An Interesting Opportunity Came Up

A few weeks ago, a trainer friend was looking for someone to be a part of a 4-person panel for a discussion on entrepreneurship and business management matters.

This panel discussion would be held on 1 Feb at NYP (tomorrow) and, curiously enough, the school specified that the panelists need to have a background in chemistry / biology. 

Since I was available, fit the criteria, and found it interesting, I offered to join the panel. A few days ago, my trainer friend informed me that I was successfully selected, so I'm off to NYP tomorrow.

Just in time too! Projects from schools are starting to pour in and, if this event were to be held too much later, I may not be available to participate in it.

This will be an excellent opportunity to share a little wisdom (through hard knocks) and some experiences with brilliant young minds. I foresee a fruitful session ahead and hope to continue to be of service to the organising committee of such events in the future.

Image from discover-nyp.blogspot.sg

As I Reflect Upon 2016

With just over a week to go before 2017, I decided to take some time to reflect upon my 2016.

At the beginning of the year, I offered my Word of the Year as: Speak.

I refer to this part of my post on January 14 2016:

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I intend to:

a) Become a true-blue professional Speaker (finally!)

b) Speak for necessary change

c) Speak, not just talk

d) Speak to new contacts and networks

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For a), I have taken numerous steps towards it, having spoken at a couple of events and having joined professional networks of speakers. I consider a) to be fulfilled.

For b), I have come up with proposals for changes in my church as well as long-term plans for change in certain aspects of education in Singapore. I consider b) to be fulfilled.

For c), I have always taken what I say seriously. To fulfill this for 2016, I further reduced unnecessary speech and was mindful to speak mostly when needed or called upon. I took care to reduce Teacher Talking Time (TTT) when I taught, giving my learners time to explore the subjects instead. Of course, more improvement is needed, but I consider c) to be fulfilled.

For d) I have made many new contacts this year, both within the training and gem industries, as well as out of it. I have a much greater appreciation of how collaboration can benefit businesses and individual growth. I will continue to be part of these networks and to contribute to them as I am able. Therefore, d) is fulfilled.

Apart from my Word of the Year, it feels almost unbelievable that so many things (relationships, networks, businesses, personal pursuits) can be started and accomplished in the space of 365 days. Though I often feel that I have wasted a fair bit of that time, I am quite amazed at how much I have managed to get done this year.

I will look to 2016 as the year of explosive growth and development - a year to emulate, as a benchmark for the years to come.

How has your year been? How ever you feel you've journeyed in 2016, it's not over yet! Let's use the time we have left in 2016 fruitfully, in service of others.

A Series of Interesting Events

Last Saturday, I attended an event held at BASH.

It was organised by Talent Tribe Asia and attracted about 50 individuals from various universities in Singapore.

I was there by invitation of one of the speakers, an expert in Personal Branding, with whom I am also working on some lesson plans for schools.

How I met this expert is quite a tale in its own right and I want to do it justice, so I won't elaborate too much here.

After he finished his segment, the following speaker was a friend of his, who happened to be the founder of a local start-up company that I had researched for my book. I never approached the company because I was so intent on finishing my book and, because I am so close to the finished product, I had thought it unnecessary to delay its printing further.

However, here he was in front of me! I believe that all things happen for purposes beyond my mortal comprehension, so I went up to him, introduced myself and found that we had a number of areas of common interest.

Subsequent correspondence has led to a meet-up that is slated to occur in the early afternoon later today. Through this meet-up, I hope to learn more about him and his company, as well as see if we can do a co-marketing campaign for The Introvert Teacher.

Here's to a fruitful collaboration!