Welcome to Innovative Formula. We focus on bringing people-development programmes and services to organisations that are looking for a dedicated and innovative partner. With our diverse business experience in a range of industries – from technology to telecommunications, healthcare to investment services – we bring a fresh perspective with our global outlook and rich Asian insights. We work to connect, collaborate and crystallize with your organisation to draw out tangible behaviours and results. Our clients enjoy the benefit of the latest learning methods such as gamification, experiential learning and creative coaching.
The Lesson of the Basket
by Cheryl Wong
I have been working in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, for the last year or so, as an expatriate with a multinational company. One day, after a satisfying lunch of local food with my Vietnamese colleagues at a restaurant close to our office, we walked back briskly, trying to get out of the heat of the midday sun and back to the air-conditioned comfort of our office. On the way, we passed by the usual array of mobile street vendors who peddled their wares on the uneven sidewalk on their bicycles, motorbikes or hand-carried baskets and trays.
We passed by this one elderly man selling baskets of all kinds – from large rattan laundry baskets to small dainty ones, all artfully balanced on his bicycle. He was just unloading his merchandise to display them on the sidewalk, when I noticed a small woven rectangular basket, about 20 cm x 10 cm (8 in x 4 in), just the size I was looking for. It was in a lovely natural rattan colour, offset by a forest green trim on the edges, with two small wooden handles – it would be perfect to put on the dining table to hold paper serviettes.
I asked one of my Vietnamese colleagues for help to enquire about the price of the little basket.
“He said it costs ten thousand Vietnamese Dong”, said my colleague.
“Wow, that’s only about RM2.20 – what a good bargain!” I thought to myself, as I took out my purse to pay for it.
In the meantime, unbidden, my colleague had asked the vendor for a discount, in Vietnamese.
“He says he will sell you the basket for seven thousand Dong”, said my colleague.
I thought that was great – a discount, even when I didn’t even ask for it – but I still intended to pay the man the full sum of ten thousand Dong, as I thought it was an extremely fair price.
While I got out the money to pay for the basket, my colleague and the vendor were still engaged in conversation.
“Guess what, said my colleague, “he’s going to give you the basket free of charge, because he says you are a visitor to Vietnam and he wants to give it to you as a present”.
That’s when I froze and stared at the man, a million thoughts racing through my mind – I could almost see the whole scene playing out before me, like I was an observer to the entire event.
The old man stood there in the sun, small in stature with a wrinkled, weather-beaten face tanned from the constant exposure to the outdoors. His thinning hair lay in grey wisps over his head, and his threadbare clothes hung loosely about his slightly hunched frame. He was smiling at me, his dark brown eyes crinkling as he did so.
And there I stood opposite him, an expatriate with a large company in a well-paying job who worked in a modern air-conditioned office, being driven to and from work everyday, dressed in smart professional attire complete with a brand-name handbag, obviously in a hugely better financial and social standing than this unsophisticated street vendor who offered me the little basket as a present.
With an effort, I recovered from my incredulity and mutely held out the ten thousand Dong note, which the man promptly waved away, refusing payment. I tried again with no success, and finally had to practically force him to take it by putting it into his hand.
I thanked the man and walked away clutching the little basket, this time my steps a little slower, my head bowed in thought and my heart greatly humbled by the act of a simple man who showed me what it means to have true generosity of heart, even if one has so little materially.
I still feel grateful to this day to that elderly street vendor, for teaching me the Lesson of the Basket.
What We Do
We offer a wide array of leadership and professional development training and coaching to help organisations and individuals break through to the success and fulfillment that is necessary in today’s fast-changing world. Our training and facilitation workshops help leaders with communication, confidence, awareness of self, engagement and the ability to influence and inspire.
Our certified and experienced coaches help executives stay on track and produce results. Our coaches work towards the client’s agenda, providing clarity, focus and accountability to achieve improved performance. We also run performance coaching workshops, based on approaches and competencies defined by the International Coach Federation (ICF) to maximise the personal and professional potential of your executives and managers.
Bring out the best in your people in partnership with Innovative Formula. We’re dedicated to making a difference to you and your organisation.
Call us today to find out more.
The Lives We Live
by Valerie Lim
When I was living in Shanghai, I was fascinated by the lovely doors that I’d pass by each day. Intricate carvings, brass handles, multicoloured hues and shades, and the lovely patina of aged wood would often catch my eye. When I was not caught up in the mad rush of people and errands, I would take the opportunity to capture some of these doors on my humble phone camera. So when I started looking for a picture to update my Skype profile recently, I decided to use one of my favourite door pictures that I had photographed in the charming old town of Lijiang. As I was uploading the photo, a quote by Flora Whittemore suddenly came to mind:
“The doors we open and close each day decide the lives we live.”
The doors that Flora Whittemore is speaking of are the doors of our minds. The quote is simple and yet so full of meaning. The door is a metaphor for life, chances, opportunities; perhaps a passage from one stage of life to another. Closed doors represent exclusion, loss, rejection. Every day we are faced with choices, both simple and complex. What doors have we opened? Or opened and then shut quickly because we didn’t like what we saw behind it? Whether we take advantage of some of these opportunities, or we let others pass will determine how we want our lives to be. Remember the 1998 movie Sliding Doors starring Gwyneth Paltrow? The film alternates between two parallel worlds based on two paths the main character’s life could take depending on whether or not she catches a train. It was an eye opener for me as it showed how different actions can result in totally different outcomes in our lives.
― Mehmet Murat ildan
Closer to reality, I am intrigued by the story of 35-year old artist David Choe. In 2005, an unknown start-up social networking site approached Choe with a proposition. Sean Parker, president of Facebook at the time, asked Choe to paint his famous murals on the office walls and offered him a choice of $60,000 or company stock. Choe, a self-admitted rebel and risk taker, chose the stock. Today Choe is worth more than US$ 200 million. While most would have gone for the cash, which in itself was a sizeable amount, Choe decided to open the other door that stood before him. Needless to say, life for Choe is now very different. When I face a closed door, it is only natural for me to experience curiosity and uncertainty. Sometimes doubt. What would I find behind the door? Would I encounter something positive or negative? Would I be disappointed? It’s easy to forget that I have the choice to create the life I envision to have. It might mean thinking out of the box or making some rather uncomfortable or difficult decisions. Choe took a gamble and chose the door less opened. Today not only is he a very rich man, but he is much sought after by the media who want to know about this unusual choice he made.
How does light enter a human? If the door of love is open.”
― Paulo Coelho
What if I find myself in a situation where I could help open doors for someone else? Would I seize the opportunity to do so or just walk on by? In 1995, the manuscript of a struggling unknown author landed on the desk of publisher, Barry Cunningham. This manuscript of a children’s story had been turned down by 12 other publishers before it arrived on Cunningham’s doorstep. Cunningham was unsure but the decision to publish it was influenced by the 8-year old daughter of his chairman, Alice Newton. Alice was given the first chapter to read and she immediately demanded the next. Cunningham opened the door for J K Rowling and as they say, the rest is history. With an initial print run of just 1000 copies, of which 500 were given to libraries, J K Rowling’s Philosopher’s Stone went on to sell 450 million copies. J K Rowling wrote another 6 fantasy novels in the series and Harry Potter is now a global brand worth an estimated $15 billion. Is this a door we would have opened if we were in Cunningham’s shoes? What are some opportunities that we have missed as a result of uncertainty, insecurity, fear of failure or just plain old inertia? Have we stayed on at our jobs because we love the work we do or because we do not dare venture out to try something new? Have we embraced the opportunity to take on a relocation job outside of our country or would we prefer the security of our own home? When my husband first spoke to me about relocating our family to his company’s head office in the United States, my heart sank. I was doing well in my career; our youngest child was just 3 and we had the wonderful support of two live-in helpers and my parents who lived close by. Life was good and comfortable. The thought of disrupting our lives and moving to a new and unknown place scared me. As it was a good opportunity for my husband, we decided to go with the flow and take a chance. I said good bye to my family, friends and a wonderful job. After all, I thought, the 3 years would just fly by. It was only 8 years later that we found ourselves back in our home country. The 8 years were a wonderful time for all of us as we faced new experiences, made new friends and opened our minds to new cultures. It was wonderful. It was definitely a door worth opening, not just for my husband, but for every member of the family.
– Chinese proverb
What about the doors that have been open for a while and perhaps is now time for us to close? Have our beliefs or values changed over the years? Do we have people around us who just wear us down, disempowering us? Perhaps a relationship is not working anymore and it is time to move on? Is it time for a new journey? It takes courage and commitment to be able to close these doors tightly behind us as we walk ahead and move on to face other new opportunities and challenges. As coaches, we journey with our clients as they undergo life’s many changes. Are the doors to our clients’ hearts open or closed? Do they embrace change or cling to the familiar despite not being able to move forward in life? Past experiences often influence how they would act when facing a new door. Regardless of where they want to be or what they decide their life’s purpose is, it is important for us to guide them in setting goals to get there. Short-term daily actions will lead them in the right direction to their success. Of all the many possibilities available to us, what we choose to say, think, do and become, will influence how our lives turn out. Own the totality of who we are and realise that our destiny is really in the palm of our hands.