- Practice 1: Model the Way
- Practice 2: Inspire a Vision
- Practice 3: Challenge the Process
- Practice 4: Enable Others to Act
- Practice 5: Encourage the Heart
The statements were clear - and with experience, I think we can roughly figure out what these 5 practices encompass. Yet, this is really our own interpretation.
Recent years, when Guohui decided to make it "the" approach for the leadership programme, I had the chance to attend the workshop that get deeper understanding, but still, superficial (slightly more than the 5 lines) - through some hands-on activities. Thankful of the exposure - as the advisor of the Digital Citizenship Board.
Bought the book to find out more.
While the book organises the content in the best flow, it depends on how the user uses it, to what extend the user wants to gain from it, and also depends on the profile and the experiences of the user.
How I approach this 300+ pages book? I took advantage of the way the book is organised - each Practices (and its sub-practices) start with a "case" - that illustrates the practice in a real world context.
As an introduction, I read the illustration section of each chapter, one following another, instead of getting into the depth of each practice first.
With the experience gained over the years, I attempted to make a connection of my experience to the illustration to reflect on my own practice for deeper insights - making the learning more personal.
On top of this, I see another use of this book - for the DC Board - part of professional development of the EXCO members. Suggested equipping each of the 5 EXCO members with a copy of the book - that the Teachers in-charge can run through the illustrations of each practices with them - to trigger their thinking and relate to their own practices. More importantly - serves as a pass-on learning from one generation to another, hopefully. Having said this, I would also equip each of the teachers-in-charge with a hardcopy of the book.
Below are some useful phrases, ideas and insights that I generated when going through each practice.
Practice 1: Model the Way
Practice 2: Inspire a Vision
Practice 3: Challenge the Process
Practice 4: Enable Others to Act
Practice 5: Encourage the Heart
- Clarifying Values & Shared values
- To engage others to come forward, one needs to be very clear of what one believes in and stands by it. Only with this, it leads us to our words and actions.
- Leadership is not about telling what we believe in, but articulating how we act and demonstrate what we believe it. Tell others, the values and performance criteria that we demand ourselves everyday.
- This is the first step for others to read and check against themselves - are these the values and beliefs that they honour, too? The alignment brings people together.
- Setting Example
- Lead by example has to be explicit to create the influence, and hopefully the impact.
- Of course, it is also a demonstration of walking the talk.
succinctly:
Practice 1: Model the Way emphasises the importance of leaders being clear about their own values and consistently acting on them. Leadership is not just about stating beliefs but demonstrating them through everyday actions and holding oneself to clear performance standards. By doing so, leaders allow others to reflect on whether these values align with their own, fostering a sense of shared purpose. Leading by example must be intentional and visible—it is through this consistent demonstration that leaders influence and inspire others.
- Envision the future
- While a leader may have a vision and knows exactly what he heads towards, one cannot move forward and leaving the rest behind. Ownership is necessary for us to get close to the vision. This is the same as one would not be able to achieve as much with lone effort, compared to team work.
- It is therefore necessary for leaders to knowledge that imposing their vision does not work. We everyone in the community to be involved and enlisted.
- Harness on the connection between vision and action. How to engage others? When one feels passionate about the legacy they want to leave, about the kind of future they want for themselves and others, then one is more likely to step forward voluntarily.
- A vision, therefore, is an ideal and unique image of the future for the common goal. The vision does not belong only to the leader, it has to be a shared vision.
- Shared visions attract more people, sustain higher motivation levels and within more challenges.
- How to enlist others?
- 3 good questions for us to ask ourselves, or even questions to ask our subordinates:
- What are the ideals that attract you to the organisation?
- What are the higher order values that give meaning and purpose to your life and work?
- Are you in this job to do something, or are you in the job for something to do? If you're here to do something, what is it?
- It's about striving to align vision of the leaders and others (intended to be enlisted).
- Enlisting others is about igniting a passion for a purpose and moving people to persist against incredible odds. To make extraordinary things happen, we must go beyond reason, engaging hearts and minds of the people around.
- People need vast reserves of energy and excitement to sustain commitment to a distant dream.
succinctly:
Practice 2: Inspire a Vision focuses on the importance of creating a shared vision that motivates and engages others. While a leader may have a clear idea of the future, true progress requires collective ownership—it cannot be achieved through individual effort alone. Imposing a vision is ineffective; instead, leaders must involve the community and harness the connection between vision and action. When people feel personally connected to the future they want to help build, they are more likely to contribute with passion and persistence. A compelling vision is not solely the leader’s—it must reflect a shared ideal that unites and energises the group. To enlist others, leaders can begin by exploring meaningful questions: What draws you to this organisation? What values give your work purpose? Are you here to do something meaningful? This alignment of purpose helps ignite enthusiasm and strengthens the drive to overcome challenges. Sustaining commitment to a distant goal requires not just logic, but emotional investment—leaders must engage both hearts and minds to truly inspire others.
- Search for Opportunities
- Having struggled through the ups and downs, the achievements attained bring us to cloud 9, and quite often, the tendency to "stay" there to enjoy the fruits of success - the "S" curve destination. Depending on how long the "we are there" thinking stays that will bring us back to 'reality' to identify the next "S" curve, and determine how to work towards it.
- How long should we stay on to enjoy this "satisfied" status before start planning to move on? It's an important skill that the leader needs to have.
- Sometimes leaders shake things up, and other times they just harness the uncertainty surrounding them.
- We need to look outward, keeping up with changing trends and remaining sensitive to external realities. We need to challenge the way things are being done and convince others that new practices needed to be incorporated to achieve great levels of success.
- Experiment and take risk?
- To achieve the extraordinary, we must be willing to do things that have never been done before. We must take initiative and then persevere. We have to test unproven strategies.
- Leaders make risks safe (Note, it's not leaders take safe risks). They turn experiments into learning opportunities.
succinctly,
Practice 3: Challenge the Process encourages leaders to seek opportunities for growth, even after success. While achievements may bring a sense of satisfaction, leaders must resist the urge to stay in that comfort zone for too long. Recognising when to move forward and pursue the next "S" curve is a vital leadership skill. This involves staying alert to external trends, questioning current practices, and encouraging innovation. Leaders must be willing to take initiative, experiment with new approaches, and persevere through uncertainty. Importantly, they create environments where risks are safe to take, turning experiments into valuable learning experiences.
- Foster Collaboration
- Trust is one word that struck me most when I started reading this chapter. To enable others to act, it means we need to trust that others has the ability and capacity to handle what's entrusted to them. On the other hand, if one is new to the job, we have another expectation - trust that he/ she will put in his/ her best effort, willing to learn and receptive to advice - that is, he/ she has a growth mindset, and is willing to learn. These attitudes enforce the degree of trust we have on the individual, isn't it? Of course, in the latter, we need to provide appropriate amount of scaffolding to support to ensure one grows.
- Agree that leaders can't gain the respect of their team without instilling a sense of confidence within their employees and allowing them the freedom to come to their own conclusions. Having said this, leaders must be able to assess the entry profile of the individuals - to determine the degree of 'freedom' to allow.
- We can be there for support and guidance, but the individuals need to know that they are ultimately responsible for the outcome and quality of work - which we could openly acknowledge and provide feedback - "knowing that your work doesn't go unnoticed builds accountability as well as pride".
- To enable others, it includes giving an overview of the surrounding environment/ situation to the team so that they see themselves as a part of a while, not some individual cog in a wheel. It is necessary for the team to know what they are doing, why they are doing it, and for whom they are doing it. This in turn, also facilitates developing working relationships with others other of their departments.
- Extraordinary performance isn't possible unless there's a strong sense of shared creation and shared responsibility.
- Strengthen Others
- It says, exemplary leaders provide people with teh latitude and flexibility needed to take initiative. However, it does not mean throwing them into deep sea to give them the opportunity to demonstrate their ability. Strengthening others implies capacity building. No matter how strong/ competent the individual is. appropriate structure and clear guidelines nee to be articulated. This builds one's confidence and to feel competent in their abilities and role. While some struggle is necessary for one to grow, I don't believe in one having to struggle without support in order to demonstrate one is ready for the job.
- Another important thing to do is, remember to share knowledge and information rather than hoarding it. This helps one to demonstrate critical thinking skills to make sound decisions.
- When members feel they have the competence and confidence to take advantage of their leader's trust and support, they take initiative and responsibility, looking for ways to improve organisational performance without being asked.
- A reminder to leaders: Enable members to take ownership of and responsibility for their group success by enhancing their competence and confidence in their abilities, listening to their ideas and acting on them, involving them in important decisions, and acknowledgeing and giving credit for their contributions.
- Leaders significantly increase people's belief in their ability to make a difference. They move from being in control to giving over control to others, becoming their coach and mentor.
succinctly,
Practice 4: Enable Others to Act centres on building trust, fostering collaboration, and empowering individuals through support and shared ownership. Trusting others means believing in their ability or potential, even when they are new—so long as they demonstrate a willingness to learn. Leaders must assess individuals’ readiness, provide appropriate scaffolding, and gradually offer the freedom needed to grow. Empowerment also involves clear communication of purpose, helping team members see how their work contributes to a bigger picture, and building cross-functional relationships. Strengthening others requires capacity building—not throwing them into the deep end, but providing structure, sharing knowledge, and encouraging critical thinking. When people feel supported and confident, they take initiative, act responsibly, and strive to improve performance. Great leaders shift from controlling to coaching, enabling their team to take ownership, make decisions, and feel valued for their contributions.
- Recognise Contributions
- Recognition is about acknowledging good results and reinforcing positive performance. It's about shaping an environment in which everyone's contributions are noticed and appreciated.
- It did not cross my mind that "soft" skills of the leader, what the leaders do to the work environment has an impact on the individual's work output - The leader's job is to get results in a way that makes your organisation a great place to work - a place where people enjoy coming to work instead of just taking orders and hitting the KPIs. Well being seems to be one word embedded somewhere in action.
- There's also the reminder that one should not take anyone for granted, and appreciate folks for who they are and what they do.
- People need encouragement to function at their best and persistence over time when the hours are long, the work is hard, and the task is daunting.
- Celebrate the Values and Victories
- The opening says, "Ceremonies, celebrations, and rituals are not about the event. They're about touching the hearts and souls of every employee." This is no easy task - for its sincerity to be seen and sensed - which is much easier to say than to do.
- A contributor to a strong and resilient workforce to get extraordinary work done is a culture that strengthens pride and makes people feel valued for their contributions.
- Promoting a culture of celebration fuels the sense of unity and mission essential for retaining and motivating today's workforce.
succinctly,
Practice 5: Encourage the Heart highlights the importance of recognising contributions and celebrating achievements to build a positive, motivated work environment. Recognition goes beyond hitting targets—it's about acknowledging effort, reinforcing positive behaviour, and showing genuine appreciation for individuals. Leaders play a key role in shaping a workplace where people feel valued and enjoy coming to work, not just fulfilling tasks. Encouragement sustains morale, especially during challenging times. Celebrations and rituals, when sincere, deepen emotional connection and foster a culture of pride, unity, and shared purpose. This culture strengthens resilience and helps people stay committed to doing extraordinary work.
A summary on Reflections on the Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership (with the help of ChatGPT to summarise the above)
As I journeyed through this 300+ page book, I approached it by first reading the real-world illustrations at the start of each chapter. This gave me a broad view of the key practices, which I then connected with my own experiences—making the learning both personal and meaningful.
1. Model the Way
Effective leadership starts with clarity of personal values. It’s not just about saying what we believe in, but living it out daily through consistent actions and standards. When leaders visibly embody their values, it sets a clear example for others to reflect upon and align with, building unity through shared beliefs.
2. Inspire a Shared Vision
A vision gains power only when it is shared. Leaders can’t move forward alone—they must involve others in shaping the future. People are more motivated when they feel personally connected to a meaningful purpose. Asking the right questions—What brings you here? What impact do you want to make?—helps align individual aspirations with collective goals. True inspiration happens when leaders engage both hearts and minds.
3. Challenge the Process
Success can sometimes make us complacent, but leadership demands a willingness to disrupt the status quo. It’s about spotting the next curve, testing new ideas, and persevering through uncertainty. Leaders don’t take safe risks—they make risks safe. They turn trials into opportunities to learn and grow, always looking outward to stay relevant and ahead.
4. Enable Others to Act
Trust is central to enabling others. It’s about believing in people’s capabilities or potential, and offering the right level of support based on their readiness. Leaders empower by sharing context, clarifying purpose, and recognising individual responsibility. Strengthening others means providing structure, guidance, and knowledge—not letting them struggle alone, but helping them build the confidence to thrive and lead in their own right.
5. Encourage the Heart
Recognition and celebration aren’t soft—they’re essential. Acknowledging contributions, big or small, shapes a culture where people feel seen and valued. Encouragement fuels perseverance, especially during tough times. Sincere celebrations touch the heart, build unity, and strengthen commitment. A workplace where well-being, pride, and purpose are nurtured is one where extraordinary results become possible.
Each of these five practices reminded me that leadership isn’t just about what we do—it’s about how we make others feel, grow, and believe. Leadership is a responsibility, not a position, and it’s lived out through small, deliberate actions that leave a lasting impact.
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