SINAR HARIAN HARI INI : MENGAPA KEPEMIMPINAN PENGURUSAN PERLU MEMBINA "RESPECTFUL FEAR"

 

Yang Dihormati Kapten Industri dan Peneraju Sektor Awam,

Tugas seorang Pemimpin atau Pengurus, terutamanya bagi seorang Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif (CEO), bukanlah suatu amanah yang mudah. Tanggungjawab utama kita adalah untuk memastikan setiap warga organisasi bergerak serentak menuju matlamat Bersama - selari dari segi hala tuju, seirama dalam tindakan, dan memacu kepantasan yang mampu mengatasi persaingan.

Namun, untuk mencapai tahap sinkroni ini, komitmen yang tinggi diperlukan bagi mengimbangi kekuatan dan kelemahan setiap jabatan. Cabarannya ialah tiada formula kekal dalam mengurus sesebuah organisasi; landskap perniagaan sentiasa berubah dan menuntut kalibrasi semula pada setiap hari. Adalah tidak bermakna jika pasukan jualan cemerlang tetapi bahagian pengeluaran gagal memenuhi pesanan. Begitu juga, tidak berguna jika pemasaran memenangi anugerah tetapi sistem operasi dan penyampaian mengalami kepincangan.

Kepimpinan sebenar terletak pada keupayaan mengorkestrasikan keseluruhan sistem, bukan sekadar meraikan kecemerlangan terpencil. Inilah beban sekali gus keistimewaan seorang Teraju Eksekutif.

Definisi "Respectful Fear"

Bagi memikul tanggungjawab besar ini, salah satu sifat kepimpinan utama yang perlu kita bina adalah apa yang saya istilahkan sebagai "Respectful Fear" (Kegentaran Berasaskan Hormat). Ia merupakan satu bentuk "kengganan dalaman" untuk melanggar piawaian yang telah ditetapkan oleh seorang pemimpin yang dipercayai, konsisten, serta memiliki kewibawaan moral.

Kegentaran ini timbul daripada kesedaran bahawa mengecewakan pemimpin sedemikian akan membawa kesan yang mendalam. Walaupun ketegasan ini jarang dipamerkan secara terbuka, "kuasa" tersebut tetap wujud. Ia jarang perlu dikuatkuasakan secara keras kerana ia terbentuk daripada akar umbi kewibawaan moral dan konsistensi, bukan sekadar jawatan semata-mata. Melalui asas ini, lahirnya kawalan kendiri dan kekangan secara sukarela dalam kalangan kakitangan. Mereka bertindak dengan betul bukan kerana dipantau, tetapi kerana mereka memandang serius terhadap pemimpin, peranan mereka, serta organisasi tersebut.

Kesan Terhadap Kecekapan Organisasi

Apabila respectful fear wujud, keperluan untuk penyeliaan berterusan akan berkurangan secara drastik. Amalan pengurusan mikro (micromanagement) dapat dikurangkan, manakala proses membuat keputusan menjadi lebih pantas kerana jangkaan sudah pun difahami dengan jelas. Pemimpin tidak perlu meluangkan masa yang lama untuk membetulkan tingkah laku asas, sebaliknya boleh memberikan fokus penuh untuk memastikan gerak kerja berada pada landasan dan rentak yang betul. Akibatnya, organisasi memperoleh kepantasan dan koheren tanpa perlu meningkatkan birokrasi.

Lebih penting lagi, keberadaan respectful fear ini secara langsung meningkatkan piawaian etika dan profesionalisme. Ia membentuk budaya yang teguh tanpa memerlukan penguatkuasaan yang keras; di mana tahap kepercayaan adalah tinggi, selari dengan tahap jangkaan yang ditetapkan. Ini bukanlah model kepimpinan yang mengelak konflik atau merendahkan piawaian demi menjaga keharmonian luaran, sebaliknya ia adalah kepimpinan yang memiliki wibawa yang kental dan dipandang serius oleh semua pihak

Instrumen dan Disiplin Dalaman

Dalam konteks ini, sasaran, KPI, insentif, dan polisi tetap menjadi instrumen penting. Namun, mekanisme tersebut akan berfungsi dengan jauh lebih berkesan apabila disokong oleh sesuatu yang lebih utuh. Respectful fear beroperasi pada tahap yang lebih tinggi kerana pemimpin yang berkesan menggerakkan organisasi melalui disiplin dalaman (internalised discipline). Apabila ini wujud, sistem sedia ada akan memperkukuhkan tingkah laku positif secara automatik, dan bukannya bergelut untuk membetulkan kegagalan.

Respectful fear melahirkan Penguatkuasaan Secara Senyap (Silent Authority) -suatu kuasa yang tidak perlu diisytiharkan tetapi kehadirannya dirasai melalui tindakan dan kepatuhan sukarela. Oleh kerana piawaian dan akibat telah difahami, pemimpin tidak perlu memberi peringatan berterusan. Maka, pengaruh kepimpinan beroperasi secara konsisten di seluruh organisasi.

Manifestasi pada Pelbagai Tahap

1. Tahap Pelaksanaan Tugasan: Penguatkuasaan secara senyap memastikan tindakan mengambil jalan pintas dirasakan sebagai suatu kesalahan moral. Kualiti terjaga tanpa perlu pemeriksaan rapi. Sebagai contoh, dalam sebuah firma pembuatan, seorang penyelia yang menyedari sedikit penyimpangan kualiti akan membetulkannya serta-merta walaupun tiada sesiapa memerhati. Beliau melakukannya bukan kerana takutkan hukuman, tetapi kerana tahu piawaian kualiti CEO adalah sesuatu yang tidak boleh dikompromi. Jabatan pemeriksaan kini menjadi lapisan pengesahan, bukannya benteng keselamatan utama.
2. Tahap Tingkah Laku Pasukan: Budaya akan menggantikan peranan "kepolisian". Kawal selia rakan sejawat (peer regulation) berlaku secara semula jadi. Rakan sejawat akan saling menegur sekiranya terdapat ahli yang bertindak di luar nilai organisasi. Contohnya, jika seorang ahli pasukan jualan menjanjikan tempoh penghantaran yang tidak realistik, rakan sejawatnya akan menegur: "Itu bukan cara kita bekerja di sini." Pembetulan dilaksanakan secara mendatar, bukan menegak. Pasukan melindungi kredibiliti organisasi kerana jangkaan pemimpin telah sebati dalam diri mereka.
3. Tahap Prestasi Individu: Penanda aras dalaman meningkat melalui motivasi intrinsik. Usaha dipacu oleh rasa bangga, tanggungjawab, dan rasa kepunyaan (ownership). Seorang penganalisis yang bekerja secara bebas tahu bahawa data yang tidak sahih akan mengakibatkan tindakan yang salah. Walaupun tanpa penyeliaan, beliau akan menyemak semula datanya kerana memahami bahawa kredibiliti yang terjejas memberi kesan lebih besar daripada sekadar ralat pada hamparan kerja.

---

Membina Kewibawaan: Konsep "Sat"

Persoalannya, bagaimanakah Pemimpin-Pengurus membina sifat ini? Satu sudut pandangan yang berguna boleh dilihat melalui konsep masyarakat Cina iaitu "Sat" (saat hei dalam Kantonis atau shā qì dalam Mandarin). Ia merujuk kepada karisma atau aura yang dapat dirasai serta-merta - suasana menjadi sunyi apabila pemimpin tersebut melangkah masuk ke dalam bilik. Sat menzahirkan kegentaran yang dihormati: keseriusan tanpa lakonan, penguatkuasaan tanpa gangguan, dan kuasa tanpa tayangan.

Kehadiran (presence) ini tidak boleh dilakonkan. Ia dibina melalui peredaran masa, bermula dengan sejati  (authenticity) dan konsistensi antara kata dengan perbuatan. Seorang pemimpin mesti sanggup membuat keputusan sukar, mengekalkan kawalan emosi, dan menunjukkan rekod prestasi yang adil serta tekal. Paling utama, ia memerlukan kewibawaan moral (moral seriousness), bukannya sekadar pesona (charm).

Para Kapten Industri dan Peneraju Sektor Awam sekalian,

Confucius merumuskan idea ini dengan ringkas: "Pemimpin yang memerintah dengan etika dan nilai murni adalah ibarat Bintang Utara; ia kekal stabil di lokasinya, manakala bintang-bintang lain secara semula jadi akan menjajar di sekelilingnya."

Respectful fear atau Kegentaran Berasaskan Hormat berfungsi dengan cara yang sama - ia tidak diperoleh melalui paksaan, tetapi melalui penghormatan yang diraih. Apabila pemimpin membina kewibawaan moral, konsistensi, dan kawalan diri, organisasi akan menjajar secara semula jadi. Kepantasan meningkat, dan disiplin tetap utuh walaupun pemimpin tiada di sisi.

Inilah kekuatan sebenar seorang Pemimpin-Pengurus: membina kegentaran berasaskan hormat yang mengekalkan kecemerlangan melangkaui keberadaan fizikal kita di dalam sesebuah bilik.

Salam, anas zubedy

IRAN HAS LAUNCHED THOUSANDS OF DRONES AND MISSILES. BUT…

Iran has launched more than 5,000 drones and missiles in this conflict. Yet, based on what has been clearly verified so far, not a single school, hospital, or place of worship has been directly hit.

Yes, there have been civilian casualties. Yes, some strikes have landed in populated areas. But there is no consistent, credible evidence of deliberate targeting of these civilian institutions.

Now, contrast this with the US–Israel side. On the first day of the US–Israel attacks, a missile strike hit an elementary school in Minab, Iran, killing between 168 and 180 people—including more than 100 children. Reports identified 66 boys and 54 girls among the dead.

From the very beginning of this war, strikes have hit civilian infrastructure. Schools sheltering children have been struck. Hospitals have been damaged or rendered non-functional. Places of worship have not been spared. And this does not even account for the years of conflict in Gaza or its current devastating phase.

What is the most important distinction?

Iran’s strategy appears focused on military targets, with civilian harm being largely indirect. In contrast, the US–Israel strategy operates within urban battlefields where civilian infrastructure is repeatedly hit. Whether this is "justified" remains heavily debated, but the reports are clear: schools, hospitals, and civilian buildings have been impacted.

When it happens once, we may call it a mistake. When it happens repeatedly, it becomes a pattern. And when we see a pattern, can anyone be blamed for concluding that these actions are intentional?

The Chosen People?

More than 5,000 missiles and drones, yet not a single confirmed strike on a school, hospital, or house of worship. On the Iranian side, there appears to be a conscious effort to avoid civilian deaths. On the US–Israel side, children were killed on day one.

Coupled with the thousands of children killed in Gaza since October 7th and over the years, one is compelled to ask: while Zionist Israelis may claim to be God’s chosen people, are the Iranians the ones acting as such by avoiding the killing of children and civilians?

Peace,

Anas Zubedy

 

ZIONIST AMBITIONS, GLOBAL COLLAPSE

Soon, the world may come to realise that the ambitions of a few million Zionists to seize land risk pushing the global economy towards collapse, while costing countless innocent lives, especially children.

All this is enabled by politicians compromised by AIPAC, under a “bodoh sombong” US President.

So, what is the one thing the world must do right to stop this rot?

Peace,
Anas

THE THIRD FORCE FOR GE16

WHAT?

Our Core Belief

We are a nation of 34 million. We believe with certainty that we can find 222 of our best to lead us - leaders who are smart, ethical, competent, and free from lies and hypocrisy. This is our core belief.

We are MAHAL - Malaysians Against Hypocrisy and Lying.

We are the nation’s check and balance. We are not just voters. We are the conscience of this nation.

The Third Force is not a political party. It is citizens acting with discipline. It is how we think, how we judge, and how we act. We think using facts, not slogans. We care for all Malaysians, not just our group. We judge candidates based on character and competence. We refuse to give anyone a free ride. We vote above party lines and choose better candidates, even if they are not from our preferred side.

In fact, we are toughest on our own party leaders. We hold them to the highest standards. We are prepared to choose candidates we do not know over leaders who have betrayed us.

WHY?
The Need for the Third Force Now

We need the Third Force now because our politics has become predictable. We see divide and rule. We hear promises before elections. We witness the opposite after winning. This is not new, but it has become normalised.

The Third Force exists to break this cycle. We do this by remembering, by questioning, and by holding those in power accountable. We will vote out those who have played us before. To be fooled once is unfortunate. To be fooled again is our failure.

WHO?
The Third Force Is Us

The Third Force is not politicians and it is not political parties. It is us. We are Malaysians, young and old, across all races and religions. We are citizens who refuse to be manipulated.

We are those who think independently, who care about unity, and who are tired of hypocrisy and lies.

WHERE?
Everywhere We Are

The Third Force operates everywhere. It lives in our homes through family conversations, among friends in our daily discussions, online through what we choose to share or refuse to share, and in our constituencies when we engage candidates.

The Third Force is not a place. It is a way of thinking and acting. It lives in the hearts and minds of Malaysians with conscience.

WHEN?
From now to GE16 and after

We must act now. Not only during elections, but at all times. Before GE16, we study, discuss, and prepare. During GE16, we question, evaluate, and vote wisely. After GE16, we monitor, remind, and hold those elected accountable.

The Third Force is continuous. It is not seasonal.

In GE16, we will exercise our power. We will vote out as many as necessary who have lied or practised hypocrisy - cakap tak serupa bikin since the last elections. We are just being stupid if we still vote for them. We are not going to vote for the lesser evil. We are going to vote out the evil we know. We will stand with MAHAL - Malaysians Against Hypocrisy and Lying.

HOW?
Head, Heart and No Free Rides

We act with both the head and the heart.

With the head, we check facts, study track records, compare promises with past actions, and refuse to be misled by emotion or propaganda.

With the heart, we choose what is fair for all Malaysians, reject division based on race or religion, care for the vulnerable, and uphold unity and dignity.

We practise "No Free Rides." We do not give blind loyalty. We question even those we support. We demand clear commitments and we record what is promised.

After they win, we remember. We make sure they do, too! We follow up, compare words with actions, and speak up when they fail.

At the same time, we spread this mindset. We talk about it, share responsibly, build small groups, and influence those around us.

REMEMBER!

Dear Malaysians, we will not be divided. We will not be misled. We will not forget. We will think with our head. We will care with our heart. And we will give NO FREE RIDES.

We are The Third Force.

Peace,
Anas Zubedy

 

STARBIZ YESTERDAY - WHY LEADER-MANAGERS MUST CULTIVATE RESPECTFUL FEAR

 

DEAR CAPTAINS of Industry and Public Institutions,

The work of a Leader-Manager, especially that of a Chief Executive, is never easy.

Our foremost responsibility is to ensure that everyone in the organisation moves together toward a shared goal, aligned in direction, synchronised in pace, and advancing at a speed that outperforms the competition.

Balancing the strengths and weaknesses of each department while ensuring all divisions move in sync is demanding work. There is no permanent formula. The landscape shifts constantly. Every day requires recalibration. It is meaningless for sales to excel if production cannot fulfil orders. It is futile for marketing to win awards if operations and delivery systems fail. True leadership lies in orchestrating the whole, not celebrating isolated excellence. This is the burden and privilege of the Chief Executive.

One of the most important leadership traits we must cultivate is what I call respectful fear. Respectful fear is the internal reluctance to violate standards set by a leader who is trusted, consistent, and morally serious.

It is also the awareness that disappointing such a leader carries consequences, even if they are rarely displayed. It arises from an authority that is real but seldom exercised. Power exists, but it rarely needs to be used. This form of fear is rooted in moral authority and consistency, not title alone. It produces self-regulation and voluntary restraint. People act correctly not because they are monitored, but because they take the leader, the role, and the organisation seriously.

When respectful fear is present, the need for constant supervision declines. Micromanagement reduces. Decision-making accelerates because expectations are already understood. Leaders spend less time correcting basic behaviour and more time ensuring that work moves in the right direction and at the right pace. The organisation gains speed and coherence without increasing control.

More importantly, respectful fear lifts ethical and professional standards across the organisation. It creates strong culture without heavy enforcement. Trust is high, but so are expectations. This is not leadership that avoids discomfort or lowers standards in the name of harmony. It is leadership that is taken seriously.

Targets, KPIs, incentives, and policies remain necessary. Organisations will always rely on them. However, they work best when they sit beneath something stronger. Respectful fear operates at a higher level because effective leaders move organisations through internalised discipline. When this is present, systems reinforce behaviour rather than struggle to correct it.

Respectful fear gives rise to silent authority, power that does not need to announce itself. Authority is felt rather than asserted. Because standards and consequences are understood, leaders do not need constant reminders or visible enforcement. Influence operates consistently across the organisation.

At the level of task execution, silent authority ensures that shortcuts feel wrong. Quality is protected without inspection. Work is done properly even in the leader’s absence. For example, in a manufacturing firm, a production supervisor notices a minor deviation that could speed up output but risks compromising specifications. No one is watching. There is no audit scheduled. Yet he corrects it immediately because he knows the CEO’s standards on quality are non-negotiable. Not because of punishment, but because compromising that standard carries weight. The inspection department becomes a verification layer, not the primary safeguard.

At the level of team behaviour, culture replaces policing. Peer regulation emerges, and team members correct one another before issues escalate to management. Teams align themselves to goals, not merely to instructions. Consider a sales team where a sales team member begins to overpromise delivery timelines to secure deals. Before the issue reaches management, a colleague pulls him aside and says, “That is not how we operate here.” The correction happens horizontally, not vertically. The team protects the organisation’s credibility because the leader’s expectations are already internalised. Culture acts before compliance mechanisms are triggered.

At the level of individual performance, the internal bar rises. Motivation becomes intrinsic. Effort is driven by pride, responsibility, and ownership rather than pressure. Individuals move faster and more cleanly toward outcomes because they are self-directed. An analyst working independently on research that will drive execution decisions knows that flawed numbers will cascade into flawed action. No one is supervising. Yet he re-checks the data, tests the assumptions, and validates the findings before submission. He understands that credibility, once compromised, affects more than a spreadsheet. His discipline is not enforced. It is internal.

This is the leadership mechanism at work. Silent authority converts external control into internal commitment. When commitment is internal, performance scales without increasing supervision, and influence endures even in the leader’s absence. There can be no silent authority without respectful fear.

How then do Leader-Managers cultivate it?

One useful lens comes from a Chinese concept often referred to colloquially as “sat”, known in Cantonese as saat hei and in Mandarin as shā qì. It refers to a presence or aura that is immediately felt. People often describe it simply as, “He doesn’t have to say much, but the room quiets when he enters.” Sat expresses respectable fear. It is seriousness without theatrics, authority without noise, power without display.

This presence is not performed. It is built over time. It begins with authenticity and consistency between words and action. Leaders must be willing to make hard decisions and stand by them. Emotional control matters. Calm judgment carries more weight than volatility. Respectful fear is strengthened through a clear track record of consequences applied fairly and predictably. Above all, it requires moral seriousness rather than charm.

Dear Captains, Confucius captured this idea simply when he observed that a leader who governs by virtue is like the North Star, steady in its place, while others naturally align themselves around it. Respectful fear works in the same way. It is not imposed. It is earned. When leaders cultivate moral seriousness, consistency, and restraint, organisations align naturally. Speed increases without noise. Discipline holds even in the leader’s absence.

This is the true strength of the Leader-Manager: to build respectful fear that sustains performance long after authority leaves the room.

Peace.

Anas Zubedy

For previous articles go here - https://letusaddvalue.blogspot.com/2026/02/from-worklife-balance-to-worklife.html

 

ARE WOMEN INFERIOR? SHAH VERSUS AYATOLLAH

 

Many around the world, Malaysians included, have distorted, Western-influenced views of Iran and its leadership. Many are not willing to put in the effort to study deeper or seek information from balanced, non-partisan sources. Some naively accept propaganda from one side, while others adopt equally biased views from the other.

One common but often unexamined belief is that the Shah had a better position on women compared to the Ayatollah.

However, in a 1973 interview with Italian journalist Oriana Fallaci, the Shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, expressed views that reflected a clear belief in male superiority. While he acknowledged that women could be equal under the law, he argued that they were not equal in ability. He also emphasised that a woman’s value lay in being beautiful, graceful, and maintaining femininity.

In short, his remarks suggest that he saw women’s primary role as tied to appearance and charm rather than leadership or intellectual influence, revealing a deeply patriarchal outlook, if not implying women’s inferiority, despite his government’s broader modernising facade.

Watch the attached video to hear what the Ayatollah’s position was.

More importantly, we need to look at measurable data and facts. We must look at real outcomes.

Under the Shah, women’s education remained limited and uneven. Female literacy was only around 24% to 35%, meaning that over 60% of women were still illiterate, especially in rural areas. Even at higher levels, access was restricted, with women making up only about 28% of university students. This shows that while opportunities existed, they largely benefited urban and elite groups rather than the wider population. We must also remember that during the Shah’s time, no economic sanctions were imposed by the international community.

Under the Islamic Republic, including the Ayatollah’s leadership, education expanded dramatically across society. Female literacy rose to around 80% to 90% and above, with primary education completion reaching about 99% for girls. University participation saw an even sharper rise, increasing from about 3% in 1978 to around 59% and above, with women forming the majority of students in some years. This reflects a shift from limited access to mass education for women across the country. These achievements were made under strict international sanctions, with far fewer resources.

It is unfortunate that discussions are often reduced to dress codes, overshadowing more important issues. Focusing only on this is limiting and narrow. I have written about this before. If interested, you can read it here:
https://letusaddvalue.blogspot.com/2015/02/the-best-way-to-dress-quranic-point-of.html

We need to look at the larger picture.

Peace.

Anas

 

THE PROBLEM WITH WAR – Children Die

 

War must always be avoided, and fighting should only ever be for defence.

Each time I watch a video of a place being bombed, my first fear is this: innocent children are dying. In Gaza, thousands have died or are wounded for life, not just since October 7th, but for decades. At the start of the illegal war the US and Israel imposed on Iran, 66 boys and 54 girls aged 7 to 12 perished. Since then, we can be sure many more have. Innocent children in Iran, Lebanon and Israel. Yes, Israel too.

As far as I am concerned, the children of Israel are innocent. We cannot blame them for the amathia and distorted beliefs of their adults. These children are moulded into what they later become by the Zionist regime. They began innocent. They are shaped, conditioned, and taught to see ideas like Amalek as a God-given right.

We must remember that this is not new. It is a wicked approach used by many. Take Idi Amin in Uganda. Power was sustained not just by force, but by shaping the minds of those who carried it out. He drew in young, vulnerable recruits, cut them off from moral anchors, and made loyalty to him their only compass.

Brutality was not always formally taught as a “right,” but it was clearly rewarded and protected. Over time, this eroded all sense of right and wrong, turning violence into a tool of belonging and survival. When authority removes accountability and reshapes values, ordinary people can be conditioned to commit extraordinary harm.

War is for the uncivilised. Benjamin Netanyahu and his comrades are barbaric savages, especially those who go as far as invoking Amalek, are acting with a dangerous moral blindness. Coupled with a “bodoh sombong” US President Donald Trump, who appears to act from misguided certainty or willful ignorance, we have a potent formula for senseless war, needless destruction, and catastrophic loss of human life.

The problem with war is simple.

Children die.

Peace.

Anas