Archive for February, 2011

The Four Vs of Leadership

Tuesday, February 22nd, 2011

The Four Vs of Leadership: Vision, Values, Vitality, Value-Added Vitality

The Four Vs are the cornerstones of our work and personal lives. The Four Vs of Leadership does not conform to the usual genre of leadership, in that, despite its title, it does not seek to suggest any simplistic formula for success.


The Four Vs – Vision, Values, Value-added and Vitality - are the essential ingredients of effective leadership. They provide a framework for life and work that interrelates professional and personal priorities. Rather than being just another “Leadership framework”, the Four Vs of Leadership is best described a philosophical and approach towards grooming and leading people. Peter Shaw, is an experienced executive coach who has spent many years coaching senior people in both public and private sector organisations after himself leading a successful career as a senior civil servant.


Vision - Your vision will become clearer.  It might be a specific vision in terms of your work or your community. There will be a coherence in your vision of who you are and who you want to be that links each aspect of your life: it will be a dynamic vision that is evolving with you enabling constructive changes to happen in different spheres of your life while recognising your responsibilities.

Values - Your values will be consistent across each aspect of your life.  You will understand where your values come from and why they are such a core part of you. You will intend to take forward your values strongly in the way you live in community with others. You will be looking at all your decisions in relation to your values.

Value-added – You will have thought very hard about where you want to add value. You will be rehearsing and practicing in areas where you want to strengthen your capacity to do so. You will not be daunted for long by setbacks but will be developing the resilience to maintain your value-added whatever the pressures.

Vitality - You will have taken a fresh look at your sources of energy.  You will be experimenting with different ways of ensuring freshness and joy in your life. You will have moved on from the notion of rigid concepts of work/life balance to testing how each activity is sapping you or re-energising you. You will be viewing time in a very different sort of way and will not be ruled by the clock; instead you will be strongly influenced in your use of time by how you can influence others for good in the most constructive way.

Key Takeaways

What does seizing the future mean for you as a leader?  In this pro-active workshop on “the 4 Vs of Leadership” Peter Shaw will address five key skills that senior leaders need to seize the future successfully.  These key skills are:

  • Accept new reality
  • Promote fresh thinking
  • Ensure effective engagement
  • Embrace radical approaches
  • Pace your energies

Whether the future holds continued focus, renewed growth, painful restructuring or complete reappraisal, it needs to be faced up to and addressed successfully.  The outcome from your participation in the workshop will be that you will be equipped to:

  • Be upbeat and assertive, coupled with realism and humility
  • Be confident to lead by example and have a bigger impact than in the past
  • Pace the use of energy to ensure difficult tasks get done well

Who Should Attend

Seizing the future demands an upbeat and assertive approach coupled with realism, humility and the confidence to lead by example.  It involves standing back, re-evaluating and being liberated from those previous frames of reference that constrain.  The most successful leaders do this while remaining true to clear guiding values.

Effective Leadership is about the individual and since most individuals in business have never spent much time thinking about what their personal principles are.  If a person is serious about being an effective leader, taking them through the all important thought process. Strongly recommend for business leaders and professionals looking for some help and guidance in reflecting on their own four Vs.  We  would also recommend it to professionals such as Career Advisors, Professional consultants, Senior officers from government & not-for- profit sector, Careers and Executive coaches.  Peter is an excellent coach and this workshop therefore provides an insight into his passion and life work.

Influential Leadership Guru – Peter J.A Shaw


The workshop will be led by Peter Shaw who is a Visiting Professor of Leadership Development.  He coaches senior leaders in the public, private and voluntary sectors.  Peter has written a number of influential, leadership books including:  “Making Difficult Decisions”, “Raise Your Game”, and “Finding Your Future the Second Time Around”.  Peter was also Government Regional Director in the north east in the early 1990s so he is well acquainted with issues faced in the north east

Peter has written 6 influential leadership books including ‘The 4Vs of Leadership: vision, values, value added and vitality’, ‘Finding your Future: the second time around’ and ‘Making Difficult Decisions: how to be decisive and get the business done’. Peter and Robin Linnecar have written the definitive guide to coaching entitled ‘Business Coaching: achieving practical results through effective engagement’. He has recently been appointed Visiting Professor of Leadership Development at Newcastle University Business School.

Education, Qualifications, Professional Positions

  • Diploma in Advanced Coaching from the Academy of Executive Coaching
  • MCS (Christian Studies) – Regent College, University of British Columbia
  • MSc Traffic Engineering and Planning – Bradford University
  • B Sc Geography – Durham University
  • Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts
  • Fellow of the Institution of Highway and Transportation
  • Former Visiting Professor of Education – Durham University
  • Governor – Godalming Sixth Form College
  • Governor – St John’s College, Durham University
  • Selection Board Chair for Guildford Diocese
  • Member of the Institute of Directors
  • Member – Court of Newcastle University
  • Awarded the CB by the Queen in 2000

International Experience

Peter has held a wide range of Board posts covering finance, personnel, policy, communications and delivery. He has worked in five Government Departments (Treasury, Education, Employment, Environment and Transport). He has delivered major national changes such as radically different pay arrangements for teachers, a huge expansion in nursery education, and employment initiatives which helped bring unemployment below a million. Peter led the merger of the Departments of Education and Employment and subsequently the creation of the Department for Education and Skills. As Finance Director he managed a £40 billion budget and introduced radical changes in funding and accountability arrangements. In three Director General posts he led strategic development and implementation in major policy areas with approaching 1,000 staff in diverse locations.

As a Governor of a Sixth Form College and a University College he has led on ensuring highly effective institutions. As Chair of selection panels for the Guildford Diocese he has been closely involved in developing people in the voluntary sector.Peter’s clients enjoy frank, challenging conversations leading to fresh thinking and new insights. It is the dynamic nature of the conversations that is a stimulus for creative reflection and new action. He is often working at the interface of the public and private sectors and assisting Chief Executives and Board members in taking on new roles and in major organisational change.

Professional Expertise
Peter coaches at the Permanent Secretary, Director General, Director and high potential levels in the public sector and at equivalent levels in the private and voluntary sector. He has worked with individuals and senior teams drawing from his Board and cross sector experience.

Course Registration

Register by contacting Ms Ivy or Mr Samuel @ 6720 3333 |  training@aventisgroup.com.sg

Date 28th Feb (Monday)
Venue Concorde Hotel, Orchard Road
Time 9.00am to 12.00pm
Fee S$388
Enquiries Tel: 6720 3333 OR email: training@aventisgroup.com.sg

Free Advisory Session

Receive complimentary advisory with our expert trainer to discuss the issues that matter to your business. Contact Our consultant @ 6720 3333 for more information.


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Make A Wish Charity Movie Gala

Tuesday, February 15th, 2011

Aventis School of Management Annual Alumni Night



During the special festive season of giving, we @ Aventis successfully organised our FIRST EVER Charity Movie Gala. Aventis current students as well as the alumni and their friends attended the Movie Gala held in Vivocity – Golden Village Cinemas on 30th December 2010. This is in support of our Charity Beneficiary, Make A Wish Foundation Singapore who is “dedicated to grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength, and joy.”



An evening filled with warmth and love began with the Charity Auction.

An evening filled with laughter & popcorns ended with the movie – Meet the Parents Little Fockers.

Quoted Ms Jean, CUNY MSc  :

“Thank you for a great evening and a nice gift from the lucky dip! I enjoyed the Fockers. :)





On behalf of Make a Wish Foundation, Sally

would like to thank Christina & her partner



Aventis would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you for your presence and support towards this event making it a successful and extraordinary one – full of warmth, love & joy. Your generous contributions to the Make a Wish Foundation have made a difference and creating opportunities for children with life-threatening medical conditions. Thank you and we look forward to your continuing support! Kamagra

World Class Universities Offering MBA Courses in Singapore

Wednesday, February 9th, 2011

MBA or Master of Business Administration as it is more commonly known as, has emerged as a critical stepping stone for those looking forward to make a successful impact in their respective career path. Emerging in the United States in the late 19th century, the degree of MBA was design to meet the industry need for human resources and managers to be trained using scientific and a time tested approach towards management and business development. The degree has a varied scope and covers various sectors of the business world including finance, accounting, human resources, marketing and operations management. With time however, new study areas have made the list extensive much like the number of universities that offer MBA courses. Of late, Singapore has emerged on the global map as a destination for value added education- education, offered by premier institutes but with affordable price quotations. As far as master programs Singapore is concerned, one can come across many universities offering quality MBA courses.

Choice is affluent for students opting for a masters program or a MBA in Singapore. Not only does the university in Singapore offer world class education, they go a step ahead in preparing industry ready professionals ready to take on the challenge of the corporate world. What they believe in is the complete education of the student wherein the candidate can actually place the theoretical knowledge gathered in the class room in the real-world scenario. As far as infrastructure of the universities in Singapore is concerned, one can never really complain as they are well equipped to handle a highly professional degree as MBA.

Therefore when it comes to picking up the right university for pursuing a masters program, the student has to be really careful. It is important to go through the entire list of top universities in Singapore offering masters program, weigh the pros and cons before taking the final plunge. As a pointer, some of the universities in Singapore worth taking a look are:

  • NUS Business School- AACSB accredited for high quality education coupled with quality research work. Established in 2002, this institute is one of the elite business schools offering masters program Singapore.
  • MDIS (Management Development Institute of Singapore) – This is yet another reputed institute offering masters program in Singapore. Their primary USP lies in their strong course curriculum directed to churn out professionals ready to take on the challenges of the workplace.
  • NUS Business School- AACSB accredited for high quality education coupled with quality research work. Established in 2002, this institute is one of the elite business schools offering masters program Singapore.
  • Aventis School of Management The main thrust of this educational institution lies in the area of leadership and management training. This management institution offers doctoral degrees apart from vocational and professional programs.
  • City University of New York- Counted among one of the leading business schools in Asia to earn the first accreditations of AACSB, the hallmark of a world class education.
  • INSEAD- This institute opened its doors in the year 2001 under the Ministry of Education, Singapore and is recognized highly for their teaching techniques. The institute offers both part time and full time MBA programs.
  • The University of Chicago- Students will come across the Asian campus of School of Business and ESSEC Business School in Singapore.
  • SMU (Singapore Management University) – One of the top notch universities offering masters program and preparing leaders of tomorrow.

Apart from these, some other universities also offering masters programs Singapore includes the Singapore Institute of Commerce, Singapore Management University, SIM University and SP Jain Center of Management.

The Great Debate – which MBA is the Best – NUS (national university of Singapore), NTU (Nanyang Technological University) or SMU (Singapore Management University)?

Wednesday, February 9th, 2011

If you have been looking for MBA in Singapore then there are certainly many universities offering Executive master programs and you can certainly look forward to attending them. There are some universities that you will actually be able to count on fingers as far as MBA in Singapore is concerned. NUS (national university of Singapore), NTU (Nanyang Technological University) and SMU (Singapore Management University are probably some of them. All the universities are renowned when it comes to offering MBA programs but comparison before joining either of them is what the young MBA aspirants are and should be doing these days.


NUS (National University of Singapore)
are believed to rank among one of the best universities that offer executive MBA programs in Singapore and are good for the MBA aspirants looking into MBA in a more global prospective. Further it goes without saying that the international exposure is little better than many other universities that claim to stand in its league.

NTU (Nanyang Technological University) works for preparing the students for a global set up which covers interesting programs right from science and technology to business. Students are ensured to be learning the skills for setting up their foundation as entrepreneurs and leaders of tomorrow. The university is concerned with the multidisciplinary research and development. Students from over 40 countries are joining as this university is known for the generation of ideas and research.

SMU (Singapore Management University) located in the heart of the vibrant city of Singapore gives you the opportunity for completion of executive master programs in just 13 months. This can be interesting for the ones who are looking for a rapid degree completion via a good platform having a global recognition too. At SMU they offer an interactive session of learning and prepare you for the challenges you are likely to face in corporate world. Participative and interactive environment at SMU is believed to produce a breed of professionals that are a need for carving a niche in the global world for success.

In a survey, NTU has been recently ranked 24th in the MBA programs all over the world. NUS also were among the top 40 MBA universities expected to be growing at a faster pace. Among the other multiple surveys the ranking is certainly something that the young MBA aspirants can’t afford to overlook. With the popularity, need, and demand of the executive masters programs the universes are vying for preparing their students to meet the requirements of the flexible and real corporate world.

For students seeking more than just a ‘classroom learning”, one key criteria is the relevance of the curriculum in today’s rapidly evolving business environment. Prospective students are strongly recommended to conduct extensive research on the various key indicators of successful business schools making a decision. Also they might be interested to explore other recognized MBA programs which are available in Singapore including the City University of New York EMBA, Arcadia MBA and SUNY MBA etc.

How to check if my MBA program is recognized by the Singapore government?

Wednesday, February 9th, 2011

Over the past decades, Singapore has continued to attract high quality international students seeking to do their MBA program in Singapore. Singapore is well equipped in terms of technology, communication, and transport which are some of many reasons why Singapore universities have been able to attract students from worldwide. Most of the universities in Singapore offer accredited MBA program which is recognized internationally. Singapore Management University was also recognized at the Singapore education awards as it drew a good number of students from the overseas. Singapore which has been recognized as one of the fastest growing economical hubs of the global world is preferred by students when it comes to choosing some of the best master programs in Singapore.

One of the simplest ways to determine if your MBA program is recognized by the Singapore government is to look and research into the Singapore Public Service Division PSC website at www.careers.gov.sg, your university needs to be accredited by the respective home accreditation agencies to be granted reciprocal recognition in Singapore.

There are also several other forums that can give you a clearer idea and mandatory details about the various universities in Singapore including INSEAD, Aventis School of Management and Singapore Management University. Aventis School of Management is a part of executive MBA council which also includes several well known and renowned business schools. Around 250 business schools are a part of this executive MBA council. They are also members of ECBE which is one of the leading accreditation bodies located in Europe. Aventis School of management is also an accredited centre of chartered institute of marketing which is located in the United Kingdom. Aventis collaborates with top US Universities including Arcadia University and City University of New York to offer a suite of MBA and Specialised Master degree.

Singapore Management University offers management learning that produces corporate leaders and entrepreneurs who can cater to the needs and rising demands of the corporate world. Not just the work environment but also culture and family like atmosphere are what students at the Singapore University get apart from just simple and plain learning. A high and advanced level of professionalism is what draws employers to this university thereby making this university one of their preferred choices.

INSEAD, one of Europe’s top business school also offers a 1 year full time MBA and Executive MBA Programs in Singapore. Structured over a short duration of 10 to 12 months, these programs are internationally recognized by government agencies and MNCs internationally.

Most of the master programs in Singapore are recognized by the Singapore government and promise excellent quality for a healthy, friendly, and warm work environment. If you are looking for a promising international career, MBA programs in Singapore can be one of the good options to be considered in the overall global market of educational programs. Alumni sections of the websites of many universities in Singapore also tell you a lot about the recognition of the MBA program. If you have been waiting for the career opportunities to be knocking at your doors, a friendly learning environment in Singapore can make a difference by helping you get good compensation packages and overall professional development.

Universities in Singapore like Aventis School of management, INSEAD and Singapore Management University are well recognized. They are believed to cater successfully to the needs of the growing demands for a corporate preparation long before you are actually into the job. viagra