January, 2012

Is it just “3S” for you?

(No Ratings Yet)

 Loading ...

New Year in The West is traditional the time when tour operators start promoting their holidays.  In England all the major holiday companies prepare, for what they hope, will be a bumper start to the booking season and usually television, radio and newspapers are full of adverts to tempt potential customers.  The brochures invariable focus on “3S”  – sun, sea and sand.

If you are this type of traveller then join the crowd. Whilst I enjoy similarly chilling out, as my media coaching seminars give I have an opportunity to travel, I have learnt that if you immerse yourself in a country’s culture your horizons and perspectives on life change for the better. I have learnt to be more tolerant of others and also I have grasped an understanding of being able to interactively learn, exchanging and developing ideas.

There sometimes some simple misunderstandings, especially when trying to communicate in different languages, which lead to amusing laughter. In the past few weeks I have travelled to Panama City in Panama, San Salvador in El Salvador and Miami in USA, and I have had plenty of laughs. For example, my knowledge of Spanish is limited so when in San Salvador someone asked me if I wanted milk with my ice-cream, being English I said, “No”. Who ever heard of pouring milk on ice-cream? A short time later my ice-cream appeared. It was a sorbet. Apparently in El Salvador ice-cream, without milk, is a sorbet!

It is said that “travel broadens the mind” and if you are not just a “3S” person, I am sure you will agree. Whilst in Panama City I was taken, with some other specially invited guests, to a viewing of the Miraflores locks. This is the entrance to the Panama Canal from the Pacific Ocean side. Most people have to be happy viewing such things on video. The thrill of seeing big container ships like the APL Sardonxy, being slowly lowered to canal level using simple gravity and the locks, was amazing.  This is especially so, when one considers that such operations have been carried out continuously since 1913.

Again if you are not a typical “3S” holiday maker, you would have welcomed an invitation to “The Yellow House”. This building stands adjacent to the Panama Presidential Palace compound and from its terraces there is a panoramic view of the whole harbour water front skyline of Panama’s capital, Panama City.

The evening also included a traditional dance display by “The Ballet Folkloric”. To be able to see the wonderful dresses up close, with their magnificent gold adornments, was another amazing opportunity. Most tourists only ever get to see them from a distance. I would never have guessed that the “things” which looked nice were real gold. Many of the pieces had been handed down through family generations and were treasured not for their value, in terms of money, but for the history they conveyed.

I received a surprise in Panama because the same evening we were invited to the President’s Palace.  Would you believe that in the grand entrance hall were very comfortable cages for herons?  My companion explained that the Panamanian name for the palace is: “Palacio des las Garzas”. The English for garzas is herons and the birds originally came from Africa and were used as a living burglar alarm. The herons made loud noises when any intruders approached. The part they played in the history of Panama means that they still have an honoured place in the Presidential Palace.

At the time of writing this I have now travelled to the Florida Keys where I am set to enjoy the “3S” for a change. But for me the main thrill of travelling will always be to experience other cultures and make new friends. May your travels, both in distance and in life, bring you happy memories in a similar way as my travels have done for me.

November, 2011

Whack Different Angles

(No Ratings Yet)

 Loading ...

There is a saying which springs to mind when I meet someone who seems to be stuck in a rut: “Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” This expression always makes me chuckle because at the same time it motivates. Many of us, without even thinking about it, do more things through habit rather than reason. Because of this we often miss ideas and opportunities which will not only benefit ourselves but also others. When did you last have a “reality check” on how you are thinking and what you are doing? It’s amazing what fun can be had by examining things from different angles and realising that what we thought was usual may in fact be just the opposite. The three pictures, used in illustration of this article, show how different an ordinary spot lamp can be when viewed from a different angle or perspective. Looking at your routine from different angles can equally stimulate extraordinary aspects which will stimulate creativity.  Both in our work and play, often by giving ourselves a mental “whack on the head” we may achieve something startling and new. The obvious is frequently “before our very eyes”, but we fail to see. So, just like the spot light illustrations, why don’t you take a challenge and see what happens if you view things from a different angle?
Being “stuck in a rut” doesn’t mean that you are not doing things correctly it may mean that you are failing to see what your customer wants or what services you should be providing.

I recall when I bought my first computer back in the early 80’s. Being somewhat scared of breaking this new technology I bought a book called “Idiot’s Guide to the Internet”. At the time it cost $20 which for me was a lot of money. Trying to get onto the Internet I closely followed all the instructions, word for word. I kept typing the web page address into the browser but nothing was happening. In frustration and worryingly I called the service provider and asked for help. After I explained what I was doing I was asked, “Have you pressed the enter key?” I replied, “No”.  “But everyone knows to press the enter key Sir” was the response!  $20 wasted, why?  Because the writer had forgotten that I was an idiot and he should not have assumed anything.  He was “stuck in a rut”. He was “stuck in a rut”, failing to put himself in the place of the person with whom he was trying to communicate. In all aspects of thought and experience it is similarly easy to fall into the same trap. This is why the occasional “whack on the head” is so useful. It makes us stop, think and examine what we are doing. Whether at work or with our family the surest way to convey a feeling that you do not really care, is to let routine take priority over innovation.  This is not to say that routine isn’t essential, because it is. We all need a reliable foundation as it gives us security and this is what routine should provide. But a foundation is something on which we should be able to build and use as a basis for new ideas and opportunities. So if you want the fun of having a “whack” consider doing the following. For one week, every time you hear someone complain, however and wherever, write it down. The following week do the opposite, note praise. Now if, at the same time, you have asked your friends to do similar you can organise a brainstorming party, have fun and examine everything. See if there are common factors. Toss the ideas about and view them from all angles. Stop thinking like an adult and try to understand them as if you were only ten years old. Do they still make sense? You never know you might come up with a completely new winning way. Even if you don’t you will have had fun trying and success only ever comes to those who try….as long as we rule out winning the lottery! Exceptions often prove the rule, but viewing things from different angles invariable brings results. Remember wise men change their minds….fools never!

September, 2011

Onasadya

(No Ratings Yet)

 Loading ...

Happiness rules


Regular readers of “Kaleidoscope” will know that whilst I am English, I love my Kerala home, friends and culture. The values that Malayalees hold dear have been highlighted in my thoughts by the recent riots, amongst apparently ordinary people, in the U.K. It is heartening to realise that, for many of us, family values are at the forefront this month. September the 7th heralds the start in Kerala of the ten day Onam festival. Whilst manufacturers and stores try to cash in on the excitement that this occasion brings, with “Onam Festival Sales” and special offers, they cannot detract from the importance of a festival rich in culture and heritage. Traditionally Onam celebrates the harvest, gratitude for families and on a mythical level it keeps alive the legend of a benevolent ancient ruler called King Mahabali. It is believed that he visits Kerala again during Onam.  Celebrations unite families as spectacular events take place in the Indian southern state cities of Trivandrum, Cochin, Thrissur and Kottayam.


I have been a regular visitor to Kerala since 1996, but I first truly experienced the importance of Onam when, in 2003, my friends Jayan and Santha Nair invited me to their family home at Vellayambalam, Trivandrum. However one important condition, if I accepted, I had to eat properly in the Malayalam way with my fingers. Now for a westerner this is something different. We are use to eating sandwiches, chips and pieces of chicken with our fingers but mixing food on a plate? Was I in for a surprise! I was being welcomed to a tradition which was far away from the tourist style hotel Onam events. This was real Kerala – what a privilege and treat.


The ground outside their family home was strikingly decorated in paint and flower designs – pookalam – greetings to King Mahabali. The aroma of spices filled the air. The place was alive with happy people. Dressed in their “Sunday best”, as the English saying goes, there was a friendly courteous fun party atmosphere I will never forget. In the largest room a lighted brass lamp was set at one end of a table. Places were set in front of plantain (banana) leaves and after prayers a never ending stream of food, food glorious food, started to arrive. The colours were a delight to the eye. The greens, reds, yellows, purples, browns and whites of the dishes started my taste buds drooling. I was soon introduced to “mama” who spoke perfect English. Mama had been at nurse at the Westminster Hospital in London during the Second World War so she knew how to deal with me! Now in her eighties she had been set the task of teaching me to eat correctly with my fingers. I could not have asked for a better instructor. As the various vegetables were set in front of me on the plantain leaf, I was shown how to mix them with the rice, shaping my four fingers into a scooping finger cup and then using my thumb to press it into my mouth. The one question I was soon asked, “Doesn’t the food taste better eating this way?” I had to admit, “Yes it did!” For many the elaborate meal consists of thirteen or more strictly vegetarian dishes. I was told that originally there used to be sixty-four mandatory dishes. It was explained that there is a fixed order of serving the meal and a set place to serve the various dishes on the leaf. It was apparent to me that this scrumptious Onam meal, known as “Onasadya” had involved a lot of preparation. It was also wonderful to see the joy everyone had serving and eating. The expressions on my face were also closely watched to see what I thought of the food. The ginger and lime pickles made me wince as I had never tasted something so tart, sour and sweet at the same time. The various thorans I loved, especially the ones with mushrooms and beetroot. I have always liked various curries and sambar so these were welcome mixing with the rice. The final delight was the payasam desert. There are two types made from either boiled potatoes, molasses, coconut milk and spices, or “Pal Payasam” which is rice boiled in milk sweetened with sugar. I preferred the latter especially as it was served with boli, a thin yellow coloured pancake which for me was delicious. Yummy!


The traditional Onam song starts with the lines:


“Maveli Nadu vaneedum kaalam, Manusharellarum onnupole, amodhathode vasikkum kalam”


“All the people were equal, and people were joyful and merry”. Without doubt in my mind, for ten days at least and especially on “Thiru Onam”, (this year on 9th September, in the Malayalam month of “Chingam”), everyone is motivated to unite family and friends celebrating as equals enjoying never-ending dishes, rice and desserts. Some may say that it is the best meal money can buy but for me it’s a meal from our hearts! The whole world can learn from this message. I will never forget my first family Onam with Jayan and Santha. Onam is not about money, it’s about being thankful for family, friendships, traditions and hope in our future.


Onam ashamsakal

April, 2011

Are You Green At Heart?

(No Ratings Yet)

 Loading ...

Words often take on different meanings depending on how, when and where they are used. I am reminded of the adjective “good”. Since my youth, “wicked”, and “bad” have all been used to mean good. Recently, on YouTube, I saw an international old time pop hit by Irish singer Feargal Sharkey entitled “A good heart these days is hard to find” and I wondered how I would update this song title. “Bad” or “Wicked” did not seem to fit the bill. However my answer soon sprung to mind. No longer should it be “a good heart” it should be “a green heart”.


All of us have been prompted to think and discuss green but do we do anything about it or do we just pay lip-service to it?


We take green for granted in the same way it is easy to take the good gestures of others for granted. But we ignore them at our peril because once we stop seeing good and green we have ceased to grow.


Green quotations are uplifting. For example ponder on these: -


“As long as you are green you are growing, as soon as you are ripe you are past your prime”. (Ray Kroc).


“For in the true nature of things, if we rightly consider, every green tree is far more glorious than if it were made of gold and silver”. (Martin Luther).


Green obviously symbolizes, fertility, richness, cool and clear surroundings, where we are at one with nature. But where should we start this Green revolution drive?


If somebody asks me this question my answer would be… from the heart itself.


Our true good green hearts will have a beneficial impact both at work and at home. “Green fingers are an extension of a verdant heart”. (Russell Page).


In this positive sense, within our workplace environment, it means that you have brought in with you an aura of buoyant and cheerful energy. This is happening because you are glowing with the green shoots of life in your core – your heart. If you do not have this “green joy of life” in you then you will have a negative impact on all your colleagues. This is why, if we all think green, we will help motivate each other when we have occasional down days. This approach, even in hard times, gives us steadfast courage to look forward to the spring.


“The forest pine stays green in winter displaying wisdom in hardship”. (Norman Douglas).


In middle management a green heart mentality will bring stability, balance and optimism.
Transparency, openness, care, compassion and emotional control are all qualities which are focused within a green culture.


Interestingly the next line of Feargal Sharkey’s song underscores our need, even with green hearts, to understand we have to cherish our abilities in order to achieve success. Each of us is special. Each of us is unique. No two green buds on any plant are identical. This is why even with my new song title, I would still finish as the original was sung.


“A green heart these days is hard to find, so please be gentle with this heart of mine”.


I am sure if we are green, good and gentle we will be so much the better for it. Remember, “Nature’s first green is worth more than gold as it is the beginning of life”.

April, 2011

Anger Management Work it Out

(No Ratings Yet)

 Loading ...

Whenever my wife gets angry, she soon works it out and calms down as she goes out shopping. “How does this help?” you may well ask. It’s because she takes my credit card! If this little story makes you chuckle it demonstrates one of the three techniques show business professionals, like me, have learnt over the years to help cope with anger. Summed up it is the “L.T.W.” technique. Laugh it out. Talk it out. Work it out. The entertainment profession, filming, TV, live shows, even football and cricket all place high stress on those taking part. So emotions have an immediate and important impact on performance. This is why tempers often run high.


Our human make-up is usually accepted as being influenced by four main pools of resources generally known as, “emotional”, “intellectual”, “spiritual” and “physical”. Ideally, in a well balanced person, these four resources are in equilibrium, though each person is influenced by their cultural and social backgrounds. Losing our tempers and becoming angry is caused when these resources become stressed. To understand a solution we have to realise that anger occurs when we focus on something so that we begin to exaggerate bad qualities. Within the workplace we may focus on only aspects of our colleagues that are inconvenient or unattractive. We overlook their good points in favour of exploding over their negative aspects. Our anger builds up into what becomes an intrinsically faulty picture. As our core human resources are out of kilter our anger may grow and grow. To help assuage this anger we have to be ready to understand our stress. For example, has there been a domestic issue which has caused emotional stress so we are unable to concentrate on our work?  Have we got tooth-ache which causes us to have physical discomfort which heightens our response to others? The “L.T.W.” technique will help.


Studies into anger in the workplace show that, depending on the organisation, between 20% and sometimes up to 60% of management time and skills are spent dealing with anger issues. Consequently understanding and dealing with anger is important.


Simple pro-active skills which are known, accepted and adapted within a company assist in reducing the negative impacts of anger which include higher staff turnover rates, absenteeism, decreased productivity and stress amongst employees.


“L.T.W.”
Firstly, “Laugh it out”. I know well, from show business, that a light hearted comment at the right moment may relieve and stop anger in its tracks. However humour at the right time is one of the more demanding skills so this is only a technique for the most experienced person to use.


Secondly “Talk it out”. Many know that the best way to relieve stress and anger is “have a cup of tea”. It provides an opportunity to chill and relax. So if anger looms, take a break, have a cuppa and talk it out.


Thirdly, for me, one of the most effective ways is, “Work it out”. By this I mean indulge in some physical activity. This is why social activities, within a company, provide a great way of bonding a team spirit and getting to know your colleagues better. Using your physical human resource also takes the individual strain away from your other three resources of spiritual, emotional which are all shared within a team environment. The article’s illustrative picture conjures up an anger solution. The physical effort the “tug-o-war” team are putting into the game involves enough energy and fun to dispel any anger. Even the losing side will have enjoyed themselves.


A senior management versa a front office “tug-o-war” team challenge, at company fun sports days I have attended, have always been a headline attraction. But to conclude this short look at anger lets finish with a lighter “laugh it out” approach to avoiding anger in the workplace.


When you have an occasional really yucky day at work and feel the urge to take your anger out on someone, don’t take it out on someone you know, make sure you take it out on someone you don’t know !

March, 2011

Projects Skidding

(No Ratings Yet)

 Loading ...

During the first week of January 2011 the Projects, Oil and Energy Division of Consolidated Shipping Services successfully handled the import – clearance and delivery of 5 transformers each one weighing 100 Tons to Fujairah – RIFFA / MASAFI / GURFA substation sites. The shipment from Hamburg arrived at Jebel Ali port as two separate shipments and CSS was responsible for directly arranging the clearance and delivery including installation of these units onto the plinths. Since this was a delicate process a survey was conducted by CSS prior to the shipment arrival to assess the site conditions. The access roads were not favoring transport of such heavy pieces due to the mountainous nature at the site locations. The access roads to the sites were transformed to ensure safe transport of the over dimensional heavy transformers. The shipments were transported on Multi Axle Hydraulic trailers to the respective site and to install onto the final foundation by means of jacking & skidding method. In order to ensure this was carried out smoothly a detailed method statement was submitted for the client’s approval including suggestions to make the site conditions favorable for such a transport. CSS staff were coordinating closely with the client at every point of the projects cycle in order to ensure site access roads and facilities were done properly while closely coordinating with the vessel agents, heavylift operator and customer to ensure smooth operation. All the transformers were delivered & installed on site as per schedule while ensuring maximum client satisfaction.