Phythian's Dazzle http://phythian.posterous.com Memorabilia ocularis posterous.com Sun, 08 Apr 2012 22:38:00 -0700 My Wonderful Family! http://phythian.posterous.com/my-wonderful-family http://phythian.posterous.com/my-wonderful-family

A beautiful Son & Daughter! They make me so proud.

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Sun, 08 Apr 2012 22:34:00 -0700 Dubai Festival city Dragon competition http://phythian.posterous.com/dubai-festival-city-dragon-competition http://phythian.posterous.com/dubai-festival-city-dragon-competition

Fastest in Dubai!

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Mon, 23 Jan 2012 11:43:00 -0800 Happy New Year - Kung Hei Fat Choy - Dazzle 1200124 http://phythian.posterous.com/happy-new-year-kung-hei-fat-choy-dazzle-12001 http://phythian.posterous.com/happy-new-year-kung-hei-fat-choy-dazzle-12001

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Fri, 25 Nov 2011 02:57:00 -0800 Book of Dazzle 111125 http://phythian.posterous.com/book-of-dazzle-111125 http://phythian.posterous.com/book-of-dazzle-111125

The multi-car pile up is one in Northern Germany when the Auto-bahn was fogged up!.... at the same time on the other side of the channel, the atmospheric pics of London undercover of Fog.

My selection of pics from the last few days.Enjoy! 

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Fri, 25 Nov 2011 02:54:00 -0800 Thai Resourcefulness http://phythian.posterous.com/thai-resourcefulness http://phythian.posterous.com/thai-resourcefulness

With the recent flooding of Thailand: The mother of invention is necessity!

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Mon, 21 Nov 2011 08:13:00 -0800 Book of Dazzle 111121 http://phythian.posterous.com/book-of-dazzle-111121 http://phythian.posterous.com/book-of-dazzle-111121

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Wed, 16 Nov 2011 11:11:00 -0800 Book of Dazzle http://phythian.posterous.com/book-of-dazzle-30532 http://phythian.posterous.com/book-of-dazzle-30532

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Wed, 16 Nov 2011 06:27:00 -0800 Book of Dazzle http://phythian.posterous.com/book-of-dazzle http://phythian.posterous.com/book-of-dazzle

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Wed, 16 Nov 2011 06:26:55 -0800 Abu Dhabi Dragon Boat Regatta http://phythian.posterous.com/abu-dhabi-dragon-boat-regatta http://phythian.posterous.com/abu-dhabi-dragon-boat-regatta

Great Weekend!  October 28/29 2011

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Mon, 02 Aug 2010 09:54:00 -0700 Moving Countries. http://phythian.posterous.com/moving-countries http://phythian.posterous.com/moving-countries

Well it's been a while, but I've moved...... back to Dubai & what a change since last time.....The East beckons.

The traffic is a lot quieter - there is a sense of realism about the place - real people, real problems. 

 

An update: I left Garlock - (hurray) & moved to a much more forward thinking Co. - SMITH International, based in Dubai.

As GM I run the Fluid Sealing Division with a manufacturing plant in Dubai & Malaysia, with sales offices in Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi & Oman.

 

A brief review highlighted many problems - operations management, Sales management & supply chain, so not only are we inefficient, we have poor suppliers & no sales management system in place for follow ups.

The saving grace is the staff are committed, which means they can be successful with the right leadership. 

 

Slowly, but surely I'll get the team in place & move forward. 

 

Personally, It's a wrench as Karen hasn't arrived yet - still sorting out horses in UK & as the kids get older it would be great to spend more time with them.

Hope you like the pics - some of my favourite rides! 

2010-01

Ducati-monster-696-right

Tvrt350c01-1024

 

 

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Fri, 07 May 2010 09:28:00 -0700 Dilbert Reigns! http://phythian.posterous.com/18225394 http://phythian.posterous.com/18225394

Using the Mushroom theory of management these are obviously bad mushrooms!

89037_strip
An ode to the subject that is Human Resource Management & Employee Involvement & Participation (EIP).

Now please can someone remind me, which one of the escalators does this approach fit into: Information, Communication, Consultation, Co-determination or control?

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Fri, 19 Mar 2010 05:04:00 -0700 Different cultures - different decisions http://phythian.posterous.com/different-cultures-different-decisions http://phythian.posterous.com/different-cultures-different-decisions

As a budding MBA student, I'm forced to think about many obscure themes & one that I found recently was how various cultures and famous (or infamous) people make decisions:

A critiscism of Western decision making (particularly from the East) is that complex tasks have to be dissected into smaller tasks. Issues such as prices, delivery, warranty, and service contracts may be settled one issue at a time, with the final agreement being the sum of the sequence of smaller agreements. However in Asia, nothing seems to get done. The Western sequential approach and the Eastern holistic approach do not mix well.

That is, American managers often report great difficulties in measuring progress in negotiations, particularly in Asian countries. After all, in America, you are half done when half the issues are settled. But in China, Japan, or Korea nothing seems to get settled. Then, surprise, you are done. (Lam & Graham).

It is generally well-known amongst the West the 'polite' form which the Japanese have when in meetings.  However there are major differences within Asia, such as Korea, where commands, interruptions & questioning are more evident.  A recipe for frustration for the less patient!  

Western sensitivities tend to objectivise decision making, separating the people from the decision, whilst in Latin America and the Middle East a major element of any decision is with the people involved. I have a lot of respect for this approach, after all 'trust' is a major pathway for decisions turning into results.  

Being English, but having worked with many nationalities, I am always fascinated by the cultural differences we come across & although I believe we tend to align ourselves with the US style, I have had the benefit of observing the best & the worst of each.

This led to unearthing some great quotes - some favourites I came across: 

"I expect to get valid information ... I can't make good decisions unless I get valid information" George W. Bush, April 13th 2004. George B

The French have what is known as "The Bottom of the Stairs moment", or feeling when one remembers that critical comment that might have changed the course of a discussion.  L’esprit de l’escalier - Spirit of the Stairway or Staircase Wit, is thinking of a clever comeback when it is too late - How often has that occurred & I end up pondering on the 'what-ifs' for some moments afterwards.  I just love the philosophical island, which is the French ('Island' as outside of Anglo-Saxon thought).

"It doesn't matter which side of the fence you get off on sometimes. What matters most is getting off. You cannot make progress without making decisions." Jim Rohn

"We know what happens to people who stay in the middle of the road. They get run over." Aneurin Bevan

"Whenever you see a successful business, someone once made a courageous decision." Peter Drucker

My favourite has to be the ancient Viking method, which would be great to see resurrected!

Viking chiefs used to make their decisions twice over: once when drunk and once when sober. If the two agreed they would carry out the decision; if they differed they would think again - I can vouch for the fact there are some truths in this!

 

 

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Wed, 03 Mar 2010 13:36:00 -0800 Some thoughts..... http://phythian.posterous.com/some-thoughts-191 http://phythian.posterous.com/some-thoughts-191

Disappointments which weren't worth it:

Cairo - what's the fuss.
Sticking your head above the parapet! (some people will understand this more than others)

It was better than I expected:

Having & growing up with kids -  my best friends!.
Horseriding - such a feeling of power & control (when it's done right!)
Driving with the top down
Driving with the top down... at speed!

What do I miss:

Living in Middle East - it's addictive
Holidays in remote, hot locations with a good book or 2.
Scuba Diving (I only do warm!)
Cooking for friends (who appreciate food)

Sublime:

Bach's Partita No.3 In E Major

People are strange - The Doors

Apocolypse please - Muse

Redemption Song - Bob Marley

......there's lots more



I Just don't get it..... (and you're welcome to it)


Golf

Football

Potatoes - do they really taste of anything?



This will be an ongoing theme.... but it's a good start to the blog!

 

Stuart

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