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Do what you love
YOUR ULTIMATE CAREER& TALENT RESOURCE
REFLECTION TIMEMulan brings you the lessons of life
Pg 12
A MAGICAL TALEThe curious case of a cross-pollinator
Pg 11
TATTOO, TABOO?Think before you inkand other rhymes...
Pg 10
It’s your faultSmall creatures with big lessons
Pg 08
Saturday 13 december 2014
my PrecIOuS
LeaderSHIP LeSSONS FrOm LOrd OF tHe rINGS
PaGeS 3-4
mystarjob.com, saturday 13 December 20142
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The opinions expressed in this career guide are those of the writers or the people they quoted and not necessarily those of Leaderonomics.
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EditorialAdviserRoshan ThiRanEditorKaREn nEoh
Contributing editorsPREma JaYaBaLanhYma PiLLaYLim LaY hsUan
Sub-editor LEE KaR YEan
Layout, Art & DesignTUng Eng hwaZULhaimi BahaRUddinahmad fadZUL YUsofadZnam saBRi
hafis idZLashanKaRmohd KhaiRULmUhd hafEEZRaZZiah
Writers & ContributorsJohan mahmood mERiCanadRian YaP ChEng KhinCYnThia Zhai
miLLiE ongsaRah TanwEndY LEE
JoiN US!
107.6FMin Penang
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MoviE MagiCSEVERAL months ago, as the editorial team huddled in our favourite café, we decided unanimously that we needed an issue highlighting professions that, for various reasons, were not top of mind for most. With our shared passion for movies, this issue is centred on the many things we may or may not know about the industry.
Our first act stars none other than Johan Mahmood Merican – the man who I am told, inspired our Movie Wisdom column – and (I mean this in the best possible way) big hairy feet. Johan masterfully draws leadership lessons from The Lord of the Rings, and by the end of his article may also inspire innovative “training day” proposals to unsuspecting bosses.
Speaking of masters, Lim Lay Hsuan, gradually revealing her skills as master of many trades, tracked down yet another inspiring leader. James Lee Thim Heng shares his journey of becoming a successful independent filmmaker here in Malaysia.
Millie Ong, fast earning a reputation of connecting with crit-ters on a level not often explored, takes a close (and squinty) look at the life of ants and that wonderful movie A Bug’s Life.
Just a few weeks ago, Leaderonomers were all atwit-ter (o yes – this was a word before Twitter) that Eduardo Pena, concept designer for movies like The Hobbit, Hercules, Transcendence and Lucy, was in our office sharing his experi-ence and insights. Sarah Tan was on the case and brings his life lessons – from Bogota, Colombia to Tinseltown – to you.
Our next act stars David Kwong – magic consultant for movies like Now You See Me, The Incredible Burt Wonderstone and The Immigrant, puzzle creator for national publications in the United States (as well as the movie The Imitation Game!), singer and a Harvard man – helping us understand how we can prepare ourselves to develop a career in areas we are pas-sionate about.
Last, but not least, we learn from one of my favourite Disney movies Mulan – which always made me think that workplace diversity was alive and kicking (quite literally) way back in the annals of China.
There are common threads in the articles we bring you this week. I love the way creative people think and see the world in different ways. Yet the advice by Lee to be an “attentive communicator, observer and listener” in order to guide others resonates with many aspects of life and work.
So put your feet up this weekend, catch a movie with family and friends, and challenge each other on how many life les-sons you can take away! The winner should definitely submit an article for our Movie Wisdom column.
And that’s a wrap! Have a fantastic weekend all!
KAREN NEOHEditorleaderonomics.com
liFE’S a MoviEBy LIM LAY [email protected]
ADMIT it. We love a great and inspiring story, real or reel. It doesn’t even matter if it is a case of life imitates art, art imi-tates life, or somewhere in between.
Some say life at its fullest is a beauti-ful picture made out of many jigsaw puzzle pieces. The catch is that it all depends on ourselves to go out looking for the missing pieces.
Others may look at it as a storybook written by the Divine, with you as the main character.
We encounter various plots, char-acters, scenes and climaxes – going through life page by page and chapter by chapter – before we eventually reach “The End”.
If your life in book is adapted into a movie, would your story leave a lasting impression on your audience? Or will it be a forgettable movie?
If you have the opportunity to rewrite the script of your life’s movie, how would you like to see it turn out?
Here are three fundamental points you can apply to direct how your story ends:
l Patience: Revise youR scRiPt
In a world of unpredictable circumstances, we need to be agile and flexible enough to adapt to changes.
We are all uniquely crafted to be different. Hence, your story doesn’t need to be the same as the person next to you.
l Passion: Give youR best
With every script you have prepared, get into your role and put your best foot forward. With that in mind, be mindful to work your strengths to your advan-tage.
In areas where you lack, identify them specifically and make a conscious effort to improve yourself.
l PeRseveRance: envision youR destination
How do you envision the ending of your movie? Would it be dramatic, serene, sad or happy?
Once you have set your mind to your destiny, take proactive steps and work towards it. Hiccups may occur along the way, but press on until you see the end result of your “movie”.
May your “movie” be a blockbuster that inspires and leaves a lasting impression to your audience for days, months or even years.
“In the future, everybody is going to be a director. Somebody’s got to live a real life so we have something to make a movie about.” – Cameron Crowe
“If life has taught me anything it’s that 95% of the people are always wrong.” – Jack Nicholson’s character in The Bucket List
“I know what I have to do now, I’ve got to keep breathing because tomorrow the sun will rise. Who knows what the tide could bring?” – Tom Hanks’ character in Cast Away
“I think one of the privileges of being a filmmaker is the opportunity to remain a kind of perpetual student.” – Edward Zwick
“A temptation resisted is a true measure of character.” – Dustin Hoffman’s character in Papillon
“I think audiences get too comfortable and familiar in today’s movies. They believe everything they’re hearing and seeing. I like to shake that up.” – Christopher Nolan
mystarjob.com, saturday 13 December 2014 3
ONE RING TO RULE(AND MAKE LEADERS OF)
THEM ALL...By JOHAN MAHMOOD [email protected]
THIS month, we finally get to watch the conclusion of The Hobbit film trilogy with the release of The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies.
However, for me, the The Lord of the Rings (LOTR) remains my favourite film and book trilogy. This is especially the case given that so much can be learnt on lead-ership from LOTR.
So in case you missed the lessons when you watched it the first time, do ask your boss for one day away from the office for
leadership development, and from the comfy sofa of your home, watch the LOTR trilogy back-to-back.
To help you out with your learning experience and especially if you have to write a report on your ‘training’ day, the following are parts you should look out for in the films.
1. Choosing to lead
Frodo: “I will take the Ring; though I do not know the way.”
We have been conditioned, probably by society, possibly by typical Hollywood
movies that leaders are born, and are heroes by virtue of being the smartest, bravest, strongest or all of the above.
The beauty of LOTR is that Frodo is none of this – he has not the wisdom of Elrond, the courage of Boromir, the skill in battle of Legolas nor Gandalf’s magical power.
Yet among the great people assembled for the Council of Elrond, it was Frodo who stepped up and volunteered to take the Ring on the quest to Mount Doom (despite not knowing how).
Leadership has been defined in many ways. One particular definition which appeals to me is that there are two parts that define a leader.
The first part is unhappiness with sta-tus quo or the situation at hand. On this, almost all of us, especially Malaysians can lay claim to having the first part.
However, what distinguishes leaders is the second part, which is when the unhappy individual decides and commits their entire self and energy towards effect-ing a change for the better.
Viewed this way, leadership is a choice. But it is not a half-hearted option of “let me try first and see”. A true leader com-mits to doing what it takes to make a difference.
Frodo inspires us that anyone can choose to be a leader, though at the same time, that choice is not without difficul-ties, challenges and risk.
Frodo: I wish the Ring had never come to me. I wish none of this had happened.
Gandalf: So do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.
In the above exchange, Gandalf rein-forces the point on choice. Leaders cannot adopt a victim mentality of bemoaning how the world seems to be against them.
Leaders focus on what they can do, making the most of what they have. True to Gandalf’s wisdom – time is often our most precious resource.
Gandalf’s advice is reminiscent of how Dumbledore counsels Harry Potter, “It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities”. (Harry Potter film is another option for a great “leadership training day”.)
2. strength of fellowship
Aragorn: If by my life or death I can protect you, I will. You have my sword...
Legolas: And you have my bow. Gimli: And my axe. Boromir: You carry the fate of us
all, little one. If this is indeed the will of the Council, then Gondor will see it done.
A leader may choose to make a differ-ence but rarely can an individual achieve much alone.
The key to leadership is to build a team, ideally a diverse team bringing the dif-ferent skills needed, but a team united in sharing common goals and values.
LOTR emphasises a strong sense of fel-lowship. Where a diverse motley crew of individuals come together to save Middle Earth and despite their differences, they remain committed to each other and to the cause.
Sam: I made a promise, Mr Frodo. A promise. “Don’t you leave him Samwise Gamgee.” And I don’t mean to. I don’t mean to.
J.R.R. Tolkien’s inspiration for Sam is a reflection from World War I where an officer would be supported by a servant or “batman”.
Though typically differentiated by class, there were close and loyal bonds of friend-ship between the leader (officer) and team members (footsoldiers).
Throughout LOTR, success is achieved through the unwavering loyalty to each other and a willingness to forsake one’s own self-interest (and safety) for the com-mon cause.
Eomer: We cannot achieve victory through strength of arms.
Aragorn: Not for ourselves. But we can give Frodo his chance if we keep Sauron’s Eye fixed upon us. Keep him blind to all else that moves.
Legolas: A diversion. Gimli: Certainty of death, small
chance of success... What are we wait-ing for?
> TURN TO PAGE 4
PREcIOUS LEADERSHIP LESSONS FROM AN ENDURING STORy
mystarjob.com, saturday 13 December 20144
In the exchange, the team agrees to sacrifice themselves to fight an unwin-nable battle in order to help Frodo and ultimately, to destroy the Ring. As they march into certain death, Aragorn rallies his troops:
“Sons of Gondor, of Rohan, my brothers! I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me. A day may come when the courage of men fails, when we forsake our friends, and break all bonds of fellowship; but it is not this day!
“An hour of wolves, and shattered shields, when the Age of Men comes crash-ing down; but it is not this day! This day we fight!”
Whilst we do not expect anyone to sacrifice their lives for the organisation’s objectives, the ability of leaders to com-municate a common purpose and align the organisation to a common goal, to the extent of inspiring one’s team to take ownership of the mission and willingly go the extra mile, is a great key to true leadership.
3. Compassion and values
Frodo: It’s a pity Bilbo didn’t kill him when he had the chance.
Gandalf: Pity? It was pity that stayed Bilbo’s hand. Many that live deserve death. Some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them, Frodo? Do not be too eager to deal out death in judgement. Even the very wise can-not see all ends.
My heart tells me that Gollum has some part to play yet, for good or ill before this is over. The pity of Bilbo may rule the fate of many.
Despite LOTR involving many battles, the leaders are characterised as having
compassion and not taking lives need-lessly.
As it happens, Bilbo showing mercy to Gollum, a character seemingly undeserv-ing of mercy, ultimately saves the day.
Tolkien takes pains to develop Aragorn’s character as not a two-dimensional killing machine in battle but also defines him as a healer (where he plays a key role in Eowyn’s recovery). This is in line with situ-ational leadership, being able to take lives and save lives accordingly.
Aragorn: [Théoden threatens to kill Wormtongue] No, my lord – let him go. Enough blood has been spilt on his account.
However, beyond reacting to situations, there is a core of compassion shown by Aragorn above. He is able to not just show total commitment to his friends but also able to forgive his enemies.
In LOTR, Aragorn calls upon the Dead Men of Dunharrow, who had betrayed his forefathers and was able to convince them to help him and in return, he forgave them.
Aragorn: I summon you to fulfil your oath.
King of the Dead: None but the king of Gondor may command me.
Aragorn: Fight for us... and regain your honour.
Beyond compassion, there is a strong thread of ethics and values running through LOTR. Promises are sacred and honour is to be upheld even in battle.
This is important as in choosing to be a leader, it’s all too easy to sacrifice ethics and values in pursuit of one’s goals.
Tolkien ensures his heroes and leaders never stray from the moral high ground, showing both compassion and integrity even in desperate times.
Hence, we are reminded, to truly care for our people in the organisation, whilst preserving our values.
4. perseveranCe
Galadriel: You are a Ring-bearer, Frodo. To bear a Ring of Power is to be alone. This task was appointed to you, and if you do not find a way, no one will.
Frodo: I know what I must do, it’s just that... I’m afraid to do it.
Galadriel: Even the smallest per-son can change the course of the future.
As depicted above, a leader’s path is not easy. It can be a lonely and difficult journey, where leaders will often doubt themselves.
As with the dilemma faced by Frodo, it is often the case that we know what needs to be done.
It is a question of whether, we can sum-mon the leader in ourselves to make the difficult decisions and stay the course.
A key value of leadership epitomised in LOTR is perseverance – particularly, in the journey of Frodo and Sam, as they soldier on towards Mount Doom on a seemingly impossible mission.
Persevere they did but at one of the points when all seemed lost, Sam and Frodo had the following exchange:
Sam: It’s like in the great stories Mr Frodo, the ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger they were, and sometimes you didn’t want to know the end because how could the end be happy?
How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened?
But in the end it’s only a passing thing this shadow, even darkness must pass. A new day will come, and when the sun shines it’ll shine out the clearer.
Those were the stories that stayed with you, that meant something even if you were too small to under-stand why. But I think Mr Frodo, I do understand, I know now folk in those stories had lots of chances of turn-ing back, only they didn’t. They kept going because they were holding on to something.
Frodo: What are we holding onto, Sam?
Sam: That there’s some good in the world, Mr. Frodo, and it’s worth fighting for.
May that be the movie wisdom for us all. Embrace the leader in each of us by choosing to make a difference; rallying together with our teams; being compas-sionate, upholding integrity and ultimate-ly persevering.
Because there’s good in our friendships, organisations and our country, Malaysia, it’s certainly worth fighting for!
n Johan Merican is CEO of TalentCorp. To send feedback, email [email protected]. For more leadership content, visit www.leaderonomics.com
> FROM PAGE 3
EMbRAcE THE LEADER IN EAcH OF US by cHOOSING TO MAKE A DIFFERENcE; RALLyING TOGETHER wITH OUR TEAMS; bEING cOMPAS-SIONATE, UPHOLDING INTEGRITy AND ULTIMATELy PERSEvERING
mystarjob.com, saturday 13 December 2014 5
By LIM LAY [email protected]
I have always believed that Malaysia is never short in produc-ing local-gone-global talents in various industries, including the movie industry, which incidental-
ly is the focus of this week’s pullout. As challenging and arduous as it is
to make good movies in Malaysia, I have to say that I admire individuals who continue to make independent films.
One such individual is James Lee Thim Heng, whose breakthrough film The Beautiful Washing Machine won the Best Asean Feature Film and FIPRESCI award at the Bangkok International Film Festival 2005, thus paving a way for the independent film movement in Malaysia.
Tracking him down, I was grate-ful when Lee graciously responded and opened up about his journey as an independent filmmaker here in Malaysia.
The sToryboard“I was trained as a graphic
designer, but always had an interest in acting and directing. It prompted me to take up an acting course with Joe Hasham of The Actors Studio,” shares Lee of his background in the industry.
“I later went into television pro-ductions doing Chinese drama series where I eventually picked up the art of filmmaking,” says the multital-ented Lee, who also dabbles with acting, producing and writing, as well as taking on the role of a director of photography for other independent filmmakers.
Asked what sparked his passion for filmmaking, he responds, “Above all else, it was the love for the craft. Back in the early 1990s, filmmaking was an expensive affair, so the closest thing to directing was theatre, which I am still doing.”
“It is also an immense joy to be able to create a world of visuals and characters to convey a message and a story,” enthused Lee.
seTTing The sceneAccording to Lee, he draws inspi-
ration of great stories from real life events and news. He says that even a simple hangout session at the mamak can churn out inspirational ideas and concepts.
“One needs to be sincerely interest-ed in the subject or character. You will
need to do some investigative work during ideation and scriptwriting,” clarifies Lee, who has done a range of film genres himself, including hor-ror and sci-fi films, which cater to a variety of audiences from different languages.
“The part I enjoy most about film-making is the opportunity to work with different people. I love the fact that by doing so, you learn to see things from different perspectives and angles,” says Lee.
axis of acTionFor someone outside looking in, I
often wonder what it is like to be in a film director’s shoes (or rather, in this case, the director’s chair), except for the director to often say “action!” and “cut!”
“As a film director, I have to work closely with many stakehold-ers, including scriptwriters, actors, department heads of photography, art directors and stunts people. I also draw my own storyboard too,” explains Lee.
“Basically, I have to shoot and edit the whole movie in my mind dur-ing pre-production stage. In fact, it’s one of the most important stages in movie-making, but also the most overlooked one in the local scene,” says Lee.
On the type of skills needed to be a successful filmmaker, Lee says, “I believe one needs to be an attentive communicator, observer and lis-tener. That is because a good director observes, listens and guides his or her actors, not through means of com-manding or ordering.”
“The collaborative nature and involvement of everyone in the film is very important. That is why I per-sonally think everyone on the set is
a ‘filmmaker’ in his or her own right. They just work with me, not for me,” comments Lee.
When there is no filming project, Lee occupies himself with reading, writing and gaming. He also thor-oughly enjoys martial arts as it helps him with the grueling physical work demands of filmmaking.
PoinT of viewOn his thoughts about the future
of film industry in Malaysia, he says: “A large chunk of the local market share has been taken by Hollywood movies. In a way, we do feel the pinch in terms of promotion and market-ing.”
“Thus, it is a great challenge to compete in the old distribution system and model. Moreover, the censorships and the declining interest of Malaysians in local films are also discouraging the industry.”
To overcome these stumbling blocks, Lee advises filmmakers to con-tinually seek and create another level-playing field where it will be more favourable to independent films.
“In fact, I actually left the conven-tional film industry in early 2013 and have since ventured and explored the online platform.
“I have just completed the second season of short horror films compris-ing three stories by three directors, available on YouTube this month. There are other online projects in the pipeline too,” says Lee.
The direcTor’s cuT“Start working in an actual produc-
tion set at the lowest position, which is usually the production assistant, even though your aim may be direct-ing,” says Lee to young and aspiring filmmakers.
According to Lee, it is from there that they learn the ropes on how a production set is run and managed.
“If you can be promoted into the director’s team as an assistant direc-tor, that’s a good indication that you have the chops to become a film-maker,” quips Lee.
These days, Lee has been working a lot with younger people to share his knowledge with them, and vice versa.
“You know, young people may lack the experience but the way they see things is always fascinating. At the same time, I hope to instil a healthier filmmaking culture, i.e. a culture of sharing, collaboration and respect among the people you work with,” he says.
iT’s a wraP!At the end of the day, it is every
filmmaker’s dream to share movies with appreciative audiences. After all, films are just one of the many avail-able media to allow a storyteller to share their stories.
With this, I wish Lee the best in all
his endeavours, as I hope to follow the local film industry more closely.
n Lay Hsuan can’t help but listen to Radiohead’s Exit Music (for a Film) while writing this article. For feedback, write to her at [email protected]. For more insights on passionate people with unusual careers, visit www.leaderonomics.com
When life imitates art
lights, camera, and action“i hope to instill a
healthier filmmaking culture, i.e.
a culture of sharing,
collabora-tion and respect
among the people you
Work With.”
mystarjob.com, saturday 13 December 2014 7mystarjob.com, saturday 13 December 20146
Take care of your
you are how you speakBy CYNTHIA [email protected]
THE moment people see you, they begin to make decisions or judgements about you. Those decisions or judgements are reinforced or questioned the moment you open your mouth to speak.
You may have invested a lot in per-sonal effectiveness training, manage-ment training, and leadership training. You may have practised self-affirmation to become more confident and positive.
You may even have people design your wardrobe and have been working out for a better physical image.
Yet you still see the doubt in people’s eyes when you speak. You find that you are not being taken seriously for what-ever you say.
You get bypassed for the promotion you may well deserve. Perhaps you still do not have the respect you wish to receive from your subordinates, let alone be able to motivate and inspire them.
It may be because you fail to speak clearly, confidently, and convincingly. You have long overlooked your vocal image, your voice. You fail to realise how powerful it is to your personal image and professional success.
The voiceA person’s vocal image could make
or break the person. What is your vocal image like? Does it work for you or against you?
The voice you hear is totally different from what others hear.
If you have heard yourself in a record-ing, you would know exactly what I am talking about. You were probably shocked by the voice you heard, saying, “Is that me? Why do I sound like this?” Then you start to blame the recorder.
Unfortunately, what you hear of yourself from a
recorder is your vocal image; and it is also how others recognise you. If you have not heard yourself in a recording, you had better do it now.
The good news is that we all can improve our voices with proper training and practice. You do have a real voice inside you.
The reason you have not discovered it is because you are not producing your voice properly and correctly. You may be using too much nose, too much throat, or too little chest voice as an amplifier.
Once you find out how to make use of all those organs, you will be amazed that voice-producing is a physical pro-cess and you’ll discover your innate rich, warm, and mature voice.
When you sound better, you will feel better, and you will definitely look bet-ter.
Food For ThoughTAs a leader, do you have the voice
that successfully conveys what you want and need without being misun-derstood and misinterpreted?
Does your voice work for you in an engaging, inspiring and influencing manner in your teams?
It is not only what you say, but also how you say it. As a leader, you cannot overlook this powerful tool, i.e. your voice.
Is your voice helping you or failing you in establishing credibility, com-manding respect, and conveying your authority?
n Cynthia is a voice and speech coach and trainer, based in Singapore. She helps
you discover your inner true voice that is authentic and confident.
She also helps organisations on voice and presentation skills training. To connect with Cynthia, email us at [email protected]. For more insights, go
to www.leaderonomics.com
By ADRIAN YAP CHENG [email protected]
“Bands, those funny little plans, that never work quite right” – Mercury Rev Holes (from the album Deserter’s Songs, 1999)
BURIED within this whimsical song by New York-based psychedelic rockers Mercury Rev is this succinct but incredibly accurate description of the concept of musical bands
and just how illogical they are as entities at times.
The idea of putting four or five unique individuals in a room and expecting them to work harmoniously towards a common goal, while certainly expected in contemporary society, is probably one that won’t seem “quite right” at the start.
I think the point the band was alluding to was that bands, because of the nature of the concept, is really not something that you can get to work absolutely right.
After all, it’s not a machine you can tweak to perfection, nor is it a science you can trunk down to a number simply because you adjusted some calculations.
It’s a living, breathing organism that has a mind of its own, and is more than likely unpredictable in nature.
Yet these days, a band is probably formed every day, somewhere around the world. They’ve become almost synonymous with popular and youth culture.
As difficult, complex and troublesome as they may be, the magic that happens in a rehearsal room, and the romanticism attached to that, is enough to draw droves of people into starting bands.
Bands = organisaTional Teams?
As much as Mercury Rev probably intended for those lyrics to be just about the concept of bands, it has to be said that the same truths in that sentence probably hold for the idea of organisational teams in a working environment.
Much like a band, a team within an organi-sation is also made up of unique individuals who are trying to work harmoniously (where possible) towards a common goal.
In much the same way, the concept does defy some form of logic and is not really sci-ence that you can get absolutely right even if you brought in the best people in your field, or design the most fantastic company policies or inculcate an exciting and modern culture.
This is simply because you are dealing with people, and people can sometimes be unpre-dictable.
Even if you as a leader feel that you’ve done a reasonable job in your capacity to cre-ate and foster an environment that should excite people and bring out the best in them, there is likely going to be some detractors.
So I’ve established the conceptual similari-ties between musical bands and organisa-tional teams. As a leader, what do you think we can all learn from these parallels?
Here are three things I’d like to share:
1 Being a good musician alone is not enough
Just because a person can produce good work, it doesn’t mean that the person is automatically an indispensable employee.
The music business is filled with caution-ary tales of musicians who were absolute musical geniuses but never realised their potential simply because they could not do the other things required to become a suc-cessful musician.
The ability to work with others and to be disciplined in your art (for example, show-ing up on time at shows, doing interviews professionally, delivering records to schedule, etc) are just as crucial as your ability to nail a guitar riff.
In that same way, just because someone in your team can deliver exceptional work, it doesn’t excuse them from the other aspects that are crucial to making the team successful.
2 You don’t have to be close to make good music, but you have to be close to
become a strong bandThere’s a misconception that for a band to
be great, it has to be “family”. Well, it’s not exactly a disservice if it is, but the truth is, it’s not the “be all and end all” for a band.
To make great music doesn’t require you to be great friends. It just requires you to be great musicians.
One of the bands I was in worked incred-ibly well from a musical perspective, in that we had fantastic musical chemistry.
However, because the four of us came from very diverse backgrounds, we never hung out, and we hardly spoke much beyond the rehearsal space. Before long, we broke up.
It is true that whether Mick Jagger makes it to Keith Richards’ kids’ birthday party is far secondary, in the grand scheme of The Rolling Stones, to whether Jagger knows what to do when Richards bursts out one of his legendary licks.
But, what has kept them together for the last 52 years is probably the fact that they’re all great friends.
For a team to be strong and work together effectively, leaders have to be able to move the team beyond just the work before them. They have to foster an almost family-like atmosphere for them to grow in.
With an influx of Gen-Ys and beyond into the workplace, collaborative work environments have become almost non-negotiable.
The concept of a manager born out of the industrial revolution, who orders and “bosses” people around from the comfort of his/her office, absolutely does not work anymore.
You have to get down to the floor, get to know people and bring them together as a “family”. That’s how you build strong and committed organisational teams.
3 You can’t have a band full of lead singers
Some of the best bands in the world are not made out of the best individual musicians. There are times when what a band needs is for one or two of the mem-bers to be comfortable playing a support-ing role to the bigger stars in the band.
It is through this willingness to sup-port that they also become stars them-selves.
Bands such as The Arcade Fire and The Beatles are prime examples of incredible
bands that consist of members who may not be the best in their respective fields but have been able to come together to create “musical magic” together.
A leader in an organisation must be able to recognise the various roles within the team and work to foster and inspire them to be the best they can be in their various functions.
Just because someone is playing a less “glamorous” role within the team, it doesn’t mean that they’re not doing a good job in making the team function well.
Notice the “underdogs” in the team; the ones who may not always front presentations and throw out the best ideas, but are always willing to be dependable support for their team members.
Recognise them today for their good work. They are crucial to your team as well.
Don’t set out to build your team from only people you perceive to be stars. That’s the fallacy of building teams – that if you put a bunch of insanely talented people in a room, you automatically have a fantastic team.
It may be true sometimes, but it’s not always the case. Always look at the needs of your team and the goal it is trying to achieve, and build a team that can best help you reach that goal.
Sometimes that means not packing it out with people who want to be stars.
Can you imagine what would happen if Ringo Starr constantly wanted to be John Lennon? A team cannot function if everyone wants to be the ‘lead singer’.
Bands are noT a wasTe oF Time
I have been playing in various bands for about 17 years of my life.
During a portion of those years, I also played the role of a manager in my workplace, managing teams and departments of various sizes from 15 to 66 people, from editorial people to customer service executives.
I can safely say that in my personal experience, there are a lot of similari-ties between a band and an organisa-tional team, namely because they both trade fundamentally in the business of “people”.
Being in a band (contrary to what most parents’ impressions may be) did not make me worse at my job; it actu-ally helped me be a better manager.
The truth is, there is hardly any social environment you can experience in your youth, which prepares you bet-ter for dealing with conflict, human personalities and inspiring others, than being in a band.
concluding ThoughTsI leave you with this quote from
Steve Van Zandt, guitarist for Bruce Springsteen’s backing band, the E Street Band, one that adequately encapsulates what being a good band, and a good organisational team, is all about:
“Band members have a special bond. A great band is more than just some people working together. It’s like a highly specialised army unit, or a win-ning sports team. A unique combina-tion of elements that becomes stronger together than apart.”
Band of BoThers?playing in a Band is noT easy BuT you can learn To Be a BeTTer leader from iT
n Adrian used to be the bassist for bands such as Furniture, Ferns and Azmyl Yunor and the Sigarettes. He now divides his time between talent management, observing human behaviour and a “kaiju” connoisseur. To engage with Adrian, email us at [email protected]. For more leadership content, visit www.leaderonomics.com
noTice The “underdogs” in The Team; The ones who may noT always fronT presenTaTions and Throw ouT The BesT ideas, BuT are always willing To Be dependaBle supporT for Their Team memBers. recognise Them Today for Their good work. They are crucial To your Team as well.
vocal image
mystarjob.com, saturday 13 December 20148
Small creatureS,
By MILLIE [email protected]
GOING beyond entertain-ment, movies have been used as a medium of education, inspiration and influence for many
years.The stories told on the silver
screen allow individuals to identify with the messages, challenges and experiences being played out by the characters.
Although it would seem that only movies featuring human characters would be able to bring forth this connection with the viewers, there are actually many stories to be learnt from films starring animal characters (and the animals them-selves).
Just as we share this world with the animal kingdom, so do we, on the silver screen.
Oh my bug!One salient example is the 1998
Disney–Pixar animation, A Bug’s Life – a story offering leadership lessons on the screen and beyond it.
It features the story of a misfit ant named Flik, who lost food offer-ings meant for predator grasshop-pers who threaten the ant colony on a yearly basis.
To remedy the situation, Flik embarks on a journey to find warrior bugs to defend the colony against the grasshoppers who would ran-sack the ant’s food sources.
Ultimately, Flik was able to defeat the grasshoppers despite mishaps and many other obstacles.
AccOuntAbility“First rule of leadership: Everything is your fault.” – A Bug’s Life
The movie clearly highlights the responsibility an individual has when in a leadership position, and the need for accountability.
Anna, the ant-queen in training, took responsibility when the grass-hoppers realised that there was no food offering, even though it had been Flik’s mistake that caused it.
As the leader, she did not put the blame on him.
On the other hand, Flik was quick to admit his error and offered to rectify the situation by going out to recruit other bugs to protect the colony against the grasshoppers.
Flik was not forced to do it, but instead he felt accountable for his actions.
Similarly, as key decision-makers, leaders should be ever ready to bear the consequences of their actions – whether positive or negative.
innOvAtiOnFlik is an inventor in the ant colo-
ny, constantly thinking of innovative ways to improve things.
For example, he builds contrap-tions to harvest seeds faster, and ultimately crafted the plan to defeat the attacking grasshoppers.
Likewise, leaders should have an ever-present attitude of improving things, and be willing to consider alternatives.
Flik demonstrates creativity by using available resources to maxim-ise their functional value.
Even when his ideas were reject-ed, Flik remained positive and con-tinued trying.
No person is able to avoid failure in life, but he or she must be resil-ient towards challenges and obsta-cles that will inevitably occur.
Even in the face of doubt, a leader must be confident in his or her abili-ties and ideas and push forward to reach goals.
humilityMost importantly, none of the
“leaders” in the movie were heroes from the get-go.
Flik started out as the misunder-stood member of the colony and struggled to be accepted by the
other ants.He had to overcome multiple
obstacles in persuading others to buy into his ideas, recover from his own failures and present workable solutions before being recognised as a worthy leader.
True leaders cannot expect to be given respect and power without earning them by showcasing their competence.
Flik gained his status as a leader not through a prescribed role, but rather through demonstrating his leadership capabilities to the colony.
He was seen persuading the circus troupe to remain with the ant colony, by presenting an idea to defeat the grasshoppers without putting themselves in harm’s way.
Flik is a good listener and actively tries to motivate the other ants around him, regardless of whether they are baby ants or functional members of the colony.
He showcases to the other ants that he is willing to listen, and is enthusiastic in his actions.
A strong leader leads not by power, but by example – acting as a role model to his/her followers.
gi-Ants in chArActersA Bug’s Life may have been a fic-
tional story, but the ant characters are bursting with leadership lessons.
Slightly different from the movie, ants are actually able to function in large groups to complete tasks without any leader showing them the way.
Each ant serves as a contributor to the larger group – getting organ-ised to meet common goals.
Ants are highly dependent and trusting of each other to accom-plish their tasks, making decisions as a group rather than as individu-als.
As a leader, one should be trust-ing of one’s followers to be able to deliver what is required – with the understanding that nothing can be accomplished alone.
Instead, leveraging on the strengths of the people around you helps build synergy that can far exceed the sum of singular efforts of individuals.
Ants are hardworking, diligent and disciplined – traits that help them overcome seemingly insur-mountable odds like carrying items many times their size.
The work ethics of ants are traits that any leader should also embody as precursors to success and produc-tivity. Moreover, ants are extremely adaptable to change.
Research has shown that ants are also able to regroup and change course when their original paths are interrupted.
This quick adaptability and flex-ibility to change is crucial to a lead-er as we exist in what is known as a VUCA (volatile, uncertain, com-plex and ambiguous) world.
Leaders find themselves in need of making decisions and taking actions within a VUCA environ-ment.
cOncluding thOughts
From the ants in A Bug’s Life to their real life counterparts, it is evident that individuals can gain leadership lessons from many different sources.
It is often the case that leader-ship lessons are attainable from any situation and the unlikeliest of places, given the motivation to seek them as a learning point.
Even insects, fictional or real, can become sources of inspira-tion for developing a person to become a better leader.
Insects may live simple and less complex lives, but are able to engage in organised activities and “perform” to a significant extent.
leaderShip doeS not mean
needing to order otherS
to do your bidding, but
rather being able to draw
people to work together
with you.
n Millie enjoys learning from the most unexpected places, and can be found identifying leadership lessons from animals in a weekly column known as Terrific Thursday Tails. If you have any animal leadership lessons, she will be happy to hear from you at [email protected]. For more articles by Millie, visit www.leaderonomics.com
big leSSonS“everything iS your fault”
mystarjob.com, saturday 13 December 2014 9
Drawing passion anD successcreating a worlD of imagination anD art
By SARAH [email protected]
HAILING from Colombia, South America, Eduardo Pena is one of Hollywood’s blockbuster concept designers.
Having worked on big names such as The Hobbit, Hercules, Transcendence, and Lucy, it was evident that the Leaderonomics media team was buzzing with excitement when given the opportunity to interview him.
When it all startedPena said when he was a little boy, he would
draw whatever that appeared in front of him.In a recent question and answer session, Pena
shared his thoughts and art with us.
Where do you get your inspiration from?My first hero and my master was and is
my dad. He introduced me to this magnifi-cent art of just drawing something.
But inspiration – something that I rely on constantly – is something that is outside of me, rather than inside, so I just perceive that inspiration comes from the outside all the time. For example, with simple things like food, or events, or things happening.
Do you have a favourite artist?I cannot answer that question; it’s like
saying you love food, but you don’t have a favourite food, because all food have differ-ent values.
So for me, there’s no favourite artist – eve-ryone has different values. I love the values in all of them.
Is there a comparison between digital and traditional art?
Traditional or digital, both of them have different values, but at the end of the day they are both tools – they are not just the “doers”. You are the “doer” but you use the tools to make that happen.
One of them will have an advantage over the other, of course, but it depends on why you are using it.
At the end of the day, it is an extension, a tool, but they work for the same person.
So, the important thing is the idea, not the tool.
What software and hardware do you use to produce your art?
I say “handshop” is the first Photoshop that you use. The first software is the head, and you have your hardware which is your hand and all that stuff.
I usually just use a basic Photoshop – it could be the latest one, it could be an old one, it doesn’t matter. It has the same tools.
The software is not important. What I real-ly use – what is really important – is finding a good space and having good ideas to develop what you want to do.
Speaking of space, how does one develop a working culture where world-class design
work can happen?Actually, it’s not developing the culture,
because the culture already exists. It’s more about stimulating the culture to create their own way of work.
So we don’t have to look all the time out-side of us, like, “I would like to work there”.
I would prefer to say “I would like to work and develop something here” because inspi-ration is around me.
Most of your artwork is dark and gritty. Why is that so?
Most of your art interpretation comes from where you are from, and the city where I came from is Bogota, which is sometimes very cloudy or sometimes very foggy. Since I was very young, I fell in love with that.
So that goes inside the DNA, goes inside my brain and while I was growing up, I think I had to manifest that at some stage.
And this stage is just my pictures, so that’s a reflection of my love, or my reflections of my ambitions, so it turns into that sort of mood and ambience.
It’s not because I’m a dark person – it’s not something like that. It could be related, but it’s not. It’s more about things that come as a heritage from myself. It’s the way I perceive the world and how I want to show it to peo-ple.
So whatever we see today on the screen – are you the one who’s behind the whole concept?
When you work in a production, there’s no individual, it’s always a collective. It’s like different people working for one sole purpose.
There’s one director, of course, guiding and compiling all these talents with differ-ent expertise from around the world, and all these people create a product. So, I was part of that.
It’s like a constant discussion – a dia-logue – between different ideas. It’s not just one idea – everyone is part of building this world.
Do you face any difficulties dealing with different movie directors or studios?
That happens all the time – when you turn art into a prod-uct, you call it design.
So you have to, in some way, have a dialogue and create art in a way that this art can be “production-able” and can fit into a marketing environment.
So there are a lot of issues – personal issues as an artist, and creative issues. But there’s always a balance of how you can fit those sort of ideas into this world. That’s why you’re an artist and you’re a designer.
You’re constantly being challenged to pro-duce something that keeps inspiring people but at the same time can fit into the market-ing or marketable world.
That’s why I choose movies, because mov-ies have a manifestation of all senses – you can see, you can taste, you can smell, you can feel.
Just by watching one movie, you can have all these senses together. You can feel the pain, you can feel despair, you can feel hap-piness.
What challenges have you faced, and do you believe in learning from failure?
Of course. There’s no such thing as learn-ing from success. The more you fail, the more you learn.
Actually, as a teacher, I always stimulate my students to fail more, because nowadays society thinks that failure is bad, though fail-ure is a normal part of the process.
The more you fail, the more you under-stand yourself.
If you had one piece of advice to youth who aspire to be like you, what would it be?
Follow your passion – it’s the flame of magic, because we have to believe that magic exists. If you don’t have magic, this thing cannot work for you, because you need to constantly be in touch with that sort of power to be inspired.
Live the dream, don’t just think about the dream.
Closing Words“I’ve never separated design from life. For me,
design is more spiritual and is more holistic. I relate my life with design.
Design for me is not just working nine to six – design is everything to me. I talk with design, I live with design, I cry with design. In the way I speak, I speak with design,” he said.
“It’s just a way of life for me.”
n For more insightful interviews, watch our videos at www.youtube.com/user/leaderonomicsmedia/playlists. Send us your thoughts at [email protected]
inspiration – something that i rely on constantly – is something that is outsiDe of me, rather than insiDe, so i just perceive that inspiration comes from the outsiDe all the time. for example, with simple things like fooD, or events, or things happening.
mystarjob.com, saturday 13 December 201410
THE INK THING… YaY or NaY?
SPoTLIGHT oN BoDY arT
The girl wiTh The rose TaTTooLouise Phua, a 23-year-old sales executive,
got herself a red rose tattoo on the back of her lower neck, to symbolise her feminine, yet strong character (akin to a rose, always surrounded by thorns).
Phua was first inspired by her uncle, who wore a full body tattoo, and her uncle’s good friend, who happens to be a tattoo artist.
Phua never did need to cover up her tattoo in her previ-ous job as she was given a uniform. As it was not visible, it wasn’t an issue with either her bosses or her subordinates.
Recently, she went for an interview and decided to wear a dress that had her rose exposed. This was also a test on whether people would form any stereotypical judgement about her.
However, as the job she was applying for was in the manufacturing goods industry, the tattoo was not a con-cern.
When asked whether it impacted her socially, Phua laments that with our modern times and age, she still gets comments and stares.
But she opines that most of the time, people are just curious over the tattoo design and they also wonder why she had it done. Once people hear her explanation, then the interest fades.
Phua also strongly believes that one should not judge a person’s character just because a person has body art.
Nonetheless, she cautions those who are in the profes-sional field as body art might work against them.
By WENDY [email protected]
I was narrating my experience of how I got my upper eyelids tat-tooed to my workshop participants the other day, when someone asked, “why is it okay to have one’s eyebrows and eyeliners tat-tooed, but when it comes to other parts of our body, it’s still a big no-no?”
Hmm… I’ve never seen it from that angle before.For something that has been in existence since the beginning of
mankind (with the discovery of Otzi, the iceman with tattoos found frozen in a glacier some 5,000 years ago), body art has never quite made its way to becoming socially acceptable.
Unlike ornaments like headgears, used primarily to symbolise sta-tus and hierarchy, tattoos, which are also a form of accessory, have been labelled both good and bad depending on the cultures associ-
ated with it.The Maoris in New Zealand, for example,
believe that a person’s spiritual power or life force is displayed through tattoos, whereas the Japanese Mafia use tattoos to symbolise which Yakuza syndicate they belong to.
Those who are familiar with Chinese history would also know the words jin zhong bao guo (to serve your country with ultimate loyalty), carved on the back of a Chinese general Yueh Fei, by his own mother.
While I have not come across any patriots inking flags on their bodies, I certainly do see more and more corporate executives sporting tattoos.
Is body art now more acceptable in the work-place?
Do they still impact a person socially and pro-fessionally, negatively in this time and age?
Andrew Collier with his wife Dr May and their son.
Phua’s tattoo
More Than skin deepAndrew Collier, head of sales in the automotive
industry, got himself his first tattoo of a wolf and an additional Iban design at the age of 18, when he visited Sarawak some 10 years ago.
His job as a corporate professional requires him to be professionally dressed with long sleeves at all times. Therefore, the tattoos had never affect-ed him at work.
His wife, Dr May Heong, a brand image con-sultant, actually finds it amusing for someone with such gentle character to opt for tattoos.
Thankfully, his body art never affected her, as she got to know him as a person first, before see-ing them.
Hence, no prior stereotypical judgement was formed.
Heong remarked that perhaps in her husband’s case, with him being a Caucasian, having a tat-too is deemed to be more socially acceptable. People’s perception might not be the same had it been on an Asian.
Given a choice, she would also think twice before hiring someone with tattoos to represent her company, as it may invite negative percep-tions.
To ink or noT To ink?So, to the question whether
tattoos are acceptable at work, I’d like to sum it all in one sen-tence: You can’t have your cake and eat it, too.
Like it or not, body art and body piercing still carry a stig-ma in this society, especially in the Asian context.
Bear in mind that when you are out seeking employment, it’s no longer about you, but about how you can fulfil your employer’s requirements.
You are the brand ambas-sador of the organisation you are working for. Companies like banks or financial institutions are not just going to brush away the “dragons” on your arm.
Even as entrepreneurs, where you have no one to
report to, clients who look at your body art may conjure up negative images in their minds. People may have an issue when it comes to trusting you.
Thus, if you are someone who loves body art, do consider look-ing for jobs or venturing into businesses that allow you to have them.
My personal TakeIf you already have your body
pricked and coloured, my sug-gestion is: Cover it when you can’t flaunt it.
Even if it’s just the name of your partner, or of your favourite football club, I’d suggest you don’t show it during the initial meetings.
You never can tell if your client is an ardent supporter of your competing team.
Perception management is a big determining factor in your career or business paths.
To me, there are many ways someone can express him/her-self as a unique individual – for example, trying various clothing styles, changing hair colours, and adorning different acces-sories.
If you really like to see how a tattoo looks on you, try it out with stickers instead.
An impulsive decision in get-ting any body art may cause you more harm than good. Furthermore, it is said that the process of removing it is more painful (and expensive) than having it done.
So, if you are still itching to get a tattoo, I’d say, please… pon-der before you prick and think before you ink!
Louise Phua
n Wendy Lee is president of Mabic (Malaysian Association of Brand & Image Consultants) and a director of BII (Brand Image International Institute). She is a firm believer that with style… there must be substance! For more articles related to image, go to www.leaderonomics.com
mystarjob.com, saturday 13 December 2014 11
The curious case of a
Magician exTraordinaire
By KAREN [email protected]
LAST year, I was onboard a plane, watching a movie, when I suddenly had to stifle a squeal and a happy dance shuffle right there in the aisle.
There in the movie credits was a friend from many moons before.
David Kwong – whom I crowned my favourite Baby Din during the time he was part of the all-male college a cappella group, the Harvard Din and Tonics, was in the credits of a major Hollywood movie as the Head Magic Consultant. How fantastic! And what was that anyway?
So, after a flurry of messages congratulating him and finding out what he had been doing with himself since he sang “The Periodic Table” song in school, I asked Kwong if he would be will-ing to share his story – especially for our youth searching to chart their future and make their mark in the world – without having access to that magic pumpkin patch which made all the difference!
SOME BACKGROUNDDo tell us about yourself, what you did before Harvard, and how you arrived at where you are today.
“I grew up in upstate New York, Rochester. My parents are both academics, so they made sure I always did my homework.
“I saw my first magician at a pumpkin patch when I was about six or seven years old. It was a pivotal moment for me because the magician didn’t just fool me – he fooled my father, the scientist.
“And to a young boy, your father the biochem-ist knows EVERYTHING about the world. So when I saw that he didn’t know the secrets, I knew that I had to learn them!”
Kwong studied the history of magic at Harvard University (I hear my editorial team simultane-ously go “Hogwarts!”).
He has uniquely combined his expertise in illu-sion and passion for film.
A former member of the DreamWorks Animation story department, he consulted on the movies Now You See Me, The Incredible Burt Wonderstone and The Immigrant, to name a few.
As a veteran puzzle creator, Kwong has also constructed crossword puzzles for the New York
Times, Los Angeles Times and other national publi-cations in the United States. He frequently serves as a puzzle consultant for film and television.
“I designed some 1940s crossword puzzles for The Imitation Game, which comes out in November. I’ve also consulted on Ant-Man and Mission Impossible 5. I’m working on my one-man show almost every day.”
CORPORATE MAGIC-MENImagine for a moment that you’re in the corpo-rate world. How would you apply your incredible skills that you’ve amassed over the years: read-ing and connecting with people; connecting the dots, and seeing things others may not?
“Being a magician is all about being a step ahead of people. I try to assess a situation and figure out how I can work in advance of what is expected. Magic is also about taking risks but always having a backup plan.
“We try to pull off miracles but when they don’t work, we have a suitable plan B. And the best magicians make that plan B still sparkle!
“As a puzzler, I have learned to look for pat-terns and messages that are not apparent to the average person. I believe we are all wired to solve things. I break down problems into simpler cat-egories so that they can be more easily handled.”
CROSS-POLLINATIONAnd what is your advice for someone choosing a career, who may not know what options lie
beyond doctor, lawyer, engineer? What would be your advice to an aspiring magician or magic consultant?
“My advice to everyone is to seek out a broad liberal arts education, one that can provide you with a strong foundation for choice.
“I was able to take my career in a number of different directions because of the wide spec-trum of skills I had amassed in school and in work.
“Cross-pollination is very important too. Every job you have or class you take is relevant. You must take those skills and apply them to other fields – this usually gives you a unique perspec-tive on that new field.”
Then I thought to myself, “David’s a friend – maybe he’ll clue me in on that mind-blowing stunt he pulled during a recent Ted Talk?”
To which he responded, “I can’t tell you how it worked, but I will tell you that I planned it for four years. A magician is always one step ahead – sometimes years!”
Sigh!
WORDS OF WISDOM“If you have dreams, follow them. But it’s
important to buttress those dreams with real-world skills and a broad education.
“I’m only the magician I am today because of the foundation I built in history, mathematics, and years of hard work in Hollywood.
“I was able to cross-pollinate all these skills into the field of magic – which resulted in a brand new type of magic.
“Be open-minded and you will eventually find the right application for all of your skills!”
This is just one of many friends and people I have interacted with that prove that we always have something to learn (do’s AND don’ts!) from others. We just need to look out for the lessons!
n Karen needs to pinch herself every so often to be assured her charmed life is real! Do send your feedback to [email protected] and check out other Starting Young articles at www.leadero-nomics.com
TO keep you updated on Kwong’s adventures post-university, here’s a snippet of the few things that he has been up to!l TED Talk at TED’s 30th
Anniversary Conference, Vancouver, Canada (March 2014).
l Hollywood’s leading magic con-sultant – Now You See Me, The Incredible Burt Wonderstone, The Immigrant, and others.
l Monthly performances at Soho Houses around the world.
l “Gentlemen of the Road” tour with Mumford & Sons (Summer 2012 and 2013).
l Performance and speech on creativity, film and illusion, and cross-pollinating areas of exper-tise in 2013 AIGA (American Institute of Graphic Arts) Design Conference.
l Lectured on misdirection in Harvard Business School (Jan 16, 2014).
l Presented in the “Forbes Under 30 Summit” (Oct 2014).
cross-pollinaTor of hisTory, arT, Magic and MaTh
Being a Magician is all aBouT Being a sTep ahead of people. i Try To assess a siTuaTion and figure ouT how i can work in advance of whaT is expecTed. Magic is also aBouT Taking risks BuT always having a Backup plan
mystarjob.com, saturday 13 December 201412
If you have any suggestions or feedback on our content, get in touch with the Leaderonomics team at [email protected] For advertising and advertorials, contact Pravin Kumar at [email protected] or +6011 2377 7850
Mercy-ful humanitarian causes
Also next week
Solidarity in all and for all
The rise ofimpact investing
Champion of the underdogs
By SARAH [email protected]
EXPLORING lessons from yet another fictional character, today we travel back in time to ancient China to look at one of Disney’s well known and well-loved animated characters
Fa (or Hua) Mulan.Inspired by a real legendary figure, Hua
Mulan, people believe that the origins of this story are from a poem written about her, titled The Ballad of Mulan.
In this movie, Mulan takes her father’s place in war, as she fears his age and fragile health will be greatly disadvantageous to him.
Accompanied by her trusty horse named Khan, a little dragon named Mushu, and a lucky cricket named Cri Kee, she sets out to war as her male alter ego Ping.
Mulan is someone with a great love for her country, she has filial piety, and a determined spirit – despite her headstrong and stubborn characteristics – and there are many things that we can learn from her.
Here are a few (warning spoilers ahead):
1Don’t ever Let Limitations stop you
Mulan:
Mushu:
Mulan:
Mushu:
Fa Zhou:
Mulan:
Fa Zhou:
Mulan:
Chi Fu:
Despite living in a time when it was gen-erally believed that women should be seen and not heard, Mulan didn’t allow such gender inequalities and social pressures to stop her from doing what she believed to be right – fighting for her family.
Likewise, there may be many obstacles out there to stop us from doing what we believe in.
However (given that they are ethical and moral), we should be like Mulan and first believe in ourselves. Once we do, no external limitations can stop us.
2 Bravery opens Doors of opportunities
In the famous scene of her transformation, Mulan is shown cutting her hair and putting
on her father’s armour before going to war.While some people may depict Mulan
as somebody who is eager to go out and fight, this may not be necessarily true at the outset.
Personally, this part of the movie showed me how a brave young woman took on a great task that could potentially have cost her her life, out of love for her father.
Mulan’s act of bravery not only leads her to meet the man of her dreams and firm friends, but it plays a crucial role in saving China and bringing honour to the Fa family.
In life, sometimes all we need is the brav-ery to step up and act on things that we believe in, and maybe the doors of oppor-tunity that have been closed will even open to us.
3 persevere through tough times anD never give up
In yet another famous scene in the movie, Shang challenges his soldiers to
climb up a tall wooden pole to retrieve an arrow that he shot to the top.
(Shang hangs two bronze disks on Yao’s wrists)
Shang: This (pulls one disk up) – represents discipline... and this (pulls another disk up) ...represents strength. You need both to reach the arrow.
While everyone rose to the challenge, not everyone had the determination to see it through.
After a long day of training, all the trainee soldiers gave up and returned to their tents, with Shang telling Mulan to return home.
However, determined to accomplish the task, she stayed up all night to climb the pole, and eventually reached the top to retrieve the arrow.
All of us will face challenges in our lives – be it in the workplace, or in our own homes.
Nonetheless, it is important to remember: don’t let them get the better of us; don’t give up.
4 Be creative anD think out of the Box
(Mulan uses the last rocket, then points it at the mountain behind Shan Yu)
Mushu: (from on top of the rocket as it soars away) You missed! How could you miss? He was three feet from you!
(The rocket hits the mountain and causes an avalanche)
In the battle scene at a mountain, the Hun army attacked Mulan and her troop. With only one rocket left as their means of attack, Yao gets prepared to fire it at Shan Yu who is leading his army.
However, Mulan innovatively handles this crisis by grabbing the rocket and firing it at a nearby mountain instead, causing an avalanche that buried the Hun army.
Likewise, we shouldn’t allow our limita-tions to dictate what we can or cannot do. In certain situations, a little optimism and creative thinking can go a long way!
n Mulan is one of Sarah’s favourite Disney heroes. Share your thoughts with her at [email protected]. Read more articles about lessons derived from fiction at www.leaderonomics.com
Self-reflectionlife leSSonS from mulan
No one will listen to me.
Silence! (to Fa Zhou) You would do well to teach your daughter to hold her tongue in a man’s presence.
Huh? I’m sorry, did you say something?
Mushu!
Hey, you’re a girl, again. Remember?
I am ready to serve the emperor.
Father! You can’t go!
Mulan!
(to the recruiter) Please, sir. My father has already fought for...
