A new skill to help you work better

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Tell us about a time you challenged the status quo at work and what inspired you to do it.

Send your entry to psd_challenge@psd.gov.sg.

The most exciting entry will receive a prize worth $100. All other published entries will win vouchers worth $30 each. Please include your name, agency email address, agency and contact number.

All entries should reach us by February 28, 2017

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Gladys Tan, CNB 

One new skill I want to pick up is telling humorous jokes tastefully. We have the tendency to take ourselves way too seriously in the office. Laughter defuses tension and conflict, and well-placed humour is a great way to influence people and put them at ease. More importantly, humour is useful for creative thinking as we tend to be more inspired and innovative in relaxed environments.

Congratulations, Gladys! You win vouchers worth $100 so you can buy books of tips to be funny. We recommend The Comic Toolbox: How to Be Funny Even If You’re Not by comedy writer John Vorhaus



Tan Kai Li, IE Singapore

I would love to learn basic programming to create apps for mobile devices. As people rely more and more on their mobile devices for day-to-day work, the ability to script an app will gradually be likened to the ability to create a macro-scripted Excel sheet. It would be a useful skill for us to have when improving and adding value to our existing workflow. This will likely be taught in schools in the near future; it would be good to start early and keep up with the future generations. 



Wu Peishan, Singapore Prison Service

It will be useful to learn the skill of energy management (not time management) so that we are able to use our energy resource optimally. Perhaps some meditation skills will help?



Heng Leng, NParks

I would like to learn freehand drawing so that I can illustrate minutes of meetings instead of writing them. With this skill, I can even show any intended designs on the spot. That way, I can attend all my meetings even with a sore throat.



Affendi Hamad, MOM

My clients, who are usually migrant workers, often face emotional issues such as being cheated when paying for employment costs while trying to get a job in Singapore. I hope to pick up counselling and psychology, which will help me to empathise with them and be better able to advise and help them. I also want to learn a third or fourth language (Mandarin or Bengali) so I can understand my clients better and help to expedite any assistance.

Ed's Note: Thank you for sharing your resolutions - Challenge received more than 160 entries! The most wanted skill is coding, with more than 20 entries. The next most wanted skills are learning to create an app and learning a new language (including sign language). We hope this chance to share your goals will help you to achieve them in 2017!

  • POSTED ON
    Feb 22, 2017
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