DOA HARI ARAFAH

Tiada Tuhan (yang disembah sebenar2nya) melainkan Allah yang Esa tiada sekutu bagiNya, bagiNya kerajaan (kekuasaan) dan bagiNya segala pujian, Dia menghidupkan dan Dia mematikan, Dialah yang sentiasa hidup dan tidak mati di dalam kekuasaanNya. Segala kebajikan dan Dialah (Allah) Maha berkuasa di dalam segala perkara.

Ya Allah, kurniakanlah cahaya pada hatiku, pendengaranku dan lidahku. Ya Allah, lapangkanlah dadaku dan mudahkanlah urusanku. Ya Allah (Tuhan) yang memiliki segala pujian, bagiMu segala pujian, seperti yang Engkau katakan dan lebih baik daripada yang Engkau katakan. BagiMu, solatku dan ibadatku, hidupku dan matiku, dan kepadaMu jua aku akan kembali, dan kepadaMu (kuserahkan pemberian) pahala kepadaku. 

Ya Allah, sesungguhnya aku berlindung denganMu, daripada was was (syak) dalam hatiku dan daripada penangguhan suatu pekerjaan dan daripada azab seksa kubur. Ya Allah, sesungguhnya aku berlindung denganMu daripada sejahat2 benda (sihir) yang masuk pada malam hari dan daripada kejahatan benda yang dihembus dengannya oleh angin (sihir atau guna2) dan daripada ditimpa bala bencana yang datang pada bila2 masa.

Ya Allah, sesungguhnya aku berlindung denganMu daripada berubah2nya keadaan (sihat kepada sakit) dan daripada ditimpa secara tiba2 balasanMu dan daripada didatangi secara tiba2 kemurkaanMu.

Ya Allah, kurniakan kepadaku petunjuk yang benar, dan ampunilah dosa2ku di hari akhirat (hari kemudian) dan di hari permulaan (di dunia). Wahai Tuhan sebaik2 tempatku bernaung, dan sebaik2 tempatku berlindung dan semulia2 Pengurnia yang memakbulkan apa2 yang diminta, kurniakanlah kepadaku pada hari ini sebaik2 kurniaan yang pernah Engkau kurniakan kepada orang lain dari makhlukMu dan orang2 yang menyempurnakan Haji di rumahMu.

Ya Allah Yang Amat Pengasih dan Penyayang, Ya Allah (Tuhan) yang meninggikan kedudukan (darjat) dan menurunkan berkat (kepada hamba2Nya). Wahai Tuhan Pencipta segala bumi (tujuh lapisan) dan tujuh tingkat langit, gegak gempita seruan segala suara dengan berbagai bahasa, memohon (berdoa) segala hajat dan hajatku kepadaMu supaya janganlah Engkau melupakanku di hari turunnya bencana apabila aku dilupakan oleh ahli (penghuni) dunia.

Ya Allah, bahawasanya Engkau Maha Mendengar kata-kataku dan Engkau melihat tempat kediamanku dan Engkau mengetahui segala rahsiaku yang zahir dan batin dan tiada yang tersembunyi sesuatupun mengenaiku. Aku yang sangat berhajat, yang fakir, yang memohon pertolongan, yang mengharapkan keamanan, yang sangat takut, yang memohon dikasihani, yang mengaku (pernah) melakukan dosa2. Aku memohon kepadaMu sebagai seorang yang miskin dan aku merendahkan diri kepadaMu sebagai orang yang berdosa dan aku seorang yang hina. Aku berlindung denganMu daripada segala kejahatan dan aku memohon doa kapadaMu sebagai seorang yang sangat takut azab seksa neraka. Permohonan seorang yang menundukkan tengkuknya kepadaMu (khusyuk dan tawadduk) dan dengan cucuran airmata keinsafan kerana mengharapkan kurniaanMu dan menghinakan diriku dihadapanMu dan seikhlasnya merendahkan diriku.

Ya Allah, janganlah Engkau jadikan aku dengan kerana doaku menyebabkan kecelakaan. Dan jadikanlah permohonanku itu dikabulkan dengan belas kasihMu. Wahai Tuhan sebaik2 tempat orang bernaung dan semulia2 yang mengurniakan (kepada yang memohon). Wahai Tuhanku, kalau ada orang yang memuji dirinya dihadapanMu maka sesungguhnya aku mencerca diriku sendiri.

Wahai Tuhanku, telah membisu lidahku (mulutku) dari menyebut perkara maksiat (tidak akan melakukannya) maka tiada jalan bagiku (bagi mendampingi Tuhanku) amalku dan tiada penyelamat yang kuharapkan kecuali dengan harapan (belas kasihMu). Tuhanku, sesungguhnya aku mengetahui bahawasanya segala dosaku tidak sedikit pun memberi kesan atas keagunganMu dan tiada jalan meminta uzur (berdalih) ke hadratMu tetapi Engkau (Ya Tuhanku) Yang Maha Mulia (dengan kemurahanMu mengampunkan dosa hambaNya).

Tuhanku, jika tiada kebolehan bagiku untuk mencapai kurniaan rahmatMu, maka sesungguhnya semoga rahmat kurniaanMu boleh sampai kepadaku dan rahmatMu (sentiasa) meliputi segala sesuatu (semoga aku memeperoleh) sebahagian daripadanya. Maka kurniakanlah rahmat bagiku. Tuhanku, dosa2ku walau sebesar manapun tetapi ia kecil disisiMu untuk mendapat keampunanMu. Maka ampunilah aku wahai Tuhan Yang Amat Pemurah. 

Wahai Tuhanku, Engkau tetap Engkau dan aku tetap aku. Aku sering kembali melakukan dosa2 (sedang Engkau) selalu mengampunkan dosa2. Tuhanku, Jika Engkau tidak belas kasihan melainkan kepada hamba2Mu yang taat, maka kepada siapakah akan bertumpu (akan berlindung) mereka yang berdosa? Tuhanku, aku telah tersesat jauh tidak taat kepadaMu dengan sengaja dan aku telah terdorong melakukan maksiat (larangan2Mu) dengan sengaja. Maha Suci Engkau, alangkah besarnya (alasan2)(untuk Engkau menyeksa) diriku tetapi Engkau sedia memgampungiku, maka dengan adanya kepastian alasan2 Engkau (boleh menyeksaku)  dan tiadanya alasan (dalih) bagiku untuk melepaskan diri daripada azab seksaMu dan kerana hinaku terhadapMu. Maha Kaya (Tuhanku) kalaulah tiada keampunanMu kepadaku wahai Tuhan (kepadaMu) sebaik2 tempat mereka yang mengharapkan permohonan dan sebaik tempat orang yang bergantung harapan.

Dengan nama baik agama Islam dan dengan kesetiaan Nabi Muhammad saw, ampunilah (Ya Allah) segala dosa2ku dan tukarkanlah keadaanku (kepada lebih baik) daripada keadaanku ini.

Wahai Tuhan, yang menyampaikan segala hajat (hamba2Nya), kurniakanlah apa yang kupohon, sampaikanlah segala harapan dan yang kucita2kan. Tuhanku, aku berdoa (bermohon) dengan doa yang Engkau ajarkan kepadaku. Maka janganlah Engkau hampakan harapanku yang telah Engkau ajarkan itu.

Tuhanku, segala yang Engkau lakukan pada hari ini (Hari Arafah) kepada hambaMu yang mengaku dihadapanMu dengan dosa2 (yang dilakukannya). Merendah diri dengan kehinaannya, menyesali segala perbuatan kejahatan. Khusyuk kepadaMu dengan amalan (ibadah) mereka. Bertaubat (tidak akan mengulangi) kejahatan. Mereka memohon ampun kepadaMu daripada penganiayaan yang pernah dilakukan. Merendah diri dihadapanMu memohon ampun daripada setiap kesalahan. Memohon dariMu supaya dimakbulkan segala yang dihajatinya. Berharap kepadaMu dari tempat wukufnya ini dalam keadaan banyak dosa yang dilakukan.

Wahai Tuhan, tempat bernaung semua yang hidup dan Tuhan yang menolong orang2 yang beriman. Sesiapa yang berbuat kebajikan maka dengan rahmatnya ia memperoleh kejayaan. Dan sesiapa yang berbuat kejahatan maka dengan kesalahannya itu ia dibinasakan.

Ya Allah, kepadaMu kami keluar (menuju Baitullah) dan dihalaman rumahMu kami berhimpun dan kepadaMu kami berharap, dan apa yang ada padaMu kami memohon, dan kepada ihsanMu kami mengharapkan, limpahan dan rahmatMu kami mengharapkan, dan dari seksaMu kami takuti, dan kepadaMu dengan beratnya dosa2 kami melarikan diri, dan ke rumahMu (Baitullahilharam) kami menyempurnakan haji.

Wahai Tuhan Yang Memiliki (Yang Menguasai) segala hajat permohonan hambaNya dan Mengetahui segala yang terkandung di hati hambaNya. Wahai Tuhan yang tiada bersamaNya Tuhan (lain) yang disembah. Wahai Tuhan yang tiada baginya wazir (menteri) yang menolongnya dan tiada pengiring yang boleh dikaburi (dirasuah).

Wahai Tuhan yang tiada memberi kesan kepadaNya dengan banyaknya permohonan (dari hambaNya) melainkan dikurniakan dengan limpahan kurniaanNya dan tidak memberi kesan dengan banyaknya hajat2 hambaNya yang telah dikurniakan melainkan dengan kemudahan dan balasan ihsanNya (kepada hamabaNya).

Ya Allah, sesungguhnya engkau telah menjadikan (menyediakan) bagi setiap tetamu jamuan, dan kamilah tetamuMu (Ya Allah) maka kurniakanlah kami jamuan daripadaMu iaitu tempat yang layak disyurgaMu. Ya Allah sesungguhnya bagi setiap rombongan disediakan hadiah, bagi setiap pelawat disediakan kemuliaan dan setiap permohonan disediakan kurniaan dan setiap yang berharap disediakan pahala dan setiap yang memohon belas kasihanMu disediakan balasan baik dan setiap yang memohon rahmatMu disediakan limpahan rahmat dan setiap yang gemar mendampingiMu Engkau kurniakan pengampunan dan sesungguhnya kami (beramai2) telah sampai ke rumahMu Baitullahilharam dan kami telah wukuf di tempat ini (Padang Arafah) yang mulia ini. Dan kami telah menyaksikan di sini tempat2 yang bersejarah dan mulia dengan harapan balasan baik dariMu maka janganlah dihampakan harapan kami.

Wahai Tuhan kami, bertalu2 Engkau kurniakan nikmat2Mu hingga puashati (sekalian hambaMu) menerima nikmatMu yang bertalu2 dan Engkau memperlihatkan contoh tauladan hingga boleh berkata2 segala (benda) yang bisu dengan alasan2 dariMu. Dan Engkau nyatakan limpah kurniaMu (kepada mereka) hingga wali2Mu mengaku kecuaian mereka terhadap hak2Mu. dan Engkau memperlihatkan tanda2 kebesaranMu hingga semua penghuni langit dan bumi mengakui tanda2 kebesaranMu. Dan Engkau telah  menguasai dengan kuasa kudratMu hingga tunduk semua makhluk dengan kebesaranMu dan takluk semua makhluk oleh kebesaranMu. Apabila ada hambaMu berbuat angkara (berbuat jahat) Engkau berikannya keampunan dan Engkau memberi peluang dan apabila ada hambaMu yang berbuat baik Engkau terima dan Engkau kabulkan.

Dan apabila ada hambaMu yang menderhaka Engkau lindungi mereka dan apabila mereka melakukan dosa Engkau ampunkan dan maafkan. Dan apabila kami berdoa(memohon) segera Engkau kabulkan. Apabila kami menyeru Engkau sedia mendengar. apabila kami menghadapMu Engkau mendekati. Apabila kami berpaling dariMu Engkau menyeru.

Wahai Tuhan kami, sesungguhnya Engkau telah berfirman di dalam kitabMu yang suci yang Engkau turunkan kepada Nabi Muhammad saw penyudah segala nabi. Katakanlah (Ya Muhammad) kepada orang kafir jika mereka berhenti daripada kufur,  akan diampunkan  bagi mereka apa yang telah berlalu. Maka akan relalah Engkau akan ikrar mereka dengan kalimah tauhid (dengan ikhlasnya). Setelah mereka mengingkarinya, dan bahawasanya kami menyaksikan Nabi Muhammad saw sebagai pesuruh Allah dengan ikhlas hati, maka ampunilah kami dengan pengakuan ini atas segala dosa2 terdahulu dan janganlah Engkau jadikan nasib kami kurang daripada nasib mereka yang masuk Islam.

Wahai Tuhan kami, sesungguhnya Engkau sukakan orang yang mendampingiMu dengan memerdekakan hamba yang dimilikinya (oleh kami). dan kami adalah hamba2Mu dan Engkau adalah lebih utama melimpahkan kurnia maka merdekakanlah kami (dari neraka) dan bahawasanya Engkau telah memerintahkan kami supaya bersedekah kepada fakir dan kami adalah golongan fakir yang berhajat kepadaMu. Dan Engkaulah yang lebih berhak berbelas ihsan. Maka bersedekahlah kepada kami dan Engkau berwasiat untuk memberi maaf kepada sesiapa yang menganiaya kami dan kamilah yang telah menganiayai diri kami. Dan Engkau lebih berhak dengan kemuliaan dan kemurahanMu maka ampunilah kami.

Tuhan kami, ampunilah kami dan kurniakanlah kami rahmatMu Engkaulah Penolong kami. Tuhan kami, kurniakanlah kepada kami kebajikan di dunia dan juga kebajikan di akhirat. dan peliharalah kami dari seksa api neraka. Limpahkanlah (Ya Allah) rahmat dan sejahtera ke atas junjungan kami Nabi Muhammad saw dan ahli keluarganya serta sahabat baginda sekaliannya. Dan segala pujian bagi Allah swt yang mentadbir dan memiliki sekalian alam

31 Ogos 1957 Oleh Sudirman Hj Arshad

Mari kita sama-sama hayati seni kata lagu nyanyian Allahyarham Sudirman Hj Arshad ini sempena sambutan hari kemerdekaan. Sambutlah dengan hati yang merdeka...

31 Ogos 1957
Sudirman Hj Arshad

Tanggal 31 
Bulan lapan lima puluh tujuh
Merdeka ! Merdeka !
Tetaplah merdeka
Ia pasti menjadi sejarah…

Tanggal 31
Bulan lapan lima puluh tujuh
Hari yang mulia
Hari bahagia
Sambut dengan jiwa yang merdeka

Mari kita seluruh warga negara
Ramai-ramai menyambut hari Merdeka
Merdeka !
Tiga satu bulan lapan lima puluh tujuh
Hari mulia negaraku merdeka

Corus

Tanggal 31 
Bulan lapan lima puluh tujuh
Merdeka ! Merdeka !
Tetaplah merdeka
Ia pasti menjadi sejarah…

Tanggal 31
Bulan lapan lima puluh tujuh
Hari yang mulia
Hari bahagia
Sambut dengan jiwa yang merdeka

Mari kita seluruh warga negara
Ramai-ramai menyambut hari Merdeka
Merdeka !
Tiga satu bulan lapan lima puluh tujuh
Hari mulia negaraku merdeka

Mari kita seluruh warga negara
Ramai-ramai menyambut hari Merdeka
Merdeka !
Tiga satu bulan lapan lima puluh tujuh
Hari mulia negaraku merdeka
Merdeka ! Merdeka ! Merdeka !
Merdeka !

WHAT ARE YOUR VALUES? THE MOST IMPORTANT VALUES TO LIVE BY

WHAT ARE YOUR VALUES? THE MOST IMPORTANT VALUES TO LIVE BY

By Alex Blackwell on Sep 22, 2008

Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your values. – Dalai Lama

We face tough decisions everyday. As a parent, husband and business professional I encounter several circumstances each day which test my patience, my character and my peace of mind. For me, my values guide me and shape my priorities and reactions. They serve as my markers to tell me if my life is heading in the right direction and if it is out turning out the way I want it to.

When our actions and words are aligned with our values, life is generally good and we feel content, confident and satisfied. But when our behaviors don’t match-up with our values, we soon begin to sense an uneasiness that begins to swell and grow inside of us.

This uncomfortable feeling tells us that not all is good with the world right now. We feel out-of-whack; out-of-touch and generally out-of-sorts. These feelings can be a source of anxiety and unhappiness.

Making a deliberate and conscious attempt to identity which values are the most important is needed to keep your anxiety low and your happiness and sense of personal worth and self-awareness high.

Regardless if we recognize them or not, values do naturally exist. Our lives can become less stressful, and more productive, when we acknowledge our personal values – and then make the attempt to live by and honor these values regardless of the circumstances we encounter.

The following values are the ones that resonate with me. These values are the most important for me to live by and the ones I want to pass along to my children and everyone in my life:

Appreciation. Taking a brief moment to say, “thank you,” or acknowledging the exceptional job the restaurant server did when waiting on you is not only encouraging for the beneficiary to hear; it fills your soul with more appreciation too.

Belief in Others. It can be your attitude; your resolve, that can lift someone up when they are down. Their doubt can be erased by your confidence. And something else amazing happens: belief is contagious – the more you believe in others; the more you will continue to believe in yourself.

Caring. Caring for others, as well as self-care, allows you to extend a helping hand and to pass along some unexpected grace. When we take the time to demonstrate we care; we demonstrate the fact there are still plenty of good people left in this world.

Commitment. Commitment shows loyalty and it can show bravery and tenacity as well. A commitment is a promise made and an expectation we have created. Honoring our commitments can make the difference between achieving what’s most important to us or feeling disappointed and defeated.

Compassion. We are all part of this thing called the human condition. No doubt we have different skin colors, religious preferences and political points-of-view, but at the end of the day, we still need to take care of one another.

Cooperation. Even the most complex tasks and assignments can be made simpler when we focus on the solutions – together.

Courtesy. The next time you are approaching a door and someone is ten steps or so behind you, wait just one second longer before walking through. Instead hold the door for that one second. It’s amazing how something that can happen in a blink of an eye can carry so much lasting value.

Dedication. No matter how the circumstances may change, unless you are in a physically or emotionally abusive situation, stay the course and never give up. I would rather be called a failure than a loser. Losers give up when things become too difficult. Failures are folks who have just not found success – but will. So, call me a failure if you like, because it implies I haven’t stop trying.

Devotion. Some days are just naturally better than others. It’s the same way in our interpersonal relationships and in our faith. Things can get unstable at times, but staying devoted to a cause or to a person through the uncertain times is our rock to grasp when our faith and our foundation is shaky.

Effort. No matter the outcome, there is always value in the effort when the effort is authentic and well-intended.

Forgiveness. To be clear, the purpose of forgiveness is not to absolve someone of the sin(s) committed against you; but to free yourself from the pain and the anger that is keeping you stuck. When you forgive, you are better able to let go of the past and keep moving forward with your life.

Friendship. Friends support us and they provide an unfiltered view of our actions when asked. Friends sustain us through difficult periods and join us for the events we celebrate.

Gratitude. It is with a grateful heart that helps me to see so much abundance in my life. My value of gratitude reminds me that what I have today can be taken away tomorrow.

Honesty. To live authentically; to live honesty, keeps our hearts and souls pure and our minds free of doubt or uncertainty. When we are honest, we knowwe are doing the right things.

Hope. Hope is the fuel that keeps us moving forward when we are the most tired. Hope reassures us that sometimes it’s not a matter of if but only when.

It’s not hard to make decisions when you know what your values are. – Roy Disney

Integrity. What defines our character and our integrity is not measured by what happens to us; but rather by how we react and respond to what happens to us.

Listening. As a parent, one of the best gifts I can give my children is to listen; to really listen to what they are saying and to be fully present in the moment with them.

Love. The presence of love in our life, the love we have for our families, our friends, our faith and for ourselves, is the single most important source of light and energy we can tap into when we have the need to be filled-up; or when we see the need to fill someone else up with grace, hope and our love.

Optimism. I was born and raised in the South. An expression I heard often went something like, “When God hands you lemons, you make lemonade.” The value of optimism is clear here – take what you have been given and make the best of it.

Patience. Patience is a value which can also improve productivity because it creates a better state of mind, a clearer state of mind, for better decision making.

Respect. We are all different, yet we are all the same in the sense we want to be respected for how we think and believe. When we show the proper respect we are not only validating the other person’s dignity, we are also enhancing our own.

Right Choices. It’s not that we always have to get it right; in fact it’s not reasonable to think every choice we make will be the right choice. But when we have completed our research, performed our discernment, and have listened to our inner wisdom the hope is we are guided to the right choice. Acting on this choice is where the true value exists.

Sacrifice. Sometimes it’s appropriate to put someone else’s needs before your own. This is the meaning of sacrifice. Along with sacrifice comes some discomfort; perhaps even some pain. This is what makes sacrifice a value to live by.

Tolerance. There are people who make us angry and we just can’t seem to see eye-to-eye with on an issue. Rather than showing contempt, tolerance is a better alternative. It shows respects, patience and courtesy – all important values in their own right, too.

Unity. There is indeed strength in numbers. Working together to solve a common problem ensures a greater chance of success. Making the effort to bring people together will always be more effective than finding ways to pull people apart.

Vision. Vision is created by our dreams and daydreams, alike, Vision provides the avenue to take our lives to wherever we want them to go. Our vision reminds us that we are always capable of learning and growing into who we want to be.

5 Things You Can Never Get Back as a Leader

Mistakes happen and sometimes our mistakes can change things permanently.

They might be the truest words ever spoken: Nobody’s perfect but things happen.

We all make mistakes. Most of the time we recover and move on, and learn something on the way if we’re paying attention.

Especially for someone in a position of leadership, though, there are some mistakes that cause lasting harm. And as the computer warning says, “This action cannot be undone.” be aware of the distinction.

Here are some mistakes you can never take back as a leader:

1. A word that’s been said. 

As a leader, you never want to express a bad mood with bad words. You’ll have many opportunities to change your mood, but hurtful words, once said, can never be taken back. We may worry about leaving an electronic trail with texts and e-mail, but the words we say out loud are in some ways even more permanent.

2. A stone that’s been thrown. 

It’s easy to judge others, but judgment often has a way of turning on us—and you may someday find yourself equally misunderstood. It’s especially important for those of us in leadership to be extremely mindful. Everything has consequences.

3. Trust that’s been broken. 

You cannot be a great leader without trust, built on a long steady history of being reliable, dependable and credible. Trust is the power to inspire and influence, the glue that bonds us to each other—and it’s easily broken. Leaders who understand the value of that trust will safeguard it carefully.

4. Time that’s passed. 

We need time to work, time to eat, time to sleep, time to accomplish all that we need to do. We also need time to know and to understand and to learn and to cultivate great relationships. Time is among the most precious of gifts, and once it’s passed it’s gone forever. Each one of us has 24 hours a day, and no one else can live it for us. It can feel infinite at times, but in truth it’s a limited and nonrenewable resource, so treat it with the care it deserves.

5. An opportunity that’s been missed. 

If we’re lucky, we get a chance, maybe even more than one, to get the life we want. And few things are worse than the realization that you’ve missed a life-altering opportunity. But don’t waste time grieving—instead, learn to seize the moments as they come.

There will be times we mess up, and some of them will involve things we can’t take back. The trick is to own up to our mistakes and be accountable. That’s how we earn respect and learn to do better next time.

Lead from within: Good people sometimes make bad decisions and take wrong actions; they mess up and let themselves and others down, but that doesn’t make them bad people. We all make mistakes—just don’t make the same ones twice.

Credit to Lolly Pascal

http://www.lollydaskal.com/leadership/5-things-can-never-get-back-leader/

Take Notes in Your Meeting to Be a Better Listener

Nothing derails a meeting faster than people speaking just to be heard, interrupting each other, and failing to integrate each other’s points.

Being a good listener can help you be sure you aren’t adding to the chaos.

Use a simple note-taking method called “margin notes” to help you separate key points of discussion from your questions and concerns, allowing you to truly listen to what’s being said.

In the main body of your notes, write down only what the other person is saying, and then write your ideas and judgments to the side, allowing you to set aside your own voice, and giving you space to listen to others.

If you take the time to write down your observations and make connections between key ideas, you can thoughtfully craft your contributions to the discussion and set an example for others to do the same.

Adapted from “Become a Better Listener by Taking Notes,” by Sabina Nawaz

During Your Next Presentation, Use Your Hands to Project Confidence

When you’re in front of an audience, you want to project confidence.

But when you’re nervous, your hands often flit about and fidget.

Use one of these positions to keep your hands still. Practice in front of a mirror, then with friends, until it feels natural:

Hold the ball. Gesture as if you are holding a basketball between your hands. This movement, a Steve Jobs favorite, displays confidence and control, as if you have the facts at your fingertips.

Palms up. Turning your hands up indicates openness and honesty, and it shows that you’re willing to connect with the people you’re speaking to, whether it’s one person or a crowd of thousands.

Pyramid. Keep your hands still by clasping them together in a relaxed pyramid. Beware of overusing this position or pairing it with domineering or arrogant facial expressions. The idea is to show that you’re relaxed, not smug.

Adapted from “6 Ways to Look More Confident During a Presentation,” by Kasia Wezowski

Are Your Company’s Norms Leading to Burnout?

Executives tend to think of employee burnout as an individual issue rather than a broader organizational challenge.

That’s a mistake. Instead of just trying to help individuals handle stress, focus on the unchecked organizational norms that may be causing the stress — things like heavy workloads, an always-on culture, and spending too much time in meetings.

Measure how employee time is spent across the organization. Using that data, map the places in your organization where too much time is being used or where certain teams or people are carrying more than their share of work.

Encourage managers to make targeted changes like introducing meeting-free days, redesigning workflows, establishing new cultural norms around time, and making clear that everyone’s time is a precious resource.

By tackling the conditions that lead to burnout, you can head it off before it happens.

Adapted from “Employee Burnout Is a Problem with the Company, Not the Person,” by Eric Garton

Schedule Regular Check-ins with Your Direct Reports

Even if you think annual performance reviews should be abolished, it’s unlikely that you can overhaul your organization’s approach to appraisals.

Fortunately, you’re in control of the way you manage the performance of your team. If your organization requires reviews — whether they are annual, semiannual, or quarterly — you should, of course, do them.

But take additional steps throughout the review period to ensure that your employees are meeting goals and growing.

Make a practice of checking in with each of your direct reports on a regular basis, whether it’s weekly or once a month, to ask two main questions:

What are you going to get done this week (or month)?

What help do you need from me?

These informal conversations don’t require complex forms or burdensome documentation.

Check-ins like these are your best opportunity to deliver immediate, relevant feedback — and real-time course correction.

Adapted from the HBR Guide to Performance Management

Make Sure Everyone Feels Included in Your Next Meeting

Meetings aren’t just about delivering results. You also want participants to leave feeling connected, valued, and fulfilled.

Give everyone a turn to speak, and be aware of who has and hasn’t spoken and whether someone is dominating the conversation.

Think through who needs to be part of the discussion for each topic ahead of time.

Ask yourself:

Who would be great at starting the conversation?

Who is affected by the outcomes and therefore needs to be asked for their view?

Who is most likely to have a different view?

Who are the old hands who might sense whether we are making a mistake or missing something?

You don’t need to set up strict rules, but modeling an inclusive style of conversation will make people more likely to notice who hasn’t spoken yet.

Call on people who have not had a chance to participate. Make sure it feels and sounds like an invitation, not a way of controlling the conversation.

Adapted from “How to Design Meetings Your Team Will Want to Attend,” by Paul Axtell

HATI EMAS

Adakah masih ada Hati Emas di bumi ini? 

Mari sama-sama kita cari..

Kalau tidak pun biar kita yang menjadi hati emas..

JOM hayati lirik puitis lagu Hati Emas nyanyian M.Nasir:

HATI EMAS:

Berjalan di tanah gersang
Mentari mencengkam dada
Debu-debu di jalanan
Menjadi teman setia

Tiada lain tujuanku
Hati emas yang ku cari
Kisahnya di hujung dunia
Mengapa tak ku temui

Oh! Terdengar suara halus
Bagai dengar dan menghilang
Katanya pulanglah oh anakku
Ia tiada di sini

Kembara
Puas sudah ku mengembara
Ke mana perginya oh cahaya
Mencari hati emas bukannya mudah
Di masa kini adakah kau peduli

Mungkinkah dikau miliki
Hati emas murni suci
Inginku menjadi sahabatmu
Hingga akhir hayat nanti

Kembara
Puas sudah ku mengembara
Ke mana perginya oh cahaya
Mencari hati emas bukannya mudah
Mungkin selamanya takkan aku temui

Kredit M. Nasir dan Kembara.

Before Your Next Decision, Ask Whether It’s Strategic, Significant, or Quick

When you have to make a lot of decisions, it’s easy to make them all the same way. But you shouldn’t spend an equal amount of time on each decision — if you do, you’ll shortchange some and waste time on others.

To be more efficient, sort decisions into three categories: strategic, significant, and quick.

Strategic decisions are often analytically and organizationally complex and have the potential to impact the long-term direction of your company. They require the most time and attention, as well as a rigorous, comprehensive process.

Significant decisions require a sound business case, and can add up to considerable investment, but aren’t critically important on their own. Tailor your process to each one, spending more time on those that are more complicated.

Quick decisions aren’t complex, and can often be delegated to others.

Consider coming up with straightforward rules and checklists to help you make these decisions as quickly as possible.

Adapted from “A 4-Step Process to Help Senior Teams Prioritize Decisions,” by Peter Hopper and Jugnu Sakuja