“I strongly believe in servant leadership”: SCWO’s Junie Foo on the power of kindness at work

I was a corporate banker for nearly 30 years, before transitioning to the social services sector in 2018. As CEO of a charitable organisation, I oversaw nursing homes, active ageing centres, family service centres, and a welfare home.

Currently, I serve on the board of the Agency for Integrated Care, and as chairperson of the Singapore Kindness Movement. I am also the immediate past president of the Singapore Council of Women’s Organisations (SCWO), the national coordinating body for women’s organisations in Singapore.

The most impactful life lesson I’ve learnt is the importance of making difficult decisions and having tough conversations. While people prefer to hear good news, sometimes it’s necessary to sit down and have honest discussions about challenges. This hasn’t been easy for me, as I’m naturally introverted, but I’ve learnt to see things from both sides and strive for balanced leadership.

Leadership is often associated with glamour, but I believe a true leader should have the strength of a lion and the humility of a lamb. Leadership requires humility, and I strongly believe in servant leadership – something that is especially important in today’s world. There’s a lot of mental stress, social media pressure and distractions. Staying focused is essential, and humility means being open to continuous learning. You don’t know everything.

In the past, the toughest part of my corporate job was retrenching staff. It was incredibly difficult and emotionally challenging, especially when letting go of good employees simply because the company was struggling. It remains one of the hardest experiences of my corporate career.

Transitioning from the corporate sector to social services was very different, as the people I now manage have different training and backgrounds compared to those I worked with in the corporate world. I had to adapt my management style accordingly, which was a key learning experience for me.

For example, in my corporate days, I was quicker to be dismissive – if someone underperformed, I might have thought, ‘Wow, you can’t do that. You’d be fired for this.’ In the corporate world, results drive decisions, and there’s less tolerance for mistakes. But in social services, there are often extenuating circumstances that explain why things happen the way they do. This shift taught me to be more understanding and accepting of people, while still maintaining necessary standards.

I also came to realise the power of words. Careless words can destroy reputations, credibility, and even relationships. This made me more mindful about what I say, whereas in the corporate world, I might have been more direct or unfiltered. When people confide in me, I listen, empathise, and seek to understand the story behind their experiences.

Over the past five years, I have focused on becoming a more balanced leader. Kindness is unique in that it transcends gender, social status and circumstances. It’s not just about being kind to women – we must also extend kindness to our seniors and to everyone around us.

SKM has several awards lined up – such as the National Kindness Awards, Service Gold for hoteliers – and Transport Gold for public transport staff. We want to shine a light on the positives, rather than focus solely on the negatives. The goal is to highlight the positive actions of people and applaud them, hoping to inspire others.

What I want people to understand is that kindness is a strength, not a weakness. You can be both kind and firm. This principle also applies to my leadership style. I lead with kindness, but I am firm – I expect quality work and won’t accept subpar effort. Ultimately, kindness plays a crucial role in building a more gracious society.

Photography Athirah Annissa
Art Direction Adeline Eng & Ray Ticsay
Coordination Chelsia Tan
Hair Aung Apichai / Artistry, using Kevin.Murphy
Makeup Benedict Choo, using Gucci Beauty

In honour of International Women’s Day and Singapore’s 60th year, we’re celebrating the extraordinary women who have shaped its story. With Shiseido’s support, we honour the Advocators who are amplifying marginalised voices – and building a more inclusive, equitable, and compassionate Singapore. 

To learn more about the 60 women who have shaped Singapore as we know it today, click here.