Behind every leader, is a great team of people

The month of July marks the beginning of my 2nd year with The Esplanade. It is an amazing journey so far with great culture working alongside with humble people towards the vision of making the arts accessible to everyone and serving its social purpose by reaching out to the under-served communities and individuals through arts. It was also exactly 12 months ago, I left my wonderful HR team in TAK..I still remember them...

"I learnt that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." - Maya Angelou

True appreciation comes from by knowing that you had left the company but never left the people that once supported you and I never forget how they made me feel in times of uncertainty. Time flies...

I was given a rare opportunity to head the HR Department in 2013 when my ex-HR Manager left the organisation. When this sudden opportunity came about, I was unsure until when I remembered this:

"If someone offers you an amazing opportunity and you are not sure, say yes – then learn how to do it later." - Sir Richard Branson

I did not hold a managerial title despite leading a team with a regional scope in 2013. Back then I knew that working with a traditional boss, title is not given, but earned. And from the experience, I learnt not to judge others based on their job titles but on the work they do - VPs in certain industry are in fact managers while some officers in MNCs are having managerial portfolios.

I grabbed the opportunity but learning how to do it was not easy. The learning curve was steep. There were occasions I asked myself did I make the right decision. It was either going to be a career crisis or breakthrough for me. The choice was really up to me. I knew that such bullet at that moment, was best to swallow and not to bite. I have never looked back but worked towards learning the rope fast.

As a first-time leader, I was perfectly imperfect. There were harsh criticisms and setbacks along the journey of growth. It took self-awareness and humility to accept that some decisions that I made in the past were not great. There were also times, I had regretted not putting my foot down when I could have done so. And thanks to David Wee for recommending this book to me: Defining Moments – When Managers Must Choose between Right and Right - Badaracco Jr. These were indeed defining moments for me. Moments that built my character, maturity and a better sense of what I needed to pursue in my career. Definitely older and richer – not the richer in the bank statement but richer in experience to see things differently. Yes, I truly appreciate this sentence, “What doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger.”

Beside the learning points, there are endless opportunities to acknowledge people when you choose to see the good in them and start noticing small things that someone does for you that no one else notices.

My ex-HR manager who left and re-joined few years later. Despite being lesser experience to her, she never treated me like a subordinate. We often discussed, debated and collaborated on what we need to be done. Having all the debates also allow us to look at things in a more holistic way without feeling offended or upset with each other. As we operate in a fast-pace environment, we had to ensure that our internal communication was timely so that we were all well-informed and ready should the bosses needed us. We have always supported and respected each other even when we are no longer colleagues now. We are friends. 

“A friend is one that knows you as you are, understands where you have been, accepts what you have become, and still, gently allows you to grow.”-William Shakespeare.

My ex-staff who worked closely with me for more than 5 years, is of the same age as my mother-in-law and has at least 20+ years of HR experience elsewhere. I got her to join my Department when her previous role as a Personal Assistant was made redundant. It had never came across my mind that my position was insecure because she had more experience than me. I was only worried if she was a poor performer and I had to supervise someone of her seniority. The good news was that her maturity and experience was a stabilising force in the team. She delivered what was needed and gave me the support I need. Yes, there were some minor mistakes, but no one is perfect. Not her, not me, not even my bosses. I gave her the respect she deserved and she returned the respect that I needed to lead the team as a younger superior.

Another ex-staff of mine, joined me since her day one. She was fresh from school and had no experience in HR. She assured me that she really wanted the opportunity. She struggled at the start. But who else excel when they are new? Even those at CEO level, people do struggle in a new environment for a start. Communication was important and she was told that the next two months was critical. She was positive with all the feedback given. She improved tremendously down the months and turned out to be a responsible and hardworking staff. She wakes up early every day in the morning so that she could clear the custom before the jam starts and the matter of fact, she was never late for work. Not to mention that she hardly took any sick leave all these years too. I truly believe that "Every fresh graduate deserves an opportunity to start somewhere." However, it comes together with the demonstration in willing-to-listen, to-learn and to-do especially so when you have no credential or experience to sell.

"Behind every leader, is a great team of people working tirelessly and sometimes silently, in helping you to achieve the objectives."

Like in a game of soccer, every player including the defender plays a specific and meaningful role in the build-up to the goal. There are plenty of theories on how to manage a team. But for me, it all comes down to having people who understand each other and try to work well together.

While I am now with a different team, I have never forgotten those great players that once shared the field with me. Thank you RF, AL, WN and SM.

Memories are not just for reflecting on the past; they help us make the best decisions for the future.”

Ken is a human resource professional who values learning and enjoys working with people from all walks of life. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Management & HRM) from Curtin University of Technology and has been practising HR since 2004. An introvert by nature, who loves reading and writing.