The Chinese version of the book “The Leader, The Teacher & You”, 《怎样当领导》, was launched by Prof Tan Chor Chuan, President of the National University of Singapore, on 1 December 2014. The Chinese version is not only a full translation of the English version but carries two additional articles.

In his speech, Lim Siong Guan said the reasons the book was written were as relevant today as at the time the English version was published. Many favourable comments have been received on the contents and format of the book, and these are now carried over into the Chinese version.

The book is not only about principles of leadership and governance. It also addresses the challenges of passing the leadership of all types of organisations to the Third Generation leaders. 

After companies and organisations are successfully founded by the first generation leaders, usually the second generation leaders are brought in through an apprenticeship arrangement. The second generation leaders are exposed to the company through leading projects and sitting in meetings chaired by the first generation leaders – this is a good way of handing over leadership. The danger, however, lies in the passing on of leadership from the second generation to the third generation. If the same apprenticeship approach is adopted, the danger is great. 

Every generation of leaders needs to solve the problems of their day in their own way. They have to take into account the competition at that time, who their stakeholders are, what kind of staff they have, what their customers expect, and so on. So the second generation leaders cannot apply everything they learnt from the first generation. Suppose they can apply only 60% of what they learnt from the first generation. If the third generation learns the same way from the second generation, and suppose again they are able to apply only 60% of what they learnt, it means the third generation leaders will only use 36% of what came from the first generation. The loss of wisdom and judgment is very rapid.

The book makes the point that the way to preserve the wisdom and judgment that lies in the history of the organisation is to codify the values and principles of the first generation, and new learnings of the second generation. This way the organisation will build up its store of wisdom and knowledge, instead of having each generation of leaders keep addressing issues without the benefit of the past.

The book also makes the point that the highest aspiration of any leader should be to act as a teacher to the next generation. The aspiration of any teacher is to help his or her students to realise their potential to the maximum extent possible, so that the students can be the best they can be. This also should be the attitude of the leaders in any organisation.  They should seek to help all their staff realise their potential to the maximum extent possible, so that they can be the best they can be. This way the company will benefit the most from their human capital, and at the same time their people will be motivated to do their best.  The book explains how this can be done.

Leadership is a matter of doing the best for our people. It is other-centred.  Leadership is a matter of the heart.  It is hoped that all will enjoy the book and that it will make a positive difference to their lives.

《怎样当领导》can be purchased here: http://www.globalpublishing.com.sg/bookshop/9460.html

The Leader, The Teacher & You can be purchased here: http://www.worldscientific.com/worldscibooks/10.1142/p920