When metrics fall short: Hazel Yap on why leaders do not always have the answers
How the Serious Media co-founder exemplifies human-first leadership in the inaugural Human Truth Awards.
The Human Truth Awards honour leaders who choose truth over titles, and human responsibility over performance, in a world obsessed with visibility.
Hazel Yap, Co-founder and COO, Serious Media
Hazel Yap is recognised in the inaugural Human Truth Awards because her leadership is grounded in reflection rather than reaction, and she is deeply comfortable with the reality that clarity rarely shows up on demand.
“Always,” she says, when asked if difficult conversations are worth having, explaining that “the more difficult the conversation, the clearer the outcome,” even though clarity often arrives days or weeks later, once emotions settle and reflection has room to breathe.
She has learned not to rush that process, because forcing resolution too early robs the moment of its lesson, and as she puts it, “If I have to go through the hard part anyway, I might as well let it teach me something.”
A defining trait of Hazel’s leadership is her ability to acknowledge mistakes without letting ego take the wheel. “I’ve seen ego take over boardrooms more times than I can count, mine included,” she says, reflecting on how quickly blame becomes the default response when things go wrong.
