The nail don't hurt enough yet...

Ah Seng went to visit his neighbour, who had a front garden that extended across the entire front of his terrace house.

On the garden sat the neighbor's dog, howling . . .

whooo-whooo-whooo

Ah Seng asked his neighbor what the dog's problem was . . .

whooo-whooo-whooo

The neighbor said, "he's sitting on a nail."

whooo-whooo-whooo

Ah Seng asked why the dog didn't just move instead of howling

whooo-whooo-whooo

The neighbour said . . . The nail don't hurt bad enough yet . . .
 

We all know that colleague who always complain the company is so mean, so stingy. Job no prospect, company no future. But after 5 years still in the same job with the same company... it's a bit sad no?

How about the coffee shop uncle in his 60s whining that Singapore impossible to live in. Medical costs too high! Transport costs too high! Property prices too high! It's fun listening until he shared he has relatives already emigrated to other countries... And he boasted he started this tirade when he was in his 30s... What great foresight he had! 
  

Does your nail hurt enough yet?

I had fun last night!

Last night, I had a great time (no, not that kind)! 

I was invited by Roy (he got to know me through my blog) to give a talk at the Singapore Microcomputer Society’s weekly seminar:

http://www.sms.org.sg/template.jsp?p=my/ThisWeekSeminar.html

It was like having a blind date with 14-16 strangers!

Since I have no clue what to say, I decided to use one presentation I gave to our IKEA IT group management when IKEA decided to jump on-board the “out-sourcing” bandwagon.  

Those of you working in IT during recent years would know what out-sourcing means to you personally and your families…I say this with the utmost respect and humility. Since this is a Microcomputer Society, they would understand too? 

I was stationed at Trading Shanghai then. Working with supply chain, we are used to collaborating with carriers, 3^rd party service providers, suppliers, distributors, etc. 

Our IT group management were on a worldwide field trip to study how other IKEA organisations handle vendor management before they start their “reengineering” in their own backyard. Shanghai just happened to be one of their pit-stops.  

The essence of my presentation was:

Corporations focus on

KPIs first,

then Business,

then People.

My personal view (the Asian and holistic way) is

People first,

then Business,

then KPIs

I must have touched on some raw nerves last night! I went from speaker to facilitator (phew! It worked according to plan). I spent ¾ of the time listening to the passionate and hot debates between the participants.

The youngest looked 50 plus while the majority are in their 60s. These are the seniors who made Singapore what it is today. I learned a lot last night. I listened.

It was a great night of diversity of opinions and sharing of past personal experiences! 

I used one example of a public listed transport company who in recent years, had lots of challenges with breakdowns, and recently with employee relations…  

I also used the recent PSLE debate as a moot point for discussion on KPIs first or people first? (If you have recruiting experience, do you look at the PSLE results of your interviewees? LOL! Much ado about nothing right?)

Of course I managed to squeeze in putting People first may help in our investing/trading journey. (No, I not telling you! If want to learn more, you have to invite me!)

At the end of the day, I merely borrowed with pride the Chinese medicine way of diagnosing and treating illnesses. 

Zealot, Atheist, and Agnostic

Have you wondered which one is you when it comes to your investment/trading beliefs?


Zealot and Atheist

A Zealot and an Atheist are on opposite side of the spectrum. But they are very much similar than you think - both their cups are full; and they both think they are right and the other person has some serious issues. They are great talkers.

Common arguments or debates between academic and cantankerous (I learnt this word from reading Garfield) market participants are:

1. Fundamental versus Technical analysis

2. Investing versus Trading for success

3. Passive indexing versus Active stock picking

4. Buy-and-hold versus Market timing

5. Dollar-cost-average investing versus Lump-sum market timing

6. Price action versus Technical indicators

7. Dividend yields versus Capital gains   

8. Astrology versus Dart throwing by monkeys (voodoo or what?)


I personally think it's a case of who shouts the loudest wins! 

Both sides can throw the "book" at each other. There's never short of new studies by academia to back them up. Never under-estimate the human ingenuity to selectively data-mine information to back-up a preconceived thesis!

Or they can fight a proxy war by chanting and invoking their respective iconic gurus. My guru more powderful than yours!
 

Agnostic

An agnostic investor/trader is someone who basically says "Gee, I don't really know. Do tell me more."

He is a listener.

And is humble to admit when he is wrong and switch positions.

He is not interested to be right. He just wants to makes money. Period.

Do not confuse an agnostic with the person who loves sitting on the fence. The person who sits on the fence just sits there. He does nothing.

An agnostic is willing to put money where his opinion is. Strong conviction but no vested positions equals a NATO.       

And he does not consider it's blasphemous to to mix a bit of fundamental with technical analysis. To trade around a long term core investment position. To have both long and short positions at the same time, etc.


Different seasons; different investing/trading styles.