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- Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
- Kategorie: Fachliteratur
- Sprache: Englisch
A new and inspiring take on leadership from a recognized expert
In The Leadership Route: How Different Approaches to Management Can Shape a Leader, Alex Cummins—one of Malaysia's top business trainers—delivers a practical and eye-opening guide to leadership that takes a close look at both “traditional” and “evolved” styles of leadership, including what sets them apart and the benefits that flow from adopting an evolved approach to leading others.
From developing a new and resilient mindset to creating a workspace of psychological safety, the author walks you through how to design and implement a workplace environment that your followers truly want to work in. You'll also find:
- Strategies for directing others, delegating responsibility, and motivating your followers to reach their full potential
- Ways to have difficult conversations in a way that directly addresses points of conflict without being adversarial
- Techniques for role modelling the behaviour you hope to see in your employees
Perfect for new, aspiring, and seasoned managers seeking to navigate contemporary workplaces and lead effectively in all sorts of environments, The Leadership Route is a must-read guide for working professionals at every level of the corporate hierarchy.
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Seitenzahl: 274
Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2025
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Table of Contents
Cover
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright
Dedication
About the Author
Acknowledgments
Introducing Mango Bank
Introducing Kelly and Sofia
Kelly
Sofia
Introduction
BELIEFS
REFLECTION TASK: YOUR BELIEFS
It All Begins with Beliefs
A Tale of Two Managers – Theory X and Y
Theory Z
Theory Y and Lifting
The Power of Beliefs – Two Fables
Chapter Echo
Notes
SAFETY
REFLECTION TASK: MINDSET
Safety
SCARF
Growth
Chapter Echo
Notes
EMPOWERMENT
Empowerment
Horses for Courses
Chapter Echo
Note
DIRECTING
REFLECTION TASK: DIRECTING
Managers as Teachers
Two Teachers
The Competency Ladder
Climbing the Ladder
A Process for Directives
Sofia and Lucy
Bloom's Taxonomy
Chapter Echo
Notes
DELEGATING
REFLECTION TASK: DELEGATION
The Importance of Delegation
A Process Approach
Reluctance to Delegate
Theory Y and Delegation
Chapter Echo
Notes
MOTIVATING
REFLECTION TASK: MOTIVATING
The Need to Motivate
Feedback
Praise and Growth
Flow and Challenge
A Lesson from Spiders
The Power of Constructive Feedback
SCARF and Feedback
Chapter Echo
Notes
DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS
REFLECTION TASK: DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS
The Necessity of Difficult Conversations
The Fear of Difficult Conversations
Assertiveness
Assertive Communication
Assertiveness and Culture
The Assertive Difficult Conversation
Using a Process Approach
Sofia and Ganesh
Incorporating SCARF
The Leadership Route: An Optimistic View
Chapter Echo
Notes
COACHING
REFLECTION TASK: COACHING
Coaching: The Fifth Element
Evaluating the Two Approaches
Example Conversations
Non-Directive Coaching and Theory X
Non-Directive Coaching and Lifting
Starting a Coaching Relationship
The Importance of Trust
Rapport without Friendship
The GROW Model
Non-Directive Coaching and Therapy
Common New Coach Errors
Chapter Echo
Notes
INFLUENCE
REFLECTION TASK: INFLUENCE
The Need for Influence
Influence and Power
Sofia's Story of Change
A Manager's Story Toolkit
Real vs Fictional Stories
The Story of Stories
Chapter Echo
Notes
THINKING BIG
REFLECTION TASK: BIG-PICTURE THINKING CHECKER FOR MANAGERS
The Big Picture
Chapter Echo
Notes
ROLE MODELLING
The Power of Role Modelling
Role Modelling Sofia
Effective Managers Role-Model Checklist
Note
Epilogue
Kelly
Sofia
Self-Checkers Reference
End User License Agreement
List of Illustrations
Chapter 1
Figure 1: Theory X and Y beliefs
Figure 2: Long-term impact of Theory X and Y
Figure 3: Maslow, Herzberg and Theory X and Y
Chapter 3
Figure 4: Motivation vs skill
Chapter 4
Figure 5: The competency ladder
Figure 6: Directives Process Flow
Figure 7: Bloom's Taxonomy
Chapter 5
Figure 8: Delegation process
Chapter 7
Figure 9: The CEDAR conversation framework
Guide
Cover
Title Page
Copyright
Dedication
About the Author
Acknowledgments
Introducing Mango Bank
Introducing Kelly and Sofia
Introduction
Table of Contents
Begin Reading
Epilogue
End User License Agreement
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THE LEADERSHIP ROUTE
HOW DIFFERENT APPROACHES TO MANAGEMENT CAN SHAPE A LEADER
ALEX CUMMINS
This edition first published 2025.© 2025 by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
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While the publisher and authors have used their best efforts in preparing this work, they make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this work and specifically disclaim all warranties, including without limitation any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales representatives, written sales materials or promotional statements for this work. This work is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering professional services. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation. You should consult with a specialist where appropriate. The fact that an organization, website, or product is referred to in this work as a citation and/or potential source of further information does not mean that the publisher and authors endorse the information or services the organization, website, or product may provide or recommendations it may make. Further, readers should be aware that websites listed in this work may have changed or disappeared between when this work was written and when it is read. Neither the publisher nor authors shall be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is Available:
ISBN 9781394325238 (Cloth)ISBN 9781394325450 (ePub)ISBN 9781394325467 (ePDF)
Cover Design: WileyCover Image: © MicroStockHub/Getty ImagesAuthor Photo: Courtesy of Alex Cummins
FOR MUM AND DAD, WHO NEVER STOPPED BELIEVING IN ME.
About the Author
Alex Cummins was born in 1980 in Essex to a Malaysian mother and a Scottish father. From an early age, he was excited by this cross-cultural identity and developed a fascination for language and culture. He went on to study a Major in Thai literature at the University of London. After graduating, Alex realised that his passion was learning about people and helping them succeed.
His journey in education has led him all over Asia, culminating in the founding of Mango Training and Consultancy in Malaysia in 2011.
Alex has trained and coached managers and leaders from many different industries including banking and finance to government-linked organisations all over the world. The Leadership Route draws on hundreds of hours of coaching, training and informal discussions with people from all sectors and levels in some of the biggest global organisations.
Acknowledgments
There are many people who I would like to thank for the conversations, debates and downloads that helped me put this book together. First, thank you to my team at Mango who have helped lift others all over the world and continue to do so. A huge thanks to all the clients who believed and continue to believe in Mango. Thank you to the inspirational leaders whose conversations have helped me grow, like Datuk Kelvin Tan, Eric Lee, Charles Bhatana and Baskaran Batamalai. Thank you to Neil Sandilands who showed me the power of reinvention and a growth mindset as well as true friendship. A massive thanks to Toby Merlot who picked me up when I was down. Finally, a huge thank you to my wife and son who let me work when I should have been playing.
Introducing Mango Bank
Mango Bank Tower stands in the heart of Singapore's financial district, its 58 floors paying tribute to the organisation's global business success and stability. The Bank is famous for its bright orange logo and quirky branding that have made it synonymous with modernity and tech savviness. Behind the scenes, Mango Bank is going through periods of immense change. Restructuring and automation have helped cultivate not only a sense of excitement but also trepidation about the bank's future.
Mango Bank's footprints stretch far beyond Singapore and its offices from Oslo to Osaka work through a vast interconnected network to supply financial services across the world. Headquartered in Singapore, Mango Bank Tower is where the strategic direction for the bank is set and on its 58th floor, its enigmatic CEO Rupert Wong, endlessly squeezed by his shareholders, looks out into the Singapore horizon. His serene expression belies the uncertainty he feels as Mango Bank stands at the crossroads of tradition and modernity.
Below him, the office is abuzz with activity. Powerful executives in tailored suits rub shoulders with younger tech whizz kids in smart casual attire. Conversations are a mixture of financial jargon and speculation about the Bank's next big move. On one floor, a group of IT managers gather around a huge screen discussing an AI interphase that promises to bring the Bank even closer to its customers. On another floor, senior leaders are plotting a complex matrix of nodes and links that resemble a drunken spider’s web across a training room's vinyl walls. Meanwhile, further down, operational employees sit quietly, intently focused on checking documents punctuated only by the occasional sip of dark coffee.
The walls of Mango Bank are adorned with bright posters sharing the Bank's values and championing the behaviours of risk-taking and customer centricity. Staff wear bright lanyards that profess the Mango Bank slogan: Heritage at Heart, Progress in Mind. It is this balancing act of tradition and modernity that underlies the culture at Mango Bank. Many of its staff feel that the increased adoption of AI and automation are inevitable and fear the imminent changes. Others, more optimistic, feel that how Mango Bank balances this new efficiency with empathy, innovation and inclusivity will define its legacy in years to come.
From the 58th floor, Rupert Wong catches a glimpse of himself in the immaculate glass reflection. He thinks he looks older than usual. A thought crosses his mind … what will the bank's leaders of tomorrow be like?
Introducing Kelly and Sofia
In the corridors of Mango Bank, two exceptional women leaders have emerged with distinctly different approaches to leadership and management. Kelly and Sofia, both originally from Malaysia, have managed to climb through the ranks of Mango Bank and challenge the male-dominated hegemony of senior leadership. Their journeys share many parallels but diverge completely in philosophy and approach. Their successes are heralded in the bank as signs of the organisation's commitment to diversity and inclusion initiatives. Both managers get results, but only one of them takes the leadership route.
Kelly
Kelly's journey to the top at Mango Bank might resemble the climb up Malaysia's highest mountain: Mount Kinabalu. A steep ascent full of challenges and not for the faint hearted. Starting in the trenches of Mango Bank's most chaotic departments back in the early 2000s, Kelly quickly realised that chaos was really order waiting to be catalogued. Her early days at Mango Bank were a whirlwind of missing documents, missed deadlines and missed opportunities. Kelly sometimes felt like her office was a kind of corporate Bermuda Triangle where important documents could mysteriously vanish into thin air.
It was into this environment that Kelly's ironclad beliefs in structure and efficiency were formed. Slowly, Kelly was promoted for her in-depth knowledge of the processes and her attention to detail. If a pair of scissors in the office went missing, you could guarantee that Kelly would know where they were! Slowly, she transformed her department into a well-oiled machine that some would describe as part boot camp and part ballet – leaving little room for improvisation and even less room for error. Kelly's general lack of faith in the competence of her subordinates helped her to develop her mantra of ‘If you want something done right, do it yourself or stand close enough to ensure it's almost identical.’
Over time, Kelly's attention to detail became legendary. She was famous for her obsession with formatting documents and ensuring that the exact tone of corporate orange (Pantone 151 C, obviously) was used in presentation decks and slides. Famously, Kelly once ran a team-building away day in which her desired outcome from the event wasn't increased trust or empathy but ‘a solid understanding’ of the Bank's niche processes. Kelly's journey instilled in her the belief that control is not just a management style but a way of life. For Kelly, success was measured in spreadsheets and spontaneity was about as welcome as a porcupine in a balloon factory.
Sofia
Sofia manages her team at Mango Bank with the skills of a seasoned diplomat. Promoted through the ranks for her ability to connect and inspire, Sofia's journey has been equally as challenging as Kelly's. Through these challenges, Sofia learned to reflect and finetune her approach to different people and situations. Some junior staff even refer to Sofia's department as an oasis: a place where collaboration, innovation and even failure are not just tolerated but actively encouraged.
Imagine a workplace where brainstorming sessions and meetings are eagerly anticipated, and laughter often fills the air. Sofia has even been known to kick off meetings with bizarre icebreakers like ‘two truths and a lie’ about financial trends, or stories of famous Zoom meeting blunders. It's this touch of humour that makes even the most challenging targets feel like a shared adventure.
Under Sofia, autonomy and empowerment are not just management buzzwords – but the cornerstone of her leadership approach. Sofia believes in the potential of her team so much that she once delegated the annual strategic presentation to a group of junior team members. This risky decision helped to showcase that everyone in Sofia's ‘oasis’ had a voice. The fresh perspective that the junior team members shared also impressed the senior executives so much so that it set a new precedent for trust and inclusion within Mango Bank.
Introduction
Over the past 20 years, my work in learning and development has helped to form my beliefs about leadership and management. Starting my own company 13 years ago and navigating the challenges of building a team and culture with limited resources helped me to translate theory into practice. It certainly wasn't always smooth sailing. The Leadership Route is the distillation of those years of trial and error. It is based on the years of learning, failures and growth that have helped me move closer to what I strongly believe effective leadership is in these turbulent times. I have drawn from countless training sessions, coaching conversations, client meetings and even from experimentation with my own company. I hope you see this book as a stepping stone to becoming a more effective leader and manager. But it's not just that. I hope this book provides you with a chance to reflect on your own journey in life. Are you here to conquer or to uplift?
My journey in learning and development was driven by my own ‘shy extroversion’. A desire to step out of my comfort zone and to help others do the same. I realised that I was most happy when I was stretching myself and challenging fixed ideas of what I could achieve. It made sense that a career helping others to do the same would drive me: growing myself whilst growing others. Running my training company compounded these beliefs and I started to really understand the concept of engagement. It is a leader's ability to influence and inspire others to challenge themselves that retains talent. Managers and leaders are all about unlocking potential. You might be grinning cynically at this point thinking, you don't manage a team like mine! But bear with me ….
Engagement really is the ‘secret sauce’ or sambal behind effective organisational performance. It's the magic formula that all organisations are looking for. Engagement isn't just about satisfaction; it is about creating a culture where people feel inspired and connected to the mission. It reminds me of that famous janitor at NASA who told President Kennedy he was ‘helping put a man on the moon’ rather than cleaning floors. Furthermore, my journey has led me to the belief that everyone has potential. This often runs contrary to battle hardened managers who profess that certain individuals have ‘got what it takes’ and that some people are simply ‘beyond help’.
In The Leadership Route, I want to share with you how I shaped my beliefs. I will present ideas from classic management theory to more modern research based on neuroscience and behavioural and social psychology. This is not an academic book, but I do want to show you how my ideas are backed up by compelling theories and in many cases hard factual evidence.
This book is designed to make you see beyond the bottom line. It's all about helping people to feel safe, seen and motivated to grow. It centres on finding purpose in helping others to grow. Ultimately, I believe that you only live once, but your legacy can live forever.
As you read through this book, I encourage you to critically evaluate what you read. I also encourage you to reflect – at the start of each chapter I have included a reflection task that is designed to help you contemplate your current approach. You can then reflect on whether there has been any change in your approach at the end of the chapter by answering the guided reflection questions. My wish is that this book serves as a catalyst for growth, inspiration and positive change in your life.
Welcome to The Leadership Route. Let's explore the ideas in this book with an open mind and open heart. I hope that by the end of it, you are as convinced as I am that the leadership route for managers entails lifting others and in so doing uplifting ourselves.
Finally, this book is not a collection of factual stories from the corporate world. Instead, I will draw upon two women leaders, Kelly and Sofia, and their journeys through a fictitious institution: Mango Bank. The bank is a composite of the many organisations I have worked with both in the financial sector and other industries. Mango Bank, like many organisations, is navigating a time of immense change and uncertainty. As organisations and their people grapple with the profound changes that automation and AI are bringing, we will look to Kelly and Sofia to provide two entirely different approaches to managing in turbulent times. Through the lens of Mango Bank, we will examine strategies for fostering an inclusive culture, encouraging innovation and maintaining resilience. We will learn how choosing the 'leadership route' can overcome generational differences and help people feel connected to organisations in a time where people are arguably more disconnected than ever before. Ultimately, we will learn how different approaches to management can shape a leader.
BELIEFS
Treat a man as he is and he will remain as he is. Treat a man as he can and should be, and he will become as he can and should be.
—Stephen Covey
REFLECTION TASK: YOUR BELIEFS
Instructions: Rate each statement on a scale from Strongly Disagree (1) to Strongly Agree (5).
Statement
Strongly Disagree (1)
Disagree (2)
Neutral (3)
Agree (4)
Strongly Agree (5)
Most people will seek responsibility rather than avoid it if they are motivated properly.
People mainly work for money and security, and little else motivates them.
Most people have a high degree of imagination and creativity that can be used to solve organisational problems.
Without active intervention by management, work will not get done.
The satisfaction of doing a good job is a strong motivation for most people.
Most people inherently dislike work and will avoid it if they can.
People are capable of self-direction and self-control if they are committed to the objectives.
Most people need to be closely supervised and controlled with strict rules to ensure that they complete their tasks.
People become attached to and involved in their work if they feel their job is important and appreciated.
The average person prefers to be directed, wishes to avoid responsibility, has relatively little ambition and wants security above all.
Read the chapter before you check your answers on p. 259.
It All Begins with Beliefs
Beliefs are the invisible drivers that shape our reality and help drive our decision-making. They are inculcated from childhood and compounded by our experiences. Sometimes, our experiences serve to reinforce our beliefs or lead us to reevaluate things. For leaders and managers, our beliefs may stem from how we were managed ourselves. Perhaps how we were ‘managed’ by our parents. As these beliefs fossilise, they become our personal guiding principles. Over time, these same principles become the compasses that steer entire organisations, influence team dynamics and ultimately decide the success or failure of all our efforts. It all begins with beliefs.
This chapter explores the influence that beliefs have on our attitudes to leadership and management. It explores how the convictions we have about ourselves, work and human nature manifest in our management style, our approaches to creativity and problem-solving and our ability to influence and inspire those around us. We might not be aware of it, but our beliefs influence every aspect of our management approach, from how we delegate tasks to how we give feedback or even recognition. This chapter will help you evaluate whether the beliefs you have are conducive to the leadership route and the path of lifting others.
We will return to our two protagonists, Kelly and Sofia, and explore how the beliefs of each manager can shape the climate of a workplace, the morale of a team and the trajectory of a career. Through their stories, we will discover that beliefs can act as both bridges and barriers. Bridges to uplift and lead us to people-centric and innovative leadership, or barriers that can constrain us to limit the potential of our people and our organisation.
I think it is important to remember that beliefs are not static. In fact, beliefs are malleable constructs that can be changed through reflection, new experiences and by being open to fresh perspectives. Everything begins with beliefs and so the evolution of our beliefs will ultimately be the evolution of our leadership.
KELLY
Kelly holds the reins of Mango Bank's International Operations division. It's a position some would compare to captaining a ship through the Straits of Malacca – one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world. It's an environment that is challenging and unpredictable – requiring an unshakeable sense of direction. Kelly's management style resembles a chess grandmaster. Except that every pawn on the board is a critical project and the knights are her direct reports. With Kelly, every move on the board requires precision and careful planning.
In Kelly's world, spontaneity is the enemy of order. Meetings in her team are conducted with the precision of an orchestral symphony. Every person must play their part at the right time. Kelly's detail focus is legendary. It is even rumoured she once gave a workshop on the optimum number of icons on a desktop for efficiency, a workshop that is spoken about in hushed tones around the bank's water dispensers.
Kelly's belief in oversight and control to maintain the bank's high standards and to achieve ambitious targets are equally infamous. She operates with the assumption that without her vigilant eye, things could well descend into chaos. All of this has led her to develop a system of metrics, reports and meetings that could rival the complexity of a space shuttle launch.
When it comes to motivation, Kelly uses intricate reward systems that include monetary bonuses as well as more unusual rewards like lunch with the CFO and a day shadowing a department of their choice (as long as they write a full report on it within 48 hours). Alternatively, her approach to underperformance makes even a seasoned Mango Banker shudder involuntarily. Her performance improvement plans are known to be as detailed as they are daunting.
How do her team cope? Kelly's team manage the high seas of Operations with a mixture of fear, respect and a robust sense of humour. However, there's a deep sense that, although their pay is good, they might be missing out on something. As more and more talented team members leave, Kelly holds fast to the belief that not everyone is cut out for the treacherous waters of Operations.
SOFIA
Sofia's domain in retail banking is vast and her team covers multiple countries and cultures. Driven by the same ambitious strategy as Kelly, Sofia takes a different approach. Her ‘oasis’ is a place where the rigorous demands of the financial sector are met by a large but tight-knit family. People know each other on first name terms and mistakes are seen as stepping stones to success. When a high-stakes project hits a snag, Sofia gathers her team around her and says: ‘Well, we've found one way that doesn't work. Let's find the one that does’. Her debrief sessions turn into fun problem-solving workshops where even the most introvert members share their ideas.
Recognition in Sofia's team comes in many forms. There are traditional bonuses and rewards as well as the more unusual ‘innovator of the month’ award, which involves a trophy made from recycled materials. It's not uncommon to hear team members playfully negotiating for the trophy, a symbol of Sofia's culture of encouragement and appreciation.
Sofia's ‘oasis’ thrives on the notion that when people feel trusted, included and connected they can achieve extraordinary things. Her leadership style may be unconventional in the fast-paced world of international finance, but her results speak for themselves. Under her guidance, her team achieve incredible stretch goals with a spirit of camaraderie and innovation that has become the envy of the bank.
Above all, team members are loyal to Sofia and her team. Many have stayed for years and those that leave are always complimentary to her and the team. A quick website search will find employees pouring out their praise for Sofia and her ‘oasis’, a shining example of how employee experience goes beyond perks and benefits.
A Tale of Two Managers – Theory X and Y
In the 1960s a US social psychologist named Douglas McGregor posited a theory that challenged traditional beliefs about managing people. The idea was a more optimistic and inspirational set of beliefs compared to traditional Taylorism, which was focused on efficiency and people being seen as ‘cogs in a machine’.1 McGregor developed the idea of Theory X and Y2 managers based on his insights as a psychologist and educator (see Figure 1). The theory suggests that the traditional Taylorist set of beliefs – Theory X – leads to a more controlling management style. The other – Theory Y – leads managers to a more collaborative and empowering approach.
Perhaps you might think that a lot has changed since the 1960s, but if you recognise the stories of Kelly and Sofia, you might have some idea of how relevant this theory is even today. My company's work with thousands of individuals and many organisations has also revealed how much the dichotomy between Theory X and Y prevails today.
Kelly's management style illustrates a Theory X leader. Theory X leaders inherently distrust people to work effectively and believe that they are mostly motivated by fear and financial gain. I have always been surprised by the number of participants in my training sessions who still share this belief! Theory X leaders also believe that most people lack creativity and avoid responsibility. Think of the type of manager who worries everyone in their office will be checking their Instagram or TikTok instead of working the moment they leave the room. Theory X beliefs drive Kelly's behaviour of close supervision, stringent rules and the need for a clear hierarchy of authority. This approach is also heavily skewed towards control through financial rewards and punishment – the classic ‘carrot-and-stick’ approach.
Sofia's approach embodies the Theory Y manager. This type of manager believes that humans inherently need and want to work if the conditions are favourable. It also suggests that managers who are Theory Y are more likely to believe that people are creative and open to responsibility if they have some autonomy. This optimistic view of human nature leads to a management style that emphasises empowerment and a partnership between managers and employees. Sofia's leadership style is characterised by her trust in her team's capability, encouragement of autonomy and a belief in the power of intrinsic motivation. Theory Y suggests that work can be as natural as play if the right conditions, which foster engagement, creativity and a sense of belonging, are in place.
Figure 1: Theory X and Y beliefs
But you might argue, Kelly's style is
