I just came back from my company's conference for senior managers in Asia Pacific region. More than 150 people, majority of them quite high up the company's "food - chain", arrived in Macau last week. We also have people from Mothership London bestowing us with their presence, and hopefully wisdom.
I went to Macau from Hong Kong by ferry as I had an earlier meeting there.
As company conferences go in Asia Pacific, there are two distinct groups. The Caucasians and the Asians. The former spends lots of time talking in the bar (the conference pass doubles as a all-you-can-drink pass at the bar) about mostly work-related stuff with other Caucasians .They don't seem tired of talking shop. After talking shop, the more adventurous ones goes out to the many bars to chat up the many call girls in Macau, deluding themselves that those girls were romanced by them. This results in a lot of bleary-eyed Caucasians stumbling into the conference room the next day looking like something the cat dragged in.
The Asians generally stick to themselves. They prefer NOT to talk shop but to enquire about each other. The Asian women goes shopping at every opportunity.The more adventurous men go for step 2, by-passing the "drinks-at-the-bar" stage altogether unlike the Caucasians. Some go to the casino in the belief that they can beat the house, losing thousands of dollars at the baccarat table.
The above is a broad generalisation. Of course they are also those who straddle comfortably between the two.
Then there is a third group i.e. the healthy living guys. They can be Caucasians or Asians. But more of them are Asians. They sleep after dinner, and wake up to exercise and don't gorge themselves silly at the buffet.
At this conference, I decided to only talk to those who I'd like to keep as remember as friends, not just colleagues. You see, I am a bit tired and am thinking of a change in career. This was brought about by realisation that I am reaching the end of the tail-end of career progression within this company. I think I have outgrown the company after 10 years.
Worse, I have lost my rose-tinted glasses and now I can see the slick corporate climbers for what they are. Being a spin-doctor, its hard to be mesmerised by the leadership when I can see them for what they are. I also see some many who rise through the ranks not on merit but on the strength of nights at the bar with the big bosses. The Asians have definitely missed the trick, in my view.
After three days in Macau, its time to go back to my station and inspire the troops with words of wisdom and 'direction' from the Asia Pacific regional HQ. It'd not be easy as the troops will probably be sore as they're stuck home and not invited to the gala conference. We hope to inspire the troops with communication packs including videos, and by the way their targets have just gone up a couple of notches just to make it challenging. Aiyaiyai!
I am now asking myself the question, if I have six months to live will I still be working with this company?
