Business

Fire your staff the proper way

By Bob Wrighton, 26 Mar 2012

It would seem that firing staff would have a detrimental effect on loyalty trust. But author Joe Healey claims the opposite, suggesting that in a situation of high loyalty trust, firing is seen in a rather different light. This article explores why this is the case.

Managers, you can earn your staff’s loyalty trust

By Bob Wrighton, 19 Mar 2012

Loyalty Trust is the final element in organisational trust, as identified by Joe Healey in his book Radical Trust. This article overviews the concept of Loyalty Trust.

Premature FB alerts can affect an organisation’s reputation

By Bob Wrighton, 12 Mar 2012

How does social media affect the perception of Communication Trust of an organisation, when it gets ahead of the organisation in revealing information?

Communication trust helps FedEx resolve crisis

By Bob Wrighton, 28 Feb 2012

In the week leading up to Christmas 2011, the power of social media was clearly to be seen. A passer-by recorded a FedEx employee delivering a package in not-quite-the-right–way, on his hand phone. Although it was a computer monitor that he was delivering, he simply threw it over the fence!

Tighten your belt and brace yourself for the future

By Gertrude Pereira, 27 Feb 2012

We are in for a rough ride. That’s the expert opinion of Dr Daniel Leipziger, the former vice president of the World Bank for Poverty Reduction and Economic Management (PREM).

Be clear when you speak

By Bob Wrighton, 27 Feb 2012

Clarity is another aspect of Communication Trust. There are two sorts of clarity that contribute to the development of this trust. The first is clarity about what you are communicating about. The second is clarity in expressing yourself.

Tell it like it is!

By Bob Wrighton, 20 Feb 2012

In his book, Radical Trust, Joe Healey suggests that humility and candour are hallmarks of Communication Trust. He says that candour is the capacity to tell it like it is which means you are willing to risk some short term discomfort in exchange for long term gain.

Give credit where it is due

By Bob Wrighton, 08 Feb 2012

Staff engagement is another key element in building communication trust. A fully engaged staff member is one who “is motivated to give the extra effort that advances the goals of the company. When you are fully engaged, you want to go the extra mile.”

How we use pronouns tell a lot more

By Bob Wrighton, 01 Feb 2012

Pronouns are little words that save us the bother of having to repeat nouns -- especially names -- over and over again, which makes communication sound like a child’s pre-school reader! But the way pronouns are used in an organisation tells us a lot about the communication trust level in that organisation.

Is coaching or mentoring for you?

By Jobstreet, 30 Jan 2012

Individuals and the organisations they work for, all have different needs. Both personal and corporate goals will change over time. You may have some gaps in meeting your goals that formal qualifications and training alone cannot fill. Mentoring or coaching might be able to help.

How automated systems affect customer relations

By Bob Wrighton, 25 Jan 2012

This may come to some as a surprise, but automated telephone answering systems can affect customer relations, especially their perceptions of the trustworthiness of a company.

Being credible

By Bob Wrighton, 17 Jan 2012

Can your staff believe everything you say? Credibility is seen as a critical element of communication trust, according to Joe Healey, author of Radical Trust.

Leadership skills for collaborative workplaces

By Jobstreet, 16 Jan 2012

Hard skills will get you the job but it's the soft skills that will get you promoted. In an era of increasingly delayered organisations and teams, the ability to get people to collaborate effectively may be the most important soft skill for leaders at all levels.

Communication Trust and related problems

By Bob Wrighton, 10 Jan 2012

So far within this series of articles related to the book Radical Trust, by Joe Healey, we have explored Character Trust -- who you are -- and Execution Trust -- what you do. It is time to move to the third element, which is Communication Trust.

Committing to developing others

By Bob Wrighton, 04 Jan 2012

We had previously noted author Joe Healey’s seemingly radical proposal, that “Execution Trust begins with making a commitment to someone else’s success”. In this article, we shall explore what he might mean by that.

Pursuing a Masters degree versus an MBA

By Jobstreet, 30 Dec 2011

The response of many accountants, after qualifying, is to breathe a sigh of relief with the intention of never taking another exam. However, increasing numbers are considering continuing their studies to complete a Masters degree. Some do so after a few years break.

Cultivating the people inside

By Bob Wrighton, 29 Dec 2011

Getting the right people on the bus is a start, but you still need to ensure that they can fill the right seat. Getting a person on board is only the first step. There is a need now to “onboard”.

Choosing the right candidate for the job

By Bob Wrighton, 19 Dec 2011

The point of being a manager is that you have staff to manage. A leader cannot be so called, unless there is someone to lead. The manager cannot do it alone.

The art of negotiation

By Jobstreet, 15 Dec 2011

Good negotiation skills can help make your career a success. Do you make deals with suppliers or customers? Hold team talks about resources?

Selecting the right people and developing them

By Bob Wrighton, 13 Dec 2011

Some managers claim that they cannot extend full execution trust to their managers or staff because they lack competence. Managers who say this are fooling themselves twice, and need to look in the mirror when they say it.

Execution trust - the oil that smoothen processes

By Bob Wrighton, 07 Dec 2011

Joe Healey, author of Radical Trust, offers Execution Trust as one of the four competencies that a manager needs to show as being effective. In this article, we re-look at Healey’s model of Radical Trust.

Shine as world-class at interviews

By Jobstreet, 05 Dec 2011

Global employers and recruitment experts tell us what they look for in a good job interviewee. "To stand out in a job interview you need to use the two Ps: Preparation and Passion," says US careers author Matthew DeLuca.

How you spend your money describes you

By Bob Wrighton, 30 Nov 2011

Financial discipline is an important component of character trust in business. It is also an element of personal character trust.

Internal honesty in managerial decisions

By Bob Wrighton, 28 Nov 2011

In his book Radical Trust, Joe Healey suggests that there are four types of trust in a managerial relationship: character trust, communication trust, execution trust and loyalty trust.

The effect of learning style on your study

By Jobstreet, 18 Nov 2011

Identifying your learning style can improve the effectiveness of your studying time. Everyone has their own learning style, so identifying and developing yours can help you make the best use of your study time.

Character Trust defined

By Bob Wrighton, 08 Nov 2011

Joe Healey, the author of Radical Trust, presents his model and talks a lot about character trust in his book. We shall explore his definition in this article.

Panel beating interviews

By Jobstreet, 08 Nov 2011

THE thought of facing a panel can turn the stomachs of the best qualified jobseekers. Many who excel in one-to-ones fear the tactics or suspect the motives of the panel. But panel interviews can be turned to your advantage.

Trust and respect go hand in hand

By Bob Wrighton, 04 Nov 2011

In his book Radical Trust, author Joe Healey proposes that Character Trust – which is personal to a manager – underlies all that goes on in the organization. The author describes character trust as the way leaders consistently enable their values to drive their execution and communication so that their staff – and others outside the company – trust them...

Radical Trust

By Bob Wrighton, 27 Oct 2011

The need for trust in organisations is totally acceptable. However, ‘radical trust’ is a concept that some may find unusual. On the surface, the two words don’t seem to fit together. ‘Trust’ seems to be something almost ‘warm and fuzzy’, while ‘radical’ has overtones of opposition and confrontation.

Finding the perfect work-life balance

By Jobstreet, 24 Oct 2011

What does work-life balance mean? And how are employers incorporating work-life balance issues into their attraction and retention strategies?

In the valley of the shadow of debt

By Bob Wrighton, 21 Oct 2011

The world - and many countries, businesses and individuals in it - face a debt crisis of immense proportions. How did we get to this sorry state and how can we get out of it?

CEO Responsibility Revisited

By Bob Wrighton, 16 Oct 2011

The issue of where a CEO’s responsibility ends is a vexed one. Two CEOs of large organisations have taken quite different stances on the issue in the last few months.

Are you a manager or a leader?

By Lisa Orrell, 11 Oct 2011

The confusion between the roles of a manager and a leader has tripped up more than one business professional. Is the “person in charge” automatically a leader? If you're managing other people, are you also leading them? What is the difference between the two?

The bonus-performance equation

By Bob Wrighton, 06 Oct 2011

Rewards at work – especially financial ones – are important, but they must be given for the right reasons.

Keep your word to keep their trust

By Bob Wrighton, 02 Oct 2011

Some months ago, I wrote about integrity in sport, mentioning particularly the game of cricket. It is not often the case that I can report a clear example of integrity in action, but in the recent series of cricket test matches in England between England and India, there was a glowing example.

And now there is spiritual intellegence

By Mike George, 24 Sep 2011

Speed is the modern god. Choice and flexibility rule. In this environment, a new and deeper intelligence is required to help managers manage better and leaders lead more effectively.

Fired up by corporate visions

By Bernama, 23 Sep 2011

An international study on visionary organisations, conducted by international consultancy firm &samhoud, shows that Malaysian organisations lead the world in creating inspiring corporate visions, and in the implementation of those corporate vision throughout all layers of the company.

Reward staff fairly to gain their commitment

By Bob Wrighton, 14 Sep 2011

When the citadel of Col Gaddafi was finally overrun on Aug 23, the Libyan people got visual confirmation of how different the lifestyle of the dicator and his family was from their own.

Emotional Intelligence matters for career success

By CIMA, 13 Sep 2011

For most of us, when we think of intelligence, we actually mean IQ. We are suspicious of anything that involves emotions as traditionally, the world of business requires sound intellect and a rational mind. However, research has proven the common wisdom that intellect and technical expertise only go so far as predicting your future success. We can all remember the academically...

What drives your staff – fear or commitment?

By Bob Wrighton, 09 Sep 2011

It is generally accepted that crime and punishment should go hand-in-hand. If you commmit a crime, you should be punished. But what if the punishment extends beyond the criminal to, for example, his parents? Here are some thoughts about getting fired from the job.

The (over)power of objectives

By Bob Wrighton, 01 Sep 2011

A company that doesn’t set objectives doesn’t know where it is going – or whether it has got there. But you can have too much of a good thing!

Finance programme churns out market-ready workers

By Susanna Khoo, 27 Aug 2011

After having worked at a job in the bank for about nine months, Luke Callistus Rayan realised that he needed to further develop his skills in finance to progress in his career.

Developing a generation of financial talents

By Susanna Khoo, 27 Aug 2011

Recognising the need to develop fresh talents within the financial industry, Institut Bank-bank Malaysia (IBBM), in collaboration with Bank Negara Malaysia, has set up the Financial Sector Talent Enrichment Programme (FSTEP).

The new ABCs of success in life and career

By Ernesto O. Cecilia, 25 Aug 2011

"The future ain't what it used to be!" says Yogi Berra. The rules for successful lives and careers have been radically altered as globalisation and information/communication technology have significantly changed the business of doing business. Here are some of the new rules for success. Obey them and success is yours – in life and career. Disregard them and you'll be...

Responsibility vs accountabiity

By Bob Wrighton, 17 Aug 2011

We have explored the case of a senior police officer who resigned his job on the basis of accountability, and the case of Rupert Murdoch, CEO of News Corporation, who did not. What can we learn from these cases?

Four ways to stand out and move up

By Ngeow Yoke Meng, 12 Aug 2011

If you are serious about your career, you take great pride in the quality of work you do.You enjoy doing tasks assigned to you, even though it means arriving early and working late. You are eager to see your company succeed and make your bosses proud of you.

Should you resign for your staff’s mistake?

By Bob Wrighton, 11 Aug 2011

We have looked at the two senior policemen from London’s Metropolitan Police who felt the need to resign over their part in the the unfolding News of the World phone hacking scandal. Shortly after their resignations, and that of CEO of News International Rebekah Brooks, News Corporation CEO Rupert Murdoch appeared before another sitting of a Parliamentary Select Committee. (News...

Accountability beyond office hours

By Bob Wrighton, 04 Aug 2011

As was said in the introduction to the Rupert Murdoch case in the last article, there are many, many lessons to be learned from this debacle. We have already mentioned the resignation of Rebekah Brooks as CEO of the UK operation, and noted that two of Britain’s most senior police officers also resigned. We can explore how these were linked...

Five effective work habits for fresh graduates

By Long Yun Siang, 03 Aug 2011

Being new in the working world, I am sure you are eager to show off your newfound skills and knowledge. However, out there in the working world some basic work effective habits can increase your productivity. By being consistently effective you can increase your chances of success in your career.

Employers hungry for talents

By Susanna Khoo, 29 Jul 2011

The rules of the game have changed in the job market – talent is now the buzzword among local and foreign employers.

Overlooking your staff’s true potential?

By Bob Wrighton, 20 Jul 2011

News International, the late News of the World and Rupert Murdoch have been in the news lately for all the wrong reasons. Phone hacking, bribing policemen and all sorts of alleged wrongdoings have been flashed around the world.

Top five habits for career success at entry level

By Long Yun Siang, 18 Jul 2011

I am blessed to have some of the best bosses coach me when I first entered the working world. They passed to me what seemed like, at that time, pretty obvious things one would do when in the working world.

Dominic Strauss-Khan and Spanish cucumbers

By Bob Wrighton, 14 Jul 2011

What does Dominic Strauss-Khan have in common with a Spanish cucumber? Both were very publicly found guilty of offences that it seems they did not commit.

Work out at the practice area of work

By Bob Wrighton, 08 Jul 2011

The practice area, below the performance out-of-bounds line, is potentially the most valuable to an organization, but in practice it is the most poorly used in most organizations.

Snag your dream job

By Jobstreet, 05 Jul 2011

Job satisfaction is a hot topic at the moment and according to recruiting experts, Hays, there are many people now actively looking for their dream job. “Over the years I’ve heard many people talking about finding their dream job. Most candidates however have no idea what their dream job is, let alone how to find it,” says Chris Mead, General...

Different wavelength

By Susanna Khoo, 02 Jul 2011

Armed with a degree, a little training and loads of idealism, fresh graduates charge into the workforce only to find out that what they want is not what employers want. This is the reality of the current employment market.

The game of work

By Bob Wrighton, 23 Jun 2011

There is a need to clearly define terminal out-of-bounds behaviours, and then enforce them. Behavioural out-of-bounds behaviours are less important, but also need to be enforced.

Problems with organizational rules

By Bob Wrighton, 16 Jun 2011

You can have too much of a good thing. It is possible to have too many rules. On the other hand you can have too few. We decided in the last article that there was a need for rules in organizations, because they provide guidelines within which the people inside the organization can operate. The rules in fact should define...

Play by the rules

By Bob Wrighton, 10 Jun 2011

Rules define the limits within which players and workers should operate. Defining these limits is as important and necessary for business as for sport.

TUKAR transforms sundry shops, changes lives

By Yvonne Lim, 05 Jun 2011

Three years ago after her father’s death, Francisca a/p Jeyanathan inherited her family’s sundry shop business in Merlimau, Melaka. Then, Pasar Mini Bandar Baru Merlimau was a traditional, rather messy shop selling dry food products, various household items and the occasional fresh fruit and vegetables. At that time the business only generated a gross income of about RM1,900 on a...

When the silent majority isn't right

By Bob Wrighton, 27 May 2011

There are silent majorities everywhere, in society and in business. In fact the opposite to a silent majority is often "the vocal minority" which leads on to another business aphorism: "The squeaky wheel gets the most grease." In this article I would like to explore the reasons for, and the problems caused by, the silent majority in a business setting.

Getting over your immunity to change

By Bob Wrighton, 20 May 2011

We have explored a number of personal barriers to integrity now, and it may have occurred to you that all you have to do to overcome any or all of the barriers is to change yourself. And you’d be right -- if only it were as easy as that!

Ethics = Not Business as Usual

By Debbie Loh, 15 May 2011

For South African construction magnate, Graham Power, 56, it pays to be ethical. The litmus test he applies to his work and personal life is: How would I feel if the decision I’ve made were to be published in newspapers and if my family were to know about it?

Local pork burger business takes off

By Susanna Khoo, 04 May 2011

Tee Tsun Joo and Janice Tan Wei Leng, founders of pork burger fast food joint, Ninja Joe, believe that good entrepreneurship skills can be boiled down to an ability to identify good opportunities.

Self-awareness and integrity

By Bob Wrighton, 02 May 2011

In previous columns we have talked about emotional intelligence and how the basic competence in emotional intelligence is self-awareness. I would suggest that self-awareness is at one end of the continuum, while self-centredness is at the other, as shown below.

Real income declines

By Susanna Khoo, 25 Apr 2011

According to the Malaysian Institute of Economic Research's (MIER) latest findings, most consumers have the perception that their real income has declined.

Don't shoot the messenger

By Bob Wrighton, 19 Apr 2011

We discussed lack of information as a problem in the last column, suggesting that lack of information – especially about what others are feeling about you and your organization – may lead to a lack of behaviour of integrity. In these days of "information overload" there seems little reason why leaders – political or organizational – should not have...

Barrier to integrity: Lack of information

By Bob Wrighton, 16 Apr 2011

In a previous column we suggested that one of the problems in the political turmoil rocking the Middle East was that the dictators whose positions have been and are being put under threat are seemingly deficient in emotional intelligence.

Overcoming the power barrier

By Bob Wrighton, 10 Apr 2011

Saturday, March 26 was a difficult day for work. There was the Qualifying round for the Australian Grand Prix, for which I got my timings all wrong, expecting it to be on TV three hours before it actually was. England was playing – and losing – its quarter final match in the cricket World Cup, and there was a march...

Power, a barrier to integrity

By Bob Wrighton, 31 Mar 2011

Power is one of the major potential barriers to integrity. Dictionary.net gives more than 20 definitions of the word "power", of which two are specifically relevant to this discussion: Strength, which can also mean might, force and position of control or command over others.

EQ can be developed

By Bob Wrighton, 10 Mar 2011

We learned from the last column that EQ – the short way to refer to emotional intelligence – is quite a recent concept, but one of significance for managers and leaders. Firstly, this is because it is extremely valuable in facilitating interpersonal relationships, and secondly because it is something that can be developed with practice, in contrast with IQ...

Your EQ is related to your integrity

By Bob Wrighton, 04 Mar 2011

Integrity doesn’t come naturally. It is not part of our genetic DNA. You cannot look at your newborn and say that s/he will become a person of integrity. Even as the child grows up you can make predictions about height and potential personal beauty, but not integrity.

Integrity is a communication skill

By Bob Wrighton, 01 Mar 2011

If integrity is a matter of doing what you say you are going to do, it is arguable that integrity is a communication skill. Tony Simons, in The Integrity Dividend doesn't actually make this claim, but he hints very strongly at it in Chapter 5 of the book, entitled "Living by your Word". This will be the last area...

Integrity: The boss has to set the example

By Bob Wrighton, 18 Feb 2011

In the last column we looked at the first two of the themes which arose from the interviews that the author of The Integrity Dividend, Tony Simons, had with the hotel managers in the research that led to the writing of the book. And we investigated the implications of these.

Integrity affects profitability

By Bob Wrighton, 10 Feb 2011

In the last column, we introduced the research that led Tony Simons to write the book The Integrity Dividend, and we saw how his research made it clear that managers demonstrating integrity leads to profit. His initial research was by questionnaire. But he followed this up with interviews of the managers involved.

The hidden costs of going nuclear

By Ken Yeong, 09 Feb 2011

The recent establishment of the Malaysia Nuclear Power Corporation is yet another indicator that the government is moving ahead with nuclear power. Despite earlier assurances that public consultations will help determine the nuclear power decision, this critical process appears to have been bypassed.

The difference integrity makes on profits

By Bob Wrighton, 07 Feb 2011

The Integrity Dividend was written by Tony Simons and was published by Jossey Bass in 2008. The book is based on the premise that behaving with integrity isn't just something nice to do. It also makes good dollars and cents!

Food for thought

By Eugene Yeoh, 27 Jan 2011

Since 2000 China has become a major food importer. Global Trade Information Services Inc, Geneva (GTIS) data indicated that China ran a deficit of US$5.78 billion (RM 17.9 billion) on its agriculture trade in the first half of 2008. The goods involved animal and vegetable products and foodstuff, and animal feeds as well as food for people.

Excellence may not always be good

By Alvin Ung, 21 Jan 2011

Pixar produces great movies with gripping story lines and classy production values. Unless you've been living under a coconut shell, you would have been enthralled by Toy Story, Finding Nemo, the Incredibles or Ratatouille. Their “worst” box-office hit was Cars (and that was still quite good).

Crossing the line

By Bob Wrighton, 16 Jan 2011

Along with dozens of others, I spent many hours in the middle of last year watching the world cup football on the big screen outside my local kopitiam. Drinking kopi-o, eating roti pisang and watching the football seemed a pleasant way of spending many evenings.

Give fresh grads a chance

By Eugene Yeoh, 09 Jan 2011

As a recruitment consultant in town, one of the biggest challenges that I find is convincing employers that they should give fresh graduates an opportunity. Employers are constantly complaining about the inadequacy of our graduates and this constant dilemma is extremely saddening.

M'sian talents in demand, find niche abroad

By Eugene Yeoh, 22 Dec 2010

Malaysians are in hot demand everywhere! The diaspora of Malaysians is something that the government is finding it hard to control. In every developed country – Singapore, Japan, Taiwan, Canada, United States, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, and France – you can find Malaysian communities building their niches.

Organizational integrity and casinos

By Bob Wrighton, 16 Dec 2010

In the last column, we explored personal integrity in relation to the concerns expressed by an MP about Johoreans – mainly married women and retirees – neglecting their household duties to spend a long – and generally losing – day at Singapore casinos.

Personal integrity and the Singapore casinos

By Bob Wrighton, 13 Dec 2010

In the previous article we discussed an undertaking made between Datuk Tony Fernandez and Sir Richard Branson, which will result in Sir Richard acting as a "hostess" on an AirAsiax X flight from London to Kuala Lumpur.

Keeping one's word is key in integrity

By Bob Wrighton, 03 Dec 2010

As we approach more closely the exploration of integrity in business, promised to you some time back, I was struck by the front page picture in a recent news report of Datuk Tony Fernandez handing a female flight attendant uniform to Sir Richard Branson. If you don't know the background to this slightly bizarre picture, let me share it with...

Supermax founder wins Entrepreneur of the Year award

By goodtimes.my, 03 Dec 2010

Dato’ Seri Stanley Thai, founder of Supermax Corporation Bhd, a home-grown exporter of latex gloves, has been named the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2010. Thai also nabbed the top nominee award for the Masters category for excellence in entrepreneurship for more than five years. He will join winners from over 50 other countries to compete for the World...

Not so rosy integrity index

By Bob Wrighton, 29 Nov 2010

In the last column, we investigated the results of the Malaysian Management Capability Index 2010, and we discovered that not only has integrity maintained its top spot among the categories measured by the index, but the rating on it has actually improved from 75.2% to 80%.

Malaysian business ranks high in integrity

By Bob Wrighton, 23 Nov 2010

I have just been analyzing a booklet put out jointly by the Malaysian Institute of Management and the Malaysia Productivity Council entitled Malaysian Management Capability Index 2010, which explores the results of a questionnaire completed by a number of members of each organization across the early part of this year.

Integrity, the Indon view

By Bob Wrighton, 14 Nov 2010

As an aside, before we explore integrity in depth, when I was recently in Indonesia a headline in the Tempo weekly English edition caught my eye. It read: Testing Time for Integrity, and dealt with the forthcoming election of the chairman of the Corruption Eradication Committee (KPK).

Exploring Integrity In Organizations

By Bob Wrighton, 08 Nov 2010

Over the next few columns I would like to share some thoughts about integrity. Why integrity? Actually, for several reasons. One is that when working with companies in their efforts to find a set of company values, integrity is the term that almost always crops up generally fairly early on, thus indicating that it is a value that many companies seem...

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