Tag Archive for: leadership

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Leadership perils that could tarnish reputation, relationships and successes

In the ever-evolving world of business, leadership blind spots can have a lasting impact on workplace dynamics and achievements. These blind spots, often unnoticed by leaders, can tarnish workplace reputation and relationships, hindering progress and growth.

The importance of self-awareness cannot be overstated. Leaders who lack awareness in their behavior might unintentionally cause disintegration within the workplace, impacting team cohesion and overall performance.

The lack of awareness in a leader’s behaviour can cause a negative impact such as disintegration in the workplace

Based on the book Leadership Blindspots by Robert Bruce Shaw, blindspots in a leader are threats that are dangerously unrecognized in the workplace, this could tarnish workplace reputation,  relationships and can hinder a leader’s success and further derail them from achieving their objectives and goals in the long run. The lack of awareness in a leader’s behaviour can cause a negative impact such as disintegration in the workplace and most of the time it is subconsciously unintentional.

In a survey by Boston Consulting Group, 65 executives named the foremost hindrances to adopting agile behaviors, their utmost fears were to “leave their comfort zones”, “leadership team dynamics” and “a lack of self-awareness”. Only a leader who shreds off tunnel-visioning has the ability to provide clear directions that an organization requires while allowing autonomy to ensure actions are executed at the frontlines.

Agile methodologies in leadership prevent organizations from slipping back into bureaucracy that would impede a post pandemic rebound

During times of change, employees look to leaders for direction. Agile leaders, with their open mindset, can provide clear guidance while empowering employees to make autonomous decisions.  To prevent bureaucratic structures, agile methodologies in leadership are crucial. Building a culture of trust and effective communication becomes even more vital during remote work, as employees may face mental and physical challenges.

Some great insights on Achilles’ Heel of Leadership shared by Kirk Hanson, former fellow and Executive Director of Markkula Center for Applied Ethics and President of Electric Impulse Communication Leslie G. Ungar, both have stated some notably common blindspots in leaders that are essentially run by pride, for instance, leaders who:

  • Do not know that they’re trapped in a worldview of their own bubble
  • Do not see themselves doing things that are unjust
  • Demonstrate inconsistent leadership
  • Stop innovating and envisioning a better future
  • Believe all workplace successes are due to their sole contribution
  • Believe that rules do not apply to them
  • Believe they will never fall and fail
  • Avoid tough questions i.e conflict avoidance
  • Avoid accountability i.e playing the victim
  • Repress emotional commitment i.e emotional blackmail

Here’s a great example of a leader’s blindspot, looking into the past case in the early years (1997-2001) of Larry Page, the ungovernable and opinionated co-founder of Google, employees at Google were opting for new directions and strategies for the company, even the basic mechanisms of leadership and they had fought and lost countless of battles with Page. For years, Google was at the brink of losing fundamental authority until Eric Schmidt stepped in to provide “leadership control”. Business Insider covered a sensational story and noted Page finally had the realization of accepting different perspectives, accepting feedback and learning from others regardless of hierarchy thus correcting its course. This is a monumental change as it shifts and re-shaped Page’s perception on traditional and basic management systems. This allowed Page to reign as CEO for a second stint in Google from (2011-2015) before he moved on to Alphabet Inc, a company he “created to deliver major advancements” as Google’s parent’s company.

However, we live in a pessimistic world where the majority of corporate leaders fail to recognize their blindspots as they lack a systematic way to think on possible recourse in increasing their level of self awareness. Here are some effective baselines to follow on improving your level of self awareness and avoiding having tunnel vision by embracing a reversed version of Hanson’s scrutiny:

  • Admit that we do not know everything that is presented to us
  • Walk the talk as actions speak louder than words
  • Give credit and recognize people who did well
  • View ourselves as a small puzzle being fit into bigger puzzles
  • Surround yourself with people who are diverse in thinking
  • Hire a skilled facilitator/coach in your team
  • Solicit feedback in the correct manner i.e 360 degree feedback
  • Reflect and reexamine your past to identify patterns
  • Develop an open culture
  • Communicate effectively and transparently with your employees

There is no one size fits all solution to every leadership equation, the answer is multi layered and it involves these qualities – validation, recognition, empathy, sympathy and consistent actions from the leaders. These aspects provide a much clearer perspective on leadership humility that one should possess. When problem solving eventually becomes a seamless process that enables employees and the organization to flourish and grow, you know that you have successfully cultivated great leadership. There is this saying “failure serves as the greatest lesson” albeit in a person’s life or in business, every experience teaches us new lessons and the unseen pot of gold at the end of the rainbow that it represents. So all in all, the question goes back to the leader: Would you be open to all of the above suggestions to overcome your areas of vulnerability?

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Read more leadership articles:  Essential Traits of a CEO

 

 

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What are some barriers and biases in the hiring process for C-level executives, and have things changed over time? Here we explore some common factors faced by recruiters and how to overcome them.

Age, gender and looks are factors that still consciously and subconsciously impact the final decision in the hiring for C-level positions.  Leaders that carry themselves well and dress up appropriately conveys confidence, credibility and respect to other people.  People are more likely to trust the ‘professional’ looking individual as opposed to a sloppy looking individual, simply because they do not convey self-confidence and do not look trustworthy!

Leaders that carry themselves well and dress up appropriately conveys confidence, credibility and respect to other people.

C-suite roles have greatly evolved over the years, but one thing remains: leadership ability and a sound grip on business fundamentals are still highly sought after. However not all is merit-based, as other factors prone to human bias such as age, gender and appearance also make a huge impact on who gets the role.

Recruiters must be selective in approaching prospective candidates, as hiring parties have much to consider such as timing (the best candidates might not want to wait), profile (whether candidate has the required qualifications and experience) and compensation (the possibility of hiring someone less experienced for a lower sum).

Below are some factors that may affect hiring for C-level positions, including what both recruiters and candidates should be aware of.

Is age just a number?

While having solid experience is certainly valuable, candidates must also stay relevant to compete with younger talents who have similar levels of experience.

Sometimes, in a subconscious act of age discrimination, employers prefer hiring younger candidates because they associate certain qualities with youth. Such qualities may include tech-savviness, energy and stamina, general adaptability and expectation for lower remuneration.[1]

Of course, an older candidate can also embody all these qualities accompanied by years of work experience. To demonstrate this as a candidate, one should stay abreast of the latest developments and software in your specific industry, and keep your resume fresh by showing only experience from the last 10-15 years (nothing older than that unless it’s highly noteworthy).

All is not lost for mature candidates, particularly those in C level positions, as the number of older people continuing to work is expected to rise in the coming years and companies may well benefit from hiring senior candidates, as they can be more proficient at relating to clients and customers under an older demographic.[1] This group may also form the base of legacy customers for some companies, bringing value in terms of loyalty and maintained revenue.

Ultimately, being adaptable to change and staying relevant by keeping up with current trends are efforts to be made by individual candidates, regardless of age.

Does gender make a difference?

Are certain competencies tied to a specific gender? It appears not.

In terms of skill set, both male and female executives in the finance industry were found to have similar levels of competency, with women outperforming men (47% vs 39%) in financial expertise within emerging markets.[2]

According to the December 2019 S&P 500 list, women currently hold 31 (6.2%) CEO positions at these S&P 500 companies.[3] Globally, the percentage of women on boards has increased – from 17.9% in 2018 to 20% in 2019 – based on the MSCI All Country World Index (ACWI) published in 2019.[4]

However some countries still lag behind the global average, which in itself has much room for improvement by having more women in senior management positions.

While personal characteristics and motivations certainly influence real-life decision making, a psychological study found that although both genders were equally strong in terms of willpower, resilience and openness – men tend to have a higher willingness to take risks as compared to women.[5]

Besides personality, this aversion to risk may often be due to family considerations, which is something women tend to display more than men. This could also be due to societal expectations on women to be maternal and family-oriented, which may lead to some women taking a step back in their careers to focus on family.

At the same time, this should not colour the view of recruiters when hiring female candidates, because individual ambitions are vastly different – particularly within recent generations of women who are more educated, informed and independent.

Generalizing the expectations of a whole gender group would cripple the search for promising talents. The focus should be on merit and experience, discarding the lens of long-established gender biases.

Female executives at C-level, possessing their wealth of experience and business acumen, can further mentor younger and less-experienced candidates. Having women in management positions also serves to empower women in junior or managerial positions – demonstrating that this is a reality which is open to them – and that they have as much opportunity to achieve success as their male counterparts.

How much does appearance influence the outcome?

Is it shallow to judge someone based on their looks? Maybe, but it happens all the time.

“Beauty bias” is what makes us attracted to good-looking people, and physical appearance does impact a person’s job prospects and chances for promotion.[1] Looking well has helped people get ahead at work, enabled them to be more persuasive, boosted cooperation with colleagues and increased sale of products.

Obviously, this can lead to overt discrimination e.g. where an employer might prefer an attractive candidate to be the face of their brand, as opposed to a more qualified candidate who may not have the preferred looks.

To stay clear of this, here is a good practice to maintain: what always makes a difference for every candidate is to be well-groomed and professionally dressed. This conveys determination, attention to detail and respect for the task at hand.

Hiring companies can definitely expand their search by looking beyond their current pool of talent and getting rid of common biases. Just as candidates should constantly update their profile, hiring practices should also be updated every once in a while, to ensure the brightest leaders don’t slip through the cracks!

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[1] Source: https://www.jobscan.co/blog/age-discrimination-older-applicants-vs-young-pretty-people/ 

[2] Source: https://www.shrm.org/hr-today/news/hr-magazine/0218/pages/hiring-in-the-age-of-ageism.aspx

[3] Source: https://www.straitstimes.com/business/companies-markets/more-women-directors-in-singapore-companies-but-number-still-lags-global

[4] Source: https://www.catalyst.org/research/women-ceos-of-the-sp-500/

[5] Source: https://www.straitstimes.com/business/companies-markets/more-women-directors-in-singapore-companies-but-number-still-lags-global

[6] Source: https://www.iomcworld.org/open-access/age-and-gender-influence-upon-selfreported-leadership-attributesduring-recruitment-2471-2701-1000140.pdf

[7] Source: https://www.glassdoor.com/blog/beauty-work-physical-appearance-impacts-job-search-careers/

This article was originally published by ZhongWai Management Magazine

The characteristics of a high-performance team are like-mindedness and interdependence.

All industries have been hit to varying degrees by the COVID-19 pandemic.  For many entrepreneurs, the capability of leadership is crucial to business continuity.

With the ongoing threats from the pandemic, what are the most profound challenges for corporate leaders and entrepreneurs? What should they do and how can they make the team more resilient? In this regard, Wu Gang, Managing Director of Performance Consulting International (PCI) China, gave his answers when he participated in the “Managing the 100 Great Lectures”.

  1. Two profound challenges facing corporate leaders now

In today ’s turbulent environment, leaders are facing the same challenges, which have nothing to do with their industry. Among them, the first challenge is: “What is the mentality to face the crisis and turmoil?”

Facing an pandemic and other crisis, should leaders’ accept fear, be suspicious, or just trust themselves and their team? Should they bear it alone or choose to depend on each other in the company? These two different mindsets and choices will determine two different outcomes.  When leaders are afraid, the way ahead will be more difficult. Whereas the mentality of trust will enable leaders to see more opportunities and potential in the team.  Bearing everything alone, the pressure is huge, but when the leadership teams work interdependently, more possibilities will be uncovered.

The second deepest challenge for leaders is to figure out: “Why do we exist?” Most companies or organizations know what they are doing, such as the products they produce or the services they provide, while some companies or organizations do not know what they do or what they are doing in times of deepening crisis.  In this context, it is necessary for leaders to figure out “why they exist”.

A company’s mission, products, services, and business models are all clear, hence these things are changeable, and they only need to figure out the “why we exist” question.  Once this is clear, the mission and purpose of the entire enterprise also become very clear, and they will know what to do and how to do in the face of crisis.

So, knowing the two major challenges under the current crisis, what should corporate leaders do to continuously improve the enthusiasm and resilience of their organizations?

2. ‘Four steps’ to deal with the turmoil of the current crisis
The first step is to actively manage your mentality. An entrepreneur or leader working at this level is likely to be lonely because there are not many friends who can communicate and share their secrets. Coupled with short-term results and long-term performance pressure, all these lead to physical and mental exhaustion. Working long-term in high-pressure environments without relief will have a very adverse effect on health. Therefore, it is recommended to find an executive coach to help leaders face various pressures and jointly solve the challenges facing the current enterprise.

Working long-term in high-pressure environments without relief will have a very adverse effect on health

The second step is to solve the problem of enterprise survival. Here we need to ask ourselves “How do we sustain for the next 6 to 12 months in the current environment?” Once this is figured out, we will know what the bottom line of the company is, which is what they could bear. Knowing the company can persist for a long enough time, leaders will naturally become calmer and more stable.

The third step is to acknowledge the challenges facing the enterprise to the entire organization and leadership team, and invite the team to jointly explore future solutions. For example: “Under the current situation, it is necessary to carefully evaluate various risk situations and formulate counter measures to prepare us for a worse situation. At this point, I hope to hear more people’s thoughts and suggestions. “At this time, we need to exert the power of the team.

The fourth step, starting from the top, hold a conference on “Exploring the Road to the Future”. Use the “what if …” approach to creatively explore ways to deal with the future.

The first two prerequisites are you must manage your mentality and solve the survival problems of the enterprise before you have the opportunity to think about more things.

3. Four steps to explore the way forward

So, specifically, how to explore the road to the future?  There are also four steps here:

First, set company goals. Get everyone to think about how the company responds to the pandemic and how to respond to various business changes and challenges after the “resumption of business”, so as to set the target well.

Second, create an agreement for team work. Invite everyone to think about previous successful experience in similar situations, and write their ideas on the whiteboard or any visible places to ensure that the team stays aware. Sample agreements may include: courage, non-judgement, security, trust, etc. We must give everyone the mentality of mutual empowerment to do this.

Again, use brainstorming to produce ideas. Once the idea generation phase is completed, as a team, you need to discuss and review these ideas as a whole, decide which ideas can adopted, or if they should continue to explore more. The company is not a leader in a single word, as an executive team or a core team, they need to explore the future path together.

Through brainstorming, fully capture team ideas and lead everyone to discuss

Finally, develop an action plan. Be clear on details such as the task owner, target completion time, and how the team or the leader himself (CEO) understands the key progress and status.

4.  On the verge of using the crisis to create a high-performance team

When we know the two major challenges faced by current entrepreneurs, and how to improve the enthusiasm and resilience of the organization, it is then very important to build a high-performance team amid the crisis.

In fact, there are two elements that drive high performance. One is that the team or organization has a mission and dream. The individual’s mission and values are connected to the team or organization. The other is that the leader can establish a team to monitor the current performance.

Many leaders are conscious, but it is difficult to start something from themselves. It is also impossible to expect the team to work hard independently. Everyone should be made aware that work is a life skill.

The characteristics of a truly high-performance team are having the same goals, like mindedness and interdependence. “Interdependence” is the complimentary team members’ skills and responsibilities.The first step in creating a high-performance team is to create a team work agreement. The work agreement refers to the rules that the team members should follow when working together before starting work. Only by communicating well in advance can we ensure the maximum efficiency of teamwork. Problems can also be solved quickly.

There are five steps to creating a team work agreement:
i) Leader questions. For example: “In the future, how should we work together?” “What are the events that will affect our work rhythm? What are the mentalities that we should adopt in facing the challenges?” Etc.

ii) Through brainstorming, fully capture team ideas and lead everyone to discuss. “Which of these are applicable only to individuals? Which are applicable to the entire team?” “Which are necessary but not yet involved?” Here we want to allow everyone to express their opinions.

iii) Leaders supplement their requirements. “This are some of my ideas. Let’s take a look. Where do we need clarifications and where do we need revisions?”; “This agreement is an agreement that we all abide by, so please be sure to put forward the ideas in your heart”.  This is where the leader needs to invite everyone to put forward their own requirements with the mentality to explore more together.

iv) The teams’ discussion forms the final text, which is then officially released. “How do we fully implement this agreement? If these agreements are damaged, how should we respond and deal with them?” After the agreement is determined, how to implement it is very important.

v) Review regularly. “Where do we do well in our agreement? Which ones can be better?”; “How have we done to ensure that the agreement is followed by everyone?”. The agreement will change, because people and situations will change, therefore it should be reviewed regularly and adjusted on-time quickly.

In short, the leader first needs to ask questions, and then the leader guides everyone to express their ideas, allowing everyone to fully participate in the discussion, then the leader puts forward his own requirements by asking for opinions, and finally the team forms a final agreement and which will be officially released and implemented.  After being publicly released, it must be reviewed regularly so that there can be continuous revisions and improvements.

It should be noted that a working agreement can only make a difference  when it is established through full participation of the entire team, and with the mechanism of independent decision-making, as opposed to the kind of agreement made from top to bottom. As a leader, you may have questions: “What if my requirements are different from those of the team?” Here, the leader is required to adjust his mindset. That is to choose to trust his team and just be like-minded, it is only then that everyone can rely on each other.

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WiseNetAsia Knowledge Center
Copyright © 2018 WiseNet Asia Pte Ltd.  All Rights Reserved

Different schools of thought abound on the causes and consequences of a financial crisis, often a precursor for a recession. With JPMorgan Chase speculating that the next recession will take place in 2020 – just two years from now – which may see stocks at a 20% decline and energy prices devalued by 35% according to analysts,[1] it would be prudent for companies today to assess how best they can weather this slump to make a quick turnaround.

The CEO has a pivotal role in steering a company through such turbulent times. Faced with the challenges of predicting which parts of the business will be affected and identifying actions to secure the company in the best position possible, this CEO requires several key traits to succeed.

  1. Visionary ability

Leaders need to be in touch with their capability for accurate long-term visioning. With rapid industrialization and global market volatility where anything can happen, it’s not always easy to spot who your future competitors are. They can be in the form of a new technology or a new merger, which can pose a fresh and unexpected threat to your business.

The unpredictable nature of such obstacles and changes would mean that past data becomes unhelpful or irrelevant to gauge future trends and sustainability metrics. Although past data can facilitate in the making of ongoing operational decisions, it does not guarantee that the company will sail smoothly through the face of instability in years to come. Swift changes in market dynamics paired with customer needs and demands require businesses to be equally swift – if not one step ahead – in response.

Being able to envision the future with innovations that revolve around customer lifestyles can provide a competitive advantage to help sustain against disruptions in the future.

  1. Authority to execute

Leaders take full ownership of their vision.  They act with purpose to make their ownership visible to everyone.[2] They show confidence to drive and execute specific actions that target the business’ weak points. Doing so both benefits the company and creates inspiration for onlookers as the CEO’s every move is watched closely.

  1. Undivided focus

A business leader will encounter many proposals and personal invitations for new ventures. Some of these may be tempting, enough to divert and shift major resources such as funds and key talents. It is an essential trait to stay focused and disciplined on the initial goal(s) where efforts have been made and value in, despite the attractive or lucrative deals that may be presented to you.

  1. Genuine intention

Although it’s easy to get caught up in making profit a priority, a leader needs to counter this by doing things with heart.  This means striking a balance by establishing responsible corporate practices without placing employee and societal interests at risk.

Leaders who care for the people are true leaders.

  1. Flair for numbers

It may seem like a given but having a knack for numbers cannot be underestimated. This enables CEOs to make agile decisions, identify loopholes and make calculated risks. It also helps with assessing potential opportunities for the business.

Selecting the ideal CEO is no easy feat, as an individual’s strengths and weaknesses are not always readily visible. Having a checklist of essential traits will help companies make crucial decisions when hiring for this important role.

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Contributor:  Wesley Hui

Wesley in green background 180901

 Wesley Hui is the Executive Director of WiseNet Asia Pte Ltd. He is a HR industry veteran with over 20 years of experience specializing in executive search and human resources consulting.  The clients he has worked with are primarily in the real estate and infrastructure sectors which include Keppel Land, Sime Darby, Sunway, Temasek, ARA, etc. Wesley also actively participates in speaking engagements on HR and leadership topics in Singapore and China.

Follow Wesley on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/wesleyhui/

Sources:

[1] Source: https://www.pymnts.com/economy/2018/jpmorgan-financial-crisis-recession-emerging-markets/

[2] Source: https://www.forbes.com/2008/05/09/strategy-executive-zeleny-lead-manage-cx_dz_0509tough.html#7d0a3a3037af