Orchan Consulting | Asia Sdn Bhd

Reinvention Part III - The Reinvention Formula Following on from the Six Deadly Blindfolds, The Reinvention Formula looks closely at what is important to factor in to change within an organisation, and to what extend various organisational level factors influence the opportunity for growth and development. When this notion was first presented to me by the authors of Reinvention: Accelerating Results in the Age of Disruption , like with much of what they were saying, it struck a chord and resonated with my own thinking. I may not be perfect at embracing all that was said, but I do recognise how, over time, each and every influencing factor has been important, and upon reflection, see where I could have done things better. Hindsight is always a valuable tool, but foresight, and the ability to really hone in on what is important, is even more so. By sharing Cragun and Sweetman’s reinvention Formula, I hope that I can open you your reflection on changes within your orga...

Six Deadly Blindfolds (Reinvention II) We are all guilty! We are guilty of not seeing the bigger picture. We are guilty of sweeping something under the carpet because it is easier than tackling head on. Whether it be clouding (external forces) or our own distractions (internal forces), this ‘missing the point’ can result in decision-makers making ill-informed choices. We need to address the very real blindspots in our decision-making processes. From that point, we see in a clearer fashion, the reality of circumstances, and can make informed, intelligent decisions to move forward to the next level. At the launch of “Reinvention: Acceletating Results in the Age of Disruption” by Shane Cragun and Kate Sweetman, Kate spent time highlighting the Six Deadly Blindfolds that impact upon entrepreneurs, managers and decision-makers. These resonated strongly with the entire audience, as we all recognized that at some stage along our managerial career path, we have been gu...

Reinvention Revisited Regardless professional manager or entrepreneur, it is always good for us to take a step back to reframe ourselves and our business, and to experience what we do through a fresh lens. On my part, I regularly attend book launches, listen to interesting and inspirational speakers, and read up on the latest business dialogue through the many informative and relevant portals available. Not that recently, but certainly stuck in my memory, I had the good fortune to attend a book launch in Kuala Lumpur. The authors were not Malaysian, nor to be honest, was any of the content. But, it struck a chord – offering fresh insight into the interactions I have every day, and with respect to the advice we as a business give to our valued clients. What was enjoyable about the launch was not the content of the book per se, but the delight of the principal author in delivering her presentation. A seasoned pro, the author stepped it up a notch and de...

Ah, cancel culture. Love it or loathe it, it’s alive, kicking, and turbocharged by online reviews and the power of the share button. Now, sometimes the feedback floating around is a bit overblown. Other times, it’s a solid slap-in-the-face reminder for businesses to actually take a hard look at their service delivery. Recently in Malaysia, we came across a gem of a case: a so-called “resort” (and we’re being generous here) decided it didn’t like what a customer had to say about their stay. Instead of taking the criticism on the chin, doing some reflection, or - here’s a novel idea - fixing the problem, they went nuclear. Publicly. With the promise of a lawsuit. Yep. They threatened to sue the guest for leaving a bad review. Cue popcorn.  Here’s the twist: the hotelier claimed the guest never complained directly. But let’s be honest - from the sounds of the reviews, the staff weren’t exactly lining up to help in the first place. And newsflash: customers don’t need to knock on your...

Let’s face it: the world of work has been flipped upside down. The pandemic didn’t just throw a spanner in the works - it dumped the whole toolbox into the ocean. Old-school “command and control” leadership? Sinks like a rock. Top-down management? Wiped out. What’s keeping organisations afloat right now isn’t clinging to old ways - it’s learning how to surf the waves of change. And here’s the thing: without a coaching culture, you’re just paddling furiously, hoping not to wipe out. At Orchan, we’ve seen firsthand, in our own team and with clients, that empowerment doesn’t just happen. It takes guidance, experimentation, and yes, a few wipeouts along the way. But when coaching is part of the culture, people don’t just survive the tides - they ride them. The Surfboard of Success Think of resilience, adaptability, and sustainability as the wax, the balance, and the fins. Each is crucial, but without the surfboard - coaching - you’re not going anywhere. Resilience : the wax that keeps yo...

Oh, Merde!   The first lesson in writing is always always always always make sure that you understand the meaning of words used in your narrative!   Be it text or image-driven, accuracy and nuance of meaning is important. And this applies when crossing cultural linguistic boundaries too. Renault’s Malaysia team recently discovered (unexpectedly) the importance of double checking their creativity . With a supposedly smart ‘play on words’, the team clearly hoped to create a Merdeka-inspired campaign, but fell a little short into a pile of poop! Oops … or, poops I guess!         Doesn’t help that Renault is French – so the oopsie should have been even easier to spot (no one would blink an eye if it were an Asian brand).   Much like Susan Boyle’s infamous #Susanalbumparty (you read it as you wish, but it should be #SusanAlbumParty – dirty minds;P), MerdeCARfest didn’t quite create the intended brand image.   Now, Google ‘Merd...