Leadership from the heart

Lynne Anne S. Davis

President and Senior Partner, Asia Pacific, Fleishman-Hillard

Nothing says you care more than giving people a clear picture of their value to the organisation and their personal growth path in it.

Performance reviews are therefore the most important thing I do all year.

I really focus on the future of each individual, considering their strengths, passions and aspirations. We talk in depth about the company’s vision and agree on what leading role they will play in the next chapter of our growth story.

To set motivating long and short-term goals, I make it my job to know what gets them up in the morning, and what gets them thrilled about what they will tackle that day.

I always close this discussion by reminding the employee that the company’s success would not be possible without them. That’s from the heart, because it’s true. I never leave it to chance that they understand that.

On a duty basis, stopping to show personal appreciation counts. More and more, I also send handwritten notes to express thanks for the individual employee efforts that make this a great company and a great place to work. It’s a small but meaningful gesture that also shows you care.

Phoenix Yoong

CEO, ASEAN Cableship

Times have changed. The newest-age leaders need to adopt ‘caring leadership’ to reach out to all levels of staff to show that they do care about their well-being. Some examples are:

Adopting an open-door concept: so that all levels of staff can access the CEO

Celebrating the “victories” of each team

Implementing strategies that lead towards a better balance between the private and professional lives of employees. For example: flexible leave for staff to attend to sick children, participation in the national “eat with your family” movement, and inviting family members to company events

Conducting workshops focused on staff’s individual KPI – staff are given the opportunity to set and clear their own achievable targets

Caring of staff does not have any boundaries. A leader must make a conscious effort to create trust and loyalty consistently by showing that they care about the welfare of all levels of staff. Only through constant communication and feedback can a company increase staff engagement, leading to productivity and higher morale.

Antony Page

General Manager, Marriott Hotel

“If you take good care of your associates, they will take good care of your customers and the customers will keep coming back.” These are the famous words from J. Willard Marriott Sr., founder of Marriott International, and the bedrock of Singapore Marriott Hotel’s success.

To establish a close relationship with our associates, we need to take time to know and understand our associates, their families and their needs. In this way, we can support them as they grow with the Hotel.

Each individual’s needs differ from one another. Hence, different approaches are required when interacting and communicating with our associates. For example, an associate who is uncomfortable with public recognition should be praised and rewarded in a smaller, more informal setting.

Constant communication and interaction are the key to understanding our associates. Each morning, an informal walk-about to the different departments is in order. Each month, a tea session provides a more formal setting to gain feedback and find out what our associates really need.

Caring leadership is to anknowledge that “People are No.1”