‘What matters more is the person you are’

Esther Ng

estherng@mediacorp.com.sg

SINGAPORE

“In other words, what really matters is not how well-educated you are, but what kind of person you are,” Mr Teo told the National University of Singapore Business School’s first batch of S3 Asia MBA students yesterday.

Noting how the world and Singapore had changed, he said: “The buzz word I grew up with in my public service career — efficiency — has been overtaken by other buzz words.”

So, instead of “didactic” advice, he offered the graduates tips that would endure.

Know yourself, he said, and find yourself a “great mentor” — his was the late Dr Goh Keng Swee, Singapore’s first Finance Minister. If things aren’t right, don’t just gripe, do something to improve matters.

Those who become leaders should “appreciate diversity and listen to the ground”.

“Difficult people with new ideas may be a pain to manage, but the time spent will be worth it if they truly have something useful and original to contribute,” he said. Leaders should also be aware of both the small and big picture, but not micromanage or they would “stifle initiative”.

In success, bear in mind the support they got from family and colleagues; in failure, “try not to blame everybody else except yourself ”, he urged his audience.

Finally, they should not be afraid to be critical and question assumptions. But, “knowing when and how to criticise” is as important as knowing what to criticise, he said. “That is called EQ, and more and more people now believe that EQ and soft skills will get you further in life than IQ.”

The 27 students who graduated spent a semester each in Fudan University’s School of Management and Korea University Business School, and their final semester here.

They were awarded two full MBA degrees, one from their home university and the other from a partner university.— Having the right degree helps, but these days, new graduates need other skills and qualities — like EQ — to succeed in the university of life, said Public Service Commission chairman Eddie Teo (picture).

PSC chairman Eddie Teo on EQ over IQ

started to see......you are chun!   :)

victorf      ( Date: 09-Jul-2010 11:17) Posted: there will be a mini-rally for today and next week as said before...good luck :) 08-Jul-2010 16:18 Straits Times Index   /   STI to cross 3000 boosted by long-term investors       Go to Message x 1 x 0 if you want to buy for the mini-rally soon, you have to do so by today....else you will have to buy at a higher price next week.....good luck :)

it  gives the impression that

CiViL  ServIce  Management is a

Very  RELAXED  AFFAiRS ! ! ! !

dOn't  nEEd to be Responsible for anything ? ? ? ?

Even fOr an OFF-guard ? ? ? ? 

Or  UNproductivity ? ? ? ?  (Is this nOt  prOductive ? ? ? ?)

jUst  say  BAD  LUCK  to  ALL DAMAGES DONE ? ? ? ?

is this an Act  of  GoD ? ? ? ?

Or  CiViL  ServIce  Negligence ? ? ? ?

frOm  iNsurance pOint Of vIew,

is this

an  ACT  Of  GOD  ? ? ? ?

CiViL  Service  NeGligence ? ? ? ?

Is  the  iNsurance Claimable ? ? ? ?

Is It nOt wOrth to insurance that is nOt  Claimable ? ? ? ?

#### iNSURED  bUt  nOt  iNSURED ####

What has this recent saga taught us?   

rental in those shops in MRT station will be increased for higher demand in future and shops at the level down the street will be getting cheaper.

Shutters still down

Work is taking longer than expected at Liat Towers’ flood-hit stores

Neo Chai Chin

chaichin@mediacorp.com.sg

SINGAPORE

Rebuilding work is ongoing for Liat Towers tenants like Wendy’s Singapore, Hermes, Starbucks and Massimo Dutti.

Recovery efforts are taking “a little more time” than expected, said Ms Goh Wee Ling, corporate communications manager of Wendy’s Singapore. This is because its insurers need time to assess damage and have requested for damaged equipment not to be moved until then, she said.

The new outlet, which had opened for only three days when the flood hit on June 16, will be replacing all its furnishings and kitchen equipment, specially ordered from the United States.

“The outlet should be ready for business in three to four weeks,” said Ms Goh.

Staff have been temporarily deployed to its Lau Pa Sat and Jurong Point outlets, as well as its Holland Village joint which opened on Monday.

Luxury fashion retailer Hermes has converted its event and exhibition space on the third floor of Liat Towers into a temporary retail space. As it is still liaising with insurers, Hermes Singapore’s marketing director Madeleine Ho said the brand cannot comment on rebuilding works on the first floor, or its re-opening date.

At Lucky Plaza, business is back to normal for basement retailers like Discount Books. The book store had to throw away 300 to 400 soiled books worth about $3,000, but got its premises cleaned up in two days — while still receiving customers, said Mr Bernard Chung, whose brother owns the shop.

“We can’t afford to close, the rentals are very high,” he said. Discount Books is trying to claim insurance for the damaged books.

Shop owners at Lucky Plaza said they managed to get back on their feet quickly as the flood did less damage than at Liat Towers.

“Our floors are not carpeted, so we could clean up within the same day. For us, it was no problem,” said Mr Melvin Lim, sales assistant at DAB Electronics. The shop suffered less than $1,000 in damage — mostly leather cases for electronic goods — and is not insured, said Mr Lim.

Souvenir shop Eka Tunggal Enterprise owner Kartini Chan did not replace the carpet.

It dried after two days’ exposure to the air-conditioning. Some goods that could be salvaged were dried and given free to customers who bought other products, she said.

The financial losses resulting from the flood could get an airing in Parliament on July 19. Nominated Member of Parliament Teo Siong Seng will be asking Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Yaacob Ibrahim if affected shop owners — including those with insufficient insurance coverage — will receive any financial assistance or support.— They are just a few hundred metres apart but while business is back in full swing at Lucky Plaza’s basement shops, the shutters are still down for the four Liat Towers stores hard-hit by Orchard Road floods three weeks ago.