“Ambitious” is one of our five core values and encompasses setting clear targets and objectives that stretch, inspire and anchor people’s teamwork. It’s also about pushing each other’s boundaries to challenge the status quo and find new ways to do things innovatively.

Rom Lee, Head of Business Development, and Tang Pei Shih, Head of Distribution Learning and Development (L&D), share how the team hopes to achieve its ambitious goal.

1. What does being Ambitious mean to you?

Rom: Being ambitious is about reaching for what we think is unattainable. We do the best that we can and strive to achieve our goal.

Pei Shih: It’s about having the discipline and commitment to go onwards and upwards, and right now, that is to build a future-ready Agency.

2. How are we supporting Financial Consultants (FCs) to be Future-Ready?

Rom: In the past, our FCs were taught the basics which very much focused on the products and how to perform transactions with a customer. Our learning and development for FCs has since evolved to focus on nurturing skill sets that lean towards holistic financial planning. That’s very important as our customers’ profiles and preferences have changed, and we need to be able to meet the needs of current and future customers.

Pei Shih: Indeed, customers now are very well-read, IT-savvy and look for personalised advisory across their life stages. Equipping our FCs with the financial planning skills they need adds value and differentiates the quality of advice we have for our customers, as well as future proofs our FCs.

The way we deliver our learning and development programmes has also changed. The focus moving ahead will be on self-led learning and more bite-sized learning that’s available on mobile so that FCs can learn on the go. During classroom trainings, we also include more role-playing activities to help FCs put what they’ve learnt into practice.

3. How are we going to reach our goal to be the top Agency?

Rom: Digital is a big part of being future-ready, so having access to digital tools and resources is key. For example, enabling FCs to connect with customers remotely and securely via PRURemote Advice and using of digital signatures and e-payments. These make the whole planning process much more seamless for both FCs and customers.

Scaling up on digital leads generation is also important. Since large scale events are still not going to be possible in the near future, we foresee that our FCs will need digital partnerships and initiatives to provide leads and reach out to new customers.

Pei Shih:We’re also looking at strengthening leadership capabilities for agency leaders so that they can in turn build a more professional and productive team that strives for more ambitious goals. For example, aiming to be part of MDRT and for those who have achieved MDRT, to strive for Court Of the Table & Top Of the Table.

We are also pushing boundaries by encouraging our FCs to be IBF-Certified. This continuous upgrading will help deliver a consistently high standard of financial advisory to our customers.

4. How do we strive to continue being ambitious?

Rom: I believe it’s important to have daily sight of your progress. Otherwise these goals will always remain unattained, if your checkpoints are infrequent.

Pei Shih: I agree with Rom. And I think telling people about your goals also helps you be more accountable for them. So where you can, let people know your goals and invite collaboration.

Rom: And you should always be ready to update the plan you’re following to achieve your goals. The minute you know you are not going to achieve your target, there needs to be remediation and actions taken even on a daily basis to realign yourself.

Pei Shih: In essence, we must all be accountable for and actively work towards our own ambitions.