“Downshifting”
By John D. Drakes
Berrett-Koehler Publishers Inc., 2000
For the past two weeks, conversations with friends and associates began with work and ended with something loftier and longer than work: Life.
You say, it may be the company I keep. But, no. One was born before World War II, and the other when it just began. Two of them are “baby boomers” (born after the war). The last is a Martial Law baby, born in 1972 when the country was placed under martial rule.
The pre-WW II baby just retired — and he is producing a book containing speeches delivered over a ten-year period, if he is not busy at the golf course in Malarayat or fishing near a vacation house facing the Batangas Bay.
The WW II baby is concluding a dizzying — and very rewarding career in the corporate world as CEO of a number of firms — who began with three private planes and decided to retain just one, as part of his “downshifting” strategies. (Mortals like us settle for earthbound and land-based vehicles, while the rich and famous simply downscale their options for airborne “toys”.)
A baby boomer has limited his consultancy jobs to a few favorite clients and decided to lay the foundation for becoming an “arm chair” professor and, possibly, an author – after earning a doctoral degree in a year or two.
The youngish manager, armed with an MBA, decided to put up an outlet for a specialty coffee shop with his bride-to-be, and relishes the prospects of a slowed down life over coffee and cookie.
That’s the theme of “Downshifting,” a book whose sub-title says it all — almost: “How to work less and enjoy life more.” The author is John D. Drake, who was himself a workaholic CEO who, one day, decided to drop everything — and start a simpler and satisfying life.
Mr. Drake says the decision to “downshift” has become more attractive to some – but at the same much more difficult — because of the demands of the internet age. He quotes a consultant from McKinsey & Company:
“The fast pace and pressure to be plugged-in at all times, made by the omnipresent cell phones, voicemail, e-mail, laptops and faxes, fueled the expectation that employees quite literally be available to deal with work issues 24 hours a day —wherever they are whatever they are doing.”
He tells of a boast from a co-employee on time spent in the office: I work half-days —12 hours!”
The book -- written in an easy, warm style — leads the executive through the process of considering shorter hours at work for the bosses and longer hours for life at home with loved ones and friends — from staring the “work trap” in the eye to egging you to act with the question: “What’s stopping you?”
From considering “low-risk downshifting options” to strategizing how to persuade your boss or your organization to buy your idea of a less stressful job, reduced hours, or working at home half of the time. Finally, the book gives you insights on how to deal with your “newfound free time” as semi-retired. Locally, others call this “retire-ded” (derisively taking off from “retarded).
The author opens up a long discussion on “work that consumes our lives” — even the justification that it is only in the workplace where you get fulfillment, recognition and the means to buy the finer things in life. That’s quite true, the author admits. An interesting chapter is his juxtaposition of what “one would miss” with options that begin with the phrase, “on the other hand.”
For example on the issue: “Will I have enough money?” the author adds: “On the other hand, you may not need as much.” Read happy stories of lives enhanced with altered work habits. The author, who once was CEO of the world’s largest human resources consulting firm, shares insights on the liberating effect of a decision to downshift. By no means is he advising that the executive bid goodbye to work; only changing his work mindset.
His discussion on Type A personalities — the driven, perfectionist ones — is enlightening, and we see ourselves. “We make our own crises,” he declares, and we can only agree — because we make such high demands on ourselves.
He advises: “Avoid business travel on weekends,” and we know he is pointing his finger at you and me. He gives a quote: “Control your destiny or someone else will.” It’s from Jack Welch, celebrated CEO of General Electric, now enjoying his retirement.
His parting shot could be our shot in the arm as humans first, workers second: “Your quest for success defined by simplicity, love, and meaningfulness, in a world that defines success as material gain, is truly a hero’s journey. Go for it!
Sunday, September 22, 2002
Sunday, September 08, 2002
Learn to see the world thru other people’s eyes
“Developing Global Executives”
By Morgan W. McCall Jr. and George P. Hollenbeck
Harvard Business School Press, 2002
You have bumped into some of them on several occasions — at work, cocktail parties, meetings of chambers of commerce and, yes, at the golf course.
They come in different stereotypes — multinational or transnational executives, officials of international organizations like the United Nations or USAID, overseas mission managers, country directors of funding agencies and executives of global enterprises.
In fact, dear reader, you may be one — an expatriate — or about to be one: You are about to leave the Philippines for Singapore, Thailand or Indonesia — and be an expat there with an expat’s compensation package.
Actually, this is no longer new to many local executives. Since some businesses here are run by expats, we know many of them, some of whom have become friends. We also are aware that, somehow, they have been acculturized (a shortcut to saying they have adapted to our culture).
Many of these expats here not only survive; they thrive. But, some of them fail, too. You hear one global executive saying he replaced someone who “bungled the job.”
What about Filipinos being global executives? That’s nothing new too. Multinationals (more in to say “global firms,” taking off from the concept of a “borderless world”) operating here have, in fact, sent outstanding Filipino managers to run refineries, begin a distribution network, complete a project or lead an audit team in many parts of the world.
Yes, Filipinos are not only OFWs; they are expats. It’s not a case of brain-drain. Our brains are a gift to the world. Viewed from another country’s standpoint, it would be similarly proud of its “contribution” to businesses around the globe.
Whether you are a global executive, if not sending or even receiving one, you will find the book “Developing Global Executives” an insightful road map to understanding a globe-trotting manager.
“What’s happening out there,” we ask — and this book tells us. The authors sent 300,000 questionnaires and made an in-depth study of 101 global leaders. The book also answers the question, “What’s happening in there” — meaning, within the mind of the expat himself — from developing a “global mindset” to finally internalizing it like second nature.
After 259 pages and many interviews plus tables, the book concludes: “The whats remain the same, but the hows are different.” It means that the logic of business is true anywhere around the world from Sarawak to Paris, but the cultures are different.
Many executives interviewed concluded: “Business is business wherever you are.” So, if the executive is already well-equipped with the right mix of business strategies, all he needs is to adapt to the host country’s culture.
One of the key conclusions made by the book is this: “The executives learned to focus on the similarities offered by business purpose, and, when possible, to exploit the cultural differences to create business advantages.”
The authors have also identified universal factors in any business. They point out:
“Strategic consistency across cultures, they learned, could be achieved if they focused on the customer, leveraged scope and scale, tapped shared business values, benchmarked against world class processes, and thought about how to make money on a global (rather than local) basis.”
One chapter is devoted to the “dynamics of derailment” — unhappy cases of global executives who didn’t make the grade. The reasons for failure were varied — from someone who was arrogant to another who focused on the wrong thing, from someone who was made a scapegoat to another who was the unwitting victim of an altered global strategy.
Speaking of risks, this chapter amply prepares global executives for some factored-in uncertainties. Simply titled, “When Things Go Wrong,” this chapter is just one of 10 chapters. It’s the book’s reassurance that things normally go well, and thus devote nine chapters to such cases.
You will better understand the expats running our companies here or helping us with a new technology, with this book detailing to us how these global executives really struggle with language. When you are the expat, back here in furlough or preparing for a great adventure away from home, this book is a great companion.
It’s like listening to 101 global leaders telling you how they soared with success and how some fell crashing down. Invariably, they leave one valuable advice:
“You must learn to see the world through other people’s eyes.”
By Morgan W. McCall Jr. and George P. Hollenbeck
Harvard Business School Press, 2002
You have bumped into some of them on several occasions — at work, cocktail parties, meetings of chambers of commerce and, yes, at the golf course.
They come in different stereotypes — multinational or transnational executives, officials of international organizations like the United Nations or USAID, overseas mission managers, country directors of funding agencies and executives of global enterprises.
In fact, dear reader, you may be one — an expatriate — or about to be one: You are about to leave the Philippines for Singapore, Thailand or Indonesia — and be an expat there with an expat’s compensation package.
Actually, this is no longer new to many local executives. Since some businesses here are run by expats, we know many of them, some of whom have become friends. We also are aware that, somehow, they have been acculturized (a shortcut to saying they have adapted to our culture).
Many of these expats here not only survive; they thrive. But, some of them fail, too. You hear one global executive saying he replaced someone who “bungled the job.”
What about Filipinos being global executives? That’s nothing new too. Multinationals (more in to say “global firms,” taking off from the concept of a “borderless world”) operating here have, in fact, sent outstanding Filipino managers to run refineries, begin a distribution network, complete a project or lead an audit team in many parts of the world.
Yes, Filipinos are not only OFWs; they are expats. It’s not a case of brain-drain. Our brains are a gift to the world. Viewed from another country’s standpoint, it would be similarly proud of its “contribution” to businesses around the globe.
Whether you are a global executive, if not sending or even receiving one, you will find the book “Developing Global Executives” an insightful road map to understanding a globe-trotting manager.
“What’s happening out there,” we ask — and this book tells us. The authors sent 300,000 questionnaires and made an in-depth study of 101 global leaders. The book also answers the question, “What’s happening in there” — meaning, within the mind of the expat himself — from developing a “global mindset” to finally internalizing it like second nature.
After 259 pages and many interviews plus tables, the book concludes: “The whats remain the same, but the hows are different.” It means that the logic of business is true anywhere around the world from Sarawak to Paris, but the cultures are different.
Many executives interviewed concluded: “Business is business wherever you are.” So, if the executive is already well-equipped with the right mix of business strategies, all he needs is to adapt to the host country’s culture.
One of the key conclusions made by the book is this: “The executives learned to focus on the similarities offered by business purpose, and, when possible, to exploit the cultural differences to create business advantages.”
The authors have also identified universal factors in any business. They point out:
“Strategic consistency across cultures, they learned, could be achieved if they focused on the customer, leveraged scope and scale, tapped shared business values, benchmarked against world class processes, and thought about how to make money on a global (rather than local) basis.”
One chapter is devoted to the “dynamics of derailment” — unhappy cases of global executives who didn’t make the grade. The reasons for failure were varied — from someone who was arrogant to another who focused on the wrong thing, from someone who was made a scapegoat to another who was the unwitting victim of an altered global strategy.
Speaking of risks, this chapter amply prepares global executives for some factored-in uncertainties. Simply titled, “When Things Go Wrong,” this chapter is just one of 10 chapters. It’s the book’s reassurance that things normally go well, and thus devote nine chapters to such cases.
You will better understand the expats running our companies here or helping us with a new technology, with this book detailing to us how these global executives really struggle with language. When you are the expat, back here in furlough or preparing for a great adventure away from home, this book is a great companion.
It’s like listening to 101 global leaders telling you how they soared with success and how some fell crashing down. Invariably, they leave one valuable advice:
“You must learn to see the world through other people’s eyes.”
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