Bright Boy Pillar going down?

During a meeting between Rui Karanba and Pillar's operations head, a disclosure was made by the latter that Pillar's publication  is "temporarily suspended" mainly due to funding issue. The operations head said that the magazine was affected by the current issue of graft and corruption being accused to its parent company. As such, there is a cessation of funding for the magazine. 

But, wait, based from the apology letter they've sent to affected parties (i.e., writers, editors, et al.), it is stated there that the management decided to temporarily suspend the production and release of Pillar magazine to give way for the planned development of the publication. 

Pressed further, the operations head said that they are planning to put up a new title "Decon", a portmanteau of "design" and "construction". So, which is which? Temporary suspension or repackaging? To make matters worst, how come the operations head is looking for a financier for Pillar magazine, proposing a 70-30 deal. Oh, well... come what may. 

It's hard to comprehend how come a publication with a multi-billion peso backer folded up so easily. They should have live up to their name. Pillars should be the strongest parts of any structures. As such, they should have shown some pillars of strength in the industry, so to speak. If they cannot meet that expectation, they will be remembered in the industry as a laughingstock.  

If they decided not to publish, they should have likewise settled their obligations before retiring lest their credibility would be affected and their integrity would go down the drain. If that happens, anything Pillar and its affiliates will do would no longer be taken seriously. They won't be able to get back on track and do honest-to-goodness business.  

Anyways, they have promised section editor/writer Rui Karanba that they will not renege on their obligation, that they are going to pay his professional fee in full "on the payment date" (no exact date). Mr. K does not subscribe to their promises and sweet talks, yet he is allocating an iota of hope to himself just the same. Hoping is free and not harmful, anyway. Mr. K will just let the law of "K" do wonders for him.

ANALOGY: The "pillar" is as weak as the materials used by most government contractors in building overpriced infrastructures.     

My Caliraya Adventure (Day 1)

I was invited by a marketing executive of a leading pipe maker Atlanta Industries Inc., owner of Caliraya Springs Mountain Lake Resort, to attend a bloggers' event courtesy of the resort. As part of the resort's marketing campaign, the objective of the event was to increase awareness about Caliraya Springs Mountain Lake Resort using the Internet as a medium of information dissemination. The former name of the resort is Caliraya Springs Golf & Marina Resort Complex, now the resort owner would like to repackage the resort brand into making it more sporty and adventurous. The resort would like to expand their customer base by targeting groups of individuals and corporate clients, positioning the resort as a perfect place to conduct their team-building activities.

The event I was attending to is actually the third of a series of bloggers' events. Of course, as part of my due diligence, I made some online researches to arm myself with some basic knowledge about the resort before going there. I just saw a couple of blogs and browse the resort's website. I was just wondering at that juncture that if the event was already on its third batch how come there is not much online hype about the resort. Uh-ohh, maybe the bloggers ahead of us have not yet posted their write-ups, I just assumed.  

Accessibility    

Caliraya Lake is situated in the towns of Lumban, Cavinti, and Kalayaan in Laguna. Its tranquil blue waters and the cold mountain breeze that blows from the Sierra Madre mountain and Mount Banahaw make Caliraya Lake a perfect place to relax away from the bustling metropolis. 

Caliraya could be reach by public or private transport. But, as always, whenever I would like to write a blog about an out-of-town place, I would always choose to commute going there. Because first in my agenda is the place's accessibility. So, I took public transport when I went to Caliraya Springs Mountain Lake Resort in Cavinti, Laguna on September 27 to attend the overnight bloggers' event. Actually, it was originally scheduled on September 21, but due to Typhoon Mario, it was moved to another week.   

A rule of thumb when travelling sans a private vehicle is to "travel lightly". So, I and my companion didn't bring too much clothes and unnecessary stuffs with us. The write-up is meant for a blog, anyway; hence, instead of bringing a DSLR camera, I just brought my mobile phone and iPad mini with me. Their five-megapixel graphic resolution is hi-res enough for publication online. I didn't bring any jewelries as well just my water resistant Mossimo with red straps. I didn't bring maong pants as well for they are heavy in the bag. Just a couple of light fabric walking shorts, a pair of ultra-lightweight Voit sneakers, a denim jacket as insulation for cold temperature, a pair of rubber slippers, and my Eastpak travelling bag.      

Going back, there are several ways to reach Caliraya. But since I'd be coming from Manila, this was the route I've taken: I rode a Greenstar Liner bus in Buendia Avenue, Pasay City, going to Sta. Cruz, Laguna via South Luzon Expressway. The bus fare was Php140. Travel time was approximately two hours from the Buendia terminal going to Sta. Cruz.  

I got off the bus a few meters away from its Sta. Cruz terminal. There I asked some folks about going to Caliraya. The most convenient way, I was told, was to ride a tricycle, but the fare is Php300. I thought it was a rip-off; thus, I opted to take the other option--two jeepney rides. One was taking me to the terminal where all the trips were going to Caliraya. The fare was just the minimum Php8.50. At the terminal, I have to ride another jeepney that would take me to my destination. There were several other jeepneys plying to Caliraya, but I was told to take the one with the Caliraya (Lumot) signage, not Caliraya (Junction). I paid Php28 for the ride. I told the driver to inform me when we arrived at Caliraya. Travel time was about an hour.  

I didn't get bored during the trip because I enjoyed watching the rural scenery--seeing cows and carabaos, "bahay-kubo", mountain ranges, tall trees and vast greenery, among others--as the jeepney drove uphill.     

At long last, the driver told me to alight for it's already CRC, the term they've used to call Caliraya, which actually means Caliraya Resorts Club. but when I called up the event organizer to inform him about my presence in the vicinity, I was told that it wasn't the right place for I was in their competitor's lair. I was told that Caliraya Springs Mountain Lake Resort was far ahead and would take about a 20-minute ride. Oh, well! The trip was getting more exciting, I psyched myself. The trip alone was already an adventure on its own. 

As I talked to some folks there, I've learned that whenever one mentions Caliraya to jeepney drivers they would assume that one would be going to CRC. But in my case, I should have told them "golf course". So, lessons learned. "Caliraya" is for CRC or Caliraya Resorts Club; "golf course" is the local name recall for Caliraya Springs Mountain Lake Resort.

After a quick rest with matching merienda at the CRC canteen, I looked for any public transport that would drive me there at my destination. I was worried that time for I was late by almost three hours. Suddenly, there was a tricycle and the trike driver was offering to bring me to Caliraya Springs Mountain Lake Resort in the resort's clubhouse for a fare of Php300. Whoa! That's truly a rip-off. The fare of the trike driver in Sta. cruz was actually a bargain! So, I haggled and the fare went down to Php200 but it would be just at the gate of Caliraya Springs Mountain Lake Resort.    

But, wait, how about this old trike driver, whom my companion was dealing with, who was willing to take us to the gate of Caliraya Springs Mountain Lake Resort for only Php80. Okay, that's reasonable, so I turned down the younger trike driver. As we are about to close the deal with the old trike driver, suddenly, a jeepney was fast approaching. It stopped right there on where we stood to allow some passengers to get off. Without wasting any time, we hurriedly boarded the jeepney. The fare was only Php8.50 from CRC to the "golf course".  

Arrival 

After an hour, we finally reached our true destination. There I saw a billboard at the center island showcasing the water sports and adventure one could experience in Caliraya Springs Mountain Lake Resort. Then, on the left side, there is a "Caliraya Springs" engraving. "So, this is it!", I exclaimed.

I immediately called the event organizer and he dispatched a van to fetch me and my companion. The sight of a sprawling landscape and rolling hills and the smell of weeds and grasses have brought a calming effects to my numb legs and asses. 

The Hyundai van carried us to the Marina or activity center of the resort. There I saw the majestic appeal of the serene waters snaking through the lake and the bluish water in the infinity pool. I took some snapshots of the mountain ranges and the vast landscape. After all, our "adventurous" rides were all worth the while.

We were given a bottled water each as our welcome drinks, but it would be more refreshing, I told myself, if we were offered the Basil with Tarragon in Lime Tea--the chosen welcome drink for that day as stated in the event's itinerary. It is customary for me to taste cuisines and drinks native or special to the place I visited. 

After a brief talk with the event organizer, I was led to my Amihan Villa by a member of the resort staff. The villa is on the other side of the lake, so we crossed a zigzag wooden bridge. While crossing the bridge, I saw some white ducks wading in the waters, a couple quietly paddling their kayak, and the sun beginning to fade.  

The villas are actually "bahay-kubo" or nipa huts. These spacious villas can each accommodate up to eight persons. they have no windows, just doors made of strong fabric and a see-through curtain. But what is interesting is the pillars that support the bamboo structure for they are made of PVC pipes. "How innovative," I wondered. The resort owner Atlanta Industries Inc. has incorporated their products in the design of the villas.

The villas are all lined up along the lake shore where the obstacle course is also set up. On the back of the villas is a phalanx of trees and mountain ranges, serving as natural fences.

Since I was late, I wasn't able to join any activities lined up for that day. I just to a short nap. Then, we were called to gather in the clubhouse for our dinner. The van took us, bloggers, to the site.  

We proceeded to the View Deck. I've seen some more event participants there, but there were no familiar faces. No introduction was made by the event organizer to introduce one another for familiarity sake. A moment of silence, and finally, dinner was served: yang chow fried rice, hainanese chicken, inihaw na dory, chop suey, and the special Caliraya Spring bulalo were the main course. The dessert was pandan salad. The food was great!

Nightcap

After dinner, I was toured in the clubhouse by the marketing executive who invited me to the event. He showed me the entertainment facilities (billiards and videoke rooms), accommodation (hotel rooms), locker rooms (made of wood), and the sauna and massage area. I heard him offering me to try the spa and have a relaxing massage, but when I was about to nod he immediately turned about by saying there was already a group going to use it. Oh, well. Such would supposedly serve as a perfect compliment for a tired body. I just took a sigh.    

After taking some snapshots of the place, we went back the Marina. We gathered there to have a bonfire activity. Then, we headed back to our respective villas. We would start our activities at 7:00am tomorrow, so we better have an early good night sleep. 

At the Amihan Villa, I took a half bath, brushed my teeth, and put on Off Lotion to my arms and legs (to repel insects and mosquitoes). I drank the bottled water given to me earlier as my welcome drink bottoms up to cap the night.    

  

The cool breeze that kept wafting through my hair while I was lying on one of the mattresses made me feel sleepy. Suddenly, my eyes closed gradually 'til I went into a deep slumber. The chirping of nocturnal birds and rustling of leaves served as my sweet lullaby. Surely, I would feel rejuvenated the moment I wake up. The fresh air, cool temperature, and serene atmosphere made me feel like sleeping in a hotel suite with acoustic walls cooled by a 2-hp air-conditioner. But the only thing is, when I'm "lucky", I will end up snuggling some creepy crawlers. Because I saw earlier before going to sleep two fireflies, a moth, a giant bug, and three big ants roaming about on the villa's bamboo floors and mattresses. I just shooed them away before turning off the lights. And that's the wonder of nature within reach at Caliraya Springs Mountain Lake Resort.

Watch out for the next blog, My Caliraya Adventure (Day 2), to be posted soon.

On growing up

Just a simple acknowledgement could give a 'pillar' of strength to a wearisome 'bright boy'. But too bad, the boy is not getting it from the company who enticed him to do stuffs for them. After he performed his part of the deal, all his communications are now falling from deaf ears. He doesn't know who's to blame. He doesn't know if the company is unprofessional or the people there? Anyway, they represent each other just the same. Lessons learned. Thus, never deal with a subsidiary whose parent company is being accused of bribery and corruption. They may be a different juridical entity from each other yet the core values are still the same. What the leader does, the people do as well by voluntary or by force. Sometimes, it is better to be rude than rue your kindness. The bright boy now is a grown-up man.

Speech repetition: A question and an answer at the same time

Linguists use to say that repetition or restatement of an idea not only promotes clarity, but also encourages the acceptance of an idea. Such speech input-output imitation often occurs independently of speech comprehension. 

But in some cases, a repetition serves as an annoyance, and in some other cases, as a simple response or reply to a question being asked.

Let me illustrate to you a few classic examples.

Scene 1: Riding an elevator 

English version

Elevator passenger: "Going down?" / "Going up?"

Elevator attendant: "Going down." / "Going up."

Tagalog version

Elevator passenger: "Bababa?" / "Aakyat?"

Elevator attendant: "Bababa." / "Aakyat."

Scene 2: Going to some place

English version

Person 1: "Just walking?"

Person 2: "Just walking."

Tagalog version

Person 1: "Lalakad lang?"

Person 2: "Lalakad lang."

Scene 3: Acknowledging someone

English version

Person 1: "OK?"

Person 2: "OK."

Tagalog version

Person 1: "Ayos?"

Person 2: "Ayos."

By changing the intonation of the sentences, one could actually come up with a question and answer set. In the above illustration, put a question mark to a sentence or say it in a rising intonation would make it a question form. Put a period and lower the intonation, and presto, you have an instant answer to the same question. But change the period to an exclamation point and that would make the statement an annoyance or exasperation. The trick is to just play it by the ears. 

Therefore, repetition or restatement of an idea—exact repetition or restatement for that matter—also provides an answer. It's like providing-answer-to-your-own-question kind of stuff.

Burger Avenue is ridiculous indeed!

Burger Avenue's Ridiculous Burger (smaller variant)

Yesterday, I and a few colleagues would like to have some fun. So, we all agreed to go to Zark's Burger in Bonifacio Global City for a food trip--to take on a challenge and munch real big burgers a la Adam Richman of 'Man vs. Food' fame. We all skipped lunch in preparation for our gustatory craving.

Unfortunately, we weren't able to locate Zark's Burger branch in BGC. Where the hell it is? So we ended up at Burger Avenue. Burger Avenue has also a similar food-munching challenge. But out of frustration of finding Zark's, my colleagues backed out and I was the only one joining the challenge.

Burger Avenue brags about its 'Ridiculous Burger', consisting of three big, thick, juicy quarter-pounder patties in one burger. But the said burger is still no match to Zark's Jaw Breaker (weighs 1.5 lbs.) and Tombstone (weighs 2.0 lbs.).

So I decided to take on the 'Ridiculous Challenge'. While waiting in line, I and my colleagues talked about the challenge and how I would possibly consume the big burger in about five minutes. I was so excited and hungry too.

After several minutes of waiting, finally, my order arrived. To my surprise, the size of the 'Ridiculous Burger' that was served to me was not intimidating enough. So I told myself that I can do it. Then, I called the attention of the cashier to signify my intention to start the challenge. But the cashier was ignoring me, so I approached the counter. I told the cashier that I'm ready but the cashier said that I didn't told her of my intention to take on the challenge. That's ridiculous! I and my colleagues were chatting all along about the challenge and our chatting was loud enough to be heard by the people inside the restaurant. Thus, I told the cashier she should, at least, confirm what she heard, or make a suggestion. The mere fact that I wanted the 'Ridiculous Burger' the first thing that should come to mind is the challenge, right?

At that point, the supervisor sporting tattoos on her arm butted in. At first, she sounded like what happened was my fault because I didn't inform them. Whatta f@#k! So I explained my side and she finally gave in.  So she took the burger that was served to me and asked the kitchen crew to cook a new one.

As it turned out, that 'Ridiculous Burger' has two variants: the non-challenge size, which is smaller, and the challenge size, which is the real biggie one. What I received was the smaller variant. What a rip-off! Such cheap trick is ridiculous, indeed! Whether or not one will be joining the challenge or not, one should get the same product, as advertised, that he or she paid for. 

Besides, you would most probably be ordering the 'Ridiculous Burger' mainly because of its extra-large size; therefore, even if you don't want to take on the challenge you should be getting the same extra-large size--no more, no less! 

To proceed with my story, the larger variant of the 'Ridiculous Burger' was finally served to me. Now, it looks intimidating and true to form. Then, my challenge had begun.

I could have hurdled the five-minute eating challenge if not for the following hindrances:

• The tattooed supervisor started the time way too early. The clock ticked the moment my hands touched the wrapper to open it.

• The burger was served right after it was cooked; therefore, it's too hot for me to handle and swallow.  

• There was no fork and knife provided on the onset. Thus, it chipped off several seconds on my time waiting for the fork and knife.

• The burger patties tasted a bit saltier than its typical burgers. The saltiness somewhat slowed me down.

In a nutshell, I've lost. But no regrets for I enjoyed that breeze moment, plus I satisfied my big craving. What am I not happy about was the way Burger Avenue trying to dupe us. Don't do that to customers, especially first time customers like some of my colleagues, for they won't be coming back!

As a tip to first-timers to Burger Avenue, even if you have no intention to join the 'Ridiculous Challenge', always tell the counter that you want to take on the challenge when ordering a 'Ridiculous Burger' so that you would be served the extra-large size, not the smaller non-challenge variant which is about the same size as the McDonald's Big Mac yet cost twice as much.

By the way, Burger Avenue has also its 'Silly Burger' but I'd rather not go back there. To be 'ridiculed' twice is silliness.

Let’s ‘Dudefy’ the Corporate World

"It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change."  

— Charles Darwin

The corporate world is rapidly changing. The acceleration of all things—as we enter the realm of intelligent infrastructure, mobile technology, and smart automation—offers tremendous pressure for companies to change the way they do business. Thanks to some great dudes for making it happen.

The once mighty hierarchical organizational structure is being run to the ground. The market is being pounded by constant product and service innovation. The hyper-innovative industry is getting smarter and smarter. Virtual office set-up, fast fashion craze, instant business model implementation, and the increasing reliance on multitasking ability are just among the new realities for business. Only those who have the ability to align themselves to high-velocity future trends can survive the new corporate rat race.

Multiple careers

Expect today’s workforce to be completely different in terms of how they view careers. According to Rudolf Melik, author of "The Rise of the Project Workforce: Managing People and Projects in a Flat World", a book that provides a comprehensive reference for enterprises that are making the shift to a service-based and project-based structure, “[The younger generation of workforce] fully expect a career path that will allow for multiple different jobs and careers throughout their lifetime, simply to avoid the boredom and tedium that comes with routine. They want to be provided with a regular stream of new projects and varied assignments and responsibilities.”

This paradigm shift is easy to understand because these are the generation who've seen their parents right-sized, outsourced, re-engineered, and transformed, said Melik in his book. “[These younger generation of workforce] come to embrace the reality that there are no guarantees, nothing is long term, and that much of their success will come from their ability to constantly reinvent themselves,” added Melik. According to trends and innovation expert Jim Carroll in his write-up “Don’t Mess with My Powder, Dude!”, his surveys showed that more than 50 percent of American kids now believe that self-employment is more secure than a full-time job.

In addition, Melik views today’s employees as “fiercely collaborative and extremely team oriented.” These ultramodern employees define themselves by what they like to do, not by what they do for a living. Melik points out that these employees don’t subscribe to the concept of a corporate work philosophy that says you have to come to a certain location every day to do things.

Virtual office

“The concept of nine-to-five will have just absolutely disappeared. It doesn’t mean that we’re going to become a nation of home offices, but I think there will be a lot more choices that people will be making as to where and how and when they’re going to be doing the work and what constitutes the organization,” according to Gyle Konotopetz in his write-up the “Futurist eyes next-generation work trends” published online in Business Edge.

Today’s generation of workers prefer to work on a per project or contract basis, rather than full time. They don’t give a damn whether they have an office or not (although, the concept of SOHO or small office, home office, and hoteling are designed specifically for them). They’ve got their smart phones, tablets, or laptops to communicate and do stuffs. They have their webcams and are always online; thus, they can work anywhere and can collaborate with anybody around the globe.  

“I think they’re just going to shake up the concept of the workplace to a huge degree. The reason that hasn’t happened is because of simple boomer resistance to change,” Gyle said. In addition, Gyle has predicted that broad changes can be seen in the corporate structure 10 to 15 years from now as the baby boomers, who have been very resistant to change, will eventually be out of the workplace. 

           

Flat organization

           

For some time now, the predominant workplace trend has been to go flat—giving rank-and-file workers direct access to top management and even the company president. It is an organizational structure in which middle-management functions have been eliminated. It shortens the time to achieve decisions, and at the same time, brings the decision makers close to the “dudes” and innovators.

           

In the book “The Art of Possibility”, the conductor Benjamin Zander describes the flat organizational structure as “leading from any chair”. According to Zander, the system has produced many of the most innovative products and services that people use these days. There is a problem, however, of leadership gap—the traditional route to leadership has been shortened. Also, there are chances of loose control because there are too many subordinates under one manager.

In the web article of Scott McDowell “Why Flat Organizations Don't Create Great Leaders (& What To Do About It)”, he proposed that effective management can be achieved by cultivating leadership in the flat organization, i.e., hiring someone with a strong drive and execution, rewarding leadership, institutionalizing mentorship, among others. By encouraging autonomy and self-direction, a flat organizational structure strives to tap into employees’ creative talents and to solve problems by collaboration.

            

Less aggressive companies opt to establish communication hubs—like the so-called brown bag and town hall meetings—that would serve as a venue for top executives to reach out and talk to rank-and-file employees.

Smart casual

Smart casual is a loosely defined dress code that is casual, yet smart. It is a multi-purpose outfit that is acceptable for formal occasions, dating, or casual social gatherings. Oxford Dictionaries define it as "neat, conventional, yet relatively informal in style, especially as worn to conform to a particular dress code.”

Global men's fashion business Topman emphasizes the flexibility of smart casual by stating that an individual's personality and comfort level of clothing choice defines the dress code. On the other hand, women’s magazine Fashion Central defines a woman's smart casual from an employment perspective by emphasizing the importance of understanding the workplace's environment and culture.

Smart casual outfit can include a mixture of jeans, chinos, blazers, sweaters, dress shirts, or a pair of decent sneakers or leather shoes.

In Japan, the Cool Biz dress code, which is part of the austerity campaign launched by the Ministry of the Environment (MOE) in the summer of 2005 as a means to help reduce the use of air conditioning to save on electricity consumption, advises workers to wear trousers made from materials that breathe and absorb moisture. Additionally, workers are encouraged to wear short-sleeved shirts without suits or neckties.

Speaking of suit and tie, Virgin Group founder Richard Branson regarded the suit and the necktie as having no place in today’s corporate world. In an interview published in a column at leading business magazine Entrepreneur, Branson believes that suit and necktie don't serve any practical purpose and office workers have been complaining about how uncomfortable they are for generations. The workers feel like they’re putting nooses around their necks every day. Branson further said that the suit and tie is an anachronism; there is no viable argument why gentlemen should wear ties. For Branson, a sweater and corduroy trousers are his standard business attire.

Aside from Branson, U.S. president Barrack Obama, U.K. prime minister Tony Blair, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, among others, are frequently appearing in public without necktie.

            

The author of “The Smart Creative's Guide to Dressing for Work” Dr. Christian Jarrett said in his article that clothes affect people’s mindset and alter how they feel about themselves. Dr. Jarrett cited a US research published in 2007 by saying that employees described themselves as feeling more productive, trustworthy, and authoritative when they wore a business suit at work, but more friendly when wearing casual clothes. Voila! If that is the case, then wearing smart casual could bring the best of both worlds in smart dressing.

Flexible schedule

           

The Boston College Center for Work & Family conducted a two-year research in collaboration with six large U.S. companies: Amway Corporation, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Honeywell, Kraft Foods, Lucent Technologies, and Motorola Inc. The research project is aimed at assessing the impact of workplace flexibility.  Results from this study of 1,353 employees and 151 managers suggest that, in most cases, greater workplace flexibility is a win-win situation for both companies and the individuals they employ.

           

Accordingly, workers who are given opportunities to do their job more flexibly are more dedicated and productive, are more satisfied with their jobs, and are better able to manage their lives outside of work. On the other hand, companies that allow flexibility in the workplace (e.g., flextime schedule, telecommute arrangement, on-call basis, etc.) are finding that their commitment is paying off as manifested by increased in productivity, better quality of work, and lower employee turn over rate.

Employees using daily flextime are more likely to say that this flexibility has a positive impact on their productivity, quality of work, and their plans to stay with the company. For individuals, the findings are equally exciting. Employees working flexibly are more satisfied with their jobs, more satisfied with their lives, and experience better work-life balance.

Way forward

More and more corporate executives are coming to realize that it’s time to throw out the old ways and try some things that are new. Those who are slow to react will be having a hard time to catch up in the new corporate rat race. Those who are unwilling to take good and calculated risks will be facing more uncertainties. Those who are afraid to embrace changes in the workplace and marketplace will just be expediting its corporate extinction.

They have learned that the way forward is not by relying upon their company's solid foundation and traditional way of doing business. They have realized that to deal with the high-velocity future, they must do away with their unyielding, slow-to-respond corporate norms, but instead introduce some new policies to make their companies attuned to the times.  

Running one’s business in this fast-paced world is as important as managing the affairs of today's “agile” workforce, who is sometimes temporary, always transient, part-time in nature, tech-savvy, and multi-skilled in background. The increasing specialization of knowledge, rapid career evolution, relentless market and business change, and globalization have led to an ever-growing reliance on project-based “workforce for hire.”

In the keynote speech made by global management guru and leading futurist Jim Carroll for the Monster Government Solutions Human Capital Management Conference in 2010 in Washington, D.C., he mentioned the shift from continuity to flexibility and the importance of attraction, not retention in the workplace. Carroll said that the depth of the baby boomer skills exodus is of such a degree that there's a need for a lot of flexible work policies in order to retain them, but at the same time, there is a need to play into the unique career attitudes of the younger generation. He further believes that lifestyle, not loyalty is what made workers happy and contented at work.  

           

Welcome to the era of corporate dudes.

REFERENCES:

Branson, R. (2012). Richard Branson on Office Ties and the Company Dress Code. Retrieved from http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/223670#ixzz2W3Xi25Aq

Carroll. J. (2012). Trending in 2012: What’s to Come in the Year to Come? Retrieved from http://www.jimcarroll.com/2012/12/trending-in-2013-whats-to-come-in-the-year-to-come/#.UbkfzpyeQa8

Jarrett, C. (n.d.) The Smart Creative's Guide To Dressing for Work. Retrieved from http://99u.com/articles/14510/the-smart-creatives-guide-to-dressing-for-work

Konotopetz, G. (2006). Futurist eyes next-generation work trends. Retrieved from http://www.businessedge.ca/archives/article.cfm/futurist-eyes-next-generation-work-trends-13793

Melik, R. (2007). The Rise of the Project Workforce: Managing People and Projects in a Flat World. Retrieved from http://www.amazon.com/Rise-Project-Workforce-Managing-Projects/dp/047012430X

Coursera - Writing II: Rhetorical Composing

Ohio State University

Assignment X: Revising Rhetorically

By Ludwig Ritchel A. Kalambacal

23 June 2013

The Corporate Dude

"I do defy old-fashioned business norms. I do defy worn out company conventions. I dudefy the corporate world."

“My life has no purpose, no direction, no aim, no meaning, and yet I’m happy. I can’t figure it out. What am I doing right?” — Snoopy (Charlie Brown's dog)

To "dudefy" is "to transform into a modern day dude", as defined in the UrbanDictionary.com.

Originally, its root word "dude" was used to describe a "fancy-dressed city folk who went out west on vacation". In this usage it first appears in the 1870s, according to TheFreeDictionary.com.

After more than a century, in the late 1990s, the infamous comedy film "The Big Lebowski", whose main character nicknamed "The Dude", became a classic cult. As a result, the word "dude" got a negative connotation—as a "lazy person" or an "unemployed slacker".

But thanks to the "Dell Dude" commercial advertisement in the early 2000s for it somewhat gave the "dude" a facelift. The ad campaign was a huge success and not only helped bring prominence to Dell computers, but to the self-proclaimed dudes of that time as well.

The phenomenal "Dell Dude" ad paved the way for dudes to penetrate the corporate world. "Dude" became an office buzzword, an everyday expression of strong feeling, and a fashion statement.

Today's dude is no longer bound by a set of stereotypes from past generations. He is now becoming more self-aware in learning new and better ways in a rapidly changing world. Today's dude is all about blazing new trails, trying new methods, and challenging the old school.

Coursera - Writing II: Rhetorical Composing

Ohio State University

Assignment 3: Making Visual Argument

By Ludwig Ritchel A. Kalambacal

18 May 2013

The Accidental Writer

I never thought that I would be a full-fledged English writer. I don't even dream of becoming one.

Like some of my fellow coursemates in Coursera's Writing II: Rhetorical Composing, writing was just an outlet and a hobby. But through the years of my struggle both in life and my career, writing became a constant companion. It's now became a big part of me. It gives me joy and comfort as well as provides me a sense of fulfillment and, yes, even money.

I remembered when I was in primary school, my favorite subjects were science and math. I already memorized the multiplication table at a tender age of nine, and had a good grasp of the periodic table of elements at the age of 10. In high school, I always had my good grades in Physics and Algebra.

No wonder, my parents were expecting me to take up medicine or engineering course in college. Out of filial piety, I would just simply nodded whenever my parents would ask me to take this course or take that course when I graduate. But the truth is, I wasn't sure where I was heading after high school. Like fellow Coursera coursemate Tukura John Daniel, the thought of becoming a soldier had became a childhood wish. Thanks partly to my favorite superheroes, Superman and Iron Man, for they somewhat instilled in me some sense of patriotism.   

But my lack of direction in life had contributed much to my dilemma. After high school graduation, I eventually ended up enrolling in a course meant for "undecided students", i.e., Bachelor of Arts. I took AB in the oldest school in Asia, the University of Santo Tomas. In this course, I was introduced a great deal in those fields that were entirely not my interest. Those subjects that, for me, were too boring, like Literature, History, Philosophy, Economics, and Theology.

Whenever I'm attending those subjects, I always felt that the "Law of Relativity" was catching up with me, i.e., an hour of lecture session seemed like a few minutes whenever I was attending my favorite advanced Algebra and Physics subjects, but an hour of lecture seemed like forever whenever I was in my boring subjects.

Hence, I couldn't help myself but to admire the sense of direction of another fellow coursemate Maewest Dias. The moment she stepped into the university, she already knew where she was heading. No wonder this lovely writer, who hails from a remote railway town of Bhuwasal in India, is now an accomplished professor of World Literature in the United States.

After a semester of whiling away my time, I discontinued studying in the AB course. I transferred to another college and shifted course from AB to BSBA, major in Computer Management. No, I've never chosen the course because I've already made up my mind. I just chose it because computer technology was the trend then way back in the 90's.

Like most trends, my interest in the course had faded fast. After barely two years, I saw myself again in the same situation—transferring to another college, this time to a business school, and shifting to another course, this time, I took up business management.

The learner-centered teaching methodology of the De La Salle University - College of Saint Benilde, a reputable business school in the Philippines, made me decide to stay in the course. I could say that the teaching methodology was so effective for it made me appreciate those "boring subjects" that I used to despise before.

Moreso, I learned to explore new fields. In this situation, I can't help myself but to relate my experience with fellow coursemate Alex Owen-Hill. In one of his course write-ups entitled "A Fresh Pair of Eyes", he confessed, "I’m addicted to the process of learning. There are only a few times in my life that I can bring to mind, when I haven’t been enthusiastically engaged in learning some new skill or other." Like Alex, I'm also addicted to learn new things. My quest for more knowledge had led me to attend a seminar-workshop on creative writing.

The Palanca Creative Writing Workshop became instrumental in discovering and shaping the writer in me. In this workshop, I produced my very first "technical" poetry. I considered it technical because it was composed with meters vis-a-vis rhymes—very much different from those monotonous rhyming poems I wrote during my elementary and secondary English classes. In fact, the said poem was published in the literary folio Shades of Gray under the title "The Old Temple".

It was quite a fulfilling experience to see your own composition on print. Nevertheless, I didn't consider myself a writer yet. I merely considered my perennial feat as an opportune accomplishment.

After college graduation, I worked for some reputable companies handling various positions of responsibility. As for writing, "it was nothing more than escapism", to quote coursemate Tukura John Daniel.

In 2000, another publication ensued. This time my sonnet "Beggars and Cars" was published by the International Library of Poetry in the coffee table book "Ballads of Our Lives". 

  

Writing, indeed, became my outlet to express my emotions. I used to keep a Moleskine a la Ernest Hemingway to record my spur-of-the-moment ideas, positive reflections, personal notes, business agenda, doodles and sketches, among others. Like Tukura, "writing was something I did either for fun or to lighten up my heart when burdened. The notion of becoming a writer at that stage of my life appeared far fetched and bluntly impossible."

I'm thankful, however, that my talent in writing is giving me an edge in my management career. I was able to make my business proposals more enticing, and my internal correspondences more compelling.

In spite of my stable career, there seems to be a missing factor. It feels like my life would not be complete without this—and this is the joy of writing. My feeling toward writing is best described by coursemate Alex Owen-Hill: "Writing has been a continuous force throughout. It has provided me an outlet, both to organize my disparate daily thoughts and to create brand new connections between whichever area of knowledge I’m currently interested in and those which have come before."

Again like Alex, "I can’t remember specifically how my writing started, it’s been a sort of continuously layered process for as long as I can remember."

Due to my ability to write vis-a-vis my eclectic knowledge in various industries, I was able to penetrate the advertising world by sheer conviction. I was in a real estate conference when I met this advertiser, who happened to read my industry write-ups. He asked me if I could write a copy for his firm. Without hesitation, I said "yes" eventhough deep inside I was taken aback for my swift response.

But risk-taking is sometimes needed to level up in one's career. This copywriting engagement had opened the door for me to work on several more projects until I bagged the editorial position in Archikonst—the Philippines' longest-running architecture and construction magazine. 

Until today, I'm still enjoying my post as the chief editor of the said magazine, yet my quest for knowledge never stops there because I know, in the words of fellow coursemate Maewest Dias, "something bigger still awaits me." 

Coursera - Writing II: Rhetorical Composing

The Ohio State University

Assignment 1: Getting to Know One Another

By Ludwig Ritchel A. Kalambacal

12 May 2013

Follow this link to read the draft and original manuscript: http://padlet.com/wall/wexmooc_levelup