Post-Convention Thoughts

Change brings opportunity. ~ Nido Qubein

The 21st National La Sallian Leaders' Convention came and went just like that. Time really flies, doesn't it?

When we first came together on the 16th of December, none of us knew what was in store for us. Well, maybe except myself. Even though this would mark the first time I came for the Convention, I had quite a bit of knowledge on what to expect thanks to early exposure to the La Sallian spirit and values and through my time from organizing this year's Northern Regionals. Of course, the most important thing that would come to us would be change. But where are we to change? Which explains why I came for the Convention: how are we going to change and make a difference? I wanted to know. Hopefully, I would know just where to start.

The Heritage play struck me the most throughout the entire Convention. I'd seen one and helped direct another, but none could compare to how the performance stayed very faithfully to the real La Sallian story. It was from that onwards that I knew I was bound to be awakened to something new in the next few days, something that I never really noticed or learned up till now. That was an opportunity I knew I had to seize.

And I was right. All our sessions, games and reflections helped each and every one of us realize how our world is suffering at the hands of the ignorant, the sinful and such others. They challenged our thinking, our beliefs, our principles. They made us see how real these problems are. They made us realize that change is a must to make things better. They made us realize we are not alone in this noble mission.

Change means that what was before wasn't perfect. People want things to be better. ~ Esther Dyson

In between, there were definitely moments of fun and laughter. Lame jokes, IQ tests and sharing sessions allowed us to build new bonds of friendship between fellow La Sallians. And I must admit that the sessions I led after the end of the day were kinda spontaneous. I only believed that each and every one of us has something to share. So why not allow that voice to come out to the fore?

And as I have said many times, my enthusiasm was at its peak. Never have I actually unleashed so much energy in any other camp I've been to. What made me do it? I don't even know why. But I'm glad that I did it. I'm glad I got the ball rolling for everyone.

And as the days rolled by, I stopped once in a while to check my affirmation pouch. Honestly, you guys and girls honor me with your affirmations, and I was pleasantly surprised to see how many I have at the end of the day. I never intended to be affirmed for my deeds. I only wanted everybody to just feel proud of what they learned and to go out into the world with their eyes open.

And I never thought I'd say this: 'Open your eyes, ears, heart and mind, and you can make that change.' I told Wei Kit that, and in hindsight, I didn't really understand how I said that to him. But now that I look back, I must say it was my experiences that helped me form those words.

I guess change came in the most surprising of ways to me.

Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself. ~ Leo Tolstoy

Most of us really think we can one day change the world. I hope that Convention made you realize that only when you start from within can you really help the world.

My parents were instrumental in making sure me and my elder brother learned good moral values that have shaped the way we see the world. We used to live a comfortable life, and back then, I wasn't the person I am now. Time has its ways of changing a person. The events that I had to go through brought me new insights to what Life is really all about. And I'm thankful I had to go through all those to reach where I am now.

Now I live a simple life, and I do confess it's not as easy as it once was. But me and my family get by. Besides, I'm thankful I come from a caring family. Though things haven't really been looking up and may just become better than before.

Another thing I'll point out is that, honestly, I'm quite socially inept, especially with women. Ironic? There are just times when I say or do things that are (a) said at the wrong time; (b) lame; (c) misinterpreted; and a few other reasons. And I'm saying this based on personal experience. I've lost - and almost lost - friends because of that, and even now I regret my actions. So if I did say or do something without realizing its damaging effect, I offer my sincerest apologies. I'm pretty much at war with myself, but rest assured that I'm not intending on giving up.

It's all about accepting change. And I'm glad I accepted it.

Before we acquire great power we must acquire wisdom to use it well.
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

When the last day came, it was indeed a very sad occasion. But despite that, I'm very happy. I'm overjoyed, really! Finally, we've come to our journey's end - but it's only the end of the Convention. Once you return home and return to school, then you're back to reality. That marks the beginning of a new journey: one that may lead us across numerous obstacles. But as long as we hold on to our beliefs and make that leap of faith, surely nothing, not even a force of nature, can stop us.

Of course, I cannot deny there will be times when all seems hopeless. I assure you, change is never easy. But if you are willing to make sacrifices, then by all means do it. If you have doubts, confide in your friends. We have the Facebook group not just to keep everyone connected. Use it to share your doubts, your sorrows, your victories, your lessons learned. It's a platform to remind us that what we do is for the greater good of all. Altruistic love is what we practise.

I have this quote I'd like to share, found on the tomb of an Anglican bishop of the 11th Century:

When I was young and free my imagination had no limits, I dreamed of changing the world. As I grew older and wiser, I discovered the world would not change, so I shortened my sights somewhat and decided to change only my country. But it, too, seemed immovable. As I grew in my twilight years, in one last desperate attempt, I settled for changing only my family, those closest to me, but alas, they would have none of it. And now as I lay on my deathbed, I suddenly realized: If I had only changed myself first, then by example I would have changed my family. From their inspiration and encouragement, I would then have been able to better my country and, who knows, I may have even changed my world.

Small steps. Small steps are capable of making that difference. Now that we know ourselves, it's high time we took all that we've learned to walk the talk and hopefully bring about the change we want to see. If we agree that another world is possible, then I can tell you that it starts from us. Don't think of today as another one in paradise. Paradise isn't here yet. We need to work for it.

Are you with me and the La Sallian dream? Then let's make that step forward together as a family. And let us not forget there are thousands of others out there who share in our dream. Let's unite them as well and make the difference.

Understanding someone properly involves learning from him, and learning from someone properly involves changing oneself.
~ Hans Kung

Before I end, I'd like to affirm each and every one of you who participated in the Convetion whether as a Delegate, an accompanying teacher, an OT or even as a facilitator. I may not have talked to you much, nor would I have been able to write to each of you, but let me make it clear that I acknowledge you for who you are. No matter what our background may be, we are all the same. I am, you are, we are La Sallians. Never forget that!

And lastly, I will set up a blog for ourselves to be used as a platform for sharing other insights, personal experiences, projects and such that we could not shared throughout the Convention. Your contributions to this new blog - which I will name Journeying With The Dream - will be very important to helping everybody remember our mission and our responsibilities, as well as learn new lessons that will be key in making their dreams come true. Please feel free to email me with your stories and I will do my very best to publish them on this blog. If you do not know my email, drop by the blog once its complete. You'll definitely find it listed there.

Also, for those who have regular Internet access (I don't have any at home) and are willing to lend a hand, please let me know first hand. I need other administrators who can receive and publish stories on the blog whenever I'm not online. This blog might just be that first step in starting a chain reaction for the better.

Signum Fidei, brothers and sisters! And until the next time we meet, good luck and God bless.

...do all the good you can
to all the people you can
in all the ways you can
as long as ever you can
~ D.L. Moody

A Bold Plan!

I have lots of plans, but I just wonder if they'll work out the way I want them to.

One of these plans is to start up a blog for one purpose: introduce budding Malaysian writers to the world. I even thought up of the name for the blog: Writer's Block.

LOL. Well, I might think of another name. It's still work in progress, after all.

And hey, it might just work.

All I need are (a lot of) volunteers: people who can help administrate the blog, add content, update the blog regularly, plus sponsors, editors, proof readers, subject matter experts, academic professionals, and of course a steady stream of future authors to contribute their work regularly.

All are welcome to help out whatever way they can. And it'd be great if you can pull in some sponsors and even real authors to give some help and publicity. I think I'll contact the Star and see if they can lend a hand, too. Fingers crossed.

Once the blog is up and running, then we can start spreading word of it to friends, family and whoever wants to contribute. Heck, someday somebody's piece might expand to become a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel!

And when more support is given, we can expand and accomodate more activities: workshops, seminars, public activities - I mean, who knows what might just crop up? I'm thinking setting up a fund for the poor and underprivileged communities, book fairs, book giveaways; the possibilities are endless!

Of course, small steps first.

Now you must be asking why I want to do this. There's a temptation to reply "Why, cannot ah?" but of course, that doesn't explain anything. Well, it just got me thinking: I'm definitely not the only one who wants to write novels as good as King, Ludlum, Lovecraft (I mean, why not?), Clancy, Adams, Clarke and many others. There are lots of others whose writing prowess is waiting to be revealed. So why not start a platofmr for them? There haven't really been many initiatives that I know of, and most of them basically involve getting more people to read, or competitions organized in school. (Sorry, I haven't done much research on this at the time of publication >< guilty as charged!) So maybe this may just open up new windows for these people.

Yeah, I really am quite fired up for this. But I can imagine that it won't be easy. But even if simple men and women can think of revolutionary new ideas that have successfully made the world better, why can't I?

So if any one of you are willing to contribute, PLEASE do! It might just give us a chance at changing things for the better!

To Give Is The Reason I Live

Brother Matt retired yesterday. It was a mellow occasion. Well, I thought it would feel mellow. But it did feel quite lively, with the few performances here and there. So, yeah, a fitting send-off.

When they were talking about Bro. Matt's life and times, the words that stuck with me would be "a life of service." It echoed through my mind, and it made me think very deep about what it meant to me.

I'm considering it. Living a life of service for the good of Mankind. Doesn't that sound good?

Well, it sure does to me.

Cheers!

The Lifelong Process

The Law of Process focuses on only one thing: continual efforts to build leadership. As was mentioned before: Rome wasn't built in a day. To become someone better, you need to make a point to work on your weaknesses and turn them into strengths. And even when you feel you've reached a point where you say: "I've reached my potential", then you are dead wrong. Learning is a lifelong process (hence the title of the post) and goes on for a lifetime.

We need to spend our entire life building our worth and go for the long haul, not the short-term goal. If you plan to make a fortune in a day, you are going to be disappointed. "The secret of our success is found in our daily agenda," as Tag Short says. So long as you keep up with your investments into building your leadership, allowing your "assets" to compound, you'll see how much you'll gain in time.

Don't be let down by the fact there's a leader born every minute. Sure, although many of them truly live up to what is expected from them, it doesn't happen overnight. You need to be master of many factors like experience and influence before you can call yourself a leader. To really rise up you need to work your way to the top. You need to learn continuously.

When you start off, you won't really see the need for leadership - and this means you might have missed countless opportunities! But once you do get into a leadership position, then you'll see how you need to learn to lead. British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli once said, "To be conscious that you are ignorant of the facts is a great step to knowledge." Also remember what Margaret Thatcher said: "Being in power is like being a lady. If you have to tell people you are, you aren't".

Once you see your lack of skill and work on improving yourself and build your leadership, lots of things will happen. You change in many ways, and then you will notice how you're going on the right track. John C. Maxwell spotted a budding leader in one of his seminars, and gave him good advice on how to become a successful leader: keep learning. Once you do sufficient research and practise, it becomes second nature.

But always bear in mind: you can only go so far when you tell yourself to keep going. President Theodore Roosevelt is a great example of one who uses the Law to great effect. Born to a wealthy family in Manhattan, he was very sickly when he was a boy. But it was his father who encouraged him to be more than that. And over the years, TR (as he was fondly known) honed himself to be the fit man he was known to be. And he continued to distinguish himself: becoming a police commissioner; helped campaign for President McKinley, even though he was almost assassinated; built the United States into a world power; oversaw the construction of the Panama Canal; won the Nobel Peace Prize for brokering peace between Russia and Japan; and even went on expeditions after serving his term. Historian Hugh Brogan described him as "the ablest man to sit in the White House since Lincoln; the most vigorous since Jackson; the most bookish since John Quincy Adams."

When Roosevelt passed away on January 6th, 1919, they found a book underneath his pillow. It goes to show how he lived by the Law of Process; he never stopped learning. And you shouldn't either. Emulate Roosevelt's spirit; build your potential and, most of all, persevere through it all.

Cheers!

Who's The Boss?

Ever had a time when you lead a group of people, only to find someone else is leading them?

No, I don't mean that as in a coup d'etat. I mean, you are the appointed leader, but in the end when you bring it down to the people in your committee someone else is doing the delegating - NOT you. YOU may be the appointed leader, but in the end that someone holds the power. Strange, but true. This is known as the Law of E.F. Hutton. (As preached in John C. Maxwell's marvelous work "The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership")

Who's this E.F. Hutton, you ask? Well, E.F. Hutton is actually the name of a financial service company in America. They used to have ads on TV, where in a busy and crowded public place two friends would be talking about financial matters. After the first person spoke of what his broker advised him to do, the second person then says: "Well, my broker is E.F. Hutton, and E.F. Hutton says..." At that point everyone around the two would stop in their trackd, turn, and listen to what the man was about to say. Funny as it sounds, it's in the case of the Law: when the REAL leader speaks, everyone listens.

John faced this problem as a pastor of a church in Indiana after he graduated, and he learned well from it. It was at his first board meeting that he noticed the Law in action. He had come to the meeting ready to lead, with no set agenda and the assumption everyone would listen to him since he was the leader. He was proven wrong thanks to one of the senior members by the name of Claude. When Claude spoke, everyone listened.

And John learned of how powerful the Law can be. So instead of forcing Claude down, he used Claude's influence among the church members to accomplish anything that needs attention. In his own words, "I could always count on him to bring those things before the people, and whenever Claude spoke, people listened." Once you understand the concept behind the Law, you can easily see how everyone reacts to the REAL leader.

Take Tihn Chern as an example. When he speaks everyone listens. It's plain to see he's the real leader, not just because of his title as Head Prefect, but by his influence among the Prefects and the students. In all situations, when a question is asked the people always look to the real leader.

Real leaders aren't hard to spot. They are the ones who speak later, unlike positional leaders who speak first. Just like John and Claude, Claude was the real leader because he became the voice of the church once John had spoken. Real leaders need only their own influence to get things done, while positional leaders need the real leader to get things moving. Also, real leaders influence everyone in the room while positional leaders influence other positional leaders. In essence, those who lead the people are the real leaders, not the ones who lead the meeting.

People always claim they are born leaders. But how do you lead when no one listens to you? The best way to see who's the real leader is to see how the people react to him/her. Real leaders need to possess seven traits, which will come to them in time:

CHARACTER: Who they are makes a difference in the lives of others, no matter how small.
RELATIONSHIPS: Who they know can change everything. The deeper their relationships with others, the stronger their potential for leadership. And with the right people they can achieve much more.
KNOWLEDGE: Knowledge is power, for without it they can't be leaders. They need to know their facts, the factors involved, and have a vision before they can lead.
INTUITION: What they feel can mean the difference between success and failure. Their instincts may just give them the edge against all others.
EXPERIENCE: All that they have gone through in the past will help them gain more followers, for it encourages them to prove the leader's worth.
PAST SUCCESS: What they've done speaks volumes  - and grants the people a good reason to be led by them.
ABILITY: What they can do will decide if their followers stay or leave them.

This Law shows that leadership isnt just about credentials and fame. It also requires the respect of the people. Take Mother Teresa, for example. She may seem like any ordinary person, but she was truly a real leader. She succeeded in building up her organization, the Missionaries of Charity, till it numbered more than four thousand members during her lifetime. And that's not including the total number of volunteers!

Even when she spoke about certain sensitive topics, no one rallied against her. No one booed, or jeered, or showed their defiance, nor did any of them act in violence. Everyone shut up and listened, even if they were strongly against what she said. She was the most respected person in the entire world. And when she spoke, EVERYONE in the WHOLE WORLD listened to her. It's just like how people rallied to the cause of leaders like Martin Luther King, Jr and Mahatma Gandhi. They spoke, and they were heard.

If you thought you were really the leader, then maybe it's time you reexamine your priorities and your approach, as well as how your people listen to you. Use the Law of E.F. Hutton to great effect. Be the one people listen to.

Cheers!

A Vision

There is a need for vision. In these times, especially. Everyone seems to be going on with Life without a vision. A man without purpose is as useless as a computer without a processor. (Pardon the expression)

Our reach should exceed our grasp. We can dream, but does that mean a dream should stay a dream? Dreams eventually become realities, even if people say it is impossible. Who knew we could do all that? Who knew Thomas Edison could invent the light bulb after a thousand failures? Who knew Einstein would write the Law of Relativity even when people criticized him and looked down on him? Who'd have realized the Wright brothers would succeed in becoming the pioneers of flight?

VISION is important. The people above had a clear vision of what they wanted. You should too.

Solomon quoted (Prov. 29: 18KJv) "When there is no vision, the people perish." Take it from him: leaders can never move forward if they don't have the guts to dream. And to do that they need a vision to inspire others to commit themselves to their cause. Are you like that? If not it's time you changed and put a vision in your head.

Set your goals and do whatever you can to accomplish them. Remember what Helen Keller said: "[It is] better to be blind but with vision than with eyesight but no vision."

Cheers!

Updates

If you're reading this, I'm now at INTI's IT lab on the last day of the Youth Empowerment 2009. We're just learning of the basics of blogging (which I know, obviously. LOL) and I'm actually having quite a blast! Well, of course, since I've not been blogging for quite some time, save for my scheduled posts. And maybe even pick up a few new tricks or two.

I must say, I've learned a lot more from this two-day course - a little more than what I learned in the LTC I went last year. Sure, there are some of the usual messages that we learn in leadership building courses, but I must admit it was VERY fun! I must applaud all the participants for showing so much passion and spunk throughout the entire course.

Oh yes, I'll miss my days here.

And kudos to Dr. Sia who gave loads of very useful advice, the Alpha Team of facilitators and everyone else involved in the entire programme. I salute the participants as well, especially those such as Natasya, Thomas, R.J., Marjan, Phillip, Justin Chen, Thean Soong, and anyone else who has really performed well.

Till we meet again, I bid you adieu!