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Do what you love
YOUR ULTIMATE CAREER& TALENT RESOURCE
PLAN FOR SUCCESS Effective succession planning for organisational survival
Pg 10
YOUR RINGGIT SAFE?Leaving your mark by leading others to the path of healthy finance
Pg 08
JUST GOOGLE IT!Is tech a tool or is it becoming/destroying our memory?
Pg 05Making an impactHow will people remember you?
Pg 03
Saturday 16 May 2015
aSIaN FaMILy BuSINESS - StEWardS Or INHErItOrS?
PaGES 6-7
LEGaCy & SuCCESSION
mystarjob.com, saturday 16 May 20152
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The opinions expressed in this career guide are those of the writers or the people they quoted and not necessarily those of Leaderonomics.
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QUotES
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odE to aN ExtraordiNary Math tEaChEr
SUCCESSioN For SUCCESS
By TARA [email protected]
IN light of Teacher’s Day, I wanted to highlight someone who had taught me numerous lessons throughout my school-ing years.
Out of the many teachers I’ve had the pleasure of associating with during my school years, my secondary school class and mathematics teacher, Ms. Sugada, is someone I truly admire to this day.
Although I honed my math skills thanks to her guidance, I have also learned numer-ous things from her that she may not have intentionally taught me.
1 Persevere in the Face oF Failure
When I was preparing for my PMR (a form three national paper) examinations, math-ematics was one of my worst subjects in which I would almost always get C’s.
However, she never lost her patience with me when I didn’t understand her explanations and would gladly repeat herself without a hint of annoyance in her voice.
The way she never gave up on me made me realise that I did have the potential to not only pass, but also excel as long as I put extra time and effort into my work the way she did with her students.
Her belief in me gave me the motivation I needed to study hard. Sure enough, my hard work resulted in straight A’s in the end.
2 learning is continuousMy teacher used to tell my class-
mates and I that we should always expand
our horizons and that learning doesn’t stop once we step out of the school com-pound. Learning is something that will continuously happen to all of us until the day we die.
She would always encourage us to read novels and biographies in our free time (after doing our homework, of course!) and that was something most teachers wouldn’t really think of telling their students.
3 show resPect to Be resPected
Although Ms. Sugada was my teacher and therefore, held a position of author-ity over my classmates and I, she treated us with kindness and respect.
She never once talked down to my classmates and I like we were clueless children. Instead, she treated us as indi-viduals entering young adulthood. In return, we also showed our respect to her.
The way she treated us showed me that we should always treat people with respect if we expect the same respect from others.
Final wordsMs. Sugada’s words of advice continue to ring true to me today. It is important that we acknowledge the hard work our teachers do for us because they are the unsung heroes of our nation who help shape individuals into the mature adults they will be in the future.
So, take time out of your day to appre-ciate your teachers and show them that their hard work is not taken for granted. To all teachers, Happy Teachers’ Day!
“Carve your name on hearts, not tombstones. A legacy is etched into the minds of others and the stories they share about you.” – Shannon L. Alder
“The choices we make about the lives we live determine the kinds of legacies we leave.” – Tavis Smiley
“A true leader works themselves out of a job. So great leaders measure their greatness by their absence.” – Myles Munroe
“One of the things we often miss in succession planning is that it should be gradual and thoughtful, with lots of sharing of information and knowledge and perspective, so that it’s almost a non-event when it happens.” – Anne M. Mulcahy
“The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.” – William Arthur Ward
IN my team, I see leaders who, interestingly, have been described through articles in this week’s issue. Someone who appears to be passive, but who steps up and has bursts of self-confidence when she knows it is needed. Someone who is an excellent people devel-oper – taking the time and having the patience to build others around her. Someone who has strengths, but who doesn’t always apply them.
Across the board, they don’t always see what they have in themselves – and so I have made it my quest to hone in on their strengths, help them acknowledge and build on their potential – and then become the bosses!
Be it in the organisations we work for, or in other informal set-tings, we may have observed the tussle for a leadership position when vacated by the previous leader. Without a solid and well thought out succession plan, many people internal and external to the organisation can be affected.
Christian Stewart specialises in governance and succession issues at the point where organisations and families intersect. He sheds some light on family run businesses and the sensitivities of succes-sion planning that may differ from other organisations, as well as how we might navigate it effectively.
In our Top 10, Prema Jayabalan shares some best practices for choosing successors, while we also look at 12 steps to better organ-isational survival through effective succession planning.
On leaving a legacy, Eric Lau gently chides us to lead our lives in a way that will leave a positive impact (and memories) with everyone we touch.
While we are on the topic of impact and memories – the creators of Google certainly are the focus of our Brain Bulletin by Adeline Tay this week! She delves into research and studies on the effect of technological tools on how we remember things, and indeed our ability to do so.
For our column A Day in the Life, Lim Lay Hsuan had the oppor-tunity to chat with a financial advisor – helping us to understand the role, and to perhaps choose a career that can impact individuals and their families on a different level.
In her debut article, Jean Selvam, who devotes much of her time to building young leaders, addresses a topic most of us have experi-enced at different points in our lives – how to have self-confidence.
Today we also celebrate Teachers’ Day! Jon Gordon talks about the power of a positive educator – the teachers and coaches in his life that have made a mark or spurred him on in times of uncertain-ty. He shares seven ways that we can all be positive educators.
And Gordon’s great advice also applies to leaders, managers and peers who want to have a positive influence on the people we work with. Morag Barrett reminds us also what we must do as leaders to grow and retain our people.
On that note, we would like to wish teachers and coaches world-wide HAPPY TEACHERS’ DAY and thank you for helping us become who we are today.
Onward, upward!
KAREN NEOHEditorleaderonomics.com
mystarjob.com, saturday 16 May 2015 3
By ERIC [email protected]
LEGACY is a big and power-packed word. Simply defined, legacy is the positive impact one leaves behind. Where will the world be if not for the wonderful legacies
that many of the heroes of our society have left us?
Consider Mother Teresa: Literally thousands of the underprivileged were touched because one woman chose to love unconditionally.
Consider Nelson Mandela: An entire nation’s curse of discrimination was broken because one man courageously fought against injustice.
Consider Mark Zuckerberg: The entire landscape of social media was impacted drastically because one man relentlessly pursued a vision to connect people.
Thankfully, the list of world famous “legacy leavers” are numerous. However, the ability to leave a legacy is not only confined to these giants of the world. Ordinary folk like you and I can leave meaningful legacies that are within our circle of influence.
Deep down embedded into each indi-vidual’s heart is the desire to leave a leg-acy. We all want to make a difference, to be remembered and to feel that we have contributed something to the world.
For some people, this can be a driving force leading to great undertakings and extraordinary contributions to human-kind. But for most of us with more mod-est abilities, our impact to this world cannot be overlooked.
Here are four ways to leave a legacy:
1 Cultivate a sinCere heart to make a
differenCeWe cannot achieve anything that is of
significant value unless we first have a sincere desire to make an impact. Once true desire is ignited, its fire will consume a person’s energy and focus resulting in courageous action and perseverance.
When Blake Mycoskie, founder of Toms Shoes was doing some volunteer work in the outskirts of Buenos Aires in 2006, he noticed that many of the chil-dren were running through the streets barefoot.
His compassionate heart took over and it led him to start up Tom Shoes, an organisation with a unique business model.
For every pair of shoes sold, a new pair of shoes will be donated to an impoverished child in a third world nation. What we are excited and passionate about will drive our actions, leaving a positive impact.
2 Build around your talents
The legacies that we can potentially leave behind will also very likely revolve around our talents. We usually do well in what we are naturally talented to do. This spirit of excellence often reaps a har-vest of positive impact.
Consider Susan Boyle, the singer who came into international spotlight when she appeared on the reality TV show, Britain’s Got Talent in 2009. Despite being a 47-year-old woman who did not seem to have the “physical package” of a typi-cal young, beautiful and attractive star, she braved her way to the audition and sang her own version of “I Dreamed a Dream” from Les Misérables.
Although she did not win the competi-tion, the world recognised her unique musical talent. To date, she has launched seven successful albums. Her rags-to-riches story is a powerful inspiration to the “underdogs” of the world.
When our talents are magnified, our legacies can be maximised.
3 Work Within your CirCle of influenCe
Many people do not fulfill their legacy potential because they think they do not have the right platform to make a differ-ence. Instead of waiting for the perfect opportunity or the “perfect break”, just work with what you have within your circle of influence.
After the Beatles were rejected by numerous recording companies, they had no choice but to play in local clubs. They worked hard with whatever opportunity that came their way and performed about 270 nights in just over a year and a half. By the time they had their first burst of success in 1964, they had performed live an estimated 12,000 times.
Their hard work paid off. History records them as one of the most influen-tial music bands of all time. Their legacy rings strong even to this day.
Think big, start small and build deep. You’ll be amazed what doors will open when we launch in faith, stay faithful and work hard.
4 don’t do it for the money
Great legacies are often birthed from a motivation to achieve significance. People achieve great things because they want to make a difference.
When Muhammad Yunus founded Grameen Bank, the goal was not to make money. His motivation was noble.
He simply wanted to provide micro-financing to the poor so that they can run their own businesses and make a decent living and hence, break the cycle of poverty in society.
Those whose sole purpose is to make money seldom make an impact in the lives of others. Success may be attained but significance and legacy will be lacking.
When businesses have a compelling reason for their existence that goes beyond making profits, it operates in a totally different atmosphere.
Employees are more motivated in their work because they believe their organi-sation is making an impact in society.
In many situations, when they get their motives right, the money follows anyway.
Leaving a legacy is about making an impact for the present and the future. American entrepreneur, author and moti-vational speaker, Jim Rohn says that “all good men and women must take respon-sibility to create legacies that will take the next generation to a level we could only imagine”.
When we leave our legacies behind, we are merely sowing seeds of greatness for the next generation to reap through the inspiration we provide and through the doors that we open for them. What legacy would you leave behind?
Former south African presidentNelson Mandela – AFP PHOTO / ALEXANDER JOE
LEAVING A LEGACY, MAKING AN IMPACTMAxIMIsING Your PoTENTIAL To MAKE A dIffErENCE
WhEN our TALENTs ArE MAGNIfIEd, our LEGACIEs CAN bE MAxIMIsEd.
Blake Mycoskie, founder of Toms Shoes. – Los Angeles Times photo by Jay L. Clendenin.
Mother Teresa who
served the poorest of the
poor selflessly.
n Eric Lau is a strategic leader with a relentless belief in people. His personal mission is to inspire and influence others to rise up to their full potential and calling. Eric is a faculty trainer with Leaderonomics and regularly leads training sessions in the areas of leadership, management and personal development. To engage him for your organisation, write to [email protected]
The Beatles continue to make an impact. The evidence of that can be found in current musical artists as well as the number of books still written about the band.
mystarjob.com, saturday 16 May 20154
BEST PRACTICES FOR CHOOSING A SUCCESSORBy PREMA [email protected]
R ESEARCH carried out by Heidrick & Struggles and Stanford University’s Rock Center for Corporate Governance states that more than half of the
organisations today are unable to quickly appoint a successor, should the need to replace the current chief executive officer (CEO) arises.
This indicates that proper succession planning has not been done beforehand. Planning is needed to manage unfore-seen circumstances, such as a sudden demise or permanent disability of a CEO, or a sudden termination.
Succession planning involves the process of transferring the reins of the organisation, when a vacancy occurs in the key leadership role.
However, that is not the only key factor in succession planning. Most of the time, a checklist of potential candidates who can take over a head’s role is prepared.
But what about the ways to handle succession planning? How do you go about appointing a successor? What are things you need to look into? Well, here are some practices that contribute to a positive outcome in succession planning:
1 Plan aheadSuccession planning is part of
human resources (HR) management and should not be conducted during a crisis. Hence, do not wait until a leader is plan-ning to leave.
Start planning now and be prepared to face any circumstances that may occur without warning. Being caught off guard without a suitable candidate to take over, can put an organisation in much turmoil and affect productivity.
2 Credible foreCast analysis
Firstly, it’s imperative to have a solid understanding of what challenges the organisation is likely to face in the next five to 10 years, and what capabilities are needed of the CEO to ensure the organi-sation does not sink in this sea of hurdles.
Directors should not assume that a younger version of the current CEO is the answer to that.
GE’s previous three CEOs (Reg Jones,
Jack Welch and Jeff Immelt) had com-pletely different personalities.
According to Forbes, in leadership suc-cession, GE has done a good job of look-ing “through the windshield” rather than “in the rear-view mirror” to understand the leadership skills required of the next CEO.
3 develoPing internal and external
resourCesDevelopment practices vary between
internal and external candidates. Internally, the process of development embarks with identifying and groom-ing a small number of people who show potential of taking the lead.
Investing about two to four years to develop an executive can be very ben-eficial to an organisation. This could involve rotating the individual in various functional areas, taking on international assignments or spearheading a division.
External candidates, on the other hand, are identified through executive search firms. As potential CEO successors, they are first absorbed into other positions inside the organisation.
The management then invests in strategic approaches for the candidates’ development and explores the candi-dates’ strengths.
Both the former CEO of Starbucks, Jim Donald and the CEO of Cisco Systems, John Thomas Chambers landed their CEO positions in this manner.
4 Ceo and direCtors should be on board
The CEO and board of directors have to be fully involved and committed in this process. This is not an initiative of the HR department.
There should be regular reviews between the CEO and the board with a healthy flow of feedback; working together to identify the criteria for the next successor and taking accountability for responsibilities.
5 use business strategy as a benChmark
There should be a good reason for your succession planning and this can be accomplished by aligning the plan with your business strategy.
By “connecting the dots”, an organisa-tion can give coherent explanation that ties to the need for succession planning based on the business case of the organi-sation or the outcome of not doing it.
6 simPle and straight to the Point
Do not complicate things. Refrain from including excessive, difficult assessment ideas in the process for succession planning. You may think that this will add to quality.
On the contrary, too many complexities can prove to be challenging for potential candidates. Remember that the planning process is a tool that emphasises on development, hence keep it simple.
7 foCus on all levelsYour approach to talent devel-
opment should cross all levels of the organisation. It should not be confined to just certain positions or levels. You may never know where you will find the next CEO and sometimes, the results could be pleasantly surprising.
8 be realistiCDevelopment plans and ideas
are not promises but most of the time, they are communicated in such a way that frustrates potential candidates.
So, don’t pull the legs of high per-forming leads with development plans that are unrealistic. Approach them only if there is a realistic chance of a succession taking place.
9 diversifyIf your organisation wants
diversity in leadership, then succession planning should also look into promot-ing women employees and minorities.
The next dynamic and extraordinary successor with the ability to bring the organisation to greater heights may be amongst these group of employees.
10 keeP PolitiCal and emotional
asPeCts at bayThe process of succession planning
may invite many political, irrational and emotional outbursts from the succession planning team and those around them. It can sometimes come from the CEO who is having difficulty “letting go” or from team members who have their own personal agenda.
It’s crucial for these elements to be managed tactfully without being influenced by emotional and political feelings.
There is no book that specifically teaches you how to manage these emotions when working as a team. This learning comes gradually with experience and emotional intelligence.
n Prema Jayabalan believes that succession planning is a crucial element that can make or break an organisation. Do share your thoughts with her by dropping her a note at [email protected]
mystarjob.com, saturday 16 May 2015 5
SEE if the following statements apply to you and ask yourself (and each other) if you are relying a bit too much on technology to serve as your memory bank.
l You no longer make the effort to remember phone numbers.
l You Google things which, you know, you probably know the answer to, but do it anyway so you can be sure.
l You switch on Waze even when you probably know how to get to your destination yourself.
l You bookmark multiple articles to read later, and now you’ve most likely forgotten about them.
l You rely on Facebook to keep track of your friends’ birthdays.
Sure, we rely on technology to do the work for us at times; which is why the critical question is to ask how frequently we are doing it.
As I was pondering this, I recalled in particular how I used to keep track of my friends’ birthdays purely by memory.
Unfortunately, I believe that my ability to do that has greatly dimin-ished.
In light of this, I thought of a way in which we can remind one anoth-er to stop relying on technology so much to remember birthdays.
By ADELINE [email protected]
THERE was once a time where everyone would turn to each other for answers to both seemingly simple ques-tions, e.g. “What colour is
the dress” and tough questions, e.g. “What shall I eat today?”
Thanks to technology and the arrival of search engines, we no longer need to consult our fellow human beings for such matters; Google is here to do the work for us.
Gone are the days where the first person we go to for answers is our mother and the first place we go to is the library.
Today, information is literally at our fingertips. It has become almost like an automatic response for people to whip out their smartphones and con-sult Google the instant they want to know something.
Just so you get a perspective on how prominent this behaviour is, check out Figure 1.
Google, the most popular search engine today, reported an average of approximately 5.7 billion searches a day!
Compare that with the number of average searches made per day 15 years ago, and you can see for your-self that the numbers have increased drastically.
Seeing how Google has become such a big part of the modern life-style, the question we should ask ourselves (not Google) is whether this has made an impact on the way our brains process and handle infor-mation.
Perhaps, now that Google is acting as the ultimate information storage system, our minds are free to think about more important things...
But do we?
TransacTive MeMoryDuring the days before the Internet
came into existence, people had been using an external memory bank to keep track of information which they themselves could not remember.
These “memory banks” were typi-cally someone close to them, like a spouse: a husband relies on his wife to keep track of where things are placed in the house, while the wife relies on her husband to know how to fix the washing machine when it is down.
This process, whereby one “extends” his knowledge by “storing” informa-tion in an external vessel, is known as transactive memory, a phenomenon explored by social psychologist, Daniel Wegner.
Today, the Internet has become our primary form of external or transactive memory due largely to its convenience. Unfortunately, it has been found that there are negative consequences to this.
The GooGle effecTAccording to a study conducted
by Betsy Sparrow, a psychologist at Columbia University, people are less likely to remember information which they know they can access later on, such as those that are readily available using search engines. This tendency to forget information that is easily accessible is known as the Google Effect.
Here are some other interesting find-ings from her research:
l People are primed to look to the Internet first for knowledge.
l People don’t make the effort to remember since they can always look up this information later.
l People tend to recall the places where the information are kept/found better than they can recall the information themselves.
In her research, Sparrow concluded that the Internet has indeed become our primary external storage system. This might not be the good news you think it is.
Apparently, our behaviour is shaping the way our brain works. A renowned author and writer, Nicholas Carr, is highly critical of the impact that the Internet has had on our cognitive functions and his main argu-ment is that the Internet is literally changing the structure of our brains in a way that diminishes our capacity for concentration and contemplation.
For instance, neuroimaging stud-ies have shown that our brains are learning to disregard information found online. This connection becomes stronger each time we experience it.
This means that the more we use Google, the less likely we are to retain what we see.
Although Google seems to be the main topic here but let us not forget how we are increasingly relying more on other forms of technology to store information. Take a minute and check out the “Test and Challenge Yourself” below to see if you have fallen to the seduction of what technology can offer.
final ThouGhTs: TechnoloGy as a Tool
Technology certainly has value in our lives. As such, we ought to appre-ciate the immense possibilities that it offers and utilise it to maximise productivity.
However, at the same time, I per-sonally believe that we need to know when to switch it off so we can get in touch with people and life around us.
For a start, you can put your smart-phones away at the dining table.
Technological tools were first invented to make life easier for us, and sure enough they have.
However, the time has come for us to question ourselves whether we are indeed masters of these technologies, or have we become overly dependent on them to a point where “we can’t live without WiFi”.
n Adeline Tay, who completed her Masters in Education (Educational Psychology) at Sydney University, hopes this would be a topic of discus-sion in your next mamak visit. To engage with her, write to [email protected]
TesT AND ChAlleNge Yourself
google – our Tool or MeMorY?
Without checking your Facebook or calendar, record a short video of yourself recalling the birthdays (date and month) of five friends under 30 seconds. The five friends will then be automatically nominated to do the same task.
However, if you fail to do so, you’re required to write the words “#BirthdateChallenge” on your forehead and are only allowed to remove it after 24 hours.
Google Annual Search Statistics, Statistic Brain 2015
Figure 1
1998
(Year) 1 2 3 4 5 6
2000
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
(Billion)
mystarjob.com, saturday 16 May 2015 7mystarjob.com, saturday 16 May 20156
By CHRISTIAN [email protected]
IT is often said that the first generation cre-ates the wealth, but that it is the second generation that creates the legacy.
In an overseas Chinese family business (“CFB”), the traditional approach is for the
founder to leave the ownership of the business in equal shares among all of the legitimate heirs. In
the past, this meant all of the sons.However, it is more common these days to
see all of the children of the founder becom-ing equal shareholders when the founder passes, if not before then. In the stereotypi-cal CFB, the founder is also the father and the head of the family.
While the founder is alive, the family is kept together and works together in the business. Sometimes, the surviving spouse of the founder can also keep the family united in the same way.
But what happens when the founder is no longer around? Can the siblings work together as equal owners to con-tinue the family firm?
Family governance expert, James E. Hughes, the author of Family Wealth:
Keeping it in the Family (Bloomberg Press) notes that in his experience, the mem-
bers of the second generation will either see themselves as an “Inheritor” or as a
“Steward”.
Two DifferenT ParaDigmsWhat do we mean by a “Steward”? This term
refers to a member of the second generation who wants to work together with his/her fellow siblings to see the family firm continue under family ownership.
They see themselves as being under an obliga-tion to pass on the family firm as a legacy asset to the next generation. To such a person, legacy is important. A “Steward” is likely to be emotionally committed to the family firm.
On the other hand, an “Inheritor” sees their ownership in simple financial terms. Such a per-son is more like an arms-length investor.
Importantly, they want to be their own person, and they do not want to feel like they have to work together with their other siblings. Under our definition, they may lack emotional commit-ment to the family firm.
In terms of family culture, a person who is a “Steward” has an inward looking orientation. This means they tend to look in towards the family unit.
A person who is an “Inheritor” looks outward. This means they tend to look away from the fam-ily unit and they like their independence.
By definition, the paradigm of a “Steward” is very different from the paradigm of an “Inheritor”.
Hughes further notes that in his experience:
l Neither of these two paradigms is inherently right or wrong. There should be no question of judgement or blame involved here.
l You cannot convince an Inheritor to become a Steward.
l It is vitally important that all the siblings who are owners in the family firm can have “adult-adult” conversations about whether, as an individual, they see themselves as a Steward, or as an Inheritor.
l It is often the relationship between the founder and the siblings that will determine where each of the siblings comes out on this question.
1 where They are all inheriTors
If all the siblings see themselves as indi-vidual Inheritors, you know there is little point in attempting to get them to work together as a family team. Family teamwork and the skills required is not an aspect of the Inheritor para-digm.
If all of the second-generation owners see themselves as Inheritors, they may still decide to keep their shares intact together out of economic necessity, to pool their financial capital.
However, in this event they will be more like a
group of unrelated investors.In this scenario, the family firm can be contin-
ued if one of the siblings manages to buy out the shares of the others so that this individual can become a controlling shareholder, and in a sense, the new “founder”. This is known as “recycling” the family firm.
In the absence of the emergence of a new controlling shareholder in the second generation, it is reasonable to predict that a CFB controlled by a group of Inheritors will disintegrate, either as a result of internal family conflicts, or at the stage when the shares start to pass to the cousin generation.
2 where They are all sTewarDs
The second scenario is one where all of the second generation owners see themselves as Stewards. By our definition, this implies an inten-tion, a motivation, to want to work together.
However, will good intentions be enough to make a difference?
• You could have a group of Stewards who feel very committed to the fam-ily legacy, but who still struggle to work together because they lack the necessary skills for effective communicating, deci-sion making and conflict resolution, and because they don’t know how to overcome the tendencies of their family system (i.e. family dynamics) that are inappropriate for the business system.
Having good intentions is one thing. Having the rights skills is another thing.
• It is often said that power corrupts. You could have a group who define themselves as Stewards, but who cannot really work together because of politics or power strug-gles.
Stewardship and working together imply a need for participation and “fair process”. If there is a sibling who seeks to be too authoritarian, to be too directive in their leadership style, expect that there will be some problems with the group.
• You could have a family that are all Stewards and are fully committed to work-ing together but where there is a lot of confusion over family, ownership and man-agement roles. Most conflicts in a family business are “role conflicts”.
Fortunately, typical role conflicts can be predicted and therefore planned for. The important tasks in this scenario will include creating good boundaries between family and business; and between ownership and management.
The good news is that a group of Stewards is likely going to have the motivation to do the work nec-essary to improve their skills at working together and to adopt good family business governance structures and processes.
This includes cultivating emotional commitment to the family firm.
3 a mix of sTewarDs anD
inheriTorsThe third alternative is
that some members of the second generation will see themselves as Stewards, and some will see themselves as Inheritors.
The third scenario is the case where there is a mix of views. In practice, this is likely to be the most common scenario.
The danger with this third scenario is that it has the potential to paralyse things if the siblings are unable to dis-cuss and reconcile their differing views.
If some are Inheritors, in an Asian family, the Stewards may not be com-
fortable to move ahead on their own while leav-ing the Inheritors out of it because they fear this will imply the family is not united. Accordingly the group gets stuck.
A way to reframe this third scenario into a more positive light is to realise that a healthy family is one that can balance the desire to be together (something the Stewards feel comfort-able with) with the desire to be your own person (which is what the Inheritors want).
Logically a family system in this third scenario has both ends of the spectrum and just needs to find a way to integrate balance.
whaT is your ownershiP PhilosoPhy?
This leads onto Hughes’s next proposition which is that members of the second generation need to be able to have “adult-adult” conversa-tions about whether each individual regards themselves as a Steward or as an Inheritor.
Before examining this concept of an “adult-adult” conversation, why should it be important for the sibling shareholders to be able to have such conversations?
These two groups will have different goals and expectations for their share ownership. They are two different types of owners.
The two groups could be expected to have different time horizons, risk appetites, liquidity needs, and maybe different expectations for how the company should be managed.
If the shareholders are not even able to acknowledge their fundamental differences of viewpoint, if they are not able to “agree to disagree”, or if they are unable to discuss mecha-nisms for bridging their differences, there will be no leadership for the family firm.
If the shareholders are frozen or in confusion, how do the directors know how to govern the business?
How can you plan for the future if you are not able to talk about what each owner, as an adult, really wants to do?
form shoulD follow funcTionAnother reason is that “form should follow
function”. For example, any trust structures or family agreements should be drafted to take into account whether you are looking at the first (all Inheritors), second (all Stewards) or third (a mix) scenario.
The way a group of Stewards would want a family trust structure set up, or for a family shareholders agreement to be drafted, could be very different from the way a group of Inheritors would do it.
aDulT-aDulT conversaTionsWhat is an adult-adult conversation?Hughes says that an adult-adult conversation
is one where siblings can look at each other and listen to each other as adults, not based on their family roles as developed since childhood, and not based on the roles as defined for them by the business founder.
In a family, roles and characters are defined from an early stage. It is common that one sib-ling will look at another sibling through a lens frozen in time. Nevertheless, life is about growth and cycles of change.
An adult-adult conversation then is one in which each sibling can look at the other through the lens of the current reality.
It is a conversation where you can seek to understand the other while knowing that you are not able to control their view, and they are not able to control your view.
In an adult-adult conversation, you are not able to impose your perception of what someone else “should” or “ought” or “must” do; or what “father would have wanted”.
You cannot invoke “family obligation or duty” against your sibling. Such conversations require a respect for differences.
It includes being able to agree to disagree, and being able to work with people who have differ-ent views from yours.
conclusionThere are two paths for increasing the chances
of successfully perpetuating the life of an Asian family business and continuing the family legacy.
The first way is through consolidation of the share ownership and bringing the family firm back under the centralised authority of a single owner.
The second path can open up if the siblings, or a sufficient number of them, see themselves as a group of Stewards. However “Stewardship” should be seen as an intention or motive to want to work together.
These positive intentions will need to be backed up by the necessary actions, work and skills to convert intention into reality. Stewards will also need to adopt sound family business governance practices.
Finally, a group of siblings who are unable to have adult-adult conversations about whether they are each Stewards or Inheritors are likely to find themselves stuck and unable to make plans for the future.
AsiAn FAmily Business: stewArds Or inheritOrs?
the diFFerent BelieF systems And prActices within single
AsiAn FAmilies And the cOnFusiOn they creAte
n Christian Stewart is the managing director of
Family Legacy Asia (www.familylegacyasia.com), a
process consulting firm that works with successful
Asian family enterprises and advises on family firm governance and succession
issues. Send us your feedback at [email protected]. For more leadership
insights, visit www.leaderonomics.com
SCENARIo ImplICATIoNS KEy TASKS
Shareholders are all Inheritors
Shareholder are all Stewards
Shareholder are a mix of Stewards and Inheritors
Like a group of arms length investors
Good intentions are not the same as having good skills and clear roles
Critical to have adult-adult conversations to avoid becoming stuck
Develop a shareholders agreement
Work on relationship skills and develop a family constitution
Develop a shareholders agreement and work on relationship skills and develop a family constitution
whAt hAppens when the FOunder is nO lOnger ArOund?
mystarjob.com, saturday 16 May 20158
The Road ToFinancial FReedomBy LIM LAY [email protected]
WHEN it comes to per-sonal finance and money matters, we can sometimes be clueless in what we want to
achieve. Moreover, there are many finan-cial products out there to overwhelm us with promises of return of investment, etc.
Even if we know what we want, how we work towards our financial goals may have been through our own research, trial and error, or through advice or rec-ommendations from close friends and family members.
Have we ever considered engaging an expert in the field to help us utilise our money?
We caught up with Gunaseelan Kannan, known as Guna, who is among a handful of licensed financial advisors in Malaysia, to learn about the role he plays in this financial space.
The Role DebunkeD“Essentially, I provide clients with
financial advice based on their require-ments and needs – always with clients’ best interest in mind.
“This role involves researching and recommending clients on available and relevant products and services to ensure clients are always aware of market changes,” explains Guna, who holds a post-graduate Masters degree in Business Administration (Finance) from Multimedia University.
To execute his role effectively, Guna regularly meets clients based on appoint-ments set by his case manager. In an introductory meeting, he will get to know his clients and their needs, and build solid relationships with them.
Based on their response, Guna will provide advice, and recommend products and services that best meet their require-ments.
He also meets up with existing clients from time to time to explore further avenues of investments that are aligned with their financial goals.
The STRingenT PRoceSS
Knowing that at the end of the day, financial advisors are also out there to secure a sale, I was skeptical as to how they operate in the best interest of clients pay-ing for their service.
“The Malaysian regula-tory bodies have very stringent requirements to become a licensed financial advisor. This is aimed to uphold high ethics and integrity of the profession,” assures Guna, who is hap-pily married and is a proud father of a young
daughter.“It is not enough to
hold a Registered Financial Planner (RFP) or Certified
Financial Planner (CFP) certification. The regulators
will go through your personal records from the Malaysian
Department of Insolvency, CCRIS (Central Credit Reference
Information System) report from Bank Negara and credit
profiles from CTOS, a leading credit reporting agency.
“Once these records are sat-isfactorily cleared, the licence, renewable on a yearly basis, is finally issued to the person,” clarifies Guna, a CFP holder and a recognised financial advi-sor by the Financial Planning Association of Malaysia.
The SPaRk of inTeReSTComing from a humble family, Guna’s
knack for numbers was identified early in his life. As a child, he used to help his father, who owned a newspaper vendor business, to sort out newspapers. He also used to help sell newspapers at one of their family stalls by the roadside before going to school.
“In secondary school, Accounting Principles was one of my favourite sub-jects. It is no coincidence that what I’m doing now opens the doors of opportu-nity to deal with numbers.
“I always look forward to sharing knowledge and helping people under-stand the world of finance for their own good. In this profession, I can convey my sincere intention to individuals and cor-porations alike of the way healthy finance should be,” Guna shares.
SouRce of inSPiRaTionAsked what inspires him in this role,
Guna says, “My clients inspire me. When they achieve their financial goals and they refer you to others, it shows that they value you as their financial advisor.”
The financial journey between Guna and his clients is very much anchored on trust. He believes that today’s business equates to building solid relationships and connecting with clients. Being able to fulfill clients’ financial needs ensures a long lasting professional relationship.
“I believe financial reward will follow you when you do the right thing for your clients. Clients will see your sincerity to help them, and appreciate your efforts in servicing them relentlessly and diligent-ly,” continues Guna.
The JouRney ThuS faRGuna admittedly says that the industry
is still in its infancy in Malaysia. Generally, the public lacks awareness and the neces-sary knowledge of financial planning, let alone the importance of engaging a cred-ible person to help them execute a plan to achieve their financial goals.
After all, fee-based advisory services are quite new to Malaysian consumers, at least from an individual’s perspective.
“It is my personal goal to see people learn to articulate and write down their financial objectives. I hope to one day write a book on financial planning in an effort to transfer my knowledge to the
masses,” replies Guna to the question of what he wants to achieve through his profession.
“I’d say that my journey as a finan-cial advisor has just started. There is so much more to learn and accomplish in the industry and from your peers. It’s a continuous process of discovery and learning,” says Guna, who cites Robert Kiyosaki as one of his role models and a true educator.
PaRTing aDviceWe asked Guna what advice would he
give to those who might want to explore this career option. His response: “You need to make sure you have these quali-ties – integrity, honesty, trustworthiness and truthfulness. Without these traits, you won’t go far as a financial advisor.”
“It is also of utmost importance to always prioritise the client’s needs above your own. Our duty as financial advisors is to give the best recommendations to clients without bias,” concludes Guna.
concluSionIn whatever we do in our careers, it
still holds true that we recognise why we do the things we do in our work. And once we know our purpose, we can then execute our roles excellently.
n Care to share your story of your dream profession with us? Send us a short write-up of your journey with us at [email protected]. To read more career insights, visit www.leaderonomics.com
oF RinggiT and sense
in This pRoFession, i can convey my sinceRe inTenTion To individuals and coRpoRaTions alike oF The way healThy Finance should be.
mystarjob.com, saturday 16 May 2015 9
The Power of a PosiTive educaTor7 ways To be one
By JON [email protected]
WHEN I think about the teachers who made a difference in my life, I realise they were all positive people. Liota
smiled every day and made me feel loved. Coach Caiazza believed in me while Ehmann encouraged me to be my best.
Years later, as I think about the impact these teachers had on my life, it’s clear that being a positive educator not only makes you better, it makes everyone around you better.
Positive educators have the power to transform lives and inspire young minds to believe they can and will change the world.
In this spirit, here are seven ways we can all choose to be a positive educator.
1 Be Positively Contagious
Research shows that emotions are contagious. Sincere smiles, kind words, encouragement and positive energy infect people in a positive way. On the flip side, your students are just as likely to catch your bad mood as the flu.
So each day you come to school you have a choice. You can be a germ or a big dose of Vitamin C.
When you choose to be positively contagious, your energy has a positive impact on your students, your colleagues and ultimately your school culture.
Your students will remember very little of what you said but they will remember 100% of how you made them feel.
I remember Liota and her smile and love, and it made all the difference.
2 take a Daily ‘thank you’ Walk
It’s simple, it’s powerful, and it’s a great way to feed yourself with positivity. How does it work?
You simply take a walk... outside, in a mall, at your school, on a treadmill, or anywhere else you can think of, and think about all the things, big and small, that you are grateful for.
It is often said that you can’t be stressed and thankful at the same time. So when you combine gratitude with physical exercise, you give yourself a dou-ble boost of positive energy.
You flood your brain and body with positive emotions and natural anti-depressants that uplift you rather than the stress hormones that drain your energy and slowly kill you. By the time you get to school you are ready for a great day.
3 CeleBrate suCCessOne of the simplest, most pow-
erful things you can do for yourself and your students is to celebrate your daily successes. Instead of thinking of all things that went wrong at school each day focus on the one thing that went right.
Try this: Each night before you go to bed, think about the one great thing about your day. If you do this, you’ll look forward to creating more success tomor-row.
Have your students do this as well. Each night they will go to bed feeling like a success and they will wake up with more confidence to take on the day.
4 exPeCt to Make a DifferenCe
When positive educators walk into their classrooms, they expect to make a difference in their students’ lives. In fact, making a difference is the very reason
why they became a teacher in the first place and this purpose continues to fuel them and their teaching.
They come to school each day thinking of ways they can make a difference and expecting that their actions and lessons will lead to positive outcomes for their students.
They win in their mind first and then they win in the hearts and minds of their students.
5 Believe in your stuDents More than
they Believe in theMselvesI tried to quit lacrosse during my
freshman year in high school but Coach Caiazza wouldn’t let me. He told me that I was going to play in college one day.
He had a vision for me that I couldn’t even fathom. He believed in me more than I believed in myself. I ended up going to Cornell University and the expe-rience of playing lacrosse there changed my life forever.
The difference between success and failure is belief and so often this belief is instilled in us by someone else. Coach Caiazza was that person for me and it changed my life.
You can be that person for one of your students if you believe in them and see their potential rather than their limita-tions.
6 DeveloP Positive relationshiPs
Author Andy Stanley once said, “Rules without relationship lead to rebellion.” Far too many principals share rules with their teachers but they don’t have a rela-tionship with them.
And far too many teachers don’t have positive relationships with their students. So what happens? Teachers and students disengage from the mission of the school.
I’ve had many educators approach me and tell me that my books helped them realise they needed to focus less on rules and invest more in their relationships. The result was a dramatic increase in teacher and student performance, morale and engagement.
To develop positive relationships you need to enhance communication, build trust, listen to them, make time for them, recognise them, show them you care through your actions and mentor them.
Take the time to give them your best and they will give them your best.
7 shoW you CareIt’s a simple fact. The best educa-
tors stand out by showing their students and colleagues that they care about them.
Standardised test scores rise when teachers make time to really know their students. Teacher performance improves when principals create engaged relation-ships with their teachers.
Teamwork is enhanced when educa-tors know and care about one another. Parents are more supportive when educa-tors communicate with their student’s parents.
The most powerful form of positive energy is love and this love transforms students, people and schools when it is put into action.
Create your own unique way to show your students and colleagues you care about them. As a result, you will not only feel more positive yourself but you will develop positive kids who create a more positive world.
ConClusionIf you commit to being a positive edu-
cator, I encourage you to read and com-mit to The Positive Teacher Pledge (see sidebar story).
I pledge to be a positive teacher and positive influence
on my fellow educators, students and school.
I promise to be positively contagious and share more smiles,
laughter, encouragement and joy with those around me.
I vow to stay positive in the face of negativity.
When I am surrounded by pessimism, I will choose
optimism.
When I feel fear, I will choose faith.
When I want to hate, I will choose love.
When I want to be bitter, I will choose to get better.
When I experience a challenge, I will look for
opportunity to learn and grow and help others grow.
When faced with adversity, I will find strength.
When I experience a setback, I will be resilient.
When I meet failure, I will fail forward and create
a future success.
With vision, hope, and faith, I will never give up
and will always find ways to make a difference.
I believe my best days are ahead of me, not behind me.
I believe I’m here for a reason and my purpose
is greater than my challenges.
I believe that being positive not only makes
me better, it makes my students better.
So today and every day I will be positive and strive to make
a positive impact on my students, school and the world!
The PosiTive Teacher Pledge
n Jon Gordon is the author of numerous books including The Energy Bus, The Carpenter and The Seed, and blogs regularly at www.JonGordon.com. Send us your feedback at [email protected]. For more leadership insights, visit www.leaderonomics.com
eDitor’s note:haPPy teaChers’ Day!
Jon Gordon brings up some excellent points and causes the editor to reminisce about the great teach-ers of her past too.
Also, Gordon clearly illustrates how we, as leaders, can effectively nurture and grow our people.
Thank you all you teachers out there who have left their indelible mark!
mystarjob.com, saturday 16 May 201510
how to retain and grow your talented players
to a better organisational survival
By MORAG [email protected]
FROM the blogs and articles I am read-ing it would appear that managers are not necessarily doing the things that matter most; for example, building effective working relation-
ships with their team members, to build an engaged team and retain their talented play-ers.
Let’s be clear, talented employees always have a choice whether or not to work for you, or work for your organisation. Even in a tough hiring market they are not “trapped”, they have a choice.
Value Your TalenTsHere are five simple steps to ensure you
are sending the message that you value your talented employees:
1 PaY aTTenTion To Your TalenTed PlaYers
Make sure that you spend more time with your star employees than your troublesome employees. Find ways to involve them in projects and other parts of the business that might not otherwise be available to them.
Remember, your best employees always have options and will be the first to leave; they have a history of success.
2 ConduCT a ‘sTaY-inTerView’
Many organisations conduct ‘exit-inter-views’ when people are leaving a company,
but by then it is too late, your talented employee has already made the decision to leave.
Instead, get ahead of the game, and sit down with your team members today and find out what motivates them; what their career aspirations are and what frustrates them.
Ask why they choose to stay with the com-pany and what might cause them to leave. Identify how you can help and involve them in creating a development plan that keeps them in your organisation.
3 TaCkle Poor PerformanCe
immediaTelYBefore an employee becomes ‘actively
disengaged’, there are usually tell-tale signs and symptoms that indicate all is not well – results may drop, attitudes become cynical.
Ensure that you clearly articulate expecta-tions and hold everyone accountable for both the results they achieve and how they go about achieving those results.
4 Take a TalenT snaPshoTAre you leveraging the strengths of
everyone on your team or relying on just a few ‘go-to’ people?
Identify opportunities to develop your team members through on-the-job experi-ence, coaching, changes to assignments or team roles.
Give your employees the opportunity to do their best work and ensure that they look forward to coming to work every day.
5 deVeloP leadershiP and managemenT
skills of firsT-line managers
Best-in-class organisations provide training and tools to managers to help them better engage their employees.
Gallup’s quote that “people join compa-nies, but leave managers” is as true today as it has ever been. Research continues to demonstrate that a person’s immediate line manager is the single biggest influ-ence on their engagement – and whether they decide to stay.
Given that employee turnover can cost between 35%–250% of annual salary, it clearly makes good business sense to help managers keep their employees engaged.
QuesTions To PonderWhat steps are you taking to keep your
talented players engaged and growing your own leaders?
What additional advice do you have?
n Morag Barrett is the best-selling author of Cultivate: The Power of Winning Relationships and CEO of SkyeTeam (www.skyeteam.com), an international HR consulting and leadership development company. Morag’s experience ranges from senior executive coaching to developing leaders and teams across Europe, America and Asia. For more articles on leadership and personal development, visit www.leaderonomics.com. Send us your feedback at [email protected]
SUCCESSION planning is not just about identifying potential key leadership roles as successors. It is also about setting up proper succession processes that reach across ranks.
This includes identifying high potentials in the lowest levels of an organisation, and grooming them through development efforts to expand their knowledge, skills and competencies.
Here is a 12-step process (adapted from Halogen Software) to an effective succession plan to ensure the right talent pools are created to further take an organisation to greater heights.
Identify all areas/functions currently strategic to organisation’s success and survival.
12steps
Identify key roles and employees in these strategic areas/functions.
Identify emerging areas/functions that will be strategic to future success and survival.
Identify roles and employees in these emerging areas/functions.
For each area/function/role, identify competencies, knowledge, skills and experience required for exceptional performance.
Identify learning resources and initiatives that can help develop each competency.
Identify high-performing employees.
Identify all high-potential employees – those who demonstrate interest, drive and passion to progress in their careers.
Hold “stay-interviews” with high-performing and high-potential employees. Find out what motivates, engages and frustrates them.
Create talent pools for each current and emerging strategic area/function.
Recruit from these talent pools when opportunities or vacancies open up.
Repeat Step 1 and onwards.Step12
Step11
Step10
Step9
Step8
Step7
Step6
Step5
Step4
Step3
Step2
Step1
Speak out and let your voice be heard!
mystarjob.com, saturday 16 May 2015 11
By JEAN [email protected]
OVER the weekend, I had an interesting conversation with a few secondary school students regarding self-confidence. They all had dif-
ferent perceptions on this subject.Some felt that self-confidence meant
being bossy, while others believed that only certain personalities can have confi-dence. Some even decided that they did not have this attribute.
I was surprised by their reflections and wondered why they were unable to see in themselves, what I saw in them.
These students are motivated, smart, kind and above all, inspiring. When I mentioned these characteristics to them, they did not seem to accept it or believe in it. As the conversation continued, I began seeing a clearer picture and reflected on my own perception of self-confidence as I was growing up.
Merriam-Webster’s dictionary defines self-confidence as “con-fidence in oneself and in one’s powers and abilities”. However in some communities, the definition
is thought to be similar to arrogance and ego. This certainly discourages members of the community from
building this skill and perceiving self-confi-dence as a strength.
This unfortunate definition is even more
intensified if this charac-teristic is displayed by a
woman! So most young girls are trained and
expected to be docile and passive. I was one of them.
SINGING A DIFFERENT TUNE
As a young girl, I was very tom-boyish, loud and demanding (in a sweet way, of
course). But I was often told to speak
softly and not be demanding in any way.
Though it was advice that came from a caring and loving place, it taught me to not only be quieter and gentler, but also to be more passive. These charac-teristics certainly affected my level of confidence.
I was not taught how to be confident in myself and to speak up when I needed to; neither did I understand the difference between arrogance and self-confidence.
Eventually, I realised that it was easy for people to take advantage of my per-sonality in different ways, and this was apparent in my family life, friendships, at college and at work.
Don’t get me wrong! I am happy with the person I am today but I cer-tainly wished that I could have learnt the importance of being confident in myself.
Now I know that part of being self- confident is having the skills to speak up and take charge of my own life because certainly, no one else can or will do that for me.
PRACTICE MAKES PERFECTIt took a lot of reflecting and motiva-
tion to build up my self-confidence, and honestly, it is still in the process.
So the question here is how to take charge of my life differently and start building self-confidence? It can be dif-ficult to do when people around you already see you as a passive person or a “yes man” or “yes woman”.
This can be an extremely frustrating situation to be in when a person is trying to change the circumstances of his (or her) life.
However, I have come to realise that this may be my own fault, because I have not taken charge of making any changes. I was overly concerned about wanting to be liked or not offending the other person.
I would tell myself that it was not a big deal and not worth having a conflict over that particular issue.
Ultimately, the question is what does this mean for my self-confidence?
RESOLVING THE ISSUESo back to the question above, how do
I begin to take charge and start making some changes? How do I build my confi-dence but at the same time, still remain the person I am?
The answer is to realise why and what
it is about you that allows people to take you for granted.
Take accountability for your behaviour, such as the passivity and low self-esteem. It is often easy to blame parents and even the community because you feel they should have guided you better.
But in truth, we fail to see that they are teaching us what they know and believe to be good traits. On our part, we have to review our “passive” behaviour and be motivated to make the necessary changes.
TAKING THE BULL BY THE HORNS
The next step is to be driven to change these aspects of yourself and gradually build your self-confidence. Of course, it is easier said than done!
However, when we have taken the time to reflect and take accountability of our own behaviours, we will gradually begin to notice little opportunities that allow us to build self-confidence.
For me, it started with the feeling of discomfort or frustration when someone would take advantage of my passivity.
I could feel myself wanting to say “something” for my opinion to be heard. This was a small step towards building self-confidence and speaking out loud.
It was certainly more nerve wracking in some situations more than others, but I also felt proud for being able to express my thoughts.
Of course it would not be smooth sail-ing in all situations, but the end result is the huge possibility of feeling confident about your abilities and being coura-geous enough to stand up for yourself, in a variety of situations; big or small.
IN CONCLUSIONThese are the little things that I have
done to start building my self-confidence and I know that it can only be achieved if I am motivated to take charge and make positive changes in my life.
What I have learnt during this process is that I need to feel comfortable with myself and in any environment. I want to be heard and not to be taken for granted.
I am still a rather quiet and passive person, but I do not view it as a negative characteristic.
What is different is that I have added another strength; self-confidence.
how to take charge and make changeS towardS becoming more Self-confident
n Jean has a special passion in working with children and teens because she finds joy in being able to connect with them and see the world through their eyes. She believes that everyone has strengths and can be empowered to lead a life filled with positivity, strength and true happiness. In contrast to this “people-person” side of her, she loves spending quiet time reading and singing to herself! She also craves adventure and travelling, and feels restless if she doesn’t have the opportunity to do that.
the end reSult iS the huge poSSibility
of feeling confident about
your abilitieS and being courageouS
enough to Stand up for yourSelf, in a variety of Situa-
tionS; big or Small.
EDITOR’S NOTE:
Jean has a background in marriage and family therapy and has worked with a variety of people. Do take the opportunity to ask her questions about building your self-confidence! To connect with Jean, do email her.
mystarjob.com, saturday 16 May 201512
If you have any suggestions or feedback on our content, get in touch with the Leaderonomics team at [email protected] For advertising and advertorials, contact Pravin Kumar at [email protected] or +6011 2377 7850
Go and ‘safe’ yourself!
Also next week
Developing business savvy leaders
Do you have an innovative mindset?
Investing in new cost efficiencies
I agree with your article “Driving Workplace Diversity” (April 18) that diversity is important in an organisation as it reflects the multiplicity of the Malaysian soci-
ety as a whole.However, discrimination still hap-
pens especially when a cancer survivor applies for jobs.
I am a cancer survivor. I was diag-nosed with lymphoma in 2013. At that time, I was working in Kuala Lumpur (KL) with a leading bank.
I went back to my hometown, Penang, for treatment. It took two years for me to get better. I was still employed by the same bank then (pro-longed illness leave).
I must say that the support given me by the bank was tremendous. I was really fortunate to be working for a company that supports its employee both morally and financially.
Now I am cured and the doctor has giving me the green light to return to work.
My doctor advised me to work in Penang as it will be easy for me to undergo my monthly check-ups.
Unfortunately, my bank was unable to grant me a transfer as there were no openings for my job scope in the Penang branch.
If I do go back to KL, I have to apply for a three-day leave every month for check-ups because of logistics. This was unproductive for the bank and me.
Therefore, I started applying for jobs in Penang. It is very frustrating hav-ing to explain the two-year gap in my career.
I try not to tell them, but they get
to know when asking for my pay slip. They discriminate me even further when they ask me whether I will be able to handle stress.
We cancer survivors are able to handle stress. We have been to hell and back. We have bat-tled cancer and have come out survivors.
We are strong and we think differently. We will add diversity in any company where we are employed. We are independent and I would call all cancer survivors, warriors.
I understand why human resourc-es managers think twice about hiring a cancer survivor. During interviews, I was asked whether the cancer would come back.
These kinds of questions are insen-sitive and uncalled for. Life doesn’t give you a guarantee. You can also get killed while crossing the road.
In the United States, cancer survi-vors are legally protected by state and federal laws, such as the Disabilities Act and the Family and Medical Leave Act.
According to these laws, prospec-tive employers cannot ask about a job candidate’s health. I am not sure if we are protected by any similar laws in Malaysia.
So when you award companies with the best diver-sity, please also consider how many cancer survivors, wheelchair-bound individuals, and other employees with health-related issues are employed by the organisation.
It is not only the colour of your skin or the number of Gen-X and Gen-Z or gender equality, but it is also the number of survivors employed that defines a good employer.
I am still unsuccessful in land-ing a job. Therefore I am currently doing my MBA in University Sains
Malaysia Penang.I hope that one day I would be able
to help my fellow survivors who have difficulties in finding a job after cancer treatment.
I truly hope your pullout will be able to educate both employee and employer on sensitive issues like these. I do hope you will come out with articles highlighting this issue.
(Name withheld by request)Penang
I can very proudly say I have attended DIODE camps at least six times now. Three times as a camper, once as a co-facilitator and twice as a facilitator. Every single time I go, I am amazed at just how much I learn and how many new experiences I gain. DIODE camps are based on the fundamental belief that one person, no matter who they are or where they’re from, can make a big difference to a life, a community, a nation, a country and the world.
What I love about DIODE camps is how they impart important leadership values to campers. Campers are taught not only to use the knowledge gained at camp but also how to use the skills and qualities they possess to make a difference in their communities. At all the DIODE camps I’ve attended, I have never failed to be inspired by the campers and the facilitators who truly want to make a difference.
Vennisha Natarajan, 18
Here’s why you should join!
DIODE KIDS9–10 June 2015Venue: Dewan Besar,6, Bgn Bakti Siti Hasmah,Changkat Abg Haji Openg,Taman Tun Dr. Ismail,60000 KL.
Join us! Join us!
CAMP REGISTRATIONS END 18TH MAY 2015.Visit www.diodecamps.com or call +6 (03) 7957 5809 ext 2023 to secure your spaces in DIODE!
TWEENS LEADERSHIP CAMP3–6 June 2015
YOUTH LEADERSHIP CAMP1–6 June 2015Venue: Harmony Excellence Resort,Lorong Chemperoh 1, Kg. Janda Baik, 28750 Bentong, Pahang
Parting ShotWRITE TO USFeedback to the editor is welcome, must include writer’s full name and town of residence, may be edited for clarity and length, and should be emailed to [email protected]. Please do not send attachments. More feedback is available at www.leaderonomics.com/tag/readers-feedback
SEcTOR FOcUSEd caREER FaIR (SFcF) UMP: EngInEERIng Universiti Malaysia Pahang Gambang Campus May 23-24, 2015
Calling all engineering stu-dents in the East Coast! The Sector Focused Career Fair will head to Kuantan in May. Explore internship or career opportunities with more than 30 top employers in the engi-neering sector at Universiti Malaysia Pahang Gambang Campus from May 23-24, 10am to 5pm.
MalaySIa HR aWaRdS 2015
The prestigious 15th Malaysia HR AWARDS 2015 organised by the Malaysian Institute of Human Resource Management will be presented to winners on Oct 29, 2015. To date, an overwhelming number of submissions have been received. This year, the Malaysia HR AWARDS 2015 will be presented in eight catego-ries. Submission for interested organisations and individuals is still open till June 30, 2015.
thiS MaY BE For YoU!
