Jun.2026 (NEW)
Belonging, Identity and Wellbeing
Pride Month lens without being tokenistic - June centers wellbeing through the lens of identity, belonging, and inclusion. In alignment with Pride Month, the articles go beyond symbolism to explore how inclusive systems directly impact mental health, physical safety, family life, and leadership trust. The tone should be affirming, evidence-based, and action-oriented, without becoming performative.
- Personal Effectiveness | Carrying More Than the Job (By Ho Sheau Huey)
- Team Effectiveness | Leading Without Assumptions (By Sonia Hillary)
- Organizational Effectiveness | From Allyship to Everyday Action (By Sharmini Karim)
- Wellness Corner | Rest Looks Different for Everyone (By Xin Yuan Low)
- Special Edition | What Happens After Pride Month Ends... (By Shalini Gunarajan)
May.2026
Protecting Capacity with Rest, Resilience and Recovery
This edition explores how modern workplaces quietly reward overextension while underestimating the cost of sustained pressure. The focus is not on reducing ambition, but on protecting clarity, trust, and capacity over time. Takeaway from this edition is sharper awareness of invisible mental load, a clearer understanding of their role in shaping healthier norms, and practical shifts they can apply at the individual, team, and leadership levels.
- Personal Effectiveness | The Hidden Tax of Constant Availability (By Cathy Wei)
- Team Effectiveness | From Support to Sponsorship (By Anh Nguyen)
- Organizational Effectiveness | Why Strong Teams Normalize Slower Days (By Christine Chien)
- Wellness Corner | The Cost of Skipping Recovery (By Sonia Hillary)
Apr.2026
Sustainable Performance
April sets the tone for sustainable performance &conversations that shift from recovery to resilience after the intensity of Q1. This month invites readers to rebuild internal capacity, focus on energy, psychological safety, recovery. The emphasis is on building strength that lasts, not heroic endurance. This month highlights physical wellbeing, shared responsibility, and leadership behaviors that protect long-term performance across teams and families.
- Personal Effectiveness | The Energy Audit (By Sonia Hillary)
- Team Effectiveness | Managers as Climate Controllers (By Sufiya Suhail)
- Organizational Effectiveness | Teams That Don’t Depend on One Hero (By Munira Jalil)
- Wellness Corner | Physical Wellness Beyond the Gym (By Leeann Lorilla)
- Visionary Voice | When Endurance Becomes the Strategy (By Eric Kung)
Mar.2026
Redefining Power – Rewriting The Play
March calls leaders to recognize that inclusive leadership isn’t a nice-to-have; it’s the engine of innovation, resilience, and growth in 2026. It’s not about fitting women into old molds; it’s about dismantling those molds and crafting leadership cultures where different voices don’t just join the table — they flip the table when needed.
- Leading Self | Owning Your Leadership Story: A Playbook for Women Leaders (by Lina Lam)
- Leading Together | Allyship in Action: What True Champions of Women Look Like (by Steven Khu)
- Leading Beyond | Reimagining Leadership for the Next Generation (by Sharmini Karim)
- Wellness Corner | Food for Thought: Eating Patterns That Fuel Leadership Energy (by Ying Yin Lee)
- Visionary Voice | Leadership Doesn’t Have to Be Lonely: Creating Meaningful Connections (by Sheau Huey Ho)
Feb.2026
Writing the Rules – While The Game Is On
By now, leaders are past the “new year enthusiasm” and into the reality of balancing competing priorities. The focus this month is on decision-making under uncertainty, conflict resolution, and leveraging diversity of thought to stay agile in an unpredictable environment. The broader view extends to sustainability—not as a compliance checkbox, but as a driver of competitive advantage. The wellness piece emphasizes protecting mental wellbeing in a world that rarely takes in the small joys of life.
- Leading Self | Decisive Leadership: Making Clear Choices in Uncertain Times (by Leeann Lorilla)
- Leading Together | The Power of Cross-Functional Collaboration: Breaking Silos for Agility (by Ines Wong)
- Leading Beyond | Sustainability as Strategy: Retention & Succession Pipelines (by Aveline Teh)
- Wellness Corner | Micro-Moments of Joy: The Overlooked Leadership Advantage (by Anh Nguyen)
Jan.2026
The Leadership Reset – Designing the Year Before It Designs You
January is a natural moment for most people to reset priorities, recalibrate goals, and sharpen their edge for the year ahead. In 2026, leaders face rapid technological shifts (AI, automation, data-driven decisions) while still needing to lead with empathy and clarity. This edition should help leaders start the year strong - equipping them with future-focused skills, fostering team trust in hybrid workspaces, and balancing innovation with ethical responsibility. The wellness angle centres on small but powerful rituals to sustain energy throughout the year.
- Leading Self | The First 90 Days of 2026: Setting Yourself Up for Leadership Wins (by Xin Yuan Low)
- Leading Together | From Alignment to Alchemy: Turning Teams into Innovation Catalysts (by Lina Lam)
- Leading Beyond | AI and Ethics: The Leadership Balancing Act (by Steven Khu)
- Wellness Corner | Focus in the Age of Distraction: Mental Clarity for 2026 [Quick Self-Check: How Focused Are You Today?] (by Shalini Gunarajan)
- Visionary Voice | Charting the Leadership Landscape of 2026: Facing the New Year Full of Uncertainty and Challenges with Purpose and Hope (by Dr. Eric Kung)
Dec.2025
Best of 2025 – A Walk Down Memory Lane
As the year ends, we should take time to pause and reflect on what we have accomplished and learned over the last twelve months. This edition of Influencer compiles some of the highlights from previous 2025 issues.
- The Best of Leading Self | Mindset Matters: Navigating Tough Conversations: Skills Every Leader Needs (by Ying Yin Lee)
- The Best of Leading Together | Conflict Without Casualties: Resolving Disagreements (by Ines Wong)
- The Best of Leading Beyond | Trust Capital: The Currency Every Leader Must Protect (by Divya Khanna)
- The Best of Wellness Corner | Wellness Playbook: The Human Side of AI: Managing Digital Overload & Decision Fatigue (by Leeann Dio)
- The Best of Visionary Voice | Leadership Reflections: Managing Transition from the Old to the New (by Dr. Eric Kung)
- Our Bonus Read of The Year | Leadership Playbook: AI as a Leadership Tool: Enhancing Not Replacing Human Judgment (by Xin Yuan Low)
- HD's Influencer Team | The Energy that Fuels Our Newsletter!
Nov.2025
Building Ownership and Modern Leadership Skills
This edition focuses on one of the most critical transitions in professional life: stepping up to take ownership, whether as a new employee, a first-time manager, or a seasoned leader adapting to today’s workplace. From building an ownership mindset and avoiding common pitfalls in early leadership, to bridging generational gaps and setting healthy boundaries, the articles explore practical strategies that resonate across all levels. With International Men’s Day as a special highlight, we also reflect on how men in leadership can move beyond stereotypes and lead with empathy, balance, and inclusivity.
- Leading Self | From Employee to Owner: How to Build an Ownership Mindset (by Munira Abdul Jalil)
- Leading Together | First-Time Manager’s Guide: Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid (by Christine Chien)
- Leading Beyond | Cross-Generational Leadership: Bridging Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z (by Lina Lam)
- Wellness Corner | Boundary Management for Leaders: Saying Yes Without Burning (by Cathy Wei)
- Special Edition (International Men’s Day) | Beyond Stereotypes: Men Leading with Empathy and Balance (by Steven Khu)
Oct.2025
Mental Health at Work: Beyond Awareness to Everyday Action
Workplaces have moved past simply “acknowledging” mental health. Today, the real challenge lies in embedding sustainable practices that support emotional resilience, reduce stigma, and normalize seeking help. This edition focuses on practical, behavioural, and systemic ways leaders, managers, and employees can create environments where mental health is protected as much as performance.
- Leading Self | Resilience Rituals: Everyday Habits That Protect Mental Health (Self-Coaching Guide)
- Leading Together | Managers as Mental Health Gatekeepers: What Support Really Looks Like (Step-by-step Manager’s Playbook)
- Leading Beyond | The ROI of Mental Wellbeing: Why Business Can’t Afford to Ignore Wellbeing (Thought Leadership Article)
- Wellness Corner | Breaking the Stigma: Conversations That Change Culture (Dialogue Guide)
Sep.2025
The Human Side of Leadership: Behaviors that Build (or Break) Workplaces
In a world of rapid transformation, it’s not just systems and strategies that shape success, it’s behaviour. How leaders listen, respond under pressure, manage conflict, and build trust directly impacts performance, culture, and retention. This edition explores the essential leadership and workplace behaviours that make or break teams, offering practical tools and insights to turn good intentions into daily practice.
- Leading Self | The Emotionally Intelligent Leader: Reading the Room, Leading the Moment (Self-Assessment & Action Plan)
- Leading Together | Conflict Without Casualties: Resolving Disagreements (Step-by-Step Conflict Navigation Framework)
- Leading Beyond | Trust Capital: The Currency Every Leader Must Protect (Leadership Playbook: Do’s, Don’ts & Real Examples)
- Wellness Corner | Boundaries Without Guilt: The Behaviour Shift That Saves Careers (Checklist & Reflection Prompts)
- Quarterly Visionary Voice | Behavioural Blind Spots: How to Detect and Overcome Them for Professional and Organizational Effectiveness (Thought Leadership Essay)
Aug.2025
Culture by Design: Crafting Intentional Workplaces Index
Building a thriving organizational culture isn’t about chance — it’s about intentional design. Leaders can shape a culture that embodies their core values, fosters inclusivity, and drives performance. This edition explores how you can embed values into everyday actions, align teams across diverse formats, and ensure that culture thrives in every part of the organization—from leadership to rituals. We’ll dive into creating environments where employees feel they truly belong and highlight the ethical responsibilities that leaders bear in crafting these workplaces.
- Leading Self | Ethical Leadership: Cultivating Integrity in Every Decision (Reflection Journal + Decision Checklist)
- Leading Together | Culture Audit from the Management Drives Lens (Interview - Sharmini Karim in conversation with Lotte Harenslak)
- Leading Beyond | Trust Capital: The Currency Every Leader Must Protect (Dear Leaders)
- Wellness Corner | Rituals That Reinforce Culture and Belonging (Article)
Jul.2025
(Leaving Soon)
Communication that Lands: Navigating Stakeholders with Clarity and Confidence
In today’s high-speed, cross-functional workplaces, communication isn’t just about clarity—it’s about influence, alignment, and trust. Whether you’re a team lead trying to manage upward, an HR pro building bridges between departments, or a CEO aligning global goals, effective communication and stakeholder management are the backbone of organizational success. This edition dives into how leaders at every level can shape narratives, build trust across silos, and manage competing expectations without burning out or playing politics.
- Leading Self | Self-Coaching Guide (Prompts and Techniques)
Power with Words: Influencing Without Authority - Leading Together | Dual-Perspective Comparison (Team vs. Leadership Needs)
Bridging Gaps: Balancing Team and Leadership Expectations - Leading Beyond | Leadership Playbook (Do’s & Don’ts)
Collaboration Without Power Plays: Cross-Functional Influence Done Right - Wellness Corner | Reflection Prompts
Communication Overload: When Talking Becomes Draining
- Leading Self | Self-Coaching Guide (Prompts and Techniques)
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