Saturday 8 December 2018
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Translating
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Lessons from a ‘reluctant’ leader Stepping into the C-suite
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Belief alone does not yield success. Great breakthroughs can only be accomplished through hard work, planning, leadership and practice, but without the fire of belief, most people quit. What are the things in your life that you want to do but everyone thinks are impossible? Maybe even you believe they are impossible. Perhaps it is a goal you have given up on, or a target you think can’t be achieved. Maybe you think it is impossible to turn your business around or to inspire your employees? Check out this article on Leaderonomics. com: bit.ly/ RTbeliefsystem
STRUGGLE OR SUCCEED? A LOOK AT EASTERN AND WESTERN VIEWS ON INTELLIGENCE AND SUCCESS By SANDY CLARKE editor@leaderonomics.com
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HAT does it mean to struggle or succeed? If a challenge is too much, do we push on regardless or give up? With success, which is more important: a boost in self-worth or external recognition? The answers to these questions are dependent on whom you ask. While they point to generalisations (there are of course exceptions), we find some fascinating insights when comparing eastern and western perspectives. Cultural beliefs play a significant role in how we approach and interact with life, and differences between cultures can yield significantly different approaches and produce diverse results. If we look at what it means to struggle in an education setting, for example, there are intriguing variances that have considerable implications for students on each side of the East-West divide.
East-West outlook on intelligence
In the West, the general idea of intelligence is that it’s an inherent quality – in other words, you either have it or you don’t. If you’re ‘bad’ at maths, chances are you won’t improve much, but that’s probably because you’re more creativelyinclined... or so the misconception goes. Traditionally, a struggling child in a Western school does not carry positive connotations; it’s very much seen in a negative light. Support and encouragement will be provided, but only in terms of making sure there is no further slip in standard, rather than helping the child to overcome their struggles and thrive. In the East, if children are struggling, rather than it being seen it as a weakness, it’s looked upon as an opportunity to grow. Jin Li, a professor at Brown University, has spent more than a decade recording and comparing conversations between parents and children from America and Taiwan. In an interview, she reveals that American parents view intelligence as a cause – something that is already within us that enables us to make progress.
Meanwhile, Asian cultures see the link between intelligence and excellence in a different light. As Li explains, “It resides in what they do, but not who they are, what they’re born with.” In 1979, Jim Stigler – currently a professor of psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) – visited Japan as a graduate student to research teaching methods and was astonished at what he found. A child, who was struggling to draw three-dimensional cubes, was invited to put his work on the classroom board. Following repeated attempts to correct the drawing, the teacher asked the class if it was correct. The students shook their heads in unison. Finally, when the struggling child correctly drew the three-dimensional shape, the class applauded the progress and the proud student went back to his seat. The struggle had paid off, and the persever-
ance rewarded. Stigler later observed, “I think that from very early ages we (in America) see struggle as an indicator that you’re just not very smart. It’s a sign of low ability – people who are smart don’t struggle, they just naturally get it, that’s our folk theory. On the other hand, in Asian cultures, they tend to see struggle more as an opportunity.”
The perception of success
As with struggling, success is also generally viewed with more nuance in the East compared to the West. Studies suggest that, while Westerners perceive success as an individualistic concept (‘Doing well for yourself’), Asian cultures tend to view it through a more communal lens – whether that points to collective benefit, or seeking external approval that represents – in effect, a collective recognition of a person’s excellence.
In one interesting study, researchers found that American participants were much more likely to feel contented being ‘big fish’ in small ponds (i.e. average organisations or universities), while Chinese participants inclined towards a preference of being ‘small fish’ in bigger – and thus more impressive – ponds. The prestige of success, it seems, differs in that Westerners tend to adopt the express attitude of not worrying about what other people think. Success adds to self-esteem and confidence, and that’s good enough. On the other hand, for many Asians, it’s not good enough that they know how well they’re doing – additional recognition of their excellence is sought from the likes of family, peers and future employers. Gaining and maintaining ‘face’ is important. So, what does this mean for people within Asian cultures? While it can certainly be argued that many of them are more collectivist and community-centric than their Western counterparts, other personal qualities might be found lacking as a result of cultural views on what it means to struggle and achieve. Within the education setting, Li suggests, “Our children are not creative. Our children do not have individuality. They’re just robots. You hear the educators from Asian countries express that concern, a lot.” There will also be implications from the point of self-worth in some Asian students as they internalise the need to seek validation from outside themselves before their achievements mean anything to them. This points to two burning questions that will surely require consideration from educators: How can the existing model of education be augmented to help create a balance between individuality and collectivism? And can creativity, happiness and well-being find a place within a model geared towards hard work and achievement, to help nurture well-rounded leaders of the future? n Sandy Clarke is a freelance writer from the UK with over 10 years of experience in journalism and public relations. To connect with Sandy, send an email to editor@leaderonomics.com.
www.leaderonomics.com | Saturday 8 December 2018
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Lessons From Martin Luther King Jr. By ROSHAN THIRAN roshan.thiran@leaderonomics.com “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” – Martin Luther King Jr.
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N 1935, a six-year-old boy from Atlanta, US, was told by two school friends that they couldn’t play with him anymore. His mother explained to him that this was because they now attended segregated schools. This was Martin Luther King Jr.’s first experience of living life as a second-class citizen, someone who was seen as less than human based solely on the colour of their skin. It profoundly affected the young boy who would go on to win the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts in leading the Civil Rights Movement. Dr Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968) was a key figure in fighting for civil rights to end the legal segregation of black Americans who were subjected to brutal injustice and continuous oppression.
The Early Days
He was born Michael Luther King Jr. and was known as little Mike before his father changed his name to Martin. Leaving school at the age of 15, King achieved his BA degree at Morehouse College – the same institution from which his father and grandfather graduated. Following his study of theology at Crozer Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania, he was awarded the Bachelor’s of Divinity. In his senior class, he was elected president in a predominantly white group.
The Reluctant Leader
In 1955, he achieved his doctorate in Theology from Boston University. It was there that he met his future wife, Coretta Scott, with whom he had two sons and two daughters. He was constantly reading and learning, and his speeches are littered with references to great leaders and philosophers of the past. A key trait of great leaders is that they learn continually, reading voraciously and absorbing content everywhere they go. Later that same year, a woman named Rosa Parks was arrested in Montgomery for refusing to give up her seat on a bus for a white passenger. On the evening of Dec 5, following a day of boycotting the bus services, the
Montgomery Improvement Association was formed at the basement of the Holt Street Baptist Church (Dr King’s church). When no one seemed to step up to the plate, he was elected its president at 6 pm – although Dr King had no intention of leading this movement. At 7 pm, the newly elected president was supposed to give a speech during mass. Dr King ran home to tell his wife and had about 20 minutes to prepare a speech. Normally, he would take about 15 hours to prepare a sermon but after a few minutes of panic, he jotted down some lines and headed back to the church where thousands had gathered. He delivered an inspiring speech from his heart that began the movement which not only helped him figure out his calling, but inspired millions to follow suit.
Being Faithful To Your Vision
Many times in life, like Dr King, leadership is thrust on to us. How we seize that moment (even if we are unsure, as he was) and leverage it, determines the kind of leader we are. In 1956, as the movement began to take shape, Dr King received death threats, and his house was bombed in late January as he addressed a meeting. Although no one was hurt, the charismatic pastor later had to implore angry crowds to observe non-violence as they called for retribution. He once observed that, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.” It was this belief that fuelled his spiritual journey and social conscience, along with drawing inspiration from peaceful campaigners such as Mohandas Gandhi and Thich Nhat Hanh. Dr King knew that despite calls from many to fight back and defend yourself when violence is dished out to you, he stood his ground – faithful to his calling for a non-violent protest and movement. What about us? Are we faithful to our vision? Do we cut corners and compromise principles to achieve our goals? Or do we, like Dr King, remain faithful to our calling?
Taking The Long And Winding Road
Knowing that the struggle for civil rights and equality would be a long and winding road, stretching out even after his own time, Dr King was nevertheless determined that action should always be
taken where action was necessary. The length of time it took to achieve the goal didn’t matter – only that it was achieved. As he once said, “If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward.”
If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward. Many a time, we feel like giving up. Our goals seem too impossible, too far away. I have on many occasions felt like giving up on the Leaderonomics dream. Yet, like Dr King, we need to have longterm focus and patience. Great things come to those who wait, to those who keep at the task at hand and know that even if he or she fails to achieve the mission, someone else will carry that work on to completion one day. Our role is to patiently keep going forward.
The Power Of The Spoken Word
On Aug 28, 1963, ‘The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom’ saw over 200,000 people in attendance at the Lincoln Memorial. It was on this day that the famous ‘I Have A Dream’ speech was delivered by Dr King, who included several hopes he had for humanity: “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the colour of their skin but by the content of their character.” This speech rocked the nation and began swinging the pendulum for the movement. Many times, as leaders, we do not realise the power of the words we use. Words have a profound effect on people. The words we choose and the words we utter, can inspire or deflate.
Words can bless or curse. Words can have a magical effect on people’s motivation and zeal towards you and your work. As leaders, we need to be conscious that words can define our success or failure. In December 1964, Dr King was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize at a ceremony in Oslo, Norway. He announced that the USD54,000 would go entirely towards helping the civil rights struggle.
The Finale
In his last public speech, delivered in Memphis on April 3, 1968, Dr King gave an inspiring call to peaceful action to those in attendance. In the prophetic ‘I’ve Been to the Mountaintop’ speech, he said: “Like any man, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I’m not concerned about that now. I just want to do God’s will. And He’s allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I’ve looked over. And I’ve seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people will get to the promised land.” The following day, Dr King was shot and killed as he stood on the balcony of his hotel in Memphis. He was buried in Atlanta – returning to the place where he called home and where his struggle began. Dr King always spoke out, even when it was not convenient and even if it meant death. He always held to his principles, never compromising. He always put the mission ahead of even his own personal agenda. Dr King was a leader who showed the importance of living with courage, staying true to your principles, and to keep fighting to realise your vision even if the odds are stacked heavily against you. Passion and perseverance are powerful forces against any challenge, no matter its size or how long it takes to overcome. As for his legacy, less than a year after his assassination, Shirley Chisholm became the first black female member of Congress. America saw its first black American president elected to the White House in 2008, and black Americans now rightly enjoy greater freedom and rights. But if there’s one thing that the life and times of Dr King show us, it’s that we should never rest on our laurels. We need to keep struggling, believing, and pushing forward with our convictions, beliefs, and dreams. Only when we do, can we leave a legacy as powerful as Dr Martin Luther King Jr.
Today, the word ‘Machiavellian’ refers to someone, especially a political figure, who is viewed as sly, cunning, unscrupulous and ruthless. It’s a term rarely used in a complimentary manner and yet, the man behind the expression is regarded as one of history’s most brilliant strategic minds and ‘the father of modern political theory’. Check out another of Roshan’s lessons from the greats here: bit.ly/ LDRmachiavelli
At times, we can be facing an uphill battle to make a change in the world. It can feel like we are stuck in a helpless situation and we get fixated on the idea that we do not have a choice in certain situations. Leaderonomics leadership training programmes can help you be an effective strategist who is also proactive and action-oriented. Some of our leadership courses are designed to help you take control of your life and use your strength of character to make the right decisions. Through these courses, participants will also learn to focus on things they can change and how to be in charge when situations go beyond control. Email us at info@leaderonomics. com to find out more.
n Roshan Thiran is the founder and CEO of Leaderonomics and is hoping that many others will go forward to start movements that make a difference like Dr King. To connect with Roshan and to receive daily leadership nuggets, go to facebook. com/roshanthiran. leaderonomics, Twitter (@lepaker), Instagram or LinkedIn.
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www.leaderonomics.com | Saturday 8 December 2018
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Appreciation is an important part of work life, and a key characteristic of every good leader is the ability to appreciate his or her colleagues. In their book The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace, Gary Chapman and Paul White talk about the five basic ways to express appreciation: through Words of Affirmation, Acts of Service, Receiving Gifts, Quality Time, and Physical Touch. Are you showing enough appreciation to your work mates? Check out bit.ly/ STappreciation
Emotional Intelligence Understanding Its Value In Strong Leadership By LISA STEPHENSON editor@leaderonomics.com
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EADING with strength and authenticity, attracting the right talent to work in your business, having healthy workplace culture and achieving strong financial growth, can all be attributed to the emotional intelligence of those sitting in the leadership roles. Champion of emotional intelligence Daniel Goleman recommended to the world that the ability to manage one’s own emotions and those of others was more important than a person’s intellect. According to research from Harvard Business School, emotional intelligence – commonly referred to as emotional quotient (EQ) – is twice as important as intellectual ability (IQ).
EQ vs IQ
Historically, the corporate world has heavily valued IQ, measuring it thor-
oughly before appointing people to positions of influence. Being ‘smart’ was a direct reflection of your ability to do business. In more recent times, we have generally acknowledged that this thinking does not equate to building successful relationships. We’ve seen organisations invest in teaching their teams to have courageous conversations and provide quality feedback, to take time to initiate activities that build the self-awareness of those who are responsible for the development of people. But have we really understood what is possible if we truly value EQ in our leaders? Words such as ‘authenticity’ and ‘collaboration’ are constantly used when we refer to expectations of our leaders today – they both require an ability to deeply understand the experience a person creates for others. On the surface, this creates conversation around what we mean by personal brand, but more strategically this is a
true ability to work robustly and respectfully with others.
character and values
We want to report to people who are emotionally healthy and resilient. We admire leaders who are confident in their ability to navigate conflict and say sorry if they get it wrong. We want those setting the strategy to tell the truth and bring optimism to the room. We want leaders who are strong in their values, beliefs and life experience. My experience as a success coach tells me that these attributes equate to trust, and we can’t have strong leadership without it. In fact, this may be more important than inspiration. Patty McCord helped create the high performing workplace culture that now exists at Netflix. In her best-selling book Powerful she essentially tells us that traditional approaches to leading people through performance appraisals and bonuses don’t work. Certainly, we are not all working in Silicon Valley, but what people need and
want from leaders is global. This is not about what some might call soft skills. Sure, listening and rapport building matter. Resolving conflict and negotiating are seen on most of our CVs, and being likeable does count, but what we are really talking about here is not soft. It’s critical. It’s essential.
Tapping into potential
The challenge for small businesses and global organisations alike is to move at pace and to do it with innovation, while tapping into the potential of the people who are actually doing the work! Leaders need to leverage both their instincts and intuition. If your current role or the team you are leading want to be successful, then investing in building EQ bench strength is possibly the most important investment you will make. n Lisa Stephenson is a global success coach, author of Read Me First, and founding director of Lisa Stephenson Consulting. To connect with her, send an email to editor@leaderonomics.com.
www.leaderonomics.com | Saturday 8 December 2018
By CHRISTIE CHUA christie.chua@leaderonomics.com
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T is natural for businesses to evolve over time, as they tweak their business strategies to meet the everchanging needs of consumers. However, we live in rapidly changing times and there are various factors that can disrupt the niche that owners have carved out for their businesses, many of which they have no control over. Businesses cannot afford to rest on their laurels just because they have enjoyed satisfying returns in the past, because they risk becoming irrelevant if they do not keep up with the evolving markets. It is said that the only constant is change, and it is far better to seek change than to be forced into it.
Staying Relevant In Business
The importance of having the right team
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Adapting to change
Segamat Panel Boards (SPB) is a company that originally specialised in high quality, thin panel medium-density fibreboard (MDF) when it was first established in 2002. These were more difficult to make at the time, and commanded a premium price. However, the business climate has changed with fierce competition coming from neighbouring countries such as Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam, and the product has become commoditised. With the market no longer being niche and business cycles getting shorter, the company realised a few years ago that its business model was maturing – and more worrying is that it was outdated. This is in part due to the dwindling availability of rubber wood, the raw material used to produce MDFs and other wood-based products – and this has become one of the major obstacles faced by SPB. Hence, the company embarked on a mission to seek an alternative to the rubberwood and tropical timbers which – up until a few years ago – was their primary source of raw material, as they knew it would not be sustainable in the long term. While SPB has been successful in identifying an alternative (i.e. oil palm trunks) through collaborations with researchers from several European universities, this brought on its own set of challenges. Managing director Peter Fitch shares that the company’s profit margins are a far cry from what they were five to ten years ago, making it difficult to justify new investments and secure financing for new projects. “When people look at our recent performance in the current business, they will ask a lot of questions such as, ‘Are you sure that what you want to do is really going to generate money and yield returns?’” This issue is not unique to SPB; it is a challenge for the Malaysian timber industry as a whole, which has been classified as a sunset industry. “It’s quite commonly known that all the banks have put an overall restriction on the amount of investment they are willing to put into this industry, because they classify it as an industry that is in decline,” says Fitch. “That’s why funding for this industry is always extremely challenging.”
People and company culture are the core
Nevertheless, Fitch is of the opinion that all these issues boil down to being people and company culture-related. “It doesn’t matter whether it’s a technical or product problem, a sales or marketing issue, or even a challenge with getting financing – at the end of the day, it’s all about people and company culture.” While SPB’s initial obstacles were related to technical issues and creating a market for its products, the ongoing challenge is to ensure that the company’s
The Segamat Panel Boards management team at its premises in Segamat, Johor.
Fitch: It doesn’t matter whether it’s a technical or product problem, a sales or marketing issue, or even a challenge with getting financing – at the end of the day, it’s all about people and company culture. employees possess the correct skill sets to sustain its markets and keep it at the forefront of product innovation. “This is why the recruiting, training and nurturing of the relevant skill set to run our business is very crucial,” says Fitch. Fitch shares that being based in Segamat (a district in the north of Johor) poses a challenge when it comes to recruiting senior management, because many tend to gravitate towards major cities such Kuala Lumpur or even Singapore. “Once they hear that they will have to move to Segamat, they’re not interested,” he says. As for the middle management, Fitch says that many lack the appropriate skill set. “Even though candidates say they have a degree or diploma, we find that their education level and skill sets don’t match up – in fact, it can be surprisingly poor.” The company’s distance from metropolitan areas, however, is a blessing when it comes to attracting general workers. “It’s relatively easy, because we’re able to recruit workers from the (Segamat) town and the nearby villages and Felda areas,” says Fitch.
It is because of this that SPB is not dependent on foreign workers to operate the machines in its factory, unlike many other small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Malaysia. “We need to move away from a dependency on unskilled, low-salaried workers, and move towards a highskilled, highly educated, and inclusive workforce. We need a workforce that shares our company culture,” says Fitch. SPB certainly walks the talk when it comes to this – with the exception of a few Burmese workers who have been with the company for almost seven years, all the workers in SPB are locals.
Empowering people through learning
To ensure that all employees possess skills that match the requirements of their roles, SPB reviews its training needs analysis regularly to identify gaps in competencies. “We have a continued commitment to both internal and external training,” states Fitch. For example, any manager or supervisor who has gone for external training is obliged to transfer their newly-acquired knowledge to the others by becoming
an internal trainer in that particular skill. Likewise, any internal training is shared from the top down and is inclusive of all workers. “When we carry out training, we tweak the theme to ensure it fits in with our company culture of integrity, innovation and sustainability,” says Fitch. Fitch adds that not only does the company benchmark itself against domestic and international peers within the industry, it also looks to other industries for inspiration as well. “We look primarily at the people within the wood industry, but why not look at other industries such as the electronics, automotive, or even the service sector as well? There’s much to learn about what we can improve, and how we can bring our business up to that level.” Fitch also believes that it is important to empower employees, but first they need to become more confident in their roles. This is critical as the company’s factory operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Senior management may not be on site early in the morning, late at night, and on weekends, so supervisors, line leaders and operators must possess the necessary skills to make critical decisions autonomously and work with confidence. To achieve that, Fitch says that the company needs to encourage employees to take more responsibility for their own actions and find ways to continually improve skills and develop positive attitudes. Another key way that this is done in SPB is by having the more senior staff mentor the junior staff. When asked what other SMEs should keep in mind when trying to evolve with the market, Fitch had this to share: “We have a check sheet to see if we’re on track or not. First, is it technically and commercially feasible? Is it something you can scale? Is it something where we’re the first ones, and there’s nobody else in the space? Is it something that is beneficial for the company, the country, and the environment?” “If you tick all those boxes, then you should go ahead with your innovative idea and business model,” states Fitch.
The total land area dedicated to rubber plantations in Malaysia has shrunk over the years, causing a decline in the availability of rubberwood. Thus, businesses that are reliant on this resource are not able to grow any further, and are in fact struggling to find alternative sources. What can the wood-based industry do about this? Read more: bit.ly/ timberdilemmaCC
n Segamat Panel Boards Sdn Bhd recently won the grand prize in the AmBank BizRACE 2018, beating close to 1,000 SMEs to win the AmBank Business of the Year 2018 title. Visit spb.com.my to find out more about them.
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Transitioning To The C-Suite Lessons from failure By CASSANDRA FRANGOS editor@leaderonomics.com
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E love to read about the dynamics of success. We study it, celebrate it, and try to emulate how successful leaders
rise to the top. I’m no different: I’ve spent my career helping executives succeed, either through coaching and development, or assessments of their strengths and opportunity areas to identify the development work they need to do to take their careers to the next level. But even as I’m drawn to success stories, I have found that the greatest lessons come from examining failure. For instance, my last research effort looked into how elite executives make a successful transition to the C-suite. As I worked through the interviews, I found that executives whose careers had been derailed shared many commonalities. Specifically, I found that C-suite executives are vulnerable to career failure when they are in the midst of one of three common transition scenarios.
There are many young ambitious individuals who aspire to be CEOs at some point in their careers. But what does it really take to be a great CEO? Here is a great article on this topic, backed by global studies on some of these CEOs: bit.ly/ ECgreatCEO
With change, comes resistance but change is unavoidable in this VUCA (vulnerable, uncertain, complex and ambiguous) world. Here are four steps to get your team’s buy-in when change takes place: bit.ly/ CMbuyin
2018 has definitely been the Year of the Human. This year, the research, analytics, and insights space became obsessed with all things human. The topic was at the core of almost every industry conference. Thought leaders and major players throughout the industry seemed to focus on the importance of the human element. Finally, right?! AI and human, we have arrived! Now that the importance of approaching data with a sense of humanity has become fashionable, the question of what exactly does it mean to be human in business is the next open question missing in headlines and podcasts alike. Even though I consider myself to be a student of human behaviour like most data and insight professionals, I had some particularly good reminders – or lessons – on humanity recently. In sharing these with you, my hope is that we can all be inspired to find the human element in every business interaction or situation.
The Human Element In Business 5 lessons on humanity
Ways to Connect Authentically 1 Find
The Association of National Advertisers (ANA) recently hosted an event in Southern California (SoCal) which I attended. Tracy Owens, senior vice president (SVP) of New Member Acquisition was also going to be there. We had not seen each other in over six years. Yet, we picked up instantly where we’d left off as if it had only been six days and not six years. How did that happen? After some reflection, I concluded that starting relationships authentically – as we had done years ago as two professionals bonding over shared challenges, struggles, successes and victories – was the key. We had started a deeper, more human relationship six years ago. What was the lesson here?
leap into leadership 1 The
The transition to the top team is demanding, with 50 to 60 per cent of executives failing within the first 18 months of being promoted or hired. For instance, Gil Amelio was Apple’s chief executive officer (CEO) for less than a year in 1997, and General Motors’ chief human resources officer (CHRO) decamped in 2018 after just eight months on the job. For some, this high-profile leadership transition is more than they bargained for. They are unprepared for the frantic pace or they lack the requisite big-picture perspective. (61 per cent of executives can’t meet the strategic challenges they face in senior leadership.) This is an especially common risk for leapfrog leaders – executives one or two steps down in the organisation who skip levels when they are elevated to a top spot. But even the most seasoned executives have little transparency into looming team dysfunctions or insurmountable challenges until they are actually in the role. One veteran executive I know accepted a job reporting to the CEO only to find that her functional area had been mismanaged and was in serious financial disarray. She started to turn around its performance in year one, but her reporting structure was altered mid-stream, and she found herself accountable to the chief financial officer (CFO). The new situation left her feeling ‘micromanaged’, and she moved on two years later. The single best thing a new executive can do to avoid a brief tenure is to actively pursue feedback. Most undergo rigorous executive assessments prior to receiving an offer, but soon, they are too occupied with the demands of the job to be introspective. Many benefit from in-depth, 360-degree reviews at six to eight months and then again at 18 months. One division president I interviewed learned in her 360s that board members were sceptical of her abilities. To her credit, she did the difficult work of getting to know the board members
By SUSAN PETOYAN editor@leaderonomics.com
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Deposit a bit of authenticity in every relationship you form, whether or not there is a transactional value involved. better and put together a plan to actively win them over. Overall, knowing the areas others think you need to grow in allows you to get the support you need – executive coaching, finding a peer-mentor, or adjusting your team to round out your development areas. It also helps you assess whether you are fitting into the culture or if you need to strengthen key relationships internally and externally.
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The organisational transition
I would argue that nearly every organisation today is either considering or enacting a transformation of some type. Even in this ‘change is the new normal’ reality, high stakes transformations are highly risky for executives who fail to reinvent the organisation or themselves fast enough. Mergers, for instance, create instant overlap in executive roles, and redundant leaders can be swept out in waves. Just as often, leaders fail to read the tea leaves before a surprise executive succession and are left vulnerable when their allies exit. But by far, the biggest derailer for executives during this transition is misinterpreting the need for change or getting on the wrong side of it. For example, Durk Jager stepped down as CEO of Proctor & Gamble in
2000, just a year and a half into the job, after roiling P&G’s conservative culture by taking on ‘too much change too fast’. More often, leaders are too slow to act or unwilling to get on board as a change effort gets underway. In 2009, for instance, General Motors removed its CEO, Fritz Henderson, because he was not enough of a change agent. To survive organisational and industry shifts, leaders need to get ahead of change. They need to think about where they fit into the new order and find a way to have an impact. They also must overcommunicate with the CEO or board to make it clear where they stand on the need for change and how they will lead its implementation.
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The pinnacle paradox
The last tricky transition that derails executives is the career pinnacle. C-suite leaders are at the apex of their careers. They have competed for years and achieved what they have been striving for: a spot on the top team. As a result, many experience a type of paradox: They are working harder than ever to succeed, but they don’t know what’s next in their career. In time, this uncertainty, combined with job stress, can lead to burnout. Executives I have coached sometimes hit the ceiling and feel ‘stuck’ at the top. Whether they experience burnout or
move on for another reason, the average tenure of C-suite leaders has been declining in recent years. According to one study, the median tenure for CEOs at large-cap companies is five years. The tenure for chief marketing officers (CMO) is even less: 42 months, according to Spencer Stuart.
The best thing a new executive can do to avoid a brief tenure is to actively pursue feedback. Many benefit from indepth 360-degree reviews at 6-8 months and then again at 18 months. Executives can take steps to either extend their tenure or prepare for what’s next in their career. As part of that, they need to rethink their relationship with sponsors. At this stage in their career lifecycle, they may not need sponsors to create new opportunities for them, but they do need advocates, supportive peers, and
career role models. C-suite executives can move on to lead in other organisations or they may eventually retire and do board work. Others may find like-minded partners and investors to launch their own venture. I’ve worked with younger executives as well who accept global assignments or move down in the organisation to gain new experiences – they move down with a plan to move up again later in a different functional role. Regardless of their future plan, C-suite executives who surround themselves with support and have a clear vision of their future, are more likely to continue to succeed. The capacity for reinvention is the single-most-important career attribute for executives today. Successful reinvention may look different for each of us, but if we do not attempt it, we are sure to fail. This article was first published in the Harvard Business Review. n Cassandra Frangos is a consultant on Spencer Stuart’s Leadership Advisory Services team. She collaborates with Fortune 500 leadership teams on executive assessments, succession planning, leadership development and top team effectiveness. She is the former head of executive talent at Cisco, and author of Crack the C-Suite Code: How Successful Leaders Make It to the Top.
Pick up the phone to call someone you haven’t spoken to in a while just to say “Hello, I was thinking of you, how are you?” This isn’t a strategic decision. It’s a human decision, simple and beautiful.
Centre Your Business Around Putting 2 Humans First
At the same ANA event, there was a fascinating case study presented by Del Taco’s chief marketing officer (CMO), Barry Westrum. A recent brand refresh campaign was based on the idea of ‘Celebrating the Hardest Working Hands in Fast Food’ and featured their everyday employees. The spot was cute, but also real. I’m positive that the creative process was not easy. They most likely had hours of debate on measuring the return on investment (ROI) of a nontraditional creative decision to showcase the average employee. The result? Westrum shared that customers not only embraced the concept of seeing real human beings in the campaign, but went as far as tweeting directly using custom hashtags named after the employees. The bigger lesson here is this: Have the courage to break the rules and put people first. It is actually a real driver of business success.
Take Every Opportunity to 3 Experience Humanity
The following week, I was at the Insights Association’s Leadership Conference in sunny San Diego. On the train ride, I serendipitously ran into Karen Morgan, president of Morgan Search. Our journey included a huge trail derailment, an Uber driver that refused to take us all the way, and several hours of heart-to-heart discussions about the future of the insights industry, the role of women in business, the importance of company culture, and the vulnerability of good leaders. Despite the fact that Karen and I have known each other for over 15 years, we’d almost exclusively spoken only about business before this trip. This train ride was the perfect opportunity to connect on a human level and get to know each other in a completely different way. The lesson here? Don’t be shy about showing your vulnerability or humanity to others. This includes the fears and dreams of the child within, which by the way, is yet another universal human quality.
Your Core Human Values 4 Embrace
As always, the Insights Association featured a vast array of fascinating presentations on AI, tech, diversity, blockchain, sales, and how they all impact the market research (MR) industry and beyond. But there was one presentation that truly stayed with me long after the event was over. It was about red shoes. Lonnie Mayne is the chief executive officer (CEO) of Red Shoes Living, an organisation dedicated to helping others live their lives in a way that stands out rather than fitting in. The entire audience, leaning forward, rapt with attention, was seeing Lonnie strike chord after chord from that stage
with this super human message. As businesspeople, we often fixate on the bottom line and business outcome. It’s always KPIs, ROIs, IPOs, EBITDAs, or insert your favourite acronym du jour. But how often do we really focus on having: 1) awareness, 2) gratitude, 3) hearing everyone’s story, 4) showing respect and kindness, or 5) putting ourselves out there? These are Lonnie’s five pillars and they reflect human-centric values that serve as keys to a different level of leadership and success. Big lesson here: No matter how rough things get in the negotiations, war rooms, office politics, promotion races, and fiery competitive battles, don’t forget that we’re all human and we all work on the common platform of being human.
Genuinely Invest in the Human 5 Connection
My last reminder was at a client appreciation and networking event hosted by my company recently in San Francisco. The inspiration for this event was to spend time with our clients outside of deadlines, projects, presentations and work. We made a point to avoid any sales pitches or transactional expectations and just focused on the human aspect of our relationship. As the head of a growing agency, I would typically think about the ROI. The result was an out-of-the-ordinary evening that created new friendships as our clients met each other, bonded, laughed, shared past experiences and arrived at new insights – all of which we hope will fuel powerful personal growth for a long time. There was love in the room that night. As the head of the agency, for me, the ROI for that event was priceless.
The final lesson I want to share is this: Invest in people first. Invest personally, fully and genuinely in people. It’s always the right choice.
What About You?
When was the last time you felt truly in-touch with the humanity in your colleagues, your clients, and in yourself? By tapping into our humanity inside and outside of business, we can access not only more fulfilling careers, but more fulfilled lives. Let’s connect, human to human. n Susan Petoyan is the founder and CEO of Imagine If Research and Insights. Previously vice president (VP) of strategy research and insights at Walt Disney Company, Susan has spent 20 years using data-driven business strategies to champion positive change for the world’s top brands and their customers. To connect with her, email editor@ leaderonomics.com. The ability to connect two or more like-minded people with a common passion is a gift. The gift of connection not only builds networks but also creates opportunities for fresh initiatives that might just change the world. Explore how you can extend your gift of connection with this article here on Leaderonomics.com: bit.ly/LDRconnectgive Language is not confined to literal words, phrases and sentences. Language encompasses the nonverbal ones, i.e. your body language. Author Gary Chapman has extended the meaning of ‘language’ to how we communicate our love for others. Check out these five languages of appreciation, particularly in the workplace, at this link: bit.ly/STappreciation
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www.leaderonomics.com | Saturday 8 December 2018
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In this series of The Science of Building Leaders, Valentino Lee, a faculty trainer with Leaderonomics, speaks about the importance of building accountability in a team, and how ‘accountability’ is different from ‘responsibility’. Check out this podcast on Leaderonomics.com: bit.ly/ RYGaccountabilty teamwork
If you’re a leader, it’s your responsibility to not just go to work every day and improvise around the latest crisis, email flurry or employee meltdown, but to go to work every day with a cohesive plan of action about how you’re going to lead. Otherwise, why would anyone follow you, except that they simply have to? Read another one of Welch’s article here: bit.ly/JWlessons
By JEFF HADEN editor@leaderonomics.com
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O one does anything worthwhile alone, and that’s why we all want – scratch that – why we all need – to build great teams. But ‘teamwork’ doesn’t always translate, especially for different cultures. That’s something I realised when I talked with Phuong Uyen Tran, the deputy chief executive officer of the family-owned Tan Hiep Phat (THP) Group, Vietnam’s leading independent beverage company. And she’s the author of Competing With Giants: How One Family-Owned Company Took On the Multinationals and Won. I’m embarrassed to admit I didn’t realise ‘teamwork’ doesn’t necessarily translate across countries and cultures. In the United States (US) and throughout the West, corporations place great emphasis on the word ‘teamwork’. But for companies with global teams, its meaning does not necessarily translate. Rather than bring employees together and help take efforts to the next level, it can be a source of confusion and even friction. This is especially true in Asian countries including Vietnam. Throughout much of Asia, teamwork tends to be an alien concept. Much of this has to do with cultural norms around face and respect. In most Asian cultures, people typically do not express their disagreement publicly. It is also extremely important not to lose face, and there is a strong attachment to hierarchy. In the corporate world, this manifests itself as a desire to respect those at a more senior level and receive respect from those at a lower one. This mindset is prevalent in Vietnam, although it is not as strongly rooted in the culture as it is in Japan, Korea, and to a lesser extent, China. The idea of not losing face, even though it’s not necessarily referred to in that way, definitely applies in the US, though. True, but Vietnamese people find teamwork particularly difficult, because they are such a self-reliant people. History has made it so. Put too much trust and reliance in other people, and you will end up being subjugated by them. That’s why trying to instill a teamwork culture is something many multinationals struggle with when they attempt to import Western business practices to the region. It is one of the biggest mistakes they make when they come to Asia, and they will almost certainly fail.
Teamwork Culture Bridging Gaps In Global Teams
level of dedication as the company’s founders and leaders? What structures can be put in place to achieve this and help the staff interact well with each other?” These include processes, patterns and even traditions that encourage employees to feel fully invested in an outcome together.
Owning your work is about taking responsibility. It’s about understanding that success or failure results from personal efforts, not external factors.
But a simple mindset shift can help prevent this. The shift begins with focusing not on the teamwork dynamic, but on the notion of ‘owning your work’, which resonates more intuitively throughout much of Asia and certainly in Vietnam.
Teams are only as good as their individual parts
In essence, owning your work is about taking responsibility. It’s about understanding that success or failure results from personal efforts, not external factors. We must each accept responsibility not only for our own successes, but also for our mistakes. Instilling this core value – and the corollary understanding that it is not productive to assign blame or accept undue credit – will help teams work more collaboratively and harmoniously even in the absence of an explicit teamwork culture.
A mindset shift
One problem with ‘owning your work’ is that it can make people less likely to help others. Equally important is emphasising that helping others achieve success is a form of personal success, too – and can even enhance personal success in various ways. This tends to resonate best with competitive type-A personalities who may be fairly self-focused as they strive to climb the corporate ladder. Once they get into management positions, they are often ineffective until they realise they are being judged on their ability to support others. They start making an effort once they understand that making others look good makes them look good, too. Another aspect of the mindset shift is for leaders to ask themselves, “How can I inspire employees to feel the same
For instance, each year my company holds a songwriting competition. All of the entrants are invited to our headquarters to take part in a gala performance each October that celebrates THP’s anniversary. Some of the entries are by individual people, but most of them are by departments who have worked collaboratively on a song and a routine. Typically, they’ll dress identically as well. Although they behave as a collective, they still would not describe their actions as teamwork. What they have is a shared sense of ownership. Everyone feels they have a stake in the outcome and they take great pride in being able to showcase their work to their colleagues and the rest of the organisation. All of these steps enhance collaboration and results, producing the very same dynamics that teamwork creates without even mentioning this potentially awkward concept. n Jeff Haden is a speaker, ghostwriter, and author of The Motivation Myth: How Highly Successful People Really Set Themselves Up to Win. To connect with him, send an email to editor@ leaderonomics.com.
www.leaderonomics.com | Saturday 8 December 2018
By CHRISTIE CHUA christie.chua@leaderonomics.com
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O you tend to associate the term ‘chemicals’ with the materials found in chemistry laboratories back in school, such as hydrochloric acid, sodium and ethanol, just to name a few? The fact is that almost everything that we use on a daily basis is a chemical of some sort – from our toothpaste and shampoo, to the salt and vinegar in our food. The chemicals and chemical products industry is very diverse and complex; it encompasses petrochemicals, agrochemicals, cosmetics and toiletries, paint, industrial gas, oleochemicals, pharmaceuticals, soap and detergents, and fertilisers and pesticides. Based on the 25th Productivity Report 2017/2018, it is one of the leading economic subsectors in Malaysia, accounting for 8.9 per cent of Malaysia’s total export for manufactured goods. The majority of businesses in this industry fall under the small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) category, and despite the diversity, there are two common aspects that need to be addressed for the industry to flourish further.
Act, Don’t Just React HOW to help SMEs excel in the chemical industry
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Business operations SMEs in Malaysia need to maintain their competitiveness in a commodity market, and Dr Abd Hapiz believes that innovation is the way to go. “When you’re in a commodity market, the most relevant concern is how to reduce your cost – to me, that’s the number one thing.” “Reducing cost doesn’t mean cutting down on manpower – there are other ways, such as the adoption of Industry 4.0 and innovation,” says Dr Abd Hapiz. “SMEs need to become more innovative rather than relying on the big players like Petronas to drive innovation in the industry.”
Nexus initiatives
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Establish a centre of excellence (COE) for chemicals Elements that the COE are responsible for include the implementation of Responsible Care programmes and innovation through research and development. Responsible Care is the global chemical industry’s initiative to enhance environmental, health, safety and security performance, where its signatories pledge to conduct business in a responsible manner. The Nexus has been reaching out to SMEs through roadshows to introduce them to the principles of Responsible Care, but Dr Abd Hapiz says that the challenge lies in getting SMEs to attend these roadshows in the first place, even though there is no cost involved. “This is where there the government agencies, for example, SME Corporation Malaysia and Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH), need to come in to encourage SMEs to come listen to us.” The roadshows aim to illustrate the correlation between safety and productivity, as many business owners do not
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Human capital The upskilling of local talent is necessary for Malaysia to remain relevant in the global market. Chemicals and Chemical Products Productivity Nexus Champion, Datuk Dr Abd Hapiz Abdullah says that it is important to train, certify and pay workers accordingly, in order to change the perception that certain jobs are less dignified. This will help locals see that there is a future for them in the industry, and the development of local talent will give Malaysia the opportunity to displace skilled foreign workers.
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realise how a simple injury to a worker can impact their business. “If SMEs adopt the Responsible Care programme, we can guarantee that their safety will improve tremendously, and their productivity will automatically go up – this in turn translates into more money in their banks,” says Dr Abd Hapiz. He adds: “The challenge is mammoth, but I think it’s worthwhile if it involves human lives. The Nexus and government agencies must keep pushing this.”
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Deepen collaboration between industry players and local educational institutions Malaysian businesses tend to seek foreign labour – be it skilled or unskilled – even though local talent is readily available. “I don’t know why people see foreign talent as being better. I’m impressed by some of the work that local universities have in their portfolio, and they should collaborate with the industry to help crystallise local ideas and provide local manpower,” says Dr Abd Hapiz. Unfortunately, there is currently a large gap between the industry and related education institutions, which the Nexus hopes to close by creating more awareness on both ends. Dr Abd Hapiz shares an example from his personal experience: “One SME needed skilled workers and it did not know where to get such manpower, when in fact, the factory was only about half a mile away from a technical college – they didn’t even bother checking to see if they could get students who have compulsory internships to complete.” “It’s surprising that SMEs have no idea where to look, and their first instinct is to go to a foreign worker agency when there is cheap local labour.” Another aspect of collaboration that the Nexus is looking at is to get industry players who have the right technology to work with local universities or agencies in using palm oil to create bioplastics. “This immediately narrows it down to a local context,” says Dr Abd Hapiz. “If it works, then the industry players can sell. It doesn’t require hundreds of millions of dollars in investment; probably less than a million, but it would take at least 10 to 20 players to make the whole endeavour worthwhile.”
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Enhance SME capabilities Dr Abd Hapiz says that while SMEs range from mom-and-pop businesses to bigger ones that are more organised, their standard operating procedures (SOPs) are nearly the same across the board, which is rather alarming as they are quite outdated. However, the Nexus sees it as an opportunity for them to guide SMEs by providing technical, digital and management support, for example, conducting Industry 4.0 readiness assessments and pilot projects. “Their SOPs cannot remain the same; they have to evolve to keep up with the times,” says Dr Abd Hapiz.
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Help SMEs move towards high value components Dr Abd Hapiz shares that it is extremely difficult to convince traditional business owners to invest in value-added products if it requires them to revamp their operations. He explains that the change has to be done in phases, and government agencies need to understand that change cannot happen overnight – they must be in for the long haul. “SMEs have to be willing participants and this is where we provide them with the opportunity to be innovative. Rather than telling them what to change, we tell them what the goal is, and partner with them to work towards it.”
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Provide support to high potential SMEs to expand internationally According to Dr Abd Hapiz, most of the players in the industry only target the local market (30 million people), when they really should be thinking about penetrating the Asean market, which is much larger with a population of 635 million. This is where the Nexus comes in, providing support to SMEs that want to increase their exports. “The idea comes from the Nexus, and it’s open to everyone. Whoever wants to pick it up can do so, and we’ll work with you to grow your market,” says Dr Abd Hapiz. He adds that the challenge here is to get SMEs to collaborate, instead of trying to outdo one another. “Instead of competing with each other for the local market, they should work together and go for the foreign market. This way they will have an opportunity, otherwise they won’t even be able to start.”
Safety first
Safety is the number one priority in this industry, as there can be huge repercussions when an accident occurs. “People can talk about the damage to their reputation and loss of business, but the onus is on the chemical industry players to ensure that there is no loss of life,” says Dr Abd Hapiz. He adds that this is crucial, as each incident – even a simple one such as a chemical spill – reinforces the public’s negative perception of the industry and gives it a bad name.
SMEs have to be willing participants and this is where we provide them with the opportunity to be innovative. Rather than telling them what to change, we tell them what the goal is, and partner with them to work towards it.
“At times these safety processes make us too rigid, but it’s something that needs to continue for the chemical industry to have a sustainable future. It is not enough to get all riled up only when something goes wrong – we need to be cognizant of the risks at all times.” “The mantra of the Nexus is safety. SMEs and manpower are our focus, but it is driven with safety in mind. The more we push that, the better off we are,” Dr Abd Hapiz declares. “We hope that these Responsible Care principles are adhered to at all times, irrespective of the future environment.” “At the end of the day, I want everyone to be at peace knowing that the chemical industry is doing its utmost best to make sure that they are safe; that you are safe to use and eat products that contain chemicals,” says Dr Abd Hapiz.
The cost of providing private healthcare continues to rise, due to the escalating costs of medical supplies and technology. How can the healthcare industry keep costs low so that it translates into more affordable care for patients? Find out more at: bit.ly/ healthcareCC
There is a growing gap between the machinery and equipment (M&E) industry’s demand for skilled technicians and the number of graduates who enter the workforce each year. It is therefore crucial that technical institutes work hand-in-hand with the industry, so that Malaysia can optimise its local talent. Read more at: bit.ly/ MEmanaging talentsCC
n The Malaysia Productivity Corporation (MPC) has started a nationwide productivity movement across all segments of society to create higher levels of awareness and understanding of the importance and benefits of productivity at enterprise level, along with guidance on how to measure and track productivity. For more information on their Productivity Nexus, go to wayup.my. To learn more about MPC, visit mpc.gov.my.
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www.leaderonomics.com | Saturday 8 December 2018
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The success of an organisation and its leaders typically depends on how managers and staff understand psychological influences and thought processes. Leaderonomics has suitable workshops for those in managerial roles to learn the right techniques for critical, analytical and creative thinking for self and organisational improvement. In this workshop, participants will also learn to understand and empower employees to drive organisational change. Contact info@ leaderonomics.com for more details.
Good and sustainable leadership depends on an ability to influence others. Moreover, people are more inclined to follow an individual who is likeable. Here are our Top 10 traits of likeable influencers in infographic format: bit.ly/ igTop10likeable
By SCOTT STEIN editor@leaderonomics.com
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veryone knows that it is thought leaders who lead their industry by creating new opportunities to give themselves the competitive advantage. So, what are the changes needed to give you the edge? Here are seven critical trends you need to adapt to that show how thought leadership is imperative to succeeding.
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Information in the hands of all
In the past, information was held and controlled by a few. Now with the Internet of Things and social media platforms, information is in the hands of many (even if it is fake news!). It takes something special to get through the background noise of mass digital communication. So how do you do it? You need to position yourself as the thought leader – by providing unique insights that are valuable to others, and have the ability to capture and share these insights with others.
business world has changed 2 The
There has always been change in business, however never before has the business world shifted this quickly from one trend to the next. Thought leadership offers an evolved way of thinking and acting. By staying on the leading edge of new trends and insights, this allows you to be more flexible in both your thinking and your ability to mobilise your people in a new direction in less time.
in focus by generational bands 3 Shift
We have an ageing and independent workforce of experienced staff who in the past would have retired to enjoy their ‘golden years’. Not anymore. This, coupled with the younger generation that is wired into digital and social media more than any other generation, can create a quagmire of issues in how these generations relate. These generational shifts require new forms of thinking and thought leadership to identify new trends for younger generations of consumers, as well as leverage and harness this new talent to create faster internal processes.
Prioritising Thought Leadership 7 Important Trends To Make That Happen has changed forever! 4 Marketing
Going back as little as 25 years ago, television was the primary form of mass marketing. Now, traditional marketing has been pushed on its head. Even the top marketing experts can’t provide the data of what specific marketing is working. What hasn’t changed? People trust the brands that have a solid reputation. By being viewed as a thought leader, your business has a stronger reputation that influences candidates, suppliers, customers and industry commentators on the way your business operates, which everyone knows is the strongest form of marketing – word of mouth and referral.
What we know is all we know – and it is no 5 longer enough
A sustainable competitive advantage is still considered to be the holy grail of business success. The challenge is that the concepts and approaches that were used in the past are no longer working – just ask any taxi company CEO who has seen what Uber has done to their industry. For you to get in front of the speed of change and demand for innovation, you will need to be more agile and responsive than in the past. By harnessing the thought leadership across your business, you will develop skill sets and a process that are designed to invent, discover, innovate and create ideas, so you are the ones that are creating the leading-edge approach in your industry.
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Shortened spans of attention
With everyone plugged in 24/7, it is getting more and more difficult to capture customer (and staff) attention. Both
Facebook and Twitter have conditioned us to live in a society that is full of short bursts of activity and communication that arrive in a compact timeframe. Unless you are regularly positioning yourself and your ideas in an engaging way, people will not listen. People listen – and follow – what thought leaders are saying because they have the respect for their knowledge and insight. To rise up above the noise, you need to be the thought leader.
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Increased need to innovate and differentiate
Many businesses fall into the trap of inadvertently settling into a pattern of habitual thinking. These are often previous ways that were successful, however, it may not suit the new changing environment.
We can no longer follow the crowd and jump in based on duplicating what competitors are doing. True thought leadership is about looking for new ways of doing things and having the ability to capture, package and communicate this differentiation to the market. More than ever, you need to make thought leadership an imperative to fasttrack your performance and gain a competitive edge in today’s world. n Scott Stein is a leadership pathfinder who has helped thousands of leaders to implement fast-track strategies that improve results. He is the author of Leadership Hacks: Clever Shortcuts to Boost Your Impact and Results (Wiley) and The Order: Doing The Right Things At The Right Time In The Right Way. To connect with him, send an email to editor@leaderonomics. com.
LEADERS IN THE MAKING! Last week, a total of 125 campers kickstarted their year-end school holidays at the Leaderonomics DIODE Tweens Leadership Camp and DIODE Youth Leadership Camp in El Sanctuary, Melaka. As Leaderonomics turns 10 this year, we hosted one of the biggest ever groups of youngsters aged 10-16 in camps run concurrently under one roof, where they had the opportunity to participate in activities to nurture their leadership skills and help them through transitions in life. For more details on upcoming youth camps, get in touch with us at youth@ leaderonomics.com.
www.leaderonomics.com | Saturday 8 December 2018
How To Lead A New Team By DAN ROCKWELL editor@leaderonomics.com
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OU can’t predict the path forward when facing new challenges. But leading a new team, thanks to ‘Tuckman’s Stages’ has elements of predictability.
Four stages – plus one
1. Forming l Mission – What are we here to do? l Introductions – Who are we? l Stories – Tell stories of past teams that thrived. What made them thrive? l Timeline – How long do we have to complete our mission? (Operations teams establish intermediate goals.) l Engagement – What contributions will each team member make? Tip: Everyone at the table leaves with an assignment. This is especially true at the beginning. No drifting allowed. You shouldn’t be at the meeting if you consistently leave without something to do.
2. Storming l Navigate respect and status. l How will we respond to new ideas? l How will we respond to failure? l How will we treat each other when we disagree? Celebrate diversity – how will we leverage each other’s strengths and compensate for each other’s weakness?
4. Performing Mission focus – teams focus more on the mission and less on navigating relationships. Interdependence – you learn when and how to count on each other.
Tip: Team leadership requires you to notice tension and bring it up. The issues you avoid, get worse. They don’t magically disappear.
Team leaders have four concerns: l Monitor team interactions. l Maximize everyone’s strengths. l Bring up issues’ others might avoid. l Deliver great results through others.
3. Norming l Collaboration – you maximise each other’s strengths. l Standardisation – you know how to respond to tension, conflict and failure. l Monitor – team leaders monitor team interaction for reversion to the storming stage. Tip: Team leadership is less hands-on. Team members take initiative and responsibility. Work yourself out of being central to your team’s success.
SIGNED & SEALED On Nov 29, Leaderonomics and Inspire Group signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to work together to facilitate collaborations on projects, products, initiatives, marketing and promotion activities in order to enhance mutual growth in Asia and Australasia. This collaboration will increase the span of leading-edge learning solutions and experiences to be customised to meet the differing needs of Leaderonomics’ corporate clients in Asean countries, and at the same time expand Leaderonomics’ products and services to Australia and New Zealand markets.
James McCulloch, Director of Leadership, Inspire Group (left) and Caroline Ong, Director, Client Engagement, Leaderonomics signing the MoU last Thursday.
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5. Adjourning l Celebrate success. l Face new challenges.
Effective interactions are the foundation of great results. n Dan Rockwell is a coach and speaker and is freakishly interested in leadership. He is the author of a worldrenowned leadership blog, Leadership Freak. To get in touch with Dan, write to us at editor@leaderonomics.com.
Online Feature Having great networking skills allows leaders to create a set of relationships and data sources that they can tap into when necessary. The question is, how do you become better at it? Here are three tips: bit.ly/ARBusinessNetworking
Inspire Group is an award-winning professional services firm which has developed thousands of learning solutions for clients worldwide, including bespoke e-learning courses, leadership workshops and online blended solutions. In 2018 alone, Inspire Group has scooped up six new awards across multiple categories at the world’s most prestigious learning awards, Brandon Hall and LearnX.
Employee loyalty is becoming a concern in organisations, especially when it involves the younger generation. How is this different from the past? Listen to Connie Lee share her thoughts about how millennials are not just looking for employers that help them fulfil their career and life goals, but also employers who inspire passion in their work: bit.ly/RYGenoughreasonstostay
FOR other great leadership insights, including those by John Maxwell, visit www.leaderonomics.com. If you missed any of our past issues, go to www.leaderonomics.com/publications and download for FREE!
Editorial Editor Roshan Thiran Managing Editor LYDIA GOMEZ
Digital Content Leader (Bahasa Malaysia) YEOH LIN LIN Head of Sales Owen ng This Leadership Guide Is Powered By
Assistant Editors christie chua KHOR HUI MIN louisa devadason michelle harris ROUBEENI MOHAN
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JEFF HADEN SCOTT STEIN DAN ROCKWELL DARREN FLEMING
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www.leaderonomics.com | Saturday 8 December 2018
creating conversations
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3 ways to influence with ease By DARREN FLEMING editor@leaderonomics.com
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These five reasons will help anyone selling anything to really think about selling without being pushy and aggressive. Read it here: bit.ly/ successfulsalespeople
n Darren Fleming is a speaker, author and trainer who helps accountants and related professionals grow their practice. Using a practical, down-to-earth, and clean approach, he shows his clients how to generate more fees from current and new clients. He is the author of Selling for Accountants: How to Have the Commercial Conversations That Accelerate Your Growth. To connect with Darren, email us at editor@ leaderonomics.com.
HE secret to bringing in a new client is to connect with them before you try to influence them. If they don’t feel that you ‘get their business’ and their problems, they will never work with you. Connecting with clients is about letting them feel that they have been heard. Influencing is about showing them you understand their situation and providing a solution. Below are three ways to make connecting and influencing easier.
1
Make it about them
The start of any sales conversation needs to focus on your potential client. It’s a conversation about their problems – not your services. Find out about the problems that are affecting their business now and projected ones. If you’re providing bookkeeping services, what are the main issues they face from a bookkeeping perspective? Are they up to date? If not, why are they behind? Make every question about them and they will tell you what you need to sell them. This helps them feel connected to you and that you understand their problems.
When you focus on your potential client this way, they psychologically invest in you and your solution. They tell you what they want and will feel as though they have been heard. Treat this conversation the same as a doctor would. Before a doctor gives you their diagnosis, they ask you a series of questions to find out what is going on. Without the questions, the doctor won’t know how to treat you, and you won’t follow their advice. Resist the temptation to tell them how good you are. Talking about yourself at the start of a sales conversation is one of the fastest ways to kill a connection.
2 Solve problems
Your clients want you to keep the books up to date, look after payroll, etc. While these are the activities that your client engages you to do, it is not really what they want. What they want is the result of someone else doing these activities. By having someone else keep their books up-to-date, they solve the problem of not being across their cashflow. By having someone else take care of the data entry, they solve the problem of having to work on weekends to do it themselves. By having you do the payroll, they solve the problem of them being stuck in the business when they could be out
generating more income. This reduces the stress in their business and in their personal lives. The result of this is less weekend work, more time for their family, predictable cashflow and the ability to sleep at night knowing they have next week’s wages covered. When you show that you can solve these problems for potential clients, they see the value that you can bring to their business. This makes influencing easier.
3 Lead them
Most business owners don’t know how to buy your services. After all, how often does someone engage a bookkeeper? So, make it easy for them to buy you. What is the first step? Is it a free 30-minute review of their books to see
what needs to be done? Is it a paid-for, two-hour onsite review of their books to fully understand what their issues are? Or do you expect them to sign up before you do any work? Whatever it is, make it easy for them to buy you. State clearly what your fees are, and do not be apologetic about them. Do not ask if the fees seem ‘alright’ or fair to them. Don’t get caught in comparisons with other bookkeepers. You don’t know what their cost base is or how much (or little) they are willing to make. When you state your fees with confidence and without apology, you show yourself to be a strong partner to engage with. This gives you greater positioning and influence. It also makes it easier for you to influence your client when you’re working with them.
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