Mike’s Note: Suzie, like myself, is a TTISI an experienced TTISI Valued Associate. TTISI is the world’s largest producer of DISC assessments and ELAvate has been using them with our customers in Asia since 1997 with significant success. Suzie’s blog from LinkedIn alerts us to prevent the misuse of DISC profiles with the intent of supporting good use of DISC profiles to meet our client needs and goals.  

American psychologist Abraham Maslow once wrote, “I suppose it is tempting, if the only tool you have is a hammer, to treat everything as if it were a nail.”

Let’s start our ELAvate Leadership blog in April with some short but insightful quotes from Mark Twain. His quotes of over 120 years ago still resonate today. Read and be inspired.

“The secret of getting ahead Is getting started”

“If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything”

“The best way to cheer yourself up is to try to cheer somebody else up”

“Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it Is time to pause and reflect”

Mike’s Note: I am on holiday with my family this week so no blog from me. During my holiday reading time, I came across this very interesting article by Henri Bezuidenhout which links servant leadership and the value of trust to some well-known leadership models of Stephen Covey, Ken Blanchard, Henry Cloud and Fons Trompenaars. I have edited the article for brevity. Read on.

Servant leadership, a philosophy pioneered by Robert Greenleaf, centres around leaders prioritizing serving others, fostering an environment where individuals flourish, and organizations thrive through trust, empowerment, and mutual respect.

The 21st century has ushered in a world of accelerated change leading you to chaos or opportunity. How you as a leader thrive and succeed through this 21st century change is based on the principles and insights I outline below. Practicing them has supported my positive leadership to succeed in both my entrepreneurial business and as a volunteer.

Mike’s Note: I always enjoy Gary’s well written blogs. They are always from his heart to grow his readers as leader s. No product push, just reflections of his rich life experiences. This blog is about his reflections after his friend and colleague who recently passed away.

Our last conversation was just days ago—and it was a moment I will forever cherish.

I was speaking to a dear friend and colleague, Mark Arian, CEO of our Consulting business for nearly the last eight years. He knew and I knew that these would be our final words to each other—but we let that be unspoken. He told me how blessed he felt to work with such incredible people—and equally how those same people touched his life.

Billions of dollars in unrealized shareholder value remain trapped behind a wall of excessive “harmony” in corporations across Asia. But let's be clear: the problem isn't politeness or professionalism—it's the pervasive fear of speaking truth to leaders & peers that stifles innovation and exposes organizations to preventable risks. Keith’s research with more than three thousand teams over twenty years at the Ferrazzi Greenlight Research Institute reveals that 72% of team members avoid challenging conversations,

There have been several times over my career I had to learn to be silent. Situations at home, at work or on the road required me—a teacher at heart—to not share an insight but to remain quiet. I recognized silence would achieve more than words. Are you like me? Ernest Hemingway said it best: “It takes two years to learn to speak. It takes sixty years to learn to remain silent.” Our family recently decided to see a counselor to deepen our relationships. We all felt we could use a communication tune-up now that our kids are adults and have moved away.

I promised in my last ELAvate Leadership Blog to give you a planning worksheet to refocus you on a more wholesome life in 2025. This worksheet I call “Successful Leaders Play Lego in 2025.” Rather than a life of balancing your career against other areas of your life, you can build a more wholesome life with the “Lego life bricks” found on our attached worksheet. I believe a life of significance is built on practically integrating the important aspects (the Lego bricks) of your life

I wrote a sales blog last week on “Reflect, Refresh and Refocus.” This blog got a lot of good feedback and I have now adapted it for leaders like you to inspire you to Reflect, Refresh, Recharge Your Relationships. Why? Secure leaders are people who positively develop, maintain and multiply healthy relationships in their daily lives. This takes work! Let’s dive in on these three R’s and what you can do in December to reflect, refresh and recharge your relationships for a healthier, satisfying 2025.

When you think about it Google, Apple or Waze Maps are functional forms of AI. The days of foldable Rand McNally paper maps are long extinct and we have such convenience using AI generated directions whether driving, walking or cycling. But don’t get infected! I was a Boy Scout in primary school and was trained to use maps and do orienteering. Rarely do I get lost driving because I have reconciled my orienteering skills with convenient Google Map directions. This prevents me from becoming infected with “Google Map Brain.”

In many organizations, there is often a disconnect between daily tasks and the overarching vision. When employees are buried in back-to-back meetings and endless to-do lists, it’s easy to lose sight of how their efforts align with the company’s goals. This disconnection can lead to a lack of motivation and a sense of aimlessness, where people feel like their work doesn’t make a meaningful difference.

The adage is “the higher you climb, the lonelier it gets.” As a reader of the ELAvate leadership blog, I know you have already achieved success in your community and country. The climb up to success can lead to more contacts and recognition but fewer deeper, lasting healthy relationships. Loneliness among senior executives is not just a personal issue; it has significant implications for their mental and physical health.

CEOs have always had to manage, lead, and inspire a multigenerational workforce. But for the first time in modern history, five generations are working together when it’s traditionally only been two or three. Each brings a unique perspective to solving workflow challenges and a different perspective on what motivates them in their careers and what they want from an employer.

Recently my friend told me that her company will begin to track their movements in Singapore. What a way to demotivate employees. As my friend said, “Welcome to work at the prison!” This got me thinking about how companies and more so leader or managers in an organization build and inspire trust in their employees and teams. Trusting employees are more loyal, more motivated, more productive, and actually easier to manage.

According to Gallup, only 14% of employees strongly agree their performance reviews inspire them to improve.

Gallup recently wrote an article on the negative impacts of yearly performance appraisals (PA) and some insight into what might me better alternatives. You may reference the Gallup article by a link at the end of this blog.

Mike’s Note: Tim Elmore has been a hero of mine since 2004. His gracious leadership style is found in his blog below on how to reconcile the need for high standards to excel with gracious forgiveness. I see this blog also as an embodiment of Dr. Fons Trompenaars research on reconciling seemingly opposite values that may seem to conflict but when reconciled they make for a better team, organization, or world. Read on.

Networking in Asia is somewhat different than networking in North America. In this blog, I wish to reconcile Jeffrey Gitomer's "Little Black Book of Connections" advice with the practical experience I have gained as an executive in Asia for over 30 years networking and building relationships in business. Here's a concise summary of Jeffrey’s key points with my Asian perspectives on each

Let’s start with a real Asian case study!

My client was an MNC that manufactures toys in Indonesia. I worked with the CEO and directors to upskill their local leadership with two objectives: improve manufacturing productivity so the factory would not relocate to the Philippines, and secondly to have a happy and engaged workforce that would not vote for union membership.

A couple of months ago, my 15-year-old daughter admitted she was addicted to her phone and that she hated it. She deleted TikTok and asked me to buy her a timed lockbox so she could take breaks from her smartphone—and also asked for a flip phone so she could still stay in touch when she was taking time off. I happily obliged. But the pit in my stomach about her being a phone addict—and about how she still struggles daily to stop herself from scrolling and from actually using the lockbox—has not dissolved.

Mike’s Insight: I see many parents across the world struggle to get their children on a healthy diet of time using their cell or handphones. I am amazed how many younger parents will be eating dinner and mom, dad, and kids all on their phones with little interaction or connection. I find it appalling how many parents are using the handphone or iPad as a pacifier to keep young toddlers silent. Let’s read what Mike Landry’s advice on the danger of your child’s cell or handphone replacing you. My leadership blog may sometimes focus on you being a leader as a parent!