Musings by Adrian Chan
It’s amazing what you can pick up in the local wet market. No, I am not talking about the local produce (although it is always a good thing to know where one can still get good kopi for 60 cents). I am talking about the titbits you acquire through conversation. In this instance today, I […]
Musings From a Dinner What have I learnt from serving a king? I thought about this question after attending a recent launch of the new Singapore-Guwahati-Bhutan route by Drukair. It was good to see so many familiar Singaporean and Bhutanese faces at the event. Someone then asked me why I was not wearing a gho […]
Transitions: A Common Experience not Commonly Talked About I don’t think we pay enough attention to what goes on when someone is in transition. For example, in the past month since relocating back to Singapore, a common question I am asked is, “So have you settled in yet?” Sometimes, I am tempted to say “Yes” just […]
There is a desert that one traverses alone. This desert is not a physical place, for one can feel utterly desolate in fields of plenty, or be left totally forlorn amidst amicable company. Instead, it is a state of being. St John of the Cross called the experience the Dark Night of the Soul. I […]
Got Long Queue…Must Be Good! I joined a long queue for kopi (coffee) this morning at the market. When I finally got it, I savoured the taste with great anticipation. To my disappointment, there was nothing special about it. The taste was slightly too bitter for me actually. If not for the fact that I […]
I am falling in love again with Ursala Le Guin. I love how her mind thinks. And I love how she writes. I used to love her science fiction when I was young. After a long separation from reading her works, I am now re-captivated by her thoughts about getting old. Sadly, she passed away […]
Feedback is a Many-Splendoured Thing Feedback is important to any organisation. Unfortunately, not everyone is adept at seeking, giving or receiving it. To some, feedback is most welcomed, especially those with a growth mindset. For others, it can be nerve-wrecking. (By the way, I particularly discourage the sandwich model of giving feedback. You can refer […]
Change Happens Because Life Needs to Happen Change happens around and to us all the time. People say change is the only constant. I say change must necessarily occur, for it indicates that life is happening. For example, by this time tomorrow, we will be (hopefully) on a plane together with 19 accompanying luggages for […]
Ah…Mondays. It’s a gloomy Monday morning. In a previous life, my Mondays were never the best days to begin the week with. These days, I relive those Monday moments through the experiences of my coaching and consulting clients. The distance affords some protection. Still, it is not enough to lighten the Monday mood. My timer […]
Bhutan is Low on Female Leaders How can Bhutan unleash the potential of more female leaders? At the moment, female leaders are under-represented in the country. In my 5 years as the Leadership Faculty in the Royal Institute of Governance and Strategic Studies (RIGSS), I have encountered nearly 900 leaders in training. Of these, less […]
