Monday, January 27, 2025
Gong Xi Fa Cai 2025
For my first job upon returning to Malaysia at age 26, I joined the pharmaceutical industry as a Sales representative covering the government hospitals from KL to Johor. My Malay colleague Nabil covered from KL to the northern ends of Peninsula Malaysia. Dad had bought me a silver Proton Saga to drive, and it certainly did its mileage.
The General Manager, Kelvin Tan was an excellent man, brilliant in mind & leadership, was articulate and well-written. He was firm on all of us, yet we can feel his care and desire to see each of us develop in our careers. He was our boss but also a friend we can confide our personal matters with. I kept all his company memos, year-end letters to staff and annual reports for years; as every piece was a masterpiece, inspiring and touches the heart (those days no such thing as soft copy or email). I told myself one day I want to write like him. I modelled myself to be like him in many aspect. I worked there for 9 years.
He lived his life truly as a man of God and shared with me many biblical things on life. He rose up rank & file, working while studying and had an MBA from the prestigious Strathclyde University. Those days I had to have 4 years working experience before I could enroll into a decent MBA course, unlike today you just need money. I was reporting 3 layers below Kelvin, yet he had time to vet through my 12 MBA assignments (12 modules taught on campus by UK lecturers with exams each module) and my final dissertation before I submit them to the Uni. And after finishing the course I had a 2 year bond.
I clearly remembered his words in a staff meeting “In any enterprise be it at an organization, church, workplace or friendship; it is not what you take, but what you put into the system that counts. This phrase may not resonate well in this modern world where people are mainly thinking of only themselves.
Kelvin’s impact on us still lingers on decades later. The strength of putting others first, holdings things together when everything seems to fall apart. People see the results Kelvin produces but they don’t see the effort he puts in. They admire the calm he brings but don’t realized the storm he had weathered to create it. This is the value of silent strength, it is not flashy nor seeks validation; it simply gets the job done.
Stay steady when the world feels chaotic. In this rat race we often lose sight of our purpose. Being busy and busy may not equate to purpose. Your bosses will just crank up new numbers each year for you to chase. Maybe with an ever-advancing little carrot dangling in front. What is new?
The Bible tells us the times ahead will only get tougher, not easier. So as a Christian business leader, it is now time to develop depth in strength to help others, to carry them at their vulnerable moments. The church needs you to be the backbone for others in your generation and those around you. The one who solves the problem and keep all going forward. You may be the one many look up to and assume you always get it together but no one needs to see the nights I lie awake; the tears I wipe away in private; the moments I question whether I can keep going; the times when I feel empty but still have to find a way to give. This unhidden strength finds a way to pour even when the cup is empty. Not in material things but in energy, ethos and resilience.
Strength is powerful but it is not limitless. Even the most powerful need rest. Recover during this festive season to continue to pour into your own cup, and build your own dreams. I certainly need this time of rest.
Legacy, it’s a word we often associate with the end of a journey, something left behind after the dusk is settled. Legacy is not about what happens after you are gone. Legacy is what you are building right now with every moment, every choice and each step you take. Legacy is not just what you leave behind but what you carry. Your legacy is being built brick-by-brick through the integrity of your actions, the sincerity of your love and the strength of your character. It doesn’t require an audience, applause or recognition. Your legacy is rooted in who you are in Christ and the values you stand for. It is in how you treat others, how you rise after every fall, how you pour into the people and world around you. Whether anyone acknowledges it, your legacy is shaping lives, it is creating ripples beyond what you can see. Some of the lessons, the seeds may take years down the road to bloom. Some of the seeds you may not get to see them flourish but it doesn’t mean they won’t grow.
I think about the good teachers, bosses and pastors who shaped my life. Some of them may not be here anymore but the lessons they taught, the example they set and the love they gave is still with me. That is LEGACY. It is the impact that lingers long after someone is gone. Just as their legacy live in you, your legacy will live in others. So focus on living your legacy in the present. Show up as your best self even when unseen. It means stay true to your values even though it is hard. It means choose kindness over bitterness; purpose over distractions; and courage over fear. Yet we all know it is not going to be a perfect path. You will stumble, still have doubts and at times feel like giving up. But it is ok. It is about how to rise after each fall, how you respond after people hurt you, how you keep pushing forward even when the road is rough and it will be. I tell myself to be resilient, to persevere. That is the part of your legacy that will inspire others the most. So just live a life for not only yourself. Be an example for those who are watching. People are paying attention to how you handle life and stay true to your values. It is about leaving the world better than you found it. In this new lunar year, God will move mountains for you. You may not feel it, or see it but He is there to refill your cup. So live boldly and love deeply. Your cup will not go dry in 2025.
Gong Xi Fa Cai!
