Just in Time (JIT)

isn't it amazing how our gracious and loving Father rescues us just in time? i've had a gruelling two weeks at work, and when i was about to give up, He sent the answer on the way... giving me enough ray of hope to enable me to stand up and continue with the race ;)

1 Cor 10:12-14

12So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! 13No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

Work Woes

it's 2 am, and i'm still at work. printing documents for my boss' meeting with the board of directors. i've been going to work from 10am to 12 midnight the past two weeks. and right now, my eyes are already giving up. until when will this last?

yesterday, i spoke with our hrd, who told me that there has been some changes on my airfare benefit. it has been reduced. i felt shortchanged. but i prayed and asked God for the right attitude. i spoke with my boss and he said the very thing that will normaly drive me out of my wits. but i kept my cool.... until when?

awile ago, while trying to finish some report, one of my managers told me his complaint about the other manager. and narrated to me the other instances which ended up in venting his side to me. sometimes i am ok with it, but when they are being so childish, it's not funny anymore... when will they stop?

last week we were doing the budget and i am looking at the provisions for us managers. i am pushing for more benefits, to no avail. but what is irritating is that you know that the company is making money... so why not give?

two weeks ago i disapproved a proposal because we do not have a budget for it anymore. and in this rare instance, my boss superceded my decision and worked a way to be able to support this activity. it stabbed me, and yet, i just sighed and said, "he's the boss!"

oh well, i just realized i've been ranting... just one of those moments when i do not enjoy my work. but i am sure in a few days, things will turn around and i will find my enjoyment back to my work.

i am just so glad that i have Him who hears my prayers, and i have him who has been there thru it all.... and this makes all the difference...

When It Rains It Pours

truly, when it rains, it pours...so many of my prayers have been answered. i'm so thankful for i do not deserve any of these... i just pray that all these blessings be used for His glory! sometimes, we only ask for a day, and He gives us months. and at times, we only ask for one thing, and He gives us more. not because we are good, but because our Father is good and He knows what we need and when we need them...

and truly, God moves the heart of the leaders as well. months (or even years) ago, we've been pushing for a number of people programs to our top management. and this day, i saw a silver lining...just a little paper pushing and in a few days, maybe we will see these programs coming to life! ;) sometimes answers can take a while, but when it comes... it's such a sweet gift from above!

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." James 1:17

Looking thru the Eyes of Kids

lately, even after months of vacation, i did not find going back to work something to look forward to, when in the past, it used to. for some vague reason, i did not find work as appealing anymore. maybe it has something to do with being in the same place and the same work, and the same workmates year after year... oh the glooms of monotony!

but then this afternoon, i got to treat some of the kids of my churchmates to adventureland. i welcomed being pushed away from my office chair even for just a moment. and then seeing how the kids were sooooo happy with the cards i gave them gave me a certain lift of joy! oh, those were precious moments when kids' eyes just flash with ecstacy! haha!

and then when they finished playing, they went to our table and started chatting with me. there were 4 kids talking to me simultaneously...

"hey, what's your favorite ride?"
"do you need to pay when you ride? no? wow, that's sooo cool!"
"what's your work there? do you just go around the center the whole day?"
"are you the boss? no? so you get to tell everyone what to do except the boss?"
"wow, you can play all you want here?"
"you do not need to swipe that card to enter?"
"you have free cards?"
and i knew this was coming "i think i like to work here someday.."

haha! i think looking at my work in these kids' perspective will help a little in bringing back the joy in my work... ;)

The Customer is Always Right

i've always worked in a service-oriented industry, so it is common for me to handle customer concerns, or worse, complaints. but did i tell you that customers here in the UAE is a far-cry from what i've been accustomed to in the philippines?


1. "where's the manager?" that's always the question whenever our staff encounters problematic customers. they would not deal with the lowlies, but rather only with the decision-makers. i guess this is a european influence, or maybe, they are born with this assertiveness.


2. "no Filipini, i need arabic" ok, here's when they bluntly tell you i do not like to talk to you, period! that's when our emirati employee comes in handy. and this is the time when i get frustrated with my arabic skills, although really, even if i know how to speak the language, they want someone from their own race.


3. "why before, they always allowed my son to ride here, and now no?" (yes, that broken english) this rational for insisting their kids to go to our rides even if the kid does not meet height restriction has been so infamous that we already learned the antidote: "sir, we are very strict with this safety rule given to us by the manufacturers to avoid accidents. so tell me who's the ride operator who allowed you this, and i will fire him immediately." almost all the time, they cannot point a person. really! but then, i'd give them a plus point for trying soooo hard just to let their kids into our rides :)


4. "i came all the way from oman just to get these free rides!" there's really nothing wrong with this statement, except that they are asking for redemption of free ride vouchers which are two months expired! yes, they have a talent in switching the burden on you. this is when a certain level of judgement call is needed among our managers.

just yesterday, my operations manager called for SOS. we had a very angry customer and insist on talking to his superior. i ushered him to come to my office. i let him vent out his complaints and then i stated my side, which is the same as what my manager said. he became more furious, insisting on allowing his child on a ride, breaking the height restriction rule which is a cardinal sin for us! and since he sensed i will not allow that to happen, he then accused us of inconsistent implementation of rules depending on our mood. he ended up asking for my name, to which i gladly gave my business card, and telling me that he will call the owner to complain about this. i told him "sir, it is perfectly ok as it is your right. once again i apologize for the inconvenience we have caused you. " he said to me to stop apologizing, saying that i ruined his life and his child's enjoyment, and went out of my office and he said "f**k you!"

my operations manager apologized that he had to elevate that seemingly simple concern to me. i told him that any given day i'd take in a hundred of this kind of complaint, rather than one accident just because we've given in to this safety restriction.

well, all in a day's work....

Interviews

it's that time again of the year when we line up people for interviews as part of our staffing program. in front of me are CVs of 5 shortlisted applicants--- in manila. yes, i've conducted interviews of people in manila thru internet. this is how we've been doing things for the past years.

there's much lost when you interview via conference call, even if there's webcam. the eye contact, the involuntary gestures which means a lot to an interviewer, and the curve of the lips when they smile, their attire, the sweaty palms, the train of thoughts when the line gets so choppy, etc.... so these aspects, we have to leave in the able hands of our manile agency who shortlists for us.

as i interview them, i've to up my antenna in terms of other aspects in liue of the personal connection. so i am more conscious of their wordings, their stammerings, and the consistency of their answers after numerous rewordings of the questions.

i love asking them the perennial question of "what makes you the best candidate for the position". i love the resolve, the self-salestalk, the promises which i know would be broken someday. there are times too that i learn a lot from their experience, and from the industry the've worked on. you just don't realize the valuable information the interviewer gets from all of these ;)

more often than not though, i am the one who gets lost in the interview, specially when they start telling their tales when i ask them "why would you like to come here to the UAE". i know it would always be financial reason, but the reason of their lack of finance varies from pole to pole, and that's what would usually captivate my ears! i would be drawn to stories of big families trying to make both ends meet, to candidates left to fend for their own, to hate tales of being victimized by swindlers and fraudulent agencies, etc.

my filipino boss has always been asked to get staff from other nationalities, especially when the partners know that we are having problems with our pinoy staff not finishing their contracts. but he has kept with his policy of "one filipino staff coming here, means one less needy family in our country". very noble, yet most would forget that and the other bold statements they have said during the interview, a few months after......

Happy Anniversary Adventureland!

when i was walking up the escalator, and i heard the joyful screams of children and vibrations of the roller coaster, i knew i was close to the premises of Adventureland already! (as if i don't know! haha!) and there, the Customer Service booth greeting you, decorated with green and yellow balloons, bannering our "6th Anniversary!". oh, yeah, it's been that long!

i hear the all-too familiar noise of the game machines, the greetings of the cashiers, caught sight of the redemption booth that will definitely tantanlize any kid's appetite for toys! and the most familiar and eye-catching of all--- the roller coaster and train coaster appearing out of the facade running even above you as if saying 'hey, stop staring! come and have a ride!' what a way to give a glimpse of the thrill that's in store inside!

Adventureland is a brainchild of two great leisure and entertainment visionaries--- my bosses Glenn Figueroa (Filipino, who used to own Glico's), and Shahram Foroughi (Iranian-French). I've been working with them since... 2002! wow! and considering that my first handshake with them was for only 3 months! oh well, time flies when you're having fun! i've been into different departments -- food service, marketing, sales, business development, operations management, and now, general management. as i fondly say, i'm a jack-of-all trades, master of none! haha!

We hope to conquer dubai, abi dhabi, other GCC counties soon. This year, we will open Adventureland Morocco!

and of course, anniversaries are usually coupled with.... FOOD!!! even if we didn't have the usual buffet lunch, we still had fun just celebrating it even in a more modest way. and i love the cake too!

To our Adventureland family, past and present--- Happy Anniversary to US! Praise God for keeping us successful in this business for a long time! ;)

Call-in Sick!

i just took a paracetamol. for 2 nights, i've been having bad cases of sore throat-- the first sign for me of low resistance. i gargled with bactidol, chewed losenges and ate hot munggo soup prepared by mano.

i know my body. every year, i have a once-a-year dose of fever, real sickness that lasts for days. maybe this is it for this year. maybe i should not supress it thru all these drugs, but let my body surrender...

maybe it is time that i stop trying to be strong always. accept that humans have down moments, and start appreciating that in my weakness, Someone and some people are my strength.

maybe it is time that i take things really slow. and acknowledge that this is my cooling down period of my shift from the fastlane to the slow lane.

maybe it is time that i put myself in the proper perspective. refrain from thinking that the company will suffer if i don't go to work. that actually sounds more vain, than concerned.

maybe it is time to accept deviations from plans. we plan for the day, but let God work out His plan accordingly.

maybe it is time to enjoy moments of solitude. and catch up on my latest readings such as teacher man, devotionals for women and so many others lying there on my side table.


it's not a bad idea after all to file for sick leave... and come back really refreshed and invigorated!

Need a Raise?

when you are stuck in a job with a salary that has not climbed an inch after 2-3 years, what would you do? (1) sulk and let it reflect on your work until your boss notices it and hopefully talk to you, (2) get angry and vent in on a resignation letter, or (3) talk to your boss about it?

the first one is the defeatest attititude and the most childish, yet many people buy it! why? because it is the easiest thing to do, leaving the 'guilt' to the other party without ever having to do confrontation. it's a wait-and-see game.

the second one is, as what was written, a 'resigned' move! putting an exclamation mark even before exploring the 'whys' and 'hows' impairs the understanding of both parties. but many also are sold here because, again, no confrontation is needed. no need to act 'seemingly' needy. and besides, one may think "i should not be begging for my salary increase?"

the last option is the road taken by those who have the balls to face the consequences. and this is the fair move in giving the management an opportunity to hear one's side. just a word of caution: make sure you do this professionally. do away with loud confrontations. the goal is to be heard, and not to argue.

and i am not just talking about salary raise here. but i guess this applies to many aspects of our life as well... settling issues with spouse... settling issues with friends... settling issues with those in authority... settling issues with the family... in all these, we have the 3 options to choose from, and i hope, we'll always use the best option. it will not always result to what you wanted, but it will help you avoid regrets!

The Art of Negotiation

i vividly remember the first time i started negotiating bravely for something. you see, i used to be the typical 'play-it-safe' girl. if the teacher says deadline is tomorrow, then tomorrow it is. if the teacher says you bring this and that, i bring this and that. i do not like going against the norm. i used to admire the guts of my classmates wayback in high school and college who can sweetly talk their way out of some projects... or troubles. i stopped at admiring.

i graduated as a food technologist, and my first two jobs landed me cool slots in the the product development departments. i concocted the nacho king recipes and translated it to huge batches serving 25 stores. then i transferred to glico's to look into improving their product lines. i liked my job but i know i'm missing on something. deep inside, i am slowly dragged by the lure of the marketing world. so when the opportunity knocked, i didn't let it slip away.

our marketing officer resigned. i applied for the post, and obviosly, i got the arched eyebrows of my bosses and the silent stare (though i can hear them mocking me "you? marketing? you must be kidding!") days passed by, applicants had come and gone, yet they have not found the right one. then one day, i gave my boss an offer he cannot refuse -- i told him that while they are looking for the right one, i will handle the marketing AND the product development departments for the same salary i am receiving. we shook hands.

that dare was in 1998, and as they say, the rest is history!

i didn't know that, that negotiation will beget more negotiations -- with my future bosses, clients, suppliers, colleagues, subordinates, etc... oh, life is full of negotiations, compromises and deals! winning and losing depends on how you view it short-term, and long-term.

i learned that it does not necessarily have to cross the borders of my principles to achieve a win-win situation.

i learned that perception is powerful in negotiating, specially if you appeal to their self-interests.

i learned that negotiation protocols are just protocols.

i learned that there are 101 ways of skinnng a cat.

i learned that you do not have to quit on the first rejection, and that a 'no' presents in itself another opportunity.

i learned that in business dealings, relationships stand a better ground than portfolio.

i learned that you have to make sure that you are barking at the right tree.

i learned that you cannot always be assertive of your rights, and it takes prudence and humility to choose when not to.

and lastly, i learned that all of us on the negotiating sides are all but human!

and being here in dubai has honed it all the more! what with articulately persistent indians, assertive locals and egyptian flattery. after a lot of rubbing elbows with them, i am telling you i am not the same anymore from the shy and timid student that i was then...

The Stigma of OFWs

almost 8 million Filipinos are working overseas, and almost 80 % of them are married, and leave their families behind. this work trend has definitely answered a big problem among the Filipino families – financial survival. dollars are sent back to the philippines, alleviating their families’ lives, and on a bigger scale, it increases the dollar reserve and of course, increasing the spending cycle of money, making it a good machinery of the government to improve our economy.

our boss’ vision for bringing in employees from the philippines to dubai is “one filipino employee hired, means one family made financially worry-free.” yes very true.

but................ on the other hand, it left a stigma to many. it solved one, but created another problem. one parent is away, leaving the whole responsibility of child-caring to the other spouse, and many times, with the grand parents and uncles and aunties. the kids are left with no image of either the mother or the family, whoever decided to fly abroad. and because of this, filipino family has never been the same again…

the absence of one parent-figure is already disturbing. but there is something more shattering, and more alarming… the increasing cases of infidelities and broken marriages among the OFW families.

yearly, in our company alone, we deal with a number of these cases. is the saying ‘out of sight, out of mind’ rubbing them in, poisoning their minds? the once ‘married’ are claiming to be ‘separated’, and thus making their current relationship legal. we’ve put our foot down on this issue and has implemented radical policies and decisions. but there are others who’d really sneak behind our back smartly, and prolong a taboo relationship longer than we’d imagine. not all OFWs are given the bi-annual treat to go home. many wait for 1 year, or worse, 2 years to be given the chance to go home.

or, it is the spouse left behind who is playing with fire! whew, is 1 or 2 years of wait really too long to keep the married vows intact?! ... i pity the wronged ones... but most especially, i pity the kids who have to borne the consequences of their parents' selfishness...


oh, the stigma… the curse of Filipino OFWs… financially free yet emotionally broken...... or would you rather keep the family intact despite being financially drowned?

Major Blooper

Have you had your major blooper for the year? I just had mine last April 17th. I know I run the risk of losing the respect of my readers. But hey, you are my friends, and I’m sure you’d love me again despite this haha!

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Given that I am very much into traveling, you’d imagine the amount of preparation I did when I learned that I am part of the team who’d fly to Morocco on April 18 to study a project-in- progress.

It's now April 17, 8pm, and i'm doing the final rundown of my checklist:

Desk research on Casablanca and tangier. Check
List of entertainment destinations. Check.
Appointment with market research agencies in Casablanca. Check
Clearbook containing all correspondences about the project. Check
Documents to save in my flashdisk. Check
Moroccan dirhams. Check.
Finish all documents for signing. Check
Group orientation meeting. Check.

Weather inquiry. Check.
Clothes to wear for the 6-day visit. Check.
Personal supplies to bring (cam, charger, etc). Check
Call nanay. Check
Bring bible. Check
Bring ‘Tuesdays with Morrie’. Check.

My Skywards card. ok, that card is inside my passport pouch... Passport? Passport! PASSPORT!#$%* PPPPAAAASSSSPPPOORRT?!#$%!!!!

The black passport pouch has my skywards card, but not my passport!!! Shouting above my lungs did not make it appear. I searched for it in all my drawers…to no avail!

It is 10pm (flight at 735am the next day), I started bothering people, really bothering people. Our HR said that it is with our mother company who keeps our passports for security purposes, though she said, all along, she also thought it was with me. Yeah, I thought so too, seeing the black pouch there in my drawer……… but never really inspected! unfortunately, the office is closed already! (Who wouldn't be at 10pm?!!!) Tried to push more buttons…until I gave up at 11pm.

I can’t believe how stupid I can get! One hour, few phone calls, and two friends who stayed amused at the whole scenario, helped me get over it for a while. Good thing, I was able to secure a flight the next day.

Laughters interspersed with regret and embarrassment filled our drive back to our villa. I don’t think I’d be able to get over this fast… how could I ever forget the most basic!?!@ They kept consoling me that there must be a reason why this happened............ oh yeah, it happened because i was so stupid! haha!

My Second Home in UAE

i was supposed to be just going for a 3-month stint in Dubai on May 2002... and now it is 2007, and we are already celebrating our 5th anniversary! wow, how time flies...

being a BS Food Technology graduate and having part of my work experience in product development, my first mission was to assist the food service department when Adventureland (family entertainment center) opened last Feb 2002... it was cut-short when the then marketing officer resigned and the post was opened. spending most of my working years in the philippines in the marketing field made me more at ease with this new mission rather than the first.

Marketing-wise, it was much different! i can say it was a blast! being part of the pioneering team, marketing was in full gear-- from tri-media to local store promotions to PR relations! this was my dream-come-true work and i've been a part of the department for 3 years, with our major accolade as being the Anchor (of the Mall) of the Year Awardee for 2004.

afterwhich, i shifted to other departments such as operations management, audit, hrd, admin, and general management as a whole. every step has been such a different world for me, adding multiples perspectives that i found useful not only at work, but for my personal life as well... with colleagues coming in and going out, and others coming back again... with different ball games at each period... with birthday, eids, christmases and ramadans coming in so fast... my life in Adventureland surely has been one heck of a roller coaster ride!

i'd always remember the faces of the happy kids complete with joyful shriekings that enlivens our center day-in day-out...

i'd always love the people i've worked with who has become good friends, and all the new friends i made from the different countries...

i'd always be thankful for the countless experiences that have pained me, but ultimately enriched me...

i'd always embrace the joys and the fun times i had with my workmates...

i'd always treasure the bosses who've never failed to support us, mentor us and share a good laugh with us... they are rare in this corporate world!

i'd always bring with me all the tricks of the trade that i learned, which i can apply even in the most mundane aspect of my life...

i'd always be thankful to God for the opportunity to see the face of this part of the world...

this is another rich chapter in my life that i'd surely remember with fondness and much thanksgiving

The Bigger Scheme of Things

there is something fascinating about how a certain decision is made... specially when it entangles a hundred more other issues, then it becomes super amazing! sometimes, we are allowed to see the bigger scheme of things, but many times, we are just given pieces of the jigsaw puzzle and each piece is meaningless without the rest. it happens a lot in corporate decision-makings, and many of those things does not make sense to people outside the circle.


i have done quite a stir in our organization the past 2 days when i was doing remedial plans to our manpower needs for those who have left and are leaving soon (since recruiting from manila will take a while). i was not aware that it was chaotic already until i heard it from our other managers. we have been doing simultaneous interviews, lateral and vertical promotions from within. the picture is quite clear in my mind with each one holding different parts of the puzzle piece. but to them, it comes off unclear and confusing! but today, being a 'mending day', i assured them that things are going to be ok and that it will be for everybody's good. i hope they believe me. i hope that things will fall into the right place at the right time....

i guess the same thing happens when God executes His plans for us. many times we do not see the sense in it. many times, we think we know how to do it better. and often times, we think we are left on our own to grope in the dark. then the sin of unbelief, discontent and endless whining comes in and ruins our relationship with Him...

if i, being a sinful human being, plans things that is for the benefit of most people concerned, what more does our loving Heavenly Father?! but unlike me, wherein i have to 'hope things will fall into the right place', His plans and execution does not depend on anything else, but on His wise estimation and mercy alone! but we have to let Him freely take his action in our lives!


lifting a quote from the book i am readung, i quote "when God does not make sense, He still makes sense!" His bigger scheme of things will always be for His eyes only, until He so pleases to show it to us...

Change

i've heard this saying before, "change is as certain as taxes and death"....

i couldn't agree more! just when plans have been laid and you are congratulating yourself for a great masterplan, certain things crop up that will turn your world upside down. it could range from something as welcoming as meeting Mr. Right, to as extreme as losing a loved one. my current plan-twister is neither of those (whew!). but major changes in the personal plans of our management team...



some have left for greener pasture... others have given their intention to leave soon... and all these were happening just when i have already planned and did initial moves for my own replacement-program when i leave the company by 2008! hah! it is initially frustrating, but after useless sighs, blabbings and whinings, it now becomes challenging...


when people leave, it is both a sad and a joyous occasion. sad, because it leaves a vacuum. sad because a friend will leave. it is like losing my hand, or my legs. sad because it stirs up the organization unnecessarily. sad because change is not always welcome in everyone's comfort zones.

at the same time, it is a joyous one. i am happy for the person leaving knowing that he will be heading for a better life. happy because i know that he will bring with him wonderful memories of us to his next abode. happy because this is an opportunity for others to move up. happy because it prompts everyone to shake up and think really hard. happy because this simply stamps that "man plans, but it is God who makes it happen"....


as what we were taught in the church last friday, "the first step in dealing with change is acceptance". otherwise, other engines will not move.

Shifting Lanes

either life tosses at you a different opportunity, or you actively look for one, shifting lanes is usually coupled with excitement and fear...


excitement for the new things, for the new challenges, new friends, new routines, new expereinces... fear for regret, unmet expectations, for bad experiences, or worse, uncertainties...

i myself am preparing for a 180-degrees shift not only in gear, but in the lane for the next years... but i guess, however much i prepare myself for it, i'd still be a human at best. the leap of faith is easier said than done... but it has to be done...


since i climbed up my 3rd decade, i have since desired for a slow lane... maybe because i am growing old, or maybe because i already knew how it is to be in a fast lane, and how it is not possible to shift to a slower gear while in a fast lane...




fast lanes have given birth to the word stress, mental fatigue, burn out, and the infamous words 'busy' and 'no time'. it also ushered more independent women, successful singles beyond 30, and working moms, working parents. and for all the enterpreneuring spirits, it spelled spa, physical wellness, daycare centers, personal shoppers, shieks, etc.

despite all these, how come many are squeezing themselves into this lane? well, for many things that the slow lane may not offer. financial freedom. career boost. travel perks. fame. etc.


i've tried to shift to a lower gear while in the fast lane, and try to get the best of both worlds. it can be done, but still, it was very difficult. either you get honked continuously, or you catch up with double the effort that defeated the purposes of your slowing down, or ultimately get bumped out of the race... i remained there for the rest of my twenties, starting when i was still fresh from college, so full of ideals, ambitions and zest!

each lane i guess has its own merits and demerits, depending on your goals and visions in life...


as for myself, i would like to try the slow lane... to really stop and smell the roses... and for whatever uncertainties there are, i just have to comfort myself that my God is already there!

Wearing the Trousers

Last month, I have been made aware of a certain fear which I did not know I possess - legal cases. There had been allegations against our company which I have to face, being the representative of the management. Being a law abiding citizen, any “legal” case, however small or big it is, melts my knees, much more now that it involves our company, and it did not help either having a lawyer for a brother. So when this legal thing cropped up, I knew I am in for many sleepless nights.


Why was I sleepless? Firstly, however right my stand is, I am in a foreign land and I do not know how law is handled here. Secondly, I dread the thought of involving our sponsor in this issue, which may give us a not-so-good impression as managers of their company. Lastly, I did not have anyone to discuss this with personally, as I have to keep a strong front among my staff though most of my colleagues have a thing or two to say about the issue, either to help or worse, to criticize.


Three days after, I have to confront my fear. The sleepless nights, stirred with hours of prayers and cries to our mighty God, helped me face my “den of lions”. I was able to talk straight to the local guy, and without much evidence, he dropped the allegations. I praise God for behind this awful situation, I saw His wonderful working. Looking back, I have learned a great deal of reality. Besides the fact that God is always there to the weary soul, I learned more about “wearing the trousers”.


Usually in a company, those under the management are quick to criticize decisions made by their heads without really looking into the whole thinking process that person went through, like the ordeal that I had. Either small decision or big ones, the head always have so many things to factor in which may not always be perfectly understood by the others. When I was just handling one department, my view is very limited, wherein I only think about the benefits of my own sphere. And now that I am handling the whole company, looking at the big picture, I was amazed at how things are very different from that perspective. My decisions have not always been well-accepted, because not everyone knows the intermingling factors that go with it. I know it for a fact, for I myself have many times questioned the decisions our former management made.



Cascading this corporate scenario to the family, I may say I have been given the rare real opportunity to be in a man’s shoe. Just like in a company, most wives are quick to point out the faults of their men. But as I realized, it is not easy always being the head and the source of strength of the family. The daily decisions that have to be made, the responsibility of looking over a number of people they love, and meeting the expectations of the outside world is just too much to handle. And then add to this the physical, spiritual, mental and emotional weariness, the fears that haunt them and the unwelcome remarks thrown their way. Without God’s mercy and grace, I think many of the men would have given up the race.


Having experienced this, my consolation is that I am a woman, and I can easily get a vacation from work or give up this position and choose to live a simpler life. But to the men, this is what they have been called for, for life. Either as a family man, a preacher, a deacon or a head of a ministry, they all lead in one way or another. And as women, either wives or singles, we ought to help them make it a pleasurable lifetime duty by being cooperative, understanding, and more prayerful. And being given the modern right to express our thoughts, remember that if in case we have to disagree, do it agreeably.


The wisdom of God in making the roles of men and women different should not be messed up by our ideas of equality or liberalism. After all, it is God who sees the “big picture”. He is our ultimate perfect Leader who does not err, does not grow weary and neither does He have fears.