Building people — Spotlight on our first MBX scholar

Description

When IAL launched the Master in Boundary-Crossing Learning and Leadership (MBX), it was with the intention to create a novel transdisciplinary programme that provides insights into boundary-crossing change, leadership, learning, and innovation. The MBX supports applicants who have demonstrated capability in leadership and adult learning roles with the Master in Boundary-Crossing Learning and Leadership Award.

We catch up with Wilson Hsiung Wei, IAL’s first candidate to be awarded the scholarship.

Tell us about yourself.

I was from Taichung, Taiwan. I came to Singapore back in 2018 with my family as an expatriate. Eventually we settled down and became Singapore PRs. It wasn’t an easy journey. Right after COVID-19, the company I was with retrenched the entire business unit and I was unemployed for four months. As the sole breadwinner, it was tough. We’ve pulled through this and now Singapore is our second home.

How did you embark on learning as a career?

I started as a marketing specialist with a global automotive manufacturer. That changed in 2012, when I was appointed as a trainer for its Taiwan aftersales services department. In the course of being trained by its inhouse master trainer, he identified my potential and trained me as his successor. Later, I moved on to oversee regional training support to service advisors in the aftersales sector.

What is it in learning and development that led you to switch your career trajectory?

When I was a marketer, the main driver is profit. But in learning and development, I see that people become more accountable and confident versions of themselves through learning. I believe this is something missing in general Asian culture where society tends to prioritise scores and grades rather than the individuals’ unique characters and talent. I believe in people’s skills, mindset, and the human touch, which is irreplaceable. Hence, in training, my goal was to support and transform the humans who are the engines of any business.

Is there any school of thought in learning and development that inspire and guide you?

Yes, positive psychology! I came across positive psychology in 2014 while leading a culture-shifting project at my workplace. The project aims to balance the company’s “selfless” service culture to one that is more self-affirming and self-aware, backed by the science of psychology. Positive psychology focuses on helping people to thrive. Its framework is related to adult learning via related tools and notions such as character strengths, resilience, state of flow etc. Learners leverage their inner strengths to overcome fears and be at their best more often, thereby resulting in enhanced well-being and happiness. This in turn multiplies the effectiveness of learning.

That is inspiring indeed. What are some memorable experiences during your learning and development career?

In 2020, I hired a young trainer who had no training experience at all. At that time, many had said he was "too shy” and “not active nor talkative enough to be a trainer". While I could have "trained" him to be like a trainer that people expected, I chose to let him explore and grow to be a trainer in his own terms. In the first few months, I helped him build the foundations of his training competencies. Once he was able to conduct training independently, I encouraged him to leverage his strengths and define his own training style. Along the way, I coached him and let him decide when and how I could step in to support his development. This was to help him own his learning.

By the one-year mark, he had become an expert with minimal supervision needed. Such experiences give me enormous joy and confidence in how coaching can inspire and enable people.

What led you to apply for MBX?

After witnessing the struggles of manpower-focused industries trying to become innovation-focused enterprises, as well as my own retrenchment experience, I wanted to look for a course that integrates learning and development and methodologies aimed at tackling uncertainties in the VUCA world. MBX’s learning objectives include equipping learners to become change agents and leveraging learning, leadership, and innovation.

Then, I came across the MBX programme. However, I failed my first application to MBX in 2023! Luckily its Head of Programme shared that I can first enrol for IAL’s Graduate Certificate in Leading Learning, Innovation and Change Across Boundaries. That programme helped me gain immense inspiration, leading me to further pursue the scholarship.

How did you feel when you found out that you were awarded the scholarship?

It was a mixture of feeling humbled, relieved, seen, grateful, determined, and affirmed for what I believe in life. The award covers the expense of the programme and allows me to continue my learning from the graduate certificate. I did not have plans to continue MBX initially as we are still struggling to recover financially from my retrenchment. The scholarship allows me to continue with my learning.

As a professional in learning and development, how do you hope to influence and inspire others through MBX?

While some people may see lifelong learning as an "I-have-to" in order to catch up with the changing world, I prefer to see lifelong learning as an "I-choose-to" in order to take part in imagining and inventing the world. My biggest goal is to help more people see their value and thrive.

MBX does so by providing pathways to bring in positive changes through resolving practical complex problems and providing opportunities for transforming mindset and culture in organisations. In a world disrupted by technologies, it gives me hope that we can continue building the value in humans.

What’s your advice for those aiming to be the next MBX scholar?

Understand your motives, or even better, your mission, that draw you to boundary-crossing learning. Be open and authentic when sharing your professional or academic experiences, whether they are highlights or low points, successes or failures.