Topic: “Authors for Good” Fundraising Campaign

With the conclusion of Batch 15 of So You Want to be an Author masterclass over the weekend, we have also wrapped up the fundraising campaign for Yong-en Care Centre.

Here’s a video tribute to Yong-en Care Centre for the opportunity to rally others to do good and also to all the 57 big-hearted donors who have dug deep into their pockets to help our community.

Topic: A Mother’s Memories: Caring for the Social and Emotional Health of a Child

Guest Author: Dr. Denise Lai Chua, Author of Preschool in the Wilderness

Multiple research studies have shown that a mother’s reminiscing of past events can have a significant effect on the child’s social and emotional wellbeing, especially where this relates to the child’s developing sense of self and identity. However, these studies have also demonstrated that there are qualitative differences (including cultural differences) that can influence outcomes. For instance, what is remembered (positive or negative, facts or emotions) and how it is remembered (elaborated or repeated, for didactic or other purposes) can affect the child’s emerging capacity to regulate his or her emotions and make meaning out of challenging circumstances. In this webinar, Dr Denise Lai Chua will share snippets from empirical studies on how mutual acts of remembering, retelling, and sense-making can help nurture a happier and healthier child. At the same time, she will recount how writing the autoethnography, Preschool in the Wilderness was her attempt at connecting fragments of her personal past into a coherent narrative for her own wholeness, and by extension, her children’s.

Topic: Smart Parenting: Talking to Kids About Money

Guest Author: Ernest Tan, Author of Raising Financially Savvy Kids

Nowadays, the media, friends, and consumer-driven advertisements are out to lure our children into overspending, under-saving, and unrealistic expectations. It is important to impart financial literacy to children before the media does!

As parents, it is critical to cultivate good money habits and attitudes at young age so that your children wouldn’t have to undergo painful money transformation to get rid of the unsupportive money habits, attitudes and beliefs in their adulthood. It is never too early to start and children need to learn about money management before it’s too late.

If you are concerned about their future and yours, join this fun, engaging and entertaining webinar. You will discover the 3 practical tips to teach your kids how to manage their money in fun, entertaining, the most prudent way.
– When is the best age to start teaching my child?
– What should my goals be?
– Where to get the best techniques and tools?
– What are other parents doing?

Topic: Publishing Journey of Into the WILD

Guest Author: Cheong Choy Kiew and Aileen Chee, Co-authors of Into the WILD.

Lin interviews authors Choy Kiew and Aileen, coaches who graduated from CCI’s flagship PCD program back in 2019. In 2021, Choy Kiew, Aileen, and their 3rd author Adrian launched ‘INTO THE WILD’, a book on creating a coaching culture in the workplace. Lin unpacks the journey of publishing a book – an idea that many coaches toy with but make a reality.

Listen and learn how these coach authors did it, the difficulties they faced, and all you need to know and be prepared for before you embark on your very own publishing adventure.

Topic: Book launch of Are You Tapping into Your Team Advantage?

Guest: Peter Cauwelier, Author of The Untapped Team Advantage

This talk creates the awareness that the potential of teams is truly powerful, and rarely fully explored and utilized. After sharing some key insights about teams, Peter Cauwelier outlined what really is the single critical element to turn teams into high-performance teams. Going back to Google’s internal research and academic theory, the extent to which people are comfortable to take interpersonal risks in a team is what sets the team up for continued learning. Team psychological safety is somewhat becoming a buzz word, but it is important to go back to the basics, and see how it can be measured and acted upon in a team.

Topic: Book launch of A Practical Guide to Strata Management in Singapore (Second Edition)

Guest: Teo Poh Siang, Author of A Practical Guide to Strata Management in Singapore (Second Edition)

A Practical Guide to Strata Management in Singapore (Second Edition) provides practical solutions in the form of step-by-step procedures and checklists for managing agents and strata managers to support them in the management of any strata development:
• from listing the relevant legislation, code of practices to citing cases and providing explanations for the management of strata properties;
• from the takeover to hand over of a strata development, highlighting areas of significance;
• from managing expectations of clients to vendors, using key performance indicators (KPI);
• from operations management to administrative management to financial management and recommending standard operating procedures (SOP) that helps prevent pitfalls;
• from convening council meetings to general meetings with recommended checklists;
• from routine to periodical to emergency works and providing tables of common statutory compliance required for the maintenance of strata properties.

Topic: Book launch of The Heart Remembers at the Singapore Writers Festival 2020

Guest: Rosie Wee, Author of The Heart Remembers

Min Joon makes Leng a solemn promise before leaving to fight in the war against the Japanese and to free Singapore. He will return to her, and as a mark of their love, reunite the two halves of a pendant they each carry. After the war, they met again, but she was already married to another.

Fast forward 27 years. Leng’s daughter, Jeanette, in the process of publishing her book, The Implications that Memories of the War Held in Creating a National Identity, engaged in a series of interviews with Min Joon for his part in the Japanese Occupation and the Emergency period. The interviews led to an unravelling of a 30-year-old secret.

Rosie Wee’s debut novel grapples with the sweep of historical events that plunged Singapore and Malaya into war and struggle between 1942 and 1969. Her fictional characters blend seamlessly with real historical figures as events unfold and flesh out in dramatic scenes. The episodic plot, fraught with tension, violence, and danger, is balanced and tempered with joy, love, tenderness — the stuff of the human condition.

Topic: Book launch of Chinatown Unspoken at the Singapore Writers Festival 2020

Guest: Eddie Chan, Author of Chinatown Unspoken

Think you know Singapore’s Chinatown?

Let veteran architect, Eddie Chan Fook Pong, take you on a journey back in time through a Chinatown as you have never imagined it. Chinatown Unspoken is a historical story of Singapore set against a wonderfully colourful landscape. Eddie’s account roars through two decades of turmoil, with characters ranging from gangsters and soldiers to prostitutes and clans, samsui women and even government officials.

A tribute to the beloved neighbourhood where he grew up, Eddie takes an affectionate look at the bustling part of town that has bewitched him ever since he was a child. By interweaving his own personal experiences in his storytelling, he beautifully captures its vivid stories, giving readers a deeper look into what “Chinatown” meant to its inhabitants—and to Singapore at large.

Topic: Writing and Publishing of Non-Fiction Books

Guest: Phoon Kok Hwa, Publisher of Candid Creation Publishing

Have you ever wanted to write a non-fiction book but lack the know-how and confidence to turn your knowledge and experiences into a book?

In this special episode of #AskMeAnything, it was role reversal where our Publisher, Phoon Kok Hwa, answered questions related to the topic of Writing and Publishing a Non-Fiction Book. This session was facilitated by Michelle Ow from Chrysalists.

Topic: Group Facilitation in Times of Crisis

Guest Author: Prabu Naidu and Janice Lua, Co-authors of SPOT on Facilitation

The impact of Covid-19 pandemic has triggered a crisis of unprecedented scale for many organisations, both for-profit and non-profit. In preparing for eventual recovery, it is important for organisations to create opportunities for reflection that include creating safe spaces to think, slowing down, surfacing alternative perspectives, and creating new mental models, etc. In times of crisis, finding time for reflection may be challenging, but without taking time for reflection and learning, organisations will never know what worked, for whom, how, and what they should do differently or the same in the future. What does this mean for those who are called upon to facilitate group conversations?

Topic: Retirement Planning in Times of Crisis

Guest Author: Patrick Chang, Author of Author of The A to Z Guide to Retirement Planning

The current pandemic has created a global economic and financial crisis. Stock markets are also increasingly volatile. How does all these affect our retirement planning?
While we can’t control a pandemic or its impact, we can choose our response today to help us plan for tomorrow. Learn what we need do to take stock and make adjustments to retirement planning in times of crisis.

Topic: Finding Happiness in Times of Crisis

Guest Author: Alex Butt, Author of A CEO, an Entrepreneur, a Tourist, and the Monk

Globally, there has been a surge in the number of calls to mental health hotlines during the Covid-19 pandemic. This is telling of the toll the pandemic has exacted on the mental health of people. If you are feeling overwhelmed and anxious, it is absolutely normal during this confusing time of uncertainty. The critical question is: What are you going to do about it? The pursuit of happiness or the happiness of pursuit? It’s your choice.

Topic: Time Mastery in Times of Crisis

Guest Author: Dr. Kumaran Rajaram and Dr. Eugene ST Tan, Co-authors of Street-Smart Strategies for Time Mastery

The current crisis has resulted in a paradox for many people. Staying home and working from home is supposed to free up more time for people as lesser time is spent on commuting, shopping, meetings, etc. However, people are feeling more time-starved because other things in their work and life have emerged to compete for their attention. Hence time management has become more critical than ever before as all of us have only 24 hours a day. It’s time to learn how to reclaim our precious time and become better time managers.

Topic: Talking Books – A Free Webinar for Readers by Authors

Guest Authors: Andrew Chow, Author of Social Media 247, Public Relations 247, Personal Branding 247
Joanne Lai, Author of Money Lessons from the Wild
Dr. Doug OLoughlin, Author of Facilitating Transformation
Kris Ang, Author of StEpS: The Journey to Self-Empowerment
Andy Yew, Author of Win Big Lose Small
Sari Marsden, Co-author of Fit to Lead

Bring books to life as your favourite authors step out of the page and onto the virtual stage. Open your mind to the sharing from six published authors who have written books on different genres such as personal branding, financial literacy, group facilitation, courage, investing, fitness & leadership. On this special evening, you will get to expand your knowledge, ignite your curiosity, and take away practical learning points from our authors. It is also a rare opportunity to listen to their voice as they read a passage from their own book. We will also be taking questions from the audience after the sharing.

Topic: Engaging Remote Teams in Times of Crisis

Guest Author: Tan Swee Heng, Author of Coaching in the Moment

Recent surveys have reported that a large majority of employees wish to continue to work from home after lockdown measures are lifted. At the same time, companies will be looking at reducing their office space footprint, especially in Central Business Districts, in their bid to reduce overheads. The convergence of these two forces can have irreversible and permanent impact on workplaces and the way we work. Working from home will likely to continue to be the norm post Covid-19 outbreak. As a result, managers will need to ditch their bias for presenteeism and learn how to manage and engage staff members remotely. What are the different ways for leaders to engage remote teams and improve business performance?

Topic: Managing Talent in Times of Crisis

Guest Author: Sharon Seet, Author of Exit Triggers

Due to the unpredictability of the current crisis, managing talent in times of crises presents dichotomies. Events such as the current Covid-19 pandemic start very suddenly, and may also end abruptly, but the ongoing adjustments and post-crisis recovery need to be well managed.

The role of the CHRO, business partners and leaders has become pivotal in managing their talent priorities while ensuring business continuity. While businesses tend to recover through cycles, how can they position talent to be productive during and immediately after the immediate crisis?

Topic: Investing in Times of Crisis

Guest Author: Collin Seow, Author of The Systematic Traders, The Traders Blueprint

The Covid-19 pandemic has created much uncertainty for the global economy. Wall Street economists are warning that fears of Covid-19 could undermine efforts to reopen economies, leaving the stock market’s recovery unpredictable. But beyond the short-term fluctuations of stock prices, the pandemic has also created new markets and opportunities for the post Covid-19 era. Hence the biggest question in everyone’s mind is “Where will the market be heading?”

Topic: Becoming a Valuable Professional in Times of Crisis

Guest Author: Terence Chiew, Author of Most Valuable Professional

MAS has recently announced that Singapore will enter a recession this year with uncertainty over the duration and intensity. Economists are also projecting heavy job losses in the months ahead as the crisis takes it toll on businesses worldwide. Hence, the challenge for many will no longer be just staying employed, but staying employable.

Topic: Financial Parenting in Times of Crisis

Guest Author: Ernest Tan, Author of Raising Financially Savvy Kids

With the Covid-19 pandemic spreading globally and disrupting businesses worldwide, the global economy is bracing itself for a much sharper economic contraction this year. Jobs will inevitably be lost and household income will plunge. What does this means for financial parenting and what are the lessons we can teach our kids on the topic of money? Do you continue to give the regular allowance? What can we teach our kids about job security?

Topic: Personal Branding in Times of Crises

Guest Author: Andrew Chow, Author of Social Media 247Public Relations 247Personal Branding 24

If you are wondering if it is important to pay attention to personal branding and how you should position yourself in times of crisis, this is the best opportunity to tap the brain of with our guest author Andrew Chow.