Embarking On A Journey
My learning journey
continues to help me grow and elevate every day!
My corporate journey
started at age 19, as an intern at the World Bank and the United Nations
Organization. Soon, the division I was in received funding to grow into a
satellite office, and I was lucky to be in the right place. We grew the team,
and so I was leading my first team at age 23. My bosses gave me assignments to
stretch and grow. These opportunities to work with world-renowned economists
helped me develop an understanding of global organizational systems and
business factors. I learned about the cultural differences, and most
importantly, people management, that are common across industries, which I now
distill into the coaching conversations with my clients.
I moved to Singapore
29 years ago and worked as a management consultant to help companies in trouble
generate profits. In 2002, I started my career as a professional coach, which
allowed me to use all of my learning and experiences to help elevate and add
value to individuals, teams, and organizations.
In 2002, I was honored
with the prestigious Prime Minister's Award by the Singapore Government for my
ground-breaking proposal on telephone reminder services, showcasing my
innovative thinking. Additionally, my exceptional achievements in the field of
telecom recruitment were recognized internationally, earning me the esteemed
title of "Recruiter of the Year 2002" by the esteemed Global
Recruitment Forum.
While I was working, I
continued to pursue higher education. I believe strongly in learning and
growing our skill sets with ongoing education and taking up new experiences to
enrich our lives and help us make informed choices.
During the pandemic, I
completed a postgraduate course on innovative digital management to stay ahead
of future trends.
Challenges Faced
After working in the corporate sector, I decided to be my own boss and started my own coaching and training company. Making this choice was a bold one for me, as I had no prior business experience or steady income. When you have worked extremely hard and a deal goes south, it takes a big toll on your mental wellbeing. The learning experiences from failures and setbacks really helped me elevate myself. I am grateful for the experiences when people around me showed their true colors; the backstabbing and jealousy were real. What I learned from these experiences helped me decide that I would be my best self and deliver 100% in everything I do. To elevate and grow every day has been my mantra and has served me well.
Imperative Moments In
Life
My career path had two
major pivotal moments. The first was back in 2002, when I received the Prime
Minister’s Singapore Public Service Award for making a suggestion for
"Telephone Reminder Services for Appointments." It was implemented in
a hospital, resulted in savings, and has now been adopted by service providers
globally.
The second pivotal moment was when I was asked by my daughter, "Instead of going for so many courses, when are you going to give training to others? These significant moments helped me see myself from a place of strength and helped me connect with my innermost desire to help others by adding value and elevating them to be their best version.
As a professional coach entering the industry, one has to have the passion and desire to be of service in order to facilitate growth for our clients. As such, it requires one to invest in them to ensure they get the relevant coach-specific training and gain certification as a credentialed coach to represent the highest levels of professionalism.
Role Of Mentors
As a coach, I strongly
believe in working with a coach. My coaches have helped me gain clarity to
carve the path for success. As I look back, my mentors were mainly my bosses
and both my parents, who believed in my capabilities and supported me with good
advice to meet my objectives. The lessons I have learned along the way are to
be selective in ensuring you work with the right mentors—people whom you can
trust, who have your best interests at heart at all times, and who are experts
in their field of advice.
Entering the coaching industry, one has to have the passion and desire to be of service in order to facilitate growth for our clients. As such, it requires one to invest in them to ensure they get the relevant coach-specific training and gain certification as a credentialed coach to represent the highest levels of professionalism.
Other Accomplishments
- In
2023, I was elected as a Global Board Director for the PC Board,
International Coaching Federation, USA.
- In
2021, Jass received the South East Asian Business Awards for Best
Management Leadership Coach in Singapore.
- Enlisted
in the 101 Best Global Leadership Coaches, World Coaching Conference
- Recognized
with the Prime Minister’s Award (2002) for Telephone Reminder Services.
- The
Global Leadership Coaching Award by the World Coaching Congress (2013)
- Released
her journal, "Coaching Resource Guide 2012".
- Became
part of the Council of the Ambassador ICF Foundation.
- Became
President of ICF Singapore in 2018.
- I
became a mentor for the chapter president of ICF Nigeria.
Women Leaders Today
Professional women are high achievers, and they have achieved these positions with continuous professional development and by overcoming challenges, yet they continue to experience issues to get to the next level. Women leaders can engage a mentor or a professional coach to become more self-aware and learn simple ways to stop self-sabotaging their own growth and create career and business success.
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