I recently watched the film “Long, Long Time Ago” produced by Jack Neo and his J Team.

For me and others in my baby boomer generation, I am sure the film brought back much memory (though not necessarily fond ones) of how Singapore was like more than 50 years ago:  the kampong huts, the gangsters, the corrupt officials, the fights, and the floods.  How much Singapore has come over 50 years!

Later generations of Singaporeans will not have empathy for the events, though they could nonetheless enjoy the film for its drama.

The one memory the film jolted in me was the 1969 floods.

I had started work in the Sewerage Department for just a few months then.  When the floods came, I rushed to understand what is happening on the ground.  The Braddell Road pumping station, which was just next to a river, was flooded through.  The sewage pumps could not work as they were flooded over.  If the pumps were stalled for an extended period, it would represent a serious health threat.  What had to be done was to pump out the flood water.

Some labourers were valiantly trying to pump the water out using a number of mobile water pumps.  These were the people who work through the crises while most of the population were comfortably under shelter expecting all things to be fixed.

The sewage pumps were too far down so the mobile pumps could not get the water out.  What was I to do?  The workers looked at me for instructions.  After all, I was their engineer.  My mind was whirring with all the mechanical engineering lessons on fluid flow that I had learnt.  The situation was desperate.  The theory I recalled drove me to a decision.

I told the Indian workers to connect the outlet of one mobile pump to the inlet of another mobile pump.  This way the power of two pumps will be used to pump the water out.  The workers asked me whether I was serious about my instruction.  They said:  “This has never been done before!”

I told them to make the connection, not sure myself that things will work out.  Fortunately for me, the plan worked.  I was lifted several notches in the eyes of the workers.  My mechanical engineering lessons were not wasted after all.

Two leadership lessons come to mind from this recollection:

BE PRESENT IN A CRISIS.  Don’t run away from it.  If you are not at the scene when things happened, make your way there. People depend on leaders for direction and encouragement.

BE CONFIDENT: The person in charge has to be confident to uplift the spirits of everyone else around.

Photo credit: http://image.slidesharecdn.com/imagesofoldsingapore-120207211922-phpapp02/95/images-of-old-singapore-25-728.jpg?cb=1328649829

The need to always be learning and to have an open mind is shown in an essay by Fernando del Pino Calvo-Sotelo titled “The Five Experiments: a short essay”

Fernando del Pino Calvo-Sotelo is one of the sons of the late Rafael del Pino y Moreno, founder of the Spanish construction company Ferrovial.  He has been involved in managing the family fortune since 1998.

“The Five Experiments” is based on a speech by Del Pino in June 2015 on what he believed to be “a multi-generational decline of the Western civilization”.  His essay can be found at https://magallanesvalue.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/The-Five-Experiments.pdf

It is a very thoughtful commentary on five aspects of national life that “are now taken for granted as if they were not experiments but an immutable reality, an axiomatic truth that cannot be changed.”

They have been adopted at face value in the West as though they are obviously good and right in the West, when in fact a humble, honest reflection will have to consider them as “experiments” whose validity should be subject to Winston Churchill’s caution that “however beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results.”

The Five Experiments pointed out by Del Pino are:

1. Universal suffrage and unlimited democracy with the conclusion that “never before in History has democracy been used on such a massive scale and never have majorities had so much unconstrained power.”

2. Big Government & Welfare State with the comment: “Welfare states create the illusion that money grows on trees.” 

3. Gigantic indebtedness that starts with the statement: “Politicians first promise, then tax.  When they run out of tax revenues, they borrow.” 

4. Crazy central bankers and fiat currency that continues from above with “when no lender in his right mind would lend them a single dime, powerholders just print.” 

5. Living without God with the observation “when power is not subject to a higher rule, those in power become gods, although not saint, infinitely merciful, just and good gods, but somber tyrants in waiting.”

As leaders we need to be acutely and critically aware of what is going on, not content with the superficial observation or explanation.  The essay is well worth your time to read.

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To all our Chinese readers and everyone else enjoying Chinese New Year, best wishes for the Year of the Monkey! May you prosper in the important things of life, and enjoy much happiness, good health, and fruitfulness in your many endeavours.

Allow me to refer you to a link to a Chinese New Year video production by Petronas, Malaysia’s fully integrated oil and gas multinational ranked among the largest corporations in the Fortune Global 500 listing of the world’s largest corporations: http://youtu.be/r9i08erqdpY.

This video explores what makes a blessed life. Anyone not moved after watching the video would have missed a special blessing for this festive season. The video is a timely reminder to honour the sacrifices others have made for us, and count the blessings in our lives.

As the tagline accompanying the video goes: “Count the blessings we have, rather than the fortunes we don’t”.

Leadership is making good things happen which on their own would not happen. People look up to their leaders to show by example their head for doing what is right and their heart for doing what is good.  

May the New Year bring you renewed desire and energy to lead, and to lead well.

Think People. Think Future. Think Excellence. 

Happy Chinese New Year!

I was walking along Orchard Road when I passed a man sitting in a wheelchair selling packets of tissue.

I did not need any more tissues, but decided I ought to make a donation towards meeting his needs anyway.  When I offered him my donation, I indicated I did not want the packets of tissue, and proceeded to walk away.

He called out to me: “Come sir!”  He them offered me a packet of “ang pows” – the little red envelopes the Chinese usually use for holding cash to be given out as gifts during the Chinese New Year.

The “ang pows” the man handed me contained no cash, but carried the Chinese phrase “大吉大利” (dà jí dà lì), which is used to wish others happiness, luck, and wealth.

What impressed me was that he had an alternative plan to thank people like me who are happy to help out but would prefer not to take the packets of tissue he was offering.

I consider that a wonderful illustration of leadership:  always being prepared for the situation when things do not work out as we hope by taking the time and effort to think ahead and think up an alternative plan of how to offer good in a different way.

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Avenir-Suisse, a Swiss think-tank for economic and social issues, recently published a collection of articles in a booklet titled WATCH THE SWISS.

In the booklet, I wrote a short article entitled “Interdependence, not Isolation”, which compared Switzerland and Singapore and included observations about survival and success, as well as the will of a people to be free and independent. These are factors any national leadership must take into consideration and act upon.

This is my article:

“Why Switzerland? Why is it the way it is? Why has it been so successful?

Because Switzerland has a small land mass with a small population and virtually no natural resources, and this has protected the Swiss from the resource curse and forced them to be creative.

Because the Swiss are intent on being both independent and sovereign. Because the Swiss know that for a small country, survival and success are two sides of the same coin. If a small country does not succeed, no one will be bothered about it.

A small nation must seek to have as many friends as possible. Its well-being hinges on interdependence, not isolation. It needs to be open to the inflow of capital and talent to enlarge and enhance its indigenous capacity. It needs to be useful to others so that others will find it beneficial co keep the country free and open. Switzerland has to create a brand out of its own enterprise and imagination.

Switzerland thrives on its image of quality, reliability, service excellence, and trustworthiness. The Swiss can be trusted to deliver on their promises – it is a matter of pride and honour.

Switzerland has succeeded based on a smallness that drives a sense of vulnerability and emboldens it to be uniquely different from others. To be willing to change with speed and flexibility is essential to survival and success. And the need to work hard and to drive productivity up is well understood.

The world waits for no country. And a small country does not have the weight to slow the world down.

The success of Switzerland 

The success of Switzerland can be seen in the supreme reliability of Swiss watches, the superior quality of Swiss confectionary, the excellence of Swiss hospitality, the trustworthiness in wealth management by Swiss banks, the inventiveness and innovation in Swiss industry, the advanced capability of Swiss pharmaceuticals, the world’s meeting place borne out of Swiss neutrality, and the ability to attract a wide array of multinational corporations, despite the high cost of living, due to its great living environment and access to talent.

The pride of the Swiss

Once – I was on my way to Zurich Airport admiring the beauty of the Alps in the distance with their snow-covered peaks – I remarked to my friendly driver: “Some people say Switzerland is God’s country.” He responded: “Yes, and he did a good job of it.”

The pride with which he said that, to me, is typical for the Swiss mentality. This is the most fundamental reason for the success of Switzerland. The Swiss are proud of their country. They are proud to be Swiss. And they are prepared to do their parts to keep Switzerland thriving. They are prepared to take on the changes necessary, to pay their taxes, to perform military duty, and to act in the interest of all Switzerland.

In what other country in the world will people vote not to raise the minimum wage? In what other country in the world will people vote against reducing working hours? These remarkable examples of economic insight and wisdom explain Switzerland, a country whose people are prepared to do what is necessary to allow it to succeed and keep succeeding. But sustained success is never assured!

The essential commitment

Countries can fall under external pressure, or fail due to internal fissures. The Swiss have to maintain their unity of purpose in a multi-lingual, federated structure with fiercely autonomous regions. And this has to be achieved in a world where trust in authority, institution and society appears to be diminishing.

The choices that people make will determine the destiny of Switzerland. Every new generation of Swiss needs to renew its understanding of, and its commitment to, the ways of Switzerland.

Why Switzerland? Because the Swiss will it to be so.

I write as someone from Singapore, another small country, indeed a country considerably smaller than Switzerland in land mass and a little smaller in population. If we replace the words “Switzerland” and “Swiss” in this note with “Singapore” and “Singaporeans”, these observations and conclusions will be just as true.

Perhaps that is why I can empathise so much with the Swiss – and why Singapore can hold lessons for Switzerland just like Switzerland holds important lessons for Singapore.”

Photo credit: http://hookedoneverything.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/shutterstock_150411200-638×380.jpg

As we enter the new year, it is important for us to remind ourselves what leadership is all about.

Leadership is about making good things happen that on their own would not happen.

There is a clear moral dimension to leadership.  Leaders must always ask the question as to whether what they are doing is “good”.  Good for what?  Good for whom?

But just as critical is the behaviour and attitudes of leaders as they go about making good things happen. Do they treat their people like robots or toy soldiers that they can push around or threat into action?  Or do they treat their leadership of people as an honour and a privilege to be able to better their lives?

It is important for leaders to ask themselves the question: “Do we as leaders see ourselves as teachers?” 

The role of a teacher is to do the best he or she can to help each student be the best he or she can be.  If the student should reach a higher level than the teacher later in life, this is to the credit of the teacher.  Indeed, the more the students exceeds the teacher, the more the teacher has succeeded!

Such a perspective is totally different from what many managers and supervisors espouse.  Many of leaders see their people simply as tools to be pushed around, and people who should be kept in their places. The idea of helping their people grow and succeed the best way they can, is totally foreign.

Yet, history has shown that the best leaders are those who have the heart of the teacher who wish their people to succeed the best way they can.

We are starting a new year. As always, the start of a new year is a new opportunity to do the things we have failed to do, and become the kind of person we want to be.

As the management guru, Peter Drucker mentioned in the foreword of The Leader of the Future: “The only definition of a Leader is someone who has (willing) followers”

Hence, for all who are SUPERvisors or MANagers at work – the SUPERMANs – let us strive to be the leaders who attract followers because we are worth following.

We are worth following when we are excellent in our work, and we have the heart to help our people be the best they can be. In doing so, we become the “THE LEADER, THE TEACHER”.

Our best wishes to you and your family for 2016!  May it be a year where you reap much happiness and good health, and may you find satisfaction and fulfilment in your many undertakings!

Photo Credit: http://forgiveandfindpeace.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/iStock_000015467390XSmall.jpg

It is interesting for me to read that our brains can process ideas at about 600 words per minute, whereas we tend to speak at 100-150 words per minute. What this means is that listening to someone speaking – paying careful attention to what he or she says – needs deliberate work.

No wonder we oftentimes do not listen fully to what is being said! Our mind wanders, thinking that we can multitask between listening to a person speaking, and thinking other thoughts at the same time.

As leaders we need to be good listeners. Our people deserve our attention and our time.  To make a deliberate point of listening to what they say is to honour their effort and show by our action, that we appreciate and recognise their thoughts and ideas.

By failing to listen carefully, we often miss ideas and fail to catch the imaginative ideas of others, which can possibly use to conceive something new and unique in future.  If we adopt such an attitude, listening will not be a chore even if it may not be a pleasure…rather, listening is a way into the future!

The iPhone and iPad are creations by Steve Jobs of Apple. What is noteworthy is that no new technology was involved in the creation of the iPhone and iPad. What Steve Jobs did was to listen to many ideas, take proven technology, and combine them in a new and creative way that benefits millions of people all around the world.  This is how listening with an open mind offers opportunity to create new possibilities from others’ ideas.

Leadership is to think anew and prepare for the future. Listening is an integral and important part of preparing for the future.

Photo credit: http://www.s-group.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Listening.png

Leaders have to think about the future and position their organisations well for the future, even though the future is uncertain, unpredictable, volatile and complex.

Of course it is not an easy task, but that is what we are expected to do as leaders – make sense of the uncertainties, make our best guess, and move with courage, yet also with humility to accept that we might be wrong. We must be prepared to change as we see more, hear more and sense more.  Failing to anticipate the future is by far the most frequent reason for organisational dissipation, destruction, and death.

We are seeing rapid expansion in applications based upon computers.  In earlier days, the development of machines has replaced blue collar jobs. Then the development of computers has replaced white collar, office, and administrative jobs. Now the development of artificial intelligence or machine language in computers is replacing knowledge workers.

The disruption of jobs and businesses today is happening right around us. Consider the disruptions we can already see:

• The world’s largest taxi company owns no taxis (Uber)
• The world’s largest accommodation provider owns no hotels (AirBnb)
• The world’s largest phone companies own no telecommunication infrastructure (Skype and WeChat)
• The world’s most valuable retailer has no inventory (Alibaba)
• The world’s most popular media owner creates no content (Facebook)
• The world’s largest movie house owns no cinemas (Netflix)
• The world’s largest software vendors don’t write the apps (Apple & Google)

We can see the “sharing economy” spreading its reach day after day.

If we are alert as leaders, we may see opportunities or foresee dangers for our organization, and will thus take action to prepare our people for these changes.

If we do nothing and simply hope for the best, we fail to be leaders.  We may fail even if we try.  We will certainly fail if we don’t try to “Be in Time for the Future!”

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Brand Finance, the world’s leading independent brand valuation and strategy consultancy headquartered in London, issued its annual report on the world’s most valuable nation brands last month. You can read the full report here.

As stated by the CEO of Brand Finance in his foreword: “In a global marketplace, a nation brand is one of the most important assets of any state, encouraging inward investment, adding value to exports and attracting tourists.”

The Executive Summary of the report on Brand Value opens with the following: “The US remains the world’s most valuable nation brand. The USA is undoubtedly a powerful brand with an inviting business climate.  However its values comes in large part from the country’s sheer economic scale.  Not only is there a large, wealthy market predisposed to ‘buy American’ but also an unrivalled group of established companies and organisations exporting worldwide whose American heritage forms (to a lesser or greater extent) part of the appeal.”

Then in the executive summary of Brand Strength, distinct from Brand Value, came the statement:

“Singapore is the world’s strongest nation brand in 2015.  Nation Brand value is reliant upon GDP, i.e. revenues associated with the brand.  Singapore’s small size means it will never be able to challenge for the top spot in brand value terms, because its brand simply cannot be applied extensively enough to generate the same economic uplift as ‘brand USA’ for example.  However in terms of its underlying nation brand strength, Singapore comes out on top.

[As a matter of interest, Singapore scored 88.0 points out of 100, leading Switzerland and United Arab Emirates tied at 85.9, Finland at 85.7, and New Zealand at 85.6.]

“As the city-state celebrates its 50th anniversary its citizens can be rightly proud of the nation they have created. … The chief architect was of course Lee Kuan Yew.The vision, pragmatism, longevity, intolerance of corruption and relative benevolence of the country’s first prime minister and elder statesman are widely seen as the key reasons for its success.

“Unfortunately for nations looking to replicate Singapore’s success, finding the next Lee Kuan Yew is no easy task and may be a foolhardy one. Long-term leaders are often correctly regarded as more concerned about their own power than the interests of the nation, with Lee Kuan Yew being the exception that proves the rule. … Singapore’s international reputation has spread by word of mouth as much as it has by active promotion.

“Though the passing of Lee Kuan Yew in March this year is a sad loss, he leaves a legacy that few can hope to better. Singapore is now seen as modern, innovative, industrious, welcoming to outsiders and increasingly culturally rich, and has left its neighbours (including Malaysia) far behind it.”

These are sobering words, which carry lessons on leadership and humility, and highlights the responsibility of all Singaporeans to honour the legacy established by our founding fathers by honouring our word and being trustworthy.

Photo credit: http://brandfinance.com/knowledge-centre/reports/brand-finance-nation-brands-2015/