Secondly, is having the ability to articulate this vision with others in the organisation and also with those that will be affected by the actions taken by the organisation. This is to ensure that the energies of the workforce will be channelled to achieving the strategic results required. Very often, the shared vision with those that are affected by the actions of the organisation also allows for the combined efforts to be mutually reinforcing. Thirdly, and importantly is knowing and understanding the business and the key elements that drive the organisation. Knowing how the system works and how the objectives might be realised. This involves having the knowledge, the skills, the information, the methodologies and the organisational structures needed to deliver the results. This is important so that the ideas can be translated into results. Fourth, given the nature of the business of the public sector and the diverse stakeholders involved, leadership in the sector requires coordination and integration skills that is able to pull together diverse thinking and diverse information and the ability to integrate the different perspectives into a solution that produces the desired outcomes. This will also involve coordination skills required to bring together not only the different parts of the organisation but also other organisations in the public sector that can contribute to achieving the desired results. Fifth, it involves managing trade-offs. Frequently, actions that need to be taken involve different implications on different target groups. This may involve interests that are conflicting.
Zeti Akhtar Aziz: Advancing women’s leadership in public life Speech by Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz, Governor of the Central Bank of Malaysia, at the Women in Leadership Forum “Power sharing in the public sector”, Kuala Lumpur, 22 February 2011. *  *  *  Introduction In this twenty-first century, it is human capital rather than physical capital that will define performance and progress. Women represent half of the world population and therefore half the potential resource that can drive such performance. This is reinforced by the more recent trend that increasingly, the majority of those with college education are women. Increasingly therefore, this group represents a more significant resource potential that can rise to leadership positions. In emerging economies, where such high powered talent is scarce, gender has not been of an issue. Women have risen to leadership positions based on their merits and capabilities. Women in Malaysia have certainly made significant strides in their participation in all segments of the Malaysian economy and have demonstrated their ability to lead and to succeed in both the public and private sectors. It is my honour to be here today to speak at this Women in Leadership Forum on the topic on “Advancing Women’s Leadership in Public Life: Power Sharing in the Public Sector”. In Asia, in particular, women have risen to key positions and have been given the opportunity to contribute to the nation’s progress and development.