My watch and a cleaner

Watches are fascinating. And a good timepiece is important to public speakers and trainers like me. I’ll never forget what Marcel Achard said about watches and public speaking. He says: “When I give a lecture, I accept that people look at their watches, but what I do not tolerate is when they look at it and raise it to their ear to find out if it stopped.” It’s a good thing I rarely have his problem.

I love watches. I know a lot of successful men who love collecting watches. I have three favorite places in our country where I can spend a lot of time in and you can just leave me there and go back to fetch me after hours and I won’t mind.

First in my list would be bookstores, second in my list would be clothes and shoe stores and last but certainly not the least would most be Ivan and Emmerson Yao’s chain of beautiful watch shops. I’m sure you get the hint. I love watches.

Most women do not get it. They could not understand why men love timepieces. Allow me to explain why men are fascinated with watches. An expensive timepiece is the only piece of jewelry men wear. I am an amateur in this but serious collectors know the history and the intricacies of their favorite timepieces. Talk to them and they will explain in minute details how that precious watch came into being many times better than a university professor can ever explain the specifics of the Byzantine Empire.

There was time when the love of my life the Ilocana gets quizzical and a little bit upset when she sees that peculiar look on my face and that ravenous stare from my eyes fixed and focused on yet another expensive timepiece. “But Francis you already have them at home why do you need another timepiece for?” she asked me one day. Thinking quickly my logically prepared mind responded: “But sweetheart, I need more time!” And the Ilocana gave me that look of resignation knowing it would be an exercise on futility to argue with a stubborn and decided man like me.

Last Friday I quickly rushed to the Lubang function room of the EDSA Shangri-La Hotel to do my second day of leadership training. I told Lilia to help me pack my things and check out of the hotel around noon. She did. But she forgot to pack one tiny little precious item important to me; a watch I left inside one of the drawers. Mid-afternoon one of my associates called my attention during the afternoon break and informed me that my timepiece is now with the concierge as the cleaner found it, reported it and promptly surrendered it to their office. I was so relieved. I could not contain my gratitude. What an opportune moment. Attending my training session that very afternoon happens to be General Manager Chris Chia of the same hotel. I told him about the incident, praised him for his leadership, and asked him and another seminar participant Duty Manager Maricor to get me the full name of the honest cleaner so I can commend him/her for this act of honesty. There are many hard working honest people in our country and we need to acknowledge them. To my surprise, Mr. Chia told me that such acts of honesty happen on a regular basis and they are reported to all the Shangri-La Hotel chains all over the world under their famous “Shangri-La Moments” and this case would most like make it to their list.

Aren’t you glad we can be proud of honest people like these? With all the negative things being said about people and events in our country, I think we need to highlight and acknowledge the good things that are happening too. Congratulations to the entire leadership and staff of EDSA Shangri-La Hotel and may you produce more heroes who bring pride and honor to our country.

(Click on to www.franciskong.com and send me your feedback or you can also listen to my radio program “Business Matters” aired 8 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. weekdays over 98.7 dzFE-FM ‘The Master’s Touch’, the classical music station.)