Be a 'Keyman' or a Tribal Head?
20 May 2006

A leader serving as a keyman? Mr. Stanley Wong, Director and Deputy General Manager of ICBC (Asia), describes himself as the 'keyman' of the company whose job it is to open and close the office door. This is because he is usually the earliest to the office and the latest to depart. This also makes for an interesting analogy to Lieutenant Colonel Hal Moore's address to his fellow soldiers in the movie We Were Soldiers, when he says - "I swear,…when we go into battle, I will be the first to step on the field and I will be the last to step off."

A leader as a tribal head? In a similar vein, Dr. Saimond Ip, CEO of OnePort Ltd. says - "A contemporary leader should act like a tribal head who takes the lead to fight for the survival of the tribe", a concept that he borrowed from the successful development of Li & Fung Group.

Both of these people together with Professor Andrew Chan, director of the EMBA Programme at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and Ms. Florence Choy, certified national trainer at the Junior Chamber International Hong Kong, spoke to about 200 full house audience of middle to upper management executives about leadership qualities at the From Manager to Exemplary Leader seminar jointly organized by A-Performers.com and Metro Finance Corporation Ltd., on May 20 at the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre.

Following an introduction by the host Mr. Frank Li from Metro Finance and opening remarks by Ms Fanny Chan, CEO of A-Performers.com, Mr. Stanley Wong cited an array of apropos quotes from historical figures to explain that leaders should look beyond that which can't be readily seen, think positively, be persistent at all times, and above show courage. He recalled his recent travels to Yellow Stone National Park in the US where he had found outdated maps among the new highway network, illustrating the value of continuous enhancement to tackle new and ever-changing challenges that emerge everyday.

Professor Andrew Chan also agreed with Wong that a leader should possess the vision to embrace change in today's world. While noting that self-enhancement is a necessity, leaders, particularly those based in Hong Kong, should also have a thorough grasp of both Eastern and Western business and cultural affairs.

Professor Chan emphasizes the importance of maintaining a positive attitude in life as well as having a solid value system, strong beliefs and a good sense of responsibility. "A leader should also have the charisma to get people to work together happily for a common goal," says Chan. "Moreover, he or she should maintain a subtle balance in terms of what to take on and what to let go."

Dr. Saimond Ip used the story of another successful entrepreneur - Mr. Po Chung, founder of DHL, the world's first multi-national courier firm, to illustrate that being a leader, especially an entrepreneurial leader, absolutely requires strong sales techniques, and the ability to provide the best products and services to clients, as well as a strong passion similar to the religious fervor of a tribal head.

Ms. Florence Choy said that there is no 'secret recipe' to becoming a leader. However, those who are arrogant, selfish or lack commitment cannot effectively exercise leadership qualities.

Several attendees like Ms. Winnie Leung, who was once a student and 'fan' of Professor Chan, as well as Ms. Jenny Cheung from the finance sector and her friend Mr. Raymond Wong from accounting were attracted to the seminar by its lead topic and the invited heavyweight speakers. They all found it quite an inspiring event and benefited greatly from the speakers' insightful opinions and perspectives.