“To master the world, one must first master one’s self.” - Chinese Proverb

Success can be defined many ways. We can be successful at work, in school or with our relationships. We can measure success by how happy we are with ourselves, and whether we feel a sense of purpose in this world. We can evaluate success by how much money we make. Read the rest of this entry »

Helpful Reminders During Challenging Times

Helen Keller once said: “Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired and success achieved.” As we navigate through challenging times toward a better future, it’s useful to visit some tried and true ideas regarding life hardiness and resiliency. This is not meant to be an exhaustive list, but rather a reminder of some existential ideas we sometimes set aside as we tend to the hectic details of daily life. Read the rest of this entry »

The Story of an Extraordinary Chinese Feminist

In 2008 I participated in the “Autumn Gem” project, a docudrama directed and produced by San Francisco Bay Area filmmakers Rae and Adam Tow. The following is an excerpt from autumn-gem.com:

“This project explores the extraordinary life of the Chinese revolutionary heroine and women’s rights activist Qiu Jin (1875 – 1907). During the reign of the last dynasty in China, Qiu Jin boldly challenged traditional gender roles and demanded equal rights and opportunities for women. Read the rest of this entry »

Survival Skills in an Economic Downturn

“In every crisis there’s an opportunity.” – Chinese saying

In the past few months I’ve been speaking with many clients on how they’re enhancing the survivability of their jobs in the midst of this severe economic downturn. The following are six job protection strategies coupled with real life examples: Read the rest of this entry »

Overcome the #1 Fear in America

“There are two types of speakers. Those who get nervous and those who are liars.” – Mark Twain

Did you know that according to the Wall Street Journal, public speaking is the number one fear in America? The fear of death is ranked number two! That’s right – we seem more afraid of public speaking than we are of physical demise, heights, jumping out of a plane, or dreaded in-laws. Read the rest of this entry »

Forging a More Successful Multicultural America

Former U.C. Berkeley professor Ron Takaki passed away last month. With his quietus, America lost one of its most important warriors in the endeavor to forge a stronger, more successful multi-cultural society. As I contemplate Takaki’s legacy, one of the most seminal events for Asian Americans comes to mind. Read the rest of this entry »

Resource Guide Helps Understanding of Self and Others

“Know yourself, know others;
one hundred battles, one hundred victories.”

- Ancient Chinese saying

What is human behavior? In what ways are we similar and different? How can we successfully communicate with one-another?

My recently written reference guide “Communication Success with Four Personality Types” is an interpretation of some of the most popular personality tests used by many organizations in hiring, professional development, and performance evaluation. The purpose of the reference guide is to present an overview of four major personality types, identify their strengths and weaknesses, and provide information on how to communicate more effectively with each trait. Read the rest of this entry »

How to Speak English with Greater Clarity and Confidence

Are you a foreign born professional looking to reduce your accent? Would you like to speak North American English with greater clarity and confidence?

How are accents formed? When we’re young, the muscles we utilize for speaking are more flexible, adapting easily to new speech patterns. Read the rest of this entry »

Get More Done with Less Time and Enjoy Your Life

“I get paid not by how many hours I work, but by the importance of the problems I solve.” – Unknown

Happy New Year! In the next twelve months, how would you like to spend your time so that one year from now, you can look back and feel satisfied and accomplished?

The following are some tips I offer in my leadership seminars: Read the rest of this entry »

The Lesson from Warren Buffet

“Be fearful when others are greedy, and be greedy when others are fearful.” – Warren Buffet

If you’re in the stock market and are like most investors, you’ve taken hit over the past few months. But this is not the time to despair. Remember the old Chinese adage: In every crisis there’s an opportunity. Read the rest of this entry »