Attended a Tech in Asia panel talk by:
- Sim Ann (Senior Minister of State for Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth and Ministry of Communications and Information)
- Lai Chang Wen (CEO of Ninja Van)
- Willis Wee (Founder & CEO of Tech in Asia)
- Moderator: Shi Ling Tay, Business Development Executive of Tech in Asia
It reminded me of some key points which came out consistently from the events and books I came across. Pairing the key takeaways with personal notes:
1) Self-awareness
This is the number 1 thing that all great leaders do. They know what their strengths and weaknesses are. They then zoom in on their 1-2 spikes which can propel them to be in the top of their fields.
2) Being street-smart
Most Singaporeans are book-smart but in an environment, especially in a start-up where one lacks resources, being street-smart is a distinctive factor that could differentiate you from others and even determine the survival of your company.
Are you resourceful and able to solve problems on the ground? This is something I relished learning in the past few years – doing more with less.
3) Do things that optimise your happiness and not your bank account
Currently reading the very thought-provoking Sapiens and it reminded me that everything is fleeting/cyclical. Trends come and go, different sectors boom in different ages. What is certain is that change is inevitable. Hence, instead of doing things that current societal norms deem ‘prestigious’, it is more important to do something that makes you happy and excited.
