Happily Waiting :-)

It's all over!

My feelings for him. My regrets. My pain. I have moved on. I have accepted we are not made for each other.

I believe God is still writing my love story. I may not know yet the leading man in that story. However, I am pretty sure he is the best for me. My heart may long for someone else for now. My faith may dwindle every now and then. Still, I trust that the moment the Lord will reveal the right one for me, it will be a delightful surprise. More than I expect. More than my heart desires.

He may not fit the standards I have set for a lover, much more for a lifetime partner. He may not be what others expect for me to share the rest of my life with. Still, I have the peace that he is the best for me. The best not because of what and who he is or he is not. The best because he is the one God has prepared for me.

I am just right here. Waiting. Hoping. Praying. Trusting.

Hope to meet him soon in God's perfect time.

Time Heals

I just want to thank one person who helped me move on. He is the same person who caused my heart misery few years ago. Though, I believe, it was also my fault. After all, it took the two of us to "tango". And so I blamed myself, too.

Looking back, I enjoyed those times we were together. He was the sweetest suitor I ever had. . . and maybe the most patient. However, waiting is not really easy. He could wait no more. And so he left without letting me know why. I was hurt when I learned from a common friend that he already got married. So painful!

I felt betrayed with what he did. I cried several times. Deep inside, I wanted to ask him why he did it to me. I wanted to scream! But I realized it would not do anything good. Not anymore.

A year passed by. Then one night, someone sent me text messages but refused to reveal his identity. A familiar line from his text made me recognize him. He was surprised I knew it was him. How could I forget such familiar line?

We talked over the phone for almost an hour on that same night. He said "sorry" for what happened. He did a sort of explanation of what happened about a year ago. He told me that all he wanted that time was to settle down but I was quite pre-occupied with my career and my masteral. That he wanted my full attention then, which apparently I failed to give.. . And that he missed me. . .That it should have been the two of us now. . .He asked me if I ever loved him. . . And I said, it's already part of the past and there's no point of telling him, whatever it might be.

I told him God has other plans for the both of us. That we are not really meant for each other. Otherwise, he should have not met his wife during the time he wanted to settle down.

With all honesty, his call flattered my heart. It convinced me that indeed he loved me. That I was special to him. . . But sad to say it's all over now! And all I need to do is.... accept.

Moving on without him may still hurt once in a while. However, I now have the peace of mind after our talk. I am just glad we remain friends. And I do want to be a good friend to him by encouraging him to be faithful, not to me, but to his wife.

Project Management

IS PROJECT MANAGEMENT A SCIENCE OR AN ART?

Project Management is defined as a discipline of planning, organizing and managing resources to bring about the successful completion of a specific project. A project is defined as an organized work towards a pre-defined goal or objective that requires resources and effort, a unique venture having a budget and schedule. Its success can be measured in terms of how closely it comes to meeting the goal or objective within the parameters of its budget and schedule. It is characterized by impermanence since it ceases once the project is completed. (Mike Field & Laurie Keller, 1998).

In my own perspective, project management is both a science and an art. It is a science because it seeks to understand and apply processes, tools and techniques. The use of project management tools such as the Gantt chart/PERT CPM, cost monitoring and control, etc. are very relevant. These provide direction and guidelines for project completion and success.

Project management is an art because it involves the organization and the people. It requires a tedious task of organizing, building and motivating the team. For a project to succeed, it requires the right and appropriate people. It requires an effective project manager and dedicated team members. Along the way, several issues may arise due to conflict of personalities and interests. It is a reality that people tend to communicate ineffectively as evidenced by gossips and hearsays—which all ruin the team’s unity. Yet, an effective leadership and communication will ease out barriers and bring unity to the team. Hence, the people who work for the project namely, the project manager and the team members need to communicate effectively, work within the organization’s culture and motivate each other. The project manager needs to have leadership skills and organizational effectiveness. Team members need to have the dedication and determination for the project’s success.

A personal experience noted certain challenges in project management. I experienced handling a three-day, out of town Job Hunt. As Head of the Personnel Department, I automatically became the project manager and my members are five Personnel staff. The goal was to hire at least 400 people for casual and staff level positions. The project cost was not much of an issue because the city government through the Public Employment Service Office (PESO) offered a place to hold the event. Renting a venue to hold such big event should have been the biggest chunk of the cost. However, a challenge was posed with the lack of experience of the Personnel staff since three of them were still very new in the company. Another challenge was the external coordination with the City Mayor’s office and PESO due to the distance and an impersonal means of communication (e.g. telephone). Yet, through proper identification and delegation of tasks and motivation, the “neophytes” were able to deliver. Proper scheduling and monitoring of activities in preparation of the Job Hunt (e.g. preparation of materials, such as streamers, posters, test booklets, etc.; and advertisements) made the event well disseminated and organized. The Job Hunt team came back successful, able to meet the management’s expectation.

Human Resource

Which Is Difficult, To Fire The Wrong Person

Or To Hire The Right Person?

For more than six years of working as Human Resource Officer, hiring the right person and firing the wrong person do not become my cup of tea. They both remain my struggles.

Hiring the right person for a job is one of my toughest tasks. Resumes, aptitude and personality tests and interviews do not say everything about the person. There are applicants who are very intellectually equipped and yet emotionally unprepared for a job. Many times, I was “wowed” by interviewees with their credentials, level of confidence and pleasant personalities only to realize quite soon they are not the right persons for the job. Some lack the “soft” skills, while others, the “hard” skills necessary in order to be effective in a job. I once hired a Training Officer whom I thought was very fit for the job. During the interview, she convinced me that talking to a group was her passion. Among the applicants, she was the most conversant and pleasant. I hired her on the spot. During her evaluation day, she seemed very enthusiastic while running the training. However, after several times of running the same training, she admitted she had difficulty sustaining a discussion to a big group of 30 to 40 trainees. I was already trapped with her “deception skills” during the interview. She exactly knew who I wanted and pretended to be that person. And I was wrong.

I also hired a store operations supervisor whose resume, wit and leadership potential impressed me. After a month, she came to my office with a resignation letter, telling me she could hardly supervise her subordinates. She even cried in front of them out of frustration.

On the contrary, there was this one employee I hired despite the lack of competence. She had difficulty expressing her thoughts and showed nervousness while talking. I still hired her because of the urgent need. She has been with the company for three years and almost always hits the sales quota. These experiences made me realize that I can never say who the “right” person. Whom I considered “right” was “wrong” and whom I thought was “wrong” turned out “right”. Indeed. It will take time to be able to know if he or she is the right person. And usually, the confirmation happens after hiring the person.

In the same manner, firing the wrong person is one of the hardest things to do. It is even made more difficult when that person considers himself “right” for the job or when you know he or she is the family bread-winner. One probationary employee contested the performance appraisal of his immediate superior. He was very disheartened and it took me almost an hour to explain why his contract had to be terminated. During our conversation, I reflected I caused a share of his pain for hiring him.

Wonderful Memories

And so we met.

You thought I was too brave to finally agree to meet you all by myself. I also thought the same until I changed my mind to bring two of my friends without your consent. I felt awkward but excited to finally see you.

You were so masculine in your white polo shirt and faded blue maong pants. I was mesmerized by your two cute little dimples everytime you smiled. But good as I was in hiding my emotion, I know you never had the hint how I felt.

Twas 3:00 PM so I was not really starving. We just ordered 2 glasses of iced tea. You insisted that we order more but we politely refused.

Our meeting was just less than an hour because you also had to drive your mom home. But I guess, I talked that much (didn't I?). We bid goodbye bearing in mind we will meet again because you said so. And I was looking forward to our next meeting.

Just When I'm Ready, You Left

I never expected it would hurt that much.

I know I just took you forgranted. I was too pre-occupied by my plan to pursue graduate studies. I was too confident you'd just be there when I'm ready. But then, you left just when I am ready. How painful. How miserable.

It has been more than a year now but I could not say I have completely moved on. Many times I regret. I know this is not good for me. I should not be driven by my past. But it is difficult to just accept you are not really meant for me. Because I thought you were. . .

I wish to see you somewhere down the road. Not to interfere with your life now. Not to bring back the past. But to thank you that for once, I had your affection.