By Maya Mathias | Statesmen
As a global citizen, I don’t often wax lyrical about my homeland of Singapore.
All that changed when our first post-colonial Prime Minister Mr Lee Kuan Yew died on March 23 2015. He was 91.
Suddenly, I had a swirl of emotions, of pride, of nationalism, and of sorrow over the passing of a great man.
I had to pen my emotions, to make sense somehow of all the reasons why I was mourning his passing the same way I would a family member.
My heartfelt tribute was picked up by The Huffington Post, Singapore’s largest English language daily The Straits Times, and will soon be reproduced in a French think tank magazine.
It’s a blessing, and an honor, to share my thoughts about Mr Lee with an international audience.
And so when I was inspired to feature a book about him for this podcast, I wanted to pay tribute to his brilliant mind and undeniable leadership. His timeless insights and lessons apply just as much to our businesses and companies as they did to building a nation.
To me, globalization means that companies are now the new countries, spanning continents with what they sell, who they sell it to and who they need to influence and negotiate with in order to stay relevant and profitable.
I hope you enjoy this adventure into the mind of Mr Lee, and that you will emerge with a deeper understanding of this interconnected world that we all live in…and how to be the best possible leader for the unprecedented challenges that we face.
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If you have favorite books or authors you’d like to hear about on the show, especially if you’ve been meaning to read that certain book and just haven’t gotten around to it, then let me know right here.
Till next time, remember to live well and lead large.
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Maya Mathias helps her clients lead with the strategic mind of a scientist, the resilient heart of a warrior and the inventive soul of an artist. Read more about Maya here.