The Leaders’ Comrade and Confidante
Unorthodox. Entrepreneurial. Multi-faceted.
I came from a generation where a ‘professional career’ and a ‘specialisation’ were superior to any ‘generalist’. I cringed whenever anyone asked me the question, ‘What do you specialise in?’. I need not be pigeon holed in a specific function. Let me tell you why.
Potential Unlocked with Multifaceted Expertise
The CliftonStrengths Assessment describes me as someone naturally Strategic and an Arranger - I find patterns in complexity, quickly generate solutions, and identify trends and opportunities others miss, while considering available resources. In complex situations, I manage variables, seeking the most productive configuration. When faced with the unexpected, I dive into confusion, devise new options, and form partnerships to advance.
These innate strengths were reflected in my work which involved formulating industry transformation strategies, managing business processes, systems, and engaging people; in multiple sectors ranging from the different service industries, creative and technology, to the public sector.
I naturally see trends at a macro level and coordinate resources for swift execution on the ground. I thrive in dynamic situations, offering unique perspectives that surpass those of a one-trick pony. I am not confined to any specific role or function.
Navigating complexity with ease, I harness strategic visions with multifaceted expertise alongside leaders and entrepreneurs.
The Entrepreneurial Spirit Shown
While I might have spent my earlier career as a salaried employee or officer in the private and public sectors, I had always intuitively looked out for challenges entirely new to me. All the better when it was a new project, new company, and even a new industry.
Along this trajectory I soon found myself being part of the pre-opening team of multiple entities: hotels, consulting firms, a key department of a newly incepted statutory board, and eventually this solopreneurship!
A former boss once remarked that I had a natural knack to ‘build something out of nothingness’. (I cheekily asked if he meant rumours). These days we call this ‘entrepreneurship’, a term which didn’t exist in my time.
It is this entrepreneurial spirit in me that supports my clients to bring their visions to life.
Embracing the Unorthodox Side of Me
In every endeavour to overcome the universal challenges faced across industries, I ventured beyond the commonplace and the mundane, reveling in the excitement of experimenting with audacious ideas (and I still do!). They were often met with puzzled eyes and dropped jaws that eventually blossomed into delighted smiles (and admittedly some sighs of relief) at the outcomes. Since then, I proudly embrace the unorthodox me.
The guts to do things differently is precisely what today’s entrepreneurs need to stay ahead of the curve.
Nurture Budding Leaders.
Scale Rising Enterprises.
The best partnerships are forged upon shared values. Do we share common values?
My Values.
I Am Who I Am, Respectfully
Within the boundaries of the Universal Principles of Life, I am an accountable individual, proudly and authentically me.
In a world that is constantly trying to make me something else, I stay true to myself through regular introspection, aligning my actions with my values.
I embrace my own vulnerability and I am not afraid to talk about it. I respect the authenticity of others much as I respect my own. I don’t shy away from difficult conversations with others but courageously carry through them respectfully.
This is the foundation of all the genuine and meaningful relationships I cultivate.
I Am Connected
I am deeply connected to a sense of purpose in life. I am part of the larger whole. I have a role and a mission to make our society a better place. This is the anchor of my value system.
Things happen for a reason. Life threw quite a few lemons in my face, but in retrospect, they were preparing me for my current calling. For that reason, I am accepting, but I am not withdrawn.
Many told me that I am a bridge, fostering empathetic and genuine relationships amongst people. I aspire to leave a lasting legacy and inspire others to join the collective effort of achieving a sense of purpose in life.
I Make A Difference
I effect change. I do real work that creates ripples of positive influence in society, in others and within myself.
I take responsibility in driving positive change, no matter how small each change may be, because I know that bit by bit, day by day, one by one, when accumulated over time, they lead to a substantial and meaningful impact.
I pay forward the kindness that I receive, creating a chain of positive impact in society, starting with my connections and network.
Reach out for a conversation.
My collaborator says
When Candice, a trusted friend and former supervisor, invited me to collaborate with her on building her coaching site, I was taken aback that she asked me, and told her as much. I’ve had a corporate gig in strategy and research, and am currently a freelance researcher and writer. In my free time, I help to run an animal shelter and advocate for animal welfare. The only experience I’ve had in building sites was for my personal portfolio and for the animal shelter.
I repeated these to Candice, and she was even more enthused. “I’m not looking for a seasoned web designer,” she told me. “I am looking for someone who I know has the guts to try new stuff with me; doesn’t matter if it’s how ‘typically’ webpages are designed.”
Puzzled but intrigued by the prospect of an adventure, I agreed and we set off.
Along the way, we iterated, discovered many new things, reworked and revised our layout and content numerous times, and through it all I got to better understand Candice and her coaching approach, especially her unusual, assumption-questioning take on everything. She’s The Unorthodox Coach, and this is reflected in her journey from corporate to coaching, which is an amalgamation of her years of grounded, action-oriented experience as well as reflective wisdom. Now I understand why she wanted to work with me; our journeys echo each other’s and she saw that sometimes, doing things the ‘non-conventional’ way can be the best way - even to the surprising extent of asking her web designer to leave a message on her ‘About’ page!
And so this is the fruit of our labour. Candice and I are proud of our effort - an authentic, heartfelt offering that communicates sincerity and earnestness; showcases collaboration and comradeship; and in my view, a true representation of Candice’s fun, energetic, unorthodox spirit.
Genine Loo, Designer of “Candice Lim: The Unorthodox Coach”