"I would say that a leader is forged and really it's based on the circumstances."
Meet Vincent Cheng, born and raised in Canada and presently residing nearby Ajax. He has explored 32 countries across the globe. This exploration has anchored his connection to diverse cultures, formulating a deep understanding of humanity at large. Since 2013, he has travelled to Japan annually and lived with a Zen Buddhist monk in a 600-year-old temple until COVID-19 came and prohibited travelling in 2020.
Vincent started his career as an electrical engineer in 2004, and a year later, alongside this, he began his quest of conducting orchestras, choirs, and operas worldwide. He coached and conducted hundreds of amateurs and professionals across Canada, the USA, Europe, and the Middle East in voice and musicianship.
Feeling a deeper calling, he retired from engineering to fully devote himself to the music profession. In 2012, he sold all his possessions and booked a one-way ticket to Berlin, Germany. From there, he conducted operas across Europe and won third prize in the 2013 International Conducting Competition in Budapest, Hungary. In 2014, he returned to Canada and began his studies in psychotherapy, meanwhile continuing his conducting career as an ongoing passion.
These multifaceted worlds of work and life experiences have integrated together deeply and what led him to develop “Heal The SourceTM ”, a revolutionary method that rapidly breaks through one’s obstacles to move into attaining a life of meaning and fulfillment. It is through this one-of-a-kind approach that his intuitive leadership, integrity, and versatility shine through. Vincent is committed with an extraordinary vision to bringing about the highest level of motivation and inspiration in serving others. “Heal The Source™ to Heal the World!”
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Table of Contents
Some say leadership is innate, others would argue against it. Would you say you were born a leader or did you have to become a leader? Explain your experience and viewpoint.
Vincent Cheng: I would say that a leader is forged and really it’s based on the circumstances. Everybody can be a leader but not everybody wants to be a leader because being a leader takes skill, training and a LOT of responsibility.
A leader is forged by our circumstances, our experiences and our relationships. Most people would not want to be a leader just because of the responsibility it requires but some people want to be a leader because of how it makes them feel, having that sense of power, impact and influence. So for me, I wanted to become a leader because it gave me a sense of control. It gave me the sense that if I am responsible for someone or something, I have the ability to make it the best that it can be.
To be a leader is a choice and the reasoning behind it is the question you want to ask yourself – why? Why do you want to be a leader? Well, it gives you excitement, a chance to connect, and oftentimes, when you’re a leader, you affect the most amount of change.
Leaders are usually are those who are born with some innate talent, and so they are put in a position where they can lead and help many.
Tell us about your company/Organization. What are some of the most exciting projects that you’re working on and how does your organization distinguish itself from the rest?
Vincent Cheng: My coaching programs are the most exciting projects where we have the ability to create and affect life-transforming change for clients who come and enroll in these high-end coaching programs.
Like my 90-Day Elite Program, as well as my newest one, the Infinity Program, train one to become the best leader, to become a world influencer, and to really leverage infinite potential in your talents. Of course, having my own team is the best part. Learning, adapting, collaborating and connecting with each other. I am so proud of my new team and how we’re able to bring something – like an idea into an implementation that is so beautiful.
Throughout your career, have you been a team player or a lone wolf? How did that benefit or handicap you throughout the years?
Vincent Cheng: Mainly I’ve been a Lone Wolf. I think doing a lot of my inner work through my self-exploration and awareness that I became a Lone Wolf because of such high expectations that I placed on myself and thus I placed on everyone else. A lot of times, when I tried to play in a team or lead a team, I usually get very disappointed because they were not meeting my expectations… that was my old life. I realized that, yes I can usually do it much better than all of them can do it, but I’m capped and limited on my own. My health and mental health suffered. So knowing that fact it was more about me reconciling my own disappointment in witnessing mistakes and seeing expectations not met, and what that result meant in the feeling of lower self-worth, and shame.
When I talk about this in my book where this is the DON’T WANT STATE, the LACK STATE within us. I don’t want to have expectations or disappointment. I don’t want to have people who cannot do things right. I don’t want mistakes and it’s not a very exciting or creative environment to grow from. So through this entire growth and exploration of the self, now I’m able to cultivate a team space, even though recognizing that having people who aren’t as good as me on many things or having people who are better than me allows for a growth in creativity that it propels my company. All of my projects and all of our potential are so much higher than we had thought possible. So it’s learning how to adapt. When is it time to collaborate and when can you be alone? Remember to enjoy yourself in the process, and of course, leverage the best environment to be a team player.
What leadership qualities do you possess that, in your opinion, inspire your employees to work harder and be more productive?
Vincent Cheng: Empathy. Giving back to your employees on a deep level. The feeling that they are appreciated and helping them achieve their goals. So it’s more about what they want, as well as what I want. Creating what I call a win-win situation, where it’s not about meeting deadlines or expectations and failing them or making mistakes. It’s about tapping into the source of why we’re doing this. Connecting the beliefs of the employees, as well as mine, having that align in which now we can cultivate a much higher potential. So my leadership quality is I never give up; I’m so focused and encouraging.
A national survey from the University of Phoenix has found that 95 percent of employees who have functioned as part of a team think that teams are an important workplace function but less than 25 percent prefer working in teams. Individual and teamwork both have their advantages and disadvantages. What work model have you adopted and how has it benefited your organization?
Vincent Cheng: Teamwork with open communication in the team is the biggest challenge. That’s why people prefer not working in teams because it’s not about the project. It’s always about working with people. It’s REALLY hard to work with people! So if we can really learn that skill of how to have a relationship with others, now we’re able to be free. To explore the potentials of each person on the team together.
People often procrastinate when they are unsure of how to do certain tasks. Is there an element of your business process that employees shy away from? How do you counter this problem?
Vincent Cheng: This is probably my superpower that I encourage employees to voice what they are resistant to or more voice what they are challenged with. I think that is the biggest obstacle in most companies is that we are so afraid to ask for help when asking for help really helps us grow.
Let’s not shy away from what we don’t know and use it as an opportunity to speak and to be curious. So I openly address that to say, I encourage them to voice what they don’t know and ask questions. I encourage them to ask for help. And when we ask for help, we GROW.
This is why I created this company and Heal The Source™. We shy away from asking for help because when we don’t know, we feel like we’re LACKING something, a state that we feel we are LESS THAN. So we don’t ask for help because we don’t want to admit that we’re less than. Well, if we change that belief and change that concept in our own minds, now we can say asking for help actually benefits me. It benefits everyone else because now we’re no longer stuck, but we’re honest and we’re collaborative.
Many businesses today are being overwhelmed with all kinds of data which impacts productivity. How do you ensure that you and your employees are focusing on the right metrics?
Vincent Cheng: There are tangible metrics and intangible metrics. Tangible metrics would be, making the sale, financials, hours worked, projects delivered, reports finished and those are measurable. Yes, it’s good to have them, but oftentimes we focus so much on these tangible metrics and measurable metrics that we lose sight of how intangible metrics can drastically affect these factors.
So why are the sales down? If we focused on the financials it’s low and now we’re hounding salespeople to get more sales, work longer hours and do all of that. And then let’s cut costs because we’re in the red, and almost all the time, that “machine thinking” is the cause of a company’s end. Whereas when I see a metric that’s measurable, that is not performing as well I go and talk to my team, I talk to myself, and I explore. I ask myself what’s happening here? Is there someone unhappy? Is someone stressed? Is our team communicating right? Are we all honest with ourselves? Has there been an event that has happened? And we’re going to combine what I call the left and right brain of the company.
So we can coordinate and integrate both these metrics and not have them separate. Absolutely daily feedback is great. I also have a team reflection, which I check on daily and weekly. If there’s something that needs to be done, we jump on a call to discuss. I have an open-door policy that really helps employees feel supported and that if we’re disconnected, then, we’re not productive. So let’s keep connected and everything as well.
According to PwC, nearly 60% of survey respondents reported that they would like feedback on a daily or weekly basis. Which employee feedback system does your business use to boost productivity?
Vincent Cheng: I do daily and weekly feedback. I communicate with my team regularly. I have an awesome team and I think that reflects how a leader is too. Honesty and open communication lead to deeper relationships and growth.
What financial or non-financial incentives do you offer employees for motivation? What role has that played in increasing productivity?
Vincent Cheng: Financial incentives really give us a sense of worth and value in what we do. So paying them more means they will value their work more. They’ll value themselves more and they want to do more. Non-financial incentives are helping employees voice their personal and career goals, aligning them to WHY they are here..
And if the WHY is clear,, we’re a lot more passionate because it’s aligned with something personal, it’s aligned with something that excites us. In addition to financial incentives, I have my team communicate to them what their goals are. For example, if they want to be more creative in writing, or they’ve always wanted to be a writer. Well, I provide an opportunity where it’s creating an experience they’re enjoying themselves. They don’t feel like it’s work. It’s more of doing what they love, their passion and helping others.
If you had an unlimited budget and resources to spend on increasing productivity, what is the first thing that you would change?
Vincent Cheng: I would definitely create an entertainment area, a resort, a relaxation habitat, a self-care or mental health facility, or a physical health spa that employees can enjoy daily if not weekly. When I was in Japan, I was amazed at the productivity, focus, determination and commitment of many employees.
Yes, they worked super long hours and their practice was after a long day, they would go to the onsen, which is the bathhouse. After working 12 hours intensely and, going to that bath, it feels like my entire body got washed and rejuvenated. So imagine if we’re able to have that every day, it gives us a sense of relaxation and we’re fully a hundred percent strong, alert and healthy afterwards.
I would also spend the resources on creating an automated system. If a robot can do something like file reports or calculate these things let’s have them do it in order to free up the superpowers of the team of humans and the creativity to really shine. I would spend that resource to help them reach their goal. So that they become passionate. It becomes fun. It becomes meaningful. And when things are fun and meaningful, we expand a lot more of our potential.
According to Gusto, 54% of employees say a strong sense of community (great coworkers, celebrating milestones, a common mission) kept them at a company longer than was in their best interest. How do you improve the way teams work together? How do you build a sense of community?
Vincent Cheng: I communicate with the team daily and foster a positive culture by being positive myself. They raise questions, and suggestions and I encourage them to reach out if they need help with their career growth. Free mentoring!
This has been very insightful and I’m sure other entrepreneurs can learn from the knowledge you have provided. As for your company’s future, what big changes are coming down the pipe in the next 6 months that might increase productivity?
Vincent Cheng: For me, it’s about celebrating my own journey and my brand and the evolution of the company. When we reach a milestone that is so huge and we achieved something that’s impossible, we let the world know and celebrate it.
Now when we’re celebrating our wins, we get to feel more comfortable and confident. We feel like we are valued and that increases productivity because we’re more able to take on extra members. We see further where we’re brighter. One of the big changes coming is how we are completely stepping into this new brand of The Maestro and how we can help the world and ourselves be The Maestro of our own lives, take charge, be such meticulous orchestrators of every aspect of our life and mastering that, and enjoying it to the full extent.
Productivity is important but as is an employee’s wellbeing. What are you currently doing to prevent employees from burning out?
Vincent Cheng: That’s why I created the Heal The Source™ system. Now, every single employee is part of the healer source system, which means when we get burnt out because we forget and we stop, we’re not vigilant in our own care. We are being conditioned, especially as workers to sacrifice our own needs for the sake of others. Just because of perhaps a paycheck, we’re on a deadline, or we’re feeling that we don’t want to make a mistake.
I encourage with Heal The Source™ that every person is honest with their own state of being – physical, mental, emotional, psychological, and even financial. So once we’re honest, then that’s where Heal The Source™ comes in. That’s my mentoring and they’re on that program. Well, we burn out because we’re not getting what we need; and what we need is usually to feel valued, to feel that we are doing enough. We’re good enough. So all of those factors come in that.
I’m always asking and I’m encouraging every person to ask, am I getting what I need today? And if not, how can I give it to myself? How can I get it from myself? When our needs are not met, we become discouraged and less productive. We must constantly self-reflect so that we are vigilant in becoming our own best caretakers!
Thank you so much for your time but before we finish things off, we do have one more question. We will select these answers for our ValiantCEO Award 2021 edition. The best answers will be selected to challenge the award.
Share with us one of the most difficult decisions you had to make, this past year 2021, for your company that benefited your employees or customers. What made this decision so difficult and what were the positive impacts?
Vincent Cheng: The most difficult decision I had to make was making an investment into taking my company and myself to the very next level. An enormous financial investment, but also a mindset investment. And this has completely shifted how I am perceiving myself and how others perceive me.
So that you step into serving this mission that is so enormous. It’s on a global scale. And oftentimes, either the current team members, family, friends, or people who knew you aren’t able to see that vision. That’s the biggest challenge, well it’s not up to them to see it, this is about really believing in what you are doing and seeing the results of those who are taking part in these programs and the impact of having life-changing experiences. So it’s really surrendering to decisions that many might not understand, but then many more will benefit from.
Jerome Knyszewski, VIP Contributor to ValiantCEO and the host of this interview would like to thank Vincent Cheng for taking the time to do this interview and share his knowledge and experience with our readers.
If you would like to get in touch with Vincent Cheng or his company, you can do it through his – Linkedin Page
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