Developing the heart and hardware of purposeful business leadership

Seah Kim Cheok Construction is more familiar with building homes and offices than it is with building apps.

However, the three-generation family business has ventured into new territory by developing Grow Studio, a free online platform aimed at equipping migrant workers with language and life skills. The app was the brainchild of Seah Kim Cheok’s director, Mr Seah Kah Howe. He realised that many migrant workers face communication challenges, which leads to workplace misunderstandings and difficulty ascending to leadership positions.

“Grow Studio was envisioned as a tool to bridge these gaps,” he explained. “It’s a digital platform that can open doors of opportunity for our migrant brothers.”

To develop the app, Mr Seah relied on his learnings from the 12-week Company of Good Fellowship, a programme organised by the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre (NVPC) to develop corporate changemakers who can spearhead organisational purpose and impact.

Through its Company of Good strategy, NVPC engages organisations to adopt corporate purpose and make an impact in five areas – people, society, governance, environment and economic.

The COG Fellowship gives participants the knowledge and skills to drive real-world projects that activate a company’s purpose, while providing a dynamic learning environment that encourages networking and discussions with like-minded participants.

For Mr Seah, the COG Fellowship offered a comprehensive and enlightening guide to responsible corporate citizenship. “The programme focuses on developing leadership skills and strategic approaches to corporate giving, which resonates with my aspirations to integrate these values into the core of my business operations.”

PRACTICAL, ACTIONABLE STRATEGIES FOR DOING GOOD

The COG Fellowship’s learning and mentoring sessions provide participants with the skills and resources to launch an “action project” in line with their organisation’s values and purpose-driven goals.

This benefits employees who want to take a more proactive role in their organisation’s purpose, like Ms Camy Tong, an executive assistant at Norddeutsche Landesbank Girozentrale (NORD/LB). She said that the action project honed her critical thinking and creative problem-solving abilities. It also sharpened her project management skills and boosted her confidence in leading others.

“The whole process involves public speaking, building relationships, advocating your cause and influencing others – transferable skills essential in various professional roles,” she added. 

Networking and community building amplify the experience. Said Ms Tong: “To be able to connect with like-minded individuals and organisations and to have mentors offer advice is very uplifting.”

The programme’s insights enabled Ms Tong to address the high attrition rate for volunteering events at her organisation by conducting an employee engagement survey.

“It was one thing I picked up from attending the COG Fellowship – to understand what your stakeholders’ interests and pain points are,” she explained. “Through such engagement, people are better able to appreciate and understand the intention of the volunteering activity, and I can develop a realistic plan that is more likely to succeed.”

Another useful insight was the importance of measuring and communicating impact. Ms Tong chose to utilise social media to spread awareness of company events such as Earth Day – in which departments competed to be more sustainable at work and at home – and a National Day potluck.

Her posts drew the attention of NORD/LB’s group chief executive officer, sparking the interest of the company’s overseas branches.

ALIGNING PURPOSE WITH BUSINESS PRIORITIES

The COG Fellowship programme showed corporate leaders like Mr Seah the importance of aligning social initiatives with business goals, and how purpose can contribute to an organisation’s sustainable growth.

“Corporate social responsibility need not be an afterthought but an integral part of a company’s strategy – like how sustainability is increasingly becoming a fundamental aspect of modern construction,” he said.

He listed systems thinking as an example of a practical skill he acquired.

“NVPC works with external partners to guide learners in building models and systems for purpose-driven businesses, ensuring you can contribute to society and build profit margins. After you have formulated a system, NVPC guides you through creating building blocks for shared value, so that your stakeholders will want to be a part of it.”

The Grow Studio app, which has expanded to involve digital volunteers, is now part of a non-profit organisation called Grow Education and is being adapted to reach more marginalised groups like the dialect-speaking elderly.

Within his organisation, Mr Seah has seen Grow Studio positively impact his migrant employees, who are now better able to communicate and engage more effectively at work.

“The improvement in communication has led to improved efficiency and teamwork,” he said. “The app has been a significant step towards building a supportive workplace culture and helping our migrant brothers to become better leaders.”

ADVOCATING A SENSE OF CORPORATE PURPOSE

Similarly, Ms Tong said that the increased employee interest in sustainability and corporate social responsibility events has fostered a more positive work culture.

“Engagement activities create opportunities for employees to get to understand one another better outside of work,” she said.

For the effective adoption of corporate purpose, Ms Tong recommends a collective approach.

“Advocating corporate purpose is not a one-person, or even a one-department job. It is an ongoing commitment to continuous adaptation and improvement. The COG Fellowship provides the thinking structure, learning tools and invaluable network for collaboration opportunities.”

Apply for the Company of Good Fellowship to lead organisational impact for business and society.