Problems with leaders - too much concepts and assumptions
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Very often, we may hear leaders talking about leaderships, talents, or abilities in running a business or country.
So what is leadership or talent ? Is it something effective or attainable or only some kind of good-looking packaging of self-centred concepts or ideas.
Presumably leaders should possess uniques abilities or attributes to set direction and unite people to take collective actions or make sacrifices to strive for progress. In order to be effective leaders they have to possess the extra ability to motivate people in knowledge application, teamwork, diligence or sacrifice for the country. They themselves are expected to set good example to act honorably and carry out their words, promises and policies.
Upon closer examination, many leaders are found unable to fulfill their words of honour nowadays, or turn their concepts and assumptions into mananageable processes to realise hands-on efficiency, competitiveness, excellence, reliability, or sense of justice, empathy with the poor or concern with social and economic wellbeing of all ?
The most common fault today with leaders is that they tend to rely on concepts and assumptions, rhetorics and presentations and fail to live up to their expectations of the people or followers.
Hence there is a need for leaders to be fully aware of the dangers of relying on presentations, concepts or assumptions which often end up as broken promises and setbacks to their followers.
Good leaders must be people who are equally adept with skills of practical implementation. They must understand that people have needs and desires to succeed in their respective fields and positions and they must be motivated to unleash their skills and apply their talents before they could contribute meaningfully to work together for common good.
Without laying out goals, and policies in implementation processes tasks will be entangled in complexities and uncertainties which cause office politics and conflicts. To that extent tasks are entangled in complexities or uncertainties, there will be problems with application of knowledge and development of technology.
It is critical to motivate the masses in applications of knowledge and technologies, while dispensing with judgmental conceptual and rhetorical management. At the same time, masses should be motivated to apply skills through broad-based practical education which will lead to widespread application of technology and knowledge.
In the fast-paced technological age of internet and instant telecommunication, it is urgent to get people to develop their skills and knowledge to be creative, entrepreneurial and proactive, and seize opportunities at practical applications of knowledge by all in every field.
Because of past conceptual approaches, there have been too many policy failures which caused the slow-down of the economy and unhappiness of the people. As a result, govenrment has to extend controls and regulations, and increasing the taxing and recovering of costs to the full market values thereby causing hardship.
Today's technology-age leadership should consist of the following criteria:-
(1) Translate goals and objectives into implementation processes to empower all workers to maximize their knowledge applications, to create competitiveness, technology start-ups and jobs.
(2) Collective leadership and good corporate governance to avoid self-centred narrow top-down conceptual management that stifle mass participation in knowledge application, implementation of ideas and growth.
Today's leadership should possess the clear practical ability to motivate people to become true partners of business or enterprise so that the masses could be totally involved in decision making and working towards results together as a team.
In this way they can then leverage the many resources at work and mobilise the people to realize technologicial start-ups and value-add economic competitiveness which currently could only be talked about.
No matter how brilliant, the concept of a few talents at the top of organization is too narrow the leadership approach. Today's leaders should be collective open and consultative possessing the total functional abililites and total scope and radar range to cover the whole spheres of social culture and economic exchanges and leveling up of competitiveness. Not only that, it encourages self-interests and controls which are not consonent with the majoirity's vibrancy and growth.
Process management can be set up to lay out works and challenges to empower all to work collectively with coordination and application of knowledge at all level to attain results on their own without all the hype, excuses to justify past mistakes and lack of performance. -
A leader is chosen not because he/she has special abilities. He/she is chosen to lead only because of the he/she & the people shared a common objective. In Singapore, we've no choice but to follow, those smart aleck leaders. Bloody hell, trying to act clever, this is what we commonly known as 'geh kiang'. Never get our agreement, then they just carry on with their own plans. Phui!!! If elections coming, make sure they lose until their pants drop. Phui!!!
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Yes, a leader is chosen because among other reasons he or she has shared certain common objective with the people. This point is very important and I will certainly cover it in revision on leadership thinking.Originally posted by Spirit of Fire:A leader is chosen not because he/she has special abilities. He/she is chosen to lead only because of the he/she & the people shared a common objective. In Singapore, we've no choice but to follow, those smart aleck leaders. Bloody hell, trying to act clever, this is what we commonly known as 'geh kiang'. Never get our agreement, then they just carry on with their own plans. Phui!!! If elections coming, make sure they lose until their pants drop. Phui!!! -
I think they are unable to fulfill their words because they only want to convince their people they will do a good job. To win an election, they will promise you everything and anything, but after election, either they become empty words, or it will become something else that we do not want.Originally posted by robertteh:Upon closer examination, many leaders are found unable to fulfill their words of honour nowadays, or turn their concepts and assumptions into mananageable processes to realise hands-on efficiency, competitiveness, excellence, reliability, or sense of justice, empathy with the poor or concern with social and economic wellbeing of all ? -
I see the point you have made - promises look good to the people so they are used constantly to win votes whether promises like more good years or swiss standard of living can be achieved or not does not matter to them.Originally posted by ndmmxiaomayi:I think they are unable to fulfill their words because they only want to convince their people they will do a good job. To win an election, they will promise you everything and anything, but after election, either they become empty words, or it will become something else that we do not want. -
Hi Robert,
I find your comments on leadership too business-like. The interesting point which I want to know is are you a businessman in reality?
Although, I do share similar views with you on the implementation processes and technology-age leadership but do note that it is a country we are building afterall and not some high-tech modern corporate hence a balance is needed.
Governing a country is unlike managing a business with profits and losses at each ends of the balance scale with no requirement to seek a balance in between. Leadership is definitly tougher at national level where one needs the ability to marco-manage but more importantly, able to find a right balance between social welfare and economic growth. Raised the latter, its citizens will complain on the former, vice versa. Time is needed to adds more weighs and raises the value on each end of the balance scale yet maintaining that balance which is essential. I will say, give the leaders, especially the newer generation a chance before single out on their leadership.
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are we all businessmen? we either mind our business or poke our heads into other peoples' businesses.
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By the same reasoning, do we expect our minissters to be businessmen before they took on the post or be qualified one way or another to govern our many businesses and the people's social and economic affairs.Originally posted by TooFree:Hi Robert,
I find your comments on leadership too business-like. The interesting point which I want to know is are you a businessman in reality?
Although, I do share similar views with you on the implementation processes and technology-age leadership but do note that it is a country we are building afterall and not some high-tech modern corporate hence a balance is needed.
Governing a country is unlike managing a business with profits and losses at each ends of the balance scale with no requirement to seek a balance in between. Leadership is definitly tougher at national level where one needs the ability to marco-manage but more importantly, able to find a right balance between social welfare and economic growth. Raised the latter, its citizens will complain on the former, vice versa. Time is needed to adds more weighs and raises the value on each end of the balance scale yet maintaining that balance which is essential. I will say, give the leaders, especially the newer generation a chance before single out on their leadership.
So let us all agree to certain parameters in giving our views or suggestions on national issues. We can give our views as long as we have the passions and interests in the subject matter of concern. Right or wrong, reasonable or not, let others be the judge.
In fact we are now facing so many problems in running this country such as high costs of doing business and loss of economic competitiveness for many years that people are extremely unhappy that new direction will have to be found. It is unlikely that the solutions will come from the existing ministers or those who blindly follow the established or conventional wisdom.
The fundamentals of government have been identified by me in this post but this is only one way of looking at the problems. There are many macro- and micro-economic and social factors to be studied by the government so that they can view the total balance sheet and see where they need to change.
If you can see the perspective, you too can post your management process here and see they are important to help governing of the country with accountability and transparency.
If you cannot see the overview and wish to point out certain aspect of my views or posts are wrong you are welcome to give your view.
But please do not try to wish away problems I have posted as many of them are seriously affecting our progress and future wellbeing. What we need is not just micro- view on specific areas of governance but macro- views to put our overall philosophy like what Ngiam Tong Dow and many others have pointed out right.
It is only when we can all address overall fundamental issues and provide clear and new direction that all can add values to the whole system. I hope you see my overall concerns and perspective and do not feel that I am out to run down anyone. -
Roger this statement. I hope the other forumites would abid by this spirit too. Debate but do not attack for the sake of attack or hurl personal insult just because you do not agree with Robert Teh.Originally posted by robertteh:So let us all agree to certain parameters in giving our views or suggestions on national issues. We can give our views as long as we have the passions and interests in the subject matter of concern. Right or wrong, reasonable or not, let others be the judge.In fact we are now facing so many problems in running this country such as high costs of doing business and loss of economic competitiveness for many years that people are extremely unhappy that new direction will have to be found. It is unlikely that the solutions will come from the existing ministers or those who blindly follow the established or conventional wisdom.
Very well spoken indeed. By highlighting some of the national issues here, it does not mean we are anti-establishment or anti-government. The fact the we speak shows that we care and are concerned for this country. People may disagree with what a forumite wrote and think otherwise. But please do not call names just becuase you think you views are superior. Others forumites here would naturally be convinced that your view is superior if many other forumites concur to your statements or when you can produce convincing evidence.
If you can see the perspective, you too can post your management process here and see they are important to help governing of the country with accountability and transparency.
If you cannot see the overview and wish to point out certain aspect of my views or posts are wrong you are welcome to give your view. -
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