Opus Dei..and the CEO

In the famous book “Da Vinci code” of Dan Brown, he tells among the rest, about a group within Christianity called Opus Dei. This group is quite mysterious. Its worshippers do bizarre things to , torturing themselves sometimes to remind how Jesus was tortured…
In the book, Opus Dei worshipper is trying to protect the secrets of Christianity from exposure, killing people on the way, and is led by the first clergy man of the Opus Dei…no wonder the book was banned in some religious countries.. such as Spain and the Philippines.

Opus Dei is also very reach.

I just finished the book and even went to the movie with my wife. Why do I tell about it?
Well, in my last visit in the Philippines I met one of the most important persons in the Philippines business arena. The meeting and the people were very nice (although no business yet...just nice :-).

After we ended the meeting , heading out, my local country manager, MON, told me suddenly two words “ Opus Dei”.

I immediately recalled “Opus Dei”, had a negative conotation from the book, and asked for explanation and the connection to the meeting.

That’s an interesting thing. It happens , that since in the Philippines they are very much religious, the church controls many assets. Apart from being our country manager, Mon is also lecturing frequently and acts as a patron in his local church.
The clergical influemce is so strong there; two of the board members of that company are priests. More then that, the senior people whom we met – belong to the Opus Dei group.
(By the way - the picture above is the vision of manila from their meeting room)

I never imagined that I would be so closely connected to this group. The only torture I think these people are connected with – is making their business suppliers life very difficult….:-)

When lately did you brush your bag?

Brushing my shoes is a task I never do (although I should…).

However, whenever I see a person, offering brushing my shoes, for a fee, will it be in Turkey, Poland, or elsewhere – I immediately seat down and let him brush…my shoes need it and somehow I feel good I help the poor guy with a small fee...
I just did it now, in Manila airport.
When I finished the guy was asking me about “brushing my bag”…. :-) . I have an old leather bag – which I got once as a prize for a big sale from my former employer. I should have replaced him long ago since it really looks old – however I am emotionally attached to it. My “luck” is with me when I hang around with this one….



The guy renewed my bag, instantly.

I’ll do that every month. Great way to spend my money – keeping my luck brushed and shining….

A phone, a Taxi driver, and Jehovah ....

Being in a hurry to Manila airport I checked out from the great Peninsula hotel and ran to the taxi. After 100 meters of driving, trying to call (as I usually do in taxies), I noticed that my phone is not with me and started to wonder where did I leave it. Its probably in the hotel somewhere…. The taxi driver, noticing my annoyance offered to drive back to the hotel – and that’s what we did . Lucky me, the phone was found easily on the room’s table and I was relieved….

Returning to the taxi I thanked the driver and as usual started to talk on the phone in Hebrew. When I stopped talking for a while, the driver (presented himself as Andy) asked me if I am from Israel? It was quite amazing for me that a taxi driver in the very distant Philippines noticed that so easily… how does he know that this was Hebrew ?
A discussion started in both biblical Hebrew and English(all Filipinos are very good English speakers since the Americans liberated them from the Spanish at the end of last century…) and I was even more amazed of his Hebrew knowledge.

I am a “Jehovah witness” he said. What…? I refused to understand…. “You know, Jehovah = Adonai, the Hebrew word for god…”. I still did not grasp the connection…and I was upset, since I usually consider myself intelligent…
“Jehovah Witnesses is a religion” he continues. “More then 140 thousands of Jehovah witnesses people are in the Philippines. Our history is to be separated from the Judaism whenever Benei Israel crossed Yam Soof. And we also believe in Jesus. Also in Israel you have people of this religion…our sinagogs are called “Heichal Adonai” and its very much like a church”

I recalled something that I read once in an Israeli newspaper. “Edei Adonai” sounded familiar.
He took out a sort of bible, or a “testament”, written in many languages and directed me to the Hebrew section. There, it was written among the rest about Jehovah stating to the Israelites that they are his witnesses for existence. He showed me where is Israel on the map which was part of the book…there I noticed a direction to watchtowe.org . He also let me understood that in his religion – the direction is no wars and calmness, and expressed his wondering why can’t we live in peace in the land of god…

That was too much for me…a god messenger is asking ME such a question?

Lucky me we just arrived to the airport. May be next time I’ll answer him…after all, not any day you encounter an Hebrew speaker in the Philippines who is sure that he is your brother…

How to beat Zeevi - in 3 easy steps?

Barcelona 2005.

We are on a bus towards the company's 2005 European sales Kickoff.
Weather is great.
As all such conferences, this one also include many workshops and lectures about our products and issues, unfortunately indoor…. The main issue is really about people gathering together and network.

One of the most interesting workshops was with the Israeli Arik Zeevi, who was the European Judo champion at that time.
His story is really interesting; it’s about a young boy in a poor Israeli neighborhood struggling his way to the top of the world Judo. How did he overcame budget problems, his mental preparation, his hard work, and the real top fights until achieving his lucrative status. Not only the guy is a strong Judoka and a fighter with a great spirit, he is also quite intelligent (finalizing his law degree at that same time); and I also noticed that most of the ladies in the conference enjoyed his looks as well…. The guy is known of also being a bit emotional after fights…. Strong, looks, intelligence and emotional too.... No wonder all girls like him…
The lecture itself was about motivation and mental preparations – and was presented in sincerity and ultimate grace.


As you can see below, later on we went outside, to a great lovely day, cool but sunny. And Arik was teaching us some Judo tricks. Everybody was watching....

So, how to beat Zeevi in 3 easy steps? here it is:

Step1: let him think he is going to win...

.

Step 2: show him how to fall right...

.

.

.

Step 3: go for the kill...!

.

.

As you can see, most of us , including myself and many girls were beating this guy to the ground…

A day to memorize...

Shoes for Imelda?

A month ago I flew to Manila, Philippines.

It was basically my first time there, trying to grasp the level of business my company is doing there. We have a small subsidiary, with the team shown below headed by Mon (2nd left, front row) which reports to me. Target of my trip was basic introductions with our major customers, motivation of our people and intro with the local culture. Being in such situations in the past I never forget to take my small digital camera...it is always usefull to plant pictures of your peole in a motivation presentation for few laughters..

During the day I walked arround dressed like I am dressed in Europe: a suit and a tie... due to my own special size, the hit and the thick humidity - I really suffered and looked for a better solution...Very fast I learnt that it is pretty respectful to wear the local dress called Barong... a much more comfortable, national local dress. Moreover, a foreigner using it shows even greater respect to the local culture, and therefore is respected even more! It took me a while to find my size but finally I bought two of them with Mon's (my country manager) assistance.

During the day, our agent asked me if I would like to join him to the annual Israel independence day celebration, and I answered positively. You know, we have to mingle and to create my own network within the local community....its part of the job..also I really wanted to talk with other Israeli company representatives sharing ideas and learning about the market. I verified with my agent (Dov) that it is Ok to go with the Barong - and only after being assured that not only its customary but also shows your respect to the local - I answered positively.

The event was conducted in the lucrative Intercontinental hotel... the coktail room was fool of people... being with Dov I was very soon introduced to the ambassador ( from right to left:Yehoshua Sagi -the Ambassador, his wife Hana, Dov and myself with the Barong..). Afterwards we went to the speaking room. One of the honorary speakers was DR. ALBERTO G. ROMULO , secretary of filipino foreign affairs. He told the audience that the the Philippines was one of the countries that allowed the jews to enter his country during the holocaust...which was quite new and surprising for me. Later on we listened to some sad Morocoean music ( it was a big flop since it was quite melancholic while everybody (and at least me and Dov) expects a vivid music in a country independence day..).

Then we went out for the cocktail.
I noticed many people gathering arround a very impressive, not so young but still well preserved lady. Asking Dov who is she - I learned that she was the very famous Imelda Marcos. My wife has a large shoes collection and sometimes, just to teasing her - I call her Imelda...:-).
I saw here a lifetime opportunity of getting a picture with Imelda to show my wife... but how could I ? she is not a Telecom or IT customer ?

Still - I decided to act upon this opportunity.
Depositing the camera (with full instructions) with Dov, I asked the ambassador to introduce me to her, which he did. I said some words of appreciation to the fact the Filipino's opened the gate for the jews in World War 2, and few other words... total may be 40 seconds of warm interaction with her including a joint picture taken by Dov. The lady was probably quite excited since somehow my words touched her. When handing my hand for a goodbye, she suddenly hugged me and gave me a kiss....! (unfortunately due to the sudden experience Dov did not photograph that..)


Well, this is the real thing....
Its not that we (Imelda & me..) will be friends or something. But, still that made me quite excited myself of the Filipino warm nature...never in my life I would imagine to be hugged by the first lady of a country, an ex beauty queen (at least she was... and still is very much respected) in my first, or even my Thousand visit in any country...

I sent the picture later on by email to some friends and of course to my wife.. they all asked me why didn't we take pictures of her shoes... :-)

Although the lady's past record is under dispute in the Philippines, later on I used this picture and story to break the ice with few of the most important people in the Philippines. Its a great story to start a meeting with a Filipino; he is then yours for the rest of the business meeting....

To Blog?...or not to Blog???? #1

Blogging? Me?
As a senior business guy in a large company I would never imagine I will “waste” my time writing in a blog. Of course, as a person coming from the IT industry I knew about the phenomena but never really experienced it.

Well, here is why I started.

Trying to achieve business in a new territory I work in, I noticed that my company is not visible to its customers, compared to the local competition. So despite the fact we have better product feat to most of them – they still buy from the big visible ones. Therefore, in my business plan, I decided to be on their table or e-mail box in a monthly newsletter manner. With our people face and customer faces are popping up together in that newsletter – making the customer familiar with us.

Since I wanted to do it effectively I consulted a good friend, and a fascinating person, Yigal Chamish (also in Hebrew). As the #1 “Knowledge Management” corporate evangelist in my country, and an internet expert I decided to get his advice on how to best start a newsletter.
I was surprised and intrigued when he told me, after few minutes, that what I am looking for – is not a newsletter, but a better way to communicate with my customers (genious...I sarcastically laughed...). That better way, he suggested, would be your blog. It’s all about social behavior, he said. People talk to people, less to companies, which are virtual entities. A newsletter is a one way communication (what about the feedbacks? I laughed..) – a Blog is quite interactive and creates communities if it’s a good one – directing me to few corporate blog examples.

Blogging? Moi?
I don’t have time to write stories. What a waist of time! I prefer to shoot out the newsletter and run to customer meetings waiting their (if at all) feedback…. Who has time for BLOGGING? What’s in it for my company? For me? But he he continues to hammer me –“you should tell your personal stories... business as well as personal stories…write about Imelda Marcos, about your Thailand Painting vacation….write them in your long flights…. You’ll be amazed how people (some of them will be your customers..) will connect PERSONALLY to these…and after all, that’s what you wanted, right?”

I don’t believe in this. I don’t have time for this. In flights I usually answer my emails and prepare presentations…., and also I am not a sensitive teen age girl who can write on her disappointments in life….who to hell, is interested in my personal Thailand vacation ? Or my meeting with Imelda Marcos? Who can connect to these…and also - as a respected business person I fear that my customers may think that “Tuvia is out of his mind after 50……”

May be I am out of my mind…. since I was truly intrigued. I consider myself an open minded person who is not afraid, and doesn’t say no to new theories, new things or trials…. so – I decided to do both; – the newsletter (lucky me I found a sponsor in our marketing department that follows my guidelines….), and a blog, just to compare and check realities. And I’ll try to do them both as professional as I am…

My guts feeling still say that Newsletter will be much more effective for my business needs. We’ll see. What do you think?