Renowned leadership thinker and legendary UCLA basketball coach John Wooden famously said: “It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts.”
That simple truth sits at the heart of what defines exceptional leadership:
the hunger to keep learning, no matter how experienced or accomplished you are.
When you think of a leader with 25+ years of experience—like Leonard Khoo (name changed for privacy), Head of Cloud and Data Analytics at a large regional telco—you might expect someone who’s seen it all to show up at a training session as a courteous observer. Leonard turned that expectation on its head.
In the Presentations Alive!™ Advanced class last week, Leonard fully embraced the learning. He stepped forward to perform, absorbed feedback with humility, and reflected deeply on every strategy he could take back and apply. He also sought out advice from trainers and coaches on how to continue his growth—asking, “What next? Who should I learn from?”
His commitment inspired others. Watching someone of his seniority engage so openly pushed his peers to examine their own skills and step up. One feature of the class that resonated deeply was a specialised module—adapted from The Business Storyteller™ Advanced course—focused on helping leaders to craft their Teachable Point of View (TPOV).
This gave Leonard the tools to articulate, not just insights, but actionable lessons that others could learn from, sharpening his leadership impact. Three key elements stood out:
- Simplicity of Structure
- Storytelling for Business
- Expressiveness and Presence
Leonard praised the programme’s “excellent knowledge and passion about presentation and storytelling.” His story is proof of Wooden’s wisdom in action. Despite his seniority, Leonard showed that real leadership is defined by continual growth. His humility, mindset, and drive turned a training session into a transformative experience—not just for himself but for everyone around him.
Ibrahim J Mariwa
Director – Presentations Delivery