You Too Can Excel

Book Review

You Too Can Excel

By Dr Victor SL Tan

For a book title, it may sound too common. However, this is one book that is everything except common. I have written this book for a top civil servant who has over 35 years of experience where he shares his experiences through stories, insights, and hindsight for those aspiring young leaders who too want to reach the top positions in organisations. As the book appears to have two names, allow me to di erentiate between an author and a writer. A writer is the one who helps write the book, but the author is the one with the stories and the sharing of his views. The writer plays the role of interviewing to unleash what is inside the author and help write the book. Of course, there are authors who write their own books too. However, many people have books trapped inside them but do not translate their gems to be shared with the world.

One such individual, Datuk Ir. Amrullah has unleashed his trapped book into reality with his rst book, You Too Can Excel. The book is written more in a style of self-improvement rather than a biography. This book is divided into 10 Chapters.

Chapter 1 gives a good background of Datuk Amrullah Kamal describing the events that had shaped him. His years of martial arts training through Taekwondo, Judo, and Silat classes have developed a sense of con dence and discipline that serves him well. His scouting activities developed his leadership, and survival skills as well as inculcated in him a sense of independence. His parents’ spiritual teachings have inculcated good moral principles and humility in him. His resilience and courage in his younger days certainly helped him in his later years.

Before introducing Chapter 2, there is a brief introduction on what are the 7 Majestic Step-Ups. The term Step-Up means to do something faster and better with greater intensity to achieve the desired results.

Chapter 2 to Chapter 8 covers the 7 Majestic StepUps providing speci c examples of how Datuk Amrullah had used them to excel. He rose from the rank of an executive engineer to the Director of JKR Sabah and then the Director-General Dewan Bandaraya Kota Kinabalu, and nally the President of Majlis Perbandaran Tawau,

At the recent book launch at the Ark Event Space, Plaza Damas, Kuala Lumpur.

through using this approach to help achieve extraordinary results o en with seemingly impossible tasks.

In many of his works, he had tapped into his foresight to develop an inspiring vision to win over people’s commitment. He had the guts to do what was right rather than what was popular. He had used his superb persuasive skill to influence his superiors to approve something that had never been approved before. For example, he managed to get a huge budget for the development of rural roads in Sabah approved as well as for 45 fresh engineers despite the sta intake freeze policy.

In everything, one can sense that this man has a hunger for success and is performance-driven. He not only executed well with massive action, but his followthrough was relentless. To him, there is no such thing as failure unless one gives up trying. He did whatever it took, o en outside his decision-making powers, using his influential skills to get a di cult idea approved and implemented. He was quick to admit that he did not chalk up all the great achievements by himself. He had leveraged the motivated team that he had developed.

Perhaps his courage, tenacity, and perseverance could be best attested by his attending Tony Robbins re-walking seminar 3 times and having climbed Mount Kinabalu to reach the summit when he was 51 years old.

Chapter 9 is an emotional chapter where he shares his greatest loss. It is heart-rendering to read about the loss

The 7 Majestic Step-Ups approach are as follows:The 7 Majestic Step-Ups approach are as follows:

Chapter 2: Majestic Step-Up 1: Engage foresight to develop a vision Chapter 2: Majestic Step-Up 1: Engage foresight to develop a vision

Chapter 3: Majestic Step-Up 2: Have the guts to do what is right Chapter 3: Majestic Step-Up 2: Have the guts to do what is right

Chapter 4: Majestic Step-Up 3: Develop superb communication skills Chapter 4: Majestic Step-Up 3: Develop superb communication skills

Chapter 5: Majestic Step-Up 4: Be hungry for success and Chapter 5: Majestic Step-Up 4: Be hungry for success and performance-driven performance-driven

Chapter 6: Majestic Step-Up 5: Execute well with massive action Chapter 6: Majestic Step-Up 5: Execute well with massive action

Chapter 7: Majestic Step-Up 6: Follow through till successful Chapter 7: Majestic Step-Up 6: Follow through till successful

Chapter 8: Majestic Step-Up 7: Build a powerful and motivated team Chapter 8: Majestic Step-Up 7: Build a powerful and motivated team of his father and yet inspiring to know of the great love of his family that motivated him to overcome the adversities he faced. The lessons of adversities are indeed useful gems, especially for the younger ones who have yet to face a great crisis in their lives.

In the nal chapter, Datuk Amrullah shows us that behind the tough and disciplined leader is a man who has a so spot for orphans. His involvement in community Dr Victor SL Tan is the Managing Director of KL Dr Victor SL Tan is the Managing Director of KL and charity work while working full-time in organisations Strategic Change Consulting Group and the author Strategic Change Consulting Group and the author shows his love and care for helping others. of 12 books. His passion is in consulting, training of 12 books. His passion is in consulting, training

His de nition of his purpose in life is indeed most and writing. For more information contact him at and writing. For more information contact him at magnanimous and selfless: 012-390 3168. 012-390 3168.

“The purpose of my life is to serve others and make a di erence in their lives. In the process of helping others, I will improve myself, become a better and happier person as well as achieve a sense of ful llment in my life”. His active role in securing a wakaf land and the building, Rumah Anak Ar-Raudhoh speaks volumes of a man whose kindness has made a di erence in the lives of the orphans. In this book, Datuk Amrullah generously shares his insight, experiences, and strategies to help those working in the public as well as the private sector to excel in whatever they do through the 7 Majestic Step-Ups. You too can excel if you apply this approach in your work and in whichever eld you are in including the retail sector.