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urgency of restoring the language to its eminent place in education and the business world.
For many of us who were educated solely in English, listening to the current debate on whether it should be made compulsory in the SPM exams seems rather odd. There was even an observation from someone who had lived abroad for a number of  years, that it is like asking if a person needed lungs to respire.

When I was a senior manager of a reputable foreign bank, I had the unpleasant opportunity of going through the horror of having to read and assess job application letters. Beyond the cover letters which may contain well-crafted lines are the impromptu essays which emerges the true picture of the candidates’ standard of English. To say that it is bad is being kind.  It is a whole lot of rubbish which one will not be able to understand what the person is trying to tell you. The oral interviews are also a nightmare because the candidates are unable to understand me speaking in English. So there is a communication breakdown. I had to use Bahasa Malaysia to be able to continue with the interview.
Not all jobs require mastery of the English language. For technical jobs, it is more of the skills, knowledge of technical terms and the ability to communicate. However in today’s world of international business, when we talk of globalization and cross border trade, a fluent command of English is important and necessary, not just from the aspect of style but also substance. A wide vocabulary and high standard of linguistic skills can carry a person far in his career which of course, does not rely solely on the gift of the gab. But it enables him to articulate and communicate his thoughts to another person in as vocal and as resourceful a manner that is required. Together with his deep technical knowledge, a person’s ability in this respect will help a long way in ensuring his employability.
It will take the nation another 10 years or more to be able to educate the young to learn and master the English language as English is not the medium of instruction in our national schools. Furthermore teachers have to be trained to teach grammatically good English. This requires alot thinking and planning and most of all we must accept the fact that English is necessary in these modern times or we as Malaysians will lose out to our competitors.

This is what Hassan Talib, Selangor has to say about re-introducing English as the medium of instruction.
Quote “Making English compulsory in SPM is like planting a time bomb among students. There will be many casualties for obvious reasons.
In the good old days when English was used as a medium of instruction making English a compulsory subject was not an issue. Infact vernacular school students who studied in ‘remove classes’ were able to pass the subject with flying colours. But not so with the present generation who can’t even read the English newspapers. It is not their fault, not is it their parents’. They are victims of selfish “pencinta bahasa” who harp on the virtues of Bahasa Kebangsaan without taking into account the dire long-term consequences to the nation.
If the Government is sincere in wanting to help the present and future generation, all they have to do is re-introduce the English medium schools of yesteryear. It is worth a try as it can even contribute to the success of the 1Malaysia concept. Some of our ministers are products of English medium schools. I’m sure they can see the difference between those who studied at a Sekolah Kebangsaan and those who studied at an International school. Given the choice, Wisma Putra (Foreign Ministry) would only recruit those from International schools for obvious and practical reasons, as English is the language of diplomacy and international trade.
Don’t make the mistake of experimenting on the students again like the teaching of Science and Mathematics in English. As a product of the English medium school of the 60s and early 70s, I believe the old system with Cambridge syllabus is still the best. We should do away objective questions and answers to mould creative and analytical students. I hope the Education Minister, being from the ‘old school’, will give it a serious thought” Unquote

Training Network Inc. (TNI) has positively looked at the deterioration of the usage of the English language in this country and has taken steps to assist interested working adults to learn English in the proper manner.  Suitable English language courses have been designed by experienced and qualified trainers/teachers using the City and Guild, UK models and syllabus which are of the highest standards of learning and teaching. Certification under the City & Guilds qualifications will be awarded to successful candidates. City & Guilds certification is recognized globally, as they are the oldest and largest vocational institute in U.K. We hope that corporates will assist their people by enrolling them for the English Language courses so that they will be able to function in an English speaking environment with confidence and a sense of pride. 
Please see below, under “Let’s Learn the English Language”, for full details.
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“PREPARING A NEW BOSS TO DELIVER!”

A top executive’s smooth transition from second in command to Chief Executive Officer is critical to a company’s performance. The company depends on leaders to execute and meet objectives and believes that internal candidates are better value at less risk.
Organizations understand that successful transitions ensure future capability. Transition coaching is the key to achieving this.
Many newly placed executives fail within their first two years in the position for reasons ranging from their inability to adjust to a new role and develop strong relationships to a lack of understanding of the business imperatives.
What new leaders do during their first months in a new role greatly determines the extent of their success for the next few years.
An unsuccessful transition can impact negatively on an organisation through poor financial results, decreased employee morale and costly turnovers.
So rather than risk this sink-or-swim gamble, organizations can improve the process with transition coaching.

Speed it up
If organizations use the right transition strategies when on-boarding a leader, they will not only help prevent failure, but will also create additional value by accelerating the new leader’s effectiveness.
Transition coaching engages the new leader in the organisation’s corporate strategy and culture to accelerate performance.
Unlike executive coaching, transition coaching is time-bound and relatively short term.
Transition coaching has three overall goals:

• To accelerate the transition process by providing just-in-time advice and counsel.
• To prevent mistakes that may harm the business and the leader’s career, and
• To assist the leader in developing and implementing a targeted, actionable transition plan that delivers business results.

Chart a plan
While many of the issues covered by transition coaching are similar to those included in executive coaching, such as sorting through short and long term goals, and managing relationships upwards as well as with team members, transition coaching is focused specifically on the transition period and designed to educate and challenge new leaders.
The new leader and coach will work together to develop a transition plan – a road map that will define critical actions that must take place during the first 24 weeks to establish credibility, secure early wins and position the leader and team for long term success.
The transition coaching relationship also includes regular meetings with the new leader as well as ongoing feedback.
Frequently, the coach conducts a “pulse check” of the key players – including the boss, direct reports, peers and other stakeholders – after six to eight weeks to gather early impressions so that the new leader can make a course correction if needed.
Bring out the best
The entire transition coaching process provides new leaders with the guidance to take charge of their new situation, achieve alignment with the team and, ultimately, to move the business forward.
Organisations make a significant investment when they recruit and hire new leaders. They have much to lose if a new hire does not succeed, possibly losing several times the hire’s basic renumeration.
Whether an executive is moving into a new position or looking to get back on the road to success, executive and transition coaching work to bring out the best in people through the support of a professional relationship.
Both relationships are built on a foundation of trust and confidentiality. The ability of coaches to provide leaders with an outside resource that can also act as a sounding board helps them become successful leaders they were meant to be.
Organisations must clearly define the purpose of coaching, gauge the process and evaluate results. Coaching is not just about providing support. Ultimately, coaching should deliver what any business needs – real results. (Article by Dr. Sattar Bawany)
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“ON-LINE TRAINING ~ E-LEARNING ~ SELF DEVELOPMENT"

“Do-It-Yourself” – Train Yourself to become a complete and changed person by enrolling into our “On-Line Self Study Program”

HERE IS ANOTHER ASSESSMENT TOOL WHICH CAN HELP YOU TO KNOW YOURSELF BETTER IN YOUR EVERYDAY PERFORMANCE AS A LEADER

When the going GETS TOUGH – Leading your team through an economic boom is one thing – after all, rising profits and regular bonuses do wonders for staff morale. But it’s during a downturn that managers really have to show their mettle. Paul Sweetman explains how to get the best out of your team when times are tough.

ARTICLE(S) FROM THE INSTITUTE OF LEADERSHIP & MANAGEMENT, U.K.

LEADING In DOWNTURN

If you believe what you read in the papers, the storm clouds of recession are gathering overhead – indeed, given the tone of many media reports, you could be forgiven for wanting to dive under your desk and wait for the bad times to blow over. In the midst of such economic uncertainty, it can be very tempting for managers to keep their heads down and leave their employees to get on with the day-to-day running of an organization rather than looking for new ways to deal with an increasingly pressured environment.
In reality, however, the passive approach is never more dangerous than in troubled times. When the gets tough, it’s more vital than ever to engage with your employees to ensure they deliver the strategy you need to pull through. It is in such circumstances that good leadership comes to the fore – inspire your staff, and you can re-invigorate a troubled team and strengthen their commitment to a common purpose. Get it wrong, however, and you risk upping your staff’s anxiety levels, causing confusion and distracting them from ‘business as usual’

It’s an oft-quoted truth that employees at all levels take their cues from above and study after study has shown that we are influenced most by the people who oversee our work, set our objectives and manage our performance. And if managers are role models when the sun is shining, the same applies when a cold front blows in. The way managers act, respond and communicate will help quell – or, conversely, exacerbate – the uncertainty their staff are inevitably feeling as the financial forecasts grow ever more pessimistic.
In these circumstances, employee engagement takes centre stage more than ever. As a manager, every action sends a signal to the people around you – hiding behind a closed office door and avoiding interaction can easily be misinterpreted by an unsettled workforce. You may not mean anything by it – indeed you might regard a more serious approach as a positive response to adverse conditions – but your colleagues will be all too ready to form their own opinions about what is going on.
When times are hard, and whether you see yourself as a good communicator or not, reinvigorating your efforts becomes paramount if you want to bring the workforce along with you. Enhance your visibility, make sure you hold those team briefings you have been postponing lately, take the time to walk the floor – even use your blog to send out a clear message about where the business is going. You could even consider question and answer sessions over a sandwich or even a topic based ‘surgery’, where employees could book a time to discuss any concerns they may have. All these techniques will help to keep your staff onboard. 
However, it’s important not to over-compensate in difficult circumstances. Totally revolutionizing the way you interact with colleagues can also send out the wrong message – suddenly altering your natural style can engender concern and even suspicion among your co-workers. Rather, you should aim to make incremental steps, which, instead of threatening your employees, will actually bring them with you.
If you are called away from the office, or are responsible for several sites, make use of technology to reduce the distance between you and your staff. As part of a co-ordinated engagement plan, tools such as intranet presentations, webcasts and audio Q & A can galvanise teams and reassure them that you are in touch and, more importantly, in control.
Never let distance be a barrier to more effective communication, especially at a time when employees need to feel engaged

Tell the truth   
Be aware that effective engagement doesn’t simply mean spouting comforting words for the sake of it – your workforce will grow increasingly cynical if you pretend everything is going swimmingly while it is obvious that the business is actually in the teeth of a recession. Rather, making honest dialogue the cornerstone of a stronger working relationship will help steer the organization through tough times.
No team will expect you to know everything about the market conditions affecting the organization, nor to have a total grasp of the latest economic developments. And never feel pressured to speculate on the impact of a set of circumstances – this is a short-cut to over-promising, which can be far more damaging to the employer-employee relationship in the long run. It is easy to reassure people that everything is going to be OK, but this can be counter-productive if the situation turns out to be worse than you thought. Instead, stick to communicating the facts and keeping employees up-to-date as best you can. Provide regular feedback along the way – this will strengthen the trust and confidence that your staff have in you.
Establishing openness is the best way to enhance employee involvement. No matter how good a manager you are, you are unlikely to have all the answers, and asking employees their views can help to strengthen common purpose and identify steps the organisation can take to improve the situation. Even a small idea can have a big effect and added together such initiatives can make a major difference. Creating an’open mic’ spot in team-meetings, setting up a feedback mailbox or developing a more formal ideas scheme can all help to steer an organisation through choppy waters.
Sometimes, despite your best efforts, tough times require tough decisions, and you may have no option but to reduce headcount. Letting employees go is one of the biggest tests for any manager and the way you treat people, both those on the way out and the ones left behind, will act as a barometer of your credibility. Communication must be clear, open and couched in a business context. – it’s vital that you reassure staff that decisions have been taken for economic reasons and for the future health of the company and that you treat those affected with honesty, integrity and respect. In this way, you can start to direct attention away from a painful but necessary business decision and provide people with the ibformation and support they need.
For those  who remain in the organisation, redundancies can be unsettling – there’s the inevitable sense that while they may have kept their jobs for the moment, they could be next on the list. However, if those leaving are seen to be treated well, then the staff who remain are more likely to stay committed rather than confused. The key is to make sure you operate with the human touch – treat people with respect and sensitivity, and explain that difficult decisions have been necessary because of the economic circumstances.
Lead by example
When the spectre of recession looms and livelihoods are threatened, employees use their manager as a filter through which they gauge the gravity of the situation and its potential impact. In such circumstances, there’s a real need for managers to effectively engage with employees to minimize the impact of uncertainty on commitment and productivity. Do it well, and you can strengthen relationships with your team, which will not only help you to navigate the storm, but also prepare you for future challenges. Get it wrong, however, and you risk losing credibility in the eyes of your staff, which can have a major impact on their confidence. Whatever you do, don’t leave it to chance – the economic picture may be pretty gloomy, but communicating effectively with your staff may make the difference between boom and bust.
End

TNI will be conducting professional English classes as well as customized English courses (for corporate clients) using the City and Guilds, U.K. syllabus. For those interested in a recognized qualification based program are required to sit and pass an examination.  Examinations are conducted under the stringent rules of City & Guilds and those who pass will be awarded certificates by City & Guilds.

Please email or call us for details of the English classes and courses that you may want to register.

Who and What is City & Guilds, U.K.
City & Guilds of London Institute Group, is an independent charity founded in 1878 by the 16 livery companies and the Corporation of London, with the broad intent to establish a national system of education.  The grant to the Institute of a Royal Charter of Incorporation in October 1900 by Queen Victoria denoted its acceptance as a recognised part of the constitution and national life of the United Kingdom.

City & Guilds is now UK’s leading and largest provider of vocational qualifications, offering over 500 awards across a wide range of industries, and progressing from entry level to the highest levels of professional achievement. With over 8500 centres in 100 countries, City & Guilds is recognized by employers worldwide for providing qualifications that offer proof of the skills they need to get the job done.

In the absence of the English language as a qualification based skill for foreign students to learn and acquire, City & Guilds, in 1990, purchased the Pitmans Examinations Institute, who were the front runners in the teaching of the English language, and established the Pitmans qualifications single subject awards in business and administration, and English language and they proved to be worldwide winners.

Pitman Qualifications is an awarding body which has been providing qualifications
for over 100 years.
• Since 1990 Pitman Qualifications has been part of City & Guilds International and
  now provides the English language section of the UK’s largest vocational
  awarding body.
• City & Guilds Pitman Qualifications has its headquarters in the UK and has
  agencies worldwide. There are also branches in Eastern Europe, East Africa,
  China, Malaysia, Southern Africa and South Asia.
• City & Guilds Pitman Qualifications examinations are taken by over half a million
   candidates worldwide annually

In 2003, City & Guilds have recruited the Institute of Leadership & Management, U.K. (the largest institute in UK on Leadership & Management) to be their partner thus providing management qualifications, learning materials and membership services throughout the globe.