ACTS for Transformation

22/01/2026

𝐈 𝐚𝐥𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬. 🛑

This week has been chaos. My schedule exploded. I’ve been running from meeting to meeting, trying to "fix" everything in sight.
And in that rush, I almost fell into the most common leadership trap there is: The Fixer Trap.

We think leadership is about having answers. Employee has a problem? -> Boom. Here’s the solution. Next.

But in 𝐒𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧 4, 𝐄𝐩𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐝𝐞 5 of the "EI & Relationship Mastery" newsletter (posted late, apologies!), I explore why "Fixing" often fails.

I share the story of "Raj," a leader who almost lost his star employee because he tried to fix her workload when the real problem was an unspoken dynamic of disrespect she was facing.
He heard her words ("I'm fine"), but he missed the music.

𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 "𝐐𝐮𝐢𝐞𝐭 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫": "Listening... is about understanding underlying emotions, picking up on unspoken dynamics, and tuning into the needs of others."

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐃𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐋𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐚 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: https://acts4transformation.com/from-the-pages-deep-listening-vs-hearing/

12/01/2026

𝐃𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐚 𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐮𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮? 👀
That’s 𝑰𝒎𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝑺𝒚𝒏𝒅𝒓𝒐𝒎𝒆. And it thrives when we believe the "Hero Myth"—that a leader must be the smartest, loudest solo act in the room.
But here is the 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐱: The more you try to hoard the spotlight to prove your worth, the more anxious and insecure you will feel.
The moment you shift that spotlight to your team, your anxiety vanishes—and your authority actually grows. 🔦
In Season 4, Episode 4 of the "EI & Relationship Mastery" blog, I share the story of "Julian."
He was a terrified VP who thought he had to answer every question from the Board himself. He was drowning in anxiety.
We changed his strategy. instead of the "Star," he became the "Lighting Director." He deflected questions to his team. He gave credit. He sat back.
The Result: The Board didn't think he was weak. They praised him for building a powerhouse team.
𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐛𝐲 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭: https://acts4transformation.com/from-the-pages-spotlight-paradox-mindset-shift/
FROM THE PAGES OF "QUIET POWER" 📖 This mindset shift is detailed in 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 9 of my new book.
Malaysian Friends: Paperback available now.
Global Friends: Kindle version on Amazon.
Get your copy via the link in the first comment! 👇
For discussion: Does speaking in high-stakes meetings make you nervous? What’s your trick to calm down?

05/01/2026

𝐄𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚 "𝐬𝐨𝐟𝐭 𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥." 𝐈𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐢𝐭 𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫. 📈

We often think empathy is just about being "nice." But in a toxic, fearful environment, the brain literally shuts down. You cannot get high performance from people who are in "fight or flight" mode.

In 𝐒𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧 4, 𝐄𝐩𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐝𝐞 3 of the "EI & Relationship Mastery" newsletter, I share the story of "Sarah."

She inherited a failing team: ❌ 35% Turnover ❌ 2.8/5 Customer Satisfaction ❌ Toxic, cynical culture

She didn't use a carrot or a stick. She used the 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐓 𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 from Chapter 4 of my book:
𝐇onesty
𝐄mpathy
𝐀ccountability
𝐑espect
𝐓ransparency

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭 𝐢𝐧 9 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐬: ✅ 4% Turnover ✅ 4.2/5 CSAT (Top in company) ✅ +18% Revenue
She proved that when you build Relationship Mastery, the metrics take care of themselves.
Read the full breakdown of how Sarah used the HEART Framework here: https://acts4transformation.com/from-the-pages-empathy-as-performance-driver/.

FROM THE PAGES OF "QUIET POWER" 📖 The HEART Framework is detailed in Chapter 4 of my new book.
Malaysian Friends: Paperback available now.
Global Friends: Kindle version on Amazon.
Get your copy via the link in the first comment! 👇

For discussion: Which element of HEART (Honesty, Empathy, Accountability, Respect, Transparency) do you think is most missing in modern leadership?

31/12/2025

Goodbye 2025, Hello 2026! 🎆

As we wrap up 2025, I’m grateful for the connections, lessons, challenges, and wins that shaped this year. Thank you to everyone who journeyed alongside me — your support, collaboration, and trust meant more than words can carry.

Here’s to 2026: a year ready for bigger ideas, bolder innovation, stronger partnerships, and shared success. I’m looking forward to creating more value together, building meaningful collaborations, and turning possibilities into powerful outcomes.

Wishing you clarity, courage, growth, good health, and joy in the year ahead. Let’s make 2026 extraordinary! 🚀✨
#2026

15/12/2025

The era of the "Action Hero" leader is over. 🦸‍♂️🚫

For decades, we thought leadership meant:
Being the loudest in the room.
Having all the answers instantly.
Never showing weakness.
We were wrong.

Look around. The world is exhausted. We are drowning in noise and starving for wisdom. We don't need more "command and control." We need "connect and curate."
We are witnessing a Quiet Revolution. 🌊
The future of work belongs to the listeners. The thinkers. The calm anchors in the storm. It belongs to the Introverted Leaders.

This is the SERIES FINALE of my 10-week deep dive into "Quiet Power" for the "EI & Relationship Mastery" blog.
In this final blog, "The Quiet Revolution," we look at the big picture. We explore why introverted strengths are no longer "nice to have"—they are the vital oxygen for the future.
Read the full Series Finale here: https://acts4transformation.com/the-quiet-revolution-introverted-leaders-are-reshaping-future-of-work/

ANNOUNCEMENT: WHAT'S NEXT? 🚀 This is the end of the series, but not the newsletter! Next week, we kick off Season 4: "From the Pages." We will be taking the core concepts from my book and applying them to real-life challenges.

THE BOOK IS LIVE! 📖 The manual for this revolution is in your hands.
Malaysian Friends: Grab the paperback at a special price.
Global Friends: The Kindle version is waiting for you.
Get your copy via the link in the first comment! 👇

Thank you for 30 incredible weeks. Let's keep building.
For discussion: Which "Quiet Power" concept from this series resonated with you the most? (The Pause? The Curator? The Linguistic Scalpel?). Let me know below! 👇

12/12/2025

I almost didn't make it to this starting line.

If you look at my calendar for January 2026, it looks exciting. I’m coaching 40 MBA students from UM, launching a new Play Therapy program for children, and kicking off two huge corporate training partnerships.

But if you could have seen my head for the last few months of 2025, it looked like a mess. 😅

The preparation phase wasn't just about getting new certifications or writing plans. It was about fighting the urge to quit. There were days when the setbacks felt personal. I kept asking myself, "Is this too much? Am I actually ready for this?"

I realized I had a choice. I could keep viewing these challenges as proof that I wasn't ready, OR I could change the narrative. I decided to see the struggle as proof that I was expanding.

So, here we are. January 2026. Scared? A little. Excited? Absolutely. Ready? More than ever.

To my partners and students who are joining me on this ride—thank you for trusting me. And to anyone else feeling the weight of their own goals right now: Change the story you're telling yourself about the struggle. It’s just growing pains. 🌱

Let’s do this! 💪

09/12/2025

Stop paying the "Acting Tax." 🎭

Every minute you spend trying to twist your introverted nature into an extroverted shape—acting louder, faster, or more "social" than you are—is a minute you're burning precious cognitive fuel.

You cannot lead powerfully if you are exhausted from pretending.
This is the hard truth we explore in the 2𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐥𝐞 of our "Quiet Power" series.
In this week's "EI & Relationship Mastery" blog, we place the final cornerstone in our cathedral of leadership: "𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧: 𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐐𝐮𝐢𝐞𝐭 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫."

We explore why the most influential leaders don't mimic others; they master the "User Manual" of their own nature.

Read the full article here: https://acts4transformation.com/leading-from-within-authenticity-as-cornerstone-quietpower/

This principle—that your true self is your best asset—is the very soul of my book, "𝐐𝐮𝐢𝐞𝐭 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫: 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭."
If you are ready to stop masking and start leading, you can 𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐛 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐯𝐢𝐚 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 1𝐬𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐰! 👇

If you believe authenticity is the ultimate leadership hack, please:
Share this post with a leader who needs permission to be themselves.
Subscribe so you don't miss next week's Series Finale!

Let's get real.
For discussion: What is one "extroverted" behaviour you feel pressured to fake, and how does it impact your energy?

02/12/2025

We live in a world that screams "Go! Go! Go!"
But sometimes, the bravest thing a leader can do is hit "Stop." 🛑

We made a difficult decision recently. We delayed the official launch event of my book, "Quiet Power: Leading with Impact," by a full month, together with 3 other authors, Jane Chew, Shamini Paramanathan Christopher See,.

In a culture obsessed with speed, a delay can feel like a failure. But for us, it was a strategic application of The Power of the Pause.

We used that extra time not just to "do more," but to think deeper. We reimagined the event. Instead of a standard presentation, we designed a relaxed, interactive fireside chat.

The result this past Saturday?
It was magic. ✨
The atmosphere was refreshing and easy-going. The connection with the audience was real. And yes, we sold copies of the new books! 📚
None of that would have happened if we had rushed. The pause didn't delay our success; it ensured it.

I explore why the "Action Hero" leader who swings at every ball often strikes out, and how the introverted power of deliberation leads to better, more impactful outcomes.
Read the full article here: https://acts4transformation.com/power-of-pause-introvert-deliberation-better-decision/

And if you missed the launch, you can still grab your copy!
Get your physical copy of "Quiet Power: Leading with Impact" via the link here! 👇

If you believe in the strategic value of slowing down, please:
Share this post with a leader who is under pressure to move too fast.
Let's celebrate the pause.

For discussion: When was the last time you delayed a decision or an event to get it right rather than just getting it done?

18/11/2025

𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐋.

After countless hours of writing, editing, and living the principles of "Quiet Power"... to finally hold the first sample copy of my book is... wow.

This isn't just paper and ink. This is a playbook for every quiet, thoughtful leader who's been told they need to be "louder" to make an impact.

It’s so fitting that this arrived the exact week we're publishing one of my favourite articles in the "Quiet Power" series.

We're all trained to spot the "obvious" talent—the loudest voice, the charismatic star. But what about the masterpieces we're missing? The quiet analyst who's a brilliant storyteller? The shy developer who's a natural mentor?

Great leaders aren't just stars. They are CURATORS. They see the genius others overlook.

That’s the topic of this week's "𝑬𝑰 & 𝑹𝒆𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒑 𝑴𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒚" blog: "𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭: 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐍𝐮𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐇𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡𝐬."
This blog is a just a snippet of the idea in the book. The entire playbook is in this book.

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐊 𝐈𝐒 𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄 (𝐀𝐥𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭!) 🇲🇾
To celebrate this moment, I'm opening a special pre-order for the paperback, exclusively for my Malaysian community at a special price! You will be the very first to get it.
𝐏𝐑𝐄-𝐎𝐑𝐃𝐄𝐑 "Quiet Power: Leading with Impact" (Special Malaysian Price) via the link in the first comment! 👇

Read this week's full blog here: https://acts4transformation.com/the-curator-of-talent-how-introverts-spot-and-nurture/

Share this post! Let’s celebrate the Curators.
Comment below. Let's make this real. 👇
For discussion: Who was the "Curator" in YOUR career? Tag the leader who saw a hidden strength in you and gave it a chance to shine! 🌟

12/11/2025

𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐩. ✋
𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐩 "thinking out loud" in meetings.
𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐩 using a "verbal shotgun" and hoping an idea lands.

The loudest voice doesn't win. The clearest one does.
What if you could change the entire direction of a frantic meeting with 10 perfectly chosen words?
This is the "Linguistic Scalpel," and it's an introvert's superpower. 🗡️

My new blog, "'𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝': 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧," is live. We're exploring how to stop adding to the noise and start adding value.

My upcoming book will not teach you to be an extrovert.
It will teach you to be the most powerful, quiet person in the room.
And for my friends and readers in Malaysia 🇲🇾, you get the first, exclusive, special-price access to the paperback. This isn't on global Amazon yet. This is for you.
𝓟𝓻𝓮-𝓸𝓻𝓭𝓮𝓻 "𝐐𝐮𝐢𝐞𝐭 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫: 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭" (Special Malaysian Price) via the link in the first comment! 👇

Read this week's full blog here: https://acts4transformation.com/one-thoughtful-word-the-precision-of-introvert-communication/
If this resonates, you know what to do:
Share this post. Let's end noisy meetings.

Comment below. Let's discuss. 👇
For discussion: Share a time when one, quiet, thoughtful comment completely changed the direction of a meeting. What happened?

04/11/2025

We’ve all seen it.
The leader who makes the most noise. 💥
The "Surface Explosion" that gets all the attention... but changes nothing.
What if the real power isn't the cannonball?
What if it's the "Depth Charge"? 💧

The quiet, strategic idea that drops in, goes deep, and creates a shockwave that changes everything.
This is the focus of our 4th article in the 10-week "Quiet Power" series. In this week's "EI & Relationship Mastery" blog, we explore: "The Depth Charge: Making an Impact Without Making a Noise."

My upcoming book, "Quiet Power: Leading with Impact," will not teach you how to be a charismatic, table-thumping speaker.
It will teach you how to be the quietest person in the room... and the most powerful.

My community gets a special pre-order price. This is your chance.
Pre-order "Quiet Power" (Special Price!) via the link in the first comment. 👇

Read this week's full article here: https://acts4transformation.com/the-depth-charge-making-impact-without-making-noise/

If you're tired of the noise, you know what to do:
Subscribe to the newsletter to get all 10 deep dives.
Share this post if you're a fellow "Depth Charge" leader.
Comment below. Let's get real. 👇

For discussion: Share a time you (or a colleague) used a quiet "Depth Charge" (a single question, a well-timed memo) that created a massive shockwave. What happened?

Good morning from Kuala Lumpur. Let’s picture two different kinds of power. The first one is easy to imagine because we see it in movies and, […]

28/10/2025

Panic is contagious. 🦠
But so is calm. 🧘‍♂️

When a crisis hits, your team isn't watching the problem; they're watching YOU.

The leader who panics injects fear. They get compliance, not creativity. Their team stops solving the problem and starts surviving the leader.
The leader who stays serene acts as an anchor. Their composure isn't apathy; it's an active, strategic tool. It sends a powerful, non-verbal signal: "The situation is chaotic, but we are not. It is safe to think."

This is the "Strength in Serenity," and it's the focus of our 3rd article in the 10-week 'Quiet Power' series for my "EI & Relationship Mastery" blog.

This concept—that your inner state is your most powerful leadership tool—is a central pillar of my upcoming book.

And I'm thrilled to announce a special pre-order price for my community. This is your chance to get the full playbook.
Pre-order "Quiet Power: Leading with Impact" (Special Price!) via the link in the first comment! 👇

Read this week's full article here: https://acts4transformation.com/strength-in-serenity-calm-demeanour-builds-resilient-teams/
If this resonates, you know what to do:
Subscribe to the newsletter to get all 10 deep dives.
Share this post with a leader who needs to read this today.

Comment below. Let's get real. 👇
For discussion: Think of a leader who was an "Anchor of Calm" in a crisis. How did their composure directly impact you and the team's outcome?