Believe the Best

Each of us is given seeds. Each of us bear fruit – a yield – very often in direct relationship to our ability to till, to plant, to nurture, and to reap.

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This semester, which has just ended, has been a busy one for me. In the last segment of my last lecture, I shared with my students a few photos on maple trees I took in State College.

Matured maple trees are like the giants of the industry whom they encountered in the course of taking my module: CEO Keppel Land, CEO Singland, CEO Orchard Turn, GM Keppel Bay, MD Citibank, MD Knight Frank, Senior Exec Director Chesterton & VP Mapletree. Their achievements are the aspirations of many students.

But guess where do all these giant trees started?

Yes, giant maple trees all started from small maple saplings. And where do saplings come from?

Tiny Seeds!






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I went on to encourage my students not to underestimate the days of small beginnings. Just as every seed has great potential to grow and bear fruit, they have great potential in them. I shared my conviction:

"the best buildings are yet to be developed! The most innovative real estate deals have not yet been executed."

Why? Because the people behind those buildings and deals are still in my classroom today. I sincerely believe that this will come true one day. What I am doing is developing my students' expectation level by believing the best in them. As John Maxwell wrote, "when you look up to people, they begin to look up to their dreams". And if we have high expectation level and believe in people, we will encourage them. This is the principle of seeing people not as they are but as they can be.

Many people, according to John Maxwell, unfortunately have a low personal expectation level. Leaders and educators need to know how to develop a dream for others and share it with them.... If we can have four eyes, two for seeing what is and two for seeing what might be, we can help others dream. Everyone needs to be exposed to a vision. Unfortunately, not everyone will go for it. Pursue it with those who are ready to stretch.

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Below are some photos my students took over the course of this semester. On the last day of lecture, they collectively decided to come to school wearing the uniform of their junior colleges/secondary schools:

source: John Maxwell, Be a People Person