People thrive when nations and societies offer them opportunity to be the best they can be, not just as individuals but as a community.
David Halpern, in his thought-provoking book “The Hidden Wealth of Nations” (Polity Press 2009) summarises his research conclusions as follows: “Richer nations are happier [than poorer nations], yet economic growth doesn't increase happiness (italics mine). This paradox is explained by the Hidden Wealth of Nations - the extent to which citizens get along with others independently drives both economic growth and well-being. Much of this hidden wealth is expressed in everyday ways, such as our common values, the way we look after our children and elderly, or whether we trust and help strangers. It is a hidden dimension of inequality and helps to explain why governments have found it so hard to reduce gaps in society.” Governments find it difficult to reduce some critical gaps in society because the solution does not lie in government but in the quality of the relationship between the people and the initiatives they take to cement that relationship.
Honour in society, built upon Singapore’s historical experience as a nation, has to manifest in two ways:
- First, to Honour our Word – keeping promises, and being trustworthy and dependable.
- Second, to Honour One Another as human beings and citizens of the land, recognizing and appreciating the differences between individuals, whether it be in terms of race or religion, language or culture, talents or abilities.
It starts with Honour-directed Individuals who seek to be the best they can be according to their talents and abilities, then Honour-directed Families with close relations among members of the family built on love and understanding, then Honour-directed Communities with healthy relationships between people in their daily interactions founded upon care and consideration, then Honour-directed Organisations and Businesses where honour prevails in relationships with customers, workers and business partners, and finally Honour-directed Nation where there is mutual trust between the people and the government, and a political, social and economic environment that encourages and facilitates all the other dimensions of Honour-directedness. In all these dimensions, relationship and trust are recurring attributes.
Weaving the wisdom of David Halpern with the impact Honour (Singapore) seeks to achieve for the well-being of society, the instincts most people already have about the importance of honour and trustworthiness need to be drawn out into thought and action. Honour, built on trust and connectedness and activated by concern and consideration, makes for happiness and success for the individual, the family, the community, the workplace, and the nation.
Covid-19 has underlined the critical need for relationship and posed the challenge of how to build up and maintain relationship when there is less opportunity for in-person meetings. At the same time, Covid-19 is teaching that the online platform should be used with suitable imagination for maximum effectiveness in keeping relationships going.
With the recent soft launch of the Honour Champions Community (HCC), allow me to explain some of the critical aspects of the HCC.
First, it is a community of “Honour Champions”, the Champions being people who believe in Honour as the foundation for long-term happiness and success through enhancing trustworthiness and connectedness in all dimensions of our lives, be it with the family, in the neighbourhood, at the workplace or across the nation.
Second, it is an “open” initiative in that anyone can join as a member so long as they subscribe to the virtue of Honour for life and living. By joining, they commit to share with other Honour Champions their ideas, challenges, opportunities, experiences both successes and failures, and hopes on practising Honour in daily living at home, in school and at work.
Third, we recognise that different people have different needs and backgrounds because their past lives, present situations and future hopes are all different. Hence the Honour Champions Community is composed of a wide range of “Honour Champions Groups (HCGs)”. Each HCG will have its area of interest which will best serve the needs of its members. Possible areas of interest/communities can, for example, be Corporate Governance, HR practices, Organisational Strategy, Sustainability, Educators, Entrepreneurs, Young Parents, and so on. The possibilities are numerous.
Every member of the Honour Champions Community must be a member of at least one Honour Champions Group. The HCG is where members help each other by sharing their ideas and experiences in living out Honour in their workplace and social circles; members are motivated to share not only about successes, but also challenges they face and even failures they had gone through. Each HCG can have its own format for meetings, both online and in-person, and activities, the critical criterion being whatever would be beneficial, both in the short-term and the long-term, and appreciated by its members.
We have started with five HCGs: Educators, Entrepreneurs, Freelance Trainers and Coaches, Young Professionals, and Polytechnic students. We look forward to setting up many more groups according to whatever may be of interest to Honour Champions.
In December 2021, we organised a virtual get together with some one hundred participants where I had the opportunity to share some thoughts on Lessons on Leadership from COVID-19. The session was both encouraging and energising as we had a lively time of discussion during the Q&A. I described in my presentation that leadership is about making good things happen that on their own would not happen, and that trust is the most important currency for long-term relationships: between parents and family; friends and relatives; bosses, colleagues and subordinates; business partners and customers; and government and community. A copy of the presentation material is available for those in attendance. If you are interested to obtain a copy, or to know more about the Honour Champions Community, please write us at hcc@honour.sg.
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As ideas mount and activities increase and more volunteers come forward, Honour (Singapore) is expanding its reach and its range of events and forums. Our needs in operating funds continue to increase, especially since we would like to continue, in the main, to conduct most of our events without charging. We would also like to minimise having to seek donations for each event, or to approach donors multiple times for their support. This way we will be able to concentrate our time and resources in promoting the culture of Honour for winning in work and life, and not get too distracted by fund-raising throughout the year.
I am writing to inform you that Honour (Singapore) has decided to take on the goal of creating a network of One Thousand Friends of Honour (Singapore) - regular supporters who are prepared to donate, perhaps, $1000 or more per year as individual donors, or $5000 or more per year as corporate donors, though any other sum you may be inclined to give would be most welcome. We very much look forward to you joining this Network of Friends.
If you are in a position to help and to identify yourself with our cause, we would be enormously grateful if you could start making your donation during this New Year season of love, joy and sharing of blessings, but do feel free to start at any other time that may be more comfortable for you. Donations to Honour (Singapore) qualify for IRAS tax deductibility as Honour (Singapore) is a charity that has been granted the status of an Institution of Public Character. In addition, all donations received before 31 March 2022 would qualify for a dollar-matching grant by the Tote Board, effectively doubling your donation.
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