Industry expert tells Nilai U students the roles of leaders in the rapidly-changing world.
Story by Lo Chee Hoe and pictures by Lee Yan Shan
“It used to take 20-25 years for a fresh graduate to become a CEO. New research suggests that the duration has been greatly reduced to only 8 years,” says Loo Keat Choon (KC to her friends), Head of Leadership and Coaching for Maxis Berhad, at a recent talk organised by the Leaders of Tomorrow (LOT) at Nilai University. “We are now in an era which experiences slow growth and fast change. To be able to get the most out of this phenomenon, adapt and live in the change!” She was keen to emphasise that the new generation of leaders are well-versed in the various concepts of innovation, democracy and diversity to adapt to the prevailing climate.
KC has been responsible for Talent, Leadership Development and Change Management for more than a decade. In her current role, she oversees leadership development portfolios, executive coaching, leadership assessments, tools and psychometrics for hiring and promotions in Maxis.
In her talk, she stressed that the new generation leaders must embrace what she terms ‘VUCA - Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, Ambiguity'. “The new generation leadership deals with a lot of changes. In order not to be eliminated by this trend, be a self educator and always strive to find new ways of learning,” explains KC. She also addressed the many issues raised by Nilai U students pertaining to leadership. For instance, with regards to as when would be the best time to be a leader, she states there is no need for a title or position for a person to be a leader. She extolled students to begin immediately and let their actions display their leadership qualities.
Besides speaking on the new generation leadership styles and roles, KC reminded Nilai U students not to forget about the principles which were cultivated by parents since young. “While some standards of leadership can be changed over time, some fundamental values such as trust and respect, which were instilled in our upbringing, can never be changed,” smiles KC.
At the end of the session, many students could be heard repeating their new found mantra – ‘I am a VUCA leader’. David Nelson Bassey (Nigeria / Nilai U Diploma in Mechanical Engineering) who is the President of LOT, says that it is hoped that such talks will make students aware of the potential they possess and that this potential can change the world. “It is amazing to realise that within every individual, there lies a gold mine waiting to be explored, extracted and used to bring more value to this world. That is the reason why LOT was established.”
Nilai U has a large number of clubs and societies for students to participate in and lead to ensure students benefit from the life-enriching varsity experience. The administrators believe that the Total Student Experience can produce employable graduates who are professionally competent and socially confident.
