Heart Space #23: CEO Takeaways (2 July 2008)

This is going to be a long blog entry, with intertwined topics.

I had breakfast with CEO sometime last week (my 2nd time). This breakfast session serves as an avenue for a informal feedback and dialogue between CEO and his top performers. I feel that this kind of session is really insightful, because he shares very personal thoughts and ideology that he holds close of his heart.
I am going to illustrate 1 of the takeaway keynote here;

A staff has 3 spheres surrounding him (imagine a picture of an egg). The innermost is the scope of this person, and how much he is doing right now. The next sphere is what this person thinks he can actually do. So for some of us, we actually doing close to what we think our maximum level is, and a few of us are FAR from doing what we are truly capable of. The last sphere, the outermost is how others perceive your true capabilities. He cited an example when his ex-boss said to him, during his initial years, that one day, he is going to be a CEO. It spurred him on, thinking if that's is his outermost sphere, because at that time, he never knew what lies in the last sphere.

I had a talk with my colleague, K one of the days last week. It started off when I told him that a colleague who was seconded to another client is getting additional bonus payout up to 8 months! We know that there are lot of "same level" staffs as me, who are never in office (because situated at client sites), are solely doing that particular project. Meanwhile, I am in office, getting all the hits, managing tons of projects (true enough, these are smaller projects, granted). I have to significantly cover a lot more ground, in terms of scope, as compared to them. Of course, to that, he said, we knew this all along, and each is governed by their own agenda. We have to stop comparing at all... because it serves no purpose anymore.

Anyway, the discussion was that, I was telling K, that even I am complaining, I am still treating these as a learning experience, because I have never done these before. K argued that there should be a threshold and he never sees me as a "No" person. Whatever gets thrown to me, I will not say 'No' and will do the job well. He has seen it happened too many times in this company. Just because the managers found someone to do the dirty jobs, they will keep giving that person, knowing that the person will never say no. I agree on the threshold, and said that as long as I am learning something new, I am fine. He said, he has never seen my threshold, and it's not right. He said trust is a very important issue, and as long as you trust your boss (or boss's boss, J in this case), then it should be fine (Of course the compensation part of it must not be undermined). But be warned that this trust is not misplaced, less of a more appropriate word. He cited an example of how this department is still staying afloat, is that there are still people like us, who are still committed in doing a good job regardless of whatever the politics or bad vibes are. He warned me of over trusting, and one day, I probably have to say No in time. Question is... will I? I guess I will say enough first then No..,

My boss was away for a good week plus in the states, and I have to cover his duties. I discovered a lot that was in his scope of work, was left pretty much unattended. I learnt SO much in this short span of time, because J painstaking go through all the stuff with me. He is probably hoping that I will one day be able to take up that role. After going through so many numbers, files, spreadsheets... I began to worry. Last time when I was asked the question if one day I will be able to take up the job, I will say with guidance, definitely. Now, I am not so certain anymore. Have I reached my outermost sphere? Am I cut out for it? Suddenly it all seemed too much work. J seems to have a knack for everything, from stocks, numbers, project management, everything under the sky... and I really do not want to disappoint. Maybe it's because I have projects that I cannot fully let go yet. I guess there's no other ways except to really go through my projects, pay extra attention to details, every dollar every cent. As he puts it, "You think I am really good? There no other ways, except hard work and paying extra attention to details."

If I were to summarise what I have written, it would be, "Take a good reflection of my spheres, and be to be self-driven to reach there."