It’s quite unfortunate that most organizations in this part of the world do not prioritize leadership development. If you were to ask company bosses if they would hire someone without financial knowledge to run their finance department, they would respond with an immediate and heated “No.”

Yet, organizations do this exact thing when they promote an individual contributor to a managerial position without any training, mentoring, or support. Companies ask them to meet a skill set that they haven’t ensured they actually have. As a result, such companies are setting these young leaders up to fail and creating potential issues with those who report to them.

In our opinion, investing in leaders today is the only way a company can differentiate itself and survive every unknown tomorrow with certainty.

Building Better Leaders was established to address this critical gap. We aim to train, coach, connect, empower, and inspire young leaders, providing and supporting them with the skills and confidence needed to excel in their roles.

Fun fact about our logo. Hint: It’s an apple.

“You can count the seeds in an apple, but you can’t count the apples in a seed. When you teach, you never know how many lives you will influence…you are teaching for eternity” - Karen Jensen

OUR VISION

Our vision is to create meaningful workplaces where individuals are inspired to become the best version of themselves.

OUR MISSION

We aim to quickly achieve our vision by fostering leadership. Our mission is to build a leadership development ecosystem that empowers and supports young leaders through workplace training, coaching, content creation, and the establishment of peer support networks.

OUR PHILOSOPHY

We believe in providing a safe space for young leaders to rejuvenate, grow, and inspire others.

MEET THE FOUNDER

Kausern Hieu

Kausern is the Founder and Managing Director of Building Better Leaders. He previously served as the Chief Executive Officer of a leading influencer and content marketing company in Malaysia, where he led the organization for over eight years.

With more than 20 years of experience leading young professionals in the marketing and advertising industries, Kausern believes the fastest way to make a meaningful impact on young people in the workplace is through intentional leadership and human connection.

Kausern’s Ikigai is: “Always try to leave people feeling better than when you first met them, because people will forget what you said or did—but they will never forget how you made them feel.”

He is an HRD Corp Accredited Trainer and an International Coach Federation (ICF) Accredited Coach. He also co-wrote the book, “Leadership is Not Automatic”.

A movie buff at heart, Kausern often uses scenes from films in his training and coaching sessions to spark insight and inspiration.

Meet the Leadership Pod Leaders

  • Elaikha Zahar

    Elaikha wants to to guide and encourage open dialogues amongst leaders. What excites her most about being a Pod Leader is the opportunity to mentor and inspire people, while learning from fresh perspectives and passion.

  • Michelle Ng

    Michelle had the privilege of experiencing how great leadership could shape and inspire a safe space and healthy culture of the workplace. She’s here to contribute in whatever way she can in hope that working under great leadership becomes a norm and not a privilege.

  • Tan Sue Faye

    Sue Faye wants to enable growth. She may not have all the expertise, but she aims to help others discover their own wisdom, feel heard, and find their own solutions. She wants everyone to learn together, cause she believes young leaders have valuable insights to share. She’s here to learn from them and support their growth.

  • Priscilla Chew

    Priscilla remembers what it’s like as a young manager and wishing there was someone she can ask her silly questions to. That is why she is excited to be that person for someone in this space, just to be that support system as a sounding board and also share what she has learnt in her own journey so far.

  • Grace Leong

    Grace is excited to meet young leaders who are passionate for learning and self-growth. She’s here to support anyone to gain their own breakthroughs and self-discovery.

  • Yuki Ong

    Yuki has led for over 10 years, but she still remembers her first-year mistakes. She hopes sharing them helps young leaders avoid the same missteps. Leadership is a journey of learning, and the right guidance makes all the difference.

  • Isaiah Saw

    Isaiah feels there’s nothing more fulfilling than seeing someone shift into a higher gear they didn’t even know they had. Growth happens in moments of challenge and discovery, and he’s here to explore that journey together!

  • Koh Huiying

    Huiying is proof of the power of empathetic leadership. As a neurodivergent senior leader, she thrived because of the support and inclusion she received early in her journey. When leaders foster psychological safety, people unlock their full potential. She’s here because she believes those same principles can help others lead with impact and authenticity.