The following is my answer to a Quora question: “Can Toastmasters make me outgoing?”
Toastmasters, by itself, is not going to change your underlying
characteristics. Joining Toastmasters,
and actually taking advantage of the programme, will make you more confident
when it comes to speaking, and interacting with others. It will not make you speak more, or be more
gregarious. That requires changes in
your psychology.
The following is my answer to a Quora question: “Can a stepmother be a beneficiary of a life insurance policy?”
When incepting a policy, a person can only take out a policy on a
person where there is insurable interest.
In this case, that insurable interest has to be the spouse, parents,
children, and key staff. A stepmother is
not in that equation. However, a policy
owner may nominate the beneficiaries.
The stepmother or anyone else can be nominated as a beneficiary by the
owner of the policy.
The following is my answer to a Quora question: “Does Toastmasters help with public speaking?”
The Toastmasters programme is geared towards helping people become
better public speakers, as an aspect of leadership. Joining a good club, getting a competent
mentor, and taking up appointment roles in meetings guarantees that by the end
of the completion of one Pathway programme, you will be a competent, confident
speaker.
The following is my answer to a Quora question: “Is investing essentially glorified gambling?”
In this context, to gamble is to take risky action in the hope of a
desired result. You have no real power
to affect the outcome, and depend almost wholly on chance. On the other hand, to invest is put funds
into financial schemes, shares, property, or a commercial venture with the
expectation of achieving a profit.
Investments can be akin to gambling if you treat it like chance. It is a science. Before you invest, there is homework to be
done, which includes seeking financial advice, looking at reports and analysis,
and understanding the movement of the market of customer base. That means you gave some power to affect the
process, and seek a desired outcome.
The following is my answer to a Quora question: “If someone goes to your funeral, is it rude not to go to theirs?”
Once people come to my funeral, I am
quite certain they would not look forward to me visiting them, let along
waiting for their funeral. Perhaps they might not mind me being at their
funeral. But the other people might.
The following is my answer to a Quora question: “Do insurance companies invest in medical clinics?”
No, because that would be a conflict
of interest. When an insurer assesses a
claim, they are looking for ways why they should not pay out. If the clinic was owned by the insurer, then
any assessment originating from it can be questioned, because every claim
denied could be ascribed to some sort of bias.
Which insurer would want that?
Insurers already make more than enough money without the unnecessary
drama of every denied medical or life claim becoming some sort of controversy.
The following is my answer to a Quora question: “Will Southeast Asia and South Asia benefit or suffer should the US escalate conflict with China over Taiwan?”
Any American attack on China will crash the global economy, and no
one will benefit. Why do we have idiots
wanting war between the two biggest economies in the world? China is the global factory and the United
States is the global bank. Any war
between these two is a very bad idea for the rest of us.
The following is my answer to a Quora question: “Is tax mitigation more important than investment performance for entrepreneurs?”
That is putting the car before the horse. Tax mitigation is a consideration when you
are making money. If your investments
are not performing, if your revenue generation is diminishing, then tax
exposure is the least of your problems.
Tax planning is never done with the sole intent of minimising tax
exposure, and in isolation from generating revenue and growing the
business. Sometimes, it makes more sense
to pay more taxes when it will generate a revenue opportunity that makes it
worth it.
The following is my answer to a Quora question: “Why is Singapore’s ‘Majulah Singapura’ sung in Malay, considering the Malays are an ethnic minority, instead of in English, Singapore’s lingua franca, or Mandarin, considering the great majority of Singaporeans are ethnic Chinese?”
The national language of Singapore is Malay. That is why the national anthem is in Malay, and why military commands during parades are in Malay. This is a recognition of our heritage. Singapore is art of the Malay Archipelago, and the Malays and related groups were among the first here.
The pledge is in English, because English is the language of
business and instruction for most of us, and this is in recognition of the fact
that we were once a British colony. Mandarin
is one of the official languages, along with Tamil. Chinese and ethnic Tamils comprise a large
segment of the population.
The following is my answer to a Quora question: “Can a trust be considered an asset?”
The trust is a vehicle to manage assets, not an asset in
itself. The assets in the trust are the
assets. The ownership of the assets
depends on the type of trust. If the
trust is a revocable trust, the assets in the trust still belong to the settlor
or grantor, and he is liable for any tax exposure. If the assets are in an irrevocable trust,
they cease to be assets of the settlor or grantor, and are now considered the
assets of the trustee. The settlor, if
he is still alive, has a fiduciary relationship with the trustee, and may take
back some or all of those assets, as per provisions within the letter of
wishes. When that happens, the assets
belong to the settlor. When the assets
are disbursed by the trust, they become assets of the beneficiary.
The following is my answer to a Quora question: “What is poor leadership?”
There are many examples and
iterations of poor leadership. In
essence, however, poor leadership is the failure to effectively communicate the
strategic objectives and operational needs to the team and subordinates, resulting
in loss of efficiency and waste of effort and materials. People are effectively not lead, and they
have no incentive to adhere to the values of the organisation.
The following is my answer to a Quora question: “Is it possible to be able to speak English but unable to read or write it?”
Your ability to speak a language is not related to your literacy in
it. Those are distinct skills. In the same vein, it is possible to be able
to read a language, but not understand it.
This happens when the language uses the same script as a language you
already know. Universal literacy is a
recent phenomenon, and we take it for granted in developed countries. In the past, we had populations where the
majority of the population could not read and write.
The following is my answer to a Quora question: “Why is dissent important for democracy?”
A system where everybody agrees on everything, and the government
is able to pass legislation without challenge, results in groupthink. The system becomes ossified, and society
stagnates. Every system, every leader,
every institution, needs to be challenged.
It is impossible for any single person, or group of people, to right all
the time, every time. When the
groupthink is not challenged, it results in blind spot. Such a society will eventually fall into
obsolescence and fail.
The following is my answer to a Quora question: “When should a company utilise a board of directors?”
The board of directors sets the strategic direction of the company, and this is not something done once, and then they sit back. The board of directors has direct oversight over the executives, and are active in management. A board that does nothing is a sign of a company that will fail.
That being said, a well-managed and active board deploys members of the
board to visit sites and installations, meet with shareholder groups, union
representatives, regulators and government on a regular basis. The board needs to be aware of what happens
on the ground, and not depend solely on the reports from management.
The following is my answer to a Quora question: “Which is the better choice for an investor - index funds or individual stocks?”
Individual stocks may do better, but only if you picked them
correctly, but an index fund is broadly guaranteed to grow over an extended
investment horizon do to the nature of the market and the power of
compounding. Individual stocks may offer
focus, but index funds allow you to diversify into other markets and sectors in
a more affordable manner. Unless you
know the company well, or its market position is secured, such as a near
monopoly in a growth industry, you are
better off buying into an index fund.
The following is my answer to a Quora question: “Who are some examples of important social media influencers in Singapore?”
No one of any worth would likely use “social media influencers” and
“important” in the same sentence. Unless
you have a gargantuan following on social media, borne out of celebrity and
accomplishments in fields of note, you are not going to influence public policy,
or shape a national conversation in areas of public interest such as health and
education. We have no social media
influencers of any worth, and no one serious pays them any attention.
The following is my answer to a Quora question: “Is life insurance a business expense?”
Life insurance policy premiums may be considered a business expense
if it is a means to mitigate against loss of personnel, as part of business
succession planning, and as a keyman insurance.
For whole life and term plans, this may be tax deductible. For group health, it may or may not,
depending on the nature of coverage. It
would be difficult to justify it for an investment-linked or endowment plan,
and the realised gains from such a policy would be taxed as an income.
The following is my answer to a Quora question: “How long does it take for a person to become a better public speaker?”
If you are in Toastmasters, all it
takes is one speech, and one good evaluation.
The path to becoming a great public speaker is one of incremental growth
and improvement. You need to give speeches,
you need to be mentored, and you need to be evaluated. In every speech evaluation, simply take one
point and improve your speaking style and speech structure. If you improve one point every single time
you speak, you are better than your last speech. That is all you actually need.
The following is my answer to a Quora question: “Should you name your trust as a beneficiary of your life insurance?”
You do such a thing when you do not
intend your policy to pay out in lump sum to your beneficiaries, or to your
estates, if you have not nominated any beneficiaries. People name their trust the beneficiaries of
their life insurance when they intend for the trust to pay out over an extended
period of time, perhaps across multiple beneficiaries. This would be the only reason why you would
want your insurance policy to pay out to your trust.
The following is my answer to a Quora question: “Does life insurance go to the next of kin?”
Unless the insurance policy is nominated to the preferred beneficiary,
the policy is paid out to the estate of the deceased life insured. There, it undergoes the probate process, and
is paid out according to the will, or failing which, the guidelines of the
public trustee office. To avoid probate
and ensure that the preferred beneficiaries benefit the most from the claim, it
is always prudent to nominate the beneficiaries for the policy. This means that once a claim is approved, the
monies reach them in a matter of days.
Whether it is corporate strategy, or even involvement in hierarchical organisations, it is man’s nature to wage war. We seek control, we seek dominance, we ultimately seek power. That is our nature. Humanity evolved because we are predators, and even with that veneer of civilisation, we never lost that instinct for blood.
Publius Vegetius Renatus was a writer of the Later Roman Empire. He wrote De re militari, “Concerning Military Matters”, a treatise about Roman warfare and military principles as a presentation of the methods and practices in use during the height of the Roman Empire and responsible for its power. That text could best be summarised as “Qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum”, “Let him who wants peace prepare for war.”
Whatever we set out to do, there are always others who have an opposing view. Not all can be coopted, and there are occasions where dominance must be asserted, or in the face on formidable adversary, then subterfuge, or discretion must be exercised. The goal is to win, and win in such a manner that the victory can be maintained. It is foolishness to win, and rule over nothing, or win and create the conditions for further conflict. War is merely a means to an end; it is not policy. Maj. General Carl Philipp Gottfried von Clausewitz, author of Vom Kriege, famously wrote, “War is a continuation of policy by other means.”
In hierarchical organisation, in corporate organisations, it is not enough to get to the top of power structures. The purpose is to stay there. There is a distinct difference between authority by position, and true authority by influence and power. The former is easily replaced. The latter needs to be identified, and is not easily removed. Authority by power has terms of appointment, and they come and go. Authority by influence is via patronage, and is more durable.
In order to build that, it is important to build a team of generals. Talent must be actively sought our and recruited. They must be nurtured, equipped, and then unleashed where necessary. Points of influence must be controlled, and influenced. People must be tested for their loyalty, and either supported when loyal, or discarded when disloyal. Their place must be earned.
Contrary to laymen thinking, when there is opposition, it does not always serve the strategic interest to immediately neutralise them. It is a strategic disadvantage to revealing the extent of resources and influence at every point of contention. Competent opposition is a gift. They can be co-opted, knowingly or unknowingly, towards a greater goal that serves both interests. Incompetent opposition, on the other hand, is a threat to themselves as well as the organisation. They should be treated with caution, and allowed the time and means to destroy themselves.
Ultimately, this is merely a means, and policy is the articulation
of strategy at a tactical level. There
is no benefit in being emotionally invested in the organisation or
company. They are merely means to an
end. There is no benefit to being drawn
into petty retribution. That is a distraction. This is about winning, and winning requires
results.
The following is my answer to a Quora question: “How would the countries, who had citizens fight for ISIS, properly punish them if they tried to return to their home country?”
The answer is straightforward: arrest them, try them, and have them executed. In Singapore, it is to be hung until dead. The crime, in this case, is sedition and waging war against the state. I do not believe in rehabilitation for these Wahhabi terrorists. This should be applied regardless of whether they are male or female. There is no such thing as a lesser penalty for these ISIS brides. They are not innocents or victims; they are enablers and supporters. And those below the age of majority, but close to it, the court should be given special dispensation to try them as adults.
It is only natural that when we have an
infection, we address it at the root. These
people will always be a source of propaganda and inspiration, even when they
are dead. The difference is that dead
people do not spin new stories. Hang
enough terrorist and the rest of the population will understand that there is
no misguided softness when it comes to addressing an existential threat to the
secular state.
