On the 20th and 21st I was with a room full of managers from SIHAT Sdn Bhd. Not only did I have the managers with me, I also had the CEO of the company, Datuk Venu. I was totally humbled by the experience. Here is a man, much more senior to me, willing to sit down with his managers for 2 full days to listen to what I have to say. The thing that left me amazed was the fact that he was so excited about the program and the various issues brought up and suggestions made by his managers during the program that I could see the glee in his eyes for having the opportunity to be there with them. What more, he was able to recall some of the key ideas that I presented and gave his own take on them. Simply put, here is a man who 'has seen that, been there, done that' but yet so hungry for new knowledge and ideas regardless from where it comes from.
I have often said in my programs that a manager/leader needs to keep learning. I said the same thing on the 26th with yet another group of managers from Uniqema Sdn. Bhd. I say it often because I truly believe in it. In fact I am absolutely convinced that an individual's leadership and managerial skills develop proportionately with his/her appetite for learning. The moment learning stops, performance hits a plateau and soon after, deteriorates. A manager who keeps learning, keeps improving. A manager who keeps learning, keeps cynicism and pessimism at bay.
Although rare, there are times when I hear somebody say " I don't know.... I am not sure whether that will work in my organization". I often spend most of the break time with this individual as I really need to understand the reasons for the pessimism as that is a clear sign that learning has come to a stop for him or her. For me, that's a real pity as learning makes a man. It definitely makes a leader!
I have often said in my programs that a manager/leader needs to keep learning. I said the same thing on the 26th with yet another group of managers from Uniqema Sdn. Bhd. I say it often because I truly believe in it. In fact I am absolutely convinced that an individual's leadership and managerial skills develop proportionately with his/her appetite for learning. The moment learning stops, performance hits a plateau and soon after, deteriorates. A manager who keeps learning, keeps improving. A manager who keeps learning, keeps cynicism and pessimism at bay.
Although rare, there are times when I hear somebody say " I don't know.... I am not sure whether that will work in my organization". I often spend most of the break time with this individual as I really need to understand the reasons for the pessimism as that is a clear sign that learning has come to a stop for him or her. For me, that's a real pity as learning makes a man. It definitely makes a leader!
