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QUANTUM STEPPE BLOG
The Future of Managers in an ever Polarized World
The Tale of Two Cities, by noted author Dickens, commenced with the following words
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us…”
and surely this rings as true today as it did during the period that it was set in, pre-French Revolution.
Whilst chaos ruled the land and all seemed to be lost, within it there was hope. Likewise, we have witnessed an event of global cataclysmic proportions unfold since Q1 of 2020 and in Malaysia specifically, since 18 March 2020 when the first of the Movement Control Order (MCO) came into effect.
This wee micro-organism called the CoVid-19 has left many businesses closed, with more on the verge of closure, many employees being asked to leave, simply due to the business’s inability to sustain them, so adding them on to the unemployed statistics and critically leaving employees destitute. And the predictions are that the worst has yet to come.
Already we are seeing the polarization of the very fabric of our society with overtures being made to garner the popular vote. Such shifting from the center to the very ends of the proverbial continuum is a fall out from the health, economic and social challenges that this virus has caused individuals and Nations alike. All economic sectors that require proximity of people to have them effectively operate such as manufacturing, aviation, hospitality, and F&B to name a few have been severely impacted. Whilst the shock of the CoVid-19 to the Malaysian-cum-the Regional economy was synchronized, in that it impacted all sectors almost concurrently, it is envisaged that the recovery of these economies will not be such. Instead, it is predicted that a staggered restarting of the economy will take shape.
Within these tumultuous changes lies some positive impacts of the Pandemic to the business environment. The technology that was humming ceaselessly in the background until today, has been brought to the front and center of all organizations. The ability to start effectively managing remote performance has become a reality. The management of outcomes vs activities is taking shape. However, what is fundamental across all sectoral growth has been the need to have a managerial base that provides the very anchor on which to build organizational sustainability which in turn builds a competent talent pool that will allow for future critical growth. It is with this in mind that the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) comes into its own.
With a clear focus by CMI UK on nurturing managers to better led and manage organizations, the complementary emphasis for the Regional Board of CMI Malaysia is to become the go-to professional body for professional development and networking for our local and global members alike.
Within this sphere comes the following:
- An absolute demand for standards of excellence in everything that managers are responsible for, whether it be from the very thoughts held by them, the actions undertaken by them or even in the way they conduct their work;
- A need for accountability to do the right things. This is key as it is only by holding oneself accountable for one’s actions, will one appreciate the need to do the right thing and stand by that commitment to see it through to the very end; and finally,
- The need to be supportive of each other and more critically, vested in each other’s success. It is only with the joint upliftment of all will there be the possibility of collective benefit to the CMI community specifically, but to the National managerial pool at large.
As professional managers, it behooves us to ensure that the talent that we are responsible for are well supported in their growth journey whilst they are with us. The demands that we set for ourselves must breach the highest levels of standards for it to be significantly impactful to those around us. The ability to conduct difficult conversations, the capability to garner collective support towards a common goal and the consistent desire to push boundaries of performance and productivity are now and have always been innate traits of effective managers. The question before us is, how effectively do you see yourself as a manager displaying these positive behaviors to drive a high performing organization?
What this Pandemic has demonstrated to all of us is the fact that its more than just driving the shorter to midterm financial returns. And likewise, whilst there has been a lot of talk about having the right components within the organization, it is the practical application of these components that now makes the difference of the demise of an organization or its continued success.
As Chair of the CMI Regional Board of Malaysia, I am honored to be alongside distinguished members of the Regional Board and CMI Companions to drive forward these points of views as we strive to make a positive impact on the managerial pool within the Nation.
Join us, work with us, and make a difference to those around you as we inculcate the highest standards of excellence and accountability through consistent professional development for the betterment of ourselves as managers of people and leaders of businesses. We are here to serve. Help us serve you better, as we push forward the Agenda for the Professionalization of Managers within Malaysia and the region.
By Taranjeet Singh, Chair of the Regional Board of CMI Malaysia and CEO of Quantum Steppe Advisory. Taranjeet has returned to Malaysia after living and working in Central Asia for the past several years. He can be contacted at taranjeet@malaysia-cmi.org.uk