Mankiwwa

Mankiwwa the Social Change application of Sri Lanka. If you have not heard of Mankiwwa as a Sri Lankan you should. It's a mobile application that you can lodge complaints and social services. This is made for citizen empowerment to report anything from a roadside water leak, illegal garbage dumping, taking it all the way to a roadside accident or a robbery.

Mankiwwa has won so many social accolades over the past year. Getting them noticed in the social change and digital infrastructure circles of Sri Lanka.

This is not the reason why they are silent heroes, it is because they travel all over Sri Lanka trying and getting appointments with local authorities to educate them of the application and trying to sign them up. It is because they are empowering citizens silently where they already have users reporting such incidents and local authorities having a spark of light to green light the application.

They also have been taken note by Child Protection in Sri Lanka. They are trying hard to change Sri Lanka one person at a time, one authority at a time.

NOT ALL HEROES WEAR CAPES

Cheers!

LISWITH

To whom it may concern; my vision for Sri Lanka's Tourism

To whom it may concern,

Sri Lanka Tourism has improved over the years, but never ceased its true potential.

Sri Lanka is now featured on a travel magazine, article, blog, and vlog as the destination to be at.

I would suggest some improvements I think Sri Lanka tourism should do.

It should be briefed to the hoteliers & travel agents that it is not their product that should be marketed but Sri Lanka as a destination, simple logic should be shown the first step should be convincing a traveler to come to Sri Lanka then the rest of the thought process of travel agent and hotels shall follow.

Secondly, Hotels in a singular area, for example, Ella or Ratnapura should take initiation along with the Tourist Board to promote the City. Sri Lanka does not exist of Colombo, Galle, Kandy and Nuwaraeliya other cities should be promoted, including why they should travel to Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka is not a cheap destination, never should be marketed as one. Sri Lankan hoteliers, agents and tourist board to sell the experiences of Sri Lanka more neatly and more professional. Sri Lanka is not only a country for Kandy temple, Sigiriya and to be guided to a tea plantation. Sri Lanka is made of rich culture, a wide variety of species.

Ayurveda, meditation, and spas the wellness holiday theme is greatly marketed around the world, we should take initiation for all who graduate as an Ayurveda Doctor should be recruited to the hospitality trade to shape this new trend in the world.

If you have notices yoga is very booming in Sri Lanka, mainly not done nor taught by Sri Lankan's hence to promote this among Sri Lankan youth they should be shown there are many career paths within this trade to be learned and earned from.

We should learn to market Sri Lanka to Michelin Chefs to showcase their meals, we should put initiative to help bring down marine biologists from all over the world, we are not only famous for monkeys let the world see we have more animals invite zoologists to come and write about us, let historians come and see our culture and make documentaries.

Make the national parks, museums and historical sites more than here is a famous rock see this rock.

Make it more organized everywhere in the world it is not about pointing at a historic icon and saying why it is open. All these location museums, castles everything should be interactive with the clients where they engage with the culture and participate in depicting this great tale of Sri Lanka that they are experiencing.

I am stressing this time we break the barrier and bring tourism over the top.

The world seems to be talking about us, but we don’t seem to be. What last time a hotel promoted Sri Lanka and not the Jacuzzi in their room, what was last time an agent educated new markets about Sri Lanka, but not told how they can undercut their competitor by five dollars?

Sri Lanka pricing should maintain a standard that is worth it. We should improve our service along with it, train staff in the Tourist Board, Hotel School and Hoteliers from outsiders. I have seen the skill of Sri Lankan's in the hospitality trade in other countries because they are motivated, engaged and trained to push the envelope to grow themselves in the trade. Let them see the world what new things are out there and how we can incorporate them into our cycle of things.

Teach the hospitality industry next time they talk to a vendor sell Sri Lanka, not their property or company.

Teach Hoteliers are not here for the market share, the day comparison hotels share their information with each other they can improve together as they are already in comparison with each other.

Teach agents it is not selling the package ten dollars less, it’s about selling authentic Sri Lanka to the world show we are a lot more and we have much more to give.

These are tiny ideas we should hyper think about, we have a great opportunity where Lonely Planet and Trip Advisor and every other article is featuring. We now should create a return on investment.

Cheers!

LISWITH

Leader Dreamer

This is a short thought I am writing today. What is the most important duty of a Manager and Leader in your work, home or society? I'll let you think.

Think of your dream, what do you want in your life. This dream does not have to linked to your career or family. I am talking about YOU, what do you dream?

How many of us have a clear dream of what we want? This dream you are envisioning now, might be unachievable as of now. But this is what you want your life to be, how you want your tale to be told.

Most of us are vague on this YOU dream. This is something your Sunday should put serious thought to.

Now coming back to the most important duty as manager or leader, is to teach your team to dream. Dream epic big, dream desperate and dream clear.

This dream as a leader should be asked by you, advised by you, and mentored by you.
Now you smart people are thinking; wait if he is working under me, and he dream is home of his own how do I help? This is not part of my job.
It is part of your job, it is how you nurture your team. It's not normal day to day work questions, but this is the guidance and experience you carry they are reaching out for.

As a leader teach them to dream, once they do nurture them to achieve it.

Cheers

LISWITH

Unspoken hero of the Sri Lankan Theatre industry Mr Obinamuni Gamini De Silva

Well I have been inspired by him often. He was a great mentor, my thanks to him would not be never be enough. He was the silent inspiration for me been a poet.

This is the tale of Mr. Obinamuni Gamini De Silva, he is unspoken hero for the Sri Lankan stage theater. He was student at his younger age at the Shakespeare Institute at Stafford Upon Avon. Later which he came back to Sri Lanka to start giving back to his home. He is patriotic in his own way. Once arriving back he started translating Shakespearean plays to Sinhala. He got to work beside Sri Lankan actors such as Kamal Adaarchchi, got mentored by great minds such as Professor Carlo Fonseka, and was the initial mentor for actors such as Nayana Kumar and Sarath Dickumbura. He too has performed in-front of one of the greatest Presidents of Sri Lanka Hon. J. R. Jayawardena.

He has successfully translated and produced Othello, Macbeth and Hamlet in Sinhala. He is lifetime member of the Sinhala Institute of Culture. Was a judge in the panel of Drama headed by the cultural ministry; Island wide Drama competition. He too is a senior member at SUNFO (Sri Lanka United Nations Friendship Organization).

Since 1989 I have personally seen the struggle of a man who dedicated his whole life to art. He knows no other way of life, no other form of passion, no greater calling than his love for the arts, been that producer, been that man who translated such great work of literature.

No matter what you shall always see him perform his dramas every April 24th. His final dream is to produce Othello in Sinhala as a movie.

He is an unsaid hero to the theater and drama of Sri Lanka, never been identified nor ever given the light to shine. I take this time as the greatest form of idolizing a hero of Sri Lanka Mr. Obinamuni Gamini De Silva.

What does a Business Traveler seek?

I see so many city hotels coming up around Sri Lanka and globally.

This means the Mice and Business traveler markets are a large portion of the current tourism industry.

Has anyone thought what are the key factors influencing the business traveler mind. In the past couple of weeks, I have been listening to busy bee business traveler reviews, on what they weigh when making the decisions.

Location: yes, it should be a city Centre, accessible easily as they are always on a tight schedule.

Breakfast: the first and mostly the last meal taken at the hotel. This carries a long way.

Internet connection: that's not chargeable. The whole point of a business traveler hotspot is the fact they are able to stay connected.

Executive lounge: this is a work and play place this lounge is where they kickback and work. Light music, and couple of good wines this is a lounge. People often mistake concept of a lounge and bar.

Customer service: no repeater shall be ever referred to as Sir but as Mr. X. This is captivating the client to come not to a hotel but back home. 6 days in a hotel and regular staff do not know your name or preferences, you start thinking twice. Can you remember so many clients? That is whole point of the Hospitality industry.

Rewards: business travelers love to be rewarded this is upper hand which the international chains have over local establishments do not. This means opportunity for them to start up.

The room: should be clean, the bathroom should be great and the bed should be comfortable. This is key factor the whole point of a business traveler after a hard day of work comes back to rest calmly.

Value adds: free laundry and dry cleaning this is comes very much in handy because they shall always pack light.

Now we have discussed the flag screen TV or the coffee machine, the porcelain wear. Wait do these matters? Yes they do, but on a decision making point of view nope!

What do hotels who concentrate on the business traveler end do rest of the year. The many operational restaurants, bars, and the convention halls that are rented out for meetings, balls and weddings.

Now thinking of the key factor, we spoke ROOM, they main sources of income can be a hindrance for the client never return. Loud music that doesn't end, the noise of footsteps next to your room, and endless chatter of the drunk folks.

Should these events be stopped? No no no. This would be a direct hit on the substantial revenue generated monthly. How can this not be a disturbance to staying guests, I suggest sound proof the rooms.

Well those are my inputs, next time you travel on business let me know your input.

Cheers!

LISWITH

Maldives

I lack the stones to be one

Many years back a gentleman I love and respect immensely wanted me to be an entrepreneur.

Entrepreneur, dictionary states: a person who sets up a business or businesses, taking on financial risks in the hope of profit.

My background is that I am taught, influenced and educated by some of the greatest entrepreneurs and minds of the current age. It's a daily influencing factor to think bigger, think of society, and the lives and people you shall touch.

My life I have learnt hard work, ever since a child my father always mentioned that a man works hard.

Now getting back to the answer to the initial question of do I want to be an entrepreneur, my answer was I lack the stones to be one.

My life experiences taught me of certain fears, one been letting people down. An entrepreneur word itself is a risk. The self-made MBA anyone can own is been a true entrepreneur.

Yes my whole life I do dream to be one. This is written to inspire people to be an entrepreneur, written so I and others learn to conquer fears to achieve greater dreams, written to show a focus is a 24 X 7 job there is no time one can drop the ball.

Cheers to conquering your dreams.

YOU NEVER LOSE UNTIL YOU GIVE UP

Liswith

Challenges

This is something I am still struggling to face head on.

Many years earlier into my working career I learnt sometime I am given tasks that are beyond me.
Firstly, I was very discouraged, simple thought process your washing your hands-off work and dumping on me. Years later anger turned to frustration this sent on a resentment spiral of people.
With the experience years of work grew, I learnt I am feeding my mind at a fast speed pace. A pace that left me constantly hungry, I always need to breakdown and know the why and the how? Most people now portrait this obsession of mine, as a negative.

How I over challenges that were put up against me like a wall was purely selfish. I understood what is taught to you, what you self-learn or any hurdle you over is a benefit on you. What is learnt by you cannot be stolen, this is all you. This was you hard work that paid off not for others but for yourself, this is greater experience that can make you a better employee and a person.

This constant hunger let me over most challenges put up against me, the first thought I always now think is what can I get off this lesson that I am trying to overcome. Don’t let is misguide you thinking I face all of my challenges head on and with confidence yes, I shall have a smile upside down but yet try to accomplish it. There are many challenges I have not faced yet and still have to face.

This trait can make you a more reliable friend, family member or employee.

Next challenge, think what can I learn off this to my life’s curriculum vitae.

Cheers!

LISWITH

Innovate > Micro Manage

Well this was an idea spark kind of thing I wanted to share. This is about us Sri Lankans.

Sri Lanka, Sri Lankans are genetically being great at Innovation, simplification of the day to day progress. May it be grounding medical advances, or services at your fingertips, and even simple things like finding shortcuts in day to day operations. We can think out of the box to minimize human effort, ever thought why. I thought and came to only one conclusions we are freaking lazy, lazy as it comes so when boxed in between moving yourself around to get things done or at your fingertips. We chose to, yes you guessed right the non-movement. While the other part of world makes shoes that self-tie themselves, we are streamlining our lives to move less.

I think this is a true power, we have been given that gift to push push push the world, in a way to give more time to actual things that require our attention and remove time spent of tedious tasks. This kind of innovation is only creating such great entrepreneurs in our motherland.

With the blessing to innovate, we were blessed with an insecurity too that we are the best at micro management.

May it be British rule mentality which never left us, we are very insecure of what we build, create. Firstly my idea shall be stolen, showing great failure that you yourself have zero faith in your idea or product. Secondly follows never will I teach what I learnt to another, may it be a subordinate or competitor. We encourage such dependency that's unhealthy, subordinates do not know problem handling or even thinking for themselves. Competitors are treated like vultures, we never can be transparent with another as our minds plotting their demise: not thinking me and my competitor can work towards a common win win goal situation.

Lastly this micro management experience level gained, disrupts your growth. You become the FBI hound sniffing out issues, taking away your valuable time that you need to initiate your first blessing we spoke of Innovate.

Think of these words that I observed and let me know was my observation sound.

Over and out.

LISWITH