Name: Vincent Chian

Title: Group Principal

Organisation: Fairview International School

Dr. Vincent Chian, Group Principal of Fairview International School Malaysia and Provost of University College Fairview, is a transformative educator with over 15 years of experience. A former Psychiatry Registrar and University of Manchester medical graduate, he integrates his medical insights into proactive pastoral care and holistic education. Under his leadership, Fairview has become Malaysia's top IB school and a global top 100 IB schoolfor the last 5 consecutive years (2020-2024). An award-winning innovator, Dr. Chian also shares his expertise through coaching, consulting, and speaking at major educational conferences, consistently driving the evolution of international education.

Thank you to the 2,000 leaders who’ve generously done the 7 Questions on Leadership!

We’ve gone through the interviews and asked the best of the best to come back and answer 7 MORE Questions on Leadership.

I hope Vincent's answers will encourage you in your leadership journey. Enjoy!

Cheers,

Jonno White

1. As a leader, how do you build trust with employees, customers and other stakeholders?

I use the trust equation to guide me. Trust is a function of credibility, intimacy, reliability and inversely related to self orientation. I assess the situation, determine which would have greatest impact or needs immediate action and take it from there.

2. What do 'VISION' and 'MISSION' mean to you? And what does it actually look like to use them in real-world business?

Vision is the end point. Mission is how to get there. Providing clarity is the first job of all leaders. Without it everyone isn't aligned. In the real world. It's consistently reminding and articulating why we are doing what we are doing in different ways to help our stakeholders find alignment with the organisation. It's about choosing the sacrifices to make to stay true to our purpose. It's about making sure our actions and policies are aligned to our why.

3. How can a leader empower the people they're leading?

With great caution. I would progress through the stages of situational leadership, from directing all the way to coaching. I would recognise that not everyone wants or can progress to the higher levels of empowerment and that's empowerment in its own way. I would remind myself constantly that I'm here to serve the people I lead, not the other way around.

4. Who are some of the coaches or mentors in your life who have had a positive influence on your leadership? Can you please tell a meaningful story about one of them?

Her name was Donna. My direct report who led a team of 9 senior teachers. We introduced the idea of "family" in the programme believing that the key to success wasn't pushing or mindless drilling but they it was about everyone knowing they were safe and always had a warm shoulder to lean on. That in family, no one gets left behind. It was such a corny that we could help but laugh at wether it was going to work but she persisted and through meaningful connections and consistent action the belief and culture grew until the programme was known for how special everyone in it felt. Like family. Never again would I underestimate the power of a shared belief.

5. Leadership is often more about what you DON'T do. How do you maintain focus in your role?

I do 2 things. I encourage radical candour with certain trusted staff and daily learning. I have 3 staff i trust deeply for their wisdom and perspective. I consult them constantly to get feedback on my leadership performance. They are my barometers. I believe that leadership cannot be only determined by the results but by the perspective of those who are led. Secondly I read constantly, listen to podcasts and surround myself with thought leadership so that my internal perception of leadership is always being challenged.

6. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Everyone plans differently. How do you plan for the week, month and years ahead in your role?

I start with the why. Then to the needs of those we want to serve. Then to how we are going to serve them. Then moving to the metrics that measure success. Only then do we move to 10, 5, 3, 1 year and finally quarterly targets and actions to get there.

7. What advice would you give to a young leader who is struggling to delegate effectively?

Find a mentor. It's tempting to read all the books and with that realisation and learning believe you have found something no one else(including the other leaders around you) know about. But leadership is as old as civilization itself. And many leadership theories are old concepts repackaged with different names. Mentors can shortcut the growth by sharing the mistakes they made so you don't have to make them.