Saturday December 10, 2016
Siaw Mei Li
We are approaching the end of a turbulent and often shocking year in world politics. In the wake of the United Kingdom’s Brexit vote and the election of Donald J. Trump as the next president of the United States, anti-immigrant movements are gaining traction, buoyed by increasingly outspoken and right-leaning electorates.
Over in the Middle East and Europe, the refugee crisis continues to weigh on surrounding countries that have struggled for years now to cope, both socially and economically, with the massive influx of humanity rendered homeless by war and sectarian violence.
Closer to home, South-East Asia grapples with the ethics of how drug use and trafficking are being tackled under president Rodrigo Duterte in the Philippines. We are also witnessing renewed public debate over the plight of the Rohingya people, who for years have faced statelessness all across the region after fleeing systemic persecution in their western Myanmar homeland.
Whether it’s women, black Americans, immigrants, drug users or any minority group that is being oppressed, we all stand to lose when another human being’s rights are not upheld. Our planet’s current geological epoch is referred to as the Anthropocene, denoting a period in which human activity is the dominant influence on the earth’s conditions and its long-term livability. Building a sustainable world for future generations amid a burgeoning global population will require the best of our collective talent, energy and complementary strengths. It therefore behooves every one of us to help our fellow men and women towards self-sufficiency and self-actualisation.
In conjunction with Human Rights Day, the Leaderonomics editorial team has compiled a range of thought-provoking articles that approach the challenge of affirming human rights and potential from a variety of different perspectives.
First, we have Brendan McDonald sharing his career journey as an international aid worker and the tips that helped him find fulfilment in his career. Most of his advice is equally useful for those wanting to make a difference in any cause-driven endeavour.
Getting to the heart of this issue, Lim Ka Ea writes from her years of legal experience and human rights activism to remind us, simply, that one does not necessarily have to choose a career path like hers to be a champion for human rights.
Our industry highlight this week is on Telecontinent, a business processes outsourcing company that is helping Generation Z develop rewarding career paths in the unlikely environment of a call centre. Jack Chua tells us how.
Gunaseelan Kannan offers insights on dodging the factors that commonly cause SMEs to fail, and on how to build sustainability in this sector that provides close to half the employment in our country. Joanne Love offers further insights on how to take a business further by developing its people and having stay to help the company grow. If you’re looking for more food for thought on upskilling your team, check out Sandy Clarke’s article on talent acceleration and retaining the millennials in your team.
On the flip side, read about how millennials are not only employees but also creative and conscientious job creators today. Join Tamara Jayne as she visits two refugee families in Malaysia and finds out how they are rebuilding their lives through meaningful – and tasty! – employment with the Picha Project.
Last but not least, enjoy Denis Waitley’s thought-provoking musings on failure and success, and how achieving true quality of life lies not in how much we have but how much we share out of what we have. On that note, we’ll close by wishing you a great read and a happy Human Rights Day.
Siaw Mei Li
Leaderonomics Editorial Team
