Psychological Capital

This book is the second collection of twenty-one essays by behavioural scientist Professor David Chan. The essays in the book first appeared in The Straits Times from March 2015 to September 2017. They discuss a wide range of topics including the different types of commitment to country, diversity and cohesion, people-centric policies and unintended consequences in policymaking, futures thinking, maladaptive cynicism and healthy scepticism, ambivalence from mixed feelings, terrorism, the psychology of power, separating sincere apologies from insincere ones, the impact of socio-political humour, and finding one's own meaning in life. A common theme that runs through these essays is developing "Psychological Capital" to build a strong society of individuals and communities — one that is able to pursue positive things but also able to handle shocks, failures and unmet expectations. This book goes beyond examining critical issues that matter to people, policymaking and nation building, and why they do, to focus on translating the "knowing what" and "knowing why" to "knowing how" and "knowing when". Endorsed by fifty leaders from different sectors, this book provides a powerful springboard for self-reflections, internal and public discussions, and individual and collective actions.Contents: Here's What Fifty Leaders From Different Sectors Said About This Book ... About the Author Preface Getting Better at Discussing Population Issues The Emotional Commitment that Mr Lee Inspired If We Have No Differences, We Would Be In Trouble Lets Talk About Commitment Putting Singapore Above Self Thinking About the Future Now 7 "PC" Ways to Make People-Centric Policies Why It's Not Enough for Leaders to Just be Clever Learning to See Things From Another's Perspective Find Your Own Meaning in Life Lessons for Singapore From Schooling's Win Elected Presidency Changes: It's Not Just About the Politics In a Funk Over Trump? 2016: A Year of Looking to the Future The Unbearable Weight of Power What a Cobra Bounty Says About Unintended Policy Consequences Say You're Sorry: How to Suss Out an Insincere Apology To Tell or Not to Tell, That is the Question How to Respond to Threats With More than Fight or Flight Jokes About Politics: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly Build Psychological Capital Now for Strong Society Readership: Academics, undergraduate and graduates students, professionals interested in social and behavioural issues in Singapore; civil servants, NGOs; general public. Keywords:Psychological Capital;Public Policy;Self-Efficacy;Optimism;Hope;Resilience;Well-Being;Trust;Community;Commitment;Meaning;SingaporeReview: FROM NATIONAL LEADERS "David is an astute observer of Singapore society, and his essays provide timely insights into what it means to be Singaporean, now and in the future. In an increasingly complex world, the need to ensure a caring, confident and cohesive Singapore has become ever more important. This book takes an even-handed and constructive view to local and international issues, and urges us to come together to build trust and commitment towards one another as fellow Singaporeans, as one nation." Ms Grace Fu Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, Singapore "David has produced a thoughtful collection of essays that not only offers useful observations and perspectives on national issues, but invites us to consider the role we each can play towards building a stronger, more cohesive society. By analysing the complexities of public policy formulation and implementation, and sounding out ideas for building upon common ground and shared values, he shows a way forward for us to build up psychological capital." Mr Heng Swee Keat Minister for Finance, Singapore "As our society matures, we begin to see shifts in our social fabric and the rise of more complex issues that need to be addressed and debated. Professor Chan's analyses are insightful and help readers make sense of these issues. Like many of his previous works,...