Year end is a time to take stock

Year end is the time for spring cleaning and you won't imagine how much junk you have collected over the past 12 months. As I rummaged through the pile of papers and files, I couldn't but pause to think about all the ideas, plans and projects that didn't take off. Somehow things went awry and/or got distracted by other more pressing issues. It also caused me to ponder about how things look good when they were on the drawing board...but when it comes to execution and totalling the costs, then the gloss and shine just give way to the grey matter.

Sitting in my 11th floor room which overlook a busy road junction as I reflected on some of the papers, I recalled a proposal for a customer to work on a project that would have propelled them to the forefront. Internal politiking among the board members, and worse still, with a leader that's not quite willing to lead, made the proposition even harder. A presentation was made to the board. I went well as the ideas illuminated on the big screen via the power point slides. Questions were asked. Eventually we had to scuttle the project because what they board wanted out of the project was way off the budget they were willing to commit. It was a shame, as it was an opportunity that they missed. The goodwill and the value add would have far out-weighed what they paid.

Other papers pertained to people whom within the span of months have left their organisation, moved on hopefully to greener pastures. Suddenly I realised that how many old familiar names are gone. Times were still good at the start of the year and people were switching jobs like the game of musical chairs, except that now the music has stopped and many may find themselves on chairs with only three legs for support.

Soon another year would dawn on us...and everyone would be looking forward with joy...even if it is subdued joy. People will clothe themselves with new hope that the new year will bring - at least that's the best that they can look forward to.

Of greed and madness...

The financial industry is hit by another US scandal with the fallout felt as far as Asia..all thanks to Bernard Madoff. The whole scam sounds rather simplistic...giving high returns for investments. While hindsight may point to the many red flags that should have sprung up when his company was able to pay high yields during times when other investment houses were struggle, yet somehow this was overlooked. The answer is perhaps as simple as the whole scam - it is an classic example of "greed". When everyone was attracted to the returns, no one paused to ask questions. We learnt since early childhood never to take sweets from strangers and we should be on guard and ask questions like: what's he up to? But once kids become grown up, they forgotten all the basic rules until it's bingo! Whose to be blamed? Fingers are pointed at the regulators and at everyone else, except the CEO, CFO, and auditors of those firms who had invested in Madoff. When things get too good, invariably questions must be raised even at the risk of being labeled as being too faint hearted, or as one who is risk aversed.

Talking about risk, it must be a real shocker for outgoing US President George W Bush when he was bushwhacked by an Iraqi journalist who threw not one but two shoes at him during a press conference. Apparently this journalsit is mad with the President and is making his feelings known to the whole. Isn't it a hair-raising experience to see how someone can throw two shoes before being manhandled. Imagine if it was a knife or a gun, two or three shots would have been fired before the attacker was pinned down. Doesn't that raise the question: where were the security men? Did they respond too slowly? Were they stationed at the wrong place? Was the President's bodyguard too slow in rushing up to him to protect him? The video showed someone going to the President who gesticulated that he was fine...but that was only after the assilant had thrown two shoes at the President. Where was all the President's men?