Excel With Us Now!
Living in a highly competitive society like Singapore, how do we stay relevant, while remaining driven? Hear what we have to advise!
Singapore - A Land of Opportunities and Growth. Throughout the many years of our education, we have always been instilled in us many values. Of which, we believe that it is most important for individuals to acquire these skills listed below. Accelerate and Grow with your peers now!
1. Resilience
NBA Star Micheal Jordan is the epitome of resilience. Despite missing more than 9,000 shots in his career, and losing almost 300 games, he did not stop pursuing his passion for basketball. Now, he is a household name. Therefore, it is very important for us to develop the same ability to be resilient and persevere despite our adversities. Without failures, there would not be successes. As cringy as it sounds, failures make us stronger, better and more equipped with skills to face the challenges in life.
Tips on how to deal with failures:
Stay focused on your end goal: Always set SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely) goals for yourself. Track your progress consistently and reward yourself for these progresses.
Reflect on your actions. Always spend time reflecting on what you have done, no matter if you achieve success or failure. Keep a notebook/journal of your reflections.
Admit & do not deflect. Recognisably, it is hard to deal with failures - despite our age and stage of life. However, do not stay in a phase of denial because this would just hinder your progress and potential. Do not be afraid to admit your mistakes because this is the first step to a better you!
2. Humility and Learnability
As Alvin Toffler once said “The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn.” In this day and age, things progress at the speed of light. Therefore, it is extremely important for us to stay teachable to remain relevant. Be hungry to learn and grow. Whether it is your best subject or field of expertise, always challenge your competence and soften your attitude.
Tips to remain teachable
Find a mentor. Your mentor can be your family member, friend, teacher and/or industry expertise etc. Ask them for advice on how you can grow.
Make your teachable moments count. Should someone have a different opinion from you or taught you something new, spend time to reflect on it. It is not always the most important to remain efficient and complete the task at hand aimlessly.
3. Critical Thinking Skills
As a famous proverb once stated “He who asks a question remains a fool for five minutes. He who does not ask remains a fool forever.” Truly, asking questions is the first step for us to develop our ability to think and challenge information presented to us.
Application in School and Work:
When presented with an assignment/tasks, always question yourself: What is the purpose behind this assignment? What does my teacher/ boss want me to gain out of it? How can I grow from this assignment?
Challenge yourself. Take active steps to go the extra mile and gain more knowledge on your task. This will give you a broader view of situations, and better equip you with the ability to think comprehensively.
4. Leadership Qualities
What does a leader mean to you? Someone that is authoritative? Someone that is an influencer? Who is a leader to you in your life and how has him/her impacted you?
In recent days, the idea of servant leadership has come to the forefront. So what is servant leadership? Servant leadership looks at empowering and uplifting those who work for them.
How do I be a servant leader?
Build the confidence in your members for them to have the confidence in you as well.
Trust your members and listen to them.
Be respected for not only your competence, but also by your character.
5. Emotional Intelligence
No matter in school or work, it is key to connect to people on the emotional level. Develop your ability to sense the emotions of others.
Be empathetic, but decisive. Be kind, but not a pushover. Be sensitive, but not judgmental.
Which one of these skills do you feel is the most relevant? And what other skills do you feel should be developed for us to remain relevant? Comment your thoughts down below!
Written by: Tan Hui Ling
Edited by: Jamie Tan