Friday's Five: 5 Lessons My Ex-Bosses Taught Me

If there was one thing I was lucky with when I was still working in corporate, it was having great people as my bosses. Below are their words which made a significant impact in my life and something that I will always remember.

1. Never fall in love with your brand. -Joseph Charles Cruel (then Senior Product Manager at Universal Robina Corporation when he became my boss; current Assistant Vice President at Asia Brewery, Incorporated)

Chay, as he was fondly called, taught me to always use my mind when making decisions. Feelings would usually cloud one's perspective and can lead to biased output. Falling in love with your brands make you myopic; you might not be able to see its weaknesses or if there is something about it that you need to fix.

While it is imperative to take care of the brands you handle, falling in love with them might be counter-intuitive especially when situation heeds that you should already move on to handling bigger things.

2. Each of us has 24 hours in a day. The only difference is what you do with it. -Bong Serevo (Vice-President, Canon Marketing Philippines, Inc.)

If there was one thing that was notable with Sir Bong, it's that he is always punctual. He arrives at the office at 7AM which makes it hard for his subordinates to do otherwise. In my case, I have almost always been punctual. If I am not, those are rare occasions that probably got me into some kind of emergency. Or in few cases, I really intended to be late.

3. There will be times when you won't need to be kind. However, you need to be fair. -Alan Chng (then President of Canon Marketing Philippines, Inc.; current President of Canon Marketing Thailand)

Disciplining has always been a hard part for me. I have a soft heart. I acknowledge that as my weakness. However, my previous boss gave me a very good guideline which I follow in really tough occasions: just be fair. These words have helped me a lot in evaluating difficult situations and coming up with solutions in the most reasonable and fairest way possible.

4. You could do more by working less. -Lim Kok Hin (President, Canon Marketing Philippines, Inc.)

This is something that I struggled to understand at the beginning but the more Mr Lim talked about this tenet, the more that I appreciated its beauty. It is quite sad that I am only beginning to fully understand this philosophy now that I am out of Canon but I am glad that he was the one who introduced this to me first. The book I am reading now, The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss talks a lot about doing more yet working less and it is something that is currently blowing my mind :)

5. There will come a time when you have to choose between your career and your family. Always choose the latter. -Agnes Fernando (she was my direct superior as Assistant Director, Canon Marketing Philippines, Inc.)

This, by far, has been my guiding principle and I am forever thankful to Ms Agnes for giving me this kind of inspiration. Women always seem to be at a disadvantage in the corporate world. While there are many rising female CEOs, few of them would have families to take care of and juggling these two can be quite tough. In many cases, compromises are made because women get pregnant or need to attend to their kids. However, I believe that family should always come first. When you are good at what you do, work is a rubber ball that will bounce back but the years you lose watching your kids grow or nurturing your marriage can never be brought back again.

I hope you enjoyed my first edition of Friday's Five for 2015. How about you? What have you learned from your direct superiors? Share!!! :)

xx,
Balot

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5 Reasons Why You Are Never Promoted

I am loving my Friday's Five list. Today, I would share something that I have learned back when I was still in corporate. I have had my share of climbing up the ladder. I am very grateful for all my mentors and the two companies that nurtured my professional growth.

Over these years, I have also had my share of recommending staff and evaluating peers for promotions. I have encountered many instances when people ask, "When will I be promoted?" or "Why am I never promoted?" Well now, I would like to share with you five reasons why that prized promotion eludes some people:

"When will I be promoted?" or "Why am I never promoted?"

1. You are incompetent. 

Well of course, this goes without saying. Almost ten years of working and you will really encounter people who cannot (or would not) do their jobs right! They do not have initiative to create new systems to improve current workflows. They cannot execute a plan. I could go on forever. 

On the other hand, those who get easily promoted are usually the ones who are self-driven. They do things without them being asked. They have initiative. They are catalysts of the organization -- looking for ways to improve processes; generally, they help in finding ways to make things better.

2. You do not have relational skills.

There is this school of thought that argues that competence and skills are everything. However, theorist Daniel Katz outlined that human or relational skill is very important as you climb up the corporate ladder. Staff do not like slave-driver bosses nor those managers who would treat others as minions. Peers would love to work with someone who they are at ease with and bosses, they want someone who are on their side, turning their vision into smaller chunks of reality. People who they can talk to easily and can relate to them (because yes, your bosses are human, too!) 

Source: http://5bs.net/management/

I learned this lesson the hard way. When I started, I was all about getting the job done and had no time for tittle-tattle. 

Then, a mentor told me this (and this stuck to me really well): If you would like to request someone to do something, do not just rely on email. Give them a call, talk to them in person. Give it a personal touch. While you are at it, try to get a sneak peek of who this person really is. Build a relationship. Because this [personal connection] gets things done easier and faster. You are not in the workplace to make friends, yes. But it is sure a hell of a bonus!

3. You keep on making excuses. You are late for a meeting. Excuse. You don't show up for the meeting. Excuse. Your mailbox is always full and you do not reply to emails. Excuse. Something went wrong in an event. Excuse. You get the drift.

The funny thing that I have noticed is that most of the time, the people who are usually like this are the ones who have entitlement issues. What a pity!

4. You do not have a sense of accountability. This is one of my pet peeves - people who keep on playing the blame game. When shit hits the fan, they feel that it is everyone's fault but theirs. 

In my observation, the most successful managers are the ones who rise above a calamity or a challenge and solve a problem even if it was not part of their jurisdiction. They extend a helping hand not because it is equivalent to an increase in salary or another step up in their career but because they just sincerely care.

5. You do not have passion [or love] for the company. When management decides on a promotion, they would usually evaluate their decision based on your long-term commitment to the company. Even if you are that good, you still won't get promoted if you keep on criticizing the establishment you work for. This is similar to all relationships. How you would expect your husband or your boyfriend to treat you right if you continue giving them flak?!

There is this one saying that always reminds me of this: Don't bite the hands that feed you. Sure, your company might be having some problems in this area or what-not; but seriously, which company doesn't? Cut it some slack. If you can't, the door is always open for you to look for your perfect company [which I believe does not exist]. Just stop bashing.

There you go! Working in corporate is fun and as long as you enjoy it, the opportunity for growth and learning is really immense. I would never trade my experiences in corporate life for anything else. Those lessons have made a character out of me and made me stronger and wiser in dealing with the challenges that extend to my personal life. 

How about you? Have you ever asked why you were never promoted? Or if you are the boss, what is your reason of promoting or not promoting someone? Let me know! <3

xx,
Balot

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Corporate Junkie No More.

“Imagine life is a game in which you are juggling five balls. The balls are called work, family, health, friends, and integrity. And you're keeping all of them in the air. But one day you finally come to understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. The other four balls...are made of glass. If you drop one of these, it will be irrevocably scuffed, nicked, perhaps even shattered.” - James Patterson, Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas

My career defined me. That is exactly the reason why my blog was named as such -- because I lived for and loved my work. And probably a little too much. 

Quitting a job that I loved beyond belief was one of the hardest decisions  in my life. I loved what I do. I loved Canon... I still do. A younger version of me would have never thought of ever stopping to be the corporate junkie. But an older version of me would have scolded me if I chose to stay.

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Kahlil Gibran on Work

I just wanted to share this wonderful piece from Kahlil Gibran on finding purpose in what you do. I hope you'll like it, too!

On Work

Kahlil Gibran

You work that you may keep pace with the earth and the soul of the earth.For to be idle is to become a stranger unto the seasons, and to step out of life's procession, that marches in majesty and proud submission towards the infinite.
When you work you are a flute through whose heart the whispering of the hours turns to music.Which of you would be a reed, dumb and silent, when all else sings together in unison?

Always you have been told that work is a curse and labour a misfortune.

But I say to you that when you work you fulfil a part of earth's furthest dream, assigned to you when that dream was born,And in keeping yourself with labour you are in truth loving life,And to love life through labour is to be intimate with life's inmost secret.

But if you in your pain call birth an affliction and the support of the flesh a curse written upon your brow, then I answer that naught but the sweat of your brow shall wash away that which is written.

You have been told also that life is darkness, and in your weariness you echo what was said by the weary.And I say that life is indeed darkness save when there is urge,And all urge is blind save when there is knowledge,And all knowledge is vain save when there is work,And all work is empty save when there is love;And when you work with love you bind yourself to yourself, and to one another, and to God.

And what is it to work with love?It is to weave the cloth with threads drawn from your heart, even as if your beloved were to wear that cloth.It is to build a house with affection, even as if your beloved were to dwell in that house.It is to sow seeds with tenderness and reap the harvest with joy, even as if your beloved were to eat the fruit.It is to charge all things you fashion with a breath of your own spirit,And to know that all the blessed dead are standing about you and watching.

Often have I heard you say, as if speaking in sleep, "He who works in marble, and finds the shape of his own soul in the stone, is nobler than he who ploughs the soil.And he who seizes the rainbow to lay it on a cloth in the likeness of man, is more than he who makes the sandals for our feet."

But I say, not in sleep but in the overwakefulness of noontide, that the wind speaks not more sweetly to the giant oaks than to the least of all the blades of grass;And he alone is great who turns the voice of the wind into a song made sweeter by his own loving.

Work is love made visible. And if you cannot work with love but only with distaste, it is better that you should leave your work and sit at the gate of the temple and take alms of those who work with joy. For if you bake bread with indifference, you bake a bitter bread that feeds but half man's hunger. And if you grudge the crushing of the grapes, your grudge distils a poison in the wine. And if you sing though as angels, and love not the singing, you muffle man's ears to the voices of the day and the voices of the night.

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Day 97: Tips on How to be a Good Team Player

“Engage people with what they expect; it is what they are able to discern and confirms their projections." ― Sun Tzu, The Art of War
There are many people who go to work everyday and they can't seem to put on a pleasant disposition. This somehow saddens me because work pretty much occupies half of our day and being dragged on to the four corners of the office is such a heavy burden for one to carry.
I have been through this situation. Now, however, I feel blessed that I love what I am doing. I am even more grateful for the words of wisdom that were imparted to me today and I would like to share them with you. 
Did you know that there are THREE MILLION Filipinos who are currently unemployed (data as of January 2014)? Quite a number, isn't it?
We often take things for granted and complain all the time - how we hate work, how the grass is greener on the other side. There is only one answer to this - if we are not interested to work anymore or we gripe so much about where we are or what we do, then maybe the right thing to do is to let go. This is hitting two birds with one stone: one, it takes you to your first step of getting what you really want (if you really know what you want), and two, it exemplifies your virtue of fairness. But that could be a whole new post altogether so let's talk about that another day.

Photography by Eastop from www.sxc.hu

For today, let's focus on those who stay and how we can make each other's lives easier by being a good team player. These are some of the words that I have heard today which totally inspired me.
1. Give updates even when not needed.
I am totally guilty of this. I seldom give updates. When I do, it is usually because the boss asked for it. So as a resolution to this, I have decided to send the boss a weekly status report of my team's deliverable. You don't only save time discussing issues as they arise, you also create a certain peace of mind among everyone in your team.
2. Stop the blame game and take accountability.
Yes, we often fall into this trap of blaming other people. But someone told me that before you blame your staff when things go awry, blame yourself first because you were not on top of things or you did not bother to know the status of the team's projects.
3. Offer your thoughts, provide input, give feedback when delegating.
This is especially true for people in supervisory or managerial level. Passing on work is different from delegating. If you pass on everything, what on earth are you still there for? You should know everything that is happening "under your wing" and provide suggestions or comments to make the project better. On this note, make sure that when you delegate, you personally know how to accomplish this task yourself so you don't lose credibility and won't be accused that you are delegating just because or worse, because you cannot do it yourself!
4. Be reliable. 
Have you ever noticed that there are people in the organization who are almost friends with everyone? He or she is everyone's go-to? Why them? It is simple. This is because they are easy to work with, always willing to lend a helping hand, always willing to listen, always willing to go the extra mile. Don't you want to be this person?
5. Be a positive agent in the team.
No one wants to be with a chronic downer. Feelings are contagious. Working relationship is affected by the moods of everyone in the team. Give a dose of happy pill everyday so work comes in breezy and light for everyone.
That's it, loves. Those are the little lessons I learned for today. Hope you get to apply them. 
To quote Max Ehrmann in Desiderata, "Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing winds of time.
xx,
Corporate Junkie

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Day 86: Happier At Work: Top 5 Reasons Why I Am A Happy Bubble

Illustration by Alyssa De Asis

This is me -- a self-confessed Corporate Junkie. 
My teammates think I am too energetic. Too happy. I do not know what happened. Or when this happened. In fact, I used to be called Tita Panchita because I was always grumpy at work. Somehow, after nine years of working, you get to have a change in perspective. 

So probably, it is because of these reasons -- 

1. My team. My team is formed of self-confessed (also) dysfunctional people with their own psychosis but I love them nevertheless. Sometimes, we hate each other. Most of the times, we just laugh things off (or sing things off). Lahat kasi sila patola. They are special in their own little ways.  

Over almost a century that I have been in the corporate jungle, I am soooo grateful to be working with a team that I like, at least 90% of the time -- from my URC clan to Canon. I am blessed.

2. The Company I Work For. Most employees would struggle for this the most. I always hear people say that those who can be happy with work are the ones whose personal values and mission in life are aligned to the organization that he/she belongs to. I am lucky that at this point in time, my values and goals considered, I feel that I am where I should be, professionally. I am blessed.

3. I get enough sleep. This is such a basic, negligible factor but I realized that ever since I got plenty of sleep, I felt better and more energetic. This, of course, means that there is a good practice of work-life balance. I am blessed.

4. I get to do other things besides work. Speaking of work-life balance. I get to read the books that I want to read, play with Sachi, update my blog, talk with the husband and actually have weekends! Of course there are weekends which require me to work but those are activities that are fun and meaningful (these are our corporate social responsibility / CSR projects). I am blessed.

 5. Things get done. Think of a worthy project. Fight for it. See it come to life. I love the empowerment and how supportive the organization I am involved in is. It is a company with a brain, but most especially, a heart; probably the reason why I love what I am doing. I am blessed.

Many of us take a lot of things for granted. I did. But now, I realized that I have been lucky. I am lucky. I love what I do and I am grateful for what I have. Little things -- sleep, an approved program, a weekend event which could actually let you make a difference. Truly, it is all about perspective and I am thankful that my eyes are opened to that. 

xx, 

Corporate Junkie

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Day 77: How To be Happy At Work

You can be happy at work. Sounds ridiculous? Probably yes, for most of you. There is this school of thought which says that work is not supposed to be enjoyable -- that is why you get paid to do it. If not, then you can just get a hobby. But I beg to disagree because I really believe that one can be happy while employed.

Today marks my seventh year in the company I work for and I am happy and grateful. So to pay it forward, I would like to share how you could be happy at work: 

1. First, cultivate the attitude of gratitude. There are millions of people who want a job. As of February this year, that is 12.1 million Filipinos, to be exact. While we all want to be on vacations forever, (trust me, all I want is to be at the beach front, sipping a mojito and reading a darn book), we do not have a choice, at least for us, the working middle class, who need to pay the bills. So be grateful for that you have a job. As what Max Ehrmann said in the Desiderata, "Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time".

2. Know what you want. Not everything will be perfect. Just like any other aspect in your life. You can be frustrated but if you do not know what you want five years into the future, you will not be able to make the right step today. This is not only looking into what you want to become professionally (a CEO or what-not) but also basing it on your personal life. Knowing what you want will help you align your values to that of the company's and when they are in sync, there is a big probability that you will be happy at work. 

I will give you an example. When I was younger, I wanted to be a great marketing manager. I reached that pinnacle in my life. I was able to push all the product categories I handled to the number one spot. There were times that I dreamt of my products (in their life-size forms) gobbling me, haunting me when their market shares slipped to number two position. So I worked hard (of course, with the help of my team). And that was the price. I brought home work, I breathed work, I dreamt of work. I went on overtime and it did not matter, all because I knew what I want and I wanted to achieve it. 

3. Be open to change. Changes happen in an organization. They always say things happen for a reason and I would like to believe that this is true. If there is one thing I learned in my nine years in the corporate world, it is never to  resist at the onset of change. Give it a try once. If you do not like it, at least you can look at someone in the eye and proclaim that you gave it a chance but it just did not work out as it should be. 

Changes bring about discovery. If I wasn't transferred to my current post, I would have not discovered that joys of corporate social responsibility. I think that this role has opened my eyes to the world of goodness; that people help each other for a common advocacy. And this is what I love the most about what I do. It makes me appreciate the good in everyone and it continue to assure me that every day, there is a hero willing to change the world in his own little, priceless way.

4. Persevere. Success does not happen overnight. You call it climbing the corporate ladder because you have to take a step at a time. Hard work and patience are key elements to success.

5. But, do not settle. Work is so much like a relationship. It is not a one-way street. You have to give each other what you both deserve. At some point, compromises will be made but it should be a symbiotic relationship where both parties benefit from each other. 

If you are unhappy, I think that it is best to part ways rather than harbor a growing ill feeling and become bad eggs. Sometimes, there are just things that are not for us and we should accept that things are just not meant to work out. As my new favorite song goes, Let it Go. :-)

How about you, loves? Have you found a compatible partner company yet? :)

xx,
Corporate Junkie

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Day 76: Happy at Work - On Work-Life Balance

Note: Late post for yesterday. Was so happy there was still Mr. Sun when I left the office.

Work-life balance is important. I think everyone in the corporate jungle would agree with me. There will be times when you will be required to stay a little more than your 9 hours, say for example, when you are preparing for an important activation. However, I feel that it is imperative to also have a life out of the office. Life outside the office does not mean hopping from one party to another. It simply means time to do something else during a work week -- like going home and you still have time to read a book, play with your pet (or kids) and other things you enjoy doing. 

In my earlier years as a corporate person, I literally drowned myself in the office, voluntarily. Maybe that was the reason why I was a really grumpy person or that I always had my bouts of migraine. Or maybe not.

However, as one ages, we tend to want to do more meaningful things. Five years ago, meaningful meant partying; or probably drinking until one in the morning with my colleagues and still going to the office the day after. It WAS fun. I suppose age changes that. I can barely keep myself up now until midnight and this is coming from a previously self-confessed insomniac. 

Now, all I want to do is put in an honest 9 to six job. Efficiency, now for me means that you can be able to finish what you have to do in a day's time. I leave the office (unless I have something important to attend to), go home and spend time with Edzel and Sachi, or spend a little time with my blog, or do my meditation thing or curl up with a book. 

Now, I really can say that my life is happier. I feel happier, sometimes all too happy according to my team (hehe, sufficient sleep is the answer), and content with my career and life is general.

Someone once said, It's the little things that matter. Indeed, this is true. Little things create tiny ripples that bring a tidal wave of change in our lives.  It is up to you what these little things will be -- small bursts of sunshine or spots of cloud and gloom. Remember, what you reap is what you sowed.

xx,

Corporate Junkie

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Day 73: When Work Gets Personal

Many people say, "Separate work from your personal life. They are two different worlds." I beg to disagree. 

On my last post, I have written about how the friendships I have fostered with my teammates have made my professional life so much happier (and quite honestly, more efficient). There are some executives who would argue and would say that it is best to create a gap from people at work to maintain "professional distance". While I agree with this, I would still like to exercise my professional freedom and be the best version of who I am -- a talkative, honest Balot who cannot live without a close relationship with people she works with. Yes, I am THAT involved. I don't want to be a boss; I want to be a mentor.

While people would argue that friendship gets in the way of professionalism, I have realized (and somehow, proven) that this only applies to teammates with low EQ (and IQ, probably). People who I have worked with and who exemplified high potential know the border of where friendship and professional relationship lies. 

There may be blurred lines along the way but it all boils down to one thing: RESPECT. It does not matter what your management style is, as long as people respect you. And respect, as you may have heard, is earned. This happens barely overnight as it comes with an ample show of credibility and ability which usually takes a long time. 

I believe that we should cultivate friendships at work since we spend more time at the workplace than anywhere else. Teamwork and camaraderie play an important role in inducing a positive vibe and this is, at least for me, an integral part in keeping a healthy team.

xx,

Corporate Junkie

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Day 68: How I Survive Mondays

Mondays are terrible. It's doomsday for the working class. It means that the bliss of the weekend actually ends and you have to go back to the hustle and bustle of life <at least, for us, the working class>. I have managed my Mondays somehow, and I would like to share with you some tips that makes me come out of my Monday Malaise a little bit.

Wake up earlier than usual.

Almost everyone is suffering from Monday Malaise. So symptoms are the same and most probably, timing in reaction to these symptoms would be the same. This could mean that most people would be leaving their houses at the same time because they dragged theirselves out of bed at the same time, and so on and so forth. This also means that everyone will be stuck in traffic at the same time!

Get out of this rut! Go to work early. Less stress and you eliminate the first thing that could ruin your Monday morning and that is, that horrible Monday rush hour traffic! 

Power-dress!  

Photography by Petr Kurecka

Expect that Mondays will be more stressful than the rest of the week. So the first step of lifting yourself up on this toxic day is to actually look good. That’s why people keep on saying, “Look good, feel good”? In the company where I work, we are required to wear red on Monday to start the week with passion. This is actually very uplifting for me as I always suffer from Monday Malaise.

 According to the color psychology, Red “is a warm and positive color associated with our most physical needs and our will to survive. It exudes a strong and powerful masculine energy.  Red is energizing. It excites the emotions and motivates us to take action. It signifies a pioneering spirit and leadership qualities, promoting ambition and determination. It is also strong-willed and can give confidence to those who are shy or lacking in will power.”

Oh and yeah, wear that red lipstick!

 Tackle that to-do list.

 I am a “list” person. I like seeing things written, in order and put in my plain sight. Every Mondays, try to remember what items are left pending from the previous week. Arrange them in your own preference. Some would like their to-do list arranged on virtue of importance, some on urgency. In my case, I like to break it down based on categories so that I can cover most, if not all, my bases.

 Grab that coffee.

Photography by Billy Frank Alexander

This is a non-negotiable. Especially on a Monday. Studies have proven the positive effects of caffeine. According to the Huffington Post, these are the 11 benefits of coffee:

1. Coffee gives you more antioxidants. According to a study done in 2005, "nothing else comes close" to providing as many antioxidants as coffee. While fruits and vegetables also have tons of antioxidants, the human body seems to absorb the most from coffee.

2. Smelling coffee makes you less stressed. Researchers at the Seoul National University examined the brains of rats who were stressed with sleep deprivation and discovered that those who were exposed to coffee aromas experienced changes in brain proteins tied to that stress. Note, this aroma study doesn't relate to stress by itself, only to the stress felt as a result of sleep deprivation.

3. Coffee could lessen the symptoms for Parkinson’s disease. ScienceDaily reported in 2012 that drinking coffee may help people with Parkinson's disease control their movement. Ronald Postuma, MD, the study author, said, "Studies have shown that people who use caffeine are less likely to develop Parkinson's disease, but this is one of the first studies in humans to show that caffeine can help with movement symptoms for people who already have the disease."

4. Coffee is great for the liver! A study published in 2006 that included 125,000 people over 22 years showed that those who drink at least one cup of coffee a day were 20 percent less to develop liver cirrhosis -- an autoimmune disease caused by excessive alcohol consumption that could lead to liver failure and cancer.

5. Coffee can make you feel happy. A study done by the National Institute of Health found that those who drink four or more cups of coffee were about 10 percent less likely to be depressed than those who had never touched the java. And apparently it's not because of the "caffeine high" -- Coke can also give you a caffeine high, but it's linked to depression.

6. Coffee consumption can reduce levels of suicide. A study done by the Harvard School of Public Health determined that drinking between two and four cups of coffee can reduce the risk of suicide in men and women by about 50 percent. The proposed reason is because coffee acts as a mild antidepressant by aiding in the production of neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine and noradrenaline.

7. Coffee can reduce your chances of skin cancer (for women). Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School followed 112,897 men and women over a 20-year period and, apparently, women who drink three or more cups of coffee a day are much less likely to develop skin cancer than those who don't.

8. Coffee can make you a better athlete. You usually drink coffee when you are sleep-deprived, right? Well, that much-needed jolt not only keeps you awake, it makes you sharper. CNN reports that coffee allows your brain to work in a much more efficient and smarter way.The New York Times reports, "Scientists and many athletes have known for years, of course, that a cup of coffee before a workout jolts athletic performance, especially in endurance sports like distance running and cycling.

9. Coffee can reduce your risk for Type 2 Diabetes. Coffee also lowers risk of Type 2 diabetes, according to a study from The American Chemical Society. The study's researchers found that people who drink four or more cups of coffee a day reduce their chances of developing Type 2 diabetes by 50 percent. Subsequently, with every additional cup, the risk gets lowered by 7 percent.

10.Coffee could help your brain stay healthier. Researchers from the University of South Florida and the University of Miami found that people older than 65 who had higher blood levels of caffeine developed Alzheimer's disease two to four years later than others with lower caffeine.

11.Coffee may make you sharper. You usually drink coffee when you are sleep-deprived, right? Well, that much-needed jolt not only keeps you awake, it makes you sharper. CNN reports that coffee allows your brain to work in a much more efficient and smarter way.

So there you go, loves. Hope that your succeeding Mondays will be more manageable! Do you have any other tips in mind?

xx, 

Corporate Junkie 

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Day 49: Learning Excellence & Compassion

L-R: Tin Dacanay, Marketing Manager, Canon, Sandy Prieto-Romualdez, Group CEO, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Annie Garcia, President, SM Supermalls, Alan Chng, President, Canon Marketing Philippines, Angel Guerrero, EIC, Adobo Magazine, Nonna Nanagas, President of Dentsu Philippines, myself, Richard Ordonez, Director, Canon Marketing Philippines and Hideo Rai, COO of Dentsu Media.

One good thing about reporting to a celebrity boss is the opportunity to meet movers and shakers in different sectors. This expands one's professional outlook. The stories that top executives share are very inspiring -- how they drive their company, how their industries fare and so on, and so forth.

However, there is one thing that intrigues me more than anything else. It's studying the CEO Behavior. Much more than the accomplishments that makes them outstanding, there seems to be common characteristics among them (most, as there is always an exception to the rule). The CEOs that I have met are compassionate, very easy to talk to, are accommodating and has an exemplary ability to connect with people. However, they also have the aura of authority and sternness which can make people bend in their will. 

Uncanny combination, don't you think? I wish all executives are like this. But for today, I am happy that most of them that I meet are such lovable people. 

xx, 
Corporate Junkie

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Day 34: Getting Over A Bad Day

There are some days that are bleaker than the rest. Lately, I have been challenged with a lot of bad days. While I strive to create my happy every day, there seems to be much disappointment and stress welling up from somewhere. 

So today, I am enlisting some of my techniques on how I break away from a bad day. 

1. Identify the source of your slump and do any of the following: deal with it, park it or just remove it from your life.

Deal with it. Most of the time, this is our only option. To curb destroying your whole day, face the problem, come up with solutions and get it over and done with. It is best to consult a friend, a boss or a colleague (if at work) or your loved one. Remember, two heads are better than one.

Park it. If you feel that you are erupting with red molten lava anytime soon, just take a 10-minute walk or grab that coffee first. Too much emotion fogs the mind so before grabbing on someone's collar, breathe one to ten first.

Remove it. I may have mentioned this before. Those which bring you gloom who/which are outside of your circle of control are irrelevant. Let them go.

2. Practice patience.

This I have to work hard for. I am an impatient person. I am impatient with and irritated by stupid and inefficient people. When I am confronted with these certain types, the flashing sign on my forehead is just too hard to ignore.

Note to self: Learn the art of basic acting again. It seems I will need to bring my poker face out more often.

3. Plan, plan, plan!

Like everything else. Planning solves half the battle. We eliminate a lot of stress if we plan things accordingly. This manages expectation and minimizes the hiccups along the way.

How bout you, loves? How do you cope with your bad days!?

xx,

Corporate Junkie

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Day 24: All In a Hard Day's Work

In my almost ten years in the corporate world, I have worked with many different people. 

I made a list of some of the characters I have met in several organizations I have been part of. I try to avoid the people who are not like me as much as I can, just to minimize possible conflict. And also, so that my day would not be ruined and I can end it happy, haha!

1. The Influencer

They are proactive, self-reliant and they are the catalysts in the organization. They have proven their worth in the organization, thus their ability to influence others. 

2. The Individual Achiever

They are silent, would usually prefer to work on their own and has high independence rate. They like to be empowered to do things on their own. Individual achievers usually get frustrated easily especially when they feel that the people around them are not at par with their standards. They usually do not mingle with others and cannot communicate their expectation, thus the resentment.

3. The High Potential

They are the stars of the organization, can be an influencer or an individual

achiever. Their commitment level is high as long as their worth in the company is acknowledged.

4. The Happy-Go-Lucky

They go to work to get through the day's salary. They come in two forms: mediocre or sloppy workers. They could turn into other types once their commitment levels change.

5. The Whiner

These are people who whine just about anything but do not do something to alleviate their situation. 

6. The Can

They cackle the most when they are empty. They talk a lot, without making any sense. 

7. The Adult Child

These are spoiled brats who think they are entitled to everything. They treat other people, mostly their subordinates badly. They want respect but they do not usually deserve it. These people just simply need to grow up.

8. The Poser

They are always busy. Moving on...

9. The Unlikeable

For some reason, you just don't like this person yet you cannot pinpoint why. Maybe it is the way they dress or the way they talk. Maybe it's their tact (or the lack of it) or the way they present themselves. There is just something different or weird (based on your standards) about them and you know that you cannot go beyond a professional relationship with them.

How about you? Share your own and add to this list!:) 

xx,

Corporate Junkie

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