Friday, June 09, 2006

販賣「好心情」

惜福
很值得讓人省思...很棒...

  身為一個空服員,除了大家以為的光鮮亮麗外,工作上當然也有旁人難以體會的辛苦,
除了加班熬夜外,更常常在飛機上為幾百人份的發餐、賣免稅菸酒、端盤子、 照顧客人……
忙得分身乏術、欲哭無淚,但卻只能一再告訴自己、催眠自己:妳從事的是服務業「忍」
過了今天就好。儘管如此告訴自己,可總還是有力不從心、擠不出笑容和耐心的時候。
直到一次,我聽到好朋友如何在飛機上照顧及服務一位嚴重的老年癡呆症客人,
我才對自己的工作心態大為改觀。

  那是一班台北飛往紐約的班機,飛機起飛沒多久,一位老先生忽然大小便失禁了,
他的家人既窘迫又嫌惡的叫他到洗手間自行處理,老先生猶豫了一下,一個人慢慢走
向機尾的洗手間。可是當老先生走出了洗手間,卻怎麼也記不得自己的座位在哪兒,
八十幾歲的人竟急得在走道上大哭了起來。空服員前來協助,發現他身上臭不可當,
原來老先生不清楚廁所內衛生紙擺放的位置,就隨手塗得一身都是,那間廁所當然也
被他使用得慘不忍睹。

  將他帶回到座位後,周遭的客人開始紛紛抱怨老先生身上的臭味,實在難以忍受。
空服員只好詢問他的家人是否有衣物可供老先生更換,其家人卻表示隨身行李都在貨
艙中的行李箱內,所以沒有衣物可讓他更換。他的家人並且告訴空服員:「今天飛機
又沒滿,將他換到最後一排的位子就好了嘛!」確實,機上最後幾排的座位是空著的,
所以空服員便依客人的意思照辦了,並且將方才那間廁所鎖起來以免有其他乘客誤入。
於是,老先生便一個人坐在最後一排的位子上,望著自己的餐盤,低著頭,不斷的用
手擦眼淚。可是誰知道,一個多小時後,他已換好了衣服,乾乾淨淨、笑容滿面的回
到原來的座位桌上還放上了一份全新的、熱騰騰的晚餐。

  大家相互詢問,原來是我那位好友犧牲自己的用餐時間,將老先生用濕布和濕紙
巾一點一點的擦洗乾淨,還向機長借了套便服讓老先生換上,更將那間沒人敢進的廁
所完全打掃乾淨,噴上了她自己的香水。同事們笑罵她笨,這樣幫忙絕對不會有人記
得,也不會有人感謝,既吃力又不討好。她卻只是輕描淡寫的回答:「飛行時間還有
十幾個小時,若換成我是那位老先生,我也會很難受,誰會希望旅行一開始就變成這
樣?再說,平均三十幾位客人用一間廁所,少了一間就差很多,所以我不只是幫助那
位老先生,也是在服務其他的客人啊!」

  聽完這件事,我為自己面對工作時的態度感到慚愧,想起她以前對我說過:
「妳知道古時候最有福報的工作是什麼嗎?是擺渡的人。因為他們把人們從一個地方,
平平安安的送到另一個地方,不論之後等著那些人們的是好事或是悲傷,能平安到達,
才能有一個好的開始。所以我覺得自己現在能從事服務業,真是一種福氣,能有這樣
的好福氣當然要珍惜,而珍惜這福氣最好的方法,就是把它分給別人!」

  當我還把服務業只是當服務業,原來早已有人把它當成慈善業一般設想,那麼努
力把平安舒適送到他人心裡。幾天後從泰國回台北的班機上,晚餐時間有一位老阿媽
的餐點竟連一口都沒有動,我上前詢問她是否餐點不合胃口,還是她的身體不舒服。
老阿媽很不好意思、小小聲的說:「其實我正想請妳幫忙,這是我第一次坐飛機,
所以希望將飛機上的餐點帶回去給孫子吃吃看,因為我孫子也沒有坐過飛機。」

  我笑著對她說:「沒關係,這份您先吃,我待會兒再打包一份讓您帶回去給孫子。」
老阿媽聽了,瞪大著眼睛一邊謝我,一邊非常開心的立刻動起筷子來。回到廚房後
我將自己的那份晚餐打包,用袋子裝好,學妹在一旁不解的問我:「學姊,今天回程
全滿,機餐連一份都沒有多,妳幹嘛還拿自己的那份給她?」我的回答是:「我年輕,
還可以餓一下肚子,下了班回家再順道買點消夜吃就好 了,老人家可就不行了!」
其實,我心裡想的是:如果這位老太太往後沒有機會再出國了呢?她也許只是我服務
過幾千名客人中的一位,但卻是她第一趟出國的旅程,如果她此次旅程的回憶都是美
好的我更不應該扮演之中唯一的缺憾,不是嗎?

  服務業真的是一份很有福氣的工作,因為除了商品外,我們還能販賣「好心情」。
現在我常常想,今天的我可以為我的工作及身旁的人做到什麼程度?設想到什麼地步呢?
今天我要扮演讓他們心情平穩開心的菩薩,還是謀殺他們笑臉的惡魔?
工作是如此,生活也是如此,今天也好,明天也是,我的選擇是「惜福」!
台灣已邁入以服務業為主的就業環境, 超級激烈的競爭中,
簡單的觀念, 也能讓您在工作上更具競爭力.

人生的獨木舟

古時候有一個農夫初次要到另外一個村莊辦事,
可是當時交通不便,他只能徒步行走。走啊走

這農夫穿過一大片森林後發現,
要到達另一村子,還必須經過「一條河流」,
不然的話,就得「爬過一座高山」。
怎麼辦呢?

是要渡過這條「湍急的河流」呢?
還是要辛苦地「爬過高山」?

正當這農夫陷入兩難時,
突然看到附近有「一顆大樹」,
於是就用隨身攜帶的「斧頭」
把大樹砍下,而將樹幹慢慢地砍鑿成一個簡易的「獨木舟」。

這個農夫很高興,也很佩服自己的聰明,
因他很輕鬆地坐著「自造的獨木舟」
到達了對岸。

上岸後,農夫又得繼續往前走;
可是他覺得這個獨木舟實在「很管用」,
如果丟棄在岸旁,實在很可惜!
萬一前面再遇到河流的話,
他又必須再砍樹、辛苦地鑿成獨木舟,很累人。

所以這農夫就決定、
把「獨木舟背在身上走」以備不時之需。
走啊走、這農夫背著獨木舟、背得滿頭大汗、
步伐也愈走愈慢、因這獨木舟實在太重了、
壓得他喘不過氣!

這農夫邊走邊休息、
有時真是好想「把獨木舟丟棄」、
可是、他卻捨不得、心想、
既然已經背了好一陣子、就繼續吧!
萬一真的遇到河流、就可以派上用場!

然而、這農夫一直汗流浹背的走到天黑、發現一路上都很「平坦」;
在抵達另一個村莊前都沒有再遇到河流!
可是他卻比「不背獨木舟」、
多花了三倍的時間才到達目的地。

我們實在不知道自己人生的道路會是平坦、
崎嶇、還是會有湍急溪流?
或是有陡峭高山?

不管如何、我們卻都必須「選擇」……
要輕鬆、快樂地走呢?
還是要背著沉重的「獨木舟」走?
人為了追求「名」、變賣家產去選舉、
信誓旦旦一定會勝選、可是、
最後卻落選、 傾家蕩產、妻離子散;
這豈不是為了求名、而背著「兩三個獨木舟」嗎?
事實上「名利」放得下、拋得開、
人生的路就可以走得「很自在、很快樂」!

清朝曹雪芹寫了一首【好了歌】、
其中一句……………
【世人都知神仙好、惟有功名忘不了;
古今將相在何方?荒塚一堆草沒了!】

其實,有時心中的「負面情緒」也是一種「獨木舟」,
我們不能一直背著它,而成為一種「束縛」;
我們必須懂得隨時丟棄一些
「怨恨、嫉妒、暴怒」的獨木舟,
讓自己心中更歡欣、坦然、也輕鬆、
快樂地吹著口哨向前行!

"快樂是一天,不快樂也是一天,你選那種日子過呢?"
聰明的你會作明智的選擇......

兩個乞丐

從前有兩個乞丐,每天同時經過一戶富貴人家。這家的主人,由於憐憫乞丐,也每天丟銅板給他們,個子比較高大的那位乞丐總是大聲喊著:「多謝主人!你真是好心人,願你長命百歲,永遠健康!」但是,另外一位瘦削矮小的乞丐,只是輕輕地說:「感謝主的恩典。」

當然,帶有善心的主人每天都丟銅板到窗外,也能每天聽到兩種感謝的聲音,一個感謝他,另一個則感謝主。主人起先沒有覺察到什麼,但是漸漸地開始有一點不舒服,那種不舒服的感覺一直累積,直到有一天,他想:「奇怪!那個人真奇怪!明明是我給他錢,他不謝我,卻去謝主,我要給他一點教訓,讓他明白他應該謝的是我。」

於是,主人到麵包店,叫師傅烤了兩條大小一樣的吐司, 將一條挖空塞了些珍貴的珠寶,然後再把麵包封起來,但從外表看,兩條麵包完全一樣,沒有區別。

等到兩個乞丐來的時候,主人便把那個普通的麵包交給瘦小的、只會感謝主的乞丐,而把那條藏著金銀珠寶的麵包,交給高大、每天謝他的乞丐,主人心想:「這下,讓你知道,謝我跟謝主的差別在哪裡!」

那個高大的、每天謝主人的乞丐拿到麵包,覺得好重,心想:「這麵包一定沒有發好,鐵定不好吃。不如……」他一向喜歡佔便宜,所以對矮小的乞丐說:「我這條吐司麵包跟你換好嗎?」他沒說原因,而瘦小個乞丐也沒有多問,只是心裡想著:「這應該也是主的安排!」於是就跟高大的乞丐換了麵包。

第二天,那個瘦瘦小小的乞丐,就再也沒有來乞討。因為他發現了金銀珠寶,並決定回家看望他的爸爸媽媽,準備過另一種新生活,他心裡尤其感謝主!

高個子乞丐照常來乞討,主人很納悶,問:「你的吐司麵包吃完了嗎?」

高個子乞丐回答:「我吃了啊!」

「啊?裡面的金銀珠寶呢?」主人問。

「金銀珠寶?」高個子乞丐這下才明白,吐司麵包的沉重是因為裡麵包著珍寶啊,他遺憾的說:「我以為是麵包發酵不好,所以把它跟我朋友的交換了。」

主人終於明白,感謝主跟感謝他的差別在哪裡了,感謝他只是想貪求更好,而感謝主卻是怡然自得的無所貪念啊!

心靈導航
鳥為食亡,人為財死。說的就是人貪婪的下場。

親愛的,人的欲望是永無止境的,貪婪也是人的一種劣根性。當貪婪無限擴大時,人心得不到滿足,愛貪小便宜,往往迷失自己正確的方向,只求更大的滿足,而這時候,也往往失去很多好運。

Tuesday, June 06, 2006

AirAsia Founder likes Workers to Speak Up

Interesting and motivational. Wish we all had bosses like this guy. A
true Blue innovator. Introducing - Anthony Fernandes.

WSJA(5/29) AIRASIA FOUNDER LIKES WORKERS TO SPEAK UP
(From THE WALL STREET JOURNAL ASIA)


Malaysian Tony Fernandes founded AirAsia, Asia 's first low-cost
carrier, in 2001 and expanded the company by setting up joint-venture airlines in Thailand and Indonesia. Mr. Fernandes, 42 years old, graduated from the University of London in 1987 with a finance degree and in 1992 moved back to Malaysia, where he became managing director of Warner Music Malaysia, and later, vice-president of Warner's Southeast Asian operations. He quit in 2001 to start AirAsia.

One of Malaysia 's most outspoken business executives, Mr. Fernandes
not only has strong ideas on the way airlines should be run, but also how
Southeast Asia 's top-down corporate culture should change. He spoke
to reporter Cris Prystay about his style.

WSJ: What was your first job and what did you learn from it?
Mr. Fernandes: My first job was a waiter in London at the Cavendish
Hotel. I was 17. I learned that working was hard and you had to be
professional, even as a waiter. You had other colleagues. If my
performance was poor, it let down the whole team.

My first [career] job was as an accountant at an auditor in London .
It was mind-blowingly boring. I was a junior auditor and was
photocopying and adding up rows of columns.
The big lesson there: make sure you go into a job that you enjoy.
Otherwise, you don't give any value to your employer,
and you certainly don't add any value to your own mind.

WSJ: Who gave you the best business advice?
Mr. Fernandes: It was probably Stephen Shrimpton (the former chief
executive officer of Warner Music International) at Warner. I was a
man in a rush. I was 28 when I became the managing director of Warner
Music Malaysia, and I wanted to be the regional MD. I wanted to take over
the world.

One night, Steve talked to me outside the Sheraton Hotel in Hong Kong
for three hours. He told me there's no need to rush and that it's about
developing my own personality and making sure I'm ready for the next
job. I see that now: No matter how bright someone is at 25, there's
nothing like experience. He slowed me down, and made me understand that you need to take time -- to understand the business better, to understand your people better.

WSJ: What's the one thing you wish every new hire knew?
Mr. Fernandes: Humility -- and knowing what the real world is like.
The new generation is coming in pretty soft. A lot of these young guys
haven't lived through a recession. There are plenty of jobs out there
and they think, "I can always walk into another job." The hunger and
determination to do their best is sometimes not there.

WSJ: Is there a difference between the management culture in Asia and
the West?
Mr. Fernandes: The management culture here is very top-down. There's
less creativity and fewer people who are willing to speak out. They're
more implementers than doers. There's less freedom of speech, and that
impacts the business world. Even when they know things are not right, they
won't speak out. They just do what they're told to do.

WSJ: What's the biggest management challenge you face?
Mr. Fernandes: To get people to think. At AirAsia, we want 4,000
brains working for us. My biggest challenge is to get people to talk, to
express themselves, to get people to challenge me and say "Tony, you're
talking rubbish." That's what I want, not people who say "Yes, sir." The
senior management doesn't have all the answers. I want the guy on the ramp to have the confidence to tell me what's wrong.

WSJ: What are you doing to clear that hurdle?
Mr. Fernandes: We have no offices. We dress down. You wear a suit,
and you put distance between you and your staff. We're on a first-name
basis. I go around the office, around the check-in desks, the planes
constantly, talking to people. Fifty percent of my job is managing people in the company. You get people to open up to you by just asking them to do
it, and then responding to them. You don't send a memo, or do some "speak up" incentive program. It's got to be from the heart.

WSJ: What was the most satisfying decision you've made as a manager?
Mr. Fernandes: Once a month, I carry bags with the ramp boys, or I'm
cabin crew, or at the check-in. I do this to get close to the
operation. I also want to know my people. When I first started this, I met all
these bright kids at the check-in or carrying bags. We were starting this
cadet pilot program, and I said, "Let's open it up to anyone. Let some of
these kids apply." They have the brains, but they just didn't have the
money to get the education. Out of the first batch of 19 cadets, 11 came from within the company. Some of these boys got the highest marks ever in
the flying academy. There was one kid who joined us to carry bags, and 18
months later he was a First Officer of a 737. Can you imagine what
that does for the motivation in the company? Everyone talks about
developing human capital, but we did it.

(END) Dow Jones Newswires
May 28, 2006 17:30 ET (21:30 GMT )
Copyright (c) 2006 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.