Fri 26 Jun 6.10pm
Wow, it's been 1 week since I arrived at Lehigh Uni and attended the Global Village program. Time really flies when you're having so much fun, meeting so many wonderful people and soaking up an experience of a lifetime! I'm loving my stay here.
Well, today was group photo taking day and Stacey, you said you've never seen me in a suit? Here it is:
Nice? =:oP There're alot more photos which I uploaded onto Facebook so check them out there!
After the photo taking session in the morning, my project group travelled 90mins in a Lehigh Van to visit the FL Smidth (FLS) Manheim Manufacturing Plant. We were greeted by the Project Manager for the FLS project and whom I will be liaising closely with. The meeting got off to a very good start and thereafter we took a tour around the plant.
The management team consisted of VP for Customer Service, GM of Operations, Plant Manager, Financial Controller and Procurement Manager. Each of them worked with the company for more than 10 over years and although they were so experienced, they really listened to what we had to say.
The issues that we are working with were very real - it affects the livelihood of the workers in the plant. I was reluctant to consider revising the wages of workers or lay-offs but the FLS Project Manager told me that if it had to be done, then it's a painful decision they'll have to make. But I will only consider that as a last resort should other options are unfeasible.
Earlier on during the tour, one of the management team was talking to me and I could sense his resistance towards having more of the plant's operations outsourced to China. I empathise with how the current lay-offs have already been felt in the plant. The FLS project manager mentioned that if it really boils down to having to axing the management team and having to shut the plant down, then we should just include it - this is what I call true leadership and acting in the best interest of the company.
I received compliments from Ioana, the project mentor and from Lucia my Deputy Project Manager about how I conducted myself today and was able to leave a professional first impression. Phew, what a relief that was things went smoothly today! =:oD
I'm pleased with my performance and will continue to listen to the people around me. That includes you Dad! I've implemented your advice about involving the entire team and I made the remaining 3 members Deputies of something each so that nobody felt left out. It was taken well! I'll looking forward to having you share more of your management experience with me! =;o)
On the way back, Leodany of Puerto Rico, Coco of Chile and myself were talking so much rubbish that we had so much fun and laughter. We were exchanging cultures and they were sharing with me ways to chase girls in their countries. Absolutely hilarious!
Leodany is the guy on the right of the first picture and he is in the same guide group as me. Coco is the guy in the second picture and he is such a joker! When we wants to call me in a joking manner, he shouts out SINGAPORE! Leo and Coco are really fun people and when they speak English, it's really funny to hear because Leo has a Puerto Rican broken English accent while Coco sounds a bit Italian when he speaks English.
Yeap, so there's my day for you and you've seen and read about my week. Thanks so much for all the comments you've left behind Uncle Jay, Dad, Sis, Stacey and Stella!
To sign off: here's a little shout out from my fellow Global Villagers to all you folks back home! It was something random that I just decided to do while having dinner late last night at the Italian pizza joint. Have fun watching it......
hello! I am Ivan. Can you tell me who knows you better in the facebook quiz?
ReplyDeleteHope you are enjoying yourself in USA!!!!!!I am using uncle jay's computer to post this!
From, Ivan Lim
Happy day Sherwin
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear that you are doing well and happy with your performance for the first meeting with the company! Well done and keep it up!
Just a some thoughts that may be helpful for the project: Suggest you and your team to focus on the "Creative solutions" in order to ADD VALUE to the company (Achieve your project ulimate objectives):
(1)Recommendations to improve the existing sources of income
(2) Create new sources of income to improve cash flow
(3) Implementing reduce salary and increase no pay leave across the board and able to reduce manpower costs but keep most of the workers without layoff them -- Keeping a job is more critical than have the "full" salary from the staff point of view
As in our chinese saying: "Kai Yuan Jie Liu" means "CREATE NEW SOURCES OF INCOME (First priority and go before reduce expenses) AND REDUCE THE EXPENSES" -- Why, Increase souces of income has unlimited potential BUT cutting expenses are limited -- Example, how could you cut the manpower costs to ZERO????
FOCUS on your line of thoughts (Create a strategies of how the maximium your Team potential) and Creative solution that the exiting management team of the company is unable to do so -- Especially all of the are working so long (>10 years) in the same company! Their thoughts, ideas, habitual ways of working and focus..... are basically LOCKED into the present mode of operation and most importantly it is extremely difficult for them to "UNLOOK" THEIR VIEW to the challenges that the are facing now as "Dang Ju Zhe Mi"! "We are blind to our own problems) YOU guys could only working on the challenges for 4-5 weeks the max (Limited time) BUT all of you have a very POWERFUL ADVANTAGES to offer solutions -- As ALL OF YOU ARE "OUTSIDERS" AND WITH TOTALLY DIFFERENCT BACKGROUND, thus all of you will not being LOCKED into the present situation and without ATTACHMENT to the challenges as well as "what can works and what cannot works". Therefore, all of you will be able to come out with unlimited potential solutions without LIMITATION to the challenges face by the company!
Hope this will help you!
Wish you and your team (What is the name of the team? The name of the team must be able to name after the main theme that all of you want to focus on -- Get the team to come out with one and become your slogan that bring all of you to focus on your KEY OBJECTIVES AND AREAS OF FOCUS!) have a successful project!
uncle jay with love from Singapore
Hey Ivan,
ReplyDeleteI think the people who have tried my Facebook quiz all scored below 50%. You can try it if you want to. =;o)
Uncle Jay,
Thanks for your advice and encouragement. I will talk to you soon about the project and will gladly listen to the input you might have. It's about inventory reduction, outsourcing and improving the financials of the company - all areas of your expertise. =;o) Have a fun weekend!
I am 60% if you can check!!!!
ReplyDeleteIvan Lim