Team Mama Bear Version 2.0

It's funny how we get the best ideas from the most ordinary things.  In my profession, groups or units are usually distinguished through the manager's initials - in my case, JCV (let's scrap the D for Desiree since I rarely use the name LOL).  But last year, I got hooked with Manilyn Reynes' character in a KathNiel teleserye as Mama Bear (the jologs that I am).  So I used Team Mama Bear because it just fits - Jill the cuddly Mama Bear.

Towards the end of last year til the first quarter of 2014, the group suddenly grew so big that I realized midway how "not ready" we were to keep up with the growth.  It can be attributed to a lot of factors but the bottom line is there's a lot of change that had to be done.  As they always say, to make way for better growth we leave the past where it should be (the past) and KEEP Moving FORWARD. 

So very recently, I decided to rebuild my team.  I handpicked a handful of people in the hope that they can share my views on raising the bar of excellence.  The decision on who to choose was a very difficult process so for weeks I prayed and prayed for wisdom.  Through God's grace, I was able to pick my core group and we spent an awesome weekend together for our Annual Planning for 2015 last November 15-16.

I was feeling very jittery about this event because I wanted to make sure that whatever time we spent there (away from our loved ones) would be worth it.  The challenge of preparing everything from the program flow, activities, presentations, etc. for a span of two and a half weeks was enormous.  And for those of you who don't know, when you're in sales the last quarter of the year is the most hectic!

So early in the morning I called Marco Polo Plaza Hotel to confirm if we will be granted adjoining rooms and if I could request for an early check-in.  Unfortunately, I was told nothing can be guaranteed.  Feeling a little bit stressed out, I prayed a short prayer and told God that whatever it is that He shall grant me I will embrace with open arms.  But lo and behold!  When I arrived at the hotel at 9:30 AM, these two envelopes were ready for me and right away we were ushered to check-in to our rooms.  I knew at that point that through God's grace the event will be a great success.

Right after our opening prayer, we started with the Getting to Know you Game.  It allowed us to give a few tidbits about ourselves before we went on to the actual learning.  We had a number of good laughs but probably one of the biggest highlights of that day was the Lost in a Desert Island Game just before lunch.  I split the group into two teams and they were to make a presentation (according to the mechanics of the game).  I also asked them to pick a Team Name and a Cheer.  The best Team Presentation wins a prize.

So here are the two teams ~ 

TEAM RAWR:  Ssachie, Alrose, Wilson, Armie  (L-R)

TEAM ALLAN:  Mae, Frege, Florence, Vanvan  (L-R)

And this is how busy they were with the preparations:

This is Team RAWR Brainstorming

Apparently not too busy to take a selfie

While in the other room...

It is important to pose when someone's taking a photo - TEAM ALLAN

So I took another photo with this group!

Then the presentation began and we had the most stomach-killer laughs!  Team RAWR presented their cheer:

First Quadrant - Armie: "oh, is it starting already? (There's a problem with my headpiece!!)"

Ironically, their cheer composed of one word and one word alone: RAWR. intro music: Bad Romance. LOL!  The presentation was hilarious and creative.  Kudos to Alrose for the script and narration, to Wilson for giving justice to his role as a techie Lion and the belly dancer girlies Ssachie and Armie for making sure that the audience does not leave out a very important detail in their presentation - the 5-layer fondant cake.  Based on the person in the audience wiping her tears from the uncontrollable laughter, theirs was indeed a very entertaining presentation.

But who said, TEAM ALLAN wouldn't keep up a good fight?  Here's how they did their cheer:

Ah-1, Ah-1, Ah-1, 2, 3. go!

Oy, oy, oy warm up pa lang 'to mga ate.

Team Allan for the win!

Now, for the amazing FINALE! LOL!

If you're wondering why they named their team ALLAN, then you were exactly like the rest of us!  Haha.  This team also did an astounding performance.  Frege as Allan the Generous did an awesome host.  But wait 'til I start talking about the individual performances of Florence the award-winning beeper lady, Vanvan the dramatic actress who found her sunblock in the trash and Mae the sophisticated wife married to a red pillow sheer-sando wearing husband.  If there's another word for hilarious, do let me know.  But let me show you how funny it was instead.

That's me choking! Haha.  I had to eat my lunch (tuna and celery) since I'm still on the Cohen Lifestyle.  Hilarious!

And the winning team by unanimous decision was TEAM RAWR!  So here we were taking a few photos before eating lunch.

Ka galang-galang look with beauty pageant finalists on the side!

On cue, we go CRAZY!

On our second day, we all wore "because I said I would." shirts.  I got this idea from one of our Leader's Assembly gathering which the speaker also got from an MDRT magazine.  The whole purpose of this advocacy can be well explained here.  But it simply signifies that we should give more value to our commitments.  That promises should not be given unless they are kept.  And this is the culture I wanted this core group to embrace.  

As much as possible, I want my team to always think before they speak (although it's always easier said than done).  To always look at the brighter side of things and embrace positivity in its whole essence.  To always try with the best of their ability to deliver what they promise.  Not just in our business but in every aspect of their lives.  Personally, each of us have struggles to battle but at the end of the day, how willing are we to give our all for God, our families, our fellowmen (clients, friends, colleagues) and ourselves?  

To be part of my core group is not a right but a privilege each person has to continually deserve.  The goal is not to alienate others but to bring more people in.  I have decided to raise the bar, to have better standards and to have people who treat their word like gold.  Now I know what I want as a leader and it is only through God that it has unfolded before me.

So before I end this post, let me share to you some more photos from the second day.  We checked out late at 2 PM free of charge (again, with God's grace) and so we then had our late lunch in the Lobby Lounge.  Sadly, I wasn't able to get myself a cohen-friendly meal because I was famished!  The pizza was yum and the company amazing!

I've always been a radical person - challenged the norm, deviated from the bandwagon, always challenging myself to be better at anything I desire to do.  I'm used to change, I'm used to the unpredictable.  But as leader, the most difficult thing is change.  Why fix something that isn't broken - they often say?  Yet, I've decided to do a total overhaul and I am thankful because God has stayed with me every step of the way.

He has blessed me with these people - my Core Group.  As a person as crazy as I am, I feel honored to have a group which is as equally outrageous.  I am humbled by this opportunity to help you reach your dreams.  Let's lift up everything to Him and do our best to touch other people's lives. <3

When we came into the world, we were born with nothing.  All the achievements and accolades are just material wealth - temporal things. Through the years, I have learned that the most precious things in life are in their simplest form.  So I don't mind starting from scratch all over again. 

This is me, This is us.  TEAM Mama Bear version 2.0.

Middle Child Woes

Jacob Ethan, Jim Edward, Ysabela Llouise (L-R)

I guess we are well aware of what they call the "middle child syndrome".  Being a middle child myself I can attest to this; in fact, this has influenced a lot of my principles in life.  Now that I am a mom with three kids, I have been very particular with giving enough attention to our middle child, Jacob. 

He looks exactly like his dad but ironically we are so much alike.  Coby (his nickname) is also free-spirited, independent and friendly like me.  He wouldn't have any qualms with a new environment and new people because he'd adapt right away.  In fact, as soon as he arrives in school, his friends swarm over him and what looked like a silent ghost town would turn into an automatic party.  That's who he is.  So you wouldn't really NOT pay attention to someone as adorable as him!  In fact, for the last few years he'd always be the one to star the show among his siblings.

But recently, Jim (who is 5 years older than him) has turned into some wise genius who never ends to crack up the corniest jokes or narrate the most interesting stories or cook up the most interesting games.  On the other hand, our little baby girl Ysabela (who's turning 2 this month! hooray!) has learned to express herself through pouts and eye rolls.  She's daddy's little girl and so she always takes her rightful place.  Every time I get home from work, she's the first person I notice because she simply takes away all the attention.

So a few days ago, Coby got sick.  He would complain that his tummy was aching and he would refuse to eat or drink anything.  Have I mentioned that he is also overly dramatic when he's not feeling well?  He'd start off as adorable but then he turns irritatingly annoying because he simply won't stop the drama!  We wish we'd have the patience to deal with him but we aren't built on wire so the patience does wear off.  It's been 3-4 days since he took his medication and it's been the same length of time that he started losing his talkative self.  He would carry this sad face and would sit in a corner very silent.

I would try to cheer him up but he'd rarely smile.  So yesterday I tried something different.  When I got home, I greeted him first even if Ysa was all over me.   I tickled him and cuddled with him and for a brief moment he was back to his old self.  I hugged him until he slept and put off all the other tasks I had to do hoping that tomorrow he'd wake up to be the jolly child he has always been.

But when he woke up, he still wouldn't talk.  I wanted to go to the office very early for paperwork since I had meetings lined up from 10 AM onwards.  But while we were having breakfast, Coby won't budge.  He won't talk.  He won't listen either.  So I went to him and asked:  "Do you want mommy to take care of you?" To which he nodded.  While I was preparing his breakfast, the nanny went to give him food but he vehemently protested: "My mommy's going to take care of me!"

Hearing this, I decided to do the paperwork at another time (which turned out to be late in the evening that same day) and put him on my lap.  He complained about his aching throat every time I gave him a spoonful of rice.  So I fed him as little as he would allow while he would lie down on my chest.  He finished his meal after 30-45 minutes.  But after that he was back to his old self.  All of a sudden, he said he was no longer sick and he felt a lot better!  He went back up to his dad and said: "Look at me dad!  I am the winner!" LOL

So lesson of the story: Pay close attention.  No matter what. :)  Not just for the middle child, but for ourselves, our spouses and all of our children.

Lloyed and I have always taken time to spend a special date with each child so we get to hear them talk without any interruptions.  This has proven very effective whenever we notice a difference in our child's behavior.  The special attention puts them back on track.  But of course, as parents we also need to put food on the table and me and Lloyed get very busy with each of our individual work (especially when it's nearing the end of the year).

SO DEFINITELY, IT IS DIFFICULT.  BEING A PARENT IS DIFFICULT.  But I would be willing to lay down my life for my family.  Reminding myself that every single day puts things in proper perspective.