Believing in Sama-Sama

We had our process’ monthly town hall last Thursday. The usual format is we give awards for perfect attendance peeps, top performers and teams, and then we would have the usual games or whatever theme contests there are. This being the first of the year 2013, our People Work Stream had us bring paper and crayons for the “Draw Mo Vision Mo” segment. The four teams had to come up with a new team name, slogan and logo which would embody their team’s vision for this year.

Team Vange/Pao drew a huge octopus with six tentacles representing the six members. The headset-wearing sea creature says, “This is it, Pus It” (a word play on Push It) and envisions working together well despite six different personalities mixing in, under the guidance of our newest performance-coach-turned-relief-AMO Pao, while Vange is on maternity leave.

Team Dman/Dorobo is now Daga-Daga-Gang who is aiming for “One Team, One Goal to Success” (I’m not sure if this is verbatim, please correct me if I’m wrong!). Their logo had, of course, a rat, surrounded by stars of equal sizes and a trophy, among others. Being a consistent Dream Team awardee and constant Hit Club suki, the team foresees a year of unity and hard work with no star mentality – plus more GC’s to fund their teambuilding activities.

Team Jown will now be known as Team Juno – J for Jown and Uno for number one. They drew a shield to represent protecting our company’s customers. Their vision is to be solid to be champions!

Our team chose a catchy phrase, “Think One, Team Van.” We drew a huge number 1 surrounded by traced outline of our hands. It depicted our goal to hold hands as a symbol of unison, to be closer as a team and to our manager; hence the name Team HK (Hawak Kamay) We believe to be united as a process harmony has to start within the team. Our aim is not only to be #1 in numbers –both individually and as a team – but to give out a performance worthy of a top rating in all that we do. At the end of the day, it’s not whether we get the actual 1 or not, but that we could proudly and honestly say that win or fail, we never lacked effort in trying; we did not hold back our best. Whatever personal struggles, distractions, emotional state or mood we are in, when we are at work, our heart, mind and focus should be at doing our job and doing it well.

Last year, our process mantra was BELIEVE. The year was fraught with surprises, changes and losses. There were a lot of uncertainties going around, so I guess faith in our management and each other was important. We shrunk from 8 teams, 8 managers and 2 MO’s to now just 4 teams, 4 AMO’s and 1 MO. But what we lost in people count, we made up for stronger and closer personal and professional relationships. This is a department where team names are actually just for reports and seating plans and admin purposes; we could literally be in any other team and be happy. Each rep can go on auto-pilot even with minimal or no supervision. Most, if not all, perform not because we were told we have to, but because we know we have to – and want to.

This year, it is SAMA-SAMA. And Jown’s opening remarks at the town hall quite sums up that we are off to a good start this year. Only a month into 2013 and already we’ve had several team building activities, girls’ movie night, spaghetti parties, boys’ basketball nights, to name a few. We stuck together and partied hard during the Rewind Party in WTC, and the process Facebook group is still a popular stress-reliever for a lot of us, nyaha!

Sama-Sama. It’s all about sticking together, because, hey, we are all we’ve got. It’s about working together despite and in spite of our differences, of not pulling each other down. I believe this is where sensitivity, honesty, trust, credibility, sense of humor and just plain hard work come in. Walang petiks, walang basag trip, walang iwanan. I mean, let’s be realistic; not all of us will reach retirement in this company, let alone in this department (Good grief I hope I don’t, despite being the most tenured here haha!). But whatever other opportunities we’re looking at outside, whatever dreams we’re trying to pursue as well, whatever other rackets and whatnot we have on the side, when we’re at work, let’s give it our 110%, all day, every day!  

Rewind: 7 Party Looks to Cringe Back On

Last night was our annual office holiday party. Save for the first one (which was held in the office parking lot in 2007 and which I missed; and an early kick-off event in the NBC Tent back in 2008), the shindigs were held at the World Trade Center every January. This year’s party was dubbed “Rewind,” which looked back on all our company’s years of growth, and how we are looking forward to all the new challenges and changes after. There were a lot of murmurs that this would be the “last hurrah” before “we all go our separate ways (or buildings?).” Hmn…

Looking at the pictures, I could hardly believe it was already a year since the last one! My process’ group was quite small last night, which was a bit sad, but still, last night’s festivities and antics also showed how close our little family has gotten. And we’re still the same camera-hungry, dance-floor-hogging party revelers and merry drinkers year in and year out! 

So for fun (I don’t know if you’ll think likewise, but I certainly had fun looking back at my own chakaness from the recent past haha!), I went back and found pictures of me during the previous parties I have attended. Most (if not all) were definitely cringe-worthy, what-was-I-thinking evidence of bad make-up, dress/color choice, lighting, smile and alarming weight-loss that made me wonder if I changed genders sometime in the last few years?

 Happy okraying!

Glam Nation, 2007. My dress was designed by my late friend Janno Farrales when he was just starting out (he designed Judy Ann Santos’ yellow pleather dress on a Preview cover that same year). I had Morticia Addams-inspired black hair was because, after months learning how to dye my own hair, it turned a bright, horrifying shade of orange-brown so I covered it all up with some permanent black goo.

Discovolution, 2008. We did retro 60's to 80’s so I decided on some metallic gray dress that I bought just a couple of hours before the party. It did nothing for my skin tone whatsoever. And what’s with the pandesal-bouffant hair?

Kick-Off Party, 2009. I forgot what the theme was. Apparently, it looks like I forgot to eat for the most part of that year, too. This was my skinniest look ever. Mukha kong lalaking scary! Bad romance can do that. Ewww. I loved my lace black dress, though, although with my too-thin frame and dark complexion, black was not flattering at all. Same goes for my Rihanna-wannabe 'do, but I kinda want this pixie cut again!

2010. Again, I forgot what the theme was, but it looks like I haven’t forgotten my penchant for shiny dresses; this time I think I did a bit better than the silver number from a couple years back. I liked the color and how it complemented my skin, and the knitted fabric made it easy to wear and did not reveal too much. This was also my chubbiest (aside from when I was preggo) but I was growing out my hair and bangs, hence the outdated ponytail. But gosh, I wanna be this healthy again hihi!

Black Party, 2011. I tried curling my hair and I ended up with wet-looking, stringy curls. I had my dress made but the seamstress didn’t really get my idea so my envisioned matte-black, mesh-backed dress ended up as a nondescript, star-satiny blah dress. Hay. Saved by my uber-red lips na lang. Also, I forgot half of this night due to extreme intoxication. But I did remember getting up onstage for some game SamY, one of the hosts, ran, but I forgot to get my prize (apparently I won but was too drunk to claim it). Never again. :)

Vegas Party, 2012. My first time to party sober! I was just six days into my month-long, self-imposed alcohol embargo (see here why I didn't drink that night). Back then, people can’t believe I was NOT drinking and kept shoving alcohol under my nose. I wore a sleeveless sequined top my mom gave me for Christmas and a navy bandage micro-mini. I had ruler-straight hair with bangs. I spent most of the night sipping iced tea in a dark corner and running from the free-flowing beer taps so not many decent pics of me haha!

Rewind, 2013. I wore a white, long-sleeved lace dress I got from Cotton On in HK, same grey pumps from last year and pulled up my bob into a pony and clamped some curly hair-extensions. I did not know how to style my hair, but looking back now, I wish I had worn my hair short kasi lagi na pala ko long hair. Plus, better undies and a stronger lip color. Fail ang smoky eyes and nude lippie haha! And my unforgiving dress keeps revealing my newly-acquired pooch stomach (which was pumped full of iced tea; no drinks for this lady again this year). :)

Oh, well, there’s still next year. Or, is there?!

10 Things I Hate About This Team

1. Sa sobrang haba ng mga idle time at no camp before, wala tuloy silang choice kung di magdaldalan, magchikahan, maghiritan, maglaitan, umisip ng iba't-ibang paraan para magising at pasayahin ang bawat isa. Resulta: baga-ingay. More resulta: seat transfer palayo sa opisina nina Bossings JM at CJ. More more resulta: MAS MASAYA.

2. Yung sobrang close ng bawat isa, kayang-kaya nila magpulaan, mag-apihin, manghimay, manghimasok, manumbat, magusisa, magbigay ng mga unsolicited advice sa isa't-isa tungkol sa buhay pag-ibig, problemang pamilya at pinansyal, mga alalahanin sa performance at trabaho, kahit ultimo suot na sapatos, amoy ng hininga or change ng hairstyle, kailangan may comment lagi. At mas madalas sa hindi, masasakit ang mga komentong ito. Truth hurts, ika nga. Walang sikretong hindi nabubunyag at naipagkakalat. Ang siste, we'd rather stab you in front than at the back. Kahit anong anghang ng mga palitan ng hirit, gano man ka-degrading ang mga name-calling at panunukso, ilang henerasyon man ng mga ninuno ang pagtawanan, laitin man ang edad, sekswalidad at pisikal na anyo, magkatampuhan man ng ilang saglit o oras, at the end of the day, pagtatawanan lang nila lahat. Walan pikon. Kung meron man, magaling makibagay.

3. Kahit may mga tinaguriang sexist, racist at "age-ist" sa team, pagdating sa isa't isa, pag inapi ka ng iba dahil kaw ay bakla, tomboy, payatot, mataba, thundercats, immature, antukin, single parent, kabit, manyak, babaero, gastadora, kuripot, pandak, pimpulin, ututin, matakaw, emotera, palengkera, war freak at iba pa, di pwede yun! Resbak agad. 

4. Kahit may mangilan-ngilan na nangingibabaw sa dorobohan, andun pa rin yung concern at tulungan sa stats ng isa't isa. Share-an pa rin ng best practices. Lakasan na lang ng loob ang labanan. Walang iwanan. Mabulastog man ng isa o dalawa ang EVPH at incentives, asahan ng iba, may papansit naman buong team by month-end.  

5. May pagka-bipolar trip mga tao:
Pag malungkot ka, papasayahin ka nila. Pag nakasimangot ka, papangitiin ka nila. Pag masyado kang perky, babad-trip-in ka nila.

Pag umiiyak ka, patatahanin ka nila. Pag ayaw mo maiyak, lalo ka nila paiiyakin, sisigaw pa ng, "Iiyak na yan! Iiyak na yan!"

Pag payat ka, bubusugin ka ng mga nakaw na Zebzeb at Pompoms, pandesal, turon at mga tirang baon. Pag mataba ka, lalaitin ka hanggang sa mapilitan ka magpapayat (except for one person, ngess huuuu?!?). 

Pag tahimik ka, dadaldalin ka. Pag maingay ka, bubulyawan kang manahimik dahil may mga reps na gusto matulog habang nagko-calls.

Pag kumakanta ka, nanakawin yung kanta mo. Pag hindi ka kumakanta, bibigyan ka ng kantang mae-LSS ka buong araw.

Pag single ka, ihahanap ka ng rampa, ibubugaw kang parang karne. Pag taken ka na... ihahanap ka pa rin ng rampa at ibubugaw pa rin na parang karne. Jooowwwwwk.

Pag high call, pahulihan mag-break or lunch, minsan kahit hindi na, makapondo lang ng RPC-PTP. Pag Preview, sinasabi pa lang ng mga boss, "Guys, go on coach -" napindot na ang Coaching at naihagis na agad ang headset.

6. Mahirap umabsent, lalo na kung may kadikit na rest day or VL. Kung ano-anong scenario agad ang usapang iikot sa loob ng bilog. Kahit ma-late ka lang, yurak agad pagkatao mo. Kesyo nag-inom ka the night before. May ka-date ka tapos sa sobrang chorvah nyo, nakakalap ka ng ng matinding sakit na kekelanganin ng ilang linggong gamutan ng mamahaling antibiotics. O kaya na-mouse trap ka or nalunod sa isang pool ng keso. Kakalat agad sa buong process ang mga haka-haka kung bakit ka nag-Combo King or Queen. Asahan mong sa pagpasok mong muli ay wala ka ng mukhang maihaharap sa mga ka-opisina at boss mo. 

7. Pag lalaki ka at nagpagupit ka, lalo na sa tinatawag na petsa de peligro (i.e., ilang araw bago magsweldo or at least 1 week matapos sumahod, a.k.a., gipit days), wag ka nang umasang hindi pagdududahan ang iyong sexuality. Ika nga, ALAM NA. Expected na pag bagong gupit, kahit ahit or trim lang, magpapa-team lunch ka.

8. Pag napasali ka sa mga foof at games, basic expectation na, for the team ang prize mo. Kahit sabihing solo treat, maramot ka pag hindi ka nag-share. Pag may GC ka sa Townhall, 50% ang tax, sa iba nga 100% mandatory. Pag sinabing dress-up, dress up (okay, may ilang pasaway pa rin). Pag sinabing mag-ambag ng bente para sa birthday celebrant or ibang gastusin, bawal pumalag. Ganyan talaga sa pamilya, kahit may parents, walang gulangan. Kahit hindi magkakadugo, hating kapatid.

9.  Mas malimit sa hindi, all out lagi sa mga costume contests at performance sa mga teambuildings at townhalls. Half-daragan at mind games sa simula pa lang (takutin na agad ang kompetisyon), half-talent and lakas apog na rin. Game lahat, kahit AMO, walang angal. Bawal dagain sa kaba, lalo na pag masikip ang pants. Mahirap na, lalo pa nung pwede ang pictures at videos. Walang kiyeme, walang urungan, walang hiya. 

10.  Dorobo. Magugulang, mang-gagantso. Walang takot, kahit ma-monitor.