An unexpected Encounter
This is my last session of the day, after the long meeting with S. group - the synergy meeting after on board of the new Taiwan chairman - he called it " S. united ", I made appointment with C. a new talent introduced by a friend who is struggling in her management contract.
we suppose to meet by 9:00 pm, but she came here 10 minutes earlier, I walked down to the Ritz lobby to greet her, then L. came across me. he brought his wife and brother in law. we chat at the lobby, C. who stand next to me with a distance, this is so strange, as new talent we first me, I don't know how to introduce her and she is cute and beautiful, so, it may create some imagination of who she is and what I am doing in a Hotel, well, I don't have time to explain but to take this chace inform L. about COO's return to Tokyo. this is so strange, I came up with this idea to invite L. join our farewell dinner after Board Meeting on the 21th, but when my assitant contact him, all the numbers were not working, he changer all the numbers. so, I decided not to carry out this idea. how come I met him at the lobby of Ritz and find time to inform him about it and he seems to happy to join us.
L. was our primary shareholders and we spend some good time for about one and half year, then, everything's change and S. bought back all his stock and become a holly own subsideray, the departure of partnership cause to our disconnected for a long while, I tried to maintain this relationship, but it seems all in vain, so I talked to myself not to maintain a relationship which your counter party doesn't treat it the same way. the last time I saw him was on His father's condoldecnt memorial session, I took A. from Tokyo and visit the ceremony venue. then we lost contact as usua.
C. is in deep trouble , when reviewing her contract - a blank one and she didn't receive his copy. this is a very unfavorable contract, she sold everything to her manager who according to her, is not qualified to handle her career, it's been 2 years sicne she sign the contract, but nothing happend, I advise her how to solve the problem by her own and advise her I am not take this advantage to become her next manage as there are lot of things to be taken care before she identified her next manger, and it not necessary be me.
The synergy meeting is focus on promoting one company's aritsts doing a concert, a purly sponser orientated campaing, I don't see a true synergy and mutual benefit coming from this idea. so, I sit quite and my olny comments is to have the coordinator send out one questionair to collect information / needs / wants / goal / perspective / budget amount before making a roughy decision, it seem my suggestion drawing a conclusion to a dinner. I don't know who's smart and who's playing dumb at the first meeting.
bring foreign guest to Ting Tai Feng - gorment worth waiting, they do enjoy everything, after the lunch, they asked me bring them to the ICE MONSTOR, it listed on the tour guide, no wonder it become a popular route for tourist.
The Makoro Feast
I never dream of having an economic yet blunty of Tuna feast in this summer, but incidentally, we have it last night.
To welcome our guest from Tokyo and Seol in helping us guide the recenctly launched internet communicty service " Be You ", I book the restaurant " Da Peng Wang ", when my secretary inform me the minimum charge per person is 1000, I hasitate to reserve, however, I decided to try this new restaurant which I never been before. it located near by Council of Culture Affair , not a very popular commercial zone and neither the cluster of restaurant, surprisely, it was so crowed and thanks God, we make the reservation before.
This is really a Toro feast, they creatively making almost every part of the Tuna fish and magically presented in front of you, it all tasted different and it all delicious, it take our guest by surprise - well, me either, this is my rare first time to try a restaurnat by the word of month instead of my physical experience.
The experts from Tokyo were keen in bringing Taiwanes Drama to Tokyo, they think the Korea Current will soon be taken by other Asian Current, Taiwanese Drama have a good position to follow. Specilist from Korea were so experience in internet community. they share such imformative document, not only present us what's the secrect formula behind those success community builder in Korea such as Cyworld -- a cummulate 12 millions members at there minihome, but to examine and analysis our beyou site and told me how to turn it on, improve it and make it a star in a focus area. Chung told us the critical mass for a successful Community site in Korea is 4 millions members, to pareted by population, in Taiwan, it come to the magic number of 2 millions, this is something we should be focus. S. Japan didn't start well, they begin in April and acquired 27000 up to now, if divided by the population ( 4 times of Taiwan ) and by the period ( 3 month ), the result is poor : it's like 2000 new members per months, with 12 manpower ( we have only 8 right now ), we might doing better than J.
Return to our topic, the Tuna feast were excellent. on season, on time, I told COO, this is the first farewell I joined.
I lost every game
After the Sunday champaignship, I though the excitement build up will last to following games I play; I was wrong, I lost every game last night at the ping pong exercise; Love to every one, this is unbelievable, I don't even enjoy the side effect the exercise bring - sweating and circulation. I packed my sports bag and went home as scheduled -- 9:40 pm.
Lunch with Wen who was apprised as " The God father of VC in Taiwan ", he invited me over for lunch to thank my real-time response to one favor - double confirm his concern about one underline, a so call " Rights -base " start up who is seeking the B round these days, his partner in the States keen in conducting due diligence. my honset respone in time help him and earn me a lunch at Tien-shang lo - the best Hung Chiou restaurat at Rits Hotel. Wen is a senior YPO - a TPO right now, the YPO protocal keep us much closer than any business associates, this might be the reason he is willing to spare his time with me. well, I am not feeling inferior, but to describe what my wifes' feeling.
Last night, I browse the serching engineer and located his news - there are 120 search found about Wen, his entreprenureship came from a professional managers' perspective, depart by 40 and run his own venture and now manage a 20billions in total fund and win half of his investment, half of them went public - a very profound track record. the article I reveiwed also reveal his charactor, a nature lover who live a very displine life... after reading his story, I key in my name for the serch results, there are 250 serch results. a strange feeling came up.
Before met him, I looked at some online news clipping, Minister of MOEA said " Understand Skill ( Teconology ) is critical( The Key factor ) ", the idea bank in me stir me up, I re-arrange the sequence of this sentence " Understand Critical is the Skill ", it perfect match the nature of VC - making critical decision all the time. a combine skill and talent to bet and win. I share with Wen the dream of turning music business a music service approach and inform him the " Wu-shia " Musical idea in mind, I don't know if I talked too much, however, the interaction to me is healthy and he is willing to offer his assistance if I do have a plan. we cross about Wang's Animation Studio for a while and share a same mind - the company do exist with great value, but need a fundemental re-structuring , he also advise me to run my own business, it's no necessary to bulid everything from the scrach. a good advise to me.
Fruit talk dirty word to her mother last ngiht again, I returned her homework and reject to examine for her, she was angry and slam her door and says something like " You will only support your son and have him continue study at Forest School ", I was mad and echo with " Yes, of coures, you are absolutely right ", she never swallow any pain and feel sorrow about her bad attitude to senior people in the family, she must take some good lesson before join bording school. she shall pay for the price -- learn how to respect the elder and know how to be a grown up.
AJ wasn't in good shape - well, at least I sense it from the mail we communicate yesterday, I invited him to the HoHaiYa Fu-Long beach concert on 22th, surprisely, he agree, I don't know if he will keep his habit - no show or cancel it before hand, but I will make room for him as I will go on the 22nd.
Artistic Sound
Found one pop up paper castle done by Sound when woke up this morning, I instinctly grabe my digital camera and take one photo out of it; he is in bed still; then I walked down the stair to living room and shoot another peice done by him - a paper building house with his name on it; he placed the art work next to the orchid and stand on one high stalk; when sound think of doing his art work, he turn to be a man of concentration, so focus on his work and he never stop until finish it; this is why I am not buying he is a ADHD sydrome kid.
Then I recalled what I just memorized a few days before, I translate it back to English, I know the translation will not be the same, but, this is, it said, Steve Job said it again and again, he repeatively asked his people when produce or create on product that " Does it equipped with artistic quality " yes, art - artistic quality is what make all the Apple product stand out, this is not simply as industral design, but the heart to polish every hardware an art peice before presented to customer. it reflected to me another "Branded" story behind " Quality Product with NoBrand ", it established in Japan, focus on quality and making " No Brand " its Brand to market and to sell, they hire / recruit and retain world-class designer behind the design lab and do not place them up front to media to mass population, the stragety behind is : letting all the world class designer appreciate the true ovation from customer, they buy simply because the quality and the design, instead of the tag or logo with the designers' symbol.
Sound have the talent in art, in visual, in creativity, How to develop him? I don't have a plan, sending him to the Forest Primary School is a big experitory project, he deserve to enjoy his childhood as long as we - the parent can afford provide him the dream and financial support.
Something
I feel something missing today; I bite my lip hard when having my lunch, I took the light meal - a tuna sandwich; I can feel my blood running thourgh my mouth, I kept eating and the sandwitch was mixed with lip skin and blood, so I have to swallow it all, then I realized somthing's gonna happen today.
Take the elevator up to the 2nd floor, I hate to take the elevator for only one floor, but this is a security reason, the administration office at NKSP locked the exit form the outside, it followed all the procedure to keep the office safe, your cordless security card can only bring you to the desinated floor. walking to my office and read my mail, the " My regination letter " pop up to my eyes. I rush to open it, the director who we were at dinner last night sent his resignation letter to me by mail.
I response in mild mold, I reply with my voice, telling him I respect decison people make in regard to their own life, yet advise him Maturality of a man is to learn how to deal with the contradition in life - normally it occupied 80 percent of our life, and I share with them Growth is the process of learning how to handle pains , and this is only a beginning of a pleasnat journey, know how to grow, how to respect and how to handle.
I am not losing my direction, I called his wife, asked her to comfort her husband before Sat. that's the day I asked my secretary to book a good restaurant for the newly married couple and me, I need to build a family / itimacy ambience to convery my message to him - stay with me or let's leave together, this is an emotional attached to influence on his decison. to defer the impact on our operation and to retain a talent we trained and grows.
I hate to made simply decision and I understand this provide a vicheale for one Janapese expatraite to achieve his goal shorter, taking control of one businees unit - a fat and primary business unit in our company, it will easily break up our operation, I can foresee the disband of the company. although it may achieve some goals not inclusive in my plan.
Recruiting from outside and seeking qualified executive ? not a very good appraoch, as the director's positon is a very now layer we created for these golden child, how come it be the termination station for one of them? I don't understand, to seek talent outside will cause some domino effect and result to the chain reaction of managers' resignation. this is my wild but turth feeling.
No matter when I sense the leaving of J. as it happend after the announcement fo COO's leaving, everyone in our company will treat it as the impact of COO, and I can't stop the roumours going round and round , and no one will understand how I tried to defense J. and cause the " Most uncomfortable Day " of COO.
The the impact will travelling and growth, the confidence level from employee will decrease, people will lost their faith in what they believe ( if they did ), and the turn over rate will be much higher than we anticipate, and in the end, no one can save the company from its confidence bankrupcy.
There's something I want to say, say to you, say to her, and the echo to myself is : I still keep the same level of determination -- To draw a fix - real line at the bottom of my heart, live every moment of my life a value one.........
Chanllenge come like the big wave, it rolling to me over and over, higher and higher, I will surfing on top of the wave, waiving my arm, embracing the strong wind, I am I. the one and only Roge.
The announcement
COO officially annouce his leaving on Monday morning during the mangers' meeting; his simply announcement was made at the last part of the regular meeting; I tailed with a new organizational chart which I planned to implement on Aug. and encourge mangers to knock COO's door, sharing feeling in next 2 weeks.I don't treat it as a criss, so there's no such a criss management procedure to be followed; however, in order to soothe the mangers who worked with him for 4 years, I scheduled varies group meals and begin my frist lunch with CEP and CMP head; they were both recruited by COO some 3 years ago, the intimacy should be high, at the lunch, I don't feel any abnormal feeling coming from them, or maybe it's too early to flow out the chemistry of leaving. we had a shabu shabu lunch.Dinner with another 2 directors, CRM head is mature and she is used to the executives come and go at multi-national corporation , since she worked for Citi Group before, she took the expatraite return home town a nature thing. NSB division head have some problem with him, the gesture of uncomfortable grows as he took up the head of the division, he imagined that the attitude of COO changed dramatically when we announced the new organization chart back in March. with his limited 3 months of leading one business unit, he changed also, aggrestive is not the proper word to describe what I observed follow his change; maybe the book " The story factor " provide the answer to the problem hit him " Telling the truth hurts, you must wrapped it up with a good story ", he might be right in many things. but to co-op in a big firm, 「Be Responsibe」 wasn't the only prinspal to obey, we don't see lot of thing the same last night when having dinner. but it will not bais what I value of him. I must find a way to grow him, and to take care of 2 left alone expatraite in Taipei - this is another interesting task, the mulit-language communication increase the cost of transaction - the cost of knowing each other take time and it reflect to the slow down of decision making, slow down of the operation reaction, so we are kind of loosing the competitive power of SPEED, but, I have to put on their shoes and think how lonely they might be since there won't be a senior executive from their home land to share with them and to support them physically, how should I be the one ? or should I be the one?I will not asked our colleage the rationale and decision making process when they worked with COO before, as I in-planted with the story of Coke succoser's story before - when checking the formal CEO's every thing and study for 3 months, the succesor gave up, he then decided to be like himself, be the one he familar and be the one he is comfortable to perform.CEP director is good in pharaphsing, at lunch, when I send my greeting of " Is there anything worried you? may I grant my assistance ? " he bursted out with " Well, I am worried about you, worried that you will be too busy ", this is what CRM director tried to grap, the symonteneous responsing.Tung-Sheng is a great dumpling restaurant, the food is excellent, the service is good and the price is so reasonable. a new discovery for foreigen guest.
Farewell to COO
「天下沒有散的筵席」是中國人對於「傷別離」這件事的情懷抒發，宴會再好，也有曲終人散之時。這句俗諺在感傷中卻同時也摻有「把握當下；沖散離愁」的解憂之效。
Goodbye seems to be the hardest word; in the old Chinese saying, to describe an ending of relationship, we uses " All the Party will come to an end " the saying not only describe the sad feeling it occurs when saying good bye, but it also prespribe with a " Moment of Turth, Delute of the sadness " ambience.
今天用這句話開場，設定這個主題，也就是要表達對江尻營運長完成So-net Taiwan創建艱鉅任務後，離開台灣，返回東京Sony集團履新的依依捨；江尻營運長在2001年元月1号正式到 So-net Taiwan 籌備辦公室任職；在這之前，他和 So-net 海外發展規劃小組的核心成員花了超過一年的功夫，對台灣網際網路相関服務商機和市場，做了深入而完善的調查，決定以「營收 / 獲利」模式確定的「網路接取服務( Access / Internet Service Provider )」出發,，在台灣實踐 Sony 創新 / 創造的精神。
To open my CEO chat with this Chinese old sayting, it to show my hard feeling toward the leaving of Ejiri-san who accomplished his task in building So-net Taiwan for the past 4 and half yaeas, and now it's time for him to fly and pursuing new adventure in Sony Corp., Ejiri-san reported to his duty on Jan. 1 2001 working at the preparating office loacted inside Sony Taiwan then. one year before this assignement, Ejiri-san together with core reserch team working day and night in developing the So-net global business, by countless reserach and survey, they make the decision of devleoping Access business as the entrace to Internet Business in Taiwan, as by then, Access is a proven model in bothe revenue and profit, so, the company set follow the Sony spirit of " Creative and Innovative "
這四年多年，我沒有看到 Ejiri-san 一天的倦容，也沒有感受他曾經放棄過任何「正確的堅持」；「大處着眼，小處着手；真心服務，盡心盡心」這幾句形容語放在他身上，是絲毫也沒錯；他小心謹慎地帶領 So-net 團隊，完成一個又一個任務，「挑戰更高，更險峻的山峰」似乎是 Ejiri-san的使命宣言，而他的奮力而為，也留下了無法抹滅的足跡-- 公司籌組，招募訓練，直營店拓展，Sony 硬體結合，Sony 客服中心及IDC規劃，Dreamix / So-net Plaza 門市創建，纏鬥電信龍頭節拮成本，創造單月損益平衡，台灣ISP前三大，電總評鑑最優，FY04全年獲利，辦公室擴大，新事業體規劃，培育新血，建立制度，深植「優質寬頻，真心服務」文化成份……這些處處可見的貢獻都是江尻營運長眠休的耕耘所帶來的成果，這些足跡也拼湊出 So-net Taiwan 成長的軌跡。
For the past 4 years ,. there's never been a day that I saw him looks tires, and thers' never been a chance that I witness his giving up to the " Right Insistance " he prudentally and carefully leading the So-ent team, achieving task and mission one by one; " Looking from the High land and working from the humble begining, Sincerity with all his hearts " well never be the best description to his personality. Challenging the higher mountain seems to be his mission station, he tried his best and perform his best which leave the unforgetable tracks which include : Compny set up, Training, Direct Shop developing, Corportion with HW; Initative Sony Call Center and IDC service, establishment of the first Sony direct shop - from Dreamix to So-net Plaza; Fighting with CHT and win tremendous cost saving, achieve Single month BE, achiveing annual BE in FY04, Evalution by DGT as the best ISP in Taiwan; Expend the office and business, the contribution and efforts he made is not only the trace he walked by, but also show the growth chart and road map of the current success of So-net Taiwan.
這一千五百多個日子，我也看到一位傑出領袖的成長，成熟與改變，英國前首相邱吉爾爵士( Winston Churchill ) 曾說：「改進來自改變；完美來自斷地改變」，我也同時在江尻營運長身上找到這特質，一個願意改變 / 改造自己的人，永遠看得清目標與方向，在此我也要借諾貝爾文學獎得主紀德 ( Andre Gide )的一句話來註解我所認識的 Ejiri-san，那就是「若是沒有看到海岸的氣，就會發現新的海洋」，Ejiri-san 愛海，曾經是日本風帆船代表隊選手，也告訴過我， 50歲他就要退休；Ejiri-san 在台灣戒煙成功，減重成功，戀上清境，迷上拉拉山，是個很像日本人的台灣人。
The 1500 days gone, I also witness the growth and maturity of a leader; to quoted the formor Prime Minister Sir. Winston Churchill : 「Change makes improvment, Perfect come from the consistant and endless changes」; I would like to cite the following line by the Nobel Literature winner as a remark to Ejiri-san, he said :「Without the courge of not seeing the shore, there won't be a chance to discover new ocean.」Ejiri-san love sea, used to be the professiona athelet in sea related sport activity and who told me his plan to retire at the age of 50 , he quit smoking in Taipei, succefully reduce weight for 15 kg. love the puli and obssion about La La moutain, a very Japanese to Taiwanese, I wish his retiring plan include the retun to his land of love - Taiwan.
我捨不得他走，因為担心「說真話，實做事」的同事少了；我捨不得他走，因為担心「注重細節，貫澈執行力」的幫手少了；我捨不得他走，因為担心「深思熟慮，謀定而後動」的智囊少了；我捨不得他走，因為担心「大公無私，公司優先」的諫才少了；我捨不得他走，因為担心「同心協力，目標一致」的夥伴少了。So-net Taiwan 的成功與發展是能短缺這任何一項特質，我希望這些特質與價值的轉化，也能在繼續打拼的 So-netter 身上發揚光大，讓它成為 DNA, 成為痼癖，成為習性。
It's hard for me to let him go, as I am afriad his leaving will make us losing a colleage who always honest to his feeling and doing the right thing right; It's hard to let him go, as I am afraid I may lost the person who equip with the best execution mantality among all; It's hard to let him go as I am afraid we may lost a great mind who always think before leap; It's hard to let him go as I am afraid his putting company first attitude will only exist when he physically stay with us; It's hard to let him go as this is so hard to find a person , a co-worker, a campaign who share the same goal and same mind 100 perfectly match. and those elements Ejiri-san equipped are the success formula to sustain our business, to secure our growth; I wish it can be trasfered and to shower with all the existing So-netter, make it the DNA of us, make it an obsession to our life and make it a habit for success.
我依依捨，卻開心於Ejiri-san的離去，因為只有在他再陪我們的日子，才會知道失去他的大損失，因為只有在他再盯我們的日子，才會明暸沒有他是多麼遺憾. 請珍惜這20天的短暫機會，表達您對 Ejiri-san 最直接的感情。
It's hard for me to say good bye, but only when he is not longe with us, we will understand how important he is and only in the days without his monitrong our operation, we can really examine the great lost we may encoutered; it's limited time to show your feeling to this respected person, please express it to him diretley.
我真的好捨得！曲終，但人散。
It's hard to say good bye, I know even the party is over, the friendship stays, it grow and grow.
The war of the worlds
This time, Steven Speilbert creat a unfraindly alien to us; the opposite impression and behavior than ET. Now they are taking over earth and killing all the human beings, furtilize with human blood to grow the land the aliens wish to be. This is the theme of " War of the World "
Frankly speaking, returning home from the movie, less than 2 hours, I asked my wife if she remembered we just came back from the movie, she reply with she almost forgetten, same did I; we leave hardly any impression to the film. but at the theater, I do enjoy the story and special effect the film produced, and I do believe one day , the human species will be vaniched, maybe follow what all the sci-fi movies' predictions.
This is a film without creating a hero, similar to " The Day After Tomorrow ", the family inimacy and parental nature bring the brave to the elder, and they tried their best to rescure kids in danger; Tom Curise is not a hero in the film. and he ( or all the fighters in the movie ) didn't rescure the world, I love the ending, although when the lights is on, some of the audience burst out with " I am fooled ", the reason why earth retained by human was due to the ammuse system human developed for millions year, the anti-body survive us in the gems world, but the Aliens, they don't, so they were defeated by the nature of God. and human win the war by the defination of " Natural Laws ", I like the ending and it save a lot of breath of who should be the hero to save the world and not coming from any animation comic books; and without further explaination, the war scenes are not necessary to carry on one by one. it kills the films.
Eslite Reading is one of the best magazine I've ever read, I read it before went to bad last night and found it so informative and easy to read. a very good intelligent vitama capsuls to me; it brought me decent international view and opinions which most of Taiwanese peopel failed to access. I should continuely book or subscribe it if I may.
Incidentally, I may encounted with a future talent, I must arrange to meet her, otherwise, the opportunity may slip away.
