My First International Conference

Technology. Everybody needs it. Who doesn't? With technology, countries develop and the quality of our lives improve. We're able to travel faster, complete jobs faster and relax longer. And so, we need to catch up with technology, apply it and sprint ahead with life.

With this sole objective in mind, I attended the recent IPTC 2011 in Bangkok.

It was my first international conference. Naturally, I was pretty excited. The first day, in the Young Professionals Workshop, the speakers imparted their knowledge and even gave a few tips for career advancement, especially for young professionals. These days, YPs are pretty valuable in any organization in the oil and gas industry. We have to work twice as hard as our specialists. What they learnt in 10 years, we have to learn it all within 5 years, before they retire or move to another project. Seniors are busy managing people, their work and families. They're still learning, we are still learning. Everybody's learning. Probably, that's why I love being in this line. I love studying and I'm learning new things everyday.

Anyhow, during the workshop, I found out something unique in Thailand. One of our committee members, changes his name every few years. Mind you, he doesn't even keep the last name, middle name or the first name. It becomes a totally different name. As a result, his colleagues and friends have to constantly stay in touch with him. Otherwise, they wouldn't be able to find his name in the listed phone book, facebook or company address database. Wow! That's pretty interesting! If I wanted to disappear from the surface of the earth, and live a secluded life, settle in my own refuge, away from all kinds of stresses, name changing is the solution.

So, what are the take away notes from the workshop?

First, life may be full of challenges. But amidst all these, always view upheavals as opportunities. You never know what they might bring. Good or bad, they're all a part of life. Persevere and never give up. Visualize the day you emerge out of your trials and tribulations, triumphant and victorious, becoming a totally new person. That would spur you on and supplement you with more energy than external motivation factors.

Next, as an industry which has been forced to look to overseas for more opportunities, we need to expand our skills, not just in our line of specialty (vertically), but also horizontally, across disciplines. As technical experts, we need to integrate our technical results across disciplines, work together closely to ensure that every single, minute detail has been thought out thoroughly, like combing every inch of the forest to find a  unicorn. It may be tough. But with teamwork, everything is possible.

Example? Just look at the Shell's subsea project in Brazil. Who would ever thought that subsea separators, subsea wellheads, subsea processing systems are possible? Just imagine! All that equipment with oil and electricity flowing in them, submerged in the dark, blue ocean, thousands of metres, set on a seabed? How did they install it? How are they going to open or close the valves? How did they manage to put all the electric cables and connect them to the transmitters and transducers? Managing an offshore platform above sea level comes with its own set of problems, like wires malfunctioned, gas leakage, valve failed to open, etc. How about subsea operations? Wouldn't it be more complicated? What if the valve fails? What if the wires experience short-circuit? What if the insulated fiber optic lines leak? Wouuldn't it be more detrimental? And with all the large volume of water surrounding it, with such high pressure, it'll be even more risky.

But guess what? That team managed to do it. They overcame all the 'what if's ' and turned a dream into reality. As leaders and engineers, we ought to aspire to do the same. We've got to have a vision, work towards it, work around the sharp corners. We either rough it out, or smooth the rough edges. Well, as they always say, "Everything is possible, as long as you set your mind to it."

Third, we must always value the contribution of our colleagues, leaders and team members. No matter how small their contribution, the most important thing is, they're contributing. Regardless of the amount or volume. A person I spoke to, once told me, "As a leader of a team, you've got to realize that every team member plays an important role. You've probably heard of the analogy of the quarrel between the hand, eyes, ears, head, mouth, foot and other body parts. Is one more important than the other? What if you weren't able to see, will it have a major impact on you? Tell me then, which is more important? The eyes, heart, ears or brains?"

Ocassionally, after working for sometime, we often hear of people getting very frustrated about their team members. Complains like, "He's not working, and my boss still gives him such good rating!" , or "He works so hard everyday, and yet, they only gave him 1 month bonus."

Then again, life is such. As a leader, you can't satisfy everybody's needs. Rewards to one, ignites envy in another. Rarely does a reward sparks a universal accolade. Yet most of the time, we have to realize that every team member is important. Regardless of the role they play.

It's just like a car. Components of a car includes wheels, engine, doors, windows, steering wheel, pedal, brake, exhaust, fuel tank, etc.

Question: Which is the most important component of all? Let's analyze each component:

Engine - Without it, the car wouldn't start

Wheels - Without it, the car can't move

Fuel Tank - Without it, the car wouldn't have any energy to move

Steering wheel - Without it, how would the car know where go to? It'd be like a headless chicken, running around the paddy fields, pecking blindly on the brown, dry sand

Hence, in a team, the leader is just like the steering wheel. It tells the team the direction they're heading towards to. To accomplish this, it needs the wheels (the team members). If the team members decided to head towards 4 different directions, the team would stay stagnant, unable to go up,down, left or right. Then you have the engine,  which probably consists of about 20% of your team. They're the think tanks of your team, the ones who provide alternatives to turn your dreams into reality, like fairies or santa claus. Once you've found the heart of the engine in your team, cherish them. Keep in mind though. Without the remaining 80%, the 20% wouldn't be able to function either.

In short, in a team, no one is more important than the other. Everybody matters.

Naturally, humans are social creatures. As bosses, it is crucial to realize that increasing salary of another is not the only way to people retainment. Other strategies include acknowledging their contribution, sending them on rare business trips, or even praise, which probably is like having rain in a desert. A word of appreciation, an ocassional treat, simple tiny gestures from the heart goes a long way towards expressing your appreciation for every member in your team.

At the end of a workshop, several interesting questions cropped up. Some include:

Q: Do you think it's worth it to risk your life, entering Nigeria or Iraq just for your job?

   (Nigeria is one of the most notorious African countries for kidnapping, ransom, robbery, killing and ground zero flaring)

   (Iraq is famous for its tribal wars, bombing, political usurps, and random firing)

A: Risk, it is something if I haven’t done, I wouldn’t have known what I missed, discovering how resilient I am in an unknown territory.

Q: Is it better to work locally or venture overseas?

A: From supporters of local ventures: "Would you rather be a small fish in a big pond, or a big fish in a small pond?"

   From supporteres of overseas ventures: "Would you rather remain in the pond fighting for limited resources, or swim in a bigger ocean with a wider range of options?"

Q: How do you fastrack your career progression?

A: First, enjoy your work. Passion for your job will fuel you with the energy to keep you going. The questions will keep on coming and you'll keep on learning. Next, always have your work peer reviewed. In our industry, we must realize that we can't work alone. We need to integrate our work across disciplines. Most importantly, get your work acknowledged and recognized.

Ultimately, it's all boils down to our attitude and perception. Knowing our priorities is just the first step towards realizing our vision. The rest is entirely up to us. Take charge of your own life. Don't let others determine it for you.

Q: How do you handle the simultaneous roles (manager, subordinate, mother, wife, daughter, friend, etc. )? Isn't it complicated to switch from one role to another?

A: Indeed. In our industry, time is limited. While we have multiple roles to play, we need to ensure that we have our family's support at all times. For without them, where would we be? Would we have been able to go this far? So, spend quality time with your family. Ensure that each moment you spend with them, are happy times that they'd remember and cherish forever. Always select the best members to join your team. You don't want to end up with more headaches. Select team members that will accelerate the progress of your project and not the opposite.

Q: Is it better to be in the tecnhnical or managerial line?

When you make a decision, you should choose it out of desire, not select it as an alternative to steer away from fear. All roads lead to Rome. The path that you select, results in you enjoying different sceneries and situations, but they all end up at the same point. Choose the one that's closest to your heart. Find your true calling and excel in it.

Jazz Festival

Recently, a friend of mine invited me to the Dubai International Jazz Festival. Having been exposed to 'jazz' at the tender age in my adolescence (to top it off, it was at the lobby of a hotel lounge), I had entirely crossed out this genre off my list. Nevertheless, we need to try something new every now and then. Otherwise, we would be like mere fishes washed ashore, barely breathing.

So, I decided to give  a try. After all, it beats weathering sandstorms, watching camel race on a hot sunny afternoon any other day.

Having been to Sandance festn Dubai about four months ago, and WOMAD festival in Singapore about 4 years ago, I realize music festivals are pretty unpredictable. The first time I attended WOMAD, people were sitting on straw mats laid out on grasses, enjoying the music under the moonlight. At the Sandance festival, people were drinking and smoking shisha, dancing on the sands in the warm, summer night.

Honestly, I had no idea what to expect. This time though, bean bags were placed by the sides of the stage. In front of the stage, were long picnic benches for families of six. It felt just like home, having a private performance. Music was great, night was cool, and the moon was shining so brightly.

And did you know that in jazz, there are people who sing too? I only found out when I was there. Stunned to silence. And the music didn't just consisted of a group of people, randomly playing anything that comes to mind. This, was different. They played in a band, even an orchestra, and their voices switched from one pitch to another flawlessly, the fingers twirling around the keys of the piano. It was amazing! The performance was revolutionary.

Talk about team spirit. Right there, in front of our eyes, were a live example. I saw how leaders can lead in silence, be in the spotlight when needed, fade away from limelight unnoticed. Most importantly, I saw how by bringing out the best in everyone, leaders can spread joy, passion and enthusiasm. enforcing a strong sense of belonging.

I learnt that breaking away from the norm can be pretty rewarding. Like breathing in fresh air in spring. God knows how mundane our lives become after a while. We become intoxicated, just fighting within ourselves to swim up to the surface for a gasp of fresh air. When we do, it's tremendously refreshing.

That, is why, I guess, art thrives throughout centuries. No matter how the world has advanced, art invites us to look at everything from a whole new dimension.

~Looking forward to the next Jazz Festival!~

Walk by the Beach

Here I am, walking on Jumeira Kite Beach, barefoot, on a Saturday morning. The day has just started. Most of the people are still in their beds, or sipping early morning tea/coffee.

There's supposed to be a volleyball match today and a barbeque lunch on the beach. Where are the people? It's still early and I haven't seen anybody yet. And so, I walk on the cold, soft sands.

After being here for 7 months, it never ceases to amaze me how sands can be so cold. In M'sia, the sun is burning hot. The sands are always hot too. Hence, I always associate sands with high heat.

Amidst the sophisticated city of Dubai, it's easy to forget that Dubai is by the beach. Yet, whenever I visit it, I will always fall in love  with it, over and over again. It's so blue, so clear and so calm. How is this possible? Isn't it a peninsular? I thought waters like these only existed on secluded islands. Like Mauritius, or Redang, or Phuket islands.

As I walk further on, I saw a guy in his mid fifties, pulling fishes out of his fishing net. Wow! One can actually fish by the beach too? Hmm Hmm.. that's news! Look! There's a crab too! He caught the crab with his nimble fingers, caught hold of its pincers, and broke them off with a loud 'snap'. The crab's 'claws', winched and moved with a life of its own for a few minutes as it fell onto the wet sands. Oh no! The poor crab! Did it feel any pain? Does a crab have nerves?

The fishes too, they peered longingly towards the sea, with a look that said, "What am I doing here? I want to go back into the ocean!" and jumped a few centrimentres of the ground before falling back down to earth.

Apparently, this guy, an Iranian, loves fishing by the beach. He comes here about three times a week, just to set his net in the night, when the waters rise, goes back home, have a deep, long sleep, and comes back the next day to check on his catch.

It's easy to catch live seafood here without any bait, he says. When the waters recede, the fishes will get trapped. Do you want some fish? he asks.

I'd love to, I answered silently. Instead, I replied, Um... I can't. I'm meeting up with friends, and I can't possibly carry live, jumping fishes in my bag. I'll drop by another day to have a share of your catch the next time around. Thanks for the offer!

The sight of this old man, releasing fishes from his brown net, is a rare one indeed. A little boy walking with his mum, runs over to us.

"What's this?" he asks.

"It's a crab! A big, blue crab!" the old man answers. "Do you want to take it back home?"

"Yes!" the boy answers as he picks up one of the crab's claws. He moves both parts of it in opposite directions, left and right, up and down.

"Mum? Can I take it back home to fight with my brother?" he asks, as he picks up another claw.

The mum gently rejects the boy's suggestions. "You can't take it back. Leave it to this uncle who'll eat it for his lunch."

The little boy groans. "Awwww...... what a pity! and it'd make such a good weapon too!"

Trust children to come up with creative ideas for play!

New Environment, Chilling Atmosphere

Recently, I relocated to a new office. New colleagues, new environment, new location. So, now, instead of working near the highway (or motorway, as Americans call it), I now work near the sea. So near, that in the air, you can taste the salt in it. Feeling the cold wind, blowing through your veins. The office is so cold that even the flowers in my new office wilts after a week. Everybody dons a black formal coat, wears a cardigan or layers of thick jackets. Two colleagues even went so far as to bring their wintercoat and put it on the moment they reach the office. Visitors who drop by our office often wonder whether we're following the winter season in our hometown, Beijing. Whoever would have thought that it'd be so cold here?

This chill is just too much to withstand. Yet, it's weird. This 'chill' happens to be just around my office area. Once I step into other zones, the temperature seems to rise significantly. As a result, nowadays, I'm pretty confused. I don't know what to put on anymore.

18 degrees Celcius can be cold for some, chilly for others, freezing for the rest. I suppose, it depends on the country of your origin. You make a mental evaluation and comparison, determining the degree of coldness.

Dubai, though, is not a very big city. Within 30 minutes, you can practically tour the whole area. Nevertheless, the weather varies tremendously. In my area, the winds blow so strongly that it brings along with it, the cold winds from the sea. Elsewhere, fifteen minutes awy, it's hot. All you need is a shirt. You don't even need a scarf or a jacket.

Shall I then endure these fifteen minutes of chill in the bones? or wrap myself up like an eskimo, only to peel off the layers 15 minutes later?

Hmm.... I am still deciding.

My new office is on the ground floor. We sit next to a big glass window. Not only I have ample time now, my office is also tremendously quiet that I am able to observe things that happen within the office and out of it too! It's tinted too, which makes it more fun. Because people look at the window, see themselves and do some pretty funny stuff. Ocassionally when I peer out of the window, I see birds hopping on tree branches, chirping and singing. I see gardeners blowing leaves away, only to rake them into a big, white bag, moments later. I see people breathing in tobacco smoke as they take a break from work. I see people peering at themselves in the window, scrutinizing their features, sweeping their hair to the side, deciding on the best way to place their fringe. I see the winds blowing so strongly that the leaves rustle and trees wave their branches happily. The sands are picked up by the winds, swirling around the ground for moments before scattering themselves across the grounds, settling down quietly before the next storm.

Oh! Did I mention that my new office is very quiet too? I can even hear my own heart beating! Imagine that!

One day, I was drinking a cup of hot chocolate, when I heard 'swish' to the left, 'swish' to the right in my cup! Oh my gosh! Is there something in my cup? I anxiously looked at my cup but I didn't see any giant beetle or swimming insect! So why did I feel as if the swishing sound came from my cup?

I turned away and continued to scrutinze the data on my monitor. Swish, swish, swish. There! the sound just came from my cup again. I am sure of it!

I looked at the cup, observed it for a few seconds and there! I saw it! A movement just occured in my cup! by itself! The bubbles of froth were dancing to a rhythm of their own. Swish, the bubbles swirled to the left and broke off. Another swish, the bubbles moved to the left and broke off!

Wow! Did you know that froth has a life of its own too? Now! When did that ever happened?

Woah... Unbelievable!

Magic Music

Concerts are inspiring. Partly because we get to see up close, how people pour their whole heart and soul into sharing the joys of their creation with the rest of the world. Somehow, it inspires me to do the same in my line of work. Because right now, I love what I do, albeit a little too much. Perhaps, to the level of intoxication, I might add.

Anyhow, when a friend of mine decided to play her piano and sing simultaneously and spontaneously, it touched the core of my soul. The tension in my nerves were soothed by the music. Gently, the invisible waves penetrated my heart, my brains and my cells. Instantly, I was brought back to the long forgotten times when I used to bang on the piano for hours just because I was frustrated with everything in life. Playing endlessly on the piano all because I could not figure out things or getting things right.

The minute my friend prodded me to touch her keyboard, play a few notes, I complied. From then on, I just couldn't leave the keys alone. I was hooked. This is much better than salsa! The keys resonate with my soul. With every touch, it sends out waves which vibrates throughout every vein of mine. There and then, I knew, I had to get a piano.

I have been keeping it in for far too long. I need to let it all out, release all those pent up emotions. No amount of kick-boxing, talking or swimming would have the same effect as playing on the piano.

To have your fingers dancing on the keys. Each key resonating with your heart beat, is tremendously therapeutic. All those nervous energy? It just dissipates the moment I start playing, turning into pure, delightful joy.

Ahh... who knew that I'd miss it so much?

Thanks to this special friend who taught me that in life, a musical instrument is like a magical instrument. It never fails to answer your calls and provides solace in testing times. It's a faithful companion that never fails to comfort the unsettled heart.