Thought Triggers Weekly | Edition #3

This past week, I got my second vaccine jab as Singapore accelerated the vaccination programme for all. Indicative targets suggest 50% of people in Singapore will be fully vaccinated, with a target to reach 66% by the second week of August and 70+% by early September. If you are a Singapore resident and haven't,?consider registering.?

So, it's week three. In this edition, the three stories explore the impact of uncertainty, change & complexity while highlighting why, now more than ever before, the power of diversity & inclusion matters beyond dispute. The intent here is to highlight that bringing?change may feel like moving an octopus?when one leg of the octopus is totally committed to going to the next rock. Still, the other seven remain entirely committed to holding on to the rock they're already grasping.?Yet, it starts with acknowledgement & commitment to be part of the change.

(@Indrajit: Thank you for the Octopus analogy in your newsletter.?Founding Fuel)

#1?Hawkers and their heirs struggle with uncertainty — and lack of rental relief

CNA

Anybody who lives in Singapore will appreciate how central the hawker centres are to the story of this incredible city-state. Friendships are made, love stories are shaped, and gastronomic delights of all types (including Michelin rated ones) are consumed at extremely affordable prices. The story shares the unfortunate consequences facing business owners and operators of such outlets due to the pandemic. Especially poignant following the poor choices of some people that saw transmission rates spike in Singapore and led to stricter restrictions to curb transmission rates. Tech adoption has definitely accelerated, yet?change is never easy or balanced, accentuated in this story:

While he said some hawkers would do well to adapt better to technology, "the reality is that most of their customers have a hard time conceiving of a different dynamic" of hawker fare — specifically, what they are prepared to pay.

Read a more passionate reflection on this story from Devadas Krishnadas.

#2 The Passion Paradox: A conversation with Brad Stulberg

Behaviorial Scientist

The oft shared wisdom is that a life without passion will not be a very fulfilling one. Yet, the word?passion?itself has its linguistic root in the Latin word "passio" which means suffering. In their book?The Passion Paradox, Brad Stulberg & Steve Magness cover many themes, including how passion & drug addiction aren't so different from each other. In this conversation, Brad shares many insights. One that resonated with me is how we can be?purposeful in following our passion: I highly recommend reading it if topics like this interest you.

Another part of it is to try to reflect continuously on your core values, or the things that you really use as guiding principles, and test: are the things you're passionate about in alignment with your core values? And if they're not, well, can you shape the activity, so it is more aligned with your core values? Or maybe you move on from it.

Go deeper with this post from?@accenture?on?three paradoxes that threaten workplace change.

# 3 Euros 2020: What all of us can learn from Gareth Southgate

BBC

This BBC piece is perhaps my most fave read from the past week. In the aftermath of the Euro 2020, the racial abuse English players faced was "unforgivable" according to Gareth Southgate, the manager of this England football team and rightly so. The author establishes beyond dispute the power of diversity central to unlocking success in a post-pandemic world. It also references this delightful story from novelist David Foster Wallace observing the tragedy of people in echo chambers not realising they are trapped themselves:

There are these two young fish swimming along and they happen to meet an older fish, who nods at them and says 'Morning, boys. How's the water?' And the two young fish swim on for a bit, and then one of them looks at the other and goes, 'What the hell is water?'

Monday Motivator

"Your words matter. Your behaviours matter. Our patients and our teams matter. Take a slow, deep breath, and make sure your energy is in check before you enter." - Indiana University Health

Quote via?@Crystal Bauer

#Economy #Passion #Change #Complexity #Diversity #Inclusion #MondayMotivation