MIM Certificate in Strategic Foresight for University Leaders

9-10 & 30-31 October 2017 @ Sunway Putra Hotel Kuala Lumpur

Attending the workshop organized by the Malaysian Institute of Management (MIM). We looked at Scenario Planning – analysing the future rather than analysing the past. I then realized that Dr. Fauzan and I conducted similar stuff to the National Institute for Business Management (NIBM) Sri Lanka earlier this year, using Lego Serious Play (LSP). We didn’t call Scenario Planning, but “Playing Emergence”.

Mr. Nizar Idris, with years of experience leading Shell Malaysia as Deputy Chairman and Executive Director, talking about “Paralysis of the Mind”. The tragedy of doing the same old way, resisting change. He also related one very inspiring story:

Tun Mahathir was once invited to a dinner organised by an engineering society. As usual, the MC praised Tun for all his contributions before inviting him to the stage. But, Tun in his speech did not return the praise. Instead he criticized the society. He said, I once invited all of you to help me build the tallest tower in the world, but you rejected, saying that we have not done this before. But, when I asked other Asian countries, they were willing, even though they themselves never constructed one in their own country.

Leaders have to be bold and brave. With strong deep-rooted values and principles as anchor. Motivating subordinates for the future.

Henry Ford once said – “Whether you think you can, or you can’t, you’re right!”

Another inspiring session with Prof Emeritus Tan Sri Datuk Dr Anuwar Ali on Leadership. The slide above sums up his talk. Students should come first, he said. And we desperately need lecturers passionate about educating, not just concern about KPI in order to get promoted.