Editor’s Note: Succession For Success

In my team, I see leaders who, interestingly, have been described through articles in this week’s issue. Someone who appears to be passive, but who steps up and has bursts of self-confidence when she knows it is needed. Someone who is an excellent people developer – taking the time and having the patience to build others around her. Someone who has strengths, but who doesn’t always apply them.

Across the board, they don’t always see what they have in themselves – and so I have made it my quest to hone in on their strengths, help them acknowledge and build on their potential – and then become the bosses!

Be it in the organisations we work for, or in other informal settings, we may have observed the tussle for a leadership position when vacated by the previous leader. Without a solid and well thought out succession plan, many people internal and external to the organisation can be affected.

Christian Stewart specialises in governance and succession issues at the point where organisations and families intersect. He sheds some light on family run businesses and the sensitivities of succession planning that may differ from other organisations, as well as how we might navigate it effectively.

In our Top 10, Prema Jayabalan shares some best practices for choosing successors, while we also look at 12 steps to better organisational survival through effective succession planning.

On leaving a legacy, Eric Lau gently chides us to lead our lives in a way that will leave a positive impact (and memories) with everyone we touch.

While we are on the topic of impact and memories – the creators of Google certainly are the focus of our Brain Bulletin by Adeline Tay this week! She delves into research and studies on the effect of technological tools on how we remember things, and indeed our ability to do so.

For our column A Day in the Life, Lim Lay Hsuan had the opportunity to chat with a financial advisor – helping us to understand the role, and to perhaps choose a career that can impact individuals and their families on a different level.

In her debut article, Jean Selvam, who devotes much of her time to building young leaders, addresses a topic most of us have experienced at different points in our lives – how to have self-confidence.

Today we also celebrate Teachers’ Day! Jon Gordon talks about the power of a positive educator – the teachers and coaches in his life that have made a mark or spurred him on in times of uncertainty. He shares seven ways that we can all be positive educators.

And Gordon’s great advice also applies to leaders, managers and peers who want to have a positive influence on the people we work with. Morag Barrett reminds us also what we must do as leaders to grow and retain our people.
On that note, we would like to wish teachers and coaches worldwide HAPPY TEACHERS’ DAY and thank you for helping us become who we are today.

Onward, upward!

KAREN NEOH
Editor

Published in English daily The Star, Malaysia, 16 May 2015