Sajak “SARAPAN KUASA”

Ratusan juadah berbaris.
Pulau bulat di tengah-tengah.
Seluruh dunia berkumpul di sini.
Lelaki barat dan timur.
Perempuan barat dan timur.
Kanak-kanak bermata biru dan coklat.
Wanita Arab berjilbab membawa setimbun roti dan croissants
Sup meiso dan dim sum dan roti canai.
Sosej, hash potato, tomato yang dibakar.
Salad dan buah buahan dalam dan luar.Lima jenis jus.
Kepingan daging nipis bernama seakan-akan tidak halal.
Perempuan Melayu bertudung membawa nasi lemak sambal udang.
Dan orang seperti aku yang campur semua.

Kolam renang yang tiada perenang.
KLCC yang malu-malu di celahan hutan batu.

Kutanya penuang kopi bernama Patrick berbaju maroon
RM40 satu kepala.
Aku teringat kanak-kanak bermata hitam dari Sik.
Mampukah ke sini?



Abu Adam
Planter’s Inn, Crowne Plaza Mutiara, KL
4/4/2007

Middle Managers caugh in the middle.

In this organization, there are 30 to 40 middle managers, defined as those sitting in between junior executives and senior management teams. They are normally heading a section or a small department less than 20 people or so. The internal survey done has indicated middle managers are a trouble lot. Their subordinates labeled them as selfish, work-centered and spend less or no time in providing direction and guidance to juniors. CEO was upset and wanted the root cause be identified. He invited them to his Company-provided sprawling house for a barbeque. Being one of the troubled lot, I was there too.
Foods were lavish from eastern fried noodle to western tender juicy steak. After that, everybody was seated around the big rectangular-shaped table. A small presentation from organization development department manager followed, on definitions from wikipedia and survey results. We debated quite intensely on who middle managers really were. Then CEO asked what did we think about the issues facing us. Every was made to speak their mind out. Ideas flowed like water. Most believed middle managers are trapped between delivering results and developing young executives. Their experienced staff are taken away due to downsizing. They are overworked. They have to guide and coach new entrants. It is their KPI now, part of their performance contract. They have datelines to meet. Their superiors keep saying they are slow in delivering results., Opportunities at the top are limited. A manager from project engineering department said his 2 experienced project engineers were moved to HQ for promotion, and he was doing everything from writing status report to chairing progress meetings with contractors. And even worst, he blamed HR people, which is me, for not acting fast enough to find replacements. I got the heat. I listened without a word. Yes I am a good listener now.

I talked about an arsenal of tool HR has got. We had the best consultants hired by the HQ working for us. The problem with us is the implementation. Even though the intention is good, how we deliver the initiative can make or break the organization. Take one example – performance appraisal. We’ll talk about this monster later.

You’re closer to God up there in the cloud!

My duty as a HR Manager takes me almost weekly to our world headquarters some 45 minutes by air from the plant. A day’s meeting at the HQ warrants for a day trip which I go early in the morning and returns late in the afternoon, on a relatively small fixedwing aircraft. It is a Beechcraft 1900D, 10 times smaller compared to familiar Boeing 737 or 747 or Airbus. The chartered aircraft seats 19 persons in two rows of 8 seats each row. The backseat seats 3 persons horizontally, just like seats in a bus, I mean land bus. There is only only entrance which is in the front.
The cockpit is visible from the passengers at the back in the cabin. No curtain or door. You could see clearly activities in the cockpit. I used to wish how someday I would be in there, but my time has passed I guess.

For those who have never flown in the small aircraft, the feeling is just being in the confined space such as manhole or elevator. You are cramped with a little window with dull view. At the check-in counter, after they check your identity, they take your weight plus your stuff. Earmuff is provided. No refreshment onboard. No welcoming onboard greeting. Only a brief safety briefing on the location of the emergency exit and how to wear the oxygen mask, should it falls from above you.

When it hits the cloud, the aircraft swayed to the left and right and left. You remember God and read all verses from Koran you know so that you will be safe. You remember death and your wife and your kids. You forgot God once it is back on the ground, safely. Well, that’s human.