Why I Do What I Do: My Journey

This was the response from my then 12-year-old when I shared with him that I would be joining Leaderonomics.

He was excited because he had had good experiences throughout the few years of participating in Leaderonomics’ annual children’s camp.

This spontaneous, heartening reaction also served as an immediate confirmation that I had made the right decision dedicating myself in helping to further Leaderonomics’ vision of leadership development in individuals and communities across all segments, while playing a part in contributing to Malaysia’s transformation.  

Why work for Leaderonomics?

Being a unique social enterprise, it traverses across society, reaching those as young as eight to teenagers and working adults, and sometimes, community volunteers too.

From individuals seeking growth, to employees, talent pools, senior management, and organisational development; from fun teambuilding to structured learning modules, experiential journeys, simulations, talent assessments, employer branding, strategic retreats, consulting, and leadership sharing; from print to digital, to in-person interventions; its rich tapestry of reach is vast.  

What else can one ask for in terms of the diversity of possibilities and space to explore, learn, contribute, and make a difference?

These different intersections and outreaches also mean that we have different types of team members who passionately serve specific client needs and market segments.  

Leaderonomics = fun

Life is really interesting at Leaderonomics. There’s no such thing as a typical day in the office.

In a single day, you could have the CEO of an international bank having a video shoot in our open office space, and an impromptu yellow balloon decoration contest with someone giving out the cupcakes she baked as the prize.

There’s an in-house coffee barista with free coffee education (and coffee!). You get to go offsite with clients, and there are even teams who have scaled Mount Kinabalu with clients!

You get to start a Leaderonomics Club in an international school; carry out youth leadership programmes, digital simulations, and coaching with corporate clients; and work with the editorial team (they even churn out Leader’s Digest in Bahasa Malaysia!).

We’ve had fun and whimsical moments: some play their cellos, while others start to rap. And yet, there is the serious side of things: meetings to discuss how to create and execute character and skills-building workshops – all of which happen under the same roof, at the same time.

The inspirations are never-ending because the team believes in how we are impacting lives and building leaders, and that happens both inside and outside of the physical office. Thus, it is gratifying that while we work hard to give excellence in all we do, we also receive just as much from others.

The opportunities are endless

There are also countless opportunities available to each Leaderonomer, as long as they step up to take the challenge.

For example, getting a by-line for an article in the newspaper, having the opportunity to speak on national radio, or to be the talk show host for VIPs in our very own video productions.

You could be a panellist or speaker for different occasions if you’re brave enough, or given the honour to represent the company in receiving awards at black-tie events.

You could teach fellow colleagues life skills during Learning Fridays, or work with refugee teenagers in camps – these are only a few of the opportunities given to many Leaderonomers in the past ten years.

The growth mindset and learning-organisation approach have been ingrained as part of the culture, and Leaderonomics provides the platforms to which one can flourish.

Leaderonomics wants to enable everyone to lead themselves, lead others, and also contribute to leading the organisation.

I have been very fortunate to be able to take up some of these challenges, and continually develop myself and others. The daily challenges turn to daily excitement when there is growth and learning.    

Reflecting back…

So, when the day ends, and my son asks me, “How was your day, Mummy?” I am always pleased to be able to say that it has been an interesting day.

And yes, though I am tired from the craziness of the day, I am also happy because I know that my day has been well-spent in contributing to making a difference to others, as well as continuing to learn and grow.

What else would be a measurement as to why I choose to be in Leaderonomics, when that is the answer I give almost every day to both my boys?

Similarly, I also hope that they will grow up seeing this as a norm in their careers, energised to share themselves with others.

To my fellow Leaderonomers, thank you for being a part of this journey with me.

Let us continue to grow through this together, sharing and growing with all the passion and possibilities within us. And yes, with all the fun, smiles, and laughter too!

And for all who are reading this article, I hope you will journey with us in making this difference – for yourself, others, and for the country.

Caroline Ong has more than 20 years of experience in people-centric engagements, with her most recent 10 years in management consulting; specialising in human capital consulting, and her founding years in sales and marketing, mainly in electronics manufacturing and IT-related industries. She is currently the director of client engagement in Leaderonomics, where she continues to diagnose, design, and facilitate leadership and human capital interventions.