Lessons Learned from My First Job

When I first joined the bank, I had to write a weekly summary about my learning points for 8 consecutive weeks during training. I definitely learned something every week but did I need to put it in a report? At the start it felt like a chore, but after the next few weeks, I started to appreciate that being able to put things in writing enforced what I learned. Our minds and body are the most powerful tools ever created, even we ourselves may not understand how far we can go. Remember that many points in life where you thought something was not possible and you did it at the end? We can be trained and conditioned to so many things and that's why I believe we should always give things a shot if there is a fraction of a chance we can do it. All successful leaders have gone through rough patches and huge failures that at the time may seem like what their lives were destined to be. But there was one ingredient in their DNA that gave them a chance; believe. I still consider myself nowhere in my career but I understand the world a lot better these days so I am going to put down what I've learned.

1) A good attitude is key
Having a good attitude not only benefits the organisation, it benefits yourself. Being positive and being open to changes is probably the most powerful attribute anyone needs to have. Based on my observation, without looking at technical knowledge, this is what defines someone. With those characteristics, you will learn and grow tremendously in most things you do. Put it simply, if one day the organisation decides to downsize its workforce or promote someone, what are the factors do you think they will consider?

Jack Welch, the legendary former CEO of GE, says he categorises leaders into 4 quadrants, according to their results and how well they lived GE's values.
Q1: Performing and have good values
Q2: Not performing but have good values
Q3: Performing but have bad values
Q4: Not performing and have bad values

Q1 and Q4 are plain obvious choices, Q1 will stay and Q4 will go. But Q2 and Q3 are right in the middle, so who does he keep or promote? Based on his book "Winning",  he would prefer Q2, because these are the people who have a better chance of getting into Q1 in the future with more mentoring and coaching. He says Q3 are the most difficult people to get rid off mainly because they are performing but chances are they will always remain in Q3. There is no hard and fast rule about this. So if you are looking to excel in your current or future job, put some thought into living the company's values at work. Of course, having a good attitude at work will be part of that equation.

2) Think like a boss, but you don't need to act like one
If your goal in the future is to become a boss, you need to adopt some traits from your current boss. I am sure every boss has some aspects we don't think is best, but we have to admit some values and characteristics they have, puts them where they are today. Whether it's their ability to manage a team, being understanding, taking their time to guide you or purely because they can talk their way out of anything, there is definitely something we admire even for the worst bosses.  I think it's important to take time to understand how our bosses think, what they like or dislike and the reason behind it and maybe even what inspires them. Then try putting yourself in their positions and predict a course of action or outcome they would make in different situations. This may seem like a simulation today but it may be steps taking you to the next level by thinking this way.

3) Be likeable or at least try
Likeability is something that can create situations that don't make sense. Likeability itself is very subjective. There are people who may be so unlikeable in one place but is really loved in another. There are people who are not very good at their job but get promoted faster. Being in any organisation, we need to shape ourselves into the our workplace which means possibly making changes to ourselves. There is a common saying is always be yourself no matter what. Of course quotes like this are never absolute. There are people who are stubborn, always resistant or prefer to fly solo. You can't have these people "always being themselves". If you feel there is some part of you that falls into this category, take time to understand likeability. I know some people will be asking whether it is called "sucking up to the boss". Yes and No. Yes, you need your boss' seal of approval if you are working under them but at the same time going a great extent to impress the boss may actually raise suspicion. If what you are doing doesn't seem genuine from the heart, your boss will see through you and that's a no-no. What should you do? Take the effort to understand the people around you, communicate and take time to strengthen relationships at work. Those extra steps will be noticed very quickly and you'll be surprised what far you can go. 

4) Be critical
You might feel like sometimes you are working like a robot, but you aren't one. Although the orders come from above, the onus are still on the people who do the actual job. Directions from above may come in 3 short sentences like reduce cost by 20%, freeze hiring or improve lead time by 3 days. How it is executed depends on the people working on it. Whether you are a leader or not, always be ready to question and be critical of decision making. Yes, bosses make the ultimate decision at the end of the day but they are rarely the people who do the actual work. Good leaders will always be open to suggestions and critical thinking, logically because people below have the actual experience and more brains work better than one. In a rapid changing environment, organisations today know they cannot run the business like they did 10-20 years ago, they need their people to think on their feet and respond quickly to the market. If you have the aim of going further, ask more questions, give more suggestions, critically evaluate decision making and of course think of ways to create value.

5) Work as a team
Working as team does not just mean doing your own part. There are few jobs in the world that outlines every role in the employment letter. In every job you'd be ask to do things like photocopying, shift boxes, organise events or carry out special projects, out of your normal job scope. But beyond the additional tasks you do, how are you contributing to the team? To me, working in a team is something that builds character as you not only focus on doing your part but think about achieving the ultimate goal in the future, which is for the team to succeed. Most leaders in the world are not born with leadership skills but rather they have developed them very early in their lives. Playing a sport is a perfect example how even young children get to learn about teamwork and leadership. Most team sports elect a leader or captain and that person is not only talented but has the leadership skills to drive the team forward. Some of the members of the team may be envious of the captain's position but some are more than happy not to be elected. At work it's actually the same, not every one wants to be the leader. Jeff Bezos warns about loneliness being at the top with only a handful of "same level" people to hang out with. Although you might not have acquired the leadership skills now, understanding your role and being a team player will get you there. But of course, if you want to shine above others, it's time to take the lead.

Thanks for reading

~deyao~

Season Preview 2014-2015

This summer went past pretty quickly, with the World Cup taking centre stage. There was no short of football during the summer “break” as the world experienced the best show on earth in Brazil. It was the ever consistent Germans that deservedly won it. Before that we saw Man City regain the title after a close fight with Liverpool and Chelsea. Liverpool almost ended their two decade wait for the league title, but one particular slip up was a costly one. Chelsea on the other hand had a sterling record against the big teams, but their lack in consistency against the smaller teams decided their fate. Maybe Jose’s usual “speak his mind” interviews also caught up with him. After the first half of the season, Man City’s fate was pretty clear, if they won the title, it would be because of their home form. And if they lost, their away form was the reason. In the end, the Citizens’ near impeccable record at the Etihad made the vital difference in the title race. Their persistence in the final sprint also made them worthy winners. Meanwhile on the other side of Manchester, United experienced a huge contrast in fortunes as they struggled with the departure of their greatest ever manager, SAF. A lowly finish at 7th was something not imaginable for many years. Tottenham made waves when they inherited a huge cash pile of £86m from the sale of Gareth Bale, but their inability to gel the team quickly enough was behind their casualties of two managers.

In the red part of North London, sighs of relief was all around as the running clock of our infamous trophy-less streak finally came to a halt. Our FA Cup triumph was very much overdue to all the fans who have endured some of the worst times in history. It has been traumatising to lose finals, see big players leave, horror injuries and some pretty damn awful displays. The way the final was won reminded us how difficult it was to become top again, but most importantly how this team has progressed over the years. I’m not going to reiterate how our season went after my post in June.

Looking forward to the new season, we've seen some big changes already. Some of the notables are the appointed of Van Gaal as Man Utd manager, smashing of British transfer record by Di Maria, massive loan deal for Falcao, the sale of Luiz Suarez by Liverpool, the return of Cesc Fabregas to England and the effect of Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules on Man City and Chelsea.  It’s going to be another remarkable season so let’s see what the title contenders have in store for us.

Man City – Well equipped to retain the title

It will be maintaining status quo for the team from the Eastlands as they seek to defend the title once again. The £49M ceiling imposed as a result of FFP has given them lesser flexibility compared to the previous years. The arrival Mangala, Fernando and Sagna were their big signings as they sought to further improve their defensive lines.  With already abundant of talent in offensive options, there was no need to strengthen further. Negredo’s late exit was surprising considering the impact he made last season. City’s need to comply with the FFP also saw them go on an extension spree as they tied down key players like Aguero, Silva,Yaya Toure and Kompany. Failing to meet the limits by UEFA could see them face further sanctions and even the possibility of disqualification from European competitions. The Citizens are looking strong for a finish in the top 2 with their fantastic squad in terms of talent and depth. The picture below just shows how much they have in the bag (minus Negredo)

Verdict: Poised for a top 2 finish

Key players: David Silva, Yaya Toure and Sergio Aguero

Chelsea – Big signings to flourish

The trend shows that teams with the best transfer moves in the summer are usually favourites to win the title. City’s £100M splash at the close of the previous season has again vindicated the theory. This season, Chelsea are frontrunners for the title as they have spent big and well while they were too working around their own limits due to FFP. The offloading of Juan Mata, Kevin De Bruyne, David Luiz, Romelu Lukaku and Fernando Torres this year has boosted their coffers for big spending. The signing of Fabregas, Diego Costa, Didier Drogba and the return of Thibaut Courtois has given this team a huge elevation and made them main contenders for the title. Fabregas is proven quality at this level and is the best possible replacement to Lampard. Costa would add to Chelsea’s much needed firepower in front of goal after lacklustre attempts by Torres and Eto’o last season.   Jose’s mind games like the “Little Horse” could not overcome or distract the mental steel of Pellegrini last season. Perhaps if he focuses more on what happends on the pitch and improve their consistency against their smaller rivals, they could very well be the best challengers to end the 4 year domination of the Manchester giants.

Verdict:  My favourites for the title (Yes I do support Arsenal)

Key players: Eden Hazard, Cesc Fabregas and Diego Costa

Liverpool – Oh no, not a repeat of the Spurs syndrome?

They were close to winning it last season. Gerro’s rallying cry and tears was almost the image which depicted how he finally won it, almost. There is no doubt Gerro’s unbelievable loyalty towards the Kop makes him deserving of his first Premier League title. That night in Istanbul might be his greatest feat in his career, but the Premier League is one he has yearned for a very long time. Ending his club’s and own wait would be have been special, but the margins in football today can be cruel. 

So Liverpool lost their best player of last season, so what’s next? Has their £75M been well spent? To many people like me, we emphasise on the need for a “marquee” signing, a big name that will instantly bring results to the club. Their spending has been on Adam Lallana, Dejan Lovren, Alberto Moreno, Javi Manquillo (loan), Emre Can, Lazar Markovic, Rickie Lambert and the most high profile of all, Mario Balotelli. It does look like what Spurs have done, spreading their windfall on many players. The Reds will argue they have also bought a lot quality, but are these players good enough to make them serious title challengers? I think Brendan Rogers has put himself in a tougher predicament than he should be by taking a gamble on some of these players. But bringing the Reds back to the top 4 would buy him some time. The backbone of the team would still be Gerrard, Sterling, Sturridge and especially Coutinho who will be the driving force behind the team. Even without Suarez, I can still see enough big game players to give them a solid top 4 finish. It will be interesting how their commitments in Europe affect their title chase. 

Verdict: At best for 3rd place, at worst 5th.

Key players:  Steven Gerrard, Daniel Sturridge and Philipe Coutinho

Manchester United – King Louis takes over the throne 

The United fans were divided over the appointment over LVG, questioning the lack of time given to David Moyes, who probably had more sleepless nights than he could ever imagined. He was handpicked by SAF to succeed him but it didn’t take very long for them to decide it was time to go. Managing arguably the biggest club in the world, Moyes failed to garner the support of the OT supremos during his reign. Their lowly finish in the league on the back of a record 11 defeats was deemed a bridge too far to see imaginable success. I have to say Moyes did improve as the season went but the damage was actually inflicted before it all started. He requested for Fabregas, Thiago Alcantara and Kroos during the summer, but none of them materialise. Instead he got Fellaini, a trusted talent but had his worst season in England. He masterminded the comeback against Olympiakos but had no favours when drawn against Bayern Munich. It was a 50/50 decision in the end, but some disastrous home results probably tilted the decision to sack him. The fans even flew a plane to push for his exit.

Moving forward, LVG is one of the best there is in the game. His successful tenure in Bayern and the Holland national team has quickly put him in the spotlight. He carries a very strong reputation of being no nonsense, get down to work guy and carries a certain chutzpah which will be all necessary ingredients to overhaul this damaged battleship. His ability to command authority would be something probably Moyes lacked. The way he has gone right down to business after the World Cup just shows his eagerness to deliver. Reportedly given £200M to spend, he has not held back his ammos, landing Shaw, Herrera, Rojo, Blind and the big hitters Di Maria and Falcao. It sure does show an incredible line up of attacking options which are sure to torment defences. Goals are going to come but the big question is whether the defence will hold up. The lack of replacement for Rio Ferdinand and a lack of protection to the back four might work against them.

At this point of writing, Van Gaal might be having a slow start, but if you go back to his Bayern days, you’ll know that his best days are coming.

Verdict – A fight for top 4 finish

Key players – Wayne Rooney, Juan Mata and Angel Di Maria

Arsenal – Still missing a few jigsaws

To my beloved Arsenal. Summer started brightly as deals were closed earlier than previous seasons. Alexis, Chambers and Debuchy in. Joel Campbell was back from a three year loan. Then, Khedira was linked to Arsenal. Hey, were things finally starting to look up? From then on, nothing happened. It was almost common knowledge how we needed to replace Vermaelen, get another striker and very critically, a defensive midfielder. But days passed and we could only hope Arsene will surprise us soon, we waited and waited. By the last days we knew any hopes of a big deal were gone and we only made a last gasp move for Danny Welbeck from our old foes Man Utd. I am very disappointed, because there are clearly weaknesses in this team that needs urgent attention. This team is no better than last season. When we play Chelsea or Liverpool team again, I can’t imagine enduring another mauling again. I can’t understand why we haven’t plugged these holes. If we are still haggling over a few million pounds, I seriously think the CEO and the rest of his people should be given the boot. The transfer dealings by them have been shambolic, weak and disastrous. These guys have been in business for years, surely they can’t be that ignorant? Would they have bought if Giroud wasn’t injured? We had the whole summer and plenty of action in Brazil to look for some good players, the negotiators have not delivered and it’s not going to be long before questions will be asked about this team which we will fail to answer.

On the bright side, our new signings will add a new dimension to this team. Debuchy is fitting in well, Chambers is impressing while Alexis is adding another wave of excitement to this team. With Walcott, Joel Campbell, Gnabry, Oxlade-Chamberlain all having a point to prove, there will be a lot of pulsating attacking football by us. The fab midfield of Cazorla, Ozil, Ramsey and Wilshere will be key to our team. On the downside, the missing jigsaws will continue to haunt us and again leave us fighting for 4th.

Verdict – A fight for top 4 finish

Key players – Aaron Ramsey and Santi Cazorla

I think by now my predictions are pretty clear. May the best team win.

1) Chelsea
2) Man City
3) Liverpool
4) Arsenal
5) Man Utd

Thanks for reading

~deyao~

The Long Wait Is Over

The long wait is over, finally. It has been 9 long years since we had anything to do with silverware. It wasn’t the league title and sure wasn’t the Champions League this time, but the FA Cup became our salvation and we can finally breathe more easily now. The end of this painful streak really means a lot to every Gooner. Looking back to our glory years from 2001 to 2005, you would have never thought things could unfold like this. We would have thought the Champions League was close (It was actually very close in 2006) and we would get our fair share of silverware in the coming years. It has been 10 years since we were called the Invincibles. I am very proud of that moment, but time has gone too long for us to be looking back at that to recall our last league title, which still is today.

If you are celebrating like this one day later, this is how much it means.

We have endured a very challenging period with the big reforms in this club from losing captain after captain, managing our debt from the Emirates Stadium and failures from countless trial and errors with players. When Patrick Vieira slotted in the winning spot kick and hoisted the FA Cup in 2005, you would never have imagined we had to wait so long for a trophy again. Things changed at the club, the Invincibles were practically at their peak of their games. Players like Patrick Vieira, Sylvain Wiltord, Sol Campbell, Fredrik Ljungberg, Lauren, Robert Pires, Edu and Dennis Bergkamp were at the trough of their careers and we were definitely unprepared for the massive exodus that followed in the coming years. The transition period, as I call it, started in 2005 when little known Cesc Fabregas burst into the scene after the departure of Patrick Vieira and effectively assumed the role as ‘the’ central midfielder. It was an exciting period as we tried to blend the team with experienced players and youth, all with the aim of playing with a highly restricted transfer budget. Just a year later, the riches of Abramovich finally made its mark and really tipped the balance for the first time since the inception of the Premier League. Chelsea were Champions for the first time since 1955, we dropped out of the top 2 for the first time since Arsene Wenger took charge in 1996 and barely qualified for the Champions League, with help from the mysterious food poisoning that hit Spurs on the final day. The following years saw even more takeovers and new money pumped into the game and that changed the landscape of the game forever. It has been a rough ride for this club and winning this trophy hopefully sets us on an ascendancy for more success.

This was our best chance for the title in years and in February we were one of the top 3 contenders to win the title. We had to get through March, a period where we would play matches that decided our fate. March defined our season and the outcome didn’t match our hopes. In fact, March was such a bad month that we needed to slug it out with Everton in the run in to claim 4th place. We have been in pole position two similar times to win the title in recent years and they share a common theme; a major injury. We were huge contenders in the 2007-2008 season. But that one faithful afternoon in February which I still remember clearly, Eduardo broke his leg from a nasty tackle at Birmingham and we drew that game. William Gallas sitting on pitch after game was a reflection of our season where this very match really screwed us. From then on, we were hit so bad psychologically that we never quite recovered. That curse happened again in 2010 when we had a good chance at the title with the most favourable run in of all the top teams. Another day which I remember very well, Aaron Ramsey broke his leg from a heavy tackle from Shawcross at Stoke. We did go on to win that day, but another dark day at Birmingham a few games later ruined our season in heart-breaking fashion.

This was a season of hope for us to finally win the title and here’s how it could have worked for us and where it failed.

Signs that we could have won it

1) Midfield prowess
We had one of the most exciting team of midfielders in years. Our midfield consisting of Cazorla, Wilshere, Ramsey, Ozil, Walcott, Arteta Rosicky and Flamini gave us so much versatility and options in our game. Their contributions in terms of goals were also something we were really lacked in the past. Aaron Ramsey was playing the best football in his life which was fantastic to see, considering the circumstances he's been through.

2) Defence partnership
Putting aside the weakness they showed when they first arrived, Koscielny and Mertesacker formed a formidable partnership in the middle, a very unlikely event a few years ago. There were some lapses in some games but this partnership was much better than previous seasons.

3) Putting away the weaker teams
Our record against the teams outside the top 5 was pretty much impeccable, that type of consistency that champions have.

4) Quick recovery from defeats
After the 6-3 hammering against Manchester City, our following results were nothing less than impressive. We then completed the calendar with a good streak of wins. A characteristic of champions; they bounce back quickly.

5) Inconsistency of our rivals
Manchester United was pretty much out of the picture for the first time as long as I can remember. Manchester City was giving every visitor to the Etihad a lesson in football, but their away form was nothing short of the opposite. Chelsea too was playing some strange football. They manage to end the great streak at the Etihad but played out some very weak matches against the lower teams. Before their great resurgence in February, Liverpool also had a mediocre season. The title was there for the taking, but…

6) The last minute goal from Bendtner
This guy shouldn’t even be here in the first place, but nobody in this world would meet our valuation for a player who “should be playing for Real Madrid or Barcelona and is worth every penny of his fifty two thousand quid a week salary” (Quoted from him). During the frustrating game against Cardiff, we couldn’t find a breakthrough all day. Guess what, he pops up and smashes in the winner, the sort of event that makes you think that God is indicating to you that the title might be yours.

Where it was lost

1) Poor record against our rivals
A one line summary should sum it up. Record against Manchester United, City, Liverpool and Everton. One win.

2) Huge losses against Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester City and Everton
You don’t get thrashed if you are going to be champions and definitely not four times in one season. The mauling at Anfield was the biggest sign at that time and when Chelsea hit six past us, our worst fears were crystallised.

3) Aaron Ramsey and Theo Walcott’s injury
When Ramsey held his thigh and signalled that something was wrong at Upton Park,  I almost knew it was going to happen considering the hectic fixtures he just went through. His prolonged absence cost us the title. Theo’s major injury also cost us a great deal as he was having a very fine season.

4) We couldn’t beat Manchester United in their worst state
The game against them at the Emirates was one that we were favourites to win, something of a rarity even on our home ground in the past few years. Instead, we played out a goalless draw.

5) Last minute goal conceded against Swansea
Flamini’s late own goal compounded our misery and summed up our season; all our hard work throughout the season undone by the month of March.

6) Defensive midfield frailties
Wenger hasn’t replaced Alex Song and it cost us especially in the big games when more protection to the back four was needed.

7) Kim Kallstrom being our only signing in January
Bringing in a quality player in January could have made this team even better and provided the extra oomph in a season where we needed to sustain that level of quality in our game. Instead, we brought in this guy who “was going to be injured for 2 months” after signing for us. One of the poorer judgements in Monsieur Wenger’s illustrious career. Kim’s stint however had a silver lining, his conversion in the penalty shootout in the FA Cup semifinal played a part en route to the final.

If you would to look at this season positively, it would be the big improvement compared to the previous season. We did better defensively and were consistent in good parts of the season. There are still several shortfalls we need to look into like over-stretching the squad too much especially in November and December, the injuries that hit us and the need to further strengthen our defence. We have taken some huge strides this season, so let's continue building on this.

~deyao~

Are You Living Your "Right" Life?

Work and age changes people, their interests, priorities and how they spend their time. Life has been very different since I started working.  At any point of time, it is good to take time reflect on yourself, to see whether you have lived up to your personal goals and promises. There is no doubt that personal reflection and goal setting will help us greatly to achieve our goals, so do continue planning in life. Life is for full of unexpected events, predicting how tomorrow unfolds in detail would be very difficult. Life is never short of change, so it's best we make the best out it or we would lose out. There is always the next step we aim to be in life so do what it takes to make it happen.

Here's an interesting article I read recently from The Edge.

"What would you do if you weren't afraid? What's the worst that can happen? If the worst happens, how will I recover? What if I do nothing? And finally, what if I succeed?

Thanks for reading

~deyao~