Empathy Needed to Solve Real World Problems: SIM-Warwick Graduates Told

To solve real world problems, empathy, not just knowledge and competencies, is needed - this was the message to the engineering business management and logistics graduating classes at a recent SIM-University of Warwick graduation event.

19 Sep 2019

5 mins read

To solve real world problems, empathy, not just knowledge and competencies, is needed – this was the message to the engineering business management and logistics graduating classes at a recent SIM-University of Warwick graduation event.

Speaking to the graduates on 6 September, Dr Lee Kwok Cheong, Senior Advisor of SIM, cautioned about the danger of using their knowledge and competencies to do a job so well that they “[become] such a good hammer that every job looks like a nail”. He related his patient experience at a hospital under the hands of highly-trained and skilled doctors and yet did not feel that he was cared for as a person.

“Solving problems in the complex world and removing pain points of your customers would be your real competitive advantage”, he stressed. Doing that requires applying competencies and leveraging resources and capabilities beyond themselves or their organisations, and stepping into the shoes of their customers.

Echoing Dr Lee’s message to keep unlearning and relearning, valedictorian Mr Andy William shared how learning to accept blundering is important. He added, “If we didn’t make mistakes, it could mean that we had not tried anything new. This will be a disaster in today’s fast moving world where we need to change and improve constantly”.

Since 2006, SIM has been offering Warwick’s programmes ranging from logistics and supply chain management to engineering and cyber security. Established in 1965, the University of Warwick is one of the United Kingdom’s leading research universities, with an acknowledged reputation for excellence in research and teaching, innovation and links with business and industry.

Mr Andy William pursued a Master’s degree in supply chain and logistics management to equip himself in running his start-up in the field.

A class photo with Dr Lee (5th from right); Professor Robin Clark, National Teaching Fellow, Director of Education, WMG, The University of Warwick (5th from left); and Dr Goh Kiah Mok, Principle Research Engineer, Knowledge Transfer Office, SIMTech (3rd from right).

Article extracted from sim.edu.sg – 13 Sep 2019