“No one or thing can intimidate you. Only you can.”
My mentor once said.
With that, I went from:
Being reluctant to apply because the criteria for the award intimated me,
To:
Embracing growth mindset and applied for it anyway.
The result:
An awardee of the 2018 SkillsFuture Fellowship.
This award is presented by the President of Singapore which honors individuals as masters of skills and mentors of future talent.
This afternoon, I am privileged to be an invited guest for the 2019 SkillsFuture SG Fellowships and Employers Award.
I would not be here if not for the wise words of my mentor.
Three things I learnt from winning the award:
☀ Ask “why not?” whenever we feel intimidated
☀ Be audacious and yet patient. Courage allows you to dream bigger while having patience enables you to forge ahead.
☀ Ignore the naysayers. Seek those who motivates you with encouragement and practical suggestions
We were at a department store recently and saw a T-Shirt that we like. We couldn’t find the right size on the rack and looked around for a sales assistant. No one in sight. So I approached the cashier.
“Hi miss, could you direct me to where I could find your colleague to look for a t-shirt size?”
“All the sizes are out on display”.
We checked the mannequin and the t-shirt was the right size. We finally found a sales assistant. He said he will check in the store room for the size first.
There was a size available.
For the cashier, it was the easy way out.
For the department store, it was a lost sale that was recovered by the customers’ determination and the service attitude of the second staff.
Insights gleaned:
🔹 All employees need to understand the impact that their actions have on the business. Their care-less attitude affects the profitability of the business which determines the status of their employment.
🔹 All employers need to consistently coach their employees on business building/ service and to recognize/ reward those who perform.
🔹 Refresher trainings and coaching is important as complacency and a jaded attitude may set in for long time employees. Advice from the supervisor when we chatted with him to compliment the second staff.
When I first started Dream Catalyst 8 years ago, the naysayers were plentiful. #grateful to these naysayers for they helped me see with greater clarity my “why” of forging my path. #grateful to the small group of champions whose encouragement and support provided the impetus to always move forward.
I coined the term Dream Catalyst around 15 years when I was going through a painful period. I told myself I will continue to believe in possibilities of dreams and also to continue being a catalyst to help others actualise their brighter better bigger dreams too. It was my mission statement.
Receiving the inaugural Best Personal Brand Award 2017 by the Marketing Institute of Singapore inspires me to continue believing and evolving to be the best version of myself each day. The award is presented to individuals in honoring them for their highest visibility on social media and leading to positive impact to their business.
It was awesome being at the MIS Glittering Awards Night on Monday 4 December; catching up with friends and fellow winners of the award and meeting new friends.
Most important, I love how everyone cheered for each others’ success. ln the true spirit of abundant mindset, growth mindset and synergy!
Grateful to have the opportunity to partner awesome clients who allow us to value create.
Looking forward to continue journeying with progressive business leaders and teams to intentionally design a business culture blueprint for success and which allows their teams to thrive.
It’s a wrap! Thank you Lifelong Learning Institute for the opportunity to partner you for this year’s #lifelonglearningfestival2017. Thank you Learn SG for supporting our Growth Series of 8 different sessions for personal development and professional growth.
As a consultant and learning facilitator, it gives me awesome joy when others embrace learning. There’s lots of other things one could be doing after a working day. Yet the participants made time to learn and some of them have been consistently attending all the sessions in the series.
Facilitating 8 evening sessions within 4 weeks was at times a stretch for us because some workdays started at 5am. Yet when evening time arrives, the #smiles and #enthusiasm of the participants energises us!
Participants also took the time to write us emails to share their thoughts on the sessions. These made our day as their sharing helps us to continuously value create in what we do. Here are some insights received:
On behalf of my friends whom I asked to join me in these workshops, I would like to thank you & your team of various speakers/facilitators/co-ordinators/cameraman, for all your efforts in making the workshops possible. You and your team have truly been amazing! I must say that throughout my career with various MNCs, I have been sent to various corporate trainings both abroad and here locally, and none, I must say, can surpass the way your workshop is conducted. There was never a moment I felt bored in class! You truly have outshined all other Speakers/Facilitators that I know!
Appreciate all you efforts in making these events a successful and fulfilling ones. Your events are the most beneficial and wow to me..short but useful. Thank you very much.
You leave a very good impression on us with your welcoming big smiles at the entrance and throughout the classes. It’s not easy especially after a long day work. So thank you for this. =) I have been very blessed by the teaching & sharing of Bernadette’s knowledge,
Hopefully we will have opportunity to meet again or work together in future soon. She remind me of “Oprah” somehow.
Thank you to our 5 co-faciliators who are experts in their respective fields Phoon Kok Hwa, Michelle Ow, Terence Chiew, Lyn Wong and Yeo Xi-Wei, #awesometeam who supported tirelessly the administrative & logistical requirements Yvonne Chua, Jasmine Chang and and TS.
And of course, thank you to the 8 groups of #awesomelearners who participated actively and shared joyfully with each other. Collective #wisdom, #synergy and #lifelonglearning rocks! Much love!
I would like to relate an experience I just had as a customer.
Ms Grace Chai from Bynd Artisan is one employee every business owner wants to have on their teams.
I had time today and called the Holland Village outlet. Grace patiently answered my queries regarding a product that I intend to buy. So off I went to the store. She warmly showed me the products and recommended options. Then as a craft artist, she skillfully and patiently added the foil stamping onto the cover I purchased.
Grace wasn’t a pushy sales person. Instead she just patiently shared about their products. Above all, she was certainly a brand ambassador. When I mentioned I would like to take a photo of her for my post, she asked me if her company’s logo can be seen so she can publicize the company. How wonderful is that?
So love the products and service, I ended up purchasing a wallet and cap from #gentlebones x #byndartisan capsule collection.
Sales people can learn a thing or two from her.
Not only did I became a customer, I became a fan. I uploaded photos onto my social media platforms, featured Grace on my Positivity at Work FB page and certainly will be sharing with others about Bynd Artisan.
Business leaders can think about how to create a culture where their teams are proud to be a brand ambassador. Grace is her company’s fan and brand ambassador. Her enthusiasm about her company and her pride in her work in turn is highly persuasive and happily contagious.
For some insights on how to build a progress business culture, do listen to a recent podcast interview we did: SHRI Power Profile Series
We were at a department store recently and saw a T-Shirt that we like. We couldn’t find the right size on the rack and looked around for a sales assistant. No one in sight. So I approached the cashier.
“Hi miss, could you direct me to where I could find your colleague to look for a t-shirt size?”
“All the sizes are out on display”.
We checked the mannequin and the t-shirt was the right size. We finally found a sales assistant. He said he will check in the store room for the size first.
There was a size available.
For the cashier, it was the easy way out.
For the department store, it was a lost sale that was recovered by the customers’ determination and the service attitude of the second staff.
Insights gleaned:
🔹 All employees need to understand the impact that their actions have on the business. Their care-less attitude affects the profitability of the business which determines the status of their employment.
🔹 All employers need to consistently coach their employees on business building/ service and to recognize/ reward those who perform.
🔹 Refresher trainings and coaching is important as complacency and a jaded attitude may set in for long time employees. Advice from the supervisor when we chatted with him to compliment the second staff.