Hard Rock Hotel Penang

In case you haven't heard, Hard Rock Hotel is in Penang!

I was back home for 2 friends' wedding(they married each other) and took the opportunity to see the place since it was their soft opening(19 Sept 2009).

The Beatles at the entrance

As typical Penangites would do, we all decided to storm into the place see how it is. The Hotel used be Casuarina Hotel.

Hotel Lounge
Display at the lobby

Wife with the Beatles

Can't really say much about the place, coz there are just too many walking around.

The Hard Rock Cafe is on the left side of the building. If I'm not mistaken, that place used to be a disco back in the 90's. Think it was my first visit to the disco:)

Hard Rock Cafe Penang

some dude with the King Of Pop right outside the Cafe

At the hotel entrance
Hopefully business here would last. Maybe I can go back for the dining experience in Dec:)

hiatus

Haven't been blogging... totally forgot I have a blog!

Just some updates, in case anyone is following.

Fitness First Malaysia will be launching the new BODYSTEP, BODYJAM, & BODYCOMBAT from 8-11 Sept for First Club members. If your membership with FF is more than 1 year, then you are a Firct Club member and you can register for the classes in the Klang Valley.

Anyway, Selamat Berpuasa to all Muslims!

Teambuilding

One thing I hear a lot since started working is the word "TEAMBUILDING". It may sound like a positive thing where the department spend some time to do some activity to improve on the teamwork amongst the staff, but sometimes I feel that if a company/department needs teambuilding to this be function better, then perhaps there's something wrong in the group.

Over the last few years, I have my fair share of teambuilding experience. Some were just so-so, while a few were real great time together. One thing I notice, however, that will ultimately make the teambuilding activity a success... the attitude of the participants. Because only if everyone can start to think less of themselves and more of the team, the teambuilding activity would not do much good at all. So what if you tried to play some games to build the highest tower, the longer line when after that, things never change at the workplace?

Honestly, sometimes I feel those pre-planned teambuilding activities are over-rated. If each member of the team shows more concerns about the whole team than what he/she is going to get out of the work, the whole organization would function better already.

Doing those ad-hoc thing like going for lunch together, watching movie, go karaoke may sometimes be better teambuilding activities:)

Misled

Don't you hate to be misled?

I suddenly thought of a childhood experience with this teacher. One day we were asked to do some homework during the school break.And so i did the homework to my best ability and submitted on time as requested. Then after marking the homework I was asked to come up to the front of the class. Right up to that moment, i was given the impression that I was going to get some reward for doing my work.

Mana tahu, i got a scolding in front of the class for not doing the work correctly.

To the teacher, I only have this to say...

You wanna whack me for the mistakes i made, fine. Just don't misled me the whole day. Don't ask me to wash my mouth if you were not handing out candies. I wouldn't have been that upset with you.

Sometimes when people don't do the right thing at the right time, they end up making things worse.

Miracle 2009

And so, last week was another fantastic MIRACLE event at the Curve.

Anyhow, in case you weren't there, here's one tribe performance... Introducing the tribe from Klang- The Klang Bah Kut Teh- led by motor mouth Eugene Lim.

公正廉洁，义不容情

简单来说，

我所做所为， 永远公私分明，问心无愧，心安理得、理直气壮。

The greatest pleasure

Mon morning I had an appointment to see a BODYCOMBAT trainee in his clearance class. Honestly I did not put much expectation in the trainee coz the last time he team taught with me 2 weeks ago, he had a very big issue with timing. And I was very honest with him, and I told him that he would really need to work on the timing if he were to stand any chance of clearing.



Spoke with his mentor as well and she also said the same thing about his track presentations. So today I was sort of expecting at best, an average presentation in the class. However, 2 weeks' of hard work sure did wonders for this guy. He taught a very energetic class!



The morning ladies in IOI Mall were certainly pleased with him and I was excited as well. Halfway passed the class, I text his mentor that if he continued his form, he will surely cleared the assessment.



Sure, there were a few spots where he lost the beat, but somehow he managed to get back on the beat without losing control of the class. And at the end of the class, after the feedback time, I gave him the good news.



I think the happiest person to hear the news of his clearance(besides him) is probably his mentor, because if I had a trainee under me who excels, I would be too. And based of the SMS between us, I can feel her joy and pride in seeing this new trainee succeed.



To think about it, when I first started teaching, the greatest joy was definitely being able to stand in front of the members and teach one heck of a class. Seeing another instructor teaching an awesome class would spur me to try to outdo the instructor, in a positive manner. Then, something happened: I became the headteacher.



Suddenly the focus was shifted. Instead of thinking of myself and my ego, I began to think about the whole team. When launch time, it's no longer about showcasing my ability. If the members prefer certain insturctors, then that's what they'll get. I will be equally happy to teach in a smaller clubs, as long as I get to contribute to the experience of the members.



Even in huge events like our annual Miracle charity event, there were times that I consciously chose to step aside and let the other instructors teach the tracks. As long as the launch was successful, it doesn't matter whether I teach or not. The team is more important than any individual instructor.



But today, after exchanging SMSes with the trainee's mentor, it just dawned upon me why the great pleasure for any instructor should be the success/grooming of another new instructor. As instructors, the joy of teaching an awesome class lasts only 1 class, even for a new release. After that, it's gone and you'll have to start all over again with another class. But when you successfully groomed a new instructor, the joy lasts so much longer... Seeing the person when he/she first started, how insecure and lost on stage teaching a track for the very first time.... till the day he/she can finally conduct the class alone.

Yup, nothing beats grooming new instructors!