Raymond Sia
There are many different leadership styles that one can adopt & practice. From “transformational leadership” to “transactional leadership”, different styles bring different outcomes and is also dependent on the situation one is faced with.
I had penned earlier that “Leadership is an Aggregation of Best Practices”.
There is no special formula or concoction that one can apply to be an effective leader. One size never fits all. If I had to pick a particular leadership style, “Reflective Leadership” would resonate more with me. Reflective leadership refers to a leadership style that emphasizes self-awareness, continuous learning, and thoughtful decision-making.
In today’s working environment which continues to be ever evolving and at times complicated and challenging, many leaders tend to forget to look “inwards” (self-awareness) but focus more time and effort “outwards” (dealing with daily (tough & tiring) business matters and competition) which at times becomes more reactive in nature and not entirely productive.
As part of self-awareness, I believe that there are no coincidences in life (and in our career) and we need to accept and understand that there is a season for everything. Just like in the Northern & Southern Hemispheres where there are 4 seasons in the weather, an effective leader ought to take cognizance, make full use & enjoy and act accordingly to the “different seasons” we may be-in or encounter.
Understand There Is A Reason & Season For Everything
1. Time for Gratitude & Giving.
We may not be the smartest or richest in the crowd; but there is always a reason to be appreciative & grateful.
In the corporate world today, it’s very much “what’s in it for me?” and “every man / woman for themselves”. It’s often rare to see un-selfish actions in the corporate world, but in the midst of this dog-eat-dog world, it’s enriching for the soul to see altruistic and kindness being displayed without any expectations of benefits or returns. Giving doesn’t have to be in material things or money; but can also be in time spent coaching , mentoring , training or even writing & contributing to good publications. I personally enjoy penning-down reflective thoughts (obviously) and sharing experiences & best practices with my colleagues and friends.
Reflection point : Give without pay-back expectations and appreciate everything we have.
2. Time for Recognition & Receiving.
No one should say or even assume that they have “arrived” irrespective of how successful one is. However it is important to take credit when it’s due and when it’s attributed to our own efforts and work. In my career, I have met a few narcissistic colleagues (thankfully far and few) who would shamelessly take credit for work or achievements which they have not provided any input and this is where we have to stake our claims and send a strong message we do not condone or tolerate such appalling behaviours.
Always remember that behind all the achievements & accolades, our success is not only attributed to ourselves. We ought to acknowledge God’s blessings and all the people who have supported us thus far, from our colleagues, family and friends.
Reflection point : There will always be someone else who’s better than you (so accept and deal with it!)
3. Time for Rest & Reflection.
We need to always strike a balance in everything we do.
Every leader needs some down-time for reflection and rest. In today’s working world, it is often difficult for leaders to allocate time for reflection and even rest as we are constantly racing against time and battling business competition and battling our best performance as of yesterday.
A dear friend showed me a poster recently that had this narration; “How to avoid burnout at work: Stand up. Stretch. Take a walk. Get in your car. Drive to the mountains. Never return”. It was pretty apt and certainly good advice, short of the part on driving to the mountains and not returning. The intent and figurative notion is all leaders need some time off; to re-charge and then; Go Again.
Reflection point : Rest doesn’t necessary means doing nothing.
Raymond Sia is an advocate for Responsible Banking and currently serves as Canadia Bank CEO & Executive Director and is also the Vice Chairman of the Association of Banks in Cambodia. The opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not reflect the views of the institution he represents.
