books: management / business?
Thursday, November 08, 2007
i was blog hopping, and i got this from a blog that i hopped to once in a while. got permission to "plagiarise" it further (haha) :p
i am not much of a management / business book reader.
i've only ever bought:
1. "how do you move mount fiji" by william poundstone, which, come to think of it, it's not a management book but more of an insightful book which actually highlights techniques on how to perform better on puzzle-type questions during interviews such as those carried out for Microsoft's recruitment.
2. "who moved my cheese" by dr. spencer johnson, which is like... over simplistic? patronising? as peter j o'malley says: simple is good, simplistic is stinky cheese
so now that i've been attending my PMP (project management professional) seminars, the maverick (who is ever so popular with his cakap tak serupa bikin blog, who conducts the classes has been pestering me to STOP reading fiction and move on to management / business books in order to expand (the mind, not the body!) and to widen the horizon in order to move up the ladder.
so off i went to buy two books 2 weeks ago (which i still havent started reading, mind you). he has a whole list of recommended books, which to me, the list is REALLY daunting!
those two books are:
1. "the no asshole rule" by dr. robert i sutton
2. "the richest man in babylon" by george s clason. unfortunately, bf came to visit me, took the book, wrapped it, and signed his own name on the inside cover. and his reason? "i need it more than you do. i'm making the money here". then proceeded to place the book in his bag. ergh (chauvinistic?) i still want the book back in order to read it lah!!!
so all these aside, do read on the 90/10 principle authored by stephen covey. may it provide insight!
The 90/10 Principle - By Stephen Covey
It will change your life (at least the way you react to situations).
What is this principle?
10% of life is made up of what happens to you. 90% of life is decided by how you react.
What does this mean?
We really have no control over 10% of what happens to us.
We cannot stop the car from breaking down.
The plane will be late arriving, which throws our whole schedule off.
A driver may cut us off in traffic.
We have no control over this 10%. The other 90% is different. You determine the other 90%.
How? ……….By your reaction.
You cannot control a red light. but you can control your reaction.
Don't let people fool you; YOU can control how you react.
Let's use an example.
You are eating breakfast with your family. Your daughter knocks over a cup of coffee onto your business shirt. You have no control over what just happened.
What happens next will be determined by how you react.
You curse.
You harshly scold your daughter for knocking the cup over. She breaks down in tears.
After scolding her, you turn to your spouse and criticize her for placing the cup too close to the edge of the table. A short verbal battle follows.
You storm upstairs and change your shirt. Back downstairs, you find your daughter has been too busy crying to finish breakfast and get ready for school. She misses the bus.
Your spouse must leave immediately for work.
You rush to the car and drive your daughter to school.
Because you are late, you drive 40 miles an hour in a 30 mph speed limit.
After a 15-minute delay and throwing $60 traffic fine away, you arrive at school. Your daughter runs into the building without saying goodbye. After arriving at the office 20 minutes late, you find you forgot your briefcase. Your day has started terrible. As it continues, it seems to get worse and worse. You look forward to coming home.
When you arrive home, you find small wedge in your relationship with your spouse and daughter.
Why? …. Because of how you reacted in the morning.
Why did you have a bad day?
A) Did the coffee cause it?
B) Did your daughter cause it?
C) Did the policeman cause it?
D) Did you cause it?
The answer is "D".
You had no control over what happened with the coffee. How you reacted in those 5 seconds is what caused your bad day.
Here is what could have and should have happened.
Coffee splashes over you. Your daughter is about to cry. You gently say, "Its ok honey, you just need to be more careful next time". Grabbing a towel you rush upstairs. After grabbing a new shirt and your briefcase, you come back down in time to look through the window and see your child getting on the bus. She turns and waves. You arrive 5 minutes early and cheerfully greet the staff. Your boss comments on how good the day you are having.
Notice the difference?
Two different scenarios. Both started the same. Both ended different.
Why?
Because of how you REACTED.
You really do not have any control over 10% of what happens. The other 90% was determined by your reaction.
Here are some ways to apply the 90/10 principle.
If someone says something negative about you, don't be a sponge. Let the attack roll off like water on glass. You don't have to let the negative comment affect you!
React properly and it will not ruin your day. A wrong reaction could result in losing a friend, being fired, getting stressed out etc.
How do you react if someone cuts you off in traffic? Do you lose your temper? Pound on the steering wheel? A friend of mine had the steering wheel fall off)
Do you curse?
Does your blood pressure skyrocket?
Do you try and bump them?
WHO CARES if you arrive ten seconds later at work?
Why let the cars ruin your drive.
Now you know the 90-10 principle. Apply it and you will be amazed at the results. You will lose nothing if you try it.
The 90-10 principle is incredible. Very few know and apply this principle.
The result?
Millions of people are suffering from undeserved stress, trials, problems and heartache. We all must understand and apply the 90/10 principle.
i am not much of a management / business book reader.
i've only ever bought:
1. "how do you move mount fiji" by william poundstone, which, come to think of it, it's not a management book but more of an insightful book which actually highlights techniques on how to perform better on puzzle-type questions during interviews such as those carried out for Microsoft's recruitment.
2. "who moved my cheese" by dr. spencer johnson, which is like... over simplistic? patronising? as peter j o'malley says: simple is good, simplistic is stinky cheese
so now that i've been attending my PMP (project management professional) seminars, the maverick (who is ever so popular with his cakap tak serupa bikin blog, who conducts the classes has been pestering me to STOP reading fiction and move on to management / business books in order to expand (the mind, not the body!) and to widen the horizon in order to move up the ladder.
so off i went to buy two books 2 weeks ago (which i still havent started reading, mind you). he has a whole list of recommended books, which to me, the list is REALLY daunting!
those two books are:
1. "the no asshole rule" by dr. robert i sutton
2. "the richest man in babylon" by george s clason. unfortunately, bf came to visit me, took the book, wrapped it, and signed his own name on the inside cover. and his reason? "i need it more than you do. i'm making the money here". then proceeded to place the book in his bag. ergh (chauvinistic?) i still want the book back in order to read it lah!!!
so all these aside, do read on the 90/10 principle authored by stephen covey. may it provide insight!
The 90/10 Principle - By Stephen Covey
It will change your life (at least the way you react to situations).
What is this principle?
10% of life is made up of what happens to you. 90% of life is decided by how you react.
What does this mean?
We really have no control over 10% of what happens to us.
We cannot stop the car from breaking down.
The plane will be late arriving, which throws our whole schedule off.
A driver may cut us off in traffic.
We have no control over this 10%. The other 90% is different. You determine the other 90%.
How? ……….By your reaction.
You cannot control a red light. but you can control your reaction.
Don't let people fool you; YOU can control how you react.
Let's use an example.
You are eating breakfast with your family. Your daughter knocks over a cup of coffee onto your business shirt. You have no control over what just happened.
What happens next will be determined by how you react.
You curse.
You harshly scold your daughter for knocking the cup over. She breaks down in tears.
After scolding her, you turn to your spouse and criticize her for placing the cup too close to the edge of the table. A short verbal battle follows.
You storm upstairs and change your shirt. Back downstairs, you find your daughter has been too busy crying to finish breakfast and get ready for school. She misses the bus.
Your spouse must leave immediately for work.
You rush to the car and drive your daughter to school.
Because you are late, you drive 40 miles an hour in a 30 mph speed limit.
After a 15-minute delay and throwing $60 traffic fine away, you arrive at school. Your daughter runs into the building without saying goodbye. After arriving at the office 20 minutes late, you find you forgot your briefcase. Your day has started terrible. As it continues, it seems to get worse and worse. You look forward to coming home.
When you arrive home, you find small wedge in your relationship with your spouse and daughter.
Why? …. Because of how you reacted in the morning.
Why did you have a bad day?
A) Did the coffee cause it?
B) Did your daughter cause it?
C) Did the policeman cause it?
D) Did you cause it?
The answer is "D".
You had no control over what happened with the coffee. How you reacted in those 5 seconds is what caused your bad day.
Here is what could have and should have happened.
Coffee splashes over you. Your daughter is about to cry. You gently say, "Its ok honey, you just need to be more careful next time". Grabbing a towel you rush upstairs. After grabbing a new shirt and your briefcase, you come back down in time to look through the window and see your child getting on the bus. She turns and waves. You arrive 5 minutes early and cheerfully greet the staff. Your boss comments on how good the day you are having.
Notice the difference?
Two different scenarios. Both started the same. Both ended different.
Why?
Because of how you REACTED.
You really do not have any control over 10% of what happens. The other 90% was determined by your reaction.
Here are some ways to apply the 90/10 principle.
If someone says something negative about you, don't be a sponge. Let the attack roll off like water on glass. You don't have to let the negative comment affect you!
React properly and it will not ruin your day. A wrong reaction could result in losing a friend, being fired, getting stressed out etc.
How do you react if someone cuts you off in traffic? Do you lose your temper? Pound on the steering wheel? A friend of mine had the steering wheel fall off)
Do you curse?
Does your blood pressure skyrocket?
Do you try and bump them?
WHO CARES if you arrive ten seconds later at work?
Why let the cars ruin your drive.
Now you know the 90-10 principle. Apply it and you will be amazed at the results. You will lose nothing if you try it.
The 90-10 principle is incredible. Very few know and apply this principle.
The result?
Millions of people are suffering from undeserved stress, trials, problems and heartache. We all must understand and apply the 90/10 principle.
-#-
Labels: management
posted by dee3 @ 09:57,
2 Comments:
-
At 7:35 pm,
Maverick SM said...
-
Dee,
This is a fantastic post! Now you're learning fast.
BTW, it was fortunate that you left a comment at my place. That's how I got here. Now, I have added this place to my favourite.
I am glad to hear your bf wants the book you bought. So, go buy some more. -
At 11:20 pm,
dee3 said...
-
lol doc, no need to bookmark la. malu. then nanti have to feel guilty if dont update cos of conscience. ergh hahahha seriously, damn pai seh la with the favourite!
well, bf actually T.O.O.K the book and wrote his name on the inside cover. another ergh!
:) and thanks for dropping by!
