Eleven graduates have completed this year’s Emerging Leaders Programme (ELP) run by the Singapore National Co-operative Federation (SNCF).
In its second edition, ELP is an annual flagship capability-building programme for prospective co-operative employees, members and management committee representatives. This year’s ELP saw eight co-operatives come on board.
“Developing the leadership pipeline within the Singapore co-operative movement has been something on our minds for a while,” said Shareef Abdul Jaafar, second deputy chair of SNCF’s executive council and one of the masterminds behind ELP. “ELP is meant to help these prospective leaders upgrade themselves so that they can better empower their members and team.”
Twenty-two emerging leaders have graduated from the programme since it was established last year. SNCF wishes to nurture 100 emerging leaders in the next few years.
From overseas networking to informal mentoring, and more
The emerging leaders were nominated by their respective co-operatives to be part of the transformative experience.
Between March and July, they received mentoring from industry leaders and were given assignments to acquire new competencies to develop their capabilities and meet fellow co-operators to expand their network within the Singapore co-op movement.
The graduates began their journey at a short overseas leadership bootcamp in Batam, Indonesia, with a series of training sessions developed by SNCF and an institute of higher learning Republic Polytechnic (RP).
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At the boot camp, they heard from SNCF EXCO member Raen Lim, the group vice president of San Fransisco-based technology firm Splunk Inc. And in May this year, the group heard from the nation’s former manpower minister, Lim Swee Say, on how good leadership development is key to the growth of co-operatives.
In November, these emerging leaders head for Penang, Malaysia, where they will network with leaders and management teams of various co-operatives at SNCF’s Annual Co-operative Leaders’ Conference.
Three unique proposals
As part of their training, the emerging leaders had to devise a solution for a real-world problem they or their co-operative may face. They were split into different groups to pool their expertise and brainstorm solutions. Afterwards, they presented their proposals to a panel comprising educational professionals and representatives from SNCF.
For instance, one group wanted to improve the visibility and demand of its co-operative’s house brand products. Putting the problem-definition template into practice, the members undertook competitor analysis and market surveys to contextualise the problem before coming up with a re-branding exercise to improve the look of the suite of products and to emphasise that house brand products are of quality too.
In another, retired police officers became the group’s intended target audience to generate impact. This group wanted to enhance awareness of benefits retired officers can enjoy. Keeping sustainability in mind, the group suggested an e-book detailing perks offered by the co-operative, including its signature pre-retirement or career-transitioning support; it also suggest distribution channels for this information. This is on top of the existing marketing outreach.
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The last group wanted to resolve the perennial problem faced by many co-operatives: attracting and retaining young employees. Having tapped into research by the youth wing of the National Trades Union Congress, they identified what gen Z and young millennials look for in a job, and where they find information. The group’s proposal is a two-parter that includes up-to-date digital processes within the co-op and leveraging podcasts to shout about the perks of working within a co-operative.
What do some of the emerging leaders have to say?
Having heard good things from the programme alumni and fellow colleague Ang Beng Wee, who participated in last year’s inaugural ELP, Wendy Kirsten Yoong of Singapore Prison Service Multi-Purpose Co-operative Society joined this year’s ELP excited and eager to learn.
“As leaders, we need to have empathy to understand our team’s or members’ needs and the differing perspectives,” she said on the skills a leader needs. “Learning to step into the shoes of others helps us make better decisions and judgments.”
On ELP, she added: “I enjoyed learning from my peers, all of whom are leaders in their own rights in the different co-ops. The programme has given me so many ways to practise, whether it is through SWOT analysis or SCAMPER tool, and improve these skills.”
Farhana Binte Nordin of AUPE Credit Co-operative has learnt to identify her leadership style. “I am someone who wants to lift the team up. I want my team and I to grow collectively,” she said on how she leads. “I get to interact with leaders with different leadership styles at ELP and that is eye-opening.”
“We made some good friends in the last couple of months. It is very inspiring to hear their stories and how they work in their individual co-operatives,” said Kharthick Gangatharan of TCC Credit Co-operative. He found the problem-solving techniques he picked up from ELP most helpful when solving problems.
He added: “I came with an open mind and the topics and models I’ve learned here have definitely met my expectations. I’m excited to bring these insights back to my team and become a better leader.”
The 11 emerging leaders are:
1. Lim Shao Juan (AUPE General Services Co-operative)
2. Farhana Binte Nordin (AUPE Credit Co-operative)
3. Patricia Yoe (NTUC Enterprise Nexus Co-operative)
4. Goh Ying Qiu (NTUC FairPrice Co-operative)
5. Low Lihui (NTUC Foodfare Co-operative)
6. Choo Min Hui (NTUC FairPrice Co-operative)
7. Karuna Kemmu (NTUC FairPrice Co-operative’s Grocery Logistics of Singapore)
8. Rachel Chia Siew Wen (POLWEL Co-operative)
9. Lee Hwee Yan Serene (Seacare Co-operative)
10. Wendy Kirsten Yoong Yuet Shin (Singapore Prison Service Multi-Purpose Co-operative Society)
11. Kharthick Gangatharan (TCC Credit Co-operative)
