Charles writing his life story, RESTly (4)

During the 2-year training period with HKTel, I got the opportunity of visiting and studying the operations of different departments of the company, of taking the 28-days Outward Bound Course, and of gaining ‘responsible experiences’ for the application to become a Chartered Engineer. As young as at the age of 27, I achieved such status.

I was smoothly promoted from Trainee Engineer to Engineer. However, I did not manage the change well. As a supervisor and leader, I was just an average one. Moreover, with a satisfactory and steady income, a light workload (HKTC was a monopoly!), and an apparently predictable career path, I started to socialize with friends who were fond of enjoying life. Therefore, although I was motivated to climb up the corporate ladder in the subsequent years of being an Engineer, I could not do so at a reasonable pace, partly due to my own weaknesses in private life and partly due to the problems of the company.  

For about ten years, I had fallen into the trap of taking unhealthy habits including smoking and gambling, resulting many temptation and dilemma experiences . If I had a mentor or life coach to guide me at that time, I would have done much better in my career planning and self management! The period from being an Engineer to my Christian conversion can be called my ‘prodigal son’ period 

Charles writing his life story, RESTly (3)

During my secondary school life and my college life (HKTC), I was most of the time quiet (even timid), obedient and hard working through self-motivation. 

A good college classmate sowed the first seed of Christian faith during my college days.

From my late teens to early twenties, thanks to my elder brother Mark, my social and recreational life had grown in duration and variety. He led me to participate in the Duke of Edinburgh Scheme and other activities, after which I became quite active in sports and games, including practicing Judo, and joining the marathon canoe competition for three times, of which I am still proud today.

After graduation from HKTC, acquiring a Higher Diploma in Electronic Engineering (HiDip was lower than first degree level), I took British external examinations to achieve the BSc level within two years by self studies after work.

Through some help from my father, good timing and some luck, I made a job application and was recruited into the Hong Kong Telephone Company (HKTel later became HK Telecom and now PCCW) as a Trainee Engineer, which was  a job many university graduates wanted to get in those days. 

Therefore,my full-time work life began right after college graduation, at the age of 21.  That was when ups and downs of my work life began.

Charles writing his life story, RESTly (2)

「起」(Stage 1--Recollecting incidents in the past)

I was born in Hong Kong from a poor family. Common in those days, my parents were not well educated. All three children were brought up mostly by my mother, as my father worked in ocean-going ships. In my childhood, our family of five lived in a small concrete house located close to my primary school (the area was later developed into Oi Man Estate).

In those days, Catholic organizations offered help to many families, including ours. To thank priests and nuns and God, my mother arranged baptism for all three children when we were young (for me, at age 7). Subsequently I became a Catholic that was followed by a weak spiritual development.
When I was an early teenager, my father ‘returned from the sea’, and got a job from the Jocky Club. Therefore, the whole family moved to the its quarters located at Happy Valley. Everyday I had to travel from Hong Kong side to Kowloon side (where my secondary school was located) and return, which gave me much opportunities to explore and observe things in the society. Precious memorable experiences include watching street chaos during the 1967 riots.

Mainly through self motivation, not from tutors nor mentors, I achieved quite good results in public examinations which enabled me to enter the Hong Kong Technical College (HKTC, which is now the PolyU) directly. I even started earning income through working part time in horse racing evenings!

主旨意成就

要 愛 惜 光 陰 ， 因 為 現 今 的 世 代 邪 惡 。不 要 作 糊 塗 人 ， 要 明 白 主 的 旨 意 如 何 。(弗 5: 16-17)

提 到 神 的 旨 意 ， 很 多 時 候 我 們 都 以 為 是 個 難 以 捉 摸 的 大 奧 秘 ， 彷 彿 神 有 意 跟 我 們 玩 捉 迷 藏 ， 總 是 把 自 己 心 意 隱 藏 起 來 ， 叫 我 們 想 不 通 、 猜 不 透 ； 這 樣 ， 我 們 的 日 子 就 很 容 易 糊 裡 糊 塗 地 有 一 天 過 一 天 ， 沒 有 目 標 、 沒 有 方 向 。


保 羅 這 裡 說 的 「 明 白 」 ， 有 「 理 解 」 、 「 知 曉 」 的 意 思 ； 也 即 是 說 我 們 是 可 以 、 也 需 要 知 道 什 麼 是 主 的 旨 意 ， 這 與 前 一 節 的 「 要 愛 惜 光 陰 」 很 有 關 係 ， 我 們 要 知 道 主 的 旨 意 是 什 麼 ， 才 能 懂 得 如 何 把 握 時 機 ， 運 用 時 間 ， 行 在 主 的 旨 意 裡 。 不 信 主 的 人 也 可 以 愛 惜 光 陰 ， 善 用 時 間 ； 成 功 的 商 人 也 可 以 很 有 眼 光 ， 看 準 時 機 賺 大 錢 ； 但 是 他 們 的 出 發 點 跟 信 主 的 人 很 不 同 。

屬 主 的 人 要 明 白 主 的 旨 意 ， 活 在 主 為 我 們 計 劃 的 藍 圖 裡 ， 為 主 而 活 ， 而 不 是 為 自 己 而 活 。 只 要 向 神 求 ， 神 必 定 給 我 們 智 慧 ， 去 明 白 祂 的 旨 意 （ 參 雅 一 5 ） 。

‎(靈雨甘霖 2012-1-4)

Charles writing his life story, RESTly (1)

At this stage of my life, I have gone through a lot. I thank God for giving me life, a transformed life, opportunities, gifts, help, guidance …..and mercy.

What have I achieved academically and professionally in my career life? BSc, MBA and DBA degrees; Chartered Engineer, management trainer and consultant, government adviser, project leader, ministry leader, life coach, …. I have been employed by big firms, governments, SMEs, universities; have also experienced unemployment and Free Agent work life; have worked as a technologist, a social scientist, a theorist and a practitioner.

In my private life, I was a Catholic, then a prodigal son, and then converted to become a Christian, after which I have served in several Christian actions and ministries. Married to my wife, I am a father of two children, son of two very old parents, and brother of my elder brother and younger sister. I have migrated from Hong Kong to Canada and returned, travelled to over thirty countries (and lived in three). I have undergone Outward Bound and Duke of Edinburgh training and marathon canoe competitions and adventures amid adversity.

Whenever I have some quiet time, and for many years now, I often ask critical questions about my life--Why have these things happened to me? Why have I survived them? What lessons have I learnt? What values have I changed and still need to be changed? In what direction should I move forward and for what?....Without God’s inspiration and guidance, these questions cannot be answered well.

I am going to write my life story following a 4-stage R.E.S.T. (起 、承、轉、合) flow, which matches well with a life-story-based Christian ministry I am leading.

「時間管理從ABCD開始」工作坊

工作坊內容：

*知道舊管理方法的弱點、個人的「大敵人」

*重整時間的價值, 心意更新, 不再迷失

*用時間要先「石」 後「沙」, 要知道「標桿」與事業人生路的關係

*行動學習 : 連結“what”和“how”; 不要知而不行, 行而不思

*要大胆地說「不」, 寫出“Not-to-do list”; 下放、拖延與承諾的智慧

*選擇 : 生活需要; 居安思危; 得息得力; 事業「定位」與「策略」

*集中 : 認定什麼是「自己」的和「基本」的, 不被「噪音」影響

*紀律 : 處理壓力, 不再「身不由己」, 要做個做好司機

*平衡 : 平衡生活; 個人管理 (知識、角色、健康、等); 做個真的「自由人」

工作坊為 引導怎樣實踐理論。重視長線價值、整全管理, 不只談技巧。在批判思維、討論真實情況及個案中學習。

講者：

林

錦華博士 (Charles Lam ) DBA (IMC, UK), MBA (Aston), CEng. (78, UK)

講授語言／方法

:

粵語。深入淺出。強調實踐理論在現實生活的重要，重視從分享個案和經歷中學習。

日　　期：2011年7月9日（星期六）

時　　間：10 a.m. 至 1.00 p.m.

上課地址：香港北角

查詢、 報名：email: charles155@gmail.com (Dr Charles Lam)

Remembering Benny (Part 2) (by Charles Lam, dated 4th January 2010)

Benny appreciated Peter Drucker greatly and understood his thoughts thoroughly. After digesting thoughts of him and other authors, Benny generated and advocated his own management thoughts and models--making a living/career while making a life, restful work, life asset management, MeInc, Free Agent, brand image building, marketplace discipleship, ‘David Star’ Model, Capital Investment Spiral Model--to name a few .
In his private life, Benny was my Christian brother and friend as we joined social functions and trail-walked together. He was my host when I visited his home where he made some tea for me, after which he became my student when I started to teach him some reflexology skills.
The more our friendship grew, the more I knew that he had touched and added value to lives of so many people, from all walks of life, from young to old, from his own children to students he had taught decades earlier. This explains why in his last journey on earth, so many had expressed their concern and love. To them, Benny must be a very special and valuable person.
As I am expressing my respect, admiration and love for Benny, my heart feels comfort, for he has beautifully fulfilled verses “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness..” (2 Timothy 4 : 7-8). To thank what Benny have made impact on me, I will try my best to live out verses that he often mentioned, such as John 10: 10 (on living an abundant life), 2 Timothy 2: 2 (on disciple making), John 4 : 13-14 (on searching for water). I will increase efforts to enrich the story telling-based REST ministry that he created.