“STRATEGOS – The New Era

A General observing an on-going battle with his military advisers - Strategos

Strategy and Strategic derived from the Greek root-word, Strategos. It is a title meaning, General or Leader and are used to this day. Over the years, the words are used as reference to Office or Command of a General where all the works of leaders are made to be carried out.

So where is the General’s Office? It used to be on top of the hill overlooking at the battle formations of troops lying across the plains. There are leaders who lead from the front – Guan Yu, Alexander, Napoleon, – who used horses for height and speed advantage. Technology and rival tactics changed all that.

Natural leaders like Ulysses Grant are among the first to recognise leaders need not be in frontline to be able to see, control and plan how things to go in battles. This cut the risks of losing the person who thinks on saving lives of others. What happens if the leaders are to die first in business? Whole organisation will ultimately fail.

Being involved in strategy has been the key activity for our firm. Unfortunately some professionals misused the word strategy when they are actually in the field of planning, accounting and other major aspects of organisations. This was the problem encountered by Bower (McKinsey), Drucker (Father of Management) and Henderson (BCG) when defining their art.

2011 represents a new era where leaders of the World are to conform new sets of international rules of conformity after disastrous this few years in almost everything we did from money markets, constructions to diplomacy.

The Strategos / Leader shall lead the way.

Win-Lose Proposition in Life

From an innocent question of a manager from Fortune 100, “What is new in MIENS?” - it became a signature course at year-end 2010 with Intel, Alor Star’s Nursing College, Penang’s Nursing College having participated and a few more in the books.

MIENS has always been on research and development of solving management problems and understanding of leadership activities. So much so, our Principal – Erasmus teamed up with Dr Daisy Kee (USM) and Prof. Dr Zainal Ariffin (UNITEN) to work on a leadership book in 2009. What is new? We took off to the tangent with W-L Proposition in Life which explores the largely unwanted part of Conflict Management theory – Win-Lose or Lose-Win.

Do You Know?

After accumulating feedbacks from various excellent organisations be it Private (Pvt) and Public (Pub) sectors, these are some strong trend indicators to suggest the following:

1. 99% started out looking for the top position in career.

2. 22% (Pvt), 77% (Pub) are well-equipped with a career path plan.

3. 10% (Pvt), 44% (Pub) willing to take smaller roles.

4. 33% (Pvt), 54% (Pub) currently have other occupations such as MLM, Insurance, Tupperwares, etc.

5. 67% (Pvt), 86% (Pub) are willing to swap loyalty to the other industries when their “other occupation” turns better.

T'was a Time - Tribute to Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu

Just before his 90^th Birthday, I’d met up with Tun at the appointed time. My purpose was to write his biography.

Our 4-hour conversation was kept behind closed doors and at his request, no records were to be made.

I asked two insight questions: How was the critical thinking done that leads to the fateful decisions made after 1969? Would Penang be as dynamic as Singapore or Hong Kong?

He took time to answer one of the questions. Unfortunately like the other two would-be personal biographers before me, he had chosen not to reveal his life-story. I miss this Old Free dearly who rightly deserved to be our King’s Scholar – Erasmus Koay

8 GOLDEN RULES OF #BUSINESS

1. RESPECT OTHERS, RESPECT YOURSELF.

2. BUSINESS AND SOCIAL FIRST.

3. ANY GREAT EMOTIONS, TAKE IT ELSEWHERE.

4. FOR WEALTH THEN CHARITY.

5. DELIVER AS PROMISED.

6. CONFIDENTIALITY AMONGST MEMBERS.

7. TIME IS BOTH YOURS AND MINE.

8. TIMELY AND ACCURATE INFORMATION, AS BEST AS POSSIBLE.

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GENERAL ORDERS

1. SPEND MIN. 1 HOUR MIN. #BUSINESS PER DAY ON PURE BUSINESSEFFORTS. FILL IN FORM 1 TRANSACTION AS TO WHOM YOU TALK TO, SUBJECT MATTER. RETURN THE FORM AT END OF MONTH TO #SOPs FOR REVIEW. #AOPs ARE TO ASSIST IN TALLYING SCORECARDS, GOALS AND OBJECTIVES.

2. TRY NOT TO FLOOD. IF NECESSARY TO EMAIL ALL MEMBERS ON THE LATEST ARTICLES, THOUGHTS, IDEAS, PROPOSALS YOU MAY HAVE TO GAIN THEIR INTERSTS.

3. ONLY REGISTERED MEMBERS WILL GET TO KNOW THE WEBSITE, ONCE THEY HAVE EMAILED THEIR PROFILE INFORMATION, NATURE OF BUSINESS, CONTACT NUMBER COMPLETE. FORM 2 MEMBERSHIPMUST BE USED FOR ALL REGISTERED INFORMATION.

4. PRESENT YOURSELF AS A PROFESSIONAL AS TO WHAT YOU HAVE DONE AND WHAT YOU CAN DO, DON’T BRAG. GOOD JOKES ARE WELCOMED.

5. IN DOUBT OF BEHAVIOURAL RULES, ASK OPs.

6. SOPs ARE LIMITED TO 3; AOPs ARE TO BE MINIMUMLY 7; EVERY MONTH END, ALL OPs ARE TO VOTE AOPs TO BE SOPs BY HIGHEST NOMINATIONS. ALL PREVIOUS #SOPs ARE TO BE ORDINARY OR VOICED MEMBERS (PER THEIR OWN REQUESTS).

7. FOUNDER/SUCCESSOR IS A TITULAR ROLE AND FOR EMERGENCY USE ONLY.

8. VOICE SHALL BE GIVEN TO MOST ACTIVE MEMBERS ON DAILY STATION BASIS. GUESTS ARE ALWAYS WELCOMED.

9. WEBSITE ON MEMBERS INFORMATION / DIRECTORY SHALL BE KEPT CLASSIFIED.

10. ALL OPS CANNOT KICK, BAN FOR ANY REASONS UNLESS DEFYING GOLDEN RULES, GENERAL ORDERS, STANDING ORDERS, SUPPLEMENTARY RULES. FORM 3 MUST BE USED FOR ANY BANs. (SEE STANDING ORDERS ON KICK/BAN)

STANDING ORDERS

KICK/BAN

1. PRIOR TO KICK, CITE NON-COMPLIANCE TO ONE OR MOREPARTICULAR RULING WITH 1^ST WARNING. NO APOLOGY REQUIRED.

2. REPEATED OFFENCE, KICK WILL BE PROVIDED WITH CLEAR CITED REASONS.

3. IF OFFENDER REMAINS SELFISH AND DO NOT BEHAVE CONSTRUCTIVELY, THEN A BAN WILL BE IMPOSED AND CAN ONLY BE UPLIFTED BY ANY OF THE OPs THE NEXT DAY. FORM 3 SHALL BE USED.

4. PERMANENT BAN – TO BE DISCUSSED WITH FOUNDER/SUCCESSOR.

MANAGEMENT

1. FOUNDER/SUCCESSOR CANNOT INTERFERE WITH ANY DAY-TO-DAY MANAGEMENT OF #BUSINESS UNLESS HE IS TO MASS DEOP ALL #SOPs DUE TO DISSATISFACTION.

2. OPs CAN BE ABSENT WITHOUT NOTICE DUE TO MANY REASONS INCLUDING BUSINESSES AWAY. NO CHECKS AND NO TEMPORARY OPs NECCESARY.

3. NEW RULES TO BE PUBLISHED – WILL BE REVIEWED ONCE EVERY 3 MONTHS (QUARTERLY MEETING) ON A FIXED DATE AND TIME.

4. A RESOLUTION WILL BE PASSED BASED ON THE MEETING, AND ANY ITEMS TO BE VOTED SHALL BE DONE BY EMAIL. NO PROXY VOTES ALLOWED. VOTES SHALL COME FROM FOUNDER/SUCCESSOR, SOPs AND AOPs AND RESPECTED VOICED MEMBERS. SIMPLE MAJORITY IS SUFFICIENT FOR STANDING ORDERS. 75% VOTES MAJORITY IS SUFFICIENT FOR GENERAL ORDERS AND CONSENSUS (100%) IS REQUIRED FOR GOLDEN RULES. VERIFICATION OF VOTES IS BY EMAIL ADDRESS SIGHTED.

5. FORM 1, 2, 3, 4 SHALL BE REVIEWED AND VERIFIED.

INFORMATION

ALL BUSINESS INFORMATION SHALL BE PUBLISHED IN WEBSITE AND ARE FREE TO BID BY INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS OR JOINT-EFFORTS. NO INFORMATION MUST BE KEPT BY ANY INDIVIDUALS, OPs AND FOUNDER/SUCCESSOR FOR HIS/HER OWN INTERESTS.

NEGLIGENCE IN OBSERVING THIS ORDER IS ALLOWABLE BUT DELIBERATE ACTIONS TO CONCEAL OR DISTORT INFORMATION FOR OWN USE WILL RESULT ANYONE IN AUTOMATIC AND TOTAL PERMANENT BAN OR IN THE CASE OF FOUNDER/SUCCESSOR REPLACED. NON-NEGOTIABLE.

MEMBERSHIP

NOT AUTOMATIC AFTER 14 FEBRUARY 2011. ALL MEMBERS MUST BE RECOMMEND BY 2 MEMBERS . HE/SHE SHALL HAVE A MENTOR OF SAME TIME ZONE (VOICED, OPS OR FOUNDER). IF NO SAME TIME-ZONE FOUND, A MENTOR SHALL BE ALLOTTED.

GUESTS

VISITORS, GUESTS ARE WELCOMED. MEMBERS ARE TO GUIDE THEM

MEMBERS

MEMBERS ARE REGISTERED AND SHALL ABIDE TO THE RULES SET WITHIN. FAILURE TO CONTINUOUSLY OBSERVE RULINGS MAY RESULT PERMANENT BAN. NON-WORKING GUESTS ARE INVITED TO BE NEW MEMBERS.

VOICED MEMBERS

SERGEANT-AT-ARMS OR THE VOICED MEMBERS ARE THE MOST RESPECTED, QUALIFIED AND WORK-EXPERIENCED MEMBERS OF HIGH CALIBRE WHO HAVE SUFFICIENTLY AND REPEATEDLY OFFERED ADVICE, BUSINESSES, IDEAS, ETC. THAT MEETS THE REQUIREMENTS OF #BUSINESS. THEY MAY EVEN BE FORMER WORKERS CURRENTLY RETRENCHED OR STUDYING.

AOPs

1. CAPTAINS OF #BUSINESS TO ENFORCE AND ALERT ON BEHAVIOURS.

2. HELP TO KEEP THE CONVERSATION IN ACCORDANCE TO THEME OF THE DAY OR ANY BUSINESS EFFORTS.

3. ASSIST SOPs IN MEETING OBJECTIVES.

4. TO APPOINT VOICED MEMBERS (IN TRULY EXCEPTIONAL CASES, FROM MEMBERS) AS REPLACEMENT AOPs, WHO SHALL BE INFORMED BY THE FOUNDER/SUCCESSOR.

5. MAJOR ROLES: PLEASE DISCUSS WITH THE AOPs AS TO HOW THEY CAN CONTRIBUTE.

6. TO VOTE AOPs AS SOPs AFTER 30-DAY OF SERVICE.

7. TO ORGANISE REAL-LIFE EVENTS.

8. NUMBERS MAY BE EXPANDED BEYOND INITIAL 7 DEPENDING ON PROJECTS.

SOPs

1. GENERALS OF #BUSINESS ARE TO LEAD.

2. SET THE THEME OF THE DAY(WEEK).

3. POST NOTICES. FORM 4 NOTICE AND ALERTS TO BE FILLED.

4. TO SET AND MEET OBJECTIVES.

5. TO SET AND REACH GOAL.

6. 3 MAJOR MANAGEMENT ROLES: MARKETING (INTERNATIONAL), BUSINESS, FINANCE

7. PLAN WITH AOPs ON ACTIVITIES.

8. TO VOTE AOPs AS SOPs AFTER 30-DAY OF SERVICE.

9. NUMBERS ARE LIMITED TO 3.

FOUNDER/SUCESSOR

1. TO ENSURE ALL RESULTS TABULATED BY SOPs BEFORE RELINQUISHING POSTS. IF RESULTS ARE WITHHELD BY THE ANYONE, THIS SHALL FALL UNDER STANDING ORDERS OFINFORMATION.

2. TO CONFIRM AND ANNOUNCE NEW SOPs/AOPs.

3. PLAN WITH SOPs AND AOPs.

4. UPDATE THEMES.

5. UPDATE WEBSITES.

EX-SOPs

1. CHOOSE BETWEEN MEMBERS OR VOICED MEMBERS.

2. CAN BE RE-VOTED AS AOPs/SOPs AFTER BECOMING MEMBERS OR VOICED MEMBERS.

3. LEADERSHIP BY EXAMPLE.

Old application: mIRC; New channel: #Business

Gong Xi Fa Cai,

Ever since the 2 newsletters been launched issued in Dec 2010 and Jan 2011, Advisor's Digest has been a little bit quiet. We are still considering running parallel communications.

Here's a 3rd way... consider using social networks such an old application like mIRC.

I have been in mIRC since June 1996 and over the years, it survived over ICQ and other setups which died off. We all certainly remember "ah-oh" before its been replaced by other VOIPs including now the popular Skype.

So why mIRC didn't die when the world has video-imaging and voice talk? Because its still the most basic way of chatting and feeling safe without someone looking at you or look into your private information. You can have your own nick(name)s as many as you want.

So what is #Business?

The intention is to have a unique business learning and business networking centre. We know some of the regulars and some have even become very successful. Unfortunately, some of these people have left mIRC and gone into the real world.

Business world is about who you know, what sort of relationship you have with them usually starting from social-relationship, grew up in school together and one day, working side by side. Some even become husbands-wives. Others, great friends.

So take this opportunity to promote #Business and lets prosper together.

Erasmus

Strategos: Launched December 2010

The Inaugural Issue of "Strategos" was launched in 20th December 2010.

It is meant to be a newsletter that serves as a "light-tea" and thought-opener for top managers to workers who like reading and trading ideas.

MIENS’ first newsletter was published in 2006 as “Limited Resources” to reflect the mood of the Firm with its clients at that time.

On top of positioning ourselves in the market as the management consulting in Penang see SmartPenang (under InvestPenang), http://smartpenang.my/index.php?option=com_sobi2&catid=70&Itemid=60

we have decided to come up with a new masthead for our newsletter, Strategos.

We were asked by people how often will be the publications, readership etc. All we can say for now, we would love to hear from our readers as to what interests them.

Customer Satisfaction First.

For all references, we tried to contact the original people and including the family of late Tun Dr. Lim.

So, do give us your feedback!

Here's the first article from the newsletter and more to come. Enjoy!

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Coming to 12 years of efforts translated to one break-through conclusion, a true management consulting professional firm for Malaysians, by Malaysians and accountable to Malaysians.

Successes had been measured in many ways; often used are profitability, resource availability and market shares. MIENS still has a long, enduring path to emulate the likes of McKinsey & Co., Boston Consulting Group and Bain & Co.

2010 – we had met all our challenges set by clients and certification bodies namely SGS and BM Trada. We have included new clients including a Fortune 100 company*, new associates, market domination of the nursing colleges in Northern region and our first very own trend-analysis to support the research for our book-writing project.

With reliable trend-lines, we can continue to provide useful solutions for top management that helps to discover and develop positive directional thinking

2010 - with the actual posting of 9.8% sale growth for 3^rd Quarter beating an earlier 6.8% estimate by Retail Group Malaysia and a further a 2.2% boost in Black Friday sales in US compared to 2009 (see http://miensdigest.blogspot.com/2010/11/black-friday-increase-in-us-retail.html), the industry analysts believed there is a slower recovery in the world economy despite the continuous rise in cost of living.

Economic growth is certainly the good news for our clients and for us. So let’s welcome 2011 with a big shout!

* - changed from newsletter due to non-disclosure agreement.

Are We Really Off the Hook?

Malaysian fish exports to EU resume after long suspension

http://news.malaysia.msn.com/regional/article.aspx?cp-documentid=4485006>

The European Union said Friday its trade in fish and fishery products with Malaysia is back to normal, after it suspended imports more than two years ago over health concerns.

"After two years of intensive and fruitful cooperation between the Malaysian and the EU authorities, trade flows have resumed, in full compliance with EU standards," European Commission ambassador to Malaysia Vincent Piket said.

"We will jointly continue to ensure that only products complying with the highest food safety standards will be traded between the parties. That's what today's consumer expects," he said. In 2007, Malaysian exports of fish and fishery products to the EU were valued at 600 million ringgit (190 million dollars).

The ban came about during a period of severe economic turmoil 2007-2008. In terms of food safety standards, the fish food ban was listed together in the same time with Melamine cases in China's milk powder products.

Are food producers really concern about consumers or are they concerned about their production being halted?

Though we cannot place blame squarely on producers because they too have mouths to feed, investment made to be returned to, loans to be repaid and so on, however, years of neglect and inconsiderate standard of productions after making enough earnings should open the eyes of profiteers to food safety issues for their consumers.

When we were called-in by one of the largest and well-known Certification Body (CB) to take-over a particular case involving food safety standards, our sound appraisal was well-received by the owner of the Soya Sauce Manufacturer. It is most unfortunate that he has met many other consultants who made promises for good returns and delivering nothing in terms of end-result: the food safety management certification.

We salute the Business Owner who had inherited the 45-year old family business for his business ethics when he chose not to cut-corners but to continuously improve on his business. Though we were unable to deliver what he wanted after consultations with the CB and have his business on as a Client, we are proud to associate with him.

Kudos to Business Owners who are not "hooked" onto profit-making alone but ensuring public health is first and foremost, assured.