Singapore Tamil Youth Conference 2016 Manifesto NUSTLS Singapore Tamil Youth Conference 2016 Manif | Page 19

Issue 3: Process of Leadership Renewal
Application to Community Organisations
Drawing Parallels
Common Trend
Impact on Community Organisations
Trend 1: Clear Leader emerging
In order for community organisations to start succession planning, they
must have a pool of competent, talented and compassionate people to
pick from.
If the pool is too small or completely non-existent then there is a risk that
the person being chosen will not be the best person suited to the task.
He/she may be the best person who is present in the pool but the
standard of the best may be low, relative to the outside world.
Trend 2: Picking key talents earlier on
The PAP Government has a knack for identifying people earlier on and
then providing them with key roles and resposibilities.
This has two functions:
a) It provides the identified people enough time to gain the necessary
on-job experience and skills.
b) It also may serve as a sieve to find out who amongst these leaders
are the best.
Trend 3: Experienced people stay on to
guide Regardless of the inherent competency of the incoming leaders, the
predecessors have to remain in a consulting position. This allows the new
leaders to tap on their expertise.
Trend 4: Smooth transition In order for any leaders’ transition to succeed, power struggles have to be
minimised. They are distruptive and are detrimental to the organisation,
let alone adds any value to the organisation.
Trend 5: Long term view and Interest of
the community Taking a long term view is important to all organisations but it is even
more crucial for Tamil community organisations to take this approach.
This prevents leadership succession to occur on the basis of myopic
agendas or self-interests. The focus should always be the benefit of the
Tamil community and every succession should be undertaken with this in
mind.
What can youths do in response to these trends?
Trend 1: Work closely with community organisations.
•
The objective is for the community organisations to engage with the youth. At the same time, the youths get to
understand the objectives of these organisations and the need to work with them. This allows the next generation of
leaders to have more relevant skills needed to work the ground.
Trend 2: Initiative
• Leaders who are picked are usually those who take the initiative. Our generation needs to take a more proactive
step
Trend 3: Seeking advice
• Everyone needs help at some point in time. It is better to seek advice from the senior leaders. As the saying goes
“standing on the shoulders of giants” instead of re-inventing the wheel.
Trend 4: Choosing leaders amongst your own
• Build a team where everyone is a leader in their own way, then choose someone who governs the confidence and
support of the entire team.
:Trend 5 Lead to serve
• Be mindful that leadership is about serving the people and this is more pertinent for community organisations.
Issue 3: Process of Leadership Renewal
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