Saturday, April 3, 2010

Lessons to learn from IPAD evolution......

In early 1980’s the personal computer and graphical user interface (GUI), with keyboard, bulky and heavy CPU unit and mouse for input, and a separate display monitor using CRT as output, was developed. At that time, with all these bulk of equipment hooked up by bunch of wires, it was for the purpose of creation of soft documents, such as word processor, spreadsheet, or desktop publishing program and gaming software application was not yet in the pipeline then. It then started to surface at later stage of the PC evolution and now gaming has gone wireless with 3D moving fast to our living hall. In word or number crunching processing PC, unlike text-based systems such as MS-DOS, the "What You See Is What You Get" (WYSIWYG) GUI allowed you to see on screen something that closely resembled what you should get when you send or press the print button either through the printer interface or nowadays with WIFI wireless technology.

With increasing penetration of the Internet, the percentage of computing use spent creating documents has jumped in leap and bound and very much non-stop in speed. Also alot of the time has been spent either communicating (originally just email, then adding IM, Skype audio and video, and social networking) or consuming media (text, images, and video). But our computing tools haven't appreciably changed very much from desktop and laptop, now to netbook or mininote with keypad and mouse.

This leads to the techie question what would be the best computing interface for communication and consumption? If anyone were willing to forgo legacy, and design a device specifically for these uses, you could very well arrive at something like Apple's iPad. This has been a recurring theme for Apple. Whether it was the original Macintosh, or iMac, or iPod, or now iPad, Apple is surprisingly cavalier about supplanting an existing cash cow with a next generation product that responds to how the market is moving.

The one thing to learn from iPad is to ponder and ask, what assumptions and the rest of our industry, making about consumer’s behavior that might simply no longer be true and the new way the consumer is going to live with the everyday “must-have” IT tool ?

Southwest Airlines thwarted convention by not offering meals or assigned seats, instead ensuring low prices and a high on-time percentage. It turns out people are willing to bring their own food on board, and little is as important as on-time arrival. Southwest now carries more people in the United States than any other air carrier and probably the only money making budget airline company in the US and survive the up’s and down’s of the economy.

Many industries still have room for significant evolution. Many bank branches seem optimized for supporting basic transactions, even though there are many other ways to handle such things like online, ATM and internet banking. The bank should feel like a service center, geared toward supporting conversations between you and bank representatives about how to better handle your money and not just the simple daily service that are served at the counter.

Retail outlets ought to move beyond the boring and typical stuff-on-shelves. If I just want to buy stuff off of a shelf, I can do that online, though not so popular in Singapore here. Physical stores have a great opportunity to extend the purchase experience, whether through creating communities of purchasers with similar interests or providing service and support when things go wrong.

As we have approached 2010, we still likely to see many of our companies continue to operate as if they were in 1980. If we take a dispassionate and clear-eyed look at present companies and their behavior of its customers, we probably would realize many new business opportunities that have been obscured by “historical” and backward thinking. As for the offshore industry, can it be as evolutionary as the IPAD and transform the offshore drilling into a high tech world where drillers use less effort at the drillfloor ??

Friday, April 2, 2010

Giving the boss feedback...

Having to deal closely with anyone provide you useful insight into his or her performance. This is especially true of the boss, as he will likely see in a variety of settings: client meetings, presentations, one-on-ones, negotiations, etc. But even if that insight could be helpful as a boss, is it your place to share it with him? Could you be putting your job at risk by telling him what you see or by giving him frank or sometimes wrong advice? Giving the boss feedback, also known as upward feedback, can be a tricky process or at times may be detrimental to the one giving the advice. However, if offered correctly and thoughtfully, your insight not only help your immediate boss or supervisor, but also improve your working relationship.


Leadership could be all about perception; if leaders do not know how they are perceived, their performance might be down the drain. However, the higher up in an organization a leader sits, it may be harder to get “honest” or true feedback. Over reliance on the chain of command prevents leaders from hearing the “unvarnished” truth. Your input can help your boss see himself as others see him and help him to make critical adjustments in his tactic and approach. However, giving any kind of feedback requires careful thought

The relationship comes first :

The ability to give and receive upward feedback, like any form of feedback, is dependent on the relationship between you and your supervisor or immediate boss. Without trust, the feedback will be impossible to receive. Before giving feedback, you need to gauge whether your boss will be open and accept what you have to say. If you know that your boss is unreceptive to feedback, is likely to react negatively, or if you have a rocky relationship, then I think it's better not to say anything. If your boss is open-minded and you have a good relationship, you owe him the straight talk. As with any feedback, your intentions must be good and your desire to help your boss should supersede any issues you may have between you. But never criticise or talk bad about others in front of your boss. This will reflect badly your character and the boss will start to read or wake up to your profile !

Wait to be invited :

Even if you have a great relationship, launching into unsolicited feedback is ill-advised. General advice on how to be a better boss is tough to give unless you're asked for it. Ideally, your boss has asked for your input and made clear what would be helpful to him in terms of technical feedback. Do not go overboard and talk about something out of context with your boss. Your boss may disclose his development areas and ask you to keep an eye out for certain changes that he is working on.

If your boss does not directly request feedback, you can ask if he would like feedback. This is often most easily done in the context of a new project or new client. You can say something like "Would it be helpful to you for me to give you feedback at certain points in this project?" or "I'm likely to have a unique perspective on what we're doing, would you like some feedback about how the project is going?" Again, these questions must be presented with the best of intentions.

Focus :

It can be tempting when your boss is open to feedback, to imagine all the things you would do if you were in his position. However, your feedback should focus on what you are seeing or hearing. Share your perspective so that you can help your boss to see how others are seeing him. This can be invaluable to a leader who may be disconnected from people in the lower ranks.

Give feedback that is reflective of what you can see and avoid presuming what he is faced with. Do not assume and give the wrong signal to your boss. Remember that good feedback rules still apply. Your feedback should be honest and data-driven. Open with affirmative feedback and give constructive feedback with suggestions for improvement. Always avoid accusations.

Do not upset the boss :

No matter how carefully or thoughtfully you've prepared and delivered your feedback, your boss may get upset or be defensive about the feedback you've given. If you were asked for the feedback, hold your ground and explain that you were doing what was asked of you. Sometimes reframing the feedback can help. Gauge your boss reaction to determine how he likes to receive feedback and what topics are out of bounds. Perhaps he doesn't want to hear feedback about his communication style or a certain high-pressure initiative. Rather than clamming up after a negative reaction, take the opportunity to check in with him about what would be useful going forward.

When in doubt, hold your tongue :

If you're not sure if your boss wants to hear feedback or if the subject of the feedback is a sensitive one, it's always better to not speak up. There is no reason to risk your working relationship or your job, unless you feel your boss's behavior is putting the company or your unit in jeopardy.

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Render Advice - So that your staff listens

There has been a lot of talk about how to get valuable feedback, because providing it is so often delivered with anxiety. Management may not want or probably shy away from the negative, critical part, even though they realized it is one of their important role and responsibility to hear feedback and give their advice. I have not read a lot or seen many written articles about the art of giving good, old-fashioned advice. Unencumbered by some of the complications of performance reviews — nothing official, nothing related to compensation or promotion, nothing necessarily critical or painful to hear — well-intentioned advice should be a treat to give and to receive.

Would you get better or improve your art of management in giving advice to your subordinates? It may be helpful to pass your experience and wisdom on to others as it also extends your own influence, regardless of whether you ever get “rewarded”. It is also a way to gain trust, stature and gravitas; and it’s just plain gratifying to be valued for what’s in your head.

Why then people who sought for advice still manage to screw up? It could be less about the quality of advice and more because of the way it’s been sent out. The way advice is given can inadvertently increase the receiver’s resistance to hearing it or acting on it. You want the advisee to come away with good advice, rather than bad feelings about the advisor. Note that giving it well doesn’t necessarily make it good advice.

- Bear in mind the difference between solicited and unsolicited advice. Both are perfectly fine ways to be helpful, but remember that the unsolicited variety may not always be welcome, so the recipient might be have tendency to a bruised ego if you push the advice too far.

- Say the "thank you" word. This applies to solicited advice. Before offering any of your wisdom, express some gratitude for being asked. After all, it’s flattering to be seen as wise and helpful. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like being asked for advice. By doing it is one of the best ways to better a relationship as it’s a mutually gratifying human interaction and flattering without being obsequious.

- Understand the intent of question. There’s nothing more annoying than asking for advice on one thing and getting wrong advice referring to non related matter. Stick to the subject at hand, unless somehow there’s a connection.

- Do not be arrogant.  There really is a difference between coming across as authoritative (presumably the advice-seeker wouldn’t be seeking your advice if they didn’t think you knew your stuff) as opposed to authoritarian (using your power to compel someone to follow your advice, or being pathologically certain that you’re always right). Being authoritative can be done with humility, like saying “I’ve seen a lot of situations like this, and I’m concerned that if you don’t deal with this problem now, the damage will only get worse with time.” An authoritarian way of giving the same advice might be, “Look, you have to get rid of that guy now, or else I’ll do it for you.” The latter is obnoxious, off-putting, and not going to help much.

- Get feedback about your advice. Often the best advice is created in an iterative way, rather than being delivered from on high. So after you’re done expounding, ask the recipient if that makes sense, or how they might feel about acting on your advice. Their reactions can help you refine it together and make it even more meaningful.

- Get follow-up. Not only does it show you care if you ask your advice-seeker to let you know how it goes, but it also conveys that you have a stake in giving good advice. Whether or not they take you up on the offer, it will leave them feeling even better about you and more confident in acting on what you’ve shared.

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Get your employees focus during bad times...

As we continue to strive our businesses toward economic recovery, the work environment remains anxious and uncertain as could be seen or read in the daily newspaper reports. There are still some uncertainties in the overseas Europe, US sectors other than the Asia countries still in better shape. Of course some Asia countries could have done better if not because of its political unrest, looming terrorist threats, etc. Employees in Singapore may be grateful for their paychecks, but numerous studies reveal what most leaders already know anecdotally: that a great many workers are slowing disengaging and even starting to dislike their jobs, either without challenge or it has been monotonous. I suppose you could call them the “living dead”, those employees who show up for work with their bodies but leave their brains, and their souls, at home.


In the old days leaders typically rallied the troops by painting a picture of a glorious, prosperous future, garlanded with bonuses, perks and advancement. How do you get people excited about their jobs today when you're still find the sense of uncertainties with tomorrow? Will the global financial market get the second dip with Greece now starting to face financial problem, which country next ??

We all have basic human needs: We need to be connected to other people, we need to know that our work matters, and we need leaders who respond to those needs when times are tough. Fortunately, meeting these intrinsic needs needn't cost your organization a “bomb” or any cent. And it's something you can do every single day, no matter how uncertain the environment.

Here's how anyone can tap into the real human needs to help their organization stay productive, positive, engaged and happy during times of angst and uncertainty:

Get emotional: Whenever we talk about emotions in the workplace, executives get uneasy. But have you ever noticed that you never hear managers saying, "Please don't get so excited" . The reality is that emotions are at the center of everything we do. The leadership challenge isn't to avoid them. It's to ignite the positive ones. The secret of getting people more engaged in their work is for their leaders to become more engaged with them. That means being willing to show up emotionally as well as intellectually. Human connection isn't a nice thing to have; it's a must-have. Meaningful connections provide people with the internal fortitude they need to stay productive during tough times. You want to be connected to your people, and you also want them to be connected to one another. The way you do that is by talking, with real spoken words, not with frequent e-mail edicts, asking people how they're doing and actually listening to their answers, and by providing them with opportunities to interact with one another.

Provide Context: We all want to know that we make a difference in the world. When you put someone's work into a meaningful context, you tap into the deepest yearning of his or her soul. The challenge is that most people's days are so hectic and their jobs so compartmentalized that they often miss the larger story of how their work touches the lives of others. Leaders who reframe daily tasks by providing personal context quell the angst of uncertainty by giving their employees something more meaningful to think about. The key here is to make it personal. It's easy to say, "Our company provides services that make organizations more efficient and productive," but that's hardly a reason for someone to go the extra mile. If you tell a story about a real live human being who has been affected by your team's work, be it a co-worker, end user or other customer, people will take more pride in their work.

Leadership: It would be nice if we all went through our days feeling certain that we were beloved by our staff and co-workers and that our work made a real difference in everyone’s lives. But unfortunately angst and worry are often the standard default setting for the human brain. When we're left at the mercy of our own perceptions, our jobs can descend into an endless series of meaningless to-dos. That's why one of the essential roles of a leader is to continually set the conversation and to remind people that their work and their lives, safety, health are a matter.

Employees sometimes act as if they don't care, but perhaps that's only because their leaders don't give them anything important to care about. Revenue objectives, market share targets and numbers on an annual report are fine goals. But the secret of true emotional engagement is to get beyond the numbers and make it all feel personal. People are eager to be part of something bigger than themselves. In fact, when deprived of the chance to do so, they grow desperate for it. Leaders who connect on an emotional level and provide their people with meaningful context can ignite a passion that transcends uncertainty. People who are connected to one another and have a sense of personal mission about their work can do practically anything, whatever the conditions. Great leaders are people who are willing to show up for work with their mind, body and soul and thereby create a culture where everyone else would like to follow suit. Eventually, the organization benefits from these positive effects and it is all up to the leaders to start the ball rolling and not give sarcasms or provocative words that hurt the staff morale and well being.

GM's answer to Shanghai traffic woes - New Concept personal car

Back in the 1939-40 World's Fair in New York, General Motors' Futurama attraction stole the show with its depictions of life 20 years into the future. After the misery of the Great Depression, GM's vision of personal car ownership and a vast interstate freeway system promised a new era of freedom.
Now, 70 years later, in many congested cities around the world, cars have become more like prisons--trapping motorists in traffic jams and preventing them from doing what they want to do. What's more, they're blamed for destroying the environment.

So when this year's World Expo opens May 1 in Shanghai, a city of 19 million people intimately familiar with the problem of gridlock, GM and its Chinese partner will be offering a different concept of personal urban mobility: networked, driverless cars that don't pollute, don't crash and take up less space.

GM and Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp. (SAIC) unveiled the EN-V (Electric Networked-Vehicle) concept Wednesday in Shanghai. It's a fleshed-out version of a personal mobility concept GM unveiled a year ago, in conjunction with Segway, the maker of self-balancing electric vehicles that you ride standing up. With no sides or roof, the concept looked like some sort of electric rickshaw. Because of the timing, as GM was seeking a federal bailout, the concept was greeted with snickers and raised eyebrows.

But fully dressed with lightweight carbon fiber body panels, the EN-V is easier to appreciate. GM and SAIC unveiled three versions Wednesday in Shanghai: the light-hearted Xiao (Laugh), with its gumball blue paint and nautical-inspired design; the sleek and masculine Miao (Magic), which takes most of its design cues from the consumer electronics industry, and features innovative LED lighting; and the brightly colored Jiao (Pride), which takes its design influence from bullet trains and Chinese opera masks.

Just five feet long and weighing about 900 pounds, EN-V is a two-seater that runs on electricity. Don't worry about speeding tickets: EN-V's top speed is 25 miles per hour. But at least you'll be moving instead of sitting in traffic. EN-V's global positioning system (GPS), combined with vehicle-to-vehicle communications, allows it to automatically choose the fastest route, based on real-time traffic information. That could reduce congestion in cities like Shanghai (a target market for this kind of vehicle) where GM says the average traffic speed is 10 mph.

The autonomous technology could also cut down on the number of accidents. Using embedded sensors and cameras, EN-V can sense what's around it, enabling it to react quickly to obstacles or changes in driving conditions. For example, if a pedestrian steps out in front of the vehicle, EN-V will automatically slow down and can stop sooner than any motorist can in today's vehicles.

It is propelled by electric motors in each of its two wheels. About a third the size of a traditional vehicle, EN-V maneuvers easily because of its zero turning radius and can travel at least 25 miles on a single charge. EN-V's smaller size and greater maneuverability mean a parking lot can accommodate five times as many EN-Vs as typical automobiles.

For densely populated cities like Shanghai, GM believes it needs to come up with a new type of vehicle, or it'll quickly be out of business.

Maybe there are also some uses in small city like Singapore, say in the market for aunties, or in the Changi Airport travelling around terminal to terminal ( with the luggage or without ), or moving around at the Sentosa Resort World or Universal Studio park, or say mega shipyards for workers or supervisors to move around the yard instead of the use of bicycles........ who knows, if the price is right and demand is there, people will pay for it if the need.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVBZhuL5E2g

MSc Final Thesis Report

MSc Marine Tech Thesis 2009 ChoongKW

How to get HeadHunted ?

Many managers polled claimed that employees are being tempted to shift jobs by headhunters and recruitment consultants. Social media’s proliferation and the recession mean search professionals could be re-designing their approach, with some widening their search area.


In the past, search executives relied on a small network of contacts but the recession has pushed recruiters to look further afield. But the market’s not so buoyant that the recruiters can afford to sit back and wait for the call. Thus, for the job hunters, those wishing to be head-hunted need to refine or polish their CVs before someone come knocking at your door….

Your CV is still your calling card, but headhunters looking to fill management posts may look closer and with a more critical eye because they will be looking for specific qualities and skills.

Try to avoid hackneyed phrases or make sure if you say that you’re a ‘people-person’ or are ‘strategic and commercially-minded’ you can back that up with specific evidence. It maybe tough for you to try explain during an interview with the bosses to be, if they start to challenge your points.

An unusual career trajectory can work in your favour if it demonstrates a breadth of experience – like overseas attachment, projects outside of your main work area and even volunteering will show you’ve got commitment and breath. Headhunters also may like to see you are capable of putting the time in at a role – another reason for having an 18-month timetable in mind.

Raising your profile among your peers is the most important thing to concentrate on if you want to get noticed by headhunters.

• Your alumni network: Headhunters may look for alumni recommendations for candidate leads or to get information on someone they already have their eye on, so it helps if you are in contact with former classmates, professors, lecturers,etc. Joining online alumni groups on social networking sites such as LinkedIn will put you in touch with other alumni.

• Networking: Identify seminars that look interesting to you, and stay for a drink and a chat afterwards. Or best still is to get yourself involve as a speaker or presenter. Be specific about what you can offer in terms of area of expertise. You can also try approaching an event’s organisers to offer yourself as a substitute speaker where case of last minute speaker’s absence.

• IT networking: What information comes up when you type your name into a search engine? Note that your online presence will be “carefully examined” by headhunters, so it’s worth checking your LinkedIn page is up-to-date and your Facebook profile. Do be careful with words that you use on these sites and not be pre-judge as either “childish” or “lacking professionalism” in dealing with such networks.

• Join trade or related industry bodies: Industry bodies such as IMAREST or SNAME ( Marine societies ) relating to your company work are a great starting point for events and networking. It’s always possible you might meet a headhunter there, too. Membership organisations and conferences aren’t cheap, though, so invest wisely. Be sure the people you want to meet are going to be there.

• Try to Get noticed: Industry magazines and websites look for comment or contributions. Aim for publications that are considered their industry’s ‘bible’ —in offshore, marine related if you are from such industry. (If you don’t know which one should be your target, search the name of a high profile business leader in your industry and see where they’ve been quoted.) Blogging and micro-blogging (via Twitter) can also help you set out your reach to a wider audience.

While you’re maintaining an industry and public profile in the net: what else? A few headhunters suggest you become one of their contacts for information about peers. Being able to put forward potential candidates for a job demonstrates your own expansive network – and you’re helping them do their job. Very likely, they will be considering you for a post because your name is always the first one that springs to mind, hopefully.

The saying’s never been truer — you won’t get a second chance to make a first impression. It may be worth investing in some presentation coaching — two or three sessions should be enough to iron out any creases in your personal brand. It could brush up your weaker link somewhere which you might not see in yourself. Like it or not, dress also matters — an illustration of how critical headhunters can be.

Watch what you transmit as well as receive. Listen carefully to what you’ve been asked and complete the thought in your head before answering. Stick to the point — treat it as if you were a senior manager reporting to the board. Do some research on the headhunter who is interviewing you – check out their company website or their social media profile. It’s flattering if an interviewee has made the effort.

Once you’ve got yourself noticed, you’ve handed over an impressive CV and you’ve passed muster at an initial interview, don’t congratulate yourself too early. The real work begins when you are actually put forward for that power role you were after. You might be faced with a lot of challenge in the new working environment. One area of usual concern and weary, office politics at the higher level.

Sevan Rig

Sevan Drilling Capability



Rig performance capability Pros' and Cons' comparing to other types :

sevan


Design consideration and capability of the Sevan Rig :-

Sevan ICE

Sevan ICE Class