Do We Groom Winners, Or Do We Only Cheer Winners?

Following my earlier post on “Which Listed Oil Companies Should You Buy?“, I received a very nice and kind email from a reader sharing the same sentiments. 

The reader highlighted about Clean Energy disrupting the Oil and Gas industries, just like Grab over ComfortDelgro, Netflix over Starhub and Singtel, Internet news over SPH, E-commerce over SG REITs maybe? 

Will Oil giants eventually be sharing the same fate as ComfortDelgro, Starhub, Singtel, SPH etc? 

My thoughts as follows. 

I guess the problem is not so much in the disruption, but the lack of innovation, lack of foresight, and lack of long term investment in those companies that lag behind, despite the “sheer size and muscles” they have! 
I also think that for Keppel and Sembcorp Marine, it will be very difficult for them to have great and major success in Renewables, because while Oil companies invested heavily already long time ago in renewables, Keppel and SCM only started to do it, when Oil market is bad. 
 
It is too late. 
 
Furthermore, I genuinely have doubts that Keppel and SCM’s management are equal or near to the calibre of top management in Oil giants, as far as  Long term Vision, Strategy, and Execution. I hope I am for once, wrong! 
 
It somehow resonates that most, if not all, Singapore listco, tend to invest only “where the wind blows”. We somehow proved to be just not good enough or lack of faith, hunger and conviction to anticipate the wind direction before it blows! 
 
It is unquestionable that Singapore is good in planning, organising, and implementing rules! But when it comes to innovation, and invest into something with unforeseeable future or something that can be potential risky, we simply are are plain mediocre or even sub-par!  
 
It is good to be risk adverse, but to take no risks in business? Hmmm……. *thinking*!
 
Joseph Schooling’s parents sacrificed so much, and invested in their son, with commitment, money, and time, over a long period of time putting faith in him. Schooling repaid the parents with his hardwork, determination and historic Olympic Gold. 
 
Currently, I myself is also doing the same, being a hopeful parent that one day, my child can be a sportsperson! 
 
Who did the grooming more? The country or the parents?  
 
For perspective sake, when Joseph Schooling reach the Olympics finals, we hear cheers, good news everywhere, and even the booking of business class flights to Brazil!  
 
Where are all the cheers before he become a champion? 
 
Do we groom winners, or do we only cheer winners? 

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3 thoughts on “Do We Groom Winners, Or Do We Only Cheer Winners?

  1. morn Brolf, nurturing the next local born table tennis Olympic gold medalist? =)

    i love the pic of Schooling and his champ taken when he was still a young geeky kid with specs (probably 10 years old?) i think it serves as a major inspiration.

    1. Nah…. sports and study, you can only choose one! SG is way too tough for Sports to excel, as without academics, you are "nothing"!

      While JS's achievement is amazing, the real unsung heros are his parents!

    2. thats true. thats the "beauty" of meritocracy in our society.

      yes, for sure! parents definitely unsung heroes!

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