaha..... Is this how our military leaders are trainned too?

Ah.. someone forwarded this around and I found it pretty interesting.

1) Think you know everything.
If you were just promoted to Production Manager, you may feel you know everything about production. Even if that were true, and it isn't, you sure don't know everything about the most important part of your new job, managing people. Listen to the people around you. Ask for their input when appropriate. Keep an open mind.
2) Show everyone who's in charge.
Trust me, everyone in your group knows who the new manager is. You don't have to make a big show about being "the boss". You do, however, have to demonstrate that, as the boss, you are making a positive difference.
3) Change everything.
Don't re-invent the wheel. Just because the way something is done isn't the way you would do it, it isn't necessarily wrong. Learn the difference between "different" and "wrong".
4) Be afraid to do anything.
Maybe you didn't ask for the promotion. Maybe you are not sure you can do the job. Don't let that keep you from doing the job the best you can. Upper management wouldn't have put you into the job if they didn't have confidence that you could handle it.
5) Don't take time to get to know your people.
Maybe you worked alongside these people for years. That doesn't mean you know them. Learn what makes them excited, how to motivate them, what they fear or worry about. Get to know them as individuals, because that's the only way you can effectively manage them. Your people are what will make or break you in your quest to be a good manager. Give them your attention and time.
6) Don't waste time with your boss.
Since he/she just promoted you, surely he/she understands how busy you are and won't need any of your time, right? Wrong. Your job, just like it was before you became a manager, is to help your boss. Make sure to budget time to meet with him/her to both give information and to receive guidance and training.
7) Don't worry about problems or problem employees.
You can no longer avoid problems or hope they will work themselves out. When something comes up, it is your job to figure out the best solution and get it done. That doesn't mean you can ask for other's input or assistance, but it does mean you are the person who has to see it gets taken care of.
8) Don't let yourself be human.
Just because you are the boss doesn't mean you can be human, that you can't laugh, or show emotion, or make an occassional mistake.
9) Don't protect your people.
The people in your group will be under pressure from every direction. Other departments may want to blame you for failed interfaces. Your boss may want to dump all the unpleasant jobs on your department. HR may decide the job classifications in your area are overpaid. It's your job to stand up for your people and make sure they are treated as fairly as possible. They will return the loyalty.
10) Avoid responsibility for anything.
Like it or not, as the manager you are responsible for everything that happens in your group, whether you did it, or knew about it, or not. Anything anyone in your group does, or doesn't do, reflects on you. You have to build the communications so there are no surprises, but also be prepared to shoulder the responsibility. It goes hand-in-hand with the authority.

The last point is defintely what we often see. Not necessary limit to new managers? Old Birds, experienced managers do such stuff too... Often seen in the military whereby the NSF are made to bear responsibility. They try to psyco you into believing that you are 100% wrong and should shoulder the blame.

Ah... The point about military... I don't quite agree that it always happen but yeah.. I've seen my fair share of it. Oh well... This is how things go? Never generalise, such things happen everywhere but I guess somehow lah... many of us happen to see it in SAF... no offence regulars but well...

Haha...