Guilty until proven Innocent

Warren is the software support personnel for System S sold to Client B. This position was previously held by Sandy who has since moved to a different project. Band is the hardware support personnel for the same system.

One day, a problem occurred in System S and Client B calls Warren who could not provide an answer. So, Client B calls Sandy. Sandy answers the questions posed and re-direct Client B to Warren as more information is needed to find out the cause of the problem. Client B decides to call Band.

In the following weeks, Warren refuses to speak to Sandy. Warren tells Sandy, "I have the right not to speak to you.", and that is all that Warren will say.

Months later, Warren started to speak to Sandy again. Soon, Sandy asked Warren "Why did you refuse to speak to me a few month ago?". Warren replies, "I thought that you called Band on your own to go to Client B to solve the problem. Recently, I found out that it was actually Client B himself who called Band and not you.".

So, you are Guilty until proven Innocent.

Playing Favouritism/Favoritism in the office

Romours are abound that Person A plays favouritism so be careful not to be taken in by her. This message is relayed to everyone who is currently or newly employed in the company. Depending on the naivety of the message recipient, most holds it to be the whole truth and nothing but the truth. However, what they fail to realise is that they have played into the hands of Person C who started this rumour. End result - with blind belief all will avoid Person A and refuse to be "brain washed" by her, even worst if you are caught having a conversation with her for she is trying to play favouritism games and make you join her team. Blind belief because majority will not check to find out the truth, how can they because then they will become NOT one of the team as everyone believe that it is true.

Take a look from the outside and one will be able to see that Person C is friendly to every Tom, Dick, and Harry. Person C is nice, she buys little gifts for the others; she speaks in a nice tone; she shows concern; she portrays helplessness at the right time; she always say the right thing at the right time. A second look will reveal that everyone currently or newly employed in the company talks to Person C and they are friends, they even share secrets about the rumours in the office. A third look reveals that no one really talks to Person A who is always the last to know about the office happenings and does not know about what is on the grapevine. Now, ask yourself "who is the person playing favouritism and social control?".

So, in office politics, the first strike is important. The first strike in this case mean be the first to accuse a colleague of favouritism (aka. inclination, discrimination, cronyism) or social control (or any other rumour that you want).

In the thesaurus, Favouritism is an inclination to favor some person or group; Social Control is control exerted (actively or passively) by group action.

To make the first strike you will have to be a hypocrite, hide your true feelings, and make sure you are friends with everyone.

Accuse another of an action for which you are guilty of and you will never be accused of the same because blind belief and fear has diverted the guilt to another.

"Appearances are not always what they seem".

A little something on Presentations

I thought about how I can convey my thoughts about presentations. You know, that nerve wrecking session that pre-sales personnel have to go through when assisting sales to try and clinch that deal. To present the product or services to the prospective client and hope that you are able to persuade the client to see and like what you are saying.

If successful, great!. If not, either way you learn something.

So, on April 1st, 2005, I came up with the following:

A presentation is but a performance bestowed,
The actualization demonstrated,
For which a monetary accolade is wished,
And personal improvement gained.

Harry Potter book of magic

I am not a poetic person but on June 21, 2003, two of my friends were so excited because the long wait is finally over and they can buy the next edition of the Harry Potter books. It is the culmination of years of excitement and waiting. To buy the book, they have to be at the bookstore early; to try their best to be in the first few hundred to be eligible for discounts or possibly gifts; to endure the Crowd, the thousands of people who are also there for the same purpose; the planning on which escalator to rush up when the mall is opened; which entrance to use as it is opened first.

Me? Well, yours truly did not go with them as the book is out of my range of things affordable but I share their excitement, that's what friends are for.. hehe. So, on that day, while they were at the bookstore I was at the market and as I was waiting for the seller to prepare the chicken, the texting started. They told me about the rushing, the frantic queues, the crowd, someone belched, and especially the girl queuing in front of them who farted and they couldn't move away without losing their place in the queue.

It was hilarious so in the 5 minutes of waiting, I came up with the following about their "quest" for the book and texted it back to them ...

Book of Magic,
Through war & blood, belch & fart,
In my hands lie your destiny,
Ages of years lead you to me,
and Forever you are mine ...

I am glad I wrote it because it brings back good memories. I hope my friends still enjoy it as much as I do when they read it.