Musings by Adrian Chan
“Having served in Bhutan, I came back because of aging parents, and also to serve my own country. And as part of rediscovering my own country, I have signed up to be a facilitator with you.” With that remark, I introduced myself to my assigned group of public service participants. Over 2 separate days, I […]
Have you a son to love, or a daughter to treasure?Or are they lost to themselves, or even lost forever? Have you a father to hug, or is it not your way?Is your home safe to roost, or is it too gloomy or grey? Has your wife left you, has she given up?Do you feel […]
Change for Large Organizations is Painful How does one change a large organization, especially when such organizations are typically hierarchical, generally tribal, and often disparately autonomous amongst its component parts? Such organizations are loose collections of smaller affiliations with only marginal loyalties to a perceived central set of core ideals, values and leadership. In large […]
On Wed, 8 May, I met with several dads in a cafe. Over dinner, we shared how raising kids have been like for each of us. We caught up with old friends and made new ones. Mostly, we came together to make gifts for our wives, given that Mothers’ Day was just around the corner. […]
Feasting and fasting in Japan. We did the former, but not the latter. I tried to fast, had the thought, but simply could not. The food was too enticing. The justifications too overwhelming. It was family time. It was an unmissable time. Eventually, I ran out of time. I am capable of the best self-serving […]
The Spirit of RIGSS Alumni Any alumni of RIGSS are expected to lead change through self development and to nudge others to change through their own spheres of influence. Alumni of RIGSS are given the permission to hold each other accountable to the personal developmental goals they have set for themselves. They are also expected […]
Many people have been sharing with me that it is hard to maintain a habit of reflection and journaling. (I had previously written about the habit I maintain in the morning. For some, it seems that the spirit is willing but the body is weak. Tragically, some of us may actually be trying too hard […]
Sandboxing: How has Bhutan done it? The concept of sandboxing is visible in several Royal Projects I have been involved with while in Bhutan. These Royal Projects may or may not have been initiated with sandboxing in mind, but they certainly demonstrated the principles and potential that can be realised with the sandboxing approach. Project […]
Why Do We Remember? “Who are we, if not our memories?” (Dennis Prager) Human memory is such a funny thing. Three nights ago, I had a conversation with a few Dashos on what they remember about Bhutan of old and what we can learn from them. Watching them interact was intriguing, as they collectively reconstructed […]
Reading is Not as Simple as it Seems We are at times guilty of taking reading for granted. Unless one encounters a reading impairment, we don’t think too much about how we read. Once acquired, we seldom revisit the skill or think about how to improve it. That is why there are actually books written […]
