Kursus Kepimpinan Wanita Berwibawa, Sabah

Outreach Services, dengan kerjasama Jabatan Hal Ehwal Wanita Sabah, telah mengadakan Kursus Kepimpinan Wanita Berwibawa di Hotel Promenade Kota Kinabalu pada 14 - 18 Mac 2011.

Peserta Kursus bergambar ramai-ramai

Suasana Kursus

Suasana kursus

Daily Express – Friday, 18^th March, 2011. Pg 9

Mary Chin

KOTA KINABALU: What a good leader should do is to take potential leaders to be part of his or her team, regardless of the type of organisation.

Advancing this view, Outreach Services Managing Consultant & Trainer, Norhana Abd Jabbar from Kuala Lumpur said the leader should work with the hopefuls around him or her for the good of the organisation.

“Get all the intelligent and capable people and move as a team. This is because sooner or later, the existing leader has to go as he or she cannot remain on the pedestal forever. The time will come for one to make a decision to leave and make room for others.

“I am speaking from the perspective of a professional. I am not a politician,” she said after presenting her paper on “Basics of Leadership”.

Norhana, who is a key trainer at the ongoing Women of Substance Leadership Training Workshop, was asked to com­ment on the general fear that one’s posi­tion may be threatened with the injection of new blood into an organisation. This probably explains why some leaders are not willing to recruit potential leader into their respective organisations, politi­cal or otherwise.

She said we need not be fearful or fight over positions if we uphold and live with the principle of abundance.

“By principle of abundance is meant being open-minded, sharing with what you have, doing away with professional jealousy and the like.”

Norhana stressed that leaders have to learn to be assertive but don’t have to be aggressive.

“On the other hand, we cannot afford to be passive leaders. If we are perceived as weak leaders, we will be trampled upon.

Equally important is the issue of morality for a leader to gain the respect of his or her followers.

“So, please carry yourselves well,” she advised.

The Managing Consultant & Trainer strongly believed that women’s leadership should begin in the home.

“A woman leader must take care of her professional and personal image to gain the respect of society.

“Good leadership at the workplace or in an organisation must be balanced with equally good leadership in the family institution. Poor leadership in the home as a wife and mother could affect perfor­mance at the workplace and jeopardise their image in the eyes of the public.

“How do we expect to become the peo­ple’s leader if our own home is in disarray because our children are not taken care of or run away from home or play truant at school, for example?” she asked.

The key trainer was impressed by the performance and responsiveness of the 35 workshop participants, comprising senior government officers, civil servants, employees of statutory bodies and politi­cians.

Among them are Deputy Director of State Archives, Majella Tan Marquez, Senior Deputy Director of Sabah State Library Maria Sinti, Deputy Director of Sabah State Library, Joanna Kitingan, Assistant Director of Veterinary Services & Animal Industry, Dr Normah Yusof, Assistant Director of Water Department, Rose Loujang, Assistant Director of Public Welfare Services, Natalie Gaban, DBKK Head of Audit Department, Dorin Datuk Stuel, DBKK Director of Corporate Affairs & International Relation, Faradillah Hj Abdul Rani, Beaufort Puteri Umno Chief, Saridah Datuk Hj Mohd Dun and PBS Kemabong Division Chief, Sabini Ansumor.

“The participants’ presentation is very relevant. I think they are very good and able to voice what they think without fear,” she said.

From Norhana’s observation, some of them could be ready to be election candi­dates in future “but whether or not they are willing to venture into the political arena is another question.”

Answering a question on candidates’ readiness to be leaders or to join an elec­toral fray, Norhana said there are sever­al pointers to show whether one is a ready candidate or not, based on one’s ability and willingness or unwillingness.

“While we have able and willing candi­dates, we also have able but unwilling ones. Thirdly, there is one category of can­didates who are unable to handle the task but willing to take the plunge.

“And last but not least, we have those who are both unable and unwilling but may be persuaded to become leaders or election candidates,” she pointed out.

In her opinion, an ideal candidate for leadership or election is one who is both able and willing but needs to be further equipped with knowledge and leadership skills. She named the four critical compe­tencies as social and humanity skill; com­munication skill; conceptual skill and technical skill.

“Leaders must be able to communicate effectively. This is where the Women of Substance Programme is most relevant as this is the right venue to groom potential women leaders. What we are having now is only Phase One with seven modules such as character building, inter-personal communication skill, and problem-solving and creative decision-making to make them holistic leaders. “In Phase Two, we will have other topics, including strategic management, project management and media relations,” she said.