We are hiring: Driven 'automotive' marketing specialists.

It's going to be tough.  Automotive is a multi-billion industry in Malaysia.  Our GDP relies on this.  One screw up isn't one car sale down.  It sends a repercussion to hundreds or maybe even thousands of jobs being cut.  It's serious business because it involves 8.3 million lives (excluding motorcyclists and pedestrians).  So if you think we are anal about how this business is run and communicated, you are absolutely right. It only looks repetitive if you don't know how to hack it.  The game?  Is to keep repositioning your competitors with what you do.  One step if you're good.  Ten if you're great.

You'll be wanted for accountability - of everything that comes out from your kitchen.  Your pole position is meeting targets, the title on your card is secondary - let us make that clear.  You drive the brand and it drives you.  You are partners, like in any race - man and machine is one.  And let us repeat one more time, in case you missed the first line.  It's going to be tough.  On top of a challenging industry, is another.  We believe in innovating how brands are built by way of integration and collaboration.  We put scientific measures behind our intuitions and have extremely stringent expectations on our fellow brand builders whether from a creative, media or comms specialist aspect.  And most of all, we take pride in providing world-class service to our clients.  They win, we win.  If you can't agree to that equation, you may exit right now.

So if you have what it takes - the desire to not just race but win in the automotive business and you can demonstrate to us why you can do that, we want to meet you.  We're looking for automotive specialists, no longer an account management person or a strategic planning person or a whatever person who can do many things.  We don't care where you come from as long as you can deliver what's to come in the future.  You can be Jack of however many trades you like, there's only ONE thing that we care for you to master - the car business.

In terms of personality requirements, you will need resilience and energy to excel.  A strong character with an inclusive leadership to take the reign is not absolute but from our experience, is a trait will take you very far.

So if you know anything about races, you'd also know second place is the first loser.  Reach out to us now.

Is there really equality between genders?

Something that caught my attention today.  From the graph below (click to go to original publisher's website), get this: In jobs common for men, men are paid on average 2 to 3% higher than women.  In jobs common for women, men are still paid higher!  Granted women tend to hit a pay ceiling because when they have kids, they are more willing to trade off money for time which subsequently affects performance and remuneration.  But what if she does not have a family?  Hmm.  I can't really tell if this is true because I don't know how much I would be getting if I was a man.  I don't think my boss, who's a man, would tell me in all politically correctness if I should be earning more if I grew a pair :/ but frankly I'm really quite curious to know.

I remember some years ago, an American friend told me that job seekers in the US of A normally do not state their biodata in CVs.  That is to remove biasness from potential employers - you should be hiring me for my experience, skills and potential and not gender, colour and age.  I wonder if this holds water in Asia?  Because everyone prefers a hot young thing (tell me it isn't so especially in the advertising business?).  So the next time your new boss takes you in, don't be too enthusiastic.  It could be for all the wrong reasons.  But I suppose it's only when you get in, you show them who's the boss ;)

Or to just make it simple.  Give everyone a set of Google interview questions.  That'd gauge their IQ, EQ and mental agility pretty well.  But for heaven's sake, give a fair pay.  Inequality is so out of fashion!

What kinds of leaders do we want to be?

Nothing inspired me as much as this.  I've had similar thoughts scattered for the longest time but never managed to string them together into such beautifully orchestrated symphony of grandeur, like The MBA Oath.  I used to share these ideals (scattered as they were) to others and many thought it was ideal but sounded extremely far-fetched.  And then I came cross the MBA Oath, a broad coalition of MBA students, graduates and advisors, representing over 250 schools from around the world whose mission is to facilitate a widespread movement of MBAs aiming to lead in the interests of the greater good and who have committed to living out the principles articulated in the oath (as follows below), and I was blown.  The idea wasn't far-fetched!  We were just separated thousands of miles apart!

Anyway, watch this video.  Open your mind and ask yourself those same questions.  And then take the oath below and stick to it :) We need new purpose not profit-focused leaders.  Welcome to World 3.0.

The MBA Oath

Preamble

As a manager, my purpose is to serve the greater good by bringing people and resources together to create value that no single individual can build alone. Therefore I will seek a course that enhances the value my enterprise can create for society over the long term. I recognize my decisions can have far-reaching consequences that affect the well-being of individuals inside and outside my enterprise, today and in the future. As I reconcile the interests of different constituencies, I will face difficult choices.

Therefore, I promise:

I will act with utmost integrity and pursue my work in an ethical manner. My personal behavior will be an example of integrity, consistent with the values I publicly espouse.

I will safeguard the interests of my shareholders, co-workers, customers, and the society in which we operate. I will endeavor to protect the interests of those who may not have power, but whose well-being is contingent on my decisions.

I will manage my enterprise in good faith, guarding against decisions and behavior that advance my own narrow ambitions but harm the enterprise and the people it serves. The pursuit of self-interest is the vital engine of a capitalist economy, but unbridled greed can be just as harmful. I will oppose corruption, unfair discrimination, and exploitation.

I will understand and uphold, both in letter and in spirit, the laws and contracts governing my own conduct and that of my enterprise. If I find laws that are unjust, antiquated, or unhelpful I will not brazenly break, ignore or avoid them; I will seek civil and acceptable means of reforming them.

I will take responsibility for my actions, and I will represent the performance and risks of my enterprise accurately and honestly. My aim will not be to distort the truth, but to transparently explain it and help people understand how decisions that affect them are made.

I will develop both myself and other managers under my supervision so that the profession continues to grow and contribute to the well-being of society. I will consult colleagues and others who can help inform my judgment and will continually invest in staying abreast of the evolving knowledge in the field, always remaining open to innovation. I will mentor and look after the education of the next generation of leaders.

I will strive to create sustainable economic, social, and environmental prosperity worldwide. Sustainable prosperity is created when the enterprise produces an output in the long run that is greater than the opportunity cost of all the inputs it consumes.

I will be accountable to my peers and they will be accountable to me for living by this oath. I recognize that my stature and privileges as a professional stem from the respect and trust that the profession as a whole enjoys, and I accept my responsibility for embodying, protecting, and developing the standards of the management profession, so as to enhance that trust and respect.

This oath I make freely, and upon my honor.

Amen!

How do you survive an attack from a grizzly bear?

I laughed when I read this joke from this month's Wired.  And this is something that I totally have to share :)

Once upon a time, there were two campers whose tent is besieged by a hungry bear.  One of the campers starts to lace up his running shoes, to his pal's puzzlement - grizzlies, after all, are much faster than humans.  His pal asked him, "What are you doing, man?  Shouldn't you be running for your life already!?"

Pause here.  Now, if you were the camper with those fancy Nikes, how would you reply him?

Hold that thought.  Now, here's my humble analysis of the situation:

Problem: Hungry bear (macro problem affecting us).

Potential outcome: We get eaten (industry game over).

Constant: Speed of bear > speed of human (doomed).

Potential solution: Abandon camp and run for our lives (immediate (logical) solution).

Risk calculation: Possibility of outrunning bear = almost zero (we used to word almost because we like to be optimistic).

Very nice.  I'm pretty sure most of us follow that logical plan of action at first response.  After all, how much time have you got to spare in between bear saying first hello and you being dinner?


But if you spare 2-seconds to calm the f*** down and devise an action plan, it may totally change the outcome of the story.  So let's revisit the situation:


Problem: Hungry bear (macro problem affecting us).

Potential outcome: One of us get eaten (bear needs time to chew, which will give sufficient time for one to escape).

Constant: Speed of bear > speed of human 1 > speed of human 2 (break down facts to find your golden insight).

Potential solution: Being human 1 increases your survival tremendously (Constant versus Potential outcome = your clear solution).

Risk calculation: There's no way you will outrun the bear, but outrunning your fellow camper is still 50-50.  Therefore, survival = 50% chance (now compare with first situation).

Geddit?  Amirite?

The printed answer was:

"I don't have to outrun the bear, " the first camper explains.  "I just have to outrun you".

Exactly.

This 'joke' provides great insight to how we tackle business 'problems' don't we?  While, I don't suggest you do that to a 'pal' in the event of such unfortunate incident but it does make you think about how you approach your business, manage your competition and tackle end-of-the-world macro problems.

There are many ways to solve a problem.  But there's always one that is a clear winner. Just need a bit of calculation ;)

What is competition?

You know, good teamwork and competition are like the opposing poles of the same magnet.  How do you instil competition within the team and ensure good teamwork?  Competition means outdoing your opponent, but how do you manage that when your opponent is also your team mate?

Even if it's not so, no one will disagree that good sportsmanship will ensure competition remains constructive and positive.  That's just so ideal isn't it?

But then again, maybe it isn't that much of a myth.  Maybe that can be created?  After all we were once kids.  Look at how kids compete and you will know what I mean.

Nothing inspired this post as much as watching the grand finale of the 'Junior Masterchef' of Australia.  I'm telling you those little people are simply amazing and the things they whipped up?  They whip my ass anytime!  But above and beyond the dishes, just observing how they work and respond to pressure really taught me a lot about organisation management.  Also if you've watched the adult version, you'd realize there's a lot of difference when it comes to team challenges.  Somehow, somewhere along the way we kinda forget we were all once kids.  When kids are put into team challenges, they are highly focused on doing the best they can.  As much as they are highly supportive of one another - when interviewed singularly on camera, you could sense their positivity even though they may be disappointed with the outcome.  And they're always thinking what is it that I have done and haven't done and how can I improve in the next challenge so that I don't get eliminated.

Whilst the adult Masterchef is so different.  Maybe it's the editor's fault.  He's the chef of drama, and could be snipping intentional scenes that are spicy for ratings.  But whatever it is, you could see people bickering.  And it's always about how you are not doing your job.  You are not improving and you are a bad order-taker, bad leader, bad whatever.  What happened guys?  Whatever happened while we're growing up?

Competition amongst kids is always (almost) a clean one.  The equation is simple.  You put your best effort in, you listen to your coach, you tap into your creative energy and then you spur daringly into the battle, you give your all and may the best man wins.  But for adults - c'mon, especially to those of us who are in work organisations, this is all too familiar.  Competition is dirty.  Dirty as a dish rag.  It's political - what you say on and off the record, who you say it to, when you say it.  It's at times a personal attack - at some point, people stop focusing on doing the best they can but they're more interested in pointing out what others are not doing.  It's critical - to any lengths if the battle must be won, it must be won, at all cost.

Today, I look at these kids with greatest admiration.  I've not met a lot of people in my life, but I've certainly met some whose maturity does not even come close to what these amazing kids have.

It also taught me to look at an entirely different perspective of leadership.  Leadership is at times an iron fist, at times a pointer, at times a beacon, at times a reminder - depending on the need of the situation.  Having taught kids myself, they are sometimes so much better in deciphering intention than an adult.  Well, I've to thank this TV program for teaching me management skills :) And who says watching TV is no good?

Why is Google the number one search engine?

I'm sure there are thousands of other reasons but none as compelling as this one single fact:

There are 19,835 employees in Google, out of which 14.8% works in General and Adminstrative, 10.7% in Operations, 37% in Sales & Marketing and a slightly ahead of equivalent, 37.5% in Research & Development.

Google does not have a physical product. It provides services. Therefore, for industries which provide services, it's high time they understand that equal investment in R&D is inevitable if you want to get somewhere, and somewhere important that is. Looking at how the advertising industry works, pray tell, how many percentage of the workforce is allocated for research? What, the planners?! And how much of the agency budget is spent back on investigation on their own industry as well as the clients? I don't have numbers but I'm pretty confident that a whopping number of agencies definitely have none.

To move forward, a new mindset is in order - Research and Experiment. If we are to lead consumers and clients in this business, we've got to be ahead of them in terms of both social and technological knowledge and experience. Hmm. That's gonna be hefty.

The future of planning.

Extracted from Campaign Live:

From Context to Communication Planning, the evolving consumer and media landscape has spawned a profusion of planning specialisms; an abundance of smart, new media, new era rhetoric and opinion.

The logic goes that a more complex world requires more niche expertise: Bigger teams, made up of more specialists, for more complicated challenges.

Is this necessarily the case?

This paper describes a global project for Nokia delivered by a small, multi-skilled team.

A hybrid combination of creative strategist and strategic creatives.

Planning produced a Communication Design to deliver:
- Strategy based on Fitting in, not Standing out;
- Understanding of emerging cultural behaviour;
- Ongoing monitoring and tactical direction;
- Fluid development of creative output -planning & creative responding to consumer involvement in real time.

A strategic approach that produced more interesting work, better results and significant added value for Nokia.

*** end of extract ***

Globally, advertising giants will soon find it hard to compete with smaller set-ups that remain small for a strategic purpose. They're lean and can be mean and they're fast in ethnographic immersion, intense in cultural understanding and they're apt in building on each other's idea collectively to build a new hybrid of thoughts (that probably could not be put together by the wisdom of one. Goodbye Einstein, hello Wiki). In big agencies, there are too many furnitures, cold storages, baggages, whatever you want to call them - duplicated by the dozens, running the ad business like an automotive production line. Reminds me a bit of George Orwell's Animal Farm.

We need to be small because we need to ensure that everyone in the team brings a value to the table. There will be no hostages when there is passion. There will be no freeloaders when there is accountability. There will be no simplicity when there is a strict focus on strategy and craft. Everyone should know what he or she is doing. Running the ad business should evolve into an 'open source' kind of platform or it will fail. Why? Because, collectively, Consumers are light years ahead of the thousands of Suits and Creatives combined. We are doomed until we do something about it. Fast.