First and foremost, this post will be about things that I have learned from BB.
BB promises a fulfilling journey for all Boys, regardless of backgrounds. It provides a platform where Boys can strive to become something more, to become a better leader in many aspects, in however tiny way they can. I had been fortunate enough to be granted opportunities to lead the Company, and thus I have the responsibility to share with my peers and juniors(esp Plt2 and Plt3) on what i have achieved and learned being a leader.
1. Leadership style differs from group to group
Many groups have many different personalities. While it is important to be a firm, strict leader in BB, it does not cover all aspects of being a good leader. People's personalities varies from place to place, and from batch to batch. Being a leader means that one have to flexible, to accommodate for different oddities, and different occasions. And being able to learn from these experiences makes you a better leader every day.
2.Empathy
While it is common to hear 'empathy', it proves to be a challenge for most people when it comes to the application. Empathy means the ability to understand and share a feeling with another person. Being a good leader requires one to be able to empathise with your peers and your juniors. It is important that a leader understand the feelings of those beneath him, and can thus change, adapt and accommodate for their followers.
3.Down to earth.
One attribute many leaders lack, is the ability to apologise and learn from followers. While it is important for a leader to be confident, it is also equally vital that leaders learn from their peers and followers. Sometimes, groupmates or juniors may have a different perspective, which can help the group progress better as a whole. As such, do not let the pride of being a leader blind and hinder you from learning things from others. Do not be afraid of making mistakes, and subsequently, do not be afraid to apologise.
4.Servant leadership
This phrase is also extremely common. Servant leadership means the leader leads and guides his/her people by serving them. By serving their followers, leaders gain respect, gratitude, and loyalty from their subordinates; and by doing so allows the leader to gain a reliable following, and thus makes more progress as a group.
5.Never forget your roots
By far the most important thing I have learned, is to never forget your roots. To me, this means a few things. First, it means to never forget the lessons you have learned, in every single place you have been, and where you come from. Every life lesson you learn will prove useful. Second, it means to possess and heart of kindness, of gratitude. Every tiny thing that someone has done for you: never forget those. Never forget those who brought you up, who taught you life lessons, who taught you how to survive, etc.. Ensure that you always have a heart for gratitude. By being grateful, it inspires others to follow, as they find joy and comfort in following grateful leaders, which results in a more effective group, and a more effective leader. I will end off with a quote from former Herman Miller CEO Max De Pree :"“The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between the two, the leader must become a servant and a debtor.”
As De Pree later elaborated, to "define reality", also means to "accept gratefully the call to serve others.”
These are just fragments of what BB really taught me, and i am sure that many Boys will learn much much more than I have. I hope this will help you ( esp my juniors) to reflect, learn and thus evolve into better leaders.
- Chun Hei
