22/12/05

Once upon a time, there is this company that started of as a Pte company. It strived so hard, surviving all hardships and changing economic conditions. It also survived through the Sars and the Tsunami period. One day, its performance has reached such a level that it has decided to list itself on the exchange on the SESDAQ. Seeing its potential, the company has aimed to list itself on the Mainboard in 2 yrs time.

Planning its way, paving its path step by step, the company has progressed steadily through the 2 yrs. At the 1.5 years mark, the CEO reviewed its half year performance and was pleased with its performance. The company was on its way, preparing for listing on the mainboard.

However, things turned tide. At the final review before the listing process, the CEO received reports from external auditors, saying that its accounts contain large number of items with material mistatements. To his horror, the news is just part of the nightmare. The turn of tide was coupled with the change in accounting standards that was not known to him, and the black clouds that loomed the economy at that time. Things were bad, certainly.

The mistatement came to be arising from the creative and competent leaders of the company. The Ceo was also blamed for it for not establishing a steady and robust control system for its business processes. Terrible planning and reaction.

In view of such problems and performance results, the CEO has decided, painfully, to delist itself from SESDAQ, and start from scratch as an entity with another name. He has decided to adopt another strategy and direction of maintaining itself as a small to medium size status so as to be able to manage its own operations effectively. He will bring in his most trusted partners and strive to excel in its own capacity.

The company, till then on, will not overestimate its own capacity, and to maintain its direction and persue its objectives without setting an unreachable goal. To stay in the niche market and avoid the market leaders. Even though the profits are small, the company will be able to provide a higher quality service (perhaps), and the CEO will be able to have more time for other things, that are even more important than profits and performance.

Till the day, when there is a need, the CEO will revise its strategy and see if a change in the product line is necessary.

The CEO will like to thank the people who supports the company that much. No more strategic alliance and merger anymore. Its a survive or close down attitude then.

Slice of Life

STORIES - The Triple Filter Test

In ancient Greece, scholar and philosopher Socrates was reputed to hold knowledge in high esteem.

One day an acquaintance met the great philosopher and said, "Do you know what I just heard about one of your friends?"

"Hold on a minute," Socrates replied. "Before telling me anything, I'd like you to pass a little test. It's called the Triple Filter Test."

"Triple filter?" asked the man.

"That's right," Socrates continued. "Before you talk to me about my friend, it might be a good idea to take a moment and filter what you're going to say. That's why I call it the triple filter test. The first filter is Truth. Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about to tell me is true?"

"No," the man said, "actually I just heard about it and wanted to tell it to you." "All right," said Socrates. "So you don't really know if it's true or not. Now let's try the second filter, the filter of Goodness. Is what you are about to tell me about my friend something good?"

"No, on the contrary, it is bad."

"So," Socrates continued, "you want to tell me something bad about him, but you're not certain it's true. You may still pass the test though, because there's one filter left - the filter of Usefulness. Is what you want to tell me about my friend going to be useful to me?"

"No, not really," replied the man, now more than a little embarrassed.

"Well," concluded Socrates, if what you want to tell me is neither true, nor good, and nor even useful to me, why tell it to me at all?"

The Ding Dong song (created myself)

Sing song, Sing song Pah Mahjong,
Everyone goes Xiao Ding Dong.
Sing song, Sing song play Mahjong,
Everyone do work Ba long long.

Too much work will shout Dor Long.
Too little work will seem Bue Song.
Too much numbers, blur like Sotong.
Too many documents, Clumsy like King Kong.

Sing song, Sing song Pah Mahjong,
late nights, work late really Bue Dong.
Sing song, Sing song play Mahjong,
Drink wine, drink beer, Si Beh Song.

Siao Da Bor ah, Siao Char Bo.
Jia Ba Ka Eng Ke Pa Chior
Jia Ba Boh Eng suck thumb Lor,
Le Boh money Tao Tia Sia,
Le Wu money Tao Jin Ho.

Siao Ding Dong ah, Siao Ding Dong,
Wah Si money Eh Siao Ding Dong.

Ding Dong Ding Dong Ding! Merry christmas.

(Never work for money, let money work for you. but I still wanna work for money muhaha, cuz there are so many more important things than money)