It is a norm of young career-minded working individuals to covet for high leadership role within a tenure of 10 years or so. For this accentuated personal mission, they embark on endeavours to shape up their management acumen, particularly in directing and instructing. A pertinent aspect not given sufficient cognizance in respect of personal leadership development is…..COUNSELLING.

Many senior executives are adept in executing directions, giving instructions, exercising manpower control – and so forth – in the name of effective management. However, very few pay attention to the need for counselling skills. This is where they miss out – the link to a more stellar overall leadership and management role. Why so, you wonder? Reason: Successful counselling efforts require a time-consuming process.

In essence, committed counselling drives necessitate the following requisites:

·        # Not being undiscerning judgemental (not forming immediate conclusions on a subordinate.

·        #Tolerance, patience, perseverance (willing to withstand a lengthy process).

·        # “Open” listening attention (open-minded, willing to hear out all inputs).

·        # “Learned” understanding (equipped to comprehend the real issues faced by the counselee)  - example: emotional, technical, cultural, work environment.

·        # Empathy (recognising the feelings of the counselee).

·        # Offering the right advice (suiting the issues of the counselee).

The art of counselling can only be acquired via arduous trails for developing the requisites. That calls for stoic commitment manifested by the intended counsellor – which few leadership aspirants are willing to pursue. Besides the pertinent mindset and will to practise counselling, some knowledge levels are needed to be imbued. The personal development process takes a spread over time, thus involving tediousness that must be persevered.

The congenial result of effective counselling transpires to mutual respect, leading to a lasting tie between the counsellor and counselee (or so to speak, between leader and subordinate). Such affiliation results in elation  - the counsellor is elated for uplifting the counselee/subordinate; the counselee/subordinate is elated by becoming more resolute in facing life trials toward improving his efficiency and effectiveness.

What about mentoring? In some ways, it is akin to counselling, however not the exact match. A mentor teaches, guides, imparts know-how etc, that is cascading knowledge to subordinates via more of the one-way communication flow. For example, good teachers are good mentors in the classroom mode of communicating with students. On the other hand, committed counsellors are “penetrating” mentors who reach out to the hearts of those being mentored, applying patient listening, intended empathy and persevered understanding. See the intrinsic difference? Obviously, committed counselling entails arduous efforts. No wonder many leadership aspirants prefer to be mentors, not counsellors. Actually, they do not realise that profound mentoring incorporates counselling initiatives.

Way back many, many years ago, I took up a new job as business development cum trainer in an international financial entity. Two days before I reported for work, I was provided a stack of scripts by my new regional superior. He instructed me to digest quickly so that I could conduct a training session to the sales force on my first day at work. I was panicky because I had never conducted any official training in the past; moreover, the subjects were totally new to me. He allayed my apprehension by assuring he would reinforce the points shared by me during the session as he would elaborate his inputs at the end of each chapter. He advised me to take note of what he expressed so that I could learn the correct perspectives and understand my shortcomings. His interjection in between the training session helped to boost my confidence. This episode cast my respect for him as my mentor. 

In addition to this superior, I was also blessed to learn from a seasoned senior sales manager who became my counsellor. In my first discourse with him, he ingrained into me his concocted proverb which went thus: "The more you know, the more you come not to know. The more you don't know, perhaps the more you may know. Whether you know or don't know, it is immaterial for anyhow in the role you are holding, you got to know." I was utterly bewildered! The elderly gentleman then explained:

The first phrase means that when one tries to cram too much knowledge of a particular field in one go, he will be confounded as his mind becomes cluttered. The second phrase connotes that during the temporary phase of confusion, if the protagonist analyses what has gone wrong in his pursuit for fast know-how, he may correct his approach and then gain insight. The third phrase indicates that because of accountability and responsibility involved in the specific role, the appointed officer must  garner for himself the relevant facts over sufficient time to improve his calibre. What words of wisdom! From then on, I frequently consulted the "fatherly" figure for advice whenever I encountered issues......until I was assigned to another (higher) role. Thereafter, I thought to myself - would there be better expediency if my superior was equipped to serve as my mentor cum counsellor in one instead of me shuttling between two "advisors"?

I end by sharing the video (below). It exudes the sentimental experiences of a teacher with her delinquent student that culminates in mutual respect, long-term positive affiliation and personal satisfaction. Yes, a revered leadership trait encompasses astute mentoring cum counselling skills which could only be acquired via committed focus in this discipline. 

@heavymetalmessiah Inspirational Story of a Student and Teacher told by Wayne Dyer - The Story of Teddy #inspiration#teaching#wisdom#care#connection#love#joy ♬ original sound - heavymetalmessiah - Heavy Metal Messiah

EXTRAPOLATIONS FROM INTELIGENCE QUOTIENT (IQ) & EMOTIONAL QUOTIENT (EQ)

(Foreword: I am now scribing a short sequel to my last contribution which was entitled IQ VS EQ, INTELLIGENCE VS WISDOM, MICRO VS MACRO MINDSET. Hence the contents in this article should be digested and reflected in conjunction with the points of the previous post.)

Many people know the terminologies of Intelligent Quotient and Emotional Quotient. They understand that the two relate to the mental faculty of individuals. However, few are cognizant of another two quotients which supplement or complement as extended values to IQ and EQ, viz. *Social Quotient (SQ); *Adversity Quotient (AQ). Since I had rendered a detailed account on the first two fundamental quotients in my previous post (which readers should refer for perceiving the entire links of the four dispositions), I now focus on unravelling the scopes of SQ and AQ. Here goes……

SQ

It is a disposition that helps to build relationship, friendship and alliance with people outside family members. Those with high SQ can interact well, possess understanding prudence, able to perceive inclinations of people they deal with. Their advantage includes knowing when to express, also when to listen attentively. More importantly, they exercise discretion for reacting appropriately in their discourse with counterparts.

Examples of programmes on sharpening SQ:

·         #Approaches for establishing rapport.

·         #How to strike out interactive conversations with new acquaintances during functions.

·        #Making new acquaintances feel comfortable for discourse with you.

·         #Listening skills.

·         #Asking the right questions.

·         #Recognising social trends.

       AQ: 

       It entails the resilience to deal with adversities encountered in life. The management of adversities   much depends on emotional characteristics manifested by an individual. Hence AQ is an extrapolation   of EQ. Both AQ and EQ relate to adaptability of the person concerned for adjusting to unfavourable   situations.

       Examples of programmes on elevating AQ:

·         #Relevant spiritual uplift - like meditation methods, recreational activities, religious encouragement.

·         #Problem solving methods.

·        #Stress management.

·         #Adversities VS challenges – knowing the difference.

·         #How to maintain composure and avoid anxiety.

·         #Mental strength development.

 A person having high IQ and EQ is bestowed with a firm footing for doing well in the SQ arena – to wit, strong in networking for purpose of vocation or business leveraging. Quick perceptive prowess (reflecting IQ) enables him to recognise who may be his worthwhile networkers. Likewise, fraternal ability (reflecting SQ) caters for the right approaches for establishing effective interactive networks. On the other hand, positive personality traits (reflecting EQ) coupled with positive mental attitude (reflecting AQ) will exude the perseverance for continuous pursuit toward desired objectives despite encountering challenges.

CONCLUSION

 IQ and EQ serve as the fundamentals for a person’s propensity to progress in life endeavours. SQ and AQ, as the supplements, define one’s potential capacity to reach an efficacious result. The pertinent fundamentals must first be in place before embarking forward on any mission, otherwise futility is certain. In addition, the supplementary clouts pave the way to garner boosters for belting out the right actions. It is just like a chef concocting an exquisite cuisine……he needs the right basic ingredients (type of meat or seafood, vegetable, beans, nuts etc.); not only that, he chooses the right condiments (sauces, spices, seasonings etc.) and garnishes (side ingredients like parsley, lemon slices, mushrooms, chopped herbs etc. - usually used as items to spruce up palate and aesthetics of the dish). Similarly, for a desired objective or result to be wholesome, the four quotients should be inherently linked for sterling execution.  

                                             PIX NO. 1 ON SQ;   PIX NO. 2 ON AQ

Questions:  Is Intelligence Quotient (IQ) an inborn quality of an individual? And isn’t Emotional Quotient (EQ) an innate characteristic of people who are naturally strong mentally? My answer: Yes, to some extent. However, I must say elevation of both scores can be cultivated in progression by way of intensive training, tailored to suit various age groups from children to adults. Preferably, such training should commence when young in order to be more efficaciously ingrained.

I always promulgate that high IQ is genetically inherent in a “sharp-minded” person up to a minor extent. But such could be groomed organically to greater heights by undergoing well-structured personal development processes. Some programmes focus on building the cognitive (consciousness) ability of youngsters up to 17 years old. The modules include guidance for enhancing memory, better academic performance, creativity etc. These are aimed at elevating their IQ level.

I also promulgate that an individual possessing high EQ is one endowed with immaculate discernment, i.e. one who can make wise decisions. One popular EQ centric model encapsulates self and peripheral (surrounding) awareness courses besides bolstering interaction /relationship capabilities. Topics on projecting perception, understanding of cause and effect, paradigm shifts, vision extrapolation etc. are among the syllabus. In essence, the model trains participants to adopt holism in assessing a broad scope of related elements impacting any particular subject.

No doubt impeccable knowledge that germinates sharp skills may serve as a fulcrum for attainments in an endeavour, yet another set of vital essences – that of right attitude cum right habits – is essential in order to achieve true overall success. A person who is endowed with immaculate knowledge and skills (high IQ) to execute his mission will not make much headway without manifesting the right attitude and habits (reflecting resolute EQ), simply because the prevailing attitude and habits of an individual either beckons him to spur on or hold back the actions for driving forward. On the other hand, a person imbued with positive mental attitude and good habits but without the relevant knowledge and skills will also not make noticeable headway, simply because he does not know how to tread the intended path with certainty.

Although intelligence (pertaining to IQ) and wisdom (pertaining to EQ) are somewhat akin in the mental faculty, yet they inhibit polar differences. Many people focus on sharpening their alertness and quick-mindedness by undergoing brain-training activities. However, they side step – whether consciously or unconsciously – the vitality of holism as a quality contributing to wisdom. High IQ helps to grasp specific facts or ideas quickly with accuracy whereas high EQ encapsulates discernment ability pertaining to management of issues and dealings with other people. IQ pins on the micro aspects of the mental faculty for meting out specific task performance whilst EQ facilitates the macro (all related elements) understanding of any situation, necessary for arriving at sound decisions.

People commonly consider efficiency is akin to effectiveness in terms of impact to a task. They think being efficient brings about effective results, and being effective means being efficient (or tip-top, so to speak) in work. Is that really so? Now, please reflect on the following proverbial expressions to conclude whether you agree with me: An efficient worker does things in the right way, but those things may not be the right ones to be carried out in the first place. An effective worker knows how to do the right things, however may not necessarily know how to execute these in the right way. Only a protagonist possessing the right IQ and EQ is expedient to do the right things in the right way each time to attain astuteness. He needs to assimilate both the micro and macro (or holistic) perspectives.

To conclude, here are quotes for you to ponder on:

·         Intelligence leads you. Wisdom guides you.

·         An intelligent man feels he knows a subject matter sufficiently. A wise man knows there are still more things to learn on the same subject.

·        An intelligent man gives advice spontaneously. A wise man gives inputs only when all options are considered.

·        An intelligent man grasps what is said. A wise man grasps what is unsaid.

·        An intelligent man views an issue according to his personal experience within his realm. A wise man perceives an issue as related to other relevant issues outside his realm.

Intelligence garners some attainments, but wisdom achieves better impact. However, intelligence coupled with wisdom can hit immaculate outcomes.

·       He who feels he knows all the answers have not asked all the questions.

·TTo know what you know about a subject, and also know what you don’t know about it – that’s true knowledge.

HAPPY PONDERING!

I am a steadfast promulgator of sound fundamentals that prop up personal explicit performance. From my macro exposure in the corporate realm over 3 decades cum a decade in consulting work, I have become a fundamentalist. The points I am sharing now are based on my personal multifarious work experiences and practical observations, having been assigned to different roles during my active engagement era. I believe these bullets can give valid insights to career enhancement aspirants.

The fundamentals that I cite were the ones that I applied in my past assignments. I dare not say the results were outstanding, yet there were some conspicuous attainments. Being a retiree presently but still rendering freelance services to financial institutions, my intention is to encourage young corporate officers who enthuse to uplift their career status. Note: I will share one actual example in the later segment of this article to substantiate the validity of my points. 

I must admit the "formulae" are not my own innovation but a combination of principles adopted from different respected sources. Nevertheless, the narratives herewith represent my efforts to present the platter in my own style. Anyway, the sources of the adopted principles are cited as I narrate the elaborations now.......

Fundamental No. 1: "BEGIN WITH THE END IN MIND" (Caption Source: Dr. Steven Covey's programme on "7 Habits of Highly Effective People")

Right at onset, an aspirant for performance efficacy should first form a firm vision where he/she desires to head for - attainment goals, objectives, longer term career/vocational destination etc. He/she should be clear in conjuring a mental map of the journey chart. The journey chart outlines a list of priorities, viz. determining the vital tasks to embark on first.

I narrate an analogy for illustration. Say, a new chief executive of a life insurance corporation has been commissioned by the board of directors to uplift the last few years of uneventful premium growth to multiple levels. He is required to submit his proposition to the board for view and approval. First things first, he should formulate his vision for the company - like on specific targets he is confident to achieve, attained performance ranking of the company in the industry, image status, set timeline etc. In addition, he needs to lay out the supporting mission, viz. the roadmap to reach the vision. It includes naming the officers to be drawn in for meting out specific accountabilities relating to the mission. 

Fundamental No. 2: "BE PROACTIVE" (Caption Source: Dr. Steven Covey's programme on "7 Habits of Highly Effective People")

Being proactive means being cognizant (fully aware), observant (watchful/close scrutiny) and anticipative (predicting incoming events) of the prevailing environment or situation. Factors encompassing the work/vocation/industry environment will somehow impact the end results, either positively or negatively. The aspirant needs to constantly keep abreast with the trends taking place from time to time so as to devise appropriate development action plans. Proactivity helps to thwart risks while looking out to capitalise on advantages which avail in a particular situation.

 Again, on the example of the new chief executive of an insurance corporation......not only the main focus is on new sales in order to net in higher premium volume, additionally he (presuming he is male) should keep himself updated about the events that likely have bearing on the industry. For instance, if statistics indicate the cost of medical treatments in hospitals will be escalating to enormous rates in the next few years, he ought to consider the following - whether to revise the premium rates for medical cover or stay at the same, or to launch new plans with revised cover features. He ought to be cognizant of the investment climate both locally and globally so that he can identify the right funds to support the life cover plans, for sustaining returns meeting the expectations of policyholders. On the other hand, he ought to know which volatile funds to avoid since it is the obligation of the company to protect policyholders' expectations, likewise also protect the company's image. 

Fundamental No. 3: "S.W.O.T." (Caption Source: Albert Humphrey/Stanford Research Institute)

S = Strengths            W = Weaknesses                O = Opportunities                T = Threats

SWOT promulgates a structured analytical methodology that garners the logistics essential for cultivating proactive analysis regarding the circumstantial facts at hand, in essence supporting Fundamental No. 2. Without SWOT, it is like driving to an unfamiliar destination without an electronic navigation guide like WAZE. The best that the driver by himself could rely on is intuition, hoping the presence of luck for arriving at the right destination in good time. That would then be arduous if not remote.

Depending on the quality and quantity of available resources, every entity possesses specific strengths on one hand and weaknesses on the other. The resources entail manpower, capital, financial situation, equipment/logistics, empowerment scopes bestowed by the board/owners to the management, outside network connections etc. An aspirant aiming to hit company goals should fully comprehend the company's strengths and weaknesses in respect of the resources for deployment. Very important, the chief executive must perceive its strengths and weaknesses before making revamps. 

Considerations like whether the existing senior officers at large are equipped with the right acumen for embarking a new mission has to be determined first. If they are not up to mark, then does the chief executive want to apply for extra expenditure budget so that he can recruit new blood? Or should he enhance the role of the resourceful employees whilst re-assigning some to other roles? Only by capitalising on existing strengths and rectifying some weaknesses based on prevailing resources, will a corporation thrust successfully forward. Likewise, a similar message to chief executives - know your strengths and weaknesses; for without recognising these, you will not understand your prowess for executing changes expediently and neither can you avert pitfalls consciously.

Equally vital is to recognise the threats and opportunities that hover the industry concerned at any one time period. I am still impressed by the prose picked up in my younger days from a corporate trainer. It goes somewhat like this: "In every adversity, there are also possible opportunities." I think it is a modification of Albert Einstein's original quote. Below is an actual example for elaboration.......

In Hong Kong, travel firms had been badly affected by the drop in both out-tour and in-tour ticket bookings at the height of the Covid infection scourge. While the pandemic threat to the tourism industry was unavoidable, an operator which depended on ferrying foreign visitors in its large fleet of bus coaches to various popular visit spots in the island faced a slump. However, the directors saw an opportunity on the side line. Being cognizant that many local residents had developed insomnia (sleep disorder) due to life pressures as reported in news portals and social news websites, they conjured a niche business idea to venture into the "sleeping bus tour service". They discovered from a sleep research clinic that insomnia-afflicted people could easily fall asleep in a comfortable moving bus because of the vibrating movements. They re-deployed the fleet of double-decker buses for this new alternative venture by arranging for a 5-hour slow drive cross the island colony.

Fares ranged from an affordable below HK$15 to over HK$50, depending on seat bookings either on the lower or upper deck, and also whether side amenities like ear plugs, eye masks, refreshments etc. were required. Each bus ride made a short stop at a scenic spot for those who wished to take a fresh air break or stretch their legs, while the rest could continue their snooze in the bus. Obviously this tour firm thrived despite facing a significant drop of business from foreign tourists by being aware of the side opportunity.

Performance efficacy does not come easy to officers sitting at higher echelons of the corporate ladder. Key posts definitely entail high work demands in terms of deliverables; needless to say more challenges to face up to. Without having undergone a cumulative series of personal development process, normally spanning over a significant time span, an aspirant for efficacious performance in any coveted role will not surpass the challenges laid at his feet. The process starts with acquisition of a pivotal fundament, i.e. KNOWLEDGE.  Knowledge pertinent to the field of work concerned must first be at hand, otherwise the next stage of development will not materialise - much less eyeing the hope for career progress in the same field.

Take the example of a young aspirant coveting to be an astute fund manager as his objective. Firstly, he must already have attained a foundational academic degree – like finance, economics, accountancy, business administration etc.  An academic foundation may not suffice. The aspirant should also pursue professional accreditations – like Registered Investment Advisor (RIA), or Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), or Capital Market Service Representative’s Licence (CMSRL), or Federation of Investment Managers Malaysia (FIMM) licence. Yet attaining professional papers may still not be enough. The next phase of development is to don a keen interest to pursue research on pertinent subjects; such as economic forces, geopolitics which have bearings to the investment climate, market forces, stock market updates, various industry updates, specific corporations’ data etc.

Relevant encompassing knowledge is the key fundament, or also known as the foundation for any coveted career. I use the analogy of constructing a very tall building. The maximum height of a majestic skyscraper depends on the foundation set for it. The deeper and firmer the foundation, the taller and steadier is the construction. Similarly, the more profound the knowledge relevant to a specific job, the firmer is the potential for career advancement of that aspirant.

Having profound pertinent knowledge serves as the primary fundament.  Yet it still requires some vital pillars for supporting performance efficacy. Using the analogy of a skyscraper again, robust pillars are needed to complement the foundation. The foundation holds the pillars; the pillars complement the foundation to support the robust building structure. So, what are the pillars for supporting job performance, then? Answer: DEDICATED HANDS-ON WORK EXPERIENCES! The aspirant must be prepared to stretch his hands into the practical work pile in order to get accustomed to what the real practical feel is.

To hone the capability for executing tasks efficaciously, one must be adequately exposed to all aspects of the role. He ought to assimilate both the micro and the macro elements that either positively or negatively impact results. For example, an aspirant aiming to be an astute fund manager must first learn the hands-on nitty gritty perspectives of fund components design. Apprenticeship under the guidance of a seasoned fund manager invariably is needed. He must pick up the hands-on holistic analysis tasks, gaining hindsight and foresight for curtailing risks on one hand and anticipating fund growth potentials on the other hand.

Acquisition of knowledge may span over some years as diligence to grasp the right academic and technical substance over time is involved. Selecting the pristine ingredients suited to complement the key fundament toward attaining the desired position will be more arduous – this effort rests much on APPTITUDE, which is the propensity to apply effectively what has been learnt (knowledge) into practical work.  Such a “challenge” necessitates resilience (forbearing tenacity) and perseverance (persistent tenacity), both being prime ATTITUDE essences for staying focused on the job.  Notwithstanding the attitude mind-set, yet two supplementary factors are still needed to mould an aspirant’s aptitude realm – the absorption dimension for learning; and the analytical capacity for visualising actualities.

 Holistic comprehension of a work situation relates much with hindsight (taking cues from past experiences) and foresight (projecting the future scenarios, coupled with cognisance of the present scenario). An aspirant being imbued with holism is one who manifests the right technical know-how plus inclusive grasp of the practical work aspects. Obviously, significant time span will be unavoidable in order for any high career aspirant to reach the stage for executing sound discretions.  I reiterate that besides the right foundational academic degree befitting the job, professional qualifications may be required; then due diligence to get entrenched in practical work aspects related to the coveted job role must take place.

Only by completing the entire development process postulated in the narratives above, can an aspirant then attain performance astuteness – there is no short cut to the development process. And only by being equipped with performance efficacy can the aspirant formulate action plans congruent to the job. Finally, I highlight another “truth”, i.e. Astuteness and Prudence co-lever one another. They are inseparable. Astuteness enables perceiving the right perspectives of a subject. Prudence enables executing the right decisions and actions that produce desired results, in support of the perception. In short, an astute cum prudent protagonist in any career field may aptly be termed a wise one.

To recapitulate the sequential key points: (1) Relevant foundational academic degree. (2) Relevant professional papers. (3) Research on pertinent subjects related to the job scopes. (4) Wide hands-on work experiences. (5) Resilience and perseverance (Right Attitude). (6) Absorption dimension for learning and analysis (Right Aptitude). (7) Holism mental frame.

I end my sharing with a few self-coined quotes and a humorous cartoon on wisdom:

# A wise man knows he needs to keep on learning as there is always something new or old to learn.

# A wise man first scans the scenarios in order to decipher the prevailing trends, then forms his opinions thereafter.

# Wisdom does not immediately arrive at a conclusion until all options are considered.

# Wisdom calls for recognition of all related facts linked to an issue, and not just the issue per se.

In my previous (latest) contribution, I shared on RESOLUTENESS POWER, in which I stressed the key enzymes of Faith/Love (self-trust and conviction in a mission), Change (actions befitting changed situations) and Cognizance/Awareness (of new happenings and trends). Indeed the enzymes are imperative for bolstering the resolute thrusts toward achieving coveted objectives.

However, allow me to state a “caveat emptor”. Over-indulgent resoluteness to hit achievements at all costs, if not prudently managed, may instead lead to physical burnout in the longer term which could cause the following negative side effects……..

·         Physical deterioration, secondary to conditions like insomnia, hypertension, anxiety, fatigue etc.

·         Professional mistakes – an over-clouded mind is prone to be less alert for work execution.

·         Moodiness, self-withdrawn behaviour, irritability, disappointment.

Hence, an aspirant bent on fulfilling work commitments must have platforms for restoration in order to avert burnout, which is a prevalent concern in today’s competitive corporate world. “Restoration” means reversion to the normal mental and physical state. In this context, it is to bring back the state of health, soundness and vigour.

I avidly participated in Dr. Steven Covey’s  “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” course quite some years ago. Module 7, entitled “Sharpen the Saw”, casts a culminating advisory tone to all graduating participants. This module highlights four balanced dimensions for personal “renewal”, viz. PHYSICAL, MENTAL, SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL & SPIRITUAL. I believe “renewal” also infers to “re-energise”.  The module recommends avenues for re-energising, which essentially entail ways to avert burnout emanating from work stress. In fact, the entire Steven Covey’s programme lays out the steps for an overall healthy frame to attain sustainability in terms of work efficacy by inculcating a conducive and manageable application approach. (I would recommend readers aspiring to be high performers to sign up for the programme.)

The four dimensions advocate the following habits:

·         PHYSICAL:  Proper nutrition, exercise, recreational activities, enough rest/sleep, relaxation time etc.

·         MENTAL:  Reading, writing, mind-inspiring hobbies, education, seminars, training courses etc.

·         SOCIAL: Establish meaningful fraternities, family relations, network circles, interaction with counterparts/peers to share views, society events etc.

·         SPIRTUAL: Meditating, praying, religious worship, digesting literature that inspires morale, listening to songs that touch the heart etc.

The crux of Dr. Covey’s promulgation is on the vitality of encapsulating all the four essential dimensions as the holistic balance of a pragmatic lifestyle while pursuing career/business/wealth goals. All four constitute vital physiology needs, hence none should be neglected in order to acquire a wholesome well-being.

Allow me to interject. In today’s demanding work environment filled with materialism, concerted time is spent by many aspirants on career or business development at the expense of the other life values. For example, ambitious executives striving to climb up the corporate ladder in the shortest time possible will channel full attention toward this desire. Their unrelenting pursuit may be at the expense of laying aside the four dimensions needed for re-energising. They may be sacrificing their need for enough rest, exercise, proper nutrition, fraternity; in addition, they may feel stressful mentally by trying their utmost to meet pressing job expectations. Without discernment, all resilience to persevere will ultimately falter, resulting in burnout or obsessed anxiety – worst still, facing the risk of becoming depressed.

Effectiveness relating to career or business execution is not a one-time measurement. Rather, it is a measurement of successful achievements over a long tenure. It is a matter of long-term sustainability of coveted objectives. The four dimensions, as emphasised by Dr. Steven Covey, form the life essentials that support effective lasting execution contributing to long term success. This is the key message of his programme in the Sharpen the Saw module (Habit No. 7). I firmly believe he intentionally placed this module as the culminating chapter to impress upon his students the efficacy of having a balanced lifestyle whilst driving hard for work goals. I believe he is implying that efforts of the other 6 habits will be nullified if the 7^th is neglected.

Now, may I touch on the Spiritual Dimension. Many people seem to ignore the spiritual perspective – they treat it as the least essential element in their livelihood because of commercial-centric interests.  Spirituality is equally vital, if not more vital, as the other three dimensions. According to psychotherapist Dr. Fred Toke, the other essential needs may prevail as the concerns of most people, yet many do not realise spirituality plays the key link to supporting the overall well-being of a person. The spiritual essence, he says, is akin to the nucleus that holds the other needs cohesively in good balance. His message in this respect, I believe, portrays spiritual activities as an avenue for a person to reflect on the “truths” of proper life purpose, i.e. a balance of values.

Please note that Dr. Steven Covey’s Spiritual Dimension does not relate only to religious spirituality. Included in the realm are platforms that inspire personal morale, moral values, peace and composure; or simply put – the feel good activities. For example, engaging in good deeds like charity may instill inner sense of joy. Other examples are reading autobiographies of revered historical icons and listening to inspirational songs. Any activity that uplifts moral, morale and intellectual well-being is a spiritual ingredient.

Sum Up:

Resoluteness to achieve a coveted objective is just a noble desire. The ability to persevere without faltering and to stay on course continuously without succumbing to stress is the notable feat. Individual life well-being in today’s upbeat commercial era can only be derived by sustaining a balance of the various need dimensions vis-à-vis work demands.

I end by sharing a few of Dr. Covey’s quotes:

“Our body, mind, and spirit help us accomplish our goals. We must maintain our Production Capability (referring to the four dimensions) to perform well. This, maintaining our personal Production Capability, is the focus of Sharpen the Saw.”

“The idea behind Sharpen the Saw is to make gradual changes from day to day. Taking small, progressive steps consistently has a cumulative effect that is usually more powerful and dynamic than any massive, single effort could ever be.”

“Sharpen the Saw means preserving and enhancing the greatest asset you have – YOU. It means having a balanced, systematic programme for self-renewal in the four areas of our lives……..Without this discipline, the body becomes weak, the mind mechanical, the emotions raw, the spirit insensitive, and the person selfish.”

“RESOLUTENESS” POWER

To me, “resolute” is an iconic word in the vocation and career realms, yet intriguing. Intriguing because it connotes various positive values necessarily linked with achieving goals.

Some synonyms (similar words) extracted from dictionaries describe “resolute” as purposeful, determined, absolute, unwavering etc. These descriptions infer to fervent continuous pursuit until a coveted goal/objective is achieved within a time span.

Now, let me dissect the word according to my semantic notion regarding the intriguing elements. I break it up into three “root” parts and what each stands for:

*RE – Resilient; Resolve issues.

*SOL – Solutions.

*UTE – Under Trying Events/Experiences.

Putting these descriptions together, I can construct a slogan that depicts the positive values……..”Being resilient to resolve issues by implementing (the right) solutions under trying events or experiences.”

The slogan encapsulates the gist for achieving goals or objectives, don’t you think so? Indeed, without the resoluteness to keep going against all odds that may stand in the way, achievement will be a far remote cause. Resoluteness is the key fundamental pivot elevating drives toward attaining goals, yet a few supplementary elements are necessarily needed for ensuring success, namely:

·        FAITH/LOVE

Being imbued with a resolute fervour may still be challenging if an individual lacks confidence. He must believe in self ability. He must have trust in himself to don the conviction for his mission. Faith underlines the spirit of resoluteness. Faith also relates to love (for the job). In fact, love is the precursor to faith.  If you do not love what you do, you will not garner the faith for pursuing your mission, in which case, it is better to look out for something else! Work stress comes about when one loathes his assignment.

·        CHANGE

Doing things the same way every year will emanate the same type of results throughout. Efforts must commensurate with the changing circumstances that have bearing to the mission concerned. Not changing the mode of implementation in line with the changing circumstances will exasperate such monotonous pursuits.

Let me give a real illustration. During the Covid-19 pandemic long drag (which was still engulfing the globe at the time of my sharing this article), the sales directors of beer brands Budweiser and Carlsberg were at wits end how to revive their business momentum since clubs and bars could not operate as “openly” as before. They took the challenge to jointly improvise a strategic change in sales approach. They decided to collaborate with e-commerce giant JD.com and  Taihe Music Group to create online clubbing events. DJs were signed up for the events. The mode involved streaming directly to participants’ living rooms, with drinks bought from the stream and delivered to their homes. In one online show, beer sales soared 40% more than the day before. This is a fine example of innovative change to circumvent a challenging circumstance from the corporate level perspective.

·        COGNIZANCE (AWARENESS)

To institute the appropriate mode change befitting a new circumstance or situational challenge, one must first be cognizant of the pertinent happenings within and outside the industry or vocation he is in. Proactive protagonists constantly keep abreast with incoming trends, such as pertaining to technology, products, regulatory requirements, consumer needs etc. Whether a change in operating mode is necessary depends very much on being aware of the foreseeable scenarios that may or may not bear negative impacts.

Had the two beer manufacturers’ sales directors, in the previous example, been unaware of the services of JD.com and Taihe Music Group, they would not have gotten the break for online clubbing sales. Because they were cognizant of the phenomena outside their scope of normal business modes, the appropriate change was deployed successfully.

Yes, resoluteness is the fundamental pivot for a person’s drive to reach goals. All other attributes like knowledge, skills, experience, network, interpersonal aptitude etc. can only supplement the fervent desire to succeed. Without resoluteness, the rest will be negated – that is the key truth.

QUOTES:

+ The truest wisdom is a resolute determination (Napoleon Bonarparte).

+ We develop our whole character from our thoughts, actions, attentive observations and from the resolute pursuit of our inspirational dreams (Kilroy J Oldster).

+ Once you are clear about what you wish to create, you can maintain a steady stream of thoughts – unwavering, resolute and focused (Dr. Prem Jagyasi).