MCMC’S Future Leaders: Accelerated Leadership Series (ALPS)

The framework consists of four (4) distinct programmes designed to build MCMC Leadership Bench Strength for continuity and flexibility. Each programme is tailored based on traits, competencies, and drivers required by the Leadership Continuum of the various Job Grades.

Leadership is a critical component of any organisation’s success, and as we look to the future, it is essential to consider how leadership will evolve to meet the ever-changing demands of the workplace. In the coming years, leaders will need to navigate an increasingly complex digital economy, characterized by rapid technological changes, and evolving regulatory frameworks. They will need to be agile, innovative, collaborative, able to adapt quickly to changing circumstances and foster a culture of continuous learning and improvement.

Therefore, the Accelerated Leadership Series (ALPs) is one of the many comprehensive leadership programmes initiated by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to cultivate leadership skills, competencies, and capabilities of high-potential individuals in the communications and multimedia industry.

ALPs recognise the importance of equipping talents among executive-level employees with the necessary skills, knowledge, competencies, and experiences as they are the future leaders of MCMC. The 15- to 18-month intensive ALPs programme was created to provide potential leaders with the skills and knowledge they need to effectively lead and manage in a rapidly changing and dynamic environment. Talents went through programmes that combine formal learning methods, industrial laboratory activities, and the opportunity to expand their knowledge through forums, with the scope to network with influential leaders.

Amid MCMC's comprehensive Leadership Development Framework, 'Finding Flex' plays an essential role in the ALPs' Digital Leadership Lifecycle, tasking talent with being connected and nimble, moving and adapting quickly, adapting, and evaluating trade-offs, and oscillating quickly between discipline and broad thinking through their Leadership Continuum. Through these fundamentals, potential leaders learn how to quickly shift between discipline and broad thinking, which is critical in today's fast-paced and ever-changing digital landscape. MCMC is committed to developing a new generation of leaders who are able to manage complexity, embrace change, and drive innovation to define the future of the industry through ALPs.

The ALPs’ Development Programme was designed to focus on three major areas of development stages, which are:

  • Learn: Acquiring a theoretical understanding of the learning modules;
  • Apply: Think, reflect, and make meaning out of what was learned;
  • Share: Interactive sparring with thought Leaders to further deepen understanding.

‘Learn’ in ALPs’ development stage is the "learning phase", which is a crucial stage in the process of acquiring knowledge, skills, and competencies. It refers to the initial stage of learning where talents were encouraged to actively engage, seek clarification, and actively engage with the modules to deepen their understanding.

The learning phase included all learning modules such as EMBA/MBA, coaching and mentoring, and the certification programme, which equipped talents with digital leadership skills required in preparation for future challenges. Overall, the learning phase was often characterised by a high level of curiosity and motivation as talent strived to acquire new knowledge and skills. Talents needed to be curious, persistent, open-minded, and actively engaged in the learning process to achieve their goals.

‘Apply’ in the ALPs development stage included the Leadership Learning Lab, which includes experiential learning visits, sustainability studies, and disruptive learning, where talents have the opportunity to visit other organisations and companies such as Microsoft, DHL, Ambank Group, and Silverlake to learn about their business practices and develop initiative, resourcefulness, and independence. This stage was designed to help talents expand their understanding of the business practices of different industries. This allowed talents to identify best practices and strategies relevant to their industry and participate in a “consultancy approach” in deducing solutions for a commercial project being developed.

Overall, the "application phase" was an important component of the Leadership Learning Lab, providing valuable opportunities for the talent to learn from various stakeholders and other organisations and apply their newly acquired knowledge to their day-to-day roles at the Commission.

Equally important was the 'Share' development stage, in which talents experienced sparring sessions in a “Ted Talk” format to engage with thought leaders and deepen their understanding of businesses. By providing a platform for interactive sparring sessions with prominent leaders like Tan Sri Azman Hashim, Chairman AmBank Group; Tan Sri Jamaludin Ibrahim, Group CEO of Axiata Group Bhd.; Datuk Tong Kooi Ong, Executive Chairman of Media Edge Group; Chandran Rama Muthy, Group Strategy Director of Lion Group; to name a few; the module offered talents unique opportunities to learn from real-life experiences and gain valuable insights.

In addition, sessions were moderated by the semester's top talent, ensuring that discussions were focused, engaging, and on-topic. This not only provided a structured and organized approach to learning but also helped ensure that talents gained maximum insights from the sessions. Overall, the 'Share' development stage was an excellent approach for talents to build confidence, learn from experienced leaders, network with peers, and gain practical knowledge and insights that they can adapt to their own careers.

The Accelerated Leadership Series (ALPs), initiated by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), is well-positioned to prepare participants for the future of leadership. As mentioned earlier, the future of leadership requires a deep understanding of the digital economy, the ability to create inclusive cultures, articulate a clear purpose and vision, and balance economic, social, and environmental priorities.

In summary, the ALPs programme is well-positioned as it focuses on the unique challenges and opportunities facing the communications and multimedia industries. ALPs has provided talent with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in this dynamic field. We are proud that our Accelerated Leadership Series (ALPs) programme has fostered a culture of collaboration, innovation, and continuous development that has contributed to the Commission's success.

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