As I read Tasha’s article, I couldn’t help but ponder about the diversity landscape in Singapore. Elections having just ended last weekend, it is inevitable that my starting point would be Singapore’s governing leadership.

 

Based on a cursory run-through of our ministers and MPs, diversity is certainly accounted for. The GRC system has ensured that the minority ethnic groups are represented by an MP. The General Election (GE) this year saw 22 female MPs sworn into Parliament, constituting almost 26% of total seats. This GE not only witnessed increased representation from Generation Y, but also voted in a 27-year old – the youngest MP we have seen yet. So, with regards to diversity: Race? Check. Gender? Check. Religion? Check. Age? Check.

 

However... (Yes, you felt the ‘but’ coming.)
My cynical side cannot help but wonder: to what extent is this accountability for diversity a mere obligation? How deep does this on-the-surface diversity go? Are thoughts and perspectives truly diverse to represent the multi-faceted voices of this country?

 

Let’s wear the same questioning goggles and look within our organizations. Are managers and directors representative of staff? Do they intercede for your well-being and welfare? Or is everyone caught up in the KPI game? As Tasha aptly and succinctly put it, “leaders set the tone”. Not that being results-driven should be thrown out the window, but what Tasha and I personally believe in is that, the heartware of the organization should not be made secondary in importance and priority. The perspective that heartware issues are deadweight for an organization’s performance and success is a terrible, modern-age fallacy.

 

If your organization has been successful on only pushing KPIs and focusing on results so far, imagine how all the more rewarding and powerful it will be if your leaders invested as much resources and energy on cultivating the heart side of the organization. Diverse representation in leadership can be one starting point in developing the heartware.

 

As a government, Singapore is certainly taking maiden steps forward, albeit baby steps, with an increased opposition party presence in Parliament. Perhaps, this is the right time to reflect and critically examine the leadership situation in our own organizations.

Yasmin Ramle is a Gen Y employee with Arrows With Soul and is an avid supporter of Voices of Gen Y. She is psyched to be writing alongside global and creative Gen Y minds like Tasha. For comments and enquiries, email Yasmin at yasmine@arrowswithsoul.com.
 


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