Who you work with > What you work on

Over the last three years, it’s becoming more and more clear to me that what projects I ended up working, or what cool product I get to create, are important but not the ultimate thing. When I survey the past jobs I’ve held, what made the waking up in the morning easy and exciting to go to work was the people in my team (some projects certainly sucked).

Being able to work with great team of people who are; committed, passionate, joyful, full of integrity and share the same beliefs is such a blessing. This is something that going forward, I will make sure to build into the requirements of what I build. The structure determines the outcome.

Filed under: Business, Startup

Trust, the Fundamental to a Non-dysfunctional Team

From the book: The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable.  The foundation of a functional team and an organization is Trust.

Trust is instilled.  It doesn’t happen naturally.  It’s by Design, and not by Chance.  As the leader of a team or an organization, values flow from the leader (good and bad).  So how do we instill the environment of Trust?

According to Andy Stanley, a leader should promise two things;

1) I promise to Trust

2) I promise to be Trustworthy

To trust is to offer trust without others having to do anything.  Regardless whether they have proved themselves or not.  To be trustworthy is about the leader themselves; to be worthy of your trust.  A common misunderstanding of trustworthiness or integrity is that one has to be perfect/flawless.  No.  To be trustworthy means that ‘I will do what I say, and I’ll say what I do.  When I fall short, I will be the first one to let you know, will own it, and will learn from it for future to prevent it from happening again.

We’ve all had encounter with leaders who didn’t trust us.  How did that make us feel? I seriously doubt that if we made a mistake, we’d want to openly tell them.  So that we can get punished?  In such case, information flow stops.  Productivity drops.  Instead of propelling the team or organization forward, people begin blaming everything but themselves, organizations implement processes and systems to ensure people can’t make mistakes (or punished quickly) simply out of the mistrust attitude.

Where to start?

It starts with you, the leader.  Offer trust first.  And be trustworthy.

Filed under: Business, Startup, how to create trust, integrity, the 5 dysfunctions of a team, the five dysfunctions of a team, trust, trustworthy

Peer-to-Peer Learning Group

Often I think being an entrepreneur is a lonely place to be.  Add to that being a Christian, just makes it even lonelier.  The tough spot is that, you can have lots of entrepreneurs, but yet they don’t share the same values and motivations by the faith.  Then you have Christians who often thinks entrepreneurs are just driven by money, unless of course, you do non-profit business.  It’s sad.

I see a gap.

I see the benefits of Christian accountability/community group to foster the community, help each other to grow in faith, to encourage each other on this race.  But it’s pretty often grouped by gender, life stages or geography.  Not very relevant to entrepreneurs.

I also see the benefits of peer to peer learning group for business people to learn from others experience in business, in life, in family and help each other along building their business and life.  But because the lack of faith, the advices and focus are not always the right way.

I yearn for both! So I am going to start one.

A Christian Entrepreneur Peer to Peer Learning Group (wordy)

• Completely confidential
• Open to Christians entrepreneurs who are determined to live a life with purpose
• No ‘should’s, but we share our own experiences/lessons.
• Punctual attendance, penalty for being late, for cell phone going off, for missing
• Opportunity to have guest speakers for Q&A
• A peer to peer learning group.  Not a networking and no sales

Oh…when shall this start?

Filed under: Business, Christianity, Startup, aspiring entrepreneurs, can christians start business, christian entrepreneurs, christians in the business world, doing business god's way, peer to peer learning group

Cambodia; People, Partners, Lives, Memories

Check out Mira Scholars for more info on what we are doing in Cambodia.

Filed under: Business, NGO, Startup