The Leader, The Teacher & You

Former Head of the Singapore Civil Service Mr Lim Siong Guan now shares his diverse experiences and fresh insights on leadership in his exclusive new book, The Leader, The Teacher & You. As a former Permanent Secretary in ministries, including the Ministry of Defence, the Prime Minister's Office and the Ministry of Finance, and former chairman of the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore and the Singapore Economic Development Board, the indefatigable public servant has contributed greatly to Singapore's success, introducing innovative policies and practices at each turn, which have greatly enhanced drive and performance across the board. Most notably, he is known for his pursuit of excellence, especially in spearheading the Public Service for the 21st Century (PS21) movement, to develop organizational excellence. From Singapore's early years of government to its emergence as a prosperous metropolis, Lim has served the nation tirelessly through the years.

In The Leader, The Teacher & You, Lim puts forth a fresh take on the notion of leadership as other-centered, with the focus on enabling others to be the best they can be. This noble vision of leadership is elaborated and built upon through the sharing of his experiences, in particular the memorable lessons and deep-seated convictions he has had while serving under Mr Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore's first Prime Minister, and Dr Goh Keng Swee, Singapore's First Deputy Prime Minister. Different types of leadership, such as personal and position leadership are touched upon as the author encourages leaders to take an active role in empowering those they lead and spurring them on to excellence. Coming from a man who has helmed many distinguished organizations, Mr Lim's insights on core values essential for organizational excellence are also not to be missed. The book offers practical and down-to-earth advice for leaders in all walks of life. For leaders who genuinely care for the people they lead and hope to make a difference in their lives, this book will be a crucial guide.

Contents:

• The Teacher:

  • My Teachers
  • Opportunities and Obligations
  • Learning by Doing
  • Systems for Success
  • Governance and PS21
  • Culture and Values

• The Leader:

  • Leadership
  • The Pursuit of Excellence
  • Position Leadership
  • Personal Leadership

• Challenges:

  • Be Yourself
  • Be the Best That You Can Be
  • Build Your Life with Pride and Dignity
  • Learn by Doing
  • Think … and Think Again
  • Pursue Excellence Constantly
  • Learn to be a Part of an Orchestra
  • Constantly Prepare for the Future
  • Know Where You Want to Get to
  • Choose to See the Best in Others
  • Empathise with Others
  • Believe that There is a Better Way

Readership: Professional, academic, student and lay public interested in the topic of leadership and governance.
Key Features:

• The book is written by a prominent author, the former head of the Singapore Civil Service, who served in government under the founding fathers of Singapore, and lived through the economic and social transformation of Singapore from independence
• The book introduces a new take on leadership (“other-centred leadership”) and excellence (“being the best you can be”)
• The book provides new insight into the foundational beliefs and values that make for strong nations and organizations, where success and survival are two sides of the same coin