Majid Management Concepts: April 2010

Bits and Pieces of The Live Oman Radio FM Interview – Wednesday April 21 2010 – from 5.30 p.m. to 6.30 p.m.

Posted in www.majidbooks.com and www.alsuleimany.com

1 The E-Mail Invitation To Me

It pleases me to confirm your interview participation tomorrow on April 21st in the Tariq Talk radio show, hosted by Tariq Al Barwani, in 90.4 FM Radio Sultanate of Oman. Tariq Talk is an educational talk show that is rich in scope with topics on technology, business, career planning, personal development and more. The show also varies and features interviews to highlight various topics and unique individuals in the community, along with quizzes that encourage knowledge participation.

Tariq Talk is held every Wednesday from 5:30pm to 6:30pm.

Kindly be ready by 5:30pm tomorrow as you'll be called at your mobile number 95207511 and will go live in the air.

Your interview will cover two scopes:

1. Arab Management issues: based on your two books Psychology of Arab Management Thinking and A Cry for Help

2. Your role as an Omani writer: based on your mission in writing and the scope of topics your write about

The following is the profile you'll be introduced by:

Majid Al Suleimany, an Omani National, is a Human Resource and Management Expert and as a Professional, Advisor and Consultant with over 35 years of experience and exposure. He is also a Writer and has authored 5 books, 2 of which are in Management, with titled Psychology of Arab Management Thinking and A Cry For Help, and the other 3 books are a collection of his article writings, titled The Sequel, Short Takes and Between Us Only. He is married with 4 children, and his hobbies include Writing, Reading, Internet, Documentaries, Films, Meeting and Interfacing with People, and more.

If you wish to make any changes to your intro profile you may let me know by today.

I thank you once again and we all look forward to having you as the interview guest tomorrow as you share your thoughts and experiences that will certainly bring benefit and interest to the listeners. And many thanks also to Fahad for telling us about you and coordinating this wonderful opportunity.

Best Regards,

2 The Introduction Part

After the introduction as below, I was asked to explain more on myself and on my books – and how I started writing.

Majid Al Suleimany, an Omani National, is a Human Resource and Management Expert and as a Professional, Advisor and Consultant with over 35 years of experience and exposure. He is also a Writer and has authored 5 books, 2 of which are in Management, with titled Psychology of Arab Management Thinking and A Cry For Help, and the other 3 books are a collection of his article writings, titled The Sequel, Short Takes and Between Us Only. He is married with 4 children, and his hobbies include Writing, Reading, Internet, Documentaries, Films, Meeting and Interfacing with People, and more.

3 How I started Writing

In short I stumbled into writing after going into Management Consultancy business after voluntary early retirement from PDO after 25 years of service. The business had collapsed – and beyond my controls and expectations – and after failing to get gainful employment in Oman went to work in Abu Dhabi in UAE.

I returned to Oman after my job was Emiratised – and again went looking for a job in Oman. In short that seems my story – I start to write more because I have no job prospects and opportunities.

I was writing since I was 14 years old – and my first essay My Most Vivid Dream won a National Prize in the 1960s in Tanzania, and was awarded by The Aga Khan himself on his visit to Tanzania. At the time I was in Aga Khan Secondary School in Dar es Salaam in Tanzania.

I wrote wherever I was – School Magazines, Company Magazines etc – and I was writing as a hobby more in Times of Oman in the column titled Give Me A Break (contributions from Readers).

The offer came to me from The Oman Daily Observer if I were interested to be a Columnist because at the time they were looking for Omani Writers with good levels in English Writings.

My column was born – and my first article was titled – More Dangerous and Troubled Waters Ahead – dated April 23 2003 – and after the Iraq invasion. I never stopped since – and writing every day.

The Interviewer - TAB – Tariq Al Barwani – reminded the listeners to see me every Sunday in The Oman Daily Observer under the column of Between Us Only!

(I did not talk of Muscat Daily Column At The Work Place because the column was no longer running here).

4 Explaining on My Books

Briefly you can get all the information here at www.majidbooks.com and www.alsuleimany.com

I explained how the ideas started to formulate after getting more hits and emails whenever I wrote on Office Related and Management articles compared to the other articles (Social, Economic, Socio-Economic, Life issues, Culture, Customs, Traditions, Behavioural, Teenagers issues, Marital Issues, Driving, etc – and rare cases of International Politics).

I then realised there was more potential and prospects here – and after my three books – Original – Between Us Only – The Sequel and Short Takes – mainly from my columns – but there were others too added in (original versions all and those ‘that did not make it’ for various reasons)!

Thus Psychology of Arab Management Thinking and A Cry For Help! were born.

See my websites for more information.

5 Management (and Related) Issues.

This is what I said (in Brief)

As Arabs and Muslims, work is considered as a very important aspect of our lives. A person who works hard is considered as if in worship in prayers. Then how come we are still behind the rest of the world?

Second thing – you should pay the worker before his sweat has dried! (meaning metaphorically on time as he does his work).

Was tempted to say more here, but remembered just in time that we were live on the air!

These are facts – and undeniable!

I had conducted myself a climate survey (Staff Morale Satisfaction) with the approval of my Business Unit Management Team (PDO).

In addition this is what I had found – Staff (including especially Omanis!) found themselves more committed, dedicated, appreciated and motivated during the times when they had expatriate bosses (mainly Europeans) then when they had our own Omani (Arab) bosses.

So what went wrong?

Challenged when was the survey (1995) and if still appropriate now? – I concurred that it was unfair, unethical, unprincipled (and everything else bad!) to generalise – because there are bad and good eggs in each basket – but the point still remains valid – and thus my two books published in 2009 and 2010.

(There were, indeed, some very bad bosses expatriates and in senior expatriate management as in A Cry For Help! – see www.majidbooks.com).

I was asked to explain myself more (keep remembering we were ALIVE on Air! – and TAB has a large following!

6 Learning To Saying No – Being Assertive and Affirmative.

I have written a lot on this subject.

Rather than taking your time I recommend to you to buy the two Management books – to explain myself and in defending my point. It was not easy I can tell you – because TAB did put me on the defensive on my points raised here (good of him though!).

Only I ended by replying if there was a solution I could recommend like his suggestions – of courses – and I said there were many Management Courses by all the Institutes even in Oman – and like Assertiveness, Team Building etc.

He, though, agreed with me that it was a fair point that going to courses was not the solution ‘if the horse still refused to drink the water’ and if there was no willingness to learn, change and transform oneself! If not – simply no point!

Beside the point of generalisations, to be fair to the Arab Manager it all stems from his culture and tradition ‘to be nice’ and ‘to be accepted’ – to be polite and not rude, crude and abrupt - and this will take some time – though he is not alone in this and there are some expatriates including Indians, British etc that behave like the Arab Manager (and the local opposite few cases).

It is noted that the Dutch and Germans are more straightforward (from my own bosses experiences).....

6 Advices to The Younger Omani Generation (Graduates).

Gave some live real examples and as also in both my management books.

For space will not add here – except that as per His Majesty speeches on the call of the youth to accept more challenges and training to prove himself as capable and for his own and family future and prospects.

I think I gave very good advices to The Youth here.

TAB was very complimentary.

In short to accept tasks and do them well – and to prove oneself – and if had an issue is to face it head on and not take the easy way of ‘switching off’ ....talk to your boss face to face pragmatically, openly, constructively and amicably to come to solutions that will work for both of you – and the benefit of the company and country too!

I threw in here the famous Kennedy expression – Do not ask what your country can do for you; but what you can do for your country!

We need to think more on the lines of our country than just our individual selves!

From The Board, The Omani Manager/Director and to The Omani Trainee (fresh graduate)

7 Misbehaving Expatriates ( F E W)!

I again stressed on Generalisations per se – but repeated myself in even spelling F E W (few) and a very tiny proportion (less than 2%) where the job and privileges have gone into their heads – and rise of my book A Cry For Help!

Again see www.majidbooks.com – though few they cause maximum damages by their negative outlooks, focuses, stereotyping against locals – and especially University Graduates and aspiring Managerial (and Senior) positions.

We need to address this situation before it worsens and goes out of hands (A Cry for Help! Book).

8 Anything Good in Arab Management?

Many things including the element of them being ‘more kinder and compassionate cum caring and feeling’ when it comes to discipline and especially losing jobs and terminations.

Challenged if this was a good thing – I ended by saying let us put it smugly – it is a ‘double edged’ sword – but the elements are all there (again generally speaking here).

9 More on The Books Again (Future)

See www.majidbooks.com and www.alsuleimany.com

I explained that the books were available at Family Bookshops, Borders, Turtles (WH Smith – New Stores) in Oman – and UAE at Magrudy’s and Jashanamal.

I explained on my need to launch my books rest of GCC and especially The Arab World – but lack the finances and support.

I explained on my sixth book writing now – A Novel – Sinking Deeper.

I want to be remembered as one who had contributed to society and in Management – not only in Oman – but the rest of the world - as my next project (Inshallah – God Willing – Amin Amen) of a very good Management Reference Book taking it from the two books as the start – and concentrate more generally and for references.

It was a good opportunity for me and thank Tariq Al Barwani and Rym Al Aoudia for this – and my son Fahad Al Suleimany for organising it.

Incidentally Fahad is also coincidentally arranging for A Road Safety Campaign under NAWRAS Sponsorship and with ROP and The Ministries concerned.

By Majid Said Nasser Al Suleimany

Majid Management Concepts

Thursday, April 22, 2010

My Oman FM Radio Live Interview!

Sunday, April 18, 2010

All My Other Sites!

Monday, April 12, 2010

All About Me In The Internet!!!

Followers

Blog Archive

About Me