GEORGE TAN

Human resource professional, change agent, head-hunter, entrepreneur, writer, publisher, hope-giver, life-long student

George Tan writes from personal experience – the experience of struggling through a rough childhood and finally achieving success after success in post-graduate studies, career and entrepreneurship. In 2004, at age 46, George embarked on a new life journey as a writer, publisher and hope-giver. He writes to offer hope and inspiration. He believes that his life story, of overcoming tremendous odds to achieve excellence, can be an inspiration to others. He believes, too, that the personal life skills model that he has developed and calls PRAISE^TM, can be a useful tool to help others realise their dreams.

George’s first major achievement came at age 27, when he topped a diploma course and a Master’s Degree in Human Resource Development (from George Washington University) while holding a full-time career as an officer in the Republic of Singapore Navy. His 10-year navy career was a major turning point. George was trained in operational readiness, military planning process and contingency planning, as well as strategic thinking, particularly Sun Zi's Art of War. He also had a unique opportunity to observe and analyse the Falklands War of 1982. This helped George internalise his training and it led him to develop PRAISE^TM as a personal life skills model that can be applied to any situation. PRAISE^TM became his life blood, his survival kit as well as his success formula.

After the Navy, George went through a series of tough learning assignments in the corporate world. He was often an agent of change and had to implement radical measures which, although unpopular, ultimately proved instrumental in turning around the performance and profitability of the companies that he worked for.

George's first stop was the Sentosa Development Corporation, where he helped to promote one of Singapore’s top tourist attractions. He moved on to National Semiconductor Corp, and was instrumental in developing a Training Needs Analysis and Total Training Plan. At Westin Hotels, where he was the Personnel Manager, George introduced a number of new and bold initiatives, one of which involved turning all job applicants into goodwill Ambassadors for the five-star hotel. He won high praises from the General Manager, who commented that the recruitment and retention figures have never been so good before.

The quest for greater challenges led George to take on the task of turning around a 16-year-old Japanese manufacturing company that was on the verge of collapse. By introducing a culture of Integrated Quality across the entire organisation, George helped the company win the Vendor Award (Silver) and Vendor Award (Gold) in the two years that he worked there. At 33, George became Group Personnel Manager of First Capital Corporation, a conglomerate with operations across Asia Pacific. He was, at that time, one of Singapore’s youngest group personnel managers entrusted with regional responsibilities. To focus the diverse elements of the conglomerate on the corporate mission, George helped develop a Group Culture Manual and a 10-year Human Resource Management Master Plan.

Having reached the apex of his corporate career, George decided at age 35 to embark on entreprenuership. This was to be a new learning journey with no end date for graduation. Since then, he has successfully managed his international recruitment and head-hunting business with networks in China, India and other Asia Pacific countries.

Writing and publishing is George’s latest learning adventure. He writes to spread hope to those who, like him, might not have grown up under favourable circumstances and/or have suffered lots of setbacks in life. He writes with a simple philosophy: “Never say die!” Through publishing inspirational and motivational books, it is George's dream to connect people, through sharing of life experiences and mutual encouragement, for the betterment of mankind.