Competency + Attitude = Extraordinary Performance

In a special seminar last Saturday, I had the benefit of listening to Ms Helen Seibt, founder of the IDC Group of Companies (www.idc-training.com) which is involved in a wide range of businesses covering training, engineering, plant technology, bio-degradable products and flora and fauna. During her talk entitled "Attitude is Everything", she shared with the participants on how she overcome all odds and barriers to transform IDC to what is it today.

Eleven years ago, when she first set up IDC as a language training centre, her business income was not enough even to cover the monthly rentals. The Asian financial crisis in 1997 had caused the East Asian economies to go into a recession. However, seeing the strong determination to succeed of a young enterprising businesswoman, the shoplot owner allowed her to be in arrears. This opportunity enabled her to continue until business conditions improved later on. Today, IDC occupies two adjoining business units in the Amcorp Trade Centre in the city of Petaling Jaya. The lesson learned here is that "It's not about the choice you made but the chance you take!"

Helen is an avid backpacker and despite her busy business schedule, she could still find time to go off alone to somewhere to learn and experience life. Her toughest expedition was when she embarked on a journey to Tibet and then to the Mount Everest Base Camp. Without any specialized training nor any idea of how difficult the journey would be like, she managed to reach her destination within 10 days. The lesson learnt here is that "Attitude conquers altitude".

Where does Helen get her strong desire to achieve and the determination to succeed in both her personal and professional life? The secret of her success lies in the application of techniques pioneered by Success Motivation International, USA (SMI) which she learned through the SMI's programs of "Dynamics of Successful Management" and "Attitude is Everything". With Helen as an ardent believer and practitioner of SMI techniques, therefore it is no wonder that IDC holds the sole rights to represent SMI and markets its programs in Malaysia.

In competency management, Helen possesses the core competencies of achievement-orientation, continuous learning, and goal-orientation. A person who has knowledge and skills is not enough as that person is only technically competent to do a job. For the same person to perform excellently and achieves extraordinary things, that person has to also have the right positive attitude and behaviors too.

In short, Competency + Attitude = Extraordinary Performance.