Not many people will argue with Ivo Andric, the Nobel laureate, when he says “From everything that man erects and builds in his urge for living nothing is in my eyes better and more valuable than bridges. They are more important than houses, more sacred than shrines. Belonging to everyone and being equal to everyone,…
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As you get older some of the baggage of complexity falls away. Perhaps it’s a precursor to dementia. Perhaps it’s the ultimate realization that fundamentals matter. Perhaps it’s common sense reasserting itself. Whatever the cause, I savour it, relish the simplicity of seeing good behaviour, enjoy the things that make me laugh and even those…
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From all accounts Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a formidable person. Tough in her beliefs, tough in her delivery, tough in her faithfulness to her oath of office. She was a human being so she will not have been perfect but her achievements for others far outweighed her successes for herself. If we can leave the…
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There has been much talk of Minister Chan Chun Sing’s suggestion that there should be a Singapore brand. I think it is a good idea. In fact we have been trying to embody something like it ourselves for quite a while now. Since we are a consultancy we cannot obtain a Certificate of Origin for…
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Theme suggested by ChengBee Lim, Terrific Mentors International You’re sixty-ish. Maybe a little less, maybe a little more. Retired from your main source of income, perhaps without much of a pension plan, perhaps without any. You’ve been moderately successful, not quite what you hoped for but good enough to feel you’ve contributed to the world. …
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A very successful, virtual, Drink & Think the other day, with Martin Wolf of The Financial Times as the Guest of Honour, was held – as this annual event always is – under the Chatham House Rule. What follows, therefore, is attributed to nobody taking part. It is my own thoughts and conclusions, after the…
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Businesses care about making profits because if they don’t, they go bust. Not only that, they couldn’t pay themselves well, nor could they sell the business at some point and provide for a financially-worry-free life, or for their old age, whichever comes first. Nor would they be able to provide their customers with what they…
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The overwhelming power of Covid-19 has confirmed and accelerated a trend to disbelieve in our own importance. It is a frightening state to find ourselves in and we should do everything we can to arrest it. If we don’t, I fear for the future of democracy. Not that I am an unreserved fan of democracy…
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Victor Mills is to be congratulated in raising the issue of loneliness by getting Nick Jonsson, Managing Director of EGN, to give a very helpful and honesttalk on the subject in a webinar organised by the Singapore International Chamber of Commerce a few days ago. This modest and likeable man said things most of us…
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Many thanks to all of you who responded to my ‘Study the questions’ Daily Paradox. It was most heartening to get your ideas and views. They came for far and wide. As per Chatham House Rule, I won’t tell you who said what but I think I can identify the source by country. Before I…
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