No, I didn't jump into the bushes when the professor passed.

We didn't have bushes.

I ran upstairs on a moving escalator. Escalator that moved downstairs.

So I was in this mall when I spotted my professor (and the one that I owed my case study. YIKES.) He (and his collagues) sat in a cafe inside the mall and the seats were next to the escalator.

I knew that things will go fine if I just pretended didn't see them or ignored them.

But I didn't.

I was soooooo nervous so I frantically ran upstairs while the escalator moved downstairs.

Man, that was the best fitness session ever.

Source: Actually Happened.

I know, I realize, and I admit it. I'm not a good blogger.

I wrote... How many entries? Several? Yeah.

And now I must tell you guys that I'm going to have a full-semester break ahead. The main reason is because of a baby is (hopefully) coming. Yes, hopefully by April 2012, I'm going to deliver a baby (God. Saying it making me feels like a stork) so I need to take a break to prepare things. And to rest (one will understand that teaching is one hell of a job.)

I don't know whether I will keep updating this space or not (well, lets hope so!) and even if I do update this space, currently I'm wondering with what kind of stuffs I will put here. Hmm, articles? Personal opinions about things that going on? Naaaah, too smarty-pants, eh? Oh well. Will update you guys later.

For the time being, I'm enjoying the calm before the storm of final exam rushing in. Yes, the worst part of being a lecturer? Grading the students' exam book. And most of them with scrawly handwritings (no matter how hard you plea to them to write in a decent, readable handwriting.)

Anyway, that picture above was from my PowerPoint presentation for this week's class in Business Communication class. The material for this week is about "building your resume."

Some of you might ask, "is it THAT hard to write a resume?"

No, it isn't.

But it's quite tricky.

And many people have this tendency to type EVERYTHING within their lifespan in their resume.

Was in Company X? Check.

Won a nationwide paper-writing competition during college? Check.

Juara lomba makan kerupuk 17 Agustus-an se-RT? Check.

So this situation begs a question: "Do we really have to write everything?"

Write things that will interest your potential employer. Write about your special skills that other people might not possess/not many people able to do it. Able to operate SPSS? Write that. Able to use Adobe Illustrator and Maya 3D as if you're preparing your morning cereal? Write that baby. Able to speak Javanese kromo inggil? Write it, because hey... Who knows?

In Business Communication, there's this... Holy Three-Steps.

Plan - Write - Complete.

Analyze your situation, adapt to your audience, recognize their needs, write your message, revise your message. Most of times, your first message will be misunderstood by your audience. Rather than having them throwing tomatoes at you, better spend extra 5 minutes to make sure that you won't offend anybody.

So, still thinking that you're going to write that "able to start a PC" on your resume?

If you think I'm joking in putting Internet meme on my class presentation, this is the screenshot from my laptop. And yes, I also put that Yao Ming 'Bitch Please' meme.

I always love to tell people that "being a teacher means that you also have the opportunity to learn something new." Being a teacher (in my case, a lecturer) doesn't mean that it has to be one-way education process. Being a teacher means that you have to take the challenge to learn or study something new ahead of your students to keep the education process running smoothly.

And more often than not, you learn many interesting stuffs along when you're teaching in the classroom.

From Busines Communication class, I learn this thing called "you-attitude."

In creating and writing business messages, first thing we have to consider is how to adapt to the audience. Set the objective of the message. What do you want your audience to do? Be inspired? Call of action? And how your audience will react when they hear your message? What circumstances and environment they are living in?

And personally, I don't think the sentence "I understand what you're feeling" being said directly is quite appropriate. Because no, we don't understand. No, I don't understand. "No, YOU don't understand." Everybody is coping with many things in their life with their own way, and one person to another is different human being. Saying it directly will put your audience to defense mode, and next thing you know, they don't want to listen to you.

So when you're adapting to your audience (and the process could be lengthy, tedious, yet fun) at the very least, be polite. And how to be polite? Try to imply that "I understand your situation" without saying it directly. In other way, use "you-attitude."

For example:

Instead of saying "we offer MP3 players with 50, 75, or 100 GB of storage capacity," try to write "You can choose an MP3 player with 50,75, or 100 GB of storage capacity."

Same message, different approach.

On the second message, it gives this... 'Air' of "ability to choose" for the consumers. That powerful feeling when you're able to choose whatever available in the store. True that the store might only have limited options (maybe you opt for 1 TB storage capacity?) but with the words "you can choose..." will give you more superior feeling. "I able to choose" and it leaves you a feel-good feeling.

And currently, I'm trying to practice it on daily basis.

Instead of saying "I'm afraid I can't meet you since I'm so busy" (notice how many Is in that sentence? In other way, it could be seen as self-centered sentence) I'm trying to say "unfortunately I might not be available for you this afternoon, and I don't want you to waste your precious time coming for nothing. Is it possible for you to choose another date?"

Yes, still there are some Is - to explain my predicament - but try to give your partner the ability to choose and understand the situation that it might be unfortunate for your partner to come for nothing. Show your audience that you respect them. You respect their time, their energy, and their money.

Sure that some sentences could be as lengthy as hell, but if it conveys the right message on the right situation to create the right mood, I don't think it's gone to waste entirely :)

So, I told you guys that currently I'm teaching Business Communication and Integrated Marketing Communication courses.

Both are different courses with different approaches (and different classes and semesters too.) I teach Business Communication for 3rd semester students, Integrated Marketing Communication for 5th semester students.

Again, this is the Irony playing off with me.

Who usually skipped the class of Business Communication during university years? Me.

Who usually fell asleep or bored during Business Communication classes? Me.

And who's teaching Business Communication now? Well. Me.

As much as I avoided BusComm class during my university years, I found myself several times in tricky situation that requires some understanding about Business Communication. How to talk to clients, how to talk to colleagues, how to deliver good news to your boss, and how to deliver bad news to your clients. It's all in Business Communication, my friend. It's all in there.

Making sure that I won't do the same mistake like I did during university years, I stressed the course's objective to the class on each materials presented.

"This, my friend, will define your life and death in your working life."

Okay, I might exaggerate something here, but most of times we see so many scandals and cases all around us just because some bloke cannot hold his tongue and sprayed all the wrong things on the wrong time and in the wrong place.

Business Communication and Noises

Ah, here is my favorite issue. "Noise".

Noise can be in many formats. Be it the actual noise - You're trying to do a phone call to your mother in the middle of a really crowded parade. Good luck with that - or other noises (information overload, overpowering headlines/news, etc) especially with the Internet around us.

The dawn of Internet brought us the dawn of Information Age. The time when people no longer relying on one type of media source. It can be from every where. With that, we get so many information, and whether you like it or not, it's all coming to you like Noah's flood.

This flood, this particular flood of information, makes our brain automatically created a special defense system. Your brain knows that there is no way for you to receive all information altogether in one snap - it will drive you mad - so the system creates a filtering system to group the information into several categories, into several priorities.

Into several stages of attention span.

Ever thought that our attention span is getting shorter and shorter?

You might say it's ridiculou-- OOH LOOK, SOMETHING SHINY.

Back when we didn't know anything about mobile Internet, we killed our time by reading books, magazines, or simply didn't do anything and looked around, clearly bored to death.

Now? We pull out our smartphones and started to browse, update our status in social networking sites, playing games, reading news, and many more.

Even when we're reading a Twitter timeline, we also set the degree of priorities for each status. Uh, this guy is lamenting about his life again, skip, skip, scroll, scroll, skip, skip, whoa, she just broke up with her boyfriend? Typed some replies, scroll, scroll, skip, skip, skip, oh my, our government DID THAT? Typed some curses, skip, skip, refresh.

So, the challenge is: How do you keep your audience to stay focus on your message?-- SQUIRREL!

Business Communication and Your Audience

Lets face it. Nobody likes to be ignored.

And your audience didn't like to be perceived as "just the same between one and another." This only applies to Agen Smith.

So don't ignore your audience, and remember that your audience is a collection of unique individuals.

However, your audience still share the same traits. Those trait might visibly clear to you, some might not. But you should know.

What makes them go "aaaw"?

What makes them go "eeew"?

What do they like?

What are their values?

What is their perception about things in life?

You don't have to be a great sage in this. But one thing for sure, at least understand your audience.

How? By observing them, by looking at them, by ACTUALLY talking to them.

What would you say when a 6-year old ask you what database is?

How do you explain about cloud computing to your grandparents?

How do you teach server installation to elementary school teachers in remote places that might never learn IT before?

It's all in how you say it. Your language.

It's not about the language that we're using to converse - English, Hindi, Bahasa Indonesia, Japanese - but the terms, jargons, and technical words that you are going to use to explain. THAT language.

Sadly, many people think that they should use "mighty words" when they talk to other people just to be perceived as "smart person." Toss several journal names from well-known world-class universities, you are a Nobel laureate. At least in your tiny mind.

For me, that's just stupid.

The biggest challenge in communication is how you convey your message with understandable and easy words to avoid any unnecessary mishaps or misunderstandings.

Most of times, many miscommunications happened because the information sender didn't craft the message well-enough to be understood. In that case, rephrase the words and sentences. If second attempt (or third, fourth, fifth...) still failed, most likely you didn't talk to your target audience ("Talkshow about Indonesia's Recent Politics Climate" and the audience is... Elementary school students. What?)

So before we try to create some fancy proposals or flowery letters, it's always better for us to step back for a while and think about our audience(s) and possible noises around us.

Proper planning prevents poor performances :)

So... Apparently I've been neglecting this space for quite some time.

Well, um, in my defense of this laziness, I must say that I have some important issues to be taken care of. Glad that most of the issues have finished nicely and every thing went smoothly.

Anyway, just to inform you guys - if any of you ever visited this place. HA! - I'm no longer teaching Entrepreneurship. In fact, I'm teaching two interesting courses: Business Communication and Integrated Marketing Communication.

Although the classes have been going on for more than half of the semester, I will keep you guys updated about it and write about it here :) 

Well, thank you for visiting this place. My apologies for leaving it dusty and rusty. So nice to see you guys again :)

As much as students come to me to ask about the technical requirements and tids-and-bits about business plan, usually they have one question in common:

"How do we know the price of the equipment?"

"Well, find it out by yourself."

"You mean, we have to go to the market and department stores to check the prices?"

"If necessary, yes."

"*groans*"

"You HAVE to. What are you going to do then? Snap your fingers in mid-air and suddenly magic numbers appear? Tell me why you're in college then."

"We really really have to go to the market? Seriously?"

"Don't overthinking it. You could grab any brochures in any department stores. There you go, a list of prices."

"It was that easy?"

"Well. You think?"

Sometimes determination is shown through electric plug, laptop and free WiFi *hehehe*

- @kapkap. Friday, April 8. 2011. The Coffeebean and Tea Leaf Plaza Senayan

Jaman sekarang sudah nggak susah untuk mencari tempat nongkrong, lounge atau kafe yang menyediakan fasilitas WiFi. 

Bahkan kadang-kadang itu menjadi pertanyaan pertama seorang pengunjung kafe: "Ada WiFi-nya nggak?"

Sadar nggak sadar, kebutuhan untuk 'selalu terkoneksi' pengunjung kafe semakin menuntut pengelola/pemilik kafe untuk memasang fasilitas WiFi. 'Selalu terkoneksi' itupun juga belum tentu untuk urusan pekerjaan. Kadang untuk lama-lama online Facebook untuk menguntit gebetan atau mantan, Twitter-an, main online game di Facebook (Farmville, anyone?) atau keperluan online lainnya.

Kesannya, kafe itu tidak keren kalau tidak memasang WiFi. Kafe itu tidak gaul kalau tidak memasang WiFi. Kafe itu tidak up-to-date kalau tidak memasang WiFi.

Dan itu menjadi bahasan utama mahasiswa-mahasiswa saya di kelas.

Beberapa kelompok ada yang berencana untuk membuat kafe/tempat makan. Dan setiap mereka mempresentasikan ide bisnis mereka, selalu terlewat kata-kata "ya pasti pasang WiFi. Kalo ga pasang Wifi jaman gini, gimanaaa gitu."

Tuan dan nyonya, silakan bertandang ke Kafe Tornado Coffee di Kemang, Jakarta Selatan.

Pengelola kafe Tornado - yang dikenal dengan nama Suprie - pernah berkata:

"Sori, kita jualannya kopi. Bukan jualan WiFi."

Jawaban yang pendek, lugas, dan mengena.

Sekarang semua kafe dan tempat nongkrong ramai-ramai 'menjual' WiFi. Menjual sesuatu yang katanya "membuat orang makin terkoneksi dengan dunia luar" namun membuat seseorang melupakan teman-temannya yang nyata-nyata berada di samping.

Dan apakah Tornado Coffee gagal dalam bisnisnya? Saya rasa tidak.

Tornado Coffee malah menjadi salah satu tempat nongkrong ternyaman yang pernah saya datangi. Even better than Starbucks. Kalau butuh koneksi ya bawa modem sendiri. Kalau tidak ya kerjakan pekerjaan yang lain. Bahkan untuk beberapa kasus, tempat nongkrong yang bebas WiFi membuat orang lebih produktif apabila bekerja di kafe tersebut karena tidak menggoda orang untuk menyalakan WiFi dan malah browsing dan bukannya bekerja. Orang bisa nongkrong lama-lama atau hanya duduk sebentar lalu pergi lagi. Semuanya terserah mereka. Untuk kebutuhan "selalu terkoneksi" bisa dari gadget masing-masing.

Lucunya, mahasiswa-mahasiswa saya setiap melakukan analisa SWOT selalu mencantumkan "tamu yang nongkrong berjam-jam lamanya di kafe" di dalam Threat.

Sambil tertawa geli, saya hanya bisa menjawab dalam hati, "ya jangan berikan fasilitas WiFi gratis..."

One thing that I learned during my times as lecturer is learning something new; academic-wise or personality-wise.

And I just realized that it will be almost a year I'm being a lecturer in this university. I should say this is a pleasant surprise. It feels time flies very fast. All of sudden, it will be new academic term with another batch of new students and new semester. Personally, I still see myself as 'new lecturer'. The junior ones. And that's easy to see since I've met several way way way much more senior lecturers in the campus (some of them even already joined the university since it started.)

Anyway, back to the learning phase.

When I was in undergraduate years, I could safely say that I was never a really good student. I wasn't one of those straight-As students. I didn't graduate cum laude (and that's nearly impossible to achieve in this university since the uni is using 'package' system in which the students are obliged to take series of courses in every semester) and I always got myself sleepy during Entrepreneurship classes. And that, my friend, is the sweetest irony.

So when we had business plan assignment in Entrepreneurship (or if I recall it correctly, it was on Business in Indonesia course) I always found myself dumbfounded. I didn't know where to start, what to write and heck, I even couldn't get the logic in it.

As if God wanted to punish me in the harshest way possible, I am now an Entrepreneurship lecturer. And yes, I'm preaching about business plan and all those stuffs that made me fell asleep during my university years. I consider myself lucky for never found a student fell asleep in my class though :P

Interesting enough; when I teach Entrepreneurship in class, that's when I finally grasped the idea of the course and all of sudden, words that my lecturer delivered in the class back on those years suddenly make sense. Things like this happened also when I learned English for university entrance exam back in 2001-2002. I just realized that if you're using to be, it should be followed with verb -ing or verb 2/past. There goes my painful high school era.

So when I explained the course to my students, bit by bit I started to grasp the logic and flow in building a business plan, or simply enough, if you wanted to start a business.

Read the rest of this post »

To teach the students about 'business ideas', is simple.

To explain to them about ideas, is simple.

To give them understanding in unique business ideas, that's a challenge.

To living up the class, create ideas inside those young minds and encourage them to be brave, to be honest to themselves, to stay smiling in the midst of tears, that's an awesome challenge.>

A challenge, and it's awesome.

And being unique doesn't mean you have to be a shining star or stuff.

Most of times, you could find diamonds and pearls in the mudpole.