As Ma Chungers, you should learn Zhong wen.
As Ma Chungers, you have to learn Zhong wen.
If you have been maintaining a racist outlook, you will find a big affective barrier that blocks your motivation and effort to learn this language.
I don’t love the Indonesian Chinese (well, apart from the fact that I have been involved in romantically sweet passionate heartbreaking affairs with many of the women), but I don’t hate them either. And this middle stance is an ideal starting position for an effort to learn Zhong wen. If you love them, you see no point of acquiring Zhong wen; if you hate them, you don’t see any reason why you should learn Zhong wen.
An evaluation item on the 12 Ma Chung Characters Evaluation Instrument says this all: “The staff has a good command of Zhong wen, or at least shows an effort to learn Zhong wen”.
I have been learning this exotic language, and frankly speaking, I feel daunted, challenged, tempted, aroused, turned on!
Zhong wen is definitely not an easy language. Now, I have a doctorate degree in language education; my teachers said I am talented to learn languages, and, boy, how this Zhong wen language is mocking me, saying: “I dare you to master me!”. Damn! Wait till I pounce on its face, I’d come down very hard on it, ripping it to pieces, tearing it with my teeth and fists, and finally making love to it!
Minggu, 04 Januari 2009
SMALL GESTURES MATTER: Toward a thoughtful Ma Chung
When I was studying in New Zealand in 1992, I had the impression that the New Zealanders youths were boisterous, noisy, and paid little respect for foreigners like me. They seemed to be very ignorant about the presence of foreigners. Somehow I was compelled to change that viewpoint when on one morning I was struggling with the locks of a door that seemed stuck. I was thinking of asking for a help from two young men who showed up down the corridor, but seeing their ignorant demeanor, I decided not to call their attention to give me a hand.
Suddenly one of the two youths swerved round to my direction. “Here, let me help,” he said, reaching the stubborn locks, and yanked them open.
“Oh, thanks,” I said.
“No problem,” he said casually, walking away to continue walking and talking to his friend.
That was very little help, but that mattered much in the way I perceived the whole new culture of New Zealanders. They may be individualistic, they may seem to look through you, and they may maintain this mind-your-own-business-and-help-yourself attitude. But maybe that is not entirely right. Despite their ignorant look, many of them are really aware of what other people are doing, and do not hesitate to offer a helping hand if the others seem to be in trouble.
Here at Ma Chung opportunities like that abound. When you work in one of the rooms in Rektorat building, sometimes you’d see some strangers sitting on the sofa, waiting for their turn to be served upon by the administrative staff. Now picture this: you come early in the morning, and head to your room. In the corner of your eyes, you spot a couple standing near the sofa. You glanced at them and here are some alternatives you may face: (1) trying to feel from their demeanor how they are feeling; (2) offering any help if they turn out to be having a little problem, or (1a) feeling that they somehow are confused about something, (2a) thinking that someone in the front office will eventually come to attend them, and (3a) continuing your steady pace toward your room, or (1c) feeling nothing, and maintaining your walk to your destination.
Which one would you choose?
You decide. Your choice.
Suddenly one of the two youths swerved round to my direction. “Here, let me help,” he said, reaching the stubborn locks, and yanked them open.
“Oh, thanks,” I said.
“No problem,” he said casually, walking away to continue walking and talking to his friend.
That was very little help, but that mattered much in the way I perceived the whole new culture of New Zealanders. They may be individualistic, they may seem to look through you, and they may maintain this mind-your-own-business-and-help-yourself attitude. But maybe that is not entirely right. Despite their ignorant look, many of them are really aware of what other people are doing, and do not hesitate to offer a helping hand if the others seem to be in trouble.
Here at Ma Chung opportunities like that abound. When you work in one of the rooms in Rektorat building, sometimes you’d see some strangers sitting on the sofa, waiting for their turn to be served upon by the administrative staff. Now picture this: you come early in the morning, and head to your room. In the corner of your eyes, you spot a couple standing near the sofa. You glanced at them and here are some alternatives you may face: (1) trying to feel from their demeanor how they are feeling; (2) offering any help if they turn out to be having a little problem, or (1a) feeling that they somehow are confused about something, (2a) thinking that someone in the front office will eventually come to attend them, and (3a) continuing your steady pace toward your room, or (1c) feeling nothing, and maintaining your walk to your destination.
Which one would you choose?
You decide. Your choice.
Senin, 29 Desember 2008
Back To Researching: A Note for UMC Lecturers
Lecturers are designed to teach and research. Any other duties, especially if done excessively, destroy this primary designation.
Ma Chung boasts a teaching staff that comprise mostly young lecturers with at least Master’s degrees. What Ma Chung should provide is a conducive ambience for these lecturers to teach their subjects, conduct scientific research, and run social devotion programs that suit their disciplines.
To do so, not only do they need stimulating schemes like LPPM research grants or supply of latest updates on research grants from outside, but they also need special time allocation for writing articles, planning research, or conducting scientific investigations. Hey, they are lecturers, they are not simply teachers in some private course!
If such thing has not manifested yet, there are probably some causes:
First, Ma Chung lecturers are probably too swamped with their teaching hours and other non-academic duties. Teaching too many classes exhaust them because they have to make thorough preparation for each class they are teaching. If they still have to run here and there supervising an organizing committee for certain non-academic tasks, no wonder they don’t have any energy nor time left to mull about a research topic.
Second, Ma Chung lecturers are simply not interested in researching. Critical stance, long preparation, a lot of writing, and data analyzing are not things that appeal to them.
What Ma Chung needs is a constant encouragement from the top executives to keep them interested in researching. One or two lecturers who have won research grants or have finished outstanding research works may serve as role models for the others. ‘Healthy envy’ usually works best to silently motivate lecturers.
Ma Chung boasts a teaching staff that comprise mostly young lecturers with at least Master’s degrees. What Ma Chung should provide is a conducive ambience for these lecturers to teach their subjects, conduct scientific research, and run social devotion programs that suit their disciplines.
To do so, not only do they need stimulating schemes like LPPM research grants or supply of latest updates on research grants from outside, but they also need special time allocation for writing articles, planning research, or conducting scientific investigations. Hey, they are lecturers, they are not simply teachers in some private course!
If such thing has not manifested yet, there are probably some causes:
First, Ma Chung lecturers are probably too swamped with their teaching hours and other non-academic duties. Teaching too many classes exhaust them because they have to make thorough preparation for each class they are teaching. If they still have to run here and there supervising an organizing committee for certain non-academic tasks, no wonder they don’t have any energy nor time left to mull about a research topic.
Second, Ma Chung lecturers are simply not interested in researching. Critical stance, long preparation, a lot of writing, and data analyzing are not things that appeal to them.
What Ma Chung needs is a constant encouragement from the top executives to keep them interested in researching. One or two lecturers who have won research grants or have finished outstanding research works may serve as role models for the others. ‘Healthy envy’ usually works best to silently motivate lecturers.
Healthy criticisms promote emotional intelligence
Maria Luciana said in her Forkomil presentation: “Praise others to encourage them!”.
Fine. Agree. Praises and compliments spur people to work harder in a happier state of mind. I myself have received a few compliments on my teaching, my blogs, my works, my façade, and . . . . .I find them ooooohh . . . how sweeeeett!
BUT, . . .
As I grow older, I need something else that will keep me alert and wary about my shortcomings. And that is criticisms. Criticisms, sincere and constructive criticisms are what I need in addition to honest compliments.
‘Criticisms are like manure’ I wrote in one of my postings last year. Without criticisms, I’d be lulled into self-complacency. I would think that nothing in the way I do things and the way I behave needs some improvements.
But here at Ma Chung people are very stingy in giving criticisms. They would rather compliment me, or, as the majority do, keep tight-lipped. The only criticisms addressed to me was given by my former staff member, who said that I need to talk more and discuss more with my staff. But that’s all.
Will 2009 watch me receiving healthy criticisms? Or will it just be the same as 2008? Let us wait and see.
So, coming back to Maria’s point above, I would recommend her my piece of conviction: “Emotionally intelligent people can strike the balance between giving praises and giving criticisms.”
How about that?
Fine. Agree. Praises and compliments spur people to work harder in a happier state of mind. I myself have received a few compliments on my teaching, my blogs, my works, my façade, and . . . . .I find them ooooohh . . . how sweeeeett!
BUT, . . .
As I grow older, I need something else that will keep me alert and wary about my shortcomings. And that is criticisms. Criticisms, sincere and constructive criticisms are what I need in addition to honest compliments.
‘Criticisms are like manure’ I wrote in one of my postings last year. Without criticisms, I’d be lulled into self-complacency. I would think that nothing in the way I do things and the way I behave needs some improvements.
But here at Ma Chung people are very stingy in giving criticisms. They would rather compliment me, or, as the majority do, keep tight-lipped. The only criticisms addressed to me was given by my former staff member, who said that I need to talk more and discuss more with my staff. But that’s all.
Will 2009 watch me receiving healthy criticisms? Or will it just be the same as 2008? Let us wait and see.
So, coming back to Maria’s point above, I would recommend her my piece of conviction: “Emotionally intelligent people can strike the balance between giving praises and giving criticisms.”
How about that?
Kamis, 18 Desember 2008
Employee Evaluation: The Right Attitude
Now ladies and gentleman, please don’t be too fussy about the way we evaluate your personality and performances as Ma Chung staff. The method has been designed very well to generate an objective, valid, and reliable measurement.
The evaluation is called 3600 evaluation, which means that you will be evaluated by more than one person, and the evaluation will be done more than once (once in every three months, as I heard). In addition to your superior, other staff members will also evaluate you. This will cancel out any subjective evaluation from any one of them. In other words, this technique ensures that a particular employee is being evaluated as objectively as possible. Any subjective evaluation which may come from one or two colleagues wont matter much, since the other colleagues will very likely come up with a more objective evaluation. Coupled with multiple evaluation, that is, once in three month, this makes a very reliable assessment system.
This brings us to the importance of informing all Ma Chungers the criteria and the scoring technique that are used to evaluate them. This is what HCD has yet to do. Such information will promote fairness, openness, and trust from all Ma Chungers. They know what criteria they are evaluated against, along with the scores, the scoring technique and the weightings. More importantly, HCD has to provide at least a rough guideline about how each score (from 1 to 7) corresponds to a particular behavior. What kind of behavior should deserve a 1? Or 2? Or 7? If this guideline is at least communicated to all Ma Chungers, a ‘wild’ interpretation like “I only give 7 for a perfect person,”, “7 is only for God” won’t come up.
A man suggested that an employee who performs poorly in most of the 12 Ma Chung characteristics but excels in one of the characteristic be transferred to another unit which may fit his or her outstanding skill. No way. The instrument of 12 Ma Chung characteristics is about personality, not cognitive prowess or technical expertise. If you score low in this instrument, the message is simple: your personality has been widely perceived as bad. Despite your genius mind or excellent technical prowess, as a person you suck, period. Regardless of the unit you are transferred to, you will likely be a pain in the neck for others, because your personality is simply annoying.
Another question: will Ma Chungers be judged by their personality only? No, of course not. That’s why some other measures are being devised which encompass your personality, your professional skills, and, if you are a lecturer, your Tri Dharma achievements. So it’s a very elaborate, thorough, all-round evaluation. Each will be evaluated in almost all aspects. This means: you have a greater chance to prove that you are a kind person, a smart and hardworking staff, and, if you are a lecturer, a lovable teacher, and a potential scholar.
Then a rather silly question: who will evaluate HCD? Oh, puh-leazeee; only God is the only being not to be evaluated. I mean, look at Patrisius. He was subjected to the very instrument he designed, scoring only 69 in the last semester, but then racking up to 82, 89, and 92 this semester. So, (1) HCD must be evaluated, too; (2) Patrisius’ case is exactly what I call “positive washback effect” in testing: the more you realize you are being evaluated, the harder you push for better and better performances.
Having said that, I would like to underscore the importance of reviewing the instruments regularly. We at DPM routinely evaluate our own instruments on the basis of suggestions and even complaints from lecturers and students alike. Some items may have to be dropped because they are confusing; some items may have to be reworded so as to make them clearer; some may have to be added because the standard demands so, and on and on. Constant reviewing is vital.
If the evaluation system runs well, you can be sure that in the long run Ma Chung will employ high-quality, capable and amiable staff and lecturers who never stop improving their personality and professionalism from time to time.
Ma Chung rocks!
The evaluation is called 3600 evaluation, which means that you will be evaluated by more than one person, and the evaluation will be done more than once (once in every three months, as I heard). In addition to your superior, other staff members will also evaluate you. This will cancel out any subjective evaluation from any one of them. In other words, this technique ensures that a particular employee is being evaluated as objectively as possible. Any subjective evaluation which may come from one or two colleagues wont matter much, since the other colleagues will very likely come up with a more objective evaluation. Coupled with multiple evaluation, that is, once in three month, this makes a very reliable assessment system.
This brings us to the importance of informing all Ma Chungers the criteria and the scoring technique that are used to evaluate them. This is what HCD has yet to do. Such information will promote fairness, openness, and trust from all Ma Chungers. They know what criteria they are evaluated against, along with the scores, the scoring technique and the weightings. More importantly, HCD has to provide at least a rough guideline about how each score (from 1 to 7) corresponds to a particular behavior. What kind of behavior should deserve a 1? Or 2? Or 7? If this guideline is at least communicated to all Ma Chungers, a ‘wild’ interpretation like “I only give 7 for a perfect person,”, “7 is only for God” won’t come up.
A man suggested that an employee who performs poorly in most of the 12 Ma Chung characteristics but excels in one of the characteristic be transferred to another unit which may fit his or her outstanding skill. No way. The instrument of 12 Ma Chung characteristics is about personality, not cognitive prowess or technical expertise. If you score low in this instrument, the message is simple: your personality has been widely perceived as bad. Despite your genius mind or excellent technical prowess, as a person you suck, period. Regardless of the unit you are transferred to, you will likely be a pain in the neck for others, because your personality is simply annoying.
Another question: will Ma Chungers be judged by their personality only? No, of course not. That’s why some other measures are being devised which encompass your personality, your professional skills, and, if you are a lecturer, your Tri Dharma achievements. So it’s a very elaborate, thorough, all-round evaluation. Each will be evaluated in almost all aspects. This means: you have a greater chance to prove that you are a kind person, a smart and hardworking staff, and, if you are a lecturer, a lovable teacher, and a potential scholar.
Then a rather silly question: who will evaluate HCD? Oh, puh-leazeee; only God is the only being not to be evaluated. I mean, look at Patrisius. He was subjected to the very instrument he designed, scoring only 69 in the last semester, but then racking up to 82, 89, and 92 this semester. So, (1) HCD must be evaluated, too; (2) Patrisius’ case is exactly what I call “positive washback effect” in testing: the more you realize you are being evaluated, the harder you push for better and better performances.
Having said that, I would like to underscore the importance of reviewing the instruments regularly. We at DPM routinely evaluate our own instruments on the basis of suggestions and even complaints from lecturers and students alike. Some items may have to be dropped because they are confusing; some items may have to be reworded so as to make them clearer; some may have to be added because the standard demands so, and on and on. Constant reviewing is vital.
If the evaluation system runs well, you can be sure that in the long run Ma Chung will employ high-quality, capable and amiable staff and lecturers who never stop improving their personality and professionalism from time to time.
Ma Chung rocks!
Senin, 15 Desember 2008
End-of-Year Note (1)
It is exciting to witness the drastic changes at a fledgling university like Ma Chung. Changes have taken place, the power map is shifting; if you are smart and cautious, you’d mull over the changes, use them to anticipate what is coming in the years to come, and start playing your cards in order to promote the most conducive working atmosphere at Ma Chung.
Gone is the once popular lecturer who is good at motivating but does poor jobs in managing the curriculum. A good lesson: a brilliant motivator is . . . . a brilliant motivator, that’s it. You cannot expect someone to be an all-round player. One only excels in a certain area of expertise, but definitely needs the assistance and contribution from others to accomplish tasks in the other domains. Remember what Patrisius said in one of his Moment of Truth presentation: everyone only plays a slice of the whole circle. To get the whole circle to function properly, other people with different skills, talent, and specialties need to be given equal chances to play their roles.
Then there are three Indian ‘lecturers’ who came only to screw up the teaching quality with their reckless preparation and unfriendly demeanor. Beware! Our students are getting sick of them, and unless proper actions are taken to remedy the situation, our students will turn their silent fuming into loud protests, and that’s bad. My suggestion: stop these Indian amateurs from teaching! Now! We just cannot afford to entrust our students to these low-qualities teachers.
A laudable thing: EPSBED is now in good hands. This routine reporting to the Kopertis is vital, and a very timely transfer of a formerly Quality Assurance staff to the Academic Affairs will hopefully ensure constant and proper reporting of EPSBED to the Kopertis.
My directorate, meanwhile, is running a series of evaluation and is going to make a year-end reporting of the major aspects of the university: managerial skills, advisory skills, teaching performances, and qualities of facilities and academic atmosphere. Wait, 2009 will witness me and Prita shape these important elements with a series of training and workshop.
Ma Chung rocks!
Gone is the once popular lecturer who is good at motivating but does poor jobs in managing the curriculum. A good lesson: a brilliant motivator is . . . . a brilliant motivator, that’s it. You cannot expect someone to be an all-round player. One only excels in a certain area of expertise, but definitely needs the assistance and contribution from others to accomplish tasks in the other domains. Remember what Patrisius said in one of his Moment of Truth presentation: everyone only plays a slice of the whole circle. To get the whole circle to function properly, other people with different skills, talent, and specialties need to be given equal chances to play their roles.
Then there are three Indian ‘lecturers’ who came only to screw up the teaching quality with their reckless preparation and unfriendly demeanor. Beware! Our students are getting sick of them, and unless proper actions are taken to remedy the situation, our students will turn their silent fuming into loud protests, and that’s bad. My suggestion: stop these Indian amateurs from teaching! Now! We just cannot afford to entrust our students to these low-qualities teachers.
A laudable thing: EPSBED is now in good hands. This routine reporting to the Kopertis is vital, and a very timely transfer of a formerly Quality Assurance staff to the Academic Affairs will hopefully ensure constant and proper reporting of EPSBED to the Kopertis.
My directorate, meanwhile, is running a series of evaluation and is going to make a year-end reporting of the major aspects of the university: managerial skills, advisory skills, teaching performances, and qualities of facilities and academic atmosphere. Wait, 2009 will witness me and Prita shape these important elements with a series of training and workshop.
Ma Chung rocks!
Jumat, 28 November 2008
Entrepreneurship at UMC
The idea of whipping up entrepreneurship spirit among the students has been brimming for some time here, and people have been gearing up to realize it. A task force was set to draw up a curriculum for the entrepreneurial courses for all Study Programs.
But I guess this is where we have to be a little bit cautious here.
I personally would say that entrepreneurship, defined in its strictest sense, culminates in gaining profit. Now, that is most suitable with students from Management and Accounting study programs, but leaves a big question when applied to English, Information Technology and Industrial Engineering. It is obvious that those disciplines call for some other kind of entrepreneurship, something not confined to mere planning, selling, and gaining profits.
Somebody suggested that entrepreneurship concept can be extended to include things like social entrepreneur, language entrepreneur, humanistic entrepreneur or some other kinds of entrepreneurship that embrace wider dimensions. But then I’d say this somewhat blurs the focus. To me, entrepreneurship is originally about opening up job opportunities and making profit, which is in line with Ciputra’s formulation of his entrepreneurship concept. So it’s about starting a business, running it well and making money, that’s it.
Someone else thinks that the act of producing simple merchandise and selling them to Ma Chungers instills a fighting spirit and toughness in the students. Fine. But if entrepreneurship is to be expanded to include those other dimensions of humanity, surely selling is not the only act that can develop entrepreneurial spirit among the students. This is not a one-size-fits-all thing.
So, why not having them do humanitarian acts, or voluntary development programs for the local communities, where students dedicate their services to the people by drawing on their academic skills?
Entrepreneurship is a very good idea, and Ma Chung deserves big appreciation for quickly drumming up its best human resources to establish a comprehensive curriculum for sustainable entrepreneurship courses. However, it really needs to seriously ponder on the issues above to generate a sound curriculum relevant to each study program. As I suggested in the meeting, intensive talks with the heads of the other study programs should be given a high priority in order to draw up relevant curriculum for each discipline.
But I guess this is where we have to be a little bit cautious here.
I personally would say that entrepreneurship, defined in its strictest sense, culminates in gaining profit. Now, that is most suitable with students from Management and Accounting study programs, but leaves a big question when applied to English, Information Technology and Industrial Engineering. It is obvious that those disciplines call for some other kind of entrepreneurship, something not confined to mere planning, selling, and gaining profits.
Somebody suggested that entrepreneurship concept can be extended to include things like social entrepreneur, language entrepreneur, humanistic entrepreneur or some other kinds of entrepreneurship that embrace wider dimensions. But then I’d say this somewhat blurs the focus. To me, entrepreneurship is originally about opening up job opportunities and making profit, which is in line with Ciputra’s formulation of his entrepreneurship concept. So it’s about starting a business, running it well and making money, that’s it.
Someone else thinks that the act of producing simple merchandise and selling them to Ma Chungers instills a fighting spirit and toughness in the students. Fine. But if entrepreneurship is to be expanded to include those other dimensions of humanity, surely selling is not the only act that can develop entrepreneurial spirit among the students. This is not a one-size-fits-all thing.
So, why not having them do humanitarian acts, or voluntary development programs for the local communities, where students dedicate their services to the people by drawing on their academic skills?
Entrepreneurship is a very good idea, and Ma Chung deserves big appreciation for quickly drumming up its best human resources to establish a comprehensive curriculum for sustainable entrepreneurship courses. However, it really needs to seriously ponder on the issues above to generate a sound curriculum relevant to each study program. As I suggested in the meeting, intensive talks with the heads of the other study programs should be given a high priority in order to draw up relevant curriculum for each discipline.
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