Leadership

Sorry for the late reply. My boss went for oversee conference and I had to handle most of the land matter cases and unable to reply your mail until today. Firstly, I very appreciate your quality comments. I really agree with your view regarding “A right person with right attitude is so important instead of academic preference”.

6 and half years in KLK, I learn a lot from this giant company. I monitor how a manager re-act when a problem occur either in Kekayaan or Kerling. Most of them have their strength when handling problem but with difference dimension; Mr. Tan Han Chi, Mr Sin, Mr. Chelvanathan and the last is Mr. Lingam. But I noticed that senior manager management is more to human management rather than technical unless you do not know and they will guild you.

I try to relate your comment on “no brain”. Most of the executives employed by Taiko are holding a diploma or degree but most of us do not have agricultural background. To me as a surveyor, I need to learn from zero. I still remember my first task in kekayaan was control rat population problem at PM1998/418 before they assigned me on SuperHigh Project. None of my colleague guild me and I blindly went down to field and learn how to do rat bait. Many of staff and workers laughed at me. Tuan with “Long pant and a big hat”. I did not care because I had my objective why I joined plantation. I needed to work to support my parent and my sibling still schooling at that moment. Hence, I forced myself to enjoy the plantation work and I think my performance was not bad which I have contributed to these 2 operating centers.

I still remember my neighbor operating center in kekayaan, the manager used to scold my Malay friend in front of workers without closing the office door. I used to discuss this matter to my second senior manager and he also disagreed with this manager behavior. Respect is important even though there is a range between manager and executive or to worker. I still remember (OD) Mr. Lim Hong Joong when he visited the SuperHighway in year 1999. I was appointed to follow OD, Mr Lim and GM, Mr. Chandran because I was the executive whom did survey work from Kekayaan to Landak. The GM wanted to “bully” me on survey matter (Perhaps I just newly join). But, Mr. Lim disagreed with the GM and listened to a surveyor view how to solve the matter. I think there should be a leader attitude towards success.

It happened to most of the executives in KLK and they called it “pressure”. I was lucky because worked for 61/2 years. None of my manager scolded me. My friend used to tell me I always have “Good” manager. Let me tell my friend story to you, when they were scold. They will ignore the problem or just obey the instruction. This is not a win-win situation and both parties were in losing situation. The operating center can not run in smooth condition because estate working environment needs teamwork. Everybody has their duty and responsible. I used to tell my staff that respect worker before you earn the respect.

Hence, I would like to summarize that all the executives have brilliant brain. The trick is how to utilize their brain to work for you. There will another topic to be discussed.

Leadership is vast topic if we want to discuss. We need to great leader to lead but most of the executives are follower and fear to fail because top management does not like fail. Thus, everyone become “Yes Group”. I think I should cease talking nonsense.

Please send my regards to all the top managements where they have been given a trust to a surveyor to run their operating center.

Thank you for read my article.