I was engaged by a French and Indochinese dermatological company to conduct a business simulation activity as part of their top management retreat and strategy meeting. They operate in Myanmar, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos, and despite the proximity of the countries, the people and culture can still be very different.
It was fascinating to see how the group discussed, debated and solved problems together. Most of these senior leaders were vocal and opinionated. In many organisations these personalities dominate the room and crowd out the input from those who are less vocal. In this exercise I conducted, despite the many strong personalities, the group made an effort and consciously listened to those who wanted to voice ideas.
I witnessed the group head towards disaster, only to be saved by a quiet and timid team member who insisted on speaking up. It takes self-awareness and conscious effort of leaders not only to listen, but also to encourage people to voice out. This is how we bring the best out of our people.
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