Building People

Building People

by Mun Leong Liew
Released November 2016
Publisher(s): Wiley
ISBN: 9781119288053

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Book description

Eavesdrop on a top business leader to learn the secrets of great leadership

Building People provides a glimpse into the mind of one of Asia’s keenest and most effective business leaders. Before becoming Chairman of Changi Airport Group and Surbana Jurong, author Mun Leong Liew was named Best CEO in Singapore, Best CEO in Asia, CEO of the Year, Outstanding CEO of the Year, and more—but his successes are not based strictly upon the numbers. This book reveals the personal and professional philosophy behind this extraordinarily effective leader, in the context of frank and insightful emails to his staff. Touching on everything from honour and potential to training and mentorship, these messages paint a clear picture of the difference between good and great leadership. Effective leaders build companies, but legendary leaders build people—by strengthening the heart of your organisation, you enable robust growth and dynamic stability from the inside out.

These emails go beyond mere public relations to lay open the true nature of a man who is honestly, deeply committed to his job, his responsibility, his organisation, and most of all, his people.

  • Learn why work-life balance is not a zero-sum game
  • Discover what pragmatism and commitment truly mean in business
  • Realise the importance of good partnerships and unsung heroes
  • Manage change effectively and employ it wisely for sustainable success

By eavesdropping on a leader’s communications with the people he serves, you get a real sense of the man behind the success. Great leadership is rooted in a philosophy of “building up” instead of tearing down, and motivated by the sincere belief that we bring our own purpose into everything we do. Building People brings great leadership to life, and inspires action over theory through the insights of Mun Leong Liew.

Table of contents

  1. Title Page
  2. Copyright
  3. Preface
  4. Chapter 1: Pragmatism in Business and Leadership
    1. Work-life Balance – Is It a Zero Sum Game?
    2. New Year Message – Building the New Changi Airport
    3. New Year Message – Transformation of Surbana
    4. Pragmatism – A Key to Successful Leadership in Singapore and China
    5. Pragmatism in Business
    6. Pragmatism in Business 2
    7. Contractors are Our Partners!
    8. New Year Message – Waste Not, Want Not
  5. Chapter 2: Engineering and Infrastructure Business
    1. Conscience of Safety
    2. When the Stars are Aligned ()
    3. Commencement Speech – “My Story Can be Yours Too”
    4. Engineers – Our Unsung Heroes
    5. Time to Make the Engineering Profession Shine Again!
    6. Speech at PFI Best Asia Infrastructure Citation Awards
    7. If You are Not Committed, Don't Do It!
    8. Drama at the Last Farewell to a Close Friend and Colleague, Mr Somkiat
    9. Eulogy for Somkiat Lertpanyavit, a Most Distinguished Professional Engineer
  6. Chapter 3: World Outlook
    1. A Journey of “Encountering Evil”
    2. Survival – The Mother of Innovation!
    3. Turning Sand into Gold!
    4. Will Prime Minister Abe Launch His Bazookas Soon?
    5. World Outlook – A Marine and His Beloved Dog
    6. Will the Year of the Fire Monkey Have More Tricks For Us All?
  7. Chapter 4: Talent Development and Core Values
    1. Changi Airport – The Learning University!
    2. Corporatisation vs Commercialisation – Are They Really the Same Thing?
    3. Building CVs
    4. Choose Our Troops!
    5. The Top Chinese Talent that I “Missed”
    6. Churchill and the Cleaning Lady
    7. Corruption Management in Business – Some Practical Points
    8. It Takes Leadership and Courage to Fight Corruption
    9. TICS – The Way Forward!
  8. Chapter 5: In Remembrance of Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew
    1. How Changi Airport Has Transformed Singapore (and Me!)
    2. The Big, Bold and Innovative Air Hub of Changi Airport by Lee Kuan Yew
    3. Lee Kuan Yew, Truly the Father of Changi Airport
    4. Some Qingming Thoughts
    5. The Launch of Up Close with Lee Kuan Yew
  9. Chapter 6: Personal Reflections
    1. Have You Climbed Mount Fuji?
    2. A State of High Anxiety
    3. Building Our Own Health Bank for Old Age
    4. Building Lasting Partnerships
    5. Of Music, Cranes and Friends
    6. When Bosses Become Mentors
    7. Some Thoughts on the World of Jack Ma
    8. Young Birdie vs Old Bird
  10. Appendix “What are you going to do after you retire?”
    1. Mr Lee's continuous involvement with Changi Airport
    2. Mr Lee's interest in people and talent
    3. The pragmatism of Mr Lee
    4. Mr Lee's concern for Singapore's commercial successes
    5. Mr Lee's interest in retirement and the older workforce
    6. Mr Lee's inexhaustible curiosity
    7. The loving couple, Mr and Mrs Lee
    8. Mr Lee in his later years
  11. Index
  12. End User License Agreement

Product information

  • Title: Building People
  • Author(s): Mun Leong Liew
  • Release date: November 2016
  • Publisher(s): Wiley
  • ISBN: 9781119288053