LEADING CHANGELeadership in a time of rapid change

Passing on the Baton of Leadership

Succeeding in Succession and Managing Change

Navigating Change

Exclusive Interview withDr. Marshall GoldsmithNumber One Leadership Thinker in the World

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Photo courtesy of Dr. Marshall Goldsmith

Halogen3601

PatronTeo Chee Hean Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Home Affairs; Co-ordinating Minister for National Security

Board of Directors[Chairman] Lim Soon HockFounder and Managing Director, PLAN-B ICAG Pte Ltd

[Treasurer]Bill Padfield Chief Executive Officer, Dimension Data Asia Pacific Pte Ltd

Chan Heng Wing Senior Advisor, Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Non-Resident High Commissioner to the People’s Republic of Bangladesh

Cho Pei Lin Managing Director,Asia PR Werkz Pte Ltd

Soon Sze-MengRegional Director of Cross-Border Business, APCEMEA Visa Worldwide Pte Ltd

Tam Chee ChongRegional Managing Partner, Deloitte & Touche LLP

Dr Ann Tan Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, Women & Fetal Centre

Martin Tan Co-Founder and Executive Director, Halogen Foundation Singapore

Editorial Team[Editor]Jael Chng

[Sub-Editors]Daphne LeePearlyn Yap

[Designer]Peter Oh

ContributorsDarlene Joy Uy, Ivy Tse, Jasmine Yeo, Kenneth Heng, Lin Xuefang, Lui Fang Yu, Marcus Chee, Martin Tan, Sarah Png, Ren Jiamin, Sean Kong, Shawn Khoong, Vanessa Yap, Wong Eileen

Halogen360 is a quarterly publication of Halogen Foundation Singapore. Halogen360 is distributed free to more than 2800 people, including ministers, partners, educators, volunteers, donors, and made available in the National Youth Council and *SCAPE.

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Martin TanCo-founder and Executive DirectorHalogen Foundation Singapore

“To exist is to change, to change is to mature, to mature is to go on creating oneself endlessly.”

- Henri Bergson, Nobel Prize Winner

CHANGE – THErE is A CommoN sAyiNG THAT CHANGE is THE oNly CoNsTANT. What comes to mind when you think about change?

in 1976, when Kodak was known as the Google of its day, they accounted for 90 percent of film and 85 percent of camera sales in America. However, when digital photography reduced the need for film, and smartphones replaced the need for standalone cameras, Kodak’s operating environment changed completely. Not only was Kodak unable to react and adapt quickly enough, inconsistent leadership and a culture of complacency then resulted in Kodak eventually fading away, like an old photograph.

Fujifilm, its long-time rival, on the other hand, saw change coming and was quick to ride on the waves of a rapidly transforming environment. They were able to diversify, develop new strategies and develop expertise in new businesses in this ever-changing landscape.

in the evolving environment we live in today, adapting to change and managing it well has become one of the most critical leadership and life skills, and there are countless lessons we can learn from the successes and failures of people and organizations.

likewise, in this issue of Halogen360, we will be exploring change from a leadership perspective. learn about how we can manage change in schools and at home (pg. 11), draw lessons from the world number one leadership thought leader, Dr. marshall Goldsmith, in an exclusive interview on leadership and succession (pg. 5), hear the heart of Halogen’s Deputy CEo, sean Kong, and myself, on the importance of transition planning (pg. 8), and challenge yourself to try out some new tools and ideas on your students in an ever-changing social media landscape (pg. 3).

The world is changing rapidly. Educators like you are at the forefront of imparting skills and setting examples for the next generation, helping them to navigate their own paths and realizing their potential. As with every issue of Halogen360, we hope that this issue would serve you well in your journeys with the youths that you work with.

Change propels me to prepare for #whatsnext.

How about you?

From the Executive Director’s Laptop

so why not start today?

How you can encourage your students’ hearts:

The leadership Challenge® (TlC) is a leadership development programme created by best-selling authors James Kouzes and Barry Posner. This programme is backed by more than 30 years of original research and data from over three million leaders.

Halogen conducts TlC workshops for moE educators at a special price.

if you have attended TlC, bring your leadership up a notch by joining the student leadership Challenge® Certified Facilitator’s Training (slCCFT), which will certify you as a student trainer for the student edition of the programme. We are the exclusive Asia Pacific certification partner for slCCFT.

For enquiries on the above, please contact Kenneth at kenneth@halogenfoundation.org or +65 6509 6700.

mosT lEADErsHiP BooKs TAlK ABouT how great leaders manage change by communicating their vision, motivating their team, and grooming the next generation. What about encouraging the heart? sounds like something that belongs in the self-help section.

That is a common first impression among those who are just starting to learn all about “The leadership Challenge®” by best-selling authors James Kouzes and Barry Posner. To some, being encouraging comes naturally, and to others, encouragement is akin to flattery.

upon closer reading though, we learn that Encourage the Heart is deeper than just giving encouragement and is certainly not about giving compliments for the sake of it. it is about:

-recognising contributions by showing appreciation for individual excellence-Celebrating values and victories by creating a spirit of community

in the course of an ordinary day, most of us probably say or hear ‘thanks’

Encourage The HeartOne of the five practices of exemplary leadership in The Leadership Challenge® starts from the heart By Darlene Joy Uy

becomes easier to bring people together towards a common vision.

in the course of a school year, students go through many big events and changes— starting in a new school or academic level, adjusting to new teachers, facing more challenging examinations and taking up new positions in CCAs. often, the structure that prepares them for these is well-built: worksheets, training courses, mock exams. What is equally important but not as often addressed is the human dynamics of transition.

This is where Encourage the Heart comes in. in practising this, leaders play a big part in building their followers’ confidence and resilience. Fears and anxieties about the future are turned into trust and enthusiasm in facing it.

Among all the Five Practices of Exemplary leadership, Encourage the Heart is probably the easiest to start doing, because every day presents opportunities.

2TEACHER’S TOOLKIT

How you can help your students practise:

Hold a Secret Santa or Angel and Mortal activity, but instead of giving items or doing acts of kindness, the Santa/Angel gives encouragement.

Task your students with planning a recognition and celebration day, but instead of giving awards for high grades, let them think of different categories to recognize good values.

In your class or CCA, start or end meetings by asking students to praise their fellow team members for something good that they have contributed recently.

Be creative! There is no prescribed way to encourage the heart. Do what you are comfortable with— through spoken words, note cards, a pat on the shoulder, a candy bar, or even extra points for effort!

Be clear about your expectations, and communicate and reinforce them regularly.

Tell stories about one student who has done something well. This not only gives recognition to the student, but it also reinforces the values that you want the rest of the class to show.

numerous times, in emails, messages and even from interactions with strangers (i.e. when the food court auntie clears your tray). This is a simple way to start practising saying thanks, but more than that, leaders need to personalise it to make it more meaningful. This goes both ways: the leader has to personally show appreciation, and he/she must be clear and specific about what is being recognised. While a simple ‘good job!’ is sufficient for little things, when we truly want to encourage the heart, it is better to say ‘you did a really good job in planning the event and working with the team to make sure it went smoothly.’

Encouraging the Heart is about setting standards and recognising those who meet them; it is not about lowering standards just so others would not feel dejected. The younger generation is often called the strawberry generation because they bruise easily, but it is still possible to give praise where it is deserved (i.e. ‘your enthusiasm has influenced the team to work harder’), while also helping them to reflect on points for improvement.

And when things go right, always celebrate. it does not have to be a big party; it can be as simple as a five minute mini-break to retell the story and talk about the values that brought the victory. These shared experiences forge bonds and foster team spirit.

The fast-moving nature of today’s world underscores the need for recognition, reinforced values and community spirit. They serve to strengthen both leader and team, and buffer them against uncertainties brought by changes. it then

Darlene Joy Uy is passionate about educating young leaders through the Halogen Academy. She is an avid reader so chances are, you’ll find her with her Kindle.

YOUTH BITS3

Engaging Students Through Social Media

Using Social Media as a Learning Opportunity

How to use social media as teaching tools

social media has become a vital aspect of most people’s everyday lives. According to a recent report1, 95 percent of teens (12–17 years old) use the internet, and 81 percent of them use social media sites. Just as we thought that we had it all figured out, the report shows that Facebook has been seeing teens’ waning enthusiasm towards it, with them preferring a more casual platform such as Twitter and instagram.

With the social media landscape changing so rapidly, how can we tap into the potential of channels like Twitter and instagram as learning opportunities in and out of our classrooms?

• 94% of teens have a profile on Facebook1

• in singapore2, Facebook demographics are as follows: 34%: 25-34 years old 30%: 13-24 years old

• There is a waning enthusiasm for Facebook, due to reasons like:1. Disliking the increasing adult presence2. People sharing excessively (i.e. insane details)3. stressful “drama” happening frequently 4. stress of needing to manage one’s reputation

• some teens are migrating their online activity to other channels like Tumblr, Twitter and instagram to escape the pressures they find on Facebook

• some teens will still remain active on Facebook, since participation is an important part of teenage socialising

• Teen Twitter use has grown significantly• Percentage of online teens using Twitter1: 2012: 24% (1 out of 4) 2011: 16% (1 out of 6) 2009: 8% (1 out of 13)

• Twitter is increasingly popular as it is a more casual platform for teens to express themselves without having their identities known

• Freed from the social expectations and constraints of Facebook

By Pearlyn Yap

• 1 out of 11 teens use instagram in America1

• A recent poll of 80 teens at a national leadership competition held by Halogen Foundation singapore showed that at least 1 out of 4 teens use instagram

• Teens who like instagram reported feeling like they could better express themselves on this platform1

Encourage descriptive and creative writing3

spice up homework assignments by tasking students to snap photos and write short photo essays. This is a good way to practice concise and creative writing, and can be tied to any subject. (e.g. a day in the life, geographic features, a local current event)

Photo and writing promptsPost thought-provoking photos that prompt students to think critically and share their thoughts. students can also develop their own prompts and share them.

Document experiments and changes4

Visually document change over time by taking a photo of each stage and adding a caption. share and categorize photos by using hashtags (e.g. science experiments)

Real world MathematicsTurn an academic subject with numbers and formulas and connect it to art through visual expression. Document examples of math that occur around us (e.g. shapes, fractions, patterns, parallel lines, curves), both naturally and man-made.

Develop sense of awarenessstudents can share photos of real-life connections to classroom learning, which encourages them to develop awareness and compassion.

Pearlyn Yap is a Communications Executive with Halogen. She enjoys extreme sports, exploring the unbeaten path, a good cup of coffee, and aspires to help youths embrace diversity and creativity.Engaging Students Through Social Media

Using Social Media as a Learning Opportunity

social media has become a vital aspect of most people’s everyday lives. According to a recent report1, 95 percent of teens (12–17 years old) use the internet, and 81 percent of them use social media sites. Just as we thought that we had it all figured out, the report shows that Facebook has been seeing teens’ waning enthusiasm towards it, with them preferring a more casual platform such as Twitter and instagram.

With the social media landscape changing so rapidly, how can we tap into the potential of channels like Twitter and instagram as learning opportunities in and out of our classrooms?

4YOUTH BITS

Encourage descriptive and creative writing3

spice up homework assignments by tasking students to snap photos and write short photo essays. This is a good way to practice concise and creative writing, and can be tied to any subject. (e.g. a day in the life, geographic features, a local current event)

Photo and writing promptsPost thought-provoking photos that prompt students to think critically and share their thoughts. students can also develop their own prompts and share them.

Document experiments and changes4

Visually document change over time by taking a photo of each stage and adding a caption. share and categorize photos by using hashtags (e.g. science experiments)

Real world MathematicsTurn an academic subject with numbers and formulas and connect it to art through visual expression. Document examples of math that occur around us (e.g. shapes, fractions, patterns, parallel lines, curves), both naturally and man-made.

Develop sense of awarenessstudents can share photos of real-life connections to classroom learning, which encourages them to develop awareness and compassion.

Exchange ideas

Facilitate research

Post supplementary materials

Provide the class with alternative views5

Post Mathematical puzzles

Twitter hashtags for Educators to grow their Personal Learning Network6

Post an interesting question a day pertaining to different topics, and be surprised as they share their thoughts.

Twitter’s search engine is an excellent way for students to research ideas, opinions and movements as they happen. Not convinced? Try these few keywords now: #climatechange #foodjustice #inspiration

retweet news, stories, opinions and other interesting tidbits relevant to a specific class taught as an effective and convenient supplement to your lessons.

subscribe to independent news feeds that provide alternative views for students to compare how different issues are being interpreted.

math/science teachers can play games and post teasers by simply taking a snapshot of a daily problem for students to solve and tweet back the answer.

#edtech: To discover educational tools and tips about the integration of technology in education.

#edsg: To explore and exchange tweets with teachers in singapore, getting inspiration from trending topics in education.

1. Teens, Social Media, and Privacy (by Mary Madden, Amanda Lenhart, Sandra Cortesi, Urs Gasser, Maeve Duggan, Aaron Smith): http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2013/Teens-Social-Media-And-Privacy/Summary-of-Findings.aspx

2. Singapore Facebook Statistics: http://www.socialbakers.com/facebook-statistics/singapore3. Using Instagram as a Learning Opportunity: http://blog.k12.com/educational-technology-

and-tools/instagram-education4. Picture This: 5 Ways Teachers Can Use Instagram in the Classroom: http://www.

emergingedtech.com/2013/03/picture-this-5-ways-teachers-can-use-instagram-in-the-classroom/

5. 50 Ways to Use Twitter in the Classroom: http://www.teachhub.com/50-ways-use-twitter-classroom

6. The 17 Best Twitter Hashtags for Education: http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2012/12/the-17-best-twitter-hashtags-for.html

Credits:

OPINION5

HumAN BEiNGs Do NoT liKE CHANGE. CHANGE TAKEs longer than we think, and the process can be arduous. With today’s organisations facing higher demands in an ever-changing global market, identifying, developing and retaining talent becomes something that many wrestle with.

in this exclusive interview with H360, Dr. marshall Goldsmith , prolific author of the New york Times and Wall street Journal bestsellers, “moJo” and “What Got you Here Won’t Get you There” shares his insights on how to achieve effective succession planning and how to better manage change at our workplace.

On Succession Planning and Change Management:

Halogen360 (H360): Succession planning is a process for identifying and developing employees with the potential to fill key leadership positions in an organisation. It was primarily a C-Suite issue for the highest-level executives such as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) or the Chief Financial Officer (CFO), but has now become more than that. Employees in every organisation are expected to be responsible in their own succession planning for his or her role. What are your views on that?

Marshall Goldsmith (MG): succession planning is an excellent discipline. it is also a very positive idea to implement. Preparing people in multiple levels of management has a good payoff. it is beneficial when managers start training people who are able to take their positions, because even if they do not end up succeeding in the role, it is an excellent growth opportunity. This doesn’t mean that everyone will be ready to assume a new position, it just means that managers are in the process of preparing other people.

in some cases, succession planning happens on many levels except the CEo’s. There may be a back-up plan for the CFo or the Head of Human resource, but there is no back-up plan for the CEo. it still is very important for a succession plan to be in place at the CEo level and this is the responsibility of the board.

H360: Along with succession planning, change management is pivotal. However, research has shown that many change management efforts record a decimal percentage of success. Why do you think the failure percentage is so high?

Succeeding in Succession and Managing ChangeAn exclusive interview with world-renowned thought leader in leadership development By Martin Tan

Photo courtesy of Dr. Marshall Goldsmith

About Dr. Marshall Goldsmith

Dr. Marshall Goldsmith is an expert in leadership and is a world authority in helping successful leaders achieve positive, lasting change in behaviour for themselves, their people and their teams. He was recently recognised as the world’s number one leadership thinker at the bi-annual Thinkers50 ceremony sponsored by the Harvard Business Review.

3. Don’t assume that your new company is going to be like your old company: There are some internationally renowned companies (which we will not name here) that are excellent in developing leaders. However some of the top leaders of these companies who have left to run other organisations have turned out to be ineffective. They were very effective in a particular company culture but they were not effective in some of the other new cultures. What happened is that they had a little too much arrogance, a little too much “this is how we did it in the past”. They assumed that what worked in their previous company would work in their new companies, and sometimes, that isn’t true.

H360: For an outgoing CEO or the person handing over the reins, the succession and change management process is equally important. What advice would you give to these people who have dedicated much to their organisation?

MG: i would say the first “Do” is something that almost no one does.

The “Dos”:1. Prepare a great future for yourself: The first thing i ask is, “What are you going to do when you leave?” and “How are you going to spend the rest of your life?” most outgoing CEos are not that old, and if they don’t focus on what they are going to do when they leave, they would face a substantial crisis, which happens a lot. if you look at statistics, many CEos who leave and don’t have something exciting to keep them occupied may find that their life goes into a void. it is a radical change that many don’t plan ahead for.

3. Focus on establishing a vision for the future, with respect to the past: This is a very important point, yet often neglected. i have seen a female CEo do a great job of turning around the girl scouts in the usA. one of the ways she successfully did so was to build on the tradition with the future in mind. i think it is very important that the new CEo build on the past while envisioning the future.

Succeeding in Succession and Managing ChangeAn exclusive interview with world-renowned thought leader in leadership development

6OPINION

The main reason change management

fails is not due to strategy, it is

because of people and culture.

mG: The main reason change management fails is not due to strategy, it is because of people and culture. The failure of change management occurs when people and organisations do not appreciate the people dynamics involved. instead, they solely focus on strategy as if the company is run by robots and machines. leaders also often neglect the cultural and political implications and end up not being able to handle the behavioural challenges faced. The question of “Who is going to be the next CEo?” is not a trivial question, and very often, it is a game breaker.

often, i witness a typical scenario where a merger occurs between one company with a younger CEo and the other with an older CEo. The older CEo is a boss during the merger, but there’s a clear possibility that the younger CEo in the other company is going to be the next CEo. What happens then? many of the great people who report to the older CEo leave because they assume that this younger person is moving in, and would bring in his own team to run the business. They start to leave because they don’t see themselves being involved in the future of the company. Gradually, some of the values from one part of the company will start to disappear.

H360: What advice then, would you give to a successor, or someone taking over any leadership roles in an organisation? What are the top three things you would ask him to do and avoid?

MG: The “Dos”:1. Listen and learn: The new person really needs to listen to the organisation and learn about what’s going on at a level that is much deeper than the initial level of knowledge. No matter how much the person has been briefed, there is a great depth of knowledge, especially institutional knowledge, that the person will have to fully grasp. This is especially so if he has just moved into the organisation.

2. Learn to make personal assessments quickly: The new successor needs to make some quick personal assessments because they may be thrown into a position where they have to decide who stays and who leaves.

The “Don’ts”:1. Don’t over-assume: Don’t assume whatever you been told is 100 percent correct. Don’t assume there is not a whole lot of knowledge behind what you have been told.

2. Don’t over-inflate your own ego: you see this happening all the time. When new people enter different industries and companies, they think they know everything. However, they may end up leading the company in a terrible direction if they don’t put aside their own ego to learn with humility.

opportunities in different settings. These opportunities, learnt at a very young age will help them as they grow older. For example, the great leaders of people love leading people and the only way you can try is to practise leading people. The focus should also be on interpersonal learning, not just conceptual learning. Be happy now, build great relationships with people and follow your dreams.

OPINION7

Martin Tan is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of Halogen Foundation singapore. He is a motivational speaker and leadership trainer, dedicating his time to youths from 16 countries. martin is married to Daphne and has two daughters, maegan and meredith.

my advice is to plan well for that next step of your life. if the outgoing CEo has some place to go to that leads to happiness and meaning, the transition process usually works very well. on the other hand, if the CEo has nothing to go to, then the process tends to fall apart because the CEo doesn’t want to leave and falls into “emptiness”.

2. Put in the time to develop your successor: i believe that for internal succession, one should take the time to develop a successor and keep that as a part of your job scope.

3. Let go: As things progress, you need to let go, delegate more and let the successor take on and focus more on the future. When it’s time to leave, you are well prepared to walk out of the door in peace.

On Leadership

H360: How would you describe your leadership type?

MG: i think there are different types of leaders, and where i am, i am not a leader of large numbers of people but i am a thought leader. i find happiness and meaning in being a leader of this type. i am not a CEo and i don’t run a large organisation. i am someone who helps successor leaders get better, i am their teacher, their coach. i also have millions of people who have read something i have written, and hopefully it has helped them in their lives.

H360: We train young leaders from age 10-25 and we believe in starting them young on learning about leadership. What will be some of your best advice for our youths?

MG: The more leadership experiences they can get when they are young, the better. This is so that they can get more

The “Don’ts”1. Don’t try to look good by squeezing out numbers in your last year: Anybody who runs a huge company can make the numbers look good by cutting the budget and there are a variety of tricks where you can make your numbers look good for a year. However, that doesn’t really do much good for the long-term interests of your company. There’s a temptation for the out-going person to leave on a positive note and to look good, but my advice is not to do that. one of the classiest CEos i have known did the opposite. He made some very good long-term decisions and positioned the company for the future. His last year didn’t look good on the books, yet he did the right things for the company, focusing on a great future for the organisation instead of himself.

2. Don’t become so fixated on running the day-to-day business: realise that developing people takes time, so don’t be too busy just working all the time. Take the time to develop your successor.

3. Don’t forget to prepare for a graceful exit: Don’t become so fixated on the business that you don’t make the time investment to prepare for a graceful exit, to say goodbye to the people who helped you to have a great life, and to position the company for the future.

Photo courtesy of Dr Marshall Goldsmith

The more leadership experiences they (youths)

can get when they are young, the better, so that

they can get opportunities in different settings. These opportunities, learnt at a very young age, will help them as they grow older.

Top 3 tips for someone taking over any leadership role:

listen and learnlearn to make personal assessments quicklyFocus on establishing a vision for the future, with respect to the past

1.2.3.

8PERSONALITY

The time has come for leadership renewal as Halogen Foundation Singapore reaches its 10th year mark. Martin Tan, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Halogen hands over the baton to Sean Kong, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, a promising self-starter who has trained more than 30,000 youths over the past 5 years. In this issue, we

find out their thoughts on the transition process.

Passing on the Baton of Leadership

Halogen’s management movementBy Jael Chng

Photo courtesy of Marvin Lowe

PERSONALITY9

Halogen360 (H360): When did you start thinking about finding a successor? What prompted this decision?Martin Tan (MT): About two years ago, i started the conversation with our Board about the need to prepare the organisation for the next phase of growth after our 10th year mark. Every organisation goes through key growth phases; i wanted to make sure we started to plan for Halogen’s next 10 years early. That was when we started our conversation on the need for succession planning, finding the right person and having me step down so that Halogen has a new team for a new season.

H360: What is your approach to succession planning? MT: my approach for succession planning is very much the same as all staff hires, that is to find the best person possible and trust them to achieve great things beyond what you and they can imagine. We do not have a full-fledged fifty page paper on this but we took the necessary steps we believe to be important – to make a deliberate decision to step aside for the next generation of leaders to lead, to go all out to find the right person for the job, to induct the person early in key positional rotation so that he has an overview of the organisation, and most importantly, have them work with the rest of the team to create new synergies and camaraderie which is essential in building great teams.

H360: Why did you select Sean to be your successor?MT: my successor must, first and foremost, be a person of good character and right values. He must possess the relevant competencies that can lead a team of highly dynamic individuals and have the ability to mobilise young people towards their own aspirations. i see all of the above criteria in him. i have confidence in his character and values and quite importantly, the youths love him. He connects with them through his wit, dry humour and at times, lame jokes (that actually works). i have seen him in action and judging by the reactions of the youths, this quality satisfies a key aspect of what we look for in the role of a CEo of Halogen. Also, as with how i have learnt through all the good and bad decisions i have made since day one of working at Halogen, sean will also grow into managing a youth organisation.

H360: What processes did you put in to ensure a good platform for Sean to stand on? MT: i put sean through key rotations through the different aspects of the organization and also increased his involvement in management decisions over time. i coached him through his thought processes, and continue to spend enough time with him individually and as a management team in order to answer all the questions he has as he goes along.

H360: What is the transition process like? What are the key challenges you faced? MT: it is almost like planning for your funeral. you think of all the things that need to be taken care of when you are no longer around. you then set in place precedence to ensure that certain thought processes are sound and ingrained. like all transitions, the hardest part is really the chain of command. As time goes by, i slowly relinquish more and more responsibilities to sean and quite often, the staff still come to

me for decisions. it is part and parcel of the succession process and it is really up to me to make sure i refer them back to him for the final say. it is hard but it needs to be done.

H360: What is your vision for Halogen after you leave? MT: my vision for Halogen remains the same now as when we first started: that the organisation will be a thought leader in youth leadership development around the world. We will develop young leaders who will practically change the world in issues they believe in. We must continue to innovate and create new ways of inspiring young leaders towards social change. it may be through new technologies that we dare not even dream of today. That would be an awesome future. sean is well-placed to lead us there.

Martin TanCo-Founder and Executive Director Halogen Foundation Singapore

Photo courtesy of Marvin Lowe

10PERSONALITY

H360: Why did you agree to take up the baton from Martin?Sean Kong (SK): When martin shared the vision of Halogen to me, it was very compelling. Having been in the education industry for three years, i was looking for an avenue that can produce longer-term results that is more sustainable and holistic. Being a charity, Halogen offers such a space to create this impact, as we are not driven largely by a bottom line and have the freedom to pursue other objectives.

H360: What are some key challenges you faced as you underwent the transition process?SK: my biggest challenge is not having the knowledge of what i do not know. When i first embarked on the transition process with martin, i did not know where to begin asking questions. The other challenge is in learning how to run a youth organisation. The learning curve for management fundamentals such as finance, human resource, communications are rather new to me. At times it felt like i was transported from a swimming pool to an ocean, where i have to learn fast to swim against the tide.

H360: What is your approach in navigating the changes? SK: i roll up my sleeves and learn by doing. i learn through making mistakes and keep on pushing myself to get better. once i figure out how things work, i ride the waves to get things done right. For things that i do not know, i tap on the existing expertise of those in Halogen for institutional knowledge and subject matter know-how. For key decisions, i consult martin to get his input. He will always ask difficult questions to sharpen and stretch me. He also offers perspectives from multiple stakeholders be it from an educator, a donor, a board member and others. Besides martin, i also tap on the expertise of our board.

H360: What were the emotions you felt through the transition process? SK: in the heat of it all, the uncertainty can be very real. There is a tendency to compare to the ‘almighty’ martin Tan. At times, his shoes seem such big ones to fill. However, as i gradually take on some of the reins and see tangible progress from the contributions and decisions i make, i am encouraged. When i see the students and my staff meaningfully engaged, i get a sense that i am doing the right things.

H360: What drives you to take on this leadership challenge? SK: Education is in my blood. my grandmother was a Chinese teacher, my father was a Physical Education (P.E.) and Chemistry teacher, my mother was also a P.E. teacher who taught Geography, and my sister currently teaches science. on top of that, my grandaunt trains Principals in the National institute of Education (N.i.E.) and i have relatives who teach in Hong Kong. Coming from a heritage of educators, i see a strong need to build young leaders who are both competent and with good character.

H360: What is your vision and aspirations for Halogen? SK: my vision for Halogen is for us to be at the forefront of youth leadership development in terms of pedagogy, technology and research findings, with resources that educators can tap on. When people think of youth leadership development, i would like them to immediately think of Halogen. i think what we currently have is good. However, we cannot rest on our laurels. We need to constantly innovate. The youths of today learn so much more outside the classroom. if we do not get into their mind-space, we will lose mind-share.

We also see a need to inspire educators and parents to see themselves as leaders, and equip them to lead well. Educators and parents have the most influence over our youths. if we invest in the leadership capabilities of educators and parents, we can then see a more sustained impact.

lastly, i want Halogen to continue being a fun, dynamic and relevant organisation while being inspirational and catalytic at the same time. my goal is for us to have the knowledge and skills on how to enter the world of youths, earn the right to speak to their hearts, and be thought-provoking at the same time.

i want us to continue to make a difference, be aligned in our core values and have shared aspirations for what our youths can become.

Sean KongDeputy CEO

Halogen Foundation Singapore

At Halogen, we have bandied with the word ‘change’ so often that we recognise living in an era where change is the only constant. What kind of changes do we see at home and in school and how can we deal with change that is happening at an increasing rate? Two individuals, a parent and an educator, offer their views on having the right mindset towards change and dealing with change.

mind, it could possibly mean that the more hours she spent in school, the more grown-up she is.

my first struggle with her new routine was to ask myself this question: “How much extra activities do i want her to keep up with, given her longer hours at school?” she has swimming, piano, and ballet lessons which she started since she was four. The second struggle i had was when she came back from school and told me: “mummy i want to learn golf, tennis and gym in school.” “Did she have the time and the energy to do all these,” i asked myself.

Truth be told, it’s been seven months since she started on a primary school routine. she has embarked on learning the three activities she signed up for in school and she cannot be any happier. yes, it is a packed routine but we are glad that she was able to make the choices for herself, with our guidance and her acceptance that if she was too exhausted, we would have to consider giving up one or more of the activities.

HOW DOES A PAREnT WITH yOunG CHILDREn nAvIGATE change? Daphne Lee finds out that her children are adaptable to it so long as parents can lead the way.

it is not the easiest concept to navigate, this big word that even adults fear – change. yet, it is the single most constant thing that happens in life. Try explaining ‘change’ to a child who is five and they may think you are trying to tell them to ‘change’ their clothes. What about a seven-year-old? How would they interpret change - something that happens quickly?

11 FEATURE

Daphne LeeA Parent’s Perspective:

Navigating Change

By Daphne Lee

Our role as parents is to give them the

hands to hold, when they need it, and the

heart to deal with what may come their way in life.

in my household of two children aged five and seven, change is not so evident a word as it is a process. i have learnt to manage their change as they learn to deal with mine. Take a peek into a child’s mind, for a minute. Children go through a cyclical process of time that happens in seconds, minutes, hours, days and months. The understanding of each becomes more apparent as they grow older. most parents would agree that change happens when there is a different marked season in their lives, for example, going to school for the first time, or trying out a new thing.

my seven-year-old daughter entered into the first year of the primary school education system, this year. Her routine has changed dramatically as she gets used to spending at least half of the day in school from 7.20am to 1.30pm. What a big difference from her kindergarten days when she spent only three hours in school. i saw it as a big change process for her whereas she accepted it as part of going into a ‘big-girl’ school. in her

What about the change in all this? We did not see how our daughter changed to become more mature or more responsible overnight. We took it one step at a time with her, engaging her in the decision-making, considering the results and consequences and then empowering her to make those decisions. in return, she has learnt that she is responsible for the decisions she makes, starting with the small ones. Did i tether on the brink of fear? yes, when she came home feeling tired and had to be pushed to complete

her homework. Those were the moments when i asked myself if i should have just taken things into my own hands.

Perhaps it takes a lot more effort to negotiate change, to effect change and to handle change, especially when it involves our children but i believe in building a foundation for it. once that is established, our role as parents is to give them the hands to hold, when they need it, and the heart to deal with what may come their way in life.

Daphne Lee is a freelance writer and a full-time mum. The power of the written word is something she enjoys, and she aims to, one day, catch up with reading on the Kindle. meanwhile, pen, paper, and books are her comfort tools.

WilliamA Educator’s Perspective:

12FEATURE

William is an Acting subject Head at a post-secondary education institution. He has a big heart in developing his students, especially in their thought processes. (He has requested to remain partially anonymous)

Looking at the rapid changes in societal expectations of education, in the system, in youths and parents, how then can educators go about navigating these changes?

On Societal Expectationsone of the biggest change over the years is society’s demands on education. Education has evolved from simply feeding information to our students, to centre on the holistic development of a child. Besides expanding the mind, education now has a greater emphasis on developing a child’s social and emotional learning, interaction skills and behaviour management skills, among others.

The systemic demands on educators have thus changed to include both the standard academic syllabus (which continues to grow) and the non-academic content. Educators must now customise the syllabus to stretch top students, help weak students, and develop the appropriate pedagogy to cater to the different learning styles of all students.

Beyond academic content, educators need to take on roles to facilitate National Education, character development and Co-Curricular Activities. As a result of these changes, their workload has increased.

On StudentsThere is also a marked change in our students today. They are more vocal, reflective, and are quick to air their opinions, though not always appropriately. At times they can be rude and disruptive. one skill they must gain is the ability to express their ideas appropriately. Another skill is discernment. With access to so much information, i see a need for educators to empower our students to discern and differentiate between fact and opinion.

On ParentsParents and their expectations have also changed. With a fewer number of children per family, parents have more attention given to each child. At the core, both parents and educators want the best for the child. However, there may be a mismatch in their expectations. With extended working hours, some parents expect educators to do the job of imparting values and ‘baby-sitting’. With an average of a 40:1 student-to-teacher ratio, deep development is not a realistic expectation. more than ever, parental involvement is vital for each child to achieve their potential. it is important to equip parents to work hand-in-hand with teachers for what is best for the child, and for trust on both sides to be able to carry out impactful programmes for the student.

On Rolling Out ChangesChange management used to be a top-down practice. With society developing at a pace where information is fast and ubiquitous, changes are developing from the bottom-up as well. A new challenge is a need to see change not just in silos, but also systemically, its impact in other areas. instead of the old approach of having everything perfectly tested before it is rolled out, rapid prototyping is favoured. We should look at rolling out near complete ideas and refining them along the way.

While rolling out school-wide changes, it is crucial for the management team to give clear and specific directions to staff on ground level. The management needs to control how much change to implement, as change may be difficult and costly. At times there are unspoken assumptions that when we change, it will succeed, and succeed quickly. Before delving into new changes, it may be wise for the management team to evaluate if they should go deeper with initiatives already in motion.

For staff on the ground, it is important to be receptive to the change and to understand the rationale for the changes. Change is inevitable and resisting it often is counterproductive. The ideal scenario is when staff owns the change and provide inputs along the way. With every change, there will be mistakes and problems that occur; everyone needs to be patient and work towards learning, so as to achieve better capabilities in making better decisions for the future.

On navigating Changein navigating change, it is important to play up to the strengths of the team. some people are visionaries who can chart the course. For the middle management tier, they are the ones who will bring fruition to the vision. Commitment and trust are essential ingredients to managing change, all the more so in dynamic settings. if feedback from the middle management indicates how certain things cannot be changed, top management should listen and help facilitate a challenge towards success. i liken this partnership to steering an airplane where the pilot and navigator need to work together. Top management is like the navigator; they have the vantage point of a bird’s eye view. middle management is like the pilot; they have the privilege of knowing how the ground works which gives them an advantage to navigating through change. regardless, both are interdependent for change to be successfully implemented.

it is critical to adapt to situations, culture and events. skills and ideas need to adapt to the landscape. However, our core values and beliefs must stay grounded. They guide our directions and decisions. otherwise, we would be a leaf in the wind.

During one incident, the secondary 2 classes that 江老师 taught conspired to pass on answers for a Chinese test she set as the classes were staggered in timing. When she found out, she was very upset, and said, “look at my eye-bags, i spend the time to mark your papers and all of you just copied from each other? it’s a waste of my time. All of you will get zero points.” it wasn’t just the zero points that caught our attention, but her passion for us and in teaching the Chinese language. i remember her taking the time to share stories from our textbooks making them memorable and vivid. she was one of the reasons why i fell in love with this beautiful language. 谢谢您!

- Jael Chng (Head, Social)

江老师

Dunman High Schoolyear(s) taught: 1991

Miss Lee Siew LianSt. Joseph’s Institutionyear(s) taught: 1996-1997

iN THis July To sEPTEmBEr issuE oF HAloGEN360, Halogen celebrates the amazing work of our educators in singapore. it is no surprise that this day is of so much importance to us and we cannot begin to thank the many educators who have helped to lay our foundation. We’re privileged to partner with you in nourishing the minds of our youths, challenging them to ask questions and discover their values. Halogen is proud to work with you everyday.

As the saying goes, “To teach is to touch a life forever”. your words and actions have left a lasting impact on your students - sometimes more than you may ever know. in this special section, members of the Halogen team dedicate a message to that one teacher who has left a lasting legacy. our gratitude definitely goes beyond these 100 words from each of us, but here goes!

Many in the Halogen team have their teachers to thank for shaping them in their youthBy Pearlyn Yap

To Teach is to Touch a Life Forever

my primary 3 English teacher, mrs. rose Enriquez, gave us a short writing assignment one day on the topic of disabled persons. i wrote that disabled persons are just like you and me. When i got my paper back, aside from the usual corrections, she wrote a short note on the margin praising my writing and encouraging me to use my gifts and talents wisely. it was the first time i ever received a note like that from any teacher, and perhaps the first time it dawned on me that i had a talent. in my 9-year old mind, talent equaled to singing, dancing or drawing, none of which i was good at. i have kept the note to this day, to remind myself that i have much to contribute to the world.

- Darlene Joy Uy (Head, Projects)

Mrs Rose EnriquezStella Maris Academy, Davao City, Philippinesyear(s) taught: 1990

TEACHERS’ DAY SPECIAL13

Chung Cheng High School (Main)year(s) taught: 2008-2010

St Hilda’s Primary Schoolyear(s) taught: 1995-1996

Puan Rosenah Omar

Miss Jocelyn Tan

learning malay as my third language was made interesting because of her. she gave us malay names, taught us how to cook malay delicacies and sang malay songs to cultivate our interest in malay culture. i looked forward to every lesson even if it means staying back. she painstakingly fought for us to participate in a home-stay program in malaysia despite our small class size to ensure we had the most fulfilling experience possible.

your encouragement, affirmation and care will forever be felt and remembered. Thank you Puan and Happy Teachers’ Day! :)

- Lui Fang Yu (Intern, Academy)

some of those lessons learnt in my younger years were very painful ones which stuck with me for life. Dubbed as ‘tyrant of the school’, she was the discipline figure and was unapologetic in giving correction when she saw fit. yet, there was also a caring side to her - When i was going through one of the toughest times as a kid after losing my dad and grand-dad in a span of one month, she stood by me and was a voice of affirmation that things will be alright. Without her, i would have grown up with a very different sense of what is right and wrong.

- Sean Kong (Deputy CEO)

in a class of 20+ hype-active sJi boys who were “notorious” for our antics both in and outside of class, you managed to strike the delicate balance of keeping everyone in check and yet allowed us to just be boys. Thank you for being so accommodating to our boyish behaviours and being involved in our lives! your dedication and passion for teaching and nurturing the next generation of sJi boys and girls is truly inspirational. Kudos to you, ms lee and Happy Teachers’ Day!

- Peter Oh (Senior Designer)

ms Koh has always been particularly stern with me, and i often misunderstood her intentions when i was younger. “Why is she always nagging at us?” “Why is she so picky and annoying?” my grades plummeted when i developed an addiction in secondary 2, and instead of reprimanding me, she counselled and tried to guide me towards reaching my potential. Because of her believe in me, i reminded myself that i could never let her down, and i eventually became a model for my classmates that nothing is impossible, and hard-work really does pay off. one day after flag-raising, she approached me with my report slip, and with a pat of my back, whispered, “see? i knew you could do it.” i am forever grateful, and hope to reconnect with her again!

- Pearlyn Yap (Executive, Social)

Ms Koh Shu JiunClementi Town Secondary Schoolyear(s) taught: 2002-2003

吴老师 was my Chinese teacher and i’ve always been weak in the Chinese language. 吴老师 constantly encouraged me and told me that being weak in the subject did not mean that i would never be able to do well but i would have to work harder than everyone else. When my ‘o’ level Chinese oral exam was approaching, she would meet me once a week at 6am so as to practise with me. Being a student of 吴老师 is definitely my privilege. Her genuine commitment to her students has made me respect the teaching profession a lot.

- Jasmine Yeo (Intern, Academy)

Mrs Goh Hui Cheng (吴慧菁)Paya Lebar Methodist Girls School (Secondary)year(s) taught: 2008

14TEACHERS’ DAY SPECIAL

Temasek Secondary Schoolyear(s) taught: 2011

Springfield Secondary School - not the one from the Simpsons!year(s) taught: 2002-2006

Temasek Secondary Schoolyear(s) taught: 2005-2006

Miss Lynda Young

Mr Cheng Peng

Miss Esther LeeHwa Chong Institution year(s) taught: 2011-2012

Mr Lau Soo Yen

mr lau is an especially encouraging teacher who always believed in me despite my poor performance in school. i remember clearly how mr lau spent an entire afternoon listening to me and comforting me when i was stressed before the A’ levels. His civics lessons will also be forever etched in my mind; mr lau always stressed the importance of treating people with sincerity and encouraged us to create happiness for ourselves as well as those around us. Thank you so much mr lau and Happy Teachers’ Day!

- Jiamin Ren (Intern, Events)

i was an orientation leader taking care of ms young’s group. During the camp, she was a good sport and the only teacher who participated in the games. Things didn’t go as planned during the camp, and we were disappointed. ms young noticed and advised, “it’s not your fault that the camp is like that, i really appreciate your effort.” ms young was the kind of teacher who believed in what she was doing. she also took the effort to bond with her class despite the fact that she would be migrating overseas. like her name, she is forever young at heart!

- Lin Xuefang (Intern, Academy)

Being a HoD of CCA/PE, you would expect him to be a really busy man, but he often availed himself in moments where students are usually free. He is a simple man that really knew how to have fun, there were times were we would play with stopwatches, sharing stories, go out for rojak and sit around for coffee. He is like a friend, and one that was always there looking out for me. if there is anything that i’ve learnt from him, he taught me that gratitude was more than being thankful of the things you have, but it’s a way of seeing the beauty in everything. And i will always be grateful for that lesson.

- Kenneth Heng (Executive, Academy)

While other teachers would walk out of the class or erupt in anger, she, on the other hand, became my friend. A friend that sought to understand the reasons behind my actions and reactions. unlike other teachers, she would challenge and affirm me despite her busy schedule, encouraging me to believe in myself. As a cheerleader and mentor, she provided me with opportunities and platforms to develop my character, equipping me with the motivation i needed as a youth. For all that you have done, thank you, miss lee.

- Vanessa Yap (Executive, Academy)

CHIJ Katong Primary Schoolyear(s) taught: 1997

Miss Mahendran Rudrarani

ms mahendran impacted me the most when i think back on mentors who have moulded me in my growing up years. it was not about a particular life changing moment, but her everyday acts - her constant encouragement in our pursuits, her positive affirmations when we take initiative. As Virgil, one of rome’s greatest poets, had put it - “They can conquer who believe they can.” miss mahendran’s unwavering belief in us that we could achieve, was exactly what enabled us to eventually do so. Happy Teachers’ Day miss mahendran!

- Ivy Tse (Senior Executive, Events)

Nothing is more precious and valuable than someone spending time to get to know you and nurturing you because of a belief that you can be more than you already are. i was lucky enough to have met this one person in Nanyang Polytechnic. ms susan Paua was assigned to be in charge of my class but she was more than a lecturer. she was our mentor, personal friend, and even a “HTHT” (heart-to-heart talk) buddy at some point. Her dedication to nurture the younger generation continues to inspire me to do what i do today in Halogen.- Shawn Khoong (Senior Executive, Media and Projects)

Ms Susan Pauananyang Polytechnicyear(s) taught: 2004-2007

BOOK REVIEW15

ngee Ann Polytechnic (School of Humanities & Social Sciences)year(s) taught: 2012

Miss Karen Ang

ms Karen was a teacher who taught with great passion and was patient with all her students. she was always bubbly and enthusiastic about teaching one of the most boring modules - Financial management. she made sure that no one was left behind in the learning process, dedicating extra time to those who required it. ms Karen had relentless belief in each of us. Her dedication, patience and time sowed into the module taught me to love and excel in it. Thank you for your commitment to being such an inspiring lecturer. Happy Teachers’ Day, ms Karen!

- Sarah Png (Intern, Social)

A Mammoth Task of ChangeBy Wong Eileen

mANAGiNG CHANGE, BE iT AT WorK or iN oNE’s liFE, oFTEN feels like a mammoth task. However you are not alone; only one in three change efforts are successful according to a 2008 mcKinsey survey. so why is change so difficult to deal with? The answer lies with an Elephant and its rider.

Chip and Dan Heath, authors of “switch: How to Change Things when Change is Hard”, observe that all change efforts require people to behave differently. Choosing a healthy salad over your usual nasi padang at lunch, adapting to the new iT system – any change, be it big or small, easy or difficult, requires us to behave in a new way. To do that, we have to work at one’s heart and mind. This is where the Elephant and its rider enter the picture.

imagine a rider sitting on top of an Elephant. He looks like he’s in control of the Elephant’s movements as he holds the reins. But the rider, being relatively much smaller, is completely overpowered should the Elephant refuse to budge or disagree with the direction to go. And so it is the case with us. our brains have two independent systems at work all the time - the rational side represented by a rider and our emotions represented by an Elephant. While the rider can direct and plan to charge the way forward, the Elephant provides the energy and motivation to move. This means that when managing a change, you have to consider both the rational rider and the emotional Elephant in a person (or people). one without the other is not going to get you to your destination. But when both the rider and the Elephant move together, change can be a breeze.

For a start, here are three tips to help us or others switch to a new behaviour when dealing with change:

1. Specify tangible behavioursmost people would have set a New year’s resolution to exercise

regularly. How many people have you known to achieve it? Did you? Well, we can rattle off the benefits of regular exercise to change our unhealthy lifestyle. But thinking “regular exercise” is too general to be useful

for the rider in us. We need to think of specific behaviours. For example, run three times a week; or climb the stairs at the station when taking the train. so, be exact and clear.

2. Shrink the changesometimes change can feel rather daunting. The mere thought of it could put one off and have the Elephant hiding in a corner. so to make it more appealing and motivating, reduce the change to a more manageable scope. For example, instead of aiming for a full-on 90-minute gym workout, tell yourself to simply run for the duration of your favourite song or just keep moving for 15 minutes. (Perhaps at the end of it, you might find it easier to continue for a little while more since you’re already warmed up!) make it easy and start small.

3. Build habitsWhen a behaviour becomes a habit, it releases your brain from thinking and frees you of the mental load. This implies the need to encourage and develop (new) habits in times of change. To make a change last, develop triggers and prompts for ‘automatic’ action. For example, if you plan to run on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, you can sleep in your running attire the night before. so for those mornings, you are more likely to get up for your run since you’re already changed. Think of ways to build and reinforce habits for change.

For a higher chance of success in your next change effort, think of the rider sitting on the Elephant and consider how to appeal to both!

Wong Eileen has pioneered an overseas entrepreneurial business and has worked in private and public sectors. She enjoys being curious and running, besides her current work in the practice of Organisation Development.

draw out learning points. The students were also faced with many challenges and reality checks, such as last minute changes and multiple rejections from beneficiaries. These prompted them to pick up skills to adapt to change, think on their feet, stay positive, and work together cohesively despite different leadership styles and views, among others.

What sets this apart from other service-learning programmes? The uniqueness of CHylP lies in the mentoring component, as shawn Khoong (Project Coordinator of CHylP from Halogen Foundation singapore) explains: “With one mentor permanently attached to every team, students are able to seek guidance and tap on their expertise at every step of the way, yet without being spoon-fed.” students are able to apply skills that they have learnt immediately, and the growth seen in them is heartening.

one student, Dickson Chow, said: “The pleasure we derived from the smiles of the kids is simply priceless. i genuinely think that this is the most meaningful “Community involvement Project” i have ever done and i will never forget this experience. i will definitely continue to do more of such activities to help the needy if there are more opportunities in the near future.”

Another participant, linda lai, also shares: “i learnt that everyone has leadership and that we can be leaders as long as we are willing to take the first step out of our comfort zone. Every single one of us can be a leader.”

16HALOGEN HAPPENINGS

Cambridge-Halogen youth leadership Programme (CHylP) will be held for the fourth time in late 2013. We are looking for working professionals and Cambridge Alumni who are keen to be mentors for the programme. if you would like to volunteer or find out more, please contact Shawn at shawn@halogenfoundation.org

ArisToTlE oNCE sAiD, “For THE THiNGs WE HAVE To lEArN before we can do them, we learn by doing them.”

leadership and life skills are usually retained for a longer period of time when individuals are encouraged to directly involve themselves in the experience. Having that in mind, Cambridge Alumni (singapore Chapter) and Halogen Foundation singapore started the Cambridge-Halogen youth leadership Programme (CHylP), a youth mentoring programme with a leadership and community focus that allows for experiential and action learning.

From January to April this year, 55 Normal Academic students from Ang mo Kio secondary school went through a weekly session of mentoring by mentors from Cambridge Alumni and Halogen Foundation singapore. During this period of time, students had the opportunity to develop and drive their own service-learning project from start to end, and help a particular beneficiary of their choice.

To prepare them, the students were equipped with an understanding of leadership and practical skills such as project management and effective communication skills by Halogen, while being mentored by members of the Cambridge alumni. students were challenged to live up to their potential as a leader and encouraged to reflect on how their choices determine their lives – their world.

owning their project from start to end, students put theory into action. They served in five community projects where they organised a half-day ‘Amazing race’ activity for the autistic youths from Pathlight school, collaborated with Blessings in A Bag to bring children (with disadvantaged backgrounds) from mercy Centre for a day of fun activities, and helped to clean up the homes and interact with the elderly in AWWA.

Throughout the process of planning and execution, the students, who were grouped with people they have never worked with before, were encouraged to independently make decisions, while mentors would debrief their experiences and

The Cambridge-Halogen Youth Leadership Programme provides a start-to-end experience that is geared towards action. By Pearlyn Yap

Mentoring Youths in a Practical Way

LEFT: Making friends through volunteerism

we’re not left behind. The recent overnight-policy change governing the size of retail spaces, for example, caught us by surprise as we had just confirmed on a retail renovation plan of our own. We had no choice but to quickly knock out a new plan that would satisfy the new guidelines without compromising our agenda for the renovation. more than such tangible changes, however, are the intangible changes such as social norms, ideologies, attitudes and preferences that influence and impact a lot of what we do and how we do them.

our “solution”? recognising that change is inevitable, so just be prepared to go with the flow, while holding firm to our core set of principles and beliefs. This may sound easy, especially the “go with the flow” part, but it certainly is not. let’s face it, many of us are control freaks. We want to make sure things are done ahead of time. We want all the programme details to be ready and available one decade before the actual event, and done in a certain way…our way. We want to control, and we want to be in control. This is easy when the relationship is top-down; this is not realistic when our core business is in encouraging ground-up initiatives.

At *sCAPE, we don’t aspire to be professional event managers. We aspire to be the catalyst and facilitator to helping youth pursuing and realising their dreams, and paying it forward to others in the society. To be able to fulfill the role, we need to be prepared to be responsive and flexible, and open to all possible “dream requests”. We need to manage our inner “demon”, that urge to dictate and control; that urge to align everyone to our one-formula. in a sense, as we are searching for that fail-proof formula, we are also learning to let go. And that, perhaps, is part of the formula after all?

“*sCAPE HAs FiNAlly DoNE iT! WE HAVE ComE uP WiTH A fail-proof formula to engaging and developing youth!”

Now if only that were true!

*sCAPE is a relatively young start-up. The company was set up in 2007, but the building wasn’t in operation until 2010. Being the first of its kind in singapore, *sCAPE has been searching and finding its way for the past 3 years, and will continue doing so, not necessarily because we are intellectually challenged (although there were certainly times when we felt completely at wit’s end and exasperated!) but more importantly, because of the ever-changing social landscape.

PARTNERSHIPS17

*SCAPE aspires to be the catalysts to helping youth pursue and realise their dreams. How do they approach and achieve their goals in this ever-changing landscape?

By Marcus Chee

The Youth Catalysts

Marcus Chee is the Programming and Finance Director at *sCAPE. He is constantly on the lookout for interesting ideas and projects to engage youth. if you have something brewing in your mind, drop him an email at: marcus_chee@scape.com.sg.

Former Chairman and CEo of General Electric (GE), Jack Welch, was quoted as having once said that one should “change before you have to”. That is certainly true. it is a message perhaps not just on the technicalities of managing changes and being operationally prepared, but more so on a fundamental mindset change. We all know that change is the only constant, so in that sense, change per se, is, in fact, predictable. How things will change? Probably less so.

As a mixed-use facility, *sCAPE has to be constantly attuned to the latest development in singapore’s retail scene, youth scene, and even the estate management scene to ensure that

18ABOUT HALOGEN

2013 Leadership Programmes

The Leadership Challenge® WorkshopBacked by 30 years of research, The leadership Challenge® approaches leadership as a measurable, learnable and teachable set of behaviours that can become part of the everyday practice of getting extraordinary things done. Find out more at www.leadershipchallenge.com

Format: Full two-day workshopDates: 12-13 Sep, 31 Oct-1 NovCost: sGD$880/participant (Group discounts available)

The Student Leadership Challenge® Certified Facilitator Training (SLCCFT)Take your leadership a notch higher; be certified to train students in this leadership development programme. Certification through Halogen entitles you to discounts for books, leadership Practices inventory® (lPis) and The student leadership Challenge® Playbook (developed by and exclusive to Halogen). Halogen is the exclusive Asia Pacific certification partner for slCCFT.

Format: Full two-day workshopDates: 24-25 OctCost: sGD$1100/participant (Group discounts available) Attendees need to have attended The leadership Challenge® Workshop beforehand.

National Young Leaders’ Day Primary Edition(For Upper Primary Students)National Young Leaders’ Day(For Secondary and Tertiary Students)Join more than 1,000 youths in these annual events, and hear from inspiring speakers and role models who will share their stories to challenge and encourage young people in their leadership and life journey.

A GooD TEACHEr NoT oNly TEACHEs well, he leads well too. At Halogen, we believe leadership is not about the position we hold, but the influence we have. you are role models and key influencers in your students’ lives. How will you lead them?

Halogen is committed to making leadership education available and accessible for young people and their key influencers - you! Be the best leader you can be; develop your youths to be the best they can be. We are on this journey together with you.

For Youths

For Educators

Date: 29 AugVenue: Kallang TheatreCost for either event: $16/student, with 1 complimentary teacher pass per 20 students (special discounts available)Details: http://halogen.sg/nyld

Teachers’ Leadership SummitHow can you lead your students better? Here at Halogen, we have specially curated this programme that we believe will serve you in your endeavours to journey with your students. Join us at this summit where you will hear from experts, providing perspectives on the youth leadership scene. inspire and influence a generation of young leaders who will lead themselves and others well!

Format: Full-day conferenceDate: 20 SepCost: $100/participant

For enquires on our programmes, please contact us at singapore@halogenfoundation.org or +65 6509 6700.

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