Creativity in the workplace
A 9-TO-5 OFFICE routine may seem worlds away from the creative sphere, but Alex Chan Lim, country manager of MoneyGram International Inc., has managed to bring the two together.
Lim first picked up the paintbrush when he was 11-years-old. He finished engineering in college, but his love for art never waned.
Even now with his big responsibilities at MoneyGram, he still takes on a very active role in The Chan Family of Artists, a brand that has been around the circuit for over four decades.
Nowadays, works from the collection are making waves in different parts of the country, and have been featured in 14 family exhibits.
The same creativity and dedication that Lim puts in every piece of artwork he also applies to his executive work.
As country manager of MoneyGram, he makes sure that every Filipino consumer who uses the services of his company gets the service that he deserves through careful execution.
“You have to be very focused. When we say we’re going to do it, we will really do it. It’s the same with painting. When I hold the paintbrush, I start painting. I cannot say to my students, ‘I don’t feel inspired today.’ You have to look for inspiration. You need to have commitment,” he says.
MoneyGram’s traditional and digital remittance programs are supported by one mission: To provide a fast, convenient, and safe way of sending money to loved ones.
He adds, “Bad mood or good mood, the show continues. Rain or shine, when you come to the office you must focus on your job, of what is required of you.”
Lim is known for his honest and modest work principles.
According to him, one must know how to humbly admit the size and scope of one’s abilities to properly serve others.
“Do not say you know how to paint if you don’t know how to paint. When I’m unsure about something, I just say, ‘I will get back to you next week.’ Then I try to learn more about it,” he says.
And he puts his knowledge into action as his stint at MoneyGram shows.
“MoneyGram did not have real time products before, but now we do. We did not stop with just one or three banks. It was endless. We want to give people fast services at the lowest possible price,” he adds, “We give people more choices on how to send and receive their money.”
MoneyGram currently services 11 million Filipino migrant workers.
A creative leader, Lim understands the importance of innovation, dedication and focus.
He explains, “We know how to position ourselves. We know what to present to the public.”