I remember vividly, the moment I entered the Senate Hall. I was astonished to see the speaker arrive 30 minutes early than the audience. He is calmed and remained composed, preparing for his session. Snap! Immediately I started to reflect on my attitude. As I seated in the audience, I tried to study his presence. Indeed, he is a very healthy and humble person. Am I ignorant enough? Do I know, who is the the person in from of me? He is among the amazing leaders that play vital role in Malaysia economic growth. He is Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Abdul Wahid Omar. To stand in the same hall, as an audience with such a great leader, the feeling was substantial.
Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Abdul Wahid Omar started his sharing by engaging the audience via his name through story telling. This is among the quality that a leader need to have. A leader shall be able to engage with the audience at the very beginning of the session. The way TS Abdul Wahid Omar engage with us, show that, he studies his audience and know how to blend well with the audience. As I mention earlier on, he arrived early and I sincerely believed, he did meticulous study to engage with the audience, in spite of his exceptional experience as a leader in numbers of institution. He is humble, well prepared and meticulous.
TS Abdul Wahid Omar is the man full of wisdom, anything that he uttered is knowledge and value to be added in our life. He started to share his journey throughout his career. The road from accountancy to the CFOs and CEOs of the grand company in Malaysia such as FIMA, Amanah Capital Group, Telekom, UEM, TM and Maybank. From his portfolio, I believe he is a leader whom able to distinguish meso, micro, macro and meta in managing his organization, hence he excels in each leadership role.
Whenever he comes into any organization, he will have a revisit to the mission and vision of the organization for him to do the transformation. This, is the highlight on this topic. He emphasizes the significant roles of mission and vision for him to manoeuvre his transformation strategy. To start with any transformation, TS Abdul Wahid Omar, ensure that he has clear and solid purpose. In every action that he made, a crystal clear purpose will be his pathway. A comprehensive of SWOT analysis (Strength, weakness, opportunities and threats) is also very essential before executing any strategies.
As I listened to his sharing, I was imagining the way he successfully become a leader. TS Dato Abdul Wahid Omar, knows how to read the whole organization, from the staff, account and etc. So he knows how to find the key problem. The case shared by TS Abdul Wahid Omar through the bad working culture of the respective companies. So, before he makes any actions towards the issues, he ensures that he have a clear purpose, respected to the mission and vision, do the SWOT analysis and then he strategize the action to transform the working culture. Basically, his steps as follows
- Find the key problem
- Set the clear purpose
- Diagnose / Re-allign mission and vision
- Establish SWOT Analysis
- Formulate Strategy
- Transform (Implement Strategy)
This is the 6 key element that was used by TS Abdul Wahid Omar. These has allowed him to reprioritize strategy in term of performance, restructuring assets and resources and re-focus on the profitable target/ objective of his business strategy. Among the action taken by him in transforming the organization is by changing the management, simplify structures (pillars), create new mission/purpose and focus on customer needs.
I am deeply sorry as, I am not doing the justice with my reflection on the 3 hours sharing by TS Abdul Wahid Omar. The most admirable lesson and the character qualities of exemplary leader I have learned from TS Abdul Wahid are as follows;
- Justice, Courageous and Truthful
- Unquestionable integrity,
- Very strong principle of life
- Visionary, articulate and authentic- succession planning and talent review process
- Competent, Professional and Efficient
- Empathy and humility- Staying grounded and do not hesitate to say sorry and learn from the mistakes.
- Well versed- Knows what, when and to who he wants to deliver
- Create/ Develop/Groom quality successor and leader.
- Provide opportunities – all diversity (talent-age-race-gender)
- Avoid/Fight at any cost- the favouritism/cronyism and etc.
Tan Sri Abdul Wahid Omar is the man of his words, all of the qualities mentioned above are his action and principles as a human and a leader. I hope I could apply all of these essential qualities needed. It is not merely as a leader, but first as a human and educator in UTM and in Malaysia. Hopefully I can follow his wisdom as follows;
- Be a leader with a clear purpose
- Focus on the fundamentals. (Substance rather than form)
- Work hard and smart for excellence
- Focus on the task in your hand. Do well
- Don’t Stop learning and make full use of the technology
- Keep innovating (always think outside of the box with great solution)
- Embrace three qualities of good leader (Integrity, Competency and Humility).
May we all be a great leader, inshaAllah. Ameen.
Recent Comments