Personal Life Profiling Training For MINDEF Officers
One of the most memorable quotes from the 1994 hit movie Forrest Gump was this immortal line “Life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.”
That’s what happened to the young Gump when he received a nondescript box. He did not have the faintest idea of the chocolate variety inside that box.
Many times in life – even if it’s a nondescript, we can still make meaning from it even before we open that box. All we need to do is to have a good grasp of the circumstance and the target we are interacting with.
This is the beauty of life mastery profiling.
To kickoff this first training in 2013, I welcomed a department of enthusiastic uniformed and civilian officers from MINDEF. Coming from all ranks and clearly all in the mood for learning, it was all systems go from the start of the workshop.
As the Chinese saying adopted from military strategy goes, 知己知彼、百战百胜. Translated into English, it means ‘know yourself and know others, and win a hundred victories from a hundred battles fought’. With clarity comes the ability to act.
The premise is simple and straight-forward. If you understand yourself and others, you will build closer relationships across all stratas of society – from work, family, friends to love. More importantly, you will minimize misunderstandings and bond with better rapport.
What makes each of us tick? This is not a science but an art in itself. Living and working in harmony with others is not a Herculean task. As long as we remove the uncertainties and replace them with certainties, the road ahead becomes smoother, wider and easier.
Harnessing the best of both East and West to heighten one’s learning, this unique blend was potent enough to get the participants excited.
From the East, I introduced the more than 2000 year old concept of the five elements. Each element supports and controls another. Are you in control or being controlled by others? Similarly, are you supporting others or are you in receipt of others’ support?
From the West, I shared the popular D.I.S.C. concept and knowing the personality type of each makes it easier for us to interact with others.
Less you think it was a mere coincidence, it wasn’t. Poles apart they may appear, the East and West blended perfectly and reinforced each other.
Confidence stems from the fact that you have complete mastery over yourself and others. That is the hallmark of a true victor in life. And for the MINDEF officers, I’m sure they will agree with me wholeheartedly.