MAD: The Organization DNA!

¹Steven Tan Chong Yew

¹ Consumer Marketing

¹(chongyew.tan@gmail.com / steven_tan@oum.edu.my)

Abstract

The market is evoliving fast, and it is important for organzation to build a cultural value that can cope with the changes in the market in order to remain competitive. These set of values are the DNA of an organization that form the organization behaviour.

Keywords: Organization DNA, Organization Behavior

Organization DNA

Organization DNA is your identity, and it tells who you really are. It is a set of value that should penetrate every aspect of the organization, and it is also difficult to replicate. Organization DNA can create a consistent behavior among the employees working under the same roof, and no employees would think otherwise. It ensures all employees are marching towards the same direction. There are 8 DNA values which I find quite interesting, and is important for organization, especially those operating in a fast moving environment, where speed does matter.

DNA ONE: Change is value

Organization will soon be ossified if they do not see ‘change’ as part of organization value. Environment is fast-changing and it is almost impossible to tell the speed of change. It is then important for organization to cultivate the value for change so that organization development is keeping up with the changes in the environment.

The value for change also helps in developing human resource in an organization. Employees that value for change are more receptive to new ideas or critique. There is almost zero resistance to change. Changes can be made in operational, as well as the correctional of attitude of the employees. In summary, Value for changes is important to develop an organization behavior.

DNA TWO: Self-Retrospect

Organization must ‘back to the future’; by constantly look to the past to form the learning curve. A learning organization builds their learning curve through consistent exploration of the future potential, as well as, learning from the past success and failure. Without looking back, organization tends to repeat the similar mistake, and it is costly for organization.

DNA THREE: Everything is caused by own-self

It is difficult for an organization to devise a perfect rule and policy to monitor workforce. An organization should believe the importance of self-monitoring, and take a differentiated measure through which, to educate the employees of the proper organizational value.

Organization’s workforce is like a series of connected link that forms a chain that binds each other. A chain is fallen apart when one of its connector (i.e. Department, Personnel) is corrupted, and broken. No perfect policy can help to monitor every single connector.

When a connector signals its deviation, the connector next to it should react to pull ‘it’ back. The failure of a team resembles a defective connector, the connectors next to the defective one is responsible to rehabilitate the defect. Success or Failure of one team is the responsibility of all others teams. Each team should look back, and ask, ‘what did I do wrong?’

Organization should focus building this attitude among employees; such value can have a multiplier effect for an organization. It drives self-improvement, and self- development; at the same time creating harmonious working relationship in an organization because it eliminates ‘finger-pointing’ culture.

DNA FOUR: Consumer is always No.1

Consumer is end-users and organization exists because of consumers. Hence, to succeed, organization must always anticipate consumer needs and must exceed consumer expectation.

It also drives the organization to think about consumers from every perspective. Marketing direction and execution techniques may not be the sole reason for failure of a new product; sometimes, it is about consumer needs. Of course, organization needs to analyze every perspective to investigate the reason of failure.

By thinking about consumer, organization will always ask, ‘Is my product meet consumer need?’ ‘Did consumer understand what the product is for them?’ This mindset keep consumer in the mind of organization.

DNA FIVE: Learn from No.1 to be No.1

Organization always wants to be different from competitors, but differentiation may sometimes give less effectiveness; moreover, differentiation comes with risk. Perhaps organization should take a step backwards, and think.

Sometimes the easiest way to compete is as simple as benchmarking the credible competitors. Every competitor has its unique strength an organization can learn from. Moreover, Idea is much easier to devise, and it is much practical, and not just an “art” of differentiation.

DNA SIX: Understanding your partner

Organization partners mean suppliers, retailers, agency or subsidiaries. Partnership can bring strategic implication to an organization. Organization should understand the strength of their partner where leveraging is possible, and weaknesses of their partner where improvement should made. There are times when weakness of partners can cost organizations a great deal. For instance, the No.1 distributor in Malaysia has the widest coverage in term of distribution point - as much as 70% in total Malaysia. Leveraging on their widest distribution network allows company to market product speedily. Unfortunately, one of their weaknesses is the uncertainty in stock delivery; it takes them from 5 days to 14 days to deliver the stock to customer site, although they promise 3 days delivery. The uncertainty in stock delivery days can be costly to organization.

DNA SEVEN: Speedy action is value

Speed is a “must-have” in an organization; the challenge in this milieu is to have an organization structure that synergy with market dynamic. As organization grows, restructuring is inevitable; increasing headcount is another issue, thus organization will need a system that automated itself. When a structure is deem automated, it involves additional departments and reporting line, and these, will tamper with the speed of an organization to response to market activity.

The environment has already changed; ‘big fish eats small fish’ theory is no longer valid, it is about the “faster eating the slowest” now. Taking Microsoft as an example, Microsoft is a giant organization, but if a group of smart people in a garage can create something news to the market, and perform faster and better than Microsoft. They can kill Microsoft.

DNA EIGHT: Always report bad news first

Bad news and good news carry different dynamism to organization, and it requires a balance of both. Bad news gives organization a sense of urgency; because it can be lethal to organization if not deal with properly. Some organization also considered “bad news” as a de-motivation molecule. In addition, it is also normal fort people to get carried away by good new. To deal with it, manager is advised to report bad news first, and name the solution; while good news is not lethal and can afford to be de-prioritized.

Organization also needs to understand that ‘no news mean bad news’; the environment is ever-changing, and organization is trying hard to keep up their pace with the change. Anything that deals with ‘change’ in an organization will be affected because ‘change’ comes with impact. We often heard, ‘market is quiet’, ‘No news for our brand’, ‘no news from market’, and so on…when someone claim ‘no news’, it means ‘they have not looked enough’ because nothing is ‘standing-still’ in our environment, and can not be ‘no news’; no news can be ‘dangerous’, could that mean competitors are all quietly prep for another ‘attack’?

*********END********

Steven Tan Chong Yew

B.A (Hon) Bus. Admin (Marketing Mgt), Anglia Polytechnic University, UK

MBA (International Business), University of Southern Queensland, Australia

NOTE: The views expressed herein are solely writer’s personal opinion. Readers may email writers at chongyew.tan@gmail.com

MAD: The 3 dimensional that bring forth competitiveness for FMCG Company

¹Tan Chong Yew, Steven

¹ Consumer Marketing

¹(chongyew.tan@gmail.com / steven_tan@oum.edu.my)

Abstract

Fast-Moving-Consumer-Good Market (FMCG), as the words articulate, fast moving, fast pace & restless. The growing consumer demand influenced by the international & domestic media, fuelled by the increase market entry to compete over the same piece of pie; the market competition is intensified! Companies need to out beat the market, so as to become the No.1 Company, would need to fine tune their operation & strategize to enhance company competitiveness. Company should begin to sharpen their competitiveness by looking into the 3 dimensional models or lose-out eventually…

Keywords: FMCG Market, Competitiveness, Management with Dimensional fine-tuning

1. THE 3 DIMENSIONAL THAT BRING FORTH COMPETITVENESS FOR FMCG COMPANY

Imagine you wake up in the morning, squeeze one-cm of Colgate toothpaste on your Oral-B toothbrush & start brushing your teeth; continue with Gillette Foamy & Gillette Shaver; imagine again, thousands & millions of man are doing the same things every morning. That probably tells you consumers market is huge, and lucrative – only if you succeed in penetrating the consumer market!

¹ “According to Marketing Intelligence Service in Naples New York which tracks new product launches in the United States via a service called Productscan®, shows that in the US alone, packaged goods companies launched 33,678 new food, beverage, health, beauty & household, while pet products in 2003, are about 6 percent more than the 31,785 introduced the previous year. And, most of the 30,000 new products packaged goods companies launched last year did not succeed due to tremendous competition for shelf space.”

The market competition is so intensified that companies have to be competitive to stay in the marketplace. Notwithstanding, many FMCG companies are still one of the uncompetitive. They are still struggling to discover model that is possible used to enhance company competitiveness.

The 3 dimensional models perhaps help to simplify the understanding, and synergy company management towards becoming the best company. The 3 dimensional models also manifest the fact that companies need neither advance management model nor professional help to build competitiveness, as it can be done internally by reforming the existing resources.

Company should tackle the 3 dimensions (Product, HR & System) internally to increase the efficiency & effectiveness of company overall operation, and complemented by value of ‘speedy with differentiation’ that allows company to sharpen their competitiveness.

2. PRODUCT IS THE KEY, NOT BRANDING ALONE!

Consumer behavior is evolving remarkably due to the influence of International & Domestic Media Advertisements. Consumers are more advance in their needs, and eventually only best quality products can satisfy consumer’s needs – Clearly, it is not about branding anymore as consumers are growing smarter. Companies, who solely focus on brand investment while ignoring the ‘quality’ aspect, will eventually find it strenuous to retain their brand position.

Good quality products also allows brand to command the market with high awareness, trials rate & repeat rate. It also makes viral marketing possible when consumer uses it, likes it, and prefers to have it again and again, and start to spread good words of the products. Eventually, it enlarges the consumers based, and suffuses the market.

The growing consumers based helps to secure a long term financial return for company. Company enjoys higher revenue stream, and able to reinvest to build the human capital & for better product improvement. Hence, it is axiomatic that a company can not grow without a good product to compete effectively in the market. Company has to ensure that product carries its value to consumers, and product quality must live-up and over consumers’ expectation. Constantly improvement on product quality has become vital to success in the consumer market.

3. HUMAN RESOURCE IS A FUNCTION THAT GIVES EMPLOYEES REASONS TO STAY; IT BRING FORTH HUMAN COMPETENCY

FMCG Company is often cognized with high turn-over due to it fast moving nature. Perhaps, the challenge to retain employees is HRM first priority, understanding that company with high turnover rate increases recruiting costs, leading to low morale &low productivity.

Some companies may find it hard to believe, and invariably reluctant to attend to the high turn over rate. Believe it or not, Company can only sustain periodically if without good people to handle quality product. Companies should also understand that product & People work hand in hand, parallel in action. It is unrealistic to push sales force to sell ineffective products. It is nether possible to have a lousy sales force to sell fantastic product; both must be equally capable.

Human Resource Function is often refers to the employees benefit; but it also means company culture, policy, and motivation – more reasons to stay! Human resource must look at every angle of the company to devise the proper system, and ensure it gives employees reasons to stay. Having more reasons to stay will bring-down the turn over rate significantly.

Constant training is also crucial. Company who are sales oriented tend to ignore employees training. Gradually, employees become ignorant, and weak at soft skills. Company HR Function should build effective training for employees; it should consist of in-house training & On the Job (OTJ) training. For example, P & G offers management trainees program that consist of 3 years career plan towards brand manager position; they also offers effective on the job training guided by a mentor who is usually Brand Manager.

Training alone does not prolong the momentum, but motivation does. HR needs to devise a good motivation system in the company to keep momentum on-going. HR needs to ask ‘Do I have a good motivation system to create the momentum?’ Kimberly Clark offers competitive remuneration with 13 months salary plus performance bonus, complemented with allowances, overseas training & exposure; it becomes a promising carrots for employees to work harder towards company mission. In short, the emolument is higher when employees are highly motivated

Knowing the nature of the industry, HR should be able to provide the flexibility to react swiftly to any kind of changes. Empowerment thus plays an important role for sales team; sales team is the vanguards, who spend 90% of their time out of company seeking order. They understand the trade market situation more than anyone else working under office environment. If they are empowered to make certain decision, it will greatly sharpen the company competitiveness.

4. GOOD SYSTEM ALLOWS YOU TO OVERTAKE COMPETITORS

System could refer to distribution system, administration software, SAP and many more. Effective & Efficient system enhances company operation; similarly, Tedious & sluggish system is a stumbling block to company. Company need to ensure that all systems are in prim & proper situation to avoid system-halt. Meanwhile, System integration is as important to ensure proper & clear-cut communication flows. The system must be accessible to all parties to be able to receive constant & accurate update of the stock movement situation to have punctual ordering. Effective Store Management is another ‘efficiency’ contribution. A good Store management system bring minimum Out-Of-Stock rate; and delivery achieve punctuality rate of over 95%.

The Target management system is also crucial to measure degree of individual sales achievement; the system will match sales target and actual sales achieve on daily basis & conclude on weekly basis to communicate the remaining gap between achievement & target.

Promotional Management System (PMS) deciphers marketing budget & spending flows; it tells you if you are over-spent. Retailer are often involves in temporary price-cut or temporary price promotion to drive basket of spending. It defeats the purpose of promotion when it is done often. Hence PMS is important to monitor overall promotional spending.

5. SPEED WITH DIFFERENTIATION

Speedy than competitors is crucial to outperform competitors in FMCG market. Knowing that ‘Fast-Moving’, as the word articulates, ‘you need speed in every areas of your operation to overtake competitors in fast lane!’ However, speed without differentiation will put company in significant disadvantage situation; hence, it is important to emphasize on the value of ‘speedy with differentiation’.

Dr. Philip A. Himmelfarb, founder of Philip Adam & Associates, a Milwaukee-based consulting firm specializing in the evaluation, fine-tuning and strategic planning of new-product development‘, in his article, “being first to market isn’t Enough”, admits that in today's highly competitive marketplace, speed, quality, profit margin, manufacturability, meeting customer needs and charging a fair price are essential ingredients for survival and growth. Of these, speed, in the form of shorter and shorter development cycles, has been singled out by modern managers as being especially important, often with disappointing results due to the ignorant of differentiation’.

Inevitably, Speedy with differentiation are the pillar of the whole cycle. A decade ago, large companies win small companies over their strong financial background; under current business environment, large companies are not ordained to win anymore! It is the ‘speedy with differentiation’ companies that rules. Speedy company can market their differentiated products faster than large company, and steal share by giving consumers the first good quality products; plant the brand, design the consumer rules & speedily penetrate consumer life with the best product - and win!

The society is evolving, bringing changes to consumer behaviors, and the business world as a whole. It is now truly depend how company react to the changes in the environments as how good you respond to changes in consumer behavior determine how successful you are; Similarly, How fast can your system react to the order determine your in-store share; and, How motivate is your people to move forward faster than anyone else in the market determines company target achievement.

6. REFERENCES

1. Allen, A (1997), Learning From Measuring Why Employees Leave:
Managing Voluntary Turnover [Online] Available: http://www. Culpepper.com

2. Biz-Architect, (2003), The Class in Mass – New packaged goods in 2003 [Online] Available: http://www.biz-architect.com/notable_consumer_product_innovations.htm

3. Himmelfarb. P.A (1982), Being First to Market isn’t Enough [Online] Available: http://www.qualitydigest.com/feb/product.html

**********END************

Steven Tan Chong Yew

B.A (Hon) Bus. Admin (Marketing Mgt), Anglia Polytechnic University, UK

MBA (International Business), University of Southern Queensland, Australia

NOTE: The views expressed herein are solely writer’s personal opinion. Readers may email writers at chongyew.tan@gmail.com

MAD: Packaging De-Brief

¹Steven Tan Chong Yew

¹ Branding & Marketing

¹(chongyew.tan@gmail.com / steven_tan@oum.edu.my)

Abstract

Packaging is the factor that influences consumer decision making at the point of sale, and is the last opportunity to persuade consumer. However, many marketers are lost in finding the intents behind a packaging design, thus, often, base on ‘feeling’ in design packaging communication.

Keywords: Packaging, Communication

1. Packaging is Branding

Brand is a symbol that marketer wish the consumer to correlate with a product. This symbol is built with the dimension of tangibility and intangibility; both dimension assist in relating the brand to the life of consumer. Both dimensions represent the synthesis of information gained from research and experience with consumer, which marketer subsequently adopt in their marketing approach where applicable, and that subservient to consumer brand knowledge.

Packaging is a factor embedded in the tangibility element. Packaging can drive consumer’s perception towards a brand, and literally, develop into actual experiences when consumers purchase the products. Packaging is the last opportunity a marketer has to persuade consumer. Packaging works at the end of consumer decision making process, and is a final impulse to consumers purchasing decision made at the point of sale. Packaging is the only final information touch-point consumer can get to understand about the products. Thus, the thinking of what to put on package, how, and where it should be placed on package determine the effectiveness of packaging communication.

A new product goes through chain of process starting from zero ground until the product is ready for end user. However, without proper guidelines to inspire thinking, marketers can sometimes be carried away by the emotion or matters of the moments, and decision is then driven by ‘feelings’. And getting the logic of the placement on the package correctly has always been a vexatious issue of marketer.

2. Get the objective right

The design of the package depends on the brand objective; therefore, it is important to set the objective right; the objective must be clear, and be prioritized. The objective of the package is the intention of the packaging, of all, should comprises of the following, a) maximize visibility of the package in store level, b) Clear message is to deliver to consumers; consumer must be able to get what you want them to get!, and c) maximize the intention to purchase!

2. 1 Maximize visibility!

The use of appropriate color can enhance the visibility of the package because color plays a role in determining the degree of on-shelves impact, color also acts to turn people on or turn people off at the same time; thus using the wrong color on package can be a disaster.

Consumers’ reaction over certain color is also influenced by their cultural background. A brand needs to understand the profile of their target consumer to have a grasp of consumers’ preferences. The outcome of the usage of certain color should make consumer enlightened, surprised, noticed, and said, ‘there’s something over there’

Placement of visual is crucial. The usage of photo illustration on the package is as important; Photo can be a point of attraction or point to nurture the intention to purchase. The objective of the photo must be single minded, if marketers in hope to attract consumers’ attention using pictorial illustration; then the photo should be appealing to consumers. Picture can be any cute cartoon characters, celebrity, or actual consumer photo. The picture should carry the ‘surprise’ element to the consumers, where it captures their attention or interest to the package. The consumer should be able to respond and said, ‘Look at that, so cute!’

2.2 Clear Message!

You do not put a message on the package for nothing. Marketer needs to understand the message that they wish to deliver through the packaging. Marketers are always encouraged to list their intents of communication by priority (of all, brand name is always top the list!) Marketers must also try to keep to 3 important messages to communicate on pack so that the effectiveness of the packaging communication is not diluted by frivolous messages. Last but not least, the message should not be ephemeral; the intents must be proven strong and creating impact to consumers, and log lasting.

2.2.1 Here, the story begins!

All packaging elements play up the total effectiveness of packaging communication. However, the vexatious issue for a packaging is what constitutes the story on the package made up by the packaging elements. Very often, Decision on what to put on the package is based on ‘feel’ and this feel is not always right. Packaging elements must be able to put into a sentence that means something, and that something must be your intended message (example as shown above).

3.0 Intention to purchase!

Marketers need to understand what laid on the package plays a role in capturing consumers’ interest and that interest could translate into high or low intention to purchase. Intention to purchase is the consumer’s respond towards the package in the store level before purchasing decision is made. It can translate into actual purchase, and when consumer is said to have high intention to purchase, it is most likely that consumer prefers the package over competitors’. There is no rule to guide a marketer in creating the intention to purchase, because it is highly related to consumers’ insight in individual market. Marketer is then required to make an effort in understanding consumer needs.

*******END********

Steven Tan Chong Yew

B.A (Hon) Bus. Admin (Marketing Mgt), Anglia Polytechnic University, UK

MBA (International Business), University of Southern Queensland, Australia

NOTE: The views expressed herein are solely writer’s personal opinion. Readers may email writers at chongyew.tan@gmail.com

MAD: Opinion: What makes good leaders?

¹Steven Tan Chong Yew

¹ Brand & Marketing

¹(chongyew.tan@gmail.com / steven_tan@oum.edu.my)

Abstract

What makes good leaders have been profoundly research? The academic world has also given many brilliant definitions for leadership, and devises many leaders’ attributes, and yet there is no absolute answer of what constitute a good leader; even in English lexicon is defined only as the state or position of leading a group of people or organization. There are no perfect leaders in the market, there is only ‘model’ for leader to practice, and develop their leadership skills.

Keywords: Self-improvement, leadership, model, management

1.0 INTRODUCTION

What makes good leaders have been profoundly research. The academic world has also given many brilliant definitions for leadership, and devises many leaders’ attributes, and yet there is no absolute answer of what constitute a good leader; even in English lexicon is defined only as the state or position of leading a group of people or organization. There are no perfect leaders in the market, there is only ‘model’ for leader to practice, and develop their leadership skills.

2.0 THE DOCTRINE: ‘CHANGE IS VALUE’

A leader with inappropriate leadership attitude is difficult to change, this is especially true for some corporate people climbing up each and every stages of the corporate ladders, they are up many ‘level’ but hardly change their attitude to be better. The organization is then said to be ossified when it consists of many of these people. So before we venture into our discussions, let’s believe that ‘Change is Value’, and leader must be willing to change their attitude, and reset their mindset for greater management challenge ahead.

3.0 UNDERSTANDING THE 3 DIMENSIONAL LEADERSHIP FOR SELF-IMPROVEMENT

The simplicity of leadership model as I perceive should consists of three elements supported by an inner value; the element of Education & Delegation, Motivation & Control, and Sharing & Recognition, and all these are supported by the inner value of ‘Passion & Patience’.

4.0 EDUCATION & DELEGATION: MENTORING AS THE NEW ERA OF MANAGEMENT

Organization starts to adopt mentoring management; ‘Mentoring’ is believed to be able to stimulate the inner ability of employees to be proactive. It cultivates the correct attitude in employees, and nurtures the sense of responsibility and creativity. Although ‘Mentoring’ is a new name that is easily understand, but it is difficult to execute. Managers, who well-adapt to their own set of management value, may find this difficult to comprehend.

4.1 MANAGEMENT IS TO PROVIDE EDUCATION IN ORGANIZATION FOR EMPLOYEES

Mentoring is possible to implement with, firstly, the understanding of ‘Education’ in management. Education is about teaching, and as a leader, you must be willing to teach, and leaders must understand that it is part of their role and responsibility to nurture their successor for long term success.

The essence of teaching through mentoring process is to provide guidance. Employees are not lone-ranger in an organization; they belong to a team, and require guidance from the leader. Managers as leaders, should not expect subordinates to acquire certain skill by reading a manual, proper guidance is still needed. This is Education before delegation, you can’t delegate without educate. Leaders need to be passionately and patiently educate employees, and to provide the proper guidance to perform their function.

Organization must also understand that the failure of employees in task execution is blamable on leaders, because leaders may not have taught their subordinate well, and also,

You often heard leaders said, ‘I have taught them, I have advised them, but all were not taken seriously, that’s why they make mistakes’, ‘I have reminded them many times, but it happens again, its frustrating’

As important as Education, leaders should move on to delegation when subordinates have gone through the proper modules. Delegation is about trust between leaders & subordinates; which both has to build on this platform of trust in order to have the best delegation.

Leaders may perceive delegation as if passing off responsibility, so that they’re personally off the work! Hence, you may hear this sometimes, ‘Please keep me out. I am not responsible anymore! I have done my job!’

Delegation is absolutely not giving away responsibility! Leaders still have to perform follow-up, provide guidance, and assist subordinate when needs arrive. Delegation also means ‘empowering’ in management, when a subordinate is delegated a task; they should also be empowered for decision making. Leader can devise criteria where subordinate can make reference when trying to reach a decision.

5.0 INJECT MOTIVATION INTO CONTROL MECHANISM

Often, leaders perceive control as monitoring. In fact, monitoring and control are not similar. Control is too harsh for management, and often creates dissatisfaction. Monitoring, on the other hand, is a new term to management and often empowering employees.

Leaders who use ‘control’ in organization tend to overdo. When leaders exert too much control over subordinates, they become self-obsesses, and start to over-do. This is more commonly seen in local context, Leaders tend to deprive subordinate’s weekend, keep subordinates after working hours, or delegate subordinates more task simply to keep them busy (to justify company spend on head-count!). Eventually, it would turn out a disastrous relationship between the leaders & followers.

Leader should transform controlling into monitoring. Monitoring does not mean reprimanding or scolding upon mistakes. Monitoring does not mean asking your subordinates to report every moment, every minute. Monitoring means giving proper guideline to subordinates to ensure things done smoothly before the given deadline.

It is also widely believe that employees need to be motivated before they are willing to be ‘monitored’ – to bridge a harmonious relationship between leaders and subordinate. Leader must also understand that monitoring is to ensure work done has achieved the set quality and standard.

Monitoring allows organization to practice decision making at the bottom of hierarchy, while bring forth the effectiveness of the task handled by their people. In the progress, is to inject Empathy into the monitoring system, the process itself is creating psychological motivation that works as a push for employees. The process itself is motivating, where people realize their learning curve in the company.

6.0 BOAST MORAL THROUGH SHARING & RECOGNITION

Sharing and recognition are not difficult to understand. Sharing can come in many forms, share of credit, share of company vision, share of company benefits, and many more. Leaders are always encouraged to be open to ‘share’ with subordinates because sharing helps to create a strong team, and in return, enhance subordinates’ learning, and increase job satisfaction.

Sharing needs to be positive, leaders need to have positive thinking in order to have positive sharing with subordinates. Hence, Positive thinking is important; when leaders are positive, their sharing and recognition are sincere, and truly for their subordinates. All these can help to boast morale of the organization.

Recognition means appreciation of the effort contributed by employees, it can be in many form, promotion, pay increase, incentive trips, but for Asian, the most expected appreciation are in monetary term. Leaders also need to understand what subordinates expect in term of recognition. Sometimes, high employees turn-over leave good company wander for reason. They simply neglect the employees’ expectation for recognition.

Sharing & Recognition are part & parcel of leadership, both are important to boast employees’ morale. However, there are no clear guidelines of what should be shared among the subordinates or how recognition should be given; but all these can be done if leaders are willing to understand the need of employees better.

7.0 PATIENCE MAKES THEM HAPPY WITH THEIR WORKS; PASSION MAKES THEM MAKE LOVE WITH THEIR WORK

‘Patience makes them happy; passion makes them make-love with their work’. Leaders need to have the passion to teach, passion to learn, passion to work, and many more. Passion is crucial for leaders because leader with little passion could not exert high influences in organization.

Passion can only nurture through continuous reinforcement from top down. People with passion are the possible influential factor for others; they are always happy, energetic, enthusiastic and love the work; those around tend to feel release, joyful, open, and active.

Passionate leaders are willing travel extra miles, and make the 3 dimensions possible to achieve, and fostering high employees morale. For example, leaders who are passionate to teach could enhance employees’ learning curve, and more delegations make possible. Let’s not forget about patience too, one example is that leaders with this quality can teach patiently, and patiently adapt to your speed of learning, to ensure you absorb the skills taught.

Organization culture is built around people in the organization, and Company will have good culture if leaders are willing to change for betterment. Sometimes, company environment may not be conducive but leaders must stand for change, and spreading their aura of positive thinking to others, they can become a positive in organization, and to work towards the model of this leadership.

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(1) Worth sharing: Is empowerment meaning the ‘lost of power’?

It is especially true for some leaders, who may believe empowering staff means losing power on their end. Empowering is difficult when leader is shadow with this concern of the ‘lost of power’. You can find this type of leader in any organization. This fall on human thought of jealousy and self- defend. This leader will only teach you the minimal to allow your routine operation run smooth as expected. Leader of this category will make change management difficult.

(2) Worth sharing: Management can assist leaders to be good leaders

Management should design a training modules, which should pervasively used in organization. The modules should also state the duration of the training, and what employees should expect to learn in the process. In the modules, it should clearly specify the role & responsibilities of employees for pre- training & post- training. An effective module, should also cover assignment given from time to time, and ensure every participant understands the job role. For example, FMCG products always engage seasonal promotion. Participants may be given task to implement those promotion activities with a mentor for guidance.

(3) Worth Sharing: Professional Salary Man, how does it become?

Company without the correct leadership skills will resort to two possible-ends, (1) high employee turn-over, or, (2) transforming employees into one of the many professional salary-men. Salary man are neither love nor like their work, they work for living, and do not emotionally attach to their work, and hence, it makes re-structuring tougher in organization.

Steven Tan Chong Yew

B.A (Hon) Bus. Admin (Marketing Mgt), Anglia Polytechnic University, UK

MBA (International Business), University of Southern Queensland, Australia

NOTE: The views expressed herein are solely writer’s personal opinion. Readers may email writers at chongyew.tan@gmail.com