Execution

Good plan. Better execution. Excellent results.

After three weeks, I can finally go full blast and put the sales plan into action. 

This is Year 2 in my current company. And I'm excited. Last year, the General Manager visited us and gave us a lot of autonomy on what we can do to make our business unit grow.

His words were manna from heaven and I've been busy thinking about what we can do better. 

Here's hoping things go according to plan. 

We really need many more wins here in Davao. 

Yearend Review: Career

This year reminded me of how great God's plans are. I bear witness to the cliche "Everything happens for a reason" and I am humbled that, despite the many moments of doubt and anxiety, He saw me fit to place me where I am now.

Palang, a former colleague, shared to me the favorite question that her boss would ask the newbies. The question was "Nakikita mo ba ang sarili mo sa trabaho mo?" It was a loaded question and it was something that I threw at people and also to myself.

"Nakikita ko ba ang sarili ko sa trabaho ko?" Now, I can finally say yes. 

Planning

'Tis the season to plan for the next year.

This year's Christmas season features a lot of non-working holidays. It's a good time to just relax, reflect, and think about the coming year.

For the next day or so, I'll be doing just that. But before I plan, I'll review first whatever has transpired for 2014. 

I hope you don't mind if my year-end review consists of putting up several blog posts about several key areas of my life. 

I suggest you do the same and review your year with gratitude and thanksgiving. That way, our plans for 2015 will be born of the same spirit.

Reviewing An Old Rule

Since the inception of this blog, I've stuck to one particular rule: never criticize my current company. The only time I can say something negative about a company is when I'm no longer connected with it (which was what exactly happened last year). 

This was due to my background as a PMT officer before when, at one point, I had to ingrain in my subconscious the Loyalty Pledge by Elbert Kim Hubbard:

If you work for a man

In heavens name, work for him, 

Speak well of him,

And stand by the institution that he represents.

Remember, an ounce of loyalty

Is worth a pound of cleverness.

If you must growl, condemn,

And eternally find fault,

Why resign your position?

But when you are on the outside,

Damn to your heart's content.

But as long as you are a part of the institution, Do not condemn it.

For if you do,

The first high wind that comes along

Will blow you away

And probably you will never know why.

As a background, I'm a sales guy and I agree with the rest that my profession is both an art and a science. For me, it's also the latter because selling methods are constantly revised or discarded based on their success and best practices are based on empirical data and not on long-standing policies or tradition.

Unfortunately, the past few months have presented a quandary: I want some things in my current company to change. I want to try out different tactics and strategies. But the inertia to stick with the status quo is strong. In addition, I'm a newcomer to my current industry and my voice doesn't lend the same credibility as those who've been part of IT for years.

This is why it's so enticing to speak up in this blog about my current work, to just lay it out on the floor for everyone to read. But how do I do that without appearing to be disloyal or offensive, without appearing to be too critical? How do I strike the fine balance between constructive criticism and negative publicity for the company?  

Those are interesting questions that I'd love to answer next.

Is The BIR's Tax Schedule For Employees Fair?

I came across this BIR Income Tax Calculator and decided to give it a try. I wanted to know if the tax rate remained the same regardless of income.

For this experiment, my assumptions are that I'm a single employee with no dependents and I earn a monthly salary. The results, using the calculator, is:

I leave it to you, dear reader, to draw your own conclusions.

Cotabato City

I guess it's all in my head.

Last month, I had the chance to tag along with my colleagues for a client presentation in Cotabato City. I wasn't particularly nervous about the trip but I was clearly thinking about what a typical war zone in Mindanao would be.

My imagination demanded that I see potholes of past IED explosions and dozens of checkpoints en route.

To my dismay (and fortune), there was none. In fact, our road trip was very pleasant. The roads were fine and there was no hint of danger all the way. Even as we were passing Pikit, the notorious place where skirmishes between the government army and Muslim rebels have been very frequent, we've only witnessed the normal bustle of a small town.

In Cotabato City, the streets were still busy past seven o'clock in the evening, a far cry from what I heard that the city was a ghost town after six o'clock.

Still, precautions were still followed. We couldn't travel back to Davao in the evening. We had to look for a hotel with a private parking lot for rental cars. We opted to stay inside our hotel for dinner.

I wonder what the other cities in Mindanao look like?

Blackouts

The main difference between a brownout and a blackout is the amount of voltage being supplied to an area. Brownout means that the amount of voltage being supplied is lesser than normal while blackout means no voltage is being supplied or it's a complete power outage.

- Ask.com

Okay. Now that we know the difference, it's time to rant. Davao City is currently experiencing its worse blackout season ever. Because of a shortage in available electricity, Davao Light, the power distribution company, has put in place a schedule of power interruptions, causing rotating blackouts with durations of at least 2-4 hours. 

It's unprecedented and, soon, those durations are going to get longer. It's a classic case of government sitting on its ass and not investing time forecasting demand or planning for future higher power requirements.

Some columnists have already pointed out that the highly anticipated Mindanao Power Summit, attended by no less than the President last 2012, was a joke. Two years since then, blackouts are still common nuisances. The power plants being built now should have been built a decade ago but nobody, I guess, thought that was a sensible thing to do before.

So here we are, left wringing our hands at the incompetency of those who are presiding over this mess.

Here's a link to a previous related post.

Postscript: 

Papa had shared to us about a certain friend working in government before who was tasked to submit a proposal mapping out the energy plan for Mindanao. That task was way back during the Ramos presidency. Unfortunately, the submitted proposal was in limbo during the Erap presidency and went unnoticed during the Arroyo presidency (because the president then was busy fighting for her political life). 

In sum, there was action and it was unfair to me to generalize initially. However, the fact remains that though there was action, it wasn't followed through. 

Two decades could have been enough to craft an action plan centering on the promotion of renewable sources of energy for Mindanao. Now, because of lack of time, government is busy promoting coal plants as the best solution to the energy crisis while the rest of the world is weaning away from coal energy. Pretty pathetic, right? 

Purbida, Asa Ang Mga Dyip?

Karong nibalhin nakog kumpanya, di na nako ni problema. Hapsay na akung lakaw padung opisina ug akong uli gikan trabaho. 

Ngano? Tungod kay alas-nwebe na sa buntag ang akung time-in. Kasagaran, mumata kog alas-syete ug muhawa ko sa balay alas-otso. Hapsay na akung biyahe anang mga orasa. Dali nako kasakay ug trisikel. Dali napud ko kasakay ug dyip. Oo, mahulog nga singkuwenta minutos gyapun kasagaran ang ma-konsumo sa biyahe pero di na nako problema ang walay dyip nga mapara padung ug pabalik.

Para lang ma-kumpera ninyo kini sa akung kinabuhi kaniadto, istoryahan tamo sa kasagaran mahitabo sa akua kada buntag katong naa pako sa bangko. 

Paolo 4.0

And so it begins. I'm back.

Last week was my first week with ABM Global Solutions. I met the Davao team and, boy, were they nice. Smiles and laughter abounded and it was only later that I found out I was talking to professionals going through a lot of stress.

How I came to be part of the company deserves a post and a bit of a back story.

Becoming A Real Estate Broker

Today, my batch, Curvature 2014, had our graduation rites. We finally finished the Comprehensive Real Estate Service (CRES) seminar after six crammed weekends (Saturdays and Sundays) of whole-day lectures.

After this, all of us will be going through PRC purgatory to register for the licensure examination and will study until March. It will be grueling work: memorizing details and names, internalizing statutes and regulations, mastering computations and equations on taxes and assessments, and remembering the most trivial data on current affairs.

But we asked for this: the interrupted weekends otherwise spent for family and rest, the nightly study sessions, and the inevitable procession in the government's various offices. We asked for this because we wanted to be a part of an industry which has spawned countless fortunes and has uplifted many lives.

For my part, I participated in this seminar for two reasons. First, the opportunity was too good to decline. By 2016, those who wish to become real estate brokers have to be graduates of the newly minted Real Estate Service college course. This seminar I attended was, in fact, a shortcut until the RESA law takes full and complete effect. I also wasn't studying at all so I had plenty of time for this seminar.

Second, I thought I was leaving for another bank. More specifically, I thought I was going back to handling housing loans. With that on my mind, I decided to be a broker and, thus, become a part of a network of  brokers. As fate would have it, I was destined for another industry (my first: business management solutions) but  the opportunity to expand my network was still present.

By next week, I'll be busy doing two things: mastering the intricacies of my new job and career and poring over my notes and books on real estate brokerage. 

Again, it's going to be hard work (I don't harbor illusions of this being easy-remember Dax!) but it's going to be fun. Right now, I'm feeling the pressure to pass the exam since I fared so badly during the mock tests. But, God willing, I'm going to pass and become a full-fledged real estate broker.

Like what Paltik would say: "It's mah dream, you know?"

Hehe.

Career Rules (Part II)

See the first part: Career Rules (Part I)

Seize the initiative. I shouldn't be content with just doing my job. I should lead and not just manage (Many can manage but only a few can lead). I should exceed expectations and not just follow the job description. This is something I can follow naturally because I've always been a critic. I question policies and practices. I ask why this guideline is being followed and if it can be improved upon. In short, pakialamero ako. Natural na sa akin ang maghanap ng mas magandang paraan.

Accept and encourage criticism. This is an especially hard pill to swallow. I do accept criticism but only from people I know and am comfortable with: my friends and family. The more difficult criticism to handle are those from people I don't know and those I have a grudge with. But this shouldn't be the case. I should welcome this kind of unsolicited advice since they are generally more truthful and they come from people I'm trying to win over. Can I vomit now?

Be informed. Maging tsismoso. The word has gotten a pretty bad rap and deservedly so. But what I'm trying to say is that I should be more mindful of the issues in the workplace. Of course, this doesn't mean that I should be passing information around. It only means that I know what's on the ground at all times. Strive to be a facilitator also using the information I possess.

Stick to the rule of three. When presiding a meeting, stick to a three-point agenda and limit the time spent to at most thirty minutes. When sending an email or speaking in public, stick to three core messages. Build a reputation of a professional known for brevity and directness. Aim for quality and not for quantity in all transactions. "No more, no less" as the cliche goes.    

Have fun. Of course. Life is too short.

Ang NBI Bilang Peste Sa Buhay Ko

Ito ata ang unang pagkakataon na ako'y magsusulat sa linggwaheng Tagalog sa publikasyong ito. Karaniwan kasi, Ingles o Bisayang Dabaw ang aking ginagamit. Ang rason sa likod nito ay para lamang mahirapan ako sa pagsusulat dahil sa oras na ito, kung Ingles o Bisaya ang gagamitin ko, mas madali sa akin ang makapag-mura sa sobrang galit. 

Mauunawaan niyo sana na hindi ako yung tipong tao na nagmumura  Pero dahil sa nangyari sa akin, na-isip kong pwede pala akong pumatay ng tao. Ito po ang aking karanasan sa pagkuha ng NBI clearance at, sa paniniwala ko, ay karanasan din ng karamihan:

Career Rules (Part I)

Last year, I read the book by Robert McGovern titled Bring Your "A" Game: The 10 Career Secrets Of The High Achiever. I was jobless then and, after reading, I remember asking myself, "Where was this book five years ago?"

Anyway, the book lent out some pretty good insights, out of which I crystallized a few in a short list. The following tips aim to fast track one's promotion inside a company. Here goes:

Be early. This is a cardinal rule. Admittedly, I'm a perennial latecomer and it's partially because of my attitude towards attendance. 

In the past, I frowned upon punctuality as a measure of performance. In my mind then, HR puts a premium on this because it's the easiest to gauge and not because it's the best indicator of excellent work. For me, it's unfair to not promote someone when he's undoubtedly a good worker but is always five minutes late.

Now, I understand that being early is important. Being early is a mark of a real professional, someone who values the company's time, and is one of the habits of a good sales guy. I still believe that HR is unfortunately biased when it considers tardiness as a key performance indicator. Nevertheless, I have a healthier inclination now towards the habit.

Dress like a CEO. This was something I learned gradually. At first, I was content with a polo and a pair of slacks because my meager budget could not buy fancier clothes. But, like everyone, I made it a point to dress smarter. I thought, and still think, the rule is quite effective especially when I had to muster confidence when talking to top honchos. I figured that, if I were to talk to these guys, then I better dress up. Plus, it wouldn't hurt if my boss sees my outfit and thinks I'm more suited for a higher position. 

Respond promptly. Because if I don't, the following formula applies:

The problem x festering time = Severity of crisis

I probably mustn't elaborate on this. First, it's self-explanatory. Second, I've had way too many experiences illustrating this, almost all of which are not pretty. Welcome to the school of hard knocks. Cheers, boys.

So now, I try to answer all emails, calls, and texts within the day.

Say thank you. Always be grateful even if the other person is simply doing his job. I think I'm doing this quite well.

The only thing to improve on is my eye contact with the person I'm thanking. Someone told me the contact adds to the sincerity of the gesture. I just hope they won't suspect me as a creepy psychopath.

Avoid surprises. Always thoroughly study a situation. Examine the angles, the possible issues, and their corresponding resolutions. Value preparation. Do your homework. Nurture the reputation of someone who can act decisively and quickly, someone who has seen and anticipated all the permutations and ebbs of life.

Now, how am I supposed to apply this in reality? 

Never "Just This Once": Standing By What You Stand For All The Time

I first came across Professor Clayton M. Christensen in a Reader's Digest article entitled The Bottom Line On Happiness that came out in the publication's March 2011 issue. The article talked about "using the tools of business to create a life of fulfillment and integrity". 

The article as a whole was eye-opening but I was especially struck at a particular passage which resonated with my decision early this year to leave my second employer, BPI Family Savings Bank. 

In this excerpt, Professor Christensen talks about knowing your principles and standing by them. He acknowledges the all-too-real phenomenon of the slippery slope, which provokes professionals, especially bankers, to give in to and rationalize brazenly unethical practices both in their personal and professional lives. 

My thanks to this blogger for the transcript of the article. I got this excerpt from his site. Here goes:

OFWs And Taxes

I had an interesting conversation about OFWs and taxes earlier this week. 

My colleague and I were visiting a government agency for a sales call and became the recipients of a colorful and passionate monologue from their head.

The topic revolved around whether or not the income of OFWs are to be taxed. 

The head posited the question of fairness. Local workers and overseas workers essentially do the same tasks. The only difference is that the former pay taxes and the latter do not. The irony is that remedies, legal or otherwise, to address the issues faced by our OFWs cost money. The money is borne by taxpayers in the Philippines. Simply put, taxpayers are covering the costs - from blood money, travel expenses, bridge financing schemes, and livelihood grants - incurred by workers who are not paying their corresponding dues.

He rebutted the presumption that the exemption is acceptable in the light of the heavy flow of remittances from abroad. In this case, it's not the government which readily benefits but the businesses, schools, travel agencies, and shopping malls which profit from the purchases of the family receiving the remittances. 

On the other hand though, the BIR has its reason for the exemption. There's the issue of possible double taxation since OFWs are presumed to have paid taxes already in their country of work. Though double taxation is not prohibited per se, still, the agency operates under the rule of tax reciprocity which states that:

With the tax reciprocity rule, Filipinos working abroad are taxed for incomes received there and are exempt from paying income taxes in the Philippines, in the same way that foreigners working in the Philippines are taxed here for incomes sourced within the Philippines and are also not required to pay income taxes anymore to their home country.

To be honest, I don't have my own opinion on this one. I don't even want to judge which side is more correct (owing to my relative ignorance of the subject matter).

How about you? Are OFWs to be taxed?

Job Hunting For Life

Allow me to correct something I mentioned to a manager several months ago.

Earlier this year, I misquoted something from Richard Bolles' book What Color Is Your Parachute? During my exit interview, I had told her  that an average professional will change jobs at least eight times in his career (I can't recall why I included this in our conversation but I think it was related to her being connected with just one company during her entire career to date). 

The right answer is three to five times. Here's the entire passage from the book:

Here is the overwhelming, overarching truth: you 

Are going to have to go job-hunting

Many times in your life.

Lucky you, if that is not the case!

But the odds are overwhelming that it will be.

According to experts,

The average worker, under 35 years of age,

Will go job-hunting every one to three years,

And the average worker over 35 will go

Job-hunting every five to eight years!

And, in this process, so the experts say,

We will each of us probably change careers

Three to five times, as we go.

My superior must be very lucky indeed. She's with the same company since her early twenties. As for me, I've just been through my second job hunt and I don't know if there are more to come. 

Still, even if I have to live those moments again, I'll still do the same things. I'll take that job in Taguig City. I'll leave it to go back to Davao. I'll take my second job and leave it again like I did. 

Each resignation was a leap of faith, a flight to uncertainty, and every job hunt built my character.

The hair-splitting anxiety of not knowing where to go and the excitement of the hunt are things I cannot regret. The life lessons from those times are indispensable.  

Still, some are lucky enough to be already content with their first company. 

Some of us, though, want to grow some more. 

Changing Of The Guard

Larry Bird promised that he would only coach the Indiana Pacers for three years. After three successful seasons, he did just that. A man of his word, Larry Bird was onto something.

My mother just stepped down from her former position as department head. Currently, she's back to classroom teaching. According to her, it's how the institution hones leaders, by committing faculty members to administrative posts which are limited to three to four years. After which, educators go back to the classroom and the cycle begins again.

In the corporate world, practices like these don't exist. Normally, an employee, if he plays his cards right, gets promoted several times until he retires. He clings to his position until he transfers, resigns, or gets demoted.

As for me, I think there's a lot of wisdom in organizations which practice "rotational promotions", the term I coin for workplace arrangements where an employee is assigned to a leadership role but relinquishes it after some time.

Others might perceive this as disruptive to continuity and a disincentive to those who love climbing the corporate ladder. But the practice is a great way of maximizing people development within the constraints of today's business hierarchies. It also grounds senior executives who might feel alienated for being on the top for so long. It commits people to perform at their peak as opposed to them languishing in their positions after the initial hurrahs have faded. It also fosters collaboration among colleagues who view the chief manager as only "the first among equals". 

What do you think? 

Tips On How To Conduct Meetings

Sorry. Just can't let this pass by. This is an interesting article by Anna Codrea-Rado on how top CEOS handle their meetings. See original article here. But I've also placed it, in its entirety, in this post:

How Jeff Bezos, Richard Branson, and other business chiefs hold ruthlessly effective meetings

Why does Jeff Bezos keep a chair empty in the boardroom? Where does Richard Branson hold his meetings? And who’s always late for appointments?

Here are some of Quartz’s favorite tips for holding meetings from the some of the world’s top business leaders:

Farewell Note (Part 3)

Sir Paolo,
I wish you all the blessings in life. Wishing you the happiness for the new journey that you will start. God Bless Sir Paolo!!!
- Q Galacio

Hi Paolo Bee!
So sad malagasan na sad mi ug isa ka MA.. ang pinakakusgan nga MA kay STRONG always..hehe.. Pero Paolo, we'll miss you.
Good luck to your new Journey & GOD BLESS!!
- Vine

Mr. Bataller,
The few months that we've known each other brought me to a realization that there's more to you than meets the eye; that your seemingly stubborn outer-look was just a facade.
Deep within you is a heart that holds your faith and principles firm.
You stand on what you believe is just and fair and that, I believe, is an example worthy to look up to.
In you, I have known a man full of wisdom and a man who knows how and when to use it.
For me, you are truly amongst the company's best assets; one of the few heartily dedicated efficient workers.
I have learned a lot from you not only work-related things but most of all, realities of life. For that, I will eternally be grateful.
I hope to see you someday, more successful and happy.
Wish you all the best. More power to you and may God bless you more abundantly.
Lots of care.
- Queen Anne

Hi,
Thanks for the friendship & Good luck in your new journey.
May God be with you!
- Pao S. Lim Bok

This is the last post. For the sake of posterity, I just copied everything from the letters my colleagues gave me. I may lose the letters but, at least, I posted their content to this blog before I did something as stupid as that.

Farewell Note (Part 2)

Pao,
Thank you for the almost four years you have rendered to the company.
You are still young, full of idealism and so I know you will go a long way.
I wish you all the luck and blessings to wherever your feet will lead you.
Good luck on your discernment and your future endeavors!
Shalom!
- Aye

Paolo, It's sad that after almost 5 years with the bank, you have decided to concentrate on your studies. As a colleague, I wish you would stay longer. But as a friend, I know you are choosing a path that will give you a better future.
I have told you before that I believe you will go far in life and I still believe that, especially seeing you work for almost 3 years.
Good luck on your newest adventure.
- Jo Ann