Melissa Gail Sing asks notable award winners in society to share their take on the meaning of an award, how they like to celebrate a big honour, and what distinctions they’d like to see given out in future.   

From Most Inspiring CEO to Best Director to Most Promising Young Achiever to Best for Community Contribution, there are countless awards that honour deserving individuals every year. In a country that places high value on success and achievement like Singapore, prestigious awards are a means of recognising talent and identifying potential success tatler_tatler_stories, distinguishing the very best from the mediocre, and providing inspiration all around.

The first significant award is perhaps the most memorable and the strongest affirmation to keep striving and developing oneself. But subsequently, when even your work files start fighting for office space with your growing collection of medals and trophies, what do those awards mean? And conversely, is the well-decorated individual with an unrivalled medal tally really better than one who simply prefers to let his work speak for itself rather than through awards?

Melissa Gail Sing asks notable award winners in society to share their take on the meaning of an award, how they like to celebrate a big honour, and what distinctions they’d like to see given out in future. 

Claire Chiang

Senior Vice President of Banyan Tree Holdings and a co-founder of Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts, Claire Chiang is also chairperson of Banyan Tree Global Foundation. A former Nominated Member of Parliament, she has been recognised by numerous establishments for her contributions to business and society with awards such as Woman of the Year, the Public Service Medal as well as the Hospitality Lifetime Achievement Award, which she and her husband Ho Kwon Ping received at the 2009 annual China Hotel Investment Summit. The following year, the pair were honoured with Singapore Tatler’s Leadership Award for the Environment. In August 2014, Claire received the Public Service Star BBM for her contribution in implementing work-life integration.

You’ve won a string of awards over the years for your various business and society contributions. What do they mean to you?

I am pleased by the recognition and gracious act. My hard work has been appreciated. Each award is self-affirming and motivates me to move forward to do better and something different.

How have your awards helped you/your business?

My awards have limited direct impact on my business, but they show the world the kind of values and leadership I encourage and how I operate in our business. 

Conversely, if you never won any awards, would that mean you were less successful at what you do?

If you are successful in what you do, the awards will come. That is a bonus. If they do not, it really does not mean you are not successful. People do not often understand enough what you do or have achieved! You are your own best judge of success.

What are some other forms of recognition that you value?

When organisers read out my awards during an introduction, they make me feel that I have lived a meaningful life; I hope that other people, having heard about my experiences, will feel that they too can do just as well and more.

What’s the one award that has never been given out which you’d like to see given out?

It would be good to create a Diversity Leadership Award for a corporate leader who is able to navigate complexities and set policies to manage differences at various levels irrespective of age, race, religion, gender and abilities.

What’s the best way to celebrate an award?

By being thankful, and by being grateful to those who have been on the journey with you. Then you move on to do more.

In the second installment of this five-part series, we speak to a leading female lawyer who's also a firm advocate of the Arts.