A Lion Name Christian

From the pen of Adam Khoo

Interesting insight into Singaporeans ! ! ! !

Interesting Article from Singapore (Just sharing)

Please pass on to all Singaporeans to learn a great Lessons,especially our
kids who are spoon fed and pampered........

Adam Khoo: The expats will rule Singapore
Posted by admin 28 January, 2010

I have a prediction. My prediction is that in a couple of years, the
expatriates (from China, India, US etc…) will rule Singapore. They will
increasingly take on more leadership roles of CEOs, directors, heads of
organizations, award winners etc… If you observe closely, it is already
happening now. This year’s top PSLE (Primary School Leaving Exam) student
is a China National. Most of the deans list students and first class
honours students in the local universities are foreigners and more and more
CEOs, even that of government link corporations are expats. The top players
in our National teams are expats.

As a Singaporean, I am not complaining. I think that in a meritocratic
society like Singapore, it is only fair that the very best get rewarded, no
matter their race, religion or nationality. Like Lee Kwan Yew said, I
rather these talented and driven people be on our team contributing to our
nation than against us from their home country. The question I have been
asking is, ‘why are the expats beating the crap out of Singaporeans?’ What
I noticed is that these expats have a very important quality that many
Singaporeans (especially the new Y generation lack).

It is a quality that our grandfathers and great-grandfathers (who came from
distant lands) had that turned Singapore from a fishing village to the
third richest country in the world (according to GDP per capita).
Unfortunately, I fear this quality is soon! disappearing from the new
generation of Singaporeans. This quality is the HUNGER FOR SUCCESS and the
FIGHTING SPIRIT!!!

Expats who come here today have the same tremendous HUNGER for success that
our grandfathers had. They are willing to sacrifice, work hard and pay the
price to succeed. They also believe that no one owes them a living and they
have to work hard for themselves. They also bring with them the humility
and willingness to learn.

Take the case of Qui Biqing, the girl from Qifa Primary school who topped
the whole of Singapore in last year’s PSLE with a score of 290. When she
came to Singapore 3 years ago from China, she could hardly speak a word of
English and didn’t even understand what a thermometer was. Although she was
10 years old, MOE recommended she start at Primary 2 because of her lack of
English proficiency. After appealing, she managed to start in Primary 3.

While most Singaporeans have a head start of learning English at pre-school
at the age of 3-4 years old, she only started at age 10. Despite this
handicapped, she had the drive to read continuously and practice her
speaking and writing skills, eventually scoring an A-star in English!

This hunger and drive can also be seen in the workforce. I hate to say this
but in a way, I sometimes think expats create more value than locals.
Expats are willing to work long hours, go the extra mile, are fiercely
loyal to you and don’t complain so much. They also come a lot more
qualified and do not ask the moon for the remuneration. Recently, I placed
an ad for a marketing executive. Out of 100+ resumes, more than 60% came
from expats.

While locals fresh grads are asking for $2,500+ per month, I have expats
with masters degrees from good universities willing to get less than
$2,000! They know that if they can come in and learn and work hard, they !
will eventually climb up and earn a lot more. They are willing to invest in
themselves, pay the price for future rewards. Sometimes I wonder how some
of the locals are going to compete with this. Of course, this is just a
generalization. There ARE definitely some Singaporeans who create lots of
value and show fighting spirit.

Unfortunately, I have found that more and more young Singaporeans lack this
hunger for success. Instead, they like to complain, blame circumstances and
wait for others to push them. Some hold on to the attitude that the world
owes them a living. I shake my head when I see local kids nowadays complain
that they don’t have the latest hand phones, branded clothes and games.

While I acknowledge that the kids of today are much smarter and well
informed than I was at their age (my 4 year old daughter can use my Mac
book computer and my iphone), I find that they lack the resilience and
tenacity they need to survive in the new economy. Some kids nowadays tend
to give up easily once they find that things get tough and demand instant
gratification. When they have to work first to get rewards later, many tend
to lack the patience to follow through.

So, how did this happen? Why is our nation of hardworking, hungry fighters
slowly becoming a nation of complaining softies? I think the problem is
that life in Singapore has been too good and comfortable. Kids today have
never seen hunger, poverty, war and disasters. What makes it worse is that
parents nowadays give kids everything they want and over protect them from
hardship and failure. Parents often ask me why their kids lack the
motivation to study and excel. My answer to them is because they already
have everything! Giving someone everything they want is the best way to
kill their motivation.

What reason is there for them to fight to become the best ! when they are
already given the best from their parents without having to earn it? It
reminds me of the cartoon movie MADAGASCAR where Alex the Lion and his
animal friends were born and raised in the Central Park Zoo. They were well
taken care of and provided with processed food and an artificial jungle.
When they escaped to Africa, they found that they could barely survive in
the wild with the other animals because they had lots their instincts to
fight and hunt for food. They could only dance and sing.

I see the same thing in the hundreds of seminars and training programmes I
conduct. I see increasing more and more expats attending my Wealth Academy
and Patterns of Excellence programme in Singapore. Not surprisingly, they
are always the first to grab the microphone to answer and ask questions.
While many of the locals come in late and sit at the back. The expats
(especially those from India and China) always sit at the front, take notes
ferociously and stay back way after the programme is over to ask questions.


I feel ashamed sometimes when I ask for volunteers to ask questions, and
the Singaporeans keep quiet, while the foreigners fight for the
opportunity. For my “I Am Gifted!’ programme for students, I have the
privileged to travel and conduct it in seven countries (Singapore,
Indonesia, Hong Kong, China, Malaysia etc…) and see all students from all
over. Is there a big difference in their attitude and behaviour? You bet!

Again, I feel really sad that in Singapore, most students who come are
usually forced by their parents to come and improve themselves, Some
parents even bribe them with computer games and new handphones to attend.
During the course, some adopt the ‘I know everything’ attitude and lack the
interest to succeed until I kick their butts. It is so different when I go
to Malaysia, Indonesia and once in India. The kids there ask their parents
to send them to my programme. They clap and cheer enthusiastically when the
teachers enter the room and participate so willingly when lessons are on. I
still scratch my head and wonder what happened to my fellow Singaporeans to
this day.

So mark my words, unless the new generation of Singaporeans wake up and get
out of their happy over protected bubble and start fighting for their
future, the expats (like our great grandfathers) will soon be the rulers of
the country. At the rate at which talented and hungry expats are climbing
up , our future prime minister may be an Indian or China PR or may even an
Ang Moh!

As close to fame as we can get. 40K hits

Leaderless and Headless

What happen when a chicken runs around with its head covered? It wanders here and there and to no where. What happen when high rank fails to lead and had chronic case of amnesia plus you as an employee really had no choice of leaving the job? Gang up with you fellow colleague, form a coalition and take turn leading the team. Furthermore, spoon feed the management and remember to keep names in the CC part of the e-mail to get some steam for an action from the top.

I don't like to put CC in e-mail to get things moving but sadly the truth is there are people who sit on a matter with inaction unless you are his boss or you had frightening people in the e-mail CC loop to spur actions. CC are important as well as prove of e-mailed been sent to upstairs for when they play dumb or caught a sudden case of amnesia, you can remind them that an e-mail was send before hand.

Life sux because of human :). Often dealing with marine creature are better off comforting than dealing with the dynamic of human nature.

Unusual Discount

What a fantastic discount :)

100 dollar to enter

Oh yes. Singapore first Casino is finally open at Sentosa and it comes with a hefty 100 dollars entrance fee for Singaporeans and F.O.C for foreigners regardless of race, language or religion. Yet again, Sentosa center itself as a popular tourist magnet but stronger this time round with new thing for the adults and new thing for the kids. Never mind the 100 dollars money "lost" just to be in the game, it still attracted many fellow Singaporeans to try their luck on the first day of CNY.

Nevertheless, I heard lots of people loss money on the first day of the year of the tiger (entrance fee + table money). It goes to show that operating a casino is a profitable business and the house advantage is always there. And the lure of gambling was so much powerful that a few Singaporean even tried to sneak without paying the entrance fee (they were eventually ban from entering the Casino).

The 100 dollar entrance fee only last for 24 hours and only applicable to Singaporean. Foreigner, tourist or worker alike get to enter for free. I do question the viability of the 100 dollar fee when news had already breakout that an Indonesian attempted to steal a handphone after losing $1000 at the Casino recently. Not all foreigners working in Singapore earn top dollars especially our hardworking China and Bangladeshi workers in the construction line.

I don't think there is any difference in the impact of Casino on social problems whether there is a 100 dollar entrance fee or not. At the end of the day we don't only have tourist but foreigner workers with their money stake on the table and a F.O.C Casino entry. Wouldn't social problem be manifested when some of them fell to temptation and lost their money, the money they are suppose to send home to their family in another country? Noting that the gambling culture are especially strong in the Chinese community and we do obviously now have many Chinese foreign worker here, wouldn't they be in trouble as a result of losing too much money at Casino?

The 100 dollar entrance fee is a very poor solution to curb social problem related to gambling when it treat Singaporean differently from other foreign member of our inclusive population. It can be seen as unfair for both side of the population. On one hand, 100 dollar restrict access to Singaporean who paid tax and vote for our current government who in turn came out with the grand plan to built Casinos. On the other hand, 100 dollar waiver for foreigner inaccurately justified them as sound minded, discipline and had good personal restrain on the poker tables as not to be of any problem to Singapore.

Yet again we can't extend this 100 dollar fee to foreign worker/employee working and staying in Singapore just to curb any social problem that might crop up from a different root of the same tree, they are in some way tourist as well. So why don't we just take this 100 dollar fee out so every human in Singapore can enjoy the Casino? In the United States, there is no such thing as a entrance fee for the locals. If we want to match up to the world standards like Las Vegas, off goes the 100 dollar entrance fee.

In place of it, a better deterrence will be good education program on gambling, publicity on responsible gambling and a keen eye on the casino floor for problem gamblers. The use of entrance ban of problem gamblers are also a very good solution. Finally publicity program on responsible gambling should be made into all main languages and be extended even to the dormitory of foreign workers in Singapore.