IT Guys nightmare

This article is dedicated to all IT fellow around the world ....

Many times, IT guys (or girls - to all of you femi-nazi out there) are the "plumber", the "electrician", one that people in companies call to fix things - even though it's not a really IT-related issues (the sink in the pantry is broken - call the IT guys).  Hey, we are helpful people, and we will do it - if we can do it ...

There are lots of times where people from other departments regarded IT as "technicians" or "repair guy", and tried to dump their work to IT (any of you ever help your boss to transfer his contacts from old mobile phone to a new one ? or pull report from accounting system ? or create entire billing system from scratch ?).

In many companies, IT not even considered "that" important (usually IT is under Finance, or Operation). Now, IMHO - what do Finance people knows about IT - beside cutting the budget and say "NO" ?).


IT is not a necessity in many companies, until someone from Management says "OK, it's official - we need a dedicated repairman for this company ... "

A lot of times, when IT department proposes new system to help company works  - more efficient and effective - those are rejected ("we don't need it", "don't have the budget", "why use legal software if pirated one works", etc).  Some scenarios :
1) We need a good hardware (server, firewall, desktop, laptop, etc).
     Management says : nope, "create" servers from desktops, use Linux-based machine as firewall,
     etc.  Well, let me enlighten you :
     * Servers sold by vendors usually designed to be operating 24/7, 365 days a year - desktop are not.
        To force a desktop (no matter how good/expensive/high-end it is) to operate as server, it will
        not be as "heavy-duty" as real server.
     * Linux are good, but requires consistent checking, patching, testing, etc.  Moreover, a lot of times
        - traffic to update servers are heavy - or they just decided to take down the respective servers,
        making you unable to download the patch needed.  I am not defending Microsoft or Oracle in
        this case - but when it comes to patches, they are quite OK.
     * Regarding the importance of patching servers - read this article about Why 1,000 flights were grounded on August 2015.

2) Corporate dedicated email server needed. Why ? Read Hillary Clinton case.

3) We need good software and valid licensing. Boss said : use pirated one.  You tell him/her : Nope.
If you insisted, I need a black and white.

4) Good Service, i.e : good internet service provider with good quality (dedicated service, etc).  Boss said : this broadband service is CHEAP, and the speed is up to 100 Mbps.  READ THE FINE LINES, BOSS -
"up to ..." means : during non-peak  hours, it may or may not reach 100 Mbps, because it's best-case scenario.  Dedicated 10 Mbps is better than "up to 100 Mbps", because with a dedicated service, you are "guaranteed" 10 Mbps at any time (ALL THE TIME).

5) Backup, backup, and backup. Boss said : no need. You said : Fine, but if you lose your email,
    your excel sheet that you need to show the investor, etc - then don't blame me.

6) Why the Internet down - fine, IT guys will check it - it's our job.  But when no electricity and the computers/Internet is off and your boss come screaming - you tell them : This is why I recommend using UPS, you cheap b*****d (excuse the French).

If you need more tips, or encounter different thing with your boss, drop me an email (just to ask, or to share, etc.  Don't worry, the first email is free - just kidding ! )

The Hard Truth - : Employees as your biggest asset - Yes or No ?

My old colleague from North America branch - whom I have utmost respect for (and the one I got the quote : "Good Company Are Known By The People It Keeps") once asked me this : what do you think about the saying "Employees Are Your Greatest Assets" ?

I said, I don't know - maybe part of it is right, but not entirely the truth.  He agreed with me - and explained his view on this.  When you start to generalize that all employees are great - that statement is not true. However, there are some employees really go beyond and above.  Those that worked really hard, and realize that they need to make progress, set examples for others - are the one worth keeping with the company.  However, those that keep saying (and complaining) in front of their colleagues, bosses, or subordinates (e.g: OMG, I fell asleep on my desk working on this project last night - or OMG, I am tired all the time because I spent 8 hours doing this shit, and so on ...) - those are the one you need to keep your eyes on : either they are REALLY working hard, or they just like to exaggerate things, but dump the whole work to their subordinates.

A Good Manager supposed to be distributing equally balance of workload to his/her subordinates (and him/herself), while re-assessing the progress of the job.  If one subordinates fell behind, seemed stressful, etc - talk to them (to see what are the challenges, etc).

Same thing for those that seems doing really well and progressed impressively - talk to them, give them more challenge, and encourage them - so they can do even better and excel.  At the same time, you have to provide praises and encourages those that perform well, and punish those that still left behind (even after your talk / counseling session with them).

T.P Rachmat (you can click the link to find out more about him) - former Astra Group CEO has classified employees into three main categories:

A) The Talent - those that are consistently work hard to increase their standards/talents.  These individuals always look for projects, improvements to be done, and challenged themselves.  They are not afraid to take up challenges, new positions, even they have little to no experience on the subject matter.  They are willing to learn and adapt into new roles.  As their bosses, you must have keen eyes to identify these individuals, as they are only a few of them within an organizations (5-10% at most) and it will be such as a waste for companies to lose them.

B) The Solid Worker - these are the individuals that always work according to the standard.  You tell them/provide them with instructions, and they will execute it 100% exactly according to your instructions.  However, solid worker will not like / enjoy fluctuating/dynamic working environment where the factors always changing and need to adapt / adjust all the time (or need to make quick decisions by themselves).  Bosses will also need to know which individuals within their organizations are Solid Workers - you can give them consistent flow of projects or work - but you will need to keep tab on them from time to time.  Depends on how effective and efficient of your organizations conditions, the amount of Solid Worker can be more than Dead Wood , or vice-versa.

C) The Dead Wood - those are below standards employees.  As the term dead-wood indicate, these are employees that works below standards, those that browse internet and social media during work (facebook, twitter, etc), or even enjoy pooping in their work time, or take care of personal stuff (that's right - you read me correctly - when people trying to find him/her, usually they are "in the toilet", or "take smoking break", or "go to ATM", etc).  You can warn these individuals during session with HR and their direct supervisors/managers, that time of year during performance appraisal, etc.  If after several sessions, these individuals did not show improvement - it's your decision whether to keep them, or let them go.

Back to our original discussions - "Employees Are Company's Greatest Asset" ? YES AND NO. You need to keep the best employees (the talent and solid worker), but get rid of the dead wood.  How to do that ? Well, it will be entirely different chapter on this one, folks.  But let me give you a clue : Talent Management is not the answer (yes, some companies insisted on having Talent Management program, to identify and spot these Talent - but let me tell you something - is this the answer to identify and keep these talent and solid worker employees ? NOPE).

Have a good Monday ! I have very good inspiration today, and I promise you to write another article before end of this week !

I am moving to Istanbul, Turkey - on company assignment for one year !

Dear readers,

So sorry for the long hiatus from posting on my blog - my last posting was from May 3rd, 2015 (*whew - that was three months ago !).  Reason being for my hiatus is because I am on company assignment, and has been relocated to Istanbul, Turkey - for a year contract.  Yes, Istanbul - the country that (approx.) half part of it on Asian continent, and the other part on European continent.  

Although it doesn't look that far (see map), but it's actually quite far.  I took Singapore Airlines, depart from CGK (Soekarno-Hatta International Airport), Jakarta to SIN (Changi International Airport), Singapore - 2 hours 45 mins, then wait for approx. 2 hours to continue flight from SIN to IST (Attaturk International Airport), Istanbul - 15 hours 20 mins (*whew).

It took me quite sometime to get back on my feet in Istanbul, Turkey (settle in my new apartment, get used to the environment, buy some utensils, etc) plus the workload that kept me occupied.  However, I am OK now, and ready to share some pictures and stories with you all.

My colleagues and staffs are very helpful. Knowing that it's my first time to Turkey, they took me to some very interesting places :

1) Bosphorus Bridge.
Connect Asian and European continent.  If you have the time, take a picture of this bridge during night time (beautiful sight, and a popular tourist, couples destination).  You can also visit various cafe alongside the strait, sit back, relax, and enjoy the view.  It's breathtaking, and as if you own the whole view by yourself !

2) Sultan Ahmed Mosque / Blue Mosque.
One of the historical places and main tourist attraction.  If you are a historical and/or architectural geek, this is a must place to see.

3) Have kebab !
Kebab is one of Turkey most delicious dishes - and you must try it ! Or as Singaporean sayings - "die die must try !"


According to Wikipedia : Kebab, (also kebap, kabob, kebob, kabab, or shishkebab) is a Middle Eastern, Eastern Mediterranean, and South Asian dish of pieces of meat, fish, or vegetables roasted or grilled on a skewer or spit, originating in the Eastern Mediterranean,where it is mentioned by Homer, or the Middle East, and later adopted in Central Asia and by the regions of the former Mongol Empire and later Ottoman Empire, before spreading worldwide. In American English, kebab with no qualification refers to shish kebab (Turkish: şiş kebap) cooked on a skewer, whereas in Europe it refers to doner kebab, sliced meat served in a pita. In the Middle East, however, kebab refers to meat that is cooked over or next to flames; large or small cuts of meat, or even ground meat; it may be served on plates, in sandwiches, or in bowls.

The traditional meat for kebab is lamb, but depending on local tastes and religious prohibitions, other meats may include beef, goat, chicken, pork or fish. Like other ethnic foods brought by travellers, the kebab has remained a part of everyday cuisine in most of the Eastern Mediterranean and South Asia. Doner kebab is popular in Germany as a snack after a night out.

So far, this is all I can share with you all.  If any of you visiting Istanbul, drop me an email - maybe we can hang out together !  Cheers !

Signs you are addicted to social media

On a recent trip to Malaysia with one of my staff, we had a nice dinner in a sushi restaurant in Midvalley Mall in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.  To my astonishment, he take several pictures of the food first before upload them to social media.  Yup, he is a social-media bitch (ahem, please excuse the language ...)

I mean - OK, it's fine you like the food, enjoy the dinner and the place - at most, take a picture and send it to your girlfriend.  No need for the whole world to see it.  I don't need the whole world to know that at this exact moment, I am eating sushi in XYZ restaurant in KL (heck, even I don't remember the restaurant name now).

For some people, being a social media "celebrity" is a necessity - it's a place where you can "show-off", pretend everything is cool and OK, and let the world knows that "I am cool too, ya know"  ("Ow, I have just got a new haircut, look at my hair ...").  I mean - really ????

I am OK if younger generations are more tech-savvy these days, well-connected via social media.  However, many occasions where social media do more harm than good (e.g : bullying, etc).

Below here are several signs that you are addicted to social media :
1) It's the first thing you check in the morning
2) You check your smart(phone) or social media (postings, likes, etc) every 10 minutes (yup, that will make about approx. 48-50 times per day while you are working (not including off-work).
3) You will become agitated or irritable when your (smart)phone is out-of-sight (not within your reach).
4) You have argued (several times) with your spouse, families - about your phone usage (or amount of time you spend online/on social media).
5) You can't do anything without sharing it (#pooping now #itsbrown #smellsliketeenspirit)
6) You felt that your world is over when you have no internet / data connection, or when your (smart)phone is running out of battery.
7) Your friends know that the only way to get to you is via social media
8) You feel that your friends is an alien if he/she doesn't have social media account
9) Social media is your first choice of recreation, and the main thing that you do when you are on the Internet.
10) You would wake up in the middle of the night, or check your social media at least once when you are having lunch/dinner in a public place.

Loving Husband

A man had two of the best tickets for the Augusta Masters.  As he sits down, another man comes along and asks if anyone is sitting in the seat next to him.
 
“No,” he says, “the seat is empty.”
 
“This is incredible!” said the man. “Who in their right mind would have a seat like this, the biggest golfing event in the whole world, and not use it?”
 
He says, “Well, actually, the seat belongs to me. My wife was supposed to come with me, but she passed away. This is the first Masters we haven’t been together since we married.”
 
“Oh… I’m sorry to hear that. That’s terrible. I guess you couldn’t find someone else?… a friend or relative or even a neighbor to take the seat?”
 
The man shakes his head. “No, they’re all at the funeral.”

Have you ever fired someone ? Fired or keep ?

There are times in my career where I have to make decisions over whether to keep an individual with the company or fired (him/her).  It's not an easy thing to do, no one will teach you how to do it, and you will not feel good about firing someone.

I clearly remember, the first time that I need to fire a person. I was working in a global IT company, and he is a server engineer, assigned to one of our clients (let's say his name is John).  His team leader has informed me that John has been unable to perform well on tasks assigned to him, delayed some tasks that should have been done regularly (perform backup, log monitoring, etc - all of those are server engineers daily task).  Although John has been a role model for his attendance, but the real problem is - he is not performing.  I have talked to him more than once, several sessions are with his supervisor, and others are one-on-one - just him and myself.  I tried to understand what seems to be the problem - is it problem at home (relationship with his wife, kids, etc), financial issue, or even problem with his colleague or his supervisor, etc - but there seems to be no issue.  I have constantly remind him to talk to me if there's anything at all, because if there's no issue, but his supervisor saw him under-performed, there will be problems for sure.

He was given written warnings (several times) by his supervisors for some of the task assigned to him was not properly managed, and I have confirmed with him again, one-on-one, but he said that the mistake was on his side, and it was purely human-error (lack of sleep, mistype, the whole nine-yard).  Until one time, he messed up big time (problems with one of the servers, and his team tried to restore the backup - but it was not there).  So, they need to retrieve from a past archive backup (and lost about a week work).  Clients filed a complaint, and our Boss want to have him dismissed.

In his case, I believe he is under-qualified for his job.  That way, he often felt lost when he need to perform his job.  But he is too (shy or proud ?) to admit this.  I tried to approached him and ask him whether this is the case, but he kept his guard up and did not admit this.  If currently - you yourself in this position (hired, but realized that you are under-qualified for your position), there are several things that you can do :
1) Resigned - first, and easiest steps to do; however, if you have some fighting spirit and believe you can do this, read on ...
2) Find a mentor/senior that willing to teach you.  If you are female and attractive, it's even easier (I don't mean to be sexist, but not many female in IT industry - and a lot of guys are willing to teach).  However, I find Singaporean  colleagues are less than willing to share their knowledge, due to strict competitions in Singapore (the whole kia-su culture, etc - Google it, you will understand).
3) Learn, study, teach yourself.  There are tons of books, materials out there (on the web, etc) that you can read and learn.  Moreover, people are more willing to teach you when you have some understanding, than a completely "blank" (I know nothing, please teach me).  There's no such thing as a free lunch.

When an individual is willing to learn, study, and he/she is learning at very good speed, also have good attitude - keep them.  But when the individual is slow in learning, not smart, poor attitude, last to come but first to leave (or worst - always late) - do not hesitate - fired them.  Bad seed can spread easily to another one FAST, like wildfire !

Back to John's case - I have to fired him. He messed BIG time, and boss instructions are clear - fired him, and hired a new one.

PS : I am not the one that hired John in the first place - he was hire by my predecessor.  And it's not easy being someone supervisor / boss - you need to EARN the respect - it's not given.

Posting in English or Indonesian ?

I have been asking myself, to post in English or Indonesian, and so far - I think I will keep posting in Indonesian.  One of the reasons to do so, because English is not my mother tongue - and I believe I need to practice it on daily basis (be it in writing, reading, speaking, etc), instead of stay in my comfort zone and speak Indonesian.

One of the problems for Indonesian (or any nationality - International students) when studying abroad, is that they are having difficult time to adapt to the language in their destination country, despite all of the language learning and language proficiency test that they have taken in their country of origin.  First thing that they do when arrive and settle in, is looking for a fellow country man (woman) and speak in their native language.

I understand that it's very difficult to stay away from your family, friends, etc - come to a foreign country and have to adapt to many things (food, culture, language, etc).  But when you have decide to study (or live) abroad, it's the decision that you have already made, and learn how to live with.  Same thing for "bule" or foreigner that come to Indonesia - they too have to adapt.  Imagine this from their shoe / their perspective :

Indonesia = a foreign country where the food is spicy, the weather outside is normally 30-34 C, rains every now and then, humid, most people speak Indonesian (some younger generations do speak English though), poor public transportation, pollution everywhere, people will look at you differently and keep pointing at you when you walk on the curb, although some locals will treat you like celebrity or alien by asking you to take photo with them, etc.

They are no different than us - and we all just need to adapt. And remember, do not ask "them" to adapt to you, but you must adapt to "them".  Because we are stranger and the guest, they are the "host".  If you go to a moslem country, watch your dress and appearance, do not dress too "open".  If you go to western country - and you are a strict moslem - please ask them whether the food is halal or not, do not assume.