COM 207.3: Blog # 6: Creativity and Problem Awareness Class - Synthesis

A Look Back on our Creativity and Problem Awareness Class (1st Sem. S.Y. 2011-2012)

Screenshot of http://web.me.com/mescaler/innovate200

COM 207.3: Creatvity and Problem Awareness or simply, "Creativity Class" was a course highly recommended by some of my MA Communication classmates since 2009 and best taken under Mr. Mark Vincent Escaler "daw."

I've heard so many positive reviews from my peers about it saying it's a fun class, the instructor is great and it's not a stressful one.

When we started the class, apart from the introductory questions, we were asked "what is the best thing that can happen to you as a result to this course?"

My answer, if I remember it correctly, was for me to be able to be more creative in such a way that I could be an out-of-the-box thinker and that my ideas or creativity could contribute in improving my work and life.

Mr. Mark Vincent Escaler

As what our instructor, Sir Mark, has told us, one of the primary objectives of Creativity Class is for us to learn and develop new ways of thinking for us to be able to generate potential solutions to conventional, impossible, or creative problems.

Traditionally, we have been socialized and educated into a world that views problems as having only one concrete solution (reproductive thinking). However, in this class, we learned that it is when we push ourselves the impossible that makes something possible (productive thinking).

Productive thinking is creative thinking and so, Creativity Class is a course on innovation.

True enough, we were given challenges with impossible situations, impossible solutions and impossible deadlines. Here are some of the activities that squeezed the juices of our brain, if not blew our minds out:

Image from: http://www.streetcrew.net/ via http://www.thedailylewis.blogspot.com/

1. The Paper Clip Test

- Thinking of other possible uses of a paper clip (to think outside the box).

Example answers: to use as a clip, a toothpick, lift heavy things, as a cutting tool and etc.

Sam ^__^

2. Draw the person next to you in 60 seconds.

- The lesson here per observation: adults have "nervous laughter" after the activity like "sorry, did I get your nose right and etc." whereas if this was conducted with kids, they normally do this with much enthusiasm and excitement and they take pride of their work with no pretense.

3. Design an Innovative Classrom for Ateneo

- Mitch and Clarisse were my partners in this activity and our concept was an Iron Man/ Tony Stark-Office-inspired digital classroom for the digital era.

4. Designing a Wallet That Would Fit the Needs of Our Client

- Lesson learned: The point of innovation is not you but the people around you.

Image from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/

5. Make it Snow in the Philippines by Friday

- (WHAT???) Lesson learned: Making the impossible happen by thinking of as many alternative solutions as possible.

Example answers: Styrofoam/ confetti/ bubble foam/ shredded ice as snow; Renting a place in Iceland or USA and putting a marker that says "Welcome to the Philippines!"

Winner by 15 straws only!!!

6. Hang the Soda Can Using The Less Straw(s) as Possible

- I worked with Krisel and May here who were my groupmates during the initial groupings of the class.

Later, the class was divided into 4 groups who were tasked to create an innovation project each. There's the Fundraising Group, the Social Enterprises Group, the Time Management Group and our group, the Student Productivity Group. Eventually, groups merged until there were two: the Fundraising thru Social Enterprise Group and our group, the Student Productivity thru Time Management. These two groups would stay throughout the semester.

On a personal note, my previous class last semester, Communication and Management, also had 13 students but we were like "barkada" because we held classes in a smaller venue and shared one rectangular desk where we could better see and hear each other. It was a very intimate rendezvous that's why we got to be close.

For our Creativity Class, I feared that since we were always seated with our groups, we won't be able to interact much with and get to know our classmates from the other group better. For some of my teammates, I believed this happened. As for me, I tried my best to reach out to everyone in class especially to those who have not yet been my classmates (as I normally do).

There were seven of us in my group and all of them, except for me, are girls and none of them had been my classmates since five of them are just new this semester. Furthermore, all of us come from different fields: media, advertising, government, and banking.

Nevertheless, our group worked well! I'm not sure how, but regardless if we have our own field of expertise, experiences and personal background, we were cohesive and we really managed to do the job quick, smoothly, and well. As what Frans Johansson said in The Medici Effect (2006), "the intersection of disciplines or cultures... will have a greater chance of innovating, simply because there are so many unusual ideas to go around."

Our innovation challenge was:

"In what ways might we develop a support program for the Ateneo Department of Communication that would help working graduate students balance their work, personal life and school."

The reason why we chose this is because we, working Ateneo graduate students, often feel that our lives our becoming toxic as we juggle school with problems in work and personal life. We believe that  we are only human and not superheroes. Hence, we need to have our very own sidekick, an essential partner in achieving the much-coveted work-school-life balance.

Coming up with the proposal wasn't a walk in the park. It underwent several processes per week until such time that the objective has been narrowed down, specific and concrete.

Along the way, we were introduced to other ways of thinking. Some of which were:

My Mind Map

1. Mind Mapping by Tony Buzan

- It is a graphical method of writing down notes that visually helps in distinguishing words, thoughts and ideas through colors and symbols.

2. The Lotus Blossom Technique originally developed by Yasuo Matsumura

- Illustrates the way the brain thinks by laying down thoughts in a diagram form following the natural patterns of a lotus blossom.

3. False Faces (Reversal)

- Reversing or questioning assumptions destabilizes conventional thinking.

Big lesson learned: We live a life full of assumptions and if we break free from them, we can be creative enough to see the other side of the world.

4. The Six Thinking Hats by Dr. Edward de Bono

- Is a thinking tool for group discussion and individual thinking wherein each "hat" is a mode of thinking. When you put on a hat, you put on a role and you put on a perspective.

- My role here was the moderator wearing the "blue hat."

On a personal note again, I had been the Class Beadle (Class President) in almost all of my classes but for Creativity class, I wasn't because this class did not require one. In our group, since I'm their senior, I usually stood up as the leader but not formally since there were many times that I also wanted my teammates to be leaders of their own.

So finally, our final project was a website that would provide pertinent information to Ateneo MA Communication students, easily accessible and available, one that would appeal, entice, engage and hopefully, aid them in providing stability and the support needed to achieve their end-goals as master jugglers of work, life, and school.

Hence, our group came up with "COMMRAD" (Communication made radical). For now, we have launched a prototype Facebook page to showcase how the website may potentially look like and function. In less than a week, 30 Ateneo MA Communication students already subscribed to the site. Our instructor, Sir Mark, believes that this project has much potential and if we would like to bring this to the next level, the Department of Communication is just there.

The other group came up with "The Voice." It is also a website with an objective to help social entrepreneurs find a partner for their fundraising campaign(s). Again, our instructor also believes that this could be a project with promise and may even offer this to someone he knows might be interested.

With these projects, we learned that for an idea to be original, it has to be creative, it has to be relevant, it has to be desirable and it has to be valuable.

Now that the course has reached its end, I believe most of us have already changed. We believe that we now view the world and the things around us on a different perspective. It would be great if all of us become successful innovators like Steve Jobs, but for now, at least we have taken a step towards becoming a creative and innovative individual. Who knows, someday, these projects of ours will be the next big thing?

If this class has served me well and helped me understand my purpose and goals to be an out-of-the-box thinker - YES!

p.s. Thank you very much to Sir Mark Escaler for the lessons that you have imparted on us. We truly appreciate your active and lively way of teaching and you were able to succeed in bringing us up despite all of us being tired at work.

To my classmates, congratulations on a semester that was! You all did a great job! You all had good ideas, did your fair share of the work and I would be more than glad to work with you again.

I wish you all the best of luck in all your endeavors!

COM 207.3: Blog # 5: The Pixar Story



Image from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Pixar_Story



Woody: WHAT? WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?
Buzz: Right now, poised at the edge of the galaxy, Emperor Zurg has been secretly building a weapon with the destructive capacity to annihilate an entire planet! I alone have information that reveals this weapon's only weakness. And *you*, my friend, are responsible for delaying my rendezvous with Star Command!
Woody: [pauses and looks incredulous] YOU! ARE! A! TOYYYYY! You aren't the real Buzz Lightyear! You're - you're an action figure!
[holds hand up to eyes indicating something small]
Woody: You are a child's play thing!
Buzz: You are a sad, strange little man, and you have my pity.
[waves in military fashion]
Buzz: Farewell.
[starts to walk away]
Woody: Oh, yeah? Well, good riddance, ya loony!

Image from http://www.madisonavenuejournal.com/

Watching The Pixar Story has transported me back to a time when everything else in my eyes were simple and easily enjoyable and yet, it also reminded me that things weren't always as what it seemed to be when I was young.

When Pixar launched their first feature film Toy Story in 1995, I was just an elementary kid in Grade 5. That time, I didn't even bother whether Pixar was in partnership with Walt Disney Studios or vice versa nor how the film was even made! All I cared about was after Disney's Aladdin (1994) and Pocahontas (1995), I'm seeing real-life looking characters with funny antics and throwing comedic dialogues that made me laugh and happy as I leave the cinema.

But now as a grown-up, the things that I have seen, heard, learned and experienced all throughout the years made me realize that life and the things around me are complexed, mostly-structured and following a process or order.

The Pixar Story documentary opens with a spinning zoetrope, the earliest of all animation tools, first bringing us back to the early history of animation and then informing us of how animation has progressed. It was followed by animation through black and white sketches (Felix the Cat, Mickey Mouse, Betty Boop) to being colored such as Disney's first animated feature-length film Snow White. Then moves forward to stop-motion (John Henry and the Inky-Poo) and proceeds to computer-animation in 2D and finally, in 3D (Toy Story, 1995).



Image from http://www.pixar.com/ homepage



In retrospect, more than Woody and Buzz, the real stars of the blockbuster Toy Story are a group of unlikely individuals who worked together and set a common goal to make a breakthrough in the film and animation industry. They are John Lasseter "the talented artist," Ed Catmull "the creative scientist," and Steve Jobs "the visionary entrepreneur." Together, they have achieved a phenomenon that has earned them a spot in cinema history.

This incredible breakthrough was a result of the amalgamation of Lasseter's experience as an animator, of Catmull's skill as a computer-scientist and Jobs' entrepreneurial vision as a businessman. Each of them excelled in their own fields and the intersection of their knowledge, expertise and hardwork resulted in Pixar becoming a successful company and organization in its own.

Image from http://www.bnet.com/

Drawing from the dialogue of Woody and Buzz above, Pixar has had a lot of struggle before it was able to stand on its own feet. Briefly, Pixar was the computer-graphics arm of George Lucas filmmaking operation which Lucas eventually cut loose. When Disney hired Pixar, management issues plagued their relationship. Pixar was being treated only as a tool of something bigger with a similar tone to Woody's  "YOU! ARE! A! TOYYYYYY!" Just like that and with no opportunity to venture out and grow.

On a personal note, I didn't even knew who were behind Pixar until I've seen The Pixar Story. I was surprised that Apple's Steve Jobs was part of it! Nevertheless, as what I've learned from Frans Johansson's The Medici Effect, "the intersection is the best place to generate an explosion of new breakthrough ideas." 

Furthermore, Johansson says "to be considered creative, it is not enough that an idea is new... it must also have some measure of relevance; it must be valuable." Earlier I mentioned that I enjoyed watching Toy Story because I saw real-life characters acting. Probably, it was because the material is new - it's CGI, it's 3D! Toy Story's relevance to the animation and film industries is no doubt its bragging rights as the first feature-length film to be created and rendered entirely using 3D graphics. The value of Toy Story and the rest of the computer-animated movies that followed has not only been limited to business but has expanded to a socio-cultural level.

Image from http://www.thoughtpantry.blogspot.com/

Take for example, Pixar claims that their movies impart moral lessons about friendship, love, respect and other virtues to its audience. Whether this is measurable or not, perhaps their films indeed made an impact to the viewers that may be attested by many people around the world.

Image from http://www.kaboodle.com/

During birthday parties or other events, what are the common themes these days? Aren't they under the sea theme aka Finding Nemo; superhero theme aka The Incredibles; Cars and so on? Truly, Pixar has been a household name and its films are being patronized in many ways.

Screenshot from http://www.pixar.com/

Lastly, the process of making the Pixar films is truly interesting. Watching The Pixar Story, I now have higher respect and appreciation to their creators. In Filipino, "hindi biro-biro." Since the creative process takes a lot of time from story pitching to summarizing the main idea of the story, to drawing storyboards, and applying voice after. Further editing and application of artistic details come next. The process continues with the digital/ 3-D modelling and polishing the sets/ background of the story. Then the shots are laid out, animated, shaded, and lighted. Rendering will follow and finally, the finishing touches. No wonder it sometimes takes years to produce one great 3-D animated film. But with the right mixture of people, attitude, tools, environment accompanied by good management and governed by a systematic policy with proper reward, acknowledgement and appreciation, no matter how hard the work is, the process will be enjoyable.

As Peter Debruge said on his 2007 online film review, The Pixar Story "above all else, a celebration of animation in all its forms. Iwerks naturally has a firm grasp of the medium's history and rightly sees Pixar as the catalyst for the recent resurgence of audience interest in animation." 

The Pixar Story (2007) is a Leslie Iwerks Productions; written, produced and directed by Leslie Iwerks; narrated by: Stacy Keach; music by: Jeff Beal; and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. Running time: 87 minutes. Language: English.

With interviews from: Brad Bird, Loren Carpenter, Ed Catmull, Diane Disney Miller, Roy Disney, Michael Eisner, Bob Iger, Steve Jobs, Ollie Johnston, Glen Keane, John Lasseter, George Lucas, Alvy Ray Smith, Andrew Stanton, Frank Thomas.

COM 207.3: The Creative Person: Steven Spielberg

Image from: http://blogcritics.org/

I came across a 1998 article written by Rogert Ebert for TIME Magazine's "TIME 100 Artists and Entertainers" and knew exactly that one of its shortlists, Steven Spielberg, would fit the category of a "creative person."

The name says it all. When we hear Steven Spielberg, we get transported to worlds that we never thought existed or we could be in. We become reminiscent of his movies we've seen when we were young.

Image from: http:///granateseed.com

Tell me, did you not get scared of swimming in the beach knowing that at any moment, a shark can attack and pull your limbs off thanks to the horror/ thriller JAWS? Just to hear its musical score is enough to make the audience chill right? The Jaws phenomenon has been global in magnitude.

Image from: http://rapideer.com/

I'm sure you've also fallen in love with E.T. and wished you also had an alien friend didn't you? How about Schindler's List? It compelled so many people's emotions about the fate of the Holocaust victims and how hard it was to survive the world war.

Image from: http://david-hinckley.blogspot.com/

I can go on with a list of Spielberg movies that may have had a definite impact on our lives but allow me to share what I have read from Ebert's TIME article.

Image from: http://oldlifemagazines.com/

One night when Spielberg was young, his father suddenly woke him up from sleep, asked him to step on the car, and drove him to a place unbeknownst to him. Spielberg was very scared and his heart was beating fast for the night was very dark and the purpose of the travel was uncertain. Then, when they got out of the car, he saw many people lying on blankets. His dad soon laid their own and they both lied down. When he looked up the sky just like how the others did, he saw something that he didn't expect - a meteor shower. It was so spectacular that from then on, he never looked at the sky and thought it was a bad place.

http://idiotflashback.wordpress.com/

Certain experiences in life can really bring the best out of us. As with the case of Spielberg, this event of his life has changed his perspective of certain directorial standpoints. For example, many directors project darkness as a void that conceals mystery but not for Spielberg who rather conceals mystery thru light.

A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001) trailer

Furthermore, one of Spielberg's most important contribution to modern movies is his insight. His vision was that an enormous number of audience will be generated if low budget commercial movies (known as B movies) were made with A-level craftsmanship accompanied by enhanced technological/ special effects.

Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) trailer

Think of Raiders of the Lost Ark (Indiana Jones series), Close Encounters of the Third Kind, E.T., Jurassic Park, and so much more with themes, concepts and approaches that are all ahead of their generation but generally appeal to the public.

The Color Purple (1985) trailer

Ebert (1998) says "Spielberg's first films were made at a time when directors were the most important people in Hollywood, and his more recent ones at a time when marketing controls the industry." Hence, he has remained one of the most powerful and influential filmmakers in the world at both periods of time. When a talented and flexible entertainer and artist came together, Ebert says, "the result was... a remarkable fusion of mass appeal and stylistic."

Jurassic Park (1993) trailer

This reminds me of our previous lesson about intersection and how the merging of fields can produce creative insights and ideas that leap into new directions. This is further supported by Alfred Hitchcock praising Spielberg in his movie Jaws, saying "he's the first one of us who doesn't see the proscenium arch (he was the first mainstream director to think outside the visual dynamics of the theater)."



Image from: http://thepoliticalcarnival.net/

The success of the Spielberg movies thru his creative ingenuity, vision and artistry, will not totally materialize had it not been for the people who supported or critiqued him all the way. This is definitely not a one-man show but someone's got to start the process and we've got Steven Spielberg entering the doorstep. The advancement of technology and convergence of science, have both been keys in transforming thoughts into things that are tangible and believable which Spielberg and the people he had or has been working with (another critical ingredient for success) had come to appreciate and fully-grasped of.

Steven Spielberg has innovated and improved the quality of films we watch; revolutionized the movie industry; paved the way for great new directors, producers, and etc.; and truly entertained us in a whole new level. The Academy awards, the box-office records, the high revenues, the prestige, the recognitions and so forth are all icings on the cake.

COM 207.3 Blog # 3: The Five Sniglets

Image from: http://typophile.com/node/47219

According to the book "The Story of English" by Robert McCrum William Cran, & Robert MacNeil, the "Oxford English Dictionary lists about 500,000 words; and a further half-million technical and scientific terms remain uncatalogued. " 

Johnny Ling in 2001 said that "today, more than 750 million people use the English language. An average educated person knows about 20,000 words and uses about 2,000 words in a week."

Despite its widespread use, I realized that there are still many words in this world that should find themselves an entry in the dictionary thanks to what we call SNIGLETS.

Acclaimed TV host Rich Hall, during his stint in the popular 1980s HBO series titled Not Necessarily the News, had a regular segment that featured sniglets which he describes as "any word that doesn't appear in the dictionary, but should." 

I was able to browse some sniglets at Bert Christensen's Truth & Humour Collection and let me share the top 5 sniglets that caught my attention:

Baldage (bald' aj) - n. The accumulation of hair in the drain after showering.

Flopcorn (flop' korn) - n. The unpopped kernels at the bottom of the cooker.

Grackles (grak' elz) - n. The wrinkles that appear on the body after staying in water too long.

Orogami (or oh ga' mee) - n. The miraculous folding process that allows Kleenexes to methodically emerge from the box one ate a time.

P-spot (pee' spaht) - n. The area directly above the urinal in public restrooms that men stare at, knowing a glance in any other direction would arouse suspicion.

If I may just share, if the definition of sniglets is that they are words that do not appear in the dictionary, but should, then I believe sniglets  are also present in the Filipino language, most prevalently in gay lingo.

The Filipino gay language, also known at present as beki lingo or bekimon (beki meaning bakla or gay) has been in existence for decades and has now evolved into almost a dictionary volume in number.

Gay lingos usually come in the form of swardspeak. According to Jose Javier Reyes' book Swardspeak: A Preliminary Study, swardspeak can be compared with street slang or "salitang kanto" but is rather spoken by a "sward" or "gay male/ bakla."

On the other hand, Cynthia Grace B. Suguitan, a professor in the University of the Philippines, wrote in her research A Semantic Look at Feminine Sex and Gender Terms in Philippine Gay Lingo that "gayspeak uses words that are part of mainstream language (e.g. Filipino or English), but applies them metaphorically. As a result, the words acquire core or sense meanings very different from that of their roots."

Though one trait of gay lingo is that it changes every-so-often that some words become obsolete, outdated or out-fashioned, there are still universal classic gay lingos that remain. Here are some gay lingo sniglets that I'm sure you have most probably heard of and has been commonly used by either straight or gays these days:

Charing (int.)- just kidding! joke only!

syn.: charot, choz, chenez, chika

Chaka (adj.) - ugly

syn. chuckie, shonget, kyonget

Getz? - understood?

Kalurkey (adj./ v) - go crazy

etym.: kaloka

Taruj (adj.) - taray, winner

etym.: taray, wagi

The commonalities between the sniglets earlier mentioned and the Filipino gay linggo is that (1) they are words not found in the dictionaries and (2) they depict objects, actions, events and etc. that are not defined formally.

Two of their ironies however, is that (1) sniglets formed in the 80's are still the sniglet words at present whereas the gay linggo formed in the 80's, though still the same in meaning, now comes in different spelling. (2) The English sniglets are not commonly used unlike gay lingo which many Filipinos use or encounter almost every time.

To those who are not familiar with the present gay lingo, I leave with you, a viral youtube video of Mr. Ben Josep Persia, popularly known as Nanay Bekimon, and one of the major stalwarts of the bekimon revolution. The title of the video is "ALPABETONG BEKIMON - The ALPHABEKS" Enjoy!

COM 207.3: The iPod Revolution

(Originally posted at http://georgiehoon.blogspot.com/2011/06/com-2571-ipod-revolution.html dated June 26, 2011)

For my second blog entry on our Creativity and Problem Awareness Class, I would reflect on Discovery Channel's documentary: "The iPod Revolution" and correlate "The Medici Effect" by Frans Johansson, along with Sir Ken Robinson's "The Arts and Education: Changing Track." 

First of all, I've never had an iPod (as of this writing). Whether it's shuffle, nano, classic or touch, I've never owned one. Most of my friends, classmates and colleagues have it. When I go to malls, I see many people from all walks of life, shapes and sizes, wearing white earbuds and listening to music from their colorful and stylish iPods that fit right into their pockets. When I watch TV, several celebrities look cool with it. It seems like iPod's the next best thing since Play Station.

The only time I'm able to use the iPod is when I'm with someone I know who has one. During get-togethers with friends, I sometimes borrow theirs and start exploring this tiny gadget. The three major things I've noticed are: 1.) when you're listening music from an iPod, it's like you have your own world - distinct, separate and uniquely yours at your own space and time; 2.) carrying and wearing the iPod gives you that feeling of being part of the "IT" crowd and you tend to act differently like you're in a higher social strata; and 3.) most iPod users I've known, like my friends, usually say that they can't live without an iPod (apart from their cell phones, netbooks and other gizmos).

As the eldest son, owning an iPod, and any expensive technological device for the matter, is not part of my shortlist of priorities. I was not born with a silver spoon on the mouth nor am I raking a huge salary on my present job. If I want to have one, I would have to work harder or spare extra money over a long period because as a sort-of breadwinner, one of my responsibilities is to support my family's financial needs. The good thing though is that I have high tolerance over the matter and do not easily succumb to peer pressure or envy. In my mind, I know that certain sacrifices have to be made in order to support the people important to you.

Okay, enough with the drama. Regardless of why I'm not buying an iPod, if you ask me if I still want an iPod, I'll quickly answer, "YES, I WANT TO HAVE AN IPOD!"

Sir Ken Robinson in his The Arts and Education: Changing Track says that "the world is engulfed in an economic revolution driven by two main forces: technology and demography." Furthermore, "children and teenagers are living now in a different world from their parents. They network, communicate, and create online in ways that many adults don't really understand and often fear..."

Image from: http://www.podcast.eusd4kids.org/

And yes, as a young adult, I fear that I may not keep up with the times if I don't keep track of the trends and technology at present. Hence, even if buying an iPod is not my priority, I still plan to purchase one, maybe in the near future but not exactly now.

Awhile ago, I mentioned about three major things I've noticed with iPod users I know. Let me just recall the second and third one.

You see, carrying an iPod and showcasing it in public is like buying your own Starbucks coffee. It gives you a share on its intrinsic value. You're paying for the brand (much more I suppose than the actual use or benefit of the product). Clearly, commercialism and commoditization of values have creeped in with iPod users. This is supported by Robinson's claim that "this global revolution is not only economic: it is also cultural... it raises profound questions of identity, values and purposes."

Next, I was able to compare myself with my iPod user friends. When they said that they can't live without it, I say "come on! you were able to live before without an iPod... as if it's a God-given object that you were born with that you have only discovered lately."

Speaking of iPod and how it revolutionized our lives, I can't help but feel amazed and proud of  the creativity and innovativeness of its creator, Steve Jobs, Chairman and CEO of Apple Inc. His vision of the future and how the world will be are simply outstanding.

Image from: http://www.haykin.net/

Taking light from Frans Johansson's "The Medici Effect," I realized that we can, like Steve Jobs, be creative if we come up with an idea that is original, new, have relevance and valuable. To cap it off, the idea must be realized by making it happen.

For those who would be reading this that don't know what the "Medici Effect" means, Johansson says that it is "the explosion of new breakthrough ideas."

It goes something like this: there are several fields in the world like science, mathematics, arts and so forth. Under those general fields, surely, there are many other fields or sub-fields under such as business, law, psychology, linguistics and all other courses you may think of in college. Definitely, some have mastered their own respective fields in the course of history. Their goal is to "evolve an established idea by using refinements and adjustments" says Johansson.

However, Johansson states that when concepts between multiple fields are combined, it creates an intersection that generates ideas that leap in new directions.

Image from http://www.gizmowatch.com/

This is exactly what Steve Jobs did. We all know for a fact that music is a primal thing. It has been there for ages as a form of communication or entertainment among its many other uses or purposes. In "The iPod Revolution" documentary, Jeffrey S. Young, author of iCon, says "music was the perfect synthesis for Apple... Steve understood that music is part of our DNA..."

Music is a basic human need and Apple Inc. had the technology that would let people access it at any given place or time. What came out? No less than the revoultionary iPod! Indeed, the intersection of different fields have created a breakthrough product that has, since its launching, changed the cultural landscape of the world in ways we've never expected.

Remember, innovation can only be achieved if an idea has been implemented or realized. Steve Jobs had the vision on how to do so and remembering him in Malcolm Gladwell's highly-acclaimed book "The Tipping Point," the "Law of the Few" mentioned that "the success of any kind of social epidemic is heavily dependent on the involvement of people with a particular and rare set of social gifts."

If our dream or goal is not only to enjoy what is offered to us but to become innovators like Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerburg and etc., in our own little ways, perhaps Robinsson says it best that "we live in an interconnected world, but there is someone making the connections... it could be you."

COM 207.3 Blog Reflection # 1

(Originally posted at http://georgiehoon.blogspot.com/2011/06/com-2073-blog-reflection-1.html last June 19, 2011)

In Graduate School, almost all of my classmates are working in the field of media. They are either in broadcast, print, online, advertising, PR and so forth. Truthfully, that is the line of work where I wish I could see myself with in the future. That's why I took AB Journalism in the University of Santo Tomas and now studying MA Communication at the Ateneo de Manila University.

However, fate sometimes plays with us and in my case, I got swayed to other paths. As you know, I am currently a banker. To be a banker is something that I did my best to evade as I did not wish to be like my parents who were both bankers. They believe that working in a bank can give you stability and security in life especially in the long run - which is true in a sense (depending on how you look at it).

Well, I guess I had just granted my parents' wish... I am now working with Philippine Savings Bank (Head Office) at the Mortgage Banking Division. We are at the marketing and sales side of PSBank Home Loan. Basically, we help many people in several ways such as acquiring a residential property (house & lots, condominium units, townhouses, vacant lots or duplexes) thru PSBank Home Loan - Acquisition or help them build their dream house thru PSBank Home Loan - Construction or extend the use of their residential properties by using them as collateral to get extra cash thru PSBank Home Loan - Equity. We also help some clients transfer their existing loan(s) from other mortgagee institutions thru PSBank Home - Refinancing.

Working at a bank is truly a challenge because it is a service-oriented kind of job. Everyday, we deal with clients both local and international and each of them have their own kind of special handling. This is the industry where I saw different facets of life. The social strata of clients ranges from poor, middle-class, wealthy and the elite.  There are clients who are nice, respectful, patient, cooperative and easy to transact with, while there are those who are very demanding, tall-nosed, threatening and gets easily irate. If you are not physically, mentally and emotionally strong, you won't survive long in this kind of business. That's why we always look for creative solutions in  customer handling and improving our services and products to better serve our clients.

Image from http://www.psbank.com.ph/

Some of the positive aspects of working in a bank and offering Home Loan is that you become an essential tool or an instrument for others in achieving their dream house, or building a home for their families. When you see people that you don't even know smile and recognize your efforts in helping them reach their goals, it is truly rewarding and priceless...

When you get to appease irate or angry clients or make good friends (in a professional level) with those who are demanding or hard to transact with, it gives a feeling of triumph (like overcoming a huge obstacle). As the saying goes, "what does not kill you only makes you stronger." There are several avenues or techniques for handling difficult clients (some I have already tried and tested) such as simply lending them an ear or a helping hand instead of clashing with them. You can also find their soft spot or "kiliti" may it be thru a commonality or an interest. Definitely, you have to manage your clients expectations without over-promising or discouraging them. In truth, there are a thousand ways that you may apply. Some of them, I have learned the hard way, but we just have to be creative on the planning and execution and miracles can follow.

One of the things that I have taken note of from working in the banking industry is that customers, like us, would want to get the best service that could be given to us, whether in banks, restaurants, malls, schools and etc.

That is why we PSBankers have been embedded with the corporate philosophy that we are "Simple Lang and Maaasahan." We would like to let our stakeholders know that banking with us is simple and they can rely on us, our excellent service and our product.

Not that I am lifting a chair, but I am well-too aware that words are meaningless unless you translate them into action. It's a challenge to inculcate this motto to the public but as long as we put our best foot forward and stay true to our promise; become innovative and adapting to the changes of time; and listening well to the needs of the people, I am certain that any company who does so would have a greater chance of succeeding.

Let me just point out that effective communication plays a big role as well because regardless of how great the product or the service is; or how extensive and expensive the advertisements are; if we cannot properly send our messages across and address the needs of the clients, they would not appreciate us.

 

I may not be the best banker in town and should one day, I leave the industry and pursue my dream, I would be happy to settle on the fact that I have done my job at the best of my abilities and will forever remember that I have changed lives for the better in my own simple and maaasahan ways...



p.s. PSBank is one of the major sponsors of the University Athletics Association of the Philippines (UAAP).