The Greatest Legacy and Icon

When I started writing this story, I was a little bit ethusiastic of sharing something that is really meaningful to me. Something that motivate, inspire and encourage me to flourish my daily routine. What is grateful about getting to know the world is to thrill myself to hear other people’s stories. The success story, the passion that inspires me a lot and the opportunities for me to share my insights and content of this writing about the great achievement of fantastic and outstanding leader.

Leadership is a hot topic. Innovation is even hotter these days. I’ve been very curious about the overlap of these two fascinating subjects to see what happens when examining the values and behaviors of leaders who are responsible for big innovations that shake the marketplace and the world. To truly help people be great, an Innovation Leader must be an example of being great themselves. Otherwise their inspiration attempts lack any real power or energy to cause effect, and they appear to people as hypocrites.

” Innovation distinguishes between a leader and follower”

- Steve Jobs

Who Are Your Heroes? - A Termendous Impact As A Leader

I have chosen the late Steve Jobs as the genuine leader that brings innovation to the top of the world. Steven Paul Jobs was born in San Francisco, California on February 24 1955. His biological parents, unwed college graduates Joanne Simpson and Abdulfattah Jandali, had him adopted by a lower-middle-class couple from south of the Bay Area, Paul and Clara Jobs

Young Steve grew up in a valley of apricot orchards that was already turning into the world center of computer technology: Silicon Valley. It was not uncommon to see engineers fill their garages with all kind of electronic devices in that part of California. Steve Jobs was fascinated by these, and that’s why, in 1969, he met with a computer whiz kid who shared his interests in electronics: Stephen Wozniak — commonly known as Woz. Steve and Woz quickly became friends even though Woz was five years older.

When Steve Jobs reached college age, he decided he would go to Reed College in Oregon. It was an expensive liberal arts college, way too pricey for his modest parents; but they had to keep their promise to Steve’s biological mother, and therefore paid for the tuition. Steve only stayed at Reed for one semester though, after which he dropped out. He then spent a lot of time learning about Eastern mysticism and adopted strange diets, fasting or eating only fruits: it was his hippie period. He even traveled to India with a friend to seek enlightenment at age 19.

“Sometimes when you innovate, you make mistakes. It is best to admit them quickly, and get on with improving your other innovations.”

- Steve Jobs

Steve jobs is one of the most reclusive CEOs on the planet. He is rarely seen in public, most Apple employees have never met him personally, he avoids regular appearances in the media, and he has created such a guarded compound at Apple headquarters that you’d think you had crossed the demilitarized zone into North Korea. Nevertheless, Jobs has had plenty to say since high school when he first met Steve Wozniak and began bulding computers in a bedroom of his parent’s house.

Jobs has spearheaded the development of some of the sexiest products on the planet such as iMacs, iPhones, iPods and most recently iPad. However the greatest momentum for Apple came from an unexpected source is the iPod. iPod was an integral part of the digital hub strategy. It was started in early 2001, when Steve Jobs realized that he had misplaced his enthusiasm for “desktop video”, i.e. the ability to edit movies on the computer — which was still far from mainstream. What was really hot at the turn of the century was not movies but digital music, as exemplified by the success of Napster. He focused on catching up and bought an outside hardware developer to work on Apple’s own MP3 player, which was brought to market in record time, just in time for 2001’s holiday season.

It’s amazing how many laptops and desktops today mimic the look and feel of Macbooks and iMacs. Without Steve Jobs, the world would be a less colorful place. The man is a living legend and deserves his place in history.

“Quality is more important than quantity. One home run is much better than two doubles.”

- Businessweek

I once heard that only 3 percent of people are commited to designing life of their dreams. That sounds about right. Most people spend more time planning grocery lists than thinking about their future. Still, maybe the economy recession that occurred has acted as a wake-up call, reminding people that they need to take control over their lives instead of leaving their futures in the control of others who may not have their best interest in mind. Young people are looking for guidance, and many are looking to Steve Jobs. He is the real “hero” for teenagers that leading one to select his achievement and making a difference as references of success. It is possible to replicate the Steve Jobs experience in our business, career, life and to discover principle of innovation to inspire personal attitude.

“My job is not to be easy on people. My jobs is to take these great people we have and to push them and make them even better.”

- Steve Jobs

Leader - Great Ideas From Organisation

Jobs was someone who took other people’s ideas and changed them. But he did not like it when the same thing was done to him. In his mind, what he did was special. Jobs persuaded the head of Pepsi-Cola, John Sculley, to join Apple as C.E.O., in 1983, by asking him, “Do you want to spend the rest of your life selling sugared water, or do you want a chance to change the world?” When Jobs approached Isaacson to write his biography, Isaacson first thought that Jobs had noticed that his two previous books were on Benjamin Franklin and Albert Einstein, and that he “saw himself as the natural successor in that sequence.” The architecture of Apple software was always closed. Jobs did not want the iPhone and the iPod and the iPad to be opened up and fiddled with, because in his eyes they were perfect. The greatest tweaker of his generation did not care to be tweaked.

”You can tell a lot about a person by who his or her heroes are,” Jobs said, explaining the famous ”Think Different” television ad, which featured such notable innovators. The ad campaigm debuted on 28 September 1997, less than a year after Jobs’s dramatic return to Apple following an eleven-year absence. The Apple brand was tarnished and Jobs’s primary role was to revitalize Apple’s image. Once Jobs approved the ad campaign, he did not sit on the sidelines as a passive observer. He immersed himself in every aspect of the campaign, reviewing the artwork every day. Jobs was also instrumental in getting permissions, picking up the phone himself to talk to Yoko Ono or the estate of Albert Einstein. His ideas and post-action of the idea were really meaningful to his organisation and then become platform of success.

The Mistake of Leaders – The Troubles of Steve Jobs

This reputation Steve earned since his very first years at Apple. As early as 1981, Macintosh project founder Jef Raskin wrote a note to Apple president Mike Scott complaining about the chairman of the board-enfant terrible that seemed to grow an interest in his pet project. It said:
Jobs regularly misses appointments
He acts without thinking and with bad judgement
He does not give credit where due
Jobs often reacts ad hominem
He makes absurd and wasteful decisions by trying to be paternal
He interrupts and doesn’t listen
He does not keep promises or meet commitments
He makes decisions ex cathedra
Optimistic estimates
Jobs is often irresponsible and inconsiderate

There are indeed several accounts of Steve getting angry at random employees and firing them on the spot for trivial reasons. Such famous (and likely exaggerated) examples are: Steve firing an employee in the elevator at Apple, firing an assistant for having brought him the wrong brand of mineral water, or calling a prospective employee a virgin (this particular example appears in the movie Pirates of Silicon Valley).

Steve’s bad temper has notoriously caused him to break important business relationships. He fired Raskin after he learned about the note. He had Pixar co-founder Alvy Ray Smith leave the company after they had a loud argument which involved Alvy mocking Steve’s NeXT and Steve deriding Alvy’s Southwestern accent. And he trashed an IBM contract crucial to NeXT’s future because he declared he wouldn’t sign anything more than ten pages long.

Innovation Secrets : Resources To Become Better Leader

One thing that make Steve Jobs differ from any other leader is the innovation that he had created. Whether or not you own an Apple product, you can benefit from the gift that Steve Jobs has given to the world. Many business leaders, entrepreneurs, and former Apple employees have discovered the secrets and applied them to achieve breakthrough success. The seven principle that will force the thought towards achieving success in career, company, customers and products appear in this order:

Principle 1 : ”Do What You Love.” Steve Jobs has followed his heart his entire life, and that, he says, has made all the difference.

Principle 2 : ”Put a Dent in the Universe.” Steve Jobs attracts like-minded people who share his vision and who help turn his ideas into world-changing innovation. Principle 3 : ”Kick-Start Your Brain.” Innovation does not exist without creativity, and for Steve Jobs, creativity is the act of connecting things. Jobs believes that a broad set of experiences broadens our understanding of the human experience.

Principle 4 : ”Sell Dreams, Not Products.” To Jobs, people who buy Apple products are not customers. They are people with dreams, hopes and ambitions. Jobs build products to help them fulfill their dreams.

Principle 5 : ”Say No to 1,000 Things.” Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication, according to Jobs.

Principle 6 : ”Create Insanely Great Experiences.” Jobs has made Apple Stores the gold standard in customer service.

Principle 7 : ”Master the Message.” Job is the world’s preeminent corporate storyteller, turning product launches into an art form.

Rest In Peace (5 October 2011) – The Continuty of Succesful Leader

“Death is very likely the single best invention of life.”

- Steve Jobs

When Apple co-founder Steve Jobs passed away, Apple immediately paid its own tribute to its talismanic leader by posting a memorial page on its website, also asking those that wanted to pay their respects to email a specially created email address with their thoughts and tributes to Jobs.

In the weeks that have passed since Jobs’ death Apple has received over one million tributes to its Remembering Steve email address, taking them and posting them on its Steve Jobs website page for visitors to read.

Over a million people from all over the world have shared their memories, thoughts, and feelings about Steve. One thing they all have in common — from personal friends to colleagues to owners of Apple products — is how they’ve been touched by his passion and creativity.

Jobs's brilliance, passion and energy were the source of countless innovations that enrich and improve all of our lives. The world is immeasurably better because of him.

References:

1. The Innovation Secrets of Steve Jobs

Author : Carmine Gallo

Publisher : McGraw Hill



2. The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs

Author : CarmINE Gallo

Publisher : McGraw Hill



3. I, Steve : Steve Jobs in His Own Words

Author : George Beahm

Publisher : An Agate Imprint



4. The Steve Jobs Way : iLeadership for a New Generation

Author : Jay Elliot with William L. Simon

Publisher: Vanguard Press



5. Steve Jobs : The Greatest Second Act In The History Of Business

Author : Jeffrey S. Young with William L. Simon

Publisher : John Wiley & Sons, Inc



6. http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2011/11/14/111114fa_fact_gladwell



7. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Jobs



8. http://allaboutstevejobs.com/



9. http://www.buzzfeed.com/awesomer/12-most-inspirational-quotes-from-steve-jobs



10. http://www.apple.com/stevejobs/

He is My Idol - Syed Mokhtar Al Bukhary

I was born in a village name Kampung Panglima Bayu, Tanah Merah Kelantan 30 years ago. I am the first child in the family and I have a little sister who was born 6 years later. Both of us grew up in a humble family. My father worked as a gardener in a military camp near to our house. While my mother was working as a nurse in a clinic nearby. Since I was 7 months old, my father was taking care of me until I am 4 years old. It was because, my mother have to attend her nursing course. During that time, my father was the person who took care of me and prepare my needs from top to toe. Growing up with two male cousins make me a bit like boy and more likely to engage in the activity that is usually done by boys.



I started my early education at Sek.Keb. Batu Gajah at standard 1. Then my secondary school at Sek.Men.Keb. Batu Gajah from form 1 to form 5. During my school time, my parents give their full support and encouragement no matter what happen. After I finished my school, I had an opportunity to further my studies in Diploma in Business Studies at Universiti Technology MARA and after that I pursue my degree level at Universiti Utara Malaysia in Public Management.



Thinking back to that time, never come across into my mind to become a Administrative and Diplomatic Officer (PTD). My aim just to finish my first degree and then further studies to master level and then become a lecturer. After graduated, I’ve seated for PTD exam for the first time. I did well until the interview level. However, I did not pass my interview. At that time I realize that I should not take for granted in doing things such as the PTD interview. It was like the worst time in my life. Feels like the world ends. I was so sad until I did not know what else I could do. A few months after that, I went to Kuala Lumpur to seek for a job. I am lucky because within a month I got a job as a management trainee. Three weeks later, I’ve got an offer as a PTD contract for two years. For the first time, I worked as a government officer.



In the book A Sense of Urgency by John P. Kotter (2008):

When it comes to affecting behavior – creating alert, fast moving actions that are focused on an important issue, relentlessly launching needed initiatives or cooperating with the initiatives of others, pushing to achieve more ambitious goals despite the obstacles, trying to achieve progress each and every day, constantly purging low value activities so that time is available to do all this feelings are more influential that thoughts.



I still remembered when he said “Work hard and be patient, control your temper because you have to work with others not at your own”. Then he adds “learn as many as you can to be a better person. I cannot be an officer like you, but as a father I am proud when you could go this far”. He hugs me like I was his little daughter. No words could describe my feelings at that time. No picture could portrait my emotion when I heard what he said. Not even a single word came out from my mouth. Just tears came out from my eyes. The moment reminds me to a famous quotation:



Whatever you are, be a good one.

Abraham Lincoln



My father intention was he wants me to be a good and dedicated officer who serves to the nation and country. Wlliam F. Baker & Michael O’Malley (2008), in their book Leading With Kindness: How Good People Consistently Get Superior said that:

Kindness is an apropos term to apply to leadership because it implies precisely such root connection among people engaged in meaningful, reciprocal relationships. Those relations are cultivated and reinforced by six virtues, which we views as the ingredients of kindness, that place encounters within workplace in context; compassion, integrity, gratitude, authenticity, humility and humor.



In my life, there are two icons that really inspired me. They are Tun Mahathir Mohammed, our former Prime Minister and Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar al-Bukhary, the most prominent Malaysia entrepreneurs and are popular with his generosity and philanthropic deeds for the society. I would like to take this opportunity to discuss about Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar al-Bukhary which is also known for his down-to-earth attitude, and a guy who as much as possible avoids publicity, cameras and interviews, which at times can be an overwhelming task, considering his status quo as one of the 10 richest men in the country.

Much of Syed Mokhtar’s attitude is attributed with his parents’ upbringing since he was still a small kid. He was born into a mid-low class family in Kedah, with both his parents having average income background. Being nowhere near to living a wealthy life style did not stop his father and mother from instilling good values in raising their kid. Their home came without necessities, let alone luxuries. Syed Mokhtar himself never went beyond the secondary school, as the prevailing family condition forced him to quit schooling and help family by doing odd jobs and starting small scale businesses.



Syed Mokhtar started his real business in the southern Malaysia, selling and distributing rice. With the acquired knowledge and increase in his entrepreneurship skills, he later ventured into trading, logistics and shipping. His mother’s advice to treat part of the money he received as belonging to the poor and the needy remains at the core of his heart. True enough, when he was merely 23 years old, he gave away half of his monthly income of RM1,500 to the needy, donating it to 15 poor families in his village.



In a book title The Essence of leadership stated, “Leadership as the process of inducing other to take action toward a common goal. This definition subsumes three elements:

i. Leadership is a relational concept. Leadership exists only in relation to others – namely, followers. If there are no followers, there is no leader. Implicit in this definition is the premise that effective leaders must know how to inspire and relate to their followers.

ii. Leadership is a process. In order to lead, the leader must do something. Although a formalized position of authority may greatly facilitate the leadership process, simply occupying such a position is not sufficient to make someone a leader.

iii. Leadership requires inducing others to take action. Leaders induce their followers to act in numerous ways, such as using legitimate authority, modeling (setting an example), goal setting, rewarding and punishing, organizational restructuring, team building and communicating a vision.



In 1996, Syed Mokhtar set up Al-Bukhary Foundation to assist the needy, with him as the sole donator. The foundation finances English, Science and Mathematics classes for more than 20,000 underachieving students every year, as well as running a college scholarship program for 300 students in more than 40 countries. Between 1996 and 2006, the Al-Bukhary Foundation has contributed about 1 billion for various charity causes. The foundation also built the famous and gigantic Al-Bukhary mosque in Alor Setar, Kedah, adjacent to a business complex, which today becomes a prominent landmark in Kedah with its remarkable architecture.



In January 2008, Syed Mokhtar was honored as the recipient of the Tokoh Maal Hijrah 1429. And owing his success to his mother’s teachings, he decided to give the cash award of RM80,000 to his mother, Sharifah Rokiah Syed Mohamed Rahmat. A month later, Tan Sri Mokhtar, together with Hishamudin Ubaidulla, Datuk Zaid Ibrahim and Datuk Amar Leonard Linggi Tun Jugah were featured in Forbes Asia Heroes of Philantropy list.



Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar al-Bukhary is currently the richest bumiputra corporate figure with many interests in diversified business areas which include transportation and logistics, plantations, property development, defense and armory as well as engineering and power generation. He is also a symbolic figure that holds philosophy that 'education does not guarantee success in life, but hard work does', and he's a walking proof of that.



He currently holds shareholder-ship in Malaysia Mining Corporation Berhad (MMC), BERNAS, Malakoff Berhad, Johor Port Berhad, Impian Teladan Sdn Bhd and many others. Even becoming the talk of the country, Syed Mokhtar, most of the times tried to lay low. He is rarely available for press interview and remains elusive in the world of publicity. Instead, he focuses his work on philanthropist's work and is passionate with his charity foundation under the name of al-Bukhary Foundation. Al-Bukhary Foundation helped to build Islamic Art Muzium valued at RM70 millions as well as building many mosques and charity establishments in Kedah, Perak and across the country.



People ask the difference between a leader and a boss. The leader leads, and

the boss drives.



Theodore Roosevelt



His humble personality really gives a big impact to me personally. It is because, nowadays it is very difficult to find a success person very down to earth like him. In every aspect, he shows a very good example to other people to be success. Not only in his work but also his relationship and responsibility not only to his mother and family but also to other people that need help. Being nice to others will lead us to be more grateful with what we have. I wish one day I could be like Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar al-Bukhary. Not only a humble servant to almighty god Allah, a good child to his parents but also good leader and example to others.



I would like to conclude with this anonymous poem;

Be careful of your thoughts, for your thoughts become your words,

Be careful of your words, for your words become your deeds,

Be careful of your deeds, for your deeds become your habits,

Be careful of your habits, for your habits become your characters,

Be careful of your characters, for your characters become your destiny.





REFERENCES:



Howard Morgan, Phil Harkins & Marshall Goldsmith (2004). The Art and Practice of Leadership Coaching. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.



Wlliam F. Baker & Michael O’Malley (2008). Leading With Kindness: How Good People Consistently Get Superior Result. U.S.A.: American Management Association.



John Fuhrman (2007). Leading Leaders to Leadership: 21 Secrets for Leveraging Your Way to Greater Success. Petaling Jaya: Advantage Quest Publication.



John P. Kotter (2008). A Sense of Urgency. U.S.A.: Harvard Business Press.



Leigh Bailey & Maureen Bailey (2005). Grown-Up Leadership: the Benefits of Personal Growth for You and Your Team. Singapore: Nova Vista Publishing.



Linda L. Neider & Chester A. Schriesheim ( 2002). Leadership. U.S.A.: Information Age Publishing.



Edwin A. Locke et. al (1991). The Essence of Leadership: The Four Keys to Leading Successfully. U.S.A.: Macmillan Inc.



http://mokhtaralbukhary.blogspot.com/



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syed_Mokhtar_Al-Bukhary



http://www.zimbio.com/Kuala+Lumpur/articles/1060/Tan+Sri+Syed+Mokhtar+Al+Bukhary



http://skorcareer.com.my/blog/tan-sri-syed-mokhtar-al-bukhary/2008/03/29/



http://wn.com/Syed_Mokhtar_Al-Bukhary

STEP TO THE MOUNTAIN

Leadership…

What makes a powerful and empowering leader? Were leaders born? Were they groomed and made? What defines a leader?

A successful entrepreneur is a leader by nature. However, is an employee working for an employer, a leader?



I am an employee and despite being an employee, my position entrusts me to manage a 24-hour operated General Hospital with almost 3000 staff, serving one of the most highly populated state in the country. So how can I manage my tasks effectively? How do I add value to the organization and continuously improve? How do I empower people around me to live the shared values that we are entrusted by our government, our country? I myself need to be a leader.



For me, Prophet Muhammad is an example of a true born leader. One of his leadership traits is the fact that he lived and practiced all positive and compulsory behaviors of a true leader. Values of transformational leader such as liberty, justice, equality, and collective well being can be possessed but extraordinary values such as forgivingness, gentleness, kindness, politeness, and honesty may not exist in all leaders. Prophet Muhammad possessed both primary as well as the extraordinary values that made him a unique leader in the history of humanity.



Prophet Muhammad was born in Arabia in year 570 C.E. Born as a man with no renowned family background or status; he was selected as the last and most vital prophet of Islam and mankind at the age of 40. He departed from this world at the age of 63. During the short period of 23 years of prophet hood, he completely changed the Arabian Peninsula from paganism and idolatry to the worship of one god, from centuries of tribal quarrels and wars to national solidity and piety, from lawlessness and anarchy to disciplined living, from utter bankruptcy to the highest standards of moral excellence, from inhumane treatment of women and killing female new-born to fair and family-oriented society.



The prophet Muhammad is one true leader who combined political skills with moral skills and embodied these qualities in his speeches, actions and being. He was a life changer agent for human race as he blended religion and spirituality with politics and society. Michael H. Hart, a professor and famous astrophysicist who is also the author of The 100: A Ranking of Most Influential People in History listed Prophet Muhammad as the most influential individual in the history of humankind, overriding even Jesus and Moses. The book was translated into 15 languages and sold over 500,000 copies worldwide. Prophet Muhammad gained such title as he was the only man in history who has supremely succeeded to entwine both religion and secular aspect of life namely:

· preached Islam as a religion;

· fonded a united Muslim society;

· built the first Muslim nation;

· established moral code and values;

· unite different race/ethnicity to live together under one system;

· reformed the Political system by establishing a democratic structure ;

· revolutionized the world of human thoughts and behavior;

· led his community to success in almost every battle field;

· prohibited usury such as economy exploitation and monopoly;

· created an equitable community void of suppression and oppression;

· promoted and practice fairness to all humanity, regardless ethnicity, race and religion; and

· emphasized the importance of education.



One of Prophet Muhammad’s major goals was to develop a sense of supreme character among his people and educate them not to be narrow-minded and focus on differences, such as skin color, race, ethnicity and nationality. By harnessing these values, the people could rise above these limitations and reap trust and spirit of brotherhood by helping each other in order to bring common goodness to the humankind.



Prophet Muhammad was the first Chief and political leader of the State in Arabia with Medina as its capital. Historically, Prophet Muhammad differs from other political leaders in the sense that he established a state from nothing. The state He build is based on three main pillars is which is people, land and political authority which manages the affair of people. In his political leadership, the prophet’s demonstration of extreme composure and self-control made his followers to respect and love him even more and his enemies to either give up and ultimately join his religion or fear him and stay away from any possible issues. Throughout detailed researches, it has been proven and documented Prophet Muhammad was never unfair to his foes. In a way, he was educating them about governance and leading through example.



Among Prophet Muhammad’s supreme characters are:

· Gentleness & Composure

Gentleness and composure are gifts of nature. Conflicts and issues will bring out a person’s character and his true nature. Prophet Muhammad is known for his gentleness, composure and truly kind nature. It created confidence and trust to any person interacting with him.



· Humility

The prophet showed civility, humility and modesty to all, rich or poor, old or young. He preached humbleness to his companion and demonstrated it by his actions.



· Love and kindness

The prophet Muhammad always displayed love, kindness and compassion to all. Welfare of his people and compassion for people in trouble was in his being, even before he became the Chief and political leader of the State in Arabia. His kindness is an attribute of God, which had no limits.



· Moderation

The prophet always avoided extremities in life and practiced moderation, both in deeds and words, family relationship, social status, public, national or even international affairs.



· Modesty

Modesty and honor are part of Islam crucial social elements. The prophet always put forth the importance of keeping and safeguarding one’s modesty and honor, in relation to maintaining confidence and good spirit.



· Politeness

The Prophet Muhammad always treated people courteously, irrespective of their social status or religious beliefs. His house was always opened to everyone. He would entertain anyone who came to his house and all whom he met in the street with same refined manners. He never discriminated his people.



· Truthfulness and honesty

He lived by the truth, adhered to the truth and preached truth all his life. He never uttered a single lie in his life, both before and after his prophet hood. A truthful and righteous person is one who is honest in words, intentions, motives and actions. The prophet Muhammad was an embodiment of truth, honesty and righteousness. He did not speak anything but the truth and did not practice anything but the truth.



Having said all the traits and behaviors of my inspirational leader, the prophet Muhammad, I try my best to inculcate his behaviors and traits in me. Part of my initiatives to continuously improve to become a true leader myself, I invest in inspirational books. One of the books that inspire me was The Leadership Code written by Dave Ulrich, Norm Smallwood and Kate Sweetman. Some of the quotes that I could relate leadership to myself were:

`If you want to build leadership in your company, you need to model what you want others to know and do. When you can clearly declare what makes an effective leader and then model the needful behaviors, your employees will have clearer expectations of what they should know and do’

For me, the above inspires me and guides me to be clearer in my daily job contexts and being; I try to avoid wrong door policy and as much as possible, try to implement the “Jangan Kecewakan Rakyat” motto in my organization. Part of the implementation plans that I can and try to do are:

· Rule 1: Shape the Future: Where is my company heading? What is my career direction? Leaders are strategists. They answer the questions ‘where are we going?’ As practical futurists, they figure out what the organization needs to do to succeed and map the direction they must go based on current and planned resources. They work effectively with others to figure out how to get from the present to the desired future. I need to answer this and decide how do I shape my future, my organization’s future, as an effective leader would do.



· Rule 2: Make Things Happen: How will I make sure my organization gets to where it’s going? If I am an effective leader, I would make things happen. I would be an executor. Executors translate strategies into actions. Executors put systems in place, help others do the same and produce results. Executors focus on getting things done.







· Rule 3: Engage Today’s Talent: Who are the right people for my organization? Effective leaders would know what skills are required to carry out their mission, how to attract the right talent to their organization and optimize the existing talents. As an effective leader, I need to engage with my staff and earn their respect. I am their role model.



· Rule 4: Build the Next Generation: Who stays and sustains the next generation? Leaders with this focus are human capital developers. They ensure long-term leadership development and focus on assuring the growth and progress of their organization. They can spot future talent and understand how to develop those who possess it. To be an effective leader, I need to establish a succession planning on who the next leaders will be. It would be my responsibility to groom, nurture and develop them, to become my next apprentice.



· Rule 5: Invest in myself: This rule is the center of The Leadership Code and promotes personal proficiency. Leaders are learners: they learn from successes and from failures. They read books, take classes and learn from life itself. “Effective leaders inspire loyalty and goodwill in others because they themselves act with integrity and trust.” They are decisive, passionate and bold. They take risks. They create impact to people’s lives.



After graduation, I joined the private sector before joining the public sector. My three years stint at the private sectors gave me numerous experiences. As a newly-hired staff, I was given chance to attend numerous trainings, most of them were soft skill trainings like time management, effective communication, customer service and relations, leadership, coaching, planning and strategic implementation. My clients were mainly the public and I only report to my employers.



Now, being in my current position in the government sector, I am given the responsibility to lead an organization. I need to deal wisely with a lot of people and from various ‘classes’. My ‘clients’, other than the staff that I have to manage, are the public, contractors, suppliers, politicians, and most of all, my government and hence, my country.

It is a pure challenge for me. And honestly, I would rate myself as still too far from emulating being like my true inspirational leader, our Prophet Muhammad. But nonetheless, I pledge myself to commit to the rules that I am learning from The Leadership Code. I pledge myself to continuously improve, to inculcate as much as I can from Prophet Muhammad’s superior behavioral qualities. I pledge myself to make a difference, to leave positive marks to my organization, race and country. This is the journey that I am undertaking. This is the choice that I made. This is the journey that I plan to enjoy, and succeed. This is my pledge to become a leader.



References:

"Thematic Analysis of Values in the Public Communication of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) - Dr. Ali Zohery

The 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History- Michael H. Hart

The Leadership Code - Dave Ulrich, Norm SmallWood, Kate Sweetman

Wikipedia - Michael H. Hart

http://www.harunyahya.com/

http://imamshirazi.com/

Leading By Example - Zeti Akhtar Aziz

          It is easy to think that great leadership is some kind of innate ability or gift; to think that either you have it or you don’t. That is not the case. Leaders are actually train, not born. I strongly believe in order to become a good leader we first need to be a good follower. Good leaders set good examples for their subordinates and others to follow. If we cannot manage ourselves and are unclear on what we stand for, we definitely cannot expect other people to follow us.

          Good leaders need to have desire, power and energy to lead and make a difference. Evolutionary psychology also points to the importance of confidence in establishing leadership. People will follow a confident person, especially one who appears to offer a way out from uncertainty and turbulence.

          In my opinion, I think great leaders should have clarity on their values in order for them to separate right from wrong. Our values are the key beliefs that we hold to be guiding lights. They define how we choose to live our lives.

          Apart from having good values, great leaders also need to have awesome behavior. Our behavior indicates our character. It is the outward expression of what we hold to be important. After all, we are who we choose to be. We are emotional creatures and our instincts draw us towards those whom we trust and guide us away from those whom we fear. Good leaders should not have ego-driven behavior. Arrogance, aggression and sarcasm cause distance and reduce trust and commitment in relationship.  If we are clear on our values and live by them, we have a strong sense of our own integrity and worth. We do not need to make others feel bad in order for us to feel good.

          Graciousness is another value that a leader should possess. Graciousness is how we behave. It involves treating others with respect and by living by example, not by proclamation. Graciousness is a standard of excellence; it is a gift of yourself to others, the donation of your attention, your interest and caring.  It builds trust and fortifies relationships.

          One of the things that can restrict our vision is our perception of the boundaries around us. The way we perceive the world conditions our expectations. It can even make us see things that are not really there, and suggest that the future will merely be an extension of the past. Fixed mind-sets can equip us badly for dealing with change. They make us too slow to adapt. We respond too late because we are fixed in yesterday’s pattern of thought. Pattern of thought can easily become habit, and habits can migrate into the perception that they are the only way to do things. As leaders, we need to challenge the way we perceive the boundaries. We need to think outside the box in order for us to achieve great things in life.

          Even though I understand the theory on how to be a great leader, leadership is still a tough act to jump into without some guidelines. Therefore, as for me, I have an idol to look up to and motive me to be a better person and a good leader. She is an incredible person and a great example of a national leader.

          Tan Sri Dr. Zeti Akhtar Aziz is the current Governor of the Malaysia National Bank. She was born in Johor Bahru and her father is Royal Professor Ungku Aziz, former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Malaya and founder of Tabung Haji. Her mother is a journalist and social activist Sharifah Azah Mohamed Alsagoff. She is also the great granddaughter of the late Datuk Jaafar Mohamed, Johor's first chief minister, and grandniece of Umno founder Datuk Onn Jaafar.

          Tan Sri Dr. Zeti received her early education at Assunta High School, Petaling Jaya in 1958 and she  received a Bachelor's degree in Economics from University Malaya. After that she continued her studies at University of Pennsylvania, obtaining a PhD in monetary and international economics.

          Tan Sri Dr. Zeti Akhtar Aziz began her career as an economic analyst in the South-East Asia Central Bank Training & Research Center from 1979 to 1984. She was then appointed as Deputy Manager in the Economics Department at National Bank of Malaysia. After that, she joined the Economics Department at the National Bank of Malaysia in 1985 and was appointed Secretary to the Board of Directors of the bank in 1987. In 1989, she was appointed as the Chief Representative in the London Office.

          Returning to Malaysia in 1994, Tan Sri Dr. Zeti was appointed the Bank's Chief Economist and the Head of the Economics Department. In 1995, she was elected as the Assistant Governor of the National Bank. She was responsible for economics, reserve management, foreign and money market operations and exchange control. In 2004-2008, she was on the board of directors of Khazanah Nasional Bhd.

          Tan Sri Dr. Zeti was named "Tokoh Ma'al Hijrah 1432H" at the national-level 2010 Ma'al Hijrah celebration. At the age of 63, she is the first woman ever named as the recipient of the award in the celebration's history of 24 years. Interestingly, her father, Royal Professor Ungku Abdul Aziz Ungku Abdul Hamid also received the award 11 years ago.

          Under her leadership, the Islamic financial system had been improving in Malaysia and contributed to a competitive, diverse, comprehensive and inclusive financial system. In a decade, Tan Sri Dr. Zeti managed to increase Islamic banking assets up to 21 per cent, thus over 100 domestic and international Islamic financial institutions are enable to operate in Malaysia.

          At the international level, Tan Sri Dr. Zeti also contributed to the global acceptance of Islamic finance. This includes leading an international team to prepare the Financial Stability and Islamic Finance report, as well as chairing the Islamic Financial Services Board, an international agency for setting prudent monetary policy for Islamic financial institutions worldwide.

          Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom said Tan Sri Dr. Zeti deserved the Maal-Hijrah award based on her contributions in the development of the financial system and national economy, especially in the Islamic financial system. This was especially evident in times of economic recession, he said, saying that apart from national leaders, Tan Sri Dr. Zeti was among those who provided ideas and contributed towards the recovery of the national economy. He said that the country is not only proud of her contributions, but is also happy to give her this award and hope that other women share the joy of this recognition for Tan Sri Dr. Zeti.

          In 2009, Global Finance magazine, selected Tan Sri Dr. Zeti Akhtar Aziz as one of the world's best central bank chief. Tan Sri Dr. Zeti and six other central bank chief was given  grade "A" in the article "Central Banker Report Cards" for success in areas such as inflation control, the target of economic growth, stable currency and interest rate management.

          Apart from numerous awards she received in Malaysia, Tan Sri Dr. Zeti had also received international recognition when she was selected as a member of the United Nations Commission of Experts to discuss the direction of world monetary and financial system.

          Tan Sri Dr. Zeti also chaired the Executives' Meeting of East Asia-Pacific Central Banks (EMEAP) task force to formulate the master plan of financial cooperation between central banks.

          Sharing her success, Tan Sri Dr. Zeti said she spent most of her time reading, especially about financial, economic, leadership development and self-improvement. She said that it was important to instill curiosity in one's quest for knowledge. She also said that gender issue had never arisen throughout her career. She believed that there were also many more women capable of achieving the same level of success.

          On 20th May 2011, it was reported that Bloomberg columnist William Pesek has picked Tan Sri Dr. Zeti as one of his four nominees to head the prestigious International Monetary Fund (IMF). The position became vacant following the resignation of Dominique Strauss-Kahn who was arrested in New York, and is presently facing sexual assault charges. Pesek suggested that an Asian take over the role of the global institution that has traditionally been filled by Europeans and shortlisted regional candidates which he felt could bring a fresh perspective to the institution.

          Pesek praised Tan Sri Dr. Zeti for her brilliant principles and said that she was one of those people that “bet against the IMF and won” in the aftermath of the 1998 Asian Financial Crisis when Malaysia declined aid from the IMF. In the late 1990s, it seemed inevitable that Malaysia would join Thailand, Indonesia and South Korea in accepting multibillion-dollar IMF loan and stringent conditions like raising interest rates, cutting spending and letting irresponsible companies fail.

          Malaysia said no to IMF and Tan Sri Dr. Zeti helped the nation to weather the turbulence. And then she watched the US, in the height of hypocrisy, do all the things it told Asian officials not to do. Pesek noted that Tan Sri Dr. Zeti is one of the most internationally respected central bankers  and played a key role in turning Kuala Lumpur into a global hub of the USD 1trillion (RM3 trillion) Islamic finance industry. He believed Tan Sri Dr. Zeti would bring a much-needed different perspective to the IMF.

          Whether taking on foreign fund managers or dealing with the country's leaders, Tan Sri Dr. Zeti plays her role with remarkable ease and a clear head. She led the central bank to successfully introduce and implement Malaysia's most controversial policy initiative which is the capital controls. The risky move paid off, earning Tan Sri Dr. Zeti great respect and high admiration from all over the world. Her move to rationalize the banking sector and the development of Islamic finance has given Malaysia its strong footing and competitive edge.

          For such outstanding achievements and character, I believe I made the right choice by choosing Tan Sri Dr. Zeti Akhtar Aziz to be my idol. Like other PTDs, I would also want to be a leader in the future. I want to influence, to be counted and not just be another follower. For that matter, I am going to give my best towards achieving my dreams. I am aiming high up for the moon, and if I fail, I hope to at least touch the stars.

References

·       Alan Coppin and John Barratt (2002).Timeless management.

·       Dr. Karen Otazo (2000). The truth about being a leader:and nothing but the truth.

·       "Finance's female face". TMCnet.com. 2005-12-29. http://small-business-voip.tmcnet.com/news/2005/Dec/1246332.htm.  

·       "Bank Negara chief in UN task force". Business Times Malaysia. 2008-11-17.http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/articles/wowee/Article/ index_html. 

·       "Dr. Zeti Akhtar Aziz the world's best central bank chief". All Voices.com. Sep 13, 2010. http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/6743907-dr-zeti-akhtar-aziz-the-worlds-best-central-bank-chief. 

·       "Tan Sri Dr Zeti named ‘Tokoh Ma’al Hijrah’".The Star.December 7, 2010. http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/12/7/nation/20101207172134&sec=nation. 

·       "Zeti one of Bloomberg columnist’s top picks to head IMF". The Malaysian Insider.http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/business/article/zeti-one-of-bloomberg-columnists-top-picks-to-head-imf/. 

Persondata
Name	Zeti, Akhtar Aziz
Alternative names
Short description	Governor of Bank of Malaysia
Date of birth
Place of birth
Date of death
Place of death

THE STORY OF MY IDOLS

When I was given the task of writing a leadership stories, I was blanked. What are the stories that I should write about? I do have quite a number of leaders whom I admire. A motivator I saw in the television once said that if you want to success you must have an idol to be your mentor. An idol means someone you admire about and you want to become like them for their success stories. While mentor is someone who has a good traits and personality and they may guide you with their success recipe. For someone to create history it would never been an easy job and one must possess a good quality of leadership and personality. Leadership can be define as the ability to influence people to do the job for you with continuing support. As for me, I do have few figuras that I admire for their hardship, charismatic and all the positive values they have been possessed. For this story, I decided to write about all my two icons that for me had showed the right path that I should undertake.

As in the present years, I truly admire our fourth Prime Minister – Tun Mahathir Mohamad and Dato’ Maznah Hamid – a well known ‘The Iron Lady’ whom is also the Group Executive Chairman and founder of Securiforce Group. As for Tun. Dr. Mahathir, who has not known this lagendary nationalist? Also known as ‘The Father of Modernisation’. During his 22 years of governance, he managed to transformed Malaysia from agriculture-based economy to industrialized-based economy. During my school days, I do not understand why people bother so much about him. All I used to hear was the rumours be it the positive or negative remarks that no one can proven it to be true. But, I changed my views over him once I completed my Bachelor Degree. I still remember the moment where I went for a window shopping with a friend at a book store and that was where I came to realize there was a newest copy of Datuk Lat Mohamad’s creative copy avalaible on the book shelves. It entittled ‘ Che Det ‘ if i’m not mistaken. I bought the comic. It was such an impressive work-art where Datuk Lat illustrated the life of this lagendary icon using a cheecky comic and understandable language. I’ve read the comic for third times as the author illustrated the life of the former Prime Minister in a way that is so nice and creative.

But, for the purpose of this story, I will eloborate more about my second idol. She’s a real brave lady, with the good personality and not to mention her ‘vocal’ voice while pointing out sharply her views and perpectives of any of the subject matter discussed. The ‘Iron Lady of Malaysia’ that I am talking about came from Air Hitam, Kedah and yes she is a very well known entrepreneur , business woman, a motivatior and a speaker of numerous TV shows. It was all started back in twenty-seven years ago. In a TV show where she was invited as one of the speaker, she mentioned of the incidents that made her reform herself. Came from a poor family, she had to work very hard to ensure that even with limited resources she managed to complete her study. Then, just like other ordinary students, she applied for an employment and secured a position as a tuition teacher where she teached English subject to the children of employee of foreign embasies in Kuala Lumpur. One day, in a conversation with one of the parent who once said to her, “you will not be able to get rich if only be an employed-wage earners. Those words totally had smoldered her spirit and she knew that something needs to be done and that she must reform herself. With some market analysis, she found a security company that almost filed for bankruptcy. She voiced out her planning of buying off the company and she believed the action she took was the right one, happened to be at the right time and right situation. The process of developing the glory was not easy though. She started off the company with merely RM 5,000 from her own savings compared to the other security company with the capitals between RM500,000 to RM 1 million. None like any other entrepreneur, she started off without any aid from the banking institution and up until now where all her companies were established pogressively growing.

As the success of my idol has been potrayed in the above sentence, I wish to share some of the hardships she went through together with her husband. During the early years of Securiforce, she managed to employ only a few guards with she herself as a manager being her own clerk, a secretary and sometimes she would became the guard when the guard that she attached to a client went off for annual leave or some other reasons. Being the jack of all trades in this business is not easy. I still remember in a TV Show where she was invited to give a talk about ‘Starting Early’ she told the audience that she once used to be called with negative cum unpolite remark just because she’s doing what usually being doing by a man. But she survived and thanks to her strong character and was never felt interrupted or bothered with those words.

After almost three decades of struggling,she now heads nearly 50 branches with employee reaching 5000 people, hundred of firearms and numerous of armoured vehicles. The services offered are not only limited to static guard, but also expanding to logistic, cash-in transit, cash management, armoured tracking service and other services. She also expanding her business by founding a Property Development Company which has an agreement with Kuala Lumpur City Hall. The company is to develope a piece of land in Kuala Lumpur to build the condominium and penthouses. It shows that her company is thriving from strengh to strengh. With her outstanding leadership qualities and distinguished leadership, she always got the invitation as a motivational councellor in numerous TV shows.

She received several awards for her contribution and services. In appreciation of the leadership qualities she potrayed, she was awarded Leadership Graduate Award. Also bestowed the award Dato Setia Diraja Kedah (D.S.D.K) by HRH the Sultan of Kedah. Because of her deep interest in Human Resource Development, she founded Maznah Motivational Company (MMC) where she is currently actively delivering speeches, talk and conferences. She wants to see and to develope more entrepreneurs, hoping that in the future she would see more of the youngsters could give contribution in the economic growth of the nation.



Of all her good qualities as a leader, no wonder she could become an outstanding icon in the country. This dynamic lady with firm character, a risk-taker, accept challenges, a mother and a wife that symbolizing the female power. As a newcomer in public sector, i oftenly came to a situation be it in the meeting, or in a discussion whereby we can see that female officers seldomly possess all of these qualities. I can tell that even if they do, not many of them. What i meant are the characters of risk-taker and firm. Sometimes, there will be times where fast decision making process needs to be done, the tendencies of delaying the process by having the needs to consult their superior are there even though it is within their own authority or power.

The success story of Maznah Hamid outlines a few good qualities that a young female leader like me could follow. Among other, to be a winner there must be a burning spirit in ourself. A good leader must will never stop to find the way out by crafting an effective strategy to solve a problem. A first trial may not usually works but we should never stop from learning and trying. A feeling of a champion should always be nurtured that we will never stop fighting for excellency and always strive for the best. Besides that, to become a great leader, we must know how to divide the time for ourself, family, career and life entirely. Everybody in the world has the same and equal time and what differentiates us is how do we use our time. As a leader we must never stop learning. A saying said ‘once you stop learning, you will stop from leading’. A learning proccess can be derived from everything that surrounded us may it be from the books, from our subordinates, from well-experienced workers and from any other resources.

The story of Maznah Hamid has been giving me a new insights of leadership. While facing all the toughest situations, she still standing, firmly and telling everybody that she will still standing there, holding tight her mantra of life and she’s living to the fullest. While standing high on the top, she gives her hand, helping and guiding those people that willing to give their very best in achieving their dreams. Though she is an entrepreneur while I am a young manager in public sector, those qualities can be adapted into my life hollistically. I am continuing to develope my inner strengh, focussing on my own strength and the team that I am working with. Being a leader is not just doing the right thing, but also doing the thing right. One day, no matter what the destiny has been written for me in the future, I will strive for the best and promise to contribute back to the people and community. And, it has been here..deep inside my heart for many years back. InsyaAllah, I’ll prove it.

My Boss, My Leader

How many great leaders do you know?

The answer would be a few, maybe.

Are leaders are born or made?

In fact, this is one of the most frequently asked questions in all kind of leadership development path. To answer this question, let me begin with the definition of Leaders. A leader is a person who influences a group of people towards the achievement of a goal. In simple, a leader is one who goes first and leads by example, so that others are motivated to follow him. According to Jago 1982, good leaders develop through a never ending process of self-study, education, training, and experience.

In my 28 years of life, I’ve seen many kinds of Leaders from various fields. But today I would rather explain in detail of a leader who has a tremendous impact to me and my current life. The person that I am mentioning is my previous Ministry superior named Ms. Chang Sze Ping.

When I think back of the time, when I join as an Administrative and Diplomatic Officer (PTD) in the year 2009. In fact, I never think of becoming a PTD Officer in my entire life. My motive was just to complete my first degree and join any firm to earn. But unfortunately, I was jobless for almost 8 month after my graduation in the year 2006. In early 2007, I got a job offer from a manufacturing firm from Shah Alam. That was my first job. Without any single knowledge of procurement side, I took my first position as Procurement Executive in private firm. Even then, I was happy to learn new things. But my parents were always wanted me to join the Government Sector as no one in my entire family is serving in Government sector.

Later I applied for government job through SPA website. Then, I’ve sat for PTD exam. I did well until the interview level and I received an offer as a contract PTD for two years. Finally, I managed to work as a government officer. Once I became a PTD officer, I realized that I carry a lot of responsibilities to deliver quality service for the public and enhance public service image in the eyes of the people.

Indeed, my first posting as Assistant Director in Budget Division in Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) at Putrajaya. The first person that I met in the Budget Division is my superior, Ms. Chang. She is a small figured Chinese lady whom welcomed me at the first day of my work. At first, I was wondering is that the Boss of Finance Department whom I supposed to meet. But to my surprise she happily introduced herself and described in detail of Finance Department job scope in the first day of my work itself. That’s how I get to know on the Government do’s and don’ts matters.

As my direct superior, Ms. Chang is used advised me all kind of matters. She never fails to boost me especially during my involvement in any kind of jobs. She used to be very punctual. She used to reach office as early as 7.15 am and will be one of the last person go back home. Whenever I asked about the reason why she used to reach office early, it will be none other than better to be early rather than late. Thus, I used to follow her in that timing as well.

Besides that, Ms. Chang is very particular in any facts and figures that been produced. Hence, I will always prepare myself before submitting to her any reports by analyzing and understanding well of that before I knocking on her office door. Even though at the beginning I felt that she is too focused but now I truly understand the reason behind of being so focused. Well, I would say that as PTD Officer, we have to know what are we doing and what we get from that.

One of the leadership skills that I used admire from Ms. Chang is being well managed person in the Organization. As we know, large tasks should be broken up into a series of small tasks. By creating small manageable tasks, the entire task will eventually be accomplished. As a Manager, she used to be accountable in her all actions with respect to her subordinates. She has always reminds me that being a great boss doesn't mean being the subordinates’ friend. In fact, it means providing direction and then doing everything you can to make sure your subordinates are allowed to do their jobs.

Based on my two continuous years of observation, Ms. Chang is one of a person whom never fails to acknowledge any of her subordinates including me in any time. In simple, I would say that she has made acknowledgement as a routine part of her communication with us. She used to be accurate in the acknowledgement part and this gives weight to in her praise all time. She used to advise me that frequent acknowledgement also makes any discussions easier when problems occur.

Time management plays an important role in any leadership path. Time in the organization is constant and irreversible. Time keeps getting away and we have trouble controlling it. No matter what their position, they cannot stop time, they cannot slow it down, nor can they speed it up. Thus, time needs to be effectively managed to be effective. As a Leader, Ms. Chang has numerous demands on her limited time. I never had seen Ms. Chang procrastinate her job in any time. She is a person with highly sense of urgency in her. She used to advise me in doing urgent rather than important tasks.

As a time saver, Ms. Chang used to do a complete checklist and to do list in doing her routine jobs. She used to say that poor planning and lack of contingency plans will fail our routine work. She has taught me the right way in doing job and delegating my jobs with other subordinates. These will always create a win-win situation to us. She is a great woman in handling correspondence expeditiously with quick, short letters and memos. This will help her not to waste her time or other people’s precious time as well.

I still remember the day Ms. Chang assessed me for the first yearly evaluation report called Laporan Penilaian Prestasi Tahunan (LNPT) in my Government Position. She called me up in her room and both of us go thorough one by one section with comprehensive explanation. With that I know my strengths and weakness from the Manager’s view. After the long and detailed discussion, I knew what she wants from me and what is she expecting my work. I think not all the bosses do as what she did to me. Till now, I remember all her words and great.

Other than that, Ms. Chang used guide me in throwing new and creative ideas from time to time. One of the ideas that I have voiced out in my Organization is compiling all the course details of a person who attend for any Courses in a single book to ease the process of monitoring. She has brought out this idea to the higher management and my Big Boss has given green light to do so. This helps us to monitor out department employees yearly course attendance from time to time.

Ms. Chang used to be my grammar teacher in constructing a good sentence especially in meeting minutes. I am still keeping all the correction that she has done in my paper reports/presentation with me. Sometimes, I used to read it again and again in order not to do the same mistakes in a second time. I admire the sentences that she used in all of her report or minutes writing skills.

On the other hand, one of the mistakes that I witnessed from my superior is being a workaholic. Sometimes, she used to skip her lunch just to complete her work in hand. Working hard in the right amount is a good habit. But overworking is a bad habit. In fact, working too hard can lead to compromising one’s health. But sometimes I will be knocking her door to ask on her lunch if I see her busy schedule.

The habits of successful people are well known and widely talked about. Everyone wants to become better person in each day of their life. Becoming a leader is not a one day story. If we have the desire and willpower, we can become an effective leader. There are few resources to become a better leader. For example,

Actions Speak Louder Than Words

If you want to be a great leader and gain respect among employees you need to have earned your stripes. Showing them you are still willing to roll up your sleeves when necessary to get the job done goes a long way in regards to what you'll get back in return. Encourage self-sufficiency and serve as a guide.

Build Your Team and Know Your People

This is also one of the most important things as a leader to build our own team. Believe in our people, listen to them, and let them help us to find effective solutions. Usually, the best ideas come from the front line. Besides that, as a leader, one has to know your people. It’s not necessary being best friends or even socialize outside work, but you do have to know what makes them tick.

As a leader we need to know something about their personal lives because their lives outside work matter. Their lives outside work drive a great deal of their success (or lack of) at work. The more you know your people the more common ground you’re likely to find, the more you’ll be able to connect.

Leaders have a Vision

According to Theodore M. Hesburgh, the very essence of leadership is that you have to have vision. You can’t blow an uncertain trumpet. This is also a great resource in becoming a leader. A leader keeps the team, department or company focused on the vision, seeing the big picture and keeping everything headed in the right direction.

Care and Act with Consideration

Leadership is not power over others. In fact, leadership is about empowering others through service. To become a successful leader care and act always needed. Never ignore anyone for anything. Caring and inspiring others will always lead to success road.

Have a Good Communication Skill

Having good communication skill is a must for a successful leader. Regardless of the size of your organization whether it's a large corporation, a small company, or even a home-based business you need good communication skills if you want to succeed. Many leaders spend hours crafting the words when they want to communicate – especially when they have an important or sensitive message they have to deliver. Vocal impact is important as well.

Leaders are good planners

A leader is a person who never fails to plan. Planning indeed is a part of leadership skills as well. The effective use of planning will do more than any other competency to advance both getting the job done and keeping the group together. Planning is a “core competency.” It offers a general conceptual framework to integrate a variety of related skills, including problem-solving, scheduling, time management, performance appraisal, negotiation, and conflict resolution. By following a proven planning structure, one can improve the number and quality of options available at each step of the process. This produces improved outcomes.

Leaders are Good Counselor

Counseling employs simple, lay coaching and communication techniques. As a leader, people will come to you with problems. Because you are a leader, you will spot people with problems. You can't turn them away or just let them suffer, because the ignored problem, if serious, will almost inevitably become a group problem. “Counseling” is sometimes just another word for “listening.” When troubled, many times it helps the individual to just talk it out, to voice their concerns and express what’s troubling them. Just having their worries or problems heard by another gives the person a sense that his or her problems are legitimate, thus perhaps increasing their self-esteem and their feelings of adequacy in handling the situation.

Have Sense of Urgency

True urgency is a gut-level determination to move and win, now. A great leader used to come to work each day determined to achieve something important, and they shed irrelevant activities to move faster and smarter. Instead, they move boldly toward the future-sharply on the lookout for the hazards and the opportunities that change brings.

Be Brave and Honest.

Leaders are brave and always honest in the actions. Cowardly leaders will shy away from any number of situations that crop up regularly when running a team. As a great leader, one will learn how to present things to the team in an honest way but balanced manner.

Have Passion in All

If you want to be successful at your job and move up the company ladder you need to be passionate about your work. You need to be motivated and driven to be the best you can be regardless of your job or your work. A leader without passion isn’t a leader. He or she is a paper pusher. Passion drives a lot, and you can inspire so much in others through your own passion and enthusiasm.

Leaders Never Quit Trying

A leader is a person who always keeps trying till he/she finds a solution. In simple, a leader never quit trying. Success doesn’t come easy, so giving up early is a sure way to fail. Keep trying till you reach success.

In conclusion, leaders can achieve success through a combination of having a clear vision of the way forward, honest communication, effective teamwork, and demonstrating that they value the people who work for them. Developing leadership potential also involves matching individual talents with organizational need, and building skills that both enhance performance and play to individual strengths. Leadership is not a one day job to settle off. It’s indeed a lifelong never ending process. Remember that some of the greatest leaders weren’t always the ones who were born with the most charisma. Sometimes they were humble men who simply stood up and cared for the people around them.

References
How Successful People Think, by John C. Maxwell, 2009

2. A Sense of Urgency, by John P. Kotter, 2008
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, by Steven R. Covey, 2004