by Jessica Cheam

CHIEF executives helming Asian firms might be willing to develop the next generation of leaders, but few are proactive in doing so.

The absence of leadership development will make it harder for future leaders to successfully take on senior leadership roles.

This was the picture that emerged from a survey of more than 300 employees across Asia on their perceptions of leadership by the Gallup Organisation and the University of Nebraska's global leadership institute.

According to the global behaviour consulting firm, organisations need to think up new ways to groom new Asian leaders, who are 'imperative for Asia to further sustain its rapid growth'.

The study, commissioned by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), found that while 89 per cent of CEOs provided mentorship when requested, only 23 per cent of them had formal mentoring programmes in place.

Conducted this year, the study evaluated leadership profiles of leaders in six cities - Hong Kong, Mumbai, Shanghai, Singapore, Bangalore and Beijing.

The study also involved interviews with a total of 40 CEOs in Singapore, Bangalore and Beijing.

The dialogue revealed that leaders of most organisations in the region were given the role without any formal grooming and training.

Singapore Workforce Development Agency chief executive Ong Ye Kung said leaders may spend 90 per cent of their time running their organisations, and 10 per cent grooming the next leader.

'But often it is the latter 10 per cent of the effort that will help 90 per cent of our future problems,' he said.

MOM's Permanent Secretary Leo Yip added that the findings reinforced the need for Asian firms to take a more proactive approach to develop leaders.

Other key findings the study threw up:

• Two-thirds of those surveyed believe that leaders are made and not born.
• CEOs described career-anchoring events such as taking a stand on controversial issues early in their career as milestones that helped shape their values and beliefs.
• Most employees in the six cities were optimistic about their CEOs' leadership.
• Employees were more confident in leaders who spent more time and energy promoting diversity in their organisation.

With specific reference to Singapore, employees felt that leaders could do more to challenge employees to be independent thinkers.

Detailed findings of the survey will be presented at the Singapore Human Capital Summit, which will be held from Oct 22 to 24.

The inaugural meeting will bring together hundreds of industry players to share best practices on human capital development and management in Asia.

This article was first published in The Straits Times on September 5, 2008.