My 2009

Get more business for MR=MC Consulting (I run it)
Launch business mentoring clubs
Hope that Obama gets the support to move America forwards
*Get his photo when he comes to Singapore for APEC meeting*
Be a good and effective Economics lecturer
Support more worthy causes
Write more/Read more academic journals
Re-discover my religious side
Improve my chess rankings
Maintain my tan
Not lose my voice throughout the year
Get ready for new assignments related to Youth Olympic Games
Get the new U2 Album
Have the time to watch (just) one concert

This is a recent video interview

Hasselhoff had his share of ups and downs too

I was kind of inspired when I read this about David Hasselhoff

http://movies.sg.msn.com/features/article.aspx?cp-documentid=1593396

You've had a few "nos" in your life, haven't you?

"I've had some big 'nos,' and they kind of threw me into a tailspin. The first was when I was up for Indiana Jones and Steven Spielberg turned me down. The next came when I was up for Superman and they passed. The latest big 'no' was when I brought Knight Rider back to NBC. They said, 'We love the project, but we don't think we want you starring in it.' And I went, 'Wow.' I'm still part of it because I love NBC and I love the show."

You went through some tough times, including the humiliation of seeing a video of you when you were drunk posted all over the Internet.

"You know, not one person ever stopped me on the street and said anything negative about that except for, like, one very drunk guy in Vegas who goes, 'Hey, man! Let's go out and get drunk and eat a cheeseburger.' I thought, 'There's always one.' But you know what? People realise that I'm a human being and that I take responsibility for my mistakes."

Mentoring Activity 1

I believe that there are many Facebook Applications that are not receiving enough fans and traffic. One possible mentoring activity for students, in groups of 5, is to approach these FB Apps creators and propose to them about how to improve their programs.

Mentoring Competition

I have had an idea for some time.... Go to a school and be introduced to the weakest performing student. Mentor him and see whether his grades make an drastic competition. Alternatively, go to a developing country like East Timor and maybe get one of its students to be mentored by the best educators in Singapore... the ending of the second scenario? Will the East Timorese student want to go back to contribute to his country or will he want to settle down in Singapore?

Colin Ong's Mentoring Framework For Schools

Brain-storm with teachers about creating a customised mentoring framework

Get external mentoring consultants/trainers

Set up mentoring club as CCA

Invite mentors to speak about mentoring

Create positive exposure about mentoring throughout the school

Incorporate mentoring tips within term time and as part of an elective subject

Decide on the time-frame of the end-point of mentoring

Quantify the metrics of both success and failure

Align the mentoring framework with school mission

Start a pioneer group of student mentors who will be permanent mentor advisory group

Get the support of parents group

Create regular mentoring visit overseas

Why Mentoring Is So Worthwhile

Many people's concept of mentoring is like providing professional advice without being paid.. in way, it sounds like volunteering.

When I set up Mentors4Startups, I wanted to provide a professional platform for mentoring to be executed and my end goal is that the mentor has to be remunerated either in cash or positive exposure.

Why is mentoring so worthwhile for the mentor? Here are some of my thoughts:

1) It enables the mentor to get away from his current job commitments and maybe have a different perspective in his work.

2) Professional mentoring entails looking through business plans and this will help the mentor hone his analytical skills.

3) Many Startups will become the next big business or service. Being part of the mentoring process helps in getting a first-mover advantage in this business.

4) Mentoring gives the mentor an opportunity to give back to society and it is a great social movement.

5) From my own experience, I feel that during my own mentoring, I develop an ability to find solutions to my own business problems.

6) Mentoring helps the mentor develop new contacts.

Mentoring Interviews

I am in the process of getting more people to share their mentoring experiences with me. I hope to include them in the my new book about mentoring.

Facebook Application Competition

I want to organise the best FaceBook Application Competition. Anybody interested to join the planning committee?