Monday, January 21, 2013

Live Stupidly, Die Happily

Work Tales – It was a Toys & Games Fair. However, there was a small Stationery Fair participating in it as well. When I heard that the Stationery Fair was a very small event, I inform Leonardo that I did not want to go (i rather be in the office to finished off all of the pending work on hand instead), however Leonardo just ask me to tag along. The Stationery Fair is indeed a very small one. I did not go WOW like how I went WOW when I attended the 2011 Canton Fair. Seriously, stationery is very boring. The only promotion mechanics is to play around with the pack size, different composition in the sets and perhaps color range. It’s not like toys where there are a wide variety of new technologies, new inventions, new functionalities and new discoveries every month. Furniture involves many new designs and colors too. But a pen is just a pen. There is nothing much to see and buy. Malaysians are also brand loyal, they prefer household names of Faber Castell, Stabilo, PaperMate, Staedtler, CBE, 3M etc. If I'm buying, it will be sourcing for big key events like Office Fair, Mini Back To School, College Fair and the year end Back To School. I think for the permanent assortment, we should stick with the local suppliers.  

Then there is the issue with Leonardo. Somehow, we are always on different wavelengths. I find it difficult to tackle Leonardo. I have always share good camaraderie with my former Bosses from Seth to Haakon, Celtic, Rufus, Felix, Stewart, Iron Butterfly, Snow Petrol & Juan Carlos. Not all the time, but I can still bridge the gap, but with Leonardo, it has been very difficult to do so. Looks like, I need to work on how I can relate to Leonardo better. Sometimes, because of this uneasiness between the 2 of us, I tend to stay away. Somehow, I have a feeling that this is because the comparison with Jonas is still on-going and not to mention both of our working styles are very different; where Leonardo disagrees with mine. At times, just to accomodate Leonardo, I compromised myself and at times, the outcome leads me into making more mistakes at work, which Leonardo doesn't like it at all and sees me as being incompetent :( All this put together with the daily work routine - I am just too exhausted to be cheerful.

Jonas is a great buyer and also a great & special personality, but I’m not here to compare myself to Jonas. What Jonas has acheived in G13 is incredible – positive results, contribute enormously to the team, efficient work, meet tight deadlines, so Jonas has a lot of respect here. It's a tough act to follow and emulate. A feat that is hard to repeat. Maybe I will suceed, maybe I won't. I wish Jonas all the best with the new team but there’s no point comparing myself to Jonas. I just want to enjoy my work, it’s not about pressure, it’s about playing a game that I like and that’s what I’m doing. I’m here to help the group and the team as well; it is not about taking the position of someone else. I know that Jonas is the main man. I’ve just come, I will learn from people and I will learn from Jonas’s previous work as well because Jonas’s history is much bigger than mine here. I'm learning more at work these days. I think I'm doing OK but I can be better for sure. I think there’s always the space to grow up and be better. We never reach perfection. I will keep on trying to be better and better and keep growing as an individual. I was lucky enough to have been with the French Team for a few years and I’m delighted that everything’s continuing as normal or even better under the Japanese. I feel happy that the company is being admired and respected for its game and Jonas will make an excellent contribution and helping it to grow even further.

Yes, I have decided that I am going to give myself another 6 months and see how it goes. As Leonardo has saved my life, the most decent thing that I can do to re-pay Leonardo is to finish up all of the 2013 contracts negotiation. If I nail it, it will be perfect. If I don’t nail it, the day will still move along, life will still continue, the world will not end. I am not going to lie or being hypocrite about it. There is always tomorrow. I will ride the rollercoaster, hold still, don’t let go and hopefully everything will be okay :) I am sure that GOD put me here for a reason.

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