Leadership and Management Readiness for the Age of Disruption

Leading and Managing in
the Age of Disruption
Cegos.com.sg
Responses and ﬁndings from the CEGOS survey of
professionals across the Asia Paciﬁc region
PRODUCTIVITY
TECHNOLOGY &
INNOVATION
STRATEGY
THE HUMAN
TOUCH

No. Contents Page No.
1
Getting to grips with the age of disruption
An introduction by Cegos Regional MD, Jeremy Blain
2
2 Survey details 3
3 TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION 5
Results and commentary 6
How to guarantee technology works for your organisation 10
4 THE HUMAN TOUCH 12
How to sustain the human touch 17
5 STRATEGY 19
How to successfully implement strategy 23
6 PRODUCTIVITY 25
How to boost productivity in your organisation 29
7 Country by country survey results 31
8 Get ready to deal with disruption 49
9
Further guidance
Links and contact information for more support
49
10
About the author
Cegos Group
50
51
11 Acknowledgements 52
Contents
2017
1

Getting to grips with the age of
disruption
We live in times of unprecedented change – politically, technologically and socially.
Today, inspired individuals and organisations across the globe are exploiting this change to disrupt
every industry. Uber, Alibaba and airBnB are just three famous examples of companies that have
transformed the way we travel, shop and stay, and there are many more.
Amongst all the uncertainty, however, there is one certainty – established organisations need to
adapt to these new changes or face the prospect of failure.
To discover how well leaders and managers are prepared to face the challenges created by
industry disrupters, Cegos recently surveyed business, HR and learning leaders, as well as middle
management professionals, across the APAC region.
The insights are here in this report and they make for stimulating reading, especially for those who
think that everything will be okay if we just keep calm and carry on.
We had over 1,000 responses in 8 countries – Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, India,
China, Australia and The Philippines – and there were some interesting variations in the data from
different markets.
Cegos followed up the survey with a one-day event in Singapore, where professionals and
disruptors discussed the results and came up with some creative ideas for action. We have
included these here, too.
I hope you find this guide useful and inspirational. It has been designed to help you take positive
action, and enable your organisation to successfully operate in an increasingly uncertain
environment. It should also help your leaders and managers take on the next disruption within
your industry, and even create the disruption yourselves!
As ever, Cegos is here as your partner. Our latest suite of training solutions is designed to fully
prepare your leaders and managers for the needs of the future, today.
Feel free to reach out if you need us or, indeed, if you have any ideas of your own that could
inspire future initiatives.
Jeremy Blain
Regional Managing Director, Cegos Asia Pacific
2

Survey Results
3
China
India
Thailand
Singapore
The Philippines
Indonesia
Australia
Malaysia
Our survey in numbers
How many
people surveyed?
1,042
From where?
8 major APAC
countries
How?
Online survey
Phone calls to
select audience
16Multiple-choice questions

4
Technology
Advances in technology are disrupting the way
we do business more than ever. In order to
innovate and succeed in a competitive
marketplace, leaders and managers need to
make the best use of new technologies.
The Human Touch
Technology has a big impact on the way we
work, but it is important not to lose the human
touch. Organisations that reflect this ethos in
their work practises and recruitment / retention
drives will be the ultimate winners.
Strategy
Good planning, clear communication, along with
flexibility and agility, help modern organisations
stay ahead of the game in an increasingly
complex world.
Productivity
Leaders and managers must keep in touch with
their workforce and create an environment that
maximises operational efficiencies and
productivity.
Our Research Focus – Definitions

Technology and Innovation
Advances in technology are disrupting the way we do business more than ever. To innovate and
succeed in a competitive marketplace, managers must keep up with the pace of change and
understand how to make use of new technologies.
We asked respondents to assess the role of technology in their companies, and how managers
utilise it to best effect.
The overall picture is that technology is viewed as a crucial component of modern business. Many
managers across the region actively invest in new technologies and take steps to implement it
effectively. However, this is not always consistent and there are discrepancies in the way that
technology is employed, both internally and externally.
6
Here are the main findings :
Most respondents think their managers have an average understanding of
technology at best.
Too many managers lack a good understanding of
technology
28%
feel that managers
know very little and
are unwilling to learn
44%
think their managers
would benefit from
more robust
technology training
Managers in India and Singapore have the strongest
technology know-how…
37.4%
India
34.3%
Singapore
of Thailand respondents say their managers
seriously lack understanding in this area
34.3%

7
In a world driven by technology, organisations must
take immediate steps to improve IT knowledge and
skills amongst executives.
Investment in technology is generally inadequate for
the challenges ahead
29%
of respondents say
that too little of their
organisation’s budget
is spent on technology
40%
say more budget
should be allocated
Australia and China see
most investment, with
around
of respondents from each
country saying that a
generous budget is
allocated.
46% 51%
40%
Thailand and Malaysia
fall behind.
of respondents report
that very little budget is
reserved for technology.
Thailand
Malaysia
Investment in technology is key to success in most industries.
Technology budgets must deliver strong beneﬁts to inspire
communication, collaboration and growth.

8
Few companies consistently employ technologies
and tools that better enable internal
communication, engagement or collaboration
27%
of respondents were
confident their
companies use
technology to help them
better work with others
internally and externally
76%
say there is no clear
pipeline to beneﬁt
employees and
customers
Only China ahead of
the game.
respectively say their
organisation
consistently
generates customer-
centric technology
49%
However,
of Malaysian
respondents say their
organisation produces
very little or no
technology to create
a competitive
advantage
56.6%
In many organisations, there is an urgency for more technology
spend to support internal and customer-facing needs. Spending
does happen but it is either too focused on the external or
internal; rarely both. Management should align internal and
external technologies for the beneﬁt of all, behind a strategy
endorsed and driven by leaders.

9
Few managers have a good or reasonable
understanding of how technology beneﬁts customers
77%
of respondents do not
have confidence in their
managers’ knowledge
of customer-oriented
technology
68%
say that leaders
generally lack the
necessary
awareness
say their managers
totally lack any
awareness
10%
Respondents in Singapore and India
36%39%
IndiaSingapore
say there are pockets of excellence within their
organisations where the technology employed
strongly beneﬁts customers
between 40-50%
of respondents in
Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia
say managers fail to support technologies that
help clients.
However,

How to guarantee technology
works for your organisation
Technology works best when there is a clear purpose behind it. Companies that employ new
technology simply because everyone else uses it rarely see significant benefits.
To ensure technology plays a productive role in your organisation, you should evaluate exactly how
it will impact on your people before investing – define your objectives and prioritise the most
relevant and supportive technology to grow your business.
Your organisation’s internal mindset should be entrepreneurial and treat technology as a friend, not
a foe.
Here are some tips for incorporating technology into your business, inspired by leaders attending
our ‘Leadership and Management in the Age of Disruption’ event, in 2017.
Create a supportive learning environment, enabled by the most appropriate
technology, that involves everyone across the organisation. The learning process
should be enjoyable and collaborative, where colleagues share existing knowledge as
well as learn new skills.
Frequently scan the technology environment in relation to your industry, discipline or
role. The pace of development is sometimes overwhelming – few people had heard of
a smart phone 9 years ago – but can also be exciting. Read blogs and technology
articles relevant to your industry, follow tech experts on Twitter, join Facebook and
LinkedIn groups. Try out interesting technology for yourself – there’s no substitute to a
personal test drive!
Use technology to automise standard processes and tasks, as well as identify pressure
points and reduce risk. Accurate reporting is becoming easier as technology advances,
so take advantage of the latest software to keep up-to-date with your Big Data and
analytics. This also helps you to scale up and bring in repeat business.
Empower employees by inviting them to generate ideas on how to use new
technology. The most creative thinking often comes from your own people – especially
those of the younger generation who generally have a strong understanding of cutting-
edge technology.
Set up a competition to source technology that meets the hottest needs in your
business. For example:
 tech that drives remote communication and collaboration
 community apps that blend business with a social element
 tech that supports line managers with on-the-job coaching and real-time reporting
 learning technology that drives development at the point of need
 customer engagement tools and techniques to drive a higher market profile and
brand awareness
10

Use technology to keep employees engaged and in touch. There are a variety of
collaborative and social tools out there, so see what works for your organisation and get
on board. Much of this tech is free or low cost.
Encourage employees to use their own devices, if appropriate, as they are comfortable
using them. Give them the tools to customise their own personal technology to enable
remote working.
11

The Human Touch
Technology has a big impact on the way we work, but it is important not to lose the human touch.
Organisations that reflect this ethos in their work practises and retention/recruitment drives will be
the ultimate winners.
We asked respondents to consider the human factor in their organisation, and how leaders and
managers deal with issues that affect morale and productivity.
The good news is that managers across most of the region are responding to calls for greater
diversity in their workforce – over two-thirds of people say their organisation welcomes people
from different genders, races and generations. Communications between managers and the
workforce is also positive, but needs improvement in some cases.
13
Written and verbal communication needs to be clearer
and more relevant
61%
say that, although
communication is
adequate in their
organisation, it should
often be clearer and
more engaging.
15%
say communication is
poor and needs drastic
improvement.
of respondents in
China, Singapore and Australia
say managers place a high value on communication.
Only 33-38%
This indicates that over 60% of respondents from
across the region agree communication from leaders is
valuable to the rest of the organisation and needs to
be viewed as such by management themselves – an
essential factor that needs addressing everywhere.

One third of managers fail to support the use of
communications technology to enable greater sharing
and collaboration
14
40%
believe their senior
management must
demonstrate a stronger
understand and support
for the use of
technologies that
encourage more efficient
communication and co-
working.
74.3%
of respondents feel more
could be done to help staff
share and collaborate
using technology.
Over
33%
say their managers strongly support the use
of technology to share and communicate, the
highest in our survey.
42%
say their managers do not use enough
appropriate technology in this regard.
In Singapore's case, the high degree of technology
use in the social environment does not appear to
transfer to the workplace.
in Indiain China
42% 35%
in Malaysia in Singapore
Many people, especially from the younger generation, expect to
work collaboratively in a sharing environment, both physically and
digitally. Management should facilitate this by providing the
opportunity, infrastructure and technology where appropriate. It
needs to be viewed more urgently at the top as a key foundation
stone to support ongoing business success.

Communication between managers and the workforce
needs to be improved
60%
of respondents demand
more frequency of
communications from
senior management.
13%
feel that communication
from management is
infrequent and usually
negative
China
42%
of Chinese respondents report a high rating for
manager-to-workforce communication
in Indonesia say that manager-to-
workforce communication is good
Indonesia
17%
Managers must communicate more effectively with their
workforce to boost motivation. This helps to improve morale
and impacts positively on productivity.
Almost
15

Organisations generally welcome people from different
backgrounds, but more can be done to promote diversity
47%
say management only value
diversity ‘to some extent’,
meaning that organisations
must do more to promote
equality in the workplace and
motivate their staff
Despite a generally
positive response,
Australia and The Philippines
are committed to diversity and help create a
more inclusive workplace culture, leading the
way regionally
while India performed well across most measures in our survey
almost one quarter of respondents, the highest in the region,
indicated that many organisations do not value diversity as
highly as they should. As India continues to expand,
managers must address this issue.
Australia
61% 56%
Philippines
16

How to sustain the human touch
Good communication in essential for maintaining the human touch. Not only should
communication be clear and relevant, it must also be frequent and productive. Thankfully, there
are lots of actions you can take to encourage employee and management collaboration, as well as
inspire good morale.
Here are a few ideas, inspired by leaders attending our ‘Leadership and Management in the Age
of Disruption’ event, in 2017.
17
Encourage more staff/management interaction with regular ‘town hall’-style meetings
(where employees can publically ask management questions), staff lunches or other
gatherings. Informal activities, such as sports or ‘away days’, are a great way to build
teams and promote dialogue between people at all levels of the organisation. The
blend of business and social is key here. Empower your people to innovate by creating
a forum for new ideas that management can consider.
Use technology to enable communication and information sharing. Apps like Skype,
Whatsapp, WeChat, ‘chatbots’ and cloud-based services help promote
communication, especially when staff are in different locations. The downside is that it
can be intrusive (for example, if staff members are messaged during their vacation), so
set guidelines on proper use. We must have rules of the road.
Create open spaces or hot-desking opportunities for staff to work together, rather than
keeping everyone ensconced in separate offices. Collaboration between colleagues and
co-working are key to maintaining the human touch in an increasingly digital world.
Keep your talent engaged by putting them on a staff development plan with long-term
goals they can own and drive. Use new technology to pair up staff as mentors. Down
the line, use experienced leaders to help people navigate the internal and external
waters.
Be creative with staff appraisals. Replace rigid grading and reviews with something
more interactive, focusing on human outcomes, such as training and coaching, rather
than on ‘box-ticking’ exercises. Managers could be given a discretionary budget to
recognise high performing staff where appropriate. Incorporate succession planning
into development plans to give your employees something to aim for.
Avoid treating your staff like robots – ensure they don’t burn out and have regular
opportunities to re-energise.

Take a new approach to recruitment, thinking with your heart as well as your head.
Employ alternative ways of getting to know the candidates, rather than relying solely on
a CV. For example, ask for video clips of the candidate explaining why they want to
work for you. Develop an exciting on-boarding process that starts off new employees
with a good impression and the desire to succeed in your organisation.
Train managers in the 5 Languages of Appreciation concept to understand how to
communicate effectively with others. Encourage mentoring at all levels, including getting
people lower down the organisation to mentor management (‘reverse mentoring’).
18

Strategy
Good planning and clear communication, along with flexibility and agility, help modern
organisations stay ahead of the game in an increasingly complex world.
We asked respondents to reflect on the effectiveness of their organisation’s strategy and the
management culture that influences it.
Around a quarter of our respondents say their organisation follows a well-defined strategy and that
they have significant influence in how that strategy is designed. Meaning almost 75% of
respondents feel this is a growing area of concern.
To reinforce this point, many respondents say that strategy usually comes from the top and is
frequently unclear or badly communicated.
20
30% say their organisation does not
have a clear strategy in place
15%
so more must be done to communicate
and implement strategy effectively. These
low figures should ring alarm bells within
some organisations. Management seems
far too removed from the operational
reality, meaning strategy is often defined
in isolation. As a result, strategy is not
fully committed to, or is regularly forced to
change.
42%
of Chinese respondents think
their company follows a well-
defined strategy
But the opposite was true for
those in the Thailand, Malaysia,
and Indonesia,
on average report that no clear
strategy is followed
50%
An impressive
of respondents say that
strategy is followed only
to some extent,
In order to achieve success, managers must ensure that well-
defined strategies are in place, and communicate them clearly to
the workforce.

There is too much top-down management in our
organisations
21
40%
saying their company
adopts a top-down
approach.
28%
of respondents think
management encourage
a collaborative approach.
Only Almost Over 30%
say it is a mix of
the two.
Australia was the best
performer in our survey
of respondents reporting a strong, collaborative mindset amongst management.
The best performer in our survey but still with a signiﬁcant percentage responding
that this needs to improve.
40%
The top-down approach no longer works effectively, so bigger
organisations need to make their structure more collaborative.
Few people feel empowered to inﬂuence strategy
23%
suggest they have
substantial influence.42%
feel they have little or no
influence on strategy.
China and Australia fair best in
this regard.
Between 51-53%
in The Philippines, Malaysia and
Indonesia say they have very little say
in strategy.
Managers throughout the APAC region should take action to
empower their staff. This can have a positive impact on
strategic thinking as well as the bottom line.

22
Over 75% of all respondents state their company
needs to do better when it comes to adapting to and
managing sudden change
43%
say they could do
better.
34%
of respondents said that
their organisation
struggles to respond to
sudden change.
A staggering
and a further
Singapore
faired best with 37%
saying their organisations were strong, agile
and flexible. But even as the top performer, the
Singapore data indicates that over 60% of
respondents felt that improvement was needed.
Between 46-54%
Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and The
Philippines say that their organisations struggle
when faced with sudden change.
of respondents in
Organisations must ensure there is a clear strategy in place to
deal with unexpected events or unpredictable environments.

How to successfully implement
your strategy
You can effectively design your company strategy by taking ideas from across the organisation.
New technologies can also help you make informed decisions.
Importantly, strategies should be accessible and achievable, and communicated clearly to all staff.
Here are some ideas for strategy implementation, inspired by leaders attending our ‘Leadership
and Management in the Age of Disruption’ event, in 2017.
23
Crowdsource ideas to create new and exciting strategies. Too often, management
ignore the knowledge and experience of people involved in the day-to-day work of the
company. By inviting input from people who interact with customers and create the
product, there is more scope for innovation. Set up online forums or organise ‘town
hall’ meetings to get these ideas rolling in. Recognition and reward can be
incorporated into the mix to engage the right people internally. This is a far more
inclusive approach that creates more parity within your organisation, rather than
reinforcing traditional hierarchies and precedents.
Ensure strategy is purpose driven and consistent by sharing with people across the
organisation. Invite others to comment on strategy in the making, to ensure it is
relevant to all concerned and that they become invested in it. Use appropriate
technology to facilitate this. (see Technology section)
Reward calculated risk. It’s easy to play safe and avoid mishaps, but this can prevent
your people from being creative and innovative. When you incorporate a culture of risk-
taking, you give your people space to come up with some truly inspired ideas that could
rocket your company into interesting places. You must also inspire success, but that will
come naturally when your people feel comfortable with failure.
Create strategies that are enjoyable to implement, even playful. The idea of gamification
– adding an element of play or competition to normally dull processes or activities – can
inspire employee engagement.
Link Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to strategy, and use factors such as Big Data
and analytics to inform actions that drive up profits. The latest technology provides you
with accurate and in-depth information, so you can easily identity potential pitfalls as
well as opportunities. Better still, share this data across your organisation to see what
others think.

Productivity
Leaders and managers must keep in touch with their workforce and create an environment that
maximises operational efficiencies and productivity. With a willingness to act, and action to remove
unnecessary obstacles, organisations can really thrive in a tough marketplace.
We asked respondents to reflect on productivity and how well it is supported by senior
management.
Over one third of respondents say they are given enough time and resources to work productively
and are not overburdened by emails and phone calls. This is encouraging for organisations that fit
this pattern. The rest have some work to do to improve productivity amongst the workforce.
26
Too many people feel they are not given enough
time and resources to work productively
66%
of respondents say they
do not feel fully
supported to do their job
properly.
41%
believe they are well-resourced.
say they are significantly under-resourced.
44%
in India in China
49% 44%
in Malaysia in Indonesia
Tight budgets may not help, but managers can support their
people by giving them the space to work productively, as well
as the tools to be more efficient.

People cope generally well with the number of emails
and phone calls they receive, but are occasionally
overwhelmed
27
of respondents say they are either
occasionally or frequently
overwhelmed by emails and phone
calls, so managers should create
strategies to stop this from being
too disruptive.
A total of 62% Respondents in India seem best
able to cope with
suggesting emails and phone
calls are not much of a burden.
45%
Managers must respond to problems or inefficiencies
quicker
of respondents think
managers are generally
too slow to respond to
problems or often fail to
respond at all.
64% Most confidence in
manager response
comes from India
38%
say that responses are
way too slow.
39-43%
of respondents in
The Philippines, Malaysia
and Thailand
Managers must put systems in place to identify problems as
soon as they occur, then take steps to rectify them in a
reasonable time frame.

Today’s managers are generally close to the realities
of day-to-day operations… but there is still room for
improvement
28
of respondents say that,
whilst their managers
have some awareness of
what goes on, they
sometimes don’t
understand the
complexities at operational
level well enough.
50%
say their managers are
too distant from the
workforce.
Almost 20%
31%
have full conﬁdence that
their managers know what
is happening on the ‘shop
floor’.
The good news is
This was helped by an impressive
62%
of respondents in China saying that
managers are very close to the action,
the highest across the region
It is clear from this survey that China has
continued to improve across all measures. They
have broken down more traditional barriers and
shown the way for other countries, notably in SE
Asia, who may still be hindered by tradition and
culturally-driven expectations. A more ﬂexible
approach helps organisations compete in an
internationalised and open business environment,
so this is a strong and urgent message for some
of the countries within our survey.

How to boost productivity in your
organisation
There are many initiatives you can take to boost productivity in the workplace. Some of these
actions – such as improving communication and empowering your workforce – have already been
covered, but there are plenty more ideas for getting the most out of your people and resources,
inspired by leaders attending our ‘Leadership and Management in the Age of Disruption’ event, in
2017.
29
Be agile. Leaders should define what agile means to their organisation, as well as
identify barriers and actively remove them so that managers and teams can adapt
quicker. This allows them to perform without the constant ‘noise’ of issues, problems
and roadblocks.
Take steps to become a leaner organisation by cutting layers of bureaucracy and
management down to the bare necessities. Many organisations slow down operations
because too many people are involved in the decision-making process. If you can
have one or two people being responsible for certain decisions, as opposed to four or
five, things happen much quicker and probably more efficiently.
Limit meetings to the minimum number of people needed and don’t waste the time of
people who will not benefit from being there. If in doubt, follow the ‘two pizza’ rule –
meetings should have no more people than can comfortably share two pizzas!
As an alternative to meetings, have mini-huddles of maximum two hours with a couple
of critical agenda points, clear outcome-focused objectives and some actions to follow.
This agile method makes the whole process leaner, more dynamic and more relevant. It
helps leaders and managers cut the ‘nice to have’ and focus on the ‘need to do’.
Set regular targets and talk to those responsible for implementing them to maintain
realistic expectations.
Establish a greater amount of trust. Checks and balances are important in business, but
sometimes we let them get out of hand. Trusting your people to do the job well often
pays dividends and improves morale by giving colleagues ownership and responsibility.
It also reduces the need for micro-management, which impedes productivity more often
than not.
Promote a diversity of thought. When opinions and ideas are formed within the
management bubble, there tends to be a very little room for opposition. Whilst you don’t
want to encourage opposition for the sake of it, getting a range of viewpoints helps you
make better decisions and reduces the chances of poor implementation.

Automate where you can. Automation certainly helps your people be productive when it
takes away the need for laborious tasks. However, avoid automation that takes away
too much of the human element (see The Human Touch).
30

31
Country by country
survey results
The results so far represent the Asia Paciﬁc region in
general. Here are some interesting highlights from
responses in your local market.
Australia 32 Malaysia 40
China 34 Philippines 42
India 36 Singapore 44
Indonesia 38 Thailand 47

Australia
Organisations in Australia generally score highly in many areas of our survey. For
example:
However, there are still some problems with management style and investment in
technology that need to be addressed, particularly when it comes to dealing with
sudden changes or inefficiencies.
42%
say that their organisation is success-
oriented and involves everybody, although
management needs to be closer to the
action (see below)
say that their organisation values diversity
and individual contributions (highest
amongst all countries in our survey)61%
32

 32% say that very little investment is made in technology, although 46% say a
generous budget is allocated
 68% say that management lack the necessary awareness of technology
The Human Touch
 66% say that management need to promote more technology to enable collaboration
Strategy
 67% say their organisation needs to do better in adapting to sudden changes in the
market
 64% say they only have some or little influence on strategy
Productivity
 67% say that management needs to respond quicker to inefficiencies
 65% say that management are sometimes distant and need to be closer to the action
Key Actions
 Responses from our survey highlighted significant strengths in terms of leader and manager
readiness, so there is much to build on.
 However, management in Australia should look at technology budgets to see if more
investment and promotion would make a positive difference.
 They should also take steps to make their systems and processes leaner and more efficient to
aid productivity.
 Finally, employees should be given a greater role in decision making and in influencing
strategy.
33

China
Organisations in China have enjoyed significant growth over the last decade. As the
country seeks dominance in the global market, closer attention is being paid to
management style and the contributions made by workers at all levels.
Respondents in China rated their companies highly in many aspects. For example:
This suggests there is greater degree of satisfaction compared to other APAC
countries. That said, there are some areas for improvement, particularly in terms
of communication, hierarchy and the burden of emails and phone calls.
47%
say a generous budget is allocated
for technology
say managers show a keen awareness
of the working environment and set
realistic expectations63%
34

 69% say their organisation should promote more technology that specifically benefits their
customers
The Human Touch
 66% say that communication needs to be clearer and more engaging
 58% say there should be better communication between managers and the workforce
Strategy
 80% say management need to improve response rates to sudden changes in the market
 48% say there is mainly a top-down approach to management of the organisation
Productivity
 58% say email and phone calls are often a burden and get in the way of productivity
Key Actions
 Management in Chinese organisations should assess company structure and incorporate
measures to involve the workforce at lower levels.
 They should also work on improving communications, perhaps by employing new technology
to keep employees up-to-date with the latest initiatives.
 Finally, management should look at improving productivity by reducing the burden of emails
and phone calls. Some automation will help here.
35

India
Organisations in India scored quite highly in many areas of our survey. For
example:
Issues with company structure remain, particularly when it comes to valuing
diversity and the individual. Over one-third of respondents say they have no
influence on strategy, which is a substantial figure considering most are from
middle-management or above.
41%
say they are given enough time and
resources to work productively
say that managers support
technologies that benefit people
and customers, although general
awareness is lacking (see below)
36%
36

 69% say that more investment in technology is needed
 63% say managers need to have more awareness of current technology
The Human Touch
 72% say there should be more productive manager-to-workforce communication
 79% say there should be more diversity and appreciation of the individual in their
organisation
Strategy
 80% say their organisation does not always follow a clearly-defined strategy
 37% say they have no influence on strategy
Productivity
 62% say management needs to respond quicker to problems or inefficiencies
Key Actions
 Management should take immediate steps to address the lack of employee engagement, and
put in place measures to modernise company structure.
 They should also evaluate the diversity of their workforce and implement schemes that attract
a wider range of talent, where appropriate.
 Communication with the workforce also needs to be improved, perhaps by using technology
to facilitate greater collaboration.
37

Indonesia
Organisations in Indonesia generally score quite low in most categories of
our survey.
However, one positive stood out, namely that
Nearly half of the respondents from the country say they have very little input into
strategy and the impression left is that management, in the main, is inflexible and
old-fashioned. Over a quarter of respondents feel that communication is poor, both
internally and externally, so this is another issue to be addressed.
32%
say their organisation strongly
values diversity and individual
contribution
saying this was true to some
extent.56%
38

 72% say managers need more understanding of tech. Half of these respondents feel
management seriously lack understanding
 73% say more budget needs to be invested in technology
The Human Touch
 26% say that communications are poor and unclear
 83% say manager-to-workforce communication needs to be improved
Strategy
 47% say their organisation does not follow a well-defined strategy
 54% say their management struggle to adapt to sudden changes
 53% say they have virtually no influence on strategy
Productivity
 44% say they lack the time and resources to do their job productively
 80% say their management needs to be quicker in reacting to inefficiencies
Key Actions
 However, management must take immediate actions to revise company structure and how
decisions are made. They should try to reduce the amount of top-down decision making and
involve their employees more, as well as take steps to improve communications.
 Finally, more time and resources should be given to staff to make them productive. This
includes a more creative approach to distributing workload, as much as any financial
investment.
39

Malaysia
Of all the countries that took part in our survey, Malaysia appears to have the
most work to do to remain competitive in the APAC region.
That said, there are a few areas where management in Malaysia do well:
On the negative side, management are too slow in adapting to change and
responding to problems. In addition, nearly half our respondents say they are not
given enough time or resources to do their jobs properly, so this needs to be
addressed.
86%
say that communications are
excellent or generally good. However,
there are some issues with management
communications (see below)
say emails and phone calls are not
a burden38%
40

 35% say management have very little understanding of technology
 40% say there is too little investment in technology
The Human Touch
 68% say they want more meaningful manager-to-workforce communications
 40% say management could do more to support technology that enables collaboration
Strategy
 48% say their organisations do not follow a well-defined strategy
 51% say that management often struggles to adapt to sudden changes
Productivity
 49% say they are not given enough time or resources to work productively
 42% say management are very slow or fail to respond to inefficiencies
Key Actions
 However, organisations in Malaysia need to improve strategic thinking and become more
flexible as a matter of urgency.
 The fact that over half of the people we surveyed think that management struggles to adapt to
sudden changes means that Malaysian companies must take steps to become more agile.
 Similarly, productivity should be addressed, with better communications and more investment
in technology to help people do their jobs effectively.
41

The Philippines
As a service industries hub, The Philippines performed well in various aspects of
our survey.
Management falls short when it comes to running business effectively. Too many
people see a lack of strategy as a problem, whilst substantial numbers say they are
under-resourced. The high number of people who say their organisation does not
always follow a well-defined strategy should ring alarm bells, as this inevitably
contributes to failures in other aspects of business.
56%
say their organisation strongly values
diversity and individual contribution
(signiﬁcantly above average)
say that a generous budget is
allocated to technology. However, the
budget could be spent more appropriately
(see below)
36%
42

 79% say management lack sufficient knowledge of technology
 91% say their organisation does not adequately use to technology to benefit customers
The Human Touch
 56% say their organisation promotes diversity and values the individual
 75% say they want more productive manager-to-workforce communications
Strategy
 82% say their organisations does not always follow a well-defined strategy
 53% say they have no influence on strategy at all
Productivity
 43% say management are too slow or often fail to respond to inefficiencies
 64% say they are not given time and resources to work productively, or need more of both
Key Actions
 Based on our survey, however, management in The Philippines should take immediate steps to
improve productivity.
 It is a concern that many people believe management are too slow or fail to respond to sudden
changes. A very dedicated younger generation is being frustrated by those who hold legacy
leadership positions and rule by very hierarchical approach. Management are not dynamic
enough to change the game and, in many cases, do not value up-the-line suggestions.
 Agility is also a key roadblock for The Philippines, so those at the top should improve flexibility
and encourage lean management.
 Finally, the lack of well-defined strategies also needs to be addressed, perhaps by inviting more
ideas from employees and improving management-to-workforce communications.
43

Singapore
As one of the giants in the services market, Singapore performed well across all
areas of our survey. For example:
However, productivity and strategy issues abound, and it is clear that management in
Singapore have much to do in order to remain competitive.
37%
say their management is very strong, agile
and ﬂexible
of respondents say that knowledge and
awareness of technology is high
amongst management39%
44

 74% say that not enough budget for technology is allocated
 72% say that management needs to do more to promote technology that creates a
competitive advantage
Whilst nearly 40% say management have a strong awareness of technology, managers seem to
lack the desire or skills to implement it successfully into their own organisations. Technology know-
how is probably driven by social use, so there are opportunities in Singapore to bring this into the
workplace with tools that fuel collaboration, efficient communication and peer connectivity, as well
as promote better customer engagement. Organisations therefore must have a strategy to
implement technology, both internally and externally, for maximum advantage.
The Human Touch
 67% say that communications are unclear or could be improved
 77% say management could do more to support communications technology that enables
collaboration.
This reinforces the assertion that appropriate technology is in place but there needs to be a strategy
to use it effectively, which would have an enormously positive impact on productivity.
Strategy
 40% say they have no influence on strategy at all
 39% say there is a top-down approach from management
Senior management across Singapore appear not to be ready to take on the world’s disruptors. Too
many respondents say they have little awareness of or influence on company strategy, which affects
productivity and creates too many barriers to progress.
Productivity
 67% say they don’t have enough time or resources to work productively
 76% say their managers are not close enough to operations and, in some cases, very
distant
Productivity in Singapore is usually a management issue, and could be drastically improved by
removing barriers to progress, such as layers of hierarchy, opportunities for conflict, too much red
tape, etc. With greater line and senior management support, workers will be able to perform much
more successfully.
45

Key Actions
 Responses from our survey highlight significant strengths in terms of leader and manager
readiness, so there is much to build on. However, there are gaps around productivity, strategy
and open communication which need to be addressed.
 To make progress, leaders and managers in Singapore should move away from the top-down
approach to management and involve people more at other levels of the organisation.
Empowering your people enables them to take ownership of the work they do and boosts
results.
 Management should take steps to improve communications, both externally and internally, using
technology where appropriate.
 Employees should be given appropriate time and resources to work productively, as too many
people feel they lack this at present.
46

Thailand
A world leader in hospitality and manufacturing, Thailand showed some strengths
in our survey:
There were also substantial weaknesses, not least in the areas of strategy and
investment in technology. Management responses to change and inefficiencies are
also a worry and need to be addressed.
35%
say their organisation strongly
values diversity and individual
contribution
say that management communication
is frequent and constructive (4%
above average in our survey), although the
quality of communication in other areas is
a concern
32%
47

 42% say their managers have very little understanding of technology
 51% say too little budget is invested in new technology
The Human Touch
 79% say there is a need to make external communications clearer and more engaging
 86% say that management does not promote the use of collaborative tools enough
Strategy
 54% say their organisation does not follow a well-defined strategy
 47% say that management struggle to adapt to sudden changes
Productivity
 78% say management are generally too slow to respond to inefficiencies
 42% say they are not overburdened with emails or phone calls
Key Actions
 However, management in Thailand should address the lack of investment in technology. The
country has plentiful resources here, particularly in the cities, so more can be done to modernise
systems and processes.
 Secondly, it is a concern that so many people feel their companies do not follow a well-defined
strategy. This shows a need for more strategic thinking and initiatives to modernise; pulling away
from old-fashioned ways of doing business.
 Finally, management should incorporate procedures to efficiently deal with change and problem
areas. Good use of technology to analyse Big Data and communicate with staff will help
enormously.
48

Get ready to deal with disruption!
Leaders and managers across the Asia Pacific must do more to adapt to changes caused by the
disrupters in their market. This is clear from our survey results.
Each country has its own prevalent strengths and weaknesses, but thankfully it’s not too late to
overcome today’s challenges and remain competitive now and for tomorrow.
We hope you found inspiration within these pages, and wish you luck in surviving – and growing –
in the age of disruption.
Further guidance
We regularly publish resources to help inspire change and innovation. Here are a few links you
may be interested in:
A match made in recruitment heaven – how one company is disrupting the recruitment market.
Link: http://www.cegos.com.sg/insights/match-made-recruitment-heaven/
Challenging the establishment in the age of disruption – an interview with Steen Puggaard,
CEO of 4 Fingers Crispy Chicken. Link: http://www.cegos.com.sg/insights/challenging-
establishment-age-disruption/
Are your leaders ready for changes in a turbulent economy? – some advice on dealing with
uncertainty. Link: http://www.cegos.com.sg/insights/leaders-ready-challenges-turbulent-
uncertain-economy/
You can also download our free white paper on 5 drivers for essential success in the 2020s
workplace. Link: http://www.cegos.com.sg/research-papers/5-drivers-essential-success-2020s-
workplace/
To further support your leaders and managers in the age of disruption, you can pick up some
great tips and advice from our free download – Learning Innovation Handbook - inspired by best
practices across the globe.
Cegos is a global training company that helps organisations transform their people. We work with
professionals at all levels to keep them up-to-date with the latest technology innovations, best
practice and soft skills.
If you would like to talk to us about how we can help your organisations, contact us at
learn@cegos.sg or call (+65) 6827 5632
49

About the author : Jeremy Blain
Jeremy Blain is a Business Leader, Futurist, New Era Learning
Professional, Author & Conference Speaker.
Jeremy is a Managing Partner at Cegos Group, one of the world’s
leading professional skills training organisations, with his key role being
Regional Managing Director for Cegos Asia Pacific. www.cegos.com.sg
Jeremy is a Fellow of The Institute of Directors UK (FIoD), holds a
Masters of Management in International Business from the Australian
Institute of Business and a BA (hons) from Sheffield University (UK).
Jeremy has a wealth of International experience being previously responsible for Cegos’ strategy
for international expansion through a value adding Global Distribution Partners Network and before
that as Managing Director of Cegos U.K.
A commercially minded, award-winning L&D entrepreneur Jeremy has 16 years’ experience in the
industry as a managing director, partner, trainer, coach, author and program creator.
In previous roles at Procter and Gamble, PepsiCo and as Managing Partner of his own point-of-
sale software business, Jeremy’s roles have included marketing, sales, operations and general
management.
As one of Cegos’ senior executives, Jeremy is a frequent international conference speaker and
media commentator on topics related to the global L&D market. Themes include: the leadership
and management challenges for global organisations as they head to the next workplace shift in
the 2020s, the integration of emerging and informal learning technologies; the importance of
performance measurement and proving ROI; developing ‘core’ commercial skills to achieve
competitive business advantage; and more.
As a result of his work in the transformation of learning in the digital era, Jeremy has been
recognized by Stanford Who’s Who since 2013. In their words:
“Jeremy has consistently demonstrated the dedication, vision and skills required to be considered
among the best”
For more details, debate or discussion, you can find Jeremy on LinkedIn
http://sg.linkedin.com/in/jeremyblain and also on Twitter at http://twitter.com/learntheplanet
Jeremy has also published a series of white papers on issues relevant to L&D.
http://www.slideshare.net/JeremyBlain
50

About Cegos Group
Cegos, Europe’s largest training organisation, is one of the major
international players across the Asia Pacific region, based at its regional
HQ in Singapore, with operations in China and Hong Kong. A network of
region-wide partners ensures Cegos supports learning and development
anywhere, in any language, consistent with a truly “Think Global, Learn
Local” philosophy.
Cegos provides a multi-mode approach to training and development through delivery mechanisms
ranging from face-to-face to blended learning and eLearning. The content for all delivery methods
comes ready-made across a range of professional and personal development topics for managers
and their teams, which can be customised to suit a client’s environment or built to exacting
specifications.
The Cegos Group was founded in 1926 in France, and is one of the world leaders in professional
training for managers and their teams. We help develop over 250,000 managers internationally
each year, with a turnover of over 220 million Euros per annum.
Web: www.cegos.com.sg www.cegos.com www.elearning-cegos.com
51

Acknowledgements
Thanks to all those leaders and experts who have actively contributed to this paper through
attending our recent workshopping event and sharing session. Many of the actions and
suggestions come from you!
Name Company Job Title
Valerie Chow 360 marketing Consultant
Steen Puggaard 4 Fingers Crispy Chicken CEO
Amira Firdaus Academic Enhancement &
Leadership Development Center
(ADeC) University of Malaya
Head Unit for Leadership and Wellbeing
(LeadWell)
Lionel Crottaz Adecco Personnel Pte Ltd Director
Luis Angel Fernandez Jove Amadeus IT Group APAC Regional Controller
Monique Tugas ANZ Bank Consultant Learning Management
Natasha Prasad ANZ Bank Head of Capability Institutional Bank
Rashmi Patel ANZ Bank Manager - Engagement
Sue Parsons ANZ Bank Regional Learning Lead
Patrick Lai Arcc Offices Pte Ltd General Manager of Singapore
Peter TH Tay AviationLearn Pte Ltd Instructional Designer / Facilitator
Andrea Studlik AXA University Singapore Regional L&D Director & Campus Head
Katie Smith Barclays Vice President
Anwar Jumabhoy BCE Consulting
Andreas Schmidt Beekeeper Communication CEO / Founder
Vincent Maillard Blonk Group CEO
Lynn Tan Blonk Group Co-Founder
Kevin Cottam Cegos Asia Pacific Senior Associate Consultant
Salome Charlotte Mathilde
Lewis
CGG Services HR Specialist
Nur Alyssa Asyura Sulaiman Charles & Keith Singapore Pte Ltd Senior Learning & Development Associate
Qiu-Yu Gladys Tan Charles & Keith Singapore Pte Ltd Learning & Development Manager
Melissa Ang Daimler South East Asia Pte. Ltd. HR Manager
Jean Lee Daimler South East Asia Pte. Ltd. HR Manager
Kenneth Teo Dairy Farm Singapore L&D Manager
Josephine Cheong Dairy Farm Singapore L&D Manager
Victor Tng Dairy Farm Singapore Head Learning & Development
Eveline Noya Essilor VP Talent & Executive Career Management
Wendy Lim Essilor AMERA Pte Ltd Sales Force Effectiveness Director
Thomas Martin Essilor AMERA Pte Ltd SFE Director
Philippe Bonnet Essilor International Vice President Global Learning & Leadership
Development
52

Lisa Meng Euro Group Regional head of Learning and
Organization Development
Lina Baechtiger European Chamber of Commerce
Singapore
Executive Director
Rudi Doku Experian Lead Learning & Development
Vandana Purswani FIS APAC Talent Lead
Goh Cheh Ngee Fortnum Pte Ltd Director
Irene Carbonell Freelance HR - L&D Consultant
Dan Valentine Global Lingo Senior Director of Business Development
Ling CHONG Global Navigation Solutions Interim Head Human Resources
Chris Dubois Globesoft Services Pte Ltd. Senior Consultant
Dennis Yap Great Eastern Life AVP Learning & Development
Domenica Decrea HRM Asia Senior Conference Manager
Joanna Bush HRM Asia Executive General Manager
Evon Yew Human Resources Magazine Regional Producer
Ruel Dalangin IESE Business School Director Corporate Relations
Anjaney Borwankar IESE Business School Regional Director
Winter Nie IMD Regional Director of SEA and Oceania
Michael Lim Independent Consultant Executive Coach/Change Advocate
Mabel Goh Infosys Consulting HR Operations and L&D Lead
Victor Alexiev Innovator.sg CEO
Jerome Barthe International SOS GM, Talent Management Medical Services
Bruna Fontes International SOS Talent Management Specialist, Medical
Services
Benoit De Monspey International SOS Group Senior Manager, Major Projects
Joel Leong Jabil Director, Talent Management
Linda Tan Jabil Snr Director, Talent Management
Norbert Modla JF Hillebrand Group Group Head of Human Resources
Thecla Teo John Wiley & Sons Marketing DIrector
Tery Chua JP Academy Head of Jurong Port Academy
Stanley Tham JP Academy Manager
Jamie Ng Keppel FELS HRD Executive
Kerk Welin Keppel Telecommunications &
Transportation Ltd
HR Manager
Oxana Martynova KPMG Singapore L&D Associate Director
Peggy Pang KPMG Singapore Associate Director, Education
Sarah Teo KPMG Singapore Director, L&D
Siew Ping Lim KPMG Singapore Associate Director
Anjali Bhandari Leadershift Inc Lead-Marketing and Social Outreach
Dr. Tanvi Gautam Leadershift Inc Founder
53

Shah Roslan LEC Worldwide Creative Director
YH Wu LKY School ED
Makarand Tare McCann Worldgroup (Singapore) Pte Ltd Chief Talent Officer â¬“ Asia Pacific
Oscar Cerezales MCI COO
Mohd Bismillah Mediacorp Pte Ltd Talent Development Specialist
Benjamin Festin Mediacorp Pte Ltd Asst Lead Talent Devt & Culture
Valerie Pang Mediacorp Pte Ltd HR Operations Advisor
Michelle Yeo Fang Min Mediacorp Pte Ltd Talent Development Associate
Dawn Tan Mediacorp Pte Ltd Presenter and Senior Producer
Bernard Lim MOHH
Director Leadership & Organisational
Development
Kok Whye Koh Monetary Authority of Singapore Training
Teo Amy National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre Director Corporate Development
Clara Chua NTUC LearningHub Pte Ltd Principal Consultant
Kwek Kok Kwong NTUC LearningHub Pte Ltd CEO
Li Quin Ho People Psyence Sdn Bhd Senior Consultant
Evelyn Chue People Psyence Sdn Bhd Managing Director
Dick Cercado POWERinU Training & Coaching LLP Director
Elaine Cercado POWERinU Training & Coaching LLP Managing Director
Christine MacKenzie RBS Head of HR APAC
Salvador Alarcon Alacio Repsol Trading Singapore Pte Ltd Director Head Of Business Development
Christine Douant SCOR Workforce Talent specialist
Brigitte Deden
Skippingstones Business & Leadership
Coaching Executive Coach
Jensen Siaw SPEAK For Life Managing Director
Ander Zozaya SPRI Singapore Director
Ng Wai Peng Jamie ST Electronics Centre Head
Chia Yeou Cheong Straits Construction Singapore Pte Ltd
Senior manager Head of Department
Training & Development
Juan Oliva Bosch Tai Kuang Hang Finance Director
Arun Kumar Reddy CH
TATA Consultancy Services Asia Pacific
Pte Ltd
Resource Management Group Head -
APAC
Dr Linda Fang Temasek Polytechnic Senior Lecturer
Kok Tong (K.T.) Khoo Tinkertanker Pte Ltd Business Development
Alex Lim Ubisoft Singapore Pte Ltd Talent Acquisition Manager
Cammy Goh Ubisoft Singapore Pte Ltd Senior HR Advisor
Nani Mulet VCT Group of Wineries Regional Marketing Manager GB
Sandra Quelle Vitae Advisor Happy Strategist
Vivien Koh VK Transformation Managing Director
Cynthia Mak Wiley Director Marketing & Partnerships
54

www.cegos.com.sg
The Largest Training and Development Organisation in Europe has its Regional HQ right here
in Singapore with a network across Asia Pacific including a fully owned 15-year old business in
China
Personal and Professional Development for Managers and Teams
Multi-mode approach allowing delivery through Face-to-Face means, Blended Learning and a
Comprehensive Suite of content rich eLearning Solutions
Content can be accessed ready-made, is flexible to customise or can be 100% tailor-made for
specific client projects
Cegos.com.sg
Management & Leadership
Interpersonal Excellence
Sales, Service and Account
Management
Purchasing
Marketing
Negotiation
Finance
Human Resources
Project Management
Contact us: learn@cegos.com.sg |
Learning and Development for
the Age of Disruption

GetSmart
A Cegos Digital Initiative
for Performance Support
GetSmart is the latest initiative designed by Cegos to help organisations
boost their learning and development performance in the digital learning
era. GetSmart allows your managers and teams to connect, learn, be
motivated and engaged on the go.
GetSmart Features
Connect
Wall: Works as a corporate social network.
The company can share information with
different types of audiences. Allows
comments and likes.
Chat: Facilitates users to have 1 on 1 or
group chats for community learning.
Contacts: Bringing your users closer
together is as easy as looking someone up
on an internal directory and reaching out
easily to connect.
Learn
Microlearning: Leverages existing digital
content or adds new multimedia content to
create bite-sized learning.
Coaching: Establishes a digital
documentation channel for coaching
sessions between coach and coachee.
Motivate
Recognition badges and Rewards
Points (This feature is not available in
the demo).
Insights
Analytics to track and compile data.
learn@cegos.com.sgContact us: +65 6827 9751
We build and design to your organisation’s requirements.
GetSmart can be renamed to your preference.
www.cegos.com.sg/getsmart

Copyright © Cegos Asia Pacific, 2017-18.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or
transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical,
including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and
retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
Requests for permission to make copies of any part of the work
should be emailed to: learn@cegos.com.sg
Cegos Asia Pacific presents the material in this report for
informational and future planning purposes only.
58

Cegos Asia Paciﬁc Pte Ltd
www.cegos.com.sg | www.cegos.com.cn | www.elearning-cegos.com
152 Beach Road, Gateway East, Level 28, Singapore 189721
+65 6827 5632 learn@cegos.com.sg www.facebook.com/cegosapac

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