Tuesday, March 14, 2006 SCMP Business Post
Part two of eight

Ahead of His Times

Simon Leung Regional President, Motorola Asia/Pacific	Simon Leung, regional president of Motorola’s Asia/Pacific operations, was somewhat ahead of his time, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in computer science in 1978. He spoke to the Richard Ivey School of Business on leadership, some of the traps that leaders can fall into, and how he got involved in the telecom industry.

On leadership

“Leadership is the ability to engage your team to believe in the vision that you have developed; ultimate success is measured by your ability to get your team to achieve the goals that you have set out. This is easier said than done, especially when you have a big team. Team members often have differences in opinion and in agenda. Human behavior will also play a key role. Leaders need to accommodate all these differences and move the team towards achieving the same goal.”

On what it takes to be a leader
“There is no one set formula to becoming a successful leader. While it takes all kinds of things, some of the common characteristics of a leader are charisma, edge, energy, an ability to execute and ethics. One has to build his/her own leadership style based on these basic principles. Of course, being hard working, having an ability to learn from anyone, having a willingness to listen and never giving up are some of the basic
qualities that most leaders share.”

On some of the traps that leaders sometimes fall into

“The biggest single trap that many leaders fall into is believing that they are always right. No one is right all the time, except maybe the customer. The ability to recognize when you have made the wrong decision is very important.”

On how business has changed since he graduated

“With telecommunications today, you can do conference calls, you can do meetings on the Internet, and you can do video calls. With emails and mobile phones the world is actually getting much flatter – and smaller. Telecommunications and the advent of technology are really helping companies get closer together than ever before.”

On how he got involved in the telecom industry

“I have always been interested in technology, which is why I majored in computer science. I grew up in the computer era. When telecom and information technology started to merge or overlay into one industry I thought that my background in IT could help the telecomm industry grow. That is why I made the move.”

On his leadership style

“I am very proud of the fact that I have helped to develop leaders in a variety of backgrounds, including race and gender, throughout my career. I always try to make everyone feel that we are all part of the same team and that I am looking at the situation exactly the same way that they do. I also try to lead by example, working harder than anyone else and showing them my passion and dedication. My style has not changed significantly over the years. I have become less patient as my career develops. I think that this is because of changes in the overall business
environment.”

On what he would do differently

“I would delegate more to the up-and-coming future leaders. I would also try to have a better balance between my work and other aspects of my life.”

Advice for someone just starting out

“Work hard and play hard. Continue learning, whether it is in the workplace or in classroom. Listen to others, even people with less experience. Take calculated risks and enjoy your own work. The world is changing so fast if you don’t continue learning you will be left behind.”

The Leader as Teacher :
Creating the Learning Organization

Staying the course can lead to disaster. Today’s leaders can succeed only by creating and promoting an environment in which he or she – and managers – learn to respond in new ways, in effect, unlearning traditional responses.

Click on www.ivey.com.hk/iveybusinessjournal.html to learn what Ronald A. Heifetz, a principal of Cambridge Leadership Associates, and Donald L. Laurie, chief executive of Oyster International, have to say on the five principles that leaders can use to mobilize people to do adaptive work.

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