Deploying armed personnel to the MH17 crash site is not a good idea

http://michellemarieantellg.wordpress.com/2014/01/30/blackroses/

How did we get ourselves into this predicament?

I am certain this is the feeling that some of the Malaysian leaders in their security council are asking themselves as they mull over their most immediate concern of securing the crash site of MH17.

Tomorrow will mark the 10^th day since the Malaysian carrier met its end in the skies above a conflict zone where not a single person onboard the flight was a stakeholder to the parties in the conflict. Securing the crash site is vital in order to continue retrieving remnant body parts of passengers; to prevent looters and tampering of the crash site; to be able to carry out investigations into the cause of the plane crash; and to ensure the safety of investigators on site. These seemingly simple tasks have just gotten more difficult with the presence of armed rebels who have declared control over the site.

The Malaysians have won my respect with the successful negotiations with the separatist rebels that resulted in the handing over of the black boxes and the first round retrieval of the bodies. Such a negotiation exercise is unbelievably complicated with so many variables to consider. Things can go very wrong. The fact that it was concluded so quickly in such a short time without prior media knowledge shows the decisiveness, courage and resolve of those involved in the negotiations.

However, all is not well. The safety of investigators cannot be guaranteed with the presence of ill-disciplined, armed men who belong to the organization that are potential suspects to the crime. Body parts are still lying in the field. The longer the situation drags on, the greater the opportunity for the geopolitical mess between all parties to deteriorate. The Aussies are proposing a joint coalition force of armed Aussies, Dutch and Malaysian police and military personnel to secure the crash site.

 “They must be nuts,” says Joerg Forbig, senior program officer for central and eastern Europe, German Marshall Fund – a think tank based in Berlin (26 July 2014, Sydney Morning Herald).

Indeed, this idea of involving armed representatives from countries aligned with the west is highly risky and possibly unwise. Unless the governments involved have access to information that we do not know, such a decision can lead to unwanted outcomes with global impact. Why is this such a bad idea?

1) Raw emotions – The Dutch, Malaysians and Aussies lost the most number of people on the flight. The cover story is that regular police officers and token military personnel are sent there. In reality, the personnel sent there are usually highly trained individuals from the various special forces units. These are Type A personalities who are highly patriotic and devoted to their cause to protect their people. They will not be too impressed with the rebels and might be tempted to act out of revenge.

2) Opportunity to create blame – Should the rebels seek the upper hand in preparation for subsequent rounds of negotiation, they can easily create an incident that will make them look like the victim, especially if the coalition force is armed. For instance, a rebel could deliberately fire a rifle into the sky to antagonize the coalition. Instinctively, a coalition member fires back but hits a civilian passerby, a child, instead. This creates distraction from the key issue at hand – the investigation of the crash site; and gives the rebels the upper hand.

3) Aggressive perception – Imagine for a moment, if you observed a convoy of trucks coming your way. They stop to unload soldiers and police officers who are armed with rifles. Get the picture? It certainly is intimidating, even if all of them flashed smiles at you. The argument is for self-defence purposes - that if they are armed, you have to be armed, if not more armed. This does not portray neutrality in an already volatile situation. This shows aggression, something that is not necessary.

With the inability to access the information that is privy to the respective governments, we will have no idea about how the decision making process was carried out. However, I would like to offer a few suggestions – nothing earth shattering, but certainly worth considering:

1) Involve a United Nations peacekeeping force – Arms should not be used but observers should wear body armour. The Russians must contribute influential personnel and a sizable number to this team.

2) Get assistance from a neutral country – This is not an easy option but a possible one where a country that is deemed co-operative with Russia and the west can send personnel to secure the crash site. Whether they are armed or not depends on the type of agreement negotiated.  

3) Get privately contracted security personnel – This is not the most ideal option when it comes to cost. However it does reduce the potential geopolitical repercussions should things go wrong (if a paid security contractor is killed accidentally, it is not perceived as inflammatory as when a Dutch or Aussie soldier gets killed). The nationality of the mercenary does matter. As far as possible, they should be obtained from Asia or South America so as to portray neutrality. The gurkhas are a fine example of someone who should be hired for this role. From a business point of view, I am for arming mercenaries as this is a case of protecting one’s ‘business concern’ (it’s sad but true, money does trump common sense). Pistols for self defence might be ideal in this case as it defers to the AK-47 assault rifles the rebels are using.

I am reminded of how countries are warned of future security threats that we will face in the near future. Threats are expected to be irregular, catastrophic and disruptive. The MH17 crash in a conflict zone can fall into the category of an irregular threat. Countries are placing strong emphasis on funding, recruiting and training their military or para-military special forces to deal with the many unknowns that the world will encounter.

I am hopeful that this situation will be resolved soon. Practically speaking, this looks like it will be a long drawn affair that will be heavily politicised, with the threat of missteps from all sides.   

6 paradoxes that get students ahead in school…and life

https://www.business-strategy-innovation.com

Like many teachers, I have taught hundreds of students over the years. Given the small classes that define the institutions I am based at, I have relatively intimate interaction with my students. Over the years, I have observed certain traits that make some students stand out over the others. These students may not necessarily be the top students but they do come close. In some of them, you can see highly visible improvements when you chart their progress from day one to the last day of class. They started the class as perceived dark horses but ended up close to the front when the final grades are released.

What makes these students so different from the rest of the cohort? My observation has shown that specific gender, educational and financial backgrounds have no direct influence on their traits. These are a special breed of students whom I feel every student has the potential to emulate. These are traits that can be learned if one possesses the attitude to follow through with it. The following traits are paradoxes – seemingly contradictory but strong in harmony. Allow me to explain:   

1) They listen but ask questions

When I mean listen, I mean that they both hear what I have to say in class (or instructions in my handouts) and can repeat to me exactly what I said to them. After listening, they digest and then ask questions based on the instructions I had provided. Such questions tend to be of high quality and a reflection of a well thought through process. To me, this is true intelligence. Interestingly, leadership guru and professor Warren Bennis is quoted as saying that failure to listen is the most common reason why CEOs fail. (http://iveybusinessjournal.com/departments/from-the-editor/in-conversation-warren-bennis#.U8FPifmSzT8)

2) They are persistent but know when to let go

Some years back, I have an reliable source who related a story of a group of military commandos from a certain Asian country who decided to participate in the Langkawi Ironman triathlon competition. These hardened soldiers were determined to complete the race in good time. However, the group was divided into two camps – those who believed in pushing through regardless of whatever their body was signalling to them; versus those who trained smart and gave themselves self-imposed checkpoints along the route both slow down into a lower gear and to measure their heart rate. Guess who posed the better time? Worse still, the former group ended up crossing the finish line totally exhausted and rather unglamorously.

Students can be very driven – and that is a great trait. However, one must know when to step back and either re-group or let go so that they can focus on more important issues. So you messed up on a project. Forget about the grades lost and look towards the next one. Students who are not able to let go end up bitter and hurt themselves and those around them.

3) They pay attention to detail but focus on the big picture

Very few people pay attention to detail. In the real world, this can cause the loss of profits or even life itself. And then there are those who pay too much attention on the details that they miss the woods for the trees. This takes some practice, but one must first pay attention to detail. Once the details are acknowledged and digested, the student must pull him or herself back and question whether the details make sense and where they fit in the bigger scale of things. This is by no means easy and is a concerted effort on the part of the individual. I have seen students do this, especially in times of stress. Observing from the side, it can be quite a joy to watch such leadership in action.

4) They are comfortable being different but are team players

In a university, you get all kinds of students. But very few are comfortable in their own skin. Many try to emulate others just because others are doing it. For instance, Sally sees that Mary is heading towards the library. Mary tells Sally that she is heading there to study. Sally feels insecure and loudly declares that she is going there later to do the same. The problem? Final exams have just ended last week!

And then there are those who are just rebels without a cause, wanting to be different, just because. While it takes some courage to overcome peer pressure, there are those who are able to do it in a way that is neither offensive nor snobbish. In fact, these students are great motivators and encouragers in their teams, helping the rest overcome their insecurities but yet not succumbing to them.

5) Confident but not complacent

I have come across many confident students. They are truly confident and not putting on a show. But my observation shows that confidence can many times lead to complacency. This is the reason why groups who do well in assignments early in the semester usually do worse towards the end. The converse is also quite true. Groups who are consistent throughout the semester always check themselves and keep each other on their toes. They are high self-monitors and regularly approach me to find out if they are on the right track – despite their good performance earlier on. This shows humility, knowing that they cannot let their guard down. If you find such students, treasure them – they are gems.

6) They take risks but hedge against setbacks

Part of my grading allows for some liberty in taking risks. Students are encouraged to think big and go big and success means rewards. But they must watch their step lest they fail spectacularly. There are those who recklessly take risks, ending up incurring my rebuke. “But you asked us to take risks,” they refrain. In such a case, I suggest they duck before my flying shoe hits their head.

The art to taking risk is to protect your downside as what Sir Richard Branson advocates. Using the simple example of investing, you set aside some money from your salary to invest in whatever instrument you desire. But you protect your downside (which in this case means losing all of your investment money) by first making sure you pay off all debts; cover expenses; and budget for savings. This is when you start making investments and you can do so without losing sleep should all of your investment is lost in a worst case scenario.

As an educator, I wish the very best for my students and hope they be more successful than me in life. Times are a changing though and it is essential that students learn skills to adapt while they are in school before they make it out there into what can be a very unforgiving world. If I may, here’s a framework for those who are keen on creating a foundation to fulfil all the above traits. I recommend the Boyd Loop, also known as the OODA Loop; and Warren Bennis’ ALA Loop.

OODA – Observe, Orient, Decide, Act

ALA – Act, Learn, Adapt

Integrating them, we have the OODALA Loop:

Observe, Orient, Decide, Act, Learn, Adapt

Here’s to the start of a great university journey!

Gen Ys bring their parents to job interviews

Singapore – Gen Y employees are known to have their quirks, but their latest one has got to be the most interesting one by far.

Members of this generation are getting their parents more involved in their careers, even going as far as allowing - or wanting - them to sit in on interviews and job offer negotiations.

A study by PricewaterhouseCoopers found 13% of global college graduates wanted their parents to receive a copy of their cover letters, while 8% wanted their parents to receive a copy of their performance review.

A separate report by Adecco last year found a third of 500 American Gen Y job seekers involve their parents in their job hunt, 13% leveraged on their parents’ network to improve their job search, and 3% have had a parent sit in on a job interview.

Earlier this year, the Malaysian Employers Federation revealed nearly a third of 200 companies said candidates have turned up at job interviews with their parents, and expect the number to increase over time.

Last week, we ran a survey by LinkedIn which found a significant number of Singaporean parents were unclear on what exactly their children did as a living.

An article on the Wall Street Journal, which explores this new trend of parents’ heavy involvement in their children’s careers, suggested that it is a result of the close relationship between Gen Ys and their parents.

The figures are also no surprise, considering Asian values promote strong family ties.

However, as a Gen Y, although I understand the importance of involving parents in the very important process of deciding on a career, I have to draw the line at inviting my folks to job interviews or performance reviews.

I can't help but think about how it must look to a potential employer to have his or her mum sitting in on a salary negotiation. Does it not make that person appear incapable of handling their own meetings? And if he or she can't manage a meeting about his own salary, will he be able to hold his own in a boardroom meeting?

To Gen Ys reading this article, I only have one thing to say: If you are in the habit of bringing mum or dad to interviews, or are considering doing so, please stop.

There is nothing wrong with consulting parents on an offer, or getting their advice on a career switch, but at the end of the day, you need to prove your own worth.

For those early in their careers, taking the leap from the classroom to boardroom can be a scary one. It’s perfectly normal to turn to our parents to sooth those jitters, but where’s the fun in that?

Embrace the fact that you are young, inexperienced and eager to learn. Again, there is absolutely no harm in making mistakes, in raising your hand and asking for help, and in taking time to identify your own weakness and strengths.  

 By: Sabrina Zolkifi, Singapore

reproduced from: http://www.humanresourcesonline.net/news/42441

Program to teach Gen Y on acceptable work behaviour

UK - Publishing house Debrett's, which is best known for having taught social etiquette to the Royal family for more than 200 years, is extending their services to Gen Y workers who are struggling at work.

Its new programme on ‘social intelligence' for under-30s has been established after a number of business leaders raised serious issues around young employees entering the modern workplace.

The courses have also come amidst accusations that schools and universities are not adequately developing well-rounded individuals, and are instead more focused on academic results, The Daily Mail reported.

 

Debrett's own research highlights the concerns that many young employees struggle to make eye contact at work or interact with senior colleagues.

It states that "manners, social intelligence, personal presentation and impact can be as important as academic qualifications".

"With so much focus on exam results and the hectic informality of modern family life and technology, social graces can be a casualty."

According to their research, 63% of senior executives said office juniors lack social skills, and a quarter of them admitted they have been embarrassed by them in front of clients.

A quarter of executives also said prospective candidates had inflated expectations about salary and were "over-confident" in interviews, while 21% sais young employees dressed "inappropriately" for work or drink too much at social events.

Louise Ruell, Debrett's director of training, said: "Young employees need to differentiate themselves beyond their academic achievements.

"The research clearly shows that this is often lacking."

re-posted from http://www.humanresourcesonline.net/news/42414

I have been trying to catch up on some reading of academic journals.

Now, don't get me wrong - I do not naturally fall in love with reading reams upon reams of journal articles. Frankly, most people, mere mortals, will find it boring. Words upon words upon words. Of course, there are those (the brilliant ones) who are more predisposed to reading such literature as their bed time reading.

To each his own.

The Academy of Management (AOM) sends me hard copies, in the mail, of their various series of journals. The most prestigious is the AOM Journal, and there are other specialized journals like the AOM Learning & Education. By far, the AOM series of journals are seen as the gold standard in the areas of business and management.  

What interests me is the Learning & Education series. You can certainly find useful information that is cutting edge - very helpful for me as an educator.

The following is a summary of selected papers from their latest edition that I found useful. Summarizing them is more an exercise for me as a means of future reference. But I think the average reader would certainly find them rather useful.

doctorlaughter.com

Title: Collaborating to Cheat: A Game Theoretic Exploration of Academic Dishonesty in Teams
Authors: Briggs, Workman & York

People cheat. Period.

But in Business Schools (MBA students), students are deemed to be the biggest cheats when compared across other disciplines in University (80% of business school students have self admitted to cheating). Finance and Accounting majors seem to be the biggest cheats - a sign of the times?

 Some findings:
- There is a lower probability of a student cheating individually as compared to when placed in a group or team.

- Given the increasing emphasis on teamwork in a global work environment, cheating will be commonplace or expected (opinion is mine).

- To reduce cheating in schools, honor codes and academic integrity policies must be strictly enforced with school administration following through on punishment meted out.

- To lower a student's perceived optimal level of cheating, either increase the amount of policing or decrease the tolerance of cheating, of which the latter is shown to be more efficient.

- Random assignment of students to teams reduces the incidences of cheating

- Cheating statistics should be announced at the beginning of the course to reduce students' impression and perception that other students are contemplating to cheat also (false consensus).

- Students who cheated in school will carry the same behavior to the workplace. As these people are promoted, they will almost certainly increase the incidences of cheating.

u-coaching.de

Title: When do Global Leaders Learn Best to Develop Cultural Intelligence? An Investigation of the Moderating Role of Experiential Learning Style.
Authors: Li, Mobley & Kelly

As borders continue to have their walls broken down, developing Cultural Quotient (CQ) amongst business executives becomes strategically important in order to maintain the competitive edge over global competitors. The number of executives with exposure to foreign cultures is increasing. However, many fail to learn from their international experiences.

Some findings:
- The length of overseas work experience is positively related to the level of CQ. However, the presence of international experience does not automatically lead to heightened levels of CQ.

- CQ does not develop overnight

- It takes an average of 5 years before an expatriate feels integrated into the new society

-  Adjustment to a new society is sped up if the individual suspends judgement/perceptions; a willingness and interest to learn from different cultures; and careful observation, reflection and practicing of local behaviors

- To help the executive in an overseas posting, cross cultural coaching is important. The organization should also be supportive in helping such executives succeed in their transition.

Get good grades, but...

image from kateonesuch.com

This piece is a reproduction (with permission) from Pamela Lim's entry on her Facebook page on 30th April 2013. A colleague of mine at SMU who is with the Strategy Department, I am in full agreement with her. 

Of course, this also conveniently justifies my decision to give my students less than perfect grades. 

To my students past, present and future: The most noble way to learn is from the mistakes of others. 



"Tell a little story about this fresh graduate. His GPA is ridiculous, 4.0 or perfect. To top it, he had a perfect A+ for like 90% of his subjects. If there were a 4.3 GPA, he would have come close to that. Unfortunately, he did not get a job offer while his classmates of lower GPA all had offers of $4000+ (he was from the highest paid faculty). He couldn't understand why, went for numerous interviews and all rejected him. In the end, he accepted the only job offer of $1,900. 

Looking at his achievements on the resume, you can understand why. He is one-dimensional. Excellent student, straight As all the way from primary school onwards, good CCA, and scored whatever he needed to score, but he did not stand out other than his academic results. What he needed was to show that he had something to contribute to an organization other than just academic brains. It is about the ability to lead, to bring diversity to an organization (or a university) that people want. Not just his scholastic achievement. To be honest, a 3.8 GPA is no different from a 4.0 GPA. If a child spends so much time working on that perfect score, and misses out other aspects, then he is not a valuable person in the university, or in the society. 

There will be people with perfect scores, but who can show that they did not spend all their lives just working on that. Their involvement in the society, their backgrounds, their ability to work with people, their contributions and their leadership qualities are what we are looking for. And, you can plan and plan and still not get there. Why? Because it has to come from the heart. And people miss that out. Parents plans too much for their kids and children just execute, without thinking or doing from their hearts. Schools demand and spoon feed too much for kids to do things from the heart. 

Another story. 

This is like a really average student. His GPA is nothing more than 3.2 in Poly. But this boy is so unique. He started a company, but it failed. He took time off (with his parents' approval) from school and used his skills to help a social enterprise. He did things free for charity organizations because he saw a need. He also helped out in his father's hawker stall and developed new recipes. He knew how to present these all in his resume. He went to a top uni, and then started his own business with funding from the government. I don't mean our kids should not work hard, they should. If a kid can do a perfect score with ENOUGH effort, I'd say go for it! But squeezing every ounce from him to get there because it is what the system tells us to may not be helpful. 

Often, we are led to chase after unimportant things and forget to bring the best out of our kids. The paper chase has gone too far, and our kids are asked to do things like CIP hours with no meaning attached. They do them grudgingly and these do not add one bit to their well-being or credentials. It is expensive to bring up a gifted child, of course, but it is expensive to bring up any kind of child. Problem is, with so much resources poured into it, our gifted children are still not having any advantage in the world, or scored any stunning achievement as adults. We should really ask ourselves why. But it is a complex problem, and I don't pretend I have an answer. Also, a good education does not equate good A level score, PSLE score or success in the GEP selection. There are many factors to do well in such tests, we keep forgetting. Some people know not to chase after the distractions, and go for the 'real' things. Those who know what they want, go for the right things, the rest are led to go round and round. 

Are you building your child up for his future or just chasing after things people ask you to chase?"

Got Social Resume?

Courtesy of: Online Colleges