About Me

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Ottawa, Canada
Dr. Charles Lam has since 1971 received training in West Germany (telecom) and university education in U.K. (management) and acquired working experiences in Hong Kong and Canada, in a utility company, Hong Kong Government, a multinational organization and a SME. In his career path, he has acquired qualifications from UK institutions including DBA (1990), MBA (1980) and Chartered Engineer (1978). Since 1986, he has left pure engineering to teaching various subjects of business management in Hong Kong for famous universities of Hong Kong, England and United States. He also has served the society as a member of an advisory committee of the Hong Kong Government for eight years, and as the Hon. Chairman of its Consumer Education Group. Later, he set up his own company to offer services as a consultant, writer and speaker. In his 'Second Half Time', he has been working passionately on integrating Christian values with management knowledge, in the marketplace/workplace ministry, serving hospitals, churches and organizations, as a speaker, consultant, life coach, and the leader of a REST Group based on a life story approach. Charles is currently living with his wife in Canada.

Friday, September 26, 2014

不一樣的時間管理,爲活標竿人生 (Part 1/3)


(1) 引言
-時間管理是個人管理的一部份, 是「由下而上」的生涯管理
-為何知道重要, 但缺乏推動和堅持?
-忙裏管理時間產會生壓力!
-當在生命過渡(transition)階段, 需要更多的關注!

(2) 為什麼要管理時間?
-時間乃神的創造,是 神賜給人的禮物; 為愛神, 要愛惜光陰
-生命是短暫、有限, 所以 不要浪費時間!
-要作智慧人,要愛惜光陰、把握時机,要明白主的旨意如何(弗五15-17)

(3) 一些世俗時間管理方法的弱點
-時間要用到盡, 空間填得越滿越好 (但對身體不好)
-強調先做「重要」和「緊急」的事情, 但價值基礎不清楚
-集中在WL (工作生活) , 少關注 PL、 SL, 沒有考慮生活要平衡
-短視, 沒有方向、使命性
-缺乏檢討、反省 i.e. 學習性弱

(待續)

Thursday, September 25, 2014

Charles writing his life story, RESTly (8)


My third big life transition—immigrating to Canada--took place in 1983. I arrived at Canada with a 'single' status, where no job offers nor relatives were awaiting me. Thinking that after spending three years of rest and freedom, I could return to Hong Kong again, I chose to land at my favorite city, Vancouver.

After landing, I started almost immediately to look for jobs relevant to my background. Many failures later, I gradually reduced my aspiration, and rather unwillingly, started something brand new-- being a life insurance agent. For 9 months I had lived in this city with frustration and loneliness feeling defeated, lost and aimless. But then, I met God again—some Christians came to make friends with me and soon I joined their church life. There, I found new love, peace and joy.

Good luck came. Through a Christian brother’s introduction, I got a job offer from a company located in Ottawa that required both my technical and management backgrounds. The job offer was a good one considering my situation then, which also included transporting my belongings and car; the pay was good enough for me to start a house mortgage in Ottawa. At that time, I thought, "I can feel sunshine again!"

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Charles writing his life story, RESTly (7)

After MBA graduation in Year 1980, I returned to HKTel with high career hopes. Unfortunately, all hopes were quenched. For a few months after my return, I stayed at the same engineering position as before I took study leave. I also learnt later that my memo applying for transfers to marketing or administration positions was secretly kept by my boss.

Then I looked for opportunities outside the company. Quite quickly, I got two offers--from a multinational telecom. company and the Hong Kong Government (Telecom Section of the Post Office). I had worked for the former for a few months during the long recruitment process of the Government. The Government job was a satisfying one—high pay with good opportunity to serve the general public, and job nature matched with my management and technical backgrounds.

However, I had to face crossroads again! The application for immigration to Canada was granted at a time when I was enjoying my government job! The application was made a year earlier during my frustration times at HKTel and a climate of uncertainties in Hong Kong. After going through a lot of dilemmas and thoughts, I finally decided, without being helped by mentors, to leave Hong Kong for Canada to face new challenges.

Thursday, September 18, 2014

環境不繼變,處境也變,故事情懷未變 (part 3/3)


(3) (生命)故事情懷未變
-思想: 一生人要做幾多份工、幾多個行業? 怎樣談遠象、夢想?....... 什麼是 神的旨意?


-知道變幻才是永恆, 惟有 神是不變! 在震盪中要抓緊什麽?在變幻中怎能活出使命、召命?

-用「 起承轉合」方法寫生命故事: "當你回望過去發生的事情( 起),及反思事情發生的因果及當時的感受( 承), 你可以更加了解自己(承), 因而作思維和價值的更新(轉), 要為走前面人生路的計劃做得好(合), 策略實踐得好和進度可以跟進(合)"

-這樣講/寫故事, 便可以連結過去、現在 (起、承) 和 將來 (轉、合)

-「 起承轉合」寫生命故事的精粹(情懷):
> 相信生命故事要繼續寫下去; 信主後價值觀還不斷地「轉」
> 相信活好生命就是福音--見證怎樣在事業/人生路為主而活
> 自己怎樣看過去 e.g. 為誰辛苦為何忙? 神怎樣看我的過去? 祂是怎樣塑造我?
> 更加了解自己 --哲學、性格、品格、強弱項、恩賜、熱忱、等
> 「轉」: 不要效法這世界, 要心意更新而變化(羅12:2)
> 「轉」就像換上了屬靈新「眼鏡」. 從前是瞎眼, 現在可看見前路!
> 「轉」就是立志忘記過去不好的東西, 要識得放手
> 「合」: 做機會與威脅 (風險)的分析 , 做強項弱項的分析 ; 重新定方向、定位
> 「 合」是從這裡走到那裡--定目標; 了解差異、前面可能的障礙與幫助
> (從 神、從人)重新得力 (以賽亞 40:31)
> 成功思維: 計劃完成是成功! 計劃不能完成, 也是成功! 因為上帝是喜悅我們的心。這樣,我們一定是成功!

Monday, September 15, 2014

環境不繼變,處境也變,故事情懷未變 (Part 2/3)

(2) 處境也變

-衝擊環境: 地區 > 行業 > 組織 > 個人
-是即將(imminent) 或潛伏 (potential) 地影響處境?
-對你, 是機會(Opportunity) 或是威脅(Threat )?
-不同的個體受到衝擊會有不同的感覺、警覺、關心和反應

-可行應變策略:
> 適應 (但為何?): 適者生存? 妥協、歸邊.....人在江湖? 看風
帆....忍辱負重?
> 以不變應萬變 (但為何?): 莫不關心?....是鴕鳥行為? 是自我麻
醉? 正在温水煮娃?
> 離開處境(但為何?): 不能適應, 轉工、轉行、移民.... 重返校園!
> 建立新處境(但為何?): 不能適應, 變做老板、自由人.... 讀神 學!
> 改變大環境 (macro environment) (但為何?): 各種軟或硬的變 革方法

-身為信徒, 有些策略是沒有對錯, 但有些策略是大有對錯!

Friday, September 12, 2014

環境不繼變,處境也變,故事情懷未變 (part 1/3)

(1) 環境不繼變
-從各個角度看:
> 地理(區域): 香港、中國、亞洲、北美、....世界
> 界別,行業:銀行、旅遊、教育、建築等
> 環境元素:政治、經濟、科技、法制、文化、生態、…
    e.g. 科技更多、大、快; 經濟難預測, 會失控; 政治、政府政
    策混亂, 權力鬥争; 知識型、新紀元、後現代...

-強與弱的衝擊 , 有形或無形的衝擊
令行業規則變, 要轉形, 或消失; 令企業站不穩, 壽命變短

-打工仔, 自由人, 甚至老板, 難掌握環境變化, 更難控制衝擊的力量

-「先預測, 後計劃, 才行動」現今未必行得通



(待續)