Decoding Leadership: New Capabilities for Leading in Industry 4.0
Mr. Kwek believes in the future. There was a sparkle in his eyes as he talked about the rapid changes that are transforming the nature of work as the world evolves into Industry 4.0. According to his latest post on LinkedIn, in order for Singapore to keep up with Industry 4.0, everyone must be equipped with Worker 4.0 capabilities — achievable through adopting a mixture of adaptive, technological, and technical skills. There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to picking up these skills. However, one can begin with what he calls the “ABCDs” of adaptive and technological skills. A quick scan of his article revealed what these are. Worker 4.0 needs to be Agile and Aware, Bold, Communicative, and possess Design Thinking skills. Meanwhile, key technological skills to learn are Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain, Cloud Computing, and Data Analytics.
A Leader 4.0 must have a compelling vision and make things happen
Before leading NTUC LearningHub, Mr. Kwek served with distinction in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) for 27 years. When asked about his career transition, he admitted that change is never easy, but that it can be mitigated with preemptive and adequate preparation. He had started preparing as early as 2002, after a one-year Master’s programme with Harvard University. He gave a piece of friendly advice for other mid-career switchers: “Be humble, learn with the curiosity of a child, and be prepared to dirty your hands. The first two years as CEO was when I tripped and fell, discovering a lot of things for myself and about myself in the process.”
It has been said that anyone in a management or supervisory role is a leader, but not everyone in those positions exhibit true leadership. When asked about his thoughts on the distinction between a manager and a leader, Mr. Kwek had this to say: “A manager situates himself in the present, managing resources and people.” A leader, on the other hand, always keeps an eye on the trends and threats on the horizon, and leads his team into the future. Building on John Maxwell’s maxim “Leadership is influence,” and his five levels of leadership, Mr. Kwek explained that creating a compelling vision and making things happen are additional, equally important, aspects of leadership. “Eventually, you want people to follow you because of who you are and what you represent.”
Important to future-proof your organisation against digital disruption
It is increasingly difficult to know what to focus on in a world that is now defined by technological flux. Disruption has become the by-word in the past three years; just look at how far ride-sharing services have come to define our way of life. Mr. Kwek agreed, recalling a study which stated that 80% of jobs in 2030 have yet to be invented. Since these jobs do not exist currently, it is then unclear what specific skills are needed for the future economy. Amidst the fog of uncertainty, he asserted that, nevertheless, future successful companies would need to be technologically and digitally oriented, and by extension, so must the future leader.
Passion is contagious. Mr Kwek’s personal enthusiasm for reading and learning — he is currently enrolled in a six-month corporate coaching programme with Singapore Management University (SMU) — has spurred him to conduct annual learning sessions with his team, walking the talk and spearheading change in his organisation. Two years ago, they picked up LEAN concepts together, then data visualisation in 2018, and for this year, the focus is on Robotics Process Automation (RPA). He cited John F. Kennedy as a personal inspiration, sharing a favourite quote: “Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.” This is not just about personal growth, he shares. When you become a leader, you have to think about growing the organisation and growing others.
Grooming the next generation of leaders
Research suggests that leadership development and succession management remains a top organisational priority. What are some of the qualities he looks for in a potential leader? “I’m constantly on the lookout for people whose minds are open and receptive to change. They must be prepared to improve things, to roll up their sleeves and experiment, turning their visions into results. I like leaders who challenge the status quo, and who are comfortable with being uncomfortable.”
Being in the world of disruptive change is akin to being on your toes all the time. As we try out new ideas, there will be times when the outcome is not what you expect. How does one cope with failure, as one must inevitably face when building a career? “Let me share a secret with you. Reprogramme the way you think of failure. When things don’t turn out as planned, take it as feedback and not failure. Feedback is a more positive vocabulary than failure. If you speak positive, the energy will be positive. If you speak negative, the energy will be negative. Positive vocabulary will motivate you and your team to persist towards your goals.”
It was time to go. Is there a piece of advice he would give to his younger self?
“Think with your head, but communicate through your heart. This is how you get people to follow you.”
This year, NTUC LearningHub celebrates 15 years of transforming people through accessible and affordable education. Since 2004, we have fulfilled over 2.4 million training places and transformed over 21,000 organisations.
Regardless of collar, age or nationality, we are here to help you upgrade your skills to keep up with a rapidly changing workforce. For more information on how we can help, talk to our friendly Course Consultants at NTUC Trade Union House, Devan Nair Institute for Employment and Employability, LHUB@Tampines Mall or any of our roadshows islandwide.
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Brewing a New Chapter Through Lifelong Learning
Sheena brings more than a decade of experience in the retail and education sector, where she managed multiple retail outlets specialising in educational toys and oversaw day-to-day operations. Over time, she began to notice a shift. Customers were increasingly seeking more unique and experience-driven products, while the retail landscape itself was becoming more competitive and fast-changing. At the same time, Sheena observed a growing interest in more mindful and natural lifestyle products, which sparked her curiosity about opportunities within the Food & Beverages (F&B) space. With her experience largely rooted in traditional brick-and-mortar retail, Sheena made a deliberate decision to pursue her lifelong interest in F&B entrepreneurship. Inspired by her passion for floral and herbal infusions and her desire to create a brand of her own, she enrolled in the Flavourful Ventures: A Journey Into F&B Entrepreneurship course at NTUC LearningHub to turn her vision into a reality. Returning to the classroom was initially a challenge for Sheena, as she had not studied for a long time and found some of the learning processes unfamiliar. However, with guidance from her trainers and support from her classmates, she gradually adapted and grew more confident throughout the course. Throughout the programme, Sheena gained practical exposure to key aspects of building and managing an F&B business, including identifying business opportunities, product development, branding and bringing products into the market. The hands-on learning experience also gave her greater insight into creativity, innovation and customer engagement within the F&B industry. Beyond equipping her with practical entrepreneurial skills, the programme also broadened her perspective on what it takes to build and sustain a business in today’s competitive landscape. Sheena eventually went on to start her own tea brand, Tea Therapy Singapore, offering a distinct range of caffeine-free, unsweetened and 100% natural floral tea blooms. Through the course, she was able to turn a long-standing personal interest into something more tangible, gaining the confidence and practical knowledge needed to pursue her passion in the F&B space. The course also gave her a supportive space to experiment, learn from mistakes and grow her confidence as a first-time digital business owner. Today, she manages the business end-to-end, from sourcing raw materials to product design, branding and online sales, applying the skills and knowledge gained from the programme to shape and grow her business. Through the journey of building her brand, Sheena also came to appreciate the importance of lifelong learning, adaptability and continuously upgrading herself to stay relevant in an evolving business landscape. Looking ahead, Sheena remains committed to lifelong learning as she continues to grow both professionally and as a business owner, and plans to further develop her skills through NTUC LearningHub courses, including public speaking. Reflecting on her journey, she shares, “Learning is a lifelong journey. When we continue upgrading ourselves and apply what we learn, we can turn our passion into new opportunities.”
Taking the Next Step: A Mid-Career Digital Journey
At 49, Farizan has built a steady career in the services industry where she has worked for the past four years as a Sales Admin Executive, overseeing sales coordination, purchasing, logistics and finance support. Working closely with multiple departments, she ensures smooth daily operations and keeps workflows running efficiently within her organisation. While working hard to establish herself as a dependable, meticulous and consistent teammate, she could never shake the persistent feeling that she could further streamline her work processes by expanding her skillsets. As businesses moved deeper into digital transformation, Farizan took a step back to reflect on how she could remain relevant in Singapore’s highly competitive and dynamic economy. Through her own research on social media, she began to see the potential of technology to enhance efficiency and productivity in her daily responsibilities. Determined not to let comfort and familiarity stagnate her professional development, she seized the opportunity and enrolled in the SkillsFuture Career Transition Programme (SCTP) Digital Marketing Specialist course at NTUC LearningHub after chancing upon it online. The structured and industry-relevant curriculum gave Farizan clearer insight into how digital strategies translate into real business impact. It also helped her better understand how campaigns are planned, executed and measured in today’s digital landscape. Farizan gained practical knowledge in digital marketing strategies, search engine optimisation (SEO), online copywriting, campaign analytics and online campaign management, areas she had always been curious about but had not had the opportunity to explore in her previous scope of work. The guidance from experienced trainers and the unique insights shared by coursemates from diverse industries further enriched her learning experience. By embracing the intensity of the knowledge-filled course, she was able to bring together the different concepts she had learned through the programme’s capstone project and apply them in a practical digital marketing scenario. Building on what she learned from the course, Farizan now approaches her role with a broader perspective. While she continues her core operational responsibilities, she has also taken on expanded responsibilities at work, supporting digital marketing initiatives, assisting in online campaign coordination and contributing insights to enhance customer engagement. These opportunities to apply her new skills have not only allowed her to add greater value to her team but has also strengthened her confidence in navigating change. This step forward marks just one of many in her journey of self-improvement and lifelong learning. Shortly after completing the programme, she began exploring other courses to further develop her data analytics capabilities, such as the Retail (SF): Data Science Fundamentals course. Recognising that others may still be on the fence about taking the first step, she shares, a mindset she now carries beyond the workplace and even onto the stage as a performer, “Do not be afraid to step out of your comfort zone. Learning new skills may feel challenging at first, but it opens new opportunities and builds confidence.”