Author: Oliver Foo

“If my son is weak in math but strong in football, should I arrange one-on-one training for math or football?”, a friend asked. Do we focus on strengths or weaknesses? Coincidentally, I’d just read a renowned sports coach’s thoughts on the same topic. In team sports, it’s clear: focus on strengths. Don’t ask Messi to…

Last night I heard something that always brings a smile to my face but which I don’t mindfully acknowledge enough. One daily exercise I learned from a mindfulness program is the 10-Finger Appreciation. We mindfully go through ten things – big or small – we appreciate, and observe how our body feels. Mindful appreciation, my…

My parents left China pre-WW2, met and married in Singapore. Over 17 years, my mother gave birth to 9 children. My parents’ belief was that more children = more caregivers in their old age. This was a common belief – and behaviour – until the Sg government reframed it by proclaiming, “the more (children) you…

I once observed a senior leader berate a young assistant for not ensuring that his 6-star hotel room had a harbour view. This was at a big client event where the clients had been given the best harbour-facing rooms. What’s a low hanging fruit in leadership? It’s for leaders to put their team’s success ahead…

Much will be written about Singapore when our new Prime Minister takes over next week. I’ll offer a “path less travelled” take here: what characteristics in the Merlion – a mythical creature with the head of a lion and the body of a fish and Sg’s national mascot – best reflects the country that has…

Taylor Swift’s latest album has this line: “Tell me something awful, like you are 𝐚 𝐩𝐨𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐠𝐮𝐲.” The lady is a poet herself. Just 10 words to capture the struggle many face at work. Are we in the wrong job, team, company etc? Ms Swift is right: this…

My favourite Ernest Hemingway quote is from the novel “The Sun Also Rises”, where a character is asked, “How did you get bankrupt?”. His classic reply was “Two ways. Gradually, then suddenly.” The answer describes so many phenomena in life. A relationship breaks down gradually, then suddenly. Our health deteriorates slowly, then suddenly. We do…

Finland was recently ranked the happiest country in the world – for the 7th year running. Reading this took me back to an episode from half a life-time ago. In Aug 1994 – armed with youthful exuberance, curiosity and a full head of hair – I flew to Helsinki. I’d just joined Finnish company Nokia…