• Jeff Wong, Chief Agency Officer, FWD Hong Kong and Macau, talks to The Mag about the power of passion.
• Being passionate is about focusing on the present and giving our all in everything we do without losing balance.
• To rediscover your passion, keep an open mind and give yourself the space to explore new ideas.
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What’s the one thing that motivates you? “The Power Series” offers thought leadership insights from industry experts at Taikoo Place on the “power” of their initiatives in relation to everyday life. In August, we speak to Jeff Wong, Chief Agency Officer, FWD Hong Kong and Macau, about the power of passion.
In life, we need to have vision to succeed. It’s an insight into the unseen reality – in other words, it’s what guides us to our destination; the road map to realise our dream. But what fuels this journey and keeps us going? That’s where passion comes in.
I speak from experience. I studied accounting in university but that wasn’t exactly where my passion lied. My vision was to run a business eventually, so I decided to give insurance a try to develop my network and skills in sales. Along this 30-plus-year journey, my vision has evolved to becoming a recognisable figure in the industry, but my passion for my work has continued to drive every step that I take, every day.
Passion is a motivation that comes from within. When you have a strong desire for something, you’re willing to put the time, effort and energy into it – often far beyond the minimum required – because the process gives you happiness and satisfaction. Here’s an example: I speak to new insurance agents each month as part of our company’s onboarding journey, and it’d be okay for me to repeat the same speech – but I always prepare different content to inspire the audience, since there are also staff members from the tied agents support team attending these speeches. My passion for what I do pushes me to go the extra mile to exceed expectations.
It’s also an attitude of enthusiasm. A passionate person is capable of applying this mindset to all the important areas of life. We all have different roles; I’m a manager and colleague at work, and also a father and husband at home. If I were “passionate” ¬about my work only and neglected my family, that’s obsession, not true passion. The key is to recognise the things that matter to you, then give them your all without losing balance.
It’s about “Celebrate Living”. More than just a marketing slogan for us, it’s also a philosophy that advocates living in the now and doing everything with passion, whether it’s work or play. This is particularly important for us as an insurance company because insurance isn’t just about the things that you want to avoid – sickness, accidents and death – but also about the things you want to pursue, without worries. So, with the brand promise “Celebrate Living” in mind, we’ve organised and sponsored a wide range of events, from concerts to motivational seminars, for our customers, the public, and our staff and agents to explore different interests while focusing on the present moment.
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Find inspiration from your Taikoo Place neighbours –
Read more from The Mag’s POWER SERIES.
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As CAO of the company, I also encourage our colleagues to pursue their passions. Not everyone is lucky enough to turn their passion into a career – but is there a way you can pursue both? How can you be more creative and resourceful to do what you love while fulfilling your responsibilities? Two of our colleagues, for instance, are talented musicians. We were thrilled when Taikoo Place invited us to participate in this year’s
PROJECT AFTER 6 and brought a music gig to our office, where our two colleagues got to perform with their bands. It was a wonderful opportunity for them to express their passion, and also an incredible employee engagement activity for our company.
But it’s not always easy to keep our passion alive. Sometimes, we may feel lost amid everyday stresses and compromises, and what once excited us may no longer feel the same. This is the time to rediscover our passion. Just like how I gave my kids the freedom to explore different experiences, even those that were deemed “useless” by mainstream opinions (my son was really into pebbles for a while!), we grown-ups also need to give ourselves the space to be inspired by innovative ideas. Talk to others. Open up your mind to new possibilities. You never know what will spark your passion until you’ve tried.
Balancing passion and responsibility is about negotiating with other and ourselves – master the Power of Negotiation with Kennedy’s Wilson Tam.
Do you work at Taikoo Place and want to be featured in The Power Series? Get in touch.