For our recent department Staff Engagement Session (SES) Leaders engagement, I decided to try out something new: Instead of just having an open mic session squaring off between the leaders and audience, let’s put more structure to it. Have Leadership conversations that are more relatable, more engaging and inspiring to the grassroots and team on the ground - set the tone, and have open mic Q&As in between.
The Conversation was split into two parts:
Panel #1: A conversation with new leaders - Hear some behind-the-scenes thoughts from our newly appointed managers. What are the struggles they went through (and still going through!), how they adapted from the drastic change from their previous roles, how these roles pushed them beyond their comfort zone, the culture shock they had to confront, and what are they aspire to do differently now that they are in the driver’s seat.
Panel #2: we bring our senior leaders and Head department to shed light and thoughts on the previous conversation on developing leaders; where we also relay the “tough” questions submitted online and through our cultural survey.
My role as the moderator is to shine the spotlight on our leaders, especially the young managers: Let’s break down barriers between “bosses and the rakyat” - use this platform to allow our colleagues to hear this side of the story, get to know our leaders on a more personal, human level. My hopes is that we can bring the team one step closer to build bridges, form connections and close gaps between our colleagues and our LT, and inspires trust and loyalty in the team while at the same time, trigger some takeaway, actionable points that they can develop in themselves and instil leadership in whatever role they are playing.
After all, as Simon (Sinek) says, “Leadership is not a rank or a position. It is a CHOICE: A choice to look after the person to the left of us & the person to the right of us”.
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Highlights & Takeaway points:
✅ Always find good mentors and teachers. Mentors don’t necessarily have to be more senior - they might even be your own subordinates. Use this learning curve as an opportunity to build bridges, instil trust and respect amongst one another
✅ Never be ashamed to Ask for help - reach out to others, always find a way to improve. If you reach a dead end (no precedence, no “experts”), just create avenues to learn: Create your own study circles, form your own Community of Practice.
✅ Journalling - write down the things that you’ve learnt. Even the soft skills. On top of your technical skills, put more mindfulness on leadership aspects of your professional growth: Communication, listening, strategy, stakeholder interaction, difficult conversations. Learn and write the things you “should” do, and also, write down what you should NOT do. As you learn and grow, learn to be better at filtering knowledge: Ambil yang jernih, buang yang keruh (take the good, filter out the bad)
✅ Stay away from toxic influences who will demoralize you and make you “lose hope” of progress. Life’s too short to be surrounded by these energy drainers. Find positive role models who can inspire you to keep progressing forward
✅ The key to effective communication is SINCERITY.
✅ If you feel like you’ve reached a “dead end” in your career, doing the same thing again and again, realign your intentions of working, re-discover that passion from within. Perhaps this might be a triggering point for you to challenge yourself to do something different: reignite that spark!
✅ Leaders, just like all human beings, are a “work in progress”. We are never a “finished product”. We make mistakes, we try to learn from them and improve - and, we will make mistakes again!
✅ No matter how great they are, leaders are human, too. We have flaws, emotions and weaknesses. If we find gaps and flaws to be improved, let’s work together, help and collaborate to bring improvement. Sama sama!
✅ When the organization undergoes re-organization, especially when it seemingly “reverts back to its former structure”, look at it hollisticallly: the organization is growing and learning, too. Don’t be quick to judge that the leaders are “flip flopping” or just to satisfy "an agenda".
✅ Some may feel that people don’t listen to our feedback, but that’s our personal perception. The reality is, feedback is being processed and listened to, and while we improve certain aspects, other aspects might not be seen. Sometimes your feedback may contradict feedback given by others. Sometimes some aspects require a major change. Change takes time.
✅ When we try to improve and bring a solution to the team, sometimes that opens up door for new, unexpected challenges (i.e. from “insufficient people” to “overwhelmingly huge team”) - we must learn to be agile, resilient and adaptable
✅ Leaders are willing to listen - but are YOU willing to talk and open up?
