2021 – YET ANOTHER YEAR OF FAILED LEADERSHIP

1. Life of a self-made entrepreneur from nothing is not that glossy as many would perceive – chauffeured in nice cars, dining in & out of restaurants, attending black-tie events & functions, flying in business class across the globe, annual family holidays out of the country, receiving awards & recognitions, and endless luxurious pampering.

2. Many have not seen or even experienced the surmounted stresses and even pains that entrepreneurs like me have to endure silently to ensure the business operations are sustainable and shielded from unbelievable competitions or self irrelevance. Not many would know that these also led to chronic diseases like “fog brain”, a term I just learned to live with it. Not sure how long this will take me down, but definitely not easy and going to give up.

3. While it is easier said than done the “WFH” mode widely practised by all governments, is not a solution at all that fits every segment of the businesses especially when the technological infrastructure is not readily available. More concerning is the culture of WFH is too new for Asia especially Malaysia, where we cannot hide away from the need to “see eye to eye”, the “feel and touch”, the “communication of feelings and expression”, the “need to negotiate to disagree to agree” and many more that cannot be replaced totally with zoom meetings, MS teams etc etc etc.

4. What is even more “naive” is school children, college students, university students and lifelong learners are made to believe online learning is the key to future learning & teaching and all physical contacts must be shut down uncertainly. How on earth can this be the solution, the soul of teaching and learning besides content is the soul of the teachers/educators themselves- the eye contact, the gestures, the rich passion of his or her voice and all that is human; cannot be replaced with just AI alone.

5. How do you expect entrepreneurs to stay home daily, fearful that he is a victim of the virus and then a carrier and be cursed by family, colleagues and employees; when his or her businesses are collapsing and worsened by other chronic stresses and diseases. Be bored and brilliant at the same time, be asked to swallow the bitterness of his or her poor leadership and keep the organisation growing at the same time and most important to pay salaries on times too.

6. Where are all these leading us to!

​*P/S This is my personal opinion for sharing and by no means to belittle those who do not agree with me.