The Malay Mail Wednesday, June 20, 2001
How many of us lead a double life?
A capable leader and wise boss in the office but a tyrant who uses veto power at home to brush aside family matters. Or just the opposite.
Steven Lesser, a well-known industry and services strategist, feels that in most cases, this is the case, as a person may not know how to fix certain problems.
“It is amazing that people spend so much time being two different individuals. If they know how to solve such problems, they can be the same person all the time,” he said.
They Sydney-based strategist, who will present a problem-solving workshop on Saturday to raise funds to build and equip a four-storey building at Sekolah Menengah Assunta, Petaling Jaya, was frank about what intrigued him into learning the art of problem-solving.
His wife had walked out on him, leaving him to care for two children. Worst still, it left him baffled.
“I had always thought that I was a good husband and father. With the problem-solving skills that I had learnt, I am proud that there have been people who came up to tell me that my children are good kids.”
Throughout his workshops nationwide, Lesser said one of the most satisfying feedback he got was when a mother told him how she had coped with her child’s problem by applying his methods.
Lesser will conduct the work-shop, to be held at the Century Hotel, Kuala Lumpur from 9am to 1pm, for free as this would be his way of giving back to Malaysia – a country which had been “kind to me” in his many visits here in the past few years.
To show his gratitude, Lesser donated a collection of soft toys from Australia which will be used as lucky draws and raffle prizes at the Assunta Carnival 2001 scheduled for July 7 at the school.
Assunta Alumni committee president, Peggy Liu, said they needed RM1.5 million to construct the building which will include, among others, a library, computer laboratories and a canteen.
So far, they have collected RM1.2 million.
“We need to raise more that RM300,000 as the RM1.5 million is just the construction cost. We hope to raise more so that we can provide the students with the best facilities,” Liu said.
On the workshop session, she said the committee would also organize two seminars entitled How To Earn Other People’s S.T.A.R (Support, Trust, Admiration and Respect) and The Entrepreneurial Manager: Leading Change in Organisations on July 7.
The Alumni will charge a fee of RM280 for Lesser’s workshop. Alumni members will have to pay RM100, parents RM120 and pupils RM60.
Those who are interested to take part can call Joanne Lee at 03-7044666 or e-mail to seminars@rayma.com.my.
The public can also visit the Alumni’s website at assuntaalumni.com.