Looking at Mr Ng Gan Sew, as he sat sipping coffee at a neighbourhood, dressed in a casual blue polo-T shirt, and bermudas, one would never guess that he is, in fact, a businessman with nearing 30 years of experience in his industry, and is also a manager in his company, Zetech Engineering Pte Ltd, with easily 50 workmen at his disposal at any given time.Although a tell-tale sign of his experience, though, was the fact that i was 15 minutes early for the interview- and he was still 10 minutes earlier than I was. The punctuality of a businessman is a dead giveaway.
The second sign was the firmness of the handshake which was exchanged as he rose in greeting to acknowledge my arrival. In spite of looking nothing like your average white-collar managers, he spoke perfectly fluent English, and answered all of my questions with a smile.
Mr Ng's range of management covers administration, logistics and human resource management, the last of which he prides himself on the most.
"I treat all my workers fairly and equally, because that is my preferred managerial style. In this industry, it is fait accompli if you take care of your tools, they will serve you well. Needless to say, people, who have feelings, will respond in kind if you treat them with the respect they deserve." He said, without a trace of the 'leadership ego' usually associated with people in places of power.
"In fact, for the past 12 years or so, since i took up the managerial position at Zetech, I cannot remember even one occasion when i was late in distributing salary to my workers." He chuckled. "this is one area i am especially mindful of, because i myself know the feeling of having your salary delayed."
In spite of having a team of 6 first-line managers under him, Mr Ng insists on being present in person whenever a major project is to commence.
"Its not so much the lack of trust, but the need to reassure my men, that if anything goes awry, help is close at hand. Which is not to say that I am the best person to contact in an industrial emergency, but it gives them a sense of security to have an authority figure close by." He explained.
At this, it becomes evident that Mr Ng's style of management is inclined towards Human Resources. Theory Z, to be exact, with his belief that no matter how friendly he chooses to be to his workers, a certain level of authority must still be maintained.
When asked about the biggest problem he faces as a manager, Mr Ng thoughfully replied "Well, most people see being a manager as a while-collar job, with the big shots sitting in air-conditioned offices with their feet up on their desks, if you pardon my expression. However, my job scope covers both blue and white collar aspects, as after I've settled the paperwork, I have to make sure that affairs in the field or site are in order, and sometimes lend a hand if manpower is short. Its back-breaking work at times, as i'm no longer young and sprightly, but i enjoy it." He laughed.
Mr Ng believes that the best way to overcome this obstacle is to delegate the field and site supervision jobs to his younger first-line managers. However, it is a mark of how much he trusts his workers, that he stated that he does not do so because he believes his foremen do not need any watching over.
"Besides, i am usually nosy as to how the work is progressing. It helps me to give a more accurate description of the job process to my clients, anyway." He points out.
In his opinion, the best kind of manager has to be able to
-Establish a rapport with his employees, while
-Retaining a certain degree of authority such that they respect him as much as he does them
-Effortlessly motivate his teams and people under him to produce results efficiently
-Receptive to staff's needs
And lastly,
-Adhere to company policies, while balancing staff welfare and company's interests.
As we parted with a handshake, Mr Ng struck me once again with his expertise and background in his field. Afterall, from the formality of our interview, one would never guess that he is my Father.
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