Earthquakes? and Team Building

I woke up around 2 AM this morning to what felt like a rolling wave in the building. It happened two quick times in succession, and then stopped. I remember laying there thinking – did we just have an earthquake? – before falling back asleep. At work, I Googled “Indonesia Earthquakes”. Apparently we have had three earthquakes since I have been here – though not last night. So, the one night I actually felt an earthquake was the one night Indonesia did not have one. I’m sure my wife would have an explanation for the rumbling that woke me from my sleep, but that’s a different story….for a different audience.

Today was a big day on many fronts. First, I met with the team and presented my vision for the team over the next 1-2 years, explained a little about my background and my management style, and provided a detailed explanation of my expectations of everyone on the team. It’s tough to tell how they are receiving the message. I tried to be light-hearted. The title of my presentation was “I have a bule for a manager….what does this mean for me?” “Bule”, is the Indonesian word for “White-faced foreigner”. Usually, “bule” is deferential. Most companies don’t send their imbecile workers on foreign assignments, so the locals have only really worked with people who would be successful in any environment. “Bule” can also represent what they dislike about the white-faced foreigners – privilege, arrogance, and aggressiveness. My title got a good laugh.

I also had heard that many of them said I resembled Chandler, from the TV show “Friends” (Matthew Perry for those inclined to look him up). My first slide was titled “First Impressions”, and I debunked the myth that I was on the TV show, related to Matthew Perry in any way, or channeling his persona. This, too, got a good laugh. So, hopefully they are feeling more comfortable with the strange “bule” coming to manage them.

Tonight was also the big team-building event – bowling. When they told me about it last week, they said there would be a prize for high individual score and high team score. Of course, my competitive juices started flowing. I asked what the average score would be. When they said in the 90’s, I knew I could win this event. I asked my superintendents how the team would perceive their manager winning the event (thinking I may have to bowl left handed). They said that last time they did it, the management group had the top 4 scores. Game on!

The bowling alley is in the middle of a two story strip mall that housed a university, restaurants, and furniture sold in the middle of the hallway like the sunglass kiosks in the US. We were all wearing our work clothes, including one brave woman in a skirt, so I was curious how the bowling would turn out. I never expect bowling shoes to be the pinnacle of fashion. In fact, they intentionally make them as ugly as possible so no one will steal them. Mine made me feel like Michael Jackson in the Billy Jean video – bright white loafers.

The lanes themselves looked like the polished, hardwood floor lanes in the US. That is, until you looked at them at an angle. Then you could see they were planks of warped wood laminate, probably laid on top of sheet metal or, worse, barely leveled concrete. When I threw my first ball, and it landed softly, I thought I was in for a long game – and we were only playing one each. We each got one warm-up frame and then the game began.

Each team had five players, and I had worked on projects with all but one of the other members of my team. My first frame I went 7-1, just barely missing the headpin on my first ball. Then I found my groove and followed with 3 consecutive strikes and two spares. I had 104 points after 6 frames. I walked the floor and saw I had double what everyone else did, so I did 4—on the 7th frame. Then I noticed that our team score was not very far ahead of the next team, so I picked it back up and threw two more spares and then a 7-1 on the 10th. I finished with a 154, not too bad for someone who bowls 2-3 times per year.

My team finished with 513, just over 100 average for the group, so you can see we needed my score to be high if we were to be in the running for team high score if most were going to score in the 90’s. There were 9 teams total, and 40 players. My 154 took first place by 13 pins. The team 513 took 2nd place; short by 32 pins. The 1st place team had the 2nd place individual, and four others who scored over 100. Next time, I’ll have to bowl over 180, just to be safe.

The prize I won was a wireless keyboard and mouse – a productivity enhancer. Someone in the crowd yelled “work harder bule!”, to much laughter. I don’t need a wireless keyboard and mouse since I primarily use a laptop. So, I gave it to the person with the lowest score, because she is obviously spending all of her time at work while everyone else is out bowling, so she should have the tools to make her as productive as possible.

After bowling we had dinner at, of all places, Pizza Hut. If you are thinking of the greasy, pepperoni and cheese pizza you see in the US, think again. These pizzas had baked potatoes, fish, chicken, and some odd looking fruit on them…except mine. Well aware of my food allergies – and, apparently, monitoring their watch and me for a few minutes after my first bites – they ordered a pizza they knew I could eat, though it was not a favorite of the rest of the group. When the waitress brought it to the table, she put it right next to me and said “American Favorite”. It was, and I enjoyed it.

One other observation I made today, and it’s not groundbreaking by any means. The more people do for you, the less you are able to do for yourself. I notice that having a driver, I have no sense of direction in the city. I can look at a map, and then go outside and have no idea what I’m doing. Same thing for calling my driver. Our department admin handles communicating with my driver when I’m at work, the hotel handles it when I’m there, and he walks with me if I venture outside of those two locations – like tonight when he walked me to the bowling alley. I’d be lost without these people! Sometimes, when you get the things you always envied, you realize you were better for not having them….but you still don’t want to give them up!

Should be an interesting two years.