Poor Management

Recently, I have found a new playground to practise my 2.4km run - Temasek Poly running tracks. Temasek Poly has got very modern facilities, with clean, big, and cosy bathrooms, hot showers, water coolers, free parking lots and most importantly, its jus a few km away from my home.

Every time I am there, I will see diff grps of students engaging in diff sports at various corners of the SRC. There would be a huge group practising rock climbing, a second grp playing soccer, another playing rugby, some practising taekwondo etc. Even the basketball and tennis courts are occupied always without fail. The entire campus is so lively, just like a 'younger version' of NUS. I am glad these students have made good use of their student life to engage in campus activities. These are memories that they will bring along with them 10 or 20 yrs down the road, and not those memories tat they have from lecture halls, tutorial rooms or test/exams etc.

I am already approaching the 8th month of my job, already 2/3 of a year. Still, I found myself v weak in terms of my management skills. Everyday, I will have staff knocking on my door requesting for leave, offs, signing of uniform, boots and other equipment, and I would always sign against the 'approved' columns. A senior foreman feedbacked that I am too soft and easy, that my staffs are taking advantage of me to get what they want.

For instance, I have implemented a rule to all my team leaders that they have to put on their ampulets while wearing their uniform. However, most of them refused to listen, despite my repeated reminders (which I think were too gentle). This morning, i was really fed up when i saw some of them without their ampulets, that I shouted and threatened to issue them warning letters. Finally, all of them quickly obeyed the instructions. Well, must we always resort to using the 'cane' before ppl are willing to listen? Quite contrary to what some of my BS jnrs might have perceived me to be, I actually find it really difficult to raise my voice and become fierce. I was certainly not like tat in the army, perhaps I was more pretentious then and acted garang while commanding my platoon.

While I often reprimand my staff that they shld learn to be more courteous and polite while talking to our customers, a foreman argued that they are 'rough' ppl and cannot be changed. He also argued that asking them to be gentle and polite is jus like asking me to be loud, fierce and commanding. I was speechless........