Whenever a suggestion is brought up to make a change, there is a tendency for people to point out what is wrong, and what they do not agree. In many cases, the negative views are not based on actual experience, but is on hypothetical reasoning. This is a negative mindset but is quite common in Singapore.
A positive mindset looks at what is right about the suggestion and a willingness to give it a try. If the actual experience shows some negative consequences, they can be fixed at that time. This is what makes for change and entrepreneurship.
For Singapore to be willing to change and to be entrepreneurial, we need a positive mindset. It is a big challenge to change from a negative mindset, which is ingrained in our culture and education system (remember the term "kiasu"?). But, the process of change starts with the realization of our present situation and a desire to work towards a better situation.
Share your views.
A positive mindset looks at what is right about the suggestion and a willingness to give it a try. If the actual experience shows some negative consequences, they can be fixed at that time. This is what makes for change and entrepreneurship.
For Singapore to be willing to change and to be entrepreneurial, we need a positive mindset. It is a big challenge to change from a negative mindset, which is ingrained in our culture and education system (remember the term "kiasu"?). But, the process of change starts with the realization of our present situation and a desire to work towards a better situation.
Share your views.
4 comments:
This habit of being negative is quite common, that some people will show why they disagree without understanding or clarifying what the suggestion was. This is a common experience.
There are always ideas and suggestions to every problem, those who counter offer "negative views" are not out to pour cold water.
Just offer possible setbacks or disadvantages that may occur. These "negative views" may even trigger refinements or improvements to cover loopholes in the original ideas offered.
Take the example of using mobile phone to trigger alert for ATM money withdrawal, it's really impractical, besides holding up the queque, a working mobile phone must be at hand. Not really a kiasu mentality, more on practicality or pragmatism.
Nevertheless, good for this goondu DBS Bank to extend alert service of large transactions to all account holders through the mobile.
Even here you need to have a proper working phone at hand, so not really a good solution after all.
Talking about "ingrained" mindset, this is the trend of Companies here, esp the GLCs related ones, ingrained that they must maximize
profits first, so reducing costs is the way, never mind compromising safety or security. It happens with SMRT, DBS, or all other GLCs, if it ain't broken, why fix it. Think of a solution later, even if it's a semi one, as
long as it could plug the hole temporarily for the moment, meanwhile save costs and increase profits first is the motto.
While i agree with your the gist of your suggestion, being too positive will bring too much optimism to the point of being impractical or foolishness. For example, the numerous changes in the education sector each time a new minister is appointed the education minister makes the educator scramble to adapt to the new changes. In spite of many criticism and recommendation by the actual teachers involved, many impractical proposal are implemented. The result is that the education in singapore is getting too inhumane and too meritocratic. For example, in many schools today, teaching has become the secondary job compared to organizing various forms of activity for the student. Many teachers today are unable to help the weaker students and as a result the weaker students have to rely on private tuition. However, for poor students who cannot afford tuition, they are often unable to catch up. Moreover, in some schools which implement a modular system to teaching whereby each teacher teach the module to the whole cohort, i have confessions from teachers that they could not even remember the name of the students they have taught.
When somebody makes a suggestion, my approach is:
1) If I agree, I state my agreement and give my reasons.
2) If I disagree and have the facts or experience, I provide the facts - but avoiding making any judgement (e.g. that it will not work, etc)
3) If I am not sure, I keep quiet. No point to pour cold water and try to be clever.
I am willing to give my views on different ways to approach a matter, but I avoid passing judgement on other people's views. This is my "positive" approach.
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