Leadership for the Future

RSOG Leadership in Action

Leadership for the Future

 with

Azman Hisham Che Doi

Framework of the Session

The influential management guru Peter Drucker once said, “The best way to predict the future is to create it”. The phrase may appear elementary yet it remains a tall order for many organisations, especially in the environment where it is highly volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous as observed today. In overcoming present and future challenges, leadership styles necessitate a shift, especially in shaping its development for the coming years. While lessons from the past remain relevant in influencing current leadership styles, emerging trends are signifying a positive move towards future leadership that values and encourages creativity, diversity and co-creation.  This swings the focus for leaders from mere management to empowerment, derived from coaching and mentoring.  How does an organisation equip potential talents to be future ready leaders? What are the key competencies crucial in navigating the future? What can current leaders do now, to ensure that these plans and strategies materialise? These are the focus areas that Azman Hisham discusses in this session.    

Key Takeaways from the Session

Work satisfaction is vital in one’s work. There is a difference in the satisfaction gained from being in the government service as compared to the private sector.  Perhaps, with regards to the former, the satisfaction is mainly intrinsic such as helping the nation and community to grow and prosper.

Now and in the near future, a leader’s skills are observed to be dynamic in many ways. People skills has become increasingly important than before.  Successful leaders are often effective communicators who can relate to everyone across the board.  Lately, such leaders exhibit their technological savviness – through social media such as Facebook and Twitter.

Rapid globalisation and economic integration evidently bring about challenges, in addition to benefits.  One of them is diversity which includes ideas, values, and perspectives.  That explains the rationale of the ongoing dialogue on Malaysian National Transformation Agenda 2050 (TN50).  In short, the days of “the boss is always right” is long gone – continuous engagements and discourses seems to be the way forward.

In that light, the Guest Speaker took a bold move, to bring everyone on board with his present organisation’s effort in carving out a sustainable business plan. He realises his subordinates need direction and excitement for them to better contribute to the organisation. The new generation (the millennials) see such opportunity as a challenge to their career development – they are eager to prove themselves.  On the other hand, the seniors, namely the Gen-X is relatively more thoughtful and committed to their work. Such potent combination provides the push that he needs to get the transformation agenda through (business plan).

In retrospect, Azman Hisham employed a similar approach when he was given the opportunity to lead his former organisation – an established development centre for the Malaysian capital market.  Though there were sceptics and cynics in the beginning, the organisation eventually turned around within two years after a transformation.  According to him, one of the key success factors is authenticity – one must be seen genuine and sincere in such an endeavour – people understand and appreciate the journey with the leaders that they can fully appreciate. The Guest Speaker also learned about passion – to get full support one must love one’s job – it keeps one going through thick and thin.

Changes in demography, culture, technology, and socio-economy certainly have impact on leadership styles. For instance, the stakeholders’ expectation is expected to mount in the future at times, to an irrational level.  To add to the challenge, resources are depleting – we have to do more with less.  Naturally, such a delicate situation could influence the temperament of the people in the organisation.  Future leaders must find ways to embed good values into the organisation such as teamwork, integrity, and perseverance.  The absence of such values can potentially create disunity and bring the organisation down in the long run.  But with established values, an organisation will come out strong – all that is left for the people to do is to “fit in or fall out”.

Key Issues Raised

• Creativity is important to an organisation.  Leadership can come from within the leader or derived from the team members.  Often, the approaches recommended by Azman Hisham help with regards to the latter.

• Emotions are common at the workplace.  Leaders for the future must be good at handling emotions, which is usually managed by binding people with a certain set of values.

• As observed in many transformation exercises – including the one that the Guest Speaker went through in the capital market – leading by example, leveraging on internal strengths, and authentic relationship goes a long way.

• Story telling skill is certainly an asset to future leaders especially for those who can relate them from the heart.

• Whilst the public and private sector have their own dynamics, they share similarities in inculcating creativity – a certain degree of openness and the zeal to take calculated risks.

•  It is indeed a mounting task to maintain a level of excellence.  A positive mindset is a must have for future leaders.

• Stakeholders’ relationship can be a delicate act especially when it involves the levels higher up.  Arguments with evidence and alternatives often helps in pushing through transformation agenda.

About the  Guest Speaker

Azman Hisham Che Doi is currently the Chief Executive Officer of the Razak School of Government. He was the Director of Corporate Resources at Securities Commission Malaysia (SC), and the Chief Executive Officer of the Securities Industry Development Corporation, Malaysia (SIDC) from July 2012 to August 2016.

Azman started his career in fund management in 1992 and later joined University Utara Malaysia in 1994 as an academic staff. In 1998, Azman joined SC where he was primarily responsible for establishing the licensing examination framework for the Malaysian capital market. Prior to his appointment as SIDC’s Chief Executive Officer in 2012, Azman oversaw the entire operations of the SIDC in the capacity of Chief Operating Officer.

Under his stewardship, the SIDC underwent a change in business approaches and strategy, systems and processes, corporate mindset and culture, transforming from a cost centre towards self-sufficiency. Azman led the organisation into becoming a self-enterprise organisation with strong corporate values, promoting innovation and performance culture not only in products and services but also in adapting best practices to fit ever-changing market needs and expectations.  Among Azman’s personal international involvements include working with regional counterparts from regulatory bodies of Hong Kong, Indonesia, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and UAE. He is a certified training professional and an experienced speaker on the regional circuit, having given presentations on capital market trends and issues in talent development in Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Dubai, Indonesia and Lao PDR.

A holder of the Certificate in Performance Coaching and Mentoring, Azman’s passion in people has inspired him towards the path of coaching and mentoring to develop leaders and bring out the best in individuals.  Azman holds a Diploma in Public Administration from University Teknologi Mara, a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from University Utara Malaysia and a Master degree in Financial Management from the University of Hull, UK.

Contact

To get more information on this event, you can contact us via email at programmes@rsog.com.my