The Intelligent Climber

Senior Associate Director (SAD) Intern Ko ended his internship last Friday and with that, a heavy load was lifted off his shoulders.

He has seen much, heard a lot and learned plenty. A friend posted the question as to whether Intern Ko loved his internship. The question was posited in a smirking sort of way, as if from high horse, deriding those poor servitiles who lack courage and unquestioning conviction (or passion) to do whatever 'makes them happy'. Perhaps the questioner was half expecting Intern Ko to supply him a pained 'I hate my life and I would rather be climbing' answer.

Closing his eyes, he gave the question some thought. When the knot around his forehead eased and the eyelids unfastened themselves, the answer was clear. "I don't love my job, but I like it. It provides me with opportunities to learn, to become a contributing member of that industry. Nobody else would bother to teach me otherwise."

All those resumes Intern Ko sent out writing about how he has no prior experience but is humble and willing to learn, that he is willing to put in those extra hours if necessary, blah blah? He laughs at himself now. What naivety. The sad truth is that no company is willing to take in someone without experience and train him up from scratch. Employers want their recruits to be able to hit the ground running. Intern Ko has little prior experience. Neither does he have any strings to pull. Even if the latter option was available to him, he would detest to exercise it, for he thinks himself a principled man.

Intern Ko is inquisitive. He went around asking his colleagues whether they liked their jobs. He received a plethora of replies, ranging from the "Sheesh I can't wait for the day to end" to the "I want to climb the ladder quickly" responses. Of these replies, one was particularly memorable. In fact, it was more than that. It was epic, mind-numbing and enlightening. It certainly taught him a thing or two about life. The grizzled, battle-hardened veteran (construction industry) of some 20 years replied, "This is my job. There is no like or don't like. I've got 2 young children to feed".

Intern Ko finds it funny that some people think passion is about adorning it proudly on their chests and shouting about it. It is immensely amusing how it has recently become fashionable for passion to take center-stage and for sustainability to be shuttled to the back. Should it turn out that a majority of people concur that the frivolous and idealistic pursuit of passion is the proper way to go about doing things, then he must agree to disagree. He thinks that passion is not about recklessly throwing oneself into any endeavour without having done due diligence first. Passion is to be suffered for.

Intern Ko wonders if you have read the news recently. Did the news of an ex top Chinese gymnast forced to theft/buskering on the streets to earn a living, because he was unceremoniously dropped from the national team when he injured his tendon, shock you? Will the study revealing that ex top athletes being forced to meager existences following their illustrious careers, because their art has little transferability to the real world, scare you? He provides the example of an Olympic decathlon gold medallist, who could only find employment as a postman following his no-doubt remarkable career. There have also been reports of some even resorting to selling prized medals to eke out the green stuff when the going gets tough. Closer to home, superstar P's day job is an environmental officer - he checks train hygiene for a living. Intern Ko is not trying to pour frigid, dampening water on the blazing, indomitable dreams of his peers. But he urges them to exercise caution. Live the dream, but beware the consequences.

Intern Ko had a class gathering recently. At 24 years of age, some of his friends are growing up into fine young men. Already now the differences are becoming apparent. Some are scholarship holders, some started their own businesses, some already have the ability to provide for themselves. He may find it easy to holler about his passion now, but what about in 20 years' time? Imagine then, he sees his friends holding down successful careers, with happy, wholesome families. Will he still dare sit in that circle with other established businessmen/professionals, having nothing to his name yet still have that same school-boy conviction to preach about having fun at the expense of all else?

He doesn't know.


P.S. The title is taken after that of a book by Benjamin Graham, "The Intelligent Investor", which (Ex) Intern Ko is particularly fond of. A counsel of soundness, a recommendation of conservativeness, advice to employ judgement. And heh. They say imitation is the best form of flattery.

說好的幸福呢?

怎麽了 你累了 说好的 幸福呢
我懂了 不说了 爱淡了 梦远了

Cynicism

Step 1: Understanding

Working in an office, while conceived to be a dull and dreary activity by some, has interesting moments. More precisely, there are moments of revelation where you go, "Ahhh.. Now I see.."

I've had the privilege of observing, albeit from afar, an assortment of sales teams. They (in their various capacities with the investment, commercial, residential and industrial segments) work tirelessly to close deals.

The world of closing deals is a zero sum game. I win or you lose. There is no grey area. There is only have or have-not, has or has-been. I've watched a colleague working hard to close a deal (sale of a commercial property) for close to 2 years, only to have it snatched from him right under his nose. Needless to say, he was in a foul mood the entire morning. Eyes flashing and the veins at his temples pulsing, he looked ready to snap at the slightest provocation. I could sense his stormy aura a mile away. But by afternoon, he's already licked his wounds and gearing up for the next big deal.

Job Title: Competitive Competition Competitor

Perhaps no one can express the exasperation, frustration and angst better than Jon, second placed competitor for the Azimuth Hang Challenge. "6 hours of torture and nothing to show for it". This gutsy dude had the verve to bite the tile in a desperate bid to not let go. He wanted to win that badly. Dear Sir, I salute your audacity. For what it's worth, I would also like to say, "Try harder next time". But I know that he, like me, has little use for petty words of consolation. That we do not say such things to each other is a testament to our friendship.

It's so obvious to see. Typically they plod along as they walk, but when they seal the deal, they prance about with a little skip in their steps. Before is a customary stiff disposition and a stern countenance, after yields a distinguishable swagger and an uncharacteristic grin. They issue press releases about it (the adult version of bragging).

The one conclusion that I've drawn from my observations, is that the 'It's okay to fail. It's not about the results, it's all about the process/journey' is a lie told by teachers to school children. In the business world, there is no such moddle-coddlying. Companies have to answer to their shareholders, and this necessarily makes them profit-driven. There is little room for error. To put it harshly, 'it's the journey, not the result' may well just be a convenient front the failures seek refuge behind.

Shouldn't there be some reward for effort?

Some tangible form of reward for those people who toil, sweat and slave? When I voiced my idealism to a senior in the company, he replied curtly, "This is a result-oriented society. Deal with it." In the world of sales, it's all about the results. I wonder why - what with commissions and promotions tied to it. What value-add do you bring to the company? Get revenue or get out.

It's a harsh world. Grow up Jansen.


若是英雄 怎麼能　不懂寂寞 If you claim to be a hero, how can you not understand loneliness?
- Lin Jun Jie (曹操) (Cao Cao)