The Art Of Letting Go

What I'm about to share to you is a case that happens in Gucci, one of the most high-end apparel label in the world originated from Italy. This happens about a decade ago when Gucci was faced with financial problem, family feud, and counterfeiting issues. The company was in a downward spiral at that moment because of a poor management.

Then they hired Tom Ford, a top notch designer from America to handle everything from design to product launch. Suddenly, there were signs of life. Tom worked very hard to get the company going and has done a great job according to the original shareholder, the Gucci family.

Then the shareholder changed, which means that the Gucci family is no longer in control. And the current shareholder was not amused at the "already much better" performance of the company because they think that the company was too "Tom-centric" that decision was so centralized even a mid manager could not or dare not decide for small things. This is also worsen by the celebrity status that Tom possess.

Then they changed the company CEO. They summoned Robert Polet, a Frenchman from Unilever, a huge company in consumer goods industry. Polet was handling ice cream business before he was asked to lead Gucci.

The media and fashion world was somewhat shocked by the shareholder's decision to sack Tom and have Polet at the helm. How come an "ice cream guy" which strategy was a mass marketing and mass production can run a very delicate business of ultra niche market like Gucci had? There were jeers and boos heard from everywhere, yet the show went on.

Surprisingly, Gucci now has managed to perform much much better even compared to the moment when Tom left the company. In an interview with Polet, he revealed the secret that made him succeed. He knew that he is not a fashion guy and he will never be, so instead of doing designs, he managed to hire people to do it for him and for your information, Gucci has many brands under it's belt that it is just almost impossible to undertake the task centrally. Polet called it "the art of letting go" that he gave full authority and responsibilty for each business unit to perform their activities and decide everything that's necessary to achieve the goals that they had agreed before.

Now, there are three positive insights in this business case:

1. Always get the right people to do the job. Before you have the right people on your bus and before you let the wrong people off the bus, never set the bus direction. In every business, it is not the hardware, or the system, product, appearance, or even quality that's the most important. You will never have those if you have the wrong people working with you.
2. Give Them Direction and Watch Them Grow. Jack Welch of GE has illustrated that managing people is like planting seeds in the right soil, then all we have to do is water them then sit back and watch them grow. Of course, occasionally, we have to pull out some weeds, but basically, it is like planting.
3. Be adaptive to changes. Don't be trapped in complacency. It is every leader's biggest pitfall and unfortunately happens only on successful ones. Current condition work only for now. Yesterday might not be relevant anymore. And things have to improve for tomorrow. Set new objectives, challenge yourself and the team for better target. If the water is too still, it's not alright. If you get all the brains moving, your company will move forward also.

Charisma - The Invisible Power That Gives You The Edge

Most people think of charisma as something mystical, almost undefinable. They think it's a quality that comes at birth or not at all. But that's not true.

Charisma plainly stated, is the ability to draw people near you. And like any other traits, it can be developed.

To make yourself the kind of person who attracts others, you need to personify these pointers:

1. Love Life

People enjoy leaders who enjoy life. Think of people you want to spend time with. How would you describe them? Grumpy? Bitter? Depressed? Of course not. They're celebrators, not complainers. They're passionate about life. If you want to attract people, you need to be like the people you enjoy being with.

2. Put a "10" on Every Person's Head

One of the best things you can do for people which also attracts them to you is to expect the best of them. I call it putting a "10" on everyone's head. It helps others think more highly of themselves, and at the same time, it also helps you. If you appreciate others, encourage them, and help them reach their potential, they will love you for it.

3. Give People Hope

French General Napoleon Bonaparte characterized leaders as "dealers in hope." Like all great leaders, he knew that hope is the greatest of all possessions. If you can be the person who bestows that gift on others, they will be attracted to you, and they will be forever grateful.

4. Share Yourself

People love leaders who share themselves and their life journeys. As you lead people, give of yourself. Share wisdom, resources, and even special occasions.

When it comes to charisma, the bottom line is otherminded-ness. Leader who think about others and their concerns before thinking of themselves exhibit charisma.

Now, to improve your charisma, do the following:

1. Change your Focus. Observe your interaction with people during the next few years. As you talk to others, determine how much of your conversation is concentrated on yourself. Determine to tip the balance in favor of focusing on others.

2. Play the first impression game. Try an experiment. The next time you meet someone for the first time, try your best to make good impression. Learn the person's name. Focus on his interests. Be positive. And most important, treat him as a "10". If you can do this for a day, you can do this everyday. And it will increase your charisma overnight.

3. Share yourself. Make it your long term goal to share your resources with others. Think about how you can add value to five people in your life this year. They can be family members, colleagues, employees, or friends. Provide resources to help them grow personally and professionally, and share your personal journey with them.

Source: 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader - John C. Maxwell

Character - A Single Factor that Delivers

How a leader deals with the circumstances of life tells you many things about his character. Crisis doesn't necessarily make character, but it certainly does reveal it. Adversity is a crossroads that makes a person choose one from two paths: CHARACTER or COMPROMISE. Every time he chooses character, he becomes stronger, even if that choice brings negative consequences.

As Nobel prize winning author Alexander Solzhenitsyn noted, "The meaning of earthly existing lies, not as we have grown used to thinking, in prospering, but in the development of the soul." The development of character is at the heart of our development not just as leaders, but as human beings.

What must every person know about character?


1. Character Is More Than Talk

Anyone can say that he has integrity, but action is the real indicator of character. Your character determines who you are. Who you are - determines what you see. What you see - determines what you do. That's why you can never separate a leader's character from his actions. If a leader's action and intentions are continually working against each other, then look to his character to find out why.

2. Talent Is a Gift, But Character Is a Choice

We have no control over a lot of things in life. We don't get to choose our parents. We don't select the location or circumstances of our birth and upbringing. We don't get to pick our talents or IQ. But we do choose our character. In fact, we create it everytime we make choices, to cop out or dig out of a hard situation, to bend the truth or stand under the weight of it, to take the easy money or pay the price. As you live your life and make choices today, you are continuing to create your character.

3. Character Brings Lasting Success With People

True leadership always involves other people. As the leadership proverb says, if you think you're leading and no one is following you, then you're only taking a walk. Followers do not trust leaders whose character they know to be flawed, and they will not continue following them.

4. Leaders Cannot Rise Above the Limitations of Their Character

Have you ever seen highly talented people suddenly fall apart when they achieved a certain level of success? The key to that phenomenon is character. Steven Berglas, a psychologist at Harvard Medical School and author of The Success Syndrome, says that people who achieve great heights but lack the bedrock character to sustain them through the stress are headed for disaster. He believes they are destined for one or more of the four A's: arrogance, painfull feelings of aloneness, destructive adventure-seeking, or adultery. Each is a terrible price to pay for weak character.

To improve your character, do the following:

1. Search for the cracks. Spend some time looking at major areas of your life (work, family, marriage, service, etc.), and identify anywhere you might have cut corners, compromised, or let people down. Write down every instance yo can recall from the past two months.
2. Look for patterns. Examine the responses that you just wrote down. Is there a particular area where yo have a weakness, or do you have a type of problem that keeps surfacing? Detectable patterns will help you diagnose character issues.
3. Face the music. The beginning of character repair comes when you face your flaws, apologize, and deal with the consequences of your actions. Create a list of people to whom you need to apologize for your actions, then follow through with sincere apologies.
4. Rebuild. It's one thing to face up to your past actions. It's another thing to build a new future. Now that you've identified any areas of weakness, create a plan that will prevent you from making the same mistakes again.

"Never "for the sake of peace and quiet" deny your own experience or convictions" - Dag Hammarskjold

Source: The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader - John C. Maxwell

The Law Of Sacrifice

Lee Iacocca understood that successful leaders have to maintain an attitude of sacrifice in order to turn around an organization. They have to be willing to do what it takes to go to the next level. Swallowing his pride was a heroic sacrifice for Iacocca, one of that many top corporate executives never would have made. But it was a price he had to pay to save the company.

Many people today want to climb up the corporate ladder because they believe that freedom and power are the prizes waiting at the top. They don’t realise that the true nature of leadership is really sacrifice.

Leaders give up to go up. That’s true of every leader regardless of profession. Talk to any leader, and you will find that he has made repeated sacrifices. Effective leaders sacrifice much that is good in order to dedicate themselves to what is best. That’s the way of Law of Sacrifice works. Sacrifice is a constant in leadership. It is an ongoing process, not a one-time payment.

"When you become a leader, you lose the right to think about yourself" (Gerald Brooks)

source : The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership – John C. Maxwell

The Change Leader

“If we want to change the situation, we first have to change ourselves And to change ourselves effectively, we first have to change our perceptions" (Stephen R. Covey)

One cannot manage change. One can only be ahead of it. In a period of upheavel, such as the one we are living in, change is the norm. To be sure, it is painful and risky, and above all it requires a great deal of very hard work. But unless it is seen as the task of the organization to lead change, the organization will not survive.

In a period of rapid structural change, the only ones who survive are the change leaders. A change leader sees change as an opportunity. A change leader looks for change, knows how to find the right changes, and knows how to make them effective both outside of the organization and inside it. To make the future is highly risky. It is less risky, however, then not to try to make it. A goodly proportion of those attempting to will surely not succeed. But predictably, no one else will.

source : The Daily Drucker - Peter F. Drucker

Listen To The Ideas Of Others

“When people talk, listen completely. Most people never listen” (Ernest Hemingway)

If you think you know it all, chances are you will be too busy listening to yourself and how great you are to have time to listen to anyone else. Listen to your people in your team. They are the ones who knows to work with the resources and the products. They are the ones at the cutting edge and they may well have ideas, good ideas. Talk to them. Get their feedback, their ideas, their creativity.

But you obviously have to be careful to make sure that although you are listening to them, that doesn’t mean that you are going to act on every one of their ideas. Listen, assimilate and then decide based on what you’ve heard, your own experience and ideas and what is practical.

You have to listen without always giving the signal that you will necessary use their ideas, so then they won’t be disappointed when you do something completely different. But you can make them think their ideas were incorporated into your overall strategy. If you regularly doing this, ask good questions and listen without prejudice, you’re immediately in a different class to most leaders.


source : The Rules of Management – Richard Templar

Why Most Of The Time We Are WRONG

What do you see from the picture above? Is it rabbit? Or Duck? Or something else perhaps? (please tell me what you think). Now I'm sure someone smart like you could already relate the picture with my post title.

Many of us, husbands, wifes, parents, and leaders, have their own judgment towards situations and other people. The life long lesson about being self confident and decisive, however, must be reviewed once again. Because in fact, most of the time, whatever we do or decide could probably be wrong.

This is a matter of being objective. If we pull ourselves far enough to see things clearly, we will be surprised that human are just selfish and generally always think that he/she's right. We feel so confident that we feel that we don't need to consult on others of what good or bad the outcome would be from the other side.

Many people fail to see this as something important and not surprisingly, especially for leaders, they lost their influence.

Here are ... tips on how to make a good call without stepping on other's feet

1. Listen more, don't talk so much, even if you feel like talking, don't do that, because when you start to talk, people listen, and you will not capture their thoughts this way.
2. After done listening, don't start by making statements immediately, instead, make questions and dig more.
3. You may want to hear from more related people if there're any.
4. Then you can formulate a wise call that accomodate their needs and last but not least, your need also.
5. After you make the call, see it through, because it shows your commitment and you will win other's respect instantly by doing so.

So, being decisive is not a matter of how fast a decision is made. But how a decision is formulated is much more important. A slow, but correct decision is worth many times rather that a quick but wrong one.

Think Strategically

“To think strategically is to think with discipline and make informed decisions about the direction you want to go" - John Wood

Thinking strategically is a learned skill. You develop strategic savvy by asking smart questions, digging for answers and looking past assumptions or “truths” that limit your perspective.

You’ve probably never given much thought to your strategic thinking process. It’s non an easy-to-evaluate skill, like typing or writing memos. But now that you’re a leader, you must demonstrate your ability to think outside the box and attack challenges with intellectual vigor. Get in the habit of asking penetrating questions to your team and giving them the time to research the answers. The more you ask, the more you and they will learn.

Running a SWOT analysis helps you think strategically. Identifying the pros and cons, along with the opportunities and dangers that might arise, enables you to assess how to proceed. Involve your team in this exercise. Welcome their input and brainstorm freely. This gives everyone a change to make each other smarter.

1. The following are some tips to improve your strategic thinking :
   Dig down at leas three layers : look deeper than just the surface of the problem. Keep asking “why” until you find the root cause.
2. Perform triage : focus only on the most compelling, revealing strands of information to avoid getting buried in a dumping ground of data.
3. Weigh all sides – and all consequences : think ahead to identify the repercussions of a strategic decision.

source : The Manager's Handbook – McGraw Hills

Pygmalion Law - The Principles Of Positive Thinking

"Whether you think you can or can not, you are usually right" - Henry Ford

Pygmalion - (Greek mythology) a king who created a statue of a woman and fell in love with it; Aphrodite brought the sculpture to life as Galatea


Pygmalion was a young man who has awesome talent in sculpture. His work was second to none. However, his ability is not the one that called friends and neighbours to worship him.

- If the center atrium in town is full of dirt and people are complaining, he would say "We're blessed, the other atrium is not this dirty"

- When a sculpture buyer drives a hard bargain and Pygmalion's friend whispered around about how cheap that person is, he would say "Perhaps that person have another important needs, so he has to spend wisely"

- When kids stole apples in his yard, he did not swear. Instead, he felt pity "Unfortunate for them for not having enough food and education in their homes"

That's how Pygmalion thinks. He never sees thing from the bad side, instead his mind automatically search for the positive side in everything.

---------------

One day, he is sculpturing a very smooth wooden statue of a woman. The statue has a dimension that is similar to that of real human. When the work is done, it really resembles a human being. It smiles attractively and it has body curves to die for.

His friends commented "No matter how good your statue is...it will always remain a statue. It is not your wife"

Despite those comments, Pygmalion treated the wooden statue as a real human. Countless time that he stared and touched it.

God in Mount Olympus finally noticed and somehow pay great deal of respect upon Pygmalion's efforts and decided to turn the statue into real human. Then, he lived happily ever after with his summoned wife, which legend has her as the most beautiful women in Greece.

His name is still remembered until now to represent the effect of positive thinking. When we think positively, many times the results will also end up positive.

For example.

1. If we are polite to other people, then that person will also be polite toward us.
2. If we treat our children as smart ones, then they will turn into smart kids.
3. If we are sure that our efforts will bring results, there's big chance that results will follow

Those positive effect is called the "Pygmalion Effect"

Our minds has a strange "prophecy fulflling" function, whether positive or negative.

1. When we think our neighbour is not a friend to keep, then they will act as one.
2. If we regard our children dishonest, they will lie to us
3. If we are desperate and think that whatever we do will be in vain, then we are not going to make it

Pygmalion's way is to think, perceive, and to hope only good things from a situation or someone.

The colour of our life is dependant to the colour of the "glasses" we put on. Life will get better if we see it better. Think positive about ourself, others, situations, and God.

Good family relationship, more trustable friends and neighbours, working becomes fun, the world is friendlier, life is more beautiful is some of many results if we implant this Pygmalion factor in our mind.

So, make sure you have a Pygmalion inside.

Have a nice day!

Image by thefreedictionary

Focus On Contribution

The great majority of executives tend to focus downward. They are occupied with efforts rather than with results. They worry over what the organization and their supervisors “owe” them and should do for them. And they are conscious above all of the authority they “should have.” As a result, they tender themselves ineffectual.

The effective executive focuses on contribution. He looks up from his work and outward toward goals. He asks: “ What can I contribute that will significantly affect the performance and the results of the institution I serve?” His stress on responsibility.

The focus on contribution is the key to effectiveness: in a person’s own work – its content, its level, its standard, and its impact, in his relations with others – his superiors, his associates, his subordinates, in his use of the tools of the executive such as meeting or reports.

The focus on contribution turns the executive’s attention away from his own specialty, his own narrow skills, his own department, and toward the performance of the whole. It turns his attention to the outside, the only place where there are results.

source : The Daily Drucker - Peter. F. Drucker

Take The Rap

Sorry, but if the team screws up, it is entirely your fault. A good leader will always take the rap. It is easy to use your team or other external factor as an excuse, but it won’t wash.

You are the LEADER. If it all goes pear-shaped, you have to stand up and take the flack. It is very easy to say, “We didn’t meet our target because they….., but a good leader will say “We didn’t meet our target because I…… Yes, it is tough, really tough to do. It takes all confidence, courage, trust, and maturity.

Nothing generates more loyalty than a leader who’s prepared to stand up and say : “I take the responsibility”. If your boss sees you stand up and say :”We lost this contract and I take responsibility. These are the steps we’re taking to make sure it doesn’t happen again in the future”, they will not see a failure – they will see a future board member.

“It is easy to use your team as an excuse, but it won’t wash”

source : The Rules of Management – Richard Templar

Develop A "CAN DO" Attitude

Many of us share the feelings that we may not be up to the task. It’s that fear of failure and the fear of looking like we don’t know what we’re doing that stops us. We get trapped in our lack of self-confidence. Some of us also have a fear of looking foolish, so we don’t event try.

Clearly, we’ve found another trap here. We only see and communicate why we can’t do something or why something won’t work. So, we end up not even trying.

Successful leader are willing to try. They don’t let their self-doubts stops them. They are positive and upbeat about their abilities. They have an aura of willingness. They assume that they can do things, even if they haven’t done this exact thing before. They focus on their past success and have learned from their failures. They have that can-do attitude. They believe that they have been prepared to do the task. They realize that other people have confidence in them also.

While they may temporarily hesitate, they are willing to “fake it until they make it.” “They embrace the project or goal and say to themselves, “I don’t know exactly how, but I know I can do it – somehow. They focus on the “somehow” part. They are willing to try many ways, knowing that they will eventually find a way to succeed.

Clear your mind of CAN”T, fill it with CAN

source : Reflections for the Workplace – Bruce Hyland & Merle Yost

Bring Enthusiasm To The Job

Without enthusiasm, work is just work – tedious, boring and grindingly slow. Somehow, we fall into the trap of thinking that since we don’t really like our jobs or don’t like being there, we need to demonstrate that to the people around us. So, we create our own hell.

Enthusiasm infuses energy into every task and into our jobs as a whole. We get the work done faster and it seems easier. Plus, enthusiasm creates its own momentum. Acting enthusiastic is the first step to really feeling enthusiastic. In addition, when we are enthusiastic, other people around us often catch the same attitude. They become more enthusiastic, and their makes it more fun for us.

The key to find a way to look at the task or job that allows us to focus on an aspect that we are interested in. Even if it’s task that isn’t much fun, maybe we can become enthusiastic about getting it finished. Enthusiasm creates some pride. We feel better and enjoy our work more.

source : Reflections for the Workplace – Bruce Hyland & Merle Yost

Building Trust From The Top Down

Say what you mean, and do what you say! Trust fritters and dies two ways. First, when people aren’t candid with one another. They sugarcoat tough messages. They use jargon and baloney to purposely make matters obscure and, therefore, themselves less accountable.

The only way to get candor into an organization is for the bosses to identify it as a top value, consistently demonstrate it themselves, and reward those who follow their lead. The second trust killer is when people say one thing and do another.

Again, bosses are the main culprits. They tell people to take risks but excoriate them when they fail. They endorse stretch budgets and invite their people to dream big, but punish them if the numbers fall short, even at the end of a decent year. They proclaim a commitment to customer service, but let the factory ship less-than-perfect product to make the month’s sales quota. Or perhaps worst of all, they espouse the company’s values at the top of their lungs, but keep and reward people who don’t live those values simply because they make the numbers.

All that tells the organization is, nothing I say means anything. Or put another way; don’t trust me. Trust, ultimately, isn’t very complicated. It’s earned through words and actions – and integrity in both.

source : Winning – The Answers : Jack & Suzie Welch

Walk The Talk

“Walk the Talk” is a basic leadership concept. When leaders are trying to lead in their organizations, they become beacons of attention. Their personal behavior becomes a model for others.

When managers engage in new behaviors that are driven by changes, their entire team is watching. What are they watching for? They are observing not only if you are doing what you say has to be done but also what your attitude is about doing it. They are asking with their eyes: ”You are asking us to change. Are you changing, too?”

Leaders are the engine of change within the organizations. If the leaders walk the talk, keeps behavior consistent with the messages, keep commitments and promises, and demonstrates some energy and enthusiasm about what is happening, then team members will feel they can take the next step of commitment.

So, please remember to : watch your behavior; show some enthusiasm & energy; be the first, take on the most. “The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing”

source : Managing in Times of Change – McGraw Hills

Circuit City Files Chapter 11

NEW YORK (AP) -- Circuit City Stores Inc., the nation's second-biggest electronics retailer, filed for bankruptcy protection on Monday but plans to stay open for business as the busy holiday shopping season approaches.

It filed under Chapter 11 of the bankruptcy code, which will allow it to hold off creditors and continue operations while it develops a reorganization plan.

The Richmond, Va.-based company has been struggling as nervous consumers spend less and credit has become tighter, and the retail industry overall is facing what's expected to be the weakest holiday season in decades.

Circuit City also said it would cut 700 more jobs, after announcing a week ago that it would close 20 percent of its stores and lay off thousands of workers.
"This isn't a surprise," JPMorgan analyst Christopher Horvers said, adding that the reorganization could help the company get out of leases for certain bad store locations.
Circuit City, which has had only one profitable quarter in the past year, has faced significant declines in traffic and heightened competition from rival Best Buy Co. and others. It said it decided to file for bankruptcy protection because it was facing pressure from vendors who threatened to withhold products during the holiday season.

"At the end of the day I think it's really about an inventory position," Horvers said. "If they can get inventory into the stores, I can think they'll remain competitive."
The company's biggest creditors are its vendors: Hewlett-Packard has a $118.8 million claim followed by Samsung ($115.9 million), Sony ($60 million), Zenith ($41.2 million), Toshiba ($17.9 million) and others. Smaller creditors include GPS navigation system maker Garmin, Nikon, Lenovo, Eastman Kodak and Mitsubishi.

Horvers added, "I think it's encouraging that they were able to secure financing." Circuit City said it had lined up $1.1 billion in loans to provide working capital while it is in bankruptcy protection. That replaces a $1.3 billion asset-backed loan it had been using.
Loans to operate while in bankruptcy are called debtor-in-possession, or DIP, loans.
"That's a big DIP in the current market," said John Penn, a partner at Haynes & Boone who is not involved in the case. "To secure that size DIP now is quite a achievement. With the news of the cuts last week -- and vendors wanting to know they can get paid -- having a recognizable source like a DIP can calm a lot of vendor concerns."
The company said in its filing that it had $3.4 billion in assets and $2.32 billion in liabilities, as of Aug. 31.

Circuit City Stores Inc. announced a week ago it planned to close 155 of its more than 700 U.S. stores by Dec. 31. The stores are spread throughout 28 states, including multiple locations in areas like Phoenix and Atlanta. It is laying off about 17 percent of its domestic work force, which could affect up to 7,300 people.
The company also said last week that it will further cut back on new store openings and planned to work with landlords to renegotiate leases, lower rent or terminate agreements while it dealt with tightening credit from its vendors.

Circuit City posted a wider second-quarter loss in September with a 13 percent decline in sales at stores open at least a year. The company has been under new leadership since late September when Chief Executive Philip J. Schoonover agreed to step down. He was replaced by James A. Marcum, who is now vice chairman and acting president and chief executive.
Shares in Circuit City have traded under $1 for more than a month and the company received a warning about that last month from the New York Stock Exchange.
AP Business Writer Michael Felberbaum in Richmond, Va., contributed to this report.

Source: yahoo!

------------




The financial crisis is yet to be over and has already swallowed another victim. At this time, Circuit City (CC) is trading at USD 0.11 (-56%) compared to arch-rival Best Buy (BBY) at USD 26.89 (+5.08%)

As bad as it is at the moment, I think that it's a catalyst that we all need to differ the strong and the weak, the good and the bad. There's always a reason behind everything no matter how bad or good it is.

Best Buy store in New York City

8 Most Important Thing To Have in Life

What is your orientation? Money? Family? Career? Social? It's definitely our choice to decide. However, there are 8 things that's most valuable that we need to have/achieve.



1. Health
This is the single and most important thing that a human could possibly have. The problem is, we often forget, especially when we're OK and healthy. We forget to eat well, rest well, and exercise. As of now, I'm currently writing with a dislocated knee (yes, my upper thigh and lower calf misaligned)...I got it from an indoor soccer game yesterday and boy it hurts! I can't even walk, let alone stand. I really miss my well being. To cut things short, I think health is a factor

2. Love

Continued from point 1 about health. It is amazing somehow that I'm so lucky to be blessed in this life. Theoritically, I wouldn't even think of how will I survive with my current condition. My wife really is an angel. She helped me all the way and I know it is VERY hard for her since this never happened before. I'm feeling very grateful and i think this is what love is. To have someone that cares so big and to care to that person just as much.

At this moment, I don't even dare to imagine how can I survive a second without her. No love, no life. If you find yourself having no one to love, then you are in deep trouble.

3. Education/Skills

Education has already evolved from the beginning of human history. It is now considered as primary needs just as important as food and shelter. It doesn't have to be a formal education with a degree all the time. Computer courses, culinary skills, auto repair, to the most sophisticated quantum physics engineer. In this life, you must have something that you are doing very good.

Education/skills has a linear correlation (although not perfectly) towards value creation. Everybody's success is the fruit of the value they created.

4. Character

Characted is something that fuels our way of speaking and behaving. This is something that we believe and hold on to. This is, in another word, values. Something good we believe in, that won't fade under any circumstances. Skills without character will be irresponsible, while character without skill is ineffective.

5. Network
It is not just in the world wide web that network means anything. In real life, we are all connected. And to connect with other, a set of skills are needed. If you are an extrovert, then you are lucky because you don't close yourself from the world. Network, however intangible, yet very valuable in life.

One just won't make it without other people. So focus on creating enough quality network. It pays off!

6. Self Purpose

I have already written about this and still is very important for me to elaborate once more that self purpose is something we all must have. Otherwise, we are wasting our life.

7. Money
Yeah, money can't buy everything, but everything needs money :)
I'm going to be very realistic about this. Money is very important, otherwise people won't need to look for it every single day. At the age of 40-50 years old, we must already have a substantial amount of money for us to maintain our bills. So save early, don't waste what you have from your labor too easy. Be frugal!

8. Sense of Humour
Gotta tell you that if you are going to cultivate networking (point 5) in your life, then you must have the ability to keep people getting back to you. One of the most powerful magnetic field is sense of humour.

Play a good humour without offending others and you will in no time find yourself having more friends than ever. Make fun of yourself rather than make fun of others, people find it attractive if we are open about ourselves.

3 Bali Bombing Convicted Were Executed By Firing Squads

Bali bombing victim's survivors and their families can now feel at least relieved after Indonesia government executed the three convicted bombers. It was held at Central Java province, just 15 minutes from Nusa Kambangan prison complex.

The three were faced by 3 firing squad from the national police department and shot to death at exactly midnight local time. Although the news are already widespread, the authority still refused to issue a statement regarding confirmation of the execution result until morning.

Bali bombing happened in October 2002 and it tore down 2 cafes, the Paddys and Sari Club which at that time were packed with tourists, mostly Australian. About 200 were killed and more than 300 were left with injuries. Bali tourism experienced sharp decline after the incident and the world condemned the action.

------------------

I myself condemn the act of terrorism in any magnitude for whatever reason, especially if the act cost human lifes. And truly i feel sorry for the victims and their families and friends having to bear the pain for the rest of their life.

What disturb me is, I don't really know whether the concept of death sentence is effective on fighting crimes or terrorism. If one of my loved one was a victim, I would probably want to see the convicted put to death. Thinking clearly and honestly however, I still don't think that death penalty will put an end to any of those vicious circle.

The more effective approach would be a socialization of principles or ideology since the start especially to the young ones. It is the wrong ideology that leads to horrifying act like this.

What do you think? Do you agree or disagree with the effectiveness of death penalty?